Authors Note: Must-read story: Revenge is Bitter Sweet by Death By Kunai

Eripmav

Part Three, Chapter Four

"Got any aces?"

"Umm… Nope, go fish."

"Ooh! I got an ace! I get to go again! Got a… six?"

"Yeah."

"WOOT!"

"I give up."

"WHAT!" Sasuke slapped his cards face up on the table.

"You're winning… again. You beat me at Uno five times, twice at Kings in the Corner, and this is our seventh game of Go Fish. You've won six times already." Sakura frowned.

"You're a sore loser."

"No, I'm just tired of it."

"Okay, okay…. Want to play checkers?"

"No." Sasuke stood, Sakura pouted. "No." he repeated. Sakura shrugged.

"Okay! I got it!" Penelope came sprinting into Sakura's kitchen. She pulled up a chair and sat heavily into it. "Ooh! Cards! ANYWAY! I have a reservation for you three at the Cliff Side Inn –"

"WHAT?" Sasuke's eyebrows knit together.

"Yeah! Happy… whatever day it is. You have a reservation starting three days from now for however long you need. I would just like to say, their rooms are gorgeous!"

"Penelope, why –"

"Thought you'd need help and would like a place to stay… Innyhoo, if you eat there, try there… oh, never mind. Oh! What are you still DOING here? It's a two day walk to get there at least! GET GOING!" she smiled and got up, running out the door.

"Oh my," Sakura breathed "She does have a lot of energy, doesn't she?" Sasuke snorted.

"Yeah," he turned to Sakura. "Better get ready just the same." Sakura nodded and stepped forward, kissing him lightly on the cheek and said, "C'ya later," he shrugged and left as well.

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A two day trek to a place in the middle of no where. A two day trek with absolutely no humans (other than Naruto) along the way – which was very disappointing. A two day trek with nothing or nobody interesting jumping out into the middle of the path threatening lives. A two day trek with not a second alone with Sasuke.

/This. Stinks./ Inner Sakura crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Naruto. /Why can't he just leave/ 'Because,' Sakura thought. 'Besides, probably nothing would happen, anyway.' Inner Sakura snorted. /Just like last time nothing happened/ 'Yeah, well, that was… different. Sasuke isn't like that, you know that.' Sigh… This. Stunk.

"Hey look! I SEE CIVILIZATION!" Naruto grinned and started running down the path.

"So," Sakura started, watching the blonde disappear. Sasuke smirked, eyes straight ahead. Then he too started running off at a very fast pace after Naruto. /Drat/

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"Wow."

"Uh-huh."

"…"

"Big."

"Yeah."

"…"

"Where do I sleep?"

"…The floor."

"…"

"Where does he get to sleep?"

"!...The floor!"

"…"

"I get the bed, don't ask." Sakura flopped down and sighed. A king sized bed all to herself! What an awesome night this was going to be! And first thing in the morning, a hot bath… a long hot bath… a long hot bubble bath! Sakura grinned.

"One bedroom; one bathroom; one sitting area. Penelope could have tripled that." Sasuke walked to one wall and studied the pictures hanging there, folding his hands behind his back.

"I'm hungry." Naruto announced; he turned then added "Want me to pick something up for you two?" Sakura sat up, legs dangling over the edge of the bed. She shrugged.

"Sure." Naruto turned to leave. Sakura's breath caught in her chest. Her Wild side had returned… (Dun, dun, dun…) She squeezed her eyes shut tight and prayed she wouldn't say or do anything too stupid. She opened her mouth –

"So," Sasuke turned. Oh thank God, she was saved. "Do you think we'll have any luck here?"

"Depends on what you're talking about." NOOO! Sasuke eyed her. Why did she have to say that! That was the worst thing she could say. Especially in a bedroom!

"What do you mean by that?" he cocked an eyebrow.

"What do you want it to mean?" Okay, that was pretty bad… Wild Sakura, you are grounded until you're – "We haven't been… alone in a while…" Ninety! Grounded until you are ninety! And you lose all privileges!

"…?" Sasuke tilted his head the other way and took half a pace towards her. "I noticed you have two sides," Sakura froze. "The one who is almost always in control, then the one that you're showing right now. The… crazy one… wild, even."

"Actually," she heard herself say calmly. "I have three. The third is a voice inside my head that tends to disagree with whatever I say or do."

"So… this side of you really… dislikes me?"

"Well, recently, that's the one thing we agree on." Sasuke smiled and walked all the way towards her.

"Well, now that I have that cleared up, we haven't been alone in a while. But, I was referring to the phoenix. Do you think that we'll have any luck here?"

"Our chances are high." Sakura gave up trying to pry Wild Sakura's hands away from the 'control panel' and sat in defeat. Sasuke smiled and nodded then turned away. "Leaving so soon? Pity…" He turned his head back and looked her up and down. "…! My Wild Side… I… left…" 'What great timing. She sets me up and leaves.' She swallowed and looked away. How embarrassing. Sasuke said nothing.

He turned fully around again and leaned down so he could look at her in the eyes. He said, "Calm down." He reached out a hand and brushed the hair out her eyes. She looked up, her heart pounding. He placed both hands on her cheeks.

"You know, you have more than one side to you too," She never got to finish her thought; he placed his lips on her, and kissed her slowly. Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck. Sasuke twisted around and sat on the bed next to her.

"Mmm… Sasuke…" Sakura pulled away, "Naruto could come in at any moment." He nodded.

