Stripped Bare

Stripped Bare- Chapter 25

The kitchen was filled with an enticing aroma as Misaki stirred the pot of bubbling curry. Carrots, onions and potatoes were mixed in with the creamy brown sauce and Naruto was practically salivating, whining every two minutes about how long it was taking to cook.

Tora shooed the orange clad pest away as she checked the rice. It was almost done and soon dinner would be served. There wasn't enough room on the bench in the kitchen for everyone to sit, so dinner would be moved to the common room where people could sit on the couches as well as the floor. Sai grabbed plates while Kakashi filled the miss-matched collection of cups with green tea bought especially for the occasion. Aiya and Jitsu were already on the couch as plates, drinks and utensils were brought out. Yamato took the large pot of rice from Tora's hands, lifting it as if it weighed little more than a single serving. The dark haired woman smiled at him gratefully. Carrying it all the way down the hall would have been a struggle. Since nobody trusted Naruto to carry the curry, he was given a package of paper napkins as Kakashi hoisted the curry off the stove and down to the other room.

Once preparations were complete, he disappeared down the hall to go wake Sakura. Although sleep was important, she hadn't been eating as much as she should have and he didn't want her to miss a meal.

He quietly opened the door, letting it swing inward, but what he saw caused his jaw to drop. There was Sasuke, his arm offered as a support to help the pale woman as she stood on wobbly legs.

"Miyabi," Kakashi said with awe, a smile forming beneath his mask. "You're awake!"

"Yes," she replied, looking equally astonished to have woken up back at the club instead of the mansion filled with unspeakable nightmares. "I suppose I am."

Sasuke helped her walk down the hall, although he shot a look over his shoulder at the kunoichi who was still sleeping peacefully. He had wanted to be the one to wake her but it looked like he would have to leave that job to Kakashi.

Miyabi emerged into the hallway and instantly all the chatter in the common room went silent, mouths falling open in amazement to see their friend awake and recovered.

Misaki was the first to speak, jumping up from her seat and practically launching herself at the brunette. The force of the curly haired blonde crashing into her with a desperate hug would have been enough to knock her down if she hadn't been hanging onto Sasuke's hand.

"Miyabi," the smaller girl sobbed. "Miyabi, we were so worried! I was so scared you would never wake up!"

The slender dancer let go of the Uchiha's hand to embrace her crying friend in a tight hug. At that moment, chaos erupted in the room as everyone started talked at once, some rushing towards the recently awakened girl, joining in the mass hug and practically dragging her towards the large gathering.

Kakashi smiled at the sound of laughter and tears as the family that lived in this house was once again made whole. He turned his attention back to Sakura, who was surprisingly still asleep. She had exhausted herself to the point that not even all this commotion could wake her. The Copy Nin was reluctant to disturb her. She looked so peaceful as she slept, beautiful despite her mussed hair and dark circles under her eyes.

He silently knelt next to her, this time unable to keep himself from letting his fingers ghost over her cheek and run affectionately through soft pink bangs. He wished he were living in a world where he could give into his desire to lean down and kiss her, where he could confess his love and have it both accepted and returned by her. He wished he could carry her back to Konoha and walk around hand in hand with her and know there wouldn't be people frowning and shaking their heads behind the couple's backs.

Unfortunately, reality provided none of these luxuries.

He resisted pressing his mask-covered lips to hers and instead put a hand on her shoulder and shook her gently. She was slow to wake, moaning softly before her eyes fluttered open, her emerald gaze still hazy with sleep.

"Hey," he said warmly. "Sorry to wake you, but its time to eat."

He reluctantly withdrew his hand, immediately missing the warmth of her body as he stood. Sakura yawned and stretched her arms overhead, realigning her muscles and bones after sleeping for several hours. She sat up, still slightly groggy, but the sleepiness instantly melted away when her eyes came to rest on the empty bed beside her.

"Where's-"

Kakashi held up a hand, silencing her before she could even finish the question. "She's just fine. She's receiving quite the welcome out in the other room. You should go join them."

A smile slowly spread over Sakura's lips and despite her best efforts, tears formed in her eyes. "She's awake," she sniffled, a little embarrassed that she had once again been reduced to tears, but too overjoyed to dwell on the fact that she seemed to be regressing back into a crybaby.

"Yes, Sakura. You saved her," Kakashi said, extending his hand to help her into a standing position. "You are one hell of a medic."

Relief and happiness washed through the kunoichi as she made her way to the hallway. The scene that met her eyes convinced her that everything she had gone through during this mission, all the hurt and fear and suffering, had been worth it to reunite these girls and free them from the horrible life they had been forced to live. The friendships she had formed and the kinship she felt with them was so strong that she would go through it all again for them if she had to. In all her years as a shinobi, she had never formed bonds like this with those she had helped.

She ran into the middle of the chaos and soon her tears were flowing with the others as she embraced Miyabi fiercely. She was unaware of the way Kakashi watched her, his single dark eye holding a sadness that didn't match the smile beneath his mask.

