Title: Shattered Dreams and Landscapes
Series: Sequel to What Dreams May Come
Author: Phoenix
Genre: Romance/Drama (Some Fluff/ Angst/ Comedy)
Rating: NC-17 (and for a good reason)
Pairing: Sasuke Uchiha x Naruto Uzumaki
Spoilers: References from Sasuke Retrieval Arc & on

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way, shape, form or fashion.

Author's Note: Hello again, got a new story for you, the sequel to "What Dreams May Come." I'm going to try my best to keep it as close to IC as possible. In my last story, I've taken a little creative liberty as with the settings and so on. I'll be taking elements from the current and original Naruto storyline and incorporating it into the storyline I created, so please bear with my first couple of chapters. I'll be making an attempt to tie everything together with the Naruto arcs. Again, I'd be ever so grateful if you would all R&R. So, without further ado, I present to you "Shattered Dreams and Landscapes." Arigato! ^_^

Thump, thump, thump. The sound of an axe cutting through wood carried on the still air of Konohagakure as the people of the village went about their daily task of rebuilding their home. After its destruction at the hands of Pain, the thought of leader of the Akatsuki, the surviving people struggled for months on end to return Konohagakure back to its shining glory. It's been a year since that day, and things have come along nicely. The Village Hidden in the Leaves was at 90% completion, and soon there will be a big celebration to commemorate the event.

Thump, thump, thump. The sounds of reconstruction filtered though the dream soaked mind of one Sasuke Uchiha as he tossed and turned. Sleep was long in coming the night before, and now, his guilt-ridden mind was sending him into a world of regret, and loss with the help of the sounds outside his small, dark apartment. A small choked sob escapes his throat as his mind replayed his dark memories.

"Naru, you have to understand. I have to do this!" Sasuke said to his lover, Naruto. "As every day passed, you've come closer and closer to obtaining your goal, while I've remained stationary! Itachi is out there, somewhere. Plotting. I'm weak! I have to gain more power if I'm to defeat him!"

"Sasu-chan, please. Didn't we say more than once that our destinies are intertwined? I will be your help as you have been mine? You don't need Orochimaru. We just need more ti-"

"Damnit, Naruto! It's been a year, how much more time do you want out of me while he's lurking around?" Sasuke interrupted, "That person who destroyed my clan; my entire family is running about free for the damned Akatsuki and he has yet to pay for his crimes against me!" Sasuke's fist slammed into the wall in his anger, his sharingan activating in his anger. "Orochimaru is the only way."

He was met with only silence, pure blue eyes merely looked upon dark ones with deep hurt. Giving a sigh of resignation, Sasuke picked up his bag and moved closer to the slightly shorter blond. "Naruto, I love you, but this is something that I must do." Sasuke said as he gave his lover a kiss on the forehead. "Don't look for me, and don't come after me. When Itachi is handled, and if I'm alive, I'll come back to you." With that, he turned and walked out the door.

Naruto's influence on Sasuke, though profound, was powerless to prevent Sasuke from leaving his village and friends to receive training from Orochimaru. Sasuke's decision to leave was the result of a chain of events that rekindled his hatred for his brother and desire to avenge his clan, and he just couldn't wait any longer. Despite Sasuke's words, Naruto left out of their apartment and went after him.

"SASUKE," Naruto yelled out his name as he ran after his fast retreating lover, his feet hitting the ground forcefully as he tried to catch up to him. A heartbreaking thump, thump, thump sound echoed in Sasuke's ears as he continued to walk away from the one person whom he has loved since his family's demise.

Thump, thump, thump the sounds from outside intensified and broke through to the sleeping Uchiha, shattering the thinly veiled world of illusion that he fitfully slumbered in.

"Naruto, DON'T!"

The raven haired ninja sat up in his bed, he was breathing heavily and a light film of sweat covered his body, despite the rather cool temperature of his room. Swinging his body around and putting his feet on the floor, he sighed heavily as his memories continued to assault him; which led to another painful sigh, "I'm so sorry, dobe." He said to himself.

