Several minutes later, they slipped out the front door of Sakura's apartment and walked through the streets of the village towards the hospital.
"It feels almost strange going back to work like this." Sakura admitted as they walked side by side.
"It's the same for me." He replied. "I've been wandering for so long, it's strange to think of staying here in the village."
Sakura chuckled. "Don't hold your breath. I'm sure Kakashi will send you on a mission soon." She touched her chin. "Come to think of it. There hasn't been a catastrophic disaster anywhere since that Moon Ninja incident. Maybe you'll get to rest those travelers' legs of yours for a little while." She smiled at him.
He thought about that briefly. Of living peacefully. "I think that sounds nice." He admitted.
She smiled as they arrived at the hospital. "Alright then. I'll see you tonight. Thank you for walking with me." She said lowering her head slightly.
"It's my duty." He said glancing around at the children who had stopped playing and were watching them with curious looks. "What time do you get off tonight?"
"Six." She replied raising her face.
He reached out and poked her in the forehead. "I'll see you then."
"Right." She said blushing at the affectionate action. "Goodbye Sasuke. I'll see you tonight."
She turned and walked through the main gate and was immediately swarmed by children who enthusiastically welcomed her back. He watched as she visited with them while she walked until she neared the doors. She glanced back once more and met his gaze. A soft radiant smile touched her lips and the warmth in her jade eyes warmed the core of his being. A small smile touched his own lips as he nodded once. She returned the gesture and then walked inside the building. He turned to walk away when he sensed movement to his left. He stepped out of the line of attack and caught the child as they leapt at him from the highest part of the fence.
"What do you think you're doing?" he asked the ink haired child. "That's dangerous."
"I should be asking you the same thing!" the boy snarled his legs flailing wildly as he kicked at the older man in mid-air.
Sasuke raised a brow. "I returned her safe and sound as agreed."
The boy's jaw clenched. "I never said you could marry her!" he shouted. "Who do you think you are!?" he ranted his eyes filling with tears. "I love her! I love her so much more than you ever will!"
The Uchiha sighed and set the child on the ground. "I don't have time for this." He muttered.
The boy cried out and leapt at him. Sasuke side stepped the attack and grabbed the back of the boy's shirt to keep him from hitting the dirt.
"I need to go see Lord Hokage." He said releasing him.
"Why?" the boy whimpered staring at him with watery onyx eyes. "Why did it have to be her?"
Sasuked sighed raked his hand through his hair. He did not have the patience for children. As a genin, babysitting missions were the worst. The boys wanted to rough house and the girls wanted to be coddled. Luckily Naruto was childish enough to handle the rough play and Sakura was gentle and patient befriending the girl's easily so he didn't have much to worry about most of the time. Right now though, he was out of luck. He'd have to deal with the kid on his own. He glanced around and spotted a bench under a tree near the gate. He took a deep breath and dragged the kid to it and sat down.
"If you have something to say to me, just say it." He said
Zen stared at him and then looked down. "I just…" he took a deep breath. "Sakura Sensei is so kind and gentle. She saved my life and always makes sure to spend time with me no matter how busy she is or how ornery I am. I just… I wanted her to be by my side forever."
Sasuke nodded. "It's the same with me." He said.
The boy stared at him. "Really? Sakura Sensei saved your life too?"
The Uchiha nodded. "She has. More than once." He glanced up at the place where he knew Sakura's office was located.
Zen's eyes widened and then lowered. "So, do you really love her then?" The Uchiha nodded. The boy sighed. "I guess a kid can't really compete with a grown up can they?"
"Not really." A cheerful voice said.
Sasuke and Zen both turned as Shikamaru and Naruto walked forward the first with his hands stuffed in his pockets while the second grinned.
"What are you guys doing here?" Zen asked.
"Hey there Zen." Naruto said extending his fist to the child. "We actually came here to steal the gloomy looking guy next to you." Sasuke rolled his eyes and stood up.
"I take it you just dropped Sakura off?" Shikamaru said studying the former avenger.
Sasuke nodded. "Yes." He replied keeping his face impassive as he returned the shadow wielder's gaze.
He knew that Shikamaru was still wary about him. Even so, they both had a mutual respect of one another's abilities and had a cordial if somewhat strained relationship.
Zen sighed. "Well, I guess you have to go." Sasuke nodded and moved towards the two elite ninja. "We'll finish this talk later."
The Uchiha nodded and the child bowed to the three before dashing inside the gates of the hospital to join the other children.
"What were you two talking about?" Naruto asked as they moved down the street towards the Hokage building.
"He's angry with me." Sasuke replied. "The boy is very attached to Sakura and thinks I've stolen her from her."
"That makes sense." Shikamaru said.
Naruto sighed. "The poor guy. His first love was stolen from him by a smug guy with spiky hair. I know the feeling all too well." He said with a sympathetic sniff.
"Shut up." Sasuke snarled.
"How did things go during your trip this time?" Shikamaru asked. "Are things finally settling down?"
Sasuke nodded. "Definitely. The anxiety caused by the incident involving the moon has faded away for the most part."
Naruto nodded and then slung his arm around the Uchiha's shoulders. "So, how far have you gotten with Sakura?" he asked with a suggestive wiggle of his brows.
