A/N: I did promise a quicker update, right? It probably wasn't as quick as you would have liked, but I did my best, haha!

Thank you to everybody who reviewed! I love you all!

Happy (late) Easter! Enjoy!

Incomplete
By The Terrorist

Chapter Thirty-Five
A New Beginning

She had not changed.

That was the conclusion Sasuke reached – admittedly, after not much deliberation – as he took a seat on the couch, in the living room of the penthouse he had bought her what seemed like a lifetime ago. Heaving a sigh, he rested his elbows on his knees and intertwined his hands below his chin, his ears taking in the relaxing sounds of her moving about in the kitchen.

Now that what he had secretly been referring to as 'The Worst Part' had been done away with, he had to admit that he had difficulties in assimilating the turn his life had taken in a matter of mere minutes. He had wanted this. He had wanted it for so long. So, perhaps it was that that was at fault.

Or perhaps it was the accompanying insecurity – the question of 'what now'? He had gotten her back. How did he keep her?

Before he could travel down that train of thought, she appeared, carrying two steaming mugs of tea, one of which he handed to him with a smile. Sitting down on the couch, beside him, she curled up with her legs underneath her, tucking a lock of hair back in its place behind her ear as she brought her own mug to her lips.

Physically, she was the same old Sakura he had fallen in love with. She still wore the tallest heels, still dressed in an impeccable manner, still applied flawless make-up. Her pink hair, although slightly longer, was the same pastel shade he had missed so much.

The same went for the inside. The essence of her being hadn't changed, yet the results of the time they had spent apart were more visible than anything had ever been. She was calmer, happier, at ease with everything and everyone around her. Her green eyes sparkled like he had never seen them sparkle before, with so much emotion and so much life in them that it nearly threw him off balance for the first couple of times that he met them. She radiated happiness and contentment, and the pure energy in her every step was astonishing.

"You know, I never got to thank you for the apartment," she said, breaking the silence. Sasuke turned his gaze from the hot liquid swirling in his cup to her brilliant green eyes. "It's beautiful."

He nodded. His throat felt dry even though he had just swallowed, and it seemed to close up at the mere prospect of him attempting to have a normal conversation with her, but his mind told him otherwise, and the words escaped his mouth before he could even start to worry about himself and his sanity. "I knew you'd like it."

"How?" she asked, watching him with an expression of sweet curiosity on her features.

Sasuke shrugged, taking the mug to his lips. "The windows," he said, as though it should have been obvious.

She smiled widely. "You noticed." His answer came in the form of another shrug, but she hardly seemed bothered by that. "At night, when you turn the lights off… it's staggering. I can see everything from here," she said, still in awe. Then she smiled cheekily. "And the car is gorgeous, as well," she added. "Oh, and by the way –"

Standing up, she was about to walk away, but he stopped her before she could take another step.

"Sakura," he called, his voice rough, and she turned around with a questioning look in her eyes. Standing up, he placed his cup of tea on the coffee table, and made his way towards her, stopping only a few inches away. "Pack up."

The pinkette blinked at the command.

"Pack up, Sakura, and let's go home. Come on," he pleaded, taking a step closer and cupping her face within his hands.

Sakura laughed lightly as his words sunk in and she did the same. "Calm down," she said, smiling her most beautiful smile. "You can't expect me to leave on such short notice. Let's spend the night here. And then, in the morning… we'll see."

"Sakura –" he tried to speak, but she interrupted him.

"Shh," she hushed, placing a finger over his lips. "You're here now, aren't you? We're together. We're fine."

For a moment, he was silent. Then he confessed, sullenly, "I don't have anything with me, Sakura," he grumbled. "I just want us to go home."

She laughed. "You're so damn impulsive." She said it so fondly that his heart skipped a beat. "Let's spend the night. Tomorrow we'll pack. And we'll go home."

There was something about the spark in her eyes that forced him to act. Bending down in a brusque movement, he stopped halfway, unsure of how his action would be received.

