Locked Away

Part II

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The battlefield was strewn with carnage — human and white zetsu alike. The revived four Hokages loomed with strength and power. Sasuke was energized and motivated after the reunion with his brother where they defeated Kabuto in a way other than murder. Itachi had been magnificent — chakra levels for days, no debilitating lung illness, none of the doubt that had plagued him in life for having to do the unthinkable for his village.

Itachi had been Itachi and Sasuke had been able to be Sasuke — just two brothers facing a wild boar head-on.

The loss of Itachi this time around, had snapped something in Sasuke — again. He was so angry with Konoha — with all the Kage. But, seeing Hashirama, Tobirama, Hiruzen, and Minato had been profound. Hiruzen had been an old man when Sasuke knew him — broken-hearted, defeated when Minato died. That's why Danzo had been able to manipulate, scheme, and destroy not only the Uchiha clan, but the kindest, best shinobis in the Leaf village — Itachi and Shisui.

If Minato had lived, things would have been much better in the village — of that, Sasuke had no doubt. Akatsuki never would have grown to the strength it had and the alien progenitor of all chakra never would have been unleashed to prey upon the world.

And while Sasuke's dreams were haunted by those memories, it was the Second Hokage that haunted his mind during his waking hours. Tobirama Senjui felt the Uchiha clan were cursed — their strength grew to great levels when they lost the people most precious to them. No one loved more fiercely than an Uchiha.

The reason for the dispassionate behavior of his clansmen, from what Sasuke could remember of his childhood, made sense now. They were advised from a young age to suppress their emotions. Because losing their loved ones triggered madness in an Uchiha that few were ever able to recover. Hell, Madara forced himself to stay alive for decades on sheer determination and wanted to put the whole world into a dream state because he was still so broken up about the loss of his beloved brother.

Sasuke could relate to him more than he wanted. He too lost his precious blood brother and then found a brother of kindred spirits — Naruto for him, and it had been Hashirama for Madara.

But, unlike Madara, Sasuke also had Sakura. He'd left the village the first time when he began to have feelings for her — better for them both, if he left before it became too strong. And it was good for the world that he left — he needed the rigorous training that Orochimaru had provided, Naruto needed to obsessively train with Jiraiya, and Sakura —she certainly needed to find her own strength.

The Neo-Sannin, surpassed their mentors.

And now, because of the love he was willing to acknowledge for Naruto, Sakura, and even Kakashi — Sasuke would put up with whatever Konoha and the Allied Nations hurtled at him.

Sasuke's stomach ached in hunger. Naruto would be there before too long. However, he didn't want to eat too large of a meal. He was due for another visit with Ibiki that afternoon. He rubbed the fingers of his right hand over the empty sleeve of his left and once again marveled at the soft material of the uniform. Sakura would come in the evening.

With nothing better to do, Sasuke began to go through the katas he'd learned with Kusanagi, altering it to one handed stances and with his right hand swinging about an invisible sword. He'd trained himself to be ambidextrous —- every Uchiha and every good shinobi did such. But he had been left-hand dominant, that little trick where you held your hands in front of your face in the center and peered through with one eye and then the other, confirmed he was left-handed.

He wouldn't accept a Hashirama cell prosthetic, nor something made of steel. However, he wondering about Orochimaru's resources. When he'd had the cursed mark, he grow a new appendage if he was injured. Since Kabuto's personality had been transformed under Itachi's use of the Izunagi forbidden jutsu, it had also affected Orochimaru. The Snake Sannin was now loyal to Sasuke. The Village didn't understand why the shinobi that murdered the Third Hokage had allowed himself to be imprisoned, but Sasuke knew why he was there. Orochimaru was there for him.

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Not far from the Anbu facilities, Kakashi Hatake had a corner apartment. The view was of the Hokage Tower and not only was the kitchen spacious, it had two bathrooms, a larger master bedroom and a decent sized guest room. And he was solicitous towards having a clean home. There was a single plant - on the window's ledge of his den and two framed photographs on his dresser — his Genin Team under Minato and Team Seven under his own lackadaisical leadership.

