Naruto 1. Sakura's Dilemma

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any characters in this story taken from the anime/manga Naruto. All characters taken from said anime/manga belong to their original creator Masashi Kishimoto.

**Otachii: **-Sigh.- Okay everyone I have to admit, I was a bit hesitant to write this fanfic. Its prequel just seemed to do so well and everyone seemed to like it so much and I was just afraid of disappointing you guys. But I promised I'd do it and you guys seemed to want it so here it is; the first chapter of the sequel to **Happy Birthday Sakura**, **Gifts That Can't Be Returned**.

**WARNING:** If you have not read this fics prequel **Happy Birthday Sakura **I'd advise you to do so before you read it to get a better understanding of what's going on.

**Summary:** He gave her the greatest gift she could ever hope to receive, now it seems he wants to take it back. But with good friends determined to see Sakura happy and Konoha's fiesty matchmaker standing behind her to pull and warp the red strings of fate in her favor, Hatake Kakashi is about to find out that some gifts just can't be returned. So with a new mission to guide a spirited young nobel, whose hands are just as loose as his lips, and his ill grandfather into the Lightening Country assigned, Kakashi's lesson is about to begin as boundries and bonds are put to the ultimate test. Can the red string of fate tied around Sakura's pinky reach out to find Kakashi's or will duty and morale get in the way?

**Chapter 1**

**Sakura's Dilemma**

_Trust me my love, you live within me, _

_so I'll never say goodbye to you._

_Surely that day the two of us touched love._

_Heaven_ by Ayumi Hamasaki

_**It was the day after Sakura's birthday and though her head throbbed slightly thanks to a hangover given to her by all the sake she had drank the previous night, Sakura was still walking on clouds. The young rosette-haired woman was unusually pleasant that morning, noticeable to all that crossed her path that day. She'd smile and wave sweetly and comment on how wonderful the day was to all that she past whom she knew and even those she didn't know very well. She was exceedingly joyful and why shouldn't she be? She was in love after all.**_

_**It had only been a day since the ever-sweet moment she had shared with Kakashi on that bridge but she had known the minuet their lips parted that she was in love with the older man. He was everything she wanted; he was kind and gentle, true he was rather lazy and had an annoying habit for tardiness but even the flaws he possessed was what Sakura loved about him and what she loved most was the fact that despite all her own faults he loved her as well.**_

_**She had felt it in his kiss, felt the passionate desire and heated love the older man not-so-secretly harbored for her in the way his lips had touched her own. She could still taste him upon her lips every time her tongue ran across them and it seemed to be doing that a lot that morning. She wanted to remember the way it felt to have this taste upon her lips, his taste, wanted to lock it into her memory and seal it within her heart.**_

_**Sakura was so blissful that it didn't even bother her that that morning she had to give a lesson at the hospital to all the new nurses, a task that would normally annoy the short-tempered young woman. But nothing could annoy Sakura that day, not even the fact that she had to go to the book store and buy some medical books for the lesson with her own money.**_

_**Walking through the door of the book shop Sakura would offer the frail old woman behind the counter a heartfelt hello before moving to the back of the shop in search of the books she would need. It took her only minuets to find them and as Sakura walked back out to the front of the shop her heart skipped a beat and she nearly dropped the books she cradled against her chest.**_

_**Standing before the counter, looking stoic and casual as he always did was Hatake Kakashi.**_

"_**I didn't realize when I bought this book that I already had two copies at home and I'd like to return it." He told the old woman dully as he placed an older volume of Icha Icha Paradise upon the counter.**_

"_**No refunds." The fragile old woman stated in a blunt and surprisingly forceful tone that didn't match her delicate appearance at all.**_

"_**But…" Kakashi sighed deeply before retrieving the book from the counter and sliding it back into his pocket before turning to head out of the shop.**_

_**It was there that Sakura found her voice.**_

"_**Kakashi-sama!" She called out to him happily, the small heart-shaped jade pendant bouncing freely upon the fragile chain around her neck as she hurried up to him. She didn't notice the way Kakashi froze, or how rigid his body had become at the sound of her voice.**_

"_**Hello Sakura." He offered quietly as he turned to face the young kunoichi, giving a rather awkward smile beneath the shield of his mask, but Sakura seemed oblivious to the older man's indifferent behavior.**_

"_**How are you this morning?" Sakura questioned in a delighted little tone as she bit her lip almost flirtatiously.**_

"_**Fine." Was Kakashi's simple answer as his one uncovered eye quickly looked from Sakura toward the door.**_

"_**Good to hear." Sakura replied with a merry little laugh as she placed her books upon the counter, looking away from the man who continued to stand there awkwardly unbeknownst to Sakura. "I have to give a lesson to the new recruits at the hospital." She continued in a casual tone as she took some money from her side pouch and paid the old woman behind the counter.**_

"_**Mm." Kakashi grunted, obviously indifferent to Sakura's casual little chit-chatter but still the young woman seemed completely unaware. **_

_**Gathering up the books she had purchased Sakura would turn to face Kakashi, a bright smile upon her pretty face. For a moment Kakashi stared at her, for one brief moment she saw the look in his eye she had saw in it the previous night, but the moment was fleeting for Kakashi suddenly looked away. But Sakura didn't mind, he was shy and she knew that. **__'He's so cute when he acts all awkward like that.'__**Sakura thought with a quiet little giggle. **__'I guess I'll have to make the first move this time.'_

"_**The lesson will eat up my whole morning but I should be finished at around lunch time and I was wondering if maybe you wanted to grab lunch with me today." Sakura offered in a casually sweet but still completely confident tone.**_

_**Kakashi cleared his throat. "Uh, I'm sorry Sakura; I have things to do today."**_

"_**Oh…" Sakura's face fell but instantly lit up once more. "How about tomorrow?"**_

"_**Sorry." Kakashi shook his head. "I can't this is kind of a busy week for me. I'm sorry Sakura, I have to go"**_

"_**Oh okay, see you late-" But before she could utter his name he was out the door and gone. **_

_**Sakura stood there, feeling confused and a bit embarrassed under the gaze of the old woman behind the counter who appeared to have been eavesdropping on Kakashi and Sakura. Had he just flat-out rejected her? **__'What was that all about?' __**Could she have been wrong about the way Kakashi felt about her?**_

'_No.'__** She thought giving a vigorous shake of her head. 'He totally loves you!' Inner-Sakura offered firmly and Sakura nodded. **__'Right, he's just busy.'__**She concluded with a nod of her head as she headed out of the book store. **_

_**She would try again later and next time he would definitely say yes and they would have a romantic little date. Then they'd have many more and eventually he would propose and they'd live happily ever after with two children… a girl and a boy, boy first to satisfy the manly pride that all men shared then a girl so there could be some sanity in the house other then Sakura. Yes, everything would work out fine.**_

Three weeks, exactly twenty-one days, precisely one thousand two hundred sixty hours; that was how long it had been since Sakura's birthday, since that moment she had shared with Kakashi on the very same bridge she was standing on. It had been that long since Sakura had realized she was in love with her former sensei and exactly twenty days since she had laid eyes upon the silver-haired jounin.

There were times when Sakura would be heading down the streets of the village and swear she saw a familiar flash of silver hair and a face partially hidden by a book and a mask in her peripheral vision, but whenever she would turn her head she would always be disappointed. It was never him, or at least he was never there long enough for her to get a good look.

At first Sakura didn't think much of it, Konoha was a large village, of course they wouldn't cross paths every day. It wasn't until the end of the first week Sakura had gone without seeing Kakashi that she realized something wasn't right and it wasn't until half way through the second week that she began to suspect the older man was avoiding her.

But why would he be doing that? Sakura just didn't understand it. She didn't imagine what she had felt in Kakashi's kiss, she knew that he held deep feelings for her as well; she had felt them in that kiss. But then why would he be going out of his way to stay away from her? Sakura just didn't understand and by the end of the second week it was beginning to depress her. By half way through the third week she was ready to cry herself a river and by the end of said week she wanted nothing more then to rip the lazy pervert's head off.

How dare he do this to her, how dare he! How could he? He had lifted her so high, had promised her so much happiness through that tender kiss and now he was pulling it all out from under her and sending her toppling back to earth. It wasn't fair, it wasn't right!

"Does the railing of the bridge owe you money or something?" Ino asked curiously, breaking Sakura out of her thoughts involving Kakashi, Inner Sakura and a heavy amount of violence.

Sakura blinked and shook her head as if to shake her thoughts from her mind, her jade green eyes locking with the piercing blue irises of Ino's whose face was twisted in a very inquisitive look. Sakura hadn't realized she had stopped dead in her tracks in the middle of the bridge, in the same exact place she had stood with Kakashi what seemed like so very long ago and proceeded to glare rather hatefully at the railing. She hadn't even realized that her hands had clenched tightly into fists or that her considerably short nails had begun to dig into the palms of her hands so hard they had nearly pierced the skin.

"Huh? Oh Sorry." Sakura shook her head once again before bowing it with a sigh. Ino frowned deeply, eyes surveying her friend, scanning her as if looking for something.

"So, are you ever going to tell me what's bothering you?" The blonde asked, crossing her arms impatiently over her chest. Sakura's eyebrows rose as she looked up to Ino, a look of question on her face. "Oh don't give me that look." Ino's frown deepened. "You've been so spacey lately and each time you look like you're either ready to cry or kill someone. Something's obviously bothering you so spit it out already!"

"It's nothing, really Ino." Sakura forced a small smile.

She hadn't told Ino about what had happened the night of her birthday because she knew that Ino would either do one of two things; get upset about the whole thing because of the significant age difference or, more likely, get over excited and all 'mistress of matchmaking' and try to force Sakura and Kakashi together. Sakura wasn't sure which was worse but neither looked very promising in her eyes.

Ino obviously wasn't convinced by Sakura's sad attempt at a carefree smile because she only continued to stand there and hold Sakura under the hard gaze of those deep blue eyes. But Sakura refused to budge; she just didn't want to talk about it.

"Fine whatever, forehead, don't tell me." Ino said in a rather huffy tone that made Sakura roll her eyes. "C'mon, we're late enough as it is and Chouji's probably having a hissy fit having to wait for me to get there before he eats." Sakura just couldn't help but chuckle softly, Ino had that boy on such a short leash and he seemed to just accept it. She sure knew how to handle her man. If only Sakura could be like that.

Once again Sakura sighed heavily as the depression set in, her feet dragging against the ground as they carried her toward the bar behind a still agitated Ino. Besides knowing how to keep her men in check, holding a grudge was something else that Ino was an expert at and if Sakura knew the blonde, and she knew her very well, she'd be snubbing Sakura for the rest of the night. But that was just fine with Sakura; at least she'd be able to sulk in her misery in peace without Ino breathing down her neck demanding to know what was wrong. For the time being anyway…

"Chouji!" Ino exclaimed angrily while offering a harsh slap to the back of the young man's head. "Save some for the rest of us."

"I'm sorry Ino." Chouji whined as he returned a few of the many pieces of barbeque he had snatched from the rack in the middle of the table. "But you two took so long to get here and you know I get hungry when I get antsy."

"You're always hungry." Ino pointed out in an annoyed tone while an on looking Shikamaru chuckled around the rim of his sake filled glass. Any other night Sakura would have found the bickering exchange between Ino and Chouji amusing, but on that night she was far too wrapped up in her self pity and misery to pay too much attention to the couple.

