Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I have no claim on any of his characters, only the plot of this story.

Trust

by chickypeg

Chapter 10: Tears and Smiles

The fact that Sakura smelled very clean, and refreshing, like the pink flower petals she was so aptly named after, did not escape Kakashi's attention.

Oh, he wasn't deliberately being all perverted. Although Sakura was his student, and almost like family to him, he wasn't ignorant of the fact that she was very much a woman now.

And unfortunately for him, his ever observant ways let him know that by the way Sakura's skin had such a healthy luster, and by the sparkle in her pretty green eyes, his former students did indeed have a bit of a er..'quickie'.

It was disturbing for him to see that red mark on his student's neck, as well as the way her mouth seemed so soft and sensual.

He felt like shuddering in disgust because he knew that it was Sasuke who had made her that way. He sort of felt like a father who knew his daughter just had sex.

And that was plain horrifying.

But, being Kakashi, he easily hid up his feelings and prayed that something would come along and distract him from his thoughts about his students going at it.

"I was half expecting Sakura-chan to pummel me for not telling you guys we were leaving so soon," Naruto remarked as he led everyone down a path through the forest. He had his normal cheerful grin on his face as his blue eyes held that special joyful light of his.

Sasuke, to his left, didn't say anything while Sakura was speaking to Kakashi, so she didn't pick up on his words.

However, Sasuke was quite sure that he was the reason why she wasn't in her 'must-kill-Naruto-mode' now.

Great sex did wonders to a woman's mood it seemed.

After scrambling to get things together, Sakura stepped into the shower to have a leisurely bath. It was here that she tended to spend a lot of time. When the warm water cascaded down her body, cleansing her, she found herself immersed in her thoughts.

There were thankfully two bathrooms in the house which were fully equipped with showers, tubs and toilets so Sasuke could always use the other one if she took too long.

She was aware that he tended to do that sometimes.

She released a heavy sigh and lifted her hands to her neck as she tilted her head back and allowed the water to run along her skin.

She stiffened when she sensed a movement and suddenly, she saw her husband standing in the bathroom, searching through the cabinets, perhaps for some first aid items.

"W-What are you doing in here? I'm showering!" she cried and pulled the shower curtain around her nude figure.

Her husband glanced at her.

"You were taking too long and the door was unlocked."

"B-But-"

"Is it really necessary to cover up like that?" he continued as he cocked an eyebrow at the way she had rolled herself up with her shower curtains.

Slowly his eyebrow lowered and his eyes darkened, "it's not like I haven't seen any of it before," he added softly.

In response, she took the detachable head and sprayed it on her husband.

"Sasuke-kun, you pervert!"

Immediately, she regretted her actions, for standing before her now was a soaked Sasuke Uchiha.

A soaked simmering Sasuke Uchiha.

A soaked, simmering hot Sasuke Uchiha.

His clothes clung to his like a second skin, outlining every ridge of muscle on his lithe body.

That thick, black hair of his fell further down his shoulders with the weight of the water, and strands pressed against his forehead and partially covered his eyes.

Water drops rolled down his skin and slowly, he lifted his face, revealing his red sharingan. Sakura stiffened when she saw it, as his display of his bloodline meant he was not a happy man.

Maybe the Uchiha sensed that he might frighten his wife for his eyes immediately returned to their dark colour.

However, he was still an unhappy man.

Her husband walked slowly, ever so silently toward her as he stripped off the shirt he had been sleeping in.

"S-Sasuke-kun! What are you doing?!" she protested and pulled the curtain around her more tightly.

"I'm wet," he responded.

"B-B-But-"

He shot her a hard look that immediately silenced her.

Oh, this was not good!

His trousers and briefs went next as he stood in all his naked glory before her.

He was so perfectly built, so fit with muscles in all the right places. Battle scars marred his body but in no way disfigured him. If anything, they only gave him a more manly, dangerous sort of look.

The kind that made women drool and pant.

And made Sakura blush red like a tomato.

Sasuke caught the shower curtain and pulled it from her in one strong movement. She gasped and wrapped her arms around herself, feeling vulnerable to his dark gaze.

Especially when she knew what was going to come, given the heat in those black eyes of him.

"We can't, there isn't time!" she protested as she leaned against wall, away from him.

Sasuke stepped into the shower and towered above his wife. He took one hand and pressed on the wall beside her head and leaned over her.

"We're showering together to save time and water."

"I don't think that's how it goes, Sasuke-kun!" she argued and tried to push him away.

