Thank you to A.A. for commissioning this, please enjoy the story.

Tough Love

"Really? Are you really just going to walk away like this?" Sakura Uchiha's hands were balled in fists as she glared at her husband of two years, Sasuke Uchiha. Well, more accurately, his strong, masculine back. His solution whenever they fought was always to just stalk away, and to ignore her for several days, if not a week. The silence was so hard to bear and that empty stare in his eyes would just break her heart. Their relationship had been on the rocks for quite some time; it felt like hell on earth. Sakura felt the tears well up in her eyes as she stared defiantly at him.

Her mind flashed back to their wedding day, when she had been so incredibly happy. Now, she wanted nothing more than to get away from him, from their relationship, and from it all. Damn it. She backed up with trembling footsteps as she felt her back hit the wall. She slid down until her rear end was firmly planted on the floor. Sakura's legs curled towards her body as she placed her hands over her eyes.

The tears fell like raindrops as she sobbed. Her mind kept bringing her back to their first date, then their first year, then his proposal, and finally she kept recalling those darned thoughts of him, telling her that he would love her for the rest of her life. He had said those magical words, I do, and she believed him. Sakura cursed herself for being such a dumb girl for believing him. She wondered if Sasuke even felt this pain that she was experiencing.

As Sasuke walked away, he could hear her crying. He slammed the door behind him as he fumed. The first time he had heard her sobbing, he had given in and comforted her. That was ten loud, crazy arguments ago. Now, it hardly even fazed him. He was so incredibly irritated and pissed off that he could hardly breathe. She found so many ways to irritate him and her crying just felt like a desperate play to prey on his sympathies.

And he knew that it was probably true.

Sasuke stalked into the kitchen as he pulled open the door to the refrigerator. Sakura hadn't gone to the supermarket to pick up fresh groceries or anything to eat. Again. Sasuke slammed his fist down onto the counter in anger. His phone rang, the familiar jingle ringing loudly. He didn't want to answer it, but he saw it was one of his friends, Neji. Neji was an accomplished massage therapist, one that was very popular with the citizens of this small town, Leaf. He and his wife, Tenten, had been married for almost two years, very successfully. She ran an acupuncture clinic. Sasuke had met them through Sakura, many years back.

"Hello?" He tried to sound as nice as possible, but it was tough because of how upset he felt. He supressed a sigh that built within his chest.

The quiet voice of Neji filled his ear. "Good evening, Sasuke. You do remember our plans for tonight, right?" They were supposed to have dinner together, the four of them, at the barbeque restaurant. Through all the irritation and the arguments, Sasuke had completely forgotten about it.

Sasuke glanced at the clock. Damn it. He was ten minutes late. "U-uh yeah, Sakura's just got… the flu. So it'll just be me tonight, I guess. Be there in fifteen."

"See you then." Sasuke hung up the phone as he grabbed his jacket. He took a drink of water before taking his keys from the table beside the door. He slammed the door on the way out.

Sakura heard him leave. Her breath quivered as her cheeks flushed with color and heat. Her tears tasted salty. Her heart felt so heavy as she swore it almost fell out of her chest. Where was he going? She wondered before she remembered their dinner plans. Damn. She wondered what excuse he would give them as to why she wasn't there. She laughed lightly as she remembered what a grand time they used to have, making up fake excuses to not go to work and spend the whole day together.

Sakura felt the waves of tears come on once more, but this time, she succumbed to them.

"Hey, sorry about being late." Sasuke spotted Neji and Tenten almost immediately as he stepped through the traditional Japanese styled door. He sat down opposite to them and noticed how her arm was slipped through his and how they were stuck closely together. It was obvious how in love they were.

"No problem. We were just discussing this new thing about marriages. We've already ordered, hope you don't mind."

Tenten smiled warmly as Sasuke shook his head to show that he was fine with it. "What thing about marriage?" He was curious.

Neji chuckled. "A couple of our friends are doing it. It's called an open marriage."

A couple plates of food arrived. The juicy barbequed ribs, roasted to perfection, made Sasuke's mouth water. He began to eat as he motioned for Neji to continue. "Please, continue."

"Basically, a couple no longer becomes exclusive. They can date other people, they can have sex with other people, ect. Some couples even do it exclusively with other couples as a foursome."

Tenten giggled. "Of course, we think it's absolute hogwash. Don't you, Sasuke-kun?"

"Y-Yeah, I guess." But Sasuke was intrigued. Lately, he had been wanting to see other people but Sakura had many connections and friends that could help him advance in his career and in other aspects of life. It was a terrible reason to stay with her, but he knew it was the truth. Plus, the sex wasn't bad. He made up his mind that he would suggest the idea to her as soon as he reached home.

