A/N: I just love GaaHina, okay? This was going to be a one-shot...guess not. Review please! I'll update ASAP! I tried to keep them in character. I know Hinata sounds pretty pitiful right now, but she's nervous, so give her a break. She'll loosen up a bit soon...I hope.

Disclaimer: Annnndddd, I don't own Naruto, though I'd really like Sasuke for my birthday ;-)

Warning: Mature content may be there in later chapters. But I'll write them as separate chapters and give a warning in the previous chapter so that you can skip the scenes if you want. I'll change the rating to M if I write the scene. Well, you'll probably read it anyway, you pervert ;)

And review, please :3

EDIT: The name of this story has been changed from "Surprises" to "When It Counts", just saying. The old name isn't fitting the plot that's been forming in my head.

Gaara sat at the edge of his seat as his fingers tapped impatiently on the cool smooth teak table. His day had started rather horribly, a lot more horrible than his winter monday morning should have been. He had stayed up late the previous night covering his sister's shift which lead him to waking up half an hour late, with his permanent dark circles darker than ever, only to realize his brother and sister finished all the hot water thanks to their habitual royally long showers. Shivering and mentally cursing, he had walked into his closet and pulled out his formal white shirt, except it was a bright shade of pink, which he could only deem as the after-effect of having it thrown in the washing machine along with Temari's red dress. Just when he thought things couldn't get worse, his coffee maker short circuited, and he could simply not not have coffee! And now the damn waitress seemed to have forgotten his existence!

Of course, she may have been busy with the other customers in the over-crowded diner that smelled like cinnamon and coffee, but that didn't lessen the irritation he masked behind his stoic turquoise orbs. He felt a twinge of regret for having come to the small diner out of sheer desperation to obtain his daily dose of caffeine. He sighed exasperatedly as he decided to divert his mind in a feeble attempt to make the wait seem less long. His eyes traveled around the room, taking in the crowded, yet strangely comforting atmosphere of the little dinner. His eyes slowly moved to the entrance of the diner as a little ding announced the entry of yet another customer.

Before he realized it, his calculating gaze lingered at the pretty stranger. The new addition to the crowd sported a light gray coat over her pale lavender shirt. Her formal skirt ended modestly at her knees. Soft, pale gray orbs slowly scanned the crowd for a possible place to sit, as the ravenette's fingers nervously fiddled with her long lavender scarf. Gaara continued to observe her as she cautiously approached his table, which had a free seat. He winced slightly as remembered his sister's remark about how his icy aura always seemed to keep strangers at bay.

"C-Can I sit here?" she asked politely, her voice barely above a whisper.

Gaara gave her a quick nod as he pretended to stare at the rather uninteresting texture of the wooden table before him.

"Th-thank you." she replied quietly as she took to staring at her lap uncomfortably. He continued to stare at the swirly concentric oval pattern of the wooden table as he heard a soft sigh escape her pink lips. He looked up from the corner of her eye, only to see her thoughtfully biting her lower lip while throwing nervous glances at the wall clock.

"Are you alright?" he found himself asking her, to his utter shock. He was never the kind to bother about anything that wasn't his business.

She gave a little squeak of shock as she looked up at him, her face turning a shade that would make a firetruck jealous. Cool turquoise optics calmly stared back at her pale gray orbs, which glinted with a mysterious hint of lavender. Slowly exhaling, she blinked a couple of times before nervously balling her fists in her lap, trying to overcome her shock and form coherent words.

"N-nothing. Its just...T-today is the f-first day of m-my new job...umm... C-cold feet?" she laughed weakly.

"I see." he replied as he felt the corners of his lips slightly twitch in amusement, "Well, what job?"

He saw her only hesitate momentarily before replying, "An assistant t-to the CEO of a c-company."

He raised a pale eyebrow, before slowy replying, "In most companies, the CEO interviews his own assistants. So if you've already met him, there should be nothing to be worried about."

"Y-you are right. B-but the CEO of th-this company didn't do so. I-I was interviewed b-by the vice p-president of the c-company as the CEO w-wasn't present." the pale woman replied hastily, her fingers continuing to nervously tug the end of her scarf, "Sh-she was a n-nice woman. B-but as I w-was leaving the b-building, I heard some p-people discussing that the CEO w-was...w-well...umm..."

She pressed her lips into a thin line, trying to pick out the right words.

"Was?" he pressed, slightly impatient.

"A s-slave driver." she whispered darkly.

The redhead chuckled internally as he blankly stared at her.

"I-Its not f-funny." she muttered, her lips pulling into a small pout as she felt her heart flutter oddly.

Gaara was mildly taken aback the woman's ability to comprehend what he was thinking. Nobody could see through his blank expressions. Nobody except perhaps Kankuro and Temari, but even they needed years of practice. Perhaps she had a gift. That could be a very bad thing, he thought to himself like the mild pessimist he was. His train of thought was interrupted by the gentle clink of his coffee cup hitting the table. The waitress threw him an apologetic smile as she maneuvered herself around the messy assortment of tables.

"I didn't say it was."he replied flatly with feigned innocence as he sipped the bitter brown-black liquid from the plastic cup, "Anyway, what is your name?"

"H-Hinata. Hinata Hyuga." she whispered, praying that her face wasn't as red as it felt.

Gaara froze momentarily as his mouth opened slightly. He drained the remainder of his coffee in one gulp and stole a quick glance at his watch.

"I'm running late, miss Hyuga. I must leave now." he stated evenly as he picked up his briefcase.

Hinata's face instantly regained its original ivory complexion. She wore an expression of mild disappointment as she gave him a little nod, not meeting his eye. And before she realized it, he was gone. It was only a couple of minutes after the red-haired man disappeared that she realized with a twinge of regret that she had forgotten to ask him his name.

A/N: Now wait for chapter two...I guess. Review?