Wake Me Up Inside

by animequeen100

He existed but didn't know what it meant to live, until she woke him up inside and saved him from the nothing he'd become. This is the ballad of Sai and Sakura. PREQUEL to "To Love and to Love Again", but read it AFTER TLATLA otherwise there will be spoilers.

1. Chapter 1

Wake Me Up Inside: The Ballad of Sai and Sakura

---

Authors Note: This story is the Prequel to my other fic "To Love and to Love Again" as Sai and Sakura's story. It's now going to be a two-shot! I hope you enjoy. And I DO NOT own Naruto. That belongs to Masashi Kishimoto!

---

He watched through the widow of the CIA hospital as Tsunade and Shizune checked on her vitals. He trusted both of them completely to take care of her, but he was a man destroyed on the inside.

Being the Captain Commander of Japan's CIA was a heavy burden for thirty-three-year-old Hatake Kakashi. The knowledge that an enemy had nearly succeeded in destroying the one person he holds most dear in this world was eating him alive.

"Kakashi Sensei?"

Kakashi glanced at Naruto, noting the presence of several other Junior Agents from the Tokyo branch behind him including Neji Hyuga, his cousin Hinata, Tenten and Ino Yamanaka. All of them looked just as distraught over what had happened as he was.

"She's stable," he said glancing back at the figure lying in the bed. "Tsunade says she'll wake up in a few days."

The others nodded and watched as Kakashi was given the okay by Tsunade to enter the room. They decided to give him his space to visit with her instead of joining him. His demeanor may have been controlled, but they knew he was barely holding on inside.

From the window, they observed him kiss his daughters forehead before taking her limp hand in his and holding onto it for dear life. Her pink hair framed her pillow like a halo, with the only signs of life coming from the slight rise and fall of her chest and breathing mask.

"He should just let me transfer into her school," Naruto said after a moment. "At least a few more of us should be there to protect her from this stuff."

"We can't," Neji replied. "It's too conspicuous to have any more of us transfer in at this point in the game. As much as we'd like too, the Orochimaru Operation is where we're needed."

"Yeah well at least I should be able to transfer," Ino whispered as she watched her childhood friend cling to life. "I haven't seen her since grade school but even so, someone needs to get into her actual class."

"I should have noticed what was happening," Tenten lamented. "I never suspected any of the students for a second. Stupid mistake."

Naruto shook his head. "It's not your fault Tenten. They didn't assign you to her class so how could you know? At least Asuma got her out before it was too late."

"Which is what he was trained to do," Tsunade said as she exited the room. Shizune followed close behind. "There's nothing you can do just standing here so get back to your training. She'll be fine in a week so until then, just give Kakashi some space."

The Junior Agents nodded before dispersing. Tsunade sighed as she watched them leave. They were a spirited bunch and deeply loyal to Kakashi. They would do anything for him in his time of need.

But this new attempt on her apprentice's life had changed the playing field. Sakura was nearly poisoned in her own school—a daring attempt on the enemy's part—and rushed to the CIA by the undercover Agent assigned to watch over her.

Normal protection just wasn't cutting it. It was time to up their game plan.

---

He walked down the darkened halls, having just returned from a reconnaissance mission. Danzo had issued the command not five minutes ago.

Danzo turned in his chair, evaluating the boy with his good eye. He saw only devoid disinterest within the subordinate's black eyes. It was a good sign every time. No words were spoken as Danzo pulled out a single photograph and dropped it on the table before him.

The Agent picked up the photo and studied it.

"This will be slightly different from your previous missions," Danzo began. "You'll be a Sleeper Agent, engaging the target for a said amount of time and only acting when given the signal. When this signal may come is uncertain, which is why it is important that you integrate yourself around the target as often as possible."

The Agent only looked at the photo for a moment, processing every detail about it before putting it away. He nodded to his superior, accepting the single sheet of paper that contained the targets information.

"The daughter of Hatake Kakashi," the Agent stated without a hint of question or interest. He was merely identifying the target, which is exactly what Danzo had sought to accomplish in his Agents.

"An obstacle, if I've ever known one," Danzo muttered. "This is a delicate operation that must be handled with the utmost care. You were chosen because you are close in age—an essential component for this task—which will allow you to follow the target and act as a guard on orders of Hatake Kakashi. You will do so only until we give you the signal to strike. Are we clear?"

He nodded.

"And one more thing," Danzo added, sliding another file in front of him. "For this mission, you will be referred to as "Sai" until it is over."

"Sai" nodded, accepting his orders without question. He turned and left the office, gathering his supplies and preparing for the mission ahead. He tucked the photo in his pocket, having memorized the face of his target. Tomorrow was the day he would later recall as the day that started it all.

Tomorrow was the day he would meet Sakura Haruno.

---

Sixteen-year-old Haruno Sakura sat in her seat with her nose buried deep in a medical journal recently published by her mentor Tsunade. She was on her way to medical school should she manage to pass the aptitude test. She didn't have a big forehead for nothing. Behind said forehead was a brain that absorbed information like a dehydrated sponge.

Their Sensei cleared her throat, indicating that class was starting. Sakura felt a small amount of joy in the mundane start of the day. She had recently recovered from the mother of all flus, having been absent from school for nearly two weeks. Not that it would hinder her academic success, but she was just baffled as to how such an extreme form of the flu had tackled her like that.

She was a healthy person and maintained her well-being diligently. As an aspiring doctor it was a necessity, hence her avid reading of the latest medical news. She was currently trying to figure out how such a disease overcame her when their Sensei made an announcement.

"We have a new student joining us today," she announced, eliciting excitement from the rest of the class. Sakura thought it was interesting, given that one of her classmates, Kin Tsuchi, had recently transferred out while she was sick. She was quick to be replaced. "He comes to us from Tokyo," she added just as the sliding door opened.

Sakura turned her head along with all the other students and felt a shiver go up her spine when her eyes connected squarely with the new student.

He was looking right at her.

"Come on in and introduce yourself to the class," Sensei instructed. Sakura watched as he entered and never broke eye contact with her. She leaned back in her chair as she assessed him.

He was tall and lean, with the palest complexion she had seen in stark contrast to his jet black hair. His eyes, equally black, remained focused on her. Unnerved, she broke eye contact and looked down at her book.

"My name is Arisugaki Sai," he stated, directing his attention to the class. Sakura wasn't alone in her nervousness. The entire class seemed to be on edge by him. "It is customary to say a few words about one's self during an introduction however I have nothing further to share."

Sakura raised her brow at that. "And a weirdo too" she thought. She sighed, deciding to forget about the new student and return to her reading when she had a sudden thought. "Oh no the only available seat is—"

"Alright then take a seat next to Sakura," Sensei instructed. "Sakura please raise your—"

"I can see her," Sai interrupted. He could see that the only available seat was next to her, which worked out fine for him. Sai sat at the very back of the class next to the window. He would need to do something about this seating arrangement. Sitting by the window presented too many opportunities for others to get to her.

Sakura shifted as he took his seat beside her. It was only the middle of the year, and so long as Sai didn't get on her nerves, they should be okay. She had a lot on her plate at the moment and didn't need any more distractions.

Class resumed after that, with Sakura paying little to no attention to her seatmate. It suited Sai just fine, as it gave him time to make his initial assessments about his target. She was a diligent student, which was obvious from her mounds of books and studious expression.

Her book bag was filled to capacity, threatening to burst at the seams. It looked heavy, but she lifted it with ease. When class was excused for lunch, Sai discreetly followed her to the library.

Sakura sat in the library, immersed within more medical books. She just didn't seem to understand her previous illness. She turned to check the other shelf and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Sai standing directly behind her.

His palm over her mouth prevented her squeal from escaping.

"Did I startle you?" he asked. Sakura glared at him and shoved his hand away from her mouth.

"What do you think?" she hissed. He gave her an appraising look.

"Your posture indicates surprise," he answered. Sakura rolled her eyes before gathering her books and leaving. She didn't have time for this. When Sai began to follow her, she turned around.

"Did you want something?"

He simply gave her a smile that didn't reach his eyes at all. "I wish for us to get better acquainted."

She gave him a guarded look. "Any particular reason why?"

"It is customary to become more familiar with your peers, is it not? Therefore, as seatmates, I see it as a necessity that we get to know one another," he explained.

She looked at him like he had two heads. "Look, I don't get what your deal is," Sakura began. "But I've got a lot going on right now. I don't think we have much in common either way."

She left him there with a curious expression on his face. He looked like he didn't seem to know what to do, which wasn't her problem. She proceeded to ignore him for the rest of the day.

Sai wasn't about to leave her alone though. Orders were orders.

When the school bell rang at the end of the day, Sakura couldn't get away from him fast enough. She kept feeling his eyes on her and turned several times to catch him openly stare at her with that creepy smile of his.

Sai watched her pack up her stuff and discreetly got up to follow her home, memorizing the path she preferred to reach it. Their first meeting was uneventful, but that didn't deter him whatsoever.

For the next two weeks, he devoted his time to studying how better to approach Sakura and simply guarded her from afar. He didn't think this was necessary, but he wasn't one to question his orders.

He thought otherwise when the first incident happened the following afternoon.

Sakura was walking home with a few of her schoolmates. Sai recognized one of them as Tenten from the CIA. Since he had never met the panda-haired girl in person, he knew he would be safe approaching her should he see fit. Since she was a year older than Sakura, they didn't have any of the same classes. His identity wouldn't be compromised. Sai had done a background check on the other girls and concluded that they were no threat to his target.

