"You have a mission?" Sasuke said as Sakura sank into the chair set up at his bedside in the hospital.

She nodded. "Yeah. I've been asked to go to The Hidden Stone and assist with some medical workshops."

"I see." He replied lacing their fingers together when she took his hand. "When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow at first light. I should have left three days ago but you weren't stable enough for me to go then." She said. "I sent my assistants ahead to set up, but I need to be there to teach and supervise."

"I wish you luck then." He said giving her fingers a squeeze. When her head dropped to touch their joined hands he frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I hate this." She muttered. "I do don't want to leave while you're still in such bad shape."

"Sakura, this is part of what we do. It's our duty." He reminded her.

"I know that, but that doesn't mean I have to like it." She replied.

He studied her for a moment and then released her hand, reaching out to pull the curtains around the bed hiding it from view. She needed comfort. Reassurance that he would be fine in her absence and he wanted some of her warmth before she left. There was only one solution. He slipped his fingers under her chin and lifted it, meeting her red, tear filled gaze.

"Come, Tsuma." He murmured softly. "Let me love you."

She blushed scarlet and glanced around nervously before she nodded and climbed into bed with him. He kissed her gently and then with growing passion as she settled in his lap his hand sliding lazily over her back as her fingers slipped into his hair. Their tongues met in a sensual battle for dominance as his fingers found the tie of her bindings beneath her shirt and tugged the knot free. She shuddered in his embrace as he unwound the fabric beneath her clothes and then gasped when he unbuttoned her top and pulled it away revealing her toned torso and perky breasts. His lips left hers to trail down her throat as she threw her head back her fingers pressing into the flesh of his neck as she sighed. He kissed across her collar bones and down to her firm mounds drinking in her sighs as he laved is tongue over a rosy nipple before sucking it into his mouth.

"Sasuke." She sighed tugging at his shirt.

"Shh." He reminded her as he moved away to let her pull the loose grey shirt over his head.

His mouth returned to its prior position against her breast making her moan and sigh as his hand moved to the waist of her pants. He unsnapped the button and slipped his hand inside her panties making her jerk and gasp when he touched her clit.

"You're so wet." He whispered hotly as the tightness in his pants suddenly doubled.

She moaned and lifted her hips wiggling out of her bottoms before pulling his down. Her hand slid over his throbbing erection and he hissed and then groaned. Though he wanted to dominate her. Force her onto her knees and take her from behind he knew he didn't have the strength. Instead, he choose the second best option available.

"Ride me." He whispered in his wife's ear as she leaned forward.

Her flushed cheeks darkened further and she nodded. She lifted her hips positioned him at her soaking wet entrance and then lowered them. Sasuke's eyes rolled back in his head at the pleasurable sensation and a low moan slipped past his lips.

"Damn Sakura." He gasped.

"Sasuke." She moaned as she began to set her rhythm. "You're so deep!"

"Lewd woman." He replied with a smirk before sucking on her breast.

She cried out and he quickly muffled the sound with his mouth drinking in her cries and moans of passion as she rode out her pleasure. His hand slid around her waist steadying her as she increased her pace her walls tightening around him. She threw her head back muffling her cries by biting on her own finger as Sasuke peppered her shoulders with bites and kisses. His hand gripped her waist almost painfully hard as he jerked his hips up to meet her thrusts. Her walls fluttered around him and she came undone with a cry as he groaned jerking into her twice more before spilling himself inside her.

"I've missed that." Sakura said with a sigh leaning against his chest.

"So have I." he replied stroking her sweat dampened hair. "We should get dressed before anything troublesome happens though."

She blushed scarlet and quickly went to work pulling her clothes on before tossing him his. "This is all your fault." She muttered as she buttoned up her top.

He smirked as he pulled his pants on and then reached out grabbing Sakura by the arm yanking her towards him. "I know you enjoyed it." He purred before pressing his mouth to hers taking it in a passionate kiss.

She sighed and draped her arms around his neck straddling his hips once more as she sank onto the bed once more. He kissed her back and was just beginning to feel the stirring of desire once more when a knock at the door startled the couple apart.

"Sasuke, Sakura, may I come in?" Came Kakashi's voice.

"Yes." Sasuke called out smirking at the glare Sakura shot him as she finger combed her sex mussed hair.

The grey haired ninja walked inside smiling warmly behind his mask.

"Sasuke, it's good to see you looking so good." He said with a smile. "Sakura, I trust you're ready for your mission?"

