Ah! Two updates in one week! What has come over me! Must be all the wonderful reviews and follows and favorites you guys have been giving me! 3

Welp, because of all of that, here is another, longer, chapter!

Oh, and this chapter is a bit happier than the previous. =D

As always, I don't own anything save for my plot.

Enjoy!

..00..

They made it to the village earlier that she had originally thought, but for that she was extremely grateful.

Kakashi had said no more to her than absolutely necessary, and the silence had begun to mess with Sakura's head.

It was almost funny how everything about them changed as soon as they came within a mile of village; Kakashi walking closer to Sakura, even putting a hand on the small of her back to guide is.

It must be killing him, she thought sarcastically.

Thankfully, about ten minutes after they passed the gates (it was too easy to get in, according to Sakura) they found the lone Inn and were currently getting settled in.

Guess it was as good time as any to make further plans, she thought.

"Kakashi, we need to talk about what happened the other night."

Well, that certainly wasn't what she meant to say.

"What is there to talk about?" came his reply, not causing him to stop unpacking the small bag he had brought with him.

Well, that wasn't the answer she was looking for.

"If we're going to act as if we are married, you'll have to stop acting like it hurts you to be near me. Or better yet, stop acting like it makes you ill at the thought of touching me. I know I've never been married before, but I know this is not how couples act. I refuse for you inability to get over whatever it is that is causing you to be such an ass to jeopardize our mission." Dang, it felt good to get that out, she thought.

What made it better was she could see Kakashi visibly stiffen at her words.

At least she'd get some sort of response from him.

"I'm not acting like that Sakur-"

"Like hell you're not Kakashi! What is it about me that you hate? We used to be best friends; you use to trust me with your life. What happened? You decided it was better to kiss me senseless the other day rather than tell me and explain it to me. I already know it scared you, that our closeness scared you, but why. What are you so scared of?

"Mind your own business Sakura. You have no right to ask me that."

"Oh, I don't? I don't have a right to know why after three years you up and abandon me? Why you threw away everything we had been through. Why you no longer cared what your decision could do to me. Did you not, DO you not even care? No, of course you don't. The great Kakashi Hatake doesn't care about anyone but himself!"

With that Sakura put down the piece of clothing she had in her hand, grabbed the clothes she planned to change in to, and took off the bathroom attached to their room.

..00..

Kakashi didn't know how long he stared at the closed bathroom door.

He didn't know how long he held the same pair of pants in his hands before he realized that his mind had shut off at Sakura declaration.

How could he make her understand when he was not willing to let her in? Did he want to make her understand?

A small part in his head yelled yes, that he needed to save one of the remaining relationships he had. But another part told him to make her understand was to let her in, and to let her in was to risk losing her.

But hadn't he already lost her? Would it be more painful to lose her and know that they had a true friendship, or to watch her move on and live her life knowing he wasn't and never would be a part of it?

That was something Kakashi never thought about.

..00..

Sakura stayed in the bathroom for a good hour before reemerging. She noticed that Kakashi had left the room, probably to get something to eat for dinner. Briefly she wondered if he'd get something for her too or if she'd be left to fend for herself.

Deciding to be useful, she began to unpack the rest of her clothes and items that she had forgotten during her rant at Kakashi.

Truth be told, part of her felt bad about going off on him like she did, but the other part of her way glad. It was something that should have been said years ago; something that, even without Kakashi's response, she felt better. She had put everything out there, did all that she could. It was up to him now, and that gave Sakura a slight lift in her spirits.

Finally finished she looked around the room. It was small, with only one bed and one dresser. A door to the right of the room led to the bathroom and the door to the left led to the hallway of the Inn. The walls were painted an off white color that wasn't quite yet cream and the bedding was white with a light blue comforter. Thankfully the bed was a queen, so at least they wouldn't be on top of each other through the night. Maybe at one time it wouldn't have mattered, but now it certainly did.

If he could barely stand to be next to her, how was he going to handle sleeping next to her every night? And Kami only knows how long this mission could take.

