It was just another day in her mother's gardens to everyone there.

At least everyone… but Sakura. She had a plan up her sleeve that she was going to put in motion today.

I'm tired of the suitors, I'll find this man I'm promised to and find out why he's seen in such a negative life.

Her friends had been in the gardens with her just a little bit ago, but they had been wooed away by a group of fauns. Sakura didn't mind. In fact, she encouraged them to go. It gave her the perfect opportunity to enact her plan.

She hadn't really thought about how she would access the Underworld, just what she would do when she got there. Sakura imagined the deepest place in the world and went even further than that. She reached out her hands and pulled against the very fabric of the world. A chasm deeper than space opened up. Sakura walked inside and the chasm closed behind her. There was no cry for help, just silence as the world closed over her pink head.

The sky around her was a beautiful orange yellow, giving everything an otherworldly feel. She was in a large deserted area, with sparse vegetation, most of it being huge black fern like plants, and dark thorny bushes. Thistle?

A little ways from her was what looked like a hole in the ground, or more of a massive pit really. She walked to it and felt the temperature rise and she got closer. Waves of heat were emanating from the blackened pit. A few steps led her inside.

She snapped her fingers and a small ball of light appeared in her hand. The hallway was dark. Most of its light came from somewhere deep into the earth. Probably magma not far under her feet or in the walls. It was quite scary, the thought of being burned alive. Not that it would kill her would it?

It was quiet in the tunnel to the Underworld. Too quiet. Too dark. The closterphobia set in and she felt the tunnel get smaller and smaller around her, even if nothing change.

Her first obstacle came up at a lake, scratch that, a very large river. The water, or least it looked like water, was thick and almost syrupy looking. Sakura wanted to lean down and touch it.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Miss."

It was an impossibly low voice. Sakura looked up and saw a dark hooded figure at a small boat waiting to ferry her to the other side. A dark ominous aura flowed off of the creature. He wasn't human or just a skeleton… something in between but darker. Sakura saw a bit of a bony chin and long scraggly beard but the rest of the man was shrouded by fabric.

"I'm so sorry Cheron, I do not have any money on me."

"Do not worry, milady, you are always welcome. This ride's on me."

Sakura thanked him and got in the boat. Why is he being so kind? I thought the underworld was more… malicious than this. She was again entranced by the water. It showed her no reflection, and that freaked her out. She reached out a finger to touch it.

"Did I not tell you you shouldn't mess with the Styx? Do you think it is a joke? It may not be as severe as the Lethe, but you shouldn't mess with any of the rivers in this world. Not if you want to be the same person leaving as you were coming in."

Sakura pulled her hand back.

"No, I'm sorry."

"It's not me you'll be apologizing to should something happen to you." Cheron snapped.

Sakura stayed silent.

At other side she gets off thanks Cheron again and continues down the tunnel. The heat increased with every few steps. She was sweating.

The tunnel soon ended and opened into a vast expanse. It was beautiful in a way. There was sky. But it was underground? It was completely mindblowing. The 'atmosphere' was a lavender color, with hints of darker purples, and pinks inside of it. At least, what little she could see of it. Towering in front of her was an awesome wall. She couldn't clearly see the top of the wall it was so tall. The material it was made of was unfamiliar to her, it was as if it were made of material straight out of the Void. Plus skeletons. The section directly in front of her featured a screaming skull and a skeletal arm reaching out.

Sakura walked along the wall hoping at some point to find a way in.

It felt like she had been walking forever, the heat had dissipated slightly, but it was still a swelteringly hot place. At some point a large black blob came into view on the horizon.

What the fuck?

As she grew closer the blob grew more and more focused.

The blob was actually a dog. A huge three headed dog. Behind the dog? The equally giant gate to the Underworld.

Cerberus rose from his resting place and towered over her. The guardian's fur was black and shined, with strange curls around the neck of each head. It growled at her.

Sakura approached the creature with what she hoped was fearlessness.

"Cerberus, I am here to see your master, Hades. My name is Persephone. Please grant me entrance?"

To her complete surprise the 'dog' broke out in a huge grin. He laid down on the ground and rolled over for her. Was it this easy for anyone to break into the Underworld? Security seems pretty lax…

The massive gate behind the dog had figures cast into the very essense of the metal, twisted faces and limbs scattered the door and wound around the individual bars. She could have sword one of them moved as she stared.