"Yes Lord Hokage. I'll leave tomorrow as promised." She said nodding her head a little.

"Good. I'm glad to hear it." He said reaching to lay a hand on her shoulder. "I promise once you return I'll give both of you a bit of time off. Unless some catastrophic disaster strikes."

"You shouldn't say things like that. Especially with Naruto in the village." Sakura grumbled.

Kakashi chuckled. "I'm serious though. I've been working you both exceptionally hard. You deserve a break, one that doesn't involve being hooked up to an IV." He said motioning to the line that was still taped securely to Sasuke's hand.

"Thank you." Sakura said bowing to the Hokage before glancing at the clock. "I should go home and pack." She admitted before brushing her fingers through Sasuke's bangs. "I'll be back as soon as I'm done." She assured him before leaving the room closing the door firmly behind her.

"She's always been perceptive." Kakashi said moving to sit in the vacant seat by the bed. "I think I owe her bonus."

"What do you need from me Kakashi?" Sasuke asked bluntly.

The Hokage chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "So blunt." Muttered before leaning forward bracing his forearms on his knees. "We've started interrogating the ANBU deserters. They're not struggling as much as I anticipated which I can only assume is because you said something to shake their deep set, loyalty and devotion to Danzo's ideals."

"Did you learn anything more about the biological weapons program?" Sasuke asked.

Kakashi nodded. "It's just as Kabuto explained. A project of Orochimaru's that Danzo picked up." The seasoned shinobi laced his fingers together. "Luckily for us, the formula is hard to replicate and expensive to produce so making it on a large scale should be extremely difficult."

Sasuke's brow furrowed as he studied his teacher. "I know you have more to say, just say it."

The grey haired ninja sighed. "Unfortunately for us, the formula has found it's way into the hands of the Anti-Shinobi faction."

The ink haired ninja's eyes widened. "What?" he nearly snarled.

Kakashi raked a hand through his hair. "That's why they were circling that area. They were making contact with one of the organization's leaders."

"Damn." Sasuke hissed.

"It's not a good situation." Kakashi admitted. "But luckily for us, they don't have the capital or resources to produce the chemical compound. However, if they start to gather more wealthy supporters, the situation could get nasty. Thanks to Sakura and Kabuto's hard work, we certainly have a leg up on the situation. Having an anti-viral already prepared will certainly be a life saver, even so, it's not an instantaneous fix. If enough shinobi are infected at once, it would still pose a serious threat to the village."

"You're right." Sasuke agreed. "So what do you suggest?"

"There's not much we can do at the moment." Kakashi admitted. "However, I wanted to make you aware of the situation." A wicked smile touched his lips. "I also thought you'd be pleased to hear that they were severely punished for the suffering they put you and Sakura through."

Sasuke's own lips upturned into a brief smirk. "Good. Hopefully other potential traitors will hear about it and think twice before crossing The Leaf."

"That's the hope." The grey haired man said glancing at the clock. "I better return to the office before Naruto wrecks it." He said as he stood. "I'll be sure to visit while Sakura's away so you don't get to lonely."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed and clicked his tongue. "I don't need or want company." He snapped.

"Of course not." His former teacher agreed with a wink. "Good bye Sasuke."

%&%&

"Take care of yourself while I'm gone." Sakura said as she snapped her thick brown belt into place around her waist. "I haven't stocked the fridge but I'm sure my mom will when you're released next week." She said tightening her Leaf headband in her hair. "I'll let you know when I make it to the Hidden Stone."

"Do you have everything?" Sasuke asked as she slipped a backpack over her shoulders.

"I do." She replied tightening the strap on her holster at her thigh.

Sasuke studied her, a feeling of anxiety creeping into his heart. He knew she was strong and capable. Better than almost anyone in fact. Even so, he couldn't help but worry about her especially with Lord Sakamoto and his hired goons in hiding. On impulse, he reached out and grabbed her hand pulling until she nearly fell into bed with him.

"Stay safe." He told her firmly capturing her gaze with his own. "Lord Sakamoto is still at large and you have a substantial black-market bounty on your head."

She leaned forward and touched her forehead to his. "I will. Don't worry."

Sasuke tipped his chin up and captured her mouth in a passionate, demanding kiss, hoping it would convey all the things his lips could not speak. His silent prayer for her to finish her journey quickly and return to his side. When he finally pulled away breathless, Sakura cupped his face with her hands.

