AN: Hello, there! Here's something fresh that I've been working on set in the period after the Fourth Shinobi World War. **SPOILERS** if you haven't caught up to the last chapters (699-700) of the manga! I've also added in some elements of things that we learn through the Hiden light novels, if you're interested in them, I highly recommend checking out the translations online! They're really well-written and give so much insight into the characters. Enjoy!

Chapter 1 - Friends

"Because you're my friend."

The idiot that he had watched and been envious of, was and would always be his friend-his family. He had no one else, just like Naruto. They were more similar than he would've liked to be.

Sasuke had a family that was cruelly taken away from him. He had a brother that he had admired and looked up to that ended up killing their clan, leaving only Sasuke as the sole survivor. Itachi was branded a traitor when, in reality, it had all been conspiracies and politics. When Sasuke found out the truth, it was as if someone were twisting a knife stabbed in his heart. It was too much.

Sasuke felt he didn't deserve forgiveness. He had wanted everyone to hate him, and they did. The one person that held some kind of regard for him was Naruto. They had been rivals-it formed the core of their relationship. And it had brought them to where they were at today.

Naruto was strong. He wanted to be Hokage. He had always talked the talk. Sasuke hadn't believed that it'd be possible. However, after their last fight, he thought it was possible. Naruto had it in him. Naruto had never doubted Sasuke. Naruto had smacked the hell out of him for straying from the path. Naruto brought Team 7 back together again.

Team 7. They had always been in the back of his mind. It was the first of many firsts. His first team. His first friends. The first group he had left. The first that had fought so hard with him AND against him.

"I'm sorry," Sasuke said. Not only to Naruto, but also to Sakura. They were a team, and he had betrayed them. Naruto could bear it-he was strong in many ways. But Sakura...Sakura had been so shaken up by him. She loved him and he broke her heart. She probably hated him as much as she loved him. As she leaned over Naruto and himself, healing them, he heard her sniffles and felt her wet tears dripping from her cheeks.

The thought lingered in his mind: will you ever forgive me, Sakura? Sasuke knew the answer to it already although he wanted to hear it from her directly. Sakura was never good at masking her emotions. Her face had said it all in that moment as she healed them.

Sasuke stood in front of the abandoned buildings. The tattered windows and doors were grimy, but the gentle snowfall covered it up. He wondered if he could live there again in his old home. It was probably a lost cause. It held too many memories and secrets that he didn't want to think about. He sensed her presence approaching him slowly.

"Sasuke-kun."

The sound of his name on her lips was all too familiar. An echo of days gone by. It had been years. They had grown up plenty since then.

After the conclusion of his fight with Naruto, he had been in the hospital. Naruto's room had been right next door to his. He heard everyone coming and going, thanking Naruto, wishing him well.

Sasuke's room was quiet. The plaque outside the room didn't have his name on it. The only ones who knew he was in there was Team 7 and the hospital staff. His only visitor had been Sakura. As a medic-nin, she also checked up on his vitals and to monitor his healing progress. Sometimes, when he slept, he could feel her presence beside him.

She had probably followed him after he left the hospital. He wasn't supposed to be discharged yet. His injuries weren't completely healed yet and they were still working on the replacement for his arm. It had been months and he was getting uncomfortable though. The village wasn't the same anymore, just as he wasn't the same anymore. People were wary of him, scared of him, hated him. He needed to leave.

"You should be in the hospital," Sakura said. She figured that he wouldn't leave without a goodbye. Not like last time. She had panicked when she saw the empty hospital bed. She knew there was one place that she would find him at. She found him there, facing the doors of his old home.

He turned to her now, seeing her fully now. Her cheeks were flushed from running. Her hair was tied back messily. Her eyes had dark circles from many sleepless nights. He could see the pleading in her eyes. "I can't stay," he said.

She steeled her gaze, trying to be strong. "I know."

They stood there for a moment in silence. She was afraid to approach him, he knew.

"I'm sorry, Sakura." It was the only thing he could say. He would apologize for the rest of his life.

"That's enough, Sasuke. You don't need to say it again." That phrase was something that held a lot of weight behind it.

She reached for his good arm, as if holding on to him would prevent him from leaving. He watched as she hesitated to touch him. Her fingers flexed until at last, she withdrew her hand, averting her gaze.

"Sakura," he said.

She looked up at him.

"I'm so sorry." He would say it a million times.

She looked angry now as her fist clenched. She trembled.

"I was stupid and I'm sorry."

He didn't expect Sakura to forgive him easily. She was still fraught emotionally. He had heard her crying at his bedside some nights. He had trouble sleeping for the most part, so he was usually aware of it. He would listen to her cry until she gathered herself and left. She often said things to him about how she waited for him, how he was finally home, and how she really missed him.

She was trying to be strong. He knew that. During the day, she would hold her emotions in check, but at night, by his side, she let it all out. She often looked exhausted and tired, always working on something at the hospital.

