The Bastard

A/N: this is for all those who love my mini-rants about naruto. I really am finding it so hard to get Sasuke to open up here! It's so different from my other stories. Well, apart from that i think I might bring Sai in if you guys want me to, it is nice the way he's shaping up in the manag. i wonder why there are not enough SaiNaruSasuNaru stories out there. And for all oyu who are interested...I would like fanart...so if you are interested please e-mail me! I have changed my e-mail so you can find it on my profile page ok? Arigato?Now on with the story!

Chapter 6:

“Zabuza”

The General smiled. “Oh, he remembers me…aren’t you going to greet your old friend Haku?”

The shorter man stepped forward. “Of course. How have you been, Naruto? Still as impulsive as ever it seems.” He gave Naruto a sweet smile.

“Don’t talk to me, traitor.” Naruto gritted out. He looked at his men…if he backed down now, he would be a coward, but if he didn’t, his men would die. He decided to let his men choose.

“It is your choice my men. Either we board or we do not. I leave it up to you, but my decision is board…alone.” Naruto asked smiling at them.

“Ye must be crazy ye old coot! How are ye goin t’ face all o them blighters, pray inform us?” Genma’s voice came wafted out of the crew. “Tsk, I allus thought ye were a dumb un, but I ne’er figured ye’d be this dumb. I’m goin with ye.”

The rest of the crew agreed glaring at Naruto, like he was some lunatic. Naruto ginned at them. “I thought you’d say that. Let’s board.” He turned to Uchiha. “Please Sasuke, don’t come with me.”

The Uchiha shook his head. “Of course I’m coming too, you crazy old coot. I all ready told you that. Can’t let you be the only one cut to ribbons!” he followed the rest of the crew. Naruto immediately attacked Zabuza, leaving his crew to take care of the lesser men.

Their swords clanged against each other each trying to break the others grip. “You haven’t changed at all Uzumaki.” He smirked. “I can’t wait for you to use the nine tails on me.”

“What makes you think I would waste it on you, Zabuza? Scum like you don’t have to see it twice!” Naruto attacked belligerently. Zabuza was very hard to defeat…they were evenly matched in skills, but the older man was also bigger and broader. Their last battle had left them both very badly wounded.

On the other hand Sasuke found himself paired of with Haku. It was another intense battle. Haku smiled that gentle smile of his. “So are you Naruto’s new friend? Am I right in saying that you are the Uchiha, everyone in England is trying to find?”

“Damme right you are. Who might you be? Talking of Naruto like you know him?” Sasuke brought his rapier down in a crescent but it was blocked lightning quick by Haku, who immediately attacked him in the tiger form. Sasuke parried.

“Oh Naruto and I were the best of friends. I was part of the Nine Tails crew. Though that was before I met Zabuza whom I love with all my life. It is unorthodox I know, but we do not care.” Haku slipped his sword into an opening and Sasuke would have been wounded badly had he not broken and rolled.

Sasuke leaped to his feet once more bearing down on the long haired man. “So you betrayed him by leaving to Spain…no wonder he does not trust too many people. You must be very proud of yourself…sodomite!”

Haku grinned. “Sodomy is not that bad of a thing Uchiha. The church does ban it, but we have one life, why waste it, fearing the church? If we have done wrong God will punish us. Do you not agree?”

Sasuke was panting now, his shoulder hurting him a little. “I do not know what to say….you have me at a disadvantage Haku.” He locked blades with the man each trying to force the other down.

Thankfully the other men on board weren’t half as competent and Naruto’s crew was able to dispose of them. But none of them dared interfere in any of the fights. Firstly because they were too intense and secondly, Naruto would murder any who got in his way. They watched awed.

Naruto grinned at Zabuza. Both of them were tired now. Naruto was being forced to use the nine tails. He began, but Zabuza managed to block all the moves, so it ended with both their blades at each others neck trying to cut into it. Naruto reached for his dagger, Zabuza dropped and rolled, letting go of the lock they were in.

Naruto risked a glance at Sasuke. He and Haku looked worse for wear. Then he was forced to turn his attention back to the fight. Zabuza was growling under his breath. He charged at the blonde.

