Authors note:

Hey guys! So this fanfic was inspired by the fact that I'm only 7 months away from being 21! I am so excited. I seriously cant wait. I live in an uptown part of a city, so all the good bars are like right down the street! haha. Any who Gaiden's got me hooked. Come on Thursday!

Enjoy!

Kishimoto owns.

Substance Therapy

IV

Tournament

Sasuke's "fuck" traveled around the room. It was silent. The party music could no longer be heard. Not being able to hear the music confused Sakura. Sasuke already knew. They had been gone the time of the whole party. Sakura gasped underneath him, it had just hit her.

Fuck was right.

Sakura and Sasuke had been caught making out, while extremely messed up, by Ino and Naruto. Ino and Naruto, the biggest loud mouths of the entire planet.

Oh man, the ass kissing she was going to have to do so Ino would keep her speed boat mouth shut.

Sasuke jumped off of Sakura, allowing her to sit up and straighten herself up.

Ino has a giant blush on her face still gawking at them while Naruto has the worlds biggest grin on his face. He now had blackmail against the teme. The pair then turned and walked down the hallway in shock and silence.

Sasuke turned to Sakura, both of them exchanging an apologetic look.

"We are so fucked." Sakura's head hung They were not going to be able to dodge this bullet.

"Give me your phone," Sasuke stated. It was not a request for permission. She had no urge to fight and threw it to him.

"Why do you need my phone, don't you have one?"

Sasuke nodded as he typed on the screen. "Hn."

He handed her her phone back. Sakura's face quickly lit up light pink as she looked at the screen displaying a 10 digit number above the little text reading "Uchiha Sasuke." Sakura had gotten Sasuke's number.

"If you ever need me, or if the Trouble Twin twits blow this up, call me and let me know and I will do the same." She opened up her texts, he had sent him a text from her number so he had it.

Oh no, this is not what she wanted to come of her party. Sakura looked at the time, 5:36 AM on March 29th. God damn, she needed to get home and sleep, she had work in 8 hours.

"I'm sorry Sasuke, but I've got to go home." Sakura sounded really upset. Sasuke was ready to leave as well.

"Let's go."

Sakura shook her head.

"If we go together it will only make it worse." Sasuke scoffed at her logic.

"It can't get any worse, come." Sasuke grabbed Sakura's hand and pulled her to the door. They both walked out of the home and to Sasuke's Porsche. He opened her door for her and closed it for her. She had not expected Sasuke to be such a gentlemen. The Uchiha's were sophisticated however, so it was not surprising.

The ride to her home was as quiet as she expected it to be. The only things spoken were Sakura's silent directions.

Sasuke parked in front of the apartment building and turned to her instantly.

"Good night Mrs. Haruno, I will be calling you tomorrow." Sakura blushed at his words.

"I work 2-10 tomorrow at the Hospital. I might not answer." Sasuke's head shook left and right.

"I will call you tomorrow night." Sakura nodded silently knowing she had no say in the matter. Taking her exit, she then opened the door and stood up outside. Turning to look down at him, "Good night Mr. Uchiha. Thank you for the ride." Sasuke's "hn" dismisses her from the car as she shuts the door and walks inside.

Sakura shuts and locks the door. She turns around and places her back on the door as she feels tears come to her eyes. She slides down the door, tears flowing like rivers through her closed eyes. She is unsure of what hurts most, the stinging of the continuous tears from her sore eyes or the difficulty to breath through her gasps. Her chest started to ache, bile making its way to her throat.

Then, darkness.

Sakura awoke the next morning, well afternoon. In the distance she heard her alarm going off in her bedroom. Thank god for sober Sakura, she had no idea what she would do without her.

Sakura instantly flinched as she started to stir, the feeling of a sharp pain in her neck bringing her to remember her slumber against a door.

Sakura sighed, she hated to admit that falling asleep against her front door was better then some places she ended up at.
Looking up to the clock hanging on her living room wall, 12:45 PM. She stood up and made her way to her bathroom to prepare herself for her day.
While brushing her teeth, she peered at herself in the mirror. She was a mess.

"I will be calling you tomorrow"

Oh no.

