AN: So I have random and too often feckless muses. Apologies, but at least I'm keeping this "What If" scenario short...Unlike my last major one...

I think...I really want to explore Kakashi's journey here which you'll get a taste of soon...So either continue reading and reach the end and go "That it? So short!" (that or, "Look how typical of the Hot Pinker to end it that way!") or just check the next fic out by someone who can word sentences better than I can and sound legit.

I'm doing this one for me and if you happen to gander at it as well good for you. We're discovering it together, good to have you along but don't pressure me if anything rubs you the wrong way. Let me do my thing and it'll hopefully pay off in the will-probably-never-come end. :) Hey, just being honest. This fic is me being just that and doing whatever.

It's also me wanting to muse about a scenario I've long kinda pondered and I'm sure other people have as well. I dunno, I've not looked around to see what others have done. I'm just doing my own thing.


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Part One: The Scream Heard Around the Village

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"Don't go! If you do, I'll scream!"

It was a desperate card, but one Sakura knew she had to pull. Quick. Anything to stop him from walking out the village's gate and into a place he would never come back from.

The path where revenge meant more than their team and their strengthening bonds. They had just reached a place so special, all of them, almost a second family. To him and Naruto, Team 7 had become their family. And it was shattering into pieces. She couldn't let this be the final nail in the coffin.

Sasuke froze in his tracks, his back turned toward her, the Uchiha crest nearly hidden in shadow as a cloud passed over the moon. The crickets silenced, the air likening to the steel edge of a knife. And like a gush of wind, he disappeared before flickering behind her. A shiver ran down her spine at his presence . His breath close enough to warm her neck.

There was a strange surreal length of pause, a light breeze fondled her hair, carrying his scent with it.

A leaf landed on the cold ground then was blown away.

Then he spoke. Not in malice as he had just seconds ago. You really are annoying. No, that had been his own card to try to make her run away crying but it hadn't worked. She wasn't quite that girl anymore. Or at least not at this moment that was so vitally important. So he'd changed tactics with just one word, her name in a gentle tone. One she had never heard from him.

"Sakura."

One word, trying to reason with her. Sounding as if it cared about her.

It made her heart want to dance and any other occasion it probably would have. But not tonight. Not after the hospital rooftop.

"Thank you."

Was this some kind of acknowledgment? How long she had craved it from him...

Her thoughts stopped at the sound of movement, a rustle of his sleeve, of limb. He was moving his arm. And she knew what he was doing—he was going to hit the back of her neck.

If she was going to do something it was now or never. In an instant, Sakura somehow knew that what was about to go down could be pivotal to their entire team's future. To her, but most importantly to him.

Revenge. Love.

"No!"

She twisted around, smacking his incoming hand away. He looked shocked at her response at first but quickly recovered, already moving in position to try to knock her out once again.

Part of her wished that time could go back and that she had found a way to reach him rather than let the situation with the curse seal get worse. But she hadn't, she could only weep at his fierce insistence, but not now. Fighting her emotions away, she gritted her teeth, getting into an offensive stance.

"Don't do this, Sasuke! Please!"

I can't fight you...

"Get out of my way, Sakura!" He wasn't going to stop. But neither was she.

Their struggle was brief, she wasn't talented like him or Naruto. She couldn't fight on his level, but still, there was a desperate edge, to her and to him and she made a vow that when this was over she was going to train her butt off, anything to reach his level because of this moment, she was far behind and it hurt. Did she really think someone like her could stop him?

No wonder he thought he had to go to Orochimaru to reach his goals in life. Goals that didn't involve her.

Only one was going to get their way and he clearly would win this fight.

Pain flared up into her back as she collapsed into the cold walkway, straddled.

He seized her by her wrists, his eyes bleeding into red.

"I have to do this, Sakura," he whispered furiously. Their scuffle had already made enough noise. Guards would no doubt soon be on the scene to investigate the cause seeing as how it was after curfew and the village was still on high alert.

"I need you to go to sleep. I can't have you interfering with this, it's my business."

If it was an attempt at an excuse for trying to leave the village she wasn't going to take it.

No, she did the only thing a girl in her position could. She started screaming. Loud and clear, the cry pierced the dead silent air.

Screaming for help, for someone to come.

And it did, even as a hand shot over her mouth, trying to muffle her broken sound. She had her eyes closed but she could feel the intensity of his as he glared down at her, sharingan desperately digging but failing to reach her irises. Footsteps sounded, rushing to see what was the matter. And what they saw was him hovering over her, hands grasped at her. Her face, tear-streaked. It would look like an assault, at least until one saw the backpack he wore.

He was frozen, no doubt wagering his chances against higher rank patrol ninja. Sakura twisted her face away from his hand and cried out, "He's trying to leave the village to go to Orochimaru! Stop him!"

Sasuke's expression was one of horror, his eyes something Sakura would never forget.

It was that look, seeing it, that she knew in her heart of hearts that she had just broken something. And it would never be the same between them again.

"I'm sorry," she cried. "I know you need to but I'm so sorry! You can't go!"

Words of the patrol overcame them and the night faded, forever beyond repair.

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Next Time, surely it'll be a real chapter seeing as how it'll definitely have more than one scene:

Part Two: Kakashi Becomes a Dad?! Catch This Scoop, It's Kinda Funny...

Forced to return home from his mission (AN: yes I had to rewatch and reread these episodes to get all this down) Kakashi finds himself stuck with a new tenant in his home who's under some serious house arrest with the threat of the Sound and Orochimaru so near and Itachi's memory breathing right down the certain cranky youngter's neck. Oh, them rebellious teenager years. He can handle it, he's the cool guy. But, really, what does Kakashi know about fathering? Oh, kami, he just might suck at it!