A/N: Sorry for the super late update!

Thanks for the reviews and suggestions!

oOo

Chapter 5

The alarm clock rang noisily, its loud blaring sound waking her up from her deep slumber. Squeezing her eyes shut, she reached her arm over the bedside table and jabbed the alarm off and tried to sleep again.

"Ugh," she groaned and buried her face back into the pillow. For a minute, she tried to return back to her dream state. She was having a good dream just a while ago and not just good, but a hot good one that made her wish that she could turn it into reality. With her face still buried into the pillow, she stretched her left arm beside her and found the side of the bed empty.

Again.

It never ceased to amaze her how Sasuke manage to get up even before the sun rises. He was like a human alarm clock that never fails to ring at the set time. Unlike her who found a need to set up an alarm clock so she could wake up on time. She was really feeling sleepy nowadays like all she wanted was to curl up in the bed and sleep all day long.

"It's half past seven."

Sakura yawned and smiled at him. "Good morning."

Standing in the bedroom's doorway, Sasuke merely nodded and continued sipping his coffee. "No work?"

"I don't feel like going to the hospital today," groaned Sakura.

"If you're not feeling well, you should go to the hospital," suggested Sasuke in a monotonous voice without looking at her.

"No," said Sakura. "I'm just feeling bored today. Ino can take over. And you?"

"None," replied Sasuke.

Sakura's green eyes lit up. "Really? You have no mission or meeting today?"

"Yes."

Sakura bolted up from the bed. "So you're staying home"

"No."

Her eager face was suddenly replaced by a disappointed one. "Why? You said that you don't have any assignments for today."

"Training."

"With Naruto?"

"And Kakashi," supplied Sasuke.

She was hoping that he would stay home and they could spend some time together. Things did not change that much ever since they got married. Well, except for the fact that they got married for the obvious reason that he wanted to revive his clan, nothing much has change between them. She felt like she still has a lot to know about him, something which can only be achieved if they spend some time together.

Yet, on days when he has no mission, he would always be gone training somewhere. Either with Naruto or Kakashi or sometimes on his own improving his techniques or trying to learn new powerful jutsus. He would never be caught dozing off or lying around, he always wanted to improve and he never seemed to be contented with his skills.

"I see," said Sakura, her spirits obviously dampened. All of a sudden, an idea occurred to her. "Sasuke?"

Sasuke slanted a look at her.

"Mind if I come along?"

Finishing his coffee, he turned to her fully and asked, "What, you're training with us?"

Sakura caught the sarcasm in his tone but she ignored it. He was looking at her as if she had come up with another ridiculous idea like before when she was on a sudden shrimp-eating frenzy. "No, I would just be watching."

Sasuke thought for a few seconds while avoiding her hopeful, pleading eyes.

"You may come," said Sasuke finally. "But make sure you stay out of our way."

"Thanks!" Sakura jumped happily.

Then, she bolted out from the bed and ran past him, going straight to the kitchen. She took out the recipe book sitting on the counter and immediately browsed through the pages, flipping excitedly as she started to gather the ingredients on the table. Putting on her apron, she began chopping the vegetables when she heard a soft, tapping noise behind her.

Turning around, she saw Sasuke tapping the marbled kitchen counter looking bored as ever. "Fifteen degrees northeast of Konoha."

"Huh?" Sakura stared at him quite confused.

"Fifteen degrees…oh, I get it!" He was telling her the spot where they would be training. At first, she thought that he was giving some kind of orders to her like they are in a mission. "I'll follow!" Sakura called out to him before he disappeared from their doorway.

oOo

"What's with you today, Forehead?" Ino greeted as Sakura entered the Yamanaka flower shop. She eyed her from head to toe and asked, "We are dressed today, I see. Have a picnic with your dear husband?"

"Team 7 is going to have a picnic," corrected Sakura. Twirling her skirt, she inspected her reflection on the shop's glass windows and noted with concern. "Is the dress okay? I'm trying to wear some of my favourite clothes before my abdomen gets too big."

Ino poked a finger to her stomach. "Yeah, that's right. Look your baby bump is already showing."

Sakura placed a protective hand on her stomach. "I know. I'm starting my second trimester."

"Are you not supposed to be on the hospital today?"

"That's why I'm here," said Sakura. "Can I ask a favour from you?"

"No," said Ino immediately, turning her attention to the flower pots arranged on the cabinets.

