It was late at night when Sakura fell asleep next to Gaara. He couldn't close an eye because he knew there was somewhere he needed to be. He took advantage of the fact that Sakura was tired enough to sleep like a baby until late on the next day. He kissed her neck and caressed her arm with the back of his fingers before he got off the bed without a sound. Sakura didn't think he was serious when he stay he is going to tie her up. Sand wrapped loosely around her ankle in some sort of a thin bracelet that connected her foot to the leg of the bed. He did this to know when she wakes up and get back home to her right away.

He put on his dark blue robes and the Kazekage hat to use the sand for teleportation into a poorly lit room where Shikamaru waited for him, smoking a cigarette. Judging by the amount of ash in the portable ashtray, Shikamaru had already smoked 5 or 6 cigarettes so far.

"How many prisoners do we have?"

"Three men and a woman."

"A woman? Who?"

Shikamaru lead him to the room where the woman was tied and opened the door. Gaara instantly recognized Noriko. His eyes darkened in anger and disappointment. I am such an idiot! I kept a snake in my house for so long and I couldn't smell the danger. I never expected her to betray me. For months she stayed near my son. She could have killed him anytime. Gaara thought.

The woman's eyes were tied; she couldn't see anything, but she felt someone's presence. When she heard the Kazekage's name leave Shikamaru's lips, she opened her mouth to beg and plead.

"Kazekage-sama, I have no fault."

"Silence!" Gaara screamed rabidly. "You poison my son and have the nerve to tell me you're innocent! You should thank me for not skinning you alive!"

Noriko swallowed air; the bandage around her eyes became wet with tears, a sign of her crying.

"Kazekage-sama, that was poison for rats. I didn't put the poison into his food. I really have no blame."

"Gaara, it would be best to get some air. Killing a witness now isn't going to solve anything."

Gaara's fists trembled at his sides in an attempt to calm down. He threw her one last disgusted look before he left the room followed by Shikamaru.

"Tell me everything you know about what happened."

Shikamaru scratched the back of his head and looked to the side:

"The information I gathered is pretty much what I obtained from Sakura and the others who helped us. We haven't interrogated anyone yet. We were all waiting for you."

"Good. Let's begin. Stay next to me. I want to know your opinion. My sister and Naruto tell me you are a cerebral man."

I won't show any mercy. Gaara thought.

The torture began with the three men that chased Sakura the night before.

"Who is your leader? Who are you working for? What was the whole plan? Who else is involved?"

Gaara's questions were like thunder in the dark room that reeked of blood and tears. The prisoner's screams hit on empty walls for Gaara didn't hear them. Hours of torture kept Gaara motionless. He didn't feel any kind of mercy or empathy towards traitors. A few hours later, the man Shinki hit in the leg with a sand cannon ball while Sakura was running away with him, died because of huge blood loss. Elmer got scared when he saw Gaara's ninja carry the body out of the room. The room smelled so bad, that any normal man would have puked when he entered it.

Right when Elmer was about to give up and spit all the information he knew, Gaara felt Sakura started to stir at home. Not now. Not now. He was frustrated because he was so close to finding out the truth, but what could he do? He knew he needed to go home before Sakura hurt herself.

"Shikamaru, keep up the good work here. I will be right back."

"I understand." Shikamaru nodded to the ninja and they knew they could continue with the torture. The room filled with screams again.

Gaara went to get some fresh air in the cold night in an attempt to calm down. He didn't want Sakura to see him in this state because he might take out all of his anger on her by mistake. He took a deep breath and exhaled a few times while looking at the sky. He prayed to him mom to give him patience and serenity.

Sakura fell hard on the floor because she didn't realize her foot was tied to the bed and Gaara felt this through his sand. He narrowed his eyes and teleported himself home right away, hoping he won't pour out his nerves on her. He found her on her knees, trying to get up. She caught herself on her left hand by mistake and she hissed in pain. Her vision was blurry. Tears pooled in her big green eyes when she saw Gaara standing tall and proud next to her.

"Where were you?" Sakura yelled.

He felt his blood pressure go up. He did his best to reply calmly while he sat on the floor next to her.

"You smell of blood." She said before he even opened his mouth to speak.

"I was interrogating the wretches who did this to you." Fire burned in his eyes and Sakura lowered her voice.

