Chapter Twenty Four

"Achoo!"

"Bless you." Shizune said walking into the Hokage's office.

"Thank you." Tsunade sniffed, "Shizune?" Tsuande called looking through the piles of unorganized papers on her desk.

"Yes Lady Tsuande?"

"Have you seen the supplies report from Dr. Yu?"

"I have not, she was supposed to turn it in this morning."

"Ugh!" Tsunade groaned rubbing her face. "How am I supposed to order the supplies they need if she doesn't give me the list!?"

"How about I go over to the hospital and get it from her?" Shizune offered,

"Yes, thank you!"

"I will be back." Shizune bowed her head and quickly leaving the office. Shizune walked briskly through the village, she spotted Naruto and Sasuke walking towards the training grounds together. She wanted to stop and wave but the sooner she got those reports from Dr. Yu the less of a chance Tsuande would explode.

Shizune got to the leaf village hospital and quickly looked at the surgery board, she wanted to see if Dr. Yu was in any surgeries that would have prevented her from turning in her forms, but she wasn't scheduled any operations for the day.

"How odd..." Shizune muttered, walking away from the nurse's station and checked Dr. Yu's office but came up empty handed again. "Excuse me-" Shizune pulled a passing by nurse.

"Yes?" The nurse questioned.

"Do you know where Dr. Yu is?"

"Last I heard she got pulled into an emergency surgery, my case load as doubled because of it."

"But her name wasn't on the board."

"If it's an emergency then it wouldn't be updated." The nurses explained, "I think I heard something about operating room four being in use, try there."

"Thank you." Shizune nodded turning on her heel as she made her way back downstairs to the first level of the hospital. Shizune sighed, this was her exercise for the day. Shizune grabbed a mask and put it over her face before entering operating room number four. Shizune looked around at the minimal staff, what was going on? Where was everyone?

"Dr. Yu?" Shizune walked more into the room, as she did Shizune's heart skipped seeing the pink hair flowing down the metal table. "What-What!?" Shizune gasped, "What happened to Commander Haruno!?"

"Nothing." Dr. Yu waved off, "She is stable and going to be fine."

"Then why on earth are you operating in secret!?" Shizune accused, the low number of staff inside this room made sense to her now, why her name wasn't on the board. This surgery was going to look like it never happened. Dr. Yu sighed, turning her head and looking at the short black-haired woman.

"Am I going to have a problem with you?" Dr. Yu asked, thinking back to this morning when Sakura Haruno, commander of another village walked into her office...

~~ Earlier Today ~~

Knock...Knock...

"Come in." Dr. Yu called from her desk; the door opened revealing the last person Dr. Yu was expecting to see.

"Commander Haruno?" Dr. Yu stood, "Everything alright?"

"Yes." Sakura smiled, "The sky isn't collapsing just yet."

"Well that is a relief, every time I see you there is always some disaster not to far behind."

"Yeah-" Sakura chuckled, "-that is one of my talents."

"If the world is ending then what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Do you remember when my team and I dropped in from the trap set inside the Iron Village?"

"How can I not?" Dr. Yu crossed her arms. "I operated on you for a good eight hours, you kept coding every two minutes. The fact your alive today still surprises me."

"I am hard to kill." Sakura joked,

"I believe that now. Why are you bringing this up?"

"You were my doctor then and I was wondering if you would be interested in remaining my doctor."

"Oh?" Dr. Yu was surprised. "I have a feeling if I agree to that I will be logging a lot of surgical hours."

"That is a high possibility."

"You know I would be honored to be your permanent doctor Commander."

"Just...Sakura is fine." Sakura waved, "You have been inside my body cavity I think we can drop the formalities.

"Yes." Dr. Yu laughed. "Is there any reason for this visit beside what could have been just a simple phone call?"

"Er..." Sakura sighed,

"What?"

"You may be getting a few more hours inside your O.R." Sakura half joked.

"What?" Dr. Yu moved closer to Sakura she seemed fine, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes stared into Dr. Yu's soul...what on earth could be wrong with her? Sakura removed the armor on her chest, setting it on the small chair in front of Dr. Yu, then slowly lifted her shirt. Dr. Yu stepped in and pulled back the gauze, as she did Dr. Yu gasped covering her mouth with her free hand.

"Yeah..." Sakura breathed.

"How are you...how are you walking around?" Dr. Yu asked looking at the infected cut running across Sakura's side. "I would need to go back in and clean out the decaying tissue, you would need new stitches and bed rest for a few weeks at least."

"Can you do it today?" Sakura asked. Dr. Yu glanced at Sakura and then back to the gash.

"I don't think I have a choice, the fact you haven't gone septic is unreal, but I am sure the infection will soon spread, the sooner I get you into surgery the better. I will have to put you down and-"

"I would rather you not." Sakura said, Dr. Yu looked at the pinkette like she was insane.

"It is going to hurt."

"That's fine." Sakura waved off,

"Sakura, it is going to hurt." Dr. Yu stressed, but again Sakura shrugged. "Let me rephrase that, I do not torture my patients. You want me to do the surgery I will but only if you are under anesthesia."

