Fifty-Three: Home

"I said no."

"But—"

"No. We've had this discussion a thousand times, Sakura. You're not well enough to take a mission yet."

Sakura stomped her feet, fully aware of the fact that it made her seem like a spoiled brat, but at that moment she wasn't feeling like acting her age.

"Damn it, Kakashi. You're not my father."

She realized too late that that probably wasn't the right comparison to make.

One of his eyebrows raised. "Well, I should hope not, considering…"

Sakura blushed, knowing full well that she'd left herself completely open for that one. And the worst part was, she decided as Kakashi pulled her down onto the couch next to him, that she wasn't even mad anymore. So much for her being the most stubborn.

"Look, I know you're feeling better, but you can't push yourself just yet."

"That's not it," she mumbled, avoiding his eye. She knew Kakashi only wanted to help, but she felt stupid telling him the real reason she wanted to skip the trip back to Konoha and stay right where she was in the Land of Silver.

"Then what is it?"

"Nothing."

Kakashi frowned, shifting away from her so he could get a good look at her face. Something was definitely bothering her, but he couldn't quite place it. A small pit of dread began to grow in his stomach, and he wondered if Sakura was regretting their relationship.

He was too far in to play it off as a mutual mistake of feelings after her rescue, but he would respect her decision regardless.

"Sakura," he started warily.

"It's not you!" she said hurriedly, and not for the first time, Kakashi was taken aback by the ease at which she was able to read him. Considering his mask—both literal and figurative in this instance—and his profession as a shinobi, he always thought that he was good at hiding his emotions. But never around her.

"You'll think it's stupid," Sakura said softly, lowering her head again.

"No I won't. Sakura, you can tell me."

She sighed, knowing she shouldn't push away the one person who probably wouldn't judge her. It was silly, and she knew it, but her old insecurities from her younger days were playing up again.

"I just…I just don't want to go back to Konoha."

Kakashi paused, waiting for her to elaborate, but when she didn't, gave a gentle nudge.

"Why not?"

"It's silly," she said, "but I just don't want to go back there where everyone will fuss over me like I'm some fragile thing that will break if they push too hard. I don't want them to see me as weak, you know?"

Kakashi did know. He'd known for a long time that her childhood insecurities still bothered her on occasion, and knew that was one of the main reasons she'd decided to try ANBU.

"Sakura, no one thinks you're weak," he said, truthfully. None of Team Seven would look at her differently because of this.

"I know. I mean, I know that people get captured on missions all the time, but, I guess it's just that all you guys are so protective anyway that I just don't want it to be like it was when I was twelve."

Kakashi laughed softly, reaching down to pat her on the head. "Sakura, you're nothing like you were when you were twelve. For one thing, you're certainly much prettier now."

"Hey!" Sakura protested, slapping his hand playfully away. "You better watch it."

"Really, though Sakura. No one's opinion of you will be any lower. You've proved yourself countless times. Against Sasori, in the War, and again here. You're an amazing kunoichi, and the whole village knows it."

"I just don't want their pity," she sighed. "I see it working in the hospital all the time. And don't get me started on my parents. They mean well, but they're civilians, so they don't understand this life—and the dangers that come with it."

"It's just because they care about you, although I can't say I know much about parents," Kakashi said.

Sakura had heard the story. Not from Kakashi, of course—she couldn't remember who had told her—but she knew that Kakashi's father had killed himself when Kakashi was just a child, and she was fairly sure his mother had died in childbirth.

"Well, you know I'll have to introduce you to them eventually."

"I've met your parents, Sakura. Many times."

"Yeah, when you were my sensei. Now you have to do the awkward 'hi I'm dating your daughter' thing."

"It was awkward the first time," Kakashi grumbled, but shut his mouth when Sakura gave him a dangerous look.

"Well, at least I have something to look forward to when we get back, hm?"

"Glad to know my suffering brings you pleasure," he said dryly, but it made Sakura smile. It was strange how that seemed to be the most important thing to him now.

Contrary to the popular rumors, Kakashi Hatake had never really been in love. He'd had flings before—although much less often than the rumors seemed to imply—and there had been that one attractive blonde civilian woman that his attraction to could maybe be called lust, but love was a foreign feeling. He'd kept it that way for a reason. Kakashi never planned on living as long as he had, and he didn't want that hanging over any sort of partner's head.

"Alright. I guess we can head back tomorrow."

"Good, because I already packed."

