Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor am I affiliated with the show in any way. I only writing this story for entertainment and not monetary gain.

A massive 'thank you' must again go to Scary Rei for her magnificent beta skills! I tinkered with this a bit after she beta'd so any mistakes are purely mine. Without her, I'm sure it would be riddled with many more.

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You Gotta Go There To Come Back

Chapter 16: Vision

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As soon as my vision clears

As soon as these visions leave us

I saw my love as bright as the farthest sea

Every day I'm with you I can almost feel

Soon as I can get my mind around

Soon as I can get my hands around

I'd give you everything but still I'd let you down

Every seconds ending but you'll come around

-Vision by BRMC

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Naruto frowned as Sakura threw another armful of clothes into a trunk. He reached in, pulled them out and started to hang them back in her closet.

"Naruto," came the tired sigh.

"Sakura-chan, you can't leave! You just got back!" His blue eyes squinted in thought. "Actually, you got back seven months ago, but then you left with us and now for the second time, you just got back!" Naruto's pout deepened, hoping to get her with puppy eyes.

"What am I supposed to do, Naruto? Kakashi is engaged." She paused for a moment, still feeling a clench in her chest just by saying the words. "I can't stay here and go through this."

"But what about us? What will we do without you?" Naruto's lower lip trembled slightly and Sakura pulled him into a hug.

"We'll still see each other. After all, you're like my idiot brother, right? What kind of sister would I be if I just forgot about you?" She pulled back, hoping to see a smile on his whiskered face but got a sad frown instead. "Just this one last time, I need to be selfish. I'm sorry."

"You will forget me eventually, ya know?"

Her green eyes snapped wider in disbelief. "Seriously? You? You, my dear friend, are probably the least forgettable person in this entire world! There's no way I could forget you, even if I tried." She saw the frown start to spread and quickly added. "Not that I would, mind you."

Naruto let out a little sigh of defeat as he sat on the bed. "I can't convince you, can I?"

Sakura sank down onto her bed next to him. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I can't stay. You know why and you understand, don't you? We've been talking about this for hours now."

Naruto nodded. "I do understand, Sakura-chan, I really do. But it doesn't make it any easier." He started to help her pack again, since he had delayed her by unpacking everything she put into the trunk. Suddenly he growled lowly. "I'm gonna knock that bastard's head off!"

Sakura giggled slightly. "You let me know as soon as you do. I'll do a little victory dance for you."

Naruto's eyes sparkled at the little smile on her face. It had been far too long since he had seen any sort of happiness from her. "I'll miss you, Sakura-chan."

"I'll miss you too, Naruto."

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Sakura stood with Koji, Ino, Yamato, Sai, Naruto, Shizune and Tsunade at the gates to the village. "Remember, Sakura. You must report in monthly. I won't request every two weeks like last time, but you are still one of my ninja and still need to keep me informed. Also, should I need you, you must report back immediately."

"I understand, Shishou. And I really am sorry about this. To all of you, I offer my sincerest apologies. You've been great friends while I dealt with my situation, but I can't stay any longer." Sakura bowed slightly as her lip trembled. She had been right the first time she left, saying goodbye in person was especially hard. Considering she had no plans to return this time, it wouldn't be right to just leave them though. She looked around at the patched-up buildings of Konoha and the colorful paint jobs on them. She looked out at the rustling trees surrounding her beloved village. She took in the smiling faces of the residents, the people who were blissfully unaware of her own heartache. God, she would miss this place. The trembling of her lip intensified as the enormity of what she was doing hit her. It was so much easier when she knew it was temporary.

Yamato stepped forward and pulled her into a tight hug. "We understand. And we'll miss you."

"Thank you."

Ino, who was already a sobbing mess, grabbed Sakura and squeezed as hard as she could. "Forehead, you're such an idiot to let Kakashi run you out of town! You should stay and we could all kick his sorry ass together!"

Sakura giggled through the tears. "Ino-pig, I was able to hold back the damn waterworks until you started with them! And as much as kicking his ass appeals to me right now, I'd probably feel a ton of guilt afterwards. Medic and all that." She managed a watery smile as she pulled back and looked at Ino. "Good Lord, clean up woman! You're leaking everywhere!"

