The walk back to Naruto's home went far to fast for Naruto's liking. He could have stopped time right then and there. For the first time in his life he felt like everyone else, he felt normal. Temari was giving him a sense of having someone, of not being alone. It was the best feeling in the world but at the same time it scared the hell out of him.

After loosing Sasuke Naruto finally felt was it was like to loose someone. It was a different sort of pain, one that caused agony without breaking the skin, and was slow to heal. After that moment on he found it hard to trust anyone or get attached to people. That's why he was having a hard time dealing with his feelings towards Temari, just like Sasuke she could be gone when he woke up.

"Are you alright you look worried," A sleepy voice mumbled.

Looking down at her he smiled, "No I'm fine, I was just thinking."

Temari reached up, running the palm of her hand across his spiky hair, before running her finger down his cheek, "About what?"

"About how cute you look right now."

Temari punched him in the arm

"Ow what was that for?" Naruto asked rubbing his arm, trying to make her feel bad.

"For calling me cute, no one calls me cute," She glared at him a moment before reached up and pulled his face closer to hers, "And this is for the wonderful evening." She kissed him lightly at first, but soon deepened the kiss when she heard Naruto moan quietly under her touch.

Sure it was hard being this intimate with someone you didn't know, but it was for the good of the alliance. And if this worked out her brother would be more accepted in the village when the people there knew his sister was part of the reason for the peace. Plus it wasn't like Naruto was the ugliest guy in the village.

Gently she pushed him down on his back, while his hands traveled up the back of her shirt, fingers traced the curve of her spine, leaving goose bumps in there wake. Pulling back she looked down at him, his eyes were darker now, reflecting the small bit of desire he was trying to hide.

"You don't have to do this," Naruto whispered to her. He was about to speak again but she silence him with a kiss. He made no further protest after that.

Hours later Naruto lay breathless, sweat coating his brow causing his bangs to stick to his skin, one arm resting under his head while the other hand ran aimlessly up and down Temaris arm. Once again he felt horrible for what he had done but unlike last time it was not as awkward.

He had wanted to stop her, but this wonderful feeling that came over him when he was one with her was like an addiction. A powerful drug that surged through his veins, fogging his judgment and silencing his conscious. Already he had become familiar with the texture of her skin and the smell of her hair, enjoying how her side of the bed was already picking it up.

His eyes traveled around the room eventually resting on his wife, who was tracing her slender finger along the curves of his stomach.

"Can we ever learn to love each other?" Naruto asked.

The question hung thickly in the air. Naruto's breath caught in his throat as he waited for the answer.

Temari opened her eyes drowsily, "I don't know, perhaps one day?" she replied without looking up, her voice was soft like the blanket that covered her.

Temari watched the hours go by on the clock, each click bringing her one second closer to a new day. She has heard Naruto fall asleep around an hour ago, his arm still draped loosely around her. She had been thinking about Narutos question. Staring blankly into the darkness of the room she thought about it and the more she thought about it the more uneasy she felt. What if they never learned to love one another, and this all blew up in there faces leaving an awful mess for both village leaders to clean up. Or what if they did eventually find love, would it be the love between a husband and a wife or merely the fake love of a bed partner. Eventually her head started to hurt and slow with the numbing feeling of sleep creeping up on her. Closing her eyes she let her dreams take her away from reality.

The katana sliced threw the air, droplets of water flying off the end in the process. It was early in the morning and mist was still hanging thickly on the ground resting on the grass causing the ground to be moist with dew. Naruto's skin was also covered in a layer of dew mixed with sweat that rolled down his face and bare chest. He swung the object gracefully in the air as if the sword was a part of his body, blocking and sparing with an invisible opponent. He practiced like this every Saturday morning to perfect his skills in the ancient art of sword fighting. Years ago he would have found it stupid to fight without using chakra, but in a way it held a simple beauty to it that he had now become to admire. The weight of the sword in his hands and the raw feeling of his body becoming one with it in an ongoing fight for survival. His sensei had told him that a ninja must be skilled in both using charka and his bare hands.

