A/N – You guys aren't helping here A or C… A or C… What am I going to do now :D Fuse it all together somehow, of course. I'll make it work – Believe it!

Note – This is not Gaara/Sakura fic. It's more like Sakura being his first friend fic. The one, where she reaches out with her cheerful, friendly way and sees Gaara as a human not as a human vessel. Since Gaara needs to heal the 'tricky' wounds… She's perfect :) [Btw- you probably have figured out what heals the tricky wounds... Right?

Another note: I decided to have a small Sasu/Saku moment, before they get separated for a month. Bare with me.

Chapter 10 - First Fights

Sakura nodded. Sasuke nodded to Kakashi, who nodded to Anko, who gave the hokage the response.

"20 people in preliminaries it is," the hokage called out. The buzzing stopped and people looked around, trying to locate the team, who had evidentially agreed to participate in the preliminaries.

"Your rewards shall be given you after the preliminaries. Good luck."

The hokage stepped back and the coughing jounin said, "The first two fighters shall be determined now."

People stopped looking around for teams able to kill Orochimaru and concentrated on the display. Names started to flick past. The quietness was deafening. And then the names were chosen – Sasuke Uchiha vs. Yoroi Akado.

Yoroi, evidentially one of Kabuto's team mates, smirked at Sasuke, who only hn-ned in response.

"The two selected ninjas should stay in the middle of the room. Others – move onto the upper level. Most ninjas started to climb the stairs, while Gaara chose to travel by sand again. As everybody had done as they were told to, the proctor coughed and spoke, "If you're ready, then let the match begin."

Sasuke had been tracing the mark on his neck silently. It hadn't affected his chakra through these past few days since Orochimaru had died. Kakashi had said he could use it for his own advantage and all, but was it safe now? What if he couldn't use his chakra at all?

As the other ninja started to charge towards him, Sasuke came to a decision. He'd risk it.

"Fireball jutsu!"

Thank god. Everything was in order.

Yoroi jumped back, obviously a bit surprised. Sasuke smirked, "What? Already feel like giving up?"

In the upper floor, Sakura eyed the match carefully, not missing anything. That jutsu that Yoroi had used… The hand seals were etched into her mind. All she needed was to see what they actually did.

She gave the match her whole attention. Sasuke was taunting him… Well, that Sasuke for you.

Then Yoroi charged again, this time managing to hit Sasuke with his hand. Sasuke jumped back, surprised by the feeling.

"He drains chakra," Sakura muttered, making a mental note to research it later.

"Sakura?"

Sakura blinked. She then turned to Naruto. "What?" she asked.

Naruto looked at her closely for a while, before he scratched his neck, "Never mind, I thought your eye was spinning for a moment there."

Kakashi leant closer. "Spinning?" he thought.

But if he hoped for an answer it sure didn't come. His students both shrugged and returned to the fight.

The fight lasted for two more minutes after which Yoroi laid on the ground, her clothes a bit scorched. Sasuke hadn't even used the Sharingan.

"Good job," Naruto cheered as Sasuke walked to them. He shrugged and just as he was about to say "Hn," Sakura beat him to it and said, "Mm."

He looked at her. This game was starting to get on his nerves, but he sure as hell won't back out.

"Hn," he replied.

Sakura smiled, slightly, her eyes nailed onto the display where names were flashing by again.

Shino vs. Zaku.

Sakura sighed. A small part of her had wished it had been her. But again she automatically saved every move she saw into her memory. Of course she wouldn't be able to use them, since she didn't have any bugs or holes in her hands where sound could come out. But recording them seemed natural.

Shino won the battle after a while. While Zaku had been good, Shino had obviously been better.

Sasuke had been looking at Sakura from the corner of his eye. For a moment it had looked like her eyes spun, but when he blinked, the movement was gone.

There were so many answers he had to have. Through the days Sakura had been awake, she hadn't talked much. More like think. Every other time Sasuke looked at her, she seemed to be deep in thought. He looked a lot. Not that he'd ever admit it to himself.

"She is like a puzzle," Sasuke thought, "Like a big jigsaw that portrayed a huge tomato." He would have to solve the jigsaw to actually get the tomato and oh, how he wanted that tomato.

He glanced at her again. She was looking at the display. "How did she beat those sound genins? How did she break out from Orochimaru's paralyses? How did she know THAT song? How could she give him a memory from using the Mangekyou Sharigan like she'd used it first hand? How did she even know about Mangekyou Sharigan?"

