Naruto: "Huh? A joint mission with the Sand Village? We can handle this without them."

Kakashi: "Now, don't say that. There's trouble at the borderline we share with the Sand Village. If a request went to one side, the other side might be offended, right? So wouldn't it be better if the 2 allies cooperated and worked together on this mission? Besides, that makes it easier."

Naruto: "Ugh!"

Sakura: "This alliance was formed right after the attack on the Leaf Village, so there's bound to be problems at the start. The first step is to build trust in our relationship and that's what this mission is."

Sasuke: "As expected, Sakura is very smart."

Naruto: "Since when have you started speaking so nice to Sakura?"

All the noise irritated Sasuke and he gave Naruto a nasty look.

Kakashi: "It takes all the fun out if you explain it so bluntly."

Naruto: "What? What? What do you mean?"

Sakura: "It's too deep for you to even understand. This is about nations and villages and important people."

Naruto: "Come on, Sakura...You don't have to be so mean."

Kakashi: "Anyway, it's a joint mission, so let's do our best to get along with them."

Naruto whined.

Kakashi: "Ok, enough talking. Let's head to the rendezvous point with the Sand."

Naruto: "Alright! Let's race to see who gets there first!" and he ran away through the forest, followed closely by Sakura.

Sakura: "Naruto! Not fair!"

Naruto stopped on a small hill in front of a lake. Hearing Sakura's steps behind him, Naruto turned around to face her, his back to the water. A broken bridge could be observed somewhere in the back.

Naruto: "I win!"

Sakura: "You're so immature!" said she with her hands on her hips and a scolding eye.

Naruto just laughed proudly.

Sakura: "Jeez."

Kakashi: "This should be the rendezvous point. Maybe we got here too early."

Naruto: "They're late? What jerks! Those guys in the Sand Village...You can never tell what they're thinking. If they expect to be friends with the Leaf, they should be more prompt."

Right as he spoke, Sakura saw Gaara step onto the water surface closer to them. Sakura blushed slightly and looked down at the ground while playing with her fingers behind her back. Gaara wasn't looking at Sakura because he feared he'd make a fool of himself if he even glimpses at her, so he avoided her looks while speaking very formal with Kakashi. Sasuke put some distance between he and Sakura. He didn't want to start a conflict with Gaara considering he wasn't able to defeat the redhead in the chuunin exams.

Gaara: "Sorry we're late."

Naruto almost fell from the hill in surprise: "G-G-Gaara?"

Sasuke thought: Of all people...He's the one we're doing the joint mission with?

Kakashi: "Oh, Gaara-kun, don't worry. You're right on time. We got here a little early, that's all."

Two men from Suna were walking on the bottom of the lake, water soaking them up to chest level. They were carrying wooden rectangular boxes made of wood above their heads so they wouldn't get wet. They were both wearing the Sunan hourglass on their headbands around their foreheads, dark blue shirts and dusty brown armor on top. One of them had his head bandaged in some sort of white cap with two long white sheets covering his ears, probably to protect him from the wind and sand.

The two men: "Sorry. We apologize."

Gaara: "We're a little late. My apologies." He bowed deeply before Kakashi in a respectful manner.

Naruto grabbed a stone and threw it to Gaara's face. A sand wave immediately shielded Gaara from the attack without him even moving a single finger and the stone never touched his body.

Sasuke got a little scared. His big eyes didn't escape Gaara's. This Uchiha has finally realized he's no match for me. So it should be.

Wow, Gaara'kun is so cool!

Gaara's heart started beating faster in pride.

Kakashi pulled Naruto by the right ear.

Naruto: "Ow! Ow!"

Kakashi: "Hey, what's the big idea, Naruto?"

Naruto: "Ow! Ow! Just a way of greeting him. A rock can't hurt No Brows over there anyway, right?" he pointed at Gaara with his finger and then he noticed something. "Huh? Where are the other two?"

Gaara looked behind and saw his comrades hiding in the bushes far in the back. They were trembling and speaking to each other:

"He made Gaara-sama use his Ultimate Defense!"

"How scary is that?"

Naruto freed himself from Kakashi's grip and opened his mouth to speak again: "What's with them? They're such whimps. Say, why aren't make-up dude and fan lady with you?"

Stupid Naruto

Sakura pulled Naruto by the left ear this time.

Naruto: "Ow! Ow!"

Sakura: "You mean Kankuro-san and Temari-san."

Sorry, Gaara-kun.

Gaara just laughed inwardly.

Wait, why aren't they with you? Did something happen?

