The Cure for a Broken Heart
Prequeal to The Bounty on Her Head
"There she goes again." Ino said watching Sakura run past.
"Does she ever slow down?" Ten Ten asked.
"Not since she broke up with her fiancé." Ino explained.
"She's going to over work herself." Chouji said.
Everyone silently agreed.
The small group of ninja sat together under the large oak tree. Both Naruto and Sasuke sat listening to Ino, thinking to themselves.
"We're her best friends, her team mates. We should have noticed this. Why haven't we?"
That Night
Naruto climbed into bed next to Sasuke, an unusually serious look on his face.
"Ya know I've been thinking." Naruto said out of the blue. "Maybe we should rethink what we were talking about a year ago. You know, before we found out Sakura was engaged."
Sasuke stayed silent for a moment, before turning head to look Naruto in the face.
It was obvious what they had to do.
The Next Day
Sakura stepped out of the shower exhausted. It was yet another morning after another sleepless night. Thank god she had tomorrow off. As much as she hated being home doing nothing, she had to stop denying herself sleep. As much as she'd hated to admit it she kind of wished for the days not long ago, when she could at least cry herself to sleep. It may have been painful and depressing but at least she was sleeping.
She sighed as she finished getting dressed. Heading downstairs she looked around her house and nearly broke out in tears.
"It looks like a freakin' tornado hit this place. Yet another thing to add to my busy schedule."
She picked up her briefcase and headed out the door.
"There she goes." Sasuke whispered. Naruto turned to watch her run off toward the hospital.
"She's gone, let's go."
Both Shinobi jumped down off the roof and disappeared.
Sakura sighed for the millionth time that day as she trudged up the stairs of the Hokage's tower and down the hall. She knocked on the door and entered when summoned.
She stood politely in front of the Hokage's desk trying hard to hide her inner self.
Tsunade looked up at her knowingly.
"Shizune could you please excuse us?" she asked. Shizune bowed politely before exiting.
"Sakura." Tsunade started. "I think you need some time off."
At that moment something inside her snapped.
"I agree." She replied not having the energy to argue back and knowing her sensei was right. Tsunade looked at her surprised then caringly.
"Why don't you head home now, I'll have someone fill in for you. Take all the time you need." Sakura nodded, bowed and left.
Sasuke and Naruto sat on Sakura's porch looking out at the street.
"What are you doing here?"
Both boys whipped their heads around to see Sakura standing on the stoop.
"Just hanging out." Naruto said, goofy grin plastered on his face.
"Ok, do you guys want to come in?" she asked absently.
"Ladies first." Sasuke said. She opened the dorr and stepped in the house. Removing her shoes she headed for the kitchen without looking around. Naruto frowned as he watched her.
Walking into the kitchen Sakura pulled a glass out of the cabinet and poured some water out of the tap. As she was drinking something dawned on her. Her eyes snapped open. She put the glass on the counter and looked around. She then walked into the living room , where she had come from and looked around.
"Oh my god." She thought.
She felt two pairs of strong arms around her. She looked toward their owners.
Tears began to well up in her eyes.
"Thank you." She said shakily looking around her newly cleaned house.
Sakura smiled weakly.
"The surprise isn't over yet, though." Sasuke said. She looked confused.
"Go change into something comfortable." Naruto said. She was still confused, but she was too tired to argue.
Jogging upstairs she changed into a pair of black sweat pants and red tank top with a red hoody with the Haruno clan symbol.
Walking back downstairs she was promptly pulled out the door of her home and rushed out of the village.
"Where are we going?" she asked getting impatient.
"We're almost there, calm down." Sasuke said. She sighed.
10 minutes later they stopped at the bottom of a grassy hill. Sasuke looked over at Sakura, he could tell she was about to collapse from exhaustion. He picked her up bridal style, startling her.
"What are you doing?" she asked startled. "Put me down."
"Relax." He said starting up the hill. She eyed him suspisciously but did what he said. She could hear Naruto snickering behind them. She glared over Sasuke's shoulder.
When they reached the top of the hill there was a large fluffy blanket laid out. Sasuke set Sakura down gently on the blanket.
"Hey I know this place." She said. "This is where we stayed after our last together."
"Glad you remember." Naruto said sitting down next to her, Sasuke on the other side.
By now the sun was almost down. Sakura laid back to look up at the sky. The boys smirked at each other and laid down next to her.
The sun slowly sunk behind the horizon revealing tons of tiny twinkling stars.
"It's beautiful." Sakura whispered. Both boys silently agreed.
The three shinobi sat in silence for awhile until Naruto spoke up.
