It was one of those nights where she'd grow restless and walk around the village hoping to tire herself enough to fall asleep later. She'd just passed the already closed Ichuka Ramen when she saw someone swerving and collapsing down the road. Her medical ninja instincts had her speed to the fallen person and attempt to heal... nothing? The clouds that had been covering the moon parted and revealed her sensei's back below her hands. She could see his cheeks were rosy and his chakra somewhat unstable, his headband was now hanging around his neck and his mask had slipped down from his nose but still covered the lower half of his face. "Rin..." he muttered as he stirred in attempt to get up.

Sakura couldn't help but scream "Yamete!" (stop) as she saw her Sensei struggle. "Sa-kura?" He managed to say still in a haze from fainting. She raised her fist to hit him but couldn't bring herself to do so and instead asked with tears forming in her eyes."What are you doing out so late?"

By now Sakura had helped him up and they were heading towards her sensei's home, while he leaned heavily on her. People gave them odd looks and she understood as Kakashi explained he'd been drinking. Though he wouldn't say why. She'd done this with Tsunade many times before but she'd never seen her old sensei drunk, in fact he'd rarely shown so much emotions as now. They were in the park when he collapsed again and Sakura was too exhausted to hold up all his weight. She brought them to the grass and they laid down to rest.

"It's Sasuke isn't it, keeping you up at night?" He said with a gentle caring tone. Her heart skipped a beat and she struggled to answer."...hai." His eyes turned to worry and then sympathy. She could hear the nostalgia in his voice as he spoke. "He reminds me of myself when I was younger, thinking I was so much better, wanting to take revenge. IIe, I wanted redemption for my clan. Still, I didn't appreciate my friends."

She almost interrupted but Shizune had taught her to let drunk people speak their mind, it might be the only chance to hear these words and they have to get it off their chest. She knew little of the silver-haired man's past and her curiosity kept her silent.

"Obito... Naruto is very much like him, he wanted to be like I was and he dreamt to be Hokage. Obito loved Rin and Rin loved me just like Naruto loves you and you love Sasuke. I wasn't good enough to save him and I... I killed Rin... You're much like her, cheerful and good with medical ninjutsu. She was pretty and would have made a great shinobi, but I-she... raikiri..."

He was now holding out his right hand, shaking from trauma. He was crying, and the tears weighing down the mask made it slip slowly but surely down his face. But Sakura paid it no attention, she grabbed his hand with both of hers and looked him straight in his 2 differently coloured eyes.

Determined and almost scolding she reassurred him:"I don't know what happened, but you shouldn't blame yourself! You're a great sensei, we're here for you now, don't forget that." He just blushed and looked at her in amazement. He unknowingly spoke her name."Sa-ku-ra?" His shaking stopped and his gaze turned affectionate from the icy stare it had been. He pulled down the mask which had almost fallen down anyway.

"I'm always hiding, but now that you've seen me this way there's no more reason to..." He still blushed and couldn't meet her gaze. She felt her heart skip a beat and then speed up beyond counting. They'd often wondered what their sensei hid under his mask but she never expected... this."Ka-ka-shi... you're... handsome."

Now both blushing they unintentionally moved closer. Kakashi had place his other hand over hers holding his own. They both opened their eyes and the tension rose, being only inches apart. Her heart was beating fast being so close, and her old crush for her sensei returned. Would they? Sensei and student? Kakashi's face had turned completely red, was he thinking the same?

He pulled back his hands and moved away, she felt cold and alone after that. Had he just rejected her, like Sasuke? No... this was her sensei, he'd done the right thing. But she was aching for his touch, yet she saw the pain in his eyes. Wiping away the tears from his face and stroking his soft cheeks she sang a song in hopes of calming him.

~ Shinobi, brave and strong, fighting for your family. Inflicted many wounds, but now you face an enemy. No medic ninja can heal the hole in your heart or the painful memories. When you fights these demons, beside you is where I'll be. Forget about the pain, not the cause. No one who can stop us. Shinobi, scared and hurt, defeated by your past. Accept my help at last. With me forever by your side. You will win this fight. Make me yours, I'll make you mine. Together till the end of time. Believe in hope, believe in us. With you I am in love. Shinobi, loved and hopeful, share your emotions with me ~

As she sang she'd slowly wrapped her arms around Kakashi as her song had helped him escape darkness' claws for now. Still he was crying but these were good tears and he gave her a shaky smile with his eyes characteristically closed though streaming with tears. He pulled her closer and their foreheads touched in their embrace. She hadn't meant every word not as intensely as the song brought it but it still felt as if she'd confessed her feelings or something. Her crush had never been that strong right?

He interrupted her thoughts as he attempted to end the stream of tears. "Thank you, Sakura." His voice had been rough with emotion and hardly audible."Kakashi I-"she started "I've never been able to get close to a woman after …to Rin-" he interrupted her."Kakas-" she unintentionally began "I wish I could, but you deserve better. I'm not worth the patience it would take." He interrupted seemingly not minding what she'd said. Before she could even think about what he'd said she replied getting teary eyes; "Kakashi... you make me happy, I'm not giving up on you! No matter what you say, you're more a gentleman then any guy I know."

They smiled and cried tears of joy. Kakashi then pulled his head back and gave Sakura a gentle kiss on her forehead. It wasn't what she wanted but it was what she needed right now. They released each other from their embrace and sat leaning against one another, Sakura her head resting on his shoulder. They cared little about being spotted; they just needed to be together right now.

They got up, with one arm around her waist, Sakura walked him home though they took the longest route they could find. Still she had to leave him there and exhausted went home, where she quickly fell asleep to dream of what was yet to come. Kakashi didn't have a nightmare that night for which he was grateful, still he'd wash his right hand in the morning though solely out of habit.