A/N: This is my new story! I am very excited about the plot, so I hope that you'll stick until the very end. :P

This chapter was beta read by The Scarlett Ribbon! She is amazing for putting up with me, but especially for making such an effort with correcting the mistakes I did. If it weren't for her, this chapter would have sounded a lot worse. Her work as a beta is excellent, but above all else she is an astounding author. I recommend her stories to anyone that loves SasuSaku!

Summary: The war is over. Team Seven have re-established their bonds. There is only one little problem… Sakura's nights become too intense for her liking. His hot kisses, his burning touch, their lovemaking… everything feels so real, but it's only in her dreams.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

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Dreams

1st Chapter: Homecoming

Too much blood covered the battlefield where the gruesome fights took place, too many lives were lost, and there was no time for grieving or shedding tears. The Shinobi of the Five Great Nations could only fight for their future. Their dreams could easily be gone, simply perished into oblivion after every lost battle. But, their strong will was what ignited their souls, and gave them courage to fight for what was still pure and untouched by evil. The love they had for their villages and their precious people is what brought them victory in the end.

Now, that the Fourth Shinobi War is finally over, the ray of hope for better times shines strongly in the hearts of the people. The time for a better future is finally here.

As for the ones that had given their lives for that peace, they would always be remembered as true heroes, honored for what they had sacrificed. Their names would be carved on the memorial stones for all eternity.

*…*…*

The new generation of Sannin stood before the memorable gates of Konoha. The Village Hidden in the Leaves was just a few paces away and the sight of it was openly welcoming them to step onto the ground that was their home.

"I can't believe we're finally back," Sakura spoke breathlessly, unable to hold the explosive feelings that were bursting in her chest.

"Believe it, Sakura-chan! We did it!" Naruto exclaimed in a booming voice, immeasurable happiness growing within him.

"Yeah, Naruto, we really did it… the three of us," Sakura agreed wholeheartedly, while she gave herself a moment to look at both her teammates.

The image of them, looking so grown up, evoked a fluttering feeling in her chest.

Sasuke could only offer a half-smile in response.

This moment was especially important to him, since it was the first time in five long years that he stood in front the village he once called home. He still vividly recalled the happenings from the night he had left, when revenge led him away from his friends. It was an unpleasant memory for him and he was glad that he saw things differently now. There was no doubt in his heart that a new future was awaiting him and that it lay beyond those wide open gates.

The pink-haired girl looked at him with a soft look shining in her eyes. She was so proud of him, especially because he managed to fight against the darkness that consumed him. But, she also had to thank Naruto for being so determined to bring him back.

"Okay, let's go!" the hyperactive blond shouted enthusiastically, interrupting her thoughts.

He was the one that took the first step toward the enormous gates. Not bothering with thoughts from the past, he focused solely on the present and enjoyed the feeling of utter satisfaction. Everything turned out even better than he initially desired – the war was over and he once again had his best friend by his side.

Sakura's expression portrayed immense relief, because she was finally seeing something familiar after spending so much time into the wild. She was tired of running around, having to sleep on the rough ground of the dark caves on a cold night, all the while waiting for the day when she would see her home again.

In the meantime, Sasuke was silently soaking in everything around him in some sort of desperation. The feelings that went through him were expertly hidden behind his cold mask, but he did not try to push them away. He was tired of everything that happened in the past years and was finally ready to accept Naruto's promises as possible ― that everything will be much better from now on.

As they walked past the gates, the two guards looked at them with disbelief, but soon their expression changed into one of complete wonderment.

"Hey, welcome back!" hollered Kotetsu. Then, he tried to ask, "Did you―" but found himself unable to utter the question that circled in his mind.

"You better believe it!" Naruto answered boastfully, understanding what he meant, as a bright smile spread on his face. But, not a moment later he stood proudly before the village and arrogantly announced his presence with a boomingly loud voice, "Naruto Uzumaki is back!"

