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 4: Here we Come Suna

The group went off with Gaara leading the way.

"So are we going anywhere in particular?" Tenten asked Neji.

"Not sure I'm just following Gaara for the most part." Neji replied

"We are going to Suna, stay there for a little bit, then heading off to another hidden village." Gaara said in an emotionless voice.

They were running for about an hour when Gaara heard Hinata and Sakura whispering. The only words he could make out were "really...Gaara?...Yeah me to...you ask him..." He then stopped which caused everyone to stop and look at him.

"Got something to say Haruno." Gaara said in an icy voice

"well...you see... well." Sakura mumbled out her face red with embarrassment that he had singled her out.

"Complete sentences." Gaara said while turning away from her

"You know its polite to look at someone when they are talking." Sakura yelled getting annoyed at his attitude. Everyone looked from Sakura back to Gaara and kept on doing this as the argument continued.

"Maybe if you learned how to talk then i wouldn't feel the need to turn away."

"Well maybe if you weren't so oblivious to everyone except yourself you would see that everyone is dead tired." Sakura yelled.

"Everyone seems fine to me." Gaara yelled back. Sakura looked at everyone and then yelled back at Gaara.

"How can you say that they look fine, everyone is panting! A normal nin at least stops once to rest on a trip from Konoha to Suna." Sakura yelled

"A normal nin or a certain pampered weak pink haired kunoichi?" Gaara said. Sakura had finally had all she could take of Gaara. God he is so insufferable, one minute hes nice and sweet then next hes an asshole. Sakura looked down at her feet as Gaara turned away from her. She saw a medium sized rock, she bent down to pick it up and as she surged chakra threw her arms she threw it at Gaara's head. Sakura didn't even wait to see if the rock hit him or not she took off in another direction yelling that she would meet them in Suna later. The rock would have hit Gaara had it not been for his sand automatically defending him. Gaara turned around and was about to yell at her and call her childish when he heard her yell and take off in another direction.

"God damn it!" Gaara yelled and looked at the rest of the group. "Head on to Suna, Sakura and i will meet you there."

"Hai." They all said simultaneously. Gaara then took off in the direction she went and followed her chakra trail. He finally found her sitting by a lake on rock and it sounded like she was crying. I don't want to deal with this, why do i even care that i caused this girl pain. Gaara came up behind her and was about to put his hand on her back when she threw a kunai at him which is sand blocked.

"Go away!" Sakura yelled she tried to look away so he wouldn't see her crying.

"Sakura...I" He began before Sakura cut him off

"don't you dare say your sorry, because Ive figured it all out. I know how guys like you work. Your all sweet and nice when your alone with girls like me, but when you get around other people like the other team mates you turn into your old cold self." Sakura yelled while walking away.

"Sakura i don't know what to think anymore, i don't know what it is I'm feeling, i don't know why i care about you, why are you doing this to me." Gaara yelled at her and was gone in a vortex of sand. Typical Gaara thing to do, ask a question and just leave.

Sakura decided to take this time to relax and think everything over in the lake. Maybe a nice bath would do her good. She stripped from all her clothes and got into the water and went under the water to wet her hair and when she came back up she saw the bottoms of an Akatsuki cloak. She followed the cloak up to see who's it was and came face to face with non other than Itachi Uchiha.

"Now whats a little kunoichi doing in a lake all alone with no clothes on. You never know when Akatsuki could be lurking around." Itachi said with a smirk. Sakura immediately became a bit scared, she knew she couldn't fight him with out her clothes on and all her weapons were with her clothes. She started to back away to make some distance between them, but he just stepped closer and closed off the space that separated them.

"Get away from me!" Sakura yelled and tried to swim away when she felt him grab her ankle and pull her back. His hand went from her ankle and drifted up her left across her thigh and then on her waist. Sakura again tried to jerk away, but he was to quick. He soon had hold of her wrist and pulled her out of the water. Sakura screamed and tried to use one of her hands to cover herself up.

After Gaara had left he went off to a near by area to set up some type of camp, he figured she just needed some time alone. Ill just go back and get her later, hopefully she will still be in the same spot, then again pink in a forest isn't that hard to miss.He was trying to start a fire when he heard an all to familiar scream coming from the place where he had left Sakura. He immediately got up and in a vortex of sand appeared at the lake again. He saw Sakura being held by the elder Uchiha. She was desperately trying to break his grasp on her and at the same time trying to conceal herself.

"Let her go right now Uchiha." Gaara yelled

"Good i figured you would be lurking around somewhere, i was wondering when you would show, i was afraid i wouldn't get to have any entertainment tonight." Itachi said

"Gaara hel-" Sakura began but was cut off when Itachi put his hand over her mouth. He then used chakra to bind her body together and tie her up. Itachi then thew her aside into the lake, she just sunk into the lake.

