The four ninja left the hot springs inn in the middle of the next day having enjoyed the opportunity to relax for a while. It was actually quite comical to watch the four of them make the short walk back to Suna because, despite what had happened over the last few days, one could still only barely notice that there was anything going on between the two men and the two women. They didn't walk closely next to one another…they didn't hold hands…and they didn't talk about personal things. Now that they were back in the public eye, it was back to business as usual.
Upon returning to Suna, the two couples went to their respective abodes to prepare for dinner. Sasuke, Sakura and Shikamaru were planning to leave early the next morning and would be dining with the Kazekage and his entourage for dinner tonight.
Sakura and Sasuke arrived at the pre-appointed restaurant and were shown to the private room in which they would be dining. However, before they got there, there was a large BANG. They rushed into the room to see what the matter was.
"Knock it off, Kankuro!" shouted Temari, holding onto her brother's arm.
"I'm going to kill this bastard!" yelled Kankuro, not taking his eyes off of Shikamaru.
"Kankuro," said Gaara. "Stand down."
Upon hearing his younger brother (and the leader of their village) tell him to back-off, he did as he was instructed.
Temari immediately knelt down next to Shikamaru and helped him into a chair.
"What happened here?" asked Sasuke to no one in particular.
"What a drag," said Shikamaru, now holding his right hand against his right cheek.
"Kankuro caught Shikamaru kissing me," said Temari. "We got here first and didn't realize that he and Gaara were right behind us."
"Overprotective much?" said Sasuke.
"Let me see," said Sakura pulling Shikamaru's hand off his cheek so she could heal any bruising that might already be underway.
Kankuro stormed out of the private room and most likely out of the restaurant itself. Temari looked a little dejected.
"Don't worry about it," Shikamaru told her. "He's just not used to seeing his sister as a woman."
Temari sighed. "I know," she answered.
Gaara then spoke up. "He'll be fine. I'll speak to him later," he assured Temari.
"Thanks," she replied.
"For now, let's get something to eat," said Gaara.
OlOlOlOlOlO
The three Leaf shinobi left on time early the next morning. It took a full three days to get back to Konoha. Once they got there, Shikmaru told Sakura and Sasuke to head home because he would make the official report to the Hokage for both of their missions. He headed right to the Hokage Tower.
When he arrived at Tsunade's office, her door was already open. He lightly knocked on the doorframe before walking in. The Hokage did not look up. Shikamaru walked forward and stood upright and still in front of her desk until she acknowledged him.
It took about three full minutes, but finally, Shikmaru heard her say, "It's about time you came home."
"Sorry," he replied. "There were additional important matters to attend to."
"A hot spring is an important matter?" she asked.
"Well, I, um…," he stuttered a bit. How would she know that?
Tsunade finished writing on a scroll that was laid out in front of her. As she rolled it up, she uttered, "Fine, fine. It's fine. You probably deserved some time off anyway."
"Sakura and Sasuke are back as well. You already received the report from Sakura, I presume?" he asked.
Tsunade nodded. "Yes, via a messenger bird. A by-the-book mission if there ever was one," she mentioned.
"…and Gaara communicated with you about the training exercises and Sasuke?" Shikamaru asked.
"Hm," she affirmatively grunted. "I am aware of what happened on that mock mission."
"Then I guess my work here is done," said Shikamaru, thinking he was getting off easy. He turned to exit the room.
"Hold on," Tsunade quipped loudly. "I still need to ask you some questions."
"Troublesome," he muttered under his breath and turned back to his leader.
"I want your personal take on Sasuke Uchiha," she said.
Shikamaru must have given her a strange look.
"I know. Out of everything I could have asked you about from the past two to three weeks, you probably weren't expecting me to ask something so tangential. However, I do have my reasons. I want to know both your observations on both a professional and personal level of the Uchiha. I want to know everything that happened," she said.
Shikamaru sighed and began to tell the Hokage everything he saw and knew about Sasuke, the mission, and everything that went on in Suna that involved him.
OlOlOlOlOlO
Not thinking, Sasuke and Sakura made their way to her place first. Right when they arrived, Sakura stopped and looked into Sasuke's eyes.
"Damn!" she exclaimed.
"What?" he asked.
"I should have dropped you off at Naruto's first. Technically, you still need an escort since we are back in Konoha," Sakura explained.
"Oh, I completely forgot about that," he answered. "I was enjoying not having to worry about that while we were in Suna."
"You...could...just stay here," she suggested.
Sasuke leaned into kiss her. "I'm all yours," he said.
Sakura was already floating knowing that she would get to spend even more time with Sasuke. It was pure heaven for her and what she had always wanted...Sasuke completely devoted to her and wanting to be with her. However, her dreaminess was snapped when she somehow thought about where they now were and what their next steps would most likely be.
She looked at him seriously and said, "No more hanky panky though. We seriously need to get some rest."
Sasuke understood and nodded. The two lovebirds were scarcely able to keep their hands to themselves when they were alone. Even on the trip back to Konoha from Suna, they slept under the same blanket occasionally giving into their urges and trying to be as quiet as possible so as not to alert Shikamaru. (Though he wasn't dumb and knew exactly what was going on...and if Temari had been there, he would have been doing something very similar)
OlOlOlOlOlO
Sakura woke up to the bright sun early the next morning. Wow, did I really sleep that long? I must have needed the rest. She looked at the angelic face of the Uchiha laying next to her. She used her hand to brush some stray hair off of his forehead and for some reason started to think to herself that this was the very same face who once hated her so much. My how things had changed.
