AN: I just wanted to say thank you to every one who was supportive and understanding during my short absence. Funnily enough, I caught my daughter's illness, which is why I missed last weeks update. Lol, but she and I are both fully recovered and feeling great! Your sweet and encouraging reviews have made me so happy! This particular chapter has been in my mind since I first began this story and I'm thrilled that I was finally able to sit down to write it. I hope you enjoy.

I do not own Naruto.

Chapter Thirteen

"Just tell me."

"No."

"Not even one little hint?"

Sasuke let out a sigh. "Sakura."

"Alright, alright," Sakura said, holding her hands up in relent. "Fine, I give up. I'll drop it."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, highly doubting those words. Sakura had said the same thing the moment she first began pestering him when Sasuke mentioned he wanted to take her someplace instead of continuing the medical ninjutsu training. Sakura, he was learning, did not do well with the built-up anticipation that came with surprises. Neither did Sasuke, but that was only because he generally did not like surprises as a rule of thumb.

Sasuke hoped she would like this. Or, at least, he hoped she would understand the meaning behind the gesture.

Sakura eyed the empty box that Sasuke carried in his lone hand. She bit her lip in what Sasuke assumed was a gesture to keep herself from asking for the 50th time where they were going. He ignored her and turned his eyes forward, finally able to make out the structure that was just beginning to come into sight.

His stomach twisted and, not for the first time, Sasuke questioned whether or not this was a good idea. Part of Sasuke wanted Sakura to know more, to know him. Another, equally large, part of Sasuke also screamed that letting Sakura this close was dangerous. That deepening their bond would lead to nothing but pain.

He swallowed and pushed that thought aside. They'd already made it too far to turn back now.

Sakura studied him as if sensing his inner battle and grew quiet. Nothing but the sound of gravel crunching beneath their footsteps filled the air as they made it closer towards the looming structure. Sakura was so fixated on silently watching him that she'd given up searching her surrounding for clues. The answer to her question was practically smacking her in the face and she was failing to comment on it. Sasuke halted his footsteps, causing the pinkette to nearly smack into him as she skidded to a stop behind him.

"We're here."

Sakura blinked in surprise and turned to set her green eyes on their destination. A sharp breath drew between her teeth and Sasuke desperately tried not to analyze the meaning of that. He nudged open the gate and began to walk inside. When Sakura didn't follow him, he looked back and furrowed his brow. She was standing stock still, staring at the gate with her mouth hanging open slightly.

"Are you coming?" he asked.

Sakura shifted her feet. "Is it... okay if I do? I mean, I'm not an Uchiha..."

Sasuke's lip twitched. That's what she's worried about? Not having permission?

He held his hand out toward her and said, "You're with me, aren't you? Let's go."

Sakura smiled gently at him and placed her hand lightly in his as he led her inside the Uchiha compound.

The desolate streets were eerily quiet as Sasuke and Sakura walked through the empty compound. Sakura swallowed, eyeing the chipped walls and collapsed roofs. She tried to imagine the place bright and full of bustling people, but it seemed impossible. All she could conjure in her mind were the images that appeared in her dreams when she imagined this place: bodies. Lifeless bodies surrounding one terrified child.

Sakura glanced at Sasuke and wondered how he was coping with this.

Why did he bring me here...?

Sasuke stopped in front of a house and silently stared at it. Sakura's pink eyebrows knitted together, trying to find the significance.

Could this be...

"This is my home."

Sakura eyed the building, imagining what it must have looked like when Sasuke's family had taken up residence. It looked fairly spacious and must have been lovely in its prime. Now, however, the years of neglect had caused the home to look much like the rest of the compound. She eyed the cobwebs, shattered windows, and sinking porch.

Sasuke stepped carefully up the steps of the porch and walked inside his childhood home. Before following after him, Sakura took a deep breath to prepare herself. It felt so much like intruding that she kept having to remind herself that Sasuke had brought her here. He was choosing to show her this.

She stepped carefully inside the dark home, the only source of light peeking through the grimy windows. Sakura glanced around, unsure what to do with her body. It seemed awkward to stand hovering by the door, but it felt equally rude and intrusive to explore further inside the home. Sasuke stood in the middle of the living room with his back toward her, the box on the floor by his feet. She eyed him sadly, wondering what kind of emotions and thoughts were raging inside him.

"Sasuke-kun?"

The sound of her voice seemed to jerk him away from whatever he was thinking. Sasuke looked around the room and his eyes caught the sight of a picture frame perched on a small table against the right wall. He made his way across the room and picked it up, blowing off the dust before setting it back down. Curiosity taking over, Sakura made her way to stand next to him, eyeing the photo.