Sasuke didn't even spare him a glance, as he grunted, "Tch, usaratonkachi."

"Now, the whole village knows that he's back," Sakura muttered under her breath, shaking her head in disbelief.

She was quite sure that after his yell upon their arrival the word of their presence would reach the Hokage's ear even before they will walk into the building. It was a good thing, though, because they were headed there anyway.

Walking through the streets, it became obvious to them that the reconstruction of the village was nearing its end.

Naruto was glad that things were changing for the best. His heart was devastated after the destruction, but that feeling was slowly erased once he saw the determination in the eyes of the people of Konoha as they all worked together on the reconstruction. Now, after half a year away from it all, he finally witnessed the progress and the result of their joined forces. The sight that unfolded in front of him was enough to make his heart swell with pride and extreme happiness.

Sakura was relieved that the village was close to being completely rebuilt. She could not help but compare the things the shinobi did on the battlefield with the things these people did for their home. While they fought for peace on a foreign land, these people worked on rebuilding their future. She suddenly realized that the struggle they all put up with was very much worth it.

At the same time, Sasuke was trying to grasp the fact that Konoha was indeed swept away while he was gone. He was more than relieved that he never had to witness the destruction with his own eyes, or worse be the one that broughtabout its demise. He felt a painful twist in his stomach because of those thoughts. It was hard for him to believe that at one point he was so determined on destroying this village, the only place he could ever call home. Now, he was simply glad that his friends never gave up on him.

While Naruto was the one that took him out of the pit of darkness he fell in, Sakura held an entirely different meaning in his life. He already admitted to himself that she was the reason why he felt so at peace with everything that was happening, but mainly with his own decisions. Her encouraging smile gave him strength enough to believe that he was finally walking the right path.

His thoughts were momentarily distracted by the looks they received from the villagers. Naruto and Sakura noticed it, too.

Now seventeen years old, the original members of Team Seven looked much more different than before. Their appearance displayed such confidence, such unreachable strength that it looked impressive, but most importantly incredibly astonishing. Maybe that was the reason why the villagers stared at them with awestruck expressions marring their features. But, maybe it was the stories they all heard about the three teenagers that fought with everything they had on the battlefield.

What eased Sakura's heart was that they did not regard Sasuke with hate. However, she could not help but notice that there was something other than admiration in their eyes as they stared at him. She already guessed the reason behind those looks, because Tsunade informed them that the story behind the Uchiha massacre would become public once the war was over.

Naruto was not ignorant to what was happening around him. He, too, noticed that the villagers held pity for Sasuke. Even if the excitement was still blooming within him, he was not very pleased with this. As he scrunched up his eyes in slight irritation, he cast a look at the raven-haired boy.

The expression on his face – no matter how slight – was enough of an indicator that he was not taking this very nicely. He detested sympathy, especially when it was directed at him. It also bothered him to witness such reaction coming from people that were strangers to him, so he did his best to avoid their stares.

Once they reached their destination, Naruto was the first that entered the office, not being able to contain his excitement. The way everybody else saw it, he actually crashed with full force through the doors as if he actually owned the place.

"Obaa-chan, we're back!" he shouted.

The first thing Tsunade did was glare at him. He might have been a hero now, but nothing gave him the right to act like a child with disrespect. Nevertheless, the look in her eyes softened considerably in mere seconds; she was unable to reprimand him when it was just a part of his nature. If it weren't for his strong spirit or the will to fight without even thinking of giving up, none of them might have been here.

But, Sakura did warn him, "Naruto!" She stood beside him, a fierce look in her eyes.

Naruto chuckled nervously in response, but said nothing.

Tsunade took a moment to assess what she was actually looking at. The last time she saw them was when she gave them the mission. Now, it seemed to her like that happened ages ago.

"So, you're finally back, I see," she said, her honey colored eyes shining with profound seriousness. She gave them a calculating look, trying to soak in every detail.

