I do not own Naruto. I do own this fic…and the ideas. And I still love all my funky reviewers…yes that means you too! Yea, you reading this…don't be fooled and don't look behind you, you funky funkster!

Ok, on with the fic!

The Strength of the Sands

Mission thwarted! Sakura is fatally wounded!

Sakura, Naruto, Hinata, and Gaara ran all over the village in search for Sasuke and Tsunade. Finally, being the brains of the operation, Gaara recommended the Hokage's temple.

"I'm sorry, the Hokage cannot be bothered at the moment. She is in deep turmoil over a situation. You'll have to wait until she's ready to speak to anyone." the guard said.

Well, that didn't go over too well with the quad of visitors. The guard, and any behind him would have to move. One way or the other and Naruto knew what to do.

"Sexy shadow clone jitsu!" quite a few sexy blond girls flew up in front of the entire guard line.

Needless to say, they all collapsed and Tsunade was found. Talking to Sasuke. Of course, the irony of searching the village and finding them in the presence of one another was just common cruelty of fate.

Naruto was the first to burst through the entrance to the room. And he was the first to meet Tsunade's evil glare and Sasuke's peeved glance. "Don't you knock brat?" Tsunade growled.

Naruto shook his head, "Nope! Not really!"

Sakura peeked her head out from behind the doorframe. "We came to tell you about the assassins in the village. We saw them."

Tsunade's ears perked up. "You saw them? Where?"

"Outside the recreational center." Sakura answered as Hinata and Gaara walked in behind her. "They attacked Naruto and Hinata and ran off when we fought back. They said they wanted Sasuke and you so we came to tell you about it."

Tsunade nodded and Sasuke stood up, a bit unnerved. "Who are they?"

Tsunade spoke up, "They are from the sound village. Evil jackasses even if Orochimaru is gone." she muttered the last part.

Gaara looked at Sakura and then back to Tsunade, "Have you thought of any plan to stop them?"

Tsunade shook her head, "I have been talking with Sasuke and we've been pondering with most of the rest of the village. They all know, you know?" she paused at the strange sentence and then shrugged, going on, "I don't think they'll try anything unless we're alone which gives us the upper hand if we are around a few shinobi at all times."

Sakura nodded, "The ninja of the village would not let ruin happen to their leader if they can stop it."

Gaara looked at her and thought of her words. Such loyalty in this village, nothing like his. His village was on the shaky side of the balance of loyalty and bribery. He didn't trust many, they didn't trust him. There had to be another way. Maybe if Sakura came with him, she could help the village…wait. There he went again! If she came…she wouldn't.

Tsunade thought and then asked Hinata, "Aren't you girls in the performance tonight? You might want to hurry up and get ready. You don't have much time."

Even if the village was in danger, Tsunade was a true Hokage, added with gambling addiction. She didn't intend to make her village worry if they didn't have to.

Sakura and Hinata nodded, "We'll be leaving now but it would be nice if you both came." Sakura looked then at Sasuke.

Sasuke looked away, still unnerved by Gaara's presence. That sand demon had hit him! The evil of Gaara's heart was enough to make Sasuke ill.

But didn't Sakura sense the tension?

What was she thinking bringing Gaara in his presence?

So much for love.

Sasuke hmphed, "I don't plan to watch you make fools of yourselves."

Gaara was about to comment when Naruto spoke up, "Who the hell died and made you critic of performances too? You're always saying how you want to beat me but yet I'm such an idiot! And then you criticize Sakura because she's trying but you don't notice trying as a way of getting stronger, you see it as an instant that she should have the jitsu accomplished already! You need to get your brain examined Sasuke! You and that pair of eyes you have! What good are they if you don't use them to protect anyone but yourself? What good of a ninja are you if you don't fight for your village?"

Sasuke glared at Naruto, "I'm still an avenger. Back off Naruto. Your foolish remarks aren't going to make me take back my words. I don't have a preference of seeing a performance with a girl that can't figure out who she wants to love."

Sakura stepped back and bumped into Gaara's chest. She looked up and Gaara put his arm on Sakura's shoulder as he stepped in front of her, "I don't know what you are talking about. Maybe if more people in this village treated me with equality like she did, you wouldn't say such ludicrous things." he paused as Sasuke tensed a bit, "You talk of being an avenger but do you even know what it's like to be respected because you are just you? Your sensei didn't do it because he was teaching you and couldn't let you know that he saw you as an equal. You aren't close to being what the Hokage is and you aren't anything of what Sakura and Naruto are, true to their words and supporting of what they think is right. You, Uchiha, are a waste of air."

Sasuke was speechless. Gaara's words hit him and made him want to kneel in pain from the emotions stirred up. In all seriousness, if anyone had treated him equal, it was Naruto and Sakura but he'd never admit it.

He turned and exited the other side of the room. Tsunade started to fan herself, "My, my, I think the heat is turned up. On with the show! Come on!" she shooed everyone out and gave a thumbs up to Gaara.

He looked at her and then followed Sakura out with the rest, not a word spoken afterwards.

--

Sakura stopped Gaara as they were entering the ramen shop. Gaara looked at her strangely. What was plaguing her now? "Thank you Gaara. For what you said back there."

Gaara nodded and put his hand on the small of her back as they entered the restaurant with Hinata and Naruto.

"Do we have to dress formally or something?" Naruto asked.

"Oh…uhm no." Hinata shook her head, "It's just normal attire…Naruto."

Since he found out that Hinata had liked him, he liked the way she said her name. He had always liked Hinata and thought she was a bit shy but he never truly knew why. Her family is going to be hard on him. Especially Neji. Not that he really was around Hinata but since Hinata and Neji had regained a little bit of conversation since the Chunin exams, Naruto knew the look in Neji's eyes when Hinata was being hurt. Neji would die before anyone truly hurt Hinata. It was a scary revelation.

