Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any characters associated with it

TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains brief descriptions of bodily injury, pain, and death. Please read at your own discretion.

A One Month Bet

And get to work they did. As soon as the proposal had been accepted, she and Temari (and newly appointed member of the judges' panel – Kankuro) set to work. Whatever weird feelings Sakura had sensed with Kankuro seemed to have faded away once they were in a company of three. They had worked tirelessly that first evening, so that announcements were ready to be shared with the public the next day. Sakura was especially excited to tell her medical team the news (after inspecting their work from the previous afternoon, of course). While all the cadavers looked fairly well-mended, there was one body that looked virtually perfect, as though it had never been sliced in the first place. "Whose work is this?" she asked. A team of three medics stepped forward, one of whom she recognized.

"It's our work, sensei," said a female nin with freckles and a bronze hint to her golden braids.

"Yes," said another female, this one with darkened features the color of cocoa and beautiful dark ringlets. "But it was Miekuyu who stayed late after us to clean up the final patchwork. Doesn't it look good?" She was gazing up at the taller figure beside her, and when Sakura lifted her gaze, she could see why. Miekuyu had handsome features, most of which she had not taken notice of when he'd spoken to her before. He was the medic that had offered to escort her home days ago. She had been feeling so ill that day that she didn't take even a moment to examine his clean-cut sandy-blonde hair, blue eyes, or strong jaw. His two teammates had obviously not failed to notice them, though.

Miekuyu looked proudly at Sakura while the other two girls on his time beamed shyly at him. "It's exceptional work," Sakura concurred. The two young women chittered with excitement, and Miekuyu gave his teacher a dazzling smile.

"You have all been doing remarkably well," she said, turning to address the whole team. "Each of you has demonstrated exponential improvements, and everyone's patchwork this morning is in need of congratulations."

The class collectively heaved a sigh of relief, knowing they had made their instructor proud and that no one would be cleaning up anyone else's cadavers that day.

"This body is, of course, deceased," she continued firmly, ensuring that she regained their full attention. "A living human body will react differently to medical repair. You must account for the body's natural response to healing, especially when you are completing dangerous missions out in the field. Even if you stop internal bleeding, there will still be bruising. Even if you mend broken bones, there will be time needed for recuperation and physical therapy. Even if you heal a scratch or a burn, there will still be scarring. There is an immense amount of responsibility in caring for a living, breathing patient."

Her students stared at her with awe and reverence, and she could barely contain her excitement as she uttered the next parts. "Next week, you will have the opportunity to experience this first-hand."

X

The weekend and following days passed quickly… almost too quickly. Gaara had been inundated with paperwork for the competition, including participation request forms from all the ninja interested in joining the event. He had already signed more than fifteen denials from genin that were trying to enroll in the competition, and also jonin looking to join in the fun. He'd made his position clear that specialized jonin would not be participating, because they still needed ground-security throughout the village on the day of the event, but that didn't stop his nin from trying to sign up.

Gaara was honestly quite surprised by the overwhelming positive response he'd witnessed as the village geared up for the sparring competition. Word had traveled quickly from the jonin leaders to the chunin to their families and then to the rest of the village. Suddenly villagers that had no familial connection to any chunin competitors were talking about attending the event, even though he had explicitly stated that it was a closed production. Food vendors from throughout the village were even sending him business requests to set up food stands at the edge of the sparring grounds for the spectators. It had become an all-out madhouse, as though Suna was hosting the Chunin exams nine months early. The only difference in the level of excitement was that there was no buzz about foreign ninja visiting from opposing villages. Instead, the community was somehow even more excited to see the best-of-the-best of Suna's warriors. The villagers rarely had opportunities to witness their nin in real combat, and suddenly the whole village was humming with excitement and hometown pride.

Gaara heaved a hefty sigh and scratched another large "DENIED" on a participation form. It had been turned in by yet another genin whose handwriting looked as though he was barely ten years old. Had Gaara known the amount of work this was going to push on him he would have fought harder to deny Sakura's request the first time.

Sakura…

He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his neck with his good hand. He had hardly seen her in almost a whole week. She was leaving the Kage tower before daybreak every morning and returning long after nightfall had settled in. Beyond that, she kept herself shut in her quarters for the rest of the evening. Perhaps it's for the best, he thought. If she had wanted to see him, she would have done so by now. If she wanted to avoid him… well, that was her right. As badly as he wanted to see her, he would not bring himself to invade her privacy, though it felt unfair that she had been invading his almost every night.

