Author Note:

Disclaimer | I own this story. The title and backline story is from The Wedding Date with Debra Messing and Dermot Mulroney. And as stated earlier I do not own the World of Naruto.

Ninth Date | Terrified Flying

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Everything was done. Finished. Finalized. And packed into neat little compartments that left nothing unanswered. This meant absolutely everything was packed and she had left nothing behind as she readied herself for this atrocious trip ahead of her.

She groaned as she looked down at the slender rose gold-colored watch. She was earlier. Ugh. There was a ninety-nine percent chance if she had walked, she still would have gotten there early. Sakura could have crawled and still made it there at the same time. And no, Sakura was not an early bird. She did not arrive early to things for any reason.

Well, unless Lydia asked her to. That was the only reason she was ever early to something. Okay, that might have been a small falsehood. She could be early for one other reason. Nerves.

There was also a very high possibility that Sakura had been awake since four in the morning. She couldn't sleep okay! It wasn't really her fault, Hinata was getting married. So, see . . . The blame was to be placed elsewhere.

Sakura was going to throw up. Pink-haired woman throws up in the Airport Terminal. It would be the headlines in tomorrow's News Paper, and News E-Letter. Just great. That would be utterly perfect. Sakura heaved a sigh and blanched as nausea rolled through her once more.

The feeling was back. The feeling that lay a path for everything that could possibly and would possibly go wrong will happen. That was a bad feeling. She didn't like that feeling. Sakura didn't like not knowing what could happen. The possibility that it would go wrong, that Mebuki would find out the truth. It was a high possibility, and Sakura didn't like it.

The bile rose in the back of her throat as she looked up at the digital sign filled with times and locations. There really was no way out now. She was stuck. Gaara was already on his way. He already knew everything. Sakura couldn't just call up and say it was over . . . Could she?

Sakura shook her head. She needed to clear her thoughts before Gaara showed up. Oh! Maybe he won't show. Sakura snorted to herself at that thought. Pure ridiculous. Like Gaara wouldn't show. If there was anything she had learned about him . . . Gaara kept all of his promises when he made them personally.

She let out a breath and glared at the boarding pass in her hands once more. She shook, little tremors wracked her body. Sakura knew she could do this. Knew she could pull through and be a 'big' girl. She had done it once before. And at least this time she wasn't alone. At least this time the man she was going to be with wouldn't leave her for her sister.

Sakura licked her lower lip and glanced down at her cell phone once more. Running a few late, but I am on my way. Sakura took a deep breath and let it out even slower.

"Sakura!"

Her head snapped up as her name was called. And no, that was not Gaara's voice. His voice wouldn't sound needy, or flustered. The voice wouldn't be filled with desperation. A smirk wormed its way across her lips as she watched the frantic male running towards her now.

"Help. Me!"

Sakura giggled at the flustered high-pitched voice that begged for her help. Her emerald eyes sparkled as she looked upon the frazzled man. "Hello Kakashi," Sakura sounded the name out slowly. "Did you forget about pleasantries?" She smirked and waited for him to make his next move.

"Hello Sakura," He whined out before returning to his original statement. "Help. Me!" His hands moved through the air quickly.

She giggled once more. "Tsunade really has cracked down on things hasn't she?" Mirth filled her eyes to the brim as she stared at her old Manager. "I don't work here anymore." She bit her lower lip. Her eyes squinted as they turned into little smiles of their own. "Sorry, can't help. Would love to – but the procedure does not allow me to."

"Sakura," Kakashi growled softly. His lower lip jutted out in a pout. "We've had at least six delays on planes leaving." His brows furrowed. "Three delayed planes on letting passengers off." His shoulders bristled as he continued to list the issues that had happened so far today. "We are dying!" Kakashi groaned as his two-way talkie beeped once more. "The worst thing possible was letting you go."

She rolled her eyes. "Does Tsunade know you are out here doing this?" The smirk Sakura wore was nothing but Golden Globe gloat-worthy. "I do not think she would be a fan of this . . ." Yes, Sakura was taunting him. She glanced down at the boarding ticket in her hand once more. They still had another thirty minutes. "Is my flight going to be delayed?"

