The next morning Sasuke managed to lift his head, Sakura stared down gently at him.

"What happened?" he asked weakly, his head hurt, his eyes burned and his stomach felt

awful. "You came home drunk and sick, I cleaned you up. You should get some rest."

Sasuke wanted to get up but his body felt heavy, pushing himself up off Sakura he tried

to stand, "I have to tend to the chores" his world whirled around him causing him to

stagger backward, triggering his stomach to release, he groaned and heaved all over the

floor again. Sakura steadied him, "Your in no condition to do anything accept get into

bed, rest and recover, I'll tend to the chores and make you some hot tea" She pulled down

the bed covers and helped him in, Sasuke sank back into the mattress. Sakura put a pillow

behind his head and picked up the knitted quilt putting that on him as well. "You have a

fever" She mused feeling his head, all he could do was nod. Sakura went into the kitchen

and got a wet rag, coming back into the bedroom she put it across his head, kneeling on

the floor she cleaned up the mess he had once again made and went outside to do the

chores. Coming back in hours later Sakura went into the kitchen and fixed some more

sorrow, but this time she laced the soup with vegetables and other herbs, going into

Sasuke's room she sat down beside him, "Sit up" she moved him up, he stared at her in a

delirious state, slowly and patiently she spoon fed him every bit of the soup hoping this

would make him grow stronger. Sakura did this three times a day as well as the chores, it

kept her busy and exhausted her but she finally felt she was of some use.

As the weeks passed Sasuke grew stronger soon he was able to get up and sit in the

kitchen for short periods of time and enjoy some tea and soup at the table. Sakura sewed

and mended while he was up and about, and each time he got tired and needed more bed

rest Sakura escorted him in the room and made sure he got rest, Sasuke began to feel like

himself again each day he regained more strength soon he was able to assume the chores

again, Sakura was disappointed she loved the extra work but didn't let on to Sasuke, she

was glad he was feeling better and up and about.

One night as Sakura was clearing the dinner dishes Sasuke looked up and her and said,

"we need to talk" oh no Sakura thought have I done something to displease him she

mentally went over everything in her head she was worried now but in a calm level voice

she asked, "Have I done something to displease you?" Sasuke was taken aback, "No it's

nothing like that, nothing like that at all" he drew a breath, "I did a lot of thinking while I

was laying in that bed all those weeks" Sakura was unsure where he was headed with

this. Sasuke stood, "I don't know about you" he said pacing the room, "but I'm not

exactly happy with this marriage I might as well say it." Sakura sucked in a breath, she

felt as if she'd been punched in the gut; coming off her chair she narrowed her eyes,

"What are you going to ship me back now?" She asked, "I'm not good enough" her voice

was rising, "I've done everything to try and please you, short of ripping my dress of and

spreading my legs for your pleasure" she was screaming now, "Your not happy with this

marriage, well I'm sorry that it's such torture, she flung herself in the chair again and bit

her lip, it was the only thing she could do to keep from crying. "And it's not your fault"

Sasuke said, his voice lowered to almost a whisper, Sakura had to strain to hear him, "the

truth is; I've never been a husband before and I don't know how to be one" he let out a

breath, "I need your help Sakura" there was pleading in his voice, he looked pained.

Sakura looked down at her lap, "Your right" he continued, "You have done everything to

please me, and I am grateful." He looked at her, "Sakura what's wrong with us, what are

we doing wrong" he begged, "Why aren't we happy?" Sakura had braced herself for a

fight but she couldn't fight this, all the anger she had before had melted and in its place

was sadness. Tears fell down her face, "I don't know" she whispered hoarsely looking up

at him, she didn't try and stop the tears she didn't fight them, she just let them fall. In two

strides Sasuke was to her, he pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head, soothing

her. It felt good to hold her, "I do love you Sakura, I do, please help me show you" she

cried into his shirt and he let her, "Well make it but I want us to be happy, both of us" he

said quietly into her hair. Once she had no tears left she took in a deep breath. "What do

we do?" she asked. Sasuke looked at her, "I don't pretend to have answers but I think we

need to talk" Talk oh what Sakura had longed to do for so long, not just, 'hi good

morning, how did you sleep, want some coffee and biscuits' but to really talk. Sakura

wiped her eyes, "Where do we start?"

Sasuke shrugged, "There is so much I haven't said, so much I haven't shared" He dared

to go on, "I have longed to talk but I thought you weren't ready to share your past or your

heart" Sakura bit her lip, "I wanted to talk as well, but Ma'am says a man don't like a

chatter"

"Chatter?! Why do you think I got me a wife? So I didn't have to talk to the walls

anymore" Sakura laughed a bit, Sasuke sat down and pulled Sakura down on his knees,

"Then lets talk we can talk all night if we want, let the dishes wait I want to know all

about you" Sakura drew her arms around his neck and stared into his eyes, what she saw

wasn't black but it was love, Sasuke pressed his lips against hers and she smiled, a real

smile for the first time since she came there. She didn't hate him in fact what she felt was

love deep love.