Note to self: Don't try to start 3 fics at the same time. It will lead to you not finishing any of them… sigh. But I am slowly chipping away as inspiration comes on my days off of work.

PS: you can now add me on facebook! I thought it would be way cool to talk to my readers!

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Sakura and Kakashi made their way down the road towards the ramen stand. It was a slightly warm day with a nice breeze. Their trip was made in silence for the most part except for the constant people coming up to Sakura and wishing her well. She had healed a lot of people; both ninja and civilian villagers, in her time with Tsunade and most were devastated to hear about her 'coma'.

'How can she be so calm?' Kakashi thought to himself. Not that he wanted her to be upset or anything. But he the Sakura he knew would have wanted to punch a large crater into the ground and then promptly hide in it with the level of embarrassment that scene would have caused her. She was nothing like that now though, she the picture of calmness. He caught her closing her eyes and just enjoying the sun on her skin.

'This feels so nice! Maybe I'll actually get some color back…' Sakura thought to herself, leaning her head back with her eyes closed enjoying the heat from the sun on her face. She was so disturbed by how ghostly she looked from being in the hospital for that long.

"Hey! Sakura-chan!" a voice yelled at her from a distance. She would recognize that voice anywhere of course. She was hoping Naruto would be at the ramen stand so she could get away from the awkwardness of what this situation was.

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled back and waved furiously. "We are coming to join you for lunch! Tsunade-sama finally let me out of the room!" She stated very excitedly, not noticing the civilians that were looking strangely at the two yelling at each other.

"Old man! Sakura-chan came for lunch! Isn't that awesome!" Naruto quickly yelled to the owner of his favorite ramen stand.

Just as Kakashi was pushing Sakura into the stand, the old man came out of the back to see why Naruto was making so much noise.

"Oh Sakura-san. It's good to see you finally out. How are you feeling?" The owner asked while getting Sakura and Kakashi's usual order ready.

"I am doing very well, thank you Teuchi-san. Thank you for delivering meals to me at the hospital so often. I really appreciate being saved from Ami's cooking." Sakura said with a chuckle.

"Oh no no, no need to thank me dear. You have helped the village so much, it's the least I could do." He said with a smile. He walked away and got 2 bowls, pouring in the contents of their lunches and set them down on the stand for the two.

Naruto looked at Sakura and suddenly realized that she would probably be unable to get up in the stools. But before he could open his mouth to ask her what she wanted to do, Teuchi handed Kakashi a wide board that fit across the arm rests of the wheel-chair. Seeing this, Naruto grabbed her bowl and set it down on the board after Kakashi got it settled and then handed her a set of chop-sticks.

Sakura smiled kindly at them all. Everyone was treating her with care and it warmed her heart. Now if she could just move past her love for Kakashi… well, the love for "her" Kakashi. But she didn't want to let that go. It didn't matter if it was from a pretend life, that love still felt so real. It was hard for her to look at him a different way. But it wasn't fair to him to put him in the kinds of situations they had been in already.

'….I need to talk to Tsunade-sama about this.' Sakura thought to herself as she was eating, frowning slightly.

"What's wrong Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked her…with a noodle sticking to his cheek.

She gave him a small smile, her eyes softening. She motioned Naruto to come towards her. Grabbing her napkin, she wiped away the offending noodle when he leaned close enough. His cheeks were stained a light red.

"Nothing Naruto. I was just thinking." Sakura replied, going back to her own food.

They finished their meals with some small banter. Naruto took her empty bowl and her makeshift table and put it on the counter. Sakura made a decision suddenly, not wanting to torture herself or ruin her friendship with Kakashi anymore than she already had.

"Kakashi, would you mind if Naruto took me back. I would like to talk to him a bit more since it's been so long since I have been able to see him with my recovery." Sakura asked with a sad look in her eye.

Their eyes met for a moment. He hesitated for a moment. He didn't want her to push him away because of what he did earlier. She saw this war waging in his eyes and across his face.

"If you'd like, you can stop buy later and help me make dinner." Sakura offered to help ease the tension she could feel from him.

"Sure. I guess I'll meet up with you later." He said turning towards Naruto. "She is not to leave the chair." He said to Naruto and walked away with a wave.

