Chapter 23

Sakura and Sasuke arrived at the village gates when Sasuke let them walk out and straight in front of the village gates. Sakura looked around worriedly, she mostly was antsy because this was the first time in nearly a year and a half when both she and her husband were away from their daughter. And the first time had been because of her being poisoned, and Sarada being kidnapped. Sasuke looked at her, then he grabbed her hand with his and tugged her along.

"She's safe and fine," he whispered.

"I know, but I worry," she argued. He rolled his eyes and she knew what he was signaling and she didn't like it as she let herself be pulled along into the village before she could race back to get her daughter.

Now, before one got the wrong idea about them, there was an actual reason for them hiding Sarada. The last time there had been a child Uchiha they had been under the scrutiny of the council and neither she nor Sasuke ever wanted their daughter to be thought of as a monster or singled out by the council to be watched. And despite Kakashi being Hokage, the other council members though… and the other Kages of the world… well, it made her shudder to think of what they may or may not want with her daughter. Also, it was Sasuke's greatest fear that their daughter would be snatched away from them and used as a weapon in the villages, if she had the Sharingan. They just wanted Sarada to have a chance to be normal before she had to grow up in this cruel world.

But despite those worries, she felt horrible that her daughter wouldn't be meeting her family in the village. No doubt that Naruto, Kakashi, Ino, Sai, her parents, and Tsunade would love Sarada, as would everyone else but there was also the worry of everyone being mad at her and Sasuke for not bringing her home sooner rather than later. Kami knew Karin and the rest of Team Taka doted on the girl, and her friends might be mad that they hadn't known about her or gotten to dote upon her too.

"You worry about every little thing; we'll be back to her before the end of the week Sakura. Stop dragging your feet!" Sasuke ordered and then she found herself pressed to his side as he slipped his arm around her, her heart was hammering away mercilessly in her ribs in excitement. Well, it had been a while since they had had alone time, this could be a bit of fun; she thought deviously as she smiled up to her husband.

"Hey! You're here! Finally!" she didn't get a chance to think as she was suddenly grabbed in an enthusiastic hug from her old teammate.

"Release my wife dobe!" Sasuke snapped.

"Stop hogging Sakura, teme!" Naruto shouted as she found herself being suficated from the hug Naruto was giving her. "You're here! I can't believe it! Kami Sakura, it's been a long time, and you're hair!"

"I know, I'm trying an old look," she chuckled as her friend finally pulled away from her. Her long hair fell to her mid back now, but that was as long as she was letting it go. "It's good to see you Naruto! Did you get…bigger or something?"

"No, just been a long while since we saw each other, teme doesn't bring you around nearly as often as he should!" Naruto declared with a pointed glare at Sasuke. Sakura just smiled as she remembered the past three years of her wonderful travels with Sasuke, three years she'd never trade for anything in this life time. "Three, nearly four years, Sakura; Kami it's great to see you! And you and teme need to meet my kid, Hinata is pregnant again so maybe you should stick around and help her out, I know she'd love having you as her doctor again."

"No!" Sakura and Sasuke declared before they thought about their answer.

"Wha? Why?" Naruto looked confused. She and Sasuke looked at one another then at Naruto and back. They couldn't very well say they had a daughter waiting for them with her crazy aunt. They weren't abandoning their daughter and they both knew it, but as she looked at Naruto she felt horrible for her immediate answer of no.

"Because… well, because I don't want to stop traveling with Sasuke," she answered sadly as she thought to the beginning of their marriage. She had been lonely, she had been left behind by all her friends who's lives were moving one and continuing, and she had had a huge mansion all to herself. She knew why her husband couldn't stand to be here, and though she missed her friends something terrible while they traveled, she genuinely hated being apart from her husband. She never wanted to be apart from Sasuke again, even though she didn't want to be with him all the time.

"Huh? Well, he could stay in the village for a bit; I know Kakashi would love to hear about his travels," Naruto said.

Sasuke shook his head.

"Oh, come on you guys! Please!" he pleaded.

"Sakura can return for the birth," Sasuke suggested softly as he took her hand in his. She looked to her husband then in confusion and he nodded slightly, she smiled a bit.

"Yeah, I could do that," she smiled.

"Alright, I guess that would work too," Naruto sighed.

"So, why don't you tell us all about everything Sasuke and I have missed out on while we've been traveling!" Sakura said as she and Naruto started walking together again, Sasuke walked a bit behind them but close as well. She didn't like the glares the villagers were still giving her husband as they walked through the village, but she tried to listen tentatively to Naruto but her mind kept wandering back to her daughter and what Sarada would be doing right now.

