Author's Notes:

1. This is a first half, or a set-up for a lemon. My goal was to write the best Naruto/Sakura lemon fanfic of all time, or at least a decent one. Basically this is the lemon portion of a bigger action/adventure I'd like to do. I'm not sure I will but I at least wanted to get the Naruto/Sakura portion out of the way to see if I can do that. This is ultimately just a fluffy, lovey interlude I wanted to do because I love the Naruto/Sakura pairing. I can't promise I will do the big action/adventure. And I wouldn't even start posting unless it's actually finished. Because that way I know everyone would get to read it from start to finish. I personally hate it when promising fan fictions start, get good, and then just die. And I hate how other writers on here say it's their pet peeves and then perpetrate it themselves.

2. My major inspirations for this are Desaix and "Training for The Job", Sharingank and her lovely Naruto/Sakura fanfics. Also Dave-d and his fantastic fanfics as well.

3. I lifted/appropriated some J. Michael Stracynski in here, please do NOT sue me, I am very destitute! J. Michael Stracynski did a lot of crap to Spider-man, but he does write some good Peter/MJ moments from time to time, see if you can spot which one.

4. I also lifted a few lines from Evangelion Re-take ALSO NOT MINE PLEASE DO NOT SUE ME. I really thought the love confession in that one was perfect so I kind of wanted to do that with Naruto/Sakura.

5. To give you some timeline on this, I'd set it about two years after the current Naruto on-going manga continuity. The Sasuke/Orochimaru issue has already been solved. How? Not totally sure yet. But basically, my vision of Sasuke is not a totally irredeemable and evil asshole. I love that "Hands of Destiny" (another great Naruto/Sakura fic) accomplishes this.

DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable Naruto characters, settings, etc. are the property of Masashi Kishimoto and Shueisha Inc. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.

It was late at night in the Konoha Hopsital in the shinobi wing. In one particular room, the jounin ninja of the Konoha village, Naruto Uzumaki, sat on his bed. Naruto was deep in thought, sitting back against the head-board. He stared down at his bandaged hand and then made it into a fist.

Dammit. Still sore from the last fight. I need to heal up quicker. I have to be ready for the final battle . . . Will I be able to face him? Crap. This really sucks.

Naruto felt so uncertain. It's a feeling that he hates. He felt that a greater force is controlling events, like something was about to be swallow him up and he could do nothing to stop it. Naruto was actually getting ready to leave, perhaps to go to the fields for some late night training, against doctor's or should he say a certain baa-chan's orders. It was then that Naruto was slightly startled by a noise, the door to his room opened. Naruto was surprised it wasn't the late-shift nurse coming to check on him.

Naruto quickly stood up, "Sakura-chan!"

Sakura Haruno, the pink-haired jounin and medical ninja of Konoha. As well as the Fifth Hokage's apprentice entered the room. She was wearing her usual ensemble, short black pants and her red vest/tank top. She was actually looking very downtrodden, the bangs of her hair covering her eyes. It made Naruto very nervous. He'd sometimes see a look like this on her, when she was disappointed, when she was angry and perhaps about to pummel him, or when she was thinking about him.

Naruto instantly tried to act cheerful, "Hey Sakura-chan, are you coming to check up on me? Gomen, you probably want to be sleeping now or something, ahehehe." Naruto rubbed the back of his head and laughed nervously. He couldn't overcome the cold feeling he felt in the room.

"You can stop that you know." Sakura said, eerily calm.

Naruto looked slightly surprised then looked down, "Gomen."

"Stop it!" Sakura said harshly.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, confused.

"Stop apologizing dammit! It pisses me off hearing you apologize all the time for things that aren't your fault!" Sakura then looked up, there were tears in her reddened eyes, and they were streaming down her beautiful face. The sight broke Naruto's heart.

"Sakura-chan, the last thing I'd ever want is to make you sad, Gomen—" Naruto was about to say before he was promptly cut off and expecting to be pummeled.

"BAKA!" Sakura screamed. She then promptly tackled Naruto. She bear-hugged and glomped onto him causing the dumb-founded Naruto to crash into the thin cushions of his hospital bed. This was certainly not a reaction he was expecting.

Sakura was helplessly sobbing into his chest, her tears soaking his shirt. Naruto wasn't quite sure what to do with his arms and slowly and gently put them to Sakura's back. He made slow and small circles trying to sooth her emotions.