Sasuke didn't have much else he could say to her at this point. He opened his mouth as if to form to the words, but didn't know what to say. In his moment of hesitation, she moved, quick as a snake striking its prey.

"Sasuke, you dumbass!" she shouted, her punch connecting with his shoulder. It wasn't as strong as her punches that could break the ground, but it was strong enough to cause him pain. He took it though, falling backwards onto the ground. He hated the slight imbalance from his missing limb. He wasn't quite used to it yet.

"Stop apologizing, just get back to the hospital. Now."

They headed back to the hospital together with Sasuke in front and Sakura keeping an eye on him from behind. He couldn't tell what she was thinking, but he felt that perhaps they could be friends again. He'd let her punch him again if that meant all was well.

Sasuke hated being in the hospital. There was plenty of gossip that he could hear, people talking about him. They talked about what to do with him. They talked about the upcoming hearings. They talked about the progress in reconstruction of the village. They talked about New Year's coming up soon.

It was really starting to get to him. Everyone blamed him for a lot of things (most of which were true) and wanted to prosecute him. He understood how they thought he could still be a threat to the village.

It was a complete surprise to him when Hinata came to visit him. She had brought flowers and replaced the ones in the vase by the window.

"Hello, Sasuke. H-How are you?" Hinata asked. She was still fairly shy, but she was more confident than Sasuke last remembered.

"I'm fine. Thanks for visiting."

"Naruto was telling me to check up on you. He thought you might be...bored."

There was knocking from the opposite wall-Naruto's way of saying, "Hey." Naruto was like Sasuke, getting bored of being confined to the hospital. At least Sasuke had snuck out that one time. There were plenty more people making sure that Naruto stayed inside to heal. There was also plenty of takeout being delivered to his room as Naruto replenished his energy by eating a great deal.

Naruto would talk to him all the time, telling outrageous stories about Jiraiya's escapades or of Tsunade beating him up. Even Naruto avoided more sensitive topics and kept the conversation light-hearted. They would sit at their respective windows and Sasuke would mostly be listening. They often did this while they had lunch. Naruto could eat almost anything, but the hospital food was really unappetizing to Sasuke. The fresh air helped a little, but it had been months now, and winter had started to set in. The air was colder now, but they still talked occasionally, wrapped in blankets by the window seat.

Hinata sat down in the chair by his bed. They were on strict bed rest, but for the two of them, both ridiculously strong and strong-willed, it was difficult. Sasuke would pace around the room sometimes, his ribs still aching from where Naruto got him or his head a little woozy from sinus pains. He was almost completely recovered though and he could barely stand sitting around all day.

Hinata held out a stack of books. "I brought you some books to read."

He took it from her, feeling the weight of them. They were thick volumes of the village history, jutsus, and even a romance novel. He gave her a questionable look, but she seemed firm in handing it over to him.

"In case you're bored. I'm sure you probably haven't read anything like it. I really liked it though," Hinata blushed. "In any case, this is only the first book. The writer hasn't published the next part yet."

"Umm...thanks." The title, The Spring I Remember, was written in a beautiful calligraphy. A lavender was painted in the bottom corner. Its gentle colors were soothing as the flower itself.

In the darkness, she was there again. He had heard her speaking to Tsunade outside of his room.

"You should go home, Sakura. Enjoy the holiday."

"I will...in a little while."

"He's not-"

"I know, shishou."

A pause. "Alright. Good night, Sakura. Happy New Year."

"You too."

He closed his eyes when he heard the door sliding. There was a rustle as she set her bag on the floor and she sat in the chair next to him. She released a heavy sigh as she settled in. She liked to rest her head on the edge of his bed and just ramble. It had become a habit of hers, checking up on him.

In a soft voice, she started. "Sasuke-kun, I hope you're feeling better. Naruto told me Hinata came by to visit. Said she gave you some books. I hope you're not too bored here, but who am I kidding? The both of you are so troublesome."

Sasuke was facing the window, yet he could feel her gaze on his back.

"You two..." she sighed. "I'm glad you're home, Sasuke. I've been working on an idea for the hospital. It's not quite ready yet, but I hope you'll get to see it before you go."

He wondered what she was working on now. He only knew that she had trained extensively under Tsunade as a medic-nin. He wasn't aware of her specific duties in the hospital. She always talked about him leaving. He knew it worried her.

"It's going to help the village recover...from this mess. Hopefully, they'll respond well to it. The kids...it's been rough. It's going to...help...them."

Sakura was falling asleep. Her breathing grew relaxed and even. She had her head over her arms, her pink hair covering her forehead. He remembered how sensitive she had been about it back then. He knew that she was out like a light. She threw herself into her work and constantly exhausted herself. He wondered if she had trouble sleeping too, so she worked until her body just couldn't take it.

He slowly got up and placed a thick, wool blanket over her shoulders. She smiled in her sleep and he couldn't help but smile back. He got back into his bed and turned to face her. He watched the slow rise and fall of her breath until he drifted off as well.