Clandestine Heart by Orochimaruismyman

A/N Well, here it is. I have finally got my ass around to writing one of my own stories instead of just reading everybody else's, and here it is. My first fic. I have gone and astounded even myself by writing a sasusaku, I must say that this is probably my one of my least favourite pairings, but what are you gonna do? When you get an idea you've just got to run with it right?

Please don't flame the couple though, if you don't like sasusaku then don't read it, and I sympathise with you, cos I probably hate it as much as you do, but i'm a slave to my stupid imagination.

One last thing, there is definitely going to be a lemon (or two) later on in the story, so if you're not into that kinda thing then what are you doing reading an M rated story for anyway and go find something else to read. Sorry, I don't do non-lemon fanfics. What would be the point? You might as well just read the manga.

Oh and I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does. And its at good thing at that too, 'cos if I did it would definitely not be for the kiddies, lol.

"WHAT?"

Tsunade smirked inwardly at her apprentice's undisguised shock.

"I said . . . you will be required to pose as a married couple . . . "

"- I heard you," Sakura rudely interrupted the Godaime, "but . . . " She faltered.

She looked over to where Sasuke was sitting next to her in front of the Hokage's desk. The stoic Uchiha's expression was, as usual, unreadable to say the least.

"But why me?" she tried again to make her shishou let her out of this awkward situation she was finding herself in. "Why can't one of the other Kunoichi do it?"

"I am the Hokage for a reason, Sakura," the Godaime snapped, losing her patience now, "Don't you think that I have thought this over myself? I have a perfectly good reason for wanting the two of you on this mission."

Sakura lowered her head and looked at her hands, not wanting to incite her shishou's infamous temper any further.

The Hokage stood and walked around to the front of her paper cluttered desk. She leaned back against the front edge and addressed the two shinobi in front of her.

"I have chosen you Sakura because the terms of Sasuke's probation state that he must be accompanied by a jounin level shinobi at all times whilst on a mission. Also, because the two of you were in the same team before Sasuke left I would hope that you should feel comfortable working together and have some knowledge of each other's technique."

Sakura nodded in assent. It was true that before Sasuke had left, the two of them and Naruto had made a pretty successful team, and had become comfortable working together. But truthfully, Sasuke had been away for eight years now. She had no idea of what he was capable of really, and neither did he of her. She had changed so much since he had left, and she was sure that he had as well.

Tsunade continued, "Also it goes without saying, it would be advantageous to have a medic on the team in case it gets a little rough. I have chosen Sasuke because as he is still on probation he needs every opportunity he can get to rise back through the ranks. Also, as simple as this mission may seem, there is always the chance that things could . . . turn ugly. Sasuke may only be a Genin now, which, with this mission being of C-rank is the highest level of shinobi I am willing to spare for such a small fee, but in terms of skill he is easily at jounin level."

She turned to the last of the Uchiha and smirked at him deviously.

"It is also a punishment of sorts."

She addressed him with a highly amused expression on her face. "As you know, Sasuke, during your year of probation you are required to do any inane or unpleasant mission that I see fit, as a sort of . . . test of your renewed loyalty to Konoha."

"-I don't understand, Shishou," Sakura cut in, "how is this mission a punishment to Sasuke?"

Tsunade ignored her apprentice for the time being, and continued to address the dark-haired prodigy before her.

"I know very well that you have . . . difficulty . . . expressing yourself and showing emotions and affections around others, Uchiha."

Sasuke remained silent, but began to glare at the Hokage as if he knew where this was going.

"In doing this mission you will be required to stay in character at all times. You must behave, travel, communicate, eat and sleep as if you were a married couple."

Two sets of eyes shot up indignantly at her at that last statement.

She ignored them and continued, "If you intend on staying in Konoha and rebuilding your clan, then you are going to have to work on those non-existent social skills of yours anyway. This is the prime opportunity to push you out of your comfort zone, Uchiha. Sakura will help you, and the two of you must keep up the appearance of a married couple at all times. You never know when someone may be watching you."

She walked forward and handed a scroll to Sakura.

"Sakura, you are team leader. You will find the objectives of the mission in full detail in here. You will leave early tomorrow morning. That is all."

Both shinobi stood and moved towards the door. They didn't look at each other, and both were lost in their own train of thought. Sakura had already moved through the doorway and into the hall and Sasuke stepped forward to follow her, when he heard the Godaime speak again.

"Oh, and Uchiha . . ." she called out.

Sasuke paused in the doorway and turned back to face her. Sakura had also stopped outside the door to hear what her shishou had to say.

"Knowing how difficult this mission is going to be for you, I have decided that if you succeed I will allow you to take the next chuunin exam so you may progress further in your career six months early."

He looked up at her with a slightly surprised and incredulous look in his eyes.

"However," she continued sternly, "if you fail, I shall strip you of your Shinobi status and send you back to the academy. This mission could either be very lucrative or very detrimental to your career, Uchiha," she added sternly.

"So if I were you I would try not to fuck it up."

The sun beat down on them fiercely from its highest point in the cloudless blue sky as they both finally dropped to the forest floor into a small clearing to take a break.

They had been leaping through the trees at break-neck pace for about the past six hours now and were nearing the outskirts of Fire Country, where they had decided to take a short rest before continuing across the border. Once they left Fire Country they would have to mask their chakra and travel by foot as regular civilians so that no one would have reason to suspect they were ninja. It was also then that their farce as a married couple would begin.

After leaving Tsunade's office the previous evening, they had both gone their separate ways, and Sakura had returned to her cosy little apartment to pack and prepare for the following morning. Once she had packed her bags, checked her medical supplies and restocked her medic's apron, she curled up on her couch to go over the scroll and the details of the mission before them.

Their mission seemed relatively simple. They would travel across the neutral territories to the north-east of fire country, and over into Lightning Country, where the Daimyo was holding a ball to celebrate his son's 21st birthday. Basically an espionage mission, they would then be required to gather as much intel as they could on the level of protection surrounding the Daimyo, and the type of security surrounding and inside the palace. They would also take note of any other pertinent information, such as the size of his entourage, the skill level of his personal bodyguards, the general health status of the Daimyo himself – and anything else which they may deem important.

As far as she could see, as long as they both kept up their guise the mission should be a cinch.

However, therein lay the biggest problem.

She had no idea how Sasuke was going to cope with having to pretend to be her husband. The thought of it was absolutely ludicrous to her. Even if Sasuke was married (here she actually shook her head to try and rid her mind of that strange and unimaginable thought) she imagined he still wouldn't act much differently than the way he was now. However, although she knew that, they had to make other people who didn't know them from a bar of soap believe that they were married, which meant Sasuke was going to get way out of his comfort zone real quick.

And that time was fast approaching.

A/N: Well, there you have it. First chapter was pretty short compared to the rest, but I felt like it had to end here, I know not much happening in this first chapter but never fear, good things will be happening soon, mwahahahahahaHAHAHA. Sasuke, be afraid, be vewy afraid…