Finally, an update that is almost on time! Because all of you are simply wonderful and if I could hug all of you, I would!

With this chapter, this story has officially over 100, 000 words. The only other story I have written that comes close also has 21 chapter, but only 57, 760 words. It's seriously doing my head in and I can't believe just how amazing the support has been. To those who also follow me on Tumblr, thankyou! Means a lot to me guys, and I love the interaction!

I've recently been interested in the idea of prompts for one-shots/drabbles (mainly for this ship), if you have an idea you'd like to see me try out, either leave it as an ask on my Tumblr (you don't have to have an account and can be anonymous, or leave your name so I can credit you with the prompt) or PM me here on the site, and I will see what I can do.

Now onto the chapter!

Please enjoy, and remember, reviews are very much loved! :)

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

"You may enter."

Sakura froze, her knuckles held a mere inch away from the thick wooden door, poised to knock. It hadn't been more than half an hour since she had been summoned to the Hokage's office without being told why, by a mysterious ANBU who had appeared on her doorstep.

To say that she was worried was an understatement.

It had been almost a week since Rin's funeral, and her spar with Kakashi with his spontaneous bell test. As soon as he'd disappeared and she'd managed to regain her complete coherency, she'd returned to the inn as the quickest speed she'd been able to manage without attracting too much attention. Since then, she'd rarely left her room save for when she'd had a shift at the hospital or when she'd needed to go shopping for groceries and other necessities such as more shampoo.

Had the Hokage learned of the bell test she had partaken in with Kakashi? Had she been called to his office for punishment? After all, she'd broken two of his rules, which were not engaging anyone in battle and to avoid anyone she knew extensively, which had been the silver-haired Jōnin. To be fair, she hadn't planned on it happening, and if anyone were to be blamed for her breaking The Third's orders, it should have been Kakashi.

Hoping that wasn't the case, and that she might have actually been summoned to discuss her return home, Sakura cautiously grasped the brass handle before her and opened the door, her eyes immediately meeting the aged ones of The Third, who responded to her entrance with a weary smile in her direction, which she managed to return with a shy one of her own.

It was as the door closed behind her that the pinkette realized they were not alone, her eyes sliding to the left to see the man who stood beside her, a man Sakura hadn't seen for a number of years. Yet she knew her eyes did not deceive her, the father of one of her best friends was in fact present in the room alongside her.

Yamanaka Inochi looked over to the young woman beside him as she stared at him, mild curiosity shining brightly in his aqua-hued eyes as he regarded her before shifting his focus over to the Hokage.

"Is this your time travelling kunoichi, Hokage-sama?"

Sakura's eyebrows rose at Inochi's bluntness, and was both relieved and yet surprised as she realized she had indeed been called to see The Third regarding the jutsu to return her home. However, she couldn't understand why the Jōnin had also been summoned to see the village's leader, and had obviously been informed of her situation. He was obviously involved somehow, but why that was the pinkette could not figure out, as his skills lay with jutsus of the mind, not that of space-time.

Although she wished desperately to correct Inochi that she was an actual person and not just a 'time travelling kunoichi', she bit her tongue and said nothing, choosing instead to simply observe the sandy-haired man. Ino's father had been yet another casualty of war, perishing alongside his team-mate Shikaku, the father of Shikamaru.

Ino had been inconsolable for weeks, even months afterwards, the bond between father and daughter having been a rather strong one, and even two year later, she still had difficulties dealing with the fact that her father was no longer around. The grief of losing a beloved parent had brought she and Shikamaru closer together, the two had been almost inseparable since.

And yet here Inochi stood before Sakura, alive and well, and she would have given anything to have Ino with her, to see her father once more. She quickly pushed the thought aside, knowing that there were more important matters to think about rather than a tragic event which she couldn't prevent, even if she attempted to. It was just one of the many she faced, seeing those who she knew were gone in her time, and being unable to interfere, even if it saved their life.

The burdens of being stuck in the past were heavy and Sakura was looking forward to eventually being rid of them.

The Third leaned forward in his chair, placing his elbows on the wooden desk he sat behind, nodding his head in response to Inochi's earlier question. "This is Sakura. Sakura, this is-"

"I know Inochi-san." the pinkette interrupted, a small smile on the corners of her lips.

Inochi's eyes widened with the revelation, prompting Sakura to continue.

"Ino is one of my best friends, we are incredibly close, almost like sisters." she continued.

