There weren't a lot of things Gaara found exhilarating. Killing, of course, was one, perhaps the most intense one. The rush of adrenaline always roared in his ears, accompanied by tingling nerves and a thundering heartbeat. Even now, with Shukaku gone, he still relished in defeating his enemies, savoring the intensity of those feelings.

Kissing Sakura came in a very, very close second. There was something delicious about the way she palpitated beneath him, her body squirming as he pressed even closer to her. Her hand had come up to cup his jaw, to hold him steady as she pressed her lips to his. He was amused to feel her fingers trembling and he wondered if she was nervous.

She didn't seem nervous, however much her hands shook. She kissed him with fervor, with the same passion she'd had for him three years ago. How many men had she kissed in the interim? How many felt as electric as Gaara did now under her ministrations?

Feeling emboldened and a little more determined to make this as enjoyable as possible for her, Gaara grabbed her roughly by the hips and hoisted her into his lap. Sakura broke their kiss to squeal and shifted herself so that she was straddling him, her ankles crossed behind his back. Her eyes were twinkling as she grinned at him, twisting her fingers in the hairs at the nape of his neck. She looked beautiful juxtaposed with the brilliant swirls of purple and pink nebulas in the sky. Between her and the stars, Gaara was faced with more aesthetic appeal than he could imagine and for a moment he could only stare in awe, too stunned to speak.

"What's the matter?" she asked, teasingly tugging a fistful of his hair.

"Absolutely nothing," he replied, moving to kiss her again. He didn't linger this time. He could feel how frigid the tips of her fingers were against his neck, and her nose against his cheek. With the sky fully dark now, the temperature had dropped considerably and she was still in her usual vest and shorts.

So he let go of her just long enough to shrug the Kage robe off his shoulders and wrap it around her. She sighed contentedly, delighting in his warmth as she pulled the collar of the robe up closer to her neck.

"Think of how cold you'd be if you came out here by yourself," he teased, brushing his thumb across the cold-wrought redness in her cheek.

"Yes, I'm quite lucky you found me," she said, reaching for his hand and twining their fingers together. It was almost sorely intimate, Gaara thought as he stared at their hands in her lap. "How exactly did you find me?"

His eyes flicked back up to her face and saw amusement there. He realized then that she didn't have the orb of sand with her, that she must have left it in her room. And after probing out with his chakra, he discovered that that was indeed true. Had she done that on purpose?

"I saw you from my office window," he answered, narrowing his eyes at her. If she had intentionally left his sand behind so she could sneak around the desert by herself at night, then perhaps it would be wise to reinstate Hideki as her personal guard.

"A likely story!" she scoffed.

"It's true," he argued, smiling in spite of himself. "I was trying to determine whether I should do the stack of paperwork on my desk or procrastinate, but once I saw your little pink head bobbing across the desert my decision was made."

"Gaara-sama, it's not like you to shirk your duties to fool around out in the desert," she said with playful admonishment.

"No, it isn't," he agreed, "but here we are."

She grinned as she leaned even closer to him, squeezing her thighs around him harder. "Well then we should make it extra special." She gently pressed her lips to his, kissing him with a sort of reverence he had never experienced with her before. Her fingers were tender as they smoothed over his chest before winding their way back to his hair again. It seemed impossible to be any closer to her than he was now, but he wanted to be so he snaked his hands under the robe and into the warmth beneath it. He gripped her by her waist, marveling at the hardness of her body, the muscles that confirmed what he already knew – she was a hard-working and deadly kunoichi.

He was tempted to buck up into her or to press her down against his lap and grind her against him. The animalistic urge made the rest of his senses feel fuzzy, but even amidst the hormones and the blood that had migrated from his brain to his dick, he felt a chakra presence nearby – one unsettlingly familiar.

Gaara paused, his fingers still curled tightly in the fabric of her vest. Sakura paused, too, and Gaara understood that she must have felt it, too.

"Gaara," Sakura murmured softly, a fear in her tone that sent a shiver down his spine. Her eyes had widened and he could see her on the brink of panic. "Gaara, do you feel that?"