"Sakura?" he started. "When was the last time you actually took a break?"
silence
"Sakura?" he questioned looking over at her. Sasuke also looked over.
Both boys smiled as they watched the young woman slep.
"I guess we'll have to wait till morning to talk to her." Sasuke whispered. Naruto nodded agreement.
The two boys curled up next to Sakura like small children, falling asleep with time.
"You're pathetic."
"You're worthless to me."
Sakura looked into the face of her tall dark haired fiancé.
"Why are you acting like this Keigo?" she asked pleading for an answer. He scoffed at her.
"Pathetic." He repeated turning his back and walking away, disappearing into the darkness.
"Keigo! Keigo!" she sobbed.
"Pathetic."
Sakura snapped her eyes open with the last word. Taking a deep breath, she wiped away the lone tear that slipped down her cheek. Sitting up she looked to either side of her. She watched Sasuke and Naruto sleep peacefully. She smiled lightly before standing up and walking down the opposite side of the hill.
Traveling through the woods, she headed for the hotspring she took a bath in the last time they were here the more she walked, the more the tension in her shoulders and neck grew.
"God I need to relax." She thought. "Why does this bother me so much?"
coming up on the hit spring, she looked around her making sure she was alone, before stripping down and slipping into the water.
She took a deep breath as she waded toward the large boulder in the center of the hot spring.
Naruto stirred. Yawning, he sat up and stretched.
As he turned to his side to lay back down he noticed something missing.
"Sakura?" he mumbled. Shaking off the confusion he nudged Sasuke awake.
"URGH!" he growled. "What dobe?"
"Sakura's gone." He said. Sasuke sat straight up, looking around. He thought for a moment.
"The hot spring." He said. Both boys jumped up and took off toward the hot spring.
Sakura sighed as she let the warm water sooth away her stress. Just as she was lulled off into a peaceful state, a rustling in the bushes near the far edge of the spring startled her.
"Whose there!" she exclaimed. The bushes rustled harder as the person stepped out. "Sasuke!" she exclaimed jumping behind the hidden side of the boulder.
Sasuke and Naruto hid in the bushes next to the hot spring. They watched as Sakura sighed.
"Now's our chance." Sasuke whispered. "Stay here and don't come out until she relaxes a bit." Naruto nodded.
Sasuke started out of the bushes startling Sakura. She jumped behind the hidden side of the boulder.
"What are you doing here?" she asked
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." He replied.
While she was looking away Sasuke slipped into the water. He then proceeded to wade around the boulder to the other side.
"Um, Sasuke? Do you need something?" she asked.
"Nope, why?" he questioned popping up behind her.
She 'eeked' whipping around.
"What are you doing?!" she exclaimed blushing profusely, while trying to cover herself up. Sasuke walked closer to her as she backed up nervously.
"No, please, don't cover yourself up on my account." He said huskily. She blushed even deeper.
"Are you feeling ok?" she asked he smirked almost evilly.
"I'm great actually, a little horny though." He replied pulling hr to is chest. She gasped, her nipples growing hard.
"You're aroused." Sasuke whisered in her ear. Sakura let out a low moan. He smirked again against the skin behind her ear.
Suddenly she snapped back to her senses. She pushed away from him.
"We can't do this." She said.
He knew this would happen, but they were ready for her uneasiness.
"What about Naruto?" she asked.
"What about me?" Naruto asked, popping up behind her from the other side of the boulder. She once again 'eeked' whipping around. He rinned goofily.
"What are you two doing?" she asked nervously. Naruto smirked. Sakura began backing up as Naruto advanced closer.
Sakura's back hit something hard, stopping her in her tracks. A pair of strong arms, Sasuke's arms encircled her, trapping her against his chest. Naruto closed the gap between them slowly lowering his lips to hers.
They moved their lips together as Sasuke lowered his to the nape of her neck. Sakura moaned at their combined efforts.
Naruto and Sasuke stopped what they were doing. She whined quietly at the lose. Sasuke chuckled.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked, still out of breath. Sasuke spoke first. He pulled her tighter to his chest.
"Because we love you." He said in somewhat of a whisper. Her eyes widened with surprise. She thought for a moment letting what they said sink in.
tears began to form in her eyes and fall down her cheeks. If Sasuke wasn't holding her up she would have collapsed.
Naruto closed the gap again, holding her close. She cried on his shoulder, wrapped in her teammates arms.
Later
Sakura starred up at the sky, watching the stars. Looking down she watched Naruto and Sasuke sleep as they used her chest for a pillow. She smiled.
"Maybe life isn't so bad after all." She thought
A/N: Here it is, the prequeal to the bounty on her head. Please review!!
-RED