Here's that obligatory disclaimer: This is a work of fan-fiction using characters from the Naruto world. I do not claim any ownership over them.

Chapter 1

Homecoming

In every life, only three or four moments will change anything. Kakashi knew this better than anyone, and as the poison coursed through his veins, he remembered those points in his life, those instances when the slightest move or faintest breath would have led to a different world than this one. He hoped he had at last righted it all.

A year had passed since the end of the war. A year since he had watched the reunion of his team and vowed he would never let those three be torn apart again, not if it were in his power to prevent. His own life had been on an unchanging trajectory since he was six years old but he wanted the fates of his young team members to be different. Wanted for them the happy endings shinobi like him never get.

Now, among the scattered bodies of his attackers, his knees hit the hard stone and he reached a shaking hand to the wound in his arm. The blood dripped warm and wet through his fingers and with the last of his strength he formed the signs and spoke the jutsu that would summon his ninken. There was nothing the dogs could do for him, he knew, but he didn't want to die alone.

As the summoning seal took effect and concentric circles of intricate black lettering shot out across the ground from beneath his hand, he finally collapsed and felt the first soft flurries of snow upon his face. All chances to change anything were gone for him, and in his last moments he didn't waste a single one wishing his life wasn't finally at an end or that somehow, something could have been different. He saw only images of the three living people he loved most in the world.

He saw Naruto's laughter during their long journey back home after the war. He saw Sasuke's gratitude after his pardon and freedom. And as Kakashi's eyes closed, he saw the wild green of Sakura's eyes, a tangle of flowers in her hair, and her smile as it was on that last morning, and he tried to hold on to it as his world went black.

"At least you lost your left arm." Naruto eyed the empty sleeve hanging loose from his own right shoulder. "I'm useless over here."

"Shut up Naruto," Sasuke said with a sneer. "How does only having a right arm instead of a left make hand signs any easier for me? And in case you forgot, I'm left handed."

Sakura looked at Kakashi over the heads of the other two, now apparently useless, ninja, and with a shake of her head, rolled her eyes. From the crease that appeared at the corners of his eyes, she knew his lips had curved into a smile beneath his mask. She grinned.

"Shut up, both of you." Sakura laughed as she turned her attention back to her charge. "And hold still Naruto!" She smacked the side of his head lightly.

"Sakura!" Naruto whined, squeezing his features into a grimace as he looked up at her. "What did you do that for? I'm missing an arm and I could have died out there!"

"And if you had, I would have died too." She leaned down and gave his shoulders a squeeze. "But it's half your fault you're missing an arm." She straightened to stand over him again. "So stop being a knucklehead and let me treat you so we can go home soon."

The green glow of her chakra illumined her palm as it slowly swept over Naruto's right shoulder, searching for damaged nerve endings and torn ligaments, releasing knots and pain centers as she went, and infusing her treatment with her own comforting massage. It was a trick she had only ever reserved for her three teammates.

They'd been holed up in this tiny room of the civilian hospital in the north Fire Country for a week now. Only a week since that last bloody battle ushered in the end of an era, yet it felt like a lifetime.

"If it's anyone's fault," Naruto countered, "it's Sasuke's. He's the reason we only have two arms between us now." He turned toward Sasuke with furrowed brows and Sakura was surprised to see Sasuke's sneer ease into the hint of a smile. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him smile. Naruto returned it with a grin before turning back to Sakura. "If you're gonna beat someone up, beat him up."

"Don't worry, he's next." She looked over Naruto's golden head toward Sasuke and watched his expression resume the stoic indifference she was used to. In the next moment, his eyes met hers, and she looked quickly back down with a blush, only to meet Naruto's mischievous smile.

His mouth opened to speak, but before he could utter a sound, Sakura narrowed her eyes at him. "Do you have something to say?" she asked, her raised eyebrows a challenge. His blue eyes widened innocently and he remained silent but the smirk didn't leave his lips. "Good, now hold still," she said and resumed her treatment.

But even as Naruto's wounds smoothed over with newly healed skin beneath the heat of her chakra, her thoughts strayed to Sasuke, and she couldn't keep the warmth from rising to her cheeks again or the smile from her face.

Naruto and Sasuke had each lost so much, but when she remembered how she had found them after their battle, beaten and broken and Sasuke's cheeks streaked with tears, how he had looked at her then and apologized to her, she thought that what they had gained might somehow justify all the loss. He was back. Sasuke was finally back and she hoped she'd never have to let him go again.

"How does it look?" Naruto asked. Sakura's fingertips glided over the stump of his right arm, her chakra prodding the bone and blood vessels and nerves beneath the skin. "Good enough to leave tomorrow as planned?"