"I will be fine-"

"You will not change my mind." Dr. Yu stated, the two women stared at one another for a long second.

"Fine." Sakura wasn't happy about it, but she didn't trust many people and Dr. Yu was right, this gash on her side needed to be repaired before her got an infection in her blood and died, she couldn't hold out for her body to filter the reapers poison out any longer.

~~~~

Dr. Yu stared at Shizune who quickly nodded her head,

"Of course not...but is she ok?"

"Sakura is fine, there is nothing to be worried about. What do you need Shizune?"

"Lady Tsunade needs your supplies report."

"Get my keys to my office from my jacket, it is on my desk."

"Thank you..." Shizune muttered, glancing back at Sakura who was strapped down on the table under anesthesia. Shizune quickly grabbed Dr. Yu's keys, ran to her office grabbed the correct folder and returned her keys before leaving the hospital. Shizune licked her lips as she gazed up at the cloudy sky as she made it back to the Hokage Tower. It was supposed to snow tonight.

Shizune sat at her desk, her head leaning on her hand as she stared into the distance lost in thought.

"Shizune?!" Tsunade yelled, causing Shizune to jump.

"Wh-What!?"

"I have called your name like seven times, what has gotten into you?"

"Oh nothing..." Shizune waved off, "What did you need?"

"I was going to excuse you for the day, what is on your mind?"

"It's nothing." Shizune smiled, "I guess seeing Sakura like that made me feel-"

"Excuse me?" Tsunade uncrossed her arms. "What do you mean?"

"Sakura or Commander Haruno-"

"What about her?"

"She was in surgery when I went to the hospital a couple hours ago."

"What do you mean!?" Tsunade yelled.

"I assumed you knew?!" Shizune backed away.

"What!?"

"Dr. Yu was operating on her; I don't know why all I was told was Sakura was fine and-" Tsunade turned and stormed away leaving Shizune alone, she sighed turning to her desk to collect her things so she could go home for the day.

Shizune walked through the streets on her way home when his silver hair caught her eye. Shizune saw Kakashi was laying on a bench reading one of his favorite books. She tilted her head confused, now that she thought about it why did she see Naruto and Sasuke heading to the training grounds? She was under the impression team seven was somewhat close to Commander Haruno.

"Erm..." Shizune blushed as his one exposed eye looked up from the pages of his book.

"Hello Shizune." Kakashi smiled with his eye. "Anything I can help you with?"

"I-I was just wondering...or maybe not!" Shizune blushed looking away from the copy ninja.

"O...K?" Kakashi trailed off at the odd encounter. Shizune stopped in her tracks...the nurse said it was an emergency surgery, maybe team seven was never informed.

"You know Commander Haruno right?"

"Yes?" Kakashi stood, putting his book in his back pouch. "Why do you ask?"

"Well I mean...I heard around, I don't ask around about you or anything like that! I just had the impression you and your team were close to Haruno that is all!"

"We are?" Kakashi tilted his head.

"Why are you out here then?" Shizune wondered,

"What?" Kakashi was confused.

"Commander Haruno she is here-"

"You saw her?" Kakashi's heart fluttered, it had been three weeks since she dropped them off after scooping them up from the haze village, Sakura had gone off the grid as Raiden put it. No communication with her whatsoever. Kakashi had been going stir crazy waiting to hear from her.

"Well...yeah...she was in surgery when I had to go-"

"Sakura is in surgery!?"

"She must be out by now, that was hours-" Shizune felt a cold breeze blow past her, "Eh?" Kakashi was missing from sight, she looked around and sighed seeing she was left behind once again.

Kakashi dashed to the leaf hospital, he flew into the building and looked around. He didn't feel her chakra,

"Where is Sakura Haruno?" Kakashi moved to the nurse's station.

"What?" A male nurse looked up from the monitor.

"Commander Haruno, of the Waterfall Village." Kakashi said, feeling the power in her title. "What room is she in!?"

"We...We don't have a Haruno in any of our rooms?" The nurse said checking the system.

"I was told she was here-"

"Kakashi Hatake." A voice called from the side, Kakashi turned and recognize Dr. Yu, she worked on Sakura the last time she was inside this hell hole.

"Sakura...is she-?"

"Come." Dr. Yu nodded for him to follow her. Once they were down the hall and away from other people Dr. Yu turned to Kakashi. "Commander Haruno is here."

"Was she hurt or-"

"Sakura is fine." Dr. Yu smiled, "She is stable and resting as we speak."

"Was there another hit on her? Why isn't she in the system and-"

"All your questions are great-" Dr. Yu smiled as she opened a door. "-but wouldn't you rather see her?" Kakashi walked through the door. He stepped into a private room where a pink haired woman laid in a hospital bed. Kakashi was at her side in a flash, picking up her hand and scanning over her face.

"Is she-"

"From what I know-" Dr. Yu said, "-She didn't come here like she did last time, she wasn't staring down the barrel of death again. She came to my office this morning, her side was severely infected I personally don't know how she was walking around and talking like a normal person but Sakura has proven miracles do exist since she survive what happened in the Iron Village."

