AN: Thanks for reading! I don't know how often I will update this, I'm trying so hard to resist doing it sooner, but I want to give in and let you guys read what I've got so far! I'm hoping to continue writing more chapters first to make sure I keep the plot going properly before posting. (Got up to chapter 5 ready now.) Thanks for the many follows and adds! Please review as well! Let me know what you think. :)

Chapter 2 - Women

Sakura woke up feeling refreshed until she remembered where she was. She cursed inwardly at being careless enough to fall asleep at Sasuke's bedside. It was barely light out. She checked the time and saw it was about four in the morning. She hadn't went to Ino's party as planned, ending up spending her New Year's night snoring away at Sasuke's bedside. She had to admit, she had been exhausted and for some reason, she felt more comfortable sleeping at Sasuke's side than home alone.

He was still sleeping. Sometimes, when she came to visit, she could see his brows were furrowed as he slept. He probably had nightmares of the past, of fights, of war. He seemed genuinely relaxed at the moment though. He lay on his back, but his face was turned towards her and his good hand was outstretched towards her, splayed over the edge of the bed. It was these little moments where Sasuke was completely unguarded that really made her heart swell.

She noticed that there was a blanket on her, wondering who came in and checked up on Sasuke during the night. Nobody really did as far as she knew. Could it have been Sasuke? Shaking her head, she gathered her things to head home to shower.

She turned to look back at him and saw that he was smiling in his sleep. Maybe it wasn't a real, wide smile, but the the edge of his lips curved just the slightest bit. It was close enough and she let herself believe it. She smiled as well, thinking that perhaps, this year would be a good year.

Tsunade had summoned her. Sakura knocked on Tsunade's door before entering.

"Sakura, come. Sit down."

Tsunade hadn't changed at all since the war. Of course, she maintained her youthful appearance and continued to stash sake in her drawer for 'emergency rations.' Since Kakashi took over as Hokage, Tsunade took charge of the hospital again.

"It's been some time since the boys came back."

Oh no, Sakura thought. It's going to happen soon.

Tsunade said, "Sasuke has already spoke to me about his leaving. He doesn't want to to wait until the prosthetic is ready. I told him he could be discharged in a week.

"His injuries are healed up well. Naruto's too. They'll both be free to go. Sasuke still needs to stay in the village until the hearings are over though. Kakashi can tell you more on that."

Tsunade voice was firm and commanding as always. Sakura nodded. "I'll get in touch with him."

"Drop by his office when you get a chance. Also, I wanted to check on your progress with the proposal."

Sakura opened her bag and pulled out the stack of papers. "I'm almost done. I just need to fine-tune it."

"Nonsense, Sakura. You've been poring over it for weeks. Hand it over. I'll review it with the leadership team and we'll let you know how to proceed."

Sakura straightened out the pages and clipped everything together before handing over the proposal to Tsunade. It was like the fate of the world rested in those papers and she had to breathe to let go of it. It was her pet project and she truly hoped it would get approved.

"Thanks, shishou."

"No problem. Now get back to work and stop worrying. Take Naruto out for lunch or something. He's been bugging me about ramen, that brat."

Sakura chuckled at that and felt like things were back to normal.

"Tsunade-baachan said it's alright?" Naruto asked, excited at the prospect. It was like he was drooling already.

"Yes," Sakura responded for the hundredth time. "Now, you better behave or else I'll punch you a new one and keep you in the hospital for another month."

Naruto pouted, but he knew she said it half-heartedly. They set off for Ichiraku and Naruto waved and talked to everyone on their way.

"Ohoho! Welcome back, Naruto!" Teuchi greeted him, setting out bowls on the counter.

"Old man! I'll have the usual."

"Yosh! And Sakura-chan?" Teuchi asked, throwing a new batch of noodles into the water to boil.

"I'll have the same," Sakura replied, smiling.

As they ate, Naruto rambled on about what he'd do now that they were being discharged.

"Are you alright, Sakura?" he could see her troubled expression as they headed back to the hospital.

Sakura sighed. "I'm just worried about Sasuke."

