Kakashi's tired eyes saw the young boy walk into the pitch black room like he was strolling through a field of flowers on a Sunday afternoon. Apparently he didn't care that blood was everywhere, and that the stench of it could make any normal person gag. Instead, his eyes looked comforted by the smell.

"Good evening, Hatake-san." He replied, strolling towards him with his hands clashed casually behind his back. "You look horrible."

"Keiichi." Kakashi smirked, and lifted his nose up at the boy. "This would appear to be a most unfortunate turn of events."

"Yes, it would seem. Of course it won't take a great deal of intelligence to figure out my involvement. Surely you mustn't be too taken aback?" The boy strolled over to where Kakashi hung and gave him a direct stare. One that Kakashi was sure wouldn't exist if the circumstances weren't as they were.

"No." Kakashi replied. "To be honest I kinda saw this coming." His gaze left Keiichi to drift down to check on Sakura, seeing she was heaved over trying to compose herself and heal the damage. Blood still covered her face and she looked as if she was struggling to keep herself from throwing up in disgust.

He forced his gaze back into the eyes of his attacker and glared with all his being. "You didn't fool anyone, sitting behind that desk."

"Whatever can you mean?" Keiichi challenged right back.

"I mean that from the first moment I saw you I knew you were a piece of shit." Kakashi saw the boy's mask of power slip for a moment and reveal an injured ego. The copy ninja was quick to act upon it, as he continued the insults. "Underneath that fancy suit and beyond that large desk you're nothing but a coward."

"Keep talking, copy ninja." Keiichi put on a fake smirk that wasn't quite pulling it off, and made a silent vow to keep his composure. "All you're doing is making things harder on yourself... he turned to address the pink haired woman at his feet, "and Miss Haruno.

"Time is running out." Nabu commented from his quiet place aside from the conversation. "How long can you actually expect to stall us, Kakashi-san? You can not think of escaping, and Sakura's wounds are taking their toll on her."

Kakashi swallowed the lump in his throat when Nabu once again strolled over to Sakura's tired body and lifted her chin to pull her gaze up. The man was insane. He had just stabbed her moments before and now he was handling her as if she were priceless.

"She is strong, to be sure." His calculating eyes scanned her over. "Tsunade taught her well and she's slowly beginning to heal herself. But the damage the knife inflicted is deep and harsh and the chakra needed to heal it would be extensive. Chakra neither you nor her can afford to waste at present." He left her head to fall back onto her chest and rose to meet the man hanging on the wall. "So, I will ask you again. I advise you to answer me truthfully. Where are the-"

"I knew from the second I found out you had visited Omi Company that you knew totally about the situation with the Banished ninja. You even went as far as to organize and supervise the way it all carried out." Kakashi replied. "Sakura was just a decoy, a distraction."

"I was under pressure from Tsunade the uncover Omi company's actions. She even went as far as to give me a deadline. A month, I had a month to send her a detailed report for her to act upon accordingly. Of course, considering my involvement, that wouldn't due. But as the due date neared, I was surprised with the phone call stating that she was sending in some help. A ninja of leaf, to be precise. I told her that I was working as fast as I could but she was relentless. So I made up the little white lie about Sakura Haruno's well being." Keiichi smirked. "That certainly made an impact. She demanded to know the details and when I told her, she was quick to chance the plan upon the distressing of hearing about her most beloved student. She informed that the second Kakashi Hatake arrived he was to be informed of the dilemma and put to guarding her. And suddenly, problem solved. I could successfully run Omi Company on the down low while you played hero to the woman who never had anything do with anything. It was mere luck that you two already had a previous history."

"You didn't honestly think it was going to be as simple as that did you?" Kakashi commented afterwards. "That just because her student was I danger that she would forget about everything else? The Hokage is a smart woman, Keiichi, and I knew that she's well aware of you're doings."

"She couldn't possibley." Keiichi replied rather smug in his position of power.

"I beg to differ." Kakashi smiled sweetly. "I was informed recently by Tsunade herself that the other countries have be updated on current issues and a pact has been against you favor."

Keiichi's face paled. "You're lying."

"They're in agreement." Kakashi shrugged. "Once the month trial period runs out, the armies from surrounding this country will attack and I promise you, that you will be punished severely for these actions. In fact, you were already in deep shit before you kidnapped the Hokage student and a jounin ninja but now, its must worse I'm afraid."

Keiichi glared at the unfazed jounin before turning away. "Lock them up." He ordered and stacked out of the chamber not as calmly as he had entered.

