Jesus-fucking-Christ he was in a lot of pain.

Being a shinobi, it was not without the POW interrogation or two. A smart ninja never lets up, no matter how bad the punishment is—and it was bad. They pulled almost all the stops, and then some, to try to get Kakashi to talk. First, it was about who he was working for and why. Second, it had to do with Sakura—trying to find out what he had to do with her, why he was hiding her, and bribing him by stating they'd let her go if he simply gave up all the information he had. Fact of the matter is, Kakashi wasn't born yesterday. He knew they'd never let Sakura go, and he knew talking would be useless because at the end of the day—they were going to do everything they could to make sure both him and Sakura were tortured. He kept his mouth shut and grit his teeth through the pain; desperately trying to formulate a plan in his head, despite the drugs they had pumped into him. At some point, the combination of drugs and abuse got to him; causing his body to go into shock and him to pass out—where he woke up later directly across from Sakura.

The sight of her tore him in two.

She looked abused, her expression distraught, and her body openly tremoring. He could see bruises forming on her face—proof that those sick fucks laid their hands on her. Rage sparked in the pit of his stomach, and despite the nausea he felt and the fog he was in—he was determined to kill Sota. For each time he hurt Sakura and Kakashi was forced to watch—he made another tick in his head of how many times he was going to slam the fucker's skull into the concrete. For each disgusting glance he cast Sakura's way—he was going to make sure the fucker was never able to see again. For each time he caused Sakura pain, caused her to scream and cry—Kakashi was damn sure that Sota was going to suffer sevenfold. Even as the two meat heads beat the fuck out of him, even with broken fingers and bones, the blood pouring out of his throat and the life leaving him—he was going to end that son of a bitch.

And he did.

He doesn't remember much outside of killing Sota—only that he heard Shino's voice mutter in his ear in passing, "That's enough. He's dead, and she's watching." He tried to glance her way, but he was too weak by then—the last of his efforts set on killing Sota. He collapsed, and before darkness took over, he got to look into teary emerald eyes—begging them to forgive him for what she saw. Pleading that she forgive him for what she was forced to endure. He figured, in that moment, he was as good as dead. He counted himself lucky, holding her cheek and gazing into her depths when he succumbed. He didn't know what met him in the afterlife, but a part of him hoped it was the memory of her gaze he'd be able to carry with him where ever his soul was going. Heaven or hell, Valhalla or Reincarnation—as long as Sakura was embedded in his heart forever, he was okay. He heard Shino's voice—meaning he must have been there. If Shino was there, that meant some of the team was there—which meant Sakura was going to be okay. She was finally going to be safe; that's all that mattered to him.

He was sure he was dead.
Though, he never saw any light. There was no tunnel, no heavenly voice to guide him. It was Sakura's heart-shattering screams that echoed in the pitch-black night; shocking him to the bone and bringing him back to the forefront of his mind.

Voices were humming in the background, buzzing about and muttering darkly. One minute they were frantic—dimmed shouts and commands he couldn't make out. He was moving, but not on his own accord. There was chaos, and then there was silence. There was pain, and then there was ease. As much as the darkness appealed to him—as easy as it seemed to let go and fall into the murky depths; all he saw were Sakura's eyes. All her heard were her screams, and they haunted him. He was running, but in no direction. He was calling out, but it was his own voice that bounced back. He was wading through deep waters, very nearly at his neck when he heard her voice again. It was small, at first—as though he had cotton in his ears. He began to make his way to her voice, desperate to break through the graphite that surrounded him. The closer he got, the more her voice began to pierce through—the first glimpse of light, sparkling and beautiful; blinding and aweing him. It carried him through, until he was there; soft, fleeting touches along his skin that reminded him he was in fact alive.

When he cracked open his eye, she was blurry at first; hazy pink hair ducked down and shaking. He blinked away the watery film over his eye, focusing in on everything that mattered to him; crumbling and breaking before him. Her small hand was flayed across his flesh, lightly grazing the bruises there and in an instant, he knew what she was doing. She was gauging his injuries the same way she did with her mother, the same way she does with her patients—getting an idea of how bad it is, and what she can expect. Seeing her cry, he hated it. He'd seen her cry enough. He heard her scream enough. He only wanted to see that beautiful smile, he only wanted to give her the world.

