I am currently in the process of re-writing this story, please be sure to read from the beginning if you are familiar with it. Updates on later chapters will be posted sporadically. I am sorry I've been so busy of late but I hope you enjoy the story regardless of this! –Saki
Chapter 37
Kisho noticed some people walk in from outside and nudged Kai. "Hey I think I saw someone I knew walk in." Kai raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"You mean like that guy that you thought was an old friend of yours and turned out to be a rogue that stole all of our produce? Yeah sorry, but unless you can identify them completely I'm not moving." Kisho grumbled.
"For the record, he was the cousin of the guy I used to know." Kai looked at him with an I-really-don't-care look and turned back to his food. Kisho was sure he knew the people that had just walked in but he couldn't see their faces clearly because two others he didn't know were sitting next to them and blocking their faces from view. He saw the side of a mask with red on it and his eyes widened. "Hey Iori! Yuri and Gen are back!" He called into the kitchen and Iori quickly walked out.
Kai turned around, remembering the couple that had been there a week or two before. He looked at the table where Kisho was pointing but only saw a blonde haired girl arguing with a guy with purple face paint. He turned to Kisho and glared.
"They look nothing like Yuri and Gen you moron!" Kisho protested quickly as Iori looked at them both with a questioning glance.
"No they are behind those people I'll prove it!" He turned back to the table and smiled. "Hey Gen! Yuri! Welcome back guys! Come on over here and sit with us!" A green eyed face popped up from the table and her face broke into a smile.
"Kai! Kisho! It's great to see you!" Temari stood up and followed Sakura over to the bar stool with Gaara, Kankuro, and Kaguri following them. Iori smiled at them both and called his wife in from the kitchen.
"It's great to see you both. Oh and Kaguri! How are you all doing?" Iori asked, grinning at them as they sat down at the bar with Gaara next to Kai and Sakura next to him.
"We are doing very well."
"I'm much better than when you last saw me!" Sakura smiled broadly at him.
"Yes, she was able to recover thanks to you and your wife's hospitality." Iori and his wife both waved away their compliments.
"We were doing what anyone would do in that situation." Sakura smiled but knew they were both just being modest. Iori's gaze turned to Temari and Kankuro who had been observing the exchange with quiet glances.
"Oh, and are these your friends?" Sakura turned and looked at Kankuro and Temari as her grin dropped a little.
"Yes, um we actually were wondering if we could talk to you in private." Iori was surprised but nodded.
"Come upstairs and we can talk. Rin mind the bar!" A girl nodded and walked over, taking Iori's place as he led them upstairs. His wife walked next to Sakura smiling and saying how happy she was to see her well again.
They got upstairs and all sat down on couches in their living room. Gaara and Sakura sat next to Kaguri and Kankuro and Temari sat on the other couch. Iori and his wife sat down on the largest couch across from Sakura and Gaara. "So Yuri what is it you wanted to talk about?" Iori asked, leaning back a little. Sakura looked at Gaara who nodded.
"Well we were not entirely truthful to you." The two looked confused for a split second until Sakura dropped the henge on her hair. "My name is Sakura Haruno. We were on a mission here and had to use fake names to maintain secrecy." Iori and the others were shocked.
"Sakura Haruno! You're the apprentice to the Hokage! Who would have thought that we wouldn't be able to recognize you." They gave her rather impressed glances before turning their gaze to Kaguri.
"I am an ANBU in Konoha, my cover was not necessary." They nodded and smiled at him as Iroi's wife laughed.
"I suppose Gen isn't his real name either." He said motioning to Gaara. Gaara shook his head.
"No it isn't." He took off his mask and put it next to him revealing his face that shocked them all in to silence. "My name is Sabaku no Gaara, these are my siblings Temari and Kankuro. We are in Konoha on business." Kankuro and Temari smiled and looked at the rather shocked pair sitting across from them. Temari was the first to break the silence.
"I'm so happy to meet you all. We were told about how you helped Sakura and wanted to thank you." Temari bowed slightly to Iori who nodded stiffly and then immediately looked back at Gaara.
"You are the Kazekage, correct?" Iori spoke slowly, completely in awe. He had heard about the person named Gaara that had become the Kazekage. Even in a small village like theirs the Sabaku siblings were known. Most people in the Fire Country knew their names but not many civilians were familiar with their faces. He was completely shocked that all three of them were sitting in his living room.
"Yes I am but for these purposes you may call me Gaara." Iori nodded and smiled as Gaara looked at them.
"I'm guessing then that you two aren't newlyweds then." Iori said looking between Gaara and Sakura. They shook their heads.
