Sasuke awoke to anbu at his door.

"what?" he growled

"the Hokage wants to see you."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. The sun was not even up yet, and she wanted to see him. whatever, he was a morning person anyway. However not waking up to his wife, that was what made him irritated. Not having her touch. Sometimes he wondered why he was doing this. Oh yeah that is right…to keep the village off his back and out of his life. He was going to start a fresh with his wife and the leaf were not going to be involved. The Uchiha clan would be not be restarted in the leaf.

He made it to the Hokage office ahead of the anbu assigned to him and he knew that they hated it, but he did not care. Before he knocked, he heard a voice coming down the hallway.

"aww man why did granny tsunade have to call us so early. I was studying late last night."

It was Naruto…

"you are studying! Ha! Never thought I would hear those words!" another voice said

Sasuke noticed it belonged to Kiba.

There were other chakra's Sasuke noticed one being among was sakura and Kakashi…but also Neji hyuga and shino amburame and ino and…this was the whole Konoha eleven.

Not wanting to have a conversation. Sasuke knocked and entered without being invited in.

"haven't you ever heard of knocking?"

Sasuke obsidian eyes met tsunade brown ones.

"I did."

"...that's true…well, were waiting on the rest of the squads so pop a squat."

Instead of taking a chair, Sasuke opted for the window. He leaned his forehead against the cool glass and closed his eyes.

"…What made you come back Sasuke?" Tsunade asked him

Without looking at her he spoke.

"...I have someone precious to me that I'm willing to fight for. That why I'm willing to stay in this village for a year or two to protect my precious person…"

Tsunade mouthed dropped. The Sasuke Uchiha had someone precious too him? someone other than Naruto…

That was shocking.

The sound of a loud knock and then trampling feet interrupted her thoughts.

"grandma tsunade! It's too early ..."

Tsunade could not help but chuckle at the disheveled looking Konoha eleven. She could not blame them it was five in the morning. They had not been in the same room together since…. well, since they planned to kill Sasuke Uchiha. How things changed.

"alright, well...now that everyone is here. Team 7, team 8, team 10 and team guy. Things are tense right now between the nations. We are all on edge… and mainly because the rebel forces are getting stronger, civil wars have broken out in the smaller villages. In response, the five nations have decided to send out their ninjas to help take care of the situation. With that said, team 7 and team 8 sakura, Naruto, Sai, and Shino, Kiba and in place of Hinata is Tokuma hyuga your group will head west. Team guy and team10 will head south. And Sasuke. You are the middleman, whatever the teams cannot handle or gets to be too much...you take care of it. anything anyone needs will report it to Sasuke and he will handle it. is that clear?"

All heads nodded.

The teams assembled at the gate. Only a few had yet to show up, one of them being Sasuke.

"...can you believe this crap, Sasuke…being the middlemen...how does tsunade know she can trust him!?" Kiba snarled.

"I don't agree with it either Kiba, but we have to trust lady tsunade. Besides, she has anbu watching him at all times." Neji said as he stood next to Ten Ten.

Ever since Hinata's disappearance, team 8 and team guy had gotten closer. Beforehand they did not interact much but the last couple months, they leaned on each other. Ten ten stepping in and helping Hanabi when she needed it.

'alright are we ready!" Naruto shouted in excitement as Sai and sakura appeared next to him.

"where's Sasuke-kun?" sakura asked in worry.

"are we ready?" an annoyed voice asked

All eyes turned to see Sasuke Uchiha dressed in a dark blue kimono with slits on the side. Under it he had on black pants and on his waist, he had his sword and kunai pouch. His hair had been put in a high ponytail with a red ribbon. The front of his kimono had the Uchiha symbol and on the back had the kanji for mountain.

Sakura could not help but drool. Sasuke looked elegant and yet…powerful. His hair was blowing in the springtime wind.

"let us go. Can you all make sure you have your communicators on. I must keep in contact with all of you. See you out there."

Before they knew it, he was gone in a puff of smoke

…

Three weeks. The stupid mission had lasted three freaking weeks and Sasuke did his job. When the rest of the group ran out of chakra and were knocked down, Sasuke intervened. Killing the rebels on site. He would get the info from the leader's mind and then behead them. The blood always ran cold after a while. It was sticky and stained everything. Blood made Sasuke panic. He was able to hide the attacks but with all these bodies and his emotions at the forefront, he was trembling. Normally he could put his emotions to the side, but this just struck a chord…and it was because children were involved.

