So you guys, here is chapter 4! YAY!

I do not own Naruto (and many nights I ask myself why? =()

Hope you guys like =)

The dinner had gone great, better than what Kakashi expected. They joked and laughed like they had never done before. Even Sakura was admitting that the invitation was worth attending even after having worked in the hospital.

Now Kakashi was walking Sakura home as they remembered their olden days as Team 7.

"Remember that jutsu you used on Naruto when he tried to get the bells. That butt jutsu."

Kakashi knew what she was talking about and knew the name, but decided not to interrupt her and just nodded.

"I thought you were seriously going to kill him! I was so scared for him. Thank god that you were just fooling around. I swore back then you seemed kind of crazy to me, but it turned out that you were a pervert." She finished giving him a small laugh.

"You make it sound like being a pervert isn't any better than being crazy."

"With you it is. You're a crazy pervert, so it's the same thing." At this Kakashi laughed.

"I don't consider myself crazy or a pervert for that matter. I just like books with interesting mature content."

"You mean erotic books."

"Call them whatever you want, but they are worth reading."

He gave her a perverted smile hoping to get another laugh. Her laughter never arrived though. She was giving an intense glare to whatever was ahead, as if it would attack her. Kakashi led his eyes towards Sakura's direction of vision, but only saw a group of men who were no threat at all.

Kakashi stared at the group who were completely drunk. He was about to laugh when he saw one trip over a trash can but stopped himself when he felt someone grad on to his arm. The hold was strong and if it weren't for Kakashi being a ninja it would have caused a broken arm.

He turned to the rosette girl beside him and was surprised that it was her holding on to him. Her small body clinging to him seemed like a little girl hiding behind her father (a thought that wasn't to pleasing to him).

Lowering his face to be at her eye level, he whispered, "Are you alright?"

Sakura gave him a reassuring smile that couldn't even rival Sai's.

Her body, not letting go of his arm, followed his footsteps so as not to fall behind as he fastened his pace. She didn't speak to him not wanting her voice to come out as helpless as she felt. Her heart raced at the men nearby. She knew she was capable of killing all of them with just a flick of her finger, but her state of mind only let her coward away in fear.

She detested herself for such actions, but couldn't get her body to do more than grab for safety, which at this point was Kakashi. She hoped that Kakashi wouldn't push her away even though she also wished that he would do so. Her feelings of fear exposed was something a ninja should not have or show against enemies or peers.

Although she kept repeating this, her hold only grew stronger to the white haired man next to her as they grew closer to the group.

Kakashi could easily see her tensed body. He wanted to reassure her but decided that by quickening his pace he was doing her a favor. Her grip on him began to fall as they got further away from the men. Kakashi could have also sworn that he heard a heavy breath go.

Their interaction was painful to the Copy-nin although he didn't say it or show it. The hold also made him happy for a reason that was unknown to him. They stayed that way until they finally reached Sakura's front steps.

Sakura, trying to redeem herself, thanked Kakashi for the meal and, to his surprise, offered to take him to one as well.

"I thought that hanging out with me would make you want to sleep."

"Apparently I can tolerate you better than I thought." She smirked as she began getting her keys out.

Kakashi knew it would be best to leave then, but couldn't stop the urge to ask her, so he began, "What did you have against those men?" He shouldn't have been so blunt, but to Kakashi it was an easy trait.

Sakura looked at him not knowing how to answer. She wasn't naive enough to believe that Kakashi wouldn't have been estranged by her behavior, but she was naive enough to believe that he wouldn't ask.

"N-nothing." She replied hating her stutter. "I don't even know who they are."

He expected this answer, the one that hid her true feelings. Too bad for Sakura that Kakashi already had a clue and wouldn't leave until he heard the truth.

"Sakura, I've known you for a long time and that, what you did, tells me that something is wrong. I care about you, so please let me help you."

Sakura didn't know if it was her already scared demeanor, or that someone was there with her witnessing her helplessness, or Kakashi's eyes that showed he wanted to help. But for whatever reason it was, she cried. She cried like a child. Her tears fell nonstop and as much as she wanted to stop them they kept falling. Before she knew it she felt strong arms holding her, an embrace that both startled her and eased her.

"I-I'm sorry I shouldn't be crying. I should have learned by now..." Shushing her Kakashi said, "It's not wrong for you to cry. Only because you're a ninja doesn't mean you're not human."

And with those words Sakura cried like she had never cried before. She didn't notice when he took her keys, or when he opened her front door, or when he laid her down on her bed pulling the sheets over her. She didn't notice, because she had fallen asleep with her tears still flowing.

Kakashi didn't leave Sakura's home right away. He stood beside her bed eyeing her. Looking at her sweet peaceful face. A face that still had tears falling and a body that only showed how fragile it was. He wanted to put his arms over her again and protect her. He wanted to do it so badly, but thought better of it.

He saw how she had been frightened by men who were mere bugs compared to her. Yet she trembled. Her eyes showed the fear she held toward them. A fear that left her like a helpless puppy.

The answer was clear to him. But how he wished it was a wrong assumption. She was frightened, he had not been wrong about that. Her fear, however, was something he did want to be wrong about.