Sakura pulled upon the gate and walked through. The clearing behind her and Cerberus disappeared as the gate shut with a permanent sounding heavy clang.

Just in front of her was a large pavilion.

Maybe if I'm lucky they will tell me how to find him. I don't even know his name!

She walked up the steps and approached the three beings she knew would be there.

"Hello."

"Daughter of Demeter."

"You are not one of the deceased."

"What are you doing here?"

They spoke disjointedly, finishing each others' thoughts and sentences.

"I was wondering if you could tell me where I should go to find Lord Death?"

The third judge waved her hand and a path appeared on the earth to her right.

"Follow this path, it will lead you directly to him."

"Thank you."

"Good luck." Each of them wished her.

Sakura walked down the path and wondered why she would need help. It's not like I'm walking past Tartarus… right?

The meadows of Asphodel took up a vast plain to the right of the path, then Elysium on the right. She felt very different emotions coming from each place, bliss from Elysium along with mirthy laughter and carefree sighs, and just… blah from the meadows, and virtually nothing as far as noise went. How strange…

She walked for several hours on this path, it seemed like the plains on either side of her path were endless. Until they weren't. They ended abruptly at a fork in the path. And so did the mirthy noises. The fork was in the middle of a large clearing with pomegranate trees scattered throughout the area. Her background noise was now far-off screams of pain and moans. It was a bit unsettling.

Sakura was tempted to eat one of the pomegranates, and ensure her stay in the Underworld forever. Then again what if Hades turns out to be a complete and total asshole? Best leave my options open and not burn any bridges.

No matter how much of a crazy bitch her mother was.

Be that as it may, she did not know which of the forks to take and decided she was tired from her journey.

She took a nap underneath the closest tree, resting with the sounds of the dead as her lullaby. Her dreams were filled with beautiful purple skies and dark trees silhouetted against them. She was relaxing in a large bath filled with steaming hot spiced waters. Her long pink tresses floated out on the water. A man was in the bath with her, which caused her to panic at first, but that soon changed to curiosity. She had never seen the man before, and wondered who he was. She looked at him from the corner of her eye. His eyes were closed and his hair was a glorious silver color. There was a large scar running down one side of his face through his left eye. Her gaze drifted down his neck and to his naked chest... oh. OH HE WAS NAKED.

She quickly drew her gaze back up to his face and saw that his eyes were just barely open and watching her. His lips drew into a small grin and Sakura looked away.

"S-sorry... I..."

He leaned forward and made his way across the large bath to her. His arm laid on the cool tiles next to her and he tilted her face towards him. His demeanor and proximity were slightly terrifying. She had a feeling this man could take what he wanted.

"And who might you be, little blossom?"

Sakura slipped away from him, not entirely sure they wanted the same things. She looked out at the night sky through the open windows.

"Why should I tell you?"

When she looked back to see if he was still there, the man had gone, it was if he vanished. Sakura felt something wrap around her ankle and pull her under the water.

She woke up.

Sakura was still in the Underworld.

Wow my dreams are real strange here.

A snort from behind her pulled her attention away from the strange dream and her thoughts. She looked up and saw a huge black stallion behind her. And riding it?

The man from her dream was right in front of her. This time wearing a deep scarlet chiton with a charcoal himation and deep black chlamys. How he did not die from a heat stroke, Sakura did not know. A piece of the himation wrapped around his face and hid the lower half from prying eyes. His piercing mismatched eyes were fully visible however.

"Who do we have here?"

…

She stood up quickly and put some distance between her and the man.

"Who are you?" Sakura retorted.

"Aw.. I asked you first, love." Oh gods, his voice… mmmm… NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. Don't give in!

Sakura shook a finger at him, "I am not your love. Now tell me who you are!"

"You'd think people would have more respect for the God of the Underworld."

She realized her mistake immediately.

"I am so sorry." She bowed slightly at his presence.

"Please, I am joking. Do tell me your name."

"My name is Sakura."

He smiled.

"I am so pleased you've chosen to delight me with your presence. Please, get on and we shall give you a tour of the world I rule."

Sakura backed away a couple of steps.

"At least let me show you the palace."

She looked up, "Okay."

