AN: I'm an idiot and I got names mixed up. I didn't mean Sasori, I meant Kankuro. Sorry!

Chapter 2: Things Are Better If I Stay

"Come on, Angel, tell me what's wrong. You are preoccupied by Sasuke, aren't you? And I know you've had a lot of stress besides, let me in. Just vent, I know you need to."

Sakura sighed. Well, really she huffed. Usually Lee's sweet words were a comfort, but now they just annoyed her. Why did he think he knew everything, and even if he did, there would be no purpose in her telling him what was on her mind since he already knew. Did he think he could just make everything better. No, he couldn't fix shit.

No, that was totally unfair. Lee had been a great comfort to her, a great listener, and an excellent boyfriend. He had done so much for her and did not deserve that. Usually he could make her feel like all her troubles were being lifted away until she was light enough to float on a cloud. After Sasuke and Naruto had left, he had been her best friend and confidante. He really listened and took her seriously, not something a lot of guys did that often. He believed in her completely and always treated her with respect. He was the only thing in her life that had not gone wrong, and she would not lose that.

Truly, there was nothing wrong with him. He had respect and compassion for her, patience, intelligence, he was cute, and he treated her like a princess. He wasn't even a pussy, either, as most guys fitting that description tended to be. He had stood up to her often and argued with her, and didn't hesitate to tell her when she was wrong. True, he was a little odd, but that was fine with her. Better odd than boring. He wasn't even a bad lover.

After Naruto and Jaraiya left, Konoha grew significantly, and soon the youth had pretty much taken over. There was always something fun to do, or something new to learn with the talent that invaded the village. One of the side affects of this was that sex had become as casual as a handshake. It was basically in, out, in, out, orgasm, see you later as far as everyone was concerned. There were no sluts because no one really sought it out, it just happened. It was a favor, a handshake, and something you'd do with almost anyone. You would sit in a bar with a friend and go, "I think I might fuck that guy."and recievethe response, "How boring."

But Sakura had loved it. It helped her escape for the longest time, until finally, it wore off, and she was brought back down to earth and reunited with her troubles. Before she knew it, she had had a full-blown nervous breakdown.

Lee had been there in a flash. Eventually he had helped her get back up onto her feet and face everyone. He defended her and took care care of her like no one else could. For the first time, she had been happy.

Of course, she stopped jumping into the round the clock orgy in which most of the kids her age were partaking. At first she had missed it, but she eventually found enough comfort with Lee after he was disciplined.

"Look," she had said to him sternly, "Sex with me is like taking the first part of the chuunin exam. Just take your time, do your best, and when I say stop, put your little pencil down."

Easy to say he learned.

Shewas extremely happy with him. Just the way he listened to her made her feel like she was home.

But now, he annoyed her, and it was starting to show. That happiness was falling apart.

But she faked it and put on a sad smile. "Oh, it is not so much Sasuke as it is all the stress I'm feeling over this. Plus that Kin girl is really pissing me off."

Lee chuckled and slipped his arm around her waist. "I know, she is a pest."

"Pest? She once tried to kill you while making me watch!"

"She can not do anything now," Lee reminded her gently, "Just ignore her and focus on the mission."

"Hey you two love birds! No one wants to deal with your PDA's! It's nauseating!"

Sakura wipped around, her eyes narrowed at Kin. "Deal with it," she hissed.

Kin walked up smugly. "Tell me why I should, bi-"

And she was out cold.

Sakura breathed heavily. "That's why."

A warm hand was on her shoulder and she turned to a concerned-looking Lee.

"That was going a bit too far, Sakura," he said sternly, "You need to calm down a bit."

Sakura looked at the ground shamefully. "Sorry."

Lee picked Kin up out of the dirt and turned to one of the Sound nins. "Take care of this piece of shit, will ya?" He sneered, tossing her to the bewildered-looking shinobi. He then pulled Sakura into a hug. "Sakura, you really do need to control yourself, okay?"

"O...Kay," she muttered. But her eyes were on Sasuke.

He stared at them with eyes that saw red. Sakura could tell he was pissed. For a second, the anger shook her; until she realized she did not really give a shit. She pulled away from Lee and stalked up to the Uchiha.

"Problem?"

"Yeah," he sneered, "I would prefer it that you remember to take your Midol around this time of the month from now on."

There were stiffled sniggers from around the group.