"I'm sorry Ino." Chouji pouted pitifully but the blond wasn't giving him an inch. She sat there with her arm crossed in that stubborn manner around her chest, chin held high and eyes staring off to the side at nothing in particular. "Please forgive me."

Chouji's pout deepened as he shifted closer to Ino and draped his arm around her shoulder and though she did not bluntly reject him, she kept her body rigid and her eyes off to the side as if ignoring him. His head fell onto her shoulder and he whispered something inaudible to Sakura and Shikamaru into Ino's ear which made the blond smile faintly and give a soft giggle.

"Oh, I can never stay mad at you my little dumpling." Ino finally caved in a mushy tone before offering Chouji a small peck on his chubby cheek.

Shikamaru looked revolted, turning his attention to the meat on his plate which suddenly didn't look at all appetizing while Sakura watched the sappy exchange between the couple blankly.

Jealousy burned inside her stomach, a hideous monster that roared in envious fury as inner Sakura proceeded to violently strangle a dummy that had an uncanny likeness to a certain silver-haired sharingan wielding shinobi. Why couldn't she have something like that? Why couldn't Kakashi be like that? Why the hell was he avoiding her? The stupid, no good lazy perv-

"Hey Sakura-chan." Suddenly pulled from her rage filled thoughts, Sakura's attention would snap to her side as standing before the booth she sat at were Kiba and Shino. Kiba was grinning from ear to ear, looking overzealous as always and Shino was standing slightly off to the side, looking aloof and cryptic as usual.

"Hey Kiba-kun, Shino-san." Sakura replied with a small nod and a forced smile but the two boys seemed unaware of Sakura's off-handish disposition.

"Hey you two." Ino chimed in brightly and Kiba offered the blond a smile while Shino gave a simple nod of recollection. "Did you just get back from your mission?" The two looked, for lack of a better word, beat. Kiba's cheeks were smudged with dirt and Shino's long jacket was disheveled. Their mission, the details of which were of course confidential to anyone who wasn't the Hokage, had been hell.

"Yeah." Kiba replied, turning his attention back to Sakura. "Sorry we missed you're birthday, we wanted to be there but you know how it is."

Sakura nodded slightly, her eyes downcast on the table before her. "In a shinobi's life work always comes first." Kiba laughed and nodded, still completely oblivious to Sakura's dark mood but Ino was now staring at her with a troubled expression.

"Yeah, anyway, even though we couldn't make it to celebrate with you we still wanted to get you a little something." Kiba started as he reached into his pocket and pulled out something wrapped in some sort of silky red cloth. "We saw this at a stand and it immediately reminded us of you." He said brightly as he handed the parcel over to Sakura who accepted it with a soft smile. "We both pitched in." He continued with a nod to Shino who was now looking at Sakura through the dark shades of his glasses.

"I picked out the cloth it's wrapped in." Shino commented in that dark tone and Sakura offered him that same soft smile.

Kiba nodded. "Yeah, he stood at the stand for a good half hour trying to pick out just the right one." Shino shot a glance at Kiba who gave an uncomfortable laugh and rubbed the back of his neck. "Anyway, it cost us a pretty penny so I hope you like it."

"You guys didn't have to." Sakura said softly as she began to unwrap her present.

Kiba was all smiles as Sakura's eyes widened at the sight of the gift they had brought her; it was a white moon shaped comb with a handle encrusted with dazzling light pink stones and a jade cherry blossom shaped stone at the very middle of the handle. It was very beautiful and looked quite expensive indeed.

"Oh wow, thank you." Sakura said with a wide smile as she looked up to Kiba who returned her smile then to Shino who simply nodded at her.

"Jeez." Ino commented with wide eyes. "All you guys got me for my birthday was a dog plushie and a butterfly hairclip." She continued in an envious tone as she glared up at Kiba who smiled nervously.

"Yeah but it was a nice hairclip wasn't it? And you said you loved that plushie." Kiba stated defensively.

"I picked the wrapping for that gift as well." Shino commented nonchalantly.

"It is a nice hairclip Ino." Chouji came to a grateful Kiba and Shino's defense.

Ino gave a smile and a girlish laugh. "I was just kidding; jeez you guys are so sensitive." Kiba laughed as Shino's attention drew to a fly fluttering around the windowsill across the restaurant down at the other end of the bar. Sakura was all smiles as she stared down at her gift, her mind, for the moment, completely free of depressing thoughts of Kakashi.

"Oh, hey Kakashi-san!" Sakura's spirits instantly fell as a violent flutter began in her stomach, her eyes drawing up toward the door where Kiba's attention was held, his hand raised in greeting. There in the doorway about to leave in and awful hurry was Kakashi.

The man was quick to turn, his one visible eye crinkling with a bright smile, as if he hadn't just tried to make a run for it out of the restaurant. Sakura knew what he had been up to and it made her body burn with rage, but as she looked toward the older silver-haired man, seething anger was not the only emotion bubbling in Sakura's body. She felt out of breath, as if she had just been through an intense day of training with Tsunade. She felt lightheaded, her limbs heavy as if she were ready to just up and faint right there and then. But he wasn't even looking at her, why wasn't he looking at her?

"Hello Kiba." Kakashi said casually with a nod of greeting and dismissal as he turned once again to head out the door.

"Wait!" Kiba called and Kakashi seemed to stiffen as he paused the outward motion of his foot. "Kurenai-sama wanted me to tell you something." Kiba continued as he waved Kakashi over whom, though rather obviously reluctant, turned and headed toward the table.

Each step he took caused Sakura's heart to clench tighter and tighter in her chest, her palms growing sweaty as her body became rigid, fingers instinctively reaching to toy with the jade heart pendant that dangled from the silver chain around her neck. She couldn't take her eyes off him, couldn't bare to look away just in case he did look up at her, she wanted to look into his eye, wanted to see if that look he had given her that night would still be there. But it was as if he hadn't even noticed her, as if she wasn't even there and every moment that passed that he wasn't acknowledging her was like torture to Sakura and it seemed to show for Ino was staring at her with a confused and worried look.

'_Why won't you look at me?'_ She thought desperately, wanting to stand up and scream it at him. _'Please just look at me, please!' _But no matter how loud she screamed in her mind he couldn't hear her, even if she screamed it aloud Sakura didn't think it would make a difference, he still wouldn't hear her, or rather he wouldn't acknowledge that he had.

"What did Kurenai want?" Kakashi questioned as he stopped in front of Kiba, his voice almost as stiff as his demeanor. But Kiba, ever-the-oblivious type, didn't seem to notice.

He frowned slightly. "Oh, um… what was it?" He paused to run his fingers through his spiky brown hair obviously deep in thought.

Kakashi stood there patiently while Kiba racked his brains trying to remember whatever it was Kurenai had been looking for Kakashi for, but the way he shifted his weight between his feet and clenched and unclenched his hands repeatedly inside his pockets made it clear to anyone watching close enough that Kakashi was quite anxious to get out of there. But Sakura was the only one watching Kakashi so closely and it made her desperately wish that she was just as ignorant as the others who stood and sat around them.

Maybe if she didn't know he was so desperate to stay away from her it wouldn't hurt so much. Maybe if she didn't know that he wanted nothing to do with her then this sick feeling in the pit of her stomach would go away. Maybe if he hadn't kissed her that night her heart wouldn't be breaking as she looked to his exposed eye and realized Kakashi would never again look at her the way he had that night.

As Shino leaned in and whispered something to Kiba, the young man's face would brighten. "Oh that's right! She wanted me to tell you that she can't make it tonight." Kiba nodded as if proud that he had recalled this information while Shino shook his head and looked away. "She would have told you herself but she had to go see Tsunade and she has um… previous engagements or something like that." The boy explained casually.

If Sakura wasn't sitting at that very moment she was sure her knees would have given out under her and she would have been sent to the ground with a hard crash. Once again she felt completely breathless but this time it was not blissful anxiety that knocked the wind from her lungs, this time it was a seething depression that followed a shocking revelation. Kakashi and Kurenai had "plans" what kind of plans?

It could have been anything really; a training session, a friendly little get together but those were not the possibilities that stood out in Sakura's mind. Those possibilities were hidden by an image of Kurenai standing in the very spot where Sakura dreamt of standing; in Kakashi's open arms. She would look to him with passion in her eyes and he would look to her, giving her that look Sakura had thought he had only saved for her as he pulled down his mask to smile at Kurenai the way he had smiled at Sakura and then their devotion would be sealed in a kiss that was so similar to the one Sakura and Kakashi had shared but different because this time it was true, this time it wasn't a lie.

Sakura felt sick and dumbfounded, as if her entire world had just crumbled around her and she was left in the darkness of complete and utter nothingness. It was a strange feeling; she felt numb yet at the same time she could feel the urge to cry out in agony swell in her throat as her eyes welled with tears she would not allow to fall past her eyelids. She could feel nothing, yet she could feel everything come crashing down on her in that moment leaving her with a feeling that wasn't there yet there at the exact same time. She felt used, cheated, heartbroken and yet she felt nothing at all as she stared off blankly, unaware that she was staring at a very shocked looking Ino who was staring right back at her.

But Sakura could not see the blond, she had no knowledge that anyone was around her. She didn't hear when Kakashi had thanked Kiba for giving him Kurenai's message, didn't see him turn to leave nor see the sad and longing look he had tossed her way as he headed out of the bar. She didn't hear Kiba laugh as he turned to continue to converse with a pleasant Chouji and a naturally indifferent Shikamaru. In that moment all that existed was Sakura and this empty heartbroken feeling welling in her gut.

She moved so suddenly that Kiba, Chouji, Ino and even Shikamaru and Shino gave a little jolt as Sakura shot up from her seat. They all looked at her with question in their eyes but Sakura could not see any of them, the only thing she could see was the haunting image of Kurenai in Kakashi's arms.

"I have to go to the bathroom." She choked in a blank tone before she shot from the table to the bathroom, moving so rapidly that she nearly knocked into a waitress on her way.

Sakura was barely conscious of her movements and only realized she had locked herself in a bathroom stall when she crumbled to the floor, scrunched between the toilet and the wall of the stall. The location wasn't ideal but at that moment Sakura could care less where she was as long as she was alone.

Arms would wrap around her legs and pull them forward; tucking her knees against her chest as Sakura rested her chin upon them and stared off blankly, only now allowing her tears to slip down her cheeks.

Kakashi was with Kurenai, he was not in love with Sakura. That night on the bridge, it was not love that Sakura saw in his eyes and felt in his kiss, it was sympathy. He did not adore her, he pitied her. He had only been trying to comfort his former student, a little girl he saw crying on a bridge. There were no harbored feelings of passion, just the obligation to condole. She had overreacted, had done what she always seemed to do; had fallen too hard too soon, assuming he would be there to catch her. But Kakashi wasn't there to catch her, his arms were occupied by another, someone who fit him better then Sakura ever could; a strong, independent and beautiful woman to stand by his side, not a weak, needy and homely little girl who would cling to the side of his vest.

