Hey guys! For records sake, keep in mind that I did a little bit of their pre- married relationship too and this is one of THOSE stories!

There will be no lemons in this chapter but I hope that you still enjoy it all the same!


It was a sunny day in Konoha. The birds chirped, children played with their toy kunai, and Ino had just ran over to Sakura's house for their training sessions.

Ino Yamanaka, a 21 year old beauty, had been renowned for her and Sakura's constant rivalry. Now, they had taken their rivalry to a new level, in which Ino wanted to prove to Sakura that a certain man would always choose her in the end.

Sasuke Uchiha, was the object of both their fantasies. Their rivalry had began as early as when they were both in the academy, where Sakura was assigned to Sasuke's team and Ino was assigned to someone else's. At that point, Ino had already declared war against the pink haired beauty. There was no way that an ugly billboard brow like hers could steal HER man away right?

Right, she huffed to herself silently as she climbed the steps to Sakura's small quaint apartment. But just as she was about to unlock the door, Ino had come up with her master plan. During training today, Ino would take advantage of Sakura's distractions, and get to Sasuke through undermining Sakura. Ino chuckled darkly to herself at the cleverness of it all, after all, Ino was almost going to be appointed to being the Godaime's apprentice too. 'If only Sakura hadn't gotten in the way…' Ino thought to herself.

Ino knocked on the door and fake smiled when she saw Sakura open it with her hair mussed as if she had just been sleeping. Sakura's eyes widened when she saw Ino standing in front of her, and made a small motion as to shutting the door in Ino's face.

And she would've… if Ino hadn't already invited herself in.

"Hey Sak! Let's go train together just like the olden times! Come on!"

Sakura flitted uneasily from foot to foot. Ino couldn't help but notice how graceful she seemed even when she was fidgeting.

"I'd love to Ino…. Let me go get my supplies…" Sakura muttered as she sleepily drifted towards her bedroom door.

A few minutes later, Sakura stepped out of her room in all her glory, wearing her crimson headband that only signified her importance as Godaime's apprentice, and the crimson training dress that she had fabricated to accentuate her curves more.

"Okay Ino, let's go."

Ino led the way as she guided Sakura through the forest to a small opening. Then, she spun around and bound Sakura with some chakra rope as soon as she was sure that Sakura was COMPLETELY distracted.

Then Ino trapped Sakura on one of the highest tree branches there were, and made sure that the rope absorbed all her chakra as Sakura stared up at Ino with glazed over furious eyes.

"I can't believe you forgot what today is, Saku… It's Sasuke's birthday remember? And guess who's going to show up on his doorstep to give him a bad impression?"

Sakura's eyes widened knowingly before Ino could even finish her sentence-

"You."

Then Ino summoned all the chakra into her features and changed them so that she would look just like Sakura. Pleased with her work, Ino smirked at Sakura's infuriated face and said, " try not to hate me too much, Saku. You're still my best friend."

Then, Ino jumped off the tree and poofed herself in front of the Uchiha compound to greet HER Sasuke- kun.

"SASUKE KUN!"

Sasuke was startled at the voice he heard screaming outside. 'Is that Sakura? What's she doing here?' Sasuke thought to himself as he walked over to the door.

Then, just as he opened the door and caught a glimpse of Sakura, he knew something was off… WAY off.

Sasuke took in her appearance. Her widened eyes with lust pinned all over them, the way she stood with her hands on her hips, and the way her mouth was distorted as she screamed several things at him, Sasuke knew something was wrong. And just as she was about to wish him a happy birthday, Ino was shocked to find a kunai pinned at her throat.

Sasuke stared down at her furiously as he said, "Who are you."

That didn't sound like a question, Ino pondered to herself. If it weren't for the kunai pressed against her throat, she was sure that she would tease him for that by now.

"What do you mean, Sasuke kun?" She asked throatily.

"Who are you. Don't make me ask you again. You will regret it." Sasuke's eyes narrowed with menace at his words.

Ino's eyes widened at the shock of being threatened by him. 'He never was this protective of me… What does Sakura have that I don't?' Ino gripped the kunai at her throat in effort to stop him from killing her.

Just as she was about to try her seductive act again, Sasuke's grip on her neck tightened, almost cutting off her breathing all together.

"Answer me." Sasuke made a motion with his hand that indicated that she was in no position to be making any false moves.

Ino almost died. Not physically, of course, but emotionally.

"Sasuke- kun… Why can't you love me?"

