To my soon to be husband

I want your heart to take a break from stress and worry, that is why I confess that I listened to the prayers you watered with your tears and I gave up on the mission. I am far away from the machine, in the opposite side of the village. I talked to Ino to get inside my mind and help me fight the demons if needed, meaning if those people activate the self-destruct protocol. You can rest assured now. I also beg you with just as hot tears that you listen to me and eat, take care of yourself, my love. As soon as Naruto and Sasuke complete the mission, I will come back to you. Lower your sinewy arms to lift me up on my feet when I kneel before you to ask forgiveness for such pain I have caused. Forgive me. I will give you everything you asked. I won't refuse anything. If you wish to gluttonize from my breast, you will do it. If you wish to taste my lips, you will do it. My mind, body and soul belong to you to do whatever you want with them.

A flower in the garden of your heart, Sakura

To the rarest gemstone

The words of this down-hearted man reached the ears of the most beautiful of girls, the most sensitive of flowers, the feeblest ray of sunshine. This heart gained the courage to beat a little faster when I read about your decision. Only on my wedding day I will be happier than I am right now, because now I am sure the wedding is going to happen. You listened to me. What more could I wish for? Hurry and come back to me, my flower. I want to know you close to me, to protect you, give you everything you wish for and never lack anything. If you don't like your eyes, I will give you mine. I would pepper the road from Konoha to Suna with pieces of my flesh for you to step on and be safe. What can be more precious to me than your heart? Hurry and give me your heart so I can die in peace.

From a lonely soul, Gaara

Two weeks have elapsed and still no news from Sakura. In exchange, everybody in the ninja world talked about the enormous explosion that took place in Konoha 3 days ago. He fretted day and night. He walked km in his office. The shirt seemed tighter and tighter around the neck as minutes passed. Was it possible that something happened to Sakura? Why didn't she reply to his letter? As he was pacing his office, suddenly Matsuri burst into the room without knocking or letting them know who she is. ANBU shielded the Kazekage right away and drew their swords at the intruder, waiting for Gaara's order.

"Gaara-sama, the border patrol saw a person approaching Suna's borders. A pink haired woman with a Konoha headband wrapped around her arm." Matsuri said loudly.

Gaara's heart stopped beating for a few seconds. Matsuri was very enthusiastic, but Gaara felt embarrassed to show his emotions in front of everyone, so he scolded the girl.

"Matsuri, don't walk into my office like that again. I will think you are an enemy."

Matsuri deflated immediately and bowed her head, regaining her composure.

"Please excuse me, Kazekage-sama. I knew how much you..."

"How much until she reaches the gates?"

"About an hour."

Good. From the borders until home will take her another hour, maybe 2 if she doesn't hurry.

"Matsuri, did she seem injured?"

"I don't think so. Not from what the patrol reported to me."

That's good. Shinki is still at school. I must prepare everything.

"Matsuri, go and welcome her at the gates."

"Yes, as you command, Kazekage-sama."

"Kankurou, do a favor to your brother and take over my duties for today."

"Oh. Ooh. Fine. Go!" his brother said with a smile.

Kankurou knew how much Gaara has suffered when Sakura wasn't there, so he was going to do anything to help him recover.

Firstly, Gaara teleported himself at home and ordered the woman to cook as many dishes as possible and as fast as she could. The kind of food someone would need for a party, special dishes.

"You have 2 hours. After that, you get the rest of the week off."

"Yes, Kazekage-sama."

"If there is anything you want me to buy from the store to cook something special, make me a list and you will have everything in 15 minutes."

The woman wiped her hands on the apron and started writing everything that crossed her mind. She wrote down more ingredients than she thought she could use, but if something were missing she didn't want the boss to scold her. Gaara took the list, the woman bowed her head before him and he was gone as fast as lightning. 15 minutes later, he was back just as promised.

"Here. Cook something delicious. If my fiancé likes it, you will get a bonus."

