A/N: It's me again and I brought the second chapter with me. Hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 2: What to do?!?
"H-he… he r..ra…p… raped…m-me, Kakashi, he…"
He closed his eyes to fight off the wave of nausea. He didn't hear her dropping the 'sensei'-part, didn't hear her continue, didn't hear her sobs and chokes. All he heard was the punding of his heart and the rush of his blood. He felt his shaking hands and how he just wanted to enclose her father's throat with them, felt the white-hot rage boiling inside him, felt the protectiveness for this woman- this girl- fuel his hatred for the offender.
And he felt the shame weighing down on his shoulders.
Why hadn't he put an end to this? Two years ago. Why hadn't he stopped this from happening? If he would've just gone to the Hokage, if he would've just been stronger, maybe… maybe she wouldn't have had to…
"S-sensei?"
Her broken voice dragged him back into reality. Looking down, he found her watching him with concern in her eyes. Now, he could feel the helpless shaking and felt how helpless he was himself. Now, he felt the tears. She was crying against his chest and the tiny droplets had drenched his shirt, so he could feel them against his skin. Now, he noticed, how her hands were gripping onto him so hard, her knuckles turned white.
Kakashi took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. She needed him now, he could think about revenge later! As he breathed, the scent of blood mixed with sweat and… sex filled his nose and it was so wrong. This innocent girl shouldn't stand in his apartment, smelling like that. Hell, she shouldn't have to stand in his apartment, period. Not for the reason, she came here anyway.
The silver-headed male couldn't help, but feel for her.
He knew, she wouldn't want to be pitied. He didn't want to, either, but seeing her so broken, so small comparing to the world… he couldn't stop himself from feeling compassion and the responsibility, again. He had failed, failed to protect her like he had promised her and the whole Team Seven on their first mission outside Konoha, when they met Zabuza. He had protected them back then, with his life, and he had safed her life quite a few times since, but now… now she was within Konoha and yet she was not safe! He had failed to protect her from the worst of enemies- those who hold your trust and use it against you! He hadn't been able to safe her, but he would make damn sure, it never happened again…
"Sakura? I know, you won't like this, but we have to take this to the Hokage."
"But-"
"No buts, Sakura. He can't get away with this! You can't let him get away with this! What he did to you before, was already bad enough- and you should've reported him to the authoroties a long time ago- but this, Sakura, this… is a crime, one of the worst crimes we know! This is… is…sick!"
He felt her immediately flinch as the last word left his mouth and she fell silent. For a moment he wondered, what had gotten into her, before a thought struck him. Shaking his head, he tried to dismiss it, it was ridiculous.
She wouldn't, she couldn't…
"I'm sorry." Sakura murmured, apprehension filling her voice.
She did.
"Sakura." Kakashi said firmly as he made her sit down on his couch and crouched to be eye-lever with her. "Sakura. This.Is.Not.Your.Fault. Do you understand me? This is by no means your fault, do not blame yourself for what this…this pervert did!" He hesitated to say 'pedophile', a word that would probably make her feel all the more responsible. 'Pervert' wasn't exactly fitting (the whole village called him a pervert, too, after all), he thought, but it was the only word, he could think of in such a short time.
"But I… I must have done something wrong or he wouldn't do this to me, sensei." Sakura insisted.
He had heard of this, but he never believed it, until now. He had been told, that victims of rape often saw themselves to be the ones to blame most. He couldn't believe it. It was completely irrational! Yet, here it was: This young, innocent girl- his former student- blaming herself for the disgusting crime her own father comitted. His heart clenched again and the rage within it fought to be let loose.
He almost gave in.
But one look at the lost expression of his pink-haired student's face, made him strengthen his will. It could wait. He would wait, but when the moment had come, he would make sure not to let it pass!
"Sakura? Did you want it?"
"No!" came the resounding answer.
"Did you tell…him so?" Kakashi had problems even talking about the man, without feeling the desire to kill him.
"O-of c-cou-course, but he w-wouldn't… wouldn't stop, he…"
"Then, this is in no way your fault."
"But, he must've had a reason to… to…"
Why did she actually want to believe, her father had a reason for abusing of her?
"You didn't do anything, that would make you deserve such a thing. Not like there exists something, that would-"
"I became a kunoichi."
"What?" Kakashi asked, baffled.
"I became a kunoichi, a…a slut, someone that solds her body for money, right?"
For a moment, the silver-haired jounin remained silent, so she continued.
"I've never had such a mission, though. Does that make me a slut anyway, sensei? Because I don't feel like I-" she rambled on until her ex-sensei interrupted her.
