A/N: I decided to change the Stories title, since it bugged me that probably every other story had that name, plus, so this is Second Chances. Sorry about that.
Disclaimer: Naruto and most story chapter's are not mine.
It had taken almost 3 hours to get Tsunade to calm down.
It had taken another 2 hours for Naruto to calm down.
But the entire trial had taken almost 10 hours of Sasuke's life.
Five years ago, the war had ended. Naruto and Sasuke had fought, with both being so severely damaged, it took Kakashi and Shikamaru dragging there almost corpses back to the village.
It had taken 1 hour for Sakura to stop crying so she could even help the other medics. Not for out of sadness, but the happiness that had just engulfed her. Her team was together again, and Tsunade was eager to get his trial started, and not just because of Sasuke. Tsundae had to deal with the elders Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, and Sasuke's old team mates.
Tsunade had demanded Sakura to pick herself up.
"Damn it, Sakura. Get over it, do your job, I want Sasuke in here in 24 hours," she ordered, throwing her hands in the air, "Shizune! Get me some sake!"
"Yes Tsunade-shishou." Wiping her tears on her gloves and sighing, Sakura headed into the hospital's operating rooms.
"Umm, Tsunade-sama, we need to focus on the upcoming trial." A timid and tired Shizune whispered to her demanding boss.
"And we will when you bring me some damn sake!" Shizune jumped a little, running from the very upset Hokage.
"Jūgo, Suigetsu, Karin. The factor of your sentence comes from what very little we know of you three. You have worked with Uchiha Sasuke, however we don't see that you actually did anything to warrant arrest except that you have been with a known S-Class criminal and followed his commands." Tsunade started.
Suigetsu snorted.
Karin coughed.
Jūgo seemed deep in thought.
Tsunade rolled her eyes.
"But, you have also done your part in the fourth war. You are given the option to either leave Konaha or leave Fire Country, not to return to these lands, or you have the option to become shinobi of Konaha, where you will be on probation for a period and watched over until we allow you full status…"
"You are allowing us to become shinobi of Konaha?" Suigetsu, startled by the fact he wasn't getting killed. Karin was only shaking her head. Jūgo was only looking up at the Godaime, seemingly thoughtful.
"It's up to you. You three would have to work for it." Tsunade answered, only half looking at the three. For this was not what she was here for, and already knew there answer.
The three team mates met eyes for a few moments, trying to get there thoughts across. There was really nothing left for the group of misfits that had left Otogakure years before. It was Jūgo that answered.
Tsunade smiled and nodded as they were taken away from her, leaving the very few others that would be allowed in the next portion of the trial.
The clan elders of the Village of Konoha, all lined up across from Tsunade.
A nervous and jumpy Uzumaki Naruto, who was told to come since he was being graduated to become Rokudaime, was watching the whole thing with dark eyes. He knew that these next hours were heavily critical to not only his best friend, but for his own future. Tsunade had taken aside Naruto just before the trial was to begin,
"You'll be there, yes?"
"I didn't think…" he stuttered.
"Ugh, do you ever Naruto? You will be taking my place soon, and not only do you need to start watching and figuring out how to be a Hokage, but this matter will probably be affecting you too once you are in my position. I suggest that you be taking notes, child." Insisting, then with a twist of her hand, demanded Naruto to go and get ready.
There was also Hatake Kakashi, who was watching over a very tired looking Uchiha Sasuke, deciding that since he was practically responsible for the boy after all these years, stood firm by his side.
"Why?" an aggravated and slumped over Tsunade had asked him, hours before the trial started.
"Well, who else was watching over him all that time ago?" he remarked.
"You know this isn't your fault. None of it was…"
"Well, whatever it was or is, I'm coming too." Kakashi smirked as a sad smile erupted under his mask.
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane were the last two to enter. They each looked much too perplexed about this whole trial, quite possibly too comforted with the fact that nothing was to happen with them.
Uchiha Sasuke didn't acknowledge anyone as he was forced in front of the Hokage. Sasuke knew that if he had to look at the two elders for one moment, he would also be put to death. So he hung his head down, trying hard to not let his feelings to burst forth.
Three hours in, the council elders had fussed that the remaining Uchiha heir was nothing more than just another Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Madara, and Uchiha Obito.
A smile almost erupted on the avengers face when Tsunade flew off the handle. The other clan elders couldn't keep up with Tsunade, who was throwing scrolls of evidence in front of them.
The Uchiha Clan Massacre conspiracy was revealed.
"YOU CONDEMNED TWO YOUNG BOYS TO HELL!" Tsunade thundered, her voice shaking the windows.
"If it was not for the sake of the village…" they started, standing to try to get some leverage over the Hokage.
