Sakura woke up to the sterile white walls and ceiling of her new room. Well it wasn't new per say, she'd bought this place a few weeks ago but hadn't had the will or time to paint or unpack the boxes that were stacked up in the corner of her bedroom. She didn't even have a proper bed, just a mattress on the floor in the middle of the room.

Grabbing the blanket from her body, Sakura stood from her make shift bed and headed to the shower. Quickly stripping herself, she stepped under the water and sighed. The hot water did wonders for her aching body. Ever since her break up with Minato last month, she had been working double shifts as often as she could, just to keep busy. Her life outside Minato and work was non-existent. All of her friends were in relationships, married or busy trying to make to make a name for themselves with taking endless missions.

'Even Ino-pig is busy these days.' She smiled half heartedly as she thought about her best friend with her huge belly. 'She's do any day now.' That was her last thought before she finished up her shower and retreated back to her room. Sakura shivered slightly from the cold. She always did prefer to air dry. Thankfully it wasn't too cold in her little apartment and her body adjusted quickly. She looked down at the boxes in front of her and grabbed the one that was labeled CLOTHES, which was only one that was opened.

"Man… I really need to make time to unpack and fully settle into this place." She sighed to herself before grabbing and outfit for the day and walking back into the bathroom, dressing and brushing her teeth. All she had to do now was take a comb to the mass of tangled pick tresses that was her hair. 'My favorite part of the morning!' She thought bitterly as she raked the comb through the waist length strawberry hair. Taking a glance at herself in the mirror, she nodded in approval. Her outfit for the day consisted of a sea foam green, form fitting t- shirt and her usual short black tights. Throwing on her black calf high nin boot and white coat, the pinkette headed to work.

The entire day went by so quickly. It was well after 1 in the morning and Sakura was exhausted. She had pulled another double. She was on her way to clock out for the day before a nurse with short black hair and came running up to her, clip board in hand.

"Sakura-sama! I'm glad I caught you before you went home. There's a woman here that is demanding you assistance. We keep sending in staff to help her but she keeps turning them away. She said that she won't allow anyone to check her beside you. Would you mind seeing her before you leave for the night."

'God damn it! I was so close to my bed…' God, she could roll her eyes right now but she held that action back and forced a smile on her face. Even though she was known for her temper, throwing a tantrum right not now would not get her home right now.

"I'll do it but you are buying me lunch tomorrow. A favor for a favor, right Shiki-san?" The nurse gave nervous smile and nodded hesitantly.

"S-sure Sakura-sama. Its room 213." Sakura nodded and headed to the direction of the room. A small part of her felt a bit guilty messing with the woman. It was just a spur of the moment thing that she would forget all about by tomorrow.

Sakura reached the room in a few moments and she could not believe what she was seeing as she rounded the corner to see last patient for the night. Low and behold, the only man she ever loved had been there. Sitting on the hospital bed, hunched over slightly with his hand clutching the lower left side of his torso which had been stained in blood. His beautiful face was twisted in pain slightly; clearly the wound must have been extremely painful.

Sakura almost ran to him, she wanted to but the site before her made her freeze in place. He was not alone. She' was there. Her, that woman. That beautiful red headed woman that had brought all Sakura's insecurities to the surface with one glance.

"Kushina." Sakura whispered.

Kushina stood in front of Minato, her forehead pressed against his and hands running threw his hair soothingly. Sakura's heart tightened painfully in her chest as she continued to gaze at the couple, unable to pull her away from the scene. She turned around quickly and put her back against the wall near the entrance of the room they were currently occupying. Closing her eyes, she willed the tears that were on the brink of pouring down her face away.

'So it was true all along. He really did love her.' Despair ran through her tiny form, shaking her frail body. 'It ok, I can face this. I can handle this.' Taking in one long shaky breath, Sakura wiped away the single tear that had escaped and plastered a mask of indifference on her before pushing off the wall and entering the room.

"Ahem." Sakura cleared her throat to announce her presence. Kushina jolted away from Minato, a light blush covering her cheeks as she ran the few shorts steps towards her.

"Sakura we need your help!"

'We…?'

Her mood dampened more if possible, though her mask only faltered for a moment. She nodded and pulled herself together. Sakura rushed to Minato side, Kushina hot on her heels and carefully helped him lay flat on the bed, much to his discomfort.

