I can't believe it took me two years to update this again. I guess a lot of things happened and writing was at the furthest from my mind, but I've always liked the idea of this story, and I've been reading fanfiction again and got me inspired to continue this again. So, if it may feel a bit off, then that's probably because half of this was written last year.

Merry Christmas to you all!

With Katsuyu summoned by Tsunade and Sakura, the Shinobi Alliance was able to get back on their feet. Gone were the serious injuries the medics could not tend to from the lack of chakra and the incredible fatigue. However, everyone was still tired and sore, and a lot of people were still sporting bruises and gashes since there were too many Katsuyu had to help and too little chakra from her summoners for her to stay long enough. It did not matter though, for they were now able to retreat home.

The atmosphere was still grim despite having everyone's spirits lifted up by the arrival of Team 7. Above the sky flew Sai on one of his bird drawings, and behind him was a stack of heavy scrolls. There were two more birds following suit, carrying even greater number of scrolls on their broad backs. The shadows casted on the ground were a heavy reminder of what everyone had lost in order to achieve peace, for these scrolls had the corpses of Konoha shinobi sealed into them. All these were obtained from the battlefield; Tsunade had ordered every able ANBU and Jounin to search for other deceased Konoha bodies wherever the war had taken place. It went without saying that the bodies of the dead must be retrieved at all costs, not merely only to protect the village's secrets, but for the families to bury.

Sai himself was grieving. His face may not have betrayed him but he was tearing himself up inside. Meeting his brother again has left his heart aching with remorse, and now that the battle was over, there was nothing that was going to distract him, no adrenaline to fuel his body and energy to keep the thoughts at bay, no enemy to consider and stop his train of thought from leading to the man who has always meant so much to him, even after death.

It came to his attention that it wasn't just Konoha who was acting this way. The silence stretched on to the other villages as well, who they were walking beside with. They, just like them, were consoling themselves with the loss and the trauma they've experienced in the last few days. The look on their faces were all the same; longing. Not for home, no, not entirely at least. But for their dreams, for what they have lived in the tree, for what they have wished for come true.

It was a heavy blow to everyone when they woke up from the Infinite Tsukiyomi, when reality slams into them and they realize what they have thought was their real lives at one point was everything but. It felt so real that when they had woken up almost everyone had gone so far as to reject the present and go hysterical from the sudden realization of what really had come to pass. Even Sai at first couldn't accept it. His brother had been alive just a few minutes ago—not the Edo Tensei kind of alive but alive—and they had been fighting good-naturedly just like the old days. But soon it sank into his head that none of the happiness he felt was ever real in the first place. A false image. Sai had never felt so disappointed in his life that he was reduced to a shocked state before he managed to pick himself up again.

There were still those who were suffering from the mental trauma. Yamato still wasn't responding the last time he saw him, which was when some of Konoha's finest genjutsu users were checking on him. Within the first hour awakening from the Infinite Tsukiyomi there were many people who had to be placed under a genjutsu to placate them. Their minds had been broken from the Tsukiyomi, and all they could do was cry out in insanity. And it looks as though everyone who initially managed to hold it together, including him, was descending into post-traumatic stress and depression. It was to be expected; during the preparations there were lessons given out on the experience of war was like, taught by war veterans to those who has never seen such display of heavy violence in the first place. Since Sai was root ANBU, there was no need for him to go; he's been trained not to succumb to such effects. But the pale teen could still feel his heartstrings tug at a simple thought of his brother. And even if everyone saw it coming, no one thought that they would feel such devastation.

No one spoke when the villages started to deviate paths. The Kage leading the way gave each other respectful farewells before they walked away from each other. Soon enough, the sun was high up in the sky and Konoha was entering the area that surrounded their dear village.

That night, grief can be seen and heard across the village. Even though they had won the war, no one wanted to celebrate. Not when everyone had lost a beloved someone. The cost of this war was much too great—a little over of one-third of Konoha shinobi survived, and a lot of them were confined in the hospital with broken mental states. Among them was Yamato, who still stared at the wall, his brain slowly blocking out the memories of pain and horror he had to endure.

Others were seen in bars, drinking their sorrows away, drowning themselves in alcohol and some even finding solace in a stranger's arms. Anything to forget what had transpired to them. This was Tsunade, who sat at the same booth where she was with Jiraiya for the last time.