******SasuxNaru******

On the other side of the Village, the dobe in question was assisting an older gentleman make repairs to his home. Perched on the roof, Naruto was holding down shingles while the old man hammered them into place. He had been quite distracted of his duties of helping rebuild the village since Sasuke's return to Konoha. He really had thought that Sasuke had committed too many crimes, done too much to harm his village and its inhabitants that Granny Tsunade would've had him arrested and thrown into the darkest pit of the jail or worse – have him executed When he showed up at the main gate, looking like a lost kitten. In the back of his mind, he knew that it was his passionate pleading with her on his ex-lover's behalf that Sasuke was merely granted house arrest, extensive community service which consisted of helping rebuild Konohagakure, and of course, probation. Some of the people in the village mumbled under their breath that their Konoha no Namekuji Tsunade-hime (a/n: Konoha's Slug Princess Tsunade) was obviously still not 100% there from the coma she suffered from Pain's attack to granted the traitor Uchiha such leniency. Others believed that she was merely being nice as a tactic: Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. A rare few knew that it was due to Naruto's pleading. Despite the number of years away, Sasuke still had his heart. Naruto shook his head to clear his rampaging thoughts and frowned, suddenly in a great need to be anywhere else but where he was at that moment.

"Oi, jii-chan (a/n: Hey, grandpa) How long is this going to take you?"

The old man chuckled at the youth's impatience as he continued to knock the shingles into place on the roof.

"Yare yare Naruto-kun, it's going to take as long as we need it to. We need to be careful and do things patiently so that we don't have it rain indoors and ruin all my lovely furniture."

Naruto sighed. He really didn't want to be there anymore. The task at hand was mundane and caused his thoughts to wander, and for some reason, they always wandered back to the one place where he didn't want them to go to: Sasuke. Pulling another shingle out and placing it down for the old man to knock into place, Naruto sighed once again and cursed

"Kuso, (a/n: Shit) I'm going to be here all day with you and I have other things to do. So, why don't you just –"

"Urusai!" (a/n: Shut-up!) The old man exclaimed as his hammer came down on the young ninja's thumb

"Ahhh! Dammit, old man!" Naruto's thumb went straight to his mouth, and as he did so, he lost his balance on the roof and toppled over, landing in a heap on the dirt below. The old man continued to hammer the shingle into place as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"Maybe next time, you'll watch your mouth, boke!" (a/n: knuckle head)

"H-hai." A dizzy and hurt Naruto weakly muttered.

A light laugh came from above Naruto, and he sat up quickly, rubbing the swiftly developing knot on his head.

"No matter how old you get, some things will never change, Naruto."

Upon hearing his name, he turned in that direction and was regarded with green eyes, still sparkling with mirth from the display of Naruto's antics.

"Ohayou, Sakura-chan!" Naruto said brightly.

"Ohayou, Naruto. I see you're still as impatient as ever."

"Well, I just needed to get away for a few minutes." He answered as he got up from the ground brushing the dust off of his clothing. He brushed dirt off the seat of his black pants and forgoing his customary form fitting orange and black jacket to wear just an orange a-shirt more suitable for his duties of helping around with Konoha's repair. He then gave Sakura a quick hug in greeting, and looked around, scratching the back of his head. "This job I'm doing at the moment is rather boring, and my thoughts keep wandering to… him."

"Ah. I see." Sakura said, having a great deal of sympathy for the blond. They've been friends for years, and nobody took Sasuke's defection harder than she and Naruto. This was made even more unbearable after that confrontation at Orochimaru's hideout. Naruto wasn't able to reach his ex-lover and was really distraught from the confrontation. In reality, it was his friendship with Sakura that was able to help pull him through his depression. Naruto nodded and then smiled, but even his smile couldn't hide the hurt and pain caused by the raven haired genius.

"It seems that no matter how hard I tried, no matter how much power I gained, I was still chasing his back. I guess it was never enough." Naruto paused as a new thought struck him, "He said he loved me, Sakura-chan. How can you say that to someone and then leave them? He said that… he said that our bond was broken." He stated sadly, recalling their last time seeing each other at Orochimaru's hideout.

"Goshinpai naku, (a/n: Don't worry) Naruto. He's home now, and things will get better between you two. Soon, you two will be right back how you were three years ago." Sakura said in an encouraging tone. "Remember, your nindo is to never give up."

"I don't know, Sakura-chan. I think things are too far gone between us. I just don't know"

******SasuxNaru******

"There's that snake now. He'd better be thankful to Kami that Tsunade-Hime has a forgiving heart, and that the Konoha no eiyu (a/n: Hero of the Hidden Leaf) pleaded on his behalf. I've heard that-"

Sasuke stopped listening as he walked down the newly constructed pathway to the Hokage's Mansion. His 'Homecoming' was just as he expected. Full of mistrust, talking behind his back, and being treated as an outcast – again. With his hands in his pockets, the Raven continued to walk, trying very hard to ignore the glares coming from the various inhabitants of Konohagakure. He knew that for him to return here, he would have to endure this. However, if he could just reclaim the one person whom he loved most, he would face it a million times over.