Even though Sakura Haruno was to die, it still had to be done by the right people at the right time.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow," he heard her say before she separated from her group and began to walk across the street.

Like a shadow, he followed her without her knowledge. She was halfway home, when he saw it. The glint of metal hidden in the shrubs caught his eye before he acted.

Quickly and stealthily, he grabbed an apple from the fruit vendor outside the market they just passed and hurled it at her head, making her shout and stumble just enough for the poisoned dart to miss her neck. It embedded itself on a nearby power line. Sai ducked behind that same post and—using the same trajectory of the dart—shot his own gun with a silencer in the direction it came from before disappearing around the corner and out of sight.

As Sakura looked around trying to find the person who assaulted her with the apple, Sai went into the shrubs and located the body. He concluded that there was only one individual and quickly called in the attempt to base before going back to tail Sakura.

He knew the ANBU division of the CIA would remove the body within minutes before anyone else found it.

---

When Danzo first approached him with the prospective ANBU Agent, he had his doubts. Sai was as young as his daughter, yet Kakashi of all people knew that age was not what it seemed in terms of maturity and aptitude in the CIA.

And after yet another attempt on Sakura's life, Kakashi was satisfied that this Agent could keep her safe.

"You've proven yourself to me," Kakashi stated to the Agent before him. "I have to admit, I had my reservations about you regardless of your ANBU status and I'm sure you've questioned why you were needed for a task like this. I trust that you now have a better understanding of why it was necessary to place a guard on my daughter."

"It was never my place to question the need for ANBU," Sai replied.

Kakashi gave him an appraising look. ANBU Agents were a breed unlike any other within the agency. As a former ANBU himself, Kakashi was aware of the level of detachment emphasized with regards to missions, but ROOT was a division of the Agency that was so secretive that it was enough to keep Kakashi on his guard. They were so deep in the shadows that Sai's pale skin seemed to be a testament to how much time they really spent underground.

"You wouldn't be human if you didn't question things, consciously or not," he countered. "I say this to you because it's vital that you understand why I go to such lengths for my child's safety. This latest attempt was only one in many that have managed to take place since her birth. My rank here comes with a catch: enemies can and will use my family against me," he said as his eyes gazed at the picture of a small pink haired girl smiling at the camera.

He kept his sight on the photo and continued. "As agents we pride ourselves for having the utmost control of our decisions and our actions, yet the moment you have a child, your center of balance shifts to orbit them. Every move you make is with their best interests at heart."

Sai listened to Kakashi speak, taking note of how much value he placed on his daughter. Sai was unable to understand the significance of Sakura Haruno. She may have been Kakashi's only child, but she was still just one person out of billions on the planet. Her existence would have no effect on life. It correlated with Danzo's teachings about human attachment being a weakness; an example that Sai was seeing firsthand as he watched Kakashi look fondly at a framed picture of Sakura on his desk.

The CIA Commander turned his attention to Sai once again.

"My daughter in my life, Sai," he stated. "And I can't protect her by myself anymore. She's all I have left of her mother… and I won't let anyone take her away from me," he added intensely. "Continue to protect her as you have."

Sai nodded and Kakashi dismissed him. Later that day, he made it home just in time for dinner.

---

Sakura was in the kitchen getting dinner ready and was still heavily pissed off at getting beaned in the head with a friggin apple. She didn't see who did it, which pissed her off even more. She was stirring the contents of the pot so strongly that her wooden spoon threatened to break in half.

"Stupid jerk," she muttered to herself as she pulled out another piece of apple from her hair. The stupid piece of fruit broke upon impact and left apple chunks in her pink locks.

She heard the dogs stampeded to the front door, which meant that her father must be home. She wiped her hands clean and went to meet him there.

Kakashi looked up from petting the dogs and saw her approach him. Words couldn't describe the feeling he got when he saw his beautiful daughter, safe and sound in her apron and school uniform with a smile on her face.

"Hi Daddy," she greeted with a smile. She looked at him with confusion when he simply stared at her. "What's wrong?"

He marched right up to her and enveloped her in a fierce hug. He wouldn't let her go for five minutes. Sakura sighed and hugged him back. She was used to this by now. Her father was a busy man as the Police Commander of the Kyoto PD and once in a while he would just hug her as if he hadn't seen her in ages. Little did she know this was done whenever she had a close call with death.

Little did she also know that her father was a CIA Agent using the police force as a cover story.

"I really missed you today," he said when he finally let her go.

"You always really miss me," she crooned. "And that's why I always make you your favorite foods when you do show up for dinner."

His mouth salivated when he smelled the aromas of dinner wafting through the house. He also noticed another scent coming from her. "Are you wearing a new perfume? It smells like apples."

Her mood darkened at the thought. "No. Some jerk threw an apple at my head! It smashed into my hair and everything! Must have been some stupid kids," she muttered as they proceeded to have dinner.

Kakashi ate the meal happily and looked at her fondly across the kitchen table. Sakura caught his stare and smiled.

"What is it?" she asked.

He simply smiled back at her before saying "You look so much like your mother. She would be so proud of you if she were here."

Sakura smiled softly. She could only hope her mother would be proud of her. She was following in her footsteps after all. Her father had told her that her mother Rin was next in line to be Tsunade's apprentice in the medical field before she died giving birth.

Sakura inherited her mother's passion and affinity for medicine and vowed to become a brilliant doctor. Tsunade was a close family friend and saw Sakura's potential herself. She advised Sakura to be diligent in her studies, and if she worked hard enough, Tsunade would take her on as an apprentice and pass her wisdom down to her.

"I hope she is proud of me," she replied.

"I know she is," he said thinking of his late wife. Rin had made him promise to keep their baby safe just minutes before he lost her for good. The loss of Rin devastated him to the core, but he made her a vow and nothing would keep him from breaking it.

The ROOT Agent he assigned to Sakura would help him see to it.

---

On his way back, Sai contemplated ways to better protect Sakura from outside threats. The only reason he did this however, was because those other attempts were a hindrance to his own mission, regardless of the end goal being the same.

He had to protect her, so he could kill her. The irony was not lost on him.

The best way to protect her was to get close to her. And so in the weeks following the attempt, he poured over countless books on behaviors expected of the average teenage boy. This lead to the diligent reading of many sexually charged pieces of literature. It seemed that teenage boys were notorious for their flourishing libido.

Sai had noted that Kakashi was an avid reader of Jiraya's erotic novel series and decided that it should suffice as an aid to becoming more like an average teen. Surely somewhere in there would be the method to gaining the attention of a teenage girl.

A few days later, he decided he had studied today's teenage etiquette enough to understand how to approach her. He found her sitting underneath a tree and reading a large textbook.

"Good afternoon Sakura," he greeted as he approached her in the school yard.

Sakura looked up from her book and frowned. Sai was giving her that creepy smile again. She just didn't understand him. "What do you want?"

"I wish to us to be better acquainted… and to compliment you on your body," he said cheerily.

The look in Sakura's eyes changed from annoyed to dangerous. "Come again?"

Sai took note of her demeanor and thought back to his reading. Flattering her body with words and physical gestures seemed to be essential. Providing one with a nickname also appeared to increase attachment.

"You're body appears to be in excellent physical shape for a person your age, which makes it appealing," he stated.

Sakura closed her book and tried to her contain her embarrassment. Sai's words were getting some head turns in the courtyard. In the corner of her eye she could see Tenten approaching them to walk home and pause at his words. Sakura stood up and decided it was better to walk away from this than make a scene.

That didn't stop Sai however. "Overall your body is suitable, regardless of your underdeveloped breasts."

Sakura froze. The vein in her temple began to throb with dangerous intensity.

Tenten stormed right up to them and pointed a finger in Sai's face. "Hey! Who the hell do you think you are? You better apologize if you know what's good for you!" she shouted.

Sai merely shrugged. "I'm merely stating facts."

Sakura turned, ready to unleash her inner temperament on his ass and froze again when she felt something on her chest. Sai's palm had covered her left breast and squeezed. It would be the wrong thing to do.

Sai looked at it appraisingly. "It's actually bigger than it seems—"

"CHAAAAAAAA!"

Her fist came down in righteous fury and collided with his cheek, knocking him off his feet. Sai landed on the ground and held his throbbing face. He came as close to surprise as he was capable. He severely underestimated her strength.

He wasn't the only one as on-looking students stared wide-eyed at Sakura's battle stance.

"Anything else you want to say to me?" Sakura asked menacingly as she hovered over his fallen form and cracked her knuckles.

Sai's cheek throbbed as he thought back to his reading, wondering where he went wrong. Since complementing her body didn't work, perhaps he should give her the nickname he had thought for her.

"You seem to enjoy violence, don't you… ugly?" he asked cheerfully.

"Why you little—"

Tenten grabbed Sakura's form as it lunged for him a second time. Her fist almost collided with his cheek again. Tenten reasoned that he wasn't worth the effort over Sakura's enraged shouts of aggravation.

After giving him an earful at his creepy behavior, Sakura stormed off with Tenten in tow.

She released a frustrated sigh. "Who does that bastard think he is!?" she growled as she trampled down the pavement. Tenten could have sworn the pavement trembled under the pressure.

