Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!
Normal Point of View:
As they reached the forest they slowed their pace a little.
"Karin, how far are they?"
"They found out we were moving! They are trailing us right now. I think it's too late to get away."
Sasuke gave a visible sigh. "Sakura, how do you feel about meeting up with old friends?"
Sakura visibly cringed. She gave a glance towards Yori, and long meaningful look towards Sahn. "If it can't be avoided, then there is no choice."
"Are we just going to wait on them then? Or should we travel to a clearing and wait there?" Sasuke questioned.
"They have been chasing this long…I doubt they will mind chasing us a bit longer."
"Hn. Let's move out then."
They traveled for another ten minutes until they came to a small clearing. Everyone was itching with anticipation. They were worried about what the outcome could be. With every passing moment the tension kept on building up. It felt like it was strangling everyone. They didn't have to wait long though, because soon enough a ninja burst into the clearing.
"Teme!"
"Hn. Dobe it doesn't look like you have changed at all."
"Naruto…" The feminine voice caught Naruto off guard. He turned and was surprised to see Sakura standing not ten feet from him. His eyes bulged and he instantly noticed the markings etched upon her skin.
"Sakura-chan….what happened? What are those things on your skin? Why are you with Sasuke? Did he hurt you? Are you alright?"
Sakura let an angelic laugh out. "Naruto you haven't changed one bit." She ran to hug him, and Naruto gladly returned her embrace. "I've missed you and your loud mouth."
Naruto swirled her around in circles and hugged her to his chest. "Sakura-chan did the teme kidnap you? You didn't answer my questions. Are you alright?"
"All in good time Naruto… all in good time. How have you been?"
"Lonely…I've missed you and the teme. Please Sakura-chan come back?"
Sakura's face gave him an apologetic look. "Naruto, if only I could, but I have a mission, and I don't intend to go back until I finish it."
"What sort of mission is more important than the village? Than me and your friends Sakura-chan?"
"It's a long story Naruto. I need you to ask you a favor. Please let us go? I promise that once I'm finished I will head back to Konoha."
"Sakura-chan…why can't you accomplish your mission in Konoha? Why do I have to be without my best friends?"
Sakura's heart grew weak as she saw Naruto's eyes. Those clear cerulean eyes that were filled with so much pain. Pain that she had caused. She gave a short whimper. She reached out her hand to touch his cheek and whispered, "It has to do with my real family Naruto…I have to follow my mission to help them, so that their deaths won't be in vain. I promise to keep in contact with you. Please Naruto?"
Naruto's heart was beating fast. He took a glance at her right hand, and saw her wedding ring. "Sakura…you are married?"
Sakura flinched at his tone of voice. "Yes. It was an arranged marriage between my clan families. There is just so much you don't know Naruto."
"Why won't you tell me Sakura? Why do you have to keep it a secret?"
Sakura's hand fell from his face as she gave a frustrated sigh. "I don't have time Naruto! It's such a long story to tell, and you are not the only ninja. I trust you Naruto, and I trust Kakashi, but I don't know if I can trust everyone else to keep quiet…"
Naruto pulled away from her. "You'll write me every week, and you will tell me your story in the first letter? As soon as you are done with your mission you have to hurry back to Konoha. Those are my conditions."
"I promise Naruto! I'll send out the letter by tomorrow night."
Naruto embraced her again in a tight bone crushing hug, and he reluctantly let her go. He turned to watch Sasuke, and he looked at his hand, but he was surprised to find no wedding ring there. He sent him a questioning look. Sasuke responded by glaring towards Sahn, and Naruto quickly noticed the matching wedding band on his finger. He turned to Sasuke and gave him an apologetic glance. Sasuke glared at Naruto. Naruto clearly read his eyes, 'I'm not done yet. I love her and she will be mine.' Naruto gave a chuckle and worded a good luck to his best friend, who was like his brother. He watched with sad eyes as they got farther and farther away. He saw both Sakura and Sasuke give him another look before they disappeared into the horizon.
Sakura:
I could feel tears threatening to fall as I shut my eyes tightly. I felt a comforting hand on my shoulder and turned to see Sahn's hand comforting me.
"Thank you." I whispered to him, as I let couple of tears fall. I quickly wiped my eyes, and continued on. I was glad that Naruto had let us go. I was eternally grateful. We went far enough in the forest to avoid the ninjas that were with Naruto, but not too far because none of us wanted to stay in the forest. We were all looking forward to the hotel's beds.
"Sakura watch out!" Sahn yelled as he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me towards him. A second later a kunai flew past where I had been standing. I watched in disbelief as Sahn glared at the red-headed girl that was on Sasuke's team.
"What the hell are you trying to do?" Sahn yelled at her.
