Chapter Twenty-Three

Proposition

"You summoned me Tsunade-sama?" Sakura glanced at Itachi, wondering why he was sitting in the Hokage's office as well. He didn't look in her direction; instead he seemed to be fixated upon Tsunade's face. She snorted angrily. He was giving her the signature Uchiha Silent Treatment, coupled with their famous "If-I-Don't-Look-At-You-Then-You-Aren't-There." Sasuke used to do that all the time.

"I did. Have a seat," She said, gesturing for Sakura to take her place next to Itachi. Sakura did so with a bit of trepidation. She glanced back and forth between Itachi and Tsunade, noticing the serious looks on their faces. Neither one of them seemed to be willing to speak on the subject that had brought her here, thus she was once again left to take the initiative.

"What's going on?" A stray thought struck her mind causing a bit of mild panic. "My world is fine, right? Saku made it back safely, didn't she?"

"Of course she did. Why you're here doesn't have anything to do with that."

Sakura closed her eyes and slumped back in her chair, relieved. Nothing could be that bad if her friends and family weren't in danger. "Then what's the problem?" Sakura asked, "How can I help?"

Tsunade studied her for a moment. "I want you to marry Itachi."

The statement was blunt and didn't fail to take Sakura off guard. Her mouth opened and closed in a way that was very similar to a fish and her face flushed a deep red. After a while she was finally able to compose herself and come up with a few words to say that wouldn't make her seem like a complete idiot.

"Come again?"

"You heard me."

Sakura nodded her head calmly, belying the fact that her heart was still beating wildly, that her palms were sweaty, and that she just really wanted to run out of the room. "You're right. I should have said, 'why?'"

"To prevent the elimination of the Uchiha clan." Sakura gasped, not realizing that a situation so dire was going on beneath her nose.

"The Uchiha clan will not be eliminated." Itachi interrupted, giving the Hokage a hard stare. Sakura noticed that he still hadn't looked in her direction and found herself a bit dejected at that fact. The Hokage had just asked her to marry him. The least he could do was look her in the eyes and let her see what was going through that mind of his.

"You don't know that for sure and it doesn't hurt to be cautious."

"No, you don't know that for sure." Itachi contradicted stubbornly. Tsunade toyed with sending him flying, but decided that she needed her successor alive for the time being.

"Oh please, Itachi. Relations between the Uchiha clan and the village are tenuous at best."

"The Uchiha clan has done nothing to foster that belief."

"Itachi, just a month ago Fugaku was talking about how the village was going to be run into the ground by it's no account leaders before you got the chance to be the next Kage."

Sakura's eyes grew round at that statement. She had met Itachi's father, but he wasn't the one that made the impression on her mind. It was his mother that stood out. Fugaku sounded like a very cold and hard man. It made her think briefly that her Sasuke had quite a bit of his father in him. She wondered how he would feel at knowing such information. Sakura frowned, already knowing the answer. He would be hurt and angry because he had never gotten the chance to know his father.

"I can handle my father."

"Can you? Can you really?" The look on Tsunade's face was nothing but skeptical and it made Sakura uneasy.

"Um--" Sakura interrupted, "What does any of this have to do with me?"

They both turned and looked at Sakura, and she immediately regretted opening her mouth. She had no desire for her Kage to knock her across the room at such insolence. "I've spoken with council and they will not oppose Itachi being the next Hokage if he is married to a kunoichi that they trust."

"I don't understand. Why do they think Itachi is untrustworthy? Of all people he should probably be the one they trust the most."

"You'd think that, right? But Itachi's an Uchiha. After the Uchiha rebellion, trust with the clan was at a all time low," Tsunade explained.

"But that was so long ago," Sakura argued. "Surely they aren't still mistrustful."

"It is what it is, Sakura," Tsunade said, spreading her hands out before her.

"I still don't understand. If they weren't going to trust Itachi why would they say he could be a Kage in the first place?"

Silence blanketed the room, and Sakura wondered briefly who would be the one to break it first. It was a legitimate question that had taken both occupants of the room by surprise. Surprisingly, Itachi spoke up.

"It was simply strategy. You, of all people, should know what could happen to the Leaf village without the Uchiha clan." Sakura's eyes clouded at the statement, but continued to listen. "Perhaps they foresaw that. If it would calm the Uchiha down and keep the village safe, why not promise to make me a Kage?"

