Itonami: 400+ reviews!

This chapter is dedicated to: For all of the reviewers that have incessantly and encouragingly told me to continue this story. Thank you ALL! MUCHO MUCHO MUCHO!

As my gift to offer at your feet, I have written this chapter that will hopefully leave you content and happy. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

Chapter 18

The night was getting colder. Uchiha Sasuke didn't seem very bothered by the dropping temperatures. He sat on a branch of a tree, leaning against the sturdy trunk as he looked blankly at the pale, white moon residing in its place in the sky. It was hours before that Sakura had departed to her own apartment after eating. She thanked for the meal and briefly laid a tender hand on his shoulder before leaving.

Semiconsciously he put his own hand where she had made innocent contact on his shoulder. Her warmth had burned through his shirt, leaving him suddenly cold and longing when she left. Sasuke shook his head to clear his thoughts, a part of him shocked at himself for feelings such a way.

"What are you doing here, teme?"

Sasuke spared Naruto a glance down. "I couldn't sleep."

"You never sleep." Naruto scoffed. He jumped up to the same branch easily and sat down. After testing the safety of the branch, the blonde sighed. "Sakura seems happy, doesn't she?"

Sasuke nodded and made a musing sound. Naruto stretched from his place and exhaled deeply. "You know I'm getting married?" The blonde headed shinobi blurted out, earning him a shocked glance from his friend.

The surprised expression melted away in a funny-looking one. "Hyuuga…Hinata?" He inquired carefully and hesitantly. Naruto bobbed his head ecstatically. "Did she lose her eyesight?"

At this, Naruto did a face-fault. "Bastard, I could kick your ass." He snarled.

Sasuke scoffed. "Only because I don't have my chakra right now."

Uzumaki crossed his arms and looked away with his nose in the air. "Hinata-chan loves me. Hyuuga Neji is going to be my best man. You're not invited." Blowing a raspberry, Naruto burst out laughing at his own actions. "If you don't come, I'm afraid I'll have to kill you."

"I'd like to see you try, dobe."

"I don't need to try."

"It takes more than Kage Bunshin to lay a hand on me."

"You are such a conceited bastard."

"You are just a loud-mouth that talks too loud."

"Will you two stop squabbling? You'll wake up the entire village." An annoyed voice snapped from below them. The two men looked down to see a sleepy looking Haruno Sakura, who had arms wrapped around herself to keep warm.

"Sakura-chan, what's up? Why aren't you sleeping?" Naruto asked with a pleasant smile which did not match the medic's mood.

Sakura glared up. "I would be in my bed sleeping soundly, but there were these two pompous assholes up in a tree who didn't know how to shut up. Now, I'm down here, looking up at those pompous assholes and getting ready to beat the shit out of them."

The two men of the legendary Team 7 winced at her tone of voice. Why did women have to be so grouchy when disturbed from their beauty sleep?

"Make some room, I'm coming up." She stated very tartly, instantly making her teammates budging to make room. Sakura situated herself in between them, the way they used to when they were younger.

Only in her pajamas and a light jacket, Sakura was ill prepared for the cool night. The three fell into silence as they gazed at the starry heavens. Delicately, she slowly closed her hands on each of theirs, squeezing them for comfort. Sasuke looked at their hands. Again, her hand radiated heat which seemed to make his blood grow hot. The coldness was gone.

"Sakura, you should sleep. There's no need to stay here."

The young woman threw him a look. "You can't get rid of me that easily anymore, Uchiha Sasuke."

His face was set in a defensive expression. "I'm not trying to get rid of you."

Sakura was about to retort when Naruto interrupted. "You two argue like sissies." That remark ended in two lumps on his head.

Rubbing his head sheepishly, Naruto stayed with his two close friends as they exchanged small, awkward bits of conversation. Sasuke was never the talker so the remaining pair made up for it. Besides, the Uchiha liked listened better than talking anyway. It had always been that way.

With the three of them all grown up, they barely fit on the branch they were sitting, but the mindsets of all three did not belong in the present. All three were reminiscing of the old times, when Konoha was a place of peace and joy, not of war and gloom of many friends lost. Naruto shared his favorite moments of Team 7, as did Sakura, but they all avoided the topic of Orochimaru and the curse seal. Slowly, their past caught up with the present.

