Slowly, quietly, he crept up outside her shaded window sill. He positioned himself just to the side, just out of sight, and gently knocked once, twice, three times. Light peered out as the curtains were pulled back and the window opened.

She stuck her head outside, pink locks swirly lightly against the cold wind. She didn't have time to investigate the knock properly before a man wearing a terrfying ANBU mask jumped into her sight, causing her to shriek and lurch backwards, landing hard on her floor.

His chuckle gave him away.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Her voice was a mix of anger and relief.

"Yo," he chuckled, removing his ANBU mask only to reveal a layer of cloth famously covering half his face.

"What are you doing here? You scared the life out of me.." He noted that she looked worn and tired, no doubt feeling the after math of Tsunade's training.

"Cute pajamas," was his reply. She wore a long, dark blue shirt with sleeves that where much too long for her with little dogs printed all over and black sweat pants.

"Thanks. What are you doing here?" She was becoming mildly annoyed.

"Here," he said, fumbling around in his pocket until he pulled out a small box with a smaller bow. "Merry Christmas, Sakura."

Her squeal of approval was loud and obnoxious and she took the little gift and opened it. From the box, she pulled a dainty silver chain that bore a small star-shaped locket. "A necklace?"

"Do you like it?"

"I love it!" She gleamed. He smiled at her, satisfied, as she immediately when to clasp it around her nape. "Thank you, sensei." His smile faded.

"Sakura, I'm leaving." She looked up at him, clearly taken off gaurd at his words.

"What? For how long?"

"Two, maybe three years." Her eyes grew wide at this, and she gawked at him for several moments before finally speaking.

"You can't.." Tears swelled up, threatening to break through and run freely down her face. "You can't." She repeated.

"I have to. I'm leaving for a mission, Sakura. I have to."

"But-" a hand reached out to cup her cheek, his thumb smearing away burning tears that made good on their threats.

"It's okay." His hand trailed down, grazing the length of her jaw before settling on her locket. He took the little star and twiddle with it for a moment.

"I'll miss you," she whispered.

"I'll be home before you know it." Before she had time to protest more, he had already turned and vanished from her sight. She didn't know how to feel in that moment. With Kakashi's departure, team 7 was officially disbanded. He had been by her side through this entire ordeal, and now for the first time since Sasuke left in search of power with Orochimaru, Sakura felt truly alone.

It was in this moment she realized her sensei's promises of returning things to normalcy were all fantasies, and the mourning for the loss of her Shinobi family became real.

I'll miss you. That's what she had said, and the words echoed in his mind. He'd never had someone tell him that. He didn't know how to respond to that. So he settled to leave as quickly as possible.

Kakashi felt a tinge of guilt that he was no doubt leaving his bright eyed student an emotional wreck, on Christmas, no less. But there wasn't time for that now. He needed to focus on the task at hand.