A choked cry of anguish left Sakura's lips as her forehead fell to her knees, her body beginning to tremble with the force of the aching sobs that left her. _'How could I be so stupid?'_ She thought angrily to herself as she sat there upon the floor, pitiful and broken. _'How could I think he could ever feel such things for me?' _She felt like such a fool, she was such a fool. Nothing but a silly little girl with silly little dreams of true love and devotion that had died years ago with the only man who could ever love her, the only many that had ever loved her; Uzumaki Naruto.

"Sakura?" Ino's voice from beyond the shelter of the door of the bathroom stall caused Sakura to jump slightly. "Sakura what's wrong?" The blond continued in a tone laced with curiosity and deep concern.

Sakura groaned inwardly; the last thing she needed was Ino offering words of comfort that hid the pity she would undoubtedly feel for Sakura in such a state. The girl was Sakura's best friend but Sakura couldn't take the thought of Ino pitying her.

"Nothing." Sakura grumbled in reply as she wiped fresh tears that refused to stop falling from her cheeks. "I'm fine."

"Bullshit." Ino blurted forcefully. "I know you Sakura; you've been acting so strangely for the last couple of weeks. Either you tell me what's going on willingly or I'll break down this door and beat it out of you."

Sakura couldn't help but smile. She knew that Ino only wanted to help, knew that this was her twisted way of reaching out to Sakura and lord knows Sakura needed a helping hand as well as a shoulder to cry on at the moment and so with a defeated sigh she rose from her crumbled position and moved to unlock the door of the stall.

She opened it to find Ino on the other side, standing firmly in place with a look of determination and worry upon her pretty face.

"Well?" The blonde pushed and once again Sakura sighed.

"I feel like such a fool." Sakura confessed before breaking out into a fit of choked cries as she fell against a shocked Ino and rambled out her tale in a blur of tear-choked sniffles and sobs.

She told the blonde everything; about what had happened on the night of her birthday with Kakashi upon the bridge. About how she was so sure he was in love with her until she noticed he was avoiding her in the weeks that followed and how awkward and distant he acted in her presence ever since. She confessed how the knowledge that it would not be her in Kakashi's arms hearing words of love and devotion and instead would be Kurenai tore her up inside and by the time Sakura was finished both her and Ino were upon the bathroom floor, Ino's arms wrapped securely around Sakura while the pink-haired kunoichi wept pathetically over a lost love she wasn't sure she had even had in the first place.

Ino was stunned to say the least, her blue eyes wide as she held onto a trembling and sniveling Sakura, knelt with her upon the floor of a bathroom in a bar/restaurant. She was at a loss for words as Sakura's story soaked into her and it was only when Sakura's crying dulled to a few occasional hiccups and sniffles that Ino spoke.

"My God." Was all Ino could say as she stared off as if in a daze before looking down to Sakura whose face was buried in her chest. "So you're in love with Kakashi?" Sakura pulled back from the blond, wiping her wet and flushed cheeks as she nodded. "Wow..." Was still all Ino could say.

"I feel so stupid Ino." Sakura hiccupped as she looked up to the other girl, eyes bloodshot from crying, hair disheveled and cheeks flushed. "I mean how could I think a man like Kakashi could love someone like me?" She bowed her head as if in shame. "I'm pathetic and he could have his pick of any woman in Konoha, why would he want me?"

Ino frowned deeply, her shock instantly leaving her as she crawled toward Sakura and reached out to grip her shoulders. "Because you're an amazing woman and not the least pit pathetic."

Sakura looked up at Ino, green eyes wide with shock. That determined look was once again upon Ino's face as she stared into Sakura's eyes.

"You're smart, caring and one hell of a shinobi." Ino continued as if trying to drill her words into Sakura's brain. "And despite your enormous forehead and barely there breasts you're beautiful and damn sexy." Ino added with a smirk, earning a soft, reluctant laugh from Sakura. "He'd have to be crazy to not love you or at the very least want to make sweet passionate love to you." Again Sakura laughed, though this time more heartfelt.

"Thank you Ino." She offered softly and Ino gave a warm smile and a shrug as she released Sakura's shoulders and stood up.

"Don't thank me yet, there's still the matter of getting you and Kakashi together to address." Sakura's eyes widened as she looked up at the other girl who offered a broad, devilish little smile.

"But… Kakashi's with Kurenai."

"Not for long." Ino stated determinedly as she offered a hand to Sakura who accepted and allowed the blond to help her to her feet. "We've got a devious plot to come up with to pull Kakashi out of Kurenai's arms and send him straight into yours, and I know just the woman to help us out." Ino's smile darkened and Sakura could feel herself growing frightened as she looked to her friend.

"Who?"

"You'll see." Ino smirked as she led Sakura out of the bathroom. "She's Konoha's own personal matchmaker, the one who shoved Hinata into Neji's arms, Lee into Tenten's and even me into Chouji's."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Oh God no."

"Oh God yes." Ino cackled as she offered a dismissive wave to Choujiand Shikamaru and Kiba and Shino who now sat at the table as well as she past it. Snatching up the present Sakura had abandonned on the table Ino would head for the door ignoring the inquisitive looks of the men as she led Sakura straight out of the bar.

"I don't know about this Ino…"

"Trust me." Ino offered with a smirk. "What could possibly go wrong?"

* * *

**Otachii:** What indeed? Who is this mysterious matchmaker? Can she really twist fate and bring Sakura and Kakashi together? And just what exactly is going on between our silver-haired jounin and Kurenai? Stay tuned to find out kiddies!

Hope y'all are enjoying this so far. -Evil smirk.- I know I am.

**REVIEW PAH-LEASE! **Tell me what you think! Are you itching for more? I really want to know 'cause I want this sequel to live up to the hype of **Happy Birthday Sakura**. I hope it does.

See Eli-chan, I told you I'd get it up within the week. x3


	2. Konoha's Matchmaker

**Chapter 2**

**Konoha's Matchmaker **

_Trust me my love, you live within me, _

_so I'll never say goodbye to you._

_Surely that day the two of us touched love._

_Heaven_ by Ayumi Hamasaki

Ino pounded repeatedly upon the door she and Sakura stood in front of, she'd been knocking for a good five minuets but there was still no answer. Sakura looked around the open balcony-like hallway of the apartment complex they stood on; it was dark and obviously very late and somehow it didn't feel right to disturb a person at their home at such late a hour and considering who this particular person was the prospect was even a bit scary.

"Just forget about it Ino." Sakura tried to reason with her friend who was once again pounding on the door. "Let's just go."

"Sakura, do you love Kakashi or not?" Ino suddenly inquired as she turned on a stunned Sakura.

"I… yes."

"Do you want him?"

"Yes."

"Then quit complaining." Ino ordered as she turned to the door and once again pounded at it with both her fists. "We're gonna need all the help we can get on this one and she's the perfect person to help-"

But Ino's words were cut off as quite suddenly the door she had been banging her fists against was wrenched open, allowing light to seep into the hallway from the open doorway, brining the desired company into view. Standing in the open doorway, hair tossed and messy, looking quite agitated and rightfully so was Mitarashi Anko.

"What the fuck do you want?" Anko growled as she looked accusingly from one girl to the other.

She looked like she had just got in save the fact that her short purple hair, which was usually clipped up hung, loosely around her face and the fishnet shirt she always wore beneath her long beige jacket was missing, though her breasts were still mostly hidden as the flaps of her jacket hung over them, hiding their peaks. Needless to say she didn't seem happy to see them, as if they had interrupted something.

Once finding her composure it was Ino who answered the older woman. "We need your help."

"I'm busy." Anko stated dismissively and moved to quickly close the door.

"It's a matter of love!" Ino called, reaching out to stop the door but there was no need, Anko had paused its closing motion.

She stared at Ino with her piercing brown eyes, her gaze flicking to Sakura as her eyebrows arched with curiosity. Ino smiled proudly, knowing full and well she had caught the woman's attention.

Anko sighed. "Come in." She'd order as she opened the door fully and stepped to the side to allow the girls inside.

The apartment was small, as was the case for most shinobi and was furnished quite simply. Anko seemed to like earthy tones; most of her furnishings were brown, black or deep purple but it was not Anko's feng shui that held Ino and Sakura's attention. No there minds became a bit preoccupied as they moved into the sitting area and found a half naked girl pulling a dark blue robe like shirt closed in a quick attempt at getting dressed. Upon further inspection, both Ino and Sakura were floored to discover that this young woman who stood before them, her cheeks red hot as she attempted to straighten her messy short brown hair, was none other then Shizune, Tsunade's assistant. The two girls would stare at Shizune with wide eyes, mouths slightly agape as the older woman gave a very awkward and forced looking smile.

"Good evening ladies." Shizune would offer in a tone that seemed to attempt to be casual but failed miserably at doing so.

"Wow..." Ino began in a flabbergasted tone. "When you said you were busy you weren't kidding." Anko simply rolled her eyes as she plopped down on her couch while Shizune's cheeks turned an even brighter shade of red as she let out a timid little laugh.

"Oh my…" Sakura started awkwardly as she blushed, rubbing the back of her neck as she looked from Anko to Shizune while Ino continued to gape. "I never figured you for a…a…"

"Lesbian?" Anko finished for her and Sakura's blush deepened as Ino snorted.

Shizune gave a light, clumsy chuckle and a wave of her hand. "Yeah well, I'm not really." Sakura gave the woman a confused look, trying to ignore Ino who was now snickering uncontrollably. "I'm bisexual."

"Oh, well that's nice." Sakura offered uneasily with an uncomfortable smile. "Variety is the spice of life right?"

"Right..." Shizune agreed stiffly as she cleared her throat.

Sakura had no problem with lesbians, gays or bisexuals; why should she care what flavor someone chose beneath the sheets? It was the knowledge that she had interrupted such an… intimate moment that had her feeling so abashed. It was extremely awkward and the pure amusement Ino seemed to get out of the situation only made it worse.

"Not that this moment of enlightenment isn't sweet…" Anko began with an annoyed sigh. "But would one of you please tell me why you two showed up on my doorstep at such a late hour, initially interrupting my fling of passion with a girl I've been trying to make it with for months? I almost had her panties off damn it!"

Anko's blunt words seemed to mortify Sakura; her face growing an intense red. Gravely flustered by Anko's words, Shizune would groan quietly and bring her hand to her forehead, giving an apologetic and awkward little smile for Sakura's sake.

Ino offered Anko a disgusted look as she wiped the tears that had formed due to her fit of laughter from her eyes. "That was _way_ more then we needed to hear."

Anko shrugged. "So what is it Ino; you and Chouji break up or something?" She inquired and Ino frowned.

"No!" She exclaimed defensively. "My love life is perfectly fine, thank you very much." Ino gestured with her thumb to Sakura. "It's her that has the man trouble." Sakura gave Ino a heated glare.

"Ah, so Pinku's got herself a man, eh?" Anko smirked.

"Not exactly." Sakura confessed as she bowed her head and twiddled her thumbs.

"That's what we need your help with." Ino elaborated and Anko nodded.

"Who's the lucky guy?" Shizune asked with a smile as she took a seat on the couch, maintaining a comfortable distance from Anko seemingly as not to make the two younger girls uncomfortable. Anko seemed annoyed by this 'kind' gesture.

"Well… um… you see… well…" Sakura stammered, not sure how to put it.

"It's Kakashi." Ino blurted and once again Sakura glared harshly at the blonde.

