AN: ok so this is really more like the second part of the last chapter because I wrote it all together but I posted it separately for the cliffhanger effect.

Makes me giggle slightly does this bit. Finally some more action!

Next chapter will probably be Ino-Shika, just to explain what happened earlier and all of that junk.

Just to clarify: Haruka is my OC. She is taken from my novel, "The Letter A", where she is a courtesan (also with short black hair). She may re-appear because I luffs her but yeah… her name means "Far away" in Japanese.

1589 words in this chapter

Back to Surreality

Chapter three- Promises

He had been watching for some time, trying to convince himself that the woman he had grown in feelings for was just a construct of the real Sakura's imagination. So far though, it wasn't working. She really did seem the same responsible, beautiful adult she had been in that apartment.

He didn't realize that he had been staring for too long until all of a sudden, she turned to face him with that stunning smile. "What do you think you are doing Kakashi?"

"You knew I was here?" he stepped out of the wall, releasing his jutsu.

The three other men turned to look in his direction. Naruto burst forward with a huge grin on his face. "Kaka-sensei! Why are you here? I'm not even injured this time. Are you here to see Sakura? Of course she noticed your presence, Sakura is very skilled at detecting and identifying enemies only by their chakra signals, it's all part of her amazing chakra control. I bet you didn't know that, did you? Dattebayo! I know something you don't…"

Kiba noticed Kakashi's serious expression towards Sakura and growled harshly to Naruto. "Shut the hell up Baka!"

Naruto was about to object, but was reminded of their reason for being in the hospital and cast a sheepish look to Chouji before deciding to stay quiet.

They watched on as Kakashi took a step forward, towards Sakura. She noticed this but ignored him, walking to finish the bandaging on Chouji's hand carefully.

"Sakura"

"Not now Kakashi, I'm working" she tried to brush off the subject with that professional attitude of hers, but he continued to try and get eye contact.

"Hey Sakura, since when did you miss off the sensei part?" Naruto called out, only to be pulled back by Chouji's non-injured hand.

"I was wondering that myself" Kakashi said in a low voice.

"Well…" Sakura began in a cheery confident voice, looking briefly over to Naruto, who was still struggling between his two friends. "I think that fact that we've spent the last week sleeping together gives me some access to that right"

To her delight, Naruto stopped thrashing about long enough to give them a horrified look before he sunk to the ground, still conscious but not by much.

"Well that worked." Chouji sighed, flexing his now free arm "Arigato Sakura-chan"

"That's no trouble. You need to rest Chouji. You lost a lot of blood on the way here…"

Before she could switch back to work mode, Kakashi caught the edge of her arm. "Sakura…"

"What do you want Kakashi?" she asked softly.

"You know what I want" He was talking to her, but his mind was elsewhere, unlike his eyes, which were glued to her as if she was the only one in the hospital.

"What?!" she whispered harshly, realizing what he meant "You can't be serious. It was just a mission Kakashi"

"No it wasn't. Not for me. A promise is a promise." His voice stayed remarkably even.

"But you can't hold your part of the bargain. That's not fair." She looked over to her three peers, who were staring at them expectantly, wondering what they were talking about.

"Of course I can. I can still tell you what you need to know"

"Just a mission Kakashi" she mumbled again, so quite it was almost inaudible.

He couldn't hold back any longer. He reached out and pulled her into his arms like they were earlier that day.

He hooked a hand gently around her chin and turned her to look into his eyes before he tugged her closer, bring down his mask in a flash with the same speed that he used when he ate.

His lips brushed hers in with brief, light motion as he turned to face away from the boys in the hope of retaining the mystery behind the mask.

Then he pressed harder, opening his mouth slightly to take her bottom lip between his and continuing to deepen it until he felt her loosen in his grasp.

To his surprise, he felt her hand snake around his neck as she pulled him closer, slipping her tongue into his open mouth.

He glanced down at her in bewilderment then stroked it with his own tongue, just like she had asked days ago with her finger.

Her sigh of pleasure showed him that he had done the right thing and they continued in their heated hold for what seemed like minutes, drawing dangerously close, before she let go.

She gasped for air as she sank back against the wall behind her while he replaced his mask.

Incredibly, Kakashi didn't feel out of breath at all as he ran his eye over the look of Sakura's body, with her chest rising then falling in deep, rhythmic motions.

