Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Respect & Understanding ❯ Fated to be Alone? ( Chapter 12 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I just spend my time writing about it.

Chapter 12: Fated To Be Alone?

Night had come fast upon the pink haired, emerald eye kunoichi. The emptiness of her large home, bequeathed to her by her deceased parents, had suffocated her to no end. She had felt the great need to get out and be among other living beings.

That's exactly how she found herself walking down the worn and dusty main street of the village. The dim lights from restaurant lamps cast shadows on to her features as she passed by the many familiar shops.

Even during this time of day there were groups of shinobi and villagers alike grazing the streets, some jubilant and drunken, others melancholy like herself.

The warm buzz of conversation surrounding her soothed her. She could be left alone lost in her thoughts, but still feel connected to others in this way. It was so much more comforting than sitting alone in her darkened spacious bedroom.

As she passed by the illuminated Ichiraku Sakura could just imagine a blonde haired young man sitting on one of the stools, slurping noisily away at his late dinner.

Soon Sakura's thoughts turned to the not so distant past, more to this afternoon to be precise.

`I can't get you out of my damn head. Ever since…no before that, ever since I saw you in that damn bar your all I can think about. You even haunt my damn dreams at night…'

His frustrated words seemed to haunt her every thought as if his curse had been passed to her through that close contact. To know that she had indeed left some kind of imprint on him and in such a way…well it had left her reeling.

This was the man she had branded as having the emotional range of a teaspoon. The flicker of emotions behind both red and dark eyes, when he had finally faced Sakura, had astounded her.

Some she hadn't even been able to place, but the few that she could floored her. She had only been sure of witnessing concern, want, and even pain.

The pain bothered her the most. The pain he had inflicted to her shoulder had been nothing to the pain she had seen in those eyes. It was a hurt that seemed to reach across their distance and constrict her very heart.

`He has loved…on what level I am not sure, but it's more than obvious that he's lost. But then again I've always been aware of that…'

You don't' live in a one place for so long without hearing stories, especially one so large and tragic. She had picked up bits and pieces from here and there about her ex-sensei's heartrending past. She had heard pieces of the tale of how he attained his sharingan and she had over heard bits of his father's demise. Had it been Genma? Or Anko? Or even Iruka? Did it matter?

`No.'

All that mattered is that she knew. She would never tell him that she did. She would continue to play unaware for if he wanted her to know he would tell her himself. Sakura sighed.

`Even now that time may never come.'

It was true that they had shared a few passionate kisses but never any memories, never any real talk. She still knew so little about the man she couldn't get out of her head.

`All I know is that he thinks about me, albeit against his will…but he still thinks about me. I still don't understand his actions…do I even want to?'

Sakura moved to the left to let two obvious young lovers pass by when her gaze passed over the nearest window. There sat the object of her thoughts.

He was slouching in his chair, with his arms crossed lazily; listening to some tale Gai was spewing diagonally from him. The rest of their usual group was further down the table. Kakashi and Raidou had the window seat.

There was that tightness in her chest again and her legs seemed unwilling to continue in their journey. The lethargic hustle and bustle around her continued as she stood immobile in her spot; half cast in shadows as she just simply watched the scene before her. A corner of her mouth turned downward at her thoughts.

`Do I want to be in there, among his friends… with him?'

Sakura's gaze seemed to focus on the silver haired masked man even more as she thought about her answer. The corner of her mouth seemed to turn down further as she answered. She sighed audibly.

`Yes, if to just sit there and take in whatever stories of this man's life I might hear. Past missions, past friends….anything really…'

Sakura pondered a new set of questions then.

`When did I feel intrigued to find out more about Kakashi? Hadn't I always been content with the way things were? Where is this sudden need to dig into his past coming from? Why do I care so much?'

Green eyes took in the sight of Kakashi bringing his sake cup to his uncovered lips. Sakura found her fingers ghosting over her own. The feel of him came rushing back to her in that moment. The texture of those lips she now gazed at had been soft and supple. The kisses they had shared so far had been rough and hurried.

She began to wonder what it might be like to share in more slow and tender exchanges. She began to ponder what his naked facial features might look like gazing into her own with out that pain and worry, but with tenderness and…

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“Hey, isn't that Haruno Sakura over there?”

Raidou was squinting his eyes trying to peer out into the shadowy street from his spot by the window. One set of eyes seemed to travel just a tad bit quicker than the others.

