Entry no. 14: Judgment

NonPsychopatic!Sasuke… sorry. A joke.

AU, prequel to Running Away.

Thanks for the nice reviwes, guys :) This is for you.

And sorry for posting 2 chapters at once, I was about to post just one, but then I noticed I didn't post the previous one.

"Hatake-san!"

Kakashi turned, a smile fading from his face quickly as he spotted the ANBU running towards him.

"What?"

ANBU man bowed quickly. "I was sent by Hokage-sama," he said. "She said to get you."

"Why?"

"At the gates…" the ANBU glanced at Naruto and Sakura standing behind Kakashi, listening them. "It's Uchiha-san."

Kakashi's eye narrowed. "Itachi is back?"

"No sir. It's Sasuke-san."

Standing in the sentry post on Konoha's walls, the remnants of former Team Seven watched their former comrade.

He was taller, certainly. And a man now.

His hair was longer, his eyes still brooding and sad, but they had sharper edge to them now.

He looked tired and battered, his clothes crumpled and hair messy.

He also had no headband.

"Sasuke-kun."

Kakashi glanced at Sakura, who was biting her lip.

Tsunade walked up to them. "He asked us to accept him back."

Kakashi raised a brow. "Really?"

"Yes. He asked us to forget every Konoha shinobi he killed and let him back into the village. He's sworn he left Orochimaru forever. He even claimed he killed him."

"Do you believe him?" Sakura asked, unable to tear her eyes off her childhood crush.

"He has no proof," Tsunade said, shrugging. "We don't know what to think."

"I think it's good Sasuke realized what an idiot he was," Naruto stated, watching Sasuke as well.

"Sasuke is a traitor," Kakashi said simply, surprising everyone around him. "You shouldn't listen to him."

Tsunade raised her brows. "Do you think we should send him away?"

"I think it's dangerous to let him inside."

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura finally tore her eyes off the raven-haired traitor. "What are you saying?"

Kakashi ignored her. "Is there something else he wanted, Hokage-sama?"

The Gondaime walked past them, leaning out of the window. "He wanted to talk to you, Kakashi-kun."

Kakashi looked at the young man below them. "I thought so."

"I want to talk to him, too!" Naruto said loudly.

Gondaime glanced at him. "If you think it is safe, Naruto-kun."

"Sasuke-kun wouldn't hurt Naruto," Sakura said suddenly. "They are friends. He admitted that himself."

Tsunade frowned at her student. "Friendship means nothing during a war. Brother fights brother, friend fights friend."

"Sakura's right, Tsunade-sama," Kakashi said. "Sasuke's… a bit complicated person, but he wouldn't do that. Especially now when he wants to return."

Tsunade nodded. "Then it's your own choice, Naruto-kun."

The time ticked away painfully slowly for Sasuke.

The former sound-nin stood still where he was, arms crossed to show he wasn't preparing to fight anyone.

He felt foolish.

He stood there in front of the gates, as a lover hoping to beg off his beloved.

He asked them to forgive him everything.

He, who never forgave what Itachi has done.

Fool.

Even the gates seemed to mock him, towering over him in all their wooden glory.

He was standing there, waiting for their judgment.

Will they forgive and take him back? Send him away? Kill him? Imprison him?

He had absolutely nothing to give them, nothing to offer but himself and his sharingan.

He had no excuses for the Konoha ninja he killed when he worked for Orochimaru, no excuses for the pain he caused to Sakura.

He had no proof he wasn't part of Otogakure anymore. He had no proof Orochimaru was dead.

So there he stood, bare-handed, with his hands stained with blood of those he betrayed.

Waiting for judgment.

It was a mere rustle of leaves that signalized Kakashi's approach, making him turn to the jounin.

"Kakashi."

"Sasuke."

It was simple, a while of silent and curious observation as the two of the last three Sharingan users watched each other.

It was Kakashi who spoke up first.

"You're back."

Sasuke saw his tension. He was prepared to fight him if it came to it.

"I'm not there to fight, Kakashi."

Kakashi shrugged, leaning against a tree leisurely, the tension not leaving him. "I would be foolish if I wasn't wary."

"I want to learn," Sasuke said.

Kakashi raised a brow. "Learn?"

"You know a lot about Sharingan."

The silver-haired man shifted a bit. "I'm not an Uchiha."

"You know more than me. And I think you know more than Orochimaru did."

"Did?"

Sasuke frowned. "I've told it to Tsunade-sama and the ANBU already. He's dead."

"Why did you kill him?"

Sasuke looked away. "I've lost control."

"How can we know you won't lose control when we let you inside Konoha?"

Kakashi was ever so calm all the time.

So irritatingly, perfectly calm.

"You can't," Sasuke admitted.

"Why should we let you in, then?"

"I don't know. But I'm not going to beg you for it."

"No one wants you to beg, Sasuke."

Sasuke looked at Kakashi shortly before looking away again.

Kakashi had the same piercing look in his eyes as Orochimaru had. Striking precisely the heart, the soft point in him, making him submit.

"What are you going to do if we won't accept you back?"

He didn't know.

He had no one, no plan, no friends, no allies.

It was just him, his sword, and his vengeance.

"You're the only option I have," he ground through his teeth.

"You need us," Kakashi stated, the light tone of his voice betraying his slight surprise. "You need a home."

"Otogakure is never going to accept me back," Sasuke snapped. "And I'm a criminal for everyone else."

"So you came back home, where you are a traitor."

Sasuke had nothing to answer.

"I never knew you had so much hope, Sasuke."

Sasuke frowned.

Was this the reason why he came to Konoha?

That he hoped that, somehow, they will forgive him and take him back?

When he came there, there was still nothing in his head. His feet carried him this way, and he obeyed.

"I wasn't going to return to Konoha."

"So why did you?"

He shrugged. "I just did."

"So it's still your home, after all," Kakashi said. "The place your heart leads you to."

Sasuke looked away.

"You went to the Sound village when you wanted power, and to Konoha when you sought forgiveness." Kakashi smiled slightly. "You really are complicated."

Sasuke snorted.

"Naruto wants to talk to you," Kakashi added, pulling away from the tree. "Do you want to talk to him?"

Did he?

"No," he answered.

Kakashi nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving Sasuke.

The raven-haired outcast turned back to the gates.

He thought he heard someone cry, soft sobs carried to him with the wind.

He immediately thought of Sakura.

Would she forgive him?

Did Naruto forgive him?

He felt helpless, alone with the trees surrounding him, waiting for them to deliver their judgment.

Was he deemed to stay alone for the rest of his days, or to return to them?

If they let him in, would he be accepted, or looked down upon as on the lowest scum?

Was Sakura still in love with him?

Was Naruto still his friend?

His hands fisted.

He could do nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

So the traitor, murderer and liar stood there.

Waiting for the judgment of those he loved and those he honored.

P.S. Do you read my author notes?

If you do, could you help me?

I had an idea for a House, M.D. Naruto style ('cos I love the show) with Tsunade as House, Jirayia as Wilson and yeah, Oro as Cuddy. Bu I don't know about the team. Any ideas?

Thanks for reading.

Peace, love and Sith... wait, this is Naruto, so peace, love and Akatsuki.

Moya