Sasuke decided the only way to disarm Haku was to block him with something other than his sword. He waited for Haku’s next slash and blocked the rapier with the back of his hand, surprising the long haired man, and then reached in to slash him. The slash worked and red appeared on Haku’s side. Then Sasuke used his hilt of his rapier to break Haku’s wrist, effectively dislodging the rapier from the man. Then he brought the man down with a blow to his neck. After which he spared a glance at Naruto.

Naruto blocked the man’s charge, skidding across the deck. Then he attacked quickly again, leaping after Zabuza who had gotten on to the higher part of the deck. Grinning Zabuza led Naruto on to the mast head. They balanced precariously, fighting each other and to maintain their balance. Zabuza suddenly caught hold of one of the ropes and leaped down, landing a few feet away from Naruto’s crew. Naruto’s eyes widened as he saw Zabuza’s target, he grabbed a rope himself, sliding down a bit before letting down.

Sasuke finished tying Haku and looked up. His eyes widened. “Naruto! No!” he tried to run forward as Kakashi grabbed him. “Iruka look out.” The cook turned to find the general rushing at him the sword slashing down. Suddenly a flash of orange appeared between him and the General.

Blood spattered everywhere. Naruto was on the deck, red blooming in a diagonal line from his right shoulder to his waist. Naruto stood up and gripped his rapier, tighter attacking the General. He suddenly seemed to have become fiercer and Zabuza could have sworn that his eyes had turned red. This time the attacks were smooth. Naruto used the nine tails once more, but Zabuza wasn’t able to dodge this time, at last Naruto snaked up behind the man, with the dagger to his neck, trying not to slip in his own blood. “You’re dead.” He whispered.

Zabuza moved suddenly elbowing the blonde on his wound, making Naruto release his hold on the dagger, then he ran forwards, but came face to face with Sasuke who’d rid himself of Kakashi’s grip. A spool of rope whipped around him and he turned to see Genma smirking at him. Sasuke hit him over the head with the hilt of his rapier before running to Naruto.

“Naruto…Naruto…look at me.” He pulled Naruto into his lap and gazed anxiously into the fast closing blue eyes. Naruto smiled.

“I’m fine, bastard. It’s just a slash…I’ve had worse.”

Sasuke staunched the flow with his own shirt. And glared at the blonde. “You stupid idiot! What were you thinking doing that? You could have called out to us, but no you had to show us why you’re known as the legendary Captain…I know why…because you’re legendary for your stupidity! If you weren’t hurt, I’d hurt you more!”

Naruto chuckled. “Sasuke, don’t you think you’d better let me go and…get me back to the ship?” he asked in raspy voice. “We can’t exactly do much here. Make sure you let them go once we get off the ship. Have you men scuttled the ship?”

“That we ‘ave, ye old coot! Is lordships right, ye are stupid!” Genma helped Sasuke carry him. “C’mon now we got ye!”

Naruto smiled as he lost consciousness. Sasuke was feeling really worried. He had to keep himself from hysterically sobbing like a woman. He gave Naruto over to his crew, glancing at the sobbing Iruka in Kakashi’s arms. Then he let go of the crew and Zabuza before leaping on his own ship and undoing the planks.

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Kakashi looked at the wound assessing it. It wasn’t too bad…very deep but it hadn’t gone deep enough to cause any internal damage. He asked Sasuke to help him stitch it up. They finished quickly and without any mishaps. Then Kakashi looked at Sasuke and Iruka who was hunched over his Captain.

“We have to get him back to England. He needs to rest and now that we are on open sea, we cannot tell if Zabuza will return. He will not bother whose borders he crosses.” Kakashi was worried. Going back to England meant that his master’s life was in danger. But then Bordeaux was too far away now, England was a lot closer.

Sasuke nodded. “I can disguise myself. We will go with him. I can be his friend or something.”

They heard the Captain shift and looked at him. The blonde opened his eyes slowly regarding the three other solemn faces. He grinned. “Why are you all looking so gloomy? I am all right.” Then he looked at Iruka and suddenly frowned. “All right…what are you keeping from me? Iruka…I know that look and it tells me I am not going to be pleased.”

“We are heading back to England. We have been at sea for about two months now, you have to go back and see your sister and you need to rest which I know you will not do at sea.” Sasuke informed him.

“But we can’t. You’ll get killed. We can make it back to Bordeaux…I don’t want to get you into trouble on my account.” Naruto began to protest, when Kakashi hushed him.

