Shattered Dreams

Notice: Slight mention of sexual related matters in this chapter but for once I was goood nothing graphic. XD

R and R would be much appreciated!

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Awaking refreshed the next morning, Kakashi looked down and sighed contentdly as he leaned down to kiss the pink haired woman sleeping happily in his arms before slipping out of bed. Grabbing a clean set of clothes he made his way into the bathroom to take a short but relaxing shower. After finishing his shower, he stepped out his hair still dripping wet as he pulled on his uniform, and ran his fingers through his hair untangling it somewhat as he entered the bedroom once again, rubbing the towel over his hair to dry it to it usual fluffy and unruly state.

“Morning lazy.” He said resting the towel around his neck as he looked over at Sakura who was now sat up in bed, the blankets tangled around her, as she rubbed her eyes and yawned.

“Konoha’s laziest man has the cheek to call me lazy?!” she spluttered as she looked over at him. “Why are you up and dressed? It’s still early.”

“I have something I need to do.” He said looking at her fondly, removing the towel from his neck and tossing it in the wash pile.

“Going to the memorial?” She asked attempting to stifle a yawn again.

“Yeah.”

“Want me to fill out your mission report?” She asked smiling at him.

“Would you?”

“Yeah, well I know how useless you are at them so I think I better don’t you? Althought it would be the first time you’ve handed one in on time and it had more than six lines.” She grinned.

“You’ve got a cheek Haruno.” He said moving towards her and kissing her lightly on the forehead.

“Yeah well so do you Hatake, waking me up like that last night.” She grumbled, burying her face in his jacket for a second.

“Oh come on, it was worth it and you loved it. You know you did.” He said with a smirk.

“I love you, I know that much.” She murmured, grabbing his jumper sleeve and pulling him down to meet her lips as she kissed him softly.

“I love you to.” He whispered as he ran his thumb over her cheek for a second before standing slowly back up.

She looked at him astonished for a second, hardly daring to believe he’d actually said it while sober! So he hadn’t just declared his love in a drunken moment, or to get what he wanted from her, he meant it! He hadn’t been completely drunk when he’d told everyone they were together last night but still it was nice to hear it in the cold light of day. She gave him a sleepy grin and crashed back down on to the pillows.

“Going back to sleep?” Kakashi asked as he watched her snuggle down into his pillow, and bury her face into it.

“No. I’m getting up I swear, I’m just a little tired for some unknown reason.” She replied sarcastically, raising her head again.

“Hmm, I can give you a reminder if you like.” He said, his voice soft and low as he looked back at her.

“Get lost! Don’t start with me when I haven’t even had a coffee yet.” She grunted in annoyance.

“You’re so grumpy in the mornings. Are you sure there’s enough coffee in the world to make you nice again?” He asked teasingly dodging out of the way and disappearing out of the window with a loud chuckle as a pillow came flying for his head.

Lying back for a second Sakura took in the scent of Kakashi that lingered on his pillow, inhaling his masculine scent that was uniquely him she breathed it in deeply before she picked herself up and got out of bed with a stretch. She made her way slowly into the bathroom. Turning on the hot water she stepped under the relaxing spray and allowed herself to be soaked from head to toe as she ducked her head into the steamy caress of the soft pressure of the water. After showering, she dried her hair as much as she could with the towel and then brushed out her hair and tied her hitae-ate over it to keep it out of her way. She dressed in her own clothes in preparation for the things she knew she’d end up having to deal with today and she had no intentions of being caught wearing any of Kakashi’s clothing as she went about these tasks. Sighing, she made her way downstairs to the kitchen and towards the kettle.

She flipped the kettle on and waited for the water to boil with another yawn. ‘God damn it Kakashi, you need to learn to control yourself.’ She thought as the water bubbled with the heat. ‘Cha! Like your complaining.’ Her subconscious smirked at her. ‘Oh stuff off.’ She muttered to herself as she picked up the now boiled kettle and poured the hot water into the mug in front of her. Reaching into the fridge she grabbed the milk carton out, she poured some into her coffee and replaced the carton before picking up her coffee and heading into the front room. After putting her coffee down on the coffee table she sat down and reached into her pack, pulling out a mission report sheet and a black biro, she began to fill it out, sipping her coffee as she did so.

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Kakashi made his way slowly to the clearing that contained the memorial stone. Reaching it he looked down at the names of to many of his loved ones and friends. He ran his fingers over Obito’s name. Rin’s, his father’s, and Minato’s followed, as his eye flicked over the stone in front of him marked with the names of too many lost, loved ones.

“Well I’ve gone and done something pretty stupid.” He sighed. “And I have a feeling it’s all going to blow up in my face, possibly even as early as today, and end up hurting the one person I have left who I actually love, and I don’t know what the hell I’m gonna do about it.” He said as he knelt in front of the stone and placed a hand on the top of it, closing his eyes, willing some kind of idea to come to mind that would prevent Sakura being hurt as his intuition told him somehow she would be. Nothing came to mind however, well except running away together but he couldn’t leave the village he loved, the village he’d serve with his last breath, behind and he couldn’t ask to do so either. Everyone Sakura loved was here and he couldn’t, hell wouldn’t take that away from her.

He had a sense of foreboding since he’d woken up and it just wouldn’t shift, no matter how hard her tried to ignore it, his mind just kept coming back to the today being the day they’d have to face the Hokage and the rest of the village and declare their relationship.