"Are you...trying to molest me...?" he muttered, internally wincing at the pain it caused him, and the sound of his voice. It was barely above a whisper, and for a second, he wondered if she even heard him; until her head popped up, green eyes wide.

"Kakashi!" She was bawling, eyes so bloodshot and swollen it hurt him to watch.

He flashed a smile, "Feeling me up...in a hospital...isn't very professional, bunny."

Sakura leaned forward slightly, lower lip trembling as she spoke, "Kakashi I am so fucking happy you're awake—the doctors said that you wouldn't make twelve hours...I just," she sniffed, wiping away a tear only to be replaced with more. "I'm so sorry, Kakashi. I'm so sorry you got hurt, I'm so sorry for what happened, I wish-"

"Sakura," Kakashi titled hoarsely. "don't apologize. You did nothing wrong, none of this was your fault. I told you I would do anything to protect you, and..." he gulped slowly, flinching at the sting. "I...I couldn't protect you all the way, Sakura. You still got hurt, and that's my fault. I should have-"

Kiba interrupted him with a scoff, "Would the both of you quit that shit?"

Both Kakashi and Sakura turned their attention to Kiba, who was standing at the foot of the bed. He shook his head and rolled his eyes, "Don't apologize to each other for shit that was out of your control."

"You were in a compromising situation," Shino spoke up from the corner of the room. "You both did your best with what you could do in that situation. You're not superman, Kakashi—and you're not responsible for Sota's sick efforts, Sakura. What matters is that you're both alive, and that sick fuck is gone for good."

"Speaking of alive," Kakashi rasped, turning is one-eyed gaze to Kiba. "Mind telling me how you all figured out what was happening? Surely it wasn't your Spidey-senses tingling..."

Kiba sighed, and the room got tense. Kiba scratched the back of his head, "If anyone should be apologizing...it's us. I should have listened to you, Kakashi. We should have just gone over Tsunade's head and interrogated the fucker. We got lucky and managed to finish most of the jobs early—giving us time to interrogate Hisato earlier than what we planned. We get all the information from him—we found out that this was all Sota's plan to begin with. I tried calling both of you, you didn't answer—so we flew straight here. We figured Sota already had his hands on you and honestly—we almost thought we were too late."

"We were fucking idiots," Neji remarked bitterly. "Yeah, you're alive—but you both nearly died. You both suffered because of our neglect. We can't express enough just how shitty we feel. We should have known better."

Kakashi scowled, "Yeah- you should have known better...I understand your hands being tied because of Tsunade, but...One of you could have grown the balls to tell her something. In fact, I should have called her. In a way, this is everyone's fault that we slacked. We all failed where we should have succeeded. Moving forward, let's think this shit through. We can never afford for something like this to be happening again. At any rate..." He swallowed again, "I want to thank you all for coming here. I know it must have been hard, and you have no idea how thankful I am. Had you all not shown up...I just don't know what would have happened. Thank you, honestly. That being said," Kakashi glanced down at his naked torso; grimacing at just how bad it looked. "Who rolled up my gown? Was it you, Sakura—you naughty little minx."

A very small smirk tugged at her mouth. She shook her head, "You shouldn't be talking. And no—Shino did it, I just needed to see...I'm glad you're awake, Kakashi...I was so scared I was going to lose you."

"I told you to have faith in the guy," Kiba remarked. "He always pulls through—always."

Kakashi ignored Kiba, locking his eye with Sakura's heavy gaze, "You'll never lose me, Sakura. I'll always be here for you...You know, it was your voice I heard. I was in the dark, just wandering around...and I heard your voice... You guided me out of the dark, Sakura. You saved me."

Sakura's brow twitched, small tears slipping their way down her face, "You saved me. You all saved me," she glanced around. "I have no way of expressing how thankful I am."

"No need to," Lee replied with a curt nod. "Both of you are alive—that's all that matters. Sota is...for lack of better words...dead. Kaito has the brothers, grunts were captured—it's almost all sewn up, now."

"Speaking of Kaito," Sakura began softly, tapping her fingers very lightly across Kakashi's stomach. "He came and spoke with me...He said that they were going to hold off on assigning you all jobs having to do with the Yakuza for a while."

Guy nodded, hands clasped together, "That's probably for the best, right now. These past few Yakuza jobs have been heavy for all the chapters. It'll be nice to just focus on jobs within Ancient of Days."