"I can't believe he flat out cupped you!" she exclaimed making Sakura's blush spread over her entire face. "He's got balls I'll give him that."

"He won't have them for long if he keeps this up," Sakura seethed. "He's a borderline stalker."

Tenten looked at her alarmed. "What do you mean stalker?"

"He's everywhere I turn. Ever since the day he transferred in he's been hovering and it's getting worse. I swear I can feel his eyes on me all day every day," she said as she suppressed a shiver.

"Do you think he has a crush on you?"

"It's too creepy to be a crush," she replied. "Everything about him is a little off. What I don't get is why this has to happen now. All I wanted to do after getting over that stupid flu was to hit the books until I tested into med school. The last thing I need is unwanted attention."

Sakura's words had Tenten looking at her sharply. Ever since she had failed to notice Kin Tsuchi—the Sound Operative who had attempted to poison Sakura—Tenten was even more vigilant of assassins parading around as students. If Sai turned out to be a repeat of that incident, Tenten needed to make sure of that and deal with it.

But his behavior just now was strange. If he was an assassin, he had the perfect opportunity to kill her several times, especially since he was in the same class and…

Tenten slowed as another thought came to mind. He was in the same class, something everyone else at base wanted to make happen for her sake. She had wondered what kind of arrangement Kakashi would choose to prevent something else from happening again.

That was when Sai suddenly made a lot more sense to her.

---

The next day, Tenten observed him more closely. She didn't know how she missed it, but Sai was definitely CIA and not some enemy agent. She decided to corner him at lunch when Sakura went to the bathroom.

"So you're the ROOT Agent Kakashi chose for her," she said plainly.

Sai didn't even bat an eyelash at her statement. "I don't understand what you mean panda girl."

Tenten simply smirked. "Save it. Playing dumb isn't an option. I know you think you've got this under control, but the best way to be close to Sakura isn't to grab her chest," she advised as she sat next to him on the ground. "I don't think that's what Kakashi had in mind."

"I don't believe this is your mission," Sai returned. There was no point in keeping up pretenses at this point.

"It is as her friend, and a fellow girl," she replied. "I know you're ANBU, but it seems a bit strange that you're trying this hard to get close to her. You guys are usually admirers from afar."

Sai simply shrugged. "This isn't the usual circumstance, and I'll repeat that it's not your case. If I recall, you and the other Junior Agents are participating in the Sound Operation. This isn't your jurisdiction."

"Does it look like I care?" she mused. "At the rate you're going we're going to find Orochimaru's layer and all his little minions before you make any progress with Sakura. I know how much danger her life entails. She needs the protection, and you better be there to give it to her when she needs it. That being said, you need to ease up on the stalker vibes and get to know her slowly."

Sai looked at panda-haired girl then. It appeared that Sakura Haruno was of value to people other than Kakashi. Tenten certainly held her in high regard. He was also aware that Tsunade and Shizune of the medical department also valued her beyond reason.

There certainly were a lot of people that would fall when Sakura died.

Sai decided to placate Tenten somewhat, lest she decided to take matters personally and report to Kakashi about her lack of faith in his abilities. That would only hinder his mission in the long run.

He took her advice and laid low for a few more weeks. He greeted Sakura each morning, even though she didn't return the greeting, and was always near her throughout the day. Since she didn't want praise over her body, Sai decided to enhance her nickname. He had read that some nicknames are based off of a trait opposite of the actual person. "Ugly" was the first thing that came to mind as far as opposite qualities go, but she rejected that violently.

"Hag" was the next word he decided to use. That didn't end well and he was greeted with another enraged punch to his gut.

After the second violent response, Sai had abandoned the notion of getting to know her on a pseudo-personal level. He followed her home and everywhere she went outside of school such as the market or the dojo she occasionally visited to work out. He took note of her unusual strength then, and decided to keep a good physical distance between them. He observed her and took note of small things she seemed to like: Apples, cherry blossom shampoo, leather gloves, hot tea and anything and everything medical or informative.

As the weeks went by without the signal, Sai continued to thwart any harmful attempts on her life. The protection detail certainly was a necessity for her. Sakura seemed to attract danger wherever she went. He knew Kakashi had made many enemies, but this was excessive. No other Agent had trouble with their families like this. It seemed there was something going on every other week. He certainly had his work cut out for him.

---

Sakura didn't know what to make of Sai in the months that followed. She could still feel his eyes on her at times, and it freaked her out. He looked like he had tried to make an effort to get to know her. Why he was after her friendship was a mystery, but Sai didn't appear to be making any other friends. She would feel bad at times for hitting him, but then all she had to do was remember what he did to her to make it all go away.

He didn't seem to mind her attitude toward him, which was strange in itself. Most people would usually return the anger, or at least avoid any further contact. He was still in her usual vicinity, but since he kept a respectable enough distance she couldn't really complain.

Still though, there was just something about him that wouldn't let her forget him completely. Whatever it was, she certainly would try her hardest not to let him bother her again.

They were on a frozen plane as far any interaction went and it suited them just fine… until that fateful day came.

---

Six months had gone by without the signal from ROOT to act. Sleeper missions could last for years if need be. He knew Danzo was waiting for the perfect opportunity, but news from the Agency with regards to the Sound Organization indicated that they weren't even close to finding Orochimaru and his pawns.

They were particularity interested in one of his supposed assassins. That individual was so elusive that they couldn't even identify him. Whoever he was, he had the CIA on edge.

Until they got closer, Sai was to remain focused on Sakura. Today in particular seemed like another attempt, only this time the perp had infiltrated the school. The last time this happened, Sakura was poisoned and nearly died.

Sai took note of the individual who seemed out of place in the school setting. He spotted the man a few times through the day at various locations on campus. He was dressed as an ordinary official, and he would have blended in, had it not been for his constant glances at Sakura.

Sai was always looking at her because it was his job. Because of that, he also noticed anyone else who had their eyes on her for unnecessary reasons. This man was definitely going to go after her.

He decided it was time to step up his game. He found Sakura just as she was about to leave the school grounds.

"Sakura," he called out. She paused at her name, but kept walking when she realized it was Sai calling out to her.

He caught up to her in no time and grabbed her wrist. "I'll walk you home."

She pulled her wrist out of his grasp. "That's not happening. Bye Sai." She tried to keep walking, but he simply grabbed her hand again.

"I really think you should allow me to escort you home," he pressed, still aware of that man keeping tabs on her. If he thought she was with someone, they'd call of the hit and give him the chance to take them out.

Sakura had once again pulled out of his grasp. "Look Sai, I really don't understand why you're always in my space. You and I don't get along, we never have and we never will! I don't have time for this now so please just do me a favor and leave me alone!"

She bolted from her spot and practically dove into a crowd of students as they exited the school yard. Sai looked back to the perp's location and was startled to realize that he was nowhere to be seen.

He had lost sight of the perp. He couldn't believe he had lost his target. His brief moment of indiscretion left him in a hurry to find her before who knows what else had happened. He ran out of the school yard and spotted Sakura's vibrant hair down the street already. She certainly was fast.

And walking at a brisk pace behind her was the perp he had lost sight of.

---

Sakura stood at the crosswalk, completely lost in her thoughts. She wished Tenten was here to talk to, but she was off at an archery competition and wouldn't be back for a few days.

She was really starting to feel guilty about how she's been treating Sai. Sure he may have been a bit strange, but then again, so was she. She was about to bypass traditional college and go straight to medical school.

She was so lost in her thoughts she hadn't realized that she was pushed into the crosswalk until her books came stumbling out of her arms and onto the street, just as a truck was headed straight her way.

People gasped before screaming at her to run. Sakura's eyes widened before a great force slammed into her side and sent her flying in the opposite direction. Screams could be heard along with the screech of tires and mayhem. Sakura collided with the adjacent sidewalk, accumulating various scrapes and scratches from the road.

"Someone call and ambulance!" a person shouted.

"He's bleeding!"

"Is he still alive?"

"Did the truck hit him?"

Sakura shook her head in confusion. What were they saying? She tried to roll away when she saw that she couldn't. She had a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her front, shielding her body from the worst of the fall.

It was only when she heard him groan that she realized it was Sai.

"Sai?"

She tried to pull away, but he simply held on tighter. When she saw the blood drip down the side of his head, she flipped.

"Sai!" she screamed as she pried herself out of his grasp and hovered over him. Several people came to their aid as the traffic stopped.

"Is he alright?" some guy asked.

"He needs medical attention," another said.

"No," Sai breathed.

Sakura hovered over him carefully and brushed his hair out of his face. To her amazement he got up off the floor, stumbled a bit and stood up.

"Sai we need to get you to a hospital," she said, frowning when he simply shook his head.

He put on that stupid smile on his face before saying "That is not necessary. It's just a scratch. I'm alright," he said to the bystanders.

"Are you sure?" one of them asked. "You're bleeding in several places."

"Yeah and the truck that hit you just kept going," another one said incredulously. "What a jerk!"

"I am perfectly fine. I'll be on my way now," Sai replied as he abruptly turned around and walked to the other side of the crosswalk, but not before he grabbed Sakura's wrist and dragged her along.

"Sai! Hey wait we need to go to the hospital!" she repeated as he pulled her along. His uniform was torn in several places and dirtied up pretty bad. The blood on his head was bothering her. He could have head trauma and not even know it.

Sai ignored her protests and continued to drag her away. She dug her heals into the ground, making him stop. "What the hell is wrong with you!? Let's go to the hospital. Come on you need help."

