Hello friends!~ Welcome back to the fic! It's been a while ne? Lol not really. You'd probably like to get rid of me once and for all! I refuse to be killed off so easily. I want to die in a epic way, not get killed by some random people out for blood because I don't update my other fics! That would be poetic justice but not cool!

Kyo~

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto but I wish I did.

Chapter eight: Pain is endured for greatness.

Konoha, a few days later:

Sasuke sighed as he walked back to Sakura's house from work at the police department. He refused to even talk to his father just yet. He hadn't figured out what to do. He wasn't going to marry anyone he didn't want to, so he had yet to figure out how to get out of that. He had never done anything his father didn't want him to. He had always followed orders, but this time he had went too far. So in the mean time he was staying with Sakura. Kakashi had too much porn, Naruto's house was a mess, and Sakura had the room. Plus she cooked for him and he could talk with Sakura and maybe get to know her better.

Understand what she was thinking, why she had so many lovers, why she was getting rid of them all, if she was. Why would she leave Neji Hyuuga, and then Naruto. Was she making herself single on purpose? She was too cryptic. Besides that was she making herself free for one lover in general? Was she getting married? He froze. Holy crap was that her plan? He didn't even know if she had any more lovers, but he figured she must have. He hadn't come over in the time Sasuke had been there, and she hadn't been out with anyone. She had been to work and came home.

This was confusing. No wonder Itachi was fascinated by her. Sasuke himself was curious to what the heck was going on. It was slightly entertaining, but it was also strange. Sakura looked very lonely some times. He didn't understand why.

He obviously was too much in thought to realize he had walked into the house and was in her spare bedroom which was down the hall from her own bed room. He had been too distracted to even notice someone else was inside. He froze as he listened and then blushed furiously.

Holy hell, she had a lover over. He could hear the male grunts, and the soft sound of her moans. He went tomato red. He should have been paying more attention, but it was too late to leave now.

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Sakura knew exactly when Sasuke came home from work, she frowned but if her lover didn't mind it then she wouldn't as well. His blond hair was wet from his shower as he leaned down to press his lips to hers.

" Sakura." Naruto growled low in his throat as he stiffened and spilled himself inside her. She gasped and shut her eyes tightly against the feeling. Such a strangely comforting feeling it was to know he was aroused enough to come inside her. Such a feeling. She molded her lips against his as he emptied himself and then turned them both over so she was on top. His breathing was harsh when she pulled her mouth from his to trail soft kisses along his neck.

" Sasuke's home." She said softly. He blushed and stiffened.

" No way." He said embarrassed. She laughed softly and kissed his flaming cheek.

" Don't be shy Naruto." She said settling her weight on top of him. He was so warm. His skin so much warmer then anyone else's, his constant warm body temperature. She really would miss him, but he wasn't hers. He never would be.

" But teme heard it...he heard me...he heard you." He covered his face with his hands. His ears burned red. She laughed softly and then winced and he shuttered at the movement so soon after climax.

She lifted her hips and eased him out, then settled back on top of him with a sigh. She laid her forehead on his chest.

" It's alright. We told him after all. We didn't hide our chakra he should have known better." She said he peaked up at her with blue eyes.

" But still." She smiled at him, but then her face got serious and he lowered his hands to settle them on her hips.

" Whats wrong?" He asked softly. She looked away from his eyes.

" You know Hinata loves you don't you?" She looked back to his blue eyes. He sighed at her.

" Sakura don't do this to yourself." She looked away again.

" I know she does." He said with another sigh.

" She would be perfect for you when your Hokage. Having the Hyuuga clan on your side would make things easier, and Hinata is gentle, your going to need someone like that." He smoothed his hands around her hips and over her rear. Smooth silky skin all the way around and up her back along her spine.

" Your Baa-chans apprentice. The Village would want you to be with me even more. They trust you, a lot of people aren't going to be happy with Kyuubi inside me if I took over the village as leader. With you they would trust that you could control me Sakura. That if anything happened you wouldn't hesitate to take over command." She sighed this time.

" Naruto." She said softly.

" No Sakura. If I married Hina-chan then it would only start a rivalry between the other clans. The Hyuuga would get that stick wedged higher because they think they're better because Hinata married the Hokage." She frowned. That sounded almost like her problem with the Hyuuga's and Uchiha's.

