Hello my friends; I'm sorry that this chapter is so short, but I figured you would want to know what happened. Plese don't hate me for how this chapter ends... it will be end of Part 1, but I'll continue to update under this story; this is like the intermission because the next chapter will be two years later.

Chapter 18: A Lie that Could Destroy a Relationship

disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Their lips met with a fiery of passion; it seemed Sakura knew he needed this. It began hot, and got even hotter. Kakashi's tongue didn't even ask permission to enter her moist cavern, it just entered.

As their tongues danced together, Kakashi allowed himself to let a lone tear fall; he didn't want to leave this; leave her.

Kakashi had agreed to meet up with Tsunade; she was now the acting Hokage because Sarutobi had died.

Kakashi had been standing outside of her door for the past ten minutes; he really didn't have the courage to go inside. Everything was happening too quickly, he and Sakura were finally a couple, and now Tsunade wanted to take that away.

Reaching for the door knob, Kakashi was interrupted by a loud voice. "Get your ass in here, Hatake," Tsunade's voice boomed through the door. "I'm sick of waiting for you."

Kakashi quickly opened and shut the door. He walked in until he was a few feet away from Tsunade's desk; he bowed slightly.

"You wished to see me, Hokage-sama," Kakashi asked while staring at a position above Tsunade's shoulder.

"Yes, Hatake," Tsunade said with a slight sigh. Kakashi noticed the slight slump in Tsunade's shoulders; her posture was very laid back. "I wanted to discuss the mission you put in for; the long one you requested."

"I would like to withdrawal-"

"That is not an option at the moment," Tsunade stated. Her eyes were hard, and Kakashi knew there was nothing he could do.

"What are my mission details, then?"

"Your mission will begin tonight; no, it will begin right after you leave this room. You will be able to stop at your house to get supplies, but that is all." Tsunade stated while casually looking at her finger tips. "Your mission will be a two year one to the land of Snow; the lord there has asked for a shinobi to protect his daughter."

"Will I be able to say goodbye to my team?" Kakashi asked. "Say goodbye to Sakura?"

"No," Tsunade stated; her eyes never leaving Kakashi's face. "You will leave now; Jiraiya is taking Naruto on a mission later this afternoon."

"But then Sakura will be alone… you really want to leave Sakura alone without any friends?"

"Just drop it, Hatake," Tsunade said with a slight glare. "She'll be fine with Shizune and I, now leave!"

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Kakashi stated. With another slight bow, Kakashi disappeared into a poof of smoke.

As Kakashi reappeared at his apartment, his hand collided with one of the walls. "God damn it," Kakashi hollered as his hand left a gapping hole in the wall.

"What's wrong, Kakashi?" Sakura asked as she peaked her head around the doorframe. Sakura had stayed the night last night; nothing happened per say, in that department… they both knew she was too young.

"I have to leave on a mission…" Kakashi muttered as he fell to his knees.

"How long?" Sakura asked as her face began to become somber. Her eyes were clouding over with tears.

"Two years," Kakashi stated. Sakura walked to him, and sat in front of him.

"How did this happen?" Sakura asked as a trickle of tears fell from her eyes as she croaked some words out.

"I asked Sarutobi-sama before the attack," Kakashi stated; his eyes shone sadness, but no tears fell. "It was before we got together…"

"I don't blame you," Sakura said while placing her face in the crook of Kakashi's neck. "Why can't Tsunade just erase the paperwork, or put someone else on the mission?"

"Why don't you go ask her, Sakura?" Kakashi stated while standing. He knew he had to leave… it would be too hard for him to leave with Sakura here. "Go talk to her; I'll be here waiting when you return."

Sakura's head nodded quickly. A smile replaced her tears as Sakura's lips connected with Kakashi's. Kakashi's eyes did not close as they watched the loving smile on Sakura's lips.

Their kiss was soft, almost too soft for what Kakashi was about to do. He raised his hand to the back of her neck, and slammed down as softly as would allow.

She fell gracefully into his arms, and a tear fell from his lone showing eye. "I'm sorry Sakura," Kakashi whispered into her ear. "Become stronger for yourself; I'll come back to you."

With that said, Kakashi placed Sakura softly on his bed. He placed one more kiss on her lips before he grabbed his already packed bag. He sighed, but placed a note down on the table next to her bed. Walking out the door, Kakashi could only think about the beautiful girl that was laying on his bed, and what she meant to him.

---

Sakura woke several hours later; her eyes shone with tears. "KAKASHI!" She called into the darkness of his apartment, but nothing stirred. She quickly stood, and opened the shut bedroom door; everything was dark… and there was no Kakashi to be found.

Sakura quickly sprinted out of the apartment, completely missing the note on the bedside table that was addressed to her.

Sakura raced through the streets; she needed to get to Tsunade as quickly as possible. Kakashi couldn't have gone that far…

As Sakura got to the door of Tsunade's room, she was about to open the door, when something stopped her. She quickly walked over to the door, her chakra masked, an ear up to it.

"We'll be leaving tonight," an older, masculine voice stated.

"What about Sakura?" Tsunade asked.

"I'm sorry Tsunade-baachan," It was now Naruto's voice that had spoken. "I promised to get stronger for Sakura-Chan; I'm going to have to leave to do so."

"I don't support this mission," Tsunade's voice rang true throughout the now quiet study.

"The old pervert and I will be back in two years," Naruto said; Sakura choked on her own saliva. 'The old pervert?' Sakura asked herself… was that Kakashi? Naruto had said two years; did that mean Kakashi and Naruto were both leaving her, together?

Sakura couldn't take it anymore, she quickly opened the door, only to see a flash of sliver and a flash of blonde before nothing; the two had poofed away.

"Who was that?" Sakura asked, tears were in her eyes.

"It was Naruto and his sensei," Tsunade stated with a sigh.

"Naruto and Kakashi are leaving me, together?" Sakura asked as more tears fell. Tsunade raised a delicate eyebrow, but then understood what the young girl meant.

Taking a second to think about her answer, Tsunade responded. "I'm sorry they left, Sakura-Chan," Tsunade sated while standing. She walked over to the young girl and wrapped her up in a hug. "I really didn't want them to leave."

"They promised they wouldn't leave me, Tsunade," Sakura called as tears fell. "They said they wouldn't leave me alone."

Tsunade's heart stung slightly as she continued the lie she was telling her young niece. "I told them they didn't have to leave; Kakashi said he needed time away… I really am sorry, Sakura-Chan. You still have Shizune and me though, don't forget that."

"I can't believe he would just want to leave me," Sakura said as she got over her sadness; anger started to fill her senses. "We just started our relationship… how could he leave like that?"

Tsunade felt another tug on her heart, it was for the best though. Sakura and Kakashi's relationship would just be too complicated; Tsunade was saving her niece heartache.

"I don't know sweet heart, I don't know," Tsunade said while running her fingers through Sakura's hair.

"I'll never forgive them," Sakura stated with a slight glare, the tears had now subsided "I'll never forgive him."

"We'll start your training again tomorrow," Tsunade stated while leaning away from the small girl.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Sakura called as she left the room. She walked back to her own apartment, promising herself to never enter Kakashi's apartment again… where, little did she know, there was a note addressed to her explaining what happened.

My Dearest Sakura,

Please forgive me. I really do love you, but I knew Tsunade would never allow me not to go on the mission; I had practically begged her earlier. I also heard that Jiraiya-sama might be taking Naruto on a mission; please know that you are not alone. We both love you so much Sakura; we're apart of your family.

I love you now, and forever.

Kakashi

End Part 1.