a/n. dedicated to the 200th reviewer: 17child-of-the-moon17. you rule. :D

Divergence: Sasuke Uchiha.

"Alright, we're done," said a Sand ninja.

Sasuke had heard the man's name before, but after so many faces, another meant little. As he sheathed his sword, he turned to the camp, but was called back.

"The Kazekage wants to see you. You've been ordered back to the village."

The air was hot; the camp was low on food; and there wasn't any water for miles around. The only thing Sasuke was thankful for was the dryness of the air—the stench of bodies, which were piled and burning as a great pyre, was not as overwhelming as it would have been in Konoha. Some of the faces, Sasuke had observed, still looked out on the world unseeingly, waiting their turn to be tasted by the flames.

The sweltering heat was an ever present reminder of the distance between Sasuke and Konoha. Not for a moment, not even in sleep, did he forget how far away he was, or what an outsider he was. The Sand ninja were even less forgiving than the Leaf. They did not bother to hide their distaste. He was hardly left alone for even a moment.

Sasuke turned from the Sand ninja and, running one hand through his sweat-soaked hair, walked in the direction of the village. There were no trees, no green, nothing that Sasuke had ever associated with life. The desert did not move; it did not rustle; it did not chatter with animals as the forest had in Leaf. The desert, too, Sasuke had learned, was endless. For two hours he traveled, as a black specter might slowly enclose on its haunting grounds.

The tall gates were eerie in the sandstorm, a travesty of Konoha's sturdy, welcoming border. Despite his hampered mood, Sasuke sighed in relief at entering the village. The civilians looked his way and frowned, the elderly ninja murmured, but the heat and the irritating sand overpowered that discomfort.

Not stopping lest he should delay his arrival, Sasuke strode past the crowds and made his way to the Kazekage's Tower. But that was not so hard: the people leaned away him instinctively. They saw him, shook, and averted their gaze. Mothers held onto their children.

"Don't look at him," he heard. "Another ninja rebel."

A pariah, they might have accused.

In the Konoha Penitentiary Sasuke had not felt as dangerous as he did in Sand. Although this was just his first trip inside the Sand village, he was already learning that no one looked kindly on a "murderer." Morosely Sasuke contemplated its irony. Were they not all murderers?

Sasuke's defection of Konoha had been far-reaching. His infamy surpassed him. Sasuke had not supposed, when he first returned to Konoha, what a label his defection would become, or how insurmountable. Even now, he continued to learn.

Sweat trickled down his neck, his arms, his legs. The heat elicited his lethargy. Upon entering the Kazekage Tower, he stood still, relishing the relative coolness of the long halls. He wished for the bearable days in Konoha, for the coolness of a certain office in the hospital.

Sasuke, unfamiliar with the building, wandered through the halls. The tower, as he had guessed, was laid out as the Hokage's was. Within minutes he found himself outside of thick wooden double-doors. His knuckles had not yet rapped on the surface when both doors swung open.

"Can't you see we're in a private conversation?"

Kankouro smirked at him from behind the Kazekage's desk. His legs were thrown on top of papers, and from his fingertips shot out opalescent blue strings. Each thread of chakra attached itself to the double-doors.

Sasuke walked into the room, his footfalls silent.

"Sasuke Uchiha," greeted the Kazekage. As Gaara stood in front of the wide windows, his red hair blended in with the dusk. His eyes, as light as peridot, were reflected on the glass window.

"Kazekage," Sasuke murmured. He bowed, although he thought the gesture was needless.

Gaara turned to face Sasuke. His hoarse voice was as grainy as the sand. "You'll be in the south border until the end of the mission. Temari will take you there."

Sasuke nodded and was about to leave when Gaara began again. The sentence was rushed, curious.

"Have you seen your team?"

Sasuke pocketed his hands. "No. Should I have?"

"You might see them on the south border within the next few days."

Kankouro looked up from his chakra strings, which manipulated everything from the papers to the pictures on the back wall, and barked, "Who cares about that?" He leaned forward, releasing his chakra holds. "How's Sakura?"

Sasuke blinked, stalled. "She's fine."

"Is she still running the hospital?"

With a nod Sasuke wondered at Kankouro's interest. He recalled what Sakura had asked and added, "She said hi."

"Just like her," Kankouro laughed. "Tell her she needs to visit us soon. You know she—"

"You can talk later, Kankouro," Gaara interrupted. "We shouldn't waste much time. He needs to be at the south border by tonight."

When he left the Kazekage Tower, Sasuke swore under his breath. His clothes had not been washed in days, and his weapons had dulled. On his way out of the village, he stopped at a stand and bought a glass of water. It was hot, but wet, quenching. Sparse.

Sundown had come, and the bar opposite him was already filling. A redhead stumbled out from the bar, laughing. Her black eyes were hazy as she approached. The woman stopped in front of him, swayed, and smiled. Her clothes were almost falling off her. A thin hand grabbed at his vest.

