Dedicated to Vanessa, for coming up with a suitable title for this story and for imagining Sasuke serenading Sakura from beneath a balcony. My mind has never been the same since. Love you, dear.

ACT III
Scene I

"You're happy this morning, Sakura."

"Really?" the pink-haired girl questioned absently. She was measuring the hem of a magnificent wedding dress, the long folds of the gown the color of pearls and dove wings. She had been altering it all morning, humming to herself, completely immersed in her own thoughts and fantasies.

"Yes. You've been smiling to yourself," Hinata said, a small smile of her own gracing her delicate features. "You look like a flower that's blooming."

Sakura blushed and stuck another pin through the dress' hem. It was true. She had felt very light all morning, as if her feet weren't really touching the ground. Everything had gone perfectly. The sky outside was cloudless and a blinding blue, her favorite song had come on the radio twice, and she was having a particularly good hair day. Most of all, the workday was flying by and it was almost time to close, a moment she had been anticipating since she had woken that morning.

Sasuke was coming.

She almost trembled just thinking about it.

She had decided to send Hinata home a few minutes early. She didn't want to get the younger girl in trouble and Sakura was very sure that meeting the former leader of the Lions in the back of a dress shop would constitute betrayal in Neji's eyes. If she had felt any less wonderful she might have truly realized what seeing Sasuke could mean for them both.

As it was, she didn't. She couldn't think of anything more serious than how she should greet him. Should she be happy to see him? Or maybe indifferent? Glad but not overly so?

"If I didn't know any better, I might think you two were plotting something, sitting there grinning at each other like fools." Tenten had come back down from the top floor of the store were she had been sorting fabrics. Her hair was coming loose from it's buns and, though her words had been teasing, she had a very even look on her face as she studied them. Hinata had told Sakura that very afternoon that Tenten and Neji had had a bit of an argument on the roof the night before, probably about the dance.

Had Tenten figured out something out about Sasuke?

"Just dreaming," Sakura answered, with enough charm to make the older girl relax slightly.

"Well, let's put the dreams aside until after close. Kin just called and wants her dress a robin's egg blue not a sky blue." Tenten's voice grew high and squeaky as she mimicked the customer's words. "I don't know what we could have been thinking."

Hinata put her hand over her mouth to keep from giggling but Sakura laughed openly. She was just feeling so good. If only she could hold on to his moment, put it in her pocket like a photograph so she could look at it when days were dark.

But Tenten was already heading towards the front, keys in her hand to lock the door. Hinata was following, purse slung over her shoulder. She waved goodbye gently and was walking down the street before Sakura could even respond, silent in a world full of noise. Tenten reached out to close the door for the last time that day but suddenly froze, her whole body stilling as Sasuke stopped it with his hand against the glass.

"I've come to see Sakura."

He said it so flatly that it was obvious he didn't think his request unusual. Tenten, however, seemed to have other ideas.

"You shouldn't be here, Uchiha." Tenten glanced back at Sakura firmly. "This is dangerous."

Sakura blinked at the hidden meaning in those words. She knew.

"And your boyfriend fighting Naruto isn't?" He said the words casually but something in Sasuke's face was almost… angry. Does he think Naruto will lose? Sakura had no answer to that, and neither did Tenten. Instead, the older woman's expression grew closed and she stepped back, letting Sasuke in as she did so. Her brown eyes flickered to the pair of them before turning the key in the lock.

"I'll close up," she said, her voice neutral. Tenten then headed for the back of the store, no doubt to lock the other entrance. She caught Sakura's gaze as she passed. "You have a few minutes. Make it quick."

When she was gone, Sakura turned to find Sasuke still staring the way Tenten had gone, a carefully thoughtful look on his face. Without thinking, she put a hand on his arm.

"She won't tell Neji you're here. To her, this has nothing to do with the Lions or the Falcons."

"I agree," he said immediately, surprising her. He turned to glance at her and she blushed under that heavy, dark look. In an effort to divert his intense attention, she changed the subject.

"There's going to be a fight tonight?"

He nodded. "Naruto and Neji want to settle their scores."

Her fingers tightened on his sleeve. "Sasuke, we can't let it happen."

His brows drew together. "It's only a fist fight, Sakura, they've had worse."

