Towards the Light

Summary:

After the Fourth Ninja War, the struggle continues as loss, devastation, and change plague the villages as they strive to pick up the pieces. Sasuke's return is the talk of the village, as Team 7 is reunited. Will the struggles after the war test and challenge their relationships to breaking point or will it spark the flames of love?

A/N: Hi everyone, welcome to the first chapter of Towards the Light. As always here is the disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. That honour belongs to the outstandingly creative and illustrious Kishimoto.

I'll keep this A/N nice and short for you guys, so enjoy the chapter!

Long is the way

And hard, that out of Hell leads up to Light…

-John Milton, Paradise Lost


Chapter One: The Road of Uncertainty.


"I'm sorry"

"Sorry… for what?"

"For everything up till now"

"You'd better damn well be. Shaaannaroo… you jerk…"

Words that Sakura believed she'd never hear, especially not from an Uchiha, much less from Sasuke Uchiha. But it was in those few words that she knew things would only get better from here.

Naruto and Sasuke had fought their anticipated battle against each other, coming out with a strong brotherly bond. For Sakura, that in itself was something to feel grateful for, let alone have Sasuke try to reconcile with her too. It was more than what she could have hoped for.

They had lost Sasuke to his lust for power, revenge, and to his misguided ideals, to the point where they barely knew him at all. It had been like he was a completely different person. Almost like he had been completely taken over by the darkness that had been slowly trying to take hold of him since he was young. But when she had looked at him in that moment when he had said those words, she saw something there in his eyes that she hadn't seen in a very long time.

The photo of Team 7 flashed in her mind. A soft smile formed on her face as a tear that had been threatening to fall, slid down her cheek. Team 7 had finally found their way back to each other after all this time.

The war was over now and yet, those few words from Sasuke were still buzzing through her mind. The long awaited journey home wasn't as pleasant as it ought to have been. Many villages had been left to rubble; homes, businesses, and heritage. All were lost in the blink of an eye. They had planned to draw the enemy far from their homes, but they had had other ideas, despite the ninja alliances efforts to stop them.

For those lucky enough to survive the war, they were still wounded and carried the last memories of so many that they had lost. So many had given their lives to protect the world they called home. Their courage and determination to continue to fight for what they believed in, against unspeakable odds, will never be forgotten. But the members of the ninja alliance were not the only ones that needed to be remembered. They were still uncertain about who or how many had survived the attacks at the villages.

They could only hope and pray that with each step they took closer to home, their loved ones would be there to greet them.

As Sakura was apart of the Medic Unit, she was assisting with the movement of the injured back home. They were one of the first units to leave the battleground. The Medic unit had split itself into two units for the journey home. One unit was to support the injured and the other was to handle supplies, as well as tending to any injuries or medical situations that could arise during the journey home.

The Medic unit was run off it's feet during the war, which was only to be expected, but the number and range of varying medical conditions that came through the medic unit each day, was more than what had been anticipated. Although Sakura had learnt so much while she was there from the head medics from the other villages. Of these, she particularly found the use of native plants and herbs as remedies and treatments to be the most valuable.

During the war, as the end seemed so distant and supplies seemed to dwindle with each passing day, the use of these remedies became paramount to treating most of the injured. Sakura had overseen this form of treatment and called for it to be used as a first option of treatment if possible. She believed that without it, the supplies would have run out well before the end of the war.

Sakura stopped briefly and let some of the other ninja in her unit go ahead of her. She could not even imagine what they would have done if that had been the outcome.

Just how many of those around her now wouldn't have made it?

She shook her head and let that thought drift out of her mind as she continued on the way home.

Naruto and Sasuke should have been in the first medic unit, as they were both severely injured. But both protested and wanted to ensure that everyone left the battlefield. As stubborn as the two of them were, Sakura had managed to get them to travel with the last medic unit so at least they could keep an eye on their condition.


"Naruto! Stop moving! We need to give you a vaccination to prevent infection!" exclaimed one of the male medics, trying to pin Naruto down long enough to administer the shot.

"I need to get out there. I need to catch up with the others!" Naruto had just managed to slip his way passed the medic when four more medics came around the corner and pinned him down the ground.

"Wait! No! Sasuke, help!"

Meanwhile, Sasuke was patiently sitting and leaning against a tree waiting for the medics. He sighed. He could not comprehend how such a powerful ninja could cause such a fuss over a needle. In truth, he wondered how he could consider himself the friend of someone who was so loud and childish. But perhaps that's why he liked him, because he was nearly the complete opposite of himself.

A medic came over looking exhausted, gave him a quick check up, the shot and stumbled away for some much needed rest after Naruto's antics. Once they had treated Naruto, Sasuke walked over to him and stopped just next to him.

"Hn. Are you done?" he said clearly showing his annoyance.

Naruto screwed up his face. "hey, Sasuke-teme, you just wait till it's your turn!" he said hurling himself to his feet pointing at Sasuke.

"I already have, dobe"

"Oh… so how far up ahead is Sakura-chan and the others?"

"Considering we were the last unit to leave, I'd say they would be pretty far ahead. Why?"

"We need to catch up to the others!" exclaimed Naruto.

"Again, I don't see why?"

"I want to be the first one to see the gates of home!"

'The gates of home…' Sasuke thought. He had never really called a place home since his family died. But he hoped to once again when the time is right.

"Nee Sasuke-teme, I'll race you to Sakura-chan!" As Naruto lept off, he heard the medics calling out to him. Sasuke smirked and followed suit.


As the light started to fade from the setting sun, it was time to stop and set up camp. Sakura started to set up on of the tents. She was just about to put together the last two parts when in collapsed.

"Shaaanaroo!"

"Ahahaha looks like you could use a hand?"

