Disclaimer: This isn't canon, is it? Then obviously I don't own Naruto.

Dedication: I said I would dedicate this story to the first person to review the final chapter of Soul-Mirror, so here it is~! As a matter of fact, it's actually someone I know in real life. To you, Angela! Don't freak just because it's short.

Note: This challenge is one I've had in my head ever since I bought Carrie Underwood's album Carnival Ride, so I'm finally getting around to doing it. It's a very simple challenge in its own way, I think: just use each song as a theme for a chapter in a congruent, singular story. ^^ The songs/chapters can be in any order you like, so that makes it easier~ Hope you enjoy!

Carnival Ride

20FacesChizu

1~ Just a Dream

The sunlight was streaming through the window again. By the directory, she was fairly sure that she'd already slept away half the day, but it didn't really matter. She could hear her lover stirring in the bathroom; he was probably taking a shower after his morning training. He'd inherited a new team of Genin last month, and their training was just as wonky as the days when her team had made their debut. Nestled in the crisp sheets, she didn't want to think about moving yet. Behind her, the mattress dipped as he slipped up behind her.

"Sakura, it's nearly one in the afternoon. Didn't you promise Ino that you would come and confirm the wedding bouquet in half an hour?" She pouted, and rolled over, looking up into Kakashi's maskless face.

"Killjoy." He smiled gently.

"What is second only to the lives of comrades?"

"I get it, I get it." She shot a hand out from under the covers, grabbing his shoulder and hauling herself up. "Promises, right?"

Planting a sweet kiss on his lips and ambling across the room, Sakura rummaged through her drawers, emerging with a somewhat wrinkled t-shirt and pair of khaki mini-shorts that seemed to have been forced upon her by some outside influence. She certainly couldn't remember purchasing them herself. Strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind.

"Don't walk around like that."

"Like what?" She was being obtuse on purpose. Her state of complete undress was under no circumstances uncomfortable; she rather liked the fact that she could tease him like this. There wasn't a single reason for her to be ashamed of her body, and they both knew it. His hands dipped down and cradled her hips gently, and he placed a light kiss on the nape of her neck.

"Don't be late."

"I don't want to hear that from you." He helped her fasten her bra, which was quickly covered by the oversized shirt that was possibly Naruto's. There was no telling how it ended up in his sweetheart's things, but it didn't bother him. "Are you leaving?"

"I received a special request from an old friend. Instead of a bachelor's party, they wanted to drag me on one last mission to tempt fate." Sakura shot her old sensei a dirty look over her shoulder as she slipped the shorts over her long legs. "Don't worry, it's not like they're really anticipating anything."

His eye was crinkling in the old, familiar way, though a civilian-style patch covered the Sharingan for the moment. She wrapped her arms around his neck without a second thought, and his arms returned to their designated place at her waist.

It'd been two years. Two years ago, if not a little more, that she's really fallen for him. Right after letting everything concerning any Uchiha go. And it'd taken her those two-and-then-some years to get him to this place. Just a little… she didn't want him to go on this mission. It felt unlucky.

"If you're late, I won't forgive you."

"The wedding is in four days. I'll be back in three, I promise."

"Don't forget that." She pulled back and looked at him critically, unconsciously pouting. "Just… just don't get in a hurry and mistakenly put the promise before your life, okay? It'd make me feel guilty if you got careless and something happened."

"Do you really think I'd get that careless?"

A wry little smile quirked the corners of her mouth. His lips brushed softly over hers, and then in a moment, as if his closeness had only been an illusion, he was sitting casually on the windowsill while pulling up his mask. With a glance back over his shoulder, a single, slate-gray eye smiled at her lovingly.

"I promise I'll come back on time and make you my bride, Sakura."

"You're absolutely sure about these roses? I mean, they're very you, forehead, but I honestly thought you'd go for something less traditional, since you're such a freak."

Even if her language was harsh, Yamanaka Ino was genuinely Haruno Sakura's best friend. No really, she was. Sakura held the rose up to her face, taking in its light, sweet scent along with its pale, parchment-yellow petals that were edged in a deep, vivid pink.

"This is definitely the one. I don't know what you'd want to put with it, but these are my colors. Besides, you're the maid of honor, remember? I picked soft yellow because it would look good on you. Once Shikamaru sees you dressed up and looking like an angel, maybe he'll take the hint and propose~."