“Well, Captain I have a plan. We will be in England in three days time. I will inform you of the finer points after you have rested somewhat.” Kakashi suddenly yanked Iruka out of the room, leaving the two twenty year old boy with each other.

“I am glad you are all right.” Sasuke said looking down at Naruto with concern. “I was so afraid I’d loose you as well.”

Naruto caught his hand. “No need to fear that Sasuke. I will not die easily.” Both did not notice how easily they had slipped into using their fist names. Sasuke squeezed his hand.

“I’ve lost too many people I care for. First was my brother. That was the hardest to bear.” Sasuke began. Naruto shushed him.

“You do not have to tell me. I know it hurts you.”

Sasuke shook his head. “I want to tell you. My brother was five years older than me. He was the perfect Uchiha heir; we all loved him very much. He used to go hunting in our estates from time to time. He never took me with him, but then when I was twelve I begged to go with him.”

“I never realized it could be dangerous. We were going to someone else’s estates this time. He agreed, knowing it would annoy me if he didn’t. Everything went well for a while. But then, I walked away from him, after a quarrel. Itachi saw another shooter leveling his gun at me. The other man hadn’t noticed that I was there. Itachi called out to me, but I kept walking…I didn’t heed him. At the last minute he jumped in between. It hit him in the chest, above his heart, but puncturing his lung. I apologized to him, he smiled. He said he loved me whatever happened and he’d be with me.” Sasuke clenched his fists. “Then he died, he died before we could help him…on my account.”

Naruto pulled the other man down next to him, hugging him close. Sasuke took a few deep breathes. “And then, my parents…they were so grief stricken…nothing was the same after that. They started to shower all their affection on me, cherish me because I was their only child. When I was fourteen, my parents were to go to France on a voyage. But then they never came back…later we got news that the ship had been wrecked in a storm and that there were no survivors. So I was alone. Kakashi was the only one, around. Everywhere I went, people showered sympathy and pity on me, but no one understood that I wanted a normal life…I started pushing everyone away, I didn’t want to hurt anymore.”

Naruto rubbed Sasuke’s back soothingly. “You can cry…I will not tell anyone. It’s ok to cry Sasuke.” Sasuke did cry, holding on to Naruto with everything he had.

Naruto smiled up at him when he had finished. “I won’t leave Sasuke. I’m your best friend.” Sasuke smiled too.

“You better not idiot. I’ll kill you if you do.”

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Three days later they landed in England and smuggled Sasuke into Neji Hyuuga’s house. Kakashi said he was going to move on with his plan and ushered Sasuke into the library.

Naruto slung his leg over the chairs arm, carelessly letting his other hand lie on its back. He filled the Hyuuga in on everything that had occurred, except the bulk of his and Sasuke’s interaction or the close friends they had become.

Neji nodded as h listened to the Captain. He noted how affectionately the Captain spoke of the earlier abhorred Earl and how they used first names. Slipping out of his musings he saw that Naruto was pouting at him.

“Hyuuga you have not been listening to a word I said. “

“I’m sorry Naruto…I was thinking of something. I have news for you as well. Did you know that I am betrothed to Lady TenTen?” Neji dropped the shocking news on Naruto without warning.

Naruto stared at him. “The Lady who is fond of weapons? Oh my God, man! What are you thinking? He will shoot you if you oppose her!”

Neji laughed. “Uzumaki, be serious. We are in love. I met her these past two months and she seems to be a very fitting bride. I shall cherish her with everything I have. Maybe it was fate that lad me to her!”

“Oh no. Neji please do not start about fate again. You know I do not believe in such things?” Naruto scoffed.

“Naruto…sometimes there are such things as fa….” Neji trailed off staring at the door. Naruto frowned and looked up his jaw dropping open.

At the doorway stood the most beautiful woman Naruto had ever beheld. She had beautiful lustrous dark hair done up at the back of her head. Her lips were a light rose pink, and there was a blush on those pale cheeks. Her dress was a beautiful butter yellow, slipping off her shoulders, tight at a slim waist and fanning out into skirts. Naruto trailed his eyes up to two beautiful onyx eyes fearfully staring at him.

Wait onyx eyes? Dark hair? Neji suddenly stood bolt upright. “Oh my God, Uchiha is that you?”

Naruto jerked upright too. “What do you mean….that beautiful woman cannot be Sasuke!”

