Blurred Lines
part v

Exhausted could not even begin to describe how Sakura felt as she dragged her feet up the steps to her apartment. She had witnessed the sunset twice-over during her long shift with her team and as she fumbled with her keys, the only thing on her mind was collapsing into bed, clothes and all. She could barely find the energy to even slide the deadbolt into place behind her and kick off her shoes before she stumbled across the living area towards her room.

A wide yawn escaped her and she rubbed a hand across her tired eyes before she fell face-first into bed, not even concerning herself with slipping under the covers. Blindly she reached for her pillow and pulled it down until she could rest her head against the cushion only to hear and feel the soft crinkle of paper against her cheek.

Confused, Sakura picked her head up again and felt around until her fingers touched a single sheet of paper. Without bothering to turn on her bedside lamp, she reached into her back pocket and used her phone to illuminate the page. It was a note:

We have dinner reservations. Be outside at 10:30.
- M

A sudden bolt of surprise made her sit up in bed as she recognized there was only one person that would have left this for her to find. Through the darkness, she scanned her bedroom until she was certain she was alone before she glanced at the note again.

It had been nearly two weeks since she had last seen Madara, but it felt like no time had passed at all as she recalled his gentle touch against her cheek and his warmth as he circled his jacket around her. It was still hanging in the back of her closet, out of sight but not out of mind, as the mere memory of their last meeting made her stomach twist into knots. She was too tired for this.

Collapsing back against her mattress, Sakura briefly closed her eyes as sleep tempted her again only to open them once more to glance at her phone. Immediately she realized it was almost time for their meeting now, but she didn't move as she inwardly weighed the consequences of ignoring Madara's request and instead allowing herself to finally get some much-needed rest; however, she wasn't entirely convinced she wouldn't wake up to the dangerous male waiting for her in her living room - or worse, her bedroom. That was enough to spur her into motion and with an audible groan, she pushed herself up and switched on her bedside lamp to give her some light to see.

Sakura chose to risk being late by gifting herself with a quick shower before she slipped on a fresh pair of jeans and her favorite sweater. If she knew Madara as well as she was beginning to think she did, she already knew that the restaurant would be of higher class and higher dress; however, she didn't have the energy to make herself look nice and to be honest, she was too tired to really care.

After piling her hair into a messy bun, Sakura swiped her keys from her bed and pushed her phone into her back pocket before she left her apartment. The street was mostly cast into shadows with only a few, evenly spaced streetlamps to fight off the natural darkness of the night. A couple cars down from the steps of her apartment building was a black, town car. A familiar looking woman with bright blue hair was standing next to it, staring at Sakura expectantly. She recognized her as the woman that had driven Madara those few weeks ago and cautiously Sakura approached.

"Good evening, Agent Haruno," the mysterious woman said as she opened the rear door of the sleek, black car.

With one sweeping glance, Sakura saw the backseat was empty. "You're Madara's driver?" she asked.

The woman nodded, allowing the low-lighting to reflect off the piercing below her bottom lip. "I am. My name is Konan. Madara requested that I bring you to him tonight."

"Right," Sakura murmured.

She didn't feel entirely comfortable getting into a car with a strange woman to meet one of the country's most wanted criminals; but if she was being honest with herself, she had probably already passed the point of doing uncomfortable – and unethical – meetings when it came to Madara. She trusted him – to a very limited extent – but he was pushing it.

"And where is Madara?"

Konan's expression didn't change from her passive, almost bored, stare. "He sends his apologies for being unable to escort you himself – he had business to attend to beforehand – but he should be at the restaurant upon our arrival." She then gestured towards the open door. "Please. We are already late and it is best not to keep him waiting."

Sakura was half-tempted to tell Konan that Madara would have to meet her another time, but she was already out of bed and dressed, and it was probably best she just rip the Band-Aid off now and get the meeting over with.

With a quiet sigh, Sakura stepped into the back of the car.

Konan closed the door behind her before she slipped into the driver's seat and turned out onto the road with ease. The minutes passed in silence as the blue-haired woman steered them toward their intended location and Sakura stared out the window absently. She had to keep blinking hard to keep herself awake as the roll of rubber over pavement lulled her towards sleep, but as they drew to a stop in front of a beautiful building overlooking a stunning marina, she felt her curiosity stir up some energy. She had only ever heard stories of this particular restaurant.

As soon as Konan killed the engine, she was quick to slip out of the car and open Sakura's door for her. She closed it again behind her before she led Sakura up the white staircase to the entrance. A doorman dressed in a nice suit opened the large, glass doors for them with a smile that Sakura returned before she obediently followed Konan.

