A/N: Hey guys! I know it took me forever to update but I've been swamped with alot of work. Gotta make money! Haha anyway I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It's a little short but I promise the next chapter will be longer :) Enjoy and always remember...

1.) I do not own anything to do with Naruto

2.) READ AND REVIEW

Special thanks to

Miyuki Tsukada

Stara Slashtail

BlackFeatherz29

serpentslayer

Tsukia-chan

Ruriko89

ezpiczny Ksiezyc

Niebezpiczny Ksiezyc

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kawaii.sasuke

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Hinata-hime

Statik

lexy499

sakura13pisces

Redemption of the Heart

Ch.3 - Ramen with a Side of Jealousy

Sakura woke up groggily. She cringed at the bright lighting surrounding her. She inhaled deeply before sitting up. Damn, she had forgotten about her wound and wasn't surprised when saw fresh blood soak through the fresh bandaging on her abdomen. Sakura looked around the room. The walls were plain and wooden, the room itself seemed dead. The whole place screamed simplicity. Scarce amounts of furniture and everything smelt stale, no sterile. She winced again as she felt her heartbeat quicken. Stupid wound. She snapped back to reality when she heard the door open. Sasuke walked in shutting the door softly behind him. He held a tray with water and various medicines and herbs.

"What happened?" Sakura said breaking the silence. Sasuke set the tray down beside her on the lampstand next to the bed.

"I'm not sure, I felt...a very strong chakra and you got attacked. We're investigating it right now. Eat the food and medicine, use the herbs when you change the bandages." Sasuke said like a robot. Sakura wanted to die again, even as she lay there with her side ripped open, Sasuke spoke to her like he didn't care that she could have died. God, even after I spilled my heart out to him for the BILLIONTH time he's still going to act this way? It'll never end will it? Was I wrong to say that no matter what I'd be there for him? Suddenly Sakura didn't mind the stabbing pain on her side, she'd choose that any day over the way Sasuke treats her.

"Get out..." it was barely a whisper. Sakura was looking down at her lap as she sat against the head board of the bed.

"What?" Sasuke didn't mean to ask but he was caught by surprise.

"I asked you to leave...because if you don't...this wound won't be the thing to kill me" Sasuke's lips firmed into a thin line. He didn't want to go against her wishes, so he turned on his heel and left, pausing ever so slightly before opening the door. She was so furious she thought her anger would choke and kill her. She couldn't stop herself from shouting in fustration. She lashed out and knocked the tray off the nightstand, spilling the water and medicine to the floor. Sasuke almost reached the stairs when he heard the cry and smashing of the glass. He didn't dare look back but instead proceeded back down the stairs. Sakura covered her eyes with her hands and wept.

( Downstairs )

"What was that?" Kakashi asked while he sat in the kitchen chair holding a tea cup to warm his hands.

"Why are you always such a jackass?" Naruto questioned hiding his eyes behind his bangs. Sasuke was caught off guard yet again and narrowed his eyes. "Let me guess...you went up there and you acted like you could have cared less if she died or not. You're a real fucking jackass Sasuke. She would do more than just die for you, and this is how you repay someone who gives you that kind of love? You're a pathetic excuse for a human bei..." Naruto was cut off when Sasuke grabbed him by the collar pulling him to his feet from the kitchen chair that he was just seated in.

"You guys have to calm down! Stupid teenage hormones...anyway the real problem isn't having feelings right now. We have to figure out who attacked Sakura. Why the hell were they here and why did they attack her? Sasuke tell me exactly what happened." Kakashi asked taking a long sip of his tea.

Sasuke dropped Naruto back into the chair before situating himself against the wall. "Sakura and I were talking, and out of nowhere I feel this intense chakra," Sasuke said as he stared out the window into bright greenery. He licked his lips before continuing, "It was so intense, like no other chakra I've encountered before.If it weren't for my instinct telling me that she was going to get hit she would have been dead. I didn't even hear a small howl from the wind around the gliding kunai, I didn't even see it. I was too slow. She got struck...and then we had to run away. The chakra was just incredibly evil." Sasuke finished finally snapping his attention to the the two sitting at his kitchen table.

"That gives no helpful hints as to who did this, but for now we have to keep our eyes peeled and make sure no one else gets hurt from this mystery guest we have in Konoha." Kakashi said before standing up. " I heard Sakura kick you out before but maybe this time we'll all go check up on her." Kakashi suggested with a small smile.

The group headed up the stairs and with every step Sasuke's heart seemed to beat more and more erratically. They reached his room door and he slowly grasped the knob and pushed the door open slowly. The sheets were disheveled and Sakura was nowhere to be found.

"Where did she go!" Naruto cried. He was answered when the wind that blew outside rattled the open window frame. "She left?" Naruto said, more asking himself than the others. Sasuke just swallowed dryly. This was once again his doing. He seemed to have a gift for pissing off the pink haired kunoichi.

( Village Market )

"Stupid Sasuke...always saying the right things to piss me off." Sakura mumbled paying a fruit vendor for an apple. She looked down at the skin the of the apple. The glossy red peel shimmered with unatural beauty. The fragrance of the apples reaching out to tease her nose. She rubbed the apple on her sleeve as she went around the corner heading to no particular destination when suddenly she lost the grasp of the apple and her world was being thrown in a whirl to the ground. She felt a hard body collide into her as she fell. Her head was in such disarray she didn't think to stop herself from falling but reached out to catch her apple but instead grabbed a fistful of soft black fabric. Slowly her eyes shut and she felt her body being held up horizontally. Sakura felt her breaths coming out in an uneven and ragged pace. She cracked her right eye open and looked around as she tightened her grasp on the soft fabric. She shut her eyes again and noticed that she was being held up rather than just floating in her horizontal position. She quickly opened her eyes and found herself being held up by a gorgeous looking man. He had long chocolate shade locks that swept over one of his eyes, the rest of his shoulder length hair was swept back in a low ponytail at the base of his neck. Sakura looked up at him and blinked and quickly got to her own feet. " I am so sorry, my head was in the clouds and I must have just ran into you." Sakura said straightening herself out.

