Sakura's POV

It was raining today. The sky looked dreadful and ominous.

I sluggishly roamed around the house. Salad left such a mess in the living room. There were dolls, papers, and crayons everywhere. Sometimes I felt more like a maid than a wife and mother, but I loved my daughter. She's precious, even though she doesn't like to listen to me when I say clean up your mess.

After I got a good sense of how much of a mess I need to clean, I retired to the kitchen. Maybe a nice cup of coffee would pep up my mood. I never liked rainy days. They always made me think back to the past, regretting decisions that I've made.

I placed my coffee mug under the spout on the coffee machine. I pressed the little red button, watching the black liquid flow into the mug.

I reminiscence to a time where Naruto dared me to drink plain black coffee as I remained watching the black liquid stream. My lips crinkled recalling the bitter taste of it. The tart flavor of it lingered on my tongue for days.

The coffee machine beeped when the mug was full. I peeked over to the sugar and cream, but I decided to drink it as is. I wanted to embrace the delightful memory that decided to pay me a visit on this rainy day.

I sipped on the coffee savoring the bitter taste making my way back to the living room. I took another glimpse of the mess.

"What a mess…"

I started picking up the dolls tossing them into Salad's toy box.

I stepped on a few of her crayons, breaking them instantly. The bottom of my foot looked like a half way finished rainbow. I brushed off the rest of the crayon residue.

Using my foot, I gently swept the crayons together in a bundle.

I wonder what Naruto was doing. My lips felt warm remembering back to kiss that was exchanged yesterday. I wanted to regret it, but I couldn't. This feeling was so bewildering. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go see him tonight. I know it wasn't going to lead to anything good.

Salad would be home soon. The little bit of the mess that was left; I would let her clean up. I picked up a few more of the dolls.

The front door opened.

"Oi Welcome home, Salad."

There wasn't a response.

I looked up.

My body froze.

"Sasuke…" My eyes fluttered. I didn't believe what I was seeing.

"Hey."

I couldn't believe it. It really was him.

"W-Welcome home, Are you hungry?" I didn't know what to say to him. The few words that did come out of my mouth were slurred and faltered. I placed my coffee mug on a small table.

He walked right passed me carrying a large backpack. I followed behind him. He was in the bedroom opening drawers. All the drawers he opened were the ones that would be containing his stuff, but I moved everything.

"Where are the rest of my things Sakura?" He turned around intensely peering at me.

"I moved them." I spoke weakly. I couldn't even look him in the face without feeling terrified.

"Where are they? I have to go." He continued to rummage through the drawers.

"You just got back. You can't leave now."

"Just tell me where my things are…"

"I'm not going to tell you anything until you talk to me. Where have you been?"

"I don't have time to play these mindless games with you."

"Well then I guess you're not going to find out where the rest of your things are."

Sasuke sighed. "I'm never coming back Sakura."

"What do you mean you're never coming back?!" I didn't know why I was getting so upset about this. I already accepted the fact that it was going to be like this, but hear it come from his mouth… Just hearing it made the feeling feel ten times worse.

"I have more important things I need to handle…" Sasuke paused. "Karin is pregnant. I need to take care of my responsibilities and my family."

"Pregnant…" My heart dropped. He has been fucking around with her. So this is where he's been going. "Why... What about your responsibilities here? What about your family here?"

The front door opened again. I heard the tiny footsteps of Salad echoing towards the bedroom.

"Mom, I'm home." She called out to me.

I was trying to fight back my tears. I was determined to conceal them. I had to be strong for myself and her.

My body was completely frozen in place.

"Welcome home."

"Dad!" She ran up to Sasuke wrapping her arms around his waist. "Where have you been!?" She looked up to him smiling.

Sasuke rubbed her head and looked down at her. "I've been taking care of some business."

"That sucks. Are you going to be staying tonight?"

"I'm afraid not. There's some more stuff I need to handle."

"Awh, really?" She was frowning.

"Yeah, but I need to finish talking to your mother. Go play okay."

"Alright, Dad." She smiled at him once more before walked out of the room. Sasuke closed the door behind her.

"Where's my stuff? I need to go."

"You can't do this…" I stood there in a state of shock feeling betrayed and naïve for thinking Sasuke really cared about us.

"Sakura please… You're making this harder than it needs to be."

"You can't go! We need you here with us! Salad needs you! You don't have to stay for me, just stay for your daughter… I can't keep lying to her Sasuke…" I walked over to him trembling.

I always convinced myself I would be ready for this day, but in reality I wasn't.

"I'm going to ask you one more time. Where is my stuff? You're pissing me off."

"Sasuke please…"

"I'm not about to do this with you Sakura."

Sasuke started to walk towards the bedroom door. I ran towards him grabbing his arm.

"I won't let you go!" I shut my eyes tightly as the tears started flowing. I tugged at his arm trying to keep him from leaving the house.

He was trying to pull away from me, but I wouldn't let him go.

"Let go of me!" Sasuke pulled away from me harshly. He jerked his arm back. His elbow mashed against my face, I stumbled back, and fell. On the way down my shoulder collided into the edge of a dresser. I could feel droplets of blood leaking from my nose.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not coming back." Sasuke opened the door and slammed it behind him. My body jerked in response of the slam.

I feebly got up, wiping my nose with the back of my hand. The blood smudged on my skin.

I didn't hear the front door open up yet.