"I…really?" he breathed, almost as if he were having difficulty comprehending her words.

Sakura nodded. "Even if she does gossip all the time about everything and anything."

At this, Inochi stifled a chuckle, clasping a hand to his mouth.

"I always knew she'd end up more like her mother." he commented, a grin on his handsome face.

Although Sakura and Ino were close, the pinkette hadn't had a great amount of time socializing with Inochi, and therefore didn't know him incredibly well. When they had talked however, it had always been pleasant conversation, and she'd patched him up several times at the hospital, always commenting that she was mature beyond her young years.

It was pleasant to be in his company once more, and she was grateful that he didn't think less of her for the comment about his daughter and what she would be like in the future, but she couldn't help but wonder just why he was here with her, and looked over to the Hokage expectantly.

The elderly man seemed to understand the young woman's look of confusion and cleared his throat, grasping Inochi's attention with the gesture.

"I sent for you, Sakura, to inform you that we have finally discovered the jutsu which sent you here." he explained, his voice low.

The pinkette's eyebrows rose with surprise at the news. "Does this mean I can go home?"

The Third sighed. "It will take a week at most to create a counter-jutsu. Now that we have found the original technique, it is easier and will work more effectively. However, this means that will not have a lot of time to prepare for both your journey home and the aftermath that will need to be dealt with."

Confused, Sakura frowned. "Aftermath?"

"I have decided that once you have returned to your own time, all those who have interacted with you will have their memories of you erased from their minds."

She couldn't help but gasp at this revelation, despite the fact that it finally made sense why Inochi had been summoned as well. All the friends she had made, all the hard work she had done at the hospital, all of it would be forgotten.

And Kakashi…

No, she refused to think about that right now.

"So no-one will remember that I was ever here in this time?"

The Third sighed. "That is correct. It is only a precaution, Sakura. Questions will arise when you suddenly disappear with no explanation, and especially when they come across you at a later time and you appear to be exactly the same as when they knew you now."

Sakura's eyes dropped to the floor. It made sense, but she still found it unfortunate that her entire time in the past would never be remembered.

Her head rose again, her eyes meeting with the Hokage's. "What about me? Will my mind be erased too?"

The thought frightened her, that months of her life would simply disappear, that everything she had done and accomplished would be forgotten. Her first kiss, the loss of her virginity, everything she had shared with Kakashi…she didn't want to forget those times, even if he would.

"No, you will need to keep your memories for when you return to your own time. As soon as you arrive, you are to brief the Hokage of your time on what has happened. I am writing up the details in a scroll for when the time comes, as I will also have my memories erased. Once you have spoken to your Hokage, you may choose to forget, that will your decision."

So the Hokage would know of this? Sakura couldn't help but wonder if Tsunade already knew about her apprentice's trip to the past. She hoped not, if her shishou had indeed already read the scroll, she should have done everything to prevent Sakura from being attacked by that rogue ninja and sent to the past. Nothing good could have ever come from this trip, only pain and sadness.

The only thing that came close was Kakashi, and all of that was now over and practically irreparable. She'd hurt him so much, and in turn hurt herself.

Once again finding herself lost in her thoughts, Sakura focused on the Hokage once more.

"During these last few days, I think it would be wise to keep to yourself and make yourself scarce in the village. Take this time to prepare yourself for your journey, both emotionally and mentally. Readjusting to your own time may take a while, especially as you have been here for several months, and I want to make sure you are completely ready before I send you back." The Third told her, looking more tired than she remembered.

"If you choose to forget your time here once you return home, feel free to approach me and I will do the procedure. I'll be the only one who will retain my memories of you ever being here." Inochi spoke up, offering the pinkette a small smile.

"Thankyou, Inochi-san." Sakura replied weakly, suddenly feeling physically ill as she remembered that he was no longer around in her time.

"You may go Sakura. I will summon you again when it is time." The Third gestured to the door, indicating that he had more to discuss with Inochi once she had left.

Silently she complied, closing the door behind her with a heavy sigh. Her mind was out of control, thoughts here and there about an array of subjects, emotions, ponderings.

Making her way outside and down the giant flight of stairs that lead to the street, Sakura couldn't help but feel excited about the prospect of seeing all her friends again. She'd missed them all colossally, even if she'd never freely admitted it. Not knowing how much time would have passed between her leaving and returning home, she wondered if they had also missed her presence.