Sakura's smile fell as she swallowed heavily, her green eyes displaying nervousness as they darted from his lips to his eyes. Their suddenly labored breathes mingled together, and the atmosphere became charged, practically sizzling with electricity.

Then she leaned in and pressed her lips to his – and everything in the world disappeared.

Their lips moved together slowly, softly, as though they only now met, as though they rediscovered each other. He pulled her closer once the kiss deepened, his hands curling above her lower back, holding her tightly against him while she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, standing on her tip-toes to reach as high as she could.

For the long moments the kiss lasted, she was the only person in the world. And for the first time, Sasuke was not startled or disconcerted as he realized just how much he liked that feeling.

~•~

The next morning, the Uchiha woke up to somebody poking him in the side.

Groaning, he buried his face further into the pillow, refusing to give in to the clutches of consciousness. He could still feel the effects of the jet lag coupled with the emotional struggle in his system, and he blatantly refused to open his eyes before his biological clock told him it was time to do so – especially now, when he had his wife back in his arms. Unconsciously, his arm reached out to the other side of the bed as that thought crossed his mind, searching for the small, warm body that had assured his rest throughout the night, only to come against cold satin sheets.

He groaned once more as realization dawned upon him, and heard somebody giggle from above him.

"Come on," her soft voice coaxed, and her hand ruffled his already messy hair. "Wake up."

"What time is it?" he grumbled in his pillow.

"Six," she answered simply – in his opinion, too perky and excited for someone who had most likely woken up even earlier than stated.

"Six what?" he demanded.

"Six am, silly," she answered, rolling her eyes. "Come on," she insisted, poking him again. "Wakey-wakey."

"Sakura," he groaned as he rolled over on his back, bringing a hand up to cover his eyes, which were still sensitive to the light. Once they had adjusted and his vision had cleared, he saw her, standing over him. "What the hell are you doing up at this hour?" Although the Uchiha had become used to waking up early in order to go to work, he still enjoyed sleeping in on his free days, and could hardly understand how someone could not do the same.

The pinkette didn't need to answer that question, though, because the moment he lifted his arm from his eyes, he was able to make connections by himself. She was packing. The door to her walk-in closet was open, two large suitcases were spread out on her side of the bed, clothes were strewn over every surface, and boxes of shoes littered the hardwood floor.

His brows furrowing, he lifted a piece of clothing from where it lay on the blanket, above him, holding it up in an effort to understand what exactly it was. The material was black, soft to the touch, but had too many confusing cuts and straps. Sakura snatched it from him in the next moment, holding it up in a manner that made more sense.

"You know what's weird about packing?" she asked, frowning herself.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"That you find clothes you don't even remember having."

He snorted. "Maybe you do," he grumbled, closing his eyes again.

She made a small sound of agreement in the back of her throat, and he heard her little footsteps retreating from beside him, so he opened his eyes to follow her movements to the other side of the bed, where she dropped the dress, along with two other, neatly folded items of clothing in one of the suitcases.

She was dressed simply, all in black, in a long-sleeved blouse and a pair of tight pants. Her pink hair was straight, falling over her back and shoulders, and she was wearing little make-up.

Grabbing a box from the floor, she took a seat on the couch across from him and pulled out a pair of grey, leopard-printed booties.

"I am going to go out for a bit," she announced as she began to lace them up. "You can sleep some more if you want." She shrugged. "But I was hoping we could have breakfast together."

Sasuke frowned at her as she stood up and made her way over to the vanity to put on a pair of earrings. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"To meet up with some friends. People need to know I'm leaving," she explained.

He raised an eyebrow. "At this hour?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, smiling as she turned around. "Normal people wake up early."

"In your world," he deadpanned.

Laughing, she skipped over to him and climbed onto bed, hovering above him as she pressed a small, chaste kiss to his lips. "Meet me at nine in Central Park?" she suggested.