He held out his hand and she took it. She had to step on his foot in the stirrup to get leverage enough to haul herself up and over the horse's back. Sakura quickly let go of his hand and just held tightly to the dark crimson chiton covering his chest.

They took off, their steed pounding the path as he strode toward the palace at maddening speeds. He stopped just as quickly once they were outside the palace.

And indeed what a palace it was.

Sakura slid off their mount and wobbled.

"Whoa, there." Her riding companion took her elbow to steady her. Her disorientation wasn't entirely from the ride over either.

"Oh boy. What is his name? He's an impressive steed."

"Alastor. And to be truthful he was just showing off. You can imagine we do not receive guests very often."

"I could not imagine why!"

"You have to admit, that it is not nearly as bad as they say it is."

"That may be true, but people generally do not welcome the sounds of the doomed screaming and moaning in the background."

"hehh…" he chuckled while rubbing the back of his neck nervously, "let's go inside, shall we?"

Sakura nodded and followed her host. She looked behind her for the horse they had left behind, and saw that it was gone. I guess things work differently in the Underworld.

Walking inside, the palace was a cool relief compared to outside. The walls were all a smooth black material that Sakura couldn't find a name for. Perhaps it was the blackness inside all of the souls of the Underworld. Regardless of the material making it up, it was strangely beautiful and smooth to the touch. At random intervals partial skulls poked out of the walls and held torches. Apparently they were excellent for this purpose. As the skull was buried halfway into the rock, the torch stuck in the mouth and out through what would have been the bottom of the skull or the throat.

They entered a large domed room with a marbled floor and high intricately painted ceilings. Each doorway exiting the room was decorated with elaborate moldings in gold and ivory. He led her down the middle doorway and they were met with an abrupt end of the path. The lord of the Underworld turned to her and pressed a small divot in the wall. A slate of marble slid closed behind them and the room started descending. She thought it would be rather dark, but the walls glowed with a strange essence in an eerie dark red. It was almost beautiful.

Sakura knew she was quickly falling in love with the Underworld. And whether or not she would admit it, some of the beauties it entailed were more aesthetically pleasing than anything she had ever seen in her mother's vast fields of flowers.

When the moving box of a room stopped, the slate opened on the opposite side, behind the man with her.

Once it was completely open Sakura felt her jaw drop. She tried to hide it by bringing a hand up to her face, but there was nothing she could do. He had already seen her expression. The himation had slipped off his face and showed that he was indeed grinning like a giddy nymph.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

It was.

The hallway they had stopped in was completely alight. The walls were all different colors of agates and stones of the earth. She traced the wall and was surprised to find it completely smooth.

"-How?"

"The wall is made of the agates and stones, then covered and solidified forever in an extremely thick varnish. Very difficult for the artisans to create."

They walked down the hallway, in silence. After all you couldn't really speak if your jaw was on the floor in awe.

They came to a giant cavern, not unlike the domed room in the upper level. This one however was mostly dark, with whispering purple veins in the marbled ebony floors. There were only two rooms off of this one.

"Through the left are my quarters, and the right… well… I guess you could call them guest chambers. You may occupy them should you wish to visit for a while."

"That is very generous of you, Lord Death."

He sighed, "Please call me Kakashi. I hear enough of the formalities everyday while I work, allow me this?"

"Of course."

"So?"

Sakura glanced at him questioningly.

"Would you like to stay?"

"I would love to."

Kakashi walked down the hall to the left and she took the right. The hallway on the guest side was absolutely gorgeous. The entire hall was alive. There were flowers made of precious metals with leaves, vines and beautiful scrollwork everywhere. Sakura reached out to touch one. It was made of bronze and blossomed in her touch, beautiful blues mixed into the metal and it felt alive and warm. The life throbbing in the walls made her heart soar. The Underworld is more alive than anyone ever knew. She spent an immeasurable amount of time just loving on the flowers and surrounding herself in their metallic warmth. She came upon the first door in the hallway and walked inside.

The room was gorgeous, decorated in dark purple and lavender. It was more of a sitting room, with comfortable lounges and swathes of beautiful mauve and cream fabric draped from everywhere. She made a note to spend more time in that room.

Further down the hall on the left was the second room. Walking in the room she was met with a slight steam. The marble tile under her feet was gorgeous, an ivory color with black splotches and a bit of dark red and gold mixed into it. The tile wasn't what drew her attention most in the room.

