A/N: because the chapters are so short. I've decided to try and update as much as possible. Meaning. I must write at least a few minutes a day on my stories. And… When its worthy to be deemed a chapter post it…

I got 12 reviews And the story has only been up 3 days! YAY! That's wonderful for me. I LOVE YOU GUYS. A few of you gave me great suggestions. I fully have been soaking them up. Because I was totally out of ideas. hee hee writers block. Now, I have two angles to start working at. Yay-ness. Soo this chapter is for the two people who made suggestions about what should happen. THANKS!

Chapter three To kill the Sand Man's Flowers

Last time: ((hee hee I always wanted to say that))

'If your neck is covered. They won't see those bruises, they won't accuse you of being the person who fought with him. There would have been no reason you would have killed him if they find him. If they see them, there is motive'

Gaara padded over to Sakura his tail swishing angrily.

"I know boy, she gives me a headache too" Sakura muttered shutting the door quietly.

Now

Sakura hadn't allowed her red furred friend to walk for some time. She'd insisted upon carrying him and constantly babying him. Her fingers gently stroking his head soothingly and her lips quivering into a small smile at him.

'Your sad that bastard is gone' Garra snorted, Sasuke had been cruel to Sakura. And in the past few days since he'd 'vanished'. She'd not smiled nor laughed much. The conclusion he came to was she was an emotional female, and she truly did love Sasuke after all was said and done.

"He was part of the team" Sakura murmured. Clenched loosely in her hand was her leaf headband.

After having cut her hair in a fight, she'd kept it that short. Ino once and awhile trimming it up as she did after the fight to smooth it out.

Groaning Gaara laid his head on her shoulder. How did such a small girl posses such a strong grip. She clung to him as though there were no tomorrow. Her nails digging lightly into the tender flesh of his back.

'I did you a favor' He thought trying to put his own thoughts to rest.

"I have to go to Tsunade's for training" she said thoughtfully. Her fingers stroked behind his ears fondly.

He didn't respond with the usual fox like snort. Instead he'd kept his head on her shoulder and let his eyes slip shut. Tsunade was known to have quite the temper. She'd also been protective of her apprentice. Perhaps that was why she didn't have the ANBU investigate deeply into the matter of Sasuke's dissapearance. The memory of him leaving without so much as a goodbye might have hurt Sakura more.

"Sakura" Tsunade spoke quietly. Her face was buried in a pile of papers. Sakura had the suspicion she was sipping sake under the cover of her work place.

"Tsunade-sama" Sakura settled on the edge of the Hokage's desk. Her legs crossing elegantly as they could in a dress with slits up to the top of her hips.

The female Hokage's eyes glimmered mysteriously at Gaara's form. He had the distinct feeling she could see right through him to who was really beneath all the fur.

"What an adorable …" Tsunade paused for a moment and smiled now brilliantly. "Fox you have there" She reached over stroking the exact spot where Gaara's tattoo of love would be if he were human.

"Mhhmm I found him outside of the gates in the forest" she said shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly.

"What brings you here?" The Hokage's eyes never left Gaara's.

'What are you looking at you old bat!'

The woman's eyes glared feriously at him. "I don't have anything else to teach you Sakura. You've surpassed me in all aspects except fighting wise. I suppose you don't need to bother training physically. You have… A great deal of luck.. and maybe even a great protector" Now she smirked arrogantly as she threw her blonde hair over her shoulder.

"A protector?" The petal haired teen looked up at her quite rattled by what she'd said. "You mean Naruto?"

Sakura's looked to where her sensei had been starring the whole time. She was now gazing at 'her' pet. Or so she considered Gaara.

"Your fox of course. He'll be loyal. Won't you boy?" Tsunade let out another laugh. She headed away from Sakura swaying slightly as she reached for a hidden bottle of sake, that was placed precariously between two scrolls on her shelf.

"Your drunk" Answered Sakura walking away.

