A.N.- Hihi everyone! I know you guys have been waiting for this for a while now. I tried really hard to get this out as soon as I could. The end is coming closer and closer I think and so it is hard to get the final conflict and last bit of drama going so it is getting tough to come up with how I want each chapter to go. I know I have a few more things to cover before I can move on to that and I'm going to try and tackle them in the next few chapters. I hope you guys are all enjoying the story and I thank you so much for sticking with it and continuing to read it. I love writing but you guys reading my stories make it even more fun!

FanggirlX

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth.

Black rimmed eyes watched as Naruto paced from one end of the room to the other and back again.

The blond paused halfway through his what had to be three hundredth crossing of the room. Gaara really wasn't sure, he'd stopped counting back when he'd reached one hundred and fifty and Naruto had still shown no sign of stopping or even slowing down.

Naruto jammed his hands through his messier than usual hair and groaned his frustration out loud.

His lip curled angrily as he stomped to the door that held his Hinata on the other side and hammered his fists on it.

"Sakura! I can't wait any longer! Let me in!" the furious blonde bellowed.

Gaara wrapped sand around Naruto's arms and pulled the boy back forcing him into the chair beside him.

"Patience." he ordered.

"That's easy for you to say! You're not the one who's girlfriend could still be dying on the other side of that door!" Naruto shouted.

"Moron!" Gaara bellowed. "Sakura's chakra slips lower and lower by the minute! She could very well die before Hinata! And your childish disruptions are not helping her keep control on the precious little she has left! She hasn't recovered yet and she is still fighting to keep you girl alive! Now stay seated and do not speak again!"

How dare he! The insolence! Saying that he had more reason to worry. Fool.

Gaara scoffed and turned his eyes away from the suddenly shamefaced Naruto. Serves him right feeling shameful. It was his own flesh and blood in there fighting to keep his mate alive until once again Saiyomi could arrive.

And just what the hell kept that woman so fucking long?! They'd called her at least an hour ago! Surely that damned place she'd been at wasn't so far away?

Naruto huffed loudly and slumped in his chair, tapping his feet with his excess amount of endless energy he seemed to possess.

Gaara tuned the idiot out and thought back to the night before.

Back to when he'd returned to his room with his Sakura asleep in his arms…

Gaara slipped through the open door and closed it silently with a wisp of sand as he crossed to his bed. She was sound asleep, but he could not bear for her to sleep in the torn and bloodied clothes she wore.

Sighing with reluctance he tapped Sakura's shoulder.

"Sakura. Sakura, wake up." his quiet voice commanded. He gently brushed his hand down her cheek, along her jaw and then back up to tuck some of the clumped red stained pink hair behind her ear

"Sakura, I need you to wake up." he told her again.

He carefully shook her shoulder and she moaned in her sleep.

"Sakura."

"Mmmm…?"

"I need you to wake up long enough to get cleaned. You cannot stay in these dirty clothes."

"I'mmmm too tired…jusssst sleeeep right now…"

"Sakura. No. That won't work."

It embarrassed him to say the true reason and he'd be damned if he did.

"Sakura, if you do not wake up long enough to clean and change then I will do it for you. And you do not want that do you?" he challenged knowing she'd want to protect her modesty despite her being tired.

Her green eyes opened and locked with his, "Yes! I want that!"

Gaara's wide shocked eyes stared at her a moment.

Ooookaaaayy.

So apparently too tired to care Sakura had no modesty.

Smirking he made mental note of such a discovery as he scooped her up once again and carried her into the bathroom.

He set her on the toilet seat and crouched in front of her.

"Last chance." he warned.

"Yeah…yeah…" she waved him off.

Gaara turned and started the bath water, adjusting it so it was warm but not scalding.

"Don't get mad later when you find out, because I warned you."

Sakura, eyes still closed, made a face and mumbled incoherently.

Shrugging Gaara took the bottom hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head.

He assessed the situation and determined that to get her pants off it would be easier if she were standing.

Rising to his feet, holding her wrists as he tugged her up with him.

He used his sand to hold her upright as he bent and slid her jeans and panties off.

Offhandedly he wondered if she had indeed bought something for him to take off of her tonight.

The night they were supposed to mate.

That was not to happen tonight.

But considering she could have died and hadn't, Gaara simply chose to be thankful he could someday mate her and also that he was not mourning that he never did and never would due to her untimely death.

Once her clothes were removed Gaara, skimming her body with roving eyes because he simply could not resist, picked her up and set her in the tub.

