I BELONG TO YOU

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CHAPTER 4

Her feet pounded against the wet dirt of the road, hair dripping wet from the rain that now poured from the heavens in mighty torrential floods. She raced blindly along the street, panic beginning to replace the adrenaline.

Now that she had temporarily escaped Sasuke, a new problem surfaced. Where was she going to go now? Naruto had left yesterday; Ino lived on the opposite side of the village, having finally split from the rooms behind her family's flower shop…Sasuke would catch up before she was even close, especially with her body as worn out as it was. She considered the jounin headquarters, but Sasuke could easily get into there and take her back, dismissing it to whatever jounin present as a lover's quarrel; or some other nonsense. She cursed the good reputation he had built up in the five years since returning to the village. There weren't even any guarantees that anyone would be there at this time of night. Where could she hide?! She thought desperately. She knew that she was no match for Sasuke, and if he caught her…

Her panicked brain had trouble registering anything other than running; running as far from him as possible. Yet even through the haze of her thoughts a voice surfaced from somewhere in memory: If he hurt you…you would tell me, right?

Of course, how stupid she'd been to not realize sooner…she wasted no time in changing direction and worked very sore legs harder, thanking all the endurance and speed training she'd been doing lately. Kakashi's apartment was close by; she could easily make it there in a matter of minutes. He would help her. He always had.

Her face cracked into a triumphant grin as his front door came into sight, and allowed only momentary rest before raising a fist to knock…and that's when she felt it. Sasuke's corrosive chakra was fast approaching, and he wasn't even bothering to mask it. Undoubtedly his plan was to frighten her a bit before he caught up to her.

He succeeded. Raw terror churned through her stomach, and without further ado she raised a weary arm and pounded on the door.

"KAKASHI!" She screamed, slightly ashamed at how absolutely terrified her voice sounded. Even if this was the truth, somewhere in the back of her mind she was still reluctant to make it too obvious.

Kakashi-

Someone was pounding on the door. He groaned and glanced at the alarm clock above his headboard, which only made him groan louder.

Who could possibly be knocking at one in the bloody morning? They can just wait till a decent hour…

He collapsed back onto his pillow just as the frantic scream split the air.

"KAKASHI!" Shooting out of bed he affectively tangled himself in his own bed sheets. He swore loudly and in a fevered rush fought a battle to extract himself, growing concern speeding up the struggle. That voice was all too familiar. Even over the storm outside, and the panic reverberating from her tone, he knew it was her.

"KAKASHI!" Her scream was even more distressed now. Kakashi finally rid himself of the attacking sheets and bolted toward the door.

Sakura-

She yelled for him again when Sasuke's outline was beginning to show up through the rain. He would be within reach in about two seconds…she shut her eyes in preparation just as the door was flung open and one strong arm yanked her inside.

All at once, utterly exhausted limbs gave way and she crumpled to her knees, trembling as abused muscles screamed in agony and lungs labored for much needed air.

"Sakura?" Kakashi squatted down in front of her and cupped her chin with one hand. She glanced up into concerned eyes just as the angry pounding started on the door.

"Sakura! Get out here!" She scooted back from the door sluggishly, and Kakashi's eyes narrowed.

"Kakashi!!" Sasuke yelled. "Let me in!"

"I think you should get off my property, Sasuke." He spoke just loud enough for Sasuke to hear through the door.

"Not without my wife," Sasuke responded, equally quiet. "She's drunk, Kakashi. Let me take her home."

Kakashi turned to regard the thoroughly exhausted Sakura carefully; she was furious.

"I am NOT drunk! And I'm not ever going back toyour home!" She shouted through the door with what remained of her strength.

"Fairly brave now that you're behind a closed door. But that won't stop me."

"If you break down my door I'm considering it breaking and entering. You will not get two feet into this apartment." Kakashi growled, eyes never leaving Sakura's face. "She obviously doesn't want anything to do with you right now. Come back tomorrow when you both have had time to cool off and we can discuss this like adults."

"I want either me in or her out right now!" His voice rose dangerously. "This is none of your business!"

"She made it my business by coming to me! Now get off my doorstep before I fucking make you!" Sakura blinked, she had never heard him sound so angry. Nor had she ever heard him use such language, at least not in her presence…

"Fuck you, Kakashi! I'm never going to let you get away with this!" With one last punch to the door, Sakura could hear his retreating footsteps. It was lucky indeed that while these days it was an extremely close match, Kakashi could still beat Sasuke. Especially now, when the usually stoic Kakashi was as furious as he was.

