A/N-To anyone who read the other TSAL chapter 15, you would've noticed something...that was chapter 15 of Problems with Potions. I forgot to change the file location when I uploaded the document and as a result...accidentily potsed the wrong chapter. GOMEN NE!!!!! Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter- Sk8tboarder11, iamNOTafangirl3221, sakura li 19, Seyann, Loku, Collie and puppy44219. Read and Review...I SWEAR IT'S THE RIGHT CHAPTER!
Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto
Chapter 15
Sakura stood as far into the stern as she could get, being a third class passenger. The salt of the ocean hit her nose and she closed her eyes inhaling. 'Okay,' she thought. 'I love him; I don't know him…now what?'
Sakura partially opened her emerald eyes, making it just so that the entire world looked hazy in the mid-afternoon sun.
For the first time since Gaara attacked her the other day, Sakura didn't know what to do.
Her mind went to the last comment, hoping she hadn't said what she thought she had before turning her back on him.
Flashback
"Uchiha Sasuke, if this ship does sink I hope it takes you down with it," she whispered hoarsely. Turning on a high heel, she walked away.
End Flashback
"Damnit!!!" she whispered under her breath before catching herself-women of the period didn't swear. She had said that hadn't she. She closed her eyes again, rested an elbow on the rail and propped a chin on the heel of the hand.
She had always had a bit of a temper-she quite often managed to control it, but there were times when it…just got out of control and she said things that she didn't mean…
But she had never said anything so…horrible before. And to someone she was going to spend the rest of her life with….what was wrong with her?
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"You idiot!" Ino smacked Sasuke upside the head causing his hat to go flying, catch the wind and almost fly over the edge of the ship. In a smooth movement, he grabbed it and shoved it back on his head. "We all saw what happened! When you saw that she was distraught like that, you should've comforted her instead of getting mad at her!"
Sasuke was surrounded by two ticked off women and one concerned woman. Tenten's brown eyes flashed as she put Ino's unspoken question to Sasuke. "Well?"
Sasuke scowled at the group and showed the Ino and Tenten his back, only to be faced with Hinata's sad looking face. "Didn't Shikamaru tell you not to 'help us' annoying woman?" he tossed back at Ino.
"Ha! When have I ever listened to what he told me to do? Unless it's an emergency?" When Sasuke didn't respond, Tenten spoke up. "And besides we're not doing this for you we're doing this for Sakura."
Sasuke sighed. "I need to get back on duty. And besides, you heard what she said didn't you? About what she wants if the ship sinks?" That stunned the girls into silence-they hadn't. They had only heard Sasuke calling Sakura annoying and seen her leave after turning on her heel. "What did she say?" Sasuke grunted and looked down. "Ask her yourselves."
He slipped around Hinata and walked towards the bridge.
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Stress, that was it, it had to be stress. That was the only way she would ever say something…
"What did you say to Sasuke?" Sakura stiffened as Ino walked up behind her. "No-nothing," stammered the pink haired girl, caught off guard. She turned quickly, her umbrella clanging against the railing of the ship.
"We don't believe you…" said Tenten coming up beside her. "Sasuke said to ask you… w-what you had said…"
Sakura sighed and looked down. "Okay. This is how it went-because I'm assuming he didn't tell you…" When no one contradicted that statement, Sakura continued.
"Okay. I was down by the lifeboats, contemplating something. I've been having some really bad nightmares for the past few days that consist of the ship sinking from beneath us after hitting an obstacle in the middle of the ocean. I wake up panicking because I don't want someone to leave me…I'm begging them to stay with me. I've had this dream every night since I boarded the ship."