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan. I'll keep an eye on him." Naruto beamed at her, hoping to cheer her up.

"I don't mean that."

It was depressing, like the way it used to be when they talked about Sasuke. Naruto would always tell her not to worry, that he'd bring Sasuke back. He was back now, but it didn't ease her worries.

Naruto put a hand on her shoulder as they walked back. "You're really worrying too much. He's back-for good. He'll go out on missions, just like us. I've already been asked to testify for him, and I'm going to tell them that he's good now. He won't leave us behind again."

"Thanks, Naruto."

"Anytime, Sakura...I know how you feel about him."

She sighed deeply, not wanting to start crying in the middle of the street. "I'll always be waiting for him."

"And he's an idiot if he doesn't see that. Want me to knock some sense into him?" Naruto grinned, laughing.

Sakura smiled, enjoying Naruto's cheeriness. He was the hero of the village now, and he was even closer to his goal of becoming Hokage. Everything was looking up for Naruto. Sakura was proud of him.

"Come in," Kakashi said.

Sakura entered the Hokage's office and saw the stacks and stacks of paperwork that her shishou used to hate. It was weird thinking of Kakashi-sensei as the Hokage. He would always, first and foremost, be their teacher.

"Ah, Sakura. I take it you've heard the news?"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama told me this morning."

Kakashi reassured her, "I'll make sure he gets pardoned. How's Naruto doing?"

"He's good. His injuries are all healed now. Tsunade is discharging him tomorrow. Sasuke will be discharged next week."

"The hearings will start in two months," Kakashi said. "I know Naruto is speaking on Sasuke's behalf. We'll both make sure the council pardons him."

"Thanks."

Both Kakashi and Naruto were well aware of how much this hearing would affect her. They all wanted things to be normal again. There was no doubt that Sasuke had inflicted a lot of damage on several nations during his rogue stint. It would really be a fifty-fifty chance of being pardoned for his crimes.

On the day of his discharge, Sakura personally went to Sasuke's room to complete the process.

"Okay, looks like you're all set," she told him.

"Hn."

"Are you going to stay at your house?"

He nodded.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay with Naruto or something?"

He chuckled, remembering how Naruto had always been. "And live in filth? I'll be fine, Sakura. Really."

"Okay…" Sakura bit her lips, unable to think of much else to say at the moment. "Come and visit me when you have time then."

"Hn."

Sakura understood that he had been contemplating so many things while stuck in the hospital. She knew that he was already planning his journey.

She saw him out to the entrance of the hospital. "I've got to get back to work," she said.

He waved before heading out. She was always watching that back with the Uchiha fan on it, leaving her. She pinched her cheeks and forced herself to focus on her work again. She set off to her office to finalize some reports.

He turned back for a moment, seeing Sakura heading back to her office. He hoped that without coming to his bedside every night, that she'd be able to rest better.

It was strange being back in his old house, repairing things. He patched up some of the windows and doors, swept the floors, and cleared some of the weeds. It was definitely still a mess, but he had it worse when bunking it with Taka or even back when he was with Orochimaru. He shivered, pushing those thoughts out of his mind.

Sasuke went out shopping for some necessities. He had plenty of money still, both as the Uchiha heir and having dealt in his fair share of missions and international "exploits." He went to the home goods shop to pick out some blankets, sheets, towels, and other miscellaneous items. It was only going to be for a little while. He didn't plan on staying at the Uchiha compound forever. It held too many bad memories for him. The store owner was wary of him, but served him nonetheless.

By the time Sasuke returned home, it was already quite dark. There were barely any lights at his end of the village. Just darkness.

He laid out the heavy futon and blankets, settling under the covers. He lay there unable to sleep properly as his stomach kept growling. Cursing himself for not eating earlier, he got up and went in search of food. It was cold out, he wrapped himself up in a thick cloak, trudging through the frosty streets.

It was late, so many places were already closed for the night. The only place that seemed to be open was the bar. When he entered, a quiet hush fell over everyone. He nodded to Shikamaru, who he recognized, and grabbed a seat at the bar.

