Chapter 18

It had been two days since Sakura and Kakashi arrived at his cabin up in Sugi.

They had to drive for nearly thirty minutes down a two lane private dirt drive after being on the highway for another two hours and taking a couple of side roads before they rolled up to the mini-mansion of a cabin and Sakura quietly whispered and how secluded they were going to be.

"I knew you said it was large, but damn, Kakashi!" she said as they stepped out of the SUV and began walking up towards their home for the next two weeks, "It's bigger than your place back in Konoha!"

Kakashi just hummed humorously as he listened to the pinkette marvel at the size of the residence. It was one of the few things his father had splurged on when it came to their wealth.

They had spent the first two days adjusting to the new surroundings. Well, actually, Sakura spent their first day exploring the place and made notes of all the nooks and crannies the cabin had.

She was his bodyguard first, he quietly reminded himself, and she would put her duties before their fun. Kakashi wondered if this was how it was always going to be. Sakura was a bodyguard and this was her livelihood. Once they caught whoever was targeting him, her job would be done. She would have to move onto her next assignment then. He silently pondered if he should ask her to stay? Would she?

He obviously could provide for her and she'd never have to work another day in her life, but he knew that would never happen. Sakura was the type of woman who loved to work and lived to work. She was a workaholic to sum it up. Maybe he could convince her leave her career as a bodyguard and become a doctor again? Maybe even work within his own company?

Kakashi shook his head to dismiss the now insistent recurring thoughts.

He knew he couldn't force Sakura to give up her career and aspirations just because he was selfish and would like her with him at all times. He wasn't the type of man to do that to begin with. He loved how independent she was and never wanted to stop her from her dreams and aspirations. But how could he not? He was in love with the woman and they had spent nearly every waking moment together for nearly three months now. The idea that one day in the future she would leave to another assignment made him feel all sorts of emotions he didn't know he held.

He didn't want to be alone again.

He was sure they would be able to remain together if they chose, but with her job, he couldn't stay in contact with her or see her but only a few times a year. He knew he could be patient and wait for her, but he didn't know if she felt the same.

She seemed just as devoted as he was. She asked for patience, so she could adjust. She was obviously invested in them to work so hard to be with him. Sure they had something between them, but would she end it the moment her job was done? He refused to think about her in such a negative light and shoved the worry to the side. Of course Sakura wouldn't end it. She wasn't that type of woman. Right?

It was their third day and Sakura suggested they go hiking instead of staying cooped up inside the cabin the entire vacation and he quickly agreed.

Walking out onto the porch shortly after, he found Sakura already waiting for him.

"You look lovely." he said sincerely as the bodyguard turned to look at him.

Sakura was wearing the dark brown bubble jacket he had bought her, a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, and hiking boots. She had pulled her long pink hair into a long braid that stuck out from under a dark red knitted hat with a black fuzzy pom pom on top.

He had worn the black bubble jacket she had picked out for him and a pair of blue jeans himself with his hiking boots and the same beanie he worn when they had snuck out for a date night earlier in the month.

"I'm serious." he added quickly when the woman seemed to not believe him.

Walking over to her, he bent over and gave her a quick kiss to seal the deal. He was happy to see the smile on her face when he stood up straight again.

"You always look so nice when I see you wearing stuff that's not work clothes or pajamas. Don't get me wrong, you look good in everything you wear. But, there's just something about you in everyday clothes that makes me feel like a very, very lucky man. I love it."

Sakura just blushed before rolling her eyes and shoving her gloved hands into her pockets and stepping off the porch.

"Talk about flattery. You've already got me, so why go the extra mile?" she teased as she continued walking away towards the edge of the woods.

Kakashi had to do a light jog to catch up with her before replying.

"What? I can't compliment you? I'll always go the extra mile. I like seeing you smiling and I love seeing you blush. Gotta please my lady somehow." he sassed back.

He was only greeted with a playful backhanded slap on his chest which only made him laugh and reach up and lace his own gloved fingers with hers as they walked along the messy sort of trail they found.

Kakashi and Sakura spent the next thirty minutes wandering around as they chatted about everything and anything. Kakashi was silently impressed with her seemingly flawless knowledge of everything around them.

"You seem to know a lot about nature." he pointed out offhand as he helped her climb over a fallen tree.

He watched as she paused and looked at him slightly surprised for pointing that out.

"My dad was an ecologist." she replied as they continued walking hand in hand.

Now it was his turn to be surprised.

