Another First Time

Chapter 12: And Then My World Fell

Sakura was In A Good Mood.

Mostly because Izumo and Ino were due to visit them again in a couple of days. It had all been arranged by Mara herself, something that Sakura found rather funny because the poor old woman was under the impression that the duo were going to finalize some waist measurements or the like. But it was true that the less Mara knew about the true nature of the visit, the better. After all, they had a potential killer on the loose after the head of the family.

Looking down on her schedule, Sakura skimmed its contents to see when she had free time.

Accounts, invitations, tea with Junko, nap - which, Sakura knew, really translated to "training" - , doctor's appointment, oversee dinner preparations-

Doctor's appointment?

Strange.

She made a mental note to ask later and went on skimming.

Her mindless musings were interrupted by Mara, who had quietly entered and closed the door behind her. Sakura looked up and smiled, welcoming the woman's comforting presence.

"Kanako-sama," she greeted, setting down a hot cup of tea, looking expectantly at Sakura. Said kunoichi, noticing the servant's look, put her book down and asked, "Is something the matter, Mara-san?"

Mara smiled and replied, "Nothing really, but I would just like to remind you that your wedding anniversary with Hideki-sama is in two days. With all of Junko-sama's wedding preparations keeping you occupied, I thought you might have forgotten."

Sakura had to work to keep the demure smile on her face.

"Ah, thank you for reminding me. I'm afraid that, like you said, with all of Junko's preparations, I had forgotten."

Mara nodded knowingly and went on. "Yes, my lady. So I took it upon myself to clear that day for Hideki-sama and yourself. Please take a day or two off for yourselves. Perhaps the two of you take a short vacation at the onsen nearby, just to relax."

Sakura sighed and thought about it. Since Mara herself had planned this, it would be a waste to let go of an opportunity to relax and also to collect for information. A chance like this was rare and might not come again. On the other hand, Ino and Izumo were due to visit in two days - chances were, she and Sai would have to reschedule their meeting if the two of them were to be away from the household.

But still, the promise of a hot spring vacation tempted Sakura sorely. And really, it had been a long time since she had given in to temptation. Making up her mind, Sakura replied, "That is a good idea. However, I am due for a meeting with the merchant couple who sold us the silks and wedding fabrics, so please, help me reschedule our meeting for after."

"Yes, Kanako-sama," Mara smiled, before turning to bow herself out.

"Oh, and Mara-san?" Sakura called out, hit by a sudden inspiration.

"Yes, my lady?"

"Please also reschedule my doctor's appointment for later as well. If I am to leave in a couple of days, I want to see to it that everything in the household is in order first."

"That will be done," Mara promised, as she left the room.

Sakura smiled, satisfied with the thought of an upcoming vacation. It was just so nice of Mara to plan so nicely for the two of them.

Two hours later at lunchtime, Sai was informed of their upcoming "vacation". He had felt it was a good idea as well, mostly because then he and Sakura would be able to dispel their clones and go scouting for information. Sakura had heartily agreed, although it was probably quite obvious that her ulterior motive had to do with the hot springs.

Within the afternoon, Ino had written back, saying she and Izumo would come in four days as she had an "appointment" with an official's wife. This translated to her going on a reconnaissance mission, probably to get more information for Sakura and Sai. The last time Sakura had gotten a message from Ino, it had seemed the blonde was really getting on to something within the Sennami household.

The day of their departure dawned brightly, promising two full days of rest and relaxation, at least on Sakura's part. In Sai's case, it spelled problem-free information scouting. Yet even with a cloudless sky as a good omen, Sakura couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't right – her intuition was calling out to her again. But she attributed it to nerves – after all, this was the first time since she had arrived that she would exit the main gates of the Takahashi household. If they were quick, they might even be able to dash into Konoha for a while before heading back.

Sai and Sakura chatted idly as the carriage they were on rolled along. The brisk fall weather had somehow faded into blazing heat, rendering the day quite stuffy. Still, nothing could dampen Sakura's enthusiasm for a good soak. When the sun was directly overhead, the carriage slowed to a halt in front of the onsen.