"Shikamaru," Sasuke greeted him as he brushed some little bits of snow off his hair.

"Sasuke. What brings you here?"

"I didn't have anything to eat at home. All I want is a sandwich or something."

Shikamaru smiled at that. It was rare to see Sasuke struggling with this facet of everyday life.

Sasuke ordered a beer and a burger. He kept himself occupied with his thoughts as he drank. He noticed Shikamaru reading something as he drank.

"What are you reading?"

Shikamaru had the decency to look a little embarrassed. "It's this guide on the female mind."

Wait, what? Sasuke gave Shikamaru a quizzical look while Shikamaru simply poured himself more sake.

"You have to learn at some point. I figured I better start now. Besides, it's certainly useful when Ino's mad at me or when Temari throws a fit…" Shikamaru sighed, downing his cup of sake. "Why couldn't women be easier to understand?"

Sasuke thought about it. Women didn't seem particularly difficult. Or maybe the women he had encountered in his life were all just very easy to deal with.

Back home again, Sasuke closed his eyes, willing himself to sleep, but it wasn't working. Sighing, he pictured Sakura, head by his side, sleeping. Taking slow, even breaths. The gentle rise and fall of her chest. He closed his eyes, drifting into a dreamless sleep.

Sakura was staring out at the village spread out before them. She was out on a mission with Ino to gather some more medical herbs. She could see the outskirts of Konoha, and on those outskirts of the village was the Uchiha compound, where she knew Sasuke had been at since leaving the hospital.

"Earth to Sakura!" Ino called out, waving her hand in front of Sakura's face. "Sakura! You've got to focus," Ino said, snapping her fingers. "Jeez, I've already gave up on Sasuke, and you should too."

Sakura frowned. "How did we get to the topic of Sasuke?"

"You can't hide it. You've got to stop worrying about him. Eat your lunch properly."

They were up in the snowy peaks. Konoha was typically a warm-weathered country, but they did get the occasional brisk weather during the autumn and winter. Snow was rare, only light drifts that didn't stick much. On the mountains outside of Konoha, the snow would accumulate a few inches at most.

Searching for herbs was a strenuous task that took the whole day, often longer if they didn't find enough. Add in that it was wintertime, they were only focused on the hardy plants that were still growing in the cold. Ino had packed lunch boxes for the both of them. She had wrapped them up in cute handkerchiefs and the tidbits in the bento were meticulously arranged. She also brought a hot thermos of tea. Ino handed the bento to Sakura along with a cup of steaming tea.

Sakura giggled, feeling the warmth spread throughout her body as she drank. "Ino, you're going to be great mother someday."

Ino blushed, "Of course. I wouldn't have it any other way." She poked Sakura's shoulder. "I'm sure you will be too. Anyways, like I was saying, you're still so stuck on Sasuke."

"I can't help it. I still love him. I was so relieved when I found them that day. I almost thought they'd really kill each other."

"Alright, whatever. You can be smitten with him forever for all I care." Sakura knew that she did care. "It doesn't mean you can't consider other options. I'm sure there are some other handsome guys you've met on missions or visiting other villages."

"I have no time for nonsense," Sakura replied.

Feeling the need for a change in topic, Ino said. "That's true. How are things coming along with your proposal?"

Sakura felt relieved that Ino stopped talking about guys-talking about work was so much easier for her. Work was her life. It was her salvation, her distraction from worrying about Naruto or Sasuke. With work, she had a strong purpose-she saved lives. She let out all her frustrations and worries about the project to Ino, who listened patiently.

"Yo, teme," Naruto called affectionately, slapping Sasuke on the shoulder. "You're shopping too?"

"Good afternoon, Sasuke," Hinata greeted him. She seemed surprised to see him there in the store.

Sasuke had run into the pair grocery shopping. Sasuke could cook alright for himself, but he never expected to see Naruto there. Then again, it didn't surprise him when he saw the mountain of cup noodles piled into Naruto's cart.

"Those things will be your death, dobe."

"I'll eat whatever I like! As long as I'm happy, it's all good."