"Really? You never told me that." he said.

He suddenly realized that Sakura really never talked about her life growing up. He was curious as to what kind of child she was like. Was she as level headed and calm like she is now? Or was she a bit of brat like he was when he was growing up?

"I guess it slipped my mind, I'm sorry." she mumbled, "I don't really talk about my parents much, so I never even think to tell anyone."

Kakashi squeezed the smaller hand he was holding.

"It's fine. Can you tell me more about him? That is only if you want." he tentatively asked.

Sakura remained quiet for a few moments while they walked along, pondering if she did want to talk about him or not. He would understand if she didn't want too. Her parents death was sudden and unexpected. He wondered briefly if their death had affected her more than she let on.

"He was a silly man." she started as he watched as a small smile came to her, "He was a fun dad. Had so many bad puns though. Every time I was being grumpy growing up, he'd grab the salt shaker and find me and say, "Stop being so salty!" It always made me laugh. Even if I was trying really hard to be mad still, it was like some weakness."

Kakashi couldn't help the laugh that came from the story.

"Sounds like he loved you a lot."

Sakura looked back up him as they walked along and gave him a warm smile.

"He did."

He relished in how happy his girlfriend looked in that moment.

"So how did you come to know all these facts and tidbits about nature and ecosystems?" he asked next.

Sakura looked forward and scanned the area around them for a minute like she was assessing the terrain.

"During my summer vacations and when I was off of school, my dad would often have to go on long research trips, basically camping, and I would go with him a lot. Sometimes we'd spend up to two weeks roughing it out in the wilderness like this as he studied whatever it was he was assigned to do. It was a lot of fun and I picked up a lot of stuff from him, especially when he needed help with experiments."

The CEO gawked down at her at the mention of roughing it.

'Two weeks in the forest!? Man, she is tough.'

Kakashi felt a new wave of appreciation towards the woman walking with him.

"So this is all like second nature, so to speak? Camping, wilderness, all that stuff?"

Sakura just nodded in agreement.

"When my mom would come along, she was a middle school teacher by the way, so she could only come in the summer like me, it was also so much fun. We turned it into a family tradition to go on a big camping trip or two. He wouldn't work during those trips, so we'd spend a week camping at a time. We'd fish and hunt small game, hike around the woods all day, swim in the lake that was nearby, and a couple times we jumped off the small waterfall that drained into the lake." she revealed.

Kakashi stopped walking to look at Sakura when she said she had jumped off a waterfall before.

"You've jumped off a waterfall before?! No wonder you're completely fearless!" he exclaimed as he watched a grin come to her rosy cheeks.

"It was safe to do! My mother was scared shitless when I first jumped. It's so much fun, Kakashi, I'd love for you to try it with me one day." she sighed wistfully.

Kakashi just watched as the look of bliss overcame her as she recalled all the fond memories of her family growing up. He loved that she even asked him to become a part of the tradition her family started.

"I'd love to, but you'll have to jump with me though." he countered with as he smirked down to her.

She met his smirk with a devilish one of her own.

"Okay, but," she agreed and began her own counter, "You'll have to go camping with me, my style, in order to do so."

"Your style?" he laughed.

"Yep! You'll have to rough it with me in the wilderness. No rich boy luxuries, so that means no giant cabin with all the fixings. Just you and I and anything we can carry on our backs."

Kakashi just smiled as he watched her bright green eyes glint with mischief and a goofy grin cross her usually soft features.

"Alright, I can work with that. But once it gets warm though. I don't think I'm ready for winter camping yet, if it doesn't include a warm cabin to return too."

Sakura just laughed at his subtle hint. He would fully admit his life of luxury had pampered him a bit too much to do something like that. But, he was one hundred percent willing to explore that area with her. Sakura provided him with a new outlook and perspective on life that he was beyond thankful for.

"Alright, we can head back. But, I'm gonna give you a challenge first." she lightly teased.

"A challenge…?" he barely got out before Sakura let go of his hand and began running ahead of him.

"You have to beat me back to the cabin or catch me first!" she shouted back to him.

Kakashi stood there dumbfounded before it registered that he should be running after her. He quickly started sprinting after her and shouting to her to wait and he only got happy squeals in reply as she only started running faster.

"You're cheating, you got a head start!" he yelled as he jumped over a log they had passed earlier, "Plus, you're acquainted to this terrain!"

"Is that the talk of a sore loser? Come on, pretty boy, you gotta adapt!" she laughed back as she quickly jumped through two large trees that he couldn't squeeze through, so he had to stop and run around them.

