You guys are the best! Thank you for all of the kind reviews and I hope I can continue to please. My apologies if it affected anyone, but I didn't realize I had anonymous reviews disabled. That is fixed now.

Just so credit is given where credit is due, I was looking through Stereophonics' songs and realized I will run out of titles quite soon. So, I'm incorporating titles from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club as well. It's only fair really, seeing as I was listening to both bands while fleshing out the story.

Enough rambling. Enjoy!

If you want to hear the songs that influenced this story the most (and fit very well) then listen to Stereophonics 'Rewind' and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 'Howl'. Amazing songs.

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.

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You Gotta Go There To Come Back

Chapter 2: Need Some Air

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Naruto sighed after taking another swig of his sake. Ninja were allowed alcohol at a young age, which the young man was thankful for at the moment, but it didn't soothe the sting of his teammate's departure. Kakashi slid into the stool next to his one-time student. "Hello, Naruto. It's unusual to see you by yourself."

Naruto stared at the bar's shiny surface. "I'm not used to being by myself. It hasn't even been a day and I already miss Sakura-chan." He smiled into his nearly empty cup. "If she were here, we'd be either getting ramen or there would be a group of us cramming into Sakura's apartment. We always used her apartment for hanging out if we weren't going to the bar."

"Why is that?"

Naruto let out a chuckle. "Sakura's a neat freak so her apartment was always clean and smelled nice. Plus, she always had a stocked fridge which we raided. We all felt at home at Sakura's place, you know. I just wish she was here. If she were here I wouldn't be drinking sake. Sakura always said sake was good if you wanted to feel numb for a little while, but I hate sake." To prove his point, he finished his drink, pulling a terrible face as he signaled for another.

Kakashi signaled the bartender to bring him a sake as well and sighed as he considered his words. "At least Sakura didn't desert the village. Think of it as a very long mission or a very long vacation. That should be some consolation to you."

"I still don't see why she had to leave." Naruto gave a little groan in frustration and Kakashi waited for him to continue. "Okay, I know why she left, but I just don't understand. She always seemed so happy."

Silver hair shifted as the Copy Nin nodded. "Sakura's always worried about how people perceive her. She probably didn't want anyone to see her as weak or worry about her, so she covered it up." After a moment of silence, Kakashi huffed slightly as he gripped his newly delivered drink. "Now you know how Sakura must have felt when you left with Jiraiya-sama."

Naruto's head jerked up. "That's different, though, right? I mean she knew when I was coming back and I was with Ero-sennin so she knew I'd be safe."

Kakashi's eye crinkled ever so slightly from a bitter smile as he shook his head. "You still left, right after Sasuke's defection. And she was all alone."

"Damn it. I guess you're right."

The bell over the door chimed and the two men looked up to see Sakura's rival and best friend enter. She strode over and slid onto the stool on Naruto's other side. "How did I know I'd see you here?"

Naruto smiled slightly. "I think you and I have similar thoughts running through our minds."

Ino shrugged her long again hair over her shoulder. "I miss her, but I stand behind this idea whole-heartedly. She needed this." After getting her daiquiri ordered, she turned a wicked smile to the two men. "I'm still completely baffled by this older mystery man of hers. I was certain it was Iruka-sensei at first, but with that theory shot down I'm more curious than ever."

Kakashi chuckled. "Tsunade-sama will tell you if you're wrong with your guesses, but she won't say a word if you're right."

A light seemed to click on in Ino's eyes. "Ooh, I'm so going to figure out who it is. If I just go to the Hokage and start naming older men Sakura has had contact with, she'll surely give something away." She put a hand to her chin. "Or get fed up and beat the crap out of me." she mumbled to herself.

Naruto was curious also and began to conspire with his newfound partner in crime. "It could go either way with Tsunade-baachan. But I'm beginning to think it's worth a try."

Kakashi gave another slight chuckle before downing the rest of his drink and standing to leave. "I'll see you later. Tell me if you find out anything interesting."

A second after the smoke cleared from his departure, Naruto's head swirled to the counter where Kakashi's empty cup sat and growled, noticing the absence of money. "Cheapskate."

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Sakura twirled in her new civilian attire and smiled. "Thanks for going shopping with me, Mom. I think it'll be easier to travel as a civilian."

Mrs. Haruno nodded. "Are you sure you don't want to just stay with your father and I for a while?"

Green eyes rolled and a smile broke out. "Mom! I won't figure anything out with you and Dad breathing down my neck!"

