Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything affiliated with it.

A/N This is my first chaptered Sasusaku story. I've been reading a bunch of fanfiction for this pairing lately (only completed stories because I'm picky) and I've found that I haven't found anything like this yet. And I'm a firm believer in write what you want to read, so here you all go. Enjoy!

Prologue

There was a slow whirring in his ears, droning on and on endlessly to the point that it had woken him up. The lights above him were bright, penetrating his eyelids well enough to make him wonder how that hadn't been the reason he was now awake. A subtle breeze was hitting his right cheek, like feathery kisses dancing across his skin.

When Sasuke opened his eyes, he realized he knew exactly where he was: a hospital. He experienced these little things enough to figure it out, and a nostalgic feeling crept into his chest, making him realize that he was in the hospital belonging to Konoha. The familiar putrid color of the walls told him that alone, but the smell of the air and the plain familiarity of the area confirmed it.

He blinked away the bleariness in his eyes and began to vaguely remember the last thing to happen to him before everything went blank. He battled Naruto- for how long, it slipped his mind- and he helped lift the Infinite Tsukuyomi and released the Tailed Beasts from their prisons. After that he seemed to have blacked out.

Now, he was laying in the hospital bed and sore in every place possible- even in some he didn't think could get sore. He wasn't even this beat after his battle with Itachi. Now it just hurt to even breathe. With a grunt, he began an attempt to sit up. But as soon as his head lifted off of the pillow, the door opened and someone entered, their face hidden by a manilla folder.

"Well," his visitor said, voice cheery and warm and so familiar it made Sasuke's heart hum.

Sakura.

Her face peered over the top of the folder, smile bright and eyes glittering, as she chirped, "Good to see you're awake, Sasuke-kun!"

His head plopped back down onto his pillow- he gave up trying to sit up for a moment- and he squeezed his eyes shut as he groaned, "I feel like I'm dead."

"That's bound to happen. After all you've been through lately, I wouldn't doubt that even with the most extensive healing from us you'd still be stiff."

Sasuke felt her hand rest on his forehead, causing him to shiver at the coldness of her skin, and she murmured something about his fever not being gone. There was a scribbling noise- a pen scratching on paper- and some silence before some more scratching.

After a while, the bed shifted and Sasuke peered down to see that Sakura sat right next to his knees. She smiled at him again, stirring something in his stomach that he swore wasn't nausea, and she said, "But you seem to have healed up almost completely, which is good."

Sasuke made to push himself up, but as soon as he went to put weight on his left hand he went crashing down off of his bed. Sakura gave a shout of surprise and jumped up as he hit the floor. For a second, he had no idea why he slipped like that. He wasn't even that close to the edge of the bed, not to mention now he was tangled up in his sheets and had a face full of linoleum because of his blunder.

He went to push himself up again and suddenly realized why he fell. His left arm was gone from mid-bicep down. He would have slapped himself for forgetting that very important change in his life, but his only hand was busy being tugged on by Sakura and the wrapped up stump where his elbow should have been was just pressing uselessly against the floor.

"Sasuke-kun, are you alright?" he heard Sakura ask. He nodded as she pulled him to his feet and helped him settle back under the sheets on his bed. He watched as her eyes drifted to the shortened appendage and a frown grew on her lips. "I wish I could do more for you. But there was too much damage... I'm sorry."

He just stared at her solemnly. Sasuke knew the second his Chidori collided with Naruto's Rasengan that he would either die or be maimed. Luckily for him it was the latter, but now as he looked down at the nub covered in bandages he wished he hadn't done it at all. Losing an arm was a lot more painful than one would have thought. Not just initially. Now he'd have to live with this for the rest of his life.

Sakura quickly changed the subject and began questioning how he was feeling, if he was experiencing any residual pain, what he was thinking. He had pointed out how his now-useless arm was feeling tingly and had shooting pains running up and down towards his shoulder, so Sakura placed her hands on the skin and pressed her chakra into him.

Their eyes met momentarily, but she averted hers almost instantly to focus on his arm. She murmured something about the bones and began weaving her arms around, massaging him with her chakra.

"Tsunade has picked a successor for Hokage," she said to him, keeping her eyes away.

"Hn."

"Don't you want to know who it is?"

"If it's the dobe, I swear..."

Sakura giggled, causing the corners of Sasuke's lips to twitch into a small smile. Though he wouldn't admit it out loud, her laugh was still as uplifting and bubbly as he remembered from his genin days. Her grin grew as she shook her head and replied, "No, she picked Kakashi."

He nodded once, humming in acknowledgement. It didn't surprise him, really, that Kakashi was picked to be the next Hokage. Just the timing. Wouldn't it be absolutely idiotic for Tsunade to leave her post right after the war ended and drop all of the repercussions onto the shoulders of her successor? Sasuke had no doubt that Kakashi would most likely do a good job. But perhaps now wasn't the best time for the Sannin to decide to retire.

