Disclaimer and A/R (author rant): I want to thank everyone who reviewed and read. I can understand what everyone thinks about me. Part 1 is coming on great, just keep reading and reviewing please (reviews help me function a little better; they tell me I'm doing this right XD).

News Flash! Apherion (or her counter-part much like Sakura's) doesn't own these beautiful characters, someone else puts up with them. I am just the sole person who gets to torture (did I say that, I meant 'treat') them for fun (I mean 'free')

Uncertain Feelings

Part 1

By: Apherion

Chapter 2: Whatever

Sakura watched Ino without much interest; Kakashi had been sent out on a mission a fortnight ago and still hadn't returned, and her mind was on him. Naruto had been admitted to the hospital last week due to the mission he just came back from. Sasuke though, something on her face provoked Ino to speak.

"Sakura, what's gotten into you? For the past two weeks you haven't looked too healthy. I'm glad I've taken the liberty to take you to dinner. I swear, I don't think you eat." Sakura laughed but quickly stifled it. That reminds me…

"You know the books he reads right?" Ino chewed her steak with a questioning look on her face.

"I know the books that who reads, Sakura?" Ino asked, eyebrows rising. Sakura made a disgusted face.

"Finish eating before you talk." Ino just opened her mouth to show off the chewed food. Sakura made a contempt noise then laughed. "And you wonder why you're Ino-pig." Ino smiled and swallowed her food with her drink.

"Yeah, so you were talking about…?" Ino looked at her with more interest shown than the whole evening.

"Kakashi," Sakura said, and blushed as Ino began to raise her voice.

"Woo, Sakura, going for something right there!" Sakura burned red and began to plead with Ino.

"Please, shut up, quit saying that!" Ino laughed openly, but hushed when she spoke.

"You mean to tell me that you've actually got hold of that porno?" Sakura cast a side-ways glance around, making sure that no one was really paying mind to their conversation. Slowly, she nodded, much to Ino's pleasure.

"You serious…you are!" She cried softly and Sakura made hushing motions and sounds.

"I couldn't believe how much…detail was in it," Sakura felt ashamed of having read the book in its entirety. "I mean...I don't feel that type of a book should be published. It's so…"

"Provocative, arousing, bonding," Ino was supplying words that were fitting the book to a 'T'. Then Ino challenged Sakura. "Tell me about it." A hungry expression was laid inside those fiery blue eyes.

"Are you sure?" Ino nodded furtively. "Well, god it's so embarrassing! I'm never going to be able to look Kakashi-sensei in the face anymore." Ino motioned for her to go on, want all over the girl's face. "The girl and guy like…met on suspicious circumstances. The guy is rugged, rich, and ravenous."

"You realize you used three-"

"You wanted to here about it, so hush!" Sakura interrupted, coughed, and returned to recapping the eye-opening book. "The girl is gifted, graceful, and greedy." Ino yet again made a noise worthy of saying 'you're doing it again.' "Both meet on this island, and the girl throws everything out the window after seeing this guy. Her morals, virginity-many times…five times in chapter eight to be exact about how 'serious' these two were. I swear Ino, if you needed coffee to wake up and you read that book, you wouldn't need that coffee anymore." Ino giggled and both girls finished off their dinners quite fast.

They both left together but then Ino met up with her boyfriend and had bidden Sakura adieu almost immediately. Sakura didn't feel hurt by it, Sakura was happy for Ino. Just because Sakura didn't have one didn't mean that she had to be sour about others having them. Hinata had Naruto and Sakura was happy for her. Hinata was visiting Naruto in the hospital, that's why she didn't accompany her and Ino to dinner. Feeding Naruto her ramen is going to get him fat and her broke, Sakura thought, knowing that Naruto was a fiend when it came to ramen.

"Yo," a voice said from somewhere in front of her; it was too dark to tell who it was. Sakura screamed unnecessarily loud. A hand clapped over her mouth halfway through the cry. She fought against the grip, but fail miserably. The person already had a long enough time to get a better hold of her. Oh god, this is it. I'm done for, and I still haven't given Kakashi his book back. She slumped against her captor.

"Let's go then," she whispered, knowing what would come. She felt him bring his face against her cheek, not feeling flesh, but cloth.

"Something tells me I don't want to know what you meant by that." The movement of his lips by her cheeks made her knees weak and sent spirals of chills down her spine. She blushed feeling awkward; her body pressed so close to his.

"So, are you going to let go of me?" She asked him quietly.

"Do you want me to?" Sakura didn't respond, actually considering it. He let her go regardless, and she hadn't even opened her mouth to speak.