Mrs. Haruno's own green eyes closed as she giggled. "Hey! We aren't that bad are we?"

Sakura waved a hand. "I won't answer that. So, how do I look? I haven't worn civilian clothes in ages.

Her mother stepped back and looked her daughter over. "Wonderful. Those clothes suit you."

Sakura looked down at the comfortable jeans and plain white T-shirt with the pristine, new sneakers and then gave a few testing stretches. "They're sort of restrictive. I can't move as easily as I can in my ninja gear."

With hands on her hips, Sakura's mom gave a sigh. "Sakura, how many enemies do you think you'll run into as a regular girl? As long as you avoid the areas the Hokage warned you about, you'll be fine."

"I know. I just feel strange without a kunai pouch and hip holster."

Her mom reached into one of the bags and pulled out a white headband. "At least you can still wear one of these to give you some feeling of normalcy and keep the hair from your pretty face." She pushed the band up and onto the top of her daughter's head and smiled. "So, where do you think you'll head next?"

Sakura chewed her bottom lip. "I hadn't really thought about it. Maybe I'll visit the Kazekage and his siblings before truly taking off. I don't know. I want to basically hike all over the world. I want to experience all I possibly can before heading back to Konoha. Maybe I'll take my hike first and then visit people before picking a place to settle for a bit. Or just visit people as I pass through that area."

Her mom giggled at her daughter's unsure rambling. "Well you just make sure to keep your father and I posted. We'll worry about you if we don't hear from you regularly."

Sakura giggled along with her mother. "Don't worry, Mom! I'll write to you when I write to the Hokage. I'm supposed to check in every two weeks, so expect letters in that time frame." Sakura turned back to her purchases and sighed. The entire bed in her parents' spare room was covered in bags and boxes from various shops. "I'm afraid I went a little overboard. What am I going to do with all this stuff? I can't carry it all while I'm traveling on foot."

Mrs. Haruno patted her daughter on the back. "You can leave it here. If you need any of it, just write or call and I'll mail it to you."

"Mom, you're a life saver!"

"Yes, yes, of course. Now let's go make some lunch. I'm famished!"

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Kakashi had agreed to a night out with the other jounin he knew and couldn't help but notice the long faces of the Rookie Nine and Team Gai as he entered the bar. He slid into the booth next to Genma, who jerked his thumb in the direction of the younger shinobi. "Know what's got them so down?"

Kakashi sighed. This topic would be discussed for a while it seemed. "Sakura requested to leave the village and Tsunade-sama granted her request."

Genma sucked his senbon loudly. "That hot little number with pink hair? Now, that's a waste."

Anko shook her head at him. "Do you have to speak of all women like they're a piece of meat?"

Gai added loudly from his corner of the booth. "Here, here! Do not douse their flames of youth with your degrading words, Shiranui!"

Kakashi closed his eye so he wouldn't be so tempted to roll it at Gai. He was almost certain Gai's flowery words were worse than the senbon-wielder's lecherous ones. But too much of the latter and Kakashi wasn't sure he would be able to forgive so easily as Genma continued digging his hole. "What? She's sexy as hell with that feisty attitude and strength of hers. Probably a little wild cat if you ask me." He looked over at Kakashi and fell silent when he noticed the death glare the man was giving him.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't speak of my teammate that way, Genma. Not to mention the fact that she's 16 and you're 33."

"Is that all she is? Damn. Thought I would be in the clear if I tried to pluck her-" His speech was cut off as a fist caught him square in the jaw. He looked over at Kakashi in shock. "Shit, man! What the hell was that for?"

The Copy Nin calmly flipped a page in his book. "Warned you."

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Sakura slung her travel pack over her shoulder and smiled giddily at her parents. "I'm off!"

She strode to the door, her parents trailing behind, not quite as excited as their only child. Her father grabbed her in a hug so fierce Sakura thought her bones would snap. "Are you sure you have everything you need? Enough food? Enough clothes? Enough money? I don't want you sleeping on the ground somewhere."

"Daddy, quit worrying! I have all I need right here." She patted her pack as she placed it on the ground and turned to hug her mom, who was trying not to cry. "Okay, if you cry I'm going to cry so suck it up, Mom!"

The older Haruno woman giggled at her child and let out a calming breath. She pulled Sakura into a tight hug and smiled as she realized her daughter was slightly taller than her. 'My baby's growing up so fast.' "You just have fun and be careful out there."

