Leaping from branch to branch she was anxious and she knew why as she ran a hand through her pink locks.
Looking in front of her she saw the handsome blond leaping ahead of her and she gave a tightlipped smile.
He was hers from the day the war was won and even before that and he had been more then she could believe possible.
On the battlefield she had cemented her love for him with a kiss, something she still blushed at when she thought of it and she told him that from the bottom of her heart that she loved him, apologized for ever hurting him and admitted that she saw him for what he was and was blind to not have seen it sooner.
He had claimed her heart without her even realizing and she promised herself to never let him be alone again but as they travelled at speed to their destination she felt some of that promise slip.
Sasuke was coming home and the turmoil in her stomach made her want to retch. She knew this would happen since Naruto had told her was transpired when he and Sasuke had finished the joint battle against the two supposedly dead Uchiha.
At the time she had shaken her head and smiled at him reassuring him and herself that it wouldn't change anything and she had convinced herself that this was the case.
She knew in her heart that Sasuke was far from what she had craved in her youth, he had travelled to far into the dark for her to see any resemblance of the boy he was and it had been clarified during her attempt to stop him that the love she had for him had changed.
Thinking of young love her mind drifted to the only other female of the group who travelled with the bug nin at the back of the pack while keeping her kekkei genkai trained on the rear for any potential problems.
She knew the dark haired kunoichi had adored Naruto from the academy days before he became revered and she was aware her standoff with pain had been her final testament to this and that made her body heat with acknowledged jealousy.
She knew that no matter what she did or said the love Hinata had would always put her to shame.
While that thought alone made her burn it was the guilt that crept to her mind that she couldn't stand.
As she reflected on it and the fact that she had known what it meant to love someone without having it reciprocated she dreaded to think what she would have felt in Hinatas shoes, watching the one you love walk with another.
This running through her mind she realized that her situation with Naruto nullified any fears she may have greeting Sasuke and with this resolve she steeled her mind for the mission ahead.
In no way, shape or form would she fail Naruto, she would love him the way he had always deserved and make sure he saw his brother return home.
Tsunade leaned back in her seat and held her finger tips together before her face, her frown evidence of troubled thoughts. "Tsunade-sama the Raikage shouldn't be left waiting" her hands clasped together Shizune begged the hokage silently for an answer.
She had to admit that this had not been a meeting the hokage looked forward to as the kage who had reason to persecute the Uchiha the most.
His attack on Killer Bee was still a sore spot and she was thinking how to deal with it when she looked to Shizune. "Send him in" and she waited for what she considered the most loudest and obnoxious kage of them all.
"Tsunade, it is good to find you well and recovered" The Raikage entered and took a seat and following him was the famous killerbee.
One of two Jinchuriki to survive the akatsuki efforts for global domination and the manipulation of the Uchihas beat boxed his way into the room " Hokage hey, what a wickedly bright day yeah".
Both kages present sweat dropped at the musings of the eight tail. "Gentleman, welcome to the hidden leaf I hope the journey was without issue" Said Tsunade as she rose in greeting and directed them to their seats.
Both men nodded and all three took a seat the raikage sighing from the effort when Killerbee spoke up "My man Naruto is out and about wanna tell me where he is so we can chill and hang out" Tsunade gave Killer bee a smile "He's actually out brining back that annoying Uchiha you had to deal with before the war which is the reason that you are requesting an informal meeting isn't it Raikage".
Tsunades brow was raised in challenge, she thought to herself that she might as well bring it up and have them get straight to the point.
The Raikage exhaled before frowning at the woman before him " Tsunade he has to pay for what he did to my brother, I refuse to let that go, he must be punished and I refuse to let it slide" The Raikage was standing and his chest was heaving from the effort of keeping a check of his emotions.
Killerbee chuckled at his kage and raised a hand to his shoulder "Brother you need to stop no way did that Uchiha give me a bop, I said it before and ill say it again he didn't beat me, how when I am THE man ohh yeaa".
Both kages looked at the jinchurikii stunned as he continued "Dude should of died in a faceoff with me the punishment he got was a beat uwee and I told you before to let it go and stop being a douche ew yeah you know".