But he had already pressed her against the wall, his mouth was already on hers. Try as she might to protest, she eventually surrendered and softened her mouth under his, allowing him to gentle his forceful pressure and kiss her slowly, sensually.

When he broke off the kiss, he reached behind her take hold of the soap.

"We don't have much time," she breathed out.

"We have enough time. You just take too long in here," he pointed out and lathered up his hands with the soap, which he used to roam all over the body.

She protested about the time again.

"I can do it for myself!"

"You'll take too long. I'm saving time."

And of course she lost all sense of what time even was, as she lost her mind to his heated touches, his sweet caresses, and the desire in his dark eyes.

Eventually, she found herself with her legs wrapped around his waist as he thrust into her. She cried out, whimpered into his ear, begging more until he gave one final thrust that made her cry out in ultimate ecstasy.

Sakura blushed when she thought about what happened earlier. Although she had scolded Sasuke lightly about it, she hadn't minded too much.

Of course he had responded to her reprimanding with a, "Hn," before grabbing his backpack and heading out.

She had followed after him and realized that this was the first time since they had married that they would actually be going on a mission together.

It was exciting!

Sure, they had gone on many before, but this would be the first time they were together since getting married.

Unfortunately, Sasuke had taken the liberty of leaving her behind. Maybe she shouldn't find his inconsiderate behaviour unusual, but it was still hurtful.

However, it seemed that he had developed a habit of surprising her because as soon as she stepped outside, she saw him leaning against the wall behind the door with his arms folded.

As this was not an ANBU mission, he was not required to wear the uniform. Instead, he opted for the black shinobi outfit with the long sleeves and orange swirls at the shoulders, and the green Leaf vest.

This was similar to what she wore on, only instead of long trousers, she wore on shorts instead so that her long, fair legs were exposed.

Sakura's green eyes blinked twice.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Did you lock up?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Good. Let's go," he said and leaned off the wall.

They didn't hold hands as they walked out of the village, but they were side by side, at the same pace. It was nice.

It was sort of like the way they were before they were married; comrades.

Only, this time they were man and wife.

It was a little different, but a little bit nice.

"So why don't you fill us, Naruto? You were the one who came up with the idea after all," Kakashi said to his deceased sensei's son.

They had quickened their pace through the trees now as there was no longer a good path to follow through the forest.

"Moonstone is located around a canyon that has a river and a waterfall. That canyon is supposed to be huge. That place is somewhere dead centre between us and Suna."

"Then we should be getting there tomorrow evening," Sakura said as they were also taking into consideration a night break.

"Yes, that's correct."

"And all we have to do is get the moonstone?" Sasuke questioned.

"And as much gold and jewels we can carry," Naruto answered with a grin, and determined look in his eyes.

"How do you plan on helping the other villagers out with the gold, Naruto? If we're risking our lives to get it, it would have better if they had sent some of their people to assist," Kakashi pointed out.

Naruto shrugged, "'Cause people get stupid with wealth! There isn't a lot going around in the villagers so they might go a little crazy!"

"But there isn't much in Konoha either," Sakura stated.

"That's right, but I know you guys aren't really materialistic!"

Okay, that was quite true.

"Besides, I'm not just gonna give 'em the stuff. Some of their Kage mightn't like that. It would sort of undermine their pride and they might have an unwanted feeling of debt to us. They'll take it because they need it for their people, but they won't like it and might resent us."

"All part of politics, Naruto. Even if you have good intentions, you aren't going to please everyone. I'm glad you realize that," Kakashi said.

Naruto nodded in acknowledgement of his words.

"So what are you going to do?"

"Trade it with them. They've all got stuff we need; Suna doesn't have a lot of fresh water, so Gaara worked with some of his people to develop a good structure to pump water into their village from a special reserve. We've got a huge dam that we can use. I want to use some of the gold to get the structure from Gaara, and hire some of his men to build it and train some of people on how to maintain it. It will be more efficient than our current system."

"Whoa, that's smart thinking!" Sakura commented.

Naruto was was pretty dumb sometimes. Or rather, he was sort of oblivious to people's evil. Sure, he knew an enemy when he saw one, he knew better than to trust someone right away, but every person he met he treated like an ally until he had reason to fight them as an enemy.

His good intentions always made him seem a bit naïve, but it was his goodwill toward everyone that made those gears in his head turn.

"What about the other villages?" Sasuke asked.

