A/N: Hi! This chapter is set around 'The Last' so, while keeping in line with the canon, I've put in some Sasu-Saku moments to make up for the lack of them in the actual movie. There are also some more surprise appearances in this one. And, I have to admit, writing this one gave me warm feels at a point. :3 So, I hope you like it too. Thoughts are in italics.

'This man… he seems familiar. Is that… those eyes… could it be… the Byakugan?'

Hyuuga. The battered man lying before him was definitely a Hyuuga; the head of the clan, if he wasn't mistaken. But what was he doing here? That too in such a state. Sasuke's brain automatically assumed the worst. Was Konoha under attack?

Whoosh. A blinding sphere of light zoomed past him and seconds later, he heard a distant crash. Throwing the older man over his shoulder, Sasuke darted towards Konoha. He wasn't sure what was going on but he would not let anything, anything harm the people he cared about. He would not let anything destroy his home.

He saw a second bright light descend from the sky and the sound of another collision followed. Meteors? His heartbeat quickened and his muscles tensed up as he got closer and closer to his destination, his body already preparing itself for a fight. Hundreds of thoughts filled his head.

Naruto. Was he there? Was he protecting the village? And Sakura. Was she okay? Was she putting herself out in the middle of it all again? Sasuke clenched his jaw. Kakashi. He was Hokage now. He had to have everything under control. But… what if he didn't?

'I'm coming.'

He wanted them to be safe. He needed them to be safe till he got there. He would not lose them. He could not lose them.

As the familiar gates came in sight, so did the large meteor threatening to obliterate the village any minute. Sasuke bolted inside, trained eyes scanning every inch for what they longed to find.

'If only Naruto-kun was around to save us!'

Sasuke's head jerked towards the source of the nervous cry; a couple of girls taking shelter in a small shed.

'If only...?'

Naruto wasn't in Konoha? Damn that guy. Sasuke sped up. Boom. He looked up to find nearly half of the meteor demolished but also to see the remaining of it come hurling down. He leapt towards its predicted point of impact. A streak of silver caught his eye. He flung the body he was carrying towards Kakashi and channeled his chakra to his sole hand.

Chirp. Chirp. Chirp.

He pummeled his fist into the meteor. A flash. A roar. A glaring white enveloped the surroundings as the meteor disintegrated into tiny fragments.

'You…,' a voice called out from behind him.

He knew it all too well. Kakashi.

'If he isn't here,' started Sasuke. 'I guess I have to protect everything.'

Turning around, Sasuke looked at his old sensei briefly before dashing off again.

His palms were sweaty, his breath uneven and his mind was working overtime. He was an anxious mess. Naruto was away and he had seen Kakashi less than a minute ago, so where was Sakura? Was she still in the village? Was she hurt?

He jumped from roof to roof, looking through each street, each corner just to get a glimpse of pink. He didn't.

He landed in front of her house; or at least what used to be her house before he had set off on his journey. He didn't know if she still lived here but considering he had absolutely no clue where else to look for her, this was his best shot. He quietly moved closer to it, trying to sense her presence. Suddenly, the door clicked open and Sasuke, on instinct, jumped out of sight and hid behind some trees.

'Mebuki!' he heard a masculine voice call out as a blonde woman walked out the door. 'Come back inside, honey. I'm sure Sakura's fine.'

Sasuke recognized this woman. He had only seen her a couple of times before but there was no mistaking it. This was Sakura's mother.

'It's been days, Kizashi!' she argued back. 'There are comets falling from the sky! And did you not see that explosion just a minute ago? It's not going to hurt to ask the Hokage for news on our daughter!'

Sasuke felt something constrict inside his chest. She wasn't… here? She wasn't… in the village? It had been days?

'Mission… she's probably on a mission,' Sasuke rationalized.

Was she with Naruto? A part of him hoped she was for he would be able to protect her but a part of him felt envious at the thought; the part of him that wanted her to be with him right now, the part of him that wanted to protect her himself. Then, a third part of him said that she was a fully capable kunoichi who didn't need either of them to protect her. But that didn't mean he wouldn't.

'Hn. I don't care how strong she is. I have to protect her no matter what,' he muttered under his breath.

By then, Sakura's father had also walked out of the house and was standing next to his wife. His name was Kizashi, if Sasuke had heard right.

