Chapter 24

Sakura didn't say much when she arrived at work the next morning. Tsunade's critical eyes watched her carefully, trying to come to some conclusion about her behaviour without asking directly and delving into an employs' personal dilemmas. The blonde, busty woman could not find it in herself to outright wonder and risk upsetting the young doctor more.

"Are you wanting to take him out again?" Tsunade asked when Sakura brought the red headed patient into the room.

Sakura nodded. "I was going to introduce him to some friends of mine. I thought it would do some good for him to meet other people outside of the facility."

"Hmm," Tsunade hummed and leaned back in her chair, her hazel eyes boring into both occupants in front of her. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea." Her gaze cut to Gaara and pinned him in place, which, to anyone else would have unsettled them slightly with the intense look in her eyes, but he merely stared back at her blankly, like he was simply looking through a wall instead of at a powerful and strong woman. "I presume you know how you should act?" she demanded, arching a thin brow.

Gaara's eyes narrowed slightly. "Yes."

Tsunade's lips quirked up at the edge at his monotone and bored answered. "Good. Then we have no problems."

As the two turned and made their way to leave the room at her dismission, Tsunade's attention zoned in on the actions that followed. To say the least, she was slightly pleased, but worried, too.

Sakura's emerald eyes, though cloudy and troubled, slid to glance quickly at the man at her side. The lit up slightly, brightened a little at the sight of him or at the idea of having him with her for another day. Her shoulders relaxed just a little, and her walk became more easy. Gaara in turn became more comfortable, his steps not so on edge, his eyes having a light in them instead of the normal dull, glazed reflection of most patients in the instituiton. Tsunade's gaze flicked to the space between them, not too close to voice a relationship other than platonic, but not too far away to give the impression of them being uncomfortable with each other.

An unsettled feeling whirred within Tsunade. Sakura was good for Gaara, she could see that. But there was still the fact that Gaara was one of the criminally insane, a dangerous and volatile individual that, if the feeling struck him, could so very easily kill Sakura. Was she aware of this? Did she know that her life could be taken from her in just a split second decision?

As the door creaked closed behind them, Tsunade sighed heavily and rubbed her temples gently with her pointer fingers. For the first time in a very long time, Tsunade didn't know which path to take. On the one hand, she could let this little relationship play out between them without interfering. Besides, it was a good thing for Gaara, to finally have someone. On the other hand, Gaara was still dangerous, still deadly. Death would be constantly hanging over Sakura like a shadow if she allowed this, and, not to mention, if it ended badly would they be able to handle seeing each other every day?

"Damn..."

XXX

Sakura folded in on herself once they reached the car. Wordlessly, she handed him the keys and walked to the passenger side to await the unlocking of the door. Gaara's eyes burned into her skull, but she pointedly ignored his gaze. If she looked at him now, would she be able to hold back the tears? Surely then he would think she pathetic, just as Sasuke had said she was. Just as Sasuke had always said she was.

When the audible 'shump' of the lock giving way reached her ears, Sakura opened the door and slid into the seat. Gaara got in and started the engine, turning the radio down to were it was only background music and silently giving his consent for easy conversation. She almost wanted to tell him that it wasn't necessary, she had nothing to say, but decided against it. There woudn't be a point in talking to him just to say she didn't want to talk.

It was only halfway through the ride, and after they had entered downtown, that Sakura realized she hadn't told him where exactly it was they were going. Again, she didn't want to speak, having relaxed in the silence that had surrounded them. Gaara had seemed to accept the fact that she didn't want to speak about what was troubling her, and she was grateful he didn't ask and demand to know. It was better this way.

If he knew that she was on the verge of breaking down, just because of a few insulting words from a bastard, would he laugh at her and call her weak? Sakura didn't think she could handle that. Not from Gaara. Anyone but Gaara.

With an almost silent sigh, Sakura pointed to the right with her thumb. "We're meeting Naruto at the store. I'm not sure if he brought Kiba or not, but if he did, just be aware that his dog will be with them. Incase you're allergic or don't like canines."

Gaara glanced at her from the corner of his eye before flicking on the signal light and turning the wheel to pull into the parking lot. It still amazed her somewhat that he had learned to drive from books. It had taken her two failed tests and one car crash before she was finally acknowledged as a safe driver. Or at least a capable driver if not a safe and secure one.

A flash of blonde caught her attention as Gaara cut the engine, and as Sakura twisted in her seat to pin point the color, she caught sight of Naruto. At once a smile twitched on her lips at his person, having not seen him in too long a time. All thoughts of the 'conversation' with Sasuke were momentarily pushed from her mind and locked away.

"Sakura!" Naruto yelled as she stepped out of the car and began walking toward him. She heard Gaara's footfalls hesitate before slowing down slightly. She glanced back at him, gauging his reaction as Naruto began jogging up to them. They were cold and slightly aggrivated. Sakura hoped that things would be okay and not blow up in her face.

