Two chapter in one day because of upload issues.

Chapter 13

How much time passed, while Sakura sat there on her knees on the forest floor, looking up into Kakashi's single dark eye, she did not know. A sense of peaceful familiarity passed through her, something she had rarely felt over the last couple of months. The feeling that everything would be okay filled her, and as she closed her eyes, resting her cheek on the hand that touched her so gently, she was at peace.

But as she sat there, she forgot that she was A. in a forest, and B. it was the aftermath of a battle and C. in the company of an Uzumaki. This meant the moment didn't last. A loud clearing of the throat, by the previously mentioned Uzumaki, made Kakashi abruptly withdraw his hand, and Sakura jump to her feet. The moment was broken.

"We should get back," Ryoga said, a look on his face, that neither Kakashi, nor Sakura liked. "Just to see if Naruto didn't wreck the place."

Sakura nodded and went over to Kazuya to heal him. She knelt down next to him and did a cursory exam first.

"You disobeyed my order," Kazuya said softly.

"Well technically…" Sakura started and Kazuya knew exactly what she was about to say. He had said the same thing to Ranmaru in her presence once. "You failed to say that you were in fact ordering me to do something. So…"

"I've corrupted you horribly," Kazuya said, closing his eyes as Sakura's chakra entered his body and set out to heal him.

Ryoga's eyes followed Sakura all the way until she reached Kazuya, he then looked at Kakashi who was heading his way. Ryoga said nothing until Kakashi was near him. "Is there something I don't know?" he asked coyly, while digging around his pouch for his sigarets.

Kakashi shrugged and shook his head, while stuffing his hands in his pockets. The gesture had been innocent enough. He just touched her shoulder, like he had done several times when she was just twelve years old. It only meant to soothe her. To keep her from totally freaking out. But even as he thought this, Kakashi knew it wasn't entirely true. Seeing her sit there on the ground, looking defeated like that. Something inside his heart hurt.

Kazuya only acknowlegded Kakashi with a nod, before leading the way back to the village. While they walked, Sakura spoke to Kazuya, just loud enough for Kazuya to hear. Kakashi tried not to be offended, but he also knew that they were still outside of the village and a potential enemy could be listening in. This was what it had been like before, when he was Sakura's team captain. She'd tell him important information as soon as possible. And seeing her like this, he knew, he was no longer her sensei. Even if they had gotten reacquainted these last months, there was still so much he didn't know.

At some point, Kazuya moved to the back of the group, changing formation. When asked, he responded that Sakura didn't sense anyone in the area, so it was safe to let their guard down a little.

"She looks better," Ryoga said softly to Kazuya. "What did you do?"

Kazuya looked sideways at a slightly smiling Ryoga. Of course he wanted to know what they'd been up to, but there really wasn't much to tell him. "I helped her."

"I know…. But what did you do?"

"Nothing much," Kazuya answered. He looked at his friend, who was now sporting a huge grin on his face. "What?"

"You fucked, didn't you?" Ryoga asked almost gleefully.

Kazya shook his head. "We did not."

"Oh you can tell me," Ryoga pressed on. "Look at her… You seriously want me to believe you went of alone for ten weeks with a gorgeous woman, and not fuck?"

"Yes."

"No way."

Kazuya shrugged and stuffed his hands in his pockets. Sakura had looked over her shoulder at one point when Ryoga had spoken too loud, but everyone in the group knew what Ryoga had said. Sakura shook her head at Ryoga and continued to lead the way to village.

Kakashi caught up with Sakura when Kazuya moved to the back of the group. He wasn't really sure what he'd say to her, but just seeing her looking a little healthier, than she did when she left, put him a little at ease. Sakura stopped walking the moment Kakashi had caught up with her. "We need to stop."

"You need a break?" Kazuya asked.

"No… My jutsu. The one I used on Kakashi. It should wear off pretty soon and then he'll…." Sakura's voice trailed off. She gave Kakashi a sympathetic look, before looking back at Kazuya who nodded, signaling that she could do was necessary.

Kakashi knew what she was going to say. His pain receptors would start functioning again, and since he had used his sharingan during the fight with Sasuke, he would be in a lot of pain. Silently, Kakashi let Sakura do her thing. Letting her chakra first undo her jutsu, making his breath catch as the first wave of intense pain hit him. Only to feel new relief as the pain slowly but surely subsided with the help if her chakra. As their chakra mingled Kakashi knew he was in big trouble. How was he ever going to tell her how he felt? And even if he did confess, how were they ever going to work together? Just the thought of her in harms way made him to steal her away from the world and keep her all to himself.

Kazuya beckoned Ryoga and they stuck their heads together, obviously discussing what to do next. At this point, Kakashi felt like a genin again, being left out of the descision making process. Sure three out of the four ninja currently making up this team were under Kazuya's command, but he felt left out. "What do we do next?" Kakashi asked drawing attention to himself.

Kazuya smiled. "We… That being us waterfall shinobi will summon the pack. They will sniff out any remaining Akatsuki."