The Uciha glared at his friend and shoved his arm off. "None of your damn business." He growled. Carrying the two threatening notes and the picture with him to show Kakashi combined with his idiot friend's erotic humor was turning his former annoyance into irritation.
Naruto's own brow furrowed at that. "What's wrong?" he asked.
Shikamaru raised a brow as though he was confused but Sasuke only sighed. Naruto knew him better than anyone. Of course he'd noticed.
"I'll explain when we get to the Hokage's office." He replied glancing around.
He'd sensed the chakra signature that had slipped away the night before but hadn't been able to pinpoint the source in time. The last thing he needed was for the perpetrator to overhear anything that would put Sakura in danger.
"Right." Naruto said sensing the delicate nature of the situation. "So, how did you like Killer B?" he asked.
"I commend you for training with him as long as you did. That rhyming of his was annoying." He replied.
Naruto laughed. "I figured you'd say that. I actually really like his rapping. He invited me to his next concert." he said with a grin.
Sasuke and Shikamaru both cringed and glanced at one another. The head of the Nara clan shook his head sympathetically.
The three ninja quickly entered the Hokage building and made their way to Kakashi's office.
"Come in." the masked ninja called out.
The trio stepped inside and shut the door.
"Ah Sasuke." Kakashi said looking up from the scroll he was reading. "It seems they found you."
"I was planning to come see you first thing this morning anyway." He said stepping up to his former teacher's desk with Naruto and Shikamaru beside him.
"Oh? What about?" Kakashi asked.
The former avenger took the two threatening letters and the picture used in the blackmail and tossed them onto the Hokage's desk.
"We found these slipped under the door of Sakura's apartment today." He explained his voice dark.
Kakashi glanced at the letters and picture his brows knitting together. "Ah. So this is the reason for that killing aura you're emitting. It all makes sense now."
"What is it?" Naruto asked moving around the Hokage's desk to see what the fuss was about. His normally bright blue eyes widening then darkening as they narrowed his lips curling back over his teeth. "Bastards!" he hissed.
Shikamaru, his curiosity clearly peaked moved around to glance at the letters as well his eyes darkening. "This is a surprise. These jerks have to be extremely stupid to pull a stunt like this. Especially with you and Sakura."
"Sakura's gotten a letter like that first one before." Naruto said moving back to stand beside his best friend. "It told her not to let the demon fox into their apartment building. They haven't done anything and I've even stayed the night there several nights before. It's just empty threats. Regardless, that second one…"
Sasuke's hand clenched into a fist nearly bursting into flames with the force of his anger. "I've already decided not to let Sakura go to the meeting point." He said. "That being said, I don't trust myself to go alone." He glanced at Naruto. "I planned to ask Naruto along but Sakura said I had to bring either Kakashi or Shikamaru with me too."
"Why? The two of us are more than a match for any stalker." Naruto replied he slammed his fist into his palm. "He's going to wish he'd never looked at Sakura.
"That's the whole problem." Shikamaru said adjusting his hands in his pockets. "In this situation neither of you are going to be level headed enough to assess the situation properly."
"Sakura herself might also be the real target." Kakashi said.
"That's what I was worried about too." Sasuke admitted. "I also sensed an unfamiliar chakra signature the night the picture was taken near the window though it vanished before I could see them. I'm guessing they're at least moderately skilled at the teleportation jutsu. I sensed it on the way here for a moment but once again they vanished before I could pinpoint their location."
"What a problem." Kakashi said touching his temple. "How about this, we send Temari and Hinata over to stay with Sakura while you three go to the meeting place? That way Sakura will be safe and you two won't completely reshape the landscape." He said studying his two former students.
"That could work." Sasuke agreed. "I actually already have a plan."
"You do?" Naruto said glancing over at his best friend.
Shikamaru glanced at the Uchiha and snickered. "Does part of your plan have to do with Naruto's talent for transformation jutsu?" Sasuke's eyes flickered to the Nara clan head and jerked his head once. "I thought so." He said with an appreciative nod of his head.
"Good. You three can work out the details later. Right now though, there's something I need to ask you Sasuke." Kakashi said.
"What is it?" the Uchiha replied.
"Since you have Itachi's eyes now, is it true that you can use your mangyko sharingan without damaging your sight?" he asked.
Sasuke nodded. "That's true. I've also had Sakura check them frequently to signs of strain and stress. They're fine."
Kakashi nodded. "In that case. I'd like to have you help with the genjutsu training of all of the squad leaders."
The Uchiha's brow lifted. "You want me to help them with genjutsu training? That seems like something better suited to Kurani Sensei. Her genjutsu uses incantations and talismans. Things that can be taught. Mine is dojutsu, I can't really explain it, let alone teach anyone."
"I know." Kakashi replied. "I wasn't expecting that from you. I don't want you to teach them how to use it, I want them to learn what it feels like to be under powerful genjutsu."
"What are you saying?" he asked. "To be honest, I haven't met anyone with genjustsu abilities as strong as the mangyko sharringan."