Knowing that her blond friend is playing hard to get, Sakura pushed further. "Can you cover me up on the hospital?"

"Oh, so you are not reporting for work because you will be having some picnic and chitchat with your group?" Ino asked incredously.

"Yeah," admitted Sakura. "Don't worry; I'll make it up to you."

"No," huffed Ino.

"Please!"

"No," said Ino in a singsong voice.

Rummaging inside the picnic basket, Sakura took something and presented it to her. "Please!"

Ino scowled at her. "You surely brought that knowing that I won't say no to it."

Sakura grinned at her. "Is that a yes?"

Ino took the food from her and rolled her blue eyes, "Yeah."

"Thanks!" Sakura said happily. She had cooked Ino's favourite food because she had anticipated the fact that she would be playing hard to get and won't easily give to her request. She left the Yamanaka flower shop and walked excitedly eyeing the entrance gate of Konoha.

oOo

The familiar sound of metal clashing against another metal along with earth-shaking noises reverberated throughout the forest, making it easy for her to locate the source. Walking briskly, she dodged the branches of trees obscuring her way while mentally struggling whether she should walk like normal or use chakra on her feet and leapt into the trees so she can get to her destination faster. Deciding that there's no harm in doing the latter, Sakura immediately jumped to the branch of a nearby tree and focused some chakra to her feet to prevent her from slipping as she leapt from tree to tree.

The slicing noise of kunais became clearer and after a quarter of an hour, she sensed three familiar chakras and sped up. She stopped upon reaching a vast clearing that is almost half a kilometer wide in diameter and scattered with large boulders and trees.

"Yo! Sakura-chan!" Kakashi appeared beside her and ruffled her neatly combed hair.

"Kakashi-sensei! Don't ruin my hair!" Sakura groaned out and tried to comb it with her fingers.

Kakashi grinned at her scowling face and asked, "How's the little Uchiha?"

"I'm sorry?" Sakura blinked at him and frowned at Kakashi's pet name for Sasuke.

"I mean your child, Sakura."

"Oh," Sakura laughed at herself. "Good, I'm starting my second trimester."

"Aa, good."

She followed Kakashi towards a tall oak tree and sat on a large chequered blanket she had brought along. For a few minutes, they watched Naruto and Sasuke use weaker versions of their signature jutsus. Naruto jumped away from Sasuke's Chidori sword and paused to wave at them.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto called out to them.

Still holding the Chidori sword, Sasuke merely threw a look on her and attacked Naruto.

Sakura waved back at him and Sasuke although it was only Naruto who greeted her in return.

"Are you happy?"

Surprised at the Kakashi's question, Sakura turned to her former teacher. "What do you mean?"

Without taking his eye off on his Icha Icha Paradise Second Edition which he had read for the nth time already, Kakashi repeated his question. "Are you happy?"

"Well," Sakura thought for a few seconds before answering "Team 7 is reunited once again, Konoha is peaceful, I'm married and expecting a child and I have a promising career both as an Anbu and medic-nin. Tsunade even told me that she's considering to promote me as the assistant chief medic next year but that means I have to spend most of my time at the hospital. I still want to be an Anbu that's why-"

Kakashi cut her sentence with a dismissive wave of hand. "I'm not asking for a lengthy explanation. I'm just asking if you are happy. It's just a yes or no question, Sakura."

"Of course, yes, I am happy," said Sakura with no conviction in her voice at all. I should be, right? I'm married to the man of my dreams, I'm expecting a child soon, Team 7 is complete and Konoha is peaceful. What else is missing in my life?

Kakashi saw the sadness on her green eyes. Her actions speak louder than her words. "I have known you since you're twelve, Sakura. I've watched you grow and I can say that you are not happy as you say. You are lying."

Sakura bit her lower lip and did not say anything. Somehow Kakashi's words have struck something that she refused to acknowledge. She evaded Kakashi's visible eye which seemed to be boring right through hers and focused her attention to her toenails.

"Aa, I'm not really good at these things but I am merely expressing my observations and let's say opinion too," said Kakashi with a heavy sigh.