Kakashi smirked even as his hands were unchained from the walls and he slumped forward onto the bodies of the huge man in charged of carrying him away. His sore eyes lifted in search of Sakura and watched as she was yanked to her feet. He heard her let out a scream of pain when her wound was attacked by the man's fingers, and Kakashi immediately began a futile struggle against the iron hold on his arms to try to get to her.

They were dragged down the corridor and tossed into their cell. Kakashi landed with oomph but was on his knees in a second and crawling towards the woman next to him who was withering in pain.

"Kakashi," she choked out when she felt his hand press into her wound.

He swore at the size and magnitude of the damage, and lifted his hand to tare off the sleeve of her shirt. She made no sound of protest to him under dressing her in such a manor, instead she inhaled deep breaths of air to control her breathing.

"Why are you healing yourself?" He demanded as he pushing the only means of a bandage into her shoulder.

"My, my hands, are tied." She whispered, suddenly falling forward into his lap. Kakashi twisted her so he had access to the massive bleeding.

"Sakura, heal yourself." He whispered, his voice iced with worry. She was bleeding far too much.

"I can't," She gasped in pain. "I , I forgot how to heal myself with my hands… I'm sorry." She was smiling up at him, he could see it even in the dark. "I'm so sorry."

"Sakura you need to try, you're losing too much blood and I can't stop it." Kakashi pressed even harder and Sakura cried out in pain, weak hands clenching desperately at him. "Try, Sakura." He pleaded, tightening his hold on her weak body.

"I…" She whispered. "I'm ready to tell you what, what happened. "

Kakashi turned his gaze away from her soft eyes. She was talking as if these were her last words and he hated it, he couldn't stand it.

"Sakura, please.."

"It was, after Genma's birthday party, just after you…" He felt her weak hand on his jaw and felt the uncontrollable urge to lean into it. "Just after you purposed to me." He inwardly smiled at the memory, but it faded when her hand fell from his skin. "I told you that I would walk home because I had a meeting with Tsunade early the next morning. You stayed behind to drink with Genma.

"Raido, he followed me. He was so drunk that he didn't even know…" She swallowed. "He didn't even know who I was. He started to…He …raped me." She burst out in tears.

Kakashi felt his heart drop right into his stomach and his lungs decided to stop needing air. His eyes went unfocused as he stared at the bloody rage in his hands.

"Raped?" He choked out suddenly remember that he couldn't survive without air and inhaled desperately needing it. "Raido…raped you…"

Sakura slowly nodded, letting out heart wrenching sobs only intervened by gaps of pain. "I couldn't tell you...I couldn't stand to have you look at me with the same eyes you are now. Like I disgust you. I know I do, I can't stand to look at myself."

Kakashi opened his mouth but was at a loss for words. He wasn't aware what kind of expression Sakura saw on his face but he knew it couldn't possibly be what she thought is was. He was furious. He was so angry at her, at Raido at everything.

"How could you keep this from me?" He asked through clenched teeth. "Holy fuck I was shaking his hand, the man who…" He couldn't bring himself to continue. Quickly he turned his head away from her.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi. I couldn't stop him. He… was your friend and he wasn't himself when he did it. But could have believed me? Raido was one of your closest friends. But I couldn't stand to see him again. I had to leave."

"All this time." Kakashi whispered, almost to himself.

"Please, Kakashi…" Sakura lifted her head to try and grasp at him but couldn't manage to lift her arm. Suddenly her body was lifted up and clenched in a death grip against his chest. Her eyes widened as her body pressed deep into his. She held back a groan of pain.

Her heart stopped when she felt his chest heave suddenly. He was crying, she soon realized.

"Kakashi?" She whispered cautiously.

"All this time." He began. "You've...you've been suffering all this time." His hand grabbed her head and pressed it into the curve of his neck. "I'm so sorry." By this time Sakura was sobbing again and she felt her body go weak against the power of his protective arms.

She hadn't been expecting this sort of response. She expected him to shove her away because he couldn't stand to look at her anymore. She expected him to yell at her, blame her for what happened. She should have been stronger, she should have been able to stop him. She was a fucking ninja yet she couldn't do anything. She was useless. She had long begun to believe in her guilt, blame herself for her own stupidity.

But she received a response that had literally knocked the wind out of her. He had embraced her. He had drawn her into his arms and apologized for what she had been through. He actually apologized to her.

"Raido's dead." Kakashi replied after a moment. "He died nearly a year ago."

Sakura couldn't help but feel happy at this news. Even if he was Kakashi's comrade and close friend, she was glad to know that he was dead, that he wasn't using any more air for himself. That he was no longer breathing.

