Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

Italics represent character thoughts and flashbacks.

***

3 years later

The clean, uplifting breeze of another balmy night in Konoha was refreshingly invigorating to someone who had spent the majority of his day crowded indoors in the Hokage's meeting room. Five straight hours of open debate and discussion would tire even the fittest ANBU member, but in this case, today's committee session had completely floored all of the elite Jounin that had been assembled.

Guess we're not all as young as we think we still are.

Hatake Kakashi lifted up a gloved hand to adjust the fit of his forehead protector, shifting the material so that it fit more snuggly against the contours of his concealed half with the Sharingan. That shower he'd indulged in after he'd gone back to his apartment was just what he'd needed, and now he was looking forward to spending a well-anticipated evening off duty. It had been well over a month since he'd last been in the village, his missions abroad occurring more frequently than ever. But Konoha would forever be home base, this quaint little village where he'd spent most his life and been initiated into his field.

Whistling a currently popular tune as he casually strolled along the near-empty streets, Kakashi reached into his kunai holder, fingers itching for the familiar weight of "Come Come Paradise" in his hold. Book in one hand and a flashlight in the other, he attempted to focus on the pages of recognizable, but much loved text and images. Only tonight, even his most treasured possession couldn't hold his attention unwaveringly like usual, for the Jounin's mind kept straying back to events that occurred earlier in the day.

This morning had been the scheduled selection of new ANBU members to join the special, elitist squad. As per tradition, Tsunade had gathered all of the elite Jounins present in the village to the exam stadium. Only unlike other selections processes such as the Chuunin exam, this proceeding was not open to the public. It was conducted in the presence of a select group due to the high-level nature of the techniques that would be displayed.

Seated in the lower stands beside Asuma and Kurenai, Kakashi had watched in his usual nonchalant nature as the candidates filed into the arena. Each individual had already passed a series of written exams and the necessary number of assigned missions. This would be their last assessment, where they would demonstrate their combat abilities to the Hokage herself, by facing off against an elite Jounin.

Imagine the Copy Ninja's surprise when his one revealed eye had spotted Sakura amongst the group of hopefuls. He blinked several times, clearing his gaze just to make sure that the filtering rays of sunlight wasn't playing tricks with his perception. Sure enough, there was his former roseate-haired student, only now in the guise of a confident young woman, who stood patiently in her Chuunin uniform awaiting instructions.

Granted, he had just returned the previous night from a mission in the Wind Country, but Kakashi still felt more than a little shocked that he didn't know about this. Especially considering the ANBU candidates required written recommendations from at least two other Jounin in the village. He was able to find out after the selection process that Sakura had gotten Kurenai and Ino's father, Yamanaka-san, to write her recommendations. It pained him a little to realize that she hadn't considered approaching him, her former sensei.

Heh, well it's not like she could've been able to find you even if she wanted to.

Kakashi had heard that Sakura was developing greatly as a shinobi, but he had never really expected her to choose the way of ANBU. To commit yourself to the selective squad proved you were hardcore, and for the most part, willing to dedicate your life into the service of Konoha. Which invariably meant that concepts such as marriage and family would be put on indefinite hold.

Kakashi himself had made that decision over a decade ago, choosing to immerse himself entirely into his career as a shinobi. He could vividly remember Kurenai critiquing him once, asking him whether or not he intended to settle down anytime soon. The kunoichi herself had married Asuma last year, finally after much coaxing and pleading from friends and family. According to her, Kakashi would ultimately die an old, wizened bachelor, with only his porn collection to keep him company and pass off as family inheritance.

It may be true, and while Kakashi had enjoyed occasional dalliances with certain women in the village, he had no intention of settling himself into a long-term relationship. That required founded commitment, something he wasn't able to provide as an active Jounin of the Hidden Leaf. His assignments required him to live in the face of uncertainty, never knowing whether his latest assigned mission would be his last or not. He was unprepared to subject another to that type of existence, and he was pretty sure no one wanted such qualities in a potential life partner.

He watched idly as the matches began, occasionally nodding in approval when a candidate would pull a move to foil their Jounin opponent. Due to his recent return, he hadn't been scheduled to participate, only to observe and make comments. A heartfelt chuckle escaped him when Asuma got caught from behind during his spar with a blonde Chuunin. No one expected the candidates to actually defeat their Jounin opponents, though it did happen rarely on occasion, but they were expected to hold their own and last long enough until the Hokage motioned for the match to end.

When Sakura had stepped up for her match, Kakashi was unable to prevent the tingling concern that had rippled through him, especially when he saw that her opponent was Shiranui Genma. Genma was generally as laid back as they came, but he was dangerous when it counted, and had a penchant for goading his opponents into callous actions.

Kakashi seriously hoped that Sakura had learned over the years to not let her emotions override her logic during battle.

