A/N: Not mine, so don't sue me. Besides, you won't get much out of it.
Chapter Two
Is it me?
Those three little words continued to resonate in Sakura's head as shifted to her back to stare at her bedroom ceiling.
Why does he think it is his fault?
I am so young, thought the kunoichi, if it is anyone's fault it would have been mine for being so naïve to think it would have worked out in the long run.
If this is all my fault, then why do I still care about him?
"He is the only one I have left," Sakura whispered to herself, "That is why I still care about Kakashi."
Sakura lost Sasuke to Orochimaru first. She lost Naruto not too long after that. The kunoichi did not know how much longer Kakashi would remain in her life, but she knew that she was extremely fortunate that she still had him.
Kakashi watched the sunrise the next morning from the rooftop of his apartment building. He mused about the evening before and the promises that he made to Sakura two years before. Needless to say, Kakashi failed to being either Naruto or Sasuke home.
Kakashi knew that it had hurt Sakura quite a bit, but for some reason, the jounin felt like that was not the only thing that bothered her. Kakashi jumped from the rooftop to the street below and began to make his way toward the Hokage Tower, hands in his pockets.
Was Sakura still holding a grudge about what happened between them two years ago?
Kakashi remembered telling Sakura that it was not going to work out. They both knew that. Kakashi was an elite shinobi, doomed to die at any given moment.
The silver- headed jounin scratched his head.
He did it to protect her. She had already lost two people that she cared about. He did not need to lose someone else. Kakashi did not want to cause Sakura another heartache.
Kakashi continued to walk down the street, head held low. He bumped into something. Kakashi heard a small squeak and a thud. He found out that he had bumped into none other than Sakura, who was now on the ground, rubbing her neck.
Kakashi extended his hand out for Sakura to help her up. Much to his surprise, the medic accepted it.
"I am deeply sorry, Sakura," spoke the jounin, "I should have paid more attention to where I was going."
Once Sakura got to her feet, she continued to hold on to Kakashi's hand. There, they stood in the middle of the street…just as if two years had never passed.
Then, Sakura jerked her hand away from Kakashi.
Stupid, thought Kakashi, why did you let her do that.
Wait…do I still care about her? I guess I do…
Kakashi haphazardly stuffed his into his pockets again and looked down at the ground.
Just like old times…if only he had not left two years ago. Then maybe they would have still been together, maybe even married and a small family.
Two weeks just was not long enough for either of them…
"Good morning, Kakashi- sensei," said Sakura, "What brings you through here this morning?"
"Just on my way to see the Hokage and report to her about my mission," replied Kakashi, "You?"
"Um…," stumbled Sakura," I…uh…I have training still morning! Yeah, training with Lee!"
Kakashi looked at Sakura, knowing well that he had caught her in a big lie.
"Sakura, are the training grounds in the opposite direction?"
"Yes, but I am on my way to meet up with Lee at his apartment," replied Sakura.
"Sakura," said Kakashi, "I know first hand that Lee does not live in this part of the village. Also, what did I tell you about calling me sensei?"
Sakura let out a heavy sigh.
"So, what are you really doing around here, Sakura?"
The pink headed medic looked down at her feet. Kakashi was somewhat reminded of the woman as a genin.
"Well, Lady Tsunade gave me the day off and I was looking for someone to train with and I was just wondering if…"
"I would train with you?" interrupted Kakashi. Sakura nodded, her eyes meeting with Kakashi.
"That is, if you have the time, Kakashi- sensei."
"Sakura, what did I…"
"Sorry, Kakashi."
"I have to speak with the Hokage first, but other than that, I am free for the remainder of the day," replied Kakashi," Meet me at the third training ground in about an hour?"
"Thanks!" shouted Sakura in glee as she surprised Kakashi with a hug. Once she let go, she ran back in the direction she came from.
That will hopefully give us a chance to talk things through, thought the jounin as he continued on his way toward Hokage Tower.
And maybe our future together too…
Sakura sat on her favorite tree branch, awaiting for the arrival of her former sensei. About an hour and a half later, Sakura began to get rather annoyed.
"I guess there are some things that he will never change," said Sakura as she jumped off the branch.
"And why should I?"
Sakura quickly turned around and looked up. She found Kakashi sitting in the same exact spot that she sat just moments before.
"You are late!" shouted Sakura. Kakashi jumped down from the tree branch above and landed in front of Sakura.
"Sorry that I am late, Sakura, but I ran into Gai on the way here."
"That has to be one of the most…"
"Believable excuses that you have heard from me since I became your sensei?"
Sakura nodded.
"Yeah," replied Kakashi, scratching the back of his head, "Because it actually did happen. He hears that I have returned and the first thing he goes about doing is rant about how we are still tied. Does anyone ever give a proper greeting anymore?"
Sakura giggled lightly, making Kakashi smile underneath his mask.
"Enough about freaky men in green spandex suits. Let's get started with our training, shall we, Sakura?"
Kakashi pulled out two bells from his pockets and dangled them between himself and Sakura.
"Not again!" sighed Sakura, "We can't do this without Naruto or Sasuke!"
"Really?" remarked Kakashi, "I haven't noticed."
The silver headed jounin handed one bell to Sakura.
"That issue aside, we are doing things a bit differently this time around," continued Kakashi, "The rules are much more simple now. The objective is to grab the other person's bell without them grabbing your bell in the process."
Kakashi moved closer to Sakura, their bodies barely touching.
"In other words, I try to grab for your bell and you try to grab for mine. Any questions, Sakura?"
The kunoichi shook her head. When both shinobi tied their own bell to their person, Kakashi spoke again.
"Oh, and one other thing. Whoever gets a bell first gets a free meal, okay?"
"Okay."
