A/N: I know, I know. I should be concentrating on my other ONGOING for WAY TOO LONG stories. But, I just couldn't resist with this one. It was written in 2009, when I was 12. Edited and proof-read by the 16-year-old me. :) Enjoy.

Disclaimer: NARUTO is not, and never will be mine. But, it does belong to my boyfriend, Masa-kun~! Hehe, just kidding. .

Introduction

Think Back Eighteen Years Ago, My Love...

Her white teeth raked over her plump lower lip, she exhaled in resignation,

"I accept." She stated simply, willing herself to suppress the emotions that coursed through her soul. Surprise and relief played along the features of the blonde Gondaime.

It was a situation of duty. It was a choice between her village or her happiness. If she had declined, her happiness would stay, but it could also mean the grief of thousands. She chose the thousands.

"Sakura...Do you know what you're doing? This is a life decision. There's no turning back." The amber-eyed woman asked seriously, her hands clasped together, elbows on the desk. She didn't like this anymore than the young woman opposite her did. But she knew the consequences if she didn't do this. This was a hard call, but it if it wasn't done, things could get harder.

"I understand, Shishou." She dipped her head. Her entire life would change because of those two words she had mustered out.

"I accept."

She had accepted to be bound. She had accepted to relocate from where she had been born, raised and lived. She had accepted leaving her friends, family and...love for the sake of her Village. She had accepted releasing her freedom. She had accepted the changing of her complete life, whole being for the sake of her people. And she had accepted these for as long as she will live.

"Very well, Sakura. You will go to Suna to wed tomorrow. Kakashi will escort you there." Tsunade stood up from her seat, watching the conflicting emotions that passed through the eyes of her young student. Her brave, young student.

"Yes, Shishou..." She replied, her voice void of her usual luster. It was true, this was a hard decision. A very hard one.

"Well, you're dismissed. You should go and pack up for your trip." Tsunade suggested, patting her on the shoulder.

She looked up into her master's eyes, "...Alright." Sakura stood up slowly and she nearly stumbled back when another wave of intense sentiment hit her powerfully. A steady flow of tears rushed from her heavy, emerald eyes as she realized the full consequential weight of this mission. Tsunade sighed and pulled her smaller disciple to her, encasing in her in warm, loving arms. She had practically raised this little girl into the fine, young woman she had become. It probably broke her more than anything to be the one to ask so much of this 17-year-old girl.

"I'm proud of you, Sakura. So proud." Tsunade managed out, blinking away the tears, "You've done well, and you'll do well on this mission, too..." She wouldn't cry. For Sakura and for herself. She wouldn't. She offered a weak smile, gently prying the hiccoughing girl away from her.

"Now, you go and make Konoha proud, Haruno Sakura!" The blonde grinned, wiping the girl's tears with her thumb.

Sakura returned the smile, walking over to the door, "Yes, Shishou!" The pink-haired kunoichi responded over her shoulder.

She would make Konoha proud. Tsunade knew it.

She rolled up her magenta dresses and neatly placed them in the drawstring bag. Tightening and tying the bag, she imagined tying up the rest of her life and throwing it into the place called the past, where it could never be retrieved again. With that thought and a heavy sigh, Sakura left to the kitchen.

The young woman reached for a glass on the cupboard just above her reach. She stretched and went on her tip-toes, her fingers merely brushing against the transparent glass. She growled, cursing her height, as she tried again, yet in vain.

"Need some assistant, Haruno?" A sonorous, dark and all too masculine voice rang in her ears. She turned and was met with the well-known porcelain mask of an eagle.

Without so much as a shudder, Sakura chuckled half-heartedly,"Yes, please." She took a step back to give the ANBU captain room to take the glass. He plucked two cups out from the shelf and placed them on the counter-top with a soft clink. She filled the two glass tumblers with water from the fridge and passed it on to the young Hyuuga, who had slipped his mask behind his head, showing off his striking features. His long umber locks spilled down his face, damp from running, riming his strong jaw. The youth's argent orbs, glistened in the dim lighting of the kitchenette. Silence settled around them comfortably.

