Author's Note: Sorry about where I placed the lemon guys! It's really crucial because it brings them closer together. T-T. I hope you guys like this chapter.

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT STORY: Just skip to the part where he goes into surgery if you do not want to read the first part again. After the surgery, everything is changed. I promise!

Disclaimer: Caring for someone and loving them are two different things. Never hold in your words cause tomorrow you might not have a chance to say them. (I own nothing.)

Ch. 6: Alternative Ending

Sakura was at the doctor's office with Gaara. He said that he just had the flu, but he couldn't seem to shake it.

"I don't see why you made me come here." he said.

"I'm worried. What if it's something more?"

"You know I'm perfectly healthy…"

"Excuse me, the doctor is ready to see you." said a smiling nurse.

'At least she's smiling. That's a good sign.'

Gaara and Sakura sat down and looked at the doctor, who was frowning.

"We found something in your CAT scan Gaara."

"What?"

"You have a cancerous tumor. It's been getting bigger, that's why you've been having seizures."

"W-what?! You're lying! I don't believe you!" he screamed.

"Would you like to see for yourself?"

Gaara sat down and stared at the doctor in shock. Sakura had her head in her hands and was sobbing uncontrollably. Gaara grabbed her hand and she looked up.

"It's okay, it's going to be okay Sakura. Is there anything you can do?"

"Well, chemo treatment, radiation treatment, and a surgery to remove the growth is all that we offer here."

"I don't want the radiation treatment."

"Then we'll start you on chemo."

"Fine."

Sakura sobbed into his chest.

'Chemo…oh god no…please don't take him from me…please.'

At her thoughts, Sakura cried even harder. Over the next few weeks, Gaara went to the hospital for his chemo treatment. Slowly, his hair fell out and his body looked emaciated, but Sakura stood by him. He try to eat, but just threw it back up. It seemed the only thing he could hold down was chocolate. Sakura would bring his chocolate everyday. One weekend, he was staying with her and there was a knock at her door. As she opened it, she looked at Kiba, Itachi, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Neji, and Naruto. She invited them in and when they walked into the living room, they took off their hats. Every one of them had shaved their head. Sakura started to cry and hug them all and even Gaara's eyes misted a little bit as he saw what his friend's had done for him. Over the next month, the chemo took a toll on his body and wore him down. Sakura finally went to the doctor with him to see if this was working.

"The tumor isn't getting smaller." the doctor said.

"Then the only thing left to do is the surgery." said Sakura.

"Yes, but it's very dangerous."

"I don't care! I want this tumor out of me!" said Gaara.

The scheduled the surgery for a week from that day at six in the morning. Sakura's favorite flowers were Lilies. She loved Lilies and Gaara often bought them for her. They spent their week before the surgery together and with their friends. Finally, the day of the surgery came and all his friends were crowded into the hospital room, wishing him good luck and hoping that he made it back alive. It had been a long winter and soon it would turn to spring. Gaara loved the spring, it was when he met Sakura. They would sit by there favorite Sakura tree in her yard and talk for hours.

"Gaara." Sakura whispered and kissed him.

"Sakura, you look beautiful." Sakura knew how she really looked; dark circles under her bloodshot eyes, no make-up, and crumpled clothes. "I look better once you come down from recovery."

"Sakura, I want to tell you something before they operate."

"What things?"

"I want you to know that I'm okay with this and I want you to be too. No matter what the outcome is." It felt as if a hand had reached into her chest and clutched her heart.

"The outcome is that you'll be alright." she said stubbornly.

"I've also been thinking about the things we talked about under our tree. About the hereafter and all. I don't know what happens when you die, and if I can't wait for you at the end of an aisle on our wedding day, I'll wait for you…out there."

"Gaara, you're scaring me…"

"Please, let me finish. I don't want to scare you. I only want you to know that either way this surgery turns out, I'll be fine. I-I just want you to be fine."

"I can't think about losing you. Don't make me."