"One kiss. Now I'll tell you what you need to know." He leant closer again and whispered in her ear. "I'm falling in love with you Sakura"

Thunk! They looked around to see that Naruto had passed out for good on the floor at Kiba's feet. Obviously Kakashi's whispering hadn't been as quiet as he thought.

"Right." Sakura took charge, straightening her medic uniform with a slight blush. "Kiba, Kakashi, make your selves useful and help me get him up on the other bed..."

"Um… Sakura?" Kiba stopped her, pointing behind her at Kakashi. Or rather, the empty air where Kakashi used to be.

Sakura turned and noted his meaning. But wait… I can still sense him here. She looked down to find a small box with one of his bindings tied around it. She smiled and shoved it into her pocket before letting chakra into her arms to give her the strength to help Kiba lift Naruto from the floor.

"Dare we ask?" Kiba ventured as they placed him onto the bed.

"It's not important, just Tsunade's meddling."

"What, is he drugged or something?" Chouji called from the other bed.

"Or something…" She mumbled, too quietly to be heard.

Kiba scoffed. "Yeah, drugged on Sakura"

"Hey!" she scolded

"So… you don't love him back?" Chouji continued.

"What is this, an intervention? Of course I don't, he's my sensei."

"Was" Kiba corrected her.

"Would you date Kurenai-sensei Kiba?"

He shrugged. "If she asked…"

"You're impossible. Would you go and inform reception that the other bed in room 13 is now occupied please? He should wake soon enough but its Naruto, we're better safe than sorry"

"Yes sir" he laughed before walking out of the room.

"Have you seen Ino this morning Sakura?" Chouji asked.

"Yes, why?"

"It's just that, she usually visits to yell at me in the mornings. It was the family meal last night and I was in here, so I was expecting an earful, but its afternoon now and she hasn't come."

"Didn't Naruto tell you? We had a mission this morning."

"But you're here…"

"I'm a workaholic Chouji. Don't worry, she'll visit, I know it. She's just a little busy at the moment."

"Ok…"

"Would it make you feel better if I tried to find her? I think I know where she is."

"If you wouldn't mind…"

"It's not a problem Chouji. Something tells me she'd be happy to see you this afternoon." She went to leave for a while, but not before stopping a dark haired trainee-medic outside the room. "Haruka-chan!"

"Hai Haruno-sama!"

"Room 13. Ensure that Uzumaki does not leave once he has woken up. Something tells me he'll be eager to get up but you mustn't let him, understood?"

"Hai Haruno-sama!" she shuffled off to stand inside the room.

Sakura smiled at the young girl's eagerness and went off to find her best friend.

There was only one place that Ino would go when she was feeling bad about something. She would go there because that's where Shikamaru used to always be. It was where her team would always be. Ever since they were split though, they never came here. Only Ino ever did, so that she could dwell on better times.

It wasn't too far from the hospital, a small hillside, surrounded on three sides by trees and positioned to view most of the village. The best cloud watching spot in Konoha.

As Sakura approached, she heard the faint sound of Ino giggling. She's gone mad.

She crept forward and peered through the branches of the trees to see them.

Shikamaru was lying there with Ino, or rather, on Ino. She had her arms wrapped around him as he kissed her from above, a smile on both of their faces.

Sakura was almost unwilling to interrupt the touching scene. Almost…

She pushed through to stand on the hillside next to them. Astoundingly, they didn't notice. "Don't mind me."

She smiled at the sight of Shikamaru practically falling off of Ino as she sat up in shock with a squeak.

"I see you two made up"

Shikamaru looked very nervous to be this close to both of the kunoichi. "H-hi Sakura, um…"

"Save the effort Shika. We know you lied to Ino. Get over it." Sakura snapped. "Ino-pig, Chouji's been asking for you. He said something about missing being yelled at."

Ino's eyes shot wide. "Oh Kami. I completely forgot about him."

"Yeah, well he's still in hospital, as is Naruto so…"

"Why's Naruto in hospital?" Shikamaru frowned.

"Don't ask." Sakura blushed, remembering the reason why. "Really, don't ask."

"Come on Shika-kun." Ino grabbed hold of his hand and pulled him up next to her. "Let's go and see Chouji. I've missed him."

"Mendokuse"

AN: Show the luff

Xx Belizma-chan xX