Sakura wasn't surprised to see Kiba step out from around his car, his rather large canine companion at his heels, as Naruto finally reached them.

Arms immediatly wrapped around her in a crushing hug, one that she returned less painfully, as Naruto's excited laugh echoed around the four. Five including Akamaru.

"I can't believe you're actually here, Sakura!"

Sakura grinned. "Yes, because I'm so not the type of person to make you both pay for cleaning out my fridge." she threatened, muffled by being crushed to Naruto.

The blonde man released her then, rubbing the back of his neck nervously and giving her a anxious grin as his blue eyes looked at her reapproachfully. Kiba chuckled beside him before nodding at Sakura with the smile still on his lips. "How are you, Sakura?"

"Good. I'm going to better off financially than you two after this though." She grinned at him, expecting to see his smile fade or reluctantly turn for the grocery store enctrance.

Instead, he only grinned wolfishly at her and patted the head of his dog as he walked up and stood beside his master.

Sakura felt Gaara shift beside her, and unconsiously, she shifted herself to accomodate the change and setting herself close to him again. Naruto's bright sapphire eyes flicked to the space between them, his brows coming together slightly, before glancing up at the man to her side. Immediatly, Sakura's heart sped up, worried about what was going to happen now. Naruto could so very easily set Gaara off, not just because the hyper active blonde naturally brought out the worst in people sometimes, but because Gaara was already slightly jealous of him. Even if the jealously was wrongly placed.

Naruto held out his hand, his eyes cautious, toward Gaara for a greeting shake. "Hi, I'm Naruto."

There was a slight hesitance, a reluctant moment, before Gaara reached out and took the hand in his grip. "Gaara."

From Sakura's standpoint, she could clearly see the flexing of both hands as they squeezed the other in a harsh grip. Her anxiety rose. Naruto gave a half smile to the red head before turning his head to Sakura. "So you want to go ahead and get the stuff? If we hurry, Kiba and I can help you drop off the stuff at her house before we have to get to work."

Kiba nodded to Gaara respectivly as he leaned against the hood of his car, Akamaru growling softly at his feet.

"No, that's okay. Gaara can help me put the stuff up, right?" Sakura glanced over at said male and found him scowling darkly. His eyes glanced to her and he nodded minutely, at which a smile teased her lips. He was...amusing to her in front of Naruto and Kiba.

She knew some of it had to do with jealousy. He resented the fact that they knew her, she could see this. Because of the fact that she had been around him so much, she knew how he thought. Vaguely she wondered how he would react around some of her girl friends, but then dismissed the idea entirely. If that happened, she could just picture him aggrivated and uncomfortable while she herself would be green with envy. She knew for a fact that Ino would never keep her to herself when faced with a man like Gaara.

His sex appeal shot through the roof.

The shopping itself didn't take long, in fact in only took barely half an hour, but Sakura could tell that Naruto was stalling. The blonde was taking too long on deciding between 2% or fat free milk. For ten minutes. Sakura's temper was spiking.

"Naruto," She said slowly, her fists flexing at her sides. "Just give me the fat free, okay? It's what I had before you drank it all."

He pouted at her, his blue eyes shining humoursly. "Ahh, but Sakura the 2% tastes better, and I didn't drink it, Kiba downed the entire gallon."

Kiba gulped at her side before stepping half an inch away from her clutched hands. Smart, Sakura thought. Very smart.

"I don't care if it tastes better or not," she snapped, stomping over to the blonde and snatching the carton from his grasp. "It's healthier for you."

Naruto snorted good humoursly. "Health? You need taste qualities, not health. Who wants to drink something that tastes watery and not milky, just because it's good for you?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Only you, Naruto. Only you." she sighed under her breath. By her last comment, she had meant it to be taken as her way of saying, if you were anyone else, I would kill you for bugging me. Naruto grinned foxly at her, understanding her hidden meaning completely.

As they finally made their way to the check-out line, Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. She hated grocery shopping with a passion, and was elated that it was over with. It had only taken, she glanced at her watch, around an hour to finish and that was only because Naruto was taking his sweet time.

Speaking of dwaddling, Sakura glanced at Naruto from the corner of her eye and watched as he all but dragged his feet on the ground, pushing the cart in front of him slowly. Her temper flared again.

"Naruto!"

He jumped and his wide blue eyes swung to her glinting emerald orbs. "What?"

"Would you quit being so slow! What's with you, usually you hate grocery shopping as much I do!"

Gaara's eyes glinted from beside Sakura as he watched the blonde glance over at him warily. A small, lazy smile formed on his lips as he realized what this Naruto was up to. It amused him slightly, but also annoyed him. His eyes slid to Sakura, still glaring at her companion and her arms crossed over her chest, and an idea sparked in his head.

