I'm sorry I couldn't post yesterday, life got in the way. So as a gift for my dear readers that had to wait a full day, there was an excerpt and this chapter for you today (if you chose to read the excerpt). Please forgive me, dear readers, for we are almost to the end!

When Emma woke the next morning to find that the events she thought she dreamed were reality she snuggled closer to Kakashi and laid her head on his chest. His arm curled around her back and held her to him firmly. She let out a contented sigh and they both laid there enjoying each other's company.

Kakashi turned to her and pressed her against his body. He pulled her leg over his hips and trailed his hand along the smooth skin at her side amorously. She smiled and kissed him deeply. From what she felt against her leg, she knew what he was aiming at. She was no longer opposed to the idea as she had been just a day before. She deepened the kiss without a single thought of negating his advances. He let out a low and happy groan right before a knock sounded at the door. Emma shot out of bed with a start, leaving an unhappy Kakashi under the covers. She rifled through the clothes at the floor in the semi darkness of the dawn light to put something on.

"What's the matter?" Kakashi asked as he sat up in bed. She had already donned a shirt and had found his mask among the clothes and tossed it to him.

"I forgot that Akemi-sama comes every morning." She pulled on her shorts and ran a hand through her hair attempting to look somewhat composed before answering the door. She dashed over to the door and opened it just a crack.

"Good morning, Akemi-sama. I'm not feeling to well today I had hoped I could take the day to stay in bed. So, I won't be needing your services today, thank you." She spoke in an obviously nervous undertone as she attempted to look a bit bedraggled.

"Nonsense," the old woman remarked. "Your teachers are expecting you and you have much to plan for your upcoming wedding. You cannot afford to take a day of rest."

"I really don't-" Emma began before the woman pushed through the door with her large handbag and walked into the scene. The woman's eyes darted around the room, observing everything. Emma herself had managed to find her shorts but the shirt she was wearing was Kakashi's and it was much longer on her shorter frame than she realised. It looked as if she wasn't wearing shorts on underneath it at all. Her red lips and mussed hair spoke of an activity beyond mere sleep. The clothes on the floor attested to the fact that there was more than one occupant semi naked in the room. But the most telling observation in the room came from Kakashi. Though he managed to put on his mask and pants, he laid back in the bed half naked with an air of unabashed immodesty and a smile quirked upon his covered features.

Akemi-sama dropped her bags at once and pointed an accusatory finger at Emma, who recoiled.

"Harlot!" The old woman cried. "You dare to lay with another man while you are engaged to the Kazekage? I shall tell the council of this immediately!"

"Tell them then." Kakashi called as he stood and approached them. "But you should be sure to get all the facts before you tell them lies."

"What are you talking about?" The old woman snapped back at him.

"She is no longer engaged to the Kazekage because she is married to me. The Kazekage himself did the honor just last night." Kakashi held up Emma's left hand to show the old woman the rings on her finger.

"The council will not approve of this." Akemi-sama threatened.

"Why shouldn't they? The Kazekage himself approved our match and as citizens of allied countries our marriage will only strengthen the bonds between our villages. To attempt to dispute the marriage would be dishonest and wrong to discourage such a happy union between two individuals and their countries." Kakashi smiled courteously, though in this situation it came off as condescending. In a flash his gaze turned hard and the tomoe of his uncovered sharingan spun as he glared down at the small woman.

"On another note, I won't stand for anyone insulting my wife," he said with a threatening undertone.

The old woman blanched. Her wizened eyes knew they were playing political games for their benefit. She gathered up her bags hastily and left. No doubt she knew she could do nothing standing their arguing and had left to tell the council to see what they could do.

The moment the door closed, Kakashi had locked it. An instant later he had gathered Emma in his arms and took her immediately back to bed where they spent the whole morning, lost in each other.

The council had been furious with their plans. Though with the help of Gaara, the iron clad plans of the Hokage, and the disinterest of war to gain Emma back, the council finally gave in. Tsunade had planned it carefully to have their marriage viewed as a political union between the two countries rather than an elopement to steal her away. The council could do nothing to her and she was finally free!

Only a few days passed before she had packed up her things and left the village with Kakashi. Not before there were profuse 'thank you's and many hugs for her new best friend Gaara. She promised to write to him and to send him an invitation to their wedding.

To keep up the guise of their political marriage they agreed to be married in the public eye with a great ceremony. Emma happily dove into the preparations herself and Kakashi readily agreed to any decorations she wanted. Though they both preferred a small ceremony they wouldn't get away with a small affair due to the nature of their bonding.

The ceremony was held a month after their elopement. Neither party had wanted to wait long to officially start their life together. The wedding had been a lavish affair. Citizens of Suna and Konoha had made it in celebration for their countries' union.

Gaara had accepted their invitation and had graciously agreed to give her away as he was the closest thing to family to her. With this development all the rumors of their unhappy separation were put to rest.

After the wedding and reception Kakashi had stolen her away for a walk through the residential part of town.

"Honestly, Kakashi, where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise." She had rolled her eyes with impatience and tried to get a clue out of him as they walked. But he refused to give away anything. He stopped them in the middle of the street and gestured to one of the houses.

"What do you think?" He asked, smiling.

The house was a modest two story abode painted white with a yard surrounding the property. There were flower beds lining the front of the house covered in beautiful plants of many colors. She turned to Kakashi in surprise.

"Kakashi?" She questioned without real eloquence.

"It's ours. I just bought the place last week. I've already moved us in." He lead her up the walkway and opened the door. Before she could take a step he picked her up and carried her inside as she laughed. He knew that she enjoyed the fact that they could do everything the right way now, as tradition dictated. Though she held no shortage of joy for the first marriage and she had told him she wanted to celebrate their anniversary on the day of their elopement.

He set her down in the living room and let her take a look at the place. She inspected the furnished area, the full kitchen, the bathroom on each level as well as the three bedrooms. The master bedroom held the essential furniture as well as their clothing. It seemed he really did move them in already. The second bedroom was re-purposed as an office and the last bedroom Kakashi had used as a junk room for all the things that had yet to be unpacked.

"What do you think?" He questioned again.

"It's wonderful. I love it! It's everything I could have hoped for."

"Are you done looking around?"

"I suppose so, why?" He swept her up in his arms again with a smile and walked into the master bedroom. She beamed at him as she understood.

"It is our wedding day after all. We have the rest of the day to celebrate accordingly."

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