After their ramen, the group split. Naruto and Hinata were to find something of a normal attire in Naruto's wardrobe. Gaara and Sakura walked towards her house through a small path in a patch of trees.

"Gaara?"

Sakura looked up at him and he looked down at her, "Yes?"

"What is it like in the sand village? I haven't been to many other places outside of the leaf village except for missions and that's not a time to adore the scenery."

Gaara began to speak, "It's a country of confusion. Because I am a recent Kazekage, I don't have much trust in the village. They are weary of me and they don't seem to trust any decision I make."

Sakura felt bad for him. Even now, in his own village, he didn't have trust in him.

"If it were not for Temari and Kankuro, I don't think I'd like the sand village. They keep me sane." she knew he meant it in more ways than one.

"Well good, they won't have to worry about keeping you sane for much longer!" a voice called out in the branches as they looked up, they saw the assassins from before.

Sakura gasped as they jumped to the ground. Gaara put his arm in front of Sakura, "What do you want? Hokage and Uchiha aren't here."

The assassins smirked unanimously. "Yes, but why not take the Kazekage out too? A new mission was assigned to us. Our boss doesn't like you either."

Sakura's eyes flashed with panic. Gaara? He was being watched and hunted?! Then she knew she loved Gaara much more than she could ever love Sasuke. She had been worried about Sasuke but Gaara…she wouldn't have him die if she could help it.

She reached for a kunai knife in her pocket. "I wouldn't do that little girl." a voice was heard behind them. She glanced back and edged closer to Gaara. Another assassin? There were three against two. This was not good.

Gaara's eyes narrowed, "You don't want to mess with me." Sand quickly unleashed itself from his gourd and surrounded the assassins. With a squeeze of his hand, "Sand coffin!"

Needless to say, the assassins were B-rate compared to what Sakura was expecting. Gaara walked a bit to inspect the area. He looked back to Sakura, almost sure there was nobody else around when he saw it.

A kunai knife parade heading towards her. "Sakura!" he called out.

She looked behind her and gasped, blocking them all. Or so they thought. One caught her neck and she fell to the ground. Gaara ran towards Sakura and pulled her into his arms as he knelt beside her.

It was beginning. He was losing it again! Becoming unstable was such a pain to Gaara. His eyes began to shake violently as he shuddered, holding Sakura in his arms. Blood trickled down her neck. He grabbed at the kunai knife and gently began to take it out of…

Sand. His eyes widened as he looked down at her neck, sand trickling away. He brushed it to the side and inspected that she only had a small knick in her neck. Relief poured out of him. He looked down where the sand had headed back to. It wasn't his gourd. It was a small sack on her waist. She carried it with her!

He instantly began to calm down as she gently opened her eyes. "That…hurt…"

Gaara felt something wet drop and Sakura felt it touch her cheek. Her eyes widened as he pulled her closer to his chest. "Gaara?" she asked, afraid of what he was thinking. What he might be feeling frightened her.

"I was afraid." he whispered.

Sakura felt a whirlwind of emotion in her chest as those words escaped into her ear. "Gaar-"

"I haven't shed a tear since I was a child. I forgot how." he admitted as she pulled back some to look at him. His eyes did not shed any more tears but she knew what had hit her face. "I cannot lose another that I care for because of me, Sakura."

Sakura's lips parted as she looked at him in utmost shock. "But Gaara, it wasn't- I mean, it's ok." she put her hand on his cheek and then brushed his hair back from his eyes as she straightened herself, "It's not your fault, Gaara. You're a victim of consequence."

Gaara liked how she put it. It eased his suffering a bit. But the fear that fled through him. He watched her as if she was barely there but fully with him. She was distant and yet so close, almost a part of him.

"Isn't that touching?" a voice rang in their ears.

They looked in the direction and saw the last assassin who had thrown the kunai at Sakura. "I see I missed."

Sakura got up as did Gaara. Gaara's aura was enough to blow anyone away but Sakura held onto his shoulder to let him know she was still there. For him.

Gaara's sand surrounded the assassin from behind, "How does it feel to not see an attack?"

The assassin looked behind him then and tried to escape, only to have the sand pound him into the ground, cracking every bone in his body.

Gaara didn't look disturbed by his doing in the least. And strangely, nor did Sakura. She was a ninja, this was the way it was. She knew it. She understood. But somehow, with Gaara, she felt it. Kill or be killed. There are no second chances.

Gaara turned back to Sakura and for a moment looked unsure. She knew what he was thinking. She knew what he thought the outcome would be. She raised up on her tiptoes and kissed him gently. His eyes widened and he pulled her into his arms, almost crushing her as he held her. When they broke the kiss, Sakura rested her head against Gaara's chest.

"I don't know about the sand village besides what you've told me." Sakura started and felt Gaara tense a bit. Why, she was not sure. "But I do know that I know those villagers will trust you soon enough, Gaara. You do what you have to and I know that I trust you."

Gaara smiled inwardly, unable to show it to Sakura hurt but he couldn't lose face in public. He was Gaara of the Desert, Kazekage of the sand village. But with Sakura, he was just…Gaara.

--

Kinda shaky chap, I know…I wasn't actually ready to write the entire chap but I thought of the sand around Sakura's neck when I was driving listening to Leona's Bleeding Love. Don't ask lol, I'm kinda random!

But, I hope this suffices for a short period of time. I have to go to bed…work tomorrow…UGH!!

Reviews please

kage1586