He should have placed more faith in her. In short summation, the match had been a far cry from her Genin-level bout with Ino years ago. It had been that long since Kakashi had bore witness to her techniques, and now that he could watch her in action again, he realized that he barely recognized the shinobi fighting down below. The first thing that had caught his attention was her speed. He noted speculatively that it was seriously close to rivaling his own. She had an admirable amount of stamina, vastly different from the girl who used collapse in a boneless heap after several hours of chakra tree climbing.

For a while nothing noteworthy happened, as Genma gave only half-hearted attempts at offense with an assortment of shuriken and kunai, and the other circled him patiently, in search of an opening. He was speaking to his younger opponent though, the senbon he toyed with twitching occasionally in accordance with the movements of his lips. Whatever he was saying, Sakura responded to, for her own mouth curved occasionally with expression. Eventually, Genma must have said something to upset the kunoichi, for her cheeks immediately colored, and she attacked him with newly found fervor.

He always was such a charmer with the ladies.

Kakashi focused all attention now on the two adversaries, his own heartbeat accelerating unconsciously as the pace of the match picked up considerably. The two figures in the open arena clashed in another frenzy of punches and kicks, complimented with occasional bursts of elemental jutsu.

They then abruptly separated to opposite sides of the stadium. Facing her opponent, Sakura stood primed on the balls of her feet, as one hand produced a medium-sized spool of thin wire filament. Her other hand reached into the shuriken holder at her leg, and without preamble, she flung two of the objects at Genma, with the attached threadlike wire trailing after.

The fighting Jounin easily dodged the oncoming objects, meanwhile shooting his female opponent a questioning glance, as though enquiring what she intended to do. He looked up just in time to see another pair of shuriken coming at him, only these changed course to curve back at him after he managed to bypass them initially. On closer examination, Genma noticed that the second pair of shuriken was being manipulated by Sakura using fine strands of chakra that flowed from her fingers. The two pairs of projectiles worked in unison, rapidly crisscrossing over in intricate arcs, with the wires trying to trap him while the chakra-controlled blades lashed out intermittently.

With the situation becoming a little too risky for Genma's tastes, the Jounin quickly performed the hand seals for an earth-element jutsu, and disappeared altogether. The move proved familiar to Sakura, who immediately responded by leaping off the ground, swinging the wire-attached shuriken to imbed themselves into the stadium walls to create a delicate tightrope two meters off the ground. The Chuunin perched herself on the flimsy surface, and kept an avid eye on the ground in wait of her opponent.

Seconds later, Genma did emerge, along with five other copies, sending clusters of dirt flying in all directions. They headed for the Chuunin, launching an unending series of kunai, intent on crowding and knocking her off balance from the wire. Even with her heightened close-combat skills, Sakura was hard put to defend against the onslaught of unending strikes. Eventually forced to abandon her previous position, Kakashi watched with more than a tiny twinge of worry as Sakura dove back towards the ground, landing with her feet firmly implanted. At this point the ground beneath the Chuunin rumbled, crackling as the kunoichi struggled to stay upright.

Too late…

Kakashi along with the rest of the audience watched in captivated horror, as the ground appeared to open and swallow Sakura whole, leaving nothing in its wake. The Genma copies above ground all disappeared on cue as well. The silver-haired Jounin felt his heart racing, as he mentally compiled a list of attacks his former student could encounter in this situation. Genma would no doubt want to leave the young woman with some sort of vivid reminder of this encounter…

"Kakashi-senpai, you're about half an inch away from toppling into the row in front of us."

Kurenai's familiar voice brought Kakashi back into immediate focus, and he looked down into wide, fearful eyes belonging to the poor Chuunin examinee he had been unconsciously leaning over. He was indeed a hairbreadth away from falling into the young man's lap. Mumbling a quick apology, Kakashi looked back at Kurenai's blank face, but noticed that her mouth twitched suspiciously with suppressed mirth.

I'll deal with her later for the belated warning, he promised silently, then returned his focus below just in time to see Genma burst from the ground, with Sakura imprisoned securely in his hold. Light danced off the reflective surface of the kunai he held to her neck, as the Jounin stood victoriously with his restrained opponent, an accomplished smirk displayed prominently on his face.

A wave of murmurs passed over the audience though, when Genma's features abruptly changed, his confident expression turning to one of startled fury. The murmurs gave way to shocked gasps, as Sakura twisted one of her hands out of Genma's hold, and reached over to wrench the kunai from his grasp. It appeared as though she held him in a binding jutsu, but it was improbable since her hands had not been free to perform the necessary seals.

Kakashi chose to analyze the positions of the two shinobi, and noticed that Sakura's other hand was firmly attached to Genma's side, in what seemed to be the pose of a seal with her fingers moving rapidly. Taking in the Chuunin's look of fierce concentration, it appeared as though Sakura hadn't used the body-bind jutsu, and instead had channeled her chakra into near-invisible threads that enwrapped her opponent, holding him in place with the sheer force of her will. She wouldn't be able to maintain the technique for long due to the sheer amount of chakra it cost her.