Reality returned to them, disappointing them into quietness once more.

"Tsunade-sama wants a meeting a week after tomorrow." Sakura whispered.

"Save me a seat." Naruto said, winking at his roseate-haired companion.

"Me too." Sasuke spoke up in his low voice.

Naruto and Sakura looked at him in surprise. He quickly added, "You have to admit, it's better than sitting next me than that taijutsu specialist."

And the two agreed vigorously. Sakura laughed. "Lee-san is a wonderful person. It's just that he gets overly excited about simple things in life. I think we should all learn from him."

"I already appreciate the little, simple things in life." Naruto declared, sticking out his chest proudly, which he almost lost his balance on the branch.

"Same here." Sasuke replied quietly again.

Sakura smiled at the two of them. "I'm afraid I don't. The all the important things that I care about aren't small and simple."

The kunoichi of Team 7 had always been the more mature one (to some extent). Sasuke was the quiet one while Naruto was the boastful one. But they all complemented each other in certain ways.

Five years ago, the team split up to follow their own dreams, which were all the same: they all wanted to get stronger. Sakura had been tired of watching her teammates' backs all the time, Naruto wanted to bring back Sasuke and knock some sense into him, and Sasuke wanted strength to fulfill his goal of revenge. Their general goal that brought them together had led them down different paths, separating them.

However, now the three shinobi were all there, in the same tree, with their dreams completed and finished. They were one again. Sakura had almost given up that hope of them being reunited again. She was glad that she didn't let go.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto exclaimed loudly. She snapped out of her reverie and looked straight ahead to make out a tall figure on the branch in front of them.

"Yo." His lazy voice was friendly and full of mirth.

"You're returning now?" Sakura inquired, happy to see their former sensei again.

He could be seen nodding his head. "Just a scout mission. Nothing dangerous. I bet you all missed me, didn't you?"

Sakura giggled. "Of course, Kakashi-sensei. We're glad you're not hurt."

The silver-haired jounin scratched his head. "I've got to get going. Genma is taking me out for a drink."

With a slight wave of his hand, the Copy Ninja disappeared with a strong puff of smoke. Sakura lightly wisped away some of the smoke that clouded around her vision and sighed. "He is never going to change, is he?"

Sasuke chuckled deeply. "I heard that he's still the bachelor around here."

"Oh, yeah, definitely. There is no question about that. Kakashi still indulge his eyes in that perverted orange book. Speaking of which," Sakura's sea foam eyes glared at Naruto, "why can't you tell Jiraya-sama to stop writing those?"

The blonde gave his foxy grin. "I tried, but he told me that there are men out there in need of his books."

Team 7 scoffed loudly simultaneously. It was nice to not think of the upcoming Akatsuki battle. There would only be chaos in the village. The Konoha Festival entertained many, and the ninjas could do nothing but enjoy it.

It was the blonde ninja who broke the silence. "Look, I think I should go back. I need to rest up since Hinata-chan is going to meet me tomorrow in the morning to do some shopping for a party for her little sister." Naruto winced at the mention of the younger Hyuuga sibling. "That girl is such a bitch when it comes to me. She despises me."

Sakura sighed wearily. "Naruto, you dyed her hair hot pink when you went over to the Hyuugas' household."

He grinned. "That was funny, wasn't it?"

"Go on, get out of here. Hinata would be disappointed if you overslept." Sakura teased gently.

Naruto jumped down and waved as he sprinted towards his apartment. Sakura watched her friend leave until he was not visible in the darkness. She felt Sasuke shift slightly beside her. Their hands were still intertwined, but neither made a move to take their hand away.

Sasuke's breaths quickened a little yet he didn't know why. The kunoichi beside him was currently looking up through the trees. His eyes wouldn't obey his mind to look away. His charcoal eyes were stuck, frozen as they gazed upon Sakura's flawless face and her apple-green orbs. Slowly, Sakura turned to meet his gaze, her eyes startlingly piercing and sad. Her lips slightly spread into a smile. Their eyes held each other, Sasuke not daring to look elsewhere.

