Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Yea. I think you all get the point.

A/N: Whoo! Ch. 3 is finally typed and uploaded! If I haven't bored your eyes out then keep reading. I'm proud of myself for being a diligent author this past week. I'm really looking forward to seeing how far this story will go. So far, so good.

I've also like to remind you that this is the creation of a HF moment, so I don't really see an ending yet. I do see a glimpse of it. And it's kinda sad. It might make you guys cry. But I might let you guys choose the ending.

Hinata lovers: She will make her appearance VERY SOON- Compliments to passion244.

000000000000000000000000000

Chapter 3: Falling

'Leave it to an Uchiha to get all the attention…' Naruto's words played back in Sakura's head like a broken record.

Uchiha.

Uchiha.

Uchiha.

"So…STUPID!" She shouted at herself as she threw herself onto her bed and screamed into her pillow.

Why hadn't she made a connection earlier? Why didn't she make an effort to find out his name BEFORE busted her butt to save him?

'Well it's not like you get out much. Have you ever even SEEN the Uchiha besides today?'

'N-No…I guess not…But the minute I think I found someone to confide in, to really talk to, it ends up being UCHIHA Sasuke!'

Her thoughts mentally slapped her. 'You're absolutely STUPID! Why did you suddenly decide you were going to hate the Lord in the first place? Did you just one night looking up at your ceiling and say '…ah…you know what I hate him. I'm going to spend all night thinking of ways why I should hate him'?'

Her thoughts did have a point. It's not like he did anything to her personally…which made her thoughts strike a nerve.

'You choose to hate him because of what happened to your mother, and how your father contributed to her death. You were so angry at yourself- that you couldn't do anything to stop him from leaving or her dying- that you needed somebody to blame.'

'…'

Cold tears slid down her cheeks and hit her pillow with a soft plop. Sakura closed her eyes, she could just see her mother's corpse, lying motionless on her bed, before being carried away to be burned, her ashes disappearing with the wind, leaving her alone in the world.

She knew in her heart that it wasn't anyone but her father's fault that her mother died. But why did it have to be her mother? Her kind and beautiful mother? Why didn't anyone try to help her instead of shun her, leaving her for death?

'You couldn't blame yourself, so you blamed the Lord. You thought that he should've seen what the townspeople were doing, and stepped in, helped her. But you forget that he's the same age as you. How could he have known?'

But before she could answer her thoughts she heard someone come to the door.

"Phew! That was a complete waste of time!" Ino complained loudly. Sakura decided that was her cue to wipe her eyes, walk over to her desk to get the pregnancy test Ino asked for, stuff it in her pocket, and stand at the entrance of the backdoor of the shop to see Ino wiping her forehead.

As she took off her coat and picked an autumn leaf from her hair, Sakura leaned against the door way. "Where have you been?"

"Haven't you heard? Uchiha-sama was spotted in town earlier. Me and the other women decided to track him down while you were out. I figured you'd come look for me with all that commotion going on."

Sakura didn't answer as she picked up a watering can and moved over to the flowers.

"Oh, that's right, your anti-Uchiha and you don't get out much. I don't understand you at all Sakura. How can you resist the image of him? I heard that you could get lost in his dark eyes-"

'Sort of true I guess…' Sakura thought, feeling her cheeks burn as she remembered those smoldering eyes just moments ago.

"-And his face is to DIE FOR-"

'Well he IS handsome...' Sakura agreed silently.

"-And I heard that his body could make you DROOL Sakura!" Ino exclaimed as she sat on the counter, fantasizing about him.

Sakura felt her cheeks burn a hot pink and a smile curling at her lips. She thanked Kami-sama Ino couldn't see. 'Not exactly drool, but it was nice. He's not a bad kisser either...'

But of course she'd never tell Ino that or instant death would become her future. Today's events would be her secret and her secret only…

"What did you do while I was gone anyway, Sakura?" Ino asked, still sitting on the counter top; completely ignorant to what she had been actually doing.

"Nothing really. I got your pregnancy test." She replied rummaging through her pocket, pulling out a rectangular box and tossing it at her.

Ino blinked twice before laughing. "Oh Sakura, I wasn't ACTUALLY serious!"

This made her gawk at the blonde woman. "W-What? Then why'd you send me out to get one?" she demanded, outraged. All that dressing up for nothing…

Ino grinned. "You needed some fresh air to cool that big head of yours- but it looks like it didn't help much. Sakura, you need to get out more, if you did you'd know I'm technically still a virgin!"

Sakura couldn't stop herself from throwing the now empty watering can at her friend and stifling a laugh when it whacked her right in the middle of her forehead. It then made her lose her balance and fall behind the counter.

"VERY FUNNY SAKURA!"