"Not yet at least. We actually came here to invite you to our wedding." Sakura said and they all became silent again. Iori began to laugh as his wife nodded enthusiastically.
"We would be honored to come to your wedding!" Iori nodded and stood next to his wife, shaking Gaara's hand.
"May you always be happy together." He smiled and Gaara and Sakura smiled back.
"Thank you. The wedding is on the 16th. You are welcome to come back to Konoha with us. We are heading back in two days." They nodded.
"If it isn't too much trouble then we would love to have the company in the travel." Iori's wife thanked her happily and Sakura smiled.
"Alright then I'll have my Shishou arrange things for your stay in Konoha." Temari and Kankuro stood up next to them and stretched.
"Well I'm sure you all are hungry, having traveled so much today. Would you like to come have some dinner downstairs?" They all nodded as Kankuro grinned.
"I am glad you suggested it I was getting a bit hungry." Iori shook his head as his wife laughed.
"I'll get cooking then! Would you all like some soup and rice with vegetables? It's the house special tonight." They nodded. She smiled and they all walked downstairs. Kai and Kisho were discussing something with Kaguri and they sat at the bar still talking as Sakura and Gaara sat on one side of their table with Kankuro and Temari on the other.
"They really are such nice people. I wish I could do more to help them. It must be hard on them after losing so much money to those rogues." Sakura said, shaking her head. Temari nodded. Gaara cleared his throat slightly, gaining the attention of his siblings and Sakura.
"I was thinking about that on the way here. This town needs the money to get back on its feet. Konoha is helping with taking care of the lord's duties but I feel like I owe the people here, I want to give them some money." She looked at Gaara and was surprised.
"I think that's a great idea Gaara. How much do you want to give them?" Gaara thought about it for a moment.
"As much as they need to cover repairs and such. A few thousand." They all were equally shocked by this number and Kankuro shook his head a little.
"That's an awfully large amount of money." Sakura nodded.
"But I think he's right, they do need it." Temari nodded.
"I agree, but where are we going to get the money? The elders won't go along with it and you know you need their approval for such a large amount." Kankuro gave Gaara a serious look.
"We'll get the people of Konoha and Suna to raise it." Gaara looked at Kankuro and Temari stared at him in disbelief.
"Like donations? It's a good idea, but how are we going to raise that much through donations?" Kankuro shrugged.
"They're huge villages I'm sure we can do it. Besides, everyone will be willing to help the Kazekage and the Hokage's daughter." Temari nodded.
"He has a point. You two can announce it at your wedding speech in Konoha. I know that people of importance will be at that speech. I'm sure plenty of people will give money immediately. I think we can raise a lot more than just a few thousand, enough to really get the town back on its feet." Sakura smiled.
"I'll donate a hundred. I know my Shishou will donate a lot as well. All of my friends, their families, and the Sensei. That's already at least a thousand, maybe more if some of the larger clans help out. The Hyuugas and Inuzukas and such." Temari nodded.
"We'll pitch in a few hundred and that makes around two or three thousand already." Gaara nodded.
"I think we can do this easily. Now that that is settled, what is there to do in this town?" Temari asked as Iori's wife brought their food over.
"Oh if you are looking for things to do you can always visit the shops in town and the forest is beautiful this time of year. Bundle up if you go out though it is rather cold." Sakura smiled and nodded.
"We'll be sure to bundle up. I think I might take a walk tomorrow through the forest now that it's safe. Maybe Temari can come with me." Temari nodded sipping her soup.
"I would love to. Oh this soup is delicious! Thank you very much!" She smiled and Iori's wife waved her off.
"Oh it's nothing dear really." She blushed and hid her face behind her hand before walking back to the kitchen. Sakura and the others ate quietly, talking about the donations until Kaguri came over and sat next to Kankuro. They told him about the plan and he agreed to donate fifty at least.
"I'm sorry I can't do more but I am sparing at the moment." They nodded and smiled.
"It is certainly enough to make a difference." Kaguri nodded as they finished up their meal and called goodbye to everyone before paying for their meals and grabbing their coats and cloaks before walking out into the snowy streets.
"Is it snowy all winter in the Fire Country?" Temari asked and Kaguri chuckled.
"Not every year and it really only snows on and off for three months. This year is unusual but we're mostly used to it." Sakura nodded.
"I remember that ever since I was little it snowed nearly every year on Christmas." Kaguri smiled.
"Yes I don't think we have not had snow on Christmas since the first Hokage." Kankuro shook his head and laughed.