"I love you Sasuke." She said softly.

"I know." He replied reaching to tap two fingers lightly against her forehead. "I'll see you when you get back."

She blushed and smiled. "That's my line." She teased before pressing one more kiss to his mouth. "Good bye darling."

"Have a safe journey, Tsuma." He replied watching as she walked across the room and then through the door offering him one last warm smile before she closed it behind her.

Her mission was supposed to last one month, he had a feeling between his continued recovery, and her absence, it was going to be the longest month he'd had in a while.

He was right too. After another week, he was finally released from the hospital. He returned home and immediately began training again. Though he did his best to stay occupied, he couldn't help but notice the void Sakura had left behind.

Naruto and their other friend's did their best to help distract him by inviting him out, but he'd never been the most social person and that hadn't changed after his marriage to Sakura. He was content to train and study up on both the current affairs of the village as well as the events that had happened during his years of wandering. Unfortunately after two weeks, the thing he'd hated most about living in a village began to happen again.

"Sasuke! Coming back from another training session?" A high pitched feminine voice asked.

He nearly rolled his eyes and glanced over at the young woman standing near the entrance to his clan's property. She was a petite woman with wavy blonde hair, and murky brown eyes. He'd never seen her before and guessed she was a few years younger than him from both her childish pig tail hair style and the way she nervously shifted her feet and hands. She looked like trouble, nothing but trouble and he ignored her striding swiftly past without sparing her a second glance. He'd hoped to stop by his house to check on the progress but didn't want the girl following him there and instead made his way towards the market intent on picking up some rice and tomatoes.

"Hey! Are you really married to Sakura Sensei?" the girl asked.

He continued to ignore her as he approached the fruit and vegetable stand his wife preferred.

"Ah! Sasuke! Good to see you again." The older woman said with a smile as she reached behind the counter. "I have your order here." She said laying the bag in front of him. "I hope you're eating properly with your wife gone."

"I am." He assured her handing the money over.

It wasn't a lie. Between his mother in law, and Hinata he nearly had more food than he could eat. The rice and tomatoes were for the lunches he brought along during training.

"I'm glad to hear it. Tell Lady Sakura to stop in when she returns to town. I'm about to press my lavender and I know how much she likes the oil." The woman said.

"I'll let her know." He assured her before taking his purchases and heading back towards the apartment he shared with his wife.

"So you are married to Sakura Sensei." The girl said a sad sigh leaving her lips. "All well, you know what they say right?" She moved closer and trailed her finger up his arm. "Life's short, have an affair. You must be awful lonely without her around right? I can be a substitute. She'll never have to know."

The vein in Sasuke's forehead jumped with irritation. "Get your hand off me right now." He snarled making her flinch and take a step back. "I have absolutely no interest in you so go away." He snapped before taking to the roof tops.

Damn, fan girls were so annoying! It wasn't like any of them could hold a candle to his wife either. Their affections were shallow and fueled by lust and greed. He was simply a prize to be won, the ultimate conquest. He wasn't stupid. Nor was he weak to feminine wiles. If he had been, Karin would have had her way with him long ago. The only woman he wanted was his wife. No other would do.

He quickly entered his home and locked the door securely behind him. He left his cloak and shoes in the entry way and made his way to the kitchen. The house was so quiet, it reminded him of his genin days, when he lived alone. A pang of loneliness tinged inside his chest until he noticed a photo of Sakura smiling while holding her chunin vest on the wall. He set down the grocery bag on the table and reached out to touch the photo.

"That's right. I'm not alone anymore." He said softly smiling at the picture before he moved back into the kitchen.

He started a batch of rice and then pulled a small pot of beef stew that Mebuki had left from the fridge and set it on the stove to reheat for dinner. As his food cooked, he retrieved a book from Sakura's shelves detailing the events of an attack by political extremists on the village before the war and began to read. It never ceased to amaze him how Sakura could save and end lives with grace and speed. Her quick wit on the battle field was truly a gift that allowed her to take down the most underhanded of foes with her bare hands. So many people didn't give her the credit she deserved. She didn't have the advantage of large scale jutsu to use to the way other powerful shinobi did yet she could still run with the best of them.

The subtle sound bubbling let him know that his food was done and he carried his book to the table and laid it down. He turned off the heat, dished up the portion he wanted and then returned to the table eating in silence as he read about the massive lightning style jutsu that had nearly destroyed the village.

