Sasuke landed in the forest alone.

He heard footsteps coming up behind him. Wildly, still terrified from his earlier fright with Orochimaru, Sasuke activated his Sharingan.

“Hey, there's a person up ahead,” someone said.

Sasuke would know that voice anywhere.

His heart skipped a beat. After all these years- it was- he'd get to see... And if it was her, probably...

“That's a really familiar chakra-” yelled-

It was them! Sasuke could cry with joy. But he wouldn't. It was unlike him.

“That's-” he heard a girl say wonderingly. Not just any girl, either.

A girl with pink hair.

Sasuke intercepted her in her jump from tree to another tree, and, not caring what he was doing, flung his arms around her.

“Sasuke-” she breathed. “It's you, after all these years...”

“It is,” he said.

“Are you home for good?” she asked.

“Home... Yeah,” he said, liking the sound of it. “I'm home.”

“Is that really... him?” asked Naruto.

“It is,” said Sakura, and he heard a slight break in her voice.

“Are you on our side?” asked Naruto.

Sasuke, hardly able to talk, nodded.

“He's not lying,” added the voice of Neji Hyuuga, sounding amazed.

“You sure?” asked Kiba. “I mean, for all we know...”

“That is Sasuke Uchiha, and he is not lying,” said Neji again. “It's not a clone. It's his chakra signature. And he is not lying. There is absolutely no way to bypass that. Without practicing in front of a Hyuuga.”

Sasuke, glad that they weren't trying to kill him, continued to hold Sakura.

“Won't Orochimaru be coming after us now?” asked Kiba.

“Yeah,” said Sasuke. “He won't find me, though. I hide my tracks from him. It won't keep him away forever, but it's good enough, and I can tell you how to take him down.”

“What brought this about?” asked Kiba suspiciously.

“He finally told me his plans for me,” lied Sasuke quickly and efficiently.

“Don't lie,” said Neji.

“I finally figured out where home is,” Sasuke said.

Everyone turned to Neji.

“He's not lying, although I don't think that's the whole truth either.”

“So are you going to permanently ally with Konoha? Or are you plotting with Orochimaru or someone to take over the city or something?” asked Neji.

“I am going to permanently ally with Konoha. I do not want to destroy the city. I want to live there,” Sasuke said.

Neji nodded. “He isn't lying. Let's just go home. I'm tired.”

“Sasuke, you can let go of me now,” said Sakura.

“Sakura,” said Sasuke.

“Yeah?” she asked.

“I won't ever leave you again.”

She started to cry. He could feel his sleeve getting wet.

“Let's go home,” she said.

Sasuke ran with her.

“Are you going to rejoin Team seven?” she asked.

Sasuke pondered. “Possibly.”

“You're kinda talkative, now,” she said, and then chuckled. “I can't believe you're back,” she said softly.

“Well, believe it,” he said.

“Hey! That's my line!” yelled Naruto.

“Oh, yeah, and you're invited the the Christmas party tomorrow. We had a Secret Santa planned out, and... well, you didn't get one, but you can come anyway. I'll give you a gift,” she said.

Sasuke was silent. Sakura let him stay at her house for the night. Her mom gave him the couch to sleep on.

The next day dawned bright and Christmas-y. Sasuke didn't get or give any presents, but frankly, he was so glad to see everyone again that neither he nor they really cared. Presents had sort of lost their luster with him, anyway, and most people were glad to see him back. Kakashi, however, with the approval of Tsunade, gave him a Konoha headband. And really, that was all he wanted.

Well, maybe...

That night, at the Christmas party, everything happened as it had during his vision except instead of sitting on the couch and admiring Shikamaru's gift to her, Sakura gave her present to Sasuke.

“And now it's time for Sasuke's present!” shrieked Ino. She was way too excited about this. It frankly disturbed Sasuke.

Sakura walked up to him, holding nothing in her hands.

Which was kinda weird. Really, was she going to be all “my-love-for-you-is-my-present” or what? Not that her love would have been a bad thing. He was planning on asking her out, actually, he wasn't really sure when, but it would be soon. Naruto had asked Hinata out after the present-giving. And if the dobe could do it, he could too.

Sakura got to Sasuke, and said, “I love you,” and kissed him.

Sasuke kissed her back. It ended amid a wolf whistle from Kiba and giggles from the girls.

“I like your present,” he said, recovering his breath.

“That was yours to me, too,” she said.

“Let's go out,” said Sasuke.

“Yeah, that's a great idea,” she said.

Sasuke suddenly felt lighter than air.

“Merry Christmas to all!” he shouted. “And to all, a good night!”