"Oi, Sakura!" Naruto called, hands cupped over his mouth. The blond searched everywhere in sight, but his teammate was nowhere to be found.

"Dobe, she might not be home," Sasuke yelled at his friend.

"We still need to find her. Her 'rebounds' never treat her well and this guy gives me the creeps."

Sasuke stuffed his hands in his pockets. "He's a rebound for her third rebound, I think." He scratched his head. "Or was it the fourth?"

"Who even was the original boyfriend?" Naruto scratched his head, turning the key to lock the pinkette's apartment back up.

"Uh," Sasuke paused, "that medic guy from the war, I think. She really liked him. Didn't they date two or three times?" The male members of Team 7 hated that medic profoundly.

Their own, however, they watched after. Her strength on the battlefield was rivaled only by her poor taste in men. She had grown into a beautiful woman- that, Sasuke noticed- and that attracted many who were unwelcome.

Kakashi had first brought up the topic of their teammate's predicament. Rather than as a solution to her ills, the jonin wanted the boys to try and win her over themselves to help her realize her horrid choices. Whoever won was to explain to Sakura that she was deluded.

They agreed. Whatever would help their friend.

Sasuke himself was particularly delighted- Naruto was beginning to entangle himself with Hinata and would soon be out of the running. It was hard for the Uchiha not to gloat. After leaving for Sound for all those years, he realized during the war how much he needed the pinkette. Much to his chagrin, however, she had moved on and into the arms of a string of rotten men.

His blood burned at the thought, so he cast it away.

"Don't you feel like we're not considering Sakura's feelings?" Naruto asked as they plodded along the street to the hospital.

"Yeah," Sasuke admitted, "but maybe this way she'll stop dating morons."

"What if we're the morons she doesn't want to date?"

Sasuke was silent. He preferred not to think about his discussion with Sakura over their relationship all those years ago.

The door slid open and shut electronically. The boys ignored the front desk woman flagging them down and took the employee elevator to the doctor's floor. The button only existed in that elevator, after all, and the stairs purposefully skipped it. Fire hazard or not, loons didn't need to have access to Konoha's medical team.

A ding and mechanical hum accompanied the opening of the doors. The boys went through and paced towards their friend's office. Harsh rapping on the door and her annoyed, "Come in, already!" later, they took their seats in front of her desk.

"What do you want now?" She smiled, signing off paperwork. A few hand signs and the stack of parchment disappeared off to its destination.

"The two of us," Naruto began hesitantly.

"Wanted to, well," Sasuke continued.

They exchanged worried glances and were about to go on when the medic's face grew grim. "Get on with it."

Sasuke regretted going to her office. It wasn't kind, he knew, and it surely wasn't respectful. His clan had never taught him to value the woman's side of the relationship, but he realized that all too late to be beneficial.

Naruto, on the other hand, was worried about incurring the wrath of his pretty friend.

"If Kakashi put you up to this, I need to know," she growled, sitting back in her chair and looking all too much like a storm was brewing.

The Uchiha cursed under his breath about her being too smart for this to work and Naruto muttered his agreement.

"I'm waiting, boys."

It had taken him years to get over Sakura's denial of him. Naruto knew he couldn't let her back in now, especially when he had Hinata to think about more and more, but he also knew he would take care of his friend better than most. She may hate him for trying, but the decade after the war passed hadn't been too kind to her. She'd thrown herself into her work and fallen repeatedly for terrible people. It was his turn to help her get over it in whatever way he could.

Sasuke held tightly the the chair's arms. He hadn't gotten over Sakura in the past ten years. He was twenty-six and he knew Sakura's behavior one day could lead her into an abusive relationship. No, he likely was no longer her ideal, but he could get over that if he knew she was safe. It's all he wanted now.

Their musings left them to deal with a very annoyed kunoichi. "Honestly, Naruto, Sasuke, if you're going to waste my time, I'll kick you out. I've got patients to see."

"Sorry," Sasuke was the first to reply. "We just wanted to know if you'd, well, go out with either of us."

She raised her eyebrow incredulously. "You're kidding. Either of you? What kind of-"

"Please," Naruto begged. "Just consider it."

"I'm very wealthy," Sasuke stood abruptly. "You know I'm strong, too. The Compound has lots of space to garden in," he offered, knowing her hobby. "I'd do whatever it takes to make you comfortable."

"I may not be rich, but we've always been friends," Naruto interjected. "I'm set to be Hokage, too, so while I may not be home much, I'd be able to make sure you were safe. You'd be popular, too, always with friends, seeing as you'd be the Hokage's wife and Head Medic."

"Boys, boys, calm down." She frowned furiously, her eyebrow twitching. "I don't want either of you."

"I know, but-" Naruto started, reaching his hand out to her.