"Seriously!" Kakashi heaved a sigh and snatched her boarding ticket. "No, it shouldn't." He held out her ticket but refused to fully let it go. "Now, please help me."

Sakura heaved a long sigh. "How is this possible!" She shook her head. "Customer service should be able to survive without me." She ran a hand through her head. "I haven't worked here in close to a year!"

"We are hanging on by a thread." Kakashi hissed. "A thread!" He let out a long-suffering sigh. A high-pitched laugh gurgled in the back of his thread. "And the thread is choosing to day to finally unravel."

Hanging on by a thread . . . Sakura shook her head and didn't fight the giggle that fell from her lips. "I have a sister's wedding I need to be focusing on." She shook her head.

"Wait!" Kakashi stood straight up, at full attention. "Hinata is getting married." His eyes were wide as he blinked, mouth open like a fish. "That's . . . Who?"

Sakura held in a flinch. "I believe you have a couple of crisis situations to get under control." She blinked coquettishly and flashed a smile. If they were going to focus on her turmoil - she would not be helping him period.

"Please!" Kakashi begged, pleading for all he was worth. "Two sales reps called in sick." He ran a hand through his hair. "And there is a virus spreading on Flight 2505 Kumo." Kakashi grumbled and rubbed his temples, "I'm still waiting for the EMT's to arrive and deal with the sickest passengers. What idiot gets on a plane when he has a contagious virus? All that cold and rain – idiot!" Kakashi shook his head. He glanced down at the watch on his wrist. "Amegakure 15:10 should have already arrived – but the flight to Kirigakure 14:15 hasn't left!"

Sakura forced another sigh. "I want my luggage checked now!" She stood from her seat and pointed a finger in his direction; the coral polish gleamed under the fluorescent lighting. "My plane will leave on time. And when my other half arrives, he will be checked in front of everyone else." She hissed at him. "I will leave on time Kakashi."

"Other half?" Kakashi perked up. His eyes widened as he caught the gleam of silver on her left ring finger. "Sakura! Why was I not invited to the wedding?" His eyes narrowed before he shook his head, "Never mind. Done and done." He ushered her towards the main desk where three Sales Representatives were working double time.

Sakura smiled and waved as the other three giggled. She'd already seen them when she had stood in line for her ticket. "Apparently I am working for free today." She winked and stood in front of the computer. She grinned as Kakashi tagged in his information on the computer.

"Please," Kakashi insisted as he poked at Sakura.

Sakura giggled softly and began to let her fingers fly across the keyboard. "Oh! Bump the 14:15 up to the 17:12 and give a round of free refreshments to the plane floating in the skies."

"Okay," Kakashi nodded and pressed the button on the two-way talkie as he spoke to his right hand.

Sakura's lips pursed. "And while they get refreshments, float them over to Suna Travels – our baby sister company." She flashed a wide smile. "Tell Jay he owes me and get five of our charter buses over there for them." Her eyes narrowed. "The buses need to be waiting when they land." Sakura glanced at Kakashi. "Like my flight will leave on time. I'm checked, correct?"

She smiled up at the line. "Okay, next?" Sakura breezed through sixteen people waiting before Kakashi rushed back to her side.

"There is a guy on line two. He has spoken to four other Reps." Kakashi groaned. "He is very unsatisfied." He shook his head. "Apparently he is stuck in Kusagakura with his in-laws because of all of the delays." He growled softly. "I have no idea what is going on. Is there some kind of concert or huge event that I don't know about?"

Sakura rolled her eyes and tapped at her watch. "I've got maybe fifteen minutes – this means you have ten." She smiled and reached for the phone as she pressed line two. "Hello Suna Airs, can I help you?" She nodded slowly as the frustrated man spoke. "Yes," ah yes - this was the part she had not missed. She hadn't done schooling to be a therapist. "I understand, you want your family to see you the way you see yourself." Sakura rolled her eyes. Why does this matter? "At least as you see yourself."

"Really?" Kakashi snorted and rolled his eyes as he finished checking her bags before helping the next customer.

Sakura hid her smirk. The customer was upset enough. "I know. The trip would have been much better for everyone if the hotels had a vacancy." Sakura coddled the male on the line. "Yes, being victimized by your mother-in-law is horrible and unfair." Sakura sighed quietly, now that one she understood. "Yes, you married the woman of your dreams - family is baggage."