"It was an accident. I wasn't even aiming to hit her." Karin responded haughtily. "Plus she deserved the scare she was walking to close to my Sasuke-kun."
"That's such a pathetic excuse. You do realize that she's married." Yori mumbled.
"That doesn't stop old hags from hitting on Sasuke."
"Oh really, I didn't notice considering you are one of them."
"Why you litt-"
"Karin. Stop this nonsense." Sasuke responded calmly.
"But Sasuke-kun he insulted me! Aren't you going to defend me?"
"You deserved it. Now stop blabbering nonsense."
Suigetsu chuckled at Karins predicament. "Looks like he sees you as an old hag too Karin!" He burst out in chuckles at his own joke.
Sahn and I stared at each other weirdly before laughing at Karin too.
"Sasuke-kun! Are you going to let them make fun of me like that?"
Sasuke gave a sigh and I saw his hand pull at his hair. "Karin get over it. Just shut up I'm trying to think."
Sahn and I walked towards our own little camp on the opposite side of the clearing. "Hey Sahn, did you see a lake around here? I feel like swimming."
"I thought I saw one a few miles off. I'm sure we can get to it if you would like?"
"Yes! Let me just get changed." I walked into our tent and found my white swimsuit. It was covered with pink cherry blossoms. I put it on and walked out yelling, "I'm ready!" Sahn stared at me and his jaw dropped. I let out a small giggle, and saw as he began to blush.
"…Sakura…y-you…um..l-look very n-nice." I laughed and grabbed his hand.
"Lead the way Sahn!"
Sasuke:
I watched Sakura talking to Sahn, and then she gleamed and ran towards the tent. She was in there for a while and then she came out. She took my breath away. She was wearing a white bikini with pink cherry blossoms on it. I felt my eyes widen at how beautiful she had gotten. Her body was perfection. I saw her take Sahns hand, and I felt my stomach churn.
'She's married. She forgot about me. Who am I kidding? She probably never liked me to begin with.'
Sasuke gave a frustrated sigh and tugged at his hair which was matted with sweat. 'I need a shower.' He glared at his body for betraying him at such a moment. He gave a sigh and got up to find his spare change of clothes and a towel.
Apparently it wasn't just him that needed a shower. When he got to the lake everyone was there. Jugo, Karin, Suigetsu, Sakura, Sahn, and Yori were in there. He gave a frustrated sigh deciding to shower after everyone got out.
"Sasuke-kun! Come in so we can play a proper game!" Karin screamed.
He saw everyone freeze and turn to look were Sasuke was standing. Sasuke wanted to strangle her then. Uchiha do not play silly games. He glanced at Sakura with her husband and decided that he was much better looking than him. So what did he do, he took of his pants and shirt and ended up in boxers and jumped in. As soon as he got in the water Karin tried to grope him. Sasuke gave her a disgusted look, and told her that if she tried to touch him again he would personally break both of her hands.
The lake water was cold enough to soothe his muscles, and he swam a few laps across the widest part of the lake before he decided that he was bored. He looked towards the others and saw that they were playing marco polo. Sakura was it. He smirked and wondered how long she had been it. He glanced around the others, and then he saw Karin with a kunai in her hand. She was making her way towards Sakura. Sasuke panicked, and before he knew what he was doing. He had grabbed Sakura from the waist and hauled her protectively behind him and glared at Karin.
Karin's face was priceless. She was beyond mad. She was seething with anger. Everyone else didn't see a thing, except for Sakura who had opened her eyes as soon as she felt a strong arm around her waist. Sasuke felt her grab his arm and poke her head out by his side, and as she glanced to look at Karin's hand she gasped.
"What are you try-" Sasuke's hand covered her mouth. He looked at her and shook his head. Karin glared daggers at Sakura. He saw realization hit Sakura's eyes. Everyone else had not noticed, and Sasuke intended to keep it that way.
Sakura:
I knew that there was someone close to me that I could catch. I wasn't good at Marco Polo I always managed to get caught. I was reaching out an arm to grab somebody when I noticed someone had grabbed my waist. My eyes shot open, and I saw Sasuke put me behind him. I felt my face go warm as I stared at his muscles. He was much better looking than anyone I had seen. His chest and abs were so well defined. His arms rippled and his back was chiseled to perfection, the back that I was currently facing. I briefly wondered how he managed to keep so well in shape. I grabbed his arm and poked my head out from his side wondering why he had done that when I saw Karin with a kunai in her hand.
My eyes widened, "What are you try-" I started to say when Sasuke's mouth covered my mouth. He looked at me and shook his head. I glared at him. Was he protecting his idiotic teammate? Did it not matter to him that she was trying to kill me? I looked at his eyes, and saw something that surprised me. His obsidian eyes shined with concern.
