Chapter 9- Kakashi

Nurses were in and out of the room all day but a few of Sakura's friends remained a constant; Sai, Naruto, Genma, myself, and surprisingly, Gaara and his siblings. No one said a word all day; they weren't needed for the type of emotional distress we were all under.

No words would be able to comfort any of us; not even when one nurse informed us that she was stable for now but it might not stay that way. It was too heartbreaking to imagine a Konaha without Sakura so I preferred to dwell on the memories of when we would just silently sit in the forest with our backs up against each other while reading books.

Our eyes never left her pale, limp form and we all held our breaths whenever someone inspected her health for fear of more bad news.

The day had passed so slowly, too slowly when I've been alone to sort out my thoughts, and soon enough, the sun was dipping below the sand dunes that surrounded the village. My orange book hadn't been cracked open once all day. I imagined that if Sakura was awake, she would have long ago scolded me for reading such vulgar literature in her presence if I had.

I glanced out of the window and looked at the darkening sky, imagining how Sakura would be standing at the wall opening, gazing at the stars so high in the sky. She would softly smile and say 'Kakashi, do you think that everything will go back to normal? I mean, everything has just been so crazy lately and I miss Team Seven actually being a Team and us just being our crazy selves.'

I would look at her then and for a short period of time, get lost in the depth of her eyes. She would just suppose that I was being a wise, old man until I would look back into the night and mutter something along the lines of, 'Everything will be okay.' After all, I was good at creating comforting lies as such.

I was always telling her that everything would be okay; I was always claiming that the world would work out its problems and we would return to our own states of normalcy. The truth is that since the attack from the Kyubbi so long ago, nothing was normal.

Naruto grew up without parents or someone to guide him lovingly until he got older. The Uchiha Clan was murdered by one of their own; painting the path of hatred for a very young Sasuke that once had a promising future. Sakura had the stable life she once knew, agonizingly ripped away from her, allowing her whole world to collapse in on itself.

How many times could I say that everything was going to be okay before I found a real answer to give? How many times was I going to watch my comrades go mad with all the wrongs in this world? When will I ever be able to pull Sakura out of the grave she dug for herself and convince her that the path she was running down was not the right one?

I had so many questions; so many unanswered questions that no one in this world could answer aside from myself. I had to solve these problems; I had to help the girl who has been a constant in my life for years.

"WHERE THE HELL IS SHE?!" A scream rang from the hallway, not too far from the room we were in. All of heads swiveled in the direction of the door but didn't even bothering moving. Every single one of us knew that angry, loud voice as the Fifth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village.

One of the female nurses stuttered back a whispered response in fear of the fuming woman who charged into the room moments later with a red face and steam practically flaming from her ears.

Her gaze instantly fell upon her unconscious student in the bed who didn't stir in the slightest bit. Tsunade's eyes softened slightly before stepping up the side of the bed and shoving Sai and Naruto out of her way.

The woman's glowing hands slid across Sakura's blood-stained abdomen and chest where the notorious Hidan and Kimimaro had injured her so greatly. Sakura's eyes squinted together tightly, even in her sleeping state, while Tsunade only pressed her hands down more in concentration.

"Oh my…" The Hokage murmured in horror, her eyes flickering to the battered face of her student. "You stupid, stupid girl."

Moments later, Tsunade slumped down in a chair that Naruto had pulled up for her and sighed deeply. She looked at everyone slowly before her eyes fell on me and I swear her eyes softened even more. "What happened? Tell me everything. Sai," she quickly sent a small glare at the poor kid who ducked his head in response, "only told me that she was close to death and was going to be here. Who did she fight?"

No one said anything for a while, probably too afraid at the reaction that she was sure to have. After all, the woman was best known for her angry fits while in a state of sobriety. I couldn't take the silence anymore though and sucked in a deep breath of air before answering. "She killed Kimimaro and decapitated Hidan."

Tsunade looked at me stupidly as the gears turned in her head before she turned red and slammed her fist down on the bed. "You think this is fucking funny, Hatake? My student nearly died and you're telling me she fought a bunch of fucking dead shinobi? I ought to throw you out the fucking window for that!"

I stood up quickly as everyone's heads snapped to me with wide eyes. "And you think I would joke about something like this? I've known that girl almost her entire life and I'm ashamed to know that you believe that I find this funny. I carried her fucking bloody body all the way back here and I don't find this situation in any way, shape, or form, funny." I yelled out, losing my calm façade quite quickly. I didn't have patience for these accusations today.