Sakura hopped out and stretched, ignoring Sai's pointed stare, past caring whether or not it was ladylike to stretch so openly – her bottom was hurting, and it was very clear to her that she could've run so much faster.

Waiting until the carriage had rolled the driver safely out of sight and hearing range, Sakura dispelled her henge and laughed gleefully, eager for a cool lunch and a warm soak.

Sai, catching Sakura by the wrist, said, "Are you sure it's smart to go in as yourself?"

Sakura shrugged and replied, "It's not like they've seen Hideki and Kanako before. The two of them were intensely private, weren't they? I've lived in Fire Country all my life and yet I saw them for the first time when we accepted this mission."

Sai relented, letting go of her wrist. He too, was quite weary of parading as someone he was not, and was just as happy as she was to dispel his transformation, although he would never admit it.

As she soaked in blissful quiet, the silence broken only by birds and the rustling of the fallen leaves, Sakura thought. Thought about her life as it was – the people she had met, the sights she had seen, the skills she had honed, and the man – Sai - she had come to really know.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a shadow that flitted into her peripheral vision. Instinctively throwing a kunai in that direction, she discovered it was merely a clone of Sai as it disappeared with a puff of smoke and a pop. In the clone's place was a bound scroll. Wading across the shallow water, she reached over the jagged rocks and gingerly retrieved it, trying not to wet it too much.

It was sealed with Ino's signature. Excited, Sakura opened it and quickly scanned the contents.

Hey guys!

So…I hear you're off to some "anniversary vacation" while I'm here slaving away as some geisha! It's alright, I'll get back at you guys sometime. Maybe, when I'm back in Konoha, I'll tell Lee-san that you (Sakura!) have come to the realization that you're madly in love with him. And maybe I'll unleash your (Sai!) fanclub on you. Yes, he does have one. Hard to believe, eh?(And I was just kidding about Lee, Sakura!)

Whatever.

Anyways, I just had to tell you that now, I'm pretty certain our dear daimyo wasn't bullshitting when he said he and Kanako-san were being targeted. That family I've been tailing – Sennami, Junko-san's fiancé, seem to be in the middle of some sort of deal. With the kind of people you really shouldn't trust. I'm not sure about it yet, but you guys should really keep on your toes. Of course, they don't know that you're undercover, and I'm positive they haven't sent anyone into the Takahashi household (yet), but still.

Keep safe; I'll see you guys soon!

Ino

Happy about the new leads and nursing a slight worry for her blonde, flighty, and rather reckless best friend, Sakura sighed and sank lower into the water, relishing the last vestiges of peace that the hot water offered her.

Miles away, Sai nearly smacked his forehead in disbelief. He had forgotten that when a clone gets dispelled, the person who created the clone would reap the information the clone had discovered automatically. And it just so happened his clone had caught Sakura at a most inconvenient time – nude and surrounded by clouds of steam. That image of a bare-shouldered Sakura…he was certain the red tinting his cheeks would flare up again once he saw her when he got back.

Time passed quickly for the kunoichi dozing in the water. As twilight fell, the chill came and roused Sakura from her light slumber. Sighing happily, she got out of the water, donning a fluffy white bathrobe she had snuck into her baggage in favour of the stiff yukatas provided. For Sakura, it was comfort over style any day. Padding lightly into their room, she wasn't surprised to find the window open, the room silent save for the scratching of pen on paper and the occasional bird call.

He was sitting on the windowsill, legs dangling limply with a sketchbook in his hands. She skipped up to him and hoisted herself up beside him.

"Don't let your wet hair get my papers wet," he absently said, pen flying over the pristine white paper.

Sakura found herself once again entranced by the way the ink flowing from his pen created such beautiful sketches. Sighing wistfully, Sakura said, "I wish I could draw like that."

Sai "hn"-ed absentmindedly and Sakura didn't feel the need to press her point any further. They sat in amicable silence until Sai finished his picture with a scribbled date at the bottom and turned to Sakura.

"You say you want to draw like this?" he asked, turning to a fresh page.