"Someone's out here with us," he whispered, trying to mitigate the wildness he could see brewing behind her eyes. She was freaked out, which meant she probably knew who was out here with them. The familiarity of the chakra signature suddenly made sense to him – there was only one person who could provoke this kind of reaction from her.

"Sasuke," she breathed, her eyes focused on something, or someone, behind him.

Gaara had never been a fan of the sole living Uchiha and Sakura's panic made him feel angry and annoyed. Quickly, he pulled both himself and Sakura up into a standing position and turned to face the foreign intruder.

It was amazing how different he looked, Gaara thought. He was just a boy the last time they had seen each other, but he was a man now. He was taller, darker, hardened into something that barely resembled a human anymore. His eyes with their spinning tomoe and bloody depths were like voids, lifeless yet still laced with bitterness and hatred.

Those terrifying eyes were locked onto Sakura, watching her with a look Gaara couldn't read. He looked deadly and sinister with his dark hair, so much longer now, floating about his face in the wind.

Gaara latched his fingers around Sakura's wrist and pulled her behind him. He couldn't imagine what the Uchiha was doing here, but if he had any intention of hurting Sakura or Naruto, Gaara would not let that happen.

"Sasuke, what are you doing here?" Sakura asked, her voice shaking so much that Gaara could almost feel his heart snapping in two. She took a step toward the edge of the rock where Sasuke's feet were planted in the sand. Gaara reached for her hand and interlaced their fingers, pulling her back closer to him. He was aware that whatever went on between the two of them was really none of his business, but at the same time, he couldn't allow him to speak to her until he knew Sasuke's intentions. It was very possible that he had come to kill her, to break those bonds he so desperately wanted to break.

Sasuke's eyes were drawn to their entwined hands and Gaara was a little reluctant to admit that he felt immense satisfaction in that.

"I need your help, Sakura," Sasuke said. The sound of his voice was eerie, like he was some kind of demon instead of a regular mortal man. Sakura was affected by it more than Gaara cared for – he could tell by the shiver that went down her spine and the way her fingers curled even tighter around his.

In fact, she was gripping his hand with bruising force. Gaara squeezed back, unsure of how to comfort her.

"My help?" she asked quietly. Gaara was sure Sasuke wouldn't be able to hear her over the wind, but he nodded and took a step up onto the rock. He was near enough to them now that he could reach out and touch them if he wanted to.

"Yes," Sasuke answered, his eyes locked onto Sakura's face. He spared no glance toward Gaara, nor did he look back at their joined hands. "I'm forming a new team and I need a medic."

"You already have a team," she said. Gaara was proud of the fire in her voice, the determination he didn't think he would hear there. "And I'm already on it."

"You know what I have to do, Sakura," Sasuke said dryly. "Naruto will only get in the way. But you and I… we work well together. And I've heard your medical skills are unparalleled."

"So I'm just supposed to drop what I'm doing and follow you?" she demanded.

Gaara couldn't help the smirk that crept up on his face. It was just so satisfying to hear her standing up for herself instead of fawning all over him. Whether she was truly over him or not, at least she seemed to recognize that going with him would be a mistake.

Sasuke looked at him for the first time then, his eyes sharp and accusing. The heatedness of the stare sent adrenaline coursing through Gaara's body. He was certain that if Shukaku was still with him, he would be demanding Sasuke's blood. Gaara was sort of already inclined to that anyway, but he merely gritted his teeth and returned Sasuke's stare.

"What exactly are you doing?" Sasuke asked Sakura, letting his gaze filter over Gaara in his entirety.

Gaara glanced at Sakura, and seeing the blush on her face he wanted to help her out, to answer the question for her. Of course, he understood her reluctance to say it aloud, especially since they had been caught red-handed. Was she embarrassed? Was she upset that Sasuke had seen her kissing another man?

"Sasuke," Sakura said softly, releasing Gaara's hand to take a step toward her estranged teammate. "Come back to Suna for the night," she implored, reaching for Sasuke's hand. Sasuke pulled his hand out of her reach, but he didn't move away from her. "Listen, me and Naruto, we'll do whatever it takes to help you. If you come back with me, I'll help you decide what to do, what team you need. Maybe we can reform Team 7 and we can help you avenge your family."