Kakashi stepped out from behind the vision. “And this is my plan. The Duke and you Captain have known Sasuke the best. If you do not recognize him, then I doubt anyone else will.”

Naruto sat down hard. “Have a seat will you Sasuke? I have to get my breath back.” They all sat down.

Neji rubbed his chin. “Who will she be? It will look odd if Naruto suddenly brings back a woman from his voyages…unless….you are really not thinking that!”

Kakashi nodded. “That is exactly what I am thinking.”

Neji shook his head. “It will be in the Gazette. (An English newspaper) And they possibly cannot…”

Kakashi smiled. “WE could always announce that they are not going to later. Though it will harm their reputation a bit, it will not be hard. All Sasuke needs is a little training.”

“Wait! What are you talking about? What is Sasuke going to pose as? I will not be called a rake for bringing back a beautiful woman I am not engaged to…..no! You are not going to say Sasuke is my betrothed!”

Sasuke looked up in anger. “Of course I won’t be betrothed to Naruto! Kakashi is this what you are planning?”

Kakashi nodded. “You will be called; Lady Kiara and you will be Naruto’s betrothed. I know how well you act my Lord, so it should be easy. The story is this, Naruto hurt by Zabuza stops at a little island on the way to England and meets the only daughter of the Lord. The Lord has passed away and the daughter is left top fend for herself. After caring for Naruto and spending time together, you fall madly in love and are betrothed. We will even put it in the gazette. Not even Lady Hinata must know…all the Hyuuga’s other than Neji, will know that Sasuke was left on the French shore.”

Naruto grimaced. “What happens when we put a notice that we broke off our engagement? My reputation will be sullied. I cannot have this.”

“Well, Captain it wont. We will say that she left you…for a richer man. This will get you some sympathy and a lot of patronage.” Kakashi nodded.

Sasuke glared at Kakashi. “So you have everything planned out? I cannot believe I let you dress me up this way! I will not be Naruto’s betrothed! I will not be a woman!”

Kakashi snorted. “You will be presented with Naruto at Almacks (a high up club…for the nobles) tomorrow. And you will have to speak softly. Your voice can suit that of a woman as long as you do not yell.”

Sasuke stamped his foot. “I will not!”

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“Naruto! You are back. Why did you not write to me? Hinata wrote telling me that everything was fine.” Naruto was happy that Hinata did not mention the Uchiha. Ino hugged him.

“Did you hear brother, that the Earl Uchiha was stripped of his position because he murdered someone? Orochimaru was presented with all his titles and land.” Ino blabbered, not paying attention to anyone.

“I believe that he is innocent.” Said a soft firm voice from behind Naruto.

Ino looked up frowning and saw a vision. There was a dark beauty (which means dark haired beauty) standing there. Her light pink dress bringing out her pretty pink lips and perfect cheekbones admirably. Ino couldn’t help feeling jealous.

“Who is this, brother…you have forgotten all propriety not presenting me to her.” Ino pouted.

Naruto looked at Sasuke, who blushed a little and smiled gently. “Ino, my dear, this is Lady Kiara…my…betrothed. Lady Kiara, this is my sister Ino.”

Sasuke curtsied prettily, the all night training with Kakashi having paid off. Though how Kakashi knew the way women curtsied was beyond him. They had gotten Kakashi’s cousin Anko to act as his maid. He held out his hand to take Ino’s. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He blushed shyly at Ino.

Ino’s jaw had dropped. “Naruto! Why did you not inform me of this! How could you not inform me of this when I have to get a room ready for her?”

Kiara or should I say Sasuke, put out her hand and clasped Ino’s in distress. “I’m sorry, Lady Ino. It has been very sudden…I did not know whether I would accompany him, until he…” another sweet blush. “He asked me to. It was only decided three days back and there was no way of informing you. I regret the trouble you have to go to…”

Ino smiled warmly at him. “Of course Kiara…lets do away with formality shall we? After all you are to be my sister! Come sit down, you must be tired. It is no trouble at all. We will leave my manner less brother, to deal with the household today.”

Kiara looked shocked. “But it is not proper…poor Naruto…I mean Captain I do not want him over worked!”

But Ino was firm. “No it is about time men did some work. Tell me all about how you met him and what happened. I am very interested to know.”