She shook her head, suddenly sure that any fight between their two gangs would be bad for them. "Please, will you go and stop it?"

There was a flicker of surprise across his face before he regained his usual cool exterior. His hand came up and covered her fingers, pulling them gently away from his sleeve.

"Sakura…"

"Please," she said again, tilting her head back as he drew closer to her, looking down into her bright green eyes. "I know you can do it."

From the back room, Tenten's voice spoke with clear impatience. "Sakura?"

Before they could get any closer, Sakura moved away, her hand sliding from Sasuke's as she moved backwards towards her waiting friend. She kept her eyes on him as she went and when she was almost out of sight, he nodded slightly in acceptance.

She smiled and turned, failing to see the physical jolt that hit him in the wake of her happiness, and how he took a step in her direction as if he thought he could actually reach her.

Scene II

Rock Lee watched the fight under the bridge on the balls of his feet, ready at any moment to fly at anyone who looked like they would interfere. The loose ring of Falcon and Lions surrounding the two combatants was on edge, hurling insults and grumbling whenever another punch landed. It was almost a mob, the threat of violence so near the surface they might as well have dispensed with the illusion of control and gone for each other's throats.

As it was, Neji and Naruto fought in a space that moved and surged with them, voices from both sides yelling support or profanities. Lee had been glad to hear that the fight would consists of only the leaders, but he wasn't comfortable with the fact that, if it came to blows, the Falcons were out-numbered. Neji had allowed only a handful of his people to attend the fight while it looked like Naruto relished having an audience.

Surprisingly, neither of them were winning.

They were both bloodied. Neji would be sporting a black eye and a badly bruised jaw in the morning, and Naruto moved as if his ribs were already aching, if not fractured. The Lion didn't look like he was ready to give in, though, a rebel's grin on his face as he sent a hard right towards Neji's abdomen.

Lee watched closely as Neji twisted to the side to avoid the jab, bringing his elbow down hard on the back of Naruto's head. The jolt made Naruto hit the pavement, something falling out of his pocket and clattering to the ground next to him.

In an instant, Lee was moving through the mass of bodies towards Neji but he wasn't fast enough. Naruto reached out and grabbed the switchblade he'd dropped on instinct, snapping it open with a well-practiced movement and turned, slicing at Neji's chest as he backed away. Blood splattered the concrete but the wound wasn't deep, Neji was still on his feet, eyes narrowed in fury as the Lions cheered on their leader.

As Lee pushed his way to the front, he could see that Naruto was contemplating dropping the weapon. He hadn't been meaning to use it but the opportunity had presented itself and, like any good fighter, he had taken the advantage it brought.

In the next moment, though, Lee quickly revised his opinion when Neji was crowded back against a chain-link fence, weaponless, and more bloody than before. Maybe he should... but no, Neji struck with a fierce kick to Naruto's arm and the Lion dropped his knife, clutching what Lee knew must a broken arm. Quickly, Neji rolled for the knife just as Naruto leapt for him, seeing his intention.

The blood draining from his face, Lee pushed into the circle, opening his mouth to shout a warning...

Neji turned over on his back, half lifting the blade and Naruto fell upon him, the knife sinking into his side so silently anyone might have missed it.

There was a moment of stunned silence as all the observers realized what had happened. Neji pushed Naruto off him and stood, only Lee seeing the way his face was paler than usual, his expression so blank he knew the Hyuuga was just shocked at what had happened.

On the ground, Naruto made some sort of sound and Lee caught the edge of a dark blur at the corner of his vision, a flash of silver light.

The throwing knife hit Neji in the shoulder, actually pushing him backwards from the force of the throw. Lee was already turning, following the path of the blade to find Sasuke standing a few feet away, his features drawn together in anger.

"Naruto," he said, quite clearly. Uzumaki grunted.

"I'm fine, bastard, don't-" He coughed blood before he could finish.

Neji reached up and pulled the knife from his shoulder. Blood immediately darkened his shirt. He seemed incapable of speaking and suddenly Lee felt a prickle on the back of his neck, a sign of impending doom.