Ino couldn't seem to make her self spit out any more insults. Her childhood friend was all smiles and happiness, and it was too rare to spoil. If she'd been hyper there would've been no stopping evil words (mostly out of jealousy). But with the sweet, quiet thing going on… it would've been a little bit like bullying Hinata. It would only serve to make her feel so guilty that she couldn't stand it later.

She was in charge on designing the bouquet and all manner of flowery-arrangement-ness, just as Tenten was managing all party favors and the guest list, and Hinata was handling the dresses. It wasn't a really big thing… but Sakura was a medic. Medics make lots of friends. Sakura makes twice as many friends as normal medics. So…

Well, yeah, it was actually kind of big for a shinobi wedding, but that was okay. It only served to make things more fun.

The sketchpad in her hand was nearly full, all of bouquet designs and notes. The one she was working on for this marital malarkey was designed with the Baby Romantica rose as its focal point, and accented by a soft-looking variety of ivy and slightly off-season plum blossoms. It was definitely a deviation from the normal bouquet, but that was fine; it was like Sakura.

Sakura who had refused to see any cherry blossoms at her wedding. The moment she said that, all those present had unsuccessfully stifled a chorus of snickers.

"Is Kakashi-san with his new team?" the blonde asked idly, tapping her pencil against the paper. She couldn't decide if the way she had it was fine, or if it needed something else.

"No. Apparently, some old friend asked him to come on one last 'mission to tempt fate' as he put it." Ino glanced up at her friend who was now examining a glass case full of climbing flowers. She appeared to be admiring a half-closed morning glory, but the unconscious purse of her lips told the florist that she wasn't exactly happy with it, even if she was trying to sound fine. "He promised to be back the day before the wedding, so it should be fine."

"Sakura, if you're going to worry, worry. You do realize that worrying is the bride's, a.k.a. your, job, right? I'm going to say he'll be just fine. He's still in his prime, and a shinobi of his caliber just refuses to be killed, y'know? But still. Don't just stand over there and grit your teeth without saying anything." Her pencil resumed its deliberate marking as she tried adding a few wisteria around the edge of the bouquet. After a second she decided that didn't look right either, and erased it. Sakura was quiet for a while, simply wandering around the shop idly. When she stopped in front of the door, getting ready to leave, she responded at last.

"I know he'll be fine. But I don't like to worry."

"Sakura-chan~!"

Naruto waved at her from down the street, and without thinking twice, she grabbed Hinata's arm, refusing to let the girl escape. The blush was already turning her face beet red, mind you, but their relationship would just never progress if she didn't take some initiative.

"Going for ramen?" she asked when they got closer. As always, Ichiraku Ramen was the one place one could always look to find Naruto, and if not personally, via information. The blonde nodded vigorously.

"Stay and eat with me! The old man said it was his treat today! Hinata, you should stay too. You look like you're about to collapse. Did you skip breakfast or something?"

Sakura was biting back a snicker. Hinata was blushing so badly that she didn't even bother to speak, because all that would've come out would be a futile stammer. Naruto, naïve as always, pulled the barstools out for the ladies, helping them politely into their seats. Sakura wanted to laugh even more as he comically bowed before plopping down next to the quiet heiress. The medic dearly hoped her friend wouldn't have a nosebleed just from the proximity they shared; but she was threatening to turn purple as it was, so all that could be done was to cross her fingers.

Amazing how she, not Ino, had become the "Konoha Twelve" matchmaker. Neji and Tenten started going out after she accidently-on-purpose drugged him with an aphrodisiac, got her drunk, and locked both of them in an empty hospital room in the comatose section. Shikamaru finally got the guts to ask Ino out after she handcuffed her to a tree, and him to her ankles, and left them there overnight. Naturally Ino had read her the Riot Act for like… three days afterwards… but then she was too happy to let the rough treatment bother her. Apparently Shikamaru had talents other than his impossibly high IQ that Ino had no intention of letting anyone else experience.

Hinata and Naruto stole glances at Sakura out of the corner of their eyes. She was grinning maniacally, and staring off into space. Neither said anything. It was… yes, it was probably better to leave her like that.

Two days flew by. Ino was constantly bugging her about "those damn tacky roses," and Hinata was worrying over her measurements every single day. Tenten, thankfully, seemed to be the most together; that didn't mean she didn't forget and confirm the guest list three times a day, when she'd already done the same thing the day before.