She found herself craving a dinner at Ramen Ichiraku, sitting between Naruto and Sai as they shared a battle of words in between slurps of ramen. She mentally made a note to have a day of shopping with Ino, and find out how things between she and Shikamaru had been progressing.

However, one of the first things she would have to do was go and see Kakashi, her sensei. There was no doubt in her mind that things between them would be altered, all on her end as she would be able to remember everything that had occurred between them, the kisses, the embraces, the intimacy and feelings. He wouldn't know any of that, he'd just see her as silly Haruno Sakura, nothing more than just his student.

Avoiding him would be impossible, and so the best thing she could do was see him as soon as she returned and get the awkwardness out of the way. She was hoping that seeing the older incarnation would somehow shift her feelings for him and they would cease completely, that she would once again see him as her sensei and not the young man who had not only stolen her first kiss, but also her heart.

She shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind, her head almost starting to hurt from over thinking. Tonight she would take it easy, have a lovely long bath and refrain from any strenuous thoughts before she went to bed, or otherwise she would have no chance of sleep. With this resolution, a smile appeared on her face as her pace quickened.

The sun was setting across the village, lanterns being lit across the streets as Sakura walked through the village, enjoying the oncoming night air. Sunset had always been her favourite time of day, the multitude of pinks, purples and oranges that spread across the sky were the prettiest colours she'd ever come across, and no matter how diligently someone tried, they could never quite recreate those hues to perfection.

Soon, she would be home, where everything made sense and she could finally find some peace once more.

It wasn't long until Sakura reached the inn, managing a quick greeting to the owner before she climbed up the wooden stairs to her room, suddenly finding herself wondering if she should pack the items she had accumulated in this time or not. Would they be transported along with her? If her clothes did, why not a back-pack full of objects? Keepsakes from this journey to the past that only she would remember, things she did not have the heart to leave behind?

As she reached her door, her ears picked up a sudden creaking noise coming from the other side of the wood. Instantly her hand went to her boot, withdrawing the hidden kunai which had been concealed within the secret compartment. Luckily for her, Kakashi had not returned to collect the weapons pouch he had given her for their impromptu bell test, and she had made sure to keep a kunai on her at all times, just in case.

Hearing noises from her room, which was meant to be currently unoccupied, counted as one of those times that having a weapon may come in handy.

Cautiously, she slowly reached for the brass doorknob, taking a moment to inhale a deep breath of air before she speedily turned the knob, opened the door and burst into the room, kunai poised in front of her torso as the door swung closed behind her.

The room was veiled in darkness, the curtains shielding the moonlight from illumination. Although she was practically blind without any source of light, she could sense a secondary presence that lurked in the shadows, and that whoever they were, they were keenly focused on her, waiting; but for what, she didn't know, and wasn't exactly eager to find out.

"I know you're there, and I'm giving you three seconds to show your face before I rip it off." she growled, her voice low as her eyes tried to scan the area.

"I'd like to see you try."

The kunai slipped from Sakura's hands, dropping to the wooden floor with a loud clang-like noise. That voice had echoed in her head for nights and days on end, soothing and calm yet infuriating and confusing all at the same time.

She heard a small click and suddenly the light flooded the room, causing Sakura to hold a hand over her face, shielding her eyes as the pupils attempted to adjust. Blinking a few times, she dropped her hand back to her side, meeting the sight of her intruder, confirming her suspicions of his identity.

"How did you-"

"Window." came his swift response.

Trying to ignore the fact that her heart was pounding wildly and felt as if it was about to burst out of her chest at any second, Sakura's eyes moved from his figure to the nearby window, noticing that the curtain had been pulled aside ever so slightly. She could have sworn she had locked those before leaving to see the Hokage.

The tension in the room was so thick it could have been cut cleanly with a knife. To say she was surprised to see him was an understatement; then again, he seemed to take a perchance of showing up here and there without the slightest hint of a warning.

"Kakashi, I thought I warned you about not making a habit of climbing through people's windows."

Her tone was light and airy as she teased him, but the strain behind her words could be heard clear as day.

Kakashi said nothing, his arms folded as he leaned against the wall on the other side of the room, facing her. Sakura was at a loss what to do or what to say, especially as he had been the one to approach her, and clearly wanted to something to do with her. If not, he would have left the instant he heard her footsteps approaching.

"You left so suddenly the other day, I didn't have a chance to give you this." Sakura attempted conversation again, reaching over to the nearby table and presenting Kakashi with the small silver bell she had managed to capture, dangling from the thin red sting that was entwined around her finger.