"What?" Sakura said. "So you get to enjoy your last evening here while I have to stay in and pack?"

"Do you even have anything to pack?"

"Ino went shopping."

"Ah," he said. "Of course she did."

Apparently, according to Sakura, that was how the blonde kunoichi dealt with stress. Kakashi preferred a less expensive method himself, but he supposed Ino's method was less destructive than Sakura's, which usually involved punching the closest inanimate object.

"Well, I leave you to it then."

"Oh, while you're at it, will you send Ino in here?"

"Sure," Kakashi said. "I'm sure you two have a lot to talk about."

She grinned. "Don't worry, I haven't said anything bad about you. Yet."


"You wanted to talk to me?" Ino asked, not bothering to knock as she barged into Sakura's room. The pink-haired medic sighed. She really should have known Ino wouldn't knock.

"Not really. But if our last conversation is any indicator, you'll be bursting at the seams if we don't and I'd really rather avoid a public outburst."

Ino smirked. "What? You've got to keep your illicit romance on the down low? I hate to break it to you, Forehead, but everyone here already knew about you and Kakashi."

Sakura rolled her eyes. Were they really that obvious?

"Well that still didn't stop you from blurting out the fact that I'd slept in his room at dinner! I thought Choji was going to have a heart attack!"

This time, Sakura joined in with the blonde's laughter.

"Well, we just didn't know you guys were that far along in your relationship, if you catch my drift."

"Ino!" Sakura squeaked. "It's not like that."

"Yeah, not yet."

"This isn't what I called you in here to talk about. Actually, I didn't call you in here to talk at all. I really just want you to help me pack."

"Yeah, sure. And you want to pack in complete silence."

"Maybe," Sakura grumbled, but Ino knew she was just teasing.

"Alright. I'll help you pack, and in exchange for my labors, you can tell me all about your day with Mr. Prettyboy."

Sakura groaned. "It's not like he wears make-up or anything. Fine, it's a deal. But you'd better actually fold the clothes, and not just stuff them in bags like last time!"


Naruto was tired, and he wanted nothing more than to see his pink-haired teammate. Rumor had it that she was going to be back within the week, but the blonde jinchuriki didn't feel like waiting that long.

"What's with you?" Sasuke asked, taking a break from his training to go sit beside his best friend. "I asked if you wanted to go to Ichiraku's after this and you didn't even respond."

"Not even ramen can make me happy now!" Naruto wailed. "I don't understand why we can't just go see Sakura. We took care of those guys who escaped, so how come we've got to wait around here."

"Naruto, you've got to give her space," Sasuke said. "And time."

"But doesn't she miss us? And how come Kakashi-sensei gets to hang out with her when we can't."

"Stop acting like a child, loser. It isn't becoming of a Hokage. When she's ready, she'll come back to the village. Things like this take time to recover from."

Naruto sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I just miss her is all. And I'm really glad she's safe."

"Yeah," Sasuke said softly. "We all are."

It had taken days and nights of almost constant pursuit, but with the help of Yamato's wood clones and Sasuke's Sharingan, they'd managed to track down the men who had been holding Sakura.

Kaoru had been the hardest to find, but the four members of Team Seven had been determined, and really, the Land of Silver rebel had never stood a chance. Not against the Fourth Great Ninja War's strongest team, and certainly not against a tag team of a very pissed of Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha.

In the end, he'd met his demise at the hands of a rasenshuriken, but not before living out his most painful moments for three days in Sasuke's Tsukiyomi—and then another three days after that, and again three days after that.

He was satisfactorily disposed of, even to Sasuke's tastes.

After that, the four shinobi made their way wearily back to Konoha to await the arrival of their two other teammates. As much as they'd wanted to go straight to where Sakura was, they heeded the Hokage's words, ordering them to give her space and wait until she came back on her own.


They didn't encounter any bandits or other low-level criminals on their journey back, for which Kakashi was eternally grateful. Not that he was afraid of any sort of danger, he just wanted something to go right for once. And while he knew Sakura wasn't so injured that she couldn't take on a few easy opponents, he didn't want her to have to fight for a long time. Which part of him it was that was thinking that, however, he wasn't sure.

"What are you thinking about?" Sakura asked, and Kakashi realized he'd been silent for almost half a day. Which really wasn't all that unusual for him.

"Just wondering whether Naruto or Sasuke will threaten to kill me first, or if it will be a surprise attack from one of the other two."