As they ventured in further, the restaurant opened into a large room with a glass wall on the far side that offered a spectacular view of the marina and the protected bay it lay in. There were dozens of couples' tables with white table clothes and candles, but only one was occupied and unconsciously Sakura felt her heart begin to pound; though out of nerves or something else entirely, she wasn't certain. The last time she had seen Madara had been the day her mother passed. He had seen more of her soul than she had ever wished to bear in his presence. It wasn't exactly a fond memory.

Taking Konan's silent cue, Sakura stopped on the small staircase that led down to the dining area where Madara was seated. He was speaking to another male Sakura didn't recognize but upon their arrival, he quickly finished their conversation and waved the man away before he stood to greet her.

The moment he faced her, a smile began to play about the corner of his lips. "Sakura, you look beautiful."

She shot him a flat but tired look as she approached. "I look terrible. I haven't slept in days."

"Even still," he countered, his smile only widening as he pulled her chair out for her.

Cocking her brow at him, Sakura readied a retort but her words were interrupted by a small yawn and she busied herself with stifling it as she lowered herself into the chair. Madara smoothly seated himself across from her as her gaze briefly swept over the beautiful décor of the dining area before she eventually returned her attention to him, her expression curious. "I didn't think this place was open on Mondays."

"It is not," he confirmed readily. "However, the chef and owner owed me a favor and he was only more than happy to open for me this evening."

Sakura wondered how much truth his statement held, but her skeptical gaze left Madara as a young man wearing restaurant attire approached the table. "Good evening. My name is Taka and I will be serving you this evening," he introduced himself. "May I get you started with a drink? Some wine or champagne perhaps?"

"Water for me please," Sakura said quickly.

She knew given the chance Madara would order a bottle of wine for the both of them and she wasn't entirely certain she would make it through dinner with any alcohol added to her exhausted mind; that and she needed all the focus she could muster to concentrate on a conversation with the older male across from her, especially when she was already feeling so sluggish.

The waiter turned to Madara expectantly. "A glass of Cabernet Sauvignon."

Taka nodded respectfully. "I will be right back."

As soon as he was gone, Madara's piercing gaze returned to her. "You still refuse to drink in my presence."

"I still don't trust you." Her answer was short but softened by the smart smile tugging on her lips.

He smirked. "That is a shame. I'm quite trustworthy."

"Really?" she countered easily as she sat back, her legs crossed and her elbow supported on the arm of her chair. "Is that why you broke into my apartment? Again."

She saw the corner of his mouth twitch as he suppressed his smile. "I needed to ensure you saw my note. It is not as if I was snooping."

That thought hadn't crossed her mind before and she felt her playful mood drop as she realized he had been allowed free, unsupervised range in her apartment – in her bedroom. Who knew what he had seen. However, before she could ask, their waiter returned with their drinks.

"Are you ready to order?" he asked politely.

It was at that moment that Sakura realized she hadn't been presented with a menu. She could only assume Madara had learned from their first 'date' and had taken the liberty of ensuring there wasn't anything in the kitchen that wouldn't satisfy her. The thought amused her and she found herself biting back her smile as she turned to the young man: "Will you please have the chef make me anything with far too many calories to be healthy?"

"Anything?"

"Anything," she repeated.

"Of course," he nodded before he turned to Madara. "Sir?"

"Ribeye, medium-rare."

Sakura made sure to thank the man before he excused himself to the kitchen, fully aware that Madara's gaze hadn't traveled from her once while their waiter was present. She could still feel his gaze burning into her as they were left alone again, but she distracted herself with drinking from her water glass to cool her suddenly flushed skin before she met his gaze. The subtle expression on his face made her feel suddenly insecure.

"So," she began conversationally, "you going to tell me why you invited me to dinner?"

His smile widened. "Do I need a reason to see my favorite agent?"

"Yes," she answered flatly.

"Perhaps you know me too well," he teased before he drank from his wine glass. When he lowered it again, his smile faded. "But as it turns out, you're right. I do have a reason for meeting with you."

"Which is?"

"Yakushi Kabuto, you've heard of him?"

Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she searched her memory of the name but eventually she shook her head. "Can't say I have. Who is he?"

"He was an associate of Orochimaru's," he explained slowly.

Automatically Sakura felt herself stiffen. The same nervousness she had felt earlier returned as the very subject she had been hoping they would avoid was broached. She had hoped Madara would have the decency to pretend their last meeting had never happened, pretend that he hadn't seen her struggle as she attempted to gather the broken pieces of her heart into a pile, but apparently that had only been her wishful thinking and she felt annoyance begin to simmer in her chest.