As soon as she released her hold, Genma brought his hands together in a tiger seal pinpointing her forehead, indicating that he knew she was near spent for chakra and he would blow her away before she could ready her next attack. However, he unexpectedly looked down, and noticed that she now had him at knifepoint, with the sharp tip of her borrowed kunai poised readily above his chest.

Thankfully Tsunade signaled for the match to end there.

Almost everyone observing let loose long sighs of relief, though in Kakashi's case, he merely exhaled once, and then lowered his head thoughtfully. None of the moves she'd employed earlier had been from his teachings, and it intrigued him to know where she had gone for her training. But in hindsight, he was rather pleased to see that she was capable of such growth when left to her own devices.

Not bad at all.

After several more matches, the exam had ended with Tsunade dismissing the examinees, and calling a meeting session for all Jounin present. They had returned to the Hokage's meeting room, where names of the successful candidates were announced.

Sakura's name was the fouth one mentioned, and a total of eight had made the cut. Tsunade's personal assistants were sent to inform the successful candidates, who would then be led to the initiation ceremony, and formally inducted into ANBU. The meeting had then lapsed into a lengthy discussion forum of the current situation with regards to inter-village and country relations.

As he continued to amble along at his characteristic unhurried pace, Kakashi reflected that indeed, it'd very long since he last spoke personally with Sakura. He was away when she completed the Chuunin exam, and he only found out two days after his return a week after the selection. Predictably, he was more than a little confused with Anko had come up and clapped him heartily on the back, congratulating him for the advancement of another one of his students.

The special Jounin had to relay him the details, and she spent quite some time complimenting Sakura's technique, especially since the girl had made it to semi-finals with what looked like an ineffectual left arm. Kakashi had been shocked then, though he hid it well, and planned to meet with and congratulate his former student. But before he could make good on those plans, Tsunade had sent him away on another urgent mission.

Yes, he and Sakura were overdue for a long chat, but that could be accomplished tomorrow. Right now, Kakashi was determined to relax and chill for one evening, as he found himself outside the wooden doors of his favorite pub and one of the most popular shinobi hangouts in the village.

Upon entering the darkened environment, Kakashi noted how crowded the joint was, the intermingling smells of tobacco and alcohol instantly assaulting his person. Out of habit, he headed for the lounge couches in the corner that the Jounin usually staked, and was met by a number of familiar faces.

"Hey, it's our very own Copy Ninja!"

"Kakashi, haven't seen you in months!"

"Tsunade's got you whipped, hasn't she?"

Offering the group a little wave in response, the Sharingan user seated himself comfortably onto a leather maroon couch beside Asuma, while a server came over to ask him his order.

"Just a beer," he replied, more in the mood to sit and vegetate than anything else. Asuma peered at him over the end of his cigarette.

"Thought you'd be too tired to show,"

"Yeah well, consider this my sleeping aid."

Chuckling over his friend's habitual dislike of lengthy explanations, Asuma nudged the silver-haired Jounin in the ribs, and jerked his thumb over towards the other side of the pub where a miniature stage had been set up.

"Check it out…karaoke night. Dare you to go up there."

Kakashi snorted, and gave a little tug on his facemask.

"Don't think sound travels through this too well,"

While the conversations carried on around him, Kakashi settled back with his beer, and gave the area a quick scan over. As his gaze traveled, a familiar shock of pink hair caught his attention. She was seated at the bar, seemingly alone, and in the process of downing a sizeable mug of what he genuinely hoped was water.

"Looks like our little chat is being bumped up several hours," the Jounin remarked, as he subsequently rose and headed towards her, preferably before she become too inebriated to talk.

***

"Wow, we should totally come here more often!"

Ino's squeal of excitement carried well across the vicinity of the pub, causing several customers to glance in their general direction. Hinata blushed at the unwanted attention, and attempted her best to conceal herself behind Sakura, who was busy looking around and appreciating the rustic, come-all ambiance.

"Let's just find a table," suggested the Hyuga heir quietly, who found it vastly uncomfortable being in such a place to begin with. But Ino had insisted that they come and celebrate Sakura's successful 'indoctrination into ANBU', as she had called.

"No, no, we need to sit at the bar," the blonde Chuunin argued, and began to drag her two companions over towards the counter. The three of them made quite the unusual trio, with Ino being the type-A personality of the group, Hinata the shy, reclusive opposite, and Sakura vaguely somewhere in between the two, unless provoked. Not even Ino's occasional tantrums could match the firepower of Sakura's apocalyptic full-blown anger.

