Okay, here's the next chapter!

If anyone has any questions about the story, please PM them to me, and if I get many of the same questions, I will post a chapter explaining it or I will answer the question in this bold-text-thing.

Okay, so, this is present day!

Here we go;

GAARA'S POV.

It had been a week since that day; since I had brought her flowers, and chocolates. She still wasn't home, but we were slowly fixing things, and I was just happy she still talked to me.

Without Hinata, my life was just as it had been for years; empty, nothingness, and useless.

It was the same routine every morning - even as Hinata and I progressed to going out again and such - I'd wake up, make coffee, taste it, and dump the pot down the drain. In my attempt to cook breakfast, I'd lose focus and burn it, so I'd call Hinata up and we'd go out.

One morning, while Hinata and I were out, she didn't talk much - which was unusual when she was with me.

"Hinata?" I spoke softly, almost scared I would startle the poor girl.

"Hm, yes?" She looked up from her waffles, haven only taken a bite from it.

I couldn't look her in the eyes, so I shifted my focus to my eggs on my plate. Stabbing the yolk so it would run everywhere on my plate, I spoke with the same soft, quiet voice I had used since I was little when something was wrong, "Are you alright? You're beginning to act differently towards me, and quiet honestly, I'm a little scared…"

Her giggles reached my ears before I had finished talking. Had I said something funny? "Oh, Gaara, nothing is wrong." She smiled a little, looking down at my hand, "I'm just thinking, is all."

I slowly nodded my head, still stabbing the yolk of my egg, "Well, that's nice. What are you thinking about over there in your little bubble of Hina-ness?" A smile played across my lips, but I didn't want to show it. Truthfully, I loved teasing her like this, watching her pale cheeks slowly turn a light pink, her light lavender eyes get a flash of anger as she knew I teased her like this.

I just couldn't help it.

I glanced at my watch as she spoke, "Just some things."

I looked at her; I knew by the tone of her voice that she wasn't going to tell me exactly, so I stood up, "I've got to go fill out paper work at work, I'll drop you off at Neji's, and I'll call you when I'm off of work. Does that sound okay?"

She nodded, and let me pay for our food. The whole car ride was silent to Hyuuga Neji's house, but when we pulled up, she leaned in and gently pressed her lips against mine. She let them linger there, her hands holding both of my cheeks. I slid my eyes closed and kissed her back, but before I knew it, the kiss had ended and she was gone.

HINATA'S POV.

I laid on my bed, with TenTen sitting by my feet.

"So, wait. You kissed him, then you ran inside?"

Hinata sighed, rolling to her side. "Yes, for the fourth time. I freaked out."

TenTen looked down, then gasped as she thought of something, "Gaara's siblings! We can have them set up a romantic picnic, and it'll just be you two!"

Hinata looked at her brown-haired friend, then smiled, "That sounds wonderful." she declared, sitting up.

"Great! They'll be here tonight for dinner." TenTen walked out of the room, but had briefly paused at the door, "Naruto will be here as well, Hinata. Be careful, chipmunk."

Hinata smiled, even after the door closed. "You too." she whispered to the wind, laying back down.

Hinata fell asleep shortly after, but didn't mention how the problem wasn't romance; it was a certain blonde-haired boy.