It was Anko's turn for a shock; the woman's eyes became so wide Sakura was surprised they managed to stay in her head. For a long time Anko simply stared at Sakura, making the young pink-haired kunoichi feel exposed as her piercing brown eyes boar into her. But then Anko smirked; her lips curling in a dark almost sadistic manner that made Sakura's blood run cold as inner Sakura screeched _**'This bitch is crazy! Run for it!'**_ But Sakura remained where she was.

"Wow…" Was all Anko said as she gave a light chuckle and a shake of her head.

Sakura's face twisted into a look of confusion. "What?"

Anko gave no reply, simply stared at Sakura with that piercing gaze of hers. Her eyes ran over Sakura slowly, making the young woman feel awkward and bare once again but no matter how much inner Sakura screamed at her to _**'Get the hell out of there!'**_ Sakura couldn't bring herself to move.

"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into." Anko chuckled and once again shook her head while Sakura stared on in utter confusion. Her green eyes would shift to Shizune who was biting at her lower lip and gazing at Sakura with what she was immediately able to recognize as pity.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sakura asked as she looked back to Anko, clearly growing agitated.

Why did Anko seem so amused? Why did Shizune look so sympathetic? What the hell was going on?

"Pinku..." Anko began as her brown irises clashed with the intensity of Sakura's jade ones, Anko unflinching and unmoved while Sakura could feel the heat of frustrated anger rising within her. "Hatake Kakashi is incapable of love."

This feeling that gripped her, Sakura knew this feeling, it had engulfed her twice before; once when the knowledge that Sasuke was dead had reached her and again when she had watched the life leave Naruto's eyes. This sensation of her world crumbling around her; Sakura knew it was only an illusion, that she could look around and see that the world was still whole, yet somehow the illusion that all had been destroyed, that all had come to an end, would remain inside her mind. Kakashi was incapable of love... but how could that be? How could that be true if Sakura had saw it in his eyes?

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked in a defeated and confused tone, unable to feel the gentle touch Ino offered her shoulder or see the sympathetic look to match Shizune's that she offered. All Sakura could see was Anko who stared at her with a calm expression and a cool air, unable or unwilling to sympathize with what Sakura was feeling. All she wanted to hear was Anko's explanation.

"Do you know how many relationships Kakashi has been in over the span of this life? And I'm not talking about heated one night stands 'cause there have been plenty of those." Anko paused to look to Shizune with a smirk. "You know all about that don't you Shizune?" Shizune blushed and looked away as Anko looked back to Sakura whose expression had grown stony. "In his entire life Kakashi has only been in two committed relationships; the first was with the girl that works at Ichiraku Ramen, Ayane and lasted only two days and left the poor girl so distraught that she wouldn't leave her apartment for an entire week. The second was with a Nobel from the Grass Country's daughter and lasted only five days; the girl was not only heartbroken but bitter and on behalf of his daughter her father prepared to declare war against Konoha. Luckily that was all smoothed over by the Sandaime and it never happened but the lord and his daughter never forgave Kakashi and as far as I know still curse him to this day.

"Case and point Pinku..." Anko went on as she lounged back against her couch, crossing her long legs as her elbow came to rest on the arm of the couch to allow her cheek to be supported by her fist. "Not only is Kakashi a lost cause but in the end all he'll do is break your heart."

"Anko..." Shizune sighed.

"What? I'm telling her this for her own good. You know damn well that Kakashi doesn't have the capacity to express any sort of romantic feelings."

"You're wrong." Sakura suddenly said, drawing Anko's attention away from Shizune and to the older woman's obvious surprise, there were tears rolling down Sakura's face. "It's not true."

"Sakura..." Ino started softly, reaching out to gently touch Sakura's shoulder in a comforting manner but the young pink haired woman was quick to shrug off the touch.

"It can't be true." Sakura continued as she shook her head.

The image of the way Kakashi looked that night, they way he had looked at her, the way he had kissed her. He had shown her affection, had shown her he loved her and was more then capable of showing that to her. But then she recalled the way he had acted the next day, how he had avoided her all this time and then earlier that night the way he had acted so distant in her presence. What Anko said was already beginning to happen; he was breaking her heart.

"If that's true, then why is he with Kurenai?!" Sakura suddenly exploded upon a a baffled Anko who stared at her with wide, interested eyes. "What does she have that I don't?"

"Kakashi is dating Kurenai?" Anko asked as she looked from Sakura to Ino who nodded.

"If he's incapable of love then why is he with her?" Sakura went on, the rage and sadness shining through clearly in her green eyes. She couldn't believe this, she couldn't accept this.

"Lust." Shizune offered in a small voice and Sakura's face twisted into a look of disgust.

"Kakashi's not like that." She reasoned.

"You think so?" Anko questioned, crossing her arms beneath her chest.

"I know so!" Sakura shouted at the older woman who barely flinched. "He's a kind, sensitive and caring man. He's the kind of person who cares deeply for his comrades and friends and would do anything within his power to keep them safe!" Sakura exclaimed, her fury building and her sadness growing with every characteristic of Kakashi she listed off. "He's brave and he's valiant..." She continued in a softer tone as tears spilled freely from her eyes. "He's a lazy closet pervert but his intentions are always good and even though he tries to act casual and stoic his heart is gentle.

"He's more then I could ever hope for..." She finished. She was no longer yelling, no longer looking at Anko as if she wanted nothing more then to tear the older woman's head off. Her voice was soft, her tone defeated as silent tears dripped from her chin and fell to the floor alongside the invisible fragments of her heart. "He deserves a real woman to stand by his side, not some love-struck little girl..." Ino and Shizune watched Sakura with sympathetic expressions, but Anko regarded the rosette haired kunoichi stoicly. "Just forget it."

"Sakura!" Ino called to her as Sakura turned and headed back into the hall that led to the door. The blonde was quick to follow her. "C'mon Sakura, you can't just give-"

"Just forget it Ino!" She shouted as she turned upon Ino and glared at the other girl with furious tragedy in her eyes.

The sound of the door opening and slamming shut as Sakura took her leave could be heard from the living room where Shizune and Anko still sat. Shizune stared sadly at her knees while Anko kept her eyes upon the open doorway that led into the hallway which Ino was soon standing in, glaring at Anko.

"Did you have to do that?" The blonde shot irritably but Anko gave no answer, just continued to stare at the doorway, seeming to look right through Ino, her brown eyes dazed. "Sakura has been through so much already, she doesn't need this too!"

"It would have happened eventually Ino." Shizune sighed as the blonde turned her fiery blue eyes on her. "What Anko said is true, Kakashi just isn't able to have a stable serious relationship, let alone one with a girl like Sakura who's so affection-needy."

"That's just fucking stupid." Ino grumbled as she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the frame of the doorway. She looked pissed and rightfully so. "Sakura's a good girl, she deserves some happiness."

"She does." Anko suddenly said as if snapping back to reality, her eyes focusing upon Ino. "So does Kakashi." A devilish little smirk formed upon Anko's lips at that.

"What are you thinking?" Shizune asked reluctantly. She knew that look that was currently on Anko's face, that mischievous look. Ino knew that look as well and instantly smiled when she looked to the older woman.

The blonde pushed off the door frame and faced Anko fully. "What _are_ you thinking?" She'd inquire excitedly.

Anko's smirk widened into a full-on grin. "I'm thinking that Konoha's matchmaker has a new mission on her hands." Was Anko's reply and Ino gave a cheer, shooting her arm up into the air as she curled one leg and jumped with her other.

"Yes!" She'd exclaim and Shizune would smile softly as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"And how exactly does _'Konoha's matchmaker'_ think she's going to pull this one off?"

Anko looked to Shizune in mock offense. "You doubt my skills?" She smirked and scooted closer to the other woman, wrapping one arm around her as she leaned into her. "Don't worry you're pretty little head, I've got a plan." She'd say softly, causing Shizune to blush as Anko's teeth formed around her earlobe and nibbled it gently.

"Um, ew!" Ino shrieked in disgust. "I'm still here you know!"

Anko sighed and shot an annoyed gaze toward Ino. "How could I forget?" Ino rolled her eyes while Shizune blushed and cleared her throat as she moved away from Anko whose eyes found hers once again, that same agitated look within their brown depths.

"So what's this plan of yours?" Shizune would ask, her eyes locked upon her knees as she smoothed out her hair.

"It's pretty elaborate." Anko smirked, dropping her displeasure with Ino's interrupting presence and Shizune's proper behavior. "I'll need your help." She regarded both girl's who were quick to come to attention. "As well as the help of another."

"Who?" Ino inquired curiously and Anko's smirk grew.

"Tsunade-sama." Both Ino and Shizune's eyes would widen.

"Hokage-sama?" Ino would repeat, utterly flabbergasted and Anko would nod, seeming amused by the blonde girl's state of shock.

"I don't think that's a good idea Anko-san." Shizune bit her lower tier. "Tsunade-sama is quite busy with her duties and I don't think it would be fitting for her to waste her energies on-"

"Says you." Anko would cut the other woman off with a careless wave of her hand. "But I'm willing to bet anything that Tsunade-sama will jump at the opportunity to not only help Pinku but to get a break from all that paper work of hers."

Shizune frowned. "That's what I'm afraid of." Anko laughed.

"There's one thing that bother's me though." Ino suddenly cut in, catching the attention of the two women on the couch in front of her. "Isn't Kurenai-sama your friend Anko-san?" Anko nodded. "Well isn't it a complete betrayal to her to assist another woman in taking her lover?"

Shizune gave a thoughtful look that was a mixture of impressed that Ino had picked up on such a detail and worried because she thought what the blonde had said was very true. But Anko simply smiled softly and shrugged.

She gave a soft sigh before saying. "Kurenai is probably the best friend I'll ever have; she knows me in and out and I know her just as well." Anko paused there to drift her eyes to the side as if in thought. "That's why I know that a relationship between her and Kakashi just isn't a good idea. Kakashi's a great shinobi and a good enough guy, but he can't give her the kind of mature and healthy relationship she needs, the one she's been looking for ever since Asuma's death."

Ino bowed her head sadly as silence shrouded the small living room. The memory of her former sensei's death was still clear in her mind as was the immense weight of which was dropped onto Kurenai's, who was not only his lover but the mother of his previously unborn child, shoulders. The event had hit the woman so hard and though every time Ino spotted her walking along with her son Asudaini, Kurenai would smile at her, Ino could still see the sadness in the woman's eyes even now three years later. All that sorrow, all that emotional baggage, it would take a strong man to hold up Kurenai and though Kakashi was certainly physically strong, from the way Anko put it it was obvious that he was not a good match for Kurenai.

"I guess you're right." Ino finally offered with a nod before she looked up at Anko curiously. "But if that's the case, what makes you so sure he's a good match for Sakura."

Anko smiled slightly. "Because Sakura isn't the one that needs to be saved."

--

Kakashi sighed as he clapped his trusty little orange book shut, it seemed that even Icha Icha didn't have the power to take his mind of earlier events. No matter how hard he tried to distract his mind within its storyline the face of a certain pink haired woman kept popping into his thoughts. Kakashi just couldn't get that look he had caught upon her face as he made his hasty escape from the restaurant earlier that evening out of his mind. What was that look? He'd seen it before.

It was the same look she had had upon her face at Naruto and Sasuke's funeral; that hopelessly lost look she had had as she stared down at those two coffins beneath their blankets of white lilies. Why had she had that look tonight at the restaurant? Was it because of him? Was he the cause of her inner anguish this time around?

