Book One: The Wedding Date Chapter 14: 14th Date: Altering Views, a naruto fanfic

Author Note:

Disclaimer | I own this story. The title and backline story is from The Wedding Date with Debra Messing and Dermot Mulroney. And as stated earlier I do not own the World of Naruto.

Note It takes place in the "World of Naruto" but it is modernized.

Fourteenth Date | Altering Views

Sakura heaved a sigh as she stood in the foray. She glanced down at the slime rose gold watch on her wrist. Fifteen minutes. That was the exact time that had passed since she had been demanded to be in the foray and ready to go. Fifteen full minutes. And she had been fussed at on being on time. She had been fussed at.

And yet. . .

Here she stood alone and ready to go. Waiting on Mebuki and Hinata. Sakura shook her head. It was appalling how different Mebuki treated the two of them. Then again . . . She shouldn't be surprised. Sakura, herself, had stopped calling her mother by her mother. Most of the time it was Mebuki - unless she was in a place where that would have been seen as rude.

Though, there was even on rare occasion she called that woman by her given title in her mind - simply because it was muscle memory. Mebuki had never been her mother.

"What are you musing about?" Naruto whispered as he came to a stop beside her. "I can see your thoughts dancing behind those beautiful irises of yours." He gave her a greasy wink.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "I still don't entirely forgive you."

"Win some, lose a lot." Naruto shrugged. "Just how life works."

She giggled softly and leaned against the friendly hug the other offered. "I was thinking about the fact that I call her Mebuki." Sakura chewed on her lower lip as her eyes shifted to the upper wall of pictures. It was the focal point of the circular foray leading to the driveway. Sakura blew out a soft sigh. "I only refer to her as mother because of muscle memory."

Naruto stayed quiet as the other spoke softly. His own blue eyes ventured to the pictures above the thin long rectangular table that housed a few more family photos. "Those pictures are lies, aren't they?"

"No," She whispered. "Well, not all of them." She pulled Naruto closer to the frames. "This one," she pointed to one as a wistful smile took over her features. "Hinata and I had tried to spend the whole night awake." She giggled softly. "We were waiting on the tooth fairy. I had lost a tooth and so had she."

Naruto nodded, a soft smile taking over his features as he stared at the two younger versions of Sakura and Hinata leaning against each other for support as they slept.

"My favorite is the birthday one." Sakura pointed to another picture on the wall as a wide beaming smile took over her lips, the memory encasing her. "Daddy had tried so hard to make me a birthday cake." Laughter fell from her lips.

Naruto chuckled as he listened to the retelling of the pictures. Good memories.

"The middle of the cake had sunken in." Her eyes danced with laughter. "And daddy was so sad about that."

"So in good spirits we tried to help," Hinata added as she came to a stop beside Sakura and Naruto. "He just looked so sad, we had to try and make it better."

Naruto chuckled. "This sounds dangerous."

"We didn't know the cake needed to cool before doing anything," Hinata added in a whisper, a wide smile curved on her lips.

Sakura nodded. "So we added Skittles and M&M's to a hot cake and then tried to cover it in icing so it would look smooth on top."

"And this was the result?" Naruto laughed as he squeezed Sakura's shoulder. "I see why you refused to help me make Tenten's cake."

Sakura snorted and let her hand lash out against his stomach in retaliation.

"My favorite is this one." Hinata smiled as she pointed to the picture of the two girls standing on the edge of the pear in bathing suits with wide smiles.

"Seaweed!" Sakura exclaimed with a grin.

"I was under the impression that I was an amazing swimmer." Hinata giggled at the absurdity as the memory filled her. "A complete crock." She shook her head. "But there I was, saying I'm the best and I needed to prove it." Hinata sighed. "So I jumped off the pear in the water - it was dark with how deep I had dived."

Sakura let out a loud laugh as her head fell back against Naruto's arm around her shoulders. "She had dived right into a cluster of seaweed."

"I sure did," Hinata giggled. "It was everywhere!" She groaned as a high blush stole her cheeks. "And we tried so hard to get it all out because the next day was school." She huffed. "But we couldn't."

Sakura nodded.

"A piece fell out on my crush's desk." She covered her face with her hands as the embarrassment took over once more.

"I got detention that day," Sakura mused softly.

Hinata gasped and looked up at her sister with wide eyes. "Really?"

"Like I was going to let Hanabi and Konan talk about you like that in front of your crush!" Sakura snorted. "As if, you were my baby sister."

She giggled softly. "I didn't know that."

"Well, mother wasn't too proud." Sakura flashed a quick smile before turning back to the pictures.

Sakura heaved a soft sigh as she let the grass tickle her feet.

"Was today a success or a failure?"

She looked up and smiled at the blonde-haired woman. "Hey, Ino." Her lips pursed in thought. "I honestly don't know." She groaned and let her head fall against the other's shoulder as she sat down beside her. "The dress was horrible."

"Really?" Ino smiled. "As bad as that one prom dress I saw in the photo album?" She grinned evilly. "Of course, I went through all of the family photos." Ino cackled as her arm was pinched. "With the amount of dirt you have on me - it was only fair."

Sakura snorted in a very unladylike manner. "I guess that is plausible enough." A smirk clung to her lips. "it will never be strong enough to overcome what happened on your date with Sai . . ."

