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Chapter 21

The Sweet Bliss

She placed the kunai at the young woman's throat, ready to watch the blood pour. She placed the cold metal on Sakura's throat, feeling the girl shiver silently below. "This will be too easy," she whispered, getting ready to slice the throat. Before she could utter another word though, she felt the woman underneath suddenly move so quickly that she didn't even realize until it had already happened. The woman suddenly found herself with a kunai at her throat, held by a smirking Sakura.

Green orbs stared into red. Sakura took a step back. "W-w-who are you?" Red…sharingan…Uchiha…not possible. The woman smirked and jumped out the window, running off in a burst of speed, leaping from tree to tree. Sakura stood there, stunned at first, but she wasn't going to let the woman escape without giving her answers. She jumped out the window as well and followed after her. "Damn, why was I stupid enough to let her escape?"

The woman watched out of the corner of her eyes. "Good Sakura, just follow after me."

The game of tag continued, both women were equally fast, but Sakura had gotten a late start and was behind. She pursued after the other woman before she suddenly stopped in a clearing. Smiling sweetly, she turned to face Sakura. "What do you want Sakura? Kakashi or does part of your heart still lie with Sasuke?"

Sakura stopped dead in her tracks, a confused expression on her face. "W-what are you saying?"

The woman's smile seemed false, as if she was trying to hide something. "Sasuke's not dead Sakura, you can still have him." She took a step closer, extending a small hand to the girl. "Trust me Sakura, I can take you to him."

Sakura stepped back in disbelief. "No…it's a lie. YOU'RE LYING!" Sakura sped forward, getting her kunai ready. "He's DEAD!" She felt the tears slip down her cheeks. She watched as the woman launched at her and stuck Sakura's side with a kunai. Blood spilled everywhere and stained the green grass red. Sakura collapsed in a heap at the woman's feet. "No…"

The woman walked off, leaving Sakura in a pool of her own blood. "Sakura, maybe it will teach you to not get distracted during a battle. And Sasuke is alive."

"Wait." The woman stopped. "What is your name? Why do you have the sharingan?"

The woman smiled at the girl, who was obviously on the brink of passing out. " My name…should I tell you? Well maybe I will. My name is Rain and as for the sharingan, you'll have to wait and see." She laughed a low, throaty laugh and walked away.

Sakura lay there, feeling confused, scared. "Sasuke," she whispered before passing out cold on the forest floor. The last thing she saw before closing her eyes were the red ones that stared into hers.

Rain looked back, flipping her long hair over her shoulder. She saw the girl close her eyes, the green orbs that were the bright stars in the night sky. "We'll meet again Sakura," she whispered before running off.

"The time is coming," he muttered softly. He was tired of being held here, against his will, and he knew that it was only a matter of time before he escaped. He wasn't going to wait around behind these iron bars and waiting to be rescued. He didn't need any help; he would be fine all alone. He could make it without the help of anyone else. He was stronger than the world, better than them in every way. He was perfection. At least, that's what he believed.

He would make sure that they all payed, all of them who had put him into this situation. Well, it actually wasn't that bad. When he escaped, he would be presumed as dead, making it easier to sneak around from village to village. He smirked at the thought. After all, he would be out of there soon enough.

The room was tiny, and the window was just basically a hole in the wall with bars running across it in all directions. There was no door, just a hole in the wall with huge metal bars that, seemingly, absorbed chakra, for he had no chakra left in his body and felt extremely weak. Those damn people were smart, keeping him in there while he was on the brink of dying, when he was too weak to fight back, after that he had lost all his chakra, the bars absorbing all that he had, and continued to do so.

"Hey Hinata, you free?" Hinata opened the door to her manor to find Naruto yelling loudly, as if she was hard of hearing.

"Umm…I'll have to see. I have to prepare the afternoon tea for Neji and my father while they train." Even though she had become more outgoing throughout the years, she was still a bit shy, especially when it came to Naruto. There was also something else that hadn't changed about her, she was always trying to impress her dad and stay on his good side.

