Ok, so here's the 3rd chapter of this fic. I'd like to thank all of those who reviewed my story\subscribed it to their alert list\ (or even) added it to their favorites. I wasn't expecting any of this coz, well, it's my first one and…well you get the point. There's something I've forgot to mention: I don't own NARUTO and its characters (obviously) but I do own this fiction's plot line and some of its characters.

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Ch.3 Sakura-Chan's Tears.

And again, it was the phone that forced him to open his eyes. At first he thought he was only dreaming (about Ichiraku calling him and announcing that they'd give him free ramen every weekend) but then the ringing got louder with each second that passed and finally he had realized that it was real.

For some reason he had quite a hard time to reach the phone.

"Hello?" he tried hard not to yawn. God it was hard.

"Naruto! What are you doing, still asleep? Get your lazy ass over here!" thundered the voice on the other side and Naruto's eyes snapped open.

"B-Baa chan?!"

"Of course it's me you gaki! Now get over here!"

"But-"

"NOW!!"

"Ok! Ok!" Tsunade was really scary at the mornings. He wondered what was so urgent. Why would she call me so early in the morning?

A pale hand made its way to his waist and embraced it possessively. Not again! He turned to face the one the hand belonged to and blushed. Sasuke looked at him through half open lids.

"Dobe, why are you awake at this hour?" he asked in a husky voice.

"None of your business. Now let go of me!" he tried to escape from the Uchiha's grip but was pulled back, even closer to the bastard than before. It made Naruto blush and tremble a little but he didn't give up and tried again. That was until Sasuke buried his face in the blonde's bare chest. Naruto could feel his steady breaths on his skin and his blush turned from a light pink to a crimson red.

"You smell like…peaches… dobe, you eat peaches…?" he murmured.

"W-What the hell are you talking about? Let me go teme!"

"Jeez Naruto it's fucking early! Go back to sleep!" Sasuke was getting irritated.

"I can't. I have to see the Hokage!" and he finally managed to escape from the bastard's grip.

Sasuke was sitting now and he rubbed his face with one hand and yawned.

"The baba hasn't retired yet? Jeez…" was Sasuke's reply before he fell back to the bed.

"Teme I don't know what you're trying to do but you gotta stop sleeping with me!"

"I don't feel like moving. I like this bed, not too soft and not too hard." Naruto couldn't find another way to convince Sasuke to move so he just sighed and left to get prepared. After a few minutes he left his apartment and made his way to the Hokage's tower. Thinking of the Hokage reminded him that he hasn't told her about Sasuke's return. He noted to himself he would do so.

Tsunade was standing at her office window when Naruto arrived. She looked tired.

"Good morning baa-chan. Is there something you want from me?" he asked cautiously, trying not to anger the tired Tsunade in front of him.

"Gaki," she turned to face him. "You know the summer festival is getting nearer, right?"

"Umm… yeah. Why?"

"I'm giving you a new mission. You are to escort and guard the heir of the Natsuhaku clan. He's about your age and he's going to come to the festival."

"Eh?? Baa-chan is this why you woke me up so early?"

"Yes. Because he is about to arrive any minute and your mission starts the moment he arrives. So you should go to the gates and wait for him."

"Ano… baa-chan, there is something I have to tell you," he said.

"What?"

"Uchiha Sasuke is back."

Silence.

She looked at him with eyes wide from disbelief.

"Nani?!" she cried. "Since when do you know this and how?" she demanded answers.

"Since yesterday-"

"What?! And you didn't tell me?!" she was furious. "Naruto this is important! You should've informed me the moment you knew! How the heck do you know?"

"I found him in my apartment when I woke up…" he answered. Well that wasn't exactly a lie but it wasn't the whole truth either. He saw no need to get into the details.

"Oh god…ok Naruto here's what you're gonna do: after you meet the heir you go straight back to your house and you bring Sasuke to me. Get it?" he nodded.

"Good, go on now."

XXXXXX

"Ohaio Natsuhaku-san," Naruto bowed respectfully and took another glance at man in front him. He was indeed impressive and distinguished. His hair was black and tied in high ponytail. His eyes were brown and sharp and he wore a white expensive suit. To Naruto's surprise the man started to laugh.

"Oh no, you thought I'm Ichirou-sama? Hahaha no, no. I'm afraid I'm just his teacher," he chuckled. "My name is Hiroshi, nice to meet you…"

"Uzumaki Naruto." He introduced himself, a little embarrassed.

"Ohaio Naruto-dono! You're probably our new guide and guard, right?" asked Hiroshi, still smiling. Naruto nodded.

