The Unexpected, a naruto fanfic

My Disclaimers are that Naruto does not belong to me, since Masashi Kishimoto created it, and the clothing on the characters' backs are not in my possession—mintntea's "Dangerous Seduction" and Samurai-PET's "Black Mamba" do the trick.

A big thanks goes to XUchihaSakuraX for her mad beta-ing skills! (Seriously folks, she did wonders to it.) Happy belated birthday, Noam! x3 Also, if you think that this's worthy enough, please review, and if not…then please review. I need flames to light the fireplace, anyway. xD

.: The Unexpected :.

By ahzheejhei

° ° ° °
There's this place inside me
And I can't quite describe it
Where your fingerprints still rest
Your kisses still l i n g e r
Your whispers softly echo
It's hard to believe, but
Parts of you are a part of me
Forever
° ° ° °

Fixing the beaded necklace securely around her neck and the matching bands on either side of her bare arms; she looked into the mirror, pleased at what she saw.

Flipping brown locks away from her face to apply more make-up, she turned to look at the other women. Each one were doing the same task: getting ready, just like her, in the same 'uniform', but with different colored dresses. How they could even stand wearing something this… this skimpy…was out of her mind!

"Hey, are you ready?"

Her thoughts interrupted, Sakura Haruno turned around and smiled serenely as she slipped on her heels. Doing a last check for any wrinkles and suchon her dress—which, barely made it half past her thigh—she nodded.

"Yes ma'am."

"Then follow me. We have a lot of customers tonight, so don't screw this up. New or not, we have a title to hold."

"Yes ma'am."

She followed the other women to the side door, where her target, among other guests, was waiting in that dark dance floor. The bar's only lights were on the stage and above the bar. The place was obviously packed, as many near-naked ladies were flaunting themselves in front of what seemed like hundreds of men. She noticed one of the prostitutes going into the back room with a more-than eager male, and another woman humping a dance pole in front of a handful of waving ryo.

(Stupid, filthy men, coming her for their, sick, desires… Speaking of which, where is he?)

It was a simple mission: retrieve the stolen documents and kill the thief. Though it had taken Sakura almost a year and a half to find him. The man was found lurking at the edge of Konoha's border, where the 'roughest pubs' (as Naruto put it) were at.

(That idiot should have known better than to hide from us in the very village he betrayed! Then again, Konoha IS pretty big for a village for anyone to go undercover…damn it all!)

It was her job was to kill her ex-boyfriend, Sasuke Uchiha, for stealing private property. However, this mission was more than that. It was personal. That bastard stole her heart.

"Oi, girl in pink! Come over 'ere!"

(A… a girl?! YOU DRUNKEN BASTARD! I AM A WOMAN! ONE WHO CAN KICK YOUR SORRY ASS ANY TIME, ANY DAY! UGH! YOU ARE AS GOOD AS DEAD!)

Twirling around and keeping her anger in check, Sakura fluttered her eyes innocently. With that, Sakura walked towards the group of men who had called for her. Emerald eyes quickly identified, to her dismay, that none of the men would help complete her mission.

…Oh, well! Might as well have some fun!"

Sakura smiled at the man next to her, whose eyes widened at the look of her (partially) exposed cleavage. In a sweet voice, she asked, "How may I help you gentlemen?"

Grinning like the Cheshire Cat, he immediately stood up, only to be pushed back down by the man behind her. An arm wraps protectively around her stomach as a familiar voice warned the lechers coldly, "Don't touch her, or I'll castrate you."

Well, that was rather…unexpected. What was he doing here, anyway?

Cursing inwardly at how close she was to her best friend, and how her mission was interrupted by him, Sakura turned around, feigning surprise. "Naruto-kun, I'm so happy to see you here again! Are we going to play that hide-and-seek game? It is my favorite, you know, darling."

Catching onto her act, the blonde man grinned. "Of course we are. You'll get a nice treat, too! Let's go find a place to play our game, sweetheart." As his sapphire eyes roamed over to the other men, who were in a state of shock, he growled. "She's mine."

Sakura giggled, and walked away with him, clinging onto his orange silk sleeves. When they came out of hearing range from them, Naruto gritted through his teeth, "Sakura-chan, what the hell are you doing here? Didn't I tell you that this is a rough place to drink? Do you know how much I could get in trouble if I let you stay here, let alone WORK?! What would that old hag say to you if she saw you like this?!"

"You idiot, I'm on a mission! You also just interrupted me from bashing their heads!" she retorted, straddling his lap once he sat down. "Do you think I even like doing this? I feel like a whore! And this stupid paper dress is irritating to my skin!"