“If only you were here Obito. I bet you’d know what to do.” He stood up then, just staring down at the stone lost in thought, unmoving for a long time, his mind played over everything that could possibly happen today and some of them, heck most of them weren’t good at all.

His main thoughts weren’t about him though, he was as always, thinking only of Sakura. He couldn’t bear to see that look of despair in her eyes again if she lost the one she loved, even if he wasn’t going anywhere if they were forced apart it would be as good as him leaving her. It would kill him to lose her, but it was her he couldn’t bear to think about should all this go wrong. He’d never leave her, especially not now he’d realised his true feelings for her and he’d admitted it to others, but he had a feeling that others might try to keep them apart, and wouldn’t be so accepting of the relationship as their team mates and friends had been.

“What should I do?” He asked no one in particular. “Tell me what I should do, tell me how to make it right.” Sighing he turned his attention back to the silent stone in front of him, as the silence once again surrounded him and no answers to his predicament were forth coming.

Maybe they would have to stay apart for a while to prove their love for each other. He knew if that was what it took to prove his devotion to her then he’d do it without hesitation but he had a feeling she wouldn’t be able to cope with it, and that scared him more than anything. That she might think he could forgot her or get over her just like that, that’s what hurt him. Being without her would be torture, but he would endure it, he’d endure anything he had to, to be with her in the end.

“Oh god, please don’t do that to her again. She couldn’t deal with it a second time, don’t take me away from her.” He groaned raising his face to the sky.

As he looked upwards the storm that had been brewing since he woke up that morning broke and the thunder rolled boomed across the sky as the rain began to fall. Kakashi took one last look at Obito’s name, hoping against hope that maybe, just maybe, things would be ok before taking off and heading for home, at a fast pace but deciding against just using his body flicker technique. He wanted to feel the rain fall on his face, to remind him of how alive he felt around Sakura, how she was the one thing in his life that made him feel complete for the first time in his tragic life.

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As Sakura finished her filling in her report and went to move on to do Kakashi’s, a voice yelled from outside, disrupting her train of thought.

“Oi! Forehead! I know you’re in there!” Ino’s voice yelled.

Sakura couldn’t help but giggle at her best friends use of the old nickname. Leaning out of the front room window she laughed and yelled back.

“Stop yelling Ino-pig! What do you want?”

“Well I wanna know if you’re gonna let me in for a start.” Ino said looking at her long time friend and laughing back.

“Hmm, nope not today thank you.” Sakura said pulling back and closing the window behind her.

“Forehead...” Ino growled, looking at the front door.

“Come on in pig.” Sakura said swinging the door open with a chuckle and stepping back against the wall, to allow Ino in.

“No need to ask if it’s true then.” Ino said with a sly grin and entering the house and flopping down on the sofa.

“I guess not. Make your self at home by the way.” Sakura said sarcastically waving a hand at the sofa with a small shake of her head.

“So, come on forehead spill! What the hell is going on? When did this start? Did you sleep with him yet? I wanna know everything!” She screeched out in excitement.

“First of all, who told you?” She asked grinning at the way her friend could ask a million questions in just one single breath and still have the air in her lungs to ask a million more.

“Genma.” She replied with a knowing smirk.

“Of course.” Sakura said with a roll of her eyes. “I should have known. That man is as bad a gossip as you!” She joked, jostling her friend.

“Yeah well, he may be a gossip but he sure got it right didn’t he?” Ino responded, the smirk still having not left her face yet.

“Yeah, your right. He did.” Sakura replied flopping down on the sofa next to her.

Ino slipped off her sandals and sat cross legged on the sofa facing Sakura. She looked her over, deciding whether she gave the couple her blessing and what had happened to cause this shift in their relationship. As she glanced at her friend, she took in every last detail. She looked happy, happier than she’d ever seen her, healthy, in fact she was glowing! This caused Ino to think of something that could be causing her to glow like that but immediately dismissed that thought, it was far to soon for that which left just one thing that could cause her to glow.

“Sakura.” She said looking her in the eye.

“Hmm?” Sakura asked lifting her face to her friends.

“You’re glowing. Love looks good on you.” Ino grinned broadly.

Sakura blushed then grinned back. “Thanks Ino, it feels good to.”

“So come on dish. What have you been up to? I mean he’s only been back in the village a day which means you’ve only been together four days at most and Genma tells me Kakashi’s already declared his love for you in the middle of the pub for crying out loud! And that you responded as well!”

“Yeah.” The pink haired kunoichi said turning her face away and blushing deeper.

“So tell me did you do it yet?!” Ino asked excitedly grabbing Sakura’s hands and pulling her back around to face her.

“Ino… I…” She stuttered.

“That’s a hell yes then. Stop avoiding me and give me the details.”

“Ino, no offence but I’d rather not have the entire village know about sex lives thanks.”

“Forehead!” Ino growled a little poking her friend on said forehead. “This is just between us, just a best friend thing I swear. Sheesh you really think that little of me?”

“No. It’s not that it’s just I… The whole village is gonna know today now and… and I’ll have to face shisou!”

“Sakura, don’t get disheartened. Ok things might go wrong at first but it’ll be ok in the end. You know I won’t let you give up on this, not when he seems to be so good for you.”

“Thanks Ino.” Sakura said looking back and grinning through her watery eyes.

“No problem, now then what does he look like without that damn mask?!” Ino asked excitedly.

