Sakura's POV
12:30 PM
Lunch Room

A week or so had passed since I caught Gaara and that tramp together. Since then, he has tried to approach me on many occasions, but I would just push him to the side. Why do I feel this way? Why do I feel so hopeless, broken? Thoughts raced my mind at the lunch table as they had everyday this week. The whole gang was eating in silence. They had given up on speaking to me a couple of days ago. I refused to talk, no point. I would be leaving in another week or so. "Sakura, can I talk to you later?" I looked up with soulless eyes. Brittany's face laced with concern, and I nodded at her. I decided I needed to stop this self-pity, Brittany was my best friend. There was no reason to not speak to her.

"Sakura" I heard a rough voice speak from across the table. Should I even acknowledge him? Looking up, fire burned from my eyes. He looked surprised, yet no emotion could be detected from him by the others. I stood up, leaving my empty tray on the table. "Meet me at the training grounds tonight." I spoke with a hoarse voice, but it still held every once of my returned hatred and confidence. We would settle things tonight. Hell, I wanted answers before I left. Plus, I haven't trained with him for a while. It's time to show him that he shouldn't take the Haruno clan lightly.

Sakura's POV
4:00 PM
Her Bedroom

"And that's why I've acted this way, I guess." I sat cross-legged on my bed as I told the story to Brittany. I watched her face contort to anger, to understanding, and to pity while I told the story. However, the last thing I wanted was for her to pity me. "Well, I know Gaara truly cares for you. If he didn't, he wouldn't agree to train you as much as he has. Also, he would have just ignored you this whole time. I'm sure your misreading something." Brittany sat there, speaking honestly and evaluating the situation. "You need to get things straight, Sakura. You'll be leaving soon." Sadness was clear in her eyes as she hugged me. In a way, I knew she was right. "Thanks, Brittany. I'm going to miss you." I hugged her back, holding back my tears.

Next week would be my last. Previously, I had talked to doctor Tsunade about what I would do after I left. She told me I would return to the Haruno's village, and I could do as I pleased. She suggested that I should fix the village up and open my own clinic. I should also start my mission on restoring my clan. So, I took the advice and that's what I planned on doing. I would miss this "nut house", but it would feel nice to leave. In honesty, I was scared of the open world. Being out there with no family and such a heavy goal put on my shoulders, but I was determined for the most part.

"I need to go to therapy now, but good luck with tonight Sakura." Brittany let go from our hug with a smile. I smiled back with a new-found determination and my eyes and nodded. Tonight was going to be interesting...

6:00 PM
Training Grounds

Night was approaching quickly as the cold, arriving winter, air whipped my short hair to the side with the wind. I dressed in my usual training attire, standing a few meters from Gaara. "What you saw, isn't what your thinking." His eyes locked into mine. Mocking his stance from when we usually fought, I folded my arms over my chest. "Than what the hell was it!?" My emotions started to get to me again, but I didn't let up on my determined, cold-hearted, persona. "Why do you care" His voice was soft and held no emotion. The cold eyes looked away from mine, to the ground. I clutched my fists. Why do you do this to me? "It's because I care for you!" I screamed at him as a single tear rolled down my face. He looked up into my eyes. Before he could say anything, I threw a shuriken towards his heart. It reflected by his sand with ease. Damn sand! "Just don't say anything to me, fight me!" Tears slowly poured as I spoke and he tried to speak again. I wouldn't let him as a clone of mine tried to stab him with a kunai. "Fine!" He looked at me anger and stood in a fighting stance.

An hour had passed since we started fighting. My chakra was running low, but that didn't stop my speed of attacks. I had him surrounded with ten clones and that smug look on his face only angered me. All at once, my clones through multiple senbon. In an instant, Gaara wrapped in a ball of sand as a shield. I slammed my chakra powered foot into the earth, breaking it, sending his self and ball of sand into the air. With one chakra induced jump, I was in the air kicking the ball across the field. It hit a few trees, knocking them down in the process.

I hit the ground with a thud. I was breathing heavy as I stared at the ball in the distance, but then I felt cold metal on my throat. I shivered as my body tensed. Teeth nipped my ear from behind as the kunai slowly dug into my skin. "Sakura..." He began, but a disperse of Sakura blossoms appeared in front of him, and I was gone. My face heated from his touch, and as much as I was mad, my heart skipped a beat with his sign of affection. Picking up a giant tree, I flung it at him, using the last of my chakra. The tree was too big for him to dodge, so I watched as his sand and him flew with the tree across the ground. To my dismay, his body turned to sand. It had been a clone. Falling to my knees, I awaited for his attack that I surely would have to take. The smell of blood, sweat, and nature entered my nostrils. I'm disgusting. I felt as sand wrapped around me, all the way to my neck. It was tight, and I recognized the hand formation that Gaara was doing in front of me. Stupid, sand burial. Surprising, he flung me into a tree. I fell limp and then I noticed he had pinned me and was on top of me.

"It's because I was protecting you!" He screamed at my face. My eyes met his and I saw almost every emotion flow through them. "What?" Confusion entered my mind. "That woman I was with. She was trying to kill me and had previously paralyzed me. She bribed my doctor into giving me paralyzing pills instead of sleeping pills. She activated the drug once I went to go lay down. They were coming for you Sakura." I stared at him as he spoke. Tears started to roll down my face and I started to laugh. "And they knew you would try to protect me if they did come for me. You clearly showed that by killing that man in the field that day." His smile graced his face. A genuine smile that brought one to my face as well. "I love you, Sakura." He spoke softly, but I heard his words carefully. "I love you, too" I responded and his lips brushed to mine. I would never forget this moment. Stars twinkled in the night sky and I felt protected from the world's twisted ways in Gaara's embrace.

AN: Hey Lovelies! So originally, this story, I was going to finish, but then changed my mind and was going to discontinue it. However, after a year (Don't kill me lol) I reread it. I realized that I left it with a cliffhanger and that many of you really loved the story. So I decided to write this chapter. I'm going to finish it! Anyways, sorry, and I hope y'all review and like my story. :)