"Congratulations for successfully passing the second phase of the chunin exams! However, more people passed the exam than I thought; therefore you will have to go through a preliminary phase before competing in front of the whole village. More than half of you will fail, though."

The Hokage's speech was interrupted by a severe cough, so an examiner had to take his place.

"You will engage in one on one combat. You can use any type of weapons or just taijutsu. If anybody wishes to give up because he is afraid or too injured to go on, raise your hand."

Each team stood next to the other, with the respective teammates in line, one behind the other. They all looked like a giant fan from above. Naruto was the first in line from Team 7, followed by Sasuke and then Sakura. Judging by how affected Sasuke was from the snake bite that Orochimaru gave him, Sakura considered raising her hand in his stead. Because she knew he would never raise his hand even though he struggled to breathe normally so that others wouldn't think he is weak. Just when she raised her hand a few inches, Sasuke turned around with lightning speed, grabbing her by the wrist to force her hand down.

Gaara stood a few teams further away from Sakura, but he frowned and tried to figure out what was happening and why that Uchiha was touching his girlfriend.

"Mind your own business."

"But Sasuke, your body cannot handle another fight."

"It's not your concern. It isn't your place to tell me what I am capable of."

Sakura, leave him be.

Gaara-kun, he could die.

It's up to him. You can't decide for somebody else.

Sasuke kept going. Naruto turned around because of the noise, so he was also paying attention now.

"I always wanted to know if I am good and here are the best shinobi. I want to fight them, especially that red haired boy from the Sand Village."

I'll make his wish come true. Gaara laughed inwardly.

Gaara-kun, don't say that, please.

Sakura, who are you going to cheer for if I and Uchiha were to fight each other?

Well...

Sakura didn't know what to answer and thankfully she didn't have to because the examiner interrupted their thoughts.

"Well, if nobody wants to give up, please clear the field. This is where you are going to fight. Pay attention to the screen. The randomly selected 2 shinobi stay here, while everyone else climbs the stairs to the balcony."

Everyone looked at the screen and read the names of the first two contestants: Uzumaki Naruto and Inuzuka Kiba. Sakura wished the best of luck to Naruto and then she climbed the stairs, avoiding Gaara's eyes. Throughout the fight, Gaara was upset. Sakura couldn't pay attention to her teammate's game because of stress. She was biting her lip in an attempt to make order in her thoughts, because all of her unorganized thoughts gave both herself and Gaara a headache.

Is it all worth it if I don't even get this much? Gaara wondered as this thought crossed his mind before he had time to blow it away like the wind blows the clouds.

Sakura's eyes filled with tears, but she pushed hard on her wound on the right arm to make the tears stand back.

Gaara-kun, of course I would cheer on you no matter your opponent. It's just that my team would think low of me if I encouraged you instead of my own teammate.

Gaara threw her a hurtful look for a second, before his eyes returned to staring at the arena.

I could support you in my heart.

Gaara relaxed a bit. Sakura felt she turned on the right direction, so she gained the courage to keep going.

If Gaara-kun fights Sasuke, I won't be able to verbally encourage you, but I could kiss you on the cheek. Will this be ok?

Gaara's face reddened and even the tips of his ears turned red. He didn't know how to hide so that others don't see him like this.

You don't have to do such an embarrassing thing in front of everyone. They will all laugh at me.

What? Is Gaara-kun ashamed to be kissed by me?

Gaara's heart skipped a beat. How did the tables turn so fast? His brain was void of any thought or information. He wished nothing more than to fight someone on the field. Nothing took him by surprise in battle, but somehow Sakura always managed to get him off guard. Sakura wasn't upset with him at all; she was rather happy.

I could do it right now. Why wait until after the match?

Gaara went into full panic mode. He couldn't even breathe. Temari gave him a strange look, but she didn't dare ask him what happened. She had a hunch that it was related to Sakura. What is this girl doing to my brother?

Gaara was saved by the screen for it showed Sakura's name in capital letters, meaning that she was next to engage in battle. While they were having fun, Naruto's match had already finished with Naruto's victory. Sakura was shy. She wouldn't have had the courage to go straight to Gaara and kiss him; she only wanted to provoke him. If Gaara was a little less shy than she was, he could have told her "You lack the courage to do it." And then the roles would be reversed. Sakura would be suffocated by her emotions and Gaara would laugh.

Ino was Sakura's opponent. It left a bitter taste on both Sakura and Gaara's tongues. The previous stage of the exam showed that there was no trace of friendship between the two girls.

Gaara-kun, I am scared. Say something.

Gaara woke up from his dream and said some words out loud by mistake.