"Good. Then, I'll introduce you to the true Natsuhaku Ichirou," said Hiroshi and gestured Naruto to follow him. Naruto was led to a red palanquin that was carried by four men and was guarded by eight guards. Hiroshi peeked into the palanquin and exchanged a few words with the person inside. After mere seconds the curtains were pulled aside and out stepped a girl. 'Now this is a bishojo!' thought Naruto when he saw the girl's face. Her hair reached her shoulders and its color was silver. Her eyes were brilliant gold and her skin was ivory white.

"Uzumaki-dono, meet Natsuhaku Ichirou. He is the true heir of the Natsuhaku clan."

"He??" Naruto couldn't believe his ears. This-this pretty face is a boy?! How is it possible? He'd never seen a boy so pretty! Wait, on a second thought…he did see but it was a very long time ago and that boy is already dead. Thinking of those days made him frown.

Hiroshi laughed. "Yeah that's the kind of reaction he gets when people find out he's a boy."

Ichirou gave Naruto a gentle smile and said: "Nice to meet you Uzumaki-san."

"Nice to meet you too, Natsuhaku san."

Hiroshi was the one to break the awkward silence that followed. "Ok. Now Naruto-dono will you take us the Hokage? We are supposed to meet her first before you take us to our resort."

"Oh yeah, sure!"

Ichirou gave Naruto a soft smile before re-entering the palanquin and closing the curtains. The four men lifted up the palanquin and followed Naruto who led them towards the Hokage tower. Hiroshi, who was now walking beside Naruto, asked: "So, since when have you become a shinobi?" Naruto shrugged and said: "Since I've graduated from the academy, I guess."

"And how long has it been since then?"

"Almost five years. Why do you ask?"

Hiroshi smiled and Naruto could see sadness carved on his face. He wondered why.

"My son was a warrior in the feudal lord's army," said Hiroshi.

Naruto didn't say anything and just kept on walking but he could imagine what the man had wanted to say but just couldn't do it. Naruto knew that pain prevented some people to talk while it made the other do the opposite. He himself belonged to the first group and he had a feeling that Hiroshi did too.

"We're here," he said to the men and stopped outside the big round building. Hiroshi nodded and once again peeked into the palanquin and opened the curtains so that the heir would be able to come out. Ichirou stepped outside after the four men had put the palanquin down and looked up to the building in front of him.

"Is this where the Hokage-sama live?" he asked, apparently very politely, but Naruto could sense the scorn in his words. He didn't say a word but only led them to the Hokage's office. He would deal with that Ichirou later. Not now. He didn't feel like doing it right now.

After both Hiroshi and Ichirou had entered the Hokage's office, Naruto had allowed himself to curse Ichirou and sit on a nearby bench. He told himself he shouldn't be too mad. After all, Ichirou was very polite and it could be that it was only his imagination. Against his will, his thoughts wandered to Sasuke whom was left alone in his apartment. Naruto couldn't help but wonder what he was doing and if he's ok. The image of Sasuke made him smile a little but then he caught himself and stopped. Why? Why is Sasuke back? Why did he say those words and were they real? Naruto wanted to believe that Sasuke's words were real and that he was back only because that's what Naruto had always wanted. But his mind insisted that it was all a big fat lie, an illusion. A lie Sasuke had came up with in order to achieve something, but what? Naruto knew there was nothing left for Sasuke in the village. What is it that Sasuke wants so much that he even agrees to come back? Naruto just couldn't point it out, so he sat there, sighing and growling. And that's how Sakura had found him.

"Naruto!" her cry was loud, almost like Naruto's and she gave him a big smile.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on a solo mission?" she asked and allowed herself to sit beside at him.

"I AM on a mission." Naruto replied.

"Oh… you mean the heir is already at the Hokage's office?" she sounded excited.

"Yeah…"

"Ne, how is he like?" she asked and her eyes were glimmering from anticipation and hope. He knew what she was thinking about. When Sakura gets that look it means she's thinking of some guys. In this case: Natsuhaku Ichirou. Naruto let out a snort.

"He's an ass and he looks like a girl!" he told her.

"It didn't prevent you from liking Haku, did it?" asked Sakura with a smirk on her face.

"Haku wasn't an ass!" claimed Naruto and gave her another scowl.

"Oh c'mon I'm sure he's not that bad!" she said, still in dreamland. Naruto didn't answer. Again, he was thinking of Sasuke and growled.

"What's wrong Naruto?" Sakura asked after watching Naruto scowl and growl for silent moment.

"Sakura-chan… Sasuke teme is back." He didn't expect her reaction, that's for sure. She hit him on the head and let out a nervous laughter.

"What are you saying Naruto? I told you to stop thinking about him! You should give up already!" she smiled.

"No, I'm not making this up!" he insisted. "He IS back, Sakura. He's back and he's in my house!"

Sakura didn't laugh anymore. She swallowed and looked at him, a look of disbelief and shock in her green eyes.