Sakura laughed, knowing full well that that wasn't what he was thinking, but appreciating the humor anyway.

"Well, don't worry. I hit harder than they do."

"Is that supposed to be reassuring?"

She laughed again, and they fell into a comfortable silence. That silence grew more tense, however, as they neared the village gates. As per her request, Kakashi hadn't told anyone when they would be arriving, and Sakura really wouldn't have minded having one night in her own bed before having to see anyone.

She knew she shouldn't be nervous, and she knew logically that she was just as strong as before her capture—if not stronger—but she still didn't feel ready to face her friends just yet.

"It'll be okay, you know," Kakashi said reassuringly.

"Yeah, I know."

"You don't sound convinced."

Sakura shrugged. "There's nothing to it. I'm just worried they'll all see me as weak again. Lady Tsunade, the team, my parents—even if they're not aware of it. I just don't want to go back to being the weak little girl that you've all got to watch out for."

Kakashi laughed. "Anyone who thinks you're weak has no idea what they're talking about."

"Yeah, you're right," she said, attempting a smile for him. He was trying to cheer her up—and he had made her feel slightly better—but this wasn't something Kakashi Hatake, the boy genius, could ever understand. He seemed to realize that too, so he didn't push the subject any further, even knowing full well that her smile was fake.

"Well, I guess it's now or never, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

Kakashi took care of checking them in, and while Kotetsu and Izumo were slightly surprised to see them back so soon, they avoided making a big scene or drawing attention to the fact that Sakura Haruno was back from the dead and on Konoha soil again, for which she was very grateful.

In fact, her journey to the Hokage tower was almost completely uneventful until she heard a very loud, very familiar voice. Kakashi heard it too, and paused, looking at Sakura as if to ask what she wanted to do. For a brief moment, she considered hiding, but she dismissed the thought quickly as being selfish. After all, her teammates had suffered too.

Speaking of her teammates, the four of them came barreling into the alleyway where she and Kakashi stood, acting like their usual selves. Naruto and Sasuke were arguing about something, while Sai was obviously misinterpreting the situation, judging from the exasperated look on Yamato's face.

Their voices carried as they came closer, until Sasuke gave a slight jerk and a sudden halt.

"Hey! What are you stopping for, you—"

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise before the biggest grin she'd ever seen lit up his face, and in that moment she wondered why she'd been nervous about seeing them at all. All her insecurities went away as the blonde rushed toward her with open arms.

"Sakura!" Naruto yelled, tackling her into a ferocious hug.

"Ow, Naruto get off! That hurts," Sakura grumbled, but with a smile on her face.

"Be careful, stupid. She might still be injured," Sai said, trying to pull Naruto away, but the blonde wouldn't detach himself from his no-longer-dead teammate.

"It's okay, Sai. He's not crushing me anymore."

"Oh. Right. Um…"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Come here, Sai."

Kakashi walked over to Sasuke as their other teammates continued to fuss over their medic.

"Everyone who escaped is dead then?" he asked.

Sasuke nodded.

"And Kaoru."

"Yeah."

Kakashi paused. "How dead?"

The Uchiha turned to him, Sharingan blazing. "Do you really want to know?"

He pondered this for a second. "No, I guess I don't."

"Let's just say what Itachi did to us back when I was still a genin was nothing compared to this."

"Ah. Perhaps we should keep this little incident to ourselves, then?"

Sasuke nodded. "The others don't know."

Kakashi grinned, glad that no one could see it under the mask. Normally, he would be talking Sasuke out of the whole revenge mindset, but he was willing to let this one slide. If he'd been in Sasuke's place, he probably would have done much worse.

"So you're really okay?" Naruto asked, holding on to Sakura as if to reassure himself that she was flesh and blood, and not a shadow clone or some type of genjutsu.

"Yes, Naruto."

"Come on loser, give her some space."

"Hey Sasuke," she said, before launching herself into his arms. In a somewhat uncharacteristic move, he returned the gesture just as quickly as she'd given it, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

"Welcome back, Sakura."

~A/N: So that's it for this chapter. Next time, everyone finds out about Kakashi and Sakura, and then it's back to some action. A little fluff is nice, but we've still got more plot to resolve. I'm glad people seemed to like the last chapter, and sorry I didn't get the chance to respond to reviews, but this month is super crazy for me. Anyway, until next time, happy reading, and prayer circle for all of our favorite characters who aren't Naruto or Sasuke in the manga to survive this battle!