Promises to my knight

A/N: I everyone! I wanted to let you all know I do hope you re-read this chapter because I did add some new information and change some things I felt needed to be removed or have more clarification on. Also again a HUGE HUGE thank you for the followers and likes of this story especially with all the changes I am making and my long absence. I do hope this new chapter lives up to every ones expectations! Do not be afraid to comment or PM me. Thank you all and much love!

Long pink hair swayed in the wind as the rain dampened her stray hairs to the side of the owners beautifully pale face. Silence surrounded the young woman as she stood still in front of the monument stone with the names of her friends and family engraved on its surface. The woman stared at the names written before her no tears fell, but the burning ache to let them fall freely redden the whites of her once bright emerald eyes. After what felt like several still hours the woman raised a single hand to touch the names before her, only stopping short when she felt the chakra presence of another appear behind her. Slowly her hand fell back at her side as she took a deep calming breath and closed her eyes, the person behind her had remained still as a statue behind her, unmoving. A sad smile graced her lips like the ghostly reminder of a happier past, she kept her eyes closed for a second more before opening her eyes and looking over her shoulder at the young man behind her. Seeing the man behind her still frozen in place one would think he was not even breathing at first glance but this woman knew better he was waiting, testing, hoping..., her dim emerald eyes locked with his one uncovered lifeless grey eye. Seconds now felt like a lifetime as their feelings were seen in each others empty eyes and felt like a warm shock through the body. There was a single glance before the woman broke contact and looked back at the large stone with hundreds of names written on it. Closing her eyes once more she knew when she chose to open them he would be by her side the only outside indication of this was a single hair moved due to his quick movements, but she could feel him, his presence close to hers even though they were not close enough to touch she could also feel the warmth of his body near her's.

The woman's voice was softer than a whisper but he heard her none the less, "I kept my promise..." The man looked over at the woman her emerald eyes glistened with fresh tears finally free to fall. The man grabbed the woman so quickly and held her close to his chest, embracing the small woman in his arms as she shook from her silent sobs. He laid his cheek on the top of her head as she only reached his shoulders in height, 'I kept mine too' the man thought to himself.

He finally let out the breath he had been holding and a real smile appeared under his mask the time had finally come, "Welcome home..."

Where it all Started

Normal P.O.V

10 years prior...

"Did you hear, team 4 is getting its final member today..." Choza said to the rest of the teams that made up of the graduates from this years academy students. Choza was one of the members of team 1 along with Inoichi Yamanaka and Shikaku Nara, their families have always been in groups together kind of those family traditions. "Let us hope for someone with a more youthful spirit or those two will never see their youthful potential." Mighty Gai the loudest amongst the group of graduates, always seeming to go on about the powers of being a youth, he was a member of team 3 with Asuma Sarutobi, the Third Hokage's son, and Kureni Yuhi. "Shhhh here they come everyone." Rin Nohara whispered as she shhhed everyone from their hiding place in the trees, Rin was the only girl in team 2 along with Obito Uchiha, a loud boy who stood out compared to the rest of his clan the Uchiha's, and then Kakashi Hatake, a silent closed off book to everyone.

The group of teens hid in the trees as they watched their other two friends wait for the Hokage to walk up to them. Iruka Umino looked nervous as the Hokage approached he always seemed to be worrying about something, then there was Genma Shiranui, with his tooth pick in the side of his mouth his signature look, he seemed to not have a care in the world as he waited along with his teammate.

"Good morning. Iruka, Genma." The Hokage nodded to both boys as they said there good mornings back respectfully to the head of the village. "Today you will be meeting your last teammate she is excited to meet you both." Iruka seemed to relax slightly at the mention of a girl being on there team, meaning there shouldn't be a hard time with the transition. Genma just hm'ed as a response to the Hokage, "You both should understand she is new not only to your team but the village itself and I hope you both show her around and make her feel welcomed." The Hokage spoke to both the boys as each nodded and listened to everything he said, "Ah right on time," The Hokage turned to motion for the clearing behind them as a small girl walked up with bright pink candy hair. Genma seemed to stop chewing on his toothpick at that moment and Iruka had pink dusting his face as she walked right up to them standing next to the Hokage.