Once seated, they proceeded to place their orders, well aware of the numerous sets of male eyes observing them with obvious interest. Ino, who was used to and reveled in such attention, made sure that the indigo version of her usual ensemble was immaculate. She had dated an impressive number of men over the last year or so, and was enjoying the experience immensely as she managed to balance her Chuunin responsibilities with her social life. Currently unattached, she was looking forward to meeting an interesting guy or two to tuck away for future consideration.

Hinata, who wore the standard Chuunin uniform, looked as though she wanted to bolt any second now. She currently taught at the Academy and enjoyed her job immensely, for it placed her away from the pressures of her confining family and demanding missions. Sipping her non-alcoholic beverage tentatively, she turned to Sakura who appeared to be eying her drink contemplatively. The other girl had changed into in a black tank top along with a matching black skirt that showed off her long, slender legs after the initiation ceremony.

"What are you thinking about?"

The roseate-haired kunoichi blinked, then frowned slightly as though just realizing that she had been daydreaming. She smiled while shaking her head, causing her long braid to sway back and forth.

"Not much, I just feel as though my life's about to change in some way."

"Well obviously it's going to change," Ino asserted with a roll of her eyes, "you're an ANBU member now, no more simple missions for you. I don't think you'll ever have to weed another garden again."

Sakura nodded in agreement, though the influx of pointless missions had stopped the day she became a Chuunin.

But who would have thought that completing those ridiculous errands was when I was happiest.

"So Sakura," Ino prompted, interrupting the other girl's thoughts, "tell us about your match and what exactly Genma did to rile you up so much."

Mention of her Jounin opponent's name caused Sakura's lips to instantly turn down in a scowl.

"I can't believe what he said to me…the nerve of that jerk."

"Tell us then!"

"Well, shortly into our match," Sakura explained, "he began attacking by throwing kunai and shuriken at me. I barely managed to dodge one of the attacks by bending over backwards. It was a close one."

"Then…?" urged Ino, who could imagine the situation her friend had been in.

"Then the arrogant bastard grins and tells me that I'm lucky I don't have perfect measurements, or else it would've been more than just a close call!"

Ino and Hinata exchanged nervous looks, while Sakura seethed privately, her face reddening with color and it was not from embarrassment.

"What an asshole," she bit out, "I only wish he was here now. I'd snatch that senbon from his mouth and stab him in the jugular or something. And repeatedly too, until—"

"Gee…that's sounds kinda painful. Maybe I should leave?"

Said person was now standing beside her, and smirking with his trademark senbon tilted upwards in what could be perceived as a mocking gesture. Sakura's look of surprise quickly transformed into one of accusation, as she glared for all she was worth.

"You've got guts talking to me after what you said today,"

The Jounin only raised his hands in self-defense.

"I was supposed to test your overall condition. Doesn't emotional stability count?"

Sakura politely asked Ino and Hinata to release their restraining holds on her arms.

"Look, you made the cut, so I don't see what you're so upset about."

"That's not the point," the roseate-haired kunoichi sniffed, turning away from the group to sulk more effectively.

Having observed the highly entertaining banter, Ino could no longer contain her giggle of amusement.

"Genma-senpai," she drawled knowingly, "this is why you're going to remain single till the end of your days."

"I won't be the only one," the Jounin muttered in reply.

Ino took it that he was referring to Sakura. It was true, that while the majority of them were making the most of their young lives, Sakura had opted to completely forego the realm of dating. For a time, Ino had hoped that her coral-haired friend had forgotten about Sasuke, like she had herself, simultaneously dissolving their heated rivalry. Sakura was her usual sharp-tongued, feisty self who excelled at her missions and enjoyed time with her friends. But whenever anything remotely associated with the Uchiha name was mentioned, Sakura would lapse into an expression of deep-rooted yearning, proving that she hadn't come close to forgetting him.

It was a painful thing to watch.

The blonde spied with interest as Genma slid a full mug of premium ale in front of Sakura, who was making it a point to ignore the other's antics.

"My apologies," the normally detached Jounin conceded sincerely, "I'd say something to make up for my comment earlier, but I'll probably only get a fist in return, right? And frankly, you hit pretty hard."

With a final smirk in their direction, the older shinobi took off, disappearing into the throng of people who crowded around the bar. Sakura waited until she was sure he had left, then reached for the mug as a slow smile spread across her features.

"You're forgiving him just like that," asked Ino, who was puzzled because Sakura had seemed on the verge losing it before.

"May as well," mumbled the kunoichi in question, but then added with a grin, "not like he's going to change. Though I was holding out until he bought me a drink. It's only fair."

Both Ino and Hinata laughed at this, as the three of them brought their glasses together in a shared toast.

"Sakura-san!"

Sakura instantly recognized the voice, and swiveled in her stool to face the flushing visage of Rock Lee who came tearing towards her.

"Sakura," he exclaimed excitedly, resembling an excited schoolboy although he stood a full head taller than the young woman before him, "Ino said that I would find you here tonight. I wanted to congratulate you for your incredible achievement. Now we might have the chance to work together!"

