Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Respect & Understanding ❯ Akward & Dangerous ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I just enjoy writing about it.

 

Chapter 9: Awkward and Dangerous!

 

Sakura woke to a loud pounding on her door. It was the kind of sound that screamed urgency. Sakura forced the sleep out of her eyes with the palms of her hands as she quickly grabbed a robe and flew down her stairs.

 

Once Sakura had flung open her door she blinked as a red and white dog mask greeted her. Yajima stood before her in full ANBU gear. She knew something was up and the young man didn't waste any time getting out the short details.

 

“Meet in the briefing room in 20 minutes.”

 

Sakura blinked and the masked ninja was no longer standing on her doorstep. He was already making his way across the rooftops towards their HQ. Sakura slammed the door and then ran back in the direction of her bedroom intent on making her departure in the next ten minutes. She was finding herself thankful that she had taken that shower before bed last night instead of in the morning as usual.

 

Sakura vaguely had time to chance a glance at her clock before heading out the door. It was only 3am. As she raced across the rooftops the slight chill in the air hit a spot in her spine. This reeked of a mission and a very important one at that. In all her twelve years as a shinobi she had learned that the word important was synonymous with the word dangerous. Sakura cleared her head as her destination came into view.

 

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Upon reaching the doors of the HQ Sakura found Sasaki coming up behind her. Sakura gave her a head nod in greeting and they hustled their way down into the depths of the ANBU HQ. When both Kunoichi reached their usual briefing room, they found Yajima and their Captain already waiting. Kakashi began to speak, while pulling some papers out of his white vest, the moment Sasaki had closed the door.

 

“Listen up; we don't have much time so I'm only going to say this once. A messenger from Thunder Country is leaving the Hidden Village of Cloud sometime between five and zero six hundred hours today.”

 

Kakashi was already in the process of rolling out a scroll that contained a map of the four main countries and all known roadways in between. Known landmarks also dotted the parchment for easier recognition. Kakashi didn't have to tell the other three to come closer as they were already inspecting the map on either side of him.

 

“Our objective is the scroll. We are to intercept here.” Kakashi pointed to an area between both Sound and Thunder country. It was exactly in the middle of the neutral area. From the details on the map, it looked like a shrine would be near signaling their arrival.

 

“Expect hostiles, no information is given on the subject, but a hunch tells me that he will be guarded from the shadows, possibly a squad. The retrieval of this scroll is of the utmost importance. The knowledge of our involvement may very well lead Fire Country into war so I should not have to reiterate that no one is to be left alive and there are to be no traces left behind.”

 

`No one is to be left alive…'

 

Sakura pushed that thought away. She was a hardened shinobi with blood already on her hands. This was part of an ANBU ninja's duty and by god if she had to stain her hands yet again, then so be it. It had taken some time after her first kill at the age of 16 to realize that in battle it was either them or her and she definitely wasn't ready to see her parents just yet.

 

“Alright we have roughly a little less than a day and a half to reach our designation. Grab your traveling cloaks and meet at the gate in thirty.”

 

The "Dragon Team" started to break and move toward the door. Sakura was already near the exit when she heard Kakashi's voice.

 

“Sakura, stay.”

 

Sakura turned and watched Kakashi looking at her as he stuffed the map behind his white vest. His mask was wrapped around his right shoulder. His dark orb betrayed nothing.

 

Sakura stayed in her position by the door waiting patiently. She hoped like hell that she was wrong in her assumption, but she knew the man to be the type to clear the air before a mission especially one so important.

 

“My behavior yesterday was highly inappropriate and unbecoming of a Squad Captain. I just want to make you aware that in the future I will most certainly be more respectful to my…female squad members…and friends.”

 

The serious ambiance was lifted as his eye crinkled and he rose from his chair to come toward her. Sakura was somewhat pleased with his apology. She crossed her arms in front of her chest as she returned his smile.

 

Kakashi reached out a hand intend to pat her shoulder and then at the very last second thought better of it. Instead, he ran it through his silvery soft hair as he gave her another smile, this time somewhat nervous.

 

His action caused Sakura to frown. It was true that she didn't want his nose turning into a fountain of blood while he watched her sword fight, but that didn't mean she didn't want him to touch her. She had known him for years and they were just starting to develop a closer friendship. His sudden change of attitude toward touching her seemed utterly ridiculous in her eyes.

 

She didn't know how to tell him this so she did the only thing that came to mind. She grabbed his hand, placed it on her shoulder and gave it a little squeeze. She could tell he got the message. His hand dropped when she retracted her own.

 

“Is it alright if I join the others now Captain?” Sakura smirked at him. Kakashi's eye narrowed ever so slightly, but albeit playfully.

