Sakura woke the next morning with a slight weight over her side. She turned to look to find an arm thrown over her side. She rolled slowly to turn the other way and found it was Sasuke's arm that was casually draped over her side. Color rushed to her face and she just barely managed to stifle the squeak that almost came out. Sasuke didn't stir even as she carefully moved out from underneath him. All she could do was stare at him while her heart pounded against her chest. Sakura was briefly convinced that her heart was beating so loudly that he was sure to hear her and wake him up. After a moment she scolded herself mentally for being so silly.

"You're awake," Toru's voice was just barely audible.

Sakura turned to see Toru close the front door behind himself. He carried a small bundle of wood and kindling under his arm. Sakura opened her mouth to wish him good morning, but Toru put a finger to his lips.

"Whisper, so they can sleep," he nodded towards the two mats that held sleeping bodies. then he waved for Sakura to join him. Toru went to the shelves and collected various things including a cutting board, knife, sticks of cinnamon, a jug of water, a bag of a powdery substances, and a jar of nuts. To Sakura he handed the cutting board, knife and cinnimon sticks. "If you been so kind as to grind them up, you'll have to use the hilt of the knife since I've lost the grinding stone."

Sakura took the cutting board and all it's contents and began grinding the sticks while Toru laid his bundle of firewood and kindling into the fire pit. Within moments there was a eager flame devouring the small kindling. He put the iron pot on the hanging arm before dumping a large portion of the powdered substances in followed by water and while he stirred he asked,

"How has your time been with us so far?"

Sakura thought about his question as she ground the sticks into a fine powder. It seemed to her that there was more to the question than just her stay with the Nara clan.

"I've learned quite a bit. The Nara clan has extensive records of medicine and even history. Not to mention Tetora was very helpful while Nebe kept very detailed reports so it makes seeing patterns much easier." She watched him carefully out of the corner of her eye while she spoke, but she saw nothing that indicated what Toru was getting at.

"I noticed Nebe gave you records from Itachi's stay here."

Sakura swallowed back bile at the memory. Nebe's notes had been almost too detailed when it had come to the older Uchiha's pain. The medications she had used to ease his pain alone were very telling. Then Nebe had several pages of detailed theories of why Itachi was reacting differently to Dream's Breath than all of the other patients, and from what Sakura had read, no one after Itachi had suffered all the same symptoms either. What Nebe's notes did make clear was that Itachi's death; if his life wasn't taken by a person, would not be easy or kind. Bitterly Sakura realized Sasuke killing his brother was actually a mercy to Itachi.

"What are your thoughts on his condition?" Toru's words brought her back to the present, and the all too innocent way that he asked that reminded Sakura that Nebe had been suspicious that Toru had said something that might have affected Itachi's mental health. She narrowed her gaze on the smith.

"Nebe mentioned in her notes that you were talking to Itachi, what did you say to him?"

Toru looked thoughtful for a moment then he shrugged. "It's been so long I can't really remember things I've said after so much time has passed. Do you think that something I said affected his recovery?"

Sakura opened her mouth to yes then she thought about it and closed her mouth. The truth was they had no way of knowing, it was very possible that Toru said nothing of importance and Itachi was just an outlier. Finally she shrugged.

"We have no way of knowing that. You can't remember what you said and even if you did we can't actually ask Itachi how he felt about it." Even as Sakura said it doubt wormed in her mind, she was actually fairly certain Toru had said something that affected the older Uchiha, it just didn't suit the smith to tell her now.

"The mind is an amazing weapon, capable of sharpening and blunting itself." Toru seemed to say this more to himself than to her as he took the ground cinnamon and poured it into the now steaming pot.

Sakura watched the flames as Toru stirred. Her mind drifted back to a distant memory. One where reddish orange chakra cloaked a friend of hers like an evil flame. Rage had lit in his eyes until there was nothing left of the boy she had grown up with on Team Seven, not unlike Nebe's eyes from last night.