"Interesting." He mused. "Besides Kakashi and I, I wonder who else would be a strong enough lightning user to cast this jutsu."

When he was finished, he cleaned up his dishes, made the extra rice into rice balls for the next day and then quickly showered. He then retired to the bedroom and continued to read feeling a pang of regret that he hadn't been around to help. Then again, they'd clearly fared well enough. He smirked when he read of Sakura's battle with the poisoned moth user feeling his pride for her swell with the brutal way she'd take down her opponent and his jutsu.

"That's my girl." He murmured to himself tracing her name fondly.

He'd known from the beginning that she had great potential. Reading about her transformation from the timid, insecure genin he'd grown up with, to the confident, legendary warrior she was now was something he was enjoying immensely.

%&%&

Over the next several weeks, he learned several things. One of them was that the girl with blonde's hair was Minami, only because she told him, another was that the girl clearly had no idea what the word 'no' meant. She was always waiting for him when he finished training, inching closer and closer to the line that marked his property every time. To be honest, he was getting fed up, but she was a member of the village, so he did his best to be patient.

Sasuke groaned and leaned against the door of his home. "I can't take much more of this." He grumbled nearly flinching when there was a knock at the door.

He glanced out the peep hole and was irritated to find her standing there with a pot in her hands. "Sasuke! I brought you dinner!" she exclaimed. "Open up!"

"Like Hell." He snarled under his breath as he kicked off his shoes and walked into the kitchen.

He filled a tea pot with water and set it on the stove intent on eating one of Naruto's favorite dishes, ramen in a cup. Sakura was due back the next day and he'd already cleaned the apartment in anticipation of that. The last thing he wanted was dirty dishes waiting for her when she returned. In fact, he planned to take her out to eat and show her their completed home the evening of her return.

The doorbell rang and he hissed in irritation.

"I know you're in there Sasuke! Just let me in! I promise all I want to do is eat with you." Minami called out.

"I wasn't born yesterday." He scoffed.

The girl had the same look in her eyes as Karin. If he let her in, she'd try to jump his bones for sure. It was so bloody annoying! The girl was obviously as thick as a brick wall or just didn't know when to give up. He was betting it was a combination of both.

So he ignored her and poured the hot water into the cup and covered it to let it cook. While he waited, he choose another book from Sakura's shelf intent on reading about the war preparations. He'd never realized or appreciated just how much work had gone into war. Sakura had clearly worked hard even before the fighting started getting medicine and other supplies ready.

"Sasuke! Let me in!" the girl yelled again.

Knowing there was an annoying neighbor nearby that would write nasty messages if he didn't at least attempt to send the girl away, he sighed and walked to the door and yanked it open. Her grin was wide as she took a step towards the open door but he blocked her with his body his eyes blazing.

"Get lost." He snapped. "I mean it."

The girl's murky brown eyes began to water. "But I.. I just wanted you to eat what I made." She sniffed.

"No. I have dinner prepared. Now leave." He said firmly.

"I can eat with you! They say food tastes better if you eat it with some-"

"I said leave." Sasuke growled. "The only company I desire is my own. Get out before I make you."

The girl paled. "But… But I love you." She confessed. "I just want to be near you, I promised I won't ask for anything else."

"I don't care." He said before slamming the door in her face and locking if firmly. "This is the thing I hate most about the village." He hissed returning to his ramen.

He ate it quickly ignoring the feminine sobs coming from just outside the door. The girl didn't love him. Even if she did, it wouldn't matter. His heart belonged to his wife and no one else. His thoughts focused on her as he smiled. Less than twenty four hours from now she'd be home, in his arms where she belonged. If he said he wasn't excited, he'd be lying to himself. If he said he hadn't missed her, he'd be lying as well.

He cleaned his chop sticks, threw away the foam cup and hopped into the shower washing away the dirt and grime of the day. When he was finished, he dried off and then went to work wrapping the remains of his limb his brow furrowed in concentration and irritation.

"Sakura does this much better." He grumbled as he awkwardly secured the knot.

Once he was dressed in his sleeping clothes, he retired to their bedroom and laid down in their bed looking up at the ceiling. Sakura was coming home tomorrow. The thought repeated like a mantra in his head as he drifted off. In his dream she slipped into bed with him and trailed her hand over his arm in an inviting gesture.

"Sakura." He sighed.

His body began to react, his blood warming and just as he was about to turn towards her, he noticed something. Her fingernails were too long. Hair brushed his face as she leaned down to kiss him but the texture was wrong. It was a little too dry.

