Spring Fever

Sakura wasn't a complete idiot and she was perfectly capable of guile when the situation necessitated it. She knew that the best chance of extricating herself from the mess she'd found herself in would come when the majority of the Kaze family was busy. She'd had her resignation written for about a week when just such an opportunity arrived, half of it was sheer luck and the rest of it by design.

Temari and Shikamaru were off visiting the Nara side, Kankurō was having a prolonged weekend with his current flavor of choice. 'And I personally booked Chiyo and Ebizō into a wellness spa where they're going to be so busy with being pampered they'll hardly think about me when I'm gone.' At least she was hoping the treatment would soften whatever her sudden departure might bring.

According to the two elders who made it their job to know where and what the youngsters were up to, Sasori was also away on business-some far flung town off the coast of Kaze which she vaguely recalled him mentioning at breakfast but then it was hard paying attention when she was busy staring. In any case it meant the perfect opportunity to slide her papers across Gaara's desk had arrived.

The rings around Gaara's eyes were looking less black and more purple lately-which probably meant he was sleeping more than he used too and she couldn't help but feel like their situations had gone in reverse. 'I for one am looking forward to a month long coma after all this.'

"Are we not paying you enough?" Teal eyes darted from the paper and back to the deliverer.

Sakura snorted. "No, the amount has been more than generous but there are some things Money just cannot buy." Like time and peace of mind.

There was a reason why she'd chosen to wait until everyone else was gone or busy. Gaara wouldn't try to guilt her or strong arm her into staying on. He'd ask pointed questions and attempt to compromise but would ultimately accept her decision. "This is purely due to personal reasons-I've more or less enjoyed my time working for your family. You know that I adore...well, most of you." it really depended on the hour of the day how she felt about Sasori.

"But you've read it yourself that this resignation is immediate-I've given you the name of several possible replacements and I even called in a favor from one of my mentors. Shizune attended the same university and apprenticed under Tsunade years before me, she's ready to come down immediately if needed." In no small part thanks to Sakura blubbering and begging her over the phone the Monday that followed her resolution. 'Sometimes crying works. I guess it just depends on who it's targeted at.'

Sasori probably reveled in the tears of others after sneering at them. 'That or he bathes in them. Maybe that's the secret to a perpetually pretty face..' Sakura shook those thoughts off and focused on the task at hand. "Anyways I'll be vacating my residence by the end of the week and I'll drop all my keys off when I've finished." Her house-as little as the time she actually spent in it may have been was provided by them. 'And my car.' Which was fine she had more than enough money that when she figured out what she was doing and where she was going she'd be able to buy whatever was needed.

"You don't have to rush." Gaara was hoping it took her longer than a week because at least by then someone who was better at words or puppydog looks would be able to convince her to remain. They could afford just about any doctor they wanted-but who could match the qualities Sakura exhibited? 'How many people are willing to wake up in the middle of the night just to talk someone through a night-terror?' And he was thinking about that via experience. The human element that Sakura brought to her work was just as important as the technical aspects and she excelled at both.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm not." All her packing was pretty much done and shipped off to a storage facility near her hometown until she figured out a more permanent living arrangement. 'All except for things I've left at Sasori's place.' because having to stay over on multiple occasions meant that her things had begun to pile up in that guest room. "Well, there is one more thing." She set 6 envelopes addressed to the various members of Gaara's family, one baring his own name. "It's a bit sentimental of me." she admitted.

Suddenly it was feeling a lot less like Sakura was just quitting a job to move onto greener pastures and more like she was bidding them all a fond farewell-which was deeply unsettling because his family didn't take to outsiders easily but they were all in agreement about her. "You could deliver them yourself." Or better yet, say whatever she'd written in them.

"Well I would but you see I'm sort of on a time crunch-I booked a vacation." Sakura was not the best of liars but she could manage if she stuck just close enough to the truth. "Anyways it's not like you'll never see me again and I'm really only a phone call away." although she wasn't sure when she'd be seeing them because their social circles were wildly different and she wasn't staying in Suna. 'But If there was an emergency I would absolutely come back.' But she was not getting on a plane because of Sasori's nonexistent heart issues or because Shikadai was sneezing.

