The pink hair kounichi knocked on the dressing room door again. She let a low growl escape her throat and went to speak when a door slammed her to the ground. Ino came trudging out triumphantly and stood infront of the mirror wearing a white dress. Lots of frills and laces lined the edges and her hair was tied up in a bun with a veil hanging neatly over it. Sakura sighed rubbing her nose she rose to her feet.
"I don't know...I like the veil but I like that dress better" Ino sighed. She gazed over her figure in the mirror. Sakura walked over wearing her ANBU outfit seeing as she had to leave in less that and hour and seeing it was most likely she would be stuck there for the remainder of that time. She sighed, "well why don't you get that dress but with this veil…I swear Ino your so blonde!" "LOOK WHOS TALKING BILLBOARD BROW!" Ino snapped back then turned to look at Hinata for help who waved her hands frantically at her chair. She was also wearing her ANBU outfit seeing as she would be accompanying Sakura on her mission.
Ino sighed and sat down the white dress poofing to her sides as she slumped down. The strapless part of the dress almost falling off her small chest. Sakura rubbed Ino's back for comfort. The wedding was allays was in two days and she had no dress or ring. Sakura had helped plan the rest of the wedding, which would take place just outside the city in a field of flowers. Naruto was wishing it would take place near the ramen place seeing as his only interest in the matter was the ramen served at the reception. Ino scoffed at her appearance in the mirror and Sakura glared quickly.
"Yes alright already, you made your point but Hinata and I have to leave soon. I'll go find a few more dresses." Sakura sighed and went off.
Hinata smiled and walked to sit by Ino who sulked over her self-confidence.
"Are you all right Ino" she asked shyly. The surprised blue-eyed girl gazed up for a moment then smiled. "Ya, its just so sudden…its been only a month since Neji died and for some reason I cant help but feeling guilty…this should've been their day." Ino pouted but perked up. "But who care I'm getting married and she cant stop me! SAKURA HURRY IT UP ALREADY YOUR AS SLOW AS A SNAIL!" Ino smiled at Hinata who smiled shyly back in reply and nodded. A distant "ya, shut your mouth you spoiled brat" came from a small pile off white fabric covered in plastic. Sakura set down the pile and glared.
"You better find something out of this pile or I will make you go in a sheet for the wedding!"
Ino stuck up her nose, "you wouldn't dare!"
Sakura stuck out her tongue and both went on arguing as Hinata giggled softly tot herself. After many dresses and arguments Sakura and Hinata took their leave while Ino finally picked out the dress she wanted most.
Naruto waved to Hinata, Rock Lee, and Sakura as they left the protection of the Konoha for their mission a few villages away. He pouted as to the fact he wasn't aloud on a mission even if it was a piece of cake. He was still "too injured" as Tsuande had put it. He sighed and went off to go help Shikamaru with his "god what the hell am I doing" issues. That at least would keep him busy for a while…it was always fun to pester Shikamaru when he was like this. He'd better make the best of it while it lasted.
He stumbled up to a lazy Shikamaru who was kicking stones near a river. Chouji sat there eating apples or something that resembled them. Naruto sat beside him lazily and threw back his head on the grass with his head resting on his one free arm. All three sat in silence before Chouji finally spoke.
"I haven't been able to get this thing right… so you want me to be the Best man! What do I do?"
"You stand the closest to him at the alter" Naruto joked.
Shikamaru glared and sighed, "ya what he said...you also make a speech thing wish good luck or something. Hell if I know…besides Ino and I agreed she would make the plans and all I had to do was find a tux and four grooms men or something. I never did get this shit."
"Ya neither did I…I used to only steal the food." Naruto recalled on his childhood years stealing food from angry wedding parties. He laughed himself to a sitting poison then looked over to Shikamaru who looked even more tired then usual.
"Are you alright?" Naruto asked calmly.
"Feh, whatever" was his reply and Naruto took that as a no but he simply didn't pry at the future groom.
Sakura sighed at the mans wounds. His fall of the "cliff" or foothill as his partner described didn't look too serious but he did need medical aid. She sighed and went to his side smiling at him. "You're going to be alright my friend don't worry, I'm a trained medical ninja…I'll be sure to cure you to good as new." She giggled at her usual greeting to many new patients as Hinata and Lee stood guard at the doorway. The two had simply come along incase it was an ambush but they had also found enjoyment as free time away from a wedding frantic village.