" Naruto you know as well as I do that the Uchiha family has been claiming me for years now. If I married anyone besides an Uchiha they would have a cow. The clan had been teetering on the edge for years now since the order from the elders came to infiltrate the clan and work out the spies. The village doesn't need that sort of problem. You don't need that sort of problem when you take the lead." He frowned at her.

" Sakura. You don't have to marry an Uchiha if you don't want to. Don't make those old coots force you into something you don't want." She pressed her lips to his chin.

" Naruto, your my best friend, and I love you, but you know that that's whats for the best. If I married an Uchiha it would settle the clan and reinforce them to the village. Everyone knows I would never do anything against the village, and I would settle the other clans to trust the Uchiha's. They need me as an Uchiha much as they need you with Hinata." He didn't look pleased.

" Sakura. I don't want this." He squeezed her closer his arms pressing her chest closer to his, and his face inching down to capture her eyes.

" Naruto I wouldn't have brought it up if it didn't need done. Don't you think I would have just starting dating you, instead of keeping this.." She reached between them to caress him, he closed his eyes in pleasure.

"...secret?" His eyes when he opened them were hazy and dark.

" I don't want anyone else Sakura. I love you." She pressed her mouth to his.

" I know baka." She whispered.

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So that was why she was breaking up with the dobe? But was that why she broke up with the Hyuuga? Because the Uchiha clan, his clan, had it's claws in her? Was that what she meant by it wasn't about her? About what she wanted because his family would make that choice for her? Because she knew it would strengthen the clan and the village if she did marry into his family? Was that why she was doing this? To strengthen the village? For the village to accept his clan fully? For the suspicion from the village of his clan to stop?

Why would she even start relationships with them in the first place though? Why put herself and the men through that? For the pleasure of sex? Companionship? Freedom while she still has it?

His father was forcing him to marry and he refused, but Sakura wasn't even in his clan and she was being forced into marriage just like he was. He had never thought about that before. She was as much a victim here as he was, but more. She wasn't an Uchiha and his family should have no right to her. Yet Sakura knew better then anyone.

She had thought all of this out and she was allowing herself to be sold like some livestock or piece of jewelry into his clan when they had stolen her. They had no real right to her, but she knew what marrying into his family would accomplish. She was letting herself be used not only to better the village, but help his clan.

How noble it was, but stupid. Stupid because she shouldn't have to do that. She should be free to love Naruto if she loved him, be with the Hyuuga if she wanted him, she shouldn't have to be forced into his family because of those circumstances. It was utterly ridiculous and she knew it too. Yet she would still allow herself to be sold to his family for everyone's sake except her own. Why couldn't she be happy?

No wonder she had so many lovers now. It was the only way she could be free to love or be with whom she wanted while she was free to do it. Also keeping her relations secret for that very reason. The clan would no doubt be on her heel soon if not already. Was that why she was breaking it off with her lovers because his clan was starting to hound down on her?

That would explain a lot of things he hadn't understood until now. Why didn't Itachi do anything? Why didn't he himself? Because Sasuke knew she would still do it regardless. Because he wanted her to be with him, because Itachi wouldn't mind being married to her? He figured maybe Itachi hadn't said anything about it because of that very reason, and Sasuke himself didn't say anything because for one, he just figured it out, and two, he was in denial even in his own mind. He certainly couldn't tell her he liked her when he didn't even know if he did or not.

He was jealous of all those lovers, didn't want her to kiss anyone but him. He had enjoyed that kiss he had given her, and he liked her touching him. He had even liked when she had washed him that one morning. He got hard thinking back on it. He blushed in shame.

He was such a pervert, but why did he have to be a pervert, because he wanted her? Wasn't she supposed to be his? Didn't it count that he had stolen her heart all those years ago, of course he hadn't wanted it back then, and broke it as well, but he wanted it back now. Was that selfish to want? Was it selfish to want her now when he hadn't back then? Was it any wonder he wanted her now when he hadn't back then? He had hated women back then, he still didn't like them, but he liked her. He wanted her. He enjoyed having her around, he liked living with her, he wanted to see more of her, to know more about her. So what if he was a little late?

