A Soul's Salvation

A/N: Here you go guys. I hope that you enjoy this latest installment, and thanks for the great reviews.

I don't take offense when people talk to me about my updating, nor do I get upset when questioned about pairings, but I ask to please trust me when I say that everything will work out fine. Besides, Gaara will be getting his own love in another story, so this one is all Naruto's. Anyways, I don't grumble much, and I hate to grumble, so let's forget all about it and move on, ok?

Just a side note for the last bit of this chapter. In the IY series, Sesshomaru's nickname is 'killing perfection.' Because Akio Masahara is my tribute to Sesshomaru's hotness, he is being called 'deadly perfection.' personally, i think that I am having Sesshomaru withdrawls. But, that will have to wait, because I'm showing Naruto love, right now.

For those who read my IY fics, I am working on new chapters, and have not given them up. Be patient. My muse is such a fickle little bitch. But, she's had a breakthrough with jewel, so let's hope to get another chapter of that out soon.

Have a good one, guys.
~!~

The walk to Sakura's apartment was a silent one, but Naruto didn't mind. Instead, he was focused on how he was going to deal with Sasuke, and if he would need to include some blood-shed. Knowing Sasuke....probably.

Sakura, too, was lost in her thoughts. She was trying to figure out how she was going to drop the bomb on Naruto, that they would have to share a bed. In her mind, she had played out different scenarios, and in all of them, Naruto's face held nothing but disgust and his words anything but understanding. She shivered slightly as the final scenario played itself out, and in that one, Naruto had left the room, telling her that he never wanted to look at her again, and that he quit as her bodyguard.

Naruto felt her shiver, and glanced down at the woman beside him. She looked sad, and he bit his lip, deciding to wait until they were behind closed doors to find out what was bothering her, so that he could fix it. Sakura should never frown. Now that he was ready to move forward with her, he would do his best to ensure that all she had on her face was a loving smile. Preferably directed up at him.

When they finally arrived, Naruto gently took the key from Sakura's hand, and unlocked the door. Pushing it open, he watched as Sakura entered the apartment and then walked in behind her, then quickly locked the door behind them.

Placing his bag down beside the door, he reached out and firmly took Sakura's hand in his own, and led her over to the couch. Sitting her down, he crouched in front of her, and asked, “What is wrong? Why are you so upset?”

Sakura shifted uncomfortably, knowing that the time to tell him had arrived, but she couldn't help but remember all the different ways her mind had conjured up, that he would take the news. None of them had been good.

His eyes narrowed, and he recognized what she was doing. When they were younger, whenever Sakura wanted to get out of an uncomfortable situation, she would fidget and mumble incoherently, until the one asking her the questions grew agitated and told her to never mind. Iruka-sensei could attest to that.

Well, it wasn't going to work on him. Not this time, and never again. If they were going to move forward, they had to be able to tell the other anything and everything on their mind, even if it was bad. And, he could tell that this was bad, or at least, she thought it was.

She peeked at him through her eyelashes, and then sighed when she saw that he wasn't going to go away. In fact, he seemed bound and determined to hear what was bothering her, and if she knew Naruto, he wouldn't go away until he until he found out what he wanted to know.

In the old days, she could just threaten him with bodily violence, and he would let it drop, especially with her, but now, she would never dream of threatening him, and could only hope that he would take pity on her and let her stew about what was bothering her. However, this was not the old days, and he was still waiting for an answer.

He was about to demand an answer from her, but stopped when she cleared her throat. She lifted her eyes to meet his, and then softly said, “Tsunade-sensei told me that we will be leaving for valley shortly, and that she was sorry, but she could only secure one room.”

Naruto cocked his head. THIS was what was upsetting her? They bunked down many times, together, in the same room on different occasions, so why was she worried about this time?

Seeing that he wasn't grasping what she was getting at, she inwardly cursed herself when a blush spread across her cheeks, and she cursed him when his eyes widened, meaning that he saw the blush.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and said, “She also said that the room would only hold one bed, and that will mean that you and I will have to share it.”

There. She said it and now, she would have to deal with the fireworks that she knew would follow.

