Series: Bound

Pairing: Many

Rating: T

The Hokage stubbornly refused to say anything else after their outburst but to be honest after all the yelling Naruto and Sasuke-mainly Naruto ( Sakura was innocent of all charges)-did she couldn't say that she blamed her. The way they carried on it was like the end of the world and that wasn't true at all.

It was only the end of her world.

Sakura didn't know if the Hokage knew that she still carried feelings for Sasuke. She liked to think she kept such things pretty well hidden nowadays. However, she hoped that if she had known then she wouldn't have placed her in this situation.

It all ended when Tsunade roared at them to get the hell out of her office. It was second nature to obey but Sakura made herself stop, stay, and wait. Sasuke raised a brow at her when she didn't follow but she turned her head because she couldn't look at him. It hurt too badly. The door closed behind her two friends and Sakura squared her shoulders and prepared to voice the question that had been choking her to hold in.

"Why wasn't I placed with Sasuke?"

Tsunade was quiet as she studied the young girl that looked at her with pain glazed eyes. She didn't realized what a loaded question she had asked and Tsunade knew that she wasn't ready for the answer.

How do you say that your former sensei threatened to go missing-nin on Konoha if he was placed with anyone but Sakura?

Or how do you say that Sasuke's clan would raise hell at pairing their son with her for something as trivial as the color of your hair and eyes?

You didn't say it. Instead you opted for an answer that would pacify.

"Sakura, for this project, you're better suited for Kakashi."

"I love Sasuke."

Tsunade looked at Sakura steadily and asked a question that she already knew the answer to, a question that it was time for Sakura to face.

"I know you do. But does he love you as well?" Sakura bit her bottom lip and turned her head way from Tsunade's probing look. "Does he?"

"No," Sakura answered after some time. "But he could if I'm given the chance."

"Sakura you've had plenty of time but you didn't take it."

"Because I didn't want him to think I was fawning all over him! I needed him to see that I'm strong; I'm independent and that he could love a woman like me!"

Tsunade sighed softly before saying, "I'm sorry Sakura."

Sakura dashed her hands across the tears that streamed down her face. "What if he falls in love with her? What if things work out between them? What do I do then?"

"Sakura stop this." She was falling apart and if she kept going this route the little dignity she had left would be scattered to the winds. The question was whether or not she truly cared.

"Kakashi is a fine man and he, more than any other in this village, is worthy of you. Don't shame him or yourself more than you already have."

Sakura stood up straight at the bite in her mentor's words. She swallowed her tears and locked her pain in a dark place in her heart.

"Yes, Lady Tsunade."

"The ceremony will be performed three weeks from now. Please inform Naruto and Sasuke."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade."

Tsunade dismissed her soon after that and somehow Sakura managed to walk out of the tower the picture of serenity. She'll always wonder how, though.