"He also told me that you're not going to get in trouble because of...Sota..." Sakura continued, glancing down at her hand briefly. "He said that he pulled some strings to chalk it up to self-defense."

Kakashi watched Sakura. He watched the way her brow twitched down and her slight grimace. There was so much he had to say—and he needed to say it now, despite how fucking much it hurt to talk. He turned his attention to the men standing around, "Guys...can you give Sakura and I some privacy for a bit?"

They nodded in unison, Neji commenting, "We'll be right outside." He watched them file out, the door clicking quietly behind them. He flicked his burning gaze back to Sakura; whose eyes were just as intense as his. He wasn't sure where to start, there was so much that he needed to say. Before he could get a word out, Sakura spoke up first.

"I'm not running away, you know."

Kakashi's brow flicked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean..." She paused, chewing on her lower lip. "I mean that...seeing what you did to Sota isn't going to drive me away. You were only doing what I wanted to do. You were only protecting me."

"That doesn't scare you at all...what I'm capable of?"

She shook her head, "Not at all. I know you well enough to know that at the core, you're not some murdering monster. You did what I didn't have the strength to do. You endured suffering just to end what was causing everyone else pain. You fought back...for me, for us, for the team...If anything, I think it's pretty noble."

Kakashi chucked, sounding like a croaking frog as he did, "I've been called a lot of things, Sakura—never noble."

Sakura smiled a small, soft smile, "Well...I think you're very noble. And strong. And smart. And safe. You're...you're my protector. You're my safe place. Even in the situation we were in...you still did everything you could. How can I be upset with that?"

"I'll admit," he remarked faintly. "I thought that you wouldn't be able to look past that. I worry that—when you look at me—all you see is what I was doing in that moment. I know it wasn't pretty, Sakura. I understand if...I understand if you can't be with me, after all of this. I get what you went through can do something to your mental health, and the last thing I want is to be a constant reminder-"

Sakura's face blanked, eyes shocked, "Excuse me? Kakashi," she leaned forward slightly, and he saw her teeth grit. He knew she was hurting just as bad as he was and he wished he could do something about it. "How could I possibly leave you—after everything? You showed your dedication and love in more ways than I can count. You fought evil people for me. You stayed strong—for me. If anything..." She shook her head, eyes earnest, "If anything, my love for you only draws deeper. I'm bonded to you in more ways than one, and I can't tear myself away from you. I can't lose you, Kakashi. I already thought you were gone when I held you—and that killed me. I can't go through that again. I can't lose you. I simply can't."

Kakashi's heart swelled, and if he wasn't so fucked up, he'd been running laps around the room. He smiled at her, "You'll never lose me, Sakura. You're the breath in my lungs, you've become my meaning to life. You're the reason I want to be a better man. You make me giddy like a teenager; you make me laugh—you're everything to me. You'll never lose me."

Sakura smiled, "Good...besides, I couldn't leave even if I wanted to."

"Why's that?" Kakashi rasped, wishing he could reach out and kiss her. The light of his life, the woman of his dreams, and hopefully one day: the mother of his children. He saw a burning, bright future with Sakura. He saw joy, peace, and prosperity with her. He saw sleepy mornings and late nights, snuggling with the dogs and cooking rice. He saw it all in her, and he'd go to the ends of the earth for her.

Sakura giggled lightly, her hand closing over his as her eyes twinkled, "I still owe you a date."

Her mother was teary-eyed when they were ready to fly back home. Once everyone got the all-clear to be released at the hospital—which wasn't for another five days- they hung around just a while longer; Sakura making sure she approved of her parent's stay-in nurse before they left. Kizashi kept clapping his hand over Kakashi's shoulder; repeatedly thanking him for protecting Sakura and saying he's a fine man. Mebuki kept pinching his cheeks, asking him to take great care of Sakura-making a remark about how beautiful her grandbabies are bound to be.

While Kakashi and Sakura hung around, the rest of the team took a flight back; having to finish up some last-minute things with Kaito. Kiba and Shino were the only two that stayed back with them; just to make sure nothing else happened and they made it back to Tokyo safe. When they were still in the hospital, Kakashi and Sakura had several long talks; deciding that Sakura would just live with him at the house, so she doesn't have to keep paying on an apartment she's not using. While when Kakashi initially pitched the idea, he had to admit he was nervous that Sakura was going to shoot it down; a deep part of him still worried she'd push him out, even after everything. But when her eyes lit up and a smile stretched wide across her face—his heart practically burst out of his chest.

