"I'll be back," Sasuke said gently lifting his middle and pointer finger and touching Sakura's forehead as he smiled at the pink-haired shinobi.

Sakura watched the raven-haired boy walk from the village with tears in her eyes, just like she had before, but this time she felt things were going to be different.

Weeks later a young hawk was sitting in her windowsill with an envelope attached to its claw. Sakura unclipped the envelope and noticed it was addressed from Sasuke. Sakura's eyes filled with tears as she quickly opened the letter and started reading.

Sakura,

I hope this letter finds you well. I can't tell you what I'm doing, but I hope to be home one day. Everything is different this time. I promise, once I get back, I would like to take you on a date. If you would like.

Please write me back and let me know how you are doing. My hawk knows where to bring it to.

I miss you, Sasuke

Sakura put the letter down and ran to find paper and a pen. Once she found them, she sat down to write back.

Sasuke,

I'm writing this with tears in my eyes, so I hope it doesn't get wet and smudge. It was so nice to get your letter. Please be safe, I worry about you every day and I can't wait to see you again. That date sounds like a great idea. Please let me know as soon as you find out when you're coming home. I'll be at the gate waiting for you.

I miss you.

Sakura

Sakura put the letter in an envelope addressed it from her and attached it to Sasuke's hawk just like he had.

"Take care of him, little guy." Sakura said watching it fly away.

A couple of years passed of Sasuke and Sakura writing back-and-forth, confessing their feelings, Sakura keeping Sasuke up to date with news in the village and talking about anything and everything. One day Sakura was sitting in her living room studying a medical book when Sasuke's hawk arrived in her window with another letter from her long-distance lover.

Sakura,

I have some good news. I'm finally coming home the day after this letter arrives. I'll save my words for then. See you tomorrow afternoon at the gate.

Love, Sasuke

"Tomorrow?! I have so much to do before then! You can fly home. I'll see him tomorrow." Sakura put Sasuke's letter in the drawer with the rest of his letters and ran off to get her hair done and make a list of everything she needed to do.

At noon the next day Sakura walked to the gate. She cut her hair short again and wore a new pink outfit she was sure Sasuke would love.

"Sakura! What's going on?" The guards at the gate said as Sakura sat down at the bench.

"Sasuke is coming home today!" She said excited.

"Uchiha? You're still pining after that guy after all these years?" He asked.

"Things are different now. Sasuke has been gone for two years, we've been writing each other the entire time."

"Long distance relationship, that's hard." Sakura nodded her head in agreement as she watched for Sasuke. An hour later a shadow of a young man appeared. Sakura stood up and watched the figure get bigger and come into view.

"Sasuke!" she said with tears in her eyes as she ran to meet the young man.

"Sasuke…" Sakura and Sasuke embraced Sasuke wrapping his arm around her.

"Sakura," A misty eyed Sasuke said. "I missed you. But I'm here now." They looked into each other's eyes and Sasuke leaned his head down and gently placed his lips onto her's in a slow gentle kiss. They smiled knowing a new beginning had started for them. Sakura walked Sasuke back into the village hand-in-hand.

"Welcome back, Sasuke." The guard said. Sasuke nodded at him. The new couple knew Sasuke had to go check in with the Hokage. They walked to see Kakashi.

"Please don't send Sasuke away again." Sakura prayed as they walked into Kakashi's office.

"Sasuke and Sakura, good to see you again," Kakashi said. "For your next assignment, it actually won't be for a couple of months. After being gone for two years I figured you deserved some time off." Sakura sighed in relief. "I got reports, you did well. I think the plan is to keep you doing that kind of thing, but we don't know, yet. I'll let you know."

"Thank you, Hokage," Sasuke said.

"And Sasuke, take care of her," Sasuke nodded.

The next couple of months Sasuke and Sakura got closer. Going on dates, out to lunch, taking small trips on the weekends when Sakura was off from work at the hospital. Then, the day that Sakura was dreading, Sasuke's assignment day. The last two months had been a dream and Sakura didn't want it to end. They walked to Kakashi's office quietly.

"Sasuke, we have your next assignment. You'll be gone for three months." Kakashi said.

"Three months?" Sakura thought.

"I want to go with him." Sakura chimed in. "I've been without Sasuke for too long already. I'm finally getting time with him. I want to go."

