LoveShinobi A/N: Here's a new Gaara x Sakura story for all my loving and adoring fans. This idea was actually just a whim and then suddenly we were both loving it and had to write it. It's a bit different than any other story we've done, but I assure you all will love it.

It takes Gaara and Sakura to a whole new level of awesome!

Angelv A/N: So, LoveShinobi and I started to write a story with Natsumi and Akito in it, and then, at one point Natsumi was talking to Sakura about Akito. I made up the way that Sakura and Gaara had gotten together, and we thought it was such a creative idea, that we paused in writing the Akito/Natsumi story and started this one. I hope you like it, and don't forget to review! It makes us happy!

Now get to reading and enjoy!

REVIEW please!

Obligation

Chapter One

-Stranger-

Sakura stood there in the rain, watching numbly as the casket holding her father was being covered with wet dirt in its spot in the ground next to where he mother was buried. She didn't know what she would do now that she was alone. Continuing on with her life would be the most practical option, as well as not dwelling on her sadness. What she needed right now was to curl up next to her fireplace with a pint of chocolate ice cream, go to town, and shed some tears. Then she would be perfectly fine to go to work in the morning, despite the fact that they had given her some time off in order to grieve.

It had been a beautiful funeral, and all of her and her father's friends had come. The priest had done a wonderful job on her father's eulogy, and when that was over she had gotten up to place a pink rose amongst all of the white ones on his casket. As it was being lowered, people had come up to her to give her their condolences, and then left, seeming to sense her want to be alone.

She didn't look up as a redheaded man approached her and stood next to her on the muddy ground. She didn't know who he was, but somehow he knew her father. Heck, she wasn't even sure what his name was.

Vaguely, she could recall seeing him one time before, about four years ago when she had just started medical school. But even then she hadn't paid the man much attention.

"Daddy!" Sakura called, walking through her childhood home in search of her father. She tried to come and visit him every week or so, just so that he wouldn't become too lonely. Ever since her mother had died of pancreatic cancer five months ago, Haruno Kazuko was a changed man. He was a lot quieter, and had taken up drinking and gambling in an attempt to fill the gap his wife's absence had left.

Sakura had just gotten into medical school a few weeks ago, and had been worried over how she was going to pay for it. She had a few scholarships that she'd won, but it wouldn't pay for everything. And she did have a job at a local clinic as their receptionist, but she had living expenses that she had to pay as well. When she had mentioned to her father about taking out a student loan to pay for everything, he had been adamant that she should try to find a better way. He'd told her that he didn't want her paying off college loans when she was older and trying to raise a family.

It was the voicemail he had left her yesterday that had caused her to come and see him today instead of later in the week. He had sounded extremely excited, and was spouting off something about her not needing to worry any more about college. That he would pay for everything. But she knew her father. He hadn't saved up much for his retirement, and what little money he did have he spent on his gambling. So where was he getting it all?

She walked into the kitchen, and saw her father sitting on the back patio talking to someone. Thinking it was one of his old buddies, she marched outside and stopped before the graying man.

"Daddy," she said, giving him a stern look. "What's this nonsense about you paying for my medical school? I told you that I would just get a loan and do it myself. I don't want you to have to worry about me."

Her father just gave her a kind look, but then glanced to his left. "Look, Sakura, can we talk about this later? I'm in the middle of something important…"

She followed his gaze to see a handsome redheaded man with pale jade eyes staring at her with what appeared to be vague amusement, as if he were laughing at her. She just glared at him. Not wanting to linger on him any longer, she looked back to her sire. "No, we will talk about it now. I'm your daughter, and therefore am more important." She crossed her arms, signaling that she wasn't going to budge.

"Honey," he sighed, rubbing his temple. "I came into some money recently. That is all you need to know. Everything is taken care of."

"Were you gambling again?" she asked harshly, raising a brow and tapping her foot. She hated it when he gambled, and told him so every time she found out that he had recently.

