A.N.- Okay so here is another one shot that popped into my head one day. I liked the idea so I wrote it down, and well I worked on it off and on for a few weeks and this is my end result. I hope you all like it! Also I would like to say a huge thanks to my closest online friend Lee-Chan (aka Ashleigh) It was her birthday on Monday and so I decided to actually post this (because I was kind of planning not to since I was unsure if it was good enough to post) but she really wanted me too and so this is posted all in thanks to her and as a present for her birthday. I hope you like it Ashleigh. And I also hope everyone else who reads it enjoys it too! I may have posted it as a present but I still hope and pray that others like it as well. Anyway it's just a cute little one shot about Gaara and Sakura and a sweet little romance that buds from- something so fun to write- a massage and how their story unfolds. Please enjoy! And I would love to hear what everyone thinks of it!
FanggirlX

Disclaimer: Naruto and co are not mine.

"Out!!" Gaara bellowed, breaking through the silence of the peaceful afternoon in Suna as the last of his terrified elders fled his office escaping his wrath.

The citizens unperturbed by the loud voice breaking through the air continued about their day as usual. It was not that strange of a thing for the Kazekage to explode at his council as he surely just had. For one sure thing that could be said about the Kazekage of Suna was that he was rarely patient.

The minute the door to his huge office slammed shut the weary Kazekage collapsed into his desk chair leaning his arm onto the desk using it to hold his head up, pinching the bridge of his nose.

He sighed quietly as he attempted to alleviate his swiftly growing headache.

Hearing footsteps approaching his office door Gaara quickly sat up straight, grabbed a pen and pretended to look absorbed in reading over a document that lay on his desk.

As he expected there was a knock on his door to which he simply replied, "Enter." even as he desperately wanted to say 'Leave me alone.'

Such was the biggest problem with being the village leader. One had to deal with people all day long.

He hated people. He hated being around people.

Gaara glanced up as his door opened revealing a pink haired woman. She was smiling happily and smelled of vanilla. Why he noticed such things Gaara knew not, nor cared not. He simply acknowledged as he did every time she entered the room that he did indeed notice.

"Haruno." he greeted.

Sakura Haruno. She had come to Suna to train his Pathetic Medics- or so that was what the 'witty' people of Suna had secretly dubbed them.

She had been in Suna with them a while and they were starting to show much progress. Seemed she certainly lived up to her reputation.

But her medic skills were not the only thing note worthy about this woman. Gaara had concluded something else about her through silent observation over the three weeks she had already been within his village walls…and that was that she was a very strange character.

Though his people seemed to adore her and practically worshipped the ground she walked on they all walked carefully around her.

Why? Simple. She was nuts. She had to be.

The girl could be as polite as so possibly desired by anyone to anyone but she also could be as cranky and hot tempered as a person came. The worst of it was she switched from one to the other like the switching of a light switch. It was that fast. That easy to switch her.

Despite all of this, Gaara still had no qualms with her. She did her work, did it well, and usually did it without bothering him.

So…why in seven hells was she in his office now?! Now of all times? Now when he desired peace, quiet, and most importantly solitude over all else?

"It's Sakura, please." she corrected in a friendly manner, all the while smiling at him.

She did that a lot, Gaara had noticed. Smile.

It seemed Sakura bestowed her smile on everyone she came into contact with-including him, which shocked and baffled not only Gaara himself but as well as who all else saw her make such an expression directed towards him.
He may not be as greatly feared as he once was but, he was not only the Kazekage of Suna, Gaara was still the man capable of killing any person he saw fit with the flick of a wrist and his people kept that in mind. It didn't bother him much.

However, the fact that she, this stranger from Konoha, treated him normally did bother him…not that he was complaining…it just bothered him. Realizing he was still being watched as she stood patiently waiting for him to reply Gaara placed his attention back on the apparently necessary conversation.

"Sakura." he said correcting himself.

Granting him yet another smile she nodded, "Yes."

"What is it?" he asked trying to remain at least somewhat polite though also cutting to the chase so he could get her quickly out of his office. His head was throbbing and he could not show such a thing in front of others, mainly because it so closely resembled the infamous feared pose of him giving into Shukaku's lust for blood. So he could not allow people to see him displaying such an outward show of his headache. It would make them nervous and they would begin to question his worthiness as Kazekage if Shukaku still bothered him, which if he had a headache it could be nothing else, of course. He'd just gotten those damn fools off his ass about it. He would not let them have any reason to bring it back up. So he had to act as if he were fine until Sakura left. But he really just wanted to hold his head tightly and try to make it stop hurting or at least make the pain go down a little.

The medic before him was giggling. That angered him, here he was quietly suffering and she was obliviously giggling away. The audacity. Even as the thought crossed his mind Gaara recognized that it was incredibly moronic for him to hide his pain and then expect others to respect the fact that he was in fact suffering. He watched as she regained composure enough to speak and through her giggling fit said, "The ever blunt Gaara strikes again."

She eventually quieted her laughter and asked, "What? No small talk or useless chit chat for you?"

Gaara's expression, which was his seemingly permanent standard of a bored scowl, did not change as he replied shortly, "No."

He was relieved when she caught the hint in his tone and mercifully cut her games and went straight to the purpose of her visit.

"It's the first of the week." she informed him.

"Yes. I know. I have a calendar. I fail to see why you felt it necessary to tell me the date."

She blushed, "Gaara, last week it was decided that at the first of the next week-which is now today- I was to start seeing to you. Giving you a weekly physical and check up as well as treating you however I see fit for whatever I find."

Gaara frowned, oh yes, he remembered that decision now. He'd been acting 'strangely' they'd said.

He had not.

He'd been acting accordingly. When one was surrounded by pompous fools all day every day one tended to become a little hostile.