Withouth hestitating, Gaara pressed himself to Sakura's back, his arms slid around her hips before locking in front of her stomach and his chin resting comfortably on her shoulder, his cheek touching hers. He could clearly see Naruto's vibrant eyes tighten, and he chuckled gleefully on the inside. Sakura, in mid-sentence, stopped and glanced at Gaara.

"What are you...."

"I'm ready to go." he said quietly, only for her ears, and in such a seductive tone that her cheeks turned a dusty pink.

Gaara's eyes flicked to Naruto and Kiba pointedly, earning a burning look from both males. They didn't much appreciate someone they hardly knew touching a friend. Despite any type of relationship between Sakura and himself, he had not been introduced soon enough for their tastes, and they were just itching to voice so aloud.

But then there was Sakura, who they didn't want to hurt.

Gaara chuckled under his breath, playing with people like puppets was so much fun when you knew exactly how things were going to come about. They wouldn't say anything in front of Sakura, in order not to risk hurting her. They wouldn't say anything to him, for fear of him talking to Sakura. Though he wouldn't do such a thing. He would much rather ruff them up a bit.

As they continued to glare at him, the amusement began to ebb away slowly, and Gaara became bored with the game. He squeezed Sakura in his arms slightly, earning her attention and nodding toward the door.

"We have to check out first," she sighed, her eyes boring into his and clearly voicing how much she wanted to be out of the store and alone with him just as much as he did her.

He growled low under his breath, and Sakura shuddered at the feeling of him all but vibrating against her back. That was deffinatly not helping her situation at all.

After scanning all the items, bagging them, and loading them into her car, Sakura smiled with satisfaction as she shut the trunk of her car. Turning, the smile and words of thanks faded away in her throat as she gazed at Gaara, arms crossed and standing a few feet from Naruto and Kiba, his face void of any emotion. His eyes were directed at the other two, who were glaring openly at him, no sign of acceptance anywhere in their stares.

Sakura frowned. Since when had Naruto become so cold? He used to always accept people, be their friend without a second though. And Kiba, well he was as friendly as a dog.

She cleared her throat. "Um, thanks for getting my stuff, Naruto. Kiba." she glanced at Gaara. "Come on, we need to hurry and get the milk home before it spoils."

He nodded. His eyes fixed onto the car as he walked by her, going directly to the drivers' side without a backward glance at the two males now burning holes in his back. He seemed to not even notice.

Sakura gave them both a quick hug, and a disapproving look as she stepped back. "He isn't that bad, you know. I don't get why you guys are looking at him like that."

Naruto glanced at her quickly before fixing his eyes on her car once more. "He just seems...distant. Like he's never been around people before."

"Not to mention he appears to like toying with people. Call it a sixth sense or whatever, but I get a vibe from that guy that flashes caution signs all over the place." Kiba said under his breath, looking hard into Sakura's eyes.

She narrowed her gaze on them. "He's a nice person." she said threateningly. "You don't know him, so don't make assumptions about him when you know nothing." she hissed.

Kiba's eyes searched hers for a moment more before he sighed and took a step back. "You're right, I'm sorry."

Naruto's eyes flicked between her and Kiba, before dulling slightly in agreement. "Fine." he breathed. "We don't know him, you're right." his blue eyes slid to the car that Gaara was leaning against, idly staring out across the parking lot - too far away to hear the conversation. Though if Sakura looked close enough, she could swear she saw a slight satisfied smirk grazing his lips. "..But that doesn't mean we have to like him. Yet, anyway." Naruto finished, a slight growl in his words.

Sakura glared at him a moment more before sighing heavily and nodding. It was the best she was going to get from them. "Good. Now I have to go before my food is ruined and I have to force you two to get it again." Both males took a step away, frowning. Sakura smiled. "Thanks though. For doing this. I'll talk to you guys later, okay?"

"Yeah, see you, Sakura."

"Take care."

A woof came from Akamaru as he panted in their direction, giving Sakura a wolfish smile. She nodded to him before turning and following Gaara into the car. Naruto and Kiba stared after the pair as they drove away.

"Ten bucks says he treats her better than Sasuke." Kiba said, his sharp eyes still staring at the road.

Naruto shook his blonde head at his side. "That's a losing bet. Even Akamaru would be a better boyfriend than Sasuke is and could ever be."

Akamaru growled indignantly from beside his master, not liking being compared to a person who's smell that had his hackles raised. Kiba chuckled and patted his head. "Don't worry, Akamaru. It was a compliment."

The canine snorted, still offended.

Naruto laughed and rolled his blue eyes, whispering quietly to himself in a serious, sad tone. "Just let her find happiness."