Hello to all of you who have stuck this far. I cannot put into words how sorry I am for an ungodly wait. I just had a really dreadful 6 months and for some time I did not even have an inspiration to write one sentence, mostly about love.

BUT, I could not leave this story and so here it is – the final chapter.

I want to thank all of you who have waited for this.

I hope you like it.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Naruto is still Kishimoto's!

Chapter 14: Carpe Diem

Sasuke's POV

I am out of the bedroom window faster than comprehension of the entire situation can dawn on me. All I see is the exploding scarlet rage in front of me and I know that I am going to act on it without a second thought. I am aware how much I fucked up with Sakura and I will spend the rest of my fucking life in regret for my complete idiocy. That is why I accepted Sakura's decision to move past the most fucked up thing in her life without any complaints. But I honestly thought it was a decision based solely on my past mistakes. However, to know that I could have held her to my skin for such a long time and to recognize in precision how much time I lost due to that scumbag when I could have been here, making up to my cherry blossom for every fucking tear she spilled because of me, infuriates me. I am going to kill that dick. He is not surviving this charade.

I stop seemingly after hours, my body begging me for the moment to regain the conscious thought. I know that unless I am fully functional, I will not be able to trace the dickhead's chakra. Looking around, I find myself stuck between a meadow and a forest, the meadow Team Seven used to train on a long time ago. We were all a dysfunctional family back then. Dobe being the knucklehead who understood my moody orphan self than I would ever admit. Sakura being the strange fangirl of mine, the strangeness generating from the unintelligible fact that I could stand to be in her presence. I craved her presence a little. And then there was Kakashi – a self-proclaimed parent to us all. I do not yet understand how the fuck that went in all the ways wrong but the hell if I am not going to find out.

I sense his chakra before I even managed to stop my strides. He is somewhere near. I can tell. True to my instincts, he is crouching on the next rooftop rails, seemingly indifferent. His hold on the rails gives him away. It is a brutal hold, enough to deform them, maybe they have changed their shapes already.

-Kakashi.

-Sasuke.

There is no more need for formalities between us. he was once my sensei, but right now we are equal ANBU level ninjas.

-I understand you are aware of my reasons for coming here? – I ask with my Uchiha copyrighted stoic tone of voice.

If there is one thing I have learned in my trainings as a ninja it is to remain nonchalant before bashing someone's head off.

-I do not understand, unfortunately. The only feeling I have right now is pleased, at seeing you.

Yeah, Kakashi goes by that philosophy too.

-I doubt that.

-Why, pray do tell?

-Because pleased people not accidentally crash the metals with their hold. It is usually the very furious ones trying to get their emotions out who do it.

-Sasuke, your haze concerning anything emotional has finally cleared. Congratulations.

Kakashi's tone is slightly disregarding and it boils my blood even more. I am scorching hot with the pent-up anger. The time to talk is over. There is nothing to converse about.

I take my battle stance and get ready to strike in milliseconds, but Kakashi does not miss a beat either. Being a motherfucker does not make him unskilled in the battle.

-Chidori!

I shout just as he does the hand seals and dodges it.

-Fire Style: Dragon roar! – Kakashi yells, but I am too quick for him

-Water Style: Aqua Oblivate Jutsu!

His face-cover is gone as we continue to throw all we have at each other, trying to erase one another from the face of the earth.

Kunais are thrown at me from different directions, destroying my shadow clones one by one.

My sharringan is activate as the battle gets fiercer. Kakashi does not wait to activate his mangekyou sharringan either. Soon enough not only a piece of the rail is destructed on the rooftop but the whole iron rail is thrown off its rightful place.

I am suddenly taken back to all those years ago, to that day when Naruto and I fought on the hospital rooftop.

I am doing the same now. Fighting my own comrades. But when I was fighting Naruto, he was innocent. We just had the crazy, childish competition. But now... now everything is different. Kakashi tried to mess with the best thing in my life.

And fuck if I will let him continue doing so anymore.

-You bastard! Messing with me and Sakura. So you thought you were just going to mess us up and then have her all to yourself?

I am out of breath with all the activity I am having.

-And you deserve her? You fucked up her entire life Uchiha!

That stings because it is true. Kakashi, however had no business remedying mine and Sakura's lives.

-I know that I fucked up! I know what I did and every moment of every day I am regretting it. You know how it is to live in regret Kakashi, do you not?

I have no idea what causes it but we stop. Bloody and out of breath we stare at each other, sizing up one another's intentions.

-I know how it is Uchiha. I understand too fucking well and the hell I have been through? You fucking deserve it! Sakura needs someone who will care for her more than for their own life.

-And that someone is you?

-I believe so, yes! – Kakashi has the nerve to claim.

-Chidori! – I bellow and maybe it is from my extreme anger that the lightning is extremely precise and purposeful, maybe from skill, but all I know is that it hits Kakashi's stomach, radiating through him.

In the slow motion I see his body fall.

...And everything is pristine blank.

-When will daddy be awake momma?

-Be quiet Lily, he needs to rest.

-Tachi! Stop being a know-it-all!

-Mom! I think he is waking up! – it is Ami's voice. My big girl... missed her so much.