So in his eyes, his recent outbursts of anger were normal and as to be expected when dealing with such nuisances.

Sakura must have caught on to the train of his thoughts because she sighed, "Look, Gaara, I know you're fine. You know you're fine. Will you please just let me do this quickly so we can appease the old farts and then we can both return to doing things that actually require our attention?"

Gaara studied her. Had she just called his council of elders…old farts?

Inwardly shaking his slight amusement away he replied, "I am very busy."

He returned his gaze to the document in front of him.

Sakura, with a smart-ass grin leaned over his desk and flipped the paper around.

He'd been staring at it upside down.

She said teasingly, "If you have to study the lunch delivery menu so direly then I suggest you at least turn it the right way."

Gaara felt anger bubble within him. But what could he say that was rational? It had been his own obvious mistake. It wasn't rational for him to be angry at her for seeing it and correcting it.

Well, who the hell said he had to be rational?

"Get out, Haruno."

She glared at him, "Just because you got caught in a mistake doesn't mean you can order me out."

"No. My being Kazekage means I can order you out." he retorted.

"You can't just throw you're title around expecting things to happen!"

"It's worked so far." he smirked.

Sakura clenched her fists. "Gaara! I'm not leaving this office until you let me do my job, now dammit just let me! If you would have been cooperative from the start I wouldn't have caught you reading the paper wrong!"

"If you had not looked on my desk like you are not supposed to in the first place you would not have seen it anyway."

"You are being ridiculous! Its just a check up! Your arguing with me is taking longer than the whole thing would!"

Gaara silently conceded with her on that. It was in fact a true statement. Didn't mean he had to give in though.

"Then just leave and stop arguing." he said feigning indifference while his skull screamed with pain.

Sakura huffed and planted her feet firmly while placing her hands on her hips.

"I'm not going anywhere until you let me do my job." she threatened.

Gaara nearly groaned his frustration. And she said he was being ridiculous. No, this, this was ridiculous.

He tried to ignore her and read things on his desk-making sure they were turned the right way- but he could not ignore her fierce stare trained directly on him.

"Haruno, just schedule it for another time today." he finally relented, thinking it would give him at least a few moments of peace.

No, he wasn't that lucky.

She shook her head, "I'm already here just let me do it. God, Gaara, don't be so stubborn all the time."

He didn't answer.

She huffed again, "You are being a total baby right now."

"You're being a nuisance. I see us as even."

"We wouldn't have to be either if you would just let me do it!"

Again he said nothing.

He heard her approaching him.

This was something that intrigued him about Sakura Haruno. She approached him without fear or hesitation, she simply approached him. As if he were any other non-dangerous human instead of the killer demon he was known to be. It fascinated him. And for her to yell and scream at him like the way she just had been…it interested him. Which was the only reason why she was neither dead nor tossed out. And had yet to be any other time she had behaved this way. his headache was worsening though, and he idly wondered if perhaps a time would come when she wouldn't be so lucky? Glancing at his window he thought about it a moment, to simply toss her out of it and return to his suffering in peace…

She came up behind him instantly setting him on alert. Sand burst from his gourd where it sat on the floor near him and surrounded them warning her that if she did one thing wrong he would kill her.

"Oh, quit it. You're doing your oh so important work. Let me do mine. This is our compromise. You keep working. I do the check up."

"That is unorthodox."

"Yeah well, so are you. So what's your point?"

She took her stethoscope out of a pouch she wore and pressed it to his back listening to his breathing and his heart beat thus beginning the routine of going through a check up. A check up he hadn't wanted.

Minutes later she was finishing up when suddenly an impressively sharp stab of pain split his skull in half. Gaara struggled to ignore it as it ripped through his brain, unfortunately he had no such luck. The first stab had caused enough of a wince from the red head to catch Sakura's professionally trained eye.

"You have a headache." she observed.

Gaara snorted, "No shit, it is plain to see why you are the doctor."

Narrowing her emerald eyes at him, Sakura smacked the back of his neck having it instantly trapped with sand.

She glared at him.

"Gaara, you release my hand so I can check out your headache."

"Striking me will not tell you a damn thing."

"It actually told me a lot, Mr. Smarty Pants."

He stared at her…Smarty pants…?

"Why didn't you tell me you had a headache? I would have been quieter."

"Like you are now? Yes, I can see that would have worked wonders."

"No, stupid, I would have been though. I will be now." she said and true to her words had made her voice softer.

"Now, why didn't you tell me about it?"

"No medicine works on it. Why lengthen this torture when we both have obligations?"

Sakura smirked, "Gaara, not all of my treatments come in the form of medicine."

He silently studied her and warily released her from his sand.

"Thank you." she said softly and then smiled saying, "Now just sit still and trust me a second."

He opened his mouth to say he trusted no one when she quickly bent and put her index finger to his lips.

His eyes widened. No one touched him, especially not like this!

"I know. You trust no one. Fine, keep your sand out and ready. I'm not going to hurt you though. As a medic it is my job to heal others. As your friend it is my job to help you. So…try not to worry, okay?"

Gaara continued to stare openly at her. His friend? She thought…she was his friend?

She smiled encouragingly at him and he decided, sure why not? The way things were going she would probably do it anyway.

"Don't move alright, Gaara? Let me show you what I'm going to do."

"I'm going to place my hands here at the bottom of your skull." Sakura explained gently doing exactly as she said she would. Even expecting it he tensed at her touch.

"Really, try to stay calm. If you tense up like that this will just be harder." Sakura told him.

Gaara worked to obey her and calm his self down.

Once he succeeded he was praised sweetly by her soft voice saying, "Good, Gaara. Good job."

"Okay, Gaara, now you will feel my chakra enter you, alright? It's just going to slip right through my fingers and into your skull. Hardly noticeable. Okay?"