"Sakura!" Tsunade frowned as she came to a stop. Her dark eyes cut to a shrinking Kakashi. "I will find the why of this out later. For now, we do not coddle people." She huffed and slapped Kakashi on the back of his head as she moved by. "Do better or I will replace you. Sakura chose to leave, I didn't fire her." Tsunade hissed as she moved towards another part of the Suna Airs airline.

Sakura watched as Tsunade walked away before speaking quietly into the phone. "But just this once. And only this once, I am going to refund you and your wife's tickets and we are going to look at a separate flight for you two." She smiled softly and glanced around once more. Her eyes connected with Kakashi's. A smile flashed across her lips at the nod of approval. "And credit you 10,000 frequent flyer miles." Her voice was crisp and professional. "Thank you for using Suna Airs."

"Thank you so much." Kakashi gushed. "Okay, go ahead and board the plane. I need a name for him."

Sakura smiled. "Gaara Sabaku, dark red hair, and green eyes." She grabbed her large carry-on and ticket. "See you in a while Kakashi." Sakura's nose scrunched. "It might be two weeks; I think it will be less though – if I have timed this right." I hope.

"Okay," Kakashi smiled. "I'd say have a good trip, but you are going to see your family." Kakashi trailed off and flashed a soft smile. "I'll do some assessing when you come back." He made a shooing motion and waved Sakura towards her flight terminal.

Sakura sat in her seat in First Class. A class Gaara had told her she would be flying in while with him. She bit her lower lip and waited for Gaara to take his seat in Four B next to her Four A. Her knee bounced in place as she looked down at her slender watch. Yes, she had every right to be nervous.

"Sorry about that."

She smiled softly as she looked up at the red-headed male who took the seat next to her. "That's okay."

"How did we get on the plane before everyone else?" Gaara murmured as he leaned towards her. A soft smile took over his lips as he tucked a couple of strands of hair behind her ear. "Hey, Sweetheart." His voice was smooth as he spoke to her. "And a grey-haired male told me I better keep you safe." A smirk covered Gaara's lips, "who is he?"

A blush took her cheeks as she stared at him directly. "Oh, that's Kakashi." She shifted in her seat. A soft laugh fell from her lips. "I told him we needed to leave on time." She flashed a wide proud smile. "And he knows about my family." Sakura pulled her lower lip into her mouth and worried it.

"No biting your lip." He spoke softly, but firmly as he used his thumb to pull her lower lip free. His green eyes darkened as he stared at her mouth, for a moment or two. "Are you going to answer me correctly?"

Sakura blinked a few times before his question resurfaced in her mind. "I used to work here." Her voice was soft and fluid as she spoke. "The manager needed a little help." Sakura smiled. "I traded early access for help solving the problems." Sakura rolled her eyes. "Apparently he fell to pieces without me." She smiled impishly.

"Has he now?" Gaara chuckled softly. "Anyone would fall to pieces if you left them." A smirk lingered on his lips. "But you are my Blossom."

Hello Passengers, Thank you for boarding and using Suna Airs for your flying pleasure. Please take your seats and buckle your belts. Take-off begins in 10 minutes.

The lights flickered once more as the radio turned off.

Sakura gave the other a nervous smile as she fumbled with her belt.

"Breathe, Blossom." Gaara murmured as he leaned forward and secured her in place before locking his own belt. He grabbed her hand and laced their fingers together. He placed a kiss on the back of her hand before cradling her hand between his own.

She swallowed hard. "I feel like I should warn you."

"Warn me?" He chuckled, dark green eyes alight with amusement. "Warn me how, Blossom?"

"Just, those families." Her lips pursed. "Those families where pretty much everyone is bat-shit crazy. And the more they are with each other the worse it is . . ." Sakura trailed off as she looked for the words. "And even though you wish you were adopted so that you could at least explain why you are the sane one." She licked her lips. "You love them because at the end of the day . . . They love you for you and they are all you have?"

Gaara smiled at the picture. "Yes," he knew exactly. Though, that hadn't been the picture painted of her family so far . . . That would be an easy turnaround.

"Yeah," her voice was high-pitched and off-base. "I don't have a family like that." She shook her head. "That's not my family."