~Chapter Fifty-Nine~

The first thing that she felt was a dull ache as if she hadn't moved in a very long time and her body was locked in place. She stifled a groan, her fingers twitching as she tried to move. Bit by bit her body warmed up, her joints and muscles yawning as they awakened from the long sleep.

Sunlight kissed her cheeks in greeting, a slow warmth enveloping her. She peeled her eyes open, blinking a few times so the world would fall into focus. Trees stretched overhead, pieces of grass folded underneath her body, and a stale wind brushed past her. She took a deep breath, pushing with her arms until she came to a seated position.

Winter flexed her fingers, her neck rotating from side to side. She stretched out her legs, flexing her feet and leaning forward to touch her toes, her muscles warming up. She spent quite some time stretching each muscle before getting up. Her legs felt weak and she took a few experimental steps, waiting for her body to get used to the action again. She looked down, noticing the red tank top and black ninja pants, all tear-free.

She used the trees, pressing her left hand against them gently as she made her way through the forest.

She came to the edge of a clearing, raising her right arm to help shield her eyes from the bright glare of the sun, looking around to try and find a familiar landmark that would show her where she was.

A tree branch rustles and Winter's eyes snapped to the other side of the clearing, her body tensing out of habit as she waits for the person to come into view. At first she just sees a hand brushing a few leaves away, then the young man ducks underneath a broken branch and is illuminated by the sun.

A blue sash is tied around his forehead, a piece of black hair in between his eyes and ending above his nose. A high collar came up to his chin, a tan poncho draped over his shoulders, and light gray pants ending above his bandaged ankles.

Winter stood still, wondering just how much someone could change in six months, and unsure if she was staring at Sasuke or just someone who had an eerie resemblance to him.

Red eyes clashed with turquoise, and Sasuke felt the blood drain from his face.

His Sharingan pierced through the air, searching for any jutsu that could conjure his dead friend in front of him. Finding none, he looks back at Winter, the familiar red chakra coursing through her veins staring right back at him. "How..." he trails off for a moment, still searching for deceit, "you have her chakra."

Winter tilted her head, the movement so canine and Winter-like, Sasuke began doubting himself. "I would assume that I would have my chakra, after all it's mine and mine alone." She let out a long sigh, "I did expect you to be a little more grateful and a little less hostile, after all I did save your life asshat."

His jaw clenched and within seconds he stood in front of her, mere inches separating them. "Prove it."

"Prove what?" She snarls, the anger that only showed up around the black haired male rising to the surface.

"That you're really Winter Ookami."

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment. "You're unbelievable." she muttered, pushing the irritation away.

"I'm unbelievable? You're impersonating a war hero, someone who saved thousands of lives, and you dare to tell me that I am unbelievable?" he spat, "I have half a mind to take you to the nearest village and turn you over to their integration—"

Lighting struck the ground, less than an inch away from the two, Winter slowly lifting her head to show the storm clouds that had replace the usual turquoise hue. "You're trying my patience, and let me tell you, I will not hesitate to deck you in the face to straighten out those thoughts of yours."

Sasuke looked at her for a moment before smirking, "It's so easy to get you riled up."

She stared at him for a moment, her mouth gaping open at the relaxed figure standing in front of her, "Who are you and what have you done with grumpy Sasuke Uchiha?"

"I grew up."

"Took you long enough," she paused and glanced around the clearing once more, "do you by any chance know where we are?"

"In a forest by the Village Hidden in the Mountains." he replied, "If you look behind you'll see a sight you've been wanting to see for a while, I bet."

Winter turned around, looking up and seeing the familiar cloudy peak of the mountain she called home. A small smile flickered across her lips, the prospect of going back to the village making her excited. She took a step forward, debating on if she wanted to run there or walk, when Sasuke stopped her.

"Winter."

She glanced over her shoulder at him, "Hm?"

He hesitated for a moment, "I don't know why you did it, but thank you for saving me life."

