Chapter 2

A Single Thorn

Sakura and Itachi had arrived back at the Hidden Leaf village four days after their departure. It was in the middle of the day when they walked through the gates. The weather was growing hotter and hotter by the day with summer approaching. It seemed to be a quick check in with the guards at the gate who seemed weary of the Uchiha next to her she noticed.

Sakura saw just how much they had rebuilt in only a few days. She assumed Yamato had a big part in that. It was almost back to normal despite the rubble from battle that still remained. But nature will take its course and repair itself. The grass will one day be green again where the dirt stood.

The two of them reported back to Tsunade, and she was surprised with the results of the mission. "You guys defeated them both?" she asked, astonished. The older woman stood up from her seat and walked over to the window gazing out of it with her hands behind her back.

She knew her student was powerful and heard rumors of the famous Uchiha. But to defeat 2 S class criminals of their caliber with no team was beyond impressive. "Yes ma'am. Not without slight trouble." Sakura said. Tsuande nodded and turned back around looking proud with a smile. "Good job guys. Thank you for this and the mission report. I'll call you back in when I get more news." She dismissed them.

Sakura and Itachi headed their separate ways without so much as a word to each other. The Uchiha clan was having Shisui's funeral in an hour. Itachi was glad not to miss it. Sasuke and him both attended it together with their parents and the rest of the clan. It was bitter to say the least.

Flowers filled the venue, and the casket was closed with a picture of him smiling on top of it. Everybody shared kind words about Shisui because he was the most genuine person out there. And to have him cut down in front of the whole village protecting it, was devastating. There were a lot of tears shed that day.

Sakura checked back in at the hospital to catch up on some work she had missed while away. Nothing too crazy seemed to have happened in her absence, which was a blessing all in itself. Today's schedule consisted of routine care of the ninja's who were about to be discharged from the invasion.

Kakashi stopped by the hospital on her normal lunch hours when he heard she arrived back at the village. He was relieved she came back unharmed and figured Sasuke's words to be true. He did work with Itach himself as well back in his Anbu days briefly. "Yo." He greeted her casually and she smiled back up at him with a clipboard in hand. "Did you want to go get some lunch?" She asked him. He nodded and they proceeded to Ichiraku Ramen. It was still standing, and Naruto thanked the heavens hearing that news. Some shops weren't as lucky.

Sakura quietly slurped the noodles beside Kakashi, and they ran into Naruto and Jiraya who were already there. Jiraya greeted Kakashi with a pervy grin glancing back and forth from him to Sakura and gave him a thumbs up. The sanin sure knew how to make him feel like a dirty old man.

"I'm learning Sage jutsu!" Naruto announced loud and proud obnoxiously gulping the broth of his ramen bowl. Sakura could feel the splashes 2 seats down. "Eat slower!" Sakura snapped at him. "How far has training progressed?" Kakashi asked Jiraya who just shrugged. "He's struggling, his nine tails is putting a lot of resistance onto this process." Teuchi was washing some dishes in the side clanking the metal in the background. "I'm sure there are ways around it." Sakura added. Jiraya put some thought into what she said, "Possibly kid…"

Sakura left the Ramen shop and said her goodbyes taking care of 4 people's tabs and returned to the hospital to finish her shift feeling the hole in her wallet. She was the one who offered after all. And she regretted seeing the total price of how many Naruto ate before they arrived.

Sakura made her way to her office at the hospital and picked up a framed picture of her, Sasuke, Naruto and Kakashi and gazed at it. It felt like a lifetime ago since they took that picture. It had been the day they all became genin.

Itachi stood at the grave site alone after everybody had cleared out and gone home. He felt the warm spring breeze blow through his ponytail. The rain started to drizzle lightly, very fitting for such a solemn moment. He never told Shisui how appreciative he was to have a friend as kind and strong as he was. All he could do now was stare blankly at the grave covered in white and red flowers with a framed picture of him in the bundles of roses.