He watched as a bead of water slid off his sword, gently trickling off the sharp edge and over the intricate pattern of the blade created by the numerous folding of the metal during its forging.

The low sound of the wind rushing past the trees was the only sounds that filled the small clearing. Occasionally a bird would chirp to its neighbor, but most saved there energy on keeping warm.

"Nice moves, but would you be able to use them in a real battle," a female voice spoke behind him.

Looking over his shoulder he saw Temari standing just on the edge of the clearing, resting on her fan.

"Why don't you come over and see," Naruto smirked back at her, sheathing the katana carefully back into its wooded holder. "But one rule no using charka."

Temari smiled mysteriously, "Alright your on, I have been wanting to stretch my muscles these last few days." She set down her fan against a nearby tree. Since she had first arrived she was curious in how powerful Naruto really was. True he would not be using his chakra, but it was still an idea. Her dark eyes watched as he set aside his sword and tightened his forehead protector, the dull sun shining off of its metal surface. He looked back as her and smiled before standing in a basic defensive position, digging his feet deep in the moist soil.

Mimicking him she also let her body rest in a defensive position, it had been years since she had fought without using chakra and it felt odd not to feel the power flowing threw her body. Her eyes watched as he approached her cautiously, his gentle face had turned into one of concentration. Trying to read his movements and next possible attack her eyes desperately tried to interpret what his eyes and face were hiding.

Without warning he struck, aiming for her stomach she easily blocked, and could tell he was holding back. Circling one another Temari bent low kicking his feat out, she almost had him but he was to fast and jumped, flipping himself back, landing gracefully on his feet.

"Not to bad," Temari said, regaining her stance.

"Right back at you," Naruto smiled. By this time the sun was high in the sky and had long melted away the mist, leaving the ground covered in water that sparkled in the light. Temari was finding it a little hard to concentrate, as she watched Naruto wearing only his black training pants, and headband, sweat and water running down his strong chest and stomach. And his eyes, how could she have not noticed how bright they were. Like two glowing orbs that held the color of the sky.

Before she could react he ran at her, kicking her legs out. She hit the ground hard, cursing herself all the while for letting her mind get distracted. Looking up she saw the blue sky, spotted with clouds, when suddenly a grinning face replaced her view. Naruto had pinned her down, and was looking quite pleased with himself for doing so. Determined not to be beaten she struggled against his hands that had her wrists pinned to the ground, knowing that he was to strong she wrapped her legs tightly around his back, trying to squeeze the air out of him. He flinched only a little, from the slight crushing pain on his ribs.

"I have you now there's nothing you can do," Naruto smiled. Giving up completely Temari released her hold, and slid her legs off his back. "Now what should I make you do for me since I won?"

Temari raised her eyebrow, if she was correct in how a guy thinks the battle was still not over. Raising her head off the ground she spoke breathily into his ear, "I can think of one thing." Her voice was low and unusually husky sounding. Letting her mouth rest against the shell of his ear she kissed him lightly. Immediately Naruto's grip loosened, and his body sunk lower onto her. His heart was beating faster against her chest and his breathing was coming out much slower now, as it passed over her neck like a hot wind.

Smiling inwardly she laughed at how men could be distracted so easily. Pushing herself up she knocked Naruto flat on his back, pinning him down easily with her legs and arms. The look on his face was priceless, confusion mingled together with shock.

"I win," she said simply.

Naruto smiled up at her, "I guess I should have said no fraternization as well along with the rules."

They walked back to there home, along a worn dirt path. Roots suck up out of the ground ready to catch any inattentive person as they walked.

"Your trees here are beautiful," Temari whispered almost to herself. Evergreens towered overtop like ancient building, there tops swaying in the breeze.

Naruto stopped and turned back, "You like trees?"

Temari looked down at the ground, "Every plant interests me. I love botany, and living in the sand you don't get much of a chance to look at anything living let alone plants. But here," she gestured around her, "I get to see and look at almost every plant I've read about."

Looking around Naruto scrunched up his face, "All I see are plants nothing more, they are what they are."

