The next morning, Sasuke and Sakura made it back into the border of the Land of Fire, hoping that they could figure out a quicker route to the other end of the land rather than working their way around, which would ideally take longer. They'd stopped for about an hour to rest and study the map.

"Hm? What's this?"

"Looks like some sort of... Small village." Sasuke peered his eyes at the small strip of land containing a small village right above the Land of Fire, next to the body of water making up the Land of Water. He hadn't really noticed it there before, either.

"The Hidden Hot Water Village!" Sakura beamed, "hey, Ino told me that Sai took her there on their honeymoon. They have some of the nicest hot springs there. Not to mention the water itself there is really something else. I know it's really going out of our way, but we should take a trip."

"Sakura..."

"Think about it." Sakura put her hand on his shoulder, "what we're getting into, with the Asekatsu and all... We might not have this same time to ourselves anymore. Shouldn't we enjoy being a normal married couple for at least a day?"

Sasuke pursed his lips. He should've seen this coming, getting into this marriage. But like Naruto had said, he should do what he can to make her happy, as much as it made him dread it. So he smiled and nodded, "okay. You're right."

Sakura grinned, "haha! Okay, if we're going to spend at least a day there, we should at least get going!"

He rose a brow, "oh? All that tiredness is suddenly out the window?"

"I'm so pumped and motivated to keep going. I can go for days, now." She laughed in response as she grabbed his hand and pulled him up with no problem at all, "so let's get going!"

She can be so bipolar sometimes. Sasuke smirked to himself as they started at a fast run through the forest until within an hour, they finally reached the small village.

_______________

"It's so hot here..." Sasuke muttered as he took his cloak off, Sakura doing the same.

"Wow..." Sakura chuckled and wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead, "the water here is clear as crystal, it's beautiful!"

The water stretched across the horizon with the exception of a few islands. There were small buildings lining the sandy beaches and only few civilians living there, because the rest of the people there were clearly tourists. Dozens, maybe hundreds of them. Surrounding the village were small mountains, and from one, there was steam coming up from it.

"Ah! There's the hot spring!" Sakura pointed to it, and Sasuke nodded.

"Hello there!"

They turned to see a young girl about nine or ten years old running up to them. Sasuke noted the glow in Sakura's face when she saw the child.

"Hey there!" Sakura grinned, "do you live here?"

"Uh-huh." The little girl nodded, "my name's Akane. You didn't look familiar, so I came to welcome you!"

Sakura bent down to meet her level, "how old are you, Akane?"

"Ten!"

"For a ten year-old, you seem very out-going and friendly." Sasuke crossed his arm.

"Sh, Sasuke." Sakura patted his leg, "it's okay, Akane. We thank you for your warm welcome."

"Mhm!" She grinned, "what are your names?"

"My name is Sakura, and this is my husband, Sasuke." Sakura introduced cheerily, "so tell me, Akane, do you think you can point us to where we can find a hotel?"

"Hotel? No, the hotels are booked." Akane shrugged, "you see, it's the busy season in the Hidden Hot Water Village. People come here on break."

"Yeah, we can see that." Sasuke scanned the crowded village, "so we might have to go, Sakura."

"Oh no, wait!" Akane quickly grabbed Sasuke's left sleeve, which was now exposed ever since he took his cloak off. When she noticed his missing arm, she stared at the sleeve before looking up at his face, "you can stay with me!"

Sasuke rose a brow, then turned to look at Sakura, "I don't know... Your parents..."

"They're not here this week. They're out on a mission." Akane explained, "they wouldn't mind!"

Sakura smiled, "I guess we can! There's no way we can turn down an offer for free lodging. Right Sasuke?"

"Sure." Sasuke shut his eyes, "if Sakura says so."

"Okay!" Akane grabbed Sasuke's sleeve and Sakura's hand and led them down the sandy road to a small house far from the rest of the buildings. It sat at the top of one of the mountains among another neighborhood of houses, "right here!" Akane hopped around as she opened the door for them.

"Wow!" Sakura's eyes sparkled as she gazed out the wide windows at the gorgeous view of the water and the beaches, "I would love to live here!"

"It's nice." Sasuke nodded in agreement.

"Here is the room you can stay in!" Akane skipped down the hall and opened a door for them.

"One bed?" Sakura muttered.

"You're married, aren't you?" Akane asked.

"Y-yeah, but..." Sakura fiddled with her fingers.

Sasuke looked at her peculiarly, "something wrong?"

"No, no, not at all." She chuckled nervously as she blushed madly.

"There's food in the fridge, if you're hungry!" Akane skipped out to the kitchen, "I'll be right back!"

"I'm hungry." Sakura changed the topic as Sasuke shut the door once Akane left.

He moved to sit on the bed, "I'm not."

Sakura crossed her arms, "Sasuke, something's getting to you."

"You too." He shut his eyes and leaned his head back to face the ceiling, "Sakura, I've been meaning to talk to you about all this. About being married and all."

"Yeah?"

He sighed and leaned over his knees, "growing up without my parents and in an environment in which violence and death stared me in the face, I have no idea how to please a woman. I don't know what it takes to make a girl happy. I don't know if I can give you what you want, because after all these years, while you were my savior, I was only your destruction. I caused you pain and grief, and I don't know what I can give you to make you happy."

Sakura stared at the back of his head as he leaned over his knees on the edge of the bed, "Sasuke..."

"Seeing you with Inari and Akane..." Sasuke cleared his throat, "you really love children."

Sakura sat on the other side of the bed, her back facing his, "you can tell, huh?"

"Yeah." Sasuke inhaled, "I don't know if I can give you that happiness because... I don't trust her. Akane, I don't trust her as much as you want to."

Sakura bit her lip, climbed onto the bed, crawled over to him, rested her chin on his shoulder, and wrapped her arms around him, "Sasuke... Being with you makes me happy enough. You don't need to do anything more to make me happier than I already am, knowing that you're here with me. Just remember that, okay?"

She felt his muscles relax under her touch. He'd been tense ever since they arrived there, and she realized that he really has been worrying. Not just for his own well-being, but for hers as well. What they were getting into could very well be their final mission, but they still had to go through with it, before the threat reached the Hidden Leaf. Then there was a knock and a call from outside the door, "Sakura! Sasuke! Food is ready!"

"Don't eat, Sakura." Sasuke grabbed her hand, "I don't... I don't know if..."

Sakura sighed, "okay. I'll be careful. We'll go visit that hot springs instead, then get food there, okay?"

"Okay." Sasuke nodded as they both got up, "we really need to be careful." Sasuke rested his hand on her shoulder, pulled her into a hug, and leaned down to kiss her forehead, "let's go."

______________

By the time Sasuke and Sakura got back, all refreshed from the hot springs, Sakura went straight to bed. Sasuke insisted that she go ahead to sleep and that he would stay awake, just to keep watch. So she slept soundly under the covers as Sasuke sat right next to her.

"Damn..." Sasuke muttered as he felt his eyelids getting heavy. He was even more tired than he thought. He looked down at Sakura, then at the shut door. Maybe... Being extra careful not to wake her, Sasuke slowly lifted the blanket and slid underneath it. It was very different laying under the same blanket as someone else. Especially someone he wasn't related to. It was... Comforting. He moved closer to her and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer to him. His body warmed hers, and her body warmed his. What could go wrong? And with that, he drifted to sleep.