Hey! Someone pointed out a part of my last chapter that was badly written, and I want to explain! The scene with Sakura and 'Gaara' on top of the castle was written out so she knew it wasn't him by his scent. When she smelled him she wondered how Naruto knew to transform into Gaara, and when he asked what was wrong, he was still trying to trick her. Sorry about the writing! Enjoy this one!

Chapter 12

Gaara was on the top of the mountain, looking at the army below. "They look off. Something here's not right." Baki stated and Gaara nodded. "I agree. What's going on there?" Kankoro jumped up, his arm around Sakura. "They're puppets." Gaara turned to him and sighed. "Kankoro! Where have you been?"

"Watching Sakura reject Sasuke, Sorry, Sakura." She looked at him, a blush crossing her cheeks. "You saw that?" Kankoro nodded. "You really weren't interested, were you? All you thought about was my brother." Gaara looked at her, his eyes wide. "Is it true?" Sakura nodded. "I told you, you're the one I love!" She huffed, and he laughed. "I'm sorry, Sakura! There's something I want to ask, but we have to take care of this first..." He looked down to find the puppet army disappearing as Kankoro twitched his fingers. "I wasn't sure it was Sasuke. I was being a little protective, I guess. I didn't think anyone would notice them." Baki frowned and turned, walking down the hill. "Over hormonal, love sick, sad twisted little freaks..." Kankoro grinned and Gaara looked down to Sakura. "I hope your not mad at me. I just wanted you to be sure." Sakura looked up at him and smiled. "I told you I was sure. I still am."

Gaara sighed, closing his eyes for a second. "There's something I want to ask you. There's a small cave here, it has a tunnel that leads to the highest part on the mountain. Would you go with me?" Sakura smiled and threw herself at him, feeling his chin against her head made her feel safe. "Always."

"Well, we both have off Wednesday-"

"Let's go now!" She smiled and Gaara looked at her laughing at the look on her face. "Alright, Kankoro, is it alright?" Kankoro nodded. "You two have fun."

They reached the bottom of the mountain in about half an hour after grabbing some supplies from the house. It was a small crack, and Sakura wondered why he wanted to bring her here. He snuck in, pulling her in. She walked in and was surprised to find crystals reflecting light down on them. "It's beautiful!" She nearly whispered, as if her voice would ruin it. "It is, but it's dangerous. We have to get up there." He pointed after looking around and Sakura nodded. "I can get up there without a problem, and so can you! Come on!" Sakura grabbed his hand and jumped up, ricocheting from the other wall and they were launched above onto the platform. Sakura looked down to find the room they were in gone, instead there was the base to a regular cave. "What's going on?" Sakura asked, looking around to find all of the crystals missing. Gaara looked at her smiling. "What did you see?" She looked over at him. "The crystals! Didn't you see them? They were each prisms and there were rainbows everywhere! It was gorgeous!" She giggled and Gaara laughed. "It must have been." Sakura looked at him. "But you saw them!" Gaara shook his head. "No, only you saw them. They were real, I just wasn't able to see what was in your heart. You'll understand." Gaara smiled and Sakura nodded. They looked around finding another platform above and Gaara picked her up, using the sand to lift them both carefully to the ledge. He put her to the ground and she stood, her cheeks a little blushed at the intimacy she'd missed today. Do you see anything here?" Sakura looked around and saw something beside her she wasn't expecting. Konoha was putting her house back together, piece by piece fixing the disaster that her house had become. "Where are we?" She asked, now completely convinced she was insane. "You see what others do for you here. I see something different from you here as well." Sakura turned to him smiling. "What do you see?"

"I see Baki standing guard at the top of the mountain and Kankoro keeping watch, the people of Suna are in my sight, all of them." He looked down and smiled. "We have to find the next ledge." Sakura looked up and over, around, and began walking down the tunnel beside her, Gaara right behind.

They came into a large room with a stone pedestal and a matching door. Gaara looked at the door while Sakura looked at the pedestal. "It's the symbol on your forehead! Ai!" The door creaked open, and Gaara stood, now afraid. He wanted to keep it a secret, but with signs like that...

She walked through the door a little more interested in what was in the next room than trying to figure out the last one. She saw a large red stone and walked up, putting her fingertips on the stone, tracing the curvature of the stone, and Gaara walked up behind her, placing his hand on the stone as well. He felt the odd heat in the stone and looked up to Sakura and the world seemed to skip.