Naruto could not help but grin. Sasuke made the perfect Lady. He was regaling Ino with the romantic story as to how they met. This was going to be a lot of fun. Then he his breath caught as it traveled to Sasuke’s neck and a bit of the back with was exposed by the form fitting gown. He wanted to reach out and touch him, trail his fingers on that soft skin…Naruto bit his lip and left.

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“You were wonderful today. Who knew you would make such a lovely, roper bride…” Naruto grinned at Sasuke. They were in the library Ino having left them alone for a moment.

Sasuke grinned back, looking more like Kiara than ever. Naruto’s breath caught again…it didn’t help that he knew it was Sasuke behind the disguise…maybe it was because it was Sasuke that he felt this way.

“It was easy, Naruto. I love this role! It is so funny, sometimes I can hardly keep back my laughter.” Sasuke continued to pace lightly in front of Naruto who was seated on the sofa. Then he realized that Naruto was not listening to him.

“What? Is something wrong?” he asked Naruto whose blue eyes were looking at him intensely. Suddenly Naruto caught his wrist and pulled. Sasuke ended up sitting on his lap.

“Naruto…what are you…” he stopped mesmerized by that blue gaze. They were inching closer and closer.

“Oh my! I’m sorry, I did not mean to interrupt.” Came Ino’s voice.

Naruto let go at once, going red. Sasuke blushed and jumped out of hi lap, breathing a little fast. Then he turned to Ino. “It’s all right Ino. It is of no consequence.” He adjusted his skirt a little self consciously.

Naruto stood up. “I must go get changed for Almacks. You must too Kiara.”

Sasuke nodded and ran up to his room and locked it. Anko was all ready laying out a gown. This time it was beautiful. It was an off the shoulder, light rose pink gown with falls of lace at the wrists. Small pink roses dotted the flared skirts. Sasuke looked at it, suddenly wondering how Naruto would react to it.

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The crowd at Almacks was busy gossiping or dancing. But most of them stopped when the herald announced Captain Uzumaki. They wanted to see what the legend had brought home this time. The Captain looked splendid in dark blue and yellow today. What they were not prepared for was the ‘Beauty’ who was with him. Jaws dropped everywhere as the handsome blonde haired man led the dark haired girl in.

“Oh my, who is she?” “I have never seen her before?” “You do not suppose she’s his mistress do you…the audacity of it!” “She’s so beautiful!”

Every man’s head turned at the girl. The same question bobbing in everyone’s mind. ‘Who was the girl?’

Neji walked up to Naruto in the deafening silence that had graced the halls. “Uzumaki, you made it. And you brought your lovely fiancée as well!” a new wave of whispers broke out at the announcement.

Lady Sakura walked up to Ino who had also coming and was getting crowded by a mob of curious women. She glared at the blonde girl. “What is the meaning of this Ino? Why did you not tell me?”

Ino shrugged. “I had no notion until this morning. He brought her to the doorstep! She’s such a dear! I am so glad she is to be my sister!”

Sakura frowned. “Tell us about it Ino.”

Soon the rumours were flying everywhere about the captains romantic meeting while fighting for his life and how they fell violently in love. Sakura heard it and left to greet the new woman and Naruto. She could not help feeling jealous, as she had been the object of Naruto’s affections for a very long time and now that Sasuke was gone, Naruto had been a prospect. She put on a very convincing smile.

“Captain! It has been so long. How have you been?” she gave him a charming smile. She noticed the fiancée stiffen a little and glare at her, but paid it no mind.

“I am fine Lady Sakura. You are looking as beautiful as ever!” he smiled at her in a way that made Sasuke tighten his hold on his arm. Naruto looked at Sasuke faintly surprised. “I trust you have heard already. This is my betrothed Lady Kiara Fanshaw.”

Both ‘women’ glared at each other while they shook hands, wanting to break each others hand instead. Kiara smiled, more like bared her teeth. “A pleasure to meet you Lady Sakura! Naruto didn’t say much about you at all, though I surmise he knows you very well.” Sasuke added the jab.

Sakura bared her teeth as well. “Of course! With a beauty like you around he would forget everyone else. Is that not so…Captain Naruto?”

Naruto looked at them and beat a hasty retreat, mumbling about getting Kiara a drink. The ‘women’ went back to staring. Kiara lifted her nose into the air. “You must be very familiar with each other for you to use his first name.”

Sakura clenched her fists and smirked at the dark haired woman. “I was his first love. He has loved me for more than two years.”

