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DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto

Sasuke POV

My eyes opened to a dim sight, everything shaded in black and grey tones. It appeared as though I was in a tent and lying on a cot. In my head, I quickly raced through the events of battle.

It was finally over. After almost four years, I had finally avenged my clan. I wish I had known the truth sooner and I had known Itachi better. After years of hatred I carried toward him in my heart, I now understood his motives–his, Shisui's, and countless other Uchihas' intentions of protecting the village and creating a peace. Had I only seen things the way Naruto had, I might have never left the village, but then again I may have never known the truth either.

Speaking of the loudmouth, mumblings from an unconscious Naruto, lying in a cot next to mine, didn't escape my ears.

"Oh my precious…ramen…hmmm….raaa—meennn," the dobe mumbled. I didn't have to look, I could imagine the smile on his face while he dreamt of his precious ramen. How anyone could live on a diet that consisted of mostly ramen alone was beyond me.

I couldn't take his constant ramblings anymore about ramen, so I sat up on the cot and swung my legs around so that my feet touched the ground. I needed a minute of just sitting there to let the dizziness pass, since I had probably been asleep for some time. Once I was ready, I stood, standing directly in front a Naruto. His features were a little blurry, but I could still make out his blonde hair. It had been a long time since I could take a good look at him. He still looked like the same goof, only he was leaner than before. He had lost most of the baby fat from around the face and looked more like the Yondaime than ever.

I went the step around his cot when I notice something glimmer on a side table that sat between our cots. Stepping closer the table I noticed that the glimmer came from the metal of a hitai-ate with the symbol of the leaf on it. I allowed my fingers to glide across the surface and trace the symbol. I was immediately bought back to the memory of my own hitai-ate. Naruto's hitai-ate, although nicked and slightly damaged from battle, was not crossed through like mine had been. Naruto was a true shinobi to the village where I was nothing more than a rogue ninja who had no village to call home anymore.

With this realization, I drew my hand back from the cool metal. It was time to go. I hadn't exactly planned to live through battle, so I had no plans from here about what to do. Of course I had considered returning to Konoha, but after my defection from the village, could I really go back? My heart truly yearned at the possibility, I had fought to for the hidden leaf all, but things never became as simple as just walking back in there.

Now that I lived through the battle, I still wanted to rebuild the Uchiha clan, and there would be no better place than my home village for that. I wouldn't let the clan follow the same footsteps. There would never be another Madara and there would never be another martyr like Itachi either.

I turned from the side table and walked to the end of my cot where my shirt, belt, and sword of Kusanagi laid on a stool. I donned the shirt, covering the bandages that were wound around my torso.

During the battle with Madara I received couple hard blows. One blow broke two ribs and cracked three others. Another blow happened when I stepped in front of Naruto, receiving a large gash from my right shoulder all the way down to my left hip. It was a good thing the battle had ended soon after that or I may not have able to get help from the med-nins in time.

I fixed my Kusanagi into my belt and walked to the opening of the tent. With the tent flap firmly in my hand, I turned to look at Naruto one last time. Everything in me wanted to stay and wait till Naruto woke up, but no matter how much I wanted to I couldn't. I didn't even know what I would say to him. I knew he would immediately ask if I was going to come back to Konoha, but I didn't have an answer for him, at least not yet. So I said the only thing that came to mind.

"Thank you."

I opened the flap and stepped out into the crisp night air. I looked up into the sky and saw the waning moon. It was a good sign, a reminder that Madara was unable to enact his plan. I started walking away but I hadn't made it five steps from the tent before I heard him.

"Yo."

Up ahead of my position, sitting on a low tree branch was Kakashi. He seemed to be rather comfortable with his back leaning against the trunk and his nose in his Icha Icha Paradise book. Some things never changed. He wasn't even looking at me as he continued the conversation.

"Taking off already?" he asked.

"Hai."

This seemed to garner enough of his attention that he closed his book and slid it into his pocket.

"It's probably a better time than any. All the Kages are still resting, so no one will stop, but I'm sure they'd all like their chance to speak to you," he said.

"Hn," I responded with a slight tilt of my head.

I'm sure he was debating what to say next because he remained silent for the next minute.

"For what it's worth, Itachi would be proud of you, no matter what you had decided to do," he finally said.

"I know."

I didn't look directly at him but I could hear him shuffling around in his vest. Whatever it was, he held it a while after pulling it out. He then tossed it to me and I easily caught it. I didn't have to look at it the know exactly what it was. The cold metal and the dark blue fabric attached to it let me know I was holding my old hitai-ate. I turned it around in the palm of my hand so that the leaf symbol was visible. My eyes traced the scratch across its surface before I turned it back over, as if to hide my guilt from defecting.

