Scars

Chapter 10

Author's note: as it's saturday I have some free time so I'll post one more chapter, so enjoy everyone :) Please review

I don't own any of the characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto

The day before Sakura got her mission with the anbu team, Kakashi left for a mission too. But this time it was a bit different because before leaving he came to her house a few hours earlier and started talking about the things that were the most painful to her. It has always been just Sakura the one telling her feelings and Kakashi listening. Yet, this time it seemed like he felt necessary to tell her everything before leaving on this mission.

The copy ninja told her about all the times he was responsible for his comrades lives and they died, about Obito and Rin, about the war that was still deep inside his mind, about all the people he couldn't save. About his own scars that may have been even deeper than Sakura's, the only difference was that he found a way to keep on living with them.

"... and I want you to do the same" Kakashi told Sakura ending his story this way. Then, he touched her hair as gently as he would touch a butterfly, kissed her forehead and leaned onto it with his own forehead. Their lips were just inches away and Sakura couldn't help, but think that he will kiss her. Unfortunately, before he could do this, a messenger bird came to her window and had a message to Kakashi that he was already late and his team was waiting for him at the gates.

So, he left with a "bye" and a "I'll come back in a few days".

That encounter was the reason Sakura was so happy the next day. She was on her way to the grocery shop when an anbu came and told her she is expected in Tsunade's cabinet right this minute. If this happened a few years ago she would have started running like crazy, but now she only did a few hand-signs for a teleportation jutsu and was standing in front of her shishou in a matter of moments.

Sonn enough Sakura found out she was assigned to accompany an Anbu team into a tracking and catching a rogue ninja from Konoha. And it was all good until she found out who was the ninja their target- it was Uchiha Sasuke.

Sakura had no choice and even she would have had the right to decide whether to go on this mission or not, she would have chosen to go. It was not like she still loved the Uchiha, but he was still her and Naruto's friend, someone they had to bring back no matter what and Sakura was ready to do anything it takes.

That were the thoughts in Sakura's mind while she was packing her bag. And, when she left her apartment she was sure it was her duty to bring him back. She was no longer the weak girl he left in Konoha as a nuisance.

Running through the village Sakura saw Hinata walking right in front of her and as soon as the Hyuuga saw her she made her stop to exchange a few words.

"Hi, Sakura, are you going on a mission?" asked he dark haired girl

"Yeah, I am. I will be gone for some time" answered Sakura

"Really? So, what is this mission about?" asked the shy Hyuuga

"I can't really tell you any names or places, but you can tell Naruto when he's back that I'm gone to bring HIM back and I know I will succeed" answered the pink haired kunoichi

"Wha.. What do you mean?" asked Hinata

"Sorry, gotta go now. Bye" answered Sakura and dashed away in the direction of the front gates.

Their team has been traveling for almost 8 hours non-stop, so when they stopped Sakura was tired, but not exhausted. They made a camp for the night and Sakura had the chance to sleep for a few hours until her watch. That's why she got into her sleeping bag and tried to fall asleep. But, it didn't work out. Her thoughts were a mess, she couldn't forget Kakashi's behavior yesterday, but she couldn't stop thinking about Sasuke either.

She felt like her past was coming to swallow her, like Sasuke was gonna change everything that she now has. And then she remembered all those times she cried for him, begging for him to come back. She loved him so much, so was it possible to lose these feelings so fast?

When the time for her watch came Sakura haven't had any sleep. Her thoughts were torturing her. Even while watching over the whole camp her mind was still on Sasuke. She remembered all those times she cried for him, begged Kami to bring him back. And these memories were still so vivid inside her mind. Sakura started wondering if these feelings could possibly still be inside her heart, somewhere deep inside. Because she wasn't sure if it was possible for these feelings to vanish. But her thoughts were interrupted by the sunrise which meant it was time to keep on moving. That's why everyone started packing their things and left soon after leaving no evidence that they have even been there.

Meanwhile, when Sakura was traveling even further from her home village, Kakashi was entering the village gates. He came back from his mission and after handing his report to the Hokage, was on his way to Sakura's place because it was her day off at the hospital. He hoped she wasn't on a mission, but to his disappoinment she was. She left a note for him that she's gone on a mission that might take a few weeks. But that was not enough for him, he had to know what kind of mission was this and if she will be alright.

The one and only person who might know anything was Naruto, that's why he went to his place, but found it locked. The next stop was the Ichiraku's and sure enough his blond ex-student was there with his fiance.

"Yo!" said Kakashi

"Oy, Kakashi!" answered Naruto slurping his ramen in between words.

"I wanted to ask if you might know where Sakura is, what is the mission she was assigned to?"

"I was gone on a mission myself when she left, but my dear Hinata met her when she was leaving. And, you know what? I think she is gone to get Sasuke back because she told Hinata she was going to bring HIM back" answered the blond with a smile, but before he could finish there was a poof and a cloud of smokes.

"Are you insane?!"

"What the hell, Kakashi, how dare you scream at me like that?" answered Tsunade not put off by his hasty appearance, but totally angry that he was talking to her like that

"How could you send her on a mission like that?! You know, she's not ready for such thing yet, she haven't been able to recover fully!"

Tsunade realized it was probably just a second time she saw him mad like that.

"Look. Kakashi, I don't know what is happening between you and Sakura and I don't care as long as she is happy, but don't you dare underestimate her abilities as a kunoichi. I know she might not have recovered fully yet, but she will be able to pull this mission off and I won't change my mind. As for you, I'm not sure if you're afraid she won't succeed or if you're afraid her feelings for the Uchiha are not gone yet"

Kakashi punched her wall making a big hole and disappeared with a cloud of smokes.