A/N: blah – Inner Sakura a.k..a. Kura

Disclaimers: 'Course I don't own Naruto. Kishi-face does.

-------------------------------------------

I'd Rather Be Dreaming

Sakura was currently lying on the floor, entangled in a blanket and sprawled at an awkward angle. She was supposed to be finishing her packing, but as that had been finished for a couple of hours now, napping sounded like a good plan.

Unfortunately, sleep seemed beyond her reach. She had tried cozying back up in bed; after rolling out for the third time, she had gone in search of a better location. The couch had been a quality candidate until the mysterious lumps in the cushions had decided to dent her back (permanently, it felt like). She had tried a counter in the kitchen, but relaxing by a bunch of sharp torture tools (mainly used for cooking) didn't sit well with her. Then she tried the dining room table, and then her father's desk chair, and then their eighty-year-old recliner… No such luck. In the end, all this search brought her was pain, as her side decided to start aching once again.

Which brings us to her current position. After tripping up the stairs for the third time, she gave up on her quest and made herself a wooly cocoon on the floor of her room. Even it wasn't properly suitable for sleep.

The fact remained that naps were best had at her bench (oddly enough, considering that it's made of stone). And visiting the bench today was out of the question.

After all, today was the day that she was to begin her trek to Sunagakure, the Village of the Hidden Sand. Quite a big name for such a dumpy little town.

I'm sure it isn't quite that bad. It just didn't look all that impressive the last time I went there…

I'm sure you'll live.

Sakura jumped slightly. It always surprised her when her inner self spoke these days.

Inner Sakura, or Kura, as Sakura had taken to calling her, was once a foe to be reckoned with (mentally, at least). But it wasn't long after Sasuke had left that Kura lost her vigor and all but disappeared.

It made the girl a bit sad every time she heard her inner voice, because not only was the sound quality perfect (every pathetic syllable could be heard), but so were the visual effects. There wasn't much to see, just a small and cheerless girl sitting in the middle of a spotlight that dimmed a little every day, but that image burned so clearly into Sakura's mind that she couldn't rid herself of it for hours.

The worst part was that Sakura could never get Kura to tell her what had doused that spark, and so couldn't help her(self).

I really wish you would tell me what's wrong one of these days. As your concrete body, I have to say your depression doesn't do me any favors.

Kura gave a faint smile and shook her head slowly.

It won't kill you not to know. In fact, it'd probably make you feel worse if you did. If it's ever necessary, I'll tell you. But I sense a change coming, a good one. It could be the change that kicks me back up, so I wouldn't worry.

Sakura sat up and leaned against her bed, sighing as she kicked her pack over unhappily.

I can't help it. Life needs to improve itself, for both of our sakes.

Oh, don't you start. What's wrong with your life? What can you really complain about, besides that wound?

Get off my back! I'm just thinking. No harm ever came of that.

You'd be surprised.

And that was when the doorbell chose to ring. Sakura groaned loudly to drown out the call of her temporary new life.

"Sakura! Hurry up, dear. Everyone's waiting!" That would be her mother, who was frankly ecstatic about who was going to be taking care of her daughter. Initially, shock and anger had been involved, but once she'd heard of said bodyguard's status, she didn't care so much anymore. Sakura shook her head unhappily as she heard her mother begin to babble to their guests. She was using her cocktail party voice.

"SAKURA! Don't make me come up and remove you forcefully! You're going, and you're going now! Other people have lives they need to be getting back to, you know!" That would be Tsunade, who would most definitely come up and haul Sakura's unwilling ass down the stairs if needed; of this, Sakura had no doubt at all. But it was this threat that got her moving, due to the fact that she didn't want to make a fool out of herself in front of someone like the Kazekage so soon…

It was bound to happen eventually, but the longer she could put that off, the better.

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Geez, you move a bit too slowly once and they bite your head off…"

The first thing she saw, as she reached the landing, was her mother's light blush and blinding teeth.

Guess that means Gaara's still a cutie… Geez, the woman has no shame. Look how she's winking! Ooh, but am I allowed to call him Gaara? He's the Kazekage now, after all. Hmm…

The second thing she saw, as she reached the ground floor, was Tsunade's ambassadorial smile and eyes that halfway threatened, halfway softened at the defiantly drowsy look Sakura's own eyes held.

I wish she'd told me precisely why I'm being sent away. Maybe it's because everyone here is too attached to me and would be devastated if I were to be killed by Sasuke, and she only didn't tell me to avoid feeding my ego… Nah.

The third thing she saw, as she turned to face the wide-open door, was shaggy red hair, half-lidded green eyes, dark rings of sleeplessness, and an ever so slightly frowning mouth.

Gaara.