"I see." Sakura said a bit uncomfortably at the thought of such deception, but this was a ninja village and deception was the way they survived.

"Do you see why I need you to marry Itachi?" Tsunade prodded.

"Not really. I'm not really a part of this village. Why would they trust me?"

"Who's to say that you aren't the Sakura that they've always known?"

It all suddenly became clear to Sakura what the Hokage wanted. Sakura closed her eyes briefly, suddenly sick of politics and intrigue. Yet, it seemed she would be stuck in its sticky web for the rest of her life.

"You want me to lie about my identity for the rest of my life." Her eyes remained closed. She felt a shroud of ice cold settle across her heart, numbing it to the detrimental loss of her identity. Could peace for the village really be worth herself? Later, later she would take the time to feel the pain that would eventually take over her at having all her choices taken away from her.

"Yes."

"Why me? There are other kunoichi in this village that would be more than happy with the role."

"There are three people in this village that I trust more than anyone and two of them are male. The other is Saku."

"What about Shizune?"

Pain flickered across Tsunade's face at the mention of the woman's name. "Shizune passed away some time ago."

A stab of pain echoed throughout Sakura's heart. It had never once crossed her mind that not everyone that she knew and loved from her world would be alive and well.

"I see." It was those sadly spoken words that reached the Hokage. She knew that she would like Sakura based upon the fact that she was so similar to her own, but now she knew that the girl had a heart of gold. She would do what needed to be done--even at her own expense. The thought made her a little sad, but she still couldn't help but be thankful and a bit protective of her.

"Do you find Itachi distasteful?" Tsunade asked.

"It's not about finding him distasteful. I just dislike having my choices taken away."

"I'm not taking away your choices, Sakura. I'm asking you to do this."

"And how can I say no knowing what my refusal could mean for the village?" Tsunade said nothing and Sakura turned her head to Itachi. "And how do you feel about all this? Is this why you have been avoiding me?"

"I will do what I must to protect this village and my family."

It wasn't an answer--not a satisfying one anyway. At least there would be no opposition.

"He'll do what he must and so will I. So when's the wedding?" Sakura asked flippantly.

:::

Sakura's eyes widened in surprise when she felt Itachi grab her upper arm firmly. She opened her mouth to blast him, but found it was unnecessary when he released her and took several steps away from her. The anger that had built up in her quickly dissipated as he now had her full attention. She supposed a simple touch from him could do that.

They stood outside the Hokage tower since they had just been released. The Hokage had left the details of their nuptials in their hands which disconcerted Sakura a bit. She had sort of hoped for a quick and private ceremony, but apparently the Hokage felt the need for a little more than that. She truly just wanted this thing over and done with. Sakura looked up into Itachi's face, thinking that he would want the same thing she did, but that was not what she saw.

He looked irritated, and a bit angry. She was surprised she could tell such a thing. She supposed she was beginning to be able to read him--which was a good thing seeming as though they were to be married. Unless, of course, he wanted her to know exactly what he was feeling—which was likely the case.

"Why did you agree to this?'

His eyes bore into hers and Sakura fought not to squirm. Instead, she squared her shoulders and looked back at him. She had no reason to feel guilty for the choices that she had made. They were good choices and she would stand by them.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"You've been backed into a corner. No one likes having their options taken away."

Sakura blinked. Yes, her options had been taken away, but this was her home now, her village. She would do what she must to protect it. Wasn't that what she had always done? What he had always done? Didn't he understand that?

"No. I don't like having my options taking away. However, I'm willing to make the best of the hand I've been dealt. Aren't you?" He didn't answer her question, and his lack of answers was beginning to annoy her. "Aren't you?" She repeated in a tone that let him know that she fully expected a reply from him, but to no avail.

"I didn't want to put you in this position. This is my responsibility, not yours."

Sakura's mouth opened but no sound came out. Is that what he truly thought? That the safety of this village…of his clan rested solely upon his shoulders? She was beginning to see why Sasuke loved this man so much. Itachi was the type of person who would carry the village and all of its problems on his shoulders and never falter. Sakura felt admiration well unbidden inside her.

"The safety of this village lies with the shinobi that reside within it--not just with you. I will do what I must, Itachi."

"What was the point in your staying? If you were just going to be forced to marry someone you didn't want you could have returned to your home and married Sasuke."

