A.N. - Hi everybody! I finally got my next chapter posted. I apologize for breaking my promise of posting every day. It seems though, that my school schedule isn't going to let that be possible. So sadly I must switch my goal to at least once a week. I hope nobody gets too angry because of that. Don't worry though, when I do have spare time believe I will be writing and posting any time I can! I'm excited to see how my story turns out. Each new chapter is as much an adventure for me as it is you. This chapter has a lot more drama then I'd actually intended but I think I like very much where this is headed. I hope you all enjoy it and thank you to every single one of you who has read my story this far! Please keep it up! And any reviews will be greatly appreciated!

I want to thank all my reviewers! You guys make me smile and laugh so much at the kind and awesome things you write to me!! So thank you all very very much!
(Sorry if I didn't thank everyone personally. I had a whole lot of really great reviews from many of my chapters while I was gone but since there were so many I just started thanking again at chapter 32 since that was the last I posted before I lost my laptop in the strange cord incident. lol anyway I hope I didn't upset anbody and if any of the guys I didn't write a thank you to wants to know what I thought of their review you guys can just message me anytime! My email is yahoo and its the same as my fanfiction name incase any of you guys don't know how to find it on my profile. hee hee. Thanks for understanding everyone! Well hopefully anyway.)

To Gothic Saku-chan- Thank you so much! I'm glad you thought it was sweet!

To Icylove89- lol it sure is! But can you blame her? Hee hee. Thank you for reviewing!

To missladylaura- I am so so happy you love my story!! Thank you! I hope you enjoyed Saiyomi's past story. I really want him to say those 3 little words too, but in his sweet time. When he does though Sakura for sure will be super happy she'll probably dance or something. Lol.

To Courtz. babee- Thank you! I'm glad you think it's great and awesome! I love to hear things like that! And I hope you further enjoy it!

To Henea-Chan- Thank you! I will try my very hardest to continue this story as quickly as possible. Did you like my latest chapters? I hope so. I hope you like this one too!

To BluePanda22311- HI! You thought that was funny too? I giggled myself a that. The face I pictured Gaara with after she said that was priceless to me. Lol. It is strange but at the same time to me it is also so Naruto-ish. I'm glad you enjoyed their moment. I always get so nervous when writing for those two. For me they are the hardest couple to write and get right. Hee hee so thank you very much for your encouragement! *blushes* and thank you for the compliment as well. I truly was worried that since I hadn't written for it much for so long that I had lost ouch with the story altogether. I am so happy I didn't and it makes me even happier to know that you also think I did pretty good coming back! I am also very glad 34 cleared things up for you. I was hoping that flashback would help. And it was cute wasn't it? I want very badly to write something about those 2 again! It was super fun! The kicking part was my favorite part too! I laughed out loud to it when typing. Hee hee.

To Ryuuzak-chan008- lol. Yeah…I write a lot. I don't really like stories that leave readers hanging for months on end. So I wanted to make my story flow more and be updated regularly. It worked for a while unfortunately school always starts to pile up half way through so I'm having to slow down. But I am glad you noticed. It makes me blush that you called me the most dedicated. Thank you so very very much! And the greatest ever? Really? Wow. Thank you! I am honored! There are a lot of great ones out there. To be at the top of such an awesome list is an wonderful feeling! Thank you thank you! Btw insane is good. It makes life more interesting lol. And thanks for the pointer! I am awful at spelling. Will change it from now on if can remember to.

To OoOlady heartOoO- Thank you so much! I am glad you think so. I will try my very hardest to update as soon as possible. I am even trying your suggestion of posting them shorter to get them out faster. I hate leaving loose ends but if you think it will help I am willing to try it. That is what I did this chapter really I had much more planned for it so that there wasn't such a cliffy like ending but the rest can just go into chapter 36. I hope you enjoy it! And btw I am so so happy you want to read my story that much! Knowing that made me smile. So I hope how I did this works for you and also my other readers. If it doesn't though that is fine just tell me and I will go back to longer chapters with less cliffies okay? Please enjoy!

Really. Thank you to everyone! Your words encourage me! Honestly they helped me get this out even faster than I had hoped for! I truly hope you all enjoy this next chapter and I look forward to anything and everything you guys have to say! Enjoy!

Fanggirlx

Disclaimer: Naruto isnt mine. really, i promise.

Gaara watched Sakura as she led him briskly away from the house. Suddenly she stopped and whirled around to face him.

"Take me somewhere."

He stared at her and when it became apparent that she was not going to say anything else Gaara sighed and replied, "Take you where?"

She latched her arms around his neck, "I don't care. Anywhere really is fine. Just please, take me away from here for a while."