"I am perfectly fine," he repeated. "There's no need for you to be concerned."

Sakura could only gape at him. He needed to be looked at, but she didn't trust that he would go to the hospital. "At least call your parents! They would want to know you're okay!"

Sai simply blinked at her before saying "I don't have parents, so that won't be a problem."

She jerked back at that admission. "Who do you live with?"

"I live alone," he answered. He was curious about her growing apprehension for him.

Sakura was getting more nervous by the second. She was far too worried about his condition to leave him alone at this point, so she did the next best thing. "Come home with me," she ordered as she grabbed his hand and began to walk home. "There's no way I'm letting you go after that incident."

Sai stopped walking. "I've already told you—"

"Do it or I'll call an ambulance!" she screamed. Sai relented after that threat. The last thing he needed was unwanted attention or an investigation into his non-existence.

---

Sai entered the house and gave it a good look around. No doubt Kakashi had an arsenal hidden away somewhere. Sakura made sure the dogs were in the pen before leading him into the bathroom.

"You have a lot of dirty cuts," Sakura said as she rummaged through the cabinets for supplies. "Those need to be cleaned."

"This is unnecessary," Sai commented.

"No it isn't," she returned. Sai noticed that her hands shook as she gathered the supplies she needed. That was understandable, considering she had such a close call. "Are you hurt anywhere besides your head and arms?" she asked.

"No, I'm—" he stopped talking when she deliberately pinched his side and making it throb.

"That's what I thought," she huffed "I need to take a look at your shoulder."

"There's no need for—"

"Yes there is!" she shouted. "You were hit by a damn truck! You need medical attention and since you made the stupid choice not to see a doctor, I have to make sure you're okay!"

"If I recall correctly, you are no doctor," he stated. If it was possible, she was shaking even more. Sai thought that perhaps she wished to hit him again. She seemed to enjoy doing that. She controlled herself though.

"Take off your shirt," she commanded.

"No."

"Take off your shirt," she repeated.

Before he could retort, Sakura had taken his shirt and yanked it off, tearing the fabric where the arm met the shoulder, exposing his wound. She gasped when she saw the damage. Sai leapt off the counter and made for the exit, when she pushed against his chest with both hands and held him back with more force than intended. He held himself steady against the counter with one arm behind his back.

The other arm wrapped itself around her form and pulled her close—real close.

They both stilled at the contact, staring directly into each other's eyes.

Sakura tried to get her nerves under control. It was hard to do considering she was being held so tightly against him with her hands on his bare chest. He had a hard body concealed beneath their school uniform. She could feel the firm planes of his abs and the strong hold of his arm against her back.

Sai was having a difficult time processing the moment. He literally couldn't find it in himself to move, but not because he was unable to. He was unwilling.

She was all smooth softness pushed up against his solid stance. He could feel the heat of her body and inhaled the smell of her hair. But what drew his attention most was the shine of green staring directly at him. Those same eyes broke contact first and gently tried to push away.

"Sorry," she mumbled. "But just let me fix you up a little. It's the least I could do for you after what you did for me."

Sai's arm wouldn't let her pull away however. She looked at him questioningly. "You're still shaking," he noted.

Sakura looked down and noticed that her hands were indeed shaking against his chest. A single trickle of blood escaped the cut on his shoulder, sliding into her field of view. She used the cotton swab to stop the flow and held it against the cut. Sai's skin was acutely aware of her finger sliding across its surface.

Never before had he had any kind of physical contact with someone outside of a fight, let alone a solid embrace.

Sakura briefly took note of the tattoo on his arm, wondering what the swirling red leaf symbol meant before focusing on him again. "You could have been killed," she whispered. "You almost… for me you… you—" she began to shake even more before throwing her arms around his neck and holding on tightly. Sai's eyes looked down at her hair in confusion.

"I don't understand," he said. "You were concerned for me."

"Of course I was! What's not to understand?" she shouted, still clinging to him and refusing to look at him. "I wasn't nice to you at all and yet you still risked your life for me."

Sai was at a loss as to what to do. He had read briefly that you can comfort someone simply by patting them on the back. Before he could do so, she pulled back and only then could he see the tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Two fat tears cascaded down her cheeks. Sai didn't know why, but he felt the urge to wipe her tears away.

He was just as surprised as she when he actually did it. He used his now free hand and gently brushed the water off her cheeks. Somehow, seeing her distraught over him was unnerving.

"Here I am crying when I need to be patching you up," she said quickly, breaking the moment. She helped Sai remove the rest of his shirt. She was more aware of him now, especially when she got a look at his abs. You wouldn't know it from his dark get-up, but Sai was actually ripped underneath.

He must have been far from lazy to achieve such a physique. She tried not to shake as she gently cleaned the dirt and blood away from his grazed skin with a damp towel. Sakura focused intently on her task, slowly getting lost in the process of patching him up.

Sai on the other hand, was busy watching her work. He noticed that at some point, she became mesmerized by her task. She worked diligently and precisely, taking care to clean his wounds, however minor they may have been. Her fingertips were feather light against his skin, which was a welcome change from the crushing power that lay within.

He looked down at her face and studied her features. Her forehead may have been a bit prominent, but he thought the imperfection suited her. Long lashes framed her eyes, shielding the green that had caught his interest earlier. A pert nose and moist lips completed her. He suddenly found himself wanting to touch those lips and see if they felt just as moist as smooth as they looked.

A stinging sensation on his head brought him out of his digressing thoughts. He barely flinched as the alcohol seeped into his cuts, but she detected it.

"Sorry, I should have warned you," she whispered. She finished cleaning and bandaging his wounds. He was told he could put his shirt back on. She began to pack up her supplies when he caught her hand.

"You have injuries as well," he said staring at her scuffed up hands.

"They're very minor compared to yours," she stated, trying to pull her hand away. They stood in awkward silence for a moment before she asked "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

He simply nodded, not seeing any reason why he shouldn't. Since he was unable to catch the perpetrator earlier, he feared that they might try something else, however unlikely that may have been. Kakashi wouldn't be back for a few hours at the very least.

She led him to the spacious kitchen, where he proceeded to watch her cook from the countertops. This was a new experience altogether for Sai. He had read that the art of preparing a meal was a good time to bond. He also read that young girls only cooked for people they care for, particularly for the boys they felt romantic interest in.

She was still somewhat on edge as she prepared a simple stir-fry of beef and tomatoes, but the food was rather good. He didn't find it bland anyway. They ate in silence for the most part, with Sakura glancing at him worriedly throughout the meal. She got up from the table and brought back a bottle of pain killers and took two out.

"Take two of these," she ordered as handed them to him with a glass of water. "Now that you've eaten you should take those to combat some of the soreness you'll surely be experiencing tonight."

Sai studied her for a moment, which seemed to make her uncomfortable. "What?" she asked.

"Is this because you feel guilty about my injuries?" he asked plainly.

Sakura sighed. "You got hurt trying to save me. Of course I feel guilty and I don't want you to feel any worse later on. Take those now and it should help, but you'll still feel something tomorrow. You were hit by a damn truck after all."

Sai nodded and took the pills. Sakura watched him carefully, trying to see if there might have been something more she overlooked. She wasn't a doctor yet, but she sure as hell wasn't mediocre. "Why don't you just go to a hospital? I'm worried that their might be more damage to your body than you realize."

"There's no need," he replied calmly.

"We can go to Sunagakure Medical Center. I know the head physician there. She's a close family friend. Tsunade can take a look at you unofficially if I asked her," she offered desperately.

Sai knew she wouldn't let this go. Guilt made people uneasy until they tried to alleviate their sense of responsibility through acts of care. He decided to promise her he would go just to placate her.

"I have my own doctor," he lied. "I'll go tomorrow since we have to day off."

She was about to protest, but decided against it in fear he wouldn't go at all. "That's good. Please see that doctor. I'm worried that there's more damage that I can assess now."

He simply nodded. They sat in awkward silence again for a few moments before she couldn't take it anymore.

"Sai… I'm truly sorry. Not just about today, but how I've been treating you since you arrived," she breathed. "You were just trying to get to know me."

"There's no need to apologize," he replied.

She smiled ruefully. "Yes there is. I'm so sorry. I think from now on we can be a bit more civil. School will be over soon and I think we should make the most of our time left together."

Sai nodded in agreement. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for since the assignment began and now he would have a reason to be near her without question until it was time to act.

He left soon after that. She watched him leave from her front door, still worried about his condition but unable to do anything further.

---

The next day, Sakura was true to her word in that she was much friendlier toward him. She greeted him in the morning, asked him how he was feeling since the incident, and invited him to join her for lunch.

They sat by one of the trees she usually studied under in the school yard and quickly ate their lunches before taking up their own activities. Sakura opened a large medical text book and Sai opened up his sketch pad.

Sakura couldn't really find it in herself to study at the moment. She only brought out the book to have something to do. Sai wasn't really one for conversation. It was going to be up to her to break the ice. She did know that he was always making some kind of doodle in his book. She leaned over and tried to get a peek at what he was making.

Sai stopped his sketch when he noticed her attention focused on him. He turned and met her stare.

"You're always drawing," she stated.

"You're always studying," he returned.

She closed her book and set it aside. "Can I see some of your sketches?"

The question was simple enough, but Sai felt unsettled by the notion of showing her his work. He had never really shown anyone his art before. There was no point in it.