"Thank you, Lee-kun, it's not really that big a deal," Sakura replied, then shot a quizzical look towards Ino who had suddenly found the floor remarkably engaging.

Hinata meanwhile was staring at Sakura's newly branded arm, and prodded curiously at the freshly tattooed emblem on her bicep.

"Ow," the other yelped in response, retracting her appendage protectively, "careful, it's still tender!"

"Ah, I'm so sorry!"

"Yes, it takes a few days for the pain to fully disappear," added Lee helpfully. He rolled up the sleeve of his forest green pantsuit to display his own identical motif. "Just try to leave it alone."

"Will do,"

"I saw Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru, and Chouji at a table when I came in." He pointed at a table closer to the doors. "Why don't you go and join them?"

"That's a great idea," Hinata smiled, sliding off her stool, "are you joining us, Lee-san?"

Sakura and Ino echoed the invitation, though both secretly began plotting how they were going to keep the alcohol out of his reach. Thinking about Lee's ambiguously tempestuous relationship with liquor invited shivers down everyone's backs.

"No, I'm afraid I must leave now. I'm meeting Gai-sensei early tomorrow morning for a sparring session." He turned back to address Sakura. "You should head home soon as well, Sakura. You must be exhausted after the examination today."

"Thanks for your concern, Lee-kun. I hope your sparring session goes well tomorrow."

Sakura followed Lee's back with her gaze until he too disappeared into the crowd. Grabbing her drink, she took a hefty swig of the rich brew, then glanced at Ino only to see that the blonde was looking at her strangely.

"He still hasn't given up, has he?"

Miserably, Sakura shook her head.

"It's so unfair to him, Ino. And I can't just treat him coldly in hopes that he'll change his mind, because he's helped me so much over the years. It'd be cruel, and I know I wouldn't be able to do that."

Ino patted her friend sympathetically on the back. How could she possibly tell Sakura that maybe she was the one who needed to open her eyes and give others a chance? They'd been through the argument countless times before, always reaching the same verdict: Sakura was too stubborn to look beyond her attachment to Sasuke. It made little sense to bystanders, who deemed that only misery could result from her actions.

"Should we head over to the boys' table?"

Sakura glanced up at her two friends who were waiting for her.

"You guys go on ahead. I want to order another drink."

After they had left, Sakura signaled to the bartender that she was ready for another glass. Pushing her empty mug away, the kunoichi shook her head experimentally, beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol. She was about to sample her next drink when someone settled into the stool beside hers. Not in the mood for a conversation, she hoped that this newcomer would keep to himself, but that little hope was dashed when she felt him turn towards her.

"Sakura,"

That voice gave pause to all her actions. It was certainly familiar, yet for the life of her she couldn't identify the speaker. Masculine and deep, but the way he said her name easily with underlying warmth indicated that they should have been on closer terms than mere acquaintances.

Setting her drink down with a soft 'clink', Sakura turned slowly in her seat, almost reluctant to meet the eyes of someone who she obviously should have recognized. Of all things, she wasn't expecting to see the very person who'd look on her with only one eye. Said eye crinkled at the sight of her obviously stunned expression, indicating that the man was smiling at her beneath his facemask.

"It's been awhile," Kakashi commented, hoping that five years wouldn't create any unnecessary awkwardness between them. Though with Sakura's current wide-eyed, open-mouthed expression, he could more readily believe that this accomplished young woman beside him really was the lovesick, spirited girl he had been responsible for.

Getting a hold of her bearings, Sakura was sorely tempted to poke the figure watching her, just to assure herself that it really was Kakashi sitting there, someone who had disappeared from her life almost overnight. Much like someone else she knew.

"Kakashi-sensei…"she began, the words sounding almost strange on her tongue since they had been unused for so long. Or maybe it was just the alcohol…

Kakashi gave a little laugh.

"Really Sakura, at this point I think the title is a little unwarranted, don't you think?"

"Nonsense, Sensei," his former student countered, "haven't you heard the saying, 'Sensei for a day, mentor for life'? It's the least you deserve."

Something about the way she said it made Kakashi unsure whether to take her comment in a sarcastic context or not. But he appeared completely unaffected as he lifted his own beer bottle in salute.

"Congratulations for being accepted into ANBU. That's quite an achievement."

Sakura met his toast and drank, but couldn't help peering with slight bewilderment at the man who had just complimented her. He looked exactly as he had the last time she'd seen him, albeit a little tired, but her rational side concluded that it was perfectly normal for them to be drinking as colleagues now.

Her inner self however, had yet to get over the "Iie, I can't believe I'm drinking with Kakashi-sensei!" phase. She looked over at him just as he addressed her again.

"Your skills as a shinobi have certainly grown. Those were quite the impressive techniques I saw you use today. On a whole other level than the abilities you had under my command, correct?"