It was really going to happen.
He was really going to be spending the rest of his life with Sakura.
He was so fucking giddy it hurt.

The flight back was long, but once they arrived back in Tokyo; he was glad to be home—and not have to worry about watching his or Sakura's back. Kiba and Shino both insisted that they go home with them, just to make sure they made it there safe. It was only when they tiredly walked through the door that the lights snapped on, and they were greeted by the entire team. Ino screamed at the top of her lungs, tears pouring down her face as she gently embraced Sakura; sobbing that she's so sorry for what happened, but she's so, SO glad she's alive. Even Tsunade was there, delivering her stiff apology and making a remark about never letting something like that happen again. The dogs greeted them wildly, jumping about and licking at their fingers. Choji had cooked up one of Sakura's favorite meals, and Hinata had hung up a very cute "Welcome Home" banner. While it seemed unnecessary to Kakashi, he understood why they did it—it was the celebration of life. Not just Kakashi's and Sakura's; or Naruto's; but everyone's life. Kakashi agreed with Guy in that these past Yakuza jobs have been particularly hard; each one resulting in a near loss. It was taking a toll on the team, as well as the loss of focus on jobs between chapters that needed taking care of. Plus, he knew that it would make Sakura feel better about everything—that, at least for the next year or so, the jobs won't be nearly as dangerous.

Sakura and Kakashi talked a lot at the hospital.

She opened up to him immensely, she was raw and real; it made him so fucking glad. She admitted to him that she'll always be worried about the jobs, but that she'll trust him and learn to manage her fears. She expressed her excitement in living with him for good- that she "honestly looked really forward to it." She opened her heart up, describing to him with tears in her eyes how awful it felt thinking he was dead; or that he only had 12 hours to live. Something snapped in her, she told him. Something changed, she said. "Whereas all my life I was determined to do it on my own—even with a partner...I find myself wanting to do it all with you. I don't want to be just Sakura. I want to be Sakura and Kakashi."

"Sakura Hatake...?" Kakashi smirked.

"It has a ring to it," she teased, biting down on her lip to hide her own cheeky grin.

And now, standing among his comrades; watching Sakura being surrounded by the girls as they talked—something snapped in him, too. This was a long, bumpy, winding road that she was unfortunately forced to go down. He knew it was going to take a while for her to feel normal again—he knew there was going to be consequences of what she had to endure. He also knew that he'd carry her through that season if she wanted to be carried; he'd walk beside her if she wanted him beside her. He'd hold her when she'd cry, he'd kiss her so carefully until she felt strong enough to kiss him wildly. He'd take his time with her, tending to her wounds and watering her until she blossomed once again. He'd let her lean on him, take from him, and rely on him. Kakashi knew it was going to be rocky, her healing process. He also knew that she was surrounded by an amazing support system—people who genuinely loved her almost as much as he loved her.

Almost.

6 Months Later

Things took time.

Sakura knew this.
She hated it all the same.

While Kakashi seemed to be managing himself well, despite what they went through; it has been an incredibly difficult time for Sakura. She was glad she moved in with Kakashi—because there's no way she could have managed it on her own. Between night terrors, to always looking over her shoulder in public; Kakashi was always there. Holding her, telling her she's okay, and making her feel safe. She'd wake up screaming with his arms around her, placing soft kisses on her shoulder and reminding her no one is out to get her—he's forever six feet below, rotting away. He assured her that the Yakuza chapter they were after has been completely cut off—thanks to Kaito's last minute efforts after Riichi and Reiji were snagged. Despite their tough demeanors, they caved within minutes—giving Kaito and his detectives everything they needed to hear to cut that chapter off for good; which did make her feel better. The jobs Kakashi did go on, he reassured her often they were just base level jobs; no S-ranks in sight for some time. After about three months, she stopped feeling paranoid in public. The dreams continued for about the same amount of time, too—slowly falling off until she was dreaming everyday shit. What was the hardest for her to get over, was sex.

They haven't had sex since they did at the hotel in New York.

