There is a sort of sequel/prequel to this story that you don't have to read called Just a Memory.

Enjoy.

.:Reminiscence:.

Sasuke felt cold. It was a strange sensation. It was not like the time he had traveled to the Land of Snow or passed through the frigid nights in the Suna desert. No, this was a numbing cold that spread through him in an uncomfortable manner leaving him feeling disoriented and vaguely annoyed. He could feel control slipping from his grasp as the clarity of his vision blurred into spots of color and the voices around him grew muffled.

Someone was leaning over him, shouting something. He was hit with the faded memory of a time not unlike this... It had been in Wave Country... Team Seven's first mission. He had taken an attack meant for Naruto and woken to Sakura crying over him. He had been cold like this then too.

It was odd for him to remember such a thing. After his tentative return to Konoha he had tried to avoid dwelling on the past, even things as seemingly innocent as a former mission. Though in this moment he couldn't quite shake the nostalgic feeling that swept over him as a faded image of pink flitted in front of his tired eyes and the muffled shouting grew dimmer and dimmer.

He felt tired. More so than he had in a very long time.

Was this how Itachi had felt?

Sasuke's eyes felt heavier with every passing moment as his vision darkened around the edges.

As his eyes closed he knew it had been worth it, Naruto's life was more important to the village. He could bring the change Itachi had died for and Sasuke had wreaked havoc over. He only wondered if Sakura would be able to forgive him for leaving them alone.

He knew he didn't have the right to ask.

.:.:.:.:.

Sasuke's eyes snapped open to blinding light that faded in to a dull glimmer after a moment.

His heart stuttered in his chest as he took in his surroundings, it was his room. One he had not slept in for almost twenty years, in a house that had been destroyed during the war.

Like most of the house, the decorations were simple and tasteful though not truly indicative of a child save for a few odd toys he had acquired as a boy.

He stood up slowly, running a hand down his chest searching for a hint of the blood that had drenched his clothes moments before. There was nothing there, not even the slightest rip in the fabric.

Cautiously he made his way to the door, pushing it open and peering out down the halls.

It was as he remembered it, though not as he had last seen it.

The paper screen doors were whole and there were no blade marks on the walls or broken furniture lining the hall. He was almost positive if he walked down to the far end of the corridor he would find the floor free of the blood of his parents. Though he did not truly care to investigate such a suspicion. The walls of this house, whole or not, had haunted him for many years and he did not wish to relive the memories he had tried so very hard to forget.

"Sasuke dear, are you going to stand there all day or are you going to join me for lunch?"

Sasuke turned quickly, a kunai poised in his hand ready to strike, but he found himself unable to move.

"Is that anyway to greet your mother? Honestly, you boys were always such a handful."

Before him stood his irate mother with her arms fold neatly across her chest looking so very young. It struck him then just how young his parents truly had been when they had died. His mother couldn't have been much older than he was now. He felt a pain in his chest remembering that Itachi had died even younger, just barely into his twenties.

"Mother," he gasped, his arm dropping leaving him vulnerable.

The woman smiled in a way that reminded him of how Sakura would greet him after he returned from one of his journeys.

"Come now Sasuke, lunch is ready," and with that she turned and walked down the hall leaving Sasuke to trail silently behind her.

He sat down at the table just as his mother placed a plate of plain rice balls with a small side of sliced and salted tomatoes in front of him.

"You always were such a picky eater, always wanted plain things. Though your brother wasn't much better," she laughed lightly and Sasuke found himself staring openly at the woman, not touching the food. "I do hope your daughter is more open to different foods than you two were as children."

Sasuke was silent merely watching how his mother's lips twisted into the warm smile he could remember clear as day.

"I'm dead," Sasuke stated after a moment.

His mother's dark eyes narrowed slightly with his exclamation.

"Are you sure? I don't think anything's been decided yet. Are you really so eager to leave your life behind?" Her tone was soft, but he recognized the scolding lilt to her words.

"I have lived much of my life on borrowed time. If Itachi had done as he had been ordered I would not have even made it this far. I have lived recklessly and in the end I was able to serve my village as Itachi would have wanted. If it is my time then I will go," Sasuke replied with tempered words.

His mother merely sighed brushing at her dark hair.

"You sound so much like your father," Sasuke sat up straighter unsure how he felt about her words. "He was always so straightforward with his words and stubborn as a mule too." She smiled lightly, but her eyes hardened when she turned her gaze back to Sasuke. "But is the decision truly so easy for you? Would you leave your wife without her husband and your daughter without her father without so much as a second thought? Would you leave them alone as you were?"

Sasuke could not find it in himself to hold his mother's critical gaze.

"Sakura is strong and she will raise our daughter properly. She will live a respected life," Sasuke looked back to his mother. "She will live without the burden of my sins."