"So, she was fine?"

"About as fine as a person like her can be."

"What does that mean?"

"Sakura didn't want me to put her down for the surgery. I told her it was going to hurt like a bitch, but she didn't care, she did not want to be put down. I told her if she wanted me to do the surgery she had to be. I assume with the little options she had is why she allowed me too."

"What does that-"

"A lot of people want her dead." Dr. Yu said, "I saw that today as I placed that mask over her face before surgery. I don't know a lot about her, I wasn't here years ago when she was still a student of Tsunade but I was a combat medic, I know the look on a person's face when they have seen more than what one human should and that girl-" Dr. Yu gestured to Sakura, "-Has seen a lot. She was concerned someone would try to sneak in while she was under and attack her and my staff. That is why she waited so long to come to me for help. She was trying to wait out the Reapers poison but she couldn't, not if she wanted to keep on living."

"She is stable?" Kakashi questioned, "Like..."

"Like when she wakes up, I am not going to force her to stay here. I learned from the last time she doesn't like to sit still but she does need to take it easy for at least a few weeks or we are going to be right back here, and if there is a next time she may not be this lucky and survive another infection."

"I see." Kakashi breathed looking back at Sakura's sleeping face.

"I will say this-" Dr. Yu chuckled as she turned to leave the room. "-she is one hell of a fighter, not many people can do what she does."

"That is true." Kakashi agreed. Dr. Yu excused herself leaving Kakashi alone with Sakura. "What have you done now?" Kakashi muttered shaking his head as he took a seat, his annoyed anger from being ghosted pushed aside as he felt relieved to see her again, he finally knew she was safe. He held her hand in his and pulled out his book to kill some time.

----

Sakura's eyes burned as she opened them, the white light in the room stung her eyes. She had to blink a few times before being able to see she was laying inside a hospital room.

"Sakura?" Kakashi stood from his seat. Sakura turned seeing his masked face.

"Kakashi?" She was confused, how did he know she was here? She didn't contact him and there was no way Dr. Yu knew to reach out to him.

"Are you out of your damn mind!?" Kakashi snapped.

"Wha-?" Sakura blinked again, thinking maybe she was still asleep.

"Where the hell have you been?" Kakashi's hard gaze was unnatural when looking at Sakura. "You can't just vanish so effortlessly for weeks out of my life without telling me where you are! You contacted no one, you just evaporated!

"I-"

"You can travel across the world in a blink of an eye and you couldn't stop by just once and let me know you were alive?"

"I-" Sakura tried to defend herself.

"Do you have any idea how terrified I was? How helpless I felt having no idea if you were hurt or even alive?"

"Kakashi..."

"There are a lot of people here who care for you, you left your own teammates worried sick. Do you have any idea how hard it is to love you?"

"I-"

"You may not feel obligated to tell me anything it was my mistake; I made the illusion that you could feel something-"

"I love you too." Sakura cut Kakashi off, she smiled watching his eye widen in surprise. Kakashi stared at Sakura, his heart stalled.

"You..." Kakashi breathed, had he heard her right?

"Yeah." Sakura chuckled at Kakashi's stunned stature.

"Wh-" Kakashi snapped out of it but was stopped by the door flying open.

"What the fuck!?" Raiden yelled, holding his arms out wide. "What the fuck Haruno?!" He repeated.

"Yeah..." Carver muttered, "...what he said."

"Sakura!?" Naruto's eyes were glossy as he looked at her. "Your..."

"I am fine-"

"I call bullshit!" Raiden pointed at Sakura. "I call bullshit on all of this fuckery! You were in a fucking surgery?! Why the fuck wouldn't you tell one of us? Why leave us in the dark? Do you think we are not strong enough to handle-?"

"Can I get a word in?" Sakura wondered,

"No!" Raiden yelled, "You will listen to us complain and whine, then you are going to feed us because this is all bullshit!" Sakura sighed leaning against the bed waiting for the emotional melt down to tire itself out.

"Why didn't you call one of us?" Carver asked,

"I-"

"Because she is an asshole!" Raiden answered instead, he passed back and forth through the room huffing.

"Sakura?" Carver said wanting to hear her reasoning.

"I didn't have time."

"How the fuck!?" Raiden yelled, "You can poof yourself hundreds of miles away in a ball of air, no time my fucking asshole!"

"How about we let her talk for a second?" Sasuke asked leaning against the wall.

"She doesn't fucking talk!" Raiden through his arms in the air. "That is the whole problem-!" Kakashi wrapped his arm around Raiden's head muffling his voice.

"Continue Sakura." Kakashi smiled with his eye.

"I didn't have time-" Sakura repeated, "-by the time I got here my fever was 104 and I could barely think."

"Why did you wait so long to get your side looked at?" Carver shook his head,

"I..." Sakura sighed, "I thought I could wait it out."

