Sorry does not even begin to cover it guys. I really really really am so so so sorry it took me so long to come back to this piece. I've been busy with school and work and it's been crazy.


Shit. In a second I'm up and moving to greet her; it's a shame I'm still in my pajamas.

"Tsunade-sama, what brings you here?" I embrace her, keeping my tone light while my heart thumps erratically in my chest.

"Since I haven't been receiving reports from you on our patient's condition, I thought I'd personally come and check up on him," she gives me a curt smile and starts up the stairs. I can't believe I forgot about the reports!

She's going to find out I've completely fallen short of everything I'm supposed to be doing. When was the last time I ran a diagnostics on him or drained his chakra? He hasn't had the sedative in weeks. I follow behind her, scrambling to find some excuse, or any sort of reason as to why I'm not performing my duties. Nothing comes to mind.


"All right, everything looks good," the Hokage puts her tools away and turns around to address the room, "Give us a moment."

Everyone but Sakura leaves. She won't look at me but continues to challenge Tsunade's gaze.

"Sakura," Tsunade's voice is sharp, "Leave us."

Sakura's fists clench, but she acquiesces. She looks at me briefly, and I think she's pleading. I know she's risked a lot, too much, to keep me as comfortable as possible here. Tsunade watches her go and waits until the door closes to speak to me.

"When was the last time Sakura gave you a sedative?"

"Last night," I lie.

"No, it wasn't. Despite all you've managed to hide from us, you're a terrible liar. But my tests don't lie," she takes a seat in Sakura's chair, "And the more you lie, the less it helps your case. So perhaps you'd like to start sharing some information about the last few years. The more you hold out, the longer you're stuck here, Sakura, too. There's no need to put yourself through the suffering and pain of waking up in this damned place everyday with nowhere to go."

"I didn't put myself here though, Sakura did," I bite, my voice low.

"No, Sasuke, I put you here. I agreed to put you back in this compound, in this house, because I wanted to remind you that you are no longer apart of this village. Like this desolate burial ground you have been forsaken. We owe you nothing. I was quite happy to believe I'd never have to see your face return to my village. Sakura is too kind for her own good and if it had been me, I would have left you to die. You don't belong here and I'm doing you a favor by even considering a trial," Tsunade's tone is cold but she says everything I've been thinking.

"So what if you let me leave?"

"Why would I do that when I've worked so hard to secure your imprisonment?"

"It's been almost three months now; you're wasting time and resources on something that's inevitable. I'll never repent for all those years I was away. There's no way to come back from what I've done."

"I'm not offering you redemption, public exoneration maybe, but that will never change this village's opinion of you," when I don't speak, she continues, "Do what you want, Sasuke, if you don't want to cooperate, I can't make you, but you should think about what your death would do to your friends. They can't bring you redemption either, only you can, but mending the trust you broke with them is a good place to start. Your family's dead and Team Seven is the closest thing you'll ever have to that again; don't waste that, you might not have it for long."

With that, she stands and opens the door. She pauses for a moment at the threshold before moving away and then I see Sakura standing at her door, hands fisted with a doleful look on her face.


"Are you really considering his execution?" I pace because I can't sit still after what I've just heard.

"Of course, Sakura," Tsunade bristles as she glares at me from the couch, "We have first hand accounts of the atrocities he's committed. In fact, if it were up to me, we'd need nothing more than the abandonment of his duties as a nin and his loyalty to a murderer. Orochimaru's group have been responsible for the decimation of countless villages, all of which Sasuke was present for."

"What if he changed? Tsunade-sama he was just a kid when he left. Orochimaru was controlling him to make him think that revenge was the only answer."

"Sakura, you know that revenge was always the first thing on his mind, you told me that yourself."

"Because I was angry that he'd left and I couldn't bear to think that he actually cared about us yet still chose to leave us. It was easier to think he never cared at all! But I know he did. After the exams in the forest, he was never the same. Orochimaru forced him to leave."

"Sakura, you can't start romanticizing things just because he's finally back. This doesn't change anything he's done. He may have been young but he knew well enough the consequences of his action," her gaze softens, "And at some point you have to stop excusing his actions because they were that of a young boy. He's twenty-four, Sakura. He's been an adult for quite a few years."

I stop pacing, trying to steady myself and look at her.

"Have you and the council decided anything?" my voice is quiet.

"Nothing definitive. I've spent too much time in that stuffy office with those boring delegates. Why don't we talk about why you haven't been doing your job here," her expression turns serious, "Again, Sakura, you're not treating this situation with any sort of severity - "

"Of course I am!"

"Then why do I have a dangerous nin up and walking around with the strength of a dozen guards?! Hm?!" Tsunade shoots out of her seat. Her height is always challenging to me. She carries herself with a fierce presence that I've tried my best to imitate, but I always end up feeling small next to her.

"He hasn't done anything!"

"I don't care, Sakura! Why would you think it's okay to put not just your life but everyone else's lives here at risk?!"

By now we've attracted the attention of all the guards in the living room. On instinct, they all stand around, tensed, but I'd wager that if this escalated, none of them would step between us for fear of incurring Tsunade's wrath.

"He's not a violent criminal! He's my friend and my patient and I refuse to have him suffer because you won't afford him the same luxuries you would any other patient! You taught me about ethics my first day at the hospital but you choose to ignore your moral compass now just because this case is personal! He is not responsible for the actions of his brother and his brother is not responsible for the hideous crimes of this village!" I don't know what makes me say it but I have a brief moment to relish the shock on Tsunade's face before her brows narrow and she opens her mouth.

"I was wrong to trust you with this," she hisses, "I should have known you couldn't handle it. I want you out of here by tonight. I'll find somebody else to babysit him."

"Tsunade, please, you have to listen to me - "

"No, Sakura, I'm done! This is unacceptable! I thought I could trust you!"

"You can! I promise, but there has to be some compromise! You can't keep him locked up here and expect him to cooperate!"

"So what would you do? Would you have him just wander around whenever he wants?!"

"No, but not sedating him would be a good start. Something in that sedative sets him off. He's shown signs of trauma, naturally, yet you decided to have him imprisoned in the home his parents were murdered and worse yet you expect him to bend over backwards to further a trial you've already told him he has no chance of winning!"

"What would you do?"

"Don't make me give him the sedative, please," before she can protest, I barrel through, "And make a deal with him. Give him something so that he agrees to tell you and the council about his time away."

"Sakura, you can't - " she stops herself and sighs, "Go pack your things. I want you out of here before sundown."