"How did it go?" Kakashi asked, after Sakura opened the door to the guest room and stumbled half awake into the den. Naruto was already sprawled out on the sleeper sofa in his pajamas.

"Sasuke is clean, feeling half-human, and that new cell has fresh air and running water. I wish Ibiki wasn't scheduled to interrogate him this afternoon." Sakura joined Naruto on the couch. "How about you, Kakashi-Sensei? How's Hokage training?"

Kakashi groaned as he headed back to the kitchen. He pulled out his barstool and sat with his back against the bar with his elbows behind him. "The council is a nightmare. I understand why Tsunade drinks so much sake. The Daimyo isn't much better. He's been sending letters every day with suggestions. He's a rich man that only dreams about being more rich."

"And what about what you want to do?" Naruto asked. He yawned and shook his head.

"Why are you so tired?" Kakashi asked. "You were here when I got back."

"Everywhere I go I'm swarmed by fans and well-wishers." Naruto rubbed at his eyes. "I've been getting up early to visit Sasuke, you know?"

"Yes, we know. We're the ones taking turns to cook breakfast," Sakura said. She laid back on the couch. Thankfully, Kakashi kept a clean home. If it had been her or Naruto's place, it would have already been littered with discarded clothing. Except her place was still buried under rubble and Naruto's place was infested.

Since they returned to the village, Kakashi had been playing host to his younger teammates. Naruto sprawled across the sofa bed in the den and Sakura took up residence in the guest bedroom. Neither Sakura nor Naruto had viable places to stay. And after six months living in tents with the military, Sakura wasn't about to move in with her civilian parents. So Kakashi offered to open up his residence. They were all still emotionally shocked after everything they went through and were all having nightmares about their experience with the progenitor of chakra. Since they were together, the nightmares were fewer.

The first day or two, she and Naruto had been their usual slobs, but one stern scolding from their meticulous team leader and they'd worked hard to clean up after themselves. She and Kakashi took turns making meals, and sometimes they cooked in tandem — that had been fun and a nice stress relief from their high stress positions within the village. It was a temporary living situation — while the apartment was conveniently location near the Anbu facility, it was a bit of a hike to the hospital and Hokage towers.

"Why am I here again?" Sai sat on the floor, his back pressed against the couch in the den. "My opinion of Uchiha is not favorable like the rest of you. I feel that the entire time I have been part of this team he has only brought grief to the three of you. I still do not understand what happened in your last battle, but I have to assume you've somehow put aside all your previous grievances. I did not sense the fierce anger radiate off the traitor when I saw him at camp."

"You're here because you are part of our team, Sai. And we have to make sure Kakashi-Sensei doesn't run away before his Hokage ceremony," Sakura explained. She pushed herself off the sofa and joined Kakashi in the kitchen. He'd gotten off his barstool and started working at the stove. Kakashi and Sakura then worked in tandem in the kitchen preparing breakfast.

"I don't know why you think I would run away," Kakashi grumbled, looking down at her with amusement in his gray eyes. "Don't you think I'm eager to be stuck in an office all day long, letting my shinobi skills fade as I battle paperwork and stuffy council members and an entitled Daimyo?"

Sakura turned the stove's temperature down to warm and set the pan back on the range. "I'll be right across the hall slaving away at the hospital."

"You'll make your own schedule, Kakashi-Sensei," Naruto called out. "Just make sure you block off an hour every morning to spar with us. You have to get used to using both your eyes at the same time." He raised his prosthetic arm, covered in white bandages. "I gotta get used to this. And we gotta learn how to spar alongside Sasuke again."

"Ah. Now I understand why I'm here," Sai murmured. "The ink mice."

They'd asked Sai to come over that morning. Kakashi sent one of his Ninken as messenger for their artist teammate.

"I want to make sure no one tries to take their own initiative and try to assassinate Sasuke," Kakashi explained.

"You don't think he can defend himself?" Sai asked.

Naruto chuckled. "He can defend himself blindfolded and missing an arm and weaponless — sure. But if he killed the would-be assassin you can bet someone will use that against him when we demand his release." He glanced at the clock on the wall. "I need to be at the prison in half an hour. Is breakfast almost ready?"