Sasuke's expression was wary, but Gaara was surprised to see him looking like he was actually considering her request. Her very inappropriate request, Gaara thought. She didn't have the authority to invite missing-nin to spend the night in his village.

"I'm a wanted man, Sakura," he replied. "I can't walk into Suna's gates amicably." His gaze flicked to Gaara, whose heated expression confirmed the Uchiha's suspicions.

"It's fine," she said. "I know the Kazekage."

"Intimately, it would seem," Sasuke said dryly.

"Sakura, I don't think this is a good idea," Gaara said to her, tugging the sleeve of his robe to get her attention.

She turned to face him fully, turning her back to Sasuke for a moment. The seriousness of that gesture was not lost on him. He knew how much Sasuke meant to her, how long she had waited for him to come back. He could disappear again at any second, but here she was giving her full attention to Gaara when Sasuke was standing right behind her.

"Gaara, please," she begged, her eyes wavering, reflecting the moonlight back toward him. Moments ago, when Sasuke was nothing but a memory and her arms were wrapped around his neck, Gaara would have given her literally anything she asked for. Now she was practically begging him for something only he could give her and just the thought of saying yes turned his stomach.

"He's a criminal," he murmured for only her to hear, though he was certain Sasuke probably heard anyway. "I don't want him near the villagers."

"I'll take full responsibility for anything he does."

Gaara narrowed his eyes. That was hardly a solution to the problem. He couldn't risk Sasuke hurting anyone in his jurisdiction. Sakura couldn't take the fall for that even if she wanted to, and quite frankly he was annoyed that she would even want to in the first place.

"I'm not interested in going to Suna," Sasuke said. Sakura glanced at him over her shoulder, but kept her body facing Gaara.

"Then what do you want from me, Sasuke?" she asked.

"I want you to come with me to defeat Itachi," he said, his voice a drone. His expressionless face only served to intensify how devoid of emotion he really seemed. It was such a stark contrast against Sakura's worry and panic. Had he not missed her in all their time apart? How could he not even spare a smile for a girl who loved him so much?

For a moment Gaara failed to see what Sakura saw in Sasuke. He was cold and inhuman and hyperdriven on a fruitless goal. But Gaara had been the same way, hadn't he? And if he could be redeemed, then couldn't Sasuke be redeemed, too?

"Come on, Sakura," Sasuke said patiently. "I will wait here while you go get your things."

"Sakura, you can't go with him," Gaara said.

Sakura pursed her lips, seeming both conflicted and angry. Gaara didn't blame her. In fact, he sort of felt bad for her. What was she supposed to do now? She couldn't just let Sasuke go and Gaara didn't really expect her to.

"Sasuke," she said dejectedly, "you know I can't just leave. Not without at least saying goodbye."

Sasuke frowned. "You're declining?" he asked.

The panic that surged into Sakura's eyes was unmistakable and far too telling of her feelings in that moment. Gaara saw it and Sasuke must have seen it, too. She didn't want to reject his offer and she didn't want to leave her friends behind. Both options pained her equally.

But maybe she didn't have to choose.

"Sasuke," Gaara said, using as much authority in his tone as he could without sounding haughty. "If you want to take Sakura with you, then come back to Suna with us tonight. She can have a chance to decide what she wants to do and say goodbye to everyone."

Sasuke's eyes flew to Gaara's, less heated now but not any less intimidating. There was just something so off about his gaze and it left Gaara feeling perturbed.

"I don't have time for that," Sasuke countered.

"But you do have time to hunt down a new medic?" Gaara asked.

Gaara watched Sasuke's jaw clench and unclench, though he didn't seem angry. There was an unnerving ghostliness about his face, an ethereal quality that made him seem more like an apparition than a physical man. Gaara almost felt as if the Uchiha might just fade into the inkiness of the sky behind him, leaving no proof that he had ever been there.