"That story bothered you." he said voicing his earlier concern.

She nodded against him.

He complied with her wishes and took her to his current favorite place. The clock tower roof.

She sighed against him, "Thank you."

Gaara nodded with a grunt as he sat, pulling her into his lap on his way down.

After a long stretch of silence Sakura finally spoke again.

"They were so in love. But… something completely unplanned and out of their control ripped them apart."

He sat silent waiting for her to continue her thought, simply allowing her to speak out her worries. It was his understanding that it 'helped'.

"I…Gaara, what if that happens to us?"

"What if it does?" he shrugged finally understanding her main fear.

She sat up and looked him in the eye, "Wouldn't you miss me?"

"Yes." he answered to his own shock without any sign of hesitation.

"Then how can you say it like that?"

"We would have had the time before death."

"And if only one of us came back like mama did?"

"Then I deeply hope it is you and you find happiness a second time."

Sakura cried slow silent tears. "That was so…beautiful. Thank you."

He nodded and decided to keep it to himself that it was mostly his being selfish. He merely did not want to go through a life without Sakura after once having her. He'd rather remain dead.

Sakura snuggled against him, "You know though…I don't think I would find this again. Unless I had a reason like having to care for a daughter like my mom did, I would just die again and come back to you."

He hugged her tighter. Honored she would choose such a fate simply for him.

Sakura sighed and then sat up again, "Gaara, I want to talk about something else now. Mostly to change the mood we're suddenly in. But also this is something I've been thinking about lately. "

The red head nodded.

She smiled, "You can only sleep when you're with me. Right?"

"Yes."

"Well....by rule I am only allowed in your room on Saturdays, but since we already blew that rule out of the water whats say we break it permanently?"

"What do you mean?" Gaara questioned tonelessly, however, inside he nearly trembled with anticipation for what he believed she was about to say.

"I mean, I want to sleep with you every night."

Having his hopes confirmed, his eyes warmed considerably, "I doubt we will sleep much if you do."

She giggled, "Oh no, eventually the novelty will wear off and you will want to sleep."

Gaara placed his hand roughly on her cheek and shook his head, "No."

"Thank you." she whispered, clearly touched.

Sakura kissed him quickly and leaned against his chest again, "But what do you think? Could two people live in your dorm section?"

"Probably not."

"Then-"

"But Naruto could stay with Hinata."

"What are you getting at?" she asked sounding very excited he was so willing to go along with her idea.

"We kick those two out and it be just ours." Gaara replied with a wicked smirk on his handsome face.

"Do you know how angry that would make the school?" she giggled.

"And who would be brave enough to cross me?" he argued tonelessly.

"And if they do?"

"Then do you realize how much I would not care one way or another what those fools said?"

Sakura hugged him and laughed, "You are so funny. But you know, I kind of like this idea…I mean, I knew I wanted to stay with you. Which is weird by the way, I usually don't want that much closeness with a boyfriend. I want my own space too. Not with you. Not even when we weren't dating did I care if you interrupted my me time."

"That is because," Gaara stated matter-of-factly as he brushed a gentle hand down the side of her face, " I am no mere boyfriend. I am your mate intended and you recognize that."

Sakura blushed, "What?"

Gaara's heart froze and his sudden bout of confidence dwindled. She didn't know? She didn't know what a mate was?

"You will be my mate some day." he tried again.

She smiled, "Thank you."

No, she still didn't get it. She couldn't. Not with an answer like that.

"Sakura, you do not know what a mate is?"

She chuckled nervously, "Ummm…the term Australians use to define a friend?"

He frowned, "No."

"Yeah, didn't think so…"

"Mate is…" what matched mate? Ah. "Wife. Eternally."

"Eternal wife?" her eyes widened, "You want to marry me!? Forever?!"

He frowned again, "You said forever was not enough."

"I know but…I thought we were just sweet talking each other. I didn't know we were speaking literal terms right then."

Gaara grew angry quickly, "I do not sweet talk."

"I know."

"Then why would I?"

"Why else would you ask me to stay forever?"

"Because I wanted you to."

"Wanted?" she gasped wide eyed, catching the past tense of his sentence. Did he not want that anymore? But this was just a small misunderstanding right?

He stood, "I am leaving."

"No!" she grabbed his pants leg.

He glared down at her, "Release me."

"No. Please, just explain this to me. I don't understand. Please, Gaara, tell me what all a mate is. Don't go."

"I will not waste more of my time on this if you are simply playing." he snarled.

"Who said I was playing?!" she snapped beginning to get angry herself.

"You promise forever and then get upset when I ask for it."

"I didn't get upset first of all! That was just surprise. And second, I didn't know you meant it literally!"