The group of teens in the trees struggled to all see what the girl looked like, from where they were all hiding no one could see anything except the long pink hair that seemed to blow in the breeze just past the Hokage. They all stood impatiently and deathly quiet as they waited to see if the Hokage would move, especially once they all saw the facial reactions to Genma and Iruka. It was almost too much for them to have to wait many of them were leaning so far out on the tree branches you would soon see several heads poking out of the tree.

"Team 4 this is your newest member..." The Hokage looked next to his side at the girl with an encouraging look. Taking a deep breath the girl took a step forward with her hands crossed behind her, her bright emerald eyes shining as she smiled a 100 watt smile at both the boys before bowing slightly. "Hello my name is Haruno Sakura, I hope you both do not mind me joining your team." Her voice was soft like a whisper but loud enough for them to all hear her speaking clearly. Iruka, with his red face smiled back politely before speaking to her, "Welcome, my name is Iruka Umino." Just then before he could say more Genma spoke up "I'm Genma Shiranui, we are glad to have you as apart of team 4." Smiling at the children in front of him the Hokage spoke before leaving them "Also take extra care of Sakura she is the clan heir to the Haruno's and is very important to the village." Blushing a bright pink Sakura's eyes widened as she looked down "Please do not treat me any different I am still a very capable ninja." The Hokage laughed as he started to walk back to the Hokage tower with their sensei "Of course Sakura-san."

Looking at each other silently for a whole 5 minutes after the Hokage had left Genma finally broke the silence, "So where you from Hime?" Sakura looked up at him with a dusted pink across her face at the new nickname she had already acquired "Uh-h my family and I are from a small village just past Kumogakura, and there is no need for you to call me that Genma-san." Genma chuckled before waving one hand in a dismissive motion, "You look like a Hime anyways it can be my nickname for you." Sakura smiled and nodded, "Well what would you like to do today Sakura-chan, we will be your personal tour guides," Iruka smiled at her as a large group of kids there age popped out of a nearby tree all walking and some running towards them.

Sakura looked slightly worried as she took a step closer to Genma without knowing that she had done so, Genma looked over at her before putting his hand up to slow or hopefully stop Gai, and Obito from running right up and into Sakura's face.

Sakura's P.O.V

I could feel my eyes dashing from face to face to face as a large group of kids my age walked up, well two ran up, to Genma, Iruka, and I. Genma took a step in the way of them from me and put one hand up to stop the two who had been running straight for us, he would never understand how grateful I was in that moment for that. Where I was from the group of kids that was headed for me now was probably the number of kids in the whole town from ages of birth until 14 or so. The group that seemed to surround us was made up of the oddest kids and yet they all seemed to know each other and work together perfectly like they had all grown up together no matter their odd looks and possible different personalities.

"Hime this is our friends, they are the rest of the graduates that passed and made it to genin this year along with Iruka and I. They make up the other 3 teams that we sometimes work with or have missions with." Genma made a wide motion to all the kids as he spoke, the one with really furry eyebrows and a bright green outfit spoke up first. "Hime? What youthful beauty you both have been given and a princess no less luck is on your sides Iruka, Genma." Everyone sighed and sweat dropped as the boy spoke he had a strange way of talking and I had to cover my mouth to hold back the small laugh that wanted to come forth. "That is Mighty Gai he's always like this unfortunately." Genma said to me when no one else explained, nodding in understanding I smiled towards Gai as I removed my hand from my mouth. "Your father seemed to be fond of her already Asuma-kun," a beautiful girl said as she looked at a boy next to her with a lollipop in his mouth it seemed as if he and Genma had a weird mouth trait. "Hmph" was all the boy said as he looked at the girl, one could tell she was head over heels in love with the boy and he had something of a sore spot for her it was so very clear in their eyes. "That's Kureni and Asuma, Asuma's the Hokage's son," Iruka then leaned in closer and whispered "they are love birds but they will denied it if you say anything." I nodded as I tried to keep up with the names and faces I was being told and seeing.

