A/N: Hi guys! It's been a long time! I planned to give you all a gift for my birthday but it got delayed by life, in general. Anyway, this story is set after The Last and Sakura Hiden (please correct my timeline). But definitely after The Last but before Naruto and Hinata's wedding.

I hope you enjoy!

Sakura looked at the documents in her hands, brows furrowed. "So," she began. "I'm supposed to just deliver these herbs?"

"Well, if you put it like that," Kakashi replied. "It sounds like I'm making you do errands. Is there a problem?"

Sakura sighed. It was a B rank mission at most, considering the distance of Amegakure from Konoha. She was a Jounin now and she was well beyond doing mundane work. But she didn't want to sound haughty.

"No, Kakashi-sensei," she conceded. "Then, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

"Why is everyone always in a hurry?" Kakashi said.

"Aren't you just too laid back as always?" Sakura countered.

Kakashi laughed. "Maybe so. But we haven't seen each other for a while. Why don't you sit down and have a chat with me?"

Sakura smiled and sat in front of Kakashi's desk. "Is Naruto giving you a hard time, Sensei?"

"No, no, not really. He just complains a lot and is always loud, that's all."

Knock, knock.

Sakura raised her eyebrows at Kakashi, wondering if he was expecting someone else this early in the morning. Sakura could only see the wrinkles on the side of his right eye as he smiled.

"Come in."

Sakura heard the door open and footsteps make their way to where they were seated.

"I've come to make a report."

Sakura didn't have to turn to know whom the voice belonged to. It was deeper, somewhat huskier, probably from sleep or exhaustion. But it was his voice, there was no doubt about it.

"About time, Sasuke," Kakashi said.

Sakura heard him come closer. So close that she could see him on her peripheral vision. Was it because she was sitting or did he grow so much taller than she remembered? Her chest tightened. How he still had this effect on her after so many years was beyond her.

Sasuke laid several scrolls in front of Kakashi and proceeded to make his report.

Sakura gathered herself and stood up. "Then, I'll leave first."

"No, Sakura," Kakashi said. "You'd have to hear the rest. Sasuke has information on another aspect of your mission."

With that, she and Sasuke met gazes. If he was as surprised as she was, he didn't show any trace of it. Sasuke turned his attention back to Kakashi. Sakura sat back down.

Kakashi opened one of the scrolls and skimmed through it, asking questions here and there. After Sasuke finished what he was saying, Kakashi nodded and put the scroll aside. This went on for the other three scrolls.

When he picked up the last scroll, he gave Sakura a stern look. Pay attention now, was what it meant.

"I also looked into the matter of Amegakure," Sasuke began. "They haven't only requested for supplies from Konoha but from other villages as well. I met up with their leader, Abe Tetsuya, and he claimed to have no knowledge about this beforehand. Before I left, they sent a small unit to investigate the matter. A few days ago, I received word that an epidemic has spread throughout the village."

"An epidemic?" Sakura gasped. Sasuke looked at her.

"Yes," he told her. "The symptoms include fever and chills, productive cough, wheezing. No deaths have been recorded but it's been affecting young children and newborns, causing the concern of the villagers."

Sakura's eyes darted toward Kakashi, who handed her the scroll as quick as he could.

"They also -" Sasuke began but Kakashi held up a hand to silence him, nodding at Sakura, who was intently reading the scroll.

The silence in the room lasted several minutes before Sakura stood up and said, "I have to go, Kakashi-sensei."

"You can go."

Sakura ran to the door, letting it close with a bang.

Kakashi chuckled. "Good work, Sasuke. You can go rest until she's ready to go."

"What do you mean?" Sasuke demanded.

"We don't know what we're dealing with and I'm not letting my beloved student go alone," he said. "Anyway, you just have to stay with her until you can be sure to send her back. Then, you can go your own way from there."

Sasuke scowled. "Why me?"

"Actually, it doesn't have to be you," Kakashi waved a hand in dismissal. "But Naruto and Shikamaru are on a diplomatic mission, Ino is not letting me borrow Sai, and well, I have boring Hokage duties. I can't send ANBU. Most of the Jounin are also on missions, if I send anymore then I'd end up dying protecting the village alone if things get awry. We have plenty of new Chuunins but Sakura'll end up protecting them instead. So... yeah."

Sasuke could only sigh.

Sasuke could only sigh. Again. He was usually a patient person, except when it came to Naruto. But standing in the summer heat for almost an hour was taking its toll on him.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke turned his head to the voice. Sakura was trudging toward him, a bulging backpack almost half her size behind her. If it was any other girl her size, it would have been funny but the way she casually walked toward him was somewhat... unnerving.

"I'm sorry for making you wait, Sasuke-kun," she said once she was standing in front of him.

"Hn."

"Shall we go?"

Sasuke started walking past the gate, carefully pacing himself for Sakura.

"How are you doing? It's really been a while, huh?"

"Fine."

Sakura stretched her arms up and took a deep breath. "Ah, it feels nice to be out once in a while. It must be nice, going around, meeting new people, trying new stuff. You must have had a lot of fun, huh, Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn."

Sakura scoffed. That caught his attention. Sakura never scoffed at him. He gave her a sideways glance.

"You still don't talk much, do you?"

Sasuke opened his mouth to retort but decided to let it go.