Kakashi shook his head, he would not allow himself to think like that. It couldn't be him, after all, what had he done to her? Memories of the night of Sakura's birthday when he had been on the bridge with her filled Kakashi's mind and once again he shook his head to rid himself of such thoughts. It was only a kiss, an innocent little kiss meant to comfort a distraught young woman, simple as that and nothing more.

But perhaps that was the problem, perhaps Sakura had thought it meant more. Maybe in touching his lips to hers he had offered the young woman some glimmer of false hope that they could ever be more then they were at the moment; former sensei and student, colleagues in this ruthless world of shinobis. So maybe it was his fault and that possibility did not sit well with Kakashi. He hadn't wanted to add to Sakura's inner anguish, that was the farthest thing from his intentions; he wanted to be there for her, to comfort her in some way, in the only way he could think of in that moment on the bridge. He had wanted to make her happy again, wanted to see her smile, wanted to...

_'Love her.'_ A voice whispered inside his head and once again Kakashi promptly shook his head. No, no that wasn't it. That couldn't be it; sure the thought had crossed his mind time and time again after that night but that couldn't be possible it just couldn't be the reason. Sakura was his former student, a girl he had practically raised, she had been like a daughter to him or at least a younger sister. But Kakashi couldn't deny that that night on the bridge, and maybe even a little before that, he had come to see Sakura in a new light.

In so many ways she was still just a young girl; she was ditzy at times, stubborn and unreasonable in most instances and that temper of hers mixed with her continuously overly emotional state gave her the childish tendency to overreact to certain situations where most adults would know to stay calm and think things over. Yet she was gentle and caring when such emotions were called for and even when they weren't, she was loyal and true to her friends, her village and the people who resided within it and she was as strong emotionally and physically (mostly physically) as any kunoichi could hope to be when it mattered most. All that, even what some would call her flaws, allowed Kakashi to see that Sakura had grown into a fine young woman and a great shinobi who he respected and admired.

But it was so much more then that, even if he wouldn't allow himself to admit it; every time she looked his way with those jade pools that were so deep he felt he could drown in them, it felt like she could peer right under his skin to view his very being beneath and though it made him feel exposed that vulnerability gave him a sense of comfort. Whenever he saw her lush lips curl into a bright little smile a feeling of content would wash over him making him want to keep that smile painted on her lips in whatever way he could. The laughter that left those lips brought the silver haired man bliss he hadn't felt in years and he would give anything in his possession to hear that joyous laughter ringing in his ears.

But it wasn't love; Kakashi would not allow himself to think it was anymore. He had confused it, had confused this sense of pride and devotion to a former student as love but he would not allow himself to make that mistake. No matter how persistent that little voice in his head was he would not let his mind warp the situation because really what good could come from it?

People would talk; Sakura's reputation would be ruined and his respect in the eyes of the villagers diminished and even if she was willing to risk it, even if he didn't care what others thought in the end it would all have been for nothing. All the social suffering would have been in vain because Kakashi was not the kind of man Sakura needed. He was not like Naruto, he couldn't provide that emotional spark that Sakura seemed to want. He was not a prince who could sweep her off her feet and claim undying devotion to her, screaming it to the heavens that he loved her.

A memory of Naruto running through the streets of Konoha yelling and cheering the night Sakura had agreed to be his girlfriend flashed in Kakashi's mind as a smile grew upon his lips. He had run all through Konoha, telling everyone who would listen and even those who weren't interested the good news while Sakura chased him down, demanding angrily that he stop and yet no matter what she said Sakura had not tried very hard to stop him, she had liked it, liked the shameless way Naruto would hold her hand or kiss her forehead in public. Kakashi could never do that, he could never be what Sakura wanted, he could never replace Naruto.

Kakashi sighed heavily as he hung his head and brought up a gloved hand to hold his forehead. He had to stop thinking about this; had to wipe the memories of the night of Sakura's birthday and the thoughts of how it had felt so wonderful to feel her lips against his from his mind. It just wasn't healthy; it borderlined obsession and only made it hurt even more. He had to find some way, any way to clear his thoughts, to forget about all this, about Sakura.

Movement on the street below him caught Kakashi's attention, but he paid it no mind until the familiarity of the chakra hit him. _'Sakura...'_ He thought as he stood, slipping Icha Icha paradise into the back of his pocket as he walked to the edge of the roof to peer down at the street. The streetlights that stood tall over the dirt roads of the village offer a good amount of light but also a good amount of shadow so though Kakashi remained hidden, Sakura was completely exposed beneath the light. She walked along, hugging herself as if she were cold, yet the air that night was warm. Why then was she hugging herself?

The answer came to Kakashi as he crouched down at the edge of the roof to allow his eyes to peer closer at the younger woman. Her cheeks were a healthy shade of crimson cut through by rivers of white drawn by tears. She was crying, sobbing quietly to herself as she hurried down the road. Kakashi felt his heart clench in his chest as his fists balled-up on his knees. Why was she crying?

_'Is it because of me?'_ The thought made Kakashi feel sick and he quickly shot upward and turned his back to the street below and the image of Sakura heading into her apartment building.

Her apartment building; Kakashi gave pause to give a good look around him, his one exposed eye widening slightly. Without even realizing it, the ledge he had decided to perch himself on that particular night was one that protruded from the building Sakura resided in. A sudden burst of light from a near by window would catch Kakashi's eye as it widened even further, practically bulging from his head as he found himself staring right into Sakura's bedroom. He had been sitting right outside her window, had unconciously chosen this rooftop to sit on that night. The sheer irony of it all threw Kakashi for a loop; sitting right outside the window of the very girl he was trying so hard to forget.

Kakashi instantly crouched and dove to a more shadowed part of the ledge, one that coincidently gave him a better view into the young woman's room. She had collapsed onto her bed which lay just beneath the window sill and if Kakashi craned his neck just slightly he could see that she had buried her face in her pillow. Her shoulders were trembling, her arms curled beneath her pillow to clutch it to her face as if to silence the loud sobs which Kakashi could faintly hear through the window.

It hurt to see her like this, more then it should for a man who saw her as nothing but a respected ex-student. But Kakashi pushed those thoughts way as he peered at Sakura, his eyes intense as they stared at the back of her head covered by it's soft cherry blossom locks. He shouldn't be watching her, it wasn't right and it would only prove to make forgetting the young girl an even more complicated task. But he couldn't look away, he couldn't just turn and leave her, not when she was like this. He'd give anything to comfort her but he knew he couldn't, if he did it would only end up like it had the night of her birthday and that would make it harder on him as well as on Sakura. But if he couldn't reach out and caress his fingers through her hair carefully and whisper to her that it would all be alright, at least he could watch her when she was like this. It gave him an odd sense of satisfaction, knowing that he was there for her without her knowing.

He watched her as she lay there and cried, watched as she sat up and brushed away the strands of pink that had fallen in her face wishing that he could do it himself. She wiped her cheeks and tilted her head back to sigh deeply and all the while he watched her, not daring to even blink for fear that he'd miss something. Then she looked to the side, over to the nightstand beside her bed where the old picture of Team Seven sat next to a picture Kakashi remembered taking himself. But Kakashi's attention was caught on the picture of Team Seven and he noticed that a red lip print rested over his face. Though it shouldn't have, it made Kakashi smile and filled him with an odd warmth as he brought his attention back to Sakura.

The picture she held was a picture of Naruto standing behind Sakura, his arms wrapped securely around her waist and his chin upon her shoulder as he grinned that big stupid grin of his as if he had just snagged himself a prize and he had, Sakura certainly was a prize. She was blushing in the picture but smiling brightly as she leaned back against Naruto, her hands over his as her head tilted to rest against his own. It was a nice picture, Naruto had always liked it though Sakura always complained that she looked fat and he looked stupid; neither of which was true... though Naruto did look a bit goofy. Kakashi remember how she had promised to burn it even after Naruto snatched if from her and claimed it was going straight to his own nightstand.

She had kept it, had taken it from his house sometime after he had died. A look of pity came to Kakashi's face, one Sakura could not see as he watched her in secrecy.

Her index finger touched against the glass that lay over the picture, caressing down along Naruto's face as her lips began to move. He could not hear what she was saying, but when Kakashi dropped his attention to her lips he could read the words upon them.

_"Naruto..."_ Her lips formed his name in what Kakashi imagined was a whisper. Oh how Kakashi wished he could hear her whisper his own name.

Her lips began to move and again Kakashi watched. _"He'll never love me like you did will he?"_ Were the words her lips seemed to choke out, causing Kakashi's heart to pang painfully.

She bowed her head, her hair falling to hide her face but Kakashi knew what she was doing as her body began to tremble, she was crying again as she clutched the picture to her chest. Her free hand would suddenly reach up, grasping the necklace that hung around her neck, the necklace he had given her and in one harsh yank it was torn from where it rested. The fragile chain along with the pendant was tossed bitterly to the side, knocking into the wall so hard that the jade cracked and broke down the middle to fall to the floor in two pieces, one still holding the chain.

She fell to her side upon her bed, still clutching the picture frame to her chest as she curled up her knees and buried her face in her pillow. Kakashi watched her, feeling so cold and ashamed, his fists gripping at his bent knees so hard he was afraid he'd break the skin under the cloth with his dull fingers tips. She was in so much pain and now most of it was his doing, he couldn't stand it. His one exposed eye would clamp shut as he rose from his crouching position and turned his back to the window and the image of Sakura behind it.

She was right, he could never love her like Naruto had and so he refused to let himself love her at all. He could never be what she wanted, never live up to the memory of how devoted her first love had been, it just wasn't in him. _'Who'd have thought I'd ever have to compete with the memory of that knucklehead?'_ Kakashi thought with a sad smile before he moved to hop off the rooftop. _'Forgive me Sakura.'_ Was his last thought before disappearing into the night.

--

Sunlight bore mercilessly through the window, shinning right into Sakura's closed eyes even as she clenched them tighter to try and shut out the disturbing light. But those eyelids would soon part, welcoming the light to shine into those teal irises as she rose a hand to rub her forehead and sat up. Something hard fell into her lap and Sakura would look down to find herself peering down at the old picture of her and Naruto. A soft smile would spread across her lips as she plucked up the picture carefully and set it back down on her nightstand next to the picture of Team Seven with the imprint of her lips over Kakashi's face.

She'd stare at that picture for a long moment, gazing intently at the image of Kakashi before she reached over to set the picture face down on the nightstand to block the image from her sight. A loud groan would leave her lips as Sakura stretched her arms over her head, slinging her legs off the side of her bed before she stood and stretched out her sore body. She hadn't bothered to change her clothes that night and decided that a shower sounded very good at the moment.

She stepped from her bed to head to her dresser, retrieving a clean pair of clothes as well as undergarments before she headed toward the door of her room. Mid-way though she stepped on something hard and rather sharp that made Sakura curse from pain as she jumped back and stared down angrily at whatever had assaulted her foot. It was the necklace Kakashi had given her, the jade heart broken in two pieces.

"How quaint." Sakura said aloud almost bitterly as she leaned over to scoop up the pendant and chain. "Broken, just like my heart." She scoffed before heading to her dresser and tossing the broken necklace into her top draw. She wanted to throw it away, to banish these feelings of hurt and regret from her heart as well as Kakashi but Sakura just couldn't bring herself to do it. For some reason she just couldn't throw the necklace away.

