"Sempai, we have retrieved the last of our men from the compound and the scroll has been retrieved. While some are severely injured and require extensive medical attention, we are ready to depart to go back to Konoha. We are awaiting your orders."

The ANBU Captain nodded. He adjusted his hawk-like mask and pushed back his long black hair.

"Make sure the injured are in the middle of the group while we travel back. We move out in 10 minutes."

The younger ANBU nodded and turned to give the orders he received to the rest of the squad.

The hawk-masked leader sighed.

It's been 2 months, we're finally going home.

Home.

Entering the home he shared with her, he could already feel some of the tension slowly ebb away. The mission had been long and agonizing, everything that could have gone wrong did, but they had made it back. Mission accomplished. Wounded, battered and every single muscle of their body badly aching, but alive. They'd live to see another mission. He had made sure his team had been attended to before being treated himself.

He knew she had seen him in the hospital. They had shared a brief look then that was meant to be reassuring before she went back to treating one of his seriously injured squad members. He knew she'd still be worried and anxious to talk to him privately, but he had to make sure his team would be okay. He knew she understood, but still didn't make it less stressful for her. She was not a patient person, even less so when he was the reason of her concern. His more serious wounds were healed, but he refused any further treatment. The medics were stretched thin and he knew they were pretty exhausted by that point. As soon as he had had positive news for everyone in his team, he left the hospital, knowing she'd be following him soon.

It was dark. He had taken off his sandals and was heading for the bathroom to take a much deserved shower, but he stopped in his tracks. Leaning against the door of their bedroom, she seemed to glow with the dawn of a new day shining through the window behind her. Her eyes were glassy. She took hesitant steps towards him, as if she didn't quite believe he was really in front of her, her eyes never leaving his. When she got close enough, her hands rose to his face, gently touching it. Her touch was soft, soothing; her green eyes full of questions and unshed tears. She reached behind his head to undo his hitai-ate when he finally moved. His hands went to the flaps of the standard ANBU vest she was wearing. The fabric was rough between his fingers as he slowly divested her of it. Once on the floor, his hands went to her back, slowly pushing the fabric of her top upwards so he could touch her skin. She had discarded his forehead protector and bandages to the ground when she reached up to capture his lips with her own. The kiss was tender and comforting.

He felt his vest being tugged down, his hands leaving the warmth of her skin to get rid of the garment. He slowly unzipped her top, leaving her only in her chest bandages. He slowly released the kiss, looking into her eyes. Breathing heavily, she reached for the back of his shirt to remove it, slowly exposing some of his skin, old and new scars adorning his flesh. He cradled the back of her neck with one of his hand, fingers entangling in her pink tresses, the other one never leaving the small of her back. His need for contact was great; he needed to be brought back to the present by something, someone. Her eyes softened, she understood what he was doing, that he was going to be okay.

He bent his head to the side and delivered a soul-binding kiss upon her lips. Their hands never leaving one another, trailing up and touching any patches of skin that was available, as if they were tracing and memorizing their life partner's body all over again. They slowly backed up until they reached the bedside, where she abruptly broke the kiss and pulled his shirt over his head only to reach back to him once more.

He gently pushed her onto the bed where she fell on her back. She scooted up while he crawled over to her. She opened herself to make space for him, cradling his hips with hers, arms going around his back and neck. She showered the side of his face with small kisses while he was just content with being able to smell her hair and skin. She felt the tension completely leave his body and he finally broke the silence.

"Tadaima…" he whispered in her ear.

"Okaeri, Neji-kun…"

I'm home. A soft smile appeared on his face. Everything was going to be all right.

AN: So... 12 years later, I finally add a new fanfic. This was inspired by a piece of SasuSaku fanart, but I thought it was more fitting for a NejiSaku story in my mind. I'm not a big fan of Sasuke and I still refuse to believe that Neji is gone.

So yep. There you go. Reviews are much appreciated!