Love Stays

by Heartaker

A/N- Well ten chapters into it I believe people should know all about the pairings, the warnings, and the 'I Own Nothing' Disclaimer-

Me- (inside Naruto's head), Alright Naruto, I can sense Sasuke approaching fast, pretend to be asleep!

Naruto- (Falls into an unconscious heap, haphazardly on the bed)

Sasuke- (Catching his balance on the windowsill, looks into the room-locating Naruto he opens up the window and slips inside)

Sasuke- Dobe, wake-up! We have practice everyone's waiting for you, even Kakashi-sensei

Me- (still inside Naruto's head), Ignore him, we have him right where we want him (laughs evilly)

Sasuke- (getting annoyed as he watches drool slide down Naruto's chin)

Sasuke- (getting more annoyed at the fact of wishing it was his drool sliding down Naruto's chin)

-Sasuke moves closer to the bed, reaches out a hand, and shoves Naruto's shoulder-hard-

Sasuke- Naruto get up, or I won't be responsible for what I do to you

-Naruto tenses-

Me- (okay...wake-up slowly, and pretend to be unaware of the situation)

Naruto- (Slowly wakes up and stretches out like a fox)

-Naruto's shirt rises up showing off a nice expanse of creamy foxy skin-Sasuke's eyes glaze over-

Sasuke- (realizing that he's staring at Naruto a little too hard straightens and scowls darkly)

Me- (still inside Naruto's head)-Cackling- Tell him you had a dream about him Naruto! (Starts telling him what to say...)

Naruto- (sleepily), Ne, I had a dream about you Sasuke...

Sasuke- (pretending to be uninterested), Whatever dobe, we have to go-What kind of a dream...

Naruto- Well you were leaning over me, and your lips were moving but I couldn't understand what you were saying...

Sasuke- And...

Me- (inside Naruto's head), Go for it NARUTO!

Naruto- You did this!

-Grabs Sasuke and kisses him-

Sasuke- (shocked)

Naruto- (pleased)

Me- (pats herself on the back)

Couldn't Resist

Chapter Eleven

Naruto scowled as Sasuke walked into the classroom, barely even a foot into the room and girls are already pulling out chairs for him. He crosses his arms over his chest and leans stubbornly back into his seat. Sasuke walks fully into the classroom, as usual ignoring all the girls going out of there way for him-he makes his way to the back of the classroom where Naruto is sitting, Naruto noticing that the chair next to him is empty-quickly grabs up his bookbag and slams it down into the previously empty seat.

Sasuke's dark eyes stare at the book bag, and then those same dark eyes lock with Naruto's wide sky blue ones.

"I was about to sit there, idiot"

Naruto's jaw clenches, and he pats his bookbag giving Sasuke a cocky grin.

"Your too slow, this is my book bags seat now-better luck next time bastard'

Naruto pointedly ignores the angry girls who are wishing nothing more than to draw blood from the ungrateful blonde. Naruto thinking he's won, smiles hugely and leans back in his seat-Sasuke smirks, picks up Naruto's book bag and throws it into his face. Naruto lets out a string of colorful words, and Sasuke calmly sits down next to him.

"Who's the slow one now, dobe?"

Naruto throws his book bag too the side, and angrily stares away from Sasuke.

"Damn bastard"

/This is a land very far from you, I never can touch your face/

Ino waves her arms wildly in the air, much to Chouji's annoyance. Shikamaru who had just entered the classroom looks over at her, and let's a small smile flit across his face. Then it drops when he realizes Chouji's sitting next to her also. Chouji ignores him, and pulls out a bag of chips, smiling happily he begins to eat. Shikamaru snorts in disgust.

"Come on Shikamaru sit down-you have to help me with my math remember!" Ino says, pulling out the chair next to her and patting it invitingly.

Shikamaru reluctantly walks forward, and sits down, glad that his chair isn't anywhere near Chouji's. Ino immediately starts gushing over him.

"Your so smart Shikamaru, without even trying, I find it incredible" He smiles at her, and leans forward in his seat yawning widely, he then shrugs by way of an answer. Chouji laughs loudly, making Ino and Shikamaru give him annoyed looks. He stuffs a handful of lays into his mouth and then talks-

"I don't know why you waste your time swooning over a lazy bastard like Shikamaru-it just doesn't make any sense"

Shikamaru's bored eyes narrow dangerously. "What?" He growls, knowing that the situation is too troublesome, but he cannot help but be bothered by what the boy just said, Chouji having finished his chips, gets up to discard them-he throws Shikamaru a dangerous look.