The thing that made her act so weak, so frail, was men. She feared men.

Why? Kakashi asked himself. It must have been that damn mission! But what could have happened that made her phobic of men? This question started to become so frequent to the Copy-nin that it enraged him not to know about it.

Kakashi couldn't take this anymore, he needed answers. And one way or another he would get them.

Yamato sat on his overly used sofa with a cup of coffee. He always told himself that he would get a new one, but just never got the chance. Sipping his coffee he stared at his small apartment. Like his room, the space was minimal and could only hold him and two other people, but not in the most comfortable way.

All his house lights were off. He figures that only because he was staying late didn't mean that he had the right to disturb others. The dark engulfed the brown haired man, leaving him empty. He was almost glad at the idea of having nothing inside.

With nothing inside he could let his pain go. He told himself, but even with nothing inside, the memories would keep on resurfacing.

He continued drinking his coffee as if it would intoxicate him. He wished he had hidden whiskey like Tsunade. Nights like these he wanted to just lay back and forget. He assumed that if he truly wanted to forget he could have gone to the pub and get drinks, but what was heading toward him told him otherwise.

The ninja didn't bother to knock, or use the door. The closed window seemed to be his entrance. His steps left no sound behind as he got in the apartment. If Yamato wasn't a ninja his presence would have gone unnoticed.

Even in the dark Yamato could recognize his friend. His usual lazy posture was completely gone. His Icha Icha Paradise was hidden beneath his bottom left pocket. His eyes no longer held its lazy look. All in all, Kakashi looked like he was about to fight and was thinking about the best strategy to dispose of the enemy. And he was it.

"Yamato," was all the Copy ninja said.

"Kakashi," Yamato called back. His eyes didn't leave Kakashi as he felt the dangerous vibes the man was giving. "Do you want to take a seat?"

Kakashi didn't reply, instead he sat beside Yamato not bothering to give him another glance. Likewise, Yamato did the same.

He assumed Kakashi would be the one to speak first, but the Copy-nin didn't utter a word.

Helping the conversation begin Yamato said, "What brings you here?"

"I need answers and you are the only one that can give them to me."

Not knowing what to say Yamato decided not to reply. To this Kakashi continued speaking, "I need you to tell me what happened on the mission."

Yamato was exhausted at listening him ask the one question he wanted to evade. He wouldn't answer him and if he didn't understand that, he would make him understand.

"It's classified, I can't tell you."

"Stop with that crap." His voice stayed the same level. Yamato was amazed at how controlled he sounded. "Just tell me, I need to know."

"Kakashi, understand that the mission isn't easy to talk about. With anyone." Yamato's voice pleaded to stop his questioning, but his plead would be unanswered.

Kakashi wouldn't hear for excuses. He had to know. "Look, my student went with you. I need to know how it could affect her."

"She is no longer your student." Yamato clarified this by emphasizing no longer. "Anyway, it won't affect her if you stop asking. Both of us want to forget the mission. It'll be easier if you drop the subject." He hoped that this ended the unwanted conversation. Kakashi was never one to be a burden, so this would surely end it.

At his comment Kakashi faced him. "It might have been hard for the both you, but it affected her more. That's why I need to know, for her."

Yamato knew it would affect Sakura, but he was sure that telling Kakashi would not help. "I can't."

Now his tone rose slightly in anger, "I'm not doing this to pry in your business. I just wanna help."

"You can't help! What's done is done. You can't change that."

"I know I can't change what happened but I can change what's happening to her." At this Yamato directed his eyes toward the white haired man, not understanding what he meant. Kakashi saw his confusion. "Maybe if you stopped sulking you would be able to see it. She is not ok. She needs help."

"What are you saying?" Yamato didn't know where Kakashi was heading. How was Sakura not fine? He made sure to stay away from her to make her at ease.

Kakashi gave Yamato a glare of annoyance and agitation. "You fucking think that everything's fine with her? Well it's not. She's a living corps walking in the village!"

A corps. That's not possible. Yamato had checked up on Sakura after Naruto's confession, but she had been fine.

What had he missed?

"You haven't noticed, have you?" Kakashi gave a mean laughter. "Protect?" He said to himself. "Is this how you protected her?"

Yamato should have defended himself because he had protected her, the best he could. But how could he say that now, toward Kakashi. Had he really protected her the best he could, or could he have done more?

"She's damaged and I need to know why. Tell me what happened on the mission." Kakashi voice came out as a command.

Yamato opened his mouth trying to form words but none came. He couldn't protest him now that he knew about Sakura. How could he? But how did he begin to explain?

So I got a review from a (2 to be exact) guest(s) and I wanted to answer he/she (them), but I couldn't so I want to answer here:

Kakashi is a tough subject and I honestly don't really understand what goes up in his head, so I'm trying to keep him in character as well as I can, but it's kind of hard. However, it is most likely that he will be somewhat out of character but I will try my best to keep him in line. Also thanks! I was not thinking of explaining any background of Kakashi's fondness toward Sakura, but I realize that it is essential to the story and soon I will add it.

Also, the mission (a subject people really want to know), will hopefully be explained in the next chapter. I just hope it leads to expectations.

Anyway, thanks for reading!

-Zero =)