Adagio for Love

by SasuXSaku Guru

Disgraced Interpol agent Uchiha Sasuke, must enlist the aid of former teammates to finally put his demons to rest. Years in the seedy underworld of organized crime has changed the man of the law they once knew, and his methods. Is it possible for his comrades to restore his former self? Will friendship and love reign supreme in his dismal world? AU rated M for sex, violence, etc

10. Metropolis Mambo

A/N: Long chapter ahead! Filled with action (both kinds)! I can't say I'm surprised last chapter received such glowing reviews; you smut fiends. Ahem, while I can assure you this torrid affair between our two main characters will continue I can't say to what written capacity, lest I get carried away again and turn this into a full blown smutfic. Nevertheless, I will do my duty as the author of your chosen fanfic for entertainment and keep the show rolling with the next installment of Adagio for Love!

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Metropolis Mambo

"Kill them. Kill them all I say." suggested the silver haired man heatedly, kicking his feet up onto the glossy hardwood table of the private karaoke room.

"We only go after big fish Hidan, you know that. Not to mention, dealing with those three fools and Uzumaki wouldn't be worth the trouble." reasoned his scarred confidant exhaling a thick plume of smoke from his cigar, "Besides; there hasn't been word of him since that raid in Nagano, where would we begin?"

"How would I know? The beginning? You're the bounty hunter, I'm just the killer." sneered the young man waving off the approaching smoke cloud, "His bounty is bound to double in no time. He'll nearly be worth as much as his brother! If we get a head start…"

"Hm…We do need to recoup after Sasori and Deidara's blunders." considered the tan man, scratching his scarred cheek in contemplation.

"Think of the kill…a good fight! Truly a worthy sacrifice to Jashin!"

"Not to mention a hefty bounty…"

"The others don't need to know we're exterminating our little pest problem either."

Silently nodding in agreement the two exchanged no more words as they left the quiet of their room for the pounding halls of the karaoke bar, wide devious grins spread from ear to ear as they made their exit.

---

Sasuke sat in the tiny mess hall enjoying his solitary breakfast of dry toast and instant coffee in the wee hours of the early morning, something he was never really accustomed to. Even though he slept like a baby the previous night he woke before the rest same as always. He was famished however; his late night tryst with Sakura surely had been the cause. The onyx eyed man smirked to himself as he sipped the black bitter liquid, images of her alluring body flashing in his mind. He didn't know what spell she had cast on him but, she was all he could think about.

"Ohayou…What's this? Sasuke eating breakfast? Down here with us slobs?" Suigetsu yawned, half asleep as he entered and went directly to the cupboard to retrieve a bowl and cereal. Soon after he was accompanied by the rest of the crew and very quickly the mess hall became that much more cramped. Jugo took up the most space so he stayed near the stove dealing out hot water for everyone's tea and Naruto's choices of breakfast ramen. The blonde was going to eat them out of house and home at this rate. Sasuke grunted in annoyance as they all crowded around the bench eating and chatting idly. There went his solitude; and they wondered why he spent the majority of his time in his room or on the deck.

"I'm so happy you got the engine up and running again Sasuke-kun. How'd you do it?" inquired the bespectacled redhead, loudly sipping her tea in his ear. He cringed into his empty mug at the unappealing sound missing the quiet more and more by the second.

"Couldn't say." he answered simply, placing his mug down onto the packed table before catching a sly glance from the woman at the far end of the table, "Sakura helped me."

"Oh yeah? A jack of all trades, eh Sakura?" teased the sharp toothed man, chomping obnoxiously on his dry cereal. The woman in question turned beet red as all eyes landed on her. She tried to hide her embarrassment in her cup of tea but only succeeded in drawing snickers from her tormenter, "If we're not careful she'll end up replacing us all!"

"D-don't be ridiculous. Sasuke did most of the work." deflected the rose haired agent, doing her best to avoid his impassive gaze. "Doesn't he know how unnerving it is when he stares like that?" she thought pouting to herself and swirling her hot tea.

"Sakura-chan…did you get hurt helping Sasuke?" questioned Naruto taking a break from slurping down his second cup of ramen to poke the skin of her neck curiously. Sasuke hid his knowing smirk as he moved to the sink to wash his empty mug. She hadn't noticed that during their session he left her with several love bites all along her neck and collar. "So much for discretion."

"T-they're…it's not from that." she stammered, hiding the afflicted skin with her hand. Sakura rubbed the sensitive skin, her mind scrambling for a reason other than the truth, "I-it must be…bedbugs?"

Everyone's face blanched at the questionable lie, their skin instantly beginning to crawl and itch at the simple utterance of the word. Suddenly the majority of the rooms occupants all had reasons to leave; Suigetsu making his disgust for bugs known and deciding to man the patrol boat, fully intent on making for dry land as soon as possible to escape the plague Sakura manufactured. Naruto and Karin struggled to make it through the small door at the same time both claiming dibs on the first shower. Sai however, was more critical of the claim deciding he'd rather investigate the crime scene before jumping to any conclusions. Fearing the pale agent may actually get to the bottom of her lie Sakura hurried after him, knowing full well the tactless man would spill the beans and possibly create anarchy on the high seas for her and her lover if he solved the mystery. Jugo silently sipped his tea in the corner seemingly uninterested in the entire fiasco.

"Sasuke-san, I know it isn't my place…" began the silent giant, finishing his tea and turning to the retreating back of his superior, "but I actually prefer Sakura to Tayuya."

Sasuke froze momentarily in the vestibule of the mess hall taken aback by Jugos guile. How could he have possibly known already? The granite eyed man shot his comrade a questioning glance deciding that the less he said the less incriminating he'd be.

"I heard her…both of you." admitted the ginger nonchalantly, as he collected the abandoned dishes and went about cleaning them. Thankfully so, he missed the diminutive blush that spread to Sasuke's cheeks knowing a subordinate had heard the both of them during their passionate session last night. He'd be sure to curb her screaming tonight, if she decided to take him up on his offer that is. Slowly he left, knowing that the man wasn't the type to gossip with the others about what he'd heard or their little talk. Pushing the slight awkwardness of the exchange behind him Sasuke made his way to the bridge where Suigetsu was currently raising the anchor and preparing to set sail. Brushing past him, the Uchiha climbed up the ladder to the deck, being greeted by the rust colored sunrise over the great blue depths. Hopping down onto the side he ran his hand over the cool metal of the torpedo tubes, retrieving a heavy tan tarp tied to its underside.

The obsidian haired man grunted at the weight as he shouldered the burden before unfurling it over the twin tubes. By the time he had finished the job on both sides of the ship, the sun finished cresting the horizon and he was drenched in sweat. Clearly their brief stay in Nagano had made him soft and something he barely broke a sweat doing everyday threatened to drain him. Stamping his foot on the hatch to signal Suigetsu, the boat lurched forward, quickly gaining speed as it speared through the waves. Sasuke inhaled deeply as the salty spray from the sea peppered his face and exposed arms.

"Tokyo…"he said to himself watching the waves break against the hull as their pilot gunned the engine; clearly he didn't care whether the engine gave out again or not. As long as they reached their destination. It had been several months since he last stepped foot in Tokyo, and frankly, that still wasn't enough time to put the life he lived in that city behind him. It was a long shot, but the only shot he had at all rested on the words of a dying man. If his brother truly was in Tokyo he would confront him and end this, no matter what.

His resolve however was short lived when he remembered the words of admiration Sakura had shared with him back in Nagano. She believed in him, in his cause. She believed he wanted to end Akatsuki, not just get revenge. But the truth was not that. That all too familiar feeling of guilt filled his being and it made him feel like he wanted to throw up his breakfast. His team knew what this was about and couldn't care less if it ended with Itachi or the death of all Akatsuki. But the rest of them were idealists, they believed they were recruited to make the world a better place. Sakura believed that. Suddenly he was dreading seeing her face this evening; her soft features and kind words reminding him of how he'd selfishly misled them. 'Let her think what she wants. When he's dead we won't need any of them.' sounded the dark voice in the back of his mind.

"But what if I want her…?"

"Want what Sasuke?" asked a voice from behind. Quickly he spun around surprised that he hadn't heard the loudest man he'd ever known before he snuck up on him. The blonde was still climbing out of the hatch struggling with a large folding lounge chair.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sasuke inquired his eyes narrowing as the man shakily made his way to the stern and started setting up camp. He wore a pair of bright colored swim trunks with dark shades rested on his head.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm gonna catch a few rays!" he exclaimed unfolding his chair and plopping down in it, producing a shrill screech against the steel of the ship. The Uchiha shook his head at the antics of his comrade taking the opportunity the open hatch presented and took his leave, but not before catching the blonde say something about cooking like canned sardines below deck.

