A.N. - Thank you so much to all my readers for being patient with me and staying with my story. I know my updating is getting a little off…I apologize. a lot of drama is happening around me right now…I will try my hardest to continue to update regularly though so don't worry! I just wanted to thank you all for sticking with me through it! ( I wanted to update everyday so the story would flow better but things keep coming up and preventing that…so I am sorry for that) This chapter is kind of a sweet little romantic reflection thing mostly focused on Gaara. It was super sweet to write and I hope everyone of you enjoys it! Thanks again everyone!
Fanggirlx

Disclaimer: Naruto isn't mine

To OoOlady heatherOoO- Thank you so much! I'm very happy it was great to you! lol he did take it pretty well…I guess he's just too happy to let it bother him too much. Thank you for reviewing and please enjoy this next chapter!

To JPLteen- hee hee really? You thought that!? Thanks! that's really cool! M. Night Shamylon rocks! To be compared to someone so awesome…wow. All I can say is thank you thank you thank you! I am super glad you thought they were both excellent! I hope you like this one just as much! Thank you for reviewing!

To Gothic Saku-chan- Big yay! I know I am so happy for Naruto. The poor guy goes through so much he deserves something good like finding a family! Thank you for reviewing and please enjoy chapter 32!

To BluePanda22311- (giggles) Intense? Yeah it was wasn't it? Hee hee. Sakura was a awesome wasn't she? Not backing down for anything. I loved writing her like that! So it was a huge yayness moment for me too. and yeah…moms what ya gonna do right? Lol the heart to heart was great but really hard to write…I was scared I'd mess their characters up somehow. But I am so glad you liked it! Thank you! Sakura's freshman year in high school Saiyomi found her in Konoha. And they moved away to live together. It hasn't been that long…only about four years. Which is short when you think that Saiyomi missed like what 16-17 years? that's what she meant…I mentioned that in an earlier chapter somewhere but it hasn't been mentioned much…sry if it confused you comin kind of out of the blue like that. And fainting is so the new trend! Lol. You thought 31 was adorable?! Thank you! Mass murderer of plants…hee hee that's hilarious. I laughed at that thank you so much for it! I got misty eyed while writing the part between Naruto and Saiyomi. I thought it was the sweetest thing ever! Especially when he said he was never too old to bake cookies or play in mud. Hee hee, cuz Naruto never would be I think. Thank you for reviewing and I hope you like this next chapter!

To musa uchiha- Hi there! I'm so so glad you are enjoying my story! It is an honor that you say I have the character personalities down so well. I have to be honest I am trying super hard to make sure I do. To hear my hard work is paying off is awesome so thank you thank you! Yu really think that?! It seems like I could actually own it!? That is so amazing! Thank you so much! I am thrilled that you love it and I hope you continue to enjoy it! Thank you very much for reviewing!

Gaara lay holding Sakura against him while thoughts ran through his mind.

Sakura being the focal point of most of them.

To be honest his main thought altogether kept being, 'I cant believe how much my life has changed in these few short days just because of this girl…'

That was it in a nut shell.

His mind kept replaying these last few days.

His first time seeing her in her dorm hallway where she hugged him after not seeing him for years. And she poked him…he still wasn't sure what that meant….

Then the time at the pizza place where she fed him the goo stick and wiped his leg.

And that night when she wasn't afraid of him. When she held him for hours. And comforted him. And brought him out of that black abyss Shukaku had tried to put him in. That was the night she made him her best friend.

And then the next afternoon she'd hugged him again, publicly in front of a cafeteria full of people and she hadn't cared that they'd seen. That was when she first told him she wanted to give him joy and make him happy. He hadn't thought much of her words then thinking she could never make him truly happy…heh. It was plain to see who had been right.

That same afternoon was when she'd told him she trusted him. And she showed that she remembered him, even when with her closest friends and teammates around her. She'd come back to stand by his side. She'd held his hand. Smiled at him. Not Naruto or Sasuke…but him.

Then that same day in his dorm she'd laughed because of something he'd said. She'd joked with him about her friends. And had then thrown her arms around him depending on him to rescue her from their wrath.

