Okay people finally got it to where I can continue. Turns out it didn't need too much changing because as I was I got an amazing new idea to continue where I left off basically. But I didn't want my work to go to waste so I'm posting it. So for those who have already read this, you can basically skim through it to see what's changed since some ideas did, and to get an idea of where things are again and enjoy the new content. If you haven't read this story before I hope you enjoy it as well!

After her oh so dramatic exit Sakura headed to her cot. She wasn't the only one with a trick or two up her sleeve. Since mentioned before that she knew something like this would happen, minus the part where she loses the key she had planned ahead. Which leads us to where Sakura was smirking as she hid behind her crates of rum just in case anyone decided to come down to her cot. She never really used it but hey just in case. Sakura dug out her little bag she had when she came on this ship taking it off when she joined the crew.

Inside was some of her valuable possessions. And inside was the real key. She had never shown them the real key again having planned on them trying to take it. The key that was gone? That was the key she got for Kakashi's house, she kept it around her neck so she wouldn't lose it. But they didn't need to know that. Now she knew she couldn't trust them, especially Gaara. He had taken advantage of her once, but he wasn't going to do it again. Sakura put away and headed up to the deck hiding as her crewmates talked.

"What are we going to do without the key? We are almost to the island Isle de Muerte, and it will be useless without the key." Naruto questioned.

"I don't know." Gaara said angrily. Everything that could go wrong was. He didn't have the key, his damn compass wasn't working, and Sakura hated him.

"Maybe would should just stop." Temari said. "Search for a different treasure."

"We've gone too far we can't just turn around now. Not with the Akatsuki after us." Kankuro said.

"Yeah they've been after the same treasure and have gone through more drastic measures as well. They didn't even get as close as us to actually standing a chance." Naruto said.

"But what are we supposed to do without the key? Chests just don't open by themselves." Tenten pointed out.

"We keep course, I'm getting that treasure." Gaara stated. A flash back of what he did to Sakura plagued his mind and he whispered, "I've risked too much for it now to turn back."

Sakura couldn't stand watching this. It was all just too much trouble for her. She wanted to go out there and lift their spirits by showing them the key. They had grown on her much to quickly for her liking and she felt she couldn't turn back to the life she had. Not that she had a choice, she was stuck on this crew like she had promised whether she liked it or not. The only way out was through mutiny or death. The latter course would be something she wants to avoid thanks to her previous failed attempt. Drowning was not fun, her lungs were still in pain from it. If only she could convince the crew to kick her off...

Sakura opened another bottle of rum and took a greedy gulp as she thought of a way to trick her crew mates. Sakura thought back to what they had talked about, the Akatsuki. Nah, too risky they might just kill me right away. Besides getting caught is a sign of defeat and look where the last time I got caught landed me? Sakura thought taking another drink of rum. She figured it would take time to come up with a decent plan, but she had all the time in the world, just her and her rum as she avoided everyone else.

"Sakura ca--

Sakura interrupted the voice by walking away leaving the owner confused before they shook it off and headed to another crew member. But as she walked away she ended up in a group of the people she was trying to avoid.

"Sakura your good at plans, think you can help us out?" Naruto questioned. Sakura looked at him, rose an eyebrow and walked away. Everyone looked at her confused. "What's with her?"

Temari stared at her retreating form helplessly. She was probably the only one who really understood the situation besides Gaara and Sakura herself. She sent a glare to her younger brother, who in turn narrowed his eyes at her. He really didn't understand women and that's why Sakura was avoiding them all. Temari decided to go after Sakura if he wasn't going to.

When Temari found Sakura she was talking to herself on her cot tossing the cork to her bottle up as she thought.

"Hmmm, I could try to get a mutiny against Gaara and then I wouldn't have to worry about him...but everyone loves his leadership and that would take a lot of convincing." Sakura planned. "Hmmm, faking death would still be going against my agreement and that is not my way of doing things."

Sakura took another swig of rum humming as she thought.

"Of course going back to the Gaara mutiny, he might find out and kick me off."

"Don't count on it." Temari stated making herself known.

"Huh? How long were you there?" Sakura said startled although she didn't look away from her little game of catch. "Shit, there goes the whole not talking to you people..."

"Gaara's done to much to keep you here, he wouldn't just kick you off like that. Besides your right, no one would mutiny against Gaara without a good reason. Your stuck here Sakura, unless you go back on your word." Temari told her and Sakura sighed.

"Yeah I know, I just didn't want to believe it." Sakura stated.

"Look my baby brother is not smart when it comes to feelings. He doesn't look at the outcomes of his actions when it comes to them. He knows how he'll feel and that's all he sees."

"Yeah, I learned that first hand." Sakura said looking at her for the first time. Sakura sighed and swung her legs so they hung off the edge of her cot.

