Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Naruto, or The Veronicas' song. I own this story though. : )

danielie here again with another story. : )

This one has actually been on my computer for quite a while; I just didn't post it—but now I will, because I realize it's pretty good and I totally owe you guys something while you wait for IAI Chapter 28. Sorry it's taking so long—there are a whooole heap of kinks to work out of the plot, and I'm having MAJOR writer's block! X.x Hopefully I'll get over it.

So this was inspired by the song Untouched by The Veronicas (my favourite band! They're amazing, check them out!) And I really hope you like it. :) Some Veronicas songs need to go in IAI, too…

Hope you like it!!

(.s.)
I feel so u.n.t.o.u.c.h.e.d
And I want you so much
That I just can't resist you…
It's not enough to say that I miss you
I feel so u.n.t.o.u.c.h.e.d right now;
Need you so much, somehow;
I can't forget you—
I've gone crazy from the moment I met you.
(.s.)

As Sakura sat by the bar, she couldn't help but tap her foot to the sound of the pulsing music.

"On the house from the man in the corner," the bartender said as he slid yet another drink in front of her. Sakura looked up through locks of her short pink hair, fingering the black choker she's chosen to wear with her shocking pink tank top and black skirt.

"You'd think he could take a hint," she rolled her eyes, "this is the third one from him."

The bartender smiled as he dried a shot glass. "Guys do stupid things for pretty girls like you."

She made a face at him as she sipped the margarita—may as well drink it if she had it—and glanced around. The dance floor was overflowing with gyrating girls and guys grinding to the beat. Typical club scene.

Her eyes scanned the place, looking for the man who kept sending her drinks. He caught her looking and leered, a mass of dirty hair falling over one eye. He was wearing torn, fraying jeans and a stained white undershirt peeked from his open sweater. "Ew," Sakura thought.

And it looked like he was taking her glance as an invitation to come over.

"Don't worry, I'll look out for you, girl," the bartender said—right before a crowd of thirsty dancers congregated at the bar, occupying him fully.

"Hi, sugar," the man said as he reached her, eyes on the contents of her shirt.

Oh gosh. This was totally not what she needed right now.

"Hello," Sakura said curtly.

"You're looking pretty hot," he said, giving her the once-over for around the hundredth time. "What's a babe like you doing here by yourself?"

"I'd like to stay by myself, thank you."

"I'm just tryna offer you a good time," he leaned closer, staring at her with greedy eyes. "You get all the drinks I sent you?" Sakura could smell the alcohol on his breath. He was drunk, too. Great.

"Sadly, yes," she said, trying to inject ice into her voice. "But really, I'd rather be alone right now."

"Boyfriend break up with you?" he said, words slurring.

"That's a personal question that I'd rather not—"

"I could take his place," he breathed lustfully as he ran a dry hand down her back slowly. Sakura cringed. "Bet I could do you better than he could…"

An eerily familiar voice came from behind Sakura. "Get off of her."

"Who the fuck're you?" the man belched, and Sakura turned, blinking in disbelief.

Sasuke loomed over her wearing a crisp black shirt and matching pants. His spiky hair was a mess as usual, and he glared at the man with piercing black eyes.

"Who the fuck are you?" he shot the same words back; but it was oh-so-much-more powerful.

The man was speechless, and Sasuke turned to Sakura. "I want to speak with you," he said as he walked away.

Sakura rose wordlessly, feeling entranced by the Uchiha's voice after not hearing it for such a long time. She followed Sasuke to a far corner of the room.

"Why are you here?" was his first question. The trance-like reverie was over; she wanted to bang his head into the wall.

"Why am I here?" she repeated. "I'm here because I have the rest of the night off from the hospital, and Ino said this would be a good place to hang out. But of course, by 'hang out', she meant 'dirty dance with Shikamaru', and I'm stuck doing nothing."

"Why are you dressed like a hooker, then?"