"I still love the bastard..." She concluded softly as she headed out of her room, closing the door behind her.

* * *

**Otachii:** Yeah, yeah I know, I'm slow and I suck. I can't help it, writers block is a bitch.

But yes, the Matchmaker is none other then ANKO! Of course it is, she's like my favorite female character. xP **ifItwasnt4KakashiIwouldLoveYou** you win! What do you win you ask? ...Uuuh, I dunno, what do you want? o.O Want a cookie? I can give you a cookie. x3

And I know what you're thinking "OH THE ANGST/DRAMA!!" Well get used to it 'cause I have no intention of stopping. xP And for those of you silently wondering... yes, I am in fact also a huge NaruSaku shipper. Why? 'Cause it's damn cute that's why! But obviously I love KakaSaku more so don't worry, Naruto's not about to rise from the dead. xP

Oh and as to the name of Asuma and Kurenai's child... I highly doubt that's it but I wanted to give him one close to Asuma's so Asudaini (tomorrow the second... basically, or maybe the second tomorrow... whatever xP). And yes, in my story Anko is a lesbian... why is she a lesbian you ask? Because I firmly believe she really is. It's probably just wishful thinking on my part (I wanna have the woman's babies damn it! x3) but oh well, this is my story so deal with it and don't complain to me about it. xP

So how exactly does Anko plan on helping Sakura? How is Tsunade involved? What the hell really _is_ going on between Kurenai and Kakshi? Stay tuned and find out!

_**Preview with quoted conversations from future chapters...**_

"It's time to grow up..." ... "Growing up doesn't make you forget what's carved into your heart."

"We're colleagues, partners, comrades; nothing more and nothing less, so stop it already with this talk of love. It's not love!" ... "Then why are you getting so defensive?"

"Was the mission a success?" ... "Uuh, heh... define _'success'_."

"I'd rather die then see him with anyone else." ... "Sakura, please don't! Sakura!"

"I never wanted to hurt her, I wanted to protect her." ... "And look where that has gotten you both. Your protection has only hurt her in the worst way..."

"Will she ever wake up?" ... "After that? I doubt it."

_All he ever wanted was to see her smile, all she ever wanted was his love. Will his gift be the end of her? Will her sacrifice be the end of him? _

"One last smile, just one..."

_**Gifts That Can't Be Returned**_


	3. Strange Familiarity

**Chapter Three**

**Strange Familiarity**

_Trust me my love you live within me,_

_so I'll never say goodbye to you._

_Surely that day the two of us touched love._

_Heaven_ by Ayumi Hamasaki

Kakashi was having quite a bit of trouble keeping his one exposed eye from drifting shut; the desire to sleep was strong within him and he was having difficulty even with all his shinobi training resisting the urge to just collapse in a heap on the floor, curl up and let sleep claim him. He hadn't been sleeping well the past few days, but sitting on the edge of a rooftop and watching a girl through her window was not a job he could sleep on. Really it wasn't a job, it was like a sick obsession that he just couldn't seem to shake, a dangerous habit he had unwillingly formed that first night he had watched Sakura in her bedroom from the ledge that jutted out of her apartment building.

It was certainly not an honorable pastime and Kakashi would never claim to be proud of it, in fact it made him feel dirty; he was completely invading the young woman's privacy and making himself out to be some filthy old man with vile intentions. But Kakashi's intentions weren't of a despicable nature; he always closed his eyes or looked away whenever she was undressing, though he had admittedly peeked once or twice but both times were simply accidents... at least that was what he told himself. Really the reason he sat on that rooftop watching her night after night was just to be with her in some small way.

Kakashi wanted so much to be by her side, to hold her and lull her to sleep on those nights she cried which were so frequent. Every night Sakura cried herself to sleep, sometimes while clutching the picture of her and Naruto, sometimes clutching the picture of Team Seven and cursing Kakashi's name under her breath and every tear she shed felt like a little piece of Kakashi's soul being wrenched from his body. He couldn't face her, couldn't look her in the eye, hell he couldn't even be in her presence because it hurt him to see the way she looked at him knowing that he hurt her so much. But he had to be there with her, to offer her silent words of comfort that she'd never hear leave his lips.

"Kakashi!" The lazy copy-nin was wrenched from his thoughts by a very peeved Tsunade who shot fire at him with her piercing almond eyes. "Did you hear anything I just said?" The Hokage asked in an interrogating, almost accusing fashion, knowing full and well that he _hadn't_ heard a word she had just said.

"Forgive me Hokage-sama." He offered in that same old dull tone with a little apologetic bow that made Tsunade roll her eyes.

"What's with you Kakashi? Do you think my office is your personal daydreaming sanctuary?" The older woman scoffed as again Kakashi gave a little bow.

"I'm sorry Hokage-sama, what were you saying?"

Tsunade sighed. "You're new assigned mission is to accompany a young noble and his grandfather, Hiraishin Akisame and Hiraishin Hisame, back to their home located on the outskirts of the Lightening Country. Their clan has recently come into quite a bit of money through trades and alliances with other nearby clans or something to that affect, we have not be given the details, so you should not run into much trouble along the way. Never-the-less they have quite a bit of expensive cargo and so will be a welcomed target for bandits."

As Tsunade spoke Kakashi nodded lightly as if to signify he was listening but really he was only picking up bits and pieces of what she was saying. No matter how hard he tried he just couldn't shake the thought of Sakura; of her pouting lips that trembled with the force of the tears that slipped down her cheeks, of the way her every supple curve would quiver in those minutes where her slight slumber became a deeper peaceful sleep when finally she was all cried out. Oh how he wanted to hold her, to wrap his arms around her and dull the quiver in her body with his comforting warmth, or perhaps make them more intense as his lips slipped up the back of her neck toward her ear to nibble it softly...

"Furthermore;" Tsunade continued in an almost defeated tone that told that she knew quite well that Kakashi's mind was elsewhere but was unwilling to prolong the pointless fight to get him to pay attention. "Once you have led the Hiraishin clansmen safely back to their home you and your assigned teammate for this mission will serve as security at the party that will be held for them upon their return."

"Teammate?" Kakashi pressed, having heard at least that part of Tsunade's explanation as well as something about a party.

"Yes, _teammate_." Tsunade repeated indifferently, her eyes having left Kakashi as she rummaged through the many sheets of paper piled upon her desk before moving to open a few draws. "Here is the layout of their home as well as the grounds that surround it." She retrieved a brown scroll that was short in length but quite fat in width and held it out to Kakashi who took it and slipped it into one of his pockets with a nod.

"Thank you Hokage-sama." His tone remained ever-as-stoic as he slipped his hands into his pockets. "Who will I be working with on this mission?"

"Sakura." Tsunade answered without batting an eyelash as she overlooked a few forms that sat on the desk in front of her.

Kakashi noticeably flinched as his body grew tense but he quickly forced himself to relax and though Tsunade peeked his way briefly if she noticed Kakashi's reaction she gave no indication she had. She continued to read the forms in front of her, chin rested on her interlocking fingers as her elbows lay atop her desk while Kakashi recomposed himself.

"Sakura..." Kakashi repeated casually but again his body tensed at even his mention of the young rosette-haired kunoichi. "I thought her duties with the hospital left her unable to participate in missions." He continued, keeping his tone very casual, a bit too casual.

"They did." Tsunade shrugged, never breaking her eyes from her paperwork, though she looked quite bored reading it over. "But I have assigned a temporary replacement to perform her duties while she's on this mission." Kakashi nodded stiffly and finally Tsunade looked up at him. "Is that a problem?"

He shook his head far too quickly. "Not at all."

"Good; Sakura is the best medical-nin in Konoha next to myself." Tsunade boosted and again Kakashi nodded, his neck starting to get cramped. "With Hiraishin Hisame's illness and the money he is paying us I thought it only right to give him the best. Besides, you and Sakura have quite a bit of history and work well together, wouldn't you agree?" Again Kakashi only nodded. "Good, you're dismissed Kakashi. The Hiraishin clansmen will be waiting for you at around half-past noon today so you have an hour, more then enough time, to prepare yourself. Try not to be late." One last time Kakashi nodded before he turned and headed out of the office.

A mission with Sakura; was this fate slapping him in the face with it's cruel misfortune or handing him a dazzling now-or-never opportunity? The latter seemed very unlikely as the knowledge that he would, for the first time since that _incident_ on the bridge the night of her birthday, be working in close proximity with the young kunoichi made Kakashi feel nauseated. How was he supposed to work with her when he couldn't even manage to look her in the eye anymore? Especially since he had developed the taboo little habit of sitting outside her bedroom window. It was only through careful camouflage and precise skill in disguising his chakra that he had managed to go unnoticed by Sakura or anyone else that might spot him from out on the village street or out their own windows. But he knew that with one look in those limpid jade pools the guilt would consume him and he'd be forced to confess his dirty little secret to the young woman and so much more.

It was a worrisome situation but it was one that he would have been unable to avoid; Tsunade would want an explanation if he declined it and the completely crazy but still quite wise older woman would not be easily fooled with any lie Kakashi could come up with. The truth was an option... one that would only serve to gain him a shocked and then angry look from the blonde who would most likely then fall into a long speech about ethics and professionalism which certainly wasn't a speech Tsunade had any business giving, Hokage or not. There was just no escaping it, Kakashi would have to face Sakura. Of course he always knew he would have to sooner or later, he had just always hoped it would be later.

_'I could injure myself somehow.' _The copy nin found himself thinking and he gave pause to his casual steps in the middle of the road. Now that was certainly an option and Kakashi considered it, one hand reaching up from its place in his pocket to grip the end of his strong cloth-covered chin. Accidents happened all the time to even the craftiest of shinobi, he could surely get away with faking an injury or some kind of ailment to get out of the mission without having to answer any questions.

A scoff left his guarded lips as Kakashi shook his head and reached into his pocket to retrieve his trusty and rather worn copy of Icha Icha Tactics; there was no way he was going to purposely injure himself to avoid a mission, it was just foolish. He was Hatake Kakashi, the famed copy nin of Konoha, considered one of the greatest shinobi in Konoha's current and past history; he would not be undone by a minor crush over a former student.

Of course it was more then a minor crush, much more and somewhere in the back of his mind Kakashi knew that but he didn't allow himself to admit it. He'd push through this, he just had to stay focused. '_Yes, just stay focused on the mission.'_ He told himself as he continued on his way to his apartment to prepare himself, forcing an image of Sakura huddled on her bed in tears out of his mind.

--

Birds sang their happy songs somewhere off in the distance, their wings cutting through the air as they soared in the breeze. The wind was subtle that day, yet prominent enough to let one know it was there, but Sakura was always aware of the wind; she knew which way it blew though she never knew its destination, knew when it sobbed faintly and when it wailed as if in agony though she was never sure why it was crying. Perhaps it was because it could no longer find the boy who tamed it, who was one with it's bizarre serenity as he soared wildly this way then that, sending spirits soaring with his hopeful gusts.