Upon reaching the door to the Hokage's Mansion, a team of ANBU surrounded him. He rolled his eyes as he held out his arms, allowing them to search his person. "I could've killed each and every one of you before you even had a chance to react." Sasuke thought bitterly as he subjected himself to this humiliation. Per the agreement he struck up with Lady Tsunade, he was to report to her daily, and receive his work for the day. He was also to be subjected to body searches since he is still considered a missing-nin. After the search came up clean, the ANBU operatives seemingly disappeared into the thin air that they appeared from. Sasuke entered into the building and ascended the stairs to receive his assignment for the day.

"Uchiha, I'm going to need you at the hot springs today. Rebuilding and clean up in that area is going slower than expected. So we'll need your skills there in order to get things back on track. Understand me?" Tsunade, the 5th Hokage demanded. She sat back in her chair and closed her eyes as her pet pig, Tonton sat by, watching the young man warily. After a few seconds of silence, she realized he hadn't left yet. Opening her eyes, and sitting up again, she gave him a very hard look.

"Why haven't you left yet, Uchiha? You've been given your orders." She inquired

"Ano." Sasuke started

Tsunade arched an eyebrow and slammed her hand on the desk, "OUT WITH IT, ALREADY!" With overseeing the reconstruction of Konohagakure and also assisting in the 4th Shinobi World War, she had very little patience to spare, especially with this particular young man in front of her.

"Hokage-sama, Has Naruto been around here as of yet?" Sasuke asked, his head held low and looking up at her through his bangs.

"Naruto? He's been up and out assisting the villagers since first light. Why ever would you –" Tsunade was about to ask, but cut herself short. The relationship the two young boys once shared wasn't a secret. Of course, he would ask about him. Even though he wouldn't say it, she's more than sure that he was the reason that he even decided to return and repent of his ways. Despite the way he felt about Konohagakure and its involvement in the massacre of his family and clan. She leaned back in her chair and sighed. She was hoping to get a sip of sake this morning just to calm her nerves, but it seemed like she had a bit more work to handle. "Sasuke-kun, have you even spoken to Naruto since you've been back?" She asked of him.

He continued to look down at the floor, his hair covering up the blush that was starting to develop on his normally pale skin. "I wanted to, but I've done so much to hurt him. I don't think he'll even look at me, let alone talk to me. I've been here for over a month, and he hasn't sought me out or anything."

Tsunade was a bit taken aback by this confession by the Raven. After all the pleading and begging Naruto did to keep Sasuke alive, she would've assumed that he ran to be by his side and be his support. However, this didn't seem to be the case at all. "I see. Well, maybe you should seek him out, instead of the other way around. After all, you were the one who left him. Maybe you should be the one to come back, ne?"

From beneath his curtain of hair, he raised his eyebrows in surprise. This made perfect sense. "I think you're right, Tsunade-sama. I think I'll get on that as soon as I'm done with my –"

There was a loud crash outside Tsunade's office door, and thundering footsteps approached. Suddenly her door flew open and an angry Naruto stormed in.

"Hey, Granny, you've got to do something about that old man that lives over by the Ninja Academy. Not only is he crazy, but he's violent! He hit me with a hammer and he al… so…" Naruto's rant was cut short when he saw him standing there. Suddenly, it was as if he couldn't breathe any longer. Sasuke? Here? Why now?

"Ohayou, Naruto." He said, giving him a lop-sided smile

"Oh- ohayou, Sasuke." Naruto replied, awestruck. "I can still make him smile?" Naruto thought and at the mention of his name, Naruto's mind automatically went on a trip to the past. Was it only three years since he's heard Sasuke say his name in that way? Has it really been three years since he'd seen that smile that warmed his heart every morning? His thoughts drifted back to something that Sakura had said to him on their graduation:

"As the months went by I saw a change in him. He was truely happy. I don't think I can totally forgive you for being with Sasuke because he really was my true love... even though it wasn't returned. But I do want to thank you for doing something I was unable to do. You make him smile."

"I still make him smile." Naruto shook his head to clear the colliding thoughts and memories. He was here for business, not to sit here and reminisce on past events. What he and Sasuke had was long dead and gone. "Granny, can I have another assignment, please?"

Tsunade supported her head on her hands as she watched their interaction. She smiled to herself. There was something still there; it just needed a little… push to get things started. "Yes Naruto. You can have another assignment. You're to go with Sasuke-kun and help with the repair and reconstruction of the hot springs."

"What?" the boys said in unison

"You heard me. Now, you two go and get to work."

As the two young men exited her office, she leaned back in her chair once again and smiled. All they need is a little push.