'Haruno Mebuki,' started Kizashi, placing his hands on his wife's shoulders. 'Your daughter is one of the strongest kunoichi this village has given birth to. Have faith in her.'

Mebuki looked at her husband apprehensively before finally letting out a sigh and nodding. Sasuke couldn't help but feel proud too. Out of all the women Sasuke had ever seen in battle, Sakura was arguably the strongest. She was intelligent and clever. She was also a talented medic-nin, had excellent chakra control and was skilled in dispelling genjutsu. She would be… just fine. He would have faith in her too.

Mebuki and Kizashi returned inside their house and Sasuke set off towards the Konoha gates. The situation seemed to be under control now so, his work here was done. He would, however, stay in vicinity of the village for a while to make sure everything stayed okay.

He chose to walk this time, preserving as much of his energy stores as he could in case they were needed later. As he strolled through the last of the streets, a loud sigh caught his attention.

'Man, who knew something like this would happen?' he heard a man say. 'Thank God it has settled down for now. I was sure we were dead meat.'

He dismissed it and continued forward.

'Tell me about it,' another voice said. 'If I had known, I would've at least asked Sakura-san to be my girlfriend by now,' he finished with a chuckle.

Sasuke's head spun towards the men. He immediately recognized one of them.

'You.'

Sasuke glared at him.

It was the guy who had once interrupted his check-up with Sakura. Hitoshi, as Sasuke remembered Sakura saying.

'So, it is my Sakura that's being referred to,' mused Sasuke.

This guy had just signed his own death warrant. Sasuke continued to glower at him till the two men finally noticed and looked back, both confusion and fright evident on their faces.

'Stay away from Sakura,' he warned.

'E-eh?' Hitoshi managed to let out.

Sasuke raised his eye-brows threateningly.

'A-ah,' nodded Hitoshi hesitantly.

Giving him one last look, Sasuke continued towards the gates. After a minute or so, he stopped.

'Heh, this place,' he whispered as memories came back to him.

He strode up to that historic bench and stared at the place he had once set an unconscious Haruno Sakura on. He could almost still see her innocent twelve year old form just lying there, helpless and broken. That night, she had confessed her love to him. That night, she had made endless promises and had pleaded in the most desperate of ways just to keep him with her. And he? He had knocked her out cold.

'Sakura… thank you.'

But after that, he had held her longer than he should have. Right there. He remembered how he just stood right there, with her in his arms, for the longest time.

'If only I had a different path, Sakura...,' he had whispered to her.

He forced himself back to the present as he felt something tear deep inside his chest. That had all passed. Now, he had new life. A new path.

He started walking towards the gates again.

And this time, he would let her walk with him.

.-.-.

A couple of hours had passed since Sasuke's unplanned visit to Konoha came to an end. Now, he sat perched up on a tree branch, the gates of the village far but clearly visible from his spot. In his hand was a single, bright pink flower with a stem to match.

Thud. A team of five landed outside the gates. They looked pretty small from Sasuke's current position but he could still recognize all of them; two he would recognize even in his sleep.

There was that Nara guy who used to complain all the time. There was that irritating, pale guy who Sasuke still couldn't believe was meant to be his replacement. There was that Hyuuga girl who he had never really heard talking and huh? Was she holding the dobe's hand?

And so, there was the dobe. And… there was Sakura. Sasuke felt something warm flutter around inside him. Sakura. She looked tired but was still smiling. He thanked whatever had made her smile, even in his absence. But soon enough, he would be there. Only a few more weeks to wrap up his journey and he would return to them. To her. And he would make her smile.

She looked back. In his direction. Sasuke froze. Had she sensed him? He held his breath till she eventually turned back to face her comrades again. Sasuke sighed of relief. There was no way he could afford meeting her right now. He would be too tempted to just stay. And that he couldn't do yet. He wasn't... worthy enough yet. But he would be.

For now, he had seen them and they were okay, they were safe. That was all he needed to know.

As they walked through the gates and disappeared from his sight, Sasuke turned his attention to the flower in his hand, twirling the stem between his fingers.

'Eucalyptus,' he said, as if calling out to the flower itself. 'You represent protection.'

A/N: There are only 2 more chapters left, one that wraps up Sasuke's journey and then an epilogue that coincides with the first chapter of Return and Reciprocate. If you like this story so far and if I've made your day with this chapter, then please make mine by leaving me a review! :D