Thanks Everyone for the Journey! Largest chapter for this story to date.

Enjoy

Marry For Love

Chapter 25-To Say What Must Be Said

(20 minutes Until Wedding)

In the groom's suite, Sasuke looked around and took in the rather elegant room that looked both simple, yet high born. The couches along the mahogany walls, the table with a bible in the middle, and windows to look out across the steel city around them. Sasuke walked forward and stood behind a seat before reaching forward and squeezing the shoulder of the man in it.

"Thanks Sasuke." Naruto spoke up from the chair, accepting the welcomed gesture of comforting him.

"No problem. It's your big day, right? You really should look better than you are."

"What do you mean?"

Sasuke grimaced knowingly. "Naruto, you don't look happy."

"I…I'm doing the right thing here."

"For whom?" Sasuke retorted, and was met with silence. For what seemed like ten minutes, neither spoke up, and a buzz sounded in Sasuke's pocket, as he took it out and checked the time. "I'll give you some time alone. Five minutes." Sasuke spoke in finality as he walked out and closed the door behind him.

At the sound of the door closing, Naruto's entire body relaxed in his seat and he looked up at the mirror to frown at how he looked. True that he looked nice in a suit that was made just for him, but his eyes were dead; approaching that of black orbs. His skin was so dry and pasty white, that it was like he had drank nothing, which was completely true.

"Damnit." Naruto cursed to himself. He should have visited the wet bar before he came in here to get ready for the ceremony. He could do this drunk and just let the set schedule handle everything else. It wasn't like he could just leave and come back. Wedding. Reception. Honeymoon. And then well...Life, he supposed?

"Oh God. I'm going to be sick." Naruto wailed as he leaned his head down on the dresser and closed his eyes. But it was too late to close his eyes as the door to the room opened once again and Naruto called out lazily.

"Sasuke, you said I had five minutes."

"...After I'm done with you, you'll have none." A banshee answered back with the biting force of a leopardess in flight. Hearing the woman's voice, Naruto's head shot up in shock and he looked to see what he could only describe as a devil glaring at him through the mirror.

"Ino?!" Naruto choked out as he turned and stood, seeing Ino decked out in a simple purple top and skirt and obviously not dressed for the wedding. Ino stalked her way forward as Naruto moved to meet her. "Ino, what are you-"

(Slap)

"You sir are a coward!" Ino screeched as she got within inches of his face.

Naruto stayed frozen from the abuse, his own hand coming up to hold the stinging wound as he looked at her in shock. What was it with these girls and their strong arms?

"Ino...w-what...what are you doing here?" He asked, still reeling from the offensive slap whose angry red fingerprints stung at his cheek.

"Giving you a piece of my mind, that's what!" Ino raged as her finger jabbed at him in the chest. "You fucking cheater! Leaving Sakura without a shred of dignity!" Ino yelled as she moved to slap him again.

This time, Naruto knew to grab Ino's wrists and hold them by his side as she thrashed and tried to get back at him. "Ino! No-stop struggling!" Naruto pleaded. He didn't want to hurt her. "Listen alright?"

Ino breathed ragged but seeing as she was powerless in the position, she breathed out through her teeth and nodded. Naruto let her go and stepped back, the couch and wall behind him as he smiled sadly at her.

"Ino, Sakura and I agreed that the arrangement would not go beyond the wedding. It was so much fun reconnecting with her, finding out the reasons why she didn't call me. I learned so much about her, from her time with you to that surgery that still pains me that I wasn't there for her."

"But we've talked it through. It was already going to be hard for us, but this is the best way. Don't you see? We've left everything on the table, nothing omitted, nothing to worry about. We'll always have the memories. Isn't that enough?"

Naruto looked at her hopefully, as Ino looked down, his words surely on her mind. Her hands curled into fists and her nails dug into her skin as she began to lift her head, her body twitching. "…You idiot!" Naruto was too shocked to defend himself as Ino shot forward, barreling into him, throwing him against the wall as her forearm pressed into his chest and made it harder to breath.