She was explaining it all to him so he could stay calm and not worry. She was trying to reassure him, Gaara actually appreciated that.

The red head then felt a warm smooth tingling sensation fill his head as the sweet scent of vanilla flooded his senses from the inside out, it seemed.

Within a minute Gaara's headache was completely gone!

Sighing his relief quietly Gaara began to relax, that is until he heard Sakura gasp.

"What?" he demanded.

"Gaara, your muscles…" she began, "…they're so tight and tense. How can you manage like this?" she said touching the back of his neck still.

What was she going on about? He'd been relaxing, or attempting to anyway.

"Gaara, may I take care of this? I know you're busy but I really think this could get rid of your headaches altogether."

Get rid of them altogether…?

He debated silently a moment and then nodded once.

"Alright. Here goes." she said.

Sakura placed her hands gently on his shoulder tops and began to knead his muscles rubbing away the tension from his neck and shoulders.

As her gentle fingers worked at his overstressed shoulders Gaara felt his tension melt away.

Her hands were like magic. He had to bite his tongue to stop from groaning it felt so good.

Suddenly her hands stopped and Gaara almost fussed at her, he held it in and simply demanded, "What is it, Haruno?"

"Its Sakura. And well its just that, this will help but I can't get to it all through your thick clothes. If you'd take your shirt off this would work better."

Gaara contemplated her words. Was he correct in his understanding that if he took off his shirt she would continue this but on his bare skin?

Eager to experience such a thing he tossed his dignity out the window and stood, silently removing his vest, cloak, and shirt.

He turned his gaze to hers, awaiting a response of some sort.

Sakura grinned at him, "Perfect."

Something about how she'd said that made Gaara almost shiver with a foreign but not truly unpleasant feeling.

"Just give me one second, okay?" she said.

He waited and watched warily and yet slightly curious as she cleared off his things from his desk. She then turned to face him and patted his desktop.

"Okay, lay flat on your stomach on here." Sakura told him.

Gaara gave her a questioning look. To which she replied, "Please? Try trusting me. Laying down makes it feel a lot better."

Deciding that he would give her this amount of trust since she'd been right the first time, he climbed up on his desk and lay down on his stomach.

Sakura almost instantly returned her magic hands to his tension sore muscles.

Gaara felt the heat of her body as she leaned over him. He focused on the cool as silk fingers that were dancing against his skin.

A soft moan slipped from him when her hands met the small of his back where there was a huge tight knot.

He felt mortified, and was ready to kill something to relieve his stress when he heard her giggle.

But then Sakura said, "See, I told you it felt good."

Deciding she had not actually been laughing at him he said nothing, and just lay there experiencing this new and welcome sensation.

Half an hour later Sakura finished and stepped back.

"There, you're now knot free which means less tension meaning less tension headaches."

As Gaara reluctantly slipped his clothes back on he studied her out of the corner of his eye.

She'd been fine doing such a thing…she was completely at ease being that close to him, touching him intimately. The whole situation had not fazed her once. A soft look came in his eyes as he watched her put the things back on his desk.

Nodding once with his new decision Gaara turned to her.

"I get headaches a lot." he told her.

She smiled at him, "Oh? If so just call me anytime and I will come as soon as I can to help you get rid of one."

He frowned. That hadn't been the scenario he'd planned.

So Gaara added, "As Kazekage I am under a great amount of stress."

He knew the minute she caught on because a light came alive in her expressive eyes.

"Gaara, you're funny. Are you hinting that you'd like this more often?"

He nodded, "And what is this exactly?"

"A massage."

"Good. Yes. Sakura Haruno starting tomorrow you will come to my office at the same time you did today. You will do this massage for me just as you did today, everyday."

She gave a nod and flashed him an amused grin, "So I am now the Kazekage's personal masseuse?"

"Yes." Gaara answered, momentarily hoping he'd guessed right at the meaning of the term masseuse.

He must have for Sakura laughed softly, patted his shoulder in a friendly manner and started for the door saying, "Sure, just as long as next time I don't have to spend so long fighting you to actually let me do anything."

Gaara nodded once she reached the door and said to her, "And you will do that for no one else."

She smiled, "Let me get this straight, so not only am I your private masseuse I am now exclusive only to you, Gaara?"

He nodded.

She shook her head bemused and said softly, "You're something else, Gaara. Well, bye bye. Have a nice remainder of your day."

She waved at him before leaving.

Once his door shut Gaara allowed the small grin that had been fighting for freedom for a long while, to be expressed.

He would certainly look forward to his next doctor's visit. This was by far the best decision his council had ever made-making Sakura his personal doctor.

------------

Three weeks later Gaara believed it to still be true. Having Sakura come day after day was becoming the highlight of his routine. And at first it had been because of what her hands could do, but after about a week it became more. She smiled differently. It was softer. Friendlier.

She smelled sweeter. Vanilla was now his favorite scent.

She came more often too. For the last week and a half she'd been bringing him fruit in the morning saying she wanted him to start the day off right. With good company and a good source of energy.

He'd enjoyed her presence so he'd allowed it. And his receptionist who handled deciding who was allowed into his office on most days suddenly started pushing a lunch tray into the room at noon. He had a sneaking suspicion Sakura had asked it of her. And she brought him dinner every night! If Gaara was one to believe such things, he'd think Sakura was making it her mission to take care of him. He wanted almost to believe it too, that she cared for his well being enough to pamper him as she was. And the fact that she stayed longer after each session simply to keep him company and talk almost convinced him of it.

Her voice soothed him almost as much as her hands did! When she came now he asked about her day and asked random meaningless questions just to hear her speak even more.

Gaara now found himself anxiously awaiting her visits.

He was slowly becoming one of those pathetic morons who mooned over a woman and he hated it but as much as the Kazekage despised what he was becoming he could not stop himself. He was attracted to the pink haired medic who had become obsessed with his well being.