“Is that it?”

Popping her eyes open, she stared at Naruto, and nodded. The man before her smiled and reached over to pat her head.

“Ok.” He said, his eyes twinkling with relief. He thought what she had to say was going to be something serious, like Sasuke was going with them, and that this had become a team effort to protect her. “I get the side by the window.”

Blinking, Sakura felt him stand up and move away, while she stared at the spot he had been sitting in. That was it? Where was the explosion? Where was the curse words, and demands that they figure something else out for the sleeping arrangement?

And, did he just say he got the side by the window? That was the side she liked.

Wait, she was getting off the track. Who cared about which side they slept on, though inner Sakura kept grumbling that she wanted the window side, what she needed to figure out was why he wasn't as upset at the situation as she thought he should be. Did he forget what she had done to him, over and over again?

When she heard whistling coming from her kitchen, she slumped in her seat and sighed. Well, this was anticlimactic, and she probably just gave her self a few pimples from the stress of worrying about his reaction.

Poking his head out of the kitchen, he grinned at her, and cheerfully asked, “How about some chicken with rice?”

When he saw her nod, he pulled his head back into the kitchen and smirked. The fates loved him and were now providing him a way of showing Sakura just how badly he wanted her. In fact, he had decided to use this vacation to valley and the festival to show her his intentions, and if that didn't work, then he would simply tell her.

But now, he had a better way of handling the situation. By sleeping next to her, he could hold her, and watch her as she slept, just like the night he first stayed with her, when she was ill. Except this time, she would know that he was there, and he would ensure that she thought of him, and only him.

Sasuke, who?

Humming to himself, he set to work and grinned when Sakura joined him in the kitchen and began to chop up some vegetables to go with their dinner. This was the way things were supposed to be. And, if he had his way, after they returned from valley, this is the way they would be for the rest of their lives.

He could almost see his dreams of a life with Sakura becoming reality, and all he had to do was reach out and take charge to see things through.

~!~

The rest of the week went by quickly and found Naruto and Sakura packed and on their way to valley. As they walked, Sakura answered all of Naruto's questions patiently and smiled when he started to talk about all the delicious food. It seemed that even though they were adults, now, Naruto was still the endless stomach now as he had been when they were kids.

When valley finally came into view, Sakura grinned and could hear the villagers yelling out, announcing her arrival. The people swarmed the entrance to valley, and many bowed, though they all knew that she wasn't one for such things.

Small children stared up at her, their eyes wide and curious, while pre-teen and teen girls stared over at Naruto, their eyes adoring and their hands covering their mouths as they whispered back and forth to each other.

The young men of the village smiled at Sakura, and then turned narrowed eyes upon Naruto, who was too busy staring at Sakura, to notice.

When the crowd parted, Sakura and Naruto bowed respectfully to the elder, and she soon found herself in the old man's warm embrace.

“Sakura, it is good to see you and we are honored that you are able to join us for our festival.” Anikumo said, a large smile upon his face. “Tonight, we will start off our two day festival with fireworks, food, and dancing.”

Sakura smiled and then looked up at Naruto, who looked lost in a daze of pleasure at the mention of food. When Anikumo motioned for them to follow, Sakura silently hoped that he was not leading them to his kitchen. She didn't think that she could handle his wife's cooking. Inner Sakura was already cowering in a corner.

But, the older man led them to his village's inn and then turned to the young pair. “I am sure that Lady Tsunade has told you that there was only one room available. If this is not acceptable, you are welcome to stay in my home.” He offered.

That did it for inner Sakura. She packed her bags, and stormed away, muttering that she wasn't going to allow herself to be subjected to that hellish woman, ever again. However, she gave him a sweet smile and shook her head.

“No, the accommodations are perfect. Thank you, elder.” She said, bowing. The old man chuckled and sent an appraising glance over at the young, blonde man beside her. It was clear to him that the young man didn't have any objections, either.

Naruto tightened his grip upon his backpack, and followed Sakura as they entered the inn, after saying goodbye to the elder. He listened as the inn keeper gushed about how honored he was that their ambassador would be staying at his little inn, and that he took the liberty of giving them the very best room he had, which was on the top floor.

