First of all thank you all so much for the reviews!

piratekitten11893 and pheonixfire211 thank you for following along as I get it out. I'm sorry for the late update but unfortunately work happens :)

Once again, I do not own Naruto. That privalige goes to Masashi Kishimoto.

"It's been 7 days since you started those treatments on Sasuke-kun, Sakura. I know you've got more to tell me than 'It's going good'. Now spill!"

Sakura rolled her eyes at Ino. She knew when they got together for lunch today that she was going to grill her for information, not that there was any to give. Well...maybe not. The past week with Sasuke had been almost pleasant. Neither party had spoken ill towards the other. The treatments did not require a lot of chakra just very precise focus of it. Each treatment was a long process though so they talked. She had been surprised when he first asked her about her training but she answered him and found talking with Sasuke was actually easy. He normally just listened to her talk but he had never been that vocal in the first place. He would answer the questions she asked of him but sometimes the answers were enough to make her wish she hadn't asked. When he answered her questions of his time with Orochimaru she had to force herself not to embrace him for the pain he had witnessed. Their time together was becoming something she looked forward to, and that was not a good thing in her opinion.

Sakura sighed and placed her chin in her hands while Ino prattled on about something Choji did the other day. She couldn't allow herself to get to close to Sasuke. It would be entirely to easy to allow herself to fall head over heels for him again. She knew she still loved him on some level, that would never change, but she couldn't allow those feelings to surface. Sasuke thought more of her now than he used to, she was sure of that, but it was mainly her talents as a medic that had brought this new respect. He would never love her as she did him so she would shut those feelings away. She didn't think she could handle another heartbreak.

"Sakura! Are you even listening to me?" Ino shouted to her across the table.

Sakura shook herself of her musings to focus on her best friend. "What? I'm sorry Ino I was just thinking about something."

A blond eyebrow went up at this statement. "I'm sure you were. Oh and here he comes now."

Sakura looked over her shoulder to find the Uchiha walking towards their outdoor table at the cafe.

"Sakura, Yamanaka."

"Hello there Sasuke-kun. How are you doing today?" Ino asked.

"Fine. It's nearly time for our session Sakura." he watched as the rosette left enough money for her bill and rose from her chair.

"I'm coming. Ino, I'll see you later okay?"

"Oh Sakura, don't forget party at my house Friday for Shikamaru's birthday."

"I won't forget. Only he forgets. Honestly, how does a genius forget their own birthday?" she and Ino shared a laugh at that.

"Hopefully Temari-san wil be able to join us. I wrote her a month ago telling her about it but with the war still looming over us I doubt Garra-sama will allow her to travel."

"True, though I do love the way she gets to him." Sakura said coming up beside Sasuke. "I'm off pig."

"See ya, forehead."

She and Sasuke slipped into a comfortable silence as they walked towards the hospital.

"Temari. Isn't that the kazakage's sister?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes, she is the offical representative for Suna so she and Shikamaru have come to know each other well over the years. She's one of the only people who can really rile him up. It's hilarious to watch. Ino and I have bets on how long it will take for him to propose to her." she smiled at this.

"Are they dating?"

"Nope and that's what makes watching them so much fun. It's like he's trying to deny it even to himself."

Sasuke opened the hospital door for her and followed her to her office. He sat on the couch and waited for her to join him. He wouldn't admit it but the past week had been the best time he'd had in ages. Sakura was actually interesting to listen to. She was intelligent, witty, and she didn't drone on endlessly. She merely seemed to enjoy the silence when there was nothing to be said. When she was silent he took to studying her again. Her bright pink hair that more than suited her, her dark emerald eyes that squinted when she laughed, her small nose that hung above her full lips. Kami, he had spent more time staring at those lips than he cared to remember. Every time she would run her tongue over her lips to wet them the air seemed to get sucked out of his chest. He was dying to know if she tasted as good as she smellled.

"Okay, you ready to begin?" she asked as she sat near him on the couch.

"Aa." Great he's back to one syllable sounds. I wonder what he's thinking about that has him doing that.

"I haven't seen much of Naruto lately. What is he up to?" As soon as Sasuke had finished his time with Ibiki the hokage had informed him he would be staying with Naruto. There weren't a lot of extra rooms available in Konoha just yet. "Besides", she had told him, "think of it as part of your probation."

Sasuke groaned at the though of his best friend. "How he manages to survive in that place he calls a home is beyond me."

