Holding Out

Chapter ten

Sakura woke and started down the stairs, she had a smile on her face. She was dressed for school, her hair straightened. Eyes lined, heels strapped, sparkly short shorts secure on her thighs, and a scarlet hoodie to pull the look together.

She grabbed a bagel, as Ino ran down the stairs screaming at Tenten to leave her alone, and a pissed Tenten flying down the stairs after her. They ran around the kitchen until Hinata pulled them apart, by their hair. They moaned until Hinata released them.

Sakura sat on the counter and ate her bagel in amusement. Ino flipped her hair and grabbed a protein bar. She clicked through the kitchen and the girls rolled their eyes. The boys and parents sat at the large table, watching in amusement and interest.

Ino had her hair in a high pony tail, her bangs fell at a natural angle. She had a pink lipstick on that brightened her blue eyes, her eyes had the smokey eye effect, with a cat coat of eyeliner. She looked beautiful in her black pencil skirt, and crop black and purple slip, a sliver of her stomach shined out but didn't intimidate anyone.

Tenten had her hair in buns like normal, with light make up on, she didn't care for opinions or appearances. She wore mid knee khaki shorts, that sagged around her waist with high tops, and a Nike Black and blue shirt. She looked like a Tom boy, but dressed better than most.

Hinata had a lacy pink top on, her green slip shining underneath, she wore a high top skirt that was a lime green, being bright and matching her slip, she had small purple flats on. Her eyes were lined with purple liner, and mascara. Her hair fell in her face, but was waved.

Sakura smiled and pecked her dad on the cheek, he smiled and hugged her from behind, he was in his tux.

"After school, we're studying at the library so I'll be home late, might even stay over at Ino's... Who knows.. I'll call you." She said and walked out the door, grabbing her car keys, the other girls followed her and Hinata shut the door behind them.

"Your such a good liar Sakura!" Ino said enviously. Sakura shot her a wicked smile and mumbled a few things like "I try. Takes practice. you'll learn!" Ino rolled her eyes at her friends behavior but let it go. They got in her car and were on their way to school.

They arrived and went to their classes, mostly bored out of their minds, Sakura twirled her pencil, and played with her hair, the other girls did mostly the same, Hinata remixed music with her earphones in, while Tenten was using the kid in front of her as target practice. Ino was staring at herself in the mirror, and anything that shows her reflection.

After the day was over, They skipped the Libary and went to Temari's fight. It was later in the night but the girls wanted to chat, and have fun. A few cameras flooded Sakura as she went in, she glared at them and ignored it. It took them a total of five minutes to find Temari.

She was angrily punching her bag. Sakura pulled her away, and laughed.

"Hey there...?" Sakura asked in a secretive way.

"Oh my god! My frickin' team mate, is "INJURED" so she can't fight, I'm going to have to fight a girl three levels above me on my own! No tag in or out!" Temari said angrily.

"Relax you'll do fine!" Hinata said with a smile, meant to reinsure.

"Yeah Temari why You frickin' out! You always win!" Tenten said and gave her a wink.

"No point in being worried, do what you always do!" Ino said in a relaxed tone.

"HN... Let's check her out." Sakura said with a small smile, reinsuring Temari not to worry.

Sakura pulled up on her phone, and the blue keyboard floated to her service, She found the schedule and the fight, they were the third fight. Her name was Shinka Kabunic. Temari had four hours until the fights even begun plus another hour until she fought.

"Shinka Kabunic, she's a level nine... Pretty high up there... But your a level six, your partners a level seven, you'll be fine. She's... Undefeated... 5'10...145 lbs." Sakura read and stared at The picture of the girl, she looked tough but all their pictures did. She had short choppy brown hair, and dark brown eyes. She had muscles and a glare in her eyes.

Sakura remembered her picture. She smiled, a bright smile. Totally anti-tough. Her hair was long, it was only about two years ago... Her eyes sparkled and her red shirt had the words "Come at Me." written on it. She looked at the other girls who stared at her as well.