"If you knew, then why did you bother?" Sakura fumed, slapping his hand away. "Out of my office!"

Naruto trudged out and expected Sasuke to follow. By the time he noticed the Uchiha's absence, the blond had already been locked out.

"Sasuke, why did you do this?" Sakura stared at her friend. "I told you nearly ten years ago that we were through. I couldn't deal with it anymore."

"I know," he whispered. "But I wanted to ask for a second chance."

"And you thought space to plant daisies would help you?" She scoffed. "Really, do you take me for a fool?"

"No," he responded, his heart feeling heavy. "Sakura, I know I didn't do right by you, but at least consider Naruto. He's a nice guy."

"Nice? You think the boy who tried tirelessly to keep me out of my place in battle is nice?" She had walked in front of her desk and stood chest-to-chest with Sasuke. "And you're right. You didn't do right be me. Why should I try with either one of you?"

Sasuke was ready to give up. With one last trick up his sleeve, he tried, "Because we love you?"

Shock flashed through her eyes for only a moment. "I love you, too," she replied, looking away, her arms folded.

Sasuke wished the words were only directed towards himself, but he wasn't an idiot. "Then please," he grabbed her arms, "please just give us a chance."

With steeled determination in her look, she wagged her finger at her teammate. "One chance. Each of you has one chance. I decide if you get more." She went back to he desk. "I'll have to call it off with someone else first, though," she mumbled.

"Thank you," the Uchiha smiled, hoping the decades-old words would effect her. He closed the door behind him before he had a chance to see.

The blond was pouting a step away from the door. "What'd you just do?"

"Got us a chance," Sasuke muttered, running his hand through his hair. "Let's not blow this."

Sakura flustered around for a week afterwards, shooing the boys off whenever they came to her office. She told them she had surgeries piling up and another boy to break it off with, but it wasn't as extreme as she made it out to be. The surgeries were minor and she'd only been out with the boy twice. He'd made her pay both times and talked about himself the whole dinner, too.

She was just confused. For years she and her teammates hadn't tread into the waters of something more. They left that for their teenage selves to muck up- which they did thoroughly- and allowed the past to be the past. She hadn't moved on, per se, but she didn't want to cause a rift because of her choice. So she didn't make one. The strategy had worked for a decade, but now they decided to ruin that, too.

Sighing, she eased back into her chair and relented when the familiar knocks sounded on her door. The two of them always rapped at it together and it gave her a headache. "Fine. Make it quick," she barked.

They entered like small children who were unsure how to deal with a grownup. Hands shoved in pockets for Sasuke and held behind the head for Naruto, both with uneasy looks on their faces.

It was a funny sight to see.

"Have you had enough time to decide which you'll try first?" Naruto gruffed, trying to sounds more confident.

"Yeah. You're up. My shift ends at seven. I don't want to plan a detail."

Naruto nodded quickly and fled the room. Sasuke stayed.

"You'll come later," she assured him.

Still, he stood firmly planted to the spot.

"What now?" She asked, frustration and tiredness lacing her voice.

"Sorry," Sasuke muttered, changing his mind. Words unsaid threw themselves at him, but he could take their cacophony today. Whatever would keep him in the running. He quickly followed Naruto out of the building.

"What am I supposed to wear?" The blond yelled across his apartment.

Sasuke sat in the living room, flipping through the channels on Naruto's tv. He had been dragged over for help. "She'll probably be in her medical coat and casual wear," the Uchiha yelled back.

"So this could work?" Naruto asked, standing with his arms outstretched and his eyes unsteady.

"I don't think she'll be too happy if you just wear your regular clothes," Sasuke smirked.

His teammate growled. "Then help me find something!"

"Worry more about what you'll do rather than what you'll wear. Don't be such a girl."

"What we'll do? Oh, right! Sakura didn't want to plan anything!" The Hokage-to-be plopped down on the couch next to his wingman and scrawled on a piece of paper. "D'yu think this'd be fun?"

Sasuke had to admit, the blond had good ideas. Ramen (the official team dish by now), a stroll through the market, and stargazing. Sakura loved how many constellations you could see from the hospital rooftop. She spent an entire hour pointing them out to Sasuke once instead of telling him she was dating someone. "Aa."

Naruto's smile grew wide and he hopped off the couch. Grabbing his keys and running out the door, he cried, "Wish me luck!"

Sasuke sat for hours flipping the channels on the tv, wanting to find something to take his mind off of his potential loss. Sakura was the only woman he'd ever thought about marrying. It'd crush him to lose her.

"So what's next on the list?" Sakura smiled, her arm comfortably resting in the crook of Naruto's. So far they had dinner at Ichiraku's and wandered around the weapon's booths of the market. The night wasn't a total bust like she'd half-hoped it would be.

