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♥ Chapter II: Savior ♥
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"What the hell!"

Sakura almost fumed as she walked down the row of houses for the fifth time – yet, her aunt Cecilia was nowhere to be seen. Montmartre was huge, Sakura had just found out – and now she was lost.

Again.

"What the hell!" she cursed once more, stomping angrily on the ground. A bypassing couple cut off in their kiss and stared at her, moving away a little in belief that she was a psycho. In no mood to apologize and explain the situation, Sakura simply rewarded them a glare and marched further down.

Lesser and lesser people appeared as she continued down the alley; at last Sakura stood alone in the midst of the alley, not finding her way back to the metro in the maze. Suddenly feeling totally abandoned, Sakura cursed her 'goddamned aunt' and sat down by the fence which separated the houses from the road, and rested her exhausted legs.

Goddammit, Sakura swore angrily in the back of her mind. Why can't she just guide me home? What kind of aunt is she, testing my ability to 'depend on myself'? Can't she just be normal?

As those questions repeated themselves over and over again in her brain, a shadow suddenly fell and blocked her view. Looking up in surprise, Sakura saw a pair of hazel eyes staring down at her. It was a blonde guy in her own age, looking at her with a kind smile on his lips. (A/N: I just came up with a random description, this is NOT Naruto since I know he has blue eyes, not hazel ones. XD)

"Hullo. Are you lost?" he asked with a perfect British accent.

"Yeah… kinda." He can't be dangerous. He's way too cute to be it. Sakura stood up and returned the boy's charming smile. "And you?"

"Nah… I live here around. So, where're you going?"

"My aunt's. She's supposed to live somewhere here, but –" Sakura did an angered gesture towards the houses behind them, " – she said I should find my way home by myself. Like I know it anyway! I've just come to France."

"Ah, I see. I can help you. Somewhere close here, you say? And she's… Japanese, judging by your accent?"

"… Uh, yeah… so you know her?" Sakura beamed. "That's great!"

" Yeah." The guy chuckled. "Come along."

He started to walk further down the path, Sakura trotting after him gleefully. Finally she was going to get home, and now she could've a nice, hot bath and just relax! And tomorrow she could go to school. This was just way too good!

---

The guy snickered as he eyed the totally tired Sakura behind his back. Now they had walked really deep into Montmartre, right into the dangerous quarters – the perfect place to commit crimes. Tourists were just so easy to trick, especially lonely little girls.

"Hey", the girl said anxiously. "Does my aunt really live here?"

"Yup. Right in the next alley", he responded and went into a narrow, dark alley. (A/N: Are there really such in Montmartre? oO I've been to Montmartre once and I just walked from the metro to Sacré Coeur, it's not like I explored Montmartre, so I don't really know how it's like there. )

"Um… I think we're lost again. Maybe I should walk by myself", she suggested swiftly and turned to leave, but the guy grabbed hold of her wrist and pushed her to the wall, pinning her forcefully to it. "H-h-hey! Let me go! I'll scream if you don't!"

"Do it if you want to", he sneered. "And see if anyone cares."

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Sakura flinched. Was this really the country she had dreamed about? Was it, really? Or was it a country filled with beggars, alcoholics, psychos and… perverts?

"Let me go!" she shrieked and attempted to kick his legs, but he totally surprised her by abruptly kissing her. Sakura immediately stopped in her actions, her body not responding to her orders out of fear. Tears started to roll down her cheeks as she tried to breathe, but the guy was sucking breath out of her. Meanwhile, more boys arrived and started to carry her trunk away.

This awoke Sakura's senses to life. Shoving him away powerfully, she started to run after them, when she felt the blonde grabbing hold of her shirt, pulling her around and starting to kiss her again.

"Let me go", she managed to whisper as she tried to tear away. "Let me go!"

But he didn't reply, instead he grabbed hold of her wrists with both his hands, so she wouldn't try any tricks. Sakura desperately kicked, but because of her tears she couldn't see, and he was good at moving his legs about while he kissed. If the situation hadn't been serious, Sakura would've laughed at the silly-looking exchange of blows and dodges that made it look like a dance.

As several minutes passed, Sakura had almost lost unconsciousness. And then -

Everything happened in a flash. Sakura blinked in astonishment as she saw the guy crawling at the ground, glaring at two other guys who stood before her. She flinched in fear. More of them?

"You OK?" another blonde guy said. His sapphire blue eyes looked down at her emerald ones. Sakura shuddered and nodded numbly, as the other guy, who had raven hair and onyx eyes, eyed the other end of the alley.

