"This is so great!" Naruto exclaimed as he walked in with a towel wrapped around his waist into the bath house. "The whole gang is back together again!"

"Could you be any louder?" Sasuke muttered as he walked into the steaming bathroom.

"Don't tempt him." Shikamaru said as they sat down near the line of showerheads. "He'll take it as a challenge and get us kicked out."

"They won't kick us out. Why you ask? Because this is a bachelor party and we've rented out this space in order to avoid bothering other customers." Shino said sitting down on a stool next to Kiba.

"This sure brings back memories." Naruto said sitting by Sasuke. "I remember Kiba making cat ears with the soap, Shikamaru trying his hand at stool bowling."

The two aforementioned ninja turned and stared at their blonde friend disgust clear in their features.

"That never happened." Kiba said firmly.

"I would've remembered that." Shikamaru confirmed.

Naruto blinked and then laughed out loud. "Oh! Right! That was when Sakura and I got pulled into that weird parallel world." He explained rubbing the back of his head

Shikamaru nodded. "Exactly. There's no way I'd waste my energy on something that stupid."

"Cat ears? Really?" Kiba snorted in disgust.

"I dunno. That sounds like a lot of fun to me." Chouji said shaking out his brown mane.

"I thought this gathering was for Sasuke?" Sai said lowering himself into the steaming bath.

"It is." Lee confirmed soaping his thick eyebrows. "It is a momentous occasion. We are celebrating the last night of his bachelorhood." He proclaimed dramatically.

"Then why does it seem like he's the one having the least amount of fun?" Sai asked. "He hasn't smiled once since we arrived."

Naruto smacked Sasuke between the shoulder blades with enough force to leave a red hand print and laughed even as Sasuke hissed and offered the blonde his finest death glare.

"That's just how Sasuke is." He assured the painter with a grin. "We'll get him to smile eventually."

"Annoying, the lot of you." Sasuke muttered quickly rinsing his body off and striding over to the bath.

He knew this was going to happen. Naruto was just that kind of person. He also knew that even if he tried to escape, the loser would've just tracked him down using sage mode and dragged him here kicking and screaming anyway. Coming willingly and quietly was his best option. To be honest, he'd rather be meditating in the space he'd trained with Itachi as a child with his wedding now less than twenty four hours away but it wasn't to be. Even Sakura hadn't been able to rescue him, her friends had arrived early in the afternoon and dragged her off to her own bachelorette party.

"I don't actually know much about you." Sai confessed as he moved a little closer to him. "Just what I've heard from other people. Tell me a little about your time on Team Seven. A favorite mission perhaps?"

Sasuke glanced at the man and noted a tinge of blush on his cheeks that wasn't related to the water temperature. The painted was clearly uncomfortable but making an honest effort to reach out and get to know him better. There wasn't really a reason not to tell him anyway.

"I don't know that I have a 'favorite' mission." He replied. "I remember getting dragged into a lot of troublesome situations because a certain blonde idiot could never just leave well enough alone or keep his loud mouth shut."

"Hey!" Naruto exclaimed glaring at his friend. "It wasn't just my fault! Half of the time we got into trouble was because of that rotten attitude of yours!" he declared pointing at the Uchiha.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You got us kicked out of the movie theatre when we were genin before our real mission to The Land of Snow had even started. I knew then that the entire mission was going to be an annoying mess, and I was right."

Naruto blushed. "So I got a little carried away, so what? I'm not the one that took down the body guards we were supposed to be working with." He pointed out.

"You tried to." Sasuke reminded him. "Sakura and I were just better than you were. It wasn't like any of us knew they were bodyguards in the first place."

"The Land of Snow…" Shikamaru muttered touching his chin. "Right! Your team was assigned a mission to be body guards during a movie shoot. The rest of us were pretty jealous."

Sasuke snorted. "That mission was way more trouble than it was worth."

"Come to think of it, you were pretty rough on those hired goons." Naruto said an idiotic grin touching his lips that Sasuke knew always preceded something stupid or embarrassing flowing out of his mouth. "Were you secretly irritated about how Sakura was gushing over the actor Michi in front of you?" he asked covering his mouth with his fingers like a school girl exposing a scandalous secret.

Sasuke picked up an empty wooden wash bin from the side of the bath and threw it with pinpoint accuracy at the loser's face smacking him right in the middle of his forehead. The satisfaction of Naruto's yelp of pain followed by the crash as he hit the floor easing some of the embarrassment he felt.

"Shut up you loser!" he snarled. "That had nothing to do with it."

He'd been rough with them because they'd been rough with Sakura. She'd returned the favor of course. Even back then she was building up the legendary strength she was known for now, but he wasn't about to let them get away with roughing up his teammate.

"Yeah, whatever. I saw that scowl you wore when that pretty boy actor would come up to talk to us. Sakura would swoon with those hearts in her eyes and tell him how great he was." Naruto said with a smirk rubbing at the red mark on his forehead. "You were so jealous! It was totally obvious." He sneered.

A bar of soap went flying with the speed of a shuriken and wedged neatly between the whiskered ninja's teeth sending him to the floor foaming at the mouth.