He believed that she would probably agree, because their relationship had been such a disaster lately. It wasn't a bad idea, and was worth a shot. The rest of the evening passed uneventfully. The couple sitting across from Sasuke could sense that something was amiss, but they didn't point it out.

Sasuke headed towards a bar before heading home. By the time he reached the apartment, it was two in the morning and he was completely tired out. Alcohol ran in his veins as he stumbled through the door. He walked towards the living room, when the lights flicked on.

"Where have you been? It's 2AM!" Sakura's shrill voice was laced with worry and concern. She was wearing a plain pink nightgown that made her look frumpy and unattractive. He was upset, and seeing her like this made it worse. She had been so beautiful when they had first fell in love.

Sasuke sighed. "Sit down, Sakura. We need to talk." The look in his eyes scared her, and made her know just how serious he was.

Sakura sat down immediately, the worried look on her face furrowing her brow. "What's wrong?" She was scared he was going to ask for a divorce. A part of her still loved him, and believed that he would change, but even she had to admit that nothing was forever.

"I-I heard about this new concepts for couples. It's called an open marriage." Sasuke watched her face for her reaction.

"Is that where we see other people, but still remain in marriage?" Sakura twiddled with her fingers as she bit her bottom lip nervously. Sasuke nodded in response. "Is that what you want to do?"

Sasuke stared at the floor as he thought it over. If he told her yes, there would be no going back. He knew this very well. Sakura could see the answer clearly in his eyes already but she needed confirmation.

"I think it would be a good idea to try it." Sasuke admitted.

Sakura nodded. "I see…" She mumbled quietly. "If that's what you really want… Can I take some time to think about it?"

Sasuke felt like he owed her at least this much. He could see how much this hurt her, and it probably was the right thing to do. He took a deep breath as he stood up and ran a hand through his spiky black hair. "Take all the time you need. And… I guess I'll sleep on the couch tonight." He went to the kitchen to get a glass of water, not wanting to stay and see her reaction.

"T-thanks." She mumbled uselessly as she stood up. Her legs felt like lead as she dragged herself to the bedroom. She collapsed onto the comfy bed, as she felt the tears fall. She knew that he probably wanted to see other people. She loved him so much, it hurt to see him like this. But she knew that if that was what he wanted, she would eventually give in.

Eventually, Sakura decided that she would consult things over with her best friend, Hinata. And maybe perhaps get some extra information on the internet. But she would do all that stuff tomorrow, when her spirits would hopefully be lifted by a tiny bit.

Sakura fell asleep with tears in her eyes.

In the morning, Sakura awoke alone. Out of pure habit, she felt for Sasuke's body beside her but suddenly she remembered with a pang that he wasn't there. She pulled on her fluffy pink bathrobe as she pushed open the door to the bedroom.

"Sasuke?" She called quietly as she walked into the living room. "Are you there?"

There was no response. She realized that he had probably left already. Her thoughts were confirmed after she searched the apartment. "I guess he's gone." She picked up her cell phone, and dialed Hinata's number as she poured herself a cup of tea.

"Good morning, Sakura. What's up?" Hinata's kind, gentle voice filtered in through the cell phone speaker.

"I need to speak to you about something. It's really urgent." Sakura sounded so worried, Hinata was immediately put on red alert.

"I see. Come on over honey, you know where I live. See you soon."

Sakura took a sip of tea. "I'll be over as soon as possible. Thanks Hina, you're the best." She sighed as she pulled the bathrobe tighter around her body. She decided on taking a nice hot shower before heading to Hinata's house.

An hour later, Sakura nodded quietly on the door of Hinata's house. The door opened within moments, and there stood Hinata. Her dark blue hair had grown out nicely, and her pale eyes looked full of life. "Hey, Hina." Sakura was dressed in a pretty blue dress, with matching white heels. She looked happy, and fun. It was a complete contrast to how she felt.

"You look nice, Sakura-chan. Please, come in." Hinata gestured inside and Sakura followed her in. "Sit anywhere." Sakura sat down onto the clean white sofa as she watched Hinata go into the kitchen. Hinata came back moments later with a teapot and some cups. She poured some of the calming liquid into the nice white cups. "Alright, tell me what's wrong."

Sakura sighed. "It's Sasuke. You know how our marriage has been on the rocks?" Hinata nodded. "He wants an open marriage."

Hinata looked shocked. "I've heard about that!" She exclaimed as she pursed her lips in thought. "So are you going to agree to it?"

Sakura looked uncertain. "Hina, I don't know if I should. What if this just makes things worse? I'm sure he'll leave me for another woman or something… Oh, Hina, I'm just so worried." Her brow furrowed as she mulled her options over.