The image of Sasuke as a child immediately jumped out at her when her eyes landed on the picture. It was the very same boy that she spent so many years watching and idolizing during their Academy days. He was her first and only crush that she could recognize anywhere. Sakura smiled, spotting the handsome features in his childlike face that he had now grown into. Her eyes wandered and she caught sight of Itachi somewhere between the age of 10 to 13, if she had to guess.

Sakura had met Itachi once, long ago when they were still on the hunt for Sasuke and when Lady Chiyo had been alive. He looked so similar to Sasuke that she'd nearly thought it was him back then. The two boys, she knew, had a complicated past. At one time, Sasuke craved nothing more than revenge against his older brother. All of that hatred for Itachi seemed to be over now and Sakura wondered where exactly Sasuke stood when it came to him. Something seemed to be different with their relationship, but she didn't feel right prying. She wondered if Sasuke would tell her one day.

As she pondered this, Sakura's eyes caught the older man and woman standing behind the two boys in the frame. Sakura's eyes widened and she bent closer to get a better look at the photo. Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, she first observed the man with a stern face and hard features befitting the Chief of Police in Konoha. Next, her eyes slid to the woman standing beside him who had soft eyes and an impossibly kind smile. Sakura grinned, noting where Sasuke had gotten his good looks from with just one glance at the dark-haired woman.

"She's beautiful..." Sakura whispered, mesmerized by the image.

"Ah."

"What's her name?" Sakura asked, wanting to know more about the woman who had given birth to the love of her life.

"Mikoto."

"Hm... Uchiha Mikoto," Sakura said, trying out the name on her lips.

"She was..." Sasuke started, "a kind woman with a soft heart. Itachi was a lot like her in that way."

Sakura smiled, still eyeing the photo, and hummed, "You look more like her, though."

"Hn." Sakura looked back at Sasuke, noting that his eyebrows were knitted together in thought. "You think?" he asked.

"Oh, definitely! You don't see it? Look." Sakura pointed at the picture. "Itachi has sharper features, like your father. Whereas you and your mother have darker hair and softer faces. Even your smiles are similar."

"Hm. I guess so."

"Well, I know so," Sakura giggled. She continued to eye the photograph with a small smile, her heart warmed that Sasuke chose to share this intimate part of himself with her.

"They're tearing down the compound."

Sakura's head whipped up at Sasuke, startled by these sudden words, and her green eyes widened.

"Wh-What do you mean they're tearing it down? They can't do that!"

Sasuke shrugged. "It's okay."

"No, it's not! Of course, it's not okay! They can't do this." Sakura frowned, determined as she faced Sasuke. He had already lost so much, more than anyone should have to bear. It seemed wrong, cruel, that he should lose the last tie he had to his clan. "We can stop this! I'm sure if we speak to Kakashi-sensei, there's something we could do. We could-"

"Sakura," Sasuke said, cutting her off in the middle of her tirade. "It's okay."

Her pink eyebrows furrowed. How could it possibly be okay? "Are... Are you sure?"

Sasuke nodded and observed his surroundings. "I'm surprised they didn't do it sooner when I was gone all of those years. Or even when they began to rebuild after Pain's attack."

Sakura shifted her feet and rubbed her arm in embarrassment. The truth was that Sakura and Naruto wouldn't let anyone touch the Uchiha compound. They'd argued with to the council and Lady Tsunade that when Sasuke returned to the village, it would be wrong for his home to be gone after all he'd been through. Miraculously, the compound had been one of the few places untouched by Pain's attack, likely because it was on the outskirts of the village. Perhaps it would have been torn down then if everyone hadn't been too preoccupied with having to rebuild the entire village.

"The world is in peacetime and the village is expanding every day," Sasuke continued. "I don't live here and no one else can. It can't stay this way forever."

Sakura supposed that made sense. It was likely too painful for Sasuke to live here and it would be disrespectful for anyone else to take residence of the place, as is.

But still...

"I guess..." Sakura said, understanding the situation but still feeling pained about it. She glanced at the photo, the idea of Sasuke's home being gone still seeming so wrong.

Sasuke eyed Sakura who had grown silent. The crease between her eyebrows deepened as she stared at the photo of his family. It was evident that even though she understood why the compound was being torn down, she didn't particularly like it. No matter what it was, Sakura was always looking out for his best interest. Sasuke smiled at her even though she didn't notice. It touched him beyond belief how much she cared. How much she always cared.

"She would have liked you."

Sakura looked at him, the surprise evident on her face. Sasuke was startled by the words as well. He hadn't expected or planned on saying them, but he knew they were true. Sakura's mouth parted and she blushed.

"You think so?" she asked shyly, tucking a lock of pink hair behind her ear.

