Naruto and Sasuke appeared in front of the two. Sasuke was the one who spoke, “Gaara, you and Sakura have to come with us to speak with the Third Hokage.” Gaara nodded. Sakura felt her heart burst with hope. Her friends had come to set her free after all. She knew the smirk on Sasuke’s face meant he was in control of the situation. Even Naruto looked joyful. Gaara’s face darkened, “Very well, we’ll follow you.”

The four of them walked through the labyrinth of streets and stores. They eventually stopped in front of a large house that intimidated all of them save Gaara. He was used to such grandeur. The ninjas posted at the large doors opened them. Gaara followed Sasuke who followed Naruto. Sakura was still at Gaara’s side. He was clinging to her hand.

She was excited. Her impending freedom was just moments away. Surely, the head of her village would put an end to this and extricate her from Gaara’s clutches. Naruto pushed open the last doors. They were painted green and had the emblem of Konoha gilded onto both doors.

Down a long expanse of polished wooden floors was a single large desk. At it sat an aged, old man. He wore white robes over a long, red tunic. His hat was a red pyramid with a single low white triangle at the center with white cloth hanging around his wrinkled face. On the center of the hat was the kanji for ‘fire’ written in red.

Kakashi, the leader of their team, and her parents, surrounded the Hokage. The four children walked to the desk.

The Hokage was the first to speak, “I’ve spoken with Sakura’s parents and her teacher. Kakashi has informed about the situation. I have in turn informed Sakura’s parents. We have spoken with the Kazekage and we have reached an agreement.” The four of them held their breath.

The Hokage continued, “Sakura’s parents and I have come to a decision with the Kazekage. In return for… compensation, both for Sakura’s parents and the Village of Konoha, Sakura will remain with Gaara of the Sand from this day forward.”

Sakura wanted to scream. She felt betrayed. She was angry. Her village had sold her. Her parents had sold her. She stared at the Hokage who folded his hands and rested his elbows on his desk. He rested his chin on his laced fingers and his eyes became greedy slits. Kakashi looked on, not speaking up on her behalf. Sakura stared in horror at her parents. No one spoke for a while. Gaara let go of her hand.

“What do you mean ‘compensation’?” Everyone turned their heads in shock. Gaara was more furious than she had ever seen him before. He bared his large, white teeth, “What do you mean ‘compensation’?” His red hair stood on end. Sakura was not a thing or trifle that could be bought and sold. She was a person. He glared at the Hokage. He spat at her parents, “You sold your own daughter for a pittance!”

Sasuke was too shocked to speak. The Hokage had assured him and Naruto that everything would be okay the day before. Naruto was also dumbfounded. Both of them stared at Gaara in disbelief. Gaara continued to yell, “Sakura isn’t something you can buy and sell! She is priceless.” He glowered, panting, “We made a promise. A promise is a promise. I came back for her. And it’s a good thing I did!” Sakura stared at Gaara. He was angry on her behalf. She was now legally his, but he was furious.

She felt rage burn away at her pleasant memories of Konoha. She looked at her friends, judging by their shocked faces, they were just as surprised as she was. For the first time, she was grateful that Gaara had come back for her. She really meant nothing to this damn village or even her own parents. They sold her to the Sand Village for who knew how much.

Naruto yelled at Kakashi, “How can you just stand there! She’s your student! She trusts you! We trusted you!” Kakashi’s mask hid his face as usual, “I did what was best for the team. Sakura is useless on missions. She can’t fight and she’s a liability. This is something even she can’t screw up.” Sakura felt her heart break. She wanted to cry. But she couldn’t.

Naruto looked at Sasuke. Sasuke was too shocked to speak. Kakashi spoke again, “Sasuke, don’t you always tell me how useless Sakura is? How much you hate her? How much you wish she was off the team?” Sakura looked at Sasuke, her eyes wide with hurt. He did not say anything, but simply nodded. He looked like a frightened child. Sasuke spoke up, “I said that.” Naruto glared at Sasuke.

“But that isn’t what I meant. I don’t like Sakura fighting. She isn’t strong enough to be a ninja,” Sasuke finished speaking. He looked at Sakura. Her eyes were full of hurt and something else. He wished he could take it all back.