“Gorgeous!” Sakura shrieked giggling. “He’s got the best looking face of any guy I’ve ever seen. He has the softest skin, and the most kissable lips, a perfect strong jawline and oh I don’t know I cant describe it he’s just so sexy!”

“Oh really? And what about the rest of him huh? Is his body as good as his face?”

“Yes! He has an amazing body! Perfectly sculpted abs and pecs, strong, well muscled legs, tight firm ass, and he has, he has…” She trailed off turning her face away in her embarrassment.

“Sakura!” Ino screeched as her friend turned away from her. “He’s got a what?! Come on he has….?” She asked grasping Sakura and turning her back to face her looking at her in earnest.

“Yes Sakura, what do I have?” a smooth, deep, masculine voice teased as he brought his face down to the two young women’s level causing them both to jump and scream. He took a step back and watched the deep crimson blush spreading over both their faces.

“Kakashi! I…You… You’re back! I... I wasn’t expecting you!” Sakura squeaked.

“Clearly.” He drawled in a lazy voice as he raised an eyebrow in mock indignation and folded his arms across his chest, all the time a big grin hidden under his mask. He decided to play a game with the two friends and see how far he could push them before they either figured out he was joking or he laughed and gave the game away. “So what is it I have that’s so fascinating to you both?”

Even Ino was struck speechless as to what to say. How could they admit they’d just been about to talk about his manhood?! One look at the copy nin’s apparent anger over their conversation and his insistence to know about their topic of conversation had her worrying as to her friends safety. ‘Oh god should I really be leaving Sakura with this man?!’ She wondered as she stared at him fearfully.

“Kakashi… I… We…” Sakura spoke as she tried to stop the tears form forming in her ears and spilling down her cheeks. “I’m sorry! Please don’t hate me!”

Kakashi sighed, apparently he was a better actor than even he realised. ‘Well you did it again Kakashi you managed to make her cry. Apparently it’s just as she keeps saying, you’re not as funny as you thought after all.’ He thought ashe moved forward slowly and cupped her face in his hand, gently pulling her up to meet his face.

“Sakura, I was kidding.” He said with an eye crease. “You know I wouldn’t be angry, just make sure you tell her the truth...” He said leaning down and breathing in her ear. “…about how big I am.” Winking at her as he said it he pulled back a little to look at her.

“Pervert!” She yelled her blush spreading over her entire body as she reached out to slap him across the face, he caught her hand in his and chuckled at her consternation.

Ino looked on in embarrassed silence, a tint of pink still staining her cheeks at the Copy Nin’s devious comment, she quickly recovered though as a devious idea of her own came to mind. Turning to Sakura and grinning, she looked at her friend and asked the question she was dying to know the answer to.

“So is he really that big then?” She asked smirking at the gasp that escaped Sakura’s lips and the curious expression that stole over said mans face as they both awaited the answer from the shy, pink haired woman in front of them.

“Yes.” She whispered inaudibly as she looked steadfastly at the ground avoiding both the gazes directed at her, as her face turned an impossible shade of purple in her utter embarrassment.

A rumble erupted from Kakashi’s chest as his lithe, lean body leaned down to Sakura’s face again and kissed her on the cheek. Picking up Sakura’s copy of the mission report she’d filled out he stood up and began to look it over quickly. Ino sat there once again open mouthed in shock. Did her best friend really just admit that she had seen her sensei fully naked and that he had a big one?! She sneaked a look at her friends boyfriend and he looked back at her with an impassive stare before winking at her and bending over to pick up the second mission report and Sakura’s pen, once again causing a faint pink tint to dust her cheeks as she thought on what Sakura had just admitted to. She was sure for definite now that Sakura was finally no longer a virgin.

“Well if you ladies will excuse me I have a mission report to fill out. Try not to divulge to many secrets about me Sakura.” He smirked as he made his way up to his bedroom and shut the door behind him.

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Sakura stood up as Ino began to come round from her shock and walked up the stairs, to the bedroom door. She knocked softly and waited for an answer.

“Hmmm?” Kakashi’s voice called out through the door.

Sakura opened the door slowly and looked at Kakashi as he lay on the bed, knees bent and the papers he was working on resting over his thighs. He looked up at the quiet woman stood in the doorway watching him.

“Something wrong Sakura?” He asked his eyes gliding over her trying to sense what was going on.

“No, I just… Well I said I’d do that.” She pouted, pointing to the mission report he was currently filling out.

“Mmm, I know, but since you’re busy I’ll do it.” He replied pulling his mask down and looking back at her. “Don’t pout like that Sakura, you know what it does to me. I don’t think Ino would appreciate it if I took you while she was downstairs now do you?” He drawled, his voice oozing seduction as he licked his lips.

Ino recovered her composure and screeched her laughter at his comment that had floated downstairs, since he had clearly made sure not to keep his voice down while he said it. Sakura drew in a gasp of breath.

“Kakashi!” She hissed, flushing and staring back at him.

Kakashi chuckled at the sweet innocence shining in her eyes and the clear indignation written across the rest of her face. “Don’t worry I’ll put my head phones on and you two can continue you’re little talk about my body and my sexual prowess.”

“Kakashi!!” She groaned as he directed a roguish grin at her.

“Do I embarrass you Sakura?” He asked, a serious expression stealing over his face.

“Sometimes.” She answered quietly and honestly.