Kiara threw up hands a little and sighed. “And you let him go…what a pity. It shows how stupid you must be to let a kind caring man like Naruto go. Maybe he did not care for you as much as he does for me…you may not have seen how caring he can be.”

Sakura wanted to slap the woman. Naruto had been hers from the start before this…this…harpy snatched him away. “I have always known him to be caring. But maybe because he could not attain me, he found you to make up for it. After all you have black hair…that is very plain.”

Sasuke felt really angry now, he wanted to pound her silly face in the dirt. Naruto was his right now and she better not touch him. “But I must say, before me, his tastes were rather strange. Pink hair…why would any sane man go for pink hair?”

Shikamaru passing by glanced at them and hurried to Naruto. “Uzumaki I think those two are going to have a fight any minute!”

Naruto looked up confused. “Who do you mean?”

Shikamaru gave him a wry look. “Your fiancée and Lady Haruno, look like they are going to murder each other! I would advise you to separate them soon!”

Sasuke? Why would he be fighting Sakura? He hurried towards them coming to a halt when he heard what they were saying. Sasuke was pouting with his nose high in the air. “Well, Lady Sakura, you were forgotten, which is not hard for any man to do I suppose. Who would want to spend time with a silly little twit like you?”

Naruto with no better way to put it sweat dropped. Sakura started clenching and unclenching her fists. “What do you mean? Naruto loved me first and that is the way it will stay. After all I am more beautiful then you are!”

Sasuke sniffed. “Well, if that is what you want to believe then go right ahead. Too bad that Naruto and I are getting married.” Naruto stared at Sasuke. Sasuke is jealous? He made his way over to them.

Sasuke smiled at him. “Oh, Naruto you are back. Lady Haruno and I were having a very nice conversation. She is very sweet.”

Sakura smiled. “Yes, your fiancée is very nice and kind. And so beautiful! I have to meet her again sometime. Maybe I will call at your house?”

Sasuke nodded. “That will be a lot of fun. I do so hope you call, we can spend more time with each other.” And I can murder you with no one else’s knowledge.

Sakura smiled again. “Naruto would you stand up for this dance with me?”

Sasuke firmly tucked his arm in Naruto’s. “I’m so sorry, but he hasn’t stood up with me yet, would you mind?” he blushed prettily.

Sakura shook her head. “No it is alright. I will see you again.” And make Naruto mine, you silly cuckoo!

Naruto looked from one to another baffled. Weren’t they fighting just now? I do not know what is going on. He found himself subtle-ly being steered towards the dance floor. Sasuke wanted to dance with him?

“It is a waltz Naruto…I love waltzes.” Sasuke breathed in a low voice. Naruto found himself mesmerized once more. Those onyx eyes were drawing him closer. Surprisingly Sasuke was letting him take the lead very easily. He twirled him around and moved gracefully, neither aware that the other couples had stopped to watch them.

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Shikamaru shook his head and looked at Kiba. “We should have known something like this would happen. Look at them; they are violently in love with each other. Lady Sakura looks like she is having a fit. Oh my god she is having vapors…oh it all right Ino had smelling salts with her.”

Kiba nodded. “They look very good together. I thought Lady Sakura did not care for Naruto! Why is she having vapors?”

Shikamaru stared at Kiba. “Well it is because it seems she does care for Naruto…though when Uchiha was around she didn’t realize it! Now it looks like she’s going to do all she can to tear them apart. Well, the Fanshaw girl looks like she’s capable of keeping Naruto to herself, if that mooncalf look he has is any indicator.”

Kiba smiled. “Who would have thought it eh? Captain Uzumaki who was head over heals in love with Lady Haruno…going and getting himself a beauty like that. Mark my words, those two will stay together forever…I will bet on it.”

Chouji and his mother came to join them. Mrs. Akimichi smiled at them. “How are you my boys? I cannot believe that Naruto is to be married!” she sighed. “Another man off the marriage mart it seems, all the mother’s must be green with envy at his betrothed. She puts all the girls here to shame. Poor boy, he seems to love her so.”

Shikamaru nodded, seeing that Ino had brought Sakura back to normal. The pink haired girl left the club with a snarl. He wondered what would happen now.

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Naruto smiled at Sasuke, who was gazing at him. “You do know how beautiful you look tonight? Every woman in this place is jealous. I feel quite proud to call you mine.”

