I smile as my wife walks in the room, closing my laptop and getting up to follow her into the closet. I settle my hands on her waist and fight down the frown when I feel her flinch. "Are the kids asleep?" I ask as I kiss her neck.

Just like she has for the past few weeks, she slips away, headed for the bathroom. She fixes her makeup and touches up her hair. "Yes." She says shortly, not meeting my eyes. I feel my heart ache as her once expressive green eyes skim around the room, showing nothing. "Listen, can you put the presents under the tree tonight? They're already wrapped, and-"

"Don't leave me tonight." I beg, moving to kiss her. She turns her head and my lips meet her cheek. I fight down the despair that's been building for weeks and try to wrap my arms around her. She instantly pushes me off of her and my eyes start to burn.

"I have to go now." She says quietly. "I have a patient that needs my-"

"What about our family, Sakura?" I interrupt, gripping her hands, praying she'll look up. "What about Kyoshi and Mina? They need their mother back-"

She looks up at me, her eyes shimmering with fury. "Don't you dare." She hisses. "Don't you dare insinuate I'm a bad mother. I-"
I grip her face in my hands. "I wasn't saying that at all!" I say, desperately regretting my choice in words. "What I meant was-"

"I know what you meant." She spits, jerking away from me. Her eyes finally meet mine and I feel like I've been slapped. The loathing seeping from her emerald orbs is like a knife to the chest. "I'm a damned good mother." She pokes me in the chest hard for emphasis and it feels like the knife is being twisted as she backs me up, following me with her vicious looks and vicious words.

With one final glare, she stalks out of the room. "I'll be home before the kids wake up." She growls over her shoulder. "Don't bother waiting for me."

The doors slams and I sink on to the bed, holding my head in my hands. The tears roll freely down my cheeks, but I quickly wipe them away, jumping up and rushing to grab a coat and hat from the closet. I stop in the kid's bedrooms and kiss each on the forehead before running for the garage. Sakura is just leaving and I stay hidden in the shadows as she pulls away.

I jump in the car and turn on my phone. She doesn't realize, but she's forgotten to shut off the gps tracking. Using the find my iPhone app, I've been checking in on where she is. It isn't that I don't trust her… it's just that I worry about her. She's been spending more and more time at the hospital, to the point where Mina has starting asking me why her mommy is never home anymore. She's been so detached and… different. I've chalked it up to seasonal depression since Christmas has never been her favorite holiday, but this is something more.

I follow the marker on the map and with a sinking feeling I watch as the tracker stops moving. She's at Sasuke's again. I think she's been seeking him out to confide in him, since he's one of her closest friends. I was surprised she chose him over Ino to confide in, but then again she's known the man for longer than she's even known me. We actually met because of Sasuke. He was my best friend and college and it was at a football game I met Sakura, dazzling with her curled pink hair and shimmering green eyes. We were married within the year, with our first child on the way.

I pull up along the curb, quickly shutting off my lights. I don't want to spook her after all. I'm hoping that tonight will be the night she'll open up and confess. I just want to know what's wrong so I can help.

As I walk up the driveway, I freeze. I can see Sakura through the living room decorating a christmas tree. She's trying to place the star on top of the tree and I chuckle when she gets that adorable look on her face when she realizes she can't reach.

Sasuke appears and sets down two mugs of a steaming drink before going over to my wife. He takes the star from her hands and easily places it on the top of the evergreen.

My feet are rooted to the ground when she turns to face the man, smiling at him, her lips moving as she says something to the black haired Uchiha. My heart warms at the sight. How long has it been since she smiled at me?

Her arms snake around him and her returns the gesture. I can't bring myself to interrupt just yet. I want her to be as comfortable as possible when I-

Her hands slide from his back to his chest, rubbing up and down slowly. My throat goes dry when hands grip her waist and their foreheads meet as they exchange intimate words as lovers would. I shake my head and blink. I'm being ridiculous! They would never-

I grasp the basketball hoop next to me and turn away just as her dress falls to the ground and their lips meet. I suck in breath after breath, but it feels as if I'm suffocating. I stumble back across the street, needing to get away. I can't- How could- when did-

I slip on the black ice at the bottom of the driveway and don't bother trying to get up. The pain in the back of my head and back are irrelevant as I stare up at the dark sky, suddenly devoid of stars. As the tears leak from my eyes I briefly worry about them freezing, before I realize I don't care. My eyes are finally opened.