As if in a daze, the Uchiha reached out with his free hand and tenderly brushed away stray strands of hair from her hair. She did not blush or move at his touch. When he tucked one behind her left ear, his keen eyes spotted a small scar.

"How did you get this?" He breathed, leaning in closer to inspect the healed wound. Sakura touched it.

"I don't know. It was a long time ago."

"Aa…" He trailed off and took his hand away.

Sakura smiled wider. "Is that all you can say, Uchiha Sasuke?"

He smirked in the night and knew she could see it. "Why say anything more?"

The pink-haired kunoichi pulled his hand closer to her body. Something hot jolted inside Sasuke. "If you could, would you change what you have now?"

He entertained the question for a minute. "I would want my family alive."

"Your brother, too?"

Again, another pause. "Yes, my brother also."

This time, Sakura didn't say anything. "I can't imagine what it feels like to lose family." Sasuke gave no indication of interrupting. "Both of my parents are alive—they're retired—and I have no siblings. What I'm trying to say is, Sasuke, it's that I can understand why you wanted to avenge your clan. When we were just gennins, the thought of losing my parents had never occurred to me, and I never thought about how I'd feel if I did lose them. I'm sorry for not understanding, Sasuke."

The raven-haired ninja remained silent. He suddenly cocked his head quirkily to one side and raised an eyebrow. "You say those words too much."

Sakura lifted her head to look at him better. "Say what words?"

"'I'm sorry.' It's annoying." He stated bluntly.

She hugged his hand to her chest while she laced her fingers with his. "Did your mother tell you stories of how she met your father?" She smiled.

Sasuke looked away feeling a little uncomfortable. He finally nodded. "They had an arranged marriage," he seemed to be slipping away from reality as he relayed the story of his mother and father, he was smiling as he continued, "but my mother said that she loved him anyway. They only met once before the actual wedding and it was the first time they saw each other. O-Oto-san told me that my mother was very pretty. I believe my mother used the term, 'love at first sight.'"

The young woman listening giggled. "So they were happy with their marriage…"

"Oto-san and Oka-san were happy. They raised Itachi and five years later, they had me."

The Uchiha felt better that he had gotten a personal story off his chest. It felt good. Venturing out of curiosity, Sasuke scooted closer to Sakura. "How did your parents meet?"

She closed her eyes and thought hard. "When they were young, my mother was always teased because of her wide forehead. One day, my father defended her and sent two guys to the hospital. That day was the first day she began to fall for him. After that incident, they became close. My father proposed to her on their seventh date."

The two in the tree fell silent, while Sakura was holding Sasuke's hand against her and he was sitting next to her.

Sakura wished the night would stay cold. Sasuke wished he could hold her closer. Sakura wished with all her might that he would let her into his life again. Sasuke wished with all his might that he could be a part of her life again.

Their wishes would come true.

Sasuke gradually encircled an arm around her and pulled her close. She did not resist but gave in. "I still love you, Sasuke. You know that, right?" She whispered desperately. Sakura felt his hot breath against her neck.

"I don't deserve you, Sakura. You know that, right?" Sasuke murmured in his low, tenor pitch going husky.

His arms tightened around her shoulders, embracing her possessively and carefully. "When the time comes, I'll make you mine." His words made her shiver.

Why not now, Sasuke? Kami-sama, why not now?

"Let's go. I'll walk you back to your place." He easily landed on the ground and looked up at her. "Coming? I'll catch you." He raised an arm to her, signaling her to go ahead.

In the moonlight, he could see her smile and reached down to grasp his hand. Sasuke gently pulled her off the branch, allowing her to softly land against his chest. He didn't let go of her immediately but lingered in that position. Sakura wrapped her arms over his shoulders. It was Sasuke who let go first.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly.

"I'm fine. Thank you."

"It's cold, isn't it?" He asked, almost offhandedly, but pulled her to his side. It was a perfect fit.

Sasuke and Sakura walked towards her apartment and stopped at the door of her room. Sakura gazed up timidly and flashed him a dazzling smile. "You really didn't have to come with me. You should go and rest. I'll be fine now."