"Nine?" he repeated, blinking.

She smiled sweetly, rolling over to reach the edge of the bed. Sasuke thought, amused, that she looked strangely like a spoiled kitten as she looked at him upside down. "I have a lot of friends," she said, winking.

The Uchiha simply groaned and flopped back down on his pillow, closing his eyes. The muted sound of her heels against the carpet soon made him aware of her presence beside him.

Her pink hair tickling his cheek, she kissed the corner of her lips before leaving, whispering a silent, "I'll see you soon."

It was the sweetest thing he had heard in months.

~•~

It was incredible how easy it was to interact with him, Sakura mused as she made her way down the stairs in Central Park, heading for the place where she had established to meet with her husband. She had thought it would be awkward, and true, there had been a certain tension between them at the beginning, but it was a tension that had been broken the moment they kissed. It was like every barrier was broken down then, like everything – all the time they had spent apart and all the things that had happened in the meantime – suddenly made sense, gained a purpose.

This was why they had done all this, this was why they had made this sacrifice – to feel that connection, that emotion. Because now, when they kissed, they no longer felt like they were doing something wrong, like there was something missing; now, there was nothing to ignore, only to acknowledge. Because in a simple kiss, there was genuine love, affection, the need to protect, to be happy together.

And it was the most beautiful mixture she had ever experienced.

Slowing her pace to enjoy the cold, early-morning air and the frosty smell of winter, she scanned the surroundings for her husband. A grin pulled at the corners of her lips as her eyes fell on his majestic stature, hands in his pockets, raven hair messy, unimpressed gaze in place and broody mode on.

"Hey," she greeted as she came to a stop in front of him, not wasting a moment before she latched herself to his taller figure, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his. "Am I late?" she asked innocently.

He threw her a bland look. She might have been a bit late, but she had always thought he took some aspects of life, such as punctuality, too seriously – and now that she finally had a chance to point that out, to change that, without being afraid to ruin an equilibrium that wasn't even there, in the first place, she wasn't going to let it go to waste.

"Come on, let's have breakfast. Then we can go home," she said, grabbing his hand as she began to move on through the small snowflakes that fell in a gentle dance from the sky. "I know a place that sells like, the best hot chocolate ever! But, what am I saying? You don't drink hot chocolate." She laughed, looking back at him and smiling adoringly. "You must be the most boring husband a woman could possibly have."

It was easy to be herself around him, and the strange part of it all was that she didn't feel as though she was exposing a new part of herself to him, as though he was only now getting to know her. No, it felt… natural. It felt as though that was the way it had always been between the two of them, the way it should have always been.

The way it was meant to be.

~•~

They arrived home later that evening, when the sky was turning dark and the clouds began to gather, snowflakes starting their slow descend towards the ground.

A deep sigh escaped her lips as they entered the large foyer. Sasuke stopped to place her bags on the floor and to close the door behind him, but she continued on her way, disappearing from his sight a mere couple of seconds later. He hesitated before he followed her. What if he had rushed her? What if she now realized that, in fact, she wasn't ready to be here, wasn't ready to face the ghosts of their past?

He found her in the living room, gazing out on the large window at the snow-covered garden.

"There are so many memories…" she whispered before he could even think of something to say, "…Good and bad. They're all here."

"Aa," he forced out, burying his hands into his pockets as he looked down at his feet.

"I missed this house," she said, and her voice sounded closer. Raising his head, he saw that she had moved away from the window and approached him, the carpet muffling the sounds of her high-heels. Before he could even understand what she was doing, she had wrapped her arms around his neck. "I missed you."

His eyes softening, he brushed a lock of pink hair away from her face. "I missed you, too."

In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to take her upstairs and make love to her. But he was not as stupid as he had once been, so he knew that was impossible. As familiar as she might seem, he knew he had a lot more to learn about the woman that stood in front of him now. And since his pessimistic predictions hadn't come true, since she had kept her promise and come back to him, he blatantly refused to take another wrong turn. He had received another chance and he would not let it go to waste, as he had done with so many others.

