The next morning, the joint Suna/Konoha team met in one of the large meeting rooms of the barracks as they were told to do. Most of the team already knew what was coming...a few hours of debriefing, including a review of what was learned and most likely how to deal with the unexpected as they had just encountered not more than a day or two ago.

Ino and Chouji sat off to one side knowing that Shikamaru wasn't with them because of his leadership role on this mission. But they hadn't expected him to be as late as he was.

Chouji looked at the clock. It was already 15 minutes past the appointed meeting time. "I can't believe he's this late," he said. After all, Shikamaru was always very annoyed when either he or Ino weren't on time for their training sessions back home.

"I hope he's ok," said Ino. She was beginning to think something could have happened because in all the years she had known him, only two other times had he ever been this late. And those two times were because of either a miscommunication (he was on a mission and no one else was told) or he had an illness (he was basically puking his guts out at home and no one was aware of it until they checked on him afterwards).

Just then, a hurried Temari and Shikamaru entered the room at the same time. Both looked flustered. Temari looked like she had just run halfway across the village and Shikamaru was glowing a nice shade of red.

"Um, sorry we are late," said Temari, taking the seat at the front of the room.

"Yeah, my alarm didn't go off this morning," added Shikamaru.

"I got called to handle something at the front gate this morning and couldn't make it back in time," explained Temari. "Sorry," she stated again.

Ino leaned over to Chouji and whispered, "Different reasons for being late and they just happened to get here at the exact same time?"

"I went to see Shikamaru in his room last night and he wasn't there," said a knowing Chouji. "At least now I have a pretty good idea where he was."

They smiled at each other...they now had something to tease their teammate about. There had been a definite attraction between Shikamaru and Temari, but now it would seem things had reached a whole new level based on the way they were acting.

The wrap-up and debriefing session took a little over two hours. Temari officially disbanded the team afterwards and everyone was free to go about their business once the room was dismissed. The Leaf shinobi checked in with Shikamaru who told them that they would spend the remainder of the day in Suna and head back to Konoha at the crack of dawn the next day. The Leaf shinobi were all very happy...a whole day with nothing to do other than hang out and do whatever they wanted.

Most of them turned to exit the room. Soon enough, everyone was gone except for Shikamaru, Temari, Ino and Chouji. The last shinobi to exit the room before that was Sasuke who leaned into Shikamaru on the way out and said rather loudly, "Y'know, Sakura's in the village as well and at least I could make it on time this morning." Then he smirked and left the room - he was definitely riding him.

Shikamaru looked at his teammates while Temari was the one that turned red this time. Ino and Chouji smiled at their teammate upon hearing Sasuke's comment.

Ino chimed in to break the silence. "We kind of figured it out already," said Ino.

"Yeah, you weren't very discreet about it," added Chouji.

Shikamaru murmured, "Troublesome," then leaned over and kissed a surprised Temari full on the lips in front of his two teammates as if to make a public announcement.

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Sasuke walked over to the Kazekage's office. Upon his return to his room this morning, he noted that a written message had been left for him by his door. He was to report to Gaara's office as soon as the debriefing was over. He counted himself lucky for even seeing the note as he had spent the night with Sakura at the place she was staying after their dinner together.

He started to think again about Sakura. He was amazed how "normal" it seemed being together with her. After swearing off everything except revenge for much of his life, any attention he was given by women was simply unwanted. However, as a shinobi and as a teammate and someone who obviously cared about his well-being, even after he left the village, he definitely had held her in higher regard than all others. When he finally came back to the village, they were naturally drawn to each other, and it just developed into something comfortable and right.

Even though they had been apart for nearly a month, when he saw her again, it was so easy just to be with her again. There was no discomfort...no nervousness. It was just as if they belonged together...and it was nice.

Before he knew it, Sasuke was standing in front of Gaara's office. The guards knew that Gaara was expecting him and casually eyed him as he walked by.

He knocked on the door.

"Enter!" was shouted.

"You summoned me?" Sasuke asked after he walked into the room and stood stiffly in front of Gaara's desk.

"Sasuke Uchiha. You surprise me," said Gaara.

"How so?" Sasuke asked.

"You've changed," noted Gaara. He rose to his feet and circled Sasuke as he stood there unmoving. Gaara stopped in front of Sasuke and stood for a few seconds in front of him. "Your eyes."

"Hm?" Sasuke questioned.

"They no longer reflect revenge and hatred," said Gaara. Gaara walked away from Sasuke and sat back down behind his Kazekage's desk. "I'm happy you have finally seen the light. And your actions over the last couple of weeks have certainly proven your case."

"Thank you, Kazekage-sama," said Sasuke.

"You also have my personal thanks for saving my sister. For once, that Sharingan of yours did some good - I'm glad you can use it for more than death and destruction," said Gaara. "You are welcome here in Suna for any official or personal business you may have."

Sasuke nodded to acknowledge the Kazekage.

Gaara continued, "A word of advice...keep trying to live the life you are now trying to live. Don't get me wrong - the Hokage filled me in about how you've been and what you've done since returning to Konoha. I'm not spying or anything. You and I were very much alike when we were taking the chunnin exam. I still struggle with my faults every day, but I can see myself changing. Sometimes it is slow, but it is definitely there. And it is definitely worth it. I encourage you to make a life with Sakura, become the best shinobi you can be, and work every day to make the Uchiha name a respected one again."

