Disclaimer: I don't own any Naruto characters just the plot.

Summary: What would have happened if Gaara had saved her before Sakura had given up hope and joined the Akatsuki? Would Akira and Taku still be born, and what about Kisho? A what if story from the blooming of the cherry blossom.

Chapter 3: New Missions

Sakura awoke when she felt Gaara shift. Her eyes fluttered open and emerald met jade. They watched each other in a comfortable silence when Sakura's door swung open.

"Hey Sakura i head you were rescued and-" Ino then saw Sakura laying against Gaara on the could and immediately stopped what she was saying to blush. " oh my gosh i am so sorry, i didn't know that you and um Gaara were um together." Ino squeaked out. Sakura quickly sat out from the couch.

"Its ok Ino, and were not a couple its just we had a long day you know how it is." Sakura said trying to explain the situation. Gaara didn't seem to phased by this at all but then again how often does the sand master let something affect him.

"Well I'm gonna get going let you two "relax" after your long day. Come and see me sometime soon Sakura i was really worried about you." Ino said while heading towards the door.

"No, stay Ino its ok ill go make some tea and we can talk now." Sakura said, she knew Ino was still getting the wrong idea about what she saw. Ino just nodded and sat down on a couch across the room from Gaara. They began to do some small talk as Sakura made the tea.

"So Gaara, whats really going on between you and Sakura, i can tell when shes not telling me something." Ino prodded

"Nothing i am just her body guard until the Akatsuki give up on Sakura." Gaara replied

"Hmm you guys sure did seem awful close for this to just be a professional relationship." Ino said making Gaara sigh. They say in silence before Sakura came back breaking the silence. She brought in tea for everyone. Ino and Sakura talked for about an hour or so, Gaara lost interest the second the topic turned to Itachi and Ino wondering if he was as cute as Sasuke. Eventually Ino left and Sakura and Gaara were alone once again. Sakura was about to try and break the ice with Gaara, it was very awkward and tense, but another knock was heard on the door. Sakura went and opened it and saw Naruto.

"Yo, Sakura Tsunade wants you and Gaara in her office." Naruto said

"I wonder why, ok thanks Naruto we will be there soon." Sakura replied. Naruto then vanished with a poof and Sakura told Gaara and they were off. Sakura expected the walk there to be silent but was happily surprised when Gaara asked her about her relationship with Sasuke.

"You seem to get along quite well with Sasuke, is there anything more than friends in yours and his relationship?" Gaara asked without even looking at her.

"Well i used to be crazy about him, just another one of his fan girls, but after he left, i eventually got over him and focused my time and energy into training. He did of course come back and i guess i realized that i really only love him as a brother. I mean don't get me wrong he is like a walking bag of sex, but i guess he just isn't my type anymore." Sakura said smiling. "Why do you ask?"

"I was just curious, i remember back when we first semi met in the chunnin exams, when he stopped Kankuro from hurting that little kid, you looked at him like he was god." Gaara said which made Sakura laugh. They were silent and Gaara began to think. Why am i being nice to this girl all of a sudden? Why is that i feel that i can laugh and joke with her? Sakura is making this way to confusing, why cant she just be afraid of me like everyone else. Gaara was brought of his thoughts when Sakura announced that they had arrived at the Hokage's office. Once in the fifth explained why she brought them there.

"Ever since Sakura came back to Konoha, the amount of sitings of Akatsuki members have increased dramatically. We believe that all the members may be here lurking around Konoha. Considering the fact that we have Naruto, Sakura, and you Gaara all located inside the village. Since the Akatsuki members are lurking around many people have been very afraid and i have received many complaints. As the Hokage but I'm sorry to tell you that i will be sending you Gaara, Sakura, Naruto, Neji, Tenten, and Hinata on a mission to leave Konoha for a while. We are hoping that the Akatsuki will follow you six out of the village. I'm sending the other three nin with you because i don't want any of you to be hurt. I believe in your abilities to protect yourselves, while i know the villagers can not do anything to defend them selves against the Akatsuki. This is not permanent, this is just till we can figure something else out. Believe me if i didn't have to send some of my best Anbu members out i wouldn't, but right now i believe it is what is best for the village." Tsunade said, expecting to hear an argument coming from Sakura but it never came.