"Kakashi-sensei told me about the arrangement," she began, her tone somber. "You'll just take me to the village, ensure my safe return, then go."

Sasuke didn't know how to respond to that.

"When do you plan to go home, Sasuke-kun?"

'Soon,' he wanted to say. 'Very soon.' But Sasuke couldn't bring himself to say it. He was fully aware that Sakura was looking at him, hopeful. But he only said, "I don't know."

"I see."

"I think I see a cave up ahead," Sasuke said beside her, voice almost drowned by the sound of pouring rain. "Follow me." Sakura nodded.

At full speed, they reached it in under five minutes. Sasuke went inside first, Sakura followed suit. The opening was only as tall as Sakura but the inside was spacious enough for two people. Their wet sandals made squishing sounds against the dirt. When Sakura's eyes adjusted well enough in the dimly lit space, she went to the far corner and put her backpack down.

"I'll get the fire going," Sasuke said, his deep voice reverberating throughout the cave. Or was it Sakura's imagination? Sakura looked over her shoulder to see him walking toward the entrance and disappearing in the rain.

Sakura removed her cloak and laid it on top of one the stones jutting out from the wall. She was dripping wet from head to toe. She rummaged through her bag to find spare clothes. She wanted to strip right then and there but she remembered that Sasuke could be back at any moment and he might...

Sakura closed her eyes in embarrassment. She inwardly berated herself for even thinking about it. Several minutes later, she heard footsteps and the thud of wood against rock.

Sasuke was carefully arranging the pieces of firewood he gathered in the center of the cave. Then, he breathed fire into the kindling and the cave was illuminated by an orange glow.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said.

"Hn." Sasuke moved toward the other end of the cave and put his satchel bag and kusanagi down. "I'll step outside so you can change." Before Sakura could say anything, Sasuke was gone.

Sasuke took a bite out of the onigiri Sakura gave him. It tasted different. Not bad, just different. More like a soldier pill. He wondered if she made it. He heard stories about those things from Naruto but he was never able to try some.

He looked over to where she was laying down wet scrolls and parchments on the ground, her onigiri forgotten behind her.

Sakura knelt down and performed a sequence of hand seals Sasuke had never seen before. Then the ink from the scrolls slithered out of the paper and took the shape of little birds hovering around Sakura. Sakura gathered up the blank pages and hung them near the fire. Once done, she sat down and ate her onigiri.

"Neat, huh?"

Sasuke was surprised when he realized she was talking to him. He was worried how quiet Sakura had been during the day, knowing he must have said something. No, he knew it was his fault. Wanting to talk to her, he responded, "What is it?"

"Sai taught it to me. It's a variation of one of his techniques," she began. "One time, we had to jump into a river while carrying vital intel to erase our tracks from the enemy. I was frustrated when we got back and saw everything smudged. Then, Sai, as smug as always, retrieved the written words using this technique. We were saved from Shisou's wrath that day." She giggled and munched on her onigiri. "It's very useful."

"You should have kept them in a storage scroll, instead," Sasuke offered. "They would have been safe from outside forces and you wouldn't have to bring all those along." He flicked his head in the direction of the blank pages.

Sakura gave her a look. Was it irritation? "Well, to each his or her own," she quipped.

When Sasuke finished his third onigiri, he dusted himself off and said, "I'll take first watch."

"No, I'll do it," Sakura said. "I'd have to brew the other medicines anyway so you should rest first." Sasuke was about to reason out to her but she cut him off. "I'll be fine, Sasuke-kun. Go on and rest. I insist."

Sasuke looked on as she took out a huge scroll which had been taking up the bulk of the bag. She laid it out on the ground and performed another series of hand seals, this time, something he was all too familiar with. With a puff of smoke, differently sized vials containing liquids and herbs appeared on the scroll.

"See?" Sakura said, chuckling. "I am familiar with storage scrolls."

Within seconds, Sakura was opening and sniffing the vials, grouping them in different clusters. All her attention was consumed by the task at hand. Sasuke heard she was a workaholic all too often. Conceding defeat, he sat down across her, back flat on the cave wall, legs crossed beneath him. As a habit, he took his kusanagi and crossed his arm around it.

He tried to sleep but it did not come. He figured he'd be tired tomorrow but he couldn't fall asleep. Sasuke opened his eyes a bit, angling himself just enough so his bangs covered them.

He watched Sakura mix the contents of one vial to another and scribble down a small piece of parchment. The fire made her skin glow, and her shadow danced behind her. Her brows were furrowed, forehead covered with a sheen of sweat.

Sakura crawled over to a small cauldron poised above the fire and stirred whatever was in it. She pouted. Sasuke tried to hide the smirk forming on his lips. 'Something must be wrong,' he thought. Sakura crossed her arms in front of her and glared at the cauldron, green eyes drinking the light. She reached out for the small notebook behind her and flipped through the pages. She skimmed through a page and with realization, dove inside her bag. She flung a stalk of some herb into the pot and stirred it again.

"Ha!" she exclaimed under her breath. That was when exhaustion took over her features. She stretched her arms up and yawned. "I wonder what time it is," she mused.

She took the pot off the fire and resealed the vials into the scroll. Then, Sakura turned her head to Sasuke, who closed his eyes in an instant. He hoped his bangs were long enough.

Sasuke can feel her coming closer. "Sasuke-kun," she whispered.

