Quick summary of where in the Naruto timeline this story takes place:

Chapter 699

The Last—two years after the Fourth Shinobi World War, during winter

Sakura Hiden—the spring directly following The Last

Konoha Hiden—I'm pretty sure this is set in the same year as Sakura Hiden. Naruto and Hinata get married!

This story—the spring after the events of Konoha Hiden (one year after Sakura Hiden). So, altogether, this is set about three and a half-ish years after the war. Sakura recently turned twenty-one.

I'm trying to design this to be like a movie, so it will be maybe around four or five chapters.

The beginning excerpt is taken from the end of Sakura Hiden. I don't own Naruto. I credit OrganicDinosaur for the translations of the pieces of Sakura Hiden I use here. Forgive my ignorance on hospital matters; I use Wikipedia for information. Enjoy.

If I had been the Sakura from before, I would have felt anxious because I would have told myself that everyone's loves were being fulfilled except for mine.

But now, I am already different from who I was before.

—I'll see you soon—

That "soon" is definitely coming, since I have already made it this far and I continue to believe in him.

When Sasuke comes back, I want to talk about all that has happened—no, even more than that.

Sasuke-kun, welcome home. I...

—I'm home, Sakura—

Sakura's eyes fluttered open to the soft rays of a beginning dawn. After staring at the ceiling for a few seconds, she slowly rolled over on her side and glanced at the small clock sitting on her bedside table.

It read 4:33 AM.

She abruptly sat up and shoved her duvet to the side as she swiftly made her way to the bathroom and prepared for the day. She was running slightly late.

Sakura threw on a simple white shirt, light green cardigan, and white capri pants. She took her brush and quickly tugged it through her hair. It's long, she realized. Her pastel hair now tumbled past her shoulders and settled on top of her breasts. She had been too busy this past year to care about maintaining her hair.

After Naruto and Hinata's wedding, Sakura and Ino worked around the clock to establish a strong foundation for the project they initiated nearly two years prior: the Children's Mental Healthcare Clinic. The purpose of the project was to ensure the mental health of children who lived through the Fourth Shinobi World War. Now, the Clinic was considered a normal part of Konoha Hospital. Although Sakura was the one who first proposed the idea, she handed Ino the position as the head of the clinic. After all, Ino knew more about the mind and psyche than she did. Sakura herself had been handed the position of head medic and chief surgeon by Tsunade. Consequently, she had many patients to care for, especially those who suffered from long-term effects of injuries from wartime. This was why she could not be late.

Sakura completed her look by tying the red cloth band of her forehead protector around her head, the metal plate with the familiar leaf insignia resting on top. She would deal with her hair when she found time. She glanced at the clock. 4:56 AM.

Leaving her room, Sakura grabbed an apple from the fruit basket in the kitchen and made her way to the entryway. Shrugging on her black open-toed, heeled sandals, she snatched her keys and left her small apartment. She used the railing to propel herself to the roof, and with a little burst of chakra sped towards the hospital.

Sakura gracefully landed in front of the hospital's main entrance without breaking a sweat. Discarding the apple core in the trash can before the doors, she stepped into the building without any evidence of having been running late.

"Good morning, Haruno-sensei! Punctual as always!" The young woman sitting at the front desk greeted.

Sakura smiled and nodded, "Good morning to you, Yuko-san. Keep up the good work."

She headed up to the eighth floor, where her office was located. Upon arriving at the door with the sleek silver plate with the words Sakura Haruno, Chief Medic scrawled onto it, she unlocked it and stepped in. Immediately, she took her white coat out of the wardrobe. She set her keys down on her desk and put on the coat. She sat down at her desk to review her patients' files. There were over four hundred folders neatly stacked inside of her filing cabinets. As the head medic, Sakura oversaw the treatments of many more patients than any other attending doctor in the hospital. However, the majority were outpatients, and those who remained in the hospital were those who didn't have the means to perform simple, daily tasks. Sakura was currently treating about forty inpatients herself, most of whom were shinobi and kunoichi severely wounded during the war.

Today she was taking the resident medics with her on her rounds. After Kakashi had taken over as Hokage and Sakura as head medic, Tsunade spent most of her time reforming the healthcare and the medical education systems. One result was the opening of a four-year program solely dedicated to teaching and training shinobi and kunoichi to become medical ninjas.

When Sakura was a genin, one typically became a medical ninja by finding someone who was already well-versed in the subject and asking to learn under him or her. It was a very difficult process; many healers would decline and those who were kind enough to teach were often very busy. Tsunade revolutionized this issue by establishing the program and influencing Kakashi to approve it. Only those who possessed discipline and the finest of chakra control were allowed to be even considered to take the entrance examination each year. If passed, Tsunade herself would teach the budding medics. Overall, it was a very selective process and resulted in very few—maybe three or four—trainees every year.

