Would He Ever Love Me?

Chapter 1 – Return To Konoha

It had been 3 years since I had last saw my village.

I knelt on the branch of a tree, over looking Konoha, and smiled, it was dark, and I could see the guards at the gate.

I had gone away for training for 3 years. How I had missed this place, I missed my Sensei, Kakashi, the most.

I leapt from the branch and landed lightly on my feet, and walked towards the looming gates of the Hidden Leaf Village, I pushed my blonde hair back too reveal my headband, and smiled as I saw Iruka-Sensei at the guards post, I bounced over too him and smiled.

"Iruka-Sensei!"

"Suzume! Your back!" He ran over too me and greeted me.

"Yes, it's been too long!" I beamed at him.

"My, how you've grown Suzume-Chan, how old are you now?" He teased.

"Don't play games, I'm 19, 20 in a couple of days!" I grinned widely.

"Sakura will be pleased too know you are back, and Kakashi. I won't tell anyone" He gestured the sealing of his lips and smiled.

"Thanks, isn't Naruto back yet?" I asked

"He's due back in a few days, don't worry I'll tell you when he's back."

"Great, thank you Sensei!" I missed all my friends so much, I couldn't wait too see them.

"Go and report too Tsunade, she'll be pleased your back home."

"I'm on my way." I saluted him.

Iruka let me pass and I bounced off into Konoha.

After reporting too Tsunade and the other Hokages I got back too my house only too have my mother run flat into me, she grabbed me and hugged and kissed me and cried.

"Woah mum, steady on!" I hugged her back hard; I'd missed her so much.

"You've grown so much, it's been so long, oh Suzume I've missed you so much!" She sobbed and hugged me tighter.

"You must tell me everything! But first, eat, sleep, shower, anything you want."

I woke up in the morning feeling fantastic; it was my first day back in Konoha; I jumped out of bed and threw on my usual attire, black shorts, sandals, and a black turtleneck sleeveless waist length top.

I walked over too my bathroom and looked in the mirror, Oh my god, my hair was a mess, I grabbed a brush and tore through it until it was flat and sleek, hmm, it needed cutting again, it was past my chin now, and my fringe was past my nose, I swept my fringe too the side and shook my head.

I walked out and grabbed my headband and gloves and sat down on my bed.

I dropped my head too the floor and tied on my headband so my hair fell over it, and pulled on my gloves, they were black and fingerless, with metal plates on the back, they were Kakashi's, he had given me them when I left.

I smiled too myself, I couldn't wait too see them all again.

As I wandered through the streets of Konoha, I finally felt home, I smiled too myself and let my eyes wander over the building and shops, when I came across a familiar site sitting down at the Ichiraku Ramen shop, chatting too the owners.

I crept over and put my fingers too my lips as Teuchi and Ayame glanced up at me.

I silently placed my hands over Kakashi's eyes, or eye as it were, and laughed.

"Guess who Scarecrow!"

"Well if it isn't little Sparrow." We always called each other by our name's meaning when we weren't training.

He pulled my hands off and turned around.

"Well, not so little anymore I see, it's been a long time; you have too tell me everything." I could see him grinning under his mask.

I sat down and he bought me ramen whilst I filled him in with everything that had happened since we last saw each other.

"Wow, you have been busy, gosh, 19, I remember when you were 13," I blushed, "have you seen anyone else yet?"

"Only Tsunade, Iruka-Sensei and you." I beamed.

He smiled and little crinkles appeared round his eye, I loved it when he smiled.

"I see you still have my gloves." He touched my hand gently, before looking back at me.

I fought not too blush, and didn't succeed.

"You did say too bring them back too you, but, they're mine now." I teased.

"Is that so? How about we spar for them, I want too see your moves." His brown eye danced at the thought.

We walked over too the sparring field, only for me too be knocked flat out by Sakura.

"Suzume-Chan!" She screamed as she tore across the field too me.

"Sakura!" I flung my arms out and embraced her as we rolled across the floor.

"I missed you soooooo much Suzume! I can't believe your back!"

"I missed you too! I know, it's so strange being back here."