"Exactly." Kakashi replied. "Experiencing it was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. I'm sure it was the same for you too." Sasuke glanced down at the floor, unpleasant memories of the Uchiha massacre and his first face to face encounter with Itachi after that drifting to the forefront of his mind. "I want all of the squad leaders to experience that level of genjutsu first hand."
Sasuke sighed. "I can only cast it on one person at a time. It'll take a bit of time for me to get to all of them."
The Hokage nodded. "Of course. Then again, it only takes moments to cast a genjutsu that feels like it's lasted for eternity."
"That's true." The Uchiha said touching his chin. "But with genjutsu that aggressive, the victim is going to end up in the hospital for weeks. Even innocent information can become debilitating if you shove it into someone's brain too quickly."
Kakashi nodded. "That's true. I'm not asking for you to cast a genjustu of that caliber on them, but enough that they really feel the sensation of having your mind and body completely at the mercy of the enemy."
"What's your purpose? To strengthen their immunity to genjutsu?" he asked.
The Hokage chuckled. "That's part of it, but to be honest, I've noticed that several of the squad leaders, especially those in the upcoming generation seem to think that genjutsu training isn't very important."
"I get it. You want to scare them straight using the most powerful and terrifying genjutsu known to man." Shikamaru said with a smirk. "You don't pull any punches do you Lord Hokage?"
Naruto shuddered. "Not when it comes to training. He gets on Guy's case but he's just as brutal."
Sasuke sighed. "I guess I have no choice then. It's not good for the village if our squad leaders are ill prepared for battle. Just because things are peaceful now doesn't mean they'll stay that way for long. Give me details on the time and place and I'll do it."
"Excellent." Kakashi said smiling behind his mask. "I knew I could count on you."
Sasuke nearly shook his head at that. He'd only been back in the village a day and he was already putting him to work. Then again, he had it easy compared to Sakura. The pinkette's face appeared in his mind and a thought suddenly occurred to him.
"Is there anything else you needed from me?" he asked the Hokage.
"Yes, but after this I'll be finished." He assured the former avenger. "I just wanted to let you know that starting tomorrow, you'll be start training with Yamato."
"Training? In what?" he replied.
"Tracking." Kakashi replied. "He's the best tracker in the village that isn't a ninja hound or bug user."
"Alright. Anything else?" he asked.
"Not at the moment." Kakashi replied.
"Alright then." The Uchiha replied. "If that's everything, I'm leaving."
"Where to? Do you want some company?" Naruto asked his eyes brightening.
"He won't be having yours." Kakashi said his eyes narrowing at his student. "You have work to do."
The whiskered ninja sighed. "Ugh." He groaned.
Shikamaru chuckled. "Well then, we'll be off. You guys have fun now." He said moving towards the door.
"Will you take this to the intelligence core and these to the interrogation unit for me?" Kakashi said extending two envelops to the shadow wielder.
"Sure." Shikamaru replied. "Do you need me to stop by the barrier unit too?"
Kakashi nodded. "That would be helpful." He replied. "Thanks Shikamaru."
"Don't mention it." He replied with a wave of his hand holding the folders. "Let me know if you need anything else."
He and Sasuke left the room and made their way down the stairs to the street below. "Sorry about what happened with Sakura." The shadow wielder said as they made their way down the road.
Sasuke nodded. "I knew she had fanatic followers but I wasn't quite expecting that." He admitted.
Shikamaru nodded. "It's not just you guys." He replied. "Temari and I had a bit of trouble ourselves. There were a lot of people from Suna that were pissed off at The Leaf for 'stealing' their top kunoichi. If that wasn't enough, there was opposition from some here in the village because she was involved in that attack during our first attempts at the chunin exam." He sighed. "It was such a drag."
Sasuke blinked and then nodded. "Not everyone in the village is as forgiving as Naruto." He replied.
The shadow shinobi nodded. "Even so, that blackmail was crossing the line. I'm surprised the photo wasn't turned to ash this morning."
"It is a little singed." The Uchiha admitted. "One of Sakura's chairs needs to be replaced as well."
Shikamaru laughed. "I bet. I'm sure she was livid."
Sasuke nodded and the shadow wielder stopped at the archives building. "This is my first stop." He said. "Where are you headed? Lord Hokage might need you again. He's pretty scatter brained."
The Uchiha sighed. He didn't need to tell the shadow wielder where he was headed. Kakashi had a way of summoning him if he needed to using birds. Even so, he decided to answer the question. Becoming integrated into the village again meant that he needed to be a little more accommodating than he'd been in the past.
"I'm going to the old Uchiha compound." He replied.
The Nara clan head eyes widened and then lowered. "I understand. Naka Shrine?" Sasuke blinked and then nodded. "Alright then. Good luck. I'll see you tonight if nothing else."
"Yeah." Sasuke replied and in a flash, he was gone.
$#$
He walked the somewhat familiar road to what was left of the Naka shrine and glanced around. Most of the remnants of the Uchiha compound had been wiped out completely by the various large scale attacks on the village over the years and the earth was beginning to reclaim much of what was left. His eyes flickered to where his childhood home had once stood in all it's glory feeling a stab of pain and a twinge of warmth. His childhood had been happy enough until that night. He could almost see the phantoms of his past as he strode past what was left of his old back porch where he and Itachi had often sat and played together.
