A/N: Hello to all fans and readers that apparently enjoy my story! I just wanna thank every single one of you for reviewing and reading my story! I absolutely appreciate that so I wanted to give a little heads up about the upcoming moments of KakaSaku. Yes, you have all been waiting for these special moments. And I have decided that I would give it to you. Right here in this chapter, you would find yourself being amused. Trust me. I bet you would be smiling at the end of this chapter. Maybe something even more.

I put the chapter in 3rd person (JUST FOR THIS CHAPTER) so I can show what both characters are thinking.

Don't Forget to Review!


Sakura slid into the shower and felt the warm downpour hit her head. She sighed in relief and began washing away all of the muck and scum from her skin and flesh, happy that her bloody and gory mission was finally over. She had to retrieve a scroll stolen from the village from these bandits, and damn it, they just wouldn't give up until she had finally ended the battle with a heart-shaking quake of punches. She was just glad that it was all over. She couldn't stand how they were eying her, their expressions all hungry and devious.

Sakura let her hands roam over her body to rub the soap in the wounded areas, careful to not reopen any cuts. She watched the bubbles drain away with the streaming clear water, her emerald eyes glowing in the dim bathroom light. Suddenly, her thumb had accidentally brushed against her sensitive spot, causing her to shudder. She felt her cheeks heat up, probably a blush, and continued to shower, trying to forget about what she had just touched.

Finally, just finally, the temptation ended when she twisted the faucet to 'off' and stepped out of the square-like container. She dried herself with a somewhat thin white towel and wrapped it around her, soon snatching a blue comb off of the counter top. She untangled all of the twists and ties with the brush, her eyes watering every time she felt a harsh yank. A few moments later, she blow dried her hair and exited the bathroom, then searching for something appropriate to wear.

The sky was bright blue and the sun was clear and bright, meaning that it was probably going to be a very sunny and warm day. There were barely any clouds in the sky, but there were flocks of mocking jays that seemed to be on a hunt for food. If it was going to be sunny, perhaps she would wear something rather summer season-related.

Sakura pulled out a matching underwear and bra and threw it on her bed, immediately scavenging for tops and shorts in a separate drawer afterward. The pink-haired kunoichi decided that she would wear a black spaghetti strap with her regular blue shorts; not too short, not too long. She tossed those aside too and closed the drawer, her fingers on the unoccupied hand ready to bring the towel down.

Suddenly, just before she could do any changing, someone knocked on the door. She released an exasperated breath and hung her head. She wondered ... who could be here at this time of the day? Seconds later, the knocking repeated, annoying the hell out of her. Sakura just sighed angrily and stormed over to the front door, ready to shout at whoever wanted to see her.

Her hand flung it open, revealing none other than Kakashi Hatake. Her lips slightly parted, her cheeks reddening slightly. She tightened her grip on her towel, hoping that it wouldn't slip down in front of her former sensei. "Uh, hey." She coughed. "I was kind of busy," she continued.

Kakashi eyed her with his lone eye and she swore that she saw a grin under that mask of his. "I could see that Sakura," he said coolly, "Anyways, I came over because I heard that you were let loose for a little while." He shoved his hands down the pockets of his sweat pants and stared at her impatiently.

"Oh yeah," she muttered, "Tsunade had told me that they were having a hard time analyzing a certain portion of my data base, so they have concluded that it would take at least a month for them to figure everything out. And that's when she told me that I'm gonna take a break for a while." Sakura found Kakashi looking at her confusingly. "And apparently, I forgot to inform you of this," she mumbled embarrassingly.

"Apparently so," Kakashi breathed. He pushed some of his silver hair away from his forehead and adjusted his hitai-ate. For a second, he gave her a scare because she had thought that he was about to imply some genjutsu on him, not until that he stated himself that he wasn't up to any business. She had decided that he has gone back to normal - or at least - that's what it seems like at the moment.

Silence began seeping into the room and the hallway, utter awkwardness filling the atmosphere. The both of them shuddered after feeling something eerie climb up their spines. There was nothing to speak of or talk about, and it was getting really quiet and awkward.

"Um, why don't you come in? I don't really have any plans either so..." Sakura's voice drifted off into a whisper as she felt Kakashi's gaze pierce through her. It stung. It was painful, but it also felt good at the same time.

"Are you sure you won't mind?" Kakashi asked, unsure if he should accept the invitation. Well, she did seem pretty busy, based off the fact that she was in a thin towel before him, her body still moist from her shower. And he didn't want to take advantage of her since she was his former student and that he still doesn't have full control of his emotions or mind. He was beginning to get frightened from the possibilities of what could happen.

"I'm sure." Her soft, gentle voice interrupted the flow of his thoughts. He brought his gaze up to her and nodded slightly. "All right," he replied doubtfully as he took his first step into her humble abode. He wondered how things would go now.

Sakura urged for him to take a seat on her couch and make himself feel like home. She had slightly bent over him, creating a perfect view of her cleavage for him. Kakashi sunk back in his seat to avoid the sight, and this action had confused her, for she rolled her eyes and scurried to her bedroom to change.

The silver-haired jounin sighed in relief and straightened himself. He can't handle being so close to her like that, especially since she's naked, or at least, naked underneath that towel. He knows himself that he still isn't clear of his darkness, and he knows that if something screws up in his brain, he'd go berserk and lose control, as of what had happened a couple of weeks ago. A breath escaped his masked lips as he thought how lucky he was to have Sakura still living and not dead.

A medium-sized portrait caught the corner of his eye and immediately brought his attention to it. With care, he rose the frame to his face and glared at it with an awed expression. He just couldn't believe that she still keeps all of those old pictures of Team Seven stashed in her home. Well, some of them were useless, but maybe to her, it means almost more than anything.