Sasuke stared down at her face, which was full of thirsting—for a lot of things. He left her, took another gulp of water, and decided that Sand was the most miserable place he had ever been.

At the village gates he found Temari.

"You look like hell," she greeted, a satiric smile on her mouth.

The cleanness of her clothes and the freshness in her appearance surprised Sasuke. The way people could live surprised Sasuke. He had lived underground—in the almost airless night—but there, he thought, there was water, and relief from heat.

Although it was a long trip, Temari did not chatter as Sasuke had expected. She did not speak until the south border was in sight. "Did you see Kankouro?" she questioned.

"Yes."

"Did he get to ask about Sakura? He's been talking about her recently, since he hasn't seen her in a while." The wind blew against the two of them and drowned out Temari's words.

Sasuke, shielding his face from the burning wind, shook his head. "He did. How does he know Sakura?"

Her incredulous look was full of amusement and disdain. "How could he not?" she retorted. "Sakura lived for a year in Sand. She helped train more than half of our medical corps. Something about neighborly ties between nations..." Her voice trailed off, as if caught in the wind and blown away.

Temari regained her voice and began again with, "My brother also doesn't forget a favor. He's indebted to Sakura. But you probably don't know about that, either." Her chest shook with laughter. "Sakura saved Kankouro's life years ago. He was dying of poison, and no one in Sand could help him. We didn't know where to begin."

Temari finished prematurely. They had reached the south border. She called to the ninja stationed above them and pointed Sasuke to the left. "Stay alert. At sunrise... we suspect they'll attack again."

Stay alert. Sasuke scoffed to himself. The desert didn't allow relief; its heat was hell.

Temari turned away. "Wait," Sasuke called out, still plagued with questions. "You said Sakura stayed here for a while. Coudn't she have turned the mission down?"

Sasuke thought of her sleepless nights. Nothing could drag Sakura away from the hospital. How she have justified leaving Konoha for so long?

"Sakura understands loss." Temari's knowing gaze sent something like guilt through his veins. "She knows it well. Doesn't it make sense for her...? Our medics were so ineffective. She was helping others... from losing their lives, their family, friends... teammates."

He watched Temari leave. What she said made sense; a lot of sense.

That night was long, and rest was short. When Sasuke fell asleep, he dreamed—

His ears were still roaring from the fights, but the apartment complex was quiet. At three AM the night was still. Sasuke lingered outside Sakura's apartment, then opened the door, which was customarily left unlocked. But for the ticking of the clock and the breaths coming form her room, this, too, was silent.

Sasuke laughed, surprised. He hadn't expected her to be at her house.

For no real reason, he crept into the hallway and stared through her opened doorway. The silver moonlight bathed the room in black and white. Sakura stirred, as if sensing his presence. Her mouth parted, closed, and opened again—reminiscent of a scream.

The clock chimed three o' clock. Sakura jerked up in her bed. Her widened eyes, despite the lighting, were unsettlingly green; they stared at him, dazed. Fear was a light sheen over her eyes, past which she couldn't see. Sakura's breaths slowly quieted.

Sasuke studied her, and wondered, What did she have nightmares about? What could possibly...?

Her blankets fell in between her legs. Her short hair framed her flushed face in jagged waves. Sasuke, lost in that reverie, did not hear her first murmurs. Sakura's tiny voice was weighed down with sleep.

"What are you doing here, Sasuke-kun?" she whispered.

She took two breaths, closed her eyes, and slumped against her pillows. A whimper, so soft Sasuke didn't know if it was real, slipped out of her lips. Sakura reached one alabaster hand to rub her eyes and spoke.

She was sleep talking, Sasuke realized after several minutes. And she was confused. Sakura rambled, in her half-conscious state, with disjointed sentences and unfinished thoughts. Faint pleadings were repeated as often as a prayer—

Sasuke woke up, hot, and again miserable. The memory he had dreamed replayed in his mind, along with the explanation he never received.

The night now was colder. Sasuke sat up, looking for whatever had woken him. Temari, he could see in the distance, stood on top of the gate with her fan lying against the wall. Sasuke closed his eyes and listened.

The dobe.

He's early, Sasuke thought to himself, incredulous. Both Kakashi and Sai were with him, of course. Sasuke could hear Temari's greeting, then a loud, "Teme, get over here!"

Sluggishly he stood. Sasuke shed his vest, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and sauntered to the gate. Without enthusiasm he offered his welcome.

Naruto's grin was neither sympathetic nor ignorant. "I see you've already gotten used to the desert, Sasuke. It feel great out here, doesn't it?"

"Shut up."

"Now, now, children," murmured Kakashi. "What kind of greeting is this?"

Everyone was at his station for the remainder of the night and of the day. When it was sundown again, Sasuke found himself surrounded by Team Seven. Naruto's excuse for the invasion was that Sasuke didn't have much food. That was true enough.

"Can't wait to go home," Naruto began. Shadows cast across his face, making him look leaner, older, and feral. The red light glinted off his eyes. "We've been away from Konoha too long."