"You heard me"

He walked off, Shikamaru doesn't really know why, but he's amused.

/This is the land far from happy, So am I, no matter where I go/

If Gaara hated one thing, it was people-too many people, meant too many problems-and the only way he knew how to solve said problems was murder, cold-blooded murder. He weaved his way in and out of the crowds, wondering where the hell the English class was, and why he couldn't find it-he was just about to give up and go home, when out of nowhere came somebody crashing into him.

Gaara saw red, and he clenched his fists.

"Watch where your going" He hissed out, eyes looking up to communicate pain if this ever happened again, but when he did-his breath caught. He was staring into the liquid pale eye of Hyuuga Neji, and he was grinning at him.

"Gaara" he spoke, letting the rest hang in the air. Gaara's eyes narrowed all over again, and he shoved Neji out the way, ignoring the warmth that passed over his fingers at such a simple gesture. "Stay out of my way" he said by way of a good-bye, and didn't miss Neji say,

"Stay out of mine"

/Pretty landscape, fresh coffee, Quiet life I longed for is my enemy now/

Iruka looked up to see Kakashi leaning against his doorframe, unable to tell the man to go away since it was a free period, he sighed and resigned himself to his fate.

Kakashi looked pleased and walked into the classroom seating himself on top of Iruka's desk-a vein popped up on the side of Iruka's head, and he realized that Kakashi (his secret crush) was sitting on top of the papers he had been previously grading.

"Kakashi I don't mind your company-"

'And yet you do'

"-But I was grading papers before you walked in"

"I'm not leaving Iruka"

"-And-What?"

Kakashi leaned towards Iruka's face, forcing the younger man backwards into his seat-Iruka unconsciously gulped.

"Kakashi-"

Whatever else he was about to say was silenced with a kiss.

/"What's wrong with you, babe? Ask an old goat/

Ino opened the door to the flower shop that her mom owned, and watched as Sakura stepped into the shop-her eyes red rimmed, and swollen-knowing why, she closes the door and guides her best-friend further into the shop, over to a display of lilies. Pulling Sakura into a warm embrace they both stare out of the shops window.

"You don't have to cry every time Sakura, he's not worth that"

Sakura buries her head into Ino's shoulder.

"I know but I just can't help it"

Ino nods into Sakura's hair, and plucks one of the lilies from the vase, and places it into Sakura's hair.

/I forget everything, even a bitter smile/

Sasuke slams Naruto into the nearest wall, feeling the air leave his chest, all Naruto can do for seconds is stare into the coal black eyes of his rival Sasuke.

"What the hell was that back there!" Sasuke practically screamed into his face, Naruto let a grin cross his face, even though he was still shaking.

"That was me kicking your ass!" he then leaned toward Sasuke's face, relishing in how his eyes darkened even further in rage, "Don't like being topped, do you Uchiha?"

Naruto cooed.

Sasuke brought Naruto's body closer to his and kissed him, Naruto was for seconds to shock to do anything-and for those seconds he even tried to tell himself that this wasn't happening, that Sasuke was not kissing him, but he was-and he, Naruto, started kissing him back.

They kissed for a while longer, and then Sasuke pulled back-loving the glazed, longing look in Naruto's eyes. He then leaned towards his ear, "you'll never be able to top me, Uzumaki"

Naruto stiffened in his arms.

/In a dream Darling, you stroke my arms and say/

Shikamaru was leaned up against a tree, basking in the warm rays of the sun-he stretched out his arms, and made to lay down and take a nap, too bad the heavy set boy walking toward him didn't know that. Shikamaru sighed, knowing that Chouji was not going to let him go to sleep, his face twisted into irritation and he leaned back heavily against the tree.

Chouji stopped in front of him.

"What?" Shikamaru drawled, staring up into Chouji's brown eyes. Chouji kneeled down as best he could, making himself eye level to Shikamaru.

"I didn't come to fight-I came to apologize"

If Shikamaru was shocked by this, he didn't show it.

"I just guess I was jealous of the fact that you can sit around all day and still look...well...good, and me..." He trailed off suddenly looking embarrassed, he then coughed and stood up. "I would really like to be your friend, alright-but if you don't want to that's cool"

Chouji made to leave, but the grip on his wrist prevented his from doing so-he looked down at Shikamaru, who still had that same bored irritated look on his face, but Chouji knew better. "You don't have to go, there's plenty of room-I'm not much for company..." Chouji waved him off, and sat down.