"There, that's better." Sasuke said rinsing his soapy hand off in the water. "It's much quieter in here now."

There were a few seconds of complete silence before Kiba burst into loud peals of laughter that Chouji, Lee, Sai and then Shikamaru soon added too. Even Shino was snickering quietly as he lowered himself into the bath water.

"That was amazing!" the fanged ninja hound user exclaimed sinking into the water next to Shino. "I completely forgot how entertaining you guys are when you're together."

Naruto sat up and spit out the bar of soap hacking and coughing with tears streaming down his face.

"Sasuke, you jerk!" He rasped turning on one of the shower heads to rinse out his mouth.

The ink haired man shrugged. "It's not my fault you didn't listen."

"I'll get you for this." The blonde promised stepping into the bath in the space between Shikamaru and Sasuke.

The Uchiha merely rolled his eyes and shook his head before turning his attention back to Sai. "Even so, battling the Snow Ninja was interesting. The technology they possessed forced us to get creative when fighting them since their chakra armor made most ninjutsu and taijutsu useless."

"What about genjutsu?" Lee asked.

"I wasn't proficient at genjutsu at that time so I wouldn't know. I'm assuming they would have been vulnerable to it though." He replied.

Naruto nodded. "We only won because you figured out where the weak spots in their armor were." He said glancing at the Uchiha. "You even got the cracks on the big guy's armor started."

Sasuke shook his head. "Sakura was the one that discovered the armor's weakness. I just used what she discovered. You were the one who finished him off."

The whiskered idiot blushed and scratched the side of his face. "That was mostly just a lucky shot. I was so cold I wasn't exactly thinking straight."

"Don't I know it." The Uchiha muttered.

"So you're saying that you were only victorious because of Naruto's dumb luck?" Sai asked.

Shikamaru nodded. "That's how that team always seemed to get things done back then. Sakura had the brains, Sasuke had the skills, and Naruto had copious amounts of dumb luck."

"Hey! Are you saying that Sasuke's more skilled than me?!" Naruto demanded.

"Yeah. Everyone already knows that Mr. Bottom of the Class." Kiba teased.

"That was then and this is now. I'm the Hero of the Leaf who saved the world ya know." Naruto said with a huff.

Sasuke closed his eyes letting the conversations flow around him not really focusing on anything or anyone in particular. It was strange. He never thought that he'd be here in this place again surrounded by the boys he'd grown up with. He certainly never dreamed that they'd be gathered here like this for his bachelor party. A sense of peace filled him and he felt his lips twitch up into a little smile. Here, in this village was another place where he could be himself without fear of being taken advantage of. Thinking back he knew Naruto and Sakura had been right all along. The best place for him to be was here in this village where he could be safe and happy around those who cared about him.

"So Sasuke, how far have you gotten with Sakura?" Naruto asked snapping him out of his thoughts.

He didn't look, he didn't need to. His fist shot out with blazing speed and hit the whiskered idiot in the side just below the ribs.

"None of your damn business, idiot!" He snarled as Naruto doubled over in pain.

"So you were awake." The blue eyed ninja wheezed giving a shaky thumbs up as he clutched at his side. "Just checking."

"Anyway, I thought you'd like to know that the punk that took that cheap shot at Sakura is going to be locked up for the next six months and he's been dishonorably discharged from the ranks." Shikamaru said running his fingers through his hair. "The paperwork and trial was a total drag but everyone agreed that he's a danger to himself and others."

"Good." Naruto said. "I was afraid they'd let him off easy."

The shadow wielder shook his head. "There was way too much evidence and witnesses against him."

"That's one less thing to worry about." Sasuke murmured.

He'd been a little worried that the miffed man might show up at the ceremony and try to wreck things to get his revenge. Knowing he'd be locked up at the time eased his mind.

"So, who has an embarrassing story about Sasuke!?" Naruto called out happily.

"Most of his embarrassing moments are because of you Naruto." Shikamaru pointed out.

"Like the day you two kissed in the classroom." Kiba said with a snicker.

"Or the time Naruto tripped Sasuke using wire during one of our endurance runs." Shino said studying the bug on his finger.

Naruto chuckled evilly at that. "I will always treasure that victory."

"You lost the race because of that prank." Chouji pointed out.

"So what? Seeing Sasuke eat dirt was totally worth it." The blue eyed ninja protested.

"Naruto, I will end you." The Uchiha snarled

"You two truly have the strangest relationship." Sai commented. "I suppose only the closest of friends can act like this and get away with it though."

Naruto grinned and hooked his arm around Sasuke's neck jerking him to his side. "Yup! Sasuke and I are like brothers. He's the best friend I've ever had."

Sasuke shook his head. "You're still an annoying loser."

The blonde's smile. "And you're still a gloomy pretty boy."

The guys around them grinned and Sasuke felt a swelling of gratitude for them. Though they'd never been quite as tenacious as Naruto, they'd still tried their best to save him. When he'd returned during the war, they'd accepted his help with little protest. Even now, after all he'd done they still gathered around him and supported him. He was blessed to have the caliber of friends he did and felt that he should express himself even a little in response to that. After all, Itachi had once told him that those who forget the friends that support them can never reach their full potential.