"Are you alright?" He whispered. I felt my breath leave me, and I stared at him dumbly before I had enough sense to respond.
"I'm fine, but aren't you going to do something about her?" I glared at Karin.
I saw Sasuke sigh and he shook his head. I seethed at him, "Why do you suddenly love her so much that you can't stand to hurt her?" I slapped my hand against my mouth. I couldn't believe I had just said that.
Sasuke's demeanor changed instantly. I saw his eyes flash with anger. "Don't talk about something you don't understand!" He hissed.
He tore his arm away from my hand, and got out of the lake. I watched him gather his stuff with a sinking feeling in my stomach. "Sasuke! Sasuke wait!" I got out of the pool and ran to catch up with him.
I grabbed his forearm as soon as he was within reach. "I-I'm sorry…I-I didn't meant to jump to conclusions." I mumbled. He used his other hand to pull at his hair, and I heard him sigh.
"It's fine. I overreacted." I stared dumbly at his back. Had he just sort of apologized to me? I was so dumbfounded I didn't even notice him turn around. I heard him say something, but I was still off in my little cloud.
"Huh?" I mumbled unintelligently.
"I said are you feeling alright?"
I felt myself blush before I answered. "Yes."
"I haven't gotten rid of Karin because I need her."
Sakura was startled. "What do you mean?"
"You saw what she can do. She can sense chakras. She knows the intent, and she is also a healer."
"Oh…I'm sorry. I mean I know how you hate fangirls…"
"Hn. Can you let go of my hand now? I need to go change out of these wet clothes."
"What?" She hadn't noticed that her hand had slipped from his forearm, and that it had been intertwined with his. She blushed a deep crimson.
"uhh….I-I-I'm sorry." She saw Sasuke watching her with an amused face.
"Sakura," he drawled, "my hand please?"
"Oh right…" I finally let go of his hand only to notice that I was suddenly left feeling cold. It was like his hand had been keeping me warm. I unconsciously shivered.
"Here put it on." Sasuke said as he threw me his shirt. I took it gratefully and put it on. My nose tingled as his scent hit me. I fought hard against myself to inhale his scent deeply.
"Arigato Sasuke-kun." I froze had I just…added -kun to his name. He stared at me surprised, and I blushed once again. We stared into each other's eyes. His eyes…I had missed them. They were so dark…obsidian…but they weren't neglecting, they weren't cold…they were caring, they were love. I felt myself inching towards him. We were so close, so close to kissing. I wanted him. Every fiber of my body wanted him right then and there.
My right hand was reaching to stroke his face, but as I was inches away his eyes changed and he pulled away. I let my hand fall to my side. Did he not want me?
Sasuke cleared his throat and said, "You're married. It's not right to do this."
I blanched at his statement. I was married…I could never be with him. The thought made me want to cry so hard. Why was I so stupid?
"Sasuke-kun I-"
"Sakura, stop. Don't just don't." Sasuke said as he left me there. My heart felt like it was breaking. Why couldn't I just hold out for him? This wasn't fair! Why, why did he do this? Why did he make me feel so safe and protected? I fell to the ground and pulled my knees towards myself.
A hand touched my shoulder. I looked up expectantly wanting it to be Sasuke, but it wasn't him. It was Sahn looking at me with troubled eyes.
"What is it?" I croaked.
"You really love him don't you?" He asked me with sincere eyes. "We have never done anything except kiss at our wedding, and I told you that I had already lost my other half…"
"I love him so much it hurts Sahn! I don't think I can stop myself from loving him. I don't think I could ever forget him. I'm so sorry."
"It's alright Sakura. I understand you completely, and that's why I feel like I should tell you the truth. I promised Sarah, the person I once loved, that I would never marry anyone but her. We got married in secret you see, and no one knew but us. I was desperately hoping you would never show up because I didn't want to break my promise. You showed up, and they sent me to get you and Yori. I was scared to death of how I could avoid the wedding. We became close friends, and in the beginning I felt attracted to you because you reminded me so much of Sarah, but I began to notice the differences and I knew it was wrong. Before the wedding, I sent word to one of my friends to kidnap the priest…"
"What? Sahn do you know how much trouble we could have been in? What if grandfath-"
"Sakura! You aren't seeing my point. Let me finish. My friend was to kidnap the priest, and have someone supplant him so that I wouldn't break my promise to Sarah. My friend managed to kidnap the priest, but he couldn't supplant him at the same time. He sent his brother to do it. His brother didn't like the idea of tricking so many people, especially the future ruler."
I was listening intently. Was he trying to tell me that our wedding was a hoax? I was ecstatic inside. I was about to jump up and hug him when he let out a sigh. I looked at him and saw him shaking his head. My heart fluttered.