"Sakura… these missions… are too dangerous for you to go on. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Sasuke, I'm a shinobi too. A medic at that and you only have one arm. If you get hurt, you need me."

"Actually," Kakashi said. "This one isn't dangerous. It's in the Sand Village. Gaara will make sure no harm comes to you. It's a different circumstance than the last one. The only problem I have with Sakura going is that she won't be here. She is our top medic."

"There is a plan in place in case I have to go on a mission."

"Alright, then Sasuke. This is your mission, but in this instance, if you want Sakura to come on your mission with you because of your relationship, then that is up to you. Not up to Sakura. You." Kakashi said. "I'm sure Gaara wouldn't mind."

"I would like Sakura to start coming with me on these missions." Sasuke said.

"All of them?" Kakashi asked.

"All of them."

"Like your wife?" Kakashi joked. The couple blushed.

"I… don't think I'm ready to be called a wife… but, if Sasuke wants me on his missions, then I am going."

"I will contact Gaara and from now on put you two together unless otherwise asked. I do think it is a good idea Sasuke have a medic ninja with him. Who else better than our number one medic, who happens to be his girlfriend? You will need to leave by midday tomorrow. It takes three days to get to the Sand Village, so the sooner the better."

"Thanks, Hokage." Sasuke said. "We have to go," The couple left Kakashi's office. "Are you sure you want to come on my missions?"

"Yes. I just want to be with you."

"I think we're in it for the long haul. Maybe one day we'll have to get you the title of Wife… maybe." Sasuke started saying confidently then got nervous and blushed again. Sakura giggled.

"Maybe one day," she thought. Sasuke and Sakura walked back to the Uchiha estate to pack. The last two months Sakura had basically moved in with Sasuke to spend as much time with him as possible.

The next couple of years Sasuke and Sakura traveled together to different nations as representatives of the leaf village. One night was different. The couple had a night off from their jobs with a nation far away from home.

"Hey, Sakura, let's go for a walk," Sasuke said. Sakura was studying a new medical book she picked up.

"Sure, I could use a break." Sakura closed her book and walked over to Sasuke. They walked out of the Inn they were staying. Sasuke gently grabbed Sakura's hand. "Where are we going?"

"There's a clearing not far from here where we can see the stars." They started walking down the road.

"Since when are you a star gazer, Sasuke?"

"I'm not really, but I figured I should show someone beautiful, something maybe not as beautiful but close." Sakura blushed. "We're almost there." Sasuke held up a branch for Sakura to walk under. On the other side of the trees lining the road was a grassy plain where the stars could be seen for miles.

"Oh wow, the stars back in the village are nothing compared to these."

"Back home there are too many lights." The couple looked far and wide at the stars lining the sky. "S…Sakura?"

"Yes?"

"Do you remember when Kakashi joked about you being my wife?" Sakura smiled at the memory.

"Yeah. That Kakashi… Why?"

"Because… I can't think of anywhere I would rather make that happen. I want you to be my wife." Sasuke said. "I know the village has a special ceremony; we can do that later. I want to be able to call you my wife, right now." Sakura blushed. "I love you, Sakura. Will you marry me?"

"Yes," Sakura said tears falling from her eyes. "I've always loved you. I want to be your wife." With those words Sasuke carefully gripped Sakura's fingers using the chakra to forge a small silver band with a ruby embedded on it on her finger.

"With this ring, I promise to always love and protect you. I'll let nothing come between us. Together we will build a beautiful life. And know that no matter what happens, where life takes us, I will always love you." Sakura didn't know what to say. Quicker than Sasuke could react she gave Sasuke a long and passionate kiss.

"Thank you… Tsuma." He ran his hand up her arm, neck, through her hair and pulled her in for an embrace.

"No, thank you, Anata." Sakura said admiring the ring.

"It's a little misshapen," Sasuke said embarrassed.

"It's perfect," Sakura beamed. After a few minutes of soaking it in, the newlyweds walked back to the Inn and spent the rest of the night in newly wedded bliss.

The next morning Sakura was awake early sitting on the couch in the room, only wearing a bed sheet. Sasuke rolled over in bed still asleep. "Tsuma..." He said reaching out for Sakura. When he couldn't find her, he sat up. "TSUMA?"

"I'm over here," Sakura said.

"What are you doing?" he asked as he rubbed his eyes.

