Hi! This is a new fic and this would not be a one-shot, people! The first chapter might be boring but since this is just the start, I'll try to make up for it. If the characters seem to be OOC I am very, very, very sorry…but, honestly, I tried very hard.

If you find it similar to another story… I swear… I don't plagiarize!

Please give it a try!

If you didn't like something…please tell me nicely and I'll change it in no time!

Note: This fic will be approximately 10 chapters. 2 chapters per season…and the first season would be fall…you know…let's end with fall of the next year, ne! I love AUTUMN…

Hope you enjoy this…

I've been to many places…

I've met so may people…

Yet I've never met someone like you…

The cherry blossoms that blooms all throughout the year…

And never wilted by any seasons…

That was you…

The Shattered Pieces

I'll place them back for you…

Chapter 1: Empty

The Uchiha residence was never a happy place since the massacre. And now that Sasuke found the person that would help him restore the clan, he still remained the same old him. He didn't change a bit.

Haruno. Before Sakura was married. She was living her simple life.

Uchiha. This was when she took Sasuke's name as hers.

22. This was her age when she decided to take a full turn towards a new light. Even if it would break her and everyone around her into small pieces…

It all started that first night of fall when a group of wounded ANBU came back to Konoha. Sakura, being the head medic of the Konoha hospital, was always on duty for emergencies. And that day was one of the emergency cases Sakura effortlessly managed.

Sakura was called into the emergency room as long as the ANBU team arrived. She entered the tension-filled room with other medic along.

Sakura attended to a certain dark-haired ANBU and discomfort graced her once peaceful face. It was he, her husband.

"Sasuke," she acknowledged him as she cleaned up his wounds.

The Uchiha watched her but didn't say anything. Something welled up inside him when he didn't see any emotion on her face, no concern at all. But then, as stubborn as he was, he didn't inquire about it.

"What have you gotten yourself into this time?" Sakura said in her soft voice, not really expecting for an answer.

Sakura checked for any deep and life-threatening wound but she found nothing so she asked the nurse to wrap the wounds for her. She was about to leave when Sasuke grabbed her wrist.

"What is it?" Sakura asked coldly.

Sasuke held her for a while and stared at her lifeless green orbs before he decided to let it pass. He noticed those passed days that Sakura was being colder than before. He didn't mind at first but it became more visible as it went on. But he never talked to Sakura about it. Sakura allowed it, allowed them to fall apart ever so slowly.

Sakura walked over to the next patient and all the Uchiha was able to do was watch her from there as the nurse dressed his wounds.

Sakura's patient was none other than the Hyuuga prodigy, Hyuuga Neji.

"Hyuuga-san," Sakura called out softly yet her pale-skinned patient remained still.

She checked on him eagerly and found out he had very high fever because of poison. His wounds were deep and one from his abdomen was deep. Sakura suspected that a poisoned weapon caused it.

Sakura asked for assistance from other medics to drain the poison from Neji's body. Sakura placed her hands few inches above the wound on his abdomen and light started to appear on it. The wound emitted thin, dark green smoke and the wound started to heal a little.

After healing the critical wound that ate up almost an hour, Sakura finally decided that he was safe from danger. She wiped the sweat that had formed on her forehead and heaved out an exhausted sigh.

"Is everyone alright?" Sakura asked her other medics. She received tired nods and it gave her peace of mind.

"Hyuuga-san," she said and a pair of silver eyes gazed at her.

"You'll have to remain here for few days for any side effects of the poison." Sakura said professionally and the Hyuuga prodigy glared at her.

"It's for your own good." Sakura added mockingly and it earned her a fiercer glare.

Sakura shrugged it off and gave her winning smile at him. "Listen to me or you'll regret it if you suddenly feel dizzy and the next thing you know," Sakura stated firmly as she placed her finger over her neck and dragged it roughly on it.

"You are dead." The pink-haired medic said in her annoying tone.

Sakura turned back but she heard Neji mumbled something. "What is it Hyuuga-san?" Sakura asked kindly.

"Woman," the Hyuuga genius started. "You are annoying."

Sakura side-glanced at him and smiled before she left. She felt the heavy gaze of the Hyuuga at her back but she just continued to her destination.

