Chapter 15

Sakura decided to head over to the hospital to do some work. After all the conversations she had had with her precious people, she needed to distract herself and felt working at the hospital would be the best place for her to go. But Tsunade was one step ahead of her. When Sakura arrived at the hospital, Shizune handed her a scroll from the Hokage.

Sakura opened the scroll and read Tsunade's message to her. She was to take the week off and think about her decision. She was not allowed on the hospital grounds for one week. If Shizune or any medic found her on the grounds, she was to be immediately ejected from the premises.

Sakura ground her teeth in exasperation. The hospital was the only place she felt she could escape to and distract herself from finally making a decision. Tsunade knew her too well. She glared at Shizune and stomped out of the hospital.

Now what should she do? She didn't want to go back to her apartment as Kankuro was still there and she was too overwhelmed with her thoughts that she didn't want to talk to anyone. She looked around her surroundings and decided to head to the training grounds. Maybe she could work out some of her frustrations while she trained.

When she arrived to the training fields, she found Training Ground 3 open and decided to use it. As she entered the grounds she wondered if she did leave Konoha for Suna and if she destroyed one of the training fields, would they name it after her? Sakura giggled to herself and thought of what the memorial would read: Here is Training Ground 3 utterly destroyed by one Haruno Sakura, Apprentice to the Godaime Hokage, Kazehime of Suna and wife of the Kazekage Gaara No Sabaku. What silly thoughts she had sometimes.

An hour later, Sakura was sweating up a storm and decided to take a break. She laid out on the grass and laid her hands over her eyes to shield them from the sun. Her mind drifted back to the many conversations she had. Everyone had been in support of her moving to Suna and marrying Gaara. They all wanted to see her happy.

Ino had asked her if she loved Gaara. Did she? What was she so afraid of? What was making her hesitate in making her decision? Gaara was a great guy. She knew she was attracted to him. Who wouldn't be. His deep dark green eyes, his contentious smile, and his disheveled bright red hair were the first things she noticed about him whenever he was in her presence. Gaara was a strong shinobi who knew what his limits were. He had changed greatly since he was brought back to life by Lady Chiyo. Before his death, he was always angry, impulsive and quick to make judgements. Now, he was more laid-back and decisive about his judgments. He was protective of his village and those who were precious to him. So did her attraction to him involve love? She didn't know how to feel at the moment.

Why was it so hard for her to make up her mind? Ino even called her out for overthinking things. The answer was as simple as yes or no.

After having given her decision some thought, Sakura decided it was time to take a break and get some lunch.

XXX

Temari decided to check up on her brother as he had been despondent for the past couple of weeks. When she found him, he was hunched over his desk reading a scroll and mumbling to himself.

Gaara noticed his sister's presence and looked up at her with his dispirited eyes and asked, "How do you handle it when the one you love is so far away from you?"

Temari blushed at his question and answered, " it's not easy, but I do it. Love endures all things. Not just the small things and the positive things, but also the negative things like anger, hurt, sadness and loneliness. Love is the ultimate test of time. If I could not endure this time of separation from Shikamaru, then I must not truly love him."

Gaara took in her words and thought on them. Love endures all things. Love is the ultimate test of time, his sister had said. He knew what he felt for the pinkette was real. He needed to have faith that Sakura would come to realize her own feelings for him as well. This time of separation was just another test he would have to see through.

"Thanks, Temari."

"I don't think you have much to worry about, Gaara. Besides, you'll know her answer if or when she returns with Kankuro," Temari stated.

"I'll know the minute she steps her first foot on sand," he stated matter-of-factly.

Temari saw the look of clarity in his eyes and a newfound determination of willing to wait for his brother and Sakura's return. It made her happy to see the strength and light return to his eyes, so she decided to leave him to his work.

XXX

A few days later Kankuro found Sakura at her favorite dango restaurant moping. Without asking permission, he sat down next to her and asked, "have you made a decision yet?"

Sakura looked up to Kankuro with pale green eyes and then looked back down to her plate. "I've been giving this decision a lot of thought and I do think I am ready to make a final decision. Leaving Konoha was not an easy decision to make. I never thought I would ever have to make a decision like this before."

Kankuro stole one of the dango off of Sakura's plate and popped it into his mouth before she could say anything. "I'm glad that you are ready to make a decision and I don't want to rush you, but do you think you will have an answer by the end of the week? I would like to return home sometime soon."