"Hey, hey. Don't be this way, it really hurts me to see you like this, c'mon whatever it is, tell me. We're supposed to be teammates, right? Tell me what's bothering you."

The words struck Sakura and suddenly the tears stopped. She looked up at Naruto, a very strange and pensive look. She then promptly got up and turned around away from Naruto. Naruto was somewhat disappointed losing the warmth and feeling of Sakura in his arms. It was a very new and surprising feeling he enjoyed, even though Sakura was upset. He desired the ability to comfort her.

"Naruto . . ." Sakura was having a hard time speaking, but she knew now was the time. Naruto had sat up on the bed and was paying strict attention to Sakura. She had to speak now; it could be her only chance.

"Naruto . . . do you . . . do you love me?" There she said it. Even though it was just a few simple words, Sakura felt like she had just gotten through the forest of death.

Naruto was nearly paralyzed by her words. If you were to hear the main thoughts going through his head, they would most likely sound like, "Crap in a hat, believe it."

He again tried to improvise and act goofy, "Well yeah! Who wouldn't! You're amazing, smart, a great ninja, and—"

"You know what I mean Naruto! Answer the question dammit." Sakura had now turned around to face him. Her eyes were set and determined. Sakura was being more grave and serious than she ever was before.

Naruto understood. And there was no avoiding it anymore. How often had he longed to hear Sakura ask him this, just not quite in these circumstances. He looked down.

"Hai. I love you. I love you more than anything in this world. I long for your happiness over everything else. Your smile, it . . . it makes me want to be stronger, so I can see you happy and make you smile all the time." Naruto said the words almost as if by instinct, like they were second nature to him.

Sakura walked slowly over to Naruto, looking pensive once again. Naruto didn't know what to make of it. He started scooting back on his bed, away from what he wasn't sure, maybe Sakura. She raised her arms and set them on his shoulders. Naruto was blushing like mad.

"Look Sakura-chan, let's call it a night you seem pretty--"

Sakura figured the easiest way of shutting up his big, loud, and obnoxious mouth would be covering it with her own, which is exactly what she did. She joined her lips with Naruto, and it suddenly confirmed all her emotions and erased all her doubts. She knew this was where she needed to be.

Naruto was once again incredulous about this. His eyes were wide open and were ready to bulge out of his sockets. If you could hear his thoughts again it would be something like this:

"Holy fucking crap in a fucking hat! Ramen! Crap in a hat! Fucking ramen! BELIEVE IT!" What did you expect? This is Naruto Uzumaki we are talking about.

"I found a better use for that mouth of yours, now." Sakura said, she had broken the kiss and had a mischievous smile on her face. Naruto was still blushing furiously and was kind of scared, despite the situation.

"Sakura-chan, what's—" Naruto was once again cut off. Sakura put a finger over his lips.

"Shh, what did I tell you? This mouth is now to be used for kissing me." She said. Sakura was slightly blushing as well. Her look suddenly turned serious again.

"You love me, do you promise?"

"Hai, I do."

"Naruto . . . you're mine."

Naruto's eyes widened again. He could hardly believe this.

"From now on, you're mine from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet, not even one hair is anyone else's." Sakura said it as if it were the absolute truth. She put her arms around Naruto and hugged him. Feeling a little catty again, she whispered into his ear, "If you cheat on me, I'll kill you. If you even touch another woman I'll kill you. No come to think of it, I'll kill you if you even talk with another woman." Once again, Sakura's tone sounded like the absolute truth.

Naruto himself was in utter disbelief, so he decided to test this situation. Yeah this was a dream, and he was going to wake up from it at any minute. So this next deal would be no problem, he'd wake up and get some ramen at Ichiraku, drool ramen, Naruto thought.

"Well what if I wanted to talk with or hug Tsunade-no-baa-chan, she hugs me sometimes you know, and even other times, kisses me on the forehead—OW!" Sakura in his ramblings had bit him a little hard on his earlobe. Yup this was real all right, and Naruto definitely wasn't dreaming.

"Test me again, and next time it will be a more sensitive part than your ear," Sakura said with complete candor.

"Hai! From now on I'll only talk with you Sakura-chan!" Naruto quickly let out in a nervous flash.

"Baka, don't make promises you can't keep," Sakura said smiling, "Then me too, from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet . . . every single bit of me, without anything left out . . . I'll become yours Naruto."