"Very well, then. On the count of three. One…two…three…"
Both shinobi stood still, waiting for the other to make the first move. Sakura smirked slightly. She pulled a glove from her medic bag and put it on. With one swift move, she punched the ground below her. Kakashi quickly performed a disappearing jutsu, appearing moments later just a few yards to the kunoichi right.
She's good, thought the Sharingan wielding man, she is another Tsunade.
Sakura spun around and threw a series of kunai and shuriken at Kakashi. He reflected them with his own weaponry with relative ease. Kakashi did not want to activate his Sharingan just yet, at least until he knew what Sakura was exactly capable of.
"Don't be a chicken, Kakashi- sensei!" shouted Sakura, "Fight me like a real shinobi. I won't break that easily!"
Kakashi grinned mischievously from under his mask.
"Well, if you want it that way, Sakura!" replied Kakashi. The silver headed man lifted up his forehead protector to expose his Sharingan eye.
"Ready to give this your all, Sakura?"
Sakura nodded as she pulled a kunai from her medic pouch. Kakashi brought his hands up, ready to perform signs at a moment's notice. Without much as a second thought, Kakashi performed a series of hand signs, all in an order that Sakura was not familiar with.
A sudden burst of wind came directly at Sakura, knocking her down to the ground. The kunoichi immediately rose to her feet, wiping the sweat from her forehead. She then made a mad dash toward Kakashi, kunai gripped tightly in her hand. Sakura performed a series of single handed sign and disappeared, reappearing behind Kakashi. She landed gracefully to the ground, tossing the kunai aside, and slammed the ground once more with her gloved fist. The earth split toward Kakashi. Once the dust subsided, Sakura found a log where the jounin was.
"Dammit!" screamed Sakura, scrambling to her feet. She was suddenly jerked back. Mere moments later, the kunoichi felt a kunai to her throat.
"Ready to give up yet?" whispered Kakashi in a deadly tone.
"Not a chance," replied Sakura. It was at that moment she remembered her bell. Sakura stood still, her hand resting over the bell. Kakashi slightly lowered his kunai. It was then that Sakura performed a quick disappearing jutsu, reappearing behind Kakashi. The pink headed woman dropped to the ground and spun around with one leg out, knocking Kakashi to the ground. Suddenly, Sakura was hit from behind. She rolled over, landing back first on the ground. Kakashi appeared above her. He straddled her and pinned each of Sakura's wrists above her head.
"Shadow clone," Kakashi simply spoke as he removed his mask. Sakura noticed the smile that the jounin had plastered across his face.
Still as handsome as ever, thought Sakura. She smiled back at Kakashi.
"I am sorry, Sakura," whispered Kakashi as he leaned in toward Sakura. He rested his forehead on hers.
"I made a promise that I could not keep."
"No, you didn't," replied Sakura, "At least, not yet."
"I am sorry for the pain that I have caused you for the last couple of years. There was not a single day that went by that I did not find myself thinking of you," said Kakashi, "You were the very reason I was able to keep going during my mission."
Kakashi left go of Sakura's wrists, placing his hands on either side of her head. The kunoichi wrapped her arms around Kakashi's waist.
"Sakura, I thought about this all night last night and I am wondering if you are willing to take me back and give this another shot."
Kakashi made two promises to Sakura before leaving for his mission two years earlier. If he was not able to fulfill the first promise, the least that he could do was fulfill the other promise. He would rather die than live the rest of his life without Sakura.
"Yes, Kakashi," whispered Sakura, "Yes, I will."
Kakashi leaned in and stole the kiss that he so desperately craved the last two years. Once they parted, Kakashi tried to catch his breath. When he did, Kakashi smirked.
"I am sorry to break this to you, but I won," said Kakashi as he held up a bell. Sakura brought one of her hands to her waist and felt around. It was not there, but in Kakashi's hand.
"That was no fair, Kakashi!" exclaimed Sakura, hitting Kakashi in the arm. The jounin rolled off of Sakura and got to his feet. Sakura sat up and looked up at Kakashi.
"It should be considered a draw, old man," continued Sakura. Kakashi helped Sakura to her feet.
"You were too busy with 'other things'," said Kakashi, "Besides, I am not that old."
The jounin tossed the bell to Sakura and pulled up his mask. The kunoichi looked at the bell. She tossed it back to Kakashi.
"When did you get it?"
"When we were kissing, of course."
Sakura walked past Kakashi in a huff.
"That was a cheap shot."
Sakura felt a hand grab her upper arm.
"It shows that a ninja should never let their guard down, regardless of the situation."
The jounin let go of Sakura's arm and took her hand.
"I have another meeting with Tsunade- sama," continued Kakashi as the pair made their way out of the training grounds, "I'm supposed to meet up with Shikamaru and Gai at the ramen shop."
"I'll come with you, Kakashi," said Sakura, "I have some things to discuss with the Hokage anyway."
"If those things include us, then she should just save her breath and accept it. Your parents did, so why can't she?" said Kakashi.
"I can understand what the deal was then, but now, there shouldn't be too much of a problem. I haven't been her student for over a year now," said Sakura, "Anyway, what do you need to talk to Tsunade- sama about?"
Kakashi wondered if it would have been best to tell Sakura the truth.
"Top secret information," answered Kakashi. The jounin noticed out of the corner of his eye that Sakura slightly lowered her head. Kakashi placed a hand under Sakura's chin and tipped her head slightly back, his non- Sharingan eye meeting with emerald.
"I promise that you will be the first to know about everything once it has been discussed with the Hokage."
Sakura gave Kakashi a weak smile.
"Okay," she meekly replied.
The medic- nin brought her hand up to Kakashi's face and pulled down his mask just enough for her to kiss him lightly on the lips.
"I'll hold you to that promise, Kakashi."