Day Nine

When Sakura heard a knock at her door the next morning, she was surprised to find not only Sai, but Sasuke as well. Raising an eyebrow in question to Sai, the boy shrugged and said, "He found out where I was going and followed me."

"Well come in you two, I was in the middle of baking some cookies," Sakura explained as Sasuke eyed her apron and oven mitts.

"Your wrapping is very…unique, Hag," Sai commented, finding Sakura's wrapping station she had set up on her living room floor.

"Get away from there!" Sakura cried, hoping Sai's gift wasn't one of the boxes left unwrapped.

Ignoring her, Sai picked up the nearest unwrapped box. "This one must be for the bastard."

Turning the box so they could see, Sakura saw that particular gift was perfume, however it was Ino, not Sasuke. Sasuke's face darkened at the ink-nin's joke, and not for the first time Sakura worried her home would become a war zone.

"It's for Ino," Sakura rolled her eyes and stepped between the two. "But thanks for volunteering your wrapping services Sai. I really do appreciate the help."

Sai blinked slowly, but gave no argument over the new job Sakura had appointed for him. Behind them, Sasuke smirked but remained silent.

"Have you still been receiving gifts?" Sai asked, his face showing slight curiosity.

After seeing Sakura nod, Sasuke then asked, "What was the newest gift then?"

"Yesterday I received five promise rings," Sakura sighed, and Sasuke's dark brows rose.

"That's…"

"I know, Sasuke."

"Wow Hag, someone really must think highly of you."

"Don't say it like you're so surprised Sai!"

"Ow."

"Hn."

"So what did you find out Sai?" Sakura prompted, jabbing a finger into his arm and reveling in how the boy flinched.

Producing the fox statue she had loaned him, Sai turned it to its side and pointed out a small mark she hadn't noticed before. "It's a piece made by a glassmaker in Suna. I have something made by him, and that's how I matched them up."

"So these were bought in Suna?" Sakura repeated, green eyes widening as she took back the figurine.

"Yes."

Sakura frowned. "So…the gifter could be someone from Suna?"

"It's possible," Sai admitted with a shrug while Sasuke nodded slowly. "Or it could be someone from Konoha that has visited Suna recently."

"Well that doesn't help at all!" Sakura exclaimed and sunk down onto her couch. "I thought I'd be getting closer, but now I'm just getting further away from knowing!"

Sai and Sasuke exchanged looks over their teammate's behavior.

"Well, is there really anyone in Suna you know well enough that would do this?" Sasuke wondered.

Blinking a few times in thought, Sakura replied, "Um…I'm closest to the sand siblings, of course. I probably know Gaara the best, because of Naruto. He even gave me a tour of Suna once, though I think that was just to get away from his council meeting." Sakura looked thoughtfully over to Sasuke who was scowling.

"You know he tried to kill you."

"So did you," she replied promptly, silencing the Uchiha. "But I doubt Gaara would do this, we are just friends."

"I doubt the Kazekage would be interested in the Hag," Sai agreed, earning him another punch in the head for his efforts.

"Not that I'd want a long distance relationship anyway," the kunoichi grumped and folded her arms defiantly.

"Why not just keep watch and see who delivers the gifts?" Sasuke tried, ignoring the whimpering from Sai.

Sakura shook her head. "I've wanted to, but I always seem to be busy out of the house when it's delivered." Looking thoughtful, Sakura added, "I guess I should have done that yesterday, but then Kakashi-sensei made me hide him from Gai."

"I saw Kakashi-san earlier today." Sai voiced, finally recovering from the blow. "He was mumbling something about finding Jiraiya. He didn't look very happy."

Sakura blinked. "That's odd…"

With a shrug, Sai went on, "At any rate, it sounds like a stakeout is in order."

"I'll keep watch," Sasuke declared quickly, causing Sai to frown.

Grinning, Sakura pulled the ink-nin away as Sasuke took up a post by her doors peephole. "It's ok Sai, you can help with that wrapping."

---

"Sai, can you hand me some more tape?"

"I think you have quite enough of it already, Hag."

Sighing, Sakura looked down to see stray pieces of tape clinging to her apron. She hated to admit it, but Sai was drastically better at wrapping than she was. If she had to guess, she'd say it was because an artist had to have a steady hand anyways.

A ringing sound went off in the kitchen and Sakura cursed.

"Can somebody get that?" she called, first looking at Sai who was still in the process of measuring out some wrapping paper, and then to Sasuke who stood at watch at the door.

"Sasuke, can you get that please?" she prompted, gesturing to the gift she was in the process of wrapping and proving she couldn't do it herself.

With a sigh, Sasuke heeded and moved to do her bidding, Sakura humming proudly as the alarm was turned off and she heard Sasuke slide the last batch out of the oven.

If only I could get a picture of Sasuke with oven mitts. It'd make a wonderful Christmas card, Sakura thought with a smirk. But considering the efforts he was making to be nice to her, she decided she'd give him a break.

"Thank you Sasuke," Sakura called as the boy reappeared and took a peek through the door.

"Shit," he cursed suddenly causing Sai and Sakura to look up as he threw open the door.

Wrapping forgotten, Sakura scrambled to his side as he activated his sharingan. Looking down, Sakura gasped when she saw a package was now sitting on her step.

"Did you see who did it?!" Sakura asked, pulling at his sleeve and looking around herself but finding nothing out of place around her building.

"No," he replied shortly, his sharingan subsiding into his usual black eyes.

Bending over, Sakura picked up the box and took it inside.

"Another small one at least," she mused to herself and turned to see Sasuke and Sai looking at her expectantly. "What?"

"Aren't you going to open it?" Sai prompted.

"Yes, I will open it, but not in front of you two!"

"Does it really matter?" Sasuke asked impatiently and Sakura made a strangled noise.

"Fine!" Sakura cried and with small smiles the boys appeared next to her as she opened the box.

Inside she found four masks, very much resembling the type of masks the ANBU were required to wear.

"Here's the card," Sai voiced, handing it over to Sakura as the three leaned in to read.

Hope

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…

4 optimistic faces

"Does this mean he's an ANBU?" Sasuke wondered, picking up what looked to be a toad mask.

"Not necessarily," Sai shrugged, himself looking at a cat mask. "Painted masks are used for decoration as well."

"Once again I fail to receive any solid evidence," Sakura frowned and looked helplessly at the two boys. "But it seems my true love is hopeful…for something."

While Sai looked generally curious, Sasuke looked uneasy. "Whoever is delivering the gifts is watching your apartment. They knew I was there and waited for me to leave."

Sakura rubbed her temples. "I guess I should be more worried about this, but strangely enough, I'm not." Looking at Sasuke she tried to sound reassuring. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

When Sasuke looked ready to argue, Sakura cunningly decided to change the subject and said sweetly, "Who wants cookies?"


A/N: Good day to all my readers, and welcome back. I noticed a lot of you quite enjoyed Kakashi getting his in the last chapter, ha! Poor guy. Originally I had only planned a return for Sai in this chapter, but I couldn't pass up throwing Sasuke in there to interact with him. teehee.

So I guess I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is only three more chapters left; two more and in the last one the identity of the gifter will be revealed. The bad news is that I am starting to get busy with family coming in and last minute shopping (eeek) and I may not have time to update daily like I have been. It had been my plan to update every day and for the fic to end on Christmas Eve, but life tends to change plans. I will do my best to get the chapters out like they have been, but I'm sure you'll understand if you have to wait a little longer...right? hopefully anyways...

--Miss Soupy