A gigantic bath took up most of the area, steam rising off of its slightly tinted waters. Heavy flower scents filled her senses and she breathed deeply. It smells like home.

Sakura reminded herself to visit that room frequently while she stayed in Kakashi's palace.

There was only one room left in the hall of metallic flowers. There was a heavy door for this room with two large sconces on either side. These were held in place not with skulls, but manipulated ribcages and more flowers. The fire on them burned deep red and purple. Sakura took the large circle ring that acted as the doors 'knob' and turned it. The heavy door swung open and revealed one of the most beautiful bedchambers Sakura had ever seen. (And she had seen Aphrodite's love den!)

The room was vast and circular. Even though they were beneath the surface of the Underworld, a window installed in the room looked to the outside world. Most likely bewitched to look to the outside. The ceiling was domed slightly, with several red panels forming a ring at the rim of the room where the ceiling met the walls. Each panel was a deep scarlet with gold designs either painted or created with gold leaf, it was so perfect she couldn't tell. Molded stucco cherubs were not present in this chamber. Instead were thin statues of nymphs and muses in various points around the room. To the left of the window was the bed. If you wanted to call it that. Sakura thought it looked more like a god in its own right. A god of good sleep and cotton. The bed was huge with various types and sizes of pillows, embroidered and non-embroidered. They were red and gold, some grey, some black. The bed sheets were cream and Sakura thought they might have been spun directly from the clouds themselves. (Apparently they made the best bed clothes). Above the bed was a gold diveted ring with curtains hanging from it, forming a canopy over the bed. At this point the translucent curtains were tied back with thick black rope. Tassels hung off of each. The one weird part is that there were no bed posts they were tied to. The curtains were just floating in the air.

To the other side of the room was a fireplace with a table and chairs around it, all elaborate and refined. The last thing of the room, and one of her favorites was the giant bookcase filled with volumes and scrolls of information built into one of the walls.

A hand on her shoulder shook her from her daze.

"Do you like what you see?"

It was Kakashi behind her.

"These rooms. They are wonderful. Perfect, even. It was almost as if you knew exactly what I wanted and created it. Even though they were not made for such a purpose. I don't think anyone would object to such a place to stay. I thank you for allowing me to stay here."

"It's really no problem. Not like many people make it a habit of being my guests, but I do treat them well."

"I can see that."

"Are you hungry?"

"I could eat."

Kakashi offered his hand and she took it. Halfway down the hall back toward the fork, Kakashi turned one of the flowers and a door slid open.

They walked through and into a large dining area.

"Do you have such secret rooms throughout your palace? What happens if you forget what flower you've turned?"

Kakashi laughed.

"To tell you a little secret… the flower is just a rather large sakura blossom and is the only one in the entire hallway. It may look like the rest of the flowers sure, but I've come in here often enough to know which one it is."

"Why a sakura blossom?"

"Because they are the most beautiful."

Sakura blushed as she took a seat in the chair he offered her. Kakashi's own seat was right next to her at the head of the table. The room felt empty with such a long table and so few people there. They waited for a few moments in silence. Sakura was getting anxious. Just as she was about to say something several ghosts started wandering in through the walls. They were dressed in various clothing of their time periods and all equally translucent and, well dead. The ghosts filed into the empty chairs surrounding the table, with not one chair empty. The other end of the table was chairless and thus no one sat there.

"Welcome friends, guests," Kakashi rose. A butler, coming from nowhere just like everyone else, stood directly to the side and behind Kakashi as he spoke, his silver platter only holding a glass of wine. Kakashi took the glass.

"We have sharing our company tonight, a new face. To Sakura! May your time in the Underworld be as pleasant if not more so than any time spent above!"

The ghosts joined in a cheer and Sakura couldn't help but find herself smiling.

I wonder if mother even notices that I am gone…?

They all took a seat after Kakashi and waited patiently as servers pushed carts of food all around the tables, placing plates and dishes and platters all over the table as well as cutlery, napkins, plates, glasses and other essentials in what seemed just moments.

The carts were gone just as soon as they arrived. Sakura smelt the food on the table and wanted to just dig in. She reached for a plate near her, but Kakashi blocked her from it with his hand.