Naruto's eyes lit up. "You'll have to wait and see."

"What's that mean?"

"Close your eyes and we'll be there in a minute."

She obliged. Her feet traveled unsteadily, but Naruto led her well. She felt the landscape change from the rocky pavement of the city to the tall grasses of the training field. Nearly berating him for taking her to train, her complaint was cut short when he told her to open her eyes.

"Lay back, you can see the stars better," Naruto grinned wildly.

Her mouth hung open. The black night sky was more than littered with lights of different sizes and colors. Whites flecked near barely blues that outshone deep reds. "Naruto," she gasped.

"Just enjoy," he laughed. After helping her lay back onto the grassy knoll, he took note of her face.

She looked over at him and smiled a huge grin that took him aback. She was prettier than he remembered. Sasuke might have to fight harder than he bargained.

Sasuke was angry that night- Naruto returned to his apartment late and Sasuke was still fixed to the couch, eyes never leaving the tv screen.

"Dude, it's the Weather Channel. Not much changes minute-by-minute."

"Actually, the high for tomorrow's gone up two degrees in the past three hours," Sasuke snarked.

"Date went great," Naruto gleamed.

Sasuke turned the tv off, stood up, muttered, "Congrats," and left in under a minute. He had made serious progress towards his home when pink hair caught his eye. "Hey," he called, picking up his pace to catch up with her.

"Hey yourself," she replied. "You here to interrogate me about the evening?"

"No, actually, I was just heading home. Dobe not swing you back by your place?"

"I told him not to," she explained.

"Hn. How come?"

"I wanted to think about tonight."

"Want thinking company?"

She laughed her deep laugh, the one he hadn't heard in months. Had Naruto done this, or had he? Sasuke desperately hoped it was latter.

"Sure," she smiled, bumping his arm with her shoulder.

They walked in companionable silence until they reached the Compound.

"Here's your stop," she waved.

Sasuke followed her.

"What?"

"It's late, I-"

"Sasuke, I can walk home by myself."

"I know. I just don't want you to have to." The words tumbled out of his mouth unchecked and he regretted them. They brought a blush to his face and a queasiness to his stomach. "Sorry, I-"

"Don't," Sakura frowned, grabbing onto his hand.

Sasuke walked hand-in-hand with his pink headed teammate all the way to her apartment. He hoped she felt even half as many sparks as he did from their contact.

"Thank you," she glanced back at him. Their hands were apart now. Hers held the key to her apartment and the doorknob.

He suddenly knew exactly what she felt that night when they were thirteen and he left the village. Though he knew she'd be at the hospital and on his team, he couldn't take not being more to her than a friend if he had the chance.

"If you let me, I could make you happy. We'd do something fun every day," he whispered. His eyes hurt and he nearly felt salt on them. Uchihas didn't cry. But he was the last one. He had no one to tell him he was breaking form anymore.

She gasped and dropped her hands from the door. "Sasuke-"

"I love you more than I can stand," he said, staring straight up at her. He hadn't realized he'd looked away. He never wanted to again.

"Sasuke, I-" Her eyes filled with the tears his couldn't shed. Slowly, she stepped towards him.

He didn't move closer. Anything that happened would be her reaction.

She reached him, soon, and looked up at her friend. Oh, but friend wasn't the right word. With a swiftness rivaling the man in front of her, she slapped his face.

He took a step back, shocked.

Her face wasn't angry. His eyes grew wide as her face neared his and he willed himself to not close the gap between them. She stood on tiptoes and pushed her mouth into his.

His arms flew around her waist and he spun her around in spite of himself.

She shook her head at him. "You're annoying."

This time, he kissed her.

Naruto went to the hospital the next morning to meet up with the pinkette. He needed to let her know he couldn't do it anymore. Hinata had found him at Ichiraku's when he was eating breakfast and asked if he could meet up with her for dinner. He couldn't say no.

The door to her office was ajar and he pushed it open further.

To say he was shocked at the scene in front of him was an understatement.

Sasuke leaned over Sakura's desk, kissed her quickly, and waved, "See you about eight, right?"

"Lunch is at one if you care," she smiled.

"I do," he whispered for only her.

Naruto caught it and shook his head. "You guys move quickly."

Sasuke jumped in his skin and Sakura turned seven shades of red. "Don't tell Kakashi," she pleaded with him.

The blond shrugged. "And what, wait till your wedding to tell him?"

At that, Sasuke turned pink and Sakura stuttered for Naruto to leave.

He did so, grinning wickedly all the while. He couldn't wait to tell Hinata.

A/N: So? What d'yu think? This was lots of fun- the idea'd been running around in my head and I decided to write it. Review, please- wanna gauge whether or not this was any good to read. Thanks, guys!