A/N:

WHILE UPDATING CHAPTER 16 BY MISTAKE CHAPTERS 13, 14 AND 15 WERE DELETED, SORRY FOR THAT I HAD A LITTLE PROBLEM, IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN! SO THAT'S WHY YOU PROBABLY RECEIVED ALERTS FOR MORE CHAPTERS UPDATED BUT I ONLY UPDATE THE ONES THAT WERE DELETED AND THE NEW 16. MY APOLOGIZES TO YOU!

Hello to all of you again! I'm so happy that you're still out there liking my story!

Thanks to all of you who read or reviewed it or put it in your list's favorites or in alert, thank you so much!

Thank you to: lunaestrlla (Sakura and Sasuke's and Sasuke and Miyu's moments will come for better or for worse, don't worry! Thank you!!), panda-kinz (Welcome! And it will become more complicated, believe me! Thanks a lot!!), liljapangrl03 (I'm glad you liked that little moment of Miyu and I hope to put on some more! Thank you!!), C.A.M.E.O.1 and Only (Thank you for saying that this chapter it was like a novel, that's huge, I'm very thankful to you and if you felt like that it's a reward to me to know I'm doing it right. I hope too to see them recover from all this! Thanks thanks really!!), sasusaku779 (Sorry for drowning you in despair and broke your heart! Thank you so much for your words that told me how I'm doing! Thanks a lot!!), Lady Padme Naberrie (Welcome and thank you for reading it. As you can see, I like sadness and angst, ha, ha. My, my, you surprise me with your words on this... hmm... Sorry for making your heart ached in pain! Thanks, thanks a lot!!), jay-alexis (Oh my, there's hope and light still, doesn't it? Poor Sasuke, how evil I am! Ha, ha, we'll see, we'll see! Thank you!!), Laury Uchiha (Thanks to you for reading! I like Kakashi and Sasuke's relationship too. In this chapter you'll see how Miyu's taking this matter of her "Dada". Sometimes all of you surprise me when you suggest something and it was already thought or written! Oh believe me, I'm addicted to Sasuke too. Thank you for your supportive words and thanks a lot really!!), AVAuchiha (Thank you for what you said and I'm glad you're liking it! Sasuke hadn't given up! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!) and kmixan (I know Kakashi is strong but he was distracted too, he, he, and yes, Sasuke hit him very hard and he didn't mean it. What happened to Sasuke and when he took Miyu away will be show later, I don't want to leave all of you in darkness about it and for me it will be rude to not put it! I love that you can imagine different scenarios in this story and I gladly read them! Thank you really, really!!)

Now for (Sorry for not answering your pm before but I hadn't checked my mail upps): Massu Chan (I saw your mail and don't worry for the button, sometimes I cannot even enter! I'm glad you sent a pm to me to show me your review. Thanks a lot! Don't say your reviews are pointless! All your reviews are important to me and I love reading them not matter what they could say. And all of you motivate me, really. Light and hope, that's good right? Hmm... And you had been the only one who pointed that! You know what I'm talking! He, he, I want you to wonder about the mysteries! Kakashi is great and perhaps he deserves something! Don't worry about the long!! Thank you, thank you!!), Laury Uchiha (Thank you for remind me to update soon!! Even by private message! Thanks!!), sasusaku779 (I'm not taking offense, really, and thank you for loving my story! Well in fact I had tried to write before since years ago. This account in fact was for keeping fanfics that were not about anime, that's why it has fanfiction of star wars, harry potter, charmed, angel, buffy, howl's moving castle, etc. Now I had put some Naruto's ones I liked. But I prefer to write about anime. I decided to write a SasuSaku because I love Sasuke's character and it's my favorite till now. First I liked Gaara but then Sasuke took my breath away (How dramatic, ha, ha) and then I pondered about it if I should write one. The title came so easily to my mind and I love it! I was surprised because I usually have problem choosing the title. I'm not into writing of something else right now and more if it isn't anime related. And "Bringing Back" it's the first fanfic I'm writing that I have the firm intention to finish (I love you Sasuke!) and that it had impact in the readers and reviewers and that makes me very happy indeed. Thank you for your pm and don't worry, I don't take offense if you ask something particular about me or the writing! Thank you!!)

Do you remember before in one chapter in this space when I wrote about Sasuke's symptoms? Well, here is the left one.

TO ALL OF YOU MATA NEE!!

Chapter 16

Trembling

Tsunade POV

When the Council heard and was notified of the improvement and good performance of Sasuke they tried to take advantage of it. Kakashi and I had expected something like that to happen. They knew Sasuke's political situation was still shaken and fragile so they overpowered my orders and started to send him with Kakashi in more difficult missions with a high possibility of danger. I contradicted their decisions knowing that even when the Uchiha was a good and talented ninja again it was very soon to change his environment so suddenly. Kakashi agreed with me and we both discussed with the Council about it. It was true that Sasuke had gotten better much sooner than we had expected but that didn't guarantee that he was ready to face other kind of missions. We were worried for him and we feared that he could go backwards in his training if he encountered experiences he couldn't handle yet. But the Council reminded us very kindly that he was doing it for compensating his bad behavior with the village and the important betrayal he had done twice allying himself with two of the most powerful and dangerous enemies of Konoha.

Sasuke had heard with us the order of putting him in the list of higher missions and Kakashi and I didn't surprise at all when he didn't do anything to show his discomfort for their order and decision. He just nodded slightly narrowing his eyes at them with a intensity we hadn't seen in him in a long time ago that brought so much boldness and coldness that he raised fear in the members of the Council and concern in us. His look could scare anyone. So full of determination and the fire of the fight and deep hatred.

When he didn't react denying the order we knew we couldn't do anything about it so we didn't insist in his behalf. Kakashi just told him when we were back at my office that he expected him to care and watch himself and warned him of the chance of danger to him and the ones who would accompany him. Sasuke knew this perfectly well and his stoic face and daring glare told us. He knew he wasn't as efficient as he was before but still he had accepted and Kakashi and I thought that he had done it just to show them that he was capable as a matter of dignity and pride but he must had had another secret reason to do it too and we could sense it in him when we looked at his distant dark gaze. Maybe he just wanted to have something to do in his life. Maybe he was using this to avoid inner feelings and thoughts and demons deeply inside of him.

The fact that he didn't talk ever was in reality a good thing in matters of missions and fights. The enemy couldn't know exactly what ninjutsu he would do without hearing him voicing it and had to watch the seals and movements he performed. That was something in his favor ironically. And to tell the truth, we wanted him more talking even if that meant he could lose this advantage in his favor anyway.

Kakashi and I really trusted in Sasuke. We trusted in his capacity to do an excellent job. But we couldn't help to worry thinking in all that could happen if he lost his mind again in the middle of a mission and in fact we didn't quite know how the seal would react. Talking with Hiashi Hyuuga when he attacked Kakashi we discussed that incident. Sasuke was supposedly limited to hurt other person because of the red seal but in that case he had harmed his sensei badly. Hiashi-Sama explained to us that Sasuke's disturbed mind had decided that in that moment Kakashi was a threat to him and the seal's response was weaker than his own choice. The hallucinations of Uchiha had limited the logical and cold answer of the seal regarding the supposed threat due to their intensity. Sasuke couldn't really hurt badly someone if that person wasn't trying to actually damage him or kill him or represented in his delusional mind a great danger to his life. The natural instinct of survival couldn't be mended exactly and perfectly. Hiashi-Sama had said already that imposing a seal in Sasuke's state (someone who suffered hallucinations) it was so hard and complicated that it was impossible to make it work properly. The human mind was above and more powerful than anything in the world.

Anyway we had to trust and hope for the best. Kakashi tried to train him in a stressful rhythm to prepare him in the next dangerous missions and we saw gladly that Sasuke reacted fine and do it well like before. He was doing an extreme effort to control himself and had a clear and cold mind. I was proud of him as a shinobi but not as a whole person. He still hurt Sakura and Miyu and we didn't have a clue why he acted so erratic and moody when it comes of the both. I do wonder what could happen the next time he and Sakura meet. I was preoccupied by it and sad thinking in the little girl with black-bluish hair that missed his father enough to call for him when she was with any of us like if she was asking us why he wasn't at her side. And I just had to smile kindly at her and kiss her forehead while I saw the pain and sorrow in my apprentice who tried desperately to blink away the uncontrolled tears she still harbored inside her aching heart.