Sakura shook her head. She understood his reasoning, as his words were very true. She could go home and marry Sasuke, but…

"No one is forcing me to do anything. What I do, I do willingly. If I wanted I could walk away from this."

"Are you saying you want to be my wife?" And suddenly Sakura could clearly see what he was asking of her. He wanted to know if she was going to break his heart. Once she was joined with him in marriage, she would never be able to leave him, he would never allow such a thing. It was not a matter of love, but one of pride. Sakura wondered if perhaps Mikoto had been put in the same situation.

"I'm saying that it's not something that I'm rejecting without thought. There could be worse situations."

A silence settled between the two. They gazed at each other intently, each one waiting for the other to waiver first.

Sakura was the one to break the silence first. The tension in it was just too much for her to take. "So what do you propose we do first?"

He continued to stare at her, weighing her silently. Sakura let out a soft sigh, folded her arms across her chest, and just waited for him to answer her. It seemed like an eternity had passed before he uttered a word. And his words knocked her off balance and snatched her world from beneath her feet.

"You start by leaving Hatake's residence and returning to mine."

:::

She hadn't told Kakashi that she was leaving. Part of the reason was because he disappeared on her so abruptly. The other part was that she wasn't quite ready to walk away from her safety net. She had no relationship with Kakashi except as a roommate and to harass him occasionally about his relationship with Saku, but he represented something to her.

She supposed he represented what she left behind and leaving him meant she was truly closing the door on that part of her life. Tears sprung to Sakura's eyes at the thought. She loved her boys so much. She supposed it hadn't really hit her that she would never see them again. She could still see clearly in her mind Naruto's bright grin, Sasuke's scowl, and Kakashi's-- Sakura swore softly.

She was well aware that there was, in fact, a Naruto and a Sasuke here in this world. One could even say that perhaps they were 'better' than hers. However, in Sakura's mind, there was no one better than her boys.

Her vision blurred and she realized that she was going to have to stop these thoughts. They were doing her no good. In fact, they were crippling her, creating a bitterness that would fester and destroy her unless she learned to accept her losses. A sad smile crossed her lips at the thought. Sakura swiped her face, ridding herself of her tears. She could just imagine the scowl on Sasuke's face if he saw her blubbering like an idiot. Kakashi would tap her upside the head with his beloved pornography and Naruto would stare at her worriedly.

None of that would happen again. Unless--

Sakura blinked as an practically impossible idea popped into her head. But it gave her hope because it wasn't completely impossible. Only practically.

So with renewed determination Sakura put together her remaining belongings.

:::

"Why so serious?" Mikoto asked, not looking at her son. She was in her garden watering her plants. Gardening wasn't something she could do as much as she used to. She had to hire gardeners for the major upkeep, but just watering her plants soothed her nerves.

"I'm engaged once more."

Mikoto froze. She couldn't believe her son had actually listened to her. He was known to follow his own mind which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Actually, the only time that she could think of where it had become a bad thing was his previous engagement to that other Haruno girl. Mikoto frowned, wondering briefly where the girl had come from. She had received no answers from Itachi, nor the Haruno that she actually liked. It was rather annoying and troublesome.

How had Itachi snagged such a girl with a backbone that quickly, anyway? Well, she knew her sons to be suave and charming, but that was a little ridiculous. Had she misjudged the girl? Mikoto frowned. She didn't think so. She was usually a good judge of character so that meant--

"Mother, we need to talk."

Mikoto slowly turned around. Itachi's voice had gone blank which meant he was hiding some emotion from her. Sedately, she walked to a nearby bench and seated herself, arranging her dress neatly around herself and watched as Itachi slowly approached and settled himself at his side.

"There are few things that I don't know," Mikoto restrained herself from rolling her eyes. Mikoto loved her son, she really did, but that statement was far too arrogant--even for him. "And the things that I don't with a little ingenuity of my own I can figure it out." Mikoto nodded her head. She supposed she could agree with that. He had never been one to allow a puzzle go unsolved. He tended to mentally dissect things until he understood them completely. "However, I find for once, that there is something that I don't understand."

Mikoto turned her head and glanced at her child whose eyes seemed to be drinking in the scenery before him. "And what is that?" She inquired softly, awaiting his answer.

"Haruno Sakura."

Mikoto paused considering her words, but couldn't help say what was first and foremost on her mind. "You do realize that she is someone, rather than something."

"I wonder."