Sakura nodded, not quite understanding where he was going.

"Here," Sai handed her the pen. "Try sketching that tree over there. All you have to do is try to keep the proportions correct and leave the details out until you've got a basic idea of where everything goes."

"I'm a terrible artist," Sakura warned, although she took the pen and pad from him.

He shrugged. "Everyone has to start from somewhere. My drawings have improved from when you first saw them, haven't they?"

"I suppose so," Sakura smiled, and she turned to the tree, mind focusing on the task at hand.

And yet, her confession of being a terrible artist rang true – her pen strokes were not smooth and practiced like Sai's, but hesitant and crooked.

"No no, not like that," Sai said, and instead of taking the pen from her like she had expected, he reached over and put his larger hand over hers, acting as a guide for her.

"You should sketch the trunk first, since it's the largest and simplest shape that makes up the tree," he instructed, lightly leading her hand to make the strokes.

With his right hand covering hers and his left hand on her other side, steadying the sketchpad, Sakura was hyperaware of the male sitting slightly behind her. His chest was lightly pressed against her back, enabling her to feel every fluttering beat of his heart. His head hovered near her shoulder, brow slightly creased in concentration as he focused on guiding her hand - she could feel every warm breath he exhaled against her damp shoulder.

It was driving her crazy, and she didn't know why. Or maybe, she actually did.

She had fallen, just as hard as she had the last time.

She could almost roll her eyes at the irony - of all the eligible men she had to have fallen for, it just HAD to be a dark-haired, pale-skinned one. One who had been, on more than one occasion, called a clone of Sasuke because of their similar appearances.

And the thing that ticked her off the most was that everyone, including Sai himself, would probably think she fell for him because he was an image of Sasuke. And dammit, that was NOT the case! If anything, she fell for him because he was so DIFFERENT from Sasuke.

Through the months she had worked one-on-one with Sai, she had seen so many different sides of him - sides she hated, sides she loved. But she found she could accept every single one of them.

And that realization sent a jolt through her.

She was in love.

Again.

His hand paused when he felt her stiffen. Moving away slightly, he saw her flushed cheeks and asked, "What's wrong?"

She shook her head furiously and answered, "Nothing."

Sai mentally shrugged and continued guiding her hand, trying to salvage the sketch as best as he could. Sakura really wasn't lying when she said she had no artistic talent at all, but then again, Sai's bountiful drawing talent evened the balance a bit, and by the time night had completely fallen, the tree on the page looked like a tree again.

When he released her hand, she jumped up, still rather flustered, and hurriedly said, "Goodnight" before turning her heel and leaving in the direction of the futon.

An almost imperceptible frown marred his smooth brow as he looked upon the form of Sakura, curled under the sheets. It wasn't like her to be this jumpy. But then again, she was prone to change moods just like that, so it didn't surprise him too much. Maybe she was just having one of those days.

Under the sheets, Sakura took deep breaths and decided to think. Now an older, and hopefully wiser young woman, Sakura knew that her chances with Sai, while not exactly non-existent, would be slim. While not as socially retarded as he used to, he still didn't have an excellent grip on his emotions. Furthermore, relationships between shinobi were often precarious – it was hard to say when the other might fall in the line of duty.

To Sakura, being honest to herself about her feelings was already enough. People said that it was better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, but Sakura thought that maybe in her case, it might just be better to simply love, without the chancing the losing part. Watching from afar wasn't that bad – it just took a little bit of inner strength.

Hell, she was strong enough to take a little bit of unrequited love, wasn't she?

Maybe someday she would get over him and find herself a nice, civilian man – strong enough to know that one day she might suddenly leave him but not so strong that he would be overprotective. Someone who would not be afraid of the burden that shinobi carried, someone who could hopefully share her burden. And maybe someday, have some kids – adopt some kids, and build that future she had always envisioned with Sasuke, full of laughter and joy.

"Don't act too excited," Sai warned, as the two walked down the corridor to the foyer, where Ino and Izumo were undoubtedly waiting. Mara had sent for them only moments ago, yet Sakura already was halfway down the hall when Sai caught up to her and pulled her behind him.