His flightiness and abandonment of Konoha aside, Gaara understood why Sakura and Naruto would treat him like he was fragile. Even Gaara, who didn't care whether he was around or not, felt afraid that Sasuke would just dissipate into thin air, vanishing forever. He would leave behind two very broken-hearted teammates, and Gaara found this completely unacceptable.

As much as he didn't want Sasuke in Suna, even stronger was his urge to protect Sakura and Naruto from that pain. If welcoming the bastard into his village would prevent that, it was the least he could do.

"Fine," Sasuke said curtly. "One night. We leave first thing in the morning."

Gaara felt more than heard Sakura's sigh of relief. She was still tense, her body taut as if she were afraid Sasuke might attack her still. But she had what she wanted now, the best that Gaara could give her. He felt her reach for his hand again and link their fingers together. She squeezed hard, which did little to mask the way she was trembling. Even her hair shook around her cheeks and when Gaara looked to her face he noticed her pulse racing in her neck.

He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, too overwhelmed by the intensity of her emotion to look at her. He had just invited the love of her life to spend the night with her under his roof. In spite of the death grip they had of each other's hands, Gaara could already feel her slipping away from him.

He couldn't help but wonder what kind of heartbreak he'd just opened himself up to.

/

They approached the village gates after a painfully silent trek back to the village. In the distance, Gaara could hear the continued sounds of the festival, the parties that were still in full swing. On the guard tower above, he spotted Hideki's form, watching them like a hawk, no doubt, and curious about their new companion.

He spared a glance for Sakura and saw her staring wistfully in Sasuke's direction. It sent a sharp pang of jealousy through his chest. He knew he had no right to feel that way.

"Sakura, I know you're cold, but I'm going to need my robe back before we go through the gates," he said softly.

Her eyes snapped in his direction, harsh at first, and maybe a little frightened, though not because of Gaara. When her gaze warmed, Gaara felt his heart thoroughly crack in two. She dragged her eyes across his form, lingering at the raised hairs on his arm. He wasn't cold, but he was nervous. Nervous to let Sasuke near his people, nervous that Sakura might decide that Gaara wasn't worth her time now that Sasuke was here.

He was content, however, to let Sakura believe he was cold. So when she shrugged out of his Kage robe and helped him push his arms through the sleeves, he pretended to relish in the warmth and avoided Sasuke's gaze, which he could feel lingering on the two of them.

"Thank you for letting me use it, Gaara-sama," she said, again with all of her attention focused on him. She smiled warmly at him and leaned in to press a chaste kiss to his cheek.

Gaara ignored the heat in his cheeks, sparing a tense smile for her. He was uneasy with Sasuke watching.

When they had reached he gates, Hideki met them on the opposite side of the bars, his head bowed respectfully low to Gaara. "My orders, Kazekage-sama?" He glanced quickly at Sasuke, gathering as much information as he could from the appearance of the stranger.

"We have an extra guest tonight," Gaara said. "Have the room beside Sakura's prepared for him. Use discretion."

Hideki nodded, accepting his orders. "And will Sakura-san be needing my services through the night?" he asked.

Gaara knew what he was asking – if he should resume his bodyguard duties, but it sounded very much like he was implying something a little more salacious. In spite of the macabre air around them, Gaara couldn't help but laugh.

"No, she will be fine," Gaara said, though his flicked his gaze over to Sasuke, unsure of the words even as he spoke them.

"Yes, Kazekage-sama," Hideki replied, bowing his head one last time before he darted off toward the palace.

Now Gaara didn't really have a plan for what to do next. Getting Sasuke to Suna was as far as he had thought this whole thing through. When morning came, though, Sakura would be faced with the same decision he had been trying to save her from. He hoped that at some point between then and now, that Sasuke would have a change of heart, or that Sakura would decide not to go with him.

He wasn't going to hold his breath, though.

"Sakura-san," Gaara said sharply. He could tell she was startled by the suffix and the harshness of his tone. "How would you like to proceed?"

"What?"

"Should I fetch Naruto for you? Would you like to use the council chambers?" he asked.

She looked down at her feet bashfully and he felt a surge of affection for her, which he wished he could un-feel. "I think I need to talk to Sasuke alone," she said softly.

