"I'm completely full," Naruto sighed as he collapsed on the couch. I shook my head at him and everyone else, who were in a similar state, bunch of lightweights. The dishes had been washed and the table had been wiped clean, leaving no chores to do, so everyone had gathered in the living room in the same state, stuffed to the brim.

I had eaten a good amount, just not enough to immediately lay down on the couch and die. I walked outside onto the deck that overlooked the backyard, staring at the green pastures that were darkened by the night sky, resembling an ocean, almost. I leaned on the railing and blew the hair out of my face. I used to do this a lot, back before Sakura became my partner and I still worked alone, I used to always stand outside late at night and just wonder about things. My parents. Itachi. Loneliness.

However, as I stood there, I found nothing to torture my mind, I just stood there calmly as a pair of arms wrapped around me and a face rested on my back.

"What're you doing out here all alone?" She whispered.

"Thinking."

"About?"

"I don't really know."

"Sounds interesting."

"Now you've disturbed my brain."

"Aw, I made you upset, I'm sorry." I turned and held her arms in place, my face inches from hers.

"Don't tease me," I whispered into her ear, brushing the shell with my lips. She turned her head and touched my lips with hers.

"I won't," she breathed into my mouth. I almost ripped off her clothes right there and then. But we weren't alone, so I settled for kissing her until we heard the door open and Kakashi stepped out. We quickly separated and stood next to each other, glaring at the intruder.

"Sakura, Kushina is calling you inside," the white-haired man said nonchalantly. We shared one last glance before she went inside and Kakashi stood next to me, hands in his pockets, like always.

"Now what were you two doing alone out here, I wonder," he mused. I felt my ears burn almost immediately. "That's what I thought," he chuckled.

"You're always bothering me," I muttered.

"That I am."

"And you enjoy it too."

"That I do." A minute of silence passed by as we both leaned on the railing, staring off into space. "I have to admit, Sasuke, I never would've thought you would end up with someone so...well to be honest I didn't think you would end up with anyone."

"Thanks."

"Oh come on, you were an asshole to pretty much everyone."

"Thanks."

"What I'm trying to say is that she's good for you, as a person, she's made you much better."

"You think I don't know that?"

"Just wanted to say it."

"Thanks."

"So why are we out here again?"

"You know what, let's just go back inside."

"Good idea." We walked back inside, where mostly everyone had recovered from their situation, so they were sitting up on the couch, conversing about whatever. I sat down with Kakashi and joined the conversation they were having about which place has the best pizza.

"Papa John's!" Naruto declared.

"Pizza Hut!" Kiba shot back.

"Sbarro!" Ino intervened.

"This argument is stupid!" Kushina yelled. It was, everyone knew local pizza joints were the best. But that didn't stop them from continuing their heated debate. It got to the point where Kushina literally started screaming at them to change the topic to literally anything else, I kid you not. I just tuned them out and leaned back in my seat, listening to bits and pieces of the conversation while remembering what Jugo had told me.

Deidara was dead, most likely killed by an Akatsuki member to cover up their tracks. He was gone forever, and I couldn't help but feel a little disturbed by that, the fact that the Akatsuki would kill someone so formidable so easily was enough cause for concern. It also meant that everyone they sent from now on would be more dangerous than the blonde bomber.

"Hey, Sasuke! Answer the question!" I looked up at Naruto and around the rest of the room.

"Huh?"

"Wasn't the Tyler Lawson case the one where we had to chase him around an amusement park?" Tyler Lawson was a man who beat two men to death with a club back in my Jacksonville PD days. Naruto and I tracked him down into an abandoned amusement park and chased him through.

"Yeah, he's the one I pegged in the head with a baseball," I answered with a smirk and Naruto laughed at the memory.

"He fell face first after that into the Ring Toss!" The blonde said in between laughs. The smirk on my face remained at the memory while the rest of the room laughed at our story. It went like that until late into the night, telling stories, until we called it off.

"We'll see you next Friday!" Kushina called to us as we left.

"I'm so tired," Shikamaru yawned.

"You're always tired," Kiba told him.

"I'm tired too," Neji said.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow," Naruto waved as he drove away. Unbeknownst to him, Hinata had offered a small wave in reply as she got into the passenger seat of Neji's car. Sakura and I got into her car and she waved to everyone as I drove out of the driveway and onto the dark road.

"It's the Akatsuki, isn't it," I heard her ask, "that's why you were drifting off sometimes." I nodded my head in response.

"Deidara is dead, someone killed him and I'm 100% sure it was the Akatsuki," I explained.

"Covering up their tracks," she said.

"Yeah."

"So they showed you what they're willing to do."

"They've played their hand, but I haven't played mine."

"Damn right, Sasuke Uchiha." I grinned at the road at her confident words and she laughed as well, never before in human history have two people been so calm after learning a death gang is after them.

We're fucking crazy.

She ended up falling asleep on the way back and I drove in silence the whole way back. It was quiet, and the roads were filled with one car ahead of us, Naruto's. It was a one lane, so I just tailgated him to mess with him while Sakura shifted in her seat. He rolled down his window and flipped me off, drawing a smirk to my face. We drove in sync the rest of the way, reaching the apartments in 15 minutes and pulling into the lot.

"Jerk," Naruto called once we got out of our respective vehicles. I smirked and opened the passenger seat, where Sakura was still asleep, and lifted her bridal style. Naruto just smiled at us and led the way up. We got to our apartments and Naruto saluted me before going inside his place while I opened the door and brought Sakura inside of mine. I threw off her shoes and kicked off my own before walking into my room and placing her onto the bed. I took my shirt off and grabbed a glass of water before settling into bed myself. The pinkette shuffled towards me and I smirked.

"You were awake, asshole." I heard her giggle lightly and took that as confirmation.

"Goodnight, Sasuke," she whispered.

"Annoying," I muttered in response before closing my eyes.