"I'm a ninja, remember? Even if I run into some common thug it won't be any trouble. I'll send you guys a letter in two weeks. Love you!" She hiked her pack up onto her shoulders and took her time strolling to the woods on the other side of the outpost town.

She jumped up into the first large tree she came to and surveyed her options from the top of the tree. She was in the border town, so if she continued west, she could cross through the River Country and then on into Wind. If she went east, well that would just be going back the way she came and seemed like a waste. Heading north would take her into the militaristic and hostile Earth Country, so that route was out. She could go south and take a boat to Tea Country, but there wasn't anything there she was overly excited about. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to visit Gaara, Temari and Kankuro. So, west it was!

She wasn't thrilled about tracking through River Country. After all, been there done that and none of the memories were pleasant. That was where Akatsuki had extracted Shukaku from Gaara and Chiyo had met her end. However, she hadn't paid attention to the landscape much, so perhaps a nice hike through the country would be relaxing.

After debating with herself over walking or running, she decided on strolling leisurely through River Country. There were no shinobi villages, meaning no reason to continuously watch her back. The climate and terrain were actually very pleasant once she began her trek. True, there were areas of dangerous mountain ranges and craggy cliffs, but rivers and streams carved their way through the landscape offering a peaceful companion to her travels. There were just enough small towns scattered conveniently throughout, so she could admire the country in solitude during the day, but would reach a town near dusk meaning there was always an inn to rent a room for the night.

She ended up reaching the border to Wind three days before her check-in time with Tsunade. Sakura smiled at the thought of meeting up with the Sand siblings again. She had enjoyed the peace and quiet River offered, but she was beginning to miss conversing with others. The most interaction she had over the past week and a half was consumer to business. She stopped about five miles from the border and opted to move her shinobi papers and headband to the small pocket on the front of her travel pack. If she was stopped by Sand shinobi then they could easily check her papers without her moving a muscle. A good idea, since any movement on her part could be considered a threat to other shinobi. Satisfied with her shuffled belongings, she hiked her pack back up and began to walk a little faster in her excitement.

Not far into Wind, she realized running with chakra would probably be a smart choice. It would make her hotter than she already was, but it would get her closer to cool fans and a room to rest in. She took off at top speed and actually felt a little better with the wind running through her hair and over her face. Sooner than she expected, she saw the tiered, sand entry to Sunagakure and almost laughed in delight. Not wanting to alarm any ninja on guard duty, she slowed to a walk and calmly proceeded to the entrance.

Before she was there a gust of wind caused her to stop and shield her face, and when it died down and she opened her eyes again she was met by the grinning face of Temari who was leaning casually against her fan. "Haruno Sakura. What are you doing here?"

Sakura smiled brightly back at the blonde and rolled her eyes at the dramatic entrance. "It's a very long story. I'm actually here by my own free will, no mission or anything of that nature."

Temari moved forward and embraced the startled young woman. "Well you are certainly welcome anytime. We are eternally indebted to you for saving Kankuro and then helping to retrieve Gaara."

"How are your brothers?"

"Gaara's working hard. Kankuro mainly causes a ruckus and gets in the way. He's very skilled at ticking off the elders." She grinned maliciously. "Though I'm sure the old bastards deserve it."

Sakura laughed. That seemed to sum up the brothers pretty well and was honestly the answer she was thinking she'd hear. "I would love to catch up with all of you when you have a chance. But first, I need to find an inn. After traveling through all that dust, I need a shower and a nap."

Temari waved a dismissive hand at her. "You will do no such thing as stay at an inn. We have lovely rooms available at the Kazekage Tower and no one scheduled to visit for months. You can stay with us."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to impose."

Temari glared at her and Sakura laughed. "Okay. Okay. Kazekage Tower it is."

Temari linked arms with the pink-headed kunoichi and began their walk to the epicenter of the village.

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Kakashi headed up to the top of the Hokage Mountain to indulge in a little late night reading and was surprised to see Ino looking out over the village. "Ino? What are you doing up here?"

Without turning around she replied. "Hello, Kakashi-sensei. Just thinking."

He watched as she tried to discreetly wipe her eyes and sighed. Hoping to turn her attention to something more exciting he asked, "Did you find out anything about Sakura's mystery man yet?"

She turned towards him and Kakashi noticed the round bruise on her forehead. "What do you think?"

"Ah. The Hokage wasn't feeling patient I assume."