"I went to his funeral and mourned his death with all of konoha." He sounded disgusted but Sakura knew it was directed at himself. He was terribly angry at himself for not knowing. She knew he wanted to bring Raido back to life so that he could kill him himself.

"But, he's dead. And know one knows about any of this. I want to you to come home with me." Kakashi had composed himself, and know he was thinking only about what could be done to insure that they both survived this.

Sakura felt a smile grow on her face, but suddenly broke out into a coughing fit.

A loud bang and the earthquake that followed soon after startled Kakashi into ending their embrace. He tilted his gaze toward the door as it burst open. Sakura's weak eyes lifted to see who it was, dreading the idea that Nabu was ready for another round. But it was not Nabu standing in the doorway, but a short man with a sand headband.

"You weren't bluffing when you sand an army was coming, did you Kakashi?" Sakura smiled.

"Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura; please follow me." He ordered, stepping aside so that two other ninja could enter the room and help both Kakashi and Sakura to their feet.

"Gaara-Sama has ordered that you be brought to the Sand village to awaited Tsuande-Sama's arrival." The short man replied and they exited down into the corridor.

"Gaara?" Sakura whispered, thinking of how long it had been since she last saw her old friend.

The short ninja quickly ducked and slammed his fist into the chin of an attacking ninja, knocking him unconscious. "He gave strict orders that you and Kakashi be transported to his home as soon as possible and out of dangerous way."

Kakashi frowned at the familiarity of the short man voice but didn't pursue it any further.

They received no further attacks during their escape, which was quite odd, but as they walked out onto freedom that didn't matter. A literal army met them. Countless ninja's from so many different countries held prisoner the banished ninja who hadn't managed to escape. They killed them one by one, but Sakura and Kakashi couldn't bring themselves to look.

They were brought over to the medical tent and lay on the beds as their wounds were healed. When it was determined they were well enough for travel, they were loaded up into the car and started on the road to the village hidden in the sand. Back, of course, by their own personal army of ninja who followed outside the car.

The short ninja who had first saved them, rode with them inside the car. His mask still in place, and his identify still a mystery. He sat across from Sakura and Kakashi, and crossed his legs with certain happiness.

"Sorry," Sakura glanced up at Kakashi before turning back to the man across from her. "But, do I know you? It's just that, you look so familiar."

The man only chuckled. "I'm wearing a mask." He replied.

"Yeah, but, you're voice.."

"Okay okay!" He held up his hands in mock retreat. "You caught me Sakura-Chan!" He reached up and slipped his mask down under his chin, revealing the man by the name of..

"Mesi?!" Sakura cried in shock, nearly leaping off the seat in the process.

He laughed and rubbed the back of his head. "Forgive me for lying to you my friend, but I was under strict orders to keep my identity a secret from you."

Sakura slowly processed the information that was thrusted into her lap. "You're a ninja from Sand?"

"I'm afraid so. I was ordered to watch over you by Gaara-Sama shortly after you left Konoha. But my job was replaced when Kakashi-san so I was forced to the background once again." He put on a fake frown and started to pout.

"Gaara sent you?" Kakashi asked from his seat right next to the pink haired woman. Mesi eagerly nodded.

"I'd imagine that he was worried about you." He suggested as an afterthought but to Sakura it made her heart warm with happiness. She smiled and tilted her head down onto Kakashi's solid shoulder. The copy ninja wrapped his arm around her shoulder and urged her to fall asleep. Knowing that she was exhausted, and that he wasn't any different.

"Thank you, Mesi." Kakashi replied.

"No problem." He smiled and Kakashi let his eyes drift shut.

When Kakashi woke up, he was in a large bed, in a larger room with white walls and wide open windows. His body ached but he still forced himself up. The view from outside was endless fields of sand and he knew that he was in Gaara's home like Mesi had said. He pushed himself off the bed, realizing that he dressed in a fresh pair of boxers and t-shirt.

The halls were filled with people who smile at him and stepped out of his way. One directed him to Sakura's room and he immediately headed that way.

Pushing open her door, he saw her sleeping form on the large bed and took a seat right next to her legs. His hand reached forward to gently tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

She stirred and moaned in her sleep, letting her eyes part to take in his presence. She smiled and pushed herself up. Kakashi slipped his hand into her nightgown, pulling it back to take a look at her wound only to have it completely healed. Satisfied with his finding, he allowed her to draw him into a tight hug.

He had missed this. He missed the way she hugged him. He wanted things to be right again so badly that he was willing to put everything aside just to make it so. He slipped his arms around her shoulders and drew her tighter against him.

"Sakura." He whispered into her ear.

"Yes."

"Will you marry me?"

THE END