Chapter Seven: You

Her knees felt weak for a few moments. The hospital? But…

"… How?" she voiced her dread aloud, a faraway look in her eyes.

Kankuro gripped her shoulders tighter. "We're still trying to find out. But a lot of files were stolen. We're still checking out all the damage, but I wanted to come and find you. I needed to make sure you're okay."

Sakura let out a deep breath, trying to keep herself calm and focused. Kankuro's grip was like an anchor, grounding her and keeping her from drifting into the smoky clouds. "I-I'm… I'm okay," she finally murmured, looking anywhere but at his face.

But her voice shook and she didn't sound okay at all.

XXX

When they arrived at the hospital, Sakura gasped at the sight. Half of it stood, on the verge of crumbling, while the rest of it lay in pieces on the ground. The fire had died down, thanks to the efforts of the surrounding shinobi, but the smoke was still wafting up into the blue sky. She could feel it in the air around her, too, and as she took a breath of it, her lungs clenched and she coughed into the sleeve of her red kimono. In the commotion her hair had come halfway undone and one of the adorning chopsticks was missing. She probably looked like hell.

And while Kankuro seemed unscathed physically, it was clear he was very distressed. Something terrible had happened in his beloved village and it was a mystery as to who'd done it and where they'd gone… and what their intent was. Sakura was positive there was something else going on here, and she'd do everything she could to help them find out… but for the moment, she decided to try and comfort Kankuro. In a simple gesture, she moved her hand and grabbed his, squeezing gently as they stared at the rubble. "What do we do first?" she asked softly.

He was silent for a long moment, but his hand gripped hers in a squeeze so tight it hurt her knuckles. Finally, he replied, "we search the wreckage. The security team has already evacuated the… survivors. Perhaps you and I can find some sort of clue that will tell us who is responsible for this and what they were after."

So after another moment of mournful silence, the two separated and moved in. Even though she wasn't dressed comfortably, Sakura expertly picked her way through the debris. For the next few hours, they worked together along with a few other dedicated ninja and searched every corner of the place, including the half that still stood. That part was a delicate operation; they had to be thorough and safe at the same time – any stray or clumsy movement could send the rest of the hospital tumbling. And while they'd have to tear down the remainder of the building, they wanted to salvage all of the working supplies and equipment first.

But while they searched every single floor of Suna's ruined hospital, they found nothing.

One thing they did learn, though; whoever did this was targeting not only Suna… but the other villages, too.

XXX

It was only after taking a hot shower and changing that Sakura felt even the slightest bit better. And even then, she felt miserable; this was a hard blow to the village and more than a few lives had been lost. And her mind kept going through the same cycle of questions; who'd done this? Why had they done this? Who were they targeting? Wondering if the rest of the Sand Siblings had gained any new information, Sakura headed out of the secret hallway and up the stairs – her destination, the Kazekage's office.

Upon knocking quietly on the door, she received permission to enter and poked her head inside. The Sand Siblings were all there, speaking quietly to one another. Shikamaru stood by the window, staring out at the setting sun with a pensive expression. After finishing what he was saying, Kankuro turned to look at Sakura with a stony expression. His face looked so dark that she flinched. For a split second she wondered, panicked, if he was angry at her – but when the brunette pulled back his hood and approached her, his eyes softening, she dismissed that fear. Taking her by the shoulder, Kankuro led Sakura inside. "We were just talking about what happened," he rumbled. There was a scowl on his face. "Apparently the hospital explosion was also a diversion."

Sakura glanced up at the brunette with wide eyes, before she turned her attention on Gaara, who began to speak. "We were attacked, Hakuto and I," he murmured. It was only now that Sakura noticed he was wearing a plain shirt with bandages underneath, and it was alarming to see, considering he usually wore that intricate red outfit.

"Y-You're hurt!" Sakura felt the urge to reach out, check his wounds, but kept her hands to herself. Now wasn't the time.

"I'll be alright," he reassured her quietly.

