Retribution

A/N: Alright so here it is the next instalment of my little story. I have no beta so forgive any gramatical errors that slipped past me.

Lunar84: It makes me incredibly hapy to know that you think im a good writer and by no means do you think you insult me with your constructive critisism i love it and it helps me rais the bar for my slef.I do think i pushed Sai a lot but to me Sai is like a blank canvas is to him and well i just let lose on him :: scratches head in a naruto fashion compleat with grin:: I will go into more detail why he acts like he does in later chapters but for now enjoy this one and i will be looking forward to your next review

***********

“Great I'm replacing him again” Sai had thought on that long walk back to Konoha after he had first proposed to Sakura. Sasuke’s responsibilities seemed to one way or another be thrust upon his lap and it was his job to mend and repair them the best he could. First team seven and now this… well Sasuke had returned to claim back his spot in team seven but in the end they had just wound up having to make team Kakashi a five man cell.

If Sasuke returned Sai knew that he would step aside and let Sakura go to him after all he had no love for the girl so what did it matter to him if she went back to him. By now Sai was coming to terms with his purpose in life any way and he was half expecting the other Uchiha to return and take Sakura before the wedding ever took place any way. Still when the thought crossed his mind it had hurt him … inside and almost made him cry, there in the darkest corner of is apartment the night before the wedding.

“I'm Just a replacement … a… filler… the cleaner of Sasuke’s messes …”

Just when he had begun to believe that life was more than just about the mission and had quit the root ANBU squad … he realized his life was a mission. All in all the last week had been a blur of emotions for Sai. The moment of what he could only rationalize as acceptance of his fate when he had proposed to Sakura had effectively turned his would upside down.

A tornado of people had swirled around the two. They had planed to marry the next day in a quiet ceremony with the hokage and on one else. However bumping into Ino at the main gate and pretending to had planed otherwise had, in the words of Shikamaru, been indeed troublesome. By the time they had left the hokage’s office that afternoon not only was Sakura’s family informed but damn near all of Konoha had been made aware of their engagement.

Sakura’s mother had insisted that their plan was foolish for two reasons. One this was their one and only daughter and two he was an UCHIHA. He sighed as he when over in his head how both he and Sakura had to use every one of their negotiating skills to convince her mother to not get the city to make a festival size event of the affair and that their “Love” was all they needed.

In the end neither party walked away with what they wanted but both did walk away thinking “It could have been worse”. So now here he was two weeks to the day when he so carelessly tossed away his freedom before the Hokage her self in an uncomfortable Western style black suit with a matching silk tie that threatened to strangle him at the first wrong move he made.

Next to him stood an equally uncomfortable blond who was still engaged in a battle of whits with his own tie. Some satisfaction had come to him two days ago, when he had been made to know that their wedding was going to be western inspired when Sakura’s mother had brought over his and his best mans suits to his apartment, that Naruto would suffer thought this affair with him and hate, even more than he, every minute of it.

“You’ll pay for this” Naruto had threatened him earlier that day “when I get married ohoho you will pay believe it!”

All in all he supposed it was a beautiful day and the fact that he had won out on were the ceremony was to take place gave him some comfort. Sakura’s mother had given him a dumb struck look when he insisted on training field seven. Even now he wasn’t sure how he had convinced the woman to go along with his plan he just knew that he had started talking trying to coax her into it and slowly her dumbstruck look turned into one what might as well have hearts fluttering from her eyes and Sakura had avoided direct eye contact for the rest of the night blushing furiously when he spoke her name.

Field seven had a gorgeous clearing, at the edge of the river that connected most training fields, and was outlined by cherry blossom trees that were in full bloom at this time of the year. It was a decent sized clearing that had an amazing view of both the sun rise and set.

He let his eyes wander over the rows of chairs that had been set out for their guests that were now mostly full.

He had been amazed when he found out just how large Sakura’s family was though she was an only child both her father and mother had several siblings who in turn had several kids of their own and also both sets of grandparents were still alive, it was because of this that it was decided that every one not related to Sakura by blood would sit in Sai’s side of the chairs seeing as to how his only family was currently seeing to its own destruction that and there wasn’t much of it any way.

