A/N: Well, here's the third chapter! Remember to review after reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the other characters.

Summary: Sakura is sent to Sunagakure on a mission to train the medic ninja there. Yet, there is one little problem…She'll be living with the Kazekage and his family. Will she survive long enough to complete her task?

Chapter 3

"How much longer until we reach the village?" Panted Sakura. She was out of breath from their climb up a rather large sand dune.

They had left the forest and its cool shade a while ago. Now, the bright, fiery sun beat down upon them.

"It should become visible any minute now." Replied Kakashi coolly. He wasn't even sweating! The man was inhuman. "But it'll be about another hour or two before we actually reach it."

Sakura groaned, brushing away some stray strands of pink hair from her flushed face. She hadn't even been in the Wind Country for a day and she already hated it. Everywhere she looked all she saw was sand. It was an endless sea of gritty sand that made her itch horribly.

"Come on," Called Kakashi from up ahead. "I think I can see the village."

Sakura scrambled over a hill of sand, trying to catch up to him. This was a big mistake.

She tripped over her own feet and landed face first in sand.

Her angry shriek echoed in the practically empty desert. Sakura pushed herself onto her knees and pounded the sand with her fists.

"Cha! Show the stupid sand who's tough!" Shouted Inner Sakura fiercely.

"Hell yeah!" Sakura agreed. It was much better to take out all her frustrations on sand, which couldn't exactly defend itself.

"Um, Sakura?" Kakashi's voice broke got through to her. She froze and realized how stupid she must look.

"Say a word and I'll kill you." She growled.

"I'm not saying anything," Said the jonin lightly. He began chuckling at the sight before him. He never imagined he would see his former student covered in sand from head to toe. His chuckling soon became rather loud laughter.

"Shut it!" She yelled, attempting to punch the man on the arm. Kakashi, luckily, had fast reflexes and managed to step away from the fuming kunoichi in time.

"Kill him!"

"I would if I could!"

&&&&&&&&&

Sakura stood in front on a huge gate, the entrance to Sunagakure no Sato. It towered over their heads, casting a shadow that provided much needed shade from the sun. She could even feel a slight wind blowing. Sakura felt ready to fall asleep right there and then but a glance at the gates reminded her of the reason she was there.

"Are you coming in with me?" Asked Sakura. She directed her question to her 'former' sensei.

Kakashi shook his head. "Tsunade told me to come back right away." His only visible eye twinkled mischievously. "I think she wants to assign a new genin team to me."

"She better not!"

Kakashi laughed. "I'm sure she won't."

There was silence for a few seconds as Sakura looked at the gates glumly.

"Well, good bye, Sakura. See you in a few months!" Said Kakashi, suddenly breaking the silence.

He waved before turning around and speeding off, crossing the desert with amazing speed. Much faster than he had gone with her, Sakura realized with indignation. She watched until he disappeared over a sand dune before turning back to the gates.

She moved to touch one but was stopped by a voice from above. Looking up, she vaguely saw a sand nin on the wall.

"State your name and business!"

Slightly miffed at the delay, Sakura replied, "I am Haruno Sakura, the medic nin from Konoha."

She watched as the man shuffled around above and took out some papers. They probably contained information on the people expected to arrive. He glanced at her and looked back at the paper. He did this several times before Sakura finally lost her temper.

Shaking her fist at him, she shouted, "How many people with pink hair do you have on those damn papers!" Inner Sakura was coming out again.

The man jumped, startled. Some ninja he was…

Glancing down at her, he caught the angry look on her face and the glint in her eyes. It was a choice between letting her in and having her climb up the wall in order to strangle him. Not willing to haggle with his life, the man opened the gates and gave the fuming kunoichi entrance.

"Finally," Said Inner Sakura. "I wanted to strangle that idiot."

"So did I. But now our mission truly begins."

Sakura strode in and caught sight of three people a few feet away.

The young woman wore her hair in four ponytails and carried a rather big fan on her back. The man on her right had paint on his face and wore all black. As her gaze fell on the last person, her heart seemed to stop.

He had red hair and a tattoo of the kanji 'love' on his forehead. It was Sabaku no Gaara. His green eyes seemed to flicker in recognition as they met hers.

Then she heard him say, "Welcome to Sunagakure no Sato. I hope you'll find your stay here enjoyable."

It was irony.

Who would expect to hear those seemingly hospitable words coming out of his mouth?

How did Tsunade expect her to spend almost a year in the same house as the man who killed without hesitation?

Fate had forced them to meet after she had wished never to see him again after the chunnin exams.

Damn, she was starting to sound like Hyuga Neji.

A/N2: Okay...so I lied. Gaara didn't really make an appearance in this chapter except for those few words at the end. But, I promise he will appear more in the next chapter. Remember to review!