(author peeks timidly around corner and waves) Hi. Sorry for the last chapter...the sudden mood change...but I have my reasons. Now, to answer a few reviews:

Death's Hand: YAAAAY! THAAAAAANKYOU FOR THE GA-REAT IDEA! (glomps Death's Hand)

Lawrence: Unpredicable. If you haven't noticed yet, Uzumaki Naruto is EXTREMELY unpredictable, both in my story and in the original storyline. I do admit, the mood change was a bit rushed, but I'm trying to keep in character as much as possible, and believe me, Uzumaki Naruto is a whirlwind of chaotic emotions. And I will not tolerate my fic being called a melodrama. People react far worse to broken hearts than the scene you saw in the last chapter. And no, Naruto is NOT bipolar so quit whining. I'm shedding blood, sweat, and tears to make this fic work.

Eternal: WAAAAAHAHAAAAAAA! THANKYOU! (sob...snifff) yeah, I haven't ever changed how people look at things anymore...sob...thanks...BLAAAAAAAAT (me blowing nose)

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT NOTE: Okay, I've got people saying SasuNaru and I've got people saying NejiNaru, and I've got people saying Share. This is a terrible predicament, cuz judging by your reviews, if I lean towards NejiNaru, the SasuNaru fans are gonna rip me apart. If I lean towards SasuNaru, the NejiNaru fans are going to hunt me down and gut me like a fish. And if I lean towards sharing, both the NejiNaru and the SasuNaru fans who want either one or the other but definitely not bothwill pelt me with nukes. Either way, I get killed. Flamed beyond the pointof existence. Disintegrated. Destroyed. You get the point. So. I need you guys to vote once more. Just a simple yes or no will be sufficient.

Do you want me to write three separate endings (NejiNaru, SasuNaru, and Share) just to satisfy all you fans, or do you want this fic to be more conclusive and satisfying by me choosing one out of the three and having my head chopped off twice by the fans of the other two choices?

I'm sorry Sakura is a bitch for all you Sakura fans that are reading this fic (if any; I think I gave several warnings earlier on that Sakura fans should stop reading)

One last thing: There will be lots of NejiNaru and SasuNaru in this fic, but I haven't decided yet what the ending pairing will be. Just so you know.

Now that we've got all the mandatory business over and done with, ON WITH THE FIC!

Chapter 13: Underneath Her Innocent Mask

Now alone, Naruto and Sasuke gazed intently at the video screen. The camera fizzed and blurred before zooming in on a view of the interior of the previous restaurant. The scarlet curtain loomed closer until Sakura's hand parted the velvet, entering the room inside. The camera fizzed again before focusing on the dark shapes moving slowly back and forth in the shadowed room. Articles of clothing littered the floor, and smoke billowed in hazy clouds around the room, wafting in slow puffs. A great brute of a man came forward, his stomach threatening to spill over his belt, and reached out, stroking Sakura's cheek.

"So this is my woman? They did a decent job."

Sakura's giggle was heard before the camera slid downward, falling on the floor along with her blouse. A minute later, her skirt fell beside it, landing softly on the ground next to the man's beer-stained jeans. Laughter was heard. Naruto turned away from the camera, thoroughly disgusted. The goddamn whore…

Sasuke fast-forwarded the tape, stopping just when the camera slid upwards again, indicating Sakura had put on her blouse. He was about to stop the roll of the tape but stopped, intrigued by the conversation that followed. A rumbling was heard as Sakura's client addressed her.

"They did a fine job. You're one of the better women I've had, dearie, and from me that's a compliment. Got any coke on you? I'm craving for a shot." Sakura answered negatively.

"I'm running low myself. Shall I run to my house and get some for the both of us?" The man's deep growl answered her.

"That would be lovely, dearie." Naruto flinched. His voice positively reeked of lechery. For his beloved master to be wedded to such a creature…his hands twitched with the sudden urge to soak them in the Haruno's blood. A sudden thought hit him.

"Sasuke…Sasuke, she's going back to the Hyuuga mansion to retrieve her drugs. We just sent Neji over there. And that means…" Sasuke stiffened as the full realization of what just happened hit him dead-on.

