Shikamaru had been hidden in the corner of the room, arms folded and eyes closed as if asleep. When the new shinobi entered the room, Sasuke noticed him right away, and while subconsciously Sakura knew he was there, it wasn't until the shadow manipulator spoke up in his lazy tone that Sakura glanced at him. Kakashi had left out far more information than he'd given. Sasuke felt more contempt for his old sensei in the last few days of pure sexual and emotional torture combined with the cryptic mission details than he had in the years of his debilitating revenge. The situation had been far more impetuously handled than the sharingan user was used to. Being given little information was his strong suit, but having him completely blindsided by a fellow shinobi, pertinent information, and dire time constraints was an affront altogether. Had Kakashi said the Kazakage was so weak as to look like death run over, Sasuke would have pushed himself and Sakura harder to get here in time. By Kakashi's tone, the situation was secret, not life or death. But, for now, the Uchiha would stew over the neglect of his careless Kage at another time.

He listened closely to the Nara man, placing his face from memories long in the past at the chunin exams. He was a smart kid; he remembered being impressed. Plus, he'd been a friend of Naruto for long enough that the blonde would often bemuse about him in his sociable letters, which, while illegible, illustrated enough information for Sasuke to fill in the undecipherable words. Shikamaru was among some of the legible names. But, in reading those letters with their unintentionally written redactions, he couldn't place every bit of information he'd learned about the man, seeing as he often ignored any mentions of anyone other than the Dobe and Sakura. Hell, Sasuke barely knew much more about his friend's new wife other than her name, that she was not Neji (the strong male Hyuga he'd wanted to fight long ago), and that she was a Hyuga heiress.

The room was still for a long, drawn-out time after the details of the last week's events were divulged by the Konoha comrade. Due to the Nara's keen sense of observation and deduction, he quickly suggested that Gaara was getting worse by the day with no discernible source as to why. Sasuke presumed this was the reason he was sent on the mission. His espionage skills were higher than anyone's in the village, and his ability to function like a ghost was advantageous. He would have to do a lot more spying and intel than he'd originally thought, which meant he'd have to separate from his mission partner to do so. While he wasn't one to cling, it did rupture a feeling of dread in his gut to separate from Sakura in a foreign land. Though he had no doubts about Sakura's ability to take care of herself, he had an unshakable feeling that something right in front of their faces was missing in the briefing and was looming around them, readying for an attack. Usually, Sasuke would relent that he had become paranoid by way of occupational hazard, but this time, he was almost certain that everyone needed to watch their backs.

The new arrivals had learned that the Kage had been as strong as an ox only nine days ago.

It all started with a simple cough. Gaara had become almost uncontrollable by the second day, so much so that he'd severely strained his muscles and passed out that night. No one understood the rapid decline that followed. While he'd been just fine, aside from the debilitating cough, he was found in his bed that third day with a 102-degree fever and unable to stand. By the fourth day, his condition seemed to stabilize after receiving natural remedies to subside the cough and bring down the fever. While taking these, he'd partially recovered on the fifth day, where Temari was sure he'd return to work by the sixth day. But, as night fell, he'd suddenly become the worse he'd been. His coughing had returned, becoming so bad that the man cracked a rib on his right side. The fever had returned, and the Kage had fallen into a deep sleep that worried his siblings, who stayed glued to the side of his bed. On day seven, he'd woken up and tried to get paperwork from his office, only to be found passed out in the hallway between the Kage's office and his quarters. It had been Shikamaru who found the Sand leader on the ground and returned him to his bed. The last bit of information shocked the Kage, who was now sitting on the bed, hunched over while Sakura checked his heart and lungs.

"What have you told the Hokage?" Sasuke asked the Nara, having to mentally stop himself from informally calling their home leader, 'the pervert.'

"There's not much to tell," Shikamaru admitted with narrowed eyes. "I'm right in assuming that's why he sent you here? Otherwise, you'd be the last person I'd expect on this kind of mission."