Twirling a forelock of her hair idly between two fingers, Sakura responded indifferently.

"I wouldn't know, Sensei. You never really taught me any specific techniques back when Team 7 was still active."

Kakashi could have cringed from the implications of her statement.

Talk about chalking up the guilt factor…

But he merely brushed it aside in actuality, scratching his head as he chuckled lightly.

"Yeah, I really wish that I had spent more time with you guys. But things happened—"

"I'm sure," Sakura cut in, then smiled somewhat apologetically, "you're an important Jounin to Konoha, Sensei. You don't have control over many things."

Her gaze relayed her sincerity, for she could comprehend that what had happened was never his intention.

Relieved that she seemed to understand him, Kakashi nodded approvingly.

"That is correct, Sakura. I think you'll see it more for yourself now with the start of your ANBU career."

Now that they had leveled with each other, he was hoping to ask her some more personal questions in hopes of understanding what her life had been like these past years. But fate apparently wasn't with him, for Ino returned at this time, intent on getting Sakura up on stage and singing.

"Sakura, it's your turn to go up there! I already put your name on the list."

Only then did she notice Kakashi sitting next to her roseate-haired friend.

"Why, it's Kakashi-sensei! I haven't seen you in the village forever."

The Jounin nodded in acknowledgement, "How are you doing, Ino?"

"Great, though I really miss the days when Asuma-sensei would treat us to lunch! Hm, it's too bad that you came back now, when Naruto's out of the village."

"That's true," Kakashi agreed, "it's been awhile since I've talked to our favorite loudmouth shinobi."

"Yes well, I hope you don't mind if I borrow Sakura for a bit. I have a bet going on with Kiba that says Sakura could bring this house down."

Kakashi said it was no problem, and allowed Ino to drag away the slightly reluctant ANBU member who complained that she was too sober to sing. He decided to linger for a bit at the bar, but adjusted his position so that he had a clear view of the stage.

Thankfully, Sakura could still walk without stumbling, and she looked almost confident as she told her selection to the operator, and stood self-assuredly in front of the mike. Sporadic starbursts of spotlight illuminated her pale skin tone against the dim surroundings, showcasing the girl like a priceless ivory figurine.

He remarked how expressive her eyes could be, while the rest of her face had filled out into mature lines, Sakura's jade eyes still remained naïve in their ability to convey her every emotion, whether she intended to or not.

The morose melody of a previously popular hit drifted across the room, as the young woman onstage took a deep, relaxing breath in preparation.

"Can't forget he who I love,

I know I'll wait till I feel his touch.

Can't forget he who loves me,

Cause I know he'd die of misery.

I'm not as cold as I seem,

Yet I have hurt you so deep.

Don't mean to,

No…not you.

Don't be a fool,

Who told you love has rules?"

Her pitch was true, but what really struck Kakashi were the almost tangible waves of raw emotion that Sakura emitted. Her eyes were closed in concentration, as she melded herself completely with the rich notes she sang.

"Haven't touched he who I love,

I fear that fate is involved too much.

Can't ignore he who loves me,

Cause I've heard his sad and desperate plea.

Why can't the one that I love,

Be the one whose feelings I touch,

I find this pain too much.

This must be hell,

Forget me…save yourself.

He who loves me waits for me through night and day,

Yet for the man that I love…I would throw my life away.

Can't choose the one to love me and stay,

Stay with me…don't leave me this way.

He who loves me says he just wants me to smile,

Yet for the one that I love…I would keep my heart in exile.

Can you tell me who's the one at fault here,

Why aren't we free to let go…of all this sorrow?"

By the time she was done, the entire pub erupted with the deafening sounds of applause, whistles, and the random catcall. Yet Kakashi participated in none of that, having caught a glimpse of what was really going on inside Sakura's mind as she sang. He had been planning to find out where Sasuke now stood with her, but it was no longer necessary. Maybe she really hadn't changed all that much, and deep inside…was still that infatuated little girl he remembered.

***

Someone was trying to shift her. Sakura could feel the purposeful hands tugging none to gently on her arms and pushing at her ribcage. Really, if they wanted her to move that badly, then couldn't they at least have the courtesy of asking her? If they didn't stop touching her soon there'd be hell to pay when she got up…even though she was having trouble registering the sounds culminating about her, and her limbs felt about as animated as soggy ramen. She must have made some noise of protest, for someone actually began patting her lightly on the cheek. Maybe she shouldn't have indulged in that last drink, or two, or five.

"Sakura, come on…"

"It's no use, Kakashi-sensei. She's been like this for over half an hour."

Ino…

Sakura tried to lift her head off the table to let them know she could hear them, ignoring the fact that she felt as though some had emptied her skull and plugged it with fluff. Groaning in discomfort, she vowed to get Ino and the guys back for pounding that last round of drinks into her. They should have know better, even if she had barely objected…

Without any warning, Kakashi reached down and pulled Sakura's wilted form to his side with as much gentleness as he could muster. The Copy Ninja was a little dismayed that she had been able to intoxicate herself to such a degree in the space of an hour after leaving his presence. It seemed out of character for her to be this careless.