The wind could no longer find him because the earth held him prisoner locked within its depths beneath six feet of dirt. It sickened Sakura that a boy of the wind had to be confined within the earth, it just didn't seem right; she had begged the higher-ups of Konoha to spread his ashes over the village he loved so much, carried through the wind, had pleaded her case to the coroner and to Tsunade but everyone had claimed it was out of their hands. Only family could decide the final resting place of the deceased and Sakura was not family, but Naruto had had no family, no one to decide what was in his best interest and so because of a stupid technicality he was buried on a lonely hill-top beneath a stone that held his name inside the silhouette of a fox.

"It suits him." Sakura's thoughts, lost in memories past, were interrupted and she rose her head. Tearing her eyes from the cold lifeless stone that was supposed to represent her warm and vibrant beloved Sakura would shift the green pools to find Ino standing beside her. Sakura hadn't even sensed the girl's presence coming up the hill but she did not focus on this flaw in her skill as she looked back toward the headstone.

"Being dead?" It was a grim and bitter shot at humor, one that made Ino flinch and grimace but the blonde forced herself to smile, brushing it off for Sakura's sake.

"I meant the fox they carved on his tombstone, I always thought it fit him." Ino explained breezily, blue eyes moving from the headstone, flicking to the side to peer at Sakura. "Don't you think so?"

"No." Was Sakura's simple answer and it puzzled Ino as she looked back to the polished stone. "How did you know I was here?"

Ino smiled a bit at Sakura's question, trying to maintain an at least semi-cheerful demeanor. "You always come here before a mission." Sakura nodded.

"It helps clear my mind, despite how aggravating he was I was always most at ease when in Naruto's presence." Sakura offered and Ino nodded, both girls simply standing side by side before Naruto's grave, both watching it as if waiting for Naruto to pop up from the ground declaring that the last three years had been a cruel joke he thought would be funny so they could pumble him bloody and then all go home for the day with a large weight lifted off their hearts.

But no excited fists came popping up from the ground followed by the grinning face of that animated blond idiot. In the back of her mind Sakura knew that would never happen, yet she couldn't shake the hope that it would and Ino knew that, deep down she felt the same way though she knew the grief she felt over losing a semi-respected colleague and greatly cherished friend was nothing compared to Sakura's. Naruto had been her teammate, her best friend, her childhood love; he had been everything to her, he was still everything to her but Sakura could no longer touch him.

"Are you worried about the mission?" Ino asked, trying to guide the topic off of the morbid road it had begun to head down.

"No, should I be?" Ino shrugged, feeling a bit awkward due to Sakura's short and blunt answers but she tried not to let it show.

"Well this is the first mission you've been on for a while and it's pretty high-ranking. You're guarding some pretty important people from what I hear." Ino offered thoughtfully.

Sakura's eyebrows rose as she turned her head slightly to look Ino's way. "Are you implying that I can't handle myself Ino-Pig?" A challenging smirk formed upon the young pink-haired kunoichi's face, one Ino was happy to see and return.

"Well you have been known to fold under pressure Forehead." It was a blatant fib, Sakura worked very well under pressure, she had to, working as head medical-nin in Konoha's hospital, being the youngest shinobi to ever hold the title. Ino knew that, but it would not stop her from poking fun at her childhood friend.

Sakura scoffed. "I think you're mistaking me with yourself."

"Yeah right! I'm completely level-headed in any situation." Ino defended and Sakura cackled mockingly.

"Keep telling yourself that Ino-pig."

Ino glared as Sakura gave a careless wave of her hand but it was all in good fun and both girls knew that. This was just something they did, it was their weird way of supporting each other and showing one another that they cared. Bizarre as it was it worked and Ino could see that Sakura's mood was brightening a bit beneath her annoyance and though she seemed agitated by the other girl's self-assurance Ino couldn't have been happier for her.

"When did you become such a cocky bitch Sakura?" Ino shot as her hands found their way to her hips.

"The same time you became a bitter maid Ino." Sakura retorted, her hands also falling to the curves of her hips.

Ino rolled her eyes and Sakura did the same, both girls turning their heads the opposite way to look away from each other. Nothing said bonding like blatant insults, at least in Sakura and Ino's case. As odd as it seemed the tactic worked and Sakura seemed to, if only for a moment, forget her troubles and her pain.

"The mission will prove to be a promising opportunity though." Ino offered thoughtfully and Sakura turned her head to the blonde, brows furrowing curiously. "It's the perfect chance to show Kakashi-san what and idiot he's being; that you're all the woman he needs." Ino's eyes met Sakura's as she nodded.

For a moment Sakura simply stared at her friend as if considering what she said but soon Sakura was shaking her head and looking at Naruto's tombstone once again with that same old gloomy expression. It was Ino's turn to look confused as she stared questioningly at Sakura whose shoulders slumped and head hung.

"When I heard about the mission and who I would be working with I came straight here." Sakura began as she moved forward, away from Ino to stand closer to the smooth rock that bore her deceased lover's name. "At first I was hopeful, thinking I could indeed show Kakashi that I'm not the child he thinks I am, that I can be as much of a woman as Kurenai-san is." She paused, staring hard at the cold slate of stone. "But then I realized that this, all of this, is just me being that silly little child."

Ino frowned deeply as Sakura went on. "Holding onto the hope that a man who helped raise me into the kunoichi I am today, who could never see me as anything more then a close comrade or even a little sister is childish." Sakura shook her head, giving off a small laugh that to Ino sounded forced and bitter. "This was all just a desperate attempt to latch onto the possibility of being loved like he used to love me." Sakura crouched down and her hand reached up, her palm pressing into the tombstone and sliding down in a slow longing caress. "It was just me twisting the situation to comfort myself… like a child."

"Sakura…" Ino began but Sakura cut her off with a shake of her head as she rose swiftly to her feet.

"Well no more Ino, I'm not going to do it anymore." She turned to face her friend with determination etched upon her face and shining in her jade eyes but Ino could also detect the glimmer of sadness that lay just beneath the surface. "It's time to grow up! I'm not going to rely on anyone else to mend my heart. I'll heal it on my own with Naruto watching over me." She nodded fiercely as if to confirm it, perhaps more to reassure herself then to reassure Ino.

For a long moment the two were silent; Ino staring thoughtfully at Sakura, a tragic expression upon her face while Sakura stared off in the distance at something Ino couldn't see. Her face was solemn, her eyes dazed and far off as if looking far away, at a long lost memory.

"Sakura…" Ino began softly, waiting until Sakura's eyes focused and shifted to look upon her. "Growing up doesn't make you forget what's carved into your heart."

Sakura simply looked at her, face emotionless, devoid of any sort of understanding so that Ino had to wonder if she had even heard her.

"I have to go ready myself for the mission." Was the only reply Sakura gave as she brushed past the saddened blonde. "See you later Ino."

"Hey Sakura…" Ino called causing Sakura to stop and turn a few paces away. "If a fox doesn't suit Naruto, what does?" She inquired gently as her blue eyes fixed upon Sakura.

A gentle smile formed upon the rosette-haired kunoichi's lips, one that made Ino smile in returned as she followed her friend's jade gaze up toward the blue sky.

"A hawk;" Sakura answered as her eyes scanned the clouds. "Soaring on the wind with his eyes cast down, watching over the village he loved and all the people in it." Her eyes fell from the sky as she turned and without another word Sakura headed on her way and this time Ino let her go without a fight.

She kept her eyes upon the sky, blue irises matched against the sheet of blue that hung overhead, broken only by the occasional puffy white cloud. Ino didn't know how long she was there beside Naruto's tombstone just staring up at the sky before she heard it; a sharp, proud cry off in the distance. Her heart skipped a beat and her smile widened as her eyes shifted to find a brown cross-like figure soaring through the sky; a hawk. She watched the dignified bird as it flew over head, following it with her eyes as it headed off the same way Sakura had went.

--

He was late, but that was nothing new. Hatake Kakashi was always late for everything; exams at the clinic, dinner dates with friends, hell the man was even late for his own graduation from the academy back when he was still just a child prodigy. Why should important missions be any different?

He strode along casually, though admittedly a bit more begrudgingly then usual, cursing every step he took because he knew every step brought him closer to her. It would be the first time he laid eyes on her, at least in a situation where she'd know he was there, since that night in the restaurant and Kakashi was dreading the encounter. He dreaded the look he would see in her eyes, that heartbroken look he had seen the night he had hastily made his exit. He dreaded hearing her tear-strained voice as she greeted him, silently asking him why he was doing this to her, pleading without words for some sort of explanation that he just couldn't give her because in truth he just didn't have one.

He didn't want to hurt her and yet he knew he was. But what could he do? Saying the words would only lead to heartache in the end, not saying them was causing it sooner. Either way he would hurt her, either way she would grow to hate him. So what was the point? What would saying the words accomplish?

'_I love you Sakura.'_

Kakashi's exposed eye closed as he heaved a heavy sigh, his steps bringing him nearer and nearer to Konoha's gate, to where she'd be waiting for him.

And Sakura was indeed there, standing alone with a hand upon her jutted right hip as her left arm dangled carelessly clutching the handles of her brown pack. Her back was to him so that Kakashi could see the way the ends of her cropped cherry locks swayed slightly in the easy breeze flowing through the air. He eyed those rosette strands, perhaps a bit longer and harder then he should have permitted himself, no doubt she could feel his one-eyed gaze burning the back of her scalp.

But if Sakura felt the weight of his stare there was no sign of it, her gaze stayed straight. In fact even when Kakashi came up behind her she did not look back at him, as if she hadn't noticed he was there, but she knew, she had to.

Kakashi eyed the back of her head a bit longer before he came up beside her, willing his heart, in vain, to take a steadier pace as it hammered in his chest. His gaze strayed ahead to watch the forest-lined rode that lay before them, his eye staring off into the distance with Sakura's.

He waited there, for what he didn't know but he couldn't find it in himself to say anything. He worried that anything he said would leave him faced with her tear-stricken face and her sobbed pleas for him to be the Kakashi she met on the bridge. But that wasn't Kakashi, not the real Kakashi; the Kakashi who couldn't even begin to deal with the portrayal of his own emotions, let alone the emotions of someone else. But Sakura could never understand that; she was so fragile, so…

"They're late." It was Sakura's voice that broke the silence. Kakashi, surprised but of course showing no signs of it, shifted his gaze casually toward her to find that she was not only looking at him but had actually turned to face him. "I think you've run into some competition when it comes to tardiness Kakashi-sensei." And then she did the oddest thing, she smiled slyly at him.

Kakashi was taken aback as he stared stoically at the young girl; she was the old Sakura. The Sakura who had existed before Naruto's death, before that night on the bridge; she was the Sakura that saw him as nothing more then a former sensei, then a close comrade. Kakashi was floored and, much to his dismay and confusion, disappointed. Wasn't this how he'd wanted it to be?

"Well I do believe you're right Sakura." He said in timed response, offering one of his signature eye-crinkles that showed he was smiling as he fell into the situation, the act.

It felt strange in its simplicity, somehow it was off in it's familiarity, like a sudden rush of déjà vu that you wished would pass. This was how he had wanted it to be, the way it had been before tragedy had plagued their lives; the quiet affection that was no more then respect laced within the witty banter and casual conversations. Admiring one another the way a former student and their teacher would; this was how it was supposed to be.