"Gone", he muttered. Sakura followed his gaze. The boys had already taken away her trunk! She couldn't believe it. Now what was she going to do in France with no clothes and no money?

"You…!" the blonde guy at the ground spat and charged towards the black-haired boy, but he had already noticed the attack and instead delivered an effective kick right in his stomach, making him splutter out some blood. Sakura screamed, while the other blonde took her hand and dragged her away out of the alley into the sunlight.

"C'mon, Sasuke!" he shouted. "Leave him there, it's no use beating him up anyway. Let's go!"

The boy named Sasuke snorted, put his foot on the blonde's head on the ground and smirked: "You better watch out next time. If I catch sight of you again, you'll be dead." The blonde uttered a cry of anguish before Sasuke eased the weight he put on his foot and left him there, crawling helplessly at the ground.

Sakura could only stare. She was frightened, shocked and on the verge of throwing up. The two guys led her quickly away from the alley, around a corner and into a park, where they let her go on a bench. (A/N: Bench. XD Reminds you of something SasuSaku? And oh, is there a park in Montmartre? I don't know. oO)

"Hey… you alright?" the blonde asked again, his sapphire eyes looking with concern at her.

"H-h-hai. A… Arigatou", she whispered weakly, not even thinking of speaking French instead of Japanese.

"Japanese too, huh?" the blonde grinned. "Hi. My name is Uzumaki Naruto – what's yours?"

The name Uzumaki Naruto rang a bell in Sakura's head. She smiled very weakly at him. "I've heard of you. From Kakashi-san and Kurenai-san; they said that I'd probably ask you if I wanted help to find my aunt."

"Kakashi-sensei and Kurenai-sensei? You know them?" Naruto's grin widened. "What a coincidence! They happen to be my teachers. But hey, be more careful next time, 'kay, Montmartre isn't a safe place, I can tell ya."

Sakura nodded slowly. "So… you know my aunt? Cecilia… Haruno? Or Cecilia Stewart?"

"Ah? Yeah, I know her! She always scolds me for being careless. Eh, Sasuke-teme, how angry you got. Bad mood?"

"You can say so." The boy named Sasuke, dressed in a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans and black shoes, snorted again. "That goddamned girl had to stalk me again."

"You mean Kari-chan? Ah, you must be kinder to her, Sasuke! She's just being nice to you." Naruto winked playfully at his friend, but Sasuke merely grimaced.

"Nice to me? She follows me around everywhere! And gives me those lame presents and… ugh, I don't like her at all." He glanced at Sakura. "By the way, what were you doing with that guy?"

"Uhm… I… I got lost", Sakura replied, ashamed of herself to have been tricked so easily. "I'm new."

"I can tell." Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Yo, Sasuke, be a bit kinder to the girl! Just look at her, she's totally afraid", Naruto commented, giving Sakura a meaningful nod. "I mean, anyone would've been if it had happened to them. Better forgive him, y'know, he's like that", he apologized to Sakura. "And by the way, he's called Sasuke Uchiha. And what's your name again?"

"Uh… Sakura… Sakura Haruno", she stammered. "T-t-thanks, but I think I've gotta get home now…"

"No need to fear, we're going to help you!" Naruto insisted enthusiastically. "C'mon, Sakura-chan, I'm bored, let's get off now! I think your aunt will be thankful. Maybe she can treat me some ramen!"

Sasuke groaned. "I can't stand you and your ramen. I'm off, Naruto, see you some other time. It was bad suggestion to see Shikamaru anyway."

"OK, bye!" Naruto said happily as Sasuke walked off without another word. Then he turned to Sakura. "C'mon, what're we waiting for? Let's go!"

Tsukiko: Not very SasuSaku, but... I promise more SasuSaku will come soon!
Inner Tsukiko: And why would we believe you?
Tsukiko: Um... just because?

Sneak Preview of Next Chapter: A New Friend

Sakura glanced at Sasuke, but he only stared straight forward, not bothering to even raise his hand a little bit. At this she rolled her eyes and instead turned her attention towards Naruto. "I know Sakura from before! We met yesterday! And..." Naruto grinned evilly towards Sasuke. "Sasuke-teme knows her too!"

Reviews Corner

MaGiCsLiFe: Yes, this fic is SasuSaku. :) It's also NejiTen, ShikaIno, NaruHina and slightly KakaKure.

Rikulover4ever: Sorry for the late reply, but thank you:D

Silver Jasmine: Thanks, I will :)

A big thank you to all reviewers :D