"I'm not here to defend him, or try to tell you what he did was because he couldn't help it. He could, he just choose not to and he'll have to fix that himself. But your a great pirate Sakura I just hate knowing that your trying to leave us." Temari told her and Sakura rolled her eyes in annoyance. How was it that these people could affect her so easily. Their whole lovey-dovey friendship crap, it was working and Sakura cursed it.

"Alright fine. Since you or the crew didn't do anything to me except be overly friendly your off the hook." Sakura stated giving up. Really they had her in the palm of there hands with easy manipulation, because they had the one thing she always wanted, for people to actually care for her and not look at her like trash. Sakura was beginning to think they knew it too.

"Really?" Temari looked hopeful. Sakura was a really cool chick and she just knew they could be great friends. If Gaara had ruined that she might just have joined up in Sakura's mutiny attempt.

"Yup." Sakura shrugged before taking another swig of rum. She almost choked on it when Temari attacked her into a hug. Sakura smiled and returned the embrace. After all if all else fails she knew that Temari and her could stick together. Sakura had known from the beginning her and Temari could be really close, she might as well stop fighting it.

"Come on let's tell everyone else!" Temari said excited dragging Sakura out onto the deck of the ship. Sakura didn't even realize what was happening until she realized they were staring at her expectantly. Temari must have told them something while she was dazed that she missed.

"So?" Naruto asked.

"What do you want me to say?" Sakura questioned and Naruto opened his mouth to ask another question but Sakura spoke before he had a chance. "You guys are the weirdest pirates I've ever met. But I'm in."

"Yay!" Naruto shouted hugging her. Sakura giggled at his actions patting him on the head, although it was quite hard since he was about half a foot taller than her. Definitely the weirdest pirates ever, Sakura thought. But they made it so easy to like them, she knew them for what? A couple days, and she was growing attached. She was still trying to figure out if that was good or bad for her.

"Finally the guy to girl ratio evens out!" Ino shouted.

"But I've been on the crew for a few days now." Sakura told her.

"Yeah but you've accepted it, so I can count on you not ditching anymore!" Ino told her and Sakura smiled. They accepted her so easily which was probably why she accepted them so easily.

"Yeah and she's got in on Gaara." Temari whispered to the group of girls around her.

"I've got what on who?" Sakura asked not sure she heard right, and not really getting what Temari had meant.

"You're the only one that has made Gaara like this, we could totally use that as an advantage." Temari told her already scheming. What have I gotten into? Sakura questioned.

"Yeah I've never seen Gaara do so much for a girl, actually anyone. Its cute." Tenten added. Well it made sense, he was pretty emotionless, and his main concern was things that benefited him. But then why was he making exceptions for her, like giving back her key? Sakura was still trying to figure out why. What was she to the her captain?

"What do you mean cute?" Sakura asked with narrowed eyes. She had never heard 'cute' being associated with Gaara, ever. Add in the fact she was the one involved in the so called 'cuteness.'

"Oh come on Sakura he likes you." Ino said like it was obvious. Apparently it was the way the rest of the girls nodded in agreement.

"And you're the only girl on the crew he's ever done it with." Temari mentioned. Sakura glared at her. She didn't want them to know about that. But I guess that didn't matter anymore.

"No!" Ino gasped. Sakura rolled her eyes. It wasn't that big of a deal. She acted as they were nuns or something and supposed to remain virgins forever. Well Gaara was not her first.

"Yup." Temari said with a grin.

"Yeah yeah yeah, I did it with him big deal." Sakura told them waving it off.

"Um really big deal." Tenten said.

"How?" Sakura challenged.

"Well Gaara is a one time deal with women. But he seems to want more out of you." Temari told her a smirk growing on her face.

"Too bad for him. He messed it all up." Sakura said.

"How?" Hinata questioned speaking for the first time in this conversation. She seemed genuinely concerned not just curious like Ino.

"He tricked me." Was all Sakura said. She really didn't want to think about it but knew she wasn't going to get away so easily.

"By doing what?" Ino pressed.

"It doesn't matter. It's over and done with. He won't ever get the key back now." Sakura said acting like the key had sunk like they thought.

"Wait he got the key from you?" Tenten questioned.

"Yeah after he 'sexed her up' as Sakura put it." Temari said already knowing getting a glare from Sakura again.

"He gave it back?" Hinata questioned.

"Yeah. His weird way of showing it didn't matter and I was more important or something." Sakura replied shrugging.

"Wow he is serious." Hinata stated.

"What?" Sakura questioned now the one confused.

"Gaara has been ranting about this treasure for a while now. Been doing everything to get it. He just needed the key. He didn't even lash at you when you said it sank to the bottom of the ocean." Temari told her and Sakura sighed. Maybe he meant it when he said the key wasn't important, or at least not as important as her. She didn't know what to do.