"So what you're like a clan heir or something special since Genma would lower himself to calling you a Hime?" another boy spoke up while folding his arms over his chest when a girl next to him shoved him in the arm "Don't be rude Obito-san." The boy seemed to blush under his goggles but turned his head as if to not listen to what she had said even though one could see he obviously heard her. "Obito, Rin,and their last teammate is Kakashi," Genma pointed to each nodding before another boy seemed to have something to say. "Don't mind the rest of them you will get used to everyone in time, Iruka and Genma will also make you feel more welcome and comfortable here." The boy seemed so well educated and smart I instantly liked him better than the rest, the boy in mention took a few steps forward before offering his hand to me "My names Nara Shikaku it's nice to have met you." Smiling at him I moved away from behind Genma slightly still close enough to hide if I felt the need as I took his hand and shook it "My name is Haruno Sakura, pleased to meet you as well Shikaku. Also to answer Obito's early question yes I am the heir to the Haruno clan but please do not treat me differently." Everyone seemed to stare at me while I spoke which caused my face to heat up as I looked away while dropping my hand from Shikaku's.

"Alright, Hokage-sama said it was up to us to show you around so let's get to it." Genma said as he grabbed my arm and began pulling me back towards town. Quickly, I looked up at the back of Genma's head before looking back at the group of people I just met, Iruka just smiled while scratching the back of his head before walking towards us. "Well catch up later guys, see ya Sakura-chan" Shikaku waved as he walked towards another training ground with his team in tow. "Yeah us too, come on Gai" Asuma said as he and Kureni headed another direction with Gai yelling at them about something youthful I assumed. "Well Sakura-chan will need a girl to show her the good stores so let's go with guys," Rin said as she ran up next to me smiling brightly. Behind me I could hear a soft sigh then foot steps 'must be poor Obito' I thought to myself a slight glance over my shoulder proved my thoughts correct, what I didn't expect was the Kakashi kid coming along a few steps behind Obito.

Once we started walking back on the main roads of town Iruka turned to me and smiled "Are you hungry Sakura-chan?" I nodded with a soft smile after unpacking and the long meeting with the Hokage this morning I really should have listened to my mother and had something to eat. "Alright we can eat at my favorite place it's a local ramen shop, you will love it Sakura-chan", Iruka said as he pointed towards the direction of the shop. Genma just began walking again Iruka walked in pace with me along with Rin on my other side, Obito and Kakashi were still a few steps behind us. Looking back at the two of them I began to wonder 'for teammates there seems to be something up between the two of them.'

We finished eating at Ichiraku's rather quickly, which happened to be really good and the owner Teuchi was extremely nice. "Well I have to get going my mother asked me to help her with some errands today, I will see you again soon okay Sakura-hime and we can go shopping." Rin smiled as she began to walk home, "Rin-chan wait I'll walk you, bye guys!" Obito said as he ran to catch up with Rin. I smiled to myself it was already clear to me that Obito had a crush on Rin but poor Obito, Rin seemed oblivious to his flirting. "I am supposed to report to the Hokage about today so I'll see you guys later or tomorrow for our first team practice," Iruka smiled. "Alright see you tomorrow," I waved to Iruka as he waved before running off towards the large Hokage tower, 'Poof' suddenly there was a small cloud of smoke soon replaced by an older leaf shinobi, "Genma, Anko has created something of a problem by the academy can you assist?" Genma sighed before looking at me then over my shoulder "Take her home for us please, thanks Kakashi" 'Poof' again more smoke, this time both Genma and the other shinobi were gone from our sights.

