A.N.- I just want to say how very sorry I am that the responses jumped to the bottom of the chapter like that I had no idea! I fixed it now though…hopefully.Now I don't know if any of you remember it because t was way back in earlier chapters but Saiyomi, Sakura's mom had a surprise. You finally get to find out what it is in this chapter. (And I know it may come off as random and out of no where but trust me it has a reason for being in the story) I think that may be all the warning needed for this chapter…oh except that I get to kind of bring in a new character, its Kiki, Yura's sister. I hope you like her, though her part is actually really small now she may be important later. I don't know, because even with my general idea of how I want the story to go it already has altered from my original plan. Anyway I hope you enjoy it!

To iachi2011- I'm really glad you loved that chapter! Lol. I havent had a chance yet but I am going out with a group of my friends today I just might get the chance to use it. I hope do! Wish me luck with that! I can't wait to see their faces! lol. Thank you for reviewing and I hope you enjoy chapter 12!

To Gothic Saku-chan- Hi there! I am so happy you are enjoying my story! and you just have no idea how happy am to know you like my version of Sasuke. Because of how much of a jerk he is in almost everything else I was scared that was all people wanted from him. Thank you for saying everything goes together! I am trying to make it 'flow' so to speak. Hee hee. Thank you for reviewing and I hope you like ho chapter 12 goes!

To JPLteen- best chapter so far!? Yes! Thank you! Its cuz of the kiss? I knew it. I finally got to write it and was just so excited about that! Gaara sneaking a kiss is just too sweet for words. And I'm not so sure when and if Sakura can sneak a kiss from Gaara, the guy is always on alert it seems. He doesn't sleep you know. So I'll try but I'm not sure how to do it right now. But anyway Thank you for reviewing! I hope you like chapter 12!

To xoLovelyEyesox- You fangirl squealed!? Yes! that's great! Your foot on the monitor? Lol. But why? Hee hee. Hey there is nothing wrong with being a twilight fangirl my older sister actually is. But she would probably be one of the ones to bite. Lol. She's weird. Aw you did that for that new girl? Thanks. That makes me so happy when people do that. Hank! Your bus driver's name is Hank! Yes that is just so perfect! Hank the bus driver. That just sounds so neat. Yep he called me a speed monkey, but he's the one with the speeding ticket. Lol. And yes I do have a twin. His name is Lan and he's great. Most of the time. He is a little crazy. But we can kind of do that thing where we know what the other's thinking. Its cool. Oh btw he says hi back as well as my others to cuz they were all like how come he gets spoken to and not us. And I said I just mentioned him. They mock pouted saying I loved him more. It was cute. And yeah I have a sister but Max is definitely not very feminine, she's tougher than most of my brothers actually. XD Z her twin is honestly the one I go to for most of my 'big' talks even girl ones cuz even though he's a dude he's still good at it. Oh and I know hat you mean am shorter than everyone in my family except the four year old! And that will probably change when she sarst to grow. Sucks huh? Being short….And yes it was interesting to have Link join us, and it was kind of late too, like I didn't meet him till we were 12 and then he was adopted when he was 13 cuz his uncle was an ass! (Hes in jail now and not allowed anywhere near my brother) yep seriously. And Don't Jump is my favorite song too! Lol maston? seriously what a strange name…anyway he sounds funny. Anyway we (me and Link- we were the only ones in the class) our teacher came in late. His hair was sticking all over the place and his vest was buttoned crooked so he had an extra button sticking up at the top. Anyway...He came in and asked if we were there to learn English. This guy in the front row says 'no algebra' and holds up his algebra book he still had. The teacher guy seriously blushes goes 'oh I am so sorry I must have walked into the wrong classroom' and leaves! Like twenty minutes later he comes back and says that he had checked all the other rooms and the others said that our room was the English class for that period. The boy who lied before said 'sorry I must have grabbed the wrong book.' the teacher just smiles and says 'yeah know how that is maybe you should label them better so you don't get mixed up. I had to do that. Sticky notes work really well.' and Link mumbled to me, 'Yeah because the big huge lettering that says algebra in bright blue just isn't enough'. it was funny, because people around heard him and cracked up. This teacher seems nice though so I think it will be a fun class, plus I love English. Well anywho I hope you enjoy chapter 12! Thanks for reviewing/talking!

