..Chapter Thirteen..

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Other than the end of the game, the rest of the day had went off without a problem. Whatever issues the family still had with the three visitors, everything had seemed to be cleared up.

Kei hadn't quite understood what happened in the field earlier that day between her father and Sasuke. But, she did understand whatever it was, her Papa had been pretty hurt over him leaving the village all those years ago. Whatever friendship they had... it was close. So close Kei had a hard time grasping the idea in her mind. What exactly did more than friends but less than lovers really mean?

She wasn't ignorant to the idea of men and men and women and women being together. But, her father loved her mother. He would be with her till the day she or he passed on.

So. she just assumed whatever close relationship he father had with the raven haired man it wasn't sexual. He just must love him in a way that broke most of the normal bounds of friendship. She could easily see them... as weird as it may sound... snuggling on the couch watching television. Not out of sexual need or loving relationship like the one he had with her mother... they were just close enough that normal boundaries that male friends had with one another didn't apply to them. Women snuggled with their women friends and no one thought anything of it, so why not?

Yes, this made much more sense in her little head. Especially considering the very scene she'd just described to herself was staring her in the face in the living room currently and she had originally not known what to make of it.

"Oi! Naruto! Get off! You're laying on the remote, drop out!"

Naruto stuck his tongue out at him, his head laying in his lap quite comfortably. "I dun wanna move, asshole. 'Sides, I like this show." He turned his head to keep watching.

Kei suppressed a giggle behind her hand. Especially when her little brother came towards them and climbed right into Sasuke's lap and Naruto had to move so that he was only leaning on Sasuke's shoulder.

It was indeed the cutest, most natural thing she'd ever seen three men do in her whole life. Well, two men and one boy. Still, it was adorable.

"I still wish I had a camera..."

Kei looked up to see Sakura. She smiled. "Me too." She glanced back at the group now all trying to readjust themselves to more comfortable positions on the small couch. "Can I ask you something, Sakura?" She looked up at her again.

Sakura knelt down to her eyes level. "Sure. Anything."

"Why did you leave with Sasuke? I know Papa said you did it because you loved him... but why didn't you try and get him to stay? He hurt a lot of people."

Sakura sighed as she stared at her daughter. "Would you like to go for a walk with me, darling?"

She nodded. "Are you going to tell me a story?"

"Yes." They headed for the door.

"Is it about you and Sasuke?"

She smiled. "Yes." They stepped outside and shut the door, walking into the night.

"Good." Kei lead her towards the same place her and Papa has talked on the little bridge. She took a seat on the bridge and once more, like last time, pulled off her shoes and began to play with koi. She was happy to see Sakura mimic her actions, smiling softly at the large fish. "So?"

"So?"

She grinned. "Where does your story begin?"

"Ah," Sakura started as she stared up at the stars. "Where does it start? Hm, let's see. It's starts when I was about the same age as you. My best friend at the time was a girl named Ino."

"I know Ino-chan. She's married to Choji-kun."

Saskura smiled and made a soft 'shh' noise. After Kei nodded she continued. "We were both very good friends since we were little girls. She helped me through many little girl tragedies." She made a face of mock seriousness. At Kei's laugh she continued. "Yes, when you're a child, especially a girl, every moment is dramatic. Well, she and I both fell for the same cute guy."

"Sasuke?"

She nodded. "Yup. Only I got luckier than her and ended up on his team with Naruto. Sasuke never really noticed me at first. But, it wasn't for my lack of trying. He was just more concerned with his revenge."

"Killing Itachi?" Her eyes were glued on the woman next to her.

She nodded again. "Yup. And then one night I sensed something was wrong. I told Naruto goodnight and I went towards the exit of the village. And my concerns were valid. He was going to leave."

"What did you do?" She hung on every word.

"At first I cried. I tried to get him to stay. I pleaded with him that the path of revenge was a bad one. It wouldn't do him or I or anyone else any good. I told him if he stayed with me I would do anything to make him happy." Sakura looked down at the water, feeling all those emotions from that night come welling back into her.

"What did he say?" Kei placed her hand on Sakura's.

Sakura let out a long shaky breath. "He told me I was annoying. And he said he was going to leave anyway. I offered to go with him. I threatened to scream. And then, he took me with him. You see," she looked down at the little girl, "It's Sasuke's dream to one day revive the Uchiha clan. To do that, he needs children. And he wanted me to give him that when his mission was over."

"Wow..." She breathed, and the seemed to think something over. "Doesn't he love you, Sakura?" She clung to her arm.

Sakura bit her lower lip as she felt tears coming on. "He's never said it... I mean, I know he does. The way he treats me and the way he takes care of me. He's always been there for me... I just..." She felt little girl arms hugging her and sighed, embracing her as a few tears fell.

"He should tell you, Sakura. When you love someone you tell them." She suddenly stood, grabbing Sakura's hand and her shoes. "Come on."