"That's new," he said properly taking a look at her, and jumping to a hysterical conclusion, Sakura began gibbering.

"What do you mean 'that's new'?" She spoke it fast and her face was heating up. He pointed at top she was wearing.

"Your shirt, what did you think I meant?"

"Yeah, it is, Ino, Hinata, and I went…shopping…" she trailed off blushing horribly; just realizing that she had sort of flashed her ex-teacher a view. The shirt was blue with a low, V-cut neck. Half her breasts were showing! Oh my god, she thought. Her mouth was slowly opening wider into an 'O' shape, her eyes as round as dinner-plates.

Kakashi let out a laugh, not like his usual bark-forced, unnatural, and often stopped short. It was a true laugh and she felt that her humiliation was paid back fully by hearing his laugh ring in her ears. Now if I can see his face, I'd feel even more privileged.

"Sakura, it's okay." He looked at her no differently, for that Sakura was thankful. "I know how you are. I know you didn't do it on purpose." I'm going to kill Ino next time I see her, she said the shirt wasn't too low. Sakura smiled at him innocently, glad to already be red in the face, because she felt a new wave of embarrassment that had everything to do with the books he read.

"Kakashi, we need to discuss your book preferences," Sakura said in a business-like tone. Kakashi gave her a guiltless look.

"Actually, it should be I lecturing you for reading my book, but anyway." Sakura stared at him, out of words to say. He always left her like that. He always stole her words from her. It was maddening, yet Sakura liked it, in a twisted sort of way.

"You don't have anything to add? Okay, so, why'd you get so curious, Sakura?" She gulped, knowing that had been coming.

"Um," she didn't know what to say. What could she say? She had just confessed to reading the perverted books that her ex-sensei was famous for having on him. "Well, you see…" he held up a hand to stop her.

"It's all right, you didn't do anything wrong. I just wanted to give you a hard time. I knew you had that book in your training outfit, and something said to me not to take it by force because that would've put me in a position I don't think I'd like to have the Hokage looking into." Sakura giggled, still blushing thoroughly.

"Well, may I walk you home?" She nodded, her heart fluttering like mad. Somehow, she had developed something for him, but she was still confused as to what it was. Naïveté isn't always the best thing at times; at she hated being in the dark about this feeling. An arm slipped around her shoulders, hugging her into her ex-teacher. A smile entranced her features; a blush still remained on her fair skin.

"Kakashi-sensei," she started, the blush was ebbing now, but it still wasn't gone.

"Hm, still embarrassed Sakura?" She gave him a playful punch on the shoulder and looked up at him. She was shorter than he was, and she knew five foot five was where her height stopped. He smiled down at her through the mask he always wore. Sakura had long-time learned how he looked when he smiled and when he was angry.

Sakura nodded eventually and felt her companion silently laugh. He always seemed to find her amusing, no matter what she did or what she said. There was always something about her that could make him feel better.

"Are you going to go inside any time soon? Not that I'm complaining or anything, but," he looked down at her, lax and unfazed. Sakura smiled, and felt a little more color come into her cheeks once more. I love it when she does that; he thought softly brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Uh…yeah, sorry, and let me get…your book," she said the last hesitantly, almost as if she were begging herself not to blush. Kakashi's smile widened when he came up with a response. She's going to murder me if I say it though…all the more reason to do it.

"You can keep it for tonight." The effect was instantaneous. Sakura immediately flushed when the words came out of his mouth. So innocent, he thought placidly. I love her. His eyes widened when he registered his thought. No, I love her like father would a daughter, not any other possible way, well, maybe I could love her like a brother, but still, I love her like a family member. It was a good thing Sakura had already gone inside the house for his book though. She returned holding it as far away from her person as she could.

"Take it, the images still blind me." Kakashi couldn't help but laugh at that. She smiled at him thinking, he's so nice and sweet. I bet that was his little sister in that picture of his. Too bad I'm going to lose him after all we've been through. I'm never going to get to see him again once I marry. She paused; I didn't think that, did I? Would I actually miss Kakashi after I married? Would I feel…lonely without him there bugging me? She brushed the thought away and continued to smile at her ex-teacher.

She began feeling awkward that she was standing inside her house and her ex-sensei standing directly in her doorway, in the dark night. She bit at her bottom lip and cast a glance at the floor before opening her mouth.

"You wanna come in?" She asked hesitantly, not really knowing what to say to the masked jounin who was just standing there. She stiffened, acknowledging how stupid she must've sounded. I could've come up with something better…if given the time. Her other personality groaned and ran her fingers through her hair, agitated.