She got out of bed and went over to the window to open the drapes that the sun was making nearly transparent anyway. Just as the fabric was moved to the side, a messenger shinobi jumped onto the sill of the open window.
Sakura was surprised and made a small "eep" sound, not expecting someone to be jumping at her at that exact time. Sasuke instinctively sat up in bed upon hearing Sakura's cry.
"Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno. You are ordered to report to the Hokage's office as soon as possible," the messenger said matter-of-factly. Then he was gone as quickly as he came.
OlOlOlOlOlO
"Enter!" shouted Tsunade when she heard the knock on the door.
Sakura and Sasuke walked into her office and stood in front of her desk. Naruto and Kakashi were both there standing off to the side.
"Now that we are all here, I have some things I need to discuss with you," said Tsunade.
The four shinobi - the original Team 7 - now stood in a straight line in front of her desk.
"Sasuke Uchiha, your punishment for the crimes committed against Konoha is officially concluded," Tsunade proclaimed.
"But - it's still early," said Sakura. "Why?" she questioned aloud.
"You of all people are going to question me?" Tsunade roared. "Would you rather I make him serve his entire sentence?"
"Uh, no, M'Lady. I-I just didn't know...sorry," started Sakura.
Sasuke interrupted. "My entire punishment?" he asked.
"Hm," she grunted in the affirmative. "You are now just another shinobi of the Leaf. You no longer need an escort, and I have decided that you will be paid a full wage for all your shinobi work."
Sasuke knew better than to look a gift horse in the mouth. "Thank you, Lady Tsunade."
"Kakashi and Naruto, you may go. Please inform the others of my decision so that they are aware," she said.
Both of them knew immediately who the "others" were - the other teams and classmates who were also looking after Sasuke since his return to the Leaf. They had, one-by-one, also started to believe in him again. Kakashi and Naruto disappeared in a flash.
"Sasuke, you will continue to rest from your previous mission and start training for your next one over the next two weeks," said Tsunade. "The mission will be similar in scope as the last one. We are still working to get the Uchiha name back in the shinobi world's good graces. The next stop is the Land of Lightning and the Raikage. He may not be as happy to see you considering what you did to his arm."
"Hai," Sasuke exclaimed unquestioningly.
"You may now go," she said. He walked out the door and into the hallway.
"Close that if you would," added the Hokage.
He reached in and pulled the door closed behind him.
Now it was just Tsunade and Sakura...teacher and student, mentor and mentee.
"Was there something else?" asked Sakura.
"I just wanted to inform you that I am aware what has been going on between you two," said Tsunade.
Sakura blushed a bit. "Everything?"
"Well, let's just say that I know enough," Tsunade clarified. "I need to know the state, both physically and mentally of my shinobi so that they can be most effective at all times. How do you think I knew to deliver the message to him at your place this morning?"
"Oh, I see," said Sakura lowly. She hadn't really thought of that.
Tsunade walked around her desk and towards her student. She placed her hand on Sakura's shoulder before continuing.
"I'm happy for you Sakura...I really am. It seems that he is really here to stay now and he, even in the last few months, has shown himself to be a fine shinobi. You probably played an important role in his successful transformation."
Sakura's face went from one of embarrassment to now showing a bit of pride. She was proud that Sasuke was being recognized for his efforts.
"That is why he is no longer being punished?" Sakura asked.
"Yes," answered the Hokage. "I am very impressed by his efforts...and I do appreciate you supporting him. I'm sorry I will not be sending you to the Land of Lightning with him. He needs to gain back the trust of the cloud shinobi on his own, and without distraction."
Sakura was a disappointed, but did understand that she would be a distraction. She wanted to be with him as much as possible and her being there might be a temptation he could not ignore.
"I have been in love before as well," Tsunade started to explain. "The newness and obsession will wear off. I'm expecting that the love, respect, and caring will not. There will be a time, most likely very shortly, when you two working together will be acceptable once again. But that time is not now."
"I completely understand, M'Lady," Sakura answered.
Tsunade was happy for her student. "Now go. I'm sure he is waiting in the hallway for you."
Sakura smiled back at her teacher. She turned and left.
OlOlOlOlOlO
Life quickly went back to normal following the return to Konoha. Most of the shinobi who had gone to Suna had been back for a few days before Shikamaru, Sasuke and Sakura had returned. Apart from some additional rest, Team 7 fell right back into their old training routine quite quickly.
Sasuke still didn't have a place to call his own though he did check on the progress of what would soon become the Uchiha homestead. He ended up staying with Naruto about half the time and with Sakura half the time. When he didn't show up at Naruto's place on any particular night, Naruto knew where he most likely was. Naruto definitely wasn't concerned about his friend's whereabouts anymore and in fact, started spending a few nights with Hinata himself.
Things had progressed quickly between Naruto and Hinata (though not quite as quickly as they had between Sasuke and Sakura). When the Naruto and Sasuke would train, eat, or hang out together, talk would quickly turn to their deepening relationships.
It wasn't only them. Tenten and Neji had finally made things official. Ino and Chouji had steadily gotten closer - it was hard to find one of them without the other one around. And, of course, there was Shikamaru who was currently dating Temari from Suna. Little-by-little, the pairing up of their friends and colleagues had occurred. In a rare philosophical moment, Naruto had stated that they were all finally growing up and in no time, someone would probably come forth with wedding or pregnancy news. They were no longer the 12 year-old, newly graduated genin they once were. Although they were only in their late teens, they had experienced more than most would in their entire lives.
Two weeks flew by fast. Soon enough it was time for Sasuke to go on his next mission.