"Make sure you don't send him overboard." sighed the onyx eyed man as he left the bridge, barely giving Suigetsu a side glance.

"So…you want me to send him overboard?" asked the cerulean haired man with a grin.

Sasuke finally found the solitude he so desperately needed in the confines of his cabin, though, that too was short lived when a harsh knock came at the door just as he picked up a book he'd been meaning to finish. Growling in frustration, he stormed over to the door swinging it open quickly, fairly surprised by his visitor.

"Sakura…I—"

"Shut up. Just shut your mouth." interrupted the pinkette, her cheeks flaring up enough to rival her hair as she pushed her way inside his sanctuary. Scratching his head in confusion he shut the door as she paced about his room; practically stomping, "How could you?"

Sasuke blinked at the question, still completely oblivious about the root of her anger. Shrugging indifferently he brushed past her and went back to his abandoned book. Obviously that was the wrong answer judging from the way she firmly planted her hands on her shapely hips and pouted. She was cute when she was angry at him.

"What happened to discretion and professionalism!?" she exclaimed, stamping her foot in an attempt to gain his undivided attention. It worked, technically. Sighing heavily he dropped the book on his bed and approached her, carefully examining the blemishes on her exposed neck. Gingerly he traced the small red marks that he'd left in his wake, a small smirk coming to his lips. Sakura released something akin to a growl before slapping his hand away, "Don't even think I'm letting you do something like that again! Sai is down there with a microscope searching for—Mmph!"

She really was being too loud far too early, so he had to do something to keep her quiet. His lips pressed firmly against her own despite the way she twisted them in a half frown as she beat on his chest, but it only made him hold her tighter. When he finally released her she was breathless and her pink lips were puffier than before.

"You're annoying, you know that?" he whispered, barely an inch away from recapturing her lips; this time just for the hell of it. When she went to open her mouth it was his finger that silenced her this time, "Quietly Sakura."

"Y-you can't do something like that again! What am I supposed to do, wear a turtleneck in this furnace?" she whispered harshly, forgetting somewhat that he was still holding her awfully close to his body.

"Why does it matter?" he asked plainly; it wasn't that he didn't know why, sometimes he actually just enjoyed playing devil's advocate on occasion. Playing with her more specifically.

"You know why it matters! This—" Sakura bit out, extending her neck to the side exposing a few of his marks below the collar of her dark blue Konoha P.D. t-shirt, "is not discreet Sasuke!" The simple actions significance may have been lost on her but it made his blood run hot and rush to certain extremities. He restrained himself however, knowing that trying something like that now was just asking to be found out. Instead he nodded at her complaint and decided that she was actually right and he was in fact wrong.

"So, as long as my marks are hidden…there's no issue?" he reasoned, watching as her aggravation slowly crumbled and she became a flustered mess in his arms.

"T-that's not what I'm saying and you know it!" she argued, finding the strength to squirm out of his hold and put some distance between them. She crossed her arms underneath her bust and pouted, still fuming about the entire situation. Sasuke could feel his slacks get slightly tighter at the sight of her more pronounced chest stretching the shirts lettering and almost missed her question, "Why would you even do something so embarrassing to my body?"

"Because you're mine. I want everyone to know that." he wanted to say; hell he almost did when his mouth opened and closed, his lips thinning into their own pout. The last thing he needed to do was antagonize before he knew whether or not he'd inform her of his plan to deal with Itachi and what it meant if he succeeded.

"Maybe I was a bit…overzealous." Sasuke admitted, somewhat rueful that his adoration of her body went underappreciated. She loved it at the time, after all.

"You're damn right you were." she said, her anger subsiding in the wake of his ambiguous apology and the sullen look on his face. Perhaps she'd been a little too hard on him. She turned away to hide her conflicting emotions from his tactful gaze, "Just don't do that again."

Sasuke's eyebrow peaked at her words. Aside from his love bites she had no issues then? Smirking deviously he crossed the distance between the two of them and waited for her to feel his presence before he spoke.

"Again, is it? I suppose that means I will be seeing you tonight?" he cooed his baritone sending a shudder up her spine as she spun around to gape at him like a fish out of water.

"I never said anything like that…" she affirmed, taking a half step back as he stalked her with his dark eyes like a predator preparing to pounce. Instinctually she gulped knowing exactly what he wanted, "Besides, how am I supposed trust you after all that you've done?"

"I'll be sure to take special care this time, Sakura." assured the stoic man, his voice husky as it swept across the shell of her ear. Sakura could feel her legs grow weak and that all too familiar heat began to pool between her legs. Her emerald irises darkened as she licked her dry lips, his seductive voice promised even greater pleasures and she was helpless to deny him. She was trapped now, between his heated gaze and the muscled arms barring her escape on each side of her head. Her shadowy lover had barely touched her with anything other than his words and she could already feel her arousal flare to heights bordering on orgasmic. His lips brushed against hers with a feather light touch that made her breath hitch and grab onto his tank top to keep herself on her feet when her legs threatened to give out from underneath. Just as Sasuke was about to capture his chosen prize the ship jerked violently with enough force to send his forehead crashing against hers.

"Fuck!" they cursed in unison as white lights burst behind their eyes and they nursed their bruised skulls. The obsidian haired man retreated towards the intercom with his head in his palm. He slammed his fist against the button in anger, practically breathing fire, "Explain Suigetsu."

"Ano…okay so don't get mad Sasuke. Naruto may or may not have just gone overboard…"

"Baka." Sasuke snapped in response, clearly annoyed with the interruption when he was so close. Peering over his shoulder at the woman rubbing soothing circles on her reddened forehead he sighed knowing the mood was completely ruined. Suppressing his annoyance at his unattended needs he approached her, taking her delicate shoulders in his arms and planting a light kiss on her wounded forehead, "Sakura…I have something I want to talk to you about, later. Tonight."

She craned her head up to meet his stare as he stroked her rose colored mane. His words were soft and she couldn't detect any desire laced amongst them as was the case before. Not to mention he insisted it was a talk that he wanted rather than their new carnal activities. Sakura nodded slowly as his grip loosened and he left her there in his room, alone with her thoughts wondering what they possibly needed to speak about that seemed so serious as to forgo his seduction. That fact only filled her with dread and uncertainty for what may come.

---

Night approached slowly that summer's eve, the glowing orb lingering against the distant horizon. The emerald eyed agent leaned against the guard rail, finding that she needed some fresh air after her meal of canned provisions on what, hopefully, would be their last night on the high seas. She could almost make out the skyline of Tokyo, but it only appeared to be dark mountains, all detail obscured by the orange giant behind it. She had visited the city countless times on business and the like in the past, but that was when she and Naruto were on the right side of the law. Sasuke had seen the dark side of the city and experienced it first hand, lived it, breathed it for several years. Sakura could feel her hand tighten around the steel rail as her mind wandered as it often did when she wasn't preoccupied by work. She wondered if they would see that side too. The dark side; a sinful city within a city.

"Oh there you are Sakura-chan! I've been looking all over for you." beamed her partner emerging from the hatch, his face slightly sun burnt and accented by raccoon eyes from his uneven tan. She couldn't help but giggle at the sight. Even after going overboard several hours ago he was determined to get a tan; boy did he get it.

"Looking for me? What for?" she asked, turning back to the view before shooting him a questioning glance over her shoulder.

"Um…damnit! I forget, but it doesn't matter." he chuckled grinning as he often did as he joined her, "So, how are you doing?"

"Me? I'm fine Naruto."

"Are you and Sasuke…" he began, his voice suddenly serious as he turned his head to look her full in the face. She stiffened under his stare, her mind thrown into a panic.

"Does he know!? How could he possibly know!? Kami-sama please…"

"Are you and Sasuke still mad at each other?" he finished, his brow furrowed in concern at the sudden fluctuation of emotions she expressed physically, "A few days ago you two were at each other's throats. Now you two are working together on engines. I mean what happened?"

The pinkette sighed audibly, her heartbeat slowing considerably at Naruto's clarification. She almost had a heart attack!

"We…we're not mad at each other anymore. It was childish really." she explained, hoping her rising blush was hidden well enough in the approaching darkness, "We just needed to…talk through it."

"Good. That's good. I know how hard it can be to get along with teme in a confined space, believe me." he joked throwing his arm around her shoulders with a laugh. Sakura chuckled halfheartedly in kind still trying to mask the embarrassment of the truth. Oh she knew exactly how hard Sasuke could be when they were together, she knew all too well. The breeze whipped around them, cooler than previous nights sending a shiver down her spine, reminding her of her "appointment" with a certain Uchiha. Slowly she ducked from under the blondes arm and bid him farewell, feigning momentary deafness when he asked where she was going as she descended below the hatch and down the ladder. The female agent ignored Suigetsu's usual jab as she made for Sasuke's room; she swore, that man had a tongue as sharp as his teeth and one of these days she was going to knock one of them out and cut the appendage off with it.