At this the Raikage smacked Killerbee in the head yelling "enough I want his head Tsunade". Tsunade raised her hand and at the raikages actions she had a steady glare directed at him.
"You have travelled here for a TRIAL Raikage and that is what he will have and until you hear all the details I say you hold your opinion. The Uchiha is the last of his kind and the reason for that has only been brought to my attention recently, his punishment has been the annihilation, betrayal and manipulation of his ENTIRE clan. Admittedly this has been at the hands of his own village and yes while we are the ones who failed him we are the ones who will make sure it won't happen again. I have to admit what he has done in his time has been abhorrent and believe me when I say he has hurt the nin of this village more than anyone else, his own teammates can testify to this and with that said im telling you now, you will wait for the trial and there isn't a chance in hell im gonna let him die and neither will Naruto".
The kage had kept her eyes closed for a majority of her speech and opened them to find the Raikage looking at her in curiosity and with a nod he raised himself from his seat.
Killer bee followed suit and both men headed for the door but the Raikage stopped in his tracks to look at her once more "What did yous do to the Uchiha".
Tsunade looked down and replied "nothing any hokage would see as acceptable" one last look at the Raikage told him the conversation stopped there and with another nod he took his leave.
Tsunade leaned back in her seat with a troubled look out the window and whispered "How could you let it happen Sarutobi".
Naruto's mind raced as he was thinking to himself. Three days we've been travelling and three days she refuses to allow me to get close. Every time he attempted to speak to her or even tried to approach, she had managed to evade or ignore him.
He wanted his friend back and his chest hurt when he reflected on the person he used to know before laughing bitterly at himself realising for the first time that she was someone he thought he knew.
Sakura had been too distracted to notice the silent musings and strangely enough he felt unaffected, he knew who she was and he knew who she was thinking of.
"Sasuke teme why couldn't you acknowledge her" he thought, and even with the idea of losing her all over again to the Uchiha in mind he found it odd that he felt at peace with it.
After all these years chasing her and finally getting her he had to admit that he couldn't believe how accepting he was.
Looking around the camp he spotted a nin lying in her bed roll and knew the reason why, Hinata Hyuuga, the girl he never knew was the girl he wanted to hold and just like Sakura had been, she was now out of his reach.
Sighing he knew he had to stop his thoughts, they were due to meet Sasuke mid morning and this rest was only for a few hours, he had to get his head right because it would be the day Sasuke would come homeand the day he would fulfil his promise to Sakura from so long ago.
Looking to her pink hair he silently hoped that whatever turmoil she faced wouldn't leave her bruised and when she looked toward him he smiled.
He knew he had no rights to Hinata Hyuuga and he knew he simply had to let her go and this was his final thought as he walked to his bedroll beside Sakura.
Sakura tossed and turned, it was killing her, by this time tomorrow he would be present and her turmoil would be undeniable.
She kept reminding herself of the blonde that laid beside her and the way he seemed to light up the space around him.
His strength both physical and mental was beyond what she imagined possible and his physique was more than attractive but when she closed her eyes it was dark eyes hidden by dark hair that she imagined but the rest period was up before she knew it.
Every nin had risen and all seemed anxious to get underway. Kakashi who would normally be hidden behind an Icha Icha novel was standing with hands in pockets and alert, Shino had his bugs out and ready while Kiba and Akumaru had noses to the air.
Sakura and Naruto both had determined faces while Hinata's eyes were activated. Shikamaru nodded and they took to the trees, with the sun still to rise he had formulated ideas on their formation for the return trip and knew that it was the relationship between 4 individuals that would throw out any thing he could account for.
Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto and Hinata were all undeniably the wild cards and the only one he could guarantee would keep their place was the Hyuuga.
She had been purposefully avoiding the blond and while it was subtle it hadn't escaped the lazy genius's attention.
She had kept her head in the game by focusing on her task of look out while Naruto and Sakura both seemed distracted.
At a guess the Nara thought that the next few hours would be the most quiet and his thoughts of the future with these four components were 'troublesome' to say the least.
Sasuke had sensed the chakras heading their way quickly and guessed who they held a strangely familiar air to them and he smirked in acknowledgement of the Konoha hadn't joked when she wrote that the best would be sent for his retrieval as he recognized Kakashi and Shikamaru coupled with Naruto and last 3 were harder to attain but he could only guess that they were as accomplished as those they travelled with.