"It's cool-I make a great pillow anyways!"

/It's O.K, it's O.K./

It was raining hard, and Gaara who had previously been walking trying to burn off some steam got caught in it-it did nothing to sooth the anger, and the pain that burned inside of him, that burned and pooled around his chest. Without warning Gaara struck out at the closest thing he could find, which unfortunately for him happened to be a brick structure-pain coursed threw his fingers, his hand, his wrist, and up his arm-but Gaara felt no pain, only a comforting numb-

That numbness spread throughout his body, and soon Gaara could feel nothing-not even the wetness of the blood over his bruised knuckles.

Gaara stared at the wall, as if daring it to hit him back-and suddenly, without warning a tear slid down his cheek, followed by another and another-Gaara realizing that these were not drops of rain falling down his face but his own tears, went into a crazed rage, and made to strike the wall again-only to have someone grab his arm before he could go threw with it.

He stared at the hand holding him, realizing it was darker, and larger than his own.

"What are you doing?" Gaara recognized that voice, and upon recognizing the voice, he realized who's hand was holding on to his own- "Neji?" he choked, he turned around and indeed it was Neji, staring at him in concern-the look seemed so out of place on his face, that Gaara could do nothing but stare into those pale eyes. His wet long brown hair plastered against his face and body-seemed to draw him forwards-

"I asked you a-"

Gaara's hot lips met his in a wet, searing kiss-Neji made to move back but Gaara grabbed hold of his head, trapping fingers into wet locks of brown. Neji's entire body went limp, before his limp hands raised up to rest against Gaara's trembling shoulders-and he kissed him back.

/But I knew it doesn't last so long/

Sakura ran to the door wondering who it was that was banging on it so desperately for entrance. She swung the door open, and was met with a arm full of Ino. Shocked, Sakura stumbled back, she gripped Ino's shoulders, and shook her. "Ino what's wrong!" Ino's tears were soaking threw her shirt, and Sakura upon realizing that it was Ino who was crying, dropped to her knees bringing Ino down with her.

"He kissed me Sakura!" she cried into her shirt.

Sakura didn't understand-Shikamaru kissing her was not a good reason for her to be crying so hard like this. "Ino-I don't understand" Ino gripped Sakura's arms, making Sakura wince, as Ino's nails dug into her skin.

"He kissed me, by way of good-bye-he said it would never work between the two of us because he had found someone else!"

Ino's eyes stared desperately into Sakura's- "and you know who that someone else is?"

"Who?"

"Chouji."

/So I try to dream of you every night/

Iruka sat uncomfortably next to Kakashi on the couch-they had been going steady for two months, and Iruka on his part thought that the relationship was going well-but Kakashi had called him over, and a odd sort of seriousness hung in the air, that Iruka found suffocating. Kakashi wasn't really the serious type-and involving Iruka it could only mean one thing.

Kakashi brought him over here to break up with him.

"I know what your thinking Iruka" Kakashi said suddenly, making Iruka jump. Iruka then sighed, and stopped nervously wringing his fingers-he met Kakashi's steady gaze with his own. "Kakashi I don't understand why-but if this is your choice"

Kakashi smiled. "It is, and I already know why"

Iruka was getting angry, if he was going to break up with him, the least he could do is be serious about it-instead of joking around like this, he was about to break his heart for crying out loud! Kakashi moved closer to Iruka, Iruka turned his head away,

"Iruka look at me"

Iruka attentively turned his head, to meet not Kakashi's eyes, but a small black box with a gold trim-Iruka's breath caught, this wasn't what he thought it was, was it? Kakashi opened the box, to reveal a shining gold band, his eyes glittered.

"Iruka"

YES!

"Will you marry me?"

/And I try to hold you every time/

Naruto brought his knees closer to his chest, he was naked and the silky black sheets of Sasuke's bed covered him from the waist down-Naruto didn't really feel bad about being with Sasuke, I mean he had wanted the boy from the first time he laid eyes on him-but upon seeing Sasuke get all the attention he'd always wished he could get, made him jealous-and all he could think about was being better than the boy, in everything and all things.

He laid his head down on his knees, and listened to the water drumming in the bathroom. The sound lulling him back to sleep, Naruto made to close his eyes-but a sound caught his ears-a nice, pleasant voice-singing some sad tune. Naruto lifted up his head, wondering where the sound could be coming from. He looked over the side of the bed, and grabbed up his boxers, slipping them back on-he made his way toward the bathroom door-where the sound was the strongest.