His somber attitude Sasuke had seen before, and it was always in reference to Konoha. To Naruto, nothing was more serious than Konoha, or everyone in it.

"We'll be there soon," Kakashi said. "But how soon, I'm not sure."

"Yeah," Naruto muttered. He stuffed another bite into his mouth, looked away, and when he looked back, he was himself again; lively. "Anyway, how's Sakura-chan?"

The memory replayed in Sasuke's mind. He was seeing her panic-stricken eyes as he answered, "Tired."

Naruto's face fell.

"Sakura-san hasn't received any help yet?" Sai asked.

Sasuke stared at his replacement. The most uncomfortable part of seeing Sai was that, Sasuke knew, that was how everyone saw him. It was almost like some grand joke, for Sasuke couldn't find the similarity, outside the black hair and black eyes. And certainly he had experienced more hate, more grief than his replacement had.

"No," Sasuke answered after some time. "In another month, I think a few students are coming to the hospital, but not before then."

"What has she been doing?" Naruto rejoined.

"Working."

"Have you been making her sleep, like I asked?"

"Aa."

Naruto grinned. "Good," he paused in thought, "and what have you been doing?" The feral, mischievous look came back into his eyes. "Not Sakura-chan, I trust?"

Sasuke didn't deem that with a reply.

"Seriously, what have you been doing?"

"Missions, dobe."

"I bet Sakura-chan's been hounding you for check-ups, hasn't she? I bet she's checked your eyes like a million times by now." Naruto continued in the same fond tone. "It's so funny how predictable she is about that..."

"Does she miss us?" Naruto suddenly asked.

Sasuke thought of all the wistful looks, the sighs. "Yeah. She does."

He nodded, satisfied. Naruto then stood up, dusted off his pants, and threw one hand in the air. "Alright, enough conversation. Come on, Kakashi! Help me persuade Temari into giving me more food."

Kakashi, peering over his little book, queried, "And what makes you think she'd give us anymore? After we already have extra?"

Reasoning was of no importance. "I can't be rationed, Kakashi! I'm starving!" Swiftly Kakashi was hauled away.

The silence was filled with quiet and rowdy Sand ninja alike. Naruto's begging Sasuke could hear in the distance. A nearby fire crackled, despite the heat, and Sasuke was in the middle of scornful thoughts when Sai began to speak.

"Miss: to regret the absence or loss of. And Sakura-san misses us," he echoed. Sai looked up. "Did Sakura-san miss you, too, when you were gone, Sasuke-san? Did she regret your absence?"

Sai's expression was so infantile in its understanding, Sasuke couldn't be angry with him. His question was dull, not accusing or vindictive. "If you really want to know, why don't you ask Sakura?" came Sasuke's wearisome reply.

"I have."

Sasuke looked at him askance.

"She didn't say. For a long time Sakura-san didn't talk about you," Sai went on. "I don't know why. But she was very touchy if I ever called you a traitor."

Sai's lack of discretion amused him. Inadvertently he had betrayed himself, but Sai wasn't acquainted enough with emotions like embarrassment to notice. Sasuke opened his mouth and humored, "And why would she be touchy about that, Sai?"

It was strange, Sasuke mused, to talk to his own replacement.

"I don't know," Sai answered. "Even if you are a traitor, I guess Sakura-san likes you." Sai shook his head, as if it all were beyond him.

"It doesn't make sense to you, does it?"

Sai, without expression, stared at him. "No." He averted his gaze and remarked, "The rest of Team Seven empathizes with you; that creates a bond. I don't think Sakura-san can empathize with you. So what is the bond?"

The smirk fell of Sasuke's mouth.

He stared at the Sand ninja, not wanting to look at Sai or to think. Sand's suspicion, their apprehension made him feel as alien, as foreign as anything. Naruto, however, clearly held their trust. A group of ninja surrounded him, and seemed content to do that.

It is strange, Sasuke thought, for one ninja of a three-cell team to be universally hated, while the other two are hailed as heroes.

a/n. to reviewers, all lovable. LOVE YOU.

XxCrimsonNovaxX, Dictionary Ink (love your name!), shkh4ever, SasuSakuKawai, Kaze and Kiba, TrueHeartsGlow, iUchibi, burgundywolf, Anonymous Reader, -Chan.X, graviola, Charm Caster, Unknown, Sakura Haruno . . . CHA!, Bloody X Blossom X Butterfly, Misery's-Toll, cutecookiechick, Sairalinde Inwe, magda, Crystal Koneko, MidniteCurse4Eternity, Lady Rini, LarkasBlessing122291, Hazel, 17child-of-the-moon17, jolteonforever, Sakura's Indecision, and Chiaki Misa.

amazing (uh-mey-zing): causing great surprise or sudden wonder. amazing in a sentence: i appreciate my amazing and considerate readers, who take the time to read this fic. thanks for the 200 reviews! :D