Stealthily she stalked the tight corridors, weary of all the echoing sounds. It wasn't nearly as late as last time and Sasuke never specified what time he wanted to "talk". If she knew she'd have to sneak around like some sort of deviant to go talk to Sasuke under the guise of professionalism she'd never had agreed to this. But then again, it was such a thrill. Who would have thought that she'd be excited by something so…perverse? Eventually she reached his quarters, quietly collecting herself before she knocked on the steel door whispering his name. When he didn't respond she knocked a bit more forcefully and called out a little louder.

Still no response. Swallowing her uncertainty and anticipation Sakura grabbed the steel handle and pulled it down, surprised when it gave way and opened up. It was empty but the sound of running water told her he was in the shower, surely naked. Before she could retreat the sound of footsteps could be heard just around the bend echoing against the metal walls. Thinking quickly she entered, shutting the door behind her with a heavy click. Before she knew it the running water had stopped and Sasuke stepped out of the bathroom, dripping wet from head to toe with a towel wrapped about his waist.

"You're early." he stated plainly, sweeping his drenched hair back to look at her more clearly. He couldn't help the smirk that spread across his face at her flushed cheeks. So cute, but he knew there was a tenacious woman behind that. And a horny one behind that.

"It isn't like that!" she exclaimed covering her mouth upon the realization that she still needed to be discreet. She moved from the door to the other side of the room, her voice now a whisper, "Someone was coming and I had nowhere else to go so…"

"Aa, no need to explain." he cooed, his smirk still present. She watched as his hand grabbed the top of his towel as if ready to rip it off. Before he could do so she waved her hands about trying to dissuade him, if only for a moment.

"N-no! You said you needed to talk to me. I'm here to talk." asserted the flustered woman, knowing that if she let him get that far it was all over. Her protests seemed to work as his hand left the cloth hem and he ventured over to his dresser, pulling out a pair of boxers and stepped into them, sparing her his nudity. Casually he approached her, leaning his forearm on the wall behind her.

"Business first then. Alright." her dark haired seducer said, his smirk flipping into a somewhat disappointed frown, "It's about you actually…myself as well I suppose."

"About…us?" she asked shakily, her heart doing somersaults at the thought of him considering them a pair, even though he couldn't outright say it.

"Jugo…he says he heard us last night." he breathed in her ear, watching her stiffen slightly, "Maybe we should try to keep it down a little."

"Keep it down!? Sasuke, he knows! If he knows it's only a matter—"

"He won't say a word. He isn't like the others. I trust him with this…secret of ours." he interjected, idly fiddling with a lock of her rosy hair making her relax to some extent. Seemingly on its own his free hand found its way to her waist gently tugging her closer to him. She bit her lip as his growing erection pressed eagerly against her increasingly heated center.

"Is that all you wanted to tell me?" she whispered, her evergreen eyes darting between his nearing lips and his endless dark pools. Her bottom lip quivered in anticipation as his lips bypassed her own and pressed lightly against her pink tinged cheeks.

"The rest can wait. I want you now." his words made her rub her thighs together as her legs threatened to give out, luckily he was holding her even tighter now, his breath coming out in hot tempting puffs against her neck. Swiftly he swapped positions with her and pressed her back to his bare chest, her shirt absorbing the droplets of water that remained. Before the cherry headed woman could question the arrangement his right hand snaked its way into her shorts, quickly finding her hidden pearl and tweaking it. Her mouth gaped to release a cry but it was promptly blocked by his free hand, "Quietly Sakura. You wouldn't want someone to find us would you?"

Nodding numbly she closed her mouth, her pink lips twisting in concentration as he slipped a finger into her soaked passage. The invader probed her walls as if searching for something while the rough pad of his thumb teased her bundle of nerves. His free hand found its way to her chest, stopping momentarily at the hardness it felt beneath her shirt. Curiously he relieved her of the material, finding that she hadn't donned a bra this evening.

"Naughty." he whispered, nibbling on her ear as he massaged her soft mounds and played with her dusty pink peaks.

"I'm just running out of things to wear." she defending meekly, her hips boldly following the movements of his hand. His strokes were firm and skillful; even with one finger she had to bite on her knuckles to stifle her moans. Sasuke listened intently as she tried to vocalize her demands past the obstruction. The only thing he could decipher from her murmurs was "more", which he was always happy to give her. Gently he slipped another digit into her moist opening, her walls welcoming the visitor enthusiastically. She shut her emerald eyes tightly and bit her hand hard as he dug deeper inside releasing a frustrated grunt when he still hadn't found what he was looking for.

"Sakura…tell me where you like it." demanded the onyx eyed man hotly, stopping his search briefly so she could catch her breath and tell him where she hid her most sensitive spot. Slowly she shimmied out of her shorts and panties; which caught his eye, a lacy blue article. Had she purposely chosen them to entice him? After all, blue was his favorite color second only to black. Gently she turned her head to stare up at him with her lust filled eyes and guided his hand.

"D-deeper…and up." she instructed softly, grinding against his drenched hand urging him to continue. Smirking in thanks, he captured her lips before he continued his exploration of her cavern, silently kicking himself for not taking the time to find it the previous night. Following her directions his digits sunk past their knuckles and lovingly stroked her upper wall making her moan wantonly into his mouth as her thighs clenched around his hand.

Bingo.

She was close now; he could feel her juices begin to leak freely making lewd sounds as she gyrated against his thrusting joints. She was voracious; rubbing her supple rear against his weeping rod at the same time to remind him that he wasn't the only one who relished in giving pleasure. Suddenly he flipped her around so he could see her climax with his own eyes; his fingers leaving her unattended only for a brief second before piercing her again. Sakura's voice cracked against his lips as he stroked her sweet spot relentlessly, driving her over the edge of sanity. She rode his digits for as long as she could before finally collapsing to her weakened knees trying to catch her breath. In the meantime, Sasuke licked his fingers clean of her sticky essence.

Maybe he pushed her a little too far this time. Sasuke offered his hand to aid in standing her up, surprisingly however she declined. Instead her slender hands trailed up all the way from his bare calves to his thighs, stopping at the waistband of his black boxers. "Ah, so that's what she wanted." he thought, their eyes locking momentarily as she slowly slid down the undergarment. His iron member sprung from its cotton prison, eagerly greeting its liberator. He noticed a small twinkle in her eye as she firmly stroked the length of him, using the clear drops that flowed as lubricant.

She was taking her time him pleasuring him, not unlike what he'd done to her the previous night. Gently she'd flick her tongue against the head of his shaft lapping at the pearls that emerged while she pumped away with both hands at a slow pace. Time seemed to slow to a languid tempo as she tortured him; she hadn't even taken him into her mouth yet. He knew this game; she wanted to make him break his own rule of quiet coitus. Sasuke opened his mouth to protest the game she was playing but ended up cursing through grit teeth as she caught him off guard and took him deep in her mouth.

Instinctually he knotted his hands in her pink tresses to cut off her escape; even though she had no plans of retreat. She pulled back along his length stopping to swirl her tongue around the tip all the while sucking attentively, drawing a grunt from the man above her. Sakura looked up at him, never ceasing her ministrations to gaze upon his blissful face. Eyes closed tightly, brows furrowed in concentration, his abs flexing and relaxing with each rhythmic bob. She moaned against the sensitive fleshy rod making him buck and groan his approval of the vibrations. Still not satisfied with his tame volume, one of her hands cupped his tightening sac. Sasuke doubled over and gasped audibly as she massaged the delicate orbs all the while smiling with her mouth full.

"Does it feel good Sasuke-kun?" teased the pinkette, or so he figured, seeing as it came out in a mostly incoherent hum. The minx knew what she was doing and knew damn well how good it felt. Jolts of pleasure shot through his legs nearly flooring him, if not for his grip on the crown of her head. She must have known how close he was judging by how his cock twitched and jerked against the furious onslaught of her tongue. It wasn't long before he succumbed to her oral torture, devoting his crushing orgasm to the goddess that gave it to him with a breathy moan of her name. The temptress sucked thoughtfully on his engorged tip, moaning salaciously as his seed filled her waiting mouth. Little by little Sakura gulped down his viscous offering, finding the bittersweet flavor to be a natural aphrodisiac as it fueled the ache for him in her nethers.