He watches numbly as sakura and ino helped get the children out of the rebel hideouts. It was done. All the rebel leaders and their participants were killed. Suddenly, Sasuke felt something…warm rub against him.

It was aki.

Hinata felt the panic through the seal. She knew Sasuke was either having a panic attack or a nightmare. She wanted to go to him, to help him but she could not leave their people. So, she did the best thing. She sent aki.

"lord Uchiha…I've been sent." Aki said softly.

Sasuke tangled his hands into her fur and took a big breath. He had to get himself together, he could break down later.

"Hai…thank you aki. Right now, were just doing damage control. Some of my comrades are severely weak and their chakra has been depleted can you heal them?"

"Hai...lord Uchiha." Aki said as he guided her to one of their weakened comrades. Ten ten was first and then Neji and so on. By the time everyone had been healed. The cleanup was done, and it was time to head home. However, with everything that happened. The group decided that staying in an inn was well deserved.

"alright how are we splitting the rooms?" shikamaru asked.

Sasuke however went to a sperate reception desk and asked for a room with four beds.

"hey, dobe, sakura...Sai...let's go."

The trio turned and looked at him in question.

"you guys want to sleep don't you...lets go."

"hey what about the rest of us!" Kiba shouted.

"you can sleep on the floor."

That of course made Kiba mad but shino stopped him from making a scene.

"hey, they have an outdoor bathhouse meet the girls their forehead! And the guys do your own thing!" ino shouted.

Sakura waved as an acknowledgement.

She however was focused on the fact that she and Sasuke would be sharing a room. Her mind began to replay the fantasies her twelve-year-old self would have, and it was finally coming true.

"room 340."

The foursome entered the room and began to unpack.

"so Sasuke...who's the tiger that was healing everyone. Its chakra has to be depleted by now?" Naruto asked

"I have many chakra reserves. I'd appreciated if you did not assume."

Naruto whipped around to see the giant tiger leaning on the windowsill.

"whoa! How'd you get up here!" Naruto yelled

".my lord… this child annoys me…he's so loud."

Sasuke smiled.

"hmm. Come on teme, Sai! let us go to the bath houses!" Naruto said in frustration. A stupid tiger did not like him.

"...no thanks…I've got some things to do. come on aki." Sasuke said as he walked the opposite direction.

"Sasuke kun! I'll come with you!" sakura offered.

"no thank you. You should go with ino. I'll see you all later."

Sakura's shoulders slumped. She wondered where he had to go.

Hmmm, ino could wait.

Sasuke walked through the village, there were vendors and food stalls.

"roasted chicken aki?" he offered.

"I prefer to hunt for my food my lord…but a lazy day couldn't hurt."

Sasuke grinned as he ordered a roasted chicken and put it in bag. As the two traveled, a lavender stone caught his eye.

"excuse me mam? What is this?" he asked

"oi…. it is a lavender jade stone. You want it? I'm sure a handsome man like you has a pretty lady waiting."

"do you think she'll like it aki?"

"I'm sure she will but maybe it should be turned into a necklace. And you should have it engraved."

Sakura blushed as she saw Sasuke pick up the stone and ask if he thought she would like it.

She. he was talking about her! Sasuke was buying a gift for her! she could not believe it! seeing all she needed to sakura left for the bathhouses.

She should have known better because she missed the rest of the conversation.

"…could you engrave it for my wife please. She's going to love it."

Naruto sat in the water. He had to find a way to improve his relationship with Sasuke. Maybe he should start of small. Sasuke did not like big groups, so that would not work out.

"hey Naruto! What's eating you?" choji asked

"huh! On nothing choji! You guys want to get food after this!"

Before everyone knew it, it was time to go to bed. Naruto was silent as he laid on his bed. He hated nighttime. nighttime was when his thoughts took over. Thoughts of Hinata and thoughts of how long it would take for him to become Hokage. Hinata. Hinata Hyuga. A month after he rejected her, she disappeared. Returned her headband and just left. Naruto felt betrayed. How could she just abandon her duties? She was a traitor in his eyes.

He looked over to where Sasuke's empty bed was. Where in the world had the teme gone?

He had not really been able to talk to Sasuke like he wanted to. They were always interrupted. With heavy thoughts on his mind. Naruto fell asleep.