Sasuke smirked and told Hinata in a whisper, "You're lucky he's easy to please."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." Hinata said, smiling, cheeks tinged pink.

Naruto was oblivious to this exchange as he tossed more things into the cart. "Hey, Sasuke. Did you collect your reward monies yet?"

Sasuke was confused, "What reward?"

"Oh, Kakashi-sensei said the council had decided on a monetary award for us being heros of the war. Duh. Hinata said I should save some of it up, so I'm limiting myself to thirty cup noodles max."

That jerk sensei. Still just as nonchalant as ever. Sasuke could imagine Kakashi already. 'Oh, did I forget to tell you? Must've slipped my mind.'

"I told him he's been too careless with his spending, so that's why he's always broke." Hinata chimed in.

"Hey, I do try and save...I'm just not very good at it," Naruto admitted sheepishly.

Sasuke could picture it already. Hinata would be good for Naruto. She'd be the voice of reason when Naruto got carried away. She'd be the one to make him smile when the weight of the world seemed too much. She'd be the guiding light in dark times.

Ever since reading that novel Hinata lent him, Sasuke was starting to see it-how love can really change things for the better, how love can make you stronger. He thought about how Sakura's love for him drove her to become strong in her own way, both in literal strength and the power to save lives. She made a choice to learn and grow stronger, just as Naruto had, just as he had. It made him want to be someone that Sakura could depend on, someone that could support her. Sasuke had powerful combat skills and abilities, but he lacked emotional intelligence-being able to openly show caring, to sympathize and empathize more, and to love. Those were parts of himself that he had pushed down and locked away in the depths of his heart. Since being back in the village again reunited with Team 7, he felt little by little he could expose himself more.

Sasuke could see how pleased Sakura was. He had waited in her office, observing the precarious stacks of papers and books alongside various glass implements, unidentified liquids, and bottles of medication. On the windowsill, she grew various pots of flowers and herbs. The flowers were bright and cheerful, bringing a spot of positivity to the messy room. Some were still just budding, but some were already starting to bloom.

He had let himself in to wait for her. He figured she was still running around on another floor, tending to someone. Shizune had confirmed that Sakura was in today, so he waited for her. When she finally clicked her heels back into the office, she had barely noticed Sasuke until she sat down at her desk and saw him sitting there across from her.

"Oh! Sasuke-kun! What are you doing here?"

"I was wondering if you had lunch yet." It was three in the afternoon, but still, he knew Sakura didn't quite eat on a regular schedule nowadays.

She smiled and it gave him the warmest feeling. It was like all this time, he hadn't been around anyone genuinely happy. Karin was always acting crazy and Suigetsu had that weird smile that gave Sasuke the creeps and Jugo just didn't smile much at all. Sakura...Sakura cared deeply for him and it showed through her smile.

"I didn't yet. Want to eat here or…?" Sasuke grimaced and Sakura laughed. "Okay, no hospital food. Let's go out then."

Was it him or did she seem considerably more cheerful than usual? They headed out to a small cafe. It was warm and cozy inside with logs burning in the fireplace and the smell of fresh baked bread and coffee permeating throughout.

They got toasted sandwiches with soup and sat down at the pair of wingback chairs by the fire. Sasuke was always fascinated with fire. Watching the flames licking the wood and hearing the crackle calmed him, like the way the ocean waves felt to some.

They huddled together over a small end table to eat. He chatted with Sakura, talking about bumping into Naruto at the store and his own horrible lack of color coordination when picking out linens for himself. Sakura complained that he should've asked for help to pick out decor. She said that he must've only picked out red, white, and black to match the Uchiha crest. He denied it, but she giggled knowing that he did indeed only pick those out. She promised to drop by his house to help clean things up, make sure the house was warm enough for cold temperatures.

It was a pleasant interlude in his day to sit there in the cafe with her, speaking like friends. It was wonderful to enjoy her company without noticing anyone else in the room. It was something that gave him hope-that he'd be able to let himself love her as she loved him.

It was in that moment that he saw how uncomplicated Sakura was as a woman and how much he wanted her to be his.