"Writing a letter to Kakashi, letting him know we are married and requesting the ceremony in the village."

"We can finish that later. Why don't you come back over here?" Sasuke said noticing she wasn't dressed. Sakura put down her letter and got in bed with her new Husband. He pulled her close, kissed her passionately and continued their celebration of marriage.

Later the Uchiha's left to go into back into town. "Mr. Uchiha!" called the receptionist.

"Yes?"

"We forgot to put your lady friend's name on the room."

"This is Sakura Uchiha, my wife."

"Oh. How long have you been married?"

"We just got married last night," Sakura said.

"Congratulations." The newlyweds took the finished letter to be sent to Kakashi using Sasuke's hawk.

A few days later it arrived in Kakashi's office.

"Kakashi, it's Sasuke's hawk." Shikamaru, Kakashi's advisor, said bringing him the letter.

"It's probably important." Kakashi looked over the envelope. "This is Sakura's handwriting. It just says Uchiha though."

"I haven't seen their handwriting in a long time, maybe Sakura has better." Shikamaru said. Kakashi opened the letter.

Kakashi Sensei,

I am writing to inform you that Sasuke and I have gotten married. However, we still want to have a village ceremony when we return from the mission in six-months. The Uchiha Clan traditions are still very important to my husband and we were not able to do them here.

Thank you, Sakura Uchiha

Kakashi finished reading the letter and sighed.

"What did it say?" Shikamaru asked.

"Sasuke and Sakura got married, when they return, they want to do a village ceremony with Uchiha traditions."

"Married? I'm only engaged. When did they even get engaged?" Shikamaru said.

"I don't think they ever were. They probably just decided to marry. Well, they want an Uchiha ceremony, they'll get it. They don't come home for six-months though. So, the city has time to set things up for them."

"What are Uchiha traditions?"

"They're simple. Whenever a man from the Uchiha got married he is to wear a special Montsuki. It's probably somewhere still at the Uchiha estate. The woman also wears a kimono, but she picks her own. Typically, a brightly colored one. Sakura's will probably be pink. The ceremony is to be held at the Uchiha shrine and the reception, if the couple wants one is in the ballroom with the Uchiha crest highlighted. If anyone were still alive, they would probably have more traditions. Sasuke probably knows what he wants to keep and get rid of. Afterall, he's the head of the clan now. If there's something he doesn't want to do, he doesn't have to."

"Like the tradition of actually having the ceremony be when you get married instead of… how did they marry?"

"Sakura didn't say. If I had to guess, Sasuke probably asked her to marry him and they decided to skip the engagement. Knowing Sasuke, it was probably in a remote location. He could easily forge a ring out of his chakra."

"Does that count?"

"Sakura is already referring to him as her husband. We can just say they eloped. They probably already had the rest of their wedding celebrations." Kakashi giggled. "I bet Sakura's happy."

"That part… I don't want to know about," Shikamaru said rubbing his face and walking away.

"Martial bliss." Kakashi joked.

"Pervy hokage… I'll go send out the announcement."

Attention Konoha residents, we have just heard from two shinobi off on a very important mission. They send good news. Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno were married. Upon their return, they're wishes are to have a ceremony here in the village. We will update when we have more information. Congratulations to the Uchihas.

"Sakura actually married him?" Guy Sensei said after hearing the announcement. "Looks like someone finally tamed the beast."

For the next few years Sasuke and Sakura were in and out of the village. They had a beautiful wedding ceremony in the village surrounded by all their friends and the village sensei. Eventually, Sakura became pregnant but continued missions with her husband until she gave birth to their daughter, Sarada. After giving birth Sasuke felt it was no longer safe for Sakura to travel with him and took them back to the village where they would be safe.

After getting them settled back at the Uchiha estate Sasuke had an emotional departure at the gate. He kissed his wife holding back the tears in his eyes, knowing this departure was going to be longer than anything before. Not knowing if he would ever come back or ever see his wife and child again, but this was for the best. For their safety. Even if he died, he knew he was protecting the two people the cherished the most. He placed his hand on Sarada's small forehead, then looked at his crying wife and poked her forehead. Before he lost his nerve, he turned his back to them and started on his journey. Once he was far enough out of sight, he let his feelings out. Streams on tears fell from his eyes. The rest of his life was unknown, but if staying away protected the ones he held precious to him, then so be it.