Temari spoke next, her voice trembling with anger. "I was also attacked. Luckily I was able to get free and fight back. The attackers were puppeteers, so it's safe to assume they were from our village…. The damned traitors." The blonde slammed her fist down on Gaara's desk, her voice raising. "How could they attack their own Kazekage?! What are they planning?!"

"This was an attack to take Gaara out of the spotlight," Shikamaru broke the silence, his voice grave. "Someone wants him out of power. For someone else to take over as Kazekage."

The news was stunning, and even though these were only guesses, Shikamaru Nara was seldom wrong and any idiot knew that. "But who…?" Sakura finally voiced what they'd all been wondering.

"Who else could take up the position?" Shikamaru folded his arms over his chest. "There's only one other person here that they would want to be Kazekage."

Everyone's eyes turned on Kankuro. Gritting his teeth, the brunette raked a hand through his wild hair. "That doesn't make sense," he growled, frustrated. "Why me? Gaara is a great leader. I couldn't do any better!"

"You're a leader, Kankuro," Shikamaru interjected. "You're head of the Counter-Terrorism Division, you've bonded with the other soldiers, you're loved by your comrades in the military. Not to mention… Gaara has a past."

Silence. While his words seemed rude, Shikamaru was right and they all knew it. Finally, Sakura voiced the other question burning in her mind: "What about the hospital? It couldn't have been just a diversion. A majority of the medical files – the ones that weren't ruined, anyways – were stolen. Who did that, why did they do it, and were they working with these puppeteers?"

"That is the mystery," Gaara murmured.

After they discussed more details, Shikamaru made plans to go investigate the wreckage himself and left, escorting his fiancé out. Kankuro glanced at Sakura and she said, "I'm just going to check on Gaara's injuries. I'll be okay."

With a solemn nod, the brunette left. Only when the door closed and his footsteps faded away did Sakura approach Gaara. With a practiced hand she pulled up his shirt, freeing one arm, and began to remove the bandages. Gaara grabbed her wrist, his blue-green eyes showing a deep sadness that made her heart clench. "Hakuto tended to my injuries," he said softly.

Her eyes looked anywhere but at his. "So that's her name? Your…" she couldn't finish.

"Yes."

"Just let me check," she pleaded softly. "Please."

He released his grip, and Sakura dutifully set to work. She removed the bandage – which was expertly applied, she grudgingly admitted – and analyzed the wound. The gash she found was very nasty and surrounded by burns that covered his entire shoulder. While it was partially healed by what looked like average-level medical ninjutsu, it appeared this Hakuto woman hadn't had enough energy (or perhaps skill) to completely take care of his injury and had finished up by applying some ointment and bandages. While the Suna medic had done a good job – Sakura could do better. So without speaking, she set to work, a soothing green glow of chakra surrounding her hands. While she healed him, Sakura kept her eyes averted from his. All kinds of conflicting feelings welled up in her chest and finally she asked, "Do you like her?"

His answer was delayed. "… Yes."

"… Enough to marry her?" Her eyes lifted to meet his, finally, and her breath caught in her throat.

Gaara stared at Sakura, pursing his lips. She could see the gears turning in his head as he thought about his answer. "… I don't know."

Finally she finished, the skin as good as new; but instead of lowering, her hand simply laid on his chest, fingertips splaying out over his bare, pale skin. That contact seemed to startle Gaara, because she could feel him tense up, his jaw clenching, his eyes widening just slightly. "What are you doing?" he rasped.

"Do you remember what I asked you, before..?" Sakura averted her eyes, face flushing.

The red-head stood still as a statue, his voice weak. "… You asked me… If I could go into an arranged marriage… if there was a chance I could find true love. I still don't know the answer to that."

Sakura lifted her eyes to meet his once more. She had to know…

… was he the right person?

Her free hand lifted, moving to touch Gaara's cheek gently. He nearly flinched at the contact, his eyes closing briefly. "Why are you doing this?" he whispered. While he didn't move toward her, he didn't move away, either.

