AN: I do not own Naruto

Hope you guys are enjoying the story, thank you for the story adds/watches/reviews I've received so far: D

Oh and anything in italics are thoughts

It was about 7.30 by the time Naruto had finished his morning regime, and at 7.32 he was holding that small sugar coated pill to make him feel better. Placing the tablet on his tongue he allowed the sugar coating to melt just enough for him to taste the true bitterness within. He always found this to be a close example of how he saw himself, sweet and smiles for a thin layer, but the bitter and harsh truth lying just underneath it all. Swallowing a large mouth full of water from the glass he stared at the world outside his window thinking back to the first time he took one of the tablets.

Flashback

Tsunade knew something was wrong the moment she stepped in to Naruto hospital room. The bags under his eye, showing he hadn't been sleeping, the shallow looking pale skin that was almost hanging from his body, the reports from the nurses saying he hadn't been eating and had begun having nightmares which left the blonde boy screaming and crying in the middle of the night.

But what worried her most of all was the fact that he hadn't even acknowledged she was there. He just remained staring straight ahead, the only movement to his body caused by his breathing, or the blinking of his eyes which seemed to drain him of so much energy.

"Naruto? Can you hear me?" she asked softly

He turned his face ever so slowly to look at her.

"Hi" he meekly responded. Tsunade's heart clenched

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired" He replied. Tsunade sighed and sat in the chair next to his bed.

"Naruto we need to talk about what happened with Sasuke..."

"No it's alright; I know it's my fault he left. I wasn't strong enough to stop him. Just like Mum and Dad I wasn't strong enough to make them want to stay with me. I know it's my fault you don't need to tell me" Small tears began to roll down his whiskered cheeks.

"Oh Naruto, no, no, no that is not true at all. Your Mum and your Dad loved you so much. It was not your fault to how that situation ended. And as for Sasuke, he made the choice to leave. He's stubborn and one day he'll realise just how stupid a mistake he has in leaving you behind and he'll come back. None of this is your fault" Her heart clenched once more, the nurses who looked after Naruto were right, he was showing all the signs of abandoned child syndrome. 'It's all been sparked from the Uchiha leaving; I swear I'll kill him'

The next day Tsunade had arrived with anti depressants to help combat the depression and a therapy time table to help Naruto with his abandonment issues, and so every morning for the past 6 and half years Naruto's morning had started with that sweet pill that quickly changed to leave a bitter taste in his mouth.

Sasuke stood outside Sakura's house holding the very few things he owned, simply attempting to pluck up the courage to knock on the door in front of him, not that he was scared, Uchiha's weren't ever scared, but he was more worried yes worried was a better way of putting it. He was worried not about facing his pink haired team mate but more about what he might end up saying. After all there was only so many time he could ignore or change the subject when the 'Why are you here' question came up. Sure the 'My family helped build this village I have a right to live here' line had worked in his interview earlier and snapping at Sakura had saved him before, but he was in no doubt that it wasn't going to work again. Suddenly building up the courage to knock was no longer important as the pink haired ninja in question opened the door herself.

"I was getting sick of you just standing there. I mean seriously if you're going to contemplate knocking or whatever the hell you were doing you could oh I don't know suppress your chakra a bit, you know stops me from standing here for the past 5 minutes waiting for you to grow the balls to knock."

"Tch..." was his only reply

"Whatever Uchiha your room's third door on the left, the bathroom is the first door. Go put your stuff in the room and come back here when you've done, we should go through this report thing before I have to leave to start my shift"

Moving down the corridor to the room Sakura had pointed out he noticed the pictures on Sakura's walls, the rookie nine obviously excluding him were in all of them except for a few of just Sakura and Naruto. Seeing these pictures made his stomach drop and once again he became aware of that one question that ran through his mind more often than he could count 'Was it all worth it?' he could have been in these photo's, every one smiling at birthday parts wearing party hats, them in swimming costumes at the beach, picnics, Ramen nights, Cinema trips, days in the park. All of it. He missed it all because of his own selfish need and requirement for power. One thing he did notice in all the picture was how Naruto's eye never seemed to hold the blue emotion he was so used to seeing. Where had his spark for life gone? Sighing the raven continued towards his room.

Sakura was sat at the other end of the table chewing on the end of her pen lid as she made sure she had written everything down she needed to, then she stopped placed the paper and pen down and looked him directly in the eye. And he knew what was coming...

"Why are you back Sasuke seriously?"

'Because you're in love with Naruto and another day without him would kill you even though he hates you'

"I just am Sakura"

"I need a reason. Why are you back?"

'Because you love him'

"And I just told you. I just am"

"Sasuke, I need a real reason. 'I just am' might work for everyone else but it won't work for me nor will it slide with Naruto and you know it"

'Because you love him just tell her

" Hn... I just am. There was so real reason behind my actions in coming back here"

"Bullshit Sasuke you know it and I know it"

'You love him'

'You need him'

'He needs you'

"THE REAL REASON SASUKE!"

'You're in love with him'

There was a slight tug at the corner of his mouth as the fact finally sunk in, he hadn't been waiting for the meaning of his life to find him, he'd already found him, Sasuke just had to get back to him that's all.

"Because Sakura, I am totally and completely in love with Naruto. And that is why I have come back"

Oh things are starting to kick off now!! What will Sakura do know she knows! Just to let you know I won't be updating for a day or two! It's one of my best friend's birthdays and so I shall be away from my lap top but I shall make it up to you all with a longer chapter!