Two years have passed.

He is twenty-five now. He does not remember much about the past two years. His ANBU reinstatement had been a pretty good distraction. But at the end of the day when he would drift to sleep, he would hear her voice, and as he closes his eyes he would see her smile.

Two years is a long time, he thinks. He jumps to another tree branch, his squad following closely behind him. They are going back to Konoha after another long assignment. He estimates another two weeks before he is assigned on another mission. He just wants it to get it over with.

Two years and counting.

He does not see Naruto and Kakashi much anymore — Kakashi, like he is, is part of the Black Ops, frequently out of the village. Naruto has been assigned to a genin team, although there are rumors that the Hokage had done this as part of Naruto's evaluation as a candidate for Rokudaime. Outwardly, he scoffs at him, but inside he is proud.

Sometimes, when the three of them are in the village, they have dinner at Ichiraku's. Sometimes, the ex-ROOT, Sai, joins them. Sometimes Sasuke thinks he will never think of Sai as someone other than he had been — a henchman of Danzo's, the man who ordered the slaughter of his clan. Sometimes, he thinks he considers him as part of the team — as part of the people who wait for Sakura's return.

He sees the village gates just the lines of trees clear.

Two years and counting.

She will be twenty-one in two days. Sometimes, she sends him letters. She tells of stories about the new things she'd learned, her new friends — Sasuke replies in short, direct messages, but he replies.

He misses her.

He closes his eyes briefly. He thinks he senses her chakra somewhere inside the village. When he opens them again, and it is gone.

This happens often. Sometimes he thinks he hears her laugh. Sometimes he thinks he feels her touch. But the next moment, it is gone, and cold envelops him.

Two years and counting.

He gestures to his team, and they nod collectively before each go on their ways. In two weeks, he will be away from the village again. He is glad for the distraction.

Naruto sometimes asks him why he doesn't go to Suna to visit her. He doesn't think he can. He would not know what to say. He would not know what to do.

I love you.

He closes his eyes again and wonders if he will ever heal.

When he opens them, the next thing he feels is shock, then confusion.

It is unmistakable.

Her chakra is there — it is inside the village. But… how?

He is running faster than he has ever remembered running. Around him, the world is a blur. He hears nothing but the rapid sound of his own heart beating.

I love you.

She is here — he knows he isn't imagining it. She is really here —

He stops directly in front of her. Around them, the leaves from the Sakura trees float. She smiles slowly, but she does not look surprised.

"Hey, Sasuke," she says. Her voice is like a breath of fresh air. Her eyes are as green as he remembers. She is beautiful. "I'm home."

He thinks of something to say. A sarcastic remark, an off-handed comment, but his mind clouds and there is only one thing to say.

"I love you."

Sasuke watches as Sakura's expression turns from shock, to confusion, and, finally, to joy. Her eyes water, but she blinks it away as she reaches to brush his hair away from his face.

"I love you, too."

His hand moves to the fingers on his cheek, and he squeezes it.

He is healed, he thinks.

He will be okay.

.

.

.

"SAKURA-CHAAAAAAA — Oops, am I interrupting something?"

"Is this what they call mating?"

"If you want to learn about mating, Sai, I could lend you my book if you want."

He is going to kill them.

A/N: And there it is! Thank you all so much for taking time to read this fanfiction. I hope you enjoyed! 'Til next time, folks!