A/N: So, I'm back! Sorry for the wait, I've been sorta busy with important stuff - oh, and whilst I'm here, I may as well ask - WHY HAVE NONE OF YOU REVIEWED?! C'mon! I know I'm not the best writer in the world, but can you please cut me some slack? I am English (and Cumbrian at that).

Sakura gasped at the face before her.

He was completely perfect, angelic, even. His nose was slightly pointed, but not obtrusive. His jaw was (as she suspected) strong and angular, and not even a sprinkle of stubble dusted it. He had high cheek-bones and a chin that must have been sculpted by the gods. She glanced down at his divine, pale, thin lips and resisted the urge to run her thumb over them to test just how soft they were, moulded into a smug smirk at her astonishment. The only mark he had was the scar that ran down his left cheek and over his eye, and she'd always loved that scar anyway. It was what defined him for her; not the spiked grey hair, or the pervy attitude (even though she scolds him for it regularly), not the visual prowess of the sharingan, but the moral it gave him. That eye and that scar was evidence of his loyalty for his friends and how much he was willing to risk to ensure their safety. Sakura could never wish that away, she loved him the way he was, kwirks and all.

Kakashi chuckled and she felt herself smiling at the fact that she could now see the smile on his face. That beautiful smile she never realised existed. "Can I be released now? Or do you plan to keep me here for the rest of my life? Because although I absolutely love spending time with you, I am getting kinda hungry."

Sakura faked thoughtfulness, looking up to the ceiling and rubbing her chin. "Hmm, I'll have to see about that, eternal footrubs sounds nice."

She yelped as he pushed her of him and laughed. "Oh, no, I'm not getting dragged into that again!"

Sakura swatted him on the arm before reaching into one of the bags to retrieve some dango. She popped one of the delicious food into her mouth as Kakashi took a bite out of some sushi she'd bought. She watched as his jaw clenched and relaxed while he ate, and then, just when she thought he couldn't get anymore dazzling, his exquisite tongue emerged and ever so slowly licked his lips. Sakura felt herself blush madly at Kakashi's visual innuendo and looked away sheepishly, determined not to let him know that he affected her. Comfortable silence followed the pair as they sat on the bed and ate for a short eternity. Eventually, the friends finished their food and got up from the bed to get ready to sleep.

"You better take the bed," Kakashi smiled. Sakura began to object, but he just interrupted her. "Ah, ah, ah, no. I've seen what happens to you when you sleep on campbeds. Last time, I thought someone had placed a henge-no-jutsu on a bear when I woke up to see you in such a foul mood." He laughed.

She didn't take the bait this time, she couldn't refuse an offer like that, especially from Kakashi. "Oh, well, your loss." She grinned.

Kakashi ran, his legs pelting the ground furiously as he tried to gain the speed he knew inevitably was impossible. The walls of the dark hallway shrank and closed in on him as he sped on, his heart hurting with every breath, every beat, but he kept running. Shiny black tendrils snagged at his ankles and twisted eyes with diluted pupils glared at him in a mixture of malice and hunger. He ran forever in the abyss, keeping his frightened eyes on the light ahead, at the end of the lost corridor. The walls opened to reveal a barren landscape, full of light and in the centre, blissfully beautiful, stood an angel. An angel with cherry-pink hair and enticing jade eyes and satin soft skin that blushed slightly. Kakashi hurried one again to her side, but found himself in slow-motion, throwing an outstretched hand to her desperately. He reached her finally, cupping her perfect face in his hands and kissing her deeply. Her form gradually dissipated, Kakashi glanced up in shock to find her gone and his wild, panicked eyes looked down at his hands, his wrinkly, old hands. He felt his back curve forward and his bones crack and ache as he aged rapidly. The floor tipped sickeningly as he howled in loneliness and pain. The ground opened up into another deep, dark maw - living and breathing to swallow his old, sobbing mass and rob it of it's existance. Kakashi screamed in ear-splitting silence, his voice broken and throbbing along with his cold heart, as he spiralled down into the chasm and out of existence. One thought alone reached his mind as he fell, a numbing thought that soothed his troubled soul to no end: Sakura.

Sakura bolted upright as the sounds of gut-wrenching screams reached her ears, only broken by panicked cries and heart-felt sobs. She glanced frantically around the room to find who was making the noise. Her eye fell on the twin bed next to hers. Her heart jumped into her throat as she saw Kakashi's trembling body, curled on his side as he gripped one of the pillows painfully hard. Sakura dashed to his side and smoothed the back of a soothing hand up and down his bare cheek in an attempt to calm the sharingan warrior. Eventually, his body went slack at her touch and his features relaxed into a sad expression that had her heart aching.

"Sakura?" He whimpered. She froze briefly before running her fingers gently through his soft hair.

"Yes, Kakashi?" She whispered.

"P-please stay with me."

She looked at his face and into his dark eyes, there were many feelings there, she could see pain and sadness, but also love, and most of all, fear. She relented, laying facing him on the small bed. They lay, staring into each other's eyes, thinking.

"So do you wanna tell me what that dream was about?" Sakura asked quietly.

Kakashi remained silent, but averted her gaze and looked instead at the cheap bed covering, his eyes desolate and his mind far-off. She was about to move, feeling that she wasn't going to accomplish anything by staying when he spoke up in a pained voice, like a little boy.

"Do you hate me?" He asked, clearly trying not to cry. Sakura's eyes widened, taken aback by the question. She remained unspoken, speechless and clueless as how to answer. Kakashi turned to her slowly, tears burning in his eyes. Sakura's eyes burned similarly as tears fell from them and ran in rivers down her skin.

Kakashi felt like his heart was going to disintegrate into a million little pieces, his soul ached for her love and accompaniment - that much, his nightmare had shown him. He searched her eyes for any indication of the answer he longed for. He saw shock and hesitation, but nothing more. Maybe she really did hate him. He would deserve it, after all, he was the one who had pushed her away and held her at arm's length, he wouldn't blame her. He felt the all too familiar burn of unshead tears in his eyes at the reality of the situation. His heart was being squeezed to it's limit, milked of all the pain it was worth, and yet only pain grew back inside the ruins of his being. He turned his eyes away once more, shielding her eyes from the sight about to come, when he felt trembling hands reach under his jaw and he looked up once at Sakura's weeping face before her lips found his.

His eyes opened wide in shock at the gesture before he relaxed and closed his eyes. Their lips moved as if they were meant to mould together like this. Sakura wove her hands into his hair and he pulled her close, his hands on her hips. The kiss was so tender and gentle, full of love and pain all at once. Kakashi felt like he was falling, but not in a frightening way like in his nightmare, like the flowing waves of the sea. Sakura pulled back to look once again into his eyes,

"Never." She said, truth shining in her bright eyes. "Never could I ever hate you."

She embraced him tightly, letting them both fall to the bed once again. They remained in that embrace until Sakura broke the thick silence.

"I love you, Kakashi." She sobbed. Kakashi just buried his head in her chest and fell asleep in her arms, peaceful and happy for once in a very long time.