"Sakura tells you she loves you and you do this to her!"

"I-Ino- can't breathe-"

"Then Shut Up!" Ino threatened, as her spare hand began to reach for her skirt. Naruto almost got confused, thinking Ino would try to seduce him or something crazy, but it was even worse than that. She reached into her waistband and pulled out a piece of cardboard.

Naruto gazed down as his eyes widened at the fact that his card to Sakura was in Ino's hands. That card was for her to read! It was private!

"Hey! That's-" Naruto began before Ino pressed down on his throat to silence him and began to read.

'To Ms. Rebel, this has been so much fun. I have not had this kind of peace and happiness since we were last together. Though it ends, I can only dream of what our life may have been like; on the couch, family night in, with little rugrats running around looking like you. I have to end this, and the choice is so hard, but you will be happier without me. But just know that always and forever, I love you. Yours always, Mr. Rebel'

Naruto shuttered as Ino finished reading, tears prickling at his eyes. "I-Ino…you didn't have the right to read that-"

"No! You should have had the guts to tell that to Sakura's face!" Ino yelled back, letting him go as he coughed, redid his tie and looked confused back at her.

"What's the problem, Ino? I said what was on my heart."

Ino grit her teeth and scowled. She couldn't believe how thick in the head these two lovers were.

"Naruto! She said I love you three times in six weeks! She is head over heels for you, and obsessively so! Do you realize how much she cried just trying to hold it in?"

"She-she cried?-" Naruto wheezed, his face turning to shock.

"Of course she cried! What else was she supposed to say to you?! I told her not to get too deep and she plunged right into the deep end with you! And you can only write it down!"

Naruto repeatedly opened his mouth like a fish trying to breathe, his throat clicking but no sound came out. "I-I…"

Ino screamed through her teeth, pacing madly in front of him before she gripped his jacket and screamed right there in his face. "Naruto, you're still holding back! Say it!"

"Ino-" Naruto growled back, his eyes stinging even harder. His whole body was shaking as if his heart was cracking all over the organ, ready to burst.

"Say it!" Ino screamed as she pushed him toward the wall again, but this time Naruto pushed back and Ino flew past him to sprawl out on the couch

"Alright! I love Sakura! I love her with all my heart and leaving her tears me up inside! Okay?! Happy?"

"No!" Ino sighed as she sat back up, holding her back that had hit a hard corner, surely bruising a bit. She sniffled as an angry set of tears began to fall down her face. "I'm not happy...because you still insist on marrying someone else."

"I have to, Ino-"

"No! You marry for love, not convenience and because everyone does it. It's sacred and pure!" Ino looked back at him, her entire body shuddering as she wrapped her arms around herself. "My parents never married each other, just fucked around, stayed together, and had me. They never joined their bank accounts, they never once talked about marriage, but their love was clear as day."

"They told me that the only time they thought about marriage was when they were having me, but they still took care of me, both of them. They stayed in the same house and settled down with each other."

Naruto's vision of Ino grew in front of him. All three of them had rocky family lives. Sakura had married parents who cheated, Naruto loving parents who died too early, and now Ino whose parents never cared to close the deal.

"...What are you getting at?"

"You, giving Sakura that info that you can envision a family is going to kill her, Naruto!"

"What are you talking about? That makes no sense."

Ino bit her tongue in desperation and stormed around the room, pulling at her hair as she did so, muttering to herself as Naruto watched her closely. She was raging fury, but then she was a neutral breeze. And finally, her mood shifted...into a sad, desperate, and guilty appearance.

Her body sagged in defeat and she glanced at him. "Okay, so I'm just going to say it, because there's no better way."

Naruto looked at her and shrugged. "Then say it."

"...Sakura almost had your child…"

"...What?" Naruto deadpanned. That didn't make sense in the slightest to him. Sakura wasn't pregnant right now. She had told him she was on the pill. There was no chance. Ino had to be lying to manipulate him into getting back with her best friend.

"N-no, Ino." Naruto shook his head. "We never-"

But Ino was now ready to answer any rebuttals he had to say and she argued back. "Just before she came to St. Maria's, you and she had sex."

