Thank you to XxFlowerAngelxX for being my first reviewer! This chapter is dedicated to you. Also thank you to moonlight whisperer for putting me on story alert. This is my first fanfic and seeing that really encouraged me. I said last chapter that I would update on Friday then I realised that that was the next day so... I hope you like it... I lose track of the days on holidays!

Chapter 2 The Awkward Meeting...

Sakura knocked on the door for the Hokage's office she heard a muffled 'come in' and so she entered. Two of the Elders sat in the room as well as Sakura's mentor, Lady Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage. The old, balding man with a beard sat at the left of Tsunade as the old, wrinkling woman sat on her right. Sakura's mentor had her eyes closed and she looked to be in deep thought, she looked angry and annoyed. Lying on the desk was what looked to be a crumpled scroll that was being straightened out, unsuccessfully. Sakura bowed and as she tilted her head up, she saw her ex-sensei, Kakashi; the clear eye looked at her with sadness and worry.

'What's happened?' Sakura thought, 'Is Kakashi-sensei okay, and what about Lady Tsunade?'

She was immediately taken from her thoughts when the woman Elder spoke, "Haruno Sakura, as you are aware the Leaf is having difficulties with the Cloud village. We have, uh, received a scroll with a request-"

The female Elder was interrupted by a furious Tsunade, "REQUEST! They do not even ask it is practically an order. Well there is no way we will follow through. Those basterds think they can get anything they want by threatening war!"

"War?! What could be so important that you would risk war for it? Lady Tsunade?!" said Sakura.

Sakura was a medic Nin so she was used to blood but that did not mean that she had to like it.

The silenced Hokage pushed the almost destroyed scroll towards the pink-haired girl, Sakura read it into herself:
Lady Hokage of the Leaf,
It has seemed like our two villages have been
on uneven grounds of late.
My son, Jin, is at the age of twenty
and is in the search of a wife.
The Elders of my village and I
feel that your prodigy, Haruno Sakura, is very suitable.
This marriage will set the alliance between our nations,
however, refusal may disappoint us and force us to
attack.
Two female Elders will be arriving soon to
make sure that your kunoichi
is ready for the wedding in
two weeks.
Yours sincerely,
Raikage of the Cloud.

Sakura reread the letter and looked at her two mentors with wide eyes.

"I will be sending a letter to the Cloud telling them to shove it up their rear and that we're ready for war," spoke Tsunade.

The two Elders turned to face the Fifth Hokage, obviously against her decision.

"The Leaf is still weak from the battle with the Sound only two months ago. Another war will truly destroy us, Lady Hokage. We must let this wedding go forward. This may be our greatest generation of ninja but there is only so much mere humans can take."

"Unless... we use the Nine Tailed Fox," spoke the other Elder.

Kakashi and Sakura stepped forward and both shouted in union, "No!"

"You can't send Naruto to the front line, he is still a child of only eighteen. I am willing to risk my own life for the village but... not my students'. Either of them... not like this," Kakashi spoke bold words and an awkward silence followed as the teen tried to process everything.

'Wedding, war, Nine Tailed Fox, Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, death. Death... DEATH!'

"There will be no wedding, even at the risk of war I will not do that to Sakura, she is like a daughter to me!" said Tsunade.

"Wait! " cried Sakura. All eyes were on her but she was not looking at any one of them. "I'll do it," she said quietly, barely above a whisper.

Tsunade stood up sharply and Kakashi was looking down.

"Listen Saku-"

"This is my decision to make. I will never forgive myself if anyone died because I couldn't make a sacrifice! What if Kakashi-sensei, Naruto, or any of my friends died in this war, Lady Tsunade, what if you died? It would be my fault... my fault. I... can't, I won't. I won't let anyone important to me DIE, because protecting the people who are precious to me is the reason of my existence, my reason for living! Please, Lady Tsunade, let me do this," Sakura pleaded.

A defeated Tsunade walked over to her student, hugged her, and cupped her cheek, "Please don't do this. This is marriage we are talking about here."

"I will do it, to protect the Leaf, and those precious to me. You must understand."

This time Kakashi hugged his former student. Like the Hokage, Sakura was like a daughter to him also.

"No matter what happens, I will always be so proud of you," he whispered in Sakura's ear and she gave him a small smile.

"Thank you, both of you," Sakura stepped towards the door when Kakashi spoke once again.

"Would you like me to tell Naruto, Hinata and Ino?"

"I don't mean to put this on you Kakashi-sensei, but I don't think I'll be able to. Thanks, they're the only ones that need to know so..."

"True, however, the Cloud village will probably invite many from their village as well as this one," said one of the Elders.

Sakura nodded and said her departing words as she opened the door but two old women swiftly stepped into her office. They wrapped measuring tape around her waist. Sakura gasped for air as it was wrapped so tight. One of the women was small and the other tall. The small one was fiddling with the tape while the taller one was inspecting her face.

"We have the whole wedding planned," they both stated, obviously excited, "So just stay alive, okay? Good, come to this church at two o'clock, two weeks tomorrow."

"A church, excuse me but I have a suggestion... I've always wanted my wedding outside, near this beautiful cherry blossom tr-" Sakura was interrupted by the tallest f the two women.

"Too late... besides more traditional. The Raikage and the groom have already approved this. Two weeks."

The two women bowed and scurried out of the room leaving those from the Leaf speechless.

Sakura left her superiors successfully this time and walked into her empty house. She wished her mother or even her father was here for her to talk to. Unfortunately, after an affair and one argument too many, they separated one going to the country of Water, the other of Earth and they left their daughter (who at the time was seventeen) in the Fire country.

Naruto: An arranged MARRIAGE, that is so twisted. What kind of story is this?
Sakura: Hmm... This could turn to be a good story.
Naruto: Would you go through with it?
Sakura: Maybe...
Sasuke: Nani? You got to be kidding me. Shinobi's live to fight.
Sakura: No, to protect their village... in this story I'm doing that and meanwhile protecting those important to me.
Me: That is exactly what I mean thank you. The next chapter is called Goodbye... Naruto. R&R!
Naruto: NANI? But... but aw man!