Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

She sat on the edge of the porch, cup in her hands, staring at her reflection in the green tea.

It was the first day wearing her new clothes. They had been specially made in Konoha and shipped to the town that she was temporarily staying at. The breeze was cool that day so she had to wear a jacket, but there was a weight to them that had nothing to do with the fabric.

There was more baggage on her shoulders now. From what she heard from gossip in Konoha, Uchiha wives had always been seen and spoke softly. They stayed home and kept house, raised children, and hosted gatherings. Their gardens were always perfect and they had been pillars of society.

She had heard stories about Mikoto Uchiha, the famed matriarch of the Uchiha family and Sasuke's mother. She had been graceful, intelligent, and basically...perfect. She had been the perfect wife.

Sakura frowned for a second. She was none of those things.

She was a tomboy at best. She could punch a train. She kept things clean, but if she worked in the house all day she would lose her marbles. She wanted kids someday, but she was all about getting out there and seeing the world. She wasn't going to stay home.

She wouldn't speak softly. People would both see and hear her.

Gardening had never been her thing. She could have a window box and grow herbs to cook or for home medicine.

That was it.

She was so much the opposite of an Uchiha wife it wasn't funny.

Sakura felt the print on the back of her clothes burn her back. She felt like someone was watching her - judging her like it was some sort of test. It was the same scarlet color, the same white capri pants. Almost everything was the same before the wedding...except one.

"What's with you? You look like your puppy died."

Karin had become an odd companion for the last couple weeks. It was obvious that Sasuke had made some strange allies in his years away from Konoha, but they weren't entirely bad people. There were some elements of 'you don't ask, we tell no lies' that she had to get past, but for the most part Sakura appreciated Karin's straight-forward attitude.

"Sasuke and I are getting dispatched on a mission. Normally, they wouldn't ask but they need a trump card."

"That sounds like fun. I'm getting stuck here alone in a cave of stinky men."

Sakura laughed, "I'll come back and visit."

"You'd better, or I'll kick your ass bitch."

Sakura laughed and took a sip of tea.

"You wanna tell me why you're wearing a jacket over your fancy new duds?"

Sakura looked away and hunched her shoulders. She set the tea down and rubbed her fingers on the hem of her new tunic. "I-I think that maybe this was a mistake."

"What part? The getting married part? Your clothes part?"

"I don't think he felt obligated - Sasuke only does things he wants. But..." Sakura pushed her hair behind her ear, "I think if life had been different, if the Uchiha Clan hadn't been annihilated, I'm not sure that this would have happened. I'm not suited to be the wife of someone who..."

"Who what?"

"The Uchiha Clan was one of the wealthiest, oldest clans in Konoha. They were powerful. They were the top. Just because Sasuke is the only left, that doesn't necessarily change," Sakura looked away, "I don't think they would have allowed it. For me to marry him. They would have married him to someone of equal rank. Some wealthy, well-connected lady."

There was silence.

"I'm not good enough for this. I'm...In the face of everything that I just did, I don't think that-"

"That's bullshit."

Sakura gaped at her friend.

Karin grumbled, "You can destroy whatever you want, whomever you want, whenever you feel like it. Sasuke may have all those things but he also has a pile of crap he made out of his own life...you are different. You are someone who is able to stand in the shadow and not give two shits about the toxic waste around you. That's why Sasuke brings you to this place. You can be in Orochimaru's horrid cave and not care that you're talking to a bunch of criminals."

She looked away, "Karin, you're a good person."

"Phfft, I am not. You know that. I would cut someone's throat if I had too." Karin folded her arms, "You're the one who is too good. You're too good for this hole and you're too good for Sasuke. He may be some rich boy but you are a goddess."

Sakura looked at the ground and scowled.

"Hold you're head high, girlie," Karin patted her shoulder, "He'll never be half of what you are. Don't forget it."

"Sakura?" Sasuke emerged from the cave, "It's time to go."

Sakura smiled at Karin, and woman who had been a stranger a few weeks ago embraced Sakura like she was a lifeline. Ino would always be Sakura's best friend, but if she had ever had a sister she suspected that Karin was like that.

These weird, dubious people were Sasuke's new family. When you married someone you took on their family, their past, and everything about them.

She would do exactly what Karin said.

Hold her head high.

"You'd better come back and visit, bitch!" Karin yelled from the entrance of Orochimaru's compound. Jugo and Suigetsu stood beside her as she waved, all three of them looking strangely sad as Sasuke left.

She figured that if Karin considered her a goddess, she would do the right thing and protect the man they considered to be their family.

"Why did she call you that? That's not very nice," Sasuke mumbled. "I'll have a word with her next time."

"Don't worry about it, it's just the way girls' sometimes talk to each other when they're friends." Sakura slipped off her jacket and tied it around my waist. "It's nice out today. I don't even need a jacket."

She rolled up the jacket and shoved it in her bag. Sakura figured she would do exactly as Karin said.

Hold her head high like the goddess she was and be proud of the Uchiha fan on her back.