Arranged Meetings

Disclaimer: same as always, I don't own naruto or any other thing

YAY I finally got an editor, and I'm resuming this fanfic, so hope you enjoy this chapter, sorry if the characters are a little OOC, but this is fanfiction so please bear with me. And also sorry that this chapter is going to be short.

REMEMBER: I DON'T EXCEPT FLAMERS, ONLY HELPFUL CRITICISM

Thanks to

Yufvinvalentine, my editor

Hao'sAnjul - Neko Blah Blah - Shujouteki Kumo - BlackAngelBlood - Maya Amano - CrissyKitty - Shikage-Tsaya - Synette-Da-Killa - BlueMarina - dragonflyelj – miki - Dagorwen of Ithilien

Chapter 8

"Itachi-kun." she muttered but it wasn't quiet enough for Sasuke not to notice the '-kun'.

Sasuke looked at her in awe. She called his brother, the murderer of his entire clan, the person he devoted his life to kill, 'Itachi-kun'.

Quickly checking her forehead to see if she was running a fever, he was upset in seeing that she was perfectly fine.

"Sakura, what are you talking about? This is Itachi, you know what he did." but she just merely shook her head.

"No, I-i-it's difficult explain, okay?" she muttered still confused at what was going on.

"Why are you after him, he will bring you nothing but pain, the best you could hope for is to die!" Sasuke started to yell, he couldn't get a proper hold on his emotions.

Why would Sakura want to be with Itachi?

He could only think of two possible answers; either Itachi was blackmailing her so he could make his life more miserable, or Sakura might actually have fallen in love with the S-class criminal.

"Sasuke-kun, could you please put me down?" Sakura pleaded. She was amazed at what she heard out of Sasuke, she had never heard him say so many completed sentences since the incident with his clan.

"I need to finish my business with Itachi."

Sasuke came to a dead stop when a figure was seen standing in front of him.

"Unhand my future wife." Itachi demanded as he was closing the distance between him and Sasuke.

"Fu-Future wife?" a dazed expression crossed Sasuke's face, "No." was all he answered when he regained his barrier that hides his raw emotions.

"Why not? Why are you being so protective of her?"

Sasuke quickly snapped back with. "She's my teamate, I have to protect her because she's weak."

"Last time I remember, you didn't care about the weak, my little brother."

Sakura bit her bottom lip.

What was Itachi trying to get at?

Did Sasuke have feelings for her?

It was complicating everything, before it seemed so simple. She thought she was just going to go and end the betrothal, so she could return to her normal life, but for some reason, she wanted to stay with Itachi, she didn't mind his presence. But figuring out that Sasuke might like her, she couldn't take it anymore, her brain was already confused and couldn't make heads or tails of this situation.

Sasuke gripped Sakura tighter.

"My little brother, remember our pitiful father? He believed that since we were from a high class, we shouldn't date like others. Instead we would be betrothed with a perfect match. Eight years ago, both Haruno Sakura's father and ours met to discuss the marriage arrangements. She is to be my wife!"

That last line killed Sasuke; it was like a bug slowly eating him from the inside out, tearing every fibre of his being apart. He would never admit it, but he loved how Sakura was always there and how she would ask him out. He really hates to reject her every time, but had felt he couldn't date her until he killed Itachi, though it seemed that his older brother had found yet another way to ruin his life. Sakura then finally spoke, after their long talk.

"You mean we're still going to get married?"

There was a long silence after and no one spoke.

"NO, I WILL NOT LET YOU TAKE ANOTHER THING AWAY FROM ME!" Sasuke yelled rising his voice above its normal low tone, and no longer was it monotonous or icy, it was full of emotions.

Itachi's face twisted into a half grin and half frown. He didn't want to admit it, but he enjoyed Sakura's company. Although he always had his partner Hoshigaki Kisame, that was never enough to satisfy the wanting for human contact which he had always longed for.

"You leave me with no other options." Itachi said. His red sharingan that were spinning slowly before had gradually begun to speed up. "I will not fight you while Sakura is in your possession."

Sasuke knew that if he put Sakura down right now, he would be a dead man, but he needed to fight his older brother, and now was the perfect time.

"STOP, STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!" Sakura shouted, tears slowly leaked from her eyes. She won't allow someone to die in hopes of winning her heart. "Must someone always have to die! I- I won't allow it, if one of you kill the other, I will not be with either of you." she regretted that last line as soon as she said it. She couldn't image life without Sasuke-kun, and somehow, Itachi had become part of her life as well.

"Then pick Sakura." Sasuke said. "If you don't want us to fight, there is only one way to end this, pick one of us. Who do you really want?" Her teary eyes opened wide at the comment, she couldn't pick who she wanted to be with for the rest of her life on the spot.

"I- I can't expect to know what my heart desires right now. It's still young and full of confusion, give me a week then I'll be able to come up with an answer."

"Sakura." Itachi said, his voice pleading for her to pick him, "If that is what you want, then meet me here in 168 hours (7 days) exactly." Itachi then violently threw down a kunai to mark the spot. "Just remember, my cherry blossom, don't waste anymore of my time, if you do not wish to be with me." with that he disappeared leaving a puff of smoke.

A look of victory, and defeat crossed Sasuke's face. He would go home with Sakura, and be a hero but he might risk losing her forever if she chooses Itachi.

"Come on let's go." Sasuke said, his voice returning to normal as if the whole ordeal never happened. "Everyone will be wondering what happened." Sakura nodded then slowly snuggled into Sasuke's arms, they where no where near as comfortable as Itachi's. However, it meant that she was going home to the bathtub and to her bed.

"Sasuke-kun, could you promise me not to tell anyone what happened here?"

Sasuke nodded. "Of course." he knew if someone did know then he would suffer and major blow to his reputation and it means that the Hyuugas might be able to mock him.

TBC

Okay hope you enjoyed it, as most noticed I deleted my other story, but I will be starting a new one soon, I don't know what it's about yet but it will be more descriptive and hopefully a lot better. Don't forget to R &R.