"Tomorrow you will go at 9 o'clock to the Hokage's office."

"Another mission Kakashi-Sensei?! Yeah!"

"How troublesome… I wanted to stay all day in bed."

Kakashi smiled at the two different reactions of the two different boys. Naruto was brimming in excitement. He paused before saying who would be the fourth in their group in the mission ahead.

"Sasuke will come too. It's not the first one in this rank that he had to do, he had come with me before but it's the first one in which we'll have two more teammates."

"Sasuke is our fourth member in this mission?"

Naruto asked happily but sadly too. Kakashi just nodded calmly noticing still the ambivalence in his former student regarding Sasuke. Shikamaru didn't give it importance just like he didn't give it to anything in fact.

"Yes, he is. So tomorrow please don't be late."

"You're not the person who has any right to say that."

"Oh don't say that Shikamaru-Kun."

Kakashi just laughed cheerfully at a judging and annoyed Shikamaru while Naruto was left thinking in tomorrow. It was the first time in all these long months that he would have an assignment as a ninja with Sasuke and the second opportunity to chat with him after the meeting in Ichiraku. Days had passed after that and now he was more confident in his own feelings and thoughts and felt secure to try to befriend Sasuke again. He could never stop trying to be his friend. That was something he had accepted and embraced after all that had happened since that far away day when the two had fought to death in that valley. He had wanted to go and see him when Lee had told them about the incident at the dock but he couldn't find the courage feeling bad for the throwing of his friend's collection. That was the most important thing that kept him away from Sasuke, knowing of the possibility that his act had indeed hurt his quiet friend. But hearing from Lee that Sasuke had thought about that… had deeply worried and hurt and angered him a lot. Just thinking if Lee and Kakashi hadn't been there with Sasuke…gripped his heart tightly in suffering.

"So see you tomorrow boys. Rest and sleep well."

Kakashi waved goodbye smiling and left them there. Shikamaru just sighed annoyed.

"Yeah, yeah. I want to rest and sleep all day tomorrow too. If Temari was here…"

Shikamaru sighed with his eyes lost in reverie. Naruto just chuckled optimistic in thinking in tomorrow. He and Shikamaru walked together for a while until the yawning and clever boy with a ponytail waved goodbye at the blond smiling shinobi and entered at his home. Naruto looked at the mountain where the fifth faces of the Hokage of Konoha were in solid rock. He stopped his steps and smiled cheerfully and nostalgic.

"Together again like before Sasuke. Like the old times."

Then he resumed his walking to home feeling excited and happy about tomorrow.

Naruto POV

I couldn't talk with Sasuke when we began with the mission. It was a dangerous mission in which we had to deliver important papers and we had the possibility of encounter people who would want to take them from us with force and the chance of killing us. We had to stay silent and watchful, quiet and focused while we were running through the forest to the meeting's spot where the ninjas sent by the client would be waiting us to recover the damn papers. The mission in fact was dangerous in the matter of having us to fight an army of ninjas sent by the other group who wanted the papers for bad means. They were very well trained and gave us trouble when they appeared at us in all the way strategically and very well planned.

But it was a mission we were used to do and we were pretty great trained and we completed it only being slightly hurt and nothing more of gravity. We did what Tsunade-Baachan told us and we returned to Konoha immediately thanked by the client for our excellent job and service.

Nothing of that worried me. I wasn't anymore the clumsy and dump ninja from my younger years. And I was quite surprised and happy to see my old friend in action again face to face fighting at our side even when his fighting style had changed a little and was limited by his sickness. Still Shikamaru and I watched his performance and we accepted the fact that he had an amazing development in this mission including dealing with his own distractions and I felt moved and melancholic remembering old times of our Team 7's time in my actual observance of his performance as a shinobi. I hadn't noticed before how thin he was. It was a miracle he still had his ninja's constitution. He had returned to the village thinner but after not seeing him frequently for days I was shocked and concerned to see him like that again.

The night surrounded us suddenly and noticing that we were in fact exhausted Kakashi-Sensei decided to rest and sleep in the middle of the forest and restart our way back to the village tomorrow early. Konoha wasn't far away anyway. We set a camp feeling satisfied and glad for the outcome of our completed task and we had dinner and a moment of relax before sleeping.

Like I had said, I hadn't had the time before to talk to Sasuke. We both were concentrated in doing the mission perfectly but right now that has ended and I felt that it was the time to try it. I didn't want anymore to be like this with him, I didn't want to be away and avoid him and reject him. I didn't know how he could do it so easily with Sakura-Chan and Miyu. I hadn't lost the hope of making him change his mind about that. I hadn't lost the hope of having my best friend back and at peace at least with Sakura-Chan if he couldn't feel love for her. At least I wanted friendship and understanding between them for Miyu and for themselves.

So I waited till Kakashi-Sensei went to his spot where he was going to sleep and started to read one of his novels with a perverted giggling and shinning gaze and a slight red in his uncovered cheek. He had told us that he was going to do the report to give to Tsunade-Baachan tomorrow but instead he ordered Shikamaru to do it. This one, irritated and annoyed was shut up in his protest when Kakashi-Sensei said that "I'm sorry Shikamaru-Kun, but that's the bad thing when you are the brain of the group" so Shikamaru had to just growl in protest and started to fill the report's papers boringly and quickly with the help of that brain of his.

I had just laughed seeing that scene thanking heaven for not being smart or intelligent. Then I laughed at myself knowing what I had thought and scratching my head I turned around leaving Kakashi-Sensei reading and Shikamaru writing and I saw Sasuke a little away from us sitting in a rock looking at something in his hands. I approached him carefully trying to not be noticed by him and when I was nearer I watched surprised and touched what he was looking at so concentrated and attentive.

It was Miyu's photograph.

Kakashi-Sensei had told us that it was the only thing he had taken with him that night when he decided to leave my place and he kept it hidden like some sort of precious treasure or mysterious secret. I smiled sadly and moved at seeing my friend staring contemplative at it like if he was memorizing every single and little detail from the photo. I knew I couldn't tell him anything about it because I knew Sasuke. I knew him so bad that if I had said something about it he would probably reacted wrong at my act and would end angry at me for spying on him. I knew him so bad that I hadn't run to his side when Lee had told me what he almost did in the dock by the river knowing that if I mentioned it to Sasuke he would had probably rejected me mad. Kakashi-Sensei and I knew how he was. He would not had wanted to have any of us prying on him for the incident at the dock or his secret and devoted care for his daughter. That was why I hadn't gone to see him when Lee told us about it even feeling damn worried again thinking in losing again my best friend. I could surely have been angry at him and maybe I had probably screamed and punched him like before confused at his strange behavior. He had a girl who loved him so much that it hurt her and a little girl who kept asking for him with adoringly eyes and sincere smile so I couldn't quite understand him. So I controlled myself and let Kakashi-Sensei to handle the situation and he had done it perfectly.

And that was why I didn't go near him right now asking him why he rejected and avoided Miyu if he indeed obviously thought about her and care enough for her showing his love as a father. Sasuke was someone who didn't like others meddling with his life and feelings and thoughts. He kept all of that to himself deeply in his soul. He had always been stoic, calculative, arrogant and cold, indifferent at others just focusing in his own goal almost sometimes in an egoistical and self centered way. Those adjectives had gotten him the "cool and collected" exterior all the girls worshipped and the boys envied. It was difficult to know what was happening in his heart but I knew he still had kindness and goodness in it. But I knew that before he lost his family and clan he wasn't like that. I still could remember him as a little boy quiet and kind, sweet and accessible. He had laughed like any of us. I remembered him being somehow shy and insecure when his father had gone to the Academy for some reason. After that horrible incident in his life Sasuke had definitely changed forever.

I sighed with melancholy and smiling softly did a lot of noise with my feet to be noticed by him. I caught by the corner of my eyes how he had hidden the picture of Miyu in an inside pocket of his clothes. A little trace of my smile still clung from the corners of my lips when I sat down in a rock in front of him sighing tiredly and occasionally. Then I noticed how he was looking directly at me with that cocky eyes and that spark that made you think that he didn't appreciate even your existence in the world and that there was nothing in it that could scare him or surprise him. That was he. And I had learned to accept him in his own way and saw through the own language of his silence and words when he still wanted or can to speak. I knew that the appreciation he could give me could be covering the reality behind that perfect mask of a disgruntled look and freezing calm. I stared back at him without exactly knowing where to begin with. I felt stupid and awkward but I suck it up and talking sincerely and calmly I started the chat that I had been waiting for since days ago.