"She threw a paper weight at me! It was uncalled for if you ask me." She folded her arms across her chest and then squealed as she remembered something and dug in her pouch. "Look at this. I listed all of the older men that Sakura was in contact with. It was difficult considering she knows everybody due to being Tsunade-sama's apprentice. But I know Forehead and I know she takes love very seriously. So it had to be someone she came into regular contact with, which helped a lot. So I have it narrowed down to Genma..."

Kakashi shivered. He didn't like the idea of the womanizer having a chance with wholesome Sakura. She was far too good for him. Genma was a great shinobi and a great friend, but he was a terrible person to fall for.

"Or Gai." Ino shivered. "Which is disturbing and I hope I know Sakura well enough to be sure it isn't him. There's also Kotetsu or Izumo. Not bad, they're both kinda cute and almost constantly around her since they're the Hokage's assistants. Maybe Yamato, but she doesn't really mention him much. And then there's..." Ino paused and smiled wickedly at Kakashi.

"What?" His voice went flat, he knew what was coming.

"You." Her smile widened and she continued once she caught Kakashi's blank stare. "Okay, she's known you since she was twelve, she looks up to you, she knows all your bad habits but they don't really bother her. Seriously, if you haven't noticed, Sakura's not known for her patience with others and their personal quirks."

Wanting to steer the conversation from that direction since he considered it ludicrous, Kakashi went back to the Hokage. "So, did Hokage-sama give you any information or did you get assaulted before getting very far?"

"I mentioned Genma and she said 'no', I mentioned Gai and she shuddered and said 'no' and then I opened my mouth to ask about someone else and that's when the paperweight hit me. I want to ask her about the others some other time, but I'm worried about what else she may throw at me. I think I need you and Naruto to help me out here."

She looked back to Kakashi only to realize he had pulled out his book and didn't seem to be paying any attention. With a huff, she stood to leave. "You obviously aren't interested, but just think about it. Maybe something will jump out at you as a clue to who she's in love with."

As soon as her chakra signature faded, Kakashi put the book into his lap and leaned back on his hands. He couldn't deny Ino was making sense. But not about him. He was Sakura's sensei! There was no way it was him. Kotetsu and Izumo, now one of them made sense to him. He smirked slightly before resuming his reading.

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Tsunade hurled a chair in Kakashi's direction and the jounin only had his ingrained reflexes to thank for avoiding it. "HATAKE! What in the world has you asking about that?"

Kakashi merely shrugged. "Just curious. After all, I have known Sakura since she was twelve and am her sensei and team leader."

Tsunade smirked. "You haven't been her sensei for three years. That honor went to me when she approached me for training. And believe me, it has been an honor. You had your head too far up the Uchiha's ass to realize what a brilliant student she was in the beginning and then after he left, you decided Naruto was the only one who could possibly become strong enough to defeat Sasuke. You screwed up."

"Ouch." Kakashi winced at the venom in his leader's voice. The fact that he knew she was right didn't help either.

"And 'just curious' my ass! Something has planted the idea in your brain to find out..." She trailed off and Kakashi saw the realization cross her face. "The Yamanka girl put you up to this, didn't she?"

Kakashi laughed nervously and scratched at the back of his head, which was all the answer Tsunade needed. "Damn it! I thought that girl got the picture yesterday."

"So it's not Kotetsu or Izumo, then?"

Tsunade sighed. "Not that it's any of your business, but no."

Kakashi gave another nervous laugh. "She thinks it could be me. Which is ridiculous."

Kakashi thought he saw something flicker across Tsunade's gaze, but it was too quick for him to be sure and the Hokage's words refuted him. "No, no. I won't say anything about who it is. You all just leave me be and Sakura will tell you when she's ready. I'm not even going to dignify these questions with a response anymore."

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Sakura stretched languidly on the soft bed in her room in the Kazekage's tower. Air conditioning was one of the modern commodities that Suna embraced and Sakura was grateful for it. After showering and a quick nap, she was reveling in the cool breeze washing over her skin and the cool cotton sheets at her back when a knock came at the door. In a decidedly cheerful mood, she bounded over to the door and opened it with a smile that only widened as she saw Temari grinning back. She and the Sand kunoichi were already friends, but she had a feeling the bonds would become deeper and stronger if she stayed. "Hey! Dinner's ready if you want to join us."

Sakura stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind her. "I'm starving! And I'm anxious to say 'hi' to your brothers. Will they be there?"

Temari nodded. "Kankuro's always available if food is in the equation and Gaara has this rule about eating with us. There's guilt on both sides for how divided we all were as children, so this is a small way for us to become closer."

