Hi everyone! I'm new here, and this is my frst fic. That's not much of an excuse, but try to ignore

whatever errors I may have. I have a pretty good, yet vague idea of where this fic is headed, so I

shoud be able to make an update every week. Reviews would be great, I'd love to hear what you have

to say, so don't be shy! Like I said in my profile, I don't bite ;)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Or Sasuke. Or Neji. Or Gaara. Or anyone else for that

matter. But I can dreaammmmm 8D

Chapter One

The girl fixed the over-sized aviator sunglasses over her eyes so that she was covered. The locals

gave her questioning looks about her choice of hat; she was currently sporting a large, floppy

knit hat with a cheesy sunflower on it. It was the only hat that was large enough for her to tuck in

her nearly waist length hair. Plus, the many flops in it did wonders in concealing her face. She
self-consciously rearranged the hat, checking the pins to make sure it would not be a victim of the wind.

"Look on the bright side...maybe you're...like, in those spy movies. AH, yes, what's it called?

In...hog...shmog...cog..cog! Incognito!"

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, trying to pretend her heart wasn't going a million miles

an hour. Walking in the dry, hot, humid weather with an itchy hat on made her feel tired and worn

out. Checking the name above the store to make sure, she took scared but sure steps toward

the small corner building.

The bell twinkled as she slid the door to a local bakery. Her footsteps and ueven breathing patterns

were lost in sea of laughter and voices. She was glad; the last thing she needed was unnecessary

attention. At the front of the store, a man, around his mid-thirties, was sitting behind the counter with

a notepad. "Hello, how may I help you?"

"Hello, I was wondering...if you had any available jobs?"

He took one look at her floppy hat and over-sized shades with a confused look. She bit her lip; even

she knew how shady she might look to other people. "I'm sorry miss, but I don't think there are

any jobs left here."

Her gaze fell to the ground, further obscuring her face. The man's face expression softened when he

saw how round and innocent her face looked. "Perhaps you should try asking around; I'm sure

one of these places could use someone like you."

A small smile crept onto her face before drooping into a frown. "I've already tried...well, I'm sure your

busy. I won't keep you, but thank you. Thank you very much."

As she began to turn around and leave, he took a look at her profile and noticed the slightest of bulges

on her stomach. He would've passed it off as a few gained pounds, but the girl was so thin everywhere

else that it could only mean one thing. His heart sank with realization; man, was he growing soft.

"Wait." She turned around with a blank look. "Come here." Nervously, she walked towards him until

they were a few inches apart. "Let me see your eyes."

Hesitating, she sighed giving in. She really needed this job, at least for a little while. He peered at her

eyes while hers looked straight at him with only sheer honesty. Content, he nodded as she quickly

put the shades back onto her face. "Well, as far as I can tell, you look like an honest person. You

know what, we've always been looking for someone to fetch our raw materials for us; the shipping

company over prices us like crazy. Think you can do it?"

Even from behind the sunglasses, he could tell that her eyes were lit up as she openly smiled. "Thank

you very much, ahh..."

"Daiki."

"Daiki-san. Thank you so much!"

He smiled at her as she began to walk away. "Ah, what is your name miss?"

"Harumi."

"Well, miss Harumi, you can come here tomorrow by 9. And also...you shouldn't hide such beautiful

green eyes from the rest of the world." She reddened with embarrassment, but smiled, bowed, then

proceeded to leave the bakery.

Harumi thought about her life, and realized that a job meant commitment, and commitment was the

first step to settling down. This was it; it was really the start. At age 19, she was slowly beginning

this new life. As she took a step out of the small, cozy bakery, she took a deep breath; the first

step towards the rest of her life.

,.-;-'-;-.,.-;-'-;-.,.-;-'-;-.,.-;-'-;-.,.

He had been outside of the tiny apartment room for three hours now. It made no sense; coming

home was supposed to be the easy part. He couldn't place a finger on it, but something was

preventing him from knocking on that door. Trying to ball his fists, he noticed the simple golden

band on his finger and cringed. Had it really already been a whole year since her gentle hands had

slid that ring onto his finger, signing herself to him?

As he comtemplated the meaning of marriage, a hairy beer-gutted forty year old man emerged from

their apartment. His dark coal eyes bulged out of their sockets, and he nearly doubled over.

"You keep standing out their, and me and my girlfriend will call the cops."

"Girlfriend? Girlfriend?" What was the meaning of this! Sasuke looked the man over, from his

pathetic comb over, stained shirt, and hairy toes, could his wife have possibly left him for this..this...

thing? No...there was no way in hell...

"Hey, by any chance, is your name Uchiha Sasuke." Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest and

glared at the repulsive man.

"Yeah. So what?"

