..Chapter Sixteen..

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Naruto stood looking over the expanse of the compound from the top of his home. It was screened in and had no visibility from the outside. The day was cool and evening slowly began to set in. You could barely see the sun anymore just over the horizon. As he looked up slightly from his position on the railing he noted how clear it was. Stars began to show up one by one. In the distance he could see the village. Some of the evening lights were turning on.

His mind began to wander. He was happy for once. His friends were home even if they were still in the bingo book. The Kages had all agreed to Itachi's proposal even if he'd been the one to present it. And Kei had passed the second part of the exam. He couldn't be more relieved. It was one of the hardest parts. It required skill and survival tactics to an extreme. It was not uncommon for Genin to die during the second portion of the exam.

"A yen for your thoughts?" He heard a voice and turned slightly. He smiled and looked back.

Sasuke came up next to him. Tonight he was out of the ANBU uniform. White pants covered his legs, a red shirt and over that a deep blue coat with sleeves just midway to his elbows. On the back of it was the symbol for the Uchiha clan in the center. And around his head... of all things.. was the Konoha forehead protector.

Naruto glanced over at him. "It's good to see you wearing that."

He looked down at himself. "It is nice. Your wife is good with a needle." He chuckled slightly. It was nice to be able to laugh. He'd done it so much since he came home. It was like all those inky feelings inside of him were slowly fading.

He was still looking at him. "No, I meant the protector." His smile was faint and soft.

"Ah," he nodded and looked out at the village. "It was time. I won't be able to wear it tomorrow though."

"I know." He turned his head back to look at the village too. "Tomorrow's the main exam."

"How did she do?"

They both knew who he was talking about. "She passed both tests with flying colors. The whole team did very well. Rin met them when they opened the scrolls."

"Just like Iruka-sensei." He smiled. "We were such kids."

"We were." He mused.

"And now we're watching our kids do it." He wrinkled his nose. "It really makes you feel your age."

He laughed. "Speak for yourself. I'm still as ripe as I was the day we formed Team Seven."

"Those were the days. I can still recall Kakashi pestering us to work harder and make it to the top of those trees in Wave." His eyes seemed to twinkle with the memory.

He was chuckling again. "And the look on your face when you tried to ask me for advice about what Sakura told me."

He mock grumbled. "You never did tell me what she said, asshole. Which, is just terrible since I carried your ass back home when we finally made it to the top."

He let out a breath and a noise at the same time. "You were jerk that day."

"So were you," he accused.

"Only because you were."

They glared at each other a moment and then started to laugh.

"Nothing really changes, does it, dropout?" He placed his chin in his palm as he leaned in further on the railing.

He sighed. "Just age."

"How do you think she'll fair tomorrow?" He changed the subject.

His lips pursed as he turned around and moved towards the table. "Honestly? I'm not sure." He sat down and watched as Sasuke joined him across the table. "She's got all the taijutsu skills to match Lee in his youth. She has all the open palm fighting skill Neji had in his prime. She has a handful of skills I knew and more still I'm not even aware of. Her team is an excellent balance."

"Oh?" He arched a brow and reached for the large pitcher of ice water. He poured himself a glass and set it back down.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Rei and Ryu. You know their parents. Shikamaru and Temari are Rei's mother and father. And then Ryu is the result of Konohamaru and Hanabi. Rei specializes in wood ninjutsu and shadow. Ryu is well... a Hyuuga. His strongest point is his ability to bind chakra with metal. He's a bit rough around the edges and Rei can be a little too lazy for her own good... but they're good ninja. Especially in this generation."

He took a sip and then swirled his glass as he sat back looking down at it. "Temari and Shikimaru huh? Can't say I'm surprised."

Naruto chuckled. "No one can. And to make matters worse she has a twin."

"Rei?"

He nodded. "Yeah, her younger brother Rai. I'm sure they keep both parents on their toes."

Sasuke grinned slightly. "Nothing more than they deserve."

"True." He interlaced his fingers; blue eyes watching his friend. "Do you really think this will work?"

"What?" He took a drink.

"The united front?" He reached over to pour himself a drink too.

He shrugged. "It has to. If it doesn't were all done for, Naruto."

He nodded, looking out towards the night. Thinking on yet another topic. He was going to change the subject again. "Are you worried about Kei?"