Suddenly Sakura looked up at him from the floor, where she had been crouching on while trying to get the best possible view on the match. The names had been chosen – Kankuro vs. Misumi Tsurgi.

She had looked up because she'd felt his gaze. His eyes didn't move away. No, instead he looked even more intensely.

"What?" Sakura finally asked, standing up, but not breaking eye contact. She wouldn't blush. She wasn't like that anymore. She's not interested in Sasuke.

"Here we go again… denying stuff," her inner said. Sakura did what she'd done a lot through those last few days. She ignored the voice.

Sasuke shrugged. Then he turned his head slightly, seeing a passageway. He thought about it for a few seconds. Then he walked next to Sakura and said, his lips barely moving,

"Follow me."

Sakura looked at the match that was about to begin. "But…"

Sasuke took her hand and started to move. Sakura, not having much choice, walked with him. Throwing last glance at the people on the upper floor, she entered the hallway with Sasuke.

It was dark, definitely, but not dark enough for them not to see. Slowly Sasuke moved, trying the handle on the first door. It was locked. So was the second door he tried to open. The third one was unlocked. Inwardly he cheered slightly. Outwardly he seemed passive.

He walked into the room, his hand still holding Sakura's. Of course, that meant she had to walk in as well, since Sasuke didn't seem to even think about releasing her hand.

Sakura looked around. The room was practically empty. Only a small table in the corner of the room and a broken cupboard in the other corner. There was a small window though, which made the room a bit less depressive.

Sasuke finally released her hand. She looked at him again.

"Why did you bring me here?" she then asked. Sasuke, whose back was turned to her, then spoke,

"I need answers, Sakura."

Inwardly Sakura groaned. She knew it was coming. The only problem was that she had absolutely no answers. She had been trying to figure stuff out. She really had. Days and nights, but she had no access to a library or anything else where she could get some answers. The only thing she had was her own mind and knowledge. She had a lot of the latter now; the only thing was that she couldn't find the knowledge she needed.

Outwardly, Sakura stepped towards the door, "I don't have any."

"Yes, you do," Sasuke spoke, "Naruto wouldn't tell me what freaked him out in the forest, but you can. Right?"

Sakura shook her head and turned around, starting to head towards the door, "I can't."

Suddenly someone grabbed her hand. Since there were only two people in the room, she wasn't very surprised when she found out it was Sasuke.

"Tell me," he ordered. Then his eyes soften a bit, "Please."

Sakura tugged at her hand. He wasn't overly using his strength. He wasn't hurting her at all, but the firm way he held her hand made her believe she wouldn't get loose with just tugging.

"Sasuke," she spoke, "I don't have answers."

She then disappeared from Sasuke's grasp with a small poof and kind of hurried towards the door. Sasuke was faster though. He stood in front of the door and grabbed Sakura, moving her against the wall next to the door and holding her hands above her head. He made sure her hands were back to back so she couldn't use any jutsus.

"You can't," Sasuke whispered, "You can't say that you don't have any answers."

Sakura looked up at him. Damn she hated being short in times like these. He was standing right in front of her, his breathing irregular. The look in his eyes. She had to respond. But then again, what would she say?

Sasuke looked at the girl in front of her. Though he didn't let it show, he was concerned that he might've hurt her, while pushing her against the wall. He hadn't wanted that, but all those years he hadn't even spoken about his mother and Sakura… she just…just…

"Maybe I should let her go," he thought, "What if I am hurting her?"

"But I need answers," he thought in response.

Sakura was so close to him, that she could hear her breathing. He spoke quietly, "Am I… Am I hurting you?"

Slowly, Sakura shook her head. "Not really."

They were quiet for another few long moments.

"Are you going to let me go now?" Sakura asked.

This time it was Sasuke who shook his head.

"I need to know," he said, making eye contact with Sakura once again. Maybe I could use the Sharigan to hypnotize her and try to get the info that way? Sasuke hit himself mentally for even thinking about that.

"You wouldn't believe me if I did tell you," Sakura finally spoke. She had her strengths of course, but while pressed between a cold wall and Sasuke, standing up to him wasn't one of them. He leaned closer to her a bit until there were only few inches between them.

"Try me."

Sakura was surprised that Sasuke couldn't hear her heart beating like a damn tambourine.

"I…"

Sasuke looked at her expectantly. He was a bit closer than he intended, but for some reason, he wasn't to keen on pulling away.

"I…" Sakura started again, this time with a stronger voice.

"Hm."