The next thing he knew he was alone, lost in darkness. He heard a sound, one he wasn't sure was real, but he was stuck, his hand wouldn't come off of the stone.

Sakura felt the warmth in the stone and suddenly everything swirled around her. She looked over at Gaara and was surprised to see Sasuke staring at her, his eyes looking through her. "Are you sure you haven't changed your mind?" Sakura looked around, a little scared. "Where's Gaara?" Sasuke shrugged. "I think he ran off. It's just us now. Come here." He walked over to her, and Sakura shook her head. "Sasuke, I told you my feelings! You said you understood! Please respect that! Where's Gaara?"

"You don't need him, you need me! We've been together through so much, please, just give into me, if just for a second!" Sakura shook her head, his plays getting on her nerves. "Sasuke, back away! I don't love you! Where's Gaara?!"

The world skipped back to normal and Gaara stood with his eyes closed in a trance. "Gaara!" She jumped forward and Gaara seemed to come out at about the same time. "Sakura..." He melted to the ground, unable to stand. "What's wrong! What happened?!" Gaara was a mess, the likes of which Sakura was unused to. He was on the verge of tears and Sakura wrapped her arms around him. "What happened in there?"

"I was alone again! I couldn't find my way out!" Sakura nodded and hugged him. "I'm here. You're not alone!" Gaara coughed, realizing his state and regained his composure, standing and wiping off the beginnings of tears. Sakura was horrified! Gaara didn't cry! The darkness must have been a worse part of him than she'd thought, but she didn't care. He was still Gaara, and she knew she loved him. As they looked to the center of the room there was a pole they didn't remember seeing before. Gaara looked up and sighed. "We have to exit the top at the same time. I'm not sure how, I don't think the sand will stretch that far, and we can't jump to do this." Sakura looked up, her eyebrows furrowed for a minute before she burst into giggles. "I know! Have you ever seen the movie Mulan?"

Gaara and Sakura stood at separate sides of the pole and counted to three before running at the pole as quickly as possible. They jumped up, running up and grabbed each other's hands, and were successful in getting up the pole. It was taller than either of them had expected, and they sat at the top trying to catch their breath before looking around. Gaara stepped to the edge and his eyes widened as his mouth turned to a grin. "It's beautiful! We made it to the top!" Sakura ran over and looked down, the village below seemed even more beautiful than before. "Oh, Gaara! It's no wonder you wanted to bring me up here!" She grinned, leaning down low, watching the city and feeling the breeze blow her hair. "Un, actually, there's another reason." Sakura looked up at him as he sat down beside her.

"This is the crest of the mountain. It's the most beautiful place in the city, but can also be dangerous to get to. The images below show us our other options, what's in our hearts. We can only make it up here if the two going up are meant to be." He smiled at her and she smiled back. "Like a lover's leap of faith?" Gaara nodded. "Yeah, but it serves a purpose. It's a tradition in the village, for couples to come up here and see if they're meant to be before..."

"Before?" Sakura looked over at him, her eyes wide. "Two ninja will come here as a test of strength, not apart but in combination. We can only make up if we work well together, if we're meant to be. This is more than a mountain, it's a do or die for us." Sakura nodded. "What, all ninja couples have to come here?"

Gaara pulled a small bag out of his pocket and looked at her. "Sakura this is where two ninja go if one of them wants to propose." Sakura looked over to him, her eyes wide. "What?"

"Sakura," He pulled a small blue butterfly on a silver ring from the bag and looked over to her. "I brought you up here to ask for your hand. I know it's quick, but I know I'll always want to be with you." Sakura looked down at the ring then back up at him. "Are you serious?" Sakura was in shock. "I am. I want you to marry me." Sakura turned so she was facing him completely. "You're proposing..." She looked down at the ring and back up again, the shock still in effect.

"Gaara, remember when I told you I didn't want Sasuke anymore, that I knew I would always love you?" Gaara heard Sasuke's name and his heart fell. "I do."

"I wasn't joking." He felt her hand over his and she took the ring, placing it on her finger. Gaara turned to her, a grin slowly showing on his face. "Really? You're saying yes?" Sakura burst into laughter, throwing her arms around him. "Of course! I love you, Gaara!" She kissed him, nearly sending them down the mountain the hard way. "Oh, Sakura! I love you..." He wrapped his arms around her, feeling her against him and couldn't help but to grin.