"Sakura, as much as I would love for you to join in on this, we have special food prepared for you. If you were to eat any food from the Underworld you would always feel a longing for this place and a piece of you would stay forever. That is how it works and there is not much I can do about it."

"Oh." She pulled her hand back and waited.

A server appeared with a large tiered cart. He uncovered it and Sakura was met with several different dishes and a multitude of food created for her specifically.

"How did you-?"

"I'm the God of the Underworld, Sakura, I can pull a few strings."

"No kidding…"

She pointed to a few things that looked relatively normal and stuck with those. The cart was recovered and he walked back out with it.

They had begun eating and everyone was partaking in their own mirthful conversations. It seemed extremely comfortable and not at all like she expected the Underworld to be like.

"So, Sakura. What brings you to the Underworld?"

Sakura detected a slight lull in the conversation around her before everyone started talking again. Kakashi didn't seem to pay them even the slightest bit of attention once he had asked his question.

"Well… I wanted to get away from Olympus. Quite a boring and hoity toity place it is up there."

"Tck, tck. How sad. Things must be getting really boring if Aphrodite's parties aren't keeping everyone perpetually drunk like they used to."

"They went downhill once she created STDs to punish a cheating lover."

"Ouch."

"No kidding. I never got to participate, Demeter is too much of a stuck-up."

"You shouldn't speak ill of your mother, after all she did have a hand in creating such a beautiful, intelligent woman. Not just anyone can walk into the Underworld."

"It didn't seem so hard to me…"

…

The rest of their meal was excellent. Sakura ate far too much, and laughed harder than she had in centuries. At home with Demeter, most of their food was quite delicious, but eating the same foods over and over grew daunting and boring after the first few centuries. The humans had come up with chocolate and damn was it her weakness. Too bad they probably don't have chocolate in the Underworld… Alas, back to the Demeter. Eating with her mother was akin to eating across from a stone wall. Once she had found out about Kakashi being her betrothed since her birth or even before, her questions about the man had been almost endless, and this caused Demeter to pretty much ignore her every second of every day she asked about the ruler of the Underworld.

She lied back against the delightfully soft pillows on her bed and let her mind wander.

I wonder what my mother is up to right now.

Has she even noticed my absence?

Have my friends noticed?

Is anyone coming after me? Do I want them to?

Kakashi. What a devilishly handsome man.

Mother would never approve.

Since when have we asked permission?

She giggled to herself.

Never.

A knock at her door roused her from her thoughts.

"Come in."

Kakashi walked in the door.

"Hello."

Sakura got up out of bed and walked to the middle of the room. He took a seat in one of the chairs at the fireplace and gestured for him to join her in the other. She obliged. Kakashi snapped his fingers and the fireplace lit itself.

"That's a neat party trick."

Kakashi huffed with humor and grinned at her, "believe me, Sakura, I know plenty… of…. Tricks."

Sakura swallowed. There was definitely something… dark, behind his words.

"Would you care to answer my question again?"

"What would that be?"

She knew exactly what he was talking about, but playing coy was one of her favorite pastimes.

"The reason you are here."

"Ah yes, that."

"Yes?"

"Do you want the honest truth?"

"Always."

"Suit yourself…" Sakura leaned back against her chair and pulled her legs up into it with her, "might I have a glass of wine?"

"Of course." He made a strange clicking sound and a snap. A small poof noise could be heard next to Kakashi and his butler appeared, already holding a bottle.

"A glass of wine for the lady, please."

"Of course, my Lord." The man poured her a glass, and stepped back.

"Will there be anything else, my Lord?"

"No, you may go, but leave the bottle here."

"Yes, my Lord. Have a lovely evening."

And with as small a poof he made coming in, the man was gone. Sakura took the wine and tasted it. Easily one of the best she had tasted. Just below the stuff enriched with ambrosia, which was hard to come by even on Olympus unless you were very good friends with Dionysus. She licked her lips and took another sip.

"SO. Your question."

He gave her a slightly raised eyebrow as his response.

Sakura sighed and decided she might as well be truthful with the man.

