Naruto 1. Chapter 1

_"You have a death wish don't you maggot?"_

Uchiha Sasuke gave a lazy glace to the woman in front of him. His superior by rank but his junior by age.

_"Are you listening you little gaki!"_

He wish she could stop talking. It was already distracting enough to hear her voice ringing over and over in his mind. It was annoying.

_"Sakura…"_

Her name slipped out. She turned to glare at him slamming her hands against the table. She was pissed.

_"Who the hell do you think you are talking to Uchiha? Don't forget I am second in command of the elite ANBU and your superior. Don't mouth off my name like you're my friend!"_

Sasuke looked up at her. She was stronger than him in ranks and power but she was still a woman and he was still a man. He wanted her. Sasuke wanted her more than anything he ever chased after. He stood up hovering over her.

_"Sakura…"_

Her expression twisted. She was furious but Sasuke didn't care. He easily grabbed her chin pulling her forward sealing off the gaps between them. He would deal with the consequences later. At this point, it was him and her. He could care less about the world and he definitely didn't give a damn that Sakura was Kakashi's daughter.


	2. Hospital Hiccups

"Please come back Uchiha-san. You need to lie down! Your injuries are not fully healed!"

A young medic looked dejectedly at the escaping form of a young man barely limping his way through the hospital halls desperately trying to leave. She had heard the stories about him being very unreasonable when it came to staying in the hospital but she never thought it would be this bad. The man was willing to risk his own health to get out of the building! But she couldn't allow it. Her job was to heal and save lives and she was going to do it one way or the other.

As she turned around the next corner, the young medic gasped. Her patient was unconscious lying limp in a woman's arms. The medic moved closer before she finally recognized the woman.

"You're…"

The woman placed her finger on her lips and shook her head. The medic nodded.

"Uchiha Sasuke correct." The woman asked. The medic nodded. The woman easily threw him over her shoulders and directed for the medic to show her his room.

The medic shivered. This seemed unbelievable that such a petit woman could easily throw a man of that size over her shoulders with such ease. She didn't even seem to be bothered by his weight as if she wasn't even holding a grown man over her shoulders.

"This way please." The young medic instructed. As they reached the halls where the young Uchiha's room was, the medic was met with another surprise.

The woman had already walked ahead of her as if she knew that was the patient's room and stopped to watch the male standing to the side of the door.

"Your **_darling baby brother_** is a pain in the ass with his weird phobia." The woman told him. The male chuckled and replied. "As least you found him before he did something stupid."

The woman entered the room sighing dramatically. "As if. This little screw ball was two seconds away from leaping off the third floor window."

"I apologized." The male replied following the woman into the room.

The woman rested the young unconscious male down and quickly performed some seals. The female medic, who was still standing outside, peaked in to see the woman creating charka strings to hold down the body and prevent him from escaping again.

"You own me big time _weasel_. I am not letting this one go at all." The woman replied. The male smirked before bowing, "I am at your service _cherry blossom_."

The woman gave him a disgusted looked before she began to examine the patient before her, "I thought so. Some of his nerves were damaged. So wonder the idiot was walking like he had two left feet." She muttered softly to herself.

"Will he be okay?" the male asked. The woman ignored him and looked for the young medic.

"Get me specialize group C right away." The woman commanded. The young medic nodded and ran off. The male looked at the sight and laughed.

"You scared her Sakura." He remarked. The woman looked him and narrowed her eyes, "It's not like I meant to Itachi." She replied.

Itachi grabbed her by the elbow and smirked, "You really are something. I have to get you to work on your social skills."

Sakura pushed him off, "Forget about that." She muttered, "I have the papers for Minato-sama you I am heading up to his office. We will be called in later for the full re-cap about **_that mission_**." Her eyes narrowed at him before she left the room.

Itachi quickly pulled up a chair and linked his fingers together resting his elbows on his knees. "You can open your eyes now Sasuke." Itachi remarked.

The supposed unconscious patient eyes fluttered open as he stared his older brother. "Nii-sama." Sasuke said, "Who was that woman? She reeked of lavender."

Itachi arched his eyebrow at that comment. Sasuke could smell that. Now that was surprising.

"You must have imagined that baka brother." Itachi replied crossing his legs, "After all you were trying to escape the hospital**_ again_**."