Irritated, she crossed her arms as she stared at him, her eyes as hard as emeralds. "I thought we had finished discussing him," she said, her voice steely.

Madara sighed silently. "This is not about Orochimaru," he countered. "Just because he has passed, it does not mean that the work he and Kabuto did together has ceased. I am offering you the information to end their operation permanently."

"And why would you be concerned with their operations?"

"Because people are not cargo."

Her temper immediately settled upon hearing those words. Beneath the roughness of his voice, there was an unusual, soft undertone she hadn't heard before and she found the tense set of her shoulders relaxing as she studied him. His expression was hard to read – as it usually was – but there was a small frown pulling on the edges of his mouth, a frown that spoke of his unhappiness with their enterprise.

"Their trade is in human trafficking?" she clarified.

"The largest ring in the West Pacific."

Slowly Sakura uncrossed her arms and averted her gaze to the large windows overlooking the marina as she inwardly warred with herself. She had learned of the horrors Orochimaru had inflicted upon those he kidnapped or experimented on, but she hadn't realized he was in the business of trade as well. If this man, Kabuto, was continuing his work, she knew she needed to get her agency involved to free the victims they had stolen.

However, she also found herself hesitating to immediately accept the information from Madara because the truth was she was still bitter he had taken Orochimaru for himself after he had essentially given him to her. She would stop at nothing to help these people, but she didn't want to once again be within reach only to find another criminal had been taken from her grasps.

Slipping her gaze back to Madara, she arched her brow expectantly, her voice quiet but hard: "Why tell me? Why not just deal with it yourself if it is so against your morals?" she asked quietly.

"Because this is my gift to you," Madara answered, his dark eyes focused solely upon her. There was no impatience or exasperation in his voice, only calm resolve. "Consider this my apology."

Sakura stilled in surprise. She hadn't expected him to apologize – she had thought him far too proud for that – but the fact that he had spoke more for his character than any present, any information he could gift her and his soft-spoken words soothed the residual grudge she still held against him.

Her hard expression faded as her irritation subsided, but she refused to give into him completely, even if he had used his sweetest tone on her. "Don't think I'll forgive you in exchange for this information."

Amusement flashed behind his obsidian eyes. "You're rather stubborn, aren't you?"

"You have no idea."

"I believe I'm beginning to," he murmured quietly.

His words warmed her in ways that were far too confusing for her tired mind and she swallowed thickly as she recalled for the umpteenth time since that morning the way he had touched her as he brushed away her tear. She tried not to think about it, but seeing him again with that familiar half-smirk, half-smile on his face brought back those memories of his whispered words, his scent, his touch.

Her heart began to beat a little faster, but before she could get stuck mulling over her muddled thoughts, Madara continued, "But for now, we will enjoy our evening. We can discuss details at a later date when you are more rested."

As if on cue, their waiter appeared again with a tray in hand. He delicately placed a well-prepared dish of gourmet macaroni and cheese in front of her before he served Madara. Immediately her mouth began to water and she turned to the waiter with a smile as he delicately prodded, "I hope the meal is to your liking."

"It's perfect," she answered.

The young server returned her smile before he quietly excused himself, leaving the pair alone once more. She could feel Madara's gaze on her, but her attention turned to her meal as she realized for the first time how much time had passed since she'd had anything other than coffee and eagerly she dug in.

Dinner passed in a blur as the banter that had always come so easily passed between them and by the time they were finished, Sakura could barely keep her eyes open. Full and warm, she allowed Madara to help her stand before he led her with a gentle hand to the small of her back out of the restaurant and down the stairs to where Konan was waiting for them.

Like a gentleman, Madara helped her in the car before he slipped in beside her, and as they pulled away from the curb and the smooth roll of rubber hummed beneath her, she felt her eyes slide closed and her mind drift away.

When Sakura finally came around and opened her eyes again, she found herself in bed with the covers draped over her comfortably. Slowly she sat up and stretched as she slid a glance outside to find the sun was well past its high only to still as she realized she had no recollection past stepping into Madara's town car. Without a doubt, she knew how she had come to find herself in bed, but it wasn't the fact that Madara had once again found his way into her apartment that gave her pause.

It was the fact that it didn't bother her as much as it once had.

tbc...

After some delay due to family emergencies and being annoyed with my own writing, I present to you part five! Some people expressed their sadness at me skipping Madara and Sakura's date, but I did so because they were having another one later on. As you can see emotions are getting complicated and I'm really excited to be done with this chapter because I've been wanting to write next chapter since part one was finished.

Thanks for the support and feedback - you guys are awesome! :D