"Sasuke… I want to apologize… for what I did to your collection… I'm so sorry…"

I lowered my guilty gaze for seconds and then when I look up at him I saw him watching me softly. I felt better and at peace.

"I didn't have any right to do something like that. I'm sorry. I tried to recover it but I couldn't… so I hope you can forgive me for that."

Then was silence between us for long minutes till I knew that he wasn't angry at me for that. He was thoughtful and just distant in his own meditation and had averted his look at the burning fire a little away from us. But I knew he was still listening to me. He hadn't stood up like he would have done if he didn't want to be with me or hear me anymore.

"I felt bad for knowing that you didn't want to live with me anymore but I understand it, really. I miss you. My dirty house misses you in fact probably more than me."

I chuckled and he turned again to me narrowing his eyes in a mocking and knowing way. I saw him rolling his eyes in apparent annoyance and I smiled wide at it amused and proud of provoking that gesture out of him.

"I just want to tell you that if you want to come back some day you will always have a room there." I paused before saying the next with a more serious face and preoccupied. "I was very worried for you when you disappeared and later with the sealing and the Council… and then later with the other…"

Sasuke was narrowing his eyes again but now with intensity and something I couldn't quite identify. Was he angry at me for talking about all that? Was he surprised? Was he confused? I couldn't know. I pushed my luck still seeing that he hadn't gotten up.

"I was very damn worried. I don't want you to… you know. I was pretty scared when you hurt yourself with that knife and tried to tattoo your arms… don't do it anymore please."

My pleading was so sincere and concerned and I hadn't stopped seeing him fixing my blue stare on him that I knew I had caught him somehow off guard. Now he indeed was watching me with a hint of confusion and surprise. Why was he confused and surprised at seeing me so worried about him? Can't he see how much I care about him? How much Kakashi-Sensei and all of us, even Sakura-Chan care for him?

"I don't quite understand you Sasuke… and I don't like when you hurt Sakura-Chan and Miyu but I don't want to be away from you. Probably I'll be angry with you in a near future if you do it again with intention or not, but I don't want to lose your friendship. You're important to me as the both of those two girls who love you. You are my family like Kakashi-Sensei. You all were the first group of persons who were with me like a family with Iruka-Sensei who is like a father to me… so I hope you can understand me too. I probably won't understand you if you don't want to share what it's inside your heart and I'll probably be mad but at the end I want you to know that I would not turn my back on you. You're my best friend. How could I? You'll have to bare with me and deal with me even if I keep annoying you wanting to realize how lucky you are of having a girl who loves you with all her soul and a beautiful and bright daughter who misses you so that she keeps asking any of us for you just saying "dada". I'm hopeful like her. And believe me, knowing myself the hope would be the last thing I would lose at the mere end."

I chuckled proud of my charade and I saw a little hint of a smirk in his lips and sadness in his almost inexpressive but moved black eyes. I didn't say anything but I knew that with only that little and honest chat between us the things were like before and our friendship can be saved and rebuild. We were in silence just relaxing and looking up at the nocturnal and starry sky until I felt tired enough to sleep. I had lied down in the grass with my crossed arms as a pillow under my head and smiling face and then I sat down turning my sleepy gaze at him who was still sitting in the same rock looking up like me at the moon.

And I noticed something strange.

Sasuke had been calm and relaxed seconds before I sat down and then I noticed how he had dropped suddenly his head and started to tremble violently without control. The harsh shaking was first slow and weak but then it turned out quicker and stronger and I saw worried and shocked the pale and serious face of Sasuke like a mask enabling him to show the pain he was surely feeling and the only clue to it was his dark orbs narrowing in intense suffering very visible now.

It had to be son damn intense and powerful the pain he was experiencing to see it through his crystal look when normally it was difficult to notice something like that in him.

I got up suddenly and hurried to his side watching terrified and preoccupied how his body was trembling rapidly and with a certain rhythm that made him clutch his muscles with sharp tightness and bend down in an unbearable wave of pain. I had seen him suffering from his migraines but this was quite different and stronger in the way that had paralyzed him completely. He barely was able to raise his shaking and contorted arms and brace himself with fragile force.

"Sasuke! What's wrong?!"

I asked with a breaking and scared voice. Then the shaking was so damn intense that he lost the little control he had still on his pained and tensed body and he felt from the rock and continued trembling brusquely on the grass unable to stop himself. I tried to help him grabbing him by his flying arms that tried to grab something to settle the trembling movements that were controlling them and putting half me over his chest but the frenetic shaking increased and I saw him arching wildly his back and clutching his eyes tightly with an obvious wince pictured in his furrowed brow and his lips opened trying to cry out painfully without any voice left. If I was seeing him showing pain this easily it only meant he was worse than I had thought it. I wasn't able to stop his frenetic trembling without hurting him.

And I panicked.

"KAKASHI-SENSEI!! SHIKAMARU!! PLEASE HELP ME!!"

I shocked at my intents of sobbing trying to stay calm and collected and felt my deep concern grow immensely while I was hearing them some meters away standing suddenly and running to us and I watched horrified in desperation and preoccupation at the blood streaming through Sasuke's face from his nose.

Kakashi POV

After hearing the panic clearly showed in Naruto's screams I got up immediately sensing it was something related to Sasuke. Shikamaru followed me serious and worried too and we arrived seconds later where my blond and former student was trying to settle Sasuke down in his convulsion. Just laying my concerned eye on him I knew that he was suffering from some sort of seizure and that its incessant trembling was in fact some kind of convulsion originated from it.

It reminded me of an epileptic episode.

But I knew that it was somehow different from it and when I saw the blood running out from Sasuke's nose I knew it. He was bleeding severely and it didn't stop.

Without losing any time the three of us tried to control the harsh and violent movements of our teammate and got him paralyzed by our force combined. He still was gripped in the intense seizure but it was limited by our force holding him the steadier we could and little by little it lessened till Sasuke was left limp and unconscious lying in the fresh grass with his breathing slowing and evening out. The pain showed lightly and softly in his features was disappearing and the tension in all his body relaxed. I made Naruto and Shikamaru to hold him still and steady his body even noticing the end of the convulsion. We had never seen so much pain in Sasuke not even regarding his migraines which were able to make him faint from the pain's intensity. That scared me and worried me a lot like I knew it had done with Naruto.

Sasuke couldn't show pain, that had been one of the diagnoses of Tsunade and later she corrected it saying that it was very slight his chance to do it.

Soon the blood stopped flowing from his nose and staining badly his face, neck and shirt and when I finally was sure that Sasuke had gotten out of it I ordered the two friends to let go of him and I did it too. Then I started to check him up asking Naruto what had happened and how long he had been trembling like that. He explained me pale and shaken, worried and scared what I had asked him and told me that he had been like that almost three minutes since the beginning of it till the end.

I sighed preoccupied and deadly serious but disguising it with seriousness to calm Naruto and Shikamaru. I wasn't a medic nin so I couldn't give Sasuke all the assistance he needed so I just did what I knew I could do for him. I checked up his vitals worried for his accelerated pulse trying to even out and looked into his eyes opening them slightly and carefully and saw them lost completely. He was really out. It was like his brain had made short circuit and the light was turned off that three whole minutes inside of it. His functions were working fine but slowly like restarting from a profound shock of chakra. I dealt with the bleeding nose and noticed it had been a second effect from the convulsion.

It had to be so damn strong to make him bleed like that.

Shikamaru understand the situation better than Naruto. Frowning worried and serious told me that we needed to reach Konoha as soon as possible to take Sasuke to the hospital and be attended by Shizune and Tsunade. This late symptom of his sickness was dangerous and not to be taken lightly and I nodded agreeing with him. I wasn't sure how much blood he had lost but it wasn't sure a good thing. Naruto was unable to talk staring shocked at his dark haired friend and Shikamaru was kind enough to put a hand in his shoulder in sign of support.