"Clearly you were wrong." Sasuke muttered,

"Yeah I got that." Sakura replied as she moved to lift herself off the bed.

"What are you doing!?" Carver and Naruto moved forward, trying to stop her from getting up.

"Ugh!" Sakura groaned too tired to deal with them. "Go get Dr. Yu so I can get the hell out out of this place!"

"Fine!" Raiden puffed, "I will give that doctor a piece of my mind too!"

"Raiden-!" Sakura called, "Someone go stop him." Naruto nodded and dashed after Raiden.

"So..." Carver said, "...your good?"

"Yeah." Sakura nodded.

Dr. Yu had been dragged into the room by Raiden with Naruto following closely behind repeatedly apologizing for Raiden's erratic behavior. The good doctor had the men wait outside while Sakura changed from the hospital clothes into her own.

Raiden was still grumping when the door opened, Dr. Yu walked out explaining two different medications she wanted Sakura to take. Kakashi smiled hearing Sakura groan, she hated taking pills. Naruto and the others stepped forward seeing Sakura, she was dressed in jeans and a plain shirt but what raised worry was her left arm which was inside a black sling.

"What the fuck is that?!" Raiden shouted; Dr. Yu shushed him. Naruto took Sakura's bag as Kakashi stared at her arm; it was the same one that was hurt while he was inside her village.

"What happened to your arm?"

"Dislocated." Sakura said walking past them, happy to be leaving the hospital.

"Dis...what?!" The five men followed Sakura.

"How was your arm dislocated?" Carver questioned as they walked outside.

"Dawn." Sakura answered,

"Dawn attacked-!?"

"No, I saved her." Sakura shook her head,

"Was this when we were inside the Waterfall Village?" Kakashi wondered,

"Yes."

"That was weeks ago!" Naruto walked faster wanting to walk beside her. "How-"

"I never rested it." Sakura cut in sounding annoyed, "I never took a few days off to just recover. I never had the time too."

"You do now?" Sasuke asked,

"Yeah." Sakura said as their apartment building came into view, the more she walked the more tired she was. Sakura stumbled; she moved her leg to catch herself, but it gave out with her. Kakashi quickly caught her, pulling her into him. Her eyes were heavy as she tried to keep her eyes open.

"Are you drugged?" Carver asked,

"One good thing about the Leaf Village-" Sakura smiled, "-they give really good pain meds." Naruto laughed as Kakashi shook his head.

"What did you trip on?" Raiden asked as the group moved towards the building. "Your shadow?"

"My shadow is a tricky little bastard." Sakura replied earning a few chuckles as they made their way into the building and crammed into the elevator. Sakura rested her head on Kakashi's arm as the double doors opened on their floor the group piled out. Kakashi walked ahead but stopped seeing Sakura wasn't moving. She was drifting in and out of consciousness, Kakashi was amused by this as he pulled Sakura to follow him.

Carver and Raiden were opening their door, Sasuke and Naruto waited behind them. They were going to play a new video game; they bought a mountain of snacks and drinks for tonight.

"Are you going to join us Kakashi?" Carver wondered.

"Not tonight." Kakashi smiled as he unlocked his door, Sakura still leaning on his arm enjoying the familiar scent that made her feel at home.

"Sakura." Sasuke said, he lightly grabbed her by the elbow and tried to lead her into her apartment. Sakura's muscles tensed at Sasuke's touch.

"Uh..." Carver said turning from entering the apartment having read Sakura's face. She reached out grabbing Kakashi's hand as Sasuke forced Sakura to move into the open apartment Naruto and Raiden were already inside.

"I don't think..." Carver started, Kakashi's wrapped an arm around Sakura trying to be mindful of her arm as he broke Sasuke's grasp on Sakura.

"What-" Sasuke narrowed his eyes watching Kakashi gently lead Sakura into his apartment.

"I got her." Kakashi smiled with his eye. "She will be fine."

"She can sleep inside her own-"

"You four are going to be playing those games and are going to be loud, she needs to rest in a quiet place." Kakashi rationalized turning to enter his apartment closing the door behind him ignoring Sasuke calling him. Carver grabbed Sasuke's shoulder stopping him from banging on Kakashi's front door.

"What's going on?" Naruto popped up. "Where is Sakura?"

"She is going to be staying the night with Kakashi." Carver informed.

"Er." Naruto muttered, "Why?"

"Because..." Carver sighed looking towards Kakashi's door. "Because I think it is more than just sex between them."

----

"Fuck." Sakura breathed sitting up, her left arm still resting inside her sling. Sakura looked around Kakashi's room, where was he? Sakura moved to get up from Kakashi's large bed, her body felt stiff and sore. She rubbed her neck walking into the living room seeing Kakashi was in the kitchen cooking. He turned hearing her,

"Good morning." He smiled with his unmasked face.

"Morning." Sakura blinked; her eyes burnt.

"How are you feeling?"

"Um...sore." Sakura said honestly for once, she slowly sat in one of the wooden chairs at the table.

"That doesn't surprise me." Kakashi said,