"Awe, come on Hinata, we'll have lunch together!" A grin spread across his face, and the childlike memories of him flashed before her eyes. He hadn't changed that much it seemed. Sure, after Sasuke left he had become quite determined, but he had never lost his sense of adventure and fun. A lot of people would classify him as naïve, yet Hinata was not, like that. As she found herself smiling back at his contagious smile, she knew that that was the reason she liked him, he was the kind of person who made everything better.

"I wish I could. Naruto." She frowned slightly; wanting to go hang out with him, do anything with him. She just wanted to be with him, but her father was not the person you skipped out on, and it was a lesson she had learned well, being his daughter.

"If you like, I could help." Hinata stared into his sparkling blue eyes and smiled, but shook her head. "Why not?" questioned the young man.

The smile still playing on her lips she replied, "Don't worry, I'll be finished soon. Would you like to come inside?" Just the thought of Naruto coming into her house made her cheeks become a slight shade of pink.

To her relief, he shook his head slightly, his blonde hair waving all around. "Sorry, Hinata-chan, I just remembered that I was supposed to go visit Sakura-chan, you know how depressed she's become after that whole thing." Hinata's smile faded slightly, as so did her blush. Seeing this, Naruto quickly said, "It's alright, I'll come back after tea time." Hinata nodded her approval.

The truth was, she had just been thinking about how Naruto had really matured. He used to say all the wrong things at the wrong time, and now he seemed to know exactly what to do. He didn't do stupid things anymore or mess up a lot, and when he did he would apologize and make up for it. She wasn't entirely sure what had caused this change in Naruto. Maybe part of it was due to Sasuke's departure, but she wasn't sure what else it was due to. She wished she knew, but she was just happy having him as he was.

Naruto sniffed the air, "Is something burning?"

Hinata took a whiff too, "Oh no, it's the dumplings I was making! They're burnt! I'll see you later Naruto-kun!" She ran into the small kitchen and found that the pot was already of the stove, her father staring disappointingly at her. "Gomen, father." Her voice was barely a whisper as she spoke to the leader of her clan.

Her after said nothing, just left her alone, and walked out, throwing the pot on the ground and letting the burnt dumplings spill onto the floor. Hinata stared at his back as he walked outside to continue his training with Neji. While he closed the sliding door, he gave Hinata a cold look, "Clean this up, and prepare more food. How can someone of this clan, especially one of the head family, be so clumsy? You were talking to that boy again weren't you?" He slammed the door shut, not waiting for a reply.

Hinata stared at the floor, feeling useless as ever. She was always messing around when her father was around, and no matter how hard she tried to do things properly. She sighed quietly, and picked up the pan and all it's contents. She prepared more dumplings, feeling like there was nothing she could do right. Her life seemed to be falling apart and the only thing that seemed to hold her to this world was Naruto. He found something in her no one else could see. He made her feel complete, even when she screwed up. When she was at a loss of words, he never bothered her about it, and when she was in trouble he would always came after her and try to protect her. He cared.

Naruto grinned. He had lied to Hinata, not purposely, but just to have an excuse. He smirked as he though of his plans. He was going to see Ino at her flower shop. He wanted to get her flowers, beautiful flowers. He walked along the town square, thinking about what to give her. A rose, no too expensive. A daffodil? Maybe a daisy, but that is too ordinary. Naruto had no idea what kind of flower she would like. He kicked a rock that was lying on the path in front of him. As he walked, his eyes on the ground, he felt someone push him aside. His head shot up and he saw a woman with long, silky dark blue hair and a figure other women would kill for. "Hey," he said, protesting the woman's lack of manners. She turned to face him, and he swore that he saw red eyes, but when he got a closer look, he saw that they were a sparkling green. She gave him a long look before running off, leaving him alone. "Maybe I'll get Hinata-chan a daffodil," he mused as he continued on his way.

No, please, no. Kakashi was fighting a hopeless battle. There was no point; he couldn't even control his own body.

Blood, the sweet scent of life. The voice was there, hungry, needing.

