Accidents: Chapter 13- Good Morning Sunshine

Sakura slipped quietly from the dark linen sheets, groggily slipping her feet into the fluffy blue slippers at the edge of the bed and shuffled herself through the apartment to the kitchen, shifting through cabinets, pushing aside scrolls and finally managing to discover a coffee mug buried among the Copy Nin's messes.

" God Kakashi, I swear you couldn't be more of a pack rat," Sakura grumbled, yawning wide before lazily drifting over to the kettle on the stove. She carried it the short distance to fill it with tap water, then replaced it on the stove top while lighting a small flame beneath it with a quick wisp of her fingers over the gas range.

She smiled sleepily, wiping at her eyes as she watched the water slowly stir at the bottom of the kettle.

" Five minutes should be fine Sakura."

Sakura's half lidded eyes slowly directed themselves at Kakashi's naked form in the kitchen doorway. A soft blush crossed her face and her eyes went wide before she turned away. Truthfully, she had never really seen Kakashi fully naked, always his shadowed form in the moonlight, and she was always too lost in his kiss when they reached that point.

" Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," she mumbled, now sure she was awake after being startled like that. She felt his arms wrap around her, his hips pressing to her back. She felt her insides melt as he left a small kiss on her bare shoulder.

" You really are a tease," she started as she turned her head, but his lips caught hers and she went silent, feeling his warm tongue lick her lower lips softly before he pulled away, leaving her slightly out of breath.

" You're always full of surprises Kashi-kun," she sighed playfully, running her fingers through his tousled hair.

" Well seeing your naked ass climb out of my bed this morning made me think back to last night and I couldn't help but come out here to bother you," he smiled deviously, Sakura giggling as he kissed her cheek.

" But honestly, seeing you standing here in my kitchen just made me want to make this day special for us. Let me make us breakfast then we'll go out and do something," Kakashi added, Sakura nodding in agreement.

" I would like that very much," she smiled, kissing him softly.

Kakashi slipped away to the bedroom, returning moments later, a small blush on his face as he donned a pair of sweats. He shooed her from the kitchen, Sakura trying her best to protest, but finding his romantic side something she just had to experience. When it was jus the two of them, the only true passion between them was under the cover of night.

But in the daylight, they were hard pressed to keep their relationship a secret, a secret that Sakura feared was already milling about their fellow ninja's conversations after the incident with Tsunade a few days earlier.

Had Sakura been at odd sorts with Shizune, it was clear now she simply disliked the woman. Shizune had never been her favorite person to begin with, but now Sakura flat out loathed her for her selfish actions. Whether the matter was sensitive and valuable to Sakura didn't matter to Shizune, it was more drama to add to the whole world of gossip and rumors.

Sakura must have had a sour look on her face for Kakashi sat beside her and pulled her into his arms. Sakura gasped but snapped out of her thoughts to allow herself to be comforted.

" You've been thinking too much about this ordeal with you and me. Just let it be what it will be. We don't need to hide anymore, since I'm sure Tsunade knows," he said in a soft voice. Sakura nodded, although the hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach didn't fade.

" What would happen Kakashi, if we didn't have to hide this anymore? Would it be a scandal? Would Tsunade forbade me from seeing you?"

Sakura's eyes gleamed with tears as she continued to think of the horrible outcomes of their secret relationship being not soo secret.

" I don't want to lose you Kakashi…"

Kakashi smiled and brushed a shimmering tear that had somehow escaped its prison behind her dark lashes. She sniffled, a little noise that made Kakashi long to hold her, to make her realize she could never lose him.

" Sakura, you know you could never lose me. I am yours. You are mine. Nothing can change that," he sighed as his fingers ran feathery light through her hair. She smiled faintly as her fears were replaced with a warm comforted feeling.

She gripped the front of Kakashi's shirt, puling him roughly to her. Her lips meshed with his in a cadence of soft kisses and soon all her worries faded away as his hands explored her body, each kiss ensuring their future.

" I want to stay like this forever, Kakashi," she whispered as she brushed her lips against his ear.

" Not everything can be forever Sakura."

Sakura's eyebrows rose. That wasn't Kakashi's voice. Her panic returned as she pulled her head back to locate the source of the intrusion. Kakashi's eyes refused to meet Sakura's as she explored his face, but were fixed rather on the door to his apartment.

Sakura turned to see a shadowed figure in the dim morning's light that filtered through the door's gaping entrance, the chilly morning air creepy up her bare legs sending shivers running up and down her spine.