The next day on the training grounds Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi all gathered around to do some basic training when they saw a figure appear from behind them. "Big brother?" Sasuke asked in confusion and hopes he would get a training session with him finally. He ran up to Itachi and his brother flicked him in the forehead stopping him.

"Sakura." Itachi said and her eyes locked on him. He took his time walking up to her. "Fight me." He announced and Naruto and Sasuke's jaws dropped. Sakura used her index finger to point to herself slowly and hesitantly. "Me?" She squeaked. Kakashi narrowed his eyes at Itachi and clenched his jaw. Itachi was unmoving and responded, "Yes you. Ready yourself." He told her while activating his sharingan. Kakashi took note of his new eyes and knew the rumors to be true about it.

Sakura fixed her stance and focused on the Uchiha standing 20 feet away from her. Everybody was watching from the sidelines intensely. "You asked to spar so you come at me first." Itachi smirked and closed his eyes, seeming more relaxed than Sakura. "Very well." He agreed.

Next thing Sakura knew he was behind her in a matter of seconds with his leg raised mid kick. She flinched at the speed and turned around swiftly to grab his leg right before he hit and filled chakra in her fists to throw a punch.

Itachi flipped out of the way and his other foot kicked her in her ribs throwing her to the ground roughly. Sakura slid in the dirt letting her hand drag a line in the earth. She gasped for breath, feeling the air knocked out of her and looked back up to see him coming hard and fast.

He started weaving signs and held his hand up to his mouth and let his cheeks puff a bit. "Fireball jutsu." Sakura's eyes widened. He wasn't wasting any time. She dove out of the way and Itachi landed on the ground, his eyes searching the area to see where she went.

Sakura appeared from beside him and whispered, "Right here." Itachi smirked yet again and flipped around using his forearms to block her attack. The clone in front of him disappeared and his eyes widened. Sakura landed a chakra filled hit to his back sending him flying.

"She got him." Sasuke said bewildered. Kakashi's sharingan was activated and following their movements. He didn't utter a word with his arms crossed. "I knew Sakura would get him! Yeah! GO SAKURA!" Naruto cheered her on with arms flailing.

Itachi was quick to regain his composure and she made the mistake of looking into his eyes. She was suddenly under his geinjutsu. Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke noticed this when they both stopped moving staring at one another.

Sakura was inside a black void. Nothing to be seen. Itachi appeared in front of her and said, "When you're caught under this kind of geinjutsu there's no releasing. Future reference. Never look into the eyes of an Uchiha in battle. Should have known this with 2 sharingan users on your team." She knew to look at their feet. It was a moment of weakness and she cursed herself for it. "Now what?" she asked cautiously. His eyes closed he answered her, "I win."

Suddenly, the black void was filling with water. Like she was thrown in the ocean in the middle of the night while there was a thunderstorm. Sakura thrashed her arms and feet trying to keep her head above the rising water. It wasn't working and it was freezing. The water went above her head, and she held her breath. After a few minutes, her lungs burned, and she couldn't hang on. She saw bubbles float as she inhaled nothing but water, feeling the liquid fill her lungs.

Itachi released the jutsu then and Sakura dropped to her knees instantly and placed her hands on the ground violently coughing and gasping for air. "Itachi." She gasped. He walked over to her, his expression was softened and held a hand out to her. Her head rose, still gasping for breath, and took his hand. He helped her to her feet and her knees were still shaky. She held on to Itachi for dear life trying to gain the air back into her lungs.

Kakashi approached them, "Was that necessary?" He asked the older Uchiha with a deadly look. "What lies ahead is far more dangerous." Itachi told him. "You are her comrade." Kakashi replied. "She has potential, she must be prepared." He retorted back. Never had Kakashi used his eye against his teammates in that manner. Nor Sasuke. "Is that all Kakashi senpai?" Itachi asked. Kakashi remained silent but kept the deadly look on his face as Sakura was still in his grasp. Itachi looked back down at her with her wrists still in his hands and patted her head with a small smile, "You did good. Until next time." And with that he disappeared into 10 crows flying in the wind. Sakura gazed up at them watching him fly away.