The picture illustrated the memory clearly. He could remember himself having to yell at Naruto and Sasuke to get ready for the camera, but the two ignorant fools would just continue to argue as Sakura stuck by his side with an annoyed expression. Naruto had then smacked Sasuke, and Sasuke threatened to destroy Ichiraku Ramen. Everything had gone south from there, and well, the Third Hokage couldn't do anything and had expected for him to take care of it since he was the sensei. Kakashi remembered how Sakura suddenly demanded for them to stop with much force and intensity that even the birds had stopped singing. It had scared him for a bit, but then he felt proud for having such a violent student who knows how to control herself. Self-control; that's what it was.

"You still remember that, huh?" Kakashi looked up to find Sakura bending over him, her face merely inches apart from his. He held back a nervous gulp and forced a smile. She simply giggled as if she was laughing at his foolishness and allowed herself to sit beside him, although she was really close to him. Her scent was intoxicating...

"Of course, it's the time when I finally saw true potential in you, Sakura." Kakashi grinned foolishly and absentmindedly draped his arm around her. "I'm sorry that you had to put up with so much annoying ninja though. Now that I think about it myself, I feel sorry for myself for having to train those two dopes," he laughed softly, "But it was all worth it."

Sakura eyed his arm that nested around her neck and blushed lightly. "Don't feel sorry for me. I had an amazing time with Team Seven. It was really fun, especially all of the pointless arguments," she replied. Her smile flipped upside down. "...And Sasuke's not here anymore, so it doesn't feel like Team Seven anymore."

"Sakura," Kakashi murmured, "Just remember Naruto and Sai would be there for you. And all of your other friends too. They know how much it pains them to see Sasuke to get darker each minute, but just know that we're here to comfort you, including me." He thumbed her bare shoulder in hope of releasing her tension. "It's my turn to help you Sakura. I have to repay you for clearing that darkness away from me," he continued, his lone eye glued to her saddened face.

She heaved a small breath. "I just wish that I have known that I had the ability to even do that...If I had only helped him push away the evil," muttered the kunoichi, "If I had known I could help him, he would still be here, happy with his friends and former team."

"Sakura, I know that you still have feelings for him, but we have to-" Sakura hushed him with a finger on his masked lips. She let her hand fall back to her side and sank further back into the comfort of his arms.

"Sasuke Uchiha is no longer someone I know, Kakashi. He's almost like a demon. That Sasuke I knew from before...He was a happy being. Almost a happy being, if he had only wished for peace and not revenge." Sakura was growing cold and pale, as if she was feeling sick down to the bone. "Sasuke. He was always coated with that darkness, but I never saw through him because I thought I was in love with him. Turns out that my love for him was never to be," she sighed.

Kakashi eyed her with a blank expression. She looked like she was in deep pain. Actually, she was in deep pain. Her emerald eyes were glowing, not with happiness, but with sorrow. Her light pink lips that matched the color of her hair was perked into a frown. Her cheeks were getting rosy, but the rest of her face was draining to the color of white. She looked absolutely uncomfortable talking about her most deepest emotions, and well he just didn't want to push her over the limit of what she can handle.

The jounin shifted a little and tried not to squirm too much, for she might get an impression that he wants to run away from this conversation. To tell the truth though, he really, absolutely wanted, to escape this conversation. He didn't feel comfortable himself talking to her like this. I mean - she looked so pained that her saddened state hurt him, scarring his heart forever. And he was guessing that it was probably up to him to cheer her up since he was the only visitor.

"Sakura," Kakashi suddenly said, his masculine voice ringing in her ear, "You promised that you're going to help me achieve true happiness, and I did. So now..." His voice trailed off as he leaned closer to her. "...I'm going to promise that I will be there by your side, always, to help you and guide you through life when help is most needed," he whispered.

. . .

Sakura woke up in the middle of the night, her eyes fluttering open to the sound of the wind howling outside of her window. She slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands, almost like how a child would do when they were exhausted. After moments of yawning silently, she stared out into the pitch-black darkness. There was only the moon that lit the room, but the light was too dim and faded that it almost seemed like a ghost was lurking in her bedroom.

She stretched her arms outward and sank further back against the bed board. She eyed the corner of her bedroom, not surprised to find Kakashi Hatake sitting on her loveseat, sleeping ever so soundly. She wasn't shocked nor freaked out. He would always do this from time to time when he was worried about her. It was almost like his lifestyle.

The kunoichi swiftly hopped out of bed without making a single sound and crept over to him on tippy-toes, cautious of her surroundings. And after seconds of reaching around her to make sure nothing is in her way, she stepped her way toward him. She reached him within a minute, his masculine figure in full view.

His jounin vest was unzipped and wrinkled, his sweater underneath in the same wrinkly condition. His hands were resting on the chair arms, his fingers twitching every now and then. His silver hair was ruffled as always, and his hitai-ate was tossed aside on the floor, so both eyes were perfectly revealed. The only thing that she found surprising though was that his mask had accidentally slipped back down to his neck, exposing his amazing face that only few had ever seen.

Sakura managed to smile after noticing the smallest details of his face. His lips looked soft and delicate, his nose was not to flat and not too narrow. There were very few scars, one on his neck and one, of course, on his sharingan eye. It awed her to see him in such a serene state.

Doing him a favor, she hooked her fingers into his mask and brought it back up to his nose line, her fingers trailing across his cheekbones every few moments. She released a small breath onto his face and backed away, sure that she has done him a very thoughtful doing. And after completing her task, she tucked herself back in bed and dozed off, only to have Kakashi stare at her with soft eyes.

And so he thought, he is very lucky to have her.


A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I am still undergoing pain from my injury and stuff like that and I forget about things so...yeah^^ I hope you forgive me for updating late and...I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Do not forget to review please!