'They left me with Mr. silent,' I peeked over my shoulder at the white haired boy with the scarf covering his lower half of his face. He kept his hands in his pocket and just looked at me for a fraction of a second before walking right past me and towards the district where my clan now lived. Sighing I just began to follow behind him, I eventually got in pace with him, the walk was silent no words spoken from either one of us as we came to the end of the market and we began to walk past the Hyuga clan's housing district. Between the Hyuga clan and the Uchiha was the new Haruno clan's housing, as we came to the wall which separated each clan I turned to look at Kakashi. "Arigato.." I said softly, Kakashi held one hand up to stop me from speaking any further before turning and walking off towards the Uchiha's, 'Maybe the Hatake's are bigger than the Uchiha's?' I wondered for a moment before walking in past all the small houses in the front of our new family property. I eventually walked up to the main house which my family and I now lived in, I walked in and took my shoes off at the door, I tried to get to my room before someone saw me but of course my mother would stop me before I even made it to the hall way. "Did you have fun meeting your team today sweetheart?" my mother asked me, I smiled and nodded "Yes they were very kind to me, we are meeting tomorrow for our first training so I am going to get some sleep I am very tired." My mother hugged me then nodded before rushing back to the kitchen probably to make dinner for my father when he returned from wherever he may have went.

I closed the door to my room and looked around to seeing nothing but boxes and my things piled by the closet, sighing I walked over to my bed and fell face first onto it. 'If I lay here long enough maybe tomorrow won't come' I thought to myself,after trying to lay still for a hole 5 minutes I decided to sit up and start unpacking my things so that I could be ready for tomorrow.

After unpacking most of my things I laid in the middle of my bedroom floor surrounded by empty boxes and some of my clothes and books. Sighing I was ready to give up on putting my things away, but my father had a different thought. "Blossom?" my father said as he peeked into my room, scratching his head and chuckling he opened the door fully "Your mother told me today went well but by the looks of this room I beg to differ." I sat up then and tried to give my father a look that said 'not now' but instead I just ended up smiling at him, how could I not my father was always there for me when I needed him. "Come on Blossom it's time for dinner," my father reached over to offer me a hand out of my mess of a room. I gladly took it and walked downstairs to eat with my family mother and father, I told them about my teammates and new friends. They seemed interested and happy for me, that was until one of our elders came and asked for them to come join then for some meeting about the move and that nonsense.

I just smiled and said it would be fine and we could catch up tomorrow, they left quickly after that so I sat alone and finished my dinner. Once I was done I sighed and decided to clean up the mess and their uneaten food to help my mother out, who knew when they would come home. I walked to my room turning lights out along the way and once in my room I just stared in from the doorway and thought 'I wish that I wasn't part of the main family.'

4 month later...

"Iruka-san is buying!" I cheered as I jumped up and down as I stood at the village gates with our sensei, as Genma stopped running in front of me. "No fair!" Iruka yelled as he ran towards us his breathing a little labored, I laughed as I looked at Genma before he and I started walking to Ichiraku's as I looked over at Genma I said, "I almost thought he was going to beat you nee." Genma sighed "You know I used to much chakra this trip, I just didn't wanna get stuck with paying again," I nodded and looked back for Iruka "Hurry up Iruka-san I'm hungry" I laughed as we slowed down to wait for him. Iruka finally caught up to us as we all sat down on stools to eat "Back so soon kids?" Teuchi said as we all sat down leaving our packs on the ground by our stools. Nodding we all placed an order each of our favorite ramen, "Sakura-hime next time you have to pay you always find some way to get Genma or I to pay, your turning into Kakashi-san." I laughed as I nodded "Okay okay next time is on me boys, and I am nothing like Up," Iruka laughed at my nickname for Kakashi, since I moved here when ever we all spend time together I noticed that Kakashi would stand by himself and just be apart of whatever we did never talking or really participating in anything just there. So I started calling him Mr. Stuck Up ever since, when I tried to talk to him he never spoke back and when Rin would talk to him he would give her the cold shoulder like she never even said anything.