"Thank you all for being here." He said before his pride could get in the way.

The men around him paused for a moment and then offered him sincere smiles before returning to their conversations. They didn't make a big deal out of it perhaps in an effort to not make him uncomfortable and he was grateful for it.

"You don't have to thank us." Naruto said as they dried off a little while later. "We're just glad you're back with us."

The nods that accompanied his words from the other men confirmed that they felt the same way. He nodded in acknowledgment himself and followed the group outside. He was getting married tomorrow and was surrounded by people whom he trusted. He had much to be thankful for.

"By the way, you're staying with me tonight. The girls are sleeping over at Sakura's place to help her get ready in the morning. You know how it goes, 'the groom can't see the bride before the wedding'." Naruto said cheerfully as they walked towards the Bar and BBQ restaurant they'd planned to eat at after leaving the bathhouse. "That's almost impossible with you two living together so this is what they decided."

Sasuke cringed the idea of spending the night with just Naruto. Maybe he wasn't as fortunate as he'd thought.

Sasuke took a deep breath and looked at his reflection in the full length mirror set up in the small room. He looked a bit like his father did on his wedding day he supposed. The black and grey ensemble fit him well thanks to the tailor's hard work.

"Wow! Looking good there Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed walking inside the room dressed in a well-made set of traditional clothes himself in orange and brown, the Uzumaki symbol displayed on the lapels and back of his hiori in a similar fashion to where the Uchiha crest was displayed on his.

"Thanks." Sasuke deadpanned before turning back to the mirror and tugging at the collar of his kosode.

He couldn't believe how nervous he was. His heart kept jumping in his chest and his palm would go from dry to damp in an instant when he thought about the fact that in less than half an hour he would no longer be the last Uchiha.

"Are you ready to go?" Naruto asked with a smile.

"Yeah." Sasuke replied slipping a pair of kunai into his obi.

Naruto snorted. "You're walking into your own wedding armed?" he asked as they walked through the forest to the meadow where Sasuke and Sakura had decided to hold their wedding.

It wasn't entirely traditional to hold such an event outside but it was on Uchiha property. That was what had mattered most to them. It also made the event more private since only those with invitations were given instructions on how to find the place. The last thing Sasuke wanted was a crowd of gawkers on his clan's sacred ground and Sakura had agreed.

"You never know who might show up." The ink haired man said. "It's best to be prepared for anything."

Naruto snorted. "Lighten up Sasuke!" he said pounding him with a fist between the shoulder blades. "It's not like a bunch of dangerous rouge ninja are going to randomly appear out of thin air."

"Hello there Sasuke, it's been a while, how are you?" came a smooth voice as a pale figure flanked by three others stepped out of the trees.

"You were saying." Sasuke muttered under his breath as Orochimaru and former members of Team Taka appeared in their path.

Naruto chuckled and rubbed the back of his head a sheepish smile touching his lips. "They're not here to cause trouble? Probably." He offered.

"What is it you need from me Orochimaru?" Sasuke asked. "I'm a bit busy today."

"Yes I know. Your wedding to The Cherry Blossom Princess of the Leaf is due to start in just a few minutes." The snake sannin said with a smirk. "We have no intention with interfering in the celebrations, right?" he asked glancing at the others gathered behind him.

Jugo, and Suigestsu nodded in agreement and Karin merely jerked her head once irritation clear in her sharp features.

"Very well then." Sasuke said. "The wedding is going to be held a bit further in." he said striding past them to move deeper into the forest.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Naruto hissed in his ear. "This is the guy that nearly destroyed the village once and tried to turn you into a living puppet you know."

"It's fine." Sasuke assured him. "Orochimaru isn't stupid enough to pull anything here right now. He doesn't have a grudge against The Leaf now that Kakashi is Hokage. The others will follow his lead. Besides, trying to force them to leave would be even more troublesome."

"Fine." Naruto replied. "If he tries anything I've got your back."

Sasuke jerked his head once in response. He knew that without the idiot saying it.

"I'd suggest sitting near the back so you don't attract attention." Sasuke said as they arrived in the meadow.

"Of course. We'll do our best to blend in." The snake sannin said his appearance morphing into that of a young man with darker skin, shorter hair, and none of the purple marks around his eyes.

Sasuke nodded and took a good look at the meadow for the first time. A boulder bearing the Uchiha crest with ropes surrounding it, marking the place as sacred ground for his clan was front and center. White chairs were set up neatly marking an aisle in the grass. A canopy made of white fabric hung above the boulder with a small podium set up to the side where Kakashi would officiate the marriage. Flowers in white, red, and pink were arranged artistically at the start of each row of chairs the petals trembling in the passing summer breeze. Several of the guests had already arrived including Hinata, TenTen, Lee, Shikamaru and Temari who sat together near the front of the space. Sakura's mother was seated next to Kakashi chatting quietly. The Hokage's eyes flickered to him and he stood and approached the groom.

"Are you ready for this?" Kakashi asked.

Sasuke nodded and then leaned towards the silver haired shinobi. "Orochimaru and my old teammates showed up. They're sitting in the back and promised not to cause any trouble."

Kakashi's gaze briefly flickered to the back of the space where the group of four were seated together and nodded.