Gaara had not scarcely slept a moment since that night on the roof, and his exhaustion was catching up to him. He had returned there every evening since, reviewing the events that had happened, silently basking in the brief moments of happiness and ecstasy he'd experienced before it had all disintegrated so fast. At least on the roof, with the moon to keep him company, he could remain in the "real". What haunted him more was the dreams of her that tormented his few moments of sleep. Sometimes they were wonderful images, images of him lacing his fingers through pink-tinted strands or perhaps the soft feeling of pressure against his torso, as though he was holding something delicate in an embrace. Other times they were for sharp, more intense: bolts of electricity screaming through his limbs, sounds of gentle panting, the humid feeling of sweat and lust. The worst, however, were the images of Sakura running away, calling him a monster before being swallowed by the billowing robe behind her while he reached out but couldn't grasp her.

Whether good or bad, Gaara did not want to revisit any of these images. If they were bad dreams, he awoke feeling angry and disgusted with himself as he had done so often in his youth. If they were good dreams, well… then he woke up feeling… lonely.

Gaara rubbed his bandaged hand carefully. It was still very sore, and even a full week later it would still occasionally open and bleed. He knew it was because he was overusing it. It was his dominant hand, so he used it frequently to work through paperwork at his desk. Especially now… he thought irritably.

He knew this was for the best. His mission and his duty were to Suna. He could not allow himself to continue being distracted by this woman. After the competition passed, she would have only a manner of days until she returned to Konoha, and that would be the end of it. She would cease to torment him any longer. The beast he felt inside diminished and groaned liked a wounded animal. It did not want Sakura to go away.

It's the only way, he quietly commanded. This is what I deserve.

X

Sakura, too, was swamped with preparations. After her initial announcement to the medical team, they had jumped from shock, to nervousness, to excitement. She had been working tirelessly to help her students prepare, arriving to the hospital every morning before the hot Suna sun lifted its heavy head all the way above the horizon. Some of the students had expressed anxiety about working with real injuries (a sentiment she couldn't quite grasp, since they had all elected to become medical nin in the first place). One girl actually fainted when Sakura had demonstrated a technique on a cadaver and then poured a dabble of blood on the wound so it looked more realistic.

"Well, what did you expect?" Sakura had said in exasperation. "Cadavers don't bleed because they're dead. Do you think every wound you ever heal is going to be clean and dry forever?"

To help those students that needed extra encouragement and a gentle push into the world of healing the living, she arranged with the hospital staff that her team could observe and even assist with any small injuries that passed through the hospital that week. Though she resented Gaara for suggesting her students could've just done this in the first place, she admitted that it was a good stepping-stone into working with real patients. The present hospital staff were predominantly versed in medicinal practices, something which Sakura knew a little bit about, but it was not her area of expertise. She was talented at fixing physical wounds, but when it came to illnesses that required homeopathic treatment, she left that to the shaman and elders that knew the medicines best.

Luckily, it turned out to be a good system for her students. Apparently, as word of the competition spread, excited chunin were already injuring themselves practicing for the upcoming event. Across seven days' time, she'd helped her medics mend multiple broken fingers and toes, a dislocated wrist, one pretty nasty burn patient, several cracked ribs, and dozens of simple cuts, scratches, and scrapes. As she worked, she kept an eye on the team members that she thought showed the most leadership prospect, knowing that she would soon have to select her own replacement. Of all the students, only a two seemed to possess the necessary qualities required for the job. One of them was Asano Miekuyu, whom since last Friday she had noticed more and more frequently outperforming his peers. He was accomplished, quick-working, and he had excellent bedside manner with his patients. He often left them smiling (some of them he left blushing), and he was quick to respond whenever Sakura announced she wanted the students to observe something or practice a specific technique. He was always first in line, ready to be nearest to Sakura to have the clearest view of whatever she was demonstrating. Several of the other medics (mostly women) were constantly looking to him for guidance and subsequently fawning over his cooperative assistance. Sakura was initially disapproving of his obvious popularity, but she reminded herself that it was not fair to judge him on that quality alone. As long as it's not a distraction to their work, then it doesn't matter what he looks like. What matters is that he is good at what he does, she thought. Charisma, punctuality, and natural talent are all good qualities to expect of a Medic Chief.