As they neared the dining area in the private quarters of the tower, Sakura didn't think she had ever smelled anything so heavenly. After eating in restaurants for the past week and a half she was looking forward to a home-cooked meal. Just as she rounded the corner, she was practically tackled by Kankuro. "Sakura! I'm so glad to see you!"

She giggled at his antics and managed to break free of his hug. "Hey, Kankuro! I'm glad to see you, too. How have you been?"

Before the young man could reply, a low voice came from the other side of the room. "Haruno Sakura-san. I hope your trip was pleasant."

Sakura smiled brightly at Gaara while she tried to figure out how to address him. Deciding formal was best, she gave a little bow. "It was very enjoyable. Nice to see you again, Kazekage-sama. Thank you for allowing me to stay in the tower."

Gaara managed a tiny smile as he dipped his head in greeting. "Just call me Gaara. There's no need to be so formal. We have a lot to thank you for."

After they sat down to eat, Sakura heard the question she had been dreading. Although now that her story would be out in the open, she could enjoy her stay without questioning looks from the others. Kankuro asked around a mouthful of rice. "So, are you on vacation or something?"

Temari made a face as she witnessed her brother's lack of manners. "For heaven's sake Kankuro! Don't talk with your mouth full! That's disgusting!"

The puppet-master shot a retaliating glare at his sister, but immediately turned back to Sakura for her answer. With three sets of eyes on her and considering she was staying at their residence, they really deserved an explanation. She set down her bowl and chopsticks and cast her gaze into her lap to gather her thoughts. "I asked Tsunade-shishou for permission to leave the village for an indefinite amount of time. I just need to do a little soul-searching. Plus, I fell for someone that's off-limits and that was pretty painful. I needed to get away from that, too."

Temari gave a loud 'alright' that made Sakura jump slightly. "Sounds like a girls' night out is in order. You and me Haruno, are heading out tonight. We're going to dance and flirt and get you liquored up, I'll stay sober to make sure neither of us does something we'll regret, and then we'll discuss this off-limits person of your's. Deal?"

The thought of getting this secret off her chest was too appealing. And considering Temari had no reason to contact Kakashi, she was a safe bet. "Deal!"

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As Temari and Sakura left the dining room, Sakura shyly confided to Temari. "I didn't bring any clothes to go out in. All I have with me are traveling outfits."

"No problem. Just come to my room with me. I'm sure I'll have something to suit you."

Sakura stood uneasily just inside Temari's room. The older kunoichi would look over occasionally as she went through her closet, mumbling to herself. Sometimes she'd look at Sakura and frown, other times she'd give a 'maybe' shrug and continue her search. Finally she smiled widely and pulled a dark green top out of the closet and started digging purposefully in another area of the closet. She pulled out a black, asymmetrical skirt and turned to Sakura, holding the top and skirt together. "What do you think?"

"It's very pretty. Do you think it'll look nice on me?"

"Wouldn't have pulled it out if I had any doubts. You can use my bathroom to change." She shoved the clothes into Sakura's hands and pulled out a blue halter dress to change into while Sakura dressed.

Sakura turned and twisted as she checked her reflection. She did look nice in the clothes Temari was letting her borrow. The deep green of the spaghetti-strap top made her eyes appear darker and the black skirt with one side ending at just above her knee and the other side ending at mid-thigh drew attention to her long legs. The bunched material in the middle of the top of the shirt also drew attention to her newly-developed chest. With a grin, Sakura emerged to find Temari brushing out her hair to hang loose.

With a whistle, the Sand kunoichi rose and circled Sakura. "Nice, Haruno! We'll have guys tripping over themselves to dance with you. You don't even need to do anything with your hair, just leave it down. Maybe a little eyeliner, though." She handed the dark stick to Sakura who quickly brushed it over her lower lids lightly. "Alright. Just put these on and we're ready!"

Feeling more confident and attractive than she had in weeks, Sakura strapped on the black heels offered to her and gave a happy smile as Temari led the way.

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She was prepared to wait in the long line at the door to the club, but Temari pushed her way to the front and the bouncer smiled as he spotted her. "Temari! Hey, baby. How are you?"

She hugged the enormous man and gestured to Sakura. "Just showing my friend here around town. Had to bring her to the best club in Suna."

The bouncer pulled the rope aside and motioned for them to go through. "There's always room for two gorgeous ladies. Have a good time!"

