(Author's Note: Hey! I am back again! Ugh, I suck at chapter stories but I think I do great with one shots! Assume that everybody's married to whoever you want them to marry. Well, anyway, here it is! –chibiabi
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, enough said.
THAT SMILE
He stepped into an enclosed room, loud wedding bells ringing in his ears. Grayish white hair stood out among the brown of the room. He patted his black tuxedo, making sure thatthere were no wrinkles whatsoever.His small eye and eye patch turned towards the door at the end of the hall, waiting…
He heard the door open. A young lady, the age of 25, appeared before him. Her unique feature, her pastel pink hair, was styled simply, held back by two flower barrettes, curling elegantly. He drew in a breath, she was astounding…
He stepped forward, her emerald eyes staring at him, twinkling. He noted the ankle length white gown, simple yet made to make her look like a princess. He pulled the veil over her face and she took his arm…
"Are you ready?" She turned to him and nodded, that smile on her face…
He remembered the first time she ever smiled at him like that. She was only 5 when he met her, an orphaned girl.
"Haruno Sakura."
She introduced herself as he was walking past the orphanage. She smile radiantly, that smile. And in that instant, they were drawn together…
"Hatake! What the hell do you think you're doing? Why adopt a kid all of a sudden?"
A random man in the Hokage Tower protested. He looked down at the little girl, the little girl with unusual pink hair andbright green eyes,who was gripping his leg. He smiled at her, behind his mask…
"I want to adopt her. It's final."
They stepped out of the room, into the wide hall where a few people were. Actually, not a few, a lot. Hordes of the Konoha villagers sat, all whispering gaily and happily.
"Why are there so many people?" He felt her shiver at the sight of them.
"Many want to see the wedding of the great Uchiha." He shrugged asshe looked up at him, nodding and smiling…
"Sakura! What are you doing? Didn't I tell you not to look into my room?"
"Demo, I didn't see you anywhere in the house, I thought you were lost. Why are there so many orange books here?"
He sighed, not wanting to tell the 6 year old. Her pink hair was cut short. He noticed a bruise above her left eye…
"What's that, Sakura? Why do you have a bruise?"
"Ah! This, um, nothing! I just fell, that's all."
She turned around and went to her room. He knew they were picking on her, he knew she was suffering. He followed and knocked…
"Sakura? Sakura?"
He opened the door; she was on her bed, putting bandage over a gaping wound on her leg.
"What's that?"
"Uhm… Like I said, it's nothing, I just fell…"
He sat beside her and took the gauze from her, wrapping it tightly around her leg, making her wince…
"I know when you're lying, you know. You're a reallybad liar…"
She stared up at him, a flurry of emotions ran through her face. He took her in his arms and hugged her, letting her cry…
A few days passed and he saw no more bruises. He had been training her and she was the perfect student. He told her to hide it, her skills, to show that she wasn't trained by him…
"I did it! Wahoo! Did you see that? I did it!" He watched her jump up and down…
"Very good… We'll learn more tomorrow, okay?"
"Yeah!" She pumped her fist in the air and ran back to the house. He shook his head, while scratching it…
"I think I teach her too well…"
People oohed and aahed at them. They were positioned at the back of the chapel. The wedding march started...
So many familiar faces were there. The Yamanakas, the Naras, the Hyugas, the Uzumakis, all of which were smiling as they slowly walked down the aisle…
"Where is our sensei!" A blonde boy yelled, he observed him a bit more…
He was the Kyuubi Vessel. Strange, he was put in his team. His eyes turned to another member, the silent one, the Uchiha…
"Shut up, dobe. You're killing my eardrums." He cringed at the coldness in that youngster's voice and finally he heard her…
"This is so great! I'm in the same team as Sasuke-kun!"
