Hey guys!

Hope you're all well... A little question to ask you all... did you see my one-shot called Steps ?

It's a SasuSaku one-shot (obviously) and I wrote it because I fancied a little change. So far the feedback has been good (if not a little limited : ( ) and I'd love to know what you guys thought!

Follow the link above to my profile and you'll see it there! Can't wait to hear what you all think.

As usual, serious respect for the people I'm shouting out below for reviewing the last chapter and their amazing reviews:

LilyVampire: You were my 200th reviewer! Woooop! Thank you so much for making that milestone! : ) Nice to see you picked up on the blonde from before, as for what lay in store and whether she'll actually be part of the story ...well... you'll have to wait and see I'm afraid! (Also kind of because I'm not 100% sure of the future plot yet hehe! ) Ahh thanks so much for your description of Slovenia! It actually sounds like a tiny paradise! Capital of culture? I'd probably love it then, because I'm like you and don't enjoy the whole "let's go get drunk!" as a night out... I enjoy the simpler things of life : ) As ever, I'm in debt for all your reviews and sincerely hope you'll like this chapter! All the best!

iHeartStar: Nice one for taking not of the blonde girl... I kind of wanted to shake things up a little on their date, horrible I know, but at least the whole thing was all wonderful and fine so no drama there! And you've got it, Sakura doesn't actually know anything about Sasuke's past and it's funny how this only just occurred to her. All the drama was keeping her preoccupied! But yeah, Sasuke's past was eventually be addressed soon enough. And wooop Philippines! I have a friend from there : ) she's always dying to go back and visit her family for the holidays and that video was pretty awesome thanks for the link! I'd love to visit there, and may be someday I will! Bring on tropical weather, I love heat! Even humid heat! Anyway, I really want to thank you for all your constant reviews so far, they're really motivating and make me want to keep writing! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter too and hope to hear from you again! : )

Saiyuri Haruno: Heya! Glad to see you're excited... ahh the two things you're excited about are pretty important things and one of them is addressed in this chapter... but the other isn't! It'll be coming your way pretty soon though! : ) Hope you'll like this chapter! I'm a little scared to release it because I know everyone wants things to 'go down' differently...! Anyway, I'm rambling, enjoy and hope to hear from you again!

Raikiri80: ahhh so glad you liked it! I really liked typing it up, although it was a semi-pain to edit for some reason... It's about time those two got some happy times! Interesting view, 'calm before the storm' hadn't thought of it that way : ) Thanks for subscribing to the story! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter and hope to hear from you too!

New Subscribers / Favourites Adding:

XXDragonDemonXX – Thanks for choosing to follow Milton Hill! Hopefully you've enjoyed it all so far and if you get a chance drop a review to tell me what you think! thanks! : )

Katkat024 – Thanks for favourite-ing the story, hopefully you're enjoying it so far and I'd be so grateful if you could drop and review and tell me what you think of it! Thanks again for the favourite!

Here we go ladies and gents...

MILTON HILL CHAPTER 28

As Sakura drove to school with her radio blaring her thoughts were mainly preoccupied with the possible preparations of the midterm blow-out party next week. It was a sort of tradition for houses to have end of term parties and this one was under question because of the possibility of having no venue... and being strapped for cash.

Leaf's budget had been rather tight recently, the Head of School was restricting money flow to all houses purposefully, apparently the priority for Milton Hill right now was to develop and invest in new facilities like a possible extension to the Science department, or upgrading the ageing computers in the IT department.

Sakura wasn't bitter about the cut-backs, just disappointed that she wouldn't be able to top the last Leaf party where they'd hired a huge hall in Pentworth Town with a great deal on food and drinks – strictly non-alcoholic of course. Pentworth was one of those towns that had so much character because it never really moved with the times. The hall wasn't decorated in a totally Victorian manner, but the layout of the entire place was grand. The perfect place for great memories to be made.

She'd never be able to top that end of term blow-out, she knew that, but she wasn't going to quit.

Many houses had dropped out of their blow-out parties and instead opted to roll over an amount for the following blow-out party. It was a nice move, one Sakura had considered doing herself. As things stood, she didn't really want to go for the idea because of the backlash of disappointment from her house-mates. They deserved some sort of reward.

There had to be some sort of compromise.

That was her last thought to do with the blow-out party as she parked her car and gazed forward to Leaf.

It was going to be a tense day.

Exiting her car and heading to her small office she wondered how things would play out. There was no beating around the bush anymore, Kenji had outright overstepped the line and whether she liked it or not there would be consequences.

She didn't really want him to suffer as he undoubtedly would do, but she realised that this wasn't only her call.

It was Sasuke's too.

Because beside the fact that Kenji had gone behind Sasuke's back and made several advances on Sakura, he'd betrayed Sasuke in so many more ways. He lied to his face so many times and with every extra lie the severity of the betrayal only got worse.

She hoped Sasuke would eventually be able to get some closure over this matter and hopefully it wouldn't be over Kenji's dead body. But the more she remembered the night she confessed everything to him the more her heart ached for him. He'd been hurt, badly.