"Good to know. We'll keep an eye on them." He said.

The rest of the guests trickled in as Sasuke, Naruto, and Kakashi took their places near the front of the space waiting for the bride to arrive. After Sasuke had tugged at his sleeve for what felt like the millionth time Ino rushed in dressed in a kimono of purple with yellow flowers and sat down next to Sakura's mother her eyes bright with excitement. Well aware that the mind transfer ninja had been the one in charge of prepping the bride for the ceremony, he turned his attention to the end of the short aisle where the Slug Queen was supposed to enter from.

"If you look any harder, your sharringan is going to turn on." Naruto whispered.

Sasuke's brow twitched in frustration but he didn't elbow the idiot in the stomach like he wanted to. Instead he took a deep calming breath and closed his eyes. Everything was fine. They'd checked this place last night and again this morning for any signs of traps or tampering. There was nothing here that wasn't supposed to be. All of the guests with the exception of Orochimaru, Jugo, Karin, and Suigetsu had been personally invited by them and even so, the snake sannin had promised that he was only there to observe not meddle. Yes, everything was fine. Perfect even.

Naruto's soft gasp immediately had his eyes opening again and his reaction was no different from his friend as his gaze fell on Sakura.

With her hand resting on her father's elbow, Sakura made her way slowly down the aisle. She was dressed in a brilliant white kimono of the highest quality that had been tailored to fit her form perfectly. Sakura blossoms scattered across it in hues of pale pink accented by pale green leaves and a scarlet obi wrapped around her slim waist. Around her neck hung the Uchiha crest standing out boldly against the white back ground of her wedding garments. Someone, Ino most likely, had done her makeup. Her lips were painted a bold red, her eyes were smoky with pink and grey shadow. Her hands were wrapped around a bouquet of white, red and pink lilies that matched the flowers that decorated the front of each of the rows of chairs. Her cotton candy locks were swept up and back with two sections left to frame her face. Crowning her head, was his mother's hair comb shimmering in the sunlight as she walked towards him. She was so lovely, elegant and refined looking that it took his breath away.

He loved Sakura. He loved her grit, her determination, her iron back bone and the bright will of fire that she carried within her soul. Nothing was more satisfying for him than seeing her brimming with confidence, covered in sweat and dirt bringing down her enemies with deadly skill. This however, was a side of Sakura he wanted to see more often. He'd never seen her look so feminine before.

"She's absolutely stunning." Kakashi said softly.

"Seriously. Sakura looks so beautiful." Naruto agreed quietly.

Sasuke barely registered their comments, his eyes so focused on the woman before him. When her gaze met his, she blushed and smiled warmly at him her joy shimmering in her jade eyes. He felt a lump forming in his throat and tried to force it down turning his attention to Mirai Sarutobi. The little girl dressed in a pretty pink and red kimono toddled down the aisle scattering pink cherry blossom petals as she walked. Giggling, she followed after butterflies made of red, green, and pink light that her mother created with her genjutusu to lead the child along the right path. When she arrived at the end, Sasuke knelt down and touched the top of her head gently.

"Thank you." He said softly. "You did great."

The toddler giggled and offered a little bow before dancing off to her mother's side.

He straightened and again became lost in the vision that was his wife to be. The lump formed again and tears pricked his eyes when she arrived at the end of the aisle. She turned and kissed her father's cheek lightly before Kazashi took her hand and offered it to Sasuke.

"Don't let me down boy." The pink haired man said his voice roughed by emotion. "She's my one and only, most precious little girl." He said tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I won't." Sasuke vowed closing his hand over hers. "Thank you for entrusting her to me." He said bowing to the man who had raised the radiant woman in front of him.

Kazashi nodded and left to sit next to his wife who was sobbing in the front row. Sasuke's grip on her fingers tightened as their eyes met again and she gave him a shy, tender smile that thickened his voice.

"You're beautiful, truly." He whispered softly.

She blushed and glanced away before looking back at him again. "You're so handsome I can hardly breathe." She confessed.

Kakashi cleared his throat bringing the two lover's attention to him.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the union between Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno. If anyone has any objections, please speak now." The masked ninja said.

"If anyone says anything, I swear to God I'll start a riot." Naruto muttered under his breath so quietly that Sasuke barely heard it.

He noticed just a flicker of movement and flash of red towards the back of the gathering but when no one spoke the Hokage continued speaking the sacred words of the wedding ceremony. They sipped sake together and listened as the Hokage invoked the protection of both the traditional patron deity of the Uchiha clan as well as the former Hokages as was traditional for all shinobi couples. Finally, Kakashi got to the part that Sasuke had secretly been dreading the entire time.

"Now the bride will speak her own vows." He said.

Sakura took a deep breath and gripped his hand with trembling fingers. "I promise to always be there for you. To support you in every circumstance. To never leave your side. I swear to always be your ally. I promise to be the place you can always call home. I swear to love you forever."

Kakashi nodded knowing that it was the end of her vows and turned to Sasuke. "Now the groom will speak his vows."

Sasuke took a deep breath. "I promise to cherish you, protect you, and love you forever." He said simply as a tear slipped from his eye.

