A/N:
D of L: Yes, no one says just one climax, but that may have to be the case because my ideas for this fic have hit a dead end, and I want to end it soon. If anyone has any suggestions feel free to drop me a note.

Dyroness: The probability of a lemon is low, sorry- this fic is PG and I want to be a responsible fanfictionist for my readers (I have a feeling most are under 18). The other and probably more honest excuses are that I'm lazy and probably wouldn't do it justice.

Ori and others: It's ok to tell me what you think- I don't expect to please everyone.

Phantomgamer: I laughed at your comment. You're funny and encouraging. Thx. Wasn't going in that direction, but I'll think about it.

I must have forgotten about the Shiz. Well she's in this chap.

School is so fun it makes me want to rip out my entrails and throw them up in the air like confetti.

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After making herself presentable at a crazed pace, Sakura ran out the door and made her way toward the Hokage's office. She had no idea what she was going to do or say; all she knew was that she had to see Sasuke again.

When she arrived at the building, she darted up the stairs and pressed her finger hard against the sensor to open the door. Running down the hall, she noticed her friends and fellow shinobi sitting on benches or leaning against the wall outside the Hokage's door, some with their heads lowered solemnly and others wearing expressions of complete shock. Sasuke was nowhere in sight.

In a different situation, Sakura might have thought it incredibly uncomfortable to talk about Sasuke or betray any interest in him in front of his old teammates. However, now was not the time for formalities.

"Where is he!?" Sakura demanded breathlessly, her fierce green eyes shifting quickly from friend to friend.

The shinobi avoided her gaze and did not respond.

"Well!?" Sakura was furious when she did not get an answer. Exasperated and impatient, she made her way toward the Hokage's door. She wanted to be with him if he was being interrogated by Tsunade-sama.

Neji, who was standing, grabbed Sakura's arm as she walked past him, and she shot him an incensed look. His face was serious and his grip firm; Sakura would have been afraid if he had not caught her at such a fanatical time. She shook her arm violently. Whether she successfully threw off his hand or whether he let her go, she did not know, but she eventually broke loose.

A couple of steps later, she collided into Naruto's chest. Sakura looked up into his concerned blue eyes angrily.

"Get out of my way," she said in a threatening, but controlled voice.

"No," he whispered.

Sakura tried to push him out of the way, but he stood his ground and grabbed both her arms. She struggled as she twisted them, trying to wrestle out of his grasp.

"Naruto...let go!" she cried through clenched teeth.

"You can't go in, Sakura."

"Why not?! What is she doing to him?!" She struggled some more and yelled, "Why are all of you standing out here like this?! And why won't anyone answer my questions?!"

"We were told not to let you in," Naruto said softly as he watched her aggravated struggle to break free from his grasp.

"Naruto, why?! Just let me in! I need to see him!"

"Sakura-chan..."

Struggling in vain, Sakura could feel her eyes begin to water. This could not be the end. She needed to see Sasuke's face one more time.

Sakura started pounding her fists hard against Naruto's chest in frustration. Each hit became weaker than the last as she found herself exhausted from the intensity of her feelings and her ineffectual thrashing.

Sakura stopped after some time and felt Naruto's arms wrap tightly around her shoulders. She surrendered to the comfort of his body and buried her twisted face in Naruto's chest. Sakura was trembling from anger and anxiety. With closed eyes, Naruto held her and slowly ran his fingers through her hair, trying to sooth her distress.

"Sakura-chan," Naruto said softly. "You have to be strong for him."

Sakura's sobs momentarily abated. There was no animosity in Naruto's voice when he mentioned Sasuke. She withdrew from his embrace and looked into his eyes. She could see no trace of anger, only empathy.

"Naruto..." Sakura shook her head, at a loss for words.

"It's...it's up to Tsunade now." She could see that he was conflicted. With a note of relief, she realized that Naruto had not completely forgotten how close he had once been with Sasuke after all these years.

As her tears fell down her cheeks, she mumbled, "I'm scared, Naruto."

Naruto averted her gaze and paused.

"I am too."

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Meanwhile, the two ANBU members had entered Tsunade's office, each leading Sasuke in with one arm. Tsunade was standing in front of her desk with Shizune next to her as the ANBU nins tossed Sasuke to the floor. He collapsed to his knees, with his hands tied behind his back and head lowered.

Tsunade felt her stomach leap a bit as she realized she finally had Uchiha Sasuke at her complete mercy. Unfortunately, he still retained many of his boyish features and resembled the image of him that she had stored in her mind throughout these long years.

"Uchiha...Sasuke," she said in a clear voice. Shizune had a concerned look on her face as she studied her sensei's intent expression.

Sasuke was silent and kept his head lowered.

"It has been a long time."

There was still no sign of recognition from him.

Tsunade asked in strict tone, "Do you know why you're here?"

Again, no reply.

Suddenly Tsunade felt anger swell up in her core. She walked over to his kneeling body and grabbed his chin forcefully, lifting his gaze up to meet hers. She narrowed her eyes.

"Tsunade-sama—" Shizune began disapprovingly.

It was a handsome face; Tsunade could almost see why Sakura would find it hard to refuse him her aid. His eyes, though, were vacant and unfeeling, as if he were trying to remove his soul from his body in its imminent death.

She let go of him momentarily, but Sasuke kept his head raised.

"Answer me," she pressed.

"I'm here so you can kill me," he said flatly.