Didn't he still get a chance? Should he still have a chance at all? He didn't want to be like his clan and force her into a relationship with him, but she would be useful if he told his father he wanted to marry her instead, but he was sure from his mothers words, that their clan planned on putting her with Itachi. But what were they waiting for then? Itachi was past the marriage age and should have been a father by now, was it Itachi himself the reasoning there, stopping them, or was it another reason all together they waited to force Sakura with his brother.

Or did they not want Sakura to marry his brother? They weren't going to give her to Shisui. Obviously not Sasuke himself either since the girl his father tried to get him to marry was some chick from some other village. So the confusion was back this time on a similar matter at least but still as confusing.

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" He'll come to you." Sakura said to the small Hyuuga heiress. Hinata looked surprised as Sakura said this in the hall way in passing. The herbalist turned and watched Sakura's back as the woman walked away. Hinata smiled. Sakura had kept her promise. Not that Hinata didn't think she would after all.

And Sakura was right, after helping out at the hospital, Hinata had dropped off some new herbs to help with healing, she had left the hospital to find Naruto waiting for her. He rubbed the back of his neck.

" Hey Hina-chan. Can I walk you home?" She smiled and blushed beautifully. She nodded and followed him.

Sakura watched from her office window. She turned her eyes from the two and back to her work. It was for the best.

She had kept her promise, and helped the village, strengthened it all at the same time. She had made Hinata happy, and given her the chance she needed to be with the one she loved. That was what mattered after all.

As long as they were happy... As long as they were happy.

Sakura rose a hand to her eyes. Her vision blurred and warmth filled her eyes.

As long as they're happy.

She hid her eyes from her empty office, but the tears shown as they fell along pale skin. The sun setting rays glinted off the salty tears and reflected them for anyone who was watching to see. It just so happened one person was watching, and he did see.

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It seemed like Sakura had some explaining to do after all. Things after all weren't always as they seemed.

He switched off his Sharingan. He would now never get those tears out of his head. He would know her pain, and know why she was doing this to herself. He had seen some of the new faces she made with her lovers, but it was this, a sad painful face she allowed herself to be consumed by that was new as well. It was just another face he had yet to see from her, and now has. The problem being he didn't ever want her to feel like this again. He grit his teeth.

Seemed like he was going to have to interfere in her life after all.

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The sweat poured down her body in torrents, along with the rain. It though didn't matter to her either way that she was wearing herself out by training like this. Pushing herself to the limit because she had failed herself. She had let herself cry and so she was punishing herself for it. It was to be expected. Shinobi and Kunoichi do not allow emotions to get in their way. A good Kunoichi and or Shinobi never even allow emotions to affect them. She needed to be strong. She needed to be a perfect medic and a genius Kunoichi, and she would eventually help bring Konoha into a new tomorrow.

She would help Konoha, and she had already started helping them along by joining Naruto and Hinata together. Her work was far from done though, but for right now. Now she was reprimand herself, punish herself. She could not allow herself to fall again. From now until forever, she would do what is best for this village, for these people. She would make Konoha a place worth living in. No matter what it cost her.

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He had followed her around all day again today. Watching her for any sign that she was depressed, or would wallow in her pain. She had punished herself the entire week, but hadn't ever cried again. She simply went through her life as if nothing had happened, as if she hadn't had her heart torn away again. What was she trying to accomplish here? Why was she breaking up with all of her lovers?

Was his clan finally making their move on her? Were they asking marriage of her so she had to drop all her lovers? He certainly hadn't heard anything about that, he would have been told if his father was marrying her off, because it would be to him, not Sasuke or Shisui. He was sure in that.

He hadn't heard a word from his father, clan, or mother about any of that, so that couldn't be the reasoning. So why did she drop all her lovers? Why did the Uzumaki kid, right after being dumped by his lover, go right to the Hyuuga girl? Itachi frowned...Wait a moment.

He had an idea. He would have to go observe his third again. If he was right, this would bring all of the pieces together for him to put into place. This matter would be solved and he would know how to fix things, or at least help her stop self destroying her own life.

Thus he would have to leave her alone today. He would find out if his idea was correct and then he would get some more paperwork done.

