Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor will I ever.

Summary[Sequel of Teashops "Happily ever after." What if there was no "happily ever after?" What happens next?

Pairing: Deidara X Sakura

AN:

Repentance

Deidara tossed the coin. It was heads.

"Good, now stop bothering me Tobi and go play along in that corner, un," he grumbled.

"But, but, Deidara-sempai!"

Deidara looked at the boy, "You said it yourself Tobi. 'A deal's a deal' so stop bothering me already!"

"Sempai's mad! Sempai's mad!" Tobi waved his arms upward and ran around Deidara in circles.

"The things I do for Sakura," he muttered darkly. He turned to Tobi, "Quiet before I bomb the hell out of you!"

"OOOOO, is that fun?!" called back Tobi, energetic as ever.

Deidara stood at an angle, staring at the sky. By his calculations, Konoha would be there if he walked from that point on.

"But would it still be standing?" he asked.

"What would be still standing?" asked Tobi, "Tell me!"

Deidara twitched his eye, "You…are going to be sleeping six feet under soon, un!"

"You can do it Sakura!" urged Ino.

The little ball of chakra formed around Sakura's hand. It was around the size of an ant, but there was chakra. After three more seconds, it dispersed. Sakura fell back the floor, panting. Even after all this practice, her skills weren't even close to her skills from a few years ago. In fact, they wouldn't even match an Academy student. She would probably lose to them right now if she had to fight.

"That's pretty good for today," remarked Ino, "I mean, a few weeks ago, you couldn't even get any chakra."

Sakura shook her head, "It's still so little…" She looked down at her hands, "I can't do anything to protect anyone anymore."

At this, Ino hugged Sakura, "Don't say that. It just takes time, the more you rush, the more mistakes you make."

"We don't have that much time, do we?" said Sakura, "From Jiraiya's sources, Akatsuki will attack Konoha any time soon."

"That's why we have shinobi prepared," said Tsunade, walking into her room, "Sakura, take a rest."

Sakura climbed back to her bed and pulled her covers over her head, "Yes, Tsunade-sama."

Apparently, Tsunade wasn't that happy to be ignored, "Sakura, do you really want your chakra to be returned at a faster rate?"

Sakura pulled her covers and sat back up immediately, "Yes!"

Tsunade placed a hand under her chin, "I know of a way, but it's very dangerous. I don't know what might happen if you don't succeed."

"I will," insisted Sakura, "Trust me on that."

Tsunade sighed, "I know your will is strong, but strength-wise."

"Yeah," cut in Ino, "You should get more rest, Sakura…everyone's worried."

Sakura shook her head again, "Everyone's worried about me. What about me? I'm worried about you guys two. With Konoha in trouble…I can't just take a back sit and watch you guys fight."

Tsunade seemed to be observing the two girls when she finally spoke up, "Alright, but be prepared that it will threaten your life."

Sakura nodded.

Tsunade nodded, "I'll come back tomorrow with what you should do. Get a good night's rest."

Sakura stopped her from walking away, "Wait."

"What is it now, Sakura?" sighed Tsunade.

"Can you…can you keep this from everybody, you two?" she asked.

"But, Sakura!" Ino protested.

"It'll just give them one less thing to worry about," declared Sakura, "Nothing will happen so telling them will just make them worry unnecessarily." She looked towards Tsunade for an answer. If Tsunade agreed to it, even Ino couldn't decline. Her teacher was not known for her calmness.

"Alright Sakura, if that is what you wish for." With that Tsunade closed the door behind and walked out. Her footsteps sounded long after she left the room.

"Thanks." Sakura looked towards Ino, "You won't tell right?"

Ino bit her lip and sighed, rolling her eyes, "Idiot friend I have."

Sakura frowned, "Stupid Ino-pig."

"Forehead girl!"

Sakura smiled. At least this much had not change within the last few years. Why had she left Konoha so long anyways?

It was not worth it, for one person she decided.

Clapping her hands together, she grabbed her chopsticks and ate her lunch.

"Ew," she swallowed the bite forcefully, "When I become a medic nin again, I have to make sure we change the menu here…"

Ino walked down the street, holding her backpack in both of her hands. What was Sakura thinking, trying a jutsu Tsunade deemed was dangerous. For heaven's sake, Tsunade was one of the strongest medic nin in Konoha and even she deemed this technique dangerous.

"Ino? What are you doing here?"

It was Shikamaru.

"N-Nothing," said Ino, quickly turning her back to the shadow-user. She crossed her fingers, hoping that he would leave soon. Her mouth was really quick to say things she shouldn't say.

"Ino, what's wrong?"

Darn! Ino bit her lips. Why didn't Shikamaru say 'troublesome' and leave?

"Nothing's wrong!" she lied, hoping she didn't sound too nervous.

Shikamaru walked so he could see her face, "Are you sure?"

Ino froze. Shikamaru was great at watching emotions. He would know for sure if he saw her face…She turned away quickly.

"I…I have to go…set up my flower shop!" she proclaimed and started running off. There was only one problem. Her legs wouldn't move.

"Just a minute," Shikamaru said. Ino could already feel her legs moving for her towards Shikamaru. She was caught in one of his shadow jutsu.

"I mean it, Shikamaru. I seriously need to…set up my shop!"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, "You told me yesterday and the day before that how happy you were to be able to take a day off from the flower shop."

"Oh…did I?" asked Ino. Images of Sakura flashed through her head. She couldn't betray a good girl comrade! Her fist was clenched, even though she didn't know it on the outside. She took a deep breath.

"I must have forgot," she laughed heartily.

"Really?" Shikamaru didn't look convinced, but released his jutsu anyways, "Hey…is something wrong with Sakura, you troublesome woman?"

"What did you call me?" Ino felt the fire rise up to her eyes, but quickly turned away when she realized that Sakura had been mentioned. "No, of course not."

Shikamaru sighed, "Troublesome, if you don't want to tell me, then don't."

Ino turned to Shikamaru, "Really?"

"So you do have something hiding from me," he declared casually and yawned.

She stormed up to him, "You tricked me!"

She sighed, "If I tell you, will you promise not to say it to anyone?"

He nodded. It wasn't like he was going to run up around Konoha.

She walked closer to him and whispered a few words in his ears. Even Konoha's lazy ninja's eyes widened for a moment.

"I see," he said.

"Not a word to anyone."

Shikamaru nodded, "I know already."

With that Ino walked off, saying she had to go come and cook dinner for her parents. It was her turn.

Too bad she didn't notice Shikamaru sending a messenger pigeon to one of Akatsuki's infamous members. He shrugged. He wasn't saying it technically. He was writing it down.

"Maybe there will be a good ending after all," he shrugged. Then he walked down the streets and disappeared into the growing crowd.