Now though Hinata wasn't in a relationship, she was still smart about dilemmas and she knew exactly what to do. "Okay, wait just one second." She ran into her room. True to her word, she was back within minutes. She was holding a white laptop in her hands, and she opened it as soon as she sat down. "We can do some internet research." She said brightly.

Sakura shuffled closer to look at the screen. "That's actually a really good idea, Hina. Thanks." For the first time in the past days, Sakura smiled a genuine smile. "I really appreciate this. And this tea is good!"

Hinata laughed lightly. "No problem, hun. Now, here…" Sakura watched as Hinata typed in 'open marriage true accounts'. Tons of search results came up, and Sakura's eyes lit up. Hinata clicked into the first link. It loaded almost instantly.

It was a true account written by a woman named Margaret, recounting her experiences with her husband. And it didn't look good.

My husband and I had problems. He suggested an open marriage and I agreed. I regret that profusely. I thought I could handle it, but when I found him having sex with two other women in our bed, one of them wearing my underwear for Christ's sake, I exploded. We've been divorced for several years now. I now realize he was the love of my life.

Sakura let out a large sigh. "Oh, my god." She cried out as she buried her face in her hands. "My marriage is in the pits. I'm going to be divorced. Oh lord." Her heart started beating incredibly fast as she stared at Hinata in utter surprise.

Hinata was speechless. "Uhm. Perhaps there is another account that is more on the positive side?" She offered as she quickly clicked out of the offensive site and went onto another. This one looked promising.

An open relationship? I say it's a great idea! A couple years back, my husband and I were fighting a lot and I heard about the idea from a friend. I thought it was a fantastic concept and boy, am I glad I did it. I didn't sleep with any men, only went on dates, and I realized that the dating world, hoo boy, it's terrible! My husband came to the same conclusion. He came crying to me, saying how I treated him better than all those other women combined. So I say, open marriage? Fantastic!

Hinata smiled eagerly. "See? It was successful! Who knows? This could be you."

A new hope filled Sakura's heart. "You're right. I'll go home and tell him that I agree. It's going to work out. Yeah. It will." She said this more to herself than to Hinata. God knew she needed the reassurance. "It's going to work out, right?"

"Yes, hun. Don't worry. These things have a habit of working themselves out." Hinata said wisely.

"I suppose you're right, Hina. Now, no more tea. Let's have alcohol!" Sakura's spirits were lifted.

A couple hours later, Sakura left Hinata's place with a new found hope. If it was meant to work out, it would. Sakura finished shopping for groceries on the way home, looking forwards to telling Sasuke what she had decided. "Just tell him you'll do it. It's going to work out. You have got this, Sakura. You're a big girl." She murmured to herself, gathering confidence. She pressed her keys into the lock and turned it, hoping he was home. The familiar smell of home filled her nose.

"I'm home!" She called out as she dropped her bag on the chair. "Sasuke? Are you home?" There was no sound. She hoped he was home. The lights were on in the living room, and after kicking off her shoes, that's where she headed. Sasuke sat there on the sofa, arm draped over the leather upholstery. He looked casual, and for a second, Sakura felt like there was nothing wrong with their marriage, and everything was normal. But it wasn't and they both knew it.

"Hi." He said in a stoic manner. "You're home."

Sakura was so ready to say what she needed to say but all of a sudden, the words wouldn't come to her lips. "I-I'm going to get a glass of water." He nodded as she turned on her heel and sped towards the kitchen. She drank the liquid quickly, hoping it would bring her some kind of relief. By the time Sakura headed back, Sasuke was tapping his foot impatiently.

"So, have you given any thought to my offer?" He said as his cold black eyes stared into hers. There was a time they had warmth contained within but now they seemed to be nothing but ice. He knew what he wanted, and how he was going to get it. Sakura shuddered; she wasn't used to this kind of treatment.

But she kept an open mind. There was hope, according to that woman's story. That could happen in their relationship, right? "Sasuke… Yes, I have. And I've decided to agree to your terms." She nervously bit at her nails. She rubbed her eyes tiredly as she waited for his answer. There was complete silence for several heartbeats.

"Thanks, Sakura. Thanks for understanding my needs. We can work this out." Though he said these words, he felt like he was lying. He could no longer tell if he genuinely felt like he wanted their marriage to work, or if he was just saying these words because it was what he was supposed to.

Sakura seemed to believe him as she smiled nervously. "O-of course. I'm your wife. I'm always here for you. I'll go to bed first." Sakura wasn't sure if Sasuke was going to join her in the bed tonight, but she hoped he would. She was tired of sleeping alone, no matter the cost. Sasuke knew very well how much she needed him and at one in the morning, he climbed into their bed and threw an arm over her body.

She snuggled into him, her heart filled with hope.