"We'll have yours and Sasuke's boxed up in the next five minutes," Sakura promised. She exchanged a look with Kakashi. "So impatient."

Kakashi sighed. "I know. I'm always surrounded by the most impatient people. You'd think my efforts to try and show the importance of practicing patience would have paid off by now."

Sakura scoffed. "If you mean showing up late to team practice and missions — hardly."

"Was I ever late once we actually started a mission?" Kakashi countered.

Sakura thought about it and she could say with certainty that he never was late once the mission actually started. "Just when we were in the village," she conceded. She looked back at him again and caught his gaze. "Your form of rebellion against those in authority?"

Kakashi's familiar eye-crinkle was her answer. "And now I'm about to be that authority." He started to fill the two bento boxes for Naruto and Sasuke. "Do you want some, Sai?"

"No. I'm having breakfast with Ino later," Sai answered. He was scribbling furiously on a scroll. He then ended with a flourish of his paintbrush, blew across the scroll, and rolled it up before tossing it at Naruto. "I'll give you a vial of my blood. Just drop it onto the scroll once you're in Sasuke's cell and it will release the creatures. There are a half-dozen of them." He sat up and started to gather his things. "I'll see you at the flower shop tomorrow, Sakura." Then he left, leaving behind the original Team Seven members.

"What's at the flower shop?" Kakashi asked.

"Ino wants my help. They are slammed with all the memorials for those lost in the battle," Sakura answered.

"Right." Kakashi sighed and ran his hand through his disheveled hair. "This is actually the first time I've not lost anyone close in a war." He glanced between Sakura and Naruto. "I actually got to see my childhood best friend, my old Sensei, and all my cute little Genin have returned home to me."

"I'm not a Genin," Sakura scolded.

"Right, well my cute little Jonin and two Genin," Kakashi amended smiling.

Naruto groaned. "Isn't there like a short-cut to becoming Jonin?"

"Yes, it's called becoming a Chunin," Kakashi answered. "I'll have Iruka look into it, but I think you just need to pass a written test and I can promote based on merits of a war. War is terrible, but it does give precedent for quick promotions."

"I can help you study," Sakura called out. "We can have Team Seven study sessions."

"I don't think Sasuke is going to care about what rank he is or isn't," Kakashi pointed out.

"You're right. He's just existing right now. He's not angry, sad, or glad. He simply — is." Sakura took the two filled bento boxes and placed them inside Naruto's backpack and then zipped up the compartment. "It's all ready, Naruto. I also packed some of that herbal tea that promotes anti oxidation and clear-headedness. And the heartburn medicine."

Naruto swung off the couch and snatched up the bag. He grinned down at her. "Thanks, Sakura-chan, Kakashi-Sensei. I'm glad he's in the better cell. I'm going to try to convince him to try a prosthetic like mine. I can't believe he is worried he'll grow a face on his chest like Madara. Senju and Uchiha blood aren't incompatible. Indra and Ashura come from the same father— Great-granddaddy Hagaromo!"

"Well if someone can convince him, it's you," Sakura encouraged. She reached for Naruto's shoulder and squeezed it. "He said he was going to try some of Kakashi-Sensei's one-armed pushups. You should encourage him to exercise. He's had the straight-jacket removed. He needs to be active."

Naruto hugged Sakura to him, pulled her close and breathed in the scent of her hair. "He's really here, Sakura-chan. He returned to us!"

"I know, Naruto. You need to get going, I don't want your food getting cold." Sakura squeezed him back. "I'll see you this evening."

It was about a full minute after Naruto left that Sakura and Kakashi sat together at his kitchen bar on the two stools. "I didn't realize I would have two roommates when we got back. I might have to start charging you two rent," Kakashi teased. "Are you planning for Sasuke to move in too?"

Sakura pointed her chopstick at him. "Won't you be living in the swanky Hokage penthouse by then?"

