So, like "A Deadly Affair", this is a stalker tale threatening to be fatal, and inspired by the real-life case of Michael Douglas and wife Catherine Zeta-Jones (a real "Fatal Attraction"). Summary for short goes this way: Sasuke and Naru (femNaruto) are being terrorized by an anonymous but vicious stalker who is trying to make themselves accessible to Sasuke once his new wife is out of the way.

I own nothing of Naruto or the stalking case that took place back in 2004, or even the film "Fatal Attraction. And chapter titles belong to composer TaiGekTou on YouTube.

Chapter One

The Ageless Dream

"Thanks for being here before you left, aniki," Sasuke Uchiha said from the front passenger seat of the black luxury which had been a gift from their father. "For even bothering to make the time for this."

Just choosing to go off into the army for college, and when you're done, you take up joining the police force like Dad. Me: I'm going to do something for myself, work for myself, and it's a damned good thing I got on a scholarship rather than letting it be handed to me, and that means nothing to be held over my head since Dad made it clear I was being an idiot.

Itachi sighed, shaking his head and looking ahead at the campus of the college the younger brother was going to for the next few years. His aim was for a degree in worldwide mythology, and then perhaps take up teaching the college level or high school, depending on which would be available when he finished. An easy life which met his standards and not anyone else's. Only Itachi supported him, so he was glad his brother was here, despite his bitter words.

He sometimes wished their mother was still here, because she encouraged no matter the circumstances.

"Just promise me something, Sasuke."

"What?"

"That you don't close yourself off to people while you are here. And that you make friends as well as..." Itachi stopped talking then, taking a hand off the steering wheel so he could reach into his right pocket - that thick bulge he miraculously squeezed into the space provided - and pull out the dark red velvet box Sasuke recognized as a ring box. He almost groaned, which Itachi caught onto. "Now, it's not whatever you think it is." When he opened it, Sasuke felt his eyes widen as he recognized what he hadn't seen in a long time, echoing in his memory even before his nii-san refreshed it.

"It was our mom's. What Dad won at an auction. He told me before today that she would have wanted you to give it to the one you wanted to spend the rest of your life with - but this isn't meant for the real proposal." Hint: courtship.

Sasuke found himself hypnotized by the detail of this "dewdrop against leaves" in the form of the drop-shaped blue diamond which glimmered like real water, cradled in a bouquet of smaller white jewels in an intricate vine-like setting. Auctioneer said it was estimated to be eight carats as a whole, the blue diamond said to be over five.

"Well." Itachi cleared his throat. "Might as well get going now, otouto. I have a flight to catch. Gonna be a while before we see each other again, and I'll have to be stealing time to reply back to your emails and calls. Ame is terrible with the services, I heard."

And his aniki was going into a town torn by civil war which needed Konoha's aid. From what he heard, things were so bloody that the rain couldn't wash everything away. It made him worry for Itachi's life, but he was, quote, "immortal, and it takes a lot more to get rid of me". That was how awesome he was.

"Good luck and be careful, nii-san," Sasuke told the elder, closing the small box and putting it into his duffel bag behind his seat upon retrieving it after getting out of the car. Laying ahead was the private Konoha University. The main big building which consisted of the dorms and residences as well as the dean's office, mess hall and the gymnasium, spa and dojo - this area was made entirely of steel modernity and glass windows.

The same couldn't be said entirely for the several smaller buildings which looked like ancient temples with the arching rooftops, and all of those were the different class courses - for example, his mythology course being accounted for. And not only that, but he was going to have something else to earn a bit of extra money...which was none other than modeling, and that included posing for the art classes.

Ready for whatever you throw at me, future.

Hopefully, his future wouldn't involve HER after everything. He half-regretted ending it with her, but had to convince himself that it was for the best. For some days now, his sleep was plagued with her teary green eyes and her cries, pleading with him for a second chance and forgiveness over her character.

Which was why he was hesitant on a new relationship any time soon, and why he hesitated on Itachi's words regarding their mother's ring.

And here he was, alone for the first time in a new place, even if he were still in his hometown.

