"Okay Sasuke!" Sakura yelled, banging on the door, "Let's go already!"

He came out moments later with his pack and eyed her much smaller pack, "Sure you've got enough?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, "I've done this before."

"So I hear."

Sakura was glad he hadn't started acting all weird after he found out she was raped. The others had promised her not to tell anyone else, but they acted weirdly, not that she saw them often. She still hadn't told Naruto, and she probably never would because he would definitely act differently.

They left Konoha village as the sun was rising. Sasuke had decided to make the trip to see Temari with Sakura even though she no longer needed protection. He said he needed a break, as if his work was a tedious, repetitive job.

They traveled quickly and made good time the first day and the next. They reached the village sooner than Sasuke had expected. Sakura led the way to Temari's house, hoping she remembered the paths correctly.

Temari smiled when she saw Sakura, but her smile faded a little when she saw Sasuke standing behind her. She looked at Sakura meaningfully and Sakura shook her head. She wasn't about to bring awkwardness into Temari's home.

"Well come in," Temari said and gestured them into the living room, "Good thing I just got back or I would have missed you." She grinned at Sakura, "Still looking?"

"You mean, he hasn't…" Sakura said. Temari looked confused.

"You found him?"

Sakura nodded, "Yes, but I haven't seen him since the trial."

Temari asked and Sakura told her how and why she had found Gaara, that he had been accused of murder, but they found the real killer, and then he left.

"They actually put my brother on trial? And he allowed them to do it?" Temari shook her head, "He must have changed more than I thought…"

They talked for a while longer, but Temari said she had a meeting with the Kazekage so they didn't stay for long, "But if you need a place to stay tonight, my house is always empty. As long as you stay in separate rooms of course," she added with a grin.

Later when they were wandering around Sakura realized she had forgotten to give Temari her gift. "Looks like we'll have to go back," she said.

Sasuke nodded absently, "She seems much mellower than her brother."

"Less insane you mean."

Sasuke smiled with half his mouth, "I'm glad you agree."

Gaara listened to the man, resisting the urge to kill his customer.

"I can't afford to go to-"

"Yes I know, that's why you come to me. I'll do it."

"Oh thank you, thank you!"

The majority of his customers were like that. They were either too poor or they had a mission they didn't want people to know about so they had it done privately. They were all afraid of him. Ah well, it's not like he returned to the mercenary business for the money anyway.

Sakura got up when she heard a knock on the door. Though she hadn't planned on it she and Sasukehad ended up spending the night at Temari's house. She opened the door to her host.

"Can I talk to you?" she asked, "If you're not trying to sleep or something."

"Well, I was doing nothing… but I guess I can interrupt that to talk with you." Sakura stepped back to let Temari in then joined her on the bed. She had been doing nothing; also known as lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling. "Something wrong?"

"Not exactly," Temari shrugged, "I hear talk of a new mercenary who has set up on the other side of the village. I think it must be Gaara, but I'm afraid to find out it isn't… Or it is. If you wouldn't mind, could you check for me? I know it's pathetic."

"I'd be glad to check it out for you." Sakura said, "As long as you watch Sasuke for me."

Temari nodded. The ruby earrings she wore glittered as she did so. "If it's not him just… don't tell me." She stood and left abruptly.

"Goodnight," Sakura said to the empty room and lay back on the bed. She waited a few minutes before blowing out the lamp. 'What a jerk Gaara is, avoiding his sister. If I had a sister like Temari I would definitely not hide from her.' She fell asleep determined to talk some sense into Gaara.

She woke up the next morning ready to do so, pushing last night's nightmares out of her mind. She met Temari in the hall and asked if she would keep Sasuke bust for a few hours, "Just in case." Then she left to find the missing brother. 'I wonder what happened to Kankuro?

It was easy to find the new man in town and soon she was standing outside a small, somewhat lopsided building. She took a deep breath before going in. There was one large entrance room, furnished only by a single chair at the other end of the room, behind which was a door. No one was present.

"Hello? Anybody home?" she called, walking into the room. When no one answered she looked around a bit, trying to avoid the back door. 'C'mon, open it! You know you want to! What if there's a dead body, or even better, food!'

"Fine!" Sakura strode up to the door and threw it open. The next room was empty, lacking both a dead body and food. There wasn't even a window.

Sakura closed the door and walked back to the center of the first room. Should she wait? For all she knew whoever lived here wouldn't return for weeks. She was still undecided when a voice asked, "May I help you?"

Gaara watched her turn around slowly. If he knew her, right now she was thinking he was mad at her, which he wasn't. Merely intrigued.

"Gaara!" Nice place you've got here."

The corner of his mouth twitched, "No it's not, liar." He took off his gourd and leaned it against the wall then sat on the floor. She did the same. "I take it your not here for my services."

She shook her head, "Actually, Temari sent me."

"She knows I'm here?"

"No, she's not sure. She sent me to find out," Sakura said then added softly, "She really does want to see you."

Gaara waved her words away with his hand, he would deal with Temari later, "So why are you here?"

"Well, I came to thank Temari…" She was quiet and in her silence Gaara could feel once again her sadness. He didn't like the way her depression affected him and seemed to pull everything into it.

"Gaara, I was wondering…" she faltered. Gaara watched her hands clenched in her lap, not her face as she spoke. "Would you like a partner?"

"A partner?" he echoed, not quite sure what she mean. "You quit the business."

"I know, but I miss going on missions. What I don't miss is the competition, the teams, always feeling inadequate… not that you need to know that," 'Or care.' "I like being a jeweler too, but I miss the adrenaline I guess. I could stay in Konoha and you could get your business here and if there were really simple missions you didn't want I could do them for you. I don't want the money."

"No…" Gaara said, agreeing with her. He knew what it was like to want to do something, not for the money, but for the sake of doing it.

"No?" she echoed, sounding disappointed.

"Yes, you can be my partner," Gaara reassured her, "I was just… never mind. I'll send you messages in Konoha. If you don't want them either, just send them back."

Sakura nodded happily. She couldn't believe she had actually had the nerve to ask him, and he that said yes. "Thank you! You won't regret this, I promise!" she could have hugged him right then and there.

"I probably will." He said, but she guessed he could be joking.

She stood up then, "I better go. I left Sasuke with Temari. So I guess I'll see you later."

Gaara shrugged. He seemed angry about something all of a sudden, but she wasn't about to ask him what. 'Talk about bipolar,' her inner voice thought and she told it to hush, even as she smiled.

She knocked on Temari's door when she got back and it was the Kazekage who answered. After a moment of surprised silence she bowed quickly, "Good day!"

"Good, it's you. Come in quickly." Sakura looked up at him questioningly. He looked awfully distressed. She followed him to the living room where she found a very angry looking Sasuke sitting next to a just as annoyed Temari. They both stood when she came in.

"You're safe!"

"Your friend here is a real pain in the-"

"Of course I'm safe Sasuke. I can take care of myself," Sakura rolled her eyes, "Give me a little credit." She turned to Temari, "It's him."

"Oh." Temari sat again, "Oh." She looked so lost; Sakura sat next to her without a word.

"Who?" Sasuke asked.

"My brother." Temari answered coldly. She looked angry.

The Kazekage coughed. Temari looked at him, as though just remembering he was there. "Right. I'll get that for you now."

"We should go Temari." Sakura said before she could leave the room, "We'll see ourselves out ok?"

"Ok." Temari said, "It was nice to see you again Sakura." She said pointedly, glaring at Sasuke.

When they got outside Sakura turned to Sasuke. She didn't say anything, just glared at him. He shrugged and walked away.

Sakura sighed. Some things would never change.