“Why do you love me if I embarrass you so?” He enquired, putting his paperwork down and looking at her intently, holding his hand out to her.

She pushed herself away from the doorway and walked over to him, taking his hand as he lowered his legs and pulled her to sit on his lap, she sat with her face inches from his.

“Because you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, you give me everything I’ve ever wanted in a lover and a best friend. You’re soft and caring when I need it, strong and protective when I’m weak. You’ve always been there for me, any time I was upset or needed you, there you were right by my side. When I was younger and upset about Sasuke or cried over him, or anything else, you were there, reassuring me, comforting me. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted in a man. Well except the time you disappeared for two years anyway. I needed you then and were where you huh? Asleep in some cave!”

Kakashi chuckled at that and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and resting his head in her hair as he whispered to her.

“Do you still think of Sasuke?” He asked sadly holding her tightly to him so she wouldn’t see his face.

“No, at least not in the way you’re asking about. He’s a friend, I haven’t been in love with him for almost two years now. Only you.”

“Good.” He sighed contented. “Sakura? I’ve been meaning to ask you something since yesterday and I never got a chance.”

“What is it?” She whispered her face currently buried in the crook of his neck.

“That day when I found you on the bench, before I went away… What was wrong? Why were you so upset?” He asked her pulling her away in order to see her face as she answered him.

“I well… I…” She mumbled unsure even after everything they’d been through how to tell him.

“It wasn’t Sasuke like I thought it was, was it?”

“No. It was you.” She said smiling sweetly.

“Good I’m glad.” He said kissing her neck softly. “I wondered why you were so nervous round me when I brought you back here and that was it wasn’t it?”

“Yes.” She said quietly, before thinking of something that had been bugging her. “Kakashi?”

“Hmm?”

“Where you thinking of me at all? I swear you watched me walk away and I know you were outside my house that night. I sensed you.” She said blushing again.

Kakashi sighed and looked at her before giving his answer. “Yes, I was watching you and yes, I was outside your house that night. It was a complete accident I swear. But I ended up going there because I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. I was… pre-occupied.” He finished with an awkward glance at her.

“Thinking of me?” She teased, her hands tickling his sides.

“Sakura, don’t. I’m ticklish.” He grumbled as he squirmed under her. “But yes, I was thinking of you.” He looked at her, for once slightly embarrassed but not blushing.

“You old pervert!” She giggled attempting to tickle him some more.

“Sakura don’t, and I’m not old!” He growled grumpily.

“Aww, I was kidding! Don’t be such a grump!” She sulked, looking at him with a pout.

“Don’t pout Sakura, you’re much to pretty to sulk like a petulant child.” He said his thumb rubbing over her lips as he did so. “I just don’t like the way you say it. It makes me feel like some kind of paedophile or something.” He sighed averting his gaze from hers.

“But you weren’t!” She shrieked, looking at him completely shocked. “I wanted you and I was old enough. I was over sixteen for crying out loud!”

“Maybe so but that’s not the way others will see it if they found out, I’m sure.”

“Well stuff them! It’s none of their business, I was old enough and I was the one flirting with you!”

“Hmm, well that’s true.” He said kissing her neck again as he drew her closer. “You should go back downstairs. Ino will be waiting for you.”

“Yeah I know. She’s gonna ask all kinds of embarrassing questions though.” She said with a slight grin.

“Your not going shy on me now, are you Sakura? I thought you’d be ecstatic to relive my sexual prowess to your friends and make them jealous with stories of our love making.” He said grinning at her with a mischievous twinkle in his uncovered eye.

“Oh but that’s exactly what I was doing then you walked through the door and interrupted us!” She giggled.

“Ah so I did.” He chuckled as he tickled her side.

“Forehead! Are you two doing it up there?!” Ino called up from the foot of the stairs.

“Ino-pig! Don’t be so crude! And no we are not!” Sakura called back in a fluster.

“But that can easily be changed!” Kakashi yelled nibbling on Sakura’s earlobe as Ino shrieked out her mirth once again.

“Come on forehead! Instead of doing it with him, come down here and tell me just how good he is at it!” She joked.

Sakura smirked at her friends obnoxious manner and turned back to face Kakashi, giving him a soft kiss on the lips before moving to get up from his lap. Kakashi pulled her back down to him. He sighed softly as his arms wound back around her waist and he pressed his face to hers as their lips met. He kissed her hungrily, running his tongue over her delicately parted lips before moving his lips to her neck and nipping her soft flesh. Sakura arched her neck back and gave out a soft moan as he sucked lightly on the abused flesh.

Pulling away he looked back into her eyes and whispered to her. “You better go.”

“Hmm…” She moaned sadly.

“I’ll be here when you two are done talking don’t worry.” He chuckled, squeezing her hip gently before helping her off the bed. “I’ve got work to do, you better leave before I do decide to take you again.” He smirked.

“Pervert!” She hissed gently as she grinned at him and shut the door behind her, before running down the stairs at full speed and crashing into Ino at the bottom.

“Forehead! How you ever became a ninja with your clumsy feet I’ll never know.” She laughed as the two women pulled them selves up from the floor and moved into the front room once more.

“Shut up pig.” She chuckled bumping her hip against Ino’s and causing Ino to fall onto the sofa, as she had nothing to still her self on. “Apparently you’re not any better!” She squawked staring at her.

