A/N: Yes, as you can guess, my life just got a lot busier. I can't change that so I won't apologize, but I will promise to do my best to work around it. In the mean time, here's a little present.

Morning had been Sasuke's favorite time of day when he was a kid...until that morning he saw the carnage of unmentionable tortures that Itachi had subjected on his family -t hings he could not think about even now. Yet ironically, when the nightmares began and after those awful nights in Orochimaru's possession,dawn had become his savoir. The only thing he could rely on was the sun coming up everyday; that is, if he was still alive to see it.

But since he was supposed to be in a "happy" frame of mind, he should dwell on the fact that morning brought him a sense of peace and comfort instead of all the horrible things he had seen and lived through in his short seventeen years.

And this morning he would have to pretend nothing that frightened him was currently happening. Not that he would ever admit that he was scared to death...

But he was. Something about the events of the past week was bigger and more powerful than he was. Sasuke guessed it was called Fate. And even Uchiha respected Fate. But he also had a responsibility now; to someone other than himself or his dead clan. If he made one wrong decision it could cost Sakura (among others) her life.

Having time to think in the place where Team Seven had made so many memories also made him recall and regret certain things…like his behavior to certain people who had proved they truly cared about him, even when he tried to push them away in the worst of ways.

Basically he was a brooding, angst-y mess. Again.

The fact that Sakura apparently happened to be as well validated him a bit though.

Thankfully, Kakashi was punctual for the first time in his life. "Good morning, students," he smiled. And suddenly, all of the memories and burdens were gone, and they were twelve-year-old wannabe ninjas again. All the years seemed to fade away and they were still"innocent", although wiser.

When Naruto showed up (after three hours), everything was complete. By the time they began warming up it was certain that they were the old "Team Seven" today. Sasuke should have rolled his eyes and called them idiots. Yet after the experience of the past few days, he welcomed the game. It was like playing pretend when you were a kid: you could be anything you wanted to be.

Right now, he needed that.

Training began promptly with Kakashi patronizing them like they were academy students. "To pass the test, you must capture one of these," he held up two bells, "before time runs out. Anyone who does not get a bell does not eat lunch-"

"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto groaned. "We know this! Can we just get on with it already? I mean, Teme's already demonstrated how he can beat you blindfolded, and since I'm the only one who can beat him, you're toast. I-"

"Excuse me?" Sakura protested.

"And since Sakura-chan's the scariest person since Granny Tsunade, she'll get a bell." Naruto continued unfazed. "Plus Teme has a crush on her, so he'll make sure she'll get one." Sasuke brought his fist down on the Dobe's head. "See?" Naruto still continued. (Just how thick was his skull anyway?) "And since we already know that he's going to feed me after you guys tie me to a stump, what's the point?"

Kakashi held up a finger and Sasuke lost all hope that they were ever going to stop talking. "Firstly, the only time you have ever caught a bell you cheated; secondly, since you feel that way, this test will be limited to taijutsu only; and thirdly, you have yet to prove that you have surpassed your sensei. Now, any questions?" No one said anything, much to Sasuke's relief. "Good. Now go." And with a "poof" he was gone.

Sakura immediately began yelling at Naruto for his clear stupidity as there was "obviously no way any of [them] were going to get a bell by using only taijutsu". When the Dobe just shrugged, she resorted to blows.

Still, it was insulting that his wife underestimated him. Honestly, what was wrong with these people? Did they honestly think that he could spend three years with Orochimaru and not be able to capture some stupid bell? So when Sasuke did just that within the first twenty minutes, he felt justified, somewhat. To expect him not to be smug was asking too much. It was the natural reaction to winning a lively game. The fact the Sakura looked somewhat stunned didn't hurt any. He scoffed at her. That was basic taijutsu, nothing more. He had gone through much harder moves when he fought Itachi.

"Very nice, Sasuke. I have been the only one to obtain a bell without cheating. It is quite an accomplishment." Sai one line took all of the "magic" out of the moment. Being compared to his replacement in any way was an insult. He shouldn't have been invited. It wasn't like he was wanted here.

But Kakashi just it off insult. "You're quite right, Sai. Well now, children, it's time to get down to business. Sakura, you and Naruto go at it while I supervise Sasuke-kun and Sai." It was only dignity that kept Sasuke from arguing like Naruto. He would rather put up with the Dobe than this plastic "human". Still, their sensei didn't relent even when Naruto started yelling. Instead he settled the matter by saying, "The Master has spoken."