Before restarting our way to Konoha in the middle of the night and while they were busy collecting all our stuff I cleaned Sasuke and changed his upper clothing looking damn preoccupied at him. His breathing and pulse were now normal and I sighed glad. I didn't like this new symptom and I felt deeply the strange and deathly feeling of fearing for Sasuke's life. When Shikamaru and Naruto returned pale and serious and shaken from the experience I decided that we would take turns to carry him till we reached Konoha to do a more efficient time and avoid exhausting one of us. They agreed and I was the first one who dragged an unconscious Sasuke while we were running through the forest under the calm and starry night. I was carrying him just like Temari had done when she had brought him back to the village that time and our pace was quick and focused. We only wanted to get to Konoha the sooner we could.

Shikamaru and Naruto took their turn in carrying Sasuke but when we finally arrived at the village I was again the one dragging him. The sunrise was coming and we got the hospital in the hours when everything is calm and almost empty. The three of us were exhausted and sleepy but we didn't care when we saw Shizune and Tsunade took personal care of our teammate immediately after seeing us arriving there and explaining them what had happened. The both medic nin were shocked and really worried and serious after listening to us and then we didn't meet them again because they got busy with Sasuke and they didn't went out of the special room they had put him.

I ordered my other two teammates to go to their home after other medic nin attended our own and light injuries. Shikamaru understood immediately but I had a hard time convincing Naruto to go and sleep. He was so concerned and fearful for Sasuke. But at the end I was able to convince him that it was better his way, we couldn't do anything now while Tsunade and Shizune worked on him and we had to be rested and fine when Sasuke finally could regain consciousness. After seeing them going I followed my own advice and decided to go home. But before parting I glanced at the closed door where I knew Sasuke was being treated and I wished for him to recover soon and well trying to hope against the anxiety I felt still inside of me when that weird feeling appeared in my mind shadowing Sasuke's future.

"He recovered consciousness after six hours but right now the last checkup we did on him revealed that he's fine and the same as always since he got strangely sick. There's not trace anymore from the seizure. But yes, he had one pretty bad that made him to convulsion and lost control of his own body and mind. It was similar to an epileptic one but it's not definitely the same. I think it was originated from his amount of chakra."

Kakashi nodded while Shikamaru was just thoughtful and serious and Naruto had his blue and sad look fixed in the floor. Tsunade was staring tiredly and worried at the three sitting behind her desk with Shizune standing by her side.

"What do you mean?"

The half masked man questioned the blond woman concerned.

"I think that part of Sasuke's sickness is caused by his own body without him having control on it. I think is inflicted by his chakra and his mind. I think the jutsu who put him this sick affected his own and natural defense in every way: physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. That's why I believe we cannot do anything about it to heal in him what is now damaged. His own and complete being it seems to be injuring him whenever it wants and for mysterious reasons."

There was a long and dead silence in the office. Kakashi nodded again understanding perfectly the underline in the Hokage's speech. Shizune was seeing concerned and moved the preoccupied face of Naruto. But Shikamaru was the only one strong enough to ask what it was in the mind of the five.

"Is he dying?"

Naruto turned quickly and shocked at his friend unable to speak. There was fear and pained worry in his blue orbs filled with trepidation and suffering. Kakashi was calm and collected, thinking in everything without taking off his glance from the honey eyed Hokage. This one was staring serious at them yet. She denied it softly.

"No. He's not dying right now. In fact his illness isn't killing him or damaging him to the extent to say that it's killing him. But these late symptom can do it if it happens again and it's stronger than this one." She paused touched by the enlighten hope and sadness in the blond boy in front of her with shinning eyes watching her speaking. "This sort of seizure can kill him in fact. I won't deny that. It's strong and dangerous enough to left him in the verge of death or with severe consequences or the worst, kill him."

"Severe consequences?"

Naruto spoke with fragile and pained voice. This time it was the dark haired assistant of the Hokage who explained it.

"This sort of seizure is strong enough to damage functions of his body. Like walking or seeing. It can take down one function from his brain. Either functions. What we're trying to say it's that Sasuke can end paralyzed or blind or worse if the seizures continue to affect him and if they're worse than this first one he had already. This one just left him unconscious for six hours and affected his breathing and pulse making his heart and lungs to go frenetic. But that's all. It could've been worse."

"If the seizure repeats several times I can't guarantee Sasuke's life. So that's why I'll do everything in my power to stop it from happening again the most I can. I started a treatment based in shots and not pills; he has enough with the ones to control his hallucinations and migraines. Every week I will test him to do a complete checkup on him and I would give him a special shot to maintain in balance his physical chemistry and control the unstable energy of his chakra. The seizure received it like electricity similar to an epileptic seizure and that's dangerous to his brain."

"Then he's alright now, right?"

The Hokage nodded tranquil at Naruto smiling softly. He let out a profound breath he didn't know he had been holding in all her explanation. Shikamaru seemed pretty calm too after hearing her. He had been worried too by Uchiha's fate. Nevertheless Kakashi looked straight at her somehow thoughtful and concerned.

"Can he still be a shinobi? Can he be sent to do missions? Can he train?"

Tsunade thought about each question before answering. Shizune had a very serious and preoccupied face.

"He can. If he receives the shots needed to avoid future seizures he can do it. His condition won't be different from before this last symptom. He can live his now normal life. But" She paused narrowing her eyes with a distant spark of meditation. "I cannot guarantee that the seizure can't go back again. I cannot guarantee that Sasuke won't suffer from another again. I only can control it but not erase it like his other symptoms, like his own illness. I hope you can understand it and accept what it truly means."

Kakashi nodded and Shikamaru just frowned. Naruto bowed his head pondering and saddening deeply.

"I don't want you to be so down about it. We still have time to do something. I haven't left this matter and I'm still working on it. But more importantly, I don't want you to be so obvious with Sasuke about it. You know him. Don't look like he's dying or something like that because he's not."

"Does he understand the complete significance of his condition?"

Shikamaru asked seriously. Tsunade lowered his gaze thinking.

"Yes, he does. He's my patient and I can't lie to him about his health. He comprehends very well the meaning. And he won't like to have you worrying and prying on him about it."

"Yeah… that's just Sasuke."

Naruto said barely smiling sadly. Kakashi peered at him moved and concerned.

"That's why I don't want you to go on telling about his real condition. I told you because you witnessed it by first hand but only for that. Sasuke doesn't know that I told you all I know about it. He thinks I told you just that the seizure was another symptom from his sickness and that I don't quite know why it happened and just that. I questioned him about it, if he agreed with me to tell you the truth about it and he denied it to me. But thinking it I believe I can and have to tell you. So please don't make me lose his trust in this. And besides if someone who wants to hurt him or kill him knows about it, it can be taken as an advantage against Sasuke. It's for his safety. Do you understand? "

The three ninja nodded serious and loyal and then Tsunade sorted out the papers from the report of their mission that Shikamaru had done.

"You all did a very good job indeed. Even Sasuke. I'm impressed. You did it so easily and without turning badly injured or one of you dead. Well done. I didn't expect less anyway. Your writing and information is a little sloppy Shikamaru but it's fine knowing what happened. You all can go now until any of you receive another mission."

The three got up obedient and respectful and walked to the door when the Hokage called them again with a calmer expression in her beautiful face.

"You can take Sasuke home. Shizune will show you the way. Have a nice day."

Naruto smiled wide and warm and thanked cheerful Tsunade making her to smirk and laugh at his optimistic behavior. She saw the three going out from her office following her loyal assistant and friend. When they were gone and she was alone in the big office she sighed tired and thoughtful and put her back completely against the comfortable chair staring at the ceiling. She wondered smiling sadly about her breaking the promise she had done to her patient, Sasuke Uchiha. She remembered her onyx gaze fixed in her after denying with a gesture the possibility of sharing the reality of his last symptom. He had been so decided and cold about it. Then she simply got up and walked to the window seeing in a flashback his face and by consequence Miyu's little and sweet one.

At least one of us can tell the truth, right Sasuke?