"Don't stress it Temari... Everyone has a downfall. Remember find their weakness and exploit it." Sakura instructed and got up from her seat, her phone was vibrating in her pocket.

She walked off to the distance, and answered the iPhone. "Sakura Haruno speaking." She said in a even voice.

"Oh dear, so formal over the phone!" Her mother gushed and she rolled her eyes.

"What's up mom?" Sakura asked and glanced around the area, for listeners or loud people. The open room only had the four girls in it, and two people working the soda machine, and food products.

"Well Hun, the Uchiha's are coming over for dinner... Wondering if you could make it? They seem to like you!" Her mother said, Sakura could tell by her voice that she wanted her there to meet them again.

"I already said I was studying." Sakura said annoyed, she didn't like repeating herself.

"I know but... I don't-" Her mother began.

"Mom... MOM... I can't my school is more important... Escepically more important than someone who just wants to get me out of the way with racing." She said non to Nicely. Her voice was hard and bitter.

"What? Sakura what are you talking about?" Her mother questioned.

"Never mind, I'll be back later tonight." She said and ended the conversation. She turned around and saw Temari punching her bag again, while Tenten was throwing tooth picks at a cup, Hinata texting, and Ino putting on more make up.

house hold.-

"Dear it's almost Nine thirty... They should be here soon!" Her mother called up to her father who came down in nice Khaki shorts, and a black collar polo. She smiled at him, in her bright sun dress.

The door bell rang and she grabbed it, shooing Jarvis away. She let the Uchiha and their friends in. They had small conversation, the boys mostly played video games. Soon the the door opened and closed, it was nearing ten o-clock.

"Hey-o!" Tenten called and walked in with Hinata, beside her. They smiled and sat beside Mikito.

"Hey you know there's a girls MMA fight tonight..." Naruto said excitedly.

"Oh Sakura's friend... Temari's in it." Sakura's father added with certainty.

"Oh yeah, her match is going to start soon!" Tenten said happily and took Naruto's controller.

She paused the game and searched for the fight. She found it and clicked on it, five minutes to go until she would begin. The stats from the other fights were up, the current winner was Shinka. She remained undefeated in her earlier fight.

Tonight was a semi final. Tenten sat forward, Hinata sat beside Naruto, in a awkward position. The screen showed Temari coming out of the doors, and her taking her silk robe off, her fit body underneath and blue shorts, she wore a bright red sports bra, it said "Kiss my Fist." on it.

She didn't have gloves on, they didn't go with gloves in her fights, it was mixed martial arts and fighting. She had her hands rapped and elbows, her right knee had wrap around it to steady herself, her feet had special griot ion wrap. Her partner followed behind her.

"Temari... Height: 5'8. Weight: 133. Experience: eight years. Losses: 4. Wins: 68." The blonde lady read as the stats popped on the screen, they ignored Shinka until they heard the lady exclaim how she was "Undefeated."

"She's undefeated..." Sakura's mother inhaled in surprise.

"She's also three levels above Temari. But they think it makes it even if Temari and her partner can tap in and out." Hinata said slowly, disapproval in her voice.

"So Shinka doesn't have a partner." Kiba clarified.

"Yeah..." Tenten answered the statement.

Temari stepped in the ring, Shinka following. The gate was locked and the score was reset.

00. 00.

Round 1.

-Temari, Sakura, Ino.-

The buzzer sounded, and the girls circled each other, both lost in the others eyes, Temari moved forward, but did not attack. The girls continued moving, eye contact never breaking. Shinka lunged in a second, and Temari barley moved away from her shuffle punches.

She sent a left kick at her head, the opponent easily dodged. The girls moved in a rhythm. Temari repeated a few of her moves, not willing to let her big moves have the opportunity to be copied, or discovered.