The Hokage smiled at him and nodded a light in his eyes that always appeared whenever he was proud of him twinkling in the dark depths.

"Now for the most important questions. Sakura, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?" he asked.

"I do." She replied.

"Sasuke, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?" he asked turning his eyes to Sasuke.

"I do." The Uchiha replied.

"Very well then. I now pronounce you husband and wife." Kakashi said with a grin that could be seen even through his mask. "Sasuke, you may now kiss your lovely bride."

Sasuke stepped closer and cupped Sakura's face with his hand doing his best to ignore the people watching as he leaned in and kissed her ruby colored lips. It was brief but sweet and when he pulled back, she was beaming up at him with wetness brimming in her jade eyes.

"Let's hear it for the new and improved Uchiha clan!" Naruto exclaimed throwing an arm around his two closest friends.

As usual his energy was infections and most of those gathered joined in clapping, cheering and shouting for the new couple. Sasuke had never imagined that such joy would ever be experienced when it came to something involving him but as a line of guest lined up eager to offer personal congratulations he realized that he had never been nearly as alone as he'd thought. A soft caw caught his attention and he turned to see a crow perched atop the boulder bearing the Uchiha crest. It studied him for a moment and then glided forward landing lightly on his shoulder. The black bird tugged lightly at his hair and then flapped its wings again lightly tapping the comb in Sakura's hair with its beak before it glided away landing in a nearby tree.

"Itachi." He whispered silently to himself. It wouldn't surprise him at all if his genius older brother had found a way to manipulate his summoned animals from beyond the grave. Even if the bird had nothing to do with his brother, its presence comforted him.

"Sakura! You are a vision of loveliness!" Lee sobbed grasping her hands tightly leaving Guy sensei's wheelchair a step behind him.

"Lee." She said smiling sweetly at him extending her arms to hug him.

"No, Sakura." He protested. "I will dirty your beautiful kimono with my tears."

She ignored his protests and pulled him into a hug. "Who cares? I want to hug the ones important to me on my wedding day."

"Sakura!" he wailed hugging her back.

Sasuke felt just a twinge of guilt followed by a smaller twinge of jealousy. It was obvious the taijutsu master had deep, genuine feelings for the pink haired beauty. Coming here and watching her marry the man who had caused her intense pain must have been incredibly difficult, but he had done it, for her sake. He couldn't help but respect him for that. When Lee finally stepped away and Sakura turned to give her thanks to Guy, the taijutsu master stepped forward and wiped his eyes on his sleeve before extending a hand to him.

"Take care of Sakura." He said.

"Of course I will." Sasuke replied.

Lee nodded pleased with his answer and returned to Guy pushing him forward so that the Legendary Blue Beast of The Leaf could offer him congratulations as well. Since the couple had decided not to have a reception in favor of a faster get away and longer honeymoon, this was their guests' only chance to congratulate them before they left the village.

Sasuke went through the motions, thanking those that had come and tolerating small talk with those he felt comfortable with. The girl's sobbed all over Sakura gushing about how beautiful she was and how happy they were for her, the boys hugged her and offered them their own well wishes as well as promises to beat up her new husband if he made her cry, and their teachers and mentors offered her advice.

When Lady Tsunade approached him he felt an intense wave of trepidation wash through him. This was the woman who had taught Sakura everything she knew including how to split the earth in two with her bare hands. The legendary Slug Queen of the first generation of Sannin. Granddaughter of the first Hokage, great niece of the second, and The Fifth Hokage of the Leaf Village. Even Orochimaru had sought her out in the past due to her extensive medical knowledge. Sasuke both respected and felt intimidated by the woman.

She looked him over, her brown eyes studying him intently. "Sasuke Uchiha." She said softly. "You're the reason I was dragged back to this village and then made Hokage. If it weren't for you I would probably be sitting pretty somewhere on a sandy beach near a casino without a care in the world." He stood there, frozen unsure of where the conversation was going. "Do you have any idea how big of a pain in the neck you were to me?" she demanded. "Those two," she said motioning to Sakura and Naruto. "Never shut up about you. It got to the point where even I stuck my neck out for you because they treasured you so much and I couldn't bear to put them through any more pain." She glanced over at Sakura who was talking animatedly with Shizune and a few of the other members of the medical core. "Sakura is the best pupil I have ever had the privilege of teaching. She worked harder, and reached higher than I ever dreamed possible." Her eyes locked on his. "I'm well aware that the main reason she worked so hard was for your sake."

"I know." Sasuke replied unsure of what the woman wanted from him.

"Sakura is like the daughter I never had. I'm not going to pretend that I didn't favor her because the bottom line is that I did and still do. She's so much like me it's like looking into a mirror. The fact that she's getting the chance to be with the one she loves is something that makes my heart overflow with joy. That said, I'm warning you; if you pull anymore stunts like you did during my reign as Hokage, or hurt her in any way, I'll make sure that the only trace of you left in this world is a bloody smear in a crater on the ground."

Sasuke nearly flinched at the venom in her tone and the coldness in her eyes. She meant it, every single word of it. From what he'd heard and seen of this woman, she had the power to do it too. There was no doubt in his mind that she would hunt him down to exact retribution if anything happened to her pupil on his watch.