He was really surprised when Sasuke and Sakura decided to get married all of a sudden when he did not even see them dating like normal couples do. He knows that Sasuke still wanted to restore the Uchiha clan and while he was glad that it would be on the old-fashioned way, he thinks that it is unfair to use Sakura to fulfill that goal. Years ago when Sasuke was still an enemy of Konoha, he expressed his idea of reviving the Uchiha clan by wiping out everyone in Konoha to avenge the ordered massacre of the Uchiha clan. As Team 7, they understood and sympathized with what he was feeling but Sasuke's idea of destroying Konoha and its inhabitants as retribution for the erroneous actions of the higher-ups in the past is simply inhumane and irrational.

"I finally... I finally got my first bit of revenge for Itachi. I killed one of the Konoha elders here... The one called Danzō. I've never felt anything like it. It's like the disgrace of the Uchiha clan is being cleansed. Like I'm separating the Uchiha clan from the rotten ninja world. You might even say it's what Konoha always wanted. You always repudiated the Uchiha clan, so now we will disappear from your memories just like you always wanted. When I kill everyone in Konoha! By severing the bond, we will be purified! That will be the true revival of the Uchiha clan!"

"For Sasuke, you gave up your freedom and your future," began Kakashi. "To revive the Uchiha clan, Sasuke is expecting you to bear many future Uchiha children. And to do so, you would have to give up your promising career as a kunoichi and become a full-time housewife. He would be expecting you to be like the Uchiha women he had lived with before. Staying at home and taking care of the family."

"Why are you telling me all of this, sensei?"

"Aa," Kakashi scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I just want to know if you have thought about these things before jumping into marriage. And now that you know, what are you going to do?"

Sakura inwardly flinched as Kakashi's analyzations hit right through the point. She had agreed to the whole marriage thing without even thinking the future implications on her life. She was too blinded by her love to him that it did not matter to her the whys and what ifs.

"Oi, Sakura!"

There were no explanations or promises.

"Oi, Sakura!"

Her train of thoughts was suddenly interrupted by a boisterous Naruto. "Hey, you don't have to shout at me that loud. I'm not deaf, you know!"

"Ouch!" Naruto earned a hard, playful smack from Sakura. "You seem deep in thoughts. Is there any problem?"

Sakura caught Kakashi's single visible eye and looked away from Naruto. "Nothing, just inconsequential things."

"Okay," smiled Naruto. "I'm hungry! Can we eat now?"

Sakura rolled her eyes and started to take out the foods she had prepared. "Let's eat!"

Kakashi and Naruto sat on the blanket while Sasuke chose to sit a little farther from the three looking bored. For a split second, Sakura caught his eyes looking at her with a hint of curiosity and… concern?

She blinked and when she looked again, he was looking elsewhere and it had gone back to its bored expression.

She must have just imagined it.

oOo

"Aa, Sasuke. Focus," said Kakashi with a chuckle. He had cast a brief sideward glance at Naruto and Sakura, who were talking and laughing. It seemed that Naruto had cracked a joke that made Sakura burst into fits of laughter.

"Shut up," Sasuke's onyx eyes narrowed at Kakashi's obvious taunting. "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!"

A massive orb of red-orange flames spewed out from Sasuke's mouth and went directly to Kakashi. Sasuke paced up and unleashed his sword at Kakashi who jumped to a great distance to avoid the damage of the fireball technique.

Two kunais met Sasuke's sword. "They are having so much fun right now, isn't it?"

"I don't give a damn," replied Sasuke coldly. He channelled a lightning chakra into the whole length of the sword increasing its sharpness and cutting range.

"Hmm," murmured Kakashi trying to distract Sasuke. His kunais were no match for the lightning-enhanced sword and he needed to get away from it. "I have not seen Sakura laugh like that before. She seems so happy."

To compensate, Kakashi enhanced his kunais cutting range by infusing it with wind chakra. "By the way, mind if I ask you something?"

oOo

A loud explosion followed by a shower of dusts, leaves and rocks rained upon Naruto and Sakura. Immediately, they backed away and assumed a defensive stance.

"What was that?" Sakura asked Naruto loudly.

Not sensing any foreign chakra, Naruto relaxed and moved in front of Sakura. He pointed a finger towards the center which was still enveloped with a cloud of dust and brown air. "Nothing, I think Teme and Kakashi-sensei just got carried away."

Naruto was right. As the dust thinned, two figures became discernible.

"Sasuke! Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura and Naruto darted towards them.

With the Chidori still flashing and buzzing on Sasuke's right hand, Kakashi was lying next to what seem like the center of a large crater enough to fill a pond of water. Shock and relief was painted across Kakashi's face as he glanced at the hole beside his head.

