Arrangements

Sasuke sat on his bed, pensive. He hadnt been able to sleep properly last night and he hd stayed awake, under the thick covers , his mind wandering off to all the troubles that awaited him in his future common life with Nao. He didn't love her, yet he hadnt realised how tough it'd be for himself to get married to her until the situation actually turned up.

His mother, his brother, had discussed with him about that option, long before. But back then, he actually thought he was ready for everything. And he was. Until Sakura came back into his life.

He knew he wasn't over her even before their new meeting, but he could deal with his feelings because she was far away and time would eventually heal everything. And maybe erase, if he was lucky. But he wasn't. Not with the way things were right now.

Nao was pregnant with his child. That was one reason he had to marry to her. The other one was that he had promised that to his family. He knew how important the social status was to them, and he couldnt disappoint them. As much as he hated to admit it, Itachi was the real deal in the family. Sasuke was always second best.

And in this case, he wasn't even that, since it was Itachi's job that was mainly maintaining them. Sasuke was nothing more than a newly finished uni student that wouldn't find job any time soon.

All he could do in that situation, to help out his family any way he could so he didn't feel let down by his own self, was to marry to that rich girl whose dad happened to be Itachi's boss. So that the bank would gradually pass to the Uchiha family and everyone would be happy. Except Sasuke.

His mother walked in on his room suddenly, interrupting him from his deep thoughts.

She walked towards the window and opened it half way. The morning light fell into the room, highlighiting the dust dancing around inside the sun's ray.

''Sasuke hun, don't you think today isn't the best day to be oversleeping? I know you just came back from a nightmarish adventure and all but now that both you and your future wife are safe and sound, you must get a grip back to reality and restart your life.'' She said, smiling faintly to the raven haired man who was looking at her uninterested from his bed.

''Good morning to you, too, mum.'' He said in a very low voice, the sarcastic tone obvious as it was.

His mother raised an amused eye brow at him.

''Come on, get up, lazy bone. Won't you ask where your future wife is?'' she asked, teasing him even more.

''Where is she?'' Sasuke asked mechanically, his voice still uninterested, just to comply to his mum's requests.

''She went out with her father to buy her wedding dress, of course! You should be doing the same, too. Time is flying.'' She said, folding some clothes and leaving them on the side of his bed.

''Do what? Buy my wedding dress?'' Sasuke mocked her, with an emotionless voice.

His mother giggled, then tossed a small pillow on him.

''If you are in the mood for jokes, you might as well get up now. And what I meant was your wedding suit. Or do you plan to go to the church with the pajamas?'' she laughed, semi-seriously.

''Can I do this?'' Sasuke teased back, slowly getting up from his bed.

His mom pretended a shocked look, then smiled one last time and walked out of the room.

''Get done with this, today.'' He heard her voice coming from out of the room, fading as she walked off.

Sasuke wondered whether his mum was too excited to not have noticed that he didnt look like a person that had slept that night, or just afraid to sympathize openly with him, in case that made him feel comfortable to change his mind about the wedding.

Either way, he wasn't going to. It wasn't an easy decision but he had taken it.

And now all he wanted was for it to be done quickly so he could pretend it wasn't true once things got back to their normal boring everyday routine. At least, until the kid came…

He walked out of his room and to the bathroom, planning to wash his face and do all those morning bath rituals every man that respected himself did.

Meanwhile, Nao and her parents were outside, looking for expensive and elegant wedding gowns.

Nao looked herself at the mirror, admiring the white piece of dress wrapped around her.

''This one is my favourite, dad!'' she squeeled, smiling at her reflection.

''Looks like it, sugar.'' Her dad said, looking at her in admiration.

''You'll become a beautiful bride, I can tell.'' Her father praised her more, making Nao's smile widen even more.

''A bride she may become, but a mother she won't. What are you planning to do when the months will go by and you still wont look anything like a pregnant woman?'' her mother cut in those two, looking Nao's dress up and down as if trying to find any imperfection.

Nao turned at once to her mother, her teeth showing as her face had now been consumed by a very angered expression.