"You okay?" Kakashi asked her. Sakura nodded. She regained her air but somehow still felt breathless.

Later that night Sakura was reading a normal book when she heard a knock on the door. She got up to answer it and it was Ino. "Surprise forehead!" Her best friend called out poking her forehead. "Ino! I haven't seen you in a week." The pink hair girl almost yelped rubbing where her friend jabbed her.

The blonde walked inside her apartment and sat down on the couch making herself at home. "You were sent out on a mission, I was training. Things have been crazy around here." Sakura and her friend caught up on what they missed over the past week.

"You did WHAT?!" Ino yelled. Sakura jumped back waving her hands. "Shhh! Don't be so loud about it!" She growled. The big chested girl huffed, "Sorry, sorry! I just wasn't expecting you to tell me you kissed your ex sensei." Sakura sighed. "It was over the mask; I hardly think it counts." She explained sipping the tea she made for her and Ino and setting it back on her coffee table.

Ino leaned forward, "What made you do it? Do you like him?" She inquired. Sakura thought about it while shifting positions in her seat, "I don't know. We've gotten so close. It felt right in the moment." She said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear looking at her reflection in the teacup. "What about now?" Ino asked another question. Sakura shook her head, "I don't regret it."

It was obvious to Ino years back her attraction for Sasuke died away. Sakura focused on her studies and grew tired of the insults he hurled pursuing him. She understood completely. "Do you want to figure out if something is there or not?" Ino asked her. "I know something is there, it's if we want to pursue it or he feels the same way." She conveyed. Ino smiled at her friend, "I think he does. He's always around you. And I think he would have mentioned if it made him uncomfortable." Sakura's shoulders deflated, "I suppose your right." She shrugged and Ino winked, "Aren't I always?" Sakura giggled at that.

Tsunade had received intel on the whereabout of 2 more Akatsuki members near the village hidden waterfall village via messenger bird. She had reached out to other villages with concerns and warnings about what they were after.

The Akatsuki already obtained 4 tailed beasts she learned after the invasion. Which made it all the more imperative to protect Naruto at all costs. She summoned Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke for the next mission.

Ino and Sakura were giggling and heard another knock at the door. Ino raised a brow, "You expecting someone?" she asked wiggling her eyebrows. Ino got up from the cream-colored couch practically skipping over to the door. "No?" Sakura replied to her confused. Ino swung the door open, and it was Kakashi. Sakura could have punched herself in the face and groaned internally. "Eeeee!" Ino squealed clapping her hands together once. Kakashi gave her a strange look and peered over her shoulder at Sakura. "The hokage summoned us." Ino almost looked disappointed when he said that.

Sakura and Kakashi walked over to the Uchiha compound to get Sasuke before heading to Tsuande's office. "Another mission you think?" Sakura asked. "I'd assume so." Kakashi said flatly. Sakura deflated beside him hearing the coldness in his voice.

Sakura knocked on Sasuke's family's home to have Itachi answer the door. He almost looked surprised to see her but then noticed Kakashi standing behind her. "Sasuke?" He asked. Sakura nodded and Itachi called out, "Sasuke!" The younger Uchiha walked up to the door with a scowl, "Huh?" And noticed Sakura and Kakashi and his expression changed to perplexed. "The Hokage summoned us." Sakura told him. Itachi walked away after that and Sasuke followed them, shutting the sliding door on his way out.

"Thank you guys for coming." Tsuande told them as they stood in a line in front of her desk. "I got more intel about 2 more members. Kakuzu and Hidan. We have almost no insight on their abilities. And because of that, I'm going to send Asuma's team with you just in case. They are near the hidden sound village. I need you guys to depart tomorrow morning all together. Do you guys understand?" She explained and asked. They all nodded, "Yes ma'am." Sakura responded with a bow.

