Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto of anything associated with it.

Author's Note: My deepest apologies for the late update to this story. Thank you for being patient with me and for keeping an interest. It was nice finding some personal messages to me and requests to continue this. Please rest assured that although I may have long pauses in between as life gets in the way, I never leave something unfinished and will give my all to ensure this story comes to a conclusion for you.

From the Heart

Chapter 35

Sakura sat staring at her reflection in the large mirror before her. The room was small, private and dimly lit, perfect for the bride to get ready in. She sighed and looked down at her hands, I can't stop shaking! She realised, clasping them together and trying to take control of her emotions. She had never felt so nervous and physically sick in all of her life. It wasn't that she didn't want this day to happen, it was just the reality finally hitting her that all the months of preparation, hard work, hard saving and managing stressful situations with people was about to finally come to a conclusion.

Yes it had been almost a year now since the day he proposed to her. In that time their children had started to walk and talk, Hinata herself had gotten married and Ino had fallen pregnant. Organising this ceremony was not easy and she had tried to take all of the pressure on herself, taking her temper out on Naruto a few too many times when he tried to help in his most unhelpful methods. Luckily though she had a mother whom was very organised and loved to interfere and a best friend that took no qualms in telling people what to do and getting things done in a timely manner.

"Breathe" the sound of her mother's voice broke her out of her thoughts and she looked up to see the older woman enter the room with Ino who closed the door slowly behind her. It was only then that Sakura realised that she had in fact stopped breathing and had to suck in some air, slowly letting it out again. Her head had already started to pound and she could barely hold in her emotions for much longer.

"How are you feeling?" Ino asked with a smile, placing a glass of water on the table for her in preparation.

"Sick" Sakura stated clearly. She immediately felt bad for it and didn't want them to get the wrong impression, "Excited, nervous and over whelmed" she finished.

A knock came to the door and her mother opened it and stepped outside. Off course no one was to see the bride yet before she was ready. She could hear the deep voice of Shikamaru on the other side. "Um…Naruto asked me to bring this to her before the ceremony" he explained. "The note explains everything."

"Thank you" Mrs Haruno remarked, taking the object from his hand and giving him a gentle bow. She entered the room again and waited for Shikamaru's footsteps to leave them before handing Sakura the item.

It was a beautifully decorated box shape and the letter was on an official writing scroll. She stared at it for a moment, her heart pounding in her head and chest, her mouth getting dry.

"Open it then!" Ino remarked, finding herself a seat and rubbing her stomach in her motherly way as she waited impatiently.

Sakura nodded and gently slid her thumb up, tearing the envelope's seal open and removing the content. It was hand written in a beautiful script and she barely recognised it to be Naruto's neatest handwriting. She started to read it and immediately felt tears coming to her eyes. "I can't read it" she complained, water affecting her vision and becoming self conscious of her make up. Ino passed her some tissues and she dabbed at her face. Her mother took the letter and read it out loud.

"My dearest Sakura-chan,

Without you in my life my world would have been incomplete.

You have kept me from darkness and filled me with hope.

I have never felt for anyone the way I feel for you.

In this gift you will find two presents.

The first is something that I hope my family would have approved of.

The second is a little something from our children.

Love always

Naruto Uzumaki"

Sakura sniffed and managed to blink enough to hold back some of the tears and gain her composure before picking up the box before her and unwrapping it.

"Beautiful!" Ino gasped, staring at a mirrored box that had an intricate design on top that glistened in the light. Sakura was still shaking but managed to open the lid and couldn't help but smile when her eyes glanced down at a beautiful locket and pair of earrings. She picked up the locket and held it close. It had the design of a Sakura blossom on it with a diamond in the centre. She pried it open and the moment her eyes fell on a small photo of Naruto and their children on one side and a photo of their grandparents on the other she felt her eyes well up again and clasped it close to her chest. That man could be too romantic sometimes, it took her breath away.

"Shall we put it on?" her mother asked, wiping her own tears from her eyes. Sakura nodded and allowed her mother to place the jewellery on her neck and secure it in place. She then put the small studded earrings to match in her ears and admired the finished look they gave her in the mirror.

"You look wonderful" her mother stated calmly as she pinned Sakura's hair up and admired her in her white, pink and red kimono. Her lips were a darkened red and the make up around her eyes made her green orbs look that much larger and more welcoming.