"These type of missions are rare, Sakura. Chances are you'll never get one at all. Besides, those missions are optional, you don't have to take them." He explained, more patiently than he thought possible, remembering his own assignments, where he had to seduce a few women- and even some men- to gain information or get close to his target. But it was mostly harder on women, because they had another opinion on sex. For them, sex and love belonged together… "Furthermore, those missions aren't requested by clients. They are needed to keep Konoha safe. If you ever do such a mission, you will not be a slut and no one will consider you one. You shouldn't either, because it's not true. Shinobi- male or female- that give their body for the village, are closer to being martyrs than anything else."
Not that he considered himself one.
"You're not a slut, Sakura." He added firmly. "his is not your fault-"
"I didn't stop it, though." She spoke up again.
Kakashi swallowed a frustrated sigh. It seemed, that she was argueing with him on purpose, but he knew, those were just the psychological aftereffects of what she'd been through. At least, her voice didn't quiver so much anymore. It was still weak, but not trembling anymore and she didn't sob either.
That was a start.
"You couldn't have done anything." As soon as it was out of his mouth, he knew, he had- again- picked the wrong words. His social skills sucked, but he should've really thought about this one before. It came out totally wrong. He hadn't meant to insult her and call her weak, but by the glare, she was giving him now, it was all too apparent, that he had achieved just that goal! "What I meant was, that it's understandable. He's your father and you don't want to hurt him, that's completely normal…"
She looked away in shame.
"This is not the real reasons, you think, you're to be held responsible, is it?" The masked man asked as realization dawned on him.
He almost didn't catch her, shaking her head.
Leaning in closer, he waited for whatever was about to come, but when the words finally left her mouth, they almost gave him a heart attack:
"I…It…f-felt…g-good."
What the hell?!?
Sakura wasn't looking at him, she didn't want to see the repulsion in his one uncovered eye, didn't want to literally feel the despise, he would hold for her now. She just wanted it to be over. Maybe, she should just leave to find a bridge or something? Then she decided, that she wanted, needed him to understand, if even only a little.
"I-I didn't w-want to and th…the p-pain was st-stil there- I-it w-was so p-pa…painful, but a-also… g-good… I f-feel s-so…dirty, I'm…"
Suddenly, she felt a head on her shoulder. Her sensei had slumped against the couch and leaned forward until his forehead touched her neck. Each time his warm breath caressed her skin, she could feel tingles run over the spot of her neck and couldn't decide, whether to enjoy or fear that sensation. What was he doing anyway? His breath was labored, as if he had been running for quite a while, his body shook a little and Sakura was sure, if Kakashi were anyone else, her former sensei would be crying silent tears at the moment.
"I'm sorry, sensei." She whispered, not sure, what to make of his reaction.
"No, Sakura. I'm sorry." He replied and there it was again. She hadn't heard it since their last discussion two years ago, but she still recognized it: That edge in his voice, so similar to desperation and sorrow. "It isn't your fault, Sakura. Stop thinking, you did anything wrong, because you didn't."
"But- I- it felt…"
"Good?" He gave a humorless chuckle. "Sex is supposed to, Sakura. No matter what your mind or heart say to it, your body's reaction will always be the same, if a little effort is put into getting it… That just shows, how much of a…sick pervert he really is, to make you- your body enjoy him degrading you. I'm sorry, Sakura. I'm sorry, I wasn't there for you."
"It's okay, sensei. It was me, who ran away." Sakura said, though it seemed odd. Now it was her, that was comforting him. The world was crazy sometimes. Not that she minded, hell no. It would actually be nice to be able to repay him somehow, for all the times he helped her, if the circumstances were a little different. But the pink-haired girl decided, that that wouldn't bother her now. She slid her arms around his neck and softly stroked his back in a comforting manner. The position was a little awkward, what with her sitting on the couch and him leaning on her from his spot on the floor, but it didn't matter.
She was there. He was there. They both were there to ease the other's pain.
For a few minutes, Kakashi let himself be held by his young team mate. Then he draw back, surprised at how much he missed the warmth, their embrace had brought him, but dismissing the thought as soon as it came forth in his mind. This really wasn't the moment to ponder, what was going on with him or her- or them. Standing up, he held a hand out for her and lifted her off the couch, once she had grabbed hold of it.
"Come on, I'll get a bath ready for you… and if you really don't want to go to Tsunade-sama, all you have to do, is heal yourself. No evidence, no case. And since I doubt, you still believe, you deserve this as a punishment, there is no reson for you, not to do it anymore. If you really don't want to tell your shishou." He declared and Sakura was surprised, that he had grasped on to that little piece of information. Since when did he know? Was that the reason, why he never questioned her coming to him for medical treatment? Had he already known of her acceptance?