Nobody understood the unexpected and desperate intention of Naruto of bringing him and Miyu together again. He even wanted to do the same with Sakura-Chan. Only Shikamaru could understand the real reason behind that attitude that for others seemed helpless, useless or pointless. Naruto just laughed jokingly and cheerful when they told him that he shouldn't meddle in his two friend's life and that it was impossible to do something like that by force if they didn't want to do it willingly. But Naruto was a stubborn person when it comes to hope and someone telling him something that he cannot achieve. Shikamaru chose to reserve his own opinion but didn't judge the blond and optimistic shinobi about it.

He knew that Naruto had understood what Tsunade-Sama had said. Sasuke wasn't dying. But there was a chance hanging over his head, probably slightly, by the hand of a strong and dangerous seizure. It was playing with luck to think the chance that Sasuke indeed have to survive another seizure more intense than the first one. He personally thought that the Hokage's treatment will work just fine and if Sasuke in fact could have another seizure it won't be worse than the first one. That was the plan all along, right? To prevent it and make it smaller if the seizure appeared again in Sasuke's life. But Naruto wasn't like him so he just let him be. And thinking it deeply and honestly, he wanted too to have Sasuke and Sakura and their daughter like a little and united family instead a broken one.

Kakashi took Sasuke with him again but Naruto wasn't mopping anymore about it. He seemed to be in friendly terms with Sasuke again and invited to have lunch or dinner with him like the old times and surprisingly Sasuke had agreed at least twice. Shikamaru then thought that the chance of him dying could be higher than he had believed if the world was changing like that. The smart Jounin then just laughed for his sarcasm and was glad that Uchiha was trying even little by little to restart or more precisely build a social life.

But it was troublesome to know something others don't. Especially if you have to share it with a noisy and impulsive friend like Naruto. And Shikamaru in fact wasn't good in keeping secrets too. The only thing that prevented him from spilling out the truth was imaging the face of the angry Hokage and the infuriated look of Sasuke. Yeah. That was troublesome to imagine and he sighed keeping his mouth shut every time his other friends talked sadly about Naruto's fervent desire to bring together his two best friends.

"Tomorrow I had another mission with Kakashi-Sensei, Tenten and Sakura! Yeah!"

Shikamaru just sighed tired seeing his enthusiasm and saw all the sad looks in their other friends. Tenten cleared her throat blinking nervously like if she couldn't say what she wanted to.

"Naruto… you know, I don't think it's a good idea to talk about Sasuke with Sakura. I don't think she would react fine at it."

"She's right." Neji supported her staring serious at the blond and cheerful shinobi. "We thought you were very angry at him."

"Yeah man, you're confusing us!"

Kiba said glaring at him. Naruto just shrugged thoughtful.

"I talked with him in our last mission. I got to an agreement with him."

Ino sighed exhausted from his stamina and little brain.

"But I guess that agreement didn't have the part of Sakura and him together, right?"

"Hell no! But…"

Naruto just smirked evilly and jokingly. Their friends crossed looks worried.

"Naruto please just promise us you won't do something stupid, please."

"Why would I do something stupid Lee?"

"He refers to the part when after your meddling with their life she ends crushed and hurt and he ends despised and colder than ever."

Shikamaru smirked by Ino's comment. Naruto finally got a serious expression in his face and sighed calmly and smiling nostalgic.

"I won't ever do that. I now I have to be careful. They're my friends so how can I hurt them deliberately? It's just that I want some agreement or peace between them. I know I cannot make Sasuke to fall in love with Sakura-Chan just like that. I know there's almost not hope to see them together some day and Miyu having the two by her side and like a family. But if I can only make him to feel sorry and show it to Sakura… I think I will be satisfied and glad if after that they can be friends again."

They listened at him quite surprised and meditating it with softer and touched looks. Naruto then returned to his usual cheerful self chuckling and scratching his head. His friends sighed resignated to it and didn't say a word about it anymore but Chouji's question warned Shikamaru.

"When did you discover that?"

"Well in fact it was in our last mission while we were doing it and then when he"

But Naruto was cut out by a very persistent and killing glare of Shikamaru and gulping he just laughed shrugging the question away. Saving his neck appeared Hinata and Shino who came together approaching them and changing the alarming chat's theme.

"Hey Hinata! Where were you?"

Naruto smiled kindly at her and she slightly blushed but smiled back more secure than before.

"At the Hokage's office. We got assigned a mission with Kurenai-Sensei for tomorrow."
"Wait a minute!" Shikamaru screamed seeing every one of his friends like processing some important information. "If my brain works fine then Naruto, Sakura and Tenten will go with Kakashi-Sensei in a mission tomorrow. Neji, Lee and Ino will go with Gai-Sensei too and then one of us: Kiba, Chouji or me are left. The Hokage told me that I'll have vacations now so I hope it isn't me!"

"Why the heck are you going to have vacations and others from us not?"

Ino glared envious and angry (joking in fact) at his lazy friend.

"Well my dear Ino, I'm special you know. I was made Chunin before you and then Jounin."

Shikamaru smirked proud of himself with look lost in reverie of past and glorious memories. Ino knew he was just mocking all of them but she played along with it.

"Oh forgive me smartass!"

"I hope it's me! I want to have some action!"

"Hmm…"

Kiba and Chouji responses were to the matter in hand. Shino sighed somehow amused by the different reactions of his friends at the notice. Hinata looked at Naruto concerned.

"In fact no one of you three will be a partner of Hinata and me this time. Sasuke was assigned to come with us under Kurenai-Sensei's orders."

"Really?"

Naruto asked glad and optimistic and his quiet girlfriend nodded happily seeing him like that. Shikamaru sighed relieved grateful for not being him. All the others were quiet pondering about it.

"It's that ok for Sasuke? We knew he had some sort of seizure in the last mission and he was hospitalized."

"Yeah, that's true."

Shikamaru and Naruto crossed looks serious but disguised it with calm after receiving Lee and Kiba's words. Hinata peered worried at her cheerful boyfriend who looked preoccupied and nervous for some seconds. Shikamaru was quick to answer back immediately.

"Yes, he had some sort of seizure but it just another of his damn mysterious symptoms and the Hokage took care of it. He's fine. He'll do it excellent like always."

Their ignorant friends nodded calmer and glad being sincerely worried for the Uchiha. They weren't still happy for the way he had been acting since his return especially with Sakura and Miyu but they wanted him to be the great shinobi he used to be and be fine and had a good life honestly. Just Shino and Hinata looked at each other concerned and communicating something in silence and Shikamaru noticed it but didn't say anything.

They all parted to their respective homes saying and waving goodbyes and wishing the best to everyone and planning a reunion when they all were again together in Konoha even with Sasuke and Sakura if Naruto had luck in his mad plan (they doubted it sadly). The only left at the end were Naruto, Hinata and Shino. Shikamaru had stared on purpose at Naruto warning him from the silent and thoughtful pair so when the three were alone Shino serious got to the point straight.

"Hinata and I heard something concerning about Sasuke."

Naruto nodded trying to show he was calm but he inwardly gulped nervously. Shino questioning him like that it was freaking him out. Hinata was looking serenely and preoccupied at his blond boyfriend.

"We don't exactly know but it seems that Tsunade-Sama, Shizune and Kakashi-Sensei were against in the choice of him by the Council in this mission. The only way the three agreed was when Kakashi-Sensei himself proposed to them to put Kurenai-Sensei in his place in the leadership of this mission. He seemed to consider her a better choice and leader this time. Kurenai-Sensei was going the one leading you, Sakura and Tenten in your mission but she accepted the change of plans. We're worried because Tsunade-Sama and Shizune still seemed against Sasuke going. Why?"

Naruto was left speechless hearing him. He didn't know and he in fact was surprised and damn concerned about it. Did Tsunade-Baachan and Shizune consider him still weak and unable to do a mission after his seizure days ago? Did they have another reason? Why Kakashi-Sensei did that and accepted Sasuke going?

"I heard that Sasuke is not pretty prepared to face Genjutsu. Maybe that's why they were worried about. Kurenai-Sensei is an expert in the matter. Kakashi-Sensei probably thought it and decided to change places with her."

Hinata said simply thinking it true. Shino and Naruto himself meditated her theory and found it very positive. Naruto thought that maybe Tsunade-Baachan and Shizune were concerned in putting Sasuke in a Genjutsu fight with his secret seizure's problem and that's why they had gone against the order of the Council. Kakashi-Sensei probably thought it was useless going against them especially if knowing Sasuke would do it anyway and just accepted the fact and do the best he could to ensure Sasuke's safety and health. He nodded calmer and grateful for their protection and worry towards his friend.

