Summary: In which someone is benched, and it's not Sakura

Author: IFoundNowhere

Standard disclaimer applies.

Benchwarmer

In an event eerily akin to fate bitch slapping him across the face, Sasuke found himself lying upon the same bench Sakura had awakened upon all those years ago. True, he believed that it had been for her own wellbeing, this, however, he knew was irony at its best. Or worst.

Sneaking past the guards at the gates of Konoha had been no easy feat, especially after fighting, and nearly losing, to his brother. It surprised him that his feet had automatically brought him to this place, but Sasuke supposed it made sense. After all, it was a place he had seen in his dreams many times before, yet instead of setting down the pink haired kunoichi, he would be picking her up.

Looking towards the stars, Sasuke wondered how long it would take before someone found him.

The Hokage, it seemed, was not nearly as inclined to forgive and forget as the bouncing blond at her side was. She glared coldly at the dark youth sitting before her on the hospital bed, and he glared mutinously back. Manners, apparently, were seen as an optional nicety.

"Tsunade-baa-chan! Tsunade-baa-chan! Why are you glaring at teme like that? He's finally back! Where's Sakura? I'm sure she's heard by now. I think I'm going to go get her, she must not have believed the rumors. Just wait two minutes and I'll-" The hyper blond was abruptly cut off as the irritated Tsunade cuffed him hard enough to send him flipping ass over end.

"Naruto! Stop yelling in my ear!" She snapped at him.

"Oww Tsunade-baa-chan! You don't have to hit so hard." Came the pathetic warble from the linoleum floor.

Clearly running out of patience, Tsunade turned back to the brooding Sasuke and reinforced her glare with a frown. He simply raised an infuriating brow.

"And you, you ungrateful brat, you will be guarded at all times until your trial, which will take place as soon as your wounds heal. If you so much as think about pissing in Naruto's ramen, you'll be sent to ANBU lock-up before you can say Sharingan!" That said, she screamed for Shizune, who rushed in looking frazzled.

"Yes, Tsuane-sama?" Shizune panted out as she looked carefully at Sasuke, before giving him a subtle glare and turning her back on him.

His eyebrows lowered and a slightly puzzled look entered his eyes. He had not expected to be welcomed warmly by everyone, but Shizune's cold attitude was especially out of character.

"Inform Sakura that she will be appointed head medic of the Uchiha's case."

Sasuke's other eyebrow rose at that. He had heard that Sakura was Tsunade's student, but had doubted that she would amount to much. It was surprising to hear that she was skilled enough to be put on his case.

Then again during his years away Sasuke had tried his hardest to ignore the rumors of Konoha, as he didn't want his past in that place slowing him down. Nostalgia was not something he could afford when plotting to commit fratricide.

Shizune nodded rapidly and rushed off to find Sakura.

She arrived two minutes later and Sasuke got his first look at his old teammate in three years.

She had changed; there was no denying that. Yes, she had gained a few inches (though she was still deplorably short) and grown subtle curves, her face was more angular and she was undeniably attractive, but it was more in the way she held herself. There was less of the awkward insecurity she had radiated when they were children and more determined confidence in her stance.

Her eyes met his for a moment and he was surprised by the cool professionalism they held, before she broke the gaze and assessed his injuries. That done, she turned to Tsunade and raised an eyebrow.

"Don't give me that look Sakura," Tsunade growled at her, although her eyes softened minutely before she spoke again.

"You know why I need you on this." Her tone was final.

Slowly, Sakura nodded and Naruto crowed loudly in happiness before gathering her up in a crushing embrace until she squeaked and swatted at her arm. He lowered her before continuing,

"Sakura-chan! This is great! It'll be just like the old days except better because we'll get to boss teme around-" his voice trailed off and he stared at his teammates.

Sasuke was still surprised by her unenthusiastic greeting, but the emptiness with which she stared at him now left him feeling somewhat cold.

Suddenly she smiled, though he could see that it did not reach her eyes.

"Hello, Sasuke." Her voice was cool water over smooth rocks, and he fought the urge to shiver, then berated himself internally for allowing it to affect him at all. The absence of the usual suffix to his name did not go unnoticed.

" Sakura." He inclined his head in a nod.

Her smile tightened before falling away completely. She turned to Tsunade and met her questioning stare.

"Tsunade-shishou, I'll go write up the discharge papers and report to you in the morning."

She bowed low to her mentor, tapped Naruto on the nose affectionately, threw one last unreadable glance at her new patient, and calmly exited the room.

The Uchiha watched her go feeling slightly irritated. She had only spoken two words to him, which was completely out of character. When she was younger she had prattled on about anything that came to mind, her pre-pubescent voice grating on his ears.

He supposed he really didn't know what her character consisted of now. Surely she had changed in the years they had been apart, but this transformation still left him puzzled and slightly uneasy. She was supposed to be a constant, an unchanging variable that he could rely on. This stand-offish behavior ground that theory to dust.

Sasuke shifted his eyes to Naruto in time to see the blond's eyes darken to a stormy blue as he traded knowing glances with the Hokage and her assistant. Tsunade shook her head slightly and sighed.

"You'll be taken back to the Uchiha district and under house arrest until your trial. Naruto will be a part of your guard when he's not on a mission, and you will be in Sakura's charge when she isn't at the hospital," Tsunade addressed Sasuke but broke off when Naruto and Shizune snorted at her last statement.

"Sakura practically lives at the hospital baa-chan, Sasuke will be left untreated if she keeps up her work schedule."

Tsunade sent Naruto an exasperated look before responding, "She won't be taking any new cases, only following up on the patients already under her care."

A relieved expression took over Naruto's face as he considered this, "Good, she works too hard anyway."

Sasuke wondered just how complete the transformation was.

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