Many had lost their appetites for interests. What they had loved now looked uninteresting and even disgusting. Chouji was one of them. Well, at least until he needed a midnight feast.

Those who silently grieved didn't utter many words. Their hearts were too heavy for them to open up, to talk about what has happened. Hinata simply sat on her bed with Neji's picture in her hands.

Then there were those who were able to cry. Cry for their pain and their loss. For everything they had endured. This was seen frequently seen with the teenagers, such as Ino, who locked herself in her room and grieved for hours.

And on the other side of the spectrum, there were those who felt pain too great to express. Pain that was better to sleep away for the rest of their life. Shikamaru hasn't left his bed since he finally put his hysterical mother to sleep.

Konohamaru hated funerals.

It brought back the memories of his grandfather and uncle. The boy sighed, looking down at his feet. The morning was gray and somber. Heavy clouds loomed over their heads as the Hokage stood on the podium, talking about how loyalty and sacrifice had affected the course of this war, that the losses of the audience would certainly not be forgotten.

A hand settled on his shoulder, to which Konohamaru looked at. It was Naruto's hand. Even though it was a weird thing to do during a funeral, the boy grinned up at him. "Naruto nii-chan!" He hugs the blonde tightly, glad to see him back. "I knew you'd win" He muttered.

Naruto softly smiled at the boy he treated as his brother. "I heard you were the one who organized genins to patrol the village when all of us were gone. I'm proud."

"I'm glad you're safe. Even if I knew you could do it, I was still scared."

Naruto gazed down at the boy with soft eyes. "I'll tell you what, I'm buying you ramen for lunch, that sound good?" Konohamaru nodded, his eyes gazing up at Naruto with awe and respect, just as he always did as a child.

While the two felt a lot better in the humid atmosphere, everyone else felt a lot bleak, especially those who have lost their loved ones

Lee was crying again, the loss of his teammate hitting him full force now that he's standing there in a dark suit he was lent. There was no declarations of springtime and youth this time, because his Neji was robbed of it.

All Tenten could do was comfort her remaining teammate. She felt tears burn her eyes, her breath stuttering in her lungs as she tried to be the strong one. She had to be the strong one. Gai-sensei lost everything he's worked for, would most likely be forced to retire because what good is a shinobi in a wheelchair, and while his face did not waver with tears, she knew it killed him inside. Lee lost his best friend, his rival, his brother. And though their rivalry may not have been as extreme as Naruto and Sasuke's, their friendship was.

They were a team.

No, they were family.

And once that thought entered Tenten's mind, her resolve broke, and tears silently streamed down her face.

Hinata stood next to her father with tears streaking down her face.

"Neji-nii…" Then, she buried her face into her hands and sobbed. Hanabi buried her face into her sister's shoulder as she herself silently reflected about her prodigy cousin while Hiashi put his hand on his eldest daughter's shoulder and held her close.

Hiashi knew that this was the fate of the branch members. Neji had done well in protecting his cousin, whom he was sworn to protect, but seeing Hinata break down, Hiashi felt guilt tug at his usually unperturbed heart. He says a silent apology to his twin brother, Hizashi, for failing to keep his son safe.

Ino, who was just behind the Hyuga clan, felt jealousy bloom in her chest as she saw Hiashi's way of comforting her daughter. She wished her father was here. She wished that he could still wake up to him telling her that breakfast was ready, jogging together in the mornings when both of them were free. She missed him dearly so, the memories started consuming her. The pride in his eyes when she first tried the mind-switch jutsu, how doting he was whenever she cuddled up to him, how hard working and inspirational he was…what she would do to have it all back.

The pretty blonde looked around in search for her teammates. Chouji was with his father a few steps to the right, all dressed in black like everyone else. Chouza looked terrible with his eyes red with tears and his expression grim and somber, nothing like the typical Akimichi grin he always donned. She was reminded that he had lost his dearest friends, and the idea of losing her best friends Chouji and Shikamaru made her release a pitiful cry. She slaps her hands across her mouth and thanks Kami that she had her friends at least.

She didn't notice Shikamaru wasn't present.