Home—Konohagakure—the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Until Kakashi had told them that afternoon what awaited Sasuke when they returned, her longing to be home again had been intense. She had yearned to walk thought Konoha's massive green gates and feel the hum of the village roads beneath her feet again, to see her family after all the months away, to laugh with her comrades, to finally relax. But now, all she wanted was to delay their homecoming.

"Your arm looks really good. You shouldn't have any painful bundling of nerve cells beneath the skin." The chakra faded from her hand and she sat down on the edge of his bed. "But let me look at that eye."

When she had first seen the injury to his left eye, she was sure there would be permanent damage to the socket, but it had begun to heal as quickly as the rest of his wounds and now he could hold it partially open. It looked good but it was still tender from the repeated chakra treatments of the past days so she merely spread a new bandage across the deep laceration under the eye and sat back to look at her work. "There," she said, "almost back to new."

Raising her eyes to his, she smiled at the expectant hope on his face. She had told them they couldn't leave until they were well enough to make the journey back to Konoha. Now, there really was no reason to delay any longer. "And yes, we can go home tomorrow," she finally said.

Naruto's face was immediately overspread with the familiar grin he'd flashed her so many times over the years. "All four of us finally together again," he exclaimed. After only a moment though, his expression was replaced by one more serious and he leveled the steady gaze of his blue eyes at her.

"What is it?" she asked.

His voice was hushed and earnest. "I told you I'd bring him back. I'm just sorry it took me so long to keep my promise."

"Oh, Naruto, you have nothing at all to apologize for." Her voice trembled as she looked down at her hands and remembered the foolish request she had made of Naruto all those years ago when Sasuke had left the village. "Please bring him home," she had begged through her tears.

She now wrapped his shoulders in a fierce hug and buried her head in his hair. Her throat felt raw and her eyes burned. "I'm so sorry I asked so much of you."

"Hey Sakura," he wrapped his arm around her awkwardly, "it's ok."

She drew back and gave a weak smile and felt the tears begin to brim over. "Aren't you worried at all?" she asked, and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"What is there to be worried about? It's just a stupid formality that Granny Tsunade has to do. But once she sees him and talks to him again, she'll know he's alright."

Sakura shook her head and frowned in doubt. "I don't know. They don't know him like we do. They don't. . ." her voice trailed off. "After everything he's been through. After everything he did for the village in the war, how can they do that to him?"

"Don't worry. He'll be out in no time, believe it. You'll see."

Sakura looked at Naruto's reassuring expression and wondered if he was right. She hoped he was right. For as long as she had known him, he had been so able to believe in happy endings, and she had come to realize that it was his belief in them alone that had made so many of them happen. She wondered how he always managed to do it, and felt an overwhelming rush of emotion again.

"I don't know what we'd do without you," she said to him with a wobbly smile.

"Aw, Sakura, you're the one we can't live without." He raised the stump of his right arm and wagged it at her. "If it weren't for you, who knows if we'd have made it."

"Well, you do have a point," Sakura laughed and gave him a light shove against his shoulder. "And you'd better not forget it." But then she stood and leaned over him to press a soft kiss to his forehead. "Thank you Naruto."

Later that night, after Sasuke and Naruto had fallen asleep, Sakura climbed onto the couch in the corner of the hospital room and curled up in the little space left on it that was not being occupied by Kakashi.

"Scooch," she said to him. He was stretched out on his back with his hands interlaced beneath his head at the opposite end of the couch, and she extended her own legs, squeezing them between him and the cushions, and tucked her toes against the underside of his arm. Without opening his eyes, he scooted over an inch to accommodate her.

"How are they doing?" he murmured.

"Good." She glanced across the room at the sleeping forms of Naruto and Sasuke. "I guess we can all get out of here in the morning." She hadn't left the hospital since they'd reached it a week before, but Kakashi had returned to the Land of Lighting to help those left after the final battle, and had since made multiple trips to Konoha. "How are they in Konoha today?"

"Better," Kakashi said. "Even those suffering the worst from chakra-depletion have reached almost complete restoration. But it'll be some time before everyone has recovered from whatever they saw while hooked up to that thing. I can't imagine."

She couldn't imagine it either. Apparently those who had been imprisoned to the ten-tails tree in the last day of the war had experienced hallucinations of their worst fears and greatest desires. And waking from those visions had left many disoriented and distraught.

When Kakashi had found Lady Tsunade on the battlefield in the Land of Lighting, she had been healing the wounded and shouting orders at the rest, and whatever she had seen in her own visions had been put to the side, but Sakura knew she must be suffering.

Sakura's thoughts and eyes then strayed to Sasuke, as they had hundreds of times over the last few days. A square of moonlight fell soft over his face as he slept and all she wanted to do was curl up next to him, lean her head on his chest, and fall asleep with the steady beat of his heart against her ear.

