Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. You may recognise some bits from series 1.

Sorry about the cliffie, but I really like them ;)

Kakashi is quite possibly AU, but, he has to be, for there to be a KakaSaku.

Half hearted warning: Character slash (Uzumaki Naruto/Uchiha Sasuke)

Last time: " I remembered that Sakura was in my arms, and looking at me. I looked at her, and leaned in..."

Just before our lips touched, she pulled away. I couldn't help but feel rejected. She sighed. "It's beautiful, isn't it, Sensei?" Looking around us, I couldn't help but agree. In the short time that we'd been looking at each other, the remaining blue had faded, and all that was left was a mixture of pink, red, orange and yellow streaks.

I decided not to ruin the peaceful silence, and instead pulled out Make Out Paradise (Is that right?), or Ichi Ichi. Sakura looked at me confused for a moment, then sat down on the grass. Why hadn't our almost kiss freaked her out? I mean, I'm glad it didn't, but...

"When are Sasuke and Naruto going to give up, Kakashi Sensei?" I didn't look up from my book, but merely shrugged. Sakura harrumphed, and I could tell she wasn't happy with it. After a while, she started talking to herself, and I caught snippets: "Stupid Naruto... challenging Sasuke... he's way better than you... ugh..."

I didn't check the time, but it started to get dark, so I pulled a packet out of my pocket, and set it alight, then I dropped it. Sakura was too busy watching Sasuke and Naruto refusing to give up to even notice a tent (complete with sleeping bags, food, toiletries) pop up, and a hammer was on top of it. Putting my book down (Nooo!), I used the hammer to put all tent pegs into the ground, then threw the hammer into the tent, zipping it up.

Now, the shadows had grown even darker, and stars were starting to appear in the now, nearly navy sky, and the sun was almost completely down.

I sat down besides Sakura. "How did that tent get there?" I rolled my eyes. "I made it appear." My tone was calm, but, if you listened closely, you could practically HEAR the sarcasm.

"Excuse me." I got up, without waiting for an answer, and wandered into the forest.

"Wait! Sensei! Don't leave me here, it's dark!" I rolled my eyes, hands in my pockets. Is there anything that Sakura ISN'T afraid of? I went behind a tree, and pretended to pee. The boys had quietened down a bit now, so I imagined that they were resting.

"Transforming jutsu!" In my mind, I pictured Sasuke, covered in kunai knives and bleeding. Sasuke was training, in the forest, and Naruto might've gotten carried away, or there may have been an unexpected enemy. Where Kakashi once stood, now stood – or kneeling – Sasuke. I staggered out of the trees, and dropped to my knees. "Sakura... help me!" Sakura whipped her head around, and screamed. "ARGH! SASUKE!" Sakura fainted. I transformed back to Kakashi, chuckling quietly.

I bent down at the knees, and lifted Sakura up. Balancing her in my hand, I used my spare one to open up the tent, in one swift move. When she was tucked into a sleeping bag, I zipped the tent back up, grabbed my book, and climbed a tree – much like how I had taught Squad 7 earlier today. I found a nice big branch, and stretched myself out (Back supported by the tree truck, legs in front of me), using a torch – not bright enough to alert anyone of where I was, unless they squinted really hard, but enough to allow me to read without straining my eyes.

Sometime later, I couldn't hear the boys at all, so I carefully stood up and looked across the horizon. When I couldn't see them at all; I jumped from the tree, using chakra as to not hurt myself, and sprinted to where they were.

What I saw surprised me. Sasuke and Naruto were laying side by side, snoring softly. I smiled. These two were good for each other. Each one encouraged the other to be stronger. Not through verbal encouragement, but by calling each other 'weak'. This, I suppose, is why Naruto didn't goof off as much now.

My ears twitched. What was that? I listened more intently, edging closer. Sakura screamed. I broke off at a run, and skidded to a halt outside the tent.

"Sakura?" Inside, she whimpered. Instantaneously, I knew she was crying.

"Sensei..." I zipped open the tent, and went in. Sakura was sitting cross legged, atop the sleeping bag, and her eyes were red and puffy. This made her hair look even more pink.

"What happened, Sakura?" I was still crouched in the tent doorway. Sakura shook her head, and started crying again. I sighed inwardly. Girls and their drama.

"Nightmare. Nothing important. Sorry, Sensei. Just go back to bed. I'm fine..." I noticed that Sakura trailed off. When I was a kid, I suffered from nightmares all the time. I've grown out of them, but Sakura was very sensitive. I sighed quietly, not from impatience, but because I wished she would open up and tell me. "Why did I... pass out? Oh! Sasuke!" I touched her shoulder.

"That was me testing you, as a ninja must always see through deception. Regardless of the time. And... you fail that test. Good thing it wasn't real."

She gave me an uncertain smile, and I smiled back. "Thank you, for being there, Kakashi Sensei. I've always liked you... because you word things in a way that makes everyone feel better. And I'm really sorry Naruto set up the door, so that the board rubber would fall on you... I told him not to." I smiled beneath the mask. I'd never admit it, but her words warmed my ice heart, making a flush red spread about my face.