"T-that was one time! Our only time!" Naruto shook his head, dismissing her argument.

"Well, deal with it!" Ino yelled as the door opened and Sasuke walked in. He took in Ino's ragged appearance and Naruto's shaking head and figured that the wedding was still on. She hadn't convinced him otherwise.

"It's time."

Naruto moved to march past her, and as he did, Ino glared sadly at him and turned her body as he made it to the door. "She'll never love another, Naruto, because she's already met the man she's supposed to marry."

Naruto looked back at the closed door as he walked through the back hallway. His feet felt like lead, his mind caught in a fog of all the memories of the past few weeks.

"Na….Naruto, take your place."

"Huh?" Naruto shook his head and nodded as he had somehow arrived at the front of the church without realizing it. He stepped up to the altar and looked out onto the crowd. After only a minute though, his mind began to whirl and he could only think of what Ino had spouted out.

Sakura was...pregnant?...With his child? Naruto's eyes shimmered as his breathing began to shiver. 'No...no, she had to be lying. Yeah. Totally.'

The organist began to play and everyone in the cathedral looked back as the service began. Naruto pinched himself to help him focus. He gazed out to the back of the aisle and awaited the procession.

"I can barely see the end…" Naruto muttered as someone moved down the aisle. Right. The flower girl.

"Wait a second." Naruto's mind reversed in time. Wasn't there a memory about surgery that they had spoken about?

Naruto grazed against her stomach, but paused as he saw a near invisible scar running along her side. "What is this?"

"N-nothing." Sakura rushed out, her eyes tearing up.

"Tell me...please?"

"Just a...surgery after we separated...about four months after when I was in school."

'She had a surgery a few months after she left.' Naruto's face continued to grimace at the memory of her happy tears. 'And she had been so happy when I said that I would have been there if she'd called.'

The bridesmaids began to stream down the aisle, but Naruto couldn't help where his darkening thoughts were headed. 'Sakura miscarried their child...she must have been terrified at the time. He hadn't chased her like he should have! 'So instead, Ino had taken care of Sakura.' Naruto's thoughts spiraled lower, imagining Sakura as a frail teenager, calling out for him and he didn't come and rescue her. What kind of guy was he?!

Naruto pinched his arm harder. He needed to focus. He strained his eyes towards the end as people stood up. Was that white in the back?

'All that pain-no! Don't think about it!'

'Why didn't she call me?' Naruto grit his teeth as they strained to not crack in half. He loved her, he would have been there the whole time-

'I can imagine a family together-' How could he be so insensitive in writing that to her?!

"Naruto?"

"Huh?" Naruto shook free and looked down. Hinata was standing in front of him. Why was she there again?

"Ahem." Hinata cleared her throat and Naruto blushed as he accepted her hand and led her the rest of the way up the stairs where the cardinal stood before them. God! He didn't even see her walking up the aisle towards him. Naruto's breath shivered out and he felt his entire body slicked with sweat.

"Everyone may be seated." The cardinal nodded his head and twelve hundred people sat down as cameras and recorders clicked and flashed at the scene ahead of them. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to witness…."

It was fine. Yes. Everything was going to be alright. Yes; a child dying prematurely was terrible and yes, he would surely cry later tonight when he was alone at the loss of life, delayed in his actions that may be, but they'd be alright. Naruto was marrying the girl beside him. Sakura would move on too.

Sakura was so amazing in the bedroom. Over the six weeks, they had been crazy over each other, and with her moves, she could easily get pregnant again, just with someone else. He had moved on. Naruto recalled telling Sakura in detail about that nice girl in college. What was her name-ah! Shion! And they parted ways after a few months. Sakura would move on too.

"Do you Naruto Namikaze, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I…" Naruto breathed in, but tears still streamed down his face "...I-I do."

"Awwe!" Came a collective sigh from the many women behind him. They thought he was so happy, but he was crying for Sakura damnit!