"I don't know if I have the chakra left for that jutsu," Sakura said, as she finished up healing Kakashi.

"No problem," Ryoga chirped, offering his right arm to Sakura.

"I'm not doing that," Sakura said, taking a step back. Her eyes went from Ryoga's arm to his face, while shaking her head and taking another step backwards.

"Sakura," Kazuya said, his voice unusually calm, which mostly meant he was up to no good. "There's two of us and one of you…"

Sakura knew what that meant. She sighed in defeat and took Ryoga's arm. Her brows furrowed and she already felt her stomach churn. With her eyes closed, Sakura bit Ryoga's arm. The moment her teeth broke his skin, Sakura chuddered and left go, stepping back and making a face that made Ryoga laugh. "This is disgusting," she said, spitting some of the blood that had gotten into her mouth on the forest floor and then wiping her mouth on her wrist.

"You'll live," Kazuya said while drawing a symbol in the dirt using a stick.

The three ninja gathered around the symbol and started to make the required hand signs to summon the pack. When they finished, they pressed their palms to the ground and the pack appeared. Kakashi's mouth was agape at the sheer size of the pack. There had to be at least a hundred summoned wolves in various sizes and colors.

Sakura collapsed to her hands and knees, feeling depleted. Ryoga stood there, looking as if he'd been doing nothing all day and Kazuya looked over the pack. "There may still be Akatsuki in the Leaf village. Hunt them down, kill them all."

The wolves scattered to various entrances of the Leaf, and Kazuya followed at a leisurely pace. Ryoga looked at Sakura, but made no move to help as Kakashi was already at her side. He knew something was up, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Either Kakashi was trying to salvage whatever was left of their teacher student relationship, or there was more to it. But he also knew it wasn't his place to interfere. With nothing else on his hands, Ryoga followed Kazuya back to the Leaf.

"Since when are you so eager to offer your 'services'?" Kazuya asked as Ryoga caught up to him. Ryoga had sworn off using his ability, but just now he had offered without as much as a second thought.

"Just making sure the same thing doesn't happen again," Ryoga said. "I made Kenji a promise, and I intend to keep it."

"Same here."

Kakashi helped Sakura to her feet. She wobbled a bit, leaning heavily on Kakashi. "I'm sorry," she said, as she tried to steady herself. She gasped as Kakashi easily picked her up, carrying her with one arm behind her shoulders and the other behind her knees, as if she weighed nothing. She was always opposed to being carried, and she opened her mouth to protest, when Kakashi beat her to it.

"You're in no state to walk," he said sternly, but with a gently undertone. "You used a lot of chakra in a short time. It's bound to take it's toll."

"I know," Sakura muttered. She just didn't like to be reminded that she was still the weakest member of the team. "I just…"

"I know," Kakashi said softly. "Just regain some of your strength first."

Sakura leaned her head against Kakashi's shoulder, knowing that this was one discussion she would never win. And here she was again as if nothing had changed in the seven years since she was first a genin. "For the record," Sakura said. "You are carrying me because I used all my chakra healing you."

Kakashi gave her his signature eye crease, showing her that he was smiling. Sure she had used a fair amount of chakra getting him back to health, but Ryoga had restored her to full health before they did that huge summoning jutsu. But she only needed his help, because she had indeed healed him. Whatever it took to make her feel better.

Kakashi went straight towards the Hokage, while carrying Sakura. Looking around Sakura easily spotted Lucy, who was sitting next to bandaged up Neji. He was alive, and Sakura sighed in relief.

Lucy looked up when she heard footsteps approach. She ran towards Kakashi and Sakura, who had just been helped back unto her own two feet. A big bear hug greeted Sakura, as Lucy all but crashed herself into Sakura. "You're okay! I was so worried!"

At first, Sakura stumbled backwards a little, and it was Kakashi's hands on her shoulders that kept her from falling flat on her behind. Sakura returned the hug, closing her eyes as she felt relief that Lucy had made it to the village safely. "I know. I'm sorry."

"You're okay now, right?"

Sakura nodded against Lucy's purple hair. By the time Sakura pushed out the hug she saw Ino looking at her wide-eyed. "Hey Ino," Sakura said softly, causing tears fall from Ino's eyes, making Sakura smile. "Looks like I can pull a Kazuya these days."

Kakashi looked confused at Sakura comment, when Lucy explained that Kazuya had a talent of making people, especially women, cry. Mostly women he knew, but that didn't really matter. Lucy and Sakura had decided long ago to call this talent pulling a Kazuya.

"Forehead."

"Ino-pig."

The moment where Ino and Sakura simply stared at each other was broken by Tsunade's raging voice. She was yelling at Kazuya who had filled the village with his wolves. Apparently aside from hunting down Akatsuki they were also gathering the wounded in a not so gentle manner. And naturally Kazuya's calm response only made things worse saying that they obviously needed the wolves since most of Konoha's fightning force was either wounded, dead or too tired to do much of anything.

"He's making friends again," Lucy said sounding exasperated.

Sakura walked over, as fast as her tired body would let her. "Lady Tsunade," she said softly, effectively breaking up the arguement.