But somewhere deep in her heart, she knew that as much as Sasuke would want to kill Kenji, it wouldn't be that simple. It wasn't easy to see but those two formed such a bond so quickly. Where Naruto and Kenji grew closer over time, Kenji and Sasuke were the kind of buddies who spent a week together and felt like it could have been a year. There was this effortless ease when they sat together, ate together, and oddly enough their competition over her affection may have simply strengthen that bond. Their trust was overwhelming to say the least. Sakura hadn't seen that kind of friendship blossom in... well, she'd never seen friendship bloom like that. It was quiet, subtle and barely visible, but they trusted each other, immensely. Which was why Kenji's actions just didn't fit and why Sasuke was so hurt by this entire situation.

Could he find it in himself to forgive Kenji? Sakura knew he'd expressed some sort of understanding to Kenji's feelings but that was it. Maybe after he 'slept on it' he'd be able to make a judgement call on what to do.

She'd arrived a lot earlier than usual in Leaf, she needed time to gather her thoughts for the busy day ahead. Just because she had the most dramatic love life didn't mean her academic one was going to stop. With a few midterm tests headed her way next week she needed to make sure she was ready to roll.

Peeping into the main senior common room she didn't see a soul.

Not even Sasuke.

She wasn't terribly surprised, it was well over an hour before the school day began but she couldn't help but wonder how pleasant a surprise it would have been if he had been around.

Sighing, her thoughts drifted to the simple but moving date they had last night.

It's a shame the weather isn't cold enough to wear my new hat and gloves.

On the other side of school campus a lone figure stood, leaning against a large willow tree. Its leaves gently swayed with the light breeze that could barely be felt.

With his eyes closed he remembered the reason he was here.

Late last night, at around about midnight he got a text.

Be at Watson Field tomorrow at 7am.

His screen blared at him and strained his eyes as he lay in bed, a large lump had formed in his throat at the prospect of what could happen.

So here he was, waiting and trying hard not to anticipate what could be coming his way. He'd arrived just a little before 7am to scout the field, he really didn't know what he was walking into but a little bit of extra caution never hurt anybody.

The sound of footsteps along the small pedestrian path beside the field caught his attention. He didn't move. He stayed leaning against the tree until this other person walked onto the field too.

Gazing dead ahead of himself his black spiky hair came into view.

"Sasuke."

"Kenji."

He shifted off the tree a little, standing firmly and facing him head on. This entire scenario really surprised him, from the late night text from Sasuke to the location of their meeting. He didn't really know what was going on. He expected some sort reaction from Sasuke after what he did, but calling him out to one of Milton Hill's unkept fields at 7am wasn't it just one day after he found out the truth, was not it.

They simply stood there, staring at each other. His black eyes burned silently with fury, and his chestnut eyes took it all in with a sliver of humility.

Maybe he is trying to give me a chance to apologise?

"Sasuke... about what happened-"

"Shut up."

Frowning a little Kenji stopped talking.

Sasuke took a step towards him, he was struggling to find what to say to Kenji. He'd been thinking about this meeting all night after his date with Sakura and came up with countless different ways things could play out. He didn't like any of them. Even in his craziest of ideas of killing Kenji he still found no solace.

Screw it... I'm going to wing it.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

Kenji chuckled in his mind, you never were good with words Sasuke.

Looking to the field of greenery around him he waited before he replied.

"I don't really know how to explain to you what happened Sasuke but I... all I can say is that I lost my better judgement and my feelings for Saku- ... for her clouded my mind."

He didn't want to say her name, he felt like it could make explaining things easier. He knew Sasuke was generally a protective person of things he valued, keeping a lot to himself. This would undoubtedly include his girlfriend and if mentioning her name could set him off then Kenji would avoid saying it.

"And the lies?"

He now looked to Sasuke, but only for the briefest of moments before shifting his gaze to the grass beneath their feet. Kenji drew a breathe in, trying to find what to say but his mouth simply hung loose.

"All of those days we hung out, everyday, you just lied. On the coach to our hockey match, again, you lied. Effortlessly."

"It wasn't... I don't..."

Funny how now all of his words escaped him.

"What, Kenji? Explain, because I'm having trouble understanding!" His voice had risen slightly, not terribly high. He was trying so hard to keep himself in control. He didn't know why he was showing restraint, maybe it was the exhaustion of the last fight he had, with Sakura, or maybe... maybe it was because he subconsciously didn't want an all out fight with his ex-best friend.

"I lost myself Sasuke! Lost myself completely to my emotions! I never meant to hurt you or Sakura!"

If only Kenji knew that he was right about something. Hearing Sakura's name fall from his lips really did make Sasuke that much angrier.

"But I swear to you, if I could go back, if I could change things, I would!... I know it's a lame excuse, a pitiful reply but it is how I really feel!"

"You're right. It is a pitiful excuse... and as for your 'intentions'... you never meant to hurt Sakura or me? Well then why the hell did you kiss her so many times behind my back and then have the audacity to lie to my face every day there after?"