I will have an answer for you and everyone by the end of the week for sure," Sakura told him. Sakura got up from the table, leaving the rest of her dango for Kankuro to consume. She had promised to meet up with Ino and help her with some of her flower arrangement orders.

When she arrived at Ino's flower shop, she was immediately rushed to the back room of the shop.

"So have you made up your mind if you are in love with Gaara?" Ino asked her best friend.

"Ino..." Sakura whined with a pout on her face. She really didn't want to talk about this with Ino anymore, but it seemed as if her best friend was not going to let this go.

"Don't you Ino me, Sakura Haruno," Ino angrily spat back. "You have done so much for everyone that it is time for you to look after your own happiness. From what you have told me, Gaara loves you and he wants to be with you. You are letting your past bind you and you need to let go of it. Think of all the ways you'll be able to help Suna and of how much you will be able to help Gaara. You might not have been able to help Sasuke, but you can do so much more for Gaara. Doesn't he deserve to be happy with someone like you?"

"Happy with someone like me?" Sakura looked at her friend questioningly. "What do you mean by that?"

"Sakura, by you not wanting to be happy, you are withholding happiness from Gaara. Do you really think that that is fair to him?

"No. I guess not. Not when you put it like that, I suppose," Sakura answered back.

"Then, I think you need to quit being selfish and go make Gaara happy by being with him," Ino smiled at Sakura.

Sakura looked down at her feet for a few seconds contemplating Ino's words. I'm being selfish by holding back my happiness? It was like a light bulb went on over her head. It finally all made sense. She looked back up at Ino with a bright look on her face. She jumped over to Ino and gave her a quick hug. "I've gotta go, Ino. There is so much I have to do. Thanks, Ino." Sakura then dashed out of the flower shop and rushed home.

When Sakura made it home, she again found Kankuro asleep on her couch with the tv running. She shook him awake. "Kankuro, get ready," she told him. "We're going to go back to Suna tomorrow."

Kankuro was rubbing the sleep out of his eyes while he took in the words that the pinkette had relayed to him. "Really? You have your answer?" he asked her.

"Yes, dummy. Now, come on. There is a lot to be done before we leave." Sakura then ran into her room and closed the door behind her. She started to pack her things, but in mid-packing she decided to grab some parchment paper and some ink. She started writing a letter to Tsunade.

A couple hours later, she came out of her room. She made dinner for her and Kankuro. When they had finished their meal and washed the dishes, Sakura told Kankuro that she was going to go visit her parents. Kankuro just nodded his head and went back to his room.

After visiting with her parents and returning home, she noticed it was close to midnight. She climbed into her bed and tried not to think of all the things that she had to do before she left for Suna the next day.

When the morning sun streaked into her room the next day, Sakura rolled over and tried to hide from it. Yesterday she had made up her mind on what she wanted, but now her fear and doubts were starting to veer her off course again. I've got to stop letting my fear and doubts control me, she thought to herself. She decided enough was enough and got herself out of bed. She took a quick shower and then made sure that Kankuro was up.

They both left her apartment together. "I've got to a make a quick stop at Hokage tower before we leave," Sakura told Kankuro.

"Ok. I'll meet you at the gate."

Sakura took off and made her way to find Shizune. After looking on the first floor of the tower and not finding Shizune, Sakura made her way to the second floor where she found the brunette talking to Genma.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Sakura shyly asked.

Shizune turned to the pinkette. "No. No. You're not interrupting anything. Genma has a genin to find."

Sakura caught the slight blush on Shizune's face, but kept it to herself. She handed a scroll to Shizune. "I'm going back to Suna. Could you please wait three days until you give that scroll to Tsunade-shishou?" Sakura asked.

"Sure Sakura, but why three days?" the brunette asked with a confused look on her face.

"Just wait three days and I'm sure Tsunade will tell you everything. Now, I've got to get going. Kankuro is waiting for me at the gates," Sakura huffed out.

She left Shizune standing with a baffled look on her face. She daresn't look back to Shizune as it would cause her to falter from her decision. She kept walking until she met up with Kankuro. "Ok. Are you ready to leave?" she asked him.

"Ready whenever you are," he grinned at her. Kankuro took the lead and they travelled for most of the day by foot. When evening came, they made camp, ate and then fell asleep.

For most of the journey they didn't talk. Kankuro was afraid that if he said anything it might deter Sakura from returning to Suna and he was afraid of what Gaara would do if she decided to stay in Konoha. He wanted his brother to be happy and if Sakura could do that, then he was all for it. He just hoped that whatever her decision was that it wouldn't break Gaara's heart.

