Disclaimer: The Naruto Universe is a wonderful creation by Masashi Kishimoto. I see many parallels in Sasuke's relationship with Sakura and my relationship with my significant other. Fortunately, my significant other has never tried to kill me (although I almost had a heart attack on our date in a park full of giant spiders). Our relationship is very long distance, however, and we haven't seen each other for a year. In the meantime, we started watching Naruto together to strengthen our bond across continents. This imagining of the wedding between Kishimoto's Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha is inspired by pieces of my own story.

Ch. 1 A New Bond

Sasuke stared up at the stone faces carved into the mountain above Konoha. His face would never join them, but that was as it should be. He carved his own path. First vengeance, later atonement. Both were lonely paths to walk, but Sasuke had two people who refused to leave him alone. Only Naruto had the strength to force him to let go of his darkness. Then, despite his scars, Sakura was always waiting for him to come home.

Sakura... It was time to forge a new type of bond. He knew what that would mean. An unfamiliar feeling of dread snaked its way into his guarded heart. Images of the dozens of ways he had cruelly rejected Sakura's feelings flashed through his mind. "I'm actually the one... who's really annoying," he mumbled aloud. This, too, was his path. Sasuke resolved to see it through to the end.

He sent a message to Kakashi.

Sakura woke with a start to a loud knock at her window. A quick glance at the clock told her she'd slept past noon. "Uhnnh I took today off. Who on earth could it be?" Naruto and Hinata's wedding celebration had run late into the night. She slowly rolled out of bed and threw on a white bathrobe.

The knock sounded again. "I shouldn't have let Ino convince me to have that last drink for—" She pulled back the edge of the curtain. "Sasuke!" She felt color rising in her cheeks and her heart fluttered. A pale figure cloaked in black stared at her intently. Only his right eye was visible. His left eye was hidden behind thick black hair. She dropped the curtain and the figure disappeared from view. Immediately another knock sounded.

Sakura pulled the curtains back completely this time and opened the window. Sasuke frowned at her. "You didn't answer the door."

"Sorry Sasuke. I was still asleep. Hey! What're you..." Sasuke pushed the window open wide and climbed through. He scanned the room with an unreadable expression. Her pink dress from the night before lay in a crumpled heap on the floor. His gaze settled on the dress for a moment before focusing back on her.

"Do you have something nice to wear?"

"Huh?"

"Hurry up and get dressed. We need to meet Kakashi in half an hour."

"What are you talking about?"

Sasuke stood unnaturally still. In a low voice he said, "I told Kakashi we would be getting married."

Sakura's eyes widened with understanding. Although Naruto claimed the title of Konoha's Number One Unpredictable Ninja, Sakura was ready to argue that Sasuke deserved that label. With his history of hanging around with Orochimaru, joining the Akatsuki, declaring himself future hokage, refusing a prosthetic arm, and this sudden inelegant marriage proposal, Sasuke Uchiha was at least as unpredictable as Naruto Uzumaki. "Y-you want to get married t-today?"

"Are you planning to wear that robe?" His voice held a note of concern.

"Of course not! Go wait downstairs in the kitchen."

Without another word, Sasuke crossed her room then closed the door behind him. His footsteps didn't make a sound as he descended the stairs.

Sakura pulled a floral kimono from her closet and rushed to the bathroom. She had bought her wedding ensemble shortly after their first date with input from Ino. Just in case. She mentally congratulated herself. "Chaaaa! Sasuke's not the only one who can make his dreams into reality."

Her hair proved less than cooperative. "We're going to be late," Sasuke said, when Sakura finally walked down the stairs to meet him. His right eye followed her every move.

"That would be your fault, then. You're the one who dropped in without warning." Even as she scolded him, she felt a warm sensation spreading in her chest.

"Let's go."

Sakura and Sasuke met Kakashi at the Third Training Ground. He stood by the edge of the pond, and he wasn't alone. Seven familiar faces sat on four wooden benches facing him. The benches were adorned with pink and white blossoms, and flower petals were scattered around the entire clearing.

"You did a beautiful job with the decorations," Sai whispered to Ino, who blushed.

