Enjoy teh chapter! It's a little... rushed like, but oh well. Parties to come, more romancing and a bit of a ShikaSakuHida triangle going on. Wow. But it's more like the two are sharing her lol. Enjoy :)

Chapter 10: Zenith.

Sakura attempted to blink, but her eyes refused to even crack open.

'How long was I healing Hidan for? The fever was hard to combat... it was so much... so much more potent this time around... we really need to find the cure for it.'

She weakly raised a hand and stroked Hidan's soft head. She could feel his breath flitting over the skin just about her sternum. It made her shiver.

'I've never been in such an intimate pose with a guy before, even some of my past boyfriends,' she blushed lightly, finally opening her eyes.

And noticing that she and Hidan were surrounded by Rill's ANBU squad, an angry looking Sasuke, a nervous Mel and a curious Tsunade. Shizune was standing off to the side, a suggestive look on her face. Sakura swallowed.

"Um... hi?"

Tsunade smiled, "hi, Sakura. Don't take this in the wrong way. We've only been here for five minutes."

It was then that Sakura noticed the grip Tsunade had on Sasuke's sleeve. The ANBU squad was probably to decrease the chance that Sasuke was going to tear Hidan off of Sakura. She forced a smile.

"Oh, well," Sakura checked Hidan's temperature. Everything was normal, "he's alright now. Thanks for calling me over, Mel."

Mel grinned, "no problem. 'Cept cockatiel here wasn't too pleased."

Sasuke glared at him, furious. Sakura swallowed lightly, 'this is going to be a long day...'

--

Three hours later saw Hidan and Tsunade in deep conversation about how they could get his fevers to stop coming. He had mentioned that getting his immortality removed would stop the fevers, but Tsunade said that was a no-go. She wanted him to stay immortal.

Sakura only sat around for the explanation Hidan gave of his symptoms before Sakura gave her report on the healing.

"It was definitely more difficult to heal off than last time. It took... all of my chakra. I think I woke up once at eight pm and noticed that he was still in pain. I had to use the last drops of my chakra that I'd regained to heal him completely."

Tsunade had nodded at this, then dismissed her. She headed back to her apartment, a bit gloomily, and stopped at the grocery store to buy a few things.

'Gee, now that he's talking to Tsunade though... I'll – wait. Why's my door open?' she had just experimentally turned the knob, and the door had opened. Eyes widening she pushed it, and saw a silhouette near the end of the hall.

A mixture of emotions battled for control over her: anger, distrust, joy, wonder, confusion, and euphoria. She took a step in, kicked the door shut and dropped the bag on the floor, charging down the short hall and tackling the man to the ground, straddling his chest.

She knew who it was because there was only one guy who knew where her spare key was. Sakura wrapped her hands semi-tightly around his neck, making him raise a hand and close it loosely around her wrist. Her green eyes blazed.

"I don't know whether I should kill you..." she leaned down to whisper, "or kiss you."

"I would much rather if you did the latter," he muttered in a strained voice, "if you killed me it would be rather troublesome."

She released her hold on his neck and kissed his cheek, deliberately giving him time to turn his head. Shikamaru overpowered her easily, flipping her onto her back and pulling away.

"What about Hidan, Sakura?" she looked away, her chest clenching, "why do you suddenly want this from me?"

"I don't know! I just want to be loved again!"

He pulled her to her feet and she wrapped her arms around him, sobbing against his shoulder. He stroked her head in a brotherly matter.

"I think it's my turn to tell you to stop it. I can tell that he trusts you. That he likes you. He cares about you, Sakura. I'd go as far as to say he worries about you."

She jabbed him weakly in the shoulder, sniffling, "how would you know? It's not like you two are friends."

"... actually, Sakura, we are. But you can't say anything. It would be troublesome."

"What do you mean?" she demanded. He sighed and sat her down on the couch.

"He came to talk to me while I was in solitary confinement. It's not like he'd get in big trouble if anyone found out he came to see me – really, I don't even know how he got past the ANBU – but the guy who told him where I was will get screwed over. Big time."

"Who? Who told him?"

"Think about it, Sakura. There have really only been two people looking after him."

She gasped, quietly exclaiming, "Mel?!"

"Yeah. Him," Shikamaru sat down next to her, and she leaned against him, "how is Hidan, by the way?"

"His fever came back ten times more strongly than before. Right now he and Tsunade-sama are trying to figure out how we can put a stop to the fever forever."

"What's it caused by? He never told me."

"His immortality comes at a price, though once he has it, it can never be taken away. The fever, however, can kill him. I'm just lucky that I can heal it," she shifted so she could look at Shikamaru's face, illuminated by the sun light coming through the window, "do you know something about him that I don't?"