His eyes shot open as he bolted out of bed and he tackled the intruder to the ground pressing a kunai to their throat. Though the person looked like Sakura superficially, his keen eyes did not deceive him. The woman was clearly an imposter but why they had taken his wife's form, he did not know.

"Who are you and why are you here?" he demanded.

The woman's eyes widened. "Sasuke, it's me Sakura, your wife." The woman replied.

He pressed the knife more firmly to the imposter's throat. "I won't ask you again!" he snarled. "Who are you and why are you here?"

"Sasuke? Why are you acting like this? My mission ended early so I hurried home to see you." The woman said reaching up towards his face.

The bedroom door suddenly opened and Sakura appeared her eyes widening at the scene before her.

"What is this!?" she demanded her jade eyes blazing.

"Sakura?" Sasuke said his eye widening. "I thought you weren't coming home until tomorrow."

"It is tomorrow." Sakura said motioning to the clock that displayed the time as six thirty am in bright red letters. "Now explain to me exactly what's going on."

"That woman is an imposter!" The girl beneath him exclaimed.

Sakura rolled her eyes and popped a hip. "Oh please." She scoffed. "Sasuke's eyes aren't that easy to fool. If I was the imposter, I'd be the one with the knife at my throat." Her gaze met her husband's. "Naruto wrote me telling me you were having trouble with a stalker. I take it the brat trying to use my face to get into our bed is her?"

"I don't know. I never managed to find out their identity." He replied.

"Stop it! I'm the real Sakura! Look at me!" the woman shrieked. "You were moaning my name when I touched you in bed."

Sakura's eyes narrowed dangerously and Sasuke nearly flinched at the righteous anger he saw there.

"Saskue, get off her." She said calmly.

He cocked a brow but knew better than to ask questions when she was in such a mood and nodded removing the knife from the girl's throat and stood up.

"Finally." The girl said standing up herself before reaching for him. "Sasuke, I knew you'd come to your senses an-"

Her words were abruptly cut off when Sakura launched forward and slammed her fist into the imposter's abdomen sending her flying through the glass of the veranda slamming into the railing outside. The woman gasped and then coughed as blood dripped from several cuts made by the glass.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" The imposter rasped as Sakura strode forward.

The pink haired medic grabbed her rival by the front of her shirt and hauled her upright until their faces were inches apart.

"That's my line, you tramp!" she snarled. "You use my face to get a spare key from my landlord and use it to slip into my bed with my husband and you have the gall to ask what's wrong with me!?" she shouted. "You should be thankful I didn't punch your creepy face in! Now who in the Hell are you!? Start talking or I'll throw you over this railing and show you exactly why The Hokage himself fears my wrath!"

The woman trembled and the transformation faded out as her fear overwhelmed her chakra control.

"Minami." Sasuke said walking up to stand beside his wife. "She's the one Naruto was talking about."

Sakura's grip on the girl's shirt tightened. "The one who's been stalking you for weeks?" she confirmed.

He nodded and she growled in irritation before turning back to the blonde. "This is the one and only warning you will ever get. Lay your hands on my husband again and I'll make sure you regret it for the rest of your life."

The girl glared at her. "Why should he belong to you alone?" she asked. "I love Sasuke!"

Sakura glared right back. "I don't give a damn. Sasuke is my husband. He belongs to me."

"But I love him!" the girl shrieked.

"It doesn't matter." Sakura replied. "He doesn't love you. He loves me. Now get out of here!" She said releasing the girl's shirt and straightening. "Damn." She hissed glancing around at the mess. "I came home hoping for some r and r but instead I had to deal with this whore and shattered the stupid door." She said turning towards her husband.

He smirked at that. "That's alright." He said holding his hand out to her. "We'll set up the futon in the front room and you can rest there." Their hands met and he smiled as he tugged her into his chest. "Welcome home Tsuma." He said softly cupping her cheek with his hand before their foreheads touched.

"It's good to be home darling." She replied her expression softening, her body relaxing at his gentle touch.

"Why? Why is it her?" the girl whispered. "It should be me!" She shrieked.

Sasuke glanced up as the blonde charge at his wife with a massive shard of glass in hand aimed at her heart. Without a second thought, he switched their positions, placing Sakura behind him as his Susanoo flashed to life around them shattering the glass as it came in contact with the wall of purple.