`Sakura?'

By the time his dark orb rested on the spot Raidou continued to stare at, she was gone. Kakashi couldn't ignore the twinge of disappointment he felt. Genma's skeptical voice was heard as Kakashi stared blankly down into his empty cup.

“Are you sure you saw my cherry blossom?”

Raidou answered with a thoughtful voice.

“Yeah I'm sure; it looked like she was staring at us….”

“Probably staring at yours truly. Are you sure you saw her? Sure it wasn't just wishful thinking on your part?”

“I hope you choke on that damn toothpick!”

Kakashi tuned out the ensuing argument and all sound around him as he continued to stare into his empty cup.

`Sakura…I'm sorry.'

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The next morning Sakura was woken up by sounds of knocking at her door. The constant rap of knuckles was just loud enough to be heard, but not loud enough to cause alarm.

Sakura took her time to tighten her robe around her body and then padded her way downstairs to her door. It was still too early to be anyone from the team seeing as how it was only 5am.

Sakura found two unfamiliar masked ANBU members standing on her front porch.

“Haruno Sakura?”

The bear masked individual seemed to address her as the masked wolf person remained silent but staring.

“Yes?”

“We are to escort you, in uniform, to HQ to see the commander. We will wait here while you dress.”

Several scenarios ran through her head as she hurriedly threw on her gear, none seemed reassuring. The clock read 5:10am as she closed her door to be flanked by her two escorts. Their stony silence only sent her nerves into more of a frazzle as they skated over the rooftops under the dawn of morning.

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Sakura found herself standing in front of their section commander flanked by his masked assistant and Morino Ibiki. To say that she felt slightly small in front of them would be putting it mildly. As she heard the gruff irritated voice directed at her, she felt even smaller.

“It has come to my attention that your insubordination has become a problem.”

Sakura tried to keep her face as blank as possible, but the shock kept creeping up under her skin.

`Insubordination, what the hell is he talking about?'

“So much so that you're Squad Captain has put in a transfer order for you. Normally a severe punishment would accompany such a change, but you should feel thankful to Hatake Kakashi for taking such pity on you….”

Sakura tried with all her will not to allow her fists to ball at her sides. The only visible response from the front and center kunoichi was a visible tightening of her jaw.

`What the hell…!'

“As such, as of this day at 05:45 hours you are no longer a part of “Dragon Team” under Hatake Kakashi. You are now the medic for “Fox Team” under the command of Uzumaki Naruto.”

“You should also be thankful to Hatake Kakashi for requesting this specific transfer. It was his thought that being under Uzumaki might help straighten you out. I hope for your own sake that his advice is correct…”

As their section commander commenced in his version of `ripping her a new asshole' Sakura tuned out his ranting to seethe in her anger. She knew for a fact this whole business was bullshit. Not once had she shown any form of insubordination toward Kakashi.

The only time she had ever went against his word had been when she had used her freezing muscle jutsu, but even that had been under the preservation of her life. It certainly didn't warrant a transfer!

`I know what this is…'

The relazation did nothing to stifle her anger; it only served to fuel it. The flame that had started in the pit of her stomach now flared brightly inside her body, boiling her blood and turning her vision red.

“…members of “Fox Team” are currently away on a mission. They are expected to return sometime today fortunately. I'll have your new Squad Captain contact you immediately upon his return. Takeshi Aono will be replacing you on “Dragon Team”. If I find you in front of me for anything other than praise Haruono Sakura you had better expect to turn in your headband...Dismissed.”

Sakura forced herself to bow respectfully before she exited the room. She was livid. She felt the insane urge to hit something, to feel the hard impact on her bare skin and revel in watching solid mass break and burst under her fists.

This savage urge guided her legs and sandaled feet. Soon she found her self standing in the middle of the ANBU training ground.

A throaty scream ripped from her lungs as she balled a shaking fist and sent it hurling toward the first solid thing she came in contact with. The unfortunate tree cracked and splintered beneath her still shaking fist, before it burst into a wooden shower around her.

No matter what she hit, no matter what pain and blood it produced, it wasn't enough to erase her anger, her hurt.

She began angrily yelling into the empty air around her as she again flung her fists into an unsuspecting object, this time the ground. She was covered with dirt and grass as she screamed up to the blazing sun.

“You fucking coward!”