"Fi-fiancé?" The woman stuttered.

"Yes." Gaara said with pride.

"In that case, I will give everything so Kazekage-sama will make a good impression."

"Good."

Gaara disappeared again. This time, he went to the cake shop to buy cakes, candy, ice-cream, edible flowers, candied cherries... He dropped them home and told the woman to compose a sweet and pretty plateau before he ran off again. The next stop was at the flower shop. He didn't have too many options. The desert wasn't rich in flowers. There was no pink flower, but there were some small white buds that looked very pretty. He bought a handful and brought them home. The house was filled with the smell of food, it tickled his nostrils. The woman looked at him, how he struggled to put the stems of the flowers into a vase and her heart melted.

Gaara placed the vase on the nightstand from Sakura's side of the bed. After that, he ran to have a shower. He washed faster than a match goes out after you light it. He changes his black robes with his dark red tunic and matching trousers. He put on perfume and combed his hair with his long good-smelling fingers. Then, he walked into the hallway and waited for about 30 minutes without moving a muscle. The sand circled the house on a 2500 m radius. When Sakura stepped onto the sand, he felt her chakra and spoke to the woman in the house.

"Prepare to leave. Is everything ready?"

"Everything will be ready in 10 minutes, Kazekage-sama."

"Good, she will be here in 30 minutes."

The woman hurried to finish faster. After the last dish was ready, she turned off the oven and set the table. The house smelled divine. Gaara closed his eyes and inhaled the scent.

"Thank you. You are free to go."

"Have a good day, Kazekage-sama. I will go now."

The woman bowed, took a few things and left the house through the back door.

Gaara kept his eyes closed and focused only on Sakura's steps. Matsuri left her about 25 m from the house. From the way she walked, she didn't seem to have trouble breathing nor did she have a limp. The closer she got to the house, the slower her steps got.

20 steps

15 steps

10 steps

5 steps

Sakura was on the other side of the door. Gaara couldn't even breathe. When the door opened, he drank in all her features, searched for any wounds, any sign she was suffering and found none. Sakura noticed his eyes sunken in his head, the dark circles around them were more pronounced, he definitely lost muscle, his hear lost its glow, but his irises were more alive than ever. She put down the travel bag without a sound, took off her shoes and slowly walked towards him.

Gaara spread his arms to welcome her, but right when he was about to touch her happily, Sakura fell to her knees before him. He stopped in his tracks very shocked. Sakura lifted her hands slightly above her bowed head and spread her hands. Her elbows were slightly lower than her chin, her back arched. Her palms were open as if she was waiting for a beating with a cane.

"Forgive me for making you suffer so much. I am selfish..."

The pads of his fingers touched her pink locks lovingly before he kneeled next to her. Sobs and tears shook her body. Gaara grabbed her by the back of her head and pulled her to his chest possessively. Her hands clung to his tunic, his eyes were shut tight and hot tears of love and frustration wet his cheeks. His shoulders trembled. A few words hardly escaped his lips after a few good long seconds.

"You are never leaving again. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

Sakura turned her head to the right to kiss his neck. She gave her best to keep her emotions at bay for his sake. The palm of her hand wiped off the tears on her cheek before it moved to stroke his spiky hair. Gaara squeezed her tighter. He repeatedly bit the flesh lightly from her shoulder to her neck through her clothes as she whispered in his ear:

"Hush now. I am not going anywhere. I'll stay with you. I will always be here, my lion, my cub. I am so sorry. These last 2 months changed you. Nobody took care of you. I am here now."

He wiped his tears on the fabric of her blouse, rubbed his cheek on hers, brought his hand to cup her jaw, she bit her bottom lip and he kissed her on the lips without hesitation. When he brought his head back, she leaned towards him to kiss him some more. Sakura's hands trembled in nervousness while he suddenly felt exhausted.

