Flashback

There was nothing but silence all throughout the small campsite as the still of night fell over the thick forest of Leaf country territory.Kakashi and the others had long since gone to bed in thier respective tents inorder to move out early the next morning. Or so anyone thought. A figure crept from a small tent and the far end of the row, thier slender body visble only due to the slight moonlight above. They didn't even bother to rezip the tent back up in the hopes of not returning to it till morning.The figure crept carefully and silently past the two other tents till she came to paused before the far one. A hand went up and brushed the pink hair that had fallen to their face.

Her heat began to beat faster within her chest when she senced the presence that lay sleeping just beyond the other side of the thin peice of fabric.This was it, she told herself. She wasn't goning to back out this time. he had to know how she felt, how he made her feel.

Inhaling a deep breath she slowly reached up to grab the zipper. not allowing herself to think her actions over, shepulled it to the floor and carefully stepped inside. She tried to catch her breath as her eyes focused on the broad chest as it rose up steadily as he breatheed. She knew that he wasn't asleep and that he was fully aware of her presence, a jounin is prepared in all situations after all.

She crept past his bag and shoes to gently kneel beside his seemingly sleeping form.Even with the little light that came through the tent she could still see the silver hair that she found quite odd, but at the same time beautiful.She couldn't resist running her slender fingers through the hair as it fell beautifully across her hidden features.'Damn that mask'She thought.'He even sleeps in it'.But even though she wished to see his face, the familier sight she'd grown to expect brought a smile to her face.

"What are you doing?"His sudden husky and deep voice startled her and she quickly withdrew her hand out of instinct.His soft balck eye opened and looked up into the green ones that stared down at him. This was it.

"I, need to talk with you."She whispered shaking alittle with nervousness but her voice held nothing but confendence. Kakashi didn't speak so she continued."I'm nervous for some reason. Even though my heart and mind are absolutly positive of what I feel. I... I've felt."Sakura's voice trailled off as he leaned down and captures his lips in hers, when she was no longer able to control herself.She felt his immediatly tense beneath her, but didn't care. Sakura shifter so her hips straddled his chest and placed both hands on the nape of his neck in an attempt to deepen the kiss. Surprising she felt his body loosen and his strong hands gently wrap around the small of her beneath her small t-shirt and she loved the feeling of him touching her skin.He quickly ripped the mask from his face faster that she could even imagine and was unable to see the face which hid beneath.

She felt as if she was in heavon. That Kakashi's touch had takin her to a different plain of earth, one where she was able to be happy.She groaned lightly in the back of her throat as hos soft yet forceful hands ran further up her back to where her bra would have been if she had been wearing one.'I can't believe this is happining'She thought' Kakashi the man I love is here in my arms, kissing me!Oh, wow he's such a good kisser.!'

Suddenly her thoughts were interuppted when the once soft gentle hand that stroked her waist, quickly pushed her away. With a small gasp she lips were reluctantly left his as her slender body was effortlessly pushed aside off the strong defined chest.The sudden regection feeling began to fill her stomache, as she looked at him with all the hurt and pain she felt inside, noticing that he once again had the mask pulled up.

Kakashi was looking down, turning to hide his visable eye, using the mask and headband to his advantage. his body seemed frozen, as if he wasn't even breathing. Yet he didn't speak.'Just like him'She thought. never speaking even if his silence was hurting her beyond his realization.

"What's wrong?"She whispered, hoping desperatly to stop herself from exposing all the endless emotions that filled her body at that moment.

"Sakura, I can't do this."Those words that she had dreaded would escape his lips had.She had been rejected. Tears began to form behind her green eyes, but she was able to keep them at bay.

"Why not?"She tried to hold back the forcefullness but feared she failed when her met her eyes.

"...You're my student. I'm your teacher."He whispered.

"Ex-Sensei."She interuppted, not surprised to see Kakashi once again turn his gaze away."Ex-student. And what does that have to do with anything?"

"You're seventeen."He whispered. That statement set her off, her eyes flashed with fire as sadness was rapidly replaced by anger.

"So you're syaing because I'm seventeen that I don't know or can't comprehend how I feel.!"She whispered."That I'm just a silly little girl with a crush!"She reached out and and cupped her fingers beneath his chin and forced him to look at her." I'm not that little girl anymore, Kakashi.I'm almost a jounin for Christ sakes.I'm very much aware of the way I feel. And I love you."She replyed.