" I agree with you completely, when did you want us to leave." Sakura said. Even though she was sad that she would be leaving Konoha for who knows how long. This was after all her where she grew up, at least she would have some of her friends along with her.

"I'm glad that you are being so understanding of this Sakura. You will be leaving in a couple of hours. I need you to give these papers to Naruto, Neji, Hinata, and Tenten. They explain the mission. You will all meet at the front gate in a couple of hours." Tsunade said with a sad yet serious look on her face

Sakura and Gaara left to give the papers to their respective owners. When they arrived at Hyuuga Complex, Hinata answered the door.

"Hello Sakura and Gaara-sama." Hinata said Shyly

"Hey Hinata i was told by Tsunade to give you and Neji these papers." Sakura said while handing the papers to Hinata. "We all have mission to leave Konoha for a while to draw the Akatsuki away from here."

"ok yeah i understand, but Neji isn't in right now, i think he is training with Tenten in the woods." Hinata said

" Ok well we need to speak with Tenten to so you wouldn't know where Naruto is would you?" Sakura asked

"No, why would i know where Naruto is, its not like i watch him everyday and know his whole routine." Hinata said mumbling and blushing like crazy almost fainting.

"Ok Hinata well be off see ya in a couple hours." Sakura said while walking away from the Hyuuga complex.

"So how do we find Naruto?" Gaara asked Sakura while they were talking towards the woods.

"Where we find ramen nine time out of ten you will find Naruto as well." Sakura said laughing thinking about her goofy blond friend.

While they were going through the woods Gaara and Sakura noticed another chakra presence that wasn't familiar to them. They both got into their fighting stances. They were both scanning the area and sand particles started to swish around them. They were about to let their guard down because they hadn't sensed the chakra anymore when two of the Akatsuki members that Sakura had never met before, but she knew their names and special abilities, jumped down in front of them. In a matter of seconds they had sand flying towards them which they easily evaded.

"I suggest that you back off you are not getting a hold of Sakura." Gaara said with his arms folded across his chest with an evil look on his face.

"Well thats fine because Gaara we are not after the pink haired kunoichi...yeah... that is not our mission, thats Kisame's and Itachi's, we are after you sand demon...yeah." Deidara said

"You know we could be nice and help them out and take the cherry blossom to." Sasori said.

They were locked in a huge battle sand going everywhere, Gaara was surprised that Sakura was holding her own so well against Akatsuki member, but he thought to soon. Just then Deidara made a clay bird and caused it to explode sending her flying across the woods. Sakura was waiting for the impact of the tree, but i never came. She felt arms catch her before she hit the tree and carry her to a tree, where he laid her down. She looked up hoping and expecting to meet Gaara, but was met by white blank eyes, Hyuuga eyes.

"Whats wrong Gaara cant even protect your own woman." Neji said as he jumped down from the tree to help Gaara with the Akatsuki.

"You try fighting an Akatsuki member and protecting Sakura." Gaara spat back at him. "Wheres Tenten weren't you two training together?"

"We saw the fight and i sent her to the village to get some others." Neji said while activating his byakugan.

"We wished to do quietly...yeah... we didn't expect more of you to show up...yeah." Deidara said.

"Come on Deidara there will be other chances." Sasori said as they both disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Wheres Sakura." Gaara asked coldly.

"Shes up in that tree." Neji said pointing about to head back towards the village.

"wait we have mission papers for you. Sakura has them." Gaara said while getting Sakura and carrying her bridal style back down to the forest floor. Neji sighed, damn i just got back from a mission to, this Hokage is gonna be the end of me.