Naruto and Sakura arrived and gaze around the crater around them.

"What happened?" Naruto asked the two curiously.

Kakashi stood up rather shakily and smiled at the two. "Yo!"

"Kakashi-sensei, you're hurt!" Sakura noted their sensei's bruised and bloody shoulder. She turned around to see if Sasuke was also injured.

"Sasuke, are you trying to kill Kakashi?" Sakura asked him.

Instead of responding, Sasuke turned his back at all of them and walked away.

"Sasuke," muttered Sakura. She wanted to follow him but it looked like that he was not in a good mood now. It would be better if she approached him later on when he had cooled down already. Deciding to inspect and heal Kakashi's injury, she ran a glowing hand on his left shoulder and inquired. "I need you to sit so I can assess your injury."

Kakashi followed her order and sat on the ground as Sakura started to run a glowing hand over his left shoulder.

"You were nearly hit by his Chidori," said Naruto with an expression of half-amusement and half-confusion. "Talking about being used with a technique you have taught to your student, right?"

"Good thing, you evaded it but still you did not escape the force of impact." Sakura finished healing Kakashi's injury and poked a finger at the site to test for pain.

Kakashi's did not flinch and just chortled. "I did not evade it. Sasuke missed it on purpose."

"Really?"

"What? Why?" Sakura asked surprised at this.

"He looked quite pissed off," added Naruto. "What happened?"

"We just had a small argument, that's all." Kakashi just smiled. He remembered Sasuke's words as the Chidori hit the ground beside his head. "Stay out of it, Kakashi."

He stood and rotated his left shoulder. "Thanks, Sakura for healing my injury and for the lunch, too."

Ruffling her hair, he gave off a small salute at the two of them and leapt away leaving the two alone.

"Ugh," Sakura groaned out loudly. So Sasuke was not really trying to kill Kakashi, they just had a misunderstanding which made Sasuke angry. She immediately accused him without hearing the whole story. She'll just apologize to him at home. Turning to Naruto, she said. "Let's go back."

"Wonder what made Sasuke pissed off?" Naruto asked loudly. "It couldn't be Kakashi is suggesting him to read his Icha Icha books again. Hmmm..."

"I don't think so," replied Sakura. She picked up her picnic basket and started walking along side Naruto. She was pretty sure that their argument or conversation was something no as trivial as something like those perverted books which the late great Jiraiya had authored.

"Hey, you still have something inside there?" Naruto asked eyeing the picnic basket she was holding on her right arm.

Sakura rolled her eyes and opened the picnic basket to his face. "It's empty already. You ate the last rice ball, remember?"

Naruto made a disappointed face. "I'm hungry."

"You can't be hungry!" Sakura said in disbelief. "You have already eaten a lot."

"I don't know. Maybe Kyuubi absorbed the foods," Naruto grinned, referring to the nine-tailed beasts locked inside him. His relationship with the Kyuubi can be considered on the borderline of friendly and professional. Theirs was not the same with Killer Bee and its eight-tailed beast because sometimes he still experiences minor difficulties in controlling the Kyuubi especially on times when their opinions and motives do not jive.

"That's ridiculous," said Sakura.

"Believe me, I'm hungry again." True enough, his stomach growled and at the same time, a distant thunder roared. "It's going to rain."

Looking upwards, Sakura have noticed that big, thick clouds have started to form. "Let's hurry before it started to pour."

She sprinted to a run and started to jump from tree to tree when Naruto suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop.

"What do you think are you doing?" Naruto frowned at her.

"I'm running so we can make it on Konoha gates before it rains. Furthermore, the main entrance is just a few kilometres away and we can reach it in five minutes if we sprint," replied Sakura in a matter of fact tone. Like other hidden villages, Konoha can only be reached through conventional means of transportation like walking, running or using typical modes of transportation ( ex. Horses, donkeys). One cannot just teleport right inside it for the village boundaries are protected with special jutsu that disables any intruder or even its residents to just get inside it. However, powerful shinobis can easily disable it and enter the village like Nagato and Madara Uchiha. But once inside the village, a person can teleport anywhere within.

"I mean why are you running? You are pregnant! Pregnant women are not supposed to run like that," said Naruto in a stern tone.

"Oh," said Sakura. "I'm just on my second trimester so there's no need to worry."

"Tsk, tsk," murmured Naruto.