Sasuke knew his wife was not all here, he knew it only because he knew her and because he was also not all here. his only daughter was at the center and at the forefront of his mind. Sarada had quickly become the center of his world, along with Sakura; his girls.

However, he would not have his daughter being raised by the council or some foster parents because they deemed him an unfit parent, and thought Sakura was brainwashed or something. that was not something he needed to deal with along with his own wife and his mission. It wouldn't be long before he obliterated that stolen Sharingan, once that was done then he'd talk to Sakura about what their next move was.

Personally he didn't want Sarada to be a Shinobi, not after all the bloodshed of his family and the wars, the missions, the things asked of you and all the pain of enduring it all in silence. It wasn't something he wanted his daughter to be happy in life, he didn't ever want her to know the pain of being a shinobi.

"So you and teme? Anything interesting to tell?" Naruto asked and that snapped him out of his stupor as he looked to his wife and then the dobe.

"Nothing much, just running after the bad guys, fighting evil, saving the world," she teased. He laughed, Sasuke just internally breathed a sigh of relief that his wife didn't mention their daughter. His main worry with Sarada was the council.

"So all the fun stuff," Naruto chuckled.

"Pretty much," she chuckled. Sasuke was pleased with how at ease she was here again. Sakura was always quick to adapt to wherever she was, unlike him. He was about as good at adapting to new environments as boulders falling from the sky. His wife entwined her fingers with his lightly was they walked together and Naruto. He just ignored her holding his hand and pretended as if she wasn't though he was secretly thrilled that she was, but he didn't care as long as no one noticed him holding hands with her. And Naruto being as oblivious as he was wouldn't notice.

"Did you and Sasuke enjoy your time out of the village, I know Sasuke doesn't like it here," Naruto said calmly. Naruto slid a glance over to him, he frowned dangerously then as Sakura squeezed his hand lightly while they walked together. He didn't want to really talk to Naruto about all they had been up to as he wasn't much of a talker and he hated sharing his private life and going-ons of his life. But then, he had always been that way, even as a child he had been this way.

"We've been loving our travels together, it's been a nice time traveling and all the people we've met," she filled in for them. Sasuke was sometimes very grateful he had married Sakura; she was a talker and he wasn't. she solved some of his social problems. And some of the answering of unwanted questions.

Naruto noticed the little things they did, their fingers were entwined; they weren't holding hands but they seemed to have a silent language all of their as they walked with him. He hadn't expected that. It made him smile for he remembered them as children, and now.

Though, even as children, Sakura was the only girl Sasuke had ever tolerated being near him. She could hug him, talk to him, and even get away with saving him; any other girl who tried to get near Sasuke was met with extreme dislike and even contempt. So as he stared at his friends were quietly walking with him, their fingers entwined he couldn't help but smile at how much they had changed after everything they had been through.

"So, what is this, year five of marriage for you two? How's that been going?" Naruto asked casually. They looked to each other with a bit of shock, then they shrugged. He just smiled to himself as they walked on. It felt good to be with them again, just like old times, and he never wanted them to leave because it felt so good to have them home again. But he knew, there was no way to keep Sasuke or Sakura here.

"It's been going," Sakura shrugged.

"What, no plans or anything for the anniversary?" Naruto persisted.

"Nope," they shrugged. And now he just felt like pounding his head against a rock; and in some ways they were an old married couple who didn't understand certain important things; like the anniversaries of something.

"You know what, you two are hopeless, and teme even I'm not that bad!" Naruto snapped.

"Naruto, it's actually a mutual choice between us, not to stress the little things," Sakura defended as they walked. He just rolled his eyes; women liked the romantic stuff even if Sakura said it wasn't important. Just ask Ino, so he and the teme were going to be having a talk about this once Sakura was off with the women.

"Hey Ino! Hinata! Tamari! It's so good to see you!" Sakura called out as she jogged away from them. Naruto noticed the way Sasuke frowned slightly when Sakura pulled away from him and jogged away. She didn't notice behind her, and it made Naruto frown slightly as he glanced at his best friend.

"Sakura! Long time no see!" her friends declared happily as they greeted her and Naruto smiled. He hadn't been the only one to miss the pinkette; and as he glanced over to Sasuke he found it hard to believe that nearly five years had passed since they had married, nearly four since they had left.

"Come on teme, it's been a while since we last sparred and while the women catch up I wanna kick your ass!" Naruto declared as he shoved his friend off and they went to the training fields. Naruto was grinning in anticipation as he had been waiting years to kick Sasuke's ass again; now was as good of time as any!