Sakura never would have thought that her master would take in any disciples after Shizune and her. So, she was both surprised and amused when she heard Tsunade, a woman of much sake and little patience, would become a teacher. She also became a little sour; she wouldn't be known as the apprentice of Senju Tsunade anymore. Tsunade, however, had reassured her that she would only be teaching medical ninjutsu. The students would have to train their combat skills on their own. Sakura took a little pride in knowing that there wouldn't be ten more shinobi or kunoichi who could level mountains with one punch running around the village. It were these students who Sakura was taking on her rounds.

They were gathered in front of the entrance of the Intensive Care Unit, pensive. Sakura, with all of her files tucked neatly under her left arm, greeted them with a slightly wicked smile. She would be hard on them.

"Hello, everyone. Let's begin."

"Sakura-san, wait."

Sakura had just dismissed the residents after her rounds and was on her way back to her office. She stopped and looked over her shoulder. It was one of the residents, Tetsu, if she recalled correctly. He was one of the first students of Tsunade's program. Being twenty-five years of age, he was handsome, tall, and mature, with a nicely structured face. His sandy locks were strewn about his head, which gave him a boyish quality as well. He was also a fine medic, learning techniques very quickly. He wore the standard jounin outfit, sans flak jacket, under a white coat, which he stuffed his hands into.

"Yes?"

Sakura saw his face flush a little. She looked at him expectantly.

"I... May I take you out to dinner sometime? I would love to learn more about you, Sakura-san."

Sakura blinked. She was well aware of the growing attention she was receiving from Konoha's male ninja population. Although it was flattering, it was also quite unsettling. After the war, many kunoichi had been settling into the following peacetime and focusing on romance. As shinobi generally tended to court kunoichi, Konoha's shinobi began to notice that most of the eligible kunoichi were being taken.

Even Sakura's female friends.

Sakura knew of Ino's and Sai's budding relationship since the incident with Kido. She even saw Tenten, the once major tomboy of her peer group, going on various dates here and there. Hell, Naruto and Hinata were married.

However, Sakura was a woman of virtue. She was a woman true to herself. So, she turned a blind eye to this attention.

Because she only had one man in her heart.

"Sure, Tetsu-san, we can go for dinner sometime. As friends."

Tetsu downcast his eyes a little, "What if I would like to take you out for dinner as... as more than that?"

Sakura let out a tiny huff, feeling sorry.

"I... I already have... somebody... that I..." she trailed off, averting her eyes and turning slightly red.

"Uchiha Sasuke?"

Sakura's face immediately grew warm at the sound of Sasuke's name.

"W-Why do you say that?"

Tetsu let out a tired sigh of defeat and huffed a laugh. "Come on, everyone in the village knows about your 'undying love' for the Uchiha. I just thought I might have been the one who would be able to change that. You're an admirable woman, Sakura-san. You're intelligent, strong, and kind. You're four years younger than me, yet I don't feel the age difference at all. You're my superior in the healing arts. You're independent. I guess I just hoped I could have a shot, you know? I mean, you've been pining after the guy without any result for years. If your feelings are never reciprocated and if the Uchiha never comes back, I thought I could be the one who could be by your side."

Sakura looked down, hair guarding her expression.

"Uchiha Sasuke will come back."

"How can you be so sure?"

Sakura's mind took her back three and a half years.

I'll see you soon.

Subconsciously touching the violet diamond seal on her forehead, she declared, "He promised me."

With that, she turned back around and started walking back to her office with her head held high. She stopped and looked back.

"Oh and Tetsu-san," she smiled, "it's Sakura-sensei."

She left, leaving a dejected man behind.

It took Sakura a great amount of self-control to keep herself from stomping through the hospital and slamming her office door. Once inside her office, she dropped her files on her desk and sat down in her chair with much force. She buried her face between her arms and lied on top of the wide desk.

"I mean, you've been pining after the guy without any result for years. If your feelings are never reciprocated and if the Uchiha never comes back, I thought I could be the one who could be by your side."

Sakura turned her head so she faced the opened window. She murmured to herself, "He'll be back... if I don't have faith in him, then who the hell will?"

Sakura began seeing change in Sasuke even during the short while he stayed in the village to clear his name immediately following the war. She saw his efforts to open his heart, to try and let people in instead of shutting them out. She started to see expression return to his mismatched eyes, which were hardened like stone after being away from Konoha for so long and suffering more than anyone could ever hope to imagine.