There was a highly awkward silence between the two as Kakashi stared at the door as though half expecting Sasuke to blast through it, and Sakura sat shivering and sopping wet on the carpet.

'I'm so sorry to bother you like this, but I didn't know where else I could go-"

"Don't apologize." He said, shaking his head. "There's a clean towel in the bathroom you can use, if you want to shower or clean up," he said, helping her to stand and pointing at a door off the hall. "Let me go get some of my old clothes for you to wear until yours are dry." He left her side to duck into a room she presumed was his bedroom. Sakura removed her sandals and hobbled into the small apartment's bathroom.

She wanted to tell him everything; all the things she'd lied to him about in the past five years…but could she muster up the courage?

A fluffy beige bath towel found itself draped over a toilet as she began to remove sopping wet clothes. Once sufficiently dried off, she hesitantly turned around to look in the mirror, expecting the worst. Blood was caked into the pink locks where Sasuke had struck her, and bruises trailed down beautifully toned shoulders and arms to her breasts, which were especially tender with newly darkened skin.

No wonder I'm so sore…

"Sakura?" Kakashi's voice cut into her silent examination and she quickly wrapped the towel around herself, scowling when it didn't cover the discoloration along her arms. "I have clothes for you…and I promise they're clean."

She smiled softly and opened the door just enough to reach out and relieve him of the clothes held out. She was retreating back into the bathroom when a firm yet gentle grip secured around her wrist, holding her in place.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked, peering around the edge of the door to see why he had stopped her.

His eyes were skating up and down her arm, gaze darkening with every passing moment as he paused on each bruise.

"He did this?"

"It's just a little bruise…some of them are probably from training, anyway," she offered quickly.

His eyes narrowed, and Sakura knew he was scowling deeply beneath the mask. His gaze wandered over what he could see of her again and again until finally focusing on the blood matted into her hair. A low growl began to resonate from deep within his chest.

"Can I…get dressed before we talk, Kakashi?" She could practically feel the anger radiating off of him, and quite frankly, it was more than slightly frightening.

He let go quickly and stormed away from the bathroom, leaving Sakura to change. The clothes were far too big for her, but the feeling wasn't unpleasant. The loose material felt comforting to a bruised and exhausted body.

The first thing she noticed upon leaving the bathroom was Kakashi, eyes narrowed and pacing across the living room. He looked up as she emerged and immediately started over.

"You're hurt…" Were the first words out of his mouth, eyes once again fixing on the wound on her head. Sakura couldn't help the shame she felt bubbling up from the pit of her stomach. She'd been deceiving this man for years, and even so he still was there for her as he'd always been. Even after everything she'd put him through.

"Thank you…" her voice came out a meek whisper, and she averted her eyes to the ground at his feet. Bursting into tears every five minutes was a trait long ago left behind, but an unshakable feeling arose that meeting his compassionate eyes now may just cause a relapse.

"Sakura…" His voice was soft and gentle, completely devoid of the terrifying anger she had easily picked up on before. "Look at me."

Calloused fingers caught her chin and guided her face so that he could stare into emerald eyes. If Sakura had seen pity, she couldn't have been able to handle it. Instead there was nothing but gentle understanding…and this alone abruptly snapped tight reigned control.

Kakashi's arms encircled her gently as the tears began to silently fall, leaking out from behind walls developed over seemingly endless wedded years. Ignoring pride, Sakura clenched the front of his shirt tightly as he clasped her more securely to his muscled body.

"I've got you…he can't get you here…"

"I-I don't fear him here, with you…" She choked out from between sobs she fervently tried to keep from escalating into wails. "Not with you!"

Kakashi said nothing to that, and instead began to rock her back and forth as the sobs continued, occasionally stroking her hair in an attempt to soothe the distraught woman. Yet even though the man remained silent as was his character, Sakura knew that those words were the truest things she'd said to him in five years. She knew now that while here in his arms, no evil would come of her.

"Tomorrow I'll take you to Tsunade," Kakashi said when her full-bodied sobs had reduced to quiet sniffing. "We're going to make sure he never bothers you again. Now let's go patch up that head wound."

Please forgive this author for her tardiness. Life intervened, as it has a habit of doing…

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