The pink hair konoichi poured her chakra into his body to assess the damage done. She grimaced at the results. Something wasn't right. Her assessment told her that he only had a few scratches, one shallow gash that needed to be stitched. Nothing life threatening at all. No serious injuries to speak of. There's certainly no reason for the Minato she knew to be in so much pain for something so superficial. Why was he in so much pain?

"Minato, can you tell me what exactly happen?" Her soft voice sounded blissful to his ears. He savored the sound. It had been an entire month since she had left him. A month since he had last seen her, heard the sweet sound of her voice. He almost sighed in content.

"Minato-kun!" Kushina yelled in a pleading voice behind the medic, breaking his focus on Sakura's words that had been playing on repeat in his head. He gritted his teeth in annoyance. Opening up one cerulean eye to peep at Sakura, she almost gasped, forgetting how beautiful his eyes were. When their eyes met, the air was stolen from his lungs. She was every bit as breath taking as she was a month ago, though there was a bit of sadness in the lovely eyes of hers but that's was to be expected. It was what he wanted 'Else I wouldn't have allowed Kushina to be here.' and he had been pleased to see it there. It made her look more beautiful to him in this moment. He gave a slight smile to her and Kushina mirrored it, not knowing it wasn't meant for her. Sakura on the other had casted her gazed away from him and repeated her question.

"Minato, can you tell me what happened to you? W-what is causing you so much pain?"

He made a move to sit up but winced and returned to the position on his back. Alarmed, Kushina moved past the pink haired nin to grab his hand and squeezed it gently then turned to the doctor.

"Sakura! Please just help him. Can't you see he's in too much pain to talk?" She pleaded.

Could she see he was in too much pain? 'Its just that something doesn't feel right. Even Obito, his student, being as dramatic as he is, would so much as shed a tear over something like this. So why would his sensei, a grown man I might add, be whining over something like this?' she thought to herself. Turning her head to the woman that look like she was close to tears, she nodded.

"Gomen, Kushina. I'll get to work right away. But I'll need you to step out of the room." Kushina gave a questioning look before Sakura continued.

"He is my patient, now. I'll have to remove his clothing to stitch up the wounds on his abdomen and assess any other injuries he may have since he is unable to speak. You can not be in the room for such things. It is against his right to privacy." Of course that didn't sit too well with the red head. 'Why would it?! I don't even want to do it! I can't imagine having and ex girlfriend examine my current boyfriend's body. Urgh… this is so awkward. I want to just disappear!'Sakura wanted to pull her hair out from the roots at this moment but resisted. Kushina hesitated for a moment, looking between Minato and his ex before nodding and leaving the room all.

As soon as she left, Sakura turned to grab a few ointments and supplies from the cabinets at the far end of the room. She hadn't noticed the presence behind her until it was too late. Muscular arms encircled her body, pinning her arms that held the items she had gather to her chest. She gasped and turned her head to the side only to catch a glimpse of blonde hair. She struggled in his hold and before she could open her mouth to yell at him, his face pressed against the junction of her neck that connected it to her shoulder and he deeply inhaled. That action alone stilled her. 'What the hell was he doing?!'

"Sakura…" He drew out the syllables of her name as if it were so pleasurable to just have that word pass his lips. "I've missed you so much. How could you have left me for so long?" He asked in an almost pitiful voice and her nuzzled her neck and pulled her closer. He sounded so very hurt that she forgot the current situation at hand and relaxed in his hold.

"I've missed you too. But we are broken up. You shouldn't be holding on to me this way." She said softly before transferring the items in her arms to one hand and using the other to gently tug his arms from her body. However, he only squeezed her that much tighter to him. He had really missed this woman. He was truly lonely without her. No one to hold at night, no one to cook him warm meal, no beautiful smile to welcome him home from a long mission. The world seemed to be a bland place without her at his side.

"You said you just needed space. I gave that you. It's been a month, Saki. Come back home. Come back to me. I've done nothing wrong that would warrant you leaving this long so why did you?" His voice was pleading. But that is exactly what brought Sakura back to reality. Because she couldn't answer that question, she knew he was right. She turned in his arms, a difficult task do to how tightly he was holding onto her. Looking into his longing blue eyes, she gave a sad smile before shaking her head and completely changing the subject.

"Minato, you faked your injuries to come here didn't you?" He looked away from her and a small part of her wanted to giggle at the childish look on his face. He noted sorely that she didn't use the nickname she always called him by but didn't mention anything. 'I knew it! Our Minato is too strong to show pain at such a small cut.'