I need to see it for myself, how the world works. All these things I've overlooked: I have a feeling I'll be able to see them better now. And if I miss this chance... I don't think there there will be another.

It's my road to redemption. You have nothing to do with my sins.

But... when she felt his fingers tap her forehead, she just knew.

I'll see you soon. That he'd be back.

After calming down, Sakura let out a breath and raised her fingers. Her head still lying down on her desk, she brought her fingers forward and lightly tapped her own forehead. She flushed, smiled, and let out a small laugh. That would forever be her most precious memory.

"What are you doing?"

Sakura nearly shrieked as she abruptly jumped out of her chair and chucked the nearest object she could reach at the source of the question.

"N-Naruto?!" She squeaked. Her sunny friend was crouching on the window sill. The mug she threw smacked him in the nose and shattered upon impact.

"AH!" He fell backwards out the window. Swiftly, his prosthetic arm grabbed the ledge and he deftly hauled himself back up.

"SAKURA-CHAN, YOU BROKE ME! I thought I was gonna die, this is the EIGHTH FLOOR!"

Sakura scoffed, "Idiot, your head is so hard the most a fall from the eighth floor would give you is a concussion. Why don't you ever come in through the door like a normal person? Wait, don't answer that question, you're never a normal person." Even so, Sakura went over to the blonde and affectionately placed a glowing green hand over his bleeding nose.

"Sorry for throwing a mug at you, I was surprised," she glanced at his bandaged arm under the long sleeve of his orange sweatshirt, "though, it looks like your arm's been holding up well over all this time!" After Naruto and Hinata had married, they spent almost every waking hour in each other's presence. Along with Kakashi being the Hokage, Sai spending more time with Ino, and Sakura's work at the hospital, she hadn't had the time to enjoy Team Kakashi's company for a while. Especially Naruto's company.

"Yeah! It's great, you and Baa-chan did really well with this arm! But I'm not here for a check-up," Naruto grinned, "since I haven't seen you in like foooorever, wanna go get some Ichiraku's with me? Pretty please?"

The corners of Sakura's lips curled upwards. "Now what's a married man like you asking this fair maiden out for dinner? Hinata will become green," she joked.

Naruto laughed, "Nah, Hinata's out on a reunion with Team Kurenai today. Besides, you know she isn't like that. Since I've been eating her home cooking lately, which is the best don't get me wrong, I've been missing ramen a lot. I've also missed you, so we should go! Please please please please—"

She feigned a sigh, "Oh alright. It's almost my lunch break anyway."

"YAY! You're the best!" Naruto flashed a shining smile and threw a thumbs-up.

"Yeah, yeah. I know."

"Naruto! I've been thinking you finally had it with my ramen! Which, if you did, I would hunt you down for," Teuchi lit up when Naruto and Sakura slipped under the curtains of the ramen shop.

"Occhan! You wound me! I could NEVER get tired of your ramen! What do you take me for? Have some faith!"

"Haha, you're right! Sorry, it's just been a long time. It's also nice to see you too, Sakura."

"Hello, Teuchi-san. Ayame-san."

"The usual please!" Naruto happily chirped.

"And I would like miso," Sakura politely requested.

"Coming right up!"

As Teuchi and Ayame set to work, Naruto turned to Sakura.

"So... back in your office, you were definitely thinking about Sasuke, weren't you?" He dragged out the last word and rose his eyebrows suggestively. Sakura punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow!"

"I-idiot! I wasn't!"

Naruto rubbed his shoulder and gleefully teased, "Don't lie! I saw what he did to you the day he left to travel!"

"...You were watching?!"

"Maybe~"

Sakura, now very flustered, sputtered.

Teuchi interrupted, "Yes, Sakura, I've been hearing from my male patrons that you're quite the popular ninja around here. But it seems like you won't make yourself... available."

"I..! It's because I have somebody!"

"You mean Saaaasuke?" Naruto wiggled his eyebrows again. Sakura was beginning to regret agreeing to eat lunch with Naruto.

"Occhan, Ayame-neechan, you'll never guess what I saw Sakura-chan doing in her office today!" Naruto sing-songed. Sakura's eyes widened.

"N-Naruto, that's PRIVATE!"

Ayame's eyes slowly widened and she blushed, clearly misinterpreting Naruto's words.

"Oh dear, Sakura-chan, it's completely alright. A fully grown woman who doesn't have a man to fulfill her needs has to have a way to—"

"NO! No, this is a complete misunderstanding! NARUTO, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS!"

"Eh?" Naruto, who was ignorant to Ayame's meaning, tilted his head. "What's so wrong about poking your own forehead?"

"Poking your own forehead?" Ayame frowned and put a thoughtful finger on her chin, "Now what could that mean?"