333
The hot water in the tube eased her aching muscles and Sakura couldn't surpress a loud groan at how good it felt. When she realized, what she'd done, she blushed different shades of red and threw a panicked look at the closed bathroom door. Had Kakashi heard that? And if he had, what did he make of it? Sinking a little deeper into the water, as if trying to hide, she relaxed after a while.
Enough, to have her Inner coming out unwelcomed at the first thought.
'He's being really nice.'
'Yeah, and he's being really right, too.'
'Not you again.' She groaned inwardly.
'Sorry, princess, but someone has to take care of you, since you don't do it yourself.' Inner Sakura snorted in disdain. 'And even Kakashi can only do so much.'
'So, what are you suggesting?'
'What I told you to do two years ago, before you ran out of the door like a chicken.'
'I can't-''You can and you will. It can't go on like this forever: Coming home and sneaking up into your room in hopes, he won't notice you. Locking the door to be safe, only for him to burst into the room. Or being caught and beaten as soon as you set a foot into the house- not to mention what he did tonight! Do you really want this to happen again?'
'No…' Sakura admitted, shaking lightly in the warm water.
'Then don't let it happen again. Take Kakashi's advice and go to the Hokage. She can put an end to this-'
"And then what?!? I am put into some hostel and the Elders sell mom's house? I won't let that happen!'
'You'd rather be raped again?'
'…'
"Thought so. Besides, don't you think, that your beloved shishou will make sure, neither of that happens. She knows how much that house means to you. You're still underage, yes, but you are a jounin and thereby considered an adult. You can live on your own, other shinobi, some even younger than you, did that too. Take Kakashi for example.'
'Sensei?''Yes, haven't you listened to Tsunade. His last family died when he was just eight and his sensei followed, when he was fourteen. He's been living by himself ever since.'
'Whenever did she mention that?''One of her drunken rants. You might've been too tipsy to listen yourself, but I was, thank godness, completely sobber.'
'Oh…''Yeah, well. Now get out of the water it's getting cold…and maybe you should respond to Kakashi, he sounds worried.' With that, her Inner retreated into the very back of her mind.
"Wha-what?" Sakura mumbled. As soon as she was by her senses again, she could feel, how the temperature of the bathing water had dropped dramatically. Slightly shivering, she stood up and leaned over to grab a towel.
"Sakura? Why aren't you answering me?" Kakashi's voice came from the door. Concern could be heard in every word. Sakura wondered, since when he wore his heart on his tongue. She had never heard so many emotions in Kakashi's voice as in the course of this one evening. She was about to reply, when he spoke up again. "Okay, Sakura, you better be decent, because I'm coming in-"
"NO!" she screeched, but it was too late. The door was already opened and Kakashi made the first step inside, before stopping dead in his tracks. Fortunately, he wouldn't be able to see anything, well almost, because she had quickly held up the town to cover herself. Flushed she stood there in the middle of his bathroom, only a towel to hide her body from him. Her body with all it's bruises. By the way, he scratched the back of his head, he was a little uncomfortable himself.
As uncomfortable as Konoha's resident pervert could be, with an almost naked woman in his bath.
Then again, that title had been taken from him.
His expression changed from embarrassed to angry in a moment and had the pink-haired girl shiver slightly at the intensity of his gaze. She wasn't sure what he was thinking, but it would most certainly not be pleasant on her father to find out.
"Uhm…Sensei?"
"Mmh." He snapped out of his thoughts.
"Uhm…could you…you know…leave, so I can…uh…get dressed…'
An evil idea came to him, that would hopefully make her forget her pain for a little while.
"Oh, please don't let yourself be stopped by me. Just act, as if I wasn't there."
"Eww! Sensei!"
"Yes, Sakura-chan?" the silver-haired man asked innocently.
"Get.Out." She growled.
"It's my bathroom."
"And I'm in it, naked."
"You have a towel. And the spare clothes I gave you are right there." He motioned to a pile in the corner.
"So you want to watch me dress?!? Are you nuts? Get out."
When he didn't move, she decided to add a little good-hearted threat. After all, that could never hurt with someone, that read porn in public.
"Or you'll meet my fist!" she ground out.
Chuckling, her ex-sensei held up his arms in defeat and backed out of the room.
'Now,' she turned to stare at the medical kit, that was standing beside her lend clothes. 'What to do?…Heal or not to heal, that is the question.'
End of chapter!
A/N: I know this chapter seems a little rushed, but it was meant to be as both Sakura's and Kakashi's state of mind affected by the news she brings.
As for the next chapter:What will Sakura do? What do you think, she will do? Or should?
I hope, you liked it! Please leave a review.