"Come on"
"Come on!"
"Damn it!"
"Please……" Sakura was gritting her teeth in determination; sweat trickled down her face and sides. Her cheeks were red from exertion, almost as red as some of the blood that spotted her face and covered her hands.
Taking a deep breath she tried again, pouring chakra into the body before her, sealing wounds and re-tying veins, arteries and causing its heart to pump with a stronger rhythm.

The creature suddenly took a breath.
Sakura held hers
It took another, and another until it was breathing regularly.
"YES! I am goooood!" Sakura cried.

The creature whimpered in pain opening its eyes weakly. Sakura took a step back in awe, the eyes that were open, unfocused were a bright green/blue.
"I thought raccoons were supposed to have brown eyes?" she asked out loud carefully getting some water. With a weak mew the creature lapped a few drops. Then gave up panting with exertion. Smiling Sakura gently placed a sleeping jutsu on its already tired body. Washing her hands she pulled out some bandages and began to dress the wounds she hadn't managed to heal, that done she placed it on a cushion.

"You best sleep in my room so I can keep an eye on you coon-kun" she said gently stroking the sleeping animal's fur.


She slept late that morning and as dozy eyes read the clock beside her bed the time didn't immediately register.
"Hmmm 10:30…." She muttered snuggling down into her bedding a few moments later she shot up "KUSSO! Tsunade's going to kill me! Argh…..oh….wait" She stopped mid way to the bathroom reading a huge note stuck to the door.

Sakura
Remember that because you had a late session yesterday Tsunade-baa-chan gave you the day off – Also need bread and mild and food for Coon-kun
Sakura

"Aha" Sakura said putting her raised foot down and rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment. Suddenly remembering the raccoon she went to where his pillow was.
He was in a mess, some wounds had opened in the night and Sakura knew shed have a long day healing him again.
"At least he's not as bad as yesterday" she thought remembering how shed found him on her way home lying on the road, heart barely beating "I couldn't have left him there…anyway food first"

She picked up the pillow and carried it into her room/kitchen
"Breakfast, breakfast" Sakura asked looking through her cupboards "oh well fruit it is" she said dejectedly picking up an apple and biting into it.
A few moments later a soft mew brought her 'patient' to her notice it looked in pain and was trying to stand.
"No!" Sakura said sternly, placing her hand on its side and causing it to lie down, she could feel it tremble beneath her palm.
"Shhhh" she said soothingly stroking its fur "its ok, your safe….hushhh, shhhhh" she said staying with him until the shaking stopped. She tried to get him to drink some more water, which he did, Sakura smiled "You must be feeling better coon-kun" she chuckled at the face he made when she said that "Looks like I need to heal you more" she said checking her chakra levels "right"


Gaara was still trying to work out where he was, and why everything was so big. However when the girl said coon-kun he worked out he was still a raccoon. Fair enough, ill just release the jutsu…kai! Nothing happened KAI! Nothing shit he said with a sigh, my chakra levels must be almost out, and this girl….she must have saved my life. He sighed as he was placed on the counter top

"Ok, I'll need you to stay still" the girl said gently pressing down on him to emphasize her point "listen to me talking as if you understand" she said chuckling at herself
I do understand! Gaara retorted – it came out as a weak sounding mew
The girls smiled "I guess you do, well my names Sakura, and I'm your medic nin for today" she said smiling "This might tickle" she said gathering chakra to her hands and beginning the process of healing.
Several hours later she was sweating again and looking pale to the raccoon's vision. He however felt fantastic I've never felt so healthy – is this what being healed is like? He wondered having never experienced it before.


Finally Sakura stepped back panting she supported herself on the desktop. "That that should do it"
Tentatively Gaara stood up, no pain, he ached like hell, but there was no pain, he bounded about happily but tripped and fell.
Sakura caught him with a laugh "Careful….I don't have enough energy to heal you again right now" she grabbed a purse from the side and dragged her hair up into a bun.