I try to open my eyes as I realize that consciousness has begun to surround me. They are too heavy, so it takes me several tries to coax them open.

There are three pairs of apple-green and a pair of onyx staring at me.

My whole family.

-Daddy, daddy!

It is Lily who reacts first, jumping at me, followed closely by a beaming Ami.

My baby girls are all over me, kissing and hugging, emanating the warmth they have gotten from her beautiful mother.

Itachi is a bit hesitant. His mature attitude never ceases to flabbergast me. Finally, he seems to decide on something and with a determined face he shakes my hand, and then hugs me.

-I missed you Dad. – He murmurs in my ear and then looks around, making sure nobody heard him.

-Mama, is daddy going to come lib with us agwain?

I look up at Sakura, my face probably hopeful and vulnerable.

-Well, if daddy so wishes he may.

Her voice is so soft and full that I am ready to burst out of the hospital bed with happiness.

-Sakura... Thank you.

I repeat the words that are so familiar, but only to our ears.

She takes my hand and for the first time in so long I feel at peace.

-Sakura? – I ask with my voice hesitant.

-Yes Sasuke-kun?

We are at the kitchen, preparing dinner. Well, she is the one preparing, I am mostly watching, because she won't let me touch anything.

"You'll burn the kitchen down Sasuke-kun, the only thing you know to prepare is a tomato sandwich"

Her words, not mine.

-Sakura, what happened to Kakashi?

Sakura freezes for a second, enough for me to notice it, and then goes back to cutting the greens nonchalantly.

I have been hesitating to ask this question, since I do not know if I want to hear an answer, but it has to be asked someday, so why not now?

-Sasuke-kun... that day on the rooftop, I was the one who found you. Kakashi was only half-alive and you were unconscious, but without any prime injuries. I... there was nobody else there and if Kakashi was not aided soon enough then he would die... And Sasuke, I was so mad at him... so mad, but he was our mentor, our sensei and one of Konoha's most valuable ninjas. I could not let him lie there and drain of life...

Sakura trailed off, letting me absorbed the new information. So she healed him.

-You healed him, right?

-Yes Sasuke I did and I am not sorry for it. – she looks determined, fierce and ready to defend herself.

She needn't.

-I am not going to strike you for doing a kind thing Sakura. I was angry at Kakashi as well and at one point I did want him dead, but not right now. As long as he stays away, I am not going to cause him anymore harm. I respect his skills, but he does not get to meddle with my life or, my wife.

-I agree with you there, Mr. Uchiha... –Sakura says in a low, seductive voice.

-You do, huh? – I reply distractedly, focused on her hands which are massaging my biceps and her lips, which are painfully closing in on my view.

I want her so fucking much.

-Momma, is the dwinner weady?

Sakura pulls away just as Lily rounds the corner.

-The dinner will be ready in few minute's time. Why don't you kids go wash your hands meanwhile?

-Okay momma!

Sakura's POV

I get a mini heart attack as I realize that we were almost caught. I feel like a teenager. Sasuke has been nothing but caring, soft man these past days. I have never been so happy.

I hear the doorbell ring, then an excited squeal and then...

-Ohh! I can smell Sakura-chan's cooking!

Naruto.

-Dobe. – Sasuke acknowledges.

-Teme. – Naruto shoots back.

It has become a term of endearment for them. I smile.

Hinata and Naruto both hug me and I feel Sasuke's eyes narrow when Naruto touches me. Leave it to him to be jealous of his happily married, best friend.

Having dinner as a family is nice.

I laugh as Naruto and Sasuke bicker every two minutes.

I sigh with reverence as I feel one of Sasuke's hands make their way to mine and caress my skin softly.

It is a fun night full of love and I have a faith that it is one of the many to come.

At the end of the evening though, I am guiltily pleased to be left alone with my husband. With Naruto and Hinata gone, and kids put to bed the house is completely empty and glaringly full of sexual tension.

Sasuke kisses me with reverence now, with soft abandon. There is no aggressiveness there, or no unbridled lust.

This time it is all the love carved in his every kiss... every touch. His every caress speaks volumes of how he missed me. I answer with reassuring pecks on every inch of his body that the feeling is mutual and that I need him right here, with me...

The euphoria of him moving within me never fades. The motions are soft, but the feelings we share are wild. That is the source of ecstasy – the contradictions clashing with each other.

I reach my peak and fall of the mountain with a tremendous speed. My eyes are burning with the fall and my skin is on liquid fire. Soon enough I can feel him following, his being absorbed in mine, or mine in his... I do not seem to care.

There are cries cutting the air... the cries, some mine, some his – embodying our names and only.

And it fills me.

Your whispers in my skin...

"-Tale as old as time

Song as old as rhyme

Bitter sweet and strange

Finding you can change

Learning you were wrong

It was love all along,

And breathing in the air

Touching of his hair

Becomes the oldest song

Certain as the sun

Rising in the East

Tale as old as time

Song as old as rhyme...

-You're my beauty; I'm your beast... "

The End

Okay,

So comments? Loved it? Hated it?

Leave me a review!

Love,

NotYourGirl 555