"They've all got something we need. We'll sort of hire people from the other villages to teach us how to do things, and we'll use whatever gold we find to pay them well," Naruto had a huge smile plastered on his face now as he turned to Sasuke, "and I'll say they did an exceptional job and pay them twice as much!"

"Look out, stupid!" Sasuke shouted suddenly.

"Huh?!"

But it was too late; Naruto slammed face first into a tree.

Sakura sighed as she passed a healing hand over her friend's forehead. He had an egg sized shaped bump on it.

"Naruto, why can't you be more careful?" she chided him.

"I didn't mean to! It was an accident!"

"You go off making me proud by saying something smart, and then you get all excited and distracted and something stupid happens!"

"But Sakura-chan, I didn't get it too hard."

"You idiot, it's only because your head's like a rock you didn't get a concussion or something worse!"

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"Just pay better attention next time," she replied as his bump went down under the green chakra that was being emitted from her hand.

Naruto suddenly smiled.

"Can I rest my head on your lap, Sakura-chan?"

Her response was a whack on his head so that he was nursing yet another bump.

"Hinata won't like that, dummy!" she snarled.

Naruto rubbed his head.

"She won't mind! She'll understand my head was hurting and that I-"

Before he could continue, he was suddenly grabbed and his head was pressed against someone's lap. The person wore dark trousers and his thighs certainly did not have the softness of a woman's.

"Huh?" the blonde went as he turned his head upward to see whose lap he was using.

Naruto found himself looking up at Sai's pleasantly smiling face.

"Hey, when did you get here?! And why's my head on your lap?!"

"Sakura-san doesn't seem keen on it so I stepped in. You also said Hinata-san won't mind."

"But I mind!"

Sai proceeded to gently pass his hand over Naruto's hair. Naruto bristled, like an angry fox.

"Calm down, Naruto. I've read that patting one's head can be very soothing."

"I don't care what you've read, let me up!"

"I've also read that it's good to lie down after getting a nasty hit on the head which did happen."

"Go to hell Sai! I just wanted to spend time with Sakura-chan since the bastard hogs her all the time now!" Naruto turned his head to side on Sai's lap. In his frustration, he finally gave in to Sai's 'kindness'.

"I feel like my sister was stolen from me," he sobbed.

Sakura's heart softened toward their friend. She smiled gently at him, very warmly, although he wasn't paying attention to her to realize it.

Before she could speak to her friend, her husband was in front of her. He had a water bottle in his hand. Silently, he handed it to her.

"We've got to get moving again soon," he informed her.

She nodded and beamed up at her husband after accepting the bottle gratefully. He seemed a little taken aback by her expression, as if he didn't expect it, but lightly patted her head in response before he went off to speak to Kakashi.

Sakura drank from the bottle as she listened to Sai give Naruto a lesson on women, and how he needed to consider that Hinata might feel insecure about his love if he got all touchy and feely with his ex-crush.

The pink haired female giggled quietly, thinking it was funny that Sai, of all people, seemed to actually know so much about human feelings.

Along the way, Sai had told them that he was returning from his previous mission, and was therefore able to catch up with them on his way back.

He didn't really get along badly with Sasuke, but the two were civil to each other.

About as civil as he could get as he unintentionally said somethings without tack. In his own way, he was a bit oblivious to people's emotions still, even though he did try very hard to understand them.

So, sometimes he could tick off Sasuke, and sometimes, it seemed he did so deliberately. The pale skinned fellow did like to tease his comrades at times.

Sasuke would respond with a glare or a scathing remark, but not bother with him after that.

To Sakura, it was great to have her team-mates together one last time. It would have been nice to have Yamato around too, but he was out on his own assignments.

"You said the reason why no one's been able to get the moonstone is because there's a lot of traps?" Sakura reminded Naruto.

He nodded as they continued moving. It was getting dark and they would need to rest soon.

"I don't know exactly what kind since no one's been able to live to tell the tale of what happened, but it's all we can assume."

"There's a clearing up ahead. We can stop there for the night," Sai informed them.

There was silent agreement as they sped up to the area Sai had suggested.

The small clearing was surrounded by thick trees. They had enough space to light a fire and make a quick stew over it.

They were also able to set up a small tent that was more than large enough to fit one person, but would be a bit tight for two people.

"I don't need to sleep here. You can have it, Kakashi-sensei," Sakura was telling her former teacher as he pulled up the zipper up to enclose her in. The tent was the prism-shaped kind, and was blue in color. There was a straight zip to pull up in the centre of the triangular face of it.

He smiled underneath his mask.