She could hear the music outside, but once inside the doors the sound was deafening. She could feel the music vibrating through the floor and almost felt like she would fall if she tried to walk. She was worried she would lose Temari with the strobe lights flashing overhead, but her hand was grabbed as she was led to a table near one of the corners. Temari leaned close so Sakura could hear. "We're going to get a few drinks to loosen up before we dance. Fine with you?"

Sakura nodded and Temari disappeared into the crowd. She took the time to look around the club and noticed quite a few men were glancing in her direction. She didn't take much notice of any of them, but when she spotted a man with glasses sitting at the bar and looking at her almost shyly she gave him a little smile. The man blushed and quickly looked back at the bar, but Sakura noticed a shy smile cross his lips. She giggled slightly at the cute display and slightly bobbed her head to the beat while she waited for Temari.

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Three drinks later and Sakura had no reservations about dancing. She and Temari made a pact before stepping onto the floor that there would be no dancing with men tonight. It was a girls' night, dammit! Flirting, okay. Deserting the other girl, not okay.

Sakura swiveled and swirled her hips in time to the beat. She may be a bookworm most of the time and the bar in Konoha may not have a dance floor, but she had danced quite a bit in her apartment and she was a damn fine dancer if she did say so herself. Temari grinned as she noticed men watching her pink-haired guest. Seems Sakura could turn a few heads if she wanted.

As the girls laughed and danced and sang along to the more popular songs, Sakura noticed the same timid man watching her again. This time he looked like he was pondering something as he watched, but Sakura still felt no ill-intent from him and granted him a sultry smile. He smiled back with more confidence than before, but still didn't approach her.

As the club was closing, Sakura was coming down comfortably from her buzz and Temari was giggling with the free feeling a night out provided her. "Damn, I needed that! Just going out and dancing does wonders for a girl."

Sakura nodded her agreement, grinning widely beside the blond. "Are we still having our girl talk or are you too tired?"

Temari looked at Sakura like she was crazy. "Hell no! I'm way too wound up to sleep. We need to make a quick stop at the corner store, because no girl talk is going to happen without goodies. And then you are going to spill the beans about what's going on with you."

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A tub of shared ice cream and a bag of chips later, Temari's head swirled with what Sakura had told her. "Kakashi, huh?"

A nod.

"Well I've gotta say, if you've gotta pick an older man, he's one hell of a choice. Never had any real conversations with the man, but I'm sure there's a hell of a body under that uniform."

Sakura giggled. "I know, right? And I have no clue what he looks like under that damn mask either, but it doesn't even matter anymore. He's mysterious and graceful and kind and dangerous and smells so nice." She gave a sigh. "He has so many bad habits that in the beginning drove me crazy, but now they're just so much a part of him that I've started to find them endearing."

Temari sighed. "Sakura, I would forget about him until you've figured yourself out."

Eyes wide, pink hair swung as Sakura whipped around to face her companion. "What?"

"Listen, love is great, but you also have to be compatible. Think about it. What if on this journey, you learn things about yourself and change, which will happen by the way, and then when you go home you're so in love with this warped image you build of him that you head into a relationship you'll regret later?" She noticed Sakura's confused face and tried to break it down for her. "Okay, you love him now. Fine and dandy. During these travels, you will go through changes. That's inevitable. If you continue to think about him, you may build up this image of this man who doesn't even exist. As time passes your mind will emphasize the good and downplay the bad, warping your memory of him. But if you can just put thoughts of him on the back burner until you have yourself sorted out, it would be hugely beneficial to you."

Sakura chewed her lip as thoughts of Sasuke ran through her mind, remembering how she had conjured up a false image of the Uchiha. "I understand what you're saying, but I can't just forget about somebody I love."

"Well, that's just part of it. Love can't survive unless the two people are compatible. You could adore someone so much that you would give your life for them, but if you don't share any interests or have any common ground to stand on then that's going to be an empty relationship and you deserve more than that, Sakura."

As she tumbled the words over in her head, Sakura knew Temari was making sense. Everything she was saying was a valid point. No matter how much it hurt, Sakura needed to take those words to heart. She gave a smile to the girl and ended up yawning right after. "Oh my. I think maybe I should head to bed. All of the adrenaline from earlier has drained and now I'm exhausted."

Temari waved at her as Sakura started to clean up the mess. "You just go ahead. We can take care of this in the morning."

"You sure?"

Temari was already on her bed, half-asleep. "Positive."

Sakura closed the door with a grin. Not even two weeks into her trip and she was feeling so much better.

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A week after her arrival, Sakura was beginning to feel restless. She had done some basic training in the areas Gaara had authorized for her, but without a sparring partner she could only go so far.