Sakura laughed. "I know right? No matter how old he gets the guy is still a slob."

"That he is. He is doing well. I'm sure the reason you haven't seen him much is because he has been spending most of his time with the Huuyga."

"What? Neji? What's he doing with Neji?" she pushed her chakra into a particularly thick patch of scar tissue.

"Not him the woman."

Her hands fell to her lap with her chakra still activated. "Hinata? He's been spending time with Hinata? Oh my goodness, what's happened? Are they dating? Does Neji know? Where all have they went?

A smile crept across his face as he watched Sakura become giddy with the news of Hinata and Naruto. He had not seen her act this happy since he had been back. This was the way he had remembered her all those years he spent away from the village. He wondered what she would do if he told her what he saw out their shared apartment window last night.

Naruto leaned against the railing on the porch of his apartment studying the woman next to him. The past week had been full of surprises. He had spently nearly all his time with her. At first, she had been quiet, like always, but as the days progressed he found she was becoming more open to him. Her shyness was gradually fading away allowing him to find out more about her. He had already known she was intelligent and kind but he had never realized how strong she was. They had decided to get to know one another better. She had already known about his childhood, as it was public gossip among the village, but he was surprised to find she had struggled like he had. It was not known because the Huuyga's were one of the more prominent clans in the village. He had listened to her talk, encouraging her to continue when he felt her hesitate. Some of the things she had shared about her past made him almost storm to the Huuyga manor to have it out with her father and Neji. She had calmed him down enough to explain to him how much better it was now. She didn't like what she went through but it made her a stronger person.

He watched her tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. 'She's so beautiful', he thought. He still didn't understand how such a wonderful woman could have ever fallen in love with him but he decided not to question the kami.

"Do you want to come inside Hinata?"

"I should probably be getting home Naruto-kun. It's pretty late and I do have to be a Kurenai-sensei's house early tomorrow." He caught the regret in her voice and it gave him the courage to do what he'd been wanting to all week.

Naruto placed one hand on her shoulders and the other under her chin to lift her eyes to his. "Do you want me to walk you home?"

Hinata shivered when he spoke. His voice was low and it washed over her leaving her feeling warmer than she had been a moment ago. His calloused hand rubbed the smooth skin of her face making it difficult to find her voice.

"N...umm...I'll be, ah, I'll be okay."

Naruto had stepped closer to her so he could feel the warmth of her breath when she spoke. Her delicate pink tongue darted out to wet her lips and he couldn't take his eyes from them.

'Don't pass out! Don't you dare pass out!' Hinata chided herself. Naruto-kun was so close to her and she could feel his gaze on her lips. 'Is he going to...don't pass out, don't pass out, don't pass out.'

Naruto's lips were gently moving over Hinata's. She stiffened when he first made contact with her lips. Just when he was about to withdraw, thinking it had been to soon for her, she melted under him gripping his shoulders with her hands. He smiled and deepend the kiss. His tongue ran over her lips and she parted for him easily. The hand on her shoulders moved to rub her back lazily while he tangled his hands in her ebony hair. She wimpered against his mouth and his desire spiked. He walked her backwards until she was flush against the wall and he placed his hands on her hips.

Hinata couldn't believe it. Naruto-kun was kissing her!

His lips were gentle and his hands were practically torturing her with their slow movements. When he backed her into the wall she pushed her fingers into his hair and toyed with his blond tresses. Her tongue came out to battle with his before she allowed him back into her mouth and sucked heavily on his tongue. His grip on her hips tightened and he groaned. Hinata's resolve to not pass out nearly ended there when she heard that sound come from him, knowing she was the reason for it.

Naruto moved from her lips for much needed air but began placing little kisses and nips along the pale column of her throat. "Naruto-kun." his name was a breathy sigh from the beauty. She tilted her head giving him more access to her neck while her hands clenched his shirt.

Naruto was having a hard time focusing. The sounds coming from Hinata were making him crazy. He pushed her shirt aside enough that he could tease the skin of her shoulder with his tongue. He couldn't get enough of her. He raised his head back to hers to kiss her deeply again. She wound her arms around his neck and pressed herself to him. His tongue once again delved into her sweet mouth coaxing those low moans from her. He found himself running his hands down her back, lifting her shirt a little to find the soft, bare skin underneath.