They looked worn and tired, but she could see the serious change in the way they stood in front of her. There was no tense feeling surrounding them, but something utterly pleasant.

She noticed that Naruto was quite elated, as if he held a feeling of completion in those bright blue eyes. Sakura, on the other hand, no longer had an appearance of someone with a significant piece of their heart missing. Tsunade's best guess, and most certainly the right one, was that the reason for that was Sasuke's return.

But, once her gaze rested on him, she thought that he was the one that changed the most. It was hardly believable, and if it wasn't so openly displayed in front of her eyes she might have succumbed to her doubts. She realized that many things must have happened on that mission for things to change so drastically, especially concerning the ex-missing-nin. She had to admit to herself that this mission brought more than one positive outcome.

"Sakura, would you care to speak of what happened on your mission?" Tsunade addressed her student.

The kunoichi nodded in response. "Of course."

As she spoke, her posture straightened in a way that made her look much older than she was, something that surprised the woman slightly. She was aware that her student would undoubtedly change and grow to be a fully matured adult, but it was hard to grasp that as reality so soon.

The girl explained everything that happened, paying special attention to the imperative events, all the while not missing out the crucial details. Her words brought a recollection of memories that spoke of everything that the three of them endured together as a team.

Tsunade sent them on a mission that was more challenging than any other they had in the past. They searched for Kabuto for months and it was definitely not an easy task, especially with the gruesome and unbearable living arrangements while traveling in secret. Hiding in the wilderness was not something that brought a smile to their faces. On the contrary, they hated every moment of it, but they endured the severity of it like true shinobi. The fact that it was their first mission as a team after five whole years was not an easy burden either, but with time they overcame the feeling.

The last fight, the one that was supposed to finalize the war, was theirs to finish and it took them much more than skills to claim victory over their opponent. Kabuto proved to be very strong, so it was not surprising that Sakura described the battle as challenging. During those moments while they fought side by side, emotions ruled their actions. Their teamwork, the restored and unbreakable bonds they now shared gave them strength and increased the desire for triumph.

After the fight, Naruto and Sasuke were the ones that had the worst injuries of the three, mostly because they were trying to act tough and protect Sakura. They believed that she should not endure any pain, so they took quite a few blows in her stead. She was really angry at them both for treating her like she actually needed protection, when in reality she was more than capable of taking care of herself. However, her irritation was brought to rest once they included her in their battle strategy. She was finally able to fight alongside them as their teammate, where she truly belonged. At those moments, she was actually able to forget her role of posing as a mere spectator while her boys were the ones that fought and endured all the pain. It made her happy that after that fight, the bond she shared with them strengthened in a way she never thought possible. She was finally able to understand what they meant when they called each other best friends.

After completing the elongated briefing, Sakura looked expectantly at the woman that she held great respect for.

A small, but fond smile graced her pink colored lips. Immense pride shined in her eyes as she addressed them,"The three of you did an amazing job. I am proud to be your Hokage."

Naruto chuckled in a boastful manner, but it was clear that he felt small amount of embarrassment by the way he rubbed the back of his neck. The blond was exceptionally happy that he was receiving acknowledgment from the people that meant so much to him.

However, he almost ruined the moment by speaking excitedly, "I can totally be Hokage now!"

"Naruto, show some manners," Sakura scolded him, but with suppressed irritation. Then, she gave her share of gratitude, "Thank you, Tsunade-shishou." After taking note of Sasuke's quiet disposition, she spoke his name encouragingly, "Sasuke-kun…?"

He turned to look at her and after seeing her incline her head toward the woman with slight expectancy, he muttered, "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

Sakura then carefully took out two scrolls from her traveling bag and handed the smaller to Tsunade.

"This is the official report, shishou," she said. The scroll contained all the details from their long mission that were complied on daily basis by the three of them.