XXXXX

What had started out as a simple meal quickly escalated into a celebration. It had been months since all the girls had been together like this. Although their future was uncertain with Dajaku no longer around to run the club, a great weight had been lifted now that they were no longer obligated to dance for a living.

Even though there were twelve hungry mouths, there was enough for seconds, or in Naruto's case, thirds. Sakura couldn't remember the club ever being so full of laughter and joy. Chatter continued long after plates had been emptied, and Sakura couldn't help but laugh out loud at Kitsune's shameless advances toward Sai and his clearly perplexed responses. Naruto and Sasuke bickered briefly but Tora intervened with a no nonsense attitude that even Tsunade would have been proud of.

Although it was only for a moment, Sakura was sure she had seen Tora's hand rest lightly on Yamato's thigh, who was sitting next to her; a surprising gesture from the woman who had passionately declared her disgust with men everywhere. A blush painted Yamato's cheeks as he laughed nervously. The kunoichi couldn't help but smile at her former team leader's bashfulness. It appeared he wasn't quite as adept at handling the opposite sex as her sensei.

The thought immediately made her heart sink despite all the cheerfulness around her. She had been hoping to sit next to him, even though she knew such behavior was reminiscent of when she had been younger. Luck was not on her side and she had instead ended up sitting with three people between them, Kitsune to her left and Sasuke to her right, so she could barely even see him unless she leaned into the circle they had created. He did not try to speak to her, instead talking politely to Aiya and Jitsu, who were sitting on his left. She couldn't help but notice the irony of the situation. Before this mission, she would have been ecstatic to sit next to her long time crush, and now that she had the chance, there was someone else who had her heart. She supposed it was true. She really had gotten over the Uchiha. It was a shame that the man who took his place was just as unattainable.

"Hey, Sakura-chan," Naruto spoke up from his seat beside Sasuke. "When do we get to see you dance?"

The orange clad ninja had unfortunately decided to voice this question while she was in the middle of taking a long sip of tea. It was all she could do to keep from spraying the beverage all over those sitting across from her. Instead, she choked down the tea, coughing and sputtering as more liquid made it into her lungs than her stomach.

"Oh that's a wonderful idea!" Kitsune piped up. "You're a fantastic dancer. You should show your friends how good you are!"

Sakura turned to her redheaded friend with a horrified expression, still coughing as Sasuke hesitantly patted her on the back.

"Are you crazy?" the kunoichi wheezed. "I'm not going to get up and dance by myself!"

"Well of course not, dear. I'm sure we'd all be dancing with you, although taking off clothes is optional this time." She gave Sai a wink as she looped her arm around him and pulled him to her abruptly, his face now resting on the plush fullness of her breasts. Fortunately, the mounds were currently covered by a T-shirt as opposed to some of the revealing tops she wore while she performed.

"B-but..." Sakura stammered, unaware that Sasuke's hand still lingered on her shoulder as she tried to think of a way out of her current predicament.

"That sounds fun!" Misaki chimed in from across the circle. "And since we're dancing for your friends, we don't really have to dance like we normally do. We can just have a good time!"

"Yes, it would be nice just to dance for fun," Miyabi added, giving the blonde girl next to her a smile.

"Miyabi, not you too!" Sakura groaned.

"I'm up for it," Jitsu said quietly before looking over at her best friend.

"I may be a little out of practice, but why not?" Aiya replied.

Naruto and Sasuke's eyes bounced from girl to girl as they spoke, and a devious grin formed on the blonde man's lips. "It looks like you're running out of excuses Sakura-chan."

Sakura looked over at Tora for help, but the brunette seemed to be deeply engaged in conversation with Yamato. Kakashi was watching the exchange with a bored expression and didn't seem to care about it one way or another. Sakura supposed she shouldn't be surprised. He had already seen all she had to offer anyway.

"But I thought you girls would want to stop, now that you don't have to dance anymore," the kunoichi said.

Misaki shook her head, pale curls bouncing with the movement. "We all love to dance!"

"We just dislike being made to dance in front of strange and perverted men," Miyabi finished.

"Yeah, well Naruto here is strange and he's definitely a little perverted," Sakura shot back, ignoring the wounded pout and big blue eyes at her comment.

"Oh come on," Aiya persuaded. "He did help save me after all."

At this, Naruto's crestfallen expression was replaced by a beaming smile while Sakura glowered. "He was just completing the mission assigned to him," the kunoichi pointed out sulkily.

"But we should thank them for all their hard work," Kitsune replied, shifting her attention to Sai and playfully dragging a long fingernail across his chest. The artist just stared at her blankly.

"Yeah!" Misaki agreed. "And besides, it will be the last time we can all dance together! Please say you'll do it!"

Now Sakura found herself staring into two sets of hopeful blue eyes. It was like Misaki and Naruto were long lost twins.