Shinka pushed one hand out, Temari looked at the pink nails in confusion, in the second her eyes lost the contact, Shinka was on top of her, punching her. She tried to bring her hands in a block but, couldn't block all the hits coming in.

"What the Hell! Send her partner in!" Sakura screamed, at the coach beside her.

She moved her left leg enough to deliver a swift kick to Shinka's side, she shifted but did not fall off Temari. Temari hit once indicating her partner was needed. She tuned her head with one of the swift punches, blood was streaming out of her nose, her jaw ached, and her stomach churned from where she'd be punched.

After a minute she got some of her vision back, and saw she had three more minutes to go, until round one was over, her partner was no where to be seen, or to help her.

"Where is her partner!" Sakura demanded furiously.

"She passed out! Hydration! Temari's going to have to tap out!" Her coach said angrily and frustrated.

Sakura's face became passive, she looked around and saw the paramedics helping her teammate onto a stretcher, she looked and saw Temari's brown eyes, the pain held in them made Sakura want to cry.

Ino had tears streaming down her face. She growled and looked at the timer, she looked at the score and put her hands in her hair.

"She won't ...sob..tap out!" Ino sobbed.

-Uchiha and Haruno-

"OH MY GOD!" Tenten cried out as Teamri was tamed to the ground.

Hinata had her eyes covered throughout the next minute, Temari being beaten bloody was to much for her to handle. The mothers had hands over their mouths. The men had frowns, and concerned looks.

"What's the score?" Hinata asked behind her hands.

"Temari Three. Shinka fifteen..." Tenten said quietly, tears in her own eyes.

The Screen cut in half, showing the coach, beside the Coach a crying Ino, and a emotionless Sakura. They stood beside the coach, Ino yelling at him between sobs, paramedics working in the back. The lady explained how her team mate had passed out.

Her mother gasped as she saw Sakura standing their, the others were surprised beside Tenten and Hinata.

"M-Maybe we should turn it off..." Tenten cracked out... She looked nervous now, and worried for her friend. She stood in front if the screen with Sakura on it.

"Sakura lied to me!" Sakura's mother said angrily, but concern was still in her voice.

"I don't-" She was cut off by the loud TV. The camera man said Damn, as it was on Sakura, she took off her red jacket, exposing her pink sports bra, he was yelled at my the other man for taking the camera off the fight.

The camera watched as Sakura kicked off her shoes and demanded to be let in. After a few seconds of arguing, and being ignored. She grabbed her shoes and tossed them to Ino, she put her hands through The metal hooks, and boosted herself up, the Camera's went from Temari being bloody an beaten to the girl that climbed the fence, when she was at the top she jumped and did a front flip down, she landed on her feet.

-Sakura-

'How could they not get her out, I'm so pissed, no one hurts my friends!'

She quickly ran over to the brown haired girl on Temari and caught her arm that was about to come down on Temari again, she saw Temari barley conscious. She pushed her off, the girl quickly got to her feet.

Sakura felt a stinging as her cheek was punched, her whole body moved with the punch, her hair flew around her as she stumbled backwards in the turn. Anger flashed through her. 'Now things are a little more personal.'

's and Uchiha's.-

"Oh my... Call them! I want the fight over Now! My baby is in there!" Mebsuki stood up with tears in her eyes, the guys watched with surprise and interest.

Tenten gasped and Hinata looked up, she looked surprised and then upset. The parents were talking and freaking out, they all shut up with the pinkette whirled around and socked the girl, her unwrapped fist driving straight into Shinka's right temple.

They looked Surprised and Tenten cheered, as Hinata clapped. Her mother and Mikito looked surprised. Her father nervous but proud, he remembered having her in MMA two years ago, but this was different. She was different, she couldn't take a level nine.

Sasuke and Naruto looked in shock, Shikamaru examined the situation, as Kiba cheered. Itachi looked impressed, his eyebrows were raised, while his face stayed the same. Kisame laughed.

"She can't do it." Shikamaru said and everyone looked at him.