'She knows' Gaara didn't bother to panic. He stared at the blonde and shook his furious red fur at her on his way out the door. The kazekage would do nothing unless she were to make a move. Whether it be hinting at what he truly was. Or it be trying to pull him away from the girl. Part of him had rooted itself at her side. Besides, the scratches behind his ears weren't half bad. It was payment enough to make up for the ranting Sakura did at times.

"Panda-chan?" Sakura held the door open for the fox. He padded after her obediently.

Noting the fox on day three of her care still was matted with blood. Her fingers twitched instinctively him.

Upon arriving at the house she vanished into the bathroom shutting the door firmly behind her and starting the water in the tub. Perhaps she was going to shower. Sighing happily she poured bubble bath in the tub and headed out now only in a thin silk robe.

"Panda-chan?" She called stepping out of the steaming up room.

Knowing she would only call until he came to her. He gracefully walked up beside her. Gaara knew if he moved just a bit closer he could see up the short robe and look completely innocent about it. She wouldn't even notice.

'This had better be good' His fur was ruffled as though he had been sleeping or maybe chasing his tail the way all dogs did… Did fox's too?

She picked him up. Her nose pressed into his fur. At first he looked pleased at himself for her being so close without himself snapping at her. Then he notice her nose scrunched up cutely.

"You really do need a bath" she laughed dragging the disoriented fox into the bathroom.

'What the hell are you doing?' Gaara tensed and began to fight against her. There was no way in hell he was going into the water and going to smell like a female. No self-respecting male would willingly smell like a powder puff.

"Panda-chan!" She scolded.

He wasn't paying attention to her. Until with a flutter of silk her robe hit the tiled bathroom floor. There was a splash of perfumed water and she was submerged under the bubbles.

He didn't even see her hand reach out and pull him in until he was thrashing wildly in the water trying to get free of her.

'Either your completely enjoying this.. and you've figured out who I am, or your completely innocent and don't know what your doing to me'

He yelped trying to fend off the soft bristled scrub brush she was running through his fur to remove chunks of dried blood.

Using a jutsu to calm him ((Ha ha I don't know many… SOOOO NOW there is one to do that ha ha ha Being an author has its perks))

Resting on her stomach she piled suds on his head. He sneezed giving her a weak glare.

'The only good part of this is. When you find out what I really am'

She pulled down the shower head washing him of all suds. Sakura let him slip to the outside of the tub. Dropping him into a pile of freshly washed sheets.

He whimpered softly missing the warm water and the soft hands that tenderly washed away the blood. Gaara lifted his head. Dropping it on the side of the bathtub and stared in. It was quite the spa treatment. With a side of teenage hormones.

With the water dripping through her hair, it looked darker. A few droplets dripped down her face splashing on his nose as she leaned over him.

Squealing like a school girl, which was not far off from what she was. She scooped him up pressing him close to her chest and smiling widely. Gaara didn't move.

'…It can't hurt if she'll never know.' Gaara smirked wolfishly waving his tail in the water, sending suds all over her form.

"You did that purposely" she growled picking up the shower head and blasting him with cold water.

The war raged on into the dark hours of the night. Sakura had fallen into a sleep with a one last splash. Protectively the fox curled up on her chest closing his eyes.

'How stupid could you be to fall asleep bathing… Anyone could walk in' He'd forgotten to figure in himself into the equation he'd figured out. He was that someone who'd have the chance to be a pervert and see her naked. The thought never crossed his mind as he looked over her. She was rather pleasant to be around while she wasn't giggling bubbly to keep everyone happy. Or while she wasn't screaming like a banshee, something she'd probably picked up from her sensei Tsunade.

Her fingers twitched. She lifted them to her face and groaned blinking her eyes at the great blast of pure white around her.

A strong arm was wrapped around her waist and a face pressed into her neck.

That had woken her up all the way. She jolted up, sliding under the water. Just as quickly she shot out of the water. Most of her suds had turned into a light froth on top of the cold water.

Panda-chan growled indignantly. He'd comfortably been settled on her. Taking care to block her lack of clothing from the window and door, incase someone had walked in. And she'd dumped him in the water as she jolted awake.

Laughing she looked at him. It was obvious she'd been staying up late. Though she'd taken the nap in the bath. Dark circles tinged a nasty purple color were under her eye. Perhaps she'd been stressed at something that had to do with work?