It dawned upon him at that moment that that was His Baby too! He should have stormed her parents ' place and demanded to see her. They had only told him that she was far away from him. They had never said she was pregnant!

"Do you, Hinata…."

'Wait!' Naruto's eyes opened wide. Surely Sakura could have been with someone else. Sure, they were dating and doing those things, and he trusted her so much, but she could have been with another guy. Surely-

"How many girls have you been with, Naru."

"Three. What about yourself?"

"….You…."

"What?"

Sakura looked up at him and shrugged with a proud smile. "..I've only been with you…..But it's okay. I like a man with experience…."

'She's not going to move on…' Naruto's dread finally settled in the pit of his stomach. That smile she'd shown him had been one of pride; pride that she had kept herself for him and him alone.

She would never move on from him. She would stay forever alone, stuck in the memories that she saw as perfect. But if anyone knew her so well, it would be Naruto. She would stagnate in life. She would push herself into her work, into being a cop and nothing else….and never have kids.

That thought made his temper boil with a primal urge to knock her up. He'd done it once already, why not another? To not allow Sakura to be a mother was the cruelest of things possible! She would make the best mom! Sneaking cookies under the table and being strict while praising the children. Telling her kids no, while they played pranks on her and made her smile with every decision they made.

She would make the best wife too! Someone who was content with lazy days inside, relaxing after being overworked from the office, happy to have just the basics over their head and not wanting any extras in life. She was his kind of wife and he was an idiot for not seeing that until now!

"...If anyone should argue against this union, let him say it now-"

"...I object…"

Silence permeated the entirety of the cathedral, as Hinata slowly tilted her face towards her soon to be husband and opened her mouth in a whisper.

"Naruto, shut it."

But Naruto shook his head and stepped down a step. "...Hinata, I'm sorry."

"What are you doing, Naruto?" Hinata puffed her cheeks out and glared daggers straight into his eyes, before smiling hopefully as she glanced at the numerous cameras that were beginning to move closer, hoping to get better shots of a possible left at the altar fiasco. "Get back here…Sweetheart." Her voice dripped like sweet peppermint candy.

Naruto stepped down another step. "I'm sorry, Hinata. I can't marry you. I don't love you like that."

Like a viper, Hinata's venomous attitude burst forth. "Are you kidding me?! On my wedding day?! You mother fucker son of a bitch!" Hinata released her string of curses as she became a bridezilla and lashed out at him with her bouquet. "In front of my family! In front of my friends! You bastard!"

Naruto continued to repeatedly bow as he made his way backwards, down the altar steps and finally turned away and walked to the first pew where Hinata's father and chief executive officer of Hyuuga Intl. stood up and faced him.

"I am sorry sir, but just now, I realized that it would be a disgrace to marry her when I owe my very soul to another. I am sorry to disgrace you in such a way." Naruto bowed lower to the man who he respected.

Hisashi stared back at him and asked just one question. "...Is she still pure?"

"We never went that far, sir."

Hisashi nodded content at that truth, but Hinata screamed back from the altar. "Naruto! You cannot leave me! Your deal is not signed yet! This is part of that arrangement! You get back here right now!"

"I don't care, Hinata. You're not the girl I'm in love with." Naruto carelessly shrugged back before running down the aisle and out of the cathedral, amidst shouting reporters and amazed wedding guests.

Naruto slammed into the security bar of the church doors and thrust them open, surging into the open air and began to run down the steps to the street. 'She has to be here. She has to be here...she has- THERE!'

"Ino!"

Ino for her part was in the process of opening her car door, mad at herself for not grappling Naruto and dragging him away from the church. She had some old handcuffs of Sakura's in her purse that she could have cuffed him to Sakura's bed and waited until she got home tonight.

So when Naruto yelled out behind her, Ino spun around, shocked to see him running full tilt at her.

"N-Naruto…? What are-"

"Where is Sakura?"

"W-what?-"

"Where is she?!" Naruto gripped Ino in the desperate vicegrip and shook her around.

"At work!" Ino whimpered, but Naruto looked back and forth at both sides of the street before back at her.