 

“I insist.” In the blink of an eye the room was once again cleared of all its occupants.

 

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The days travel had been long, quiet, and tiring. The four person squad had gone full out for hours on end. Kakashi wanted to reach the designated point a fair amount of time earlier than expected. Sakura's calf and thigh muscles burned with excessive use.

 

Since they had started so early in their journey, it was decided that setting camp for the night would be done as soon as the last rays of light faded. They would pick up again the next day well before the sun rose.

 

They traveled light with nothing but their uniform, cloak, and weapons. Traveling packs and tents were out of the question on a mission like this and so was the thought of sleeping at a local inn.

 

They were not to be seen and so the hard ground would be their beds tonight. Their dinner would consist of whatever they could scrounge up. They were still within the borders of Fire Country, but near enough to warrant extra caution incase of an enemy attack.

 

Kakashi appointed himself to do first watch, then Sakura, then Sasaki and lastly Yajima. After a rousing meal of berries that Sakura and Sasaki deemed edible and cooked fish that Yajima and Kakashi had caught, the three shinobi set out their traveling cloaks as makeshift bedrolls.

 

After dinner, Kakashi had dispersed all evidence of their cooking fire, not wanting to leave a trace. Later on he sat him self on a tree limb over looking the forested area above his sleeping comrades. When the moonlight had gotten to the point where he could no longer read his trusty book, Kakashi was left only with his thoughts and the sound of light snoring.

 

In no time he found his bored gaze traveled to his pink haired team member. She was resting as peacefully as could be expected on the dirt covered ground. He looked upon her slightly mesmerized by the almost serene look on her face.

 

`She truly is a sight…'

 

Truthfully she was one of the many sights that seemed to plague his mind every time he lazed about in his free time or when he closed his eyes at night. There seemed no possible way to shake the image of her at the bar and the one just yesterday at the training field.

 

They were a constant reminder to him of what he secretly desired but could not have and should not want. His male mind rationalized that this was what made her so different to him than all the other women he had ever lusted after.

 

`You always covet that which you cannot have…and I definitely cannot have Sakura…but the want is still there…'

 

The summer night air was warm to the touch and had been the reason why the kunoichi had chosen to remove her white strapped covering before laying down for the night. She lay only in her skin tight black pants and top.

 

Kakashi knew his eye shouldn't be glued to the hand unconsciously pushing the hem of her top up in her sleep. He knew it was wrong to gaze upon the pale toned skin exposed to him, but he found that he couldn't help himself.

 

He also couldn't help the fact that he wished it was his own hand doing so. He silently longed to feel that flesh beneath his hands, her flesh. Movement from a few spaces away caught his ever watchful eye.

 

Sasaki had turned in her sleep and she was now facing him still caught up in her own dreamland. A few strands of her dark wine colored hair had fallen over her face as she cradled her head on top of her hands.

 

A man had to be a fool not to see that this woman radiated beauty. Kakashi had always thought this, but she had always been just an acquaintance and then a teammate and Kakashi held steady to the belief that teammates do not get involved.

 

That's why it puzzled him greatly that the pink haired, emerald eyed kunoichi he had known for so long could suddenly affect him so. Even the beautiful Sasaki didn't dredge up feelings of want inside him the way Sakura currently had.

 

`Oh it's wrong…but I just know it would feel so….'

 

Kakashi ripped his gaze from what his deviant mind considered to be her `lick-able' stomach to travel over the slow rise and fall of her perfect pert breasts and finally to her passive face. Unfortunately this did not help matters at all. Sakura's soft pink lips were slightly parted as she continued to slumber. Kakashi felt his gloved grip on the tree limb beneath him tighten as his target unconsciously licked her lips ever so slowly in her sleep.

 

Intimate thoughts of exactly what he would like to do with those lips flashed through his mind. He tiredly rubbed the palm of his hand into his forehead to stench the flow of perversion. He looked down at his watch and noted that it was time to wake the object of his desire.

 

Kakashi slipped from his position down onto the grass covered ground without the slightest noise. Before he knew it he was kneeling down next to Sakura. His shadowed form was cast over her sleeping face as he took one last minute to gaze upon her sleeping body. In a moment of unchecked longing he took a few strands of her shoulder length hair between his fingers.

 

`So soft…'

 

The moment passed and he gently shook the young woman by the shoulder while quietly calling her name so as not to wake the others. Kakashi had not been expecting her to shoot up to a sitting position so suddenly.

 

One minute she was laying there on the ground and the next he found her sleep covered face inches from his own. They were almost nose to nose and Sakura became alarmed as her fogged brain tried to take in the blurred image before her. Sakura quickly went into combat mode reaching for her a kunai but found her wrist stopped by a firm grip.