In a swift move that surprised Sakura, Naruto picked her up and carried her on his arms and dashed from tree to tree.

"Naruto, what are you doing?" Sakura asked horrified. "Let me down!"

"No."

"Why? I told you it's no big deal. I know my body more than you and I can tell you confidently that it won't have any effect on my pregnancy status," convinced Sakura trying to get away from Naruto. "So let me down!"

"No," said Naruto defiantly. "What if you suddenly bleed along way here? That would be pretty scary. I don't have any medical knowledge or skills to help you if that happens. Besides, I don't want Sasuke to blame me someday if your child becomes dumb from all the bumps and jumps you'll do if I allowed you. So stop moving and once we get inside Konoha, I promise to let you down."

Sakura was at a loss for words after hearing Naruto's explanation. It was not true of course. The miscarriage is possible if only she over exerted herself and have travelled long distances. But the "dumb baby" part is pretty funny and at the same time, silly. She had never heard or read news about a baby becoming dumb if the mother jumped, hopped or galloped during pregnancy.

Yet, she decided to just let Naruto carry her because she was touched by his concern for her. She need not be embarrassed because he is her closest male friend and he was just doing it to make sure that her pregnancy would be safe and sound. Naruto is someone she could count on to through thick or thin. He's like a huge umbrella anyone can go under whether it rains or shines. He was one rare, true gem of a friend.

"Fine," she just said as Naruto sped through the forest like a bullet, straight, fast and smooth.

oOo

Laughter.

Two familiar voices brimming with laughter were heard outside the house.

"Thanks," said Sakura. "That was fun especially when my head bumped into branches."

"Hey, that's not my fault," said Naruto defensively. "I told you to keep your head down but you keep popping your head."

Sakura was about to reply when a flash of lightning struck the sky followed by a roar of thunder. Then, as predicted, the rain started to pour.

"I'd better go inside. Want to have some tea?" Sakura slid open the gate and went under the roof of the veranda.

"Hinata's waiting for me," said Naruto.

"Okay," shrugged Sakura. "Say hi from me."

She bid him goodbye and entered the house. After removing her sandals, she trudged inside the house and found Sasuke on the kitchen, quietly sipping a black steaming tea. He did not even throw a glance at her when she joined him on the table.

"You left us there," she said casually as she sat opposite him. "What happened?"

"Nothing."

"It's not nothing. You got angry after your sparring with Kakashi and you left," she said curiously.

"I said it's nothing," Sasuke emphasized.

Sakura frowned and continued. "Kakashi said that you two have had a small argument. He did not tell us what it is and left after I healed his injury."

Gritting his teeth, Sasuke said, "Leave it. It's none of your concern."

"It is! I'm your wife!"

Sasuke slammed hard the drinking cup on the table that it shattered into pieces, the steaming black liquid spreading out across the table. "I married you but that does not mean that you have the right to meddle in everything I do! Stop being meddlesome!"

Then, he left the kitchen.

Stunned, Sakura stared at the broken pieces and puddle of black tea on the table. She did not move nor make a sound. She continued to be immobile until the warm black liquid reached the edge of the table and started to drop on her lap. She jumped form her seat and hastily grabbed a cloth to wipe the table. Next, she scooped out the broken pieces of the porcelain cup and threw it on the waste bin. Not contented, she took another piece of cloth and wiped the table again. She mopped the floor then cleaned the table again as if she could pretend that nothing happened.

Unknowingly, her tears started to fall on the table and she wiped it away with the cloth on her hand. Wiping her tears with the back of her hand, she forcefully tried to stop the continuous flow of tears coming from her eyes. Her mind tells her to stop but she could not do it. Her eyes won't cooperate with what her brain is ordering it to do.

Surrendering, she just allowed the tears to come out and she slumped to the floor and cried.

oOo

The soft tapping of the rain against the roof evoked a sense of relaxation to his troubled mind. He closed his eyes and massaged his temples as he hears her soft sobbing coming from across the kitchen.

It was inevitable.

He knew that she was going to ask him what had transpired at the clearing. Yet, she asked the question at the wrong time. He can not deny her observation that he really got pissed off this afternoon. Knowing that he is in a bad mood already, she should have not tried to pry the reason behind it. She was becoming that annoying twelve-year old Sakura again, asking questions repeatedly not until he answers.

"Do you even love her?" Kakashi asked during their sparring/training session.