"Pleeeeeease?" the curly haired girl begged. Her adorable expression would have put a puppy to shame.

Sakura hung her head in defeat. It appeared she had lost this round. "I can't believe I'm agreeing to this!"

"All right!" Naruto cried enthusiastically as he punched his fist into the air. Misaki giggled at the display while Miyabi stood gracefully and began collecting plates. "I suppose we should get started on the dishes then." she remarked.

Sakura buried her face in her hands and sighed. Sasuke leaned over so he could speak softly and still be heard over the cacophony around them. "Are you really going to dance?"

"I guess so," she replied without lifting her head. She was so preoccupied for the thought of a potentially humiliating dance session that she failed to notice the fact that for once, Sasuke actually sounded rather interested in watching her. She also missed the dark shadow that flickered over Kakashi's face at the sight of Sasuke leaning in to whisper in her ear, hand placed intimately on her back as if it belonged there. Without a word, the silver haired man rose and followed Miyabi into the kitchen, dishes in hand.

XXXXX

Sakura couldn't believe she was actually doing this. She stood in a simple faded sports bra and black shorts since she had already experienced first hand the hazards of pole dancing in sweats. The rest of the girls were dressed similarly except for Tora who offered to run the music instead.

The visiting shinobi were all seated in the middle of the room so they could watch everyone, but of course their seats were closest to Sakura. Sasuke, Naruto and Sai sat on one side of a table and Kakashi and Yamato on the other. Naruto looked almost giddy with anticipation, Sai seemed confused, Sasuke intrigued, Yamato slightly uncomfortable and Kakashi indifferent. Although he had already seen her dance countless times, it was the Copy Nin that Sakura truly wanted to perform for, yet he seemed like there were places he would rather be.

Her brooding was cut short as the club suddenly went dark. A sultry female voice spoke out and Sakura shook her head in the darkness. It seemed Tora was going to add theatrics to this humiliating experience.

"Gentlemen, what you are about to witness is a special performance just for you. Sit back and relax as these lovely ladies entertain you."

A slow beat started to thrum through the mostly empty room. The volume was much softer than when the club was open to the public, but with only a handful of people in the open space, it was perfectly audible. A moment later, the colored lights switched on. It appeared Tora was making this as close to a real performance as possible, except the dancers didn't have to wear ridiculously skimpy clothing or take it off later.

"Woo! Go Sakura!" Naruto cheered and the kunoichi felt her face warm. Although she had done this many times before for a room of hundreds of people, it was somehow harder to dance for five men that she knew personally.

She took a deep breath and reverted to the same strategy that had gotten her through numerous performances. She focused on the music and let the primal beat thrum through her, walking around the pole to the rhythm of the music. Her hips swayed subtly but they were not the same exaggerated movements she had used in the past. The goal here was not to seduce but to simply have fun dancing.

Movement in her periphery told her that the other girls were dancing as well, but her little audience seemed mostly interested watching her...except Yamato, who seemed too embarrassed to look in her direction for long.

Naruto looked like a kid at Christmas, all smiles as Sakura strutted around the pole. Sakura smirked. She usually wasn't one to show off, but she wanted to impress her teammates. They would probably be stronger, faster, more able ninja than she, but she doubted any of them would ever be able to do what she was about to show them.

She climbed the pole easily, having foregone high heels in favor of simple bare feet. Every movement was smooth and graceful as she made her way to the top. Hanging on with her legs, she arched backwards until she could grab the pole again, spine curved in a U-shape.

"Whoa," she heard Naruto murmur in awe and she couldn't help but giggle to herself.

Very carefully, she unhooked one leg and placed her foot on the pole and then the other, putting herself in a position similar to a gymnast's bridge, only parallel to the pole. She pushed off with one foot, letting the leg open up until she was in a split position, and then let the second follow. Moving with smooth, controlled grace, she performed what would have been a back walkover on the ground, but was eight feet in the air. She completed the move, bringing herself upright on the pole again and smoothly slid down back to the floor.

She allowed herself to glance into the audience, wanting to gauge the reaction of one particular spectator. Looking over Sasuke's head, she could see her former sensei, arms crossed over his chest, slouching slightly in his seat as was customary for the man with poor posture. But what made her heart clench was the fact that he wasn't even looking at her. His head was turned to the side, watching Aiya dance. She supposed it made sense since Kakashi had never seen her dance before. After all, it wasn't like he felt anything special for her anyway. All she was to him was a mission partner.

XXXXX

Watching Sakura dance was pure torture. Kakashi had been expecting her to adamantly refuse Naruto's request to see her perform, but to his surprise and dismay, it seemed she would be dancing one more time. He had done his best to school his features into an expression of indifference, both during dinner and now as she danced, and he hoped he was doing a good job so that those around him couldn't see the turbulent expressions that boiled just beneath the surface.