She couldn't hate him. Before the war, she had tried to; he had hurt them all, and she had even convinced herself that she could kill him. But any blame she had once felt was long faded. And now that he was coming home, she might as well be a smitten schoolgirl again, heart thumping and hands trembling every time she got close to him.

But Sakura was sure there was something different now too, a new look in his eyes, and she had begun to believe, despite everything, that things would finally fall into place. That Sasuke would, at long last, let himself love her.

She turned her eyes back to Kakashi, and found him looking at her. "Even after all these years, you still wear your heart on your sleeve," he said.

She blushed. "It's that obvious, huh?"

"Maybe just for those of us who know you."

"You must think I'm an idiot."

"No." His voice was gentle. "You two have been through a lot together. There's nothing to explain."

Sakura smiled weakly.

They lay in silence for a while before Kakashi spoke again. "It has to be done Sakura. But it's going to be fine. He understands."

"No, I know," she said. "I guess. . .I don't know. I guess I thought what he did for us during the war would be enough. That he wouldn't still be viewed as a criminal." Thinking of what Sasuke was going to face when they got home made her angry and sad all over again. She wished she could prevent it. A part of her had for a moment even wished they could run off together and become fugitives.

"The people of the village don't know him like you and Naruto do. That can be changed, but it won't happen overnight. And in the meantime, procedures must be followed. He knows that. The fact that he's accepting the consequences of his actions shows me who he is now. It will show Lady Tsunade too."

Sakura's lips curved in a faint smile. "He's really back."

Kakashi turned back toward the ceiling and closed his eyes. "It would seem so."

Sakura watched the steady rise and fall of Kakashi's chest and thought of how he had always been there for them. He hadn't said much about his own sorrow in the last few days, but she had seen it in his eyes and heard it in his voice. Of all of them, he might have lost the most in the war.

"And how are you doing?" she asked softly.

At her question, he opened his eyes again and stared up at the ceiling. "I'm alright," he said, "but I'll be glad to be back in Konoha for a stretch."

"Yeah," she sighed. "Home will be good for us."

"Besides," he continued in his familiar languid tone. "Any more of this schedule, and Lady Tsunade will start setting unrealistic expectations for me."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but it's probably too late for you." Sakura laughed quietly. "So I hope you enjoyed being lazy while it lasted."

Kakashi chuckled before his expression sobered. "But to tell you the truth, if it weren't for you kids, I think I'd be lost." It was a rare bit of candor from the normally stoic man, and Sakura felt a swell of emotion in her chest.

"Well, we'll always be here for you. We owe you so much." The words weren't enough, but there really weren't words to express how grateful she was for all he'd done for them over the years.

After a moment though, she smiled and nudged his arm with her foot. "But seriously, Kakashi-sensei, you know we're not kids anymore. We're seventeen. That's like the tenth time this week you've called us kids."

The corners of his eyes revealed his own smile. "I've got 14 years on you three. You'll always be kids to me."

The following morning brought a whirlwind of confusion and minor irritations as they all tried to gather their things and themselves for the journey ahead. But eventually they were finally off and leaping through the forest canopy toward home.

Sakura watched Sasuke sail through the branches in front of her and remembered another time, all those years ago, when she and Naruto and Master Jiraiya had set out after him when he had deserted the village.

She had been jumping through the forest canopy on that day too, and in her desperate heartbreak had imagined him ahead of her, as if he were still with them and they were on just another mission. But now he really was there in front of her, in flesh and bone and heart, and she didn't have to imagine him anymore. If she had the nerve, she could reach out and touch him. She had missed him so much.

As they neared the village, though, Sakura felt the crush of anxiety. All she wanted was to slow down and delay the moment when Sasuke would be taken to the Konoha prison. She wondered if ANBU black ops would be waiting for him at the gates, or if he would have to turn himself in. It all seemed like a twisted joke to her, an unnecessary piece of theater that would help no one.

But despite Sakura's wish for the journey to go on forever, the gates of the village soon appeared in the distance while the sun still burned high in the sky above. They all dropped to the ground to walk the last hundred yards and Naruto drew alongside her, bouncing with enthusiastic energy. "Who do you think will be at the gate today? Do you think they'll have a welcome party for us?"

"I doubt it Naruto. Everyone is still recovering from their own experiences. It was rougher on them than on us."

At her words, his exuberance quelled. "I know it was."

"But everyone will be overjoyed to see you, I know that," she said.

"I guess it doesn't matter," Naruto's eyes were now downcast. "I wasn't able to save everyone. I wasn't able to save Neji, or Inoichi-san, or Shikaku-san."

She wanted to comfort him, to tell him again that they all owed their lives to him, but just as Kakashi had said so many times, she knew that sometimes sympathetic words would only make things worse. In the end, she settled for taking his hand in hers. He turned his face to smile at her as they walked and she returned it and gave his hand a squeeze.