Another option Sakura was considering was Hiramatsu Mei Tai, the young medic whose careful work Sakura had praised and then demolished once before. Even though all of the students were only chunin, they all varied in age and maturity, some even looking to be older than Sakura herself. Mei Tai seemed much younger than her classmates, perhaps the youngest in the group. Sakura estimated she was little more than sixteen. However, despite her apparent age difference and shy demeanor, Mei Tai's healing abilities were almost unmatched by the others. Just as she had on the first encounter, she approached every new wound with careful calculation and patience, making sure that every fiber she reconnected was in its proper place. With Mei Tai, it was less about producing a quick and pretty finished product, but rather in taking the time to ensure that everything was put back together just right. Occasionally she finished quickly, as she had during that first encounter, particularly if it was a technique they had already drilled a few times. She seemed to get faster and more efficient with repetition. In other classes, though, she was sometimes the last to finish her work. Sakura could always count on it to be done well, but she knew in a high-pressure situation, one is not always allotted the gift of time. Still, it is more important to heal something correctly than it is to heal something quickly, she considered. Slow healing can be sped up with consistent practice, and soon she will become not only a fast healer, but also one with the wherewithal to heal a wound correctly. This is a good quality for a Chief Medic, as she will be able to accurately pass down good practices to future learners.

It would be a tough decision to make, Sakura knew, but she continued keep a watchful eye on all of her pupils over the days leading up to the competition. She could not help but feel so proud of them, watching them come in early and eager and many of them staying late into the afternoon to continue practicing. She would stay at the hospital each day until her last pupil left, and each evening she would grab a bite for dinner along the way home and then retire to her quarters for the night. She rarely saw anyone, except Temari and Kankuro once or twice to go over plans. She never even saw Gaara, not once, since the Elder Council meeting. He had been shut up in his office, and he had not called a summons in for her all week, not even to report on the medic team progress. Well, if that's how he was going to be, then what did she care? She had resolved to finish her mission with dignity, and she couldn't wait for her students to prove themselves that coming weekend.

The night before the competition, Sakura took time to wash her uniform and shine her Konoha headband. If she was representing her village tomorrow, she wanted to ensure she looked the part of a professional Chief Medic. Early in the week she had mailed a report to Tsunade detailing her proposal to the council and the plans for the competition, and her mentor's response had arrived early that afternoon:

Sakura,

The sparring competition sounds great! Funny you never had such a good idea to have something like that in Konoha. Do you like Suna better than us all of a sudden?

Just kidding!

Sounds like you're doing excellent work out there. I'm glad to hear that it seems Gaara has taken his head out of his ass to be a little more helpful. (Don't tell him I said that.) Good luck this Saturday. I know it will go great, and I look forward to your return soon. We'll celebrate with a bottle of Sake—my treat.

Best – Tsunade

Sakura sighed contentedly at Tsunade's letter. It didn't matter how many years had passed and how close she had gotten to her mentor; anytime she received praise from Tsunade it warmed her heart and gave her butterflies in her stomach. She really did miss her a lot. It would be nice to see her again soon. Sakura missed more than just Tsunade, though. She missed the comforting sound of raindrops on tree leaves and the chitter of birds and squirrels in the forest. She missed dashing through the tree limbs in the forest canopy during training days. She even missed Naruto, and Ino-Pig, and Kakashi – faces she had not thought about in weeks. Her month was wearing down and soon… very soon… she would get to see them again.

"Knock-knock!"

Sakura was pulled from her musing. It was Temari's voice outside the door. "Yes?"

"It's us! We have a surprise for you!" This time it was Kankuro's voice. She shifted uneasily. With her uniform drip-drying in the bathroom, Sakura had only her thin nightwear on. While she didn't generally feel uncomfortable around Kankuro, she wished that she did have some sort of robe or something to—

The robe!

Gaara's robe was still neatly folded where she had left it days earlier. Sakura felt panic mounting in her throat. "Uh, just a sec!" She grabbed the robe and quickly stuffed in under a pillow, trying to make the bulge underneath look as unassuming as possible. With a quick pat on the pillow for good luck, she then scampered to the doorway and cracked it open just wide enough to peek her head out. "Hey…guys?"

Temari and Kankuro were grinning, one holding a bottle of sake and the other holding a package of cheap beer. "We want to come and celebrate!" Temari beamed, "Congratulate our work on the competition tomorrow!"

"But it hasn't happened yet," Sakura chuckled, unable to contain the humor she found in their enthusiasm. "Aren't we supposed to celebrate after the competition is over?"

