Fated
Chapter 21: Fated

The jarring crash of her body on the hard ground awoke Sakura from her injury-induced unconsciousness. Fear claimed her little by little as she looked around at the faces staring down at her where she lay in the patchy wet grass of an enemy camp. Gone were all thoughts of escape while contemplating how she could possibly even live through the next hour.

"Finally awake," the Hawk observed as he crouched beside her. "You've got an audience. If you show us your sharingan, we might let you live."

Sakura laughed then, and it sounded like something between a chuckle and a sob as she began to understand the situation perfectly.

"You might as well kill me. I don't have sharingan."

Pulling lightly on the restraints on her wrists, she found being bound behind her back when she landed on the hard ground had dislocated her shoulder. The pain was beginning to win over the adrenaline and it shot through her like a freight train. Grunting and huffing in agony, she lay her forehead to the ground.

"You are Konoha's last Uchiha..." the Hawk tilted his head.

"No -no, I'm not," she whispered into the grass. "I'm the widow of the last Uchiha. Uchiha Sasuke."

A pause ensued as the Hawk began to calculate if she was telling the truth. He stood with arms crossed and looked at her for a moment as she continued to fight the pain with heavy breaths and impossible concentration.

"Shit. I thought we'd get a chance to use your eyes but apparently you are of no use at all," he said nonchalantly, tapping his chin with two fingers.

"Just let me go, then. I serve no purpose but to enflame the tension. Do you really want war?" She spoke with her eyes closed, waiting for the deathblow.

"It's already war. But maybe you're important enough to bargain for?" He laughed as others laughed around him.

Clenching her teeth and trying not to give in to the pain, she answered, "Like your brother?"

The Hawk's amusement ceased and he kicked Sakura onto her back, wrenching her already pained shoulder. She let out a shriek before she felt the dizziness creeping behind her eyes.

"Maybe I'll send you back in pieces."

Sakura felt sick. The need to regurgitate was swirling and burning in her stomach, but she resisted. Somewhere nearby she could hear some noise - shouts, and calls - but her mind was having trouble processing it all amid the ache and nausea. For now, she couldn't even rebuke his last comment.

The Hawk stood beside her, glaring. He wasn't looking down now, but off towards the way they had entered the small camp. Some commotion was happening and he seemed to feel the need to finally address it. "What the hell is going on over there?" he shouted.

Almost as soon as he said it, Sakura heard frightened calls and the clang of metal getting closer. A sudden warmth and heaviness hovered above her along with what sounded like deep breathing. Forcing her eyes opened, she looked up to see a large, bulky looking dog standing over her. Its posture was protective, and it looked down at her after she made a noise of surprise. The gleam of the Konoha headband tied around its neck caught her wide eyes.

"No," she whispered as she began to understand the implications of the dog's presence. "Oh God, no. Don't bring him here. Please don't lead him here. Please leave…" Her soft pleading continued as another dog darted into the crowd of ninja around her. Everyone seemed to be hesitant to attack it.

The melee continued until two ANBU appeared, standing on either side of her. One bore a backwards headband, and the other - silver hair. They both had blood spatter on them, but seemed uninjured.

"No, no…" she continued.

The enemy group surrounded the two dogs, the ANBU, and the pained medic. Kakashi turned to look at her briefly to make sure she was alive and in one piece. His headband was still down over his Sharingan, but his dark eye gave off so much concern and fear for her that she had to look away.

"Well, well. I thought I killed you," The Hawk grinned as he approached Kakashi.

"Obviously not," Kakashi responded with a bored tone, still keeping an eye on Sakura and the crowd gathered around them. He turned to Genma and growled low, "How long?"

Genma looked at Kakashi for a moment, and then realized what he wanted. "Twenty minutes." At this, Kakashi nodded, making up his mind. Genma's eyebrows dipped with the dark understanding of what Kakashi meant to do.

"Looks like I get another chance," The Hawk scoffed. "We've got forty men, and you have a tired companion and a broken medic. What's your play?"