'Maybe Uchiha Sasuke isn't as bad as I thought he was.' Sakura decided thoughtfully. He wasn't stuck up or cruel like she had assumed. He was almost interesting to her. But she shook him from her thoughts. Taking a liking to him was a stupid idea. He was a Lord, and she was a flower shop girl.

So she dismissed him from her thoughts, smiled a satisfied smile at the thought of nailing Ino with a water can, and went to help the blonde up. After all, if Ino hadn't sent her out to get "fresh air" she wouldn't have gotten to know Sasuke, the REAL Sasuke. And that was something to be thankful for.

'I'm not so bitter anymore…'

00000000000000000000

As soon as Sasuke and Naruto entered the castle doors they were ambushed by Kaito in the middle of two other elders. The one on the left had silver hair tied back and wrinkles that made the creases in his face hide his eyes completely and the one on the right was old, but still had a little color left in his also tied back hair, but looked the most angry.

Neither Sasuke nor Naruto could tell if the deep creases at the corners of his mouth was a result of frowning or old age.

"And where have you two been?" boomed the elder on the right. Naruto took a step back. The cold eyes of the elder seemed to be fixed on him. "W-Well you see- uh…we…" Naruto stammered and gave Sasuke a helpless glance.

"We've been out." Sasuke answered calmly, not intimidated by the cranky elder's stare. He "Oh did you now? Word on the street is that Uzumaki made a scene, started a riot, and endangered Uchiha-sama's life-"

"Not by choice! How was I supposed to know Sasuke was this sex object to those woman!" Naruto protested.

The elder glared menacingly at him. "I think that a common peasant such as yourself should speak with more respect than that to an elder such as myself-"

"CHE! An old geezer like you just needs to go and take your evening nap instead of blaming everything on me!" Naruto snapped back.

"What did you say you little-"

"Oi, Naruto. Don't cause problems." Sasuke said in his calm, emotionless tone. Naruto looked at him wildly. "B-But Sasuke-teme! That old geezer-"

"Just go." He interjected a little more coldly than he wanted. Naruto gave him a hurt, protestant look. "I'll put the old man to bed. Go on." Sasuke added, shooting him a cocky glance.

With a quick grin Naruto ran past the elders and up the spiral staircase, turning around to stick his tongue at the cranky elder before disappearing.

"Come with us, Uchiha-sama." Kaito told him calmly as they walked up the opposite staircase that Naruto took, down a long hallway, and through two large double doors. They entered a small conference room that boasted a window large enough to see the entire town below.

"Uchiha-sama, are you aware of the danger you placed yourself in by leaving the premises unattended?" asked the cranky elder as Sasuke sat down. Cold eyes watched him pace the room.

"I do not, but I'm aware of how ridiculous you sound." Sasuke answered coolly. He glanced at Kaito who was smiling with his eyes.

The cranky elder ignored the comment and went on. "You broke a rule of utmost importance, Uchiha-sama-"

"I broke no rules. Naruto was with me when we left. Is your common sense leaving you, elder?"

The quiet elder with the silver hair looked horrified, but the sides of Kaito's mouth seemed to turn up slightly. The angry elder grew angrier as his face turned a shade of purple.

"Naruto hardly serves as a royal guard, Uchiha-sama which left you unprotected. What would've happened if you were seriously hurt?"

"Saito-san, your blood pressure!" squeaked the quiet elder. Kaito kept silent. Saito ignored him and stared down at Sasuke; a cheap attempt to intimidate him.

Sasuke kept a stoic expression yet his eyes danced darkly. "Are you implementing that I, the Lord of Konoha, cannot defend myself?" he asked.

As Sasuke stared back, Saito appeared to becoming intimidated. The purple in his face began to fade away. "O-Of course not Uchiha-sama but that peasant-"

"Are you insulting my personal choice of protection, Saito?" Sasuke asked the old man as onyx eyes grew darker, colder. Saito's expression began to show fear. Despite his position as an elder, a royally pissed Uchiha could cost him his position as well as his life.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Uchiha-sama!"

"Uchiha-sama, Milord, I'm sure that Saito-san meant no disrespect." Kaito told him with a sparkle in his eye. He had taught Sasuke personally how to sound intimidating.

"I-I agree completely! Saito-san's way of protection means bodyguards, spies, maybe even a doctor to protect you. He was unaware that Naruto-san was Uchiha-sama's personal choice of protection."

"His ignorance and disrespect towards Naruto is unacceptable. I would like to speak to Kaito alone about this matter." Sasuke answered, turning his cold eyes to the quieter elder who took one look at them and decided to stare at the table.

"B-But Uchiha-sama-"Saito started to protest. Kaito was the high elder. Any matter that came to Sasuke's attention would be discussed with him.

Which, in layman's terms, meant Saito could be in deep shit.