"You don't look much better yourself, Forehead." Ino paused to wipe her eyes and then smiled back at her friend. "I'll miss you. Find some handsome hunk of man and then drag him back to show Kakashi he's a fool."

Green eyes rolled at the blond. "Maybe. I'll miss you, too."

Sai just silently hugged Sakura, unsure of anything to say in the situation. Shizune and Tsunade took their turns, also silently. If they tried to speak, the two women would no doubt end up in tears.

Finally, Naruto had his turn, but instead of crying and begging like they had expected, he gave her a fierce hug and a little smile. "I'll miss you, Sakura-chan. But you already know that."

"I know, sweetie." She was thankful now that she had her proper goodbye with the young man the night before. She wasn't sure the other patrons at Ichiraku were so thankful for the laughing and crying mess the two had been, but she didn't care what they thought.

"I love you all. And come visit me when you get a chance! Be safe."

After the hugs and goodbyes and tears were over, Sakura and Koji set out toward Snow. After a few minutes, Sakura started to get out of the carriage. "Sakura?"

"I'm going to take the trees, Koji. I just need some time to think." She smiled slightly at her manager and took to the treetops. With the wind rushing around her and the sights and smells of the forest calming her, she let her mind wander over the last six weeks. She searched for anything she could have done different, any holes she may have overlooked, anything that would give her another chance to be with Kakashi. But there was nothing she could find. It wasn't going to happen, no matter how hard she wished for it.

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Naruto stomped through Konoha, looking for a mess of silver hair. That bastard had some explaining to do and now that Sakura was gone, Naruto was done being nice. He had held back for his pink-headed friend's sake, but with her off to Snow, there was no point. Finally, he spotted his target in a tree at the training grounds, head buried in his smut, completely oblivious to the fact that Sakura was gone for good.

"Well, I hope you're proud of yourself, pervert."

Kakashi looked down at Naruto, slightly perplexed. The young man usually greeted him before launching into a lecture of some kind. "Well, hello to you too, Naruto."

The blond put up a hand for silence. "Don't even bother with pleasantries, you bastard."

Kakashi wondered what had him so worked up. He knew Naruto was mad about what had happened with Sakura, but the younger man hadn't sought him out before and normally wasn't one to hold a grudge.

"Did you know Sakura-chan is gone?"

One visible eye widened slightly.

"Yeah, she's gone. For good this time. She's gone back to Snow because she couldn't stand to stay here and see you and your fiancée together. You drove her away from us!" Anger started to radiate from Naruto. The more he spoke, the madder he got. "She's my best friend, Kakashi! A sister I never had and you drove her off! What the hell?" His family was falling apart and there was nothing he could do about it. His exuberance and tenacity carried him through tough battles and helped others see the error of their ways, but those traits would do him no good this time. This was something only Kakashi could fix.

Tears started to prick at Naruto's eyes. He was hurt, sad and angrier than ever at the Copy Ninja. "I thought you loved her! She loved you for five years, asshole! Five long years! She was patient and waited until the time was right, and even then she didn't push you. We all warned you to treat her right and you broke her heart instead. What did she do to deserve that?" Naruto took a deep breath to calm himself as Kakashi hopped down from the tree.

"Naruto, I - " Kakashi stopped short as Naruto was suddenly in front of him, glaring into his exposed eye.

"You're damn lucky she still loves you, or your bride would be without a groom on her wedding day." With a growl, he stalked off. He had plenty of anger left to burn, but a fight with someone he was so pissed at could be dangerous. He needed to maintain his control of the Kyuubi, so he left muttering angry curses. Those would have to suffice for now.

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Kakashi wandered the village for the better part of the day, mulling things over in his head. He didn't want to hurt Sakura - that was the last thing he intended. He knew she would feel the rejection at first, but he was certain she would get over it quickly and move on. Now he wasn't so sure about his decision. He still knew they couldn't be together. The thought of ANBU chasing after her tore him to shreds inside. Strong as she was, pitted against a team of elites he didn't think she would have much of a chance. Finally, his feet led him to a familiar house. Kakashi was sure he was about to get a beating, either verbal or physical, probably both. But he needed to speak with Aiko, so he rapped at her door.