He turned the water off and then wondered how exactly he was to do this…

Step by step. That was all. Just step by step.

He stared at her and sighed.

"Why can't you just wake up and do this yourself?" he grumbled.

It wasn't that he didn't enjoy touching her body. But it was hard to touch and not become excited, and becoming excited with a practically unconscious female was just plain dirty.

A killer he may be, monster could also fit… but a rapist or molester he was not.

Frowning he contemplated this.

He couldn't not do this.

She was dirty and reeked of blood. The metallic scent overpowering her own made him sick. It had to go. And besides…he knew, Gaara knew that if it were him in her place she would care for him however he needed regardless of the tasks that it entailed.

Sighing Gaara grabbed a wash cloth from the rack near the mirror and wet it, rubbing her soap she'd brought over to his dorm into it until it lathered.

Without another thought he took her hand in his and began gently washing her arm.

He wiped away the blood and the grime and then laid it back down in the water by her side and took the other and did the same thing to it.

He moved on to her shoulders, and then continued to her neck, wiping softly so as to not disturb her apparently deep slumber.

He rinsed the cloth and then wiped the blood from her face, moving slowly so nothing got near her eyes.

"Mmm, Gaara?" Sakura mumbled.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

A ghost of a smile flashed across his face when he met her hazy green eyes.

"Welcome."

"Feels good." she whispered leaning further against the tub.

"I need to wash your hair so keep your eyes closed." he instructed, though they were already closed again he didn't want to take any chances of her opening them.

"Mmkay."

Cupping water in his hand Gaara poured water into her hair little by little until it was completely wet.

Pouring shampoo into his palm he rubbed it through her hair until he felt the blood scent was good and gone.

Then with the same method he'd used in wetting her hair he rinsed it, using his other hand to block the suds so as to keep the soap out of her closed eyes.

Satisfied that her hair was once again the beautiful pink, and pink alone Gaara returned his attention to her body and washed it with the same gentle care as he'd done everything else.

Had anyone witnessed this they'd have died from shock he mused, as he drained the water and scooped Sakura out of the tub.

He wrapped her in one of her fluffy towels and carried her into the bedroom and lay her on the bed.

Starting with her hair he dried her quickly so she didn't catch a chill and then grabbed soft looking clothes from her drawers for her to sleep in.

After she was tucked in Gaara returned to the bathroom and showered himself then climbed in bed beside her pulling her close.

"…Gaara…?"

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

She turned her sleepy eyes up to look at him, "Even know what I'm sorry for?"

"Why is it you're suddenly awake after I have finished bathing you?" he retorted.

She smirked, "I was awake for most of it. It felt good."

He growled quietly, "You should have said something."

"And give you a reason to stop? No thanks."

He growled again but said nothing.

"Anyway…I really am too tired to move. So I would've needed your help either way."

"Hmph. Too tired to move, but never too tired to talk."

"Mhm. That's me." she sighed contentedly.

After a moment he thought she'd slipped back into sleep when her weary voice whispered.

"I'm sorry I broke my promise. That's what I was sorry for."

Her promise.

"You're alive. That's all that matters."

"I will though. I still want to."

Despite his frustration for her not telling him she was awake Gaara smiled.

"Good. Now sleep."

"You still want to right?"

He was confused. Why would he not want to mate her?

"Yes."

"Good. I was worried."

Restraining from speaking too harshly he asked, "Why?"

"I'm not strong. I'm still not strong. Looks like I'll never be strong enough." she replied, her voice broken and weak.

Gaara didn't know how to help her. How did he tell her she was strong enough to him, strong where it mattered, and whenever she wasn't she needn't worry because he'd protect her? Well…he could just try speaking what he'd just thought.

"You…you're strong enough. Strong in a different way. And…you don't need to be concerned with strength, you have me." he said trying to convey his thoughts into spoken words.

He kissed her forehead and added in a whisper, "I can protect you."

A tear slipped from her eye.

"But I can't protect you…"

That is when it all clicked.

It was not actual strength Sakura doubted. It was herself. So long had she not reached her set standards as a child and growing ninja that she had little confidence in her abilities despite the amount of improvement.

Sakura, the one who had always convinced him he was good enough needed the very same thing from him right now.

But what to say…? Damn. Why could he never say what was needed, when it was needed? It would certainly help right now if he could.

Sighing Gaara closed his eyes and carefully chose his words, like stepping stones, taking almost one at a time to make sure it was good.

