Sakura's POV

Sakura was currently walking through the village alongside TenTen, the village was once again peaceful. Children playing, parents working so they can put foods in their children's mouths and most people were helping each other out and shared laughs with each other.

The two stopped at the small bridge above the river and just stared into the clear fresh water. Sakura couldn't help but worry about Sasuke and Hinata both. In honesty she was worried about two things.

"Don't worry Sakura. I'm sure Hinata and Sasuke are okay, they might be on their way back right now with Shikamaru and the rest.." TenTen comforted.

"It's not just that TenTen, I'm worried... I still can't get over this masked guy Shizune brought up.." Sakura frowned.

TenTen sighed. "Still on that? I mean I don't see why we should worry about him if he already defeated an Akatsuki member." TenTen said. "What if he's on our side?"

"Then why isn't he here?" Sakura pointed out and TenTen stayed silent. "A lot of things are going on right now, first some mysterious man, Asuma dying, and now Sasuke wants to recruit Orochimaru."

Sakura exhaled sharply as the sun shined bright on her skin, it's been a stressful week, she'd been working more late in the hospital then she usually does while also having to stay alert about the Akatsuki and the masked person.

"When was the last time you got some rest?" TenTen asked.

"Can't even remember, probably only 4 hours.." Sakura sighed.

"At least you're doing something helpful here in Konoha. Can you imagine what it's like having to deal with Lee and Gai-sensei's shenanigans?" TenTen joked as she thought about her bushy browed comrade and her bowl haired sensei.

Sakura almost chuckled at the comment as it made her think about a familiar blond haired knucklehead. She thought about him and how he might be proud of her that she was trained by Tsunade and is now her medical apprentice.

She was soon snapped out her thoughts as she heard a villager call out saying how Sasuke and the others had returned. TenTen and Sakura both quickly made their way to the gates.

Sasuke's POV

Sasuke walked through the village with a bunch of eyes laid not just on him but mostly on the people he brought.

He heard a few villagers talking about Orochimaru and why their precious Uchiha would bring him here, after everything he's caused.

"Well, ain't the leaf just welcoming people..?" Suigetsu joked as he looked around at the frightened villagers.

Sasuke ignored his comment and all the villagers as he made his way to the Hokage tower.

"Sasuke!" He heard Sakura call out as TenTen and her both came running and soon stopped in their tracks when they saw Orochimaru and his recruits.

"Y- You actually.. brought him.." TenTen said as she gulped in slight fear.

Sasuke walked away from them. "Sakura, check Shikamaru and the rest. Hinata guide them to the hokage mansion." He said.

"I know where it's at.." Orochimaru responded.

"Still, you're not trusted, at least to them."

"Jiraiya is also here.." Sakura said as she stood next to Kakashi.

Sasuke nodded. "TenTen, I need to talk to you a bit."

"Ne??! But Sasuke-kun..." Karin groaned as she grabbed his arm and held it tight. "Just stay with us a little longer... pleeeease.."

Sasuke doesn't respond and looks out the corner of his eye to see Hinata standing there. Her eyebrows furrowed as her cheeks turned slightly red and she impatiently fiddled with her fingers.

He was able to get out of Karin's grasp and walked away as TenTen followed. The two never really talked much so they were in an uncomfortable silence until they had reached the training grounds.

He sat down against the tree trunk where Naruto was tied up during the bell test as TenTen sat beside him.

"S- Sasuke-"

He already knew what she was about to say. "I brought him back so he could help us. Tsunade may not like it but she's quite too old to be throwing fits like a child."

"I get that he could be of help but you know our friends won't exactly approve of this. After all his people were the reason why Neji and his team almost died when they went to bring you back." TenTen said.

"I don't care whether they like it or not."

TenTen sighed in a bit of disappointment, normally she would be okay with the Uchiha's decisions but this made her get a bad feeling in her gut. She thought she couldn't get even more worried until she heard his next words...

"I'm training under Orochimaru too.."

TenTen's head shot up. "What?! You can't be serious!" She almost shouted.

"Relax..." He said in his normal bored tone of voice.

"Years ago he already wanted to train you for the wrong things! And now he wants to continue doing it!" TenTen said.

"Hn."

"Sasuke, what if he's trying to get you stronger only to try and recruit you again?"

"He won't.."

"But what if he does?!"

"I won't let him.." He grumbled, he was getting quite annoyed.

"Kakashi has been training you just fine!" TenTen responded.

"TenTen I said I have it under control.."

TenTen growled. "Just train under Jiraiya or even-"

"Urusai!" Sasuke raised his voice which made TenTen gasp in shock as she watched him lay back against the grass.

Sasuke mumbled something under his breath, she only heard a little bit and it had to do with the word 'Annoying.'

TenTen stared at the beautiful green grass as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. The wind blew softly against her skin as she got back up. "Fine... I guess I pretty much have no choice but to listen to what you say, I just hope I don't regret it."

"Hn.."

"Can you at least help me clean my weapons a bit?"

Sasuke sighed. "Tsk. Get Neji to do it, after all you do love him.." He says and TenTen instantly blushes and her eyes go wide.

"H- How do you know about t- that?!!" She exclaimed.

"It's so annoyingly obvious." Sasuke responded with his eyes shut as he laid against the grass and felt the breeze blow against him.

Has she really made it that obvious? "Fine, I guess if it makes you feel better, see you soon." She said and ran off, her footsteps getting fainter.