She sat on the couch with Gaara's head on her lap, his body spread on the length of the couch. Sakura caressed his eyes, his nose, his cheeks, his forehead, the read kanji on it, his hair... Her fingers held the power to give back youth. He looked like he was 35, not 25 years old. Sakura held his head in her hands and pressed him to her belly, like some sort of weird embrace. His hand lifted to caress the side of her face and she kissed it. She couldn't refrain from kissing his hand every time it got close to her face.

"Now that I am back, you will begin a healthy sleeping program, you will eat 3 times a day. Look how much weight you've lost!" She said as she traced his arm and chest to prove her point. I will check every night if the tiredness finally got to your internal organs. Judging by your life style, your liver doesn't have much time before it explodes. Look! Of, of, of. Why didn't you take care of yourself? I told you I was coming."

Green light shone from her hands. One of them was placed on his eyes and the other one on his stomach. She started healing his eyes and his internal organs from the migraines, stress. She healed as much as she could. His breathing evened and every fiber of his body was convinced he will recover thanks to her.

"Now that you are back, I don't need any medicine." Gaara said while he kissed the hand that wore the engagement ring.

Sakura grinned from the bottom of her heart. After she healed him the best she could, she asked the question that kept bugging her:

"Gaara, where is Shinki? I haven't seen him."

"He is at school. He should be back any minute now."

Right then they heard the entrance door open and a squeaky voice said:

"Father, I am home. Whose are these bags?"

Gaara stood up and gestured Sakura to stay there silently.

"Welcome home, Shinki. Come here." He said weaving his hand.

"Yes, I am coming."

Gaara waited for him by the door to the living room with a smile on his face. His son looked at him strangely.

"Come on, faster."

"What is... MAMAAA!" Shinki screamed at the top of his lungs when he saw her. Tears instantly poured from his eyes and he ran to her arms. He climbed on the couch as fast as he could and wrapped his little arms around her neck. He was a clumsy little boy. He cried and screamed through hiccups. "Mama. Mama"

Sakura cried, too. She sat the boy on her knees and held him to her chest. Shinki put some distance between them to rub his eyes. She caressed his cheeks and held him by the back to make sure he doesn't fall back.

"Father, why didn't you tell me mom is coming?"

"You father didn't know either. Mom wanted to surprise you both." Sakura said.

Shinki giggled. Gaara sat back down next to her and wrapped his left arm around her shoulders. He kissed her pink freshly cut hair and sprawled the boys legs on top of his.

"Mom, you are not leaving anymore, right? Dad, don't let mom leave again."

Both Sakura and Gaara laughed.

"Don't worry, baby. Mom is not going anywhere without the two of you. You and your father are my life, my soul."

"Yey! That's great! Dad, did you hear that? Mom is never leaving again! She will stay here with us."

Gaara kissed Sakura on the forehead and continued to smile and show all his teeth. His face radiated with happiness.

"Go and wash your hands. We have to eat."

"Yes, father." The kid climbed down her legs and ran to the bathroom.

"I have to wash and change clothes, too." Sakura said.

Gaara stayed behind and followed her with his eyes. The energy he received was enough to help him tear down the whole village and reconstruct it on the same day.

They were all around the table again.

"That chair doesn't look good empty, mom."

"Go ahead and eat. You too, Gaara." Sakura said while she filled his plate will all sorts of food. "I swear if I am not around to shove food down your throat, you starve."

"Dad is in trouble." The boy laughed and it irritated Gaara.

"Why do you keep your mouth busy with talking when you should eat?" Sakura quickly took it upon herself to fill the boy's mouth with food until his cheeks were like 2 balls and he chewed on both sides at the same time.

"You too." Sakura said while looking at Gaara again. "Look at how much weight you've lost. Is this how a healthy man looks?"

She wants me to put back 10 kg in one day.

"Gaara, who made this food?"

Shinki answered instead:

"Dad hired somebody else to cook for us."

"I see." Sakura said a little upset.