"That must be. You should have told me before Hinata."

Shino said sincerely and she nodded shyly.

"I didn't think it would matter."

"Oh Hinata. You should always tell what you think. You never know when you can be telling the truth without knowing."

"Yes."

She smiled kind at her serene teammate who nodded back and Naruto smiled proud of her.

"See Hinata? I'm not the only one who thinks you're bright!"

Shino just laughed amused at his adoring gaze fixed in the dark haired girl while she nodded awkwardly and blushed but smiled serenely. Then Shino and Hinata decided to go home to rest for the mission tomorrow and Naruto agreed with them. The three walked talking about their friends (gossiping) and when they approached Naruto's house first he embraced lovingly her telling her to take care and shooting a menacing look in Shino's direction trying to mimic Neji's one (Take care of my girl or I'll kill you) but he only got the bug's boy amused by his failed attempt and then the humiliated and funny blond kissed Hinata's cheek happily and told them something before turning his back at them and enter the building.

"Hey… please, take care of him, ok?"

They just nodded surprised and moved and saw him disappearing optimistic and noisy like always into the shadowy entrance.

Hinata POV

I had promised Naruto to take care of myself and until now I had done it pretty well. But I hadn't taken care of Sasuke like I had promised him and I felt worried and scared because Shino, who had done the same promise to him like me, hadn't taken care of himself and I had ended in our mission with my two teammates and friends injured badly and with the only support of my sensei.

We were tracking a band of robbers who didn't care to kill their victims cruelly after taking the things they had without any remorse about it. The leader of them was a great shinobi who had experience and ability in Genjutsu and had taught it to his partners in crime and the four of us had found quite stressful to battle the ten of them. Genjutsu can be tricky and dangerous if you don't know how to defend and attack against it. I always considered being the one more dangerous and damaging of the three powers of the ninja. Taijutsu and Ninjutsu seemed fair to battle and didn't use your own head or heart to take advantage over you. But the Genjutsu was different and especially if you have to fight someone who mastered it perfectly.

Kurenai-Sensei had fought excellently and without any problem about it like I had expected it. I had had it hard with my own fights but I was able to attack and defend pretty good even doubting some times disconcerted by my enemies acts. I had tried to keep and eye on Shino and Sasuke very worried for my two friends but I couldn't do it like I had wanted to.

The only certain thing I knew was that I caught the moment in one look when Shino was severely attacked and submitted violently by two enemies. My heart gripped at the intense concern and fear for his life and I did all I can to immobilize my opponents and run to his aid the quicker I could. Then I saw a similar scene happening with Sasuke trapped in the middle and I witnessed how hard he was battling against the effect of the Genjutsu technique put on him by one of his enemies and how he was losing control of the situation little by little.

I knew I had to do something to help my two teammates. Kurenai-Sensei had fought two and they were fainted in the ground but she was fighting back other two and one of them was the stronger of all, the leader himself. I defeated one of my opponents and focused in the last feeling desperate and deeply preoccupied by the hurt Shino lying in the ground and Sasuke fighting back and losing it. But I was a shinobi so I tried to freeze my desperation and calm myself concentrating in defeating the man in front of me mocking me for being a girl.

But I hadn't time left.

I saw like in slow motion by the corner of my eye how the two enemies that had injured Shino went straight to him with the mere intention of killing him off and then go next to Sasuke and me. I screamed Shino's name trying to warn him from the real and unstoppable menace feeling tears of impotence in my eyes and anger at the man who was holding me back in his fight. I watched how Shino couldn't move from his spot and I felt my throat dry and squeezed but then I saw Sasuke forgetting about his own fights and doing an extreme effort he got out from their attacks and went almost flying without caring for himself to help Shino. He was closer just for seconds before the two men assaulted Shino and Sasuke pulled him by his chest just in time to be away from the secure and certain death Shino would have suffered if he hadn't made it in time.

I sighed relieved when I saw them out of danger and focused and filled with the determination showed from Sasuke I defeated easily my opponent and Kurenai-Sensei did the same with her own. The two of us smiled proud and concentrated and we took care of the ones that had fought Shino and Sasuke the quicker and easier we could. We were pretty worried for them when we didn't see them moving in the spot Sasuke himself had chosen to take a hurt Shino.

When the ten men were defeated and unconscious lying sprawled in the ground we run to them and I felt my heart crushed seeing how badly injured Shino was. He was lying and gasping for air and covered in blood and was barely conscious and he couldn't move and had a lot of deep gashes in his chest, arms, legs and face. The tears formed again in my eyes but I didn't cry forcing myself to be strong and have a clear and cold mind. Sasuke by the other hand was better than him and was sitting against the big and tall tree he had chosen to take refugee but he was panting exhausted and unable to move and he had a deep and bleeding injury in his left leg just like the ones Shino had but it seemed worse and bigger.

The two men who were going to kill Shino had done it to him when he had run to help him.

Sasuke seemed affected by his own sickness than by the deep cut. He couldn't show clearly the pain he was feeling but his face winced very little, almost unnoticed when Kurenai had checked his leg up after checking Shino's state. He was panting hard and had a strange crystal look in his obsidian and tired and distant eyes. Kurenai-Sensei had gotten pretty serious and deeply worried and turned to me with her hands soaked in Shino's and Sasuke's blood. She ordered me trusting and quickly.

"Hinata go and find another team who can help us. If I remember correctly there has to be two more teams near this area and they had medic nin with them. Please hurry up. Shino could die if he doesn't get attention and Sasuke's leg could get worse if we don't treat that injury that it's menacing it."

I nodded with determination and I left them running the fastest I could using my Byukugan to find one of the teams she had mentioned to me. My team needed me and I couldn't fail. I had my friends' life in my hands and the trust and confidence of my sensei. So when I found the first team I literally flew to meet them feeling the trepidation and adrenaline mixed with my desperation and heart breaking concern embracing me.

Ino POV

Hinata was panting heavily after she encountered us suddenly surprising us and explained the hard situation her group was facing in the moment. The four of us, Gai-Sensei, Lee, Neji and I were damn worried and affected hearing of the high and certain possibility of Shino's death and the state of Sasuke. Gai-Sensei immediately ordered us to follow a very secure and strong Hyuuga Heiress and we run the fastest we could immersed in the gripping seriousness the news brought for our shy friend had risen.

We were lucky that we had completed our task before the anticipated time and we had decided to return to the village walking and relaxing for some time instead of running like almost always. That was why Hinata had been able to find us easier.

It took us 10 minutes to reach the spot where the rest of the team commanded by Kurenai-Sensei was waiting for help. Immediately I put myself in businesses checking up Shino first because he was in the nearly verge of death while all the others were watching me work in deadly silence and deeply preoccupation at every one of my acts. Kurenai-Sensei had treated the best she could Sasuke's injured leg and he himself was more attentive at Shino's state than his own. This was the first time in my entire career and training as a medic nin that I felt intensely frustrated, impotent and angry at myself. It was terrible and hurtful to have to say the truth to all of them who were waiting me to work a miracle in seconds and save our friend's life easily. I watched seriously Shino's blood in my own hands trembling in desperation and fury. I controlled my tears threading me to fall. I had done what I could and the deep gashes weren't bleeding as bad as before but that was all. He had lost enough blood.

"I can´t do it all by myself!" I simply stated sad and mad with my weakness in training even when I knew very well that I had done a great learning from both Tsunade-Sama and Sakura. "I need other medic nin, I need help! He had lost a lot of blood and even using all my chakra the only way to heal him is with the help of another medic nin! And I don't even know exactly if I can perform the technique I had in mind alone without assistance!"

I cried out sincerely humiliated by the acceptance of my own failure. I kept my chakra focusing in his unconscious body lying there to keep him alive.

"It's ok Ino, don't desperate." Kurenai-Sensei said calm and collected even deeply concerned by Shino's life, one of his students since years ago. "Hinata, Neji, please locate the other team that had another medic nin quickly. Shino doesn't have time enough to waste and we need to give Ino the help she needs."