In the morning, the birds chirped and the sun shone as Sakura rolled over in bed. Sasuke had already gone to work, leaving her alone again. Sakura worked at a law firm. Sasuke was a graphic designer. He made lots of money, and kept her very comfortable with money. Sakura got up as she hopped into the shower.

Half an hour later, Sakura was dressed in a fancy suit and she looked very beautiful. Her long pink hair was tied in a bun. She wore long black stockings underneath her short skirt, and black pumps adorned her feet. Her classy black briefcase hung at her side. "Sakura, you are beautiful. You're in an open relationship and that is fine. You're going to go on dates with men and they're going to love you. You can do this."

She felt confident as she strutted out of her apartment. She reached her law firm within minutes, looking forward to working. It was Monday, and the office was bustling. Work kept her completely busy until noon; she didn't even have time to think about the recent developments in her marriage. At noon, her boss let her go for an hour long lunch. Sakura sighed as she headed out of her office. She decided to go to a little bistro just around the block.

"Welcome to Sam's Diner!" Sakura smiled as she held up a finger, signalling that she wanted a table for only one. She was shown to a seat and she sat down happily, browsing the menu. It was a quaint little diner, with not many people there. It seemed like the kind of place that would have people as "regulars". She ordered quickly, and sipped her hot tea as she glanced around the room. Her eye caught a blonde man who was already staring at her with interest. She started to become disgusted but she realized that she was now in an open relationship. There was no harm in looking.

Sakura winked as she smiled warmly. Then she turned away, leaving him wanting more. She chuckled quietly to herself, enjoying this new found freedom. But then her eyes caught on her wedding ring, sparkling quietly against the afternoon sun. She took it off as she inspected it carefully, remembering the way Sasuke used to treat her like the only girl in the world.

She was alerted to loud shuffling of footsteps and the sounds of a coffee cup being dropped onto her table. "Is this seat taken?" A large male voice interrupted her thoughts. She looked up to see the blonde man she had been staring at earlier. He spotted her wedding ring and his smiling face changed into one of awkwardness.

"U-um, sorry, I didn't realize you were married. I'll just leave." She realized that she was still holding it.

"Ah, uh," up close, Sakura realized that he was quite an attractive man, and she didn't want him to leave. "no, please, sit." She gestured to the empty seat in front of her.

"Okay." He said with uncertainty as he stumbled into the seat. "So, are you married?" He asked with great curiosity.

Sakura paused before answering. "Yes, but… we're in an open relationship."

The man's eyes lit up in understanding. "Ah! I see. I understand. Well, my name is Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki. And you?" He smiled warmly.

Sakura could feel the hostility she had towards him earlier melt away as she looked into his eyes. "I'm Sakura U-uchiha, formerly Haruno." It was an odd sort of introduction, but she wanted to make sure he knew she had a life outside of her marriage, and that she was a free woman, for now.

"And what is it you do, Sakura?" Their food arrive. It smelled delicious and Sakura picked up a fork and dug in. It was relaxing to be with a man that didn't pressure her to behave perfectly. Naruto didn't seem like the kind of man who was incredibly serious and the kind of man who would blow up at the press of a button.

"I'm a lawyer. And you?"

Naruto smiled sheepishly, a smile that looked perfectly at home on his boyish face. "I'm a chef. Maybe I'll cook for you sometime."

Sakura was beginning to see that Naruto was completely different from Sasuke and that was something she especially liked. Naruto grinned. "So what are your hobbies?" She asked in-between bites of the delicious garlic bread that came with her clam chowder.

"I like adventure. I go bungee jumping, hiking, swimming in lakes, you name it." She could see it too. His arms bulged with muscle and his chest looked well-built underneath his casual t-shirt. It was an odd sight to see, Sakura with her five thousand dollar suit and Naruto with his plain black shirt. "What do you do?"

"I work." She joked as she laughed lightly, placing a hand over her mouth politely as she did. Naruto's smile grew bigger as he watched Sakura smile. He thought she was so incredibly beautiful, and thought her husband a fool for allowing them to have an open relationship. If I had her, I'd never let another man touch her. He thought.

All too soon, lunch was finished and Sakura had to go back to the office. "Well, I had a very nice time with you today, Naruto."

"As did I, Sakura." Naruto smiled. "Would you allow me the pleasure of having your cell number?"

Sakura nodded. "Of course. Here it is." She handed him her business card as she adjusted her briefcase on her shoulder.

"Lunch is on me, alright? No arguments. I'll call you soon."

Sakura stood up. Naruto gave her a goodbye hug and waved before she headed out of the small diner. "Oh, what a lovely afternoon." She said as she walked back to her office. And indeed it had been. Naruto was exciting, fresh and so fun to be with. Sasuke never wanted to do anything except have sex, and watch TV. Sakura suddenly came to a realization of how much she hated the way he acted, and how he treated her.

