Thankfully, Sakura was able to leave shortly after that. It was awkward and rushed, but she was just happy to be out of there.

She was distracted on her way home, constantly bumping into things and people, taking wrong turns and eventually sitting on a random bench to process. She thought about all of the interactions between herself and Sasuke before the war. There had been so many awful moments that Sakura had worked very hard to be at peace with. She knew that a pain so deep had driven Sasuke to his actions and that only a love so strong could heal him.

She also knew she wasn't enough. Naruto had to fill in the gaps where she lacked. It was how she had accepted it back as genin, when Naruto first swore to bring Sasuke home. She felt it in her bones, now that he had come back. Really, it had been ever since he had lost his arm.

God. His arm. Sakura had barely been able to look at it. She knew if she did she would feel too many emotions. He never said, but Sakura knew that he wouldn't accept the synthetic arm as his penance, his punishment. To live a full life after his actions would have driven Sasuke to madness; he needed a constant reminder.

Sakura didn't know back then if that was such a good idea. If Sasuke had been driven to his actions by pain, would diving into the darkness every time he looked at his arm do him more harm than good?

It had been a late night with Naruto that had cleared her mind on the topic. He had said, "It's not like that, Sakura. Sasuke doesn't get sad when he looks at his arm."

"But how could he not, with what he's lost?"

Naruto had just shaken his head. "He didn't lose anything at the end of our fight, Sakura-chan. He gained everything."

It was late the following Thursday evening (well, morning now) and Sakura was still at work.

Everyone else had already gone home, but Sakura had just begun. She had a patient who had developed a terrible reaction to a very common treatment. She had been looking through the archives all day. Afternoon had led into evening, and now there she was, finally able to pour over the thousands of pages about the treatment and its origins.

Two hours passed before she realized and the sudden knock on her office door startled her more than she'd ever admit. She wondered who would be knocking on her office at this hour. If it were an emergency, someone would have just come barreling in.

"Come in," she called out. Her kunai she kept strapped to the bottom of her desk was in her palm.

She was thankful she didn't drop it when she saw who took up the entire doorway. "S-Sasuke?"

He arched an eyebrow while he looked around the room. "Why are you reading with all of the lights off?" He shut the door behind him. "Do you realize what time it is?"

Sakura felt herself fall back into her chair, completely and utterly unprepared to have this casual of a conversation with the love of her life who suddenly reappeared after a two year absense. "I know it's late, but I'm working on something complicated for one of my patients."

Sasuke merely nodded, like he understood.

Sakura suddenly had a sinking suspicion. "Wait, did Naruto send you? Because he threatened to start sending ANBU units to send me home if my office lights were on past midnight."

Sasuke's one visible eye squinted at her. "Ah. That's why you didn't have your lights on."

"That's not the point," Sakura grumbled. Sitting straighter, she tried to ask her next question in as nonchalant manner as possible. "So, what brings you by? Did you need something?"

Sasuke sat down on the couch and regarded her calmly for a man choosing his next words. "I'm here to take you home."

"WHAT!" Sakura shrieked.

Sasuke's expression didn't change. "It's just under an hour until sunrise, Sakura. You look dead on your feet."

Well that…sucked to hear. But dammit, if it weren't true. Sakura had been running on low amounts of sleep. Especially since Sasuke had come back. She had been plagued with thoughts of how she should behave around him. The way they left it held so much promise and now…she didn't know what to do.

Sakura leaned back in her seat with a scowl. "Thanks for that. I guess I didn't realize the time." She sighed and looked down at her watch. "Kami, you're right." She groaned. "I have a shift starting at 7."

"Not anymore."

Sakura looked up in confusion.

"Tsunade saw me on the way up here. She told me to tell you that if you tried to step foot back in the hospital before Monday morning, she would do unspeakably evil things to you."

Sakura's mouth was hanging open. "B-but I have patients!"

"Whom Tsunade said she would look after personally. Take a break, Sakura."

It took her a few moments, but Sakura finally accepted her miniature forced vacation. It was well deserved, and she'd get to clean up her messy apartment after getting a good sleep. She started gathering her things.

