Strolling through the hall, Kakashi double checked that all the doors were locked and all the lights were off. He had sent everyone home early for the holidays, and was making his leave when he noticed a familiar glow coming from the office at the top of the stairs. It was a sight he'd seen many nights before, and chuckled to himself that tonight was no different.

Sakura usually worked late into the evenings, often burning the candle at both ends in an astounding display of hard work and diligence. She was easily doing the jobs of three people, and if that wasn't enough on her plate, she often volunteered for other responsibilities and off duty assignments.

Kakashi couldn't remember the last time he saw her doing something non-work related. Hell, he couldn't even remember the last time she took a personal day. It was obvious the woman needed to take some time for herself, if even to sleep in her own bed.

On multiple occasions he'd investigated the same glow coming from the end of the hall, only to find her asleep at her desk. Pen still in hand, and face planted on the papers beneath her, she slept so peacefully. It often made him worry that perhaps she was placing too much pressure on herself, but she had always been a strong one.

Without Sakura's hard work, he – and the whole building – would be at a loss.

He had always known her to be a very promising student, but in latter years, she had grown into one of the most respected and dependable colleagues he had ever known. She had been through so much in her life, as did most shinobi, but Sakura always handled it with such humility and grace. He admired that most about her.

Coming to a stop in front of her office, Kakashi was pleasantly surprised to find her awake. Completely engrossed in her work, Sakura didn't seem to notice the pair of eyes that watched silently from the doorway.

"What are you still doing here? You know it's holiday leave, right? You can go home."

Looking up from her files, Sakura pinned him with the deadest of glares.

"That resting Grinch face is doing nothing for you, by the way," he teased.

"Don't be glib. I'm working," Sakura scoffed, throwing a highlighter at him as he took a seat in the chair across from her desk.

"That's assault, you know? I could have you arrested."

"You wouldn't dare..."

"Yule be sorry," he clicked with his tongue.

"Someone's definitely in the holiday spirit," she smirked, "What are you still doing here, anyways?"

"Same as you. Working. There was some last minute paperwork I had to finish."

"You mean the budget approvals that were due yesterday, so they could be processed before everyone left today?"

"I'm the Hokage, I get the final sleigh on the things around here."

"You and your puns... what are you up to?"

"Nothing really, just trying to spruce things up."

With a roll of her eyes, and a smile creeping across her lips, Sakura entertained his holly jolly demeanor. It may have been cheesy, but it did help lift her spirits.

Everyone else had left hours ago in a rush to get a jump on their holiday plans, but she was stuck closing out case files and making preparations for the new year. Part of her was glad she wasn't the only one who didn't make a dash for the door. She wasn't exactly thrilled over the prospect of getting home and sitting by herself in silence, so it was nice to have some company.

"So, got any holiday plans this year, Hokage-sama?"

"It's just the two of us, Sakura... there's no need for the garnish," he reminded her, hating the added honorifics. "And no, no plans in particular. Maybe just catching up on some reading. I do miss reading for pleasure these days."

Gloating internally, Sakura patted herself on the back. She had been meaning to give Kakashi his Christmas present, but it had always slipped her mind. It was still sitting on her table at home, and with tomorrow being Christmas Eve, she was quickly running out of time to get it to him. Now that she knew how he intended on spending his holiday vacation, she couldn't be more proud of the gift she had procured for him.

"What about you?" his voice interrupted, "Visiting your parents for the holidays?"

"Afraid not," she sighed, looking briefly out the window. "They are hellbent on enjoying this time of peace, and have decided to travel for the next year or so. I think they are in Water Country on some tropical island for the holiday, or at least that's what their last postcard said."

"So what are you doing staying here? Why not go see them?"

"I don't know, there's so much to do here. I mean, I'm still unpacking and getting used to the new place."

"I thought you moved a couple weeks ago?"

"I did, but I've been pretty focused on work lately, and just haven't gotten around to unpacking everything. I haven't even gotten my bed put together yet," she confessed sheepishly, "I've just been sleeping on the couch."

"That just won't do, Sakura. I'm coming over to help. My assistant needs to be well rested, I'm very needy."

"You're telling me," she laughed, closing her last file and throwing it onto the finished pile.

"Well, then it's settled. I'll be over tomorrow to help you get sorted. You've been a great help to me, so it's the least I can do."

"Oh, no, I couldn't ask you to do that-"

"You're not. I'm volunteering."

"But I don't want to impose on your time off, I'll be fine. I'll get unpacked, clean up a bit, and maybe even break in the fireplace I know I have somewhere behind all the boxes."