Kakashi sighed and pulled down his mask to eat, Sakura pointedly looked away to give him privacy. She'd sort of seen his maskless profile, but she'd not looked at him straight on. She considered it progress. "Yamato is leading a team to construct and repair residences. The complex by the hospital has been the priority. Lady Tsunade demanded the council give you first dibs on an apartment there — rent free for the next five years."

Sakura choked on her hash brown and Kakashi patted her upper back. "Really?" She turned towards him, his mask was already in place.

"I'm planning to keep my apartment," Kakashi added. "Naruto will be Hokage within ten years, so I would hate to be a homeless old man once I serve my time."

Sakura chuckled. "You make serving as Hokage sound like a prison sentence."

Kakashi's lips thinned, but he didn't argue the point. "So, shall we work on that seal release? With your experience in Fuinjutsu," he said, reaching across and poking her forehead's Seal of a Hundred. "This should be child's play."

"Well, hopefully, I'm a fast learner. I have to be at the hospital in two hours." Sakura rubbed her forehead absently. Her old team leader had poked her a little harder than necessary. "I'm really proud of you, Kakashi. You'll be an amazing Hokage." She smiled at him, her heart swelling at the recognition he would be achieving. She loved Kakashi — he was the older brother she always needed, but hadn't realized she wanted. They were family.

"I'm proud of you too, Sakura," Kakashi admitted. "Who would have ever guessed that annoying, boy-crazy little girl would turn into you in just five short years?"

"I didn't really have a choice — put on a team with the likes of you three, I either had to step up or be left forgotten in the dust," Sakura admitted.

"Honestly, I felt that way myself during the battle. The three of you were amazing and I'd lost the Sharingan that made me special." Kakashi reached out and ruffled her hair. "You're the little sister I always wanted, you know that? I want you to know, no matter what, you can always come to me. Do you understand?"

Sakura nodded.

"And Sakura, don't fall for him again," Kakashi warned. "You and Naruto love Sasuke too much. Itachi is at peace, knowing his brother has the two of you to care for him." He started to run through the hand seals once more.

There was no need to correct Kakashi. She wouldn't fall for Sasuke again, because she never stopped falling in the first place. As Sakura paid attention to the lesson, she stayed silent except when Kakashi and she discussed the nuances of the complicated technique. Only someone with practically precise chakra control could release the seal. Kakashi was practically precise, but Sakura was superior. Her former teacher wanted her to work with him on improving his chakra control and she was looking forward to the role reversal in the future.

"I'll confirm that it's okay to unseal his eyes," Kakashi said. "I'll only speak with Lady Tsunade, no need to involve the others. You'll need to seal them again before you leave his cell though. He's still a criminal in the eyes of the council. But you know I will exonerate him — it's the first thing on my agenda."

"I know, Kakashi." Sakura reached across the distance and pulled the Copy Ninja into fierce hug, much like Naruto had done to her.

With a sigh, Kakashi patted her back awkwardly. "You and Naruto really are going to make us do weekly team dinners, aren't you?"

Sakura nodded against him. "You bet!" She pulled back, still holding his shirt front and looked up at his familiar half-masked face. Her eyes glimmered with unshed tears. "You go and be the badass we both know you are and impress that stuffy Daimyo and council members!"

"You're going to help me, right?" Kakashi's pinched brow was the only indication of his anxiety.

Sakura nodded. "All you have to do is ask. I'm working on restructuring the organization of the Hospital. If I find an efficient system, I'll be sure to share my findings with you. I like your idea of the Scientific Research and focusing on the Economy and trade with the other Allied Nations. You're so much more than a fierce warrior, Kakashi."

He reached over and ruffled her hair again. "You always were my favorite, boosting my ego like this. You better get going. I don't mind being late, but you on the other hand don't have that luxury."

"I'll see you and Naruto this evening. I'll let you know how it goes." Sakura headed off for her full schedule. She only had a ten hour shift at the hospital, instead of the twelve hours she'd worked the last few days. Shizune had advocated for more reasonable hours after several medical ninja ended up calling in sick due to chakra fatigue and exhaustion. The crises period had ended, most of the patients were stable at this point. Soon, Sakura would only be working four days per week at ten hour shifts — she was excited about having so much free time in the near future! Though, she suspected, she'd be spending quite a bit of that time helping out her old team leader in his new role as Hokage. If she was lucky, Sasuke would be released by then and she could hopefully help him acclimate back to life in Konoha.