"Are you ready?" she asked her daughter. Sakura nodded and stood from her seat. Ino came to her side and helped to gather up her dress, ready to walk with her to the location where they would meet the rest of the ceremony before heading towards the temple.

…..

"You have the rings right?" Naruto asked as he stopped for a second in between his pacing for what seemed like the hundredth time.

Shikamaru sighed, "right here" he remarked, tapping his pocket. He looked down at Kazuo and Rin, both of whom looked adorable in their own little kimono's and each holding a different coloured cushion. They were going to be carrying the rings on route to the temple and he had responsibility for them. He had to admit that despite the desperate and nervous demeanour of their parents, the children seemed pretty calm and oblivious to the tension in the grown ups. He himself had been taken by surprise when Naruto asked him to be his best man and representative. It was a pressure he had initially thought of as being a bore but now he couldn't help but feel a hint of pride and honour in his role.

"You need to breathe man" Kiba offered. He knew exactly what it was like for the man before him, having been there himself not long ago. Kiba however had the calm and collected Shino by his side at the time and was too busy worrying about the fear his friend invoked in people than what would or could happen.

"I hope she liked it" Naruto muttered to himself.

"I am sure she did" Sakura's father spoke up, placing a hand on the lad's shoulder to reassure him. "Now are you clear with what happens next?" he asked. Naruto blinked and looked at the man for a moment, his mind going blank for a second before he came to his senses.

"Uh yeah!" he remarked, "The priest will lead with a precession of musicians behind him, then we follow and you guys as witnesses behind us". Mr Haruno nodded to show he was correct.

A faint knock came to the door and Naruto jumped. He felt sweat pouring from his forehead and began to panic. His nervous gaze looked upon Shikamaru and he moved to the doorway without hesitation. "Yeah" he remarked calmly. A faint voice of Hinata spoke up and they could hear her say, "Sakura-san asked me to give this to Naruto-kun". Shikamaru turned to look at his friend and Naruto appeared at the doorway. Hinata looked down and bowed her head as she offered the gift out to him before leaving them to it.

"What is it?" he asked. The others shared a look and shrugged.

"Just open it man" Kiba encouraged.

With shaking hands Naruto slowly opened the gift he was handed and found a small box. Within it was a slip of paper and a pocket watch. It looked old, like a family heirloom and on the back of it he found engraved, "For my hero and best friend, all my love, Sakura". Seeing those words in writing helped relieve his tension some what. A small part of him had always wondered if Sakura deserved more than him and if he was enough, but as he opened the note she left all of his anxiety left him. It read; "My parents will be looking after the children tonight…this kimono is very uncomfortable…I may need a little help" his face flushed red and he couldn't stop the small grin that came. It was a promise and something to look forward to at the end of the day.

"So what's it say?" Kiba asked. Naruto immediately crumpled up the piece of paper and hid it in his clothing.

"Nothing!" he lied. It was obvious for all to see that he was embarrassed and didn't want to discuss it.

Another knock came at the door and a voice followed behind it, "we are ready"

Naruto's heart jumped into his throat and his nerves came back again. Sakura had spent months preparing for this day and he didn't want to blow it for her at all. He looked to the men in his room for their support and then down at his children. Shikamaru handed him the box with their rings in it and he crouched down to place one of each on the cushions, tying them in place with a ribbon to prevent them coming off. It was amazing how small Sakura's ring was compared to his own.

"Daddy okay?" Rin asked her father, picking up on his nerves. Naruto looked at her and grinned. He embraced both of his children in a firm hug and gently stroked their red hair as he pulled himself away from them. I am now, he thought.

"Follow Shikamaru and be good" he ordered. They looked at each other and nodded their heads. He rose and adjusted his clothing before approaching the door. "Ready" he beckoned to the priest whom stood on the other side. The older man wore a white kimono with black in lay and a white hat. There were three men behind him standing in a line with musical instruments in their arms, their kimono's were orange in colour. Behind them stood Hinata and Temari who volunteered to play the vital roles as part of their union.

