Now, this is chapter three of A New Start (I like this title better). So far, Sakura is reunited with Sasuke, they fight and beat Orochimaru with the old Team Seven working together once again. Now, Sasuke is wondering if his home would accept him again and whether a certain pink haired person still has feelings for him.
Naruto owned by Masashi Kishimoto.
ONWARD! = )
Chapter Three: Questions for Sasuke.
Following behind Sakura, Sasuke felt strange returning to the village he left to gain power to defeat his elder brother Uchiha Itachi, who he thought left him as the sole survivor of the Uchiha Clan massacre because he hated him enough to scar him. He found out, as Itachi was dying, that he truly loved him and that he would've really felt bad about killing his kid brother. Sasuke nearly ran into Sakura when she stopped near the gates.
Sakura blinked when he nearly tripped at her stopping at the gate. Normally, Sasuke was focused on everything around him. "You alright?" She asked, tilting her head slightly.
Sasuke nodded and shrugged a little. "Just thinking about how well I'd be welcomed again after deserting the village so long ago." He told her.
Sakura nodded and Sasuke liked that she understood what he meant from so little. She always had, he realized, ever since they were teamed up together with Naruto. He thought Naruto would've understood him better, but it was Sakura that really understood him.
Sakura took his arm and pulled him past the gate and into the village. "Don't just stand there like a stick in the mud." She grinned as they walked towards the Academy where they all had met all those years ago. Just as they got past Ichicaru Ramen, Tenten and Ino stopped in front of them.
"Hey, bilboard head. What's going on? Why is he doing back?" Yamanaka Ino said, first poking Sakura's forehead like old times before glaring at Sasuke.
"Ino! You are still so rude to Sakura-chan." Tenten said, tugging her back before staring at Sasuke.
"He'll explain later to all of us, so go tell Shikamaru, Neji and the others that there'll be a meeting for just us." Sakura said after glaring at Ino and taking Sasuke away. "Sorry bout that. Ino's still wound up about you leaving, even if she married Shikamaru." She giggled and smiled at him, causing the tug again that he felt whenever he thought of her.
Sasuke blinked and wondered what else he missed. "So. Ino and Shikamaru are married?" He asked.
Sakura nodded. "Yeah. Bout a year now. Tenten and Neji are engaged at the moment and Lee and Temari are hitting it off fine. And Hinata's currently busy trying to get Naruto to notice her. Kiba has, as has every other guy in the village." She sighed. "Naruto doesn't even notice her. And Gaara, after recovering, is engaged to Matsuri from the Sand Village. Plus, Kurenai allowing Shikamaru to loan her his protection for the child." She frowned a little.
"Child?" He asked.
Sakura nodded. "Asuma and Kurenai. With Asuma gone, their child needed a mentor/last name, so Shikamaru followed Asuma's dying wish." She explained. "Ino agreed."
Sasuke frowned as well. It was his fault Asuma was killed. If he hadn't ordered Hidan or Pain to hunt them down, Asuma would still be alive and with his child. He realized he would make it up to both Kurenai and the child any way he could. Entering the Chunin field with Sakura, he noticed that half the field was crowded with angry-looking ninja looking at him.
Naruto raised his hands. "Now, now. I understand all of you are pissed that Sasuke would return now. But, he risked his life for one of our own today. Orochimaru nearly killed one of us, but Sasuke managed to save her. If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't be here!" He spoke before whispering into the two's ears. "I'm trying to make it seem that he's a hero, okay? Just wait."
Kurenai Yūhi, of all people walked up, with a bundle in her arms, a small smile on her face. "I believe that Sasuke is indeed a hero. Look at what happened with Haku or those assassin nin, he protected Sakura then too."
Anko Mitarashi was next to walk up and stand next to Kurenai. "I have seen him guard Sakura against Orochimaru. It was in the Chunin Exams part two. Orochimaru showed up and possesed Gaara of the Sand to attack Sakura, but Sasuke stopped him." She smiled at the two.
