Author's Note: Well, here it is! It's not really a sequel, like kattylin requested, but I kinda like how it turned out anyway. It's set pre-Perfect Bliss, and Itachi and Orochimaru are dead, and well, Naruto is on his way to becoming Hokage. (giggles) Anyway, I think I've decided on making this a set of related oneshots, drabbles, and whatever else I come up with, focusing on Sasuke and Sakura, and maybe even others along the way.

God bless Kishimoto for Naruto; we all know our lives wouldn't have been the same without it. That being said, I think I've made it perfectly clear that I don't own it, so yeah…

Thanks to those who reviewed!

Renaissance-

I am an avenger.

Or at least, I used to be, until I found what I didn't know I was looking for. She definitely wasn't what I envisioned my future to be like, nor was she even included in my plans. In fact, I remember clearly what I told Hatake Kakashi that day we started as Genin.

"…I hate a lot of things, and I don't particularly like anything.

What I have is not a dream, because I will make it a reality.

I'm going to restore my clan and destroy a certain man."

Causing the death of so many people; gazing on permanently bloodied, scarred hands is a daily occurrence in the life of a ninja. As an avenger, I once sought to live seeking out the death of one person: my own brother.

Remembering the Uchiha blood spilled by his hands, and recalling how his blood felt smeared over mine, I swear a vow as I watch my wife struggle to give birth to our first child.

No Uchiha blood shall ever be spilt ever again.

The revelation takes a short while to settle in my mind, and by then I am resolved to see it through. Moments pass and a shrill cry is heard.

Suddenly, he is here. My son.

For a man finely tuned to react to any possible situation, Sasuke found that he was actually quite speechless at the feelings that strange sound evoked in him. He wanted to move, step forward, do anything except stand here, and yet, here he was completely numb outside. Outside being the operative term. Inside, he felt warmth- Warmth, fulfillment, happiness.

Suddenly, it didn't matter if not everyone liked him, because he realized that no matter what, as long as he stayed true to himself, there would always be people who loved him for who he was. Arrogance, betrayal and all.

He had lived a life focused on revenge; for him, his freedom, his peace of mind- all for his sake alone. It felt strange to suddenly be living for others.

Staring dumbly at the opposite wall for quite a few minutes, he was shocked out of his reverie when a cheery Naruto slapped his back and all but shouted his congratulations at the birth of his son. He rambled on about prospective names, abilities, appearances, and that yes, he definitely was going to be the godfather and- Sasuke blankly gazed back at his best friend, and when Tsunade finally peeked out the door beckoning to him, he stood there motionless, and would have remained so if Naruto had not pushed him forcefully towards Sakura's ward.

Unconsciously he took a deep, nerve-wracking breath and looked up to meet his wife's teary, exhausted eyes. She was tired, but she was smiling, and by gods, she had never looked as beautiful as she did just then. He simply stood there, by the door, and took in the breathtaking picture of his family- his family; his wife, and his son…

It felt surreal, as if he was merely imagining all of this; and then he immediately proceeded to think that if this was just a dream, he never wanted to wake up ever again and-

"Sasuke…"

It was merely a whisper, but it was enough for him; enough to make him realize, to make him believe that all this wasn't merely a dream, that all of this was real, and, and-

Were those tears in her eyes?

Jolted to the present, he strode forward steadily and slowly, gently reached out to wipe the beads of moisture threatening to leak from her beautiful eyes. She simply smiled at him, and reached out to erase the tears falling from his eyes too. He grasped her hand in his and caressed it lovingly as it lay across his cheek; inhaling her scent, and that of sweat and of blood and of life; glorious, amazing, new life.

Opening his eyes, he glanced down at the now quiet, small bundle wrapped in his wife's arms. Clear, sparkling, innocent, curious little eyes peeked up at him, followed by an adorable gurgling and drooling, and continuous attempts at reaching out to grasp the stray blue strands of his hair.

Sakura laughed; laughed softly and brought their son up, closer to his father's face, where he succeeded in grabbing a fistful of hair, and proceeded to yank it out of his scalp, rather forcefully as well, I might add.

Sasuke merely smiled, no, grinned so wide it was almost unnatural, and then joined his wife in laughter, ignoring the small stabs of pain his firstborn son inflicted upon him.

He sat down at his wife's bedside and embraced his family; Sakura, and their son, and mentally thanked the gods that be out there, for giving him a family, one that was even better than the one he had lost.

Whispering softly in her ear, Sasuke spoke the words that once broke Sakura; her heart, her world, her life-

"Sakura, thank you… for everything…"

And this time, she was able to reply. Snuggling even closer into his warmth, careful not to accidentally restrict her son's space, she whispered back,

"You deserve it… all of it, Sasuke…"

And the dawning light shone through a crack in the window.

It had taken a painful journey, years of loneliness, anger and regret, not a few mistakes, people hurt, broken, and killed in the process, but he was finally here.

I was an avenger. Now, I am just a man.

Author's Note:

Done, and, done! I apologize if it seems hard to understand, I had quite a bit of difficulty in letting my thoughts out on paper, and well, this is what I came up with. I hope you enjoyed it, because for what, if nothing else, do we writers write for, if not to make others happy?

Let me know what you guys think! I'd love hearing from you.

Signing off,

Kiuna'yukina