So much for staying in control.

Kenji grasped his head with one hand, the other tried to gesture something, but nothing came from it.

"Sasuke... I love her... and it blinded me..."

"Shut up! What do you know about love? Huh?"

"I know that it makes you do the craziest of things... like betraying one of your best friends..." Kenji's voice was close to a whisper now. The shame and guilt of everything that had happened was weighing on him, and suddenly, he didn't feel like fighting. He wanted the hurtful comments, the glares and all of Sasuke's anger. He deserved it.

Sasuke wanted so badly to shout back at him that he was wrong. That his actions had nothing to do with the fact that he was blinded by love, that every single mistake he made was all his fault.

But he couldn't.

Like he'd admitted to Sakura in their heated argument, he knew that when he stepped on the scene of Milton Hill something had already blossomed between Sakura and Kenji. It pained him to think about it but the truth was that this wasn't entirely his fault.

It was everyone's fault.

It was Sakura's fault for being unable to decipher her feelings for Sasuke sooner, for lieing to him and protecting Kenji.

It was Kenji's fault for going behind his back, making moves on his girlfriend... for loving her.

It was Sasuke's fault for coming imbetween what was already there, for being a late arrival at Milton Hill... for loving her too.

Singled out, none of these 'faults' were good enough to warrant hatred, but all together they'd manage to create the biggest disaster they'd seen in their short lifetimes.

"Love does mess with your head... I know..." Sasuke was trying to pull it together, to find some kind of end to this, "...but it doesn't make you do anything Kenji... that is all down to you. And what you did was act like a complete dick."

"I know... I just hope you can understand... even a little bit"

"Your actions? No. I never will. All I 'understand' is your feelings for her. But take this only as a threat..."

He'd stepped forward now, standing dead ahead of Kenji with the most sinister aura Kenji had ever seen as he continued, "...Get over her, or else..."

Kenji probably would never know what possessed him to reply and he suspected he'd be lying on his death-bed with this same perplexing thought as to why he replied as he did, "And if I don't?"

A swift and hard fist to his gut answered his question.

"Arrrghhh!" Kenji collapsed to his knees coughing and clutching his stomach.

"If you don't, then things are going to get real messy Kenji."

Kenji wheezed out, "Got it..."

Coughing some more he'd finally managed to catch his breath, "Lower cut punch to the gut? What was my face not as inviting?"

"No. It was definitely was more inviting, it's just that if I punched your face I'd undoubtedly break something and Sakura would be annoyed."

Crouching down in front of Kenji on the floor he continued, "...but by going for your gut I get to hurt you and spare Sakura more drama."

"...arrghhh... aren't you Mr. Considerate."

"I try."

Falling back on to his butt Kenji continued to clutch his gut. He definitely wouldn't tell Sakura. He had his pride as a man too.

Sasuke stood up and watched as he writhed in pain, one eye squinted shut and his chestnut hair now a mess.

"Clean yourself up before registration in Leaf."

He turned and began walking away.

"Sasuke.", Kenji had shifted and now rest on both of his knees. With no second thought he threw both arms to the floor and pressed his forehead against the field.

"I'm...I'm so sorry..."

His last words were so quiet Sasuke almost didn't hear him. Sasuke had paused and gave the smallest of glances to Kenji behind him before setting off once more.

I know you are... you idiot, but that doesn't mean I forgive you...yet

In that one glance Sasuke thought he saw a tear fall down Kenji's cheek, but he purposefully didn't look long enough to figure out if he was right. If he was crying then so be it. He'd been instrumental in this mess and he deserved to feel shameful.

At least he'd manage to get a punch in, that certainly relieved a lot of pent up anger.

Kenji didn't realise it, but as his crouched their crying...he was smiling. He knew Sasuke hadn't forgiven him yet, but he was the kind of guy to really appreciate both sides of an argument. That's what made him as amazing as he was.

That's what made him the better choice for Sakura...

"Ahhh... shit..." Collapsing back to the floor Kenji cradled his head in his hands as he came to terms with his utter defeat and why in the grand scheme of things, this may be better for all of them.

He found her in her office, typing away at her laptop and shuffling through some papers.

Throwing his bag beside hers he collapsed on her small sofa and she instantly joined him at his side for the usual morning pleasantries and kisses.

As she ran her hand over his fist he flinched.

"Sasuke, are you hurt?"

"Che, no."

Kenji that bastard... he had a harder gut than I anticipated.

X – x – x – x – x – x – x – x – x

Did that play out as you thought?

It didn't for me, even thought I know these characters like the back of my hand haha!

Review please! Let me know what you are thinking!

Just before I leave, I want to point out that sometimes when all you want to do is scream, shout and pummel something six-inches away from death... you just don't. It's a mysterious phenomena... and Sasuke has just experienced it. Have you?

Don't forget to check out my SasuSaku One-Shot called Steps if you haven't done already, I think you'll enjoy it. If you like it enough, review and I'll consider doing another one-shot : )

Thank you

M