Love Remains

Chapter One

(I don't own Naruto or any of it's characters.)

Sakura, now the age of twenty-two, had developed into a remarkable young woman. It was very noticeable as she sat patiently at her office desk, clad in a traditional white lab coat over her favorite red halter top and a comfortable pair of khaki pants. She strived for five and a half years to get where she was now in the medical field and was quiet reasonably known as one of the best surgeons in Japan.

Her hand was busy jotting down words with the occasional 'Sakura Haruno' signature on her paper work. It had been fourteen hours now and all the pinkette wanted to do was go home and sleep. She allowed her forest green eyes to close for a few moments, leaned back in her chair, which was growing slightly uncomfortable with the amount of time she had spent in it, and brush her hand through her long, wavy hair.

Naruto had called her earlier that day and invited her to join him and Hinata and a few of their other friends out on the town but Sakura was just not feeling up to it. Half an hour later, too much had weighed on her mind and she decided it was time to call it a day. She did a quick file of the majority of her paper work, grabbed her keys, and locked her office door behind her as she left.

As Sakura walked down the long corridor halls, she said a few parting goodbyes to her co-workers, dropped off her reports to the front desk that was located on her floor and finally made her way to the elevator. She allowed herself to let out a sigh once in and opened her phone.

New text message:

'See you tonight. No butts about it!'

Oh Naruto. You never change! Sakura laughed lightly at the knuckle-head and then hit reply. It wouldn't hurt to stop by for a few moments; after all, tomorrow is my day off.

The elevator doors opened to reveal the hospital lobby. "Have a great night Sakura-Chan!" The brunette receptionist waved her hand and Sakura returned with a nod of her head. "See you Monday, Shizune." Sakura had finally exited the hospital and made her way to her silver Honda Civic and pulled off her medical coat. She casually slung it in the back seat and then hoped in the driver's seat. Not but a few seconds later and she was pulling out of the parking lot and towards the club where her friends awaited her.

o0o0o

As she entered through the doors, she scanned the area for her ecstatic blonde friend and his white-eyed girlfriend. She clearly heard his drunken voice above the crowd and slowly made her way to the large round table they were seated at.

"Sakura! Glad you could, uh, glad of you to, uh?" Naruto slurred out as he wrapped an arm around Hinata and laughed.

"We are glad for you to come." Hinata finished her boyfriends' unfinished sentence in a meek voice.

Hinata had made an exceptional change since her and Naruto had started dating. She grew out her hair, changed her wardrobe even and found a bit more confidence in herself. Sakura had noticed the small, but life altering changes in her petite friend and was proud of her.

"I probably won't stay long. I had a rather long day at the office." She laughed a bit and sat down next to Hinata. "Say. Where is everyone else?" Sakura noticed the numerous empty glasses behind and wondered where her other childhood friends had wandered off to.

"Well you know Ino. Probably, well, she is out on the dance floor somewhere or another. I think?" Naruto tapped his chin in thought then shrugged with and abnormally loud laugh. "Waitor-es! Another round over here!" He was waving his arms like mad in the air to get the waitresses attention and Sakura and Hinata both shielded their heads.

"Ah Naruto, that's so rude!" Sakura swatted his arm and turned her attention back to Hinata. "He has over done himself once more!" She shook her head with a smile.

"I know. I hate when he drinks this much, but at least it's not an often occurrence. Besides, how could I possibly tell him no." She laughed along with Sakura and then pointed to the dance floor. "There's Ino now."

And sure enough, there was the platinum blonde, dancing and grinding on Kiba Inuzuka, her man of the hour. She always dressed in a skimpy outfit but she always seemed to pull it off one way or another and actually make it look amazing. Just like her. She can where a trash bag and make it look like it was designed by Miuccia Prada herself. Ino seemed to have spotted Sakura as well and waved madly at her then nodded her head to the very man she was grinding on. "He's a keeper!" She mouthed and went back to dancing.

"Ino and Kiba? Never would have guessed!" Sakura said with a small laugh and looked back at Hinata. "So that explains Ino. What about Shikamaru and Chouji?"

"Oh I know where Chouji is! I'm going to join him at the bar! Food sounds great right about now!" Naruto exclaimed with a cheesy grin. After a quick peck on the lips to his girlfriend, he stumbled his way to the bar. Surprisingly, not a drop was spilt of his drink.

Hinata flushed at the sudden affection in public and turned back to Sakura. "Even after two years he can still regress me back to a blushing school girl." Hinata seemed to be so in thought about her Naruto that Sakura had to snap her fingers to get the Hyuuga to focus on what they were previously talking about. "Shika should be somewhere near the entrance... waiting for... Temari..."

It was certain that the dark headed female had choked out the words, but Sakura wished in all the worlds that she hadn't said the blondes' name in the first place. Don't get her wrong. Sakura loved Temari and Kankuro both, but where ever they were, meant that Gaara wasn't too far behind.

Sakura slid her phone down into her purse then slung it over her shoulder.

"It was great to talk with you Hinata, but it's getting kind of late." Sakura hugged her friend and gave a sheepish yet polite smile. "Call me sometime next week and we will surely spend some more time together!" After a few more parting words later, and a promise to meet up, Hinata rose from her seat to go find Naruto and Sakura was making mad dash to the to the doors she had entered through.

She had indeed spotted Shikamaru with his fiancé, Temari. Not soon after, she passed Kankuro making his way to the dance floor. It didn't seem that he had noticed her thank Kami. Probably too determined to find which girl he will score with tonight. Sakura laughed a bit to herself and then her frown reappeared. If only she could make it out without running into the red-headed male.

Once outside and finally in her car, she let out a shaky breath and grimaced to herself. So this is why Naruto invited her out. He, no doubt, knew Gaara would be visiting. Sakura started her ole civic up and sped off towards home.

o0o0o

Viridian colored eyes followed the pinkette as she quickly made her way to the exit. It seemed as though she had heard that he and his family had arrived and was making her escape. He was all in all thankful that someone had told her, but at the same time, his heart clenched as her form vanished out the club doors.

Gaara ignored the stabbing pain of watching her leave, as he had done for four years now, and crossed the club, following Naruto's obnoxious voice.

My first chapter! Enjoy!

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