"I didn't fake them. I just… may have over reacted about the pain. I am hurt though." He lift his shirt up over his head to show the gash on his side. She would have blushed had it not been for her medic nature taking over.

"Let go of me and go lie down so I can clean and patch you up." The look on her face was determined and he knew they would not get back to the last conversation until this was out of the way. Dropping his hold on her, he sighed and stepped back and went to lie down on the flat hospital bed.

It took only 6 minutes to thoroughly clean and stitch up the wound. The whole time, Minato stared at her, very unnervingly she might add. It was hard to ignore but she did the best she could to do so. Placing a gauze and surgical tape to hold it in place over the wound, she smiled at her handy work.

Taking a step back as he sat up and put on his shirt, she said "You're all set. Next time let Kushina patch you up. This was very simple work, I'm positive that even Ino could do this." He easily translated the meaning in her words. Don't come back here and bother her unless he was dying. He frowned, she was clearly scolding him.

"I wouldn't have to resort to such tactics if you would stop avoiding me and come home." He scowled at her.

"That is not my home anymore. We've been broken up for weeks now. I've have my own home now. You have to accept that. I don't know why you don't just ask Kushina to move in with you. I'm sure she'd be more than happy for the proposition." She whispered the last part bitterly before turning to leave, heading straight for the door. As soon her hand reached for the door knob, it was quickly pulled back and pinned to the wall along with the rest of her body. The pinkette stared up at the blonde towering over her tiny form.

"What did you just say?" His voice sounded so cold, so wrong. It frightened her.

"W-well you're with K-Kushina now so you don't need me." She said while looking down at her shoes. It was hard to keep her cool while talking to him like this. She had never seen him look angry, especially not with her. He wasn't even angry when she broke up with him. His eyes darkened at her statement.

"You really think so, huh, Saki?" His tone sent shivers down her spine. Sakura opened her mouth to defend herself when he crashed his lips onto hers, delving his tongue in to mouth and muffling her scream of surprise. He was rough in the way he took her lips, dominating her tongue instantly and she went limp in his hold. Her Minato never kissed her this way before. Anytime he had kissed her it was always gently and sweet, nothing like this. Sakura tried to turn her head from him but he would not allow it. She was struggling in his arms but he refused to let up and she was losing oxygen quickly. 'I can't breathe! I can't breathe!' She squeezed her eyes shut, tears brimming the corners.

Minato pulled back and leaned his head against her shoulder as they both panted and gasps for air. His hands slid from hers and chose to encircle her waist instead, pulling her trembling body to him. Sakura was way too confused to think and was in too much pain. Her chest burned from the oxygen deprived of her just seconds ago. It was as if she couldn't get enough air into her lungs fast enough.

Once her breathing started to even out and she could form rational thoughts, all she could think was 'I need to get away from him…'

The yellow flash nuzzled her neck line and breathed in her sent of wild strawberries. "I missed this. I miss holding you like this. Kushina… Kushina is not the woman I want at my side." He reassured her.

"If my action's now have not proven that to you then tell me what it is that you need me to do so that I can show you. Just say it. You can ask anything of me. Anything and I'll do it. Because I love you more than you can ever imagine, Saki." He was pleading with her again, she knew that.

Sakura turned her head away from the shoulder that he was occupying. She would not listen to him tell her the things he thought she wanted to hear. No matter how much her heart desperately wanted to. No. She was no fool. Minato raised his head from her shoulder to look at her face. But she would not meet his gaze and it troubled him greatly. She was refusing him again.

"Saki, don't turn away from me." He gently grasped her chin and pulled her face to look at him. Her lips were slightly bruised from their kiss. Her small flesh color lips were now bright pink and swollen. Looking up to him, their eyes locked and for a moment, she saw all the emotions he had trouble containing, running through those beautiful blue eyes his. Love, desperation, hurt, and something else that she could not quite decipher. She almost softened at what she saw.

"Minato, let go of me. I have to go home." She said sternly, forcing all her confusing emotions away from her voice. He hesitated for a moment, giving her room to change her words but it never happened so he let his arms fall to his sides and turn to walk away from her. Sakura held back the urge to sigh in relief when he walked back to the hospital bed. It looked like he was retrieving another article of clothing but then again; she didn't really care to stay. Minato had given her the shock of her life with his behavior tonight and all she wanted to do was go home and scrub the memory from her head.

Quickly opening the door to exit the room, she stepped out and speed walked to her office to gather her belongings. In the distance, she heard Kushina's relieved voice float over to her ears but she kept moving.