Sakura lifted Gaara patting him on the head and dropping him onto the damp but fresh sheets that were piled outside the tub. He looked away out of courtesy while she slipped out of the bathtub and into her thin comfortable summer pajamas. They consisted of a silk red high collared no sleeved shirt and a pair of matching red baggy pants.

Looking down at the mess of fur she had to straighten out before she laid down in her bed she let out a laugh.

"You look like a mess" she said bundling him in a towel and heading to her room looking for a spare brush.

'You wouldn't look too hot if you had just been dumped in the bath by a naked female and now you could smell the stench of wet fur up close and personal'

Brushing his fur out she crawled into her bed on her back. Quietly pondering what she'd been seeing when she woke up. Sakura had only seen it when she was half awake. Perhaps she was hallucinating. Deciding that was what was really going on. She laid back into her large pile of pillows. Her eyes closing immediately.

"Sakura?" Fingers lightly brushed her cheek.

"Mmm.. Yes?" Her voice was muffled her the pillows she'd chosen to submerge herself into.

"I want to keep you" The voice was that of a males. It prodded curiously. Waiting for her response. It didn't seem like it would respond until she'd said something.

Sakura let out a soft groan trying to yank her covers up to her chin. Why was her dream so realistic?

"You can't keep me. I'm not a object" Her tone dropped softly as she began to drift off to sleep.

"You wouldn't have to work. Or worry about ninja's attacking you. Not even Sasuke" the voice coaxed softly.

"I umm" her voice trailed off slightly then she was shocked back to the reality where she was half awake. Hardly able to answer the questions. Whatever came to her mind first she was saying. "What would I have to do?"

"Not ask questions… Follow a few rules" It was as though she were striking up a deal with the devil himself. She might as well have been.

"And you mrrfff take care of me? And ..Promise to make sure I wasn't ever lonely" Her hand found her pillow rather hard, it was warm and massaged her back lightly. She'd been laying upon Gaara as she muttered incoherently her answers back to him.

"Yes… There are plenty of people around to take good care of you. Servants and such" he stroked her hair back. She'd kill him if she were to awaken and find him laying beneath her. His eyes closed peacefully.

"what if I say no?" She had awoken a bit. Now able to answer her questions logically.

"I take you with me anyway" he answered honestly. "I'd take that annoying fox of yours as well" A smirk pulled at the corner of Gaara's lips.

"Just don't hurt Panda-chan. He's the last sane one around here" she murmured falling into a deep sleep.

'maybe a bit too sane'

Gathering her swiftly in his arms he dove out her window. Not caring if anyone saw him doing what looked like a kidnapping in the middle of the day. Pumping chakra into his feet he took off. He'd only be able to travel like this while she was awake.

In the presence of a female. So his curse went.. He would become a sly fox just as he acted as a human. When they slept he would be able to move freely. A kiss upon the desert sun would break the curse. He had yet to solve that portion of the riddle. But he'd done well so far. He'd brought the spring to the desert. A rare flower to somewhere flowers were never seen.

A/N: yeah… So I trailed off on the conversation for a bit. BUT there was some fluff Hee hee. Scary ne? I updated so soon. YAY. I have some more to do. But its coming around wonderfully. It seems obvious I'm going to have to come back and work on the curse and all. BUT I'm tired and really want to get this posted up pretty quick.

How will Sakura react to waking up somewhere she wasn't before? Will she remember the deals she made with Gaara.. Sorry about trailing on about that conversation. BUT I guarantee that there will be a jealous Gaara coming up! And as requested an appearance by Itachi. Because I love him! … Oo maybe that's why I killed Sasuke off.. Heh. –nervous laugh- anyway.

I won't force you to review. And… thanks for reading! I hope to have another chapter up pretty quick. Again sorry for these being so short. I figure that if I keep the chapters short I can update faster. Which means more chapters faster. Eh… I'm not sure if my theory is right yet. BUT ttyl. Feel free to email me so I can ramble to you aimlessly about EVERYTHING!

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