(Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies. I only own the story plot. Not the characters.)

Thousand Days to Rust

Chapter One: Just Two People

Part One: Undoings

It had been exactly one thousand days. Two years, and two hundred and seventy days since an Uchiha had stepped foot into Konoha. Sasuke trudged forward slowly towards the gate which was straight ahead. His fingers, almost hesitantly slid out from the long sleeves of his Sound Ninja uniform and gripped the steel grid woven between each door like structure. It's been a while. He admitted softly to himself. A gust of wind blew up around him, shifting his raven hair in new directions in which they weren't accustomed. Inhaling he pushed his legs forward at a steady pace preparing for the future he never thought he'd have and leaving his past behind him...

"Hokage-sama, news from the Sand." Tsunade glanced up at the young ANBU in front of her. Work, work, work. That's all I hear about these days. Where's the fun in that? She sighed quietly, raising another glass of sake, her seventh this morning, to her lips.

"Well? Spit it out Ryu." The ANBU hesitated before opening his mouth to speak, "I don't have all day."

"Kazekage-sama-"

"Gaara." Tsunade supplied.

"Yes, told that he and others heard yelling, and witnessed the background lights of an explosion. The day after they cited this a team of Shinobi was sent out to investigate the area." Ryu suddenly stopped his story. The sannin rapped her nails loudly against her desk top causing small cracks to appear due to her inhuman strength.

"You're making me ancy, finish already I've got mountains of work waiting for me, not to mention hospital rounds to complete so if you could speed things up that would be fantastic."

"The...they found...erm..the Hidden Sound Village has been destroyed. By whom they aren't sure yet. No one was left alive. They even...found Orochimaru's corpse." A devistating silence passed between them, "Hokage-sama? What are your orders?" But her eyes were glued to the doorway, where she saw someone she never again expected to see.

"My apologies Tsunade for coming so unannounced." Sasuke made a deep bow and made his way towards her.

"Stop! Stop where you are!"

"Ryu, leave us."

"Ma'am?"

"I said leave us!" She remarked glaring at neither of the two in front of her.

"As you wish." He closed the door when it was slowly opened again. Both the last Uchiha, and Sannin looked at who was disturbing them.

"Oh, hello Ryu. I didn't see you there." A soprano voice chimed from the hallway.

"Miss. Sakura, I'm sorry I-"

"Just Sakura please. I'm not so big on the formalities. Good to see you." With her last word slipping past her lips, the rosette kunoichi entered the room, gracefully closing the door. Under her arm were a stack of files, medical, he assumed.

"Sakura."

"Tsunade-shishou I-...Sasuke?" Her arm dropped and a pale hand flew to her mouth. Her eyes widened as her folders came crashing down. "I..um..when did you-"

"Hn." He smirked, "It's nice to see you as well Sakura." The jounin turned to her master in hopes that it wasn't him.

"Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke has just arrived in town and as you know the old family compound hasn't been ready for living in, in years so he will stay with you for the time being, and until the mansion can be renovated, and restored. Dismissed."

"Hai...shishou." The tone of her apprentices voice was heart wrenching. She knew how this must be killing her, but she was a ninja and needed to learn to act accordingly.

"Good. You're relieved of your duty at the hospital until further notice. That means I do not want to see you within one hundred yards of a scalple understand?"

"Hai."

"Wonderful. Have a nice time you two. Dismissed." Sakura opened the door and sped down the hallway faster than she ever imagined possible. Shishou did not just tell me that Sasuke-kun will be staying with me. After all this time? It...it's cruel. Surely she must know how I still feel.

"Sakura!" She picked up her eyes to see Genma calling her. She smiled her best and ran to him. When at arms length, he swept her up into his arms, and spun her around. "So how is my hime today?"

"I'm doing wonderful now."

"Are you free for lunch?" Her smile faded quickly and she shook her head, "Why the long face. You're much prettier when you smile. Smile for me hime?" Sakura lifted a corner of her mouth to curl upward and looked at him, "That still isn't a smile. Allow me." He leaned forward a bit and pressed his lips to hers. His lips were warm and inviting, against her cold ones. Soon enough she was returning his kiss fully. "Now where's my reward?" Sakura blushed an, in Genma's opinion, adorable shade of scarlet and gave a sheepish grin. "Perfect. Now what's wrong?"

