Things are coming along quickly now…

Disclaimer: (cough) Belongs to whats-his-face. (cough) Damn cold…

Choice, Chapter 7

Kakashi walked along a street in his usual slow manner waiting for whoever was following him to make their presence known. He had a pretty good idea who it was but he wasn't sure what he planned to do about it yet.

After their last training session he didn't try to go near any of his students except for Sakura. Although he realized she was trying to avoid him. It was easy enough to find her but he'd given her some space when he caught her sneaking out of one of the hospitals third floor windows.

Drawing his thoughts away from her he stopped as someone landed quietly behind him.

"Kakashi." The man turned slowly around, hands still in his pockets. Sasuke was only a few feet away.

"You should have just attacked me. Then we could've just gotten this over with." His seemingly bored expression and calm words infuriated Sasuke to no end. But he wouldn't let any of that through to show on his face.

"Don't be so eager to loose." Sasuke smirked. Kakashi's eye narrowed a little but he didn't make any move to ready himself. "Sakura isn't here to protect you now. Maybe you should just give up." This did get a reaction. Kakashi glared at him and his shoulders tensed.

"Oh? Maybe you are worried? If you are, then stop pursuing Sakura." Kakashi sighed in frustration. Sasuke's childish teasing wasn't making this easier for him to think through.

"Sasuke, this isn't a game for her-" Kakashi ripped his hands from his pockets a second too late as Sasuke's heel collided with his side.

A wet crunch was felt as Kakashi gripped Sasuke's leg to throw him away into the empty street. His hand slapped back to his side in surprise. His rib was broken. Resisting the urge to squeeze his eye shut in pain he turned to meet Sasuke's next attack.

Hardly believing that Sasuke would actually attack him in a street, barely darkening with evening yet, Kakashi tried to find a way to finish this as quickly as possible. Making no attempt to escape Kakashi let Sasuke close the distance as another kick flew toward his already injured side. He caught it only to feel blows land on his other side and shoulder.

Their flurry of movements lasted only a few moments before Kakashi pinned Sasuke to the ground. Sasuke raged inside as he realized he no idea how Kakashi had gotten him there. A swift blow to his side stopped further thoughts.

He coughed in pain once before another blow crashed into his other side. Doubling up in pain he wrapped his arms around his sides as pain flared through his body. He wasn't sure, but he could definitely feel at least two ribs broken.

Then Kakashi's fist came down a third time onto one of his already broken ribs. Sasuke gave a short scream before clamping his mouth shut.

"Maybe I wasn't the one Sakura was trying to protect." Kakashi disappeared before Sasuke could get up to resume his attack.

Shifting slowly to his feet he stretched his upper body painfully. Broken ribs weren't a new experience and it wasn't impossible for him to fight in this condition but he was relieved Kakashi had left.

"Bastard." He muttered and made his way painfully off.

Kakashi stopped not many blocks away to lean against a building. Unzipping his vest he reached a hand up his shirt to feel along his chest and side. Swelling was already happening and he closed his eye trying to control the flood of emotions that raced through him as he clenched his jaw.

The fact that Sasuke was able to land a blow with that much force surprised him. He also didn't like the satisfaction he'd gained from breaking his own student's ribs.

Opening his eye quickly he looked around him in the growing evening. He'd have to be more careful, of Sasuke at least, since he seemed willing to sneak up on him inside of the village.

Stretching a little to gage the injury he decided to head back to his apartment and wrap his chest.

Sakura woke extra early, jumping from her warm sheets to head quickly into her bathroom. The extremely cool air coming in through her window and sliding around her bare skin made her run the water a little hotter than normal.

As she made her way to the kitchen she noticed the bracelet Naruto had given her sitting forgotten on her table. She smiled sadly as she ran it through her fingers before setting it back down.

After a couple cups of extremely dark coffee she headed quickly to hospital, using mostly alleyways and only crossing roofs with the utmost caution. She still didn't feel like seeing Naruto and definitely not Sasuke since she had probably broken his rib completely.

She made a few rounds around to patients, did a horribly large pile of paperwork that seemed to be waiting for her haughtily before making her way back to her apartment a little before noon.

When she got to her door she found a note pinned to it with a shruiken. She ripped it down and almost let herself crumple it up without reading its contents.

Sakura-chan, meet us at the usual place. We want to talk to you. -Naruto & Sasuke

She could tell it was Naruto's handwriting.

Baka, he didn't tell me when. Suppose I should just head over there now, the note probably wasn't hanging here long seeing as he doesn't normally get up before now.

Not even entering her apartment she made her way to the clearing they used for training. Her every intention on settling this with them.

She arrived there quickly and found the clearing empty. Only a moment passed before Kakashi appeared a little ways away form her. Frowning she started to approach him. He looked over at her then his whole body tensed.

Then Sakura tensed as well as she realized what they were up to. She ran towards Kakashi only to be stopped as Sasuke appeared beside her, grabbing her around the waist.

"Don't." She whispered to him as her green eyes met his red ones.

"Let her go Sasuke." Kakashi said as he walked towards them.

"Why?" Sakura asked turning around in Sasuke's arms as Naruto appeared by landing in front of Kakashi, stopping his progress.

"Why? I should be asking you that! Why him?" He said icily even has he hugged her body closer to his. "Naruto's been pining after you for years." Tears slipped down her face. "You've wanted to be with me since we were children. Now this."

She started to cry in earnest as his gaze flicked from one of her eyes to the other.

"Just pick one of us Sakura. We'll be happy with that. Do you want to be ostracized by the entire village? Do you want-"

"What I want is for you all to stop!" She shouted at him. "Sasuke, I understand why you had to leave for so long. I realize that killing Itachi is the only thing on your mind while you try to get stronger." She stroked his cheek to bring his eyes back to hers. "I also know that Naruto only wants to become this villages next Hokage. But when you both left we weren't a team of four anymore."