He moved quickly to the edge of the compound to where a large staircase led up into the hills and walked up the broken stone steps to what was left of the Naka shrine. His brows furrowed as he noted several foreign foot prints around the area. Though they were old, it was clear they'd been made while he was away. He knew from both the reports, eye witness accounts and word of mouth that ANBU agents, working under the orders of a corrupt drug maker named Kido, had scoured the place looking for traces of his genetic material. Though the shrine was in shambles, it was still a sacred spot for the Uchiha. Seeing it so blatantly disrespected, angered him. As he moved forward, towards what had once been the front door, he stopped and knelt down. To his surprise, the remnants of what looked like a bouquet of flowers laid there, a faded green ribbon and the dried up stems all that was left of the blooms. He lifted the silk fabric carefully and noticed a single strand of hair trapped within the knot. It was a color he knew well, a shade of pastel pink. A smile touched his lips as he thought of his fiancé. She'd never told him that she'd come to visit this place. Clearly she hadn't done it to win him over. It was simply out of the kindness of her own heart. She truly was the one meant to be his wife.
Feeling lighter than he had only moments ago, he slipped the ribbon into his pocket and continued forward to what was left of the secret meeting room. He moved the fourth tatami mat and slipped into the underground passage way. He lit a torch with his fire chakra and made his way down to where the stone tablet that had been written by the sage of six paths and altered by black Zetsu lay. He studied the tablet for several moments, the writings that had been the source of so much sorrow and grief. He'd only been to the spot once since the final battle with Kaguya and had left quickly, his rage to fresh for him to feel like he could make a rational decision about what to do with the tablet. He walked forward and laid his hand on the stone.
"This thing drove Father and Itachi apart. You could say it was part of the driving force behind the madness of the Uchiha." He said reading the writing. "Even now I don't know if I should destroy it, re-write it, seal it away, or just leave it alone."
With a sigh he stepped away from stone and moved to the back of the small space where several chests sat. He knelt down in front of one with an ornate mother of pearl inlay in the shape of several cranes. It had belonged to his mother. He unlatched the lid and lifted it his eyes softening at the subtle scent of Mikoto that still lingered inside the box. Very carefully, he looked through the contents and found what he was looking for. An ornate hair pin that bore the Uchiha crest in shimmering stones surrounded by red and white lilies. It was an heirloom that had been passed down for generation to one matriarch of the Uchiha clan to the next. It was only worn on special occasions and always on the Leader of the Uchiha's wedding day. Now that he'd made the engagement with Sakura official, the heirloom belonged to her.
He wrapped it carefully in rice paper and silk before stowing it away carefully in his bag. Then he closed the chest and moved to the chest that had belonged to his father. He sifted through the items inside until he found the traditional clothing that his father had worn on his wedding day. The black, white and grey ensemble with the Uchiha crest featured prominently on the clothing. He picked them up and studied them a little frown touching his face. Clearly he and his brother had inherited their mother's more slender build. The clothing would have to be taken in to fit his more lean form. He folded them carefully and placed them in the bag as well. He closed the chest and moved to the third one in the room. The chest that had belonged to his brother.
He lifted the lid and studied the contents his eyes misting even as his lips curled up into a smile as he touched the cat ears his brother had worn during one of his genin missions. His fingers trailed lightly over his brother's clothes, books, and even old kunai and shuriken. It was so strange to see such visible evidence of the older Uchiha brother's existence, especially when the rest of the world was content to erase him from the books of history. A man who had worked from the shadows to protect the light. Truly one of the most exceptional shinobi of all time. He picked up a wall hanging that was among the items in the box that bore the Uchiha crest. He touched the familiar mark affectionately and slipped it into his bag as well. Content with the items he'd collected, he closed the boxes and left the room casting one last glance at the space before he left. After reaching the main floor of the shrine, he covered the spot and resealed the entrance before slipping the tatami mat over the opening. He let his palm rest there for a moment as he thought of Sakura. He'd have to bring her there soon after their wedding. Though she didn't have the sharringan, she was joining his clan. It was her right. Smiling a little at the thought, he stood and glanced up at the sun. He'd spent more time in the secret room than he'd thought. After a few minutes of contemplation, he descended the stairs and made his way to where he and Itachi had honed their shuriken skills. His eyes softened as he touched the faded targets still nailed to the trees and behind the boulder. Feeling a bit nostalgic and knowing he needed to practice anyway, he sat his bag down near the tree he'd hid behind as a child to watch his brother practice and hung up his cloak on of the branches. With steady steps, he walked up to stand just behind the stone and took a deep breath as he armed himself with kunai. It had been quite a while since he'd practiced in the way he was about to now. Ever since he'd lost his arm, he'd avoided it, relying heavily on his dojutsu and genjutsu. That wasn't going to cut it anymore. He needed to face his handicap head on. He'd chosen to keep it after all. There was no way of knowing when he might get into a situation where he wouldn't be able to use his chakra.
He closed his eyes and activated his sharrinagan. He took a deep breath and then leapt into the air. Gritting his teeth he threw the kunai in rapid succession rearming himself to ensure he hit the target in the blind spot before flipping and landing on the ground. He frowned at his work as he realized he wasn't able to hit all of the targets he wanted. He'd need to figure out a way to compensate for the loss of his right hand. That meant he had to throw the knives and rearm faster.