"What do you mean?" Sakura wondered, after plating food on two plates Kakashi moved to the small table. He kissed her cheek before placing breakfast in front of her. Kakashi brushed his fingers down her good arm picking it up and turning it so her palm was facing upward. Sakura saw dark bruises were beginning to form. "Ah." Sakura nodded,

"You were in a fight?" Kakashi asked sitting.

"Aren't I always?" Sakura smiled but Kakashi's face was stern. "Yeah." Sakura sighed, "Before I came here."

"Against whom?"

"Well..." Sakura breathed looking at the eggs and pancakes, her stomach growled. "The Reapers have a line of succession similar to the Waterfalls."

"Really?"

"Yeah and I went up against their third."

"Their third Commander?"

"Yeah."

"And..."

"And I killed him." Sakura breathed feeling happy with relief filling her.

"Which is why you said last night you now have time." Kakashi realized.

"With their third gone I can't imagine they will be able to do much."

"Why is that?"

"Because the Reapers in a lot of ways is like my village. The members are scrambling to kill each other in order to get that spot."

"It's going to be a bloodbath."

"Yup, gives me time to recover though." Sakura smiled, Kakashi nodded "Which brings up something I wanted to talk to you about..."

"Oh?"

"Yeah um...I mean I know I can stay next door with Carver and Raiden, but I thought that maybe..." Sakura felt uncomfortable, she leaned back against the chair looking everywhere but Kakashi. "...Uh..." She laughed, "Never mind." She looked at her plate biting her bottom lip, Kakashi reached out wrapping his hand around hers.

"Will you stay here with me?" He asked reading through her movements. "While you recover?"

"I don't want to impose-"

"You're not." Kakashi grinned, "I want you here with me."

"I-"

"But I do have one condition."

"Condition?"

"Yes, while you are here you can't be rushing off to another village to stop the sky from falling. You are here to recover and that is what you'll do."

"Is it now?" Sakura smirked,

"It is."

"I guess I could do that." Sakura smiled, Kakashi leaned over placing a small kiss on her cheek.

"It's decided then, you'll stay with me."

"Ok..."

"Eat your breakfast." Kakashi ordered, "Before your friends come bursting in and drag you away."

"I am surprised they haven't showed up."

"They have, I just sent them away."

"You did?"

"Yes, you needed to sleep." Kakashi said Sakura thought for a moment, Raiden and Naruto both hated mornings...

"What time is it?"

"It's four in the afternoon." Kakashi chuckled.

"Holy...why did you let me sleep so late?"

"Why not?" Kakashi tilted his head, Sakura hated how cute he was when he did that.

"I don't know..." Sakura muttered; she wasn't used to being allowed to sleep let alone sleeping in late. "Thank you." Sakura looked at him,

"You don't need to thank me." Kakashi stood,

"Wha-" Sakura started but there was a loud knock on the door.

"Are you fucking up yet!?" Raiden yelled causing Sakura to laugh, she turned to Kakashi who was moving towards her to open the door, he had his mask on and Sakura understood the hot mystery around it when Annora talked about it when she was here for Raiden's party. Sakura took a bite of her food when Kakashi opened the door, there was a huffing Raiden who looked extremely annoyed.

"Hello." Kakashi smiled with his eye.

"I-" Raiden pointed at Kakashi, "-don't want to talk to you." Raiden walked past Kakashi.

"Hey." Carver nodded, Sasuke and Naruto were the last to walk in.

"How are you feeling?" Naruto asked,

"I am alive." Sakura flashed a smile making Naruto feel lighter, he had been worried about her all night and day. Kakashi wouldn't let anyone inside until she woke up, Naruto understood though...her body needed to rest and begin to recover.

"Where is it?" Raiden asked walking right into Kakashi's bedroom,

"Where is what?" Sakura wondered,

"Ah ha!" Raiden sounded triumphant, he walked out with Sakura's phone in his hand.

"Why do you have my phone?"

"Because you are not going anywhere!" Raiden pointed,

"I'm not?"

"No! You are going to stay here inside this village with us until you're not fucking falling apart!"

"But why are you taking my phone?"

"So you can't get a call and whip off to save someone else."

"So, you want me to ignore people who are calling for help?" Sakura asked slowly.

"Don't give me that look as if that is so unethical to do!" Raiden waved his hand at Sakura. "It's not like you're a fucking shining beacon of ethics!" Sakura just laughed shaking her head.

"Sakura has already agreed to stay here while she gets better." Kakashi stepped in.

"Huh?" Carver laughed,

"Nuh uh." Raiden said.

"I have." Sakura nodded,

"Wha-?" Raiden was dumbfounded,

"Wow." Carver said looking at Kakashi a little impressed he was able to convince her to stay put for once.

"Awesome!" Naruto smiled,

"Yeah!" Raiden laughed, "We will clean up the bedroom so you can sleep-"

"You don't have to do that." Sakura said.

"Er..yeah we do you haven't been in there for a minute you might catch something-"

"I don't want to know what you two have been doing in there." Sakura cut Raiden off, "You don't need to because I will be...staying here..."

"You'll do what now?" Sasuke looked up from his phone.

"I will be staying here?" Sakura repeated.

"Where will Kakashi be staying?" Sasuke asked.