Sakura's face burned. "I'll dress the way I want, Sasuke! I don't need your approval!" He didn't need to know Ino had picked the outfit for her, deeming what she had chosen herself 'completely and totally embarrassing'. Oh no.

"In any case, I'm none of your business," she said. "Why are you here?"

"To save you from potential rapists, apparently."

"I was handling myself fine before you came."

"He was stroking you inappropriately."

"He touched my back. I would have been fine," she glowered. "Why are you really here?"

"As I said before, I want to speak to you."

Sakura folded her arms. "About?"

"Everything."

Sasuke's hair and clothes changed from black to blue, blue to green, green to pink and finally yellow under the quickly-moving strobe lights. Sakura looked into the endlessly dark eyes that had, at one point, made her swoon effortlessly. It looked like Sasuke was serious.

"Go on," she decided to hear him out.

"I want to start dating you again."

The pink-haired girl suddenly felt lightheaded, and she knew it wasn't from the margarita she'd just had. She wondered if she had heard him right. "Huh?"

"You heard me," he said, and she laughed. "After so long, NOW you want to take me seriously? I'm sorry, this ship has sailed."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Sakura—"

"The minute you get defensive is the minute I stop listening to you," she said, green eyes furious. "Do you have any clue how long you were gone? Do you have any idea how I felt?"

Sasuke sighed tiredly as he ran a hand through his hair. "I know it's been an extremely long time, and you probably think I'm the biggest asshole in the world right now."

"Correct," Sakura said scathingly. Sasuke narrowed his eyebrows. "Well, you have every right. But my business with Orochimaru and Itachi is done."

"So you can only come back to me when it's over? I'm not playing second fiddle, Sasuke," she hissed. "I'm not going to be here so you can have me whenever you want to and leave me whenever you don't."

"Those were things I had to do, Sakura," he said. "Please understand that."

"I'm someone you're going to have to do," she said, ignoring his raised eyebrow at her innuendo. "I'm someone you're going to have to understand. And I don't think you do, so maybe it's better this way."

"Better what way?" Sasuke said icily, backing her right into the corner. "Better when you miss me? Better when you have to go to bars like this with Ino as an excuse to try to forget me?"

Sakura flared. "You must think really highly of yourself—"

"Better when I miss you?" Sasuke pressed on, holding her against the wall in a secure grip. "Better when I'm alone regretting every damn thing I've ever done that caused me to be without you?"

His hot, short breaths mingled with hers in the small space between them. Sakura couldn't feel anything anymore. She never heard the din of the banging music. She never registered anyone else in the room but Sasuke.

He leaned in even closer to her. The distance between them was too little and too much at the same time. Sakura was paralyzed.

Sasuke chuckled darkly. "I think it's better like this."

He kissed her, and she felt the fire burn.

She still loved him. She always had, damn it all, and she'd never stop. He was finally, finally here.

She knotted her hands in Sasuke's hair and kissed him fiercely. His hand went down from her cheek to her waist in one fluid motion down her body. "That was stroking me inappropriately," she wanted to say, but she was busy savoring every one his kisses.

She felt the muscles in his arms, his chest, touching him longingly everywhere, and she wanted so much more when he pulled away. "Still think your way is best?" he said breathlessly, holding her tight against him, and she whimpered, wanting the warmth of his mouth on hers again.

He was about to oblige when the same man from before showed up. "Dude, wait your turn," he was still slurring. "This chick's mine, maybe you can pay her for a different night—"

WHAM.

The right hook was from Sakura. "Nice," Sasuke said as the man yelped and clutched his face.

"I can handle myself," she said, turning back to him.

"I'd rather handle you," he whispered hotly in her ear. "Let's go to my place."

"But Ino—"

"—will be fine with Shikamaru. Just call her now."

"Or tomorrow morning," Sakura said suggestively, and Sasuke smirked as he led her through the door.

Reviewwww. Reviews are an author's best friend. :D

(And IAI Chapter 28 will come eventually, promise!) XD