She knew what this was; this was his attempt to rid himself of her. Sakura couldn't believe a man as strong as he had taken the coward's way out.

It was easer this way for him, she surmised. He would no longer be forced to see her or speak to her. He could finally erase her from his thoughts and dreams.

She couldn't believe the man she had known for so long was willing to throw away her friendship so easily.

`How can he so easily push me away especially after I had started to…?'

Sakura was too lost in her rage filled thoughts to notice the three new chakra signals heading her way.

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Sasaki had been utterly surprised to find out that Sakura was not indeed late, but rather not part of the team. Kakashi had said it like it was just another cold hard fact. They would be getting Takeshi Aono upon “Fox Team's” return. Both she and Yajima had silently shared surprised looks.

Kakashi had not given a reason for this sudden change and gave off the air not to be asked. The only words accompanying his statement had been that it was for the better. Sasaki could only guess for whose.

It seemed like business as usual for their Captain, but as they approached their usual training grounds Sasaki saw his brow furrow. She could easily guess why.

Before them lay a devastation of great proportions. What had obviously once been trees lay scattered about and the ground was cracked and uneven. In the center of the destruction stood one pink haired kuniochi. Sakura had her back to them.

Sasaki could see her former teammate's shoulders were slumped and her head was down obviously staring at her hands. Sakura seemed lost in thought. Pieces of bark and grass clung to her hair and uniform.

Sasaki reached out a hand to stop her younger male teammate from running out to the girl. Her grasp had been a second too late. Yajima took off across the small distance that separated them to the obviously distraught woman.

Sasaki looked out of the corner of her eye to her Captain who remained stoic as usual while taking in the scene before them. Yajima called out to Sakura as he approached.

“Sakura, are you alright?”

Sakura lowered her hands to her sides and no one could miss the ripped and bloody mess that covered them. Yajima put a comforting hand on her shoulder and Sakura's body stiffened under it. Her voice consisted of a low growl as she spoke. She now felt the familiar chakra of the one she currently detested.

“No, I'm not alright.”

Yajima dropped his hand as he took in the hard scowl that appeared on the woman's face as she stared at the forest some distance in front of them. His voice turned sympathetic as he verbally guessed the reason for her upset demeanor.

“Is it because of your transfer? I can understand...but the Captain said…”

Sasaki had an inkling as to what this was truly about and tried to shut her comrade up before he stuck his foot too far in his mouth.

“Yajima!”

Inner Sakura burst into flames at the mention of the source of her anger. Sakura spun around and sent a look of pure loathing toward the silver haired ninja. Her voice resembled an irate grizzly bear's when she spoke.

“Your Captain is a fucking coward who would rather tarnish some one else's reputation than face his own fears!”

Yajima pulled back from the ticking time bomb in front of him. The waves of murderous intent poured like a fountain from the angered woman.

His mouth had almost reached the floor from her outburst. Sakura always came across as the level headed responsible type to the pony-tailed man.

Sasaki felt for the girl. If she was in the same situation, she would have probably pulled her sword on him by now. She had to give Sakura credit for her slight restraint.

Unfortunately all Sasaki could do was stand helplessly to the side as the emerald eyed woman's body shook with suppressed rage.

She chanced a glance once again at their Captain to find him just standing there silently slouching with his hands in his pockets. Kakashi stared right back, his eye completely devoid of all emotion. Sasaki wanted to hit him herself for his indifference.

In the next second Sakura's form had burst into a shower of cherry blossoms and vanished. After about a minute more of silence Sasaki finally heard Kakashi speak.

“Alright since we only have the three of us today, we will have to make do with a `battle-royale'.”

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The day's training session had lasted the full amount of time, since there was no Sakura for Sasaki to teach sword lessons to. Sasaki had been glad when Kakashi had given the signal for the end of their training.

Sasaki guessed that the early incident bothered Kakashi more than he let on. He had obviously taken out some of his aggression on them. Right now she wished Sakura was still a part of their squad. She was sporting a black eye and numerous cuts and bruises.

Yajima had faired just as well. Kakashi hardly had a scratch on him. It seemed anger or whatever the Copy Ninja had been feelings upped his game ten fold.

As Yajima poured his bottle of water over his sweat soaked head, Sasaki got up from her spot on the ground. She tiredly sat in the shade a little ways from the silver haired shinobi. Kakashi had his nose buried in his book, but Sasaki could tell he wasn't really reading, just staring at its pages.