The Hokage's thin eyebrows scrunched up in seriousness. "If I have any questions I will summon you back here," she informed them firmly.

Sakura's voice was much sterner as she held out the much bigger scroll."We sealed his body like you told us to." She was the one that used the sealing technique taught to her by Tsunade for situations like this one.

The woman was thoughtful for a moment. When she looked up, her eyes were hard. "This is perfect. We will finally find answers on many questions concerning his twisted mind," she said, appearing satisfied. Then, she focused her eyes on Sakura. "I will need you to assist the autopsy," she told her, giving no space for a refusal.

Sakura nodded firmly and backed away from the desk, so she could stand in line with her teammates.

"Now…" Tsunade started. "I have news for all of you." Internally, she was getting ready for shelling out a long set of information, not all of them pleasant.

"Naruto, your apartment building was rebuilt in the past few months. The villagers specifically asked for a few adjustments and I should warn you that it's nothing like you remember it," she spoke, looking at him.

"What do you mean a few adjustments?" the blond asked, sounding puzzled.

"I am mainly talking about the size of your apartment, but there are other details as well," she explained. "You can see it after I'm done." She waved her hand dismissively.

"Oh, okay," he complied, not knowing what else to say.

"There is one other thing I need to tell you, Naruto," the busty woman continued. She turned toward the Uchiha, her face serious. "Sasuke, this concerns you as well."

"Hn," he grumbled in response, indicating that he was listening.

"You will live in the same apartment as Naruto, given the current circumstances," she said simply, her eyes trailing between both boys.

"What circumstances?" Naruto asked dumbly, the look on his face displaying confusion.

She took a steadying intake of breath and focused her eyes on the Uchiha. "Sasuke, I should tell you that the Uchiha compound was destroyed along with the rest of Konoha, including the building that once was the headquarters of the Police Force."

Sasuke squared his shoulders after hearing that piece of information about his family home.

Sakura was the only one that noticed this. She thought that he was still having some difficulty hearing about it.

"However, at the moment they are under construction and since you are the only heir of the Uchiha fortune everything belongs to you…but unfortunately you won't be able to reside there until it's complete," Tsunade informed him lightly, aware that the issue under discussion was deeply personal for him.

Sasuke looked to the side and confessed quietly, "You shouldn't have bothered. Those houses were bound to remain empty. Their destruction is the best thing that could have happened."

His voice was a bit sour, but otherwise he appeared unaffected.

Tsunade looked at him for a while longer, her scrunched up eyebrows showing her displeasure. She never thought that he would appear emotionally tired, but apparently it was possible. She thought that it would be better to let him be.

"Okay, the next thing I'll say is very important." She paused in order to steel her emotions, seeing that she already had their attention. Once she felt ready, she continued, "The elders are no longer part of Konoha. They were tried and banished after all the crimes they are responsible for were laid out in the open." Her eyes were steadily focused on the table in front of her. As she lifted her head, her gaze fell on Sasuke.

His eyes were blank. There was nothing there. To her eyes it seemed like he was as cool as ever, but she knew better than that.

"So, where are they?" Naruto asked curiously, bringing her attention to him.

"They were stripped of their titles and now they reside in a small village in Fire Country." Her voice was filled with resentment, obviously directed at the Elders. "I hope you are satisfied with our decision, Sasuke," she added, hoping for a hint of emotion from the boy ― or at least one small reaction that would answer her questions. She got nothing.

Instead, he carelessly answered, "I don't care. As long as I won't see their faces, I'm fine with it."

Tsunade was surprised, to say the least. The last time she saw him ― in the war zone ― he was acting like he was ready to kill anyone that would stand in his path to completing his revenge. She realized that this time he did not really care if they were executed or not. Her eyes roamed over the other two and she suspected that they must have had a hand in his change.

She took a steadying breath, before continuing, "Uchiha Itachi was proclaimed a hero a while ago." At the same time, she carefully regarded Sasuke's expression. She did not plan to continue, unless he seemed ready to listen.

