The lamp in the hall cast a soft orange glow over the kitchen tiles, the moon sat high in the sky, and sakura leaned against the bench and stared up at it. beside her, the kettle boiled, the rumbling broke the silence. She sighed as it began to whistle into the night. Turning, she made two green teas. She heard the the front door quietly swing open and then close, clicking almost silently back in place. She heared soft, almost silenced footsteps cross the floor, and then sound of a muffed bag being put down, before sasuke appeared at the doorway.

She put the tea down in front of him as he took a seat at the kitchen table, before joining him. For a moment there was a silence between them. She studied his complexion in the dim lighting. The bags under his eyes were more pronounced and his shoulder sagged with exhaustion from running all night.

 It didn't detract from his handsomeness in the least, though. Once upon a time the sight of him used to give her butterflies, but those days had faded, and her feelings had turned to warmth and comfort. She cared for him, and she knew he cared for her, but not in the way she had once hoped for.

"How was your mission?" She asked carefully. Sasuke pulled the teacup closer to him but didn't drink. He stared down at the green liquid.

"Long...but hopeful," he said, just as carefully.

She took a sip of her tea and nodded. It was enough of an answer for a mission she wasn't allowed to know anything about.

"How's Sarada?" With this he finally looked up at her.

"Good..." She frowned.

"Whats wrong?" Sasuke asked immedietly.

"No, she's fine.. great. Her jutsus have expanded and her genin missions have been going well..."

Sasuke leaned back in his chair and studied her but didn't push. She took another sip to buy time, then sighed.

She loved her daughter more than anything and would kill or die for her, but Sarada had been so rebellious since finding out she and Hinata were