"That is quite enough Uchiha-san!" Lee said sharply, glaring at all who were laughing. They shut up quickly.

Sakura stared at Sasuke with a steely expression, her eyes locked on his. Like wise for him. They stayed that way for several seconds until Lee grabbed Sakura's arm and pulled her away.

"Come one, he's not worth it."

They began hiking through the forest again, only this time in silence, and this time, no one had a problem with the location of Lee's hands.

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Enter Sakura:

Yep, Lee is a sweet heart. Oh God, Iwas going to cry. My frustration was mounting quickly. I was going to crack if not for Ino and The Shinjuku Inn.

Or to be more specific, Ino's amazing booking talents and The Shinjuku Inn's amazing bath.

La La La, warm water...

I sat back and talked to Ino in a semi-conscious state.

"So what is going on with you and Lee?" She asked, surveying head, leaned back against a boulder.

I looked up at her. "What do you mean? Everything is great."

"You can fool everyone else, Sakura-chan," she said seriously, "but you will never fool me."

I sigh. She is right. She knows me so well, after all, she is my best friend. The one who saw me through all my hardships, my only means of support outside of Lee. My connection to everything that can't include my boyfriend. My safe haven.

And God... Do I hate her for it right now.

"You know how he has this thing that he does to make me feel better?"

She nodded. "He shows his decency and listens."

"Well today it annoyed me. That's all I know. But it is still weird, isn't it?"

Ino looked me in the eye. "Haruno Sakura, I want you to tell me right now, do you, or have you ever loved Rock Lee? And I do not mean as a friend."

"No, not really. I never said I did. Have I ever done anything to suggest that?"

Ino's jaw dropped. "Only that you've been dating him for eighteen months!"

I shifted uncomfortably. "If you only count monogamy time, it's really fifteen."

"And he loves you?"

"Yes, at least that is what he tells me."

"And how do you respond when he tells you?"

"I usually just kiss him."

"And he doesn't mind?"

"Not really."

"Sakura-chan," she said weakly, "He is everything you could ever want in a guy."

"Of course."

"He is exactly the type of person you willalways need."

"Exactly."

"He makes you happy."

"Yes."

"He would do anything for you to be happy."

"Yep."

"He would never hurt you and he is stable."

"Yeah..."

"Your life would be perfect with him and you know it."

"Uh Huh."

"But you don't and probably never will love him."

Nod.

She sunk down under water and stayed there for several minutes before rising.

"I don't know whether to be sorry for you, Lee, or both."

"I could use some sympathy."

Silence. I looked up at her to see her face turning red. Finally she could not take it any longer.

"BUT YOU ARE SO PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER!"

"No shit."

"How long will you keep this up?" Ino asked, gasping for breath.

"Not much longer considering the magic is gone. This came at the worst time because Sasuke is back and I still love him."

I looked at her. She looked at me. We looked at each other.

A half a second later, we were under water, laughing hysterically.

We resurfaced a few seconds later, still laughing.

"S-sakura-chan, I swear you are cursed," said Ino, "But considering the circumstances, your behaviour is excellent. I never would have guessed, in fact, I was sure you finally discovered your liberated, righteous hate."

"Nah, I'll never be liberated," I replied shaking my head sadly. "But you know what I would really like to know now?"

"How you've somehow kept yourself from killing Kin-bitch?"

I thought for a second. "Okay, you know whatthe other thing is thatI'd really like to know now?"

"What?"

I looked thoughtfully towards the star-strewn sky. "What would Jesus do?"

"Tell Lee the truth, confront Sasuke and finish this mission?"

I looked at her. "I think I'm going to convert."

We laughed for a few seconds before getting out, grabbing our towels and making our way up to our room.

But seriously, Lee is my only hope of happiness and stability. Too bad I don't love the man. Could I really be happy with a man I don't love?

Do you know what really sucks about all of this? I am the living Carrie Bradshaw, battling the problems of love and relationships that constantly plaguethe thirty-something single girl.

I'm sixteen, remember?

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Enter Sasuke:

Ino and Sakura are friends? Okay, that is weird. That's coming from the guy sharing a room with Rock Lee.

Odd twist of fate, isn't it?

I entered the room just minding my own business, not saying word, bothering no one, and instantly this guy is in my face.

Well, he was always very fast.

Boy did he look pissed. He pushed me up against a wall and looked me straight in the eye.