"I can't see how it would benefit you in any way," he replied.

She looked at him questioningly. Sai really was strange at times. "I need to take a study break and I have nothing else to do. Are you afraid I won't like any of them?" she asked chuckling.

Sai actually thought about it and was surprised to realize that he did feel uncomfortable with what she might think. Before he could come up with a response, she had the book snatched out of his grasp and cracked it open.

Her smile faded when she saw the first drawing. Her mouth opened in wonder at the amazing sketch of a mountain landscape. It was so detailed it was like being there in person.

"This is amazing," she breathed. "You're a better artist than I thought."

Sai released the breath he didn't realize he was holding. She continued flipping through his drawings while he composed himself.

She thought he was good.

She liked his art work.

It was the first time he had shown his art to anyone since his brother died.

Sakura continued to lose herself in his drawings. Each page she turned was better than the last. He had a lot of skill, she'll give him that. She went through most of the book before she came to the last drawing—the one he was currently working on—and paused.

He made a drawing of her.

Sai watched as she evaluated the image. It was the first sketch of her that he made, and truthfully, he wasn't even aware of making it. He had been around her for so long now that her face was constantly floating in his subconscious. It was only a matter of time until it came out in his art.

"Are you offended that I made an impression of you without your consent?" he asked when she hadn't made a sound or move for over a minute.

Sakura shook her head. "It's not that," she answered slowly. "I just don't understand. According to you, I'm not this pretty."

She finally tore her gaze away from the sketch to look at him.

Sai didn't know what to say to that. He didn't draw her with any alterations. It was an exact likeness. This was how he saw her, and it was why he drew her. Sakura had features that were unique among other females. She had a face you could never forget.

"Any more secret drawings you want to show me?" she asked mildly. Sai was looking at her in a way that made her nervous. She just didn't know where he was at sometimes.

"Would you like to see more?" he finally asked.

She nodded. Truthfully she did want to see more of his artwork. She didn't realize he was this good at it. From the beginning he seemed to make an effort to get to know her. Now was her chance to get to know him, if only a little.

So he did. In the weeks that followed, Sai brought her more of his previous work at her request. She seemed genuinely intrigued and pleased by his art. It took some time for him to get used to such praise. Art was a private affair for him, and she was the only one he allowed in. He spent a good few nights wondering why he had allowed her to get closer to him when his objective was simply to be close to her without expressing himself in anyway.

She greeted him each morning and said goodnight as well. She still hit him from time to time after he made comments on her outfits or appearance, but she much more approachable.

She would ask him more questions about his past. He wasn't used to people having any interest in him, but he was truthful in that his knowledge was very limited. He never mentioned his brother. It didn't seem relevant since he had passed away some time ago. He never knew his parents and didn't have any other family anyway.

She seemed saddened by that knowledge. After that, she began to do small things such as making him lunches or helping him with exams. Not that he need the help, but she wouldn't let him refuse her meals or inquiries into his well-being. She even encouraged him to sun bathe with her in fear of a Vitamin D deficiency.

He asked her questions about her life as well, simply to keep conversation going at times. When asked why she wanted to become a doctor, her answer was unexpected.

"My mother died giving birth to me," she explained during their lunch break outside one day. "I never knew her, but I still felt the pain of losing her. Our loved ones are always with us, even after they leave us in death. That's just the way some bonds work."

He stared at her serene expression and found it difficult to understand how she could miss someone she never knew.

She looked at him and smiled. "Anyway, I wanted to become a doctor so that I could save as many lives as I possibly can. There's great power in healing, and if I can prevent people from losing their loved ones, then I'll work as hard as I can to make sure that no other child has to suffer through the loss of a parent or anyone else they love. I want to get stronger so I can keep their bonds alive."

Sai stared at her as his chest filled with an unfamiliar feeling. Her words made him think about his brother… and the illness that plagued him. The ROOT division didn't have a medical ward or access to any kind of health care. If you were ill or injured, you were a liability and discarded. That was the way of it.

His brother's illness made him weak, and he had suffered immensely from it. He disappeared one day, and Sai assumed that the illness had taken his life. He didn't question it, and never wondered why it had to be that way. That was just how life worked.

But if they had people like Sakura around, then that might not have been the case. Perhaps his brother would have lived… and not just be a memory in his book.

"Becoming a doctor is the plan anyway," she continued lightly when his stare was starting to make her nervous. "I'll have to pass medical school and hopefully meet Tsunade's requirements to be her apprentice. I hope I can make it."

Sai looked at her for a moment before saying "You will."

She looked up at him too before giving him a smile that made his pulse race. "It's cramming eight years of study into two," she pointed out before whispering "But thank you."

Her smile had him more enthralled than he cared to admit. It was a sign of true joy; something he had never experienced and to this day had failed to master.

Naruto and a few others from the Tokyo base were constantly commenting on the lack of authenticity in his smile. It doesn't reach your eyes they would say. Nothing he did would make it seem genuine. But Sakura's smile was so effortless… and it was directed at him.

His confusion continued to mount until the entire school year had gone by. They had graduated from high school and she was to be on her way to medical school. Sai couldn't follow her there, and his apprehension for her safety grew immeasurably. He even found himself asking Tenten to keep tabs on her for him since she was going to the same University under a different program.

"Of course I'll look out for her," Tenten said with confusion in her eyes. "She's going to be my roommate so no worries there, but you can still watch her from a distance. What's gotten into you lately?"

In truth, some of the others at the CIA base were beginning to notice that Sai seemed more invested in his protection detail than he originally was. From the Tokyo base, Neji had been making comments about keeping an eye out for Sai, but Tenten thought he was just being paranoid. Now his observation seemed to have some merit.

Even Sakura seemed to notice. "I always take precaution in everything I do," she said when he kept advising her not to stay out late to study. "You don't have to be so worried about me alright?"

She figured he was just being overprotective since she seemed to be the only friend he had, and she was about to go to University without him. Summer had just begun and in a few short weeks, she would have to move across town to live in the dorms where his access to her would be severely limited.

"Is everything okay Sai?" she asked. "You seem to be a bit… on edge."

Sai looked at her intensely for a moment before shaking his head. "I'm fine," he answered, though in truth he wasn't.

---

Later that night, Sai paced in the confines of his tiny apartment as the confusion refused to settle in his mind.

He was completely off center. He didn't know what it was about her that made him feel this way. The more time he spent with her, the harder it was becoming to accept that she had to die and that he would have to be the one to kill her. The sleeper mission was taking longer than he thought it should and… he simply didn't want to do it.

He realized then that he was beginning to question the mission.

Her death had to serve a greater purpose according to Danzo. Human attachment was a weakness. Sai knew and lived by this philosophy, but that was before Sakura.

That was before he realized that she shouldn't have to die just to get to Kakashi.

It was before he understood just how smart and talented she was and that immeasurable good could come from her as a doctor.

It was before he realized that she was a good person who made each day a little better just by being by his side.

It was before he realized…

He paused in the center of the room as the sudden realization struck him.

This was all before he had fallen in love with her.

He felt his entire body tense with the knowledge. He had read about this countless times; enough to know that everything he felt had to be love. His heart raced, his palms were sweaty, his mind was filled with thoughts of her and all he wanted to do was hold onto her and never let go.

But was he fooling himself? Was he really in love with her or was he simply confusing himself with his boundaries? He had to clarify that before he made anymore moves.

He had to make sure.

---

Sakura had tried to study after dinner, but she had been staring at the same page for half an hour already and hadn't even read one word. She was too preoccupied with Sai.

There was something about him she couldn't escape.

She had spent a good amount of time with him since the near-collision with that truck. He saved her life, and since then she was devastated to learn that Sai basically didn't have anyone in his life to care for him. But he was so caring himself. She didn't fail to notice that he was a bit overprotective of her.

He walked her home, stayed after school if she wanted to study, double checked intersections before letting her cross, and even offered to carry her unusually heavy book bag.

When he wasn't hovering over her, he was usually sitting beside her and making some sort of drawing. He was an amazing artist. Sakura had no idea he was that talented. His art spoke to her with feelings that his words often failed to convey. There was a quiet beauty about him when he was absorbed in his artwork that had her glancing his way more than she cared to admit.

All that staring made her noticed him physically as well.

She blamed her hormones for half of her judgment, but once she looked beyond his abrupt personality, she realized that he was really good looking—handsome even. Black hair and eyes to match against his extremely fair skin was a sharp contrast that lingered in her mind long after he was gone. His body was also memorable.

The one time she found herself pressed against him after the accident was still fresh in her mind. As lean as he was, he still had a six pack, which Sakura discovered she liked very much.

Even though he was a bit odd, she was beginning to feel things for him that she had absolutely no time to indulge in. She had to get her feelings sorted out before she made a mess of things.

The tapping on her window made her jolt in surprise.

Sakura sat up like a rod and jumped toward the window. Sai looked back at her, crouched from his position on a branch from the tree near her window. She opened the window quickly.

"What are you doing?" Sakura whispered. She looked down and couldn't see any of the dogs. "How did you—"

Sai cut her off by jumping into her window and walking toward her quickly.

"I have to make sure," he said directly before taking her confused form into his arms and covering her lips with his.

Her eyes widened in astonishment and her body froze in his hold. Sai felt her rigid form and broke the kiss. She looked so startled that he began to think this was a mistake. He tried to pull away when her hands moved to his face and stopped him.