Once we were done eating we prepared to meet with the rest of our friends, since we all began taking more missions outside of the village we made it a promise to always meet as a group just to make sure that the group returned home safely without anyone missing or missing body parts. As we began walking towards the training grounds our sensei grabbed my shoulder stopping me, causing me to look up at him, "I'll catch up don't worry guys I'll be there okay." Both Iruka and Genma paused for a moment longer before nodding and walking away from us, my sensei let me go before handing me a paper looking down at it I realized it was an application to become a jounin in the next exams. I looked up to question my sensei what this meant but he was gone, I looked around before deciding to go to the Hokage himself and ask what this would mean for me, and more importantly my team.

'Knock knock' I waited patiently behind the shut door, "Come in," the Hokage said, I opened the door and walked in bowing my head slightly. "Hokage-sama" I said politely as I walked up to his desk, "Ah yes Sakura I assume you are here to question the jounin application yes?" he asked me as he looked at me firmly. I nodded slightly wondering how long he had known about this already, the Hokage made a motion with his hand towards the seat in front of his desk, I quickly walked over and sat down hoping he would tell me why this was happening. I suddenly had the feeling that things were about to start changing in my life, I just wasn't positive if this would be a good thing or bad, sighing to myself I sat up straight and listened to everything the Hokage had to say.

Normal P.O.V

"I'm beginning to think you two are lying about where Sakura-hime is," said Asuma, "Maybe we should go look for her, maybe something happened?" Rin said looking around slightly panicked, "Guys she was with our sensei, if anyone could get out of trouble safely it would be Sakura-chan also she is home the chances of an intruder inside our village is unlikely." Genma said with certainty."Sakura-san is usually the cause of the trouble too," Shikaku said under his breath which everyone laughed at. It had been a little over an hour as the group still patiently waited for Sakura to join them, some spared to kill time such as Gai and Obito, while others played Shogi, Shikaku and Asuma. As Iruka stood to go looking for Sakura said girl walked into view slowly, "Sakura-chan we were all beginning to worry is everything..." Iruka walked up to her intending to finish the sentence when he noticed the look on her face. After months of being on a team with her he knew something was bothering her, "Hime what took so long? I thought maybe you were injured during your mission and that these two weren't telling us." Rin said as she walked up besides Iruka, a soft smile on her face as usual, Sakura looked up at Rin and Iruka and crossed her hands behind her back a tell sign of hers that she was about to give you bad news. "The Hokage-sama and sensei have given me permission to apply to the next Joinin exams, this summer. I have 3 months to train before the actual exams," Sakura said as she looked everywhere but her friends faces.

From behind them everyone seemed to stop what they were busy doing up until that point and suddenly became very interested in their conversation, except for one who seemed to be more in a state of shock then the rest. "Congrats Sakura-chan that's great," said Iruka who was smiling his brightest and quickly hugged her, Genma walked up with Shikaku and Asuma behind him. "Will you still be going on missions with us?" Genma asked, nodding Sakura looked to Genma "Yes but maybe not all of them, Hokage-sama said if I pass the exams things will change but not to worry about any of that for now." Iruka, Genma, and Sakura seemed to have a dark cloud over their heads suddenly which was to be expected they had become their own little family of sorts they spent so much time together since Sakura became part of their team, it was sad that there was such a high chance that she would be leaving them soon.