"Right." He let go of her.

God she hated telling him to stop. Inner Sakura hated her for telling him to stop. Wild Sakura glared and threatened to take over again.

"I forgot to ask you," Naruto called very suddenly returning. Sakura jumped, causing Sasuke to jump. Their heads collided painfully and they both fell onto the bed, one on top of the other. And how that actually happened, it is impossible to say because it all happened so fast and there were no witnesses.

"What flavor… of…" Naruto's eyes widened as he opened the bedroom door.

"Umm… Hi Naruto!" Sakura looked up at him. Sasuke rolled off from on top of her and flopped onto the floor looking rather peed. Sakura cleared her throat, not bothering to sit up. Naruto blinked then backed out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

"This is going to happen a lot, isn't it?" Sakura slapped her hand over her face. Sasuke groaned. "Poor Naruto," she sighed. "I mean, he really likes me, and always seems to walk in whenever we fall into… situations." He still said nothing, and Sakura felt something go tight in her chest.

Maybe all this 'love' things was just a lie? Maybe Sasuke only ever told her he loved her because he somehow knew that she would give her life for him. And then he could get his life back – and now was just a cover-up because he was wrong about changing back, and he was just being nice until her change was reversed. And then he'd dump her.

It sounded like a Sasuke thing to do.

"Umm, Sasuke?"

"Mm…"

"Where do you stand…?" Sakura rolled over on to her stomach and looked over the side of the bed at him.

"I hate to break it to you so early in the conversation, but I'm actually lying down."

"I mean, where do you stand with us?" He sat up and looked at her in shock. /You were right/ Inner Sakura screamed. /He was playing you/ Sakura started to cry.

"Oh! I… why are you… D-don't cry… I… I'm sorry?" He was rather flustered. What was wrong? He had said nothing yet, unless it was his 'not standing, I'm laying down' comment that had upset her. Though, he somehow felt this was more than a simple comment.

"You were just acting, weren't you?" She sobbed turning away. "You were just being nice. You told me you loved me because you knew I'd give myself to you. And you were too sympathetic to kill me when you were wrong."

"I… No!"

"And… and… you decided it would be fun to play around with what you started, because I was… am an easy target."

"Sakura! You're –"

"And as soon as we change back, you're planning on dumping me, right?"

"My God, Sakura! What made you think up that?"

"I can't believe I never saw it! You only held my hand once with others around, you only hug or kiss me if it makes you look good! You hardly ever show affection towards me in public… and you never told me in any way about how you feel about me… other than that day at the park." She sniffed.

"Sakura –" She pushed herself off the bed, anger replacing her bitter-sadness. "Where are you going…?"

"…Away." She turned and stalked out of the room.

--It wasn't entirely true. Sakura knew this, Sasuke knew this. But, she had been rejected so many times in the past...--

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"Okay, we can start looking here," Sakura tapped the mapped and smiled at Naruto.

"Sakura? Are you feeling okay?" She forced a larger grin and nodded. Sasuke walked in and froze. He then advanced on Sakura, kissing the top of her had and saying, "good morning." Naruto snorted.

"Did you two have a fight last night or, what…?"

"Something like that." Sakura said dangerously, all smiles disappearing.

"Sakura, can we please talk? You never even let me—"

"Why should I? I figured you out, that's all I need – not you rubbing it in." her eyes flashed red.

"You're jumping to conclusions! Please, I'm… begging…" She raised and eyebrow and Naruto choked. 'Please say you'll talk, please!' he thought, feeling anger and frustration boil in his gut.

"He's begging." Naruto pointed out a little too happily for Sasuke's taste. "Uchiha is begging."

"Fine." Sakura said quietly, Sasuke sighed with relief.

"Naruto, could you—"

"What ever you have to say can be said in front of him." Sakura glared. Naruto, slowly stood from the table where he and Sakura were sitting, and Sasuke sat in his place. "Stay." She said when Naruto started to leave. "Whatever he has to say can he said in front of you." He started to object, but she more firmly said, "Stay." And he sat on the floor right where he stood. Sasuke cleared his throat.

"I…" he glanced down at Naruto who was pretending his shoes were much more interesting at the moment. "I never did or said anything to you just because I thought it would be fun. I never lied. I'm not the kind of person who feels comfortable showing affection in public, you know that…" he shifted his position before continuing. "I do love you, but I'm really bad a expressing it. Forgive me that I can't! I am going to try and… change for you." He took a deep breath. "I stand… I… Sakura, I want to be with you…" his eyes widened. "I mean, I want you to be with me… I mean… I…." He stopped (oh boy…). He felt extremely stupid. Naruto would probably have done much better with this. He turned to look at him.

Naruto stared up at him. His blue eyes as wide as dinner plates. He turned back to Sakura, who was glaring at Sasuke.

"Is there anything…? I..." Her glaring at him so fiercely made his heart stop. He didn't actually know how it happened, but he knew he had lost her. "Forget it." He mumbled darkly and rising to his feet. He walked calmly to the door. Before leaving he looked over his should and said, "I'm sorry." And he left.

He walked up the trail to the cliffs. He needed to find the phoenix. That was his top priority. The Phoenix and then the nymph's water. Sakura no longer mattered; Naruto would take care of her.

He then needed to find a silver bowl. After all the ingredients were mixed together and whatnot, and Sakura and he were back to normal, he would leave Konohagakure and look for Itachi.

That's what he would do.

That's what was best.

Because…

Sakura no longer mattered.