"When you're ready, we'll be waiting for you," he offered.

I stood there for a minute considering his proposal, but I didn't know how to respond to it. He was always able to read me better than I could myself and he knew I still had some issues to work out. Knowing our conversation was coming to a close, he pulled his book out pocket and opened it to the place he left off. After a while I began walking again, quickly passing by him. He stopped me again before I had gotten to far.

"Suigetsu and Karin are waiting of the outskirts of the camp. Karin has already been scouting for his chakra," he said pausing before making a request. "Make sure my student makes it home safe will ya?"

I didn't know what part of that request I was more surprised about, his prediction of me making it all the way back to Konoha or the fact he trusted me with such a precious mission. Yes, he definitely thinks he knows me better than I do too.

I turned my head to face him so he could have a view of the smirk on my face. Once we made eye contact I responded, "Hn," and vanished into the treetops.

Sakura POV

When the nursed had said she'd get one of the little volunteers to bring us something to eat, I hadn't really been expecting someone so small. Indeed they were "little," probably no older than eight years old.

About an hour after the nurse had left, a timid little girl had knocked on the door carrying a tray of food. Behind her, trying to stay hidden, was a boy, who had a striking resemblance to the girl, carrying a tray of glasses and a pitcher of water. They both stood at the entrance of the room, so I smiled at them and beckoned them to come in.

The boy hastily placed his tray on the side table and turned to help the girl unfold the legs, which were underneath her tray, so that they could sit the tray on my lap. I could tell by their small, meek movements that they were trying not to draw attention to themselves. I wanted to lighten their mood a little, so I started talking to them.

"Are you two related?" I asked. The boy's eyes went wide, he hadn't expected me to say a thing to them, and perhaps he was slightly more frightened than the girl.

"Yes ma'am. He's my twin brother," she answered softly. She greatly avoided eye contact with me as she placed the tray on my lap.

"I wish I had a sibling or two. Oh, and you can call me Sakura, and you can call him...," I said pointing to the window, where my gentle giant had sat silently since I had told him thank you, "Juugo." At that, Juugo turned to look at the children and gave them the gentlest smile I'd seen from him yet.

"I'm Akemi and my brother is Isamu," she said. They both seemed much more relaxed now. Akemi started to fidget, rubbing her ankles together and playing with her fingers. She looked up at me and finally asked, "Are you really a ninja?"

I couldn't help but giggle innocently at the girl's question. The twins both smiled at me. Even Juugo was smiling at me.

"Hai," I answered. "I'm a med-nin for my village. So I mostly heal the sick and injured."

"Wow that's so cool," they both said simultaneously, which caused me to laugh a little more. They then let out a full attack of questions.

"Do you kick butt?"

"Do you have any secret Justus?"

"Were you fighting in the war?"

"How many missions have you been on? Which was the coolest?"

"Can you show us any moves?"

"Can you teach us any moves?"

"Can you—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, take it easy. You're going to run out of air," I jokingly said. They both sucked in a big breath and held it. I laughed them. My laughter must have been infectious too because they both blew out the air they held and began giggling. "Why don't I tell you some stories about my missions?"

"Yes, please," they said excitedly.

"But first, let's eat!" I opened one of the bento boxes on the tray and handed it to Isamu. I asked him if he could take it to Juugo, along with a cup of water. Juugo accepted it from him, placing the bento box on his lap and the glass of water on the window sill. Isamu quickly raced back to my bed side. I told them they could sit on the end of the bed and I would tell them about being a shinobi and my missions.

For two hours the twins sat there, intently listening to my tales. Occasionally they would interject and ask a question or two. Juugo listened as well. During this time, he would place small scrapes of his food for the birds and the squirrels to munch on as well. I caught Isamu watching his interactions with the animals.

Akemi kept all her attention on me though. She was definitely becoming my number one fan, well maybe second behind Lee. Around the two-hour mark though, the nurse that had previously checked on me, came back into the room to gather the children. Come to find out, the twins were actually her grandchildren. They left with her after assuring me they'd be back the following day so that I could finish my tale of how Granny Chiyo and I battled one of the Akastuki.

The rest of the afternoon I rested, half awake and half asleep. I quietly watched Juugo talking to his animal friends until sleep pulled me under its drowning wave.

Okay so let me know what to think. I will start on chapter 4 the moment I post this, but it may take a couple more days to post it but will hopefully be up before Friday.

Also no one had given me any suggestions about whether I should find a beta reader. I didn't I would need one, but I'm finding out some things while writing this that I could use a little extra help on. So, if anyone is a beta or know a good beta to use, please PM me with some details.

And well, I hoped you have enjoyed this chapter. :)