Night after Heaven and Earth bridge mission.
It was just before sunrise. A young woman with hair the color of cherry blossoms, was looking out a kitchen window that was not her's. In fact the shirt that covered the top half of her naked form belonged to the man sleeping not far from where she stood. It was funny how life worked out sometimes. She had never thought that the man sleeping soundly across the one room apartment she was in, was the one she would give her heart, body, and soul to. The man that she thought she would give herself to was lost now. He let darkness rule his heart, maybe that darkness was always there and she just ignored it. Thinking of her loud, silly and more often than not reckless teammate brought a small loving smile to her face.
They had come home after the failed mission, with what little intel they had found about Sai, Sasuke and Orochimaru. They had reported to Tsunade the Fifth Hokage, afterword she had told them go home and rest. She had intended to do just that, but she found herself following her teammate. She just couldn't leave his side for some reason. He talked about cleaning up and grabbing some food or maybe he would just stay in and cook something. She was kind of half listening to him. Her thoughts took her back to the point in the mission where she thought she had lost him forever to beast he jailed. The thought of that and this red cloud business made her act. As his key hit the lock and he opened the door she spun him around to face her and throw herself at him. Kissing him for all she was worth. After that it was a haze of primal feelings and passions. She was standing there looking out his kitchen window when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist. "How is my blossom this morning?" He asked her. His voice had a flirty tired tone to it. His voice and being held by him brought a soft loving smile to her face. She thought her younger self stupid for not at least taking a chance with him. He was a very caring and giving lover. "I am happy and ack a little, but it is the good kind." She turned in his arms so she was facing him. The look she saw in his eyes was worry, love and bit of sadness. "What did he have to feel sad about?" She thought to herself. As if reading her thoughts. "I thank you for last night, but I know when we bring him... " That was all the further he got before she quitted him with a loving kiss. Breaking it. "Baka. You have nothing to worry about. I have chosen you, not him. We will bring him back and then move on with our lives."She could tell from the look on his face and the face splitting grin that she had just made him the happiest man living. "How about I make us some breakfast?" He asked her. She smiled up at him. "That would be great." She told him then he smiled and went to grab a shirt. "Wait? You cook?"
Later that morning after arealy good breakfast. They could be seen jumping from rooftop to rooftop on there way to the Hokage tower. They seemed to be playing tag like a couple kids. As they landed on the street in front of the tower with both of them laughing while walking they made it to Shizune's desk. They were whispering and laughing between themselves. "Well. What put you two in such a good mood?" She asked the pair. "Nothing much just enjoy the day with someone special. Hey Sis. Is Granny in?" Naruto asked which earned him a elbow to the ribs, but it was a bit more playful than usual. He still had a grin on his face as he rubbed the spot of the hit. "Shizune! Tell the brat to get his butt in here and bring his teammate with him." Tsunade yelled from inside her office. "You two can go in." She told them. After they left. "Something different about those two." She said to someone that know one but her knew was there. About then the back of Kakashi's head appeared in the window behind her. "I would say so. They basically were playing tag the whole way here. I haven't seen either one of them smile like that in a long time." He said as he read his little orange book.
Tsunade looked at the two ninja that walked into her office. They were still carrying on like a couple of kids. Seeing them both this happy brought a smile to her face. "What has gotten into you two? And don't give me the crap about enjoying the day with someone special." She told them. Naruto looked fit to be tied. She hadn't seen him this happy in awhile. He looked over at Sakura, and she just shrugged. "She choose me over the teme." Naruto told his commanding officer and mother figure. This kind of left Tsunade a bit stunned. She knew Sakura cared for Naruto. She just figured it what was like her and Jiraiya. Two teammates that had been through hell and back. "So, what about Sasuke? I thought you were chasing after him Sakura." She asked her student. A sad smile came to her face as Naruto got the same look. "Master. That dream was that just a dream. He has fallen into darkness, and I don't know if he can be brought back to the person we both knew. Beside Naruto has been there for me while he hasn't. He left me on a bench when I tried to stop him. He almost killed Naruto when he tried to bring him back at my request. I am not a little girl anymore, I want someone who wants me for who I am." She looks over at Naruto and a loving smile came to her face. Tsunade had seen that smile, it was the same one she had when she thought of Dan. Her eye showed nothing but love. "Well I happy for you both." She let a little Ki leak out toward her student. A smile that promised pain was on the Hokage's face. "I ask one thing of you Sakura. Don't hurt him." Naruto and Sakura both knew that smile well. "Of course Master. Wouldn't dream of it." Tsunade nodded and they got down to business. Paperwork still needed done and she had some questions about their reports.
A few hours later.
