The first time Gaara feels fear; it claws at his throat and gnaws at his stomach.

So this is what he had inflected on people all his life, the thought passes through his mind and for a brief moment he feels sickened. Then he looks at Sakura's ashen face and can only feel worry.

You'd believe that sand medics would have found a cure for something as silly as a snakebite. He thinks irritably as he shifts in the uncomfortable hospital chair. But the Desert Acer had taken many respectable ninjas with its fast-acting venom and sandy color. Sakura had been lucky she had the wits to perform a jutsu to take out most of the venom before she had passed out. Luckily, she had been found soon after and taken to the hospital, where the rest of the venom was taken out. Now she lay in a light coma from the aftereffects of the venom. All the doctors said she should be fine by the morning, if not before.

That was the last time Sakura ever walked out in the garden alone, Gaara growled in his head. He had never been so scared as earlier the evening in his office when he'd gotten the news.

"Kazekage-sama?"

Gaara looked up a small message-nin who couldn't be more than twelve. "Yes."

The boy bit his lip, fiddling with his hands and Gaara had to hold his tongue not to snap at the boy to get on with it. He had more than enough work to do without being interrupted.

"Um…it's Sakura-san, sir…she's been hurt." He said, looking at the floor.

Gaara's heart froze at the words.

Donning his coat faster then ever before, he demanded hotly. "Where is she?" He nearly yelled at the boy.

"A—ah, at the hospital, sir."

Once he had arrived and been told the news, he'd very nearly punched a hole in the wall but had held his temper in.

Gaara took Sakura's hand in his, pressing a gentle kiss to the knuckles.

He could still remember when she had came into his office for the first time.

Vibrant and pink.

Ridiculously pink.

Waltzing right in and changing his life forever.

He brushed back her bangs, trailing his fingers down her face. When was it that it became impossible to think of his life without her in it? When had she come to mean this much to him? He thought as he kissed her high forehead.

Even if she wanted to leave him he wasn't sure he could let her. He was pass the point of being able to live without her. Looking down at her face the only thought in his head was how much he wanted to protect and cherish this woman.

He whispered softly against her mouth. "I love you."

He wondered briefly if she can hear him in her comatose state as he settles back into the uncomfortable seat.

The first thing he plans to do when she wakes up is to find that bloody snake and kill it. Nothing messed with what was Gaara's.

Poor little message-nin.

I mean would you want to be the one to tell Gaara his woman has been hurt?

…

Yeah, I didn't think so.