"I wonder why Jiraiya wasn't with Naruto at the diner." Sakura pondered out loud an hour or so later as they walked down the road. She glanced up at Kakashi, who just shrugged in response as he continued looking ahead.

"My guess is he took the opportunity of having a temporary babysitter for Naruto to conduct some 'research.'" He used air quotations around the last word, making her giggle. It did sound like something Jiraiya would do. Naruto had given him his nickname for a reason, after all. It hadn't taken long for her to realize just how perverted the legendary Sannin really was during that mission the three of them had taken in search of Orochimaru's lair. But a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach made her wonder if something else was going on.

A frown tugged at Sakura's lips and she sighed after a moment, looking up at the clear blue sky. In that moment, she yearned more than anything for the carefree time of her Genin days. Everything had been so much more simple back then, Sakura thought to herself. Back then, the only worry she'd ever had was what Sasuke thought about her. She'd gone home to her loving parents every day after class, usually to some sweet treat of some kind and a warm cup of tea. They had eaten as a family around their table and talked about their individual days - all mundane, all completely normal with no looming threat of death and pain. Would she ever get to experience a time like that again?

An image of that same family table, with her father's spot achingly empty and unset came to her mind and Sakura froze. Her breath stilled in her lungs, a noose of fear and loss that hadn't yet been experienced squeezing around them until all she could do was gasp, her hand wildly flailing around searching for something to hold on to; something to stop her falling into the void of despair she felt herself sinking into.

"Sakura."

She could hear Kakashi, could feel his hands on her shoulders as he pulled her close to him. But he sounded so much further, the firmness of his body a ghost of what it usually felt like as every nerve in her body went numb simultaneously. Choked breaths stuttered past her lips as her fingers fisted into his shirt, her tears soaking into the front of it.

"Look at me." His voice met her ears again, sounding as though he were speaking to her underwater. She felt fingertips on her chin, tilting her face up until she was looking directly at him, his dual-toned eyes focused on hers as he said, "You need to breathe."

Sakura focused on his words, keeping her eyes trained on his as she took a slow breath through her mouth before expelling it through her clogged nose, repeating the process when he directed her to again and then a third time. Finally, the world began to come back into focus and she took a shaky breath, leaning her forehead against his damp chest.

"He's going to be fine, Sakura." Kakashi told her after a few moments, his chin resting on top of her head as he held her. "Shikaku and Asuma are two of the best shinobi in the village, and your father is just as capable in what he does."

"But they're not medics." Sakura whispered, her throat squeezing around her words as she pulled him closer. "What if the girls being kidnapped are hurt? They need a medic on the team, Kakashi."

His back stiffened and he pulled back, giving her a firm stare. "Lady Tsunade will never allow you to go, Sakura. I wouldn't ever allow it."

A defiant fire flashed through her eyes as she glared up at him. Wiping the eyes from her tears with the back of her hand, she snapped, "You're not my Sensei anymore, Kakashi. I don't need your permission to do anything."

He let out a small sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "No, I suppose you don't." He agreed in a calm voice before adding, "But you do need the Hokage's, and we both know that won't be happening."

Sakura narrowed her eyes, hating that she knew he was right. With everything that was going on surrounding Danzo, there was no way Tsunade would allow her to join the mission to the Sky District as the team medic. It would have to be someone else, and right now with all of the staff at the hospital busy, that would be a tall order for the Hokage to make happen.

"Look," Kakashi murmured, pulling the rosette out of her thoughts. "I know you're worried. I know nothing I say will make that stop. But you know that Lady Tsunade is a reasonable person when it comes to mission directives. If we can come up with an appropriate alternative to yourself, I'm sure she'll agree to it."

She blinked, tucking a piece of scarlet hair behind her ear. "We?"

He gave her a curious smile, nodding. "You're not in this alone anymore, Sakura. You don't have to carry your fears alone anymore, either. We can figure something out together while we make our way back to the village."

Sakura nodded after a moment, leaning up to press her lips against his masked ones. "We should move at full pace, through the trees." She suggested as she looked up at him. He made a small sound of approval and they leaped up at the same time, landing on a thick branch about twenty feet off the ground. "We'll get there tonight at that speed, right?"

"Yes." He confirmed, arching his eyebrow at her over his shoulder. Even with the mask, she could make out the cocky grin on his lips as he added, "Well, if you can keep up, that is."

Sakura watched Kakashi send a surge of chakra to his feet, propelling him forward faster. She laughed, copying his actions as she began to chase him, always landing just a few footsteps behind him. She found herself grateful for the distraction of playful competition with him. It would make the long journey home much less stressful, she thought. She would have time to worry about her father and the mission later. Right now, it felt good just to be spending time with Kakashi.

-x-

She was able to keep up with his pace for a little over six hours before Sakura's knees began screaming that she needed to stop. She called ahead to Kakashi, letting him know she was going to do so before stopping on a tree that had a wide enough trunk for her to rest her tired frame. They had been going at full speed all afternoon, and she had underestimated just how much that would drain her chakra and wear her body out. He turned back, and stood in front of her a moment later.

"Will a short break be enough, or do you think your body is done for the day?" He asked her, reaching for a bottle of water out of his bag and offering it to her.

