haha. I have been out of this a little too long, as you can see, I'm having some issues writing in third person and not first. I blame it on the fact that that's the way I wanted it to originally be, but things change. xP

One last thing before I get this started. To zayedkhan929, your right, I wanted to go in that direction with some type of epic battle, but the plot has altered itself over the course of the 8 months I went AWOL. lol. Sorry about that. But I do want to write a Fic with some battle scenes, but that's a tale for another time.

For this Fic, its just about the progression of SasuSaku love.

On to the chappie! Happy reading, and thanks for the reviews. :)

The morning was still covered in semi-darkness when Sasuke woke up the next morning; dawn wasn't the far away. He threw his legs over the edge of the bed and on to the floor. Still sitting he turned to look at Sakura's sleeping form. That is, if she was there for him to see. Her side of the bed was neatly made, and her night gown thrown over the chair next to her side table. He paused.

He could sense her in the house, downstairs. She wasn't alone.

Sasuke still wasn't completely convinced of Naruto's reasons for appearing. What he did know was that Sakura was not in danger from him. He dressed slowly, thinking.

Sakura never woke this early in the morning. Sasuke felt his stomach clench uncomfortably. For the Dobe.

He made his way downstairs, towards the sounds of knives and forks clinking, and laughter.

"Of course Ino still wants to see you. No one really knew for certain where you had gone, but I assumed something with the Teme had happened and you-"

"Good Morning Sasuke-sama." Sakura had risen from her chair, cutting Naruto short. She inclined her head slightly in respectful greeting.

"Hn." Sasuke passed her and busied himself with getting himself something to drink.

The kitchen had gone silent. Sakura's laughs had died off when he entered. Naruto ate silently.

With a sudden fierce realization, Sasuke stormed from the room.

When he reached his study, he paused before shutting the door. The laughter had changed to suppressed giggles.

Then the door slammed shut behind him.

xXx

Hours and hours he spent in his study, thinking through this new situation. Naruto was here in his house, while the whole of Sound was sending message after message questioning the Leaf Hokage's intentions here in their city. How to smooth this over, he didn't know how. The only thing he could think to do was to let Naruto know. By him staying here, he only jepordized Sasuke's standing in this city as the leader, and Sakura's acceptance as one of them. He had to let him know.

Either way, it wouldn't be to bad to get the Dobe out of here. He only seemed to make Sasuke's teeth grind together and want to put a Kunai to his blond headed, ex-teamates neck.

xXx

"Naruto, I'm serious. You are disrupting the peace of my country. I can't allow it."

Sakura was standing besides Sasuke, facing Naruto with a sad expression on her face. "Isn't there anyway-" She began.

"Sakura if there was, I would have done it already." Sasuke growled. Well, that wasn't entirely right. Sasuke was glad to be rid of him.

Naruto stared. Despite Sasuke's attitude on the matter, he understood. He wasn't lying. Connections between Nations that weren't forged through war was a hard concept to grasp among the people of Sound.

"I understand Teme. I'll make my journey home in the morning." He turned to Sakura. "And with your permission, I'd like to let everyone know what became of you. Your sudden leave was a shock to the entire village."

"Of course."

"I'll be up to see you off in the morning Naruto. I doubt the attack on the Leaf villages leader would go undisputed." Sasuke smirked.

Naruto smiled. He held out his hand for Sasuke to take.

He looked at it a moment, contemplating his options. In the end, he grasped his hand. "In the morning, then." With that he turned, retreating to his and Sakura's bedroom.

"I'll be there in a minute." He heard Sakura say. He lifted his hand in acknowledgment. That's when he heard it.

"You don't have to stay here, Sakura."

Sasuke paused, listening intently to what Naruto was saying.

"We could leave before the break of dawn, Hinata would be more that happy to make room for you in our home. We can protect you from him, from this place. You know that."

Sakura answered calmly. "I know. But, I can't. I'm not scared of him coming after me, or him being angry. I just don't think I can.." She took a deep breath. "I do still love him. No matter how long, no matter the situation, I can't get over what I'm feeling. I don't think I ever will."

"But you'll forget him, once your back home."

"That's it, this is my home now. Over the past few years, this place seems to accept me more willingly, HE seems to accpet me. I only see it in the smallest doses, but its still there." She smiled. "And I didn't forget about him in those 3 years he was gone. What makes you think I could forget years of marriage with him?"

There was a long pause. "If you ever change you mind, we will always take you back."

"I know that. And I truly do appreciate it." As they bade eachother goodnight, Sasuke walked into the room, where he sat on the bed and waited out the seconds before Sakura entered through that door.

xXx

The lights were off. She couldn't see a thing. She assumed Sasuke was asleep. But as her eyes became accustomed to the darkness, she made out his silhouette on the bed.

"Sasuke?"

The sound of the door shutting behind her and click of the clock startled her. She blinked. He was no longer on the bed.

Strong arms rested on her hips, and she felt his breath on her neck. Her hair stood on end.

"Sakura." He sounded out of breath. He turned her around and his lips found hers.

It was gentle, yet she sensed the need behind it, the desperation. He wasn't groping her, forcing her, or pushing her in anyway. Almost as if he was asking for permission. When she didn't push him away, or show any signs of rejection, he took a step closer.

In that moment, Sakura realized she didn't have to hear him say it every moment of everyday. That every time he didn't say it, it made the next time even sweeter. I love you.

It was said through every kiss, every touch. She knew he couldn't be what she wanted, but she accepted him the way he was.

Through broken bonds, new ones are created.

She placed her hand on the back of his neck, pressing her lips harder to his. Taking her sign, he picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried her to the bed, never breaking the kiss.

xXx

Sakura was alone in bed when she woke up the next morning. Not surprised, she sat up in bed and last nights events hit her like a cement truck. She jumped out of bed, grabbed her robes, and all but sprinted into the kitchen.

When she walked through the archway into the dining room, she saw Sasuke sitting at the table, a cup of steaming tea in his hand. His eyes were closed as if lost in thought. When she approached, he cracked open an eye.

"Good morning, Saskue-sama." He stood.

Kissing her on the forehead, he spoke. "Morning, Sakura-chan."

Her breath caught in her throat. But Sasuke continued.

"It seems that Naruto has gone." Sakura looked up at his face. "I can't sense him anywhere withing a 10 mile radius. I assume he has gone back."

Sakura's smile faded, only slightly. She would miss him.

Sasuke placed his tea on the table, and took Sakura's hand. "Would you like to take a..walk with me?" He sounded stiff and awkward, but Sakura sensed the sincerity of it. He needed practice, and she'd wait it out.

xXx

Naruto sat in his office, facing the city. He had been there a while, last in thought. A piece of paper rested on the table.

Hinata entered. "Naruto-kun? Are you..alright?"

He turned to her, a smile on his face. "Read it." He indicated to the note on the table.

She picked it up, eyes drifing across the paper quickly. She looked up.

"The announcement of a child?"

"Read on."

She looked back down at the paper. Her mouth dropped open in an 'o' of suprise.

"And Uchiha prodigy?"

There was silence between them. Then Naruto spoke.

"Finally."

Okay, I hope you like. Finally finished. Time to work on the other stories!

A/N: I'm thinking of adding a short epilogue to this story in a few days..weeks..months. You know how this ends. :P

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