"Sakura…" repeated the shaken man, his jet-black locks damp with sweat as he pulled the reason for his disheveled state to her feet to face him. Their jaded gazes met and he instantly lost the choice words he'd wanted to throw at her and instead decided to simply capture her mouth in a bruising liplock as he backed her towards his bed. The mattress took her knees out from behind and they tumbled together with an "oomph". He wasted no time pressing his sensitive shaft into her dripping slit, swearing loudly as he was surrounded by her inviting walls.

"Ne ne Sasuke-kun, keep your voice down." she chastised seductively, a cheeky smile crossing her flushed face. The dark eyed man grunted in response as she clenched her strong thighs around his waist pressing him inside to the hilt. As he began thrusting his hardened length into her Sasuke noticed the uneven rhythm at which her velvet walls would contract around him. Even though she had taken the submissive position she was still leading him by the nose.

"You're doing that on purpose." whispered the Uchiha raggedly, craning his head to take one of her neglected nipples between his teeth and pulled teasingly on it.

"Maybe." she moaned knotting her hands in his damp mane as he serviced her chest. Sakura arched her back as he buried himself in her, roughly pulsing his hips in an upwards angle eliciting a hushed cry from her lips. She cursed herself for showing him her sweet spot but loved it all the same.

He was becoming addicted to her body. Every little touch he offered was met accordingly with her own sighs of pleasure and rapturous moans; though they were somewhat contained. He loved how responsive she was, especially when she neared her climax. How she'd dig her nails into his back and ramblingly murmur his name as he continued to thrust into her, driving her to higher and higher heights. Even now, riding the wave of her last orgasm she continued to meet his hips with forceful gyrations of her own, wordlessly pleading for more. At least he wasn't the only one becoming obsessed with their coupling.

"Please…" she whimpered against his neck, showering it with nips and kisses as her legs slipped from around him in exhaustion. Feeling his own breaking point approach rapidly, Sasuke gently palmed the back of her knees spreading her wide before continuing his assault on her trembling body. He leaned over and captured her lips wanting to experience the culmination of their joining as close as possible to her sinfully sweet body. His thrusts became erratic and wild as he dove into her tight treasure as deeply as possible, almost painfully for himself. She swallowed his moan of completion and he hers as he filled her to the brim. They stayed together for sometime panting and affectionately nuzzling each other, their hearts falling back into rhythm. Eventually Sasuke left the heat of her sheath and settled on the comfort of his sheets and warmth of her embrace, treating himself to a cigarette in the process.

The emerald eyed woman stared up at him from her heads resting place on his chest. She watched with a smile as he lazily blew smoke rings into the air, giggling prettily when he glanced down at her with a slight blush. The steady rise and fall of his chest melted her insides and that steely gaze of his; it was enough to make her outdo his blush with her own. The fingers of his free hand carefully stroked the curvature of her waist and thigh drawing small content sighs from her. She'd never seen him so relaxed, so subdued and gentle; he even kept his fondling to a minimum.

"We weren't very quiet Sasuke-kun." she muttered, nuzzling into the crook of his neck as sleep threatened to claim her.

"Hn. I don't care who hears us, besides I like it better when you scream." he responded, his coal black eyes smiling as her blush grew deeper at his confession.

"I think I'd die from embarrassment alone if they found out like that…" she countered bashfully hiding her face, "They wouldn't understand…I barely do."

"What's there to understand?" Sasuke inquired, snuffing out his cigarette in a nearby ashtray before rolling over to hover above her, "We share a common desire."

"There's more to it than just sex Sasuke!" she snapped, shooting him a disapproving frown. She didn't know if she was trying to convince him, or herself. If she truly only wanted the shadowy man for his sexual prowess she'd be no better than Tayuya. The very thought made her cringe inwardly.

"Sakura…" he trailed, searching her slightly pained expression for the right words to say, "Intimate relationships like that are dangerous in this business."

"I suppose what we've been doing doesn't quite count as intimate to you." spat the rose haired woman, her anger quickly replacing the bliss she'd experienced a short time ago.

"You know what I mean." he seethed, his eyes narrowing at her glare. She knew he never approved of labels even as an agent of the law his flings had never amounted to anything more than that, not for lack of trying on their parts, "If my enemies knew about this…"

"I'm not a child Sasuke. I can take care of myself." Sakura defended petulantly, turning away from his eyes

"Don't be stubborn. I'm trying, like you wanted me to." he admitted lowly, his eyes downcast and hidden behind the thick black curtain of his bangs, "I'm trying to do the right thing."

"What's the right thing Sasuke?" she asked quietly, her soft voice reaching out to him as her hand brushed the hair from his face so she could see his eyes. He flinched as she stroked his cheek and gazed up at him, emerald gems shining with sincerity he had trouble stomaching at times. No matter how many times he tried to push her away or shut her out she was always there. Offering soft words from her soft heart that made him want to be the man he once was; the better man. He denied it day and night, trying to rationalize why she never gave up on him, despite the wretched creature he had become. She cared for him no matter what, and the realization weighed heavily on his heart. It was her. She was the right thing, the only thing in his life that wasn't tainted by atrocities or despoiled by the vices of the criminal underworld. The only thing in his world worth protecting anymore. He opened his mouth in response, but his throat had closed tight as if he were being choked.

Sasuke! We've got a problem, Customs is on our ass." Suigetsu hailed, effectively drawing both their attentions to the talking box and back to reality.

"You know what to do, alert the others." ordered the Uchiha firmly pressing the button to respond, quickly he hopped off of the bed and went straight for his dresser. Sakura watched as he tossed odds and ends from its drawers before throwing her a baggy jumpsuit with a questionable smell radiating off of it, "Put it on, hurry."

The look in his eyes told her that it wasn't up for discussion, so she chose not to press the issue and went about retrieving her discarded clothes and dressing in a hurried manner. Her outfit was weathered down to a drab gray, ill-fitting, spotted with grease, and had a briny musk to it that made her wrinkle her nose whenever she caught a whiff. She turned to Sasuke who had donned a similar outfit with a questioning look as he placed a dingy cap on her head effectively covering some of her rosy locks. With a simple motion of his head she followed him to the bridge where everyone had packed in.

"Listen carefully everyone. We do this by the book, and no one gets hurt. We don't need a trail of bodies following us into the city." Sasuke explained looking over his crew all dressed in identical outfits, "We're military surplus shippers, nothing more. Let me do all the talking and we'll be fine."

Despite his reassuring words everyone couldn't help but believe that he was anything but confident about their current situation. The approaching motorboat shot blinding lights through the windshield of the bridge as Suigetsu brought the ship to a complete stop. Jugo handed his dark haired leader several files before they began their ascent onto the deck and crowded the bow.

"Will the captain of this vessel please step forward and identify yourself." called a man's voice projected through a bullhorn. They were still too blind to see exactly who or how many of them there were before they began climbing aboard. Sasuke took the first steps, his hands rose trying to block out the light.

"Naruhara Daisuke, I'm captain of this vessel." he responded, his voice carrying through the stillness of the night. Slowly four silhouettes bathed in halogen light all armed with rifles approached. Suddenly the gravity of the situation set in. The last time they entered a major city they were accosted and imprisoned by Tayuya under Sasori's orders. Who's to say someone far worse didn't have it out for them this time around? The supposed commanding officer approached Sasuke with his weapon raised; he was a man of similar height, with a shaved head and a scowl on his face.

"Naruhara…papers please, Captain." he ordered scanning the stoic face of Sasuke, his weapon still raised. Slowly Sasuke reached for the documents in his pocket and held them out for inspection. The customs agent lowered his weapon, roughly grabbing the credentials and called a subordinate to keep an eye on them while he scrutinized the papers. Sakura watched silently, her heart pounding as the other men silently examined them for any suspicious activities.

"This shipment...is scheduled for tomorrow morning, and the buyer…"

"The Ministry of Defense, yes." Sasuke stated, his voice not wavering in the slightest and showing not even a flicker of emotion at the narrowed glares his detainers' threw, "I figured we'd make good time traveling through the night and since when has anyone complained about receiving vital equipment too early."

"Indeed. This manifest claims you're here to deliver military hardware at the behest of the Ministry. What I don't understand is why I've never seen you, your crew, or this vessel before." he observed handing the papers to his underling as he raised his weapon once again, "A military contract…with an independent supplier, suspicious no?"

The unarmed onlookers stiffened at the spectacle. Clearly the situation had taken a turn for the worse and now they all were being held at gunpoint. Sakura did her best to suppress the shaking that began in her knees and those of her fellow spectators.

"There's nothing suspicious about saving lives!" Sakura interjected, taking everyone by surprise with her forceful tone.