She sighed as she placed her hands over his main wound in the chest. She closed her eyes her eyebrows scrunching together the skin at her forehead and creases of sweat began to find there way down her face. A soft green light was admitting for her hands and like the flow of water seeped into his wounds. The man got up after a few moments and smiled at the pain being gone. Sakura opened her eyes and whipped her brow stepping back happily to look at the now energetic man.
"You'll need to stay in bed for at least two more days…I only healed the deep parts, the rest I leave to your body. Now get some rest sir." She smiled
"Won't you please spend the night miss…it's to late for you to go out and you and your friends must be tired." The man replied in an effort to give his thanks
"Hm I guess it wouldn't hurt but we will leave early in the morning...we wouldn't wish to miss a wedding of a friend. " Sakura mused at how mad Ino would be is Sakura suddenly didn't show.
Lee and Hinata nodded and all went to unpack for the night. Rock Lee doing his usual tactics of Sakura you hair is so beautiful when you put it down since Sakura had a habit of wearing her hair up now.
Hinata fell right to sleep as well as Sakura. Lee however went on for hours not noticing his "crush" had but already fallen deep asleep.
BAMMMM! Sakura ran out the door to her patient's house. Lee and Hinata at her feet. All three had over slept and Ino's wedding was in a matter of hours. Sakura hit the road jumping into the trees for a faster pace of things. Lee was the closest one and dropped by yelling "if you want I'll carry you, you're still low on Chakra from the night before" Sakura shook her head in reply and picked up her pace. Hinata was a little behind but she caught up soon enough.
After a while of running and a few breaks Sakura sighted the village gates and picked up her pace. Hinata close behind worried that they had angered Ino on her wedding day which Hinata thought was bad luck. Lee however stopped at the site off them and turned back to give a glance at the road behind them. Sakura and Hinata looked back yelling for him.
"You coming' Lee we are going to be late!" Sakura shouted irritably.
"Lee it is as she says…please don't stop now" Hinata said shyly.
"Go on ahead of me you two!" He smiled and winked and Sakura rolled her eyes and went on Hinata following with hesitation. Lee jumped to the ground and walked over to the small amount of Chakra he sensed. He put on his ANBU mask to make sure even if it was just some person they wouldn't see his true face. He walked over to the tree and looked down to see a body heaved against it. The stomach rising slowly in short small breathes. Lee blinked in shock and removed his mask quickly to get a better look.
He pushed the body to its back and blinked again hesitantly. He pushed the bangs back to reveal the face. He gasped in shock and disbelief.
"It couldn't be…No one is going to believe this at all…" Lee said shocked.
Sakura quickly raced to Ino's dressing room. She had quickly changed into the purple bridesmaids dress and put up her messed hair. Hinata raced in behind still brushing her tangled hair. Ino turned in a chair towards them her head perched on her hand as she glared.
"You're late Sakura…thank god you still have five minutes before you walk down that aisle before I do!" Ino grinded through clenched teeth.
"Oh hush, we tried as hard as we could!" Sakura argued deciding her on going struggle to keep her hair up was not going well so she took it down all together.
"What if you had been five minutes more, the music would go and everything would be ruined by and weird silence that you created!" Ino accused.
"Good well next time you decided to get married choose someone whose not so busy with work" Sakura shouted at Ino.
"Well work is all you do now that Neji is gone!" Ino growled and instantly regretted her words. Sakura turned her head with a blink then a sad painful look creased her eyes and she looked at the door. Music played outside the little made up shed and Sakura raced out them onto the walkway. Hinata turned towards Ino smiling warmly.
"Don't worry I'm sure she knew what you meant" Hinata reassured.
"Im not worrying…why would i.its my wedding!" Ino retorted in reply.
Hinata smiled and walked down the aisle towards Sakura who sat there mumbling angrily to herself almost crushing her bouquets of flowers. Hinata poked her as to point out she had the whole audience staring. Sakura looked up and blinked then quickly turned her expression into a smile. Rock Lee slide himself in a wedge nest to Naruto and spoke something into his ear which gave Naruto a jump then Lee moved his way to a chair and sat down for some odd reason not taking time to even so much as glance at Sakura.