His obsidian orb focused upon it, with such a ferocious intensity that startled the pinkette. Hadn't he noticed that she had taken it, or that it had even been missing? He'd had the chance to reclaim it when he had entered her room, it wasn't as if she had hidden it from sight. Did it hold any kind of significance for him?

"I heard that you'll be going home soon." Kakashi spoke suddenly, his voice deep and low, breaking Sakura from her thoughts.

She frowned slightly as she leaned back in the small kitchenette counter and placed the bell in her pocket. It was obvious that the silver-haired Jōnin must have overheard that information somewhere or done something in order to obtain it, the Hokage had been adamant that they no longer spend time with one another or interact on any level. There would have been no reason for the aged man to tell the younger.

That, and the fact that Kakashi had an eerie talent for having not only an incredible sense of smell, but extraordinary hearing.

"The Hokage said the counter-jutsu should be complete in about a week." Sakura replied awkwardly, unsure of what to really say to him.

Silence filled the room, she on one end and he on the other, viridian and obsidian staring into one another's depths. Her body ached to be near his, to feel the scorching heat of his skin and to be surrounded by his spicy aroma, to be held in those muscular limbs and never be let go. Her fingernails dug into the wood of the counter she was leaning against, almost as if she were anchoring herself for fear of leaping across the room and throwing herself into his arms. She finally managed to tear her eyes away from his sole one, choosing instead to focus on the floor beneath her feet in hope that her mind would be eased from the painful thoughts of the man who stood opposite her.

"I'm sorry, Sakura."

Her head snapped up instantly, eyes wide and mouth agape with shock. She took a moment to figure out if she had actually heard those words fall from his masked lips, his voice had been barely a whisper and she wasn't sure if she had simply imagined it. But her mind conceded that he had, in fact, apologized to her.

Kakashi exhaled and then continued. "I should have believed you earlier when you told me about your…situation. No matter how peculiar it sounded, I should have had more faith in you, especially considering the nature of our relationship at that point. I don't know why I acted like a complete fool, you shouldn't have had to endure my behaviour. I guess it was just too much for my brain to handle, with everything else that had occurred at that time, losing Rin…"

"No, it's me who should be apologizing." Sakura interrupted him, shaking her head violently. "I had to lie to you, it's no wonder you didn't believe me. You had every right to be upset, furious with me. I broke your trust, and that's not what friends are supposed to do. Well, I know that we weren't exactly friends, we were something more, and that's what makes it even worse."

She dropped her gaze to the floor once more before her hands rose to cover her face.

"If I had been more open and honest with you, Rin…she might not have died. If you knew that I was a shinobi, you would have been complacent with having her on your team instead of myself for that mission." she continued, her voice muffled beneath her fingers.

"You simply did as you were told, to hide your true identity to protect yourself. Even though Rin was a talented kunoichi, there was every possibility she could have still perished on that mission if she had gone with me instead. There's no way of knowing what might have been, and nothing we can do about that now, no matter how much we wish we could."

Sakura lifted her face from her hands, her eyes watery but no tears had fallen. The guilt had consumed her ever since Rin's death, and she had been so certain that once Kakashi found out the truth about her identity, he would blame her for it. Yet his words said otherwise, almost as if he had reached some kind of peace about what had occurred.

"This whole situation is complex, more than I think any of us can imagine. Now that I know about you, who you really are and the fact that you don't belong in this time…it's complicating my feelings for you. I'm more confused these days than I think I have ever been in my life." he laughed weakly.

Sakura nodded weakly, knowing exactly how he felt. Her own feelings towards him were just as complex, perhaps even more so with the complication of coming face to face with his older incarnation, her sensei, knowing everything that had occurred between them when he would not remember a thing. The dread of seeing her sensei once she returned home pooled in the pit of her stomach, making it lurch uncomfortably.

"Where you come from…in the future…do you know me?"

She had been dreading this question, and hadn't adequately prepared to answer him. On one hand, she could have revealed everything, that she would eventually become his student and he her sensei, but that ran the risk of being too much information to handle. Despite the fact that he would forget everything she would say to him, Sakura still didn't want to face any more awkward questions, choosing to keep this interaction as calm as possible.

"Yes." she admitted, biting her bottom lip.

"Do I know you?" came the next inquiry.