Sasuke debated with himself how many times he should let Sakura call him before he "woke up." 'Two. No, three,' he thought. 'Three's good.'

Seconds passed but nothing came.

Instead, he felt his bangs being gently swept away from his face.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura said, almost inaudible. Her tone melancholic.

'That's two,' Sasuke thought. 'Maybe I should settle with two.' When he was about to open his eyes, Sakura's warm hand cupped his cheek, her thumb stroking it. Sasuke froze.

Silence stretched between them, with only the sound of wood cracking in the heat resounding around them. Sasuke knew his whole body was rigid but he was hesitant to move even the slightest.

After what felt like an eternity, Sakura withdrew her hand and sighed. "Sasuke-kun," she said firmly now. She patted his shoulder. Hard. "Sasuke-kun," now a little louder. Sasuke opened his eyes. "Are you awake now? It's your turn to stand watch."

Sasuke swallowed and realized how dry his throat was. "Hn."

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura called, but he didn't show any sign of hearing her. "Sasuke-kun!" She tried again. She sighed. She was falling behind. Sasuke was going faster than usual. On one hand, it was good. At the rate they were going, they'd reach Amegakure by midnight. But she was worried. Sasuke looked so tired this morning even when she let him rest for more than the agreed time.

Sakura concentrated her chakra to her feet and timed its release to her jump, hoping she could catch up with him. In three bounds, she caught up to his heel.

"Sasuke-kun," she called again. This time, Sasuke tilted his head to her direction. "Are you okay?"

Sasuke turned his head to the front. "Of course."

"What's the hurry, then?"

"We'll get there faster this way."

"Did something happen?" Sakura wondered. "Did they send any status report last night? Is it getting worse?"

"No," Sasuke said. "But it's better if we get there quickly."

Sakura agreed. It was selfish of her but she wanted to spend more time with him. Once they get there and she got the job done, he'll be gone. Again. For who-knows-how-long. She shook her head. 'No,' she thought. 'I've resolved to wait for him and be content with him coming back home.' Anything more than that and she was only setting her up for heartbreak.

Once again, she fueled her feet with chakra and leapt.

She was right. They arrived at the gates of the village past midnight. It was raining again, as is customary in Amegakure, but compared to the tempest the other day, this was a drizzle. Guards took time in inspecting them. 'Even in this time of peace, old habits die hard,' Sakura thought. 'At least they were friendlier now.'

"Uchiha-dono," a voice called. Sasuke nodded his head in acknowledgment of the man. "We appreciate your quick correspondence. We -"

Sakura met the man's blue eyes. He was as tall as Sasuke, if not taller, with fair skin and messy brown hair. He was staring intently at her so she felt obliged to introduce herself.

"Hi," she began. "I'm Haruno Sakura, a medic nin sent by Konoha to investigate and aid in this matter. Nice to meet you." She extended her hand to him.

The man shook her hand. "The pleasure is mine, Haruno-san. My name is Abe Tetsuya. I am the head medic nin in-charge of this case." He smiled and all the roughness made way to his boyish looks.

Sakura returned the warm gesture. "Then, we'd be seeing a lot of each other, Abe-san."

The man scratched the back of his head. "If you'll follow me..."

Amegakure's hospital was huge and spacious. It was filled with the same sterile smell, harried footsteps of both medics, nurses and relatives, and the beeping of numerous machineries. But the constant rain made it look gloomy.

"We have isolated all the patients in the topmost ward in hopes we could prevent further spread," Abe said while leading Sakura.

"Census?" Sakura inquired.

"An hour ago, we have 50 kids up there. But the rate of spread is erratic. For all we know, another 10 have been transferred."

"Labs?"

"Blood count, platelet count, serum chemistry, blood and sputum cultures were done."

"Can I access all of them?"

"Yes, they are all in the hospital database."

"Updated?"

"Real-time."

Sakura grinned. Amegakure technology was the most advanced, after all.

"If you need anything, you can push this button and we'll come up as soon as we can," said the owner of the lodge, pointing to a small green button on the left side of the room, near the head of one of the beds. "Then, I'll take my leave, Uchiha-dono."

Sasuke nodded and the old man closed the door behind him. Sasuke set his bag on an empty chair near the door. The room was big and well furnished. The two beds took up most of the room but there was a bathroom on the right, a couch near the door and a small dining table for four.

Sasuke looked at the clock on the wall. 3:15 am. No wonder he was tired. That, and the fact that he wasn't able to sleep a blink last night. Just because she... The memory was beginning to resurface in his mind and he decided to take a shower to clear it.

The water was warm and it relaxed his body. He took time just letting the water flow all over him. After several minutes, he went back to the room and wore some spare clothes, leaving his used ones in a hamper in the bathroom.

He looked at the clock again. 3:45. Sakura wasn't back yet. Maybe he shouldn't have left her. Sasuke sat on the couch, busying himself with some new scrolls he bought during his travels.

4:15. He finished two scrolls already. Maybe he shouldn't have left her. Sasuke did push-ups in the middle of the room. Then, sit-ups. Then, handstands.

4:45. He really shouldn't have left her. Should he go back to the hospital? No, she can take care of herself. He laid down on the bed and closed his eyes. Maybe he should send a hawk summon? What should he tell her then?

Sasuke growled and turned over so he was face down on the pillow. 'I should rest. She'll be back soon,' he finalized.