"What are you going on about?" demanded the agent, shifting the weapon to the small crew member. Sasuke's eyes widened considerable at the turn of events, shooting Sakura an apprehensive look.

"The police need this equipment!" barked the pinkette, earning the interest of all the rifles as she stepped forward warily. She raised her hands high in surrender continuing her approach as she swallowed her fear, "Surely you've heard about those bombings in Nagano."

"Of course I have, the whole country has." he returned, sidestepping the Uchiha and drawing on the woman garnering his attention.

"Those bombings could have been prevented if they had this equipment at their disposal." she proclaimed, her voice faltering as tears swelled in her eyes, "Are you willing to let something so horrid happen to Tokyo because of something as trivial as a contract?"

Everyone watched the performance in awe, even Sasuke. The customs agents all seemed to be buying her act seeing as how they stopped brandishing their weapons brazenly. Clearly she'd learned a thing or two in the years they were apart. She must have become quite the undercover agent by now. He should've known, seeing as she had been impersonating a lady of the night when they first saw each other after years apart, not an easy feat for someone so seemingly innocent.

"I lost my grandfather to that madman Deidara; may he burn in hell." seethed the agent, his teeth grit and a pained expression contorting his plain features, "If this equipment will truly help stop those terrorist bastards…go."

The man handed Sasuke back the documents without another word and then he, and his men, disembarked the ship and returned to their own vessel. The collective crew released breathes they'd all been holding in since the agents became suspicious. Relief washed over them as the motorboat drifted away into the night and towards the shining lights of Tokyo's port.

"Sakura-chan! That was amazing! You saved our asses for sure!" Naruto exclaimed, nearly bowling the woman over as he bear hugged her from behind and spun her around in the air.

"I could've done that…" muttered Karin sourly, adjusting her glasses needlessly.

"I bet. They probably would've shot themselves if they heard your voice Karin." snickered the cerulean haired pilot as he descended into the bridge before the fiery redhead could get her hands on him. Everyone retreated back into the patrol boat as it began moving again. Sasuke however stayed, taking a moment for himself. He leaned against the railing near the hatch watching the lights grow in the closing distance. Tokyo and his brother were that much closer now. When the hatch opened behind him he didn't need to look to know who it was.

"It's late Sakura, you should get some rest."

"I know, but…" she mumbled joining him by the barrier and staring off into the night. He tilted his head to examine her conflicted features, clearly something was bothering her and if he didn't know any better he'd say it had to do with their little argument.

"You worry too much. We're almost there. Sleep." he said once again, turning away when she shifted her gaze to his. He didn't want to speak and if she used half as much tact as she displayed before the customs agents, she'd unearth him again.

"You said there was more to talk about." she countered, knowing that if she let him dissuade her now they'd never speak of it again, "It's your brother…isn't it? He's why we're in Tokyo."

"Sakura…" he whispered, his grip flexing against the steel rail. So she figured it out then. He shouldn't have been surprised; after all she was there that night in Matsushiro Castle.

"If we find your brother? If you…kill him?" trailed the rosy haired woman tugging hard on the fabric to make him look her in the eyes, "Will that be it?"

Despite the simplicity of her words he knew she sought a far deeper response than he could offer her. She didn't just want to know if their journey would end with the demise of that certain man. She wanted to know if it would be the end of everything between them as well. Never had such an innocent question ever sounded so cruel to him. What could he say to her? Sasuke could feel his chest tighten as she pierced his stoic gaze with her bright jade eyes.

"It makes no difference." he responded, roughly pulling away from her grip, his heart rebelling against him with every beat, "What we want—what I want…"

Once again the words eluded him. She was a child asking innocent questions about a grave situation beyond her comprehension. Desiring a sugar coated answer to what she knew deep down was truly bitter. The reality of how this mission would end was known only to him and Tsunade. Whether he succeeded or not, it would end with his death or his incarceration, nothing more, nothing less. Those fated conclusions cared little for what either of them felt for each other and would not bend to their will.

"Please Sasuke-kun…" she urged, throwing herself at him in an effort to slow his retreat.

He was trying to pull away again, she could feel it. Not just physically though, he was coiling back into his emotional shell. Was it so horrible for him to consider life after his brother's death? Or was it just the prospect of living that scared him? Sasuke didn't need to see her face to know she was in pain and on the verge of tears, if they hadn't already spilt.

"I don't know what will happen in the end, Sakura." began the onyx eyed man, squeezing her small hands wrapped around his torso before prying them from his person. Eventually she lifted her head to meet his gaze and his heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. The tears hadn't fallen but her face had reddened from using all of her willpower to keep them in the corners of her eyes. It was his fault, all of it. Her sadness, her pain, "Just promise you won't cry for me."

"Sasuke-kun don't…why would you—"

"Don't make me say it!" Sasuke snapped, gripping her shoulder perhaps too roughly from the way she winced. That was what he hated the most, seeing her in pain. It only hurt more knowing he was the cause and that it was his very nature that wounded her so. He brought her into this dark world and all he wanted to do was shield her from it now. All he wanted was her, for all her naïveté and tenderness; she was the purest thing in his life, "Please…promise me."

How could she promise such a thing? She cared more for him now than she ever had and now all he wanted to do was keep her at arm's length and act as if he was dying. Sakura could see he was battling quite possibly every emotion in his repertoire from the way his jaw clenched and brows furrowed in deep concentration. Though this time was different from the other times he tried distancing himself. He hadn't run; not for lack of trying, instead he struggled to keep his words soft and tone stoic…as if he were trying to protect her. He had become so distraught by her inquiry, and she so focused on keeping him from running that they hadn't noticed that they had long since pulled into the port and were entering a warehouse.

"Captain speaking, we have arrived in scenic and seedy Tokyo and if you're like me, you'll be visiting Kabukicho immediately."

They could both hear the commotion below as everyone began filling the bridge; it wouldn't be long until their little talk became a public spectacle. She couldn't. She wouldn't accept his nihilistic view of the future. How could he even believe she'd consider a future without him in her life? Not now, not ever. Sakura shook her head furiously as she pulled out of his hold, breaking into a full blown sprint across and off the ship, making for the large office space on the second floor. Sasuke leapt off of the vessel fully intent on chasing her but had to stop himself.

"Oi Sasuke, are you gonna change out of that jumpsuit and join us or what?" called a cheerful voice from behind. To think he was actually serious with that announcement.

"No, I have business at The Station. Meet me later."

"T-t-the Station!? Sasuke-kun you're kidding right?" stammered Karin, nearly losing her footing as the crew hopped off of the boat.

"What is this place? Some sort of bar?" inquired the blonde, looking to everyone for an answer only to receive nervous snickers or silence.

"Iie, it's not just any bar Naruto. It's believed to be a popular haunt for bounty hunters." clarified the pale man, silently noting Sakuras absence. Sasuke didn't much like having the man around, even if he was more of a ghost than a fixture on his team, but he enjoyed having someone else explain things to the dobe for once.

"A good place for information." Jugo chimed, making his way to the parked midnight SUV in the corner beside its smaller counterpart.

"An even better place to get killed." Suigetsu half warned, wasting precious little time on the subject before entering the passenger side.

"You aren't planning on taking Sakura-chan with you, are you?" questioned Naruto, practically threateningly so. Sasuke returned the challenging glare his comrade shot at him, already feeling confrontational from his talk with the subject of conversation.

"And what if I—"

"No, he isn't. I'm coming with you." called the emerald eyed agent from the second floor, drawing her teammates and Sasukes attention. Clearly her mood had only soured further.

---

"Slow it down there Pinky; we've got a lot more places to hit tonight." laughed the shark toothed man as he watched her finish the dregs of her second glass of hard liquor. She shot an intimidating glare across the table, effectively wiping his usual grin off his face. She'd hoped that the alcohol would alleviate some of her anger with the Uchiha, but it only augmented it.

"He's right Sakura-chan. I've never seen you like this…what's going on?" Naruto wondered aloud, his brow twisting in worry.

"Stop worrying about—" she coughed violently, feeling the last bit of liquid burn its way down the wrong hole, "Me. I just want to relieve some of this stress."

"Hm. Alcohol is one way to do so. However, sex is a far better stress reliever." chimed Sai nonchalantly as everyone stared at him with their mouths wide open. No one was immune to his frankness; well at least not entirely, even Jugo stared in wonderment. Suigetsu however was the first to respond with a fit of laughter.

"That…was the worst pick up line I've ever heard!" he jeered, slamming his hands against the table repeatedly, "Kabukicho is full of loose women surely you and Naruto will have better luck with them."