"Paper?" Naruto tilted his head to the side, hands going to her hips. "They feel like silk to me…Damn, Grandma Tsunade is really good at this paper-using technique, Sakura-chan! Ya think she can teach me how?"

"Thank you, and no, I doubt she will… Speaking of Tsunade-sama, did she send you to check on me?"

Naruto shook his head. He kept shaking his head to the long list of people she had named, until he was getting tired of the motion—his head was starting to get dizzy from saying 'no' all the time. "Nu-uh, your husband did." he grunted, poking the diamond ring on her finger. "Aren't you supposed to take this off?"

"Shut up, I have no pocket and there is NO way I am putting a ring in-between my breasts," Sakura hissed. "What did my husband want, anyway?"

"Told me to look after you while he went on a mission. He said that he'll be back on Saturday, a day after your mission. He wanted me to say to you, 'I'll be happy to see you if your mission goes longer than mine. I'll be able to concentrate on my second love if you aren't home.'"

(YOU SON OF A BITCH! I'M GONNA SHOVE MY KUNAI, MY SHURIKEN, AND YOUR PRECIOUS 'SECOND LOVE' CRAP UP THAT SORRY BEHIND OF YOURS ONCE I GET OUT OF HERE—)

"—you emotionless perverted asshole…" Sakura mumbled aloud, cursing her husband once more as she rested her head on Naruto's shoulder. "Listen Naruto, you have to leave. With you here, you're endangering both of us—on my mission. Hm… Do you think that maybe he's at—"

"And are you sure you can pull this through?" he asked, pulling her head back to meet her eye-to-eye. "I mean, you and Sasuke DO have a history and all…"

"I can, and I will," the pink-haired ninja said, voice ending in determination. "Just go home; I'll be back in Konoha safely before you know it. And do say 'hi' to my godchild for me." Kissing him on the cheek, she slid off of his lap and headed for the light at the bar. Naruto stared at her retreating form, before making his way to the exit door.

Two hours and three bathroom breaks later, the tired-out kunoichi sat alone on a barstool, slowly taking in her third margarita. "I've searched everywhere…just where could he be?"

"Oi, mind if I sit down next to you?" came a deep voice from behind. Without even bothering to look at the person, Sakura nodded, still trying to figure out where she hadn't looked.

"Here's your vodka on the rocks, sir."

"Hn."

Her green eyes widened at the all too familiar reply.

(No… It couldn't be…)

Sakura shook her head. But that response… and that voice… it made her want to look to her right, just to make sure. She mustered all the courage she had in herself, and turned around.

It was him.

They had met each other through Lee, who had been given orders by the Hokage herself to 'show the new kid the ropes around the village'. The attraction and feeling for each other (or so she had thought) had hit off very fast. Sure, it had taken some time to get used to his solitude and the silent communication he kept with her, and he had to get used to her constant nagging and the clinging anxiety harbored with it; but, Sakura still thought that those were the best three years of her life, even if he left her. And then, at the night before her birthday, he gave her the most awful present anyone had ever given her…

For her early twenty-first birthday, Sasuke revealed to her that he was a spy for Konoha's enemy, Otogakure.

No matter what she did or what she said, her so-called boyfriend had no intention to betray his country and come to 'the light'. An intense argument ensued (the yelling mostly done by her), and Sasuke decided that enough was enough. He left her on the bench at the park, unconscious, with the documents he had needed to steal from the first place. She stayed in her apartment, crying for days, as Ino, Hinata, and Tenten comforted (or tried comforting) the disheartened woman.

Eventually, Sakura did move on in her life. She had married someone else that had made her happy, even if she tend to give him more bruises a body could handle…

But, deep in her heart, Sakura knew that no one could ever make her as happy as he made her, no matter who she was tied down to.

Looking at her target once more, she saw that Sasuke still looked as good-looking as ever. Even though his cheeks sullen and very light gray rings appeared underneath his eyes, it made her tremble in pleasure to see his face once more. Sadly, by the looks of it, his nights were just as bad as hers was: almost on the brink of insomnia. Immediately remembering her mission, Sakura turned to him, bathing in the joy and anger bursting inside of her. "It looks like your having a rough night, huh?"

"Hn."

Frowning slightly, she watched him in silence as he downed his third glass of alcohol. From his movements, his passive face, and the glasses that were slowly piling up on him, Sakura knew immediately what had happened to him.