The empty spot on the bench beside Orochimaru suddenly took on a striking resemblance to the face of Captain Yamato, but the face vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

Sakura's parents, Kizashi and Mebuki, stood when they saw the couple approaching. "That's my girl! And Sasuke, this may sound cheesy, but you picked a grate day for a surprise wedding!" Kizashi's laugh thundered in the clearing. "Get it? Cheesy? Grate?" Sakura cringed, and Sasuke's face twitched. He seemed to be in pain. Kizashi interpreted Sasuke's wince as a smile. "I'm so glad to have a son-in-law who appreciates quality puns."

"That's enough Kizashi. Sakura, you look beautiful! Sasuke is very lucky to have you as his bride. Now both of you hurry up. Lord Sixth is waiting!" Mebuki smiled at her daughter, then at her husband.

"Hey Sasuke, guess you couldn't stand the fact that I had my wedding first, huh?" Naruto's unmistakable voice interrupted their progress. He wore a black suit with a crooked orange tie, and he sat with an arm wrapped around Hinata's shoulders. "You tried to sneak back and catch up to me without anyone noticing, but I'm not gonna let my rival get away with a trick like that!"

"You loser. A wedding is not a competition." Sasuke didn't miss the uncharacteristic shadows under his friend's blue eyes, and he allowed himself the faintest hint of a smile. He would never admit it, but there was some truth to Naruto's accusations.

Naruto laughed. "To be honest, I'm surprised it took the two of you this long. Sakura, take good care of this idiot."

Sasuke fixed Kakashi with a withering glare as he and Sakura finally came to stand in front of the small assembly. Kakashi remained un-withered.

"Today we are gathered to celebrate another wedding. First, thank you to all of you for responding to my invitation on such short notice. I have prepared a few words for my former students, although I don't know how often anyone actually listens to their sensei. I have no personal experience from which to speak, but it is my understanding that marriage requires the ultimate teamwork. It is especially appropriate that we celebrate the start of this new level of teamwork here, where Team 7 learned the value of a team for the first time. Life does not always go the way we plan or the way we wish, but by surrounding yourselves with people who support you and never giving up on your teammates, you can weather the inevitable storms in the future. This couple has already faced more storms than most, but I believe that by overcoming every obstacle to get to this point, they have demonstrated the strength they need to create a firm foundation for their new family. Sasuke. Sakura. Please exchange your vows. Then it will be my honor to declare you husband and wife."

Sakura saw her parents sitting with tears in their eyes. Yamato's face appeared in Orochimaru's bench again, and Sai handed Ino a tissue. Even Naruto's eyes had a glassy sheen. Hinata's head rested on Naruto's shoulder, and she appeared to be making a valiant effort to stay awake.

Sasuke reached forward and took Sakura's right hand in his. His hand was warm, and Sakura felt the faintest hint of sweat on his palm. "I, Sasuke Uchiha, take you, Sakura, to be my wife. I promise to love you and to honor you all the days of my life."

"I, Sakura Haruno, take you, Sasuke, to be my husband. I promise to love you and to honor you all the days of my life." The tears she had been holding back spilled down her cheeks.

Kakashi's eyes smiled at both of them. "Now I, Kakashi Hatake, am proud to present to you all: Sasuke and Sakura Uchiha." As the guests stood to cheer, he said in a lower voice, "Sasuke, it would now be appropriate for you to kiss your wife." Sasuke's jaw clenched and his eyes closed. Kakashi continued wryly, "You already kissed Naruto in front of a bigger crowd than this, and you should know that Naruto didn't hesitate yest—" Before Kakashi could finish, Sasuke pulled Sakura closer with a determined expression.

"I will keep the promise I just made to you, starting with this," he said, for her ears only. Then, despite the fact that Kakashi, Naruto, and even Orochimaru were watching with undivided attention, he bent forward and pressed his lips to hers. Their first kiss was a testament to his vow to love and honor his wife for as long as he lived.

Sakura felt the world start to spin out of control. She distantly heard Naruto shouting encouragement. Sasuke's mouth pulled away, and she managed to stay on her feet. Her tears came to an abrupt halt.

Sasuke couldn't hide the self-satisfied smile that appeared on his face as he saw the way his wife stared up at him with her green eyes wide and face the color of her hair. He could almost forget the knot of fear steadily growing in his chest.