“You should at least talk to her…”

Kakashi never looked up from his pages as he spoke in that blank voice of his.

“Talk to whom?”

Sasaki sighed. She wasn't going to push when really it was none of her business. The important part was done. She had planted the thought in his mind and it was now up to him to follow through.

She rose to her feet and gathered her things. She tapped Yajima's shoulder and the two set off toward HQ. Their Captain remained behind still staring at the same page he had been looking at for the last ten minutes.

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Sakura sat on the front steps of her house. Once again the dark quiet of her humble abode had been too much for her. She hadn't been in the mood for a walk through the village this time and so opted to sit there on her steps in peace.

She was silently gazing up at the twinkling stars when she saw a familiar burst of smoke appear before her. When the vapors had dissipated, there stood the man she was in no mood to see.

Sakura pushed herself to her feet and turned around, intent to loudly shut her door in her visitor's face. As she made it to the top of her steps she stopped when she heard his deep voice. There was something about his tone; it had that serious edge to it.

“Sakura…”

His actions and her anger had helped her come to a decision. If this was what he wanted then there was nothing she could do. She had learned with Sasuke that wishful thinking did nothing for her. She spoke calmly, albeit tiredly.

“Kakashi, don't. You made it abundantly clear what you want by my transfer and you should be happy to hear that I'm more than willing to comply. ”

“I see.”

Sakura continued her way to her door but stopped when she felt his gloved hand on her wrist. It was a firm grip letting her know that she wasn't going to get away so easily. Sakura looked down at it and then spoke. This time her voice was low and deadly.

“Don't touch me.”

It seemed to take him a few seconds to decide. Ultimately, he let go, but not without saying something first.

“You're wrong.”

Her calm demeanor seemed to snap at hearing those two words uttered so blandly. She had no idea what he was talking about to begin with. There were so many things messed up about the whole situation and they were mainly his fault. What could she possibly be wrong about?

Sakura spun in her spot at the top of her stairs glaring down at him from above. Her voice was raised and angry when she spoke.

“Wrong? What am I wrong about; am I wrong about you being a coward, because I don't find that likely! Am I wrong to be angry with you for lying to the commander about my so called `insubordination'?”

“Am I wrong for being completely furious over the fact that you think so lowly of our friendship to just throw it away so easily! I don't see how I could be wrong Kakashi but please do try to enlighten me!”

Sakura stood there, eyes blazing, chest heaving and arms crossed. She was impatiently waiting for an answer from a man that she knew disliked such conversations.

Kakashi sighed as he stuffed his hands further in to his pockets. His droopy eye continued to stare at her for a second more before he spoke.

“If we're going to do this can we at least go inside where it's private?”

Sakura visibly clenched her jaw. She hated when he was right. She was certain that there was going to be more yelling and she was also certain that she would be the one doing it.

Sakura huffed and opened her door. She left it open behind her. She called over her shoulder as she made her way to her beige couch.

“Come in then...”

Kakashi entered her home for the first time and calmly shut her door behind him. She continued to glare at him as he made his way silently into her living room from the hall. He chose the rounded bamboo cushioned chair across from her.

She neither made a move to turn on a light and he neither asked. Sakura figured the veil of darkness would help ease their words. She was beginning to get impatient again.

“I'm waiting.”

She could hear Kakashi let out a breath slowly through his nose. His bland voice grated her nerves as he finally spoke.

“I have my reasons for doing what I've done.”

The words seemed to fly out of her mouth before she could catch them.

“I'm sure!”

Kakashi chose to ignore her.

“Your thinking is flawed.”

Still, more words spewed from her mouth unchecked.

“Enlighten me then!”

He leaned back into the chair with his hands still in his pockets.

“Sakura I do not think low of our friendship and I do not wish to throw it away.”

Sakura leaned forward in her seated position as her thoughts were verbalized rather forcefully.

“Then why the hell have you been treating me like shit since that stupid mission! Why the hell transfer me then!”

Sakura watched with slight gratification as Kakashi rubbed a palm into his forehead, pushing his headband up slightly.

'Finally, he shows a sign of emotion...bastard...'

This time his voice betrayed a hint of tiredness as well.

“I admit that I may have been a little hard on you during our training…”

Sakura huffed indignantly

“A little….”

“…but I had my reasons.”