Sasuke let the suspicious look from the man go. He didn't have to prove to anyone that he was still a loyal Konoha shinobi, even if he lived outside its walls. He also had a distinct feeling that the Nara wasn't particularly perturbed with him but that he hadn't gathered more intel.

"When did you arrive in Suna, Shikamaru? I didn't know you'd be here." Sakura says, her voice was serious and her eyes focused solely on her patient.

"I got here Sunday afternoon, the day before Gaara got sick."

Temari, who was sitting directly next to her ailing brother, watched the Haruno woman closely as if she could read the answers to her brother's health state by any scrupulous movement. However, she was still as restive as before, with no definitive answers from the pinkette's stone face.

"So then, Kakashi-sensei didn't send you here to assist with the mission." Sakura deduced.

Sasuke also caught on to that. He wondered why the advisor would be so far away from the Hokage if it weren't for a mission or some diplomatic attention. Was there something else going on between the two peaceful villages that could open up another angle for Sasuke to investigate?

"No, I'm here on…" The Nara's face suddenly became more pensive. "Personal business." His cheeks looked as if they'd brightened into a light shade of pink in what little light he stood in, and his eyes looked away from any faces in the group that occupied the room.

The reaction caught Sasuke off guard and even made him a bit apprehensive towards the man. Why had he clamed up at such a simple deduction, and why be so vague about his necessity for being here at this particularly imposing series of events? Come to think of it, why was he here at all? Sasuke may have been lost on the details, but Sakura wasn't, and the slight upturn of her lip showed she had far more information for a deduction than Sasuke did. He wondered what he was missing.

"Oh yeah, you're getting married in a week," Sakura said, finally turning her head towards Shikamaru and smiling so wide that her eyes closed. She looked as if she were beaming. The sight stopped Sasuke's breath for a split second before he had to look away.

It was Temari's turn to be evasive, her face now mimicking the Nara's, who still refused to look at anyone. Temari recovered quicker.

"Yeah, one week from today." Her cheeks were red; the fan user anxiously fingered the ends of her hair.

Sakura found the scene endearing as well as astonishing. She was so used to Temari being a confident and bold woman. It was cute to see her act like any other girl.

"That's great, you two. Congratulations!" Sakura congratulated the couple and quickly reverted to her doctor's state.

While Sasuke was shocked that Shikamaru's reaction had been due to his embarrassment of being on wedding planning duties, Sasuke couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. He quickly swatted the feeling away and wiped it from his memory. He wasn't the marrying type, and even if he was, it didn't look like his preferred bride would be as willing as he'd initially hoped. The Uchiha had to shake the stolid musings from his head. Now wasn't the time.

"Have you had the Kazakage's quarters thoroughly inspected?" Sasuke questioned. He quickly gathered as much foundation as possible to begin his investigation.

"Yeah," Kankuro interjected. "We haven't found anything to explain why he's so sick."

"Or why he's the only one," Sakura mumbled as she continued her examination.

At this, the group looked at the medical-nin. As it were, none of the inhabitants had questioned why it was that only Gaara had been teetering on the cusp of sickness and health. It quickly entered Temari's mind that she had been exposed to her ailing brother more than anyone, and she didn't have as much as a sniffle.

While Sakura had been so enthralled with her examination, it went unnoticed by the focused woman that she had flipped the proverbial lightbulb above each of their heads.

The Uchiha quickly aligned his questions with the new avenue of thought. "Who prepares the Kage's meals?"

"Wait, you can't be suggesting -" Kankuro began.

"I'm not suggesting anything." Sasuke was quick to quip.

Temari looked downcast at Shikamaru, who watched her with an apathetic expression. He was thinking, and right now, he was pretty onboard with the theory that hung in the air. Something outside of Gaara's body was causing his deteriorating health. Food was a good start.

"From now on, as a process of elimination, only one of us should be in charge of Gaara's food intake. The only people who need to know what he eats and when should be us." Sasuke's voice was conclusive. No one questioned his orders, and the silence seeped through the stagnant air.