Kakashi's question immediately grated his nerves. What kind of useless question to ask, he thought angrily. Kakashi was referring to Sakura of course and it seems that he is very concern with her welfare. Before the wedding, Kakashi was skeptical and had expressed his disapproval to both of them. Yet, in the end, he did not do anything to break off the wedding and had even obliged to be the principal godparent upon Sakura's request.

"No," he answered Kakashi.

Kakashi shook his head sadly as if he knew his answer already. "Then you should let her go."

This advice really made him angry. For him, Kakashi had no right to give him advices or lectures. Since after the Uchiha massacre, he had been used to living alone and deciding for himself. And in the first place, he did not force Sakura. He asked and she agreed.

After the Fourth Great Shinobi World War, he decided to return and stay in Konoha. For years, he lived in solitude within the desolate Uchiha grounds, going out only for the assigned missions the Godaime had given to him. His constant companions were Naruto, Kakashi and Sakura, who usually visit him almost everyday. For years, he continued to live alone until he made up his mind that he wanted to revive the Uchiha clan once again.

Granting that his first plan of reviving the Uchiha clan was to destroy Konoha failed, he opted to do the old-fashioned way. That is to produce heirs. Being the sole living Uchiha, he does not want the great Uchiha bloodline to be extinct when he dies someday. The Sharingan bloodline should continue to the next generation. This forced him to find a wife and marry. He wanted to have heirs and he knew that children don't just spring out from a single individual. He needed a female who would carry and produce the heirs he wanted.

That's when he chose Sakura.

He could have chosen other women but he picked up Sakura because he had known her since they were twelve years old and to choose a total stranger would be difficult and more uncomfortable for him. Besides, he knows that she still has strong feelings for him judging by her almost daily visits to his house during those past few years. And he was right about it; she immediately agreed the moment he asked her without even inquiring or wondering why he had proposed out of the blue. He did not want her to hope or expect so he informed her that the main reason he asked her is because he wanted to revive his clan. He thought that she would back out but she did not.

As a sign of respect, he informed her parents and they consented. At first, they were quite surprised because Sakura have not presented anyone to them personally for the past few years. Apparently, they had seen her date some guys years ago but it did not came to a point where Sakura would introduce those guys to them.

There were no long wedding preparations because a day after he went to her parent's house, they went to Tsunade and got married. Few people were invited, mostly on Sakura's part like her parents, Ino, Chouji and Shikamaru. In fact, he learned that she invited all of their friends. Well, HER friends not HIS ortunately, the two groups were out on a mission. He even got angry that day because of the people she had invited. The only ones they had agreed to were Team 7, her parents and Yamanaka Ino but not Shikamaru and Chouji.

Footsteps.

Light footsteps echoed against the wooden floor caught his attention. He sprang to his feet and went inside the house to see what she is up to.

"What are you up to?" Sasuke asked in a sarcastic tone. He followed her to the entrance of the house where she took the sandals she had just worn.

Sakura ignored his question and started to put on her sandals.

Irked that she ignored him, he grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her to face him. "You are not leaving the house," he said in a cold voice.

"Let me go!" Sakura shouted and tried to pull her arm free from his clamp-like grip. "You're already hurting me!"

Instead of releasing his grip on her, Sasuke dragged her towards the receiving room when he felt something. He leapt away just as Sakura was about to punch him on the face. The blow hit the wall dividing the receiving room and the dining room. Spider-like cracks spread from the point of impact then the wall collapsed into heaps of concrete.

"You wish to fight me?" Sasuke asked in a cool, sarcastic voice and he looked at her from head to toe as if assessing her.

"No," replied Sakura in a high-pitched voice that seems to be in verge of tears again. She forced to blink back the tears and tried to muster whatever dignity and respect she still has. In a cold, hard voice she continued, "Whatever I do and wherever I go is none of your concern. And just because I married you does not mean that you also have the right to meddle in everything I do."

Sakura turned back from him, walked to the entrance and slipped on her sandals.

Stunned at her statement, he just stared at her form as she finished slipping on her sandals. She had used his words against him.

Involuntarily, he felt his arm move and reach out to her as if it wanted to stop her. But he as soon as he regained from his astonishment, he dropped down his arm to his side and he just watched as Sakura opened her umbrella and leave the house in the middle of dark, stormy night.

oOo

A/N: I'll try to update the next chapter as soon as possible. Hopefully, before the month of November ends.

PLEASE REVIEW!