Chapter 2

Sasuke's mission in life was simple when explained in one word, revenge. But the real reality of everything was not as simple as that one word. It required him to shut out everything in his life that could have been seen as normal. It required him to admit for the longest time that he did not love Sakura 'in that way'.

He had been through so much over the last 13 years away from Konoha. Orochimaru had lured him into his world. Trained him, twisted him to fit his plan for immortality but was over all unsuccessful in actually taking Sasuke completely away from Konoha forever. Sasuke was not as foolish as everyone might think for leaving in the first place. Orochimaru offered him power and he delivered it to him over the years. Sure he knew that it would not come without a price to pay but Sasuke was still puzzled on what that price would eventually end up being. When it came time for the body hop Orochimaru had miscalculated one factor. Sasuke was not one to give up on his mission. His simple revenge did not require him to lose himself completely to Orochimaru in both mind and body.

He remembered his rebellion against the snake Senin. It had started out like a day like any other. He woke before the sun rose and started his morning exercises. He had figured something was up when Kabuto for the last couple of days had not engaged him with any bickering or arguments. Instead, when Sasuke would make snide remarks to him about being more then just a 'henchmen' for Orochimaru he would smirk and say nothing. There was also the different behavior that Sasuke was receiving from Orochimaru who was starting to grill him for any information about his Sharingan. How much chakara he gave to them each time he activated them. A lot of technical things that seemed very trivial to Sasuke for Orochimaru to know.

"You never seemed to be this interested in my Sharingan this much before Orochimaru. I would hate to think that you're starting to have alternative motives now for my presence here." His words were very questioning to Orochimaru.

"I have been spoiling you lately with all my secrets. I only think that it is right that I start to learn some of yours. To feel what it would be like to be with your gift… Or even to be you." His words started to sound hissed. He was getting angry withhow Sasuke was questioning him yet again. He already had escaped the last body switch when he was 16 but he was not about to let him escape this fate again. Kabuto and him had it planned out this time better. Sasuke was to become his new host no matter what.

"Its attitude like that that I am going to be happy to silence." Kabuto whispered as he jabbed a needle into the cursed seal on Sasuke neck. "Its lights out for you Uchiha."

From that moment on to Sasuke there was darkness and to this day he did not know all the details of what had happened. All he could piece together was an inner battle like something was trying to rip him in half. Separate him from what he knew and was. But even through all that he remembered hearing and seeing them. They were calling to him. Begging him to fight, to give up his revenge and let the anger in his heart go. It was a blur of yellow and pink that Sasuke would claim saved him that day as cliché as that might sound. And that's why he was returning to them. To her, to him. The only people that were left in his life that wanted him accepted them and were there for him. It meant he would have to give up his simple revenge. But after all these years Sasuke was ready to accept it. Besides, revenge didn't always have to happen alone without the company of those he loved. Those he would now admit to love 'in that way'.

Sasuke did not think that he would ever make it back to see the gates of his home village ever again. His journey had been so long and he thought it would be everlasting at times. From Orochimaru back to Konoha was many years of repentance. Many years of running. He had created quite the place for himself in the bingo book but no one knew him to be an Uchiha but instead he was a fragment of sound. It bothered him that he had reduced himself to being another dog of the sound. So he opted during this time to travel as an unknown.

But there it was. The outer gates of Konoha. He did not know how to approach it. He was surprised that he had not been intercepted already by someone from Leaf. He was close, maybe even too close. This thought was short lived though as a senbon pierced the back of his neck. Darkness once again.

Naruto could smell breakfast cooking as he rolled over in his bed. Sakura had gotten up before him after he pulled her hair that morning. She was always a better morning person then he was. But as soon as the aroma of crisp bacon reached his nose he was up pulling up a pair of his blue jounin designated pants as he stumbled into the kitchen. His foot slipped a bit on the tie in their kitchen causing Naruto to make a very ungraceful seat at the dinning room table.