Naruto looked like a damn fish with those wide eyes and open mouth and Sai lowered his head further to the ground. Tsunade bit her lip as if wondering whether or not to punish me for my violent outburst but I guess she settled against in because she sank lower in her chair and rubbed her temples.

"Alright Hatake, get on with it."

I sat back down and let my lone eye glide in the pinkette's direction who had a sheen layer of sweat on all of her exposed skin. I wish it was that case. "Genma and I were only a few miles away when the explosions first began. I knew it was Sakura just from the fighting style; she has a tendency to tear up the Earth before anything else." I had to take a deep breath from the ache that was growing in my chest. "I never imagined that it would have been as bad as it was. I've never seen the girl fight so hard."

I stopped again, trying to push the painful images out of my mind just as I've been doing all of my life. "I got there a second too late." I said, closing my eyes tightly. "I got there just as Hidan put his scythe through her and Kimimaro stuck bones through her chest."

I glanced up when I heard a sob and saw Tamari's lip quivering as she stood next to her brothers. They both were staring at me, as was everyone else with unreadable expressions but I could see the emotions in their eyes. Naruto and Sai were guilty and everyone else was about ready to throw someone through a wall.

Tsunade turned to the boys of Team Seven and gave them a demanding look which was all that was needed for them to start giving us he answers we wanted. Sai sounded cold when he began. "We were just stopping for the night; Naruto was too tired to go on and it just seemed like such a good idea since we were making such good time to the Land of the Waves. We hadn't relaxed for even five minutes when we knew they got there.

"Sakura called them out and then they just jumped out into the open. It would have been stupidly reckless if they had been anyone else but of course they were powerful and didn't fear us as much as they should have." Sai said.

"Their intentions were clear almost immediately. They wanted Naruto and wanted Sakura and I to go down without a fight. They were in a hurry and that was painfully obvious so I tried to stall the best I could during the battle. I figured that if they were in a hurry and had already mentioned that they were going against protocol that someone else was coming for them." He sighed and tilted his head down to the floor. "Whoever it was didn't come fast enough."

Naruto rubbed his eyes; the reliving of the fight too painful for him to be unaffected by it. "Hidan wanted Sakura from the start and he was adamant on having only her. He made it very clear to his comrades that no one was to interfere on his battle but by the time Kakashi came and killed Kidoumaru for me and we found Sai unconscious, we realized that Kimimaro had gone against him and joined his fight with Sakura."

I've never seen Naruto speak so seriously before and for once he didn't yell while talking. The kid was completely worn out and had no energy mentally to keep up an angry front. None of us could, for that matter.

I decided to finish the story off to save the boys from breaking down even further. "When we reached Sakura again, Hidan had already started his ceremony and I didn't think there was any way to save her but her chakra lashed out again. It was almost like Naruto when the Kyubbi takes over; her eyes were black and her chakra was attacking on its own accord. She didn't know what she was doing or who the enemy was. She ended up killing Kimimaro and decapitated Hidan and, like Sai said, someone was coming for him. Kakazu collected Hidan's body and head and said a few things that were quite interesting." I said, rubbing my chin through my mask.

The woman's eyes narrowed. "And what would that be?"

Genma sighed deeply from his seat on the floor and put his hands over his head, already knowing what would happen the second I told her. I tensed unconsciously too. "He said that the Akatsuki aren't our enemy and they will need our help in the future."

Gaara snapped his head to mine the second the words left my mouth and it happened to be one of the few times that I've ever seen him with any emotion. His eyes were blazing with hate but I couldn't tell if it was for me or the situation. It was probably both. "Have you seen what they did to her? Of course they're the enemy!" his voice was definitely menacing but I've seen too much in my life as a shinobi to be even bothered by his threatening tone.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know what they need us for but the Akatsuki are a very straightforward group of Ninja. If they wanted to attack us, obviously, they would. They aren't the type to try and trick us into failure. They are prideful and egotistical; them asking us for help is hard for them but if they have come to their enemy for help then we must understand that there is something much bigger than we ever imagined going on."

"Kakashi, you know better than anyone else the damage that Akatsuki had done to our village; to our comrades. You don't understand how impossible it is for me to even think about working with them." Tsunade was practically trying to obliterate me with her glare and words.

