Flash back

He inwordly sighed peacefully as he slide down the large tree truck and onto the soft green grass below.The shade of the leaves above provided a well wanted cool shelter from the hot summer day.Bringing a knee up to his chest he pulled out his Icha Icha Paradise and used his knee as a suppot resource, as he began to read.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei!"he heard Natuo's call and relutantly looked up from his reading material which had just gotten to the good part.He saw the blonde running through the open field towards him. He also saw Sasuke running beside his teammate, notinceing the aggresiveness between the two as they challenged each other to get to him first.

"Always the compition."He sighed turning back to the book find ing it a whole lot interesting then watch the two argue.The two boys arrived simutatianly and fell down to the comforting grass in front if him.Grabbing their respective bottles of water they began to chug the much appritated cool water. Taking in all the liguid in one gulp they both sighed as they began to regain their breathes.

"All done I suppose.?"He replyed calmly without looking up.

"Yup!Wasn't even a challenge, but I don't know how little Sasuke faired."The blonde grinned evily and sideglanced towards the dark haired boy.

"Shut up, baka."Sasuke snapped.

"Where's Sakura?"Naurto asked suddenly noticing the pink haired girl was missing.

"Who knows. I lost her a while back she's probably still at the starting line."Sasuke absentmindingly shrugged as the subject flew right over his head without a second thought.Kakashi, who had been listening to the boys conversation let out a soft exhale of air and shut his book, catching the attension of the two. And before either one had the chance to ask, he was gone. Leaving behind a grey puff of smoke. Naruto raised his eyebrow and gave Sasuke a questioning look.The boy merely shrugged once more before calmly laying back onto the grass.

Kakashi came to a stop on top of a tree branch in a perch when his skilled eye picked up the presence of the missing Shinobi.He looked down at the pink haired chuuin below . He purposely lowered his chakra so it would asure that his presence would go totally unnoticed by the young women. He studied her chakra and realised that she was running low, watching her back rise up and down in desperate deep breathe as she knelt on all fours on the stone floor.

Kakashi had always felt a bit sorry for his younger student even though he knew that she wouldn't want him to.Knowing full well that she could never achieve the level of chakra or streangh that Naruto or Sasuke posses even at this age.Although he noticed that she was excellent in the controling of the chakra that she does posses and a master of the few seals that he had personally tought her to further advance her training.But even though she knew this very well she still never refused to give up. Most times, like today, pushing herself well beyond her limits. But that she kept trying no matter how difficult it was to complete the tasks he assigns, as training is conserned he held the highest respect towards her.But it didn't stop there. Kakashi had grow to respect how smart she was, and how she used what she knew to her advantage. She had truly grown into a beauty, smart and confiatent women over the years.

Sakura gasped in surprise when Kakashi suddenly appeared before her.

"Come on, Sakura. Lunch time."His exposed eye curved up in a cheery smile.She stared up at him for a moment internally judging whether to accept his offer or to stubbornly continue with her tasks even though she knew that she was running on nothing. In the end she decied to go with him. Kakashi held out a helping hand and she gratefully took it pushing away her pride to accept his nice act.He took her hand and effortlessly pulled her to her feet like she weighed nothing.She now stood before him, and he immidatly became aware of how nice she smelt. Like blossoms, he realised.And it had somehow captured him so he did not want from the spot where he gazed deeply into hers.Suddenly snapping from his dream state, he noticed that he had been staring and that he was still had a gently grasp of her slender hand. He dropped in as if it had been on fire and turned sideways to conseal the heavy blush he had behind his mask and head band. Not before that Sakura had very similar blush on her face.

"About that lunch."Kakashi wanted desperatly to change the uncomfortable and quite embarresing subject at hand. He turned to walk away but abrutly turned around when he heard the soft thud from behind him and saw that Sakura had fallen to the floor once more.She still had that blush but now it was covered with sand too.

"I'm sorry, kakashi-sensei."She apologized and struggled to her feet once more but found it almost impossible as she fell to her knees agian.She let out a soft gasp when she felt his strong arms slipp around her back and undrneath her knees.He lifted her off the dirty ground in his arms. She looked up at him in surprise and immediatly noticed that he had turned bright red for some reason.Why was he blushing? He never used to blush when he picked me up before, she thought.

Get a hold of yourself, Kakashi you're acting like a school boy. She's you're student , you shouldn't fell like this when she's in your arms.!Inner Kakashi screamed.God she smells so good.Thought Kakashi.

End flash back

Kakashi awoke from his dream, or memory, would probably best suit the pleasent images. His gaze came to focus on the white cieling of the tent he slept in, hearing the soft raindrops hit the surface and feeling at peace with the southing sound.A smile appeared on his tried, and maskless face as he recalled that day.That was the first true moment that he really truely noticed Sakura as a beautiful women and not the youge sweet girl which he had tought.That scent, she smelt so good. And back than he would have never thought that he would ever have the pleasure of waking up to that smell every morning.

Kakashi's hand reached up to his bare chest to the pendent that hung on his skin just below his defined collar bones.He began to play with the surface loving the way that it felt against his rough ninja fingers.So plain to the untrained eye, but to him it was home.How many memories must be trapped inside the core.