"Always ever graceful…" Sakura said as she turned over a piece of bacon. She did not even look over her shoulder as she laughed to herself.

"Sakura-chan! You're picking on me so much this morning." He whined. "But I guess I will forgive you… AS long as I get an extra piece of bacon on my plate." A big goofy grin followed his request. A grin that always seemed to persuade Sakura into things, even their marriage.

"Mr. Uzumaki… You are simply hopeless… I thought I gained a husband, not a pet that begs for extra servings." She turned around at this with two plates of food in her hands. And sure enough when Naruto looked at his plate there was another piece of bacon.

Having Sakura to cook him a full breakfast was one of the best things he had to admit about having her as a wife. No more lumpy outdated milk would ever fill his glass. Instead it was replaced with freshly squeezed orange juice. Well as fresh as a carton of juice could be. Sakura could cook but she was not that much of a homemaker and Naruto was not one to be picky. After all she was a very busy women now. He was even surprised that she had the time to marry him and make him one of the happiest men in Konoha and the most envied. Top medic, number one surgeon, Tsunade had guided Sakura to surpassing her as a medical nin in Konoha. Sakura's days were spent in the hospital now instead of on the battle field and Naruto was truly grateful for it. To many times had he witnessed his close friends almost lose the ones that they loved right in front of their eyes in active combat. Not that Sakura would not be able to handle herself in any type of danger. She had proved to save his hide on many different occasions.

He finished up his breakfast as he patted his stomach which was now full and satisfied. Sakura was already ready to start a shift at the hospital being fully dressed in her medic uniform.

Naruto decided that it was about time he himself got ready. He was on leave for a while from Anbu. Wanted a break from the missions not because they were hard or he was in any trouble by the Hokage but because Naruto was starting to feel that his skills could be used else wear like at the local academe. At first Sakura had laughed at the idea of Naruto being in charge of the next generation of ninjas. He was probably teaching them such unless techniques are his 'Sexy no Jutsu.' God knows he did not need to be spreading that among the male youth. But his reasons for taking a break were to give back what Konoha had given him. To try and find a child like he was when he was a child all alone until he met Iruka. He wanted to give the same support and care that his former teacher had granted him. He even thought about forming his own team of misfit Genin.

"I will see you later." Sakura yelled from the front door of their apartment as she was just about to leave. Don't be late again to the academy! You remember how we used to feel when Kakashi used to show up late. A Chalk bush over a doorway was not invented by us and unless you want to scrub a hair full of chalk out of your hair again I suggest you get moving Naruto." She straightened her shoes a bit more before she reached for the door knob. However, before she could full turn the handle she was knocked with her back to the door as Naruto pressed himself up against her with his lips on her.

"Have a good day" he whispered. She nodded her head with a smile on her lips.

"Sakura! Report immediately to the emergency ward." Tsunade's voice was horse and it made Sakura startto run. She was only this serious when it came to really pressing and important manners. She saw Shizune in the hall and before Sakura could even think about greeting her Shizune had ordered her to a room.

"B-2 STAT!" Sakura nodded her head, turned a corner and then swung the door to the room open. It was there that she stopped. That her heart almost stopped. She could not believe what she was seeing in front of her laying in the bed. His black hair was longer. His face, aged by time but his eyes remaining the same.

"Sasuke-kun…" Tsunade looked to her as well as Sasuke. His eyes were unemotional and at the sight at her he straightened up in the bed. "This… can't… I…" The words were just not coming out as she looked between Sasuke and Tsunade. Tsunade took the clue of Sakura utter overwhelmed nature and walked over to her student gripping her shoulder. Tsunade was at a lost for words too. Sasuke coming back was not welcoming. Was he a spy? Or was he really back? Any and all trust for this man was gone in her mind. But those matters were not the ones that were the most pressing right now.