Sasuke jerked awake. He looked over to the other bed. Empty. He looked at the clock. 11:00 am. He bolted up. He surveyed the room, then the bathroom. No sign of Sakura.

He knew he was being stupid but he still took his poncho and his kusanagi and banged the door shut behind him.

He reached the hospital in no time and went straight to the ward on the top floor. He knocked on a door labelled Medic-Nin Lounge. No answer. He knocked again. He was going to open it himself when green eyes met black.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura said. "Good morning."

"You didn't go to the inn," Sasuke replied.

"Oh, yeah," Sakura chuckled. "Sorry about that. I got caught up with work and I didn't keep track of time. Come in." She opened the door wider to let Sasuke through.

Sasuke looked around. The space was quaint in comparison to the room he spent the night in. The aroma of coffee filled the room. On the far end of the room, he saw a figure slumped on the table.

"Tetsuya-senpai kept me company almost all night. He must be tired, so let him rest."

'Tetsuya... senpai?' Sasuke thought.

"Oh?" a gruff voice said. "What time is it?"

"Are you up?" Sakura said, handing the man a cup of coffee. "It's 11:30, I think."

"11:30?!" He exclaimed, taking the cup and offering Sakura a small nod in thanks. "Are you serious?"

Sakuta giggled. "I didn't have the heart to wake you up."

Tetsuya gulped the coffee down and put it on the table. "I'm sorry but I have to go. I'll see you later, okay?" He mussed Sakura's hair and nodded in Sasuke's direction as a greeting before he went out the door.

"From the lab results, we concluded that this is a bacterial infection," Sakura told Sasuke, laying down the documents in front of him. "However, the rate of spread was too fast and it can only be attributed to a virus. Next, I reviewed the patients' histories and profiles.

"The first patient is the daughter of a merchant. They came home after a week-long vacation in a newly acquired island in the north."

"This island has been uninhabited before the family bought it," Tetsuya supplied. "We're thinking the girl was infected there and brought the virus here."

"Then, we studied the pattern of spread. True enough, her friends were the ones who got it first, then their siblings and friends and so on," Sakura said. "The incubation period is around 7-10 days."

Tetsuya nodded. "For about a week, the virus replicates, and when the symptoms develop, we're talking massive amounts already in the bloodstream. Blood samples also showed positive results to a multi-drug resistant bacteria. Fortunately, Sakura here is currently developing a new medicine."

Even after hearing it multiple times, Sasuke still didn't like hearing him say her name. It was too casual, too... familiar.

"Yes. The antibiotic I'm developing will be ready in 2 days, then we can try them on one or two kids. The problem is the infants. We still need to titrate the dose depending on the results from the trial. Hopefully, all goes according to plan."

"I hope so, too, Sakura," Tetsuya said. He looked around. "Are there any more questions?"

Gathered around them were Amegakure's premier medical team, headed by Abe Tetsuya. The table was quiet, and Sasuke saw most of them were awed and speechless. Others were more skeptical but still hopeful.

"If there are no more questions, I declare this meeting adjourned," Tetsuya said. Just then, a young woman with brown hair and bright blue eyes raised her hand. "What is it, Hikari?"

"I would like to assist Sakura-san in any way possible," she said, eyes darting toward Sakura. "I'm just an intern but..."

Sakura stood up. "I would gladly accept your help, Hikari-san. Thank you." She bowed and the intern did so, too.

"We are all at your disposal, Sakura," Tetsuya said with an easy smile.

After the last person, including Abe, went out of the room, Sakura said, "That went better than expected. I was sure they'd have reservations, with us being outsiders and all."

"They know you're here to help. They can't dismiss you easily," Sasuke replied.

Sakura just smiled at him. That smile that almost always made him smile back. Almost always demanded him to, actually. Almost. "Then, Sasuke-kun, are you hungry? I know I am."

"Hn."

Sakura was stretching her arms up when she heard a knock on one of the glass windows of the laboratory. She turned to find Abe Tetsuya waving at her. She waved back and raised her eyebrows in question. He mouthed 'come.'

Sakura wondered why he couldn't just come inside. He practically owns the facility. She looked at the clock. 1 am.

'Wow,' she thought. 'Time flew by real quick.' She wondered what Tetsuya was doing here at this hour. Not that she had any right to question him as they established early on that they were both workaholic.

"What is it?" she asked him once she was out the door. He put a finger on his lips to silence her and pointed at the far corner of the room.

Sakura looked in the direction he was pointing. Sitting there with his back flat against the wall was Sasuke.

"I checked up on you in the morning and he was already here. Looks like he never left," Tetsuya whispered in her ear. "He's stubborn, isn't he? Well, shouldn't be a surprise taking into account what he's done in the past."

Sakura opened her mouth to retort but Tetsuya patted the top of her head. "You should go rest. Both of you. Go back to the inn. I'm locking up in an hour." With that, he went away.

Sakura knelt beside Sasuke, his chest rising and falling in rhythmic breaths. She wanted to touch him but last time she did, his chakra spiked, his whole body went rigid, muscles taut as if ready for a fight. Sasuke had always been a light sleeper. She smiled ruefully.