Much like when Asuma's funeral was held, Shikamaru simply lied back on the roof, staring at the clouds up above him. He thinks of his last conversation with Shikaku. Truthfully, Shikamaru was closer to Asuma. Shikaku wasn't doting like Inoichi had been towards Ino. He wasn't neglected, but maybe his father saw him as a troublesome kid.

Shikamaru smirked. They did have the same personality, and so Shikamaru didn't take offense to the thought. He knew that his father cared for him.

At the thought of going into his house since it was going to rain soon and it would be troublesome to get sick, Shikamaru remembered something his father told him to do. He firmly landed on the ground and walked towards where his father kept the wooden box he didn't want his wife to see.

The dark-haired teen took the box and went inside his room. He sat on his bed, staring at the box. It was a dark wooden chest that looked nothing special. What could possibly be in it that Shikaku didn't want Yoshino to see?

When Shikamaru opened the box, his eye twitched.

Kakashi, like Shikamaru, didn't attend the funeral. People still regarded Obito as a villain anyways. The debriefing would take place later that morning, and so no one but him and his former students knew what has happened.

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. It was the first time Kakashi felt true peace within himself. He has reconciled with his best friend Obito, and they parted ways in good terms. One day, Kakashi would be reunited with everyone he has loved and lost.

"I'll see you soon, ne, Obito?"

The Hokage sat quietly in her seat, processing all the information that was given to her. "Sage of Six Paths, Kaguya…well, I shouldn't be surprised. After all that's happened during the war it sounds like a very plausible thing. And your arms…?"

"Ah," Naruto scratched his head with a grin. "We just had to settle it once and for all. And got a bit too rough." As agreed, they left out the tiny detail of Sasuke's plan.

Tsunade snorted. Boys will be boys. "I want a written report to be given as soon as possible as all of you recuperate." Her hazel eyes turned to Sasuke. He was now wearing the standard gray jumpsuit of the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force. "There is also a matter of your punishment. You will be held accountable for your actions, but for your big role during the war, perhaps it wouldn't be as grave as it should be. I will discuss this matter with the other Kages, since they had been your targets during the stunt you pulled at The Summit. Your story regarding Konoha against your family will also be taken into account."

Sasuke replied with a slight nod, grimly wondering what she would do with the volatile information.

"Kakashi, I must further discuss some issues with you. The rest of you are dismissed. Rest well, war heroes. You have done your best."

"Hai!" Naruto and Sakura said, and trio walked out of the room. Sakura heard her Shishou call out for Shizune for her sake as they walk down the stairs, but Sakura shook her head with an amused smirk. They had walked in on them arguing with Shizune holding a sake bottle, and throughout their debriefing the blonde's cheeks were slightly red. Tsunade was well on her way to becoming drunk and it was just 10 in the morning. Their presence caused a distraction, and knowing how these things worked, what with her doing it numerous times when she was still training with her mentor, Shizune sneaked out with the stash.

"Ahh, I'm starving! Let's go get some ramen!" Naruto said as his stomach growled. "Ne, Sasuke, you can hang out with us right?"

As if on cue, three ANBU shinobi dropped next to Sasuke—what, were they on the ceiling this whole time? They were the same ones who escorted Sasuke underneath the Hokage Rock, where the team decided to meet. "I'm to be escorted back to the facility." Naruto deflated. So maybe he wouldn't be able to hang out with his best friend as soon as he got back. He just hoped that Baa-chan and the rest of the Kage's punishment would still enable him to hang out with Sasuke.

With a silent farewell, Sasuke turned around and left his former teammates behind, the ANBU trailing behind him mutely. Naruto sighed, upset that it felt like Sasuke still wasn't in the village. Sakura saw this and put a lithe but powerful hand on his shoulder. The kunoichi gave him a small smile. "We'll have ramen with him soon, I'm sure."

While the two friends made their way out, Kakashi had a hard time processing the words of his Hokage.

"Kakashi, I want you to take my place as Hokage."

Him, as Hokage? He was pondering whether she had too much to drink this morning, or if she had gotten any sleep at all. It was hard to get sufficient rest after all. His first war had him waking up shaking and crying for those he had lost for months on end, and he threw himself into his work, going into ANBU and pulling away from his friends. But as he regarded her, her strong gaze did not waver. She was serious about this.