Temari bent down picking up a pine cone off the ground, she placed it in Naruto's hand, "This is from a Conifer or in more technical terms a gymnosperm."

Looking down at the cone Naruto brought it up to his face inspecting it over, "Still sounds like gibberish to me, you should talk to Sakura she and some other medic nins at the hospital are looking at a newly discovered plant. They think it has healing properties. They have a small green house in the back full of flowers and herbs I've never seen before. Maybe you could even help."

Taking the object from his hand Temari looked at it contemplating the question, "I'll talk to her, but I know more about fighting then healing."

Naturo hugged her tightly, "I'm sure you can do anything if you put your mind to it."

Temari still couldn't believe his boy, he had been struck down so many times and ridiculed for what he was but he still managed to put on a smile and bring hope even to those hidden in the darkness of despair and uncertainty.

Both ate quikly, realizing that they had spent more time in the forest then planned on. Naruto said he had to go meet Sakura at the hospital for a while.

Temari stood in front of the only mirror in the bathroom fixing her hair, "Why do you need to see Sakura at the hospital!" she yelled over the sound of the running shower.

"Every few months I need to get tests done to make sure my chakra levels aren't getting to high," Naruto replied sticking his head out from behind the curtain, allowing steam to billow into the small bathroom fogging up the mirror.

"Thanks," Temari joked, as she cleared off the fog with a towel.

Naruto smiled back, "No problem."

Naruto always hated the smell of hospitals; they didn't smell like the clean he liked, more like sterile and musky. To put it honestly he hated hospitals all together, maybe it was because he couldn't even count the number of times he had woken up in one, staring groggily at the white tiled roof. The hospital was relatively quiet, a few nurses going about there business pushing trolleys full of bottles and vials. A few patients could be seen walking the corridors in there nightgown, shuffling across the shiny white floor with slippered feet.

Looking up Nartuo spotted the green sign that indicated Sakura's small office. The door was open, revealing a flustered looking Sakura quickly writing things down in her book while balancing a phone on her shoulder. She looked up and wave quickly to him as well as a big smile to Temari standing behind him.

Naruto looked over at the many diagrams Sakura had pinned up on her walls, pictures of every muscle in the body, every bone as well and a large diagram ripped at the corners with yellowing paper of every chakra path that ran all threw the body from head to toe.

Nartuo signaled Temari to come and stand beside him, "This is the diagram Sakura used to explain my condition. Each charka path is only so big, like a pipe that transfers water, these paths that charka take can grow and become larger over time but mine can't handle anymore. And just like a pipe under pressure from to much water it could spring a leek and damage my internal organs, central nervous system, even kill me."

She looked over at him, worry evident in her eyes, "But you will be alright, as long as you are careful?"

A toothily grin spread across his face, "Of course, I'm always careful."

Both turned around when they heard the sound of Sakura setting down the phone, "Alright you ready."

Naruto nodded, his face turning a little white, "Get the blood work over first, I hate that part so much. The needle and the feeling of it going in." he shook his body, "Gives me the creeps."

Temari watched as Naruto had to be poked and prodded with every instrument that the hospital owned. She knew about the demon sealed inside of him, but never did she think its chakra could harm his body. Even the thought of it made her feel a little upset.

"I've never seen him this happy before," A voice softly spoke behind her. Temari turned around and saw Sakura walking towards her, holding a clip board and a test tub of blood she was casually moving back and forth, delaying it from clotting.

"Well he doesn't look so pleased at the moment," Temari chuckled looking back towards her husband, his hands clutching onto the chair handles and his feet curling up.

Sakura waved the comment aside, "He always acts like this." She stood there a moment biting her lower lip. Temari could tell she was wanting to ask her something but was not sure if she should.

"You look like you want to ask me something?"

Sakura seemed a little taken back, and surprised at how obvious she had looked, "Well I was just wondering how things have been going. I know it's early in the relationship and all."

Temari smiled, "It's been good, I can't complain."

"You know I think you will be good for him, I can already see the man shining threw that still boyish face. He has been waiting all this time for someone like you to interrupt his life."

Temari's face turned red at the complement.