He'd learned what this all meant in a very…unexpected way. Why he was feeling such things…why her smile affected him so…

He wanted her.

She'd come too close once and he'd taken in her scent at such a close proximity and suddenly heat was pooling up within him shooting straight to his groin. Gaara had quickly flopped into his desk chair and scooted closely to his desk. He'd been so embarrassed until he'd realized he was simply attracted to a beautiful woman and that there was nothing abnormal about that.

And the day she came in to his office not dressed in her usual attire but a pretty dress that went down to her knees Gaara knew it surer than he knew anything. He not only wanted Sakura Haruno, he wanted her in everyway he possibly could have her.

"Hello, Gaara. Was your day stressful today?" Sakura asked with a smile, making his eyes drop to her lips and notice they were shinier than usual.

Why was she dressed in such a way? And drawing attention to her suddenly very kissable looking lips?

Could it be that the medic was attracted to him as well? Was she attempting to attract his attention?

Could one such as Sakura Haruno desire a man such as himself?

Nodding his head in answer to her question that she asked him every day he stood and removed his shirt.

Sakura laughed lightly and cleared away the things on his desk.

Once he was situated and her fingers were on his skin Gaara felt more comfortable and capable of talking.

"Your dress. Why are you wearing such a ridiculous thing? It can't serve any purpose to you as a medic or a ninja. Why have it on?"

She chuckled, "Well, Gaara, I use it because it helps me sometimes as a woman. That's when it serves it's purpose."

"Why would you as a female medic nin need to be helped as a woman?"

"I appreciate your confidence in me but it is not the help you are most likely thinking. It helps me look prettier."

"Your looks are fine why do you need to be prettier?"

Gaara was laying face down on his desk so he could not see the scarlet blush on Sakura's face.

"Well…I have a dinner date right after this. And since I knew I would not have time to change I opted to wear it here. It doesn't offend you does it? I think it's a very cute dress."

"It still does not seem very practical…"

She giggled, "Gaara, I think you may be the only man alive with the belief that dresses are useless for impracticality. Most just say they're dumb or that they like it when they're girl wears one."

"Men like those?"

"I guess so. I'm hoping the one I'm meeting does."

"What? When are you meeting a man?"

"That's what a date is dummy."

"I am no dummy."

Sakura giggled again.

"What is it now?" Gaara huffed.

"Nothing really, it just sounded so strange and kind of cute at the same time to hear you say dummy."

"Why?"

"I guess because you are so serious and your voice is so commanding and then you said a silly little word like dummy. I don't really know. It just made me laugh is all."

Gaara grumbled, "You are strange."

Once his daily massage was over Sakura bid him goodbye wishing him a nice evening and headed for the door. But Gaara called to her, "Sakura."

She stopped and turned back.

"Yes, Gaara?"

"This date…what does it mean?"

"Hopefully that he is as interested in me as I am him."

Gaara came closer towards her.

"And why are you interested?"

"Because he is very sweet and a complete gentleman when around me. He is very kind, gentle, and he makes me laugh. I like him a lot."

Gaara frowned. "So you go on a date to accomplish what?"

"To get to know him better. The more time you spend with a person the better you are said to know them."

"And you want to know him further because?"

"Because I'm at the age in my life where I either need to find myself a man or resign myself to being an old maid. And I don't want to be a maid or die a virgin. So I am dating men so I can find one that I want to settle down with."

"Settle."

"Yes. You know…get married, have a home and maybe some kids."

"I see. Thank you. Enjoy your courting then."

Sakura smiled, "Its not a problem, I don't mind. I doubt your siblings like to answer such questions or that you like to ask them. I bet if you asked Kankuro about dating he would demand to know what girl had managed to hook the unhook-able Kazekage."

Gaara met her eyes with a scowl on his face, "I am un…hook-able?"

Sakura shook her head, "Forget it. Girls just might find you a tad intimidating. You'll find somebody who can handle all of you someday."

Gaara stepped closer. "Do you find me intimidating?"

Sakura chuckled, "Not anymore. We're friends. I can't be intimidated by my friends, Gaara."

He nodded, "Yes. Good. Thank you. You may go."

She nodded, "Sure thing. See you tomorrow, Gaara."

He watched her leave and then stalked to his desk.

He is her friend.

She is not intimidated by him.

She is interested in this…kind, sweet, gentleman. Someone gentle. Someone he could never be.

Gaara sighed. He never even got to explore his attraction to Sakura Haruno. But…if it was simple want then why did it bother him so much that she was leaving straight from him to see another man? Would she touch the bastard like she did him everyday?

No.

She was his. She couldn't.

That line of thought stopped Gaara in his tracks. Frozen and uncertain of what had just happened.

Sakura…just now...he'd claimed her as his.

This was no mere want, Gaara realized.

It was a need. He needed Sakura as his own. And after a discovery like this Gaara would be damned if that fiery woman settled with a pansy ass gentleman when she could be with him!

He wanted her. He needed her. And …

Gaara stood, almost toppling his big desk chair over at the abruptness of the action.

He had a date to find and interrupt.

Sakura would not be with any other man. She would touch no one besides him! Settle. Ha! Not with some gentleman she wouldn't. She would settle with no one but him!

-----------

If it was odd for the people of Suna to see their ferocious red haired Kazekage out and about in the village stalking from restaurant to restaurant and shop to shop they didn't let on that it was. They simply stood back out of his way and watched with apt curiosity about his peculiar behavior.

Completely oblivious to the many gazes following his every move, Gaara stomped to yet another restaurant and upon seeing no pink haired medic within cursed loudly.

How could one woman be so damned difficult to find?! Where exactly did she go to have a date? He hadn't waited that long before following….she shouldn't have been able to get far. And here he'd searched every single store, every single shop, and every single restaurant! Where the hell was she?