She hugged me harder as Kakashi stood there watching. Sakura got up and went too hold out her hand for me, but Kakashi beat me too it, I blushed as I took it and he pulled me up, I wasn't ready for how strong he was and tripped straight into his chest, I clung on for dear life and looked up.

"I'd forgotten how strong you were Sensei."

"Me too." He chuckled.

I realised I was still holding his hand, and dropped it as I turned red, Sakura stared as Kakashi looked away, he was blushing too, I could see the faintest trace above his mask.

I stood up and faced him, grinning.

"Right, come on the old man, let's see what you got!"

We faced each other and circled, he feinted too the left, then back too the right.

"Do you want me too go easy on you Sparrow?"

"Not on your life Scarecrow."

He ran at me, drawing his kunai and thrusting them towards me, I dodged and landed behind him, I pulled out my shuriken just as he bowled me over, I scrambled up too see him crouching in front of me, kunai ready.

"You've gotten faster Sparrow."

"It's a pity you've got slower!" I laughed as I leapt out of the way of one of his kunai; it thudded into the tree behind me.

He ran at me and I ran towards the tree, grabbing the kunai as I ran up its trunk and flipped over him too land behind him, I grabbed his vest and held his kunai too his throat, only too have him turn into a log in my arms, I felt him behind me and went too spin round but he was too fast, he grabbed my arm behind my back, and pressed his remaining two kunai into my throat.

"Slower eh?"

I took his momentary lapse too spin out of the way and grab his hand hard, making him drop his kunai, I let my shuriken fly at him but he was already well out of range, they hit the ground and scored gouges through the grass.

"Remember where you are Scarecrow." I reminded him cheekily.

"Oh I do." He whispered in my ear as he appeared behind me, I let out a cry as he threw me too the floor and landed on top on me, pinning me too the floor, but not before I grabbed his wrist and flipped him underneath me, I straddled his waist and pinned his wrists too the ground.

"I'd say that's game set and match, wouldn't you Sakura." I called over my shoulder.

"She's right Kakashi," Sakura laughed her head off, "Suzume wins!"

"Looks like I'm keeping these gloves." I grinned at him.

"I can still keep my dignity," he said as he grabbed me and flipped me over, reversing positions, "Ha-ha." He sat on me and stared into my eyes, I stared back, until I realised everyone was looking, as I went too push him off me, he grabbed my hands and pulled his gloves off me, before rolling over, I shoved him hard and got up, brushing myself off.

"Good fight." I smiled as I offered my hand too him.

"Good fight." He agreed and took my hand, keeping his other hand with the gloves behind his back.

I eyed them. "I will get them back you know."

"I know." He grinned through his mask.

Sakura came over too us and complimented my improved fighting skills, when suddenly a loud crash echoed through the training ground, followed by "SUZUME!"

I barely had time too dodge out the way of Naruto's fleeting form, he grabbed my shoulders as he ran past and dragged me with him, only too screech too a halt and hug me hard.

"Iruka-Sensei told me you where back, and when I passed Teuchi he told me you'd be here, how are you?"

"Great, I just kicked Kakashi-Sensei's ass and you missed it! But what about you, you're back early?"

"Yeaah, it had been too long, I couldn't wait too set off, ran most of the way back!"

Kakashi ran over too us and grasped Naruto's hand.

"Naruto, you look great, you're taller."

Naruto beamed at Kakashi, before turning too Sakura and turning bright red.

"Sakura, you've grown up so much!"

"Yeah, never thought you'd see the day eh?" She winked as she ran over too hug him.

"This is so great! The old team back together again." Naruto grinned, only too regret having spoken.

"Not all of us." Sakura said quietly.

We had stopped speaking about Sasuke after he left, every time we did it seemed too make the day grow gray and gloomy, there had been search parties, and everyone looked for him, but it was no use, if he didn't want too be found, he wouldn't.

After Sasuke left, I joined team 7 until I went away for training, it had been tense at first, but we all luckily managed too get along well.

Kakashi hugged us all and smiled.

"Let's not get too down, remember, it's Suzume-Chan's birthday tomorrow, and we are all here, so why don't we all get together at my place for dinner, and catch up on all we've missed." He smiled at us all, and we all agreed too be at his for eight o'clock tomorrow evening. He always knew the right thing too say.