Sakura scoffed loudly.

“…which you still haven't explained yet!”

Kakashi crossed his arms in front of him and stared. Sakura got the point and tried with all her might to refrain from speaking out of turn again. As a silent minute ticked by, Kakashi finally continued.

“At first I thought my…attraction… to you was... purely lust, but when we returned from our mission…”

She could tell he was having a hard time with this so she decided to give him a little leeway. She leaned back into the couch with her heart hammering.

“As I've said before…I couldn't get you out of my thoughts… I felt the need to be tougher on you… but as time went by it wasn't enough. I had to get you out.”

Sakura's anger was back in full force.

“So you just discarded me like yesterday's trash because you thought it would be easier to rid your mind of the thoughts that so desperately plagued you! I get it! I do! Really I do and I intend to leave you the hell alone from now on! Believe me you won't have to worry about me ever getting in your….”

“Damn it Sakura that's not what I want!”

Sakura jumped slightly from his angry outburst. She watched him startled, as he held his head in his hands. He was obviously frustrated.

“Don't you see? I thought you were smarter than this Sakura... I thought for sure if Sasaki figured it out…”

Sakura was dumbfounded. She had no idea what he was babbling about. What did Sasaki have to do with this? Her confusion was evident in her voice.

“What are you…?”

He straightened up and leaned forward in his chair looking her directly in the eye as he spoke, this time with that calmness set in its usual place.

“I was hard on you because I was afraid that if I wasn't they might see…. I had you transferred because once I finally understood…. Damn it Sakura! The way you make me feel scares the shit out of me!”

Sakura felt like pulling her hair out. There, he had said it.

'He feels something too... He's scared just like me...but still that doesn't excuse...'

“Damn it Kakashi! How the hell am I suppose to know these things if you won't tell me! You're one of the hardest people to read, don't you know that! You're afraid? Well let me tell you something, so am I!”

Sakura punctuated her sentence with the slam of her shaking fist upon the arm of the couch. She felt red in the face and her skin felt warm all over from her anger and frustration.

Kakashi remained silent and unmoving as she next poured a part of herself out that she had no intention of telling him. The words just seemed to flow causing her eyes to burn and her whole body to shake.

“I still don't know anything about you…, but I want to learn! I have no idea what this…thing…between us is….but damn it! ”

Sakura hit the armrest of her couch again and this time it cracked under the pressure. Sakura ignored it; the only sound now was the blood pumping in her ears. She cast angry, pleading eyes to the one knitted in frustration across from her. Her lips quivered slightly as she spoke next and this time with something close to normalcy.

“But damn it... I'm at least willing to try…”

Even in the dark, with more than half his face covered, Sakura was still able to see the pain that clearly portrayed a story, written in that one eye. He stayed silent obviously waging an inner battle. One that unbeknownst to Sakura had been waged since the return of “Dragon Team” from their mission.

Kakashi pushed his headband further up onto his shock of hair and rubbed the heels of his clenched fists into his closed eyes. He took a shaky breath still in that position and then slid his heels down his face before he slowly moved to stand.

Sakura watched his every move from her position on her now damaged couch. Just like most of their sparring sessions she had no idea what his next move was going to be. In all her years of knowing Kakashi, he had always been her savior. He was the hero that always came to her rescue when she was but a girl.

Not once had she been afraid of him. Even after academy graduation when they had endured his “Survival Training”, there was always that part of her that said he wasn't allowed to seriously hurt her. Every sparring session she ever had with the man, even the recent one, a part of her mind had always told her that he would never intentionally hurt her.

Right now, she was afraid of the man before her. She knew he would never ever physically hurt her. In this she was absolutely positive, but…emotionally? Right now, his next words could crush her in a way that was worth than death to her.

His next words were ground out through clenched teeth filled with both regret and resolve.

“Sakura, I can't give you want you want.”

His words shook her to her very core. This was not the first time she had heard those words.

`Sakura, I can't give you want you want.'

Those had been the exact words spoken to her by one Uchiha Sasuke when she was still but a teenager. It had been the very first time that Team Kakashi had faced Orochimaru. The snake Sannin had sent his sharingan eyed pupil on to their hide out, but the former Leaf ninja had not gone without words of redemption and the professing of love yet again from his former companions. Naruto had received simply an evil glare. Before the dark haired boy had jumped to his first tree limb, he had turned to the rosette colored kunoichi who had said she loved him and wanted to be with him. She received a blank stare and even emptier words….