They both watched as their former teacher walked into the distance, pulling out his book.

"So what did you want to talk about Sakura-chan. You've been on edge the entire time you've gotten here." Naruto said walking behind her and beginning to push her.

Sakura took in a loud deep sigh. "I'm struggling with all this Naruto. I don't even know what to do."

"Don't worry; you'll be on your feet before you know it! Then we can spar and stuff!" Naruto said excitedly.

Sakura smile. 'If only it was that simple' She thought to herself.

"Its not that Naruto. It just…." She paused and took in a deep breath. "Its just that…I am having a hard time adjusting to being this far back in my life. Info is alive. Kakashi….. Kakashi isn't my husband. I don't have any children. I am having a really hard time dealing with the emotions that losing those things brings." Her shoulders began to shake as tears began running down her cheeks.

"Oh Sakura-chan" Naruto stopped pushing and scooped her up in a big hug, her legs not even touching the ground. He rubbed her back soothingly "Its ok Sakura-chan. We are all here for you. We will get you through this." Naruto smiled as he felt her squeeze him tighter. "Do you want to go see Baa-chan? I'm sure she needs a break from working…or drinking…. Or both."

With that they both chuckled at their Hokage. "Yes, I would really like that." She pulled him back into a tight hug. "Thanks Naruto. You are a great friend."

"Sakura!" they both heard a female voice calling for her from a distance. Naruto put her back in the chair and wheeled her towards figure they saw waving. Once they got close enough, Sakura had a huge smile on her fast."

"Faster Naruto, its Shizune! SHIZUNE!" Sakura called and waved back at the woman.

As the woman was running towards them, getting closer. Naruto could see that Sakura wanted to get out of the chair to give the person she considered a sister a hug. Naruto stopped the chair and helped Sakura out of her chair from behind. Sakura took a couple wobbly steps and then Shizune was on her with arms wrapped tightly around the girl.

"Oh my goodness its so good to see you out and about in the village." Shizune said excitedly holding Sakura back at arms length and then pulling her in for a hug again. "You look amazing Sakura!"

Shizune could feel Sakura's legs getting shaky so she squeezed the girl a little tighter and lifted her from the ground, taking the couple steps towards the chair and lowered her into her seat. She squatted down still holding Sakura's hands.

"What are you two up to today?" She asked the two friends.

"I was going to take Sakura-chan to see Baa-chan for a little bit to get her mind off things." Naruto said

Shizune nodded at him in understanding, she must be overwhelmed.

"I was headed that direction as well. I'll walk with you guys." Shizune said standing up.

They quickly made it to the Hokage tower. Naruto picked Sakura up out of the chair while Shizune left it with the receptionist and they made their way up the stairs towards Tsunade's office.

Shizune knocked and opened the doors. "Tsunade-sama you have visitors."

"I'm busy." She said sternly, not even look up from the mounds of paperwork she was currently working on. "reschedule their meeting."

"I don't think I can do that." Shizune said back.

Meanwhile, in the hallway, Naruto had put Sakura down next to the door so she could make her entrance by herself.

"Just do it Shizune. I am in no mood for this today." Tsunade said slamming her fists down on the desk, sending papers flying. She looked up at Shizune to see a pink haired girl rounding the corner from the door, slowly and wobbly. Her eyes widened.

"I would ask you to reconsider Shishou." Sakura said smiling.

Tsunade ran over to her, hugging her tight. "How are you feeling? What are you doing out of your chair, Ami said you weren't ready yet!" Tsunade yelled.

"I'm fine Shishou, Naruto carried me up the stairs. I am making good progress in the therapy. Though I am going crazy not being allowed to fully use my chakra yet." She finished and Naruto made his entrance.

"Well, let's get you over into a seat and we can talk. Naruto, I have a few missions that need handed out if you could do that and pick up Sakura after." Tsunade said while she helped Sakura over to a chair.

"Of course Baa-chan. But don't keep her really long, she has dinner plans with Kakashi." Naruto said picking up the bag of scrolls and headed out. "See you in a little bit Sakura-chan!"

Tsunade sat down at her desk with a raised eyebrow. "Dinner date with Kakashi huh?" she chuckled.

"He didn't want to leave me with Naruto after lunch so I promised him he could stop by later and help me cook." Sakura explained.