Stepping into the threshold, the light from the kitchen danced across Shizune's features, a wicked smile on her lips.

" How cute. So this is why I can never find you at home in the mornings Sakura," she muttered, her voice low and threatening. Sakura pulled Kakashi's buttoned up shirt further around her bare chest and sunk behind the angry Copy Nin.

" Who gave you permission to sneak into my home?"

His voice was like a razor, cutting through the tension between them. Shizune however seemed unaffected by the harshness in his tone. She traipsed over the hard floor, her fingertips brushing lightly over random decorations and items littering a small table beside the open door.

" Now, now, sensei, no need to get testy. I'm merely here to acquire Sakura from your," her scrutinizing eyes wandered around the quaint living room, " home. That is, if I should have had Tsunade come herself?"

" No, Tsunade is busy, I'm sure, with more pressing matters. I'll join you Shizune. Allow me to get dressed."

Sakura slid off the chair, not bothering to hide the silky black underwear that exposed themselves from beneath the shirt's hem. She padded across the floor quietly before disappearing into a room at the end of the long hallway, leaving Shizune to examine Kakashi with narrowed eyes.

" You'll regret this Hatake. Sakura will not be yours to soil. Tsunade will see to that," she growled. Kakashi raised an eyebrow calmly and leaned back in his hair, stretching out his legs and smiling.

" Is that so? Well, I suppose I can't stop the Hokage… if that's really what she wanted."

Shizune's sneer was replaced with a bewildered look, but lasting only a second before her features hardened again and she glared at him.

" Of course she wishes it! Would you accuse me, the Hokage's trusted apprentice, of lying!?"

" Never, I only suggests she may have intentions different of your own," he said with a careless wave of his hand. Shizune felt her face grow hot with the outrageous if not more shockingly correct accusation.

" My own desires do not affect my duty, unlike you," she added with venom lacing her words. She knew he only spoke out so rashly to anger her, and god was it working. Never in her whole life had she been so infuriated by one person.

" I do what I please, as long as it does not endanger others. Does the relationship I share with Sakura threaten any villagers? Fellow ninja? The Hokage herself?"

Shizune frowned. He did have a point. In the end, as much as she hated to admit, it all came down to appearances. It would " appear" outrageous if other villagers learned of Sakura and Kakashi's relationship, but would it really bring them harm? In the end she had to nod her head reluctantly and agree with him.

" On that I agree Kakashi, but I'm afraid this matter is out of my hands. Sakura and you are never supposed to be. It's… in one word… taboo," she hesitated on the last word, seeing the surprised look on his face. Now where had he heard that before?

" For all our sakes Shizune, keep your opinions to yourself. You are no guest in my home, therefore you will hold your tongue."

Shizune's eyes went wide briefly before she smiled sourly and bowed.

" So sorry, Hatake, I do hope you'll pardon my interruption earlier. But with Sakura disappearing under the guard of night, it is my duty to seek her out with Tsunade seeks council with her."

Kakashi grunted and turned his back to the woman, letting her study his backside with detest before Sakura returned from the bedroom, pulling her leg guards on and slipping her feet into her sandals.

" I'll be back in a few hours at the most, alright?"

Kakashi nodded with a smile and kissed her cheek quickly, Sakura's face flushing gently before she returned the favor and led Shizune out without one more word.

Out on the street, Shizune grew antsy as Sakura made no attempt to appologize for, one, dissapearing when she was needed, and two, being caught with Kakashi soo easily, and at his own home. She remained walking slowly beside the silent woman in her company, itching for an excuse, anything.

" Sakura?"

" Yes Shizune?"

Shizune looked back at her feet, slight anger still stirring in her stomach. Kakashi's words were eating at her. She personally did have her own agenda. She couldn't lie anymore. She wanted Kakashi for herself. Her eyes darted over to Sakura, noting the spring in her light steps, the tilt of her smooth jaw as she held her head high, the shine of her gleaming pink hair pulled neatly atop her head in a delicate bun. She hated her flawlessness.

" You realize this charade can't continue forever. Tsunade-sama will have something to say about this," she spat with a wicked smile. Unaffected, Sakura shrugged and continued silently down the bustling street with Shizune in toe.

" Why does it bother you soo much, Shizune?"

Shizune's eyes darted up to watch Sakura's backside, her voice clear as a bell.

" It doesn't," she lied quickly to make up for her fumblings.

