Has been revised.

1-6-10


The aroma of ramen wafted to her nostils, and Sakura was completely distracted for the 5 minutes she had the bowl in front of her. Following Naruto's example, she began rapidly shoveling the contents of her bowl into her mouth. A sense of nostalgia was heavy on her mind.

Meanwhile, the shy Hyuuga heiress began eating her food daintily as she watched her lover and her best friend on either side of her with an amazed smile. She was used to Naruto eating like this, but Sakura would usually save it for when they weren't in public. It was quite comical, though.

Truthfully, Hinata was extremely worried about her rosy haired friend. She had changed so much after she had gotten married, and that frightened Hinata. Sakura was never bright eyed or cheery anymore unless it was a feigned act for guests, and Hinata could see right through it. It was depressing, because Sakura didn't deserve to be unhappy.

Before, and right after they had gotten married, Sakura and Sasuke had seemed so happy together. Sasuke had actually begun opening up to people, and Sakura had always had a smile plastered across her face. About a week and a half after they had gotten married however, Sasuke had become cold and even more stoic than he had ever been. Sakura had become a depressed rag doll. Hinata and Ino had noticed the change in her personality right away. It perplexed both of them, but no matter how they looked at it, they couldn't figure out why she was acting this way, until she'd finally told them one night when she had gotten ridiculously drunk.

Sakura hadn't told anyone but Hinata and Ino, and the only reason Naruto had even found out was because he'd walked in their house when Sasuke had slapped her a few weeks ago.

Hinata sighed sadly. Naruto had been hinting at marriage lately, but if this was what marriage did to people, she wanted no part of it. What if she couldn't give him everything he wanted, and he ended up treating her like Sasuke did to Sakura? She wouldn't be able to bear to see him that unhappy.

She looked to Sakura again. She had finished her bowl of ramen, and was staring off into the distance. Her mind was obviously somewhere else. It hurt Hinata to see her so sad.

"Yo." A familiar voice said as it's owner took a seat next to Sakura.

"Kakashi-sensei! You're back!" Naruto gasped.

Sakura popped out of her dazed state, and grinned at her sensei. She couldn't believe her luck. Time to get practicing!

"Yeah… Since last night, and I told you, don't call me sensei anymore." He said, Scratching the back of his head.

"Force of habit." Sakura shrugged. "Can't help it."

"Sakura, may I speak to you for a moment, alone?" The copy-nin asked, his tone of voice telling Sakura that somehow he already knew of her and Sasuke's situation.

"Sure" Sakura said. She stood and slipped her jacket back on over her practically bare shoulders. The soft autumn breeze sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. "I'll be right back."

Silently, she followed her former sensei down the main street, and off on a side road. He was silent until they were on the dirt path that lead to the memorial, and then he spoke. For the majority of the time she just listened wordlessly.

"...So I'd better get to the point... I heard... well that is, I was told..., that Sasuke has been causing you problems..." He said, uncharacteristically stumbling over his words. She couldn't blame him, though. It was an awkward situation for him.

"... Naruto?"

"Yeah, but don't be too hard on him though, Sakura. He's just worried about you, you're like the sister he never had." The copy ninn placed a hand on her shoulder, and smiled beneath his mask.

Sakura sighed over-dramatically. Truthfully, she didn't mind that that Naruto had told their former sensei, it actually made her job a lot easier. The only thing that bothered her was the possibility of who else he'd told. He had such a big mouth.

"Actually... I was going to tell you anyway. You see, I was hoping that you would give me some extra training. I'm kind of out of practice..." She paused. "Not that I'll be fighting Sasuke or anything, it's just…."

"Do you really think you'll need to fight him?" He asked, his voice grim and serious. "Do you really think it would come to that?" he furrowed his silvery brows. Kakashi knew that what she'd endured so far were all things she could handle physically, but it was the mental damage she was taking that worried him. If Sakura believed that Sasuke would take the abuse to another level, then by all means he would help her.

"I hope it doesn't... but the way he's been acting..." A tear escaped her eye.

"Tomorrow then?" He nodded. He had nothing better to do in his days anyway.

"Really?" Sakura asked, brushing her bubble gum pink hair behind her ear. "Thank you!"

He awkwardly cleared his throat, "Hey Sakura?" He asked, turning their stride towards back towards the ramen stand. "I'm not trying to intrude, but... why is he acting like this? Did something happen?"

"Ummm..." Sakura furrowed her brow nervously. She had to choose her words carefully, so she could avoid having a very awkward conversation with her teacher. "...Due to his genetics… well... let's just say that there won't be any Uchiha's running around... EVER." She blushed faintly, her eyes scanning his face, waiting for a sign of understanding that she would never see. He was always stoic. He never showed signs of emotion unless he wanted to. That was what made Kakashi, Kakashi.

"I see."

"So you can understand why he's upset. He can't fulfill that dream, and the chances of him beating Itachi are pretty slim." She sighed. The youngest Uchiha had found a way to find Itachi whenever he wanted to, but he was always defeated in the end. It was a sick twisted game the Akatsuki member played, entertaining himself.

"Despite his... incapabilities, it still gives him absolutely no right to take his disappointments out on you. You don't deserve that kind of treatment. You may not be as skilled in the categories that he is, but you have other talents that he couldn't even fathom. He could never accomplish half the things you have in medicines."

Sakura blushed. That meant a lot to her. It was very rare for her sensei to complement her, and it had caught her off guard. It wasn't as if he insulted her or anything, he just rarely praised her unless it was something he really meant.

Sakura stared up at him, feeling something spread across her face.

Something she hadn't experienced earnestly in a very long time.

A smile.


Another revision, as I said before, I don't like the length of the chapters, still.