"We've worked together before." Sakura answered slowly, trying not to outright lie to Kakashi, but also attempting to reveal as little as possible. "You've always been very focused on our missions so I've never really gotten to know you. I've always admired you however, have since I was young."

That was incredibly truthful. Sakura had always believed she and her sensei to be close, but she'd learned more about him in a matter of months from the younger version than in six years from the older incarnation.

"I see." was his short response.

The tension between them returned swiftly, along with the silence. Sakura wasn't sure what she was to say or do, she wasn't sure if Kakashi was going to take his leave or not. He did not budge from his spot on the wall, nor did his gaze tear itself away from her own. Time passed at what appeared to be a glacial pace as they focused on one another until finally Kakashi spoke once more.

"I don't know what to do." he murmured, just loud enough for Sakura to hear from the other side of the room.

"About what?" she queried, curiosity getting the better of her.

His eye moved from hers, focusing on the plush red curtain that hung over the nearby window.

"I know that we…what we had…we can't be together as you'll be leaving soon, but," Kakashi returned his gaze to the pinkette, "I don't want to pretend like nothing is there, between us, because I know you feel it just as much as I do. As soon as I found out you were returning home I knew I had to see you, talk to you, just be around you, especially as I don't have much time left to do those things."

Sakura tried her best to fight off the tears that welled in her eyes and threatened to spill. Her chest hurt with every breath she took, her heart painful with every beat. She didn't want to feign that her feelings for Kakashi did not exist, but there was no way she could allow herself to express them further, not when she only had a few days left here in this time, with him.

She knew she should never had fallen for him in the first place, that any romantic thoughts or feelings should have been locked away instantly with no chance of ever being experienced. Selfishly, she'd allowed herself to fall even further without taking the necessary precautions, pulling them both deeper and deeper into this dark whole where there seemed to be no chance of escape.

By falling for Kakashi, she was hurting him, a pain she could not heal with her extraordinary medical nin-jutsu.

"When I leave, everyone who has interacted with me extensively will have all memories of me wiped from their mind. As soon as I go home, you won't remember that I was here, that I even existed. Even if we did allow ourselves to be together for these last few days, it won't make a difference, because you will forget." Sakura explained, her voice wavering slightly.

"I want to enjoy as much of this time left with you as I can. I might not remember it, but you will, and that counts for something. You will hold our memories close to your heart, and you will never forget what we have shared. I can't just sit around and wait until you go, not when all I can think about is you, and being with you."

Kakashi pushed himself off the wall, striding across the floor until he stood directly in front of Sakura. One hand moved to clasp her upper arm gently, the other to his face where he hooked a finger into his mask and pulled it down, revealing his face once more to her, causing the pinkette's heart to skip a beat as she caught sight of her lover's features once more.

"Please, Sakura."

She raised a hand to his bare cheek, caressing it softly with her fingertips as she attempted to hold back her tears. All she wanted was to be with him, and he with her, for the last few days they would spend together. It took her no time to reach a conclusion as she pushed herself up onto her toes and wrapped her arms around Kakashi's shoulders, pulling him towards her as their lips met with one another's, the feeling of pure bliss erupting through her body as their kisses grew more passionate, their embraces tighter.

Sakura would carry the burden for the rest of her life, knowing what had occurred between them when he would not, but it was a burden she found herself more than willing to carry if it meant just a few more days being with her lover.

Even if it would break her heart when it came time for her to return home.

Here's three things you should know;

1. This should make up for the general lack of KakaSaku of the last few chapters. Sadness and tension but also kisses and feels. So many feels.

2. I know this story isn't canon, no matter how much I tried to make it so in the beginning before Kishimoto decided to finally explain things (mostly about Rin) that kind of mucked up my efforts, but I wanted to keep some things the same, such as Neji's death, and that of Inochi and Shikaku. I guess I consider them more like small memorials to these kick-ass characters, I just hope Kishi doesn't decide to kill anyone else. (Kakashi is strictly off-limits, you already killed him once, and although you brought him back to life and therefore saved your own, a second time might be your downfall Kishimoto.)

3. Part of me is looking forward to sharing the last few chapters with you guys, the other part of me doesn't want to story to end, especially as we only have a few chapters left. I honestly wasn't sure if I'd ever reach this point, especially when I still have four other stories which have been on here for years and are nowhere near completion. Not long to go now though, so keep your eyes peeled for the next update!

Please let me know what you think, feedback is incredibly helpful and very much appreciated. :)