Khoth: I do not own Naruto, although I would positively love to! Read on at your own risk.

Lady Tsunade sighed heavily as she stared despairingly at the piles of papers that littered her desk, threatening to tip over. The past month had been quite eventful to say the least. As luck would have it, word of her becoming the fifth Hokage had reached even the smallest of villages through out the world. This of course caused many invoices to arrive with angry people shouting about debts and loans.

Trying to relieve some of the pressure Tsunade of course did the most sensible thing possible and called for multiple missions to be completed. And to a degree the money helped, but no matter how much money Konoha raked in, she just couldn't put a dent in repaying the whole of her debts.

As Lady Tsunade stared off into space in concentration, Shizune came bounding into the room with more paperwork and more than likely, more invoices from neighboring villages. Tsunade watched as Shizune carefully placed the paperwork on the desk in front of her with out saying a word. Shizune was a sweet girl, and always quick to help her, and scold her back to work if necessary...but this was ridiculous. Tsunade knew she needed a break, and the sooner, the better.

"Lady Tsunade," Shizune interrupted the silence, "Mr. Haruno will be here in less than ten minutes!"

Tsunade did not answer, and continued to stare off into space. She knew how important Mr. Haruno was, and what his arrival meant. However, that didn't mean she really wanted to see Mr. Haruno either. She sighed and Shizune raised a carefully sculpted brow. "Mr. Haruno will-" But Shizune was cut short by a slight knock at the door. Tsunade sat up right in her chair and Shizune let forth a shriek of terror, as if the worst possible thing in the world was about to happen.

"Yes, come in." Tsunade called calmly. On the other side of the room, the door quietly opened and in walked a well dressed man with slick black hair, dark eyes under thick lashes, strong chin and dimples. In his hands, the man held a pile of documents close to his chest; as if someone would snatch them from him. Tsunade smiled, "Ah, Mr. Haruno. We've been expecting you."

The man gave a curt nod, "Lady Tsunade, if I may be so blunt and to the point, I have come to collect the money you borrowed from the Haruno family to repay your debt."

The man handed Shizune the documents he held, careful as to not drop them. Tsunade sighed, "But you know I do not have the money."

Mr Haruno stared at Tsunade with a defying grin, "Then perhaps you should not have gambled it all away."

Shizune muffled a surprised gasp at Mr. Haruno's snappy come-back, but Tsunade only smiled. "I've won my fair share of bets, and I daresay there will be more winnings to come in the future. However, I am Hokage now and must act as one."

Mr. Haruno gave a quizzical look and added, "My Lady I do not follow you. As Hokage perhaps you should indeed do as a Hokage would, and cease your gambling ways."

Tsunade raised a playful brow, "Perhaps another bet? One more I should say."

Mr. Haruno couldn't hide his curiosity, "One more bet? Lady Tsunade please elaborate."

A playful smile now graced Tsunade's face as she continued on, "You and I, Mr. Haruno. Let's make a bet. You may chose the game, and if I win, this little debt Ive accumulated with the Haruno family should disappear. But if you win, I shall pay the Haruno family double that of which I owe."

Until now, Shizune watched the two in front of her with interest, but upon hearing Tsunade's words, she quickly made herself apart of the conversation.

"Tsunade!" She yelled angrily, "You do not have the money as it is!"

Mr. Haruno quickly nodded his approval, "Besides, there are no games that I-" He lowered his head and began rubbing his chin in thought. "Well, now that I think about it..."

Shizune and Tsunade both listend intently, waiting for Mr. Haruno to go on.

"Yes now that I think about it, you say we may bet on any game I wish to play?"

This time it was Tsunade's turn to nod, "Yes, any game."

Mr. Haruno smiled wide, "Very well, I will accept this wager under the terms and conditions that you find a suitable husband to marry my daughter, Sakura Haruno within the next two months."

Shizune's draw dropped, and Tsunade began laughing maliciously. "Thats it? You want me to play match-maker?"

"Yes, Lady Tsunade. In two months the Haruno's will be hosting its yearly ball, and it would be most pleasant to see my daughter announce her engagement to a fine match. As the only child, and my wife not being able to bear more children, Sakura inherits the Haruno fortune. It is up to her to bear a new heir for the Haruno family and continue on our line."

Tsunade rose from her seat excitedly, "Consider it done, Mr. Haruno. Your daughter's in safe hands." Tsunade beamed, and Mr. Haruno bowed low. "As expected from Hokage." He turned to leave, "The documents I've given to your assistant, Lady Tsunade, shows the debts you owe the Haruno family. I will let you hold on to them as further reminder on exactly what our little bet holds." And with that, he excused himself and closed the door behind him, leaving Shizune and Tsunade alone once more.

Tsunade turned to Shizune excitedly, "Shizune, we've got work to do!"

After much grumbling and griping from Shizune about all the paperwork that needed to be done, finally Tsunade had persuaded the young woman to help her with a new, "Very Important Mission". Of course, it wasn't very long after which, that the two of them headed into town in search of the young pink-haired girl whom they found at Naruto's favorite noodle shop. Hinata and Kiba were with her and gave quizzical stares at Shizune and Tsunade as they interrupted their meal.