"Now now, you're a female, Sakura."

"You're older."

Kakashi didn't bat an eye at her bluntness.

"I'm probably more resilient then. You should take a little rest. We started moving again right after you healed Naruto."

The female glared at her sensei.

"I'm not weak! My chakra can recharge fast enough!"

Kakashi sighed.

"I don't mean it as an insult, Sakura. Can't you let me be a little chivalrous? For old times' sake?" he pressed.

When she was little, he did guard her a lot more than Naruto or Sasuke. She had initially thought it was because she was weaker than the other two, but now a part of her wondered if he was actually being a sort of gentleman?

Who knew if those sort of men existed in the shinobi world?

"We can let Sasuke stay with her," Sai suggested.

She was actually going to sleep earlier than the others because the night before, she hadn't slept well.

Thanks to Sasuke.

"As if! I don't want any hanky-panky between them keeping me up!" Naruto scoffed.

Sakura's face reddened, but Sasuke seemed unbothered as he bit into his stew.

"Hanky-panky?" Sai repeated. The term was new to him.

"Never mind Sai," Naruto said quickly, not wanting to divulge into what exactly he meant.

"I've read that when a person says something, and does not want to explain it is because he or she is uncomfortable talking about it."

"That's true, so it's best to just let it go," Naruto agreed quickly.

"I've also read that when a person displays a degree of discomfort in speaking about a matter regarding another, it could be a clear indication of jealousy, meaning that you envy Sasuke-san and Sakura-san because they can have hanky-panky and you cannot," Sai stated, with a completely straight face and without batting an eyelash.

Naruto choked on his food while Sasuke coughed, possibly hiding up a laugh.

"You bastard! You knew exactly what I meant by 'hanky-panky'!"

Sakura laughed before she allowed Kakashi to zip her into her cozy little spot. She heard her comrades argue, but thoughtfully, they had lowered their voices out of consideration for her. She was glad she got the tent at Kakashi's insistence.

It was small, but it blocked her out from the outside world, and in a way, it would help her to sleep better, as opposed to out there, under the trees.

She closed her eyes, and quickly, she fell into dreamland.

Sasuke had done a bit of patrolling around the area they were staying in, just to be safe. Although this was an official assignment, it was a bit casual and laid back, almost like a trip with a bunch of friends. The need to get the moonstone wasn't pressing, and the gold and jewels were really just a bonus and not necessarily essential.

As such, they weren't in any real danger from any enemies. Still, one couldn't be too certain.

When he neared to their campsite, he was practically ambushed by Naruto who appeared out of nowhere in front of him.

"What's your problem, stupid?" Sasuke demanded as he tried to hide up the fact that his friend had startled him.

Naruto pressed a finger to his lips and motioned for him to be quiet and follow him. Through the darkness, he was led to the clearing.

The fire was slowly dying out so that there were only bright embers and ash remaining. However, the moonlight was strong over the area as the trees did not cover it. The light was enough to reveal the tent under which Sakura was sleeping.

It also showed that the tent was shaking a bit, as if someone was moving inside.

Sasuke frowned. Sakura didn't roll around when she slept, unless she had a nightmare.

This seemed to be the case for she let out a familiar sound of anguish.

Sasuke nodded to Naruto who had pointed to the tent while Sai and Kakashi were sitting up from their sleeping bags, frowning with concern at the troubled kunoichi.

"Go back to sleep," he ordered softly and walked over to his wife's sleeping spot.

He stooped in front of the tent and pulled down the zipper slowly. Inside was revealed his pink haired wife who was shifting around in her sleeping bag.

Cautiously, but smoothly, he entered and reached around to pull the zipper up. He was glad that the tent had that back flap that could close as it would allow him and his wife some privacy.

He was kneeling as he paused to observe his sleeping woman.

Her pink eyebrows were furrowed. Her mouth twisted as she whimpered and turned her head the other direction.

This was a clear indication of distressing dreams.

Then, her voice softly whispered a name:

"Sasuke-kun..."

Sakura was roused from her sleep when she felt a familiar calloused hand on her arm.

She opened her green eyes slowly and turned her head, only to find Sasuke hovering above her. Her eyed widened when she became startled and the sight of him and she instinctively drew back at his unexpectedly close proximity.

"Sasuke-kun?"

Her husband was half lying at her side so that his legs were brushing the back of hers. His upper body was leaning over her so that her back was lightly pressed against his hard chest. One of his arms was curved over her head while the hand of the other was still touching her arm.