''How dare you ruin this moment with your poison! Non the less, this wedding will be! And that's what's important. I can find ways and reasons, later. Once we are married, we dont have to be worried about anything.'' Nao said, turning back to stare at elegant self in the crystal clear mirror of the shop.

''If that's what you say… I wouldn't want to be in your position though if the truth gets revealed. Sasuke may be a pioner but he is no stupid. What will you do if he realises that the pregnancy was nothing but a cheap lie so that you forced him to marry to you**? Furthermore, what if this goes learnt by our social enviroment? This will be a disaster!'' Nao's mum said, her eyes taking in a desperate and lost look.

Nao walked to her mum and grabbed her softly but steadily by the shoulders.

''Mum, don't you have faith in me?'' she asked, looking in her eyes deeply.

''That's not it. We are risking our reputation here!'' the woman said, making a frustrated grimace.

''Mum, whatever that wedding is, I can pull it off. I just know it. Sasuke isn't stupid, you're right. But deep down, he's too good for his own good. Trust me, I know what I am doing. I have planned it all the way up. All it takes to persuade him to stay in the wedding, kid or not, is a mere guilt trip.'' The young woman said, walking back to the mirror and sitting down on a stool in front of it.

''Also, dear wife, don't forget that Uchiha is working for us. It wouldnt be too good for Itachi to ruin the good relations with our family, lies or not. Whatever it is, they will cooperate in the end. And Sasuke will follow. Itachi has built most of his fortune thanks to my bank and he wouldnt be able to keep it if he got on my bad side. And he knows that very well.'' Nao's dad said, standing up as he headed slowly to the stairs that lead to the first floor of the shop, where the cashier was.

''Now, let's go. The employe won't be forever busy with custoumers so that we can keep on with our mischievious chit chat up here. We will discuss this further at home. Don't get too carried away and talk about this publicly, next time. Especially you, dear wifey, since you care so much for our reputation.'' He said in a low tone and he walked down the narrow stairs.

Nao's mum shot him an offended glare, but chose to ignore his irony, for the shake of not causing a scene and she followed after him, after having nodded to Nao to put off the gown.

(**= Nao's parents paid the doctor at the hospital to lie about Nao's pregnancy. I'd clear this out later in the fic but I thought I might as well do a service and save you from the confusion beforehand. 3 yays for corrupted docs! ...No? Okay!)

Sakura walked in the house, once her mother opened to her and ran straight up to her room, banging the door with a loud noise after her. Claris was left, staring at Sakura's path dumb founded and worried.

She followed upstairs in hesitation, wondering what on earth had got to her daughter.

She knocked on the door lightly, waiting for a response. Instead, all she got was unnerving silence.

''Sakura? What happened, honey?'' she asked, worry obvious in her voice.

When she got no reply, she opened the door and walked in, cautiously.

As soon as she was in her eyes fell on a depressed Sakura, sitting on the edge of her bed and staring at the floor.

Claris sighed and spoke again.

''Will you make me repeat myself?'' she asked, poutting slightly.

Sakura suddenly looked up to her and Claris could see that her daughter was trying very hard to not let her sorrow show.

''It's nothing, mum. I just remembered some stuff from the past while being out with the girls. They weren't very pleasant. But they werent that bad either. It was just sudden, thats all.'' Sakura said, faking a smile.

''Oh…''Claris said, not completely convinced.

Sakura took a slow deep breath, then talked in an unusually kind tone.

''Mum, can you leave me alone, please?''

Claris looked at her pensively for some moments, and then decided that she should probably do so.

''Alright. Call me if you need anything.'' She said finally after a brief silence, in a soft voice as she silently walked out, closing the door behind her.

Once the door closed and her mother's steps had faded, Sakura let out a deep sigh and fell backwards on her bed, letting her tears roll down.

Her eyes fell on the white plain ceiling, refusing to wander anywhere else.

''Sasuke,…I hate you.'' She whispered.

''Such a handsome young man.'' Mikoto said in pride, as she eyed her son wearing his groom's black suit.