And then it was back to work.

Meanwhile, as Sakura was working, Sasuke had called in sick that day. He really was out, trolling for women. And Good lord, was there many of them. He did know that he was an attractive man, who was still relatively young. Women of all sorts, young, old, tall, small, came onto him and he loved it.

Not once did Sakura cross his mind. Truth be told, he hadn't expected her to find another man at all and he was comforted by the fact that he could now openly sleep with women and date them. Though he felt the sharp pangs of a failed marriage pierce him, he ignored them. Sasuke was determined not to visit painful memories, though that was exactly what he needed the most.

Two days passed before Sakura received another phone call from Naruto. Things at home were mostly the same, though the arguments had become not as frequent. Sakura thought it was because they both understood the need for space from each other, but the truth was, no matter how hard she tried to deny it, she felt like he just didn't care anymore.

But now, she was finally making peace with it.

Naruto filled her mind and she wondered when he would call. She acted like a young high-school student, hoping that it was him on the other line every time someone called. Her heart was set atwitter at the thought of him. When he finally called, she jumped for joy.

"Hello?" She tried to mask the excitement in her voice and was extremely glad that he couldn't see her through the phone. "You've reached Sakura."

"Hey, Sakura. Hope you've been thinking about me." Naruto was straightforward and childish at times but she loved it. It was definitely a welcome change of pace from Sasuke's 'grown up' and 'serious' personality.

"Maybe I have. Maybe I haven't." Sakura giggled, hoping that Sasuke couldn't hear her. He was in the living room, watching television. It felt so naughty, talking to another man she found attractive while her husband was in the apartment.

Sasuke did hear. He just chose not to acknowledge. A moment of surprise crossed his mind as he thought that she had possibly found a new man, but he quickly pushed that thought from his mind. What she did was no longer of his concern, because of their new marriage agreement. As he decided on this, his phone buzzed. It was one of his new girls, Sasha. And she was waiting for him.

"I'm going out." He called as he grabbed his jacket.

"Have fun." Sakura said as she kissed him on the cheek. "See you tonight?" She was determined to keep up the pretense of a good wife. No matter how much she liked Naruto, Sasuke was the man she was married to and there was no changing that. She still had the memories of their happy days in her mind.

Sasuke closed the door behind him as he hurried to Sasha's place, excited to get there. Sakura returned to the phone, where Naruto awaited. "Who was that?" He murmured curiously.

"That was my husband. He just left for the night and I don't think he's coming back." Sakura opened cupboards absentmindedly.

"Can I… come over?" Naruto was curious to see where she lived. He also knew that he had to set some ground rules about their relationship. He could clearly see she was in a sensitive area at the moment, and he had to tread carefully. He hoped she would agree. He had purposely not called at once, and instead chose the option to send some cute texts to test the waters.

She thought it over. Really, there was no harm. And she knew she had self-control. Sakura promised herself that she wouldn't let things get out of control. "Come on over." She gave him her address. Excitement laced his voice as he promised he'd be right over.

Sakura felt as excited as she had on her first date with Sasuke. It was a feeling she thought she would never feel again and it was addicting. Naruto was a fresh breeze of air that blew through her life just when she needed it the most. She hurried to her closet as she picked out several dresses and lifted them against her body, seeing which one fit her best.

Sakura settled on a little black number that pressed her breasts slightly forward, and accentuated her curves and her perfectly round bottom. She looked good, and she knew it. She only hoped he would feel the same. Sakura dabbled on a bit of light makeup to bring out her eyes, and decided on a cherry red lipstick. Her pink hair swung freely behind her.

Then she heard a knock on the door.

Sakura hurried towards the door and she opened it, her eyes lighting up when she saw Naruto standing there. "Hey." He said with a smile.

"Hello, Naruto." She grinned. "Please, come in." His eyes raked subtly across her body and she nervously wondered to herself if she had overdressed.

"Wow, Sakura." He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "You look beautiful."

She blushed prettily as she lead him into the living room and sat him down. "You look quite handsome yourself…" She murmured quietly. He sat beside her, and made no attempts to touch her. He respected her and her body, and didn't want to make any ungentlemanly advances. He had quite a thoughtful look on his face. "Is something on your mind?" She guessed.

She had hit the nail right on its head. "Actually, yes. You're still married, right?" His clear blue eyes stared right into her bright green ones.

Sakura picked at her fingernails nervously. She wasn't sure if he was going to break off their "relationship" but she knew that she really didn't want him to. It had been so much fun so far. "Y-yes. I am… But—"

Naruto cut in. Truth be told, he liked her too much to break it off. "I've been thinking it over and I've come to the conclusion that in order for this… relationship… to continue any further, we'd have to make an agreement." Sakura didn't say anything. She merely nodded and waited for him to keep talking. "If… our relationship affects your marriage… I think we should break it off."