"You're hiding from someone—probably some of your guy friends—because they dragged you from your humble abode to 'have some fun' and loosen you up, thinking you have a severe case of depression… or just to prove that you're gay or something, and you don't like that one bit, do you?" Sakura asked, finishing her analysis. She gave a genuine smile, receiving an onyx-eyed glance and a slightly twitching mouth.

That smile faded immediately after Sasuke went back to his drinking. "You're an annoying whore, do you know that?"

That statement caused several veins to pop in her head. "I am not a whore!" she glared, meeting that smirking look of his. "Some of us are forced into this business, not by choice! You've no right to say that, unless you asked the girl if she wanted to be here in the first place! The women that I've met here are very kind people—only ten out of the twenty-two of us wanted a work that calls for lust."

Other than his eyebrows arching slightly, Sasuke's smirk remained, taking in his fifth glass. "… You're just like her…"

(Who's like me? Don't tell me you found another woman to replace me already!)

As he rubbed his temples in attempt to soothe whatever pain was in his head, she dozed off into her own world, trying to crack that cryptic sentence. She didn't realize that he was looking straight at her, as if trying to decipher her entire being. With her face still filled with confusion, she looked at him eye-to-eye and asked the question out loud. "Who do I remind you of?"

Before he could open his mouth to reply, however, another woman came in-between the two. From her loud voice, crazy hair, and untidy blue dress, Sakura knew that this was the 'Queen of Whores'. The woman straight from hell's horde of bitches… Karin.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun, you came! Did you know it's been a month since you've been here?" Karin squealed, sitting on his lap and ignoring the deathly glare he gave her. Wrapping her arms around his neck (and he remaining stoic), she gave Sakura a long, hard glare. "What're you doing with newbie Miyako?" she asked, sticking her nose up at her. "She's just a kid here! Surely I'm better than her…of course I am, right?"

"We were talking," Sasuke said nonchalantly, looking at Sakura's reddening face…was that embarrassment, or anger?

(HOW ABOUT A LITTLE ONE ON ONE, AND WE'LL SEE WHO'S THE KID AROUND HERE, BITCH!)

Sakura's left eye twitched. Was this woman serious, trying to coax him like that? She, being the ex-girlfriend of him, knew his tastes, and this was definitely his least favorite kind of women, if not hated them to death. Besides, that redheaded chick had no right whatsoever to sit in her Sasuke-kun's lap!

…

Wait, what?

(Well, I guess he isn't mine anymore now, isn't he?)

To Sakura's dismay, her conscious gave her a swift kick in the gut. She should NOT be feeling this way… because she was married. Therefore, the raven-haired betraying bastard was free to go to bed with any other single OR married woman in this blasted planet.

"…and you look so adorable in your matching navy vest and pants! And your white sleeves—I haven't seen any store that sells that! Did your mom make it special just for you, Sasuke-kun?"

(I made it… for your birthday last year, remember? DON'T YOU?!)

Sakura frowned, turning around as she stood up. Her 'colleague' mentioning those clothes, had caused the hole to deepen in her heart. "Karin-san, Sasuke-san. I'll leave you two be." Feigning a smile, she bowed to the 'couple'. "It was very nice talking to you, Sasuke-k…Sasuke-san." Her head now officially crimson from embarrassment and heartbreak, she made her way to the dance floor, the dark shadows engulfing her figure.

"Ugh, finally!" Karin sighed, rolling her crimson eyes and positioning herself on her seat. "Now we can have some quality time together, right Sasuke-kun?" She turned her head back, attempting to get a better look at him.

How did he manage to leave her on top of another man with twelve empty glasses in front of her?! The only thing that came to her mind was that newbie who stole her man away… and the fat guy's lap she was on.

"Wha…You're not Sasuke-kun! WHERE IS THAT LARGE FOREHEADED FREAK?!"

The said woman held back a sneeze as a man from behind grunted, releasing his hold from her as she went over to another spot on the floor. Angry at herself from her scene with Sasuke, Sakura was doing all she could to release the anger and tension locked up inside her, even if it meant 'relieving others from stress', as one of the women had told her. Sakura had said quietly, "What we do on the dance floor… isn't it called 'dry sex'? Che, whatever."

Swaying her hips to the beat of the music, she silently reprimanded herself, cursing her ways of being so much like a blind man. Her feelings had gotten the better of her, and Sakura was very, very disappointed. She knew better than to do that—it was in the book, 'Missions come first before anything else.' That included her friends, her husband, and the ex- who had just insulted the women working here… who really weren't that bad at all. The only one who was the devil's bride, was that one chick with the red head.