Sakura's face grew so hot, steam figuratively exploded out from the top of her head in the form of a mushroom cloud.

"Here you go, Naruto's special miso ramen with extra pork, and one miso ramen for Sakura!" Teuchi set down two bowls.

Attempting to forget everything that had just transpired, Sakura ignored the scalding broth and preoccupied herself with stuffing her face to save herself from embarrassment. However, she didn't have to wait long to leave the shop as a sudden beeping sounded from her hip. Snatching the device and looking at the tiny screen, she quickly stood up.

"Sakura-chan, what is that?"

"I have to go, it's an emergency. One of my patients needs me. Thanks for the food!" She ran out and disappeared.

Teuchi looked up from his work boiling noodles. "What a hardworking girl!" He praised.

Naruto blinked, "What just happened?"

A deep voice cut in.

"It is called a pager, Naruto. The medics at the hospital recently have started to use this innovative technology. Why? Because it allows for immediate contact, especially during emergency situations. It is becoming an optimal communication tool for those who work as healers."

"AHH!" Naruto jumped back in surprise. At the end of the counter, a hooded figure sat and calmly ate his ramen. Naruto peered at him for a few seconds.

"... Shino?! Since when were you sitting here?"

Aburame Shino sat still for a moment and then sulked.

"I've been here this whole time. Why are you never able to recognize me immediately?"

"A-ahaha, sorry about that..."

Shino remained in his seat, brooding and muttering to himself about how changing outfits since the last time he saw Naruto shouldn't be a factor into recognition.

Naruto sheepishly laughed. Gah! It's because you cover your face all the time! He quickly turned to Teuchi, "Occhan, seconds please!"

"Naruto, you do realize that you have to pay for both yours and Sakura's right?"

"E-Eeeh?" Naruto quickly brought out his frog wallet from his pocket and counted the coins inside. He blanched. "Come on, I haven't been here in such a looooong time—"

"—Sensei!" A new, childish voice interrupted. Naruto turned around to see a big group of children on the street in front of the shop.

"Sensei?" He questioned. Shino also turned around.

"Ah," Shino said, "how are you enjoying your lunch, kids?"

Naruto could only stare. "Sensei?!" He repeated, this time shocked.

"I have acquired a job at the academy to teach the students there. I am only an associate teacher for now, but Iruka-sensei has been kind to me," Shino explained. Naruto remained speechless.

The children's eyes turned to Naruto.

"Wow! It's the Naruto-niichan! The Hero of the Leaf!"

Naruto took a moment to let the praise sink in. A goofy grin spread over his face.

"I mean, it's not THAT big of a deal..."

"Teach us something cool, Naruto-sama!"

Naruto slammed his chopsticks down and jumped to his feet. "ALRIGHT! This Naruto-niichan here will show you something super duper awesome and amazing! Come on kids, lead the way!"

"Yay! We're so lucky!" The group of children ushered Naruto off in a scurry.

"OI NARUTO! YOU forgot to... pay..." Teuchi sighed. Then he smiled, "I guess it's okay this time."

Meanwhile, Shino twitched in anger at being ignored once again.

When Sasuke imagined returning to Konoha, he always pictured orange and pink to be the first colors he saw. Naruto's obnoxious jacket and Sakura's hair.

In his dreams, they would be standing right at the main gates, waiting for him with open arms and huge grins on their faces.

So when Sasuke calmly walked through the famous A-N gates during midday, he couldn't help but feel the slightest disappointment when nobody was there to welcome him back. Of course, he was returning unannounced, so he should have expected as much.

The first people he actually saw from the village were neither Naruto nor Sakura. They were the chunin gate guards, Izumo and Kotetsu. One was staring blankly into space, yawning, while the other was outright snoring. Sasuke slowly walked past them. Kotetsu's bored eyes slid onto Sasuke's form, and Sasuke turned his head over his left shoulder, hair swaying with the breeze and momentarily uncovering his striking purple, ringed and dotted eye. After a sudden realization, Kotetsu shot up and punched his partner.

"O-oi! Wake up! Isn't that..."

Izumo, disgruntled, opened his eyes. "Huh?" He too, sat up after seeing Sasuke's figure.

"N-No way!"

"Go and report this to Hokage-sama!"

"Right!" Izumo 'poofed' away while Kotetsu continued to stare after Sasuke's retreating back.

"... He really came back..."

Inside the Hokage's office, Hatake Kakashi intensely peered at the stack of documents he held in his hand. More specifically, the open book hidden in front of the papers. To anyone on the opposite side of his desk, he appeared to be doing his work very diligently.

Urgent knocks resounded through his office, coming from the door. Kakashi sighed and hid away his book in the first drawer of his desk.