Ino chuckled loudly and composed herself into a more comfortable position. “So come on then now he’s not here anymore, is he really that big?” Ino asked anxious to continue their conversation from earlier.

“Yes!” Sakura squeaked and the two girls fell about laughing loudly.

“You’re so lucky. You have an older, far more experienced man, who by all accounts is in love with you and he’s one of the hottest shinobi in the village! Not to mention the most mysterious! Tell me everything!” She said a dreamy look stealing across her eager face as she wished she could find herself someone to care for her like that.

“He’s just… He’s the most perfect man that ever lived!” She shrieked with laughter as Ino gave her a gentle shove.

“Well of course he is or you wouldn’t have ended up with him! But come on what’s he like in bed? Does he like kinky stuff? Does he like to dominate you? I need to know!”

“Well he hasn’t done anything kinky so no I don’t think he’s like some hidden kinky pervert…”

“No he’s just your average porn reading in public pervert!” Ino laughed loudly.

“Ino!” Sakura yelled with a chuckle.

“Oh come on its true!” She laughed loudly as he friend sighed resignedly.

“Well ok there is that. But he’s not just about that, he’s always been there for me. Even though we never saw much of each other when I was training with shisou, Sasuke was gone and Naruto was off with Jiraiya, and I had you and the others I know that, but just knowing that Kakashi was still around, he’d be there if I needed him, made up for not actually being around him. He’s still like that, he’ll be there whenever I need him, no matter what happens and well… he’s damn good in bed! I have nothing to compare it to, I know but well come on we’ve all heard the stories! He’s supposed to be some kind of god in the bedroom and I have to say I’m inclined to agree!” Sakura said blushing tomato red but keeping her eyes locked with Ino’s and refusing to look away.

“Damn! You’re so lucky, all those stories Genma told me about him makes me sooo jealous! Maybe I should try to bag Genma, what do you think?” Ino mused as she giggled at her pink haired friend.

“Well I have no doubt he’d be good in bed, and if anyone could get his attention it’d be you Ino.” Sakura whispered quietly a sad look creeping over her face.

“Forehead.” Ino growled looking straight at her and raising her head to meet her eyes. “You’re not ugly, as much as I hate to admit it you’re prettier than me in some ways. If you tell anyone I said that I might just have to kill you, but come on you managed to catch the eye of the Great Kakashi Hatake for crying out loud! Think of all the beautiful women he’s been with before and you’re the one he loves, the one he wants to be with. Plus according to Genma he can’t keep his hands off you! So what does that tell you? Huh?”

“I know it’s just sometimes I wonder what does he see in me?” She cried exasperated.

“Look, I’m gorgeous I know this, I’m not going to be modest about it but I’m gorgeous in a normal way. You, on the other hand, you are exotic. Everybody says it, long pale pink hair, perfect ivory skin, with not a scar to mar it, piercing bright green eyes, a perfectly muscled body without being like too muscled … Any man would be lucky to have you and everyone knows it. Now remember I never said that or I will have to kill you.”

“Ino, do you swing the other way now or something? Cause I hate to tell you this but I only have eyes for men, well one man actually, Kakashi.” Sakura said giggling madly at the irate glare her blonde friend shot at her.

“Sakura! I think his perverted tendencies are rubbing off on you already!” She yelled reaching for a cushion and pelting Sakura around the head with it good naturedly.

Sakura grabbed a cushion of her own and swiped at the slightly angry blonde, knocking her off the sofa with the power of her hit. Ino picked herself off the floor and swung at Sakura again, catching her off guard and almost knocking her over in her daze. As the shrieks and yells drifted up the stairs to Kakashi he lay back for a second wondering what kind of devastation the two warring kunouchi would have wrought on his front room by the time he poofed into the room in a cloud of smoke behind them. He looked around the room, to see nothing destroyed, well except two of the cushions that used to belong on his sofa. They were now however split open, feathers flying through the air as the two women continued to wrestle and bat each other with said cushions.

“Well this is fun.” He said leaning back against the wall as he watched them repeatedly hit each other, each fighting to gain dominance over the other.

“Pervert!” Sakura yelled as both she and Ino stilled their movements and glared over at him.

“What?” He asked raising an eyebrow. “Two beautiful women fighting in my front room what else do you expect me to do but watch?” He smirked. “Truth be told, I heard the loud noises and thought I better check you weren’t destroying my house actually.”

“Hmm, a likely story. Like I’d really believe that coming from Konaha’s resident pervert!”

“I’ll leave you two alone again but try not to destroy any more of my cushions eh?” He asked with a chuckle as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge.

Upon returning to the living room he looked at the two women who just stood there mutely, he walked towards Sakura, placed a hand on her waist and pulled her close for a second, planting a masked kiss on her lips. He pulled away waving at them both before disappearing back upstairs in a puff of smoke.

“Sheesh forehead, that man just oozes sex appeal and he can’t stay away from you.” Ino groaned as she collapsed onto the floor in a heap. “You’re so damn lucky.”

Sakura flopped down next to her and as they lay on their backs, they stared up at the ceiling in thought. “What will shisou say though?” she pondered sitting up and resting on her elbow as she turned to face her friend, panic written across her pretty face.

