Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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Kakashi stiffened when Sakura began to cry. His mind immediately went to the last time he saw this heart-wrenching display; Sakura, at 16 cried because she had been abandoned by team seven long ago.

He regretted the night after she confronted Sasuke immensely but could not find an appropriate way to apologize. Instead, Kakashi gave her space and had since remained inside the role of sensei and nothing more.

But now two years later, he was provided a renewed opportunity to help her, act as a mentor and confidante. Sakura hastily wiped away her tears as quick as they fell and felt ashamed for having caused a scene in public and in front of her indolent former sensei.

"Sorry, I've been drinking…have no idea why I'm acting like this." She hurriedly explained.

Kakashi wasn't fooled. Although he clearly identified the presence of alcohol in her system, Sakura never cried anymore and he doubted she came out to drink this heavily on a whim. There had to be a reason for her current state.

"You don't seem like the drinking type." He provided, goading her into revealing more by providing a simple observation.

Shinobi rule #478: It is imperative to say less so the target will say more.

Sakura had no idea why that rule flitted into her mind. Surely Kakashi would not be using interrogation techniques to dig into her mind. No, it was simply Kakashi making small talk with underdeveloped social skills.

"I'm not…Though with a shishou like Tsunade it would not be surprising." Sakura mumbled out the last bit before once again placing her head on the table in an effort to stop the dizziness. She focused on breathing deeply to calm her nerves and tried to remember something on the fringes of her mind. A fact long since stored away in her memory banks that for some reason, in this situation was nagging her.

"Perhaps you're celebrating? I heard about your immediate promotion to the Jonin ranks."

If Sakura wasn't already drunk she would've sworn the floor just fell out from under her. It was her time to stiffen slightly but she kept her head down for fear of what her face would betray. Kakashi did not miss how she tensed at the mention of the promotion that he curiously overheard from Shizune earlier that day.

Now he knew what this concerned and would better be able to provide advice. Sakura kept her head bowed and refused to meet his eye; she was sure that if he looked at her with that piercing, seemingly all-knowing stare then the dam barely holding her conflicting feelings together would burst.

"But generally celebrating is more upbeat. Becoming a Jonin is a serious milestone, one I'm sure you're nervous about but you are a very capable kunoichi Sakura and there is no reason to be unsure of your position in this elite-" Kakashi continued unbeknownst of how Sakura ears perked up at the mention of being nervous. But he came to an immediate halt when the petite woman began to laugh.

Sakura's frame rose with every breath as she tried not to scream in frustration or cry in despair. But it seemed alcohol played a role in suppressing her normal kindness and revealing the ugly head of inner Sakura as her true feelings were voiced.

"Leave it to you to assume I'm nervous about joining an elite group. To presume, I feel some kind of inadequacy about myself that I can't handle being a Jonin." Even liquored up she spoke low and deadly. Kakashi was transfixed by the emergence of coldness as she looked at him, the anger in her eyes making him uncomfortable.

"I'm tired of this. I'm tired of you. I have been more your equal than you seem to realize but perhaps some misguided notion of being my sensei remains. But let me set you straight. I chose to become a better shinobi by asking to be Tsunade's apprentice and if you knew anything about me at all, it would be that I am a former member of team seven but I was never a student of Hatake Kakashi."

With that Sakura slid away from the table and with measured strides that bellied her intoxicated state, headed for the exit without a single glance back.

The air outside refreshed her body when Sakura left Elements and was welcomed by the cool night. Kakashi's presence was suffocating and although she regretted losing self-control, Sakura felt a strange relief. It was akin to a well-kept secret finally coming to light to all those involved, no longer would she bear the burden.

Despite her drinking she wasn't at all drunk. Sakura was well gone when Kakashi originally sat down but as with most ninja you did not allow yourself to enter a state that would leave you defenceless. Being a medic also caused her chakra to force out toxins with or without conscious thought so by the end of that conversation Sakura had full control of her mental faculties.

What's done is done. Sakura could not change anything about this night, instead she wanted to run home and sleep and put it all behind her.

-X-

Kakashi always had a quick reply or sarcastic quip even in the most inappropriate of situations but he was speechless when it came to Sakura's outburst. Several minutes after she left, he was still shocked by how she talked to him. Without respect or any sense of propriety she fractured another part of his heart.

Not once since he took that misfit team of genin under his wing did he think he had failed Sakura. Instead Kakashi always believed she failed herself, failed because she hadn't been a serious shinobi from the start and chased after pre-teen fantasies.

Even now he most deeply regretted how he failed Sasuke from not leading him away from a dark future. Not ever did it occur to him that Sakura felt abandoned as his student and left to fend for herself. When Tsunade placed her under her care, he thought she would set the confused girl straight and certainly not that Sakura sought her out as a last ditch effort to save herself.

Kakashi wanted to hang his head in shame and apology. But it would not be enough. Obito had taught him to never leave a teammate behind but what he had not considered was abandonment meant more than dying.

"Eh, Kakashi-sempai what are you doing here? And where's Fore…Sakura?" Ino waved a tentative hand at the man to gain his attention. When she walked up to the table he had been staring hard at the seat across from him. Flippantly Kakashi mumbled she left.

"Oh good because I'm about to take off myself. Just came back to grab my purse." Ino nervously tittered before reaching over the empty seat to grab her belongings. However, next to her purse was the bag Sakura arrived with earlier that night.

"Damn, I can't believe she would forget this. Her keys are in here." Ino knew she wouldn't technically need them being a ninja and all but it was a hassle nonetheless.

Kakashi eyed the small over the shoulder bag before standing up and holding out his hand to the blonde kunoichi. "I can take that to her." He politely offered.

Ino was wary of handing over Sakura's things to the Copy nin even if he had once been Sakura's sensei. Also, the way he offered sounded more like a demand than a kind suggestion…but Ino was feeling tired as the excitement of the night was beginning to wear off and she didn't want run over to Sakura's home which was nowhere near her own. She handed him the pouch before fixing a loose strand of hair.

"Thank-you Kakashi-sempai, I…. and he's already gone. I reaally hate ninjas." Ino grumbled before stomping off.

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