Hinata and Neji nodded immediately and run following her orders in different directions using his special ability. Kurenai-Sensei asked Gai and Lee to take care of Sasuke who was still staring intensely Shino and she didn't leave my side while I was keeping the flame of his life alive for some minutes more. Gai-Sensei took a look at Sasuke's leg with Lee's help and I knew from their serious faces that his injury was bad like the ones Shino had in almost all his limp body. Sasuke wasn't in the verge of death indeed but if his injury weren't treated well and soon it could damage the leg to the extent of probably losing it. I kept pushing my chakra through all Shino's body praying silently and hopefully for the return of Neji or Hinata with some help. I couldn't let my friend die. I won't do it. I kept repeating that to myself without lessening a second in my attempt of keeping him breathing and his heart beating and I felt the sweat of fear and pain in my forehead wrinkled with immense concentration in spite of my desperation burning me.

Naruto POV

My friends can think that I was wrong in my useless hope of bringing together Sasuke and Sakura-Chan. They had all the right and some deep part of me, that part that I always ignore when it comes of taking decisions and doing actions that almost all people thought futile, had agreed with them without a doubt. I know that a lot of hurtful things had happened between my best two friends and that even when Sakura-Chan felt the immense love for him and she will always do, it wasn't the same for Sasuke. He never had fallen in love with her and never showed even a slight attraction or like in a special way about her. In fact he never showed it to any girl even having his fangirls since he was a little boy. He had chosen to focus in his revenge and seek of power instead.

The major part of me was holding that useless hope like a torch in the deeps of an abyss. I was angry and I will be always with Sasuke for hurting her and his daughter till one fine day he would apologize to them. I'll always show him my anger and confusion honestly and flatly and he already knew that. I'll support my pink haired friend and my niece till the end even against him if he deserved it. He already knew that too. So maybe I was playing a double role here but I had to do it because they were my friends. The two of them. And I just wanted them to be happy, truly happy and had all they wanted. And I didn't want to be away from any of them since now.

I just want to note that I knew of the almost unreachable chance of Sasuke loving Sakura-Chan someday. I knew in my optimistic view that it could be possible to happen, perhaps very slightly but possible. You know, life is wise and time is merciless, just like Kakashi-Sensei used to say. But I had to go with the big reality here and that was that it was almost impossible for Sasuke to one day just fall in love with Sakura-Chan. But well, there are loves that aren't brought out for the first time. I was an example actually and right now I was deeply in love with Hina-San. So maybe my useless hope one day could be rewarded with my patience and waiting.

But if it wasn't like that at least I wanted them to have calm and understanding relationship and not only because they had a daughter together, no. They had been friends before, they had been teammates too. It was healthier and better if they try to be friends again just for their own sake. It hurt me to think that all that moments of the past can be thrown away just like that. And of course, for Miyu's future. She didn't deserve to have parents who couldn't get along and don't talk to each other. I know it's a complicated situation. Sasuke is guilty in this matter for bringing suffering to Sakura-Chan first for being intimately with her like if there was something deeper between the two and then to Miyu with his rejection and avoiding, that was true. I cannot erase that fact. But I wanted still for him to feel sorry and ask forgiveness. I wanted to know really, really know, why he had acted like that, why he had chosen Sakura-Chan, why he keep hurting her and rejecting his role as a father. I wanted Sakura-Chan to see him apologizing to her for making her think that two times when they slept together that he in fact felt something for her. Because you know, even when she hadn't told it clearly, that was what broke her heart into million of pieces and crushed her hope. She had thought that she had gotten the only thing she had always wanted all her life when she had been with him that two nights and she had learned in the worst possible way that she will never have it.

Was I stupid enough to believe that Sasuke could feel a little remorse and regret and probably sorry for his behavior regarding Sakura-Chan and Miyu?

The only thing that fueled me in this chance of them to settle down their situation was the late news Tsunade-Baachan had given us. That was what shadowed my useless hope and increased my fear. I wondered if Sasuke didn't see it like I had been doing it.

That was why when Kakashi-Sensei was reading one of his perverted books and Tenten was cooking dinner for the four of us the night before starting our way back home I sat down beside Sakura in the fresh grass who was just watching the moon and the stars distantly and with so much melancholy that I felt my heart gripped with sorrow. I didn't have to ask her in who she was thinking so intensely.

"Sakura-Chan..."

She spun around watching me kind and serene. A light gleam was shaking in her emerald eyes.

"What is it Naruto?"

She just asked openly looking straight at me. I stuttered a couple of times her name and she seeing me like that, doubting and without knowing how to start and not fixing my blue stare on her jade one, immediately knew in what I was into. She got pretty serious and sad and a little intent of smile was framed in her lips.

"How's Sasuke-Kun?... I heard about his seizure in your last mission... Is he ok?"

She asked honest and with a perceptible crack in her voice. I felt bad for not being able or have permission to tell her the truth. There were traces of tears in her gleaming and calm eyes. I nodded smiling shyly and still trying to avoid casually her gaze.

"Yes, he's fine now. Don't worry, Sakura-Chan, you know him. He's so stubborn and strong that he always survives against all odds."

"Yeah, that's true."

We laughed or at least tried to a little. Then there was a long pause and I noticed that she was specially sensitive and fragile this night. I pondered what the reason was but I had another matter at hand. I felt in more secure ground now after sharing with her some words.

"Sakura-Chan... Are you still scared and angry at him for kidnapping Miyu?"

She, who had been looking at the grass distant and thoughtful again turned slowly at me with a frown of confusion and pain.

"Why do you ask Naruto?"

"It just that I wonder... If you finally had decided... to never let him be a father to Miyu... that's all. I'm worry for you and for her..."

She nodded lowering her gaze and I kept looking at her by the corner of my eyes staring simply at the grass like Sakura-Chan had been doing while we were chatting.

"He hadn't... done anything about it... he hadn't tried to see her or ask me anything... I do wonder if he really cares a little... I know he had the intention of returning with her but I cannot forget how much I suffered without knowing where they were... and then I remember that time in the hospital when he had been so caring and loving with Miyu... I keep asking myself... I saw him truly honest that moment... I was so sure..."

I nodded holding her in a supporting way. She wasn't in fact crying even when her jade eyes where brimming in unshed tears. She was more thoughtful and sad than anything. Lately she had been strangely nostalgic and distant, like if she was thinking very hard in something that had caught her off guard. This was the first time in a long time that we were talking openly and sincerely about Sasuke.

"Miyu misses him. She recognizes him and she asks for him at least twice in a day... I never expect it... really. She does it with you and with the others too. I felt so crushed when she says "dada" with her little face happy and questioning about him and that sweet smile..."

So that was it. Sakura-Chan was acting this way since Miyu had started to recognize and call for Sasuke. For Miyu who was still little to understand all that was happening she just wanted to see his father often and find it strange in her ignorant and innocent world his absence from it. Sakura-Chan felt torn knowing that her daughter wanted to see his father but she didn't exactly know if he indeed wanted to see her. The fact that Miyu kept asking for Sasuke had broken somehow the secure and peaceful bubble Sakura-Chan had created around the two.

"So... What do you think?"

I asked sincerely and carefully and very concerned and moved by her ambivalence and hurt. She paused before answering me.

"I don't know... If I knew that Sasuke in fact wants to see her and cares for her... I'd suck up my pride and own suffering in her behalf once again. I'm not the one who is keeping her away from him, I'm just protecting her because I don't have a clue of what his true feelings for her are... but I don't have the strength to go and ask him about it... I don't feel secure enough... I'm so weak, don't you think?"

She looked at me by the corner of her green eyes with a sad smile while some rebel tears were falling through her cheeks. Her thoughtful gaze was serene in spite of all. I hugged her tighter feeling torn and sympathetic towards her.

"Don't say that Sakura-Chan! You're not weak! You're just confused and hurt, that's all. You want the best for Miyu. You have to think in her security and that's why you have to be certain about all. But I just want to tell you something, alright?"

She nodded and looked up to me calmer and sad. I could only imagine how hard and rough was to hear her little girl asking about his dad day after day. And knowing how emotional was my friend I knew that had pained her deeply and honestly.

"Sasuke is now an active ninja again. You know what that means, right?" She nodded again knowing with anticipation my underlines there. The life of a ninja was a dangerous one and you could end badly injured or even dead. "Do you want to one fine day to receive the notice of him being badly injured or death without settling things with him? Without him being a father to Miyu if he maybe wants it? We don't know yet if he doesn't care really a bit about her."