"Ino," he spoke to the Chuunin, who was busy keeping her friend's lolling head in place, "I'd better take Sakura home now. She'll get sick if she stays any longer."

The blonde agreed wholeheartedly, and added, "I should come with you Kakashi-sensei, Sakura moved into her own apartment several weeks ago."

"What's the address?"

She told him, while keeping a careful eye on how her smashed companion was holding up. Kakashi nodded, then flung one of Sakura's arms over his own neck in an effort to better counterbalance her.

"I know where that is. Though if you could stop by and check on her tomorrow morning…"

"I will," Ino promised, noticing how easily Kakashi seemed to adjust his stance and movements to accommodate Sakura's additional weight. His actions appeared unhindered as he moved towards the exit, leading Ino to wonder if Kakashi was in the habit of escorting drunks home. She shrugged, bringing her attention back to rescuing Hinata before the guys succeeded in drinking another kunoichi under the table.

Halfway to the pub doors, Kakashi felt a slight moan coming from his human cargo, and shifted her slightly to obtain a better view of her face. Sakura's free hand was rubbing at her throat, unconsciously displaying her discomfort. The young woman focused bright, vulnerable eyes towards the Jounin in a silent plea for assistance.

"I feel sick,"

Her escort nodded, and after finding an unclaimed chair by the wall, eased his soft burden onto the seat.

"Stay, I'll get you some water," he told her, and rushed off to grab a glass of the desired fluid.

While waiting at the counter, the Sharingan user wondered how even on his night off, he still found himself landing escort missions. He realized belatedly that he didn't feel relaxed at all, and being intercepted by one Shiranui Genma wasn't helping matters.

"Kakashi," the other Jounin sidled up and grinned at him, "thought I saw you trying to make off with the goods. Cough it up, who is she?"

Kakashi shot him an exasperated look, and subsequently turned to leave after seizing the water that was brought.

"You're hallucinating," he said over his shoulder to Genma, who followed at his heels.

"I know what I saw," the other persisted, "and where are you going?"

The Copy Ninja weaved his way through the crowd back to Sakura, surprisingly with Genma still able to follow.

"Take a good look at her…"

Genma did, taking in the slouched figure and recognizable pink head. He whistled lowly, fixing Kakashi with a knowing gaze.

"Should have guessed it. I mean, getting the lady smashed and then making off with her…you don't usually play that dirty…nor are you that desperate."

Kakashi chose to ignore that, and instead crouched down in front of the slumped female to offer her the water, persuading her to accept it and drink.

"Just making sure she gets home safely,"

"Sure." Genma gave the senbon between his teeth a playful flick. "Eh, I probably contributed to your problem, since I did buy her a drink. Didn't think she'd be such a lightweight though…"

"You'd be gone after half a dozen assorted drinks. And that's only the low end estimate."

"Seriously?" The other asked incredulously, choosing to bend down and examine the kunoichi himself, "You couldn't tell by just looking at her."

"Don't tell me you never did anything stupid when you were younger," Kakashi scoffed.

"Yeah," Genma agreed, rising, "but I wasn't one to give under peer pressure."

"I think she just has a lot on her mind,"

"That's every alcoholic's excuse."

"Genma, she's not at that stage…"

"Let me counsel her,"

"I don't think so."

"Being just a bit protective, are we?"

"Well, she was one of my charges,"

"Speaking of charges…"

Kakashi instantly glanced back to Sakura…

…who had wandered off sometime during their brief exchange.

"Shit," he cursed, eying the empty chair disbelievingly, "why didn't you say anything?"

"I'm just as surprised as you are. I thought she was too trashed to walk by hers—"

Kakashi was gone before Genma could finish, having taken off in frantic search of the peripatetic ANBU member. While intently scrutinizing his surroundings, the Jounin mentally berated himself. He had been careless, if even for only a few seconds, but it was obviously enough. Briefly, Kakashi was reminded of how his former team had the disconcerting habit of attracting trouble. He had thought it was a trait shared only by Naruto and Sasuke. Evidently he was wrong.

He finally spotted Sakura, who was with a couple of Tsunade's Chuunin assistants who, if possible, appeared more spatially challenged than she was. Despite that they were seconds from falling over one another, the trio looked like they were trying to carry on a seemingly normal conversation.

The Jounin shook his head at the absurd scene, though the sight of Sakura swaying unsteadily in the presence other males while under influence, cheeks rose-tinged from intoxication, caused something fierce to swell within his chest. With two brisk strides he was at her side, blatantly ignoring the puzzled glances spectators were giving him as picked up the kunoichi bridal-style.

