LOL, just to clarify. This is not, and will not be a narusaku fic. I don't ship them, and I never will. BUT – adding some elements makes it feel – at least to me – realistic. The reality is – he loves her. And even if it's a little, I feel it should be mentioned!

Lola lol asked how many chapters I have planned. Dark Paradise is basically almost finished! But I have another story planned to take its Monday spot. It also follows the Madara wins theme I've been going with since Stand By Me. Will probably post a summary in the next chapter of Dark Paradise if anyone is interested!

Another thing I wanted to clear up is what exactly happened – when Sakura force-activated Sasuke's Sharingan and dispelled the Genjutsu – she basically shattered the Infinite Tsukuyomi. The reason Tsunade knew about the wedding was – well, she's Tsunade and she, like Orochimaru figured out that they were in a Genjutsu. So, when Sakura came to her with the allied shinobi headband, Tsunade knew that Sakura was in the loop so she followed her.

Dark Paradise

Chapter 14 – Lies

'Lies, don't wanna know, oh. I can't let you go, oh. I just want it to be perfect. To believe it's all been worth the fight. Lies – don't wanna know, don't wanna know oh."

"S-Sasuke-kun...!" Sakura gasped and before she could say anything else Sasuke slammed her into the wall and she could feel his anger, desperation and hate as his lips fused with hers, hard and unrelenting. She gasped again, one hand fisting the off white hospital gown and the other arm going around his neck, fingers lacing into his wet hair.

His body, still slightly cold, pressed her into the wall and was gone all too soon. He glared down at her.

"I'm sure that proves it to you. Everything that happened between us wasn't real."

"Okay." she whispered. Sasuke's eyes flipped to her swollen lips. "As long as you're clear on that." he turned away and moved back to the bed but Sakura stayed against the wall - trying to catch her breath.

"I've been healing you." she told him unnecessarily.

Sasuke didnt bother answering her. "When are they letting me out of here?"

"I don't know."

"What do you know?!" he demanded.

"Madara will be executed soon."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"I...Once I'm finished healing you, I'm heading to go and see him."

"I'm coming."

Sakura swallowed. "I don't-"

Sasuke silenced her with a look and Sakura flinched back, looking away from him. After a long moment, she stepped forward, picking up his chart and going through it.

"How long have you been awake?"

"Four hours."

Sakura nodded quickly. "I'm just going to look you over." when Sasuke said nothing Sakura reached out, putting a hand on either side of his head which was a bit uncomfortable since he refused to turn to her. She activated her chakra and while she checked everything, Sasuke never looked at her.

"I need to look over the damage on your chest."

Sasuke removed the hospital gown over his head and tossed it away. Sakura felt the muscles jump at her touch as she felt over his chest. She didnt touch him a second longer than she needed to.

"I'll go and see that Kazekage now and ask him if you can come with us." Sakura turned away and hurried to the door. Sasuke didn't stop her.

Of course, since Sasuke had helped in the war, convincing Gaara to release him into their care only took a little effort of her part. He insisted on an armed guard and Sakura agreed reluctantly. The deal also included Sasuke to be bound the entire way. She returned to his room with new clothes - they didnt speak and he was ready to leave the next morning. Sasuke didn't look at her once and Sakura was glad. She didnt want him to see how red her eyes were. Naruto and Sai took up the front while Kakashi and Sakura took the back, Sasuke in the middle and the Suna shinobi flanked them on both sides. They needed to rest often, for Sasuke and Sakura's sake since they were far from 100%. On the second night, Naruto approached Sasuke as Sakura was healing him.

"I know you were planning to kill me. That still true?"

Kakashi moved closer so he could hear Sasuke's answer too.

"I have no interest in you or Konoha." Sasuke said lowly. There was a brief tense moment before Naruto clapped Sasuke's shoulder and moved away.

x-x-x-x-

Of course, Sasuke was detained once they arrived in Cloud. But, it turned out that the Raikage had also been trapped in the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Sasuke spent a day with the Raikage, and Sakura wasn't sure what happened there but it was during that day that she was cleared to go and see Madara.

Naruto fought and insisted on going with her but was refused. The place where they took Sakura was very similar to where Sasuke had been held in Suna except for two clear differences. It was freezing down there, and instead of rooms - there were cells. Madara was in one of the last cells, sitting against the wall looking ragged and filthy.

"Uchiha Madara." Sakura called and he lifted his head.

"You," he spoke in a hoarse tone. "You're that girl that Sasuke protected."

Sakura rubbed her hands together, her breath leaving her in puffs of white.

"I have questions."

He said nothing but he shifted around and Sakura noticed the chakra restrains around his ankles and wrists.

"Two questions." she clarified. "Two things that I couldn't figure out about your jutsu. Did you choose who got trapped specifically?"

Madara stared at her for a long moment and then deciding to indulge her - he answered. "Some, yes. Like Senju Tsunade and Sasuke. Others were enthralled by the Eye of the Moon."

"So, why was I trapped?"

"Sasuke was touching you when the jutsu activated."

Sakura nodded, taking the information in. "I know that the Infinite Tsukuyomi was individually designed to be a paradise for each person, so they wouldn't want to leave. So why-"

"If this is about the Senju bitch. I think it was fairly obvious why she was miserable."