Sakura lost her shine when she married the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan. But then, whenever she had a chance to speak with the proud Hyuuga genius, she tends to feel lighter. She loved annoying the Hyuuga to hell. The pink-haired kunoichi loved the death glare Neji threw whenever she freaks him out. That was her little joy.

She never thought of it as flirting. It was just like a little talk with a close friend, a very close friend.

Sakura approached one of her medics and whispered to her something. The medic nodded and went quickly to the Uchiha.

"Uchiha-san," the medic inquired.

The Uchiha looked at him with his blank eyes. It signaled the petite woman to continue though the medic felt nervous as he stared longer at her.

"Sakura-san asked me to tell you that she can't come home with you tonight. She has to stay since one of our patients is badly injured. That's all." The medic said then she quickly left before Sasuke asked her many questions.

---

Morning sunlight peeked through the hospital windows. Gentle breeze entered the room and touched the pale skin of the Hyuuga prodigy. Everything was peaceful until a certain pink-haired woman woke him from his deep sleep.

"Ohayo, Hyuuga-sama!" Sakura said in her cheery voice.

The silver-eyed ninja gently opened his eyes and jade eyes met his silver ones.

"What do you want, woman?" Neji said in his exhausted voice as he rubbed his eyes gently.

"Wake up, sleepy head!" Sakura said with a big smile on her face.

The Hyuuga found it annoying especially her big, innocent green orbs. He didn't like the feeling he had when the pink-haired kunoichi was close to him. It was like something bad was always going to happen.

"It's early, woman. Go away," He said harshly.

Sakura scowled playfully at him then it was quickly replaced by a sweet smile only the pink-haired woman was capable of giving.

"Ah," Sakura said in a singsong voice then she put her hands on her hips.

"You're so mean." She added and Neji sat up.

"What do you want?" Neji asked, trying to throw the lady out as fast as he could.

"Let me remind you, Hyuuga-san. I am a medic." Sakura said in a firm tone.

"Don't try ordering me around 'cause this place," the candy-haired medic said as she pointed at the floor. "This is my territory." She added then she laughed sarcastically.

"You are one, bothersome woman, you know." Neji commented as he sneered at the crazy-looking woman beside him.

"Bothersome? Who? Me?" Sakura said, playing her favorite innocent act.

"Stop it, you are getting on my nerve." The white-eyed ninja said as he threw his infamous glare at her.

"Nani!" Sakura said in her high-pitch voice.

"Nothing," Neji said in his defeated tone, feeling that any conversation with that woman would never end. He felt tired so early in the morning and that's because of the pink-haired lady who disturbed his sleep. He raised an eyebrow at the beaming woman then he just gazed at the window.

Yes, Hyuuga Neji would never lose to anyone especially to a certain medic; but then, to save himself from losing his dignity, he tried his best to ignore the woman. He thought it was the best thing to do but the pink-haired kunoichi thought otherwise. She loved that defeated aura around the Hyuuga after their small 'friendly' talk.

Sakura turned serious and stared at the coffee hair of the Hyuuga genius. She gave out a false cough to get Neji's attention but it was a failure because the Hyuuga won't look at her direction.

"Well, I am here to check on your condition. You look fine to me so," she said as she ruffled playfully Neji's hair. "I'll be leaving now." She continued with a smiling face.

The irked Hyuuga held her wrist tightly that her skin almost turned white. "Don't touch my hair, woman." He said with intense aggravation in his deep voice then he let go of the thin wrist he was holding.

That tone made the kunoichi shiver. It was the same harsh tone she always received from Sasuke. But then, Sakura knew it was far different from what she usually hears. Neji's tone was different. He may seem to be a cold-hearted bastard, like Sasuke, but there was something in him Sakura thought was special. Something she could learn to watch but could never touch. After all, Neji was untouchable.

"I'm sorry," Sakura said with pseudo- pained face before she left the fuming Hyuuga for the umpteenth time.

"What's with her?" Neji asked himself then he glanced back to the morning sky he always loved to see. A bright new morning, indeed.

---

It was the night when Neji finally left the walls of the cold and infuriating Konoha Hospital. It was a cause for a celebration at the ninja's favorite hangout, Mystique.

Neji along with his ninja went to the bar to celebrate Neji's discharge from the hospital and of course, the successful S-class mission, though they came home wounded.