"Maybe that's what you do in Konoha, but here in Suna we party before and after." Kankuro said cheekily, waggling the bottle of sake as though he meant to hypnotize her with it.

"I have to be the Chief Medic tomorrow," Sakura countered, with an unstifled laugh. "I can't get drunk the night before! Plus, I'm… err... washing my uniform right now."

"Aha! Say no more!" Temari nodded, before elbowing Kankuro out of the way. "No boys allowed, then. We'll make it a girl's night!"

Clearly offended, Kankuro scoffed. "What! You can't just kick me out like that! I don't care if she doesn't have her uniform on!"

Sakura blushed at his crass response, but Temari was having none of it. "Oh, I'm sure you wouldn't mind, but someone certainly would."

Sakura wasn't sure if Temari was referring to her or someone else, but whomever it was Kankuro took the hint and scowled. "Fine, you two fannies enjoy your sleepover." And he skulked down the hallway, sake in hand.

Temari giggled gleefully and pushed her way into the room, ignoring Sakura's quick shuffle to get out of the way. "Don't worry, we don't have to actually get drunk," she said as she began stripping off the heavy parts of her own uniform. She continued until her wardrobe was reduced to just a plain shirt and skirt, and then she stretched and rolled her neck. "Ahh… that's better. Anyways, I just thought it would be nice to have a little down time before the big day!"

Sakura smiled and sat down with her, truly glad to have some female company. The blonde Kunoichi grabbed two beers and popped the lids. They clicked beverages and toasted to their hard work. Sakura enjoyed how easy it was to hang out with Temari. Her only female friends back home were Ino and Hinata, and none of the three of them were very close. She and Ino were in a never-ending competitive frenemies arrangement and Hinata was… well… she was so shy that Sakura had a hard time connecting with her. Temari had just the right amount of boldness and energy that kept a conversation interesting, and they giggled and squealed like childhood friends sharing stories and secrets. They talked about visiting the bathhouse for a good long soak after the competition was over, and they discussed some of the nin Temari knew that were coming to compete. Sakura told Temari all about the attractive medic pupil in her class that she had recently noticed most of the female students fawning over, and they reflected on times that they too had been silly, flirty schoolgirls in the past.

"It's honestly a little irritating," she giggled, referring back to her class of hormonal medics.

"Ugh, sounds like it." Temari agreed, "But hey, you never know. Maybe that one guy knows more about human anatomy than just what he shows during healing class."

Sakura made a gagging sound that had them both rolling in laughter. Temari then shared a secret she'd been holding on for a long time: she had a wandering eye for one of Sakura's Konoha classmates: Nara Shikamaru. He'd first caught her eye when they fought each other in their chunin exams all those years ago.

"Really?" Sakura squealed, as she swigged halfway through her second beer. She noticed her head felt a little fuzzy, and she knew she would have to slow down to ensure she was leveled headed for tomorrow.

"Yeah," Temari grinned, and a sweet sort of blush crossed her face. "I don't know. Most people I'm attracted to come along easily, if you catch my drift. But Shika's a tough one." She hummed and a playful smirk tugged at her mouth. "He's obviously playing hard-to-get."

"Well maybe I can pass along your message to him when I return to Konoha," Sakura chuckled.

Temari's face softened. "Tch – Yeah." Then she sighed, "I'm gonna miss you when you leave."

Sakura's smile faded. "I'm going to miss you too. And Kankuro. I really like Suna now that I've been here a while… but I also miss my home." Her earlier thoughts about the rain and the trees and familiar faces of Konoha floated back into her mind.

Temari nodded but didn't say anything else.

Sakura gave her a look of gratitude, but then the conversation fell into awkward silence. Sakura excused herself to go check on her uniform. It was nearly dry and would certainly be crisp and clean by morning. Sakura poured the rest of her drink quietly down the sink. After thinking about leaving her new friend, she didn't feel like drinking any more.

"Sakura…"

Temari's voice sounded softer than before… Sakura thought for a moment she had caught her wasting the beer and she prepared herself to apologize, but then she heard: "I know you said you'll miss me and Kankuro, but are you sure there's no one else you'll miss when you leave?"

Sakura's heart felt as though it dropped into her stomach. She rounded the corner, and sure enough, the black embroidered silk robe was splayed strikingly across her bedspread, held outstretched by the hands of Temari.

Thank you for reading. Reviews are greatly appreciated.

Until next time,

Olly