Then a thought occurred to him.

Had she taken him to her living quarters? Would she be so brash?

Was his Sakura alone in her apartment unobserved with some strange 'gentleman'?

Gaara growled furiously, no! No, she will not be with any man! She was his.

He summoned the sand around him pulling it from its resting place on the ground at his feet. It swirled around him violently, easily matching his anger and then he was swallowed up in it and he vanished from sight.

The villagers blinked, staring at the vacant spot their mighty Kazekage had just been. Then with a collective sigh went back to their ordinary lives seeing as how the excitement was now over.

Gaara appeared from within the swirling sand inside Sakura's front room. He didn't bother to calm his anger or the sand and was uncaring as it slashed and cut at the things within her tiny apartment. Her kitchen that could be seen from where he stood was empty. They were not eating dinner. So…his eyes jerked to the short hallway that led to her bedroom.

No!

Gaara snarled as he stalked down the hallway, his damaging sand following, leaving destruction in his wake. He kicked open one door. It was her bathroom.

Moving down a door he kicked that in as well. Bedroom. It was empty! One more door. He moved to it and kicked it in as well, and to his dismay…it was empty also.

The bedroom that was so obviously hers was empty! Where was she then?

She would have to come back eventually wouldn't she? Should he wait here for her?

No, out of the question. She could be with that fool right now. Touching him, laughing with him. Smiling at him because of him and how he made her laugh with his gentle nature.

The fool.

Gaara's eyes flashed black and gold a moment and he quickly regained control. Regardless of his sudden need for Sakura he could not under any circumstances let Shukaku free. He'd loose everything he and his siblings had worked for if such a thing happened. Taking a slow deep breath Gaara worked to ease his anger. He was jumping to conclusions about Sakura's character. She couldn't possibly be the type that threw herself at a man on her first date.

"…I'm at the age in my life where I either need to find myself a man or resign myself to being an old maid. And I don't want to be a maid or die a virgin. So I am dating men so I can find one that I want to settle down with."

His gut wrenched. Gaara imagined the determination in her eyes as she said she didn't want to be a maid or die a virgin. Wait. Virgin…he'd heard that from Kankuro. It meant…it meant the woman was untouched. Never mated.

Sakura…hasn't…been with anyone else…? He thought slowly, putting two and two together.

If he claimed her now he would be the only one to ever touch her in such a way as that. She would be his. Only his! Gaara's handsome face twisted in a slow malicious grin. No matter what he had to do to her 'gentleman' to have her first she would be his alone. His grin grew as he began to imagine scenario after scenario.

Realization suddenly hit him.

He didn't have time to dream about being the first to intimately touch her or kill her damn gentleman! He had to find her first!

Gaara vanished within his sand once more.

Reappearing on top of the Kazekage building he scanned the area. Where could she be? He had to find her. It was urgent!

No…wait he had to think clearly or else he'd never result in anything successfully. Approaching Sakura's location whereabouts again he thought on how to find her. This time he took a step back and slowed down his thought process. Breathing calmly Gaara thought back on the many times he'd tracked and destroyed another being. He was a highly skilled ninja trained to find and destroy people, had hardly any other purpose for a long time. So finding Sakura should be no problem for him. And once he found her that damned gentleman was sure to be near her. Then he would take care of that bastard and leave with Sakura at his side. Yes that worked nicely. He could find two and destroy one. Leaving Sakura all to himself.

Satisfied with his plan Gaara cleared his senses and focused on the chakra signals surrounding him. Sakura's would be strong. So he cleared away the distraction of those that were too weak to be her. Then he sifted out the ones that were a male signal, narrowing his search down even more.

He was down to three. And one he knew was Temari's. That left two….one was with his brother. Strange. But regardless of the odd company with his brother she was not the woman for who he searched. Because there was no way Kankuro was Sakura's kind and sweet gentleman. So whoever Kankuro was with she was not Sakura.

That left the last and final one.

The signal coming from the direction of a small café he'd checked early on. Which meant he'd probably gone there too early. She may have had to go meet the man somewhere else. How could he have been so dumb as to not think of finding her this way before!? Cursing his foolishness Gaara left for his now set destination in a swirl of sand.

He reappeared across the street right in front of the fairly empty café. The street was empty. Which suited him just fine. The less witnesses the better in his opinion.

He saw her sitting across the table at a window seat with a bright smile on her beautiful face. She was laughing at something the fool across from her was going on about.

He stood and watched her. Awed at how startling her beauty was. It shook him to the core. As did her smile. Why? Why did he feel this? Why did he suddenly feel calmer simply gazing at her? And why on earth did he continue to feel this ridiculous notion that he needed her? He was following her because he wanted her for himself. As a man wants a woman. And he wanted to be the first to enjoy such a pleasure with Sakura. Because of a strong sense of desire. He, however, did not,could not need her. He was Sabaku no Gaara, Kazekage of Suna. He needed no one. And yet as it had before a small nagging feeling inside him said he did. It said he needed Sakura.

Why?

He had to know. And she would tell him why. She would know why.

He feared he already knew what it was that had taken a hold of him but he refused to even think it until he had to.

Gaara's eyes suddenly hardened as he watched the gentleman reach his weak looking hands across the table and take one of hers.

Anger started to build up within him. His mind lost all coherent thought once again as he watched the two before him in the window.

He…he was touching her! And she was letting him!

How could she?! She was his! He'd made that clear hadn't he? Yes, he had. He'd plainly told her she was to not touch anyone as she touched him.

Then he froze. Had she ever held his hand like that?

Thinking back Gaara realized she hadn't. Not once had she touched him like she touched this man. She hadn't disobeyed him then. But…why did she touch him differently?