Late the next day, they finally reached the border of Fire and Wind. Kankuro turned to Sakura and asked her, "You sure of your decision? Not to be blunt, but if your decision is to break Gaara's heart, I don't want you to return to Suna with me?"

"I'm sure Kankuro. I'm not going to break Gaara's heart. Now, let's going before I do change my mind."

They again travelled in silence.

It was the third day of their travels, when Gaara felt the foreign chakra presence he had been waiting for. He jumped up from his desk and with his sand, he transported himself to the gates of Suna. He would have liked to run out to meet her, but he decided he needed to maintain a sense of decorum and waited patiently for her to show herself at the gates.

Sakura had been walking with her head hanging down for most of the day, but when she looked up, she saw the tall gates of Suna and a speck of red in between them. "Gaara must be waiting for us," she informed Kankuro.

"I think he is waiting for only one of us," he said with a sly grin and a chuckle.

Sakura blushed at his words and picked up her pace.

After waiting for an hour, Gaara finally started to see pink coming his way. She was finally returning and he couldn't wait to hear what her answer would be. As he waited some more, doubts started plaguing his mind. What if her answer is no? What if she decided she does not want to be with me? What if she found out that she still loves the Uchia? He started to rub his hands together. No. I need to be strong. I love her and love endures all things. She said she was coming back and she had. I need to trust her. After telling himself to not be a coward, he stood tall and waited for their approach.

Sakura and Kankuro finally made it to the gates. Gaara welcomed them home. "I'm sure you will want to rest before we talk," Gaara told them.

"Yes. I think that would be best," Sakura answered Gaara.

Gaara led both his brother and Sakura to the Kazekage mansion. When they arrived at the mansion, Gaara turned to the two. "I'll let you get some rest," he said. "Come find me at my office when you're ready."

The two nodded their heads. "I was only talking to Sakura, Kankuro," Gaara told his brother before they made their way up the stairs to their rooms.

"Right. I knew that," Kankuro retorted as he turned his head and finished making his way upstairs.

Four hours later, Sakura had woken up from a nap, cleaned herself up and walked over to Gaara's office. She knocked on his door and then entered.

Gaara looked up at her with a smile on his face. "Welcome back. Are you ready to tell me your decision?" he asked her.

She looked at him with a mischievous grin on her face and answered him. "No. Not yet. I want you to spar with me first," Sakura answered.

He was taken aback by her answer and what was with that grin on her face about? "A spar? Why would you want to spar first. Why not just tell me your decision now?"

"I'm not ready to tell you my decision just yet. Besides, I've fought quite a few people here in Suna and I've not battled with you yet." She answered him with half lidded eyes.

Gaara finally caught on to her trick and decided to play along. He got up from his desk and walked over to the pinkette. He stood before her and used his sand to hold her feet in place. He picked up a strand of her pink hair and wrapped it around his finger. He then put his face close to hers, so that their noses were almost touching. He gave her a sultry look as he said, "Are you sure about that Sa-Ku-Ra?"

The blush on her face almost matched the color of her hair and she knew she was playing with fire, but she stood her ground with the young Kazekage. "I'm sure. I'll give you my answer after we have our spar."

Gaara dejectedly dropped the strand of hair that he was holding and removed the sand from around her feet. He sighed in exasperation. "Ok. Have it your way then," he said. Then, he picked up his gourd and transported them to the training grounds.

When they arrived to the training grounds, Sakura could see the pout on Gaara's face. She tried to hide her giggles, but he had heard her. Gaara gave her an annoyed snort and walked away from her to prepare for their spar.

When he was quite a ways from Sakura, he stood facing her and waited for her attack. Sakura started to throw some kunai at him, but they were blocked by his sand. She smirked and then ran straight for Gaara. He used his sand to grab for her, but she dodged his sand by jumping up in the air and landing to his right. She somersaulted backwards and pulled some chakra into her fist.

Gaara waited patiently for her next attack. Sakura started to run at him again. This time, he created a sand dome around himself. Sakura ran as fast as she could and when she saw the sand dome go up, she jumped high and yelled SHANNARO while landing her chakra infused fist on the top of the dome. The sand dome broke apart and Gaara moved to the side, so as not to be hit by her fist. He then quickly used his sand to grab for her legs, but she again dodged his sand.