Sasuke was still at her house as well. His little brother had not figured out a way to tell their father no to the marriage. Sasuke though, for his part, had all his life done whatever his father and clan asked of him, thus if would be difficult to even say no to their father for that reason. Yet if Sasuke wanted to grow up, he needed to know he couldn't just go through life doing whatever was told of him. He had to make his own decisions. Live his own life, the clan wasn't the one who had live live for him, it was Sasuke who was in control and he who would have to deal with the consequences of his own life. Him who would have to live it. Thus his decision was needed in what he would do.

Sasuke would either eventually understand that, or he would not and allow himself to be the clans pawn. Either way he had to do what was best for himself. Live for himself. Itachi was though curious. Sasuke seemed much closer to Sakura then he had ever been. The two had never really hung out alone together. Either his family, or Uzumaki Naruto had always been a bridge between the two, they had rarely even talked unless needed to, yet now they seemed closer.

Sasuke was smiling at her in a way he had only ever smiled at his mother, for him or Shisui. Sasuke didn't smile very often, but Itachi was amazed that he did so for Sakura. Sakura was someone Sasuke could reply on, because Sakura would do anything for the village sake, for their clan sake, for her teammates and friends sake. She was as selfless as anyone could be. She would do her best to make other people happy even if it meant she was miserable. He had at least learned that much from her in all the time he had known her.

Sasuke was comfortable around her, more comfortable then he ever had been at home. It worried Itachi. Worried him because he knew that their father would not give Sakura to Sasuke. That Sakura would be given to him, not his little brother. He knew that, and he hoped that Sasuke wasn't doing something foolish like falling in love with her or anything.

Yet that also went the other was as well. Why had Sakura reacted embarrassed when Shisui had joked around that Sakura was 'playing' with Sasuke? Had something happened between them? Was she getting over sensitive to his brother? Was she attracted to Sasuke? These questions made up another puzzle to solve all linked around Sakura. What an intriguing person she had turned out to be. He knew the first time he had met her, seen her vibrant pink hair, and jade green eyes that she would be the one person who he may never understand. May never figure out, may never put together their puzzle. He may piece things together and fit puzzle pieces into a certain situation, like he was trying to with her lovers and her reason fro breaking it off with them, but he would certainly never be able to finish her life puzzle. Fit all her puzzle pieces from life together to fit into an even larger puzzle. He would never be able to do it, he knew that. That was why he was trying so hard to figure as much about her as he could. He wanted to know as much as possible about her and her life, because he would never know all of it.

He watched her as she punished herself again today, or rather tonight. Every morning, every night, she pushed herself to train until she collapsed into a exhausted pile, then even after that she pulled herself together and went to work, or went home and forced herself to do everything else, cleaning, cooking, reading, anything else to forced herself, punish herself, and then she would sleep. Getting up early to start all over again.

Why? Why was she punishing herself for one moment of weakness no one had been around to see, except him but he had made sure his prescience wasn't know this time, so why was she punishing herself for a moment of tears that no one but herself knew fell? Just another puzzle that was Sakura Haruno. Maybe when they were old he would just ask her to reveal all the mystery pieces of that puzzle to him, maybe before he died he could put her puzzle together and be at peace. Maybe... It was at least something to look forward to.

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" Why do you think clouds form different shapes in the sky?" Sakura asked.

"Do you think perhaps it is just people who see the shapes and determine if they are in different shapes? Like that one there..." She pointed to a rather large cloud directly above them both.

" That one looks like a kunai to me." She turned her eyes over to her companion in the grass laying both on their backs arms behind their heads as a cushion. Her companion had dark eyes and pineapple shaped hair.

" You don't have to try to figure every thing out Sakura. Things are sometimes made just to be relaxing. Something to watch and wonder about, not to over analyze. You do this every time you watch clouds with me." He said looking over at her with a sigh. She rolled her eyes.

" I don't think clouds were made just to relax you Shika." He laughed softly.

" Sure?"

She shook her head and closed her eyes for a long moment just breathing in the fresh summer air. It was cool enough today with a nice breeze to lay out like this and just relax. Sometimes it was nice to enjoy small things like this. She liked finding Shikamaru. He was one person she could be with for hours on end and be relaxed around. Relaxed because he was quiet and lazy and didn't ask questions or favors from her. Didn't expect anything from her except for her to be lazy with him. Which she would do willingly once and a while when she needed to relax.