Then he thought of how she did touch him.

Smirking, Gaara decided his touches won and so he could continue as planned without the hindrance of jealousy clogging his thoughts.

Stalking across the street he saw them stand up to leave.

Reflexively he jumped to the small building's roof and waited for them to exit.

In no time they did. Walking hand in hand they came out and started down a street.

Gaara silently hopped down and crept after them.

He watched as the man once again dominated the conversation. Was he a true fool? Sakura had one of the most beautiful voices ever to be heard! How could he stand to talk so much as to keep her silent?

He watched them stop and window shop at a few places and saw as she smiled softly at one thing particularly. The 'gentleman' however failed to notice. He bought her something else.

Gaara watched with morbid fascination as she took the offered bag and opened it to not only see something that was not the necklace she wanted but something completely different. She hated it. Her face alone said that much. It vanished quickly though and even though he was too far away to hear her voice Gaara knew she'd gratefully thanked the idiot.

Moron. Couldn't even get the right gift.

They moved on.

Gaara approached the shop and plucked the necklace she'd wanted from the rack. It was a simple thin chain with the Suna village symbol as a charm.

He purchased it and followed after them.

When he caught up with them he saw something that angered him. His intense hostile emotions stirring Shukaku inside him, Gaara watched with wide angry eyes as the 'gentleman' pulled Sakura closely to his chest and tipped her head up towards his.

He was going to kiss her!

Something Gaara himself had wanted since he'd first realized he was even remotely attracted to this amazing medic nin from Konoha.

No, this he would not allow. After seeing her with this man and seeing her smile, he'd planned to not make a scene and ruin her courtship if it didn't cross the line he'd designated in his mind. But this…This not only crossed it, it leapt clear over it!

Before he could think more clearly on the matter, his sand whipped out and grabbed the man and tossed him into a near by wall.

Sakura gasped and immediately looked in his direction. Their eyes locked and Gaara moved forward.

When he was close enough to speak to she asked quietly, "Gaara? Why?"

His black rimmed eyes bore into hers, "Why indeed." he muttered.

"What? I don't understand." she said seeming unable to look away from his intense gaze.

"Why did it upset me to learn of your courting another man than myself?" he started. "Why did I feel the urgent need to find you and stop you from doing anything with anyone who was not me? Why even before tonight did you constantly haunt my mind? And creep into my thoughts at unexpected times? Why do I feel angry that…that you would choose this fool, who couldn't even buy you the right gift," he held up the right necklace she'd wanted and her eyes doubled in size, "over me? Why Sakura, are you doing this to me?"

She whispered quietly, "Doing what, Gaara?"

"Making me want you? Making me think I need you? I need no one! So why? Why do I think that I need you near me? Tell me, Sakura! Why is that?"

"You need me?"

"He needs a therapist!" shouted the man who had finally made it to his feet.

Gaara's angry jade eyes snapped in his direction.

"You know it's true, Lady Sakura. Even you yourself said that he was unstable and needed to be watched. That you had made it your job to do just that. Did you not?"

Pain thundered within his chest. Gaara clutched at his heart. He hadn't even thought that Sakura would betray him. That she would be secretly keeping watch on him because the elders asked it of her had never even crossed his mind. She'd said she was his friend and he'd believed her. Like a fool! He'd believed her instantly!

Wait…these were the words from an angry jealous man who feared loosing Sakura to his demonic Kazekage. He had right to feel threatened. And when one was threatened they tended to exaggerate and lie to appear better right? Perhaps he was lying?

Hopeful, Gaara looked to Sakura, meeting her eyes practically pleading with her to deny it. But she broke their eye contact quickly and turned to glare at the man she'd been with all evening.

"No!" she shouted, "That's not what I meant at all! You're taking it out of context! How dare you use my words like that!"

It was true then. She had said such things…

His pain doubled, intensifying within his chest as he struggled to remain in control of the ever growing rage that fed Shukaku.

Gaara stared at her a moment longer as his eyes began to burn. Why? Why would she treat him as any other person? And smile with him? And talk with him? And agree to touch him so intimately everyday if she saw him as nothing but a thing to be watched?

"Why?" he whispered.

Then as quickly as it had hit, the pain in his chest numbed and he felt nothing. Nothing but anger. Anger and betrayal.

Gaara bellowed his fury and sand whipped up around him instantly.

Swirling and slicing through the air around them as his eyes quickly changed colors. His jade eyes now consumed by black, a ring of gold within them, were the eyes of Shukaku.

Sakura watched horrified. She had never witnessed this transformation before! He wasn't covered in sand? Just had Shukaku's eyes? What did that mean? Sand gathered and formed on his arms creating huge gauntlet like claws on each hand. But not quite as huge as they used to be back in his adolescence. His canines lengthened and grew as he tossed his head back and roared his fury once more.

Fully transformed in this new version, Gaara stalked towards the idiot man who'd brought this all about.

Furious that her assistant had used her words against her Sakura was for a moment tempted to allow his death but knew instantly that she, and Gaara as well, would regret it the minute it was all over and calm again.

Before she could talk herself out of it Sakura latched onto one of his sand covered arms and hugged it to her.

"Gaara, no! Don't! You'll loose your title if you do this!" she shouted struggling to be heard over the roar of the sand whipping about in the air.

He chuckled slowly, "And why would you care?!"

"I do care! He got it all wrong, Gaara! I wasn't talking about you, you dummy! I was talking about your diet!"

He seized the man petrified in his own fear and crushed him against the wall he'd previously been tossed at.

Sakura squeezed tighter on Gaara's arm.

"It's true! You rarely eat lunch, you never eat breakfast and dinner is eaten only if I bring it when I come in the evenings! That is an unhealthy, unstable diet, Gaara! So I decided to watch out for you more! Didn't you notice the fruit I left on your desk? The lunch your terrified little receptionist brought you everyday? And that it was now every evening I brought dinner? That's all I was talking about! Your diet! I didn't want you getting weak or sick!"