"Sasuke..." Naruto breathed as he stopped in front of the bathroom door, and pressed his ear against it-Sasuke was singing, very good actually, and as much as Naruto wanted to find some reason to make fun of the stoic boy for it-

He couldn't.

/This is the land very far from you/

"Wow whoever thought Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei would get married" Naruto said stopping next to Chouji, who was busy piling mounds of food onto his plate. Chouji nodded distractedly, eyes glazing over as he looked over the piles and piles of desserts and cakes...

"Naruto"

Naruto looked to see Gaara standing next to him, how the boy had managed to sidle up next to him without him actually knowing was a mystery, but then again everything about Gaara was a mystery-but Naruto couldn't help but find the mysterious Gaara to be pretty cool. "Gaara" Naruto answered, trying to mimic Gaara's voice, Gaara ignored this, and jerked his head in the direction of something behind Naruto.

"Punch, could you pour me some?" this sounded so odd, coming from Gaara that Naruto couldn't help but start laughing-Chouji started laughing next to him, finding the fact that Gaara asked for some punch to be just as hilarious as Naruto thought it was. Gaara frowned. "I'll pour it myself" Naruto stopped him, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes. "I'm sorry-I got it!"

Naruto started pouring the punch, just as the band started to play-He heard Chouji gasp next to him, and on the other side of him, he felt Gaara stiffen in shock, curious about there reactions, he turned around and looked onto the stage-they never said who was going to be playing, some unknown band-Naruto's blue eyes widened, and the punch he had poured for Gaara fell to the floor, staining the white red.

Sasuke, Shikamaru, and Neji were on stage singing-and doing a brilliant job of it at that-but that wasn't what shocked them the most, what shocked them was that three boys, who looked as if they didn't care whether the other existed or not were on stage playing together, looking for all the world like they belonged there.

/I never can hear your voice/

Kakashi pulled his husband up the stairs by the arm, away from the three boys in the living room, and down the hall into the room the two shared. The minute they got behind closed doors, Iruka jerked his arm away. "You can't be serious Kakashi!" he was trying to keep his voice at a reasonable level, but damnit, Kakashi always managed to rile him up. Kakashi leaned against the door casually, watching Iruka rant with a calm eye.

"Your just gonna leave, I mean we haven't even been married for that long-and now your telling me this!"

Kakashi pushed himself off the door, and walked toward Iruka, pulling the younger man into his arms-and placing a soft kiss on his forehead. "They really want to do this Iruka, and I can't let them go out and do this alone-they need somebody like me out there to watch out for them, and are you going to tell them that that can't go out and achieve there dreams-you a man who is all about kids being all they can be" Iruka relaxed in Kakashi's arm and sighed into his shoulder. Kakashi had won, once again-he couldn't argue with that-and he couldn't argue the fact that Sasuke, Shikamaru, and Neji were really good.

"Fine. Do what you want"

"Don't be like that Iruka-you know that nothing could keep me from you"

He pulled Iruka even closer, and desperately sought out his lips.

/This is the land far from success, so am I, no matter how you bet/

Six boys sat in the massive living room of the Uchiha mansion, only two feeling at home-the rest feeling out of place.

"So your leaving, and you don't know when your going to be coming back?" Chouji asked, wondering why all six of them needed to be in the same place-and why they had waited to tell them, only days before they were to be leaving.

They nodded.

Naruto stood up, and motioned for Gaara, and Chouji to do the same-surprisingly they did so without complaint. "Well, good luck" Naruto said making his way toward the door, Gaara, and Chouji not to far behind. Sasuke didn't like being brushed off like that.

"What the hell do you mean good luck, it was your idea after all" Naruto stopped. Then turned around to fix Sasuke with a cool look-

"I know" he then smirked, "That's why I said good luck, your gonna need it"

He left out laughing, with Gaara and Chouji behind him, looking highly amused. Sasuke seethed. Shikamaru yawned to keep in his laughter, and Neji turned his head completely away from Sasuke.

"Damn dobe"

/Perfect starry sky, grand piano/

The three boys sat out in the park, the sky perfectly dark, and filled to the brim with bright sparkling stars. Chouji lay on his back, counting the stars softly under his breath, Gaara was staring at the sand beneath him, an intense look in his eyes, and Naruto was in between them, staring off at something even he couldn't see.

Gaara picked up a handful of sand, and watched as it seeped threw his fingers slowly disappearing.