Ino turned to face her and felt sad at the look of pain and anguish written there. Reaching out she took her hand in her own and gave it a gentle squeeze. “What ever happens we’ll face it as we always do, together.” Ino said with determination as she looked straight into the younger woman’s eyes. “No matter what she says we’ll make sure it works out right in the end. Understand?” She asked with a steely edge to her voice that to most people would be pretty scary but Sakura knew it was just Ino’s way of making sure she would be there for her, no matter what.

“Thanks Ino.” Sakura said smiling at her and moving to lie back down on her back as a loud knocking resounded on the door. “Here we go.” She sighed heavily as Kakashi reappeared at the front door.

Turning he glanced at his lover and gave her a quick glance of reassurance before drawing in a deep breath and answering the door, to find Kotetsu and Izumo on his doorstep.

“Good morning gentlemen. To what do I owe this pleasure?” He asked, knowing full well what they were here for as they shuffled their feet and glanced intently at the floor, neither one of them wanting to say what they knew they must.

“Kakashi, Lady Hokage insists you come to her office immediately. You too Sakura.” Kotetsu said nervously, chancing a glance at the masked man in front of him, before averting his eyes at the pain he saw shining in the normally unreadable eye of the Copy Nin.

‘This isn’t going to turn out good.’ He thought as he turned back to look at Sakura, she froze in Ino’s arms as the blonde held her shaking body in the postion they’d ended up in as she helped her friend off the floor. Kakashi saw the fearful expression on her face and felt bad that once again he was the cause of her pain. Would he ever stop hurting her? He wondered as he moved to take her hand in his and run his thumb over the back of her trembling hand, while Ino continued to hold her.

“We’ll be right there.” He sighed, turning back to face Kotetsu and Izumo.

They nodded at him, giving him a look that said how sorry they were about all this and that they wished they hadn’t have had to deliver the message or indeed have anything to do with the entire matter and headed off to give the two lovers time together before they made their way to Hokage tower. With a last sorrow filled glance they disappeared back to Hokage tower to inform Lady Tsunade that Kakashi and Sakura were on their way.

Ino looked at Sakura still shaking in her arms then at Kakashi, who’s dark uncovered eye betrayed his worry about the following meeting. He looked back at Ino and sighed, pulling Sakura to him as she released her. She bit her lip worriedly as she glanced up at him and he turned to Ino again as she was about to speak.

“I’m going to go get the guys.” She told him, looking again at Sakura wrapped in her lovers arms.

Kakashi nodded his acknowledgement and silently thanked her for her devotion to Sakura, but he couldn’t voice his thoughts or feelings, he just couldn’t say anything right now. Besides his entire attention was directed at the shaking pink haired woman currently buried in his arms, fisting her hands into his jacket and gripping so hard her knuckles had turned white.

Ino gave one last look at the couple in front of her, before taking off swiftly in search of the other members of Team 7 and possibly Genma to, if she could find him, for moral support for Kakashi. She may be Konoha’s biggest gossip and a rather brash individual but she had feelings and she understood others feelings, sometimes she could ignore them but not when it came to Sakura, she was not about to let her best friend give up without a fight. She sped up hoping to find them all and fast.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kakashi pulled back from Sakura a little as he looked down at her. Pulling his mask down, he leaned into her and pressed his lips to hers in a heated kiss. Tilting his head he deepened the kiss as his hand swept through her hair. He trailed his tongue over her lips before pushing between them to run his tongue over her entire mouth, feeling touching tasting ever last inch of her, memorizing every part of her as his hands ran up and down her sides, her back, her stomach, her thighs. He poured every ounce of emotion he possibly could into that one kiss. He wanted her to know that she was the only woman he wanted, now and always, no matter what may happen today or what anyone’s feelings on the relationship may be, he loved her more than he’d ever loved anyone before or would again. Pulling back he rested his forehead against hers and stared at her as they both got their breath back.

“I love you Sakura.” He whispered as he continued to look her in the eyes. “No matter what happens never forget that, you’re the most precious thing in my life and always will be.”

She looked up at him with renewed determination at this statement and kissed him softly, chastely on the lips again before raising her eyes to his again and whispering back.

“I love you to.”

Kakashi ran his thumb over her cheek, before moving his thumb to ghost over her lips softly once more. Moving his hand away her wrapped his arms around her waist once more and pulled her tight in a hug that he felt he’d never want to pull away from. He hugged her to him so tight she would end up with small finger shaped bruises on her back. She barely felt anything though as she hugged him tighter than ever and her nails dug crescent shaped cuts into his lower back as she gripped him with every ounce of her human strength.

Sighing Kakashi pulled away to view her once more before they moved to walk out the door. He looked at her with a small crinkle in his eye before opening his mouth to speak.

“We better go.” He said sadly, not wanting to leave at all but knowing they had no choice.

“Ok.” She whispered as they slowly pulled apart from each other and headed out the door.

Taking his time to shut and lock the door Kakashi moved with his usual lazyness and pulled out his precious Icha Icha book as the began to walk side by side slowly through the village to their destination.

Normally this would irritate Sakura to no end, as it had done yesterday in fact but she finally understood now, this was Kakashi’s way of hiding from the world, like his mask. Another of his defences against letting people in, only to lose them and be hurt again when it all went wrong. This was his way of keeping people at bay and giving him the space from everyone else that he preferred or rather learned to live with. She wished she could have something to cover face right now as they slowly trudged through the village trying hard to ignore the stares they drew from every villager they passed.