"Nuthin. Just that the old resident here left this for you." The Uchiha snatched it out of his hand

and furrowed his browse. In a napkin, in tear-stained letters was a different address. Sasuke

was simply too confused to question the man, and instead sort of wandered around. He blinked, and

realized that he was at the address on the napkin. Remebering his wife, he checked in the potted

fern by the door, and there it was; the key.

His fingers were shaking as he slipped the key into the door and turned it...

When he got inside, he saw that all of his belongings were neatly arranged around a small house. With

remorse, he saw the portrait of his late mother hanging in one of the corridors. From the finely polished

wooden frame, he knew that his wife had cleaned it herself; she knew it was one of the few possessions

he treasured.

His wife...Sauske frantically ran around the house, looking for something, anything, that belonged to her.

Something to show that she was alive...but nothing. Even their old bed, filled with bittersweet moments,
was replaced by a single. It was as if she had never even existed. Sasuke leaned against the walls and

laughed bitterly...

She was gone.

And he didn't blame her. He had left for an entire year, with nothing more than a crazy rumor as his main

lead. Frankly, he didn't deserve her. Here he was, after nearly a year, and she hadn't thrown out

his things. Quite the opposite, she had bought a house for him and arranged his things there.

Why did she leave? Why didn't she tell him? Why didn't she leave a note? And most of all..

Why did she have to be so damn caring? It made it impossible for him to be mad at her.

Picking up his key and grabbing his coat, Sasuke locked the front door and went towards the Hokage

Tower. He needed answers, and he needed them now.

,.-;-'-;-.,.-;-'-;-.,.-;-'-;-.,.-;-'-;-.,.

Taking off her hat and removing her sweaty sunglasses, Harumi walked into her small apartment and

plopped onto her sofa. Her feet were killing her. Now doing the waling for two, she was finding walking

to be difficult and draining. Instinctively, her hand went to her now visible bump, gently rubbing it.

Sighing, Harumi tightly held her stomach and closed her eyes. "Now, I don't have a choice. This is

the best...for us both.."

Her quiet musings were interrupted as a familiar face emerged from the shadows. A smaall smile graced

her lips at the sound of him. "Hello, Mr. Guy from the Witness Protection Program. So nice to see you."

With a hearty laugh, he nodded. "Right back at ya. So...is everything okay? Did you get the job?"

She nodded and smiled. "You were right. He is a very kind person. I didn't even have to throw myself

at his ankles and grovel."

He stepped closer and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Like anyone would ever let a pretty thing

like you grovel."

The girl playfully hit him on the shoulder and smiled. He opened his mouth to speak, but seemed at odds

with himself. Noting his hesitation, she frowned. "Is something the matter?"

"No! No, it's nothing! Just...if you ever want out...you know...I can help you. I'm always here. I'll always

give you options."

"And you say this as Mr. Guy from the Witness Protection Program?"

"That..." he affectionately patted her shoulders. "...and a childhood friends. We were friends then, and we're

still friends now. If you ever need anything..." he was perched on the windowsill. "...You know how to

contact me." And without a trace, he was gone.

As he left, Harumi's stoic facade began to crumble. It was so easy pretending to be someone else in a town

where you didn't know anybody, and nobody knew you. Seeing him...it reminded her of everyone she was

leaving behind back in Konoha...

"Rookie 9...my family. Everyone. I'm terrible, it's been a year, and already I miss you all so

much..."

Her face crumpled into a wince as a few tears slid down her smooth cheeks. Quickly wiping away their

existence, she remembered him and suddenly felt more anger than sadness. It was never a long-lived

anger, and it certainly could never outweigh her deeply-felt sorrow, but it sure as hell could keep her
occupied, no matter how brief the relief was.

A year...he had disappeared for nearly a year. Somehow, he had never had time to call her. Hell, he had

never even bothered to write her one damn letter. He had left her, to be confused, scared, and most of all..

Alone.

She tried to pretend it was all okay. She waved, she smiled, she kept a strong face. It killed her to pretend

that the emptiness and lonliness wasn't slowly eating her away. She would've stayed there, waiting for him

to come back if it hadn't been for a sign from above.

It was hard, but for the sake of her life and the life of another, she had to stay strong. She was too far ahead

to forfeit now.

As she lied down on her twin sized bed, staring absently at the ceiling, sleep seemed far out of her reach. Try

as she might, she simply couldn't remove him from her thoughts. Despite all of the hurt she had endured, all

of the pain he put her through, she simply couldn't seem to stop caring about it.

Maybe that was what made running away so damn difficult...

,.-;-'-;-.,.-;-'-;-.,.-;-'-;-.,.-;-'-;-.,.

Sasuke scowled as he walked back to their...his...new house. The damn Hokage just had to be at the

Sunagakure for some stupid business meeting or other. The stupid drooling receptionist sure didn't

help in lifting his spirits. Sighing as he plopped onto the bed, he wondered if this, he would lose her

forever...