All he's done in the past. Sakura's heart ached for him. Will he ever be able to escape from his dark past? She knew it was there at the back of his mind. Always. Even with Naruto and Kakashi-sensei and her around. Always. There were times when she wanted to lash out at the people who didn't understand, those who didn't know any better. But Sasuke endured them all in silence. He even said they don't matter to him. He had always been dismissive of others. He used to dismiss them, too, but he learned to care for them. Sakura believed he must want to belong, too. Not just in Team 7 but in Konoha as well. She wished he'd speak more.

'Sasuke-kun, are you really asleep?' Sakura thought. "Sasuke-kun," she uttered almost inaudibly.

Sasuke opened his eyes instantly and met hers. Sakura realized how close they were and made to get up. But Sasuke took her wrist and said, "What is it?"

Trying to suppress the blush creeping up her neck to her face, Sakura smiled and said, "It's late. Should we head back?"

"It worked," Sakura told him, her whole being exuding an almost tangible mix of elation, relief and triumph. "It worked, Sasuke-kun! The medicine worked!" The corners of Sasuke's lip curled up.

"You did well," he said.

A week ago, they started administering the prototype drugs to the children, one in each specific age group. Today marked the end of the trial and blood samples were taken from the children again. The results showed significant decrease in the viral and bacterial load.

"Sakura-san," a small voice came from behind them. Sasuke vaguely recognized her as the girl from the meeting. "We will start mass production of the antibiotic later today, with modifications on the doses and dosing schedule."

"Yes, the sooner, the better," Abe said behind her. "This is all thanks to you, Sakura. We owe you a lot."

"We all did our part," she said. "You and your team helped a lot, too. You should take credit."

Then, the three of them were ushered away by one of the medics in Abe's team, discussing what they should do next. Sasuke was left in one corner, eyes trained on only one face in the crowd in front of him.

She looked small and fragile amidst the tall men and slender women of Amegakure. But she stood out. She always did. Not because of her hair or her clothes, though they were too bright and too... short, in his opinion.

She stood out because she was Haruno Sakura.

He thought about how much she changed. Her hair was kept short, more often than not. She once told him she thought he liked girls with long hair. It was true. He liked it because his mom had long hair. Itachi, too. It didn't matter to him now.

She was more confident now, too. She spoke her mind all the time, even to him. That took a lot of getting used to. Her habits and gestures were more... womanly now, too. Once, Naruto remarked Tsunade must have taught her seduction tactics on the side and she replied with a curt, 'What about it?' He was curious too but Naruto shut up after that. He scowled. No, he wasn't curious, he corrected himself.

"Didn't anybody ever tell you it's rude to stare?" Sasuke turned to see Abe standing beside him. He glared at him. The other male chuckled. "It was a joke. You don't need to be defensive about it."

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked.

"Nothing, just hanging out," Abe said.

They stood there in several uncomfortable seconds when Abe said, "She is beautiful." Sasuke gave him a sidelong glance. "Don't you think so?"

"Hn."

"You are a very lucky bastard, you know that, right?" he said. Sasuke didn't reply. "In case you didn't know, I'm saying it now."

"What are you talking about?"

Abe scoffed. "I'm saying pick up your pace, kid."

Sasuke stepped out of the shower, hair dripping wet, still half-naked. The moment he realized he was only clad in a towel, his eyes darted toward Sakura. Thankfully, Sakura sat on her bed, back facing him. Sasuke snatched the neatly folded robe on the lower edge of his bed and threw it on himself. When he was sure most of him was covered, he sat on his bed and started drying his hair.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura said. He looked up to see her standing in front of him.

He was confused. When did she come near? He didn't feel anything. "What?"

"Let me see your arm," she said. Sasuke's brows furrowed but raised his right arm. "The other one," she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

Again with that tone of voice. Sasuke thought he would never get used to this way of speaking. Not from Sakura. Especially when she was addressing him. He was going to say he was fine when Sakura plopped down beside him and took his arm.

"No, you're not fine," she said. In an instant, green chakra lit up Sakura's hands and he felt warm. "I see it, you know? I see when you try to reach something with your left hand, only to realize it's too short or the angle is all wrong. I see you grimace from time to time when you move it so suddenly."

Sasuke's frown deepened. When exactly did she see him do all those things?

"It's been so long, Sasuke-kun. Why don't you come to Tsunade-shishou to get your prosthetic arm?"

"Because I don't need it," he said stubbornly. "I can manage with only my right arm just fine. Besides, it... it reminds me of what I did."

"Why do you always try to take on the burden on your own?" Sakura replied, her tone melancholic. "That was all in the past. It's time to move on, Sasuke-kun. Go forward."

"I can't just forget the past, Sakura."

"I'm not telling you to forget it. I'm asking you to focus on the present and plan the future," she said, wrapping his arm in a fresh set of bandage. "We can't erase the past, Sasuke-kun. But if you dwell on it too much, then it will haunt you." She shook her head. "No, you will haunt yourself."

Sasuke knew that. He knew but he still lingered in regret and repentance. How he abandoned them and hurt them. How he tried to kill them. How he went deeper into the darkness. And how they never gave up on him. He wished he could make it all up to them, Naruto and Sakura and Kakashi. Team 7. His second family. His new family.

Then, warm, soft hands cupped the left side of his face. Black eyes met with green. Beautiful, vibrant, yet lonely green. "And how about your eyes? Do they still hurt?"

He can't look away. "From time to time, yes." Those eyes had his glued onto them. "But I've learned to minimize using dojutsu. Just like what you told me."