He blinked. "What do you mean?"

He sighed and turned his cool blues to him. "When she finds out the truth. Are you worried she'll hate us? All of us?"

He seemed to think on this moment; setting his drink down as he still grasped it with one hand and thought. He turned the glass slightly. "I'll do my best to make sure it doesn't happen." He looked at him. "She's a good kid. She has a kind heart because of you alone. I have to bank on her being more like you than me when that time comes."

He was silent. He wanted Kei to be more like him when that time came? What did that mean? Sure, he'd raised her and impressed upon her the importance of family, teamwork and the village. It's not as though he didn't want her to be like Sasuke. Quite the opposite.

"Thank you."

"For?" Naruto asked.

"For taking care of her. She's grown into a lovely young woman. She's far better a person than I ever was at her age." His eyes seemed distant as he looked at his best friend. "I sometimes worry how she would have turned out if we'd been with her all these years..."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "You're not a bad parent, Sasuke. You did what you had to. No one will ever think worse of you because of it."

"And if she does? What if she reacts like I would have her age?" His face seemed sunk with worry.

"You had already gone through a lot worse than she had by the time you were a Genin, Sasuke. You and I both did. She has always had the benefit of a warm and loving family. She's always had friends." His eyes were soft, but determined.

He looked down at his glass. "So did Sakura and look what my influence made her do."

"God damnit, man!" He slammed his hand down on the table. "Quit blaming yourself. If you hadn't done what you did you wouldn't even have Kei to begin with. As much as I hated you leaving, as much as I hated you taking her with you, something good came from it. I'm glad you did. Because if you hadn't that little ball of black tuffed hair would have never fallen into my life." He let his words sink in, pausing. "I never would have had the joy of raising a daughter. She may be your child, but, I raised her. And I know when the time comes, whatever she decides, it will be a good choice."

"How can you be sure?" It was small, but some hope seemed to linger on his face.

He smiled. "Because, she's a Uchiha and a Uzumaki. And everyone knows were both just too stubborn to give up on anything. She won't either." A pause. "You have to have faith in her. You have to realize just because she's is like us doesn't mean she is us. And it doesn't mean she'll make the same mistakes either."

He let out a long sigh and nodded. Naruto was right. He hated to admit it, but, for once the drop out was right. Ok, maybe not for the first time... but still. He would just have to believe in her. He would just have to bank on the fact that she wasn't him. She had his characteristics and some of his personality... but she hadn't walked his path. She never saw her family dead before her eyes. So, maybe there was hope that when he told her, she wouldn't hate any of them. Maybe.

"You're right." He stood. "Thank you."

"Huh...? Where are you going?"

He smiled. "I think I'm going to go lay down with my lovely... well, I guess she's not my wife yet, hm?"

He grinned. "No, but you make beautiful children." He waved a hand, shooing him. "Go make me some more."

He smirked. "Yeah yeah..." and then he was waving and leaving, barely noting the tongue stuck out towards his back from one good friend. "You're still and dropout." He called as he disappeared down the stairs.

"And you're still and asshole!" He called back and smiled.

ooo

Sasuke opened the door to the room he and pink haired shinobi shared. It was dark but warm with energy. He glanced over at the bed. She wasn't sleeping. A small candle was lit and she sitting with crossed legs as she read a book. Gone was the ANBU uniform and in it's place a soft night gown of pale see through pink. He paused as he watched her, silently enjoying that he got a view of her without her knowing. She was an intelligent woman. Reading suited her. He was curious then and decided to break her deep thoughts.

"What are you reading?" He began to pull his clothes off as he came towards the bed.

Without skipping a beat or turning from her book she spoke, "The latest guide to silent tactics. It's an instruction book with some new techniques on catching the enemy by surprise." She glanced over at him then as he made his way across the bed to her. She smiled warmly as she felt his fingers brush her arm; his lips on her shoulder.

"I was just thinking to myself how incredibly beautiful you are now," he said heatedly next to her ear.

She felt something rush through her and put down her book on the night stand in front of her where the candle was. "Did you?"

He nodded, reaching for the hem of her gown and pulled up slowly. "I want you," he breathed next. "Now."

She turned to him, her hand resting on hi cheek as she stared deeply into his eyes. "You're always so demanding." She loved it about him. His possessive nature. His egotistical arrogant way of telling her to do something in bed without really ordering her to. He knew if she didn't want to she wouldn't. In his own way he said please with his touch even if his words said something else entirely.