His eyes lingered on the while tent that had been set up at the back of the rows that Sakura’s mother had insisted Sakura get ready in so as not to risk Sai seeing her before the wedding. He almost felt sorry for the pinkett knowing how early she must have risen to get ready in a not very well insulated tent. Just then he felt a sharp jab at his ribs he turned impassive eyes on his blond headed friend.

“Finally got Neji to help you with your tie did you dickless?” He asked trying to get back at the blond with a signature Sai smile

Naruto rolled his piercing blue eyes and balled his fists trying to keep from getting into it with the groom. He still remembered with dread the threat Sakura’s Mother had made him about getting so much as a smudge of dirt on either of them before the pictures were taken.

“I got it on my self thank you very much … any way wile you were off in lala land Ino came out here to give the go ahead so we should be starting in a few”

Sai nodded in acknowledgement and set his jaw in rare nervous gesture as the violins swelled up in a beautiful melody and every one participating in the ceremony got into place. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the Hokage give her assistant Shizune last minute whispered instructions as she adjusted her rarely worn Hokage robe.

After what seemed like ages the tent’s opening was parted and Sakura’s youngest cousin was the first to emerge in all her five year old cuteness dressed in what Sai could only describe as fluffy dress tossing cherry blossom petals, from a basket she carried, into the air. Next was her cousin’s son who was about 8 by the look of him dressed in a miniature version of Sai’s suit complete with tie, he carried a soft looking pillow with both Sai and Sakura’s wedding bands placed securely on top.

The Next to exit the tent was Ino looking gorgeous in her soft pink bride’s maids dress. Naruto nearly burst out laughing when out of the corner of his eye saw Temari smack Shikamaru upside the head when she caught him letting his eyes linger a bit too long on Ino's delicate form. This did not go unnoticed by Ino, and a satisfied smirk played on her soft glossy lips as she too made her way down the isle.

Then there she was, Sai was sure that the angles in heaven themselves were envious of her at that exact moment when she stepped out. Time seemed to slow to an almost sluggish pace and he could hear his heart beat as if it were counting the seconds as they went by until jade and onyx met and locked on for a split second then time stopped all together, then came back full force when her father leaned down to give her a hug robbing Sai of her gaze leaving Sai breathless and his eyes watering with emotion

“What the hell was that?” He questioned himself suddenly finding his shoes very interesting as he blinked away the excess moisture in his eyes. He had to gather his courage to lift his gaze once again to his approaching bride. When he did finally mage to lift his gaze she had her head bowed ever so slightly no doubt hiding a blush as her father continued to whisper praises into her ear.

“But Kami she is beautiful” He thought as she approached his side practically glowing.

Awkward could not begin to describe the moment when Sakura’s father refused to give her arm up to Sai then finally when he did the older man gave him a reproachful look.

“You could have given me more time to get used to the idea instead of springing it on me and robbing me of her you know” the proud man had said in his defense.

Then there they were arm and arm before the Hokage shaking like a couple of leaves (ha, ha get it? o.o;;;). For his part Sai was way to nervous to keep up with the Hokage was saying, it took all he had to keep him standing still. The only moment he did anything else was when the Godaime prompted to repeat after her and when asked if “he did”.

He jumped ever so slightly when the small cowed behind him and Sakura erupted into a loud cheer happily he noticed that Sakura had jumped as well. He felt him self turn to her and pull the veil over her head. He saw her eyes widen suddenly in apprehension. Why had they not practiced kissing in the mouth when her mother had forced them into a public wedding?!

Slowly, so very slowly he leaned towards her. The last thing he wanted was to be punched by the powerful kunoichi on their wedding day. He looked into her eyes for approval halting his lips seconds from hers. So close he could feel her warm breath on his lips. He saw distress in her eyes but it was soon replaced with something else something that Sai could not quite describe, the look was soft … caring? Impossible no it was surrender…it had to be.

