Fidelity
By Crystal Aurora
(Do not own Naruto, credits goes to its rightful owner)
Chapter I
Their Story
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A warm summer breeze gently ruffled Sakura's pink locks. As she slowly walks into the busy market place, enjoying her rare day off from the hectic life as Konoha's head medic, many heads are turned to watch the pink haired beauty.
She was the pride of Konohagakure as many labeled. With her ranking as ANBU, and apprentice of the Godaime, she was well known and well loved among the village for her caring nature and medic skills. The passersbys gave her warm greetings as the medic nin walked towards one of the fruit stands. She smiled back at them. She always did.
After the betrayal of her teammate, Sakura was thrown in a chaotic mess. Her protected little world fell apart. She cried for weeks, months! But one day, she finally realized no matter how many tears she shed, nothing's going to bring him back. So she did the only thing she could, she let go.
Now, Sakura refuses to think she is lying to herself. After being told by a certain someone after she confessed, she was being untruthful to herself; she made sure the same mistakes weren't repeated. But no one can wait forever, and even though Sakura admits a small part of her still mourns for him, she refuses to be the weak little kunoichi that needed to be protected.
She became a medic nin and got to where she is today, and won't let anything distract her from fulfilling her goal to protect her precious people. Sakura put a shell around her. She wanted this, she needed this! To finally be able to be rid of her hurt and sorrow and continue to move on with life.
So she smiled. She masked all her pain and suffering, so no one else could see what she was silently going through. She smiled. She smiled when she overheard her friends going on missions with their old gennin team. She smiled when she stumbles through the door at the crack of dawn once again after another long shift at the hospital. Most of all, she smiled when her mind drifted to that forbidden land of what could have been.
"How much for this?" Sakura asked the vendor gesturing to her basket filled with apples. "Ah, Sakura-san, nothing for you! How can I charge you when you saved my little Mikano-chan from the brink of death just last week? Please, take this as a small show of my gratitude!" It was no use for Sakura to argue with this insistent man, and she accepted before thanking the vendor and giving him another one of her soft smiles.
A pair of large, warm hands covered her eyes. "Guess who Sakura-chan?" a male voice said from behind her. Sakura could not detect his chakra signature since it was perfectly masked, and she smiled wistfully as she notes just how far the male has come.
Sakura reached for the hands still covering her eyes and lifted them off; a smile graced her face as she stared into the lively, cerulean eyes of the blonde. "Naruto, you're to be Tsunade-shishou's successor in just a few months! You shouldn't be acting so childish!" Sakura tried hard to look serious, but whatever facade she put up always broke when she was with Naruto.
"Aww, Sakura-chan! You know I can never be all cold and proper like those elders want me to be when I'm with you! I do love you, you know."
Sakura's smile dropped and suddenly her emerald orbs hardened as she gazed at the blonde. Don't do this to me, she pleaded. Please, not now.
Naruto seemed to understand her silent message, as he quickly caught himself, rubbing the back of his head foolishly. "Uh, I- I m- meant as a friend, my precious person I've sworn to protect." Naruto stuttered trying to catch himself. "Now come and get some ramen with me Sakura-chan, my treat. I haven't had ramen in a month since Tsunade baa-chan assigned me that mission in Suna."
Sakura felt her heart swell just to have the blonde back as she slowly stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck. "I missed you, welcome back."
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Life is cruel, isn't it?
Just when everything's put together again, it all comes crashing down.
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It was on a warm and sunny day when Sasuke finally made his decision. For weeks, he planned and planned. Sleepless nights torture him, and his parents faces as well as Itachi's haunts him the moment he closes his eyes.
But this only strengthens his will, and fuels the anger that's been burning inside of him for years. He has to do this, and when he sets his mind on something, it will be done.
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But people never seem to know what they truly want do they?
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The meek rays of sunlight peeks through the blinds and Sakura slowly lifts her head from her slouched position over her desk. She blinks once, twice, and three times before finally realizing the sudden light came from outside. It was morning, and she fell asleep in the hospital again.
She stretches her arms behind her and yawns before her eyes fell on the thick stack of reports before her. The pink haired medic groaned at the seemingly endless amount of paperwork before her. Sakura was utterly exhausted. Her entire body was sore, and her head throbbed with every breath she took. She can't remember the last time she fell asleep in her own bed, the hospital seemed to always call her back the moment she gets a break. Death doesn't take vacations she mumbled to herself with a dry chuckle.
Sakura pushes herself off of her desk and stumbles towards the door. She felt disgusting and was in desperate need of a shower. As she opens the door, a massive headache overtakes her and as Sakura clutch her head in agony, whatever strength she had left leaves, and she falls face first onto the cold floor.
Except, the impact doesn't come. Emerald orbs flutter open, and Sakura takes in the image of Naruto staring back at her with a look of concern on his face. Sakura suddenly realized her head was still resting on the blonde's broad chest and she hurriedly stands, muttering words of thanks to Naruto.
"Sakura-chan, this is the third time this week I've found you like this. Just how hard are they working you?"
"We're still greatly understaffed, and being the head medic, there seems to be endless work to be done." Sakura confessed. "Didn't you say you've been training a batch of medic-nins for months now? Couldn't they start working at the hospital and easing your work load?"
"They are, but the major healings and surgeries still have to be done by me." Sakura sighed, gazing up at Naruto. "You always seem to find me when I'm most vulnerable." Naruto laughed, and it was like music to her ears. "Sakura-chan, you're one of my most precious people and I've promised to protect you no matter what, you should know that by now."
Sakura smiled, and leaned towards him more as he gently wrapped his arm around her. She didn't even realize they were already outside. The morning breeze felt so good against her face, and she wished that the whole world could just stay like this. No more worries of having to bloody your hands once again, when ironically; you saved lives with those same hands the very morning.
But Sakura has been in the shinobi business for too long to believe in such thoughts. She chose this herself, and there was no turning back. A soft nudge from Naruto brought her back to reality, as she turns towards him.
"Sakura, I need to tell you something," the seriousness in his voice puts Sakura on full alert. "Ever since I first saw you, I've always-
A poof of smoke appeared, and before them stood a masked ANBU. "Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto, you have been requested in the Hokage office for a mission." And just like that, he was gone. Sakura once again turns her attention towards Naruto. "Now what was it you were going to tell me?"
He shakes his head, and says "It was nothing important anyway Sakura-chan." The blonde suddenly takes off leaving a trail of dust behind him as he hollers back, "Race you to the Hokage office Sakura-chan!"
"That, baka!" But Sakura can't help smiling as she chases after him.
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But how long can this last?
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And so the story begins, the tale of a team torn apart, trying to find their happy ending in a world struck with tragedy.
-author note-
This is my new story that's mainly focused on Sakura. I wrote this story because of the lack of love triangle fics between Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto, so I decided to try writing my own.
Also, I wanted to test out my new writing style, so tell me what you think! I haven't decided on the end pairing yet, so please let me know in your review, and I will eventually set up a poll for you all to vote.
Until next time,
-Aurora