"We must contact the Hyuuga immediately. I hope he's reached the mansion by now."

Naruto snatched a nearby phone off its cradle, frantically punching in the numbers. It rang for four times before a message picked up.

"Damn." Slamming down the phone, Naruto dialed and redialed, muttering under his breath.

"Come on Neji, pick up, pick up, pick up…." Again the message machine answered.

"No!" The blonde tried yet again. This time the phone rang twice before a deep baritone answered.

"Hello?" Neji was panting heavily on the other end.

"Neji! Sakura's coming to get her drugs, and she's coming right away. If she catches you in her room…" Naruto trailed off.

"Don't worry, I found a packet of powder underneath her mattress. She has loads more…I'm sending it with Kiba so he can deliver it to you. Could you run some tests to see if it really is opium? I need to stay here just in case she starts getting suspicious." Naruto sighed with relief.

"All right. Thank you Neji." He could almost hear the Hyuuga shrug on the other end.

"Not a problem."

Neji set down the receiver and sighed, leaning against the frame of the door, anticipating Sakura's arrival. A soft snap was heard as the subject herself walked in the door, humming amiably. Skipping up the stairs, she smiled as she laid eyes on the Hyuuga. Bouncing over to Neji, she reached up to give him a kiss. Neji drew back, gently turning his face away from her lips, placing a hand on her mouth. Sakura recoiled, confusion clouding her vision. Cocking her head to the side, Sakura wrapped her arms about his waist. He stiffened and extracted himself from her grasp, standing to face her. The Haruno was thoroughly confused, a questioning look in her emerald eyes.

"What's wrong, Neji-kun?" Neji looked away, not answering immediately. For a brief moment he considered taking back his words, pretending everything was alright. No, I have to be strong. Whore or not, she deserves to know the truth. Now do it, you coward. Do it.

"Sakura….I was wrong." Puzzlement marred Sakura's features.

"About what?" She prodded further. Neji turned away.

"This…this marriage, our relationship, everything. It can't go on." Sakura frowned. She smiled reassuringly, coming close to the Hyuuga.

"You don't really mean that, do you Neji?" Neji slipped out of her grasp, turning to face her.

"I do mean it, Sakura. I must confess, I've never felt the same about you in the first place. You are a good friend; somewhat fickle, but a good friend. That's all. I cannot bring myself to love you, Sakura. And I do suspect…that you don't love me either." Sakura's eyes widened in horror.

"Of course I love you," she ejaculated wildly. "Of course I love you! I've loved you ever since I first laid eyes on you! You inspired me, you comforted me when I was down; how could I not love you!" Neji sighed sadly.

"Sakura—"

"Was it something I did?" Sakura asked frantically. "Was it something I said, or was it something—"

"Sakura, you didn't do anything wrong. I just never felt any love, true love towards you. I love you as a friend, but other than that, there is nothing else." Neji turned away, ebony tresses falling in front of his eyes.

"I'm sorry." Tears welled up in the girl's eyes and she turned away, sobbing convulsively, her body wracked with dry heaves.

"Neji…Neji, why? I admit, I used to flirt with men only for amusement, but you're the only one I've ever truly loved! I mean it, I mean it when I say I love you!" Neji shook his head, gritting his teeth. Why did this have to be so painful?

"Sakura, please. Don't make this harder for me than it already is." The girl whirled around, sobbing against the wall. Her voice trembled frantically, half-choked with sobs.

"Then….then why did you marry me?" Neji sighed.

"Sakura….I married you because Hiashi needed an heir for his company. I admit, it was wrong of me. I'm sorry I've hurt you so." Sakura shook her head back and forth, moaning.

"No…no, Neji, I love you. Why can't you see that? Can you not try to love me in return?" Neji covered his face with his hand.

"Sakura, I've tried, God knows that I have, but I just can't seem to love you." When Sakura didn't respond, he came over and took her shoulders gently. She wrenched herself out of his grasp.

"Sakura, listen to me. I know. I know why you married me. And it wasn't because of love. You plan to use your gained social status for easier means of getting drugs, am I not correct?" Sakura gasped, turning around to face Neji with a wild look in her horrified eyes.