"I understand." He replied.

Her expression softened and she reached out hugging him tightly. "I'm so glad you've returned to The Leaf. Sakura and Naruto have never looked happier."

His eyes widened in surprise before he raised his arm and awkwardly hugged her back until she released him.

"You know, out of all of the original Sannin, you're the one who turned out the most different from your predecessor." She noted. "Thank the Gods for that. The last thing this world needs is two Orochimarus." She said tossing her blonde hair behind her shoulder before striding away to speak with Kakashi.

He was so wrapped up in the parade of faces that he nearly forgot about Orochimaru and his old team until they arrived in front of his new wife. They were as he expected them to be, the last ones in line.

"My my." Orochimaru said still in his disguise though his voice was still unmistakable. "You certainly are a sight to behold, Lady Sakura. The Cherry Blossom Princess of The Leaf is in full bloom today. You're lovely." He said bowing his head.

Sasuke immediately reached over and clasped Sakura's hand when she stiffened at the sound of her once hated enemy's voice.

"He's not here to cause trouble." He whispered in her ear. "Don't panic."

She nodded and offered the snake sannin a small smile. It wasn't fake just a bit cautious.

"Thank you very much." She replied. "To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" she asked.

The white snake smirked, clearly impressed and intrigued by her wit and bravery. "I'm merely curious to see in which direction the wind I helped cultivate will blow." He answered in his typical cryptic way. "You've brought out a side of him that I never imagined existed. I'm anxious to see how the two of you develop from here."

The pink haired ninja nodded satisfied with his answer and extended a hand to him. "Though we may not ever agree on certain things, I am grateful for what you've done for my husband and my mentor. I hope our paths cross in more agreeable ways in the future."

Orochimaru's mask slipped, surprise flitting across his features for a moment before his signature smirk returned and he grasped her hand. "As do I Lady Sakura."

He released her and moved to Sasuke. "You choose a formidable partner." He murmured softly. "I look forward to seeing where the Uchiha bloodline goes from here."

Sasuke nodded to his former teacher and turned his attention back to his former team as Jugo stepped up to Sakura.

"It's a pleasure to meet you again Lady Sakura." Jugo said with a bow following Orochimaru's lead in showing Sakura the respect she'd earned from the legendary ninja.

Sasuke wasn't sure if it was because she'd married him or because Orochimaru had begun to acknowledge her abilities. Regardless, it confirmed his hunch that the snake had no interest in harming her and that his followers would likely follow suit.

"It's Jugo right?" Sakura said smiling at the orange haired man.

"Yes. I'm surprised you remembered." The gentle giant replied.

She smiled. "I rarely forget anyone associated with Sasuke." She confessed extending her hand to him. "He speaks of you from time to time. I'm glad you came."

Jugo blinked in surprise and took her hand. "You are not what I expected." He confessed.

"You are exactly what I expected." She replied her smile warming as she leaned forward and hugged him lightly. "Thank you so much for looking after him."

The large man touched her back lightly before they both stepped back again. "I wish you both happiness." He said smiling down at her.

"I wish you the same. I hope we get a chance to talk sometime in the future." She replied giving his hand one last squeeze before he moved down to Sasuke.

"She's a remarkable woman." Jugo said extending his hand to the ink haired man.

"She is." Sasuke agreed taking his hand.

"I can see why you returned here." The big man said with a smile before moving to Orochimaru's side.

"So you're Sakura Haruno." Suigestu said his hand touching his chin as he looked over the woman. "I guess its Sakura Uchiha now though. You're quite pretty and you have nerves of steel to talk to the white snake like that." He flashed her a cheeky sharp toothed grin. "You're alright in my book."

"You're Suigetsu." Sakura said extending her hand. "I've heard about you too."

"Sasuke talks about me? I'm flattered." He said with a smirk as he took her hand. "Good luck to you."

She nodded and smiled. "The same to you." She replied as he moved down the line.

"Beauty, brains, and a will of iron." Suigetsu said leaning lazily against the groom's shoulder. "I must say, you sure know how to pick them." He commented before moving over to stand by Jugo.

Sakura's eyes widened as Karin stepped up to her. "Karin." She murmured softly. "I'm so glad to see you're doing well. I heard your injuries following the war were extensive and I was worried about you."

The red head's eyes widened at that before she looked away. "Yeah. I'm fine. I'm tougher than I look." She said sharply. "Anyway, you better take care of Sasuke!" she said jabbing her finger at the medic. "If I hear even a whisper that you've been unfaithful or that he's been hurt I will hunt you down!" she snarled taking a step closer to the medic who took half a step back her jade eyes wide. "What can a flat chested, werid colored slip of a girl like you possibly do for him anyway? I bet you-"

"Karin!" Sasuke snapped in a low voice waiting until her magenta eyes turned to him. "That's enough." He warned her.

He had put up with her antics when she travelled with him, but he would not tolerate her threatening Sakura. He was well aware of her feelings for him. She hadn't really let him forget about them during the time they were on the same team. Even so, he'd never felt a flicker of desire for the woman. She was not the one he wanted or needed.