Gaara eyed her warily. He wasn't so sure that was a good idea, but if that was what she wanted, then he would give it to her. Or at least a semblance of it. He didn't plan to eavesdrop on her, though he was absolutely dying to know how their conversation would go. He just wanted to make sure she was safe. He didn't trust Sasuke.

"Okay," Gaara conceded. "I will be in my office if you need me."

She gave him a weak smile. There was still nervousness in her eyes. He wished he could just tuck her under his arm and keep her beside him forever. He wished he could protect her in every way she needed to be protected. There was only so much he could do. He couldn't think of a single way in which this would end well for Sakura and it broke his heart.

"Thanks, Gaara," she said. To Gaara's utter surprise, she stood up on his tiptoes to press a kiss to his lips. He was too stunned to kiss her back. Instead, his eyes drifted to Sasuke, who was watching their exchange with a detached sort of interest.

Feeling a little uncomfortable, Gaara gently pushed her away. He gave her a stern look, hoping to convey just how serious his next request was. "Sakura, I want you to take that sand with you everywhere from now on," he said, his tone brooking no room for argument. It was silly, of course, because Sakura had limitless affinity for arguing, and he could already see the spark of fire behind her eyes that threatened to burst out at any moment.

But she surprised him again by nodding. "Okay," she said softly, but in a way that indicated that they would speak more on the topic later.

That would have to be good enough for now.

/

Instead of going back to his office like he had implied, Gaara followed Sasuke and Sakura. He masked his chakra and leapt up to the rooftops. Sakura led Sasuke through the crowded festival. For a moment Gaara worried that they might bump into Naruto or someone else who might recognize Sasuke. Fortunately, they were able to sift through the crowd until they were back at the palace.

She was leading him back to their rooms, Gaara realized. That would make it impossible to eavesdrop (not that he wanted to). It would also make it impossible for him to hide somewhere to watch them. He'd have to be exposed out in the hallway if he wanted to be close enough to intervene on Sakura's behalf if their conversation went south.

So instead, he sent out a probe of his chakra out, searching for Hideki. He had dismissed him earlier believing that he would be handling it himself. Now, though, he needed Hideki's help.

It took less than a minute for Hideki to respond to his chakra. He knelt before Gaara, his face grim. "Kazekage-sama."

"I've changed my mind," Gaara said. He knew that his expression must have been grim because of the somber way Hideki regarded him. "I want you stationed outside Sakura's room tonight. Alert me immediately if anything happens, and don't let Sakura leave."

Hideki's face soured.

"She can't leave here with him, Hideki."

Hideki nodded in understanding. "Is that man her missing teammate?" he asked.

"Yes," Gaara answered. "He's extremely dangerous and I don't like him being here in the village. It's necessary, but he'll be gone by the morning. Until then, I want as few people as possible to know that he's here."

"Yes, Kazekage-sama."

This was usually Hideki's cue to take off. The gap between Gaara and Sakura was widening and Hideki was still kneeling in front of him, his face curious.

"Why is he here, Gaara-sama?"

Gaara sighed and motioned for Hideki to stand up. "He wants a medic to join his team," he answered.

"He aimed quite high, then," Hideki mused. "The top medic in the world? And while she is in Suna, no less. Don't you find this suspicious?"

Gaara scowled. "Of course I find it suspicious," he snapped. "That voyeuristic son of a bitch sought her out while she wasn't in the country. He was looking for her specifically, not just any medic."

"Voyeuristic?"

Gaara's scowl deepened.

"Do you want me to spy on them?" Hideki asked.

Gaara considered this for a moment. He hadn't wanted to eavesdrop because he didn't want to break Sakura's trust. What happened between her and Sasuke was none of Gaara's business, but in spite of himself he couldn't bear the thought of not knowing what was going on.

Even if he did break Sakura's trust, even if she decided never to speak to him again, it was worth it to be able to know what to do next. He needed to be able to keep her safe, and though he was loathe to admit that it was at least partially due to jealousy, he needed to keep her away from Sasuke.

"Be discrete," Gaara advised.

"I always am."