Sakura blinked, wiping away tears and grabbed her shoes as well. "Where are we going?" She would never have the heart to tell her no. They stumbled along the path back into the house.

"Don't worry, Sakura." And then the small girl was pulling open the door to the living room. She released Sakura's hand and glared at Sasuke. She pointed at Sakura. "Why haven't you told her!"

Sasuke, who, had moments ago been moving about on the couch with the two other males still trying to get comfortable, blinked at his daughter who was now blocking the television in a very confused unSasuke manner. "Told who what?"

Kei placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. She had a look of serious determination. "When you love someone you should tell them, Sasuke-kun. Why haven't you told Sakura-chan you love her?"

Wild and confused eyes of coal black looked up from his daughter to Sakura. He could see there were tears in her eyes. Why had she been crying? "Sakura..."

"Don't you love her, Sasuke-kun?"

He felt cornered all of sudden and stared back at his daughter. She was expecting an answer. He'd never once told her he loved her. Not on the day he took her from her home and not anytime since then. She'd always told him and he supposed in some way he always assumed she knew.

"Oi, Sasuke..." Naruto started next to him. "Tell her." He waved his hand in the direction of the pink-haired woman he'd spent all his life with away from home. She was the mother of his most precious child. How could he not love her? But... could he say it?

"You made her cry, Sasuke-kun," Kei was saying. "She thinks you don't love her."

That only made the lovely woman cry even more and she tried to hold it in. Hadn't there been enough tears shed in the past two days? Sasuke had cried over their daughter. Naruto had cried over Sasuke. And now she was crying over her daughter and Sasuke. There was just something unnerving about your child telling her father to tell YOU he loved you.

She felt arms embrace her and warm lips on her forehead. She felt soft fingers gently brush her tears. The same voice that once cursed her good name. The same voice that yelled at her as he drug her down the hall by her hair. The same voice that whispered to her when she cried over Kei. It was the same voice that told her she'd ruined him for anyone else when they had sex. That same voice... the very same voice was telling her in the most tender... loving... and vulnerable voice... "I love you... I always have. I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner."

When she opened her eyes up to look into his she was almost surprised to find a soft blush pinkening over his nose. She tried not to laugh, really she did. And some how she held it in. He looked so unsure of himself. And over only three little words? Sasuke Uchiha, revivor of the Uchiha clan... blushing? "Of all the things to blush over... three little words. You never cease to amaze me, Uchiha."

If it was possible he seemed to blush further. He felt a tugging on his clothing and looked down.

"Oh, Sasuke?"

"Yes?"

She grinned. "When you love someone you suppose to kiss them too. And then ask them to marry you."

He blinked, utterly speechless. He felt soft gloved fingers on his face, turning it. Sakura was looking into his coal depths. He arched a brow in a questioning manner as if to say 'yes?'

She lowered her lashes only a hair and smirked at him. "Uchiha Sasuke... will you do the honor of being my husband?" She looked over at Kei. "How was that?"

She gave her a thumbs up. "Perfect. But you left out the kiss."

"So I did." She leaned in, brushing her lips against his. She started out slowly a first and then progressed. Her tongue intertwined with his own. She felt her teeth brush his now and then, never having been bothered by it in the first place. And then she felt strong hands running up her back and pulling her closer to him. When she pulled back... she heard clapping. And looked. The whole room had shown up for their performance it seemed.

Sasuke felt another tug and looked down again.

"What's your answer?"

He looked back at Sakura.

She smiled. "Yes, Uchiha. What is your answer. Be quick about it now, I might change my mind. And then you'll have lost me for good."

"Like hell," He kissed her again. "Yes, you aggravating woman. Yes. Just because you asked first doesn't mean you getting final say though."

And then everyone laughed. Kei grinned on. Once, long ago, she was told her father had a wondrous way of bringing people together. He changed people. He made them who they were meant to be. He showed them the path to their own greatness and asked for nothing in return. Somehow, after today, she had to ask herself... could she do that to people to? If the happy couple in front of her was any indication.. she supposed so...

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Author's Note: I'm really sorry this chapter was so short, but I can't see putting anything else I have planned in until the next chapter. Since the Chuunin Exams are coming up in the story VERY shortly I can't put them in here -wrinkles nose- I'll ruin the happy moment.

nicolerogersXX, Thank you! Much appreciated. And yeah, to me Sasuke and Naruto are too close to ignore something like that. That emotional. Especially after seeing the episodes in front of the large statue monuments before Sasuke goes to Orochimaru.

superme383, -blush- You know, I'm not one for a big ego, but, I really have worked hard on this story to make it as good as I know it is. I suppose that's why at first I was confused as to why I had so few reviews. Thank you! You actually made my day 100x better when I read your comment.

To all other reviewers! Thanks and keep reading!

--Blade