A/N Many thanks to the reviewers and everyone that has been waiting patiently. Lots of things have come up in my life, sorry about that.

Enjoy.

Runrunrunrun

If you can, that is.

Sorry, are your legs broken?

I didn't notice. Only your heart.

Are you crying?

Sakura

They avoid each other. Like they have the plague.

Oh wait, correction. She avoids him. But he doesn't protest, so that means he doesn't want to face her either. Which is perfectly fine with Sakura.

But she's never been that truthful to herself, really.

It's a weird winter, really. The snow is nonexistent, replaced by the rain. Too much rain.

Sakura's feet splash on the puddles by the road (splash splish) while she runs to the pathway that leads to Hinata's house. In her hands are bags of food that are threatening to break free.

A pale eyed boy opens the door. Sakura, steps back, confused. "Hina...ta?"

The boy rolls his eyes and scoffs, which, in turn, causes Sakura to twitch.

"My cousin," the boy says, as if stating the obvious, "is upstairs."

The boy taps his foot impatiently as the pink-haired girl thinks. Realizing that he won't be getting an answer anytime soon, he coughs lightly. "Well, if you're going to just stand there, I think I'll be closing the door. You are letting in all the cold air-"

Sakura stops it with a jerk of her hand. "I'm coming in! I hope I'm not a bother."

The brunette mumbles something in a quick breath and hastily closes the door. "Hinata-sama is upstairs, but please be quiet."

The hallwas is filled with beautiful paintings of multiple cranes and swans, and Japanese symbols dances everywhere. Stepping quietly, she hauls the bags up the stairs.

"Hinata?" she whisper-shouts, peering into the first room she sees. Nope. Just black. The next. Nope. The next, the next, the next...

Due to her luck, it's the last one she opens.

"Hinata?" Sakura shouts, not whispering anymore. Pale eyes shoot open in panic. A figure tumbles onto the floor.

"D-Don't hurt m-me..." Hinata whimpers, cowering onto the bed. She shrinks down even more when Sakura turns on the lights and drops the plastic bags onto the floor.

"It's just me," Sakura says, sliding down onto the floor next to her trembling friend. Hinata fumbles with her fingers, which brush through her hair occasionally.

"S-Sorry..."

Sakura shrugs and pushes the largest plastic bag toward her. "Here. Me and Naruto got it for you."

While Hinata busies herself by digging through the contents of the bag, Sakura scans her up and down for signs of sickness. Just a bit of drowsiness, anxiety, confusion... Nothing other than that. No heat waves directing from her body, or any shivers. Her eyes look so dead. So dead.

"Hinata, do you have a cold?"

"A-Ah, s-something like that, yes."

As far as Sakura can hear, Hinata's not lying. "Oh. Okay," Sakura says lamely. She continues to observe the girl.

Hinata's blurred eyes turn a bit hopeful. "D-Did Naruto ask about me?"

Sakura bites her lip, nervous at the gleam in Hinata's eyes. "Yes. He did."

Hinata's face breaks out into a glowing smile.

Sakura returns home, covering herself from the icy wind that has turned the rain into snow. Cursing under her breath, she tries to open the door, but finds it frozen shut.

Damn it damn it damn it...

Taking a deep breath, she sets down the other grocery bag and backs away from the door. She runs toward it at full speed, and kicks it multiple times, causing 'crack' sounds.

The door budges, but only barely.

She catches her breath for a moment, puffs of white streaming out of her mouth at a rapid pace.

There's a click. And another. As if someone is trying to get out from the inside. But that's impossible.

The doorknob turns by itself, slowly, dramatically. Sakura stares in wonder as it rattles, whatever is in there trying to get out. Ghosts can just float through the walls, can't they?

Apparently not, for a hard slam from the other side shakes the door entirely. Snow falls from the roof with a soft thump, some clumps almost landing on her head.

"Hey!"

The slams stop. The doorknob turns again, and, if possible, even slower than before. It opens with a slowcreak.

It's not a ghost after all, but Sakura would've rather met a ghost than what is there.

"Hm."

Smug. Sakura observes, not knowing what to think by the fact that this... boy is in her house, trespassing, and seems perfectly calm about it.; like she's the visitor.

Then again, this probably isn't the most dreadful thing he's ever done, judging by his reputation.

Sakura invites herself in (not that she really need to; it's her house) and attempts to act like the boy isn't there at all.

But he is, and that makes all the difference.

Finally, the glass brakes. "Gaara," she starts carefully, "What are you doing here?"

He remains indifferent at her accusation. "My sister wanted me to deliver a letter."

Except the fact he found the need to pass right past her mailbox and barge into her house. But his tone is so natural (for Gaara anyways) that Sakura finds herself believing him, just a little bit.

"Did you really have to come into my house for that?"

"You do not seem that troubled about it."

When Gaara realizes he has won, he hands her a small envelope. "Here."

The silence is unbearable.

"You have been avoiding me."

Sakura doesn't deny it either.

"Why?"

"I'm sorry."

But for what?

It's not until he's gone that she realizes that the somehow comforting gaze of jade isn't there anymore.

Ring.

It doesn't make a difference.

Ring.

Really, it doesn't matter.

Ring.

Just get out of my mind.

Ring.

Maybe being brave isn't so welcoming after all...

Ring.

If it means having one thing stuck in your head.

Beep.

Just don't

Leave

A

Message...

'Hey, Sakura? I heard you visited Hinata today.

She doesn't look so good.

Is she okay?

Gaara didn't answer any of my calls either.

Are you...is he...

Sorry.'

End of message. If you would like to replay the message, please press...

Creak.

Exit the door.

Cold trumps confusion.

Sanity slip away.

Just like old times. Nothing but me and stars.

"Kept you waiting, didn't I?"

I don't say...it. That five-letter word that makes my heart go

Thump

(noyesnoyesnoyesyesyes)

If the stars could answer...

If the stars could answer...

FightfightfightfightFIGHT

'I'm a good girl now, right?'