"My mother…" he started after a while, clearing his throat, "She's having one of those Christmas dinners. Do you want to come with me? Or we can stay here… or I can take you out for dinner…" His eyes met hers. "We can do whatever you want, Sakura."

The pinkette smiled. "I'd like to go," she said. "But I'll need to take a bath first."

It was all he could do to bring her close and press his lips to hers.

~•~

It was almost an hour later that she called out his name. Sasuke was in his own bedroom, buttoning up his shirt when he heard her voice, and started down the hallway with a light frown etched on his features. He stopped in the doorway of her room when he arrived there, leaning against the wooden structure. Sakura made an appearance a mere moment later, in a tight, black dress that nearly took his breath away. Cheeks flushed, pink hair still damp from her bath, she looked up at him with brilliant green eyes as she tugged on the hem of her dress.

"Is this okay?" she asked.

There was only one response he could must at that point and in that situation, and that was, "Hn."

"I need to do my hair and my make-up," she announced, skipping to the mirror.

Sasuke took a moment to observe the no longer empty room. One of her suitcases was open in the middle of the bed, clothes hanging out haphazardly. The dresser was one again littered with make-up products, and her closet door was open, boxes of shoes abandoned on the floor. He had never realized how much he had missed the place as it was now – lived in.

With a mild furrow between her brows, Sakura turned to face him once again. "What comes to your mind when you think of Christmas?" she asked.

He blinked. "The tree," he replied bluntly.

The pinkette cocked her head to the side, throwing him a bland look.

He raised an eyebrow. "Snow?" he tried again.

She sighed, exasperated, and figured it out herself. "Red lipstick," she muttered to herself, before turning back around to face the mirror.

Sasuke heaved a sigh himself as she finished buttoning up the rest of his shirt and walked further into the room, slumping down on a surprisingly free of clutter armchair. Leaning his had backwards, he closed his eyes. There was no denying the fact that he enjoyed spending time with his parents, but the preparations that led up to any type of social event tired him out completely.

"How much time do we have?" he heard her ask, and let out another sigh. He knew what she was actually asking him.

"We'll leave when you're ready," he answered, not even bothering to open his eyes. He only did so when his nose caught a whiff of soft, feminine perfume, and he sensed her presence nearby. Then, he met a pair of bright green orbs and a dazzling smile looking down at him.

"You're too sweet," she cooed and pecked his lips softly.

Sasuke leaned in as she tried to pull away, following her lips until she broke apart with a laugh and promptly left his side. Heaving yet another sigh, he slouched back down in his seat.

Sakura took a look at him. "God, you're pouting again!" she exclaimed, laughing as she turned her attention back to her make-up.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. How had he managed to live without this annoying woman for so long?

~•~

The smell of home-cooked meals and freshly baked cookies, cinnamon and chocolate – the distinctive smell of Christmas – hit her as soon as they entered the house. How long had it been since she sensed that aroma? Sasuke placed a hand over her lower back as he led her further into the foyer, the sound of her heels clicking on the hardwood floors accompanying their arrival.

"Sasuke, honey, is that you?" Mikoto's familiar voice rang down the hallway, and Sakura smiled at the nickname she had chosen for her youngest son.

"Yes, Mom," her husband answered. It dawned on her then that she had never heard him speak to his mother before – that she had never seen them interact.

"Did you stumble across your brother?" she asked.

Sakura threw him a questioning look, to which he simply shook his head, motioning for her to undress.

"Not exactly," he answered his mother.

She frowned up at him. "Why are you doing this?" she demanded in a quiet tone, but he hushed her, taking her coat. There was no time for more questions and vague answers, however, because the next moment, heels sounded down the hallway, and the Uchiha matriarch appeared in the foyer, looking as perfectly put-together as she remembered in a red sweater dress and knee-high, black boots.