Tsunade looked over at Sakura, a smile tugged at her lips at the sight of her dearely missed apprentice. Her eyes roved over Sakura's features and though she looked tired, she was looking better than she had before leaving. Sakura turned to Kazuya. "Can you spare some chakra so I can start healing people?"

Kazuya nodded, giving some of his chakra to Sakura. Lucy joined them soon after, also giving Sakura chakra. And while Sakura stood there receiving chakra, Ryoga and her locked gazes. He winked at her, and Sakura shook her head. Things seemed to be pretty much back to normal.

Feeling fully replenished, Sakura turned to the Hokage for instructions about where her help was most needed. After that Sakura took off. Kazuya beckoned Lucy. "Go with her."

Yamato joined the group, giving his report to the Hokage. Giving her specific numbers on wounded and the dead on the part of the village where heś been fighting. Before Tsunade could ask where Naruto was at, loud complaining filled the air. Emerging behind a destroyed building was a Ryoga clone, with Naruto captive in chakra chains.

"Let me go! I have to save Sasuke!" Naruto yelled and struggled, trying to free himself, but he was unsuccesfull.

Kakashi studied the chains that held Naruto. He had seen them from afar during the battle and he had seen them before when he was a young man. They were chains meant to restrain bijou, a rare trait that ran in the Uzumaki clan. Now Kakashi realised why Ryoga, an ANBU, had been placed on Kazuya's team, under the command of someone of a lower rank. At first Kakashi had thought that Kazuya had asked for Ryoga because of Sakura. Ryoga had said that himself, but it had been a lie. Kazuya had asked for him because of this kekkei genkai. If something went seriously wrong, Ryoga could easily subdue Naruto, much like he had done now.

"Save your breath," Kazuya said to Naruto. "The coward already fled."

Naruto stopped struggling, instead looking around wide-eyed at the people gathered near the Hokage. He had missed it. This would've been his shot to save Sasuke and he missed it. At first Ryoga had caught him easily with his chakra chains, making it impossible for Naruto to run after Sasuke and now he heard Sasuke had fled from battle. Naruto knew Sasuke well enough to know that he'd only flee if there was no chance of winning a battle.

Silently Naruto listened to Kazuya retelling the Hokage of the battle against Sasuke. How Ryoga had gone after him first, then Kazuya had joined while Sakura healed Kakashi. Eventually they had joined the fight, making it impossible for Sasuke to win the battle. In Kazuya's last assessment of the battle, he told the Hokage that Ryoga was obviously stronger than Sasuke and now that they had fought, they would come up with a strategy to take him down. Sasuke had only managed to escape the battle alive, because another member of the Akatsuki had interfered and saved him.

Looking over at Ryoga, Naruto studied his relative. He looked so calm, like he'd been doing nothing all day. There wasn't a scratch on him, except for a bite mark on his right arm. Yet he was the opposite of Sasuke. Both considered geniuses, but Ryoga was so down to earth and calm, compared to Sasuke who always called Naruto a loser.

The Ryoga clone disappeared, releasing Naruto from the chains that held him. "Sorry about that," Ryoga said. "But I have my orders."

Naruto nodded. He exchanged looks with Kakashi asking if Sakura was also back. When he got a confirmation that Sakura was indeed back in the village, Naruto wanted to set out find her only to be stopped by Kazuya's deep voice calling him boy. Determined not to take another insult from Kazuya, Naruto turned around, crossed his arms in front of his chest in a subconsious defensive motion.

"You did very well today. Good job." Kazuya spoke the words calmly, smiling when Naruto's face lit up.

Naruto scratched his nose as he smiled. He had done very well. He had taken out a ton of white zetsu all by himself, and then he even defeated some weird Akatsuki member who could expand his arms and legs, much like Orochimaru.

"That jutsu…. Did Ryoga teach you?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah he taught me a few jutsu. He said that I should at least know a few wind style attacks if I'm calling myself an Uzumaki."

"You did great," Kazuya said, walking over and giving Naruto a pat on the shoulder.

XOXOXO

There were so many wounded that Sakura hardly knew who to help first. Shizune was directing some other medics on what to do, but even she seemed lost in the sea of wounded. Under normal circumstances they woud mark the wounded. Giving them three classifications. One would be that they could wait. Number two that they needed to be healed and the third was that they were beyond saving.

"I need Ryoga. Or Naruto," Sakura said to Lucy. "Preferably both."

"On it," Lucy, before running towards where they had come from. She ran through the streets, passed some destroyed buildings until she reached the Hokage, who was still talking to the ninja Lucy had left just minutes ago. She stopped, looking around and feeling relief that both Ryoga and Naruto were still here. "Sakura needs you both," Lucy said, pointing from Ryoga to Naruto. "Now!"

Ryoga and Naruto exchanged looks before heading towards the way Lucy had come from. Before returning to Sakura, Lucy explained that Sakura had asked for the two of them. Kazuya nodded and looked at the sky. "She's going to do that jutsu then."

