Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Rating: T
Comments: Yet another one-shot. This one I wrote a long time ago and had posted in my livejournal, but took a while to get around to uploading.

Untitled
Kakashi/Sakura

It was a surprise, the brightness falling from the sky, glittering across the silver band. Jade eyes, cloudy with sleep, blinked slowly. Slender fingers tightened around the treasure, before relaxing.

Sakura gave the softest of sighs, leaning her head back against the tree. How long had she been resting? All night, and well into the morning. The slight twinges in her back, her neck, were evidence of that.

Despite the knowledge that she had been away too long, she made no effort to move, simply sitting there. Recalling words that brought a hollow feel to her stomach, scenes that made her eyes smart with tears.

When had it all started? Why? For years she had believed wholeheartedly in her love for Sasuke, even after his marriage to a woman she called a friend. She had never pushed her affections on him after the engagement was announced, but her heart had still held the feelings. Yet now...

How many times had it been pointed out to her?

"Sakura, you never talk about Sasuke anymore..."

"Sakura-chan, were you with Lee-san last night?"

"Sakura-san... I... I know this may seem odd of me to say, but something has changed. I have always known you thought of Sasuke-kun while with me. For years, I have known, yet kept quiet. But now you never seem to..."

"Why is that big forehead of yours always creased in sadness? You haven't looked like that since you thought Sasuke had left Konoha forever!"

She had truly begun to date Lee without Sasuke always intruding. Despite that, she still could only hold him dear as a friend. She couldn't love him. They had broken apart, with pain on both sides. His, for unrequited love - hers, for being unable to return his feelings.

But still... still, when was the last time she had been preoccupied, with Sasuke's face filling her thoughts?

A year? Longer.

She bent her knees, hugging them to her chest, gazing sorrowfully at the protector in her hand, the symbol of Konoha gleaming in sunlight. "If only you were here," she murmured softly to the soul long departed. The person she had spoken to when heart-broken over Hinata's engagement to Sasuke, the person who had understood and accepted her.

The person she had only just realized she had truly loved.

Romantically? She was... unsure. She couldn't truly say. He had been gone, and she had never recognized - or acted on - her feelings.

But she knew she had loved him deeply, in some way.

"Naruto..." Her eyes drifted closed as familiar tears appeared. "I miss you."

"Sakura... I need to talk to you."

"Kakashi-sensei... where is Naruto? Why hasn't he returned?"

She had wept then, as well. Learning of the weakened seal, the demon lying inside the boy's body. Learning that he had chosen death, rather than allowing such a force to reappear in the world.

"Sakura."

She stiffened slightly. "Kakashi..."

He came to sit beside her, unusually grave. "You never returned last night."

She shakily pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, avoiding his direct gaze. "I'm sorry."

He didn't push, despite knowing that she was lying. She wasn't sorry; she had wanted to leave, needed to. Her former teacher reached over, taking the protector from her grasp.

"You shouldn't have stayed so late," he berated instead, ignoring the faintly protesting movement she made. "Doctor's orders." He paused. "And Hokage's."

Her eyes flew up to his, then flit away as faint color washed her cheeks. "I'm sorry." She pushed jerkily to her feet, pressed a hand against her forehead as the world swayed for a moment. "I should get back into bed."

"Yes," he agreed soberly, standing beside her. He held out a hand, and she took it, gripping firmly.

"Naruto," she murmured, suddenly wanting to confess. He shook his head once, sharply.

"Don't."

She looked at him in surprise, eyes widening as she saw the pain etched across his face, so clearly to her despite his mask, despite the single hidden eye. Then she smiled; reassuring, despite her own problems, her own ghosts.

"I know."

She pressed a hand against her belly, still flat. And she glanced toward her husband. A man she had married due to a single night's mistake, filled with tears and anger, curses and helpless pleading. He had been there then, and only a man, despite his training... despite his morals.

"Shall we go?" she asked softly, making a quiet promise to become a better wife. He deserved it... and she did care. Perhaps not with blind love, perhaps not with the unshakable faith that Lee had in her... but it could be enough. It had to be.