"Give me your keys!"

"I can't just-"

"Keys!"

"H-here." Ino handed them over and Naruto raced around to the other side and slid in. Ino bent down through the window as he started the car and looked at him.

"Naruto, what are you doing?"

He turned to her and she saw his eyes brim with determination and passion. "...I will not lose her again…"

"Naruto!" Sasuke called out as the car shot off. The tires squelched against the pavement before shooting off down the street. Sasuke raced to the curb and breathed out heavily as his hands slid to his knees and bent over gasping. Ino watched her car disappear into the daylight and turned to the raven haired man next to her.

"He just jacked my car." Ino said in a daze.

"H-He forgot his wallet too." Sasuke sighed and straightened up and as he looked over, he froze as he glanced at the revealing attire of the blonde in front of him. "Soo….you're Ino, I presume?"

Ino blushingly smiled at the recognition of his voice and offered her hand out to him. "You must be Sasuke."

"You know, Ino." Sasuke smirked as he leaned closer, smiling like a predator playing with prey. "I'm sure we could convince the driver to take us to the honeymoon suite before anyone's the wiser."

But Ino smiled back at him. "Will your wife be there when we arrive?" At Sasuke's guilty chuckle, she giggled back. "Sakura told me you were married."

But still Sasuke had one last card to play. "...My wife and I like to add others for fun…"

Ino let a small smile show and circled herself around his arm. "How about we start off by getting out of here? And maybe...maybe we can work something out."

Paperwork addles the mind. It makes one focus on a single thing and aims to drone out everything else. But as Sakura sat there filling her reports in a timely manner, her mind swirled with darkness and regret. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard as she glanced up at the clock against the wall.

2:58pm.

She looked around at her fellow officers and was at least glad that no one was looking at her for the moment. For all they knew, it was a regular boring day, but for her, her life was over. Sakura cast a glance down as the room got cold, her fingers began shaking, her throat was constricted and her tears were bubbling.

'Hold it in, Sakura. Hold it in.' Sakura mentally chanted. Naruto was married now. She could never be with him again. Forever alone, forever-

Sakura pushed the feelings down. She could not afford to blow it today. Today was the day that all her hard work these last four years on the force had culminated into. Any minute now-

"Haruno, the chief wants to see you."

"Coming." Sakura called out as she locked her desk and moved down the desks of her squad mates who each looked up and gave her encouragement. She walked to the chief's office and peered inside to see him talking with another officer. Good. That gave her time.

Sakura readjusted her tie, and preened her uniform. Every badge was in place. Her face was immaculate, and her hair was still in a code approved hairdo. Sakura set her face as she saw the chief finishing up. She was ready for this. All she had to do was breathe, so Sakura took in a soothing breath of air.

"Sakura!"

She jumped at the voice. 'No! Don't hope. He wouldn't do that to another. He's too selfless. He-'

"Naruto?" Sakura gasped as indeed Naruto ran straight down the desks and stopped right in front of her. Seeing Naruto had been one thing, but a larger gasp and shocked eyes filled her face as she spotted silver handcuffs locking him in place at the wrists in front of him. "W-what are you doing here? Why are you handcuffed?!"

"I came to see you!"

"What-"

"Mr. Namikaze!" An older man yelled out as he slammed her ex lover into the glass wall of the interrogation room, and held him in place. It was one of her Sergeants, Might 'Flames of Youth' Guy, and as he struggled to pull Naruto back, Sakura finally yelled.

"Naruto, what the hell?"

"What? This?" Naruto grinned, shamelessly holding up his cuffed hands as he shrugged. "This is nothing."

"Mr. Namikaze, you were driving 80 miles an hour in a school zone without a license in a purple Camaro that you do not own."

Sakura widened her eyes at the car. "You stole Ino's car-How did you get-Why would you do that?"

"I was coming here!"

"But-But- W-What about your wedding?"

"Fuck my wedding!" Naruto yelled.