Sasuke breathed out a small laugh and nodded. "Yeah. She would have loved you. Itachi too, I'm sure."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "And your dad?"

Sasuke scoffed at that. "He was a hard man to read. I doubt he liked anyone."

Sakura began to giggle and he looked at her quizzically. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing," Sakura said between laughs, waving off his question. "I was just thinking that you look more like your mom but you probably inherited your social skills from your dad, then."

Sasuke looked at the photo again, considering this. "Itachi did have a softer heart." He'd never thought much about his and his brother's inherited traits. In the grand scheme of things, Sasuke only had a moment in time with his parents. All he could clearly remember about his father was how difficult the man was to earn praise from. His father had also been silent and stoic. Maybe they were alike in that way.

"I bet they would be proud of you," Sakura said.

"Hn. I doubt that. My dad didn't dote much. Or at all."

"But look how far you've come, Sasuke-kun. I know they would be proud of you. I just know it."

Upon hearing these words, the memory of his mother speaking to him as she washed dishes popped into his mind. At the time when Sasuke was a child, he'd been pouting to his mother about how his father only ever paid attention to Itachi. The words she'd said back then rang in his ears.

"But the conversations in here alone... When your father talks to me, he only talks about you. And because of that, he's always awkward with you."

Sasuke glanced back at Sakura who was smiling down at the photo in wonder. His eyes softened as he watched her. Never would Sasuke have imagined he'd have the strength to return here. He never thought he'd have a reason to return to a place where every happy memory had been tarnished by sadness. But Sasuke was in another place now mentally and he strangely found himself enjoying sharing this part of himself with Sakura. Somehow, she had made him feel at peace here.

Sasuke tentatively reached his lone right hand towards her and paused momentarily before brushing his fingers lightly against the back of her hand. He heard the sound of her breath catching and Sakura stood still as he slowly took her hand in his. The feeling of warmth spread across from her palm to his.

"Thank you, Sakura."

Sakura's green eyes stared deeply into his mismatched ones as her other hand clutched at her chest. "You're welcome, Sasuke-kun," she said tenderly. "You know I'm always here for you."

"I know."

Sasuke stared down at her, his eyes momentarily flickering down to her parted lips. Sakura gazed back at him, her eyes were so full of love and trust that it almost pained him. He squeezed her hand and dropped it, sighing and running his hand through his hair. Sasuke made his way towards the discarded box on the floor and scooped it up.

"We should grab a few things and leave. We're losing daylight."

Sakura blinked slowly; her eyes slightly glazed over as she glanced at the sun beginning to set behind the windows. "Oh, right."

The pair walked through his former home, grabbing items Sasuke had long ago decided he wanted nothing to do with. Besides the photo, Sasuke retrieved one of his mother's prized vases, his father's sword, and a few of Itachi's books and journals. Once they'd finished what he'd set out to do, Sasuke walked Sakura back to her apartment, surprised at how easy the outing had been. More than once, Sakura's hand brushed against his during their walk and he smirked, sure that it was no accident.

When they reached her apartment, he followed her up the stairs, chewing on his lip as he trailed behind. Normally, Sasuke was alone during heavy moments like this. He preferred it, even. But he didn't want that now. The idea of being alone after searching through his childhood home seemed bleak and... terrifying.

When Sakura finished unlocking her door, she peaked up at him from beneath her bangs, and Sasuke admitted this to her. "I don't want to go back to my apartment."

Sakura smiled kindly, green eyes twinkling as she grabbed his wrist to tug him inside. "Then stay."

Eight-year-old Sasuke bolted inside his home in a desperate run, hoping and praying that his family was safe from whatever attack had struck the Uchiha compound. The air was thick with misery and his small shaking hands nudged the creaky door open as his heart pounded in his ears.

His parent's lifeless bodies littered the floor as his older brother stood behind them, a still figure in the night. An odd mixture of fear and relief flooded Sasuke's heart, sure that despite the horror that was in front of him, his older brother was alive to help save him from this mess.

"Brother, Mom and Dad are... Why? What is this? Who the hell did this?!"

A kunai struck the wall behind Sasuke, lightly ripping the shoulder of his sleeve. His head snatched up, catching the red eyes of the man standing behind his parents. His older brother.

No.

Sasuke's eyes widened, seeing the all too familiar face looking back at him. 16-year-old Sasuke stood over two bloody bodies with blonde and pink hair. Sakura's lifeless emerald eyes looked back at him as a single red tear streaked down her cheek.

"How.." The pink girl wheezed, "How could you..."

"No! I don't want to see this!" Sasuke screamed, clutching his head as the sky bled red.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura cried, shaking him from his sleep. "Sasuke-kun, wake up!"