"Again." He muttered as he slipped more knives between his fingers.
$#$
Several hours later the sun was sinking in the sky towards the horizon. Knowing Sakura would be getting off soon, Sasuke gathered his training equipment and walked to a nearby stream to quickly wash the sweat and grime from his face and neck. His jaw clenched as the water trickled down his face. The jutsu still wasn't perfect. It was so irritating. Moving away from the water, he stalked over to where his things were and slipped on his cloak touching the stump that had once been his arm. His fingers dug into the flesh as he gritted his teeth. Such a high price to pay for stupidity and arrogance. His thoughts went to Sakura and his heart strangely grew heavy as he realized that he'd never be able to carry her the way she ought to be carried. That he'd never be able to embrace her the way he'd always wanted to but never had because of his stupid vendetta.
"Damn." He hissed slipping his bag over his shoulder and moving quickly through the woods towards the main part of the village.
He made his way quickly to the hospital and walked through the gates down to the front doors. He glanced at the receptionist who blushed.
"Is Sakura still in her office?" he asked.
The young woman blinked and her face fell slightly. "Yes. She should be finished shortly. Do you want to wait for her here?" she asked her eyes glittering with hope.
"No." he replied simply leaving the disappointed woman in his wake as he quickly strode down the hall to Sakura's door. It was partially opened so he knocked softly.
"Who is it?" Sakura called out.
"It's me." He replied his brow furrowing a little at the sound of sniffling on the other side of the door.
"Come in." Sakura replied.
He pushed the door open and found his fiancé kneeling in front of a young man with his arm in a sling. His leaf headband was proudly displayed on his forehead and stuck out against his reddish brown hair. The boy turned and focused his blood shot, teary, brown eyes on the Uchiha.
"Sota, this is my fiancé Sasuke Uchiha." Sakura said standing up and extending his hand towards him.
The boy blinked and then bowed deeply to him. "I've heard so much about you Master Uchiha." Sota said. "It's an honor to meet you."
Sasuke nodded to the boy and then turned to his lover. "Do you need me to wait outside?" he asked.
Sakura shook her head. "No. I'm almost finished here." She turned back to the boy and laid her hand on his shoulder. "Think it over Sota." She said to the boy. "I'll support you no matter what road you decide to take but you only have two more days to make a choice. After that, I'll be forced to make the decision for you."
"I understand." The young ninja said. He studied Sasuke for a moment and then looked back at Sakura. "Do you think I could talk to him for a minute?" he asked.
The medic glanced at her fiancé and chuckled. "You'll have to ask him not me."
The brown eyed boy nodded and turned to the Uchiha. "Could I talk to you?" he asked.
The Uchiha cocked a brow and glanced at Sakura who merely smiled at him. With a sigh he lowered his head.
"Sure, but only for a few minutes." He said.
Sakura smiled and quickly hung up her lab coat and moved towards the doors. "I'll wait outside." She said brushing her fingers against Sasuke's as she walked past him.
"Right." He said watching until she was out of sight. He focused on the boy in front of him. "What did you want to talk about?" he asked.
The boy looked down and then focused on where his right arm was supposed to be under his cloak. "Is it true that you only have one arm?" Sota asked his cheeks blazing. Sasuke's brow furrowed slightly as he nodded. "But you're still an S ranked ninja?" The boy asked.
"Last I heard." He replied.
The boy nodded and touched his arm that was wrapped inside a sling. "Is it…. Is it hard? Having only one arm?" the boy asked.
Sasuke studied the boy for a moment before he sighed. "It certainly isn't easy." He replied. "Especially not after having two for so long. It's not impossible though."
Sota nodded and looked down. "Can I still be a great ninja without it?" he asked.
The Uchiha thought for a moment and activated his sharringan. He quickly checked the boy's chakra levels and natures before deactivating it again. "That's a good question." He replied. "To be perfectly honest, I don't think you'll be able to fight on the front lines."
"Oh." The boy said his head drooping.
Sasuke sighed and raked his hand through his hair. "Look, there's more to life than being a ninja." He said. "There are people who support us ninja was well. There are medics that heal us when we get injured, there's the cypher core who decode and code messages." He looked a photograph on the wall of the Konoha twelve, one he hadn't known about that had clearly been taken in secret based on the way everyone was positioned. His gaze focused on Lee who appeared to be challenging an irritated looking Neji to a fight. The ninja with no natural talent that had risen in the ranks and become one of the most famous fighters in The Leaf Village. "If you want to be a ninja, then be a ninja. You'll just have to work a lot harder than everyone else. I'm not sure what to tell you." He looked at the boy's arm. "What happened?"
"I was hit by a poisoned dart on our last mission." He replied. "It didn't really hurt so I didn't pay much attention to it. Before I knew it though it started to turn black." He sighed. "Sakura Sensei said that the damage went all the way to the bone. She can't fix it, I'll have to have it removed."
Sasuke nodded. "I see. Well she's the best at what she does. There's a chance you can get a prosthetic arm like Naruto."
The boy shook his head. "I'm not compatible with The First's cells." He said lowering his head.
