She was pregnant.

Nobody in Konoha except Ino - sworn to secrecy on the girl code - would ever know about it. She was going to move to Suna, and have her child there. And there she would remain raising her child only telling them about their father once it could do no damage. Konoha's next Hokage didn't need this kind of drama. It was a new age, one of openness and honesty.

Besides, Hinata would look better as the wife of the Hokage. Hinata had the prestige about her, she was Hyuuga, she was better suited for state dinners, and other more formal things. Something that Naruto needed on his side. She… she was just some nobody that suddenly grew to have fame.

She was just good at wrecking things and healing people. Things that looked good on paper, but didn't translate well to politics. It'd be a mess, her and Naruto were both too hotheaded for politics. They were passionate, loud, and well she got really angry about certain things. Which tended to end in something (Or someone if Naruto was around) getting hit.

No this was for the good of Konoha.

"Are you sure about this Sakura?" Kakashi asked, her application for the Suna position flopped about in his hand. He hadn't even read the whole thing, with all the work she put into it, he better actually review it later. "It's not just a one month deal, you'll be there for a long time you'll even miss Naruto's wedding."

That was a good thing. "Please, Naruto's a big boy, he'll get over it."

Kakashi hummed setting her paper down and leaning towards her, fingers bridged in front of his face. His brows were furrowed and his eyes were boring into her digging for answers. He would get nothing she had locked up all of her secrets in the deepest part of her soul. She was good at bottling up her feelings.

Unless Naruto was around.

"And Sasuke?" Kakashi asked.

"What about Sasuke?" He'd probably feel betrayed that she slept with Naruto, or might lose interest in her knowing that she had a child or something like that. Who knows? She was a homewrecker at this point. She didn't deserve happiness.

That caught Kakashi off guard. He leaned back into his seat. "Well, he might come back soon, don't you want to be here for him?"

Bastard. "Kakashi if you don't want me to go then just don't approve it."

"Oh?" He laughed. "I'm just making certain this is something you want Sakura, you're still my adorable little student afterall. But if this is something you really want then I have no problem approving you."

"It is." Sakura smiled rest a hand over her beating heart. She had no idea how Kakashi would react to her pregnancy, or if the man would have any reaction at all. He might just smile and congratulate them. Not exactly the kind of support she'd need at the moment. "I think that I'll be able to learn a lot from doing this."

"Very well, consider it done." He stamped the paper with some kind of seal, completely missing the line where he was supposed to sign. "When would you like to leave?"

"As soon as possible!"

He raised an eyebrow at her.

Oh, she didn't mean to shout that outloud. "The lease on my apartment is almost up."

"Ahh, so you're doing this so you won't have to pay rent?" Kakashi laughed, "That's why I haven't moved out of the jounin housing."

"Yea, that's part of the reason."

"Very well," Kakashi stood, walking around his desk to rest a hand on her shoulder. "You can travel with Temari and Kankuro, I believe they're leaving tonight."

XXXX

He needed out.

Not seeing Sakura was worse than seeing her, being away from her was worse than being around her. Everything seemed worse without Sakura. Hell even eating ramen wasn't as good just knowing that he couldn't go out and see her. That he was supposed to avoid her.

Something that had become incredibly easy at this point. It was like she was gone from his life, and was just taking up residency in his mind constantly drawing him away from other thoughts that he really should be focusing on instead of her. It was worse now than it had ever been. He had given up on her, shipped her off to Sasuke so that she could be happy.

He had tried to find that happiness with Hinata. For the longest time he had thought that it was real, that it was his honest feelings. It let himself believe Sakura's lies for her sake. For her happiness.

"This is a mistake," Naruto mumbled. Glaring at himself in the mirror, he was shopping for his wedding with Hinata, he needed a proper kimono, they were going traditional or something. He didn't really know or care. Sakura was the only thing on his mind.

Shikamaru sighed. "Look, don't turn into some drama queen about this. We're just here to get you fitted. And no, it doesn't come in orange."

He didn't even like orange that much! Sure it was his favorite color but he wasn't going to wear it with everything! He had some class. Besides Sakura would be mad at him if he tried to wear an orange Kimono to a wedding. Sakura. "Shikamaru?"

His best man and lazy control freak of an assistant gave an annoyed grunt in response.

"Is this a mistake?" He could trust Shikamaru. And if he couldn't who else could he turn to? He needed help, guidance. From anyone that wouldn't take Hinata's side. Everyone else talked about how good they were together, how they were the perfect couple. Everyone except Shikamaru.

"Is what a mistake?"

"This?" Naruto gestured to his kimono, "This." He pointed to the ring on his finger. Before he fell onto to the stool digging his elbows into his knees. "Everything?"

"Uhh," Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head. "Are you talking about you being here or the marriage?"

"Yes?" He was hoping that Shikamaru would already know what he was talking about. But Shikamaru wasn't that kind of smart. In terms of relationship smart Shikamaru was second to last. Right before him. "Both? I don't know?"

"I need a smoke." Shikamaru leaned down against the mirror, sliding to look him in the eyes. "Look, you rushed this. You're twenty two years old and you're getting married to a girl you've been in a relationship for how many months?"