"Crush her!"

"Who are you talking to? The blonde or the pink haired girl?" Kankurou asked with curiosity.

"The pink haired girl, of course. But I think you should say it louder. I don't think she heard you." Temari replied in her happy voice.

Kankurous started laughing and his sibling's amusement made Gaara throw his sister a dangerous look. He couldn't stand to be made a fool of. Temari got scared and took a step back with her hands in front of her chest in a defensive manner.

"Or not. Suit yourself."

Kankurou distracted his brother and sister:

"The match has just started."

Ino didn't expect Sakura to be so determined to finish her off. The way she threw her kunai, the ways she threw punches and kicks made Gaara proud. In the middle of the match, Ino thought of a strategy because she couldn't keep punching Sakura as their strengths were about equal and it would lead nowhere. Ino ripped hairs from her ponytail and scattered them on the arena floor throughout the distance between herself and Sakura. Sakura didn't notice it until it was too late. When Ino kneeled and did her hand signs while laughing, Sakura knew something was wrong.

Why is she laughing like she's won?

Blue chakra connected the girls' feet through the blonde hairs on the floor. Sakura went into panic because she couldn't move, while Ino centered her hands to see Sakura's head through and activated her mind possession jutsu. The girls' bodies stayed in place without moving an inch. Nobody knew what was going on. Ino took control over Sakura's mind and tried to make her raise her hand and say the words "I give up." It was the only way Ino could win the match.

"Sakuraaaa! Fight! Don't let her play you!" Naruto yelled from the balcony, making everyone agitated.

His voice broke through and she was able to fight back. Sakura's body moved uncontrollably. Sakura was shaking her head, covering her ears with her hands and mumbled nonsense. Ino kept messing with her mind until she heard Gaara's voice in Sakura's mind. Then, Ino got so scared, she got out of Sakura right away. Both girls were exhausted. Gaara was also scared when he realized somebody other than himself had the ability to enter Sakura's mind and talk to her.

What was that?

Ino's mind transfer jutsu.

I didn't know she can do this.

Gaara panicked when his eyes and Ino's eyes met, thinking this girl will definitely tell everyone what Gaara and Sakura can do.

Ino was exhausted after spending most of her chakra on that jutsu. The chakra from the hairs that connected their feet vanished. Sakura was exhausted after the beating she endured in the previous stage of the exam. They both wanted to end the fight in one last punch. Sakura's fist hit Ino's cheek on full force, but so did Ino's fist with Sakura's cheek. Both girls collapsed on the floor. The examiner noted that none of them was able to get up since they passed out, so he declared equality and disqualified both. Kakashi sensei and Asuma sensei both came to pick up their students and place them back on the balcony to rest, as their wounds weren't serious enough to be looked over by a medic. Gaara was ashamed to go to her because there were so many people around her. By the time Sakura was awake, Gaara had already won his match with Rock Lee.

"The next stage of the exam will take place a month from now on the arena, where the Kages, the customers, the shinobi and all the villagers can see the final matched between tonight's winners."

Gaara and Sakura sat on the same branch the next day, looking at the sunrise. Every wound of Sakura's made Gaara feel hurt.

It was better if I had these marks in your place.

Sakura smiled.

Gaara-kun, I am a shinobi. It is normal to have injuries and even get hospitalized someday.

Don't say that. I get goose bumps just from thinking about it.

Sakura giggled and rocked her feet back and forth in the air.

I am so happy there is a person who cares so much about me.

Gaara smiled too and clasped his hands in his lap as he gave the sunrise a hopeful look.

I have to go back to Suna to train for the match with Uchiha.

Oh, that's right.

Come with me. He said while looking at her.

Sakura turned her face to look at him. She was speechless for a few seconds.

Gaara-kun, I'd love to, but I can't.

Why not? If you are afraid it might be dangerous, don't worry. I will protect you.

Sakura smiled and looked down. Gaara felt the need to hug her, but when he tried to, his hand slipped on the branch, making him lose balance before the sand jumped to his aid. Sakura tried to help him regain his composure, but he was proud and gently pushed her away. He couldn't stand to be weak in front of her.

I wasn't thinking about that. Sakura returned to their previous discussion. It's just that... I can't travel alone with a boy to another country. What would the world say? And my parents wouldn't let me anyway.

You're right. I didn't consider that.

Don't worry. We'll do it some other time. Gaara-kun wishes very much to show me his village, I can read it in his heart.