"Yes," Shikamaru admitted, flicking at imaginary bugs on his knee. She grabbed his hand, "will you tell me?"

He gave her a look that crossed between amusement and anger, "it would be better if you heard it from him. And I don't want to lose his trust."

Her eyes narrowed, "you aren't -"

"I thought I already told you that I gave up. It's been eight damn years. I should have let Asuma go a long time ago! Kurenai's happy enough as it is, with her daughter. That kid's a monster, though."

Sakura laughed, remembering the little girl, "she's in the academy now, right?"

"Yeah, she is. Feisty little thing. She's got her mom's habit of illusions."

"That's good..." Sakura got up and went to the kitchen while venturing to ask, "would you... would you stay?"

"Only if you want me to."

"I want you to."

"Then I'll stay."

--

Hidan had been in the village for almost a year now, and Sasuke wouldn't relent about getting Sakura back. She was running out of excuses, having used Ino and Tenten and Temari in too much already. Shikamaru and Temari never did get back together, but they made amends, and Temari had apologized tearfully about leaving him like that. He had forgiven her.

Sakura sighed, leaning back in her chair, 'I need to focus on work. And stop thinking about Hidan.'

'Ooh, you like him.'

'When did -?! WHEN DID YOU GET BACK!?'

'I thought I told you that you couldn't get rid of me.'

'...'

Sakura ignored the rest of what Inner Sakura was ranting about, and pushed the inverted being to the farthest corner of her mind. She sighed again, getting up. There was no way she could focus on her work.

'I just wish I still had Hidan to use as an excuse to get Sasuke to leave me alone. Gosh, that makes me sound so selfish...'

She locked her office up and glanced at the big clock down the hall: seven thirty pm. Her shift was ending in five minutes.

"No harm in leaving early," she muttered, turning around. She had walked not even a step before bumping into someone.

"There is harm in leaving early, actually."

She jumped back, fury flickering across her face, "Sasuke. I already told you. I'm booked all week. I've got a dinner date with Shikamaru and Hidan tomorrow, a movie date with Mel, and a shopping date with Ino, Hinata and Tenten. I don't have time."

He stared at her, no doubt wondering when she had planned all this.

'Obviously in advance. I need back ups,' she refused to let herself smirk at his somewhat distraught expression before she remembered something else, "oh, and Naruto asked me if I wanted to go on a picnic with him and Hinata on Sunday. They want me to bring someone else and," she quickly said right as he opened his mouth, "I was planning on asking Shikamaru. Or Sai."

Sasuke glared at her, his expression clearly saying "why not me"?

"You had me once and you gave me up. I'm not going back to you," she stated flatly, continuing down the hall. She hopped a little past him, just to make it that much harder for him to catch her. She clutched her bag tightly, listening as he followed her, 'if he tries anything I swear I'll -'

Her phone started ringing and she quickly answered it.

"Sakura!"

Her face brightened and she stopped walking, "Lee! Hi! How are you?"

"I'm well. I'm calling to ask if you're free on Monday."

She glanced at Sasuke, "yes, I'm free on Monday. Well, not until around four. My shift ends at four on Monday. What for?"

"We were going to throw a surprise party for Neji!"

"OH! Oh right! It's almost his birthday! Yeah I'll come!"

"Excellent! We will look forward to your youthfulness!" there was a muffled cloth sound, "Lee! Lee, wait!"

"Yes?"

"Sasuke's here. Want me to ask him?"

"Oh yes! Please ask him!"

She held the phone a little away from her mouth, "Neji's surprise party. Want to come?"

Sasuke thought about it for a moment, then smiled and nodded, "yeah sure."

Sakura smiled back but kept it guarded as she replied, "yep, he'll come."

"Perfect! That means I just need to ask our old teachers! Oh, and bring anyone else that you want. Good night, Sakura."

"Good night, Lee," then she snapped her phone shut and continued down the hall, turning sharply at the corner and heading straight for the door. Sasuke appeared in front of her and blocked her path.

"Sasuke. Move. I'm tired, I want to go home, and I want to sleep."

"That's it? That's your excuse?" he stepped closer, "I can help you sleep."

She attempted to move around him, "no. You can't. I don't need your help."

He blocked her again, "you said you'd give me a second chance."

"You took advantage of the fact that there were a ton of people present, and knew I didn't want to embarrass you!"

"I didn't take advantage of that!"

She knew he was lying by the sound of his voice, "yes you did! Now let me leave!" she attempted to go around him again, but he stayed stubbornly in his path. She couldn't take it. She threatened to punch him with her chakra powered fist and he slammed himself against the wall. She ran straight for the door.

"You'll regret this, Sakura! You'll regret turning me down! I'll make your life a living hell!"

She ran all the way to her apartment, ignoring the stares from others. Sasuke's words reverberated through her head, and tears stung at her eyes.

