I just want to say that I'm sorry this chapter is late, some family stuff came up that I had to see to and then after that I just lost the motivation to for awhile.

25 years

Mikoto and Fugaku stepped through the house's threshold and found themselves in an elegant walkway, with polished floorboards and spotless white walls, lined with picture frames.

"We're here!" Mikoto called out. "Where's the birthday girl?"

Almost immediately, a dark-haired little girl, with large red glasses poked her head out from down the hallway and started running towards them as fast her little legs could carry her. "Here! I'm here!" She squealed excitedly.

Mikoto beamed at the sight of her granddaughter. "Hello, Sarada, dear!" Mikoto bent down so that she could give the little girl a hug. "Happy Birthday."

"Hi, Grandma." She gave Mikoto a quick kiss on the cheek before moving onto greet her grandfather. "Hi, Grandpa!"

Fugaku got on one knee so that he could embrace Sarada. "Happy Birthday, Sarada."

Sarada placed a kiss to Fugaku's cheek as well, which made Fugaku smile despite himself and Mikoto chuckled. If anyone could break through Fugaku's cold exterior (beside's Mikoto, of course), it was Sarada.

"What did you get me?" Sarada asked, her black eyes wide with excitement as they darted between the two of them with anticipation.

"Sarada," A new voice spoke up and Mikoto was happy to see it was her son walking towards them, dressed in fashionable gray dress shirt and black pants. "That's not how you speak to your grandparents." Sasuke's voice was a mixture of sternness and amusement as he regarded his daughter. "Just because it's your birthday doesn't mean you can be demanding."

"Ah, sorry, Papa."

Sasuke patted his daughter's head. "Go and help your mother in the kitchen and then you can have your present."

"Okay!" Sarada chirped and then turned around to skip down the hallway.

"She's such a sweet girl." Mikoto said as she watched her granddaughter turn a corner and disappear from sight.

Sasuke nodded. "She is." He then turned his attention back to his parents, kissing his mother on the cheek. "Hello Mother, how are you?"

Mikoto embraced her son, wrapping her arms around his shoulders when he was forced to bend down to return the embrace, since he was now a head taller than her. "I'm well, sweetie and yourself?"

"I'm fine." Sasuke pulled away from the embrace so that he could greet Fugaku.

Sasuke then took the cake box that Fugaku had been carrying and lead his parents down the hallway and into a spacious, very modern-looking living room. Kizashi and Mebuki Haruno were in there, seated on the black leather couch in front of the flat screen. When Mikoto and Fugaku entered, they stood up to come over and greet the parents of their son-in-law while Sasuke walked over to the pristine kitchen to put the cake in the fridge. Sakura was busy pottering around in the kitchen while Sarada stood in the corner watching her mother go about tiding up and waiting to fulfil any requests her mother might have for her.

Sakura popped some plates in the dishwasher before walking around the kitchen bench to come and say hello to Mikoto and Fugaku.

"It's so good to see you." Sakura said pleasantly as she pulled Mikoto in for a quick hug. "I'm so glad the two of you could make it. And thanks for bringing the cake by the way."

"It's our pleasure, dear." Mikoto replied. "Fugaku and I would hate to miss our only grandchild's birthday."

Today was Sarada's fourth birthday. Sasuke and Sakura had just decided to have a small get together, nothing too big or extravagant. They would all be going to a nice family restaurant that Sasuke and Sakura frequented with Sarada. However they didn't have to go until later tonight so for now they were all just going to stay at the young family's house and have Sarada's cake and open her presents.

They were just waiting on Itachi and his fiancé, Izumi (1), who arrived not too long after Mikoto and Fugaku did, and Sarada's godparents, Naruto and his wife Hinata.

About half an hour later, Naruto finally pulled up out the front in his white sedan. Naruto sheepishly explained upon arrival that he took a wrong turn, much to Sasuke and Sakura's exasperation.

The couple also brought along their two children, Boruto, who was the same age as Sarada and absolutely idolized Sasuke, and their one-year-old daughter, Himawari.

Soon after, they all gathered in the dining room and began singing happy birthday to Sarada as Sasuke brought out the cake.

After Sarada blew out her candles, they cut the cake and made sure to have Sarada take a few photos with everyone.

Not long after that, they all left Sasuke and Sakura's home to head to the restaurant.

Mikoto had never been to the restaurant before, since it was relatively new, but her son and his wife assured her that they had some excellent food. Sakura even mentioned there being an especially delicious seafood platter.

Not that Mikoto needed much convincing on the standard of the food. She was already impressed when their waiter brought them their garlic bread and by the time their entrées were brought out, she was completely won over and was pleased to see that her husband appeared to be as well, since he could be so picky when it came to eating food at restaurants. Perhaps they would come here again, just the two of them.

There was even a playground outside for the kids and when Boruto and Sarada weren't eating at the table, they were running around the playground. Mikoto watched on in amusement when Boruto excitedly approached his mother and asked if he could bring Himawari on the playground with them. However, Hinata was hesitant to let Boruto take his little sister onto the playground, out of fear that she might be trampled by the other rambunctious children, but Naruto eventually offered to go out there with them and watch over them as they played and even dragged Sasuke into coming with him, which added to Boruto's excitement.

They left the restaurant at about 8:30, when the children were starting to get tired. As they stepped out into the chilly night air, Mikoto realised that she had left her coat inside.

"I'll go and get it for you." Fugaku offered and turned to go back in.

"Thank you, dear." She called after him.

While Mikoto waited for her husband to return, Itachi and Izumi came up to her to bid her goodbye, before going to say goodbye to Sasuke. Mikoto watched as her son's embraced before Itachi lead Izumi away to where they had their car parked. She continued to watch as Sarada, rugged up in her little red coat and yawning, toddled up to her father and tugged on his pant leg. Wordlessly, Sasuke bent down and scooped his daughter up into his arms and Sarada immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his shoulder.

Sakura finished saying goodbye to her parents and stepped over to her husband and daughter, cooing at the sight of Sarada already sound asleep in Sasuke's arms.

Mikoto let out a contented sigh at the sight.

"What is it?"

Mikoto turned around to see Fugaku standing behind her with her coat in his arms.

"Oh, nothing." Mikoto said as Fugaku proceeded to put her coat on for her. "Thank you." She pressed a tender kiss to his cheek.

"Hn." Was his only reply, but she could see the corners of his mouth lift slightly.

Mikoto smiled and then looked back at Sasuke and Sakura. Sakura was rubbing her daughter's back and speaking to Sasuke in a soft tone of voice, which made it difficult for Mikoto to hear what she was saying from where they stood. Sasuke said something, which made Sakura smile and lean up to kiss his cheek, before they walked towards their car, side by side.

Mikoto smiled wistfully.

It seemed like only the other day, that she was sitting at the park, cradling Sasuke in her arms and watching as the older pink-haired baby tried to grab his attention.

And now here she was, watching them as they walked away, all grown up and happily married, with their own child in Sasuke's arms.

How time flies.

Mikoto then turned to her husband and wrapped her arms around his, leaning her head against his broad shoulder.

"Let's go home."

Aaaaannd... It's finished! :D

I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. Thank you all once again, for your encouraging reviews!

(1) Remember after Sasuke and Itachi's final battle when Obito (Tobi) reveals the truth to Sasuke, he mentions that Itachi had a lover whom he killed as well during the massacre? Well in one of the most recent Naruto novels, "Itachi Shinden", that girl's name is Izumi. Although the novels aren't written by Kishimoto and aren't canon, I thought I'd still use the name since in canon, she doesn't have a name at all.