Sasuke headed home after the briefing of their mission the next day and Sakura walked ahead of Kakashi making her way back to her own apartment. After Sasuke was gone, Kakashi called out for her, "Sakura." She whipped around with a questioning look. "I wasn't intending to eavesdrop." He started. When he said that Sakura's whole face went beet red and swears she could have dropped dead right then and there from embarrassment. 'No way did he overhear Ino and I!"

Kakashi got the orders to grab Sasuke and Sakura and to head to the Hokage's office. It was already late at night and Sakura's apartment was closer to him to head to first. He walked up the steps and overheard loud voices just as he was about to knock on the door. "Shhh! Don't be so loud about it!" He heard Sakura's voice and stopped his hand and waited. Kakashi was ashamed to admit he was being nosey.

"Sorry, sorry! I just wasn't expecting you to tell me you kissed your ex sensei." Kakashi's eyes widened. 'She told Ino?' He thought to himself. He had forced himself to suppress a lot of his feelings and not to overthink it. "It was over the mask; I hardly think it counts." Kakashi heard Sakura's voice explain from outside her apartment. 'Well, she had a point. He thought.'

Ino leaned forward, "What made you do it? Do you like him?" Kakashi held his breath in anticipation of her reply. Hanging on the edge of his seat it felt like. After what seemed like forever in silence Sakura finally answered. "I don't know. We've gotten so close. It felt right in the moment." He waited. "What about now?" Ino asked, "I don't regret it." He exhaled the breath he didn't know he was holding.

"How much did you hear?" she asked in a quiet voice staring at him with puppy dog eyes. She was scared. Scared of messing up the friendship they had. Kakashi slowly started walking closer to her and Sakura stayed in place with her hands down by her side. They were in the middle of the village outside the Hokage tower late at night with nobody there to witness due to curfew. "Enough." He told her with his expression unreadable. Sakura gulped and clutched her chest feeling her heart speed up and move to her throat.

Kakashi got dangerously close, and Sakura felt her breath hitch and flutters in her stomach. The spring rain from earlier reflected the moonlight off the pavement. Her face was lined with his chest, one wrong move and she would graze against it. "Kakashi –"She whispered wanting to explain, but seeing his face the words wouldn't come out.

The silver hair ninja cupped her pink cheeks with one gloved hand, and she instinctively leaned into it nuzzling his hand and closing her eyes. "You can kiss me anytime you want." he declared huskily. When he said that, her green eyes shot open, and her mouth agape slightly in the shape of an 'o'. He pulled his mask down revealing his face. He was out of this world beautiful. He had a square jawline and a mole right under his lips. He had a cocky grin on his face to match. "Your so handsome." Sakura whispered in awe running her hands on his face taking in the feel of him.

Kakashi leaned down and pressed his lips against her soft ones slowly. She melted into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself closer to him as he snaked his arms around her waist helping her achieve more closeness. The kiss was gentle and tentative, and he ran his tongue softly along her lips tasting her peach flavored chapstick.

Tsuande happened to look out the window behind her and saw Kakashi and Sakura kissing. 'That dog!' The woman thought with narrowed eyes. Another part of her felt embarrassed for even witnessing such a private moment. She knew she'd never utter a word about seeing this either. Her student was grown enough to know what she wanted and what she was doing.

They pulled apart panting and gazed at each other silently. "Stay with me tonight?" She whispered against his lips. He smiled in response, "There's nowhere I'd rather be." He caressed her cheek with his thumb.

Kakashi and Sakura hardly made it to her apartment before she was pressed against the outside of her door devoured by his kiss. He ran his calloused hands down her sides to her hips digging his fingers into her skin hearing the soft moans against his mouth.

Every feeling and desire Kakashi suppressed hit him the moment he kissed her. And now he couldn't get enough. "We should get inside." she said hastily, pulling him by his wrists in the door.