I felt my chest heave with anger at the fact that they were brushing me opinions under the rug about this. I'm not the Hokage but I know damn well what I'm talking about. "No, you don't understand. Sakura is the strongest kunoichi in almost all of Fire Country, both mentally and physically, and we are all here right now because she went against Hidan and nearly died. You don't get into Akatsuki for being a weakling; you get in for being a killing machine that wins most battles they are in. If they are coming to us for help then there is something that is powerful enough to defeat them and they know it!

"Yes, I lost many friends to them and yes, many have lost their lives to them outside of our village. But if we don't help them then Kami knows what is going to happen. The Hidden Leaf Village is the number one most targeted village in the world because of shinobi that are constantly being produced from us. Whatever is preparing to take down Akatsuki will go for us next and I'm not willing to put our entire village at risk because we couldn't put our differences and pasts aside." I had to force into a slouch so that hopefully some of the tension that had suddenly increased would be relieved. I was finding it harder and harder to keep a nonchalant attitude and I was all of sudden caring about these matters much more than I usually did.

No one said anything or a while; they just shared dark glances except for Gaara who continued to stare at me as if I had two heads. I could tell the situation was deeply wearing on everybody's nerves already but it was something that couldn't be ignored. The Hidden Leaf was in danger and that wasn't to be taken lightly.

"Okay, so what if we did join forces with the Akatsuki? We don't know who they are up against or what that group wants from any of us. I don't think they want me this time, that's more of an added bonus." Naruto spoke calmly and I briefly wondered when he grew up so much; when he started to think logically and like a real shinobi.

Tsunade glanced tiredly at the blonde-haired boy. "What makes you say that? They've been going after you for years now and didn't you say that that was what they wanted in the beginning of the fight; for you to come without any objections?"

"Yes, they did say that but if they really wanted to capture me then there would have been more Akatsuki or Hidan would have fought me instead of Sakura. I think it's pretty clear that it takes more than one of Oruchimaru's henchmen to kill me. Kakazu told us that Hidan had formed the ambush and fake mission on his own accord and that it had nothing to do with the rest of Akatsuki. We all found out a long time ago that Hidan isn't exactly one to do what he is told so I agree with Kakashi when he says that they aren't our enemy anymore; or at least not right now," Naruto finished with a prideful look on his face. He knew he was doing well so far and that his thoughts were spot on.

"And what if we're wrong Naruto? I'm not only looking after a group of shinobi who can protect themselves if need be! I have an entire village that I have to keep out of danger and it won't get any easier if we are double-crossed and have Akatsuki running around and blowing shit up! I can't risk it and I won't let any of you risk it either!" Tsunade yelled while a vein pulsed steadily on her forehead.

Naruto stood up from his chair with a pleading voice. "But Tsunade-sama…" he began but got cut off by the infuriated woman.

"That is enough! The Akatsuki are to remain enemies and I'm not going to forget a decade's worth of battles with them! Now, I came here for Sakura but she definitely isn't stable enough to be transported right now and won't be for a while." She turned to Gaara. "Would you mind if she stayed here in your home? I understand the trouble it may cause but I don't want her health to deteriorate any more. I can't stay away from the village for much longer anyways." She pleaded.

He waved his hand nonchalantly over his shoulder. "It's not an inconvenience Tsunade. The Sand has very close ties with the Leaf and we will always be here for you to fall back on if ever needed. Any shinobi from your village is welcome here. Besides, Sakura and I close friends and I wouldn't want her in any more danger than you would want her in." He turned to the Naruto Sai, Genma, and I with a slight smile on his lips. "You are welcome to stay too since I know how close you are to her. I have more than enough bedrooms for you to be comfortable in."

My eyes slid to Tsunade, a silent request that she granted with a subtle nod of her head that sent Naruto into a slightly better mood. He slapped the Kazekage on the back of the shoulder who didn't budge but smiled lightly in response. "Man, it's gonna be good to get out of the Hidden Leaf for a little while! I've been stuck there for ages!"

Sai sighed quietly while Genma grinned and I knew instantly that he was thinking about spending a pretty penny at the liquor store in the market place; no doubt returning just so he could get drunk on Sakura's bedside. He cared about her too much to stay at the bar when he could just drink himself in oblivion here.