"So. Someone told me, I can't even remember who at this point, whether it was Jiraiya or my mother… but someone told me I was promised to you. Since like, before I was even born. And as I've never heard or seen you before today, naturally I thought they were lying and pulling my leg. Or if they weren't lying and messing with me, that you had either forgotten or didn't want me. It was shitty either way really. So I decided that I had had enough prancing around in the flowers with the nymphs for a while, and decided to take matters into my own hands. I created a hole to the Underworld and came through on my own."

Kakashi didn't really react to anything she said except for the last bit.

"You… just…made… a hole to the Underworld? Do you have any idea how hard that is? How the hell did you manage it?"

"I don't know. I just decided I wanted to come see this mystery god for myself, and it just sort of… appeared."

"Very interesting."

"So, what do you have to say?"

"Hm?"

"About the whole… being promised to you type thing?"

"Oh. Well, whoever told you about it wasn't lying you are promised to me, but honestly I don't like the whole arranged marriage, ownership, whatever thing. It just rubs me wrong. If you hadn't sought me out yourself, I probably would have eventually wondered out in the next century or so."

"You have to be the laziest god I have ever met."

"What? Watching over the dead and passing judgment takes up a lot of my time I'll have you know."

Sakura rolled her eyes.

"So what do we do?"

Kakashi shrugged.

"Whatever you want to do. You pretty much know what I have to offer. The position of Queen of the Underworld, the wonders of the palace and this world beneath other worlds. The company of all who have passed before you. Passing judgment and giving your insight to such things as wanted. It's entirely up to you."

"You wouldn't force me to stay with you?"

"Who put that idea in your head?"

"My mother. She seemed to think you were always around every corner waiting to kidnap me. She was very protective and even thought you had forgotten about me. She even went so far as to find other suitors. Disgustingly arrogant demigods at best. They are spending their lives much better as flowers in my mother's garden now."

She saw Kakashi gulp at that one. Noting like being turned into a flower for all of eternity.

"I see. Remind me to reiterate to her that it was not me who kidnapped you but you coming here out of your own will."

Sakura laughed.

"I wouldn't lie to her. You're too nice for me to want to do that to you."

A slight blush rose on his cheeks, his gaze raked over her body

"Well, should you want to tell her where you're at… the mirror in the bath is enchanted, and should you want to talk to someone while standing in front of it, they will appear."

He got up and walked to the door.

"I bid you goodnight, Sakura. Thank you for speaking with me."

"Goodnight, Kakashi."

…

Kakashi knew the second she tore the world open that someone had crossed over. Who he didn't know but he was intrigued. Not many people had the power to just rip open the border like that. He had been tempted to go see who she was right at the river, but there was also the equal wonder at how she would make her way into his world.

He didn't expect his subjects to just let her in.

Charon didn't charge her a fee at the ferry.

Cerberus just rolled over like the damn overgrown dog he really his.

And the judges of the underworld? Conjured a fucking yellow brick road for her to follow to his palace.

Kakashi had created a fork in the road just in case it turned out it was someone he didn't want finding the palace. When the stranger stopped at the fork, he decided to take Alastor and meet them there.

He was not expecting what he found.

Lying there, in the middle of his so-called 'orchard' of pomegranate trees, was the beautiful Sakura. The daughter of Demeter that had been promised to him since before her birth. Kakashi had wanted to let her sleep, but Alastor was the least patient of his nightmares, and snorted rather loudly at the sleeping goddess. She awoke and Kakashi took her back to the palace.

Her sassiness was downright appealing. Kakashi didn't like when she just gave it up after finding out who he was. It wasn't like the God of the Fucking UNDERWORLD could take a joke! People were always walking on eggshells around him and he really wasn't such a bad guy. Right?

He was on his best behavior the whole time, always reminding himself to use the utmost of manners around her. Normally he was quite casual and so was everyone that lived in his palace.

The rooms he had shown her in the palace were indeed guest rooms.

But they had been designed and executed with her in mind.

There was nothing Kakashi wanted more than her to stay by his side, but it had to be her choice and he respected that. There was nothing more confining than an arranged marriage.

He also had… different ideas about how he could spend his time should she decide to stay.

Maybe the nightly visits from Mother Palm and her five lovely daughters will end soon…

…

Sakura spent her evening after their meal taking a long relaxing bath in the provided bathroom. The water was at just the right temperature and smelled amazing.

A light crème robe had been hung near the door for her and she dressed before approaching the mirror.

Demeter… mother…

Sakura opened her eyes and her mother was in the mirror in front of her.