"I'm not interested in any other woman other than my Hinata-hime!" proclaimed the blonde, practically chomping at the bit to show off his photo flooded wallet of him and his girl, "I'm gonna marry her one day."

"I have a significant other as well so I'm not interested in Sakura. Even if I was, Sasuke would surely kill me if he knew." responded the pale man, calmly sipping his drink under everyone's perplexed stares.

"Why would my Sasuke-kun do something like that for her?" asked the redhead her eyes narrowing across the table at the woman in question. For a brief moment Sakura shifted her gaze to her fellow agent trying to decide if she even cared about their secret anymore, and whether her life could get any worse than it already was because of him.

"It's come to my attention that Sasuke has been sleeping with Sakura; I'm surprised it took me this long to figure it out actually." he marveled indifferently.

"You've got some sense of humor there Sai. If it wasn't for Tayuya I'd have to say he had no interest in women, forget about what's between their legs." brushed off Suigetsu, downing the remnants of his drink and signaling a scantily clad waitress for another round for the table.

"S-S-Sasuke-kun would never!" stuttered the redhead, rising to her feet and slamming her palms on the table in anger, "He rebuffed that vile woman Tayuya, and would never—!"

"We are sleeping together." Sakura blurted flatly, casually sipping the drink the waitress placed before her. She was drunk, and the last thing she felt like doing was covering for him, much less lying to protect the feelings of Karin; the delusional harpy. Now they all gawked at her as if she'd grown another head. Better now than some other time when she might have cared.

"Sakura-chan…"

"No. Fucking. Way.

"Its true." piped Sai and Jugo in unison.

"No no no no no…."

Clearly everyone was taking the news somewhat differently. Naruto and Suigetsu stuck in a state of disbelief and Karin on the verge of a psychotic break, maybe it was better to keep this a secret.

"This is rich! That cold bastard Sasuke falling for—" Suigetsus sharp tongue was cut off by her testy glare, "Err…let's just find the old softie."

"Sasuke-kun will set this straight…this is just some sick joke you're all in on." whispered the redhead to herself, shakily gulping down her libations as the group made their exit.

---

Sasuke roamed the neon colored side streets of the seedy district with his gaze cast down. He wore dark shades even though the night was as black as his hair; he just hated how bright this part of town was no matter the time of day. That and it didn't hurt to keep his identity a secret, especially considering where he was headed. The Station was the just the cusp of the underworld; a somewhat legitimate business that was funded by the same gangland types that it hunted. He visited the location countless times with his team in the past; picking up bounties, making inquiries and drops without a care. All because he was under the protection of Orochimaru, despite the hefty sum on his head. Now however, he was his only protection and was considered fair game for anyone bold enough to try and collect. "Let them try." he thought darkly.

He was still fairly heated about the little exchange between himself and Sakura. So much so that he wouldn't mind taking it out on some poor fool who ended up on the wrong end of his fists, or his gun. Reflexively his hand caressed the sleek metal of his handgun hidden in his armpit holster. Finally he stood before the large florescent hanging sign that read: "The Station" accented by two colliding neon trains.

"Business or pleasure, sir?" asked the burly bouncer at the door inspecting the man clad in black.

"Business." responded the Uchiha darkly, stealthily flashing his holstered sidearm. The bouncer grunted and nodded in kind.

"Very well. Keep it holstered and there won't be any problems." he warned, graciously opening the door for Sasuke. As he crossed the vestibule he was instantly assaulted by the thick pungent mixture of its patron's tobacco smoke. It didn't take long for him to add his own to the pollution just to have a more familiar scent fill his nostrils. A few of the "customers" glanced at him from behind their drinks with scrutinizing eyes; it wasn't wholly uncommon for the wanted to come in and try to get their bounties revoked or just try hiding in plain sight. The regulars however didn't bat an eye at his arrival; they probably just came here to grab a drink with their own rather than rub elbows with tourists and prey. The walls of the room were lined with plush booths filled with revelers of all kinds; men and women enjoying their libations and even doing a bit of gambling. The dim amber light accentuated the wood finishes on every surface and gave each bottle of hard alcohol an enticing glow. Sasuke begrudgingly took the last open stool at the center of the bar.

"What are you drinking, stranger?" inquired a sultry female voice, jarring him from his idle examination of the bar tops crude drawings. When he raised his head to address the question he realized it hadn't come from the young woman behind the bar, but rather the one at his side. He knew this game. He'd played it before as well.

"You can tell a lot about a man from what he drinks." he toned flatly, rapping his knuckles against the wooden top to get the bartenders attention as he exhaled his smoke against the top, "I suppose that means you're here on business?"

"This city never sleeps, why should business?" she quipped, chuckling lowly at his suspicions. Sasuke continued his study of her as she sipped her elaborate martini, "This however, is just courtesy."

She had short navy colored hair and slate gray eyes that seemed to smolder in the amber lighting. The woman wore a deceptively tight black cocktail dress that wrapped around the ivory skin of her neck and left her back, arms, and even the sides of her breasts exposed. Her most notable traits had to be her choice of jewelry though; her ears were ornamented by porcelain colored studs in the shape of roses, and just below her bottom lip sat a silver stud of its own. She was an attractive woman by all counts and as such should have been quite the spectacle in this establishment. So why was it that the older, more seasoned looking patrons avoided ogling her like the plague?

"So, what's your poison?" she asked once again, the corner of her lips curling in a sly smirk as the bartender approached them.

"Hibiki twenty-one. Neat." responded the Uchiha finally, taking a deep inhale of his dwindling cigarette in an attempt to avoid her gaze. Whether it was a fuck or a fight she wanted, he had no interest. Business first, pleasure later; if at all. Once again his thoughts were brought back to Sakura. If he had any such luck she wouldn't deny him that pleasure for too long.

It wasn't long before his drink was presented before him and he reached for it, only to have his hand covered by his companions. She had soft fingers and finely manicured nails. If she wasn't some hotshot bounty hunters woman she must have been one herself. An assassin looking for a mark; one fool enough to be distracted by her looks.

"Perhaps a toast first?" she suggested, removing her fingers from his and raising her own glass in his direction. she smiled as he returned the gesture, "To the breaking dawn that will deliver us from darkness."

With that they gingerly touched rims with a small twang. His eyes never left hers as he sipped the russet liquid in his heavy bottomed glass. His eyes were far better than most and if she'd attempted to poison him he'd know.

"Enjoy your evening, Stranger-kun." teased the mysterious woman as she gracefully swiveled in her seat and made for the exit without a second glance. An enigmatic woman indeed. Slowly he finished his drink all the while watching his surroundings from the mirrored wall behind the bar shelf. When the bartender reached for his empty glass he grabbed her wrist, pulling her close enough that she was leaning over the top.

"I need to speak to your boss." Sasuke said, his voice dark and demanding. She could only shake her head declining his appeal. When he slipped her a small wad of 10,000 yen banknotes however, she was all too willing to acquiesce that request. She disappeared into a backroom briefly before returning. The dark haired man snuffed out his cigarette in a nearby ashtray when she motioned him toward another door around the corner at the far side of the room. As he approached the two guards stepped to the side allowing him access and opening the door for him.

When he entered he was staring into the face of a diminutive bald man with a deep scar above his right eye. The man rose to his feet once the door was shut behind him and gestured for him to take a seat on the other side of his document riddled desk.

"I hear we have business to attend to mister…"

"Names aren't important." assured the shadowy man taking a seat in the comfortable chair

"Anonymity, I like that. You're all business as well." praised the man stroking his small black beard with interest as he peering into the covered eyes of his guest, "What can I humbly do for you on this fine night?"

"I need information on a certain man."

"Of course. And who is this wanted desperado?"

"Uchiha Itachi." he seethed, unable to keep his emotions in check whenever he uttered that name. The man across from him may have even caught a glimpse of the crimson that threatened to show itself in his eyes judging from the way he froze.

"Uchiha…Itachi?" he muttered, doing his best to suppress the uncontrollable shaking that began. Nervously he wiped the beads of sweat that began to cascade down his bald head, "That's a 150 million yen bounty. The information alone would cost…"

"Money is no issue." Sasuke interrupted, reaching deep in his coat pockets and producing several large stacks of bills that he threw down on the table. The exchange master was sweating even harder at the sight of the money, but he made no move to grab it, "What's the problem, Zangei? Is my money no good here anymore?"

"Anymore? I don't…" the realization hit him like a kick in the nuts as the man removed his sunglasses. Every now and then some foolish upstart hunter would ask for information regarding one of the world's most dangerous vigilantes, but rarely did they ever have the capital to back it up. And when they did, he was sometimes persuaded to feed them false information for greed and his own wellbeing; but when you were in this business as long as him you knew never to cross certain clients. Namely Uchihas. What was he to do when the two were pitted against each other? Instinctually his hand shot to the panic button underneath his desk, but before he came even close to it he was slammed to the floor with a gun to his head.