(Ugh, now I have to find him AGAIN and re-think of how I'm gonna complete this damn mission… )

Sakura's mind focused back on her undercover duty when she felt two strong hands pull her to the owner's chest. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, ready to grind up against him. Her body froze, however, from the grip he had on her, and the deep, seductive voice she hadn't heard in a long time.

"Miyako…"

Jade eyes fluttered open, and Sakura tilted her head back to get a better view of her new partner. They widened as she welcomed the mass of onyx and blue.

"Sa-Sasuke?"

He smirked. Grazing his hands over her stomach, his head dipped to her ear level, and he whispered in a low voice. "You really aren't a geisha, are you?" The body in front of him froze as he continued to move his hands all over her body, causing the woman to moan. "After all, you did forget to take off that wedding ring of yours. Not to mention you argued rather rudely to a customer."

Turning around so that she could see him, Sakura rolled her hips towards his groin as she nipped his neck, something she had always done to him when they were still together… she wondered if he had picked that up. Either way, it got his attention: he froze as the kunoichi in his arms whispered in his ear, trying to be as seductive as possible.

"How sad, I was found out so easily… just what do you plan to do with this bad girl then, Sasuke-kun?"

She could have sworn that a glint of surprise was in his eyes when she had said his name like that, but he was too fast for her to read his face. Almost immediately, Sasuke had carried Sakura bridal style, making his way down the steps behind the stage, where the hallway light slightly blinded the both of them. With a turn of a key and a twist of a knob, Sakura found herself on the bed, while he locked the door behind him.

(R…rape me? Is THAT what you're gonna do? That's sooo low for you…)

As soon as he clapped his hands, a dim light revealed the peach silk bed and the red carpet floor beneath it. That was as cozy as this room got, however, as the walls were bleak and rocky. Sakura gave a cold grin to the man in front of her, saying, "…Well, isn't this a lovely place to die in…"

"Hn," was Sasuke's reply. "Anyways, kunoichi," he smirked, picking the woman up and securing her into a half-embrace. He took out a gun from behind, aiming it directly at her heart. "Any last loving words for me before I dispose of you?"

"Che, and you don't?" she snorted, pulling out her own mini-gun from between her breasts.

His onyx eyes briefly watched her fluid movements before giving a feral grin. This one wasn't going down without a fight, and even if she did, there was no pleading for mercy. "What about you? I was assigned, after all, to take you down. And when that's done," Sakura pointed to her dress, which had started to tear down the side, "I'll get out of this paper dress and leave like a happy girl."

"But I'm but a gentlemen, Miyako-chan," Sasuke shook his head, grinning bitterly. "Ladies first."

Sakura rolled her eyes, the gun's nozzle pressing into his neck. "You really are a bastard, Sasuke-kun."

"Charming," he sighed, "and my last words to you will be, 'fuck you, bitch'."

At this, the female Jounin smirked, straddling his hips as her mouth came very close to his. "Go right ahead Sasuke Uchiha…"

The brown locks in front of his face had turned to its original color—pink. His obsidian eyes widened at her jade eyes, knowing that in a way, she had won.

"I'm sure you don't mind playing with your 'plaything' one last time, right?"

As quickly as she had said those words, the gun that had originally aimed at her heart had come to hit her in the back of the head. The last sight she saw was the dimming lights and a pained look on Sasuke's face.

Then darkness overcame her, unable to see his mouth form and say three syllables.

"Sakura…"

"…What the fuck?" he muttered, slipping out of his suit and into a black shirt and shorts. "Why the hell did I have to see her again?"

Sasuke leaned against the wooden door, waiting patiently for Sakura to wake up. Right after she had been knocked out, he had carried her out of the club and straight into his hideout: a hidden lair hidden in the mountains, barely reaching the outskirts of Konoha. He set her down unceremoniously onto his bed and took off (or rather, ripped) that paper outfit, revealing her 'action clothes,' as she had once called it. His hands briefly touched her face, before straightening her clothes. Shaking his head, knowing that Sakura would be out for quite awhile, he held out her left hand, examining her ring finger.

The large diamond in the center of sapphire and gold was mocking him in its brilliance under the light. He hated it. The only thing that he hated more than that gold band was the man who had exchanged the vows with her…his cherry blossom.

Punching the floor in agitation, Sasuke cursed the gods for making him fall in love with her. After many years of being anti-social and keeping up the stoic attitude, she just HAD to come along and intertwine her path with his… and make him the happiest he had ever been in his life.

