topsyturvy-dream Don't worry it was just a dream! Taku does like Emiko and he will be sticking around for a while (Uh-oh :o) so Sasuke might have to keep an eye on him. Baby number 2 will be on the way soon! x

Apparently because Yoichi was nearly six he didn't need me walking him to the academy anymore, something he told me when we were already halfway there. Instead of heading straight home I decided to go for a walk, my head desperately needed clearing. I had barely slept a wink the night before. Sasuke's arms had been locked tight around me all night and he had been making the most delicious sounds. He had been softly groaning against my ear and it had been driving me crazy. All I had wanted to do was stick my hand down his pants but I didn't and the cost of that was me not being able to get a restful sleep.

Strolling alongside the river that runs through Konoha I was silently debating whether to train before going home or to wait for Sasuke to wake up and risk getting hot and sweaty by training together when I spotted Taku running towards me.

"Good morning, Emiko-san!" he grinned.

"Good morning." I replied, gazing curiously at the tower of books that was wobbling in his hands. "Do you still have a lot of work to do?"

"I'm trying to find out as much as I can about the Uchiha clan." He said. " I didn't realise that you had married into it until last night! I'd really like to speak to your husband. There's only so much I can learn about your clan from books."

"I can ask him if he would like to-" Something about the way he had said 'last night' suddenly caught my attention. "Last night?"

"Oh! I had a date with Sakura-chan and when I mentioned what I was researching she told me that you were married to Sasuke. He's a hard man to track down!"

That was great news! It really looked like she was moving on. Was I that convincing or were my cookies just that good? Hopefully a bit of both. If I was that convincing, maybe I could persuade Sasuke to be a part of Taku's book. Part of me felt like he wasn't going to be interested at all, he was quite a private person, he didn't even really like talking about his past even with me. Every now and then he would tell me things that made me completely understand why he was reluctant to share anything about his past, especially his childhood. My parents died when I was young too but at least my Grandma had been there to raise me, he had brought himself up.

"Now that I think about it I'm not sure if Sasuke would-"

"I'm not interested." Sasuke said, suddenly appearing by my side making my stomach flutter with excitement.

I smiled apologetically at Taku and took my husband's hand, I was not looking forward to introducing them. The idea was to wait for Yoichi to come home so I could tell them both about my training and everything Taku had told me but life seemed to have other plans. At least Sasuke had no idea about him hitting on me, now that would have been an awkward conversation!

"Sasuke, this is Taku. He's writing a book and guess what? My Grandfather's in it! He was a brilliant ninja from Iwagakure." My eyes flashed away from Sasuke's face for a split second as I tried to bring myself to tell him about my training, he was listening so intently to me I knew he noticed. His thumb began stroking my hand and his eyes urged me to continue.

"It's a real honour to meet you, Sasuke-san. When I met Emiko-san I had no idea that you two were…" A blush rose on Taku's cheeks as he spoke. I could have punched him.

My throat was becoming painfully dry, my chest tight. I could feel the tension ebbing from Sasuke's body. He had a slight concentrated frown that made him look like he was thinking something over as he casually rested his hand on the hilt of the sword he carried on his hip.

"Sasuke will think about it and I'll let you know." Sasuke shot me a dangerous look. "We will let you know." I corrected myself, giggling nervously.

We had never really had an argument before but on the walk home it felt like one was brewing. Sasuke didn't say a word and I was too preoccupied trying to read his mind to say anything either. A feeling of dread hit me as our home came into view, I didn't know what to say to him, he would be jealous no matter what I said. Once the door had closed behind us I opened my mouth to start explaining but Sasuke had other ideas. His body pressed mine against the wall as he began to devour my mouth. His lips smashing against mine, his tongue working its magic inside my mouth and his hands had disappeared into my unrestrained hair.

"Sasuke." I attempted to protest but it fell from my mouth so erotically it only encouraged him.

Before I knew it my hands were fumbling with his trousers, desperate to feel his manhood in my hands again. I had missed him so much. I missed the beautiful connection we created every time we made love, the unbelievable pleasure we always managed to give each other and the way he held me after, like he never wanted to let me go. How long would he be home this time though? He could head out on another mission tomorrow and still not understand how I felt. My hands froze. I had to stick to it.

"Not again." he groaned.

He was just starting to pull away when my hands shot out and grasped his face.

"Do you have any idea what it feels like when you're not here? I miss you so much and so does Yoichi. I never know where you are, if you're safe or when you're coming back, it's a horrible feeling."

His face remained expressionless, not what I was expecting at all. As two people that connected perfectly on nearly every level I really thought that he would understand.

"I always come back, you know that." he simply stated.

"Yes but-"

"Is that who you were training with?" His eyebrows descended into a slight frown.

My hands slowly slipped away from his face. I had just poured my heart out to him and he seemed more interested in finding out what I had been up to. It was a good thing that Yoichi wasn't home because I could already feel myself getting angry.

"Hinata was with us the whole time if that's what you're worried about."

"Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded. He wanted to be the only one that I needed. He hated not being there when I needed him, he didn't want anyone else training me, especially another man. The thought filled him with an anger that burned hotter than his Katon Jutsu and it had been made even worse by only just finding out about it.

"I wanted to tell you and Yoichi together. My Grandfather was his family too after all. Besides you only came back yesterday, you were injured and tired." I explained, folding my arms in front of my chest.

Sasuke reached across the distance that had appeared between us and cupped my cheek. He gazed into my eyes and I became lost in the onyx depths of his, among the adoration were small glimmers of sadness reflected in our eyes. It was clear to us both because we knew each other so well that time apart had caused a small rift between us. We weren't used to sharing each other.

"If I train hard enough maybe I can come with you on missions." I said in barely a whisper.

An intense fear gripped his heart and placed words in his mouth that he immediately regretted saying. "The missions that I take are too difficult. We're nowhere near the same level, you wouldn't be able to keep up."

What he had wanted to say was that he would be too scared of me getting hurt but it was too late now, my eyes were already filled with tears. He told himself it was for the best, he didn't know if he could handle me running around outside of the village fighting the type of ninja he did.

"You're right." I agreed and slipped out of his grasp to be alone for a while.