“Dammit!” screamed Naruto. Naruto had never hated the Third Hokage. He looked up to the old man despite his rambunctious antics. This was sick. Naruto was more determined now to become the Fifth Hokage. Kakashi spoke to the four, “Sakura is still part of this team. She can still compete in the Chunin exams. However, she will live with Gaara of the Sand and aid him in any way possible. She will still belong to Konoha as a ninja. She can even go home with her parents right now to get her things.”

Gaara glowered at Sakura’s teacher. He tried to keep his voice calm. He tried to stay calm. He could not allow his rage to get the best of him. If he did, his sand could endanger everyone around him, not that they did not deserve it. However, Sakura was near him.

Gaara looked at Naruto. He admired Naruto’s spirit, though it was strange for him to acknowledge another person so much. He had never seen someone care so much for another person. Gaara looked at Sakura. Gaara had done just that without thinking. Sakura looked broken. She was pale and looked as if she was about to be sick. He knew how horrible it felt to be betrayed by people you loved whom you thought loved you too.

“Sakura,” Gaara said more gently than he had intended, “do you want to go get your things from your parents’ house?” She took a while to respond. Her eyes took on the brilliance of her fury. She parted her lips and barely spoke, “I never want to see them again.”

Sakura felt herself screaming inside. She never wanted to set foot in that place again. Never mind that she had been wearing the same clothes for four days. She never felt pain this deep and burning before. She understood for the first time how Gaara must feel. It was no coincidence that he rarely smiled or trusted people. However, he had stood up for her. To the Hokage no less.

“Sakura is priceless,” he said again, “Do what you want, but I’ll never let any of you near her again.” Gaara held her hand tenderly. She was now the one being soothed. The two of them walked out. Neither of them looked back.

Gaara looked at Sakura. He knew she would need new things. New clothes, new books, grooming things, he was sure there was more than that. She was at his side. Her fury had faded but her brilliance had not. He remembered that she had full bookcases in her old room. He made a mental note of it. He had plenty of books at home that might interest her. Gaara wondered if he should tell her he had taken her fairytale book and that it was now in the nightstand at the hotel room. He decided that it should wait.

Gaara and Sakura suddenly found themselves in the hotel room. The two of them still held hands as they sat on the edge of the bed. Gaara looked at Sakura. She still looked sad. Temari was wrong after all. Sakura’s family did not care about her at all. She was better off away from them. Gaara released her hand. He walked over to the closet and pulled out a shirt and pants for her. He set them on the bed, “Do you want to take a shower?” She nodded.

He looked at her. She still sat on the bed. “Are you okay? Are you sure? You don’t have to stay here if you don’t want to.” Gaara did not know what he was saying. He wanted her to stay. She shook her head, “I never want to go back.” She stood up, but her legs gave out from under her. Gaara caught her. His body did not hesitate as it pulled her close to him. He wrapped his arms around her little body. She began to shake. He was about to let her go when he felt her arms wrap around him. She nestled her face into his neck.

He was one of the last people she knew beyond a doubt that cared for her, strange as it seemed. She knew Naruto did. She began to hyperventilate. Gaara held her tighter. She calmed down and slumped in his arms. She just could not believe it. It had to be a bad dream. Her Beast was beginning to be more and more her knight in shining armor.

She stood up with his support. He set her on the bed. She looked at the clothes. She wanted a shower now more than ever. She picked up the clothes, looked at Gaara, and smiled weakly, “Thank you.” She walked to the restroom.

Gaara stood in the middle of the hotel room confused. Why was she thanking him? His father had just bought her from her parents with the blessing of the Hokage. He never hated his father the Kazekage more than now. Sakura was hurt now. He knew it. He was not completely apathetic or heartless. He just wished she had chosen him because she wanted to. He shook that thought from his head. He wondered where it had come from.

Sakura was his. He wondered where all the other things he had said earlier had come from as well. He thought back to Sakura’s pained face. She had never looked so destitute. He was about to walk out the door when he looked at the restroom door. He went to the table and grabbed a pen and paper. He scribbled that he was going out on some errands and that he would be back in a few hours at most. He looked at the note, befuddled by his actions, and opened the door and locked it behind him.

His gourd was still strapped to his back. He pulled out his wallet. He asked a woman where the nearest clothing boutique was. He followed her directions and wandered inside. He stared at the clothes around him. He saw a girl with long blonde hair. He asked her, “Do you know Sakura Haruno?” The girl nodded and introduced herself as Ino. He told her his name was Gaara and he wanted to get Sakura a gift. She needed new clothes, but he did not know what size she was.