"Ch. Stupid woman, always interfering…" Sasuke muttered, unconsciously smirking at some of his…memories…involving her. His thoughts switched back to the said woman, who was groaning. Rubbing her eyes and rolling over to the side, where she thought an alarm clock would be in an arm's reach, she muttered something incoherent, before whispering hoarsely to herself.

"Damn it all…" she muttered, "did he hide the clock again?"

"I'm afraid that he didn't have to," Sasuke replied coldly. "Took you awhile to wake up, Haruno. Rest well?"

Hearing a harsh and cold tone, her eyes immediately sprang open. The pink haired woman met Sasuke's hardened glaze as she slowly sat up. Neither of them offered to keep up the conversation, before Sakura smiled bitterly and broke the silence.

"Where the hell am I? Why am I not dead yet? Unless this really is hell and God decided to give me a replication of a pompous ass to irritate me forever, then I KNOW I'm screwed."

He gave a feral glare, folding his arms. "Aren't you being feisty today… What's happened to the Sakura who was gentle and calm?"

"She's in rehab right now." Sakura replied coolly, showing him her ring. "Her husband's tending to her… What about Sasuke? What happened to him? Doesn't look like he changed much to me."

He growled, a warning she knew very well to knock it off, but she ignored it. What did she need to be afraid of? She'd done this countless times before! "You don't scare me, Uchiha."

His onyx eyes narrowed. "Uchiha?"

"No, my first name is Sakura, in case you forgot," she replied sarcastically. "And I don't see anyone else with 'jackass-traitor' written on their faces besides yours, so your surname MUST be 'Uchiha.'"

He was about to counter that with a comment on her own forehead, but decided against it. There were other important matters to attend to that involved her. "What's got you so riled up? Does Sasuke-kun need to do something to remedy that anger for you?"

"No, you don't, you never will! For one thing, I'm not your whore OR your girlfriend OR anything else like that, so you can stop with that bullshit of yours!" Sakura replied hotly. "Why are you concerned about my feelings anyway? After all, Sasuke, weren't YOU the one that called me an—"

"—annoying little play-thing. That's what you are."

"You…you don't mean that!"

Sasuke snarled. He had thought that, at the dead of night, he would have left without anyone else noticing. For the first time, he was wrong…but why?

"How did you know I was leaving, anyway?"

The female voice behind him whimpered. "I went to your apartment, but no one was there… so, I searched the rest of town to find you. I thought that something was wrong, but—"

"I'm perfectly fine, Haruno. Well, I was, that was until you had to become nosy and look for me. But I bet that's just genetic—after all, your mother DID try to spy. The foolish woman…she only gave birth to an even more foolish child."

Damnit… Why wouldn't this woman leave already? This was for her own good…HIS own good. Couldn't she see that?

"You haven't even tried to take this suitcase away from me." He held the said item up, the black metallic surface gleaming in the moonlight. "Do you know what they are? No, I bet you don't."

She took a step forward, one hand to reach his shoulder, but hesitated. "Why…?"

Sasuke smirked, folding his arms, as the suitcase dangled in his right hand. "Power."

Her eyes started to water. He, for some reason, didn't enjoy that. He wanted to make sure that she broke. Hard. Not this semi-weakling state.

Another insult came hurling at her face.

"You're a pathetic excuse for a kunoichi."

Jade eyes widened at the sudden cold remark, and he continued, his dark eyes glaring her down with utter hatred. "You were an obstacle, and I overcame it. Nothing more. I am now a step closer to reaching the power that I desire."

He turned around, only to be stopped by a bone-crushing hug.

"You… You can't be serious!" she cried, hugging him tighter when he tried to get away. "Why are you throwing away an opportunity in Konoha to side with an enemy!"

"I AM serious," Sasuke replied, finally yanking her off him. "I have no intention of becoming ANBU in Konoha. Why be a captain of one squad when I'm already the third-in-command in Otogakure, leading over a third of its army?"

Mascara ran down her cheeks, leading to from her eyes down her reddened cheeks. Her hands were fidgeting at the hem of her white nurse's outfit—an obvious sign that she had rushed out of her hospital shift to find him. Something struck his heart, something painful, but he ignored it. This emotion was something not needed… something that would make him weak.

"Sasuke-kun…"

"I never liked you from the start." He proceeded walking down the moonlit road, away from the sleeping town. "So go home, sleep, and report me in the morning. I won't give a damn."