"You know about Sasuke's and my team, don't you Toru?" She watched him out of the corner of her eye.

He nodded slowly liked he wasn't sure where this was going. "Yes, I imagine many people have heard of the exploits of Team Seven. Some of them are quite legendary."

"You know Naruto is the Nine Tails Jinchuriki." She saw Toru stiffen at the last word. "Is that what Nebe is? A host for-."

Toru laughed, but Sakura couldn't help but notice it was a little forced.

"Nebe has no great creature of chakra sealed away inside her. She shares a connection to the Wild One who is not unlike your Lady Katsuyu. Though their connection is a result of different circumstances and their relationship is also different."

All of this Sakura thought was true, but she sensed that Toru was hiding something. He had chosen his words with too much care. When she said as much to him the very air around him seemed to change. His voice a barely an audible whisper,

"Be careful, Miss Haruno. People have tired harming Nebe by digging into her secrets, and I fed their bodies to this forest." His threat didn't bother her, but the boiling rage she saw just barely contained in his eyes gave her pause. It wasn't directed at her; yet, but now she wondered who had hurt Nebe so badly Toru would be this angry.

"Toru?"

Sakura looked over to Nebe who was blindly grabbing at the blankets trying to sit up. It might have just been her imagination, but Sakura could have sworn that Nebe's tattoos had been glowing faintly. Toru was beside his wife in a breath, his gentle hands comforting her.

"What's wrong? You were angry?"

"I'm sorry my love, bad memories popped up before I could lock them away. You should go back to sleep, you haven't gotten a good night's rest in months."

Nebe glowered at him, and Toru grinned back.

"You will need your strength to help those kids."

Just like that, Sakura watched all the defiance leave Nebe and exhaustion returned. The older woman grumbled under her breath but laid back down and curled up towards Toru. Toru pulled the covers up over his wife's shoulders and ran his fingers through her hair. In seconds Nebe's chest began the easy rhythm of sleep.

"What did you do Toru?"

He looked over at her with an expression of confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Nebe felt your anger through the-."

"Breakfast is about to burn."

Sakura looked down and sure enough the contents of the pot was bubbling angrily and the stuff was starting to stick to the sides. Quickly she snatched up the spoon that Toru had abandoned and began to stir the contents until it was back to a gentle simmer. Then she pulled the arm away from the flames to the food could cool.

"Sasuke, are you going to join us for breakfast or are you going to sleep some more," Toru asked.

Sakura glanced over towards Sasuke as he sat up. Blushed crept across her face as she realized the blankets had hidden the fact that Sasuke had taken off his shirt in the middle of the night.

"Be civil and put on some clothes," Toru grouched before tossing Sasuke a clean white shirt.

Sasuke caught it easily and a half smile curved up his face. Sakura was certain that there was no man more handsome than Sasuke especially when he smiled.

"Jealous, Toru?"

The other man scoffed and Sakura was shocked when she realized Sasuke was teasing Toru.

"I'm a blade smith, boy. My muscles make all the ladies melt. I bet not even Nebe or Sakura could resist."

Sakura was grateful she had dropped her eyes to the food so she could gain control of her blush because she could feel both men looking at her. When she finally had herself composed she looked back up.

"Wanna see?"

Sakura could hear the teasing in Toru's voice and she realized he was trying to goad Sasuke.

"I hope Nebe hits you," Sakura tells Toru in a sweet tone.

"Striking him is too quick and kind," Nebe's voice drifted up from under the covers. "Let him stew and wonder when vengeance will come and what form it will take."

Sakura laughed and Toru gave Nebe a pouting face.

"Besides, my husband has very nice muscles, but he always seems to under estimate how women view a nice shapely ass."

Sakura had to bite back laughter as he watched both Sasuke and Toru blink in surprise. They were both clearly taken aback by Nebe's comment or maybe the fact that Nebe had made the comment to begin with. She wasn't sure which until both men looked at her with a question in their eyes. Now she giggled at them.