"Everything I've ever cared for has left me" he confessed quietly, but Naruto and Chouji heard him, and they both turned there heads to give him there full attention. "Slipped away from me, like sands threw my fingertips..." they watched as he picked up another handfull of sand, and watched as it did just that-slipped from his grasp. "Neji-I...care for him, and now he's leaving"

Naruto placed a hand on his shoulder, not really knowing how to go about comforting a rock like Gaara. Chouji sat all the way up also. "It's alright to feel that way Gaara, because I feel that way too-me and Shikamaru didn't start out on the best of terms, but I guess that was the start of what is now, because I care for him too, in fact I love him-so your not the only one losing someone you care for-but your also gaining something" confusion rising, Gaara lifted up his head and looked over at Chouji, "What am I gaining?" he asked.

Chouji pointed to himself and Naruto. "Us. We'll wait for them together, the three of us, we're in this together!"

Naruto smiled and threw his fist into the air. "That's right! Believe it! The three of us together will be able to get threw this I know it!"

Gaara looked away, and down at the sand, then back over at Naruto and Chouji who were smiling hopefully at him-he let a small smile cross his face, and nodded.

"Together"

/Quiet Life I long for is my enemy now/

Naruto reached out blindly in the darkness, only to have his hands meet a hard chest-rough breathing met his ears, as he stared into the dark eyes of Sasuke-He tried to sit up, only to have Sasuke pin him back down.

"Don't... I want too..."

He started to kiss Naruto's neck, biting, and sucking-Naruto winced at a particularly hard bite made to his neck by Sasuke's teeth-He pushed against his chest. "Sasuke-" Sasuke snagged the bottom of Naruto's shirt and pulled it up and over his head, acting as if Naruto was not uncomfortable, and wondering what the hell had gotten into Sasuke. He trailed kisses down Naruto's chest and stomach, licking and nipping-

Naruto gripped Sasuke's shoulders, digging his nails into the flesh there.

"Sasuke-stop, your hurting me!"

He gripped Naruto's hips, and pulled them up, to better work the pants down his hips. "Sasuke!" Naruto punched him, thus stopping Sasuke from his ministrations-Sasuke sat with his face turned, breath heavy, and half naked. Naruto pushed Sasuke back and sat-up. "What the hell is wrong with you, you were about to molest me in my sleep!"

"I leave tomorrow Naruto"

Naruto stopped what he was about to say next, and the room fell into silence. The only thing you could hear where there faint breaths.

"I know"

Naruto answered after a moment of neither saying anything. "Naruto if-" Naruto cut him off with a kiss to his lips, and then pulled Sasuke down and on top of him, he kissed him again, smiling softly, but sadly. "It's okay Sasuke-I want you to do this, but I do want you to come back" Sasuke leaned down and kissed Naruto hungrily, going back to what he was doing before Naruto punched him.

"I'll be back-besides I'm the only one allowed to top you"

/Birds started for you, left me here/

Shikamaru leaned against the entrance to his kitchen watching Chouji finish up the going-away meal he was making for him-Shikamaru watched him with a warm look in his eyes, and then realizing that he was standing, and standing was troublesome, he pulled out a chair and sat down.

"You didn't have to cook for me Chouji"

Chouji was humming, as he was putting the food decoratly on the plates.

"I don't mind-I wanted to cook for you, you are leaving tomorrow"

Shikamaru rested his cheek on his hand and leaned into the table. "Yes. But-" Chouji turned around, and walked over to Shikamaru placing the plate of steaming food infront of his face, and then leaned down to kiss his cheek. "I know that eating is troublesome for you, but I would like it if you ate it"

Shikamaru started eating without complaint, and was not the least bit surprised at how good the food tasted-he then looked over at Chouji who was on his third plate, he smiled. "Chouji-I..." he trailed off. Chouji looked up at him, knowing what Shikamaru couldn't say-he smiled waving it off-

"It's okay Shika, I'm going to miss you too" a sad look crossed Chouji's eyes before it disappeared, and then he went back to eating. Shikamaru watched Chouji for a few seconds, than looked back down at his food.

Your my best-friend Chouji.

/I forgot everything, even your way of waving/

Gaara and Neji laid back against the pillows, both sweaty and spent. They stared up at the ceiling of Neji's bedroom, and for minutes said nothing. It seemed like they would just be content to stare at the ceiling for the rest of the night, until sleep took them-but then Gaara shifted and turned his head to stare at Neji's face.