While Sakura and Gaara continued their spar, back in Konoha, Shizune picked up the scroll that Sakura had given to her. Three days had passed and it was time to hand the scroll to Tsunade. She wondered what was in the scroll. Shizune climbed the stairs that led to Tsunade's office. She entered the office and walked over to the Hokage's desk. "Lady Tsunade. Before she left, Sakura asked me to give you this scroll, but to wait three days," Shizune informed her.

"Sakura asked you to wait three days before giving it to me? I wonder if this has to do with her decision," Tsunade answered.

Gaara kept sending his sand after Sakura trying to capture her with it, but she kept evading his attacks. He was quickly becoming frustrated with her. He even started to think she wasn't taking this spar seriously.

Tsunade unrolled the scroll and heard something clatter to her desk. When she looked down she saw a Konoha hitai-ate attached to a red ribbon. She picked it up and held it in her hands. She looked back at the scroll and saw a note that had been handwritten to her.

Tsunade-Shishou

Thanks for everything that you have done for me. Thanks for taking me as your apprentice and teaching me everything that you know. Thanks for loving me as if I was your own daughter. I wouldn't be the person I am today if you had not been a part of my life. You have taught me many things and shown me how to be a strong women in difficult times. I know the road before me will be filled with many challenges, but I'm ready to face them, because I had a strong teacher. I love you as if you were my own mother. Thanks for everything.

I have made my decision…

Tsunade stopped reading at that point. She knew what Sakura's decision was. There was no longer any need to keep reading. She tried to keep her emotions under control, but a lone tear was able to escape as she grabbed for her hidden sake bottle. She poured herself some and wished Sakura the best of luck in a silent salute.

Gaara finally had had enough of Sakura's playfulness. He was finally able to grab the pinkette with his sand and pull her to him. Sakura was giving him a playful smile when she was facing him. "Sakura, I don't think you are taking this spar seriously. I think it's time to end this. What is your answer?"

Seeing the look of anger and annoyance on Gaara's face, Sakura decided it was time to stop teasing him and let him know her answer. Nervously laughing, she told him, "Well Gaara, it took some time and I spoke with some people, but I finally made a decision. I do love you and I enjoy coming to Suna."

"Sakura, please quit stalling," Gaara pleaded with her.

Sakura looked straight into Gaara's eyes and answered him. "I'd love to stay in Suna with you as the Kazehime."

It a took a couple of seconds before her words sunk in and when they did, he released his sand from her body and in his exuberance to grab her, he fell over knocking her to the ground and landed on top of her. He looked down into the beautiful emerald eyes of his Kazehime with a big smile and he wrapped his arms around her while giving her a passionate kiss on the lips. When they broke apart for air, they both started to laugh.

"Well, I guess I made the right decision then," Sakura said with a laugh.

Gaara couldn't help himself. He was so happy, he kissed her again and then hugged her to himself. "Thanks for making me the happiest man alive, Sakura, and we are not going to rush this. I want you to be comfortable in your position before we even consider marriage."

He stood up and helped Sakura to her feet as well. When they were both standing, he smiled at her and kissed her again. He couldn't get enough of her.

"I think we had better make our way back to the mansion before it gets much too late," Sakura suggested.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Gaara answered, "Yeah. I think your right." He grabbed her hand and they walked back to the mansion. Gaara smiled all the way back. He finally had someone to love him for himself and wanted to be with him. He couldn't wait to see what the future had in store for him and his Kazehime.

Author Notes

Well, this is the final chapter of the Kazehime Trials. I still have an epilogue to write and then this will be marked as completed. I do thank everyone who has read, followed, favorited and reviewed this story.

I do apologize for the length of the last chapter. I know it was a long one. I did have thoughts of breaking it up, but decided it against it. The conversations were important to help Sakura with her decision. I felt it would throw things off if I divided the chapter. I also hope that this chapter does not feel rushed. One of the reasons I am so late in posting this is because i did lose some of my mojo for writing this chapter. Hopefully I came up with a good conclusion.

I have enjoyed the time I spent on this story. I am looking forward to writing more fanfiction in the future. So far, I have two Sasuke/Sakura stories that I am working on. They may not appear until later in the year. I was thinking about doing a prequel to this story about Kizashi's family coming to Konoha and how he fell in love with Mebuki, but I don't know what the interest would be in that. So I am holding off on that for now.

Again, I thank everyone who has given this first time fanfiction writer a chance.