The Fail of a Moment Chapter 27: 27 Effects and Duty, a naruto fanfic

27. Effects and Duty

According to the site statistics most of you missed chapter 25.

Please make sure to read the full story! Otherwise you're missing important information.

"Where is Gaara?"

That sentence felt like he had been punched hard into the gut.

Gaara was sleeping in the bed across from hers, separated by a curtain. He had passed out during the chakra transfusion. When the kazekage heard her screaming, he jumped out of the bed and was by her side in a blur. The two had been sleeping for two full days before they had finally woken up and Kakashi had not left her side for the whole time. They acted like back then in Suna.

The infamous copy-nin's heart ached as realisation hit him like a ton of bricks: She couldn't remember. The silverhead could only stand there affronted and watch, he distanced himself and consulted Tsunade.

Seemingly after the chakra transfusion neither Gaara nor Sakura could recollect a single thing that happened after them being in a relationship during that mission. The blonde sannin said it would take some time and first Sakura would need time to heal her wounds. In a few days she should be able to leave the hospital. The former hokage had witnessed enough to know exactly what it was between him and Sakura but she didn't push him. Instead she tried to calm him down, "Give her some time and she will remember. Let them recover. It was a very difficult and dangerous treatment. Nobody knows the real aftereffects, but I have trust and faith that she will get her memory back soon." She patted his shoulder, "Believe in her."

In the hall of the hospital Kakashi almost collided with Sasuke, concern was heavily written in both pairs of eyes. The last Uchiha did something no-one would expect as he suggested only for his ears to hear, "Kakashi, we should unwind a little. We would be no help if our thoughts are constricted."

The silverhead sighed, "You are right."

They found their way to the training grounds. "Taijutsu only!" The last Uchiha took off his coat and gave him a smirk. "I bet the ageing infamous copy-nin has some power left?" He then disarmed himself and fell into a fight stance, waiting for his teacher to do the same.

The two cut deep furrows into the training ground, branches and grass were shattered everywhere.

As both felt exhausted enough they conceded a draw. It was a sparring without any objectives anyway.

"Pushup challenge?"

"I'm in!"

Afterwards they lay in the grass next to each other, panting hard. They just both needed a harsh workout to get their minds clear.

"Better?" Sasuke asked kindly.

The silverhead grunted something unintelligible, the Uchiha decided to take that as a yes anyway.

"It's hard for me, too, you know." Stated Sakuke barely audible.

Kakashi looked at him surprised.

Between clenched teeth the younger man continued, "Yes, I am worried." The former rogue closed his eyes like he had revealed too much for his taste. "I bet you feel it too."

"We can only think positive. They will make it. I'm sure of that." The copy-nin was not so sure whom he tried to convince more.

"But you sound like you have already lost her." The perceptive Uchiha remarked.

Kakashi gazed into the distance, it took him a while to answer. "If it's better for her, then I…"

"Have a little trust, sensei."Now it was Sasuke's turn to convince them both and he seemed to be more certain than his former sensei.

The silverhead chuckled, albeit he sounded very agitated. "What makes you so sure?"

Then the last Uchiha turned to face him, "What I will have to tell you now is classified information. No-one outside of the Uchiha blood-line should ever know about this secret. I, the last living Uchiha, know that I can trust you, the current hokage. And according to your sharingan, you're even the closest one to be somehow connected with the Uchiha family. Also I'm already too much in yours and Sakura's debt."

Kakashi understood, in his business tone he recommended, "Let's head back into my office. There we can talk in private."

Sasuke stood up and reached out to him, then they dusted off their clothes and gathered their belongings which had been secured by ANBU guards. The walk through the cold autumn breeze had a calming and soothing effect on their convulsing minds. Colourful leaves danced through the air while the heavy-heartedly slow pace of their steps could be heard. On their way they did not dare to speak a single word.

The hokage closed the doors to his office, there was no ANBU guard in the room. The two men sat down and continued their talk about the features of the sharingan.

"Do you remember the moment when your chakras bonded?"

"Truth be told I have no idea." Kakashi sighed and ruffled his already tousled silver mane.

The younger man scrutinised him, "What happened between you two?"

"Uhm, I don't know what to answer to be honest. It happened a lot." A ll the memories of their mission washed over.

The last Uchiha did not lessen his eye contact, "I mean the dreams. Did they start before your mission in Suna or afterwards?"

"I think they started during our stay." The silverhead contemplated for a moment, then he added, "Maybe there were some dreams at the time of the training in Konoha, but... without..." Being drawn into her dreams... "...the same intensity." Smooth!

"And the sharingan illusions became uncontrollable when?"

"How do you..?" The nondescript expression on Sasuke's face told him that with having the sharingan interwoven within the bloodline for generations of course he knew.

Deep inside the copy-nin struggled, it was not common for him to bare his private life like that. "The first time I noticed it was during her training in Konoha before the mission."

"Ok, that's good. So that means the first strings of your personal chakra bond should be still there somewhere." Sasuke gave him a shoulder squeeze and Kakashi exhaled the breath he couldn't remember oppressing his lungs.

"There's hope?"

"Just give them some time. It will very likely come back to normal all by itself. Chakra bonds are a natural occurrence and irreversible if they're set once. Like the air that you breathe, it will always be there. It's just a matter of time."

Kakashi took a deep breath as relief washed over him. He bent down and propped his hands on his knees. Sasuke lay a hand on his shoulder. "We both need to be patient and strong, but they will make it. I'm sure of it." For a few seconds Sasuke closed his eyes as he allowed his face to contort in the pain he seemed to hiddenly suffer himself. At the moment their eyes met again Kakashi understood and gave him a reassuring nod.

Deep inside Kakashi was in immense pain and he drowned himself into work. Tsunade determined it would be best for them to let them go and hopefully their memory would come back on its own. "Pushing would have the alternate effect," confirmed the last Uchiha.

The decision was made: She would go to Suna again.

It wasn't possible for Kakashi to accompany her due to his current position. Naruto could not be his substitute any longer, because it would raise too much suspicion of the council, so he chose Sasuke and Naruto as her chaperons. Sakura would stay at Gaara's side, as much as it hurt him to see them together again. The kazekage had not regained his memory yet nor did she.

Maybe the hokage would send Tatsuo the clone to look after her for some time, but he wasn't sure if he could deal with receiving his impressions first hand.

The most important thing is that you are alive, Sakura, safe and sound.

That's all I've ever wanted.