Soon, the angry looks vanished as all remembered the exact same things. One more stepped forward, it was Hinabi Hyuga, Hinata's little sister. "Why didn't he come back home right away?" She asked.
Sasuke frowned a little bit. "I thought I wouldn't be accepted again after leaving so quickly and without a word. I figured that I had to stay away to be safe from scorn." He answered.
Hinabi walked up to him, still a little shorter so he had to kneel down to see her. "I know I wouldn't've scorned you if I knew all that stuff. I'm sure Hinata and the others agree with me." She smiled and looked to her sister.
"You're right, Hinabi.." Hinata nodded. "You are at least our friend, Sasuke-san." She nodded to the others, except Ino, just to be safe.
But Ino wouldn't be ignored. "I think of him as a friend. I mean after the Sound Ninja beat you to a pulp almost, Sakura, I could tell that Sasuke was concerned about you. I mean. All that anger at someone hitting and beating on Sakura, I nearly lost my own thoughts. But I think what Sasuke did then was right, even if it was gruesome." She said, a smile finally appearing on her face.
Sakura smiled as Naruto faced the villagers. "Who else wants to accept the fact Sasuke is one of us? I certainly do, believe it! Sure, I may have hated him a lot, but he's a true friend that always had mine and Sakura's backs when we needed it. Otherwise, you can wallow in the betrayal that Sasuke accepts doing like a true ninja, or put the past of this whole thing behind us. I know us over here choose to put it behind us, believe it!"
There were mumbles and whispers before Iruka walked up. "I'll put it behind me." As he said that, all the other ninja that knew what Sasuke and the others went through agreed, leaving only a few skeptics behind. "Let's celebrate. Ichicaru had expanded to be huge." Iruka mentioned.
Naruto beemed. "Yes! I forgot about the whole thing. Whoooot! Ramen!" He shouted, running out of the arena, leading many others and leaving Sakura alone with Sasuke.
"He still loves ramen..." Sasuke noticed.
Sakura nodded and sighed, shaking her head. "Yeah. Hinata commented that he loves ramen as much as he loved fighting all those ninja." She said, giggling lightly before heading towards the exit. "You coming?" She asked when he didn't follow after her right away.
Sasuke nodded out of his daze. "Yeah. Just thinking." He said, surprised when she nodded and stood there, just waiting for him to gather his thoughts. Could this be the same Sakura that wouldn't let his mind have a moments piece? "Are you the same Sakura that once wouldn't let me think?" He asked standing next to her.
Sakura laughed a little. "Yes. I've just grown up." She took a step and was pulled back into his arms. "Something wrong, Sasuke?" She asked.
He didn't want to answer, because he had the urge to hold her ever since he saw her again after so long. Somehow, she felt right in his arms, unlike Karin. Karin always clung to him and never stopped glaring at any woman that lingered on him for more than three seconds. Also, Karin never let him have a few moments peace without believing he was with another woman. Mentally, he was. Even when Karin showed him all the ways to make a woman whimper in pleasure and everything like that. She even had the gall to say she loved him, when in fact she wanted his protection.
Sakura tilted her head to see he was zoned out and sighed happily to be held by him for the first time. During the time he was gone, she always had him on her mind, even during her training with Tsunade-sensei. Ino commented how much she had devoted to Sasuke, once calling him a 'lost cause'. "Not to burst your thought bubble, but if we don't show, Naruto will eat Ichicaru outta all his noodles and I would like to eat." She giggled slightly.
Pulling back slightly, he saw her green eyes alight with so much happiness. A smile appeared slowly as he bent his head to brush against her lips before gently capturing her mouth in a kiss that he was sure she never got from anyone. After a few moments, he pulled completely back and took her hand, walking with a tiny smile on his face towards Ichicaru.
Oh. My. Gosh... I just noticed I never did my little outro thingy in this chapter!
~Kagomee-H.