I saw the information sinking roughly and deeply in her tormented mind. Her green gaze was lost in thought and realization and she dropped her head slowly without saying anything else. I smiled saddened by her fragile state.

"Just think about it. Please. He has to apologize to you one day for the pain he caused you. But you don't have to wait to act like the mature one and settle yourself. Even if you two can't be closer friends again, even if you can't have what you really want from him, at least you can be in peace and clarity with Sasuke. I'm not telling you to do it right now, take your time, and think about it. I won't let him hurt you again and if he does it, I'll punish him. You have my promise."

I chuckled and smiled widely sincere and kind and she just chuckled at my gesture of promise (my hand against my heart) and nodded more cheerful than before but still meditating our little cross of words. And so I knew I had done what I can do right now for my two best friends and the little girl that called me "Nachan". We both didn't say anything more and stayed looking up at the stars and the moon immersed in our own feelings and thoughts regarding our friend in common.

Sakura POV

Naruto's words were in my head and heart all that night long. The memories of Miyu asking me sweetly for Sasuke had been printed in my soul forever. That night I barely sleep thinking hard in the little chat my blond friend and I had, without telling him the other reason why I was so sensitive and fragile this night.

The surrounding in the spot where we had decided to rest and sleep before returning to Konoha was so similar to the one where I had made love to him the second time we met that it had gone straight to my nostalgic eyes burning its path through my reminding brain and the beating muscle inside my chest. Some scenes of our night together, when I had told him that I was pregnant with his child filled my mind sadly with detail and suffering. We had had sex (but for me I had made love to him) that night and not only twice in a place similar to the one I was standing right now.

And then, ironically, the moon and the stars were there too like that unforgettable night.

So when the morning came and Kakashi-Sensei, Tenten and Naruto looked at me they were somehow worried for my evident lack of good sleep. I denied their concern and just smiled telling them that like a medic nin I was used to work several hours without stopping and a night of not sleeping won't be a problem to me. Besides, I was a mother too, so that doubled over my resistance. They calmed after seeing me cheerful and talkative and we had breakfast (Tenten cooked it too again, she was an amazing chef) and we prepared ourselves to go back to the village. Only Naruto knew probably what was the real turmoil of thoughts and feelings inside of me but he was kind and considerate enough to not push me about it or tell something to my friend or former sensei.

I had forced myself to put this matter called Sasuke-Kun waiting in line for later when again, destiny was against me like almost always, ironically in fact. The four of us were running through the forest in our path to Konoha when Neji and Hinata appeared of nowhere in front of us surprising and worrying my teammates and me. I knew they hadn't to be together because they were in different teams this time. And my mind reminded the fact that Sasuke-Kun was in Hinata's team. Without understanding it completely my chest hurt and my heart was grabbed by uncertain fear and concern but I got my head to stay cold and collected and my mind working like a medic nin and a well trained ninja.

And I had to gather a lot of strength and courage, concentration and rationality when they explained why they were there and why they had been seeking us since minutes ago.

The part of Neji saying that Shino was badly injured and almost dying and that Ino and her team were there waiting for me to help her and then, saying that Sasuke-Kun had a pretty bad injury in his leg that can damage it horribly, sunk terribly and deeply within me immediately. I don't know how but I was carried for my duty as a medic nin and my heart just obeyed my head's orders and decisions and I, calm and collected with intense worry and fear in my green tired eyes, followed the Hyuga pair with my other teammates behind me on my heels.

We run for 10 minutes till we reached the spot where the teams of each Byakugan user were and I saw Sasuke-Kun beside a lying Shino with my heart skipping beats and my mouth without words and a searing and pulsing pain clutching my entire being. But again, the medic nin in me was demanding and overpowering all the other parts of me and getting near them I immediately put myself to work and asked Ino about Shino's state. I didn't dare to cast a casual look or see by the corner of my serious jade gaze at Sasuke-Kun. I knew he had his black and feverish look on me, I could feel it burning my skin and the back of my head. Shino's state prevented everyone there to really realize what it meant to me and to him to stay in the same spot since that afternoon when I had slapped him twice after the kidnapping of my little girl.

Ino explained me what she wanted to try on Shino's body and I nodded amazed and giving her a small smile of recognition at her training. She nodded grateful for the confidence I showed her and we put our hands to work in saving our friend's life. I could sense that Kakashi-Sensei had checked Sasuke-Kun's leg up and was worried about it. I felt that Ino got stronger and more secure with me there and I felt glad for her feeling pride in having a partner like her as a medic nin. The both of us worked hard in treating and saving Shino and after half an hour performing a technique Ino had lead excellently with my support we did it and Shino stopped bleeding and we were able to maintain his breathing and his beating in a regular rhythm and the blood left in his injured body running through his veins. Ino and I were exhausted but we were immensely happy for our friend who would survive this threat.

Then, when Ino said that she was going to take care of him (he was her patient since the beginning) I knew I had to take care of the other injured person there. Gai-Sensei, Kurenai-Sensei and Kakashi-Sensei were discussing in a way to take them back safely to the village. Lee, Neji, Tenten, Hinata and Naruto were watching me and Ino working with Shino very worried and serious. Naruto was beside Sasuke accompanied him and trying to soothe him in his injured state.

It was now that I felt all of their looks on me casually remembering now and knowing in what kind of position I was. Ironically and strangely it was Sasuke-Kun's gaze which wasn't staring at me now and he had dropped it panting. His leg was still bleeding. Badly, unlucky and sarcastically for me my inner medic nin, who acted with responsibility and being centered was right now failing, shaking and weakening inside me. I felt like moving in slow motion when in fact it was the other way around and I approached him kneeling beside him and in front of Naruto who stood supportive at his other side and trying to not fix my trembling emerald eyes on his pale and beautiful face I directed my hands at his bleeding and injured leg and amazingly I saw them trembling slightly. Even the voices of the sensei went silent for minutes or maybe I just turned deaf suddenly hearing only the beating of my own heart in my ears. Why Naruto had gotten up and when that I didn't notice it?

Damn it Sakura! Are you or not a medic nin? Treat him immediately you fool! He's suffering and hurting even when he cannot show it stupid!

That was right I told myself after hearing my old and long forgotten inner self screaming at the top of her lungs inwardly. I frowned serious and remembering my devotion at my career and the undying love I felt for this patient in particular and I put myself to work checking his leg and trying to heal it the best I could. I knew that Shino and he needed special care that only the hospital and Shizune and Tsunade-Sama could perform. So I, seeing still a little shaking in my hands do the best I knew I could do to heal and submit Sasuke-Kun's pain feeling electricity and weakness when I touched his broken skin and my heart filled with the love's stroke I felt only for touching him with my fingers softly and I lost my breathing for a second. I wanted so bad to heal him completely and take away the pain he was surely feeling and couldn't show properly. I wanted so bad to cure him and see him standing without a single scar of that awful gash.

I controlled myself trying to win over the hurricane of feelings, thoughts, emotions and sensations awaken in every single part of my being. I focused in treating him quickly and the best I could and I remembered myself in what terms we were. The sadness took home again in my soul and soothed my throbbing heart and pounding mind. When I had finished and his injury wasn't bleeding and I had bandaged it carefully and almost adoringly I lifted my tired and serious stare without remembering that I was so close to him and I found myself looking directly only away from his face for inches. He was staring at me straight and longingly with his stoic expression and cold face. I thought I saw total confidence in me but I could probably confuse it with just disgruntled observation from his part.

I wanted so bad to hold him. But I knocked sense on myself and disguised my trepidation, anxiety and worry with seriousness and frowning and concentration and I glared at him with purpose and a bold spark trembling inside at the powerful black of his eyes sweeping over me. I felt weak just being stared by him like that. Before standing up and entertain myself with whatever else the others were doing I couldn't help to lower my jade gaze to his lips which were half opened and I wanted so bad to kiss them softly.

Instead I smiled sadly at myself inwardly scolding my inner loving self and I stood up without daring to shoot another glance at him and that face of his that I cherish with my eternal and lectured love and those lips tempting me to caress them with the feelings I cannot get rid of yet and still grip my aching heart.