"In Suna one year the sand blew so hard on Christmas that it piled up against our door. I pretended it was snow and we were snowed in. It made it seem like it really was Christmas. To be honest I hadn't seen snow until I came to the Fire Country on a mission when I was a Genin. I freaked out and felt like I was going to freeze. I remember Gaara went into one of his fits and refused to come down from a tree. Temari you were the only one who wasn't freaking out. Baki was yelling at me and trying to get me to let go of him and Gaara was simply stubborn. It took an hour just to calm us both down." Sakura laughed and Gaara merely shook his head.
"I remember that. Baki was not happy with you at all Kankuro." He shrugged.
"Eh he was just a stick in the mud sometimes." Temari rolled her eyes.
"He's lucky to have survived teaching our team." Sakura silently agreed with Temari as she remembered the hardened Baki she vaguely knew and remembered.
The conversation dwindled as they walked into the Inn and down the hall to their rooms. Sakura and Temari said goodnight to the guys and went into their room as the guys went into theirs. Temari looked at Sakura and smiled as they entered the room and discarded their cloaks.
"Do you want to talk for a while? I want to talk about when you come to Suna." Sakura looked at her and nodded.
"Sure Temari, I'm going to put on my pajamas and brush my teeth, then I'll come back in here." Temari nodded as Sakura grabbed them out of her bag and walked into the bathroom to change and clean up.
Temari decided to change herself and pulled on a black top and pants before sitting on the couch and waiting for Sakura. She came out of the bathroom in her pink top with the cherry blossom flowers on it and her red pants. She walked over to the couch and sat down, facing Temari. "So what did you want to talk about regarding Suna?"
"Well when you and Gaara move there you will be in the house we own. Kankuro and I have separate houses attached to it, it's sort of like a compound in a way. But you'll see it when you get there. What I really wanted to ask was if you are going to become the head of the hospital." Sakura thought about this for a moment before nodding.
"It was the plan to, yes. I think Shishou wants me to as well and I think I can get more done that way so I believe I will. I was wondering if Suna has a good program for shinobi training." Temari nodded.
"It's been reformed since Gaara became Kazekage. Why do you ask? Do you want to become a teacher?" Sakura shook her head.
"No I wasn't thinking about me." Temari's eyes widened and she stood up.
"Are you pregnant?!" She hissed in a shocked tone as Sakura waved her hands in front of her in protest as she got a slightly hyperventilating Temari to sit down.
"Temari how in the world could I possibly be pregnant?" Temari looked at her and searched her eyes. She saw that Sakura wasn't lying and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Oh that's ok then. I figured my brother would be the more 'wild' type." She laughed a little as Sakura rolled her eyes at her obvious jab at their non-existent sex life, truthfully she just hadn't felt the need to.
"Speaking of types, what's going on with you and Shikamaru?" Temari looked at her and immediately made her facial expressions as neutral as possible.
"I don't know what you mean he's just my friend." Sakura looked at her and smiled.
"Oh come on Temari we both know that's not true. So tell me, did Konoha's laziest shinobi ask you out officially yet?" Temari shook her head.
"Not specifically, but you're right, we've been sort of seeing each other, for a while actually. To tell you the truth, I wish he would just get off his lazy ass and ask me out properly. I mean, we've walked around Konoha a few times and met up after missions and such, even during missions when we ran into each other. But the bum won't even take me out to dinner, or lunch." She sighed. Sakura looked at her and smiled.
"I can help you Temari. I know Shikamaru likes you a lot. He had more or less told me that. He's been one of my best friends since I was younger and I can tell when he really likes someone. I can get him to ask you out on an official date without him knowing you are upset that he hasn't." Temari laughed and then smiled.
"Thanks Sakura, it's a tough situation to be in you know? Well I guess you don't, seeing as how you and Gaara figured it all out so quickly. I am still amazed at that by the way. You just jumped in head first, but truthfully, I don't think either of you are the dating type." She paused and then sighed. "I can't wait until we're sisters, I feel like we are already." She laid her hand on Sakura's arm as her voice took on a very genuine tone. "I'm glad he found you." Sakura smiled at her and then sighed.
"I'm glad he did as well. I think somehow after that retrieval mission we were linked." Temari watched her intently and then, bumped Sakura's arm lightly with her arm, breaking the atmosphere with a smile.
"You want to hear some stories about Kankuro's horrendous dating life?" Sakura laughed but was immediately intrigued as Temari started off with a story about a girl Kankuro had tried to impress for a month.
