I didn't plan on writing this epilogue but when I came home today to find so many amazing reviews I knew I just had to write this little chapter just to clean up some loose ends.

Epilogue: Freedom

Sasuke looked evenly at Sakura over the tops of his clasped hands. He was leaned forward on his desk, his chin supported by his thumbs, looking at the disheveled kunoichi. She had felt the need to run here straight from training with the Hokage, as soon she had heard that he had returned from his mission, just to tell him this?

"What do expect me to say, Sakura? Are you asking for my blessing?" He said calmly. She looked down and blushed slightly.

"I don't expect anything from you Sasuke. And," She looked up her eyes suddenly filled with the fierce determination that he had always admired in her. "I'm not asking, I telling." He said nothing and merely stared at her for a moment. She sighed and deflated slightly. "Look, I'm sorry it had to happen this way but this was an engagement of convenience and we both know it. I don't understand why you're getting mad at me." Inwardly he smiled at the fact that she could tell he was angry even though he showed no outward signs. Oh well, he thought, no reason not to now.

"I'm not mad at you, Sakura, only at the circumstances: who would have thought that after so long being dense both of you would clue in at the most inopportune moment." He swear he heard her jaw pop as it fell open.

"You knew?" She gasped. He gave her a perfectly crafted 'Are you a complete idiot?' look.

"Both of you think your so sly." He rolled his eyes. "Every ninja in the village knows your feelings for each other. Well, except maybe the dobe." He added with a smirk, he had never dropped the childish insult but it had slowly morphed into a friendly endearment. Her eyes widened in horror and her face turned a bright red color that clashed horribly with her hair.

"But you asked me to marry you, when you knew I loved Kakashi?" She asked incredulously. He shrugged.

"The way things had been going neither of you would ever admit to any feelings for the other. So I thought I might as well take advantage of your seemingly permanent state of denial and marry you myself." He said it matter-of-factly.

"So you're not at angry at me?" She asked cautiously. He shook his head.

"No, although I am rather annoyed that the universe has decided to fuck with me yet again." Her face twisted into a wry smile at that, but she grew serious again.

"And the engagement is off?" He snorted.

"Do I have any choice in the matter? I thought you were telling, not asking." He said with another smirk, but before she could reply he held up his hand. "Don't. The engagement is dissolved, now go celebrate with Kakashi, he's waiting for you." He said with a scowl at the door. She smiled radiantly and ran forward to kiss him lightly on the cheek and thank him for being such a good friend before following his gaze out of the room. As she left he sighed and leaned back in his chair, scowl deepening. Still, he couldn't quite bring himself to regret the events that took place in his absence. After all, that was the first real smile she had given anyone in years.

Sakura closed the door quietly behind her and turned to Kakashi. She had met him on her mad dash through town and he had come with her for moral support, sitting right outside the door through the entire exchange.

"I suppose you listened to all of that?" She asked, still smiling. He shrugged noncommittally but the happiness shining in his eye gave him away. Without thinking she threw herself into his arms and he instantly returned the tight embrace. She squeezed with all her un-chakra-enhanced might, breathing in the smell of pine needles and rain. They had barely touched each other in the four days since the pivitol moment at the hospital, both of them agreeing that it wasn't fair to Sasuke to do so much as hold hands while Sakura was still technically engaged to him. But now they reveled in the simple feeling of holding each other close. They stayed that way for a long time until Sakura pulled away just enough to look him in the eye. She smiled so wide her cheeks ached but she didn't care. "Kakashi. It's over. All the waiting and agonizing, it's all over." And he knew she didn't mean just the past few days. He nodded, and gave her a crooked grin.

"We're finally free," He said. "To do whatever we want."

When Sakura told Ino all she got for a long moment was a blank look. Then in a second she was rolling on the floor laughing, tears streaming down her face, cackling something about 'perfect.' Still, Sakura couldn't help but smile. She had been doing a lot of that recently.

When Kakashi told Jiraiya he merely smiled and made a lewd comment for which he received a solid smack to the back of the head. The Sannin just grinned and after awhile he asked after Kakashi's girlfriend (what was her name again?) and Kakashi had replied that the first thing he had done after his confession at the hospital was break up with her.

Jiraiya asked for her number.

I'm a little worried about how Sasuke turned out but overall I'm really happy with this chapter and this story. And I'd like to thank anyone who put this on their alert list, favorited, or reviewed you guys rock.

It really is the end this time. I swear. Really, it is!

Necessity