She thought about it for a minute, closing her eyes as she took slow sips of water. They had made it over halfway home, but she knew they were still at least a few hours out from Konoha. She knew the mission that Jiraiya had given them to take back to Tsunade was important, knew there were lost little girls out there somewhere that needed help as soon as possible. She was tired, but they had to get home tonight - she wasn't giving herself the option of not making it back to the village.

"I just need a minute." She told Kakashi, handing the half-emptied water bottle back to him. "It's been awhile since I've gone full speed like this."

He hummed in thought. "Don't sell yourself short, Sakura. You've kept pace. Most ninja in the village couldn't have." He told her with a small smile. He added, "I'm proud of you. Even in just the last few months, your skills have greatly improved, tenshi."

A light pink color tinged her cheeks as he stepped closer. She knew it was true; she had improved a lot during her training with Tsunade. She had become faster and stronger. And more than that, Sakura realized, she felt more confident in herself now than she had weeks prior. "Thank you." She murmured, kissing the pad of his thumb as he swiped it over her bottom lip.

He reached up with his free hand, tugging his mask down. He leaned in, kissing her slowly. Sakura smiled into the kiss, placing her hand over his on her cheek as she swiped her tongue over his bottom lip. He pulled back before she could deepen the kiss, his free hand resting on her hip. "As much as I love kissing you, you should probably eat while we're stopped." He told her quietly, leaning his forehead against hers. "I still have those food pills we took to the Sky District, and a few energy bars."

She nodded before brushing her lips over his again. "I'll take the pills." She murmured, kissing him once, twice, three times before she pulled back and held open her hand for them. He placed two in her palm and her face scrunched as she brought them to her mouth, a bitter and acrid taste overwhelming her senses. She had to force herself to choke them down, gratefully accepting the water that Kakashi offered her again to wash them down.

"So..." Kakashi started as she began sipping the water. She flicked her eyes up to meet his gaze and he continued, "There's one person in particular that I think will both work well with the team Jiraiya assembled as well as prove a valuable asset in the event that anyone needs medical attention."

Sakura arched her eyebrow. She had been thinking through the different options all afternoon, and hadn't come up with a single name that she thought the Hokage would spare for the mission. It had only been a few months since the chaos at the Chūnin Exams, and the hospital was still full of patients shinobi and civilian alike that required the care of more staff than existed.

"Who?" She asked him once he didn't say it right off, her tone impatient.

He blinked, his eyes flashing with what looked like hesitation before he answered her. "Yamanaka Ino." Kakashi said her best friend's name, and Sakura felt her eyes widen.

Ino wasn't a medic ninja, she wanted to tell him; wanted to scream at him. She was still an apprentice herself; one who showed talent, one who took it seriously and could aid her own Team 10 on their missions - missions where her father's life wouldn't be in the hands of a novice healer who happened to be her best friend, of all people. Could she forgive Ino if her father died under her care?

Could Ino forgive herself if that happened on her watch?

"No!" Sakura whispered emphatically, shaking her head. "No, I don't-"

"Sakura." Kakashi cut her off, his tone firm. "She's been on a team with Shikaku's son for years with Asuma as her sensei. Their styles suit one another well, and Ino is the only one that Lady Tsunade might agree to add to the mission. There are no other options. Do you want me to recommend her addition or not?"

Sakura fell silent, her heart racing wildly in her chest as she thought over all the various options and scenarios in her mind. Her stomach tightened when she realized that Kakashi was right. There was no one else that her shishou would even consider, and it was a stretch that she might seriously consider Ino at all. Sakura took a shaky breath, closing her eyes as she rested her head on Kakashi's shoulder while he held her.

"Recommend her." She whispered, tears forming in her eyes as she said the words. She was more terrified now than she had been before, for lots of different reasons. She knew Ino was fierce, that she was strong and that Kakashi was right about her being a good fit with the team. But she hadn't seen her best friend in about a month, since Kakashi had been in the hospital. It had been the day they'd found that beautiful green dress for Sakura; the one she'd intended to wear for Kakashi on a date eventually. She hadn't told Ino that day that Kakashi was the secret man in her life - a man she'd let Ino believe was just a crush. She knew Ino would feel hurt, and she wasn't looking forward to having to explain herself to the brash blonde who felt things too deeply, the same as Sakura herself.

Kakashi tilted her chin up, pressing his lips to hers softly as he said, "They'll be fine, Sakura."

She bit her bottom lip, meeting his gaze. "Promise me." She whispered, her wide green eyes pleading and searching his careful grey one for the reassurance she hoped to find.

Kakashi swallowed hard. He'd made promises to her before, and he thought he'd learned his lesson about doing so when he couldn't guarantee an outcome. He'd nearly died and broken the last promise he'd made to her, he thought with a pang in his heart. But when he saw the desperation written all over her face, Kakashi couldn't bring himself to deprive Sakura of the words she needed to hear.

"I promise." He breathed against her lips, willing them into reality as he closed his eyes and sent up a prayer to gods he'd only ever cursed to make them a reality. He couldn't bear to see her shatter; couldn't stand the thought of seeing Sakura lose one more person when she'd already lost so much already. She had endured enough, he thought to himself. Hizashi's team would be fine, just as he'd promised her they would be. They had to be.