"You- you mean… for real?" she whispered. Naruto nodded. She didn't know what to say but her eyes closed and through her lashes Naruto could see something shiny, something bright and sparkling. Something he hasn't seen for a long, long time: Sakura-chan's tears.

XXXXXX

Naruto was standing in front of the wooden door of his apartment for a whole minute, trying to calm himself. Yeah right…! How the hell could he possibly calm down when he has to face Sasuke again?! He was done with the (asshole) heir for today and just like Tsunade ordered him, he went straight back home to bring Sasuke to her.

He was anxious, very anxious. 'Ok Naruto, be brave!' and with that he opened the door and stepped inside. After looking around for a moment he found Sasuke lying asleep on the sofa. His black hair was disheveled and his eyes were closed peacefully. For a moment Naruto just stared. Hell Sasuke was cute when asleep! He wasn't scowling or glaring, or just frowning. He was just asleep and his face was finally free from those actions it was almost surreal. Naruto couldn't help but stare. How can a person so cold and frightening look so calm and angelic? Maybe everybody was like that while asleep. Maybe the sleep pulls away the masks and walls. He touched Sasuke's nose with the edge of his finger. Sasuke rubbed the tip of his nose, still asleep. Naruto smirked and did it again. Sasuke scraped his nose. Naruto did it again and Sasuke turned his face away and buried it in one of the pillows on the sofa. Naruto chuckled and poked Sasuke's arm.

"What?!" asked a very pissed Uchiha and opened his eyes. When he saw Naruto, his face softened a bit and he asked in a more calm voice: "what do you want dobe?"

All at once, his fear was back. "Umm… the Hokage wants to see you… now…" he had managed to say. Sasuke got up slowly and rubbed his eyes. "You've told her I'm back?"

"Ugh… yeah…"

"Jeez… guess it's unavoidable."

They reached The Hokage's tower after several minutes and Naruto waited outside while Sasuke entered her office.

"Uchiha Sasuke." Tsunade greeted them and examined his state. He was in a very good shape (as expected from him) and his cold expression hasn't changed too much. He was much taller, though, taller than Naruto and herself, and probably taller than some other shinobies that were taller than him back then when he was still a young genin. How long has it been since then? Nearly five years. Yeah… nearly five years in which Naruto have suffered.

"What made you come back?" She asked. Her voice was hard and demanding. She wasn't going to show any weaknesses.

"Him." Was Sasuke's simple answer.

"Him?" Tsunade was confused. "You mean Naruto?"

"Hn."

"What kind of a sick joke is this, Sasuke?!" Ahh… she had said the name. Although she didn't get to know Uchiha Sasuke before he left, Naruto had told her about the both of them as teammates and she knew how much he meant to Naruto. That's why she was angry that Sasuke dared to say such a thing.

"I've come for him." Sasuke said again. "You don't believe me Hokage-sama." He wasn't asking, he was simply stating. An arrogant smirk was spreading on his face.

"Of course I don't!" she said. "Give me one good reason why I should not throw you out of my office right now!"

Sasuke leaned down to her and whispered a few words in her ear. The words he said made Tsunade shiver and she looked up at him, shocked.

"And you can say this with such an arrogant smile on your face??" she wondered, very shocked.

"Hokage-sama," said Sasuke. "I've long passed the time when one cares about it. I've reached the time when you start to accept it and live with it. Now the only thing I'm afraid of is what will be of Naruto."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not stupid Hokage-sama," Sasuke said and for a moment Tsunade could see an expression she has never seen on a person's face. It showed helplessness and fatigue and even despair. "I know He loves me." He said and added: "That dobe…" with a rare soft smile. His expression was now distant and weird but it was gone so fast, that Tsunade doubted it was even there from the first place.

"And…? Do you feel the same way about him?" she asked. Sasuke's face was emotionless when he said: "What I feel and what I say doesn't matter anymore. All you need to do is let me be and handle Naruto. After that you can-" but Sasuke's words were cut-off by a pink haired girl who burst into the room and at the sight of Sasuke gasped and said: "Sasuke…!" she was followed by a very irritated blonde who growled at the sight of Sasuke. But Sakura's tears made him stop. She was weeping now but was too afraid to touch Sasuke or to say something so she just stood there, helpless and lost, with her tears sliding down her cheeks.

"Umm…" she said at last after a long silence when nobody spoke or moved." It's- it's really good t-to have you b-back Sasuke-kun…" she tried desperately to fight back her tears and wiped them quickly. Naruto thought Sasuke would just "Hn" at her coldly, in fact everybody in the room thought that's what he'd do but Sasuke didn't. Sasuke smiled, a true small smile, and said: "Thank you Sakura."

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Ok that's it. The 3rd chapter is done. Hope you liked it. And again, I'm really grateful to those who reviewed my story etc. Thanx a lot!