It didn't matter that she wasn't dressed in a provocative little bikini and lacked the glamorous makeup and hairstyle that usually accompanied her performances. Hell, it didn't even matter that she wouldn't be shedding a single piece of clothing. Watching her up on that stage, swaying to the music, laughing and smiling, was no less painful than having a kunai driven through his heart. She was beautiful, so damn beautiful, and he loved every inch of her.

He thought she had been dead in his arms, only to be granted a miracle and watch her awaken. He had shared intimacy with her in a way he had never come close to experiencing with anybody else. She was strong and powerful, smart and courageous, yet had a vulnerable side, and had confessed all her insecurities as he held her tightly in his arms, caressing her soft skin with his lips. Easing inside her glorious body had to be the closest thing to heaven on this side of death, and yet just listening to her heart beat gave him a kind of peace he had never known.

It was terrifying how much he loved this woman, and sickeningly heart wrenching to know he could never have her. He supposed he should use this time to watch her while he could, to enjoy one last dance, but he found that looking at her hurt too much, and so he looked away to another girl who did not have control of his heart.

XXXXX

Sakura completed another graceful spiral down the pole, sinking effortlessly to the floor and playfully blowing a kiss to Kakashi. She was determined not to let her distress show and kept her smile in place, hoping that maybe, just maybe she could communicate to the masked man through movement what she knew she couldn't say with words.

'Look at me!' she thought desperately, as if she could send him the command telepathically. She once again climbed to the top, leaning back and opening her legs up in a perfect split before bending them and swinging them around, using the momentum to descend in another spiral. As she got to her knees, her heart soared as she saw that Kakashi was finally looking at her. She gathered messy pink strands into a pile atop her head with one hand while the other smoothed along the crook on her neck. Green eyes tried to catch his gaze, the emerald orbs all but pleading for him to understand what she was trying to say.

'Please, Kakashi. Don't you see? I love you!'

XXXXX

"Sakura has grown quite skilled," Sai remarked as he watched his pink haired teammate twist her body in ways he previously had thought impossible. "She's actually...what's that word...sexy."

Kakashi silently had to agree as he reluctantly turned his head back to her, unable to look away any longer. She had slid to the floor and was on her knees, her mouth parted in a delectable pout that was oh-so-appealing. Her eyes were burning with an intensity he hadn't seen outside of the bedroom. Her hand smoothed over the place where her neck met her shoulder, and Kakashi could remember all the times he had kissed and suckled the sensitive skin there. Her eyes were twin pools of green fire, her expression hungry, almost desperate for something...someone. For a brief moment, Kakashi's heart leapt at the though that maybe she did care for an old man like him after all, that maybe both of them had been playing this game of hiding their emotions from one another. But then he realized who sat in front of him, who her desperate gaze was obviously directed to.

Sasuke.

Of course she would pick up right where she left off, admiring him as she had done for over a decade now. Kakashi let out a soft, humorous laugh at his own foolishness, although the music easily drowned out the sound. He was a silly old man for dreaming impossible dreams. He couldn't look at her, couldn't stand the sight of that perfect body, that beautiful face, that soft cascade of bubblegum hair. He had to get away, had to wipe Sakura from his mind somehow, even if it was just for a little while.

He abruptly pushed back his chair and stood, walking to the large double doors on the far side of the room. He cracked one open and slipped through into the cool embrace of the night.

XXXXX

Sakura watched Kakashi go, eyes burning as tears formed and yet she stubbornly refused to let them fall. In fact, she smiled more brightly even as her eyes followed Kakashi's path across the room and out the door. Perhaps he hadn't understood her wordless message, or perhaps he had comprehended perfectly and given her an answer of his own. Either way, the result would be the same. If Kakashi wasn't even interested in watching her dance, then his feelings about her romantically were all too clear.

The first song ended, and then another came on. Sakura smiled and went through the motions, trying not to let her friend's see how much Kakashi's departure had upset her. When the second song ended, the lights came up and Tora joined them back out in the audience, sitting next to Yamato. The rest of the girls hopped down from their platforms and began to gather.

"That was so cool!" Naruto exclaimed, jumping up from his chair. "I wanna do that!"

Sasuke gave another exasperated roll of his eyes but didn't say anything. Misaki giggled and held out her hand. "Want me to teach you some stuff?"

"Hell yeah!" the whiskered man exclaimed, and Sakura could only groan as two blonde haired, blue eyed people, laughing like children, climbed up on the nearest platform..

Kitsune had plopped herself in Sai's lap and was purring in his ear. The artist seemed a bit confused by this sudden invasion of his space but conversed with her politely. Sakura could only hope Sai didn't end up calling her "ugly" or some other equally inappropriate name, although knowing the redhead she would probably take an insult like that as a challenge. She already seemed determined to seduce him before they returned to Konoha.

Miyabi came to stand next to her, smiling as she surveyed the scene, and Sakura knew she must be thanking whatever deity was above them that she had been able to return to her friends safely.