Mikoto sighed. She wasn't about to debate the subject with him--at least not today, especially when she was clearly in the right. "Itachi, not being able to understand her is a good thing."

"How so?"

"It means your life will never be dull."

"Perhaps, I want a dull life."

Mikoto raised a brow, knowing her boy was just being contrary. Sasuke usually liked that role, so this was new. "Itachi, you had a dull partner and you weren't satisfied with her. What you need is someone who is more your opposite."

"Mother…did you just call me dull?"

"I would never call you unintelligent. You've often been praised for your intellect," Mikoto said with a wave of her hand. Itachi's eyes narrowed on his mother's deceptively innocent frame and decided to let the comment slid this time.

"If it bothers you so much that you don't know her well, then find her and get to know her. It will ease some of the conflict in your heart. Your father had to chase me across three countries before I promised to marry him. But, he only caught me because he'd taken the time to get to know me."

Itachi rose to his feet and bowed slightly, making a hasty retreat before he was forced yet again to listen to his mother's account of his parent's love story.

:::

"I apologize. I did not mean to keep you waiting." Itachi opened the door to his home silently. He stepped inside and Sakura followed him, feeling like a rabbit stepping into the fox's den. Itachi waited as she kicked off her shoes and padded along behind him. He listened to her gentle steps, wondering if and when she would break. He was surprised she'd held up this long.

"Where are we going? Where do you want me to put my things?" Sakura asked softly. Itachi glanced over his shoulder to find her looking at him curiously.

"Leave your things there. We're going to my office to…talk."

Sakura slowly lowered her bag to the floor and his eyes followed her movements. As she straightened she took a few steps forward so that she could walk at his side and not behind him, and he found his lips curving to a smile at the action. Was it meant to send him some sort of message? He had a feeling that it had.

Itachi continued walking and Sakura was fully aware of the heat that radiated from the man. She found that she wanted to gravitate closer to his body, but withheld from the wild impulse. Instead, she let her mind wander to the possibilities of what he could possibly want to talk about. Wedding plans, perhaps? Sakura wrinkled her nose. She had a feeling that given his status that it would be necessary for him to have some grand and lavish wedding. It would be something that wouldn't bother her if she were in her own world, but she wasn't. Of course, in her own world she wouldn't be marrying Uchiha Itachi.

Sakura blinked, realizing that they had reached his office and they stood inside. Itachi sat behind his desk. His back was straight and he peered at her intensely. It made her uneasy. She had a feeling that she was going to be put through some sort of inquisition.

"What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Nothing in particular."

Silence engulfed the room with Sakura looking at Itachi as if he had grown another head and Itachi waited patiently for Sakura to start the conversation.

"So--" Sakura began, "You brought me in here to discuss…nothing?"

Itachi frowned. "Of course not."

"Then…" Sakura said encouragingly.

"You claim you're Haruno Sakura and yet you're not Saku. In what ways?"

Sakura eye twitched in irritation. His statement made it seem like there was possibility that her earlier statements declaring that while she was Haruno Sakura that she was a separate entity from her counterpart could be false. Instinct told her to blast him, but she had learned one thing since she had been here in this odd world. That one thing was that Uchiha Itachi's actions could easily be misinterpreted. So, Sakura took a deep breath and calmly spoke. "Are you trying to get to know me?" Itachi nodded his head curtly. Sakura had asked the question and yet she found herself surprised yet pleased by the reply. "Then might I suggest that we change the setting. Sitting in here makes me feel like I'm in Ibiki's interrogation unit."

Itachi glanced around him. "There is nothing wrong with my office."

Sakura immediately countered. "Then let me sit behind the desk so I can stare at you all suspicious like."

Itachi felt his lips quirk upwards. "If you're uncomfortable standing there then take a seat. There are chairs."

Sakura glanced around her, noting that he was right. There were chairs that she could sit in, but that would make it all so impersonal. She really didn't have the time for impersonal. She had no idea what bit of naughtiness had awakened within her, but she strode over to his desk and slid on top of it. She placed her arms at her sides and looked down at him. His features remained blank, but Sakura had a feeling he didn't like her position.

"So, you wanted to talk."

"…yes."

"About the wedding?"

Itachi realized that the wedding was as good of a place to start as any. "My mother will plan the wedding if you do not wish to."

"Why would I let someone I hardly know plan my wedding? No disrespect to your mother, but a woman's wedding is a woman's wedding. It's special."

"You have no problem with doing it all yourself?"