He and his brother said goodbye one more time before Itachi was gone, leaving him with his duffel slung over one shoulder and his briefcase on the wheels in the other hand. He made his way up the concrete steps of the pathway towards the entrance, all the while taking his time to absorb his surroundings. You could see some small groups mingling together, either making new friends or reunited ones who were going to share their first steps into the real world. There were also a few who were solo, others saying goodbye to their families for now -

- which also involved one interesting moment as well as two people he recognized on the spot. Two, and a third one he didn't recall once.

His father always talked about Tsunade and Jiraiya, the former running the general hospital and the latter an internationally renowned author of the adult romance series Icha Icha Paradise - and with them was a young woman of his own age, clad in an orange fleece jumpsuit unzipped down to show a black top or something. Her hair was blonde, short to the length of her shoulders, and tied in a ponytail. Her eyes were broad and bright like the skies - and her features twisted in a painful expression as she embraced the couple, making Sasuke think that she had to be their granddaughter or something. He never knew much of anything about their personal lives, except that they had a daughter by the name of Kushina Uzumaki, who'd been killed in a flight crash some years ago.

Sasuke had to hurry away. He needed to get to his new dorm, meet his new roommate, so maybe he could check out that girl another time. Except it begged for how without seeming like a creepy stalker to anyone's eyes.

Somehow, I feel like I might have seen her before...

When he arrived at his room, there were of course twin beds and a good amount of space, since this was reserved for nothing but the best as well as those on scholarships. It was simple and classic Japanese in the wooden beams and the shoji windows as well as the glass panes, and it turned out that he would end up getting the bed by the window without even asking for it. His roommate was unpacking and getting settled in, his back facing the door when Sasuke had walked in. He thought, for a second, that his guard should be up in case this first impression would be a false alarm. He ignored him and walked over to his bed, grunting as he dropped his duffel on the bed, then let his suitcase rest upside, and pushed down the handle so it automatically locked in place, and Sasuke set about unloading his possessions he could bring with.

A soft voice broke the silence then and there, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to rise. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Gaara. What's your name?"

Blue-green eyes outlined with black locked with his, and the rest of the other's features consisted of auburn hair which was matted and unkempt at the same time. His skin was just as pale as the Uchiha's. He cleared his throat before responding, surprised that the guy thought to talk to him before he could, and there seemed to be no trace of immediate cold comfort.

"Sasuke." He didn't say his last name, figuring they had plenty of time to give that to each other, and this was only day one. He wanted to just live like a normal human being rather than as a "cover boy" because of who his family was.

~o~

Hard enough being here, knowing that your mom wouldn't get to see it like Grandma and Grandpa were doing. On the light side, her childhood best friend was going here, so that was a light at the end of the tunnel.

"Kiddo, first step," Jiraiya said with a nostalgic exhale of breath as they looked upon this place of glass and old artwork in one. It was like stepping into those old paintings from way back then. "If only your mom could be here to see you now. She'd be hella proud of you." He then knelt his head down to kiss the top of her head, making her blush.

"Too bad we can't see that friend of yours right now, but maybe he's in already," Tsunade stated wryly before that smile faded into a slight scowl. "Won't be surprised that his own father isn't here to see him off, but I'll be damned his siblings might have been here. Oh, what the hell? You know what they say: snooze, you lose. His dad never appreciated him no matter what he did, so here he is now. You were always there for him, baby." She wrapped her arm around her granddaughter who agreed with a stifled hiccup as she remembered all those years since meeting Gaara Sabaku in the first year of middle school. Lonely and brooding, even his own siblings scared of him all because of their father - and she'd stepped in, being a friend and helping him one day at a time.

Them losing a mother was one thing they had in common, along with an absent father. She never knew hers - from what Mom said, they were supposed to get together before his parents intervened, so it had been impossible. Just a one-night quickie and then the forbidden fling is over with; just our luck. Mom suffered for no reason because of those high-and-mighty people. She did everything the best she could, though, and because her parents were there for us.

Jiraiya sighed again. "Brings back memories, huh, baby?" he asked his wife of many years who laughed and simply responded by pushing back the two pigtails she still wore her light blonde hair in; that wasn't her real color. It was actually real tomato-red, which was what Kushina's had been, but Tsunade hated it so much that she dyed it for many years every time it began to wear off. And now, at her age, it appeared to be permanent if not by hand. Along with those wrinkles around her mouth, lining her neck and forehead, and her huge-ass breasts sagging a little with her age, only that last part did not stop her husband from openly commenting them as if it were nothing new, prompting beet-red blushes and playful threats with her fists.