"Sakura-chan . . ." Naruto said in utter awe of her words as he began to sweat a little.

"Shh, Naruto. From now on please call me just Sakura, ne?"

Naruto actually looked a little hurt and pouted at this. "But I like Sakura-chan!" Sakura in response simply leaned over and started kissing on his earlobe where she had bit him.

"Just Sakura", she whispered again and then blew on her bite mark. The shivers sent down Naruto's spine could've caused an earthquake if he wasn't careful.

Sakura leaned into Naruto's mouth once again, she cupped his face and kissed him, this time she used her tongue and licked around his lips, coaxing Naruto's own and they battled in an aggressive tongue war. The blood in Naruto's head was starting to head south. Sakura took note and could feel the hardness of his erection growing in his lap against her body, she honestly didn't mind the feeling and enjoyed it.

Sakura knew this was their chance, this was their night, so she whispered, "Naruto . . . make love to me tonight . . .please . . . make me yours."

Naruto suddenly stopped. He gently put his hands on Sakura's shoulders and broke the kiss. Pushing her away. Naruto got up and turned, looking out the window.

Sakura was confused and disappointed by this, but in a way she understood. She waited patiently, she knew that Naruto would explain this to her.

Naruto once again turned around and moved toward the door, "C'mon I'll walk you home before it's too late--"

It was time for Sakura to try a more direct approach; she grabbed his arm and hand. "No."

Uh-oh, Naruto was in a bit of a bind now, "No . . .?"

"Not tonight," Sakura confirmed her answer, "Naruto . . . I think it's time, don't you?"

Naruto slumped his shoulders in defeat, something was bothering him and he was in some distress. Sakura instantly wanted to help him quell that.

"Sigh. Sakura-ch--Sakura, I would want nothing more than for us to make love tonight. It's just . . . I want it to be right. That's what you deserve, more than (Naruto spread out his arms representing the room) this. No distractions, not when I'm tired and injured, not with-with-with Naruto had trouble stating Orochimaru this hanging over us, or--"

"And will there ever be a day when that happens?" Sakura said while grasping onto Naruto's hand.

During all of Naruto's rambling, it came to Sakura, so that's what it is. He's still a clueless idiot. But he's a noble, clueless idiot, that's why I love him. Well I'll show him.

"Naruto, I am here for you. I . . . I love you. For everything you are, for everything you think you aren't. Distracted or not, tired or not, injured or not, in danger or not, you're still the man I love. You're my lover. And the dearest thing in the world to me," Sakura said this while gently cupping her hands over the whisker marks over Naruto's face.

Naruto was in complete and utter awe of her confession, he was totally at her mercy. Sakura then moved so that her whole body was touching Naruto's, her firm breasts were pressing against his chest through their clothes. The closeness itself was making Naruto very tense.

"Let me prove it," Sakura said as she leaned in to kiss Naruto's open mouth, it was a long, slow and passionate kiss. It broke and they looked into each other's eyes. Naruto saw her love and passion shining through, and Sakura saw the same, then they went together for another kiss and this time Naruto grasped Sakura to her, putting his arms around her fit and athletic body, and Sakura put her arms around Naruto's neck and shoulders, wanting to be as close as possible to him, not wanting to be away from him ever again.

Sakura sneakily maneuvered them back toward the bed where she gently shoved Naruto down on it, promising quickly that she would return. She went over to the door to his room. Closing and locking it. She performed a few simple seals and touched her hand to the door. They would have complete privacy tonight, no pervert would try to come in and do research or take notes on their special night.

Naruto leaned up on his elbows, he was clearly nervous, "Are you sure this is ok, Sakura?"

Sakura walked over to Naruto and eased down on him, hugging him and snuggling into his strong and muscular body, she leaned up to his ear again, "I really need you tonight, ne?" Naruto gulped, how many times had he dreamed of this happening, it was almost surreal, and he felt like he was about to explode.

Sakura covered his face in butterfly kisses, focusing especially on the whisker marks on his face. Sakura's kisses were so tender and soft, like she was taking special care in putting as much love into each one, showing Naruto that she loved all of him, jinchuuriki or no.

Sakura whispered into Naruto's ear, "Naruto, tonight . . . you're all mine."

End of chapter 1.

Well that's what I have to start with. Please read and reply/review what have you. I'd always like to see some feedback.