"It didn't sit well with him, so he went to find a replacement priest for the ceremony. When he got to a different city he told him what had happened, and the priest agreed to come with him. They were heading towards the village when the priest remembered something about the Sato clan. He asked him for my father's name. When he told him the priest panicked. He said that what he was about to do was wrong and evil. My father was your mother's brother. We are cousins. The priest convinced my friend's younger brother to supplant him because it was wrong to marry when blood was so closely related, and so he did it. So we were never really married you see."
"Is that why you agreed to leave on the wedding night?" Sahn nodded his head. I didn't want to do anything inappropriate with my cousin, and I didn't want to break my promise. I got up and hugged Sahn so hard.
"I'm so happy!"
"I know."
"Not just because I can tell Sasuke I love him now, but also because my grandfather is not my only family left."
I looked down at my ring. "Was this Sarah's ring?"
Sahn nodded. "It was hers."
"You should take it back Sahn. Return it to her when you meet again."
I gave Sahn a huge hug, returned the ring, and ran to find Sasuke.
Sasuke:
I had been about to kiss her. What was wrong with me? She was married. It was sinful to kiss someone else's wife. I pulled at my hair. Why had she married him? What did he have that I didn't?
Sakura burst through my tent. She jumped at me, and we both fell to the floor in a tangle of limbs.
"What are you doing?" I asked her with an amused expression on my face.
"I love you Sasuke." I stared at her with wide eyes.
"What?"
"I said I love you Sasuke-kun."
"I heard you, but why are you telling me this now."
"I just found out that I was part of a fake wedding."
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Sahn is my cousin. His friend kidnapped the priest and his friend's brother pretended to marry us, but we weren't ever really married."
I looked at her dumbfounded. "But how did he know?"
"He told his friend to help him out because his original wife died, and he promised her that there would be no other." My face scrunched up with concentration.
"So you came to tell me you love me because your wedding was a hoax?"
I saw her face scrunch up. Then realization hit her, and she looked absolutely stricken.
"You don't like me like that? Do you?"
"No, I don't like you like that at all." I saw her eyes start to glisten with unshed tears.
"I'm sorry…I-I-I thought that you f-felt the s-same way." She whimpered.
"I never said that I did." I watched her face fall to complete and utter sadness and horror.
"I…thought…I thought that you…"
I let out a sigh, "I never said that I did like you because I l-"
"I'm so sorry." She said in a hurry, and tried to run out of the tent. I grabbed her arm in a hurry and pulled her back to face me.
"Let me finish Sakura."
"I've already made a fool out of myself Sasuke what more can you do?"
"Just shut up and listen. Is that so hard? I wasn't finished."
Sakura relented and she nodded her head at me to continue.
"As I was saying," I glared at her, "I never said that I did like you because I love you."
"I already said sor- WHAT?" She screamed with surprise.
"Really Sakura, are you deaf now?"
"Sasuke, can you say it again just to make sure?" I shot her a glare, but her eyes were completely sincere. So I nodded my head as I let out a small sigh.
"I love you."
She jumped up and hugged me. "Why were you such a jerk about it?"
"What? I wasn't a jerk. You said you loved me and then you asked if I liked you. How is that fair to you? Should I have said? 'Yes, Sakura, even though, you love me I only like you.'"
Sakura punched me in the arm before she hugged me. "I was so damn scared. That's why…You should have just kissed me to make me shut up. Is that really such a hard conce-"
I pulled her towards me and kissed her hard. "Yes, Sakura it is hard because you are so damn annoying." I told her as we fell asleep in each other's arms.
~Timafa~
Late update I know. *SIGH* I was really stuck on how to finish this chapter up. I restarted it so many times. I finally finished it, but I'm sure there are a lot of mistakes. So don't mind them…much. I'm sorry for being so late, but senior year kicks my butt plus I have like 6 AP classes so as I am sure you can understand I've been swamped with so much bloody homework. I'm glad that I finally updated. Mehhh I might regret having Sasuke and Sakura come together so early in my fanfic, but I was tired of having them apart. Plus I liked that little twist haha Man I got tired of her being with Sahn. Granted it was only one chapter for you guys, but as I said I re-wrote this chapter so many times…so to me it felt like they were together for like ever. Plus I know you guys were waiting for that fluff. Man I hate Karin. D: She is so evil. Or she was…whatever. Puah I felt bad for her, for those who keep up with the manga, I know she was obsessed but being treated like that is bull. Stupid Sasuke so hell bent on revenge that he can't even see how much people care for him. I'm tired and happy that I finally did another chapter. TTYL for now don't forget to review and give your input. Hopefully I can have another chapter up for Thanksgiving break. I'm not making up any promises though because I fail at keeping them, T_T and I am truly sorry for that.