"You're the best part of my life and I'll always love you." she heard her friends come back into the room.

"I'll see you in a few hours."

She dropped her hand and let everyone have a few more minutes with him. Before the nurse had a chance to get him into the elevator, he grabbed Sakura's hand.

"If it's possible to send a message from heaven," he whispered, his eyes drooping from the sedation, "I'll get one to you."

As the elevator closed, Sakura looked at the piece of paper he had set in her hands. She put it in her pocket and looked at the others.

"Let's go down to the surgical waiting room."

They trooped down to the area where family and friends waited for news from various operating rooms. A telephone linking the surgical floor with the waiting room would occasionally ring and tell people that their loved one had been taken to recovery and the surgeon would be down to talk to them soon. In the waiting room, her friends were camped out on the sofas. She tried to join them, but couldn't sit still. As the hours dragged by, the phone rang several times, always for others. Every time it rang, Sakura jumped. She felt taut and edgy. Around one o'clock, her mother tried to get her to eat something, but she refused. She stared down at the floor, listening to the thump of her heart, the whispers of those around her. Suddenly the waiting room door opened and she looked up to see Gaara's surgeon standing in front of their group. Surprised, she glanced at the phone, wondering why she hadn't heard it ring. The doctor removed his green head covering. Sakura allowed her eyes to travel the length of him and saw flecks of blood on the green paper coverings of his shoes.

'Gaara's blood.' she knew instinctively.

"The tumor was far more entrenched than we ever imagined," the surgeon began. "It was totally ingrown to the side of his brain."

Temari began to sob, expecting the worse. Sakura held in a long breath.

"We did the best we could and the surgery is a success."

Everyone jump to their feet and sobs echoed through the halls. Sakura practically tackled Temari. After everyone had calmed down a bit, Sakura took the piece of paper out of her pants and unfolded it.

"What's in the note?" asked a tearful Temari, still somewhat shocked that he had made it through.

"It's a perfect rose." said Sakura.

After a few hours had passed, they were allowed in to see Gaara. He looked at all his friends and smiled as he received hugs and praise for making it through.

"The only thing that kept me alive…was the thought of being with my friends and Sakura."

Sakura walked forward and gave him a hug and a kiss. He looked down at the silver promise ring he had given her a summer ago and then he looked toward all his friends and smiled.

"I have an announcement to make." One he had everyone's attention, he turned toward Sakura. "Sakura, will you marry me?"

He grabbed a red velvet box of his table and opened it. It was an Emerald and Sapphire wedding band. Sakura looked at it, then him and felt tears of joy flow freely down her cheeks.

"Yes!"

"Good. I wasn't going to take no for an answer anyway." Sakura smiled at him and extend her ring finger. He placed the band on it and she brought it up to her eyes to the inscription carved on the outside of the ring.

"Sakura, together our hearts have twined and you have become a part of me I cannot live without. Love Gaara."

Sakura flung her arms around his neck and they shared a passionate kiss, not caring that their friends were watching. However, there kiss was disturbed when Temari flung herself at them and smiled.

"This is wonderful! When are you two getting married?"

"I was thinking next week." said Gaara.

"Next week? But I haven't gotten my dress and the wedding must be planned and the location…" Sakura stammered.

"Relax. You're mother and I made plans about a month ago. She was to cancel if something were to happen to me, which I sure wouldn't have happened. The location is just outside of Konoha where they have set up an beautiful Spanish Villa. They rent it out just for marriages. Your mother has already bought your dress and tomorrow invitations will go in the mail."

"What? You already planned all this?" Sakura was shocked, so Gaara pulled out a bouquet of Lilies and gave them to her with a quick kiss.

"You always think you can fix everything with flowers." she teased and gave him another kiss.

A week from now, they were to be married and forever twined as one.

Author's Note: It was hard to write without crying. I hope you guys like this. Reviews are welcome and replied to. This is the last chapter. I will have a TY note posted.