DISCLAIMER: I do not own the 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden' series or characters!

SONG THAT SHOULD BE PLAYED DURING THIS CHAPTER: 'Almost Here' by Delta Goodrem & Brian McFadden

PAIRINGS: SasuSaku

A/N: Constructive criticism and ideas are WARMLY welcomed! No flames or mean comments, please. Saying 'No offence' only intensifies the offence felt.

This scene will have references to attempted rape and underage drinking – if you don't like, don't read.

Also, this chapter will involve several well known lyrics from (hopefully) well known songs.

And 'Happy Birthday' to Sasuke tomorrow! July 23rd

ALMOST HERE

"But when I need you, you're almost here.
And I know that's not enough.
But when I'm with you, I'm close to tears.
'Cause you're only almost here."

SAKURA P.O.V

I felt the warmth of euphoria enveloping me as I grinned appreciatively at the growing crowd cheering at my feet. Or if not that, then it must've been the five shots of Jack Daniels I threw back before coming on stage just now. But judging by the buzz I was feeling and the fact that there was still a burning pain in my throat from the strong dark liquor trickling down my throat in its delicious sharp taste, I'd say it was definitely the alcohol.

Oh yeah, baby. I missed you!

I could tell Naruto was pissed off with me – because I'm pretty sure I was showing the tell-tale signs of getting drunk – slightly glazed over eyes, dilated pupils, giggles, being overly enthusiastic – because he was shooting me daggers.

Well deal with it. I haven't felt this great in years...

During 'Chemicals React' I had noticed with mixed feelings, Sasuke sitting at one of the tables nearby with Hinata, Shikamaru and Neji and he was smirking at me and sipping on something that looked like a Coke. I grinned back at him, feeling triumphant that Naruto was the only one who had caught on that I was getting drunk. Naruto cleared his throat pointedly at me, which indicated he was about to launch into the next song, which was a duet. But his eyes were boring into my mind with a very direct message: 'We need to talk later. NO EXCUSES!'

Naruto started plucking away at the guitar strings and then Gaara and Kiba joined in with their instruments and background vocals.

"Oh Oh!"

"Oh Oh – so jet lagged..."

Naruto licked his lips.

"What time is it where you are? "

I answered, also strumming away fiercely on my guitar, trying to ignore two pairs of eyes staring at me – one beside me with heat of a thousand suns, and one sitting not too faraway with an old-fashioned glass containing Coke in his be-ringed hand, staring at me with a curious stare.

"I miss you more than anything."

Naruto rolled his eyes, still annoyed with me.

"Back at home you feel so far..."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Waiting for the phone to ring."

Then the both of us starting singing heartily.

"It's gettin' lonely livin' upside down. I don't even wanna be in this town. Tryin' to figure out the time zones makin' me crazy ."

Chorus time! Let's go, Naruto!

"You say good morning, when it's midnight. Going out of my head, alone in this bed. I wake up to your sunset. And it's driving me mad, I miss you so bad. And my heart, heart, heart is so jetlagged. Heart, heart, heart is so jetlagged. Heart, heart, heart is so jetlagged. So jetlagged."

Two minutes and fourteen seconds later, the song was done and there were more cheers and clapping from our fans. It was now time for a solo song of my own – I knew just the one and it definitely represented part of my sad feelings I was experiencing at that moment. Naruto hopped down from the stage without a glance at me – he was still pissed and bordering on disappointed. Kiba and Gaara waited for my sign to start playing.

As I looked back at them to nod, I noticed the suspicious, concerned looks they were throwing both Naruto and I, and I realised that both of us must be radiating some seriously cold vibes. Gaara started playing melodic sequence on his keyboard and I closed my eyes, allowing the painful memories to consume me.

(A/N: This song is going to be crucial to Sakura's relationship with her father, and all of the lyrics will be written on here...)

"I wait for the postman to bring me a letter. I wait for the good Lord to make me feel better. And I carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. A family in crisis that only grows older..."

I haven't heard from my so-called father since he left Mom and I seven years ago – but I would've thought that the fight was just between him and Mom. Not me and him. Tears brimmed in my eyes.

"Why'd you have to go? Why'd you have to go? Why'd you have to go?"

I powered into the song, joining Kiba and Gaara, strumming the guitar furiously – wondering why my father would abandon me.

"Daughter to father, daughter to father. I am broken but I am hoping. Daughter to father, daughter to father. I am crying, a part of me is dying and these are, these are, the confessions of a broken heart."

I looked up, feeling tears falling down my cheeks and staring directly into the eyes of both Sasuke and Naruto who were staring at me wide eyes and mouths hanging open. Only they knew the significance of this particular song. I could feel myself heaving and shaking already, and hoped that it only looked to the crowd that I was just REALLY getting into the sadness of the song, not sinking into the depths of my despair as I remembered my father.

