Sorry about the late, but I rarely have any free time. I wish it was longer, but I am terribly ill and all I want to do is crawl into bed and sleep until summer, but that isn't possible because my baby is due in May...and for many other reasons.

Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or it's characters.


Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office

Chapter Nine: Not Meant For Me

Kakashi sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He looked into his empty shot glass, willing it to fill itself so he wouldn't have to communicate with the bartender. He tapped the bar hard with his fingers, bringing the bartender over and filling his glass once again. Kakashi ran his fingers over the side of the shot glass, pausing momentarily to remind himself why he was here in the first place.

He had heard Sakura woke up, but he had yet to see her. Sasuke had not left her side and he was not in the mood to deal with the moody Uchiha. He figured the flowers he bought her were enough to show he cared.

With that last thought, he brought the glass to his lips, savoring the smell of the warm sake before swallowing the plum liquor. He felt the liquid drain down his throat and instantly the warmth of the alcohol spread to his face and soon his entire body. He closed his eyes and set the glass down, willing the sake to help him forget why he hadn't returned to Tokyo.

He tapped the bar again. One more shot and he would return to his hotel room.

Someone had taken the seat beside him and he glanced to the side to see the very person he did not wish to see. He held up two fingers to the elderly bartender, who set a glass in front of him and filled both of them with the warm sake.

The two sat in silence, neither touching their glasses and the tension growing.

"How is she?" Kakashi finally asked, his voice quiet.

Sasuke visibly tensed, and he gripped his glass. "Better."

Silence settled over them once again as they both drank at the same time. Kakashi felt eyes on him so he looked over at the Uchiha, his black eyes narrowing on him, though he said nothing. Kakashi recognized the familiar glint in the young man's eyes as jealousy and understanding dawned on him.

"You love her," Kakashi mused and smiled slightly.

Sasuke grunted, "I'm not the only one."

Kakashi's smile fell and the two stared each other down, unaware that the bartender had filled both of their glasses. Without breaking eye contact, Kakashi and Sasuke both lifted their glasses and drank the warm liquid.

Feeling he had indeed had enough to drink, Kakashi stood and paid his tab. He was aware of the sharp glare on his back as he left the bar, but didn't stop to acknowledge it. Between the two of them, he knew who would be the center of the pinkette's affection…


He stood over her, admiring the way the moon danced over her sleeping form. It was a relief to know she had lived through the blast. He trailed his fingers lightly up her arm and brushed the pink hair out of her face. She shifted slightly and pressed her face deeper into his hand, causing a slight smile to grace his lips.

He traced her lips with his thumb. She mumbled something in her sleep, but it was much too quiet for him to hear. He longed for his name to pass through her lips, but it would have to wait. His smile twisted at the thought of her screaming his name, whether it be from pleasure or pain, he didn't care.

His eyes memorized every line on her face and the softness of her hair, ignoring the marks and bruises marring his beautiful cherry blossom's face and body. His eyes hardened and he swore to make that Sabaku pay for laying a hand on what was his, the same to that Uchiha brat.

She stirred again, bringing him from his thoughts. He pulled a single red rose from his jacket and placed it in her hand, the black ribbon around the stem brushing against her wrist. Her lips trembled slightly and he wondered how her lips tasted…

Slowly, his face dipped closer to hers. He looked up at her closed eyes momentarily before closing the remaining distance between them. He felt a surge through his entire body as he felt the softness of her swollen lips. He tested his luck by pushing against her, wanting to hear moan from his kiss, wanting her to want him in every way possible…good and bad. In her sleep, she responded in kind and a soft purr emitted from her throat.

He smiled darkly into the kiss, wanting her to know she was his. He nipped at her lip before withdrawing and straightening up. He watched her eyes flutter and he quickly left, unaware of the startled emerald gaze that followed him.

Soon, he thought to himself as he exited the hospital completely unseen. He stopped to look up at her window and touched his lips. Soon, my cherry blossom. My Sakura.