Gaara was visibly frowning, which was striking because he usually preferred to emulate the stoicism his uncle predominately exhibited-but without the oozing arrogance. "If what you wanted was a vacation all you really had to do was ask…" thinking about he realized in the five years she'd been employed by them Sakura hadn't had much time off and she worked abysmal hours. 'Anytime someone calls whether it's waking hours or night she picks up…' he could see why she'd be exhausted.

She waved her hand. "Think of this as more of me going on sabbatical…" Kakashi had a saying that she used to laugh at. 'Getting lost on the road of life.' Which was essentially what she intended to do. "Anyways I really do have some errands to run." she bowed in his direction formally. "Thank you for everything Gaara, it really has been a pleasure."

"You know I hate when you do that especially in private." He grumbled having decided that it was not a good day and a series of even worse ones were to follow. "You can come back anytime."

"I know." Sakura wriggled her fingers in farewell and then she was gone through the doors. There was a thirty minute drive to the house Sasori stayed at when he was in the capital and she had to riffle through about twenty keys until she found the right one because she'd accumulated a key for just about every property the six of them owned collectively and that excluded vehicles. 'And then there's all the passcodes too.' she thought, punching in the numbers of the security system. It was a wonder that she could remember any of her own information when it was mixed up with everyone else's.

Going in through the side entrance put her in the mudroom that led into the kitchen. Which coincidentally was where one of her favorite features of the house resided.

"I am going to miss you so much." Sakura sniffled and patted the top of the line espresso machine that had been installed the year before. 'And Sasori doesn't even drink coffee-the tea snob. What a waste.' really when she thought about it her life was about to change drastically now that she had a large chunk of time to herself. It felt weird that by morning she'd be back in Konoha, sleeping in her childhood room for the first time in years. 'Well best get on with it.'

There were a few things that Sakura knew about Sasori with absolute certainty, one of which was that he had impeccable style, from clothing to interior design. The guest room she frequented was no exception, from the carpet beneath her feet with the pattern she could and often did get lost in while she thought to the vermilion and white colors that dominated the space she'd never had any complaints.

Sakura managed to fit just about everything she owned from the guest room and bathroom into two duffel bags-the amount surprised her but then it was just a testament to how often she was called over. 'That's all in the past now.' She reminded herself, dropping the heavy set of keys in the place Sasori was most likely to spot them-the main entrance, on the table he normally set his own keys because everything had its proper place in his home.

'They're his problem now.' It was amazing how much lighter she felt without them all. 'Now to catch a plane.' she wondered if it would feel strange flying commercial again after all the private jets but Sakura had come from a humble background and she'd adjust easily. She put the code in one last time.

When Sasori returned several days later he did give pause at seeing the keys but he figured that she might have been on the premises recently and left them behind. It would have been an oddly careless mistake of Sakura's but it had happened once or twice in the past due to some incident or another. He was about to check the security log to see when she'd last been in but the ringing of his phone put the consideration aside.

"I'm assuming you're back?"

It was a stupid question on Gaara's part because Sasori was strict when it came to his schedule-but not so noticeably as to create a pattern that someone could tail him by, that would just be amateurism on his part. "I am."

"Then head to Grandmother Chiyo's, family meeting. Temari will be in shortly and we both know you hate being the last one to show up."

Family meetings were not odd occurrences but Sasori usually had a general idea what they would be about before they were called. There was an intense dislike he felt at being out of the loop. He shrugged it off after collecting Sakura's keys. 'We'll have to have a talk about leaving these laying around.'

The first words he uttered to the reigning monarch were "You look like garbage." likely from a renewed lack of sleep over the past few days. That wasn't uncommon but Sasori had thought Sakura was making headway adjusting the other redhead's sleeping patterns to something more healthy.

"Hn." Gaara was even less chatty than usual if the monosyllabic responses were anything to go by.