"Here?" Sakura was confused.

"Why?" Sasuke asked feeling annoyed,

"Because I can." Sakura laughed. "I don't need to explain myself to you."

"So, are you two..." Carver looked between Sakura and Kakashi, "...like together or...?" Sakura glanced over at Kakashi; she didn't know. He said he loved her, she said it back what happens now?

"Yes." Kakashi answered, Sakura's eyes widened for a moment her heart skipped as she turned to look at his masked face. Kakashi looked into her eyes, he wasn't going to back down or feel guilty for falling in love with this pink haired, blaring eyed woman who turned his life upside down and made me feel like he had woken up for the first time in his life.

"Really?" Carver was surprised, he didn't know Sakura to get close to people and if she did it took a lot for her to generally like another human because she wasn't a people person. He didn't know her to sleep around like he did, and now out of nowhere inside the village he knew her to hate for so long she was not only sleeping with a man she was in a relationship with him...good for her. Carver smiled, "Congrats!"

"Really?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah." Carver shrugged. "They are both adults."

"But he is her sensei! That shouldn't be allowed-"

"I will stop you right there." Sakura said standing. "Why are you even here?"

"What?" Sasuke shook his head.

"I thought I made it pretty damn clear I don't like you, so why are you here?" Kakashi moved to her side looking down at her feeling extremely happy she was defending their relationship.

"I...we...you and him shouldn't-"

"Who I am with is none of your fucking business."

"It is wrong!"

"How?" Sakura asked,

"What?"

"How is it wrong?"

"Because he was your sensei-"

"Was." Sakura pointed out, "For what-?" She asked turning to him, "Two Years?" Kakashi nodded his head. Sakura turned back to Sasuke, "He never trained me like he trained you two. I didn't look at him as my sensei like you two do. I am Twenty-One and the Commander of a fucking village I am no child, I can make my own decisions."

"But he is older-"

"By six years." Sakura countered. "Your just pissed he is fucking me and you're not."

"I-"

"I mean..." Carver spoke up, "Who are you to say anything about their relationship?" He shrugged with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What?" Sasuke glared,

"Who the fuck are we to tell them this is wrong? They are both grown. It isn't like Sakura is a minor here or like Kakashi is decades older than she is."

"But-"

"Again." Carver laughed, "Who are we to say shit?"

"You're her friend-"

"Your right I am, and for the first time in a really long time she appears to be a lot happier. The fact she has agreed to stay here willingly because of Kakashi tells me something."

"Yeah." Raiden agreed. "The only time we have a right to say something is if he doesn't treat her right." Carver nodded agreeing, the two men turned their head and glared at Kakashi.

"And you will treat her right." Carver stated. Kakashi chuckled, wrapping an arm around Sakura pulling her into him.

"I will." Kakashi promised.

"Ok." Raiden nodded, looking back to Sasuke who was turning red.

"This is ridiculous-" Sasuke started,

"Leave." Sakura stated.

"You heard her." Kakashi said watching Sasuke stare at his girlfriend. Sasuke shook his head turning on his heel and walking out. Sakura turned to Naruto who sat on the couch with an open mouth.

"You have anything to say?" She threatened.

"N-No." Naruto blushed, looking away from her. He still didn't know how he felt about her being with their sensei, but Carver had a point...who was Naruto to question any of this? Sakura looked happier and was going to willingly stay inside the leaf village while she recovered because of him...Naruto should be feeling happy right now which he kind of was... "So..." Naruto muttered after a hard moment of silence.

"Hm?" Sakura turned to him.

"A couple of us are going to the café, you wanna come?" Naruto muttered,

"Cafe?" Sakura tilted her head; she thought his favorite place was that ramen shop?

"Oh my gosh that's right you haven't been there yet!" Naruto jumped up from the couch. "You are going to love it!"

"Uh...ok?" Sakura laughed at Naruto's excitement.

"Everyone said they were going to be there at six! Get dressed and we can all go there together!" Naruto said moving to the door, "Carver! Raiden! Go get dressed!"

"Ok." Carver said holding his hands up, "I'm going."

"You too Kakashi!" Naruto pointed before bouncing out of view.

"Well..." Sakura muttered, "I guess I know what we are doing tonight." She smiled looking up at Kakashi, he bent down pulling his mask out of the way and kissed her.

"I had other ideas." He muttered against her lips causing her to shiver in delight.

"Hm...well the night is still young." Sakura laughed as Kakashi wrapped his arms around her.

----

Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura, Carver and Raiden walked through the chilly streets of the leaf village as they made their way to the café. Naruto kept turning walking backwards as he spoke to Sakura.

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked again,

"Yes." Sakura sighed, "My shoulder is fine."

"But..."

"She is ok Naruto." Kakashi smiled beside Sakura.