He used the sand on the side of the mountain with what he had to lower them down the mountain and go back to the house. Gaara picked her up at the door and walked her into the bedroom, laying her down on his bed. Sakura looked up at him, still giggly. Gaara tore off the sash and kissed her as he ran his hands under her kimono. He started at her thighs and ran his hands up, over her hips, up her waist and to her chest, which caused a quick gasp from her. She kissed over to his cheek and down to his neck, causing Gaara to wince a little at the feeling. She lightly bit him, causing a gasp and he grabbed her shoulders pulling her against him till he regained movement in his hands. He bent down and licked at her nipples, causing her to push back into the mattress. She brought her hands up, pulling off his shirt and she rolled him over, laying him on the mattress, straddling him. She brought her fingernails down across his chest and slowly moved them down his sides, causing him to groan and she smiled wickedly at him. She kissed again at his neck, then slowly brought her lips down him, nipping at his nipples before kissing farther down, ringing her tongue around his belly button and he sighed at the feeling. She undid his pants and pulled them off, throwing them off onto the floor. She turned back to him and bit softly at the soft area right above his hip, loving the sound of the sharp breath he took before he hit her chin. She looked down and wrapped her hand around him, slowly pulsing her hand up and down, watching as he moved his hips uncontrollably to the rhythm she kept. She giggled before bringing her lips down around him and slowly sucked, twirling her tongue on him. He began moaning loudly and she sped up, feeling him pulse. He reached out and ran his fingers through her hair as she continued, faster and faster. He knew he was going to go, but in the feeling he had he wasn't able to say anything till he let out a gasp, sigh and moan all at the same time. Sakura felt the final pulse as he reached his peak, she tasted the salty stuff in her mouth and licked it up. She looked up at him as he finally tried to catch his breath and flipped her onto her back. "Now it's my turn." He looked at her and leaned down, sucking at her breast and flicked the other nipple, she muffled her moan and bit her finger. Gaara ran his fingers down her, keeping his mouth in place as he ran his fingers down farther and farther. He knew he'd reached the place when her hips arched. He felt softly as he slipped his finger between her legs, feeling how wet she was only made him want her more. He rubbed against the sensitive part of her, and she bit harder on her finger, moaning a little louder. He sped up a little as he kissed down her and she nearly screamed as he reached her, sucking lightly on her. She arched her back, and he reached up, sliding a finger into her. She threw her arms out, grabbing the sheets as he kept up, sucking and licking, pushing into her over and over again. She didn't know how much more she could take, but he realized quickly that her moans of pleasure were reawakening him.

She nearly screamed and he felt her tighten around his fingers, the feeling making him want to know what it would feel like to have her do that while he was in her...

He kissed up her, sucking again at her breast as he pushed into her. She nearly screamed, grabbing his back as he pushed again, feeling her squeeze around him. "Har-de-ruh!" She moaned and he complied, thrusting harder into her, feeling her hard nipples brush against his chest. He wrapped her legs up over his arms, her knees latching at his elbows and pushed harder, going deeper into her. She screamed at the feeling, throwing her head back in ecstasy. He felt her nails dig into his back and moaned, pushing harder, lowering an arm and he lifted her hips, sitting up and keeping her hips level with his, he was able to reach down, rubbing her nub with his thumb while still pushing into her. She began holding her breaths, her breasts bouncing against him and she finally hit her limit, screaming and he felt her throbbing around him, causing him to lose it as well.

He leaned down, kissing her and she smiled at him, her shining eyes matching perfectly with her glowing cheeks. "I love you, my wife to be."

"I love you, my husband to be." She smiled, curling up with him and they fell asleep together.

Kankoro sat at the top of the tower, a bottle of whisky in hand as he looked up at the sky. He watched as they came from the top of the mountain, and as she said yes. Now he was engaged to her. He smiled, happy his brother was engaged to a girl who made him so happy.

But Kankoro did think of one thing. When she got back, Temari would be pissed that she missed this. He finished the bottle and looked down, grabbing another from the line. "Hey, pass one of those over here." Kankoro threw a bottle to Sasuke.

The End

Watch for the sequel coming out soon, Strung out, with the character Kankoro, I'm not sure who to pair him up with yet, though. If you have suggestions, leave them in a review! Thanks!