A knock sounded on Sakura's door. She raised her head and looked toward where she heard the noise and sighed. She had been back in Metropolis for two weeks and had seen neither hide nor hair of her son voluntarily. At first she tried visiting him but realized that trying to force her way into his life wouldn't be the best of avenues. So she backed off reluctantly.

Sasuke had left, presumably to investigate Cadmus, the facility that brought Conner into life. He was still so very angry about what happened to the two of them that she didn't even bother to try and talk him out of it.

Sometimes you just had to let Sasuke be.

Sakura groaned, rose to her feet, and then stretched. She needed a break anyway. She had resumed her study of medicine in Clark's world. Batman had gotten in contact with Bruce Wayne and he, in turn, pulled some strings to get her back in school.

A lot of it was what she was accustomed to, but every now and then she'd stumble across information and diseases that she knew nothing of. The tiring part was filtering through that information.

Sakura opened the door, genjutsu intact, surprised to see Barry there. After she had injured Ms. Martian and she had seen the lost look on his face she didn't think he was on the pro-Sakura team anymore. It saddened her just as much as the thought of him betraying her did.

"Barry? What are you doing here?"

He smiled at her and as usual it was contagious.

"Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to get a bite to eat." Sakura's stomach chose that moment to grumble loudly. A blush stained her cheeks. It was possible that she had completely lost track of time and she hadn't eaten all day. "I'll take that as a yes."

Sakura laughed and stepped aside allowing him to come inside. "Give me ten minutes to get ready."

Barry nodded although a part of him didn't believe that she could be ready in ten minutes-so he timed her. True to her word, Sakura exited her bedroom ten minutes later as promised surprising the speedster. Barry immediately rose to his feet at her reappearance and she beamed at him.

"So where are we going?" Sakura placed her hands on her hips and looked at him expectantly. Barry shrugged slightly. "Well, you probably know Metropolis a little better than I do. So I was hoping you'd recommend a place."

Sakura pursed her lips as a thought occurred to her. "Am I correct in assuming that you just ran over here from Central City?" Barry looked at her sheepishly. Sakura just shook her head. "Alright then. Let's go."

She was surprised when Barry interlaced his fingers with hers as they went on their way. It wasn't like she hadn't held hands with male friends before. It was just that it generally led to trouble. Sasuke's words about Barry wanting 'in her pants' invaded her mind. She hated when Sasuke was right.

"Barry?" Sakura said softly glancing at their intertwined hands as they walked down the street. Her heart was beating so hard she was certain the people who walked by them could hear it. Barry looked down at her and something in her voice made him pause.

"Yes?"

Sakura bit her bottom lip and Barry couldn't help but find it adorable.

"Is this a date?"

Her question took him off guard. Perhaps that was what he heard in her voice and his face flushed at the implications.

"Do you…not want it to be?"

She hadn't really thought about it. Sakura was aware that Barry was an attractive man. She was always aware that technically she was a single woman. There was nothing to actually stop them except…

"It's a bad idea, Barry."

"Because you still love Clark?"

And because Sasuke will kill you…and enjoy it.

"You can't ignore the fact that I came back because of him."

"And can you ignore the fact that there's something between us?" Sakura bit her bottom lip again. "Sakura, if you keep doing that I'm going to kiss you. It's distracting."

Sakura slowly released her lip which in some ways, to Barry, was worse.

"I can't deny there's something between us Barry, but that something is called friendship."

Barry slowly released Sakura's hand. "Do you really believe that?"

Something in Sakura broke. He was serious. He seriously wanted them to try a relationship, he wanted them to date. His smile was gone and Barry without one was something to weep at.

"Barry don't make me do this."

Barry stepped back and little and said, "Right so…not a date, but still hungry. Let's go find something to eat."

And just like that the subject was dropped. He automatically took her no for an answer not to mention other men wouldn't have bothered to continue on with the offer of lunch.

Sakura nodded slowly and followed behind him lost in her thoughts. She was back in Metropolis because of Clark. She loved him, but she knew better than anyone that love alone wasn't enough to make a relationship work. Logically speaking, it would be in her best interests to let the idea of her and Clark together go. But even if she did that didn't mean she could just date Barry. She had Sasuke and Naruto to think about.

But could she ever find happiness with them again?

Sakura groaned inwardly and just decided to say screw it.

"Hey Barry?" He glanced back at her curiously. His expression was pleasant which disturbed her. It was like he was wearing a mask and throwing walls between them.

"Yes?"

"It's a date." A slow smile formed on Barry's lips and he slowly reached for her hand.

Sasuke was going to murk her.

:::

The decision for where to go to lunch was still left in her hands. The truth was she was about as familiar with Metropolis as Barry was—at least when it came to food. Most of time, when she went out with Clark she let him choose the place. The only place that stood out in her mind was the little Italian place she went with Clark when he told her that he could accept her for who she was if she could accept him and she definitely didn't want to take him there.

In the end, she decided upon a Mexican restaurant they just happened to pass by.

"So what have you been doing the past year?"

Sakura shrugged at the question. "Truthfully? Readjusting. Going from here to Konoha is a major culture shock."

"Are things that different?"

Sakura sighed and decided that if they were going to do this he needed to know the truth. "My first team mission when I came home was an assassination one which is weird because we're really not good at them."

His reaction wasn't what she thought it would be.

"So if someone offered you an assassination mission here would you take it?"

Sakura frowned. "Isn't that illegal here?"

"It is." Barry confirmed.

"Then no. I wouldn't. I obey the laws of the land."

"That's all that matters then. So why isn't your team good at them?"

"Because assassinating someone is an art form that has to be perfected. It takes planning and subtlety. My team is more…impulsive than that."

"I see. So your team…that guy who's with you now and the one that was here last time they're a part of your team?"

Sakura nodded. "We have one or three more depending upon who you ask."

"There's a big difference between one and three Sakura." Barry said with a grin. "And I'm asking you."

"Then three."

"Tell me about them."

Sakura regaled Barry with stories about Naruto and Sai that had him laughing so hard he was near tears. Although, he especially liked her stories about Yamato's scary face. They got along rather well. And the truth was:

It was the best date she had been on in a long time.