"And I wear all your old clothes, your polo sweater-"

There was one thing that my father left behind. A polo sweater that he and Mom had gotten as a souvenir on their honeymoon at some random fair.

That same night, they made me.

Or so Mom had told me when I had shown her the polo sweater the first time.
She was always very vague and aloof when it came to the topic of Dad.

"I dream of another you, the one who would never (never), leave me alone to pick up the pieces-"

I could remember the times Mom would just collapse into uncontrollable tears and I would hold my mother tightly in my arms as she buried her face into my collarbone, and feeling the warmth of the salty water falling there. A couple of times this had happened was when Sasuke and Naruto had come 'round to study.

"A daddy to hold me, that's what I needed."

And sometimes when there was a particularly cold night, I would put on my father's polo sweater and go to sleep in it, pretending that it was my father holding me and lulling me to sleep.

"So why'd you have to go? Why'd you have to go? Why'd you have to go!"

Tears were falling thick and fast now, blinding my vision.

"Daughter to father, daughter to father. I don't know you, but I still want to. Daughter to father, daughter to father. Tell me the truth! Did you ever love me? 'Cause these are, these are. The confessions of a broken heart."

By now, I had sunk to my knees – shocking a couple of people. I heard snippets of people saying: "Wow, she's a great actress. I'm really getting sucked into this song. Wow!" and I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt warm hands closing over both of mine. I looked up and saw both Naruto and Sasuke standing there with worry on their faces.

I stared at them.

"I love you, I love you, I love you, I...!"

I got to my feet and shouted to the heavens.

"I love you!"

The crowd nearly brought the roof down cheering for me, as I came towards the conclusion of the song.

"Daughter to father, daughter to father. I don't know you, but I still want to. Daughter to father, daughter to father. Tell me the truth! Did you ever love me? Did you ever love me? These are, these are. The confessions... of a broken heart."

I took a deep breath before ending the song. I fully intended on wrapping myself into Sasuke and Naruto's arms – the arms of the two men I could actually trust – the moment this song finished.

"Ohhh...yeah. I wait for the postman to bring me a letter.."

I realised that moment that drinking was not a good idea, especially when I was highly emotional, because a horrible wave of nausea rushed up my throat the moment I put my guitar on its stand, and I instantly bolted for the wings, groping for the bathroom where I threw up all the Jack Daniels I had drunk, along with a couple of partially digested sandwiches the club had provided for us back in our dressing room.

"Sakura, honey? Are you alright?"

I lifted my head from the bowl of the toilet and started crying hard. The door opened to my horror and in walked both Sasuke and Naruto, with Gaara, Kiba, Ino and Tenten. I wiped my mouth with some toilet paper before bursting into tears again. A familiar scent engulfed me and I realised that I was now in Sasuke's arms, crying into his shoulder. Warmth on my back told me that Naruto was hugging me from behind as well, and he was stroking my arms soothingly with his hand.

"I hate him! I hate him! I hate him! I hate him!"

I sobbed angrily into Sasuke's shoulder and hitting him weakly on the chest.

"Shhh... I know. I know."

Sasuke soothed, allowing me to hit him and rocking both me and Naruto (because he was attached to my back) gently.

"Hate who?"

Ino stared at the three of us quizzically.

"Her father."

Both Naruto and Sasuke promptly answered.

"But you just said that-"

"They were lyrics, Ino! Sakura didn't write them. Lindsay Lohan did!"

Naruto snapped angrily at her. Ino's eyes widened and she took a deliberate step back when she heard the protective tone in his voice. I smiled slightly. Naruto may be with Hinata now – but his affection for me is still strong and unwavering. The nausea came back and I immediately ripped myself from Sasuke's arms and crawled to the toilet, throwing up again.

"Ew."

Ino and Tenten complained. Both Sasuke and Naruto rounded on them.

"Get lost then!"

Sasuke snarled and then held back my hair and rubbed soothing circles into my back.

"Thanks..."

I muttered weakly. Naruto promptly took charge.

"Kiba, go get a bottle of water from the bar please. Large as you can."

Kiba nodded and quickly left.

"Have you finished, Sakura?"

Naruto asked kindly, obviously believing that I had learnt my lesson. I seriously did. I nodded and leant against the bathroom wall, while Sasuke wiped my face and Naruto flushed the toilet. Kiba returned and passed the bottle of water to me.

I screwed off the top and began chugging away at the water.

"Easy, Sakura."

Sasuke warned me.

I nodded, swallowing and lent into Sasuke's warmth. Sasuke allowed me to. Kiba, Gaara and the girls looked at Naruto for instructions.

