Heyyyy guys. Sorry I didn't update sooner; seriously. I've been coming up with new story ideas, and now I can't stop writing them. Hopefully, I'll update sooner. I like the way this story is going.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

It had taken them the rest of the day to reach Suna's deserts. It had been quiet since the encounter with Naruto.

After the incident with Hinata, Sakura had been almost unresponsive to the world around her. Hinata acted almost the same, but would respond to Kankuro's questions with a head nod or shake.

"Do you need to take a break, Hinata?" Kankuro asked as the group sprinted over another sand dune. Kankuro had to say that they were making incredible time. The sun had just set, but they were only a mere hour walk away from his home.

Hinata shook her head and the group continued onward. The puppeteer frowned as he glanced forward. Sakura had wordlessly began leading the group after Hinata's slap to the face.

Kankuro could understand Hinata's anger, but he knew she was directing it at the wrong person. The village elders were the ones to blame; it seemed they backed Sakura into a corner.

Kankuro knew Sakura well enough to say Sakura would have refused the offer if the elders had not threatened to implant the sharingan in Naruto. He also knew Naruto well enough to say the blonde would have died before taking his 'brother's' eyes.

She had saved Naruto's life, and he didn't even know. Kanuro frowned even further when he thought to the blonde's reaction to all this. Sakura had been right, Naruto was going down the Uchiha's path of revenge. A path which Kankuro found completely unnecessary. The worst part about it was that Sakura's surgery had been on a need to know basis; most of Konoha, as well as Suna were not to know Sakura Haruno now had the sharingan.

It was silent as the group of ninja entered Suna. The moon was out, but there were still several sand shinobi that stood guard.

"We'll head to the Kazekage's monument," Kankuro said while dismissing his thoughts as well as the silence that had fallen over the group. "Gaara would like to learn of these new developments pertaining to Konoha."

A slight tear-filled glare was sent Sakura's way, courtesy of Hinata. Sakura ignored the look she was sent, and walked up to Kankuro. "Will we start at the clinic tomorrow, then?" Sakura asked quietly as the group kept walking.

"I'm not quite sure," Kankuro responded with a slight sigh. He shook his head as he kept pace next to the pinkette. "The clinic is always in need of medics, but Gaara will probably want you to relax for at least a few days."

"I am ready to start at the clinic," Sakura said with a slight nod of her head. "The sooner I get started the better, I suppose."

Kankuro sighed, and wracked a hand through his brown locks; he had forgone wearing his hood once the group had entered Suna. "If I were Gaara I would make you rest for a week before starting at the hospital, at least," Kankuro said. "Especially after everything you've been through…"

Kankuro and Sakura both heard Hinata's slight grunt in the background. "What the hell has she been through?" Hinata allowed herself to yell. Walking quickly over to where Kankuro and Sakura stood, Hinata glared forward, but stopped when Kankuro's glare stopped her in her tracks.

"Hinata," Kankuro glared back at the petite girl. "Don't you dare try to understand what Sakura's been going through; you wouldn't even be able to comprehend it if you tried."

"Kankuro, please," Sakura said with a slightly winded sigh. "Let her think what she wants; I am a monster that has created a monster."

Hinata gasped slightly at Sakura's toneless words, but Sakura continued to walk forward. The group ended up following her until the Kazekage monument was in sight. Taking longer strides, Sakura found herself at the Kazekage's door before anyone else. Knocking twice, the door was opened and the group entered.

"Welcome," Gaara nodded slightly with a frown. He stood before his desk in his white and blue kage robes. "I am sorry for you to have to come to Suna on such circumstances, Sakura-san, Hinata-san."

"I am here as your tool, Kazekage-sama," Sakura bowed deeply before looking up to the red head. "Please, once this meeting is over, allow me to go to the hospital, and begin treating patients."

"Your request is noted, Sakura-san," Gaara nodded with a slight eyebrow lift. Looking from Sakura to Kankuro, Gaara's frown worsened. "Now there are matters I would like to discuss with each of you in private. Haruno-san, please sit, while the rest of the group leaves."

Everyone nodded in understanding, and the group began to depart from the room. Kankuro walked everyone to the door, and proceeded to shut it while he was still inside. "I feel I should be apart of this interview, Gaara."

"Very well," Gaara nodded to his brother. Sighing slightly, the red head's eyes drifted to the pinkette that sat before him. "Now tell me why you are here, Haruno-san."

"I was given a mission that a shinobi in Konoha did not agree with," Sakura spoke as her eyes stared ahead of her. She sat on a chair before Gaara's desk, but her back was straight, and her voice seemed to be strained, like she was physically there, but mentally was not. "Said shinobi turned rogue because of the mission."

"Sakura," Gaara's stern voice began to waiver with distain; his eyes glowed in sadness. "I am aware that Naruto Uzumaki is now a missing-nin from Konoha. You will tell me why one of my closest friends left his village."

Sakura's eyes blinked slightly, and her eyes darted towards the ground. "I assassinated Sasuke Uchiha and was given his eyes."

