Cold grey walls were adorned by shadows and distant footsteps.

Sasuke sat on his cell's bed and rested his head on the wall. It was hard to know what was going through his mind. He seemed calm. He could hear the footsteps close to his cell but didn't seem to bother.

Things were much different outside of his prison cell. Sakura was so defeated. Exhaustion traveled through her body. She was so disappointed. She was disappointed in the village, in the leadership, in the legal system…. And so much more. She didn't want to get up from her bed. She wanted to crawl into small space and hide. She knew she needed to be strong but she was so defeated.

A strong knock got Sakura off her daze. She looked at the door and before she could get up, Naruto had already forced the door open.

"What are you doing here?" Naruto asked surprised.

"What do you mean? What are you doing in my house?" Sakura asked even more surprised.

"I am getting Sasuke out" Naruto said determined.

"We already tried that. That won't work" Sakura said saddened.

"Oh, but this time it will. I don't care what I have to do but it is happening" Naruto declared.

"What's your plan?" Sakura asked.

"I am sure, but if I have to sleep at Tsudane' step, I will" Naruto declared.

Sakura hesitated for a second. She had tried so hard. She was so defeated… She took a deep breath and let Naruto's determination keep her going.

Naruto walked fast and determined, ready to make a change. Sakura followed behind. She did not want to get her hopes high and come crashing down again, yet she couldn't abandon Sasuke.

The door at Tsunade's office was locked but one could hear people talking inside. Sakura and Naruto sat outside the door. After 20 minutes, Naruto started pacing. The pacing went on for about two hours until he eventually sat down next to Sakura. He fell asleep at the 4-hour mark. Sakura just looked defeated.

"What are you guys doing here?" Sakura felt a touch on her shoulder and looked up only to find her sensei.

"Kakashi-sensei" Sakura said composing herself "we here to see Tsunade-sama".

"Is it Sasuke?" Kakashi asked.

Sakura just shrugged waking up Naruto.

"Kakashi-Sensei!" Naruto exclaimed "what are you doing here?"

"Tsunade-sama summoned me here" Kakashi said.

"We are here to convince grandma Tsunade to free Sasuke" Naruto said.

The doors interrupted Naruto and gave entrance to the council to the scene.

Naruto and Sakura quickly stood up.

"Ah, Naruto-san what a great pleasure to see you" Koharu said.

"Are you here to negotiate freeing Sasuke" Naruto immediately asked.

"I hope you grow in wisdom and sense of justice if you ever want to become Hokage" Koharu answered.

"I hope you learn to show compassion before you wake up dead" Naruto said coldly.

Sakura's heart started racing. She had never heard Naruto say anything like that.

"Come on Naruto, Let's go see Tsunade-sama" Sakura pulled him away.

"Hey, I'd like to say that I am surprised to see you but I really am not" Tsunade said while holding her head with her hand.

"Then you must know why we are" Naruto cut her off.

"What is it you want me to do" Tsunade just signed.

"You are the Hokage, do what the Hokage is supposed to do" Naruto demanded.

"A Hokage is supposed to keep peace in the village" Tsunade answered.

"They also have a responsibility to the members of such village" Naruto answered.

"If that is the case, you must remember that Sasuke is no saint" Tsunade said.

"If you had a child and he makes a mistake, do you hide him away for the rest of his life or do you take him and restore him?" Naruto said passionately.

"if it helps you, I agree with you" Tsunade answered.

"If you do, why don't you do something about it? You could end this now" Sakura jumped in.

"It's not that easy. It's my head for his. The council wants to send a message through him to deter anybody from deserting the village again. If I pardon him, they want me out"

"Who cares about the council?" Naruto said furiously.

"They have more power than you imagine" Tsunade said.

"Then leave" Naruto said abruptly.

Tsunade didn't answer, she just looked at Naruto astonished.

"Being Hokage is so much more than a title, it's a life of constant sacrifice. You have a duty to your village and if in doing so you lose your status, so be it" Naruto said vehemently "there is no greater honor than giving one's life for the village, giving your title is nothing compared to such sacrifice" Naruto finished.

"I am sorry I wish there was more I could do" Tsunade said.

"I am sorry there is nothing else you are willing to do" Naruto answered.

"Naruto don't be so harsh" Kakashi intervened.

