Chapter 2

It was harsh, dry, hot, and unforgiving. And she loved it. The desolate and harsh land reflected the emptiness that engulfed her heart these days. No protest had been given to her demand that she be allowed to leave with the Kazekage. Tsunade had understood. It was fortunate that Suna and Konoha were so closely allied, the transfer was seen publicly as appropriate. It had been four months now she had been living here, settled comfortably in a room in the Kazekage's own house. Temari's room he said. She thought sadly. Letters arrived weekly, always on time, from Tsunade and Ino. Occasionally one of her other friends would write her. She rarely wrote them back. It was too painful too, it brought up too many memories that she would rather stay buried and dead in her heart. The worst had been the package containing her boys' headbands.

The tingle of another's chakra next to her was the only indication of her solitude being broken. But she didn't mind, not this time or any other time before. In a movement of habit, she smoothly sat down on the roof of what was now her home and leaned backwards into her companion's chest. Arms snaked under hers to cross lightly at the wrist. "You're late." She murmured softly.

A slight tug of his arms told her he had shrugged. "Paperwork."

"Mm." She slipped back into silence as they settled into their daily ritual. The sun touched the horizon of the sand dunes, slowly sinking behind them. The two watched as the sunset changed to the sands into different colors, as the rays of light moved and arced. It wasn't until the last sliver of piercing light had disappeared that they finally moved. First she rose as his arms retracted, followed by him rising and the two of them leaving their roof solace for the house.

She went instantly to the kitchen, begining the preperations for their dinner as he took a seat at the table, watching her. Everything was done in silence, from the cooking, to the eating, and to the cleaning. By the time full darkness had set in, they were back on the roof. He because the interior of the house reminded him too painfully of those who had once presided there with him. She because he was there. Her last link to living, to any sort of happiness. And so she fell asleep, arms wrapped around his thin waist and head pillowed on his chest as a leg stuck out to either side of her body. A blanket was summoned by sand the moment she was asleep and the young man would keep his silent vigil through the night, one hand running gently through locks of pink hair.

Emerald eyes opened, in the deep darkness that surrounds the world just before the dawn. They say the night is darkest just before the dawn. Is this where I am? Or will my world always be this dark? She shifted, rolling to her side to press herself further into the warmth of the arms craddling her. The moved to accomadate her before tightening just enough to be comforting again. Who knows, maybe I've found the first ray of the rising sun. Who would have ever thought it would be with him though. She sighed, nestling her head on his thigh.

"How long?" She whispered in the light breeze that blew across the rooftops of Suna. So many questions contained into one.

"Forever." So many answers conveyed right back in that single word.

"Why?"

There was silence as the first tinges of pink broke across the sky. "Because the heart is weak when a piece of itself dies." He frowned, thinking over the next part to the question. It was easy, the question of how long the pain lasted, but the one about why she could stay forever. "Completion, finding one who had suffered equality and lost the same. Combining the two, we're complete."

His logic always left her confused, and then awed when it's true meaning hit her. It was strange, the most human of anyone she had met or would ever meet, was the most monstrous of them all. He was so many contradictions, that it made sense. He was the darkest one, but the brightest light in her life. Cold and heartless in the day, caring and understanding in the night. "Stay?"

His arms tightened as he weighed his options. There was bound to be much paperwork needing his pointless signatures, petty arguments needing his hearing. But, his village would survive a single morning if he took it just for himself. "As you wish."

They watched the sun rise sluggishly above the horizon in silence, neither wanting to break the spell the everyday phenomenon seemed to create around them. It was almost ironic, sleep eluded her at every turn, unless her own personal sandman was next to her. Only then did gravity win against the iron will that otherwise kept it at bay. As soon as the fiery orb finished cresting the horizon, a yawn cracked her jaws and she closed her eyelids. The nightmares would come, they always did. But he would be there to chase the worst ones away. The others…well she would deal with them when they came.

Slowly the city came to life, early morning and early evening were the busiest here. The nights were to cold and the afternoons too hot to do anything. The young man took in a deep breath, closing his eyes and listening to the rising chatter of his people. So many had lost a loved one in the battle, the city had mourned heavily and was only now beginning to regain some of the vibrancy it had acquired under his rule. Before the war, Suna had started to undergo an enormous advance in finer arts. A niche market had been found for resorts on the oases in the deserts bringing a level of tourism and wealth the country had never seen before.

For the first time, the country was able to barter with neighboring countries for knowledge and technology that had advanced Suna to new heights. Spices were found to grow exceptionally well in the dry, hot climate. Beneath the sand, a type of clay was found that could dye garments a brilliant scarlet that was the latest fashion craze. Gaara had invested most of the city's spare income into developing and researching new agricultural techniques. Every year the city needed to import food and basic supplies at outrageous prices from neighboring countries. With a little luck, next year would see the end of that.

It was nearly a full hour before the messenger came running up to the residency, skidding to a halt in front of the entrance. Gaara looked down at the woman in his lap, mouth turning down slightly in a frown at the way her eyes moved rapidly beneath closed lids. The only indication she was dreaming something unpleasant.

"Gaara-sama?" The messenger called out, looking around for the redhead.

Sakura jolted, eyes snapping open and gasping for air as she was startled awake by the call. She reached out blindly, the edges of her dream still taunting her as two tears leaked out and slid down her cheeks. A hand on her shoulder anchored her back into reality, helped her get composed. She covered his hand with her own, squeezing slightly before nodding. A swirl of sand and it disappeared, the leader of the city leaving her to meet with the young man waiting for him. She shivered even as the sun grew warmer, watching him leave and head towards the tower where his office was. A thin band of sand encircled one wrist. It was his gift he had given her since the first day, a way to contact him if anything should happen.

She watched until they were both out of sight, taking a long shuddering breath. Today was going to be hell. Silently, the former kunoichi slipped back inside to change. There was no surprise to see a letter on the table addressed to her, she had been expecting it. It could wait, until after she had drained her energy blasting apart sand dunes and screaming to the heavens. In all black, the woman slipped outside and made her way to the entrance of the city, not even pausing to return the guards' greetings. They were used to Sakura never saying anything to them, she rarely spoke to anyone.

…..

"It's been months, Kazekage. You can not keep neglecting your duties for that foreigner!" The elder ranted between puffs on his long tobacco pipe. "At the very least, we have the Hokage's apprentice. Put her to work in the hospital so she can at least earn her keep. Otherwise she's nothing but a worthless mongrel."

He choked in the next moment as sand flooded his mouth and throat instead of smoke. Indignant, he turned on the younger male sitting across from him only to snap his mouth shut with a click of teeth at the venomous glare being directed at him from the village leader. Tense seconds ticked by, one wondering if he was about to die and the other wondering if he should kill the idiot. Until he caught sight of a little side calendar propped in the elder's office. He blinked, looking at the date and not noticing how the elder gave a relieved sigh that the killing intent had vanished.

"Never question my commitment to Suna ever again." Gaara stood up, striding toward the door.

"My lord! We have more to discuss! What's so important that you feel you can just rush out?"

Gaara stopped with his hand on the doorknob, glancing back over his shoulder. "Today is Naruto's birthday."