The door creaked open and Kakashi frowned as he looked at the red-rimmed eyes in front of him. So, it was true. Sakura had left for good. He opened his mouth to speak, but a fist caught him in the jaw before he could get any words out. "ASSHOLE!"

Kakashi held a hand to his throbbing face. "So, I've heard."

He thought that would be the end of it, but Aiko yanked him into her house and proceeded to smack the crap out of him. Even with his elite skills, he found it difficult to deflect the petite hands that seemed to slap everywhere at the same time. Then again, he honestly didn't even try since he knew he deserved it. After what seemed to be an eternity of stinging slaps, Aiko began to speak.

"I wish your father was here to knock some sense into you! Sakumo-chan fought for all the right things for all the right reasons! Do you know what he fought for?"

Kakashi didn't get an opportunity to respond before Aiko let out another flurry of hits, a combination of slaps and punches this time. "He fought for his wife because he loved her, he fought for his son because he loved you, he fought for his friends because he loved them, and he fought for this village for two reasons. One, because he loved this place and two, so the civilians could live and love without the fear of other shinobi invading and destroying their peaceful lives. If he was here and saw you throwing away the person that loved you and you loved in return...he would be so disappointed Kakashi."

The words hit hard, because he knew Aiko was right. He sat for a moment to let it all sink in, as Aiko took a moment to calm down and regain her breath. Kakashi smiled slightly at the muttered "jerk" and "idiot" from Sakura's grandmother. They were insults from most, but from her they were almost endearments, though this time he figured there was more malice to them than usual.

Aiko sat down and stared at Kakashi until he started to fidget under her unnerving stare. "So, you went and allowed the council to marry you off to some woman. Why?"

Kakashi sighed as he set his thoughts straight. After listening to Aiko's rant, he knew it was time to start being honest. The actions that he thought were noble and best for Sakura just seemed to cause pain for her and for him. "First of all, I'm not married yet. The council ordered me to get married. I didn't want to and I still don't. But if I refuse, ANBU would be sent after Sakura and me. I can't allow Sakura to go through that. What kind of life would I be asking her to live if I asked her to run from ANBU forever just to be with me? What if they caught up to us and something happened to Sakura? There's no way I could handle that. I love her too much to give her that kind of life. I want so much more for her, and with the council making decisions about my personal life, there's no way for me to give her the life she deserves."

Aiko felt a twinge of sympathy for the obviously distraught man in front of her. This distance was no easier on him than it was on her beloved granddaughter. She laid a gentle hand on top of Kakashi's balled fists. "You know, I think Sakura would rather run from a thousand ANBU elites, live in a different place every day and always wonder if today would be her last, than see you married to another woman. This is killing her inside, Kakashi. What you're doing is hurting her more than the council's bullying could ever do. All she wants is to be with you."

Kakashi rested his head in his hands. "Even if you're right, I still can't imagine making her live on the run. I can't do that to her. I'm sorry."

Aiko sighed as Kakashi headed for the door. "Sometimes you have to fight for what's important to you, Kakashi. Sakura understands that. I just wish you did, too."

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Aiko stormed through the hallways of the council building. Her violent reputation was well-known, so not even the fearsome shinobi assigned to guard the passageways blocked her path. With a murderous scowl twisting her face, she threw open the door to the elders' office, smirking in satisfaction as the wall it banged against cracked.

Homura's eyes widened at the sight of the fuming woman standing in front of him. "What is the meaning of this, Aiko?"

"You know very well what the problem is, you old crones!" She marched forward and smacked her palm flat on the table in front of them, causing the sturdy oak to creak. "What are you trying to do to my granddaughter?"

Koharu sniffed disdainfully. "What makes you think we're doing anything to Sakura? We've had no contact with the girl for years."

"Just who do you think Hatake Kakashi is in love with? Who do you think you're hurting by marrying him off? Don't tell me you two old coots don't know what you're doing. I'm not stupid enough to believe that bullshit."

