I'd like to draw this story to a close within the next chapter or so. I enjoyed working on it but lost track of things. I've recently with the help of –cough- someone. Have come up with an interesting thought for the story. Bear with me while I get the story back into its swing!

"When can I go home?" She asked with her eyes brightening.

"…Not for a long time" He answered.

"Why?"

"You needn't know now"

"Why?" She asked again. Truly her voice was becoming annoying. She wasn't afraid of him and she always asked questions. Why? Why? Why? He was the Kage. That was all the reason he needed.

Chapter…. 10- I remembered!

The days seemed to run together. Sakura followed Temari about. Occasionally helping her with the paperwork that Gaara never seemed to do. Or she'd sit out in the sand within the shade of the kage tower staring up at the sun that beamed down upon them and could kill her if any nin were to travel under it unprepared.

Sand whipped up grating against her cheek. She cringed and rubbed her cheek. The sand fluttered softly into her eyes. Another sandstorm. Gaara could only do so much about all the sand storms. The small ones that would do little harm to the village he simply didn't defend against. The Kazekage merely waved his hand dismissively and told everyone to return to their houses and not come out until it was over. And they did as they were told. If not out of respect out of fear.

Lately she'd bantered less and less with Gaara. He'd been staying longer in his study. Trying to avoid her was he? She'd have none of it.

Sakura rushed up the stairs as though she were on some sort of a mission. She paused hesitantly staring down the long corridor that would lead to his study. Gulping silently she found her way to the door and knocked.

'Foolish female. There she is again at the door. Does she ever leave me alone to do work?'

Gaara yanked the door open and fixed her with the usual glare.

"Long time no see" she said sheepishly. She rubbed the back of her head as she'd seen Naruto do many times and grinned brightly.

Gaara liked Naruto after all didn't he? I mean they got along well enough.

"You'll be returning to your own village within the next few days. You have no injuries and your mental capacity is as should be" Gaara stated giving her a brief glance as he settled behind a stack of paper work.

"You kept me here to monitor my sanity?" She tilted her head curiously. It made sense yet something pinged painfully in her chest. Somehow she was hoping he would say he liked having her around. Or perhaps she wasn't useless.

Perhaps being the Kazekage had taught him something. He stepped in the direction of her. With a hand on her head in the most affectionate gesture she would receive from him he spoke. "Don't worry yourself over stupid things"

Sakura blinked her eyes a few times to see if she was dreaming. Gaara no Subaku was being nice. He was friendly. It was as though he'd switched places with someone else.

"H-hai" She answered nodding her head sharply.

"Now is that all?" He asked frowning slightly.

"…I guess"

With a swish of pink hair and bloody sand she found herself outside the study on her butt. Gaara turned around smirking rather gleefully. It really was amusing to rile the girl up. He'd done it at every chance he could and still not grown tired of the game he played.

"You Arrogant Son of a …."

His eyes flickered. Perhaps he'd pushed her into saying something she would regret. The red headed assassin covered her mouth firmly with his hand.

"Do not speak of my mother" he hissed quietly.

Then he'd vanished back into the study closing the door behind him and locking it.

Outside the door she trembled and fell to her knees. Had she almost just gotten herself killed? He'd spared her. But it was only for a day and she'd be here a few more. How long would Gaara's temper spare her?

Gaara sighed softly leaning over the pinkette's sleeping form. She'd been asleep some time laying in the guest room with her hands folded across her chest as though she were dead.

"Get up" He grumbled prodding her with a finger.

She groaned and rolled over. But not without cursing at him before she buried her face back into her pillow.

"You're going home!" He growled pushing her onto the hard floor.

There was a muffled groan and her hand popped up latching onto the bed. Sakura twitched violently as she stared at the person who woke her up.

"What the big idea pal?"

"You're returning to your village. I can't have you disrupting my village any longer" Gaara said narrowing his eyes and crossing his arms as he usually did.

"Oh… Are you going to take me back then?"

"Kankuro and Temari will be filling in for me today" He answered.

"I don't have anything. May we just leave?" She asked trying to resist the urge of jumping around the room with joy.

"Whenever you are ready" He answered leaving the room and shutting the door behind himself.

"Now!" She tore the door open and practically bowled him over. "Lets goooo" She whined tugging on his sleeve impatiently.

"Whatever"

Things fell back into the usual routine. Sakura trained harder than she usually did. War was stirring within the alliance of the sand village and the leaf village. Just thinking about it made her stomach twist. Gaara was a smart man. She somewhat doubted the abilities of her own sensei after seeing Gaara's fight with Itachi.

A wave of nausea hit her. She cringed kneeling to place her hands on the ground. It passed and she stood. Something wasn't clicking in her head. Surely she'd forgotten something at home this morning?

Pumping chakra in her legs she anxiously headed for the village. Ahead of her she could see a faint glow of fires. Fires spread from houses and buildings lighting up the evening sky.

Her heart plummeted. As she withdrew herself unconsciously to asses the situation, Sakura could faintly still hear the screams of pain.

"…W-why?" She'd approached the engulfed Kage tower. From the bottom she could only year the shouts of her sensei, Tsunade. The woman clearly was yelling orders even as she was going to die painfully if she didn't escape.

Ninja phased around her staring at her with dark eyes as though awaiting her orders. With the grave observing eyes of a medic she inhaled slowly to calm herself.

"Put out the tower" she said firmly.

The clash of metal echoed nearby. Weapons whizzed in the air. People stumbled from their homes only piles of muscle lacking skin all together. With warm layers of blood pooling everywhere.

Choking back bile that rose in her throat she rubbed smoke from her eyes and on shaky legs headed for the battle. It was her area of expertise. There would be no qualms this day about standing behind her lines and healing those she could.

"It's the apprentice!" Without a chance she was dragged down and pinned.

Crying out she twisted her arms to make hand signs. Safely she vanished and appeared a few feet away.

Kunai scraped at her arms tearing through the muscle. Sakura tilted her head back and let out a cry of pain. She picked up the kunai and returned the favor to another person close to her.

White hot searing pain shot through her as she was forced to the ground once more this time with an arm held behind her back at an odd angle.

"Our mission is complete" The person that spoke she could only guess was a male.

And with a sharp crack to the back of her head she was unconscious.

"You've brought her?" The furious red head demanded uncrossing his arms and pacing a bit.

"Of course" The nin that had been holding the unconscious female dropped her upon the Kage's chair and bowed his head.

"Good" A sadistic smirk swept across his face.

"Brother?" Temari spoke warily. He'd become very touchy within the months of Sakura's returning to her village. With the alliance broken it was suicide to try and reason with him now.

"What do you want?" He snapped irritably.

"Why did you have them bring Sakura?"

With a small snort he settled on his haunches to take a closer look at Sakura.

"If the apprentice of the Hokage is here she will be wary of attacking for fear of hurting her" He reasoned in an all too cheerful voice.

Sakura looked just as he remembered her. The girl's hair had grown quite a bit falling just down her back. With a pale hand he reached out to touch the silky tendrils.

"Will you hurt her?"

"Its none of your concern" He answered in a clipped tone.

Gaara stretched back to his full height and growled. "Remove yourself from my study at once"

I have a pretty good idea of what I'm writing now. I've been wanting to try this idea for some time. So wish me luck! -Hoshi