"What?" Minami said before Sasuke wrapped the hand of his giant around her holding her in place.

"Sakura. Call Shikamaru and get someone to pick this psycho up." He said firmly. "I've had more than enough of her antics."

The pink haired medic nodded and rushed out of the room. Sasuke waited until she was in the kitchen before slowly increasing the pressure of his giant's fist. The girl gasped and writhed in it's grip.

"Why are you doing this?" she rasped. "I thought you were a nice guy."

He nearly smirked at that. "That just goes to show that you don't know me at all. I'm not nice, I've never been nice. Do you know what happened to the last girl that tried to slip into my bed uninvited?" he asked.

The girl shook her head.

"I stabbed her through the chest with my lightning blade." He said without a trace of emotion. "The only reason she's still living today is because my wife stopped me just before I was about to deal the finishing blow and then healed her."

Minami paled her entire body trembling. "No… That can't be true." She whimpered.

"I did." He replied his eyes as cold as ice. "You'd best think twice before coming near me or my wife again. I came back to protect the village because the people I care about most are in it, however you are not one of those people and never will be. I can and will completely shatter your existence from this world if you raise a hand against my family again."

Minami shuddered. "I don't get it." She whimpered. "You were so kind."

"I wasn't. I was tolerating your presence for the sake of reaching a peaceful, non-violent solution to your obsessive stalking. However, you raised a weapon against my most precious person. I will never forget it nor forgive you for it." He told her.

"Sasuke! Shikamaru and Choji are on their way." Sakura said returning to the room.

"Good. I'm sick of looking at her face." He replied.

When the girl began to cry, he felt nothing.

"Sorry about this Sakura, Sasuke. If we'd known she'd go this far, we would have done something sooner." Shikamaru said as he restrained the girl.

"It's not your fault." Sakura replied. "These things happen. They seem to happen to me and Sasuke more than other people, but still."

Chouji laughed. "That's true unfortunately. Still, this sucks. Sorry guys. If you need a place to crash, my house is always open."

"Same with me." Shikamaru added.

"Thank you." Sasuke said gently touching the small of Sakura's back. "I think we'll be alright though."

The girl was carted away wailing and shrieking like a banshee and the Uchiha couple breathed a collective sigh of relief when the screaming finally quieted.

"So much for a lazy morning." Sakura said walking back towards their bedroom frowning at the shattered glass. "What a mess." She grumbled walking over and picking up the trash can intent on cleaning up the glass.

"Don't." Sasuke said grabbing her hand. "Leave it alone. You're exhausted. Go take a shower, I'll brew some chamomile tea."

"But-"

He pressed a finger to her lips. "No arguments. Go Tsuma." He said firmly though his eyes were soft and warm.

She sighed but relented. "Alright darling." She said pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I'll try to hurry."

"Don't worry about it. There's no rush." He assured her.

She smiled at him before grabbing a fresh set of clothes from the closet and walked to the bathroom. He busied himself making the tea and then a small breakfast of rice balls prepared. He then walked to the hall closet, pulled down the spare futon and laid it out in the living room.

Sakura stepped out of the shower in her clean clothes still rubbing a towel through her damp hair and smiled at him.

"It smells good." She commented as she walked into the kitchen.

"Good." He said as she sat at her spot and picked up the tea cup.

"It tastes good too. Another thing you'll always be better at than me." She said.

Sasuke studied her for a moment remembering the long weeks without her and the way she'd so viciously attacked the intruder in their home. His affection for her swelled and he stepped forward wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"Sasuke?" She questioned laying her hand on his arm. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." He replied nuzzling her ear with his nose enjoying the way she shivered at the sensation. "Hurry. Finish and come to bed." He whispered in her ear his fingertips siding sensually along the neckline of her v necked shirt.

She blushed scarlet and nodded quickly downing the tea and a rice ball as he pulled the covers back. When she stood from the chair but moved away from him, he frowned.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"I need to brush my teeth now that I've eaten." She said twisting her hands nervously.

He rolled his eyes and swept forward grabbing her around the waist and slinging her over his shoulder. "I've never cared about stuff like that." He said.

"Sasuke! Put me down!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Playing hard to get?" he mused tossing her gently onto the futon. "What a surprise coming from you."

He hovered over her smiled at the blush on her cheeks, the light dancing in her eyes. "I feel a little off I'm not sure why." She confessed. "Maybe it's because of that girl I found in our bedroom."