His eyes crinkled at her melodic voice. He'd always tell her she was a good singer. She didn't believe him…
"Ohayo, Team 7." He stepped out. He felt her gaze upon him, he smiled more under his face, and he heard her stutter…
"Y-y-y-you!" She pointed at him; he put his finger up to his lips, signaling her to keep quiet. She regained her senses and nodded…
"I am Hatake Kakashi, I will be your new teacher. Now, I want to know your names, your likes, dislikes, goals and dreams…
She smelled nice. He recognized that scent, it was a perfume he gave her on her birthday…
"What'll happen to you after I get married?" He turned to her…
"Nothing much, I'll just get old, forgotten and unloved. Ah, the sad life." He sighed dramatically, and heheard her giggle under her gloves. He liked it when she did that…
She was growing up. He knew it. After missions that almost killed them all, he felt that his team was indeed growing up. Two and a half years have passed, pain came and was overcome. She was now an apprentice of one of the Legendary Sannin…
"How's your training? Learn any new jutsus? Maybe you'll let me be your guinea pig, so I'll be of some help."
She had grown taller, now that she was 14. She laughed and nodded…
"Yeah, and you'd puff up if I used the wrong jutsu on you. Tsunade-sensei says that in about two years, I'll be a full-fledged medic-nin."
He congratulated her by patting her on the head. People walking by smiled at their closeness, not really knowing the reason why…
"Why do you think Sasuke-kun left?" He looked at her, his visible eyebrow raised. She shook her hands in front of her…
"No! I mean, I know why. His revenge and all that… Sorry, just a stupid question…"
"I don't really know too, Sakura. We'll just have to wait and find out…"
They were sent out on that mission that day. He watched her fix her things, they said goodbye…
The altar was just beyond their reach. He noticed that she was shaking. He saw the expression on her face, she was nervous…
"Should I really get married? I mean, I can always wait till next year, can't I?" She took another hesitant step…
"You've been waiting for this all your life, Sakura. It's your time to shine." He told her, encouraged her…
"Yeah, I mean, I'm the only one who hasn't been hitched. Naruto and the gang have all gotten married and have kids now. But…" She bit her lower lip…
"Don't worry, we're here in every step that you make, especially me."
6 years passed, she was 20, he was proud of her. They came back, 6 years ago, with him between them, the runaway boy. He helped them bring him to the hospital. And in the past months, he had seen the two getting closer to each other. He was worried...
"Sakura, I want you to watch your back when you're with Sasuke, okay?"
"I understand. I know what you mean."
She had been hurt too many times to be hurt again. He didn't want to see her cry over the raven-haired boy again. He knew she loved him still, but he wanted to be sure he'd love her too…
"He's been talking a lot now. He opens up to me." They walked together through the snowy path, groceries in their arms…
"Uh-huh… What does he want to talk to you about? Death, stuff?" Heeyed her.She laughed and shook her head…
"No! About his life and stuff like that. It's nice to see him like that, he even smiles a little bit sometimes."
And in that statement he decided to go talk to the boy himself…
He felt every eye upon them, especially upon her as they reached the altar. The bouquet she was holding was shaking as was her entire body. Sasuke stood in front of them, black tuxedo and all, Naruto, his best man,beside him…
"We're getting married!" He heard her happilyshout to him as she bounced into his room. He tucked away his orange book, she shook her head and gruntedin disgust…
"Why do you always read that book? Anyway, we're getting married! He proposed to me a while ago!"
They had been together for 5 years. He had confronted the lad, finding that he loved her too. He was happy for her. She talked excitedly about how there were roses andthe ring in herdessert and his kneeling in front of her…
"It's the best thing that's ever happened to me! I'm so happy…" She sighed dreamily.He knew he was the first one to know. He always was…
"Kakashi-sensei…" Sasuke nodded to him. He did the same. Naruto was grinning broadly, all the years of pain forgotten at this happy moment. He leaned over, whispering…
"Protect that smile, Sasuke. Protect that smile with your life." The young man nodded, understanding his statement. He turned to her…
"Sakura… I'll always be here for you and I'll always love you." She smiled, that smile, hugged him and kissed him on the cheek…
"Thanks so much for everything. I love you… Otou-san…" He stepped back, visible eye watering. She dabbed away the tears that managed to leak out…
He handed her hand to him and took another step back. He watched as the priest initiated the wedding vows. He saw them both smile at their "I do's."
He was happy, happy knowing that the smile, her smile, he wanted to protect would always remain…
(Author's Note: Weeee! Another one down the pile! Yahoo! Anyway, guys, read and review! It's SasuSaku, by the way! If you want me to make a Neji/Saku, that can be arranged! Hehehe! Don't forget what I said, read and review! –chibiabi