A/N: Okaaaaay, so next chapter will be the last one... in these two last chapters I ended up describing things a little fast because I ran out of ideas for more chapters and development... I'm so sorry if it gets too rushed, I tried my best to put a nice ending to this story AND tomorrow I will post chapter 10! Hope you enjoy it and, as always, review! XO

After one month their relationship wasn't a secret anymore. Sakura later found out the reason why Naruto and Shikamaru were acting weird when she was back from one of her travels to Suna. Kankuro… that bastard, she thought.

In Suna it was almost a scandal. Not because of the citizens, though.

"Kazekage-sama, this woman is not slightly related to Suna… We support all your decisions, but, please, reconsider this relationship!"

Gaara calmly listened to his advisors as they discreetly bashed his pink haired kunoichi. He didn't bother replying to their arguments as he still had a good share of supporters defending him. His previous sensei, Baki, was also by his side.

"Gentlemen, you disrespect the Kazekage with these words. His decision as to whether or not he should go on with his relationship belongs to him and him only. It will not affect his position as Kazekage by any means."

Gaara raised his hand to silence the turmoil between his supporters and non-supporters. Once the men were composed again, he began, "I will not end it. My attachment to Sakura will not influence my work, whether I continue this relationship or not."

He dismissed his men but signaled Baki to stay. "Baki. I want to say that I am thankful that you are by my side on this. I am glad that I actually have supporters of my relationship except Kankuro."

Baki was taken aback by the words of the Kazekage. His surprised expression quickly melted into a soft one. "Gaara… I will not let those who oppose you do anything to harm you or Sakura. You can count on me."

Sakura walked through the village attracting looks from everyone in her way. She could hear some of the whispers from the curious Suna citizens.

"Oh, that's the doctor that Gaara-sama is seeing?" "Yeah… she's cute."

She walked past the mansion's doors and went straight to her beloved's arms.

"I missed you…!" She purred.

"I missed you too." He leaned closer to her ear and whispered, "Go to my room, I'll be there in a few minutes. Why don't wait for me in the tub?"

Sakura quickly ran upstairs and headed to his bedroom. She took a quick shower to wash off the sweat and readied the tub.

When Gaara went into the bathroom she was already submersed in bubbles, with her head resting on one of the edges of the tub.

"There are two things I need to talk to you about," Gaara stated, stepping inside the tub.

Sakura sat up and stared at him, waiting for him to begin.

"There has been a bit of a turmoil here because of the news of our relationship."

"What?! But I heard some of the citizens saying good things about us on my way here…"

"The citizens are not the problem. The advising board is. A part of it does not agree with our relationship, I'm afraid they try to separate us. They may even send word to the Hokage in an attempt to make you break up."

"Naruto won't do such a thing. I have his full support."

"I know. Well, in time they will let this go, hopefully."

"Yeah. But what's so wrong with our relationship anyways?"

"There is nothing wrong with it. Their narrow mind is what's wrong. They think it would be proper if I engaged in a relationship with a local citizen."

"But our villages are allies. And we've been allies since before the war. Seriously, what's wrong with these guys?!"

"Their archaic minds. I couldn't manage the scandal it would be if they knew we have sex."

"That's so silly. Hey, what was the other thing you had to say?"

"Oh…" Gaara leaned closer to her ear and said, in a dangerously low tone, "when we're done with the bubble bath I'll take you to my bed and fuck you until you beg me to stop, doctor."

"You're a quick learner, aren't you?" She smirked.

"I have learned with you."

Sakura chuckled lightly before saying, teasingly, "Are you gonna? I've been hoping for it." She straddled him in the tub and they kissed for long minutes before going to his bed.

They took turns visiting each other over the course of the year. Sakura would even bring Sarada along sometimes, so she would get used to her mother's boyfriend. She still found Gaara to be very intimidating, but gradually she began to understand his quiet character and see that he was actually a caring and loving man. Most importantly, she realized that he made her mother happy.

Naturally, Gaara's opposers' efforts to make him break up with Sakura eventually died out. They gradually changed their minds about the Kazekage's relationship and even apologized to him.

A few months after their first anniversary, during one of Gaara's visits, he thought it was time to get his feelings out of his chest. He's been preparing for this since a long time ago and now he decided it was the right time to propose to his kunoichi. Gaara didn't have anything sophisticated in mind and he knew Sakura didn't like any of the sorts either, so he simply took her out to dinner one night and stood his ground while they were sitting on a bench below a huge tree in a square.

The sky was clear and the shining stars and moon lit up her face. Gaara looked at her as he stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers.

"Sakura," he began, "I want to say something."

"Yeah?"

"I think I've never said this before, but I want you to know that I… uh, I really love you."

"I love you too, babe, so much."

"Sakura… I want to spend the rest of my life by your side." He held up a little box and opened it up. Inside it there was a beautiful silver ring with an emerald stone in it.

"Will you be my wife?" Gaara looked at her expectantly. Her eyes were wide with brimming tears.

"Oh God…" Her tears streamed down her face and she smiled as she uttered her next words, "Yes, yes!"