- K -

Kakashi was walking towards the couch in the living room when he heard his bedroom door lock. He shoved a hand through his hair and sighed. He wanted nothing more than to have Naruto or Ino or someone, anyone else, talk with her.

But he had found her, he had brought her back, and he had been the catalyst in her panic

She had clearly relived some piece of that mission and an odd obligation to her to talk it through with her stirred in his chest.

Settling into the couch and switching into autopilot, he put on a mindless television program. Kakashi rarely used the thing, it was a gift from Naruto after an especially well paying mission where he was horrified Kakashi didn't have any form of electronic entertainment that Naruto could use when he "came over." Kakashi's reminder that he didn't host guests fell on deaf ears.

Eventually the shower shut off and soon after Sakura exited the bedroom, dwarfed in his large clothing. He hadn't noticed how small her frame truly was. He was accustomed to seeing her dressed in ninja attire with a fiery temper and power to match it. She looked as lost in his clothing as she was in thought.

Sakura, unsurprisingly, opted to sit in the armchair and not on the couch with him. He flicked off the TV and turned his attention on her. She had assumed defensive posture with one knee in butterfly position and the other bent upwards to tuck under her chin resting on it. Pink hair swayed slightly as she fidgeted with the hanging sleeves of his shirt, staring at them as if answers lie in the folds of the too big shirt.

"He poisoned me. Or I guess more accurately, he drugged me. It wasn't with intent to kill me. Just to immobilize me and help with the psychological piece of the torture." It seemed there was supposed to be relief in that statement, but his attitude didn't shift from entirely focused on the kunoichi. What I don't know is probably worse than what I do.

"It was an information collection assignment. I went because there had been reports of attacks on civilians, but most notably they were being poisoned. I'm sure you understand that made me the perfect candidate to go because I had the best chance of collecting a sample and analyzing it to make an antidote. Without a shinobi who could quickly analyze and understand the product, the findings would be relatively useless." Shifting his head, Kakashi simply stared at her with a blank expression. "It required stealth so it was decided I would go alone.

"I needed to get in, get the poison, and get out. After I got a sample here and we created an antidote, we could assemble a team to take down the assailants." She moved backward to press herself against the chair.

"They should have sent a team," Kakashi countered.

Choosing to ignore his comment to avoid a side tracked argument, she pushed on. "I didn't realize it was a trap until it was too late. I was working with a family to draw samples from their blood when I was attacked and taken. I had been sent to them by the first house I visited, where I got my first sample. I sent back two so Shisiou knows I made the mistake of trying to heal people." The obvious betrayal by the family went unspoken between the two ninja.

"I woke up in a war base cell – one that I had actually used to operate as a medic tent. There wasn't a moment where they weren't trying something on me, but I wasn't giving them anything. I guess they underestimate our training," she joked.

He didn't laugh.

Kakashi felt his body growing more and more tense with every word she spoke and anger flickered in his chest. S-rank missions happen all the time. This is not unfair for Tsunade to have sent her on this, any kunoichi could take a such a dangerous mission. She wasn't just any kunoichi, however. Sakura was his teammate and she had helped him make rapid progress in his recovery. He didn't need her per say, but she had turned out to be a beneficial asset. She was a valuable medic. Tsunade was playing a gamble putting her on that type of mission and Sakura seemed to read his mind.

"There was no way we could have known. Everyone would know I wasn't prepared to handle something like that." He opened his mouth to interrupt herself doubt when she began to rush through the next part. "I don't remember much, but they assumed I didn't know the layout and I was left unattended for a few hours - I think they were trying to change up their strategy. I knew that base inside out and I was able to drag myself out and home with help of my seal keeping me alive."

The rage burning in his chest seemed to suddenly evolve into a wildfire and he found himself grasping the arm of the couch. Somehow, she mistook it as anger at her actions.

"I know it was stupid to not at least bring along Izuhara and I know I'm lucky to have gotten out with my life—"

"You couldn't have known. This mission was built to target your strengths and exploit your weaknesses. Now that you've identified the poison, you'll be able to help the civilians." His tone was clipped, and he attempted to calm his anger hazed thoughts.

Her face fell and it was clear he'd just misspoken. She didn't know what they'd poisoned her with which created an entirely new set of problems. A shadow of doubt enveloped her face and she seemed to be hovering between living in the memories and staying grounded in reality.

"Sakura." The glaze of her eyes faded as she made eye contact with him for the first time in the entire conversation. "You're not a fool, whatever they used must be something not in normal medical literature."

Sakura seemed to accept his words this time and suddenly her face crumbled inwards. She lifted her sleeve covered hands to her face and pressed her palms deeply into her eyes as she cried. He had seen her cry more time than he could count, but somehow this felt different. Maybe it was related to the burning desire to violently torture and murder these unknown ninja, but he found himself crouching in front of Sakura's distraught form.

Kakashi didn't touch her for fear of startling her, but he placed both of his hands on either arm of the chair creating the vague form of a hug without physical contact. Sakura didn't cry for much longer, likely already exhausted from her earlier outburst, and lifted watery eyes to look into his. They were less than a foot apart and he felt an unfamiliar urge to touch another person.

"I'll leave now, I've already overstayed my welcome. I can take a few days off from the hospital and catch up on errands I've neglected. I promise I can compartmentalize my personal life during missions and work so please, please do not take them from me." She moved to rise and he allowed her. "I'll bring back these clothes washed. I'm sorry to make a mess and take your things and your time."

And just like that, she was gone. Muddy footprints were the only proof she had been in his apartment for the whirlwind interaction.