"I am sorry you've lost perspective of what it means to be a Hokage" Naruto said coldly "Sakura, let's go. Let's fine someone who truly cares about everyone in the village with no exceptions" Naruto said while grabbing Sakura and leaving.

"What are you going to do?" Sakura asked Naruto curiously.

"If I cannot get justice here, I'll get it somewhere else" Naruto said "maybe Gaara is willing to ask to extradite him and then pardon him" Naruto said.

Sakura was surprised of Naruto's sudden intuition. She was losing hope but she couldn't afford to lose hope. Sasuke needed her and she could not abandon him.

Sakura and Naruto spent the rest of the afternoon packing up before leaving for Sunagakure. They were planning to leave first thing in the morning.

Morning time couldn't come any sooner. Naruto couldn't sleep and neither could Sakura. They each turned and tossed in bed until the morning light hit their windows. They made it to their meeting spot and were approaching the village entrance when Kakashi suddenly appeared.

"You might not want to leave yet" Kakashi said.

"What now?" Naruto asked.

"They are moving Sasuke to a maximum-security prison to wait for trial" Kakashi said "this could be the last time you see him before trial" he finished.

Naruto and Sakura looked at each other for a second. Tears started running down Sakura's face. He grabbed her hand and they ran to the prison to see if they could see Sasuke before transferring.

They ran all the way to the penitentiary.

"I am here to visit Uchiha Sasuke" Naruto said out of breath.

"I am sorry he is currently being transferred to a different facility" the receptionist said.

"Can they wait, we just want to say goodbye" Naruto said.

"I am afraid that won't be possible" the lady answered.

Naruto was about to scream when Sakura grabbed his arm and led him out.

"I've volunteered here before" Sakura whispered "there is a place in the back where you can see transfers as they leave".

They ran all the way around the prison until they had view from a distance.

They got Sasuke out; his legs were chained and his armed was chained to his legs. The council was there overseen for any unwanted situations.

"Sasuke!" Naruto screamed "Sasuke!" Sakura followed.

At first, he couldn't hear them but eventually he heard and was able to see them.

"I am going to make this right" Naruto screamed drawing a smile in Sasuke's face.

"Stop the transfer" a guard said holding a document in his hand.

Everyone stopped.

Sakura and Naruto couldn't hear what was happening but everyone was fussing around and reading documents.

Suddenly somebody took Sasuke's chains off and led inside the building.

"What happened?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know" Sakura asked.

Suddenly a loud noise came on announcing that every villager needed to be the townhall within 10 minutes.

Those warning were only used in times of war or big emergencies.

They ran to the townhall only to find Tsunade waiting for everybody outside of the Hokage's tower. The mass grew and more people gathered around the townhall.

The council soon approached Tsunade who seemed to whisper something and show them a mocking smile.

"Village of Konoha, serving you as Hokage has been the greatest joy and honor of my life. I hope to have been a good servant to you. I have gathered you here to formally announce my resignation as Hokage which will take place within the next minute" Tsunade said while the crowd loudly gasped "Don't be afraid, you will be left in great hands, hands that have protected this village. This way I would like for you to honor your new Hokage, Hatake Kakashi" Tsunade said grabbing Kakashi's hand and lifting it up with hers which was met with cheers and applauses.

"I will always be your servant and I will be here to offer my advice and wisdom if it were ever to be necessary" Tsunade added "and before my last minute ends, I'd like to make you aware that I have officially pardoned Uchiha Sasuke. Our village needs to heal and move forward and we will never be able to do so if we keep on making the same mistakes from the past. To a prosperous future, full of compassion and justice" she finished and turned to the council and smiled.

"Whatever concern you have please take it up to the Hokage, I will be taking a vacation" Tsunade said with a sarcastic smile.

Naruto and Sakura hugged each other.

"I knew she would do it" Naruto kept on repeating.

They ran to Tsunade and Sakura hugged her as she began to cry.

"I am going to miss you so much" she kept on repeating which soon turned into a repeated thank you.

"I knew you would do it" Naruto kept on telling her.

"Did you?" Tsunade asked sarcastically.

"Where is he?" Naruto asked.

"He is still signing all the paperwork. You might be able to see him later" Tsunade responded.

Naruto and Sakura smiled and proceeded to hug and congratulate their sensei.