He followed the dark alleys back to his ride, aware that the next time they met, she would be the one seeking him out.


Sakura huffed in annoyance. She had told them all a thousand times what she had seen, but they all assured her he hadn't left his room. She glared at the nurses surrounding her bed and finally to the doctor checking her vitals. They all accused her of being delirious, but she knew it was real…she could still feel his lips…

She looked out the window, not caring as the nurses filed out and ignoring the doctor as he said something about a different medication before he too left.

Sakura continued to stare out the window, her thoughts drifting back to what had happened only hours before the nurses came running in to find her on the floor in the hallway. She was trying to follow Gaara and confront him, but her body was too weak to support her body. She had told them that she hadn't seen his face, but there was only one person she knew with wild red hair like that.

The sun was reaching the window now and she fingered the black ribbon tied around the rose in her hands. Sakura absently touched her lips and a she made a sound of distress. She needed to know what Gaara wanted and why he had kissed her the way he had…

She heard footsteps stop at her door and looked to see Sasuke watching her closely. When their eyes collided, Sasuke was at her side in seconds and gathered her into his arms; he pressed a kiss against her temple and wiped away the tears she didn't know she was shedding. She felt him stiffen and knew he had spotted the rose in her hands, but she pressed into him further ignoring the sharp pain in her sides.

After Sasuke had calmed down, Sakura told him what she had experienced and winced as he grew livid when she recalled the kiss. She fell silent and dared to look into his eyes, finding that they were focused on the door and colder than she had ever seen them. Veins were popping out of his forehead and neck as he clenched his jaw together and his grip on Sakura tightened.

She whimpered slightly from the pain and he released his hold on her instantly. When she looked into his eyes again, they were on her and with a softness that made her blush. He took the rose from her hands and set it on the table, only to grab both of her hands in his. He kissed each of her finger tips and pressed them against his cheek; her heart fluttered and she couldn't fight the smile that touched her lips. She felt like a child again, fighting the butterflies in her stomach as he kissed her palms and wrists.

Sasuke caressed her cheek with his own hand and traced her lips with his thumb, much like Gaara had and with the same gentleness. This thought sobered Sakura and she tore her gaze from Sasuke's; she shivered at the thought of the vicious redhead touching her as if he cared for her…

"He won't touch you again," Sasuke growled into her ear, nuzzling her cheek with his nose. "I promise."

Sakura sighed and relief washed over her; she wasn't sure why she believed him, but for this moment, she wanted to believe that Sasuke would always be at her side.

Sasuke had stayed with her the entire day, even when she had fallen asleep and woke later in the day; he was standing by the window, his eyes closed and his arms crossed over his chest with the rose in one hand and the black ribbon in the other. She studied his face and saw the stress lines marring his beautiful face; Sakura realized he was trying to remain calm for her benefit and it touched her.

Quietly, she pulled the covers off her and swung her legs over the side of the bed. With a deep breath and a quick tug on her IVs, she pushed herself onto her feet. Sakura swayed slightly and stumbled over to Sasuke, her knees trembling under her weight and her broken ribs throbbing against her lungs. She wrapped her arms around him, smiling slightly as he tensed and relaxed in her grip. She felt his arms wrap around her and a kiss planted on the top of her head.

She sighed into his chest, taking in his smell and smiled. Despite everything, this one moment was perfect…that is, until a cough at the door interrupted them.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at the nurse in the doorway, unwilling to unwind herself from tangled mess her and Sasuke found themselves in. She heard Sasuke sigh and pouted when he pulled her to the bed, an amused smirk on his lips as he forced her to sit down.


Gaara stared out the window, his thoughts a storm as he recalled what that blonde agent yelled at him and then to the pink haired one that stood to protect him, then fought him with just as much vigor. She intrigued him, but not as much as that ring on finger her did. He knew that ring well, but had only seen it few times as a child; to see it on that agent's hand drove him into a frenzy of rage and confusion.