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They sat silently on the prison bed. Sasuke took his time eating. It was challenging to do so blindfolded, one handed, and with his chakra inhibited. The guards had slapped on an inhibiting bracelet to his wrist when Naruto had entered the prison cell— to prepare him for his session with the interrogator.

"So— anything you want to talk about?" Naruto asked.

"I'm surprised you're not bringing ramen to me every morning." Sasuke set down his empty bento box and leaned his back against the wall.

"Ah, well, Sakura-chan and Kakashi-Sensei have been making breakfast," Naruto explained, chuckling self-conscious. "They said you needed something better than ramen." He pressed another food container against Sasuke's abdomen to alert him to the new item. "Sakura-chan said you'd like these cherry tomatoes, but she's also worried you'll get heart burn. She gave me a medicine to give you to reduce the acid if you want."

Sasuke smiled faintly. "Yeah, that would be great." He could eat tomatoes for days, but if he ate too much he did suffer heartburn. He had just never complained. Of course she would think of that. He sniffed. "You actually smell decent. Have you started to finally care for your personal hygiene, Dead Last?"

Naruto scoffed. "Okay, most of the time we were around each other it was camping. And yes, I brush my teeth twice per day, floss too, and take a shower at least every other day— Sakura wouldn't let me stay in the apartment otherwise."

Sasuke stilled. "You and Sakura share an apartment?" He could feel his irritation grow at the idea. A vicious seed of jealousy began to take root.

"Well hers was destroyed in the Pain attack and with the nightmares she didn't want to stay with her parents. Mine has an infestation — Shino said he'd take care of it, but he's been busy, you know? And Kakashi-Sensei had a guest room and his place is pretty close to Anbu headquarters, so we're all holed up there," Naruto explained. "It's the closest commute to visit you."

Sasuke's found-family were all living under one roof. "Nightmares? And you better be sleeping on the couch — not sharing a bed with Sakura."

Naruto snickered annoyingly. "Oh, are you jealous, Sasuke?" he asked in a sing-song voice like they were eleven all over again.

"Don't make me kick your ass and get in more trouble with the guards," Sasuke warned. He was annoyed by Naruto, but he also wanted to smile at the banter. He missed this. There were times his Team Taka had reminded him of Team Seven, but it was never quite right.

"Fine, for your information I'm sleeping on the couch. Sakura-chan has the guest room. Kakashi-Sensei is obviously in his room." Naruto cleared his throat. "And when you get out of here, you can join us. Kakashi-Sensei will move into the Hokage penthouse. Or we might all move in with him there — there's a ton of rooms, but he said by then he'll probably want some space."

"And the nightmares?" Sasuke pressed.

"Aren't you having them too?" Naruto asked quietly. "After what we went through in that last battle?"

Sasuke nodded. "Ah." They fell into a deep silence, both lost in their thoughts. "I've tried to kill both of you — more than once," Sasuke said quietly. "I couldn't do it. That's why I left you in the valley when we were kids. My feelings for you and Sakura have always been my greatest weakness. My clan always taught to suppress your emotions because we love too intensely."

Naruto chuckled darkly. "Love is not a weakness, you bastard. It's a strength. "

"For you, but for me, when I lose someone I love, I find madness. The Second Hokage confirmed as much — it is the curse of my clan. You've seen it before on me — when Sakura found me that time…." he trailed off. "After Itachi's death, I confronted the Kages and Danzo who was responsible. I was so angry that they ruined the lives of the shinobi of their village — use us as expendable tools to make some daimyo richer. And when Sakura came for me with her poison dipped kunai, I hesitated. And that allowed Kakashi to drag her away from me." He smiled faintly. "I understand why she came for me. She loves like a Uchiha — once established, nothing can break those feelings — no matter how cold I acted towards her, because she remembered the times I allowed my true feelings to show."

"So, you're saying that you love, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked quietly.