"Enter."

Kamizuki Izumo tumbled in, frazzled.

"Hokage-sama, he's back!"

In realization, Kakashi's onyx eyes widened by a fraction.

"Understood. You are dismissed." Izumo nodded and with one hand seal, he disappeared with a poof once more. Sure enough, Kakashi sensed a presence at the door and barely caught the small rectangular package thrown at him. He paused to examine the parcel, and then his eyes slid to the man entering the door.

"Sasuke, you're back."

Sasuke looked at the stacks of papers piled up around the office. He smirked.

"You're as busy as ever."

Kakashi let out a sheepish laugh, "Ah, as much as I feel guilty about feeling this way, I really can't wait until Naruto's ready to take over."

He took in the sight of his former student. Sasuke's face remained remarkably impassive, if a bit weary, which was something unchanged from the past. He stood tall with perfect posture. His hair had grown enough that gravity started taking effect and weighed it down to his chin, although it still curled slightly upwards in the back. His bangs hid the left half of his face and ultimately his Rinnegan. His dark grey cloak concealed his limbs, but Kakashi could see that Sasuke wore slightly tattered black pants and black sandals. He couldn't help but think that Sasuke possessed a gloomy sense of fashion.

"So? Are you back to stay for good?"

Sasuke contemplated his next words, carefully saying, "I decided that I finished what I set out to do... for myself."

Kakashi searched Sasuke's visible eye, trying to discern the hidden meaning behind the statement.

Sasuke turned his gaze to the window, taking in the sight of the Konoha before him. It was the same, yet it wasn't. Many new buildings integrated themselves amongst the old to where they haven't existed four years prior, and Sasuke could see even more ongoing construction. However, the people remained the same. Friends laughing, children playing, loves forming and being protected—Sasuke could only see the Will of Fire burn strongly in the villagers themselves. This was what made Konoha, Konoha. This what what he wanted to protect.

Sasuke turned from the window back to Kakashi, "I decided it was time to come back. Although I will never be able to fully atone for what happened by my hands, I feel like I can finally stand in this village again. I feel like I can I finally stand by their sides again."

Kakashi's eyes softened. "But..." Kakashi urged, knowing there was more to be said.

"But when the time comes to leave once more, I will."

Kakashi tilted his head in question.

Sasuke elaborated, "I traveled the world to not only open my eyes to what I couldn't during the time of my betrayal but also to gather as much information as I could about the likes of Kaguya and her origins. I learned many intriguing things, but I haven't been able to explore most of them. If I must leave in order to eradicate the likes of Kaguya for good, I won't hesitate to do it."

He's grown, Kakashi thought. He then chuckled. "I know at least two brats who would protest that idea—"

"AND ONE OF THEM IS RIGHT HERE DATTEBAYO!" An orange blur burst right through the door, and a fist flew directly toward Sasuke's face. Sasuke nonchalantly caught the punch, closing his eyes before the corner of his lips slightly turned upward.

"You haven't changed a bit... Naruto."

"HERE I AM SHOWING THE CUTE ACADEMY KIDS MY SUPER COOL SENNIN MODE AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I SENSE YOUR CHAKRA, YOU BASTARD! HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BACK?!"

"Naruto! Calm down, he got back not even an hour ago." Kakashi rested his chin on the palm of his hand, his elbow holding his head up. He let out an annoyed sigh.

"OF COURSE HE GOT BACK NOT EVEN AN HOU—oh. Oh."

Sasuke was unimpressed. "Loser, if I had been here for long do you think I wouldn't have contacted you and just lived my life back in this village without your knowledge?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Uh, heheh, sorry, it's just that your chakra being inside the village really threw me off after you've been gone for nearly three and a half years."

He looked over Sasuke up and down. He could feel excitement bubble inside of him and couldn't contain it any longer. He held out a bandaged fist.

"It's really good to have you home."

Sasuke's expression softened and his sole fist slowly came up to meet Naruto's.

"It's good to be back."

Kakashi clapped his hands together and said, "Alright kiddos! Reunion's over! Naruto, I am giving you an impromptu mission. Help Sasuke get settled back in." Naruto grinned.

"You got it! Bastard, you and I are going to have a hell of a time. You have to tell me everything you did while you were traveling! And there better be some damn good stories or else I'm holding it against you for missing my freaking WEDDING."

Sasuke couldn't help but tune out Naruto's incessant chatter and look around for the other person who should have come with Naruto. Naruto definitely wouldn't have just barged in there without informing her of his presence back in the village. But she was nowhere to be found.