A couple of nurses entered his room, though cautious as they all had been. He didn't blame them, what he had done would strike fear into anyone with a weak constitution. He allowed them to do their jobs, though he watched them out of the corner of his eye. They began to gossip quietly and Gaara rolled his eyes, but listened as he heard them mention the pink haired agent's name.

"I'm not kidding," the one scoffed quietly. "She said he came to her room and kissed her of all things. She has a rather big ego; she isn't even that attractive…"

Gaara narrowed his eyes and grabbed the nurse's arm, twisting the flesh slightly.

"Who visited her?" His voice was eerily calm, even to his own ears.

She traded a glance with other nurse and chewed on her lip nervously. "She said you did."

He loosened his grip, but did not let her go.

"She said she didn't see your face, but your hair was unmistakable." The nurse squeaked as he let her arm go and stared at his lap.

Interesting that she would see him kiss her. He had a feeling he knew who it actually was, but he had one more question for her.

"Was there a rose in her room with a black ribbon tied to it?" He raised his gaze and smirked when she nodded.

His sister used to receive the same gift, but they stopped coming almost abruptly. It seems his sister's old stalker had found a new obsession and was being far more daring than he used to be. There were many people residing in his homeland, few with red hair and even fewer that looked similar to himself. His family never learned the identity of his sister's stalker; the pink haired agent might be of use in finding him.

As the nurses scurried out of the room, strange looks tossed at him from over their shoulders, but he ignored them. He settled back into the bed and closed his eyes, the beginnings of a small smile tugging at his lips; how interesting was it that of all faces she could put to her stalker, it was his she placed without question. He began to wonder at her reasoning behind her conclusion and decided that he would find a way to ask her himself.

A knock at the door brought him out of his reverie. He felt his face fall as he straightened and watched as the door slowly opened, revealing Baki with an anxious look on his face. The old man rushed to his side and sat in the chair beside the bed; he looked older than usual and his face was a mask of stress.

"You have no idea how hard it was to get in here," Baki rolled his eyes and glared at the door.

Gaara watched him, but didn't respond.

"You're brother and sister are on a flight home," he said quietly. "You have all been cleared of any connection to the attack." Baki sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "However, you are being held here for your assault on the Naichō agents. I have informed them of your…um…condition, but they would still like to question you once you are stable enough to be moved."

Gaara inwardly laughed at how his schizophrenia, among other psychiatric disabilities, were so casually addressed. He was aware of how uncomfortable Baki was under his gaze, though he didn't find as much joy in it as he usually did.

"There is something else," Baki's head dropped and his voice shook slightly, this caused Gaara sit up slightly and grip his blanket unnecessarily. "Your father, he was found dead in his study. It was murder…"

Gaara stared at his hands. He wasn't surprised that he felt nothing for his father's death; the man had been cruel to him his entire life and he held no form of love for him. Though, it was a shock that he was killed in his own home.

"Who did it?" Gaara asked in his usual tone.

Baki nervously scratched the back of his neck. "We saw the footage from the security camera and it seems it was Orchimaru."

Gaara's gaze snapped to Baki and he growled low.

"It seems there is going to be a war soon." Baki continued. "The Akatsuki are active again and there have been repeated reports of Sasori in this area—"

Gaara sucked in a sharp breath at the mention of Sasori. He narrowed his eyes dangerously and looked at Baki with more seriousness than he ever did.

"I need you to do something," his voice was low and menacing. "There is an agent here by the name of Sakura Haruno. I need you to find her and inform her that she may be in danger."

Baki looked at him, puzzled by the Sabaku's sudden concern.

"I believe the man that entered her room and left her that rose was Sasori."

The old man shook his head. "Why would he have an interest in her?"

Gaara smirked. Why wouldn't he?


I'll try to have the next chapter up sooner and with far more content. Though it looks as if things are heating up. I would love to hear your theories on what is happening, so please review. It makes it far more fun to write when I get reviews.

With love and gratitude,

~Ell