A/N: thank you so much for your kind reviews, I really appreciate them :))))

I really, really hope you like this chapter, because I am very fond of it. It anticipates the next one, and I'm looking forward to that one :-)

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CHAPTER 14 – EXIT

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Weeks went by. Contacts with other countries became more frequent. After Akemi's mission, when the other lands had been informed of the peace between Senju and Uchiha, many had answered to their ambassadors with offers of friendship and alliance.

But after the attack of the rogue ninja, it had become important to locate the lord of the faraway land they had come from. He, however, refused any contact, at least until Konoha soundly defeated his warriors. Without the element of surprise, the land wasn't able to resist. It came out that the lord had long been interested in the powers of the Uchiha and the Senju, and had tried to take advantage of the peace between the two Clans, in hope of stealing their abilities. But since he was now overpowered, he wouldn't pose a problem anymore. However, there were all the lands confining with the evil lord's that could bring trouble. Konoha didn't know if or what they were planning.

Therefore, on Itachi's suggestion, they made contact with them. Some were already allies, others were indifferent and maintained neutrality, while others were diffident. None were hostile, thankfully, and in the end, Konoha managed to have ties with all of them, except one, the land of Yu. This one was quite wary, and was suspicious of Konoha. Again, on Itachi's suggestion, the Council decided to offer some precious gifts in exchange for peace. After a while, the land of Yu relented and agreed to become neutrally friendly. However, before that, it demanded an official meeting of some ambassadors, to be held in Konoha.

Consequently, a huge diplomatic event took place. A very large room was used to host the party, and it resembled a room the nobles used to have a ball; many drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic, were offered. All the most important personalities of the village were present, in a show of trust. There were seats in the back of the room, but most people were standing, gathered in little groups that changed often, dynamically. During the evening, it turned into a semi-informal party where pleasantries were exchanged. The leader of the group of ambassadors was satisfied so far.

Sakura was there as well, dressed in a beautiful long dark red gown. She had had to come alone earlier, because Itachi was busy with the increased security of the event and was coordinating the defences. But he had promised to join her later that evening. The pink-haired woman missed his company. She had become used to have him near her, to have him always there, as a steady presence.

Being alone was not very good. Besides the fact that she felt lonely, she also looked approachable. That was why a half-drunk ambassador from the land of Yu, whose name she understood was Shuu, was currently trying to engage her in a conversation. She politely told him that she wasn't interested, even explicitly hinted that she was married by mentioning her husband, but the man wasn't deterred. In fact, he seemed to become bolder with each refusal of hers. His words were getting more allusive and offensive with every minute that passed; he even had the guts to suggest that, since her husband wasn't there, it was her 'chance' to be free of him and 'have some fun'. Sakura's disgust was increasing and her patience was thinning quickly.

Only two things were holding her back. One was that he was ignorant of the political importance of her marriage for the Senju-Uchiha peace, or he would never have dared open his mouth; the other was that they were at a diplomatic event, a very important one, and she couldn't risk to jeopardize it by seriously injuring an ambassador, no matter how insulting he was being.

Still, it was very hard to restrain herself, since he wasn't stopping. He even dared ogle her breasts openly, lewdly making his appreciation known. Then he added, "You should really come to me, darling, since it's obvious you are feeling lonely here. A few minutes in a room with me, and you'll forget anything else…"

Sakura did her best to control herself. She gritted out, "I'm afraid I'm not interested. Your presence is not welcome. Please leave."

The man completely ignored her, leaning forward in order to have a better look at her cleavage. Sakura was shocked. How dare he!

She lost the last of her patience. That was it! She wouldn't tolerate that lecher anymore.

But, before she could do anything, a strong arm enveloped her waist and another pushed that pervert's form away. She was pulled close to a large chest, and the grip on her tightened. Itachi was now standing next to her, holding her close and staring down at the man coldly.

"I think my wife has made herself very clear, and more than once," he said, with his deep voice so full of iciness that even Sakura shivered. "Leave."

That Shuu man, however, didn't seem to realize exactly with whom he was talking. His gaze was a little unfocused because of the alcohol, but he was able to find Sakura's chest again and stare at it, licking his lips. The pink-haired woman felt her husband's hold tighten even more, this time in anger.

The ambassador slurred, "I was just offering the lady some excitement, and she'd have accepted if you hadn't showed up. I'm sure you don't make her feel as much pleasure as she'd like, am I right? She is quite a hot piece of ass and judging from what I could see, her assets–"

"Enough." Itachi's voice was laced with so much fury that even the half-drunk man sensed the danger he was in at the moment. Sakura was embarrassed, angry and ashamed, and scooted closer to her husband, who kept her firmly by his side. "You have no more than five seconds to disappear and never show your face again near my wife or me."