"So where are we going and what's so great about this treasure?" Sakura questioned.

"Isle de Muerte, and as for the treasure that Gaara's after, I don't know. Gaara wouldn't say. I don't think he even told Naruto." Temari said.

"Sounds like any old treasure, just go for a different one. I could say for a fact that you guys wouldn't have had so much trouble going after a different one."

"Gaara's stubborn. After all the effort he's put into this one he won't turn back." Tenten told her.

"One track mind I see."

"Maybe, but he's helped us get out of a lot of fixes." Ino said.

"I must be the only one who thinks badly of him." Sakura muttered under her breath. Really what was so great about him? Okay maybe she knew, but she still refused to have anything to do with him. He screwed with her and he wasn't going to just re-enter her good graces so easily. He would have to work for them. All she could say was good luck because she was not going to let him get near her if she could help it.

"We have to stop for supplies in the next town Gaara." Naruto said as they walked toward where the girls sat.

"Not with Akatsuki on our tail. I won't put my crew in unnecessary danger if I can help it. If we stop a battle will surely happen." Gaara told him and Sakura looked out to sea with a raised eyebrow.

"Akatsuki wouldn't happen to be another group of pirates would they?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah."

"Is their flag black with a red cloud on it?"

"How did you know?" Naruto asked looking at her strangely.

"I believe they are here then." Sakura informed them pointing out to sea. There she was, a ship similar to there's with a black flag and red cloud coming for them. It wasn't long until the ship was across from them, and men were flying over on ropes. Sakura decided to sink back into the shadows, watching.

"Well if it isn't Captain Gaara and his crew." A man that looked like a shark greeted.

"What are you doing here." Gaara growled.

"We heard you got the key. We want it." A man with red eyes and black hair tied in a low pony tail told them.

"Well we don't. Its at the bottom of the ocean." Kankuro told them.

"You think we'll believe that, un?" A man with blonder hair in a style that was like Ino's shouted.

"Believe what you want we don't have it." Temari told them and a sword fight began. Both sides clashed blissfully unaware of the bystander watching in the sidelines carefully sneaking off the ship.

After Sakura snuck around them she took one of the ropes they used to get to their ship and swung, landing gracefully on the Akatsuki's ship. She quickly searched it and when she saw no one on board she went to the helm pulling the ship away and out to sea. Once the ship was a good distance Sakura jumped into the water and swam to her ship. All the while no one noticed, they were too busy fighting.

Sakura had swam to the other side of the ship climbing up half way to not be seen. She didn't need to be seen. Not after what she did, they would kill her on the spot. Or try to. But its not like they knew she even existed. Sakura then imagined the Akatsuki ship was quite a distance by now.

"Hey, un. Is are ship supposed to be sailing away, yeah?" Deidara questioned being the first one to notice as everyone stopped fighting to look at the ship sailing away. The Akatsuki jumped into the water without a second thought to chase after their ship completely forgetting about what they came for. It was no use for them to have the key and no ship.

"Sakura." Gaara growled thinking she got away with the ship. It had her handy work all over it.

"Wow, she likes stealing ships." Naruto said amazed. He was impressed to say the least. She had single handedly gotten rid of their rival pirate crew. But then his expression died and he frowned. If the ship was sailing away it meant Sakura was on it, he was really getting used to the clever pink haired woman. Here he thought she was finally accepting being on the crew.

"Follow the ship." Gaara ordered. Sakura was not going to get away from him again.

"Are you crazy?!" Kankuro shouted.

"I said, follow the ship." Gaara repeated and everyone began changing course to follow their enemy's ship.

"I wouldn't do that love." Sakura said finishing her climb up the ship and sitting on the rail, clothes and hair dripping. I really should've just stayed with the ship but I like to show off. Of course there is the whole loyalty thing I have to this crew, leaving would be such a drag, Sakura thought as the crew turned to her. Gaara was her only problem here and so she would deal with him, or hopefully not deal with him. He would be the only reason she would have stayed on the Akatsuki ship, there were more better ones to come back to her crew mates. Gaara's just a big ass really and she could handle that.

"Sakura!" Naruto shouted in excitement.

"How did you?" Ino asked confused.

"Better question, why did you?" Temari asked knowing Sakura hated it here. Especially after what happened with her and Gaara.

"It's fun messing with pirates. And since I can't really do that stuff with you guys anymore, a rival crew will work." Sakura teased. But then she turned to Gaara confused by his orders. It was now or never, she had to talk to him.

"Let's talk, Captain." Sakura mocked walking into his cabin. Gaara growled at her disrespect but followed her anyway. It shocked everyone that she was even talking to him.

"Looking for more pleasure." Gaara questioned once they were alone.