Ino interrupted her. "Have you sailed before?" Sakura nodded. "Many times. Anyways, I voiced my concerns to Sasuke and…he brushed them off as 'womanly worries'. That if I was worried, it would be annoying and that I shouldn't be… I'm not a suffragist, however, I don't think that women should be treated like little delicate objects…so I got mad at him…"
"And w-w-what did you s-say?" asked Hinata worried. Sakura looked down. "I told him that if this ship does sink I hope that it takes him with it…" she whispered. Ino, Tenten and Hinata all gasped. "Oh Sakura that was the wrong thing to say…" said Ino softly. "Why? I said it in the heat of the moment, and I know that my temper can sometimes get out of control but what's so bad about what I said…"
Ino, however, avoided her gaze and changed the subject. "Look, all I got to say is that…"
Sakura allowed Ino's voice to fade into the background as she thought about it. She highly doubted that Sasuke would forgive her for saying what she had if what these girls were saying was true…that what she had said was the wrong thing to say.
If that was the case why was she wasting her time here….if she had just made the one reason she was on this godforsaken ship unforgivably angry at her….
"I-I'm sorry, I-I need to go speak with my maids… sorry…" Sakura walked quickly away, leaving a shocked group of girls in her wake.
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As soon as Sakura had left the boat deck and no one was around to see if she was acting 'properly' she picked up her skirts and began to run, running all the way back to her room until she was out of breath.
"Destiny!!! Fate I need to talk to you…" Immediately her two 'maid-friends' showed their faces. "Sakura what is it?" asked Destiny, concerned. "You didn't set in motion events which could save the Titanic did you?" asked Fate. "No, no I didn't. But…there's something I want to ask you to do…"
"Send me back. I have no reason to remain here."
The two stood in front of her, mouths agape. "You don't mean that Sakura. Sasuke…" Tears welled up in Sakura's eyes "Is furious at me. I said something that I shouldn't have….I was ticked at him and I told him that if the ship did sink I wanted him to drown…" Dessy closed her eyes and massaged her sinuses. "Oh Sakura…."
"No. I don't want your pity…I screwed up-I acknowledge that. But I have no wish to remain here and go through the sinking tomorrow, if I don't have too-please, please send me back."
Fate laid a hand on Sakura's shoulder. "We're not going to send you back. At least not yet. Give it another chance-try to make it right with him. Sakura. You're not going to get this chance again, don't be a fool and throw it away!" she said, rather forcefully. "I take it…. that that wasn't a choice." "Well when you put it that way, no, no it wasn't."
"Look. Okay, since you put it that way, I was originally supposed to meet up with him at the Café for supper at around 7. I'll go…and I'll see if he shows up. If he doesn't….I want to go home and I'm not joking. I know what I'm giving up and yes; I know I won't get another chance. But I don't want to be on the ship tomorrow night if I don't have to."
"Agreed."
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Sakura sat in the Parisian Café, sipping the wine that had been set before her. Ever mindful of the fact that it didn't take a lot for her to get well…smashed…she was only sipping. Her seat faced the door so there was no way she could miss him if he was going to come…
But he wasn't. She had been sitting in that table for an hour and he hadn't come. "This…I should've known this would happen."
"I don't know why I'm here." Sakura froze after she heard his voice behind her. "How did you get here from behind me, I was watching the entrance." She looked behind her into Sasuke's hooded onyx eyes. "Please sit down Sasuke I have to explain."
Sasuke complied and stared at Sakura. "I can be even tempered…most of the time. But when I lose my head I say things that I don't mean…another thing- I realized that we don't really know each other…so I thought that maybe we could get to know each other…. like our pasts and things…over dinner… and then Ino said that you'd probably be angry with me over what I had said and you wouldn't show…"
Sasuke continued to let her ramble for a minute or so before he stopped her. "It's okay…you're right we need to get to know each other more…you start. Ask questions. If you or I don't feel quite comfortable answering them then we will just refuse to do so."
Sakura smiled slightly. "Okay…. favourite food." "The hot dogs they sell at Yankee Stadium. You?" "Steak. Your turn."
"Favourite type of books to read. Mine are mystery." "History. Umm…. most favourite place in the world…"
They were in that café until 10:00 that night, going back and forth, getting to know each other better.
A/N-Why that single remark that Sakura said ticked off Sasuke just so will be explained….next time on To Save A Life….Read and Review!!!