Hey readers! As promised here is your update. Took me a little longer then expected, but it is still the first update since the start of the new year. Anyways, a little delayed, but happy new year to you all. Hope you all had a wonderful time, best wishes and I'm going to stop ranting now. Please enjoy the last chapter of Eye candy. Let me know what you think!

Chapter 14: Sakura's choice

Sakura sighed and shook her head as Ino once again showed her a dress. "I'm serious Ino," Sakura said. "I have underwear that covers more then that dress."

Ino took a sceptical look at the bronze coloured dress she was holding. It was a strapless dress and the top was connected to the bottom with a few straps. The dress only covered a little bit of the chest area and the pelvis, everything else was very much exposed. Not every woman would dare to wear something like that, but in Ino's opinion, this dress looked very nicely on Sakura. "There's nothing wrong with it," Ino said. "You actually look very sexy in that."

"I could also go in my underwear," Sakura said. "I swear I'd look more covered in that then I look in this dress."

A long very annoyed sigh escaped Ino's lips. "Listen forehead," Ino said. "You agreed to let me pick out your dress. So no complaining. You know the penalty for not delivering me with satisfactory proof."

"I know, I know," Sakura said. "I'll have to stand on top of mount Hokage and scream at the top of my lungs that I love Kakashi. I got it."

Satisfied with Sakura's confirmation, Ino returned to her initial task of finding a suitable dress for her pink-haired friend. Though, no matter what dress Ino picked out, Sakura always seemed to have some kind of negative comment on it. Just when Ino was about to loose faith in her mission, she found the perfect dress. It had everything a dress needed. Form and function. The dress was sexy, but not too sexy. It was quite plain. One strap to go over the left shoulder. It covered till mid-thigh and it would hug Sakura's figure perfectly. The dark green would look good on her as well. "That's it," Ino said as she held out the dress to Sakura. "I'm a genius."

Sakura coughed as she accepted the dress and went to try it on. There was no doubt that even Sakura liked the dress. It was absolutely perfect, but she'd never tell Ino that. She'd never hear the end of it. Instead Sakura would suffer in silence and try the dress on. Somehow, the thought of trying to seduce another man, somebody other then Kakashi made her stomach churn uncomfortable. She wasn't afraid, she'd done this a million times before, but this time was different. Like she was going against herself. Almost as if it were for a mission, not real. Forcing herself to touch, kiss another man and then leave like nothing had happened. Yes, she'd been on a mission like that before and it had been the hardest mission she'd ever been on. To her this almost felt the same, but the fear that Ino may be right also played a huge part. Sakura wasn't so very sure anymore, she was confused.

As expected of a dress picked out by Ino, it looked very revealing, but not too revealing. "I can live with this," Sakura said as she looked at herself in the mirror.

"You look gorgeous," Ino exclaimed happily. "And all thanks to me!"

"Not because I'm such a natural beauty?" Sakura asked with a pout on her face.

"That too," Ino added hastily. "But the dress adds that little extra spice."

Sakura sighed softly. There really was no point in arguing about this. Ino would never give in. Instead Sakura decided not to argue, but to just go with it.

"Now just some shoes and some make-up and you're all set," Ino said happily as she took another look at Sakura.

Sakura just nodded, seemed that Ino was on a roll. The best thing for Sakura's mental and physical health would be to play along. She turned around again to look at herself in the mirror. On her last mission with Kakashi she'd tried on like a million different bathing suits and bikini's, letting Kakashi study her entire figure. Somehow wearing this dress, trying it on and looking at herself, made her yearn for that mission again.

"Sakura…?"

"Sakuraaa…"

"SAKURA!!!!!"

"What?" Sakura asked confusedly.

"You were all spaced out," Ino said. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Fine," Sakura answered, though not believing it herself.

Silently, Sakura watched as Ino went on ahead and started picking out a dress for herself to wear. As always she'd probably pick out a dress that was either a deep red or just plain black. It would go well with her hair or her eyes, or so, Ino had once told Sakura. There was of course no doubt that Ino would look plain gorgeous, she always did.