"Ok..." He muttered turning around again as the café came into sight. "You're going to love this place Sakura! They have the best hot chocolate in town!"

"Do they now?" Sakura muttered,

"Yes!"

"You come here a lot?" She asked,

"A couple times a week." Naruto said,

"Hm." Sakura nodded.

"What?" Naruto asked,

"Does it feel like your cheating on Ichiraku Ramen?" Sakura laughed as she watched the color drain from Naruto's face, he never even thought about that!

"No! I go there even more than-" Sakura tuned Naruto out as he ranted, Carver laughed at Naruto's flushed face.

"Sakura?" A voice called as they were about to reach the café.

"Granny?" Naruto muttered seeing the voice belonged to Tsunade.

"Sakura, I can speak with you a moment?"

"Yeah?" Sakura said looking back at Kakashi. She followed Tsunade a few yards away from the group of men, she could feel their gaze on her back.

"Everything ok?" Sakura wondered.

"Yeah!" Tsunade's voice was unnaturally high and she appeared to be nervous.

"Yeah..." Sakura's voice was flat and full of sarcasm. "Because you look so relaxed and calm right now."

"I just um...well...er..." Tsunade sputtered, Sakura crossed her arms over her chest.

"If your not ok with me staying her for a while then I can find other-"

"What? No, no! I am perfectly fine with you being here it's just...I wanted to say um..."

"I am cold." Sakura stated, "Whatever you want to say, say it."

"Can you forgive me?" Tsunade breathed.

"Huh?"

"Forgive me for what I did to you...?"

"Tsuande I..." Sakura sighed shaking her head and glanced away from her. "For once I don't know."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't feel anything when I look at you." Sakura explained, "I don't see a friend or an enemy, if I had to put a label on it I guess when I look at you all I see is another politician that I have to deal with."

"Sakura..." Tsunade blinked a few times keeping her tears back. "What I did was terrible, but it made you so strong. I mean look at who you have become!"

"Are you saying I should be grateful you banished me?"

"I mean-"

"Because you banished me my parents left this village."

"Yes, how are they doing by the way-"

"They are dead." Sakura cut in. "In some way I see you responsible for that." Tsunade's eyes were wide she was stunned, and her chest felt tight. "So when you ask me Tsunade if I can forgive you for kicking me out of the village...I don't know." Sakura nodded seeing Tsunade wasn't going to respond, she turned and walked away from the blonde to go back to the group waiting for her.

"What did granny want?" Naruto asked watching Tsunade turn and walk away.

"Nothing." Sakura smiled,

"Really?" Carver raised an eyebrow.

"I do belong to another village." Sakura replied, "I need permission to be here."

"Granny doesn't care if you're here!" Naruto smiled,

"Got to cross your T's and dot your I's." Sakura lied with a smooth smile, Kakashi watched her from the corner of his eye and knew she was lying, shielding them from something. He softly breathed out, he was going to have a conversation with her when they were alone.

Sakura and the others walked into the café, as they did so Sakura instantly backed away. The group was met with an overwhelming sensation of loud noises mixed with a lot of people; two things Sakura hated. She backed into Kakashi who smiled looking down at her, Carver turned knowing Sakura would try to get out of being here but he stopped seeing Kakashi was walking them forward to where he stood with Naruto who was jumping at the sight of his other friends. Carver smiled, maybe Kakashi was what Sakura needed in her life.

"Hey guys!" Naruto and Raiden jumped into the bubbly atmosphere.

"Naruto!" Hinata ran into his arms, her face flushed as a sign of her drinking.

"I see you guys started without us!" Raiden acted offended.

"You took too long!" Kiba laughed.

"Sakura?" TenTen noticed the pink hair.

"Hey." Kiba waved, "What are you doing here?" Kiba asked as Kakashi moved them to the couch. Sakura breathed sitting by the arm with Kakashi beside her.

"Sakura is staying here with us." Naruto answered with a large smile.

"Really?" Neji muttered,

"Yeah, while she recovers." Raiden said sitting on the floor in front of the large coffee table.

"What happened to your shoulder?" Lee wondered,

"She got it dislocated!" Raiden gushed laughing. Sakura looked around the café, the loud music and blinking lights annoyed her.

"You're ok." Kakashi said low enough for only her to hear. "I'm right here." His words were sweet and made her feel better, she relaxed as her muscles loosened.

"Kakashi!"

"Son of a bitch." Kakashi sighed hearing Guy jumping over the couch to hug him. "Have you been drinking?"

"Only a little Kakashi!" Guy laughed, sitting beside him.

"What are you guys doing?" Carver switched subjects.

"Playing a game!" Lee laughed,

"A game?" Carver questioned, "What game?"

"Something stupid." Sasuke muttered annoying Sakura with his negativity.

"Well I will be the judge of that-" Carver smiled at Lee who looked hurt by Sasuke's coldness. "-Tell me about it."

"OK!" Lee shouted, "So we call a name out of a person we all know and then we all shout the first thing that comes to our minds!"

"Oh...that sounds...fun...?" Carver said slowly.