Sakura was laughing so hard at the end of a story about Kankuro, a scorpion, a Genin, and a very angry Sensei that Temari broke down herself, gasping as she tried to finish that story. "A-and then he – he tried to say that it wasn't his stinger, it was the scorpion!" Sakura doubled over, clutching her stomach as she wheezed with laughter, Temari's snorting laugh covering up her near silent one.
They finally calmed down, wiping away tears and snorting occasionally when one of them mumbled the word 'stinger.' Temari stood up first and stretched, walking over to the bed and crawling under the covers.
"I'm going to sleep, recalling Kankuro's stupidity always makes me tired." Sakura giggled and then crawled into the other single bed in the room.
"Goodnight Temari." Sakura said.
"Goodnight Sakura." She replied. They shut the lamps near their beds off and both closed their eyes, drifting off into sleep. Sakura felt herself opening her eyes and saw Inner sitting next to her poking her face.
"Oh good I thought you were dead." Sakura rolled her eyes and sat up.
"If I was dead you would be too." Inner waved her off.
"Details, details, so Temari thought you were pregnant? Interesting topic." She gave Sakura a slightly sadistic smile and Sakura glared at her. "So are you planning on having kids soon?"
"In the future Inner I'm not even married yet." Inner smiled and laughed.
"Oh come on you love the kids at the hospital! You always sneak into the children's ward on your breaks. Not to mention that dream you had a while ago. You know, where you were pregnant and sitting in that field. You seemed pretty happy about that dream. You even told Gaara it was a good dream." She said crossing her arms. Sakura sighed.
"Yeah well, it was a good dream. I was happy and Gaara was there. Everything seemed to be going great. The fact that I was pregnant just showed me that I was happy in my marriage to him. Besides it was just a dream." Inner shook her head.
"You know that's not it." She gave Sakura a scrutinizing glance and Sakura merely growled back.
"Inner drop it." Inner put her hands up in surrender and closed her eyes.
"Fine! I don't really care. I'm just excited that you're getting married and going to have a life. Honestly before this your life was pretty repetitive. It was mostly just missions and training then work. Nothing was really your life. You were just doing what you needed to. Sure the missions were different but not really." Sakura glared at her a little but then sighed.
"Yeah this is going to be a lot different. But I'll still be doing missions and I'll be running the hospital as well as working there. Also I'll be married and be living in Suna instead of Konoha. Not to mention Gaara's the Kazekage so that comes with new responsibilities as his wife and my adoptive mother is the Hokage so I think I'll become a major negotiator between the two villages." Inner grinned.
"Well that sounds like a very different life. It's time for you to go." Sakura nodded and felt herself starting to wake up.
Sakura opened her eyes and sat up stretching a little before looking over at Temari, who was still sleeping, before sliding out of bed.
She stood up and walked into the bathroom, turning on the shower and taking off her pajamas, throwing them on the sink with a sigh.
She looked at herself in the mirror and ran her fingers gently across the mark on her neck, it was a strange thing to have a mark she couldn't heal away. The thin scar on her stomach was the only preventable blemish she had ever allowed. She could have healed it long before, she could technically still heal it, but, like some shinobi, she chose to keep this scar to reminder her of something. In case of that scar, it was to remind her of the battle she almost didn't win and of a sacrifice.
She turned from the mirror and stuck her hand in the running water of the shower to check its temperature before sliding under the spray. She washed quickly and jumped out of the shower before drying off and blow-drying her hair. She assumed the noise would wake Temari but it wasn't too early in the morning and she knew Temari wouldn't mind.
She wrapped a towel around herself before exiting the bathroom as soon as she was finished. As she moved to where her clothes lay in her pack, she was surprised to see Temari stir in the bed and then still. Sakura shook her head. It was truly amazing how a shinobi could wake at the slightest sound when on a mission but sleep through most things when they were at ease.
She looked for her clothes with an amused expression, finding them and sliding them on quickly. With a quick glance around, she grabbed her pack full of weapons and medic supplies. Once they were strapped to her hip, her next task was to wake Temari up.
"Hey Temari it's about time we were getting up. Let's go get some breakfast!" Her voice was kept as gentle as possible while still managing to get Temari up. Temari opened her eyes and gave Sakura a groggy smile.
"Morning to you too Sakura. I'll get dressed and meet you in the lobby." She waved her off with a yawn as she sat up in the bed. Satisfied that she was at least mostly awake, Sakura walked out of the room. She shut the door and turned around, immediately bumping into Gaara.
"Oh, well good morning Gaara." She smiled at him as he gave her a soft look in return.