Koharu met Aiko's fiery stare with one of her own. "That young girl is a fool. The Hatake clan needs someone with a strong background as the matriarch. A girl whose family can't decide whether they wish to be ninja or civilians has no place there."

"THIS IS ABOUT MY DECISIONS?" Aiko's anger swirled strongly within her. "I chose to be a civilian, to give up ninja life, because I would rather be a good mother and wife for my family than die for a village that was sending children off to battle in the war! Sakura doesn't even know about my ninja background! Neither does my son, for that matter! And I refuse to let anyone else, save for a select few, know what I used to be! How dare you punish my granddaughter because I wouldn't continue life as a ninja!"

Homura readjusted his glasses, hand trembling slightly in the tiny yet powerful woman's presence. "Our decision stands, Aiko. Hatake Kakashi will be married to Manami-san in a short period of time."

Aiko snarled at the village elders. "Don't you even begin to think this is over." With a wicked smile, she let loose a burst of chakra that turned their massive oak table into a pile of sawdust.

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Koyuki sat silently, watching Sakura unpack at her manor in Snow. Finally, the oppressive silence got to her and she just had to say something. "Are you going to be alright, Sakura?"

"Depends on your definition of 'alright'. If it means I'll be alive but miserable, then I suppose I'll be alright. If you're asking if I'll ever be happy again, probably not." Sakura continued to unpack various boxes, afraid to stop and think about what she would do next. She had been so certain Kakashi would be a part of her life now that without him she was a bit lost. She hadn't imagined what she would do on her own.

Koji and Hiro poked their heads around the door to Sakura's bedroom. "May we interrupt or is there some serious girl talk going on in here?"

Sakura managed a tiny smile for her producer. "Come on in. Nothing too girly." She had been doing a lot of that lately - forcing smiles for the benefit of others. It hurt every time she had to do it.

Koji wiped his forehead. "We got the last trunk unloaded. They're all downstairs in the foyer when you're ready."

"Thank you, guys. You've been a huge help."

Sakura's manager looked at her seriously. "Have you thought about what you might do now?"

"I don't plan on doing anything for at least a while. I'll let you know as soon as I decide on something."

"Okay. We're going to let you have some time to settle in. Let us know if you need anything, okay?"

Hiro nodded at Koji's previous statement. "We're only a phone call away, gorgeous."

As soon as all three had left, Sakura let out a sigh. Reaching into another box, she pulled out her treasured photo of Team 7. She ran a hand lovingly along the glass surface and then her face twisted into an expression of pain when her throat tightened and her eyes burned. Roughly shoving the picture into a drawer, she hurried on to something else to occupy her mind. However, the damage had already been done and she cried while continuing to unpack.

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Manami marched up to Kakashi's door after doing some serious soul-searching. She would not stand in the way of two people being together, especially when they were so obviously in love. She may be soft-spoken and easy going most of the time, but she had her moments of determination. And right now, her mind was made up on the matter and no one could persuade her otherwise.

She could admit to being a bit disappointed that her engagement to Kakashi wouldn't work out. Manami was entranced by the elite ninja and had developed quite the crush on him. But a crush was nothing when true love was at stake. She was a romantic through and through.

After three fierce knocks, she waited nervously and then breathed a sigh of relief as Kakashi opened the door. He gave the tiniest of eye crinkles to his fiancée. "Manami-san, it's you."

The young heiress looked at Kakashi with a sad, resigned smile. "You don't love me."

Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose. "Our marriage isn't to be based on love. It's an obligation of mine to help Konoha, it's your obligation to help your father."

Her dark tresses shifted as she shook her head. "But we both deserve so much more than fate has dealt us and I for one am not cowardly enough to let others run my life anymore."

A charcoal eye narrowed as Kakashi frowned. "I am not a coward. I know where my duty lies."

It was her turn to sigh. She had heard stories about his stubbornness, but she was stubborn as well. "You're more than a shinobi, Hatake-san. You are a man and you deserve to be human just as much as anyone else does. Possibly more so considering all the shinobi sacrifice for their villages."

"What are you getting at?" The tired sigh indicated he had no fight left in him.

"I don't love you and you don't love me. However, you have a chance at love."

"Manami-san, don't. Just..." he sighed again as his sentence trailed off.