"She'll be okay. We'll sit with her for a while then we'll meet you back at the table."

They left and Naruto finally turned to me with a stern look on his face.

"That was a very stupid move, Sakura."

I closed my eyes and lowered my head, ashamed. Sasuke frowned at Naruto.

"Back off, dobe. It's not her fault she's unwell."

Naruto scoffed humourlessly.

"Do you know why she's unwell, Teme?"

Sasuke gave Naruto an 'enlighten me' expression, before Naruto sighed and urged me to continue drinking the water.

"She was drinking alcohol."

Sasuke didn't look like he believed Naruto, until he didn't hear me defend myself and then looked down at me in disbelief.

"How long has this been happening?"

"A few months after Naruto and I started dating. I was 15 and like I told you back when we were fighting next to my locker, I was feeling hurt and abandoned and I turned to alcohol for comfort. Eventually, I went one step too far and came down from the binge with a monster hangover and never touched the stuff again. Until now."

I felt ashamed.

Sasuke shook his head in disgust.

"In that case, I agree with the dobe. It was a very stupid, idiotic move."

I moved to get up on my feet, but found it hard to stand on my shaky legs. It took Sasuke, to grab a hold of my hand and elbow simultaneously to pull me to my feet.

"Thanks, Sasuke."

I muttered and shuffled towards the door. The three of us walked back to the table where I sunk down into one of the chairs, clutching my water bottle and refusing food because of my tender stomach. Sasuke sat down next to me, but refused to look in my direction – choosing to stare at Naruto, Kiba and Gaara who played the rest of the set without me and I miserably stared at both them and Sasuke, wishing that I could disappear entirely. Pretty soon, all I wanted to do was go home and sleep, but my ride was on the stage playing on his guitar and singing jovially into a microphone. Sasuke had disappeared momentarily. So, I decided to go and get some fresh air.

"Hey, I'm gonna get some fresh air. Be right back."

I said to Tenten and Temari who both nodded and waved me away. I didn't notice on my way out a couple of shifty characters suddenly get up and follow me out the door. Outside a song began playing. I recognised it as 3 Doors Down's 'Here Without You' blaring loudly for all of Tokyo to hear as it continued on with its night activities, while I sunk deeper into my depressive state.

Smooth move, moron! Sasuke probably thinks you're a bloody alcoholic. Now he won't want anything to do with you now. Well done!

I sighed – I realised now that it was my fault that I wasn't letting love in. I let my parents' divorce affect how I viewed love, and as a consequence I was pretty sure that I had lost the only boy I ever truly wanted and who I thought a couple of hours ago really wanted me.

"A hundred days have made me older, since the last time that I saw your pretty face..."

Naruto's voice rang out. I turned and walked over to a nearby bench and sat down, putting my face into my hands.

"A thousand lies have made me colder, and I don't think I can look at this the same."

I sniffed and looked up at the stars.

"Hey, sugar. What's wrong?"

I froze and looked to see a couple of scruffy dressed boys who looked about 20, maybe 21 staring at me lecherously. I shuddered, I wasn't in the mood to flirt with anyone – least of all a couple of strange boys.

"Nothing. I'm fine."

I replied, hoping that they would leave me alone.

I was wrong.

Dead wrong.

They came closer and I instantly got to my feet and walked away.

"I don't need any assistance, thank you."

I continued walking.

Oh Sasuke. I'm sorry. I hope you can forgive my foolishness...

I thought morosely and then felt a hand wrap around my face and stifled a scream I suddenly let loose. Meanwhile, the song continued to play within the club, with people unaware of what was now happening to me.

"Don't struggle. It won't be much fun if you do that."

I looked around fearfully at the person belonging to that voice and realised with horror that it was the same two boys I had rejected only moments ago. I tried screaming again. But this time a knife was produced and I eyed the blade with horror.

"But all the miles that separate..."

I bit down on the hand covering my face. He let go instantly and I screamed bloody murder as I kneed the one holding me between the legs and made a desperate run for it...

"Disappear now, when I'm dreaming of your face..."

But I was caught instantly via a well placed rugby tackle which sprawled me on the ground with somebody heavy lying on top of me and smelling strongly of alcohol himself. I felt them scooping their hands underneath my arms and grabbing my legs, before watching helplessly as I was being dragged into a nearby alley.

Help! Somebody please help me! Sasuke! SASUKE!

SASUKE P.O.V

Of all the stupid things for Sakura to do, why for the love of God would she turn to drinking to solve her problems? I've seen Itachi drunk before and it wasn't a pretty sight, especially his attitude in the morning after where he would wake up and start bitching at me, and telling me that if I said or did anything remotely painful to his ears he would gut me like a fish and then bring me back to clean up the mess, because he would not be in any condition to do so. Plus, she's supposed to be older and more mature than I am considering she was born five months before I was. She should've known better. I came back to the table where I had left Sakura with the group and saw that she was missing. I looked over at the bar to see if she was buying more water, but saw no familiar mop of pink hair.