Sasuke snorted as he tried to push himself up only to feel the charka strong tighten forcing him back down. "I hate this place." Sasuke replied almost dejectedly.

Itachi laughed. "I know but I would have hoped you got over **_that _**already."

Sasuke glared at his older brother. This was not a laughing matter!

"I can assure you Sasuke." Itachi said seriously, "That will never happen again so please stop giving everyone else a hard time."

Sasuke snorted before turning his face away from his brother, "Whatever." He muttered softly.

Itachi stood up causing Sasuke to turn back to look at him. "You're leaving?!" Sasuke asked his eyes slightly widening as his brother began to step back.

"A medical team is coming to treat you. I will be in the way." Itachi replied casually.

Sasuke began to move uncomfortably glancing back his brother only to find the traitor gone.

**_"Itachi you freaking asshole get back here!" _**

But it was already too late. The elder Uchiha was already in the Hokage's office for a _sudden meeting_.

Sasuke sighed deeply before slamming his head into the pillow that was far too soft. His whole head was sinking into it and that annoyed him. He really didn't care that everyone found his irrational fear stupid or bothersome. In his eighteen years of living, Sasuke learnt the hard way that he shouldn't be bothered by other's opinions of him. He was who he was and he was going to life his own damn life how he saw fit.

However the woman earlier was very mysterious. Sasuke couldn't get her out of his mind. He didn't even get a good look at but he knew that she was very fast and high skilled. He didn't even sense her while he was making his escape. She was silent and quick and that pissed him off even more. Who the hell was she?!

Suddenly the door slid open and the team of medics his brother spoke off walked in. They didn't seem the least intimated by his as they surrounded him like a trapped prey. One pulled out a sharp needle and nodded to their team to hold Sasuke down.

"**_Get that fucking thing away from me_**!" Sasuke snapped at them but the medics already had him held down and was shoving that damn needle in his right arm. His eyes grew heavy again as his body grew limp.

The medics nodded to each other as the head of the team remarked, "Now we can finally begin."

* * *

In the Hokage's personal office, the current forth kage, Namikaze Minato sat down at his table skimming through his paper work waiting to start his meeting. One member was already here to her credit and was seated patiently mediating.

"Sakura can you please go and find Itachi." Minato asked. Sakura opened her eyes and sighed.

"He's already here." She replied. A puff of smoke appeared and there was the person they were waiting on.

"Itachi you're late." Minato remarked disapprovingly.

Itachi bowed, "I apologized. My brother was a bit of a handful." Minato nodded understanding the situation, "Of course. The ANBU exams just finished. How is he?"

Itachi took his seat and nodded, "In the best health I suppose." He replied.

Minato cleared his throat. "Well now we can begin."

He picked up the first files and looked at Sakura, "This is the data of everyone you examined?" Sakura nodded, "The bodies are sealed and prepared to be transported to their necessary locations." Minato nodded how monotone her voice was but nodded never the less.

"And this file." Minato continued picking up the next one, "It the results of the ANBU exams thus far." Both individuals in front of him nodded. Minato opened the file and quickly looked through the names, "I see your brother made it through Itachi." Mianto remarked offhandedly.

Itachi nodded, "So did your son."

Minato chuckled, "His Okaa-sama wouldn't be all too happy. Kushina didn't want him taking part this year." He paused and flipped through a few pages again, "The Hyuuga heiress is here as well and her teammate Aburame Shino as well." Minato nodded approvingly as he flipped through some more pages, "And the one with the top marks is…**NARA SHIKAMARU**!"

Itachi and Sakura tried to hold back their smirks at their kage's reaction. Minato, suddenly realize that he had stepped out of character quickly straightened his papers and nodded, "Well that's that." The young kage replied.

"Nara will make an excellent addition to the strategic squad." Itachi remarked casually. Sakura barked out a laugh beside him, "Don't talk as if they have all passed and are suddenly ANBUs now." She remarked, "These little pests still have to go through my tests before I even let them become ANBUs."

Minato felt an involuntary shiver slider down his spine, "Sakura please go easy on them." He asked kindly. Sakura laughed again.

"Either way." Minato continued, "The real reason I called both of you here."

The young kage stood up and stepped away from his desk to stand in front of the two ninjas before bowing.