"He has been told to come here…" Tsunade gave one last reassuring squeeze of her students shoulders before she walked past her and out the door. "He is not to leave the room." She closed the door behind her and the most uncomfortable silence followed. It was finally Sasuke that made the first move. He slid out of the hospital bed and over to Sakura who just stood there watching his moves. Tears were flowing out of her eyes now and she could not even remember when they had started to flow in the first place.

"Sa-" His arms were immediately around her from that point on. And it was not until Naruto came flying into the room that Sakura even knew what was going on.

Naruto had come flying into the room only to find someone clinging to Sakura, his Sakura for dear life almost.

"Let go of my…" His fist were up and held back ready to strike. He did not even see who was holding his wife in such a manner. All he knew was that he had been called to the hospital on terms of great urgency.

"You would not hit and old friend would you?" Sasuke asked with a laugh. Naruto stopped his attack as he saw Sasuke release Sakura from his grasp.

"No… I don't believe it!" Naruto screamed at first. It made Sakura jump and tears started to stream out of her eyes even harder. Tears of joy, anger, frustration, at this moment she did not know. Naruto had grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him as Sasuke stood there trying to figure out his next move. Naruto was in shock they all were.

"Naruto…" Her voice cracked a bit. "Its him! There is no doubt… I have no doubt about it." She took his hand that was clutching onto her wrist and gripped it firmly trying to bring Naruto back down to the planet that they were all not standing on together in the same room. A concept that had been so foreign to this team. Sakura's emotions were out of control she did not know what to do.

"I need to get out of here…" She gasped she ran from the room breaking Naruto's grasp he had on her. Sasuke watched her go and turned to move back onto his bed. He was still in no shape for a reunion like this. Naruto just stood there watching him unaware of what to say. What to do. A sense of anger rushed over him at first. 'How dare he come here…' was one of his first thoughts. But his over all emotion was relief…

The two did not go exchanging a word for a good hour. They just sat there in each others presence trying to form the words that were exploding within them.

"Sakura did the right thing by running out of the room… She was always they smarter one of us…" It was Sasuke who ended the silence first. Naruto just looked up at him his eyes were puffy and red. It was like the day he left him again this feeling. Sasuke knew that this was not going to get anywhere like this.

"You know Naruto… I left Konoha , I left you, I left her and I'm sorry." Sasukes voice was firm at first but it faltered when Naruto looked him in the eyes.

"Did you accomplish what you were after?" Naruto question.

"No… And I probably never will… But I accept that. When Orochimaru was trying to take me I realized that my future should not remain in chasing the past and chasing my brother. It should be spent here with you. I understand if you will not be able to forgive me so easily. We left on the worst terms ever possible. You were the real brother tome that I should have been chasing after all the way back to Konoha. Instead I left you with a broken heart and god knows what I left Sakura with. But I am here now my friend. I finally chased after the right person after all this time. And I…" It was getting harder and harder for Sasuke to continue. This emotions which were bottled for so long within in him were starting to over flow.

"Hey you big dobe…" Naruto chuckled. "It does not matter… You're here now. We all get lost sometimes but as long as we come back to where our friends are... our family is..."

"Hey, just because I was gone does not mean that you get to replace me and use my sayings dobe."

Naruto chuckled a bit. Just like it used to be. That was what he wanted right now.

"I just hope that she will feel the same way. After all these years…She sure had matured into something else. I can't even being to explain how I feel about her."

Naruto's heart sank. Was he suggesting what he thought he might be suggesting?

"So many years were spent with revenge driving me. It stopped me from doing a lot of things Naruto." He looked at his hands are the fidgeted with the blanket on his hospital bed. It scared Naruto to see this side of Sasuke.

"It stopped me from being able to admit things. And now that I am back and I have held her within my arms it seems so much simpler then revenge."

"What does?"

"Loving her."

Authors Note

Thank you so much for thoes who reviewed my story so far. I am excited to see that there is an interest in this story. Endless Snow, Tokyogirl12, hinan0, Songstress of Victorymy greatest thanks to you guys for the reviews.