Standard disclaimer applies. Don't own Naruto, not making money off of this in anyway.
"What I've Done"
The pale moonlight from the full moon cast many shadows over the trees in the forests surrounding Konohagakure. Silvery and ethereal, yet still so quintessentially dark.
The moonlight lit the way for a dark figure making its way through the treetops. Racing from branch to branch with the superior stealth of a ninja of the highest caliber. Easily maneuvering around anything that stood in its way as it dashed towards the hidden village of Fire Country. Anyone in that forest wouldn't have even noticed a thing as the ninja moved through the darkness. A mere flicker of their imagination if they were lucky enough to catch it.
Even if it hadn't been a full moon, the darkness couldn't have stopped Sasuke's sharingan from guiding the way. Nothing could have stopped Sasuke in that moment. Not Orochimaru. Not Kabuto. Not even Itachi.
Sasuke was on a mission. A mission of redemption and forgiveness. Not a mission like that of a ninja, but a true, real personal mission. Sasuke knew he had to make things right. He had to redeem himself.
"In this farewell, there is no blood, there is no alibi, cause I've drawn regret, from the truth, of a thousands lies," Sasuke sang to himself as he jumped from one tree branch to the next.
It had taken him a long time to come to the realization that what he had considered most important in life didn't really matter at all. Something else had been there right in front of him for so long. Something that had obnoxiously forced its way into his life and he knew now that he couldn't live without it. Just the thought of life without it brought the phantom sensations of flesh, blood, and bone surrounding his hand as his chidori died that day at the Valley of the End.
"So let mercy come and wash away…What I've done, I'll face myself, to cross out what I've become, erase myself, and let go of what I've done…" Another branch, another step closer to forgiveness. Quick, quick, step, jump, land. Rinse, repeat. A simple equation really, but Sasuke needed to be in Konoha as quickly as possible. Even if Rice Field Country bordered Fire Country it still took a considerable amount of time to get between the two.
Crossing through the Valley of the End took longer than expected. It wasn't anything physical that stopped him. No, his greatest obstacle crossing that waterfall was himself. His memories. His mistakes and regrets.
Continuing to make his way ever closer to home Sasuke kept singing, "Put to rest, what you thought of me while, I clean this slate, with the hands, of uncertainty, so let mercy come and wash away…" Sasuke knew. He knew that even if he could never redeem his clan or kill his brother, he had to make things right. He had to right the wrongs he himself had committed. He had failed to avenge his clan on his own terms. He had let Itachi destroy his life. Because of Itachi, he had lost any chance of ever having a happily ever after.
"What I've done, I'll face myself to cross out what I've become, erase myself, and let go of what I've done…" Getting past the gates of the Village Hidden in the Leaves was easier than it should have been. It didn't matter though now. Now he was taking his life back into his own hands. Tonight he would take back the little control he had ever had and do one thing right for once in his life.
He would move past his pride and turn himself into the Hokage. For all the crimes he had committed. For all the pain, hurt, and loss he had caused the village. For the betrayal and heartbreak of the only person in his life who had ever mattered.
"For what I've done, I start again and whatever pain may come, today this ends, I'm forgiving what I've done…" Hokage tower loomed over the rest of Konohagakure. Getting to that building meant the beginning of his repentance. He would finally make something right as soon as he could get to that tower. Now, instead of trees, Sasuke was jumping lightly on rooftops.
"I'll face myself, to cross out what I've become, erase myself and let go of what I've done…" He was ready now. Ready to go through the window to the Hokage's office.
As he made his way through the window he could see the blonde snoring loudly, drool sliding onto official looking documents. The strongest shin obi of all of Konoha in their greatest glory.
This was it. This was his moment of redemption and release.
"Dobe, wake up."
The Rokudaime startled awake with a shout and looked up from his desk to see the figure of the man he had been chasing for eight years now.
"Sasuke…"
"I'm sorry, dobe."