Sakura swallowed. "I actually figured that out myself. I was going to ask...why Sasuke-kun had feelings for me. I understand why I felt the way I did. But Sasuke-kun would never. Was it a flaw in the jutsu?"

"There was no flaw in my jutsu."

"But that's not possible!"

"What's not possible is for Sasuke to tell you the truth. Now, leave. I am bored with you." he turned his head away and Sakura stood there for a long moment before she turned away, the shinobi followed her out. The door leading in to the cells opened and a group of shinobi walked in, Sasuke at their center. Sakura looked up at him and for the first time since she'd seen him in the hospital room - Sasuke met her gaze. Those dark eyes of his gave nothing away as he passed her. The moment was to brief - over too soon. And it left a strange feeling in her heart.

x-x-x-x-

In the days leading up to Madara's execution, many shinobi arrived - including the Kage. Although Naruto had lightened up a little, Sasuke hadn't looked her way again. Not once.

Sakura did her best to stay out of his way though, she helped out at the hospital, trained some. Of course, she couldn't avoid him at meals, but he did a good enough job of pretending that she wasn't there that it didnt matter.

On the day of Madara's execution, Sakura arrived late and the only seat available was next to Sasuke. He stiffened when she sat down, but gave no other reaction. It was a selected gathering. Some key members, the Kage and some shinobi, including Team 7.

Madara's crimes were read aloud. It was a long list and took up most of the morning. Eventually, it came to Madara to say his final words. He shook his head but Sakura saw him looking right at Sasuke for the longest moment. The executioners stood in a circle around Madara. Five of them. In sync, they bit their thumbs and slammed their palms down on the concrete floor. Large seals appeared under their hands, and connected to the seals of the other executioners.

Madara's hands reached up to cover his eyes, crying out as he shook his head wildly from side to side. Sakura could see the blood welling beneath his palms. She cringed. The memory of what she'd done to Sasuke flashing behind her eyes like a dull headache.

"They're sealing his eyes away."

Sakura stilled, tearing her green eyes away from Madara to look at Sasuke. He wasn't looking at her, but she was sure he'd spoken.

Madara gave a horrible scream and blood splatter all over the observation window if front of Sakura. The older Uchiha was on his hands and knees, blood dripping from his face and pooling on the floor.

He was lifted up as if he were a string puppet, knees on the ground his shoulder went up and when his head lifted - Sakura gasped. His eyes sockets were empty holes.

"Come forward!" the five called and a masked shinobi stepped forward. There was a sword in his hand. Sasuke made a surprised sound and his eyes narrowed. The sword looked like Itachi's. The masked shinobi stood behind Madara and with one heavy breath, the sword was swung and Madara's head rolled across the floor. Half of his long hair tumbled to the ground as his body fell forward. There was a beep from the chakra restraints as they detached. Sakura watched him for a long moment - as if to make sure he was really dead. She was the first to leave. In her seventeen years of life she'd seen more excitement than most medical shinobi saw in their entire lives. She hadn't minded it and she still didnt. But, she was tired and afraid to think it was over. Afraid to jinx it.

x-x-x-x-

Sasuke was banned from Cloud for life. Sakura supposed taking the Raikage's arm warranted that. They left the day after the execution and about half way to Konoha, Sasuke announced that he wouldn't be returning with them. Naruto was outraged but Sakura had expected it. The moment Sasuke had said that he wouldn't be killing Naruto and had no interest in Konoha, she knew he wouldn't be coming home. She could hear the weariness in his voice no matter how hard he tried to hide it and eventually not even Naruto could stop him. Sasuke left. Sakura didn't blame him, he wanted the same thing that she did at this point – peace. Not with Konoha or with any specific thing, but in himself and around him, maybe he couldn't get that in Konoha, but Sakura wanted it for him nonetheless. Even so, Madara's words kept turning and turning in her head. She couldn't fathom it but it took Sakura thirty minutes of internal debating before she turned around.

She needed to hear it from Sasuke himself, if only to help her move on.

If he could only say it. If he could just tell her that it wasn't the jutsu – it was him. That he loved her…then maybe, she could let it go and find her own peace too. She didn't expect him to still feel that way about her – not after what she did to him. But, as she stopped, she thought that maybe that made it worse. Did she really want to hear him say it? That, yes, he loved her then, but that he hated her now and that she would never have him. Sakura stared down at her hand – the memory of her wedding band already fading into nothingness, replaced by Sasuke's bloodstained face and his accusing eyes. She couldn't do it. The best thing she could do for him was to…leave him alone.

"I honestly didn't think you would give up this soon." Came the voice from behind her and Sakura stilled, even the tears on her cheeks seemed to stop before she spun around to face him.

x-x-x-x-

Sorry, again, for the late update! I've been so swamped. Between writing a novel, working and doing an online magazine (that launches in May, BTW!). BUT – I managed to get the chapter out lol.

Anyway – If anyone's interested in the magazine – just look us up. It's called Ichigeki Hissatsu (One Hit Kill) and it's a popculture magazine. You can find us on Facebook. Fb IHmagazine

Thanks!

Zana-Lee

xoxo