"Sakura."

Oh no. That was not her willing-to-listen tone. That was her, I-should-have-never-slept-with-your-father, tone.

"Mother."

"And just where have you been?"

"I am currently in the Underworld, Mother."

Her mother's face paled.

"What are you doing there? Not to mention how in the world did you manage to get there?"

"It wasn't hard, to be truthful—"

"Did he kidnap you? I fucking knew it. I knew he would—"

"Mother! He did no such thing, I came here willingly on my own volition so don't even go there."

Her eyes narrowed.

"I don't believe you. Have you eaten the food?"

"No."

"Good girl. And you'll be coming straight home in the morning. Bye now."

Her mother's form disappeared.

If she thought… for even a second! That I would be coming home after such a one-sided argument…. ARGH!

She left the bath and walked back to her chambers. Sakura fell into the warm inviting bed. Sleep refused to claim her. She stayed up staring into the myriad of colors reflecting from the fire onto the floor and walls of the room.

Why is she so keen on my coming home when she would tease me relentlessly about the subject before?

'Sakura meet Sasuke, he's a demigod, and way better than that good for nothing in the Underworld holding you back.'

Sasuke had been one of the first in a long line of 'suitors' her mother pulled out of practically anywhere. She avoided them with a burning passion, coming up with every excuse imaginable to either ditch them or make them dislike her so much they wanted to leave on their own accord.

She spent a lot of time with her friends as an end result. Her best friend, Ino, was a huntress of Artemis, but you wouldn't know it by how she talked about men….

Should I tell Kakashi that Mother wants me to return home?

Not like he needs to know right?

Sakura turned over and finally let sleep claim her.

…

She spent her time in the Underworld learning about it and its ruler.

Okay let's be honest, she spent more time learning of his physical appearance and anatomy than she did of the Underworld.

They spent several 'afternoons' eating picnics in the middle of his pomegranate orchard. Kakashi was always careful to bring food safe for her to eat while she was in his realm.

He even let her accompany him to the throne room for hearings. It was quite an exhilarating experience, being on the ruling side of the judgments of the underworld. Sakura almost felt giddy when he asked her opinion on a few of the not so serious cases.

Sakura grew closer and closer to Kakashi, and there was always that burning desire to take it one step further… but he always cut them off before it went too far.

The previous night she had been walking back to her quarters with Kakashi, holding on to his arm. They stopped outside her door and the look she had seen in his eyes was borderline animalistic. There had been no words before his lips brushed against hers. It was electric, just like every kiss they had shared. Something in them reacted to the others' presence and Sakura melted like putty in his hands. She weaved her fingers through his hair and held his head close to hers. He groaned against her mouth and pushed her against flat place in the otherwise flower covered wall.

Their proximity was suffocating and Sakura broke the kiss to take a breath. Their foreheads met and Sakura could see Kakashi's grin from under her eyelashes. His hands slid lower and grabbed her ass. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. Their lips met again and this time Sakura couldn't help grinning.

"Kakashi…"

And just as suddenly as it had started, he broke them apart, setting Sakura back on her feet and taking her hands from around his neck. Kakashi's lips brushed her forehead and he was gone.

Sakura huffed at the pent up sexual tension in her body and cursed Kakashi.

Just fuck me, dammit!

…

Her bath the next morning was interrupted by a shout from the mirror on the wall.

"Sakura! Answer me!"

"Mother? What is it?"

"I thought I told you to come home!"

"And I thought that I would stay."

"Are you planning on staying forever? Hades is no match for you, his only company is that of the dead! You can do much better."

"You may think so, Mother. What do you really have against him? He's only been kind to me."

"Until he gets in between your sheets."

"Mother!"

"It's only natural he should want you for your body. If you can prove to me that isn't the only reason you or he are there… then maaaybe I'll consider letting my freezout of the earth end."

"What!?"

"Did you not realize that time on Olympus and in the Underworld work differently than on Earth? I think that the little humans have been in a freezeout from my blessings for about 3 months now."

"Mother…"

Her mother laughed, and it came out quite evil. When Sakura turned to speak again, her face was gone in the mirror.

"Oh my goodness, how am I going to convince my mother that he doesn't just want me here for my body? She's such a fucking hag."