He took his place underneath a large parasol and thanked the gods that day for the sunny and dry weather, despite the hint of cold. Sakura chose for their wedding to be held in March to mark the beginning of spring and to make full use of the blooming of the pink cherry blossoms that surrounded the town at this moment. They were starting their ceremony in the water gardens at the other end of town and he could already see their guests surrounding the nearby area. The whole village was on high alert today and was shut off to outsiders after their friends from other nations had entered the day before. He could spot the red hair of Gaara in the distance and gave the man a nod of his head in acknowledgement as he approached his position. Shikamaru stood before him with the children either side of him holding up their cushions with great pride as Sakura's father, Lady Tsunade and Lord Kakashi took his rear.

It was a wonder that the former and current Hokages would take part in the ceremony but as Naruto had no parents someone needed to act as his witness and guardian and he could think of no one better than the two people that mentored and trained him over the years. "She's coming out!" one of the girls in the audience gasped. The gasps and silence that flooded the area took Naruto by surprise and everything began to move in slow motion. All he could hear and feel was the beating of his heart as his head slowly turned to look in the direction of the door that now opened and the three females that entered into the day light. The sight before him took his breathe away and he felt over whelmed.

The moment his eyes met Sakura's he knew everything was going to be alright. Everything was perfect and she was his. She is beautiful…and she is mine, he realised with pride. She was stunning and her hair was tied up with cosmos flowers placed in it. Her make up made her eyes glow like emeralds and her dress…well it was a traditional kimono but clearly made of top end materials and hugged her figure softly. There was a dip in the form of a V shape and he could see the sparkle of the locket he bought for her hanging there, close to her heart. It suited her perfectly.

"She is beautiful" a young girl spoke up again, her mother silencing her and people laughing and smiling in response.

Naruto kept his eyes on Sakura the whole time as she slowly stepped closer to him, Ino holding her dress for her and her mother taking her place next to her husband. As Sakura approached his side she smiled at him and blushed. It was difficult as neither had been allowed to see each other for days and they were not allowed to speak or touch until the end of the ceremony. Both stood next to one another, close enough to feel the other shaking and yet couldn't do anything about it. It was frustrating but exciting at the same time.

The moment everyone assumed their positions the music started to play and slowly they were forced to follow the lead of the priest who walked them slowly, step by step, towards their destination, through the sea of pink blossoms. Outside the entrance of the temple there formed two lines of their closest friends and family as they greeted them with smiles, nods and winks. Sakura managed to sneak a glance at Naruto and watched him smiling at his friends. His messy blond hair was sleeked back neatly and he was in a white kimono. The colour seemed different on him and she missed his usual black get up but somehow this attire made him seem like a white knight.

Naruto turned to see her looking his way and the moment he gazed upon her she felt the need to tease him a little. She subconsciously moved her hand up to her chest, stroking the locket and using her spare hand to flash a fan across her face, showing him she was hot in more ways than one. Naruto's grin broadened and a cough brought them both to their senses, looking at a disapproving blond woman that now positioned herself in between them, forcing them to look away from each other. It was like torture being separated for so long and having to hold back.

Naruto turned to look straight ahead instead, distracting himself, and as they entered through the large archways of the temple he soon realised that he had never felt so small before. The room opened up into a large space with a square situated in its centre. Steps led up into the square like platform and on it situated six seats; two at the front and four behind them. At the very front was a stand which the priest and two female roles situated behind.

Ino guided Sakura and Naruto to the front of the platform and their parents and guardians sat behind them. They remained waiting patiently as their guests followed in and took their seats either side of the room. The music slowly came to a stop and silence filled the air.

"May I ask who is giving the bride away" the priest asked. Sakura's father stood from his seat and acknowledged himself.

"I do, her father" he announced. The priest nodded and Mr Haruno kissed Sakura on the cheek before shaking Naruto's hand and taking his seat again behind them.