"Don't shush me, Hatake-san!" The venom in her voice caused his lone eye to widen and he stepped back a pace. "Haruno-san loves you and you love her. I'm not blind and I'm not stupid, nor do I appreciate being treated as such. Do us all a favor and be happy with her."

"What about you and our engagement? The council will never approve of me dissolving it."

A smirk graced Manami's face. "You won't be the one to request it. I will and they have no power or control over me. Let me handle that. You go to the one you love."

"What about your father? He won't allow it." Kakashi didn't want to get his hopes up until all bases were covered.

Manami's gentle brown eyes rolled in annoyance. "I will not allow my father's stubbornness to stand between you and love. Go to Haruno-san. You need to be together. I'll handle the fallout here."

Kakashi didn't need to be told twice. He gave her a quick hug in thanks and then he disappeared back into his apartment to pack.

Manami raised her hands to hide the burning blush growing across her cheeks. With a little spring in her step, she headed for the house she and her father were renting. Two people who loved each other would now be allowed to be together and that made her happier than anything else ever could.

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Manami's father sent a disapproving glare his daughter's way. "Why would you do such a thing, Manami? I had a wonderful match set up for you with Hatake-san. A brilliant shinobi with a strong background would be more than able to protect you and provide for you. Why would you throw that away? I thought you approved of Hatake-san."

"I did, Father. But that was before I knew he was in love with someone else. You know that was my only condition for this arranged marriage."

The slight wrinkles around his mouth deepened with his frown. "I told you that was nonsense. Have you ever heard him or anyone else say he is in love with this Haruno girl you keep talking about?"

Manami sighed. Her father was impossible at times. "Well, are the glasses Homura-san wears his?"

Her father looked at her strangely. "Yes."

"No one has said so, how can you be sure?"

"Manami, this is completely different than a pair of glasses. Emotions are much more difficult to decipher than whether glasses belong to the one wearing them."

"Father, I saw how Hatake-san looks at Haruno-san. When pain flashed in her eyes, it flashed in his as well. When she ran, his whole body went rigid to stop himself from going after her." Her head bowed as she finally found the words she was looking for. "He looked at her, the way you always looked at Mother."

She almost apologized when her father bit his bottom lip and he blinked harshly. Almost...but this had to be done, whether her father was hurt or not. Finally, he took a deep breath to compose himself. "If that is true, then I'll pursue other options for your engagement. I'm sure we can find another strong and respected shinobi who isn't attached to anyone."

Manami flung herself at the older man who was smiling kindly back at her. "Thank you, Father! You have no idea how happy that makes me!"

"Has Hatake-san spoken with the elders?"

Manami pouted slightly. "No. I told him I would take care of them since they have no say over what I do, but I wanted to speak with you first."

"We need to go let them know what's happening. I'll come with you."

Manami sighed in relief. The elders intimidated her, but with her father there, she could do what she had to.

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Kakashi poofed into Tsunade's office unexpectedly, causing the startled Godaime to hurl a few sharp projectiles his direction. "Goddamn it, brat! You can't just poof in here whenever you feel like it!"

"My apologies, Tsunade-sama. But I have an urgent request to make."

The energy she could feel radiating from the normally stoic man caused her eyebrow to arch. "I'm listening." She eyed the pack he was carrying and hope crawled its way into her chest.

"I would like your permission to go to Snow and apologize to Sakura." Kakashi was hoping that being on his best behavior would work in his favor. So he stood with his back straight before giving a respectful bow to the Hokage after making his request.

Tsunade laced her fingers in front of her to hide her smirk. "You know I can't do that. The elders have arranged for you to marry Manami-san."

Kakashi practically vibrated he was so anxious to get on his way to Sakura. "Manami-san was actually the one to say we should cancel the engagement. She knows how I feel about Sakura. I don't know how, she just noticed. She went to speak to the council about it."

At that moment, Shizune scurried into the office. "Tsunade-sama, the council is on their way and they don't look happy."

Tsunade cursed as she flew up from her chair. "Go, Kakashi! I can hold off ANBU, but only for a day at most. Get to Sakura and straighten this out as fast as you can!"