His eyes widened slightly, but the look in them softened considerably after a short second. He looked at the ground, his expression turning sad as he thought of his brother and how much he truly deserved this.

"I waited for you to return to Konoha in order to give you the news in person," she proceeded, after noting the calmness on his face. "You can visit his grave if that is your wish. We placed a memorial stone in accordance of his sacrifices." Her eyes turned sad as well. "I am really sorry you couldn't be here for the official burial. The ceremony was humble, but really nice."

His eyes glazed over with the unshed tears, but he still held his head down wanting to cover up his sorrow.

That was until Sakura stood a bit closer to him and took his hand in hers.

He looked up, the gentle look in her green eyes stirring something within him.

"Sasuke, we will go with you," she spoke softly. "You are not alone anymore."

Naruto nodded from his other side, smiling reassuringly. "We are more than a team, Sasuke. We'll never let you go through this by yourself."

Sasuke said nothing in return, but as he looked at his friends a small smile grazed his lips.

Even Tsunade's heart melted at the scene. After witnessing the affectionate exchange between the three teammates, she did not want to keep them for much longer.

"Sasuke," she called. Once she had his attention, she continued, "We'll discuss your status as a shinobi of Konoha after you take your rest." Then, her eyes fell upon the three of them. "You may leave now," she said with finality.

As they exited the office, no words were uttered. Even Naruto kept his mouth shut, which was a first. The look on Sasuke's face was enough for them to realize that he wasn't in the mood for a talk, or any needless conversations.

They left the Hokage tower and instantly proceeded to walk toward the memorial site of Konoha.

Once there, they came to stand in front of the grave of the man who sacrificed himself for his village and his little brother. Their eyes trailed over the small letters written on the headstone.

Here lies Uchiha Itachi, a hero of Konoha who gave his life for true peace. His actions will always be remembered as immeasurably courageous and his existence will be cherished with pride and honor by this village and its villagers.

Sasuke's posture was tense, but his eyes held such sadness that it tore out the heart of his teammates.

Sakura looked at him with tearful eyes, but she did not allow herself to let the tears fall. She did not want to make this moment even harder on him.

Naruto was in no better state, with his face portraying such agonizing wretchedness. He now understood his best friend's grief, so he did his best to contain his own compassionate feelings.

However, the moment a single tear slid down the smooth skin of Sasuke's cheek, Sakura could no longer stop her feelings from overflowing. She finally let her tears fall, for the boy that held such a precious place in her heart, and took his hand in hers. Her gesture gave him such comfort that he could not help himself, so he squeezed her hand in utter desperation.

Sakura understood his feelings, but most of all she understood the necessity for him to share his grief with someone. He no longer wanted to be alone and she was willing to give him everything that he needed and asked from her. She placed her head on his shoulder and squeezed his hand in return,with that small gesture giving him the most sincere comfort.

Naruto took a step closer and placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder, giving him the support of his best friend. The blond promised to himself that he will always be there for Sasuke, in order to make his future much more different than his burdened past.

It was in that exact moment that Sasuke smiled. A real smile graced his lips, while he let his mind be filled with pleasant thoughts. His memories of the past were no longer consumed by the loss and unpleasant feelings that came along with his loneliness, because now he was no longer alone. Naruto helped him find the light once again and leave the darkness for good, while Sakura was the only person that could fill his lonely existence.

That is why he allowed himself a moment when he could open up in front of his real friends, his family.

Naruto and Sakura were aware of this and they were content that their teammate was finally back and did not push them away. They both decided to appreciate this moment shared between the three of them, even if they knew that it would only last for a short while. After all, Sasuke was not a person that let his feelings be displayed so openly on regular basis.

TO BE CONTINUED…

A/N: Thank you for reading the first chapter! :) I hope you liked it. Please, leave a review! It would mean a lot to me! :P