"Where's... Sakura..?" He asked in a quiet voice, his voice gradually wavering with embarrassment. Naruto paused, processed what Sasuke just asked, and then slyly grinned. He shoved his ear in front of Sasuke's face, cupping it with his left hand.

"Whaaaaaat? I couldn't quite catch that."

Sasuke coughed once into his only hand. "Where's... Sakura?" He asked once more, still very quiet. Naruto's grin stretched even wider.

"Sorry Sasuke, still can't hear you, I must be going deaf or something! If you ask one more time I'm sure I can help you out with whatever you need."

Sasuke gritted his teeth, annoyed and ready to pummel Naruto's head into the earth and make him deaf. "I'm asking where Sakura is, idiot!" He snapped, ears tinged red. Kakashi looked at the duo in great amusement.

Naruto laughed really loudly, "She's at the hospital right now!" Then he slightly frowned and put a thoughtful finger on his chin, "Something about an emergency—"

And at those words, Sasuke's eyes widened in alarm and he immediately vanished.

"—about one of her patients. Wait hey! Where'd you go? Don't leave me behind, bastard!" And Naruto too disappeared out of the office.

Kakashi chuckled at his former students and turned to matters back at his desk, where the small package that Sasuke threw to him earlier sat. The package was looking at Kakashi expectantly, as if telling him to hurry up and open it.

"Huh, I forgot to ask him what this was." Unwrapping the standard brown paper, a video cassette fell into his hands. It was a black rectangular prism with the tape rewound to play at the beginning when put into the VCR of a television. Along with it, a notecard fell onto his desk. It read:

A souvenir.

Kakashi looked at the label on the video tape and then his face lit up with joy.

Icha Icha Pooltime was finally adapted into a movie!

Sasuke sped along the roofs of the village, heading toward the general direction of the hospital if he remembered correctly from three and a half years ago. Concern spread across his visage, eyebrows narrowing together. Just how bad was Sakura hurt that Naruto couldn't even tell her he came back?

"SASUKE! WAIT A MINUTE DAMNIT!" Naruto chased after him. Sasuke paid him no heed and continued even faster toward his destination. He was one of the fastest shinobi alive, after all. Once arriving at the building with the kanji for "healing" printed on top of its main doors, he all but flew into the front lobby and nearly frightened the desk clerk out of her wits.

"Where is Haruno Sakura?" He demanded.

"Y-you're...!" She stammered.

"Where is Haruno Sakura?" He repeated, his visible eye dangerously flashing.

"She's in s-surgery, sir." Sasuke's face darkened. Her condition was bad enough to warrant surgery? Why didn't Naruto inform him of this earlier?

"SASUKE YOU BASTARD, I TOLD YOU TO WAIT!" Naruto barreled into the lobby and crashed into Sasuke.

"What the hell, moron?!"

"That's my line! I think you misunderstood something here! Sakura's fine!"

"She just said she's in surgery!"

"Not surgery for her, dumbass! One of her patients! Did it go over your head that she's a fucking doctor?!"

Sasuke paused. Of course. Sakura was the most proficient healers Sasuke knew. Of course she wasn't the one undergoing surgery. Of course she was the one performing it instead. Suddenly, he was seventeen again, battling alongside Naruto while she healed every single member of the Allies through her slug. He remembered watching her heal his obliterated left arm simultaneously alongside Naruto's right so they both wouldn't bleed to death after their final battle. He remembered how he let her talk his ears off when she excitedly explained to him in great detail what she was researching with Hashirama's cells, assisting Tsunade in her endeavor to create prosthetic arms. He remembered how smart she was, soaking up knowledge like a super sponge and applying that information to new situations. And he also remembered how young she was, being only twenty-one years in age just like him. Sakura really was amazing.

Sasuke suddenly felt very silly. Not only was he embarrassed for his uncharacteristic outburst, but he had shown no faith in Sakura's abilities. He automatically assumed that she had somehow been victimized. He stood up, eyes downcast and hidden behind the shadow of his bangs. Dusting himself off lightly, he swiftly turned and stalked out of the hospital. The spectators in the lobby looked after him in confusion.

Naruto, of course, followed him.

"What is up with you?" Naruto squinted, trying his best to analyze his best friend. They were back on the bustling streets, heading toward Sasuke's apartment. After the war, he had spent most of his time detained in a holding cell but had procured a new house to stay in for a short time after being released.

"...Nothing." Sasuke gritted out.

"Come on, I've never seen that kind of expression on your face before. Something's gotta be up."

"Haven't you ever heard of concern for a teammate, idiot?"

"HAH, that was more than just 'concern,' Sasuke! You were straight up out for blood!"