Sasuke quickly turned around—he knew that look she was putting on right now: large, jade eyes with tears mixed with mascara slowly cascading down her cheeks, and those puffy lips, shimmering from that lip gloss she used—

Wait…what?

His thoughts stopped. She was walking towards him now.

Her voice started out low, then escalating to an ear-splitting shriek. "So all those times… those were just for your enjoyment, huh? That's pretty low, Sasuke-kun, even for you. Even NARUTO knows better than to toy with someone's heart. You know what you are? A heartless bastard! Do you hear me? YOU ARE A—"

In one fluid motion, he had appeared behind Sakura, breathing down on her neck. She immediately stopped shouting as he whispered, "If that's true, then I part to you in the words of my brother: if you wish to kill me—"

"Sasuke…!"

"Hate me, detest me, and survive in an unsightly way—"

"Don't leave me!"

"Run. Run and cling to life—"

"SASUKE-KUN!"

He had knocked her unconscious, and carried her to the park bench nearby. He kept telling himself that this thing between him and her was nothing special to him. It was a fling, something that didn't matter to either one of them whatsoever. Therefore, those… concerning thoughts… for her, would fade away, just like his love and adoration for Itachi dissolved when the rest of the Uchiha clan died.

"For you are very, very foolish… Haruno."

In less than a second, snakes came from the ground, encircling Sakura and bringing her down to the cold floor with Sasuke standing over her. She would have retorted, but the feeling of scale on skin was freaking her out at the moment. The only thing that she could settle for was a deathly glare, one that barely, if it even did, affected him. His eyes softened, sitting down on the stone ground next to her, eying the ring.

"Why?" he asked, anger coating the single word.

"Why what, Sasuke?" she snorted, avoiding eye contact. "I can't really tell from one-worded questions."

Sasuke's anger heightened—here he was, trying to start a non-violent conversation with her, and she was trying to piss him off on purpose! She continued pressing his buttons, asking, "Why'd you let me live, anyway? It's not like I'm of any importance to you."

"You're of importance now. Talk."

Sakura rolled her eyes mockingly. "And I suppose both of us surrounded by cold-blooded serpents on the floor is the best place to settle things!"

He stared at her for a full minute, taking in that heated gaze of hers. "You really did forget me… didn't you?" he asked softly, too serious for her to reply with a mocking response.

"That's what you wanted me to do, wasn't it?" she responded in the same tone. "Move on without you, right?"

"No, that wasn't!" Sasuke snapped, and Sakura was forced to see him eye-to-eye.

"Yes, it was… you said that you didn't like me, that I was a mere 'plaything' and an obstacle in YOUR mission. Do you think that I would want to deal with someone like that?" She slowly gained back her voice and the defiance that came with it. "Those few years we had meant NOTHING to you… I meant nothing to you. You could've easily done something good, but you didn't."

"Haruno…"

"You could've told the Hokage of your true intentions, and possibly devise some kind of plan to deceive Orochimaru!"

"Shut up…"

"No, don't tell me to shut up! You know why? YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO, AND I DON'T REALLY GIVE A DAMN IF I DIE! Why? Because you could have had me, but something called 'power' caught your eyes before me."

"Could have?" he asked, not liking those words at all.

She nodded. "Yes, you could have. But you can't, not anymore! So stop being a spoiled brat and suck it up!"

"…"

His eyes broke contact with hers, hiding behind his dark bangs. Knowing that the last statement had caused some kind of fire to burst inside of him, Sakura closed her eyes, waiting for him to end her life.

"Sakura."

For the second time that night, her jade eyes opened immediately by his commanding tone. He was on his hands and knees, hovering above her. The twenty-some snakes slowly dispersed, some intertwining them on their legs. He cupped her cheek with one hand, while the other kept hers from pushing him off. Taking her left hand, he brought the diamond ring in front of them. "What's he to you? Do you really love him? Are you in love with him?"

Seeing that she refused to answer his question, Sasuke squeezed her hand harder. "Didn't you tell me that you should marry someone that you truly love? Answer me! Do you love this guy or not?"

Sakura closed her eyes, afraid of the tears that would fall. "I…I…" What could she say? That she never loved his husband? That, even though he looks after her and treats her as a wife should be treated and she treats him that same way, their marriage was fake? That they married only to support each other in hopes to heal their own hearts? That she was a reminder of the woman who left him, and he was a reminder of the man right before her eyes?

Oh, THAT would certainly work out well.

Either way, even if she had told Sasuke, the answer was obvious. He smirked at the shameful look on her face.

"Tch…that's what I thought."

