A/N: Hello, everyone! I'm finally back with some more SasuSaku. This is the promised prequel to 'Return & Reciprocate' and though each story can be read without having to read the other one, I suggest reading both for better understanding of some of the themes and because while 'Return & Reciprocate' mainly highlights Sakura's point of view, this is something from Sasuke's side. It doesn't really matter which you read first though, but I would go for 'Return & Reciprocate', the link to which you can find under my stories. This chapter is mainly Sasuke-centric but SasuSaku is heavily implied. Also, Team 7 fluff. Enjoy! :')

'I must avenge.'

Those had been the words he had lived by for almost a decade of his life. In his head, there had always been someone he had to punish, something he had to destroy, some score he had to settle. In his head, there had always been fragments of a broken past.

'I must repent.'

Those had been the words that had splattered a blotch of white on the infinite black of his mind. In his head, there were now things he had to see, things he had to fix and things he had to protect; people he had to protect; bonds he had to protect. In his head, there was now hope of a brighter future.

Sasuke inhaled as he strutted through the meadow he had located a while ago, eyes on the book he was holding up to his face. He paused and looked around curiously.

'Nowhere to be seen,' he concluded mentally before letting out a low, exasperated groan and continuing forward again.

It had been thirteen months since Sasuke had set off on his journey. This journey, he had decided, would serve a lot of important purposes. He would use it to see the world with a new perspective, he would use it to find answers to the many questions he had in his mind and most importantly, he would use it to repent; to make amends for the sins he had committed, to provide time for things to heal, also for himself to heal. Some objectives had been easier to achieve than others. Some people had been more forgiving than others.

Sasuke blinked out of his thoughts as his feet instinctively stopped before a tree trunk. Another two steps and he would've run straight into it. A defeated sigh escaped his lips and he settled down on the grass, resting his head against the tree. He closed his eyes and inhaled again, taking in the different aromas surrounding him and letting his book fall to his side.

The previous night had been a sleepless one again. Sasuke had spent most of it contemplating the hostility he had encountered upon entering Kumogakure. He had been forced to leave almost immediately after and it had, very honestly, felt terrible. He had heard that he would not be welcome there and so, had put off visiting the village for quite some time but he had to do it sooner or later, he thought. And so, he had. But the anything but hospitable behavior had also, unfortunately, left him with no roof to sleep under. Though that hadn't been a first. On his journey, Sasuke had spent many nights sleeping under the stars, only never because he had been refused any shelter. Mostly just because there was no suitable edifice nearby or simply because the sky made him feel more connected to those dear to him. Those waiting for him back home. Home.

Sasuke wanted to go home. On such a night, when he was being forced to sleep out, rejected, he more than anything wanted to go home. At first he hadn't been sure he even had a place he could call home anymore, if Konoha was still his home but he had run into an old man on the road the other day; a man who was on his way home.

'As long as someone, somewhere's waitin' for ya to come back, ya know ya have a home, boy,' he had said.

And that's when it had hit him. Naruto was waiting for him. Sakura... was waiting for him. And even though he felt guilty for making them wait so much and a part of him feared that they would eventually waver; that his best friend would finally give up on him and the girl who had showered him with unconditional love would ultimately move on, he liked to believe that as long as they were alive, he would have somewhere he could call home.

But since he knew he couldn't really go home yet, he wanted sleep to come to him. Because sometimes when he slept, he would dream of them. Gone were the days when all he could dream about were blood stained floors and walls, when all he could hear were deafening screams, now he would see flashes of orange and silver, blue and pink. A lot of pink. He would feel strands of pink silk tickle his neck and slender arms wrap around his back and he would wake up feeling comforted. And so, he wanted to sleep, he needed the comfort that night. But it never came.

At dawn, he had decided that it was time for a break and that he would spend the day doing something he had been thinking about for quite some time. Something he just simply... wanted to do, a wish without a reason. So now, at noon, he was here, in this meadow he had heard so much about. The meadow that was supposed to be home to some of the rarest flowers in the world. And as he relaxed under the scarce shade of what he presumed were overhanging leaves, a slight breeze brushing against his face, he wondered if a day would ever come when he would simply be done with everything he had to do and could just spend his time fulfilling wishes without reasons. He wondered if and how he would ever be fully... content.

He opened his eyes as he felt something soft caress his left cheek. He brought his sole hand up to his face and plucked off a petal that, on inspection, was all too familiarly shaped, all too familiarly pink. He looked up and realized that he had been leaning against a cherry blossom tree all along. He shook his head; the things lack of sleep could make one miss. He then smiled as he examined the petal again and wondered if this was a sign, if this was… his answer.

'Sakura…,' he said aloud.

A/N: I'm sorry this chapter was shorter than what I usually write, guys, I just really wanted to end it with him saying her name. Yes, I know I'm a tease. :P But to be honest, the main point of this chapter was to lightly touch (and make you guys think about) all the things I'll be covering in the upcoming chapters i.e. Sasuke's book, why he's in a meadow (Though I'm sure the ones who've read 'Return and Reciprocate' would have already figured that one out), his dreams etc. So, this was basically just me setting up the stage for this story, giving you an idea of what Sasuke's been doing and how Sakura's clearly on his mind. So, I hope you liked it! Review and let me know what you think!
Oh and lastly, you can expect at least 2 more chapters for this fic (and then I'll be working on the sequel) but I might also add a few more if inspiration hits! Thanks for reading!