Suddenly the music changed and the doors opened slightly as Ino came down the aisle. She looked so pretty and Shikamaru for the weirdest reason looked fully aware and awake. He pulled nervously at his collar and glared that it would not loosen. Naruto smacked his hand from his collar and Shikamaru glared in reply then simply blushed as Ino made her stand infront of him. He grinned scoffing and took her arm in his. Sakura stood watching the whole thing thinking how happy Ino must be to finally be settling down. She did deserve it.
Sakura smiled at her and bowed a head in reply to a nervous Ino who glanced at her. Sakura watched as the ceremony progressed somehow everything going silent for her. Only the sound of the wind and birds played in her mind. Suddenly she drifted off into dreamland. A place she had not been since Neji's death. She pictured how their wedding would've looked like the whole thing, and as she walked up the aisle a Man in a tux turned towards her. But instead of Neji's face it was replaced, by Sasuke Uchiha.
Sakura woke from her daydream in a violent way. She quickly turned to watch as the bride press her lips on Shikamaru's. Their kiss looked passionate and intense…almost ever lasting. Sakura smiled sadly in envy. If only she could has a husband like that. Ino then walked down the aisle leading the way for the rest to the reception help in the Konoha village square that night. Sakura went home to change into a kimono lost in thought all the while.
Why had she seen Sasuke…she hadn't seen him in almost 6 years? She was 21 now she had no reason to think about him. She shook the daydream from her mind and walked outside to the reception. It was after all nothing more then a fleeting daydream she once had, never to come true. Suddenly her heart hardened again and she held back the tears that came to her eyes.
She spent most the night indulging in sake and playing drinking games with the bride and Ten-ten who both left after some time. Sakura sat at a table spinning a fork apparently drunk. Naruto placed a hand on the back of her shoulder shaking it hard. Sakura spun around and angrily shouted.
"What baka?" she growled.
"Tsuande needs to see you, NOW." Naruto said seriously.
This suddenly awakening Sakura she darted up to her feet and followed her fellow teammate to Tsuande's office. Once both had entered the doorway and slid it shut Tsuande put down the scroll infront of her and glared upwards. Her eyes looked tired and flustered. She too had been drinking but that was usual. She looked at Sakura then back to Naruto and sighed.
"You'd better have a seat you two. As Naruto you have known we have an argent case that we need you two to see to immediately. Naruto as you are aware this involves the healing of a patient we found earlier today. We need you two to heal him and nurse him back to health. After that we shall decide his course from there. The patient is and old acquaintance of yours you should know."
Sakura looked up curiously, "could it be kakashi sensei? Did he drink to much cus I saw him at Ino's reception."
"No Sakura it is not the well being of your teacher but your old partner." Tsuande breathed.
Sakura looked in puzzlement at her sensei.
"Sasuke Uchiha is your patient. Don't fail me Sakura Haruno…get that guy back to his feet as quickly as possible!"
Naruto and Sakura glanced at another in surprise then back at Tsuande who rubbed her head from over work. Sakura sat in her chair her mind jumbling with questions she could not find answers too. Naruto glared at his fists and then both got up. Sakura pushed her chair out quicker and left the room. Naruto trailed her. He and Sakura stopped outside the door. The fox watching the young Kounichi's back.
"I wont be like I was Naruto, all im going to do…is bring him back…then hopefully that's all I will have to deal with." Sakura glared as she walked towards the hospital. Naruto stared after her in silence and slowly followed. There was no since in arguing. She was not only pissed, but her heart was bleeding and no one saw that more clearly then Naruto.
Author note: I tried to make it longer but ya it's late. 11:50 to be exact and well im kinda wiped. A lot happened in this chapter so if it is going to fast please let me know. I tend to do that at the start of stories then slow down. Anyway hope you like it. Next chapter Sakura and Sasuke are reunited, but alas what does this mean!
I'm working on two stories at once so its difficult to keep up with both. Another romance between my all-time favorite Kurama from yuyu Hakusho. Anyway ya…. um reviews are welcome.
Next chapter should be out in about a few days.