He halted his crushing the man.

Did she speak the truth? The food had been coming more often…

"Gaara." she said. "I would never say those words in any other context. I trust you. I know what a great leader you are and more importantly than all of that I know what a great person you are. I didn't hang around you to observe you for the elders like I bet you think I did. No. I stayed near you just to enjoy your company."

Sakura inched around and moved her arms to hug him around his waist, pressing herself to him tightly.

"I like you too, Gaara. I need you too. Suna needs you. So please don't do this. Don't throw it all away like this."

His trembling arms still covered in sand hesitantly reached up and gripped her forearms.

Sakura watched with concern filled eyes as he struggled to take control.

"Come on Gaara, kick that demon's ass and come back to us. To me." she urged him gently.

After many long moments of inner struggle his eyes finally flickered and then returned to their usual jade color and the sand fell away.

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief and hugged him closer to her.

"Thank goodness." she whispered against the fabric of his shirt.

Gaara slowly returned her embrace, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

"Sakura…" he mumbled quietly into her skin, his hot breath tickling her.

"You…you're outta your mind! You shouldn't be our Kazekage! Just you wait! By tomorrow the whole village will know you're still crazy!" the man shrieked angrily as he stood to his feet slowly.

Gaara, with a sigh reluctantly released Sakura and turned to glare at the mouthy man who apparently believed that now Gaara was himself again all was safe.

Oh, how wrong he was.

Gaara snarled angrily, "Do not think that because I am not transformed I am not dangerous!"

The guy scoffed and opened his mouth to sass back when suddenly a pink blur flew past Gaara and into the man.

Sakura stood over her victim practically steaming with her anger as she shouted, "Shut the hell up! God! You're so annoying!"

She kicked his side, "That is for the worst date ever! Here's a clue pal! Don't just talk about yourself! And don't buy her something she didn't even look at! Geez."

Gaara smirked at her. She'd been so sweet only seconds before…now she was a raging inferno.

She stomped him, "And that is for twisting my own words, you ass! I almost lost my best friend because of you!"

With those words Gaara's smirk fell and his heart iced over.

Best friend.

Best…friend? He'd thought…

But he'd said he needed her. Wasn't that beyond friendship?

Confused and slightly hurt Gaara thanked her quietly and walked away.

Sakura knocked the idiot out and used a special brain manipulating chakra to erase his most recent memories. In fact, he wouldn't really remember any of that day. Neither she nor Gaara needed this idiot running his mouth off about what had happened moments ago.

She then, confused by his sudden strange behavior, hurried after Gaara.

"Hey, Gaara, wait up! Where are you going?" she called after him.

He didn't slow down. In truth, the red head actually considered vanishing in the sand but figured she'd just continue to chase him considering how stubborn she was.

With a heavy sigh he slowed down to allow her to catch up.

"Gaara, where are you going? Isn't it like customary or something for the rescuer to get a reward or at least a thank you?"

He huffed. "Fine. Thank you. Now leave me."

She giggled, "No, silly, I meant you. You saved me from a hellish date."

Gaara cut her a skeptic glance out the corner of his eye.

She nodded, giggling more. "Its true. I spent half the time wishing you were there to cover his mouth with sand and call him a fool and tell him to leave. Or you know, just pull what people affectionately call 'the Kazekage toss' where you heave-ho them through the nearest window. Then you actually showed up. And you really tossed him and called him a fool. I was shocked my day dream had happened actually. But it was great. So thank you to you, Gaara. Besides, I'm not your rescuer. I didn't really do anything. You would have calmed yourself down if I hadn't. Suna is too important to you."

She had that much faith in him, huh? He marveled at that.

"Not likely." he scoffed and turned on his heel to leave for his home. He was tired. He was angry. And he desperately needed solitude and time to think.

"Gaara."

So why did she still follow him?!

"What?" he snapped.

She froze, "Wow. Where did that come from? Why are you still upset?"

Gaara stared at her blankly, blinking occasionally for many long seconds.

Why… was he…still upset? Why was he still upset?!

Was she stupid?!

Gaara whirled around and got in her face, "Why am I upset?!?"

He quickly regained control of himself and said curtly, "It doesn't concern you. I will see you later, Haruno."

"Haruno?" she repeated in shock.

Gaara hadn't called her that since pretty much the start of their sessions together! What was going on?

She ran and grabbed his sleeve.

"Gaara, what's wrong?"

He huffed and pulled his sleeve from her grip.

"Its nothing being alone won't fix. So, please. Haruno. Go home."

She stared at him a moment and then she realized what was wrong!

His eyes held pain. He was hurting! He was sad! Why though? Because of what that guy said? Or because…of something she said?

She quickly went over all the things they said and suddenly gasped.

His miserable jade eyes meeting hers in a silent and frustrated question waited impatiently for her to explain her reason for gasping.

"Why did it upset me to learn of your courting another men than myself? Why did I feel the urgent need to find you and stop you from doing anything with anyone who was not me? Why even before tonight did you constantly haunt my mind? And creep into my thoughts at unexpected times? Why do I feel angry that…that you would choose this fool, who couldn't even buy you the right necklace, over me? Why Sakura, are you doing this to me?"

All of his questions…she realized. They pointed to one main thing! Gaara liked her!

Her eyes widened. Oh god. Gaara…liked her? Not just liked her. No…he liked her liked her. He…possibly loved her.