"Lady Tsunade!" said Kiba, "What are you doing here?"

Tsunade smiled, "I'm afraid we are overrun with sick patients and require Sakura's help today. Sakura, would you be so kind as to-"

Now, Tsunade wasn't lying in the fact that the medical room had more patients than medical ninjas the past few months due to all the missions she had called for, but truth be told, she had other plans for the young woman. Sakura quickly stood in agreement, placing some money on the table for her meal.

"Lady Tsunade, I would be happy to help. I was at the medical office earlier, helping patients but everything seemed under control so I took a break. Did something come up?"

Tsunade stammered for a moment, trying to devise a lie in which she could tell the girl. "Uh-"

"Yes, a few Anbu were injured this morning and are in critical care. But we should not discuss this in broad daylight for the whole village to hear." Shizune added, and Sakura nodded. Tsunade turned to Shizune thankfully.

"I understand," Sakura turned to Hinata and Kiba apologetically. "Sorry, I've got to go."

Kiba smiled and Hinata blushed, "It's o-k Sakura, do your best."

Sakura nodded, turning to Tsunade and Shizune.

"Well let's go." Tsunade chimed, taking off at the speed of light towards the Hokage house with Shizune and Sakura in toe. It wasn't even five minutes later that they arrived and Tsunade brought Sakura into her office and sat down.Sakura frowned when they didn't go to the medical office.

"Lady Tsunade, I thought-"

Tsunade shot Sakura a fierce glare and cut her off, "Sakura, as Hokage I have many responsibilities as you very well know. However, I have a personal mission I must attend to."

Sakura shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. "Tsunade? Whats wrong?"

"Your father and I have spoken and well, I think it'd be best if you stopped studying to be a medical ninja for the time being and work on-"

"But Tsunade! The village is low on medical nin's as it is! What has happened that will-and what, I ...you spoke with my father?"

Tsunade nodded, "I am going to stop training you for the time being, and help you find a suitable husband."

Sakura's green eyes went wide with confusion as she stared at Tsunade. "But Tsunade, I have to become a medical ninja and help bring back Sasuke."

In the blink of an eye, Tsunade was standing in front of Sakura. "Forget him for the time being. Let me worry about Orochimaru and Sasuke. Right now there are more important things at stake than becoming a medical ninja and thinking about things that might not even happen. Sakura, there are more important things..."

Sakura tried desperately to find some sort of truth in her Hokage's eyes as she stared at Tsunade with tear brimmed eyes. "But Lady-"

"Sakura, your family's line depends on you. That's more important to this village than bringing back a man that left for greater power. Listen to me when I say this. I will not be training you to become a medical ninja until you've found a husband!"

Sakura shrank to her knee's trying desperately not to cry her frustration. "I don't want a husband, and I don't care about my family! They've never cared about my feelings, why should I care what happens to my family line? All I want is to bring Sasuke home and-"

"And what?" Tsunade roared. "You think Sasuke is just going to come back home and things will be the way they were?"

Tsunade met Sakura eye level and smacked her across the face. "Wake up, Child. Your being blinded by foolish puppy-love. Get over him. Things will never be the way they were. For all you know, Sasuke doesn't even want to come back! He's to enthralled with his revenge to even notice you!"

Tsunade stood and strode over to her desk angrily, Shizune staring at her fearfully.

"Now get up and wipe your tears. If you want to be a medical ninja, then prove to me and your village that your not so weak as to hang onto foolish dreams that will never happen!"

Sakura did as she was bade, but dared not look into Tsunade's eyes. "I will not forget him Lady Tsunade. Naruto promised he'd bring Sasuke back home, he promised me! If you are siding with my family, then I guess I have no choice but to train to become a medical ninja on my own. I am not weak...I am not weak Lady Tsunade! Even if the whole village goes against me, there is only one man I want to be with and I will wait until he returns!"

And with that being said, Sakura quickly turned and rushed out of Tsunade's office; leaving a smiling Tsunade and stumped Shizune staring at the door. After a moment, the room became deftly silent and Shizune turned to Tsunade.

"Perhaps you were a little harsh, Lady Tsunade. She is still a child after all."

But Tsunade simply shook her head furiously, "Shizune, at nine-teen years old she is no longer the simple child she used to be. I knew this would be her reaction, but we will give her a day or two to think over her possibilities and I am sure she will come back to me seeking comfort. Even if she trains night and day to become a medical nin, she can not do it without my guidance. I am sure she herself is aware of this, but I need to be strict with her. Not only does my debt hang on her marrying a suitable match, but her line is full of strong medical ninjas. She has been blessed greatly in the healing arts and that is something the village needs. Her marrying is something that is long over due. Girl's her age should be married or at least courted by the age of eighteen!"

"But Lady Tsunade, this isn't the old days! Women sometimes don't marry until their late twenties. It is up to the women now when to marry. I fear we may have pushed her to far in pursuit of your personal gain."

Tsunade didn't speak again, but instead turned to the papers on her desk and began filing and stamping much to Shizune's amazement.