Turning to Jugo and Suigetsu who were shouldering their packs or weapons in Suigetsu's place he gave the nod and they took to the trees to meet the incoming nin.
Shikumaru gave the signal to stop and all knew why after having all 3 members of team 8 forewarn them of Sasukes approach and as they peered ahead the infamous Uchiha and his companions broke the screens and landed in the branches just ahead.
A silence followed as the 2 groups eyed each other off before Naruto broke ranks and tackled the Uchiha from his place and sent them both plummeting to the ground meters below.
Sakura's eyes widened at seeing him but they popped from their sockets when Naruto moved and she froze as she watched them fall before reacting with a 'baka' and joining her teammates on the ground.
"NNaarrrutoooo" she screamed as she fell alongside the two who took to hitting each other while rolling around.
Above them the konoha nin looked on, some with smiles and head shakes and one with a bored expression while across from them Suigetsu elbowed Jugo and they both looked on in mild amusement. Sasuke was the first one to break off and rise quickly, dusting himself off he looked at Naruto with a half hearted stare while grumbling "Baka".
Naruto who was sitting on the ground with legs splayed and one hand rubbing the back of his neck had a smile from ear to ear "Good to see you too teme".
Sakura looked at Sasuke with a bewildered an amazed look before quickly recovering and lifting Naruto from the ground while grumbling at him for making a scene. Nobody missed it but no one acknowledged it either as they left the team mates to a long awaited reunion.
"Ne Sasuke I didn't think youd be that easy to catch off guard" The Uchiha raised his top lip and replied "I didn't think youd be such a loser to attack on sight" and while the blonde laughed Sasuke looked to the pinkette who had stopped in her tracks when they're eyes meet.
"S-sasuke" Sakura said with a tight lipped smile, she had trouble looking him in the eye. He nodded at her before she continued. "Im sorry for trying to kill you" bowing with her eyes closed she stood again to face him exhaling before opening her eyes to look at him.
He had his trademark smirk which baffled her before he replied "Don't because I would have killed you if the chance arose".
The twinkle in his eyes told her what he said was the honest truth and that he had other thoughts to add but they would go unsaid.
She realized he wasn't going to sugar coat the maliciousness he had and it gave her a sense of security, it made her realize HE wouldn't let her love him again if pointing out he had tried to kill her was enough of a hint. She breathed deeply to absorb the facts, she knew when she saw him that his dark looks had stolen her breath but as the two males rolled around her eyes only focused on the blonde.
She smiled at Sasuke and mouthed a thank you before Naruto interrupted. "Ne ne Sasuke's back, team 7's together and we're all going home and Sasuke teme" looking to Sasuke with a serious look "you'll be a dead man next time you try to leave".
Naruto's face turned from serious to his oversized grinned while he chuckled to himself and Sasuke shook his head in disbelief before a sound from above caught they're attention.
Shikamaru eyed the group before speaking "If the hellos are done we should get moving it'll be troublesome if we happen upon some friends of yours Uchiha.
Sasuke grimaced in response but Nara smiled at him and added "good to see your alive and not tryna kick us in the head Uchiha, you and your friends will travel centre of our formation just in case, Tsunade will have my head on a spike if we don't get you back in one piece…troublesome woman".
He ended his note in a grumble as the trio returned to the tree canopy and moved out in the fashion the lazy genius advised.
Sasuke couldn't help but think how surreal it felt to be once more be apart of Konoha forces even if they were his ' escort'.
He took note of the final 3 nin who had escaped his recognition. The dog boy Inuzuka, the bug nin whos name he couldn't recall and lastly the Hyuuga.
His eyes narrowed as he eyed her travelling at the front with byakugan raised, his thoughts became jumbled, at that point Suigetsu nudged him in mid air lightly. "Eh whats bright eyes name" he queried with a mischievous smile when Sasuke responded "The one femle in all of Konoha that didn't like me".
Suigetsu raised an eyebrow before watching Sasuke jump ahead thinking to himself "This ought to be interesting, hope you're ready bright eyes cause you've caught the attention of the most unstable person I know" chuckling to himself he continued.