Just then a knock came at the office door. Gaara and Sasuke had been alone for the last five minutes, but when the door opened again, there was a slew of familiar faces who entered. Most of the Leaf shinobi came in including Sakura as well as Temari, Kankuro, and even some of the Suna shinobi he had just ended his mission with.

Gaara explained to Sasuke, "I wanted to say my piece to you alone. But I have invited your comrades to have lunch with us as we mark the continued friendship between our two villages."

Kankuro walked up to Sasuke and wrapped his hand around Sasuke's shoulder as if he were a good friend and led him to the room down the hall where the food was being served.

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Early the next morning, all of the Leaf shinobi met just inside the gates of Suna. Gaara, Temari and Kankuro were there to see them off.

"Be safe in your travels," noted Gaara.

"I think they'll be fine," snapped Kankuro.

Temari struck him on his shoulder. "It's the right thing to say whenever anyone is leaving," she noted to her brother.

The Leaf shinobi said their farewells and left Suna behind. They passed through the large crevasse that led to the desert and eventually, home.

Six people saw the figures disappear into the sunlight and turned to return to the village proper. Of course, there were the sand siblings, but Shikamaru, Sasuke, and Sakura also decided to stay a few more days as well. Shikamaru wanted a break after co-leading the mission over the last two weeks - and now that he had found a new love, he wanted to spend a few extra days with her. He had already written and sent a full report for Lady Tsunade back with the others.

Sasuke and Sakura had something similar in mind, though they just wanted to spend a few days alone now that their missions were both over. It was almost them subconsciously, yet simultaneously, deciding to take their relationship to the next level. They just wanted to be together.

Although the day was most likely going to be rather mundane for the Leaf shinobi who stayed in Suna, the lack of anything to do was rather welcome. Temari spoke with the five others before they split that morning and proposed a small walk to a nearby town that housed a fantastic hot spring.

"A hot spring...in the desert?" Shikamaru was the first to question the proposal.

Kankuro interrupted quickly before Temari could respond, "Oh yes, they have dug deep to find the spring that is used and the area it sits in is known for its soothing minerals in the water."

"Oooh, that sounds nice!" stated Sakura.

"If that is what would make you happy," said Sasuke to Sakura.

Shikamaru didn't especially find hot springs to be his "thing", but Temari assured him that she could arrange a private room with a hot spring where they could bathe together and play shogi to his heart's content.

"I suppose," he finally agreed to go.

"What about you two?" asked Temari to her two brothers.

"I have much too much work to do," said Gaara.

"I thought he'd say that," said Temari. "What about you, Kankuro?"

"Er, I'm good. I'll stay back with Gaara in case he needs anything," he said. He could see that there were clearly two couples going and he certainly didn't want to be the only single among them.

"When do we leave?" asked Sakura.

"Whenever," said Temari. "I was a classmate of the owner's daughter and she has always told me the VIP quarters are hardly ever used. I'm sure getting that room won't be a problem."

Sasuke looked over at Temari and her two brothers. Yeah, I guess we kind of are VIPs, aren't we? After all, he is the Kazekage and the two of them are his immediate family.

"We'll meet you guys back here in an hour," said Temari.

"What about my room?" asked Sakura.

"You'll still need somewhere to stay tomorrow," said Temari. "Just leave whatever you want there. It's yours until you leave Suna."

"Thank you," said Sakura. She turned to Sasuke. "I'll go with you to get your stuff from the barracks. The exercises are over, so now you'll have to stay with me."

"Troublesome," said Shikamaru.

"You'll need a place to stay, too, Shikamaru," noted Temari. "I'll go with you to get your stuff as well and you can stay with me at my place."

Shikamaru, for once, hadn't thought that far ahead. She was right...he needed to vacate the barracks now that the others had left...and Temari's place was the natural place to stay.

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The hot springs inn Temari had suggested and ultimately led the four of them to was only about a half hour walk outside of the village gate.

"That's kind of funny," noted Sakura. "I've never been on this side of Suna before. I had just assumed that Sand was surrounded on all sides by...er, um...sand."

"Not at all," said Temari. "The Land of Wind has a lot of desert contained within it, but there are definitely different terrains than just desert and other villages besides Suna."

"Temari? Is that you?" said a voice inside the lobby when they entered the inn.

"Sabisu-san?" Temari obviously recognized the woman.

Sabisu walked up to Temari and warmly grabbed her hand. "I wish I had known you were coming! I would have prepared something special!"

"Oh, there is no need...these are three of my friends from Konoha. I have been raving about your inn and was hoping the VIP room was available to us for one night," said Temari.

"Of course it is," said Sabisu. "Always for the Kazekage and his family."

"Thank you very much. By the way, how is Senshi? I haven't seen her for a while," asked Temari.

"She's just fine," noted Sabisu. "I get to see her every so often, but since she has become a jounin and moved to Suna itself...well, you know."

"I completely understand," noted Temari. "She is quite a valuable asset to our corps."

"Thank you. Now if you four would like to come with me, I will show you to the VIP room," said Sabisu.