AN: Oh my! Sorry it has been way too long. I am so sorry. :( It seemed like everytime I sat down to write I could never get too much done. But here is the next chapter. Thank you for being patient. ENJOY!

Sasuke knelt by a small stream, filling his empty water pouch. It's been one week since he started his search for Sakura. And three days since he learned Sakura had been staying in Suna for those first three weeks. Unfortunately for him she was on the move again, and damn it she was good.

He capped his water pouch and secured it over his shoulder, before dipping his hands in and running his them over his face and hair. He was currently on the outskirts of fire country and he could still feel the blazing heat from the desert he had just left. He was sore and tired, going none stop just to catch up with her.

"Where the hell are you?" He asked out loud, as if hoping someone would just tell him where she was

That Night

In a small village somewhere on the border of Earth Country, Sakura sat in the dark corner of a local pub. Sipping slowly on the drink she held in her hand. Surprisingly she didn't draw too much attention to herself, considering the pub was swarmed with males and the lack of females was an understatement.

She watched as the waitress, who she assumed was the pub owner's wife, quickly bounce from table to table. The woman must have been in her mid-forties, and here she was stuck in a world full of males, exposed, vulnerable. Well that's what she thought until she saw the 5'3 woman knock a man to the floor in one hit; it seemed she was very capable of taking care of herself. She had to laugh.

Her eyes wondered the loud room, at a table only a short distance from her own she could here the three occupants in a heated debate about whether beef ramen was better than pork ramen. She rolled her eyes at such a ridiculous topic. But the pain she felt clench her chest didn't go unnoticed.

Quickly she finished off her glass, putting a hand up declining when the waitress appeared in no time to fill it back up. She had enough for the night, not enough to get her drunk but enough to numb the pain. Staying close to the shadows she found her way outside.

The cool night breeze stung her cheeks stepping out from stuffy, hot building. The street outside was dark and quiet; the faint light from the half moon barely lit the ground. She had thought about staying at the Inn near the edge of town, a hot shower was extremely tempting. But she knew that Gaara would inform Tsunade of her being in Suna and was sure that she would send the Anbu after her.

Setting out into the darkness she knew where her destination lie. Her home was the hidden leaf, she couldn't deny or runaway from that fact no matter how far she ran. Past events in her life were life changing yes, but the fact was is that they were in the past; nothing could be done about them now. Just thinking about the time she wasted, the years, made her sick to her stomach.

The sudden image of the one night she spent with the two men she had once been so close to flashed in her mind. Quickly shaking the image away, only it wouldn't disperse, instead another image and then another. Only soon Naruto was no longer there and instead only her and Sasuke remained. The touch of his hands, his hard body pressed against hers, his dark lust filled eyes…………..

Distracted, Sakura hit the hard ground with an ungraceful flailing of her arms attempting to break her fall. With a painful groan she picked herself up, sitting up she brushed the dirt from her clothes scowling. "Damn it" She really had to get these thoughts under control before she seriously injured herself.

The Next Day

Sakura's pace slowed as she approached the gates of Konoha, just s few hundred more feet and she would face her fate. She was scared. Not for the punishment she knew she was soon going to be sentenced, but to see those who she abandoned, Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke……

She let out a heavy sigh. Sasuke was the one she wanted to see the least. In all that as happened since there mission, things defiantly have changed. She wanted so much to just forget about her feelings towards him, even more now that she discovered Naruto feelings were deeper then she realized.

She loved Naruto yes. As a close friend, but not in the way he wanted her too. And Sasuke, her heart ached just thinking about him. It was going to take her even longer now to forget him now. Hell her body heated up every time she thought about him.

The gates seemed to close in on her as she stepped through them. Her head was held high as she stared into the masks of the Anbu who were waiting her. She looked over at Izumo and Kotetsu, their look was stern but a slight hint of pity and concern shown through. She took a deep breath and gazed at the blue sky before she put her hands out signaling her defeat.

Sasuke made his way fast over the forest floor, his hope in finding her failing. Pushing the thought to the back of mind he picked up pace. Right now he just wanted her to be safe and in his arms. He didn't know when it was that he realized his feelings or how strong they were, but that didn't matter anymore. The point was he loved her.

Thinking about it the truth almost made him panic. Never in his life had he ever felt this way. Needing her more the air he breathed. He felt this was his punishment for letting her go in the first place, loving her so much and not being able to have her.

At least that was how he figured this whole situation was going to end. To this day he his still angry with himself for letting Naruto get so close to her. Sure the sex he shared with them was different and exciting, but that wasn't how he wanted it. He wanted Sakura for himself, he didn't want to share her with anybody.

