After Sasuke and Shanan spent some time talking at his apartment, he walked to her house with her to let both Kakashi and Naruto know that he hadn't been far behind them on their return home. Kakashi seemed almost frantic when she opened the door and she could tell that he'd been pacing.

"Where were you?" he asked softly as he ran to her and wrapped his arms around her. He squeezed her so tight, but also so gently.

He'd been really worried and so many thoughts had been running through his head since he'd realized she was gone just after sunrise. He and Naruto had looked everywhere and even had Team Guy searching for her. Kakashi had even reluctantly gone to Shikamaru's, fearing the worst. But she wasn't there and Shikamaru joined in on helping search.

Shanan hadn't meant to make them worry so much. She'd just been so caught up in seeing Sasuke, that she didn't realize just how inconsiderate she'd been.

It wasn't until Kakashi had calmed down after holding onto Shanan for a few minutes that he'd noticed Sasuke standing behind her.

Kakashi released Shanan as he stood straight and looked at Sasuke.

"I see you've decided to come back. Are you gonna be a problem for anyone?" Kakashi asked a bit coldly.

Sasuke glanced at Shanan before answering. "No," he said a bit disdainfully, "I won't be."

Naruto ran up to him and threw his arms around him. "Sorry I was so mean the other day. I was just trying to get through to you."

Sasuke put his arms around Naruto and returned the hug. "No, you were right," he said before dropping his voice to a whisper, "I didn't show her," he said.

Naruto nodded gently as he let go of Sasuke and continued to talk quietly to him away from Shanan and Kakashi.

While Naruto and Sasuke talked, Shanan looked back at Kakashi who was clearly a bit on edge now.

"Hey, I'm sorry I left," she said as she grabbed his hand. "Turns out I can feel Sasuke's chakra and I knew he was nearby. Or I thought, maybe he was. I had to check. I didn't think I'd actually find him there, though."

Kakashi was more than glad that she was alright, but now he was visibly upset that she'd been so inconsiderate and didn't know what to say to her about it.

"I didn't mean to be gone so long. I'm really sorry I made you worry," she said humbly as she put her arms around his neck. He didn't hug her back right away as he frowned at her, but he finally softened and wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

"I really am sorry," she whispered as she teared up and stroked the back of his neck.

She felt so guilty and like all she did was let him down lately, thanks to that part of her that was still holding on to her pre-Kaitei life. That annoying, teenage half that wouldn't listen and was still so weak for Shikamaru.

Kakashi nodded gently and squeezed her tighter, but still didn't say anything. But no matter what happened, he knew that losing her would introduce an entirely new kind of darkness into his life and so it had become his biggest fear that she would stop choosing him.

Shanan held him tight as she tried not to let him see or feel her cry. He wasn't the one that needed to feel bad about anything and she knew he would if he saw her.

He finally leaned back and looked at her a bit too sympathetically as he shook his head at her for her to stop.

"Are you guys really doing that right now?" Naruto interrupted.

Sasuke looked down at the floor to avoid seeing them together like that.

Kakashi helped her wipe her face off and then kissed her forehead before they both turned to look at Naruto and Sasuke.

"Hey, so… I don't want Sasuke to be all alone at the apartments, so I'm gonna move back there with him," Naruto told them.

"What? No... you guys don't wanna stay here?" Shanan asked, feeling a bit disappointed.

Naruto looked at Kakashi and Sasuke and then went up to Shanan and pulled her aside.

"Sasuke needs his own space and you guys need yours back too. At least this way none of us will ever be alone," he said.

"But-" she pleaded with him.

"I appreciate you bringing me here and I'll still come and visit everyday and I'll bring Sasuke with me, I promise," he said as he hugged her tight. "I love ya, big sis."

She'd already decided earlier that she and Sasuke must've had some kind of falling out before he left. Maybe she even said or did something that made him leave. Something happened that he didn't want her to see and he still seemed like he felt guilty about whatever it was. So she wouldn't try to force anything on him if he didn't want to let her in.

"Ugh. I love you, too," she said as she hugged him back. "And I may not remember it, but I know I love you too!" she said as she went up and squeezed Sasuke tight.

He put his arms around her. "I love you, too," he tried to say without too much affection. Though, he wasn't sure if he'd done it well enough.

"We should probably go and see Lady Tsunade," Kakashi said. "And call off the search."

Kakashi put his mask up and put his flak jacket on before grabbing Shanan's hand so that they could escort Sasuke through the village.

Shanan and Kakashi walked in front as they talked quietly about their mornings and Naruto and Sasuke walked several feet behind them.

Every second that passed made Sasuke regret not showing her their memories together. She really had no idea about the fact that they were ever dating and had no problem loving someone else right in front of him.

"I know it sucks," Naruto said quietly to Sasuke. He had noticed the frown on Sasuke's face as he watched Shanan with Kakashi. "He's really good to her, if that helps. I've been living with them since I got back. He's not the same guy we met that first day."

Sasuke didn't say anything back, but Naruto could tell he was listening, so he kept talking.

"Remember how dumb we thought he was? He wouldn't tell us anything about himself. Never liked sharing details about his past. Well, he's not like that at all anymore. He loves talking and sharing and we laugh a lot together, actually. He's very open and caring and it's nice. That should make you happy. He's like that because of Shanan. She changed his past in his mind and he didn't have to suffer alone in their genjutsu. He got to grow up with her, just like we did."

"He once told me that everyone he'd ever cared about was already dead. Is that true?"

"Yeah. And they still died in the Kaitei. But Shanan was there and it made all the difference. Just like how she was there for us."

Sasuke didn't like it at all, but it made more sense now. Shanan had always had a habit of being a light for other people. She never could help it. He just didn't realize how much darkness Kakashi had. Of course she'd found her way to him. Even if it wasn't in the way that she'd planned.

Once they'd reached The Office of the Hokage the three of them surrounded Sasuke in case anyone had thought to try and attack him.

They ran into Shikamaru outside of her door and he ran over to them when he saw Shanan in the front.

"So where'd you run off to? You had us all worried earlier, I was just about to ask for more help..." he said before trailing off. He'd just noticed Sasuke standing tall behind Shanan and suddenly felt a bit jealous, realizing where she had probably been. "Ah... uh... welcome back, Sasuke," he said before he walked into the office.

Sasuke understood why he was uncomfortable. He knew about him and Shanan too, and Shikamaru's sudden jealousy of Sasuke was mutual.

Shikamaru came out with a few other annoyed people who hurried off.

"Her meeting ended early, she wants to see you guys right away," he told them.

He wanted to pull Shanan back and ask for details about when Sasuke had returned and if she had been with him that morning and ask her if she'd already performed the Omoidasu on him, but he couldn't, so he decided he'd track down Naruto later and find out from him.