A hint of relief. "That's good. And the Rinnegan?"

"It seems I can deactivate it at irregular intervals. I'm still trying to figure out how exactly to go about it."

She smiled faintly. "That's good." Another hand came up to the right side of his face. "I'll just take a look, okay? Close your eyes, Sasuke-kun."

He did and he felt her chakra lulling him to sleep.

"For you, Sakura-nee-chan," a little girl said.

Sakura took the bouquet of flowers from her little hands - a mix of pink carnations and peonies. She could almost hear Ino's voice explaining what they meant - Gratitude and Beauty, respectively. "Thank you, Eri-chan." The girl tugged the side of her skirt and beckoned her to come closer.

"Thank you for making the bad spirits go away," she whispered in her ear. "My mom said they won't come back again because of you."

Sakura smiled and nodded. "You're welcome." The girl cheerfully skipped back to where her mother was.

A man was next in line, an infant cradled in his arms. "You must be tired hearing it but thank you. I was going out of my mind, not knowing what was happening, not knowing what to do."

"You're welcome, but I didn't do it alone."

The man nodded. "But you found the solution." The man offered his hand and Sakura shook it.

Sakura sighed. She told them this was unnecessary. She was only doing her job. Apparently, they all insisted on a small get-together so the people of Amegakure could thank her. Of course, she was touched by the sentiment so she was talked into it.

Sakura held the bouquet closer to her. There were kids running around and yelling at each other and no adult was telling them to behave. It must have been tough on the parents to see their kids suffering due to an unknown cause. Some kids would go to her, talk to her, thank her, give her something, and would run away to their friends and resume playing.

All morning, Sakura had been receiving gratitude and compliments. She wanted to sleep more but it would have been rude to leave when everyone gathered for her. When the commotion died down, she found a seat and slumped on it. She scanned the crowd.

There he was.

Sasuke stood in the far corner of the hall, stoic as always. He looked well rested but uncomfortable, as he had always been around strangers. He looked at her, too, and raised his eyebrows in question.

Sakura smiled and waved at him. He responded by raising his right hand briefly. Just then, Tetsuya tapped Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke spared him a glance then looked straight ahead again. Tetsuya leaned on the wall beside him, which seemed to make Sasuke scowl. She wondered what they were talking about. They didn't seem to like each other that much. Well, at least, Sasuke didn't.

The conversation lasted for a while and they closed it with nods and a handshake. That was when Sakura remembered.

The mission was over.

What date was it? It must have been around three weeks since they traveled from Konoha. Three weeks worth of being together after a couple of years apart. And three weeks passed her by. She hoped they spent it in another circumstance, that they had spent it together. Not a mission, at least.

She sighed. But would he have come back if not for a mission? Would there have been any reason for them to be together outside of a mission? Outside of Konoha? She wanted to go with him wherever he went, but he always declined her offers.

She hugged the bouquet closer to her. There was the development of the vaccine, too. She'd have to oversee that, right? She could offer to stay and oversee the research. She was sure they'd agree.

No, developing it would take forever. Sasuke never liked being idle. And she wasn't going to delay going home for selfish reasons. Besides, she also had to go back to her responsibilities at the hospital.

She closed her eyes and sighed.

Sasuke looked out the window, it was late afternoon and the sky was growing darker by the minute. He looked up to see gray clouds swarming overhead. It looked like it was going to rain soon, which was no surprise to him, actually.

He turned his attention back to Sakura. People were greeting her again. He wondered how long this was going to last. He didn't socialize well. If he had a choice, he'd be scouting a good place to train if the weather permitted it. Or he'd just hole himself up at the inn. But he couldn't just leave her here, alone, surrounded by all these strangers. It wasn't like he was suspicious but he thought, maybe, she would look for him.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun." Sasuke turned to see Sakura jogging toward him, hugging several bouquets.

"Sakura."

"Sorry for making you wait," she said, stopping beside him. She looked up at the gloomy sky. "It looks like it's going to pour, doesn't it? I didn't bring an umbrella. Did you?"

Sasuke shook his head. "D'you need help with those?" He jerked his head at the flowers.

"Oh, no, thanks," she said. "Anyway, let's go before it rains, Sasuke-kun." Sasuke nodded. "Race you there."

Sasuke was taken aback at the sudden challenge and looked on as Sakura ran as fast as she could, some petals flying behind her. He smirked. She was fast - not nearly as fast as him but he would humor her. Sasuke took off with just enough speed to catch up to her. "You have to do better than this, Sakura. I'll wait for you there." With that, he sped forward leaving her behind. He heard her chuckle.

It took a while before Sakura caught up to him. "You were saying?" Just then, Sasuke felt the first drop of rain. Then, it poured. "Should we find shelter first?" Sakura asked beside him.

"I think we should just head straight back," he told her. "This doesn't look like it's going to let up anytime soon."

Sakura nodded. "You're right."

Several minutes later, they entered their room. "Whew. And I thought we will finally spend our last day here dry and warm." Sakura strode to the bedside table where an empty vase sat. She put the bouquets down and grabbed the vase, filling it with tap water.