"Thank you Uchiha Itachi and Haruno Sakura for your services towards Konoha in eliminating a very powerful band of S-ranks ninjas. I am happy that both of you could have returned to the village alive."

Itachi and Sakura were very surprised by Minato's actions. Both of them looked at each other before nodding and stood up. They got down on their knees and bowed to Minato.

"Thank you Minato-sama for your kind words and it is our honour to serve this village- our home and our happiness."

Minato looked up and smiled at them, "Well now…you're dismissed."

The two of them nodded and got to their feet and exited the room.

As the door closed, Sakura linked her arms with Itachi as they walked side by side. "So what should be my first chore for you to start replaying me for today's favour?" Sakura asked. Itachi smirked, "I could walk you to your apartment." He suggested. Sakura huffed. "That's too easy even for you." She replied annoyed. "I am still going to do it." Itachi said firmly, "You have a nasty habit of running into trouble." Sakura rolled her eyes at his suggestion, "You should just hurry back to the hospital before your brother throws another tantrum." She replied.

Itachi stopped, "We're here." He replied staring at the apartment complex where Sakura lived. She unlinked their arms and nodded, "Thanks." She muttered softly before leaping up to the fourth floor where her room was. Itachi watched her until she opened and closed the door before leaving.

Inside her apartment smelt mouldy as if that stupid landlord of hers had forgotten to come every now and then and open her windows. Sakura walked towards her cramped laundry room and stripped off her clothes before shoving them in a basket. She opened her small cupboard and pulled out a fluffy blue towel and wrapped it around her frame. She began to make her way to her personal bathroom turning on the steaming water and full blast before dropping the towel and stepping into her shower.

The steam fogged up her glass but it felt amazing on her muscles and it had been so long since she had a good steamy shower. She ran her fingers through her pink locks pulling out small knots before grabbing her shampoo still sitting on the corner as she left it. Sakura squeezed of a generous amount in her hands and started to wash her hair. This was heaven!

Twenty minutes later, she stepped out of her bathroom wrapped in her towel and headed towards her room. Sakura opened the door realizing that the squeak she had complained about before she left was still there. Sighing, she dug around in her dresser for some clothes and threw out some old shorts and a tank top once she had properly dried herself off.

Sakura set down at her vanity and began to towel dry her hair while watching herself in the mirror. The task was enough to keep her body busy but not her mind.

Her thoughts were drifting back to earlier in the hospital and to the younger Uchiha. The brat had a strange fear for someone of his age but that wasn't the most surprising thing Sakura had discovered. He had smelt it. Even after she had caught him and knocked him unconscious, the brat had muttered it under his breathe.

_'…lavender…'_

Sakura touched her neck and rubbed into a knot she felt. Very few people could smell the lavender in her personally blended cream. They had to have very heightened senses to even pick up the scent of the cream alone but to realize clearly that there was lavender in it, well that would take a miracle. It annoyed her slightly because beyond that there was nothing special about him but it was still worth remembering.

Sakura got up and dropped her towel into her basket and leapt onto her bed. She curled up slowly before closing her eyes and falling asleep.

**(TBC) **


	3. Lavender

**_"Uchiha Sasuke where do you think you are going now?"_**

Sasuke turned around and frowned. Nohara Rin stood in front of him with her hands clasped at her sides looking slightly annoyed. The expression didn't suit her and that itself made the entire thing more frightful.

"Leaving." Sasuke replied rubbing his right shoulder.

Rin shook her head, "No no. Impossible. You have physical therapy."

Sasuke glared at her, "There's no one here."

Rin sighed in response, "That's because you sacred them silly. Why do you think I am here?"

Sasuke looked away. It had already been three months since he took part in the ANBU exams and still couldn't get a clean bill of health because apparently there was a protocol that any sprained, fractures, nerve damage or broken bones a ninja experience, they are required to attend a week of physically therapy before they could be released.

Sasuke had been scaring his way out of his sessions for the past month and Rin was far from happy to hear that her personally trained nurses were traumatized by one crazed young Uchiha.

"Listen, I know how you feel about hospitals but really these are the rules." Rin remarked, "I need you to be reasonable here."

Sasuke looked around examining every point of the room expected where Rin was standing. One more 'session' and he would have been freed if she hadn't showed up.