"Not tonight, I'm really tired you see," he replied shiftily. Sakura decided to turn on the light to illuminate the hallway when she caught sight of his clothing. She hadn't noticed it, but using 'there wasn't much light' would be a bad excuse. She could see the fresh blood pouring rapidly from a re-opened wound. Probably when he was playing 'Stalker' with me, she thought, looking straight into his eyes.

"Kakashi-sensei," she said warningly, controlling herself not to point.

"I'm fine; I don't need a hos-pit-al!" Sakura had just flung him inside her house, shutting the door behind his just-clearing-the-doorframe body. She glared at him, dragging him from the corridor, down into the kitchen, which was at the back of the house.

"Sit," she flamed, nostrils flaring. He didn't dither in following her command. She frowned openly at him, glowering derisively at him as she gathered medical supplies.

"You," she started scathingly, "are the most irresponsible man I have ever met! You didn't even consider the hospital, as I know full well." Behind the anger in her voice, a sob cracked through subtly. Kakashi would have to have been listening for it if he were to catch it.

"I don't go to hospitals. I don't need help," she mocked thornily as she began to stalk over to the counter Kakashi was sitting beside, leaning an arm on the marble surface while he was at it. He opened his mouth as if to explain, but she cut across him. "Please spare me the excuses, Sensei. You know you can always go to someone, you know I'd take care of you." She didn't blush when she said it; it didn't even register as such a comment.

"Strip," she said coldly and he gave her a baffled look.

"Sakura, I don't think that's something you should say." She gave him a look that said 'get over it'.

"You do it, or I will, whatever you choose, that shirt's coming off, pervert." She added the last word in to let him know she caught what he had meant by his sentence. Slowly, as if it were too hard for him, Kakashi began to take off the black ANBU shirt. He peeled off the black mesh underneath that shirt. Sakura began her inspection.

"I swear that you would rather die than to get help for yourself," Sakura muttered as she felt along his wound with chakra lacing her delicate fingertips. She was readying the wound for repair. The blood already stopped flowing, but she could see some of the black mesh that Kakashi was wearing inside the tear in his chest. Before warning him, she took two well-practiced fingers and slipped them inside the gash to gather the remains of the black mesh. She heard him let out a light gasp of surprise, but didn't recoil. She retracted her hand holding the smallest amount of clothing that anyone could have seen.

She set the torn cloth onto the countertop and placed a cold hand on his heated flesh. She willed her chakra to dance around and inside the injury to heal it. She removed her hand to see her handiwork. A hand went to hers, and Sakura's eyes flew up to his face. A shiver wracked her body for a second or so, but her heart began beating a million a minute and her cheeks burned with a thought. Kakashi had never stopped her hand before.

Kakashi's own hand went to her flaming red cheek, touching it softly. Hesitant and wary one would even say. It felt cool to the touch; the sensation running chills down her back. Sakura closed her eyes, unconscientiously leaning into the touch. Her stomach filled with butterflies with the combination of his left hand on her right hand and his right hand on her left cheek, gently using his fingertips to stroke her soft skin.

His left hand closed over her right wrist, and he slowly stood up, not that Sakura could really tell. He took her wrist and pulled her into him slowly. She sighed, finishing the work on her own by wrapping her right arm around his waist. A faint smile came across her lips, adding to her sweet surrender to him. She wasn't able to think.

The scene evaporated as soon as she opened her eyes. Kakashi stepped back, turning away from her, looking the other way. As if he were ashamed of what he had done. Sakura didn't understand; did she do something wrong by opening her eyes?

"Sakura," her name rolled off his tongue and she looked at him expectantly. "Don't tell anyone about that." She stared at him and began to speak.

"Sensei…" she said softly, afraid to say something out of context.

"Don't call me that anymore. I'm not your teacher," his voice was rather cold. Why did he so suddenly decide to not let her call him 'sensei' anymore? Do I have to call him 'sir' now?

"You don't have to call me 'sir'," he said as if reading her mind. She smiled weakly, she felt so stupid. Yet, when he turned around, the look in his eye was so sincere. He walked over to her and took hold of her. She instantly followed suit; her arms around his waist. He massaged her back softly, and Sakura leaned further into him. He was so warm, and she had pushed her embarrassment aside.

"Kakashi," she whispered quietly. He stopped momentarily, but continued as she spoke again. "Is this even happening?" She was so quiet he could barely distinguish what she said.

"Sakura, don't say a word," and with that, his warmth vanished into thin air, leaving her quite confused.