"Since before the Chunin exams," Sasuke answered. He remembered the first time he'd held Sakura's hand. They were on the mission to track down the paw prints of the neko-nin — a continuation of the mission Itachi had cooked up for him when he was a kid. This took place about a month before the Chunin exams. Sasuke had been team leader. He sent Naruto as a distraction into the den of the cats and grabbed Sakura and pulled her alongside him. He'd felt ridiculous wearing the cat headband, but he knew that Sakura thought he looked cute, so he'd put up with it. "But, don't you dare tell her."

"You know, Nagato waited to attack Konoha until after Itachi and Jiraiya were dead. They were the protectors of this village from outside these walls," Naruto mused. "When I become Hokage, I'll need someone like that."

"I can be that someone," Sasuke vowed. "Whatever you need." He clenched his jaw. His absence might allow Sakura to move on — or if he could dare to hope — she'd be patient enough to be here for him during any future absences.

"Sakura-chan still loves you, you know," Naruto said quietly. "She'd go with you, if you asked."

Sasuke frowned. "Even I am not that selfish. She's become a pillar of the village. She's made a life without me these five years." He was quiet for a while and Naruto didn't press him. "When I was a kid, I wanted to be a police officer. I often wonder what that would have been like if my clan hadn't simmered in anger for so long and I'd taken over the police force from my father."

Naruto elbowed him in the ribs playfully. "You'd still be an asshole and you'd probably have married a second cousin or something. And Sakura-chan and I would have been married and working on our second kid by now."

Sasuke scoffed. "The Uchihas weren't quite as incestuous as the Hyuga." He smiled faintly thinking of a life where he wore his police uniform and picked up Sakura after a shift at the hospital to go on a date. "And no way would Sakura pick you over me — especially if i was wearing a police uniform."

"I do love Sakura-chan, you know? But, it's not the same way you love her," Naruto continued quietly, his tone serious. "I thought about it— before she went to confront you — she confessed feelings for me — she would have forced it." His fidgeting shook the entire rickety bed. "She loves me too, but not the same way she loves you. We'd have been fine as a couple I think — friends more than anything. But marriages are sometimes built on even less. But I never would have with her what you and her share."

"And there's the Hyuga girl," Sasuke pointed out.

Naruto sighed. "I don't know how to feel about Hinata. But, whatever we could have had, I'm not sure now. Neji died in front of us — protecting us. I'm sure she must blame me for that."

Sasuke said nothing. He didn't know Hinata very well. He just remembered her fawning over Naruto in the background during their entire youth— even when his best friend had been nothing more than a loud-mouthed idiot with a big heart. But, if Hinata was anything like Sakura, he was sure that Naruto would find his way to her eventually.

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The hard pinch of the clamps upon his bare skin barely registered. The surge of electricity coursing through his system was nothing compared to the electricity of the chidori. Still, Sasuke endured as Ibiki tortured him. He wasn't sure exactly what sort of information the interrogator was hoping to gleam. He'd not even bothered to ask questions — just started with the torture.

The clamps were removed and Sasuke was aware of the smell of cooked flesh where the electricity has entered his body. He'd been through worse. Orochimaru enjoyed having his trainees tortured — he thought it encouraged mental growth and physical endurance. You learned to separate your mind from your physical body. It was the ultimate form of meditation.

"Uchiha. What do you expect to gain having returned to Konoha?" Ibiki asked. Finally a question.

"I had no reason to stay away," Sasuke answered. It had been several hours since Naruto had visited that morning. Which meant that Sakura would be coming before too long. He needed to be done with this before she came to visit. It would upset her to see him being tortured.

"What are you intentions with Naruto?" Ibiki demanded.

"Intentions?" Sasuke echoed. "He's my teammate. He wanted me home — so I'm home."

"Teammate?" Ibiki scoffed. "Team Seven was disbanded years ago — after you defected.

"Fine, Team Kakashi then. Team Neo-Sannin. Whatever you want to call us," Sasuke murmured. His left arm was killing him. The already friable nerves were screaming from the electricity. He wasn't going to tell Ibiki that Naruto was his brother and they were the reincarnations of the Sage of Six Paths's sons.

