A/N - If it's not completley clear, the pairing is Kakashi/Sakura.

You fell and my heart lurched. It's just like you: never knowing your limits, always willing to put something as menial as your life at stake for someone else. The Great Copy Ninja – everyone can count on you can't they, but at what cost?

You promised me you wouldn't be so reckless, you said that now you had someone to come back for, someone to live for rather than instead of. Though like always, promises have been broken.

I thought, out of everyone you would be the one who would never do that to me. All my life you have been the one constant, that one person I could depend on never to change. And now as you lie on the ground, your blood marbling the sodden land, I know now how true that really is – you couldn't change, not for one person, you have too much honour, too much loyalty.

I'm trying to get to you, but my legs are like lead, taking me crumbling to the floor with every step I take. I can't do this anymore; this isn't how it was supposed to be.

A simple reconnaissance mission with Naruto, two weeks, that's all it should have taken. Not five. But I don't think anyone counted on it being an Akatsuki base.

A shadow of a battle cry ripples around my ears but it's not what matters. If I have any chance of getting to you, it's now.

I'm crawling, almost dragging myself on my hands and knees. It's you, I'm not going to give up on you. Not now. Not Ever. Not after there are so many things I've haven't said and done, so many things I haven't taken the time to tell you. Like how I love the feel of your arms around me during the night, your breath on my shoulder, your fingers tracing patterns on my hip, how I can't sleep without it, and how I really think your hair is silver rather than grey, no matter how much I tease you…I flinch with the pain; there's just too much, and we've had so little time.

There's a kunai in my back, I can feel it grating against a rib with every flex of my muscles, every strained breath I take, but I won't acknowledge it, it's nothing. Nothing compared to the pressure on my chest, a mass of panic, despair, fear embracing me so rigidly. I can't even care about the rain stinging my cuts, my grazes, obscuring my vision on this bleak, bleak night. Not when you're still lying there alone and defenceless. But I'm coming.

People say that in dire circumstances your adrenaline makes everything so quick, almost instantaneous, but it's not like that. It's the longest, most frustrating moments of my life.

I'm finally here and I take in your sight. My heart races and my hands shake as I brush a thumb along a cheekbone, I realise I'm afraid of the sight of you; I've never felt that way, it's unnerving.

I whimper as I let my clouded mind instruct my eyes to survey the damage. The gaping stab wound starting from your chest, running down to your abdomen gushing a steady stream of blood saturating your vest, the shuriken patterning your thighs, your single sharingan eye weeping blood, soaking your mask. I'm gasping as I feel the tears gathering behind my heavy lashes. But I won't cry, I know if I do I won't be able to stop myself. You told me never to cry over you, never hurt because of you and I won't, not yet, not when there's a hope, however small that glimmer may be.

So, I let my medic-nin instincts seep through me, take me over.

A pulse…

The beginning and potentially final test, I almost can't bring myself to do it. But it's you and I'm not giving in, I refuse to. As I stretch my trembling fingers to your neck, I suck in a breath, filling my lungs with hope.

I make contact with skin and I can't control myself anymore. My hands find their way to your chest, tears stream down my face, burning stripes down my cheeks and I give a shuddering sob. The lump clogging my throat chokes me as all breath abandons my lungs in a swift stroke, leaving my chest devoid of all air. I lean to press my forehead against your cheek, wanting my next breath to be of you, and only you.

And as I inhale your scent, mingled with the lurid scent of blood I let it sink in…

You're alive.

Authors Note - Revised to make it at least 10 percent decent =]