To chikkachoo- Hey back at you chkkachoo! hee hee. Cool two reviews in one! Yay! That's fun to find. But yeah they're just friends right now. They will be a couple soon (but probably not till after NaruHina are) Potential Break Up song? Hmm…I think I could see that actually. And Naruto and Sasuke were cute weren't they? Thanks! I like having funny moments with them like that.I know right! Gaara is just the cutest when he's stealing his (first) kiss. But then he feels bad and pledges to become better for her. Gee, I wish my bf would be that sweet for me. Sigh. Oh well. But no don't worry about the three bikini girls they actually all have bfs. (You'll never guess who they are. Hee hee.) and I don't hate her but Matsuri did get on my nerves a little. Her and her friend I forget her name though…Thank you! I am glad you thought it was sweet and I'm even happier that you loved it! Thanks for reviewing and I hope you like chapter 12 now!

To superme383- I am so sorry about the response thing! I had no idea! Honest. I had already read through the chapter, then did my responses and posted it. never even thought that it would sneak that down there like that. Btw, the snail pulling the truck with a cow thing, hilarious! That was a wonderful image to laugh at for a while, thank you.Lol. Lol. I'm really glad you liked it. Hee hee. But please, don't have a seizure, that would make me sad. You're welcome. I'm a good secret keeper. Lol.You did the quiz? Awesome? Do you have it? How did it turn out? Especially question 7 that one is usually really interesting. My brothers and one of my sisters all did one- cuz I made them- and all of theirs were funny. My oldest brother is a big pervert so all of his characters were girls but two. Now those were strange answers. And do you like writing? Because if you do you should still try. I didn't think I could write until I tried and had so many of you guys saying I was doing good. But I just have to ask, 16 children?! Do you secretly hate Gaara or something? Because 16 kids would kill him. Or the Sakura being pregnant 16 times would. Lol actually that's a funny thought. Pregnant Sakura with poor Gaara not knowing what to do. Anyway thank you for reviewing and I hope you enjoy how chapter 12 turns out!

Thank you everyone! and now all of you please enjoy chapter 12!
Fanggirlx ;)

Disclaimer: Naruto and co still not mine

"What!!" Sakura shrieked.

Saiyomi smiled weakly at her daughter, "I'm sorry dear, I was going to tell you yesterday…but I couldn't find you."

Sakura glared at her mother, "I already told you, I had some things come up."

"I know and I understand, but please, Sakura, I need you to understand that I have tried to tell you for two days, it just didn't happen."

Sakura snapped, "You could have tried talking to me before we ever even came to this school!"

She couldn't believe her ears.

This was a joke. One big fat joke! It had to be.

This was not happening.

Her mother couldn't be serious.

Sakura slapped herself.

"Ow." she muttered as she rubbed her now sore cheek.

"Oh my. Dear, why…did you do that?" Saiyomi asked worriedly.

"I'm not dreaming…" Sakura mumbled disbelievingly.

This was for real.

Her mother really was going to be a professor here.

"But mom, why did you have to take the teaching job here?"

"Why not? Is it so bad to have your mother near by?" Saiyomi pouted.

"Yes!" the pink haired girl shrieked, "It is! How can I do anything with you here!?"

"And just what did you plan on doing that would embarrass you to have your mother find out?" Saiyomi asked with narrowed eyes.

"It's the principle of the thing, mom! Now I'll have no freedom."

"And I thought you'd be happy about this…" Saiyomi sniffled.

"Don't you dare. Don't you dare pull that on me!" Sakura pointed at her mom.

"Oh, don't worry dear, I won't get in your way. I will not infringe on your time. You won't even know I am here." her mother said sadly as she began to walk away.

"Oh for god sakes. Fine mom I'm happy you're here." Sakura called to her.

Saiyomi swirled around to face her daughter with a shining face of happiness, "Really? You mean it?"

"Jeez mom, were you actually even crying?" Sakura muttered crossing her arms.

"No, not really. Well I have a meeting to get to. I guess I'll see you around, dear. Go have fun being a student."

Sakura sighed, "Go have fun being a professor, mom."

"Thanks dear." her mother waved good bye as she practically skipped away.

--

Sakura was sitting on a bench in the center of campus staring at a freaky statue of a man with a big mustache standing on a huge book as he wielded a giant pen in one hand and a long sword in the other.

"Creepy face, huh?"

Sakura turned to see that cat girl from before only this time she had another person with her. She was a cat girl as well.

Only she had black neck length hair, black cat ears, a thin black tail, and bright yellow eyes.

"Oh hi, Yura. Who's this?" greeted Sakura.

"This is my younger sister Kiki. She's younger by two years but because she's a friggin' genius she's in the same grade as me." Yura smirked.

"Hi there." Kiki waved shyly at Sakura. The young girls voice was practically dripping with syrup it was so sweet.

