A playlist of what I listened to whilst writing this:

Pretty much everything by Owl City, but Vanilla Twilight, Strawberry Avalanche, Peppermint Winter and Honey and the Bee especially :)

Megurine Luka's Toeto, the Nico Nico Chorus version and No Logic.

Gorillaz, On Melancholy Hill, the acoustic version.

Plumb, In My Arms.

Tim Minchin, White Wine in the Sun.

Mumford & Sons, White Blank Page.

You don't have to listen to any of it, but it's all rather nice, just so you know :)

The Uchihas stood in silence in the living room, Mikoto's mouth twisting worriedly as they walked in, Fugaku ignoring them both completely.

"Mother, Father," Itachi looked between them both, taking a deep breath to steel himself, "The wedding between Sachiko and I is off."

Mikoto just closed her eyes and turned away, but Fugaku slammed the side of his fist against the wall, his eyes glinting like hard chips of onyx, "I knew you would do something like this!"

Sakura squared her shoulders, returning Fugaku's glare with a vicious one of her own, but Itachi laid a hand on her shoulder and smiled down at her.

"I truly am sorry for the inconvenience, the waste of money and the shame this may bring the family. But this is what I want. I proposed to Sachiko out of desperation, wanting to finally make you proud of me again, to do something right for a change. But Sakura made me realise that what I considered 'right' was selfish. I have caused many people pain because I didn't believe I deserved to be happy. Now, I am not saying I am the perfect person for Sakura. I know I'm not. I know that there are a thousand men out there who are kinder, wiser, better for her. But because of what she has taught me, I'm know I have the right to try my utmost to make her happy despite that. I love Sakura and somehow, miraculously, she feels the same way. I've made my choice and I hope you can respect that." Throughout his speech, Itachi's voice was calm and steady, but on his last sentence it hardened, his expression firm.

His parents stood in silence. Sakura took Itachi's hand, wanting to comfort him. His grip tightened when Mikoto turned back to face them.

"How is Sachiko?" She asked.

"She's a little upset," Sakura said, ignoring Fugaku's incredulous snort, "but she agreed the marriage would be a mistake."

"Then there isn't a problem," Mikoto said calmly, "We'll ring around, let everyone know what's happened. I'm sure we can get refunds on most of the wedding gifts. I just want you to be happy, Itachi," Her expression softened and she took a step towards them, putting her hands on Itachi's shoulders, "If Sakura can make you happy, I'll support you both no matter what."

"Mikoto!" Fugaku sounded disgusted, but Itachi wasn't having any of it.

"And Father, I have a proposition for you. Well, actually it's more like a threat. I want you to stop dealing with stolen goods. I want you to stop dealing with anything criminal at all. Before you scoff, as is your wont, here is your threat: if you don't stop, I will take the extensive evidence I have gathered over the years to the police, and I will gladly see you go to jail for everything you have done. I'm giving you a chance here. Don't blow it." Itachi stood up straighter and Sakura noticed for the first time that he was taller than his father.

Fugaku had gone pale, pulling at his collar as though it was choking him.

"Like I said," Mikoto said carefully, "I'll support you no matter what." She took his arm and smiled.

"Thank you." Itachi said, placing his hand over hers.

"How could you do this to me, after all I've done for you –" Fugaku began furiously.

"Easily," Itachi snapped, "It is because of what you have done for me that I am doing this. You need to learn that I am not a puppet you can bend at your will. I will have no more to do with your company. I'm going to begin training to become a teacher."

"B-but –"

"That's all," Itachi said firmly, "I'm not going to change my mind. Thank you again, Mother. Come on, Sakura."

As they left the room, Fugaku looking purple and incensed, Sakura heard Mikoto say very quietly, "And I want a divorce."

They shut the door behind them and stepped out together.

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Tenten was jogging on the spot by the time Ino got to the meeting place, outside the music shop in the mall. She fought her way through the crowd to get to the girl with trademark buns, dodging a man wearing dark red lipstick and a fabulous sheer blouse – she got distracted wondering where he got it from – and finally came to stand next to Tenten, slightly out of breath.