Dark eyes observed her quietly.

Disregarding the times they had sex, this was one of the few times they were so...close.

"You were having a nightmare," Sasuke stated.

She was surprised by this. However, she did not want to tell him what it was about.

Instead, she gave him one of these irritating forced smiles.

"Was I? It's nothing, I'll just go right back to sleep and-"

"Sakura," he cut into her flimsy excuse with a sharp tone. He was clearly annoyed.

She fell silent.

"You said a name. My name."

She was clearly shocked and her emerald eyes showed it. Then, they lowered, as if in shame. She turned the other way so that he wouldn't see the tears that were brimming.

"I was dreaming you were leaving again. You said you were tired of the village. It was more exciting for you when you were with your other team-mates. You didn't want to stay...even when I begged you."

She covered her mouth to stifle the sob that was threatening to come out.

She didn't want to look at her husband. He would probably think her weak, and that her tears were bothersome.

That she was annoying.

Suddenly, she felt him shift behind her. Peeking, she saw that he had moved to lie on his back with his arms behind his head.

She was taken aback with his abrupt movement.

"If I wanted to leave, I would have gone a long time ago. I wouldn't have asked you to marry me either."

Once more, he surprised her.

Cautiously, she turned around and faced him.

Warily, she pointed out, "Didn't you ask me kind of like in a spur of the moment?"

He looked at her now with meaningful obsidian eyes.

"No."

"Huh?"

Sighing, he returned his attention to the tent's ceiling.

"I decided I didn't want anyone else to have you. Ever. That means I want you in my life."

Forever.

That was the word he didn't speak but she knew that he meant that he wanted her with him for the rest of their lives.

Sakura was surprised.

"But wouldn't you grow tired of me?"

Sasuke shot her a lopsided frown.

"Is your opinion of me so bad?"

Sakura felt her cheeks grow red with embarrassment.

"It's just that you left once before, and-"

"And what? I didn't leave because I grew tired of everyone. I thought the village wasn't enough to help me grow powerful to seek my revenge. I did dream of a good future once, with friendship."

He was looking forward again as he closed his eyes, recalling what had prompted those feelings from him.

All three of members of Team seven had matured in the Forest of Death. Most importantly, they had learned the value of teamwork and treasuring their bonds with each other.

Sasuke had once looked down upon both Sakura and Naruto.

Naruto was this annoying, loudmouthed dimwit.

Sakura was this irritating lovesick girl who followed him around with hearts in her eyes.

But then they came to work together as a team, and had fought hard to protect each other. Sasuke had found himself valuing these new friends in his life.

He wanted to work more together with them, for when he was with them, the ache, the loneliness of having lost everyone dear to him once, was somehow eased.

He was at peace.

Yet, he had thrown all of that away because he couldn't see it being of any use to him. Friends, he believed, would hold him back.

Bonds would make him put his friendships before his goals and at the time, sacrificing his revenge was not something he could have stomached.

As such, it was a path he needed to walk selfishly alone.

After coming back to Konoha, he found himself valuing his friends once more.

This time, he had told himself that he wouldn't toss aside everything so easily again.

This time, he wanted to hold onto those close to him.

He didn't want to lose them.

Naruto would always be his best friend, even if they acted otherwise.

Even if Naruto got married to Hinata, the blonde idiot would still be his best friend.

But if Sakura got married to someone else, would they still be so close?

Could he send for her in the middle of the night to treat his wounds because she was the only girl who didn't melt like butter at the sight of his scarred, lithe body?

Could he walk side by side with her, have her attention solely on him, when there was a husband lurking somewhere in the background?

Could they go on missions and be so comfortable with each other, if there was another man in Sakura's mind?

In her heart?

Sharing that sexy body of hers?

Oh, that was just a big N-O for Sasuke Uchiha!

He had wanted her, and he didn't want anyone else to have her either.

"I want a good future, and I wanted you in it too, so I married you. I won't do something so irresponsible and abandon you."

She didn't say it, but it was clearly written in her watery green eyes:

'But you did it once before...'

She lowered her head slightly, but Sasuke reached over with his hand that was closest to her, and gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him.

There was a gleam in his dark eyes as he informed her in a dead serious tone, "Your name is Sakura Uchiha. Even if my clan ended in a bloody way, Uchihas don't abandon their family."

There was an underlying severe warning in his words: he was telling her that it would be a great insult for her to believe that he would leave her again. She was his wife now, not simply a friend or comrade anymore.