She grinned, noticing the uncomfortable expression on his face, "Of course, the world may be at peace but it still needs a few asshats here to keep things interesting."

"Go home." He muttered, a hint of faux annoyance in his voice.

Winter let out a deep breath, her body tensing before she broke out into a run. Home. She'd thought a lot about that word when she was in Heaven. What was a home? When she closed her eyes, there was no specific destination in mind, just people. She thought of the people she left in Heaven, of the Originals, of the members of Team 7, of the people who'd taken the risk and joined the Storm Village.

Aiden had been right, she could have more than one home.

Her surroundings blurred together as she ran, her mind racing as she thought of what might be different at the village. Who had taken control? Were Ja'far, Eien, Emiko, Daiki, and Sairen doing alright? Would they accept her back?

She paused for a moment, resting as she remembered Sasuke's reaction to seeing her. Even with his Sharingan, he'd doubted it was her. A tinge of fear wormed its way into her, would they think it was her or some trick? She looked at the familiar trees that had encased her, knowing that the storm barrier was only a few minutes away.

Should she go back? Or would it be better for her to disappear and not disrupt their lives again? She had been in Heaven for a long time, long enough that they would've mourned and then moved on with their lives.

Hesitation froze her legs and she stared down at the ground, the edges of her lips tugging down into a frown.

She felt the achingly familiar chakra seconds before he appeared, wind whirling around them as she stared at her best friend, who both looked as if he was staring at a ghost.

Winter saw the way Ja'far's jaw tightened, saw his feet shift, his amber eyes darken, and she stood still as he moved. There was a rush of wind and then Winter was slammed against a tree, his arm pressed against her throat, dark eyes swirling with anger and disbelief and confusion. "What sort of sick joke is this?" he seethed, his body tense from the rush of energy coursing through him.

"It's not a joke," She said softly, looking into his eyes, "it's me."

"Don't mess around with me," he snapped, applying light pressure to her throat, "why the fuck are you impersonating her?"

Winter felt shock course through her, she'd never heard Ja'far swear before. She let her hands curl into fists, the action helping her not retaliate against him. The last thing she needed was to fight back and loose the chance of explaining herself. So she took a shaky breath and whispered the last thing she knew he would have expected to hear.

"Just before we left to join the war, you came to my house because I told you I had something very important you needed to know. When you got there I explained the deal I made, my plan for my role in the war, and that I needed you to keep quiet about it because I didn't want anyone else to worry. You then asked me why I told you, because you knew you would worry more than anyone else."

Ja'far had gone eerily still, his eyes searching hers.

"Do you remember what I said?" she asked softly, leaning forward so they were barely an inch apart.

He barely nodded.

"I said, I'm telling you this because you're my best friend. You're the one person in the world I trust more than anyone else, and I know that while you may worry, you have that same amount of trust in me—"

While she was talking, Ja'far had dropped his arm and their faces were so close she could hear every quiet, unsteady breath he took.

"— and that no matter what happens, now or tomorrow, we will always worry about each other and we will always trust each other."

He mouthed the words, his shoulders slumping forward. Without warning, Winter finds herself drawn into a hug, Ja'far's face dipping down to rest on the crook of her neck. She wraps her arms around him, feeling warm tears hit her skin as he cried silently.

"You were so reckless and stupid and I saw you die. I saw the life drain from your eyes and felt your heart stop beating and you were gone. My Winter was gone and suddenly you weren't around to laugh at Eien's clumsiness, or snap at passersby who gave you a weird look for having a bandage over your eye, or tease me for my tardiness, or help Emiko run the village." he gasped for air, "You were the best thing that ever came into my life and then you were ripped away."

"I'm back," she whispered, feeling her eyes burn, "I'm here and I'm never leaving again."

"You got that right." he murmured, pulling back and wiping his eyes.

He smiled and she smiled back, and in that moment in their messy lives, everything was just right.

only one more chapter left and then the epilogue... i can't believe this story is finally coming to an end.

QotC: favorite tv series? i just finished the flash so i'm trying to find a new one to binge watch haha