Kakashi lifted Sakura up with her legs wrapped around his waist and shut the door with his foot. He carried to her couch and threw her down gently and Sakura giggled as he dipped his head back down peering over her and started kissing her neck. Sakura ran her hands down his muscular shoulders feeling his hard on pressed against her core through their clothes. "I don't want to move too fast." Kakashi whispered while panting against her neck, using the last little bits of restraint he had on stopping himself. Sakura nodded and gave him another chaste kiss. "I agree. Your so important to me Kakashi."

He smiled back at her and was silent for a moment, "I never figured you'd want this old man." He teased with a wink which made her blush. "You're not old. Shuddup." He kissed her again quickly. "I'll never get enough of this." He whispered running his lips over her bare shoulders sending shivers down her spine causing her to press her legs together. Her toes and fingers were tingling, and they hadn't even done anything yet. "Let's get some rest for the mission tomorrow morning." He told her. "Are you –" She didn't finish before he answered her, "I wouldn't dream of leaving you tonight."

Kakashi and Sakura walked back to her bed, and she couldn't help but to feel nervous, but a bigger part of her felt safe. She had never felt safer in the world than when she was with Kakashi.

Kakashi ripped his shirt off and her eyes were met with every muscle this man had to offer. He stripped down to his boxers and she thought she was going to faint right then and there or at least get a nosebleed. Her eyes wandered down to his 'V' and felt herself getting hot. Now she regretted agreeing to wait, seeing what was hiding under those clothes. He was built like a Greek God. Sakura hadn't noticed just how hard she was ogling him.

Kakashi wiped the side of her mouth and that snapped her out of her daze, "I think your drooling." He taunted. She shook her head snapping out of her dirty thoughts and stripped down to a black tank top and matching shorts, feeling him ogle her the same way she did to him. Her breasts were pushed up and the tank top left the top part of her cleavage sticking out. Kakashi kissed her shoulder rubbing her arms with his hands tenderly, "Your gorgeous."

They laid down in bed and her head rested on top of his chest in between his legs with his strong arms wrapped around her. He kissed the top of her head and whispered, "Goodnight Sakura." Sakura nuzzled her head into him. "Goodnight Kakashi." The sound of his breathing hummed Sakura peacefully to sleep.

The next morning Sakura woke up and stretched her limbs with a yawn. She noticed a letter next to her bed with a single red rose,

"I went to get ready for the mission at my apartment. Hope you don't mind waking up and I'm not there. I figured it would look a little odd to everyone if we arrived at the same time as well. You look so cute when you snore in your sleep. I'll meet you at the gates."

- Kakashi

Sakura picked up the rose and inhaled its scent deeply. Last night had been magical, more than she could have ever conjured up in some kind of fantasy she's had about him in the past. Those type of thoughts have crossed her mind in the past, but she figured it was due to her virginity and lack of inexperience. It took her a while to place her feelings for Kakashi were more than just a school girl crush like she had for Sasuke when they were kids.

She set the rose down scraping her finger against a thorn and winced, feeling a prick of blood escape her fingertip. She stuck her finger in her mouth and shook off the thoughts and forced herself out of bed and to get ready for the mission she was going to be late for now.

Sakura ran as fast as her feet could take her across the village with her backpack seeing everybody at the gates waiting for her. She knew she was late when Kakashi had even beaten her there. A smile appeared to be under his mask seeing her huff from the run. "Picking up my bad habits finally?" Kakashi told her cooly and she wanted to growl at him. "What took so long?" Sasuke asked and Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, and Asuma were staring. Sakura rubbed the back of her head nervously, "I woke up late. Sorry guys." Sasuke eyed her, "Your never late." He replied, putting his hands in his pockets and turning away. They all started walking to their destination.

A/N: This concludes chapter 2! Same length as last chapter, sorry. I felt like this was the only appropriate cut off point before we dive into the next segment of things. But do you guys think Sasuke's growing more suspicious or what?