There was a smile on her face when she made eye-contact with her son, but when her gaze fell on the woman he had brought along, she froze. "Sakura," she gasped, and the pinkette barely had time to smile before she was engulfed in a sudden, warm hug. "You're back. You really are," she said, still in awe, as she pulled back to look her over, holding tightly onto her hands.

Sakura smiled widely, green eyes filled with tears. "Yes," she answered, nodding. "I really am."

"Sasuke, go away," his mother commanded, out of the blue, without even sparing him a look.

The man blinked. "What?" he sputtered.

"Go find your father," she said. "Leave us alone."

Sakura laughed at his expression. He was about to protest, she could see that clearly, but one fleeting glare from his mother made him rethink his decision. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he grumbled something unintelligible under his breath, turned onto his heels, and left the room.

Turning her gaze away from his retreating back, she was met with a soft smile. "Come," Mikoto encouraged, pulling her into the living room and encouraging her to take a seat on the couch with her. "How are you, honey?"

Sakura smiled. "I'm fine," she said.

"You came back," she breathed disbelievingly, touching her cheek. "How…?"

"Sasuke…" She laughed, shaking her head. "It's a long story."

"But, you're back, right? For good," she said, wanting to make sure.

Sakura nodded. "For good," she assured. "No matter what… I am staying by his side."

"Thank God," she murmured, smiling widely at her, with so much happiness shining in her black orbs that the pinkette found it hard to believe she, with her simple actions, had been the one to cause it.

Reaching out, she brushed her hair away from her face, looking at her with such an affectionate expression, the gesture itself so motherly – something that her own mother had never done – that it was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

Mikoto's expression softened as she seemed to realize in an instant exactly what had happened to her daughter-in-law.

"Honey," she coed, wrapping her arms around her shoulders, "Come here." She cradled her to her chest, her hand smoothing over her hair in a gentle, soothing gesture. "I know it's been a hard couple of years… I know you haven't really gotten the support you needed… But we are here now. I am here now. And I want you to know that you can always turn to us now. We are your family. Okay?" Pulling back, she smiled softly at her, brushing a lock of rebel pink hair behind her ear.

Sakura could only nod, smiling through her tears.

"Come on, wipe those tears away," Mikoto said. "They have nothing to do on that beautiful face – especially with that gorgeous make-up on. I have to check on the food, I'll be right back." She stood, but hesitated before leaving the room, throwing her a knowing look, "If you cry while I'm gone, I'll know," she warned, making the pinkette laugh.

In the meantime, the front door opened, and another set of heels clicked on the floors. A minute later, Itachi walked in with his long-time girlfriend, Keiko.

Sakura thought she could have cried at the sight of him – and she did. There was nothing that had warned her beforehand of the fact that she thought of him as a protective big brother – as the brother she had lost so much time ago. His eyes widened at the sight of her, but an understanding smile pulled at his lips.

She was off the couch and hugging him around the neck before her brain could even register the action, before it could think it through. Itachi hugged her back, one hand over the small of her back, the other smoothing over her pink locks – the gesture reminding her of her own brother so much that she nearly broke down right then and there. Better said, she would have broken down, in the past. But now, she felt more grateful towards the fact that she could feel it again rather than pained that her real brother was not the one doing it for her.

"Oh, you're all here," Mikoto's voice came from behind them. "Right on time, too. Dinner's ready."

Sakura sniffled as she let go, turning to face her briefly.

The woman placed her hands on her hips. "What did I say about crying?" she demanded, making her laugh as she stretched to hug Keiko in greeting.

"I can't help it!" she exclaimed, huffing an amused breath as she carefully dabbed at her tears with her fingertips, mindful of her make-up.

Sasuke chose that particular moment to make his appearance, his father following close behind him. "What's going on?" he demanded at the sight of her tears, frowning in confusion. What could she possible be crying about now?

The pinkette opened her mouth to speak, but her brother-in-law beat her to it. "Nothing," he said, placing a hand over her shoulder. "I told you, she likes me more."