"Yah!" Ino screeched. "That was to never be brought up again!"

She shrugged and giggled. "You are the one who went looking through my family photos."

"But seriously, how was it?" Ino questioned softly. She wrapped her arms around Sakura's shoulders and squeezed them comfortingly.

Sakura groaned. "The dress is a disaster - and it's obvious she picked it out." She huffed out a breath and shook her head. "A viscous smile on her lips the entire time." A frown marred her lips. "I seriously don't understand that woman - and she spent what part she wasn't fawning over Hinata to speak with me about Sasuke."

"Seriously?" Ino let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm sorry sweetie - totally would have gone with you."

She laughed and tucked a couple strands of hair behind her ear. "She would have just complained about that between Hinata and Sasuke." She gave the blonde a flat look. "We both know that."

"I would have been there as backup." Ino grinned widely and gave a quick Sailor V pose.

Sakura snorted. "You've been around Naruto too long." A soft smile clung to her lips as she let Ino prattle on about something Sai was refusing to do. She let her eyes fall shut as she leaned against Ino. The breeze caressed her in a warm soothing embrace. If she had missed anything . . . It was the weather.

.x.

Hinata bit at her lower lip as she followed her mother into the house. Her nose scrunched unhappily. The dress had been horrible. It wasn't the right color for Sakura. It did nothing for her. Sure, she understood that it was her big day and she was the one that was supposed to outshine everyone else . . . But that didn't mean her Maid of Honor had to wear that.

She swallowed softly as she glanced up at her mother. "I'm going back into town."

"Hmm?" Mebuki turned to her daughter, smile in place.

Hinata did her best to keep her back straight. "I'm going back into town." She did her best not to bite her lower lip - mother didn't like that. "I want to visit the florist." She kept a soft smile in place as she waited for her mother's answer.

"Oh, you know I don't like when you go out alone." Mebuki frowned as she stepped closer and smoothed her daughter's hair.

Hinata did her best not to sigh outright in front of her mother. She wouldn't like that either. "It's fine Mother, I'm an adult." She smiled widely. "I'm getting married soon, I have to be independent."

"Hmm, I guess." A wide smile settled on Mebuki's lips. "I will call and tell Itachi to pick you up."

Her eyes widened. "No! I- I can do that m- myself." She forced a wide smile. "I have to get used to calling him. Don't I?"

"True, I guess." Mebuki frowned softly before nodding and ushering her daughter back towards the foray.

She heaved a soft sigh as she finally left the house by herself. Hinata smiled politely at the driver before stepping into the back of the car. She let herself breathe for the first time that day as she let the driver take her towards the florist. Her eyes fell shut as she let the gentle hum of the car lull her into a peaceful state.

Hinata chewed on her lower lip as she stood in front of the wedding dress store. The same one she had been at hours ago. Sure, she had stepped into the florist to make sure that the flowers were going okay, and that there were no hiccups. But . . . She couldn't help it.

"Ms. Haruno?"

She smiled softly as she stepped closer. "Hello, I was wondering if we could talk?"

"Is something wrong?"

She bit at her lower lip nervously as she nodded. "I'm having second thoughts . . . About my Maid of Honor dress."

"Oh?" The lady smiled sweetly. "Well with this short notice, you would have to choose from something in store." She moved towards the counter and grabbed the binder labeled Haruno. "I have her measurements - so I can have a couple of things pulled that might suit the color for the wedding?"

Hinata nodded. "I would like that very much."

"Take a seat on the couch over there and I will return with a couple selections."

She did her best to stay calm as she waited. Mother was going to be very upset with her. So very upset. But the dress was horrible! Hinata still didn't understand exactly what her mother had been thinking. Her shoulders dropped. Yes, she did. It was obvious to see what her mother was thinking.

Hinata wasn't stupid. She knew how much her mother seemed to despise her own daughter. Hinata could see the difference in how they were treated. She'd seen it since the beginning. Hinata had done her best to try and keep everything level - no matter how hard their mother made it.

"Here you go, Ms. Haruno." The lady smiled sweetly as she pulled the rack towards them. "These are the dresses that would fit her."

She bit at her lower lip as she stood and moved towards the dresses. A cold sweat broke out across her skin. Hinata had never openly gone against her mother. But that dress . . . it was too much. She let the sheer material slip through her fingers as she studied the dresses. "I think I really like this one." A soft smile settled around Hinata's lips.

"I had wanted to bring it out the first time you came in." She smiled sweetly. "Mrs. Haruno said no."

Hinata flashed a tight smile. That unfortunately did not surprise her. It was a dark silver color with a deep purple ribbon around the waist, and deep purple shoulder straps with a heart neckline in the front. The bridesmaids were wearing a softer silver with light purple. It really was the best option for the Maid of Honor - and yet her mother had turned it down in favor of the horrendous dress.

"Shall I have it checked and packed to be sent over with the rest of the dresses?"

She smiled sweetly and tucked a couple strands of hair behind her ear. "Yes please." She bit at her lower lip. "Are the dress bags see-through?"

"No ma'am." The lady chuckled softly as she took the dress to the front of the store and attached the reservation ticket to it. "It will be a lovely surprise for her."

Hinata nodded. "Yes," A giggle fell from her lips at the freeing feeling that swept over her. "My sister will love it."