It was obvious he had been thinking long and hard about this. It wasn't an easy decision for him to make, but in his mind, it was a necessary one. And she realized that she would have to agree. There was a long, pregnant silence. "Yes. I agree. Naruto, I agree."

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. He was terrified that she would reject his idea, and was glad that their relationship could now advance. "Now that that's out of the way… What're you doing all alone at home?" He grinned in a friendly manner.

"My husband left so I'm just here." She shrugged.

Naruto had a thought that Sasuke had left for another woman, but he chose not to share that thought with her. He merely smiled calmly.

The rest of the evening they chatted like old friends, and Sakura found that the more she learned about Naruto, the more she liked him. And he felt the same. There was something magnetic that connected the two.

Halfway through the night, Naruto had even dared to move closer to Sakura, to put his hand on hers in a comforting manner. And finally, when he left, he had kissed her on the cheek tenderly with the promise that he would call. And she believed him. After he left, she lay in bed alone, thinking about what had happened that night. It had been a wonderful night.

Sasuke didn't come home until the wee hours in the morning.

Two days pass. Sakura awoke in the morning with no desire to go to work. Sasuke had already gone to god knows where. She had finished all her cases, and felt that there was no need for her to go this day. So ultimately, she decided that she would call in sick. Sakura was usually a hard worker, and it was true that she wasn't as busy so her bosses let her take sick leave. Just as she hung up, her phone rang again.

The caller ID read Naruto. Excitedly, Sakura answered. "Hello, Naruto?"

"Hey, are you free today?" He asked happily.

"Yep!" She smiled, glad that she had called in sick. "What's on your mind?"

"Let's go somewhere. I'll come pick you up in an hour."

Sakura was confused. "Huh? Go where?" She asked.

"It's a secret. But bring your hiking shoes." He laughed heartily before hanging up.

Sakura had never been hiking or anything of the sort before, and she wondered where Naruto would take her. But she believed that it would be new and exciting. It always was with him that she would experience all these new things that slowly brought more color into her life.

She hummed a light, happy tune as she dressed in a casual manner, preparing for her date. Sasuke only crossed her mind once. She left him a note that let him know that she would probably be back late and that he shouldn't wait up. She was off, to find new adventures!

Naruto arrived just on time. He knocked at the door and she answered it like usual. "Hey!" She was full of life and ready to go. She had on adorable brown boots and though she looked ready to exercise, she still looked beautiful. In his eyes, she was the most gorgeous woman in the world.

"Hey there, beautiful. Come with me." He reached out a hand and grabbed hers, entwining their fingers. She followed him willingly as he led her to his car. They got in it, and he began to drive.

An hour later, they were at the foot of a mountain. "Huh?" Sakura looked completely surprised. "We're going hiking?"

"Yep." He grinned boyishly. "Let's go!"

Sakura had only been hiking once, which explained why she had the boots. But it hadn't something she had really enjoyed the first time, for she had done it with Sasuke and they had argued the whole time up and the whole time down. But this time, it would be different.

Every time Sakura stumbled, Naruto helped her out. When she grew tired, he had a delicious picnic prepared. When she scraped her knee, he had a Band-Aid ready. Sakura felt so happy that she felt her heart would explode. Every time she looked at Naruto, he would smile and fill her with hope and happiness. She was falling in love all over again, and it had only happened within days.

"Sakura…" Naruto looked at her with love-filled eyes. They both knew what they were feeling was real, but none of them wanted to admit it. All she could hear was her heart beating in her ears.

"Hm?" She turned to look at him just as the wind blew her hair and her eyes twinkled.

His heart skipped a beat. "This has been the most wonderful day." They lay on the grass, staring up at the star-filled sky. "And I'm so glad I could spend it with you."

Sakura turned towards him and he did the same. Their eyes locked and a second ticked past. He moved forwards and captured her cheeks with a hand.

He pressed his lips to hers. Her heart stopped.

She didn't pull away.

He wanted more.

Naruto pulled her closer to him as both their eyes remained closed. Their lips never strayed too far from each other as she climbed onto him, straddling him as they kissed. There was a sense of urgency, a sense of need that flowed between the two. They were in a completely secluded area. With a gentle hand, he ran his fingers through her hair, untying her ponytail. With his other hand he squeezed her tender breast softly.

"Oh, Sakura." He murmured quietly as they both felt the beast in his pants stiffen under her body. The slightest touch from her drove him wild.

"Ah…" She moaned as she felt him writhe. He wanted her to moan, to feel pleasure under his fingers. She pulled his pants down urgently, wanting to give him pleasure. He flopped into her hand quickly and she began to stroke him lightly, feeling him tense and stiffen further in her fingers.