"I see" Tsunade smiled at her apprentice. "So what do I owe this visit from my favorite pink haired apprentice?" She began opening up drawers looking for her sake stash.

"I am having problems Shishou." Sakura said looking down at her hands.

"Speak freely Sakura." Shizune insisted

"I just can't deal with all of this." She paused. "If Kakashi were dead or really far away, I could deal with it. If I had my family I could deal with it. But it just seems like everyone is there to taunt me." Sakura sighed deeply. It seems to be all she did anymore.

"I just don't think I can focus on my recovery the way that I need to with everyone trying to coddle me. Choji and Gai are the only ones who understand and respect my requests for space. Everyone else is just…..just suffocating." Sakura put her head in her hands.

Everyone was silent, not sure if she was finished.

"We kissed." She started shaking her head in disapproval at herself.

"Who?" Shizune asked surprised.

"Kakashi." Sakura responded just above a whisper. "I fell on the floor when I was trying to get pants on myself. I had gotten a charlie horse. He helped me onto the bed but tripped on my chair and we both fell on the bed, him on top of me. I was looking at his Sharingan, seeing if he wanted me to fix it for him… and we ended up kissing….. I am still in love with my Kakashi. It's not fair to him that I am putting him through this. I don't want to ruin our friendship." She finished, looking up from her hands.

"So what do you want to do?" Tsunade asked.

"I want to leave until my physical recovery is finished, then I can move on to the mental recovery. Reserve one of the areas ANBU has set aside outside the village and let me and Gai go there, send Ami once a week to check on us." Sakura sounded almost frantic. Pleading for Tsunade to accept her proposal.

Tsunade leaned back in her chair. "Fine, you may go. But I won't send Ami, Shizune will go personally so we can keep this under wraps. But while I have you here, we need to discuss something." She said with a haunted look on her face.

"Are you sure this is the appropriate time?" Shizune questioned her.

"I don't see any other time that would be better. And I want her to know before she goes." Tsunade answered, suddenly sounding much older. So much more burdened.

She looked back to Sakura who had a questioned look on her face.

"Sakura, we have a theory on what happened to you." She said to the girl who nodded her head to continue.

"Remember when Kakashi battled with Itachi years ago when Naruto and Sasuke were younger." Tsunade waited for Sakura to remember.

"Yes, he and a few other Senseis were fighting him and another Akatsuki member. He was in the hospital for a long time after that." Sakura confirmed

"Yes, well, you were too young then to understand. But what happened was Itachi used his Sharingan to put Kakashi under a genjutsu. Not just any normal one, but one that made him live 3 days of torture in the matter of just a few seconds. Kakashi really felt as though he lived that time, that he experienced that time…" Tsunade trailed off as she was the look on her student's face.

"Sasuke…" Sakura whispered.

"Yes I believe so. But I am just not sure why yet. He brought you back to the village, told us he wanted to help you recover. And he has been annoyingly demanding to be able to see you ever since." Tsunade said running a hand down her face. "But we were hoping you would be willing to help us figure out exactly what he wants since he seems to be only interested in you."

"I understand. But I would first like to finish at least the physical part of my therapy. I need to….. I need to see if the things that happened in my other life are realistic because they could be of great help to the village if so."

"Alright, Gai should be back from his mission no later than tomorrow at lunch. It was just a simple document delivery. D-rank. Get your things packed and I'll send him over as soon as he gets back. I will clear out of the buildings and segregate usage to you. The building has 3 apartments with 4 rooms each. You and Gai can have one and the others will be occupied by ANBU. They will act as your guards since you will be outside of the gates. Shizune will give me updates; I'll send her 2 times a week." Tsunade said getting back up from her desk and walking towards Sakura.

She squatted down and took her student's hands and looked right into her eyes. "Come back to us strong Sakura. But come back to us quickly."

Tsunade gave her a hug as a knock was heard. Shizune opened the door to reveal Naruto back.

"Are you ready?" Naruto asked

"Yes Naruto. We can go." Sakura said as her mentor released her. Naruto came around and picked her up, walking towards the door.

'Now I just have to figure out how to break it to Kakashi….' She thought to herself as Naruto began down the stairs of the tower.