"She physically can not beat a girl who is undefeated, and is a level nine. She's just getting herself in the situation Temari was in." He said at their few disapproving looks.

"Then you don't know Sakura." Surprisingly it was Hinata who stood up to him, he didn't push it but watched.

The girl stumbled backwards in shock, Sakura stood, slightly bouncing on her feet, her arms up in a ready position, when the girl stared Sakura moved her arm forward and moved all her fingers together in a come and get me tease.

She smirked and did it three more times before the other girl lost her temper and went for Sakura.

.-

"Sure you know what your doing?" Her inner asked.

"Do I ever!?" She said before focusing one hundred percent on the girls movements, she saw the fist, she moved right, and back to dodge the head shot and then gutter. She rolled to avoid the medium kick. She sent out a sweep of her own, the girl moved around it, but didn't expect what went after the sweep.

As the momentum of the sweep came through, Sakura spun on her hands in a spinning handstand and kicked the girl in the collar bone. She rolled backwards, gagging with the pressure by her throat.

Sakura stood, as the girl did the same, she heard Ino yell something about "take it" she knew what Ino meant, but couldn't do that just yet. She dodged three more of her shuffles, she saw the punches slowly decrease in force and speed, she was tiring.

Sakura moved around her, twice, making her follow, when she flipped over her kick and landed in front of her the girl gasped in surprise. Her hands were out of speed to block the punch to her abdomen, Sakura landed one on her right shoulder as well before she had to jump away.

-Haruno's.-

Everyone had their mouths agape beside Tenten's smug face, and Hinata's cheers. Sakura didn't just look angry, she looked determined and confident. The girl moved forward and Sakura blocked three of her hits, she got one in the stomach and two to her jaw, she felt it pop, with blood and pain following. She was pushed back, she rolled three times.

Her eyes met Ino's, she saw the concern in them and thought of Temari, she pulled herself up, a fist connected with her nose, and went to the floor again. She heard her feet and saw a shadow, she quickly rolled and caught the fist in a block, she turned her hands, Shinka's fist was stuck, she tried to pull back, when she did Sakura went with her.

She waited for her other hand to come, when it did she blocked it with her knee. She quickly moved her hands to the right, making her body fly to the right, she brought her left leg around and slammed it down on her high spine, her body slammed against the floor.

Sakura pulled back and wiped the blood that ran down from her nose off of her face. The girl slowly got up. Ino yelled the score and time. "Temari- 13. Shinka-18. Time- 30 seconds." She nodded her understanding and when Shinka was on her feet she brought her fist across her Jaw, she heard the snap. She successfully broke her jaw, the girl stumbled back.

.-

"That was for my Jaw..." She said and then through all her weight to her left foot, her right heel slammed against her dislocated shoulder, and then carried to her other jaw, and she went to the floor. "That's for Temari... Bitch!" Sakura said with a small smile, she looked and saw that she was Uncouncious.

She sighed and walked over to Temari, she looked at her hands and wipped them on Temari, she growled and Sakura laughed. She picked her up, and went to the gate. The timer buzzed and she jumped down, she handed Temari to the paramedics, she only took a tissue.

Her body ached, she got a paramedic to pop her jaw back in line. The media were held out of range, but could take videos and pictures. Sakura grabbed her shirt and placed it on her body, Ino gave her the shoes, she smiled and took them, both girls smiled, Sakura a little lopsided from the numb cheek.

Ino burst out at her funny smile. Sakura rolled her eyes, they went back to find Temari, when they did they grabbed the high girl and left, she mumbled things the Temari they knew would never say.

"They really cracked her up on drugs!" Sakura said as they walked outside.

Almost instantly the media were all over her, she growled and they backed off, she walked through and last them, Ino had the car ready, they put Temari in the back, and drove for ice cream.