"Listen very carefully, Uchiha," he growled, "When I made that promise to her all those years ago, I meant it. Don't you dare go near my girlfriend, all right? If you hurt her, I will not hesitate to kill you."

I smirked. "Well? What is taking so long?"

He growled. "What are you talking about?"

I laughed. "I've already hurt her, my departure, remember?"

"I remember, all right, and Sakura-chan broke down because of it! She was almost destroyed inside by your weak, selfish act! She loved you, and you betrayed her, knocked her out, and left her on a bench like some toy you were bored with you son of a bitch."

"Yes I did," I replied satisfied, "I hurt her."

"You made her fall so far! She got sucked into a horrible group and lifestyle because of what you did! She violated herself to escape from the pain!"

"You're making me blush. Well, how interesting." I was interested, too, but for some reason, I did not take any delight in this information. On the contrary, I felt a bit sick, but I needed to know. "What she do? Smack? Crack? Pixie dust? Hash? Meth?"

He shook violently. I went on.

"E? Opium? Speed? Shrooms? Did she cut herself? Was it alcohol? Gambling? Mary Jane? Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds?"

He shook more.

I grinned. "Or, was Little Miss Perfect Little Miss Nympho?"

The color drained from his face. "Shut up."

I had hit it. Bingo.

"Oh, was your little angel into the freaky deeky? Hilarious." But it wasn't. I was sick inside, horrified. Pain filled me, and I could not understand it. But I kept on. "Did you save her, you white knight, you? Did you take her away from it all and bring her back to normalcy? Did you both fall n love? Did you live happily ever after? Did Miss Nympho restrict herself to a life of chastity?"

His face softened and he sat back down on a bed.

"Ah of course you did. She could recover after a while without any reminders. You saved her, like you promised. But let me ask you something, Sir Lancelot, do you think she'll stay with you now and stay away from me?"

He smirked. "Of course, she is one hundred percent mine, and she would not leave me. She hates you and lo-"

I had to cut him off.

"Ahh, don't be so hasty with your answer. Think for a second, how long have you been together?"

"Eighteen months..." He answered.

"You've told her you love her?"

"As often as possible."

"Has she ever told you the same?"

He stood up and began to tremble again. "Shut up."

"I thought so. Eighteen months together, you save her life, you give her everything she will ever need, you make her happy, and she still doesn't love you."

"Shut up."

"Tell me, Lee, has she said my name in the past two and a half years without hesitation, does she even say it very often."

"No. She hates you."

"No, she's afraid of me. She loves me, and she is scared because of it and holds it in. Now that I am back, she is reminded of that. She is starting to realize you are not the right one for her. She will be drawn to me, she is drawn. Every time she sees me, her old pain is doubled. I hurt her with every movement I make. She will see through the happy little picture you've painted and leave you."

He stayed still for several minutes, his face unreadable. But after a long pause, he began to laugh.

I was bewildered, what the fuck? Why was he laughing?

"You idiot, Sasuke," he said smugly. "You don't know shit aboutSakura. Tell me, even if what you say is true, and she does leave me, then what? She won't crawl back to you, she knows better, besides, those who care won't let her. And for the record, why should she matter to you? Why take the time and energy to concoct this little theory? Why should you care so much to hurt her, huh? Why didn't you just brush me aside when I threatened you? Why were you so interested in what happened to her? Why is there fear in your eyes? Why was it there when you asked me all those questions?"

I was shocked. I opened my mouth, not sure what to say, but Lee did not give me the chance.

"Don't waste your breath," he said. He strode passed and left the room.

So here I am, I look back on this conversation, and I am confused.

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AN: Sorry about the Sasori/Kankouro mix up. I fucked up majorly. This chapter is sort of where I am trying to get across just how much stress Sakura is under and how much these things can mean to not only her but to everyone else. Read the last chapter, and you see even running an unknown village fending off attacks by the secret organization that has a member that made her life, Hell, she is confidant and certain, in control. Now only three sentences from her boyfriend, and she is already beginning to lose it.And Sasuke, well, this is where it gets good. Try not to blink, and we may catch him emoting. I love how Lee is developing. Don't you love him? That paragraph where it talks about how the youth and sex took over the konoha underground is inspired by the novel, Rotten: No Blacks No Irish No Dogs by John Lydon. I love that last sentence there. Review because I need the motivation. Though I congratulate you all, that was the most amount of reviews I've gotten for a first chapter. But keep them coming.