They waited the rest of day but they would not release Sasuke until much later so they decided to wait till the next day. Many security procedures still needed to be determined so it would take longer than expected.

They released Sasuke around midnight. Kakashi was waiting for him outside.

"Something tells you don't have a place to stay" Kakashi greeted him "Come on, you can crash over at my house. It hasn't changed much since the last time you were there"

Sasuke softly smirked "is it a okay if I do something first?" he asked.

"Do as you please, you are a free man. You know where to find me" Kakashi said leaving Sasuke to do his thing.

Sakura was sleeping when she fell a knock on her window. She quickly woke up and noticed rocks being thrown at her window. She quickly went to check and saw Sasuke who greeted her shyly. She got dressed immediately and opened the door.

"I am sorry, I wasn't sure if you were still leaving with your parents and was sure your dad would not be pleased with visits at this time" Sasuke attempted an apology.

She didn't say anything, she just hugged him and cried. She began kneeling and Sasuke just hugged her back and knelt with her. She was inconsolable.

"I thought I had lost you again" she kept on repeating to which he just hugged her harder.

"I am sorry, I am sorry" she kept on apologizing.

"Please don't cry" he whispered once "I want to talk to you"

"Oh, yeah, I am sorry" she said drying her tears "come in" she said leading him to the sofa.

"I want you to know that I am very grateful for everything you have done for me, now and before. I know you've been taking care of me even when I couldn't see it" he started she just looked down and held his hand.

"I want to thank you for being there even when I pushed you away" he continued "I am don't want you to be mad for what I am going to say" he said.

She looked up and made eye contact with him.

"I am leaving once more" he said.

She just took a deep breath slightly hyperventilating.

"I know I have been pardoned, but I need to forgive myself and I am never going to do that if I don't correct my wrongs. I need to see the world from a new perspective" Sasuke continued.

Sakura let go of his hand. A tear fell and touched Sasuke's hand. Many more followed.

"Don't leave me, not again" she pleaded as she cried "please".

He dried her tears "you'll be fine and deep down you know I must do this" Sasuke said.

She just kept on crying "I understand, I understand. I am okay, I am okay" were the only things she could say.

"I am sorry" he said feeling bad from her reaction.

"It's okay, I am okay" Sakura said between tears.

Sasuke walked a crying Sakura to her bed. He helped her get in bed and proceeded to poke her forehead with his fingers "we'll see each other soon, rest" he said before disappearing.

Sakura cried herself to sleep that night. Sasuke crashed at Kakashi's place where he used the days he was training and would be to late for him to return home.

The next day came and Sasuke made his way to the village's entrance where Sakura and Kakashi were waiting for him.

"I'll be honest. You know you still be imprisoned if it weren't for your help undoing the infinite Tsukuromi" Kakashi started "as well as me becoming Hokage, and Naruto, the key figure in ending the war, insisting" he continued "don't forget that" he finished.

"Don't cause too much trouble out there" Kakashi added.

"I'll try" Sasuke responded.

"Do you really have to leave" Sakura asked in denial "the artificial hand lady Tsunade is crafting is almost done" Sakura insisted.

"I must see the world with a new perspective" Sasuke responded.

"What if I went with you?" Sakura asked.

"It's a journey of atonement as well, and you have nothing to do with my crimes" he said.

Sakura signed disappointedly.

"Maybe next time" Sasuke said poking her forehead with his fingers to which she blushed.

He walked out and started his journey when he soon saw a familiar face.

"I didn't think you'd be coming to see me off.

Naruto handed Sasuke his headband.

"You kept this?" Sasuke asked "you stopped me, even at the cost of your hand and you saved me.

"We were insignificant little things you used to clash, and now we can claim each other's pain" Naruto added.

"After seeing the world via my travels, I believe this concept can be applied to even bigger things than just us" Sasuke responded "but it's not something that can be done as easily as you were able to" he continued "I would never assume it would be simple, like it wasn't for the two of us" Sasuke added.

"I am giving this back to you" Naruto said finally letting go of the headband.

"I'll hang on to it until we have out real fight" Sasuke teased "It's kind of like a prayer to keep enduring until it comes to be, no matter what, and to those whom that task falls in, perhaps that what it means to be a ninja" Sasuke finished grabbing the headband and leaving.

Peace reigned among them.