"And the Godaime's Apprentice. What is she to you?" Ibiki demanded.

"Sakura? She's—-," Sasuke trailed off. "My teammate also, she wanted me home." It was safer to answer that way. He wouldn't tell this man that she was the Spring to his cold Winter's heart.

"Did you not ask her to abandon the village and become a missing nin with you just six weeks ago?" Ibiki asked.

Had it only been six weeks ago? "Sakura would never abandon Konoha."

There was the sound of a blade sliding across a whetstone. The tang was familiar as the early morning birds singing outside his prison cell. It was his own damn sword.

"Are you not a member of the terrorist organization Akatsuki?" Ibiki continued. The sharp blade sliced across his right pectoral followed by piercing pain and the immediate scent of his coppery blood oozing down his chest. "Why has Orochimaru followed you willingly into incarceration." There was another slice down his left pectoral. "Why did he give you his sword?"

"That Akatsuki is disbanded. Madara is dead. Obito is dead." He spat towards Ibiki, his saliva tinged with blood from the punch he took to his jaw earlier. "Itachi is dead. Orochimaru was convinced by Itachi to evaluate his life. I believe he is sincere. Orochimaru trained me. He was unable to use his sword after Lord Third sealed his arms, so he gave it to me." Well, technically, Sasuke took the sword.

There was another slice across his abdomen. The cuts weren't deep, but they burned.

"And what do you want?" Ibiki demanded.

"I want you to stop making Sakura's work harder. She comes after a twelve hour shift at the hospital and you know she will repair this damage," Sasuke answered, keeping his tone neutral. "I'm not hiding anything. I'm here because Hatake, Uzumkai, and Haruno want me in Konoha."

"No one else wants you here," Ibiki said. There was the faint sound of blood being wiped off the blade with a cloth. "We'll talk again in a few days." The chakra suppressing bracelet was unclasped from his wrist. Then the door to the cell swung upon and then clanged shut.

His cell was cold and Sasuke had been stripped to his underwear. At least they had let him keep on that bit of clothing. He'd seen the scars on Ibiki's face back when he'd been a kid taking the Chunin Exams. The bastard enjoying inflicting damage onto others.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The sound of the sink dripping oriented Sasuke within his prison cell.

He thought back to one of Ibiki's earlier questions. It made him reflect on the period after he killed Danzo and Sakura had showed up — interrupting him from killing Karin.

Practically blind, feeling empty and hollow, grieving his brother like never before — Sakura had showed up. At first, she'd been a godsend— a flower sprouting from the barren desert. But then he'd smelled the poison on the kunai she held. She'd come to try and kill him, so he'd kill her first, but Kakashi had stopped him. Then Naruto. And if he hadn't paused, hadn't hesitated, they'd have been too late. He praised all the gods that he hesitated. That his heart hadn't withered away so completely.

The look of hatred in Kakashi's eyes and disappointment in Naruto's eyes and hopelessness in Sakura's eyes matched exactly the same emotions Sasuke had felt. Even after years apart, their bonds linked them.

After Itachi's eyes had been transplanted, Sasuke could see again — everything was so vivid and sharp. Then he'd actually seen and spoken to Itachi again — a resurrected version, but it had been like when he was a kid and they would hunt together and train together. It had been the best day of Sasuke's almost eighteen years of life. Then, he'd joined the battle against the remainder of the Akatsuki and formed the Neo-Sannin.

Then when Sakura had unlocked that diamond seal on her forehead and took out half the enemy army by herself — he'd never been so impressed or proud. She didn't have the Uchiha bloodline, nor a tailed-beast with limitless chakra. She was just a woman that didn't want to be left behind her teammates. And Sasuke had been stranded on that desert planet — if Sakura and Obito hadn't found him.

They'd tried to kill each other three weeks before, and she traveled through different dimensions using every bit of her chakra including that of her life-force to work with their former enemy to save him.

He almost didn't mind the dark, loneliness of his prison cell. He needed time to sort through his feelings and his thoughts. After their great victory, he'd then locked Sakura into a powerful genjutsu, waited until Kakashi was too chakra deprived to stop him and then he and Naruto faced off in a mortal duel driven by the fate of their previous incarnations.