He'd taken her to that hedge maze and had seen her roll on the ground with laughter. Laughter made with him, partly by him. And she'd asked him to help her up with that cute little face she'd made. And when she'd come up too close to him she hadn't backed away. He'd caressed her face. And she'd let him. He'd almost kissed her. And she would have let him. Damn that Yura…he'd been so worried that he'd never get to kiss her. Well, he was wrong yet again.

Smirking Gaara leaned down and kissed her sweet lips.

"Mmmm…Gaara, what was that for?" she asked drowsily.

His smirk grew as he answered, "Because I can."

She laughed quietly and snuggled into him with a content sigh. He held her tightly and rubbed her arm where he held it.

His mind returned to his reflections.

He'd left her in that maze and then again when he'd seen her in the lap of that damn Uchiha. Gaara felt his blood boil at the mere thought. He'd hurt so badly then. Thinking she'd been out to destroy his ego.

But then she'd found him and hugged him. Begging to be allowed to stay his friend. Saying she hadn't been trying to hurt him like she knew he thought was her intention. That was also the time she'd admitted to him out loud that she'd been planning on kissing him. And later she'd fallen into a deep sleep leaning right on him. Unknowingly confirming her words of not fearing him and of trusting him. That was the first time he'd kissed her precious lips. The first time he'd felt her lips pressed to his.

Gaara leaned down and tipped her chin up kissing her softly again.

Sakura giggled, "Because you can?"

He kissed her deeper.

When he pulled back he locked eyes with her and whispered, "Our first kiss… you slept through it."

"I did not." she shot back softly.

He nodded, "On the hill, the sun was setting. You'd fallen asleep."

Her eyes widened.

Gaara nodded, "I kissed you then. Sorry."

She smiled, "Oh, Gaara, don't be sorry I was dreaming about kissing you anyway."

"You remember that dream?"

She nodded, "It wasn't that long ago you know."

Yes he did know, thus was the subject of his thoughts. How so much had happened in so little time.

She reached up and stroked a gentle caress down his cheek, "Then I owe you my thanks. You made that a really good dream."

Thankful that she wasn't mad he nodded and lay down beside her again.

That first time he'd kissed her he'd asked her nnot to hate him for it. She'd said never while sleeping. Awake she still didn't hate him for it.

He sighed as his thoughts yet again took him into a recent memory.

The time when he'd kidnapped her away from all those other dam men who were touching her. He'd taken her to the maze again. And there…she told him even if he didn't understand love he could feel it. Which was a wise thing to say. He still hardly understood the concept of love but he was fairly certain that this feeling inside him was indeed love. He felt it when around Sakura or when he thought about her. Of course what he felt for Sakura was also lust. She was beautiful and he really enjoyed touching her in ways she only let him.

Thinking of lust made him think of her eyes filled with desire. The first time he'd seen that look in her eye had been that day in the hedge maze. After they'd talked on love she'd wanted waffles. But she'd just talked so damn much…so much. He'd wanted her quiet. He'd pinned her against the greenery wall. She'd touched him so gently then. Rubbing his neck and soothing him in such a way he had never felt. He'd have to ask her to do it again sometime soon. That day in the hedge she'd told him she was proud of him. That she was amazed by how much he'd endured and she'd called him Suna's proper Kazekage. Her faith in him did things to Gaara. It made him want to…be perfect for her. The comfort in that was that he knew, he truly believed that when he failed because he could never be perfect and was still less than perfect Sakura would still hold him, smile at him and love him. Hell, he'd growled at her that day and she'd worked through it with him and still loved him now. She'd even talked to Shukaku that day, fussing at the demon for messing with Gaara. It had been something to behold that was for certain, but even more, the event that followed was even more of a sight to see. Shukaku and Inner Sakura kissing wildly. It had been them, but it had been his and Sakura's bodies. That was when he'd first seen that desire filled look in her emerald eyes.