She couldn't see Kakashi or Naruto behind her and felt the hairs on her next stand up as silence blanketed the clearing.

"I didn't mean for this happen, Sasuke."

"So you're saying when we left that only Kakashi was left, he was your only choice?" It came out cold and harsh.

"No!" But her fury at his accusation was interrupted.

"You can't just decide one day that you love him Sakura."

"I didn't just decide that I loved him one day! I've always loved Kakashi." His look of disbelief spurred her on. "Just like I've always loved you and Naruto. But now it's different, it's changed since we were young. Just because I want to be with Kakashi doesn't take me away from you…either of you." He wouldn't meet her eyes

Sasuke released her from his grip as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. His gazed shifted quickly from her towards Kakashi.

"Don't." He said simply. But Kakashi was staring at Naruto; his hitai-ate pushed up on his forehead. Kakashi's sharingan spun slowly before Naruto collapsed at his feet. "Damn it Naruto..." Sasuke hissed as he pushed Sakura out of his way.

Naruto had watched Kakashi sadly as he listened to Sakura talk. When Kakashi had revealed his sharingan Naruto looked into it willingly. He didn't want to fight Kakashi and when a question flashed through his sensei's eyes he only nodded. Then he felt his world dissolve into the darkness of the sharingan.

"Sasuke, don't do this anymore. Sakura will still be here." Kakashi said over Naruto's body.

"But she'll be yours." Sasuke said taking a step forwards. Kakashi understood him a little better at that moment.

"Maybe so, but she never belonged to anyone in the first place. I regret that my actions have led to this. So tell me, tell me what I should to make this right." Kakashi stepped over Naruto's prone body towards his male student that was still standing

He realized that Sasuke felt he would loose Sakura, she'd become part of the family that had been previously lost. Being female and letting her be with another male was probably hard on him but Kakashi didn't feel that warranted what was happening.

"Don't talk like! You're not my father Kakashi. You're her teacher for god's sake!" He hissed but made no move against his sensei. Kakashi could see him weakening.

"I'm not Sakura's father either." Sasuke physically jerked at this. "But I haven't really been a teacher to any of you for almost a year."

"You're not good enough for her."

"Who is? A boy who's refused her love until recently? But only because he's acting like a selfish child." Kakashi words stung with their truth and Sasuke wouldn't look him in the eye.

"Enough Sasuke. Naruto didn't want to fight anymore. And I refuse to fight you because it proves nothing." Kakashi shook his head as he looked between his former students.

He hadn't realized it until that moment. None them had been his students for a long time. It was a matter of habit and comfort for them to come together. Sasuke was anbu and Naruto and Sakura were jounins now.

He glanced at the sleeping boy at his feet then back up to Sakura. She was crying silently as she watched them. Sasuke was also watching her; it looked unnatural but pain creased his eyes. Pushing his hitai-ate back in place he disappeared because he had nothing left to say to them. Anything he might say would just make everything worse.

Sakura blinked with surprise when he disappeared without another word. Naruto was breathing peacefully in the long grass and Sasuke watched her intently.

They gazed at each other for a long time. She hesitated as he watched her, but made her decision.

"I am sorry Sasuke. But I choose Kakashi." She left her two best friends in search of the man she had chosen.

Stopping to watch the sun go down Sakura took in her surroundings. She'd been searching for Kakashi since noon and had yet to even catch a glimpse of him. She wished she'd had some kind of summoning technique to search for him.

She stretched a little and started to repeat her loop of possible places he might be and headed for the monument.

It was had already been dark out for quite a while when she past his apartment and noticed that his window was open.

He's home…

She hesitated for a moment then went around to his door and let herself in. He wasn't in his living room or kitchen. Heading to his bedroom she found him slipping out of his shirt facing the window.

Taking the chance to admire the way his muscles rippled smoothly she waited in the doorway for him to acknowledge her. When he continued to stand there and gaze out the window she came behind him to press herself against his bare back.

He didn't move so she pressed her lips between his shoulder blades and breathed in his rich scent. It made her shiver a little and he pulled away from her, turning around to look at her.

"Sakura, we can't do this." He searched her eyes as confusion crossed her face.

"What?"

"I…we shouldn't be doing this. I've messed this up and now-"

"Don't act like you're the only one involved Kakashi. I had as much a part in this as you did. More so even." She stopped his coming words as she pressed herself against his front.

Running her hands along his thighs up his hips to his chest she whispered to him, "Touch me Kakashi." His one visible he darted around his room as he held his hands in check.

Everywhere she touched him his skin seemed to burn. His breaths were coming quicker than he'd like and the look in her eyes was going to break him.

"Stop." She did. Relief and regret raged through his body as he pushed her away.

"What?" She asked incredulous. "I'm giving myself to you, after everything, after what we've done and your refusing me?" Her tone was soft but it cut through him.

"Yes." It came out calmly from his still covered face. The way he could be so emotionless almost drove Sakura into tears.

Embarrassment, anger, confusion and mind numbing sadness washed over her as she stared at him.

"I can't force myself on you Kakashi. But I chose you, and I won't have anyone else." The last part cracked as it came from her throat and she ran from his room and out of his apartment.

Kakashi listened as the door creaked on its hinges from her exit. Closing his eyes he cursed himself. The guilt at what had happened to the four of them pulsed through his body but the desire to go after her ripped him up inside.

Weeeeeeee! (cough) Ack! Lemony lemon lemon bars are coming up next. Mostly because I'm wrapping this up as fast as possible. So I better get a lot of reviews damnit! (cough) Only joking.

Your Nushi (cough)