a/n Yeah...I know...last chap was shitty. BUT I...left a review for myself! XD yeah, I was bored...that was one long review...anywho, I hope I can get this chap out today (5/17/07) but of course, with my luck, I won't finish it till days later. Hopefully, we all pray! Anywho...PLEASE R&R! I am SO happy with the hits/amounts of reviews comin in! THANX SO MUCH TO ANYONE WHO REVIEWS! Just continue with it, byezzz!

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Lifting herself up from her bed, Sakura stretched and yawned lazily, rubbing her arms as she blinked the sleep out of her eyes. That was a hell of a night. She thought, the memories of the night before coming back into focus. At least the boys made an effort of getting our 'party goers' back. She smiled at the memory of this. Sakura herself had in fact been surprised that the boys had made an effort to get her drunken friends back to their cabin. Sakura and Hinata ended up taking the girls on their own departures, the boys following to make sure they were okay, and brought them to their rooms.

The four girls were sharing two cabins connected by an optional locking-door. Hinata and Tenten were bunking in one cabin while Ino and Sakura were bunking in the other.

Ino had lazily stumbled into bed last night and the various bangs heard from the other cabin were a sign that Hinata was facing the same difficulties with Tenten.

When all had been settled, Ino and Tenten had finally passed out on their beds, Hinata and Sakura bidding each other a quick goodnight before attempting a peaceful sleep, ignoring their cabin-mates loud and consistent snoring.

Sakura stood up out of her bed and walked to the bathroom. She looked into the mirror and splashed water on her face. She then stripped of her clothes and hopped in the shower.

Fifteen minutes later, she stepped out, wrapped in a sky blue towel. She walked to the connecting door and knocked lightly. A few moments later, the shuffling of feet was heard before Hinata opened the door. She was standing in a pale tan robe and had a mug of coffee in her hand.

"Oh, S-sakura, i-is everything a-alright?" She asked quietly, as not to disturb the sleeping drunks.

"Yeah, I just wanted to let you know that I'm probably going to be out of the room for the next hour. I'm gonna go jogging on the track on deck. Ino's gonna be here alone so if you hear anything-"

"A-alright, everything w-will be taken c-care of." Hinata said with a smile. Sakura smiled back, whispering a quick "Thanks." before shutting the door and heading over to her closet.

Rummaging through the various shelves, she ended up picking a red pair of shorts, a maroon spaghetti-strap tank, and a pair of white jogging shoes.

After changing and leaving an Advil and a glass of water beside Ino's bed, she grabbed her ipod and closed the door.

Walking through the hallways and watching the waves through the window, she thought back to Sasuke's actions the night before.

"I really should pay him back." She muttered to herself.

Now reaching the top deck, she pulled her ipod from her pocket and searched through the songs. Finally deciding on 1, 2 Step by Ciara, she slipped her ipod back in her pocket and began jogging around the track.

As she ran, Sakura occasionally looked to her left or right, her right being the view of the ocean and her left either being a restaurant through wall length windows or the set of stairs leading to the workout room. Unintentionally, she began thinking of Sasuke once again.

'Why did he pay for me? He barely even knows me... I hope I meet up with him again, I could pay him back at least...' She had now finished a lap around the boat and began running at a brisk pace.

'I wonder where his room is... on such a big boat, it really would be a coincidence to run into him aga-' Just as she was running, her leg locked and she began to fall.

Letting out a quick yelp, she began to prepare for the impact of the ground against her body but was surprised when she felt a pair of string arms grab her.

She was 'picked' up and now leaning against a body. Looking up, emerald met onyx.

"Sasuke." She said quietly. He helped her gain balance, holding her waist so she wouldn't fall while she massaged the muscles throughout the leg that had given way.

He smirked at her. "You're always getting yourself into trouble, you do realize that, don't you? You're lucky I'm around as much as I am."

She looked up at him and smirked back.

"So, instead of Sasuke, maybe I should just address you as 'My Hero', hm?" She asked, a hint of sarcasm voicing through.

"No, I don't care for being flattered." He replied.

She rolled her eyes before looking down at his arms. She let out a pale blush.

"You could let me go now." She dropped her eyes and immediately felt his arms give way. She leaned against the side of the boat, taking a test-step with her aching leg. She pressed down on the deck and hissed out a sharp cry of pain as it raced up her leg, soaring from her ankle. She looked up.

"Would you mind-" She began to ask but was interrupted when Sasuke spoke. "Do you want ice? There's some back at my room." She hesitated for a moment, but the pain from her ankle changed her mind and she quickly gave an appreciative smile.

"Thanks." She said. Sasuke took a step towards her again and wrapped an arm around her waist while she let her other arm rest around his shoulders. They began walking to his room, down the hallway Sakura had just come from. After a few moments of silence, she spoke.

"So...Sasuke...I've been wondering..." She began...her words slowing with each pause. "Why did you pay for me? We barely know each other." Sakura stated lamely, taking a daring glance at his face which was staring straight ahead.

"Growing up at home," he spoke quietly. "It was always taught that manners meant everything and it's just out of respect that a man would pay for a women." He finally took a glance at her to see that she was staring at him, a half smile on her face. "What?" he asked.