The memories her grandfather just mentioned: he and Tsunade went here together, and so did their daughter, so now would Naru. Not only was it a family tradition, but she wanted to learn art here and perhaps open her own gallery if she gave it her best. Just what they expected of her, too. Gaara was going here to become a lawyer.

"I'm gonna make my own memories here," Naru said, feeling her eyes burn with the hopeful possibilities, feeling excited like she always had when she was a younger girl. "New friends besides Gaara, to hell with anyone trying to stop me, living to the fullest and learning something new - and maybe a man I can really keep." She never blamed her mom for that, but this was where she intended for things to be different.

Both her grandparents looked surprised by her choice of words before both burst out into guffaws and took her into their arms - and as usual, Naru could have been smothered by her grandmother's large twins. When they let her go, they made way for the college building where student residences were; she'd been one of the lucky few to win a scholarship and get a roommate as well as a room and board of her own, but Grandma and Grandpa were also there in case of emergencies. Though, she had no intentions to be a leech, since she had to think and behave like an adult, try her best to not let her hyperactivity get in her way of thinking should stress hit her.

She had a weakness for aesthetics, so she was blown away by the attention to detail about this place. Her grandfather remarked that the ancient relics were just as he remembered, while her grandmother snarked that he never noticed much beyond that - and she meant herself. Which meant Jiraiya liked two things while he was here: his literature and her, the woman who would become his wife and mother of his child.

And now they were in the room she would end up sharing with the girl who was already there and had finished putting her things away. There were interesting anime posters she was putting up on her side, near the window. Naru usually loved her bed by the window, but the world did NOT revolve around her. She could handle that. Her roommate was in purple velvet which snugged her curves in the right places, making Naru feel a little jealous, and her lavender-tinted midnight hair reached the middle of her back. When she turned around upon hearing the door open and the voices coming in, Naru was greeted with pearlescent eyes which widened at the three of them, and a slight pink appeared on her cheeks. "Ah, don't be shy!" Jiraiya said jovially. "Nice to meet you, little lady. I'm Jiraiya, this is my wife Tsunade, and this here is Naru, our granddaughter. Looks like you will be rooming. You look like you might get along great with her, uh..." His skin darkened at once, making his wife grumble the word "idiot", and Naru had to wonder why the hell he'd embarrass her like this, even try to help her make a friend as if she were a little girl again who had been too shy to play with the other kids.

The young woman swallowed visibly and reached to finger the charm around her throat, an opened circle maybe filled halfway with what looked like an icy crystal. "Um, hello and pleased to meet you. Hinata...Hyuuga."

Hyuuga...the name rang a bell.

The Hyuuga were a prominent family, being one of the oldest in Konoha. They ran the local museum of priceless art and antiquities. She never knew anyone personally, but here was one right in front of her. I also never knew anyone from rich families since those kids go to a private school than us regular kids; most of those guys are stuck-ups. Wonder if this one could change that when Grandma and Grandpa are gone.

"Well, what do you know? Hinata - just how is that family of yours doing?" Tsunade asked, smile clearly forced. "You here to get a degree because of your father, Hiashi?"

Hinata Hyuuga's face lightened up just a little bit. "Actually, I am here because I want to do this for myself. I intend to become a designer of wedding dresses. He's actually very supportive."

Naru wondered how her grandmother knew this Hiashi Hyuuga, and from the sound of it, he sounded like one of those stick-up-the-asses, and this girl must have been too soft for him that she went elsewhere. It made her mad, but also glad she was doing something for herself. She might make a friend out of this one, and how the hell could she refuse that?

"Good to know," Tsunade said proudly. "I think you might make a great new friend for my granddaughter. Naru, meet Hinata Hyuuga. I remember when her dad and your mom used to be at each other's throats; we never told you about that, did we, Jiraiya?"