The priest indicated for the two of them to step forward and approach the tray that was now laid out in front of them. In it there were a selection of three bowls, varying in size. The priest picked up the first bowl, the smallest one, and Hinata and Temari approached with their vessels, pouring liquid in a symbolic way into the bowl. They dipped the vessels three times before stepping back. Naruto was the first to take the bowl, his hands shaking slightly, careful to not drop it. He placed it to his mouth three times and sipped at the contents before passing the bowl to Sakura whom accepted and repeated the process. The bowls symbolised their sharing of bonds and they repeated the same ritual for each of the bowls placed before them. This was known traditionally as San San Kudo and took time for Naruto to get his head around, but he concentrated on the task at hand and followed the lead of those around him. For Naruto the three cups represented Heaven, Earth and mankind, the unity of them as husband and wife. It took him back to their trial in the chunin exam where Kakashi sensei taught them that he was like earth and needed to spiritually master his chakra control and use his head whereas Sakura was like heaven and needed to grow her physical strength. Now they were together and where he lacked in intelligence Sakura made up for it and where she lacked in strength he had enough to fight an army. Together they balanced the scales and were in that middle step, ready to catch each other if they fell and help each other up…a powerful duo indeed. The next step involved the bowls of saki being offered to their parents and guardians, a symbolism of their acceptance of the marriage between the couple.

In line with other nations they then stood facing one another as their children came forth with their rings. They didn't fully understand what it was they were supposed to be doing, being only a couple of years old, but they went with it anyway and smiled up at their parents lovingly. Naruto took the ring meant for Sakura off Rin after rubbing her hair gently. He reached for his fiancées delicate hand and held it in his. Sakura was physically shaking hard and he looked at her reassuringly, noticing the water that formed in her eyes, as the release of all her pent up emotions over the last few months finally came to the surface. No words needed to be said in that moment. The symbolism of the exchanging of rings was enough and he hoped she understood from his look and his touch that he swore to protect her with his life and cherish her always.

As Sakura bent to take Naruto's ring from Kazuo she gave her son an affectionate stroke of his cheek and showed them through her smile that they were doing really well. She then placed the ring at the tip of her soon to be husbands hand and slid it into place. It fit perfectly and her unspoken words told him that she would be his, now and forever, and she accepted all of him; His quirkiness, stupidity, bravery, honesty and flirtatiousness…Everything…An eternal love.

Once finished the pair were both handed a branch full of leaves from the holy sakaki tree which they simultaneously rotated in their hands before placing them down next to the bowls as a symbolism of their offering. They then clapped a few times and the priest announced them as man and wife. Naruto turned to glance at his new wife and raised out a hand to her, the biggest grin on his face. Sakura accepted it in earnest and allowed him to guide her out of the temple, leading the way for their whole procession, pausing only briefly to allow people to take photos of them underneath the cherry blossoms.

"How does it feel?" Sai asked as he approached them and shook their hands. It was funny but as time went by he became a little more able to show emotions and it suited him in a weird way. Ino was training him well in the art of socialisation.

"Weird" Naruto remarked. Sakura gently elbowed him in his side and he smiled, "I mean…well…my feelings haven't changed…if anything they are stronger" he remarked. "I already know what it's like to live with you" he added, turning now to face his wife, "and we have…you know…" he couldn't finish and she was glad he didn't as she knew what he was referring to. She understood what he meant though. Their bonds had not changed…a wedding was like a performance, a play, a means of showing others how serious their feelings were. It didn't change who they were or their promises to one another, but it did make it all so much more intense.

"It does seem strange" she admitted, linking his arm and holding him close to her. "Knowing I am now Mrs Uzumaki…" she remarked a little apprehensively. It seemed great, yet daunting and scary all in one. "I have had my name all my life…and now I have to change my identity…it feels almost like a part of me is missing". It was a sad thought and she meant no offence by it but it was the reality of how she felt. Naruto squeezed her hand and drew her attention to him.

"You will always be Sakura-chan to me" he remarked. She smiled and allowed him to gently kiss her on the lips. The click of a camera and flash of light broke them up and they looked over at the cheeky smile of Ino as she approached them.

"Mummy" the voice of Kazuo broke through and a small hand reached up to hold Sakura's dress. Unable to do much in her attire she allowed Naruto to lift him up so she could see him. He reached out a hand to her and she accepted it lovingly before kissing him on the forehead. Shortly afterward Shikamaru approached with Temari, their child and Rin. The two of them seemed to be getting along well these days and it was something the mothers found interesting…wondering if their children would become as close as they all were now.

…..

Kakashi watched as the newly wed couple went about their rounds to family, friends and villagers, laughing, joking and enjoying themselves. He had never seen Sakura or Naruto laugh and smile so much in his entire time of knowing them. Even when Naruto would make some inappropriate remarks and she hit him for it, he could tell the blond man enjoyed the torment a little too much. He is a masochist, he decided with a smile to himself.