Sasuke watched her pack the research scrolls with a disapproving look, so she felt the need to explain. "My patient is really sick. I promise not to stay holed up reading this all weekend."

Sasuke just shook his head and opened the door. She followed him out of the hospital, saying good morning to the people and patients she saw. Sasuke was a shadow behind her, but eventually her mind stilled with his presence. It was getting easier to believe he was home each time.

When they made it outside, a question occurred to Sakura. "Why were you in the hospital, anyways?"

Sasuke didn't look at her when he responded. "Naruto let it slip at dinner he was worried you were working too much. I thought I'd check and see if you needed to sleep."

Sakura spluttered through her response. "I'm sure he did more than just let it slip, but... thank you."

He nodded.

They eventually made it to the main streets and, sure enough, the early risers had started opening shop, heading to work, or heading to train. Students headed to school, laughing and playing while they did.

Sasuke stayed beside her the entire time. It was strange to walk these streets with him as a young adult. It meant something different when people stopped and stared at the last Uchiha. So much had changed since they were kids. Sasuke was wronged, he felt pain, and reacted. He atoned and became a Shinobi of the Leaf once again. But still, people were wary of him. However, that morning, Sakura noticed their normally harsh stares soften when they spotted her beside him. A pink and cherry girl made of sunshine to brighten the shadow behind her.

The other villagers saw what Sakura could not that morning. The man in black watched her steps, where they landed and where they headed. He watched every corner and every street they crossed well in advance. He was calculating the distance between them, his only tell being the stutters in his stride when Sakura slowed or wobbled sleepily. He always extended his hand, ever so slightly, as if he were there to catch her if she fell.

Sakura was tired, so she tried not to be too mad at Naruto for being nosey for telling Sasuke. Besides, the thought of curling up in the new bed she had just purchased made her eyelids fight to stay open. She knew she'd fall asleep as soon as her head hit her pillow.

They walked in silence until they got to Sakura's street. "Do you have something to eat when you get home?"

The question surprised Sakura. "Uh-yes, I do. A few things."

Sasuke hummed in satisfaction.

Sakura couldn't help it. She stopped and turned to face him fully, smiling a bit too much. "You don't have to walk me home, Sasuke. I won't try to go back to the hospital, I swear. I really do need to sleep."

His head tilted ever so slightly to convey his confusion. "I'm not here to make sure you don't escape. I'm making sure you don't pass out from exhaustion. Or surprise."

The added comment was so quick, she had almost missed it. "Ah- you, Sasuke!" Her cheeks heated. "I…I'm sorry about that. You startled me and I wasn't expecting you back-"

"Sakura."

"Y-yes?"

"Your eyelids are drooping as we speak." He gestured with his hand to keep walking, his eye dancing in the morning sunlight. It gilded his black hair and made his alabaster skin appear radiant. A Sasuke reborn, reunited with his home. It made Sakura smile for real, that time.

They walked the rest of the way, only parting ways when they reached the stairs to her second floor apartment. Sakura thanked Sasuke, who simply nodded before disappearing down the street.

Once inside, she slipped off her sandals and stretched with a long and loud yawn. She made her way to the living room to set her bag down at her cluttered desk. In fact, it was so cluttered that it made Sakura nervous to unpack all of the old texts she had brought home. What if she misplaced one?

She pulled her hair behind her ears to sit down when suddenly, she heard a tap tap tap at the window in front of her. Her eyes widened in surprise when she realized it was Sasuke's hawk. Not Garuda, but his smaller, messenger hawk.

Wide eyed, she opened the window and took the scroll from its leg. The bird flew away immediately, indicating that a response wasn't necessary. Closing the window, she unrolled the message.

Stop working and eat. Then, get some rest. The dobe wants to have dinner tomorrow night at 7.

Sakura's free hand covered her parted mouth, her eyes rapidly reading and rereading the note. She couldn't help but snort out a laugh. It was definitely Sasuke, giving orders as usual. But still, she could almost feel the warmth behind the words.

After folding the note and slipping it in a drawer, Sakura headed to the kitchen. She heated up some leftovers from the previous evening and quickly ate. Its warmth lulled her further and she sleepily made her way to her bedroom.

She had been right earlier. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell right to sleep.