"Hey? Where's Sakura?"

I asked anyone who could hear me over the music.

"I'm here without you, baby."

"She said she was going to get some air. She did look a bit pale."

Ino replied, blinking up at me.

My eyes widened.

"You let her do WHAT?"

Ino frowned at the sharpness of my voice.

"What's the big deal? She's totally safe, the bouncer's outside."

I pointed towards the same black guy who examined my ID standing next to the stage, seeking out troublemakers.

"You mean that guy?"

I asked bitingly. Ino's eyes nearly fell out of her head.

"Oh shit."

I face-palmed and made a mental note to kill Ino if Sakura was in any way harmed after I found her.

"Yeah, oh shit."

I snapped sarcastically and made a mad dash towards the entrance and flung open the door, searching around for Sakura. There was nothing but the odd car travelling past. Then something rattled in the nearby alley. I sprinted towards the sound.

"But you're still on my lonely mind..."

I turned the corner and what I saw next made my blood boil with rage.

"I think about you, baby-"

Two men were restraining my Sakura against the wall a knife against her throat. She had been stripped down to her strapless bra (her halter neck top lying in tatters on the ground beside them) and had several shallow cuts on her smooth up until now, flawless abdomen.

"And I dream about you all the time..."

Sakura was weeping copiously and screaming in protest into the man's hand as the second man proceeded to unbutton and unzip her leather pants.

"SAKURA!"

The two men stopped what they were doing and turned to look at me. Sakura's lovely green eyes were bloodshot (probably from the alcohol) and were widened as she started thrashing wildly to escape their clutches and get to me.

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

I roared as I saw red in my vision. The two men dropped Sakura in a heap and advanced towards me.

"And what is a kid like you gonna do?"

This kid has had extensive training ever since he was eight years old and knew exactly what he was doing when it came to self-defence.

I was going to break every single bone in their bodies and beat them to a bloody pulp for even thinking of laying a hand on a vulnerable, utterly petrified girl for their own disgusting pleasures. I stood there calmly, waiting for them to make the first move as Sakura watched in horror. The first man moved, but he clearly didn't have any brains in his head as he charged at me blade raised and proceeded to impale me with the knife.

The arm descended and I caught the arm and drove the blade into his thigh, burying it deep to the hilt. The man screamed as his blood pooled to the ground. Then I watched mercilessly as he crashed to the ground, unable to move. The second man saw the damage I had done to his friend and snarled like a bull, charging at me, fist raised and proceeded to bury that fist into my face. Or he would have if I hadn't grabbed his fist in my hand and gave it a sharp 360 twist – effectively breaking it and then kneed him hard in the solar plexus so that he coughed up blood and struggled to breathe.

He collapsed on the ground and was out for the count. I rushed over to Sakura who looked like she was about to faint from fear.

"Sasuke!"

Sakura desperately clutched onto me and buried her face into my shoulder as I held onto her tightly. But that wasn't enough for me. I was so fucking relieved that Sakura was mostly unhurt that I kissed her fiercely, right there in the alleyway – declaring that I was never going to leave her side again.

"You're safe now, Sakura. Shhh..."

I soothed and pressed her tighter into my arms. Then she really did faint and I gasped in horror as her body went limp in my arms. I looked her over again for any really serious injuries and when I saw none decided that it was probably best that I took her home now. I scooped Sakura's body up into my arms bridal style and carried her back to my car and carefully placed her in the passenger side. Then I got in beside her and pulled out my phone to contact Naruto and explain the situation to him and to tell him that I was taking Sakura back to my place to let her sleep without having a frantic mother screeching at me for not taking care of her, and to tend to her shallow wounds.

Dobe, I'm taking Sakura home now.
She's really not well and I have to take care of her wounds so they don't get infected.
Call the police and tell them that two fuckers tried to rape Sakura, and they're in the alley next to the club.

Come 'round tomorrow and we'll figure out what to do later.

Sasuke.

A/N: Alright my lovely readers - that is the end of this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. If you have read it and liked what you read, now is the time for you to get involved! I need some ideas for what should happen next and what better way to get those ideas than to ask the people who are going to be reading them to supply the idea.

What I would like you to do is - comment if you desire to, but if you have an idea please send it to me and if I like one or more of the ideas I'll make sure to thank the people perfusely in the next chapter notes :D I'm catering for everybody tastes so if you feel that a Lemon scene should happen next, then tell me. If not, surprise me.

Looking forward to hearing from you!