There they were, drowning themselves with liquor, eating excess food that they could ever take, and talking happily like there's no tomorrow. Except Neji…

Neji was sitting alone by the bar, playing with the small empty glass, which was previously filled with the dark red liquor. He was occupying himself with petty things as he waited for the night to end. The party was for him as well yet he still didn't feel like it. He hadn't found anything amusing in that evening, at all. He was anticipating something that would brighten up his gloomy night but couple of hours had passed and nothing had happened yet.

Suddenly, he heard a woman's voice behind him. He didn't like the sound at all. It was a familiar voice of a woman, specifically a pink-haired woman. He decided then that the night would get longer than it should be.

After a few moments, he found the pink-haired kunoichi sitting on the empty space beside him. He gave out a worn out sight then he rolled his eye to see the lady beside him.

"What?" Neji asked in his accusing tone.

The candy-haired lady slumped over the counter with her head lying on its side. She tried to focus her eyes on the Hyuuga's silver ones but she was dazed by the light from the top of the counter.

"What 'what'?" Sakura asked naively as she closed her eyes gently.

"What are you doing here?" Neji asked further and he saw how the pink brows furrowed deeply.

"Why? I'm not allowed to be here? I don't see any sign that this place is a Hyuuga property." Sakura countered and her face looked peaceful again.

"Not again," Neji murmured to himself but it reached Sakura's ears.

"What? Tired of me as well?" the medic said in her disappointed tone.

"What's with your new antics?" Neji asked, trying to figure out what was happening to the lady who always annoyed him.

"I knew it…you don't like seeing me, too…" Sakura said then her eyes shot open with sadness visible in them.

Neji raised an eyebrow at her but tried not to question her further. It was not like him, right? It was not his business, anyway.

Sakura sat upand called for the bartender. Neji was surprised that the woman ordered for a terribly, hard liquor. When Sakura received the shot glass, she quickly drank it all and left the glass empty.

Sakura turned her seat to the people, back leaning against the counter. She remained silent for a while before a growl escaped her slightly opened lips.

"That Sasuke…" she said furiously.

"What about him?" Neji found himself asking, after all.

"He's a real jerk."

"But you married him." Neji said and he heard a growl from the lady again.

"I was young." Sakura complained.

"You were old enough to decide for yourself back then." Neji uttered in a deep tone as he signaled another order of the same liquor from the bartender.

"But I thought I loved him…" Sakura said sadly.

"It's no excuse. Face it." Neji said when he received the liquor from the flashy bartender.

Sakura glanced at him and scowled. "Are you a friend or not?" Sakura asked curiously.

"Since when are we friends, woman?" Neji shot her back.

Sakura clenched her fists and gazed back at the rowdy people in the dark place. "I consider you as a friend because I feel like I trust you. I don't know if you feel the same."

"I don't." Neji said firmly and shrugged.

"You don't? Honestly, Hyuuga?" Sakura said disbelievingly.

"You heard me, woman."

Silenced lingered between them as Sakura asked for another glass of the hard liquor she ordered before. She sipped a little amount before she placed it over the counter.

"Sasuke," she started feeling a little sorry for her self.

"I married him. Yes, I did. That's when I thought I was deeply in love with him. I thought my feelings for him matured over time. But I was wrong…" she continued and kept her gaze at the dark-eyed shinobi at the other corner of the room, talking to the loud blonde.

Meanwhile, Neji was just staring at the bottles of liquor beyond the counter, finding them more interesting than the beautiful flower beside him.

"Marrying him was the end of my wonderful dream. I found out that my already painful heart was…empty."

Neji glanced at the woman beside him when she stopped talking. But then, he quickly turned his attention back to the bottles in front him.

"That Uchiha compound…I once thought I could make it a happy place. You know…filled with love and lots of laughter…I was wrong. Living there…I won't make any difference…I would just make it lonelier than ever." She added then she took the glass from the counter and sipped small amount again.

"Our relationship," Sakura said like something bitter touched her tongue.

"Our relationship would never be perfect…it was never better, anyway…" she added and a quick, sad smile crossed her face.

She drank the remaining contents of her glass and ordered another one. Her face was slightly flushed but she was still sober. Two shots won't make her intoxicated so easily. She would get drunk when she reached her third, or more, glass of that hard liquor.

"You want to know a secret, Hyuuga?" she said teasingly, dropping the suffix.