"I can walk Gaara." Sakura said while she was struggling against Gaara grip. He stopped on another branch and set her down.

"Fine go ahead and get down by yourself." Gaara said. Sakura began to walk but she didn't realize how much toll the explosion had caused her. Her feet immediately fell out from underneath her and she found herself plummeting to the forest floor at a very fast rate. Damn my stubbornness now I'm going to die. Sakura thought as she fell towards the ground. Again waiting for the impact, but it never came, she soon found herself wrapped in sand and being gently lowered to the ground. She looked up and saw Gaara smirking at her.

"I hate you and your cockiness." Sakura yelled back up at him in a joking voice.

"Yeah well its me and my cockiness that always saves your life." Gaara said while slightly smiling but only for a second, but Sakura saw it. When she got back down to the ground she used chakra to feel all of her torn muscles and fix herself up as good as new. When she was done Neji walked up to her and asked her about the mission.

"Oh yeah thats right Tsunade-Sensei wants us to leave Konoha for a while in hopes of the Akatsuki following us." Sakura said as she handed the mission papers over to him.

"Yeah you guys probably would be killed if Tsunade didn't send me with you all." Neji said with a cocky smirk on his face. Sakura was just about to hit him when someone else hit him across the head from behind. Neji turned around to see Tenten.

"Oh what was that for?" Neji asked while rubbing his sore spot.

"because you have a big ego and i need to make it smaller." Tenten said while smiling. Neji was mumbling something about woman being so annoying and about shikamaru being right about them being troublesome when Sakura interrupted him.

"Tenten where is the others you were supposed to bring." Sakura asked.

"Oh there coming, where are the Akatsuki?" Tenten asked

"They left when they heard that more of the Konoha nin were coming." They heard Gaara say and everyone looked towards him.

"Oh hey Gaara-sama i didn't even see you there." Tenten said smiling

"Why does everyone keep on calling me sama?" Gaara asked while rolling his eyes.

"Think about it panda-kun, you are Kazekage." Sakura said

"What did you just call me?" Gaara asked slightly annoyed at being called a panda

"Panda-kun, its just a sweet cute name and you remind me of a panda. You can look all sweet and cuddly, but piss you off and your like on kill mode." Sakura said with a sweet smile. Neji just laughed.

"Wait Gaara if your Kazekage, how is it that your allowed to just leave and help Konoha, done you have like duties and such.

"Yeah but Kankuro usually takes care of it, and believe me the council doesn't mind me leaving the village for months at a time." Gaara said in his usual cold voice. It got silent until they heard the loud mouthed blond ninja barge into the scene.

"Where are they, where are the Akatsuki members who are trying to take Sakura-chan away. I will Hokage one day and i will protect everyone close to me!." Naruto yelled while jumping down in front of everyone.

"They already left baka." Sakura said while hitting him across the head. " Your late!."

"Yeah sorry, but i really had to finish my ramen. I would have ate another quick bowl if Hinata hadn't made me come." Naruto said laughing until Sakura hit him across the head again.

"Sakura why don't you give Hinata, Naruto, and Tenten there mission papers." Gaara said, even though he was enjoying the sight of Sakura beating up Naruto.

"Oh yeah here you guys go, I'm pretty sure everything is explained in there." Sakura said while handing them their mission papers.

"Well what are we waiting for lets get going.!" Naruto yelled after reading the mission paper. "hey Akatsuki, you want Gaara and i so bad well come and get us." Naruto yelled out into the woods, causing Sakura to hit him once again.

"Baka!"

A/N: I'm sorry it took so long to put this chapter up but my computer was down for a while and when i got it fixed i had an idea so i had made a quick one shot the other day. Its a SakuXGaa called remember me if you get a chance be sure to read it and review! But anyways what did everyone think of this chapter? Comments are always welcome!

-Fuzzie