Welcome Back
Read This Note Before Reading If You Don't You Won't Understand The Story If You Don't!!
This story is my first story so of course it's not that good but I decided to give it a try. I appreciate your comments and also your criticism.
They are all 17 to 18 except for Lee, Neji, and Tenten who are a year older. The beginning is told by Sakura, mostly in her mind. So I hope you enjoy the story and thank you for reading.
Chapter One: Home Again
I don't know when I realized that I had fallen in love and not the stalking, creepy love but truly in love with you.
It hurts, so much whenever you call me annoying but I finally realized that you're right. I am annoying. Even though you constantly cause me pain I can always forgive you. Ino always asks why I can forgive you, it's simple, I'm in love with you.
It's been 5 years, 5 long, painful years since you left. Left home, your friends, and me. Finally, there you are standing at the gate.
Naruto and I were in Lady Tsunade's office when we were informed that you were at the gate. Immediately both of us sprinted toward the gate, slowly I pulled ahead of him.
I stopped a couple of feet from you. You stared at me and I stared back. It looked you were going to speak but Naruto crashed into you. Naruto was smiling and he was nearly crushing you with his hugs.
You smirked and hugged him back and soon all of Rookie nine and even Gai's team was there. But through all the chaos I only stared at you.
And as everyone was celebrating your return, I slowly walked away.
I walked toward my apartment, I didn't notice anyone. Until Lady Tsunade called out my name.
"Sakura"
"Yes"
"The gate is this way"
"I know"
"Then won't you go see him?"
"He is happy, he doesn't need me."
"Sakura, you don't know-."
"I must go, excuse me."
As I lay on my bed I thought about how life would be now that Saskue was back. You will date, of course. You had to find the perfect wife to rebuild your clan with. And slowly it will kill me when you do.
But I'll try to let it not affect me.
I'll date too; try to find someone who I might come to love, even if it's just a little. Nobody can replace you, Saskue I'm in love with you but I'll try to find someone that can make relatively happy without you.
It will be hard because both of us have the same friends, we will see each other often but I'll try, for both our sakes to move on.
3 months later
The decision is made; one year probation and you'll be allowed to go on missions.
All of our friends will be there when they release you. They'll congratulate you and then all of you will go celebrate. But not me.
Of course I'll be there when they release you. I'll stand in the background watching you walk out and then I'll watch when you are bombarded by all our friends. And I'll watch when they take you away to celebrate. But I won't watch you celebrate, I'll go to my apartment, read, then go to sleep.
As I sit under the shade of a cherry blossom tree I can't wait to see your face again.
5 minutes
All our friends are crowded at the entrance of the jail, waiting.
4 minutes
But I don't let them see me, I don't want them to see me and I don't want you to see me either.
3 minutes
It's almost time, Naruto will crush you into a huge hug and everyone else will soon follow.
2 minutes
Will you notice when I'm not there to greet you?
1 minute
Probably not, I annoy you.
30 seconds
Almost time
10 seconds
There about to burst.
5 seconds
4 seconds
3 seconds
2 seconds
1 second
And as I predicted, you step out of jail.
And there goes Naruto and the rest as well.
You give a small smile, so probably wouldn't even call it a smile but for you it's a huge smile.
As everyone is congratulating you on your success, you do something unpredictable. You look up as if searching for someone, but everyone's there. You quickly turn your attention to the group and slowly they drag you to the bar, just as I predicted.
And as they drag you to the left, I stand up and slowly walk to the right. A small smile plays across my lips; your back and you're here to stay.