Tired emerald eyes looked back up at her. "Yes. Okay? Now save your lecture for some other time. Don't you have class?" he asked, raising a brow.

Her eyes widened in realization. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed. Her class was going to start in twenty minutes, and if she didn't hurry she would be late. She bent down and kissed his weathered cheek quickly before running back inside. "Love you Dad! And don't think this means you're getting off easy!" she warned as the back door shut behind her.

And that was all she could remember about him. She hadn't even stuck around to figure out how her father knew him, or how they had met. When she had asked, all he told her was that they had a business agreement, but that it was confidential. So she had shrugged it off and focused on her studies.

She didn't understand why he was here though. She knew for a fact that this young man and her father were not friends, by any means, because the elder man had never talked about him. And one thing she and her father had in common was that they liked to talk about their days and their friends, especially with each other. In fact, the few times after that incident when she had asked about him, her dad got all quiet and defensive, so she eventually stopped.

"Your father was an interesting man." He said finally, breaking the silence, but staring down at the now covered hole.

"Yes, he was." She said. She knelt and placed another pink rose on top of the upturned soil. Straightening, she tightened her jacket around herself to ward off the chill that came with the light rain. Then she looked at the man next to her, taking in his appearance. "Who are you?" she asked.

A slow smirk crept up his face as he stuck his hands in his pockets. He faced her then, staring down at her, since he was significantly taller than her. "My name is Gaara. And, unfortunately, I'm the person you are going to wish you never met."

She raised a brow at him. "And why is that? I doubt I'll ever see you again in my life."

"Actually," his smirk grew as he pulled out a card from his pocket and handed it to her. "You'll be seeing me tomorrow for dinner. The address and the time are on the card, and I suggest you wear something formal. This is a nice place."

She took the card from him and glanced at it before meeting his gaze. "And, why, exactly, am I supposed to meet you for dinner?" she looked at him skeptically. "Not only do I have no idea who you are, but I could have pertinent plans of which you know nothing about, and are more important than going to dinner with some strange man." She crossed her arms.

He sighed, returning his hands to his pockets, not caring that the rain was starting to drench them. "Well, I know for a fact that you have nothing to do tomorrow night. Since you have off, and you've told your friends that you want to be alone for the next couple of days." Her eyes widened slightly at this, but before she could get a word in he spoke up once more. "And I cannot stress how vital it is that you meet me. You might not like the consequences."

"Are you threatening me?" Sakura tensed, glaring up at the redhead.

"A little." He replied, looking very amused by her attempt at intimidation.

She huffed. "Fine. I will meet you for dinner. But next time you ask someone to meet you, you should be more polite about it. You might not have to threaten them that way." She smirked slightly.

He stepped closer to her, wiping the smirk right off her face. He leaned down, almost as if he were about to kiss her. "In my field of work, it's usually needed." He traced his finger along her jaw line and then slowly down her neck.

She grabbed his hand, stopping its movement. "Don't touch me." She ordered. He pulled his hand from her grip easily and moved back.

"Just don't be late. I hate to be kept waiting. And, just to make sure you don't stand me up." He reached into his jacket, pulling out a white envelope that had her name written on it in her father's handwriting. "Your father left this with me to give to you, so if you want it, you will be there." He said, replacing it back in the pocket of his jacket.

Sakura's mouth dropped open in shock, but she quickly closed it, narrowing her eyes at him. "Fine. I'll be there."

"Excellent. I look forward to it." He bowed graciously, but there was still something arrogant about it. He turned then, waving as he walked off. "See you tomorrow Sakura."

"Hmph." She said, turning on her heel and walking over to her car, an old, light blue sedan. Just who did he think he was anyways? First telling her she would regret meeting him, then making her come meet him for dinner by keeping something from her father from her. She would definitely be at that restaurant the next night. And once she got that letter from her father, she was going to leave. After all, he didn't say she had to stay for the whole meal, she thought with a smirk, getting in her car and driving away.