Sakura cannot believe the turn out of her night last night. Jumping into the shower quickly, her thoughts did not stray from last nights horrific events.
What was she to do about Sasuke? Or Ino and Naruto? Actually, she knew exactly what to do. Ignore them all. That's what she would do. Smiling to herself, yes what a great plan.

A knock on the door to her apartment brought her out of her thoughts.

"Just a minute!" Her words are followed by another persistent knock.

Sakura's smile vanishes in thin air as she opens the door to find Uchiha Sasuke standing there.

It takes her a second to register all of the information at the moment. The clock on her wall dings one time, signalling the arrival of 1 PM.

Sakura without a word slams the door shut and locks the door.

"What the fuck woman, open this door."

What the fuck was this? When did she become the most unlucky person on this planet.

"Go away! Leave me alone!"

"If you don't open this door I'll open it by force. Stop resisting an officer."

Sakura is appalled! How dare that bastard use his officer bullshit on her. "If you knock my door down, ill knock your ass out. Get a permit and then your ass can enter my house."

Sasuke smirked, he has come to realize that pissing Sakura off was much more fun then trying to break into her home.

"I suppose just my ass is allowed into your home? Pervert." Sasuke could hear her stomping up to her door, heard the locks turn forcefully to the right and the door flew open. Sakura stood there with a blush on her face and her damp hair in a disarray.

Without another word Sasuke held up her pink phone with her sakura charm dangling from the earphone jack. Her blush then deepened.

"You left it in my car." Sakura grabbed the phone from him; his scent hitting her nose, that same delicious musky smell he had while in the club.

She stubbornly snatched the phone from his hands and muttered a thank you.

"Did you need a ride to work?" Sasuke was being kind. He was always weird like this. He was either unusually kind or a complete ass. She was starting to think it was based off of how high he was at that day and time.

"Thank you Sasuke, but i think ill walk today. I need to walk off this hangover." Sakura cupped her forehead to express the pulsation occurring in her brain. Sasuke snorted in response along with mutterings that she caught as "cant hang."

Sakura's brows down turned with a snap. "I could drink you under the table any day, Uchiha." Sakura did not train under Tsunade for nothing. Sakura's eyes are boring holes into Sasuke's smirking face. "Wipe that smirk off your face! What is so funny!?"

"I accept your challenge. I'll pick you up at the hospital tonight." Sasuke left no room for argument as he disappeared down the stairs. Sakura's frustrated sighs and grunts could be heard even after he had made it to the bottom.

"Stupid Uchiha." Sakura was tired of the man. He came around too frequent. She was supposed to be ignoring him. She looked at the clock. 1:45 PM.

"Fuck."

Today was not her day.

Sakura was only half way done with her shift when she had what could have been the most excruciating migraine of her life.

Sakura was inside of her patients room, clipboard in hand. "Miyagi-san, you are almost there," Sakura called to him as she made her way to the door. I will be back before I step out for the night to change the I.V." He flashed me a completely ecstatic look. It never ceased to amaze her how quick some of her patients could recover. Sandaimo Miyagi had came in through the emergency 4 days ago bleeding out with a gun shot wound, now 5 days later being discharged.

"Good bye Miyagi-san." Sakura placed the clipboard in the holder by the door and stepped out. Her day was starting to wear on her, she would probably get a cup of coffee. Returning to her office on the 3rd floor, Sakura sat in her comfy sofa she had made a point to keep for her short re cooperation naps. Sakura could feel herself starting to drift off as she heard a scream from what she assumed to be a nurse.

Blonde hair flashed into her door frame, not even bothering to knock. How typical. Pulling her gaze from the floor to Sakura's awaiting eyes. Sakura felt her heart break. Without needing to communicate, Sakura could see the hollowness in the girls beautiful eyes. Sakura made a motion for Ino to come towards her. Ino knew Sakura hated all unnecessary physical contact, but when the girl enveloped the girl in her arms Ino's tears burst through the hold she had.

Sakura held Ino for what felt like hours, for 25 and a half minutes. Sakura was not going to make any notion to get the girl to talk. Ino would talk when she was ready.

"My father," Ino hardly choked the words out. Sakura's heart dropped to her uterus. No, anything but this talk. No family talk, god please no. "He's gone Sakura. Gone like he was never in existence to start with." Ino's tears continued to down pour, Sakura continued to hold her as she tensed up. Ino always had a picture perfect family. Her mother just as beautiful as the woman in her arms; still looking as radiant as ever, her tears only resembling diamonds on her cheeks.