Her husband looked as though the only reason he was holding back a couple of colorful words was the presence of his parents.

"What?" Itachi pressed, innocently. "She didn't cry when she saw you, now did she?"

Sasuke's glare intensified. Sakura's eyes darted between the two brothers, almost incredulous, yet delirious with happiness.

Mikoto rolled her eyes. "Boys," she said warningly.

Her husband backed her up, speaking for the first time since he entered the room. "Stop goofing around," he commanded.

His voice was deep, strong, powerful, demanding respect. But it wasn't as ice-cold as Sakura had imagined for so many years. No, beneath the seriousness he displayed was a warm, amused tone – one that told her he was as pleased with this type of exchange as his wife's eyes showed her to be.

When his dark gaze slid to her, Sakura froze. Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart stopped beating.

She had never realized just how much she desired this man's approval until now.

"Sakura," he acknowledged. "Welcome back."

Her smile could have lit up the entire town.

~•~

For the rest of the evening, Sakura gained a true understanding of what it felt like to have a family.

She had never had the opportunity to see all the Uchihas reunited – and in such a relaxed atmosphere – before, but she was grateful that she did now. Beneath façades, away from problems, misunderstandings and unbreakable stubbornness, they were a wonderful family. Their interaction was amazing to watch, and it left her with a warm, pleasant feeling coursing through her veins and settling in her stomach like a fluffy cloud.

She had always believed Uchiha Fugaku to be a cold man – colder than her husband. She had been wrong. They were similar – so similar it was almost incredible – but in a different way. Their personalities were alike. Their sense of humor was the same, their comments had the same satiric underside; their smirked at the same time and grunted in the same places.

Mikoto was the light of the family. She was different from everybody else, so cheerful and so happy to have her there, that she pampered her the entire evening, smothering her with attention and even sending a pouting Sasuke one seat further down the table so that she could have her next to her.

Itachi was the one who resembled her the most – he was calmer, and smiled more often, rather than simply smirked.

Sasuke himself was different. That she had ever thought for a moment that she knew how amazing of a man he could be sounded ridiculous now. He was another person in his family's presence. He was relaxed, completely at ease, with no longer a hint of coldness in his demeanor. Whatever problems he might have had with his father and his brother, problems caused by their marriage, had been clearly eliminated.

Everything was different now – his attitude towards them was different. Perhaps he had realized that he could lose them any time now? That he needed to appreciate them more? She truly hoped so.

At some point after that had finished dinner and all men at the table, minus Itachi, refused desert, Mikoto gasped as though she had remembered something, an aura of sizzling excitement around her.

"Sakura, come with me, I need to show you something," she said in a rush, rounding the table from where she had been standing behind her eldest son to reach her side.

Before the pinkette could even begin to make sense of her words, she heard her husband groaning beside her.

"Stop complaining," his mother chided, smacking the back of his head lightly.

Across the table, Itachi smirked, provoking yet another glaring contest with his little brother.

Still frowning, half-confused, half-amused, Sakura stood. Mikoto grasped her hand in an instant, and led her across the room and out on the door.

"You have to see little Sasuke. He was such a sweet child!"

~•~

Later that night, the youngest member of the Uchiha family found himself outside, on the porch, gazing out at the snow-covered backyard, with a blanket around his shoulders and a warm glass of wine in his hands. He had just taken a sip of the hot liquid when the door slid open behind him, and familiar footsteps approached him.

"Hey," his wife greeted as she lowered herself to a sitting position next to him, wrapped up in her red coat.

"Hey," he answered, placing his glass beside him, on the floor. "Why are you here? I thought I left you in good company."

"Hmm," she agreed, leaning into him in search for more warmth. Sasuke allowed her to snuggle in the crook of his arm without protest. "You did. But then I realized you were missing… and I got curious. By the way, has anybody ever told you that you were the cutest child ever? I never thought those spikes would be natural since birth, really," she said, grinning widely, as she looked up at him.