"Alright who is next?" TenTen laughed as she sipped her fruity drink.

"I'll be right back-" Kakashi said to Sakura.

"Don't you fucking leave me here with these-" Kakashi chuckled as he got up before Sakura could finish her sentence. She glared at him as he moved away from her.

"Kakashi!" TenTen blurted his name seeing he wasn't in ear shot.

"Tall." Lee thought after a second.

"Old." Sasuke muttered, Sakura glared in this direction.

"The mask!" Naruto jumped into the game.

"Hair!" Hinata thought.

"Hair?" Naruto laughed.

"He has so much of it!" Hinata defended.

"Look at Neji!" Naruto joked, Neji rolled his eyes.

"I like it." TenTen blushed looking at her cup.

"Kill me." Sakura muttered but no one heard her. Other people threw out their one-word answers as Kakashi made his way back everyone dropped the subject. Kakashi blinked confused causing a crowd of laughter.

"Did I miss something?" Kakashi asked sitting beside Sakura.

"Not a damn thing." Sakura answered as Kakashi handed her a drink. "Thanks." She muttered,

"If you want to leave, we can." Kakashi shrugged, Sakura thought about taking off. She could say her shoulder hurt which could get her out of here.

"Ok!" TenTen shouted, "Sakura!" TenTen pointed to her, Sakura internally cringed.

"Fabulous!" Hinata was drunk.

"Fearless!" Lee joined in.

"Hot!" Kiba laughed pulling Kakashi's eye onto him.

"Altruistic." Neji said.

"Generous." Choji thought.

"Caring." Raiden smiled,

"Encouraging." Carver said,

"Ambitious!" TenTen spilt her drink on her shirt, Sakura smirked.

"You're in a safe place." Kakashi leaned in and told her. Did these people really think all these things about her? Sakura looked from Kakashi to the people around her, she just laughed as she pulled her glass to her lips.

"Sasuke!" Naruto pointed to his friend.

"Strong!" Hinata said,

"Smart?" TenTen guessed,

"Depressed." Kakashi muttered,

"Fuck boy." Sakura answered,

"Daddy." Ino blushed as her drunk mind slushed around her skull.

"Good style!" Lee chuckled.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold the fuck on!" Carver laughed turning to Ino, "We are not going to just blow past that like you didn't just say that!"

"What?" Ino blushed,

"You call him 'Daddy'?" Carver was never going to let her live this down.

"Well-Erm...." Ino laughed.

"I didn't know you to were together!" Naruto felt left out!

"We are not." Sasuke stated, Sakura awkwardly looked away from Ino's hurt expression.

"Why not?" Ino asked,

"Here we go." Kiba muttered taking a long drink of his beer.

"Why are we not together!?" Ino tried to stand.

"Your drunk." Sasuke sighed,

"And you're an ass!"

"That would have been a good word to use." Sakura thought out loud causing Kakashi to smile.

"Sit down Ino." Sasuke did not want to deal with Ino, she was annoying when sober but fucking dreadful when drunk.

"No! You tell me why we cannot be together! You always call me up in the late hours wanting to have sex but why can't you just admit you have feelings for me!?" Ino gushed into the open. Sakura looked around feeling the atmosphere shatter around her. Damn, she thought she killed the mood when she walked into a room, she did not compare to what Ino could do. Sakura was bored now...she looked around wondering if this place had food.

"Because I am in love with someone else!" Sasuke snapped,

"Who-Who!?" Ino shouted as tears filled her eyes. "You said I was special. You said I was the only girl you like to touch-"

"Sakura." Sasuke snapped wanting Ino to just shut up!

"Sak-Sakura!?" Ino breathed turning to the pinette.

"What?" Sakura asked looking up from her cup. What did she do now?

"Your sleeping with Sasuke?!" Ino accused.

"What the fuck?" Sakura laughed, what kind of turn did this party take?!

"What?" Naruto laughed, "Sakura is dating Kakashi she isn't-"

"WHAT!?" The crowd screamed, eyes open and mouth hanging agape Sakura pulled her lips together thinking this party took a weird U-turn right off a cliff. How the hell did they get here?

"Yup." Sakura confirmed.

"Kakashi?" Sakura turned and almost jumped back seeing Guy in tears looking into Kakashi's eye. "How could you not tell me you were in love!?"

"I...ugh..." Kakashi awkwardly laughed,

"Can we-" TenTen called, "-go back to the Sakura dating Kakashi really quick?"

"Yeah." Kiba agreed, "When did this uh...this happen?"

"Does it matter?" Sakura wondered.

"Well erm...kind of?"

"Why?" Sakura asked.

"Because...?" Kiba trailed off waiting for someone to step in and answer this question for him.

"So does anyone like jelly beans?!" Raiden called in his attempt to change the subject.

"Forget that!" TenTen said quickly getting up and moving to sit in between Kakashi and Sakura.

"What-?" Sakura sighed as Kakashi moved over giving TenTen room.

"Have you seen it?"

"Seen what...?" Sakura trailed off,

"His face!" TenTen shouted.

"Oh my God!" Naruto jumped up. "Did you see his face!?" Kakashi sighed as Sakura laughed,

"Uh...yeah, I did."

"You did!?" TenTen jumped, "What does he look like!?"

"Does he have like a big nose or teeth is that why he hides his face?" Naruto added.

"I am sitting right here." Kakashi said.

"Good for you." TenTen said, "Sakura tell us!"

"I am uncomfortable." Sakura muttered.