"Which one?" Tsunade asked, finding it strange that Sakura would do any other jutsu other than a medical ninjutsu. And what jutsu would require her to ask for both Naruto and Ryoga.

"She calls it healing rain." Kazuya said, still looking at the sky, which was already starting to grow dark. "She uses her water style element to make it rain and then infuses the jutsu with her healing abilities. But it takes a ton of chakra. I guess that what she needs Ryoga and Naruto for."

"She can make it rain?" Tsunade asked.

"Originally it's a support jutsu she devolloped, meant to take out doujutsu, such as the sharingan. But she has found other uses for it as well."

Before Tsunade could ask anything else of Kazuya, the rain started to fall. It felt refreshing, and some of the tiredness that the Hokage had been feeling from healing so many people was sowly fading away. Looking at Neji, she discovered that the small injuries she hadn't healed yet were healing as the droplets of rain touched his skin. "Amazing."

Kazuya nodded, spreading his arms to catch as many droplets as he could without moving. "You should ask Kakashi how it looks when he opens his sharingan."

Kakashi didn't need to use his sharingan to tell what he would see. He could feel it in the rain. Sakura… It was like she was all around him, her gentle presense easing her way into his body. Lifting his headband, and uncovering his sharingan, Kakashi was at a lost for words. Sakura's chakra was visible in the rain, giving the rain a blue greenish hue when looked at through the sharingan. Though he couldn't see beyond a few inches, it was beautiful. "It's beautiful," Kakashi said, without anyone asking.

XOXOXO

The village was rapidly returning back to normal. The Akatsuki had been fought off once again, and the village was being restored to its former glory. Kakashi was now standing in Tsunade's office being asked how Sakura was doing, since the Hokage hadn't found time to speak to her herself. But Kakashi really couldn't say anything on the subject either. Kazuya was constantly near her, watching her like a hawk, but she seemed to be doing better. The only time when Kakashi knew she was alone was when she was in her bedroom. Having been ordered to keep an eye on her by Lady Tsunade, Kakashi had regularly spied on her when she went home.

After the rain had cleared that day, and many people had been saved, both Naruto and Ryoga passed out, their chakra having been drained to a critically low point. Even the fox chakra had been used for the rain that saved so many lives. Naruto had already made a full recovery, and was helping rebuild the village. Although Ryoga had been awake from time to time, he was still to weak to leave the hospital.

Guilt gnawed at Sakura when she sat next to Ryoga's bed. She had put him there, and even though Ryoga had told her not to worry, she still worried. According to Kazuya this was the second time in Ryoga's life that he'd been drained like this. Yet, Ryoga just cracked jokes about getting a sponge bath from Sakura as payment for his hard work. This led Kazuya to saying that he'd be just fine.

More than once, Ryoga had carefully taken Sakura's hands, and looked at them. That day, when she had asked for both his and Naruto's chakra, she had burned them. Sakura's hands were bandaged, and though Ino had offered to heal her hands, Sakura declined. The burns were a result of the massive amounts of foreign chakra that had coursed through her hands. She promised Ino that she'd heal her hands when Ryoga was feeling better. Now all she was constantly doing, without endangering herself, was healing Ryoga.

Lucy had been on full-time Naruto duty, following him around and helping him with rebuilding the village. At some point Naruto yelled at her because he needed to pee, and Lucy insisted she needed to "Watch his back like a buttcrack", because that was how Kazuya had ordered it. Eventually Naruto turned his back to her to quickly pee, but it was no easy task taking a leak when a girl was intently watching your back.

After a week Ryoga received word from the Hokage that it was okay for him to leave the hospital, but he had to take it easy. The first thing Ryoga did when he set foot outside the hospital was light a sigaret. He'd been in the hospital for a week and it had been horrible. No flirting with the nurses, no smoking and no wandering off. Finally he was free again. Walking calmly through the village some of the Leaf ninja he had saved that day stopped him to thank him, making him feel very uncomfotable. He'd only been doing his job. Eventually Ryoga made it to the trainingfield where had spend most of his mission at. Except this time, Naruto was being instructed by Kakashi while at the far back of the training field on the water Kazuya and Sakura were sparring.

Sakura skidded backwards over the water until she finally came to a halt at the back of the lake. She was gasping for air, and a hand was gripping her ribs. Kazuya's last attack had been a barrage of fists and kicks and eventually one connected sending Sakura flying. Taking a minute to heal, Kazuya stretched his arms in front of him. Sure Sakura was no match for him, but sparring was a good method to keep her busy.

The damage to Sakura's ribs was healed easily enough and she was back to her feet in no time. For a long moment they just stared at each other, muscles tightened and ready while a cool breeze swept over the training ground.

Sakura charged at Kazuya in a blur of black and pink, her arm drawn back to deliver a chakra loaded punch, that Kazuya easily sidestepped. He spun around, delivering another kick to the ribs Sakura had just healed. Summoning chakra to her feet, Sakura braced herself and grabbed the leg that had connected with her ribs, and used Kazuya's own momentum to throw him across the lake.