"I'm sure your friends must be surprised to see you dance like that," she laughed softly.

"Yes," Sakura admitted, cheeks warming at the thought. Thank goodness they hadn't showed up sooner when she was performing for real. "You wouldn't believe it now, but I was something of a prude before I came here. For them to see me like this...I guess they must be pretty surprised."

The elegant brunette shook her head. "I believe it. This place changes you. You can't afford to be modest or shy and you have to toughen up or you won't survive."

Sakura nodded, having experienced that fact for herself. She only hoped that those days were over for these girls.

She sank down into a chair at one of the round tables and moments later, Aiya and Jitsu sat down in the seats on either side of her. They tittered to each other, occasionally asking Sakura a question as well, but she couldn't help but be distracted, glancing wistfully at the door through which Kakashi had left. She wondered what he was doing right now.

"You're dancing was...you looked...nice."

Sakura looked over in the direction of the soft voice to find Sasuke standing beside her.

"Thank you," she replied absently, turning back to the door. If she hadn't been so preoccupied, she would have realized that not only was the Uchiha giving her a compliment, he actually seemed a little flustered as well. Unfortunately, all she could think about was Kakashi.

"Sakura, do you think that I...I mean, could we-"

The kunoichi never heard the rest of what he said. Her eyes wandered back to the room just in time to catch Kitsune pulling Sai towards the private booths at the far end of the room. While Sai might have been clueless as to her intensions, sketch pad and pen gripped in the hand that the redhead wasn't clinging to, Sakura knew exactly what she had planned. It seemed the lamb was being dragged to the wolf's lair.

She got up from her chair, intending to intercept the couple and save Sai from a certain deflowering, but then she heard Naruto cry in triumph and looked over to find him hanging upside down on the pole in nothing but a hideous pair of orange and green boxers. Misaki was standing next to him, laughing so hard that she was doubled over.

"Naruto, put your clothes back on!" the kunoichi shouted as a vein began to throb on her forehead. She looked to Yamato for help but he was engaged in conversation with Tora, heads together and talking softly. Her eyes darted back to Kitsune just in time to see her close the door to the large booth at the end of the row.

"Shit," Sakura muttered. Sai was on his own now, and he didn't stand a chance against someone with such a voracious sexual appetite.

Naruto continued laughing, sliding down the pole like a fireman and Sakura groaned at the mess things had suddenly become. She walked over to try and convince him to put his clothes back on, leaving behind Sasuke, who never got to finish what he had been trying to say.

XXXXX

It was agreed upon that the group of shinobi would stay another three days so Sakura could monitor Aiya and Miyabi in case an unforeseen side effect of their kidnapping should arise. Yamato sent out a report to Tsunade, updating her on the situation and letting her know they would all be home soon.

Sakura hadn't seen Kakashi return the night he left, but he had been back at the club when she awoke the next morning. He seemed to spend much of his time avoiding her, and Sakura couldn't bear how much it hurt. To distract herself, she tried to occupy her time by talking with everyone else.

She asked Yamato about Tora, but he always side stepped the question, making the kunoichi think he felt more for the brunette than he was willing to let on. All she could get out of Tora was that she thought Yamato might be the first decent man she had ever met. Coming from her, that was quite a compliment.

She had confronted Sai on just what had gone on with Kitsune inside the booth. The artist had simply handed her his sketch book with the reply, "I drew her."

The pink haired woman flipped open to a picture of a very naked Kitsune reclined on the bed. The pictures only got more graphic from there, some of them downright pornographic, every intimate detail of the curvaceous redhead recreated in shades of gray. Sakura had no doubt Kitsune had enjoying posing for each and every one of the portraits.

"She was really a lovely model. Very cooperative," Sai remarked, oblivious of the fact that Sakura's cheeks were becoming redder with every page she turned in his sketchbook.

"I'm sure she was," Sakura muttered. "And what did you two do after you were finished drawing her?"

A dreamy expression formed on Sai's face, but he said nothing, and no amount of persuading from the kunoichi could get him to say otherwise. All he would say was that the experience was very educational.

When she spoke to Kitsune, the redhead gushed about what a turn on it had been to model for him, how his dark eyes had burned her skin as he took in her naked form, staring at every little part of her so intensely. She said it had been one of the most sensual and erotic experiences she had ever had, but when asked about what had happened after that, she had turned coy. Sakura sighed. She supposed she would never know if Sai's virginity was still intact, but judging by the knowing glances the couple often gave each other, the kunoichi assumed that Kitsune had taken in upon herself to make Sai a man.

Naruto and Misaki were often together now, but were never far from Miyabi. Sakura couldn't help but be reminded of two children getting together for a play date with the mother watching over them. Aiya and Jitsu often got involved too, like two sisters that hated to be apart, but it was hard to tell whether they played the parts of children or of adults.