Sasuke chuckled ironically.

''Did I have to dress a groom for you to say that?'' he mocked, eyeing himself in the mirror, pensively.

''Yes, my dear. You see, before I only could see you as a boy. Because that's what you were. But now, looking at you in this wedding suit, I realise that you became a grown up man that is soon going to marry and make his own family. I am proud of you.'' Mikoto said as she stood up and tapped her son on the shoulder affectionately.

''Weird, because I don't feel proud of myself.'' Sasuke whispered looking down.

Mikoto gave him a sideways glance slightly filled with guilt but she didn't say silence spoke volumes.

''Well, then, let's head to the cashier's.'' She said, breaking the akward silence as she made her way to the waiting employe.

I am sorry, son.

Sasuke sighed silently and followed.

''Itachi-sama, there's someone named Aaron Haruno that says he must speak with you. What would I do with him?'' a young woman with dyed blonde short hair said, as she peered her head in Itachi's office behind a big brown leather door.

''Tell him I am busy and that…Wait, Haruno you said?'' Itachi said, as if suddenly realising something.

''Y…yes.'' The girl said, looking at Itachi confused.

That name rings a bell. If I had to take a guess, I'd say it must be some relative of that girl from Konoha that our research groups found together with Sasuke and the rest of the survivors.

But what would he want here?

''Tell him to come in, then. I shall see him right now.'' Itachi said cooly, letting his papers back on the desk.

''As you wish, Itachi-sama.'' The woman said, closing the door behind her softly.

After two minutes, the door opened and Aaron Haruno walked in the office, a friendly yet proud aura emanating from him.

''Good morning, M. Uchiha.'' Aaron said, smiling to Itachi.

''Likewise, . Am I right to assume that you must be Sakura Haruno's relative?'' Itachi got straight to the point, not having a lot of time to waste.

''Sure that you are. In fact, I am her father.'' Aaron said, looking stably at Itachi.

Itachi shook his head slightly annoyed from the slow pace this was taking.

''Go on.'' He said softly.

Aaron nodded and spoke, after a brief silence:

'' From the little time I spent in here, I realized you are a busy man. So I will get straight to the point. I came here as soon as I set foot in Konoha in hopes of thanking you for finding my beloved daughter after that fatal crash. If I remember correctly, our kids have had somewhat bad history in the past due to an accidental misunderstanding, but as I said, it's past. Me and my wife, after mutual agreement, came to the conclusion that our families should forget about it and come to good terms.

We are too grateful for having our daughter found in order to still be bitter about past matters. And maybe I shouldnt'even have mentioned this but I wanted you to be sure I came here with the best of intentions. M. Uchiha, thank you from my heart for finding our daugher. But you see, my wife wants to thank you, too. She still didnt find the chance to come here, she's busy taking care of our still recovering daughter. Although, we would be interested if the Uchiha and the Haruno family could meet someday so that we have a proper chance to show our gratefulness.'' Aaron finished and took a breath.

Itachi looked coldly at Aaron, then his face warmed up.

''Even though, you don't have to show your gratefulness since it was something mostly fortunate, I understand your need to express it. I have heard of your family around and I have to admit that I respect it for what it is, M. Haruno. So, coming to good terms with you seems like a good idea. I approve. But sadly, we are fairly busy getting ready for my brother's wedding, so we don't have enough time for a separate meeting with you.

But if you'd be as kind, you are requested to attend the party we will hold in the Uchiha mansion in favor of the couple in three days as of now. There, we will have more than enough time to cool down on that past unfortunate misunderstanding, since the people who are also going to attend are a few and select ones.'' Itachi said in a low tone, looking at Aaron with his professional facade on.

Aaron took some time to take in what Itachi had just said and then replied:

''It would be an honor for my family to attend the pre-wedding party of your younger brother. I am glad for him and I wish all the best for his future life. I dont consider our debt to you to be deleted with this, but we will make our best to be there.'' Aaron said seriously.

''There was no debt in the first place. Let's leave those typicalities aside, M. Haruno.'' Itachi said smiling.

