-1Sakura walked around the small apartment. It seemed so empty without him there. She could almost see him walking through the..

"WHOA!" she yelped "why am I thinking like this?!"

Sakura shook mher head and walked over to the stove where she was making her dinner. Suddenly two strong arms wrapped around her waist and she felt a warm breath on her neck.

"My Cherry- blossom! I missed you so!" a deep voice rumbled against her.

Sakura's eyes widened "Kakashi?!" she gasped, leaving off the typical honorific. "What are you doing?!"

"Telling my Cherry- blossom how much I missed her," he said in a quiet pain filled voice, as he hugged her closer and placed his cloth covered lips against her pulse point.

Sakura turned in his grasp to see a blood soaked Kakashi holding her as if she was a lifeline.

"Oh Kakashi!" she breathed "You're hurt! Why won't you ever go to the hospital?" she asked with teary eyes as she pried his arms from around her and led him to his room.

Kakashi's eyes drank in the site of her as she simply stated " Because you'll take care of me" and with that he collapsed onto the bed.

Sakura quickly stripped his top from him and let a few tears fall. His pale skin was black and blue, and a gash ran from his hip to the middle of his chest.

"Oh Kakashi," she sighed as she ran her hand down his cloth covered face. "You're right, I'll always take care of you….I love you so."

Sakura placed her hands onto his chest and let the healing chakra flow from her body into Kakashi's wounded form. She felt her strength slowly seep from her.

When she opened her eyes the gash had repaired itself and only a few scratches and brushes remained. Those would heal in a few days with her help. For now she needed to clean him off

Slowly Sakura cleaned his prone body and changed his soiled clothes. When all of that was done she removed his hitai-ate from his head, remembering to leave his mask and kissed his brow.

Silently she crawled into bed beside him.

"I'll get up in a few hours, before he's awake and I'll wash his clothes. He'll never know I slept here," and with that she slid into a dreamless sleep.

Sun kissed Kakashi's sleeping face, and he slowly blinked open his eyes with a groan. He rolled over only to find the opposite side of his normaly empty bed occupied.

Lying beside him was his sweet Sakura. Her face relaxed in sleep, she reminded him of the young girl he had met years ago. Her mouth crooked into a smile as something in her dream amused her.

Kakashi ran his hand gently down her cheek, savoring the feel of her soft skin.

Sakura's eyes fluttered open and she smiled.

"Gook morning my Cherry-blossom." Kakashi said quietly.

Sakura gasped "So it's not a dream?!" she tried to sit up only to find Kakashi's warm hand staying her action.

His mask covered face loomed before her " If it is, it's an extremely good dream, and I don't want to wake up!" and with that his lips covered hers in a gently yet passionate kiss.

Sakura's eyes flew open and then ever so slowly fluttered closed and she laced her fingers into Kakashi's hair.

What seemed like hours, but was in all reality only moments later, Kakashi drew back.

A soft smile played across Sakura's mouth and pink blush kissed her cheeks.

"Why…did you do that Kakashi?" she asked timorously.

"I've wanted to do that for so long that it only seemed right to do so now," he answered.

"But why?" she asked again.

Slowly Kakashi pulled down his mask "Because my darling Sakura I have loved you for years."

Sakura's eyes became glossy with unshed tears. "R…really Kakashi?" her hand slid from his hair to trace the lines of his face.

"Yes Sakura. I've loved you since I first met you. It started out as a fatherly..maybe brotherly love, or so I thought. Then when I realized you had grew up on me, I knew it was more." he said sadly

Sakura's lips curved and she pulled Kakashi to her " Oh my darling Kakashi! I've loved you for so long! I never believed this would happen!"

Kakashi drew back "You…you love me?! B…But what about Sasuke?"

Sakura smiled sadly "What I thought was love was only a childhood infatuation. When he left I began to realize that, and slowly with time slowly with time it began to fade into the background of my heart as something g new formed. My love for you!" tears fell onto her cheeks and Kakashi wiped them away gently "I'll always care for Sasuke in a way. We went through a lot together, but it's you Kakashi who fills my wakeing thoughts! You who I'd die for!"

Kakashi leaned forward and kissed her lips softly. "And I you my sweet Cherry-blossom. And I you"

The two lovers would not emerge from that small apartment for the rest of the day. But when they did their joy would be clear for everyone to see.

4 years later

Sakura awoke to an empty bed and she frowned.

"Where could she be?" she asked the room.

Quietly she got out of the bed and padded down the hall. A quiet voice came from a room to the right.

Sakura slowly pushed the door open and leaned against the door.

There inside the room her husband at rocking his infant son Obito. His shock of soft silver hair visable even in the dimly lit room. Kakashi was quietly humming to him trying to put him back to sleep.

Sakura's bare feet padded across the floor as she came to a stop behind her husband.

"Hey's asleep love," she whispered.

Kakashi looked up at her with a smile. He stood and lay his infant son in his crib.

Sakura leaned over her son's crib and kissed his fourhead. "Good night my love."

Kakashi wrapped his arms around Sakura. "I'm glad it's not a dream," he whispered in her ear.

Sakura turned in his arms and placed her lips to his ear "If it is, it's an extremely good dream..and I never want to wake up!"

Kakashi grinned and kissed his wife in the moonlight.