Sasuke blushed. “Well, it is a lot of fun I must say. Sakura looked like she was going to murder me.”

Naruto stared at him. “What was going on between you and Sakura…one moment you were insulting each other and the next when I came you were suddenly very nice.”

Sasuke’s eyes widened. “Oh you heard that! I did not think you were close enough.” He frowned lightly.

“Yes, I heard it. But what was going on?” Naruto whispered. Sasuke just gave him a secret smile as they parted in time to the music. When they drifted back to each other, Sasuke deftly changed the subject.

“I wonder how long this will last…don’t you?” Sasuke asked, placing his hand delicately on Naruto’s shoulder.

Naruto blinked. “The dance? Well it is about to end. Surely you must know that…”

Sasuke frowned at him and whispered. “No you idiot, I mean this whole farce. We are here to make sure that you get well, but then if I cannot clear my name now, then I will have to come back, we cannot break off our engagement yet. I must inform Kakashi.”

Naruto nodded. “It will be alright. I’m sure I can take you aboard my ship again, with Anko as the chaperon. Once we leave harbour you can change out of those clothes.”

“Yes, thank God. It is frightfully uncomfortable even if it fun.” Sasuke twirled one last time and they stopped. Suddenly they noticed that the whole club was watching them. Sasuke wondered whether to stare back as he was wont to do or whether to look down and blush. He chose the latter; he could not give himself away now.

After dinner and a lot of mingling with the rest of the crowd, Naruto asked Sasuke to get ready to leave. Lady Shizune, queen Tsunade’s best friend drew him away to a corner. “You have made a very good catch, Naruto. She is well bred and very polite. She had some fire in her, but that will be needed if she intends to follow you to sea as she has informed us all. I give you my felicitations, my boy!”

Naruto smiled happily. For some reason he felt a disappointed inside that Sasuke really was not to be his wife and that it was a huge farce. He wanted Sasuke to be his, either as a wife or as a husband. He shook his mind from the thought and escorted his sister and fiancée back home.

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Naruto crept into Sasuke’s room. Ino would kill him if she knew and thought they were being improper before the wedding. When he went in, Sasuke was just getting into bed. He looked up and smiled his long dark hair fanning out around his shoulders. (He has shoulder length hair now. Kakashi made him grow it out.)

Naruto smiled back. “Just came to see how you are doing.”

Sasuke smirked. “Knowing you Uzumaki there is more to it than that. What did you want to ask me?”

Naruto scowled. “You have only known me for two or three months, how do you read me so well.” he watched the dark haired man shrug his shoulders. “Well, I want to know what was going on between you and Sakura. Why were you insulting her so much?”

Sasuke frowned. “Do you still care about her? About Sakura? Do you love her?” first Hinata and now Sakura?

Naruto shook his head. “Eh? Of course I don’t…” he smirked. “You’re the only one for me my Lady…” he moved his head forward almost pressing theirs foreheads together. He didn’t expect that surprised shocked look to some into Sasuke’s eyes. He swallowed, wondering how to calm the sudden tension between them. Suddenly Sasuke moved back a bit and smirked.

“You know what Uzumaki; you will never know what happened between me and Sakura.” He grinned then.

“Why not?”

Sasuke’s grin widened before disappearing and he suddenly got an abnormally prim look on his face. Sniffing he threw his nose into the air. “Oh, you will never understand ‘women’.”

They stared at each other before they burst out laughing. Naruto almost rolled on the ground. “Oh, Sasuke, you make such a good girl!”

Sasuke laughed too, uncontrollably. “Yes…I do…don’t I?”

Outside in the maid’s room, Anko woke up to loud peals of laughter emanating from her Lady’s room. She shook her head. Men…she would never understand them!

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A/N: how was this? I hope you all liked it, I really tried to make it interesting for you. Though I must own, this is my favorite chapter! I loved it beginning to end! I almost cried when I wrote about Itachi dying! Um…if you don’t mind I’d like some fanart please…I tried to do it my self, but it’s not too good. anyone interested in doing some please e-mail me!

Itachi: I can’t believe you made me the good guy and killed me!

Taka: I’m sorry, I don’t want you dead…it was all for the sake of the story! (Bawls into his shirt)

Itachi: it’s all right. Apple pie for the reviewers