It had nothing to do with Kakashi, and everything to do with Sakura. Every time things got heated, she was brought straight back into that dank room; her breasts being squeezed painfully, being mocked and assaulted. Disgust would pull at her stomach, she'd tense, and she couldn't shake the image out of her mind. There were even times she'd purposely push herself—just to try to please Kakashi. It was only when she broke down crying and explained to him that she worried he would grow to resent her because they're not having sex. As always, the man was nothing but understanding; draping a robe over her trembling, naked form and hugging her tight; whispering in her ear they'll take as long as she needed.

"You're still my woman," he muttered, kissing the corner of her jaw. "I'll wait however long you need me to wait. I want sex to be enjoyable for you, Usagi—not frightening. Take all the time you need to heal, and tell me what I need to do to help you."

And that's just what he did.

Whatever interaction there was between them, he kept wholly chaste. Short, sweet kisses; tender hugs, and not moving in on her too fast. He never pushed past her boundaries, and he never made her feel bad for it. He would only go as far as she took it; with a smile on his face, no less. Though, she had to admit; as time went on and the bad memories began to fade—she was finding it harder and harder to control her lust around him. Living with him made it worse, because she had access to that body 24/7. Seeing him walking around the house naked early in the mornings, hot water droplets following the valley of his muscles and tempting her gaze to go lower. She found herself less being in that horrible room, and being more in the present.

Living with Kakashi was the best decision she made.

While some couples worried how they'd work together, the flow of life was seamless for Kakashi and Sakura. Mornings seemed effortless, late nights were lazy—and chores were a breeze. They walked the dogs together often, they often took turns cooking, and they were always on the same level as the other. If she were being honest, she really couldn't see herself sleeping alone again. His steady breathing was a comfort to her, his strong arms were safe, hot, and cozy. The dogs would sleep around their tangled forms, waking them up with slobbery kisses and soft yips. She loved it; she loved every single part of it.

She loved every single part of him.

She loved how hard he worked, how good he seemed to be with his money, and his loyalty to the team. She loved his lazy attitude—forever teaching her to wind down. He brought balance into her life, he grounded her, and he held her. Sakura felt like the luckiest woman on the face of the globe—and sure, maybe she was being biased; she didn't care. He was her soulmate, a puzzle piece that fit easily. She knew it, deep in her gut she knew; he was the man for her. No more pushing him out—he was a part of her forever. No more shutting him away—she couldn't, even if she tried. Sakura was always raw and open in front of him, and for the first time ever she loved it.

Fucking Christ, she loved him.

After they arrived back in Tokyo, Sakura was given three weeks to heal and settle before she was set to go back to work. Both her and Kakashi healed perfectly from the damage inflicted on them; something she was incredibly thankful for—all they had now were scars. In the beginning, it was a bit tough for her—she had a hard time focusing on the job at hand. Luckily, Himari was nothing but understanding; not giving Sakura too heavy of a load to handle. As the weeks ticked by, and Sakura began to heal more and more; she was able to take on more responsibilities again until she was basically Himari's right hand; working alongside her and handling patient after patient with no problem. In the beginning, she was nervous to go to work; and now she found herself as eager as she had been the first day she walked through those double doors. She was bringing home money again; she was helping people heal; she had a purpose again. To further her joy, she learned that her mom was doing amazing in therapy, and that she's getting stronger day by day.

Sometime during the second month since they've been back, Sakura started taking Taijutsu with Lee. The man was ever-patient with her; starting her from the very beginning. She met with him one to two times a week; training not just her body, but her mind as well. She found the stronger she became, the better she felt. For each fist she thrust, she let go little by little those deep, deep fears and nightmares. Left with nothing but the scars. She became a stronger version of herself; more disciplined, more self-assured.

That's why, when Kakashi had to leave for a week on a job, she didn't freak out. She trusted him, she trusted the team; they were all strong and capable. The week did pass slowly for her, simply because by day five she was missing the shit out of him. Sure, the girls did a good job of coming over to hang out with her and gal out; but even still, she found herself wishing he was in the house with her. Day six rolled around, and the woman was pretty distracted; she really missed him.

