It feels so good to be back and writing again. I'm sorry to keep you all waiting again. I know it's been like a year since I last posted, but I decided to continue this story. It's not going to be more than 10 chapters, like 41 Books of Me was, but it will be more than just these two chapters at the very least. Just be patient and I'll finally have another full story up on my account.

The Return of a Loved One

Sakura awoke with a start, the nightmare replaying in her mind as she sat up in her bed. Her heart was racing and no matter how much air she gulped down, it didn't seem like she could get enough. They had been so close to losing him. If Sai hadn't stepped in, he could have been gone forever, his dream eradicated and herself left abandoned by the two men who had been her some of her closest and most beloved people. There was nothing she could have done either. It had seemed like she had blinked, but her eyes had never closed. She couldn't see Sasuke move, didn't see Sasuke move, and had been frozen.

Tears silently rolled down Sakura's face and she trembled despite the warm covers. All three of her team members had been disabled before she had been able to throw even a single punch. She had been so weak, just like when she was 12. Not even Yamato or the kyuubi stood a chance either, as she had been informed by him later. Sasuke had suppressed the kyuubi, something only Yamato was able to do in her knowledge.

Thinking of the kyuubi caused her arm to throb and she clutched it, trying to soothe the dull aching while also attempting to do some suppression of her own. She didn't want to think of how much pain he had been left in after the kyuubi had taken control. She'd been so terrified, but she couldn't watch him hurt anymore. He had swatted her away, face emotionless and lacking regret, but she couldn't blame him. She never could. It wasn't him attacking her. He wasn't even aware that he had until Yamato had said so. She didn't like the pain and regret that he had felt when he did know what had happened, because he wasn't the one that attacked her.

Quickly, Sakura wiped her tears away and got out of bed, changing leaving out her front door despite the time. She needed to see him.

"Naruto," she whispered as she flew from roof to roof.

(/^-^)/\(^-^\)

Naruto awoke with a start, sweating profusely despite the cold breeze that drifted in through his open window. He hadn't been able to sleep well since their return from Tenchi Bridge and the Kusagakure region. Nightmares had been haunting him since learning what he had done to her. He couldn't believe himself, couldn't forgive himself, couldn't live with himself really, but he could never tell her that. All he could do was apologize and hope she could forgive him, hope she could forget what had happened, hope he could suppress the memories. He would never forget, suppression would be his only chance to move on.

Naruto jumped slightly as a loud banging suddenly came from his door. He sighed, wondering if the landlord was coming to harass him or if a neighbor had another complaint about something he hadn't done. He slowly got out of bed and threw on a shirt and pants, not wanting to offend his "guest" and cause himself more grief. As he carefully trudged his way to the door, avoiding trash and clothes that blocked his path, the banging began to change into more of a smashing, the poor door sounding like it was ready to fly through his apartment. Naruto picked up his pace and wasted no time in opening his door.

The person at his door was caught so off guard by his opening the door that Naruto was almost hit and sent flying through his apartment in the same way that his door had wanted to. It was her.

"Sakura-chan?" he questioned guiltily. Why was she at his door in the middle of the night?...Was this it? Was she going to dump him? He couldn't blame her if she did. He'd attacked her and could have killed her after all. Naruto was quickly dragged out of his reverie by Sakura's calls.

"Naruto! Naruto! NARU-!" she was cut off by Naruto gently pressing his lips to hers before pulling away, muttering an apology for the kiss under his breath, and looked down, his eyes dimming with what he knew needed to be said.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. I know what you're here for and I can't blame you. I attacked you….that's not okay…...I won't bother you anymore, you don't need the reminder of the pain I've caused. Goodnight, Sakura-chan. I won't stop loving you." Naruto began to close the door after he had finished speaking, but Sakura wasn't having any of it.

She kicked door open, knocking Naruto slightly back, and grabbed his collar before he could fall, dragging him into another kiss and enjoying his presence before gently pushing him away and staring him straight in the eyes.

"Don't you DARE apologize for that. YOU did not hit me. YOU would never hit me. The kyuubi is the one who attacked me, who hurt me. You're the guy who makes me happy and who's loved and been there for me even when I was stupidly obsessed with Sasuke. So just shut up already, you idiot." Sakura's eyes watered and she pulled Naruto into a tight hug. Stunned, Naruto stood still for a moment, allowing Sakura's words to break the damn that had been flooding his mind with guilt. He still couldn't forgive himself yet, but if he kept her words in mind, it would no longer be impossible.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan," he mumbled into her hair as he laid a gently kiss on her forehead and returned her embrace. Sakura sighed happily and melted into the hug, relaxing and letting her tears fall freely.

"And stay safe, idiot," she whispered into his chest, her misty eyes finally releasing small tears of relief from the reassurance that he was okay despite her nightmares. "We're going after Sasuke together now, so stop throwing yourself into danger like that." Naruto smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"It's the promise of a lifetime," Naruto joked. Sakura laughed and pounded his chest lightly with one hand.

"I like this promise better, it's not gonna go getting you killed." Sakura sighed again and leaned more into Naruto, her eyes growing heavy. Before either of them could realize, she was asleep in Naruto's arms and Naruto laughed quietly to himself, picking her up and placing her in his bed while he took a spare blanket and went to sleep on the couch.

\(^-^)/

I know it's a short chapter, but I actually wrote this all in one night, so I'm pretty proud of its length. I think it's pretty good. I hope you guys like it too. Don't worry, I'm gonna keep working on this story. I like it. It's sweet and simple.