The Hyuuga prodigy remained silent and Sakura took it as a yes so she smiled playfully at herself.

"You know why I haven't gotten pregnant, yet?" Sakura said then she chuckled humorlessly.

"I am taking extra protection." She whispered, loud enough for the Hyuuga to hear.

"You know what I mean? You are a genius after all." Sakura said then she drank the liquor with just one shot again. She put the glass on the counter gently then she brushed her soft, pink hair with her fingers.

The silver-eyed man stared disbelievingly at the woman beside him. He never thought of her to be as tricky as she had just showed she was. Curiosity was all over his face and Sakura caught it with her green orbs.

"I got you, Hyuuga-sama, didn't I?" Sakura said then she remained silent again.

"Now you can see how miserable I am." She said then she gave out a sigh.

"I don't want a child who would grow up just how his father did. He's hopeless…"

Sakura ordered another glass of the liquor and Neji was slightly amused that the woman was really good at drinking.

"If I could just turn back the time…my life won't be as broken as this one…" she said depressingly as she took the glass from the bartender.

Neji watched her closely. His full attention was now at the pink-haired woman beside him. He found her more interesting then as the woman spoke of riddles he never thought she was capable of.

"My life…it's like a glass…shattered into small pieces…and if you ever try to put them back…it won't ever be flawless…" Sakura added then she finished her drink just how she had finished the previous one.

Neji was still quiet since he didn't know what to say. He didn't know how to console a woman. He had never done it before.

Sakura's face was all red from all the liquor she had took in. But then, she was still conscious. Yet a part of her was starting to detach itself from reality.

"Ne, Neji-kun," Sakura said with the new name that slipped smoothly off her tongue. Neji eyed her suspiciously but allowed the woman to continue. Neji quickly glanced at the direction of the bottles and allowed him self to be entranced by it again.

Sakura turned her seat towards Neji and the Hyuuga kept his eyes focused on the bottles of liquor again.

Sakura smirked and tugged at Neji's sleeve. Neji raised an eyebrow and glanced at her. He was shocked to see glazed jade eyes gazing at him meaningfully.

"Neji-kun," Sakura said in un-Sakura -like tone. It was a more mature, a more seductive tone.

Neji frowned a bit, but still looked at Sakura seriously.

"Neji…" she said then she kissed his slightly parted lips.

Before Neji could think properly, he found himself kissing her back. It didn't start with a gentle one, it begun with a furious kiss, one trying to dominate the other. It was a passionate and fervent kiss. It was a possessive kiss shared by two people who were not even lovers.

Sakura reached for Neji's neck and pulled him closer to her, their heated bodies touching each other. Her other hand was clutching his vest as tight as she could hold. Neji's right hand was cupping her chin while the other was holding Sakura's hand, which was holding his vest. The kiss they shared became deeper and more possessive.

It was like nobody was around them. Fortunately, the people were too busy celebrating what Neji considered was nonsense. Even Sasuke was in a deep conversation with the blonde blabbermouth.

They parted a little, trying to breathe in some air. The space between them was too small that it might result into a more aggressive touch. Neji stared at the cherry blossom's glassy green eyes and he could not decipher anything from them. Sakura, on the other hand, was lost in a distant memory of her childhood romance.

"Neji…" Sakura whispered at Neji's swollen pale lips.

Neji remained passive, waiting for Sakura's words.

"I always felt lonely…" Sakura said between harsh breaths.

"I regretted everything I've been through…" she continued and still, no word came from Neji.

"Would you help me do something…I would never regret for once?" Sakura pleaded with her sad eyes.

Neji didn't cease from looking straight in her eyes. The answer he was able to give her was a small grunt and he received a small, thankful smile from the miserable, pink-haired woman.

It all started that autumn when she felt a particular feeling for a silver-eyed man…and she was sure that it would destroy many lives…

She would risk everything, even her slowly, annihilating relationship with her husband…

For this one chance…

To feel the happiness she gave up for Sasuke…

Even if it meant unfaithfulness…

If it was the only way for her to be happy…

Then so be it.

End of First Chapter.

Hey! That was my first chapter…long…well…

I know length isn't everything…but please give it a try…

I promise I'll do my best for the next chapter!

For real!

Sorry if there are spelling or grammar mistakes…

Read and Review!