"Why is she important enough to steal away from the Fire Country? It's the sharingan you want, isn't it?"

"No," Genma growled.

"It may have been, but it seems she doesn't have it so I see no reason to keep her alive." The Hawk shrugged.

"How about I offer you a deal," Kakashi continued.

"No, we'll fight this out." Genma bit out, trying to stop the downward spiral the situation was taking.

Sakura suddenly knew what was happening, and without warning the dog above her disappeared. Turning to look at Kakashi, who was now standing up straight, she could see the shudder of his body with the tired breaths he took. He was drained of strength and chakra, but still he had come for her. The futility mixed with emotion and she felt her throat burn.

"Don't, please," she pleaded quietly to him. He turned and quickly swept her up to put her on her feet beside him, getting a small shout of pain with the movement. Her restraints fell off her wrists with a tug in the right place. His arm held her around the waist so that her front was pressing into his side as her head fell to his shoulder. His hand slid into her hair and carefully held her against him.

"My chakra is gone. Genma is worn out and you're empty and injured as well. It's the only way," he whispered, although he didn't seem to care if anyone else heard. It wasn't a secret that they were drained and powerless. There was only one piece of leverage left.

The Hawk grew impatient. "What's the offer."

Releasing Sakura a little and holding her with just one arm, Kakashi slid a kunai from his pouch. While still holding the weapon, he used his thumb to push his headband away from his sharingan. The tiny amount of chakra he had left flooded immediately to it and Sakura felt his body tense with the pain.

"No - no, we'll fight. Please, don't do this. I'm begging you, Kakashi, don't do this," Sakura's words fell to sobs, understanding that he meant to bargain his own life for hers and Genma's. She continued to plead through her tears while his arm tightened around her, pulling her as close to him as he could get her.

The Hawk, on the other hand, seemed too pleased for words. So many of the other nins were nodding and whispering about the prize that had wandered into their midst.

Kakashi lifted the kunai and held it against his cheek just below his eye. "Let them go back across the border and it's yours."

"Copy-nin Kakashi. How foolish of me not to realize it during our first encounter. Komadori said someone used a sharingan on him so I just assumed it was an Uchiha. Son of the Konoha White Fang, Sharingan user, and elite ANBU assassin - today is indeed my lucky day. I have no doubt that you would put that kunai through your eye. What are your terms?"

"No, Kakashi. It won't happen like this," Genma's voice sounded uncharacteristically angry towards his friend. "We fight together and die together. If I knew this was what you had planned, I wouldn't have let you come."

Ignoring Genma, Kakashi nodded to the Hawk. "Let them keep their radios on, and they can tell me when they cross the border. Once they're there, I'll put down this weapon and give the sharingan to you."

The Hawk looked at some other man, possibly a lieutenant, and seemed to have some silent agreement with him. Turning back to the weak Konoha ANBU still holding Sakura against him, he nodded sharply. "Deal."

Sakura's hand clenched Kakashi's vest. "No!" She grew angry, "I won't let you die to save me. I won't!" Her voice changed to desperate pleading, "Kakashi please, I love you. You can't do this. I'd rather die than let you do this."

"I know," he said softly. "But, there's no other way."

Genma was lost for words. He reasoned that Kakashi was right, but it was hard to accept. If they fought, they'd all be dead in a matter of minutes. This way was the only way - two would live instead of three dying. Even though the numbers were better, it was the hardest thing Genma had ever had to swallow. He looked over at Kakashi, unable to hide the pain in his face.

Kakashi only nodded at him while still holding the sobbing kunoichi to his chest.

"I'll allow you to walk them to the edge of camp and they'll leave alone from there," The Hawk added as men approached them to pull Sakura away.

She began to fight, but Genma was there, pushing their hands off her arms. Kakashi allowed them to hold a kunai at his back, but didn't relinquish the weapon he had near his eye.

They walked amid a small group of enemies towards the edge of the camp. Darkness began to swell around them as they came close to the tree line around the clearing and away from the fires.