"So you're doing it now and I don't want to hear any back talk." Rin stated firmly.

Sasuke grunted and crossed his arms. If it was anyone else this would be an easy task to avoid but Rin had an unnatural uncontrolled commitment to her medical profession and he was not leaving her until he bent to her will.

"Fine." Sasuke spat out making Rin smile.

"Perfect." She remarked before grabbing his arm and guided him to the therapy room. She had arranged for no one to be there knowing full well Sasuke worked better with less people around him.

As they entered the room, Rin noticed that Sasuke stopped and was sniffing the air.

"What are you doing now?" Rin asked finally losing her cool.

"Lavender." Sasuke remarked, "She was here." Before turning on his heal and leaving. Rin remained for a few seconds between she felt her annoyance bubble over and chased after Sasuke.

In the distance, Sasuke was wobbling ahead down the halls following the scent. For the past three months, Sasuke's thoughts were clouded from the scent of lavender. At this point, any bystander would think he was desperate to find the woman behind it all.

As Sasuke turned another corner, his foot slipped and he slammed his right shoulder onto the wall to stop from falling. His balance was still dangerously off. According the medical report- the part Sasuke remembered- he was injected with a substance that targeted his cerebellum that was supposed to temporary have him lack co-ordination and balance but because of Sasuke's obvious refusal not to be treated immediately, the effect was prolonged and now he was paying for the consequences.

Rin quickly grabbed him by the shoulder and forced Sasuke to look at her.

"Have you lost it now?" Rin asked. Sasuke grunted. The scent was moving again but he couldn't see the person. Suddenly, something brushed against his left shoulder and he turned and spied pink. Pink?! Who in the world would have pink hair?!

Sasuke brushed off Rin's hold on his shoulder and rushed after the woman. She was as fast as he remembered but now because he was expecting it, he kept up. The woman turned down the hall and escaped into a room. Sasuke smirked. Now he had her.

He walked slowly to the room -mainly because his feet were killing him- and opened the door. The room was dark but he could still smell it- the strong scent of lavender. He took one step in before he found his body pinned to the wall.

"You are one annoying little brat you know." A female voice spat out at him, "I never met anyone who doesn't **_give the fuck up_** when you can't win."

Sasuke smirked. This was the woman although he couldn't see her face. Her tone, her scent, her voice was exactly as he remembered.

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked.

He felt the woman's grip on him tightened, "None of your business." She replied angrily.

"I'll make it my business." Sasuke replied. He realized his hands were free and he was sure that there was a light switch to his right. Now the question still remained if he could have reached it before this woman escaped.

"You got some nerve." The woman replied.

Sasuke quickly reached to his right and smacked his hand down on the switch. The room lit up blinding him for a second.

"As I said." He heard, "You really don't know when to give the fuck up."

Sasuke faced forward and looked at the mysterious woman. She was shorter than him probably reaching just below his chin. Her frame was small and petit despite having long limbs. She was wearing a usual Jounin uniform without the vest protector glaring him down with her glimmering jade eyes. She indeed had brilliant pink hair that fall to her lower back which she had down up in a French braid.

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked again.

The woman glared him down before pinching his left cheek tightly pulling at the skin until it turned red. "You are really one cheeky brat. Who the hell do you think you are ordering me around?!"

Sasuke tried to swipe her hand away but the mysterious woman quickly pinned it other hand to the wall. She leaned in closer to him giving Sasuke a full view of her face. She had a surprisingly cute face with very visible cheeks and small lips that she seemed to have a nasty habit of bite like she was doing now.

"Now." Sasuke heard her whisper, "You are going to forget you ever saw me got it maggot."

He quickly felt a sharp pain to his neck and blacked out. When he finally came too, Rin was hovering over him looking far from pleased.

"I took my time off to come and make sure you didn't have to forfeit the ANBU exams and this is the thanks I get Sasuke!" Rin shouted furious.

Sasuke rubbed his neck carefully looking very annoyed as he realized he was once again strapped down to a bed in the hospital.

"Rin, I finished the exams." Sasuke said glaring at her silently telling her to untie him.

Rin stared at him for a moment before suddenly leaping up throwing the chair she was sitting on to fall back.