He looked down at her questioningly as she searched his eyes. "Keep making sure," she whispered.

He steadied himself before taking her lips again. Her reaction was instantaneous. She kissed him back and wound her around him as he pulled her closer. The feel of her lips and body molded against his form was better than he imagined. He wanted her closer.

Sakura's head was spinning. Was this really happening? Was Sai really in her room and kissing the life out of her? Yes he was, she thought as his tongue dove into her mouth. His hands slid down her body and grasped her hips. She had the sensation she was falling before she felt her bed behind her back and Sai's weight on top of her.

He pulled away slightly and looked down at her flushed face. Her lips were beginning to swell and her eyes were clouded. Her arms were still wound around him as her chest pushed up against his. Both were breathing heavily.

"I don't understand any of this," he said more to himself. Sakura swallowed before responding.

"What don't you get?" she asked. Sai's hands roamed her sides, savoring the feel of her form molded against his.

"Any of this," he admitted. "I can't stay away from you. You're all I ever think about. It's impossible to think about anything else. I can't stop touching you."

He seemed even more surprised than she was about this attraction, which was fair. It certainly blew her mind for sure. She looked at him softly before bringing his forehead against hers and whispered "...then don't stop."

Her words sent him into overdrive as he crushed his lips against hers and let his hands dip beneath the fabric of her shirt to feel bare skin. Her abdominals contracted as his fingertips grazed her stomach and ribs.

The books from her bed fell to the floor as he settled himself over her. She didn't care as her hands smoothed down his back and fisted his black shirt in her palms. She wanted to feel his skin as well.

Before she could so much as touch his back, he pulled away abruptly and looked at her closed door. "What's wrong?" she asked breathlessly.

Sai strained his ears and noticed the sound of the iron gates opening, something that the average person couldn't ordinarily hear from this distance. That could only mean that Kakashi had returned. He looked back at her and kissed her quickly before getting off and pulling her up with him.

"Your father has returned," he informed. She looked at him shocked.

"How do you know?" she asked.

"He's at the gate," he said forgoing and explanation. "I can't be seen here with you if he's here," he added as he opened her window and checked to see if Kakashi might spot him.

"Sai," she whispered as he was about to step onto the tree branch. He looked back at her flushed form and felt the need to be back in her embrace hit him ten-fold. "When will I see you again?"

He felt his heart expand at her desire to see him again. He came back down and took her into his arms, unable to resist placing one last kiss on her lips. She seemed to melt in his hold as she released a low moan. After a moment he pulled away, knowing that he had to get away before Kakashi came inside the house and sensed his presence.

"I'll find you when it's safe," he answered vaguely as he cupped her cheek. She simply nodded as he practically dove through her window and onto the tree branch in an almost ninja-like fashion. He gave her one last look before climbing down the tree and disappearing for the night. He was out of sight before she even had time to look out the window.

She heard footsteps coming from the stairs and quickly closed her window before picking up her books and opening up to a random page before her father knocked on her door.

She smoothed out her hair before saying he could come in.

"Hi Daddy," she greeted.

"Hi," he replied as he entered her room and looked around. "How was your night?"

"Fine, just studying," she replied nonchalantly. "I left your dinner in the fridge," she added.

Kakashi nodded as he continued to look around her room. The action made her nervous. He focused on something near the foot of her bed before bending down to pick it up. He held her notebook up for her to see.

"Don't you need this?" he asked as he handed it to her.

"Not at the moment," she answered as she tossed it next to her. Her heart was racing with anxiety, and it was all Sai's fault. She felt like her father could sense that he was just here after having passionately made-out with her only minutes ago.

"Okay then," he said before turning and walking back out into the hall. He stopped at her door and gave her one last look. "Don't over-do it now," he advised. "You're cheeks look a bit red. I don't want you getting sick again."

She felt her cheeks heat up even more before saying "I won't."

Her father nodded and closed her door, after which she finally released the breath she had been holding since he stepped in. She laid flat on her bed and let her fingers touch her lips, which were still tingling from Sai's kiss.

"Wow," was all she could say.

---

Sai took solace in the park after his encounter with Sakura. He walked along the lake as his heart still raced from the feel of her lips against his own.

He needed to calm himself so he could think clearly, but it wasn't as easy as it used to be. His heart refused to obey him as it pulsed with energy from the mere thought of her.

Sai knew that he had just crossed a serious line.

Sakura Haruno was marked for death by ROOT because she was Hatake Kakashi's one and only weakness. But Sai could no longer accept that.

The implications will be great, but since Danzo was unaware of this new development, Sai would not make it known that he had no intention of letting any harm come to her. How could he possibly do it? How could he kill the woman he loved?

He couldn't and wouldn't. He'd sooner die than let that happen.

The beating of his heart was a testament to his love for her. Never in his life had he felt this sensation in his body. It was like every breath he took was the first one and every thought he had was with her in mind.

She simply made him feel.

A breeze blew by then, sending a multitude of pink flower petals his way. He looked up at the giant Sakura tree that stood at the base of the lake. The moonbeams bounced off the silky petals as his nose was filled with the scent of cherry blossoms.

Her bright green eyes flashed in his mind as he recalled the way they looked at him with something he dared to call longing.

Sai knew his capabilities better than anyone else, including Danzo. But he knew he was lost when it came to emotion. Though he didn't doubt that what he felt for Sakura was love, he knew he would need someone else to talk to about this to get some perspective.

And he knew just the person to seek.

---

"Another round Teuchi!" Naruto shouted as he held up his empty bowl.

The ramen shop owner of the famous Ichiraku Ramen stand in Tokyo grinned and waved, signaling that he had heard their best customer. Naruto released a loud burp before fishing for his wallet to see if he could afford it.

He had just come back from a recon mission near a suspected base for the Sound Organization. They were getting close to finding Orochimaru and the entire Agency was one edge about it. Kakashi was swamped as it was trying to coordinate all the operations.

It was especially intense since they discovered last year that Orochimaru supposedly had one Agent that was a skilled assassin working for him. Whoever that guy was, he was lethal and efficient. The Agency listed him in their Bingo book without a name or any real scope of how deadly he is, but even so they knew he wasn't to be taken lightly.

The lightness of his wallet had him looking down in shock. He opened it to find only small change and huffed. "I thought I came fully loaded!" he shouted to himself.

"That would be difficult for you," Sai replied to his surprised form as he took a seat next to him on the bar. "Since you don't appear to have much of a peni—"

"Shut the hell up!" Naruto shouted as he pointed a finger at the new intruder. "What are you doing in Tokyo? Did Kakashi finally fire your ass?"

Sai provided him with his false smile, pissing Naruto off even more. This guy really knew how to get on his freaking nerves.

Sai dropped his false smile and stared into space. "I have something urgent that I must discuss with you," he said evenly. "It's about Sakura."

Naruto sat up straighter and gave him his full attention. "What about her?"

Teuchi's daughter Ayame came with his new bowl of ramen and set it down before him. "Can I get you anything?" she asked Sai. He simply shook his head, so she left.

Naruto broke his chop-sticks and dove right in as he waited for Sai to tell him whatever he needed to tell him.

Sai glanced at him before simply saying "I'm in love with her."

Naruto promptly spit his noodles back into the bowl before choking on the broth. He beat his chest with his fist as he once again pointed to Sai incredulously.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh? What do you mean love?!" he shouted.

"I've fallen in love with Sakura," he repeated. "And since she kissed me back, I have to assume that she might love me too… or is that incorrect?"

Naruto nearly fell of his bar stool in shock.

"Sh-sh-she kissed you? You?!" he sputtered incredulously to his pale companion.

Sai nodded, recalling the moment in his mind. "Our mouths were together for several minutes while our tongues—"

"Jeez I don't want to know!" Naruto interrupted as his cheeks turned red from embarrassment.

"Does talking about intimacy make you uncomfortable?" Sai asked with a tilt of his head. "I've read that men can count on their male associates for relationship issues or advice when it comes to sexual encounters."

"I don't know anything about sexual encounters!" Naruto shouted loudly, making several heads turn including Teuchi and Ayame, who blushed and giggled.

Naruto's cheeks flamed even more from the humiliation. Sai looked at him appraisingly.

"You've trained under Master Jiraya have you not?" he asked. "I would have thought that training would include teachings from his book series about the proper use of one's penis against a woman's—"

"Gah will you quit talking like that?" Naruto shouted as his entire face turned as red as Hinata when she tried to say a simple sentence. "What the hell is wrong with you? Kakashi's gonna kill you if you do that to Sakura!" he said before rounding on Sai with a dangerous look in his eye.

"Kakashi won't be the only one giving you hell," he said seriously. "I'll be right there with him. Why the hell should I believe you love Sakura? It seems like you just want to get into her pants."

Sai took note of how protective Naruto was in regards to Sakura. That was something Sai didn't quite understand, since Naruto had never actually met her in person. But he was loyal to Kakashi, and he must have passed that loyalty onto Sakura without question.

"I don't just wish to be with her for her body," Sai answered seriously. "For the first time in my life… she makes me feel something I've never felt before," he said as he clutched his chest.

Naruto was about to comment, when he noted the way Sai seemed to struggle with himself. He had never seen the guy struggle with anything before. "What does she make you feel?" he asked.