Both Sasuke and Sakura looked towards the doorway. Gaara was standing there, his sand swirling around him a bit.

Sasuke automatically released her hands. As they fell limply onto her sides, she spoke, "Gaara."

She took a step towards the red headed boy, when Sasuke reached forward, as trying to stop her. Suddenly a wall of sand materialized between them. Sakura blinked. Even Gaara seemed a bit surprised that his sand had reacted that way.

Sasuke didn't seem very happy.

"Sakura?" he asked, "Do you know him?"

"Yes," Sakura spoke, "He's my…"

Gaara and Sasuke both looked at her, interested how she'd put it. Gaara for some reason believed that she had lied about being his friend, so he wouldn't harm her. He wouldn't blame her. Actually he'd be surprised if she'd admit being friends with a monster in front of somebody else.

"… new friend."

In your face Gaara. The aforementioned boy tried not to show his surprise and succeeded pretty well. Sasuke turned to Sakura,

"Didn't you hear what Kiba said? Sakura, he is a…"

"Not more than you or me are," Sakura interrupted. Her tone then softened, "Sasuke, those answers you're after... I don't have them. Not yet. I need time."

"Time?" Sasuke asked after a moment. "How much time, Sakura?"

"A week, maybe two or…" Sakura trailed off.

"Or more?" Sasuke ended for her. She nodded hesitantly. He looked distant.

"I can give you some time," he then spoke, while Gaara kept looking between the two of them, as trying to figure out what was happening. Sakura sighed in relief, but then Sasuke continued, "But I need answers one day. Sakura."

The pink kunoichi nodded, "And one day you shall have them from me."

Sasuke nodded slowly before he looked at Gaara. "You. What do you want?"

"The fourth battle is beginning."

"So?" Sasuke asked, annoyed that Gaara had interrupted the only chance he had for answers. Now he'd have to wait. He hated waiting. But then again, sometimes things were worth waiting for. Sasuke wasn't just sure if this was one of them.

"Tomatoes are things worth waiting for," he though.

"If I can wait for tomatoes, then I can wait for answers. Right?"

"It's a girl named Ino," Gaara continued. Sakura gasped. She didn't want to miss that. "Against you," the redheaded boy added.

Sakura's mouth opened silently. "Me?"

Gaara nodded.

Sakura threw a look at Sasuke and then hurried off. Gaara turned to leave, when Sasuke stopped him.

"You better not try anything weird with her," he warned. Gaara looked at the boy in front of him.

"Like what?" he asked.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, the Sharingan flickering in them for a moment, "Anything weird. If you hurt her…"

Gaara didn't speak. It was that feeling again. That Sakura was a girl who many cared for. And now, that girl wanted to be friends with him from all people?

The feeling wasn't something Gaara recognized. Maybe it was wonderment, maybe it was caring or maybe it was something else that Gaara had never felt before. But the two boys seemed to understand each other as Gaara nodded. Somehow they had reached an understanding and somehow Gaara knew that neither of them was going to break the silent agreement about Sakura if they can help it.

The two of them left, arriving on the upper level just as Sakura reached the proctor and apologized for being late. Gaara joined his team mates and Sasuke joined Naruto, who had just arrived.

"Where were you?" he asked… Okay, you probably can guess that he screamed. "I looked everywhere! Kakashi said that if Sakura didn't show up in the next two minutes she could've been eliminated. ELIMINATED!"

"We talked," Sasuke responded, looking at the pink haired girl in the middle of the room below. She had changed. He felt it. Not only had her chakra changed. Something else had as well. Something deep inside of her. Something that gave her more confidence. Something that gave her that stance of courage, arrogance and power.

He didn't know what had happened, but it had. He just hoped that the change was good.

"One day, Sakura," he muttered his eyes still upon her. "One day." He completely ignored the rampaging Naruto, who kept going on about the importance of rules and being on time.

Kakashi was getting more and more confused back there. Sasuke was talking to himself, Naruto was actually lecturing his team mate about time and Sakura seemed to be trying to pull out her hair.

Sakura. Kakashi wasn't completely sure if she was ready for all this. But after what happened in the forest, he was more than willing to give her a benefit of a doubt.

"SAKURA! Show her some of your youthful energy! GO SAKURA! WOHOO!"

Sakura looked up and smiled slightly at Lee, who was cheering his head off, being backed up by Naruto. Sasuke was just looking, but Sakura took it as a sign of caring. If he had started cheering with the rest of them, she might've just quit the battle. After all being a chuunin didn't matter at all, when the apocalypse was coming.