"No." Sakura deadpanned. He always seemed to jump to that conclusion, which made him more of an ass.

"Well?"

"I want to know something." Sakura told him, and Gaara gave her a look to continue. "I want to know why you want to keep me around. You were going to chase down your enemies ship to get me back, why am I so valuable to you?"

"Just to have you. Everything about you. I've never felt this way for anyone before." Gaara told her. It was the truth, and that was probably the closest for Gaara of ever sharing his feelings.

"So you don't just lust for me?" Sakura questioned. She had to make sure he wasn't as big of a pig as he was acting. Maybe he is just emotionally impaired and can't help but act the way he is. Sakura hoped so, because him being an asshole/pig around her all the time wasn't how she wanted to spend her time on his ship.

"What?" Gaara asked confused.

"I'm trying to figure you out. Nothing you do makes sense." Sakura told him and Gaara showed her a side of him both never knew he had in him.

"I honestly don't know either. Everything about you should make me hate you but I can't. I'm not going to lie, I do lust for you." Gaara told her sitting next to her on his bed and grabbing her hand, their fingers entwined. "You've brought nothing but trouble to me."

"What did I do now?" Sakura questioned frowning. She couldn't remember the last thing she did to Gaara. He had hurt her last. Oh wait no, she tried to kill herself. But he deserved it, and she didn't die so…

"Ever since I met you nothing has been going right. The key is gone, my compass isn't working, I've done more work to keep you on this ship then should be necessary."

"Maybe you just needed a good change." Sakura said resting her head on his shoulder. Sakura was beginning to understand the boy- no man before her. She was almost tempted to tell him about the key but she would save that for a later day. When she knew for sure she could trust him. He was actually kinda charming like this. Maybe I can blame his attitude on stress, that way everything can just start over, Sakura tried to convince herself. After all this crew, well…They were becoming her family.

"So what is it that you wanted."

"Nothing." Sakura said walking out leaving Gaara confused again. Sakura never was as straightforward as he wished she was. Gaara sighed and laid back on his bed thinking. Sakura meanwhile had rejoined the crew on the deck.

"Sakura what did you say to him?" Ino said curiously and Sakura lifted her brow at her.

"What are you talking about Ino?" Sakura questioned acting innocent.

"You guys were in there for a while and there was no shouting, did you sort things out?" Naruto asked, curious but more concerned.

"If you want to know what happened ask Gaara." Sakura said laughing as she headed over to the rail of the ship to look out to sea.

"That's not fair Sakura." Ino pouted.

"Please, she did that on purpose because she knows Gaara won't say anything." Temari stated shaking her head at Ino. Really this was Sakura they were talking about, she should know that if she doesn't want you to know, you won't know.

"Naruto will you talk to Gaara?" Ino questioned dying for the information.

"Your such a gossip Ino." Sakura said with an amused look. "It's really not that big of a deal."

"That's what makes it a big deal when the people involved say its not!" Ino said exaggerating.

"Well you just keep trying to figure it out." Sakura said walking up to the helm of the ship to be alone. Of course she heard Naruto's loud voice disturbing her peace before she ever really got any.

"Come on Gaara, she should be right up there." Naruto said and shortly after she heard him she saw him and Gaara approach her. "Hey Sakura!"

"Hey Naruto, Captain." Sakura greeted nodding her head at each of them.

"What are you doing up here by yourself?" Gaara questioned as he took a seat on a barrel next to where she stood.

"Because your little gossip crew down there are just so curious about us." Sakura stated although he could tell she didn't really care.

"Awe come on Sakura that's not nice!" Naruto complained and Sakura just shrugged.

"But I'm curious as to what you'll do next Captain, I mean you just scared off your rival crew, what will you do now?" Sakura joked but it only got her pulled into Gaara's lap.

"You tell me, love." Gaara whispered into her ear. Sakura shivered against him.

"I think you should get a girlfriend. You need someone to keep you in check."

"Someone like you Sakura?" Naruto teased and Sakura glared at him.

"I did not mean me."

"Why not? Your on his lap, you already had sex, and you can keep him under wraps. Your perfect."

"Hmph." Was all Sakura replied crossing her arms. Naruto grinned at her as she escaped from Gaara's hold. Ya know she didn't really say no to being your girlfriend kid, Shukaku told him as he watched Sakura talk with the girls on his crew. Gaara thought about what his demon said and realized he was right, she didn't, but she also didn't say she wanted to.

"I don't see what the problem is Sakura, Naruto was right." Ino said.

"Yeah for once he was." Tenten agreed and Hinata and Temari nodded.

"The problem is that he hasn't asked me. Would you like it if someone just assumed you were a couple?" Sakura shot back.

"Your right Sakura, but Gaara isn't the person who asks, he just sorta takes." Temari told her.

"Sadly I know."