"Hi." Sakura grinned.

"Hey do you know a Temari?" Yura asked.

Sakura nodded, "Yes I do. She's my friend. Why?"

"I'm looking for her. Do you know where she is?"

Sakura shook her head, "No, I don't I'm sorry. Why are you looking for her?"

"She was supposed to hang out with me and Haku today."

"Haku…?" Sakura asked shocked.

She'd never heard that name except for one time.

"You know Haku too?" Yura asked amused.

"I don't think I know yours. I knew a Haku…but the one I knew died."

"Aw. That's sad." Kiki said with watery eyes.

Sakura nodded, "Yeah, he was actually really sweet."

"He?" Yura asked.

Sakura nodded.

"Oh, then we aren't talking about the same one anyway. The Haku I know is a girl." Yura explained.

"Oh. Well if I meet anybody named Haku or I see Temari should I tell them to meet you somewhere?"

"Yes. My dorm if you don't mind. Thanks. I will see you later." Yura waved at her and began to walk passed her.

"Oh yeah ,and should you ever need to buy anything? Come check me out. I bet I have it in stock."

"Stock?" Sakura repeated.

"Umm hmm. Yura has her very own store. She sells everything." Kiki answered with a cute giggle.

"Oh cool."

"Yep, well see ya."

The cat sisters then walked off.

Yura paused one more time, "Hey," she said to Sakura softly.

Sakura looked over to where the cat girl stood not facing her. "Yes?"

"Look, about before…I wasn't trying to start anything. I didn't mean to cause you and your friend problems. I just can't help myself sometimes. You know?" Yura struggled to apologize. She didn't do it often. She glanced to her younger sister ho watched with wide amazed eyes.

Sakura grinned at the girl, even though with her back turned she couldn't see it. "Its fine. Besides Gaara and I fixed things between us. We're friends again. And really it was my fault. Gaara and I may not be love birds but with the ay I was about to kiss him it probably looked that way. So you didn't really do much of anything. But thank you anyway, apology accepted."

Yura glanced at the smiling pink haired girl behind her. Curious.

She said she was about to kiss the red head. But he she'd walked up it certainly looked the opposite to her. He was about to kiss her.

Interesting. Yura thought with a smirk.

"Well either way, I felt I should say something. Despite how things usually turn out around me I don't make it my life's mission to screw things up for other people."

Sakura nodded.

Yura motioned for her sister to follow her, "See you around, Sakura."

The cat girl waved over her shoulder as she and her cute little sister walked away.

Well that had been unexpected. But it had been the most excitement she'd had all day since discovering her mom's special 'surprise'. She desperately needed something to do.

Sakura sighed and stood up. Maybe she could find Gaara or Naruto or somebody to hang out with…

--

"Hey there."

Gaara turned to see Sakura grinning at him.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

He shook his head.

"You're doing nothing?" she asked doubtful.

"Only two days left of nothing." he shrugged.

"Yeah, that's true." she nodded.

"So…do you want to do something?" Sakura asked giggling.

Two strong arms wrapped around her waist.

"Sure, what do you have in mind, Saka? I'm up for anything right now." a voice answered quietly in her ear.

Sakura whirled around, "Naruto!"

He grinned at her and pulled her tightly to him.

Shocked at the urgency behind his hug Sakura ran her fingers over his face and through his hair as she asked, "Naru, what's wrong?"

He shook his head but dropped his forehead down to rest on her shoulder.

"Its nothing I just…missed being able to do this. You don't mind if I do it do you, Saka?"

He was asking if it embarrassed her to be seen with him. She knew that as outgoing as he was, that as loud as he was, that as courageous he was… secretly Naruto still held this tiny place of insecurity inside him. It was only to be expected after how long he'd lived alone because of what he was. He ignored it for the most part, but sometimes…he just wanted to be reminded that people cared.

She'd been hoping that eventually he would know that she was always fine with him, but when she'd been younger and very stupid she'd messed things up with some of the harsh things she'd said to him. It was hard to forget things like that, she knew that and understood it. So she had no problems reinforcing their friendship for him.

"Saka?" he asked quietly.

Oh yeah, she needed to answer him not just think about it.

"Naru, you silly goof why on earth would I mind? I love you remember dufus?" she tapped his nose. Naruto wrinkled his nose and mumbled, "Dufus?"

Sakura had unknowingly just stabbed a huge knife into the chest of the red head standing behind her.

She…loved Naruto? So it was true? He'd always guessed but…hearing her say it was so….final.