Sasuke's greatest fear was losing another person close to him. After the war ended, he finally decided to try and let people into his life, and his heart started to mend. Bonds were really what held people together, he realized, and it didn't take him long to understand that losing either Naruto or Sakura would devastate him. So when he registered the words "hospital" and "emergency" in his mind, all rational thoughts flew out of his head and he immediately assumed his greatest fear would become reality.

"Besides," Naruto continued, "I don't think you'd be on the verge of psychopathic rage if I had landed myself in the hospital. You'd probably just call me a moron for getting injured and leave."

Sasuke just scoffed, not wanting to entertain Naruto with his true thoughts.

"You are a moron," he retorted, "and if there was a way you'd die, it'd be from your idiocy and not from battle."

"Yeah, whatever," Naruto dismissed with a wave of his hand, clearly used to Sasuke's insults. He then crossed his arms, and closed his eyes thoughtfully with a foxy frown, "But I can't help but feel like there's more to what I can see..."

Sasuke remained impassive and just continued to walk.

Truth be told, Sasuke thought he'd been close to losing Sakura the previous year, when he learned that she had been kidnapped by someone called "Kido." The bastard was trying to get Sasuke's attention by using his hairs left from the Valley of the End to impersonate his chakra and trying to find a way to artificially create the Sharingan. Sasuke ignored him. When he learned that Sakura was being held hostage in order to lure him out, he halted his journey to return to Konoha and murder the freak. However, Sakura had already taken care of matters like the capable woman she was. It was then that Sasuke realized that she wasn't the weak twelve-year-old girl from his memories. It was also then that Sasuke felt immense pride for his female teammate. Of course, that didn't stop him from finishing off the remaining enemies. He was sure Sakura was unaware of his involvement with the incident, and he intended to keep it that way.

Throughout his travels, Sasuke had a lot of time to think about where he stood with his female teammate. Before he left and when she asked if she could join him on his journey, he denied her proposal because it was something he had to do for himself. Instead, he tried showing her that he accepted her feelings by doing to her what he thought was the most loving act from his memories.

What Itachi did to him to show that he loved him.

But while he was traveling the world, he couldn't help but think that Sakura completely missed the confession underneath the act. Sasuke absolutely hated wearing his emotions on his face—something characteristic of Sakura. It took an immense amount of embarrassment and setting aside pride to just to tap her forehead. So how in the world was he supposed to tell her, show her, that he was starting to reciprocate her feelings? That even though he would never be worthy of her love, he wanted to be selfish and let himself indulge in it? That he was willing to try, after spending all this time hurting her?

"Helloooooooo, earth to Sasuke," Naruto waved his hand in front of Sasuke's face.

"What?"

"I said, what are you going to do about it?"

Sasuke had completely ignored Naruto's talking and was unsure of what he was talking about. "What am I going to do about what?"

Naruto sighed, as if repeating himself was a tiring task. "About all of those manwhores after Sakura-chan's innocence!"

"What did you just say?" Sasuke stopped walking and asked, narrowing his eyes. Manwhores? He felt anger churn inside of his chest. He also suddenly came to a realization. What if Sakura had moved on? He had been gone for almost four years, after all.

"I said that Sakura's FLOWER is at stake here! IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!" Naruto flailed his arms.

Sasuke frowned. Now this was a problem.

Naruto continued, "Just because she's like the only kunoichi of marriageable age without a boyfriend, it's like ALL THE SINGLE SHINOBI THINK THEY'RE ENTITLED TO HER OR SOMETHING! IT'S TERRIFYING AND REPULSIVE AND I FEAR FOR HER SASUKE! DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!"

Sasuke's fist tightened at his side. "What have you been doing this entire time, dobe?"

"Uhhh excuse me, if you haven't been living under a rock, you'd know that I'm married. I can't spend all my time chasing off bastards after Sakura-chan's Springtime of Youth when I have my own wife I need to spend time with! Sakura-chan's been good at fending off those rabid dogs by herself, but you never know when one will get past her defenses and seduce her like a snake!"

Ignoring the snake insult as he was a snake user himself, relief flooded into Sasuke's system. Sakura hadn't been seeing another man.

"Although, I do feel kind of bad for her. She's been alone this whole time, watching all her friends fall in love..." Then, Naruto's face looked as if it came to a great conclusion, "Hey, this is all YOUR fault, you bastard! How are you going to make it up to her?!" Naruto demanded.

Make it up to her? Sasuke thought. And then he realized that Naruto was right. Maybe he had taken her willingness to wait for granted. Maybe she had suffered while he was away from Konoha. He needed to find a way to thank her.

They reached Sasuke's apartment. He unlocked the door and Naruto strutted inside, kicked off his shoes, and threw himself on Sasuke's couch, acting as if it was his home instead of Sasuke's.