'_But then why does it feel so wrong?' _Kakashi though inquiringly to himself. But with a quick shake of his head to shake off his thoughts disguised as and attempt to shift his silver hair out of his exposed eye Kakashi banished such thoughts. _'It's better this way.'_ It was, it had to be.

"Such bad manners." Sakura sighed with a peeved roll of her jade eyes which directed his way agitatedly. "Why is it that people with _superior_ upbringings are such rude jerks?" She questioned haughtily to which Kakashi couldn't help but smile. _'Yep, the old Sakura's definitely returned.'_

"Blame the parents." A voice sounded from off to the side, causing Kakashi's eyes to shift upward and gaze over Sakura's head as the young kunoichi turned to face who had addressed them. "If our parents didn't spoil us rotten and make us think the world moved at our leisure and people bent to our whim then such _rude jerks_ as me would know better then to keep a pretty girl and an old man waiting." The man continued with an almost teasing grin, taunting Sakura a bit.

Normally such a condescending attitude would have irked Sakura and sent inner Sakura into a wild rant but Sakura could not find it in herself to be angry with the young man who stood before her and even inner Sakura couldn't put up a fuss. She was too caught off guard, too unprepared for what she saw; this man was what Sakura could only describe as the most beautiful man she had ever laid eyes upon. She was utterly floored and couldn't help but gawk in admiration.

His face was thin, his every feature defined; his high perfect cheek bones, his smooth squared jaw, his deep rounded brown eyes, all were magnificently accentuated by one another to hum a perfect harmony that soothed the very soul. His lips were dark and full and set into a cunning, confident smirk that seemed to fit him so naturally, his hair was long, bound into a high ponytail and was a pale brown color yet was lustrous in a way that Sakura was admittedly rather envious of. He was a beautiful specimen of a man not just in face but in form; tall, two heads taller then Sakura and just a bit taller then Kakashi, and he was muscular, bulging a bit under the draping of his fine silk robes which were a handsome combination of blue tones with lovely lilac trimming, but not grotesquely so.

Sakura was in awe, greatly impressed by the man's outward appearance and self-assured demeanor, Kakashi not so much. The great silver-haired jounin was still rather sore about being referred to as an _"old man"_.

"Hiraishin Akisame I presume." Kakashi stated in a surprisingly even tone. Having taken notice of the fact that Sakura was still merely gawking at the man called Akisame, Kakashi couldn't help but frown beneath his mask; her behavior was incredibly unprofessional and besides that Kakashi didn't see anything special about the cocky brute of a man. _'Jealous much Kakashi?' _A little voice whispered in the back of his brain to make Kakashi mentally scoff. Of course he wasn't jealous. Why should he be? Sakura could drool over any arrogant, ugly ox she wanted.

"Aye." Was the man's simple answer, his eyes never straying from Sakura, that self-assured grin ever-present to make his handsome face glow.

"My name is Hatake Kakashi." Kakashi offered, trying to remain unabashed by the way Akisame seemed completely oblivious of his presence and was focusing solely on Sakura harder then Kakashi deemed necessary or appropriate. "And this..." Kakashi began, lifting a sole hand to gently place it upon Sakura's shoulder, palm forming over and cupping it in a delicate hold that seemed to rock Sakura back to reality. "Is Haruno Sakura, we will be your escorts on your journey home." He went on, still holding the young kunoichi's shoulder as she shook her head a bit to banish the clouds from her mind. Her cheeks grew a dull shade of red, the knowledge of her foolish actions flustering her quite a bit, almost as much as the touch of Kakashi's hand which remained pointedly upon her shoulder.

Akisame's eyes drifted from Sakura's reddened face to Kakashi's gloved hand over her shoulder, an eyebrow cocking with interest, his grin growing ever craftier before finally he looked at Kakashi. His brown eyes gleamed with the promise of a challenge, the look of a man determined to win a game, to claim a prize. Kakashi's jaw tightened just slightly, as did his hold upon Sakura's shoulder.

Not completely oblivious to the electrical tension shooting between the silent men Sakura looked up from Akisame's face to Kakashi's, question shining in her dewy jade eyes. Akisame held his gaze upon Kakashi but the senior jounin strayed, bringing his exposed eye to stare into the depths of those big green orbs. A reassuring eye crinkle was offered before Kakashi casually slipped his hand from Sakura's shoulder, even as the skepticism was clear in her expression.

"That's quite the detailed observation Hiraishin-sama." Sakura's gaze shifted back toward the young royal she was appointed to guard, forcing herself to stare through that gorgeously bright smile and those piercing eyes that made her feel utterly exposed in mind and especially body. Hiraishin Akisame had apparently mastered the art of undressing a girl with his glance without allowing his eyes to stray, Sakura could feel the heat rising in her body but she forced it out of her cheeks, refusing to let her embarrassment show as inner Sakura cooed. "I see it hasn't helped you in correcting your behavior though."

Kakashi couldn't hold back the satisfied grin forming beneath the shield of his mask. _'That's my girl.' _He thought proudly of Sakura's bitingly dignified and oh-so matter-of-fact tone. But Kakashi's joy at Sakura's blatantly passive aggressive attack upon their arrogant charge was short lived as Akisame only lifted a single slender brown brow and stretched his grin wider to show off every one of his perfect pearly teeth, obviously intrigued by Sakura's feisty nature. Sakura's heart clenched and Kakashi grew ever more disgusted as he swore his former student was about to go weak in the knees and crumple to the floor; but of course, even Kakashi had to admit that the imperious look of amusement that overtook Akisame's face made the young man look even more dashing. _'Bastard...'_

But before Sakura could collapse, before Akisame could weasel up and stick his hand up Sakura's shirt like he seemed itching to do and before Kakashi could lose his cool and crush the younger man's smug face with his fist the exchange was interrupted by a very elderly round man with wispy white hair that started at his crown and ended at his waist in a tight skinny braid who was hobbling toward them in the lead of three large horse drawn enclosed carriages. Two were brown, rectangular and simple, obviously used for carrying the items the two travelers had accumulated during their journey, the other was a more extravagant shade of deep purple with golden trim and windowed doors with the curtains drawn to reveal the plush red interior, obviously velvet. Each was fronted by a solemn looking man dressed in drab gray robes, each holding tightly to the horses reigns and each looking terribly bored.

"Ah, grandfather, what kept you?" Akisame bellowed jovially, obnoxiously so in Kakashi's opinion at his grandfather Hiraishin Hisame.

The old man glance briefly at his grandson with, if Kakashi wasn't mistaken, what looked suspiciously like contempt; instantly Kakashi liked Hisame. But the hateful look quickly evaporated as the old man looked away from his heir and smiled with a breezy wave of his hand and a shrug.

"Oh ya know me boy, saw me some fine specimens in a pottery shop back 'round the corner and had to get a peak." The old man explained and Akisame laughed, clapping his grandfather, who was about three and a half heads shorter then him due to the way his spine curled with age, rather hard on the shoulder to make Hisame lurch forward two uneasy steps.

"Some fine female specimen's eh grandfather? You old lech!" Akisame laughed buoyantly and Hisame set his wrinkled face in a disapproving scowl, the shake of his head the only reply his grandson received.

Kakashi watched the exchange, thoroughly entertained and pleased to see that even family could that Akisame was a pompous, arrogant, sexist, irritating...

"Is this all your things?" Kakashi drew himself out of his thoughts to find Sakura had stepped away from him, up to the carriages to observe them keenly. Apparently she had managed to break out of Akisame's spell, though it hadn't been easy with inner Sakura encouraging the outer Sakura to lunge at the man.

"Aye, and here's to hoping that this is the last of it." Hisame commented, stepping to Sakura's side to pat the grayed rump of one of the horses leading one of the brown carriages.

"Oh I don't know grandfather." Akisame started, stepping up on Sakura's other side. He stood close, closer then was necessary and Sakura couldn't help but stiffen with nervousness at the way his arm brushed her own almost intimately. "One more fine treasure wouldn't hurt." His head turned and he stared right at Sakura who pretended to be very interested with a pebble resting between her sandals, her head hanging low so that her short hair hung around her reddened face.

Kakashi cleared his throat loudly making Sakura jolt and promptly move away from Akisame, who didn't seem in the least bit deterred and only continued to flash that huge smile, watching Sakura as she skittered around the carriage quickly, muttering something about making sure everything was "all set." Clearly the young man was quite proud of himself for having such an affect on Sakura.

"Yes Sakura, you do that." Kakashi drawled in his signature bored tone, never once letting his annoyance over her positively childish behavior show. She was like a little girl with a crush, like Haruno Sakura the academy student pining after the moody, brooding Uchiha Sasuke. Apparently some things would never change; Sakura, like any and every girl, promptly be taken down by a pretty face. Her surveillance complete Sakura moved toward Kakashi, shifting her backpack onto her shoulders. "Right then, shall we head off?"

"Splendid idea." Hisame nodded pleasantly and waddled over to the purple carriage, bracing his foot upon the gold step that jutted from it's bottom just under the door. After a bit of a struggle and a helping shove from Akisame that sent the poor old man hurdling into the carriage which rocked with a loud thud and a gruff _"Oomph!"_

"Oh Sakura..." Akisame paused, one of his long legs curled to bring his foot to rest upon the golden step. Sakura looked taken aback by the man's daring informality and seemed to fumble with her reaction. Kakashi simply stared, his hands sliding casually into the pockets of his pants to hide the tight fists they clenched into. "Won't you ride with us? It's far more comfortable then walking and we can't have such a pretty girl put through any sort of strain?" He flashed her that heart-melting toothy grin. "You're welcome to as well of course Kakashi." The man added as an afterthought, never once tearing his eyes away from a very red Sakura.

Again Sakura seemed unable to function long enough under that invasive brown gaze to come up with a satisfactory answer.

"Given that we were hired to make sure you're kept safe I'd think it a better idea if we walked alongside the carriages." Kakashi reasoned offhandedly, fighting through the angered tension in his jaw. "I'll take the front with the main carriage, Sakura you bring up the back with the storage carriages." Kakashi commanded and curtly the young kunoichi nodded, casting a short look toward Akisame, returning his beaming smile with a short, bashful one of her own.

Kakashi watched as she went, watched Akisame watch her so shamelessly as well, watched apathetically as some undignified little rich boy charmed his way into the heart of _his Sakura_. The hate that swelled in Kakashi's being was a blazing inferno that threatened to scorch him from the inside out; but none of it showed, none of it ever would.

_'Damn him...'_

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**Otachii: **ZOMG! An update? =O Is it true? Can it be real!?! Yes,yes it is. So sorry about the long, long, LONG wait everyone. But in addition to struggling with writers block, having just moved, got myself a job and been without internet for a while a few times I've just been really down on this fanfic. I mean, it's so ANGSTY. x.x I find myself thinking "_OH STOP WHINING AND JUST RAVISH EACH OTHER ALREADY!". _But the story is still in my head and I need to get it out, all the angst and the fluff, if not for the fans then for my own sanity. Again, so sorry about the wait, I hope you're all pleased and please, try and be patient with me... I don't work well under pressure. ._.

And if you're looking for someone to thank for this chapter thank Andy Skylar, whose review made me remember that I had to stop slacking, finish it and get it up here I hadn't realized it had already bean a year... And also ObsessionsGoToFar... 'cause I want my cake. This one's for you guys (and the rest of you too 'cause I love you all equally!), hope you're momentarily satisfied.


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