Sasuke looked over to a taraxacum flower and picked it off the grass and simply blew on it in boredom and watched as the pieces float in the sky.

Time Skip...

Sakura's POV

The sun was going down, the sky became a dark orange from the sunlight as the moon began to slowly rise up. Some shops were starting to close early and children were heading back home for dinner.

After checking up on Shikamaru and his team, Sakura decided head back home for the night but wanted to visit the grave before heading on home.

But when she got there she saw two strangers laughing and saying harsh words to the tombstone. Even throwing trash at it.

"Hey!! Stop!!" Sakura yelled as ran over to the grave and the two strangers instantly ran away, not wanting to get caught.

She didn't bother chasing them and just stayed at the grave as she began to pick up the trash.

She hated this... hated how even after someone who fulfilled his promise to her and saved the village from Gaara's shukaku, could still get hated by villagers even when dead.

She just wanted it all to end, they never saw the true Naruto Uzumaki, they only saw what was sealed inside him... nothing more.

After picking up the trash for about 20 minutes, she had decided to head back home instead, sometimes her mom will worry or sometimes get mad if she's out late.

She opened the door. "Tadaima!" She called out as she left her shoes by the door and smelled delicious food and headed to the table only to be met with her mom.

"Mom, he-"

"Where were you?!" She raised her voice.

It was gonna be one of those nights again. Sakura sighed. "I was at the hospital and afterwards... wait where's Dad?" She asked and her mom rolled her eyes.

Her dad came out their bedroom with a big smile on his face, the man looked a bit intimidating but he was definitely joyous around his wife and daughter. "Sakura dear, welcome home!" He cheered as he picked her up again.

"Dad don't you think I'm getting a bit too old for this?" Sakura asked but her dad ignored her as he kept spinning her around before finally putting her down.

They turned around to see 3 plates on the table with some juice. She took a seat and so did her dad. Her mom came back with 3 forks but didn't look very pleased and Sakura did her best to ignore her expressions.

Her mom sat down and handed everyone a fork. "Itadakimasu!" They all said and Sakura's dad, Kizashi dug right in as Sakura took her time blowing her food to the point it was warm.

They all ate in an uncomfortable silence as Sakura would look back up at her mom for a quick millisecond hoping she wouldn't make eye contact because it would be even more awkward.

"You didn't fully answer my question, Sakura.." Her mom said.

"Why does it matter? I came home.." Sakura said before taking another bite and her mom shook her head and sighed.

"You were at his grave again... weren't you?" She said in a cold tone.

"Mebuki.." Kizashi tried to interfere but Mebuki put her hand up.

Sakura slightly nodded as she took another bite. "Of course... I'm not surprised anymore." Mebuki said. "Why even waste your time going to that monster's grave?"

Sakura's eyes shot up. "Mom!" She yelled.

"Honey, that's enough." Kizashi said.

"Enough? Tsk, that boy didn't deserve respect.. he was the Nine-Tailed fox you know that! Yet our daughter wants to defend him even after his death and pointless funeral."

Sakura's slammed her hand against the table as the juice spilled over. "You didn't know Naruto!! You just knew what the others were saying!!" She shouted.

"That loud boy was the cause of the Yondaime's death and even caused a ruckus around this village!" Mebuki yelled back.

"Naruto was never like that!! Who the hell are you to judge him?!!"

Mebuki's eyes widened. "Excuse me??"

"He saved our lives and even saved Sasuke from falling into complete darkness!!" Sakura yelled even more as tears spilled down from her eyes.

"Sakura-"

"No!! Shut up!! Just shut up and leave me alone!!!" Sakura cried as she ran upstairs to her room.

"Sakura!"

"Don't even bother Kizashi.." Mebuki said as she scoffed at her daughter's outrage and grabbed napkins to clean the mess.

Sakura slammed her door and just slid down against it as she cried harder than before. She couldn't believe her mom said that... she knew her dad cared about Naruto and even had high hopes for the kid but she never knew that her mom had a different perspective.

Why... why did you have to leave?? She thought.

She cried hard as she turned off the light and just laid down, not even bothering to change out her clothes as she cried herself to sleep.

Naruto's POV

It's now nighttime, and Naruto had nowhere to sleep. He couldn't go back to Konoha because Shikamaru had seen his appearance and could be easily recognized, so instead he decided to just sit against a tree and stare into the moon.

He thought about how crazy it can be for the Akatsuki to lose a member then soon lose two others.

Did he give a damn though? Heh, hell no. He simply smiles on throughout the day. But there was just one problem that bothered him...

"Why haven't I obtained the Mangekyo yet? Thought that, if you killed someone you get it?" He asked.

"Baka, you only obtain it once you experience great loss of someone you deeply cared about."

Naruto let's out a long sigh, it was a cold night... quiet and dark. Just how he liked it, he listened to an owl in a distance as he began to clean his sword from the stained blood.

While cleaning he also began thinking about learning other chakra natures. He was practically getting used to his wind nature that he figured it would be helpful, to him, to learn even more in order to increase his strength.

During his time in the Akatsuki, Tobi had been teaching him about fire nature but he wasn't able to completely master it. He figured he'd start training more tomorrow but now he was completely exhausted and definitely needed to rest.

He laid back against the tree looking up at the moon, holding a kunai in his hand as he closed his eyes slowly and fell asleep.