With the few weeks she's been having she needed it. She was done punishing herself, but with that out of the way now she wondered what she would do in her free time. She was down two lovers. It would be hard to fill that space they took up, the time they spent. She would have to fill time other ways, and she wasn't allowed to overwork herself in the hospital, and people were too busy to spar with her, and doing so by yourself was never fun unless you planned to punish yourself or improve a certain strength or skill.

So she had decided to do this for today in her free time. She found Shikamaru and joined him in cloud watching, well currently she had her eyes closed but it was just feeling the life around you, the blowing of the wind, and the scent of summer, the hot sun conflicting with a cool air, the feel of the grass on her skin, and the sound of someone else's soft breath, and heartbeat. Sometimes it was just feeling something like that, that relaxes one. Yet it was also having someone at her side that calmed her as well. It had been a long while now since she had relaxed next to another person. Had ever felt relaxed enough, peaceful enough to lay calmly and silently next to another human.

It was like a filling for that empty space in her life where her lovers had fit, though Shikamaru wasn't anything close to a lover, he did fill that place in his own way. Just by being here next to her. Spending time with her, wasting time with her, that made her feel at peace, to feel loved.

" Why is the Uchiha living with you?" Her eyes snapped open to look over at her companion usually silent for the most part. She frowned at him as he looked over to her. She sighed and turned her eyes to the clouds again.

" Fugaku-sama is trying to marry him to some Kunoichi from Iwa or something." She said and then removed one arm from her self made cushion and tossed it over her eyes. The sun was bright after having her eyes closed so long.

" Then he doesn't want that?" Shika asked. She huffed.

" No. He has issues with women, I'm sure you've noticed. Sasuke doesn't want that. I can't blame him. He came to me, and so it's not a bother to have him there." Shika continued to examine her to see if it was a bother or not to her. He had heard from an over heard conversation, that Uchiha Sasuke was seen to be living with Haruno Sakura. He had wanted to confirm it, but was above spying so he had just asked her straight out.

" Don't you have a lover or something that comes over?" She removed her arm and slowly turned her head to him. She looked into his brown eyes and her lips turned down.

" What do you know Shikamaru?" He turned his eyes and head away from her to look up at the clouds as she had been earlier.

" Do you think it would be much of a secret when you were seeing Neji and Naruto? Naruto may not keep secrets very well, but that secret he kept down lock and key, yet I could tell. He's an idiot but I'm not blind. Neji's not hard to figure out either. Plus he's been down and before that he was less harsh to people. Calmer." She sighed. Well she supposed to those who actually looked for things like that it would be noticeable. She couldn't help changing them. It wasn't like she asked them to change, they had just changed on their own.

" I thought you had another one, but I obviously don't know him, if I do he's not changed and he's a better liar then your other lovers were. I know you broke it off with Neji and obviously Naruto since he's been hanging around Hinata, but what about the other, doesn't it bother him not coming to see you since Sasuke's there? Or that another man is living with you?" Wow this was the most Shikamaru had ever spoken at one moment of time. Usually he just observed but it seems he couldn't figure it out through observing.

She turned her head back to the sky again as well.

" It hasn't been a problem." She said after a while. They fell into silence again.

It was less peaceful now...because now she felt the guilt and regret press down on her, the anger and the pain from both Neji and Naruto. What she was forced to do. She was forced to lie to Neji to help Tenten, and break his heart, she was forced to give up Naruto for Hinata to make her happy. Did she regret it? Yes. Did she wish to rewind time and make it never happen? Maybe. Maybe it would be better if she could. Maybe it would be better if she could go back and push Naruto to Hinata before she ever got involved, push Tenten and Neji together before Tenten ever had to ask Sakura to seduce him. Yes she did wish that some days, but others she was glad to have gotten that sort of love for a short while from them both.

She wouldn't regret the time spent with either of them, just that she had to hurt them both to gain that time.

" Do you think it was worth it?" Shikamaru finally asked ending the silence and her thoughts. Her lips rose into a small smile.

" Sometimes."

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End chapter:

More sad seriousness, but some lime to make up? :D Sorry I did warn you this fic would be one of my more serious. I never posted this fic partly because I never finished it before, partly because I wasn't sure if I was going to, lets hope I made the right choice ne?

Any questions? Comments? Complaints? 'WTF's? If so review! If not Review anyway! I demand it of you! :D

Kyo~