"Hmm, I guess cherry blossoms don't float. Now what are you going to do Kazekage-sama. Save the girl and risk me attacking you and killing you or fight me now and let her die. Oh yeah and before i forget to tell you." Itachi said as he pulled out a bloody sand head band. " I payed a little visit to Suna while you were away." He then threw the bloody sand head band, that Gaara recognized as Temari's.

"Ill kill you." Gaara yelled

"I guess the girl doesn't matter, shes probably on her last breath by now." Itachi said. Gaara didn't know what to do. He knew he couldn't let Sakura drown so he dove into the water after her. He saw Itachi coming towards him above the water about to strike. He couldn't do anything he couldn't move out of the way fast enough soon Itachi threw a kunai that hit him in the back of the head.

"Foolish boy, either way you were both going to do tonight." Itachi said with a small laugh.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." A voice said behind Itachi. He looked behind him and cursed when he saw Gaara holding an unconscious Sakura. He looked to where he thought the original Gaara was and it poofed away. Gaara set Sakura down on the shore bank and sent sand towards Itachi. Itachi looked into Gaara's eyes and saw blood lust in his eyes.

"You killed my sister, you tried to kill me and worst of all you tried to kill the woman i love, big mistake. I will kill you now Uchiha." Gaara yelled. Before the sand could even reach Itachi, he was already gone in a poof. Gaara checked the area for his chakra presence and noticed that it was starting to diminish, which probably meant that he was making distance between them. Smart move Uchiha, but your only putting off the inevitable, i will kill you.

"Gaara, is what you said true." Sakura whispered. Gaara looked at Sakura and was surprised to see her awake. I guess she was awake when I was yelling at Uchiha.

Gaara stayed quiet, he didn't know how to answer her, he wanted to just run over to her and say he loved her and kiss her. He was afraid though, of how she would respond, of how this would change their relationship, he was a monster after all.

"Come on Sakura lets go get you your clothes back on." Gaara said while picking her up bridal style. He carried her over to where she had taken off her clothes. He set her down and turned around. Sakura tried her hardest to get dressed she eventually got her underwear and bra back on but was completely out of energy after doing so.

"Gaara..." Sakura said sheepishly sounds uncanningly like Hinata.

"Yes." Gaara said as he turned around, but immediately turned back around when he saw that she wasn't completely dressed yet.

"Could you help me i cant finish getting dressed." Sakura mumbled. Gaara's eyes widened a bit and he turned around and tried his hardest not to look at her. He sat her up and grabbed her red dress and pulled that over her head. He reached for her blue shorts and was a bit unsure of how to do this but with a bit of Sakura's help she was eventually completely dressed.

"Thanks Panda-Kun" Sakura said as Gaara picked her up. She eventually fell asleep in his arms.

When Sakura awoke again she felt something hard against her side. She looked up and saw Gaara carrying her, he was still running though threw sand and not the forest anymore. I guess we are really close to Suna.

"Morning sleepyhead." Gaara said while looking down at her still running. Sakura stretched almost causing Gaara to drop her. He soon stopped and she used her chakra to restore all her energy. She stood up, and was soon as good as before.

"You ready to keep going were almost there." Gaara said

"Yeah, um thanks for um last night and everything." Sakura managed to get out as they ran.

"No problem, you wanna know something i thought was funny." Gaara asked

"Um sure." Sakura was surprised that Gaara was being so nice and actually seemed like he was gonna joke with her.

"That such a little cherry blossom, can snore very loud." Gaara said while narrowly missing a hit that Sakura sent at him.

"I don't not snore." Sakura yelled at him and laughing.

"Oh believe me you do, I would know i carried you while you were sleeping the whole time. So i heard you the whole time." Gaara said and Sakura tried to strike him again. This time Gaara stopped and grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to him. They were inches away from each others faces. Sakura was blushing like crazy and in one swift movement Gaara lips were on top of hers. Sakura seemed to forget about everything that was happening in her life with that one kiss. He licked her bottom lip asking for access to her mouth, she opened her mouth in response as their tongues fought a battle for dominance. Eventually they pulled apart needing air.

"What was that for." Sakura asked while touching her lips.

"Because i can." Gaara said smirking at her. They continued running through the sand. When Sakura finally spoke again.

"Why are you acting so different suddenly?" Sakura asked. "Not that I mind or anything."

"What can i say maybe you bring out the niceness that no one new existed in me." Gaara said while still looking forward. As they kept on running they eventually saw the gates of Suna come into view. Sakura then remembered what Gaara said about Itachi killing his sister. I wonder if anyone else is dead i hope not, Gaara shouldn't have to feel more pain. As they entered the gates, Sakura looked at Gaara. He showed no emotion on his face. She looked at the town and no one was there.

"Where is everyone." was all Sakura could ask.

A/N: I got no reviews last chapter but i except that as my punishment for not updating in such a long time. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Tomorrows Black Friday anyone else going shopping? Yay for long lines and fights over cheap clothing XD. Anyways read and review please!

-Fuzzie