Gaara was also giving the battle more attention than any battles before. She was in it after all. His possible first friend ever… he wouldn't cheer of course. That's stupid – Gaara of the Sand didn't cheer. But at the same time, he didn't think the people who cheered for her were stupid. After all, they did show their support. Not knowing how to show his support as well, he placed his hands on the railing and looked down at Sakura, who for some reason was looking right at him and grinning. He smirked, not noticing how the sand behind him had made a thumb up sign. Nobody noticed but Kakashi, who rubbed his one eye before looking again. The sign was gone.

Scratching his head, he turned his attention onto the proctor, who started the fourth battle.

"Ino… From all those ninjas it has to be Ino," Sakura thought, scrunching her nose as they ran forward.

When she had just moved to Konoha, she hadn't had many friends. Ino had become one.

All that time, Sakura had looked up at her. Her friend. Someone, who defended her from those who teased her because her forehead. One person, who had changed everything for her. Someone, who had made school so much easier. That someone had been Ino.

"Damn it," Sakura cursed. How was she supposed to fight properly?

She jumped away as Ino started to attack. The blonde stopped and looked at her.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

Sakura stared at her, getting caught in memories.

"Sakura," Ino snapped. Sakura's eyes came to focus. She slid a hand through her pink hair, before she nodded. "Bring it on."

While they fought, Sakura knew Ino was holding back. She could feel it.

Then Ino's hand came towards her face. Sakura stopped the hand in mid-motion and stared. Open handed?

Both girls stared at the hand. Ino could've sworn it opened by itself. They stood there for a while.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked, trying to get a better look. He was still mad about the comment Neji had made, but now, he thought maybe it was true. How would he himself fight against Sakura? It'd be hard. Impossible even.

"From all the people it had to be Sakura," Shikamaru repeated, "What a drag for them."

"Old bonds are hard to be destroyed," Kakashi commented wistfully.

"Hey you read that from the back of your orange book," Naruto exclaimed.

Kakashi grinned embarrassedly and put the orange book back into his pocket. Often Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke wondered if the pocket was there just to keep his book, which seemed to always be there.

In the middle of the room, the two girls jumped back. Ino still in shock. Sakura was past shock and was working her way into anger.

"We have to do this right," she spoke. "I'm not the same girl who I was before. I will not fight you because of a boy. Ino… pig."

"Shut up!" Ino yelled, "Billboard Brow!"

Sakura narrowed her eyes and said, "Today, when I bring you down, I know I'm a real ninja."

Suddenly she smirked. She undid her headband and put it on her forehead where it was supposed to be. Ino seemed to get the message. She pulled her own headband out of her pocket and tied it on her forehead as well.

"Are you ready?" Ino asked.

"Oh, bring it on."

Sakura made a vow not to use anything that could alert people of her new found powers, but that didn't mean she couldn't use the ones she could explain learning. She and Ino fought for some time. Sakura was out powering her now, using a bit of her vastly found speed and strength. Sakura then made two clones of her and charged at Ino with all of her might. As she came down for a strike, two of the clones disappeared and she sent Ino flying over the room.

As the blonde rose, she was cursing inside. Somehow Sakura was stronger. She didn't know how, but she was outdoing her. She only had one chance. She put her hands together and did a sign.

Sakura smirked, but Ino didn't see it.

"You aren't going to use that, are you?" The pink haired ninja, who was standing in front of her, asked. Ino snapped, "Shut up."

"You'll miss," Sakura pointed out again.

"I said – shut up!"

Sakura was ready and when Ino sent it flying she jumped away from it. Everybody on the upper floor stared.

"Too bad. You missed," Sakura said starting to move towards her. She couldn't.

Ino laughed. "You fell for it." She had pretended to send her spirit at her, while hoping she'd fall for it. She had. And now Sakura was stuck inside of the chakra strings she had placed onto the ground. [Come on. If I saved Sakura's nice long hair, I can also save Ino's. It's fair

Sakura looked panicked as Ino readied herself again. The upper level was quiet, waiting. And then Ino released her spirit. It hit Sakura dead on.

Or so they thought.

White a white poof of smoke, Sakura was gone.

"A clone," everybody thought. Kakashi was thoroughly shocked by now and even Sasuke couldn't figure out when she had replaced herself with a clone. Besides where was Sakura anyways?

The question was responded when she appeared behind Ino's slouched form.

She looked around. She could sense Ino's chakra around somewhere.

