She woke up in the middle of the night when she felt him getting up.

"Off to work then?" She asked, smiling. She was beginning to feel much better about this arrangement, after talking to Gaara, and getting some sleep. Especially sleeping; sleeping always made her feel better.

He nodded.

She grabbed his hand before he could leave. "Um, hey Gaara. I don't know if you were really planning to, but anyway... Would you mind not telling anyone about our relationship? At least for a little while."

Gaara frowned. He didn't understand why she would make such a request, but after having seen her cry, he still felt uneasy, despite her reassurances. He would do anything to make her feel more comfortable here in Suna. "Ok." He answered. "Does that mean I have to sneak in here to visit you then?"

Sakura laughed. "You're a ninja aren't you?" She looked him in the eye and smiled in what she hoped was a comforting way. "I know it seems silly, but I just want to figure some things out first ok?"

Gaara was silent for a moment, and Sakura was afraid he would turn her down now, but he finally answered. "You know, it's very strange. Never before have I wanted so much to do what another person asked of me."

Sakura grinned impishly. "It's because you love me." She said, with a confidence she didn't quite feel.

Gaara smiled back. "Yes. I suppose it is."

"Why do you always have to add on something afterwards that makes it seem less like you care?" Sakura asked, frowning. "Why can't you just say, "Yes Sakura, I'm deeply in love with you."? None of this, "I suppose so." and "Maybe you're right.""

Gaara grinned and shrugged. "I guess that's just my way."

Sakura sighed. "Yes, I suppose you're right." She said, and waved airily at him. "Get on with you then. I'm sure you have lots of work to do."

Gaara nodded and she lay back down in bed to sleep until dawn at least. Gaara took one last look at her before leaving and couldn't resist going back to give her another quick kiss, chastely on the cheek, and then he was off, glad that the dark of the night hid his blush. He didn't understand it himself, why he acted so strangely around her.

He supposed, he was deeply in love, or some such nonsense.