Her father, a man who worked for KCIU, the criminal intelligence unit, as the Division Leader was not someone who could pass without some major repercussions taking affect.

"Sakura, they want me to take his place. There's no way. I can't fulfill his shoes." Sakura pulled Ino's head out of her chest.

"Ino Yamanaka, I should slap the pig off of your face. You don't need to fulfill his shoes. This is not the break you wanted, I know, but this is what you have presented to you now. Your father wants you to run the division the same way he did. He wants whats best for Konoha. And that Ino, is you. Have some faith within yourself. I know you will do great." Sakura couldn't help but smile as her words lit up Ino's face even in the slightest. "You aren't replacing him, you are carrying out his legacy."

Ino started to tear up again.

The two women stayed there in each others arms until Sakura heard the words "billboard brow" spew from Ino's mouth after the girl refused to let her go until she was herself.

Ino and Sakura had been through shit together, that would never change.

"Sakura?"

"Yes Ino-pig?"

"I love you sis."

"I love you too sister."

Sakura's phone vibrated madly as she injected Mr. Miyagi's final shot of morphine into his I.V. as he slept peacefully. She was happy he recovered so quickly. Sakura then washed her hands and exited to room only to feel her phone start to vibrate again.

She pulls the pink plastic out of her coat pocket and reads the time on her watch. 11:15 PM. She then looks at her phone as the words "Uchiha Sasuke" flash across her screen.

Sakura mutters her curses under her breath. pressing the green button on the screen. "Hello?"

"I was beginning to think you were ignoring me." Sakura could her his amusement in her voice. Why was everything that he did so damn irritating?

"What do you want Sasuke?" Sakura was already mentally exhausted, talking to the cause of half of her current problems was definetly not helping.

"We have a date tonight." Sakura was instantly pissed. No, Sakura Haruno did not date. Sakura Haruno did not date players who have fun with her misery, been there, done that.

"We, Uchiha, do not have a date." Sasuke laughed at her. Full on laughed, not some bullshit chuckle or a smirk. No, a laugh. Sakura was pissed. "Fuck you Uchiha," Sakura growled as he hung up on him.

"Fuck that Uchiha piece of shit." Sakura went to her locker to place her coat and other supplies into their proper storage and gathered her things to leave. As she walked out, feeling her phone vibration start up again, she turned her phone off. She then proceeded to walk out the front doors, passing gossiping nurses. As she descended the stairs in the front of the hospital, at the bottom stood Sasuke. He wore a light, workout style jacket, some loose basketball shorts, and a simple pair of slip on Vans.

Cigarette in hand, he looked up to her, a small apologetic smirk on his face. "Good evening Mrs. Haruno." Sakura walked passed him and opened the car door to his Porsche. She had said no words, but Sasuke got the clue. He preferred their silent communications. It always seemed to work better than actual words between the two.

"My home or yours?" Sasuke's hands tight on the steering wheel, eyes straight forward and completely attentive to the road.

Sakura took in a deep breathe.

"Surprise me."

Surprise indeed.

Uchiha Sasuke had tons and tons of money, but his small town home was not something she had expected. Where were the glorious chandeliers and maid service? Perhaps she was being to stereotypical. Nothing about Sasuke Uchiha was stereotypical.

Sasuke stopped her before she entered the home. Her confused look causing her nose to wrinkle.

"Shoes off." Sasuke had set out a spare pair of slippers for her. Sakura was confused. He seemed to have prepared for her visit.

Sakura looked around at his cozy, yet it felt so bare, home. On the walls hung no pictures, much like her own. His couch a dark maroon standing predominate over the pristine, white carpet. Heavy, old oak tables and shelves were arranged symmetrically to the fireplace. 'Who does that?' Sakura thought to herself, causing her to crinkle her right brow and raise the left.

"Come." Sakura slipped on the pink slipped on the pink, featherlight slippers. It was then that Sakura had a poisonous thought. 'What if these slippers are Sasuke's girlfriend's? What if he's a mega player and hes just using me to pass time?' Sakura's feelings were a tad hurt, would he tell her the truth if she asked? She didn't know Sasuke enough to be able to tell.