"You don't know do you?" Rin asked shocked.

Sasuke wiggled slightly trying to loosen the ropes that kept him tied to the bed. "What don't I know?!" Sasuke spat out annoyed.

"That the ANBU exams have been extended because of the large number of people who passed this year." Rin replied. She bent down and picked up the chair and sat back down, "Everyone has been training for the past three months preparing for when the ANBU captains are going to announce when the exam will continue. Haven't you noticed that your brother hasn't been home recently?"

Sasuke pondered on that thought for a moment and realized Rin was right. Itachi was busy these past few months but it wasn't for missions so it had to be ANBU related or clan business.

"Why the hell wasn't I told earlier?!" Sasuke shouted pulling his body forward breaking the ropes that were holding him down.

Rin sighed. "People must have mentioned it to but it was during your stay in the hospital so you probably didn't hear them."

Rin looked at Sasuke before giving him a small smile, "Okay since you seem more than capable of walking on your own I will sign off on a clean bill of health." She watched as Sasuke's face slightly light up pleased that he may never have to step foot back into this cursed hospital again, "But take it easy alright. I don't want to see you back here anytime soon."

Sasuke nodded as he carefully listened to Rin who told him to wait in the room while she gathered the last bits of documents to finally free him of this hospital. As she left the room, his thoughts drove back to the woman with pink hair. She was skilled- even better than he had organically anticipated- and seemed to have her whole world wrapped around her finger. Sasuke would love to break that world for her. She embarrassed him and made him look like a fool- although not publically- but his pride still hurt. If she was a man he may have been able to forget it but she was a woman. An abnormally powerful woman and Sasuke was going to find out who she was even if it killed him!

Sakura walked outside the hospital and sighed deeply. She hadn't expected Sasuke to be so determined to find her.

"What do you want Itachi?" Sakura asked aloud waiting for the older Uchiha to appear before her.

"Sakura you enjoy tormenting my brother." Itachi said. Sakura smirked before crossing her arms over each other, "I don't actually. He is just a very determined brat."

Itachi gave a small smile while Sakura arched her eyebrow. "Indeed that sounds like my adorable brother."

Sakura snickered, "You really **_do_** have a brother complex for him!" She paused for a moment and then looked at him, "It will be starting again. I wonder if your brother will be ready for the second part of the ANBU exams."

Itachi looked back at her before grabbing her cheeks and tugging at the skin. Sakura wacked his hands away and glared at him, "Oi you weasel what do you think you are doing?!"

She carefully rubbed her now red cheeks while Itachi looked at her and replied, "I was worried. You were suddenly acting as if you were worried for another human being."

Sakura huffed before aiming a kick at the older Uchiha, "Cha! Are you insulting me you weasel?!" Itachi avoided her attack and appeared behind her. "I wouldn't dare cherry blossom." He replied, "Because I rather like living right now."

Sakura turned on her heel and pocked Itachi in his chest, "Then don't say unnecessary things!" Itachi's expression softened before he bowed his head, "I apologized."

Sakura smiled slightly before turning her back to him, "I have paperwork to do in the headquarters right?" she asked, "I will get to them now."

Itachi walked to her side and nodded, "I will escort you there." Sakura nodded and they began to walk together.

Sakura glanced at Itachi at they walked together. She knew he had more to say judging from the tension in his shoulders. "What is it?" Sakura asked, "Just tell me."

Itachi smirked, "Nothing serious but the verdict is out."

Sakura stopped walking. They were in front of the headquarters now, "What is it?" she asked, "Tell me Itachi!"

Itachi smiled. A true honest smile. "Guilty." He replied. Sakura let out a deep breath as she felt her body trembled, "Then it's over? Seven years of torment over?"

Itachi ruffed her hair, "Go and do your paperwork." Sakura nodded and then bowed. "I will see you soon taichou."

"I look forward to it." Itachi replied.

Sakura smiled and entered the building. The weight that had always been on her shoulders for such a long time was suddenly gone and she felt light. It was strange. She had grown so accustom to the weight that it felt unreal that it wasn't there anymore.

As she turned to enter her office she sighed again.

"I really hope it's over for his sake especially." Sakura whispered before opening her office door and entering.

**(TBC) **


End file.

Naruto, Humor, Romance