Gaara looked at his son as if he wanted to scold him, and then turned to look at his love.

"My dear, your food is the best."

"That's right, mom. When you left, everything was tasteless."

Tears pooled in the boy's eyes again.

"Pull yourself together, Shinki. A man doesn't cry so easily."

"Gaara..." Sakura looked at him concerned.

Gaara replied with pride:

"I am only saying there is no reason to cry now. You are here and you will stay with us. You said it yourself. We have no reason to look behind. A real man looks towards the future."

Sakura noticed how the boy's look changed when he heard his father speak with such confidence. He seemed stronger, more determined. Gaara covered her hand with his, on the table before he put something on her plate. She was busy taking care of them, that she forgot to eat herself.

"My darling, you travelled a long way. You have to regain your strength. Taste this. It is with pumpkin. I know you like pumpkin. This one is with algae and shrimps. It is very good."

Shinki laughed now that the roles have reversed.

They told stories after dinner and then Sakura held the boy in her arms until he fell asleep in his room. Meanwhile, Gaara did the dished and put the food back into the fridge. He couldn't let her work on the first day she got back and he couldn't wait and do nothing until she came back from the boy's room.

Sakura got out of Shinki's room with her back. When she closed the door, a hand covered her mouth and another hand wrapped around her stomach to pull her back. Her back was glued to his chest. Gaara kissed her neck and her cheeks blushed. She liked being at his mercy, vulnerable in front of his fingers.

"I've got something for you."

He stepped away from her for a second. He took her hand and dragged her into the kitchen. She leaned against the counter while she waited for him to take a tray filled with sweets out of the fridge.

"Waa!" She said with her arms glued together at her face.

She didn't even wait for him to set the tray on the table before she took a cake between her fingers and swallowed it whole. Gaara laughed.

"You're like a child."

Gaara looked at her left profile and caressed her back as she ate. Seriousness clouded his vision and made him ask:

"Sakura, how do you feel? What happened there?"

Sakura turned her face to him and Gaara moved the hair out of her face.

"Naruto and Sasuke managed to destroy the machine. The bastards activated the protocol and I felt like my head was going to explode with an intense impulse to kill anyone who stood in my way. Shikamaru used his shadow paralysis jutsu to keep me in place while Ino got into my mind and helped me control the demons in my head until Naruto redirected the laser beam that the machine emitted to the sky to Sasuke, who sent it into another dimension with his Rinnegan. The rest of the devices and the lab underneath the facility were destroyed by Naruto's Rasengan. As soon as they destroyed everything, the voices in my head stopped and for the first time in years, there was silence in my head."

Her voice trembled when she spoke the last words. Gaara stroked the back of her head and listened to her.

"I couldn't stay here, Gaara. Trust me, I was scared I might do something crazy. I could ever forgive myself if I had. I was in control the whole time, but I got scared I might lose it. You were right to stay away from me."

"No. I should have been next to you, to help you." He said as he held her to his chest. His hand buried in the hair on the back of her head. The other hand stroked her back.

"As soon as I was free, my first thought ran to you. I left for Suna as soon as I could stand on my feet."

"My flower, promise me you will let me know what you plan to do next time. I really thought you left me for good."

"I promise."

Gaara lifted her chin using 2 fingers and kissed her lips slowly before he entered the sweet cave of her mouth. His tongue explored the sweetness and tasted the cookies she has just eaten. She was so sweet.

They took a break and stopped to breathe. Her green eyes stared into his turquoise one as if she watched directly into his soul. His hand lowered to touch her stomach and Sakura understood the silent question. She turned her head to look at the counter and swallowed air. Gaara understood the answer.

"Don't worry. I will find a cure for this. You don't have to worry about anything."

Note: Please tell me your opinion. I tried very hard to write a good chapter. Thank you very much for your feedback. I think leaving the mission to Naruto and Sasuke was the rational thing to do. I wouldn't have wanted her to suffer even more.