The Hawk turned away slightly as if he didn't want to witness any exchange the trio might make.

They stopped, and Sakura wrapped her good arm around Kakashi's waist. "It's not too late. Let's run. Let's try. I won't leave you here. I won't let you go." She sobbed softly into his vest. "We've only just started our life together. It's not fair to end it now. I've already lost this chance once, I can't lose you too." She continued to try to find the right words that would stop it all. She tried desperately to find the right phrase that would change everyone's mind and make it end. But the words didn't exist.

She tried to stare through him, into him desperately to find that thing to halt this dark path. If it were possible, she wanted to will him to listen, will him to understand that to lose him would kill her anyway.

"Sakura," he said gently as he pulled down his mask, "We can't stop this now. I'm content. It's horrible to say it, but I'm content."

Her wide eyes filled with disbelief. "Don't say that," she whispered.

"I'm not afraid to die. My worst fear is that I couldn't save you. I'm glad that I have this eye and that because of it, you'll live." He smiled at her. "When I first came here, I couldn't think of anything but death. You've given me so much to live for. I'm only sorry that I couldn't give you something to live for in return."

Her grip tightened. "I can't live without you."

"You can," he said gently. "You can live. Don't give up. Do this for me." He looked up at Genma, who still seemed resigned to anger, and nodded. Genma understood and approached the couple.

"I won't let you go. I won't agree to this. Genma and I won't agree to this!" Sakura continued to get angry, frustrated, and scared. There had to be some way to make him listen.

"Sakura!" he said harshly to stop her protests. Her wide eyes looked into his as the silent moment passed between them. His fingers lifted her chin. "Don't waste this moment."

Relinquishing his weapon positioning for just a moment, Kakashi kissed Sakura. He could taste the tears on her lips, and feel her fingers twisting, trying to grip him so he that couldn't get away from her. But prolonging it would only be harder. He kissed her deeply, and tried to stretch the moment because he knew it would be their last.

Genma had to turn away. The pain in their faces was too much to watch.

As they parted slowly, Kakashi smiled at her. "It's not the end. Don't you believe we'll see each other again? But when I see you next, I want your hair to be gray, and your face to have lines from a lifetime of laughing." He rubbed some of her pink hair between his fingers.

Sakura nodded against his chest as she felt Genma's hands clamp onto her shoulders. She winced in pain as Kakashi pulled out of her grip and stepped back. His fingers reached up to her neck and tugged her radio mic off, breaking it in the process.

"Take care of her for me, Genma," he said softly as he took another step back.

"Kakashi," she pleaded in a whisper as she reached for him. But he didn't return to her.

"I love you," he said meaningfully, quietly, and then slowly turned and walked back through the small crowd of men.

Sakura trembled in Genma's grip. This wasn't happening - it couldn't be. She couldn't lose him now. "No…" she began, shaking her head. "Kakashi," she called out as more of the enemy began to turn away from them. "Kakashi," she called louder trying to see him through the crowd of bodies that blocked him from view.

The Hawk looked at Genma, just before he turned. "Get going before I change my mind." And then he walked away as well.

Genma held Sakura as she began to fight his grip with her usable limb. "Kakashi!" she screamed, "Kakashi, don't go. Don't go!" She continued to scream and fight against Genma's strong hold as he struggled to get a good clamp on her. "Kakashi, please, please. Kakashi! Don't leave me!"

"Sakura, we have to go." Genma growled, not liking it anymore than she, but understanding what Kakashi had just given up for them.

"I can't leave him! I can't leave him! He can't give them his eye. I won't let him. Kakashi!" she screamed for him in gut wrenching sobs as her leg gave out and she slid half to the ground, still struggling to get out of Genma's restrain. "Let me go, Genma! Damn it, let me go… Kakashi!"

Genma tugged her up against him, making her shout in pain. He held her so that her face was close to his. Her eyes were drowning in tears, the fear so clear in them. "He won't, Sakura!"