"All by myself? Isn't this your wedding, too?"

"Weddings are for women, not men." Oh… no… he… didn't…

"…"

"…"

"Are you serious?"

"It is a well known fact."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "I suppose the only things I need for the wedding, anyway, are a few kunai held to my back."

Itachi's eyes sharpened on Sakura's frame. "So you do feel forced."

Sakura took in the strained look on his face. "It was a joke, Itachi." When it was evident that he didn't believe her she sighed. Eventually, he looked away from her and that made Sakura frown. This road she was walking down was evidently going to have more bumps in it than she had realized.

"You still love her, don't you?"

"No." Sakura wasn't sure that she believed him. His denial was immediate and yet…

"Then it must be hard to have to marry a woman with her exact face." He didn't reply and Sakura sighed. "You were the one who wanted to talk, Itachi."

"About you." Sakura mentally cursed herself as she felt a blush stain her cheeks. Why would she blush because he wanted to know her better? It was only natural that he would. "I find you to be an enigma and I want to figure you out." Sakura tilted her head to the side considering his words.

"And what happens once you do?"

"Satisfaction."

"And then?"

"We'll see."

Sakura stared down at him, noting that he was staring at her just as intently. It made her slide off his desk and move behind his chair so that he could not see her, but he was not to be deterred. He merely swiveled his chair around so that he could watch her movements--or rather her lack thereof. For a moment she felt frozen, as if Shikamaru held her tightly in one of his shadow jutsu. Sakura felt it was funny that a pair of eyes could hold her thus.

"I want to know the woman you are." Sakura felt her heart rate pick up and her palms dampen.

"Then ask me anything."

"Anything?" Itachi inquired and Sakura nodded her head. "Are you certain?"

"Yes."

"Then, I must ask…do you want to return home?"

Sakura sighed, thinking on Itachi's question. "If I could go back and spend a little time with my friends then yes, I would, but that's not what you're asking is it?" Sakura walked to the other side of the room, suddenly uncomfortable with her close proximity to Itachi. Her heart ached for her team, but that didn't mean that she'd abandon her fiancé for those bonds.

That is precisely what Itachi was--her fiancé.

"Itachi, marriage is not an uncommon occurrence. Women leave behind their family, friends and villages for new lives with their husbands. Do I miss them? Yes. Do I want to go back to them? Yes. Will I? No. My place now is here with you. I accept that. I understand that. I won't deny that. I'm not leaving you. If you want to get rid of me then you will have to do the leaving."

Itachi rose to his feet and walked to where Sakura stood. Sakura's shoulders stiffened as he advanced. She had no idea what was on his mind and it unnerved her more than she'd like to admit.

"It was not my intention to imply that you had no integrity, or that you would leave at the first opportunity. My wish is to ascertain what you desire."

"Why?"

"Because your happiness is now my responsibility. I intend to ensure it."

Sakura scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. You can't ensure someone's happiness."

"I can." The surety in his voice let Sakura know that he was serious. He truly believed that he could serve happiness to her on a silver platter. He reminded her of Naruto with that self assurance. Either he was insanely arrogant, or he was a kind hearted man. She was beginning to believe he was both. "You don't believe me."

"I don't," Sakura informed him.

"Why?"

"Because, I know better than anyone that you can offer a person the world, your whole being, in order to make them happy but they can simply reject it."

"Is that your intention?"

"…no."

"Then I don't see the problem." Sakura pursed her lips together momentarily stumped. The man was a piece of work. Sakura folded her arms across her chest and looked at him mutinously. "You're a rather stubborn woman."

"And you're a ridiculously arrogant man." Itachi simply shrugged as if her statement was of no consequence. "Let me ask you a question, this time." Itachi raised a brow that Sakura ignored. "Do you think…in the end…that you could be happy with me?" Sakura could tell by the look in his eyes that he was going to attempt to avoid the question. Sakura lightly placed her hand on his chest and looked up at him imploringly. She could feel the steady beat of his heart beneath her palm and she wondered why such a thing would cause hers to speed up. Itachi's head leaned down closer to hers and for once she didn't feel anxiety, worry, or anything at all except a heat low in her stomach as his lips lightly touched hers. He pulled away too swiftly for her tastes. Sakura was so busy mentally complaining about her lack of physical contact with him that she almost missed

"I'd like to try."

My thanks to BlueArcticWolf for betaing this for me.