Naruto began rambling on about all the adventures he wanted to have with his friends here while he could but my attention was caught by Tsunade who was looking in my direction and curling her finger slowly. I nodded and followed her out of the room, walking down the long, empty corridor until we came to a balcony that overlooked the south side of Suna.

We didn't say anything for a while but I was never the type who initiated conversations so I left that to her. I know she's stressed, we all are, but I couldn't help feel that she wasn't doing her very best to understand what was happening. Sakura would definitely have her own opinions once she woke up.

"If you had waited ten minutes to get her medical attention she would have died." Tsunade spoke quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. The thought of our little kunoichi dying bothered her as much as it bothered me, maybe even more.

"I know." I said, my eyes focusing on the stars hanging brightly in the dark sky. A low glow of light shined just over the horizon, igniting the sand dunes that were untouched in the distance.

The woman that I had known for so long turned to me with a wary expression. "You know how grateful I am for everything that you do. I owe you for saving her and I will never forget what you have especially done for her recently. She is not in her normal state of mind."

Well that's an understatement. "I've known Sakura for just about ten years now and I remember thinking that she would never make it in the world of shinobi. She's changed, thanks to you, and I haven't seen that weak girl for a long time. Everything that happened to her parents hasn't made her weak again despite how much she's cried but it made her hard and lifeless. It kills me to see her that way. I've been a father figure to Naruto and her for so long that it really does hurt to see that happy girl gone." I spoke quietly.

"Keep in mind that the relationship between you and Sakura isn't father and daughter, Kakashi. It's much more than that."

I froze at her words and I was fully aware of the tightening of the muscles in my shoulders and back. Had she suddenly gained the ability to read minds or something? Had she caught the subtle glances that I had been sending my student unconsciously though out the last few years? Had she picked up on the emotions that only appeared when I was with the young girl?

"What the hell do you mean about that?" I choked out, unable to hold back the panic that danced off of my tongue.

I was met with a chuckle and amused eyes. "Oh Kakashi, I'm not blind and I know it's not just about her being your student. You've never cared as much about Naruto as you do her and while everyone else isn't on your trail yet, I am. I know you better than most." She took a deep breath. "You should count yourself lucky that I'm not punching you through a wall right now. The only reason why I'm not is because I know the feeling with never be mutual. I don't mean to sound harsh but Sakura is a romantic at heart and has always wanted a man in her life that will not only love her unconditionally but also be her rock. She wants a reason to leave the hospital at night and someone to actually go home to.

"Kakashi, I know that underneath that mask of yours are a million emotions that you don't want anyone to see. Sakura doesn't deserve someone who will always keep her on her toes; she needs a stable ground to stand on. You're as capable as being someone's rock as you are at expressing how you really feel. You have been trained and conditioned into the perfect shinobi; someone who follows orders at all times and who doesn't have family ties that will bring your own selfishness into play. I never wanted you to be like this but every horrible thing that has happened in your life has led you to where you are today. I wish that you could have a wife and kids or something to live for other than the lives of Konaha but that isn't what happened here. I'm truly sorry for how everything is coming out right now but I just don't want to see Sakura hurt anymore. She's not like you; she had hopes and aspirations that were literally torn out of her grasp. You lost everything when you were very young but she's old enough to have had true bonds with her parents and their deaths have completely shattered her. She needs someone who can put the pieces back together."

My mind reeled with anger and all I wanted to do was scream in her face that I could be Sakura's rock and that I could have a stable life with her but I knew what she said was true. Sakura deserved so much more than what I could offer. I've been broken for years and honestly am in no shape to fix myself, let alone her too.

The facts weighed down so heavily on me that I wish for once that everything bad in my life had never happened. I've blamed myself for my comrades deaths for years and I still do but I wish that I could relieve myself from all of this pain so that I could live happily with a wife; so that I could fall in love.

"I understand," were the words that slipped out of my mouth instead of everything else that was on my mind. I never stood up for what I believed in during times like this because I knew just how pointless it can be to fight. If the Hokage told me not to pursue something then I wouldn't pursue it. I've never spoken against the Hokage before and I never will.

"I'm glad that you do but me telling you all of this doesn't mean that you're being relieved of your duties to watch over her. While you are the last person I want to be with her, you are certainly the first I want to protect her even if it's from herself. I've bought her an apartment."

