Chapter four I do not own Naruto

*Thank you to everyone! I'm so glad you like it.

Here's the next chapter! Italics is flashback, bold is thought.*

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Sakura rolled over in her bed. After leaving her teammates, she had come home to sleep. She looked at her clock, she was only vaguely aware that when the clock said 2:15, it meant 2 am. Sakura sighed, she only had one day of freedom left, and she wasn't going to spend it crying or in bed. Sakura remembered how her mother had come to see her earlier in the day. She had wanted to talk, but Sakura had pretended to be asleep, so her mother left. I don't really want to talk about this anymore, she thought wryly. If only this was a dream. And with that thought she drifted back into a troubled sleep.

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The next morning Sakura left her apartment and went about her usual business. Even though many people in the village had heard, from Naruto no less, about what was going to take place the next day, they picked up on the fact that Sakura wanted to live her last day as she always had. God, listen to me, you'd think I'm going to die, not get married! She thought. Sakura shook her head as she walked into her favorite restaurant. She had received a note from Tsunade to meet her at the end of the day. She knew that Tsunade wanted to talk about the wedding, so Sakura was going to push that conversation back as long as possible. She had just begun to eat her ramen when Tsunade's other apprentice, Shizune, walked into the small eating house. She was a young, tall woman with short black hair, and a specialty for medical and poison ninjutsu.

"Ah, Sakura, there you are!" she said cheerfully.

"Hello"

"Tsunade-sama would like to see you."

Hearing these words, Sakura choked on the ramen she was trying to swallow. She began coughing and Shizune hit her on the back, and Sakura let out a whiny, "Why?!"

"Because there are some things about tomorrow that she'd like to discuss."

Knowing that it would cause trouble to argue, Sakura paid for her meal and followed the older woman to the Hokage's office.

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Itachi was sitting in the corner of the Hokage's office. He had a faint idea of why he had finally been let out of his cell. The Hokage herself wouldn't say anything, and it was her silence that told him, I'll be meeting my wife today.

Tsunade was sitting at her desk. She was supposed to be reading reports about the recent missions, but she wasn't really paying attention. I thought Sakura would have come earlier. I didn't think I would have to send Shizune to find her, the Hokage thought.

The door to the office swung open, as Shizune pushed Sakura through the door.

"Hey- Shizune!"

Tsunade leaped up from her chair. "Sakura! What took you so long?!"

"Sorry Tsunade-sama, I was trying to enjoy my day."

Tsunade's face dropped. "Oh. Well, in any case, there are some things I wanted to discuss with the two of you before tomorrow." She said sitting back in her chair.

Sakura looked slightly confused. "'Us'?"

"Yes, 'us'…"

Sakura turned her head to watch Itachi stand up and walk towards her. She looked up at him and took a few steps back. He was holding out his hand, as if to shake hers, but she was now walking slowly backwards, as you would walk away from a hungry bear.

"I-I-Itachi…" she said, terrified.

Itachi looked from Sakura to the Hokage. "I guess the idea hadn't really sunk in as well as you'd hoped."

"I guess not. Sakura!" Tsunade yelled.

Haring her mentor's voice, Sakura snapped out of her stupor. "Sorry, right." She turned back to Itachi. "He-hello."

"Hello." Itachi looked around the room. "Sooo, it looks like we're going to get married. Tomorrow."

"Yeah, looks like it."

Tsunade looked slightly upset. "Sorry to interrupt this long-winded conversation, but there are some things I need to talk to you about. Please, both of you sit."

Sakura and Itachi pulled a chair in front of the Hokage's desk, and sat. As Tsunade began to speak.

"Ok. First off, the wedding. Do you want it to be a big thing, like in a church, or would you rather just have it done with a few guests? And I doubt the two of you will want to say your vows, so-" Tsunade broke off for a moment, "I suppose you'll just be signing the marriage contracts." She looked at them expectantly.

"OK."

"Sure."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "OK, so it will be Sakura's parents, team Kakashi, me and Shizune, oh and the Head Elder, tomorrow. What time?"

Sakura and Itachi looked at each other through the corner of their eyes. "I don't care." They said at the same time.

"OK, well, it'll be at noon."

The pair only nodded. At this point Tsunade began to become annoyed.

"Now, after the wedding, were will you live?"

At this Itachi interjected. "Um, if it's not too much trouble, I would prefer if we moved into my parent's house."

Tsunade looked at him in astonishment. This is the first request he has made. "Why?"

Itachi looked down, "well this marriage was supposed to be so I could 'restore the clan'. So the only place I would do that would be in the place of my ancestors."

"I don't want to!" Both Tsunade and Itachi looked at Sakura. She had a look of terror on her face. I don't want to move in with him, she realized. He wants to 'restore the clan', with me?! Isn't his parents house the place where he had killed his parents? "No!"

"Sakura, I'm sorry, but you have to live with Itachi, and if that's where he wants to live…" Tsunade trailed off.

Sakura clenched her fists and looked at her lap as tears filled her eyes. "Fine." She muttered.

"As for missions, I assume many people will not be willing to have Itachi on their team, so you will join Team Kakashi."

"But Tsunade-sama, our team already has four people!"

"Yes, but Sai has requested to be a part of other teams in order to get to know some other people. I can have Itachi be on your team while he does this. At least, until the village grows used to him, then I will place him back into ANBU."

When neither Sakura, nor Itachi replied to this, she continued. "Furthermore," Tsunade's face softened as she looked at Sakura. "I know this wasn't your choice, and you're not happy about it," She looked at the both of them. "But since this is going to happen, can you try to make it work?"

Sakura muttered a "yes", but Itachi didn't say anything. Tsunade looked to him and saw he was staring intently at his fiancé. Finally, he looked Tsunade in the eyes.

"Hokage-sama, what you said is true: I don't love Sakura. And from what I can tell, she doesn't love me either. In fact, she seems somewhat scared of me." He ignored the annoyed, "Hey!" that came from Sakura. "But, since she is going to be my wife, I can assure you, I will protect her with my life."

Tsunade was a little dumbstruck. Sakura had her mouth completely open. "Wow" was the only thing either of them could say.

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Hey there! Here's the next chapter! Sorry it's so short, but the next one will be out soon! I can't wait, coming up is the wedding (or contract signing) and the appearance of Akatsuki in the village! Please review! Thanks!