As they continued on their way they heard various comments thrown their way, a few were almost enough to make Sakura smile despite her apprehension and slowly building tension that only increased with every step forward she took. Most seemed to be rude comments thrown out from disgusted villagers, thrown at Kakashi, most likely in the hopes of getting a rise out of the famous copy ninja. Something else for them to find fault with about him, but he was above that. He refused to rise to the bait.

As they passed a group of young woman, who all looked to be a little older than Sakura, they heard snatches of their conversation as they sneaked glances at the pair and smiled at them both.

“I’m glad they’re together, they make a good couple don’t you think?” A lightly built girl with short chocolate brown hair and hazel eyes asked her red haired friend, as she stood next to a shop doorway.

“Yeah. I can’t help wishing I was her though. I mean imagine what that man must be like in bed with all those porn books he reads!” The red head giggled as she turned her turquoise eyes to the Copy Nin, watching him as he passed by, making no indication he had heard her statement. Sakura meanwhile seethed inside and clenched her fists at her sides.

“I hope it works out for them.” A shy looking girl with long blonde hair flowing down her back said as her aquamarine eyes slid to view Kakashi, before raising them to smile at the pink haired kunoichi as she passed. “And imagine the kids they’d have. I mean Konoha’s Famous Copy Nin and the Leaf village’s Cherry Blossom, apprentice to the Hokage herself! Their kids would be the strongest ever to grace this village.” She said dreamily as she thought of what their kids would be like.

Kakashi stumbled as he walked and choked a little at this statement. ‘Dear god! Who in the hell even mentioned anything about kids?’ His incredulous mind spluttered. Sakura smirked despite herself as she saw his jaw clench a little at that statement and a tiny frightened giggle escaped her lips as Kakashi went back to burying his head in his book and pretending like nothing had happened, as he was so apt to do.

As they happened to pass another couple, an old man, with grey, frazzled hair and deep set wrinkles around his dull grey eyes and mouth, looked at them and voiced his opinion rather too loudly, causing his violet haired wife to hiss at him to be quiet and mind his own damn business. But he’d made his opinion pretty clear, he disapproved of the pairing and was even more disgusted at the fact that Kakashi was walking along nose buried in his book as usual, as if nothing was wrong and not seeming to pay even the slightest bit of attention to Sakura. In reality of course he was using the book as a safety net to prevent his true feelings about the up coming meeting from becoming known and his every last thought was directed at Sakura.

“Look!” The man gruffly stated as he pointed flabbergasted at the Sharingan user as he walked slowly along. “It aint right I tell you, what about the age gap! And he’s not even holding her hand or any thing, you’d think if she was really important to him he’d show some kind of emotion to her in public for crying out loud!”

Kakashi visibly stiffened at this comment, how dare this man suggest that he didn’t care at all! The glare in his eye turned steely and hard as he turned and looked at the man for a second. He turned back around and pulled his right hand out of his pocket, reaching out to grasp her hand in his and pull her a little closer. Sakura gasped a little in shock at this, but Kakashi just turned to look at her with a slight eye crinkle as he squeezed her hand gently, leaning down to whisper in her ear as they continued on their way.

“I love you.” He whispered so softly that no one but Sakura would have been able to hear him.

Sakura smiled up at him and reached up her free arm to wrap around him, as she kissed his masked cheek. “I love you to.” She responded.

Grinning she lowered her arm and turned back to look at the man who’d just voiced his now proven untrue opinion. His disbelief was clearly evident on his face, as he spluttered and remained speechless, while his wife laughed at the obvious adjustment her husband had just received.

“I told you to mind your own business.” She smirked as he continued to be lost in a silent fluster.

“Kakashi?” Sakura whispered his name as they walked further away.

“Sakura.” He answered, his voice betraying his worry, as he gave her hand another squeeze. “Just stay with me ok?”

“Yes.” She said nodding her head.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino ran furiously through the streets of Konoha, trying to think of where the rest of Team 7 would be. Her first thought was of course, Ichiraku’s Ramen shop. She flew under the banners hanging over the entrance and scanned around for the blonde idiot and the unsociable raven. She realised in a split second they weren’t here, besides it was far to quiet for the obnoxious Uzumaki to be around here. Turning to face the confused shop owner and his daughter she yelled at them in her panic.

“Have you seen the loud blonde and the mute dark haired shinobi?” She asked clearly in a panic.

“Ah you mean Naruto and the Uchiha?” Teuchi asked looking at her.

“Yes, they were here, they left about, oh five minutes ago, to go training I think.” Ayame said looking at the strain written on the blondes face. “Is something wrong?”

“Sorry.” Ino yelled as she made her way back out at top speed. “Don’t have time to explain!”

She ran at top speed, to training ground three. That was where Team 7 always trained, in the past and still did even now, she hoped they still did anyway. Within minutes, breathless and with a stitch she reached the grounds just as Sasuke and Naruto were getting ready to face off.

“Sasuke! Naruto!” she yelled as she caught her breath and pressed her hand to the stitch in her ribs.

“What’s wrong?” Naruto yelled as he jumped down beside her, quickly followed by a silent but equally anxious Sasuke.

“Kakashi and Sakura have been called to Hokage tower and I think they could use some moral support.” She replied looking at their faces, as the meaning of her words sunk in.

“Let’s go.” Sasuke said, about to take off for the tower at full speed.

“Wait! We need to try and find Yamato and Sai and Genma to, if we can. Kakashi needs someone there to.”