Gaara mewed at her
"You want to come with me?" she asked hunkering down to his level.
He nodded
Sakura looked down the hallway "Ok here's the deal, I'm not allowed a pet, so whilst in the building you don't know me ok? But whilst we're out you stay close, I still need to do some healing on you – deal?" she said holding out her hand
Gaara placed his paw in her hand
"You're a strange racoon" she said standing "I wonder if you're someone's pet?"


Gaara rode on Sakura's shoulder as she went about her shopping. At first he had objected, not wanting the physical contact or the sight of himself on someone's shoulder. But she had been adamant and he had actually given in.
What am I coming to? He asked himself I must have been hit in the head.
Sakura was just resting against a wall when Gaara felt her lurch forward. Panicked he grabbed hold of her ear with his paws.

"Sakura-chan!" a familiar voice yelled
"OW! YOU BAKA!" Sakura said hitting the blond boys head "you nearly knocked me and coon-kun over!"
"Coon-kun?" Naruto asked sulkily, his face brightened when he spotted Gaara on the woman's shoulder "geeze Sakura you got a pet? I thought dragon didn't let you have them?"
"She doesn't" Sakura said with a sigh

Suddenly Naruto henged into an old, strict looking woman "Haruno-san! I run a respectable establishment for young women of class! I will not have you having wild parties! Especially with that demon child! It was only on the Hokage's..." Naruto puffed out his chest "recommendation that I even allow you to stay here! Another such misdemeanour and you shall be out!"

Sakura was giggling by the end of this and didn't hear Gaara's stomach growl, Naruto however did.
"Hey lil guy, I was saving these for when I saw Gaara but want a cookie?" he said holding out a chocolate chip and hazelnut cookie to Gaara.
His eyes lit up cooooooookieeeeeee!!!! Just as he reached for it Sakura knocked the cookie from Naruto's hand "Baka! You can't feed someone who's just been ill cookies!"
The cookie began to roll down an alley as Sakura and Naruto argued, COOOKIE Gaara cried as he leapt off Sakura's shoulder and chased the rolling cookie


The cookie rolled out of the alley Gaara hot on its tail, without further thought Gaara pounced on the delicious circle and began to nibble it.

He looked up when shadows blocked out the sun
"Hmm what do we have here?"


"Naruto, where's Coon-kun?" Sakura asked suddenly pausing from hitting Naruto over the head with his wallet (don't ask)
"I think he chased the cookie down there" Naruto replied pointing down the alley
"Alright I'll see you later" Sakura said giving the blond a hug and racing down the alley.

These children are not friendly Gaara thought backing away from them, they had rocks and evil looks on their faces, he ducked the first rock, but froze as the second hit the wall beside him.
No more came
He opened his eyes.

"What was that for woman" the leader drawled tossing his rock with one hand.
Sakura was stood before him, hands on her waist, legs apart, shielding him from them her shopping was beside the raccoon, she dropped the rock she had caught before speaking "Don't you know, only those with the same intelligence attack animals?" Sakura said with a smirk
The leader mouthed out what she just said, thinking "hey….did she just insult us?"
"Yeah" a bigger boy stepped forward cracking his knuckles
"Oh, boring" Sakura said in a high pitched voice

"I'll show you boring" he roared running towards her to slam his fist into her face. Sakura dodged allowing him to slam his fist instead into the wall. She didn't even look back as her leg swung. Allowing his head to follow his hand into the wall. The boy slumped down, out for the count.
Sakura flicked her hair back smiling at the two boys left. They looked startled "oh sorry, didn't I mention I'm a kunoichi? How rude of me" as if by magic two kunai appeared in her hand "still want to play?"

Rocks dropped from their hands as they ran.

When they were out of sight Sakura sighed and leant against the wall. She spun to look at Gaara. "You! You promised not to leave my side, no cookie!" she said snatching the cookie from his paw and picking up her shopping.
She turned back when he whimpered.
"What..." Gaara gave her the biggest, cutest puppy eyes he could muster I really really want that cookie "oh fine!" Sakura said beckoning him to her shoulder, he ran up her back and was handed the cookie "please be more careful" she said in a low voice. Sensing that he had upset her Gaara gently squeezed her ear.

They set back to Sakura's apartment.