"Hokage-sama…It is an honor that you have chosen me to be your successor, but I'm afraid I am not the right man for this. Naruto deserves this. You and I both know that it has been his dream for years."

"I'm not shutting his dream down, Kakashi. The boy truly proved his strength and leadership during the war. He is fiercely loyal with a warm heart. One of Konoha's most respected and finest indeed, but that fact he is just a boy makes him an unreliable candidate. He knows nothing about the refinement of being Hokage. He doesn't know how politics work, how to think critically in situations that require finesse and manipulation. He will choose heart over brain and that would be the downfall of the village."

"And you think I'm the best candidate for this?"

"Do you doubt your abilities?" Tsunade saw him as a confident, strong alpha male. To think he was insecure of himself, even in the slightest, was absurd.

"Truthfully, ever since I lost the Sharingan, everything feels different. There is no more 100% accuracy, I cannot see through movements, cause powerful genjutsus that only the kekkei genkai can formulate, nor copy any more moves."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "And you think that without this your accomplishments are to be overlooked? That you aren't one of the greatest shinobi Konoha has? With or without Obito's sharingan, you were a child genius, physically and mentally. On par with Uchiha Itachi. You've worked hard for your village, to protect the ones you care for. An eye does not make a man, Kakashi.

"And what about Naruto? Wouldn't he be disappointed with this?"

The woman shook her head. "Naruto will understand that he is not ready to take on such matters. He has his youth ahead of him. He also sees you with high regard Kakashi. You are his mentor after all. He knows very well that you are worthy to lead this village."

Lead the village? Kakashi was still unable to stop himself from doubting. His former student had left Konoha and he couldn't do anything about it. He wasn't a good leader. If he was, he would've been able to persuade Sasuke to stay. Kakashi sighed internally. Even though he would rather fight in the sidelines along his friends and students, he knew that Tsunade had a clear judgement. And if she thought that he would do his best, then he shall take her word for it.

Sasuke was considered an S-level criminal so he was detained deep in the building. His cell was spacious, and the only one in the room locked by a heavy iron door. While the facility is an ugly block of grey with two floors, it had countless of basements for criminals like him. Then again, there wasn't a criminal like Sasuke, an enigmatic mess of a man who killed anyone and everyone who got in his way.

Well, not everyone, not his old teammates anyways.

The heavy door to his room opened, and suddenly Sasuke felt the need to rip out the throats of the people that arrived.

Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane look worse for wear. The war must've put some extreme stress on the two old people, but they did not let it show in the way they carried themselves. Proud with chin up high and eyes down on him as if they had the right to.

And something, something threadbare in him snaps like a twig.

The cool façade shatters instantly.

Anger seared through Sasuke, and while his chakra was suppressed, he nearly lunged at the bars that held him back, contempt twisting his cool, handsome features into one of great disgust. "What the fuck are you doing here?" He spits out.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Homura says, voice deep and reverberating. Sasuke sneered at them. Were they stupid, not thinking of having an escort? Even with chakra restraints and behind bars, Sasuke was determined to kill them.

Then, he blinks at their next words.

"We are here to apologize for what our choices have caused."

But Sasuke caught himself and clenched the bars that held him back from his revenge. "You are the fucking reason why my family is dead. Why Itachi had to kill them. You….you monsters!" He spat, emotions crossing his usual stoic face. "You think an apology will bring them back?! You think that your sorry has any meaning to me?! IT DOESN'T." He roars, all inhibitions lost now. He only saw red, red as the stained floor next to his parents. Red that bubbled from his brother's lips. Red that he thirsts, for vengeance, for pain. "You THINK, that I give a fuck? You and your stupid, shitty excuses."

"We are not making excuses." Came the frail yet determined voice of Koharu and it sickens Sasuke because it sounds like she actually does regret it, as if it will bring back his family. "We apologize for your loss, but we did it for the best of the village."