"Strange isn't it" Tsunade remarked, sitting next to him and sharing a bottle of Saki with him. He accepted the cup gratefully, after all weddings were all about the alcohol. "They grow so fast" she commented with a sigh.

"That they do" he replied. "They have already surpassed us" he added. There was a hint of jealousy in his tone at being the old geezer that trained them and still remaining a singleton but the older woman let it slide. It was only natural for events like these to make some people focus in on themselves and wonder where they had gone with their lives.

"I wonder what he would say if he was here" Tsunade wondered out loud.

Kakashi knew who she was talking about without even thinking on it. He watched Naruto swinging his daughter around in the air and making her giggle. He really turned into a great father, he noted, feeling some pride in him as his teacher and friend. "I think he would be proud" he remarked. Jiraya was like a grandfather figure to Naruto and taught him a lot. He knew that if the man were still alive it would most likely be him standing there instead, acting as Naruto's family member.

A dark figure approached the couple and Naruto stopped what he was doing, putting his child down. Rin hid behind him as she looked up at the serious expressions of the head of the Uchiha family. Kazuo however, was clearly more confident and stepped forward, approaching the little dark haired child that stood between them. Like father like son, the older man thought to himself. He had no doubt in his mind that those to children would form a deeper bond than their parents.

Sasuke was hesitant in approaching the couple or even attending as a guest to the ceremony but upon seeing his friends he was glad to be there, even if just for a part of it. He thought it would be strange considering the betrayal he made of the village, the fact he tried to kill them and Sakura's feelings towards him in the past. Yet over time they had come to acknowledge and accept the fact that the Uchiha loved more deeply than anyone else and sometimes that love could be clouded by hate. Hatred and love were closely connected and intertwined. He had done what he thought had been right but he was proven wrong and it would take his whole life time to work to prove to everyone that he was no longer the man he was back then.

Kakashi took a sip of his liquor as he watched Naruto hug Sasuke who pushed him away, instantly irritated and embarrassed. The man coughed as he chuckled slightly, it was typical of that pair. Sakura on the other hand focussed her attention on Karin and embraced her like she was part of the family. It was strange seeing her show such a casual attitude towards the Uchiha, as if she never had feelings for him. The way she moved on was impressive and mature. He doubted many others could face their first love in such a remarkable way. He looked between Naruto and Karin as they begrudgingly greeted each other and was still uncertain as to the connection between the two but the fact they were Uzumaki's meant that there must have been some blood connection down the line. Watching them all though made him think about something and before he knew it he spoke his thoughts out loud, "I wonder if he knew".

"Knew what?" Tsunade asked. He had forgotten she was sitting next to him.

"That it would turn out this way" he remarked. He could tell she wasn't too sure what he meant by this and waited for him to expand, "Jiraya wrote a book once about a kunoichi that was in love with a ninja for a long time but during a war she came to realise her feelings for him were not the same. Her teacher helped her to think about her future and what she saw. She ended up seeing not the man she had pined over all those years, but the man that stood before her. A friend, companion, team mate…the fool hardy ninja that always broke the rules and failed his classes…" It was a story that seemed so true to Naruto and Sakura that it was unreal.

Tsunade thought to herself for a moment and studied the pair before them, "I doubt it was the future he was seeing when he wrote that" she remarked. Her cheeks blushed and he wondered if the alcohol was already going through her system. He never took her to be a light weight before. She could usually handle more than that.

Tsunade however was lost in thought over the words Kakashi had spoken. She had purposely never read one of Jiraya's books, not because she feared them to be inappropriate, but because she feared reading the truth behind the lines. The war he spoke of and the goofy ninja was most likely about himself. The kunoichi who changed her mind about the man she loved…that was most definitely about her and his dream that she would one day look at him. She missed the people she loved and in many ways was envious of the young generation before her. Although she got to fall in love a second time round, he was taken from her just like the last one and it was hard for her heart to handle. She had put it all to one side in her mind and came to terms with the loss but seeing Naruto and Sakura like this now made her wonder what life could have been like if there had been less hatred in the world back then. Especially as Naruto reminded her so much of her dearest friend and Sakura had a tendency to take after her too.