Then, he opened a shelf under his desk and searched for something, then extended it to Aaron.

''Please, take this invitation. It has the date and the address on it. I hope to see you there. But now, if you excuse me, I have a meeting with an important customer.'' Itachi said, as Aaron smiled understandingly, taking the invitation from his hand.

''I understand. Thank you for accepting me. Have a nice day.'' Aaron said, as he bowed slightly and headed to the exit.

''You're very welcome. Likewise.'' Itachi said and then returned his attention to the folders lying in front of him, on his wooden desk.

''Hinata, have you talked with Sakura at all since she returned home? She wont answer to my calls. I am kind of worried. She has been acting weird ever since we told her that stuff about Sasuke's wedding.'' Ino said in a suspicious tone as she talked to her friend on the phone.

''No, I haven't. Maybe it is because she used to have a slight crash on him at High school?'' Hinata said, trying to brush it off.

''It has been a long time since then, don't you think?'''Ino's voice came confused.

''Well, yeah…Ino, I am sorry, I have to hang up. Naruto will be here any minute.'' Hinata said anxiously.

''Are you sure your parents won't come back home tonight this time?'' Ino said, remembering what had happened the last time Hinata had secretly invited her boyfriend over.

''Yeah, this time, I am. They will be away for the entire weekend. And just to make sure, Naruto will be staying here only for today. But in any case, I am well organized this time.'' Hinata said, chuckling mischieviously.

''Well, you know better. Ok, then. I'll let you two love birds rejoice in your secret hide out. Later.'' Ino giggled.

''Thanks. Take care.'' Hinata said before hanging up.

Aaron walked in the house, tired, as Claris took off his jacket and left it on the sofa.

''Welcome home. Sakura's up and resting. She was acting weird before. My heart is trembling in fears of her finding out the truth.'' Claris whispered in depression.

''Really? It must be something else then because there's no way Sakura would find out about that. We have talked this over countless times before, Claris. Being paranoid wont help with her situation.'' Aaron said, as he sat down on a chair.

''Well, I can only worry, you know. God knows what I am going through myself with all this.'' Claris said irritated.

''Alright, I didn't come here to fight. So let's drop this. Anyways, I made a stop at the bank where Itachi Uchiha works, as planned. He invited us over to a party held some days before his brother's wedding. I accepted. Here.'' He said ,handing her the invitation.

Claris took it in her hands and read in it, then looked back at her ex husband.

''Good choice. We will buy a nice gift for the couple, say some gratitude stuff and leave in good terms and everything's solved. Now, if only they could save our daughter from other stuff, too…''Claris said, sighing as she sat down in front of Aaron.

Aaron stood up and walked towards the stairs.

''I will go up and greet her.''he said , looking at his ex for a moment before turning his back to her.

''Ok, take it easy.'' Claris said, nodding him off.

''So, I handed him an invitation and told him to come over at the party.'' Itachi explained to his mother under Sasuke's annoyed stare.

''You did well, son. It's about time our families got in better terms with each other. It has been such a long time since high school, either way. Now both our Sasuke and that Sakura girl are adults and know to behave like ones, I hope.'' Mikoto said giving a side ways glance at Sasuke.

''You shouldn't have invited them over, Itachi. This party is for Nao's relatives and ours. What would Harunos do there?'' Sasuke said, sulking slightly.

''Lil bro, I was only trying to save time for you. We are busy with the wedding and stuff, there's no time to be arranging private encounters with them. The party was already to happen, so I invited them. Problem solved. I dont think Nao should have a problem with that. She didn't even care to know who was invited or not, in the first place.'' Itachi said tired.

''And that is a valid reason for inviting some total strangers over?'' Sasuke said in sarcasm, feeling more and more overpowered.

He didnt want to see Sakura at the party. If he did, he was afraid he might lose his determination and regret about the upcoming wedding.

And most of all he wouldnt be able to be normal with her again. He'd have to put on a cold indifferent facade to fool her, so that things didnt become better again between them and his wedding went threatened. Now, he had a kid to think of and he had to do whatever it took to keep his decision, even if this meant playing theater. Even if it meant letting Sakura believe he's still a jerk.