"You're welcome. Don't tell Naruto or Sasuke this, but out of the three, you're the stronger one," her eyes widened disbelievingly. "Not in physical fitness, because that's Sasuke's area, and not in hyper-ness, because that's Naruto's area, but in mentality; you are quick to think on your feet, allowing yourself to make clear, concise decisions. You have a lot of potential, but you have to believe in yourself, or no one else will. I have faith in you, Sakura. More faith than I could ever truly say to you. But I can prove it by always being there for you. You're strong. Why can't you see that?" Sakura smiled, eyes glistening with the tears she refused to shed.

"I don't know Sensei... I just don't know..." Sakura's head drooped, and her breathing slowed, just a little. Before I went to leave the tent, a tiny voice spoke. "Don't leave Sensei. Stay with me, please."

"Are you sure?" I looked at her quizzically. Apparently, she was serious. "Yes." An owl hooted in the distance close by, and I almost didn't hear Sakura.

Scooting closer, I sat beside Sakura, and she leaned into my shoulder. "Ow." I frowned, and she seemed to sense my confusion. "Your shoulder is bony, Sensei." I let silent laughter shake my form. "Quit laughing, Sensei." This just made me laugh harder, but I never made any sound. Coughing to clear my throat, I used my hands to shift Sakura, so that her head was in my lap, and then moved downward, so that I was lying on a sleeping bag, with my student's head in my lap. (She was lying diagonally, covered with a duvet she'd pulled over.) I gently caressed her pink hair, lulling her to sleep.

"Thank... you... Kakashi Sensei." Her voice was a mere whisper.

"Sleep now. Hush." I shut my eyes, and let sleep overcome me, welcoming me into a gentle dream where Sakura and I were more than just Sensei/student, or friends. Something that'd never happen. I sighed wistfully. If only she were older, or I younger.

Neither of us should touch the forbidden fruit, but the thrill of it, the curiosity of what it tastes like, had made us reach out, and grasp it.

Morning: 10am

Something was tapping my shoulder, shaking me. I swatted it away, only for it to come again. The persistent, annoying thing, kept coming back, and I moaned, irritated that my sleep had been disturbed. I was quite comfy, and didn't want to be disrupted. "Kakashi Sensei! Get up! Come on, you lazy arse!"

"Naruto, you're so annoying!" There was a tutting in the corner, and a mutter of "Losers." I smiled, and sat up groggily, eyes adjusting to the sight before me:

Sakura sitting 2 inches from me, playing with a finger of mine.

Sasuke and Naruto sitting VERY close together, Sasuke watching Naruto, and Naruto smiling slightly. Looking down, I saw they were holding hands, and I smiled beneath my infamous mask. "Good morning, everyone. How you doing?"

"We're doing good, Sensei. Sasuke and I came over to say 'morning', and to get you up, and then we saw Sakura laying on your lap, so we woke you up, then she in turn woke you up. Hope you didn't mind, but it's 10am, and we need to be getting back. Sasuke and I managed to hit the top of both trees, and we fell asleep last night side by side. Weird huh, Sensei?" I blinked in surprise.

"Still as hyper as ever, Naruto." He laughed nervously,rubbing the back of his head, and Sasuke shook his head at Naruto, smiling. Pink tinted his face delicately.

I sat up, and looked at Sakura. "Sorry if last night made you uncomfortable. You were upset, so I comforted you. If you want to move Squad, just say, and I'll get you a proper Sensei, one who doesn't read perverted books." Naruto laughed, and Sakura giggled just a little.

"No, I'm fine. Last night was amazing. Thank you Sensei. I'm not going to transfer. I wouldn't want to. I'm good where I am." Sakura shuffled closer (If that were possible), and kissed my cheek gently. Naruto let out a whistle, and a "Sakura?" filled with awe. I merely gaped, but eventually composed myself, and grinned. "Wow."

Sakura was blushing, and I raised a hand to stroke her cheek, causing her to blush an even deeper shade of red. I chuckled, and scrambled out of the sleeping bag. I motioned for everyone to leave the tent, so that I could get out. Once outside, I stretched my back, and packed away the tent.

Once done, I turned back around. "Right, Team 7. This is your next assignment: Keep up with me, all the way back to the Academy. Anyone who doesn't complete this successfully gets no breakfast. Remember, you are a team, so encourage each other. GO!" I set off at a run, and Naruto easily overtook me. Sasuke and Naruto were head to head, and just in front of me. I upped my game a little, and sprinted just a little faster. Where was Sakura? "Kakashi... Sensei... I've got Ichi Ichi... you left it... behind..." Ah, talk of the devil. Wait, I left Ichi Ichi behind? Oh no... I'm getting old. Still, at 32, I'm doing pretty good. I stopped running, and turned around, slightly breathless. Sakura was sprinting toward me, a familiar neon orange book in her hand.

She started skidding, and I caught her. We ended up in a position that caused me to get deja vu. She was in my arms, and we were looking at each other. Like last night, I leaned in, and Sakura turned a delicate pink, to match her hair. Her ragged breathing could be felt on my face, and she leaned in closer still. "You smell really nice, Sensei." I laughed.

"Of all the things to say..." She smiled sheepishly. A flash of mischief crossed her face, and she stepped back. My arms burned with the loss of the warmth she had filled me with. Externally, and internally. I wanted to take her where she stood, but those fantasises had to be crushed before they could fully develop. I sighed internally...

"Race you!"

I looked into the distance to see a pink haired 14 year old sprinting with all her might. Taking off after her, I let the fantasies take me over, hoping that you couldn't tell externally.