Hopefully tomorrow she could go out and see where the doctor was located. If things went as planned, she could get a job with him. Not only would that give her the ability to get to know the local villagers, but it would also put her close to the doctor.

She had a sinking suspicion that he was at the heart of all the village's problems.

When she had walked through the area, she was surprised how well it seemed to be doing. Rebuilding had almost been finished, and she had yet to see any injured person.

Of course, in a village this small damage would be minimal, since there would be less to destroy.

But that didn't give a reason as to why there weren't any noticeably injured persons. If the doctor was refusing to treat them, how could they possibly recover?

Surely the reason for no injured was because they had all died of the wounds?

Shaking her head, she wonder if maybe getting a job at the clinic would do her any good.

How could you help treat if the doctor refused to help them?

Thankfully those thought were interrupted as Kakashi chose that time to come back into their room.

Oh, and it seemed like he had enough food for two.

And it smelled so good.

.00..

Kakashi had decided to go out for a walk while Sakura was still in the bathroom to clear his head. At first, it was odd to him to be in a place where there were no ninja. As he walked down the main street, it was mind easing to see such a simple life. A life that was so drastically different than the one that he lived.

Couples walked the street hand in hand, children ran around without a care, and families laughed as if they had forever.

It was actually a little disconcerting seeing as how they had been attacked recently, but after reading the mission briefing it seemed that attacked was a little too big of a word. Apparently the local guard had been ambushed just outside the village by rogue ninja that later turned out to be ninja from Cloud.

That would explain why the villagers were still as happy and as naive as ever.

Briefly, Kakashi wondered what it would be like to never know bloodshed. To never know death. To be unafraid of losing loved ones.

If he never feared losing her, what would be between Sakura and himself?

Of course, the ball was now in his court. He had to decide if he could let her in, or if he had to keep himself away from her.

Risk losing her to death, or lose her to fear?

Lose her for certain, or live with the risk?

He was abruptly brought out of his musing by a child of no more than eight as he bumped into Kakashi in an attempt to get away from his friend, whom was chasing him.

To be so carefree.

Maybe it couldn't hurt to be friends with her. Not let her get to close, but not push her away entirely.

Best of both worlds.

With that decided he stopped by a local food shop that had an appetizing aroma coming from it to get food for himself and Sakura and then made his way back to the Inn they were staying at.

..00..

When Kakashi arrived back at the Inn with food, it seemed as if all that was said before disappeared. They ate in a comfortable silence that once again reminded Sakura of how they use to be.

It wasn't until Sakura finished her last bite and rose to throw the containers in the trash that Kakashi finally spoke.

"Sakura, I-uh, well, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the past six years. I'm sorry for abandoning you. You're right; it was because I was scared. I know you want to know why I was scared, but that's something I can't talk about. So, please, let's start over. We can be friends."

Sakura stared at the man sitting on the bed with his head down. She could only guess what had gone through his brain to get him to this position, but whatever it was, she was glad.

It hadn't been until now, until the thought of having him back in her life, that she realized just how much she had missed him. Just how much she had wished she could have still turned to him when things when bad, like she use to.

Taking a deep breath and smiling softly, Sakura walked over to the bed and sat down facing Kakashi.

"You know that one simply admission and apology isn't going to make up for the past six years, right?"

Finally looking up and meeting her gaze Kakashi nodded his head. "I know it's only a start, but we have all the time in the world right now, don't we?"

Looking him in the eyes, searching for something she wasn't sure of, Sakura finally answered him.

"We do. But please, before anything else is said, tell me why. Why now? Why can you let me back in now?"

Looking away and staring off into space almost, Kakashi said, "Because I finally realized I can either risk losing you to death or lose you for sure to fear."

..00..

What did ya think!?

Don't worry, they're not just going to jump back to the way they were. There's been too much that has happened that needs to be told and still too much that needs to be said.

But they're on the right track!

Next chapter is going to have a lot of stuff about their mission, funny times with them pretending to be married, and who knows what else! (I mean, really, anyone know what else?)

Welp, lemme know what you think! Reviews make me want to get chapters out faster if I know people are enjoying what I've wrote!

Until then! 3