"Oh, it's you, come to report on your last assignment?" Tsunade acknowledged, Itsuke's presence as she looked up from the report before her.

"Amongst other things..."

Giving the shinobi a once over, she couldn't help but raise her eyebrow in curiosity at him. For some reason he seemed even more nervous than usual. He seemed to be bracing himself for something.

"Go on then." She ordered him to say whatever it was he wanted to; she did have a village to get back to.

"I would like your permission, as both the Hokage and Sakura's master, to allow me to permanently reside in the village and become a leaf shinobi." Respectfully, he bowed his head in petition.

"I'm listening…." Interesting, Tsunade wondered where he was going with this. Leaning back in her seat she gave the stone shinobi her undivided attention.

Raising himself, with a wide smile stretched across his face.

"Sakura has agreed to be my wife, and it would mean everything to her, if we were able to start our family here."

Oiiinkkk!

Shizune couldn't help, as a little squeal of her own escaped her lips, as she gleefully cuddled Ton Ton in her arms.

Well would you look at that, perhaps the fates weren't as cruel as they'd proven themselves to be, Tsunade reflected, a satisfied smile on her lips.

"Alright so granted, as soon as you've completed this last run, I'll allow you to become a leaf shinobi."

….

"Can i help you guys with something." Without looking in their direction, Kakashi acknowledged the presence of Gai and Asuma, as he continued sharpening his kunai at the training fields.

"Not really, we just came to check up on you, that's all." Asuma drawled, his hands deep in his pockets with his usual laid-back disposition about him.

"Ahh, I see." There was a lot of that going around. Naruto, Sai and Yamato had already been by to "check" on him, before they headed out for their mission. News of Sakura's engagement had spread like a wildfire, not only because she was the Hokage's student, but her marriage would solidify the leaf and the stone together, outside of their political and military union. Afterall these years bygones would finally be allowed to just be bygones. He wasn't sure how he felt, if he were being honest with himself, confused maybe? Jaded possibly, jealous? They had only been together for about a year after all.

Regardless of his conflicting feelings, deep down he was happy for her. Between the two of them, they hadn't had much luck, in that department, but at least one of them would be able to, and he was glad it had been her, that was able to move on as she did. Sakura had always had a strength, a resilience with her feelings and her heart that he admired, sometimes even wish he had.

"For what it's worth, we're proud of you Kakashi." Gai wholeheartedly reassured his friend.

"For what?"

"Putting yourself out there like that, we know it must not have been easy for you. Afterall, guys like us aren't too good expressing ourselves." Asuma clarified, as he gave Kakashi a crooked almost rueful smile.

"Yeah." Kakashi stopped sharpening his kunai for a moment, a moment filled with silent contemplation, before returning it to his pouch and facing the other two.

"Now that, that's settled, what'd you say Kakashi, you up for the challenge of your life?" Guy with his good guy pose.

Kakashi thought about it another moment before good naturedly, shaking his head in surrender.

"Why not."

"Alri-…" Gai began almost bursting at the seams, before being cut short, as all three Jounin became alert as they sensed someone's chakra rushing towards them. They realized it to be one of the chunnin from the Hokage's tower.

"Kakashi Hatake." The young chunnin finally arriving, gasping for air and holding out a scroll for the silver haired Jounin, as he did.

"Somethings happend, Team Yamato needs back up immediately, here is the mission report. Lady Hokage has assigned you a team along with team Gai to cover them."

Quickly taking the document from the chunnin, he was only a second away from opening the scroll when.

"Wait." All four ninja look to see, as an Anbu operative emerged from the ground.

"Captain Hatake, we've just received word that the Mist village is planning to strike against the Stone, Team Ro has been deployed to intercept and eliminate their advanced forces." The Anbu operative begun to relay. "Team Gai and Team Asuma are to provide back up for team Yamato instead."

"Right, we'll move out at once." Kakashi, switching gears as he addressed his subordinate. "I'll leave them in your hands then." Now turning to Gai and Asuma.

With a thumbs up from Gai and a reassuring nod from Asuma. He knew his former team would be ok, they would be in good hands.

He just hoped he wouldn't be too late.

...…..

His chest felt on fire.

Every breath harder to take than the last.

It couldn't end here; Sakura was waiting for him…

His eyes glazed over, as he tried yet again to concentrate on the words before him. His envoy had been attacked just within the border of the fire country, by what appeared to be leaf shinobi. However, one of the stone ninjas had managed to uncover the face of one of the assailants. The man was an S class ninja from the mist, he had been able to recognize him, only because he had seen him in the bingo books, that had been circulating between the Leaf and Stone.

Somehow, he had managed to escape but he knew he wouldn't get too far.

"Argh!" he clutched at his mouth to prevent any more of his blood from staining the paper. He had to let both the leaf and his village know what had happened. Hurriedly finishing his message. He sealed it before summoning his salamander.

"Get this to the Leaf."

After ensuring his summon had made it safely out of the valley they had been caught in, he fell face forward and the image of pink hair and dazzling green eyes flooded his mind, before there was nothing.

….

A/n: Hi guys, thank you for your patience and understanding. I know its been awhile, but I'd like to say I was able to use the time to outline and write some of the upcoming scenes and I have finished writing the last chapter( I know total jump) but I felt I would be able to direct the rest of chapters by knowing how it all ends. This originally started out as a one shot then turned into this, so I wasn't sure how to end it and I struggled to find a balance that would be fitting, and I hope I don't disappoint you all. Thank you!