"Sounds like an unpacking party to me. I'll bring the wine and then we'll see if we can find this elusive fireplace you mentioned."

"Kakashi..."

"Sakura..." he returned, letting her know it was pointless to argue with him over the matter.

"Ugh, fine," she conceded, knowing further opposition was futile with this man. "Kami knows I could use the extra help. I'll throw in dinner as a reward, I've been meaning to test out the new kitchen."

"Sounds like we have ourselves a date," Kakashi chirped, his eyes crinkling with a smile.

"Wait, what?"

"A date for the unpacking party we're having, silly. Where is this new place of yours, again?"

"Oh... I'm, uh, at the Village Estates... number 328," she stammered, confused by his phrasing.

"So fancy, Doctor Haruno," he jested, making his way toward the door. "Go home, get some rest, and I'll see you bright and early tomorrow."

As he waived over his shoulder, Sakura was left speechless. To think this man would sacrifice an entire day off to help her do anything, let alone clean and organize, was crazy to her. Didn't he have better things to do?

Running a hand through her locks, Sakura began biting at her bottom lip, feeling somewhat frazzled by the turn their conversation had taken. It wasn't that she was nervous about him coming over, as they have been working closely each day for the last couple of months. But, work was work... and somehow, this felt... personal.

Would tomorrow really be that different?

She had known Kakashi far too long to just see him as her boss, but the way she viewed him had changed drastically since she was twelve. To her, he had been an instructor, a captain, a teammate, a friend, and now her Hokage.

Sakura remembered feeling intimidated by him in her younger years, as he appeared to possess otherworldly super powers, the likes of which, she had yet to see. Somewhere over the course of time, this morphed into more of an admiration. Year by year, layer by layer, she had come to know more about this man who had been such a prominent figure for much of her life. The impact of a great mentor had been made, the trust of a great leader had been earned, and the bonds of friendship had been sealed.

Their current seamless dynamic could only be attributed to their history together. They just worked well together. Kakashi was like a coin, and like any coin, complete with two sides. He could be easy to work with, yet difficult to deal with. He could be quite lackadaisical, or brutally persistent. He could also be the corniest of jesters, or the most serious of sticklers.

It all boiled down to his audience.

His powers of perception were unrivaled in her eyes. Always looking beyond the layers, to the underbelly and inner workings of anything he set his sight on. Perhaps it was something he had honed over his lifetime, or perhaps he was just special in that aspect. Either way, it filled Sakura with an indescribable sense of awe. She felt lucky calling herself his friend, teammate, and colleague. He was special in her eyes, and no one would ever be able to convince her otherwise.

Especially after this past year.

When Sasuke left the village, Sakura felt as if she was doomed to repeat the cycle of abandonment for all eternity. As if her lingering feelings were keeping her trapped in the quicksand that was their relationship, she struggled to find her footing. Once again, she cycled through the stages of loss in his absence, never knowing if she'd ever see him again.

Determined to break free from the constant and alternating inundation of hope and anguish, she decided to close the door, and move on with her life. Luckily, she had plenty of distractions. Work, family and friends were enough to keep her busy for a while, but eventually, it became clear that distractions often only work for so long before the inevitable truth returns.

She was lonely.

She'd never say it aloud, but Sakura knew it was the truth.

At every turn, there was a constant reminder. From her parents, to her friends, it become obvious that she was missing that special person in her life.

To her mother and father, she was still their little girl. No matter what she accomplished, sometimes they would still treat her like a child blathering on about insignificant subjects while the adults were trying to enjoy themselves. She knew they loved her and were proud, but sometimes she wished they'd tear themselves apart from one another long enough to notice she had grown into a respectable adult.

As for her friends, they were busy living their own lives. Ever the third wheel, Sakura seemed to always feel out of place. From the sidelines, she watched as their relationships blossomed, and life carried them down a path that was all too unfamiliar to her.

And then there was Kakashi.

He had been at the gates with her the day Sasuke left. His kind words repeated in her mind, and honestly helped her more than she knew at the time. Through all the tough times in her life, Kakashi always seemed to be right beside her, very much a comforting shoulder to lean on when needed. Credit where credit is due, if it wasn't for him and Tsunade, Sakura would not be the person she was today.

And for that, she was forever thankful.

Glancing at the framed picture of Team 7 on her desk, Sakura smiled warmly. They had all come so far, it almost seemed like a lifetime had passed since that day in the photo.

Deciding she was far too exhausted to head down that current train of thought, she sighed and collected her things. She needed a hot shower and a good night's sleep. There was much to do the next day, and with Kakashi's help, it might not be so cumbersome.