"Leave." Sasuke growled and stood up. Within seconds the elders were gone, shutting the door on their way out.

Sasuke sighed and walked over to the window so he could sit on the ledge. "I'm impressed Uchiha-sama-" Kaito began.

"Cut the act Kaito. They're gone." Sasuke ordered. Kaito gave a small smile. "Don't be so angry with me, Sasuke. You know it's my duty to worry about you."

He glared at him. "Che. You should've just handled it." Meetings like these always got him in a bad mood.

"I understand you're mad, Sasuke, but leaving with just Naruto without informing anyone is a serious offense. If I didn't inform the elders, Saito would've sent out the entire army. He assumed you were kidnapped."

Sasuke was half tempted to smile at Kaito's comment of him being kidnapped, but decided he was in too much of a bad mood to do so. "If he lays a finger on Naruto-"

Kaito smiled. Sasuke was very protective of his foolish friend. "He will not be punished because he was your 'personally chosen bodyguard'. His lack of restraint is worthy of praise." Kaito paused to smile wider. "You're intimidating when you stand up to him, Sasuke-sama."

Sasuke turned towards the window at the added suffix. "Che."

He didn't need to "stand up to him". He was the Lord and could do and talk as he pleased. Naruto was just stupid enough to retort when insulted regardless of his status.

"What exactly did you two while you were out anyway?" Kaito asked curiously.

"What purpose would that serve if it was but a one time rendezvous, elder?" Sasuke snapped, glaring at him. Kaito expected him to tell he had done all day after 2 years of being trapped?

Kaito sighed but kept a cheerful look. He knew what Sasuke wanted. "I suppose if you've finished all your daily paperwork and/or meetings then you'll be allowed to see your kingdom. Now will you tell me as your caregiver what you were up to?"

"We were chased through town. I was saved by being kidnapped, Naruto was not." Sasuke replied. Kaito peered at him curiously. "By whom?"

"A girl with pink hair."

"Be sure to thank your captor." He answered, amused by his story. A smirk curled at Sasuke's lips. "Are you going to alert the entire counsel of my kidnapping?" he mocked.

The elder shook his head and smiled. "You're the Lord, not a child. If you wish to bring this into the light of the counsel, it will not be done by me. However I do suggest wearing a disguise to avoid unnecessary commotion next time."

"Che." Sasuke turned away from Kaito for a minute to smile to himself. He couldn't exactly promise that he wouldn't allow himself to be 'kidnapped' again. He had enjoyed his time with
captor".

He could still feel the gentleness in her kiss as she pressed against him, the sweet smell of cherry blossoms intoxicating him in the process. He had to know more about this mysterious girl, and he could, easily.

"Kaito, what have you heard about Haruno Sakura?" he asked, surprising him. "Haruno Sakura? A woman?"

"Have you heard anything about her?" Sasuke asked again, more impatiently this time."I supposed I've heard the name Haruno before. I'll check her background. What made you suddenly take interest in this woman?"

"Not interest." He snapped. "She has a dream. It intrigues me."

Kaito gave him a toothy smile. 'Intrigued? Perhaps he will be intrigued enough to have her as his bride?' He thought to himself. "It'll be my pleasure to find out more of this…Haruno Sakura."

"Find more on medicinal herbs as well."

Puzzled but deciding by the look on Sasuke's face that said he wasn't going to elaborate, he nodded once more. "I'd be happy to." He answered, but paused to give a crinkled smile. "I'm glad Sasuke-san enjoyed himself today."

A small smile crossed his lips as Kaito exited the room. The old man who had raised him was useful and was remarkably bright for his old age. When counted on to find information, Kaito would devote his time in the large hall of records or the library; said to be the best in the world. The elder often returned with remarkable results.

Sakura would be pleased to hear of what Uchiha-sama himself was doing for her. Sasuke stared at his reflection in the large window in bewilderment. What had this woman done to him? His heart would beat faster at the thought of her face, the feel of her lips…he was even finding ways to please her.

He shook her from his thoughts. He had no business thinking of a flower girl in such ways and decided he would preoccupy himself by finding Naruto. The blonde would bombard him with questions about his conversation with the elders.

But the raven haired Lord could feel an incessant feeling of anxiety fueled by the desire to known more about Sakura,

Could it be, that he, Uchiha Sasuke was falling for this mysterious girl?

'Of course not.' and walked out of the room, subconsciously touching his lips.

End.

Whoo I'm excited I have 461 hits and 11 reviews! I know that isn't exactly a lot compared to some other authors, but I'm happy :). I want to get a least 7 more reviews before I upload Ch. 4. So make sure you read AND review. O.o makes me feel like my material is worth reading!

I re-edited this chapter a lot for those readers returning to re-read this, can YOU spot the differences? ;)

Until Next Time!

xXasuka-chanXx