"Well how about you do that instead of laughing at me Hanako?"

Hanako wiped away her tears of laughter and went to the opposite side of the tent to where Sakura was standing. In a matter of seconds, the two of them had gotten the tent up. Then the two girls went and sat near the fire.

Hanako was from Kirigakure; the water country. She had her aqua blue hair tied up in a topknot with her bangs framing her face. During the course of the war, Sakura had become good friends with Hanako. The two of them had received a reputation of being the flowering medics. This came from their names having to do with flowers and also because the two of them had been able to adapt to change and think on their feet better than most during the war. Though war is a time that tests and can get the best of even the most gifted medic. If Sakura had been placed in this situation a few years ago, she knew that she would not have been able to cope.

Sakura turned to her new friend and saw her gazing deeply into the fire.

"Hanako… Hanako…." Hanako abruptly sat upright.

"Hm…? Huh?"

"Are you ok?" said Sakura slowly.

"Oh.. um… yes." Sakura gave her a look.

"Hanako, I can tell that something is wrong… you know you can talk to me about anything?"

"Oh Sakura, I know that I can. But that's just the point. Tomorrow we will part ways for our own journey home and Konoha is such a long way away…" Hanako tilted her head down. "I'm really going to miss you Sakura".

"Me too. But what if I promise to visit or we could meet somewhere half way and I'll bring some of my other friends along so you can meet them!" said Sakura with a smile.

"I'd like that! I almost feel like I know them already with how much you talk about them".

Hanako and Sakura set up their sleeping bags next to each other.

"Hey Sakura…"

"Hm..?"

"Will you tell me another one of your stories?"

"Oh.. Um sure"

Sakura thought about what to tell her and then it clicked.

"Once upon a time there were three friends. Two destined for a great battle and the other fated to keep them together. One day they were set off on their first real mission. It was just a typical escort mission. But what should have been an easy journey turned into their hardest mission yet…"

"… and so it was this mission where the three friends formed strong bonds with each other. Not only did they realise how and what it meant to be a team, but they also knew that they were not alone anymore." Sakura let he voice soften as she said the last few words, as she new that Hanako was already asleep.

Sakura remembered that mission like it was yesterday. No matter what has happened since then, she has kept that memory close to her heart. The memory of when Team 7 was still young and learning. The memory when things were simpler and when they all relied on each other. When there was a strong sense of trust between them.

Sakura smiled softly as she closed her eyes and dreamt of when she would see Naruto and Sasuke again. More than that, when they would be just as they use to.

Strung together with the threads of love, trust and friendship.

The next morning the atmosphere surrounding the alliance was sombre. They had reached the point where many would then head in different directions to return home. Returning home was what everyone had wanted, but after spending so much time together with the people from other villages, it felt odd to be parting ways.

Hanako and Sakura had chatted the whole way and now that they stood at the departing place, they were both silent. They both didn't know where to start.

Hanako gave Sakura a hug. "I'm going to miss you!"

Sakura returned the hug. "Goodbye, have a safe trip home."

They both pulled back and smiled.

Hanako went to gather with the others going to Kirigakure. Sakura was about to turn to continue on her way to Konoha when she stopped. Goodbye just didn't seem right.

"Hanako!" Sakura shouted and Hanako turned around.

Sakura continued "I'll see you soon!"

Hanako smiled. "See you round flower sister!"

Hanako then continued on her way to catch up with the others.

Sakura watched her leave and then turned around to head in the direction of home. By the afternoon, she would see the familiar gates of Konoha.

It was nearly sunset, when the familiar gates of Konoha came into view. Everyone around her started cheering. Finally they were home. They were all filled with anticipation, excitement and nervousness. The unit started to slowly walk through the gates when Sakura stopped. There was something missing. Naruto and Sasuke. The whole journey here and even during the war, she had pictured the moment of when the three of them would come home; when Sasuke would come home.

So she waited by the gates for the last medic unit to arrive. Sakura was just about to sit down when she saw both Naruto and Sasuke heading her way in a great hurry. They both skidded to a halt in front of her, sending a dirt cloud in Sakura's direction.

"Heh, looks like I win Teme!" exclaimed Naruto.

"You wish Dobe." said Sasuke.

Both boys were struggling to catch their breath. Sakura was not impressed. She could feel a surge of anger start to bubble it's way to the surface.

"What the hell do you two think you are doing!? You're both injured and you're acting like a bunch of idiots!"

Naruto's excitement was wiped from his face. "Nee Sakura-chan…"

"Don't Sakura-chan me! Care to explain why I don't see the medic unit with you?"

"Sasuke would!" shouted Naruto looking at Sasuke.

Sasuke looked at Naruto and then back at a fiery Sakura.

"Well?" Said Sakura, placing her hands on her hips.

Sasuke thought for a moment and remembered what Naruto had said to him.

"We wanted to see the gates of home." Sasuke said slowly. Almost like he had to really think about each individual word before he said it.

Sakura's rage died down. How could she be angry after that, and hearing Sasuke call Konoha home, that was something she had waited a long time to hear.

The three of them stood there looking at the gates for a while. This was such an important moment. After years of waiting and hoping, Naruto's and Sakura's dream had come true.

Together they took a step through the gates.

Team 7 was home.


A/N: So that was the first chapter. Sorry not much happened in this chapter. I thought that I would use this chapter to really give you all the feel of what it was like after the war as it's integral to the rest of the story.

Oh and yes Hanako will be back! We definitely have not seen the last of her!

I would love to hear what you think, so if you can, please leave a review.

Also, I would be more than happy to R&R any of the stories you have written for Naruto. I always like finding something new to read. So just send me a PM and I'll try to read your story as soon as I can.

Well on that note, I will leave you for now. Until next chapter!

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