Sakura put down the empty cup and left to her room. She brought the drawstring bag out from her room into the living room, plopping it on the couch. Neji watched as she did. Where was she going? She never went anywhere once he came back from missions. But, he remained quiet and observed her shifty movements.

Sakura fussed around her living room, thinking about her situation more than anything in particular. How would she explain to her boyfriend she was getting married? She knew had too. Things were already complicated enough, and it could get worse if she waited any longer. Before she could open her mouth, she felt his breath on her neck, his large hands gently squeezing her waist, "The Gondaime has given me two days off, since I've completed the mission successfully and none of my members are wounded. Till then," He pressed a heated kiss on the girl's neck, "I'm free."

She sighed, all of her wanted a night together with Neji, but all of her knew she couldn't. She had to tell him. His fingers fumbled with the zip of her shirt as he sent a heated trail of kisses down her neck to shoulder. Sakura turned around and caught his hand from going any further, "Stop." She said simply. He frowned, confused, but ceded - letting his hands drop to his side.

"I'm leaving for a mission tomorrow." She looked down.

"That's not a good enough excuse, Haruno..." He replied, reaching for her waist again.

She shook her head, gripping his wrists firmly,"No, Neji. This is different."

"How so?" He just let his fingers travel around her flawless cheeks. She allowed him to. But, it made her feelings worse. She felt like her insides were being stirred like a thick soup, splashing around in sickening motion.

"I'm being relocated." She stated.

He stopped his hands, his expression turning to stone, "Where?"

"Suna..."

"I'll visit you." He responded easily, his deep voice kind and promising.

"You can't." She continued, her emerald depth flashing with grief.

He quirked a brow, then brought his hands to her arms, stroking them gently,"I will, I'll talk to the Hokage. I'm sure she'll permit me to-"

"I'm getting married." She cut him off. Her voice emotionless, not knowing what feeling to add into those painful words.

Those words were meant to be blasted out in joy to her best friends and family, they were meant to be received with girly squeals and bone-crushing hugs. Now they only seemed like the three most cursed words in the world.

He let the words sink in. Married? And it wasn't him. It was a mission. That would mean-

"Neji, you-" She lifted her hand, seeing his more than apparent displeasure and hurt. Without another sound, he leaped out the open window behind her.

"Neji, wait! Stop!" She called, following behind him, knowing exactly where he was going. She landed on the top of a roof, seeing him pause. The Hyuuga's muscled back faced her. His fist clenched by his side, his back heaving up and down steadily with every shallow breath he took.

"Who?" She heard his voice, it was soaking in pure anger and she could see her lover's wrath floating around his tall being.

"The Kazekage." She answered. That red-headed youth. The one they had rescued from the Akatsuki? He clenched his jaw.

Damn that Hokage. Damn it, Damn it.

"Why did you agree to it?" He questioned. He knew already. But he had to hear from her. It was every Ninja's answer.

"For Konoha. For peace. For order."

Konoha could go to hell. Peace and order could be cursed at that moment.

"What about us?" He choked out, squeezing back the stinging tears. Every emotion he had been trained, conditioned to hold back seemed to beg to be released now. She was ordered to marry someone from another land, and he could do nothing about it. It was duty. It was needed. But right now he couldn't care if the 5th Ninja War came out, all he needed was Sakura by his side.

He turned and saw her crying motionlessly. It dawned on him that she was going through just as much pain as he was. She loved him, and, at that point, that's all he needed for acceptance to seem gently intp his breaking heart.

"I'm sorry," She placed her hand on the towering youth's cheek, "I'm not allowed to love you," With a stretch of her neck, she planted a chaste kiss on his now wet cheek. Sakura let her trembling hand linger on his face, her slender fingers curled around his brown locks that framed his presently miserable face, "But I always will..." Her already frail voice cracking.

He hauled her into a rough hug, flushing his body against hers. She sobbed into his ANBU armor, clenching the the back on his shirt in her small fist. "I know..." He held her around the shoulders, not releasing, not tightening, not softening. Just knowing she was there was enough for him. His chin resting on her pink crown,

"I know..."

Sooo...Whaddaya think? Lemme know if it's worth posting the next chapter!