Secrets – Secrets Revealed

It had been a full three weeks that she had been unconscious, and it pained him every day that it was because of him that she was like that.  He had been by her side everyday for the first two weeks, hoping that she'd wake up soon so that he could see her smile again, her beautiful eyes, and heck even just for her to yell at him. 

He had been outraged when he was ordered to go on a C rank mission.  Never before had he questioned or argued about a mission, but just this once he didn't want to go.

"It's just a C-rank mission.  Please get someone else to go." He had said.

"Kakashi," the 5th hokage spoke in a low and even voice. "We all know what has happened to Sakura, and we know how it's affecting you, so we need you to pull yourself together."

He turned so that his back was towards her.

"You can't possibly understand how I feel, because even I don't understand it myself." He said before taking his leave.

"Everyone is worried about you Kakashi.  You've never been this way before.  What good will it do if Sakura wakes to see you half gone from this world, and even worse, if you don't pull yourself together, you'll lose your life, the very one she tried to protect!"

And in the end he left Konoha just to shut the old lady up, knowing that deep down she was right.

When he finally returned, the day he had anxiously awaited since the day he set out, he visited the hospital as soon as he set foot in the village.

He walked along the halls, his footsteps echoing in the same beat as his heart as he made his way to her room.  As he opened the door and stepped in he caught sight of her empty bed.  He was automatically on guard as he took a quick scan of the room.

Sakura?  The bed isn't made, the window isn't open, the flowers are fresh.  Where is she?

He ran down the hallway down to the front desk and asked heavily where Sakura was.  They looked shocked that she wasn't in her room and they began to search for her.  A dark feeling began to brew over him as he thought of all the horrible possibilities that could have happened to her.  He clenched his fists and ran through the hospital, and somehow found himself in the hospital's garden.

He stopped when he saw her standing a few feet away from him.  He breathed heavily as he stared at her simple beauty as she stood under the cherry blossom tree in the white clothes that the hospital gave to patients.  She had a small smile on her face gazing up as the cherry blossom leaves fell delicately around her,  making her feel like a princess.

She felt his presence and turned to look straight into his grey eyes.  And in the moment, no words could be used to show how much their eyes expressed.  They gazed at each other in silence, as if everything they wanted to say was being said at that moment.

He walked slowly to her, not once leaving her gaze.  When he finally stood in front of her, he thought it was all a dream.  She was finally back, and she was looking at him with those beautiful emerald eyes of hers.

"Okaerinasai." She said softly smiling up at him, just as if she knew that he had returned from a mission.

Realization hit him, and it hit him hard.  He loves her, and god, just how long did he love her in silence? He had taught her and been with her through so many years, not knowing what his gazes had meant, why he annoyed her just so she could yell at him, why he did all those things just to get a reaction from her.

Unable to hold back anymore, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close into his chest.

"No…Okaeri Sakura." He said while stroking her hair.

Her eyes had widened as he pulled her close, now that she felt his warmth, relief and happiness flooded through her body as she buried her head into his shoulders and wrapped her arms around him.

"Unh.  Tadaima Kakashi."

Hmm epilogue? Or no epilogue?  What should I do?

Okaeri nasai – Welcome home

Okaeri – "same as above just not as formal"

Tadaima – "I'm back."