"It's over." She spoke and with that raised her fist to bring it down on Ino. It stopped mid motion. She stared at the unconscious girl. She couldn't bring herself to do it. Her fist shaking, she just stood there, not able to continue.

"Come on, Sakura," Naruto urged.

"She must've used her invisibility jutsu when the two clones disappeared," Kakashi mused out loud. "She made it look like two clones disappeared, but actually one of them was real her faking disappearing with an invisibility jutsu. Clever. Really clever."

Naruto snapped at his sensei. "How does that help us? Why isn't she attacking?" Across from them, Gaara of the Sand was thinking along the same lines.

"I call this battle ended," the proctor suddenly called. Sakura looked up. What?

"Since Ino Yamanaka is unable to continue the fight, the winner is Sakura Haruno."

Naruto and Lee blinked in synchronization, before they started to cheer. Sasuke nodded and Kakashi smiled. Maybe he had really underestimated Sakura.

Sakura was about to walk onto the upper level again, when a voice stopped her.

"Forehead, wait up."

Ino's spirit had returned to her already. The blonde girl was removing her headband. At Sakura's look, she explained,

"Doesn't go well with my skin tone."

Sakura smiled slightly and the two girls climbed the stairs together. "Sakura," Ino started. Then she shut up.

"See, she's having one of her quiet moments."

"How long will that last?"

"5…4…"

"I just wanted to say…"

"Oh, I overestimated her a bit."

What should a girl do with a stupid inner like that?

"You beat me fair and square. You've been training, right?"

"Yeah, a bit more than usual." She wasn't lying either.

Ino nodded thoughtfully. "Well… Good luck in the third exam."

"Thanks," Sakura replied. Ino was about to walk off, when the other kunoichi spoke, "Ino."

"Yea?"

"Can you help me put my headband back?"

Ino laughed silently, but did so anyways. As the two of them moved to their respective teams, they nodded to each other slightly.

"Sakura!"

Again Sakura was tackled by the orange ramen-eating blob. "You were great," Naruto yelled. Sakura smiled in response.

"Yes, good job Sakura," Kakashi agreed.

"Thank you sensei," She replied grinning. Her grin faltered though when she moved towards the railing to stand next to Sasuke. She looked across the room to see Gaara looking back. He looked a bit bewildered, but nodded anyways. She nodded back. After all, what else could you expect from Gaara? A victory dance?

"You held back."

Sakura was shocked that he had noticed, but she didn't let it show. "Mm."

Kakashi leant over again, hoping to get any clearance. But neither of his students spoke… again. Kakashi cursed silently. Why couldn't they be… talkative? He glanced at Naruto who was bragging in front of Shikamaru. Right, averagely talkative.

Temari, the blonde team mate of Gaara's was chosen next. She battled against TenTen.

Gaara didn't look like he cared about the battle. Kankuro on the other hand paid more attention than before.

It was a quick and rather one sided battle. While TenTen's weapons would've worked against most ninjas, then Temari wasn't one of them. Her wind jutsus created by her huge fan seemed to neutralize all of the attacks.

Lee was cheering his head off again. This time Might Guy jumped in. Sakura shook her head. If TenTen didn't have any more secrets up her sleeve, then the fight was over.

A minute later it was. But it didn't end like a good civilized fight. Instead Temari threw TenTen away like a rag doll. Enraged, Sakura was about to interfere, but Lee beat her to it as he caught TenTen. Wow, he has gotten even faster.

"How dare you?" Lee asked, "That's not a way to treat a ninja who has given her best."

"Whatever," Temari replied. She was aware that the ninja was running at her and at the last moment, she brought up her fan to deflect it. The guy in the green jumpsuit looked shocked.

"If this is the best you have…" Temari started.

"Temari."

The girl looked up.

"There's no need to waste your time. Get up here."

Guy had come to Lee's side by now and together they made sure TenTen was taken to the hospital wing.

"What's her problem?" Naruto asked as TenTen was taken away.

Sakura shrugged, also mad at the girl across their position. And yet she didn't show it. Instead she looked at the screen. Naruto hadn't fought yet and for some reason, she was getting more and more nervous. She didn't want Naruto to fight with Gaara. She really didn't.

The names flickered past and Sakura groaned. Did she just jinx it?

XxXxXxXxXx

A/N – I'm aware – not much humour in this one. But there's no ways to make these fights humorous. Besides you know what happened anyways.

R/R, so I could write more chapters that make you want more.

Keep giving me thoughts and ideas. I need them. Thank you all who have already given me some.

oo.