"I'm sure he'll do just fine," Sakura said, as if she read his thoughts, while she pulled her hands away from his arm. "But I don't think Shishou should have picked so soon. I bet she's just itching to leave this place."

I don't blame her.

Sasuke winced at that thought. He just returned to Konoha. Why should he be so anxious to leave again? He knew the answer to that, though. It seemed like he needed to leave as well. He felt like now he didn't quite belong anymore. Or, at least not yet. He felt in his heart that he had to see the world through new and clearer eyes, atone for the sins he committed in his defected years. Nothing could really make him feel like he could return completely to his once-home, not until he did some personal reparations. Perhaps Kakashi would let him leave without consequence, that's if he isn't executed.

That thought made his throat tighten and his heart to seize.

He could very well be charged of treason and sentenced to death. He didn't know if Kakashi would be lenient enough to let him off the hook. Sasuke wouldn't doubt that other world leaders would argue for his head, based on the actions he committed against multiple countries. Last he checked, he was still S-Ranked criminal, regardless of his allegiance during the war. They usually didn't get let off the hook so easily.

For him to be pardoned would be a miracle.

"Sasuke-kun..."

Blinking heavily, Sasuke realized he had been staring wearily at his lap. He must have zoned out while she was healing him, and had started to show the signs of despair. But when he locked eyes with Sakura again, he felt himself relax slightly and the anxious niggling in his head calmed down.

"I'm sure everything will be fine," she murmured, reading his thoughts again, as she placed her hand on his knee. He didn't flinch away at the touch, like he normally would for anyone else. Sakura seemed to notice because she smiled and boldly gave him a gentle squeeze. "I'm going to have you stay here for another night or two, just to keep an eye on your vitals. They've been a little wonky since we returned last week-"

"Last week?" Sasuke grimaced. "How long have I been unconscious?"

Sakura frowned and looked away. "About eleven days. After you freed the Tailed Beasts, you collapsed into my arms. I figured it was because of blood loss, so I just popped a replenishing pill in your mouth and waited for you to wake up. Naruto passed out, too, as soon as we set up a small camp for all of the wounded, and he didn't wake up until the night we left. And that was six days ago." She glanced back at him and heaved a sigh. "I was really worried about you, so we hooked you up to a mobile monitor and had you placed in a guarded cart while we trekked back home. Tsunade even took a look at you whenever her chakra was back to normal and even she couldn't figure it out. She just assumed you really needed the rest."

Sasuke shrugged and looked up to his window. Begrudgingly, he asked the question that had been on his mind since he realized he was in Konoha again: "So what happens now?"

Sakura appeared to be ready for that question, because without a beat she replied, "Well, once you get discharged you're to immediately report to the Hokage's Tower, with a guarded escort of course. Kakashi has already taken the mantle unofficially so it'll be him you're dealing with. From there, you are to be debriefed about everything that happened since you defected... It will be then that he decides your fate."

He nodded, humming a curt 'hn' before looking away and to the window. The sky was blue and clear and the tree outside his window swayed in the gentle breeze. It had been so long since he last saw Konoha without rage clouding his eyes. Three years since he was truly home. What had changed in his absence?

How much of his own changes could live with them?

"There is one thing," Sakura began, drawing his attention once more. He turned his eyes back to her and waited as she nervously chewed on her lip and fiddled her hands in her lap. She sighed with resignation and met his eyes. "For the time being, there will be an ANBU guard on you at all times. The council had demanded you wear chakra blocking seals so you won't escape, but as your attending physician I argued against it. Your body is too weak right now to be cut off from your chakra, so the guard was assigned to you. Due to your change of alliances during the war, they are willing to let you have moderate supervision compared to being locked up in a dungeon somewhere."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, feeling his shoulders tense and hand clench around his sheets. "So I'm being babysat like a child because they think I will run away again?"

"It could be worse," she snapped lightly, a tight-lipped frown pulling at her mouth. Sasuke was slightly taken aback by her sudden flare in temper, but he didn't show it. Thankfully she didn't notice, because almost as quickly as she bit out her retort Sakura's face changed back to soft and comforting. She shook her head and put her hand on his knee again, probably to ease him. She must have seen the tension coming off of him in waves. "It's only temporary. At least, until you meet with Kakashi and let your intentions be known. You did vow to destroy the village so they have every right to be wary of you."

"I also almost died for the village," he sniped, resisting the urge to cross his arms like a petulant child. "But they'll only remember things convenient to their arguments."