Sakura stared into his sad eyes and realized that that was what she wanted. She wanted this amazing guy with a stubborn streak a mile long and a quiet compassion few saw to love her. That was why she went out of her way to get him to talk with her when she was with him. And that was why she'd taken it upon herself to make sure he ate right and stayed healthy. And it definitely explained her eagerness to get his shirt off and on that desk so she could touch his smooth bare skin and freely run her hands along the hard defined lines of his muscles. She loved him! She, Sakura Haruno, was in love with the one and only Gaara of the desert! And judging from his many why questions…he loved her too! The question was did he know that he did?

Sakura smiled sweetly at him and took both of his cold hands in hers.

"Gaara. Before you go, may I answer your questions you asked earlier? I got caught up in the action and didn't get to."

His eyes widened a fraction and he said nothing. Taking his silence as the go ahead Sakura began speaking.

"You were upset to learn I was courting another man besides you because you were jealous. You felt the urgent need to find me and stop any romance that could happen between me and someone who was not you because you wanted me for yourself, plain and simple. I haunted your mind because you enjoyed me and remembered things about me or maybe things we did together even when you didn't mean to. Which is why I was in your thoughts even at unexpected times. And you felt angry because I would choose that fool over you and you wanted me to choose you. And I am not doing this to you, Gaara, your heart is."

His breathing was slow and heavy as he studied her with shocked eyes.

"What does that mean? I know I want you?… But why? Why do I want you, Sakura? It makes no sense to me. You are just like every other woman out there. But you aren't like them either. Why?"

Sakura's eyes narrowed at the 'like every other woman' statement. A sweet taker he was not apparently.

She swallowed her anger. After all, it wasn't his fault he didn't understand.

"I may appear to be like every other woman. But your heart recognizes me as something different. Something special to only you. Which is why you want me. That is why you said you needed me earlier. And as far as what it means, I'm not sure you can handle what that means." she said with a slight smirk.

Taking a deep steadying breath, he nodded, "Tell me."

"Gaara. It means you love me."

His breathing stopped. And his mind went blank.

Love….?

He loved her?

He…loved…Sakura?

How was that possible? How could he…love anyone…much less this strange and outrageously stubborn girl from Konoha?

She smiled at him and rubbed the pad of her thumbs over the back of his hands.

Gaara stared at their joined hands as his brain worked overtime to make sense of what she'd just said.

As he made his final deductions he was overwhelmed with sorrow he'd never before felt.

If what she said was true…and he loved her…Love was a two person thing was it not? Did he not need her to return these feelings? Wasn't she supposed to want him and need him as he did her?

He snorted. He was merely her best friend…that was not love. He may love Sakura Haruno, but the feelings apparently were not mutual.

Now that he realized the humiliating situation he'd happened into Gaara became worried. Would she leave for Konoha now? Or refuse him time alone with her? Both sounded horrible to him. Deciding he would play ignorant to his feelings to avoid more awkwardness he came up with what to say.

"H-how do you know such a thing? There's no proof." he finally stated sounding much calmer than his inner turmoil let on.

Sakura's smile softened. "Because I'm in love too," Gaara felt his chest swell with hope as he watched her, listening intently to her words, "and the exact same things you mentioned plague me as well in my love. So I know exactly what you are going through with your feelings."

He felt all hope die. She loved someone else…

Why did that have to happen? He already hated this love thing. Now he had reason to despise it even more!

Sakura saw him get angry and stifled her giggle. Was he really this oblivious? No way. Gaara was usually very smart.

"Yes, I know exactly how you feel." she said with a knowing smile, "I am suffering the same love symptoms you are. And my best friend didn't even know it for the longest of time. But see…after tonight I think I might just be crazy enough and brave enough to say something about it to him."

Gaara felt slightly relieved at this news.

At least she would be going to some one she cared for. Her best friend. Heh, he was lucky. The bastard.

Wait.

He…was the bastard! He was her best friend. She'd said so not even an hour ago!

Gaara searched her eyes with hope growing in his gaze every second he found nothing but honesty shining in their green depths. That and- god help him-…love.

"Me?" he whispered finally.

Sakura smiled brightly. "Yeah…its been building for a long time and when you said you needed me I just knew it. And now I am positive of it. I am in love with you, Gaara. The demon of the sand village. The Kazekage of Suna. And my closest friend that I know I could trust with anything and always count on. I know I'm in love with you."

Gaara stared at her, lost in her deep emerald gaze he felt his happiness swell and soar.

Sakura not only wanted him as he did her, needed him the same way he did her, but loved him as well. He doubted he could be any happier.

"Sakura…"

"Yes Gaara?"

"Thank you."

She giggled, "You're very welcome. But I do believe the correct thing to say, my dearest Kazekage, is I love you too."

Gaara smirked, "I love you too."

Gaara pulled Sakura close to him, and tipped her chin up, then slowly lowered his lips to hers.

What started as a sweet gentle caress of lips quickly ignited to something much more when Sakura responded so readily.

Sakura suddenly stepped back from their kiss and as heat sparkled in her eyes she whispered almost urgently, "My place or yours? I cannot let you take me out here in the open like this."

A heat much like that in her eyes swirled within him and he contemplated her question.

Her place or his…? Take her…

Oh sweet sandwiches! She meant she wanted…

Her place was closer that was surely the better option. He didn't want to wait long and give her much time to rethink things.

Gaara then remembered the havoc he'd wreaked on her apartment and shuddered inwardly at her reaction to the shambles he'd left it in.

"Mine." he said breathlessly and went in for another kiss.

If he did things correctly she would never have to know what damage he'd done to her living quarters.

Smirking against her sweet hot lips Gaara once again decided that the best decision those 'old farts', as the woman in his arms so appropriately called them, made was to make Sakura Haruno his private doctor. Because now she would be his. And only his for as long as he could have her. Which with one message to Tsunade in the morning would be until death do them part if he had anything to say about it. For one sure thing that could be said about the Kazekage of Suna was that he was rarely patient.