"Tell me where he is!" he bit out, cocking the hammer back to emphasize his threat.

"I-I-I can't—I don't know! I swear!" stammered the exchange officer, turning his head as the barrel pressed painfully against his skull.

"Are you protecting them? Working for them?" Sasuke hissed, his finger twitching reflexively on the trigger. Zangei was a sleazeball whose one vice was money; the running joke at The Station was that it was the only thing that sexual aroused him anymore. He was also a coward, the kind that would fold under pressure. Now however, he didn't break down and give him what he wanted. He was scared indeed, but not of the man pointing a gun in his face.

"You don't understand Uchiha…" seethed the bald man, gritting his teeth in agony, "They're everywhere. No one can stop the coming dawn."

Now he was seeing red. Growling in frustration he rose to his feet keeping his captive in his placated position with a firm foothold on his chest. The dawn was coming, the same thing that woman at the bar had toasted to. Sasuke scowled at the notion; they were just petty words used to brighten their dark intentions. His brother…those dead bastards in Nagano…that woman and the rest of them were terrorists, nothing more. And Zangei, protecting them for what? Fear of his life? He could die now or later, it made no difference to Sasuke either way.

"Fuck the dawn." snarled Sasuke, his crimson speckled eyes flashing as he slowly pulled the trigger savoring the look of horror in Zangei's final moments. He was however given a few more moments when the sounds of shattering glass and raised voices drew his executioner's attention to the door. Deciding that the man was more trouble dead than alive Sasuke left him as such, but not before delivering a swift kick to the side of his head effectively knocking him out. Replacing his sunglass he quickly collected his money and pressed his ear to the door listening keenly to the commotion.

---

"What's the issue sweetcheeks? Not interested in a little fun?" cooed the drunkard, his shaggy dark hair invading Sakura's personal space as he leaned closer to her.

"I'm sure whatever you're offering is very little indeed." spat the rose haired woman, her grip tightening like a vice around her beverage as she tried avoiding her intoxicated admirer.

"And I'm sure the two of us would be more than enough for you to handle." returned her followers carbon copy, effectively boxing her into her seat at the bar as he loomed over her. Her lips twisted into a furious grimace as she sipped her drink bitterly. This wouldn't have been a problem if her companions hadn't been held up at the door by the bouncer for something stupid Naruto had said.

"I'm not interested. How many times do I have to say it?" she barked slamming her glass against the bar with an audible thud. Her glare darted between the two of them, baring her teeth at the lecherous grins they traded, "Fuck. Off."

"Tch! Cheeky little bit—Gah!"

No one ever called Haruno Sakura a bitch and expected to come out unscathed; much less an angry, inebriated Haruno Sakura. Unleashing her pent up fury she seized her glass and slammed it against one of her lechers' heads sending him writhing on the floor in agony. Before she could react the other man roughly grabbed her wrist with rage in his beady black eyes. She threw an awkward haymaker with her free hand but it was easily caught by her assailant. Swiftly he twisted her about, slamming her head onto the hardwood surface of the bar top.

"You're gonna pay for that bitch!" he barked, bystanders watching the scuffle with mild interest; deaf to the sound of a door bursting open in the back. Sasuke made quick work of the burly bouncers who attempted to impede his march to the front with heavy handed gun butts to their craniums. His blood boiled at the sight; if Sakura hadn't been so close to her assailant he'd have shot him in the back without hesitation. Instead he approached them, his boots beating heatedly against the wooden floors before he pressed his cold steel to the back of his skull.

"Three seconds to release her."

"What the—!"

"One."

"Who do you think—!" the man whipped his head around only to be met with scarcely obscured intense blood red eyes. His mouth hung open at the sight as his entire body went into stasis.

"Two."

"Uchiha…"

"Three." as the hammer pulled back, Sasuke tore the man away from Sakura and sent him to join his bleeding cohort on the floor. Before he bore down on them he holstered his weapon and moved to the shaken woman helping her up, "Are you alright, Sakura?"

She nodded in respond, unconsciously clinging to his coat sleeve as she tried to clear her throbbing head. Once she regained her senses Sakura revisited her previous fury; unleashing it on her attackers with kicks to their guts.

"Bastards! Lecherous…sons of bitches!" she scolded, not holding back as they contorted and wept under her onslaught. She even drew a few laughs from the observing crowd. Though there were those who didn't much care for the spectacle and were keener on watching the players. Sasuke eyed them warily, noting how some of them began rising to their feet.

"Sakura we need to go." suggested the obsidian haired desperado, tugging on her shoulder to draw her back to reality. He panned the room with his weapon and his eyes, scanning for any brave enough, or foolish enough to make the first move.

"This place really has gone downhill! I tell you, the last time I—" broke in Suigetsu as he and the rest on his waylaid confidants finally entered the bar, only to be shocked by the scene, "Sasuke…what the fuck?!"

This was the last thing he needed now. The declaration of his name was as good as a death sentence in this place. Now almost everyone had risen to their feet glaring daggers at their prey. Instinctually the diminutive bartender cowered behind the bar already sensing that she'd have to weather a storm soon.

"Any weapons?"questioned the crimson eyed man to the woman half hidden behind him. The bounty hunters had already begun to circle and surround them; it wouldn't be long until someone made their move.

"Just these." she responded, pulling a pair of fingerless gloves with ball bearing padded knuckles from her blazer and donning them. Sasuke threw a small smirk over his shoulder; these greedy bastards were in for a rude awakening.

"To think we came in here for a quick drink and may end up coming out fifty million yen richer!" boasted the shaggy haired man, despite the blood flowing freely from the wounds Sakuras glass had given him. Slowly his companion rose as well; turns out they were both the bravest and stupidest patrons The Station had ever seen. They charged Sasuke and Sakura only to be swiftly subdued in headlocks. Little good they were as human shields though; as far as every other bounty hunter was concerned they were competition.

It wasn't long until the crowd descended upon them with a boisterous cry, driven by greed for glory and promised fortunes alone. Sasuke threw his detainee into the crowd as they rushed him, successfully toppling those not nimble enough to dodge. One attacker lunged with a knife aimed at his gut that he narrowly avoided. Pivoting on his heels he grabbed their wrist and turned the weapon back upon them, driving it deep into their chest. Though his small victory was short lived when the Uchiha was grabbed roughly by his shoulders and dragged into the horde. Thinking quickly he tore the blade from the man's chest and thrust it into his next foes thigh. Sasuke backhanded the brawny man as he crumpled to his knee, completing his descent. Blood was in the air now, but it only fueled their madness further. Sasuke used everything at his disposal; fists, knees, elbows, even his head to fight through the mass but they were endless and he was tiring quickly.

Sasuke was the primary target, but anyone associated with him was bound to be worth a mint themselves; or at least that was the assumption as they began to furiously attack Sakura as well. Though it was the same story in most of her physical confrontations; everyone underestimated her simply because of her gender, no matter how many of her assailants she sent sprawling to the floor with forceful hooks. In the confusion she had been separated from Sasuke but she tried her best to fight her way back to him. Sakura bit back a cry of pain when someone grabbed her hair and restrained her arms as she made a break for Sasuke. She struggled against her captor, only finding success when she stomped on his toes and threw her head against the bridge of his nose. When his grip lessened she elbowed him hard, hearing the sickening crack of several of ribs as he fully relinquished his hold on her. She weathered her foes attacks thanks to a cocktail of adrenaline and alcohol and dispatched what few remained with raw strength and sheer will, but when the crowd thinned could she see why. Her dark haired avenger was being swarmed now, using his own body to try and break through the host in his own desperation as the tides of battle turned.

"This is it." he thought dismally as the hunters drew on him, clawing and grabbing whatever they could as he fought back with his failing strength. The obsidian haired man was struck squarely on his jaw sending him down to one knee as they tried kicking and beating him onto the hardwood floor and into submission. This was the end of everything; his life, his mission, his team…Sakura. It was her cry that brought him back from the brink. His name drifted through the ruckus and reached him in his darkest moment. Summoning what little might he could, Sasuke exploded to his feet and swiftly spun about using the length of his coat to obscure his enemies' vision momentarily. He reached for his forgotten handgun and the small combat blade he kept hidden in his boot, in one fluid motion he rose swinging both at the surrounding men and women. The well maintained blade bit through clothes and flesh easily enough, offering him adequate room to properly acquisition a target. The brief lull gave him a glimpse of the surrounding commotion as well; everyone was fighting now, Suigetsu, Naruto, Sakura, Sai, Jugo, even Karin could be seen breaking bottles over people's heads on the outskirts.