"But he's better than you, that's for sure. But what do you care?" she sneered quietly. "Remember that night? You said that you hated—"

"I know what I said," he replied, bringing his face closer to hers, his breath causing her hairs on her neck stand on end. "Now, shut up."

Before she could even retort, she felt—instead of scales—his lips hovering over her neck, teeth barely grazing against skin. Inwardly, she shuddered, while trying her best to keep that anger inside her going.

"What the hell are you waiting for, Uchiha? I failed my mission, and you rubbed that fact in my face already, so kill me now; I accept my fucking death already! Won't that make you happy? Make you feel content, seeing my blood prettify that outfit of yours?"

Inwardly, Sakura cursed; she knew that her last statement sealed her fate now. Judging by how he froze on that certain spot on her neck, he was probably thinking of the most painful way to shut her up. She closed her eyes, waiting for the Reaper to come now. The unexpected answer came instead.

"No."

At that single answer, the snakes keeping her down disappeared, slithering into various cracks in the walls. Her eyes opened instantly, while his still remained hidden from her—behind those dark locks of his.

"I CAN'T feel, no matter how many people I kill, or how many women I bring to bed… nothing happens."

And I WANT to feel again, anything… even, if it's only for a little while…

Tugging her hand free from his grasp (which was without much effort), she cupped his chin, trying to get eye contact with him again. Her heart clenched as she saw his lifeless eyes, staring empty back at him.

"I don't hate you. I…" The Uchiha was at a lost of words. He couldn't bring himself to say it. "Tch, whatever."

"Sasuke…"

"Say it already," he said roughly, "You don't love this husband of yours…"

You love me. Only me.

Sakura smiled sadly. "You give and take in this world, and I'm not a genie that can grant all of your wishes. What could I possibly offer to you, anyway?"

"Everything."

"…!"

Sasuke's dark eyes stared intently into hers for a long time, increasing the tension in the atmosphere they were breathing in. He was weighing this night's events, as if to contemplate on his next move. In one fluid movement, he grabbed the back of her head and pulled her into a searing kiss. Tiny voices inside her pink head immediately went off, telling her that she was betraying her village and her husband if she decided to sleep with the traitor.

But she missed this…

She leaned closer and brought her hands to the back of his neck, returning the kiss with as much passion as he. Happy with her response, his hand slowly made its way to the small of her back, while the other firmly grabbed her rear. He picked her up and carried her to the bed, with her straddling his hips. She did not know if it was her or Sasuke that had done it, but someone took it off, and the sound of her wedding ring reaching the floor was loud and clear.

She craved this…

A deep, low rumbling sound came from his throat as she shifted closer, bringing her hips so close to his that there was no way of ignoring his arousal, even with the dark, thick pants. He lowered the both of them, until his back reached the mattress. Immediately, after continuing the war with their tongues, his hands caressed up and down her sides and back, while she played with his hair. She mewled softly, all senses only revolving around him. Just as she was about to move her legs to get her even closer to him, he threw his leg on top of hers, and rolled them over so that she was beneath him.

And he was feeling all this… because of her.

Breaking away from the kiss to breathe, their noses touched as they opened their eyes. I won't be able to stop myself if we continue, his eyes told her, gently stroking her cheek.

Her eyes, glazed over with lust, hardened. Then don't. She whined, initiating the kiss this time, spreading her legs wider in invitation. He pulled away once more, only to whisper hotly in her ear—

"You're asking for it…"

—then pushed his hips hard against hers and took her mouth once more, muffling the moans that came afterward. His lips were soft, almost caressing hers, as she sighed and accepted him. It was a sign to her that he was going to do his best to please her, and hopefully, she would enjoy it. By the noises she was making in his ear, both of them knew that she was.

They were mostly silent throughout the whole time, articles of clothing quickly being stripped away from each other's bodies. His soft whispers of affection in her ears (as she whimpered in his) and heavy breathing from the both of them lingered in the room. All senses became focused on each other, and only them, as he quickly took her lips and eased himself inside of her. He quickened his pace, and her hands quickly reached for his back, legs wrapping around his waist to get closer to him. With a harsh thrust, she broke off as she came first, ending with a small cry, before he buried his face in her neck, a low throaty moan escaping him as he finished.

As soon as Sakura's breath returned to normal, he had sex with her again.

And again.

And again.

When the fifth time came around, she stopped him.

"Please… wait…"

Albeit saddened and annoyed, he complied with her command, and stopped immediately. He gave no sign of moving out of her, even when she shifted. When their breathing returned to normal, and half of his mind returned, Sasuke spoke to break the silence.

