Hey there! So this is my first crack at fanfiction and is my first writing experience in a while. I promise to keep it updated as much as possible. Please let me know of your thoughts and tell me how you think I could make it better. This story is as much for me as for you! :) Enjoy!

'I'm two years into my journey now, yet I don't feel much closer to redemption. Why is that?' Sasuke thought to himself while resting under a tree to catch his breath. 'I feel lighter now, most of the darkness has faded. So why do I feel like there's something more I have to do? No, I need to do.' Sasuke let out a soft sigh and got up, ready to head north to continue his journey.

"Hm?" He sees a hawk circling above him and lifts his arm to let the animal land. After taking the scroll off of its leg he releases it with slight wag of his arm. He watches the bird gracefully fly out of view, and only then does he look to the scroll in his only hand.

Hey you Bastard. Hope your journey is going well, we're all good here. Hinata and I got married, and I really wish you were here for it, everyone missed you, especially Sakura. The other day she compared what you're doing now, watching over the village from the shadows to being in Konaha police force like you wanted to when you were younger. Man, she looked proud, and sad. We all miss you buddy. We both know why you're doing this, but still man… She's waiting.

Always your friend, Uzumaki Naruto.

Sasuke stared at the end of the letter for a long time. After several minutes his eyes started to sting and he realized he hadn't been blinking. 'What the hell is wrong with you?' he asked himself as he shook his head and jumped into a tree, heading north. He had only been traveling a few minutes when he stopped dead in his tracks.

She's waiting.

Before he knew what his body was doing he had turned around and started heading south, towards the village of his birth, towards all of the bonds he spent most of his life running away from, towards his home.

After about a day of traveling he was finally at the gates to Konaha. It had changed so much, as had the people waiting inside for him. The same guards that had always manned the gate ushered him through once they recognized him. And that easily, that quickly he was here. 'But where do I go now?' he thought to himself. He saw the Hokage tower in the distance, started walking towards it, figuring his best bet was to see Kakashi first. He wasn't in a hurry so he took his time to get a feel for the changes in Konaha these last few years. The new shops and houses quaintly decorated, the new Jonin HQ, and the new updated hospital. He froze.

Once again his body was acting faster than his mind could process. He was used to this during fights, but there was no threat here. 'What am I doing just standing here?' Then he felt what his body already had. His eyes closed, savoring it. It felt like being under a waterfall on the first day of spring… He basked in it for a moment, not thinking of anything but the overwhelming peace he felt, like breathing fresh air for the first time in years.

He opened his eyes finally gathering his thoughts. Finally after a few more moments he realized what it was that he felt… It was chakra. And he had felt it before. 'Has it always been that… Peaceful?' He ran towards it, not noticing the Children's Mental Health Clinic sign, not noticing the receptionist shockingly yelling for him to slow down, not noticing the blond woman who gasped, yelling "Sasuke-kun!" He kept running until he was at the source.

There it was. There she was. Pink petals of hair tied up loosely in a pony tail, red sleeveless shirt hugging every curve of her body, a warm loving smile on her face, sparkling pools of emerald with nothing but kindness in them. Yes, there she was, Haruno Sakura bent over soothing a crying child.

She hadn't noticed him yet, so he studied her further, holding himself back, letting her comfort the child that clung to her legs. She had grown, even since he last saw her. She was 20 now, and every bit a woman… Her body had filled out nicely since he left. Her breasts, though still small were fuller now, threatening to show cleavage as she bent down. Her face had lost all the roundness of a child and was breathtaking. Her legs… 'No. Stop, what are you thinking?!' He scolded himself.

He hadn't realized she had noticed him now, for he was lost in thought. Her eyes met his and he snapped out of it. He thought her face conveyed love before, but now she smoldered with it all over her face. A tear was threatening to roll down her face.

And there they stood. Eyelocked but not speaking, not breathing. Just taking each other in, though he was sure his face didn't relay this.

"I'm home, Sakura."

Finally the tear fell and she smiled a smile that made his heart stop, made every part of his being freeze right there. He was suddenly just like that child, he needed her touch, he wanted to break down and sob right there in her arms while she smiled that beautiful smile at him. But still, he kept his face emotionless.

"Welcome home, Sasuke-kun!" She managed to squeak out. The child she had been comforting looked at the two of them wonderingly. He looked back up at her and pulled on the shorts, trying to gain back her attention. But she could only see Sasuke now, it was written on her face, all of the loving things she wanted to scream at him, but still neither of them spoke. Neither of them could breathe at all.

The silence was broken when the blond who had recognized him slipped into the room behind Sasuke. He noticed now it was Yamanaka Ino.

She coughed. "Yoki-chan, how about you and I see if there's any chocolate in the vending machine, hm?"

The child beamed, forgetting Sakura and ran out of the room with Ino smirking in tail.