She didn't answer him; instead, Sakura leaned up slowly, eyes closing…

… And her lips brushed against his. It took a few long moments, but eventually Gaara responded in kind, his lips soft, hesitant. It was clear he wasn't experienced; this might even be his first kiss… But his hands went up to her shoulders, touching them, running his hands down her arms slowly. Goosebumps appeared on her flesh, and she deepened the kiss, leaning into him –

-until his hands moved back up to her shoulders and firmly moved her back, breaking the kiss. She stared up at him, dazed, thumb running over his cheek. "Wha…"

"I can't. I'm… I might be getting married to this woman. Even if it's an arranged marriage… This is wrong."

"But why force yourself to marry someone you might not love?" Sakura protested.

Gaara was still gripping her shoulders tightly, his voice strained. "… I have a duty to my village, Sakura."

Before she could reply, the door burst open and Baki, Gaara's former sensei, looked at them urgently. It was clear he figured he'd interrupted something, but this was too important to wait.

"Gaara, Lady Hakuto has been kidnapped."

XXX

After receiving the terrible news, Gaara had asked Sakura to notify Kankuro that he was leaving and to act in his place should anything happen. She'd known better than to ask him not to go; there was no stopping him. As the pinkette hurried downstairs, her thoughts turned to what had just happened. Her heart went into her stomach; Gaara had made it clear that there was no chance. He was going to put his village first. He was going to put Hakuto first.

But Kankuro… he'd turned it down. For her. It seemed that while everyone around her – Naruto, Kakashi, Sasuke, now Gaara – put their own careers, their respective villages before her, Kankuro had been the first and only one to make a sacrifice for her. He'd put her first. She knew how much he loved Suna and… he'd chosen her. She admired that kind of selfless love… and desperately hoped that she could learn to be that kind.

Suddenly, it all seemed so clear. How could she have even thought of kissing Gaara…? How could she have doubted Kankuro, even for a second…?

Her trot turned into a run and she couldn't get into that secret hallway fast enough. Sakura banged on his door as she came skidding to a halt. "Kankuro!" she called urgently, her heart hammering in her chest. She felt like she was about to burst if he didn't answer fast enough…

He threw open the door, his eyes droopy and his hair disheveled in the most adorable way imaginable. It was clear he'd been sleeping – or trying to. "Sakura…? Wha…"

"You're the right person," she exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck. With a fierceness she didn't know she had, she kissed him, and it only took a moment for Kankuro to come to his senses and wrap his arms around her. His lips responded almost immediately, his mouth hungry and demanding, and the brunette pulled her inside, slamming the door shut behind her with one hand. Then in an unexpected move, Kankuro grabbed her and lifted her up; instinctively Sakura wrapped her legs around his waist and he carried her over to his kitchen counter, all the while kissing her in a way that left her breathless.

Kissing Gaara had been nice. Really nice. But… how could it even compare to this? Kankuro was everything; he flooded her senses. She was consumed by him as he kissed her, touched her, made her entire body tingle with a desire she hadn't known was possible.

A shiver rolled down her spine as one of Kankuro's hands moved up her back, fingers curling into her hair, tangling in the pink strands. And then he shoved his tongue into her mouth, something she'd been thinking about constantly since the last time it had happened, and she'd unwittingly let out a hum of pleasure, the sound vibrating through her whole body.

This caused Kankuro to pull away from the kiss, gazing at her with hazy dark eyes. "Damn, that's sexy," he rasped, his grip on her tightening.

Sakura's stomach clenched and a heat filled her, a heat so intense and sudden that it was painful. She stared at him, her breathing ragged; she'd never gone all the way before… Did she want to go further?

"Do you want to stop?" His breath tickled her chin as he looked at her, conflict in his eyes; the lust was certainly there, but it was mixed with uncertainty. Caution.