He grinned. "Yeah, Kushina hated his guts. He just loved to look at people like her because she didn't belong to 'his class'. Simple as that, so it's hard to believe he changed his ways. I know your dad, Hinata, has done well for himself, but there are those who say it was just expected and handed to him, very few thinking like we do: his good deeds overshadowing the silver platter. You might do the opposite of that, just like our girl is going to do."

Naru found herself smiling at the girl who looked like she was going to cry, reaching to rub her eyes since she clearly didn't get such praise often. "T-th-thank you both. Naru, nice to meet you. I look forward to sharing this room with you and maybe working with you somehow. We are going to share the same art course, too. I don't...have friends right now. They have gone elsewhere, since they're not prestigious like me." Her face fell then.

Naru could not tell if this was based on familial opinion or if this just had to do with the simple fact that they didn't have the means to come here like Hinata did.

"Now that this is settled, we really gotta get going," Tsunade said after checking her mobile which she'd had on vibrate. "I got a surgery to get to in an hour. But before we go - Jiraiya?" Her husband got the hint and reached into his jacket, taking out a palm-sized blue box with a shimmery surface; when he opened it, Naru couldn't believe what was inside. "That's right, sweetheart; this was your mom's. She would have wanted you to have it."

Inside: smooth, sapphire cabochons in the form of earring studs, a cuff bracelet with an easy on-and-off double hinge and each end bearing the stones; finally, a necklace which would be close to the throat and had three of the dark blue gems.

"It was our present to her on the day you were born, if you don't remember," Jiraiya told her. Hinata had come up to take a look herself and gasped softly.

"That's a wonderful way to remember your mother. I heard about her, I think; my father, though, hardly had a nice thing to say except that she never took offenses without flaring like fire - to quote him," she said with a nervous giggle. "I never said it to him, but I liked Kushina. She was an inspiration for strong women and girls. She let nothing hold her down. You must have been honored to have her as a mother, Naru."

She sure as hell had been, except in the department of getting and keeping a man. But I'm gonna worry about me until the right man is put in front of me. If there's anyone who thinks of me as the type of girl to quit for the sake of his breadwinning ego, I'll can him myself.

~o~

His new roommate, Gaara Sabaku, turned out to not be much different than him, in the sense their mothers died - one in childbirth, the other when the second son was much too young for it - and that the redhead worked very hard to get to where he was now and would continue to do so for his future. That made Sasuke Uchiha bond with him right away, and it was the first time he really had a true friend in all his life.

He used to have people who admired him in school, but it wasn't a REAL friendship with any of them. Plus, girls fawned over him, and the one he thought he had a future with had something he could not tolerate any longer. The only true other had been Itachi, the only one who was there for him when he needed it - especially when their father often didn't give him the praise he needed no matter what he did - but Sasuke was now on his own. Not that he didn't know how to take care of himself.

Gaara's father apparently didn't give him a second look since the death of his mother, which was NEVER his fault to begin with. His own brother and sister were distant from him based on their dad's word, though in recent years, they started to look out for him - and that had to do with a certain friend of his roommate's whom Sasuke learned was also going to this school.

"How about dinner tonight? My friend will be there with her roommate. Perhaps we can get together."

Sasuke liked that idea very much, but when they did join the girls, he was taken aback by the appearance of Gaara's female friend from childhood...and it was the very same blonde babe he'd seen upon arrival. And Naru Uzumaki was her name.

Except he wished he could say the fire in her crystalline eyes was warm and welcoming. It made him wonder what the hell that meant and if he really did see her before.

She hissed at him - Gaara and her roommate, Hinata Hyuuga, looked at them both and at each other with some worry - and stated that he might not remember her, but she sure as hell remembered him.

In past fics of mine, I had Tsunade and Jiraiya be Minato's parents (in the recent "An Outlawed Romance", they were his adoptive parents), but this time called for a nice change. :) Oh yeah, I also wondered how to make it work in the sense that Kushina is their daughter, so maybe imagine that she and Jiraiya have the same eyes this time around, if Tsunade could dye her hair.

Sasuke saying "Future, I'm ready for whatever you throw at me" - words of Kim Possible in the first half of the series finale, "Graduation".

Oh, yeah, stay tuned for the next chapter. Gonna be revealed how Naru remembers him. REVIEW IN LOTS O LOVING DETAIL, PLEASE! :3 No flames, also pretty please.