"Sasuke's back." That was all that needed to be said. Genma set her down slowly and wrapped his arms around her fragile form. She sobbed endlessly into his shirt.

"Breathe Sakura." She sucked in oxygen, and almost felt like she would choke on it. "Sak. calm down. Sakura look at me." Their eyes made contact and he steadied her body by placing a hand on either side of her face. "We will get through this. Together. Like always. I will never leave you." Footsteps echoed down the hall taking Genma's attention away from Sakura.

"Shinari."

"Uchiha, I didn't know you were still welcome here." The ANBU members voice cut like ice as his arms tightened around the girl..no woman that he loved.

"Neither did I." Sasuke replied keeping his focus on Sakura. It's like he wants to say something...but..can't.

"Genma, mind yourself." Sakura spoke quietly, though they all could hear her. "I will see you tonight for dinner." She planted a kiss on his forehead, and turned to face Sasuke, "Shall we? I'd like you to get settled in before supper."

"Yes. I would like that." A full sentence? HOLY CROW!! Inner Sakura cheered, causing a soft smile to recipricate on outer Sak's face. "Goodbye Genma-san." Sakura waved and began to lead Sasuke toward her flat.

"What is your relationship with Shinari?" Sasuke's question errupted something inside the pink haired woman that she couldn't name.

"We are..good friends. We've been dating for a while, but I'm not ready to date him exclusively. To be completely honest..I'm scared." She didn't know why she had the urge to tell him all this. But it seemed that once he got her started, she was like the energizer bunny, she kept going and going. "He's never done anything to harm me. And he seems genuine, but..there's something that...doesn't fit. You know?" Sakura chanced a gaze at his face, and much to her surprise he was staring back at her.

"Sakura." Her name rolled off his lips with a fluidity unknown to either ever before. He took a step towards her, outstretching his hand to gently sooth her. Soft skin contacted his calloused skin as it became his undoing. Her lips pressed against his in a passionate movement.

"I'm sorry. I...shouldn't have done that." She admitted immeadiatly regretting her actions.

"It was simply.."

"A mistake" They repeated in unison. "We're almost there. It's not far at all from here." A blush still present on her face, but a true blend with her hair.

Part Two: Dinner Drama

"Sasuke!" It was Sakuras voice that called him from his quarters. He stepped out of the room she had offered him and leaned over the railing. From there he could clearly see her manuvering around in the kitchen. She knew what she was doing in there, her movments were connected and purposeful. Pouring, stirring, adding, testing, no matter what it was he had the utmost faith she could do it flawlessly. He silently walked down the stairs and slipped into the room behind her. When his chest was mere inches away from her ...

"Did you call me?" Her shoulders tensed, showing that he had managed to catch her by surprise, Mission accomplished.

"A..as a matter of fact I did. Genma," Sasuke had a weakening suspision that he was not going to enjoy this evening in the slightest, "Is going to be here in an hour. Could you help me with the food? I'm so lost on how to do this one recipe."

"So you want me to cook it I'm guessing?" Her cheeks tinted a bit, but she nodded. "That's alot of assuming that I can cook."

"Well, you lived alone for a while so I just...hoped that you could."

"You're in luck Haruno. Where's that recipe?" The pair worked with each other in the room, and were soon settling the different bowels and platters on the table.

"Thank you Sasuke-ku..." She stopped herself as the suffix almost slipped out.

"It's alright Sakura." He whispered. "I'm gonna go shower quickly."

"O..ok." His black shirt disappeared up the stairs and the door sounded toward her front. "Coming!" She yelled. Exhaling slowly she opened the door to come face to face with Genma. "Genma?"

"Yeah?" He swayed slightly but entered the flat. It was then she understood why he seemed different.

"You smell of alchohal..badly. You're drunk, and I need you to leave."

"Aww, c'mon Sak. I ain't sssooo drunk." He moved towards her and she stepped back.