"Well I think it's still amazing, you must be really amazing if your sensei and the Hokage recommended you. I know how it feels when Kakashi-kun told us Obito-san and I were really upset to possibly lose him as well." Rin said, but as she said this the whole group's attention shifted to look at Kakashi who was leaning with his back on a close by tree seemingly not interested. Rin noticed and then covered her mouth with her hands "Oops I'm sorry Kakashi-kun I just thought everyone already knew..." Rin looked from Kakashi to Sakura "Well you two can always train together and maybe take the exam together and pass together, so maybe it's not all bad we can all still spend as much time together as possible right?" Everyone seemed to look to the brighter side 'for now' as everyone seemed to nod which caused Sakura to smile at Rin. Everyone seemed to talk with each other about how cool Sakura and Kakashi were going to be now and how things would change, everyone seemed really excited for the two of them but as Sakura tried to listen to what everyone had to say she couldn't help but look up at Kakashi who had been staring at her. Yes things were defiantly about to change, but what exactly did that mean for her and Kakashi it seemed they both wondered this as Kakashi poofed away as Sakura continued to look at where he was standing until Rin said her name which pulled her back into their current conversations.

Sakura's P.O.V

"We will help you anyway we can Sakura-chan I know this sucks because you won't always be on a team with us after you pass but at least we will still have a few missions together," Iruka said "Besides we live in the same village you won't really be leaving us so don't worry so much." Genma and Iruka decided to walk me home after our long afternoon with everyone at the training grounds, 'How am I going to do this without them?' I thought to myself as I walked in pace with them to my clans district. They were right though, this would not be goodbye if I passed the exams I could still see them everyday and we would still go on missions together the only real thing that would change would be my ranks. I smiled to myself I could do this and I would do this my teammates were proud of me, I was proud of me, 'I mean really how many other ninja our age get this kind of chance' I thought to myself when Kakashi's face popped into mind.

"Sakura-chan?" Iruka said, I blinked a few times before I realized I had been walking without even realizing how deep in my own thoughts I was "Gomen Iruka-nee, what did you say?" I apologized, Genma laughed before putting his hand on my shoulder "Go home get some sleep Hime, we will come by and get you tomorrow at our normal time." Genma pushed Iruka away with him as Iruka tried to fight him off still wanting to make sure I was okay, I laughed softly to myself as I watched their backs disappear towards their own homes before turning around to look at my clans gate. Sighing to myself I noticed white in the corner of my eye, I turned and looked down the street was a man with bright white hair, "Hatake-san where are you going?" The man stopped and looked at me when I noticed that was not Kakashi, I froze for a second before bowing my head slightly "Gomen I thought you were Hatake-san." The man just chuckled as he walked up to me and patted the top of my head "I am Hatake but I have a feeling you are talking about my son. Kakashi would be very upset if he heard you insinuate that we look alike," the man said to me 'this must be Kakashi's father then' I thought. "Why would he be upset?" I asked before I could stop myself, the man seemed pained suddenly before sticking his hands in his pocket. "My son and I haven't talking in years, we live under the same roof but we have different..." the man was silently thinking, as to not interrupt him I stayed silent as well. "I guess you could say I have more emotions than a shinobi should," he said, I felt the need to say something but what I wondered, as the man turned and headed back from wherever he had been coming from I stopped him again. "You should talk to him Mr. Hatake, some people do not get the the luxuries of having a parent to talk to whenever they need. Maybe he needs you just as much as you need him," I said to his back, the man's shoulders slumped as he looked over his shoulder at me "You remind me of his mother," the man said before disappearing down our street.

I stayed staring off after the direction the man had went for a few minutes wondering what he meant by 'you remind me' did something happen to his mother?After I finally returned home I didn't feel up to eating and decided to take a shower, once I was done I climbed into bed still many questions on my mind that had no answers, I wanted to figure out the mystery behind Kakashi Hatake. Sleep had already claimed me for the night before my parents ever returned home, they both looked in on me from my door way with sadness and worry on their faces. "She needs us dear," my mother whispered to my father, sighing a painful sigh my father responded "So does our people, someday she will be in our position and understand." Patting my mother's shoulder my father headed to bed, my mother walked over and brushed my hair off my sleeping face before kissing my forehead and following after my father.