Sakura assisted in cleaning out Dajaku and Tsuranai's rooms. The task had already been started while waiting for the two girls to recover, but there was plenty left to do. Fortunately, there were enough strong shinobi to assist with lifting the heavy furniture so they wouldn't have had to call in Juu. It turned out the large man had been offered a job as a bodyguard, although nobody knew who his employer was. The job was a good match for the former bouncer and janitor. Juu was strong and loyal, but not smart enough to ask questions about whatever shady business his employer was involved in, and if he was to work in Fuzen Machi, suspicious business transactions were guaranteed. Juu had been reluctant to leave, but the girls encouraged him to take the new job. With the club closed, they no longer had a source of income or the money to pay him, and there was no point in having him mop floors that didn't get walked on much anymore.

Silk shirts, cashmere sweaters, diamond rings, teak furniture. The more stuff they found in the bedrooms, the angrier Sakura became at all the wealth that had been hidden within the very same place that the dancers lived, and yet they had all been forced to live in poverty except for the star. The kunoichi consoled herself with the fact that if they were able to sell everything here, there would be plenty of money to allow each girl to start a new life far away from this place.

Working in such close quarters meant a lot of bumping into people, but nobody seemed to mind. What bothered Sakura was that no matter what, Kakashi never seemed to be in the same room as her. She began to wonder if she had done something to make him angry or if the intimacy they had shared had somehow irreparably changed their friendship.

On the other hand, the person she found herself constantly close to was Sasuke. He was always near, although usually aloof. He didn't talk much, but she could feel his eyes on her when she wasn't looking. She took a small amount of pride in the fact that after her little pole dancing performance, the Uchiha probably didn't know how to act around her. She knew she was more feminine now and comfortable with her body in a way she never thought she'd be able to achieve. Maybe Sasuke sensed it too and was unsure how to associate with the woman that had essentially become a stranger. She'd have to find time to assure him that deep down she was still the same old Sakura, but at the moment, she had gold jewelry to sort and heavy furniture to hoist.

The daunting task of cleaning out the rooms took up most of the remaining time the shinobi stayed. By the time they had gotten everything organized and Sakura had finished her last medical exam on both Aiya and Miyabi, she realized her final three days in Fuzen Machi had come to a close.

They were to leave early in the morning, just after dawn, and Sakura spent the night before packing up her belongings and making final preparations for the trip. She hadn't seen Konoha for nearly six months and was eager to go home, but she knew she would miss the friends she had made here dearly. She had promised to write and insisted that each and every one of them keep her updated on what happened to them. She wanted to hear all about the new and glorious lives they had all dreamed of starting.

It was dark now, not that she could tell in the windowless room where she sat. Misaki and Miyabi were both fast asleep, but the kunoichi was restless and unable to relax. She crept silently down the hall and past the common room where Tora and Yamato were on the couch, asleep in each other's arms. Sakura couldn't help but smile at the unlikely pair. She hoped the two of them would continue to keep in contact even after the shinobi went home.

She went downstairs into the dressing room that had been vacated for some time and stood in front of her table, letting her fingers trail lightly over the scarred wooden surface. She had made so many memories here. She remembered the girls doing her hair and makeup, and then gradually learning how to get ready on her own. She had been scared here, embarrassed, heartbroken, but also happy, surrounded by the warmth and laughter of the girls she had sworn to save, and did.

She sat down in the rickety wooden chair and switched on the bulbs that surrounded the mirror. The woman that stared back at her was not the same one that had come here all those months ago. This woman was tougher, smarter, and carried the sensuality Kakashi had always told her had been within here somewhere. She smiled sadly at the thought of the Copy Nin. It was so ironic that everything Kakashi had done to help, served only to hurt her in the end.

The tears came unbidden, but she didn't try and stop them, knowing she was alone for now. She let them flow down her cheeks as silent sobs wracked her body. All the times Sasuke had called her stupid and useless hadn't hurt this bad. Seeing Naruto turn into a strange Kyuubi hybrid hadn't frightened her this much.

She cross her arms on top of the table's wooden surface and rested her head atop them. She knew the biggest reason she didn't want to go back to Konoha. As much as she loved the girls here, it wasn't because of them. Once she was back in Konoha, Kakashi would disappear from her life. Things would go back to the way they used to be where she hardly ever saw him. He would become a stranger despite all they had shared, and the thought tore Sakura apart.

She raised her head, grimacing at her tear-streaked reflection. She was a mess.

She was about to stand when her eyes fell to the small brass knobs the adorned the drawers of her dressing table. she pulled one open, finding all her makeup, just as she had left it. It wasn't a large collection of cosmetics, but still contained more than just the basics. Although she doubted she would hardly use them back in Konoha, it wouldn't hurt for her to take them with her. There was nothing wrong with wanting to be pretty once in a while. Perhaps she would even wear light makeup at the hospital every now and then.

Hair products were in the next drawer, and once again, Sakura decided to take them with her even though they probably wouldn't get much use.