The Uchiha's lips turned upwards in his half-smile. He slowly walked away, his hands shoved into his pockets characteristically. Sakura watched him go and closed the door quietly. Breathing out a sigh, Sakura smiled at the ceiling.

Glancing at the clock mounted on her wall, she saw that it was four. Time passed quickly. Leaping into her bed, Sakura pulled the covers over her head and giggled girlishly to herself.

Sasuke opened the door to his own apartment and stretched languidly. It had been a good night. He could almost say that he was giddy—or at least, as giddy as an Uchiha could get. Something inside of him was getting ready to burst.

"I was wondering when you'd be home."

In less than a second, Sasuke reached for a hidden kunai, only to hear the laughter of his intruder. "I thought you weren't allowed weapons in your possession."

"It doesn't matter." Sasuke growled.

"I could report this, you know."

"How did you get in here?"

The intruder stood from the chair which he had occupied. The light was out and neither desired to turn it on. "Are you underestimating my ninja skills? The fact that I was able to get in here is the important thing. It's not of any concern of yours find out how I got in here."

"Who are you?" Sasuke crouched, getting ready to strike.

"Who I am is a trivial matter. Why don't we talk about your girlfriend…Haruno Sakura, I believe her name is?"

"She is of no concern to me." He said stiffly.

"Now, now, Uchiha, there's no need to deny anything. Just now, you shared such an intimate night together."

There was no reply from Sasuke. He remained quiet as his mind whirled with plans to kill this intruder.

"She's sleeping peacefully now, if you wondered. There are four of my men watching her. At my signal, any one of them could slip in there unnoticed and—"

Midnight black orbs flashed madly as Uchiha Sasuke slammed the stranger into the wall, a resounding thud echoing in the room. His keen eyes spotted his kunai which lay discarded beside him. Picking it up, he was about to shove it into the neck of the intruder, but a strong hand stopped the fatal blow from behind. Whirling to face the second offender, he blinked at the sudden amount of light that became available in the room.

Kakashi had flicked the light switch.

"You!" Sasuke hissed. He jerked his hand away and spun to see the one he was about to kill.

Naruto grinned like a maniac. "That was good, wasn't it? I scared the shit out of you, Sasuke-teme!" He roared with laughter while Kakashi's eye crinkled with his own silent amusement.

"That was not funny, dobe." Sasuke snarled dangerously.

"You really like Sakura, don't you? Ne, ne? Admit it!" Naruto glee-filled voice grated on the Uchiha's nerves.

"Shut up. I'm going to sleep."

"When's the wedding, teme?" The blonde joked and Sasuke glared at him.

Sasuke's dark locks covered his eyes. "I'll kill you tomorrow." His obsidian eyes glared their next target. "I can't believe you were in this, too."

Kakashi shrugged. "Naruto just asked me to stop you if you went out of control. I had nothing to do with it."

Naruto's mirthful face changed into one of horror. He pointed accusingly at his former sensei. "Liar! You were the one who came up with this entire thing in the first place, you pervert!"

Sasuke sighed and rubbed his hair. He walked into his lonely bedroom and slammed the door shut, locking it firmly. Falling on the mattress, Sasuke shut out the arguments of Naruto and Kakashi. Letting his mind revert to images of Sakura, he fell into a nice, comfortable sleep.

No more nightmares to bother him anymore.

Author's notes: Ah, another chapter finished. Hope you liked it! Thank you again for all of your reviews! Love you!

Someone commented that the Neji x Tenten pairing was better than the main Sasuke x Sakura pairing. About that…um…yeah…

Well, I hope this chapter proved that my SasuSaku pairing rocks more than the Neji x Tenten one. I took the advice of a reviewer telling me that I should get working on revealing the SasuSaku feelings before the Akatsuki.

Yes, I know, the Akatsuki thing is WAY overdue, but I'm having too much fun with the other romance parts. The next chapter won't have Akatsuki either. Gomen, gomen! Don't kill me, I know you all are waiting for it. Let me develop the romance first.

Once again, thank you for your constant support! I'll keep writing!