"You understand what that means I hope." Two stern eyes stared back at her. "You'll be under constant vigilance until we are completely convinced you have severed your ties with the sound village." Unblinking, Sasuke grunted a response earning a scowl from the pigtailed hokage. "Watch yourself." She warned him, still unsure as to why she was being so lenient with the boy. Some part of her hoped he could still be saved, but more so a certain apprentice of hers had yet to cheer up since his detainment. Having grown to love the girl as a daughter she wanted to see her happy and although she knew one's personal interest should never get involved with such matters, she allowed herself this one leeway, against her better judgment but with all her hoping heart.

Turning to leave Sasuke reached for the door. "It's going to be hard I hope you realize. Not everyone here is waiting for you with open arms." Waiting for her to finish, Sasuke walked out, ignoring the Hokage's last words. That was something he didn't care about. The only thing on his mind at the moment was why he was here. He hadn't wanted to return and yet here he was. Scowling he shoved his hands in his pockets, having been given knew garments since his sound gear was unacceptable within the village. He didn't care about what he wore though he disliked the fact that such a fuss was made over it.

Turning towards a back road he walked down the solitary path, glad to find no one around. He wanted to be left alone. He may be "back" for now, but that didn't mean he wanted to socialize with anyone. He found no pleasure in it before and he would find none now. Keeping to his moderate pace, Sasuke's head turned slightly as he sensed two eyes following him. His already foul mood worsened with the realization that he was already being watched. This was going to prove more bothersome than he had imagined. If there was something Sasuke liked was his privacy.

---

"Sakura-chan!" Picking up speed, his grin never leaving his face, Naruto stopped inches from his slightly annoyed friend. "Thank...goodness...I found you." He managed to say in between breaths.

"What is it Naruto, I'm busy right no..."

"Sasuke's out." The golden haired boy interrupted, shutting the girl up completely.

"W-what?" Catching his breath Naruto nodded, his grin still reflected broadly in his features.

"Yeah, I just heard from Shizune-neechan. He should be back at his place right now." He was out, he was finally out. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to scream or cry from the happiness welling up inside of her. "Let's go." Naruto chimed tugging on the girl's arm. Sakura stiffened, a sudden fear pinning her to the spot where she stood. "Come on." Naruto repeated as the panic inside the girl grew. Breaking free from his hold, she shook her head.

"No, I-I can't. I need to get back to..."

"Eh? Come on Sakura, it'll be quick. I know you want to see him." Latching his fingers around the girl's wrist he dragged her away from the hospital towards the Uchiha's apartment against her wishes.

---

With little effort, the once missing-nin managed to avoid seeing anyone from the village. Even better none of those he had previously trained with. Another block and he could rest assured that his day would go uneventful. Once inside he could sit and think calmly about what he'd do next.

"Why did you come back?" There was no response from the raven haired boy undergoing interrogation. "I won't ask again." Grunting he gave the shortest and most honest response, seeing that they'd never leave him be unless he cooperated.

"I didn't." The Anbu questioning him frowned beneath his mask. Turning to the other Anbu present he nodded switching off with him. Clearing his throat he looked down at the boy.

"That's not what the report states." Sasuke remained silent, his intense gaze switching focus to the wall ahead of him. This was his third questioning that day. Having been blasted with question after question, to which most of them he had remained silent for. He owed them no loyalty nor did he owe Orochimaru any either. What he did, he did for himself and no one else. There was no need for him to go and explain himself. If they didn't already know then they'd just have to suffer never knowing. "So then what are your reasons?"

"I have none."

"I don't believe you."

"Hn." Sighing the Anbu looked up for a second rethinking his approach.

"You were brought in with no struggle on your part. That in itself gives reason to believe that you wanted to return, correct?"

"No."

"Then why come back?"

"I didn't."

"Then why didn't you put up a fight?" Aggravated he turned away, having had enough from the never ending sequence of questions. "Sasuke."

"Sasuke!"

Breaking from his thoughts, the boy being called out to lazily lifted his gaze to find himself two inches away from the last person he wanted to see. "Naruto."

"Oi, Sasuke! About time you got here. Sakura-chan and I have been waiting forever for you." At the mention of the kunoichi's name, his obsidian eyes searched for her. There. Farther back from Naruto she stood, shyly, away from them, her gaze stuck to the ground. Feeling a pair of eyes steadily on her, she raised her head, her gaze meeting his, transfixed by his cold gaze. Breaking from the visual lock, he turned away from them, heading up the stairs ignoring the green eyes that kept away from him. "Ara? Sasuke-teme! Where are you going? You haven't..."

"Get lost." Naruto's mouth remained opened, too surprised by the harshness in his voice to shut it. Sasuke's footsteps thudded loudly against the silence that hung around them as he walked away, shutting the door loudly behind him. Wincing from the force, Sakura's face fell, as Naruto stared disbelievingly at the door.

"What's…wrong with him?" Naruto asked slightly confused. As the boys actions sunk in, he growled as he grew angry, marching up the small steps, pounding loudly upon the shut door. "Sasuke! Open up! What's wrong with you! We came to see you, you should at least say hi!" Running up to her angry teammate, Sakura pulled him away from the door as he insisted on pounding harder on it.

"Stop Naruto. Just leave him alone."

"What? Why should I? He has his nerves. Doesn't he know how long we've been waiting?"

"Just leave him Naruto, please." She pleaded with him, already feeling her insides tightening from the encounter. He seemed so much colder than she remembered. Such an iciness in his eyes, one that she hated to see. Glaring at the Uchiha's door, Naruto reluctantly walked away, leaving their newly returned teammate alone.

"Fine." He grumbled as Sakura tried to coax a better mood out of the upset ninja with ramen. Quickly his anger was forgotten at the chance to eat his favorite food with one of his favorite people, their voices gradually getting softer as they walked away.

Standing in front of the door, listening at they walked away, Sasuke stood still, unable to shake the look he had received. Those viridian eyes that stared back with fear? No, disappointment? No, it was something else, a look he had disliked, but one he remembered from before. Stepping towards his once abandoned room he tried to shake the memory of that look, not wanting to be bothered by it any longer. It was because of that look that had brought him to this mess in the first place. The bedroom door having been left partially open, was pushed further as he stepped inside. He had expected to find a thick layer of dust covering every inch of his room as well as the rest of his home.

Looking behind him, he noticed that everything had been cleaned, not an ounce of dust settled anywhere his eyes fell. Leaving his room, he slowly made his way around the small apartment finding every room had been tidied up. Stopping at the kitchen he found a small basket set on the table. Curious, he made his way towards it, lifting the simply decorated cloth, revealing a small lunch inside consisting of simple foods, most of which he liked. Placing the cloth back down, he decided to ignore it and made to turn away when a small sheet of paper caught his eye. Picking it up his eyes scanned over it quickly before opening it. It was a plain white paper folded in half, inside written in neat handwriting was a single sentence signed at the bottom.

Welcome back.

Sakura