"Man. That was tiring." Naruto complained as they walked out of the tower. "Ya. I completely agree." Sakura added. She reached over and took his hand. He raised her hand to his lips giving it a gentle kiss. She smiled. "So what you want to do now? Still got the rest of the day." He asked. "I need to stop by home and check in with my parents." She told him. It wasn't that they had much say in her life, it was more of a courtesy thing. They would worry as parents do. He nodded. "Well I guess I can find something to keep me busy." "You could come with me? You are going to have to meet them eventually" It was true, he would have to at some point. But what would they think of their daughter's lover being the village's dirty little secret. She must have been able to read his thoughts or picked up on his body language. A delicate hand touched his cheek bring his attention to her. "Hey. Everything will be fine. Beside they don't know about your secret. And I doubt they would care anyway." Her smile was reassuring. "Ok. Suppose I do have to meet them." He smiled back at her. Taking each other hand. They headed towards her house.
A bit later.
"Mom, Dad I'm home." Sakura says pulling Naruto through the door. He was looking around the kitchen that he was standing in. Sakura could swear she could sense fear coming off of him. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Oh. Sakura. How did everything go?" Her mother asked giving her a hug and checking her over. "I'm fine Mom. Where's Dad?" She asked her Mother. "Your Dad is at the shop today. He should be home in awhile." Her mother went back to reading lunch. "Oh Mom. This Naruto My teammate, and…" Before she could finish. "Your boyfriend." Her mother said. Looking over her shoulder. "Maybe more." A blush came to both their faces. "MOM!" Sakura shouted in embarrassment. He started laughing. "Please. I know that look on your faces. It is the same look that I and your father have when we are around each other." Sakura was still pouting. Her arms crossed over her chest. Naruto had a cheesy smile on his face, scratching the back of head, his famous nervous tick. Later on her father came home and they had lunch and then He asked Naruto to help him with some stuff out back. That left Sakura and her mother alone in the kitchen cleaning up. "So, when did you realize that he was the one?" She asked her daughter. Sakura got really quite. "When I thought I lost him. There was a point in the mission where thing went sideways, and I almost lost my best friend, the man who I have given everything to." A tear fell down her cheek at the memory. Her chest started to titen. "I thought I had found the one I wanted, but he is lost to me now. In the process I found who I needed, and he makes me happy."
Outside.
Naruto and Sakura's father were unloading a wagon. They moved the boxes and putting them away in storage shed. "So. You and Sakura huh?" Naruto just about dropped the box he was carrying. He chuckled. "It is ok Naruto. Being truthful with you, I am glad it was you and not the Uchiha that she was chasing as a little girl." He shifted another box. "After what had happen to his family, I wanted to steer her towards someone else. You don't have something like that happen to you and come out completely whole. I have seen it more times than I care to remember from my days as a Chunin. After my last mission I lost the will to be a ninja anymore to much death for my taste. I met Sakura's mother not long after that, she was working in the hospital as a nurse. She had seen her fair share as well. We both retried, and here we are." He asked Naruto to help him a large chest. After they stored it away, stopped Naruto "All I ask is that you keep her safe for me out there. I know enough about you and your life to realize that you are a honorable man. And yes I know about that." He pointed at his stomach. "And I don't care. The Fourth's seal will hold, there has not been another greater seal master in this village scene." Naruto look the man. "I will sir." The look Sakura's father saw in the young ninja's reminded him of the man that had sealed the beast inside of him. This brought a smile to his face.
"So how did things go with my Dad?" Sakura asked him as they walked through the market area. "Fine. He worries about you a lot." Naruto answered her. She sighed. "Ya, him and mom both" Naruto was a little jealous of her and the fact that she had something that he had always wanted, a family. But now was not the time for that. They stopped at an out of the way store. It sold vegetables and other foodstuffs. Sakura was kind of amazed at the place. Naruto walked in and greeted the store owner. The surprising part was that she was that she was happy to see him. She had been with him shopping before and most treated him with anything but kindness. "How did you find out about this place?" Sakura asked him. "Ayame brought me here when I was younger. One of the few places in town that doesn't treat me like the plague. It was true. Naruto was beaten or anything like that, it was more being ignored or pushed away, name calling that kind of stuff. She had been part of it until she got to know him better. She looked down at her feet. A gentle hand touched her cheek bring her attention to him, a reassuring smile, and eyes filled with love is what she saw. "Don't blame yourself. I have forgiven that stuff along time ago." She leaned into his touch. How could someone so loving, so caring as him just forgive so easily. "Come on. Let's find something for supper tonight." He told her. She smiled and placed her head on his shoulder. They continued to shop and went back to his place for supper after they stopped be her home for her to grab somethings.