“Yeah you’re right. Come on then let’s go.” Sasuke said nodding to Ino and Naruto before they took off in the direction of the pub to search for Genma, hoping he didn’t have a mission on today and had decided to chill out watching everybody who walked in and out of the pub as he so frequently did.

As it turned out he didn’t and he was just sat in the pub watching the people who entered as they went about their business. He liked to watch them and just contemplate when he had no jobs and nothing else to do. Sitting alone he was startled when a blonde whirlwind entered and made a beeline straight for him.

“Ino!” He smiled, flipping the senbon around in his mouth as he looked at her flushed and breathing heavy. “Already hot for me huh?” He asked smirking.

“No time for your perverted thoughts!” She yelped as she gripped his hand and tried to pull him up with her.

“What’s the hurry sweetheart? We have all day.”

“Genma!” She shrieked exasperated, as she gave him a cold stare.

“Kakashi and Sakura have been called to Hokage tower.” A deep, cold voice said from beside him.

Genma looked up to see the stoic Uchiha with the excitable Naruto beside him, as always. “So were needed for emotional support then? Let’s go!” He said spitting his senbon into the table in front of him and taking off with Ino’s hand still in his.

Just as they were about to disappear to Hokage tower Sai and Tenzo came round the corner. ‘Thank god for that.’ Ino thought as they moved quickly towards them.

“Yamato! Sai! Thank god!” Ino said as they looked up and noticed the group, outside of the pub entrance, just a little ahead of them.

“Is something wrong?” Tenzo asked as he looked at them all in turn. “And why are you holding hands with Genma?”

“I… Huh? What!?” She yelped as she looked at Genma who winked at her before she pulled her hand out of his. “Sakura, Kakashi, Hokage tower.” She managed to squeak out.

The effect was immediate, they looked at her, then at Sasuke and Naruto before nodding their heads in understanding, as they all headed for the tower and the upcoming confrontation.

‘This could be either very, very good or really bad.’ Tenzo thought as they made their way at top speed to the tower.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Arriving at the bottom of Hokage tower they almost bowled Kakashi and Sakura over as they to arrived there. Kakashi gave them all a nod of acknowledgement as they began to climb the stairs to the Hokage’s office. Making their way slowly up them they all contemplated on how this meeting might just turn out.

Sasuke’s face was set into a deep scowl as he worried about Sakura being pulled away from the one constant she’d always had in her life, he planned to do everything in his power to prevent that from happening however. He’d hurt her to much when he himself left, he knew that and he was determined not to let that happen again.

Naruto had a look of pure determination on his face. No matter what happened today he was going to make sure they would end up together somehow. If Kakashi was the man to make his Sakura-chan happy then Kakashi it would damn well be!

‘Well here we go.’ Tenzo thought. ‘I hope everything goes well for you Kakashi my old friend.’

Sai as always walked along looking emotionless and expressionless, underneath this mask of indifference however he did have some feelings and right now his feelings were all concerned with Sakura. They may have got off to a bad start and things had taken along time to come together but he did consider Sakura as a sister and if she was hurt, then he wasn’t happy.

Ino bit her lip in her nervousness and looked at Sakura as she walked in front of her. Despite what everyone thought and the fact that even now they still had a pretty deep seated rivalry, they also had a very close friendship many years old and she hated to think of her being hurt once more. As she bit her lip just a little to hard, drawing a faint smear of blood to her bruised lip, Genma walked up beside her and took her hand in his, squeezing it gently with a soft smirk on his lips around the senbon he’d now replaced. She looked up at him in silent thanks then returned her gaze to the couple in front of her.

‘Forehead, I hope this works out for you.’ She sighed as they entered the building and were met by Shizune.

“Ka… Kakashi, Sakura. Glad you’re here and in a lot less time than Tsunade thought to.” She said looking at them as she squeezed TonTon just a little too tight causing the small pig to grunt irately at her. “Sorry TonTon!” She said as she released her grip a little. “You’re… You’re not all planning on going in there are you? Lady Tsunade isn’t in a good mood…”

“All the more reason why we shouldn’t be abandoning our friends.” Sasuke grunted with a glare.

“No… no I guess you’re right, well um, you better go in.” She said nervously as she stood back to allow them entrance to the hallway that led to the Hokages office. They moved forward, her nervous eyes on them as they did so.

Sasuke, Naruto, Tenzo and Sai, followed them in quick succession, Ino and Genma brought up the rear, hands still clenched together.

As they stopped outside the door, Kakashi pulled Sakura closer. Kissing her forehead, he squeezed her hand once more, as he whispered to her “No matter what, I’ll always love you and don’t you ever forget that or think different ok?”

She smiled at him sadly and squeezed his hand back as she raised her gaze from the floor to look at his face. “I love you to. We will be together no matter what Shisou says.” She said determination and fear both evident in her voice as she did so.

Kakashi raised his hand and knocked on the door. Tsunade’s voice rang out immediately, tired, pissed off and by the sounds of it very, very drunk. “Come in!” She snapped as the office door handle moved and the door began to swing open.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ps: I should point out that Ino calls Tenzo Yamato. However in this fanfic he has given his team his real name, during the time Kakashi was missing he shared that with him.

Generally they are meant to call him Yamato but when there's no one around they are allowed to call him Tenzo. Just thought I better clarify that so people didn't think I made some kinda of bad error or something. XD