Gaara's eyes slightly widened with shock, but they returned back to normal rather quickly. "So I now assume that you, Sakura Haruno, are the last shinobi with a pair of sharingan eyes?"

"Yes," Sakura nodded her head stiffly as she brought chakra to her eyes. Concentrating, Sakura eyes quickly turned to crimson red. "It was an order from the elders."

"Ah," Gaara nodded his head in understanding; his face still seemed strained. It seemed, Gaara was trying very hard not to glare at Sakura. "And I was also told that if you hadn't volunteer, the elders would have forced Naruto Uzumaki to take said eyes."

"That is true," Sakura nodded her head slightly as she stood. "But that part of the mission is supposed to remain confidential. I don't need anyone's pity, Kazekage-sama; if that is all, I would really wish to go to the hospital now-"

"Sit back down, Haruno," Gaara's tone was authoritative and his eyes were still somewhere between sad and mad. "I am not finished talking with you.

"Kankuro," Gaara's attention switched from the pinkette to his brother. "What would you suggest to do with Haruno at this point in time?"

"Because the surgery was done rather recently, I would give her the rest of the week off, at least," Kankuro said with ease as he looked directly to Gaara; he missed the silent glare Sakura was sending him. "I would also suggest having a body guard around her at all times; we met Naruto in the woods on the way to Suna… He wants Sakura dead for killing Sasuke."

"So be it then," Gaara nodded while grabbing a stack of paperwork that lay haphazardly upon his desk. "Kankuro, you will be Sakura Haruno's body guard for the duration of her stay in Suna, and you will be placed off of active roster for now.

"Haruno," Gaara's eyes darted to the pinkette. "You will not be allowed to work in the hospital until a week from now. If my brother allows it, and you have healed nicely you may return earlier; however, if he thinks you are not ready in a weeks time, you will need to take even more, understand?"

"Yes, Kazekage-sama," Sakura stood and bowed. She radiated irritation; Kankuro smirked slightly to himself. He sure did know how to get a woman angry with him.

Bowing slightly, Kankuro followed the fast paced pink haired woman. Catching up to her quickly, he sighed. "Sakura," Kankuro spoke softly. "I should take you to the guest quarters."

"Yeah, sure," Sakura said though she still seemed mad. Kankuro looked to the woman beside him and couldn't help but feel a sense of pity. She was tired, that much was obvious from the black circles under her eyes, as well as the paleness of her skin.

"Are you feeling alright, Sakura?" Kankuro asked as he guided her out of the Kazekage building. The moon was beginning to set, and morning would come very soon. No wonder she was so tired, they had barely rested in the past couple of days. But with the moon now setting, temperature began to plummet as well.

"I guess I'm just tired Kankuro," Sakura said with a shake of her head. She was used to not resting, but somehow Sakura felt the urge to sleep until her body didn't feel as weary as it did now.

Somehow, with Kankuro she felt like she could relax, if only a little bit. Kankuro was someone who understood her.

It was going to become below freezing soon. Kankuro moved closer to Sakura as the two stepped outside; she defiantly was not in the proper clothes for the weather. Her tank top, though showed off her curves wonderfully, did nothing to warm the young woman. Her small spandex shorts showed off her toned legs, but would not warm them in this weather. He could warm them though; if only he was a bit closer.

Kankuro shook his head lightly as he placed his hand on the small of Sakura's back; he really shouldn't be thinking those kinds of thoughts, especially when he would be spending every waking minute with Sakura for as long as she remained in Suna. Guiding her through a few streets, Kankuro smirked when they arrived at the Kazekage mansion.

Though the Kazekage mansion wasn't nearly as large as the Hokage's mansion, it still was not something to scoff at. It stood two stories tall with at least six different bedrooms, two living rooms, a dining room and a kitchen.

Walking towards his home, Kankuro stopped when he noticed Sakura's hesitation. "I don't think Hinata would want me to be rooming near her," Sakura said while looking towards the house. "If there is a guest room away from Hinata's I would be grateful to take it."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much, Sakura," Kankuro said with a sigh. Of course, even though she didn't seem it, Sakura was concerned for Hinata. Hinata had been one of her best friends in Konoha. If they were to save Naruto from himself, Kankuro knew these two woman would have to cooperate. "Hinata's got to get over this soon; she's got to understand. Either way, I have a guest room that is across the hall from my room. I know Temari would have put Hinata in the guest room across the hall from Gaara."

Sakura raised an eyebrow at this, but didn't say anything. Allowing Kankuro to lead her into her new home, Sakura couldn't help but to relax a bit more. It had been her fault really; she had caused Naruto's pain, but right now, Sakura just couldn't find it in herself to care. In the end, he had been just like Sasuke, and that thought pained her greatly.

Thanking Kankuro, Sakura departed from his company to head towards her room. Laying on the bed immediately after she entered her room, Sakura found herself falling into a light slumber. She would worry about everything tomorrow, for tonight, she just needed to rest.