Okay! So here's the new story I'm working on. Just something to start me off. Reaching out to a new audience and hoping to make some new fans as well as provide something new to my veteran fans. Hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 1

She looked exactly how I expected her to look after not seeing her for several years. Same obnoxious pink hair that was near impossible to miss. Vibrant green eyes that could read so far into your soul that with a single glance, even the most sinful of secrets could be revealed.

And yet, past her looks, she was so unfamiliar.

Even as she approached me at the gates, with our former teacher and my best friend at her side, I didn't recognize her. She'd grown a lot more than I had anticipated in such a short amount of time. Then again, perhaps the three additional years I'd spent away from the village was longer than I thought.

"Sasuke-kun, welcome home," she whispered through her smile. Perfect white teeth flashing past her parted lips.

I didn't speak. Not that I didn't want to.

I was still coming to terms with the girl—

Scratch that. The young woman in front of me. She was still shorter than I and after the loser had finally managed to hit puberty, he too stood well above her. But she'd grown. And it most definitely showed.

I recalled in my years before everything had happened, back when things weren't so undeniably fucked up. I could remember how much my former blonde haired, loud-mouthed fangirl would pick at Sakura. Pointing out her flat chest and things of that nature.

It had been true and being a teenage boy at the time, I had noticed.

But it wasn't like it mattered. I wasn't concerned with girls or simple school crushes. My days and nights had always been focused on the one thing that had kept me going all those years. Perhaps, if I had known then what I knew now, it could have potentially been different. I could've been different.

However, I was a firm believer that things all happened for a reason.

Had I been so worried about girls and intimate relations of that nature, I never would have been able to kill my brother. Only to learn the miserable truth later. Only to realize that nothing worked as it was supposed to. To learn that my whole life was based on a lie that I never would've began to question.

And I never would've achieved the level of understanding I had now.

"Sasuke," my name sounding foreign as it fell from his lips. I had been so used to being called 'Teme' but I suppose some things change.

"Naruto," I answered back calmly, noticing how he too seemed to have grown. Hair still that full and annoying blonde had seemed to shorten a bit from when he was younger. He'd grown more muscled and had even grown at least another several inches or so.

But of all the things I noticed, the light remnants of sleepless nights lingered right beneath his eyes served to be the most shocking. It forced the lightest of frowns to my lips as I made the mental note to ask him later.

He didn't leave me room to dwell on his sleeping habits long as he extended his hand out to me. "Come on Teme, don't leave me hangin'," he tossed me that familiar grin, eyes flashing playfully. And though I might have brushed it off before, the twitch of my lips into a silent smirk as my hand met his felt like a better answer.

"Hn. Dobe."

He chuckled, giving my hand a firm squeeze before dropping it. Kakashi walked over, giving my shoulder a firm squeeze. I watched his eye crinkle in an expression I'd seen when he managed to smile. I nodded, knowing that he hadn't expected me to say much.

Once again, my attention was drawn to Sakura and the way she nervously tugged her bottom lip with her teeth as a blush danced over her cheeks.

She was struggling with something and though I had some notion, I wouldn't act first.

It would seem I was fortunate, not that I had planned on making any abrupt physically contact first. Catching me by surprise, she pressed her body into my own with her arms pulling at my neck. She whispered those welcoming words again.

A thought crossed through my mind briefly. About the words I'd spoken to her when I'd last seen her.

About how I had apologized and promised to see her as soon as I had returned from journey.

So as tears raced down her cheeks as she clung to me, I allowed my words to fuel my actions. Carefully, I curved my arm around her waist and nodded, "Ah. Thank you, Sakura." Using the bottom of her hand, she quickly brushed away her tears and gave me another smile.

That was the end of that.

As we traveled through the village, I couldn't help but notice that much like my former teammates, it too had undergone several changes. More buildings had been constructed, markets had been expanded and it seemed livelier from the time I was last here.

Our walk to the Hokage Mansion was long but the light conversation that had transpired between us over the course of our walk had helped pass the time. I learned several things about the village and its inhabitants as a result of the forthcoming changes soon to take place.

Kakashi still held the title of the Sixth Hokage, as he had before I'd left. Naruto had been married to the Hyuga girl for a while now. In addition to that, he was finally being prepped for his training to becoming the Seventh Hokage.

I planned on being in the village for a while so hopefully I'd been around to see it for myself.

Sakura, she'd been quite busy herself. The previous Hokage, Tsunade, had placed her as head of the Medical Corps in the village. She'd even been designated as an ambassador for such matters among other villages and was establishing her own program with the Yamanaka girl whom was reportedly in a relationship with the boy who'd served as my replacement in my absence.

Most of the others in the village had started new lives, new romances and jobs, things of that nature. Hell, even Nara had managed to settle down.

I wasn't sure who'd be next but it wasn't like it mattered. Life would go on, just like it always had.

Soon we came to rest in the office, us three standing side by side as Kakashi explained some things to me. Mentioning that my old home had been cleaned and maintained with the expectation of me returning to live there.