Sakura was at work and she had just finished up with a patient; crumpling the paper seat cover and replacing it with a new one. She tossed the medical equipment wrappers, she sanitized everything, and she put everything else away; getting ready for the end of the day. It had been particularly busy today, and where she hoped it would keep her from thinking about Kakashi—it didn't. Even as she listened in on a patient's heart-beat; she was focused on how hot he looked in his uniform. Flak jacket, wraps, and a mesh undershirt that was particularly sinful the way the threads held onto his muscled body. She was practically drooling after him when he followed Kiba out; fighting the urge to drag him back inside and wreck shop.

Yeah, she was definitely healing.

While washing her hands in the sink, she heard the door open behind her. Not tearing her gaze away from her soapy hands, Sakura began to speak, "Hey, Himari. I just wanted to let you know that I'm pretty much done here. I've got paperwork I'll drop off at the office, but other than that-"

"Other than that?" The deep voiced hummed, arms very carefully looping around her waist and pulling her tight against a hard chest.

Sakura leaned her head back against him, unable to mask the stupid smile that spread across her face, "You're back early!"

Kakashi nuzzled her neck, "Mmm, mmm-hmm; I am. We got it done pretty quick, it was just an escort job at any rate."

"Ahh," Sakura nodded knowingly. "Remind me again, who were you escorting—and why did you need five of you to do it?"

Kakashi kissed her neck, "We had to escort a very rich gentleman named Reo. He's up there as far as political influence goes, and he happens to be incredibly paranoid that someone is out to get him. We had to escort him to Hamamatsu, stay there while he did what he needed to do; and then escort him back to Tokyo. Whatever he was doing, I think it was a big scale business deal, don't quote me on it—ended a day early so we left a day early and here I am now."

"That sounds fun," Sakura remarked, reaching for a paper towel to dry her hands.

"Thrilling," Kakashi replied dully. "He kept trying to recruit us as full time, but we sure as shit don't want that. I don't want to be some rich guy's body guard, are you kidding me?"

"I mean, aren't you technically already one? You bounce at the club, and all," Sakura chuckled turning her chin up to better look at him.

Dazzling onyx eyes gazed down at her; his mouth pulled up in that lopsided smile that melted her insides. He kissed her forehead, muttering against it, "I missed the shit out of you."

Sakura turned in his arms, letting his hands settle on her hips. She placed her hands flat on his chest, leaning forward to kiss him tenderly, "I missed the shit out of you, too."

Kakashi smiled against her lips, "You wanna order take out and binge watch some dramas? I'm a week behind and I just have to know what happened with Haru and Sara—are they a thing? Is she still seeing her ex even though she knows he's toxic for her? And what about-"

Sakura placed a finger on his lips, chuckling, "That's fine and all, but...I have something else in mind."

"Sakura," Kakashi deadpanned. "What can be better than the drama-filled, fabulous lives of-"

Sakura interrupted him with a kiss; pecking once before kissing him again, tilting her head to deepen the kiss while her hands toyed with the edge of his shirt. She wiggled her fingers underneath the fabric, gasping when she felt the crisscross of threads, "You're still wearing that fishnet shirt?"

Kakashi chuckled, glancing down at her wandering hands, "I am—is that a problem? I told Shikamaru it looks like I'm gearing up for a sick ass rave—no one would take me seriously, but he said it was super-efficient and—er...where are you going?"

Sakura broke away from Kakashi, making her way to the door and locking it; turning on her heel and leaning back against the door, wiggling a finger at him. "Come here," she purred, emerald eyes focused on him.

Kakashi took a slow step in her direction, "If I didn't know any better, bunny—I'd say you're giving me bedroom eyes."

Sakura plucked a shoulder lazily, "If you take off your shirt so I can see you in that fishnet one—then yes."

Kakashi paused, grinning impishly while he slowly pulled the black T-shirt off and throwing it across the room. Sakura's eyes took in his dangerously sexy form; the way the thread of the fishnet shirt curved around his body and hugged him tight was sinful. A small pink tongue ran out to lick her bottom lip, and heat started to simmer at her core. Kakashi ran his hand flat along the fabric, muttering darkly, "Does this turn you on, bunny?"

Sakura nodded slowly, grabbing the edge of her shirt and easily peeling it off; her full breasts squeezed together tight in the new red bra she bought. Kakashi's gaze became deadly, then; dark eyes narrowing on her alabaster flesh, stalking towards her little by little as he spoke, "I'm picking up some very strong 'fuck me' pheromones, Sakura."