Once she had the key in her hand, Sakura and Naruto climbed the stairs and soon found themselves at the top floor, and were shocked to find that there was only one room on that floor.....theirs.

Smirking to himself, he silently watched as Sakura unlocked the door and opened it. Upon hearing her gasp, he entered the room and found it to be spacious, with a fire already going in the fireplace.

Fresh flowers decorated the tables that were in the room, and the covers on the large bed were already pulled down, ready to use.

Placing her backpack upon a table, she walked over to the window, and looked outside. The people were quickly setting up and the smell of cooking food hit her nose, causing her stomach to rumble. She grimaced when she realized that she had forgone breakfast, mostly because she was so nervous about sharing a bed with Naruto. Lords, she hoped she didn't snore.

When his large hands fell upon her shoulders, Sakura jumped and then glanced up at him. His eyes were gentle as he turned her towards the bathroom, and handed her the pack she had placed upon the table.

“Why don't you go and take a bath, while I go and see if I can find us something to eat, to hold us over until it is time for the festival to begin.” He said, a smile upon his lips.

Sakura flashed him a grateful smile and then blushed when her stomach grumbled again. She held no hopes that he didn't hear it. With the kyuubi's influence, he had excellent hearing, and he probably did her it. So, she took his advice and went into the bathroom, where she found a theme of cream and soft blues adorning the walls.

When her eyes fell upon the tub, she smiled happily and quickly rushed to fill the large tub up with hot water, choosing to add some of the bubble bath that was sitting on the edge of the tub. Soon, she was relaxing in the hot water, and allowed a pleased sigh to escape.

This was heaven on earth.

~!~

He smiled when he heard her sigh. Shaking his head, and looking around the room, he found the key and quickly left the room, making sure to lock it behind him while he went searching for something to eat.

He soon found himself in the village square, and smiled at all of the activities that were going on. People were rushing back and forth, doing their best to be ready for sundown, and the start of the festival.

He'd heard about this particular festival, and knew that to be invited to it, was an extreme honor. However, he still had a mission to do, and he was going to do it quickly. Wandering around, he soon found a shop that served sweet dumplings, and.....ramen.

Joyful, joyful. He was so happy that he didn't notice several young men gathering behind him. Instead, he was focused on the preparation of his and Sakura's snack. But, his pleasant thoughts were interrupted when he was tapped harshly on his shoulder.

Turning, Naruto found himself face to face with a young man, probably the same as as himself, who held a scowl on his face.

“Who in the hell do you think you are?” The young man snarled, his anger evident in his eyes. Naruto lifted an eyebrow, and then shrugged.

“Uzamaki Naruto.” He replied, his tone dry. “And, you are?”

The young man snorted and glanced over his shoulder. The other young men nodded at him and he turned to Naruto with a glare.

“The name is Kenji, and I just wanted to give you a friendly warning. Keep your hands to yourself, especially where the ambassador is concerned.” Kenji said, his tone hard.

Naruto sighed. Well, it was bound to happen. Sakura could enchant the pants off of almost anyone, and clearly, she had charmed the young men of this village. Shrugging his shoulders, Naruto stood to his full height, and looked Kenji in the eyes.

“It would be wise if you kept your advice to yourself, especially where it concerns Sakura and myself.” Naruto calmly replied, though he could feel the kyuubi beginning to stir, waiting for the moment when he could inject his own dark influence.

The men with Kenji looked scandalized when he said Sakura's name, but Kenji looked down-right furious.

“How dare you call her by her name.” He spat, his fists curling up into tight balls. “She is to be referred to as Ambassador Haruno.”

Shrugging, Naruto said, “To me, she is Sakura, and will continue to be Sakura. Now, why don't you fellows run along and find something else to do, besides pissing me off.”

Cracking his knuckles, Kenji stepped forward and said, “Looks as if you can use a few lessons in proper respect.” Letting his fist fly, he watched as it approached Naruto's face, but before he could blink, his fist was caught in an iron grip and he cried out in pain.

Naruto was done playing. The man was seriously pissing him off, and now, since the young man attacked him, he had every right to break the bones in the man's hand.