"Good morning Sakura. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes I did actually. Are Kankuro and Kaguri up yet?" Gaara nodded.
"Kaguri's in the lobby and Kankuro is getting dressed. Is Temari up yet?" Sakura shrugged.
"She's awake but I don't think she's out of bed yet." Gaara acknowledged this with a small noise in his throat. "I'm sure she'll be out in a bit. We might as well go meet Kaguri in the lobby." Sakura waved her hand at the door to her room and motioned for Gaara to walk down the hall with her to the lobby where Kaguri was waiting at a table.
"Good morning Sakura-san, Gaara-sama. It seems word as got out about your engagement." He showed them a newspaper he was reading with the main headline spouting the news in bold, black print for all the nations to see.
Kazekage Engaged to Hokage's Daughter
"Ah so the secret finally got let out. I wondered when everyone would find out. But I think it's funny they said the Hokage's daughter. That part is more recent. Oh well what does the article say?" Sakura glanced over his shoulder as Kaguri looked down and began to read it aloud.
"The Fifth Kazekage Sabaku no Gaara has recently become engaged to Sakura Haruno of Konoha. The alliance between Konoha and Suna will be strengthened by this marriage as Haruno holds a high ranking in Konoha and is one of the most prestigious members of the medical community. She is the student of the Legendary Sannin Tsunade and is also, as we were recently informed, her newly adopted daughter. Haruno's parents died many years before." Kaguri paused as Sakura nodded and he continued.
"The wedding in Konoha will take place on the 16th of this month and will be private. The Kazekage will return with Haruno to Suna soon after the wedding in Konoha. A public wedding in Suna will be taking place at a later date. Friends of the couple say the marriage was not arranged or planned by officials. 'The strengthening between villages was only thought of after they became engaged.' The Hokage stated. The Hokage will be conducting both ceremonies. Haruno and the Kazekage are expected to give statements later this week." Sakura looked at Gaara and sighed.
"Looks like we're going to be the center of attention now." Sakura mused.
"I feel even more honored that I'm invited to your private wedding." Sakura laughed.
"You also helped get me back to Konoha when I was hurt so I owe you." He smiled.
"You forget that you once saved my life after a botched mission. I owed you." Sakura shook her head and sat down at the table he was sitting at.
"Well then, we'll call it even with you attending our wedding." Kaguri chuckled just as Kankuro showed up and sat down in a chair.
"Morning everyone! What's new in the exciting lives of our group?" Kaguri handed him the newspaper and he read it, chuckling and shooting his brother amused glances.
"Well that is quite interesting. You guys won't be left alone until both weddings are over." Sakura rolled her eyes.
"You won't either since you are Gaara's brother and my future brother-in-law. They will be talking to you as much as they will talk to us." Kankuro shrugged and grabbed a piece of toast from the breakfast counter.
"So? I won't mind being in the spotlight. It doesn't bother me." Kaguri shook his head.
"You'll probably change your mind when everywhere you go people want to ask you questions." Kankuro smiled broadly.
"Well, just think of all the girls I'll meet that way!" Sakura scowled and hit him lightly on the arm making him chuckle. Temari walked up to the table with a yawn, smiling as she heard their laughter.
"Good morning everyone! Glad to see you're all in good spirits today." She smiled and grabbed an orange off the breakfast counter, peeling it as she walked over.
"Yes, we were talking about the article in the paper." Gaara motioned to the paper as Kaguri handed it to Temari who read it with a sigh.
"I guess this means we'll not be left alone until you're married huh?" Sakura shrugged.
"People in Konoha will want to congratulate us but it shouldn't be too bad. With a Hokage like my Shishou and residents like Naruto, we have our fair share of excitement so big news with officials often is not over celebrated. Kankuro says he doesn't mind being in the limelight, but I think he will eventually." Temari shot her brother a look.
"Knowing you Kankuro, you probably will use it to flirt with the reporters!" He grinned.
"Oh come on Temari give me a little more credit! They are just asking for it by sticking their noses into other people's business." Temari hit him over the head and he rubbed it sorely.
"What is it with you people and hitting me?" Sakura and Temari both rolled their eyes. "You're annoying, that's why." He rolled his eyes right back at her. "So changing the topic, we're going on a walk in the forest today right?" Sakura nodded.
"We can go now if everyone's had enough to eat, do you guys want to come with us?" They nodded, having all been eating amongst the discussion. Sakura smiled as they all got up to leave, pulling on their cloaks as they walked over to the door.
End of Chapter 37
This chapter has been re-written.