"Maaan I'm beat." He then sneezed, the dust that accumulated on the couch over years of no use tickling his nose.

Sasuke tugged off his own shoes and neatly placed them in the corner of the entryway. He set his pack down against the wall and went over to the large window-wall and opened the curtains. The afternoon light shined brightly through and Sasuke could see the great Hokage Mountain. He unclasped his cloak and chucked it at Naruto, who was falling asleep. It hit him square in the face and a muffled shout came from under. Ignoring him, Sasuke then walked to the kitchen and put a kettle of water on the stove. Sitting down at his kitchen table, he wondered when he would be able to finally see Sakura.

But first, looking around his dust-layered living quarters, he decided that he needed to do some housework.

If there was one thing Sakura hated, it was performing impromptu surgeries without any preparation. Especially long ones.

One of her patients, who suffered from brain trauma after clashing with the Ten-Tails fission forms, turned out to have a subdural hematoma. Blood gathered in the membrane of his brain and spinal cord and tore veins, resulting in high intracranial pressure. But chronic subdural bleeding develops over days, even weeks, and in slow progression so Sakura couldn't believe her patient had bled so rapidly over the course of a single day. She couldn't help but feel something was off about this situation.

When she arrived at the scene after her pager notified her of an emergency, she ordered her nurses to prepare an operating room immediately. Scrubbing in, it took Sakura and her assistant surgical residents seven hours to find the blood clot.

Yet she still managed to save her patient's life, and Sakura couldn't be more relieved.

She fell back into her swiveling desk chair, exhausted. Concentrating chakra for seven hours was both a physically and mentally taxing thing to do. Glancing at the clock, she realized it was already evening. She decided to take her work back home with her, so she gathered her patients' files. She took off her white coat, turned off the lights, and locked the door behind her.

When Sakura made her way down to the lobby, the desk clerk called out to her.

"Ah, Haruno-sensei! Well done, I heard the surgery was a success!"

Sakura wearily smiled and yawned, "Yes, Yuko-san, it was. But I could have definitely done better. I should have been able to catch it before Tanaka-san needed an emergency surgery..."

"Oh, that is nonsense! Now you just go home and rest up. You must be happy, now that you have someone to go back home to!" Yuko winked.

Sakura blinked. "Excuse me?"

Yuko laughed and said in a teasing voice, "Come on, now that Uchiha-san is back, how could you resist his charms? Especially after what he did today!"

Sakura froze, jaw opening, and her heart stopping for a few seconds. Then it crashed against her chest, thumping. Hard. He's... he's back?! "... What exactly did he do?"

Yuko also paused, covering her mouth like she said something she shouldn't have. "You mean... you don't know?" She asked with a meep.

"What exactly did he do?" Sakura repeated.

"He... he barged in here and asked where you were, because he mistakenly thought you were hurt. If you ask me, I'd say he was really worried about you, Sensei."

Sakura's eyes widened. Sasuke? Asking after her well-being? That couldn't be true!

All thoughts of work flew out of her mind as she turned on her heels and sped through the exit into the spring evening. She remembered the way to Sasuke's apartment from before he left. She ran with all her might, barely even breathing because she was solely focused on finally being able to meet him again. To see him again. To be with him again.

When Sakura found herself in front of his door and urgently raised her hand to knock, she realized that all of the lights were turned off through the windows. Breathing heavily, she slowly put down her hand, realizing he wasn't inside. Feeling glum, she whirled around, ready to turn the village inside out in order to find Sasuke.

But she didn't need to because she turned around right into Sasuke's chest.

"Oomph!" Her files fluttered up into the air, paper raining down on them, around them, in between them. Like snow. Like confetti.

Her shocked gaze traveled from his chest up to his face, and Sakura instantly felt the outer corners of her eyes sting as wet droplets formed. Don't cry! You're supposed to be strong! She told herself.

Sasuke looked down at her, unflinchingly staring straight into her eyes. When he saw those tears, his face visibly slackened and grew soft.

"You've changed, yet you remain the same," Sasuke softly said, more to himself than to Sakura.

A million thoughts whizzed through Sakura's head. She just had so many things to tell him. Where was she supposed to start?

"Sa..Sasuke-kun, welcome home. I..."

Yes, Sasuke was finally home. Sakura was his home.

He cut her off, "I'm home, Sakura."

And she broke into the widest smile she'd smiled in over three years as she let the tear slide down her face.

A/N: And that concludes the first chapter of five! Did you like what I did there at the end? Throwback to Sakura Hiden :D This chapter focused more on background. The next will have a lot of Sasuke/Sakura scenes (maybe even a... "date"?!).