"You do realise you look like a crazy person, right?" Ino panted, glancing at Tenten's sports gear, "Who exercises at the mall?"

"People with a set fitness routine," Tenten said placidly, unruffled by Ino's incredulity, "Can you see Sakura yet?"

"No but it'll only be a matter of time, she's fairly easy to spot – aha! I got her. Pink hair by the hot dog stand, next to a rather yummy-looking man – oh my God it's Sasuke's brother." Ino stood on her tiptoes, straining to see Sakura with Itachi on the other side of the court.

"What?!" Tenten looked wildly around, looking for a tell-tale flash of pink, "I told him to stay away from her!"

"Why? He's yummy."

"And taken! Priorities, Ino! Get some!"

"They're looking pretty cosy." Ino smirked, looking like the cat that got the cream.

She was right. Itachi had an arm around Sakura as they walked against the flow of people. Sakura looked up at him with a big, happy grin and he looked down at her, his gaze soft and fond.

"Oi!" Ino yelled, waving furiously, "You guys! Over here!"

Sakura looked up and smiled. Itachi looked nervously at Tenten, edging a little behind Sakura as they both walked towards them.

"So," Tenten began when they were in earshot, "You decided –"

"I called you two here today because we need to have a chat." Sakura interrupted, lacing her fingers through Itachi's, "First, you guys should know that Itachi and I are together now – " Ino squealed, jumping up and down, " – and Ino is obviously very happy about that. Second, I've been informed about both of you interfering in my life. I get that you guys want the best for me. That makes me really happy. But please realise I am an adult and this is my life. I make my decisions and my own mistakes. I don't need to be regulated or monitored. I appreciate your concern, I really do, so thanks."

And then she smiled, a full, genuinely happy smile that lit up her whole face in a way Tenten hadn't seen for years.

Tenten looked at Itachi and understood.

"I'm sorry, Sakura," She said sincerely, "I just wanted to help. I was afraid he was using you. I can see he makes you happy now."

Ino slung her arm around Tenten's shoulder, "All worked out for the best, didn't it?"

Sakura made a face at her and laughed when she stuck her tongue out in reply, "Yeah, I guess."

"Oh!" Ino suddenly gave a surprised gasp, staring over Itachi's shoulder.

Sai stood behind them, holding a hat in his hands. He nervously fiddled with it, his pale fingers shaking against the blue cloth.

"Sai…" Ino gave a sincere smile at the sight of him.

"I know you didn't want to see me in public," Sai began, his mouth trembling as he spoke, "But I just saw you from the escalator and I couldn't ignore you…"

Ino pushed past Itachi and Sakura and yanked Sai into an open-mouthed kiss, her eyes squeezed shut, his wide open.

"You idiot!" She said fiercely after she'd pulled back, "I love you, you total moron! I'm not ashamed of you! I don't care who sees us together, I was just worried about how people would treat you if they knew about us."

Sai blinked, his cheeks red.

Itachi looked baffled by the drama unfolding before him.

Sakura was grinning ear to ear.

"…Really?" Sai said eventually, looking poleaxed.

"Totally! In fact, let's go on a date right now! There's a cinema down the street from here, I'll buy the popcorn if you choose the movie." Ino wrapped her arms around him, smiling right in his face.

Sai made a strangled noise of relief and his head lightly hit Ino's shoulder, hugging her back silently.

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They went for cake. Tenten insisted she had something had to do and rushed off, her cheeks flushed. Sakura suspected it was something to do with Neji.

"You look very smug." Sakura commented, sipping her black coffee.

Itachi ate his cherry cake with an unholy amount of relish, licking the cream off his fork with a happy hum, "I bought the same cake last time," He said between mouthfuls, "Because it reminded me of you."

Sakura blushed stupidly and stared at the contents of her mug.

"I was pining," Itachi continued mournfully, "Because you were so lovely and sarcastic and sassy and I couldn't even be friends with you because everyone kept assuming I was taking advantage –"

"What, like Tenten?"