Without answering, Sakura thumbed the top edge of her skirt; easily pushing it over the curves of her hips and thighs gingerly, stepping out of them; now clad in just her panties and bra, the cool air of the hospital sending goosebumps across her skin. She grabbed her breasts; squeezing them together, never breaking eye contact with Kakashi as he neared. Big hands came up, sliding up her waist and thumbs grazing the bottom of her bra. Black eyes burned into hers, burning her up from the inside while his hands grazed her skin gently. He leaned forward, whispering in her ear, "Is this really what you want, Usagi? Because, I'll give it to you—but you've got to be ready for it. I don't want you to push yourself just because you-"

Sakura stuffed her hands down the front of his pants, grabbing his hardening member and pumping him gradually. Kakashi's teeth clenched, his jaw twitched, and he felt a jolt of electricity make its way throughout his body; starting the fire within him, too. He wrapped his left arm around her tight, using his right to hold her head and kiss her; softly at first, testing the waters and pushing the line inch by inch until they were both kissing the other desperately. Tongues battling the other, swallowing the hums and moans the other emitted. In one fluid movement, he unhinged her bra; letting the fabric fall to the floor. He cupped one tenderly, flicking his thumb across the swollen bud and rumbling deep when she leaned into his touch; moaning quietly. Kakashi broke the kiss to dip his head down, taking the rosy nipple in his mouth and sucking; loving the way her body started to writhe restlessly in his arms. He turned his attention to the other breast, his left hand coming around to grip her ass tightly as he sucked on the neglected breast; grinning when she moaned just the slightest bit louder.

Kakashi plucked his mouth away, his right hand sliding down her stomach to cup her throbbing pussy, "You'll have to be quiet, bunny—or they'll hear us."

Sakura shook her head back and forth, "I don't care. I need you—now."

Kakashi chuckled huskily, "Let me draw this out, bunny. We haven't made love in so long—let me enjoy this. Because, I'll be honest- I haven't been able to stop thinking about your body on mine. All that crossed my mind was sprawling you out on the bed and eating your sweet little pussy until you came—and then fucking you so good you're dizzy." He rubbed his fingers up and down her cloth covered sex, internally moaning at how damp the fabric was. He pressed his tongue flat over her mound, licking up the indent of her cleft and grinning when she leapt in his hold. He pulled away, "Is this what you want? Do you want me to eat your little pussy, Sakura?"

Sakura nodded, head dizzy with lust as she looked at him; on his knees, pulling her panties down as he kissed his way down her legs; pausing over the scars to kiss tenderly there.

"Say it," Kakashi asserted, propping her left leg over his shoulder and spreading the other one wide; opening her wet pussy up to him.

"I want you to eat me up," Sakura rasped, her body nearly shaking from anticipation.

Kakashi grinned up at her, "Thank god- I'm starving."

He dove his tongue into her petals, licking and sucking so hard Sakura's frame trembled and she moaned loudly; sinking down the door some and Kakashi had to hold her hips against the door to hold her up. He flicked his wet muscle over her clit, tugging up the ball of her piercing with his teeth and loving the way it made her flinch and shudder. Her pussy was soaked, her smell was divine, and her taste was heavenly to him—he made that known to her. Sakura tossed her head back, eyes squeezed shut and biting her lip to fight off the moans that threatened to escape.

Kakashi ate her up; he left no centimeter of her soaked flesh untouched. He latched onto her clit, sucking in pulses so rapid that when he inserted two long fingers inside her hot pussy and nudged her g-spot; she came. Her body convulsed around his fingers, juices seeping out and down his hand as his tongue lazily lapped up her essence; humming darkly and kissing the top of her mound as she came down; twitching and shuddering. Kakashi stood up, scooping her into his arms and walking her over to the exam table; laying her down across it and hooking each of her legs around his waist. He spread her legs as wide as they would go, leaning over her to kiss her hotly while he pulled his pulsing length out; leaking precum, raging for release. He kept his gaze locked on hers, and Sakura's breath hitched in anticipation. She felt the thick head of his member prod into her slightly, and she tried to angle her hip down to receive more of him.

"I love you, Sakura," Kakashi rumbled deeply.

"I love you, too, Kakashi," Sakura hummed softly.

