Sakura was fading before his eyes. Her complexion was pale, dark circles ringed her eyes, and she blinked blearily. A restaurant had burned down last night due to faulty electricity and, after caring for the wounded into the morning, she had come to report the injuries sustained. Several ninja who had rescued civilians from the blaze had been incapacitated. Kakashi would need to re arrange mission rosters and assign ninja to help with the reconstruction. He found himself only vaguely concerned with scheduling. Instead, he watched the pink haired kounoichi before him sway slightly as she talked.
"Sakura," he said calmly, cutting her off. "That's enough"
She closed her mouth. She'd given a brief summary. She still needed to give her estimations for recoveries, a specific breakdown of the types of injuries…
"I'll read the details in the report," Kakashi said, as if reading her mind. His visible eye crinkled warmly. He walked over to her and steered her to the door.
"The report," he continued cheerily. "That someone else will write. You are excused from all your duties for a week."
"That's too long," she slurred, without much conviction.
They were strolling down the corridors now. Or Kakashi was strolling. Sakura was half stumbling, supported by Kakashi's hand at her back and the other under her arm.
Kakashi swung into another office, half carrying Sakura. "Naruto, I'd like you to get Sakura home, and-"
"Sakura!" Naruto yelped, scrambling out from behind his desk. "Were you on duty all night? I've got her Kakashi-sensei! She's going straight to sleep."
Sakura was vaguely aware of Naruto leaping out of the window, holding her against his side, muttering "Geez, first Shikamaru then you, why do all my friends work too hard? When I'm Hokage we'll all have nice, long lunches…"
Sakura awoke to a red sky. Her mouth felt like it was coated in tar.
"Ugh."
She hadn't even bothered to shut her curtains. She must have slept the whole day. She glanced at the clock. The sun didn't set at 6 am. She had slept the whole day and the whole night! Sakura bolted upright. She was going to be late!
Except, she had nothing to be late for. Right. And she felt slightly dizzy from sitting up so fast. Maybe she had been working too hard; she walked over to the window, closed the curtains, and then stumbled back to bed.
Tap tap tap. Only one person would use the window instead of the door. Sakura mumbled incoherently as she staggered over and yanked the curtains back. She glared at Kakashi sensei. Or she tried to glare. The noon sun streamed in, effectively shutting her eyes. When she opened them, her window was ajar and Kakashi was standing in her room.
"Hello, Sakura," he said mildly.
"What?" she grumbled.
His single eye focused on her face.
"How are you feeling?"
The question was soft and tinged with concern.
Sakura didn't notice. "Better," she grunted.
He was still studying her.
She sighed. "Ugh, I'm getting as bad as Naruto, overdoing it until I collapse."
Kakashi's chuckle was hollow. "Naruto has the rare ability of bouncing back rather quickly. Unfortunately, neither you nor I are blessed with that gift."
She sat down on the bed, feeling foolish for working herself into delirium. She was responsible. She knew her limits and how to take care of herself.
"Sakura," he was standing right in front of her. "I'd like you to be more careful. You're a valuable part of this village, and you have help if you need it."
It wasn't that simple. "It's just never enough."
"What's never enough?"
Suddenly, the thoughts and doubts she had been keeping to herself bubbled over. "There's never enough help. Not from me, or from everyone else. No matter what I do, what we do, there is so much pain. There is always someone else who needs help. Their own mind or heart is tearing them apart, or they're hurt in some other way. I can't stop, because it never ends."
Tears were brimming at her eyes, her voice felt crushed in her windpipe. She swallowed. Even thought she had just slept for over a day, she was exhausted. She was exhausted from harboring her doubts, for letting them bounce around her mind while she pretended she was invincible. People depended on her and looked to her for answers. How could she tell them that sometimes she felt absolutely useless, that sometimes even she was lost?
Kakashi crouched. He reached out, holding his palm up. Sakura placed her trembling hand in his. He squeezed.
"I understand," he said softly. "Not exactly, but I know what it's like to feel responsible for others, and guilty if I can't be there for them. But Sakura, you can't be there for anyone if you don't care for yourself first."
She nodded, looking over his head. Absentmindedly, she drew her hand back and twisted it in her lap.
"I do, most of the time. But when something goes wrong, I hear it, the voice in my head, telling me I could have done more."
"And did something go wrong?"
"One of the civilians was a kid, burned up badly when they brought him in. He didn't get out right away, and my chakra was already low, so I couldn't regenerate his skin fast enough. He's going to have scars and lasting pain. I just wish I could've saved him from that."
After a pause, he spoke. "Some wounds, Sakura, are meant to leave a scar. And pain." He gestured to his own covered eye. "Scars teach us, remind us how we can heal, and become a part of us. You cannot save someone from life itself."
Sakura's eyes returned to his.
"Did you do all you could?"
"Of course," she said fiercely.
"Then leave the rest to others," he said softly. "They'll help him find a way."