Her fingers wandered to the last drawer, and pulled it open, finding all or her costumes neatly folded. Every costume held a different memory. The hideous pink one marked her first night of dancing. She had been terrified, but had suffered through it. The other equally pink one with detachable rings that marked the only night she had stripped completely for the crowd. But the more she looked over the costumes, the more she realized they all reminded her of one particular man.

The sparkly red one that she had wore the night she gave him that rather steamy lap dance.

The black and orange one she hard worn the night she showed up to his motel.

The silver and white one that Kakashi had peeled off of her the night he had taken her in the bathroom of the club.

Memories of the way he had touched her while wearing various outfits played over in her mind. The purple one...the black one...all of them reminded her of Kakashi. She picked up the red bikini top, fingering the silky material thoughtfully. Such little outfits would be easy to carry and wouldn't take up much room in her pack. Konoha stores certainly didn't sell anything like these. Her village was much more conservative than the famed city of sin. She knew she would never wear them again, so it was foolish to take them, but though Sakura had never been overly sentimental, she found herself unable to part with all the naughty little outfits in the drawer.

She stood slowly, wiping away the remnants of her tears with the back of her hand. Turning on her heel, the kunoichi headed back upstairs to grab her pack since she had too many items to carry upstairs without it. She couldn't help but smile at the thought that the backpack used for survival would soon become a portable stripper kit. She just hoped Naruto didn't get nosy and go through her pack looking for extra food or something. If he made it known just what she was carrying around with her, she would personally see to it that he made it back to Konoha as a corpse.

XXXXX

Sakura had been so engrossed in what she was doing that she hadn't noticed Sasuke standing in the doorway. He said nothing, simply watching her silently as she examined the contents of her dressing table drawers.

Seeing her dance earlier that evening had been unlike anything he had ever seen. She was sexy, beautiful, skilled, all the things he desired in a woman but had never seen in her before. He tried to imagine her dancing in a real show at the club, turning on her newly acquired sex appeal full blast. She hadn't taken off her clothes tonight, but he found himself wanting very badly to see what she had kept concealed, wanted touch that skin that was suddenly so alluring and see just how wild she had become. He wanted to be the focus of the sultry green gaze, and could only imagine what it would be like to have her on his lap, asking her to show him the other skills she had learned while she was here.

Sasuke had never been one to fall prey to lust, but now he realized he wanted her badly. Perhaps he had finally found the woman he wanted to revive his clan with, and had never felt so eager to start the task, imagining how he would make her his, and work on reviving the clan every night, in every position he could think of. He would take her hard and fast, then torturously slow. He would hold her down and make her moan, and then let her be on top and command that she work her body against his to his liking.

The Uchiha knew his goal was attainable. She had loved him since they were children after all, although he had found her adoration to be nothing but an annoyance. He expected all he had to do was say the word and she would come to him, hardly believing her dreams were coming true. However, Sasuke was not so naive as to think sexual prowess was all that Sakura had gained while away from Konoha.

He had seen the way her eyes had followed Kakashi as he left the room and the crestfallen look that had appeared on her fact for only a second before she composed herself. She cared for him deeply, maybe even loved him, and he was fairly certain Kakashi felt the same way, but neither seemed to know how the other felt. If Sasuke had his way, they never would.

The dark haired man watched her push her chair back and stand, his eyes tracking her every movement as she made her way back up the stairs. When they all got back to Konoha, he would make his move.

XXXXX

Morning came far too soon and half an hour after dawn, Sakura and her shinobi friends were gathered downstairs and ready to depart. The girls had gotten up to see them off, Misaki yawning and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Sakura had to admit that this was the earliest she had ever seen the blonde awake.

The kunoichi hadn't been prepared for the tears that came when it was truly time to say goodbye. These girls had been her family for nearly half a year and had become so much a part of her life, that she didn't know what she would do without them.

They all stood in a line, radiant and beautiful as ever even in their pajamas, and Sakura hugged each one fiercely in turn. Her male companions gave her the time she needed, understanding that this had become much more than just a mission to the pink haired woman.

"We have something for you," Jitsu announced softly. "We found this in Tsurenai's room, but we want you to have it."

The brown haired girl stepped forward, offering something small and glimmering in the palm of her hand.

"It could never really convey how grateful we are to you, honey, but we hope you'll accept it anyway," Tora said.

Sakura gently lifted the object out of Jitsu's hand, discovering that it was a pendent that hung on a thin gold chain. The pendant was the size of a large coin and round in shape, but what really caught her eye was that inside the glass, was a sakura flower, perfectly pressed and immortalized, it's petals still the same delicate pink as the day it bloomed on the tree.

"It reminded us of you," Miyabi said as Sakura marveled at the necklace. "We couldn't imagine it belonging to anyone else."

"It's beautiful," the kunoichi breathed. Indeed, it had taken some skill to create such a piece. The craftsman's ship was excellent and she suspected the chain was real gold. She had a feeling the necklace would be worth quite a bit of money. "I love it, I really do...but wouldn't it be better to sell it and use the money to get out of this place? You've paid us in full for the mission and that's enough for us."