Her stunned gaze focused on his for a moment. His voice was a desperate growl.

"He won't give up Obito's gift - to anyone. We can't waste the chance he's given us. We have to go."

Sakura had a moment to digest what Genma had just said as he picked her up and ran headlong through the trees. She dangled over his shoulder, the pain searing through her own shoulder and making her sick as she fought against slipping into unconsciousness.

But still she screamed for him as the camp disappeared in the darkness.

"Kakashi!"

Kakashi stood among a few men in the center of the camp. He was silent and calm, but still held the kunai up.

Listening to her scream for him had been the hardest moment of his life. It took all he had not to turn and go back to her but that would have killed them all. The pain in her voice stabbed him deeply and made him a believer in the cruelty of the life of a ninja. But soon, it wouldn't matter. He'd give his life for her - in this he was completely sure.

She'd been something he'd never had before. Finally, he belonged somewhere, had some happiness. Denying it from himself for so long had made it almost impossible to see joy until it was already upon him. She loved him, and he loved her.

"If only we had more time, Sakura…"

"You can lower your hand. I'm not going to stop them from leaving. I'll ask that we put you in restraints now, though. It's been fifteen minutes. I'm sure your friends will be at the border soon," The Hawk said from right beside Kakashi as he pulled a cigarette out of his pocket.

Kakashi looked up at the drizzly rain blanketing the air in curtains of mist around them. He lowered his hands down and they were immediately clasped in front of him in leather restraints.

"Can you spare one?" Kakashi asked calmly, looking at the lit cigarette.

The Hawk pulled one out and handed it to Kakashi, who raised it to his lips with his bound hands. The Hawk flicked his lighter, but Kakashi shook his head. "Could you get me the one out of my pack?" he asked.

The Hawk nodded. Reaching into the pack on Kakashi's waist, the enemy pulled out the silver Zippo lighter with the engraved initials on it. Turning it in the campfire light, he admired the sleek, expensive casing.

"S.A," he said as he handed it to Kakashi.

"Sarutobi Asuma," Kakashi said quietly as he flicked it open and lit the cigarette. Taking a long inhalation, he let the numbness of the nicotine fill his lungs and relax him minutely.

"I've heard of him," The Hawk mumbled.

It must be four in the morning, Kakashi reasoned quietly as he scanned the cloud filled sky for a look at the stars. But he was sorely disappointed. For now, all could he do to stay focused on the inky clouds and think of her. Knowing that he would never feel her against him again was almost enough to make him break down.

But not yet.

There was more to do before he let them take him from this world - just a little more to do.

On the way back to the border, Sakura had fallen into darkness. The pain, the anguish, and the fear had made her heartbeat fast, her mind spin, and her consciousness fade.

Genma laid her on a grassy area next to a clearing frequented by ANBU on maneuvers along the border. They had finally made it safely, and Genma felt sick.

"Sakura?" he whispered. "Are you all right?"

She didn't respond, and he was glad for it. She was going to go through hell when she woke up, and right now he didn't have time for it. For now, there was only one thing on his mind.

"Shiranui Genma to base," he said after he flicked on his mic and tuned to the channel for priority contact with the base camp.

"Base, go ahead."

"Hatake Kakashi has been taken prisoner in an enemy encampment. Requesting a team to retrieve him."

A slight paused ensued as Genma watched Sakura's still form among the shadows.

"Negative. Two teams are on route. Please give your location. Base will begin negotiation."

"Damn it, they aren't going to negotiate for him. They want his eye. I'm requesting a squad to retrieve him. He won't be there for long." Genma was shouting now.

"Lieutenant!" Ibiki's voice boomed through the earpiece. "You know I can't approve that."

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Genma yelled. "God damn it, Ibiki. I'm going back in and I don't give a shit if you kill me when I get back. I need a squad for backup. Sakura is injured and needs to be taken to base!"

"I'll go, Genma," a voice said from nearby.