She flew into her apartment, past someone who she didn't expect to be there and right to the couch. She curled up on it, crying her heart out.

A strong hand was suddenly on her arm, caressing it. Lips pressed to her head, to her knees and then her hairline. She slowly uncurled.

"Sakura? My name is Hidan, and I'll be looking after you. I like to train, watch T.V, play games with kids, read books on forbidden techniques and meditate. I'm a recently recovered immortal. I'm from Yugakure," he spoke softly, pressing his lips to her cheek and then her nose and neck as she stretched up, crying a little more loudly as he did to her what she had done to him months ago, when he first spoke to her.

"I like to eat spare ribs, and I hate spinach. I love horror and macabre books but love romantic movies. I like to drink pop while watching movies. I'm the Immortal of Konoha, and feared. It's my mission to get you to uncurl, and trust me."

Sakura started crying more and he smiled down at her, bracing his arms on either side of the couch's arm. Her hands held his shoulders, her bent legs tightening at his sides.

"So far I've discovered that you're easily hurt, you're sensitive and really moody, seriously."

It was happening before she knew it, his body lowered onto her body, his lips moving gently against hers. A few more tears slid down her cheeks, butterflies going crazy in her stomach while she kissed him back, her thoughts all muddled.

He pulled back and kissed away her tears while she released the last of her whimpers and sniffles, before he just let his head rest against her shoulder.

"Tell me... tell me what you were going to tell me... when... when you got the fever again."

He kissed her neck before pushing off the couch and pulling up. He sat down next to her and she snuggled against his side. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and took a deep breath.

"So, it starts like this..."

She listened, awed and disturbed, as he told her everything that had happened to him in the Akatsuki. She listened as he told her about his brotherly relationship with Kisame, the mother-son relationship with Konan, and the silly-and-destructive friendship with Deidara and Tobi.

Then she was appalled to hear about Kakuzu, and what the older man had tended to do to Hidan, and it disgusted her beyond belief that something like that had happened to someone like Hidan. It made more sense now why Mel couldn't touch Hidan's chest.

Hidan apparently had a mutual relationship with Itachi, Sasori and Zetsu, while his relationship with the leader seemed to borderline more on like-hate rather than mutual.

Once he was done he leaned his head back, looking somewhat relieved. She decided to ask him one last question, "did Kakuzu... did he ever... I mean..."

"No. No he didn't go that far. It was just all touchy-feely, and I hated it. He left this area alone," he gestured toward his pelvis, making her blush, "but otherwise he touched my legs, stomach, chest, face... you get the idea, seriously."

He glared at the wall and Sakura got up on her knees next to him. She'd been lying to herself the entire time, convinced she loved someone who wasn't Hidan but she was wrong. He'd been through so much. She'd been through a lot, but not as much as him. Maybe they could heal each other.

She wrapped her arms around his head, "yes, I get the idea. You can just forget about it now."

He laughed a little, poking her stomach. She flinched and giggled, "no, Hidan."

He grinned up at her and tickled her stomach, "yes, Sakura."

"N-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-no!! H-he he he he H-Hidan!! S-s-s-s-s-stop i-i-it!!" she laughed out, squirming. She then remembered that he was ticklish himself, and so the war began.

Eventually they fell to the floor, a gasping heap. She had landed on top of him and thus exclaimed, "I win."

He pouted at her, "fine. You win, seriously."

She giggled and got off of him, heading straight to her bed. Now she was tired. Go figure.

She crawled into the bed, yawning, and watching as he lay down on the couch, staring at the ceiling. Her bed suddenly felt very empty.

"Hidan?"

"Yes?"

"Come sleep with me."

His head snapped to her, eyes wide, "w-what?"

"Come. I want you to lie next to me."

"W-why?" he demanded, face turning red. So Shikamaru had been right.

"With you here, my bed feels empty. I think I got too used to having to heal you from your fever."

He stared at her a moment longer, "Sakura, I don't think -"

She pounded her fists against the bed, "I want you to sleep next to me!"

Hidan blinked at her, then got up and padded over, "shove, pinky."

Sakura shuffled over and he lay down, yanking the blankets over both of them, "happy?"

"No. Closer."

He inched closer, face turning red again. She shook her head, a smirk playing upon her lips, "closer."

In response Hidan tugged her toward his body, hugging he to his chest, "are you happy now? Seriously," he whispered quietly in her ear. She smiled and kissed his collarbone, snuggling against him, "only if this is more than what I'm hoping for."

"If you're hoping for a relationship with me, Sakura, I'd be more than happy to oblige, seriously."

Yes, Hidan and Sakura are in a relationship now. Because I'm cool like that. Yep. Short author notes. Me not in thinking mood.