"Ridiculous. There's no reason for you to feel even a speck of jealousy over an insignificant insect like her." He said leaning down to trail his mouth along the line of her jaw.

He was surprised when she flipped their positions and tugged his shirt off. "I'm not jealous. You misunderstood." She replied running her fingers along his strong shoulders and over his muscled chest. "I'm angry." She said flexing her fingers against the skin of his abdomen. "So very angry that she came into my home and laid her filthy hands on my husband." She pulled of her shirt in a fluid motion revealing her perfect breasts. "My blood is still boiling."

He blinked in surprise at the fire in her eyes. The righteous anger that was nearly tangible in the air. She really was angry. Was it his fault? Should he have made more of an effort to keep the girl away? His thoughts were interrupted when she reached inside his pants and gripped his hardening member.

"Sakura!" he gasped a bolt of lightning going straight to his groin when she pulled off his pants and boxers.

She took his hardened member into her mouth and he gasped as her tongue and hand went to work. He reached down and grabbed her hair tugging lightly. Her heat and touches were too much. He was approaching his peak much faster than he'd anticipated and he needed her to stop. He didn't want to come in her mouth. He wanted to come inside her.

"Sakura, slow down." He rasped. "Please, I don't want-" She squeezed with her hand and nibbled with her teeth and he couldn't contain himself spilling inside her mouth with a shout.

She licked her lips and wiped her chin with the back of her hand, her eyes half lidded with self-satisfaction. He could already feel himself beginning to harden again at the sight. Gods how he wanted to be inside her. To feel her warmth and heat. It wasn't just lust, it was deeper. A desperate desire to become one with her and bathe in her light.

"Sakura please." He whispered his fingers fumbling with her shorts. "I want to be inside you."

She colored prettily as she helped him divest her of the last items of clothing. When she was finally naked, he rose up forcing her onto her back and then sheathed himself in her a low moan of relief and satisfaction falling from his lips. His lips captured hers as he set his rhythm pants and moans filling the air. Sakura wrapped her arms and legs around him, inviting him deeper as her fingernails dug into the skin of his back. Her mouth latched onto his neck sucking and biting with aggression he'd never felt from her before.

"Sasuke." She panted. "I love you."

He gasped and thrust harder as he neared his climax twisting his hips in an effort to make her follow. He moaned as he finally reached his limit and spilled himself inside her collapsing on top of her. When he caught his breath, he rolled off of her and was surprised when instead of shifting to lay her head on his chest or shoulder the way she normally did, she sat up and raked a hand through her hair pulling her knees to her chest.

"What's wrong Sakura?" he asked his brow furrowed with concern. "Are you not feeling well?"

"I feel fine." Sakura replied wrapping an arm around her bent legs.

"Then what's wrong?" he asked studying her closely.

She leaned her head forward and sighed. "Why did I have to find out about your stalker from Naruto?" she asked softly.

His eyes widened at that. "What do you mean?" he asked sitting up.

"I wrote you, and you never replied let alone let me know about all the trouble she was giving you." She said raking her fingers through her hair. "When Naruto wrote me about it, I wasn't shocked or surprised really. You seem to attract the psycho, stalker types. I just…" she tightened her grip on her legs. "I thought we were closer than that. I was… hurt that you hadn't reached out to me."

Sasuke's eyes widened as he sat up. She'd been hurt by that? Why? It wasn't like he was going to cheat on her or anything. The girl wasn't a threat so he hadn't bothered to say anything.

"Sakura," he said reaching out to touch her shoulder. "that girl is nothing. Her stalking was irritating but nothing to worry about. There was no reason for me to tell you about it."

"I figured you'd say something like that." She said with a sigh. "Typical Sasuke, doing everything on his own." She turned and laid her head against his shoulder.

"Sorry." He said wrapping his arm around her. "I've never been good at expressing myself, and I'm even worse at dealing with feelings and emotions." He pressed a kiss to her shoulder. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"I know." She replied moving closer to him. "I just care about you." She yawned and sighed.

"Sleep Tsuma." He said easing her onto her back. "You can tell me about your mission when you wake up."

She nodded and curled up against his side. "Wake me up at lunch time. I don't want to sleep too long. I need to get back to a normal sleep schedule." She said.

"Alright." He said brushing the hair from her face.

She smiled. "Thank you darling."

