A/N: OMG! I can't believe I left out this part! I'm so sorry! This is like, the best part ever! I'm sorry, and thanks for reminding me readers.

Bittersweet Reunion

We hobbled along for what felt like hours, before the scenery began to change. The desert area began to grow grass, and eventually became a meadow full of rolling hills. According to Konkichii, he smelt a gathering of humans nearby, and we procceeded in that direction. I was so anxious. I wanted to see him. I wanted to see Gaara. I even began to hobble on my own, to help make it go faster.

My heart nearly stopped when a group of people came in sight, they were all surrounding a red-headed figure who sat on the ground. I couldn't help myself. "Gaara!" My shout of delight turned the attention of the others my way, and I ran towards him. More like waddled, but I still made it there. My knees buckled right as I reached him, and I found myself eye-level with him. His familiar sea-foam green eyes stared at me in surprise. No one spoke. I couldn't help, but let my tears flow. I touched his cheek lightly with my fingers, and heard a gasp of disapproval coming from Ryushin and a group of female Sand nins. I smiled softly. "At least you haven't left me!" I embraced him tightly, and he finally managed to get out a word. "Sarafu?"

He held my shoulders and pulled me off of him to get a good look at me. "Sarafu. . .what happened to you?" I then realized that I must've looked terrible after getting shredded by all of Hinako's attacks. Finally a few others I recognized came toward me.

"Sarafu!" I turned my head to find Lee, Neji and Ten Ten standing beside me with compassionate looks. And then there was the blonde-headed boy Naurto, who was already beside Gaara. I didn't know him too well.

"It seems like you had a run-down with Akatsuki as well, Sarafu," an older voice said calmly and I found out that it was Kakashi.

I tried to muster up the nicest smile I could fake. "Yes, it was Hinako. She has joined Akatsuki."

Everyone stared at me in surprise. Even Neji. Which made me surprised. Then everyone became quiet.

As if to break the silence, Konkichii walked up beside me and gave me a sentimental lick on the face. "I'll be going now, kid. Take care of yourself, okay? And if you ever need me, just give me a ring, okay?"

I smiled and nodded as he disappeared into a cloud of smoke. I suddenly became tired, and my eyes became droopy. The world around me seemed to swerve and I lost balance. I fell forward and luckily, Gaara caught me. "You. . .did this for me. . .didn't you?" He asked in a quiet voice.

I chuckled. "Of course, you idiot. You think I'd do this for myself?" Then I fell unconcious.

When I awoke, I was in a bed in a sand-built building, with a very angry looking Ryushin. When he saw my eyes open, he turned on me. "So, was he your 'friend in need'?!" He nearly shouted at me. I squirmed in fear. I had never seen Ryushin angry before.

"Uh, yeah," I answered quietly, hiding beneath my blankets.

Ryushin fumed and began to pace around the empty room. "I don't like him. He hasn't waited on you in here, when you're in critical condition, but I have!"

He seemed quite proud of his last statement, but I felt the need to defend my friend. "Well, he's the Kazekage! He's got more important things to do!"

He was a bit stiffled by the fact of his status, but continued on. "What could be more important than checking to see if you were even gonna live!?"

"Getting the village into order," a voice behind Ryushin answered, which made the cloud jounin jump. Gaara walked past him into the room. He was facing me, but his cold eyes were on Ryushin. "And, I do know about her condition. In fact, I've sent Temari to stay here, and tell me when her condition changes."

Ryushin gazed stupidly at Gaara, then shrugged off in embarassment. I couldn't help but giggle. Gaara then looked at me, which made my face feel hot. I had forgotten how head-over-heels in love with him I was. This seemed to irritate Ryushin even more. I really didn't get what his problem was. I felt a force behind me, lift me up so that I was sitting. I looked and saw that it was Gaara's sand. He then sat on the bed next to me. I smiled at him, but he had his poker face on. He gazed hard at Ryushin. "A minute alone, if you please?"

Ryushin began to protest, but a sharp repremind from me sent him away. Somehow, I bet he was listening outside the door. Gaara then turned to me, but he was glaring at me. It reminded me of that time, the last time I ever saw him before I left, when he was so enraged. I thought he would kill me. I shrunk back into my covers.

"Sarafu, what are you doing here?! Didn't I tell you to stay away from me? Forever! And now look where it's got you! You were on the verge of death, Sarafu! If my medical ninjas hadn't treated you, you would've died! Sarafu, do you understand?"

"Yes," I murmered just loud enough for him to here. I couldn't bear to look at him, so I looked at the wrinkles in the bed sheets.

"Then why in the hell are you here?!"

"Because I. . ." I said quietly again, I felt tears coming again, but I held them back.

"Well?"

"Because I love you, Gaara. I can't just sit still when I know you're in trouble. You would do the same for me, wouldn't you?"

He didn't answer my question. "You bumbling idiot! I swear, this love of yours is gonna get you killed one day! Stop loving me! I'm not worth it! We can't ever be together, even if I wanted to!"

I finally looked up at him, with the same pleading eyes as before. "But we can! I know we can! I can bring the Sky Village down to Earth and then we can be

together!"

He stood up, a dark expression on his face. "Have you learned nothing these past two years? Did you not hear anything I said that day?"

"Yes, I heard all of it!" I stood up, too, facing him with a serious expression. "And everything you said only hurt me more! These past two years have been torture for me! Did you not think of me at all when we were apart?!"

"Of course I did!" His face now was no longer angry, but twisted with distress. He suddenly looked weak and fragile. "I couldn't get you out of my head! But I know there's no point in fantasizing! There's no point in staying with me! You need to forget your feelngs about me!"

"I can't!" I hugged him tightly, and this time, he didn't push me away, but didn't hug back either. "Don't you see, Gaara? There's no way I can forget these feelings even if I wanted to! I will always love you, and I will always protect you!"

"Sarafu. . .I can't love you. You can't love me. It wasn't meant to be, so just leave me alone."

I pulled away from him with a hurt expression on my face. "I've seen you fight, Gaara, and you never give up. So, why are you giving up on me?"

He looked at me with such a painful look on his face, so full of sorrow, I couldn't help myself. I just had to fill him with love. I grabbed his face and pulled it closer to mine. Our lips interlocked, and I suddenly felt everything pour away. Now, there was only me and him. No ninja villages, no rules, no restrictions. I felt him kiss me back and then he wrapped his arms around my waist. I lowered my hands from his face and rested them on his broad shoulders. My heart seemed to lift into the heavens, and I could feel Gaara's heart lift with me. I felt such a calm feeling of joy, that I didn't realize when I had begun to run out of air. I wasn't breathing through my nose, so I had to pull back and gasp for air.

That broke the spell. Suddenly, the terrible world of reality closed in on us, and Gaara's peaceful expression fell from his face. He looked torn. Torn between his heart and his mind. I was torturing him, and I knew it. He backed away from me, touching his lips lightly. "I'm sorry, Sarafu." Then he strode out of the room.

I fell onto the bed. I was panting. My body was hot and I could still feel the impression of his lips on mine. That experience was so wondeful, yet, it probably only worsened things between me and him. I sighed, and then walked up and looked out the room. There was no one in sight. So maybe Ryushin hadn't been listening.

. . .to be continued.