It's a new generation, she felt she heard Jiraya's voice standing behind her and turned to look. His smiling figure stood over her and she smiled, a tear forming in her eye, and we helped create it, he finished, disappearing before her for the last time. "Damn it" she muttered, turning back to reality and drinking some more. Sure they made the world a better place but she was allowed to be a little resentful wasn't she?

"Fancy placing a bet?" she asked randomly. Kakashi raised an eyebrow and looked at her a little cautiously. She was unlucky with bets and the probability of her winning was small, which made his interest that much higher.

"Sure, what are we betting?" he asked.

"That before the end of the night Sakura will hit him" she stated clearly.

Kakashi scoffed, "that's too easy" he remarked.

Tsunade drank some more and turned to face him, "then you bet something" she stated.

He thought for a minute and then a smile appeared, "I bet he is commando underneath his kimono" he remarked, "as is Sakura". Tsunade's cheeks reddened and she lifted her glass to him with a wide and mischievous grin.

"I'll drink to that" she stated, "though how do we plan on checking it out?" she wondered out loud.

"Leave that to me" Kakashi replied, secretly summoning a couple of his smallest dogs and giving them the order.

Pakun looked a little unimpressed, "what's in it for us?" he asked.

"A vacation" Kakashi replied. The dogs looked at one another and sighed, soon taking themselves away and sneaking out into the crowd.

…

"Sakura you look amazing" Tenten announced as she approached the couple and embraced her during their reception.

"Thank you" Sakura remarked with a smile. She had never received so many compliments before in her life.

"You brushed up okay too" Tenten remarked to Naruto, laughing when his face went sullen and giving him a friendly shove.

"Sakura-chan are you sure you made the right decision?" Lee asked from the sidelines, getting a disapproved look from his girlfriend. It was strange seeing Tenten and Lee as more than friends but for now it seemed to work well for them. She understood him better than anyone after all and they both shared close bonds with their friend and sensei that no one else could understand. Sometimes death had a means of bringing people together.

Sakura laughed and smiled, "I'm sure Lee" she acknowledged affectionately, appreciating his kind concern. She turned to look at Tenten, whom for a rare occasion had let down her hair. She had a single pin holding some of her locks back but the length of her hair was stunning and made her look like a completely different person. Even Naruto had difficulty recognising her at first and blushed around her presence. "You also look stunning" Sakura remarked, noting the kimono her friend was in. She glanced at Lee in his suit and back to her before whispering, "you know he has been looking at you all day" she remarked honestly. Tenten blushed a little and turned to look at Lee who blinked a few times and avoided eye contact when he thought he had been caught. The smile that appeared on her face reassured her that he was finally looking in a different direction and although he showed concern for Sakura his feelings for her had also changed.

"She is mine now" Naruto stated protectively over his wife. It was clear he was still likely to be the jealous type; she didn't mind so long as he kept it under control.

"Your eyes are only for her right?" Kiba asked as he approached their side with their remaining friends "never would confuse her with someone else?" he asked teasingly. Naruto shot him a look that warned him to be careful with his words but Sakura picked up on the tone in Kiba's voice that hinted that he knew something more than he let on.

"Why, has Naruto looked else where?" she asked, accusingly.

Naruto looked at her in a panicked state. "Off course not!" he remarked defensively…a little too much.

Sakura frowned, "who is she?" she asked.

"No one…I only have eyes for you!" he promised. She believed from his reaction he was telling the truth but she still wanted to know the whole story.

"Relax" Shikamaru reassured, "Kiba is just teasing him" he glared at the wolf like man before looking back at the pink haired kunoichi. "He is referring to our stag do…we went to a place and there was a woman that looked like you there" he remarked. Before he could explain though Naruto felt desperate and felt that he needed to explain more, "I was drunk!" he protested, but this just made him sound guilty of something he had not done and all eyes now landed on him.

Sai felt like an explanation was needed and stepped in, "it was dark and hard to see clearly from a distance he offered" but Ino slapped him around the back of the head in a warning fashion, he was NOT helping.

"Did you approach her?" Sakura asked her husband, watching him carefully.

There was silence before he replied, the group shared concerned looks with each other, "I thought she was you so I…kind of…hugged her" he stated honestly.

