Sakura stayed where she had finally collapsed. Time didn't have meaning for her here. Nothing had meaning. In her head she heard those awful words again and again. Why did she fall in love with guys who couldn't love her in return? She had been heartbroken when Sasuke left but this... this was devastation. She had given more of herself to Shino than any other person and she had been so sure he felt the same way.

It was Kakashi and Pakkun that found her. Kakashi stared at his teammate who sat against a tree with her arms wrapped around her knees. Tears had long since dried but her eyes stared into open space. He doubt she knew they were even there. It was as if she were hollow. If he had asked her how she felt it would have been the perfect word.

Gently he knelt beside her and touched her shoulder, "Sakura..."

Never once turning to acknowledge his presence, she said nothing. She remained silent even when he lifted her up and carried her back towards town. It disturbed him that she had given up so easily.

"Come on, Sakura. Where's your fighting spirit?"

"Kakashi-sensei..."

"Yes?"

"Is this what it feels like to die?"

Hours before:

"Where is Sakura? She didn't show up for training today," Lady Tsunade asked Mrs. Haruno. She had a feeling that something wasn't quite right when Sakura didn't show. Hoping that she was wrong and that everything was fine she had come to see for herself.

"She should be upstairs resting," she answered and Tsunade gestured for her to lead the way. Mrs. Haruno, irritated, turned on her heel and led the way up the stairs to her daughter's room.

Knocking on the door, "Sakura, honey, you have a visitor," after a moment she tried again, "Sakura?"

When she didn't receive an answer she opened the door and walked in. Her eyes frantically searched the room for her daughter. Her eyes finally landing on the bags tossed on the floor and the open window. Panic seized her and she sat stunned on the bed.

"Oh no..."

Tsunade looked at her and a fierce anger burned inside of her, "Mrs. Haruno, I'm only going to ask this once and for your sake I hope it isn't what I'm thinking. Now, what did you do?"

"I did what any mother would do in my position. It was...It was all for the best."

Tsunade snarled and cracked her knuckles, "You thought what was for the best?"

"You have been beating at that post for hours now, Shino. Why don't you give it a rest and come tell me what has you in such a mood?" Shibi asked as he watched his son for the second day pound the training post until his knuckles bled. Shino tossed a glare over his shoulder and Shibi knew that it was bad. Had something happened yesterday that he didn't know about?

"Instead of moping around why don't you go see Sakura?"

At the mention of her name Shino stopped mid swing and dropped his hands.

"I ended it with her yesterday," he whispered so quietly Shibi almost didn't hear him.

"You did what? Why?" Shibi asked as he walked over to his son.

"It was for the best. She would have grown to hate me. It wouldn't have worked out anyw-"

Shino was interupted as Shibi smacked him in the back of the head sending him flying into the training post. Shino turned and looked at his dad in question.

"I hadn't thought I had raised a stupid son until this moment. Now, tell me exactly what happened yesterday and then maybe I'll consider helping you fix it after I beat some sense into you."

Tsunade and Mrs. Haruno were in Tsunade's office waiting for Kakashi to return with Sakura. Shizune offered Mrs. Haruno an icepack for her busted lip and black eye as they waited.

"Lady Tsunade you can't go around hitting people."

Mrs. Haruno held up a hand before Tsunade could fire up again.

"No, I deserved it. I did something very stupid and Lady Tsunade was...gracious enough to explain it to me."

Lady Tsunade felt a little hopeful that Sakura's mother wasn't a complete loss but it didn't help her anger any when Kakashi finally showed. He walked in first and the three women looked at him in question until he stepped to the side.

Sakura walked in behind him, her eyes staring straight ahead but not really seeing.

Tsunade looked at her mother and cracked her knuckles again. The woman jumped and made her way to Sakura.

"Could I have a moment with her?" Mrs. Haruno asked and was thankful to Shizune for taking charge of Tsunade. They walked out first.

"You have 10 minutes," Tsunade growled over her shoulder.

Mrs. Haruno nodded at her and felt a presence still in the room with her and her daughter. Turning she saw Kakashi standing right where he was before. He hadn't budged an inch.

"Um, Kakashi?" she asked uncertain.

"I have over a thousand techniques at my disposal and will not hesitate to use them all if I felt one of my own were in danger."

She nodded and waited for him to take his leave before drawing Sakura to a chair.

Looking at her handiwork she knew more now than when Tsunade had knocked some sense into her that she had been wrong. Running her hand through Sakura's hair she searched for the words to heal.

"I'm going to prove him wrong."

Startled, Mrs. Haruno looked at her daughter, "Prove who wrong?"

Sakura looked up at her mother and suddenly there was life back in them.

"Shino. He loves me. I know he does. All those moments we spent together couldn't have meant nothing to him. Friends, indeed."

Mrs. Haruno smiled. Sakura was so much like her father.

"As much as I would like to leave the blame with Shino. I'm afraid that I had something to do with it as well."

"I know you did! It was so obvious but the words he used cut deep and I couldn't see past the pain to the truth. Kakashi-sensei always taught us to look underneath the underneath. What I would like to know is why? Why try to come between Shino and me?"

This was the hard part although had Sakura been anyone else it might have been harder. Mrs. Haruno was happy that her daughter had never been one to lay down and accept defeat. Her eyes watered as she sat beside her.

"To put it simply, I thought foolishly that if Shino and you were to marry he would take you back to the Clan. I thought that by allowing that to happen would somehow be against your father's dying wish. I told you the history between them and us. What I didn't tell you was that your father didn't marry me for my intelligence," she said and laughed a little.

Sakura looked at her mother and couldn't remain too mad at her with that reasoning. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"Mom, I love you. I will always love you. I didn't get to meet Dad but I love him too because I know he was a good man who loved you and me. Shino, despite having a recent lapse in judgement, is a good man. I believe Dad would have liked him and I believe you would too if you gave him a chance."

"When did you get so smart?" she asked and nudged Sakura with her shoulder.

Sakura shrugged and smiled, "So, any idea of how I can get Shino back?"
Putting an arm around Sakura, Mrs. Haruno leaned in and whispered, "Oh, I might have a trick or two."

Author's Note: What trick does Mrs. Haruno have up her sleeve? Well, perhaps she might share with Sakura how exactly she caught Sakoro's attention. As for me, Tsunade has me over seeing a little project so I've got to round up a few Shinobi and get busy. Mmmm, perhaps Asuma will assist me. Nothing better than seeing strong, well toned men working shirtless in the sun. Their bodies glistening with sweat... *Self-induced nose bleed*