Anyone else, not Tsunade, not now. Kakashi wanted to end his life right there. He was going to fail this exam for sure, if either him or the Hokage lasted that long.

Just a drop makes me hungry. Kakashi felt himself get into a crouching position in his chair.

Tsunade didn't look up. She just finished healing her paper cut she just said loudly, "Now let the test begin."

Yes, let's begin. Kakashi's muscles bunched up, his body tense, ready to spring. He felt his joints ready to spring onto his prey.

NO!!!!!!!!! Kakashi felt his feet leave the chair.

"Truth Binding No Jutsu!" Tsunade's loud voice broke the quiet as her jutsu hit Kakashi square on the chest as soon as he was air bound. Kakashi felt himself being thrown back into the chair. "Trying to escape, are we, Kakashi?"

Kakashi, to his surprise, found himself in control of his own body. He felt that voice being thrown into the corner of his mind, hit by the full affects of the jutsu. It seems that it focuses on the mind; therefore, since the voice was basically of another mind, I was unaffected. He smiled, scratching the back of his head. "Well, yea, I figured there was a possibility." He knew it was best to play along with her, pretending to be under the influence of the jutsu.

"So what is you name?" Tsunade asked, looking at his face for any signs that the jutsu didn't work.

"Kakashi Hatake," He said clearly. He was used to hiding his emotions, it's what got him so far in life. No one had been able to read him, only his mother…damn it's best not to think of her now. Be a man Kakashi, just focus.

"Who is the beautiful Hokage who runs this village?" Kakashi wanted to burst out laughing. Tsunade beautiful, yea, and I'm not crazy!

"It's you Tsunade-sama." Short answers were definitely the best.

"Good. Now tell me, Kakashi, do you have voices in your head?"

Kakashi gave her a blank stare and said simply, "No."

Tsunade smiled in relief. She knew that it was impossible for anyone to escape her jutsu, having done it countless times before. If Kakashi said that he wasn't hearing voices, then he wasn't hearing voices, and the village was safe. "Just one more question Hatake," she demanded, the smile slipping from her face, "What are your intentions with my student, Sakura?"

Again, Kakashi gave her a blank stare, the inside of her his mind trying to find an answer. Being the great ninja he was, it wasn't hard for our hero to find an excuse, much like he found one to tell his former team whenever he was late. "I just want to be there for her, Tsunade-sama." To his surprise, there actually was some truth to that lie. He wanted to be the only one Sakura needed or depended on. He wasn't going to hurt her like Sasuke did, he was going to be at her side forever.

The smile came back to the Hokage's face. "Very well. This session is now over. When I lift this jutsu you will not remember the events held here or what you have just confided in me." Kakashi nodded as she undid the binding that she believed he was under. "Release! You are free to go now, Hatake."

Kakashi closed his eye and then opened it, pretending to be confused. "Aren't we supposed to have my exam?"

She smiled at his sleepy eye, "It's over. You have passed." He nodded and stepped outside without showing any outward emotion, trying to hold his happiness. He was going to be with Sakura! "Oh wait, there's still that matter of the Village of Desire. I will send you, Sakura, and an ANBU to investigate this. It will be ranked as a S ranked mission."

Kakashi looked back at her, confused for real. "Sakura?" He tilted his head slightly as he leaned against the doorframe, being the lazy man he was. Why is she sending Sakura? She knows that this could be a dangerous mission, especially if it involves who we believe it does.

Tsunade just stared at him, this time her face was blank. "Well she is the best medic nin in our village, is she not. Now go fetch her, I would like to speak to her. Just be careful Kakashi, there's something I should tell you. Kakashi stood up straight and brushed a stray strand of his hair out of his face. "You see, after that incident with Sasuke and the coma she has been doubting herself a lot, feeling powerless against all that has happened. I'm worried that if she keeps doubting herself, her abilities will weaken and she will be more venerable than ever."

Kakashi's sleepy eye widened, darkening at her statement. "Then why the hell are you sending her on this mission. You know as well as I do that if what you say is true, Sakura will be facing a lot of danger." He could not help feeling anger rising towards the one who ran his village.