Without a word or backward glance, Kakashi flew from the open window in Tsunade's office and launched himself from rooftop to rooftop on his way out of the village.

Tsunade directed a bored look to the elders as they entered her office. She looked back down, pretending to be in the middle of paperwork as she signed another mission report. "Homura. Koharu. What brings you here?"

"Hatake Kakashi is needed at once!"

"Before everyone gets all worked up, can you tell me what's going on?" Tsunade was trying to keep her patience with the elders, but it was always a struggle. The pompous old prunes ordered others around like they were beneath them. Even the Godaime wasn't safe from their bullying.

"Manami-san has requested to dissolve her engagement to him. We need to find him another bride and let him know this will not be tolerated."

Tsunade sighed. "Why can't he just be allowed to marry on his own? He's in love with Haruno Sakura. If you would give it time, I'm sure those two will end up married."

"Haruno Sakura is unfit to be the wife and mother for such a distinguished clan."

Before anyone could blink or before Shizune could reel back in alarm, Tsunade grabbed Homura by his robes and flung him back into the wall.

Homura stared wide-eyed at the seething blonde in front of him. "TSUNADE! What is the meaning of this?"

Tsunade rushed forward to tangle a fist in his robes, her voice was a low hiss when she spoke. "What was that you were saying about my apprentice?"

Koharu glared at the Hokage. "Put him down! While Sakura's skills are great, her background is all wrong for Kakashi's bride. If he doesn't have a ninja bride, then he should at least have a wealthy and well-bred wife."

Tsunade scowled. They were talking about Kakashi's potential wife like livestock. It was sickening. But what really had her blood boiling was what they said about Sakura. "But Sakura IS a ninja! You said 'if he didn't have a ninja bride'. And what do you mean her background is wrong?" Confusion turned into frustration as soon as it dawned upon Tsunade what they were talking about. "Just because her grandmother didn't agree with you sending children to the front lines, just because her father and mother weren't cut out for ninja life, doesn't mean Sakura and Kakashi won't produce amazing offspring! With her intelligence and precise chakra control, and Kakashi's genius mind and enormous arsenal of jutsu, they could create some of the best ninja this village has ever seen!"

Homura seemed to listen and agree with Tsunade. "She's right, Koharu. They do have the potential to raise some - "

"No!" Koharu snapped at him. "Our decision has been made. Summon Kakashi at once, Tsunade."

With a sigh, she turned to Shizune. "Please send a courier to fetch Kakashi. Tell him to come at once."

Shizune hurried off to do as she was told, smirking once she was out of the office.

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The chuunin who had been sent after Kakashi panted as he tried to regain his breath in Tsunade's doorway. "Godaime-sama! I can't find Kakashi-sensei anywhere!"

Acting shocked, Tsunade sprang from her seat. "What?"

The elders shot up, too. "Are you sure you looked everywhere, child?"

"Yes, of course. I even sent out a large number of clones when I couldn't find him. None of them found him, either."

Koharu cursed under her breath. "I can almost guarantee he deserted the village."

Tsunade worked to hide the smirk that wanted to break free. "Didn't I warn you he would if you kept pushing him?"

Homura sighed. "Instead of lecturing us, send out the ANBU! This will not be tolerated!" The two elders swept out of the room and Tsunade breathed a sigh of relief.

"Shizune, summon a few of my most trusted ANBU. They will need to take their time with this one. I promised him a whole day's head start."

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Yamato smirked at his team after Tsunade was done explaining their mission. "Well, you heard Hokage-sama. Let's go home and pack. Take your time."

Takeshi, Harada, Shuichi and Matsumoto smirked back at Yamato. After seeing the way Sakura had taken care of Kakashi back in that enemy compound and then on the journey home, the four ANBU that had accompanied her were willing to do whatever it took to help her and Kakashi be happy together. If that meant misleading the elders and pretending to search for the missing captain while they simply skirted around Snow, then so be it.