"I can't imagine," the raspy voice of the Kazakage began through heaving breaths. "That one of my people," a deep breath. "Could be the cause of my condition." As the last word left his mouth, the onslaught of a coughing assault took every ounce of energy from his body.

Sakura hoisted the bent Suna leader to sit up straight. She watched the pain reverberate through every cell of the leader's body, and on instinct, her hand began to grow green. The instant relief on the man's scrunched face indicated that the attempt was at least easing his painful fit. Soon, the cough subsided, and Sakura quickly maneuvered the spent man into the bed to rest. He outright refused to lay down, instead allowing Sakura to prop him up enough that he felt invested and involved in the dialogue around him.

"For now, we don't know what the cause is. It's better to be safe than sorry." Sasuke deduced after the room had quieted after Gaara's display of vitiation.

"I agree," Shikamaru said. His back came off the wall, casting him in the room's glow as he walked towards the group. "We have to make sure we explore every possibility, and the lives of Kage's are always threatened."

Sasuke silently nodded in agreement. It wasn't unheard of for a Kage to be targeted just as much as it wasn't unheard of for them to die of an assassination. This sickness could be a slower way of reaching the same goal. For now, the group had a plan. Sasuke could now begin the investigation.

After excusing himself with little more than turning his back, he dashed for one particular spot - the kitchen. Deciding to do a thorough search of the grounds along the way. With his chakra suppression, Sasuke walked through the winding corridors of the Kazakage tower with his Rinnegan active. He saw the bustle of workers through the rooms, tailoring Kage's clothing, washing them, delegating workflows, and cleaning, but nothing out of the ordinary. No one was suspicious or speaking in hushed tones. But, it was best to stick to the tower in this investigation. If there were an outside source causing the Kage to fall sick, then the answer would be as close to him as it could possibly be. Although, whoever the culprit or culprits may be, they wouldn't be so obvious as to allow their machiavellian plans to be easily discovered. Sasuke also wouldn't presume that the Kage's transgressors would be active now. It seemed far too risky. For the time being, Sasuke resolved to focus on the food.

While in the kitchen, he scanned for any residue or oddities. Nothing came to view but a small speck of powder that was invisible to the naked eye. With his Rinnigan, he could deduce that the color was most likely a shade of baby blue, which begged the question of what spices or food could be innocuously this color? At the forefront, Sasuke could think of none, which strengthened his proliferating suspicions. He'd have to keep a much closer eye on everyone who came in and out of the tower, and with any luck, he could figure the plan out before the Kazakage slipped away into the afterlife.

With the decision quickly made that Sakura was to be the sole caregiver for the Kage, being the acclaimed doctor, was the most trusted person to stay at the Kazakage's side for the remainder of their individual investigations. While it was clear that Temari took offense to the lack of faith in her loyalty, she conceded that Sakura would have the best-rounded approach to Gaara's health. Aside from that, the affronted nin still had last-minute wedding arrangements she had neglected that piled to the back of her to-do list. A list that she had all but assumed would go undone as the wedding would most indubitably be postponed until Gaara's health became less of a concern. She had resigned to calling it off, even lamenting her resolve to her soon-to-be husband, who was ever the understanding and logical man. Not allowing for sheer emotion to decide the state of his marital status, having a would-be assassin on the loose would be less than advantageous for any ninja, even in celebration off-duty. Not to mention, if the person were going after Gaara as the Kage, who's to say any of the other Kage wouldn't be more than sitting ducks at his wedding? Kakashi could be next for all they knew, and Shikamaru was nothing if not cautious and diligent in all responsibilities delegated to him through his advisor job. So, his best advice, even to his bride, was to wait until the lives of the country leaders were not at stake. He was willing to suffer this small repudiation in the grand scheme of it all.