Kazuya landed in crouch on the surface of the lake. Looking up as several Sakura clones charged at him from all sides. A series of quick hand signs were made, and Kazuya held his hands out in front of him as the jutsu formed. Lightning crackled in the form of a bolt, as he swiped the bolt around, hitting Sakura's clones, but making sure not to hit the surface of the water.

A tsunami was the next attack to make its way to Kazuya, forcing him to dispel his jutsu. Another exchange of fists, kicks and blocks took place, some so powerfull that small gusts of wind radiated from their arms from the shock of impact. Kazuya increased his speed, eventually grabbing Sakura's wrists and pinning them in front of her while looking her in the eyes.

Sakura braced herself, and summoned extra chakra to her hands and feet. At first she pulled her hands down, to free herself followed by a backflip to make Kazuya step back or risk being hit straight between te legs.

As Kazuya stepped back he felt the tip of Sakura's shoe grazed his pants right in between his legs. The fight was instantly over as Kazuya first looked at his groin before fixing Sakura with a mean gaze. His neutral look had made room for a slightly angered look, but not the look he graced his enemies with. "Sakura," he said so calmly it sounded almost like it wasn't Kazuya speaking, but someone else who had taken control of his body. His voice had sounded calm, monotone and not as rough as usual. It was frightening. "Were you aiming down there?"

Sakura raised her hands in surrender while stepping backwards. With every step Sakura took backwards, Kazuya took another step towards her. She was in trouble now. "Now Kazuya," Sakura started trying to come up with a good reason to hit someone there, especially when your target is a man. But there really wasn't a good reason, except for the truth. "You always taught me to exploit an enemies weaknesses and well… It's not my fault that men have a natural weakness there."

Kazuya smiled inwardly at her answer, but this was a move so low and dirty that very few ninja used it, even in a life and death situation. It was better to die fighting than to live because of such a cowardly move. Then again, who would openly admit to having won a battle by fondling anothers man balls? No one, that's who. "That's it," Kazuya yelled. "Prepare for an ass kicking."

Sakura ran towards the others, while screaming and laughing. Just before reaching Lucy, Kazuya managed to trip her. Sakura fell head first on the grass and then her voice increased in pitch while sputtering words incoherently and laughing.

As Sakura ran towards Lucy being chased by an angry looking Kazuya, Kakashi knew something was wrong. That look in his eyes, it was like a madman was chasing her. Kakashi dropped training Naruto in heartbeat and ran for Sakura as fast as he could. But before he could reach her, Kazuya had already caught her.

Kakashi stared at what Kazuya was doing to Sakura. He had expected her to get pummeled, but this was probably much worse. While holding her hands down with one hand, and her hips by simply sitting on her, Kazuya used his other hand to tickle Sakura.

"I will teach you not to hit a man there!"

Sakura continued to wiggle, trying to free herself, while laughing and asking Lucy for help. But all her training in enhancing her strength using chakra didn't work while being unable to focus. She spasmed and laughed, still trying to free herself, while not wanting to surrender.

"Apoligise." Kazuya said while continuing to tickle Sakura.

"N-ne-nef-nef-ar-never," Sakura stuttered while laughing and still trying to escape.

"Let the girl go Kazuya," Ryoga said, smiling at the scene in front of him. The wheels in his head were working overtime trying to unravel what the scene in front of him meant. Was there something going on between Sakura and Kazuya or was it just wishfull thinking on his part? "Why don't you try picking on someone your own size?"

Kazuya smiled, momentarily pauzing his torture of Sakura. "I don't think you're talking about yourself are you?" At last Kazuya released Sakura, who quickly scrambled away from him. Not trusting him when he extended his hand to help her, she got up herself making both Kazuya and Ryoga laugh. "Since you are a bit bigger than I, I will assume you're talking about me picking on someone else… Maybe the old man?"

As Kazuya spoke the words he nodded his head at Kakashi. Ryoga shook his head. "I thought you were against abusing the elderly… But anyway… I have some things I want to discuss."

Kazuya nodded. "Sakura told me a bit," he said, walking over to Ryoga. "We should go somewhere more quietly."

"What about my training?" Sakura asked. "You said you'd teach me something new. And I already knew I was ticklish so that doesn't count."

Scratching the back of his head, Kazuya remembered he did promise that he'd actually teach her something new. "Studies are an important part of training," Kazuya said as he dug around his pack. After a near full minute of silence he extracted a scroll. "Here you go."

Nonchalantly Kazuya threw the scroll in a arc at Sakura, making it easy to catch. Which she did. "Study that, and when you're done, come find me and heal your hands. Let's go Ryoga."

Standing there feeling befuddled, Sakura stared at the scroll in her hands. This had to be the most Kakashi-like move Kazuya had ever pulled, but she knew what he had to discuss with Ryoga, so she'd let him off the hook just this once. She had secretly hoped that he'd say to take the afternoon off, but that would be very un-Kazuya-like. So doing as she told, Sakura grabbed her things and walked to the left of the training field, looking to sit somewhere alone and where things were quiet. Only one place came to mind.