'But will she even take me back?' This was the question he has been asking himself for months. He really didn't deserve her or her forgiveness; he after all was the one who pushed her away.

The sound of a hawk above him drew him from his thoughts. Seeing it was sent from Konoha and learning of the message it was sent with, he took off towards the Leaf village.

Refusing to meet the gaze of the angered Hokage, Sakura stared straight ahead of her grounded firm to where she stood. They have been sitting in silence for several minutes, she didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.

Even without looking, Sakura knew that Tsunade eyes were narrowed, her mouth set in a stern frown, and her hands interlocked in front of her. She always did that when she was angry, Sakura had come to believe she kept her hands locked together to avoid hitting something or someone, which in this case would be her.

"Well" Tsunade finally spoke. "Do you have an explanation for what you've done?"

"I have none" Sakura did her best to sound confident. Put she couldn't help flinching when Tsunade slammed her fist into her desk.

"Sakura Haruno, I don't know what the hell you thinking. You broke more laws then you want to hear about! Damn it, you walked out on a mission Sakura. How the hell can you tell me you have no explanation for it?"

Sakura stood motionless. She had no desire at this point in time to discuss her personal with the angered woman. And besides that it was a sorry excuse. The Shinobi rules did state to never let personal issues interfere with a mission. "I apologize. And with all due respect, please issue my punishment." She wanted it to just be over and done with.

After a moment Tsunade gave a struggled sigh and sat back down. She couldn't make the woman speak, so she had no other choice. "You are to be under house arrest until a fitting punishment is decided."

Sasuke swore under his breath as he barged into Tsunade's office. It took a day to return and he had no time to waste. He had to see Sakura.

"Where is she?!" He ordered. He hadn't slept and his body was growing weak and tired.

Shizune was looking shocked as she stood beside Tsunade's desk. Tsunade glanced up before returning to her paperwork. "Sasuke glad your back I have a mission….."

"Where is she damn it?!" He didn't want to hear any of this crap about being assigned a mission.

Tsunade looked at him irritated. "She is under house arrest until a punishment is decided. Until then I suggest you…..Hey! Don't just run out here when I'm talking to you!" Tsunade yelled after him as he disappeared out the door. "That damn kid" She shook her head as she returned to her previous task.

"Is wise to let him run off like that? He will go you know." Shizune stated.

"That's what I am hoping for" Tsunade said nonchalantly. Shizune's expression was priceless. "I may old Shizune, but I'm not blind" She laughed.

Sakura sat on her couch staring into space. Being cooped up in this apartment was probably worst punishment then the one she is to receive later. In a day she already had the place cleaned from front to back. She's read three books already. She slumped further onto the couch. "It's only been a day." She whined to herself.

Loud voices caught her attention from outside her front door. It sounded like arguing. Getting up to investigate, she had barely made to her feet when her front door flung open. Her heart skipped when she saw Sasuke standing in her doorway. The look on his face wasn't even close to being happy.

"Sa…Sasuke what are you doing here?" She asked quietly. With a word he began towards her taking large strides closing the distance quickly. She took a step back, but before she knew it he was right in front reaching for her.

"Sakura" he gave a relieved sigh as he pulled her to him. He buried his head in the nape of her neck taking in her intoxicating scent.

She attempted to struggle free shocked by his actions. "Sasuke, what are you doing? Let…." She was quickly silenced by his mouth. Her eyes fluttered shut and her mind went blank as gave in to him.

The kiss was passionate, unlike any other she had experienced before. His tongue slipped through her slightly parted lips dominating every inch of her mouth. He moved his hand to the back of her neck pushing into him even more. A moan escaped her throat as his other hand moved down her back.

In one swift movement Sasuke had her pinned beneath him on the couch. Sakura looked up at him with lust blurred vision. He kissed the corner of her mouth, moving down to her jaw, her neck. She closed her eyes, enjoying his touch, his lips on her skin. Hoping he would sure the ache she currently had between her legs.

Suddenly his weight shifted on top of her and ministrations seized. She opened her eyes and propped herself up on her elbows. "Sasuke what wrong?" Of course she learned quickly he wasn't going answer. His eyes were closed and his breathing was steady. He was sleeping.

Sakura sighed and attempted to move out from under him. But every time she moved his gripped tightened, keeping her in place. She just laid back down hoping he wouldn't sleep to long, because it would be a wasted effort to try and wake him. Also, she didn't care how she felt, he had some serious business to finish.

AN: Weeelllll What did you think? Please review. I also promise the next chapter will be up soon, with alittle...petting...lol...