"My son," she smiled sadly. "I do not believe it is your place to put words in your wife's mouth."

Sasuke was silent for a moment.

"I have made many mistakes in my life mother, ones I cannot ever hope to atone for, perhaps it is my fate to die in such a way."

"You speak callously as though you do not care, but your action show otherwise. You took an attack that was meant for the Uzumaki boy and you did it without thinking." His mother stood from her place on the other end of the table and came to sit beside him. "My brave boy, I think perhaps you care much more than you say." Sasuke flinched as her hand grazed over his cheek brushing his hair, but he did not pull away. "It's okay to be angry, to not want to die."

Sasuke's eyes closed and he found himself leaning into his mother's touch just slightly.

"I am tired of being angry, mother." His mind drifted to his four year old daughter smiling up at him from the table in their apartment. He thought of Sakura standing up to greet him with a warm embrace and tender words.

He was not angry that he was dying, he had lived many years with his eyes clouded with rage. He would not die in the same manner.

"I am..." Sasuke trailed off. All he could see was a small girl with short black hair staring up at him and a woman with colorful hair and inquisitive green eyes standing behind her.

His throat felt tight.

A pair of arms wrapped around him pulling him from the stiff sitting position he had been in since arriving. The hand of his mother moved soothingly over his back.

"Perhaps, my son, you have more reason to live than you thought."

Sasuke returned her embrace tightly, ignoring the way his cheeks felt wet or his shoulders shook under his mother's hold.

"Come now, Sasuke. It is time to go," his mother pulled away holding his gaze all the while as she tugged lightly on his hand getting him to stand along with her.

He followed her silently to the main entrance of the house.

His mother's thin fingers curled around the wooden frame sliding it open to a bright sunny morning. However, the other houses outside were blurred as though he were staring at the mere imprint of what once was. His mother turned to him, pulling him into her arms once more.

"I am proud of the man you have become, Sasuke. I'm sorry I could not be there for you when you needed me most and protect you as a mother should," Sasuke held her tighter.

"I survived," Sasuke spoke lightly as she began to pull away.

Her hand cupped his cheek and she just smiled sadly.

"The choice is yours, son," she whispered as her fingers slipped from his face. He watched as she stepped from the threshold into the open air.

He remained still as she walked to stand next to his father who looked sternly back to him before nodding his head in acknowledgement, the hint of a smile on his lips. Another figure stood beside them too, back straight and piercing eyes striking Sasuke to his core, a light smile flitting across his features.

"I…" he stepped forward, but remained inside, "I have to go back," he spoke finally.

His brother smiled.

"Goodbye, little brother."

.:.:.:.:.

"Sarada, sweetie, go sit in the chair and drink your juice," a light voice greeted Sasuke's ears.

"Okay, momma. Does papa get juice too?"

Sasuke's twitched as the morning light blinded his tired eyes.

"Papa is sleeping; maybe when he wakes up he'll want some."

He blinked.

"Saku...ra…" his voice cracked over his dry mouth as he turned his head lightly flinching at the pain vibrating through his abdomen.

His wife stood in the doorway of his hospital room, her hair pulled up in a rather disheveled manner and wide green eyes shadowed with exhaustion. The can, of what he assumed to be juice, slipped from her hand and slapped against the linoleum tiles.

"Sasuke," she breathed.

"Papa's awake mama!" His daughter tugged on Sakura's pant leg before shuffling across the room before using the chair beside the bed to help her climb up next to him.

Sasuke smiled lightly at her, while trying to keep her from aggravating his injuries.

"Papa, do you want juice? Mama said you would want some when you woke up," Sarada looked at him with wide black eyes and a smile as bright as the sun.

Would you leave your wife without her husband and your daughter without her father without so much as a second thought? Would you leave them alone as you were?

Sasuke brought his hand up to brush his daughter's loose hair behind her ears.

"Aa."

Sarada giggled maneuvering her small body to lie next to him. "Momma, papa wants some juice!"

Sasuke looked back over to Sakura who had been standing in the door and was now walking over to them, the can she had dropped now in her hand again. She came to stand on the other side of his bed, placing the can on a small table beside the bed.

Her tired eyes swam with tears as she gave him a shaky smile.

"Sasuke," she whispered, her arms coming around him carefully as she pressed herself against him. "I was so scared...I thought...please don't leave me," she whispered into his neck her shoulders shaking.

Sasuke's arm tightened around his daughter lying beside him and his other came around his wife keeping her close.

Perhaps, my son, you have more reason to live than you thought.

"I'm not going anywhere, Sakura."

I hope you enjoyed the story! There is soooo much fluff in this story! Please let me know what you thought.