All resolved to allow Sakura to begin her duties at the Kage's side, the room slowly began to empty. Sakura was left focused and attentive at Gaara's side, where she began to do her examinations. Ever the personable doctor, the woman was quick to try and create a comfortable atmosphere for the Suna leader, but Gaara seemed much too far away in thought. His silence filled the room like a thick cloud, and the musings that flittered inside them were palpable. He was considering the allegations. Could someone be so willing to take him down, cut his life short, and leave the country in a perpetual state of trepidation? Unconvinced as he may be, Gaara had been the subject of many assassinations since he was born and was not naive enough to think a status would cling to his mortality like a suit of armor. Even still, though it would be one of the hundreds of attempts on his life, this one felt far more pernicious. It shattered what trust he had sheltered his view of his leadership, his role, and the respect he'd managed to create during his small rule of the Sand country. Had he done something wrong to deserve this vitriol?

"I wouldn't take it too personally, Gaara." Sakura hummed as she examined the silent man. "You're a beloved Kazakage. Something else is going on. We'll all get to the bottom of it. I know it."

Whether written in the crease of his brow or the heavy air surrounding them, the astute woman could read every thought passing through his disquieted mind. He was blaming himself, not for the deep understanding of the man before her but for the unquestioning familiarity that she saw in the man's face and presence that mirrored the fourth great war hero, Naruto. She knew the leader was quick to shoulder every ounce of the blame for anything that happened in the desert land, just as Naruto shouldered everyone else's pain as their own.

Gaara was removed from his silent reverie to be met with his caregiver's confident, kind, vibrant green eyes. She was unwavering; the strong aura around her dared him to question her conclusive findings. Gaara was unwilling to enter into that fight that his depleting energy reserves were reluctant to employ. While he may disagree with her conclusion readily, he was willing to relent that maybe the reason was beyond a single act of his own doing. For now, he'd allow the vacillation to dissipate into the air, and along with it came the calming wave of an easement, which the two occupants of the room allowed to fill the quiescence.

As night fell, the Haruno woman watched over her patient with an alert regard. His heaving chest had rasped the cooling night air of a Suna nightfall, and his eyes closed as they held back the pain that lodged like a heavy stone in his lungs. While there were virtually no changes to his health, Sakura did notice that he had become more stable and alert. Only the biting cold of the August night, replacing the lashing flames of the day, in Suna seemed the determiner. The medical-nin quickly laid a thick woolen blanket over the desert leader before taking her perch at his side. He'd been quiet since their last exchange; the only words spoken were from the pink lips of the pinkette woman who occasionally would inquire about his comfort. The answer was always a lacid: "I'm okay." Without hesitation and a confident refute to push the ailing man, Sakura allowed him to bemuse his falsehood. It was in the microscopic scrunched expressions as he breathed, his stiff arms at his side, and the lurid shiver that would assault his body when the wind nipped at his waxen-white skin.

Sasuke had arrived soon after nightfall, having been positioned at the corner of the kitchen as the Kage's meal was prepared with the resulting food. It was pureed, tasteless soup, the only food his stomach would not instantly reject. The onyx-haired man handed over the contents that steamed in the illuminating moonlight piercing the room. Sakura took it, expression serious in the exchange, and quickly administrated it. Gaara all but outrightly refused the sustenance, only to be met with the persistence of the pink-haired woman. While she was willing to allow the Suna leader prideful junctures, now was not the time. He had to get nutrition in any manner he could, and with the confidence that the food she was currently given was clear of all-pervasive ailings towards his health, it was the source of which he could gain an ounce of his lost health.

Sasuke blended into the room's shadows, his eyes transfixed on the surroundings, skin pricked to awaiting danger. When none showed face as the Kage's last spoonful entered his lips, Sasuke visibly slackened. Soon, the Kage fell into a restless sleep.

It looked as if this system would be the best to continue. While he was certain the food was effectively unpoisoned, he wasn't convinced it was due to any other interference but his own. The blue substance still lingered in the air, and Sasuke only had theories to go on. Taking preventative measures wouldn't be enough; he'd have to actively seek out the culprit. But, as of tonight, he was certain that the Kage was safe. With the knowledge of a successful first run, Sasuke made quick work to leave the room. Sakura turned towards her companion with a question gleaming in her eye but falling dead at her lips. He was quick to stop and abide by his patience. Silence emanated as the Uchiha watched her face illuminated in the moonlight, and he took just that moment to appreciate the beauty he witnessed.