Kankurō looked up from the mahjong board between him and the most senior members of the family. "Oh, how'd it go in Ayu?" He honestly regretted asking when he was treated with the usual look that made him feel like he was five again. "Never-mind, I get it sheesh." he drew a tile. "You know you two are looking oddly spry." He squinted at his grandmother and great uncle.

"Oh yes that spa did wonders. My joints haven't felt this good in ages." Ebizō hummed as he scrutinized his pieces.

Chiyo couldn't disagree with that but there was something in her bones that had been nagging at her since Sakura organized the trip, she hadn't seen hide nor hair of the girl, or even heard a peep for that matter. 'Well it has only been a day since we got back.'

And then Temari burst through the door in complete disarray-prior to having a baby the display would have been shocking but she was still hormonal and thus prone to showing more emotion than she normally would. "I-I...I went to bring Sakura cake from Konoha but her plants are gone!" and Sakura loved her plants. "I think she was kidnapped."

Shikamaru sighed lethargically from behind her. "Yes I'm sure we're going to get a ransom note for Sakura and her plants at any moment." He really hoped that they stuck to the one and done plan when it came to kids. Shikadai was lovable and all but Temari's mood swings were not so great. The baby wiggled in the harness strapped to his chest as if he could sense his father's thoughts.

"What? Was there any sign of a struggle?" Kankurō wondered.

"No but her plants…"

"Why don't we focus on the bigger picture here and follow it to the logical conclusion that isn't a kidnapping?" Shikamaru suggested, draping himself into a seat lazily. All he wanted to do was go home and sleep. "All of her things are gone. Which means she is gone. Draw your own conclusions."

Sasori didn't like where his conclusions were leading him and the tension that drew his body taut was evidence of that.

"Shikamaru's got the right of it." Gaara sighed and ripped the proverbial band aid off now that everyone was around to feel it. "She put her resignation in last week and left these. " He held up the letters.

"Oho, clever girl." Chiyo cackled because things were suddenly making so much more sense.

"And you didn't call me?!" Temari shrieked and then covered her mouth, fearful that the sound would make Shikadai cry. She'd learned that every moment of silence was precious. She tugged her letter from Gaara's hand gingerly, half afraid it might rip.

"And you let her." Sasori sneered because of course Gaara with his newfangled morals would be easy prey.

"I wasn't aware we were keeping her as a slave." Gaara shot back after handing out the letters, his arms crossed defensively.

Temari scowled and pointed a finger in her cousin's direction. "Lets just be honest its probably your fault anyways I mean with your stupid Machiavellian schemes and cloak and dagger flirting. Just be normal for once! I mean did you really think letting her catch another woman going down on you was suddenly going to make her realize how great you were?" For someone so smart he was so dumb.

"I was simply proving a point, but If she'd bothered to pay attention she would have noticed some similarities." of course the shade of that woman's eyes had been all wrong and he was sure the magenta hue of her hair wasn't natural. "And if she hadn't run off she would have seen them being dismissed." Never to be seen by him again. He'd only been out to prove there was only one type of person he was interested in but it sailed right over Sakura's head.

"Yea I'm sure she could get a good eyeful of those similarities when their head was buried in your crotch." Temari rolled her eyes. "Great plan, genius. Now what are you going to do if Shikadai catches a fever and dies?!"

"Oh don't put that sort of bad juju out into the air." Chiyo tsked.

"Maybe it's because you keep calling her over infant sneezes." Sasori glared back.

Ebizō covered his scoff with a loud slurp of tea. 'Pot meet kettle.'

Shikamaru sighed feeling like he was the only one left with any sense in the room, which was odd because Sasori was usually on par or above his intellect. "Have you considered, oh I don't know...reading the letters to see if she gives a reason why before you all start pointing fingers?"

Kankurō frowned at his envelope. "Why is mine busted open?"

"That was me. After I read mine I got curious." Gaara shrugged delicately. "But upon reading yours I started to feel bad about the invasion of privacy and decided not to continue." Also there was nothing of real note contained within and he figured the rest were similar in nature.