`Sakura, I can't give you want you want.'

Those had been the last words he had ever spoken to her without the intent to kill behind them. They were the words that had haunted her heart and mind.

Now she was hearing the same words, but from a different man, but one she was starting to feel something more for just the same. As Sakura's startled eyes returned to the present she noticed that she was all alone in her living room. The man who couldn't, who was obviously unwilling to try, had vanished.

It had been quit some time since this feeling had overcome her, but as she sat in the shadows all alone pain enveloped her. Sakura fisted her hands into her hair as she supported her head with her elbows on her knees. The tightness in her chest returned but this time for a whole other set of different reasons. A ball of emotion pushed its way from the pit of her stomach to her throat. Her eyes burned as she desperately fought to keep the tears at bay.

`There are things worse than death in this world…being alone…dying alone….'

Those had been the words Gaara had imparted to her once. Sakura finally succumbed to her misery there on her now lopsided couch. She brought her knees up to her chest and laid her head down as she wrapped her arms around her legs. As her body wracked with sobs she found herself starting to believe.

`Yet another…Am I fated to be alone?'

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As Naruto approached his second favorite kunoichi's door, he heard the tell tale signs of crying. The last time he had seen the young woman's tears had been the night Sasuke died.

`Something's definitely wrong.”

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The lights suddenly came on and Sakura buried her head deeper behind her legs. She felt a weight seep into the couch next to her and then she felt strong arms encircle her.

“Sakura-chan…”

`Naruto.'

She felt him lay his cheek on top of her now mussed hair. She continued to cry. Her throat wouldn't allow words to pass even if she tried.

“…I came as soon as I was told. Does this half to do with your reassignment?”

Sakura continued to let the tears flow and then slowly nodded her head in the positive. It was true, but only vaguely.

“Oh Sakura-chan, don't worry. I'm not sure what happened and I don't care. I think that may be why Kakashi requested me to be your next Captain...”

Vaguely Sakura wondered why everyone was defending him, but at this point she really didn't care and couldn't offer a rebuttal if she wanted to. Naruto hugged her tighter; his voice was soothing when he next spoke.

“Sakura-chan, look at me.”

Sakura reluctantly raised her tear streaked face to see his blue orbs gazing at her tenderly.

“You're on my Squad now. It'll be like the old days…well, except... I'm the one in charge!”

Naruto gave her that goofy smile she was so fond of and she couldn't help herself. Her lips quivered as she returned it.

Then his face turned serious. Sakura stared at him questioningly as she wiped her face with the back of her sleeves.

“There's another reason why I came. I was hoping to spend the day tomorrow having you get to know the guys, but It seems the Hokage wants “Fox Team” in her office in the…”

Naruto paused to look at his watch and his eyes became wide. His voice was apologetic but hurried all the same.

“…next fifteen minutes! Oh man! Sakura-chan, the rest of the guys are already there! Come on lets get you dressed and then we gotta go! Oh man, baa-chan is gonna skin me alive if we're late. She said something about a scroll…”

Hearing this bit of info made Sakura kick it into gear, in the next nine minutes they were already heading in the direction of her Sensei's office. Sakura still felt hollow from before but as a ninja she had to push it aside….

`Sakura, I can't give you what you want.'

…but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get those words out of her head.

Naruto looked back at her from his spot in the lead. Sakura forced her face to reflect his smile. As he turned back around her thoughts drifted back to the youngest Kazekage's words.

`There are things worse than death in this world…being alone…dying alone….'

Sakura blinked back the tears that threatened to spill again as a wry smile fought its way to her features.

'I must have angered Kami in a past life...'

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Author's Note:

Pleasey try not to hate Kakashi too much! He's a tormented soul that has been alone for a very long time, like he says he has his reasons and some that he still hasn't mentioned yet...

I have rewritten this chapter so many times… pulls out hair

I hope the final cut came out ok.

I was rereading the “Saving Gaara” manga chapters and thought my created saying of his would be something he would actually say. Who would know this better than him?

I hope no one choked on all the angst in this chapter. I usually shy aware from it, but it was relevant to the flow of the story so…

In regards to Kakashi's reasoning in being hard on Sakura during sparring, I was trying to go for the whole “Top Gun” thing, sorta…