Officially married. Feels good to say it. My husband wrote me "Legacy" and when I asked him what he wanted as thanks, he said, ''Sakura x Sasuke'' – I love him, but I never give him what he really wants.

"Technically" this does not interfere with the present or future timeline. This could have really happened. At least it did, in my mind (inner Sakura).

Disclaimer: Nothing.

-=What Should Have Been=-

I know I should be happy for them… and him…but I find it hard when I used to clearly see my own future in his eyes. I guess since those eyes are sharingans, it could have all been an illusion. I must have just been seeing things and deluding myself again. But I could have sworn that there was something. Maybe not love, or even lust, but acceptance.

Did he not see his own future in my hopeful eyes?

He said that he did.

I know that he told me this once before.

I thought we could have had a child together, a little girl to call our own. I have always wanted a daughter more than a son. I bet she would have had black hair like her father and his eyes that swirled with his power. I would have wanted her to be strong like the Uchiha. She probably would have taken her temperament from me, I just know it. All Haruno's are like me. I would have gladly bestowed all of my strength and my chakra control onto her. Our little kunoichi with raven hair and a face like her mother's. I wished I could have met her.

She would have been the heir to the entire Uchiha fortune.

Why did he tell me these things? Why did he lie to me? Was he lying? Did something change…

I wish I knew the answers to my own questions. We started off so well, after everything ended. Our new age of peace permitted most ninjas to prosper and copulate. All around me, my friends were dating, marrying, and giving birth to children of their own. It did not start out that rapidly; we all became jounin first and participated in peace gatherings and escort missions.

This was when my time with him began. We were visiting the Hidden Sand village, as Kakashi-sensei's protective services. He asked Naruto and myself to join him, because he knew that Sasuke would also attend the summit. Our teacher was more than happy to reunite his former team, now that he was Hokage.

Sasuke smiled that day and even now, I can remember his handsome face clearly. He was actually happy to see us all; I remember that he told me this, later that night. Naruto jumped into his arms first and we all laughed, even Sasuke. Kakashi gave us a moment to enjoy the serenity and nostalgia of our reunion, as he read over the detailed report from Sasuke.

None of us were expecting this to be the day that Shikamaru and Temari announced that were solidifying the union of our clans by introducing a new ninja into the world in several months. I was ecstatic for them. We drank in their honor that night. I know that I drank too much, so did Naruto and we were dancing like idiots when Sasuke interrupted us. He asked to dance with me and my heart almost stopped. I will never forget this moment. Naruto looked so sour, but only for a second, then he laughed and headed off to the sidelines.

Sasuke pulled me close as we danced to a slower tune, something that sounded foreign, but still romantic to me. The expecting parents were dancing nearby and Shikamaru's smirk to me made me blush every shade of red that existed. Sasuke told me that he would need to leave again for another district, in order to finish his reconnaissance mission for the Kages.

''I will write to you,'' he promised – and he did.

Every month, I received a brief note from Sasuke. The eagle always vanished upon delivery and I hated that I could never reply but I treasured these notes and read them over and over every day. The first time he ever wrote that he missed me made it clear to me that I would see him soon.

Kakashi announced the next day that to celebrate the first completed year of peace that we would host guests from every nation and organize a festival in everyone's honor. We would mourn the dead a final time and give thanks to the many Kage for establishing and securing this world peace we all experience. I had no idea that Kakashi would name us Saanin. Naruto, Sasuke, and I were honored by receiving the titles of our former mentors.

That night, we drank too much. Every single one of our friends bought us a drink. Even our Hokage contributed towards that night's alcohol consumption. Naruto's cheeks were beat red and shiny, Sasuke's eyes were glossy and he was grinning, and I kept giggling and snorting at everything and nothing at the same time.

I was really too drunk in that moment. I had to pee. I couldn't hold it anymore. I can't exactly remember everything… I was at the bar with Ino and she kept saying shots – and I can't even be too sure…but I remembered seeing Naruto holding Sasuke's hand… under the table.

I finally felt like our best friend was finally opening up to us, but now it seems like I was sadly mistaken.

I never gave this moment much thought though because of what happened next.

Only now…do I realize…

That morning, I woke up, in bed, beside Sasuke; I didn't know that he snored. This was all I could think. Not something like, ''what am I doing here'' – I did not even feel nervous. I remembered everything all of a sudden, and even with my pounding headache, I watched him for several long and happy minutes before his eyes fluttered opened.

That night, we drank too much. That was our excuse. I had left to use the washroom and when I exited, he was standing there… He told me to follow him and I did. We kissed, only briefly… we were far too inebriated to do anything else.

That morning, he instantly kissed me again and I could remember having fallen asleep to the sound of his heartbeat in my ear.

''When I come back next, I want to talk to you about a lot of things…''

Although we did not discuss these matters, I knew that this moment would define us forever.

The only thing he told me that day was simply… ''I can see my future in your eyes.''

The first eagle after his departure left me a flower. The following month, his bird left me a note. I received a necklace once and I still wear it to this day. I knew that inevitably, there would come a time when the notes would stop arriving upon my windowsill. When this happened, Naruto was announced as Hokage. I spoke my concerns to him but he was so preoccupied with his budding relationship with Hinata and his new role as our leader that my inquiries were left unresolved.

A few months passed – Kakashi told me not to worry and that during his vacation across the many lands, he would give Sasuke my note. I had waited half a year, before Kakashi finally sent me a reply. He and Sasuke were in the Land of Snow and would be returning to the village briefly at the end of that month. I also discovered that Naruto received the same message but from Sasuke. When I asked to join him at the rendezvous checkpoint point however, he refused that I accompany him. The Hokage would make this journey alone, he said calmly.

I never listened to Naruto though. I was too stubborn and too excited to see Sasuke. On the last night of August, I followed Naruto at a distance and controlled my chakra perfectly, in order to pursue undetected. After several hours of travel, I watched as Naruto sent his clone to the clearing. Team seven was soon reunited but the men had no idea that I watched them very intently. I was going to wait patiently. A part of me was afraid that Sasuke would not come into the village and only remain on the outskirts. I was surprised when Naruto asked for a minute of privacy with his best friend and Kakashi happily obliged the request. I saw him vanish.

What I also saw next…would also change my life drastically…

I can't even find the right words.

I ran away from that scene, so utterly blinded by my own tears that I never saw Kakashi in front of me, until it was too late, and I stumbled into his arms sobbing.

I don't even remember what he said to me, but he used his teleport jutsu and we were back at the village's gates, hours away from what I saw… and I still did not understand anything that had happened…even now.

I guess the only way to find out…is to talk to Sasuke. But how can I talk to him, when he's never here?

Why did this have to happen?

This isn't how things should have been…

-=EndE=-