This gave her a whole new meaning and standing in his life.

Sasuke released her and turned the other way.

"Go to sleep," he ordered with a sigh, believing he got the point through to her.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura voiced his name as she shifted behind him.

"What?" he asked, irritated. He wanted to sleep now too and didn't want to be disturbed.

He was startled when he felt a warm pair of lips touch his cheek.

He looked at his wife who was leaning over him.

"Thank you," she told him with a cheerful smile.

"Hn," he grunted and turned away to hide the light redness of his cheeks.

However, Sakura seemed to realize it, even in the dark.

She lost her smile and her green eyes blinked.

"Oh? Sasuke-kun? Do you like it when I kiss your cheek?"

Sasuke scowled as his cheeks grew redder. It was dark, so Sakura clearly couldn't see it. However, she was learning to observe certain aspects of Sasuke's behaviour that were quite telling of his feelings.

And what she learned just now was that he seemed to be a bit of a tsundere.

Daringly, she leaned pressed her hand on his hard bicep and leaned over to kiss him again. Her pink hair brushed his cheek as she did so and she could almost feel his skin grow warmer under her mouth.

He lifted his hand and tried to bat her off like a bug.

"Stop it," he grumbled.

Although she was giggling on the inside, Sakura said with a bit of a disappointed tone, "Oh, I guess you don't like it then," and moved to lie on her back.

Sasuke tsked and shifted so he was on his side again, watching her.

"I don't dislike it," he confessed. In his desire to not see her hurt again, he failed to realize that she was playing around with him.

Sakura pretty mouth curved upward.

"Can I kiss you again?"

He sighed and gave a slight nod.

She leaned over and kissed one cheek. He felt her hair touch his nose as she shifted to the other. She drew back, as if wary that maybe she was overdoing it. However, seeing as he kept watching her silently and not shoving her off, she gave him a sweet one on his forehead, then his nose. Sakura's next location was his temple, but he caught the back of her head and forced her mouth onto his, and forcefully thrust his tongue past her lips and stroked it against her own.

Then, he released her, leaving her out of breath.

"Keep that up, and I'll have you right here, right now where everyone's sleeping," he growled.

Sakura swallowed hard.

Meekly, she nodded, not wanting to wake up that lustful beast inside of him. Sasuke lowered his arm so that it was stretched out.

"Go to sleep now," he ordered on a gentler tone.

Sakura nodded again and settled down to lie on her back.

"I'll sleep better now," she assured him softly.

He responded by giving her hair a little stroke.

Sasuke released a heavy sigh as he leaned on his elbow and observed his sleeping wife.

It wasn't like he didn't know anything about intimacy. He did grow up with love and affection from his mother and brother.

He just hadn't experienced it in such a long time that it felt strange and awkward to touch someone so much with some sort of tenderness.

Yet, when he thought back on it, touching Sakura hadn't been an issue when they were genin.

To protect her, he willingly grabbed her into his arms and took her out of danger. They had even reached a level of trust that was so deep while in the Forest of Death, that he had willingly taken her hand into his own and helped her up.

He hadn't given a second thought to what he had been doing back then, for he had come to care for her, and Naruto a lot. Their experiences during that time had taught him much personally.

And most importantly, it had taught him to treasure his comrades. He had come to think of them as friends.

But he had thrown it all away and left everyone behind.

Including Sakura.

He made her cry a lot. He recalled the tears she had shed for him the night he had left, the fact that her face had been stained with them as she attempted to kill him years later, and in the aftermath of the war when she had declared she loved him still, and when she had healed him and Naruto after their big fight.

How many more had dripped down her pretty face since then?

Even after marriage, he had caused her hurt and upset.

As Sasuke's thoughts began to sink in, he felt a sense of regret come over him for all the things he had done to emotionally harm her over the years.

Yet through it all, she had emerged to become an amazing kunoichi, braving disaster, danger and loss of comrades.

She was a kind person and she had a good heart. Not many people were blessed with someone like her in their lives.

Sasuke took a few short strands of her pink hair between his fingertips and rubbed them gently. Her hair was soft and they felt like flower petals. He released the silky strands and trailed his fingers onto her face where he gently stroked her cheek.

His eyebrows lifted slightly when her sweet mouth gradually moved into a tiny smile.

A cute sort of smile.

His obsidian eyes blinked, and his own features softened.

Truthfully, he loved his wife's smile.

A/N: Thanks so much for reading! So, hope everyone enjoyed this chapter.

God bless!