"Uh huh. And Sasori and Konan… and your father gave me the filthiest of looks. You have no idea how freeing it is, not to have to distance myself. I feel like a weight's lifted. I don't feel guilty anymore whenever I think about how pretty you are." Itachi smiled at her across the table, as sweet as his cake surely tasted.

Sakura felt her face grow even hotter and clamped her mouth shut, afraid of saying something embarrassing.

"Uh, any news on Sachiko and Sasuke?" She asked instead, hoping he wouldn't notice her desperate attempts to change the subject.

"He left her alone after the engagement broke up, to make sure she wasn't just looking for a rebound and then visited her to make his intentions known, in a very blunt and Sasuke-like way."

"What, like, 'Sachiko. I've noticed you are attracted to me. I am also attracted to you. Not only that, but I believe we would have attractive children together. Let us increase our chances of favourable offspring'?" Sakura tried to picture it any other way and failed.

"And then he grabbed her in front of her mother and planted a big one on her," Itachi winked, "He said she nearly fainted in shock."

"They make…" Sakura shook her head, "the single most weirdest couple in the history of everything."

"I dunno, I was not expecting your little Ino friend to wrap herself around that pale boy like she did."

"Ino and Sai go together surprisingly well actually. I think you and me aren't that bad either," She joked, drinking her coffee and giving a little sigh of pleasure, "I think we fit quite nicely."

Itachi took her hand and rested his forehead against it, sighing, "I agree. And we have a great story of how we got together to tell the grandkids."

Sakura sputtered, dripping coffee down her chin.

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Three years later:

"I brought homemade mince pies!" Sachiko declared after Sakura opened the door, Sasuke standing beside her, barely recognisable in the thick, woollen jumper Sachiko had clearly made for him. It was a little ragged and threadbare, as though it was worn often and well-loved.

"Uh, did you make them…?"

"Oh, no. But they are homemade!" Sachiko's smile was brilliant, "And delicious!"

"Come in, come in," Sakura remembered her manners, waving them all in, stepping out of the way, "Itachi actually cleaned the apartment specially, so take your shoes off."

Sachiko nearly tripped, trying to hook a finger underneath her shoe's straps to take it off, her other arm laden with heavy bags full of mince pies and Christmas presents. Sasuke held her elbow steady to keep her upright. She smiled at him in thanks, finally yanking her heels off, wiggling her toes with a relieved sigh.

"Who got here before us?" Sasuke asked, pointing at the neat pile of shoes by the living room door.

"Tenten and Neji arrived first, then Ino and Sai. Mikoto's been here since morning, she's been prepping dinner for hours. She kicked us out of the kitchen because we kept trying to taste her ingredients." Sakura replied, helping Sasuke out of his coat, smirking at the Christmas tree jumper.

"Do I hear visitors?" Itachi called over the sound of the radio, a woman singing about what she wanted for Christmas (you).

"You do indeed!" Sakura yelled back, opening the door to let everyone in.

Ino was sitting in Sai's lap, a glass of sherry lolling in her careless grip, tinsel in her hair. Sai was showing her a video on his phone.

Tenten and Neji shared a sofa, her legs tucked against his side, his hand on her waist. She was smiling at him, playfully kicking him lightly. He gave her a stern look, captured her foot and started kneading it between his hands.

Itachi greeted his little brother with an energetic headlock, rubbing his knuckles against his skull, "Sasuke! Nice to see you out of the house for a change. Glad you could make it."

He released his scowling brother and enfolded Sachiko into a friendly hug, "And Sachiko! Every party is brighter with you in it."

She rolled her eyes and laughed, her manicured nails against his back as returned the hug. Her wedding ring sparkled in the light.

"Everyone's here." Itachi entered the kitchen, speaking to his mother. Sakura heard her reply softly over the sound of bubbling gravy and music.

"Don't you look all done up!" Sachiko beamed at Sakura, gesturing to her outfit.

Sakura flushed, smoothing her dress down shyly. It wasn't her normal tastes, a bit fancy and frilly, but Itachi had bought it for her and she couldn't help but feel special when she wore it.