Naruto was casually walking down one of the many corridors of the hospital; he was busy picking at the cotton swab that had been taped to his arm, failing to notice that someone was blocking his way.

Looking up he gazed into cold white eyes. Naruto cursed loudly in his head, this was the last person he was wanting to meet up with. Especially in a public place.

Neji roughly grabbed his left hand; he studied the silver ring, looking on it in disgust like it was a piece of garbage. "So it seems the rumors around the village are true for once," His voice was neutral.

Yanking back his arm Naruto stepped forward looking the older ninja straight in the eye, "Yes they are, and if you don't mind I would like to get past." Naruto snapped back. He was a little surprised when Neji stepped back to let him pass.

"I take it the Sand whore is here with you," Neji's words came out slow and clear, each one dripping with sarcasm. He paused for a while allowing what he had said to burn in Naruto's ears. "Or do you keep her hidden away at home?"

"She is not a whore!" Naruto yelled, his voice bouncing off the cold white walls. "She is my wife, and I would rather be seen with her then you any day." He added his voice much calmer now. He was determined not to get egged on. He knew why Neji was doing this and had been waiting for it.

Neji sneered, "How can she be called that to you, she is of the sand. Can you so easily forget that they played a part in the death of our hokage? And what about Hinata and what you promised her? Or maybe you are able to ignore that small little fact while Temari's fucking you."

Within a split second Narutos fist was smashing into Neji's jaw, the sickening sound of bone colliding with bone filled the small hallway.

Skidding back Neji regained his composer; he wore a smile now. Happy to know he had accomplished what he had set out to do. "It seems you do hold some feeling for her. Or maybe it's just the convenience of lust that is keeping you with her," Spitting blood onto the floor he charged at the blond ninja, slamming him into the ground.

Naruto saw stars when the back of his head hit the ground, but didn't have time to react before Neji kicked him swiftly in the side and in the face.

"What the hell is going on!" a voice yelled out from the end of the hallway. Right away Naruto knew it was Sakura. He was happy she was here now. But was also worried knowing that Temari was probably right behind her.

Please keep your moth shut Neji! Naruto prayed over and over again in his head.

"I was just having a little discussion with Naruto that's all," Neji replied as if the two had just been casually talking around the water cooler.

Sakura stormed up the Neji, her finger jabbing into his chest emphasizing every word "Get the hell out. And if you refuse I'll have your ass dragged out of here!"

"Don't worry I'm leaving, Naruto got the point of our little heart to heart," Neji walked past Naruto who was still lying on the floor, stepping aside to avoid the small pool of blood that had been collecting from Naruto broken nose.

Sakura had insisted Naruto stay at the hospital to be treated, but he had refused the offer saying he had enough of being in the cold building. Plus he didn't want to deal with the eventual questions Sakura was going to ask him.

Naruto took off his blood stained jacket, resting it on the counter in the kitchen. Turning on the tap he let it run cold before putting in the stopper. He knew Temari was watching him, she had stayed silent all the way back to the apartment but he was certain she was wanting to know what had happened.

"Naruto, are you ready to talk now?" she asked her voice unusually soft.

His eyes sank back to the sink, watching as the water splashed down sending droplets all over the counter. Placing the garment in the sink he shut off the water, letting the water soak the fabric, turning the water a light crimson.

His eyes closed as he felt her hands rest on his shoulders sending a shutter down his body when her fingers slid down his back eventually stopping at his waist so she could embrace him from behind. The two stood like that for what seemed like an eternity. The constant ticking of the kitchen clock alerted him of every painful second that passed. He could feel her head resting between his shoulder, and the heat of her body. Even with those reminders of her presence it felt as if all of the heavens and the wheeling stars were between them

"There is something I need to tell you," he replied managing to keep his voice neutral with an effort.

Taking her hands in his he sighed deeply, wondering if what he was about to say would break what little happiness he had with her into a million little pieces.

And for those of you wondering how Temari knows Botany terms I read somewhere that her hobby is that. Dunno if its true but I added it anyway. Sorry for the long wait i'll try and get the next chaper up sooner.