The second time he'd seen it had been that day at the fair. That had been a good day. He'd been willing to force himself to enjoy it because he'd known she wanted him too. Gaara had not counted on actually enjoying the place. It had had too many people for his liking, naturally he wouldn't like it he'd thought. Wrong. He'd honestly enjoyed going on rides with Sakura. Not only were the rides fun but they each brought something good to him. He saw her smile and laugh up close, he felt her pressed against him in a way that then he'd thought would only happen on rides. Which was why he went on every one he could find. Sure the rides were good…but feeling her giggling tightly against him was better. That Scrambler ride may have been his favorite for that exact reason. That day at the fair had also been the day he discovered his new favorite food. Funnel cake. It was okay. Having her feed it to him. Better. The taste itself didn't make it his favorite food. The excuse to nibble on her fingers, that was the reason. Then they'd been caught in the rain and she'd twirled in it like a little girl. He'd enjoyed seeing her like that, happy and carefree. But following that was the best moment. Their first-conscious-kiss. He'd asked if she would kiss him. And she had willingly pulled his lips to hers in the sweetest moment of his life. Her soft lips dancing against his so gently will forever be ingrained into his mind. And having her say she liked being around him the most simply added to the pleasure of the moment.

The next day though…that kiss had been amazing too. Maybe more so….after vanishing out of the hallway where he'd pinned Naruto to the wall he'd taken her to the highest point on the entire school campus. The roof of the clock tower. She'd told him she was honored that he defended her. Then she'd kissed him. In that amazing take his breath away style he liked. She'd also told him she was his girlfriend then on that rooftop. And she'd told him that she would always kiss him anytime he asked and that she would always stand by him in anything he did or said and she would always trust him over everyone else no matter what. Sakura had told him there on that roof top that she loved him. And she'd touched him.

Gaara shuddered at that first memory of her hands all over him. And then they'd wrapped around him…and then her mouth.

But the wondrous thing…the best gift she'd ever given him besides her heart. She gave him her body. She allowed him to hold her, caress her, kiss her. And she'd begged for it, for him and……he needed to stop thinking about this before…nope too late.

Dammit.

He should stop thinking and go to sleep.

Sleep. Yet another gift the girl in his arms had brought him. Only Sakura had an inner to please his demon with. And because of her loving him, her inner loved his demon he supposed. Which meant he could finally sleep. In her embrace he had. Just last night he'd slept in her arms for the first time. He should be doing that very same thing right now.

But he couldn't.

Because even with everything she'd done for him so far in so little a time. Today she'd been willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for him. She was prepared to leave her mother, her- er, thought to be- only family. She was going to leave her. Just so she could stay with him. That had cemented everything for him. Had he had doubts of her feelings, that moment had killed them all. Sakura truly loved him and wanted to make him happy. She believed in him, believed he deserved wonderful and good things like love and even heaven when he died. She even believed he would never hurt her. Even knowing the risks and many possibilities she stayed by him and believed he would take his own life before he harmed her. She was right. He would. Gaara knew he would without hesitation. It just stunned him for Sakura to know he would. Her faith in him, her trust in him. It was…exhilarating.

Gaara stared down at her soft face, she was smiling softly even in her sleep.

Now that he had her. Even after this short time Gaara never wanted to have the life without her again. He wanted to keep her. Would she stay with him forever? Was that the kind of love this was? He hoped so. With everything he possessed within him, Gaara hoped so.

He bent down and kissed her tenderly.

The boy ran a finger along the hair framing her beautiful face and whispered to her, "Will you stay? With me?… Forever?"

Her eyes opened and the shock inside them was evident. But her slowly growing smile eliminated any sudden rising panic Gaara had felt.

She kissed him.

Gaara sighed content against her lips.

Sakura pulled back long enough to lock eyes with his, "Is forever really long enough?"

Gaara's eyes doubled.

Sakura giggled, "Kiss me, Gaara."

He happily obeyed pulling her addicting mouth into his for as deep a kiss as possible.

Sakura rubbed her hips against him.

He groaned and reached to touch her when he froze.

His questioning eyes met hers, "Your mother?"

"What about her?"

He blushed lightly, "When…I touch you, you can get…loud."

Sakura mirrored his blush but then her laughing eyes went heated once more as she whispered, "Then don't stop kissing me. Keep my mouth too busy to scream."

She reached down and stroked him lovingly. Gaara felt his eyes close unwillingly as she wrapped her slim fingers around him. She began to move her hand the way she knew he enjoyed most and he couldn't stop himself from slowly moving with her motion.

Her sweet voce brought him from his delirious pleasure.

"Please, Gaara? I'll try my best to be quiet…if you help me…" she said coyly.

He smirked at her. How could he say no to that?

The answer? He couldn't.

He crushed her lips to his heatedly.

She moaned into his mouth and he shuddered. Maybe keeping her quiet would be more fun then he thought.