"Sake of the village!? You killed CIVILIANS when this happened. Children. Itachi was 13 when the order was given. We are here to protect, not…"
"You don't understand Tsunade-hime…" Koharu interrupted.
"I don't!? This boy's life was taken away from him, you planned out a conspiracy against this entire village, and blamed it on a man who threw away everything for his brother and this city, now don't tell me I don't understand." She hissed, almost panting from the amount of yelling she had been doing, beads of sweat pouring from blonde's forehead.
It took another three hours for the clan heads to finally grasp around the concept of what was happening. It then took Sasuke almost 4 hours to tell them everything that had happened.
It took ten minutes for the two council members to be stripped of everything and put in prison.
As for Uchiha Sasuke, another three hours was laying the ground work for him to come back to Konoha.
2 years of psychiatric therapy and grievance therapy for the massacre. Another year of therapy and community service to work out his years spent away from Konoha. One year of probation on genin status, with his last year he would be able to work his way up, but on strict watch from ANBU.
"This offer stands, Uchiha. At this point you can take it, or, it's banishment from Fire Country. However I doubt anyone would take you." Tsunade affirmed with a hint of attitude in her voice.
"What about my brother?"Sasuke stood firm, wanting something done about the brother who spared the village. It was Naruto however, that had stepped in front of him.
"Heh, don't worry teme. You leave all that too me."
"Well, Uchiha?" Tsunade asked, aggravated about how long this had taken.
"Aa." Was the answer that they had received.
Five long years.
Tsunade was too busy transferring and making sure Naruto was getting the whole Hokage thing down pact, so she couldn't do the therapy.
No, it would take a skilled medic, a tender medic to deal with Sasuke.
Sakura grimaced.
"Sakura you are my apprentice, I know you can put you feelings from the past aside and do this." Tsunade advised one day, piles of scrolls that were hiding her face as she took another shot of the strong clear liquid.
"I don't know…" her fidgeting fingers couldn't stop her from picking up the mountain of scrolls, all regarding psychiatric therapy. The pink haired shinobi had been called in this morning all too early, supposedly to help Tsunade with some sort of issue with scrolls that came up missing.
The Hokage just didn't feel like looking for them.
"I don't pay you to think; I want you to just be yourself Sakura. But if you have any shred of feeling for the damn Uchiha…"
"I have no feelings for Sasuke-kun…" she turned and felt the hard gaze of her teacher fall on her.
"Bingo." Tsunade pointed her index finger toward her, "That right there, Sakura, shows me you have more than enough feelings left. Put it aside; think of him as your patient."
She nodded to her.
The two years were hostile between Sasuke and Sakura. Not wanting to do anything with her, and her reminding him that if he were to be a shinobi ever again then he had to give in. They would fight, argue, and exchange words and gestures that were definitely not professional between a healer and her patient. But months when on, and she wouldn't stop coming to him, and eventually, as she played with words so tightly, that it just happened out of nowhere.
It took almost four months until he started to talk about Itachi.
It took another two to talk about his parents.
And, eventually, Sakura was able to put aside any feelings for him while in sessions. However, going home and crying for the man's family happened often. But Sasuke was slowly becoming more like the one she had met. And the way that she knew he was bettering himself, was when one rainy day, as he looked out the window toward the old Uchiha district, he had asked her,
"Do you think he is proud of me?" Sasuke inquired of her.
It took her everything not to hug him.
"Of course he does. He's your brother." Sakura affirmed, nodding her head, a single tear falling down the curve of her smooth face.
Naruto during the first two years was busy himself. He tried hard to visit Sasuke on regular bases, but it was hard on the jinchūriki, what with Tsunade breathing down his throat, but also the fact that Naruto's interest started to lie in a very different place besides his comrades. Eventually, Naruto married Hyūga Hinata, after the first year of his best friend's probation. Then, with Tsunade residing into Sasuke's second year, Naruto was kept very busy, now being what he always wanted to be, but he vowed to take time for his friend.
And he kept his word.
Naruto explained to the citizens of Konoha what happened during that awful time, and he so much as restored the head house of the Uchihas, and explaining to all that it was the fault of the elders of that time, who instead of trying to do things civilized, jumped to conclusions, thus resulting in a horrific act that was entrusted on the 13 year old Uchiha Itachi.
Five years was long enough for Uchiha Sasuke. After the therapy and the truth coming out about his family, Sasuke went on doing the rest of his probation smoothly, doing whatever he could to get the Uchiha name back in good graces, with his teammates at his side. From doing the lowest of jobs, to reacquainting himself with the memories of his past, the lone survivor went on, all while under the hard gazes of the civilians, the scorned faces of old peers, and the tender hearts of his dear friends, he was finally back in the Village Hidden in the Leaves
Yes, five years was enough, and he was home.