Sasuke knelt on the rug next to the fireplace and started piling the presents he and Sachiko had brought with them under the tree. Each gift was carefully and lovingly wrapped in black and gold paper, a filmy ribbon tying each one neatly.

Ino and Sai had brought presents in fancy giftbags, Tenten and Neji had come by with the gifts in their arms and Sakura had already placed hers and Itachi's under the tree for everyone to open after dinner.

The tree itself was perfect because Sakura had chosen it. It had character. It was squat and fat and it leaned perpetually to the right. A glittery star crowned the top and white and gold Christmas lights decorated the middle. Itachi had draped it with ten different kinds of tinsel. Sakura had brought a box of her old decorations and hung them up, smiling nostalgically at most of them, including the ones her mother had made by hand, faded little angels and red bows.

"Just in time, everyone," Itachi stuck his head out of the kitchen and grinned, "Dinner's ready."

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There was general clamour of chairs being scraped back, plates clinking together and voices talking all at once. The kitchen door opened completely as Mikoto carefully carried the first few bowls of food in. The smell of parsnips and steamed carrots filled the air. She lowered the bowls onto the middle of the massive dining table, spoons resting in place next to them.

Every place at the table had a gold napkin and a Christmas cracker. Itachi came into the room with a bottle of chilled champagne and a wicked grin. He poured a glass for everyone except himself and Sakura, who had cherry soda and apple juice, respectively.

They had a comfortable, relaxed conversation as they waited for Mikoto and Itachi to finish laying the table with dinner. Neji and Sasuke spoke infrequently, usually with a sarcastic comment that made the whole table laugh. Tenten chatted with Ino about everything and nothing. Sakura sipped her drink and managed to carry a conversation with Sai in which she said lots and he said very little.

When the food was finally laid out before them, the turkey glistening in the middle of the table, roast potatoes crisp next to the creamy mash, assorted vegetables and sage and onion stuffing all around the table and gravy and bread sauce in boats ready to pour.

They tucked in. Sai claimed the cabbage quickly without realising they were all quite happy to surrender it to him. Ino spooned more mashed potato than anyone and sent Mikoto off to get mint sauce out of the cupboard, insisting it made everything taste even better. Tenten, predictably, piled her plate with turkey, stuffing and sausages wrapped in bacon. Her hatred of vegetables was legendary. Neji ate slowly after cutting all of his food up, occasionally smiling at the taste. Sachiko spent most of the dinner with her head on Sasuke's shoulder, her eyes drooping with tiredness like a child. He nudged her every so often to tell her to taste something. After a while, she nibbled a roast potato and made a noise of complete pleasure, then beamed at Sasuke as though he was the source of her happiness. He just smiled. Sakura sat next to Itachi, passing him the cranberry sauce when he needed it and laughing at all of his jokes. She just watched him, mostly, as he radiated happiness and contentment. She felt glad that he no longer looked stressed or exhausted.

When everyone had finished their dinner, Mikoto cleared the plates and brought back pudding. The Christmas pudding smelt strongly of brandy and wine, so Sakura and Itachi passed. Mikoto, being the incredibly resourceful woman she was, returned from the kitchen with two slices of key lime pie for the two of them and cream to share. They thanked her with matching grins and tucked in once again.

Stomachs full to bursting after the meal was over, they pulled crackers and laughed at the awful jokes that came out.

Despite eating enough to fell a horse, Itachi leapt up as his favourite Christmas song came on the radio, pulling Sakura with him despite her protests.

"It's the best!" He insisted, twirling her around the room as the others laughed at them. The music swelled and then – "FEEEEED THE WOOOOOORLD!" Itachi bellowed, swinging Sakura wildly, "LET THEM KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME!"

Sakura laughed until she cried and only realised they'd stopped dancing when Itachi pointed out the mistletoe above her head with a sneaky grin. They obliged the tradition delightedly.

When they were all warm and satisfied by the good food, they sat back down in the living room and opened their presents.

Sakura ended up covered in all of the presents she'd received, her lap spilling over. She reached for a smallish one and pulled the wrapping paper off.

Before she could see what it was, Itachi took it from her gently and knelt down in front of her.