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Kakashi sighed as he got off the boat that had taken him into Snow Country. Just a little further and then he would see the young woman who occupied his every thought since they had become involved. Every thought, every emotion, every decision was colored by Sakura's influence over him. And Kakashi was thankful for it. He may have messed up big time with his last stunt, but he was trying to set things right now. If Sakura would allow it, he would sweep her off her feet and show her just how much she meant to him. But the first hurdle would be to apologize. The infamous Copy Ninja was a little unsure how to go about that simple task. How did one apologize for breaking someone's heart? For tearing it out and stomping on it? He would have to figure it out as he went along, he supposed. He wasn't good with words, never had been. But Sakura knew him well enough to figure out what he was trying to say.

He was glad he didn't have to travel far once in Snow. Sakura's manor wasn't too far from the wooded area that was close to the boat docks. As he bounded from tree to tree, he tried to sort out what he would say in his mind. Everything sounded cliche and insincere. He let his mind shift to a few of the Icha Icha apology scenes, which were better, but if Sakura found out he was quoting one of his books to her, she'd likely send him flying out of Snow with a well-placed chakra punch. Kakashi ruffled his hair in frustration. He still had no clue what to say to her, but as her house came into view and he found he was out of time, he decided to just wing it. His heartbeat increased and his palms began to sweat as he got closer to her. Hopefully, Sakura would forgive him.

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Sakura put the last dish in her cupboard and looked around her kitchen. It was a bit dusty from all the boxes and unpacking, but a quick rinse and sweep and at least the kitchen would be completely done. A knock sounded at her door and she sighed. Really, all she wanted was to be left alone. The only thing her Snow friends would ask is if she was alright, and that was the last question she wanted to hear. Since frankly, she just wasn't alright. She was miserable and wanted to be alone right now. But the knocking was persistent and she made her way to answer it.

The person standing on the other side was the last person she expected to see. Sakura stared at the jounin in awe. Despite her heartache, despite the betrayal and deception, despite his cruel treatment of her, she still wanted nothing more than to fling herself into his arms and tell him how much she loved him. However, she knew that action would only bring more heartbreak.

"What are you doing here, Kakashi?"

He took a few deep breaths to gather his thoughts and strengthen his resolve. It was much easier to stay engaged to someone you had no interest in, than to tell the woman you loved how you felt about her. With this course of action, his heart and soul were on the line. And Sakura could easily crush him if this went badly.

"Sakura, I was an absolute fool. I can see that now. At the time, all I knew was that I loved you, way more than I have ever loved anyone. And if I defied the council, there would be ANBU sent out to hunt us down and bring us in. I couldn't even bring myself to consider putting you in such a predicament. I would do anything to keep you safe. But all I was doing was acting like a coward. I should have talked to you first, but I thought I knew best. I can never apologize enough for what I put you through, but if you give me the chance I plan on doing my damnedest to make things right."

Sakura looked into his eyes and saw the truth there. Holding her back was the fact that she had no way of being sure that Kakashi wouldn't run again, and that was something she just wouldn't be able to handle. She blinked a few times and took a shuddering breath, doing all she could to hold her tears in. "There's a saying that goes: 'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.' I won't allow my heart to be toyed with twice, Kakashi. I couldn't stand another betrayal, least of all from the one man I thought I could trust completely."

"Sakura, please just give me a chance." The silver-haired jounin could see his chance of being with the one woman who made him feel whole slipping away.

She leaned in and placed her lips against his. The kiss was full of love and pent-up longing, but behind that was Sakura's anguish and fury over Kakashi's previous actions.

Kakashi tugged his mask down and put his arms around her, intent on letting her know how he felt through this kiss.

Sakura sighed as Kakashi's warm arms tightened around her waist and allowed her hands to thread up through his hair before settling around his neck. This was possibly the best kiss he had ever given her, and it made tears prick at her eyes. It would be incredibly hard to let go, knowing this would be their last kiss for a long time, maybe the last one period.

He was hoping she would pull back and welcome him inside, telling him that they could work things out. But when she pulled back, she offered him a melancholy smile and began to close the door on him. "Goodbye, Kakashi."

The amazing kiss and the words of rejections left Kakashi stunned. He was still trying to catch his breath and process Sakura's words when he noticed she was closing the door. He reached out to stop it but was too late. His hand met the wood at the same time the lock clicked into place. "Sakura! Sakura, please talk to me!"

