Chapter Thirteen: Watcher

Gaara slowly opened his eyes. He put a hand up to his face and felt the bandages around his forehead. What…? Where am I…? "Look, he's waking up!" Gaara slightly gasped, and painstakingly sat up. He turned to the familiar faces of Sakura, Sasuke, Lee, and Neji. Gaara said nothing, then his eyes widened in slight horror. "Where--Where is Hinata!" Neji stared coldly at Gaara for a second, and then he smirked. "She's okay."

Gaara leaned back and exhaled contently. "Thank God…" Gaara frowned once again, and turned to Sasuke and Sakura. "What…What about Naruto…?" Sakura frowned unhappily, and Sasuke pulled her to him. Sasuke looked up at Gaara. "We pulled Naruto out of the rubble, but he showed no signs of life. We found him dead." Gaara scowled, and slammed a hand against the bed. "Damn it!" Lee raised a hand. "But--When Sakura and Sasuke turned to us to ask what we were going to do, they turned back, and Naruto was gone." Gaara's eyes widened. "What? How!"

Lee shrugged. "We don't know. For all we know he could be coming back to us, but he could have died. We'll know someday." Gaara nodded. He stood up off of his resting place, and turned to Neji. "Where is Hinata?" "She's out in the forest clearing."

Tenten leaned over the edge of the balcony and watched as the red haired Chuunin headed off toward the forest. She smiled, and stared out into the distance. "What are you doing?" The female Chuunin turned quickly around to see the Hyuuga boy Neji coming up beside her. Neji approached the gate of the balcony, and stared out to where Gaara was.

Tenten smiled. "He really loves that girl, doesn't he?" Neji nodded. "It would seem so…" The fair haired Chuunin smiled, and stared up at the boy next to her. "So? Now that that's all over, what's in store for the rest of us?" The Hyuuga boy shrugged and hung his hands to his side. "I'm not going to think on the future for now." Tenten smiled, and placed a hand on the Hyuuga boy's arm. He turned to her. "I…I guess you're right. There's much more to think about than the future for now." Neji stared at the girl next to him for a second, and then stared back out to the horizon, smiling.

Sakura sat on the bench under the cherry blossom tree in the courtyard, bright pink petals slowly raining down around her. She held her head band in her hand, twisting the blue straps around her fingers. The pink-haired Chuunin glanced back and listened as a figure stepped up to sit beside her. She smiled as Sasuke came up to her; his hands shoved in his pockets as usual, and sat down beside her.

Sasuke turned to her. "What are you out here for?" Sakura smiled, and looked down at the head band on her lap. "Just getting some nice peace and quiet…It's a nice day out today." Sasuke smirked. "Probably because there's no worry about lost people or demons tearing citizens apart, if you get my drift." Sakura scoffed. "Ha ha, very funny."

The pink-haired girl turned to the Uchiha. She glanced at him for a moment, and then laughed happily. Sasuke nudged her. "What? Why are you laughing like that?" Sakura poked him. "…You look ridiculous." Sasuke scowled. "What do you mean by that?" Sakura raised a hand suddenly, and put it into Sasuke's hair." Sasuke shifted, trying to move his head. "Hey! What are you doing up there!" Sakura removed her hand, and Sasuke glared up at her. Sakura winked at the dark-haired teenager and opened her hand. "Don't worry," she said, showing Sasuke the bright pink petal in her hand. "You just had a flower petal stuck in your hair.

Sasuke stared at her for a moment, and shrugged. "Hmph." He examined the piles of flower petals around them, and smirked. He bent over, scooping up a pile of the petals, and flung them at Sakura, who stumbled back, startled. "Look who looks ridiculous now, Sakura!" Sakura shrieked with glee, and jumped on the dark-haired Chuunin, sending them both rolling in a pile of cherry blossom petals, laughing.

Ino watched the two Chuunin in the flower petals from across the courtyard. She frowned awkwardly, and continued to walk. "You're still sticking to that Uchiha?" Ino stopped and turned to see Shikamaru walking up behind her. Ino scowled and folded her arms across her chest. "No, actually, I am not obsessed with that Sakura-obsessed Sasuke anymore!" Ino put a hand up to her hip and winked. "I've got better people to chase."

Shikamaru smirked, and caught up to her. They both began to walk together. "So," Shikamaru said, raising his arms behind his head. "Who are you going after now?" Ino smiled. "Well, I'm going after someone who's handsome," "Yeah?" Shikamaru playfully pretended to be checking off a list. "Yeah--And he's got to be strong, too. He has to pay attention to me, and, well, it wouldn't hurt if he happened to have been on the same team with me once a while back."

Shikamaru smiled, and pretended to close a book. "Well, that's everything on my checklist there, babe." Ino smirked. "Oh, and one more thing."

FWAK!

Ino strode forward. "You don't call me 'babe' until we're officially going out, okay, hon?" Shikamaru rubbed his face where she had slapped him once again. "Fine, sweet thing. Later." They strode off in different directions.

Hinata lay back in the middle of the clearing, gazing up into the clouds. She rubbed the bandage down her wrist, where she had fractured the bone. The Hyuuga slowly brushed away the leaves that had landed on the waist of the bright blue kimono she was wearing, and leaned back happily. "Hinata?" Hinata gasped, and sat up straight to end up knocking heads with the red-haired Sand Chuunin near her. They both fell back, laughing softly. Gaara sat back up, put a hand under Hinata's back, and raised her up. She smiled, and stared up at the boy near her.

Gaara sat next to her, and stared into her eyes. "I'm--happy that you're okay, Hinata…" The raven-haired girl smiled. "Same here, Gaara-kun…I--!" Hinata delicately placed a hand on the bandages around Gaara's forehead. "Are you okay…?" Gaara held her hand, and slowly pulled it down away from his forehead. "Heh--I'll live." Gaara reached out, and softly held her fractured arm up. Hinata winced slightly. "Be--Be careful, Gaara-kun…" The Sand-Chuunin smiled, and softly kissed her hand. Hinata smiled, and blushed lightly.

Hinata leaned her head against Gaara once again, and he slowly wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She placed a hand on the boy's chest. "Gaara…" She looked up at him. "Do you promise to stay with me? No matter what happens…I will be with you, but will you be here as well?" Gaara looked down into her bright eyes, and placed a hand on her cheek. "Hyuuga Hinata, no matter where you go, or what you do, I will always be there to protect you, comfort you, and watch over you. But, never forget--I will always love you…" Hinata wrapped an arm around his neck. "As I will always love you, Sabaku no Gaara…"

The Sand Chuunin and the Hyuuga pulled kissed one another, and continued to stare up into the clouds.

And, somewhere, far away, staring over a waterfall's edge, a blonde-haired boy, blood staining his clothes from where a wound had rapidly healed, watched over his friends.

"I will come back, guys….One day."

Dun da da DAAAAA! Oh my God, the story is DOOOONE! Please review, and tell me what you thought !