Sakura gasped as Naruto broke free of her Sergent and bent down to the ground just managing to grab her hands between his own and looked up at her frazzled eyes. "Sakura, I just told Hinata the marriage is off! "

Sakura's eyes raised and her mouth dropped. 'H-he did what?' "What? Why would you do that?" Sakura shook her head madly, her hair swishing behind her. "Don't be stupid, Naruto. You marrying her will give you everything you ever wanted. You can have everything with her and-"

"Ino told me about the baby!" He blurted out.

"Naruto!" Sakura eeped as she frantically looked around the room to the numerous gasps and snickers of her fellow officers. A deep blush erupted on her cheeks knowing that her 'baby' was going to be the topic for weeks to come. Only Naruto's insistent pulling of her hands pulled her out of it and back down to him.

Naruto's eyes looked so sad; she hadn't seen him so depressed before. It made her heart ache as he continued. "She told me about the baby, and then when I was at the altar, I couldn't even focus on the wedding. I could only dread knowing how you went through so much without me!"

"I wasn't there for you then. I left you out there all alone, trying to move on with my life. And I was going to leave you again like an idiot!" Naruto quickly pulled her closer, but Sakura covered her eyes with her bangs and Naruto could only look through her hair to see her guilty look of desperation reflecting back at him. Her guard was up, her armor upon her heart. She was protecting herself from him. It really hurt.

"So what, Naruto?" Sakura shook her head, finally looking down as tears bubbled around her eyes and her throat tightened. "You just want to take care of me? To make me the happiest girl on earth? Don't flatter yourself. I'm not the broken girl you met in high school. I…" Sakura paused, swallowing back a mouthful of saliva. "...I can take care of myself."

"You don't have to. I want to be there for you." Naruto called back, shaking his head back at her.

Sakura's armor began to melt under the searing gaze of the man who she loved. This was what she was afraid of leaving. This was the way he spoke to her without holding back and she wanted nothing more than to run into his arms, but it was her pride that held her back.

Naruto was selfless, noble, and passionate. But choosing her had consequences, choices that could only end in disaster. "Naruto, what you say makes me feel like the happiest girl in the world," Sakura sniffled as Naruto smiled at that, her coworkers awing at that. "But I can't stay at your side. I can't watch your family's company sink knowing that it's because of me. Your parents left it to you, and you've spent years of your life to get this deal through. If it all went up in smoke, I'd feel responsible because of that. And more than that, I don't want to put you through it."

Sakura closed her teary eyes and looked away. She didn't want to do this. Naruto had broken laws and ran away from a wedding for her! But the wedding could be rescheduled, the piece of paper saying they were married could be signed, and the company saved. Besides….he'd never do the same for her, right?

"Sakura, you are, without a doubt….an idiot."

"What?" Sakura whipped her head back at him, her tearing eyes sparking with a twinge of sizzling flames. "Who are you calling an idiot, Baka?"

Before she could say anything else, Naruto pulled her even closer until her pelvis was in line with his chin. Sakura was entranced by the way his cerulean eyes softened and glowed as he looked up at her. It made her heart flutter uncomfortably so.

"I know what you want."

"Y-you do?..." Sakura gulped. She'd never told him to say it. He couldn't know that it was what she wanted to hear more than anything. No way. She'd break down right here and now if he did. Sakura felt her tears fall faster as she let hope back into her heart before he said anything.

"Sakura Haruno, I'm in Love with You." Naruto spoke clearly and Sakura gasped, quietly stunned and rooted to her spot in shock. Naruto continued. "I've loved you since we were in high school, maybe when you sat down in front of me in class. Maybe it was all the stunts we pulled but whatever it is, I'm in love with you. You are my confidante, my best friend, and my lover-"

"Naruto!" Sakura squeaked, as more laughter sounded.

"Sorry." Naruto rubbed his head awkwardly as Sakura blushingly glared at him for telling her whole precinct that they had fucked. He turned back and raised his hands to the officer who arrested him. "Can you take the cuffs off?"

"Of Course not." Might Guy shook his head.