Tsunade sighed dramatically, "That's the point. If she stays here, she will be in more danger. There are many missions going on at this moment being the season of travel, where people feel like they need protection to journey through different lands. Since all the ninjas will be gone Sakura will be alone, and will suspect something if I don't let her go on missions or give her all the easy ones. At least, when she's with you she will be safe from harm. I know that you don't want anything to happen to her and that you will protect her, and that may help her get her confidence back."

Kakashi nodded, his eye returning to its normal black color, "Fine, she may come. Well, her skills as a medic will be most useful. So who's this other ninja coming with us going to be?"

Tsunade looked down upon her desk and shuffled some papers, looking for something. "Ah, here it is," she muttered to herself before looking up to Kakashi and explaining, "It seems that she is a highly trained ninja traveling from city to city. She was roaming from land to land when she happened to come upon our village, whose name is famous in many villages. She has offered her help, and in this season, I'll take any help that I can find." Seeing the man in front of her raise his eyebrow she smiled, "I didn't mean anyone Hatake, I do background checks of course."

"Yea, I know." Kakashi was tired of being held back in this office. He wanted to jump out her window and rush over to Sakura's place. "So now may I leave Tsunade-sama?" He wasn't being rude, he was just anxious.

She gave him a curious look before shaking her head slowly in disbelief, "Someone's in a rush. May I inquire what it is about?"

Kakashi grinned under his mask, his eye sparkling in the light with mischief. "The new Icha Icha Lessons is out for sale tomorrow. I thought I would just 'borrow' a copy to avoid the rush."

Tsunade groaned, "Why did I ask? Alright Kakashi, this debriefing is over, but first you must find Sakura and send her to see me. Have fun with your porn."

Kakashi scowled, "It's not porn, it's an unappreciated work of literature."

"A book filled with smut is considered porn Kakashi."

'And yet all the women look like you Tsunade. I wonder why and how accurate the drawings really are." Kakashi ducked just in time as a chair came sailing past his head.

"OUT NOW!" Tsunade was pissed off, really pissed off. She knew it was a bad idea when she modeled for her old friend, the white haired bastard that she was going to kill.

"Gomen," Kakashi laughed as he ran out of her office laughing. Damn, that was fun. I love teasing Tsunade-sama, she gets mad way to easily, but I have a feeling that one day she's going to kill me.

Sakura groaned, coming around after being knocked out. She clenched her fist at her side and slowly rose to her feet, swaying slightly from the pain. Her head was throbbing and her cotton candy-colored locks of hair were mattered all over. Damn, why am I so weak? Why couldn't I defeat her? Am I that useless? I don't know what to do now, I mean Sasuke might still be alive. I couldn't have feelings for him, I mean, he almost raped me! However, he apologized, in that dream. I love Kakashi, so why do I feel this way? Why am I so confused? Damn it all. Sakura's body was tired and worn. It kept telling her to rest, to heal herself. She was so busy during her battle that she had forgotten that she was the best medic nin in the village, that's how stupid I am. She lay there, tracing her fingers over her wounds, letting the green flow of chakra spread into her and heal her. She was so exhausted, so tired after finishing that she just collapsed in the grass, for once glad to be giving up into the sweet bliss. She was out of it that she was sure she heard Kakashi calling her name, telling her to hang on.

Me: (Waking up) Where am I?

Kakashi: (Laughing) My bed.

Me: (Jumps up) WHAT! (Remembers last night) Oh yeah…

Kakashi: (Smiling from the doorway where he's standing) So you want breakfast?

Me: (Wide awake and hungry) Hell yeah! So what did you make?

Kakashi: (Smirks under his mask) Who said I'm making anything? Since you spent the night here, you're cooking.

Me: (Shocked) WHAT! Fine. (Walks towards kitchen)

Kakashi: Oh, don't put poison in my food, I'll be checking for it, and you won't see my face!

Me: (Disappointed) Darn and double darn.

Kakashi: Stay tuned! (Ducks as frying pan flies at his head)