No. I volunteered to join the regular forces.

Why? Is it safe?

Of course it is. He said a little bit upset.

I only meant that Kankuro-san and Temari-san will watch your back no matter what because you're their brother and they are very skilled. You know the saying: Blood doesn't turn into water. These two men don't seem very reliable. Hiding in bushes...What if anyone tries to kill you again?

You talk too much. I am not weak. I can protect myself.

You didn't tell me you were going on a mission like this.

You're not my superior. I don't have to report back to you.

Gaara-kun is so cold...

I'm sorry. Just...worry about yourself, okay? He forced himself to reply more gently.

In truth, Gaara was on edge because Sakura was right and she didn't know it. He didn't want to stress or frighten her, so he tried to focus on locking his thoughts away. No matter whom it was that was trying to kill him this time, he didn't want to involve Sakura and risk her getting hurt. Kankuro had told him something when he had found out about Gaara's decision.

Kankuro: "The superiors don't think well of you. And a majority of the village is scared of you."

Gaara: "I know. Where are you going with this?" he asked with calm.

Kankurou: "Our sister would be devastated if you weren't to come back. I don't think I will be able to calm her down this time."

Kankuro didn't want to admit, but it also hurt him and he felt scared of losing his younger brother for this time, the redhead might not come back for good. The village elders had decided to assassinate Gaara without informing the current Kazekage. Gaara knew about this and he had no intention of getting killed. Gaara didn't want to involve his brother and sister and risk their death for the ANBU didn't care who they had to kill as long as Gaara was dead. For this reason, Gaara decided to volunteer for the mission, to fight these men outside the village. He couldn't read emotions very well, but the only way he could interpret the pain he felt in his chest when he imagined Kankuro and Temari in a pool of blood was no other than love. It was the same pain he felt whenever Sakura refused to talk to him.

Gaara: "Rest assured. I still have to protect you two from father."

Kankuro got nervous and started screaming to cover his shame, pretending to be irritated: "Who said we need your protection?"

Gaara smiled and looked at his brother with amusement.

Kankuro: "I can destroy father anytime I want to. Let him try to lay his hands on Temari again and I'll..."

Gaara: "Yes. Yes." He turned his back to Kankurou and flew away.

Kankuro: "Where are you going? I was talking to you." He screamed, but he wasn't actually upset, but happy and concerned.

Temari was in her room, with her back glued to the wall next to the window. She had asked the wind to deliver all of the boys' words to her ear, so she heard the whole conversation. When there was silence, Temari mumbled with her hands to her chest: "Mother, please take care of them."

Gaara: "I'm currently enlisted under the regular forces. Let me introduce you to my subordinates, Yaoki and Korobi."

"I'm Yaoki." He waved his hand from behind the bush.

"I'm Korobi." He also waved his hand.

Kakashi: "I'm Kakashi, the one in charge of this mission. And this is Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke."

Naruto shouted 'Hey' and waved his hand with a hand on his right hip.

Sakura screamed with a hand curved to her mouth to make the sound travel farther: "Nice to meet you." The high-pitched sound of her voice scratched everyone's ears, but nobody said anything.

Sasuke kept silent.

Gaara looked back at Kakashi again: "They're still rookies. Please be patient with them."

Everyone moved up onto the trees. Everyone was standing aside from Sasuke, who was defiantly sitting down. Gaara's team was on the left, with Gaara standing in front of his subordinates. Team 7 was on the right, with Kakashi standing in front of Sasuke, Sasuke and Naruto.

Kakashi: "Gaara-kun's team will approach from the western side of the mountain. My team 7 will approach from the east. And we'll simultaneously attack the bandits who are based at the summit. The assault will commence at midnight. Does that sound ok?"

Gaara nodded.

Naruto: "There's no need to wait that long. We can take out those bandits by ourselves!"

Kakashi: "The bandits are made up of rogue ninja. Word has it that chuunin class ninja are among them."

Sakura: "He's right, Naruto. You might end up putting us all in danger!"

Naruto: "Fine, I got it." He said with his hands behind his head.

Gaara: "We'll go with your strategy. There's something I need to discuss with you."

Gaara jumped off the tree and onto the ground, out of ear shot. Kakashi also jumped down, next to Gaara.

Naruto: "Why's Gaara acting all secretive?"

Sakura: "The two captains probably want to go over details." She was also curious to know what they were talking about, but she didn't want to admit it.

Naruto pretended to be upset, but he looked down at Gaara with one eyes opened.