"It's alright Sasuke." Sakura assured him regaining her composure. "I'd probably be saying the same things if the situation was reversed." She turned her attention back to Karin. "I'll look after him, I promise."

Karin blinked and then adjusted her glasses. "Good!" she snapped before stomping over to where her comrades stood and punched Suigetsu in the face. Sakura flinched as his features liquefied and he reached out to stop her second fist.

"Get a grip you psycho, denture mold!" Suigetsu growled. "We're in public you know."

Sasuke sighed and moved closer to Sakura. "That's how they always are." He explained. "Don't let it bother you."

She nodded and then looked up as her mother approached them, a watery smile still on her face.

"Are you two ready to go?" the blonde woman asked glancing around the people still milling about.

"In just a minute. We have to say goodbye to Naruto." Sakura said. "You know he'd throw a massive fit if we didn't."

"Right." Mebuki said with a grin. "That boy has always been a great friend to you. When you're finished, let me know and I'll help you with your kimono before you go."

Sakura nodded and took Sasuke's hand in hers and approached the blonde ninja.

"Naruto! We're getting ready to leave now." She called out.

He grinned and walked over to them placing a hand on both of their shoulders. "Seriously you guys… I am so happy for you both." He said his eyes brimming with tears. "Sakura, even when I liked you, it was because of your love for this grumpy guy. The way you looked at him, the way you looked after him, the way you praised him, I wanted that. I wanted someone to look at me the way you looked at him. I wanted you to look at me that way, not just because you were cute but because I wanted to take that from him." Sasuke scowled and the blonde shrugged. "What can I say? We were rivals, like brothers, I wanted some of your stuff and you wanted mine, that's just how it works. When I saw how relieved you were when Tsunade healed him after Itachi attacked him, I knew. I knew that you genuinely loved him with all your heart. When you begged me while crying to bring him back to you, I agreed because I wanted you, the girl I loved to be happy again."

"Naruto." Sakura said softly reaching for him. "You know that I-"

"Let me finish." Naruto said lifting a hand to quiet her. "We worked so hard together and apart. Pushing to our limits to become strong enough to bring him back together. When he really started to lose it right before the war I knew that others were beginning to lose faith in him but as long as the two of us stuck together and kept believing him, I knew everything would be alright." His hands gripped her shoulders. "When you confessed to me in the Land of Iron. Told me that you were giving up on him and had fallen in love with me, even though they were the words I'd wanted to hear for so long, I knew that something was wrong. One of the reasons I loved you was because of the way you loved him. When Sai told me about your plan… I couldn't believe it. It wasn't until the shock wore off that I realized just how much pain you had to be suffering from and that I needed to save you from making the biggest mistake of your life. Your heart never would have healed. Thank goodness I made it in time." He hugged her tightly. "You truly are the best friend anyone could ask for. I wouldn't even be living if it weren't for you. You saved my life more times than I can count. You even helped me realize my feelings for Hinata. Thank you for everything. I love you and couldn't be happier for you."

"Naruto." Sakura whimpered as she cried her arms wrapped tightly around him. "You stayed close to me and gave me strength when I needed it. You kept your once in a lifetime promise. You brought Sasuke back to me." A little sob left her throat as her grip on the whiskered ninja tightened. "Thank you Naruto. Thank you so much. I love you too."

Naruto squeezed her back and pressed his face to her shoulder for a moment before he grinned and leaned back. "Hey, don't cry." He said wiping the tears from her eyes. "You should smile, it's your wedding day ya know."

"Shut up you idiot!" she growled dabbing at her tears with a handkerchief she'd had up her sleeve. "You were the one that made me cry with your sentimental speech. It's all your fault."

He chuckled and then turned to the groom. "Sasuke." He said smiling at him. "Your pretty face and rotten attitude have bugged me from the day I met you. You were everything I wanted to be and so nonchalant about it. You seriously pissed me off. Then we were stuck on the same team and I saw other sides of you. I saw all the uncool sides of you and our rivalry really took off. You soon became my best friend. The only one who could really understand me. When you left the village, I chased you down not just for her sake," he said motioning to Sakura. "But because I missed you, in all your grumpy, arrogant glory. I missed our team, the family we'd built to replace the ones we'd lost. You were seriously such a pain. Running all over the world, letting creeps take advantage of you, attacking your friends." He reached out and hugged his closest friend. "I'm so glad that you're back and that our feelings finally reached you. Please be happy. Don't let all of our hard work go to waste or I'll beat you into the ground again." He warned with a smirk.

Sasuke nodded and touched Naruto lightly on the back. "Understood." He replied. "Thank you Naruto."

"Good." Naruto said stepping back. "Now get out of here and enjoy your first night as a married couple!" he exclaimed, "It's the best part of the wedding day if you know what I mean." He whispered in Sasuke's ear with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows.

Sasuke shook his head subtly stomping on the blue eyed ninja's foot in retaliation and Sakura smiled at their exuberant friend.

"I'll be back in a moment. I need to change my clothes." Sakura said squeezing Sasuke's hand lightly.

"Right." Sasuke said watching as Mebuki approached them.

She left with her mother to get ready to leave and Sasuke leaned against a nearby tree to wait. He wasn't surprised at all when Kakashi approached him.