Sakura turned her head slightly to take in the image of the woman behind her, her traditional robes of an apprentice to the Hokage, her short hair bouncing steadily. Her stern eyes betrayed her once too often.

" You're lying," Sakura said, her gentle smiling emplifying her knowledge. " I've known you longer than you think Shizune. We've worked beside one another for quite some time. I know when you're denying something."

Shizune scowled, sticking her nose in the air. " I don't lie."

" Whatever," Sakura said with a careless wave of her hand as they entered the front doors to the ANBU complex. Sakura led the way up the winding staircase to the top floor where Tsunade's office was located. Upon reaching the landing to the top story, they found Tsunade's office door standing wide open and a few other Jonin filtering into the small office room. Sakura hesitated. A nervous knot was tying itself up in her stomach and she cautiously made her way to the door, filing after a few chattering females, then seated herself promptly on a low table.

Shizune had detatched herself from Sakura's company and had milled her way through the croud to approach Tsunade, whispering animatedly in her ear before their eyes met with Sakura's. She could see the trouble brewing already and her heart began to slowly beat painfully.

Tsunade carefully picked her way through the throng of people before reaching Sakura, her eyebrows furrowed and a stressful frown on her face.

" I'm glad to see you here Sakura," Tsunade said carefully, her tone even. Sakura nodded and bowed politely. " I would have been here sooner, but i was preoccupied with other dealings, I'm sorry."

" Don't appologize, I am fully aware of where you were this morning. Unfortunately," she took a deep breath, as though in pain by what she was about to say, "that is why we're all here today. We need to discuss... new policies."

Sakura, before entering the room, was already wound tight with anxiety, but now it was almost panic as she shared a stunned look with Tsunade and watched her turn to return to her desk.

" Please, let's settle down people. There is a reason I requested you all here this morning," she said loudly, calming the chatter that filled the room. All eyes came to rest on Tsunade before she sat into her chair, her fingertips pressed to her temples.

" We have a matter that needs discussion and I wanted to make sure we're clear on this. That's why you're all here," she sighed. Pulling out a scroll of blank paper, she handed it to Shizune who then scampered off to the back of the room to take, what Sakura knew she did at all official ANBU meetings, notes on the discussion being had.

"Under no law does it state that once a ninja has reached the proper age, that he or she may date whomever, including their previous sensei..."

The room went dead silent as her words were absorbed. Some looked shocked, others simply nodded their head. Tsunade waited till she saw everyone's eyes on her before she continued.

" But unfortunately, due to the... inappropriate image this depicts to other ninja, villagers, eccetera," she paused, drawing in a painful breath. Sakura was on the edge of the desk, her hands shaking. ' Please don't say it Tsunade, please,' Sakura pleaded inwardly. Tsunade let out a sigh of weariness.

" I in no way, shape, or form condone this behavior. Therefore, relationships of this kind would be better left unspoken of. In fact, if it can be helped, I would like to see the relationship ended. I'm sorry it has to be like this. I know how it affects some of you and I appologize for it, but I have a serious scandal on my hands at the moment and I'm trying to quiet the outraged villagers and fellow ninja that find it terribly innapropriate."

Sakura sucked in a painful breath and felt small tears sting her eyes. Ending what she had with Kakashi was like asking her to stop breathing. She needed him, wanted him, loved him. How could people be soo blind to what mattered most.

Sakura rose silently, pushing her way through the throng of people that chattered and whispered and gossiped. Tsunade's gaze caught her eye breifly and she let her face fall to peices, a tear sliding down her cheek, before she slipped from the room, making her way down the steps and out the main doors in the lobby.

Meanwhile, back in the noisy office, Tsunade struggled to determine whether she had done the right thing.

' I'm sorry Sakura, it had to be done,' she throught sadly before looking out the large window behind her to watch the pink haired woman walk slowly out of sight, her pink hair a small pinpoint of her existance in the people filling the streets.

Author's Notes:

Hmm yeah that's a good place to stop. Gotta keep that stinking suspense up! but yes i appologise for the terrible lateness of this chapter. I'm now bum bum bum able to work on my stories from school so that's a very nice change, seeing I arrive at school an hour before classes start. So now your chapters will be updated more often that not! It makes me happy to say i have a plot hahaha no really, for sometime there i was just like "blah, what to write, what to write." but now i know.

Hopefully i can have your next chapter out very soon, concidering chapters are short ( thank god) and i hope you all enjoyed!! Thank you for being patient with me!

-Black