They grabbed a pint and headed home, Sakura had all of Temari's weight as she walked thought she front door, everyone's eyes were on her, she didn't smile because she knew it would be funny. Temari just groaned, she readjusted her and walked down the steps.

Ino came in with two backs, full of books, and a bag full of Strawberry ice cream. She smiled and started to speak when she noticed all the eyes.

"How was studying?" Her mother asked, Sakura's eyes hit Tenten who was behind her mother. She shook her head and pointed to the TV, Sakura knew they saw the fight and wanted to groan.

"Great!" Sakura said with a smile her mother was about to explode when she continued.

"I really figured out the English page, even got farther on To Kill A Mockingbird!" She said and her mothers face relaxed, she made her lies so convincing it was hard to believe she was lying.

"Oh what chapte... Don't lie to me young lady!" She said angrily, her eyes hurt, her body language severely pissed.

"Okay Okay!" She said and held her hands up in surrender, Temari started to fall and they both fell to the ground. She pulled her up and set her on the couch.

"Ground me or whatever parents do..." She said and rolled her eyes.

"Sakura you lied to us!" Her mom said more dramatic.

"Every teenager lies to their parents, what makes me different!" She snarled back.

The door opened and closed no one noticed, a tall man stood in the door frame, his eyes green, his hair blond, he was ripped with muscles. "Hey!" he called, and everyone looked at him.

"Kayago!" Sakura exclaimed in surprise, all her anger gone.

"Yeah! Forget about me already! I went away to college for three months and you've already moved on!" He said in a fake hurt. She laughed and he picked her up and spun her around, her mothers eyes softened, her father smiled.

"Are they dating?" Mikito asked innocently.

"HAHAHAHA! NO! They're brother and sister!" Ino yelled and laughed, Sakrua made a puking face at the term dating. He ruffled her pink hair. She stuck her tongue out at him, he stuck his out at her, they glared at each other for a minute before her mother broke them up.

"Sakura! You got into a fight! You could have been hurt!" She said angrily, and Sakura's father knew this was this going to end well.

"So what did You expect me to do! Stand there and watch Temari get beaten for three minutes!" She snapped angrily and Temari yelled that's me! Sakura giggled at her actions.

"Well... No... But you shouldn't have gotten into the fight." Her mother said trying to stick with her reasoning.

"You shouldn't tell me what to do! You haven't for the first sixteen years of my life, ever sense you "made friends" with the Uchiha's you've become controlling." She snarled at her mother.

"Do not-" Her mother began.

"Do you know they're using you?... They don't give a damn about your friendship, or personalities, they want me on their team, and once they crack you down and you sign a contract they will; one leave me, or two put me lower than I am. Huh... Who does that sound like... Oh yeah the engagement four years ago..." She said angrily, she stormed out of the living room, Ino following after her and Hinata and Tenten behind her. Temari yelled for them to come back.

"You got her engaged!... You never told me!" Kayago said angrily, but his voice was calmer.

"It didn't concern you," Sakura's father spoke for the first time.

"You mean like how letting Sakura fight didn't concern mom!? Two years ago. Remember...?" Kayago said angrily.

"What?!" Mebsuki whispered disbelievingly.

"Oh you never told her. It doesn't make sense how Sakura can kick a level nines Ass right... Think about it... Two years ago dad unwillingly signed Sakura up for MMA, she fought, she had to get better or she would be hurt... He never told you... It wasn't your concern." Kayago hissed angrily, mostly in disgust.

"She adapted, she started to enjoy it when she got better, but for the first seven months it was pure hell, that's how she really dislocated her shoulder." Kayago said in disgust.

"Why would you do that to our daughter!" she cried out, as tears streamed down her face.

The company watches in amusement and surprise.

"For the same reason, you control Sakura... You WANT her to be certain things, you change her, when all she wants to be is herself. She doesn't want to go to fancy parties, she doesn't want to be perfect at everything, she doesn't want to be your daughter... Because she wants to be a normal teenage girl!" He said and stormed off in anger.