As she strolled through Suna's marketplace, she was tackled - again- by Kankuro. The older Sand brother seemed to have an affinity for that kind of greeting when it came to Sakura. She turned to reprimand him, but it died on her lips as she caught the ear to ear grin on his face. She settled for rolling her eyes at him. "Are you ever going to stop with that?"

"Probably not." He fell into step beside her, a comfortable silence settling between the two. A few stalls later, he watched her as she fingered a piece of silk. "You're bored, aren't you?"

A little taken aback by his question, she floundered for a second. "Well, I'm not bored exactly. There's lots of great things to do here and I've met some wonderful people. The three of you have been so kind to me and so hospitable, but..."

Kankuro prodded her. "But?"

"I do wish I had a sparring partner."

A wide smile split the puppet user's face. "Oh, I think I can fix that!"

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The very next morning, Sakura woke and went out into the training areas to do her usual exercises when she felt three familiar chakra signatures approaching...quickly. Slightly alarmed, she went into a defensive stance and dodged behind a training pillar as a gust of wind came at her. When she noticed one of Kankuro's puppets advancing along the ground, she punched at the earth and watched as the puppet was caught in the uneven rubble. She dashed out around the pillar and gasped as a rope of sand wrapped around her ankle and held her tight. When she met the eyes of the three she was staying with she glared. "What the hell is going on?"

Kankuro spread his arms and smiled widely. "Taadaa! You wanted sparring partners, so here we are!"

After taking a few seconds to process the information, Sakura couldn't help but grin widely in excitement. "Oh hell yeah! Bring it on!"

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Exhausted, but happily so, Sakura climbed to the roof of the Kazekage Tower to watch the stars overhead. The four had sparred for the entire day, breaks were taken obviously, but it had felt so good to the Leaf kunoichi to punch and kick with an actual moving target and to have to dodge and weave to protect herself. As she reached her favorite spot, she noticed Gaara staring out over the city. "Oh, I'm sorry to disturb you, Gaara. I'll come back later."

"Please sit with me."

Sakura turned, a little surprised at the young man's request. She wordlessly made her way over and plopped down next to him on the roof.

Gaara let his eyes rove over the city before speaking to his guest. "I don't get much company up here. It would be nice to enjoy the scenery with someone else."

Sakura smiled at the Kazekage before letting her own gaze settle on the twinkling lights below. "It's very pretty up here."

"I used to hate this village. It wouldn't have mattered to me if any of its inhabitants lived or died. They used me for their own selfish purposes and then hated me for it. Some of them still hate me, but as I work to protect them and run the village efficiently, they warm up to me more and more everyday."

Sakura nodded, having heard the same sort of story before. "Just like Naruto."

Gaara gave his own nod in return. "Uzumaki Naruto is the reason I changed my way of life. I owe him greatly."

After a few moments of contemplation, Sakura decided to get another's view on her problems with Kakashi. "Gaara, what would you do if you were in my predicament? What if you were in love with someone who you couldn't be with?"

Gaara cocked his head to the side in thought. "You and I would have very different approaches. As Kazekage, I can't leave the village. No matter how much I may want to, it just wouldn't be possible. Also, as Kazekage, there's no one to tell me who I can or cannot be with. The elders and the council can try all they want, but there is nothing they can do but try to persuade me. They couldn't ban me from being with someone."

Sakura lowered her head. "Oh." She had hoped Gaara would have some great words of wisdom for her. When she was getting ready to leave, he spoke again.

"All I can tell you is this. We only live once. When you take your last breath, do you want to regret the love you never tried to capture? Or will you go with a smile on your face, thinking back on times with the one you loved?"

The words hit Sakura hard. Gaara headed inside, leaving the kunoichi to wrestle with her thoughts.

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Sakura spent the next six months with the sand siblings. She trained with all three on a regular basis so her skills wouldn't get rusty and as each day passed she felt more comfortable with her village's allies. Kankuro was the protective older brother, glaring at men who stared a little too long or came a little too close. Temari she now considered one of her best friends, always ready to listen and offer great advice. The two could often be spotted talking and giggling conspiratorially as they wandered the desert town. Gaara had been the biggest surprise to Sakura. Despite being so alone for most of his life, the youngest of the three had rather insightful relationship advice for Sakura. He was also her favorite sparring partner. The sand master had taught her a few tricks that she was eager to show off once she went home. She would miss all three of them dearly, but it was time to move on. As much as she had learned during her stay, she knew she would figure out more if she traveled again.

