Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, if i did well...

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The forest was passing by in a blur as Sakura propelled herself quicker and harder with every tree branch. She had travelled almost a day and a half and it was only that very morning she left the desert and entered Fire country forest.

Sakura was beyond fearful for her reunion with Kakashi and perhaps that's why she was pushing herself harder to cover more distance. At least then there would be an excuse for the loud thumping of her heart.

It's been two years since Sakura joined ANBU and left Konoha, ceasing all communication with the village. At the time it was necessary for her, she couldn't move on in life with the constant reminders of failure from the past. That kind of thing was impossible even for her to do without sizeable proximity. For the most part she had been able to accept and let go of that past. But there was still one thing that had not been taken care of in the years away…

Sakura came to a small clearing in the forest and jumped down from her position to the ground. Only five kilometers from her position and she felt the tingling of oncoming chakra that was as familiar to her as her own.

Sakura fidgeted with her newly returned pink hair as she waited for her envoy to arrive. Dying it back the night before went against all her honed stealth skills but it seemed appropriate now that she was returning to Konoha.

The way she had chosen to live up until now had to be shuffled away into memory, Sakura wasn't sure if she would stay in ANBU full time now or resume her post at the hospital. From the way Naruto had mentioned to Gaara, the hospital was in desperate need of a medical chief and the position had all but been wrapped up and preserved for her.

Sakura flipped her kunai pouch open and closed as these thoughts circled in her head. She realized that perhaps this wasn't nearly as important as the situation at hand.

The sun was just beginning to dip when an ANBU clad shinobi entered the edges of Sakura's meeting spot. The hair was a dead giveaway to the ninja's identity. Long, silver and standing up. Kakashi had his porcelain mask on as well, not that it mattered much considering underneath it revealed only one quarter of his face.

Standing up from leaning against a tree she went towards him in the middle of the clearing. Kakashi paused and waited for her to approach. He knew not to overstep her personal space; if she wanted to come it was up to her to close the distance between them. She quickly closed that distance much to his surprise only to bring her hand back to slap the mask straight off his face.

He kept his composure despite the physical hit. His cheek stung but it wasn't nearly as painful as the glare Sakura was giving him right now. Her emerald eyes through the white and red mask conveyed a world of hurt and pent up anger.

"Take off the mask." She now meant the cloth one that was always covered his face.

He watched her carefully and slowly inched his fingers around the delicate material. With one tug it pooled around his neck exposing himself to her scrutiny. It was the first time he removed it in front of her.

There wasn't a big 'I can't believe that was under there' moment for Sakura, instead it was more like seeing the entire puzzle when a center piece had been missing. She was not surprised to note that Kakashi was handsome like she had always suspected but it was shocking that his mouth, nose, and chin made him look much younger than his eyes had ever revealed. There was also an uncanny lift to the corner of his mouth that seemed to hint at mischief but was subdued at the moment.

"Now yours."

She hesitated. But her time being in ANBU was over; it was time to go back to being Sakura Haruno again. Sakura slipped the mask off and placed it delicately on the ground. Kakashi took a step forward, closing what little space remained between them and brought his gloved hand up to cup her cheek.

"No, this mask." He swiped his thumb across her cheekbone.

Her eyes widened in surprise and then her defenses began to crumble away. Sakura gripped the hand at her cheek, hard, her searing green eyes boring into his.

"I've changed so much. The world beyond these borders is fracturing, screaming out in pain no matter where you look. People have been suffering much worse than us and I all I did was complain, stay weak."

Kakashi remained silent. He noticed however how her eyes had changed once again. Before she left there was despair and fear, but the Sakura in front of him now was determined and her eyes were hardened by experience.

"I promise never again to be a person who watches the backs of others. Not you or Naruto will have to protect me." Sakura paused and inhaled deeply to calm her nerves before saying what she really struggled to say to him.

"Kakashi, I don't need you to be another weakness. I need your strength. But above all I need you. Whoever you were in the past and all the anger and pain you've suffered; the man you are today, I want all of him. Hold nothing back from me." Sakura finished seriously.

She kept her head down, choosing to look at their still joined hands. It felt right, as if the world had suddenly become peaceful and still when their hands clasped each other. Kakashi remained silent before her and that's why she was afraid to look at his face–to see the rejection there–or anger or even disappointment. She wasn't sure which was worse.

Sakura chanced a look anyways. Her eyes slowly rose up his face, past his thinly pressed lips, his angular nose, and to the most telling of his thoughts, his eyes. The coal and crimson mixture she was well acquainted with but what was completely foreign to her, was how he was looking at her. There was intent in his eyes, a seriousness marked by the way his brows creased together and possibly nervousness that she had to admit, for once made him seem inexperienced.

"Sakura…if it means being a part of your strength, then I'm yours." He answered and gave her a small grin at the very corny line.

Sakura, who had been holding in a breath, released it with her own smile and small chuckle. She decided then that that grin would be seen a lot more of by her, it was too charming to keep hidden by that terrible piece of material. Her joined hand let go of his and this time it was her reaching for his face. Sakura very gently laid her palm on his jaw.

"Hey you know it's kinda unfair that you hid this face from me for so long." She said more in wonderment than actual accusation. Kakashi responded by wrapping his arm securely around her waist and pulling her against him.

"Well consider how lucky you are to be the only one who will see it."

"True. But first I really need to do this."

Sakura stepped up on her toes and tilted her lips to his. Without needing further invitation, Kakashi firmly molded his lips to hers, gently coaxing her mouth open with a sweep of his tongue. Their tongues met in the cavern of her mouth and made slow sweeps against one another. Her hands moved automatically, one to his shoulder to hold herself up to his height better and the other to snake through his hair.

Kakashi immediately recognized her difficulty matching his height and with the hand not wrapped around her waist, he ran the length under her thigh and prompted her to wrap herself around him. Sakura did exactly that with ease, not breaking from the kiss to jump up and hug his waist with her legs.

His arms went to her back to keep her close and help support some of her weight. Right when his hands pressed down, Sakura let out a hiss and arched her back away from Kakashi's hands in pain.

Kakashi let go quickly and Sakura stood upright on her own two feet.

"Sakura?" He said her name timidly, afraid he'd done something wrong.

Sakura held out a hand to stop him before those thoughts could take hold. "Sorry, I was injured recently."

She gave a grin, trying to downplay the entire issue but Kakashi still had a worried look. Sighing once, Sakura brought her hand up and held it to her back as well as she could manage then pumped chakra into the wound.

"See? All better! Let's have none of that." She reached over and smoothed his eyebrows with her fingers.

It didn't help soften his features. Sadly, she realised that making him not worry would take a lot of training on her part or at least better lying. But the most she could do now was convince him she was in perfect working order and with that Sakura, much to Kakashi's surprise, pulled his mask back over the lower half of his face. She quickly collected her discarded mask and ran to the edge of the forest clearing in the direction of Konoha.

"Race you back?" She challenged him.

Now Kakashi was quite used to being challenged and if his history with Gai were any indication, the infamous Copy-nin never backed down no matter how childish or ridiculous the competition was. So Kakashi merely smirked at his new partner and joined her at the starting line.

"Oh by the way, I should mention that the stakes of this race are loser has to tell Naruto we're dating!"

Sakura didn't even finish her statement before shooting out like a bullet into the surrounding greenery. Kakashi didn't think it necessary to mention that requesting to escort Sakura back home was already admittance to the Hokage about his feelings for her. But nonetheless he donned his mask and made chase after his Sakura.

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