Their attacks had nullified and they'd almost bled out from all the damage. Sakura had managed to salvage their mangled arms somewhat and stopped the internal bleeding. Sasuke had never apologized to anyone before in his life— yet he'd asked for Sakura to forgive him.

He understood. Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi - they were his home, his family.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Sasuke could sense Sakura's approach. She didn't mask her chakra, which he appreciated. The two guards that flanked her opened the prison cell and after securing her inside with him, they left.

She sucked in a breath through her teeth. "Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispered, her voice quivered with anger. Then cool hands touched his jaw and his chest. The burning nerves calmed, the bruises mended, the lacerations vanished. Then, her hands covered the sealed blindfold around his eyes and the material fluttered to the ground. She breathed a sigh of relief the moment her eyes met his.

Sasuke squinted in the sudden light. It had been a week and a half since his eyes had been sealed. "Kakashi taught you the seal release?" He soaked in the image of her — there were circles under her eyes, her lips were pressed tight with displeasure, and her jade irises flashed with relief. He raised his hand to the tips of her hair— it was pulled back into a high ponytail at the top of her head. He'd never seen it up before.

"This is barbaric and unnecessary. You allowed yourself to be captured. You could have left after the battle and you wouldn't be here right now," Sakura growled.

"If I'd done that, I would have never been allowed back, Sakura. Where else would I go? I don't have Itachi to chase. Naruto and you are here." He shrugged and hoped that the gooseflesh covering his exposed body wasn't too obvious. It was the last week of Winter and the season seemed reluctant to release its icy grip on the weather.

She drew her hands away abruptly. "Sorry." She leaned under his bed and pulled out the trunk for his uniform.

"That's not a prison uniform," Sasuke stated. The deep blue material had felt incredibly soft against his flesh. And there was no way a prisoner's garb would be such a flattering color.

"There's not a standard uniform," Sakura explained. She set the fresh clothes next to him on the bed and then she turned her back on him and rummaged through her backpack.

"You really shouldn't turn your back on a dangerous criminal," Sasuke warned. He slipped on his pants and then his shirt.

She turned towards him with a long, dark cloak in her hands. She held it out for him. "Ten more days until Kakashi-Sensei becomes the Sixth Hokage. You just have to make it until then."

"You look tired," Sasuke observed.

Sakura smiled faintly. "I am."

"Nightmares?"

She blinked at him. "Naruto told you?"

Sasuke nodded. He gestured towards his bed. "It's not much, but we could rest — together." He continued to his sink and ran his hand under the water, washing as best he could. Then he sat on his bed.

"You need to eat," Sakura protested. She sat beside him with his dinner her hands. "But, after you eat, sure." She smiled shyly at him and it sight was absolutely breath-taking.

Sasuke felt his cheeks burn and he ducked his head, hoping she wouldn't notice as he started to eat his dinner. "Why don't you lay down?"

"There's not a lot of room." Sakura looked at the twin-sized bed uncertainly.

"There is if you lay your head on my lap," Sasuke suggested, quietly. He met her gaze and he could see the moment she agreed.

"Okay." Sakura pulled the band out of her hair, and her shoulder length pale tresses fell about her face. She turned to stretch out across the bed and laid her head and shoulders on his thighs.

Sasuke set aside his empty bento box. There was a small table next to this bed. And let his hand fall to Sakura's head, without saying anything, he began to run his fingers through her soft, silky hair. He relaxed against the wall and stayed vigilant while Sakura slept against him. He'd rouse her before their visit was over so she could put the seal back over his eyes, but for now, he was going to soak in the visual of the woman he loved.

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A/N: I read some of the translations of Akatsuki Hiden, learning more about Sasuke's feelings. Thank goodness for google lens! I'm annoyed so much about how much is omitted regarding Sasuke and Sakura's relationship that was never translated into English. Also annoyed with how Studio Perot omits the scenes that make their love story sweet. Ah well, we at least got a glimpse 986 episodes into Naruto/Boruto when they finally hold hands at the Observatory.