The continued assault was waylaid once Sasuke saw fit to use lethal force on his unrelenting aggressors. His first victim practically fell onto his blade as they rushed in, the sharp steel slipping through his ribs as he exhaled in anguish. He kept him close as he scanned his numerous foes, twisting the blade whenever his captive tried to pull away. Any who ventured too close were promptly subdued by his pistol as he slowly made his way to the exit and part of his team. The weapon clicked as it quickly emptied barely denting the hordes numbers or dissuading them as he had hoped. Releasing an animalistic growl Sasuke threw his prisoner into the fray as he slashed to and fro with a ferocity that made those on the frontlines falter and fall to his blade in a bloody display. Gradually the hunters thinned; those who lay bleeding out on the floor showing them that he would not be taken alive, much less without racking up a significant body count in the process. Still he fought on, his bloodlust getting the better of him as their life's essence coated his hands. The crimson eyed vigilante spun wildly when something collided with his back; blade in hand with killing intent as it descended down upon his foe. Though it never touched flesh, instead it froze inches away from the unknown assailant's neck as his blood red gaze locked with jade.

"Sasuke…"

The Uchiha could see the fear in her eyes; it was practically flowing off of her as his hand began to tremble at the idea of what he had almost done. For a brief moment his muddled mind cleared and he remembered how this had all started. It was his own hatred that got him into this and his reputation that pulled Taka in. He grabbed her wrist suddenly and pulled them through the crowd towards the small opening Jugo had created with his enormous size alone. Sasuke pushed her ahead of him as they broke through the other side and began their mad dash into the summer's night.

"Should've known you'd almost get us killed barely three hours into being in Tokyo!" shouted Suigetsu as he and the rest followed their leader through the neon streets. They could still hear the shouts of their most stanch pursuers. They'd never get away clean with this small platoon. When Sasuke barked orders to split up he hadn't even noticed that he was still pulling Sakura behind him as they separated from the group and escaped down an alleyway. The two continued snaking through side streets, finally rounding a blind corner and hiding in the darkness of its alley. Thankfully the sounds of Kabukicho hid their heavy panting as the last few bounty hunters raced past them none the wiser.

"We have to make it back to the port. The cops will show up soon." Sasuke warned lowly, his hand slipping from her wrist as he wiped the blood and sweat from his hands on the remnants of his tattered trench coat. He peeked around the corner to survey the landscape as he reached back to grab her again, surprised when she flinched at his touch. He frowned under the cover of darkness, his scarlet eyes fading to match his surroundings. Clearly she was still shaken by what she'd seen tonight so he made no attempt to grab her again as they went back into the streets. The two must have looked quite the sight with their clothes and hair matted to their skin and drenched in sweat. Sakura followed briskly behind him silently with her head downcast using his boots as her guide.

Eventually they stopped on a dimly lit street where Sasuke had left his vehicle and quickly sought refuge inside. The drive was silent. What could he say? She had seen him at his darkest, in his most primal state and the shame of what she'd been subjected to was weighing heavily on his steadying heart. Sakura head was still down her gaze fixated on her lap even as they pulled out of the metropolis and closed in on the scarcely populated outskirts of the docks. For once it was the silence that troubled him along with whatever was running through her head. Abruptly he came to a stop not far from their base of operations, parking the car along the harbor with a scowl.

"Sakura…" he began quietly, still unsure if he could say anything to make things right after an evening of missteps.

"I told them. About us." she interrupted lowly, raising her and turning to the outside of her window to avoid his eyes. She could however see the way his eyes widened slightly in the reflection of her tinted window.

"You…why?" he asked, his voice barely breaking past a whisper.

"Because it's no big deal, right? Just a common desire." she responded flatly, her dull words biting deeper than Sasuke could ever think they could. The shame that had built inside him grew immensely at the sound of his own words used so callously against him. It made it nearly impossible to breath and the prospect of her hating him only crushed him more.

"Sakura, don't say that."

"Why? All you care about is the mission. About your brother." she accused, her voice rising with conviction as she found the resolve to look him in the eyes. She should've felt like consoling him having seen the pained look he sported, but not now.

"Stop it! I—!" he snapped, his forceful baritone shaking the sedan as he fought back his natural response to her challenging tone. He was already battling with his mistake and couldn't take it, not from her. Swiftly he exited the vehicle, slamming the door shut harshly as he tore his coat off and threw it to the ground.

"Don't run from this Sasuke!" she ordered, following him to the front of the car with her hands clenched painfully at her sides.

"I'm sorry!" he blurted, suppressing the anger that threatened to resurface as he slumped down against the bumper of the vehicle, his hands buried in his midnight locks, "I'm sorry…for everything."

Those were the words she thought she wanted to hear, but they made nothing better. Even the novelty of hearing him apologize should have made her feel somewhat better, but it did nothing for her. Slowly she joined him on the floor, pulling her legs to her chest as he glowered into the night. The moonlight beat down upon the two, starkly contrasting their somber mood and casting long shadows against their huddled bodies.

"Don't be…" she whispered, fighting back the tears she'd held onto since their exchange on the ship. She knew he'd hurt her one way or another, but knowing that the knife would wound you eventually never made the sting any less painful.

"I care…about more than this mission, Sakura." Sasuke declared turning his head to look her full in the face. He wanted to reach out and console her, but he knew he couldn't. Not now, not ever; unless he opened up to her lest he lose her forever, "I almost…I almost lost you tonight, and all because of this mission. Because of myself."

Gradually her head rose to meet his gaze, unashamed of the sobs she let slip at his pained expression. His façade had crumpled and he was trying to appeal to her with such raw emotion, the likes of which she'd never seen from him. She couldn't help but feel the empathy she reserved only for him to seep back into her being. When she didn't flinch as his knuckles swept over her cheek to wipe the rogue tears that escaped he could feel some of the pressure in his chest evaporate.

"I never wanted to hurt you." affirmed the onyx eyed man adamantly. He was close now, close enough that his jet black locks mingled with her cherry tresses as he continued his confession, "I never want to hurt you again, Sakura."

"Sasuke-kun please…" whispered the emerald eyed woman, unable to pinpoint exactly what she wanted from her spurned lover as he gently pressed his forehead against her own. The intensity that she'd seen earlier in the evening in his orbs was still present, but this time they projected sincerity rather than animalistic ferocity. For a second she feared he would sully their heartfelt moment with his appetite for flesh, but was pleasantly surprised when he chastely kissed her brow instead.

"You were right…there's more to us." Sasuke acknowledged solemnly, pulling her into his arms feeling more vulnerable than ever. He stroked Sakura's hair as sobs racked her frame and she hid in the fabric of his shirt. It was him this time who offered her soft words to soothe the pain he caused, and all because he thought pushing her away would protect her. Slowly the tears came to a halt and her breathing steadied but, she stayed in his arms more than appreciative of his newfound compassion, "Please Sakura, don't cry for me anymore."

"S-Stupid, I can't." she sniffled, finally raising her head as she wiped the remaining sadness from her face with a shaky smile. She stifled a giggle at the small frown he gave her, but dispelled his concern when she wrapped her arms around his torso and rested her head in the crook of his neck, "Not while I still love you."

Sasuke stiffened at her admission, slightly taken aback by it. However, unconsciously his arms tightened around her still. Even with her practically being engulfed by his contrasting physique he found himself to be the smaller one of the two in this instance. He smiled weakly at the irony of it all. He recalled an old adage his father had once said to him: "The brightest flame casts the darkest shadow". For much of his life he hated the motto, believing it had always pertained to his brother's prowess and how he would always live in his shadow. But now he found a new interpretation to it. Sakura was his flame, burning with such intensity that he was so drawn to her. He would be her shadow, protecting her from all other darkness for as long as her light burned and fueled him.

"Tch, such a stubborn woman…"

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Whew! Well that's it! And on time too! I know it was a long and arduous journey getting through this one, I know I wracked my brain over it longer than first intended. Hopefully you all enjoyed it because I'm going to take a small break on the next chapter as I've another project in the works that I want to power through before I continue with Adagio. But don't fret! I shall return in a timely fashion after completing my prequel oneshot set nearly a year prior to the start of Adagio starring none other than your favorite Uchiha and his team of criminal enforcers. Rated M because frankly I don't think I can write anything other than something raw and unflinching. As always thank you once again for reading and throw me a review or two, maybe even a PM if the mood strikes you.

Next Chapter: Opus of the Damned

Until next time! Sayonara!