7 years later…

He could see Konoha come into view and knew he was close. He could almost feel her presence. 'I wander what she looks like now. I bet she is pretty. Surely she hasn't forgotten me. I couldn't stand that. She's the only thing that has kept me this sane. I need her. I need her to tell me it's ok again.'

"NARUTO, GET BACK HERE!" Voices yelled in the distance.

"NO! SOMEONE HELP! SHE'S GONNA KILL ME! WHERE IS KAKA-SENSEI WHEN I NEED HIM! I DIDN'T MEAN IT SAKURA-CHAN!"

That caught Gaara's attention. 'Could it be the same Sakura?'

"YOU DID MEAN IT! I CAN BLEND IN PLACES OTHER THAN SAKURA TREES JUST FINE! AND I AM NOT A PANSY! I AM A MIGHTY FINE AND VERY STRONG NINJA. YOU KNOW I CAN BEAT YOU UP!"

"I DIDN'T MEAN THAT! I JUST MEANT YOU HAIR BLEND IN WELL WITH THE SAKURA TREES! IT WAS A COMPLICATE! NO, THAT'S NOT RIGHT… IT WAS SOME BIG WORD LIKE THAT. I'M SORRY. PLEASE STOP CHASING ME."

'Her hair matches the Sakura trees? It has to be her.' Gaara thought as he listen to the rather loud conversation in the distance.

"FINE. I FORGIVE YOU."

"AND YOU WON'T BEAT ME UP."

"ONLY BECAUSE I NEED YOU FOR THE EXAMS."

"THANK YOU SAKURA-CHAN! MAKE UP HUG?"

"DON'T PUSH YOUR LUCK."

Gaara noticed two flashes, one yellow and one pink, suddenly stop and start walking toward them at a normal pace. It was then he saw her for the first time in years. She was walking toward him. She had on a red dress with her clan symbol, black shorts and ninja shoes. Her hair was long and tied back with her headband. What caught his eye the most was the band on her wrist. She still had on the bracelet he had made her all those years ago.

They had stopped in front of the sand siblings, ready to ask for their passes when Kankuro spoke up. "You were actually scared of her? Such a wimp!" He told Naruto while laughing hysterically.

"SHE HAS A MEAN RIGHT HOOK PUNK. LET HER HIT YOU ONCE THEN WE'LL SEE WHAT YOU SAY." Naruto yelled back.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING PUNK, WIMP?" Kankuro yelled back.

"YOU PUNK."

"WIMP"

"PUNK"

"WIMP"

"Stop." Gaara finally said in dangerously low tone that no one questioned it. It was then that everyone turned to the stoic redhead standing in the background. "That is enough Kankuro."

"Haha - Sorry Gaara. I didn't mean any harm." Kankuro said nervously.

"Now

who's a wimp. You're scared of that squirt?" Naruto said.

"He has a reason to be." Gaara growled, not liking the name Naruto had given him but keeping control of his temper for Sakura's sake.

"Gaara? Is that you?" Sakura finally said, a little unsure.

"Yes, it's me Sakura." He said moving to stand in front of her.

"Why are you here, Gaara?"

"Exams. This is my team, Temari and Kankuro."

"Ah, he is part of my team. Iceburg isn't here nor is our Sensei."

"I see."

"We have to run now. Team meeting but I'll see you around. Maybe lunch or something? We have years to catch up on." Sakura said grinning.

"Where is your team meeting?" Gaara asked suddenly.

"About two mile due north. Why?"

He wrapped his arms around her then looked in her eyes. "Because I can get you there faster and you won't tired yourself out running there." With that they were both surrounded by sand. Naruto and the sand sibling looked at each other and quickly ran toward the training ground, all three very confused.

"Gaara, you can let go of me now." Sakura said once they reached the training grounds. But Gaara just tightened his hold.

"I can't let you go yet. I just found you. I've waited for so many years….. You don't understand. You are the only person who has ever been willing to hug me. This is the first human contact I have had in 7 years, Sakura. Please, just a minute longer." Gaara said with a note of desperation in his voice, clutching her even tighter.

"Ok Gaara. I missed you. I didn't even take of the bracelet. See?" Sakura said, lifting her wrist.

"I saw. And I still wear the necklace." Gaara said, backing away so he could pull it from under his shirt. "It was the only thing that gave me hope all these years."

"I know. I was afraid I would never find you again. I would have hated to never see my friend again."

"Just friends? I thought you would consider us more than friends by now." Gaara said, upset and confused.

"What do mean? We were good friends and always will be." Sakura said, even more confused than Gaara.

"I thought you would love me. I thought you were the one person who would see past my imperfections and love me. But you don't. You never did. I really am alone." Gaara said, feeling like that lonely 6 year old boy again.

"No, your not alone Gaara. I do love you, as a dear friend."

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Gaara yelled, "I thought you would be more than a friend. I thought I would finally be loved. Friends leave. I wanted you to be mine for a lifetime."

"Gaara, I don't know want to say. I haven't been around you enough to feel that way yet. It's not impossible but I just saw you for the first time in 7 years. You have to understand, these sort of things take time."

"If I courted you while I am here for the exams, would that be long enough then?" Gaara asked, slightly hopeful now.

"It's might be." Sakura said.

"Fine, I will pick you up tonight for dinner. I must go. Your team is almost here. Goodbye Sakura." Gaara said disappearing in a swirl of sand, leaving a very confused Sakura behind.

'If she loves me by the end, I will go against my father and save her village. I know my siblings will do what I say; they hate Father as much as I do. If she doesn't, then I will follow through with my orders.' Gaara thought as he walked towards Konoha's gates, waiting for his siblings to catch up.

I hope you liked it! Obviously it doesn't follow the Anime in details but the timeline will be the same. Please Review!