While waiting for the vase to fill, she removed her forehead protector, gathered her hair and twisted it over the sink. Then she tied it in a bun above her head, showing the skin of her nape. That was when Sasuke realized she was dripping wet. Sakura's clothes clung onto her. The fabric of her clothes was thin enough that it seemed to be part of her skin, if it were not in stark contrast with her pale white skin. She pulled her gloves and shoulder pads off, hanging them on the edge of the counter. She took her sandals off and tipped them over the sink, too. Next came the knee protectors, her kunai holster and the bandage behind it.

"Of all the days I went out without my cloak on," Sasuke vaguely heard her murmur. Then, she removed her obi, showing the fabric behind it hugging Sakura's small waist.

Sasuke blinked. Twice. And gulped. And turned to the door.

"Where are you going, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura called after him but he shut the door behind him.

It was the same thing, Sasuke realized. He felt this sensation before. At the cave. No, he felt it more frequently now. Sasuke wasn't innocent. He knew what it was but he didn't want to admit it. He didn't want Sakura to know. She was his friend. It was disrespectful.

She deserved better.

He decided the rain should be able to cool him off.

Sakura hugged the thick blanket around her. She can tell behind her closed lids that the sun had already risen. She had a good sleep but she wanted to sleep in. Still, she opened her eyes slowly. The first thing she saw was Sasuke's face turned to her. He was still fast asleep on his own bed. She wondered where he went last night. She fell asleep waiting for him. She was disappointed. She thought they could've at least spent their last night together with a meal. Or maybe a late night stroll? It was unlikely because the rain didn't let up 'til after midnight. She looked at the clock on the wall. 7:00 am. She debated if she should wake him up. The better side of her said she should but the selfish side wanted to look at his face a little more. She wanted to memorize all the changes that happened over the past year. His hair was longer. She guessed that was a given. His jaw was more pronounced and there were lines in-between his eyebrows - imperceptible lines, if not for her keen eyes as a medic nin. But he was still the Sasuke that left almost a year ago, still the boy from the academy. An older, more mature and warmer Sasuke-kun.

Sakura smiled and touched her forehead, reminiscing what he did the last time they were together. 'My Sasuke-kun,' she thought. She sighed. 'No. Just Sasuke-kun. Just... Sasuke-kun.'

She didn't like it. This coming bout of depression. She resolved not to be affected by it anymore. But how could she not? When she goes back to the village, Hinata will bring Naruto his lunch and that idiot will smile from ear to ear even when he didn't sleep a blink the night before. Sai will be happily dragged around town by Ino. And just...

Sasuke took a deep breath and stretched his neck against his pillow. He opened his eyes and they met hers.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun," she said, as cheerfully as she could.

"Mornin'," Sasuke replied, voice thick with sleep. They stared at each other for a while.

As expected, Sasuke was the one who broke contact. He got out of bed and went straight to the bathroom.

"I guess I should get out of bed, too," Sakura told herself.

Breakfast was delivered right on time and they ate together. They made light conversation, mostly initiated by Sakura. They talked about the rest of Team 7, including Sai, of course. They talked about the rest of the rookie nine. Well, none of them were rookies anymore. Sasuke talked about his travels, not as animated but Sakura appreciated his effort.

And Sakura noticed small gestures and habits he had. He blew on each spoonful of soup thrice before sipping it. He preferred eating his whole meal first before drinking anything. His bangs were longer now and he'd occasionally blow on it to get it out of his face. He looked really annoyed by it. It was cute.

An hour later, they met up with Tetsuya at the village gate, along with some of his team members. "We couldn't possibly put into words our gratitude," Tetsuya said. "But once again, thank you."

"It was a group effort," Sakura said. "But you're welcome." To Sakura's surprise, Tetsuya stepped before her and put his arms around her. Sakura returned the gesture and she heard him chuckle behind her. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," he said, tightening his embrace. "Take care." Then, he let go, amusement on his face. Sakura studied him. Realizing this, he said, "I would tell you what I find funny but then I'd probably end up in the hospital."

"Wha-"

"Well, then, see you." Turning serious, he bowed to her, the rest of his entourage following suit. Sakura and Sasuke bowed back to them and walked out of the village.

The journey back to Konoha had a lighter atmosphere. Sasuke didn't seem that much guarded anymore. Sakura saw him smirking more frequently. Sasuke smiling is still a rare occurrence and Sakura felt privileged. She would start a conversation and Sasuke would do his best to respond or to participate what little he could in it. Sakura tried to put the fact that they would have to separate again at the back of her mind.

On their way back, Sakura saw the cave they stayed at and suggested they spend the night there. But Sasuke was adamant to refuse. He said they should wait until the sun has set to cover more ground. He had a point, of course, but his reaction was too strong. In the end, they spent the night in a clearing. Sasuke found firewood and started a fire. He also volunteered to be in-charge of dinner.

Sakura spread her sleeping mat on the grassy floor after dinner and bid Sasuke 'good night,' as he jumped up to one of the highest trees to check the perimeter while she slept. She sighed. She didn't think he should be on the lookout but Sasuke never took a chance. She also knew he won't wake her up when his shift was over. But that was moot point.

They arrived in Konoha in only over half the time it took them to reach Ame.

"Aaah," Sakura breathed in the familiar warmth of her village. "We're home."

"Sakura."

Sakura turned to Sasuke. "Hm?"

"I'll get going now," he said.

Sakura realized he was standing a few meters away from the gates. Of course, she remembered. He only needed to take her back safely. "Aren't you going to say hi to Kakashi-sensei? Or Naruto? I think he should be off-duty today."