After a little while Ino had found herself a dress. As usual, it was black and revealing. Some things would never change. The only thing that made this dress different from all the others that Ino possessed was that this one actually had straps. It covered her chest and her sides and her rear, but it let her stomach and her back uncovered. She would once again be in the centre of attention. Not that Sakura really minded, she never was a party-girl herself.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

'Just one guy and this'll all be over,' Sakura thought as she followed Ino into Shuriken Paradise. She just needed one guy to dance with and maybe kiss him a little and she'd have proven her point. Then she could close off this chapter and go home….Home….The word sounded so good right now. Like she'd be going to paradise. No loud music, big warm bed and…. Kakashi.

Sakura shook her head when she once again let her mind wander to where it shouldn't be wandering. Instead she decided to let her own eyes wander over the crowds of people. There were enough good-looking men to choose from, but none which Sakura approached. No, the guy she was looking for needed to be pretty drunk and willing not to remember her in the morning, no attachment so to say. Just a mission.

Sasuke was getting sick and tired of his personal little guards, but he'd do nothing about it. They weren't in the way, exactly, they were just annoying. Once again Sasuke looked over the crowd, this time with his sharingan active. It was then that he caught a glimpse of the person he'd really been looking for. She was close to the bar, he could tell. The sharingan faded and black eyes took their place once again.

Sakura had turned her back on the crowds, leaning on the bar. It was still early and chances were slim she'd meet some who was already affected by alcohol. Not to mention that most of them weren't Sakura's type.

"I think I died," a man's voice sounded from behind.

Sakura turned around a raised an eyebrow. The man behind her had brown hair, a three day beard and beady blue eyes.

"Cause I must be in heaven to meet an angel like you."

"That sucks," Sakura answered glumly while turning away. "You need a new pick-up line."

The man was about to say something when he got pulled away from Sakura. "Hands off," Sasuke growled. "She's with me."

Sakura turned around, looking directly at Sasuke, her eyes wide.

The man took one look at Sasuke and walked away. Yeah, everybody knew who Sasuke was. Everyone also knew he was back in Konoha. What most didn't know was that he'd been released. Amongst them was Sakura. So like most people would do, when someone they'd knocked out stood in front of them saving them from an embarrassing moment, was sigh in relief. Somehow, someone save me, didn't seem so bad anymore. It worked out pretty well.

"Sakura," Sasuke said in Sakura's ear so she'd hear him over the music without him needing to shout. "Dance with me."

Sakura was still a little stunned, but nodded anyways. Somehow the deep sound of his voice calmed her, made her relax. He sounded a lot like……. 'Kakashi.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kakashi stretched, took out his book and resumed reading where he had left off. Finally for the first time in a while he had his place all to himself. Although it felt a little too quiet right now, Kakashi thought this was something he really needed. Peace and quiet, until a certain person showed up, who let himself into the apartment, which was surprising clean unlike it had once been.

Genma smiled at the noticeable tidiness. "So," Genm said from his place on the windowsill. "Looks like someone tamed your ass."

"She just cleaned," Kakashi muttered without looking up from his book. "Said she thought it was a mess."

"Hmm," Genma responded. "So where is your little sexkitten?"

"Out I guess," Kakashi answered.

"You let her go out," Genma asked. "On her own? Without you?"

"That's right."

"Don't you think she'll end up with someone other then you," Genma asked.

"It's not like she wants to be married to me," Kakashi muttered. "I'm pretty sure that by this time next year we'll be divorced. I don't want to keep her on a leash like I own her, or like we married because we love each other so much."

"But you do love her," Genma argued.

Kakashi put his book down. His hand went to pinch the bridge of his nose, like he was feeling a really bad headache approach. "Even if I do and I'm not saying that I do," Kakashi said after a moments silence. "It's not mutual."

Genma stepped down from the windowsill and into the apartment. "You could always tell her how you feel."

Kakashi shook his head. "I'm already labelled as a pervert," Kakashi said. "If I tell her that Sick Freak will be added just below pervert."

Genma chuckled. "Like you ever cared what people think of you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura leaned a little against Sasuke as they danced. They hadn't spoken a word since they'd started dancing. Sakura didn't know what to say, or even what to start talking about. So she just danced and waited for Sasuke to say something. All while she was leaning against him. He was almost as tall as Kakashi, just as broad and just as masculine. Sakura sighed as she was comparing the two. 'I have to stop thinking those thoughts,' Sakura thought.

"I'm sorry," Sasuke said into Sakura's ear. "I never wanted to hurt you."