"You know my policy. You're drunk as hell, get out!" From behind his door, Sasuke could hear screaming from downstairs.

"Sakura?"

"Sasuke!" Her voice was soft, and tired. Sakura. Was his only thought, racing down the steps he saw a passed out Genma on the sofa and Sakura cowering in the oposite corner. She outsretched her arms to him, hot tears staining her cheeks.

"Sakura." He murmured quietly, stepping towards her. His hands met hers and Sasuke pulled his old team mate into his arms. "What happened?"

"He..he was drunk. And..I told him to leave, b-but he came in anyways." Her sobs increased, "And he pushed me into the wa-wall and then he just fell onto the couch."

"Do you want to go to sleep? Shower maybe?"

"What about him?"

"I'll take care of it."

"You won't leave will you?" Something in Sakura's tone made his heart skip a beat. Seeing her in such distress kept him wanting to make her smile again.

"No Sakura, I won't leave." She pulled away from him, and taking a last glance at Genma, climbed the staircase into her room. Now, what to do with this idiot. Sasuke crouched down to the mans level as he was creasing his eyes open.

"You're lucky Sakura's here or you'd be dead already. You better watch who you step on Shinari. I'll be watching." Were the last sentences that registered into the drunken mans ears before he slipped into unconciousness once more.

Part Three: Whiskey Lullaby

FLASHBACK:

"Hikari!"

"Kyo, quiet down before you wake Sakura." A small girl loomed on the stairs watching the scene in front of her unfold. "You're drunk again. Go sleep it off."

"I'm not drunk." You could smell the whiskey from his breath as he approached Hikari.

"Get away from me! You need to sober up."

"I already told you I'M NOT DRUNNK!!" His hand flew across her face leaving a red area, that started to swell. Jade eyes brimming with tears the little girl ran from the stairs to her mothers side, clutching at her legs.

"Mommy!"

"Sakura, go back to sleep darling."

"Mo-mom...Mommy." She sobbed against the maroon kimono.

"Get her back to bed, we have things to do Hikari." With that Kyo entered the master bedroom shutting the door behind him.

"Sakura, I want you to go back upstairs into Mommy's room and listen to my jewlery box. You remember the one right?" A smile decked the childs face, and she nodded enthusiastically. "Good girl. I'll be up soon okay? And Sakura, I love you darling."

"I love you more Mommy."

"Oh yeah?" The woman teased collecting her daughter into her arms, "How much?"

"Like...like..this much." Stretching her arms out she smiled.

"Really?"

"Mhm."

"Well I love you this much." Hikari started to tickle little Sakura's sides causing giggles from both mother and child. "Now get upstairs Sakura. Goodnight."

"Nighty Mommy."

FLASHBACK ENDED:

The steamy water pelted onto her back as Sakura leant against the shower wall. Her mother hadn't come upstairs that night. She'd died beneath her husband, killed..no murdered by the man she loved.

"Sakura? You ok in there? Sakura?" It was Sasuke's voice and consistant knocking at the door that pulled her out of her memories. "Sakura? I'm coming in." The door squeaked a bit as the hinges rubbed against each other. "Sakura?" He could see her figure inside the frosted shower. "Sakura?" He slid the shower open slowly as not to startle her, though it was almost impossible to not have heard his earlier announcements.

"Sasuke I'm...tainted."

"Sakura, you are nothing of the sort. You are perfect." He stepped into the shower under the running water and lifted Sakura bridal style into his arms. Wrapping a towel around her soaked body he led her into the bedroom. She sat on the bed and cried. Relentless cries wracked her body.

"W-when I was sm-small my Dad killed my Mom. T-then he raped me. No one is g-going to want me. Men wouln't look at me th-the same if they knew I was used. I'm disgusting. I detest myself. I'm horribly ugly." Sasuke sat beside his friend.

"Let me show you how beautiful you truly are."

A/N: I hope you liked the story. I enjoyed writing it. There will prolly be a lemon in the next chapter so there's a heads up. I'll try and notify everyone before it begins. Let me know what you thought so far. R&R!!