Genma's head snapped up to see Anko and Neji, as well as Kiba and three other ANBU standing there. Kiba's full grown dog, Akamaru, stood beside him, white and stark against the dark night.

"Anko," Genma said quietly. "Thank you."

"Neji," Kiba began, "Take Sakura back. I'll go with Genma." It wasn't an order, per se, as Neji outranked him - it was just a group of companions who knew that now was not the time to quibble over rank.

Neji pulled his earpiece out to stop Ibiki from yelling in his ear, and looked at the medic crumpled on the ground.

"Her right shoulder is dislocated and she's just been through the fucking ringer watching Kakashi give up his life for her. Be gentle with her, Neji." Genma said with more compassion than the Jounin had ever shown in his life. He was feeling personal anguish deeper than he wanted to again.

"I will," Neji said quietly. As much as he wanted to go in with them and help to find the Copy-nin, he felt that Sakura needed him right now as well.

"Shit," Genma grumbled as he turned back his channel to the same one Kakashi was on. He could hear his friend's voice hailing him among the static. "Go ahead, Kakashi." All eyes turned to Genma.

"Genma, what is your status?" Kakashi's voice asked calmly.

"We're safe, my friend. We're coming back for you." Genma found he couldn't sound normal if he tried.

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary. Take care of Sakura for me, Genma. Don't let her suffer."

"I will, Kakashi." Genma said earnestly. His teeth clenched in anger and frustration. "Don't you die on me!"

"I'll see you around sometime, Genma."

"Kakashi!" Genma growled as he heard was static in his ear now. "Fuck!" he yelled into the night.

"Let's go!" Anko spat out with impatience and panic. Genma didn't have to be told twice.

Kakashi eyed the broken radio on the ground and the smirk across the Hawk's face.

"You seem very pleased with yourself," Kakashi said calmly.

"I like winning," he responded with a wide grin, his eyes fixed on the unusable sharingan. "But we both know you won't make this so easy for me. I guess we don't have to wait anymore. Make your move."

Kakashi nodded at him. "Perceptive."

"Before we start though, Hatake, how did you get it? Perhaps the same way I'll get it now?" the Hawk asked as he flicked his cigarette into the wet grass.

"No. It was a gift. I've held it above everything else in my life and I'll be dead before I let you have it." Kakashi tossed his half finished cigarette away as well while blowing out some smoke into the drizzly air.

"Well then. I guess we should get started," the Hawk said darkly. He looked down briefly to see Kakashi's restraints drop to the ground, another kunai already in his fingers. "I expected nothing less from the son of the White Fang."

Kakashi raised his kunai.

Genma, Anko, and Kiba darted along, following Akamaru's amazing sense of smell while managing to avoid the enemy so far. They moved through the trees, but Anko grew impatient with Genma's slow, chakraless speed.

"Is the camp this way?" Anko hissed.

"I don't think we'll find him there. If we do, he'll be dead," Genma said half-heartedly.

"You know, if we get caught on this side of the border, we'll be killed," Anko said.

"Yeah." Genma replied as if he wasn't listening, or didn't care in the least.

"What do you think he'll do?"

"I think he'll fight, and I think he'll die," Genma whispered.

Anko took in Genma's stern look of concentration. The spike of fear rode through her stomach as she realized the impact of Genma's words. The Copy-nin dead? Never in her wildest imagination could she fathom that happening.

"Come on Genma, get your ass moving," she pressed angrily.

Neji made it through the forest with breakneck speed to land at the outskirts of the clearing at base camp. He crouched down and sat the slowly awakening Sakura on the wet grass. "Sakura, can you hear me?" He tapped her cheek gently.

Her eyes turned up to him as her shaking fingers pushed her wet hair out of her eyes. It began to dawn on her that she was at base camp. How much time had passed?

"Neji," she sobbed, coming back to reality.

"We need to get you to the med tent, now. Your shoulder is dislocated and you've got a concussion. I don't want you to pass out again." Neji helped support her.

"No. I want to go back," she wept softly.