"It's been a year." Almost on the dot. A year since he officially gave up on Sakura and tried tried tried to get his happiness from Hinata. Who was doing all she could to give it to him.

"Still," Shikamaru waved his hand. "The point is that you're rushing into this. Hell you and Hinata don't even live together."

"So?" Was that important? Sure he wanted to live with - Sakura - her so he could stop being alone but that wasn't that important right? Right? That pit in his stomach was opening up again eating his appetite and sapping his energy. It made it impossible to smile. He hated this feeling, it showed up whenever he was alone or ignored.

"So, that's not normal, normal couples move in with each other before they marry."

"Since when have I ever done anything normal?" Naruto forced a smile. That was all he could really do.

"About as often as you do things the right way, or the easy way." Shikamaru said. "But look, does this have anything to do with why Sakura went to Suna?"

"Sakura went to Suna?" Naruto stood so fast the Kimono tore along the side and the stool fell over. How? What? Why? His heart was racing, desperately trying escape that pit in his stomach. "When? Why?"

"Quit shouting. I thought you knew, didn't you and Sakura talk like all the time?" Shikamaru asked, waving him back down. "I thought that's why you asked me to do this."

"Is she really gone?" Shikamaru nodded. His heart finally gave up and fell into that pit. His legs buckled and he fell to the ground. "This is all my fault. I forced her out of Konoha."

How could he be so stupid! Being drunk was no excuse! He knew it was a bad idea when he was doing. He didn't want her to regret it, he didn't want to regret it. But they were. All because of his stupid drunken ass wanting to be with her. He didn't deserve to be the Hokage. He didn't deserve to be happy. He couldn't even let his friend be happy. He just had to fuck everything up.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru groaned. "I don't want to know what's going on Naruto. But I think I know what happened anyways. But listen. No matter what your feelings are you have to marry Hinata."

"But," the word died in his throat. What was he going to say? What could he say? He couldn't even admit anything to Shikamaru. He was such a coward. "What if. What if I don't want to?"

"To late for that," Shikamaru stood, offering him a hand up. "But you need to see this through."

"Why?" why everything.

"Because you're going to be the Hokage." He didn't deserve to be the Hokage. "And the Hokage needs to maintain his image. The invites are out and all of the kage are coming. All of them. It's too late for you to call it off."

So he was trapped.

"Besides," Shikamaru placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hinata loves you, remember that."

How could he forget?

XXXX

Suna was a hot and miserable place.

A perfect place for a miserable person like her. She just hoped that Naruto and Hinata's relationship would recover. Without her around it should be easy for them. She wasn't anything but a pregnant anorexic bitch that was hell bent on ruining her friends relationships.

"I must admit," Gaara offered her the closest thing he could to a smile. The slightest twist of the lips upwards, it was still a lot less creepy than Sai's smile. "I am shocked that Konoha would send you. Not that I'm not grateful. I'm certain that we will benefit greatly from Konoha's best medic."

Despite everything she still managed to blush at that praise. "Thank you Lord Kazekage, but I'm afraid you spoil me with your praise."

"Sakura." the man stood from his desk, taking a few strides towards her with that perfect posture he had forced himself to learn. He touched her shoulder. "Your call saved my brother's life. For that alone I am in your debt. Add onto it your deeds during the Fourth War and the countless Suna ninja that were saved thanks to you. Suna is in your debt. So please. Call me Gaara."

That might have been the most words Gaara had ever said to her at any one time. "Thank you lo- Gaara. But honestly I just did what any medic would have done."

"Perhaps, but you did what they could not." Had he been taking speech classes? "And that alone speaks volumes to your abilities. You will be treated as an honored guest so long as you stay here in Suna."

Would it be to much if she asked to stay longer? Forever? Would Gaara allow that? Would she be okay with that? "I actually have a request."

His hand dropped and he took a step back, his face firm but kind. "If it is within my power as Kazekage it shall be done."

"Once the assignment is over would you permit me to stay as a resident of Suna?" Sakura asked, fists clenched at her sides. Her child would be safe here in Suna. She could trust Gaara.

It was her first time seeing Gaara surprised. It lasted for only a moment before the man closed his eyes and let out a sigh that Shikamaru would be proud of. "Well that's certainly unusual. But I doubt that Konoha would simply allow it."

"I'm sure I can convince them to allow it." It was manipulative as hell. But that's just who she was, a manipulative bitch. But it was for the best, she would fall in love someone dead, claim a one night stand an lie to the world that she had his child. It should be easy. Even now ninja died all the time.

"Very well, I just have one question." His teal eyes fell to her belly, sending a chill up her spine. He knew. "Does this have anything to do with your pregnancy?"

He knew! How did he know! There was just no way, only Ino knew and she had been so careful. "How?"

"How indeed." Gaara returned to the his seat, a frown replacing that slight smile. "I'm a sensor Sakura, I can sense the second chakra growing inside of you. So please, tell me what happened. So that we might find a solution."

Crap crap crap.

AN: Beta'd by xxTerror33xx. Not a lot to say here. Just a standard inbetween chapter. A couple of things I cut was Gaara exlaining that he could sense Kurama's chakra in Sakura. But that would reveal to him that it was Naruto's child. I also cut Kiba out from the Shikamaru scene and a scene with Temari.