He pulled her shorts down, revealing her ready and waiting core. She pressed him into her, oh lord… She relished the feel of someone new inside her, invigorating her, pumping new blood into her veins. She felt like a new born woman, like she had finally become alive. It was like the last months she had spent with Sasuke had left her dead. It was completely mind-blowing.

Naruto represented so much to her. Life. His brow furrowed as he thrusted into her, feeling her walls contract and press down onto him. She was incredibly tight, for Sasuke hadn't touched her for so long. She was so ready for Naruto.

It was over far too soon, as Naruto came within her, filling her body and her heart completely. This moment was perfect. Her body shuddered from the impact of the powerful orgasm. "Naruto…" Her voice was quiet, and he could barely hear her but hearing her voice was enough for him. In such a short time, Sakura had become his world. He had been prepared to detach himself from Sakura's life if it hurt her marriage, but he knew that he had really fallen too deep.

There was just something about her that made him long to run his hands along her smooth body, look into her big bright wondrous eyes that seemed to twinkle and watch her smile as he whispered her name. Yes, Naruto was quite aware that he was falling for her, and falling hard.

Sakura curled up into Naruto's arms, feeling like nothing in the world could spoil this moment. Though she had firmly believed that Sasuke was the one she meant to be with, her thoughts were changing and little by little, she fell more and more under Naruto's spell. Sasuke no longer looked at her with love in his eyes, but Naruto did.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Naruto grinned as he gently squeezed Sakura closer to him.

Sakura felt young again, cuddling under the stars. "They're a secret." She giggled girlishly. "It's getting late, we should head back."

Though Naruto didn't want the evening to end, he knew that she would eventually catch cold if they stayed out here. "Yeah, we probably should."

So they found their way back, climbed into the car, and drove off. The hardest part for Naruto was taking her back to her apartment, where he knew that she would go back into the arms of Sasuke. He was fiercely jealous of that, but there was nothing he could do about it.

When Sakura made her way back to her apartment, she was filled with happiness and a sense of fulfillment. Naruto took care of her every need.

"You're back late." Sasuke's eyes were accusing and cold. "Had fun?" he asked. It didn't even seem like he cared when he asked.

"Yes… I had a wonderful time." She said truthfully.

He didn't ask any further though he let out a huff of angry air. But he knew that he was in no position to judge her. After all, he had Sasha, Lisa, Judith, Mikaela and others… Sasuke tried to block the thoughts from his mind but he still felt rather displeased. But he knew Sakura. She was one who would remain faithful.

Little did he know he was so incredibly wrong.

The days sped by, Naruto texting Sakura every since chance he could, letting her know that she was on his mind. Sasuke was growing increasingly unhappy, for he noticed a huge change had come over his wife. She had previously been willing to give in to his demands to keep him happy but now she behaved like she didn't care at all.

He had taken to purposefully provoking fights just to see what she would do, but she always produced unsatisfactory results. Even when she was upset with him, at least she showed emotion. Now it was nothing. And he couldn't stand it.

Ring ring ring! The phone rang, and god, it always rang. Sasuke muttered uncomfortably as he heard his wife pick up and answer in a cheery voice. "Hello?!" Her voice had a happy quality to it that she never had with him anymore.

She was seldom home and he hated it.

"Sasuke?" He heard her ask.

"Yes?" He replied.

"Is it alright if we have someone join us for dinner in a couple of days?" Her voice was quiet and had none of the excitement that she did with the person on the phone. It didn't make him feel any kind of affection.

He muttered back an answer in a spiteful manner. "Whatever."

Sasuke left for one of his girls an hour later, unable to stand the tension on the apartment any longer. So Sakura took the initiative to invite Naruto over. He sped over, excited to see her.

"Hey, quick, come on in." She opened the door and he stepped inside. As soon as he was inside, he pulled her into his arms. His back hit the door as his lips were on hers in an instant. He grabbed her taut left ass cheek eagerly as he slipped his tongue into her mouth. She giggled as he picked her up, and brought her to the couch.

He explored her body properly, admiring her in the light. He sucked on the crook of her neck tenderly as he took her bra off, throwing it onto the ground. Sakura's top was gone very quickly too, and joined her bra on the floor. "Oh, God, Sakura, why do you do this to me…" He murmured against her skin as he found his way to her panty covered sex, gently rubbing it, sending tremors up her spine.

"Let's take this to the bedroom." She murmured as she sat up, took his hand, and took him to the large bed. Sasuke slept in that bed, but his presence was barely felt now. Naruto was the light of her life. Naruto massaged one of her tender breasts.