Suddenly his eyes flashed and using his speed grabbed her shoulder in a blink of an eye .She gasped as he tried not to hurt her that much but ended up doing just that. The Covers which had covered his lower half flew off in the process reveling his uniform pants that he slept in, and he now knelt before her.

"Don't say that!"He cried, his voice growing louder than he had wanted. She looked at him in surprise as the tears she'd kept back began to pour down her cheeks.

"I love-"

"No you don't! I'm to old for you! You need to fall in love with someone you're own age!"How much it killed him to say that to her he had to.She deserves she much than him.

"Kakashi it's alittle too late."She forced a sad smile through her tears,as she reached up, needing to touch im. But his hand swiftly grabbed her wrist."Please, please can't you just this once not analysis this, don't try to find a reason why it is what it is. Don't think about Naruto or Sasuke, or Tsunde or Iruka would say. Don't think about age or rank or even me. Please just look into your heart. If your heart could speak what would it say. Tell me you don't feel something, if you don't then I'll leave this tent forever."She whispered.

Kakashi had to use all his strenght not to grab her and passionatly kiss the women with all the love he felt within his heart and was unable to express in words. The way her beautiful face, even in the dark, lit up the tent everytime she looks at him. She really did love him, it wasn't a crush.An she isn't a lttle girl anymore, Sakura's a grown women. Maybe it wouldn't be terrible for him to say 'I love you, Sakura'.

Kakashi let her wrist slip threw his fingers."Sakura."He whispered.

Sakura's hands shook as the tears began to fall from her sad green eyes onto her lap. Slowly she took his silence as a no and stood apon her shaky legs.

"Ok."She whispered as she unzipped the tent and ran off.

Kakashi's heart hurt as he hated himself for not being able to be straight with her. He was a coward, not worth her feelings. No even if he would be a no Kakashi decied that she needed to know.He peapt of bed and scrammbled out of the tent after her retreating back.

"Sakura!"He called out and saw her back stiffen but her brisk walk didn't stop.

"Leave me alone, you bastard."She snapped but knew that she shouldn't leave the campsite, it would indanger the mission. And with a grunt of anger she turned and speed towards her tent. Kakashi's body appeared infront of her and caused her to stop.

"Sakura, please just listen to me.."His hands reached out to grab her shoulder but she roughly slapped then away with surprising speed. Kakashi immediatly withdrew them, noting that that wasn't the best idea.

"So now you want to talk! Now that I have nothing more to say, Excellent timing as always."She snapped and stepped around him.

"What's going on out here?"Sasuke's tried voice interuppted the conversation and Sakura turned to see him standing outside his tent.

'Why's Kakashi talking with Sakura in the middle of the night without a shirt.?"Naruto asked as he also stood outside his tent.

"Go back to bed."Kakashi ordered with a tone meaning that he wasn't joking and he expected them the listen. The two quickly nodded and stepped back inside thier tents.Kakashi turned his attebtion back to Sakura who had retreated back into her tent. Not willing to give up he unzipped the tent and grabbed Sakura's wrist before she could climb into her bed.

"Neither of us is going to bed untill we talk about this."Kakashi replyed.Sakura turned her head away hidding her eyes from his view.

"Explain what's left to discuss, sensei."She whispered."I love you, you don't love me. ."Her voice cracked as she held back tears.

"I never said that."He whispered. Sakura looked at him in surprise and this time Kakashi held he gaze. His free hand roughly ripped the head band from his eye to see her with both. Then his hand turned to his mask. Sakura swallowed and he ripped it down reveling his face for the first time. Sakura lost her breath as she stared up at the handsome face above her.She suddenly looked down.

"Why are you doing this? To torment me? Letting me see something that I could never have."She whispered.

"I'm an idiot. An asshole personified. I've hurt you so much just because I am afriad."She looked up at him surprise.He looked down at her witheyes that seemed to pierce her soul and sent messages to her brain that kept saying that he loved her."Sakura I love you more than anything in this world and I almost lost it because I feared what other would think.I don't what you to waste your life on someone like me.Someone not worth the dirt beneath your feet."He whisperd.

"Kakashi... you're worth so much more than you think you are."She smiled and gently leaned up to place a comforting kiss on his now bare lips.Kakashi pulled her into his body and fell backwards onto the mat allowing her to land on his chest.

End chapter.