"Oh...sorry. It's nothing..." She said, quickly looking away, slightly embarrassed at being caught mid stare. He dismissed it and they walked in silence. Finally, after walking for a few minutes, Sasuke stopped and turned to the last door at the end of the hallway. HE picked a key from his pocket and turned it in the lock, pushing open the door.

What was compared to Sakura and Ino's rom was almost completely similar except for some minor differences. One being that one side of the room was completely neat, everything in place, nothing out of line as to the other half was cluttered with clothes, boxers, energy drink cans, and any other miscellaneous items. Sakura peered at the bed on the cluttered side of the room and saw a foot and hand poking out from under a neon orange blanket while it rose repeatedly and emitted large (at what seemed to be) dying animal calls.

Without question, a complete statement, she spoke "Naruto." With this, she received a nod from her other supporting half. He nudged her arm, bringing her out of her thinking state and motioned towards the clean bed out of the room. She began walking as best as possible to the bed where Sasuke helped her sit on the mattress while elevating her leg on a pillow.

"I'm really sorry, I should've just went back to my room, I didn't mean to bother you." She began but was silenced when Sasuke sent her a 'look'. She immediately shut up and watched as he walked over to a small refrigerator in the corner of the room and opened the freezer, pulling out a small ice pack.

"They always have everything, just in case." Sakura murmured to herself as Sasuke wrapped it in paper towel and brought it over to her resting form. She thankfully took the pack, placing it on her sore ankle before sitting back slightly. She now suddenly felt awkward, he was alone with Sasuke and a sleeping Naruto, nothing much to say or do, just lucky enough that he let her come to his room which in fact was closer than her own, and graciously offered her something to ease her pain. She remained quiet, rubbing her arms out of a habit of discomfort.

He stood there, hands in pockets, just watching her sooth her ankle, not moving, just watching.

Awkward? NAH!

Finally, Sakura noticed a picture frame resting on the night stand next to Sasuke's bed. Gazing at it, she saw a women, beautiful shining black hair, warm eyes, a man, stern and yet sophisticated looking, a younger man, black hair in ponytail, fierce, piercing eyes, and finally a younger boy whom Sakura assumed to be Sasuke, smiling at the camera, standing between the two adults and younger man.

So happy. All so happy. And Sasuke, smiling, and yet, that had been the only smile she'd seen of him. A picture, from what appeared to be years ago.

Hoping not to be rude, she asked carelessly "So...are those your parents?" He was silent. She turned to him and was surprised to see his face turned away, the only thing visible being his eyes and she was shocked to see a hint of anger gleaming through.

"Yes. Those are my parents, and my brother." He spoke quietly and yet she was still able to hear the tone of anger lacing his words. She spoke, throwing caution into the wind "Do you not get along with them?" She asked quietly, quickly. He didn't respond at first. She eventually settled eith the fact that he may refuse to answer but he finally spoke. "It's not that we don't get along...it's jut that my father doesn't always approve of me as he does my brother." These were the words he spoke and yet the seemed to have more of an impact than anything else.

They were then silent once more.

Eventually, he spoke again. "I think you should check your ankle." She looked at it and nodded. She placed the ice pack on the bed and slowly stood. Testing the ankle on the floor, it came off as okay and she eventually stood. Attempting to keep her balance, she walked a few steps before she wobbled a bit.

Sasuke was immediately there, holding her hand lightly and helping her walk. Within two steps, she felt confident enough to walk on her own, she let go of his hand and began walking.

Suddenly, her ankle gave ut once more and she tried grabbing onto the closest thing, in this case it being Sasuke, and she toppled on top of him. Landing with a thud, she fell onto the ground...more so Sasuke's chest, and was momentarily frozen.

"If you guy's are gonna do somethin, do it when I'm not here, okay?"

Sakura's face immediately colored and she leapt off Sasuke as soon as she could.

"It wasn't like that Naruto, it was-"

"An accident, sure...That's what they all say Sakura."

Both she and Sasuke sent the grinning blonde a death glare before standing from the ground and dusting themselves off.

So embarrassing. She thought to herself.

Groaning, she made an attempt to break the silence.

"Well...I'm gonna head back to my room, okay?"

"Hn." Sasuke spoke, picking up the fallen ice pack and bringing it to the freezer.

"Hey, how about we all hang out again today? Besides, Shikamaru and Neji said they wanted to check up on Ino and Tenten anyways. So...?" He left the sentence hanging, everyone glancing at each other before Sasuke spoke "I don't care." Naruto grinned.

"Yes! I'll go tell Naji and Shikamaru!" He ran out of the room, slamming the door as he left. Sakura took another glance at Sasuke's form before sighing.

...Yup, things are just getting better and better, eh?...

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a/n Of course...it took a while but I got it done. Now, here comes your turn to assist.

One, you need to R&R! That helps me get my chapters out, it gives me confidence, it gets me goin...it's my anti-drug, Kk?

Two, I need ideas of things to do on a cruise. We need more awkward moments, more love scenes, eh? More disturbing and just plain out embaressing incidents! Work with me people!

Thanx much for all the previous reviews, lots of luff!

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