"How long do you think you all will be gone?"

Neji didn't answer automatically, he seemed to be thinking it over.

"Not long-I hope, but who knows for sure"

Gaara looked away, and turned on his side facing away from Neji-him and Neji weren't the type of people who spilled forth there emotions-even though the moment was appropriate for them-he could not tell Neji the extent of his feelings for him, just like Neji could not tell him his-it was a rule, people like them just didn't fall in love.

He felt Neji spoon himself up against his backside, his chin resting on Gaara's neck. "Are you mad?" he asked, letting his fingers trail over the defined muscles of Gaara's damp arm. "No" he responded, then turned around to face Neji-he stared into his pale eyes, and Neji stared into Gaara's intense green.

"But I will-" He gripped Neji's arm, he opened his mouth to finish, but Neji shook his head-

"I know"

/In a dream Darling, you stroke my arms, and say/

"They leave tomorrow" Sakura said, as she walked toward Ino who was sitting outside of her mom's flower shop, staring off into the sky. She took a seat next to her, Ino turned her head slightly to the right to regard her friend.

"I know"

"I think we should go and see them off"

Ino stiffened and looked away, Sakura reached over and took hold of her best-friends hand, Ino stared down at Sakura's hand on hers, and then looked up into the aqua of her eyes.

"I know that it's hard Ino for you to except the fact that Shikamaru had chose someone else, because it was hard for me to except that Sasuke didn't feel the same-that's what we have in common, that's the bond we share-always able to help each other out, and pull each other up, and catch each other's falls" Sakura then let a smile cross her face. Her smiled brightened when Ino intertwined there fingers, and smiled too.

"We'll always have each other Sakura, that is why I'll always have a reason to live"

Sakura felt her eyes water, and pulled Ino into a hug- "Same here"

/It's O.K. it's O.K/

"Wait! don't leave yet!" came the frantic voice of Sakura and Ino as they raced down the terminal, the boys and men had already said there good-byes-and the boys and Kakashi had just been about to turn and leave, when Sakura and Ino had come bursting threw, they stopped infront of the bewildered boys and caught there breathes.

"We didn't want you to go without say good-bye!" Sakura said between breathes.

"How thoughtful" Kakashi said pleasantly.

The girls walked forward and gave each boy a hug, Sakura lingering in Sasuke's hug a bit longer than necessary, and Ino lingering in Shikamaru's.

"Bye Sasuke" Sakura said in a choked voice. Sasuke stared at her for a second, and then nodded his head- "good-bye Sakura"

Ino pulled out of Shikamaru's grasp wiping tears from her eyes, his hand moved up her arm, then stopping at her shoulder, he squeezed it- "It's okay, you'll always be my friend Ino" abated for the moment by those words, Sakura and Ino found each other and hugged-then left out to give the boys there last minutes of privacy together.

The boys gave there boyfriends/husband one last hug and kiss, and then left off-the plane soaring off into the sky, until it could no longer be seen.

/In a dream Darling, you stroke my hair and say/

"THE LEAF!"

/It's O.K. it's O.K./

A gaggle of girls raced pass Naruto, Chouji, and Gaara about a year later-the release of 'The Leafs' second album 'Tomorrow Love' was in stores, and girls were scooping them up like hotcakes. The boys exchanged looks.

"There really popular" Chouji commented-a little thinner then he was a year ago. Naruto and Gaara nodded, watching as one girl held up the CD like it was a priceless gem, and then hugged it to her chest.

The boys couldn't help but smile.

/But I knew it doesn't last so long/

/So I try to dream of you every night/

/And I try to hold you every time/

/Quiet Life/

/Quiet Life.../

To Be Continued...

I think this is my longest chapter to date-it could be a while before the next chapter is out-so I wanted to make this one as long at I could-I don't particularly like flashbacks, so I put a whole bunch of short ones in this chapter, that tell the story I feel a lot better than long drawn out ones could-

I know in this story Sakura and Ino, seems to be a little on the Yuri side-but it's all in friendship-this will be SakuraLee, InoOC

Okay, even I can see that the majority of the characters were a bit OC-but it is AU afterall...

Quiet Life- Bonnie Pink (This is one of my favorite songs by her, and I think it was just perfect for this chapter)

Thanks for all of the reviews-I really enjoy hearing how much you like the story, and hearing what you have to say! It makes writing this story all the more worth it!

Next Chapter- ...(well put it this way, a lot of stuff happens! ;;)