The Uchiha's brow rose at that. He hadn't heard of it before but it certainly was possible. He'd seen enough of Orochimaru's experiments to figure out that much. Every body was different.
"I see." He said. "Well, don't worry about it too much. You're alive, that's more than most people can say." He glanced at the clock. He wanted to spend time with Sakura before having to go out and meet with the creep that had threatened her. "Do whatever you feel is best and stay true to yourself. If you try to force yourself to do what others tell you then you'll only be putting yourself in danger and will eventually be filled with regret."
The boy's eyes widened and then softened. "I understand. Thank you for talking with me." He said moving towards the door.
Sasuke followed him and closed it behind them. Sakura who had been leaning against the wall opposite the office moved forward and wrapped her arms around his waist pressing her cheek against his chest.
"Is something wrong?" he asked his brow furrowing slightly.
"No." she replied. "But you seem a little down. Did something happen?"
His eyes widened and then softened. She could always see right through him. He closed his eyes and reached out lacing his fingers between hers. She squeezed them and smirked against his chest.
"You went out training didn't you?" she said stretching up on her toes to brush her lips lightly across his cheek before pulling him lightly down the hallway.
He nodded. "How could you tell?" he asked.
"You have fresh nicks and cuts on your fingers." She replied. "How did it go?"
Sasuke shrugged. "It was just training." He replied.
She glanced at him and frowned. "You're not a very good liar." She said as they neared her apartment.
"What do you mean?" he asked frowning at her.
"The only person in this village that likes training more than you is Rock Lee." She said pulling her keys from her purse. "Seeing you so unenthusiastic after doing one of your favorite activities worries me a bit." She said slipping out of her sandals.
"I'm fine." He replied. "Just a bit tired. I haven't trained like that in a while." He lied slipping off his shoes and hanging up his cloak in the entry way. He yelped when Sakura grabbed a handful of his shirt and yanked his face down to her level.
"Don't lie to me." She repeated her jade eyes fierce. "Tell me how you really feel."
His eyes narrowed as he stepped away from her. "Don't worry about it." He said walking down the hall. "It doesn't concern you."
"It does." She protested moving into the kitchen and pulling several ingredients out of the refrigerator.
He ignored her and sat down on the couch leaning back against it and flinging his arm over his eyes. It was so irritating. He'd been so proficient at shuriken jutus and now he felt like a novice again. His eyes flew open when he felt warmth on his hand and turned to see Sakura's hands glowing green as she healed his cuts.
"What are you doing?" he asked. "They're not that bad."
"This is the only hand you have." She insisted. "You need to take care of it."
Anger flared within him as he tore his hand from her grasp. "Does it bother you?" he demanded his tone sharp. "Is that why you're so insistent that I get that prosthetic?" his hand balled into a fist. "Are you unhappy that I'm not the 'perfect' looking man you always dreamed of?" he growled jumping to his feet.
Her eyes widened and then softened. "Sasuke." She said standing. "It's not like that." She assured him reaching out to him.
"Stop!" he shouted. "I don't want your pity." He said turning away from her.
Her arms wrapped around his waist and he pulled away from her shame staining his face red. What was wrong with him? He probably had just hurt her feelings again over his stupid pride.
"Take it off." Sakura said firmly.
"What?" he asked dumfounded turning towards her.
"Take off your shirt." She repeated her hands on her hips. "I'll do it for you if you want."
His eyes narrowed as he complied. She strode towards him and quickly unwrapped his stump her hands glowing green as she healed the claw marks he hadn't even noticed were there. Hot shame and embarrassment turned his face red when she gently stroked what was left of his arm.
"Please stop." He pleaded softly.
"Sasuke." She said softly reaching out to turn his face towards her. "Look at me."
He refused keeping his eyes trained at the ground. His eyes widened when he felt her lips brush against the edge of the remains of his limb. "Sakura, what are you doing?" he asked. His eyes widening further when he saw tears slipping down her face snapping him out of his selfish pride induced tantrum. "What's wrong?"
"I'm so thankful." She said softly tears rolling down her cheeks.
"What are you talking about?" he asked.
"I'm thankful that your arm was all you lost in that final battle." She replied. Her fingers reached out and gently caressed his face. "I love you." She said brushing her lips across his forehead. "I care about you more than anyone." She pressed her lips to his cheek. "I want you more than anything." She said before sealing her mouth over his in brief but passionate kiss. "What can I do to help you? Please tell me. I'll do anything for you."
His eyes widened and then softened as he reached out and pressed her to his chest. "I'm sorry." He murmured. "The truth is I'm frustrated." He admitted. "I know that living without my right arm is a choice I made and I intend to stand behind it but even so." His jaw clenched. "It's so frustrating sometimes."
Sakura's arms encircled his waist and she pressed a kiss to his bare chest over his heart. "I can only imagine." She replied. "Thank you for telling me." They sat together for several minutes before Sakura pressed her lips to the underside of his jaw. "What else did you do today?" she asked.
He released her and pulled on his shirt as she returned to the kitchen to resume cooking.
"I had a meeting with Kakashi." He replied. "He asked me to help train the team leaders."
"Really? Genjutsu training I presume?" she replied laying pork cutlets in the hot oil on the stovetop.