Naruto stayed down and shrugged, and turned back to his goal in this moment. "Sakura…I'm tired of being selfless. Tired of taking care of everyone else's problems. Can I be selfish now in this moment? Can I have you?"

"N-Naruto?" Sakura's breath quaked, her entire body was so cold, the heat draining all over and pumping her heart faster. "What are you saying?"

"I know I just walked out on my wedding but, Sakura Maria Haruno, will you marry me?"

"...Uh….Uh…."

Naruto smiled impishly. "You can say N-"

Sakura shut him up as her knees dropped and she pulled his arms over her head, and pressed her lips into his own, kissing him madly to a round of cheers around the room. Naruto's hands cupped the backside of her hip as Sakura let her tongue slide along his lower lip, and they both shivered as they backed up to blush and smile stupidly at the other.

"...You stole Ino's car." Sakura whispered.

"Grabbed the keys right out of her hands."

"You break laws just to see me."

"Of Course I did. You are worth breaking laws for."

"...Naruto, you are such a rebel." Sakura sniffled and cooed, the tears resuming their path down her cheeks.

Naruto smiled cheekily. "You stole my heart ten years ago, and I've come to take it back. You stole it; I'd say you're the real rebel, Sakura."

Sakura's cheeks bloomed with red hue. "How about I give you my heart in exchange? Would you accept it?"

Naruto grinned as he pulled her pelvis to mesh against his own. "Is that a yes then?" Sakura nodded her head happily and kissed him deeply, as the two slowly tried to stand up and kiss at the same time, all while Naruto's cuffed wrists encircled the officer who he loved with his whole heart.

As they parted, Sakura ducked out from under his hold and instead draped her arms around his neck.

"Why is it Naruto, that you always take charge when I'm such a mess? Why when it's the most difficult that you are at your best?"

"Life's always difficult, so now I'll always be here for you. I promise."

Sakura kissed a peck to his lips again. "I love you."

"I love you." Naruto uttered back and Sakura smirked impishly, her heart leaping for joy every time he spoke those words to her.

"Say it again."

"I love you."

"Again." Sakura demanded, pulling the back of his hair as Naruto rolled his eyes and smiled.

"I love you."

"Now a million times more!"

"Sakura!" Naruto groaned as Sakura giggled, before she slipped out again, straightening herself back into a professional appearance, but also took out a key and slipped it inside his suit pocket.

"Go to my place," Sakura spoke as she kissed his cheek. Naruto didn't have a place to stay at the moment, Sakura had realized, having broken up with Hinata, but now he could come home, back to where he belonged...with her.

"I have an interview right now and patrol after that, but then tonight, you're mine…forever."

Naruto nodded happily. He would happily love her forever even if it meant dying tomorrow. "I'll go right now."

"You still have to pay your bail, Mr. Namikaze." Might Guy spoke up behind him, pulling him away towards the cells to await Sasuke coming here with his wallet. But Naruto glanced back at her happy, blushing face at the door of her superior officer. "She's worth it."

Sakura blushed deeply and shook her head to regain her composure. This interview didn't matter anymore. She had everything she wanted in this life. Now, this was just frosting on the cake. Sakura took a deep breath and entered.

"Sorry for the drama, Captain Yamato. Chief Sarutobi." She apologized to the men who she respected more than anything for giving her a job here in Precinct Seven. The men were smiling back at her which almost caused her to get nervous. Instead, it was the sniffling occurring to her right that made her turn her head in worry.

There was her direct commanding officer, and the man who she respected above all others. He was the man who believed in her, and who gave his recommendation for the police academy. It was he who asked the graduation committee for her to be placed under him. Oh! And he was the man who had sent her to St. Maria's in the first place those ten years ago.

"Kakashi-Taicho?" Kakashi blew his nose into a handkerchief and wiped his eyes, fanning himself as he opened his famous orange book and pointed to a particular scene to show her.

"Just like the end of of my favorite Icha-Icha novel-"

"Cha!" Sakura screamed back at him, her composure shot as she berated him for being a pervert. "Don't lump me with that!"

(Laughing Out Loud) Story's not Over Folks! Still more to Come!