It was she who closed the gap between the two, positively taking Sai’s breath away. No amount of practicing would have prepared him for this. He felt her arms wrap around his neck as she suckled and nipped gently on his bottom lip instinctively he wrapped his arms around her waist drawing her closer deepening the kiss they were sharing for the world to see.

He almost whined when Sakura pulled from the kiss. Her cheeks were flushed and her breathing was heavy she gave him a tender smile before turning to their audience who clapped their approval. On his shoulder he felt Naruto’s hand pat him in congratulations and whispering lude remarks but he couldn’t really hear him his eyes were trained on Sakura. Nothing else seemed to matter, it was as if the world had suddenly faded into shades of grey and only she had retained her vibrant colors.

“Kami…What’s happening to me?” he reached up to his lips, he could still feel her warmth against them her kiss had been passionate “she must have been thinking of him” the thought somehow bothered him, but had he not been the one to suggest that she do just that and besides who cared? He didn’t love her sure he would admit it to him self she was attractive. Then again one would have to be blind to not see it and if one was then her beauty would shine thru her voice.

He watched as if from outside his own body as they were directed to different locations about the clearing for photographs and posed. At first the two were stiff and hard to direct, indeed the photographer had nearly ripped his hair out in frustration but it really was not their fault that he was going for more than just simple poses. No he had to choose poses that were as if caught with out the cupules notice.

There was the traditional group pictures and then there was playing peek-a-boo around a tree, Sai pushing Sakura on a swing that hung from one of the more grand cherry blossom trees, Sakura cuddling into his chest as he held her close but his eyes were off in the horizon as if on watch for an enemy ready to defend her the most difficult had by far been the one were they had been required to hold their faces inches from each other while he held her chin up with the tips of his fingers as the sun set in the background.

The kiss from earlier had proven to be quite addicting and Sai found himself wishing the need to have another came about. But what the hell was he thinking? This was Sakura the girl that for over 3 years he had called Ugly and had taken pleasure in making her squirm…the girl that had fawned over his brother obsessively and ultimately had given her body to him which was why they were here in the first place!

He had to rationalize it to himself yes there had to be an explanation. Well first off she was the first woman he had ever had that much contact with outside of a mission and from an artistic point of view she was beautiful, plus she carried the first offspring the Uchiha clan had produced since the massacre. Yes that was it he cared for her she was a friend one of her first friends and she was pretty and she was the first to shed some kind of hope on his clans future and he was grateful yes that was it.

Silly boy for a moment he had dared to believe the impossible. He was Sai Uchiha and he did not love Sakura and she would not, did not love him. With a sigh of relief he raised his head to look about noticing that few people were left in the area that had been prepared for the reception and the clean up process had already started by the clean up crew. Just how long had he been lost in thought? He blushed slightly hoping he had not made a fool of himself as he moved about mindlessly.

He sat behind his and Sakura’s table at the edge of the dance floor when the last song of the night was announced for those that had lingered to the bitter end. He watched as Lee led Sakura to the dance floor with emotionless eyes. As the music continued and Lee led his wife in a slow dance, he watched the raven haired shinobi lean to whisper something into her ear and she threw her head back laughing merrily at what ever he had said. He didn’t know what Lee had said but he did know that he for the longest time had a “thing” for Sakura and Sai did not like him being that close to her.

Before Sai knew it he was tapping Lees shoulder and asking/growling if he could cut in. Sakura was giving him a startled look at the tone of his voice but the other shinobi had not noticed smiling warmly and saying something about love and the spring time of youth. Sai really was not paying attention to his words he just knew he wanted to put some distance between him and HIS wife.

“What the hell was that?” Sakura hissed as Lee walked from the dance floor and they were left to finish the dance.

He had to blink a few times to realize what exactly had just happened. When he did he was left feeling disoriented and he could practically see a small version of himself running in circles around his head panicking but he expertly kept his cool exterior.

“Just playing the part koishii”

***********

How was that o.O? You like yes? Please say you do come on the good the bad the ugly give it to me.