When he was trying to decide if he could get her to his room without Sasuke seeing her he realized it was time to stop. He placed a chaste kiss to her lips and leaned back to look at her. Hinata's eyes were half-lowered, she had a light blush across her cheeks, and her lips were swollen from the kiss. Naruto smiled softly at her and ran his fingers down her cheek.

"Naruto-kun?"

"Come on Hinata. I'm walking you home. I don't want you to get in trouble with your father." he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and walked her down the stairs.

"Okay Naruto-kun." she wrapped her arm around her waist and leaned into him. Naruto looked down at her. 'I don't know what I did to deserve you Hinata but I promise I will do everything to keep you happy.'

Sasuke turned from the window and went into his room. When he was sure he was away from all prying eyes he laid on his bed; his happines for his friend evident on his face.

Sakura sat across from Sasuke mouth open in shock. He had told her about Naruto and Hinata's kiss. He didn't feel he had betrayed his friend because it was something he witnessed not something Naruto confided in him about.

"No. freaking. way."

"I assure you I am telling the truth Sakura."

"I know that. I'm just, well, in shock. I didn't even know they had been seeing each other!" She reclined against the back of the couch.

"From what Naruto told me he had been with Hinata all week."

"This is so great! I'm so happy for them!" Sakura exclaimed.

"I couldn't believe it myself. I knew she had a crush on him when we were genin but to still be in love with him for so long..." Sasuke leaned back against the couch beside Sakura.

She turned to look at him. "Hinata truly loves Naruto. She has for a long time. When you love someone that deeply you'll wait for them."

His eyes met hers. The look on her face was the most unguarded it had been since he had been back. There was some emotion swimming in her emerald pools. Something he thought he recognized.

"Sakura..."

A loud pounding on the door stopped whatever he was going to say.

Sakura jumped from the couch and stood with her back to Sasuke trying to calm her speeding heart. What was that?

"Come in." she called to the door.

Shikamaru stood in the open doorway. "Sakura, Sasuke the hokage wants to see you in her office. Naruto and Kakashi-sensei should be there soon."

"What's going on Shikamaru?" Sakura asked.

"The questioning of the elders is complete."

Sakura looked over at Sasuke who was now completely still. His hands were clenched beside him and his face was showing signs of his rage. She sighed, I guess he never can get a break.

Everyone in the hokage's office was silent. Kakashi looked around at his former students. Sakura sat in a chair seemingly relaxed but he could see the stiffness of her spine and how she clenched her hands together. Naruto stood behind her with a serious look that somehow didn't seem right on his face. Sasuke sat in another chair next to Sakura. His face was betraying no emotions but Kakashi had seen the look in his eyes when he walked in. He almost hated to hear the outcome of the investigations.

"I'll get to the heart of the matter." the hokage began. "Shikamaru and Sai are hear as witnesses. Shikamaru is a member of my council and Sai is an objective third party. Both were with me when I questioned the elders."

"And. What did you discover?" Sasuke asked. Trying, unsuccessfully, to keep the impatience from his voice.

Tsunade steepeld her fingers in front of her and watched the Uchiha carefully. She was fully aware of the rage simmering just below the surface of the young man. She had been unable to fully deal with her own anger, she didn't know how she would handle his as well.

"It was as Itachi said. The elders admitted that they, along with Danzo, and the Third, asked Itachi to take the mission to wipe out the Uchiha clan."

Time seemed to stand still in the office. It had been confirmed. The elders of Konoha had ordered the murder of the men, women, and children of their own village. Sasuke didn't know how to react. He knew it. His brother had told him as well as Madara, but hearing it confirmed from the Hokage...it was just to much. All the pain he had suffered as a child. The shame his brother had been put through, had been dealt by their own village. He could feel his inner walls crumbling. He couldn't find his footing with reality. Just before he piched himself forward into the nothingness he found a warm hand squeezing his and another on his shoulder. He looked behind him to find Naruto had moved over to him and was squeezing his shoulder. To his left, Sakura had placed her hand in his and linked their fingers together. Sasuke took a moment to gather himself, with the help of his friends, and faced the hokage once more.

"What do you intend to do with them?"

Tsunade was shocked to say the least. She could tell the moment she had reported her findings that the Uchiha was close to losing it; but then, Naruto and Sakura went to him. It seemed no matter what they went through they could rely on one another for strength. Almost immediately she sensed Sasuke calming down with their presence near him. She said a short prayer of thanks for Naruto and Sakura. Sasuke would be quickly lost again to darkness were it not for them. The past couple of weeks had done a lot to mend their broken relationships.