Sakura took a step back and frowned at him, "what else?" she asked.

Naruto looked at her stunned, a little upset that she didn't seem to trust him, "that's it!" he remarked. "I didn't do anything else…honest!" he protested.

"He didn't Sakura…she slapped him round the face and walked off. He then spent the rest of the night with his head in the bowl crying at the fact of how much he missed you" Shikamaru offered. Sakura studied them carefully and thought about what she was being told. All control and power was now in her hands as to whether this would go well or become a big problem on their special day.

"So what kind of club was this?" Tenten asked cautiously, taking interest when all the men suddenly became sheepish.

"I want to know too" Temari asked as she watched them sweat and try to shuffle on their feet.

"Hey Shino about that mission we have tomorrow…" Shikamaru spoke up, trying to break the subject and catch the attention of the insect man. Shino pushed out a hand and shook his head, "don't get me involved in this" he remarked.

Temari stepped in and stopped her partner in his tracks. She grabbed him by his ear and pulled him into her. She could be pretty fearsome when she wanted to be. "Speak" she demanded.

"It doesn't matter…it was just a bit of fun" he protested, seriously not wanting to have this discussion and throwing glares at Kiba for spilling it in the first place.

"It has dancers" Hinata spoke up, taking them all by surprise. Sakura's eyebrow rose as she studied her friend, a little sceptical.

"Did Kiba tell you that?" she asked. Hinata nodded.

Ino turned to face them all as the men formed a line and tried to back away from their partners. Sai had told her they went to a bar and had a lot to drink and Naruto was worse for wear but the rest seemed to be omitted. "What kind of dancing are we talking about?" she asked.

Kiba looked a little ashamed and glanced at the others for guidance, but they remained silent, making him suffer, "you know, some solo acts…some group acts…sometimes the audience gets involved" he remarked, biting his tongue with every syllable as the words came out of his mouth and he tried to retract them.

"Really?" Tenten remarked, "and are there male dancers or just female dancers?"

Naruto swallowed as she looked at him, it seemed they were taking it in turns to drill them. "There were women" he spoke up honestly, looking at Sakura for her reaction and dreading it. She studied them silently, letting her friends take control of the situation.

"And they were dancing?" Temari asked, staring at Shikamaru. "Let me guess their clothing was minimal" she offered. This got a surprised expression from Hinata. It was clear there were some details Kiba had left out but as the typical respectful woman she was she did not say much.

Sakura stepped towards her husband and looked at him closely as he gritted his teeth, "so, they danced for you" she commented, he nodded a little ashamed, "and you gave them money?" she asked. Naruto started to sweat, his body giving the answers away for him. "Did you touch?" she asked.

He shook his head aggressively, "you aren't allowed to" he remarked, looking a little too happy about that answer, as if it was okay.

"But you wanted to?" she asked. At this point their friends all looked at each other and knew they had taken things a little too far.

"It was just some fun" Kiba announced, "no harm done right?" he asked, "just tradition" he remarked. The men all nodded in agreement and slowly started to back away, taking the children with them as if they were a protective force field.

"I didn't want to," Naruto spoke up in defence.

"Well I guess we can't say much can we" Ino exclaimed, choosing to forgive them, "after all we had a male strip…" a hand covered her mouth and silenced her instantly. Sakura glared at her and the women felt the eyes of their partners change from fear to jealousy and a hint of anger. Kettle calling the tea pot black huh?

It was Naruto's turn to seem surprised, "so a man took his clothes off for you?" he asked, seemingly hurt by it. Sakura grimaced and sighed, she would kill the pig later.

"Yes…but it wasn't my idea!" she protested, "blame Ino!" she remarked, pushing an accusatory finger her way.

Naruto glanced around at the group of people surrounding them and down at his two children whom had listened to some of their discussion. He felt a hint of embarrassment and irritation. "Can you all excuse us for a second please, I need to speak to my wife in private" he emphasised. They all slowly backed away quietly and the couple could hear Ino trying to explain herself to Sai and Kiba asking Hinata how much of it was true.

With the lack of an audience Naruto started to feel a little less embarrassed, forcing himself to stand up right a bit more to face his wife.

"Did he touch you?" he asked suddenly, his tone a little serious.

"No off course he didn't!" Sakura protested, "they just strip and dance…nothing more…like your place no touching is involved".