He brushed his lips against hers. "You make me that way." His hands drifted down her arms as he tossed aside the gown. Her caressed her breasts, gentle fingers appraising her taunt nipples.

"Sasuke," she asked quietly.

"Hm?" He looked up into her soft pools of endless green. She wanted to ask him something. It was the same look he got that night when she told him she was pregnant. He blinked. "You're not pregnant again are you? Not that I wouldn't be overjoyed..."

She laughed softly. "No, I'm not pregnant." But her laughed died and her face seemed to go serious again. "Sasuke... " She fought for words and Kami bless him he waited for her to find them. He was always so patient like that. No matter how bad things got or how horrible it had been working for Orochimaru... he was always patient with her when it counted. She put her eyes down and then looked at him again. "Sasuke, can we make love?"

He blinked at her, slightly confused at first. So, he voiced it. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean..." He searched her eyes, her face for some clue.

She made a soft noise of frustration and looked up sightly and then back at him as she bit her lower lip. Just like she always had as a child. "We always... we always... we... " She clenched her hands in her lap and looked at his chest, trying once more to explain. "We always have sex. We always... fuck. But... we've never made love. I never asked because... I didn't think you loved me and it just never seemed... right." She laughed bitterly. "I love it when we have sex. It's electric and passionate and... it blows my mind everytime you touch me. But," she looked at him again, "I want something else. I want soft words and kind hands this time. I'll understand if you can't do that. I love you. I just--" She gasped and blinked as he felt a finger on her lips, silencing her. She blinked a few times, eyes wide.

"Sakura," he stared softly, quietly and yet deeply, "You don't have to say anything else." And then he was kissing her, just like she wanted him to. It was soft and tender and sweet. There was no biting no tugging no pulling on her nipples or nails in her back. She let him lower her onto the mattress and reached for him, pulling him in closer as he gently pressed into her hips. He didn't grind hard. He just gently know what she did to him. He trailed kissed over her face, lips, eyelids and cheeks. The final one was placed on her forehead. She'd never imagined he could even be like this.

He was always so hard, so quick to throw on the mattress and passionately have his way with her. She never hated it. She thrived in it just as much as he did. But... this was.. nice. No, nice wasn't the word. It didn't even begin to describe how perfect it was.

She sighed contently as he trailed kisses down her taunt form. He breathed across her stomach and she gasped in anticipation. She felt gentle fingers running down her sides and then even gentler lips across her nether region. She cried out as he had his way with her. It was so different. It wasn't better and it wasn't worse. It just felt... It felt like he was loving her with his body and not his words. She gripped the blanket beneath her and arched into his mouth as his tongue slid across her clit. "Sasuke.." she breathed heavily. She was starting to see stars. She felt the wave coming. And then to push her even further over the edge his slid two digits in, coaxing her as he lapped at her. She cried out then, pulling herself up so she could look into his eyes as she came, shaking and burning from the inside out.

She fell back down softly as he crawled up her form, evidence of his desire bumping against her thigh. He looked deeply into her eyes and she felt lost in his coal depths. "Say it," she breathed just as he had always done to her so many times before.

"I love you," he held that gaze.

"Again," She ordered. "Say it again.."

"I love you... I've loved you since a girl with pink hair a sea green eyes told me she wanted to help me and begged me to take her with me." He paused at the look in her eyes. "Since the day you told me you wanted to bear my children with the determination to match a bull."

"Sasuke.." she whispered, feeling her heart catch in her throat. She didn't believe him. "You told me I was annoying. You hated me." She argued.

He leaned down and gently pressed his lips into hers. It was gentle and chaste and didn't last long. "I told you that to save you." He smiled faintly. "But, you just wouldn't listen. You never do. It's why I can't help but want you."

She opened her mouth to say something else but he captured it with another tender kiss. She was gasping again as he slid into her, starting a slow and even rhythm. She sighed and met him in the same steady beat. Soon though, they were grinding against one another in a heated passion; all the while both whispering how much they loved one another, how much they cared and not once for a moment regretting anything they done together. And when they finally came, both spent and breathy from the climax, he held her, pulling her to his chest still whispering of his love as they fell into a deep sleep.