"They say that cheaters never prosper!"

He slightly cursed at just how small and nimble she was in comparison to him.

He watched as Sakura ran through a thicket and past a large boulder. He wasn't far behind and when he whipped around the corner, but found she was nowhere in sight. Kakashi stopped to catch his breath and looked around his surroundings. He wasn't used to running on such uneven footing and let alone in clothing that wasn't workout attire so he was slightly out of breath. He quickly realized that he couldn't locate Sakura in the dense woods and worry began making it way into him.

'Where'd she go? Did she slip and fall? I can't see her anywhere…'

"Boo!"

The sudden noise from above him caused him to jump back and away from the boulder that was to his left. Jerking to look up, he found Sakura squatting on top of the large boulder with her gloved hands clamped tightly over her mouth and trying desperately to stifle a laugh. He stood there in astonishment at the sight.

"How the hell did you get up there?" he asked in between breaths of air.

Sakura let her hands fall and settle on top of her knees and she continued to stay squatted. He was mesmerised by her brilliant smile that slowly turned into a smug filled one.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she teased down to him.

Kakashi let a goofy grin of his own come to his lips at her statement.

"I believe the first time you said that to me, you had a gun pressed against my head."

Sakura erupted into laughter at the reminder of the first time they met. She leaned back too far fell onto her butt as she grabbed her sides while continuing to laugh. Kakashi just watched on as the woman he loved attempted to reign herself in.

He smiled big to himself as he recalled how much had changed between them since that day. He thought that having her as his bodyguard would be a waste of time, resources, and money. He never thought that this woman would become so important to him.

Kakashi never thought that he would fall in love with her.

So much had changed in a little less than three months and he was so happy to see that it was all positive. Even with his current situation, Kakashi could say that he was happier than he ever had been at any point in his life. Sakura made him want to be better than every aspect.

He no longer only worried about himself. Even the simplest things, he considered Sakura and her thoughts and opinions. Even his work choices and investments were shifting to be less cut throat and more logical and beneficial in the long run.

After another minute, Sakura was able to calm herself down enough and stood up onto the rock and smiled down to him.

"That was really fun. I scared you good!" she teased.

"You did for sure." he admitted reluctantly.

Sakura stood up on the boulder and brushed off the pine needles and leaves from her body.

"Catch me." she said next.

Kakashi felt his eyes nearly bug out of his head at her request.

"What!? No! You're way up there, I could drop you!" he quickly argued.

"It's barely six feet! Have a little faith in yourself, I do! Consider it a trust fall!" she pouted down to him, "I can do it myself if I wanted too."

Kakashi bit his tongue and swallowed his pride.

"Okay, but if you get hurt because of me, I'm going to feel really bad."

Before he had a chance to even ready himself, Sakura hopped down from atop the boulder and positioned herself for him to catch her bridal style. Kakashi jerked forward and barely had time to grab her as she landed in his arms and against his chest with a thump.

Stumbling back a couple feet, he managed to catch his footing as he held her close to him. After a second, he opened his eyes and found a pair of bright green eyes shining brightly back at him.

"See! I told you you could do it!"

"You didn't even give me any warning before jumping! Are you insane?!" he scolded Sakura as he turned and began walking back to the cabin while still carrying her.

Sakura wrapped an arm around his neck and leaned over and gave his cheek a lingering kiss before smiling at him when she pulled back.

"Maybe."

Kakashi just shook his head in disbelief as she rested her head against his shoulder was they stepped out of the woods and towards the cabin to clean up and get warm before he made them dinner.

'I could get used to this being a nice tradition. If she'll stay with me. If only she will stay with me.'

A/N: Bit a fluff for your Sunday. I know this chapter wasn't very plot oriented, but I felt compelled for Sakura to talk a little bit about her past! Kakashi worries about her something fierce and he was glad that Sakura was able to open up to him more.

Please leave a review if you can! There will not be a update next week, but the week after! I'll be returning to two week updates while I catch back up on writing and I'm actually reworking a couple chapters I had planned out so that will take some time. I want to make this story the best possible for you guys to enjoy!

Thank you as always to Taytay95 for being an amazing beta and friend! She has recently been working crazy on some rewrites for her KakaSaku fic called To Love A Life! Like seriously, she went from 600 word chapters to over 3k words! Go give them a reread because they're AMAZING. She even finally got on Ao3! So go check her out there as well!