The apartment she lived in was decorated lightly; the living room was done in soft, varying shades of blue, accented with cream and dark brown. Of course, that room was currently buried under mountains of paperwork and books, which she was slowly clearing, filing, and shelving. This was the place Kakashi had bought for them to live together; though he spent most of his time here, he still had his own place. She'd moved in early… to redecorate.

Distractedly, her eyes stared at the ceiling fan.

It moved the air around; the windows were open, but there was only a light draft. It was already getting on the warm side, even if it was only the tail end of April. The scent of blossoming trees was drifting on the breeze. The air was light and sweet; easy to breathe.

Her mind was wandering. The night before he'd gone on this mission, Kakashi had stayed the night, and held her gently while she fell asleep, stroking her hair so softly that she wasn't sure when he stopped, or if he ever had. Holding her while she fell asleep… that was the most he ever touched her. In his reserved, adult way of thinking, if something were to happen to him before they were married and she got pregnant, things would be too difficult for her. He used that as his excuse, and she wanted to throttle him just as much as she wanted to hug the stuffing out of him, because in its own way, it was super sweet.

She was already imagining, and wishing he would walk back into their apartment right this minute. He was supposed to be back today; he did promise. Suddenly, the wish to fling her self into his arms was overwhelming, to the point where it felt like she would cry, and her heart would burst open. Sakura shoved the books and folders out of her lap, throwing open the bay windows that overlooked the street.

She needed air.

She wanted him.

"SAKURA!"

Ino's screech accompanied the front door banging open, and in a matter of minutes the comfortable, and previously quiet, apartment was in an absolute uproar.

She had apparently fallen asleep on the windowsill. How careless.

Before her brain was even in gear, Ino was shoving her clothes and all into a freezing cold shower. Sakura slowly poked her head out from behind the curtain, hair dripping on the wooden floor pathetically as she shot her friend a baleful glare.

"Ino, put out your hands. Now."

As if she couldn't care less, the blonde complied. A few moments later, she was burdened down with a pile of soaking wet clothing. Sakura stuck her head out again.

"I need a robe and underwear. Until I am clean and dressed, no one is to enter this bathroom."

The knobs properly adjusted, the water slowly warmed up to a comfortable temperature. It was still a few minutes before she was really awake, but as she thoughtfully scrubbed her hair, she started thinking properly. Stepping out onto the cold linoleum served to bring her the rest of the way to her senses.

When she walked into her bedroom, a pair of frilly, deep blue underwear she didn't recognize (she was already pinning a mental Ino-voodoo-doll to a tree) sat rather innocently next to her wedding dress on her bed, the white silk shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight that was pouring through the window.

Somehow, when she started putting it on, it felt like a miracle had happened.

The kimono sleeves slipped over her arms softly, barely rustling, and the short skirt swept around her knees so lightly it felt like nothing but air. Her feet slipped into a delicate pair of shoes that were embroidered with soft yellow lilies and pale green vines. When she looked in her dresser mirror, just a little, she didn't really recognize herself.

A commotion in the living room was what brought her out of her reverie. Hearing a male voice (one that wasn't Kakashi's, she was absolutely sure) made her curious as to what was going on. She snuck out the door and down the hall, pausing silently just around the corner in case her husband-to-be really was there and just hadn't said anything.

"I'm telling you, I have to speak to Sakura-san! This is imperative, Yamanaka-san; I was sent here directly by Shizune-sama!" Izumo protested, his voice strained with urgency and something she didn't want to identify.

"Definitely not. The bride is busy, y'got it?"

"It's okay, Ino. If Shizune-san sent him, I'll see him."

When Sakura stepped around the corner, the room went silent for a moment. Izumo stepped forward, his only visible brown eye showing that, if at all, he hadn't wanted to meet her like this. Pain. Almost, tears.

"Sakura-san, I'm so sorry… Kakashi-senpai… is dead."

She was wearing a wedding dress to a funeral. She hadn't had the strength to change.

The sun was shining so brightly, like all the flowers in the world would bloom, all wrongs would be made right, and sadness was a myth.

She wished it would rain. Then no one would know she was crying.

AN: Carnival Ride is FINALLY up!! *spazz* I actually posted this on the wrong account first. Tehe. *hits self* I hope ya'll enjoy my newest chapter story, Naruto fans! I even wrote ahead this time so that you wouldn't have to wait so long for the next update. XP

DON'T FORGET TO R&R~!