Gaara could not believe his misfortune. The one person he finds that he is willing to attempt loving is already in love with the only other person to show him kindness without any reason. One of his only other true friends.

Smirking to himself he admitted ruefully, They're perfect for each other.

Meanwhile, Sakura had apparently convinced Naruto that everything was fine because he was now swinging her up in the air by her arms.

He set her down and smiled at how dizzy he'd made her.

"Gosh, Sakura, and here I would have thought that with how greatly you loved carnival rides that would have been nothing." he teased.

"Oh, shut it. You are no carnival ride." she muttered as she leaned against him and waited for the world to stop imitating the tilt-o-whirl.

Gaara repressed the urge to glare at the lucky blond.

But no…Sakura was Naruto's. And Naruto deserved her.

He watched the blond reach down and tickle her sides making her laugh until she managed to get away and clobber him for making her almost still world start spinning again. He stared at her, just taking in her laughter and how pretty she looked hen she laughed. His eyes kept straying to her lips. Lips he'd kissed last night. A kiss that had pushed him to go home and make a strategy for becoming someone worthy of Sakura's love. He had completely forgotten about Naruto.

Suddenly something clicked in his head.

He was the fucking Kazekage! He was a powerful shinobi. He may have his faults but dammit so did Naruto! He could be just as good! He just needed to learn.

He deserved her! Not Naruto. Him. He, Sabaku no Gaara, deserved Sakura's love because he loved her. It may have been a little rough around the edges, a little different in the way he did things because he didn't understand everything about love, and perhaps maybe even a little quieter than some people's love. Especially compared to Naruto who was a master at showing his emotions, but Gaara could and would learn to show his affection. For Sakura he would. He stood just as much chance with her as anyone. He may have a crazed demon inside him but Sakura insisted he was still human despite that. If she could see that then she could see how to love him. Besides it wasn't like Naruto didn't have one n him as well. There was hope. He'd just need to learn the rules of courting and then win her over. He could do that…hopefully.

Gaara shook away his sudden bout of insecurity. There would be no room for that in this competition. He could learn the ways of courting and he would then make Sakura his in a way she would cherish. She would learn to love him. Naruto may be his friend but in this battle, Naruto be damned, Sakura was his…his…she was his…hell, she was just his!

He glanced at Naruto, who was smiling happily, completely unaware of what was coming.

Gaara smirked to himself, the challenge had been issued. And with the prize being Sakura's love he would not allow failure as an option. She would be his. His!

Then the voice of his demon cackled and asked, Great, fucking great, you want to learn how to love like a human. Pathetic whelp. Just who exactly will teach you how to love Sakura? Sakura?

Gaara almost felt defeated until Shukaku's words clicked in his brain.

Sakura… could show him how to love her. It was actually a good plan. Who would know Sakura better than herself? Yes, now he had his plan and his goal. He was set.

As he continued to watch and observe his competition, a one Naruto Uzumaki he nearly chuckled when he heard Shukaku mutter, Dammit, I helped the little brat…

Then Gaara noticed several others coming up to Sakura and Naruto. The Uchiha, that Kiba kid, his own brother, and that Sai person.

She was thrilled to see Sai judging from the way she hugged the boy.

She then proceeded to hug the Uchiha, the Kiba kid, and his brother!

Then that annoying and yet surprisingly fast Rock Lee quickly came up to her from across the room with streams of tears coming from his eyes.

"Sakura-chan! I have missed you very much! Oh but you still look just as beautiful and as youth filled as I remember!" he exclaimed as he desperately clung to her.

Smiling brightly she patted his back and then gave in and returned the hug fully.

"I missed you to, Lee." she happily told the boy with big eyebrows.

Gaara then had a horrifying thought. A realization dawned.

She hugged them all. Smiled at them all.

So then they were all…suitors? They all touched her. Hugs, pats, arms around her shoulders…all of them touching her.

And she was fine with it.

Anger bubbled up within him.

Sakura is…

A skank? Shukaku offered.

Sakura is…

A whore? The demon suggested again.

Sakura is…too…

Slutty? Is she too slutty? The demon chuckled.

Friendly.

Sakura was being too damn friendly with the opposite sex! This would have to end.

Now.

Fuck waiting and watching! There were just way too many men all over her.

He stepped forward and the crowd of boys noticed his presence and most took a step back.

Naruto and that damn Uchiha were the only ones unmoved. It didn't matter. Not to him.

He snarled quietly at them all and then trapped Sakura in his hold practically crushing her to his chest just before sand porting the two of them out of there and off to somewhere private. Sakura was his and she would know that now! Damn the courting rules to hell.