Oh my god. How could she forget she knew nothing about him. he had only been in her life off and on over the past year. And now, after they had formally met through friends they were all buddy buddy hang out always. 'What the fuck. What is happening with my life?' Sakura is still confused. For fucks sake. She was hanging out at Sasuke's having a drinking contest. Sakura always craved gallons of the poison liquid, to make her feel a lot less shit about her family. All she could think about was how terrible of a person she was for allowing them to pass. However, now it was though she craved the art of drinking sociability. All she did as of late is run into Sasuke and disappear with him places. She was not even able to admit to herself that she less than half way hated it. She thought that when she was with Sasuke, she had fun. Sasuke was fun.

Then what about thinking of him having a girlfriend? And what did it matter? It's not like she liked him, that would be disgusting.

Sasuke poked her on the forehead. "What is the matter?" Sasuke lifted an eyebrow as she blushed and slapped his arm.

"Nothing is wrong with me damn it. Mind your own business!" Sasuke's expected "hn" came and then told her to stay put for a moment.

Sasuke entered a room and opened another door, sakura could hear him digging and then he soon after emerged from the room.

Sasuke set all of his belongings on the ground and reached up towards Sakura's tied up bun. Sasuke stuck a sakura blossom pin in her hair. The pin had a small little pink diamond in the center of the sakura and it sparkled after the light had hit it.

"It's yours." Sakura's eyes widened and she flushed. She looked to the left and saw a mirror a tad more to the left and leaned towards it to see her reflection. The pin was so cute, one of the cutest sakura blossom she had seen.

Sasuke was already walking to the room to the right of the kitchen. Sakura went to the bathroom and fixed her hair and returned to the room were Sasuke currently was setting up the things he had grabbed front the bar.

She looked around the room, the bar shooting out from the wall in the left corner. Behind the stools was a black couch against the wall and a table. A mini fridge sat on the corner of the bar by the wall. The wall that was by the door housed a giant mounted TV hanging from the wall.

Sakura joined Sasuke at the bar, watching him set up a giant glass tube with a cone shaped piece attached. She smelled the smell of the weed he had just yesterday. Sakura watch him break up the plant into tinier pieces and place it into the cone. He moved the tube to the side by the fridge and noticed she had watched him. "For the after party when I drink your ass down." Sakura scoffed. Sasuke was too egotistical sometimes.

"What ever Uchiha. I could out drink you in my sleep."

"Put your money where your mouth is Haruno."

"Whats the strongest you've got" Sakura cocked an eyebrow. Sasuke looked like a pure whiskey drinker. It seemed his five o'clock shadow was starting to grow in.

Sasuke stood up and brought down a bottle of Spirytus Vodka. Sakura was baffled. "Get that shit out of here you jackass." Sasuke's smirky response was expected.

Sasuke put the bottle away and then pulled out a bottle of Jagar. He made sure to note that she seemed to really like it.

Sakura's eyes sparkled as she saw the dark green bottle descend from the cabinet like a angel from the gods. Her eyes mirrored his, every time he prepped his evening bowl. Sasuke pulled out 2 clear shot glasses. Filling her shot and his up, he asked if she was ready to began. Sakura's determined nod showed how excited she was. She was going to stomp his smart ass.

Shot after shot.

Sakura 16...

Sasuke 16.5...

"I will take one more, right now and probably die just to win." Sakura was laughing so hard she thought she was going to pee herself.

"I bet you fucking wont." Sasuke was smiling from behind the hand hiding his mouth and holding his half shot.

Sakura poured herself one more and chugged it back.

Sasuke smirked and down the half that was left of his shot.

"You're a fucking prick." Sasuke chuckled. This was probably one of the best ideas Sasuke has. Sasuke's plan was going flawless.

"Sakura," Sasuke cooed to get her attention.

"What is it Sasuke?" Sasuke can feel her hesitation. She was too cute some times.

Sasuke turned his head towards Sakura and looked her in the eye. Her viridian clashing against his sharp, keen midnight black eyes.

Sakura gasped as his words left his mouth.

"Why do you drink?"

End IV.

Authors note 2.0: Spirytus vodka: The rumored most alcoholic liquor on the planet. But it is confirmed to be the strongest in America.

Thank you guys so much! Please review and let me know what you guys think of the story!

xoxo Ashley