Tsunade suppressed a feeling of surprise. He was not even going to put up a fight. She took a few steps back.

"You were brought here more quickly than I had expected." Tsunade paused.

"Did you come to my office willingly?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I didn't want her to see me fighting or running away."

Tsunade knew who he was talking about. She cleared her throat, and felt a sudden need to justify her actions.

"Do you know how many crimes you have committed? Or how many people you've killed these past few years?"

"I haven't been keeping track."

"It's more than enough to warrant your death, Uchiha Sasuke-kun. Do you deny it?"

"No."

Tsunade sighed and folded her arms in front of her. His surrender had been less satisfying than she had envisioned. She had made her decision to kill him yesterday, but for some reason she hesitated. With each passing moment her resolve was dissolving. She would have to act now before she changed her mind. Shizune was shifting uncomfortably and had her mouth open slightly, as if she were debating whether or not to object.

"Then we'll get this over with," Tsunade told him quietly. Her tone had changed. There was no trace of malice.

"Are you ready?"

Sasuke bowed his head.

Tsunade unfolded her arms again and began concentrating blue chakra to her hands.

Shizune, who had been watching agitatedly, finally spoke up.

"Tsunade-sama..." she pleaded. "Tsunade-sama, please...He..."

Tsunade kept charging her hands, but said to her assistant, "Be quiet, Shizune. This is the way it has to end."

"Tsunade-sama! Tsunade-sama, please...stop!"

Tsunade felt annoyed. This was hard enough without her protests. "Shizune!"

"Tsunade-sama, it's too soon..."

The Hokage ignored her.

Shizune tried to rationalize with her teacher. "It's too soon! Please wait...Don't we need to find out what the council of elders thinks? They make the laws...maybe you don't have to do this! He needs a trial first..."

Shizune grew desperate as she saw Tsunade move slowly toward Sasuke's dejected form. She cried, "Tsunade-sama! Stop! He's just a boy—look at him!!"

In actuality, Tsunade was finding it difficult to summon the will to execute Sasuke. She had wanted to do this quickly so they could all put it behind them, but Shizune's cries were making it impossible to concentrate.

A part of her registered what her assistant had said. It was, in fact, true that the council of elders who oversaw the judicial system in Konoha had the right to determine the punishment of all criminals. It was also true that, in a normal situation, they would be given a trial first. Of course, Tsunade knew that it was only a loosely enforced policy for infamous traitors like Sasuke. There was no doubt as to what the verdict would be. He could not be vindicated, especially if he admitted to the charged crimes. Tsunade was also confident that the council of elders trusted her judgment and would have no objection if she killed him right here and now.

But...

Maybe it was too soon...not for him to die, but for her to kill him. That face was still too shockingly similar to the one he had as a boy. Tsunade cursed herself for her indecisiveness. Perhaps tomorrow, once she reviewed all the heinous crimes he had committed at a trial, she would have no reservations.

Tsunade slowly forced the chakra back into her palms while Shizune took a deep breath of relief and shook her head. Sasuke remained still.

Tsunade cleared her throat again.

"Uchiha Sasuke-kun," she said in her hardest voice possible. "You're lucky my assistant has pointed out some formalities in our judicial process. As a criminal, you do have the right to a trial in front of the council of elders."

Sasuke looked up at the Hokage.

Tsunade did not want to appear lenient, because she was not. "But don't get too comfortable. When you are found guilty, which I'm sure you will be, you will face the same end whether it is now or later."

Tsunade turned her back to him and walked back to sit down in the chair behind her desk. She signaled to the ANBU guards waiting by the door. "Lock Uchiha Sasuke in one of the cells in the prison for today. I'll request an emergency trial for him tomorrow morning and inform the Konoha elders of his return."

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Both ninjas bowed and walked over to Sasuke, lifting him up by the arms.

When the door opened, Sakura, who had crying on Naruto's shoulder, sat up from the bench immediately and swallowed hard. Her eyes watched Sasuke's body being led out by two ANBU nins.

"Sasuke..." she whispered.

For a minute she felt relief that he was still alive. But then she noticed the ANBU nins guiding him away from her.

"Wait!" Sakura cried, as she grabbed one ANBU nin's arm. "Where are you taking him!?"

"Haruno Sakura-san, please let go," said the ANBU nin calmly. He did not stop walking, and Sakura felt herself being dragged with them.

"Not before you tell me where you're taking him!" Sakura demanded.

"Tsunade-sama instructed us to take him to the prison for the day."

"What?" Sakura whispered as her grip slackened a bit. The ANBU nins kept walking away with Sasuke, and Sakura snapped out of her surprise. She ran to catch up with them.

"Wait! Can I go too?"

"Sorry, Sakura-san. There are no visitor hours for S-class criminals."

Then Sakura felt someone grip her arm, keeping her from following Sasuke.

"Sakura-chan..." It was Naruto.

She tried to break free all the while pleading with the ANBU nins.

"Let me stay with him...please!"

They ignored her and kept walking.

"Please!"

When they did not respond, Sakura grew frustrated, trying to use her whole body weight to cut loose from Naruto's grasp. Naruto shifted his body and wrapped his arm around her waist. She kicked around and wriggled her shoulders to no avail.

"Stop—!" Her voice was despairing. The ANBU nins were heading out the door.

When Sasuke's body disappeared, Naruto felt Sakura's body fall lifeless.

He called her name, but she did not respond. Her eyes were focused on empty space.