Ino walked off and returned a few moments later with a dark red dress that had a high collar. She said this was something Sakura would wear. He nodded. Ino had also grabbed a pair of black shorts. He thanked her. He said he needed a headband for her too. He was not sure if she would keep her old one. “Well, there’s a red one that she might like. Say, are you her boyfriend?” Gaara was not sure of how to respond; Ino looked excited and sad at the same time. Ino dropped it with a soft sigh, “Well, let’s take this to the register.” She left him with a wave and smiled, “Next time just bring her with you, tell her I said hello.”

Gaara paid for the clothes and ran as fast as he could to the hotel. He passed Temari. She stared after him. She read the name of a girl’s boutique on the bag and stared at her brother, dumbfounded, “If wonders never cease…”

Gaara unlocked the door and swung it open. Sakura sat on the bed. Her hair was wet and his clothes fit her loosely. His collar fell lower on her and he could see the healing mark on her chest. He instinctively felt his own with his free hand. She looked at him and smiled almost as she used too. Her eyes were red. He held out the bag, “Ino says hello.” Sakura cocked her head, “Huh?”

“Your friend Ino helped me get you some new clothes and she told me to tell you she said, ‘Hello’.” He said this quickly. Sakura smiled inwardly. Ino still cared about her. Maybe she could repair that fractured friendship. She stared at Gaara. He had gone through the trouble of going out to buy her some new clothes. She half-smiled at him. He set the bag down and sat down on the bed next to her.

“Gaara… the Chunin Exams are almost here and I… I was wondering if you’d let me enter…” He gave her a harsh look. She winced. She pressed on. She had to keep trying. She was not as worthless as everyone thought she was. She deserved a chance to prove herself once and for all. She had tried so hard, she deserved this!

“Please Gaara! I promise I’ll be careful! Nothing bad will happen… my teammates take very good care of me… and if anything too bad happens, you will be there… please! Please I need this chance!” She was close to tears. Naruto would surely protect her. Whether or not Sasuke would, she did not care anymore.

Gaara looked at her, thinking carefully. After all that had happened, she still wanted to try. He admired that in her. If he had been anyone else, he would have denied her simply because he did not to see her hurt. He valued power and if Sakura wanted to become more powerful, he was more than willing to aid her any way he could.

If he could simply have his way, he would take her to Suna where he could train her himself in a confined area. He could better assure her safety there and complete his objectives. Objectives he was turning over in his mind. He was thinking about them even now and questioned their validity. After today, he was thinking of doing something else, rather than listen to his father whose will was being steered by someone else.

He looked at her pleading face again, “Very well.” Sakura threw her arms around him and squeezed him in a hug. She inhaled deeply, he smelled like cinnamon, just like his clothes.

He felt that this gesture made the entire situation worth it. The physical contact he shared with her was always a pleasurable experience. Moreover, he relished them even more for their rarity. It was not often that she touched him of her own volition. He usually had to tell her to do it. That hurt far more than when she would not touch him at all.



Sasuke was ashamed to admit he was surprised to see Sakura at the Exams. He was sure she would not see any of them after what had happened in the Hokage’s office. Sasuke would not have blamed her. She was still with the deranged Gaara of the Sand though. She never left his side. She was wearing a new dress that went past her knees and had slits going up her thighs. It was a rich, dark red. It was also plain. She wore a red headband instead of her ninja headband with the Konoha emblem.

She barely registered anyone other than the redhead. Sasuke and Naruto walked over to Gaara, and all three of them indulged in a furious staring contest. Gaara and Sakura stayed very close to each other. Sasuke took that as a silent announcement of Gaara’s ownership of her. He wanted to punch Gaara so much he would have gladly given up his other arm to do it. Sakura glared at Sasuke and latched onto Gaara’s arm protectively. She did not want anything to do with Sasuke anymore than she had to.

Gaara was inwardly surprised by Sakura’s actions, but he decided not to question it. She had promised to stay with him. He vowed that he would not let her be hurt again in any way again, though he had not said it aloud.

Gaara’s bewildered siblings joined the four of them. They walked in and found a large group of ninja outside a door. They seemed to be fighting a pair of young men for entry. Sasuke and Naruto saw Sakura’s eyes sharpen and narrow. Both of them knew something was not right about the scene before them. Sakura had always been very adept at assessing her surroundings.