"Sasuke," She started. His eyes didn't budge from drinking every detail of her face in his allotted reprieve. "What have you learned so far?"

Embarrassed, for reasons he could only subject to pride, the Uchiha was as silent as the room. He was unsure how much to divulge. Would the blue substances be enough to satiate her curious mind or benefit her diagnosis? She was tenacious and strong-willed; would the blue substance, which he was unsure was relevant, be enough for her? He supposed the best course was always honesty; she was simply his mission partner if nothing else.

"There was blue residue in the kitchen. I'll need to investigate further, but it's a start."

Sakura simply held her chin in thought. iBlue, huh? Well, I can't think of any foods that would be blue, but there are a few poisions/i With the pinkette in thought, Sasuke allowed himself to witness her tenacious process; it crossed her face like a bright flicker, and he admired her in sheer abandon. She was a library unto herself.

"Say, didn't we hear somewhere about a blue substance?" Her lip, which had become as pink as her hair, jutted out in thought.

Sasuke swatted away the elusive thought of biting the jutting lip of the pinkette and focused on her words. The color blue seemed to float in the air like a bubble, and he was too distracted to pop it. Would it have been more obvious if he wasn't so focused on her smooth skin and her innocuous face, which held all her rotating thoughts in her brow. He had to look away, his eyes focusing on the sleeping Kage. At least he looked comfortable enough. He wasn't hacking, dry heaving, or doubled over. He looked almost peaceful, and it took everything inside the last Uchiha to ignore the woman in his peripheral.

The sudden thought seemed to clear the fog of his mind, which wanted to bask in the essence of the beautiful Haruno. "The men." It was simple, but Sakura was quick to recognize the conversation. The two nin were quick to the same conclusion and thus focused on one another with sparkling eyes of realization.

"The Earth village!" They concluded in unison.

In the seconds after the harmonious realization, they sat in silence. The question loomed in the still and stagnant air that filled with the soft musings of the ailing Kage. What should they do? The obvious answer was to send someone back to the village for answers. In doing so, the two nin would have to separate for longer than either was comfortable, but for the sake of the mission, both would have to exult resolve for their situation. Though neither was willing to admit they feared parting at this crucial time, both agreed silently that the mission was the priority.

Yet, the two professional nin took a moment of reprieve to look into the eyes of their mission partner; two-toned eyes gazed into the bright green of the Haruno woman, and for the smallest of moments, the Uchiha allowed himself to plunder into their depths.

Sakura was the first to look away, a small reddening on her cheeks. Sasuke was far more willing to watch her bashfulness. But, as the situation came to fruition, his mission seeped back into his mind. Sasuke decided his worth was best spent outside the Kage room.

"I should go." He said, his back turning lugubriously to the query nin and opening the door.

"Goodbye, Sasuke." The words drifted on the waves of silence in the room, transitioning a little above a whisper to the Uchiha's ears.

With closed eyes, savoring the sweetness of her voice, he stepped outside the room. Resigned to keeping watch, the Uchiha sat Indian style in front of the door. His chakra was suppressed and rinnegan active; the Uchiha watched the insipid night. While he watched, his eye couldn't help but drift its focus to the tentative Haruno woman at the Kazakage's side.

Author's Note:

So, simply, I want to apologize.

It's been a pretty hectic week, and I have to admit to my shortcomings. I'm all but willing to admit to my obsessive personality, in which has found its new obsession in Dragon Ball, thus has subdued my attentions towards this story.

However, I really pushed passed my issues for you guys, so I hope you'll forgive me. I know this isn't the most romantic piece, but rather a filler episode. I will get more into the romance of the story in the next chapter, it was this bridging chapter that really held me up. Sorry I made you all wait so long.

Here it is!

I promise the next one will be MUCH better! Thank you to all who have commented or favorited and kudosed the story. You're all the best and honestly the only reason I pushed myself to finish this chapter. Thank you so much for believing in this story because it makes me push myself. You're all the best! Thanks again!

- Monsta~