"Yes." He replied. "He also wants me to start training with Yamato."
Sakura nodded. "He's an excellent ninja." She said as she tossed the salad she'd been arranging. "I trust and admire him a lot." She chuckled. "Sai calls him 'the mother of Team Kakashi' since Kakashi always left so much of the actual work to him. That and the fact that he can shut up Naruto with just a look." Her face fell a little. "I'm sure you're aware that he's one of Orochimaru's most successful experiments right?"
The Uchiha blinked and then nodded. Orochimaru was rather proud of the wood style user of the Leaf that he'd created using the first Hokage's cells.
"He told me once that Team Kakashi is the closest thing to a family he's ever had." She said flipping over the meat cooking in her pan.
"I didn't realize that." Sasuke replied moving into the kitchen and pouring himself a glass of water.
She nodded and pulled plates down from the cupboard. "I used to invite him over once a week for dinner but he left on a long term mission shortly after those agents of Kido started causing trouble. I'm guessing he was sent to track people who were involved. Since you've been asked to train with him, he must be back in town." She smiled. "Maybe I should invite him to dinner tomorrow. Does that sound alright?" she asked turning towards him. "I think it would be good for you two to get to know one another better."
"That's fine with me." Sasuke replied as Sakura plated the pork and cut it.
He dished up rice for them and carried it to the table with Sakura right behind him with the rest of the food and a fresh pot of tea.
"Did you know that he dreamed about you returning to the village when he was stuck inside that jutsu of Kaguya's?" she said as they sat down to eat.
"He did?" he replied. "Why would he dream about that?" he asked.
Sakura smiled. "Because it was what Naruto and I wanted more than anything. With you back in the village, he was appointed as the official leader of team Kakashi with all of us including Sai." She chuckled even as her chop sticks trembled in her fingers.
"What's wrong?" He asked noticing her distress.
She sighed and covered her eyes with her hand. "It's nothing." She replied even as her voice cracked with emotion.
Sasuke sighed. "I know that he was your most critical patient after the war." He said trying to coax it out of her.
Sakura glanced up at him and then looked down at her food. "He had a lot of trouble mentally after everything was over." She said softly. "Kabuto and Obito used him to complete the army of white Zetsu's as well as to strengthen that demonic tree of Kaguya's. If that wasn't enough, White Zetsu took over his body and used him to attack his own allies." Her eyes glistened with tears. "You must understand, Yamato is stern and almost domineering at times but it's because he cares so deeply about others. Knowing that his own body was used to create the army that killed so many of his comrades almost destroyed him. It was also hard to repair the damage done to both his mind and body caused by all of the terrible things Kabuto and Zetsu made him do. They used his power without any thought to his condition and pushed his body far beyond its limits." Her hand balled into a fist.
Sasuke reached out and gently touched her. "Thankfully you were there to help him heal and recover." He said.
She smiled at him and nodded. "I did my best." She said. "Even so, I really want to punch that scaly four eyes so much."
The Uchiha chuckled. "Why don't you?" he asked.
Sakura sighed. "I'm not a child anymore who can just beat up everyone who irritates me. I've learned to better control my emotions over the years. I also realize that in the grand scheme of things that Kabuto is another victim created by the revenge centered, secretive age that existed before the war who was taken advantage of by powerful people." she snickered. "I'm also fairly certain he wouldn't survive one of my punches."
Sasuke nodded. "That's probably true." He admitted. She truly had matured a lot since the war. They all had.
They cleaned up their dishes and settled down on the couch side by side their fingers laced together as Sakura laid her head on Sasuke's shoulder.
"What's the plan for tonight?" she asked.
"You're going to have a girl's night in while I go to the meeting place with Shikamaru and Naruto." He replied.
She smiled. "That sounds nice. Be careful though."
"I will." He assured her.
They watched as a cat scurried up a power pole visible from the front window that was soon retrieved by an exasperated looking ninja. Sakura chuckled and sighed.
"Did I ever tell you about the time Naruto and I got back at Kakashi Sensei for being late all of the time?" she asked.
He shook his head. "I don't think so."
She smirked. "We made him carry Naruto plus three transformed clones up a mountain. Then Naruto and I disguised ourselves as children while Naruto had one of his clones transform into a cat and sit at the top of an electric pole and had Kakashi fetch him down." She giggled. "He was so tired by the time he was finished."
"That was pretty petty of you." Sasuke said looking down at her.
She rolled her eyes and pushed him lightly with her shoulder. "If you'd been around you would have joined in and you know it." She said with a smirk. "You got more annoyed than the rest of us when he was constantly late."
"That's true." He replied lowering his head. "Even if I hadn't been interested, Naruto would have talked me into it."
Sakura giggled. "He could talk you into just about anything. I still remember how hard you tried to resist when we first tried to get Kakashi's mask off. You were so ready to go home and train until Naruto filled your head with crazy theories about how Kakashi might look without his mask on and you caved in less than thirty seconds."
He scowled at her. "Are you implying that I'm weak?"
She laughed and snuggled closer to him. "Not at all. It's just that Naruto knows your weak spots." She smiled as she remembered his broody expression when he returned from trying to tail Kakashi and tried to pretend that he'd become bored instead of the reality that Kakashi had given him the slip too. "You are so cute."
