In His Arms
Chapter 2
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto...
"Sakura! Wait up!" Ino called, not able to run because of her dress. "Ino! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Shikamaru?" Sakura called.
"I told him I wanted to have one last talk with my girl." Ino said, draping an arm around Sakura. "Let's go get changed."
They walked to Ino's house to get changed into normal clothes, then Ino had Sakura sit down on the bed next to her. "Sakura, what's up?"
"Nothing."
"You're not a very good liar." Ino said.
"When you and Shikamaru made love to each other, was it warm and passionate?"
Ino, taken aback at her friend's question, answered, "Well, yeah. What else would it feel like?" She stopped and thought about it. "Tell me you didn't…"
"Not by choice. He forced himself on me." Sakura said, not wanting her frined to know about that encounter on the way home from the club.
"That jerk! I'm going to kill him!" Ino declared, getting up to go.
"But you don't know where he is." Sakura declared.
"Isn't he still talking to Shikamaru?"
Realization dawned then. "You think that Sasuke's the one who did it!" Sakura exclaimed.
"Well, who else could it have been?"
"I don't know who he was, other than the guy who I danced with. He followed me out, pressed himself on me, then when I refused, he slapped me and beat me until I couldn't move, then had his way with me." Sakura shuddered, remembering his fists beating her, the pain, and all the blood when he was done.
"Oh, Sakura! I'm so sorry! You poor thing!" Ino said, grabbing Sakura in a big hug.
Before she knew it, they were crying together, and Sakura finally got out all the details. "Looks like we've traded places." Ino said. At Sakura's confused look, she went on. "You were there for me when I needed a shoulder to cry on, and now it's my turn."
"I appreciate it." Sakura dabbed her eyes with a Kleenex, then blew her nose.
Just then Shikamaru came in, and wanted to know what they were doing here. "I have looked everywhere for you because you never said where you two were going!" He stopped, realizing that they were crying. "What's wrong? Surely it's not because we're married, Ino."
"Oh, no! Definitely not! We're just…sad that we're no longer the double trouble single ladies anymore. One's married, and the other one's going to have to be alone or find someone else to take the other's place-which will be very hard to do." Sakura said. "You two probably want to be alone. Have a good time tonight." She left, oddly feeling content and happy, missing the silent communication going on behind her.
Sasuke was walking home, slightly drunk because he'd found the beer packs, and he got to thinking. She's too moody for my liking. The only way she's changed is she's grown more attractive in her appearance. He staggered down the street and almost tripped over someone. "Who the heck would be lying in the middle of the street?" he shouted, righting himself.
"Sasuke? Is that you? Are you...drunk?" Naruto asked, noticing that his friend didn't look too right in appearance.
"No. Of course not! I've only had a couple of beers." Sasuke said, sitting down on the ground.
He is definitely drunk. Naruto thought, observing him. "Looks like good old Shikamaru finally got himself hitched, leaving the three amigos with only 2 lonely men."
"Well, better to be single than tied down to one female. It lets us "look around" more freely."
"True, but I wish I had one girl who would love me in return, and be true to me." Naruto looked up into the sun setting sky and said, "You're one lucky guy, Sasuke, because you have one."
"Everybody says that! I'm sick and tired of it! Yes, I know Sakura did love me at one time, but she doesn't now!" Sasuke exploded, startling Naruto.
"Do you love her, Sasuke?" he asked his friend.
"I don't need women, let alone that one!" he said haughtily.
"That doesn't answer my question. I loved her at one time, but I'm not sure if I can love her, knowing that she loves you." Naruto said, recalling his former crush. "I thought we could be together, but it just won't work with you in the middle. I just can't compete with you."
Sasuke got up. "You shouldn't give up just because one other guy's in the picture." He stumbled on the curb, but the rest of his walk home was uneventful. I need to get her out of my system! Sasuke thought. Why does she have the power to anger me? He got to his lodging, then lay down on his bed, thinking back over the years.
He recalled all of the adventures Naruto, Sakura, and he had gone on. All the fights she'd fought with them by their side. Of how she had nursed him when Orochimaru had put the curse on him, of her saying how much she loved him.
When did all that change? He thought. When did I change? She's always been just a friend to me. Is it possible that she could mean more to me?Sakura went to Hinata's house, deciding it was time to develop thier friendship a little more. She had a couple of things in her bag that she had hastily packed, and went to the front door of Hinata's place. She knocked on the door, and waited for an answer...
Meanwhile (With Shikamaru and Ino)...
"Ino, what was the real reason you and Sakura were crying earlier?" Shikamaru asked, rubbing her back for her. They had just spent a little of the night together, their wedding night, and it was full of passion so far, and his question shocked Ino.
"Why do you want to know?" Ino asked, enjoying the feeling of his hands rubbing up and down her back.
"Because. You both just seemed so...sad."
"That's because Sakura's had some...disappointments in her life, and now that arrogant friend of yours is making it worse!" Ino said, not wanting to talk about it.
"I was thinking, what do you think about Sasuke and Sakura as a couple?" Shikamaru asked, finished with his back rub.
Ino looked at him. "Is that you, Shikamaru? Are you feeling okay? Are you sure you're my husband?"
"Very funny, Ino. I am being serious." Shikamaru said, scowling at her, even though the twinkle in his eyes told her he was not really mad at her.
"Yes, I do think they would go really great together. She's loved him since we were little. We always fought over him, but he wasn't right for me. Sakura was. She still is. But they both need to work through their problems." She said, looking at her husband.
"I agree." They both sat there, thinking about their two friends, and how they both deserved to find the same happiness that they found together, in each other's arms.
TO BE CONTINUED...