"I'll try," Sakura said, almost biting her lip in anticipation. Months parading as housewife living in luxury had really taken a toll on her emotions - she was finding it much harder than it should to suppress the feelings she felt.

Ever since Ino's letter had reached the two of them at the onsen, both shinobi had been impatiently waiting for the time when they would see Ino again, eager to glean more information from her. With her charm, Ino would undoubtedly be able to provide a clearer and more accurate description of what they might be going up against.

The two were taken by surprise when, instead of one blond-haired, blue-eyed woman greeting them with a smile, there was a brown-haired, brown-eyed one in her place. Izumo was standing beside Tenten, a rather strained smile on his face.

Tenten and Izumo bowed, and Sai gestured for them to sit down as he and Sakura sat down as well.

Clearing his throat, Sai said, "Thank you for rescheduling this appointment. Your help is greatly appreciated by Kanako, I would imagine."

Sakura smiled and replied, "Yes, that is true."

Turning to the two in front of her, she asked, "I haven't seen you before. May I ask who you are?"

Tenten smiled and bowed, while Izumo answered, "This is my sister, my lady."

"Oh?" Sakura said, pretending to be surprised. "Is your wife unwell? I was hoping to discuss the finer points of Junko's ornamentation with her."

Izumo looked away and mumbled, "Yes, my lady. I'm afraid she is currently unwell, and is resting at home."

Sakura nodded her head and replied, "Oh, I see. Well, please send her my greetings."

"Of course," he replied. After a pause, Izumo started again. "My sister came with me because I am afraid some of the measurements for Kanako-sama's skirts don't match up. We will have to remeasure you."

Sai scowled and pretended to be annoyed. "How could you have done that? How hard is it to make correct measurements?"

"I'm sorry, my lord," Izumo murmured, bowing low. Sakura placed a hand on Sai's, playing the part of the placating wife, and turned to the pair in front of her. "It is no problem. Let us go into an adjoining room."

Turning to the elderly servant at the door, Sakura instructed, "Mara, please tell Junko that these two are here again, and that if she has any last minute requests she should say so now."

Mara bowed and turned to go, while Sai and Sakura stood up and led the way to a room down the hall.

When the door shut securely and two clones had been dispatched to keep watch, Sai and Sakura dispelled their transformations and turned expectantly to Izumo and Tenten.

"So...did Ino get held up on her mission?" Sakura lightly asked, unable to shake off the concern she felt for her friend.

"Uh..." Tenten looked highly uncomfortable, and it was only up close that Sakura could see the dark circles under her eyes. Izumo looked even more tired and haggard - it was obvious he had gotten no sleep at all the night before.

The sense of foreboding in Sakura mounted as Tenten shifted uncomfortably and Izumo stood stock-still in the silence. Feeling the first vestiges of anger break through her worry, she asked, "What's wrong? Why are you guys so silent? Where's Ino?"

"Sakura-" Tenten started.

"She's dead," Izumo numbly interrupted. Looking directly at Sakura, he repeated, "She's gone. Her mission cover got blown and turns out they had shinobi on their side too. One chuunin dressed up as a geisha had no chance against three jounins."

"Dead, huh?" Sakura numbly asked.

And then she fell, crumpling in a heap on the floor, Sai's concerned face the last thing swimming into her vision as she blacked out.

a/n: I know you're all probably tired of hearing my apologies and excuses. But if you're not, hear them again!

I'm SO SORRY for the delay. I realize it's been like...almost a month since I updated, but life has gotten in the way (once again!). And I got a rather persistent case of I-know-what-I-want-to-write-but-it-just-won't-come-out-properly. Very sorry.

Ahem. Onto the real stuff. So yeah, this chapter is sad. I didn't want to kill Ino. But I had to. I think you guys (especially those who have been asking for more fluff!) will like the next chapter. I really do.

And I'm going to apologize in advance for the next chapter - it might end up being rather OOC, at least on Sai's part. I hope not. You'll get what I mean when you see it. And it's almost done (!) so I'll post it early. To make up for this one :P