Before leaving the training field, Ryoga stopped and turned towards Sakura. "Don't forget to heal hands," he shouted. "That was the deal."

Sakura nodded and started to peel off the bandages on her hands. Within seconds her hands were healed, with not a trace of the chakra burns on them. Her eyes followed Ryoga and Kazuya as they left the training field. She didn't need to ask what they would discuss, she already knew.

XOXOXO

Lucy yawned as lunch time had come and gone and Naruto was still at it. He just had to get that jutsu right, but Lucy was feeling bored. "Hey Naruto," she called, as she got up and walked over to him and Kakashi. "You look hungry. Want to get some Ramen?"

Naruto's eyes turned big like a doe's as he thought about it. He was pretty hungry, having worked on his jutsu all morning, and looking over at Yamato, he looked tired. A break was in order. Naruto told Lucy that he did want some Ramen and that he would ask Yamato to come along. Looking expectantly at Kakashi, Kakashi declined having Ramen. Usually having Ramen with Naruto meant him trying to sneak a peak at his face. Or he'd try to get his sensei to pay for the meal, but there was only one undefeated champion at not paying the bill.

With his book in one hand, and the other in his pocket, Kakashi walked towards the memorial stone. Even if he had promised Tsunade that he'd keep an eye on Sakura, he needed some time alone with his thoughts. He had made a serious error in judgment, thinking Kazuya would seriously hurt her. It had just been a game, where he chased her, faking being angry at her. This girl would someday be the death of him.

Kakashi stopped walking when he reached the memorial stone. He closed his book and put it in his pouch. With one hand he brushed a stray leaf of off the stone. As he stood there bend over he saw her, sitting to the back of the stone against a tree, engrossed in a scroll. Seemed she hadn't noticed him and he took this oppertunity to watch her closely.

Her lips moved slightly when she read. She was sitting crossed legged against a tree, one hand holding the scroll the other supporting her head. Her long hair hung around her face like a curtain. It was when she used the hand her head had been leaning on to brush away some strands of pink hair, that she saw Kakashi looking at her intently. "If you want me to leave…" Sakura said softly, feeling a little different being alone in Kakashi's presense. A weird feeling in the pit of her stomach took hold of her. Her mind travelled back to that day when she last saw him at the memorial stone.

Weeks had passed since Kakashi had made the horrible mistake to kiss his former student right here in front of this stone. He could see something in her eyes, but was unable to put his finger on it. After talking to Guy about it, Kakashi had decided that he'd simply apoligise for his behavior. But now that she sat there, and they were alone, he just couldn't. He did regret kissing her, but not that he kissed her. He hated himself for wanting to be near her, for craving her company. In a way, she had helped him more than he had helped her. And he had ruined whatever friendship they had.

There were nights when he would dream of her. Sometimes they would just talk, enjoying each others company, other nights he would have her in his bed and on the worst nights he would find her dead with Sasuke looming over her body. He feared losing her, and he feared what a confession of his feelings woud do to them as friends. In the back of his mind he knew, they shouldn't and couldn't be a couple. Aside from the age difference and being former teacher and student, she wanted different things out of life. Things he couln't give her.

"Stay," Kakashi answered, his feet moving without his permission, taking him closer to her. He was like a moth and she was the flame. Like he had done so many times before, Kakashi took a seat in the grass next to her. "What are you working on?"

Sakura gave Kakashi the scroll, sighed and feeling annoyed with herself. All this time training and she felt like she was only improving a little bit every day. "Fire style," she answered softly. "Kazuya wants me to learn fire style."

"Do you have affinity for that?" Kakashi asked studying the scroll. His eyes looked over the first jutsu and it was indeed the most basic fire style jutsu. But Kakashi also knew that fire style was very tricky to learn when someone had low affinity for the element. And people with water as their main element usually had very little feeling for fire.

"A little," Sakura said, staring at her feet. "Just like I have a little affinity for earth, but Kazuya thinks that fire style is the best choice because it'll mix better with my water and lightning. And since I have zero feeling for wind. I don't know. I can't even do a the most simple earth jutsu, so the choice was easily made, but fire is so difficult to do."

"Show me," Kakashi said, getting up and holding out a hand for Sakura to take. She merely stared at him stupidly. But when he wouldn't move and held out his hand like that, Sakura took it, and let him help her up. She made the signs needed for a fireball jutsu, but only managed to produce a very small flame.

Sakura sighed disappointedly. "See?" It was more of a statement than a question, because eveyone could have seen that that was one pathetic fireball. She looked at Kakashi when an idea formed in her head. A smile tugged at her lips and she reached for Kakashi's headband.

Before she had chance to take his headband off his head, Kakashi backed away. His eye was wide, as Sakura followed him. "Show me your sharingan," she said, still trying to take his headband.

"Why?"

"Because you can literally see what I'm doing wrong."

Kakashi stopped and cocked his head to one side. "Why didn't you say so?" He asked, pushing his headband up to reveal his left eye.