He huffed and crossed his arms turning away from her.

"Gaara, think about this. I told you I wanted to wake up next to you every morning. I didn't mean for just this year. Or till next month! I meant forever. I just didn't…know you did. It shocked me."

"I can not return your sentiments?" he growled angrily, fighting to disguise his sudden hurt with even more anger.

"No, its not that. That's not what I meant." she said.

"Then what?" Gaara demanded harshly.

Sakura sighed and let go of his pants leg, "Never mind. Go ahead, run away, Gaara. I don't want to argue right now. I don't want to fight you like this. Go calm down. Do whatever you want."

He glared at her, "I was not running away."

"Yes, you were. I hurt you and you were escaping the cause of the pain. And for the record I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to hurt you."

"Why did you release me?"

"You told me too."

"You listen to no one."

"I do too. And that's not the point of this. The point is I hurt you. I did something wrong and I don't know how to fix it when I don't even know what exactly it is we are actually fighting over. I really don't. I have no clue. I still don't understand. But with you angry like this you refuse to listen and you can't calm down enough to explain it to me right. So go. Run away and come back when you can actually talk to me about this."

Gaara glared at her.

"I do want to be your wife someday, Gaara. If that is the same as mate than yes we are on the same page. But look at it my way a minute. If you can just try, please. You haven't said you loved me. And yet you expect me to marry you? How fair is that?"

"Mate me." he corrected sharply.

"Right, you expect me to mate you?"

"Yes. You said you knew my feelings."

"I do but I have also said that it makes everything perfect and makes you feel as if you can face the world if the one you love says they love you."

He huffed.

"Gaara, I know you love me. I do. I don't doubt your love. Your eyes and your smiles and your actions tell me. But every now and then a girl wants to hear the words. No she needs to. I am not asking for you to say it all the time. Or even a lot of the time. Hell, not even half the time. Just every now and then surprise me with those words. Once a month would be fine with me. Maybe even less! Just once could work probably. As long as I heard it."

Her gentle determined tone calming him Gaara sat back down beside her.

"I can't."

"I know that. But I don't entirely know why. And it could be for anything. I accept that. I don't mind waiting. But until you tell me why you can't tell me and then overcome that and tell me you love me I can't agree to anything like marriage or mates. When a man tells his lover he loves her its amazing. It empowers and encourages. I can't bond myself to you if you can't do that for me. No matter how much I love you. I can't. I…just have to hear it from you too."

Gaara struggled to over come the pain in his chest. She…didn't want to mate him. Just because he would not say he loved her? Just because he couldn't utter a few words she would refuse him!?

Ridiculous.

"Why must I change?" he asked with quiet fury. "Because it is the regular accepted way to do things? For both to express feelings through words?"

He stood up again, "Why must my ways by the ones to change? I have changed already. More than I've ever attempted before. You change. Your turn. Do not expect things from me I cannot give. Do not demand them or ransom your love if I do not meet your expectations. And most importantly, Sakura," his cold eyes met hers, "do not follow me and do not look for me. I will come to you if I want to see you again."

Gaara vanished in a cloud of sand and Sakura stared off for a moment longer before she broke down crying.

She didn't understand. Why was he so angry? Things had been so great. And then because she gets a little freaked out at the word forever he blows up like this? She wasn't asking him to change! Just to wait until he had no problems saying he loved her. Why was that so wrong?

She hoped he came back soon. She already missed him. She hadn't said no to forever. Just that she wanted to hear him say he loved her every once in a while before making everything one hundred percent permanent. Why was that so bad? Why was it so wrong to want to hear him say he loved her? Forever with Gaara sounded wonderful to her. Even though their time officially together is almost nothing in time, all the times they'd been together as just friends actually felt like they'd belonged to the other already. It already felt even then that her heart had always been his. Or at least it felt that way to her.
She just wanted to him to say he loved her…why was she so wrong in wanting that? Had she truly pushed too hard this time? Was he right? Was it her turn to change? He had done a lot already in working to please her. He smiled at her. Was gentle with her. Spoke with her, candidly most times too. He even returned her hugs and went along with whatever she came up with when they were together. He touched her sweetly and pleasured her the ways he'd quickly learned worked best. Endured as long as it took to allow her too satisfy her own desires of him despite how frustrated he got at doing so.

She buried her face in her hands miserably, had she just lost that amazing guy because of one simple selfish want? Had she lost his love completely by asking to hear him say it to her?

Sobbing harder Sakura wondered what she had just done and what she was going to do to fix it when he didn't even want her coming near him.

Sakura was so consumed in her grief that she did not notice the three sets of eyes watching her from the shadows.