I followed behind Sasuke.

"Sasuke…"

He didn't even look back at me. He opened the door and stormed out.

I reached out for him and stumbled to my knees.

My body leaned over on its own. My forehead was firmly placed against the floor. I started to hug myself.

"What am I going to do?..." I pathetically mumbled to myself.

"Mommy, are you alright?" I heard the tiny footsteps walking towards me. Her small hands caressed my back.

"I'm fine."

"Daddy just left again. He said he would try to come back soon."

I nodded. I couldn't face her.

She continued caressing me. "It's okay mommy. I get sad when he leaves too, but he'll come back again." She stopped rubbing my back and she started to hug me. It was hard for her wrap her arms around me while I was in this position.

I felt like shit because I couldn't tell her how it really was. I couldn't break her fragile heart.

I reached into my pocket pulling out some money. I slide the money over to the side of me.

"Take this and go buy yourself something nice, okay?"

"Mom?"

"Just do it, okay!" I tried not to raise my voice with her.

"Alright." She picked up the money and walked out.

When she walked out, I started to cry once more.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…" I picked myself up, walking back in the bedroom. I closed the door behind me as I thrown myself on the bed.

Naruto's POV

I was sitting around waiting for Sakura. It was already 11:30 and she was nowhere in sight.

"Where could she be?" I was starting to get worried or maybe she didn't want to see me.

I decided to stop by her place to make sure everything was alright.

I made my way over to Sakura's house. I was hoping she wouldn't be pissed at me. I took the cast off my arm. My arm was feeling better, so I didn't think it was serving much of a purpose now.

It was raining all day today, but now it's only a light drizzle. I didn't bother grabbing an umbrella before I left.

Sakura's house wasn't much of a distance away from the office.

When I got in front of her house, I peered at some of the windows. There were a few lights on. She was home.

Knocking on the door, I waited for an answer.

"Who is it?" A small voice feminine voice responded from the other side."

"It's Naruto."

"The hokage?"

"Yeah, that Naruto."

The door opened and the child glanced at me.

"How can I help you ?"

"Is your mother home?"

"Yeah, she up in room. Do you want me to get her for you?"

"Yes please. Is it alright if I come in?"

"Of course." She opened up the door a little wider, so I could slip through.

The inside of Sakura's house was set up nicely. Everything looked so put together.

Salad walked away from me to retrieve her mother. While she was gone, I continued to browse around the house. It was really lovely. There was a frail scent of Sakura's perfume floating in the air.

"Mmm…"

Salad came back.

"My mom told me to you tell you, that she isn't home."

"Oh really now?"

She giggled. "Yup, I think she's still upset about daddy leaving again."

"Leaving again? Sasuke was here?"

"Yeah, he came back for a short while today. Then he left again. After he left mommy has been in her room all day."

"I'm going to go talk to her okay?"

"Her bedroom is that way." Salad pointed in the direction of her room.

As I got closer to her bedroom, the scent of her perfume got stronger.

I opened the door, peeking into her room. It was pitch black in there. The only light that made it in the room was from the hallway's light.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Go away! Leave me alone!"

"Are you okay?" My hand dragged against the wall, feeling around for a light switch.

I felt the little nub of the light switch before I flicked it. When the light came on Sakura covered her face immediately.

I closed the door behind me sitting down on the bed next to her.

"Sasuke returned today?"

She nodded her head. "Why don't you just go away? You're so annoying…"

"Talk to me…"

"There isn't anything to talk about."

"Why are you covering your face? Look at me when I'm talking to you." I wanted to see her face. I couldn't tell what she was thinking if I couldn't see her face.

I leaned over her, wrapping my hands around her wrists. I tugged at them, but she pulled back.

"Come on, Sakura-chan." I yanked away at her hands.

My eyes widened when I got a glimpse of her face. Her cheek was bruised and there was smeared blood on her face.

"What happened?!"

"It's nothing important… Don't worry about it. It's none of your concern."

"What do you mean it's none of my concern? Don't you dare fucking say that too me. Sakura you're hurt."

"I'm fine, Naruto!" Her voice rose.

Gently I wrapped one of my arms around her waist pulling her up. I wanted her to sit straight so I could get a good look at her. When I pulled her up, I see the dark bruise on her shoulder.

"Did he do this to you?"

"I'm fine…"

"I didn't ask you that. Did he do this to you?"

"It's partly my fault." She was looking away from me. "I was holding on to his arm. I was trying to stop him from leaving again. He threw his arm back and it hit me in the face. I stumbled back and hit my shoulder. "

"Come here." I wrapped my other arm around Sakura, pulling her into my lap. "It's okay."

She laid her head against my shoulder.

"He said he's never coming back… The girl he's been messing with, Karin. She's pregnant…"

"Sakura…"

"He said he had to take care of his responsibilities and his family. He said it like Salad and I didn't mean a damn thing to him. I told him he didn't have to stay for me, but just stay for her. He still left. He doesn't care."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I placed a kiss against her forehead.

"I don't even know why I'm so upset over Sasuke. I don't even love him and he doesn't love me. He could have at least stayed for his daughter."

"I know it must be hard."

"You couldn't possibly imagine." She laughed empathically.

"Sakura…"

"Just hold me okay?"

"Alright." I tightened my arms around her.

"Sakura, I love you. I promise I won't ever hurt you again. You can count on me."