The man backed away a little, but he still had the nerve to try to say, "This woman–"

"She's mine," Itachi interrupted him, his eyes flickering red and holding his pink-haired wife to him with both his arms. Then he said, with a very dangerous voice, "Leave. Now."

The man didn't need to be told again. The anger in the raven-haired man's eyes – which had been turning into an alarming Sharingan red – had been so terrifying that he knew he better run for his life. He quickly left the large room of the diplomatic dinner party without daring open his mouth again.

Only when he was out of sight did Itachi relax a little. He didn't let go of his wife's waist, though.

Sakura was way too embarrassed to notice it. Her face was bright red and she was inwardly cursing her bad luck. Why was she the one to meet the lechers?

Her husband sensed her distress. He gently guided her towards the seats in the back of the room, were they were less likely to be interrupted. He made her sit down, and still didn't release his hold on her.

He had become very, very angry. Another man had dared approach Sakura. Another man had thought it would be entertaining to be rude and offensive towards her. How. Dare. He.

It was then that Itachi realized it. Sakura was more than just the second half of the marriage contract for the peace treaty. He had grown fond of her. He liked her. No, more than that. He cared deeply about her.

No, even more than that.

He loved her.

That revelation should have been a shock. But it wasn't.

It seemed to him that that conclusion had already been reached a long time before, even if he couldn't pinpoint the exact moment. But that wasn't important.

What mattered was that he loved his wife. And what was to do now was to find the right moment to tell her. He was sure she didn't feel the same towards him. But he hoped that maybe, with time, she would come to reciprocate him a little.

Meanwhile, Sakura was recovering from the shame she felt. 'That insufferable lecher…' Oh, how she wished she could punch him through a wall! Not being able to do anything against his vile words had been an agony. Thankfully, Itachi had arrived. Her husband had shut that poor excuse for a man up once and for all, and, even if he had been incredibly angry – something she had never witnessed before –, he had managed to do so without using violence. Still, she was incredibly ashamed that he had had to hear such vulgar comments about her. But she knew Itachi was a good man, and he wouldn't say anything about it. He really was a wonderful person. She was lucky to have him as her husband, even if it was just an arranged marriage. Or that was probably what it was for him. For her part, Sakura had realized a while before that she couldn't imagine her life without Itachi anymore.

She didn't know what that thought meant. She didn't know if she had, maybe, fallen in love with him, and she didn't want to know. She was scared of it, because if he didn't reciprocate those feelings, it would be meaningless. And he couldn't possibly harbour feelings for her. Even if… even if his behaviour that evening had made her think twice. Was he only being a good husband? Or was he actually concerned about her? That thought made her heart warm a little.

After some more minutes, Sakura finally looked up at him, meeting his gaze. "Thank you," she murmured. "I couldn't punch that jerk because of his status as an ambassador."

Itachi allowed the corner of his mouth to lift upwards a little, but couldn't say anything, because in that moment a group of girls from the diplomacy party, all around Sakura's age, came giggling towards him.

"Come with us, sir!" they chirped happily, fluttering their eyelashes seductively. "It's not fair for a young man to be so secluded, away from the appreciative eyes of the women!"

Before anyone could say anything, Sakura allowed her bluish chakra to flicker around her fist for a second. Then she turned towards the no longer giggling girls, who were now eyeing her apprehensively. "I'm afraid my husband and I were speaking to each other," she said frostily. "Please go find your source of entertainment somewhere else."

The girls quickly left, and Itachi raised an eyebrow at his pink-haired wife. "Quite possessive, are we, Sakura?"

She met his gaze without shame. "You're mine as much as I'm yours, Itachi," she said honestly, and those words made him smile widely. She was astonished by that, because Uchiha didn't smile like that. They smirked, or tilted their mouths upwards a little. They didn't smile broadly like that.

He took her hand and intertwined their fingers. "I think we have seen enough of the diplomacy exchanges for today. I suggest we take our leave."

Sakura reciprocated his smile with one of her own and nodded. "Let's go home."

They stood up, hand in hand, and made their way towards the exit.

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A/N: No, they haven't confessed to each other. They have only realized their feelings. Sorry if it was confusing.

I hope I didn't give the impression of 'damsel in distress' in the scene where Sakura is harassed by that disgusting lecher. Sakura is an independent woman - although married - and can take care of herself; she had to be careful because she was at a delicate diplomatic event. Itachi just happened to arrive at the right time :)

I'm going to start university after I finish moving, and I've no idea when I'll have wi-fi in my little apartment again. So, see you as soon as possible!