Kotetsu was trying to focus around the hazy distortion that his eyes kept presenting him with. He did, however, notice the encroaching figure that suddenly loomed before him and Izumo, snatching away the nice girl that they had been talking to.

"Hey," he tried to protest, "w-where you taking…"

A warning look from the Copy Ninja stopped him shortly.

"Y-you, hey, y-you're—"

"Yeah, I'm him."

Kakashi tossed off the reply and then hastily left with Sakura, leaving two gaping Chuunins in their wake.

He didn't stop his progression this time around, not until he was outside the joint and looking directly up at the open night with its scattered clusters of stars that winked at him teasingly, as though finding great humor in his predicament. Sparing a glance down at his roseate-haired passenger, Kakashi couldn't really decide whether to be amused or put out by the fact that she had reverted back to some near-unconscious state. Really, was a multi-personality complex possible for someone under influence? He shrugged to himself, and then took off at his usual stealth-like pace reserved for missions.

Traveling noiselessly along the varying rooftops and intersecting beams provided for him, Kakashi felt Sakura shift in his hold, the slight weight of her head leaving the comfortable juncture between his chin and chest, only to peer up at her current mode of transport.

"Who are you," she asked inquiringly, large jade eyes fixated on him with childlike fascination.

Giving her a quick glance, Kakashi felt caught in the entrancing innocence of her stare, and unconsciously offered her a smile that went unseen.

"I'm Hatake Kakashi," he replied, more out of the desire to appease her endearing curiosity than anything.

"Ooooh," she nodded in perfect understanding, but then added, "you look a lot like Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi sighed, and figured he was better off treating her as some obtuse child for the time being, instead of a grown individual capable of higher-level mental processes. At least she was cooperative now, he mused, actually attempting to be helpful by not fidgeting in his hold and making his task any harder.

That is, until she started pulling at the taut fabric of his facemask, her face practically beaming with malicious glee.

Scratch that…I take it all back. She's about as helpful as Tsunade is with compulsive gamblers.

After several failed attempts to dislodge his face covering, due to the Jounin's naturally quick reflexes, Sakura sank back into the cradle of Kakashi's arms and pouted prettily, until by chance a perplexing thought occurred to her. A faraway cast fell over her feature, as she quieted, then suddenly remarked in hushed tones:

"You know, there's only been two guys that have ever held me like this…one would be Sasuke-kun, and the other is Kakashi-sensei,"

Kakashi listened intently as Sakura went on, her eyes lighting with what he identified as memorable fondness.

"They both protected me…and for a time," here her voice caught, "…I thought they were both lost to me."

Her confession startled Kakashi, who felt himself tense up in response. It had never occurred to him that his abrupt removal from her daily existence had affected her on some deeper level. Sasuke's departure devastating her was to be expected, but his role…he wouldn't have guessed that she'd begun to regard him as a steadfast constant in her life. Team 7's unexpected disbanding must have been harder for her to accept than she let on.

"But," Sakura cut in, disrupting his train of thoughts, "I have to add you to that special list now." And with that, she offered a conspiring wink that made Kakashi feel like she'd just imparted some huge secret to him, and cuddled back against the rough nylon of his flak vest.

Thankfully by the time Kakashi brought her outside the building complex, she was dozing off peacefully in the secure refuge of the Jounin's hold. Locating her key in the accessory pouch strapped to her belt, Kakashi unlocked her door and maneuvered them both into her small but organized penthouse apartment. It was relatively the same size as his, only noticeably better taken care of, and complete with a decorative touch that his bachelor pad lacked. Potted plants and framed photos adorned the rooms, he noticed as he eventually found her bedroom that featured a prominent twin-sized bed with temptingly fluffy comforters in deep lavender.

He set her down on the bed carefully, though refrained from tucking her in. Making sure that she was turned on her side, Kakashi stepped back and took in the serene picture she presented.

Are you really just like any other young woman facing the typical trials of life?

Lying there completely unawares, with coral strands delicately framing her heart-shaped visage, Sakura really did resemble the average young woman. But then he saw it, the ANBU tattoo that was cast in a silver wash by the moonlight cascading through her window. The emblem that was emblazoned onto the pale expanse of her skin seemed blatantly unnatural, almost marring the natural beauty the rest of her exuded.

For a second, Kakashi felt tempted to walk over and wake her: he wanted to coax her away from the direction that would vanquish any innocence and purity she still possibly retained. But the more rational side of him argued that if she were indeed a true shinobi, then those concepts would have been stripped from her long ago.

His night over, Kakashi prepared to head home, secretly mourning the loss of his relaxing evening. Yet as he looked back upon Sakura's slumbering form, he felt the accumulated tensions in his person gradually begin to dispel. The occasional wheeze from her still person brought another smile to his lips.

Gods…I am such a pitiable sucker for a sweet face.

***

Author's Notes: And there we go, two chapters for a first post! All reviews and comments are appreciated folks.