Sakura dug her nails into Sasuke's shoulders. She had dreamt of him saying those words for years. It had been a dream and now he was saying it for real. As she thought about the many things that had happened over the years, she had to admit that nothing was impossible. Even Sasuke admitting to love her.

"Do you love?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke nodded. "Always have."

Sakura released her vice-grip on Sasuke's shoulders so she could look up at his face. A million thoughts crossed through her mind. She was married to Kakashi. Her childhood crush confessed his love for her. The only thought that didn't make it into her mind was the fragment in which kakashi had said that he loved her, because he had never said those three little words to her. Then again she had never said them to him either.

"You look so beautiful," Sasuke said as he finally took this chance to ogle over Sakura's body.

You have no idea how beautiful you are right now.

Those were Kakashi's words and back then they sounded more sincere then anything he had ever said to her. He wasn't looking over her body as he said that. He was looking at her face.

Sakura was pulled from her thoughts when she felt Sasuke's lips brush over hers.

Sasuke pulled away. "Help me restore my clan," Sasuke said.

Sakura blinked at Sasuke's tone. It wasn't a question, more like an order.

Sasuke didn't wait for an answer. His mouth was on Sakura's neck, nipping, sucking and kissing the skin there. One hand trailing up and down on Sakura's back. The other clasped firmly on Sakura rear.

Images of Sakura's short-lived time with Kakashi flashed through her mind as Sasuke was grinding against her putting his hands on her like he owned her. This was definitely not what she wanted, she knew this now. Sakura's hands travelled to Sasuke's chest and she pushed.

"What's the matter," Sasuke asked against Sakura's skin.

"I can't do this," Sakura said while stepping away from Sasuke using chakra to enhance her strength so Sasuke couldn't stop her. She quickly manoeuvred through the crowd and towards the exit, leaving Sasuke all alone on the dance floor.

Sasuke blinked a couple of times. His mind slow on registering what had just happened.

"I knew it," Ino exclaimed happily from behind Sasuke.

"Knew what," Sasuke asked Ino.

"She's so in love with Kakashi-sensei."

Sasuke just nodded. He could only admit to so much after what he had seen. The only question was; could he give her up?

"They're really sweet together," Ino ranted on. "I wish I had a guy like that."

"A guy like what?"

And Ino ranted on and on about how her perfect man would act like. It was a little new to Sasuke after all those years with Orochimaru. He hadn't had any real interaction with a woman, who could be a girlfriend, since he had left the village at 13. "Can you teach me?" Sasuke asked Ino.

Ino squealed in delight. After all those years, she had won from Sakura.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura ran down the streets of Konoha. The streets were deserted aside from a couple of people who made their way home. Only some streetlights every few feet shed some light on the dark streets. A million thoughts had raced through Sakura's mind earlier, but now her mind was set on one thing. On one person. Kakashi.

By the time that Sakura's feet started to hurt it was already late and the apartment building was finally coming into view. The sight made her stop to catch her breath. To take a minute to think while breathing the cool evening air. Then she walked home slowly, she'd have blisters the size of pancakes in the morning, but none of that mattered.

The stairs up to Kakashi's floor seemed to go on forever. Halfway up Sakura scolded herself for not taking the elevator ever. She always told herself that taking the stairs was healthier. Big mistake. "I'm never wearing high heels and go up the stairs while wearing high heels ever again".

Sakura slumped over to the door of Kakashi's apartment. Somehow saying Kakashi's apartment sounded so wrong. 'Our apartment,' Sakura thought as she pulled out her keys.

The door opened and Kakashi looked up. He'd been so caught up in his reading that he'd forgotten all about the time. As soon as he saw who walked through the door Kakashi put the book down and a small sigh in relief escaped his lips. It had just been a girls night out, nothing more. "Sakura."

Sakura turned around and then quickly took off those abominations that some people called shoes. "Kakashi," Sakura said breathlessly. "I love you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Two days later Sakura stood on top of mount Hokage declaring at the top of her lungs that she loved Kakashi, while Ino stood behind her smirking.

So that's it. Hope everyone enjoyed the story. Thanks to all who reviewed, alerted and added this story to their favourites. I'm really flattered with the amount of appreciation I got throughout this story. Thanks a lot everyone!!!