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Sakura made her way to her bedroom, far enough from the door that Kakashi wouldn't be able to hear her. Once inside her safe haven, she took her teeth from her trembling bottom lip and the tears started with a loud whimper. It was hard to tell him to go, but she wouldn't let him back in until she was certain he was with her for the long haul. He had to be ready to stay with her, through thick and thin before she allowed him back into her heart and her life.

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He waited for hours on her porch, hoping she would rethink her decision and talk to him. But as the sun started to dip below the horizon, he realized she wasn't going to come to him tonight. As he headed down the steps to make his way into town and find an inn for the night, a familiar silhouette coming up the lane made him pause.

"Hiro?"

"Kakashi-san? Is that you?" The silhouette paused slightly before continuing at a faster pace. The curls bouncing around the head let Kakashi know he was right about who it was. "What are you doing here in Snow?" Hiro looked around and then spoke in a lower voice, almost conspiratorially. "Does Sakura know you're here? What about Koji? If Koji doesn't know, don't let him find out! He's timid most of the time, but piss him off and he can be cruel."

Kakashi blinked at the questions being fired at him. "Koji doesn't know I'm here. I came to apologize to Sakura, but she told me 'goodbye' and then closed the door on me."

Hiro chuckled and then sighed as Kakashi fixed him with a glare. "Look, Kakashi. Koji's probably going to kill me for this, but if you want to apologize to Sakura, she needs to know you mean it. Words alone won't get you anywhere. You need to do something she would never expect of you, to show her you're serious about this working out."

A lone dark eye slid up to the emerging stars, trying to find his answer among them. "I'm not sure what to do." He looked back down at Hiro. "Is Sakura expecting you?"

"No. We've all been worried about her, so I was just going to go see if she's okay. Although now that she's seen you recently, she'll probably want to be alone." Hiro's lavender eyes watched the jounin for a few more seconds, trying to decide if he was doing the right thing by helping him. Finally, he came to his decision. "Come with me."

Kakashi fell into step beside the producer, wondering what he was thinking. He didn't have to wait long for Hiro to explain. "A lot of us have made a vow to keep you away from Sakura. We don't want to see her in pain anymore. But, I think the thing she needs and wants most, is to be with you. When you two were together and happy, that was the brightest I've ever seen her smile. Her eyes would sparkle and her whole face would light up as soon as you walked into the room."

The ninja smiled slightly at Hiro's statements. It felt good to know he could give Sakura that kind of happiness. He just wanted the chance to do it again.

Hiro continued. "So I've decided to help you. This may get me tarred and feathered by Koji and some of Sakura's more pissed friends, but I think in the end, this is the right thing to do."

"How will you help me?"

Hiro smiled a secretive smile at the jounin. "How's your singing?"

Kakashi spluttered for a second. "What? My singing?"

Hiro continued to smile slightly. "I can tell by your reaction that you don't sing much."

"Not in front of others, no."

"Then that makes it perfect. Sakura needs to know you're serious. To do that, you need to step out of your comfort zone, do something she would never expect from you. Words obviously didn't work, so you need to step it up a bit."

Kakashi squinted in thought. It made sense, kind of. He wasn't entirely convinced though. The only time he ever sang was when he cleaned his apartment, and then it was mainly humming and quiet singing. He wasn't one to belt it out since he wasn't even sure he was a good singer. "I don't know, Hiro."

That's when Hiro played his trump card. "If you want to win Sakura back, this is your best shot. I've been with her in the studio plenty of times. She feels tons of emotion in her music and the music of others. Even if you're a terrible singer, if you feel the emotions behind the lyrics, she'll understand what you're trying to say. Do it for her, Kakashi. She deserves to be happy and I think being with you is the thing that makes her truly happy."

Kakashi thought for a second and then gave a hesitant nod. For Sakura, he would do anything.

Hiro smiled brightly, rubbing his hands together in a move reminiscent of Naruto. "Excellent! It's not too late, so follow me to my studio. We can get started."

Kakashi's response was less enthusiastic. "Great."

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A/N: Don't worry about Sakura. The moping stops soon. Reviews much appreciated! Smooches!