I am currently in the process of re-writing this story, please be sure to read from the beginning if you are familiar with it. Updates on later chapters will be posted sporadically. I am sorry I've been so busy of late but I hope you enjoy the story regardless of this! –Saki

Chapter 3

Gaara stood up and moved to help Sakura bring the dishes to the kitchen as she began to do it herself.

She listened intently as she urged him to tell her more about life in Suna and he listened as she explained Naruto's antics and her life in Konoha. She washed the dishes as he put away the leftovers before walking into the living room to continue their heavily one-sided conversation. Sakura sat on the sofa and motioned for Gaara to sit as well. He did so a little reluctantly, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"So, Gaara, where are you staying in Konoha?" Sakura asked casually.

"I don't know yet. I was planning on finding a hotel to stay in while I was here or asking the Hokage for a room in the tower. She is aware of my presence. I don't know how long I will be here." Gaara admitted.

"Why didn't you say so in the first place? We could have gone straight to the Hokage Tower, I'm sure we could go to Tsunade-sama's room or ask Shizune. After all, it isn't very late yet and it is Christmas Eve so I'm sure it would be fine…" Sakura rambled slightly until Gaara gave her a very pointed look that got her to stop talking rather quickly.

"It's fine. I will find accommodations." Gaara said simply.

"That is out of the question! I am a student of the Hokage and I have a guest room, so speaking on behalf of my Shishou, you can stay here. I'm not letting the Kazekage stay in some hotel on Christmas!" She stated, crossing her arms as her famous temper began to appear. The council would rip her a new one if they ever found out that she didn't offer her home to a visiting diplomat. Aside from that, it was in her nature to be hospitable, even if she was extremely nervous about the Kazekage staying in her house.

"I'm not getting out of this predicament am I?" He thought. "I'll stay here for a while. I have to get back to Suna after Christmas as I only planned to come for a day or two to visit yourself and the others, if they return." Sakura visibly relaxed at this.

"That's fine by me." She said to him, attempting to act casual as she flipped on the TV to break the silence that had settled upon them once more. "What do you want to watch Gaara?"

"I don't really care but I want to check the weather first." She flipped to the weather channel watching with utter surprise as the man began the report.

"There is an unexpected blizzard moving into Konoha tomorrow night. It is expected to last for about three days. The aftereffect, however, will make travel difficult for at least a week. This is extremely unusual for us here in Konoha but another blizzard is predicted to hit afterwards so bundle up in those blankets, snuggle close, and enjoy the warmth of a fire and some tea!"

They both sat in silence, stunned by the man before them as Sakura shot a worried look at Gaara. She looked at Gaara's expression and became even more concerned at the blank look on his face. Speaking quickly, she began to try and rectify the situation. "Gaara this will be a problem for a while, you can leave tonight if you want then you'll avoid the storms I don't mind. Really, you are the leader of your village and it would be a huge problem if something happened and you had to go back in the blizzard." He looked at her, surprised at her fast words, and realized that she had read his blank expression before he could change it to something else.

"No Sakura I said I was staying for Christmas and I will. I can send a message to Suna explaining that I will be staying for quite a while due to weather, Temari and Kankuro will understand. Besides, you will be alone for quite a while since your friends who are on missions will be hindered in their return to Konoha because of the weather as well." He stated crossing his arms.

Sakura immediately shook her head at the stubbornness of this man. Didn't he know that he was extremely important to his village?

"No, I know that Suna needs its leader and I understand…" she began.

"I am staying. Nothing you say is going to get me to leave. I made the journey here intending to stay for Christmas and I am going to even if I have to stay in a hotel afterwards." He scowled.

"If you are so insistent on staying, you are going to stay here as long as you need to!" She stood up suddenly, surprising Gaara as usually when he used that tone people bent to his will. She instead stared at him with defiance. Her tone him to question her judgment. He stood as well, giving her an equally stern look before forcibly relaxing his expression. He knew from Naruto's stories and her reputation that getting upset would only make her temper worse.

"Well then, thank you Sakura." He gave her a nod causing Sakura to wonder if this was really the same man she had fought in the woods so long ago.

He looked at her again and watched as she seemed to relax a bit. "Well then I'll show you to your room, you are probably tired." She quickly looked away.

"Thank you, let me get my bag and I will join you." Sakura nodded and waited for him to return before walking down the hall to the entrance of the guest room. Sakura swung the door open and walked inside with Gaara close behind.

"The bed should be okay, there are extra blankets in the closet should you need them. The bathroom is down the hall, second door on the left." She looked to him as he nodded and stared back at her with those bright eyes of his. Sakura, suddenly feeling very self conscious, shifted her feet awkwardly and began to speak again. "Well if that's all, I will head off to bed. Merry Christmas Gaara."

"Goodnight Sakura, Merry Christmas." She swiftly turned and left the room without another word.

He watched her go and then shut the door, sighing slightly as he tried to comprehend everything he had gotten himself into over such a spur-of-the moment decision."Looks like I'm going to be here for longer than I expected. I only hope I can get more used to it." He glanced over the room not noticing any major differences to most common rooms he had been in. it wasn't luxurious or huge but her home was also the home of a kunoichi, not a Kage. He had turned back to his bag as something caught his gaze.

An old picture was one of the few things on the walls in the room. As he moved closer he realized it was a picture of Sakura as a baby in the arms of who he assumed was her mother. He stared at the smiling baby Sakura waving her tiny fist and giggling at the camera, a sense of foreignness coming back into his thoughts that he tried to shake away. It was strange to him but yet, familiar.

She had the same vibrant green eyes in the photo as she did now, perhaps a bit darker in colour, with wispy locks of pink hair reaching her ears and a tiny fist curled up and raised above her head. "She still has that habit of waving her fist."

Something in him twisted, feeling like he had somehow intruded on a secret by looking at the photo. He had always respected her, but seeing the photo gave him a sense of her life in a way he hadn't quite grasped before.

With a shake of his head, he turned and began to prepare himself for bed.

Sakura sighed in her room and sat on the edge of her bed. She had changed and cleaned her face, feeling refreshed and yet, very tired by the confusing events of the day.

Outside her window the snow fell gracefully on the ground and drifted like tiny crystals through the air. "It's so pretty outside tonight." She watched the snow for a while to calm herself and her thoughts before crawling into the bed and forcing her eyes to close.

End of chapter 3

This chapter has been re-written. (They got longer later on I promise!)