He looked to the side, slightly ashamed. Sakura giggled and jumped on him to hug her boyfriend. Clumsy as she was, her bottom slipped off the branch and she squeezed Gaara harder in her arms in fear, her eyes closed tight. Gaara quickly wrapped an arm around her waist, his sand pushed into her feet and he managed to sit her down next to him on the tree branch. He was happy to be given the opportunity to wash his shame so soon. Sakura thanked him and put some distance between them because she was a little ashamed. Gaara couldn't help touch a strand of her hair with his fingers, very close to her cheek. The heat of her skin coated his fingers like a glove. Sakura tucked her hair behind her ear and it made him take his hand back.

Promise you'll come with me one day.

She replied with certainty and happiness:

I promise to follow you one day.

Even if she knew what her parents' answer will be, she still wanted to know their opinion.

"I wonder what it would be like to go to Suna."

"With that boy? Don't even think about it." Mebuki said. She was upset because she had tried to talk to the Kazekage while he was in the village for his son's exam, but he denied her requests.

"Yes, you are right. I think now is too soon."

"My dear, you don't need a boyfriend at your age. What can you do more than hold hands?" Her father threw in a joke.

Sakura laughed.

"Dad..."

"What? It's true. I wouldn't want my little rose bud to go away with a stranger to another country. What would I do if I woke up and you weren't here?"

"You know I won't stay in Konoha my whole life, right?"

"She is already making plans to leave." Mebuki added.

"Leave the girl be."

Kakashi then whispered in his daughter's ear:

"Don't leave me alone with your mother."

Both Kizashi and Sakura began to laugh, which annoyed Mebuki, who rolled her eyes and went out with the basket full of clothes to hang on the line.

Sakura and Gaara didn't have much time to talk the following month because he was always tired after training every day from dawn till dusk. Back in Konoha everything was pretty weird because Ino told everyone that Sakura and Gaara could talk through telepathy. Most people didn't believe her, but all this gossip gave birth to a cloud of doubt surrounding Sakura. Even though nobody said anything, Sakura felt the tension in the air.

On the day of the exams, Gaara was more nervous than usual. He was more formal and a little sad maybe. It was pretty unusual, but Sakura convinced herself it was all because of the upcoming match with Sasuke. She didn't want to stress him even more, so she gave him some space. Sasuke worked on a new jutsu with Kakashi-sensei, called Chidori, based on Sasuke's affinity to lightning. The battle was fierce. Sasuke threw lightning arrows from his hand and from his eyes while Gaara protected himself in his sand cocoon while also shooting sand projectiles towards the enemy. In the middle of the match, when Sakura's heart jumped to her throat, a foreign ninja destroyed the main gate of the arena with an explosion, catching everyone's attention in the process.

The one disguised as the Kazekage, Orochimaru, took advantage of the situation and kidnapped the Hokage, holding a kunai to his throat. The Hokage's ANBU guards surrounded the two, on the rooftop of the Kage's seats. Somebody kept throwing bombs into the arena, threatening the lives of civilians and shinobi. Chaos was unleashed. Everyone ran in all directions screaming, crying or jumping over seats to get away faster. Sakura was the only one who couldn't move. Gaara and Sasuke's match stopped. Gaara joined the other ninja from the sand village and from the sound village in the fight against the shinobi who tried to help the Hokage. Sakura couldn't believe her eyes what was happening. How could Gaara betray her? How could he attack her village? How could he stand with her enemies? While she was in shock, a piece of the ceiling fell to crush her head, but Gaara's sand caught it in time. Even though he was fighting her village now, he still couldn't let anything happen to her.

I am sorry, Sakura.

With teary eyes, Sakura joined the others, trying to safely evacuate everyone from the arena until Ino spotted her and started yelling while pointing her finger at Sakura:

"Traitor! I told you she was talking to that boy from Suna in her head. She sold out village's secrets and helped the enemy find our weakest point to attack. Traitor!"

Sakura froze in place, not knowing what to do with so much information thrown at her. An ANBU appeared next to her and, after everyone around Sakura evaporated in fear, he escorted Sakura to the interrogation room, where they will find out everything she knew about this incident once it was over.

Gaara lost track of Sakura in all the mess, but he followed orders like a machine, without question, like a true shinobi.

Note: I like Sakura with long hair, too. She is too shy to confront anybody right now. But she will become a little braver later in the story. I kind of destroyed Ino's character. I honestly never liked her, sorry. This chapter has unleashed chaos. What do you think will happen next? Will Sakura get over Gaara's betrayal? What could Gaara do to make Sakura forgive him?

I am sorry you had to wait so long for another chapter. I will try my best to get another one out within a week.

Thank you a lot for all your reviews. It's always so soothing to read them.