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Sakura grinned at the Sand siblings as they all stood at the entrance to Sunagakure. Gaara reached forward to embrace her and she smiled. "You know you're always welcome here, Sakura."

"Thank you, Gaara."

"You can head into Earth if you wish. They would attack a shinobi, but civilians are welcome since they aren't considered a threat. Travel as a civilian and you should be fine."

Sakura nodded gratefully at the Kazekage and embraced Kankuro, who apparently was trying to suffocate her. Temari had to whack him on the back of the head. "Let go, idiot! She's turning blue!"

He gave her a sheepish smile and then kissed her on the cheek. "You be careful, alright? And just send word if you need anything."

"I will, sweetie."

Temari stepped forward and gave her a fierce hug. "It's gonna suck again without a girl around. All the other girls around here just want to talk about my brothers and it's gross." Temari made a whining sound before stomping her foot and Sakura laughed at her tantrum.

"I'll come back to visit. It may be a while though. I've decided to just travel in a circle from here, heading north into Earth Country first."

"Well, call us if you find some great place to settle for a while and we'll come visit you."

Sakura grinned at Temari. "Will do. See you guys later!" She blew a few kisses and smiled at them as she wandered away. "LOVE YOU!"

She giggled as she heard Temari and Kankuro's eager replies accompanied by Gaara's more sedate voice. With a skip in her step she headed up into Earth.

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Naruto burst into Tsunade's office with his usual lack of manners. "Tsunade-baachan!"

"Damn it, brat! Don't you ever knock?"

He smiled cheekily, stepped out the door, knocked and came back in. "Tsunade-baachan!"

With her eye twitching dangerously, the Hokage closed her eyes and counted to ten. "What is it, Naruto?"

"It's been two weeks again. Any word from Sakura-chan yet?"

The older woman began to rub her temples. It was the same routine every two weeks. He would burst in, want to know if word had come from Sakura, wait for it if it wasn't there yet, demand to know how she was, and then pester Tsunade to reveal Sakura's location. "It just came a moment ago. Let me read it first."

Naruto bounced, trying to remain silent as he impatiently waited for Tsunade to finish the letter. "She's fine, Naruto. She's been staying with some friends for the past six months and she has decided to travel again. No need to worry."

"So where is she headed?"

Amber eyes narrowed as she gave him a blank look. "You know I can't tell you that."

"Well, where was she staying for the past six months?"

"Can't tell you that, either. You'd start troubling whoever she stayed with to give you information. And I'm not about to put someone else in that position."

Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but Tsunade picked up the paper weight on her desk and he clamped his mouth shut. He had been pelted with the surprisingly heavy apple many times and it hurt like hell. He also knew arguing was useless. Eventually Tsunade would not only throw the apple at him, but throw him out the window also. Knowing how to grab things with chakra didn't help if there was nothing to grab until you hit the ground. He pouted and slumped his shoulders as he turned to the door. He looked back with a puppy dog expression and Tsunade sighed.

"It hasn't worked any other time in the past half year. What makes you think it'll work now? I'm immune to puppy eyes, kiddo."

With pout deepening, Naruto dragged himself from the tower.

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Sakura could feel someone watching her as she traveled. Without much effort, she noticed the timid guy from the club trying to be inconspicuous as he followed along. She knew he wouldn't hurt her. She still didn't sense any ill-intent from him and even if he did attack, she was absolutely certain she could take him. He wasn't very tall and very slightly pudgy, squishy was how Sakura liked to put it. She was curious though. Why was he following her? She had seen him around Suna during her stay there but just figured he was a local. So, what was he doing here now?

She continued to travel, stopping every now and then mainly to check on her pursuer more than to rest. Plus she figured the longer he followed, the more chance she had to find out what he wanted and she knew he was tiring much faster than she was. However, if he wanted something he would have to approach her.

After two weeks, she had finally made it into Earth Country. Her curiosity about the man had slowed her down considerably since she was taking her time for the guy's benefit. After locating an inn, she checked in and decided not to worry about him anymore. If he followed, so what? Eventually, he may work up the nerve to tell her what was going on.

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A/N: And there is chapter 2! Reviews are still highly appreciated so I know what people are enjoying or what could be improved. And the songs I mentioned at the beginning are HUGELY suggested. Not only because they are greatness, but because they influenced this story SOOOOO much. I would recommend reading the lyrics as you listen, though. The singer's are hard to understand for new listeners. Hope to hear from you! Smooches!