A quick glance over the letter told Kankurō that Gaara probably found the subject matter to be boring. 'It's basically so long and thanks for the fun times.' There were a few anecdotes and thanks contained along with some assurances he could call almost at any time-but preferably during the waking hours.

All eyes turned to Sasori as he read over his own.

Sasori,

I really struggled with what to write to you, there is probably no one who I can think of that has been as oddly charming and as...bothersome as you have been in the time that we've known one another. I might actually even miss your cutting wit...well, at least when it's not aimed at me. I'm definitely going to miss breakfast though. Thank you for everything.

All the best,
Sakura.

PS:
There is nothing wrong with you physically. It's your head that's the problem.

"There is nothing here that I didn't already know." He scowled and turned to Temari who after reading her own letter had become rather pale. "What does yours say?"

What It said was that it was basically her fault. 'But not in a negative way or anything.' No, Sakura was thankful that Temari had reminded her that time was slipping by and had given her the last push she needed to pursue other passions; having a family and kids of her own. Something that given the pace and frequency of her work with them was impossible. 'And that was partially on purpose.' Especially on Sasori's part but every single one of them was of similar mind that Sakura marrying into the family was preferable and they took great pains at making sure she had as little time as possible to meet with people outside of them. 'Except now we're completely without a Sakura.' and she felt awful.

In the end they were all responsible. 'But mostly Sasori.' she comforted herself. "It is definitely your fault." she reiterated, thrusting the letter in his direction. "If you had just stopped playing games…"

Shikamaru who had been lazily reading over his wife's shoulder snickered because it was so damn typical of women.

"All she had to do was ask. I am perfectly willing to fulfill these requirements. What exactly does she think I've been doing these last three years, being nice for the sake of being nice?" Sasori scoffed-because honestly that never happened and never would. He'd changed his house around to suit her tastes, came up with ridiculous reasons to see her, cooked for her and went as far as to install and learn to use that stupid coffee machine all for Sakura and she still didn't notice. 'Not to mention the gifts.' It was obvious to everyone but her and she was the only one that mattered.

"...What does it say?" Gaara's nonexistent eyebrows were raised.

"She wants to have a family, we're preventing that-my words not hers." Temari clarified, because the tone of the letter hadn't been as stringent or cold as that. It was thankful and hopeful which just made her feel worse.

"It's called baby fever for a reason because just like a damn cold it's contagious." The only thing that saved Shikamaru from catching an elbow to the ribs was the fact that his son was strapped across his chest, but the withering glare his wife sent him gave him the distinct feeling he'd be stuck on the uncomfortable couch that night. "Troublesome."

"You had to have known this was coming," Sasori accused, narrowing his eyes on Temari. "Women talk about everything."

"Well not this!" The blond threw her hands into the air angrily. "If anything since you know so much how come you didn't notice? Guess you're not so infallible after all!" she stuck the knife in and twisted it.

Sasori turned to his grandmother. "Die." The lack of shock everyone displayed was a testament to how often he'd suggested that. "Or at the very least fake your death and she'll come running back." Although the real deal wouldn't be too bad a turn of events either. "Problem solved." Otherwise he was going to have to go track her down, which wouldn't be too hard but he much preferred that she return on her own recognizance.

" I think you're forgetting some things in between that." Ebizō quipped. "Like apologizing and confessing." the second was inevitable...the first was improbable. Sasori didn't apologize.

"And as amusing as that would be," Chiyo began to say, thumbing through her mahjong tiles. "I'm afraid I'll have to go with no. You don't fix one problem by creating another, that's terribly messy my boy." she clicked her tongue. "No, no I'm afraid you'll have to solve this one on your own. Shouldn't be too hard and I thoroughly hope for your success." The more great grandchildren the better in her opinion and she did so adore Sakura. 'He's always the most human around her.'

One thing was for sure, this was not how Sasori had intended things to go and he abhorred it when plans went awry.

Somewhere in Konohagakure where she was laying low Sakura found herself sneezing up a storm with an awful chill going down her back.

Sasori conveniently forgot that It's really only considered "Dating" When both parties know it and he's also not sorry at all.

The nice thing about short chapters is that they are faster to write.