"Down!" he shouted to the Falcons, and watched them drop obediently, knowing what was coming. Steel fell screaming from the sky, a hail of knives that had the Lions running for cover, Sasuke hefting Naruto over his shoulder and disappearing. Admist the storm of weapons, Tenten dropped down from her hiding place, pulling Neji's arm around her neck in support. She glanced at Lee and he nodded, making sure they were gone before sending the Falcons away with a quick hand movement.

As they fled, he picked up one of Tenten's knives, flipping it through his fingers before holding it steady in his hand, a determined look on his face.

A minute later he picked up Naruto's trail of blood and vanished into the night.

"It was an accident."

"I know," Tenten said hurriedly as she took a moment to look at Neji's wound. He was leaning against the side of a building, bleeding everywhere, and she tried to keep her hands from shaking as she pressed the torn sleeve of her shirt against his shoulder. "He fell on you, that's all." She bit her lip as her makeshift bandage turned crimson within seconds. "He shouldn't have had a knife..."

Neji's face twitched, almost as if he were trying to smile. "You had more than enough."

"I wasn't fighting," she snapped absently, too preoccupied with tending him to notice his hand under her chin, nudging her face up to look at him. What she saw in his eyes made her jerk her head away, blinking rapidly. "Don't even think that, Hyuuga. You're going to be fine." She pulled his arm over her shoulders again. "Come on. Shizune's place isn't much farther."

She got him walking, each step filled with more of his life draining away. By the time they got to Shizune's front door, Tenten was frantic and Neji was having trouble keeping his eyes open. She kicked the door open without preamble and stood there, eyes wild and covered in blood, uncaring that she had just scared the hell out of the former doctor.

"Save him," Tenten ordered, her voice hoarse.

Shizune rose to do just that.

Scene III

There was rain falling when he woke. He could hear it before he even opened his eyes, the light pattering against the window pulling him from a heavy sleep. As his gaze focused on the ceiling, he realized that he had no idea where he was, could remember nothing after looking into Tenten's eyes and silently telling her that no man who came after would ever love her more than he did.

Strange that he hadn't died.

But then, if the odd coloring of the ceiling was any indication, he could guess at where she had brought him. Shizune had always had an odd fascination with the color green.

Trying to clear his muddled mind, he turned his head slightly and found Tenten sitting by the window watching the storm. Flashes of lightning drew a halo around her silhouette, highlighting her loose hair and the dried tracks of tears on her face. Even as he watched, she raised a graceful hand to rub at her eyes, never making a sound. His throat tightened and his fingers curled into the bed sheets. She was too beautiful for him. Even when she fought it was like watching a ballerina dance among swords.

And now she sat alone, the fresh evidence of sorrow shed for him on her cheeks, and he wanted nothing more than to take her and go far beyond that city of blood and loyalties.

"Tenten."

She turned instantly and came to his side, her hand reaching out for his. His fingers intertwined with hers as she sank to her knees by the bed, bringing their joined hands up to press a kiss into the back of his knuckles.

"You're awake."

Her tone said she had been sure of it, but her lip trembled and gave her away. He wondered how much of his blood stained the street below.

"Are you alright?" His voice came out creaky and hollow. Tenten reached across him for a glass of water and tilted his head up so he could take a drink. Her face held an odd expression, as if she wanted to laugh and cry both at once.

"Idiot," she murmured, and replaced the glass with her lips as he sank back into the mattress again, her kiss so light and sweet that his heart ached. After a moment, she pulled away enough to rest her head against his good shoulder, her hair sliding across his chest and the wealth of bandages that crossed over it. He wrapped a wavy lock of it around his fingers, taking comfort in the silky feel.

She still smelled of vanilla and sunlight.

"I'll do whatever you want," she said suddenly, pressing the words into his neck, "If you want to leave this place, I'll follow you. If you want me to fight, I'll become a weapon. I'll do anything if you say it's what you want."

He took a halting breath. "Tenten…"

"Just don't ever do that to me again."

He exhaled steadily and, when he sure he wasn't going to disgrace himself, he turned his head and looked into her earth-dark eyes.

"Never again," he said firmly, and she closed her eyes in acknowledgement, pressing her body close to his side as he laid a feather kiss on the bridge of her nose. Fear was banished with his touch.

At that point, he must have fallen back into exhausted sleep for when he woke about an hour later, the space next to him was cold. Tenten was gone.

End Act III.