Sasuke was walking a few feet in front of them, and she wondered what he was thinking or feeling. His head and shoulders were erect and to her, he seemed fearless.

They had almost reached the gates when Naruto pulled his hand free from hers to run up to Sasuke. He turned and grinned, and slowed his pace to match Sasuke's, and she couldn't help a melancholy smile as she watched them. Who would have thought two weeks ago that they could be like this?

All too soon though, the massive green splintered wood panels of the Kohona gates towered overhead, and the four shinobi passed beneath them and onto the wide main street, its multi-colored shops and buildings lining the road and drawing the eye toward the Hokage rock at the opposite end and its five carved stone faces that tirelessly watched over Konoha and its people.

Later, Sakura walked out of the Hokage Tower and wandered in the general direction of the Training Grounds. The last hour had passed by in a blur.

When they had entered the village, Naruto had been almost trampled by Konohamaru and Moegi, who were doing guard duties for the day, and in the noise and laughter, the mood had seemed joyous for a few blissful minutes. But soon Kakashi was whispering something in her ear, and she was turning to see him taking Sasuke's arm, and she knew the moment she had been dreading had come.

They had gone to Lady Tsunade's office, and it had seemed crowded and oppressive. Ibiki-san had been there, his scarred and haggard face unreadable, and two members of his ANBU interrogation squad, faceless and nameless under their animal masks, stood by him. Shizune had also been there, and so had Tenzo, and as happy and relieved as she was to see those two dear friends, she could only spare half of her attention for anyone but Sasuke.

In the end, he had left willingly with Kakashi and Ibiki's team, and her heart had ached for him. His chin was held high, his face resolute and inscrutable as he walked past, and he had not looked at her. For a while after the door closed behind him, her muscles quivered and her heart thumped wildly with nervous energy, and she knew if she stayed much longer she'd scream.

"Sakura!" Naruto had called when she walked out. "Where are you going?"

"I just need some air," she had said.

"Let her go," she heard Lady Tsunade say behind her.

Now, as she walked away from that meeting, she was careless of the scenery around her, and looked only at the ground as she kicked a pebble in front of her along the dusty road. It soon tumbled into the grass, and she continued to walk, past the three stumps where she and the boys had taken their first test with Kakashi years before, and finally toward the village's memorial stone.

The memorial was a tribute to Konoha's fallen soldiers, a slab of polished granite the color of tears, and standing before it, Sakura wondered how they would fit the names of all the shinobi who had given their lives in this last war. She wondered where Neji's name would be carved. The thought brought the sting of tears to her eyes and the names on the stone blurred as her tears flowed.

She didn't know how long she stood there, but her tears had dried and the shadows were falling long over the ground when she felt the presence of someone approaching. She knew who it was, and when he came up beside her, she didn't turn.

He must have just come from arranging everything at the jail, but as badly as she wanted to know how Sasuke was, she waited; waited for Kakashi to say in his head and heart what he needed to say to Obito and Rin and all the others he had lost over the years and whose names would soon be joined by so many more.

"I left him with Ibiki," Kakashi finally said, his voice impassive. Sakura now turned her face toward him, her expression at once questioning yet fearful of the answer. Kakashi stood with his hands in his pockets and his shoulders relaxed as he looked at the stone. "I wouldn't worry. I don't think there's any restraint they can put him in that would keep him there if he wasn't there by choice."

"But is he. . .when will. . " her voice trailed off.

"There'll be a hearing next week. Naruto and I will be there, with Lady Tsunade and the elders, and we'll give our recommendations." He now turned his face toward her and she saw that his dark gray eyes were steady and calm. "I do think our opinions will be given a lot of weight in their decision."

"Next week?" She searched his eyes. "And until then?"

"Until then, Ibiki and his team will be questioning him."

Sakura took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she turned back to face the memorial stone. He'll be fine, she thought. But she imagined Sasuke alone in a cell, bound and isolated, tormented in mind and body, and her own body felt hot with anger and anxiety.

"I wish I could be there with him." She clenched her fists and squeezed her eyes shut but couldn't stop the tears, which began to flow silently down her cheeks. She felt helpless and suddenly very alone. How could she be so strong in so many ways and so weak in others?

And then she felt a light touch, and a squeeze of her shoulders, as Kakashi put his arm around her and pulled her gently to his side. She turned into him and buried her tears against his chest, and in the next moment, both his arms were around her and he held her as she cried. His heartbeat was slow and strong, and it calmed her, and finally her tears stopped. When she relaxed, she felt his hold loosen, but he didn't let go until she drew away and wiped her eyes.

She then turned to stare blankly again at the memorial stone, and they stood there together a long while more, in comfortable silence, until the sky turned the color of moonlight and the stars shone above their heads.

A/N:

I hope you enjoy so far! Please review-it is food for my writer's soul.