"It's difficult to explain," he admitted. "She asks me about things that have no relevance to life, yet she's genuinely curious about me. She makes me feel as though I somehow matter to her; as if I'm important to her life. She makes me look at life and re-evaluate everything I was taught as an Agent."

"And that's confusing to you why?" Naruto asked.

"Because no one has ever felt the need to know me before," he replied frankly, making Naruto suddenly look at him with just the slightest hint of sympathy. "But with her, it's different. I find that I want to tell her things about myself, even though there's nothing to tell. I don't just want to keep her safe. I want to make her happy."

Sai looked at him then with the most unguarded expression Naruto had ever seen on him. "It's like waking up for the first time—like she saved me from a world of nothing. Is that what love is?" he asked in a voice Naruto could only decipher as hopeful.

He looked at the ROOT Agent with new eyes. He looked like a man lost in his own head, and Naruto couldn't blame him. Sai must have known the shit-storm that was coming if Kakashi ever found out about his feelings. He asked Sai to guard Sakura, not date her.

But Naruto could see that what Sai felt for Sakura was genuine, even if he was a pain in the ass to deal with at times. He didn't know how Sakura was able to kiss the guy, much less do anything more, but if she was in love with Sai, what could anyone do about it?

Naruto placed a hand on his shoulder and gave a small smile. "I think it means you're in love. So don't screw this up. I'm warning you though. Kakashi won't have any of this."

Sai nodded, grateful for Naruto's input. "I know… but it's too late. I can't give up the woman I love."

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and thought about it. Kakashi was crazy protective of Sakura. Any CIA father would be. Hiashi Hyuga was the same when it came to Hinata, but at least he allowed her to enter the Agency. Plus he had that bastard Neji to keep tabs on her in his place. Kakashi was a step above the Hyuga patriarch in that he didn't even want Sakura to know about the CIA. How the hell was Sai going to get past that?

"Are you going to tell her about the CIA?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know yet," Sai admitted. "But I still have an assignment to do, and for now I'm just going protect her with everything I am," he said before turning to Naruto and plastering on his synthetic smile. "I am truly grateful for your encouragement Naruto."

"Yeah… sure," he replied wearily.

Naruto still had his doubts about Sai and Sakura as a couple. Sai had one of the most obscure personalities there was and Sakura… well there must have been something she saw in him that no one else could. But he did know that Sai was one of the most formidable Agents they had. He had the ability and opportunity to protect her, and so long as he was willing to put his life on the line for Sakura, Naruto would support him.

Sai laid down enough money to cover his ramen bill. Naruto looked at him questioningly. "Since you don't yet know the ways of intercourse, it's the least I can do since ramen appears to be the only that that can give you pleasure."

He skillfully dodged the punch that was aimed at his face before leaving Naruto sputtering like an idiot behind him.

---

Sakura met him in the park by the lake like he asked in the note he sent her. It had been three days since their kiss, and she hadn't seen or heard from him the entire time. The sun was setting over the horizon, casting an orangey glow over the park.

She saw him standing by the old cherry blossom tree. Sakura was familiar with this particular tree and felt a strange sense of nostalgia. There was a large framed portrait of her mother leaning against that very same tree that hung in her home. For him to bring her here made her feel a bit light headed.

But as she approached him, her heart began to beat furiously with want.

"Sai," she breathed.

He looked at her in a way that left her breathless. There was softness in his eyes that she hadn't seen before, and Sakura found that she had missed him greatly since he disappeared without a word after that night.

"Where have you been?" she asked quietly.

He walked up to her and looked deeply into her eyes. The green of her iris seemed to sparkle against the setting sun, captivating him once again. "I'm sorry I haven't told you where I've been. I just needed some time to think."

"Think about what?" she asked with concern. "If something is bothering you… or if you regret what happened between us then—"

"I love you," he said suddenly.

She gasped in surprise before her cheeks became red from his words.

"I… have never loved before," he continued. "I didn't know if I was capable of loving you properly but…," he broke off and searched her eyes again. The blush on her cheeks was so fascinating it was overwhelming. "I don't want to be apart from you ever again," he admitted.

Her heart beat at an incredible rate as he confessed to her. Now of all times was not ideal to be hearing this. Her Medical program would be starting soon, and she would be jam packed with classes and studying. Her entire focus had to be on her career in order for her to get strong enough to be taken under Tsunade's wing.

But her heart wouldn't let her forget him, and she knew then that she never could.

His eyes—once so devoid of any true emotion—were raw with need as they looked into her soul and asked for her heart. He was different than when she had first met him more than a year ago, and it wasn't until now that she realized why.

Back then he functioned like an obnoxious droid. Everything about him felt forced and mechanical, as if he was trying too hard to simply be human. But now it was as though he had finally stepped into his own skin in the light of day.

She was able to really see what was buried deep inside of him.

He was strong, protective, smart, creative, selfless… and so gentle that she couldn't understand how she was so slow to realize that.

He felt so alive… and she just knew.

She put her hand on his cheek and gazed at him softly before lifting herself on her toes to kiss him. He held her close as he kissed her back, relishing the feel of her against him once more.

She barely pulled away and looked into his eyes. "I love you too Sai," she whispered as her blush spread through her cheeks. She could feel his heart beat underneath her palm as he held her tighter. His cheeks turned the slightest hint of red, but it was enough for her to reach up and kiss him again.

There against the Sakura tree by the lake, they shared their first true declaration of love. The tree blossoms rustled with the gentle breeze, showering them with soft pink petals as they simply held each other under the swaying branches.

They knew then that there was no going back at this point. They were ready to face the world together.

---

Sakura moved into the University dorms a few weeks later and was happy to know that she and Tenten would be roommates. She hadn't told her friend about her new relationship with Sai, though she had a sneaking suspicion that Tenten knew—or at least suspected—that something was up.

Before she moved, Sai had visited her at home through her bedroom window countless times since their confession. Oddly enough he always seemed to know when her father wouldn't be around for his visits.

When asked why he felt the need to climb the tree to see her, he claimed that he had read a book about romantic gestures and that climbing a tree to her window was one such notion. She could only chuckle in response.

They made the most of their "romantic gestures" with the time she had left at home. He would kiss her passionately and leave her wanting more of him each time, but he always held back before they went too far. Her father came home at uncertain hours, which made Sai very cautious about how intimate they got in her home.

But now she had moved out, and the dorms were on the opposite end of town from her father's home, which drastically cut down on the amount of time she could spend with him. Kakashi was traveling extensively these past few weeks and seemed increasingly busy with work. She was grateful that he was occupied because it left him no time to fuss over her or plead with her to move back home.

A knock on the door interrupted her from her thoughts.

"I'll get it," she shouted to Tenten, who was in the other room. She opened the door and smiled at the person standing outside.

The paled eyed man smiled back at her. "Hello Sakura," he greeted.

"Neji!" she shouted as she stepped aside to allow him entrance. He bowed politely before entering. "Tenten's almost ready," she said knowingly to their handsome guest.

Neji Hyuga was a real lady killer with his tall and lean build, long dark hair and the most unique pale lavender eyes that could make you stop and stare. Tenten was a lucky woman. If they ever got married their babies would be stunning.

"I trust that everything is going well for you?" he asked as she went back to re-arraigning her knick-knacks.

"Couldn't be better… why?" she asked.

He looked at her wistfully. "You've bypassed four years of standard university and entered the senior class of the medical program," he replied as if the explanation was enough. "It wouldn't be unusual to expect some difficulty with the adjustment. You must be working very hard."

Sakura smiled. True to the nature of almost everyone around her, Neji was very protective of her. He was like the older brother she never had, and the most he ever did was voice his concern rather than try to shield her from everything. He wasn't demanding or unreasonable in the least bit. Tenten was a very lucky girl indeed.

Said lucky girl came out of her room and grinned. "Hi," she said smiling at her not-so-secret boyfriend. He smiled back at her in response.

Tenten turned to Sakura, who smiled at her slyly before saying "Make good choices you two."

They both had the grace to blush her insinuation, even though it wasn't what tonight was about. Their supposed "date" was actually a recon mission for the agency. They were going to meet up with Lee and scout the neighboring towns for any public Intel.

The Sound Operation was one of the most prolonged missions in the history of the Agency, and the rumored Assassin under Orochimaru's wing was so damn elusive some of the Agents were beginning to question his existence.

Kakashi was up to his eyeballs in work and barely even had time for Anko, who was an experienced CIA Operative that was also working on the investigation and whom everyone knew he was romantically involved with.

Even that was kept secret from Sakura.

"So…," Sakura said when the two made no move to go. "What time do you think you'd get back?"

"I'll be out late. I can't really say," Tenten replied. "You don't have to wait up for me," she added with a sly smirk of her own.

Sakura suppressed her blush as best she could, yet she could feel Neji's scrutinizing gaze assessing her reaction. Tenten began to shove him out the door before he could think any further about it. She turned to face Sakura to shut the door and winked.

"Make some good choices of your own," Tenten whispered before closing the door.

Sakura released the breath she had been holding since Neji arrived. She was going to meet Sai, and it would be the first time she ever went to his apartment. He had put off the notion of her visiting him for reasons she didn't understand. But now he had a new apartment that was much closer to her university.

It was finally time to see where he called home.

---

The time spent with Sakura since confessing his love to her was life changing. He had never been more conscious of his beating heart than when he was holding her against him and kissing her lips.