"Did you like it?" he asked.

Sakura's face flushed and she grimaced, "he was attractive…I can't deny that, but he wasn't you" she muttered the last part and he studied her carefully. The silent approach though bothered her and she decided to turn the table back on him, "You can't tell me that half naked women danced for you and you weren't tempted?" she asked.

Naruto didn't want to tell her that they weren't half naked…more likely mainly naked. It was a club for a special class of person and was in a town far from there. It wasn't something that was usually seen as respectful or tasteful but it was, as the lads put it, just some harmless fun.

"Were they attractive?" Sakura asked, her anger fading and worry taking over instead.

"Yes" he admitted, regretting his honesty the moment she glared at him. He watched her adjust her kimono a little and he knew her fidgeting showed that she was as uncomfortable about all of this as he was and they both began to feel a little overwhelmed. He sighed and took some initiative, stepping forward and taking hold of her hands. "Was I interested?" he asked, "no" he replied, gaining her attention. "Did they do anything for me?" he asked, referring to his lower region, "no" he admitted. "If anything they just made me think about you and how I hadn't seen you for days and how I missed your warmth and touch and ….." Sakura kissed him on the lips instantly silencing him.

"Um…" he was taken back by her reaction and wasn't sure what to say. She pressed her head against his and embraced him slightly. "I guess we both got roped into something awkward" he accepted. He could feel her nod in his chest. "You trust me right?" he asked her, a little worried.

Sakura pulled her head back and looked up at him, "I do…I married you didn't I?" she asked. He smiled at that little fact and she reached up to stroke his cheek affectionately, "you trust me too right?" she asked. He nodded and held her close, "yep" he beamed.

Her hand lowered to his chest and grabbed his clothing, pulling him in close, "Good, well you be warned Mr Uzumaki" she stated carefully as if threatening him, "later on I will ensure that any memories you have of that night are wiped clean and you continue to see nothing but me!" she insisted.

Naruto's face flushed a crimson red as she slowly let go of him and the information sunk in, "so…does this mean your going to dance for me?" he asked her hopefully. Sakura half turned her back to him and looked at him with a grin that made him both curious and scared. Whatever she had planned it wasn't likely to be what he was thinking.

"Looks like Kakashi won the bet" Pakun's voice commented, catching the attention of the couple above him. "You know Naruto there are some scenes I don't want to see…you might think about wearing pants" he offered. Sakura and Naruto looked at him in stunned silence and when the former caught his partner sniffing her skirt she jumped back into her husbands arms.

"This one too" the other dog stated with a creepy grin. Sakura's face became flushed at the realisation he had looked under her clothing and the vein in her temple throbbed. She stepped forward and kicked him aggressively to get the mutt away from her.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" she demanded to know. Pakun started to sweat and backed off a little. Naruto looked from his wife to the dog again and when it dawned on him that an animal had seen a part of his wife that only he was meant to see it somehow bothered him more than he cared to admit. Sensing the immediate danger from the two Pakun immediately gave his apologies and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Sakura however turned to search the crowd for the Hokage. "Where is he?!" she demanded, "I'm going to kill him!" she snapped.

Kakashi stood from his seat and finished the last of his drink. He could hear Tsunade's laughter loud and clear at the commotion presented before them. "I think that is my cue to take my leave" he remarked.

"You better make it a hasty one" the older woman remarked.

"We never discussed the fee" he suddenly realised.

Tsunade shrugged and raised her glass to him, "That's something we can agree on later" she offered, "times ticking" she warned and in a flash he was gone. A second later her student arrived by her side, panting and breathing heavily. "Sit down and drink with me" Tsunade offered. Sakura initially refused but as her husband joined her they were soon both forcibly sat down and made to endure hours more of drinking and entertainment that soon enough made them forget about the fact their teacher had a perverted bet on them.

…..

A/N: Just a bit of fun to be had. I tried to combine a western marriage with a traditional Japanese one so apologies if it isn't in the right order, though I did do some research and watched a Japanese wedding on line…as well as using a little experience from my own.

I will end this here for now but I warn you that the next chapter is likely to be the last one. I hope I won't take as long to write it for you. As always though please review and give me your feedback as I would love to hear from you, it keeps me motivated.

All the best

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