"Sakura…you do…you protect me. More…more than…anyone… ever has. More than…anyone ever tried. You are…better than enough. "

A soft growl of frustration rumbled inside his chest.

"You are better than you know…you change things…people. That…that is strength. And your skills are superior…it's your confidence that is inferior."

He paused once again to recollect his thoughts.

"And you…Sakura, are foolish to think… that any of that matters in… determining my affection. You accept me, flaws and all… why would I do anything but return the same courtesy to you, idiot? What you can and can't do… they have no meaning in deciding whether I mate you or not."

Smirking he kissed her hair and whispered to her what she'd told him earlier when she'd yet again consoled him and his fears.

"Please don't doubt me anymore, Sakura."

A tear droplet fell on his bare chest and Gaara cursed.

She was crying.

Damn it all to hell! He'd made her cry with his meager attempt at consoling!

"Sakura?"

He didn't know what else to do. He'd just put up his very best effort.

She curled up into him, looping her arms around his neck as she rested on his chest.

"I love you, Gaara. So much. I love you so, so much. You are the greatest man alive." she sobbed.

Blown away, Gaara could say nothing. He simply caressed her back in the same manner she did him.

"Thank you, Gaara. I cannot wait to be your wife and mate."

His heart thundered inside him.

She couldn't wait. He'd said the right thing. She was happy again.

"Good. Because I intend to make good on your promise as soon as you have energy again." he told her.

"Now sleep so I do not have long to wait."

She giggled, and wiped her tears away. "You got it. Goodnight, Gaara."

Gaara kissed her in a sweet tender brush of his lips on hers and then hugged her to him and settled down further into the mattress to sleep.

…Sighing Gaara glanced at the door Sakura was on the other side of. She'd woken him this morning smiling and giddy with her love for him. Love that he'd helped reaffirm within her last night. He was not sure of the reason but for somehow knowing he could help Sakura made him feel like a much better man.

When she'd woken him this morning he hadn't had the chance to get grumpy. She'd whispered in his ear, "I have my energy back."

The promise behind those words had stopped all morning crankiness., and the kiss that followed had surely improved the likelihood of his being in a good mood.

Her kiss had spoken of her love. He'd just begun to loose himself in the taste of her when her cell phone had rung.

He'd growled, telling her to ignore it. But she couldn't.

And so now, thanks to the frantic Naruto on the other side of that call, he was here; waiting in Saiyomi's house where Hinata had been taken just incase such a thing as this happened- damn the emergency call that had taken Saiyomi away at the crack of dawn. It had been a few hours since he'd woken up, and he was still waiting to see Sakura again and know she was alright.

His own worry was beginning to become too much, he understood Naruto's fear and frustration. He too was dealing with the same thing.

She may have recovered her energy, but her chakra couldn't be ready for healing anything more serious than a paper cut at this point. It would have taken at least a full day to be back to normal. She'd had but a few hours of sleep and expected that to be enough.

The fool.

But he knew she had to do this. She had something to prove to herself. If she saved Hinata this morning she would have confidence in her medic skills once again.

And though he worried for her safety he knew that she was competent enough and capable of doing the task she'd set before herself.

Saiyomi burst into the house slamming the front door wide open and racing towards them

Naruto shouted, "Finally!"

"I'm here!" Saiyomi exclaimed as she skidded to a halt in front of them.

"I'm done." a much weaker voice said at nearly the same.

All three of them jerked their gazes up to see a very pale Sakura leaning against the door frame. Gaara was on his feet and moving to her in a split second.

He reached her just as her eyes rolled back and her legs gave out; she passed out, collapsing into his arms.

Another A.N.- XD I know I'm awful to put in two but I just wanted to say that while I was suffering from writer's block for this chapter I wrote several short stories, all each for a different anime. So far I've written mostly Naruto; I have my first ever fanfic which was Inuyasha but I sadly have lost track of that plot bunny and must hunt it down again… anyway I wrote seven as way of practice. I wanted to see if I could write other anime characters and get close to how they were supposed to be. So if you guys could I'd love it a lot if you checked those out and let me know if I did alright or if I should just stick with Naruto. Heehee. The seven anime I used were Inuyasha (XD I finally completed an Inuyasha story yay!), Midori Days, Ouran High School Host Club, Fruits Basket, Special A, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Teen Titans (some of you may not count this as an anime but even if it isn't I love these characters so much I just had to try lol) So pretty please if you would, look at them and tell me what you all think. See you guys later!

FanggirlX