"Anko, Kiba and a group of ANBU have gone to get him. You should tend to yourself, Sakura."

Neji pulled her up to stand as he clicked his mic back to the base emergency channel. So much was happening now that he could barely hear himself think. Ibiki was yelling over the radio, directing traffic to the border in case the group who crossed needed reinforcements. Seemed he knew they had gone and prepared for their return. Medics and ANBU were charging there as he spoke.

"I'm going to go back, Sakura, but I need to get you some medical attention first." Neji looked at the trees. He was already chomping at the bit to return to help Kakashi and he was becoming angry that she was being obstructive.

"Leave me here," she mumbled.

Neji looked at her for a moment, recalling how horrible it was to lose Tenten and how no one could get through to him. Sakura looked like she was struggling so deeply that he knew she couldn't be dissuaded from staying in that spot she was in now.

"Alright, Sakura. I'm going to radio for a medic to come help you."

"Thank you," she whispered. She sunk down to the wet grass with her legs bent at her sides. Her face turned up to the trees as if she expected Kakashi to step through them any moment. It was heartbreaking to watch.

The drizzly rain slid down her hair and fell in large droplets from the ends.

"Okay, I'm going to go back," he said again, but his voice sounded so unsure.

"Bring him back, Neji. Please."

Kakashi ran hard, panting with pain and fatigue as his breath came out in wisps of silver amid the drizzle. Shouts rang out from everywhere as they tried to close in on him.

The Hawk knew what he was planning, and their fight had been a good one. The enemy Jounin wanted the sharingan, and it was exactly what Kakashi gave him in the end. Perhaps it just wasn't what the Hawk had planned on though. That small amount of chakra was enough to cloud his mind long enough to put that kunai through his throat. Disbelief flooded the Hawk's brown eyes as his last breath came from his open mouth.

Even Kakashi had surprised himself with his quickness and stealth, being so drained of energy. But the eye was something he could never give up. Not to someone like the Hawk, not to anyone. He'd die first.

The larger battle ensued as Kakashi tried to make his escape, but he was pelted with kunai and shuriken. Even now there were some imbedded in his side, stomach and legs as he struggled to remain standing.

The blood was coursing from him in streams. It was more than enough for them to track him, and made it impossible to get away. There were no choices left. Finding some low brush, Kakashi finally fell down and crawled under it to try to hide. He didn't need long; it was all ending anyway.

As he lay still, hoping for a glimpse of the moon through the leaves above, and the clouds above those, it became impossible to get back up. His body was cold and weak but strangely enough, the pain was going away. All that was left was how tired he felt.

So tired…

Slowly, he raised his arm above his head, dangling the kunai above the sharingan with his last ounce of strength. He would never let them have it.

As his hand shook, he found it difficult to grasp the heavy kunai for much longer. The silver weapon teetered above his eye ominously; the sharp point calling for him to end his life the way it should have ended long ago.

Without trying, Kakashi laughed a little, just a slight breath of sound.

"For so long, I've wanted to die. And now, at the end I want to live," he thought darkly.

"Sakura…I want to stay with you. I would have given you everything you ever asked of me. Forgive me for making promises to you that I couldn't keep. I wanted to keep them so badly. I wanted to spend my life making you happy."

"In the end, I've caused you more pain."

"I have never loved any woman, and I loved you."

"Forgive me."

"Sakura…"

"Sakura…"

The kunai swung in his unsure fingers as the cold and fatigue made his eyes close. His hand fell, unceremoniously, to the ground, the kunai still wrapped in his fingers.

Shallow breaths came from his slightly parted lips. It was coming fast.

Strangely, different scents filled his nose, and he could place them all right away. It almost brought tears to his eyes. Konoha leaf tobacco, Rin's perfume and the weapon oil his father bought. He smelled the scent of Sasuke's fire jutsu and the shampoo his mother always used.

He tried to smile, but he was too tired.

Finally, a faint sound reached his ears - a laugh, Obito's familiar pleasant laugh.