"Sakura…" he murmured against her cheek.

"I need to know… Did you feel, Sasuke-kun? Did you feel what you wanted to feel?"

Sasuke's face remained emotionless as he moved back, far enough to see her face. Her makeup was smudged—some of her pink locks found their way to her lips, which he brushed away.

He answered with a single question. "Why?"

She smiled, playing with the hair that stuck on his forehead. "Because, Sasuke-kun… I wanted to help you."

The slightly dumbfounded expression on her made her giggle, before she softly added, "…and I love you."

Love.

She didn't do it out of pity.

She loved him.

He felt her love for him.

The smirk on his lips as he kissed her and the way he started moving again proved how happy he was in return. This time, she didn't stop him.

As an hour passed after she had slept, Sasuke had reluctantly gotten up and dressed himself and Sakura. Slipping the ring back on her finger, he picked her up. He was going to bring her back to Konoha, where she belonged.

"I can't believe that you did all this just to look for me…how annoying."

Wrapping a blanket around her sleeping frame, Sasuke kissed her forehead and placed a thick manila folder on her lap. He smiled faintly, forgetting to tell her that he never did give the information Orochimaru wanted… that snake man had been taken care of right after he had left Konoha and reached Otogakure's gates. He had been on the run ever since, keeping those documents and himself away from the avenger—Kabuto—and the rest of the Sound village.

Hearing some yelling ahead, Sasuke gave a last glance at Sakura before fleeing the scene. Maybe… just maybe… after the last of Orochimaru's avengers were long gone, he would be able to return to this happy town (if they would let him, that is).

She would be the one to do everything in their power to make the Hokage and the rest of the citizens to forgive him.

When he would be out of line, she would be the one to beat him up to a pulp when necessary—the only one that was brave enough to do so, anyway.

She would be the one that would comfort and protect him, and he would do the same.

She WOULD be the one to stay by his side…forever.

"…Thank you, Sakura…"

When the pink-haired kunoichi finally awoke, she found herself inside the blinding lights and smells of what she least expected. She was in a hospital room? What happened to that room? And what about the snakes? Did he… was she…

"Am I… is this Konoha?" she asked aloud.

"Hehe, believe it, Sakura-chan!" shrieked an all too-familiar voice. She winced as an orange-and-yellow blur came through the door and gave her a bear hug. "You're safe, Sakura-chan! Some ANBU on patrol found you lying unconscious on the park bench near the Gates after this huge bang shook the city!"

Of course… leave it to Naruto to be enthusiastic when she just woke up. Sakura yawned, still tired (and sore) from last night's events. She ignored most of his explanations, trying to piece together what had happened while she slept, until her best friend mentioned how she was found. "…you were wrapped with a smelly blanket and a folder on your lap. They said that there were weird bruises all over your neck, too…"

"…bruises?" She didn't recall getting into a fight with anyone, so where could she have gotten hurt? As her fingers timidly traced over her neck and collarbone, where she faintly registered a mark or two, the pink-haired medic knew immediately where they came from… or rather, who had done it.

(SASUKE, YOU BASTARD! The next time I get my hands on you, I swear I'll—)

"Sakura."

Both teammates looked up, seeing a concerned Tsunade staring solemnly at Sakura. Naruto gulped and inwardly prayed as she spoke to her student, "How're you feeling?"

"Fine, shishou. I'm just a little tired, that's all…" Sakura responded truthfully, raking her fingers through her hair. She brought her knees closer to her chest, taking the blanket with her as the Hokage sat at the end of the bed.

"Well, enough to tell us who brought you back to us?"

Sakura's figure tensed, then relaxed at Naruto's hug from the side. "Neh, baa-chan," he interrupted, trying to keep her from shaking so much… was she really that cold? "Maybe you should wait 'til—"

Her blonde pigtails flew to the side, and her hazel eyes hardened, giving the blonde Jounin the sign that, if he wanted to live to see another bowl of ramen, he should keep quiet or get out immediately. Turning to Sakura, she asked in her most professional tone, "What happened?"

Sakura frowned, shaking her head in shame while trying to hide the blush that was growing in her cheeks. Breathing slowly, she answered, "It was a failure. It became complicated, and things got out of hand."

There. A white lie. Nothing could go wrong, just as long as the Godaime did not ask…

"Such as?"

"…"

When the unexpected happens, you must always have a 'PLAN B' right behind the original idea. Improvising on the spot means you are taking one hell of a gamble with Fate…