"It's ok, I'm just glad that you were so intrigued by that apple, or else I wouldn't have bumped into you." The man smiled shyly. Sakura blushed at his words and swallowed dryly. "I'm Ichigo by the way. I'm new in town, an old friend of the former Hokage." Sakura was shocked by this.

"You're an old friend of Tsunade?" Sakura questioned as she was surprised that a man this young would be friends with her teacher.

"No I was a family friend of Sarutobi, but being I was on a few missions for my country, I never was able to pay my respects to him." Ichigo said slightly lowering his eyes.

"Oh I see, he was a good man, but I'd be happy to show you to his burial grounds." Sakura said trying her best to bring his hopes up.

"Thank you..." Ichigo said searching for her name.

"Sakura, Sakura Haruno." Sakura said smiling. She led the way to the burial grounds after stopping by a shop to buy a small bottle of sake. With the sake at hand they walked to the burial grounds of many brave shinobi and genin. Sakura walked past many small gravestones and found herself situated under a beautiful ginko tree, its leaves turning to golden slivers from the cold weather creeping upon their small village. They weaved their way around the various tombstones until they rested on one. This tombstone was carved marble, and it rested beneath a fairly large willow tree. Sakura kept her distance as Ichigo paid his respects and spoke a few soft words to the former Hokage. Soon after pouring some sake for the old man, Ichigo took the small glass and sprinkled the alcohol all over the grave as old tradition demanded. He then left the glass and open bottle of sake for Sarutobi's spirit to drink and turned back to Sakura.

"Thank you for coming with me. I feel as though it would be a waste to part now..." Ichigo trailed off. Sakura smiled warmly.

"You know, if you're hungry, I know the perfect place to go and get some really great ramen." Sakura said placing a finger on her chin.

"Ramen sounds amazing"

( Naruto's Ramen Shop )

"Dobe. I'm not your slave!" Hinata paused from washing the dishes and looked over her shoulder out of the back to see Naruto and Sasuke. Sasuke sat in one of the back rooms peeling carrots.

"I know you're not my slave but you are my friend! And let me tell you, I am so glad that you're helping! I don't want Hinata-chan to have too much work on her hands!" Sasuke growled lowly under his breath as Naruto ran out to the tables, jotting down orders that were shouted as he went. Sasuke continued peeling carrots as he cursed under his breath, muttering about injustice and how a certain dobe needs to be beaten later until one name interupted his rant.

"SAKURA-CHAN!" Naruto cried. He latched onto Sakura's arm just after she set foot into the store.

"Naruto! If you keep clinging to me like that Hinata might get jealous!" Naruto just laughed and let go of her arm. He led Sakura to the bar pulling back one stool for her to sit on. He waited for her to sit but saw that she was preoccupied with looking behind him. Naruto then realized that there was a tall shadow looming over his shoulder. He turned slightly to see a well built man standing there looking at him dumbstruck.

"Uh Naruto, pull up another chair? I'm actually not eating alone today." Sakura breathed her cheeks tinging slightly pink at the thought that finally she wasn't by herself to eat at the restaraunt.

"Oi I'm Naruto Uzumaki! Since you seem to be Sakura's date for the day, ramen is on the house!"

"I'm honored to be Sakura's date and so humbly accept the offer of free ramen." Ichigo said bowing slightly as his words were said playfully. Naruto laughed and set out chopsticks and napkins for them when Hinata peeked her head out from behind a room to say hello.

"Hello Sakura! I'm glad that you stopped by today! Oh so this is your date?" Hinata said softly. Sakura felt crimson sneaking up on her cheeks again as everyone seemed to be indicating that this man she just met was her boyfriend. Sasuke too had red creeping upon his features. As he sat in the back room he heard the whole conversation unfold. His cheeks grew hot with anger. Why? Because she's trying to make me jealous since I rejected her again. She's being so immature, if she wants attention from me she's not getting it. Sasuke thought to himself. He threw down the peeler and carrot he began to shave back into the bowl and stalked off to find the others. When he reached the main dining hall he saw that all of them were laughing and joking together as if they had known each other for years. Oddly enough Sasuke was afraid to move any closer to the group because of the genuinely happy expression that graced Sakura's face. She never smiled like that for him anymore. Her body language screamed of interest in this other man and Sasuke felt oddly disappointed that he couldn't be in that man's place. Even after the last few blows to Sakura's pride, Naruto began treating Sasuke with a little more indifference. He knew that Naruto respected him as a teammate and friend, but his lack of respect for the 3rd member of their team was unacceptable. Sasuke felt the fear well up in his heart for the first time in many years. This fear was far worse than what he experienced with Orochimaru. His thoughts were interupted when he heard the new man speak.

"It's been an amazing day so far. Even though we met today unexpectedly, I'd like to ask you in all honesty, Sakura. Would you go out on another date with me tomorrow?" Ichigo asked placing a hand fondly on her cheek. Sasuke could see the blush forming on her porcelain cheeks even from where he stood. Sakura was at a loss of words. She had never really gone out on a date before because she had wasted all of her time waiting for Sasuke, but after he made it completely clear that he was not interested, she had forgotten that there were others willing to love her. She felt a tear well up in her eye as she looked Ichigo in the face.

"I would love to..."

That was all she needed to say. That one line confirmed Sasuke's worst fear. He was being replaced.