The Return

Chapter 46

 By Your Side

Sakura crossed her arms sternly as her husband glared at her. His intentions were all too clear.

"You can't come, I won't allow it."

"Oh, you won't allow it? I don't need your permission, Sasuke Uchiha!"

He rolled his eyes. "You're impossible. All I want is for you and the baby to be safe. Is that too much to ask for?"

"Are you sure it's not because I'm too weak?" she retorted sarcastically. "Little Sakura Haruno always watching you from behind. That's what you're thinking, isn't it?!"

"For the last time, I don't think that and I never have. Your amazing strength and compassion are a part of the reason I married you in the first place! But we're talking about safety here. I can't bear for anything to happen to you or our child, especially now that you're starting to show. If the enemy were to find out about your condition, you'd be targeted. Just think back to the Akai Hebi. You were targeted when you weren't even connected to me. Imagine what they'd do if this information was leaked."

Sakura turned away. She couldn't believe this! Here she was, stronger than ever, and longing to simply join her husband. She wasn't even asking to do anything dangerous, simply offer him support, and this was how he thanked her? Not to mention, people would find out about her when they went to Shikamaru and Temari's wedding...although she hadn't even broached that topic with him yet. As her mind raced, she could feel her temper boiling within her. "Sasuke, please just listen to me" she clenched her teeth, trying to remain rational.

"You're being really annoying right now" he stared her down coldly.

There was a seriousness in his eyes that she didn't like. Her temper rose and finally snapped with his expression. She'd show him just how hard she'd fight. She wouldn't let him get away with tormenting her like this. His intentions may have been good, but that didn't excuse him. She clenched her fist and punched the ground beneath their feet. The earth rumbled and cracked beneath them, creating a massive fissure. Sasuke jumped back in surprise.

"Don't underestimate me, shannaro!" she glared at him. "I may be pregnant, but as you can see, I've re-mastered my chakra control. I'm at the same strength now as when I was a chunin. I know it's not full capacity, but I'm stronger than I was. Besides that, I won't let you dictate what I can and cannot do either" she equaled his seriousness with her own expression.

"Sakura" he gasped. "I-"

"Let me guess, you thought I was laying around every day while you were gone. Well, you couldn't have been more wrong. I've been training day and night so that I could rejoin you."

A smirk crept up on Sasuke's face. "You really are annoying."

Sakura smirked in the knowledge that she'd won this fight.

Her husband turned and tilted his head back towards her as if he'd planned this outcome the whole time. "Well, are you coming or not?"

She rolled her eyes and ran after him. Why did he have to act so damn cool all the time?

***

Sasuke teleported them to the desert dimension, being careful to scan his wife after. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"If you ask me again, I'll punch you" she narrowed her eyes.

He raised his arm in an attempt to surrender. He smiled, acknowledging her strength even so. She was so much fiercer than he ever realized. He really was an idiot sometimes.