"Are you out of your mind, Sakura?" Tsunade was yelling again, and Sakura groaned loudly.

"I don't want to hear it. I swear you've ran over twelve people today. Are you even seeing where you're going?" In the hospital, Sakura was steering the medical supplies cart.

"Only two, thank you," Sakura huffed, peeved at the fact that her head just wasn't in it.

"Did something happen last night to make you so jumpy?" She hit it right on the mark with that statement, but Sakura wasn't about to blurt it out.

"Don't say a word."

"Sakura, are you even listening to me? You're looking ill." Sakura just stared blankly at the Hokage.

"Yes, I mean, no…I mean, I don't know," Sakura stumbled over her words. A hand was placed gently on her shoulder.

"Go home, Sakura, you're too shaken to be of help today. Come back tomorrow and we'll see what we can get done." Sakura nodded, not arguing. She needed some sleep; maybe she'd indulge herself in food too. She trudged down to the changing quarters for the medics and began to strip herself of the white uniform. She threw on the now a little too small red training dress, with the black under-shorts.

She began to walk home, quietly contemplating what had happened last night. It was…an experience, that's what she decided to label it as. She couldn't believe what happened. Her sensei, ex-sensei, had hit on her. Well, more or less physically than verbally.

She took a detour on the way-Team 7's training spot being the obvious destination. She sat on the bridge's railing, looking out at the water, rapidly rushing past. She heard someone coming, but didn't react to it. They meant her no harm, whoever they were.

"You're out of class I see," his voice was slightly muffled by the mask he always wore.

"Class, you mean work." He laughed and ruffled her hair affectionately. It was as if nothing had even happened between them. She turned around on the railing and looked him in the eye. It was so strange to be right there, so close, and yet so far. The black eye crinkled into a smile, the smile she had become so accustomed to. How she would love to see the whole picture, his whole face.

"About yesterday," she started timidly, his smile fell a bit.

"That was irresponsible of me to do that." She sat still, gaping. He didn't just say that, did he? The gape turned to a glare in an instant.

"What, you didn't think it was real? You thought it was some sort of fantasy?" She busted out. How dare he play her emotions and think he'd get away with it. He had another thing coming. "Did you think you were playing out one of your outrageous books?" She was glaring hard at him. Did he think it was a game?

"No, Sakura, calm down," he said hurriedly. Sakura, however, got defensive with him. She ignored his continuing protests and explanations, throwing a punch. The oddity of the ordeal was her fist actually connected with his face. He staggered back, stunned by the blow. Sakura, too, was dazed by her bold move. She jumped from the railing and stepped closer to him.

"Kakashi," she tried, he held up the hand that wasn't massaging the cheek she had punched.

"I deserved that because I took advantage of you." She huffed and slapped the other cheek. Her inner personality was rather riled by his lack of understanding.

"I haven't a clue what that was for." Sakura bit her bottom lip and dug her hands into her hair, turning away from him. How could he not understand? She didn't want to admit it to herself either, but she was angry due to something-and at the moment, Kakashi was who she could only think about.

"Sakura, I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to imply anything in my actions. I-I should have known better," his voice was intoxicating; paining her feeling the rejection she knew would be coming. He was fourteen years older than she was, and her being his ex-student didn't help matters either.

"Right," she said indifferently, still running her fingers through her hair. She just didn't know what was going on anymore. A hand squeezed her shoulder, and she blinked away the tears forming there.

"Forgive me, please. I wasn't trying to screw up our friendship and betray you. I just didn't know what was going on." His words echoed how she felt. She nodded, still facing away from him. He let out a breath that he had obviously been holding.

"Thanks, Sakura, I'll walk you-"

"No, thanks anyway, but…I'm not going home just yet," she said quietly, staring at the forest in front of her. Kakashi made a noise, but didn't say anything. Then he left her there, standing in a breeze on the bridge silently crying.


Preview:

Chapter 3: Only

"She's fine, but…I found something very disturbing underneath her skin." The Hokage withdrew a thin strip of metal alloy. "It entered her body just below the neck. It sent out a voltage of some kind through the nervous system. You said she was walking and talking just fine?" Naruto nodded and went back to listening to the older woman.


A/N: Ohh, I swore to myself that I wasn't going to have her crying...but...you'll understand why I'm having her like she is at the end of this part and into part two. I'm beginning to believe that there might even be a third part...but I just couldn't tell you...I hope so, LOL.

READ AND REVIEW PPL! PLEASE! I ALSO TAKE FLAMES...

Apherion