With one fluid movement, Kakashi thrust into her; his hard cock filling her up and her body fluttering around him as it adjusted to his size. When he pulled out painstakingly slow and shoved his thickness back in; Sakura yelped, thrashing her hips down—a plea for more. Kakashi began to thrust into her slow and hard, as deep as he could go to hit that spot she knew he knew she had. He hit hard and hard, deeper and deeper; his thumb rolling over her clit rapidly with each weighted thrust. He fucked her hard and sensual, and when he felt her body flutter around him; he moved faster, taking her to the edge and pushing her over into explosive bliss.

I love you, Kakashi.

I love you, Kakashi.

I love you...

Kakashi.

6 Months Later

Shinjuku Gyoen was their favorite place to go. It had become a weekly thing for them; go to the park, take all the dogs with them, and enjoy the day. Today had been a particularly beautiful day; the sun was shining, the weather was comfortable, and they both had the day off. Sakura was giddy to go, getting dressed in a cute red summer dress that he found to be insanely flattering on her. Their favorite spot was on the bridge—they'd usually stand there and watch the sunset together; sharing some food they bought from the market. It was their thing, they always did it—and Sakura always loved it.

So, it seemed fitting for what he had in mind.

Traditional gazebos sat among flowering cherry blossom trees; lush, green grass surrounding reflective bodies of water. Trees with deep red leaves hung low, lightly fluttering in the breeze. Lily pads fanned out in clusters; beautiful, pink flowers opened wide in greeting. Sakura walked up to the edge of the gazebo, looking over the dark wood into the water; humming to herself about it being so pretty, but Kakashi had to disagree.

Nothing looked more beautiful than she did.

Sakura's lean, willowy form was bright red and stark against the mahogany gazebo. The wind caused her dress to flutter to the left, furthering to hug the curves of her figure. Her pink hair blended in with the cherry blossoms surrounding them, a silent homage to the beauty of nature and herself. In front of her, the sun was setting; waves of orange, yellow, blue, and red splayed out like fresh water color against the sky. She was stunning, smiling at him beautifully when she caught sight of him admiring her.

Kakashi walked up to her, kissing her tenderly, "You know I love you, Sakura?"

Sakura giggled, her cheeks a subtle pink, "Of course I do—you remind me every day."

Kakashi kissed her again, "You know that I want to spend the rest of my days with you—don't you?"

Another giggle, "I'd hope so- I'd hate for you to get tired of me already."

"I could never," Kakashi winked, kissing her again. "You know that you are everything to me, Sakura?"

Sakura stilled, eyes focused on his face, "You're everything to me, Kakashi."

"I'd hope so," Kakashi teased. He took a deep breath, stepping down on one knee and pulling out a dainty, dazzling sapphire ring, "Sakura Haruno, will you marry me?"

Sakura froze, hands coming up to cover the gasp she emitted; emerald eyes wide, gazing down at the ring in shock. Tears began to well there, her beautiful face crumpling as she cried out, "YES! YES, YES, YES!"

Kakashi tossing his head back and laughed, easily slipping the ring on her trembling hand and standing to his feet; wrapping her in his arms tightly. This was it for him. The light of his life, the woman of his dreams. The reason his heart beats; the one his soul loves. Sakura; his beautiful bunny- a forever flowering cherry blossom.

Lovers kissed passionately while the sun continued to set behind them; bright, brilliant rays shining a burning light on the hope of their future.

Kira, here! My heart is literally breaking because we have come to an end. I have fallen in love with these characters! But, stay tuned—there is going to be an epilogue!

As well, I wanted to thank every single one of you for your constant support, reviews, feedback, and love. You have no idea how much your words mean to me—honestly. I'll have shit days, and come home to y'all's kind words. You have uplifted me, encouraged me, and driven me! From the bottom of my little ole heart; thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. I love every single one of you, so dearly it hurts.

That being said, after the epilogue is done, I'll be starting on a new story! The good news, is that it will be in the same universe I've set up here, the same characters and personalities—except it will be in another person's point of view/story. So the team will be there, Kiba will bitch, Naruto will charge, and Shino might buy himself a new jacket. Who knows! All I know, is I would love for yall to ride along with me on the new story as yall have on this one. I would love nothing more. The new story will be titled: Glass: A Neon City Story 2.

Again, I fucking love yall. A lot. Y'all just have no idea.

With all my love,

Kira.

P.S- don't forget, epilogue is coming up here soon for this story!