Naruto: "Captain? He's so full of himself."

Kakashi: "Someone tracking you?"

Gaara: "Yes...Hopefully there's no interference, but I thought you should know." He was embarrassed so he looked to the right side.

Kakashi: "You seem to have someone in mind."

Gaara: "The higher-ups in my village hate me. I may cause you trouble, but..."

Kakashi: "That's fine with me."

Gaara was so surprised, he raised his head to look at Kakashi.

Kakashi: "The more problems we face together, the stronger the bond between our villages will become."

Gaara lowered his head this time. Kakashi called his team and all 4 of them left, but not before Naruto screamed at Gaara in a funny voice: "Don't be late this time, Gaara!"

Gaara jumped onto the trees again: "We'll be leaving too, now."

Gaara-kun, what did you and Kakashi-sensei talk about?

Sorry Sakura. I can't tell you.

Naruto's right. You're so secretive.

That's not fair. You know why I can't tell you.

Yes, yes, it's a mission. I won't insist. She wasn't sad or angry. She tried to understand him.

Thank you.

ANBU watched the whole scene from the shadows. They were happy because they knew they would be promoted by the elders if they succeeded in killing Gaara-sama.

Yaoki: "I hope nothing goes wrong."

Right at that moment, Gaara gave him the side eye. Both Yaoki and korobi stopped running. Sweat covered the sides of their faces, their teeth clenched, waiting for Gaara's power to unleash and kill them. Waves of sand acted at Gaara's order and moved towards his subordinates. They crossed their arms in front of their faces, eyes shut tight, teeth clenched, waiting for their death. The sand moved between the 2 men and formed a hardened shield behind them that protected their backs from the flying kunai that would have killed them. Yaoki and Korobi lowered their arms and were shocked to realize Gaara had saved their lives. They looked behind and said: "A foe?"

"Is it the bandits?"

Gaara: "No. Their target is me." I've decided to move forward. I can't afford to be stuck here like this.

Meanwhile Sakura stopped running all of a sudden and shouted to her sensei: "Kakashi-sensei, something's wrong."

Everyone looked back at her and stopped running. Kakashi was surprised. 'I wonder if she realized we've been followed."

Naruto: "What's wrong, Sakura?"

Kakashi looked past Sakura and said: "How long do you intend to tail us? Show yourselves!"

Naruto: "Huh? What?"

Both Sakura and Naruto looked surprised.

Kakashi thought: 'Why is she surprised? Didn't she just want to say that we are being followed? Is there anything else wrong?'

Masked ANBU: "No wonder they call you Kakashi of the Sharingan. I thought I hid my presence well. Please continue on your way. We have no intention of interfering with the missions of allied nations."

Kakashi: "Do you belong to the Sand Village?"

ANBU: "Please think of us as...auditors."

Naruto: "Auditors?"

Sakura: "As in inspectors. They're here to inspect the mission from behind the scene."

Naruto: "They need to wear masks for that?" he asked with his hands on his hips. "I don't trust them."

Kakashi: "Actually...They don't trust Gaara-kun. Isn't that it?"

ANBU: "To the Sand Village, Lord Gaara's power...Rather because we are the Sand Village, Lord Gaara's power poses a serious threat to us. You have also seen Lord Gaara's jutsu. Don't you agree that it is a power that shouldn't exist?"

Cold shivers ran down Sakura's spine. She saddened and then she panicked thinking she must go to Gaara as soon as these men would get out of the way because Gaara was being ambushed at that moment.

Kakashi: "They're thinking of eliminating Gaara-kun."

Sasuke: "So an assassination squad has been dispatched."

Sakura: "How cruel. He's a ninja from your village."

The ANBU pissed Naruto so much, he punched the man speaking right in the face with his right fist, and then he ran to Gaara. The other ANBU screamed: Don't let him get away!"

All of the ANBU threw poisoned kunais to Naruto, but Sasuke blocked all of them with his kunai wielding skills. Kakashi got closer to the man he spoke to earlier. Chidori made his hand glow white and Kakashi touched his shoulder: "Surely there are those who are sympathetic towards Gaara-kun among the Sand Village. You people were not able to accept Gaara-kun. And I can understand your point of view, but don't jump to the conclusion that we feel the same way."

Chidori turned that man's heart off. Kakashi and Sasuke knocked all of them out while Gaara was attacked from all sides, including by his own subordinates.

Note: Sakura will have a hard time accepting what Gaara can and can't tell her. The fact that he can hide thoughts from her will create some tension. Let's see what happens next.