The raven-haired man on the bed next to her whimpered in his sleep, sweat pouring down the pained expression on his face.

"Sasuke-kun!" she yelled again, desperation beginning to build inside of her. Thinking quickly, Sakura pooled chakra into two fingers and placed them against his chest. She sent a burst of her own chakra inside his body to disrupt him from his sleep, much as she would do to release a genjutsu.

Sasuke's eyes snapped open with a gasp. With shaking hands, he slapped Sakura's hand away from his chest and leaped up from the bed. His head whipped this way and that and she could tell that his brain was still piecing reality together, desperately trying to remember where he was.

Sakura's heart ached to see him like this and she clutched at her chest.

"Sasuke-kun," she whispered gently in the dark. "It's okay. You're in my room. You're safe."

Sasuke finally looked at her, his shoulders heaving up and down through his heavy breaths. His eyes were a mismatch of red and purple, his Sharingan activated out of reflex and self-defense. His pupils flickered over her body where she sat on her bed with her legs tucked underneath her. He really looked at her, his tomoe slowing along with his breaths, but his hands continued to shake.

Sakura slowly stood from her bed and walked carefully towards him. "I'm here, Sasuke-kun." When Sakura stood in front of him, she gently took his hand in hers and placed it against her beating heart. "See? I'm right here."

The sensation of her beating heart against his palm seemed to bring him back down to reality. Sasuke's Sharingan faded and he spread his fingers against her chest, closing his eyes as he felt her heart pulse beneath his palm.

Sasuke closed his eyes tightly, feeling each beat of Sakura's heart pulsating beneath his touch. As his eyes closed, bright light filled his vision and the sound of a thousand birds flooded his ears. The image of himself standing behind Sakura, poised to the ram his Chidori through her back pervaded his mind.

Sasuke gasped and tried to jerk his hand away but Sakura's hands held steadfast on his wrist, keeping him in place.

"Open your eyes, Sasuke-kun," she whispered. "Come back to me. You're safe now."

Sasuke fluttered his eyes open and tried to focus again on Sakura's beating heart.

She's here. She's alive. I didn't do it. I didn't...

Overwhelming guilt choked at Sasuke's heart as Sakura's trusting green eyes looked up at him with concern. His throat tightened, seeing her so disturbed. How dare he be with her like this after everything he put her through?

"Don't do that," Sakura said, suddenly.

Sasuke blinked down at her, noting the way her hand tightened on his wrist and her eyes grew more determined. He continued to watch her; the silent question apparent on his features.

"Don't leave," she whispered, noting the look in his eyes and regret playing on his features. "Don't run away. Let me be here for you. Please."

Sasuke flinched at her words and the truth behind them. This was the exact moment where he would normally push Sakura away and either deal with his emotions alone or decide for them both that he should keep his distance. Still feeling pained, Sasuke paused momentarily before hesitantly nodding his head.

Relief flooded Sakura's features and she gently tugged on his wrist to bring him back to the bed. As she leaned against the mattress, she kept hold of his wrist as if she was terrified he would escape at any moment. Sasuke rested against the comforter, sighing into the pillow as he allowed Sakura to comfort him.

Sensing that he'd finally began to relax, Sakura began to turn her back to him, trying to give him space again as she had been since he'd first slept in her bed.

"Don't," Sasuke whispered as he grabbed hold of her sleeve and sighed. "Please."

Sakura glanced back at him as he faced her on the bed. Her eyes widened and, at a loss for words, Sakura merely nodded and laid on her side to face him. She was snuggled beneath the covers and Sasuke lay on top of them, still unable to breach the level of intimacy that required. Not yet.

Sasuke stared into her eyes as she silently watched him. With tentative fingers, Sakura reached out and lightly brushed his raven locks from his face to get a better look at the mismatched eyes he often tried to hide. He didn't flinch beneath her touch, but instead relished the way her soft fingers felt against the skin of his face.

"I'm sorry, Sakura," Sasuke whispered to her in the night.

Sakura's eyes softened and she smiled at him as she slid her fingers down across his cheek. Sasuke closed his eyes against the small gesture of affection.

"I know, Sasuke-kun," she whispered back. "We're okay and..."

I love you.

"I'm here," Sakura said, instead. "Try to get some sleep."

Sasuke nodded and sighed as she withdrew her fingers from his face. Sakura watched him silently for a few minutes as his breathing slowed, making sure that he was calm enough to drift back under. She smiled, overwhelmed with a mixture of concern and love that the man in front of her was allowing her to remain beside him during such a vulnerable state. Sakura nudged herself slightly closer towards him as she closed her eyes, finally allowing sleep to begin to pull her under.

As Sakura began to drift, Sasuke's small whisper filled the night.

Thank you.