Once she'd drifted off, he quickly dressed and entered the bedroom. The glass door was a total loss and would take time to repair. As he cleaned up the glass, a thought occurred to him. Their house was done, why not just move in? Sure he'd planned to do it in stages, but there was no way he was going to live in this house with an easy way inside so prominent. Not with Lord Sakamoto's hired goons still slinking through the village stalking his wife on the aristocrat's orders. Interrogating En hadn't helped in finding the Lord's other spies within the village. The former book keeper had no idea that his employer had anyone else besides him keeping tabs on the pink haired medic.

Once the glass was cleaned up and the blood stains scrubbed away, Sasuke took a break sipping on a cup of green tea on the couch with a book was he split his attention between a book written on water style jutsu and his wife sleeping just feet away from him. She was so precious. He'd promised to treasure her, yet he'd failed. Made her feel insecure by not confiding in her. He needed to do better.

"A surprise?" Sakura asked as they ate lunch together at the table.

He nodded. "Yes. I have something to show you after lunch if that's alright."

She smiled warmly at him. "Of course." She said.

He smiled back and they quickly finished their meals. Once the dishes were rinsed, they left the apartment walking down the road that led towards the Uchiha property.

"How was The Hidden Stone?" he asked as they walked.

"Good." She replied. "They're really making good progress as far as getting their hospitals up to date and their medical ninja's properly trained. I was impressed with how much they've improved over the past year."

"That's good. The stronger our allies are, the safer we are as well." He said with a nod. "Were you asked to take on an apprentice?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yes. In fact, the medic they suggested asked me specifically about learning the Myotonic Regeneration jutsu." She said. "I turned him down. Not only do I not have time to take on an apprentice right now, but I don't think it's a technique that should be taught so easily. It's forbidden for a reason." She said touching her seal absently.

He nodded. "That's good. There's no reason for you to teach it to anyone if you don't want to." He said.

She nodded. "That's what I thought."

"Here." He said motioning to the house that stood before them. "Surprise."

Sakura's eyes widened as she took in the traditional looking structure with the Uchiha crest etched into the main beams of the entry way.

"Our house!" she squealed excitedly. "It's finished?"

He nodded. "I picked up the keys yesterday." He informed her. "Come with me."

Sakura nodded and smiled as they entered the newly finished building leaving their sandals in the entry way.

"Sasuke. It's wonderful." She breathed as she walked through the main hall into the living room and back into the kitchen. "I still can't believe we can afford this." She admitted as she touched the newly installed appliances.

"The Uchiha clan has always been rather wealthy." Sasuke replied smiling at the look of wonder and happiness on his wife's face. "Come." He said taking her hand. "Let's go upstairs."

He led her up the staircase and to the main hall. "There's one bedroom." He said motioning to the first room. "This is a bathroom." He said motioning to a room right across the hall. "This room will be good for a home office." He said motioning to the next room, he then paused in front of the last door. "This, is our room." He slid it open and they both stepped inside.

The room was spacious with a set of sliding paper doors that led out onto a large veranda overlooking the forest. There was a second door leading to a full bathroom.

"It's perfect Sasuke." Sakura said wrapping her arms around him.

"Shall we move in?" Sasuke asked returning her embrace.

"You mean today?" Sakura asked her eyes wide.

He nodded. "We might as well. The veranda door in the apartment is broken and I don't think it's a good idea to stay there with Sakamoto's men still at large." He said holding her closer. "What do you think?"

The pink haired woman in his embrace smiled. "I think it's a great idea."

"Good. Let's head home then. We should be able to use a summoning jutsu to move all of the big things." He said releasing her. "The faster we get going, the less time this will take."

Sakura smiled and nodded before pressing her mouth to his. "Our new home. I can't tell you how much this means to me. Thank you Sasuke." She said pressing her face to his neck.

He smiled and stroked her hair for a moment before grabbing her hand. "Come. Let's get started."

The move took the rest of the day. To be frank, it would have taken much longer had Sakura been an ordinary woman. However, she was as strong as they came with stamina as well as excellent organizational skills. She sat in the living room surrounded by boxes and suddenly turned to him as she was about to open one.

"Sasuke, let's go get the trunks from Naka shrine." She said. "I want them here as soon as possible."

The ink haired man's eyes widened and then softened. "Right. I agree. Let's go."

Author's Note: I'm back! My surgery was a success and I'm on the road to recovery. I apologize for the inferior quality of this chapter. I was in a hurry and a little off (pain killers and such) The next one will be much better. Thank you for your support and patience!