Sasuke froze but his grip on her neck and the kunai didn't loosen.

"What does she have that I don't? Why can't you love me? I'm just as good as her!" Sakura's face glistened with Ino's tears as she wordlessly told Sasuke to loosen his hold that way she could release her true form.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed when he saw Ino appear in a cloud of smoke.

"Yamanaka." Sasuke could hardly control the venom in his voice when he saw her. 'I could kill her right now but Sakura probably wouldn't be too happy if I killed her best friend…' He thought to himself furiously.

Ino surrendered through her tears and just as she looked into Sasuke's eyes, she was surprised at the sight of his Sharingan spinning before her.

Anger perceived all his thoughts as he raised the kunai before her. One small swipe and that would be all that was necessary. Not to kill, just to strike.

But just as the kunai was about to make contact with her skin, Sasuke felt all his anger dissipate as he felt a gentle hand encase his wrist.

Sakura had her eyes glued onto his face as she gently lowered his arm for him.

"Sasuke kun…" She cooed.

Sasuke felt his gaze soften when he felt her true presense next to him. Almost lazily, he wrapped his arm around her waist to be able to breathe in the smell of her. Her. She was his. He was hers.

Ino opened her eyes slightly when she realized that the blow that she expected had not been delivered. When she opened her eyes to see what happened, Ino's tears came back full blast when she saw Sakura gently lowering Sasuke's hand as her other hand cupped Sasuke's cheek. How did she make such a common gesture seem so intimate?

Ino was even more perplexed when she saw Sasuke drop the kunai to the foot of the stairs. The young Uchiha almost lazily let all the fight leak from his frame as he pulled her in for an embrace.

Ino felt more tears come to her and had to choke them all back when she trespassed on their moment. Then, as they were both distracted, she silently bolted from the sight. What bothered her the most was that even when she slammed the compound's gates shut with a loud CLANG, Sasuke was still in Sakura's arms as she silently cooed reassurances into his waiting ear.

Sakura leaned into Sasuke's masculine form as she finally let all the tears that she had been suppressing out. She sobbed about the unfairness of her life, her best friend's betrayal, the gash in her upper arm from escaping the chakra binds, and most importantly for him. Sakura knew the amount of pain he had gone through in his life. His tragedy was so great that the man forgot how to express tears, or let his sadness out.

She cupped his cheek gently and smiled weakly when he moved his head as to kiss her palm.

"Sasuke kun…" she cooed to him. She heard a growl in response and felt his strong arms carrying her as she was taken into his home.

Sasuke, who had just taken the time to notice her unjostled body, grunted at the sight of her upper arm's wound and held her hand as he deposited himself next to her on his bed.

Then he took her hand and placed it in his as he muttered for her to heal her shoulder.

Sakura's eyes narrowed kindly as she gladly borrowed some of his chakra to heal herself. Sasuke only sat next to her silently as he inspected her healing to make sure that she was alright.

"Arigatou… Sasuke kun." She smiled sweetly up at him as he pulled her onto his lap.

"Aa." He muttered to her as he nudged her hair aside to skim the flesh that covered her neck.

Sakura sighed contently as she and Sasuke slowly leaned backwards and laid together on the pillows that adorned his navy blue bed. Sasuke wound his hands around her hips as he tugged her to him tightly, almost possessively. She on the other hand marveled at how easily her head fit in the crook of his neck and placed a small kiss there as he growled in response.

"Ano… Sasuke kun?"

Sasuke opened his sleep glistened eyes and looked down at her imploringly and lovingly. A gentle kiss on her forehead motioned for her to go on.

"Happy birthday…aishiteru" She shot him a sheepish smile as she let sleep overcome her.

Just as she closed her eyes and succumbed to sleep, Sasuke smiled at her and said, "Aa… Aishiteru Sakura."

Then the couple both drifted off in each other's embrace, only to wake up a couple hours later by a hysteric Sakura who realized she had missed her complete shift at the hospital and a patient Sasuke who smoothly persuaded her that it was his birthday and that he wanted her to… play… with him. That was an offer NO ONE, could pass down.


OKAY GUYS!! THAT WAS ANOTHER WRAP TO AN AMAZING CHAPTER OF MY STORY!!!!!!!

R&R BECAUSE I'M NOT GETTING ENOUGH FEEDBACK AND I MIGHT HAVE TO PUT THIS ON HIATUS IF YOU DON'T REVIEW WHEN READING!!!

Thanks!- 3 AliceJasper4ever