"How…how did you…"

"…know? Sakura, I found a packet of powder under your mattress." Sakura drew away, stumbling for the stairs in a last-ditch attempt to run. Neji wound his arm around her waist and held on determinedly.

"No…no let me go…" Neji only tightened his grip.

"Sakura, from a friend to a friend, please give up on the usage of opium. You're only harming yourself." Sakura thrashed and broke free of his hold.

"No…no, no, I can't…" Neji started forward, pain glittering in his eyes.

"Please, Sakura." Sakura clutched her fists to her chest, moaning and wringing her hands, her eyes unfocused as if in a trance.

"No…" Neji looked at the girl a while longer, a mixture of pity and sadness lingering in his grayish-silver eyes before he turned away.

"Then please leave. I have no wish to see you again." He started to walk down the hallway.

Sakura watched him go, feeling her heart break into a million tiny fragments. No…no, Neji had been her light, her life; without him, she could not survive. Without him, opium would be her only comfort. No…she couldn't afford to lose him. Her hands fumbled in the lapels of her shirt for the small dagger hidden so cleverly beneath the folds. Her fingers closed over the handle, shaking terribly, and drew it out. For a moment, she pondered this horrid idea, hesitating at the thought of killing her inspiration.

A vision flashed across her mind, momentarily blinding the girl. The blond…the blond servant…she'd seen a spark and vigor in Neji's eyes whenever he was with the blond servant that she'd never seen when he looked at her. He didn't care what happened to her, for he had others to turn to. She had no one else to go to though; he was her only light. Neji…there was absolutely no way she'd let him go.

Gripping the dagger with sweaty, shaking palms, she curled her fingers around the handle, swallowing the fear that suddenly overwhelmed her. Whimpering softly, she started to walk, her eyes betraying a petrified terror beyond all levels of fear, so much that she looked as if she'd die of fright with every step. Sakura broke into a trot, her breathing speeding up and coming in short, shallow gasps, her heart beating so hard she felt as if it would burst with every step she took. As Neji's back loomed in front of her, her breaths quickened and her pulse sped to an alarming rate. Tears streamed down her face like a flood broken free of the dykes as she sprinted the last few feet and jammed the dagger neatly between the Hyuuga's shoulder blades.

Neji gasped slightly as a searing pain shot across his body, enveloping his vision in a misty haze of red. That was odd…his legs suddenly felt weak. He felt his center of gravity lower at an alarming rate; no, he couldn't be falling now. He had to get back to…his…blond…Neji sank to his knees, flinching as another fresh wave of pain tore across his mind, feeling as if a hive of African bees had just been released into his head. The pain tore from his spine into his brain, meeting at the crown of his head with a bang. The Hyuuga felt his eyes closing, making one last attempt to rise as blackness shrouded his vision.

Sakura screamed softly as warm blood dripped down the hilt of the knife onto her hands, tainting them an ugly, dark red-crimson. The liquid oozed down her wrists and down her arms, tracking a weaving design of blood down her forearms. Shaking like a wind-tossed leaf, Sakura pulled the blade out of Neji's back, shuddering horribly as more blood spurted out. She caught Neji's limp form as it fell, staggering slightly and pulling it over to the stairs. Positioning the Hyuuga on her back, she stumbled down the stairs, almost tripping, and staggered out the front door. Opening her cell phone, she punched in some numbers and uttered a frantic command, then shut off her phone and waited on the front steps. Minutes later a car pulled up, and a masked man emerged.

Either he took notice of Neji's lifeless form and didn't care, or didn't wish to ask questions; still, he accepted the burden from Sakura and shoved it in the car. Holding open the door for the trembling Haruno, he closed it with a snap once she stepped inside, then got in himself. The car sputtered as the motor was gunned, then roared off into the night.

Rather short chap, but I wanted to end in a cliffy (evil, ne?) Sorry for the shortness...but you know how fast I update. Truth be told, I'm several chapters ahead on this fic...so I get to update as soon as I like. That does not mean trying to bribe me to update faster. Unless your bribe consists of something dealing with my beloved Neji.

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