"Couldn't you do that in the morning?"

Gaara bit his tongue before he answered.

"I had to know who is behind the attack." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and he continued "Anyone who dares to lay a hand on you must be punished as soon as possible. Otherwise, others will have the courage to try."

Sakura smiled because she felt the care he had for her. Gaara sighed in relief for he managed to stop the situation from escalating. He tried to take her in his arms, but Sakura pushed him away with her left hand.

"You reek, don't touch me."

Gaara smiled.

"Fine, but let me help you get up." He said as he put his hand on top of hers on his chest, squeezing lightly.

Sakura grimaced in pain and held her breath, making him panic.

"What is it, Sakura?" He cupped the back of her head with his left hand and used the fingers from his other hand to turn her face to him. She bit her lip before she retorted:

"It's nothing. Help me stand up."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Come on!" She screamed at him again.

Gaara shut up; he wrapped his arm around her hip while she clung to his sleeve.

"You know, I stumbled because of your sand." She was sitting on the bed with her feet dangling. "Look, you bruised my ankle! I am not one of your prisoners, you know! You can't keep me tied up."

Sakura was angry again. Gaara knew she was right. He only wanted to protect her, but it was true that wasn't the right way to act. The sand around her ankle moved back into his urn. Gaara kneeled before her on the floor, lifted her leg carefully and bent forward to kiss the bruises on her thin ankle.

"You are right, my flower. I am sorry. I didn't know how else to protect you. I was sure you were going to try something dangerous again."

"That's not what..."

She couldn't finish her sentence because he rested his forehead against her knees, his hand still caressed the injured foot as he spoke:

"I am an idiot. Hit me."

"Huh?" Sakura's eyes grew in size. Before she remembered to counter him, Gaara grabbed her right arm and beat himself in the head with it.

"What are you doing?"

"I deserve your anger. You counted on me, but I couldn't protect you. Because of me you almost died."

"Gaara" Sakura said his name with tenderness.

He slapped himself across the cheek with her palm and she retracted her hand because it didn't give her any pleasure seeing him like this. His hand fisted in the bed sheet next to her. Sakura brought her hands to his head; her fingers cupped his chin to lift his head hoping their eyes would meet. His face was wet with tears and it made her heart as small as a flea. She brought his face closer to her to kiss his lips before she hugged him to her chest tightly. Her feeble fingers combed his red hair lazily. Her lips planted warm kisses on top of his head. His arms wrapped around her back and his face buried in her chest, inhaling the smell of the most beautiful girl he has ever known.

"It's not your fault, my lion. Quite the opposite, I was lucky you showed up in time to save me. Without you, I would have been dead."

Gaara froze when he heard the word "dead". He couldn't bear the image of Sakura in such a state. No! This was never going to happen. He grit his teeth in anger, but Sakura's fingers on his cheek, her soft caress and honey sweet words succeeded in calming him down.

"I am so happy you are here!" Sakura said as she squeezed him tighter, trying hard not to cry.

Flames of love lit his heart on fire. Sakura guided him to stand and began to undress him. He held her wrists into his hands to stop her.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I am doing? I missed you." Sakura answered.

She licked her lips while helping him take off his robes. He didn't feel strong enough to stop her. His breathing became more and more labored until not only he didn't try to stop her, but he helped her take off the blouse and trousers she slept in. He guided her to lie on her back on the bed. He hovered over her and asked:

"What if I hurt you? You're not completely healed."

"Then let me move."

...

She was still trying to recover from trembling. Gaara hugged her tightly to his chest for the last time before he rolled them to his right side, so he could be able to breathe properly. The sand around them dissipated and Gaara kissed his girlfriend's forehead before letting a finger trace her face.

"My dear, I have to go back to work." He said as he tried to get his voice back.

"But, Gaara...It's still night outside. Stay with me a little longer." Sakura said while she circled his neck with her arm.

Gaara pulled her hand back and kissed it before he let it return to her side.

"My flower, we are in the middle of a crisis. If I don't go now, things will degenerate in our detriment. Don't forget I am the Kazekage. It is my duty."

"Of, I see."

"Please don't try to do anything until I come back, ok? I want to help you."

"Fine, fine."

Gaara smiled, kissed her forehead, tucked her under the blanket and let her drift back to sleep while he got off the bed to have a shower and go back to work again.