Sakura did the jutsu again, and it was very clear to Kakashi where it went wrong. "You're far to reserved with you chakra. You need to use a lot more to do a fire jutsu." Kakashi explained and made the same hand signs, followed by the fire ball jutsu.

An audible sigh of exparation escaped Sakura's lips. Of course he'd show her the jutsu, but there really was no point. Since his main element was lightning and hers water the balance of chakra was different. She wouldn't say anything though, he meant well. Trying again, Sakura made the sign needed for the jutsu, added a lot of extra chakra and did the jutsu. A ball of fire formed, much smaller than Kakashi's jutsu, as the jutsu took form. It was an improvement from the tiny flame she had managed to produce so far, but Sakura stood there scrutinizing her own jutsu.

"That was really good," Kakashi said and he wanted to add something when Sakura interupted him.

"That was pathetic," she said sourly as she plopped back onto the ground and started to read the scroll again.

Kakashi was struck with a feeling for nostalgia. This was had it had been like when she was young. When he had something to teach her. She would try, fail, read up and try again. Except that now she was older, no longer a child. She was a ful grown woman, a beautiful one at that. Her hair swayed gently in the wind as she as read, and Kakashi couldn't make himself look away. His mind travelled to the events earlier that day when Kazuya had chased her only to tickle her.

"Can I ask a question?" Kakashi asked politely, carefully testing her reaction.

Sakura nodded, but didn't look up. "Sure."

"You and Kazuya," Kakashi started, unsure how to ask the question he was trying to ask.

Kakashi didn't need to finish his question for his point to come across. Sakura closed the scroll and put it away. A smile formed on her face, a gentle sort of smile. "He's my waterfall equivalent of Naruto."

When she finally looked up, Kakashi looked confused, or as confused as he could look with just one eye uncovered. Sakura gave a small laugh. "Being with him, and Lucy… They make me a better person. Like Naruto makes me a better person."

"You've always been a good person."

Sakura shook her head, her big green eyes looking up into his mismatched gaze. "I really wasn't," she said softly. "I was horrible when I was younger and I only changed after Sasuke left, because I knew I couldn't always depend on Naruto. Naruto made me a better person and I'm grateful for that."

Getting up, Sakura made to leave when she found herself stopped by Kakashi's hand on her shoulder. His eyes roved over her face as if looking for something. "Are you okay now?" Kakashi asked cautiously.

Sakura's gaze dropped to the ground. Was she doing better? Sure she wasn't feeling as down as before and she didn't spend all her time missing Kenji. But she also knew that she would never be the same again. Kenji's death at Sasuke's hand had changed her, and she knew, she would never again be the same Sakura.

Slowly Sakura shifted her gaze from the back to Kakashi to find him still looking at her. He was leaning a little forward, head tilted in her direction and for a moment they stood there in absolute silence. Their eyes locked and Sakura half expected that Kakashi would kiss her, but he straightened, quickly taking a step back.

Kakashi carefully looked at Sakura as she cast her eyes downwards to the grass. He knew that she had always been a bad liar, at least, he could always tell when she was lying. Now he was waiting for an answer, studying her face carefully in case she would lie. All he found was silence and he was struck by the urge to hold her close. His mismatched eyes eventually rested on her lips, staring at them as if hypnotized, while she gently worried her bottom lip between her teeth. It had always been a habit of hers, one she did whenever she was in deep thought or very nerveus. Kakashi wasn't completely sure if she was thinking, or nerveus, but he lips had never looked more kissable. And as the thought hit him she looked up, and he looked back. After a few moments Kakashi finally came to his senses. He quickly took a step back, both glad and disappointed to put some distance between himself and Sakura.

Sakura finally found the words to discribe how she was doing. "I'm doing a little better every day. I'm getting there, one step at a time." She turned away from Kakashi, looking at the memorial stone. Her thought travelled back to the last time they had been here all alone. Last time she had felt so broken. To an extent she did still felt broken, but slowly she was getting better. "That wasn't really what you wanted to ask," she said more to the stone than actually to Kakashi. She didn't quite have the courage to ask him up front about the kiss, and look him in the eye at the same time.

Slowly, Kakashi rearranged his headband so it covered his sharingan eye. As he did so, he tried to find the words to say what he had been waiting so for weeks now. But as the words formed in his head, he knew they were a lie. And if Sakura was anything like he knew her to be, she'd easily catch on if he would lie. "And what do you think I wanted to ask?"

A subtle blush spread on Sakura's cheeks. She still wasn't looking at Kakashi. "I have a few theories," she said, dancing around the topic as much as he was. Carefully she glanced sideways at Kakashi. He was as unreadable as ever.

Before Kakashi had the time to answer, Sakura looked in the direction of the village. Kakashi had heard Kazuya call Sakura a sensitive, but he wasn't sure how strongly the ability had manifested within Sakura, or even who and how she learned to use it. Much to Kakashi's annoyance, he could guess who taught her. He knew it was petty and wrong of him, but he envied Kazuya and the bond he had with Sakura. Sure they called each other friend, but it seemed so much more, like the two of them had been at one time. "What's it like?" Kakashi asked.