Yanking the man forward, Naruto brought his lips to the man's ear, and said, “Don't you ever tell me what I can and call Sakura. It isn't your business.”

The man whimpered, and his friends moved back, their faces twisted in horror. “Why do you care?” Kenji asked, his tone weak. “What is she to you?”

“She is mine.”

~!~

Sakura's eyes snapped open and she gasped. The water was now cool, and it occurred to her that she had fallen asleep, most likely because she failed to get any real sleep the night before.

Shaking her head, she let the water out of the tub and stood, stretching lazily and then reached for her towel. She quickly dried off, and then found clean panties, and a bra, then proceeded to put on the dress she brought along for this special occasion.

When she was ready, she opened the door, and found the bedroom to be empty. Frowning, she wondered where Naruto was, but then let her worry go.

Naruto was a big boy and could take care of himself. She walked over to the bed, and sat down upon it, giggling as she tested the softness of the rose-colored sheets. Despite still being nervous about sharing the bed with Naruto, she knew she'd get a good night's sleep. In fact, it was tempting not to strip back down, and climb into bed to take a short nap, but she didn't dare because sooner or later, Naruto would return.


She didn't have to wait long before the door to their room opened, and Naruto entered, carrying a box in his hand. The man was frowning, but when she smiled over at him, his frown quickly disappeared and in its place, a large grin.

“How was the bath?” He asked, his eyes moving over her form. The dress fit her body perfectly and the green leaves upon the silky white fabric went well with her eyes. Her hair was down, and fell over her shoulder in soft waves.

Sakura smiled and nodded. “It was nice. I really needed it.” She said, a tiny blush appearing upon her skin. She watched as the young man placed a box upon the table and then reach over to grab his own bag.

“I got you something to eat, and while you eat it, I'm going to go and take a shower.” He said, grinning as he watched her eyes move quickly over to the box.

He didn't even have time to close the bathroom door before he heard Sakura's grateful moan as she took the first bite of her dumplings.

However, his smile faded when he glanced down at his hand. Had the elder not arrived and intervened, he knew that he would have hit the young man, especially after he tried to punch him. But, the old man did arrive and quickly berated the young men, especially that Kenji ass, and then told them to go on about their business.

The older man bowed and quickly apologized, saying that there were many young men in his village who admired Sakura, and to please excuse their behavior. Once he received a nod from Naruto, the man left to attend to some issues with the fireworks, and he was left alone with his thoughts.

The kyuubi was becoming very possessive of Sakura. For him to say that Sakura was his, told Naruto that the kitsune saw Sakura as its equal and would probably grow more violent until it knew that she belonged to them, totally.

He would have to watch that.

~!~

The festival began with a series of bright fireworks, signaling to all the villagers that it was time to celebrate their good fortunes.

Sakura's eyes were bright with excitement, and she gripped Naruto's hand tightly as she pulled him forward, eager to join in and have some fun.

Naruto smiled at her back and allowed the woman to lead him. His eyes narrowed when they passed by Kenji and his group of thugs, but Sakura's insistent tugging on his arm kept him from stopping and continuing their earlier discussion.

But, that didn't stop him from flipping the young man off.

When they arrived at the center of the festivities, Sakura's mouth dropped open and she said, “Wow! Would you look at all of this?”

His blue eyes moved over the scene before them, and he nodded. “Well, what are we waiting for?” He asked, grinning.

Gripping her hand in his a bit tighter, Naruto took the lead, and together they moved into the crowd. Tonight was a night for new beginnings, and together, those beginnings would be happy.

~!~

“So, what are we going to do about him?” Ino asked, her blue eyes closed as she tried to ward off a major headache.

“Whatever it is, I hope it's painful.” Kiba said, then yelped when Hinata's elbow found his side. “Babe? What was that for?”

Hinata sighed and shook her head. “Is it possible that Sasuke actually wants Sakura because he cares for her?” She asked. “I can't help but think that perhaps his motives are unselfish.”