"They worked with the Third and Danzo on this decision. Regardless of their reasons they ordered the massacre of one of Konoha's oldest clans. But I did find documents from the Third that supported their claim that he knew about it. He was not a supporter of the plan but he could find no other course of action to quickly prevent the uprising the Uchiha clan was about to stage. So, since he was outvoted three to one he had to relent to their plan." she saw Sasuke make a move to speak. "Please, allow me to finish." He sat back and motioned for her to continue. "Even though it was sanctioned by the Third I can not forgive their actions. However, for that same reason I can not excute them or place them under arrest. My decision is to banish them from the village for the remainder of their lives, however short a time that may be."

"Banish them?" the stunned Uchiha said. "Banishment? They are responsible for the fucking death of my clan and your solution is to cast them out of the village? How is this justice? How does this help to ease the spirits of my family!" Sasuke was on his feet and screaming at the hokage now. The ANBU that had been in hiding started to make their way forward but were halted by a small gesture from Tsundae.

"Sasuke, please clam down. You heard Tsunade-sama. Unfortunately it went through another hokage so her hands are tied as to how much she can punish them." Sakura pleaded with him.

"I can punish them as they deserve to be. Let go of my hand Sakura." she refused to do so and instead grabbed onto his arm with her other.

"Teme, stop it. You know as well as I do those old farts won't last a week outside these walls. Their deaths are guarenteed. Let this one go. The Third has already passed. You got your revenge on Danzo, who if you ask me probably put the whole thing into motion, let the elders go."

"You think it's that easy Naruto? How can I forgive what they've done to my family?" he screamed at Naruto.

"You don't!" Naruto yelled right back at him. They were standing toe to toe with Sakura hanging onto Sasuke's arm. "You don't forgive them. You don't forget what they've done. But in this one instance you let someone else besides yourself pass the judgement and sentence. If you go after them you'll be breaking your promise with baa-chan and will find yourself locked up. Do you really want to do that? Sakura-chan isn't finished healing your eyes so I know you haven't been able to look for Itachi's scroll yet. We still have to prepare for Madara and Kabuto's attack. There's too much to be done Sasuke. Let it go this time. Please."

Sasuke knew, yet again, Naruto spoke the truth. He couldn't afford to be locked up when he still had to search for Itachi's scroll. Sakura's treatments for his eyes weren't over yet and he didn't much care for the thought of going blind. He just didn't like the thought of allowing the elders to walk away from him, even if they would be dead soon. He looked down to Sakura. She was gripping his arm tightly and her eyes were begging him to listen to Naruto. A defeated sigh escaped him. For once, just this once, perhaps he could let it go.

He glanced over his shoulder to the hokage. "Fine."

"I'm glad to hear that Sasuke. I must tell you as well. I have to issue a statement to the villagers. Since the elders will be forced out of the village everyone has the right to know what they did wrong. Everything about Itachi will come to light as well." Her voice softened for the last information she had for him. "After some time I plan to add his name to our fallen shinobi memorial."

Sasuke couldn't stop the sharp intake of breath or the widening of his eyes. He stood there for a moment before bowing to the hokage and walking out of the room, Sakura still clinging to him. Naruto made a motion to follow him but Kakashi stopped him.

"I think he may need some time, Naruto."

He hadn't known where he was going when he left the hokage's office just that he needed to get out of there quickly. He had planned on shaking Sakura off once he was out of the building but for some reason he grasped her hand like a dying man and dragged her along with him. His feet found their way to the area where the Uchiha district once stood. Now there were apartment buildings and grocery stores where his clans homes once stood. He slowed down his pace until he came to a small park in front of a lake. Sakura stood silently beside him.

"This was where my parents home once stood. I used to stand by the lake and practice my Katon jutsus." Sakura still said nothing, only held his hand in silence. "I just don't get it. Why did they... how could they ask Itachi..."

His voice hitched and he hung his head. Sakura's heart wept heavily for the man in front of her and for the boy he used to be. She slowly stepped in front of him and wrapped her arms around his waist tightly. He did nothing at first. But little by little he returned her embrace and allowed her to hold him while his body shook.

Naruto found them hours later. Sitting on the banks of the lake with their arms still around one another.