I glanced up in curiosity at that. "Why?"

"Because the poor girl can't keep going home to the place her parents were murdered in. No wonder she keeps tearing herself up about it. She's reminded every time she walks through her front door. It's a two bedroom, one bath loft near the southern gates of Konaha. It's a long ways from the hospital which I don't like so much but it is well out of the way of her home now so she doesn't have to pass it every day." Her head dipped to the ground. "I made sure it had two bedrooms in case you need to stay there. Don't forget that your mission is still to protect her. I'm sorry that I have to give you this mission of people but at least I can trust you with her life. I know that you would protect her against anything."

Of course she would entrust me with her student when she knows that I would die for her. "What happens when I'm not there with her? I can't watch over her unless I'm living there."

"I'm sure you'll find a way Hatake. I leave in the morning so I'm going to go rest while I can. Let me tell you now thought," She brought her face inches from mine and glared at me as hard as she could. "If something happens to her, I promise that I will kill you on the spot and I'm NOT bluffing."

She turned on her heel and walked away without another word, leaving me staring at the spot that she occupied moments before.

While I was hurt from her words earlier (more than I should have been), I pushed them away for now which was something I was exceptionally good at doing. That's all I ever did; push everything away so that I could never get hurt; on the inside, anyway.

I started to think of ways that I could watch Sakura back home without actually watching her. I needed to know that she was safe at every point of the day and not only because of Tsunade's threat. I needed to always know that she was safe. I cared about her too much to allow her to be hurt if I could help it.

As soon as the idea came to me, I quickly bit the skin on my right thumb until the flesh broke open and blood dribbled down my hand. I then made a series of hand signs and quickly pressed my hand on the rough surface of the balcony. A sudden poof next to me head signaled that the summoning was over so I crouched down to make the height difference between the pug and I, less prominent.

Pakkun sat on the haunches of his back legs and gave me a bored look after realizing that he wasn't summoned for battle. "What do you need, boss?" he asked in a rough voice. I knew he was just as lonely as I was but was just putting up front. I often summoned him just for someone to spend time with. We both were just too prideful to admit that out loud.

"I need you to go back to your world and find a young pup that doesn't have a contract with anyone. I'd prefer a female and one that is a decent fighter so far and very protective. Remember, I need a pup; nothing over three months." I told him, listing off all the traits I would want.

Pakkun looked wary. "I know I'm not the youngest dog in the world but damn, I didn't know I was doing that bad," he muttered, looking extremely put out.

I waved my hands but couldn't bring myself to even pretend to smile. "No Pakkun, the ninken isn't for me; it's for Sakura. I need something that can protect her when I can't be there."

His small eyes flashed with a wave of understanding and he nodded. "Oh, yes I've heard about everything that has happened to her as of late. I feel bad though. I've always like that girl; she's nice to us."

You and me both. "How did you find out about everything?" I asked.

"I met up with a few of Tsunade's slugs about a month ago just before she sent Team Seven on the mission. They caught me up on all of the happenings. How did the mission go anyway? I didn't know it involved going to Suna."

"It didn't. It was a false mission set up by Akatsuki and they got ambushed on the way there. Naruto and Sai made it out alright but Sakura wasn't so fortunate. She fought Hidan, I'm sure you remember me telling you about him, and she barely made it out alive. She still hasn't woken up."

I was surprised by how enraged Pakkun suddenly became since I've never seen him act like this. He paced back and forth, growling and muttering cuss words under his breath. "I swear if I ever see that waste of space ever again I'll rip him limp from limb; I'll rip his damn throat out and personally feed it to the damn wolves. That low life piece of…"

"Since when did you start to care so much about her safety?" I asked suddenly with obvious curiosity.

The pug looked at me for a while as if he could actually read my thoughts before giving me a response that stunned me into silence. "When you started caring as more than just her sensei."

I just looked at him. That was the second accusation within ten minutes about my affections for Sakura and it made me wonder how many others had looked past the walls that I tightly protected myself with. I didn't like when people figured something out about me. It always left me feeling exposed.

Pakkun continued when he realized that I wasn't going to say anything. "The rest of the pack feels the same, I hope you know. Anyway, I'll report back to you when I find a ninken that seems to fit our description. It shouldn't take too long. I'll see you soon boss." And with that, he disappeared.