His brow twitched and he let go of her hand and pushed her down on the couch. "Take that back." He growled.
He hated being referred to as cute, pretty, adorable or any other feminine or weak sounding adjectives. It hurt his pride and frustrated him to no end.
"What are you going to do if I refuse huh?" Sakura challenged her jade eyes filled with mischief.
He smirked and leaned forward until his mouth was hovering over her neck enjoying the sight of her pulse jumping in anticipation. "Are you sure you want to find out?" he asked softly his teeth latching onto her earlobe and tugging it harder than usual.
Sakura chuckled and tugged his face up to hers and caught his mouth in a passionate kiss. He pressed her into the cushions as their lips and tongues moved together in a slow, sensual dance. Sakura's body arched upward pressing her hips against his and a bolt of desire struck him like lightning. He growled against her lips and pressed his hips down against hers the friction of the action nearly taking his breath away.
"Sakura." He hissed moving his hand to fist it in her hair and tug her head back to bare her throat. "The things you do to me." He groaned kissing his way down to her collar bone where he licked, kissed and nibbled his way to her shoulder nudging her top lower with his nose.
"Sasuke." She sighed her hands slipping under his shirt.
She pressed her fingertips into his back and sliding up towards his neck. The pressure bordering near the edge of pain excited him further and Sasuke felt his control slipping as his hand slipped between their bodies moving towards the heat between her legs. She gasped and tried to squirm away from his touch even as he heard her heartrate speed up further. The sound of the phone ringing shocked them both.
"Damn!" Sakura hissed. "I forgot I even have that thing." She muttered quickly sliding out from under him to grab the receiver mounted on the wall in the kitchen.
"I didn't even know you had one." Sasuke admitted feeling irritation flare within him. He'd been so close to touching the heat he wanted so badly. Though he'd decided not to take Sakura's virginity until their wedding night, he still wanted to learn as much about her body as he could before that time came.
After a few moments, Sakura returned to the couch. "Sorry. That was my mother. She said she wants to get together this weekend to talk about the wedding."
The mention of the occasion reminded Sasuke of the items he'd retrieved from the shrine earlier that day and he quickly stood up. He grabbed his bag from the entry way and carried it over to her.
"I visited Naka Shrine today." He said as he set the bag down gently on the coffee table.
"How was it?" Sakura asked.
He shrugged. "I wasn't happy to see all of those ANBU foot prints there." He admitted. "I was able to get a few items I needed though." He said pulling out Itachi's wall hanging.
Sakura smiled at it. "What did you need from there?"
He pulled out the wedding clothes that had belonged to his father. "I'll need these altered before the wedding. I'm a little taller and thinner than my father."
The pinkette's eyes softened as she gently touched the fine cloth. "I'm sure you'll look wonderful in these." She said.
He nodded and then carefully pulled out his mother's hair ornament. "This is an heirloom that has been passed down through the generations to the wife of the Uchiha clan leader. My mother wore this on her wedding day." He said gently unwrapping the delicate accessory.
Sakura gasped her eyes widening as she looked at the intricately designed hair piece. "Beautiful." She breathed carefully picking it up from where it lay on his lap.
"It's yours now." He said enjoying the awe struck expression on her face and the gentleness in her eyes.
"I'm honored." She murmured gently touching the metal work lilies.
"I was thinking." He said glancing at the calendar on the wall noting that it was the beginning of May. "Does a June wedding sound good to you?"
Sakura's eyes widened. "That's next month right?" she said laying the hair ornament down on a piece of silk on the coffee table. "Do you think that's enough time to prepare everything?"
Sasuke nodded. "I don't have any family to make a fuss about it." He said looking at his father's clothes. "I'm not like Naruto either, I don't have or need a lot of friends." He turned to Sakura and gently tucked her hair behind her ear. "I made you wait this long, there's no reason to make you wait any longer than I already have. We can wait if you want. It was just a suggestion."
Sakura smiled and shook her head. "I don't want to wait either." She said slipping into his lap. "I think a June wedding sounds lovely. We don't need a huge wedding like Hinata and Naruto's. Just a small gathering with our closest friends is more than enough." She twined her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead to his. "I love you." She murmured.
"I know." He replied lifting his head to brush his lips lightly across hers.
"We'll be together forever from now on." She said holding him close.
"What do you mean? That's impossible. We'll still have to go on missions and things like that." He replied.
Sakura shook her head. "My heart will always be with you not matter how far apart we are." She said kissing him behind his ear.
His eyes widened and then softened as his arm wrapped around her waist. "It always has been." He said laying his head on her shoulder. "I think I always knew that too. It's one of the reasons that I was able to endure some of the things I did. There was a part of me that always knew that no matter what happened, you would always love me and watch over me." He squeezed her lightly. "Thank you for that."
She smiled and nuzzled his cheek. "You're welcome." She replied kissing his temple. "Should I let you get ready for your midnight mission?" she asked.
"No." he replied his grip on her waist tightening. "Just stay like this for a little while longer."
Sakura's eyes warmed as she threaded her fingers through his hair. "I was hoping you'd say that."