"Congratulations Sasuke." The Hokage said. "I'm truly happy for you both."

The ink haired man nodded and glanced over to where Sakura had been standing moments before. His gaze then moved to Naruto who was standing hand in hand with Hinata talking with Sai, Ino, and Captain Yamato.

"I caused them both a lot of grief." He murmured. "Especially Sakura."

Kakashi sighed and leaned against the tree himself. "Yes you did." He replied. "Even so, losing you made her grow in ways she never would have had you stayed by her side. Just don't do it again. I'd rather not have to swoop in and save her from my own assassination technique again."

Sasuke flinched and bowed his head. "I don't know what I was thinking back then. Yes she was there to kill me, I knew it, but I also knew that she didn't have the resolve or the skill to do it. Why did I try to kill her instead of just knocking her out or putting her under genjutsu so I could make my escape? I'd already accomplished my mission there. It wasn't like she could've done anything to hinder my plans at that point."

"You were completely consumed by darkness that day." Kakashi said. "Sakura has always had a positive influence on you. I think the evil possessing you recognized the goodness within her wanted to destroy it before her nature could start to purify that blackness in your soul. That's my theory anyway."

Sasuke sighed and raked a hand through his hair shame slithering through his veins.

"Don't dwell on it. Not today." Kakashi said ruffling his ink colored locks in way that he supposed a father would. "You've been given a new lease on life. Sakura is now your wife, a position most of the men in the world would give anything to be in. Also, from this day forward, you are no longer the last Uchiha." he reminded his pupil.

Sakura approached the pair wearing a dark pink Chinese style dress and Capri length white pants.

"You can change now." She told him. "My mom still plans to take all of our things to my apartment for us. The scrolls for the transportation jutsu are in my pack too." She said touching the thick brown belt snapped around her waist.

He nodded and changed quickly anxious to get on the road and to their destination. When he stepped out of the tent his eyes fell on Sakura's back and his breath hitched in his throat. Displayed proudly between her shoulder blades was the Uchiha crest. Without thinking twice he moved quickly to her side and grabbed her hand.

"Let's go." He said pulling her towards the path that led out of the forest.

"Alright." She replied. "Goodbye everyone! Thank you for coming!" she called out with a wave before following him down the path.

The cheers followed them and as soon as they faded, Sasuke leapt into the air pulling Sakura with him. "Come on." He said moving through the trees.

She smiled and moved with him out of the village and towards a small hot springs resort a half a day's walk from the main gate. Moving at a swift but not exhausting pace through the trees, the newly married couple was able to avoid unwanted attention and make great time arriving just an hour before sunset.

They approached the front gate and were greeted warmly by a blonde woman dressed in a pale blue yukata.

"Lord and Lady Uchiha, I'm pleased to see you." She said bowing to them. "The room you requested is ready. I will show you there."

Their fingers linked together as they moved through the resort to the VIP suite that Kakashi and Lady Tsunade had given them as a wedding gift.

"Wow!" Sakura exclaimed walking inside the spacious room filled with beautiful artwork, precious artifacts, and a private hot spring that boasted a beautiful view of the mountainous scenery. "It's beautiful!"

The woman smiled and nodded. "Your yukatas are in the bedroom," she said motioning to a separate door. "Please make yourselves comfortable. We will bring the meal in an hour."

"Thank you." Sakura said smiling when the woman bowed and slid the door shut behind them. She half ran half danced to the doors leading to the private hot spring and pushed them open. "Beautiful!" she exclaimed. "I see why Lady Tsunade likes this place so much." A group of colorful birds took to the skies in a flurry of feathers and she laughed. "Look Sasuke!" she exclaimed pointing at the flock. "Aren't they pretty?"

He smiled and moved towards her taking in the vision of her bathed in golden sunlight pointing at the grand mountains. She was lovely, warm, and his.

"You never change." He said moving towards her. "Always getting excited over the simplest things." She blushed and looked away even as he reached her back and wrapped his arm around her waist from behind. "It's a part of you that I've always found endearing." He confessed.

Her blush deepened. "What's with you today Sasuke?" she said softly. "It's not like you to say things like this."

"Today is a special day." He replied. "Consider it a once in a lifetime special." He said nuzzling her ear with his nose.

She giggled softly and leaned into his embrace her arms laying over his. "Alright. Once in a lifetime." She agreed.

"Should we take a bath before dinner arrives?" He asked.

"Together?" she squeaked.

He chuckled. "Only if you want to."

Her cheeks blazed scarlet even as she nodded shyly. "Together then..." she murmured softly.

Author's Note: Don't panic! The only think that's changed about this story is the title. I never liked the original one to begin with so when this one popped into my head, I hurried and changed it. Sorry if it freaked anyone out. Thanks for reading! I appreciate it. I'm aware that Sasuke and Sakura's wedding doesn't follow tradition in Japanese or American cultures. I wanted it to be something unique just like their relationship. If you didn't like it, I apologize. The next chapter will cover the wedding night so all of you foaming at the mouth for citrusy goodness will have your wishes fulfilled. I'll do my best to make it heartfelt but realistic. These two have certainly earned it. Until next time!