'' Your wedding is more important. And social relationships are important, too. Especially with such a respected family. I couldn't sacrifice either, so I combined them. You're welcome.''Itachi said earning an admiration look from his mother.

Superficial dog. Sasuke thought, feeling disgusted with the situation.

''Whatever, just don't expect me to baby sit the Harunos at my party. I will be busy, making more ''social relationships''.'' Sasuke said as he walked off to his room, leaving his mother and his brother in the living room alone.

Itachi and his mother exchanged confused glances in silence.

''Don't lie to me, Saku. I know you like the palm of my hand. You've been crying, I can tell.'' Aaron said, as he observed Sakura carefully, sitting beside her on her bed.

''It's from happiness that I remembered my wondeful teen memories with my best friends Ino and Hinata. Please, stop bugging me about it. Tears dont always have to be of sadness, you taught me that, dad, remember?'' Sakura said, hugging her dad softly.

Aaron looked at her pensive then he eased down, convinced.

''Yeah, I can see where you're coming from, angel face. In that case, I am happy you cried.'' He smiled, stroking her head slowly.

''Thanks, dad.'' Sakura spoke against his chest.

''By the way, cherry blossom, your mom told you that you were found by the Uchiha's, right?'' he asked in a low tone.

''Yes?'' Sakura said, raising an eye brow, as she pulled back to see her dad, having a bad feeling about this.

''Ok, so, don't you think we owe a big thank you to them?''

''I guess I do… but what is your point?'' Sakura asked, confused.

''I went to Itachi Uchiha's office today to show him my gratitude for finding my most precious treasure and returning it back. He invited us to Sasuke's pre- wedding party or something.. It is in three days. I said that we will go. Do you remember Sasuke at all? You two used to have some kind of conflict when you were in High school because of a silly misunderstanding. But I think you have no reason to not get along now, right?'' Aaron asked in a friendly tone.

''Wait, wait, what? Why you'd say that? You didnt ask me for my opinion!'' Sakura yelled upset as she stood up in a minute, feeling as if a cold lightning had stricken her.

Her father looked at her confused and upset, as well, not being able to understand why all this fuss.

''Sakura, it has been a long time since that misunderstanding happened. You have to move on. And whether you like it or not, me and your mother feel obligated to that family for findind you. We need to thank them. It's only common courtesy.''

''Oh whatever! You feel free to go, I am not coming there!'' Sakura said, her cheeks getting flashed.

Aaron looked at his daughter in a disapproving way.

''I am sorry, cherry blossom, but I can't let you get away with it, this time. It's your life they saved, so it's you that has to come most of us all. You have to be there. It's just one night. I am sure Sasuke has grown up too, it's time you behaved like an adult.'' He said slowly, trying to convince her.

'Sure he is! Because getting married for all the wrong causes makes you mature, right? But If he was that mature, he wouldnt go and marry to the first rich girl he finds on his way just to get his hands on her fortune! So, don't talk to me about grown ups. Talk to me about frauds! Now, if you please, get out of my room!'' Sakura said loudly, pointing the door to her dad in full anger.

''Sakura…, what happened to all the things I taught you about hatred? How could you let it poison you that much that you say such things about your old classmate? You could be at least a bit grateful to his family for they saved your life.'' Aaron said, surprised by his daughter's sudden outburst.

''So being a pragmatist means that I am a hater? Nice…Now, thats one thing you didn't teach me. And I am very grateful to his family. If anything, it's him I am not grateful to! Because he doesn't deserve it. Now, please, go outside.'' Sakura said, opening the door and showing the corridor to her father.

Aaron shook his head disappointed, then walked out in silence and came to a brief halt out of her door, with his back turned to her.

''You're still coming.'' He said in a low but dead serious tone.

Sakura rolled her eyes pointidly, even if he couldnt see it, and closed the door loudly behind him.

Once the steps had faded, she let her back slid down against the door, hiding her face in her hands.

R&R , please.

Thanks and Bye.