Chapter 2

A knocking sound echoed through Sasuke's apartment. Muffled, Sakura's voice shouted at the door. "Hey Sasuke. You need to come out! You've been cooped up in your apartment for two months now!" No answer. Sakura sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, debating whether to tell him or not.

"Listen, Sasuke. The hokage didn't want me to tell you this, in fear of giving you false hopes, but I think you deserve to know." Sakura frowned, was she really about to disobey the hokage? Anyway, it was too late now. Hesitantly, she continued. "They found Naruto's body a few miles from the battle site. The impact must've knocked him away. He's alive Sasuke." Sakura paused for a moment, then added, "Barely."

To her surprise, the door flew inward with a force that could cave in the building. Sasuke stood at the doorway, looking disheveled. His hair was greasy and sticking out in clumps. His eyes were red and swollen, and he was thin, as if he hadn't eaten in days. Sakura held in a gasp, letting out a shaky breath instead. She opened her mouth to say something, but Sasuke cut her off.

"Take me to him."

"Sasuke, I don't know if that's a good idea. He's unstable, and could really die at an-"

"Take. Me. To. HIM!" He shouted at the last part, desperate to see Naruto again. Sakura sighed, her eyes watering before letting out a shaky, "Ok."

~~~

"Naruto, are you sure you're ok?" Sasuke spoke gently, careful not to alarm the beaten up boy. Naruto looked up at him, curtly replying with a nod of his head. Sasuke frowned at this. Something was different about Naruto, something was off, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. Sasuke sighed, dismissing it as Naruto recently going through a near death experience. He was just glad to finally have him back, alive and well. But something was nagging him in the back of his brain. It felt like Naruto was still gone.

~~~

"Sasuke!" He woke up to someone calling his name. Frowning, he realized that he was still on the branch of the tree, threatening to fall off at any second. Sasuke sat himself upright and searched for the source of the noise. To his surprise, Sakura was standing there, eyes looking down at the floor.

Sasuke jumped down from the tree and landed with a flourish. "Is there something you needed?"

Sakura slowly raised her head, allowing her eyes to lock with Sasuke's. "We need to talk. After that huge argument we had I-" Tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to force herself to speak.

"You want a break." The pink haired woman sheepishly averted her gaze and nodded. Sasuke sighed, this was not the conversation he wanted to have right now. "What about Sarada." At this, Sakura frowned. "We'll figure it out."

Sasuke nodded at her, indicating he understood before leaving again. This time, he headed over to Naruto's house. He felt a desperate need to see the boy, to touch him, to claim him as his own. Upon arriving, he spotted Boruto and his sister playing around in front of the house.

Right. He's married, and has two kids. I can't ask him to give it up for me, not that he would anyways. Sasuke paused at the door, before hesitantly knocking, knowing that Naruto would be home. Maybe I can be a little selfish, just this once.

Naruto opened the door and beamed when he saw Sasuke. "Come in!" Sasuke walked inside, flinching when Naruto slammed the door. "Sakura problems?" He nodded, "We're getting a divorce."