Of course I had planned on it. I could have easily found somewhere else but this was my family home. Like my father had before me, I would live here, establish myself and build up my family from scratch.

For now, however, I just wanted to suppress this gut wrenching feeling of anxiety picking at my insides. I didn't know what my reaction would be to returning to a place that harbored so many wonderful memories along with such painful ones.

Nonetheless, I nodded my understanding and proceeded to do what had to be done.

In our Genin days, I would have snapped at the two of them for following me around all day. Having preferred being alone, I didn't want them in such a place of privacy. But now, things had changed. We'd all changed. And as I tackled this newfound step in moving on with my life, I couldn't have picked two better people.

They allowed me to go first but not without reassuring me that they'd be behind me the whole time.

I treaded lightly, dropping my bag just outside the door as I slipped off my shoes. I turned to face them, nodding for them to join me. They'd both gone above and beyond to prove that I could trust them. And though I doubted I'd suffer some sort of emotional breakdown, I'd feel better having them inside.

They joined me quickly, following in my steps as if they were afraid any deviation of the slightest would tick me off.

But it wasn't likely.

I was far too distracted. Eyes lingering on the newly applied wallpapers and freshly polished floors. Each room seemed to strike up an old memory. As I glanced at the kitchen, I saw my family. Us eating together.

Familiar images of me talking incessantly about my day in the academy, Itachi listening with a smile, Mother setting the table adding comments every now and then and my father sitting proud.

I came upon their room first, remembering how I would often spend nights there when the sounds of storms became too much to bear. And though I know my father would often be annoyed with such behavior, deeming it unbecoming of an Uchiha. He would always go out of his way to make sure I wa comfortable and safe between them.

I missed them, the both of them.

Next up was my room.

It didn't elicit any major memories. I remember spending hours upon hours every night, studying jutsu and techniques that would impress my father and brother. Toys that were scattered about in my much younger years were soon replaced with various kunai and shuriken as I familiarized myself with them.

A smirk pulled at my lips when I noticed an almost hidden cut in the ceiling right above my bed.

I fondly recalled how after my mother forbid me to practice the shuriken jutsu outside with my brother because it was too dangerous for a boy my age, in a fit, I'd gone and chucked one into the ceiling. I nearly chuckled when I remembered how nervous I was as I rushed and begged for Itachi to help me fill the hole.

And he had, not before chuckling and pointing out that I shouldn't have done it in the first place. Which was true but I was far too proud to admit such a foolish mistake to him of all people.

Stopping in front of his room brought back some ill feelings. Actually, I couldn't make heads or tails of most of them. Good mixed with the bad and vice versa. I thought about how he'd jab me in the forehead whenever he'd brush me off with that pathetic, 'Maybe next time, Sasuke.'

How foolish of me to believe him.

Because at the time, I had been far too naïve to know that there wouldn't be a next time. He knew damn well there would never be a next time.

But after learning the truth about everything, much like in the days of my boyhood, I longed for a next time. Now more than ever all things considered. Knowing that everything was a lie and that my dear old brother whom had slain my family in cold blood and encouraged me to hate him for years, did so only to save my sorry ass.

How I longed for one last chance to speak with him, to have him explain why things had to be so fucked up.

Such fantasies weren't possible for people like me. People so far into sin, with bloodied and battered hands to show for it.

I missed him too. And though I knew I was here of my own accord, along with the fact that my friends had worked so hard to get me here. I knew I was back because of him. Because he believed that if I had any hope of finding happiness again, it would within the walls of this village.

I nodded at Naruto and Sakura who had remained silent during the entire time, not wanting to disturb me. I motioned for them to follow me outside as I slipped into the Uchiha burial grounds. I just had one last stop before I began to get settled in.

And though he wasn't here physically, I knew his presence was here. So as I touched the stone with the names of my parents etched into it, thinking of my brother as well, I forced the faintest of smiles onto my lips.

And it stayed there.

It remained even as I felt two hands squeeze my shoulders as the two other hands appeared on top of the stone with my own. No words were exchanged as our eyes slipped shut, each of us thinking something completely different and yet exactly the same.

So as I rose and felt those hands reappear on my shoulder, I couldn't help but smile.

"Welcome home Sasuke."

Eyes softening, I patted the top of the stone one last time, hoping they'd hear my words as they rested peacefully.

"I'm finally home."

Anddd done. Boom. Finito! Just a simple first chapter intro thing. I'll put here so it doesn't take up the space dedicated to the summary. Basically, I'm writing my own version of the time in between Sasuke's return after the second time before the whole Boruto movie deal. My ideas and such on how things might have happened between him and Sakura. Not meant to be accurate, just thought it'd be fun to write. But anyways, hopefully you liked. Also, if you're a previous fan, I'll be focusing on shorter chapters to get faster updates. Win win right?But yeah. Leave a little review if you'd like. They make me happy! ^^