She gazed at him breathlessly. Mikoto made a thin, excited squealing noise and slapped Ino on the arm randomly when she noticed what was happening. Sasuke was clearly already in the know, his expression smug. Sachiko breathed out, "ohmygoshohmygosh!" and Tenten clapped.

"Haruno Sakura," Itachi began, his eyes very soft and fond, opening the box to reveal a ring, simple and classy, a silver band with one diamond, "You changed my life when I met you. I am forever thankful for what you have done for me. I have already asked your father for permission and he gave us his blessing, but told me it was up to you in the end. I already knew that, of course. I've never quite been so conscious of a question I need to ask before, nor so anxious to hear the answer. I love you an enormous amount, more than I can even express in words, so I can only ask plainly – will you marry me?"

Sakura squealed, "Yes, of course!" and leapt on him.

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They trudged through the snow to get to the right grave, Sakura bending down to scrape the ice away from her mother's name and place the artificial flowers in the vase.

"Hi Mum," Sakura smiled at the grave, placing her hand on top of its smooth, marble surface, ice-cold in the Winter as usual, "I brought Itachi again. We've got some big news. We're getting married! It's the best thing, I honestly had no idea I could feel this happy but I really, really do. Sachiko's even going to make my wedding dress for me! Dad got pretty choked up when I told him and he said I could wear your veil and tiara. I hope that's okay with you. The wedding's going to be in April because we wanted a Spring wedding. I bet it'll rain. Oh, I almost forgot to say! I've got an audition for a TV show! They really liked my audition tape and they want to see me in person! Can you believe it? I've done so many plays the past few years, I've gotten used to it. I'm looking forward to trying something different! So yeah… that's my life so far. Merry Christmas, Mum."

Itachi knelt down next to her and addressed her mother, "Hello, Sakurako-san. I just wanted to say that you did a beautiful job raising your daughter, and I am eternally blessed to have met her."

Sakura gave him a light, fleeting kiss and said laughingly, "Same here."

They stayed at the grave, talking to her mother about everything that came to mind until the temperature dropped and it began to snow softly.

Itachi helped Sakura walk across the icy road and she caught sight of her reflection in a puddle that had frozen like a mirror. In that instant, she looked just like her mother.

You're my smart, beautiful little princess and I just know you'll grow into that wonderful woman one day. I can't wait to meet her, sweetheart.

Sakura smiled up at the clouds, snowflakes kissing her face, and crossed the road holding Itachi's hand tightly, with no inclination to ever let go.

If you felt sad reading the happy Christmas scenes because that is not how your Christmas happens, because you aren't blessed with a happy home life or any other reason, PM me so we can have a chat :)

Hopefully reading this was like injecting pure sugar, honey, sparkles and rainbows into your veins and smashing a toy unicorn into your face several times.

We can only hope!

I apologise if it was too fluffy, but the whole story is so utterly wangsty that they needed a happy ending. Besides, the main theme of this story has always been movies, plays and the like, so why shouldn't it end as they so often do?

I just so happened to start listening to Peppermint Winter by Owl City just as I started to write the Christmassy scenes and I nearly exploded with Christmas cheer XD XD

I don't know if you noticed, but Sakura and Itachi are teetotal now out of respect for her father (who is also teetotal). Sakura and Itachi have another Christmas dinner with him another day :)

Sachiko and Sasuke got married and she finally had her beautiful, perfect wedding in the dress she didn't have to make, standing next to a man who really loved her.

Tenten confronted Neji and he apologised for his forwardness. They made up and very slowly became a couple.

Ino and Sai are awfully, terribly happy together.

Fugaku is alone, unloved and done for.

Any more questions and I will gladly answer them! :D

Oh, it's nearly two in the morning and my vision is blurring over, better end this here :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

(nearly)

Quick poll because IT'S THE LAST ONE: Did you like this story?

A) Meh, it was OK.

B) Terrible! I want to dance on your grave for subjecting me to such torture!

C) OHMYGODINEARLYDIED IT WAS AWESOME PLEASE HAVE MY BABIESPLEEEASE

D) I liked it.