"There's no need," he said. "I'll get going now."

Sakura opened her mouth to say something but closed it again. She knew what he'd say if she asked. So instead, she said, "I had fun, Sasuke-kun. Thank you. Have a safe trip."

"Hn." Sasuke turned the other way and started walking away.

"Can I come with you, Sasuke-kun?" she whispered to herself. "Take me with you."

"The vaccines are still currently being developed," Sakura said.

"Well done, Sakura," Kakashi-said. "I knew you'd bring good news."

"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei. It was my job."

"And you did it well," he said, his tone filled with pride. Sakura smiled. It was the tone reserved for his beloved students. "I'm sure you're tired so I won't keep you."

"Then, I'll take my leave." She bowed.

"Oh, and one more thing," Kakashi said holding up his hand before she turned. "I am going to give you a month's worth of paid leave for your troubles."

"I appreciate it, Kakashi-sensei, but isn't one month too long?"

"Don't make me extend it to two," he retorted. "You need the rest, Sakura. Especially after all that time you spent establishing your clinic. Take it as my daily dose of good deed."

Sakura scoffed. "Alright. One month, it is."

Sakura closed the door behind her. She looked up at the sky. The sun was setting. She was suddenly feeling tired. Perhaps her body really needed the rest. Adjusting her backpack, she started walking, thinking of what she should have for dinner. Maybe she should eat out? Ichiraku's with Naruto? No, he would be with Hinata today. Maybe Ino would - Her thoughts stopped midway.

Sasuke was standing at the Hokage Tower entrance. "Sakura."

"Sa-Sasuke-kun? W-What are you doing here?"

What was he doing here? Sasuke was killing himself inside. He shouldn't have looked back when he did earlier. Seeing her walking away from him was - Tsk. It was that Abe's fault. He was really going to end up in a hospital the next time he saw him.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura called again. Sasuke figured he might just send the guy to an early death.

Sasuke cleared his throat. He seemed really uncomfortable. She wondered whether he was sick. He couldn't have gotten infected, could he?

She was walking toward him. Sasuke gripped his Kusanagi tighter. Then, let go. Why was he so tense? What was he planning to do? Slice her in half?

She stopped right in front of him. Then, her hand was on his cheek.

He was really warm. She cupped his other cheek. Yup, very warm. She slid her hands down the sides of his neck. It was hot.

"Sasuke-kun, I think you're coming down with a fever. Are you okay? How is your breathing? Does your throat hurt? Do you -?" Sasuke held her left hand and smirked.

She was worried. He was standing there like a total fool, cursing a man to his grave and there she was worried that he was sick. This girl - no, this woman was really something. "I'm fine, Sakura," he said. Her eyes told him she didn't believe him. "Really."

She lowered both hands but Sasuke didn't let go. There it was again. This sensation. He held her hand tighter.

She felt him hold her hand tighter. Somehow, she was getting nervous. "Sasuke-kun? What is it?"

Again, that smirk. That confident smirk. "When I was in Otto, I learned of this festival called 'Dance of the Reeds.'" Sakura was confused but she listened. "Every year during the middle of summer, strong winds pass through the reed banks and they made sounds."

"The reeds were making sounds?" Sakura asked.

"No, they weren't," he patiently explained. "It turned out the ground they were planted on had small burrows connected to each other made by the animals. The wind wound go through the hollow ground and out another hole making sounds. But only a few know this so they all think the reeds make the sound."

"O...kay."

She didn't know where he was going with his story but it was the most words that came out of his mouth and she wasn't going to interrupt him if he suddenly wanted to tell her a story. "Then?"

Sasuke brows furrowed. "Then what?"

"What happened next?"

"Nothing," he said.

Sakura tilted her head to the side and chuckled. "You really have to work on your storytelling, Sasuke-kun."

Story? What story was she talking about? Why was it so hard? Did he have to spell it out? She took her hand back against his will and readjusted her backpack. Gathering all the courage he thought he had, he said, "Do you want to go?"

"What?"

"If we leave now, we'll arrive just in time for the festival."

"Sasuke-kun, I don't think-" All the confusion went away in a second. Green eyes met black ones. "Sasuke-kun. A-are you-?"

He knew. He knew that she knew what he wanted to say. It was all in her face. She was gazing at him like she had seen him for the first time. Her eyes smiled. Then, her lips smiled. Then, her whole face just lit up.

Just then, she had her arms around his neck and he almost lost balance. Almost.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

He wrapped his arm around her waist. For the first time, he wished he had his left arm back. Maybe he'd get that prosthesis after all. He rested his cheek on the side of her head and she hugged him tighter.

So this was what it felt like, Sasuke realized. This was what it felt like to be home. A home to call his own.

A/N:

I made this story because I refuse to believe that Sakura "chased after Sasuke" that's why they traveled together. I would like to think there was another reason for it. Perhaps, Sasuke wanted her to come along, too. This story doesn't have to be the part where they traveled together and had Sarada. I just liked the idea that they traveled together. Then, Sakura'll go back and Sasuke'll travel alone. Then, they'll travel together. I don't know. It just seemed more likely since Sakura is pretty used to Sasuke being gone. Like, she doesn't worry if he'll come back or not. She knows he always will. So... yeah.

So what did you guys think? Did you like it? Did you not like it? Please tell me in the commoents. Thank you!