Misaki shook her head, sending her blonde curls bouncing. "No way! We have plenty of other stuff to sell. Besides, nobody else would look as pretty wearing it as you!"

"We want you to have it," Kitsune said gently. "Even if you don't wear it much, we hope that you'll look at it from time to time and think of us."

"Y-you guys..." Sakura stammered, her tears one again flowing and choking her speech as she was overwhelmed by their kindness. An unspoken signal caused all the dancers to surround her, enveloping her in a group hug. Resounding sniffles proved that Sakura wasn't the only one who had started to cry.

Kakashi watched his former student cling desperately to the other girls.. His heart was filled with both pride and envy as he watched her. She had made so many close friends so quickly and it was obvious how much the dancers had come to love her. Kakashi could count on one hand the friends he had made like that, and yet Sakura had formed such strong bonds so easily. He supposed he could see why. She was easy to love, charismatic, compassionate, yet possessed a great inner strength. She would probably go on to make many more friends like the ones here. A part of Kakashi longed to do the same, but at the same time, he knew the pain that came with loosing a friend like that. That was why he preferred to make fewer friends and never let them get too close. But in another world, another time and place where he was not a shinobi that had to watch his comrades die, it would be wonderful to always be surrounded by the smiling warmth of friends.

It would be easy for her to forget all about him once they were back home. Patients at the hospital and the friends she had missed would fill the void he left, assuming she felt an emptiness without him at all. He wished he too had something besides his books that would make the pink haired beauty easier to forget.

Gradually, the mass of around Sakura broke apart and the kunoichi did her best to dry her eyes.

"Thank you," Sakura said, clutching the necklace to her chest. "I'll always think of you all every time I look at this."

She placed it inside her pack, wrapping it up in several of her bikini tops to protect it. Fortunately, nobody could see inside and realize she was taking home all of her outfits. As she worked, her had brushed against something cold and metallic. She realized it was her hitai-ate, the forehead protector with her village's emblem. She had put it in her pack all those months ago and hadn't been able to wear it while undercover. Sakura pulled it out and ran her fingers over its cool surface putting it on, tying the knot under the large bun that would keep her hair out of the way for the journey home. It was a symbolic gesture, one more step that showed she was leaving this world behind and returning to her old life, the shinobi life, the life without Kakashi.

"Promise you'll all write me," she pleaded as she shouldered her pack and gave each girl yet another hug. "Don't forget about me!"

"We could never forget you," Miyabi said. "Not after all you've done for us."

"We'll all write you every month, honey. I'll see to it," Tora said.

Sakura didn't ask what would happen when all the girls broke up and went in different directions to start their new lives. The club was the only thing that held them all together, and now that it was gone, it was inevitable that they drift apart. She just hoped that no matter how far they all traveled, they would all stay in touch.

"You're sure you won't come back to Konoha with us?" Sakura asked one more time. She had told the girls they were all more than welcome to make her village their new home.

Kitsune shook her head. "Maybe someday, but we have to finish up here first. It would be easy to leave this all behind but frankly, I want to sell all of Dajaku's stuff and get a little cash!"

They all laughed at that.

"Although," the redhead purred, her eyes falling on Sai once more. "It would be nice to visit once in a while."

The artist offered her a smile that didn't seem as fake as usual and the brazen woman walked over, grabbed his hair and hauled him into a kiss that was a little too graphic for public viewing.

Tora shook her head at her friend's shamelessness, but offered Yamato a smile of her own and allowed him to embrace her in a gentle hug. Sakura saw real potential between them and sincerely hoped that one day, Tora would come to Konoha so their relationship could have a chance. Naruto caught Misaki in a bear hug that made her squeal with laughter while Sasuke curtly nodded towards several of the girls in farewell.

Kakashi was going to settle for simple handshakes with Aiya and Jitsu but they both exchanged mischievous glances before tackling in a fierce hug from either side. Although his trademark mask was in place, the blush that crept over the bridge of his nose betrayed his embarrassment.

"Take care of Sakura," Jitsu said softly and the Copy nin could only nod as a weight settled in his chest. He wanted nothing more than to take care of the cherry blossom for the rest of his life. He only wished it were possible.

Goodbyes finally coming to an end, the shinobi walked through the double doors into the sooty morning air of Fuzen Machi. The dancers wished them luck on their journey, waving at them as they walked down the street until they disappeared around the corner and were gone.

XXXXX

Can you believe I've been working on this story for nearly two years? It's almost done, I promise! The next chapter will be the last. Unfortunately, I haven't even started the final chapter yet and don't know when I will have the chance. I am graduating college this semester and have to figure out what I'm going to do with my life. I sort of need a job and a place to live so there's not much time for writing. I feel I owe it to all of you to conclude this story, so I will...eventually. I just don't know when.