Not an Option
One-shot
Disclaimer: I do not own any Naruto character, story, setting, etc.
He didn't just protect anyone.
He protected her.
It began from habit like a passing thought.
They were teammates so of course he counted on his teammates to have his back, while they also counted on him to do the same.
Yet, when it came to protect her it was not an option he knew he would no matter what. His need to protect her was unlike anything he felt with anyone.
In his mind, her safety came first.
While he knew this he was incapable of understanding why?
She didn't just protect anyone.
She protected them.
Her desperate need to protect them started when Sasuke left.
Despite her knowing no matter what she did or didn't do to protect Sasuke. In the end, he would still have abandoned Konoha.
Not wanting to lose another precious person she drilled her brain to learn any and every medical procedure. She worked her body until it refused to move.
Her team mate's injuries came before her own.
Yet, whenever she saw him take blows meant for her, her heart would stop.
Slowly each time he protected her, she felt like he was slipping further away from her.
Even though she knew this she couldn't do anything why?
Another mission.
A mission they had been through countless times.
Infiltrate.
Gather information.
Then kill.
So why did everything seem to slip out of control leaving them to helplessly grasping at this nightmarish reality?
Someone had snitched on them. They all had their suspicions but they were all too busy trying to defend and kill the approaching enemy.
He was distracted. Usually he kept close to her in their fights. But due to circumstances they were separated.
She noticed he was distracted. She cursed and yelled at him in her mind she would have gone to him. But due to circumstances they were separated.
Glancing towards Naruto, Sai and Yamato. She was relieved none suffered any serious injury. She was almost done with her own. When she noticed what he failed to.
Time froze still.
All her teammates eyes widened in horror.
"Sa...ku...ra." He breathed.
Kakashi was on the ground, Sakura's body hovering above his. His heart clenched. She coughed blood. His body shook with fear and anger. In a swift motion he killed the man who dared to attack her. Everything was over, he could no longer hear metal hitting metal.
"SAKURA-CHAN!" Naruto yelled.
None of them knew anything remotely close to medical ninjutsu. Just the basic first-aid in a situation like this it wouldn't help much she was losing too much blood, too fast. A sword entered her back and out her stomach. She coughed up more blood.
"Kakashi."
Kakashi tightened his grip on her before taking off into the forest. He could make it, it wasn't an option to fail, and he would save her.
Kakashi woke up.
His eyes cringed at the blinding white walls around him.
He tried to sit up but he was bound to the bed. When he looked around his noticed ten anbu officers in his room.
"Kakashi how do you feel?" It was Tsunade who stood at the foot of his bed.
"Sakura." He mumbled.
She looked away biting her lower lip.
"No." He whispered.
"It was too late."
"Shut up." He mumbled she continued with her story.
"She lost too much blood."
"Shut up!" He yelled but she ignored him.
"She died on the table."
"SHUT UUUUPPP!" He screamed. Why was she doing this to him he would have been better off ignorant.
"No because she deserves to be remembered, especially by you." She choked back a sob.
"I don't want to remember her. I want her here...alive." Silenced surrounded them. "Can I go home?" He asked numbly.
"No you're on suicide watch Kakashi." Tsunade watched him carefully.
"What?"
"Geez. After you found out you went crazy thanks to you half the hospital is in ruins. You took off at first I was relieved then I felt a sinking feeling in my gut. I had anbu track you down. When you came back it took everything I had to heal your wounds on your neck."
"You should have let me die."
"Not an option. Sakura protected you. If I had let you die doesn't it make it seem pointless?"
He said nothing rather he just closed his eyes.
"Kakashi."
Kakashi tightened his grip on her before taking off into the forest. He could make it was not an option to fail, he would save her.
"Kakashi."
"Shh."
"Kakashi."
"Yes Sakura?"
"I just...want to...say your...name."
"Sakura."
"Kakashi." He tightened his grip on her as his vision became blurring.
"Sakura."
She smiled.
"Ka..ka...shi-kun." He closed his eyes in frustration as he picked up his speed up.
"Sakura."
"Sakura."
"Sakura."