Sasuke kicked the bars—and dented it. The elders jumped back in shock, and fear. 'Good,' Sasuke thought. 'Let them fear me. I'll fucking kill them.' "You know why we had to do it. Know that your family was plotting against Konoha,"

"That's because you've NEVER given them the trust they wanted. The Konoha Police Force was just a ploy to keep them in line! You blamed them for the attack without any proof, and shunned them to the point that they had to fight back. All of that was YOUR doing, because you doubted them. Made my brother kill for you lot, when really once The Third was gone you would've killed me." He punched the steel bar and it bends. Bones break, but Sasuke couldn't feel any pain. The adrenaline and anger rushed through him than anything wouldn't have an effect.

"It was a mistake, a grave one." Homura says, staring into Sasuke's eyes that were so full of pain without wavering. "And you're right, it won't do any good now. But as the Konoha Council, we decide what is best to save the village from threats. But a threat like you won't be squashed under our feet this time. You have the will of fire, and you are a threat borne from trying to squash that fire. So," Then, Homura does the something Sasuke did not expect from the proud elder.

He goes down on his knees, eyes lowered. "We humbly ask for forgiveness. Konoha had no idea of what had happened. Do not let innocent lives feel your wrath." Then the man bends to let his forehead touch the ground.

Koharu follows as well. "We have caused nothing but pain to you, and for that we lower our pride to tell you that we are sorry."

Sasuke wants to throw up. Pathetic. He didn't want them like this, on the floor, begging for mercy because it was done but he didn't have the strength to fight anymore. The anger earlier dissipated as quickly as it came, and he felt drained. He felt exhausted and just wanted to be alone.

"Get out." He says quietly, menacingly. Then he screams again. "I SAID GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE."

The elders quickly get up and leave the room.

Sasuke runs a hand over his face, trying to calm himself down. He's never broken down like this, and he doesn't know why it's now and not when his brother died or when Obito told him the truth or when he faced Danzo or even when his brother died again. All those times, he still kept the pain in, even when tears managed to escape, but now he has had enough.

And he screams, punching the wall behind him. Pain shot up his only arm, making him scream even louder. Then bile rises out of his stomach, and he empties it on the floor, not even trying to make it to the tiny toilet in the corner of his spacious cell. Blood and tears and vomit fell to the floor, and anyone who was watching the event unfold through the numerous cameras in his room looked away, because this was a man who finally broke, who merely cried a little bit when he found out the truth. But now that it's all over, it hits him harder than ever. What he's done, what he's sacrificed, what he's chased. All. For. This.

It feels like it's all for naught.

And he's confused and conflicted because all he's ever chased was Itachi then it was Konoha then it was the fucking world, but now here he was, with his stupid emotions all over the place as his chest racked with shuddering breaths and throat raw from all the screeching and the stupid pain in both his arm and stump and he didn't know what else to feel other than anger and hatred and trying not to care about a stupid team with a raucous blonde, a kind pinkette, and a silver enigma that he knew would always, always welcome him home.

Maybe all he needed was a good breakdown after keeping a strong face after all this time, or maybe even when he acted so fucking cold he still had a heart because the apology still affected him. Because now, he felt strange. There was still some of that darkness in his heart, and he would certainly never forgive those elders, but there was a little bit of quiet in his head. Just a fraction, but a start.

Tsunade visits later on, and Sasuke finds out that Tsunade wasn't the one who told them to apologize.

It was all on their own volition, and Tsunade was glad that Sasuke didn't get to kill them. He wouldn't have been pardoned for that.

"They should've informed me about what they were doing to do, but I'm just the Hokage and they're the stupid fucking council." Tsunade mutters as she heals the mess of a bleeding, broken man leaning against the wall that was cracked. Impressive. Those walls were tough with a capital T and he managed to crack it just a tiny bit with one punch without any chakra, though it did severely break all his bones.

There was a bit of blood and vomit on the floor, and Tsunade quietly worked on healing Sasuke as she observed him.

He was still a brooding, emo teenager. 'Tch,' she thinks, 'Sakura can do better than this'. But all the while she thinks that Sakura would be good for him. Help reel him back from the darkness that he surrounded himself in. She was Team 7 after all.

"Do you think they really regret it happening?" Sasuke asked. He usually wouldn't even bother but Sasuke still wasn't himself and he still felt like shit and Tsunade was there, the only person who actually knows the council.