He seemed positively mortified, and seemed to consider her unworthy of an answer.

"Aww, don't be like that," she coed, her smile growing even wider, as she titled her head up to kiss his frown away.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted.

"Why are you out here, again?" she asked, changing the subject.

He shrugged. "I needed some time alone, I guess."

Sakura bit her lip, leaning away a fraction. "Do you want me to…?"

"No," he answered in an instant, shaking his head. "You don't count."

"Now that is refreshing," she laughed.

There was a trace of a small smile on his face as he gazed in the distance, at the horizon.

"Is there something the matter?" she asked after a moment of silence, hesitant. "Something you want to talk to me about…?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Not really."

They fell silent after that. The pinkette leaned further into her husband, his large, reassuring presence soothing her down to her every last cell. She was an independent woman, there was no doubt about that, but there was a certain sense of protection and security than only two men had ever given her; and those two men were her brother, Seiji, and her husband, Sasuke.

"You know…" she started, breaking the silence, "I feel so insecure that it's seriously creeping me out."

Sasuke blinked in surprise, not because of the words themselves, but because of the fact that she had spoken them. She never used to share information so willingly before.

"Back in New York, everything felt so right… when you came after me, I mean. And now I feel like… I don't know. I just can't help but wonder: was this the right choice?"

"I hope it was," he replied bluntly.

"I know it was," she retorted confidently. "Deep inside, I mean. I just… There's something holding me back, you know?"

He hesitated before giving his answer, "You're scared."

"Possible," she agreed. "I don't want to screw up again."

"Hn," he grunted. Reaching for his glass of wine, he took another sip of the warm beverage before admitting, "Me neither."

After a moment of deliberation, she concluded, "I think that's a good thing."

Sasuke huffed an amused breath, throwing her a sideways glance. "That we're freaking out?"

"That's one way of putting it," she laughed. "But I meant that we're insecure. That we're scared of screwing up somehow. I think it's normal. And also… we're not thinking about ourselves anymore. We're thinking about us."

"We never did that before," he agreed.

"No." She shook her head. "You drowned in jealousy, which can only be about yourself. And I… I don't know what was wrong with me, even now. I was confused. There were question marks all around me. And for so long I actually felt like I deserved to be happy – like happiness was a given right. And you know what?" she inquired, looking up at him with large, green eyes. "It's not. It's a gift to some people. But the rest of us have to fight for it. We have to build it from nothing. And that's what we're doing right now," she said, smiling as she grabbed his hand from where it rested on his knee and intertwined their fingers.

At a complete loss of what to say, he simply gave his usual grunt, while gazing at her with an odd sort of wonder in his eyes, as though he was only now discovering what an amazing woman he had by his side.

Sakura giggled at his predictable answer and once again leaned against him, kissing his cheek. "I missed you."

He didn't answer, but the way he wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace and buried his nose into her hair, inhaling her scent, told her everything she needed to know.

A/N: Damn, I miss Christmas now. Warm wine rocks! Haha!

(If you happened to find mistakes, such as words or structures repeating themselves, know that I wrote and edited this chapter on portions. That's my excuse this time, haha!)

On a happier note, I changed my site to tumblr. It seems easier to keep in touch with you there, and it's definitely easier to post all the pictures that inspire me there. Be sure to check it out if you're interested! Ohh! And seriously, GO SEE THOSE BOOTIES on my Flickr account. They are gorgeous. Like, the most beautiful pair of shoes I have ever seen. I'd stop eating for a month to gather money to buy them, but scumbag Victoria's Secret didn't think of opening a store around here. DAMN!

Also, also! Check out SasuSaku Month 2012 on Livejournal! Maybe the prompts will spark off an idea or two!

FFN, I WANT MY LINKS BACK! *wails*

Please review! I shall share out chocolate eggs to fuel the spirit of Easter that has already left us!