Sasuke snorted as he walked over to the other side of the grounds.

He took out his frustration on his opponent. Yet Sai evenly matched every move he made. Even angrier now, Sasuke varied the attacks, difficulty, and techniques; and still he didn't give an inch. In the long, bloody battle that followed, all of the resentment that the Uchiha had stored up over the years found a vent. The other man still remained unaffected. It was like he didn't even care about the fight.

Sai tried at various times to start a conversation, but Sasuke wasn't in the mood and attacked quickly so there was no time to pursue a topic further. Finally, after many bloody cuts and bruises, the guy seemed to get the point. Or so Sasuke had thought.

"You know, we are not so different from each other."

Startled, Sasuke froze.

Sai also stopped fighting once he was sure he had the Uchiha's attention. "You want to love her, don't you? But you can't. I can't either. We are alike. Neither of us can feel emotion. You at least have the possibility of loving her. I do not. Do not let her go through with this just because of duty. Even I can regret."

Every word caused a new bruise on Sasuke's heart, but it also helped to awaken some things that he didn't want to deal with right now. "We are nothing alike. You have know idea what I've had to do. Don't talk to me about regret."

Sai laughed, somehow even this was void of emotion. "We are more alike than you know."

Something in Sasuke snapped. He studied Sai with new eyes. "You want to feel emotion. You wanted my friends, you…you want my life don't you?"

The guy shook his head. "No, I don't want your life, Uchiha. I want mine back, even with all the pain. You are an arrogant fool, you have no idea what blessings you still posses."

Sasuke took in a sharp breath. He remembered the jutsu Danzo had performed to alter reality,and as his mind was working the details out, he spat, "You are arrogant. You really think that you could do better than me. Fine." It was his intention to teach this jerk a lesson by giving him what he wanted. Let him have his emotions and he would learn that not everything could be overcome by logic.

Although he was running low on charka, he activated Itachi's sharigan anyway. No one called him foolish and got away with it.

The next few moments were filled with pain and blood; Sasuke blacked out after a point, he just hoped it was enough to allow the jutsu to take affect. When he came too, everyone was standing around him. He ignored the indignity of it, thanks to his malicious joy in the change he hoped to have worked.

"That was a really stupid thing to do, Sasuke, you passed out from a mild case of chakra depletion," Sakura said sharply. He knew she really didn't care about him, she was just fulfilling her role of medic.

"Hn."

"Thank you, Sasuke, for your gift, I feel…confused. But I feel. Thank you." Sasuke ignored his replacement's gratitude. He would be cursing Sasuke's "gift" soon enough.

Kakashi quietly told the guy to go home.

After jokes from Naruto about Sakura's "concern", Kakashi told Sasuke the same thing. "Sakura why don't you look after our little philanthropist, eh?" He added for Naruto's benefit. It was then that Sasuke remembered the jutsu Tsunade had placed on them. Sakura must have been drawn back over to him because of it. He wondered why he hadn't noticed or what she had told Naruto already.

Sasuke tried to stop thinking about it, and was sufficiently distracted when he had to allow Sakura to slip her head under his arm. They walked "home" in silence. There was too much to think about that neither wanted to share. Sakura appeared stunned, and Sasuke was brooding again.

"It was kind of you to do something like that for him," she whispered. Then he finally got it. She was impressed by what seemed to be his sacrifice. Well, she was wrong, it wasn't nice, it was the meanest thing he could have done; she just didn't realize it yet.

"Was it?"

"Yes, he's wanted that for a long time. It was his dream." Sakura's pink lashes fluttered.

"Hn." Was all Sasuke said in reply. Truthfully, he had done it out of spite. Sai had forgotten what was to have emotions. Loving Ino might prove harder with them than without.

"You're not modest, so stop pretending to be. Just...why did you risk you life for his dream?"

Sasuke had risked his life rashly out of anger to prove a point. "He deserved it."

Now Sai would know just what it was to have to sacrifice; to have to hate yourself for things that you had done… That was why Sasuke had given Sai his emotions back. Now he would see what it was to be married to someone you did not love. Now that he had the opportunity of loving Ino they would see what he made of it. Now he would know what it was to truly be human.

..."We are more alike than you know."

It wasn't true. They were nothing alike.

If you review it will motivate me to keep my aforementioned promise. There's the box, calling for you, calling, calling, calling...