His concern made Sakura bite her lip. She wanted him so badly she couldn't stand it. But wasn't there something she needed to do…? Hadn't there been something she'd come to tell him?

Her eyes widened. "Oh God," she groaned, putting a hand to her forehead. Dread filled her stomach, replacing the desire that had pooled there. "Gaara… He told me to tell you as soon as possible… I… I'm so sorry, I…" Sakura looked up at Kankuro, frowning. "He left. His bride to be was kidnapped, so he left to rescue her."

"Damn it!" Kankuro cursed, letting her go and turning away. His shoulders rigid, the brunette set about dressing and grabbing things to put in a back-pack. Hopping off the counter, Sakura went to touch his arm, but he gave her a wary look.

"He didn't want you going after him," she insisted. "He said he needed to go alone, Kankuro… Plus, he said you needed to be here to act in his place should anything go wrong."

Kankuro threw his hands up. "Here we go again with this Kazekage business! Look, I don't have time for this – I've got to find my brother. He could be long gone by now; thanks for telling me." The last part of his statement was tinged with bitterness.

Sakura paused, her heart sinking. She felt terrible for not telling him sooner… She'd gotten so caught up I her newfound decision and the feelings she had for him – she'd been entirely unprofessional, selfish, and stupid.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

He didn't speak. Instead, Kankuro finished packing his things, including several scrolls containing his battle puppets, and walked out the door.

He didn't even look back.

XXX

A few long, silent moments passed. Sakura stood there, her heart beating out of her chest, as she decided what she should do. Should she go back to her room? Go tell Temari?

No… she needed to follow him.

So she did. Sakura raced out of the room and into the hallway—but he'd already disappeared. With a curse, the pinkette flew down the hallway and out of the secret doorway – so distracted by her need to catch him that she left it wide open.

XXX

"Kankuro!"

To her relief, he stopped. But instead of answering, he simply looked back at her with narrowed eyes. Catching up to him, Sakura gulped in much-needed air and frowned apologetically. "Please," she pleaded. "I'm so sorry. I really meant to tell you."

"It's just that making out with me was more important than letting me know my brother went to fight off a bunch of terrorists by himself. You're a real piece of work, Pinky."

Her hands clenched into fists. "You know that's not true! I just – I realized something and I – " Unable to put her feelings into words, Sakura grit her teeth in frustration. Finding Gaara and his future wife was more important right now, anyways. "Please. Let me come with you, then."

"Kankuro-sama!" a voice called in the darkness. The pair turned to see a group of young men and women, probably in their early teens, approaching them.

"What is it, Jiro?" Kankuro asked the boy who spoke.

Jiro glanced warily at Sakura before lowering his voice. "We need you to come with us, sir. It's urgent. It's about the Kazekage."

Kankuro nodded at him, before turning his attention back to Sakura. "Look. Stay put, Pinky. I don't want you getting hurt. I've got enough people to rescue today."

Sakura furrowed her brows, beginning to protest stubbornly. "But Kank –"

"I mean it. Stay put." Then his dark eyes softened and Sakura could no longer see the bitterness they held earlier. "I don't want to lose you."

Sakura bit her lip and watched him join the group. As they left, she turned back and entered the Kazekage mansion, conflicted. How could she stay put when so much was happening? Gaara was in danger. Sure, he was more than capable in a fight, but she didn't know what he was up against. And just as Kankuro didn't want to lose her… Sakura didn't want to lose him, either. The thought of something happening to him out there… It was painful to think about.

Entering the mansion, Sakura turned to the right to enter the secret hallway and paused. Had – had the door been open this whole time? Had she really been so stupid? What if someone had gotten in? Suddenly extremely cautious, Sakura crept into the hallway, silent as a mouse. She put up her fists defensively, ready for an intruder to pop out at her at any moment – but no one appeared. Finally, she opened the door to her room –

-and there was…

"Fushigi?"

The short girl twirled a lock of fuschia hair around her finger, eyeing Sakura as a grin split her lips. "Hello, Sakura-nii."