Decieding that he was thristy, he sat up on the thin mat and pulled the mask up from around his neck to cover his features once more.He grabbed his boots from beside him and slipped them on. He tossed the covers aside and stood up, ducking considerably in order to fit and prevent his hair from rubbing against the top.He unzipped the tent and slipped out into the light rain which felt kinda nice after going two weeks without a shower.

He walked past the row of white tents like his towards the supply tent. He sences suddenly picked up another presence and he briskly turned around, ready to engage into whatever battle which could be forth coming.But relaxed when ha saw a visably tired Genma walking up to him, rubbing his eye and his back slouched considerably more than Kakashi's.

"What are you doing up, Genma.?"Kakashi asked.

"Who's Genma.?"He mummbled. Kakshi sighed and turned to enter the tent. he grabbed a bottle of water from the table and turned to exit.

"You should get back to bed. We move out at dawn."He replyed as he walked past his friend not really knowing if the man even had heard him.

"Why thank you, I would love a piece of pie."He mummbled as he shifted slowly into the large tent which Kakashi had leave moments before.Kakashi rolled in eyes as he began the walk back to where a long awaited mat would be.But momentarily stopped to turn his gaze up towards the starless sky.

Flashback

Kakashi felt the warmth of the flames against his face and his hands as he sat on the tree log before the large fire. He kept his eyes glues to the sparking flames memorized but the bright colours that vibrantly stood out against the pitch background of the large forest he camped inAnything would really due as a diversion of his thought of Sakura. He kept repeating the same words inside his head.'No, she's your student you can't think of her in that way.'But no matter how hard he tried his heart would always challenge logic.He could no longer see the little girl inside her eyes. Instead it had been replaced with the confident women who could very easily take care of herself. She had grown strong and indepentant, no longer relying on Naruto or even his help.He found it amazing how just one smile could make him so weak even with all his strength.The image of her standing before him made him smile.

"So, here you are."He heard the sound of a voice which he would know anywhere.And looked up to see the women approaching.His heart skipped a beat and his breathe caught in his chest as his eyes focused on te way the firelight lit up her face and welldefined body. She had really developed into a beautiful figure.She smiled and came to stand before him, as he just gazed up at her finding it impossible to look away even when he knew that he was staring."May I sit down?"Kakashi nodded without a moments hesitation.Wanting her to sit beside him very much.She took her seat on the log a whole lot closer to his body as she had meant but choose not to move even when she felt his body tense up because soon after she felt his relax at thier closeness.H eswallowed as he mentally told himself to calm down.

"The stars are beautiful out tonight."She replyed after a brief moment of uncomfortable silence.

'I can think of something much more beauiful the than the stars' Kakashi fought the urge to say and settled on,"Yes they are. It will be a nice day for travel tommorow."He replyed glancing up to share the sight with her for a second then turned back to the fire.

"That's good. I do not like the rain that much. It will be great to see the sun again, that way the clouds can hide the beauty which is meant to shine."She smiled and took her gaze off the stars and switched it to Kakashi. He glanced at her for a moment then briskly turned back.She only smiled more are his reaction to her statment."But I cannot bring myself to hate the rain even though it's cold and wet because I know that without the rain there will be no sun to love.It that aspect, I am very gratefull for the rain." Sakura had definatly grown wise."And if you look at everything in that way, that everything exists for something else, then you really truely love everything."She replyed.

"That is true. I'm proud that you have come to know this, Sakura."He replyed.

"I've only come to know this becasue of you,Kakashi-sensei."She replyed in a low tone as she gazed at the fire.Kakashi looked at her in surprise, she she didn't return the gesture."You have always spoke of wise things, even though sometimes you don't realise it.And I've learned to listen to what you say, so someday I can teach you something I have learned."She was glad that the firelight hid the blush that now appeared on her face.

"I'm flattered that you think that of me, Sakura. And I very much look forward to that day."He replyed."I'm sure it will come soon, when your path crosses a lesson inwhich I havn't yet come across."She nodded to herself.

"Sensei, have I changed?"She managed to catch him off guard with her questino which he hadn't expected to be asked.

"What do you mean, sakura?"He glanced over at her quickly as the thought popped in his head that she meant phyically.He couldn't hold back the red blush that showed on his covered face.'Shut up you pervert! she doesn't mean that, you know what she means.'Kakashi thought.

"Have I changed, am I a better person than I used to be? Better than how I used to be."She whispered.Kakashi frowned at her sudden change of tone. She was ad.

"Sakura, I believe that you had absolutly nothing to improve on."She gasped and looked at him, as he held her gaze telling her that he with serious."Listen to me now,you are still the sweet, loving, kind person I knew.Only now I believe that you are much wiser. I knew from when you told me before about the rain.You are a much stronger shinobi and I am very proud to have you graduated from my teachings. You have truely become a wise and beautiful women."Kakashi immediatly thought that he had let way to much slip when he noticed the blush appear on her face. Swallowing, he turned back to the fire not liking how personal the converstaion had went."As I am proud of Naruto ans Sasuke as well."He added quietly.
"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei."She whispered and very quickly bent forward and gently placed a kiss on he cheek, than jumped up and ran off towards her tent.

Kakashi's eyes were practically bulging from his skull in utter surprise. His breathe became heavy and laboured as if was going to burst from his chest.Uncouniously, his hand had reached up to gently touch the spots inwhich her lips had been only moments before.

End flashback.