"Maybe not personally, because I don't think they have hearts. But that's just because I hate them, but if there's one thing that I admire about them is that they love the village, so much that they are willing to sacrifice anything for Konoha, but that was their downfall as well." She looked up into his dark eyes. "They merely thought that the end justifies the means, and didn't think that the little boy left behind would be able to bring about the downfall of the village that betrayed his family."

The Uchiha watched the ugly bruises on his arm fade away as Tsunade was finishing up, finally restoring the broken capillaries under his skin.

"You know boy, you've done a lot of bad choices, but I think you can still start anew. Your past doesn't have to define you. You have friends to come back to, people who still think there is good in you, you can even start rebuilding your clan here. You may have been the most stubborn and selfish bastard I've met but you are loved, Uchiha Sasuke, and for a genius, you're pretty dumb to not even realize this."

Sasuke met Tsunade's eyes this time, her warm eyes reaching his, and somehow he feels like he's looking into the green eyes of his childhood friend.

"Hn."

The trial was observed by the other Kage through video call. There was an eerie silence in the court as the people testify their accounts on Sasuke Uchiha, and it was a long and tiring process that Sasuke just wants to end but really, this was his future. He didn't know what to do anymore. He was lost, homeless, and had no direction, and after the events with Itachi he regarded Konoha as a place that he could come back to.

Too bad things weren't going so well.

The Kage were testifying, all angered at his gall to take all of them on during the Summit, the Tsuchikage most especially disgusted at his arrogance, as well as the Raikage, whose brother he tried to capture. He's clearly not getting any forgiveness.

His eyes shifted to his team, all present to testify on his behalf. They were there during the Summit after all. Kakashi didn't have that orange book with him, his two dark eyes looking bored and glazed over. Something the white-haired shinobi mastered when really he had keen senses. Naruto was also serious, listening intently to the accounts of the Kage, his face giving away what he was thinking: that there was no hope. Then to Sakura, whose face was pale and exhausted as if she hasn't had a good night's sleep. Her bright hair doesn't look out of place next to Naruto and Kakashi, both who have oddly colored hair as well. But then again his old team really was odd. They get under his skin like no one else, and has always been his downfall.

Then fleetingly, he asks himself, are they? Now that he's not filled with that toxic vengeance he's been spewing out for the past years, he's seeing them in a new light. The voice that told him that they were making him weak and were only holding them back was fading, and it was easier to ignore it

It's surprising how easy it was to just stop pushing everyone away. He'd have to thank Itachi for that. If it wasn't for what happened in the cave, nothing could've changed his ways, not the elders, not The Fifth, not even his old team.

Then it's Tsunade's turn, and he's quite surprised that she tells them of Danzo's crimes up until the manipulation of Obito Uchiha. He knew it wouldn't do much in his case except get pity from the verdict, but he knew that sometimes that's how people win cases.

And it's enough, because while the Tsuchikage and Raikage were still angry, even they softened. They understood, and Sasuke hates it because he doesn't need pity. He feels angry at Tsunade for divulging it, but the rational part of him that was just starting to come out because he wasn't strangled by the lust for power says that it was inevitable, that really, the truth would have come out no matter what.

And in the end, Sasuke was pardoned because he was simply a puppet, and had done a lot of good in the war, although the Kages have stated he should watch his back. But Sasuke wasn't scared. He was still brooding and quiet but inside he was…he was…

Somewhat joyed, that he could stay.

And the Dobe jumped him and screamed into his ear, and Sakura grinned with tears filling her eyes, and Kakashi merely crinkled his eyes. And for the first time, the word pathetic or weakness doesn't come to mind.

That night, as they celebrated at Ichiraku's with bowls of ramen, Sasuke felt content, sitting between Naruto and Sakura, all three of them surreptitiously glancing at Kakashi, who later on managed to get away eating as fast as he can. And as they all laugh at him when he swallows too fast and chokes on the bolus, he smirks in content.

No matter how hard he tried, they'd always be family, wouldn't they?

A lot of Sasuke, a lot of drama. I wasn't sure how to write Sasuke, because it's been a while but I knew that in order for him to change, he had to break. It may be a little bit OOC, but I think that's the point of it. Sasuke is obviously a different man after the epilogue. There's none of that angst shit because he's at peace with his demons, and that means a lot of character development. It