"Sasuke-kun, no one is going to forget that," Sakura murmured softly. "You helped end the war and save the world. And, though for your own purposes, you helped get rid of some of the highest-ranked criminals in the world. All of that will help you in the end. And it's not like the council will be sitting in on your debriefing. It will just be Kakashi-sensei and some of the shinobi from the interrogation unit. The best thing you can do for yourself is be completely honest with everything."

They stared at each other for a while, not a single word passing between them, before Sasuke felt his exhaustion hit. She gave him a small smile, then checked his vitals a second time and the bandages on his arm before standing up. Her hand lingered on his severed limb and he could have sworn her eyes start to get glassy as she pulled away.

"Get some rest, Sasuke-kun," she said softly, giving him another comforting smile before heading towards the door.

Something in his heart called out to her, wanted to beg her to stay and keep him company for a little longer. But he knew that she was probably busy, or at least couldn't spend all of her day with him. He knew she probably wouldn't decline, not after what she said to him on the battlefield. Besides, he couldn't beg for her to stay; lest his already tarnished reputation be sullied any more. The great Sasuke Uchiha, defected missing-nin and fratricide committer, possessor of the Rinnegan and Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, former member of the Akatsuki, begging his former teammate to keep him company in the hospital like a needy child.

No, his pride didn't allow it.

So he watched her leave his room and close the door quietly behind her. With her departure once again came the sudden sense of despair. Things would certainly be different between them, for sure, and how much would be determined by him. Would he allow himself to get close to her, now that he no longer needed the detachment? How close would he be willing to be to her? She was important to him, there was no doubt about that. And something within him changed since the end of his final battle with Naruto. Almost like something was lifted from his shoulder, making him feel so much lighter. So much freer. It made him realize his connection with her more than he had ever noticed in the past.

It frightened him.

Just as Sasuke began to close his eyes and try to get some more sleep, there was a knock at his door. Before Sasuke could answer, it swung open to reveal the broad grin of Naruto.

"Sasuke! You're awake!"

He growled in his throat and sat up- making sure to use his right arm this time. "Would you have barged in regardless of me being awake or not?"

Naruto bounded over, still grinning ear to ear, and he plopped himself down at the foot of the bed. "Yup! But Sakura-chan told me you woke up so I had to come see you. I figured you hadn't gone to sleep yet."

"Did she also tell you that I was ordered to get more rest?" Sasuke drawled acerbically.

"Yeah, but you can stay up a little longer for me," Naruto snickered. Sasuke arched his eyebrow at him, all while observing the damage done. Other than his right arm bundled in a sling and wrapped in bandages at the end of his own stump, Naruto look unscathed. Though almost two weeks had passed since their battle, he looked like nothing had even happened to him. Sasuke was certain his injuries couldn't have healed that much in that short amount of time, but then he figured Kurama did the rest of the work.

"I'd rather go back to sleep," Sasuke mumbled as he laid against his pillow, closing his eyes and attempting to shut out the jinjuriki at his feet. There was a poke on the arch of his foot, then a hand shook his ankle and calf. But Sasuke kept ignoring him. Sooner or later Naruto would give up and leave him alone.

Who am I kidding? Naruto never gives up.

"Saaaaaaa-su-keeeeee," Naruto whined, now shoving Sasuke's hip a little more forcibly than necessary. "Waaaaaake up."

"I wasn't asleep, dobe."

Naruto immediately perked up and bounced a little on the bed. "Okay good. I needed to talk to you about when you get released from this place."

Sasuke opened his left eye and shot him a steely glare. He guessed that the Rinnegan was a little intimidating-regardless of the renewed friendship between them- because Naruto leaned away slightly with widened eyes. But he quickly recovered and scooted closer to the head of the bed.

"Listen, whatever happens while you're with Kakashi-sensei, just remember I'm there for you," Naruto started. "I'll come with you as a character witness and you'll be let off the hook no problem!"

Sasuke's eye closed and he rolled over to bury his face in his pillow. With a muffled and tired voice, he replied, "This is a debriefing, not a trial. I don't need a character witness."

"It wouldn't hurt to help," Naruto pouted. Sasuke dutifully ignored him, trying to press himself into sleep again. But, alas, Naruto wouldn't allow that because as soon as the room was relatively quiet, he spoke up again. "What do you think is going to happen, Sasuke? You think they'll let you be free again?"

Sasuke stilled, then slowly lifted his head to turn and look at his friend. Their eyes met and Sasuke could easy see the unbidden fear within Naruto. They both knew the chance of Sasuke not living to see the end of this week. There was a higher chance of them never seeing each other again, even if he was allowed to live. Sasuke had been thinking of it, too.

"I don't know," he said honestly, feeling the weight of the truth in his words to hit them both. "Only time will tell, Naruto."

tbc.