Neji leveled a look at his cousin before shaking his own head. “Hinata-sama, the Uchiha wants Sakura because of her power and her womb.” He explained. “If he had her backing, there would be no stopping the Uchiha from rising to power, even more than what his family did before their deaths. No, his desire for her is purely selfish.”

“I agree.” Tenten said, her pretty face twisted into a scowl. “But, I also think that he is using Sakura as a way of getting underneath Naruto's skin, and he is trying to taunt him into a fight. Basically, I think that this is just another way for Sasuke to show Naruto that he is better than him.”

The group was silent for several moments. But, then the silence was broken.

“That ass.”

Everyone's head shot up and all eyes turned to Hinata. When their mouths remained open, she shrugged and simply said, “I'm allowed to curse, too. You guys don't have exclusive rights, you know.”

Kiba snickered, while Neji muttered, “You've been around Inuzuka for too long.”

When the laughter died down, Shikamaru said, “Well, we'd better come up with something fast, because I doubt that Uchiha is sitting around, wasting his time on this matter.”

Kiba looked over to where Akamaru was laying and then said, “You know, I wonder if perhaps we are going about this the wrong way.”

Hinata turned to her man and asked, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, we've been trying to deal with this all by ourselves, but it occurs to me that there are a lot of people in Konoha who want to see Naruto and Sakura together, and who have seen Uchiha try to come between them. Maybe we need to include more people in our plan.” Kiba explained.

Neji was silent for a moment, but then nodded. “I know that Lee and Gai-sensei will help, and I'm sure that several of the other ANBU will help, seeing as how they can't stand Uchiha's arrogant attitude, and if we ask, we can probably get Kakashi-senpai to help. Overall, it's a good idea.” He agreed.

When the others nodded their heads in agreement, Neji leaned back and smirked. “Alright. Now that this issue has been decided, let's figure out what we are going to do for dinner. I am hungry.” He said, though the look he shot Tenten told her that after the main course, she would be dessert.

Ino bit back a laugh, but then jumped when Shikamaru's hand found its way to her upper thigh, squeezing it. Shooting her lover a glare, he merely lifted an eyebrow, silently telling her that he, too, had a sweet tooth that night.

Hinata grinned and looked over at Kiba, who gave her a soft smile. Love was in the air, and she could only hope that Sakura and Naruto were feeling it, as well.

~!~

“Are you sure?” Tsunade asked, her honey-colored eyes narrowing. When she received a nod, she glared over at the lord and snapped, “So, what do you propose to do about this?”

Akio lifted a delicate eyebrow and shrugged. “He is nothing to worry about.” The man replied. “After all, if the girl could ignore me for the blonde, then this other has no chance at all, with her.”

Tsunade slumped down in her seat. “You don't know their history, though.” She grumbled. “Sakura used to think herself in love with the young man, but after he left for Orochimaru's and then returned, she has been different, but I think that is mostly because of Naruto. I'm just worried that she might decide to accept his advances, seeing as how it was her childhood dream to be Sasuke's woman.”

“Children often dream about things they believe to want, only to decide that their dreams were foolish when they become adults.” Akio calmly said. “The girl will not stray. Her love for the young man is solid, and if you need proof, when we danced at the gala, he was the one she concentrated on, not me.”

Tsunade's eyes widened in shock. “Are you serious?” She demanded. She couldn't believe that while she was in the arms of one of the worlds sexiest men, Sakura only had eyes for Naruto. That did it. Now she was convinced more than ever, that Sakura and Naruto belonged together.

Akio frowned upon seeing Tsunade's amused smile. “I hardly see anything that is humorous about this.” He said, crossing his legs and narrowing his eyes at his old friend.

Tsunade waved her hand at the man, and said, “Calm down, I'm not laughing at you. I'm just really proud that Sakura has managed to stay true to her heart and not allow herself to be swayed by a pretty face. Tossing you aside tells me that she has grown up and become her own woman.”

Akio glared at Tsunade when she said that he was 'tossed over', but then sighed. However, he was curious to find out what this other young man wanted with Sakura. If his intentions were of the romantic sort, and he was determined to chase after the young ambassador, well, he wasn't known as the 'deadly perfection' for nothing.