Sakura crawled out of the bath and dressed in her robe from the previous day, a long flowing garment in lavender with flowers laced into the edges. In her bedchamber a small vase of flowers had been left on her nightstand. She took one of the blossoms and tucked it into her hair.

Sakura walked back to the fork separating their chambers and Kakashi was waiting for her there.

"Kakashi. Just who I was looking for."

"You were looking for me? To what do I owe this honor."

"My mother."

His smile fell.

"Yeah. I know."

They walked around the Underworld that day, speaking of the world and all of its odd charms.

…

"So? What does your mother want?"

"Well… she wants me to come home."

"Why?"

"She thinks… or at least this is the impression I get… that you've abducted me here to force me to marry you and that you only want me for my body. That you've force fed me the food of this world to keep me here foreeevvvveerrrrr."

Sakura burst out laughing and just the smallest smile was on Kakashi's face.

"What's the matter? We know it's not true."

"Yeah, we do. But what is stopping her from lying to Zeus or anyone else about what happened? Surely you must know that Demeter's word is taken over mine."

"I suppose you are right… not to mention the freezeout she is currently enacting upon the earth."

"I wondered why the flow of the dead was especially high lately. As much as I hate to admit it and lose you… you should probably go home."

"What if I don't want to? What if I want to stay here with you?"

Something dark and incredible sexy passed over Kakashi's features.

"Believe me, I would love nothing more than for you to stay with me forever as my queen, but trust this, Demeter would not make your life a happy one if you chose to do it this way."

Sakura sighed.

He was right.

"So you would allow me to stay if I can convince her?"

"But of course. I cannot promise that after we would be married that I could keep my hands off of you… Your mother is no fool, she knows how beautiful you are."

"I would expect nothing less." She gave him a saucy wink. His cheeks grew pink and he looked away. A bolt of lightning blazed through the lavender skies and struck Kakashi's palm. It left just as quickly and in its wake left a note.

"What does it say?"

"You've been summoned home."

"Damn it."

"By Jiraiya this time."

…

Upon arriving on Olympus, Sakura realized she had been lured into a trap. In their home, Jiraiya and Demeter had spoke to her about her time in the Underworld.

"I assume you know why you are here?"

"To proclaim Kakashi and I's innocence?"

Jiraiya seemed confused at this train of thought and that was Sakura's first red flag. Demeter waved him off.

"Now that you're back I will end my freeze upon the earth!" Her mother smiled happily at her. Fucking hag.

"So about me and Kakashi…"

Jiraiya had magically disappeared at some point during the meal and it was just Demeter and herself now.

"Enough talk of him, Sakura, I have several men who are dying to meet you. Literally. One of them actually offered to die and go to the Underworld just to have you."

"How. Sweet. Now, about Kakashi…"

Her mother rose and Sakura knew the discussion was over.

How the hell do I get myself out of this?

At every turn, Sakura was met by some sort of bodyguard. She wasn't stupid, she knew what was going on. Her mother didn't trust her not to leave for Kakashi's realm. At one point her best friend Ino had been the guard, and Sakura was at her wit's end.

"Ino… surely you must understand my dilemma. Can't you let a girl follow her dreams?"

"Forehead, you know what I've been assigned to do by your mother. But a girl has her needs, I suppose I can be 'turned around' for long enough for you to slip away…" Ino turned around and made a show of finding a bush to go about her business in. Sakura praised her silently and ripped open the familiar hole in the universe.

It was time for her to go home.

…

Sakura found Kakashi reading in her bedchamber.

"Well hello, handsome."

He looked up from the book in his hands and it slipped from his fingers.

"Sakura?"

"Yes, I'm finally back my love."

"Well? Did you convince her?"

She sighed and shook her head.

"She practically kept me under house arrest to keep me away from you, my love. I've left Olympus and vow never to return. I wish to stay here in the Underworld as your wife. To rule by your side."

"Oh thank the gods."

His hands held her face between them as he peppered her with kisses.

…

They were married soon after. A very small affair with only their closest friends and Kakashi's subjects as witnesses. It was quite a happy time in the Underworld, as their lord was at his most merciful.

Sakura only rarely wrote to her mother in Olympus to send her periodic updates on their lives. Demeter was aware of what life she had chosen.

A life in the Underworld was more exciting. And definitely sexier.