His attachment to her was growing at an incredible rate. His body was constantly craving more of her touch, but he always held back from going too far. He had read that the first time for anyone was a tremendous event that they would remember for life. He wanted everything to be perfect for her, but time and circumstances were never on their side.

He couldn't do anything when she was living under Kakashi's roof, and her school work and classes dictated the rest of her day. But now she was living away from her father, and Sai had finally secured a small apartment near her school with his own funds. He had saved up enough money by selling some of his art to support himself years ago as part of his survival. One could never depend on anything fully, even in ROOT.

He was aware of the presence at his door before the first knock was made. When he saw her standing outside, his heart began to quicken once more. It was a feeling he would never get used to.

"I would have come to get you," he said as he let her inside. He never liked the idea of her going anywhere alone. Not after what he'd witnessed protecting her.

Sakura stepped into his tiny studio apartment. It was sparsely furnished with only the bare minimum essentials. There was a bed in the corner, a chair and a small table. A mini kitchen and bathroom occupied the other corner.

The only signs of décor were the numerous drawings on the walls. It made everything else fade in comparison.

"This is where you've been living," she stated, turning to him.

"It's all I needed," he replied. "I had hoped to furnish it more for you but—"

"I love it," she interjected quickly. "It doesn't need anything else. All I need is you," she said as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his surprised form.

He recovered quickly and kissed her back fiercely. He wanted to provide the perfect setting for her should they ever get this far, but he couldn't wait anymore. He allowed himself to get lost within her as he quickly began to disrobe her.

Sakura's head was spinning as she allowed him to slip her coat off. His fingers yanked at her blouse until it came out of her skirt. She gasped as he pushed them back onto his mattress.

Sai stared down at her as his mind's eye absorbed her form, breathless beneath him. He knew that another line was about to be crossed if they continued—only this time there truly was no going back.

He had already decided to abandon Danzo's mission long ago. Now he was going to take up another one: To love, protect, and make her his forever.

His hands slid from her neck to her chest before rolling the first button of her shirt between his fingers. Slowly, he undid every one, savoring the sight of her skin as it emerged into view.

He kissed her again as she arched her back and let the sleeves roll down her arms. Sai promptly tossed the shirt aside before his hands roamed her back. The feel of his rough and calloused hands against her bare skin sent shivers throughout her.

She grasped the ends of his shirt and tried not to be too forceful when she yanked it off him. Sai leaned back to assist her and enjoyed the look on her face as her eyes took in his form. He was lean yet shaped. His musculature clearly stood out under the incredibly fair skin that covered them. His leaned forward and rested his equally strong arms on either side of her face as he hovered over her.

Even though he had constantly teased Naruto about his lack of experience in sex, Sai himself was just as green in the field. Through his studious reading on this aspect of a relationship, he had deduced that the act was purely driven by instinct.

His instinct was telling him to touch every surface of her body with his own.

And that's what he did as he began to fully undress her. Every new surface of her body that wasn't shielded by cloth was met with his lips until she was bare beneath him. His body responded as he felt himself harden with the sight of her beautiful form writhing in his arms.

She reached out for him and began to pull the rest of his clothing off, which he hastily helped her do. He kissed her again as he laid his bare body over her. The feel of their skin in contact for the first time was thrilling.

Their kisses became more urgent as they moved against each other. Sai felt his control slipping with each second that passed and grew more anxious as the need to fill her consumed him. The barest hint of sanity made him remember to protect her before he lost to himself. He pulled away and procured the protection, hastily putting it on before returning to her.

She barely had time to be appreciative of the gesture before he entered her, swiftly and powerfully.

She screamed his name in a way he had never thought was possible. Sai released a primal groan and felt as though the world had stopped turning. He had never been so stimulated in his entire life. Every one of his senses was active, and as he looked down at her bare form molded against his body, he never wanted it to end.

"Move," she breathed.

He complied as his body washed over with pleasure. He was slow at first—savoring the feel of her—before his body automatically increased its pace. He was met with her moans and gasps, stimulating him further.

They moved together in rhythmic synch as they gazed into each other's eyes. He kissed her lips and held her close as they made love in his small apartment. This was art in all of its essence; something that didn't need ink or a canvas to be beautiful and captivating.

Sakura was lost in the sensation of him as he drove into her. She could feel herself ready to burst from the pressure and threw her head back in response as her body washed over in release. The sight of her rapture stimulated him to quickly follow her as he arched his back and experienced his own release.

Mating was a powerful thing indeed. His body had never been as active or engaged with anyone, not even combat. They savored the precious calm after stimulus as they both came down from their release and settled against each other.

Sai let himself fall atop her breathless form, almost in surrender. He was completely overwhelmed. Sakura didn't mind one bit as her arms feebly settled over his back. They stayed that way for minutes as they caught their breath.

Sai recovered first and turned with her in his arms so that he was no longer crushing her with his weight. She fell against him as his hands roamed over the softness of her body. He couldn't seem to stop himself as the need to just remain in contact with her took over his senses.

She seemed to be equally enthralled with his body as she wrapped her leg over his side and placed butterfly kisses on his chest and shoulder. He was glad to know that he had pleased her. She sighed with content as they lay in comfortable silence.

Pure exhaustion from their first time together took over as they lost their consciousness to sleep. Four hours passed before Sakura felt his kisses on her face waking her up. She could see that it was dark outside from the window and looked up at Sai, who kissed her softly.

She smiled when they parted. "I have to go back soon," she mumbled as her nose grazed his chest. Sai held her closer in response. He didn't want her to go, but he knew Kakashi would find out if she didn't make it back to her dorm.

"Your father has to know about us," he said suddenly. She stiffened in his hold and looked up at him.

"No he doesn't!" she retorted. "Sai, he can't know about us. At least not what just happened here today," she said blushing furiously.

"He has to know we're in a relationship," he replied. "I should have gotten permission to be with you beforehand."

She smiled. That was very old-school of him but still just very sweet. "I'm not ready to tell him just yet. My father is extremely protective of me. He won't like the idea of me dating a guy he doesn't even know."

Sai said nothing for a moment as he reflected on that. She didn't know of course that Kakashi knew of him, and she would never now. But even Sai knew that Kakashi would not react well to this news. He knew better than Sakura even, just how overprotective her father was. Unfortunately, Kakashi had every reason in the world to be just that.

"If that's what you wish, then I won't say anything until you're ready," he promised. She visibly relaxed in his hold before reaching up to kiss him again. Sai flipped her onto her back before proceeding to immerse himself within her once more.

They still had a little time.

---

Sai waked her back to her dorm. He wouldn't let her go back alone, especially at night. A new sense of paranoia consumed him over her safety. Now that they had become physically intimate, he felt more… territorial so to speak.

He now understood why men had the tendency to become overprotective of the women in their lives. The thought of other men hurting, lusting or even thinking that way towards their girl triggered an uncontrollable urge to seek and destroy. Sai already knew of the danger in her life. He would never take any chances with Sakura.

He held her hand firmly in his as they walked. Sakura leaned against his side comfortably, as she was still tired—and sore as hell—from their night. Gifting your virginity to each other would do that to you wouldn't it? She smiled as his thumb absentmindedly stroked her knuckles.

She was glad they had this time together. Her schedule was intense since she was already in the senior class of the Medical program with a Medical Residency to follow with Tsunade. She was almost nineteen and had earned quite the reputation due to her age and appearance.

She was known as the Cherry Blossom Prodigy; a nod to her hair and youth she supposed. Her classmates were decent enough, even though most underestimated her abilities. She was always quick to surprise them with her skill.

Her busy life just made being here with Sai all the more special.

Sai titled her chin up from her day dreaming. She was startled to realize they were already at her dorm. "What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"Nothing much," she said blushing. "Thanks for walking me back."

She was giving him that soft smile he had come to love. Her cheek was soft and warm as it blushed under his hand. It was at times like these that she resembled the delicate nature of her namesake flower; even though she had the strength in her to probably tear trees down at their base. It was a side of her that he knew she only let him see, and just like that he felt his desire return.

He pulled her close and covered her mouth with his in a slow melting kiss. He felt her arms cling to his neck as she lost the ability to hold herself up. She sighed as they parted and bid him goodnight before going into her dorm. Sai waited until he heard her turn the lock before walking back.

His thoughts were still filled with the memory of their intimacy, and already he wanted to have her back in his arms. But he had to control himself. He still needed to keep his mind sharp in order to protect her from threats, even though the attempts seemed to have subsided as of late.

But still, he couldn't afford to get sloppy. You never know who may be watching or why.

He turned the corner and disappeared into the ally, only just missing the pair of narrowed eyes watching him leave.

If he looked back, he certainly would have seen the one glowing red eye, spinning wildly at what it had just witnessed.

---

AUTHORS NOTE:

Remember this is a prequel for my other story "To Love and to Love Again". This is only part one out of two! Second and final half will post when it's done! Much more stuff happens in part 2.

So this is part one of Wake Me Up Inside. Part two will post when I've worked out all the plot holes and kinks and stop writing (I have a problem)! There are still 32 pages worth of story to post when it's ironed out. I didn't want to split it but I think 80 pages in one shot is a bit daunting to read maybe?

I would LOVE to hear what you guys think so far, especially nine months after To Love and to Love Again finished. Notice that a baby could have been born in this time.

Speaking of babies, a special little someone is coming your way next chapter :)

I hoped you like so please review, even if you didn't like it thus far. Tell me XD