The couple fell onto the bed with a poof, the passion between them and undeniable. He didn't hesitate at all as entered her, feeling her tense and accept him into her as she moaned. He needed her with every bone in his body. "Oh, Naruto, yes, Naruto, yes!" Her voice climbed several volumes as he pushed into her, thrusting with his hips.

The both of them didn't notice when the door opened and Sasuke quietly entered the apartment. He wasn't in the mood and Sasha's constant rattling on about her superficial life didn't make it any better. He heard sounds of pleasure, and grunting, and then… Sakura.

"Haah!"

"What the fuck…" Sasuke cursed as he crept to the open bedroom door. He felt disgusted as he watched his wife get completely and utterly taken by another man.

"Am I hurting you?" Sasuke heard Naruto ask.

"No, continue, hah!" She moaned back.

Sasuke realized with a pang that when they had sex, he never asked how she felt. It was always about him. And now it was too late, he was losing her. Sasuke could feel that he was no longer in her mind and it hurt. So he made up his mind.

He left for the nearest bar, to drown his sorrows with as much alcohol he could drink.

For the next couple days leading up to the dinner, Sakura and Naruto's feelings for each other only grew stronger. But none of them confirmed their feelings. Those meaningful three little words were never spoken, but they both knew, as adults, very well what was happening. Sakura was always out, never home to cook for Sasuke anymore. He always came home to an empty house, no food in the refrigerator, no cute notes telling him where she was. And it was no one else's fault but his own.

Sakura hummed happily as she cooked dinner, preparing a special dinner roast for the evening. Naruto was coming over to meet Sasuke. He had wanted to meet the man she was having such relations with, though she had no idea he knew. All she thought Sasuke knew was that Naruto was her friend.

A knock came at the door and Sasuke answered, coming face to face with the taller Naruto.

"Good evening." Naruto greeted politely as he sized Sasuke up. Sasuke wasn't particularily intimidating, and at six foot, Naruto was a great deal taller than the five-foot seven Sasuke. But Sasuke's eyes were cold and Naruto's were warm, and genuine.

"Ah, yes. I'm Sasuke. Sakura's husband." Both men were trying to be nice, but it was hard. Sakura had told Naruto all about how Sasuke had treated so her so cruelly and due to his feelings for her, it was hard for him to not judge Sasuke. But Naruto promised himself that he would be civilized.

Sasuke felt the need to become possessive about Sakura. She was his after all, and Sasuke felt that Naruto had no right to intrude on their personal matters. It didn't even occur to Sasuke how hypocritical he was being, for Sakura had the right to be with another man, because of their open relationship agreement.

Then dinner started.

God, it was incredibly awkward. Sasuke acted moody, childish and possessive of Sakura the entire time. Naruto wasn't sure what to say and Sakura felt so weird and decided that this was a terrible idea. He kept saying the oddest things that made Sakura furious. Sasuke was acting so uncharacteristically. Eventually the awkward chit chat died down into silence and the clinking of utensils against plates.

Sasuke cleared his throat. "Well, I have to go meet someone." He slid back his chair loudly as he threw his towel onto the plate, grabbing his coat and heading out the door. He was going to meet Lisa. Or any other girl. He just couldn't stand it any longer. And Sakura was glad he was leaving. She had to be true to herself and her heart was telling her that Naruto was the one she had to be with.

"I'm so sorry." Sakura apologized immediately after Sasuke left.

Naruto sighed. "It's fine, baby. It'll all be fine…"

And there they were. In front of her, the papers. The papers. Sakura and Sasuke had decided after one final discussion that it was completely over. Though Sasuke had realized what a mistake he had made in their relationship and how utterly terrible he had been to her, it was too late. Sakura was in love with Naruto and there was no ifs, ands or buts about it.

Sasuke had already signed his name on the document and the only thing that was left was for Sakura to sign. Sakura picked up the fountain pen with trembling fingers and she signed her name, for the final time ever, Uchiha Sakura. From now on, she was a free woman. Freed from the emotional chains that had bound her for so long.

It felt so good.

Sasuke shot Sakura one last glance as she handed him the papers. "Good bye." His bags were packed, she was keeping the apartment. "Thanks for the memories." Sasuke picked up the luggage and left. She closed the door behind him as she breathed a sigh.

The past weeks had been tumultuous, and she was so tired. A knock came at her door a few minutes later, and there he was. The light of her life, her Soulmate, Naruto. "Hey darling. Is it done?" She nodded.

"I'm all yours."

Naruto's face transformed into one of utter happiness. He swept her up into his arms as they both collapsed onto the bed. She stared into his clear blue eyes that were full of love for her. She was closing a chapter of her life and starting a new one.

And she couldn't be happier.

I hope you liked it, please review if you did and let me know what you think :)

Cheers,

Serenity.

P.S: Commissions are still OPEN!