Sakura turned back to face Kakashi. She had been so caught up in the change she had felt that she had momentarily forgotten that she wasn't alone. "It depends," Sakura said. "I can be a useful and reassuring gift. Like when I felt that the village would be attacked. I sensed it, and we made it in time. And the entire time I knew you were all okay. I could feel you." She ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath. "Sometimes it can also be … I don't know… I get this feeling that I'm never really alone. Like… I know you've been spying on me."

Kakashi's eye went wide. He opened his mouth to speak when Sakura cut him off. "I know Lady Tsunade ordered you to. But you should hide your chakra completely. I can still sense you. Even if you are on the roof across the street." Sakura explained calmly, and she didn't seem angry. "I do feel safe, knowing you're there."

Her eyes searched his face, and though he had relaxed a little, he still looked tensed, like he was on guard. Wether he was protecting her from himself, or protecting himself from her, Sakura didn't know. But deep down she knew, their dynamic had changed. Putting away her scroll, Sakura slowly walked towards the village, only looking over her shoulder once. "You'll be there, right?" she asked in a soft voice.

Kakashi only nodded. He had been there every night, until she fell asleep. There was no telling why she asked him that, he felt like a pervert constantly looking at her, unable to turn away at moments when he really should look away, like when she changed her clothes, but he just couldn't. And now that she knew that he had been watching, he had expected her to get angry, but she hadn't and Kakashi felt that maybe he could salvage their relationship as friends. Silently he joined her as she walked back towards the village.

Without speaking Sakura led Kakashi back to the others. Naruto had already finished a pile of Ramen. HIs bowls stacked neatly to his left. Ryoga had joined and was busy chatting with Lucy, while Kazuya listened and laughed at their conversation. Wordlessly, Sakura took the seat next to Kazuya. He looked sideways, smiled and nodded. The message had been delivered, but no one knew what that message was.

"Sakura," Ryoga called out happily. "Me and Lucy were just talking."

Kazuya held a hand in front of his face.

"You are doing so much better." Ryoga continued.

Sakura nodded.

"So we've been exchanging some theories as to what Kazuya did to make you feel better."

"What theories?" Sakura asked.

"Ryoga still thinks we fucked," Kazuya said, unable to hide the amusement from his voice. "Could you please tell those two idiots that we did not fuck?"

Sakura looked from Lucy, to Ryoga, to Naruto, to Yamato, to Sai and finally she looked at Kazuya. A wide naughty grin spread on her face. She leaned forward to get a good look at Ryoga. "Oh yeah, we fucked all the time… Sometimes three times in a row."

Ryoga at first choked on his Ramen. When he finally managed to clear his throat, he stared in disbelief before sighing in disappointment.

"Oh so you'll believe her," Kazuya said, having smiled all through Ryoga's choking session. "But you don't believe me."

Ryoga shook his head. "Remember Yugito?" he asked. "And how you hadn't slept with her?"

"That was once," Kazuya said. "And we were drunk. I don't think I've ever seen Sakura drunk, so…"

"Still," Ryoga said with a long pained sigh. "You disappoint me."

Lucy nodded in agreement.

"Would it make you two idiots feel better if we did fuck?" Kazuya asked bluntly.

"Yes," Ryoga and Lucy said in unison, making Sakura's mouth fall open in shock. At first she thought she hadn't heard them correctly, but when Lucy even nodded in an after touch, she knew she had heard them correctly.

Kazuya quickly finished his drink and turned to face Sakura fully. "Well you heard them," he said getting up and holding out his hand for Sakura to take.

At first Sakura stared at the extended hand and made no move to take it. She shook her head and her right hand was searching around the counter for a pointy object to defend herself, just in case Kazuya was serious. It was difficult to tell sometimes.

"Don't be selfish," Kazuya said. "Take one for the team."

Before Sakura had found something to defend herself with. Kazuya had already grabbed her and hoisted her over his shoulder. "We'll be back in twenty minutes." he said laughing.

It was the laughing that told Sakura he was just kidding. Kazuya was nearly impossible to read. He had such a tight grip on his emotions that Sakura sometimes wondered if he was really human.

"Twenty?" Ryoga asked. "What'll take so long?"

"Foreplay." Kazuya yelled back, while still carrying Sakura over his shoulder.

Kakashi had been on the edge of his stool the entire time. He had seriously misjudged Kazuya before, so he wasn't too keen to step in and start a fight, but when Kazuya unceremoniously hoisted Sakura over his shoulder, his hand had already found a kunai and he had been ready to deliver the killing blow. But Sakura's smiling face as she was being carried told Kakashi that this was another joke, and that Kazuya meant her no harm.

Sakura shrugged as Kakashi carried her away from Ichiraku. Now she had missed her meal. But she was laughing all the same, while waving goodbye. This was just one big joke and for a moment she could forget that she was on a mission, that she had lost someone she loved and that one of the people she once loved with all her heard had caused her so much suffering.

Thanks for reading