 

“W-Wha…!”

 

Kakashi swiftly put a gloved hand to her mouth to keep the startled woman from waking not only the other two but half the forest, he had not moved away from their close proximity though. Sakura's free hand went flying to the wrist near her mouth.

 

“Sakura relax, it's only me.”

 

He watched as her startled eyes softened and felt her rigidness ease away beneath his grasp. Time seemed to tick by ever so slowly as he gazed into the jade orbs inches away from his own. The desire, the need to replace his hand with his own soft lips burned deep within him flowing from the pit of his stomach.

 

Sakura seemed lost in his gaze, too stunned to move much less attempt to speak. She had never seen that look in his eye before, but she had to be completely naïve not to know what it meant. Sakura had left her naivety at the door the day Uchiha Sasuke had died.

 

This was a look that meant he wanted something from her, a something that she had no idea if she was willing to give him. The thought had never crossed her mind. The episode the other day had clued her in to Kakashi's new view of her, but…

 

She had just thought that he had finally seen that she wasn't that twelve year old little girl anymore but a grown woman now. She had never thought to consider that he might….want her…in a way that both frightened and if she was honest…intrigued her. Right now “frightened” overshadowed everything else as she sat there under his grasp.

 

Kakashi missed the mixture of emotion passing over the kunoichi's eyes as his own eyesight rested on his hand. The same hand that covered the delicious looking mouth he had been eyeing earlier. His hand seemed to move of its own accord. It slid slowly over her cheek revealing her lips, still parted from her earlier attempt at forming words.

 

His thumb came to the corner of her mouth and he succumbed just slightly to his need. His rough digit moved leisurely over that tantalizing plump pink bottom lip. His other hand still held her wrist but ever so gently now. Sakura's other hand still held the wrist near her mouth, but her touch was feather light, sort of the way his touches were making her head feel.

 

Kakashi's tongue moved of its own violation beneath his mask, licking his own lips that begged to be put into action. The need had slowly built from a flame to an inferno inside his body warming his blood and spurring his actions, this lead to the slight turn of his head and the bend of his neck.

 

Sakura's eyes widen in shock and her body involuntarily sucked in a breath as she both saw and felt him move closer into what no doubt would be…a cloth covered passion filled kiss. Her instinct was to push him away but her reflexes were supremely failing her now. The only movement her traitorous body could produce was the shutting of her eyes.

 

The sharp intake of breath had been enough noise to jar Kakashi back from the passion filled depths of his desire. A mere inch away from his goal he bit down on his lip, hard enough to draw blood, to try to quell his insatiable need.

 

`I must be out of my damn mind…!'

 

This was Sakura, she was a teammate, and they were on a mission. This was no time to be breaking his rule of no fraternization, especially since he was their Captain…even if she was so very tempting…

 

One minute Sakura had been bracing herself for an unexpected kiss and the next minute she felt his grip disappear, leaving behind a slight gust of wind and…something close to disappointment that she didn't want to believe.

 

When Sakura opened her eyes, Kakashi was yards away from her, resting on his own traveling cloak with his back to her. Sakura angrily balled her fists in her lap. Still she couldn't decide who and what she was upset with more.

 

Was she mad at him for doing what he did or her self for being slightly disappointed that he hadn't followed through? Fortunately it was an argument she had plenty of time to think over during the rest of her watch.

 

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The next day had started out simple enough. They dispensed with all traces of their slumber before heading off in the direction of their target area. The trek had been like before, swift, urgent, and silent. Kakashi was being the same as ever. He even answered with a normal smile at her offered good morning.

 

She should have been relieved and even happy that he was acting as if he had not just tried to kiss her last night, but a part of her felt slightly hurt. Needless to say her mood was stormy at best. The silence of the rest of their travels helped sate her anger though and by the time they reached the shrine indicated on the map she felt slightly like her old self again.

 

They had made excellent time, their target was estimated to pass through the area at roughly midday and it was only zero nine hundred hours. He had informed them prior of the plan. Right now, he was to summon his tracking hounds to determine the messenger's exact location, direction and possible amount of backup. From that information they would set up their ambush and lay in wait.

 

About thirty minutes after Kakashi had formed the last seal to summon the pack, Pakkun and the other's returned and the group gathered around the assortment of canines. Pakkun translated for the largest bulldog.

 

“He says there's a group of traveling humans about 2 hours from here. He was able to pick up roughly twelve distinct scents coming from the east.”

 

“Twelve…”

 

“Kakashi, your outnumbered and only have less than two hours to prepare…”

 

“We'll be fine Pakkun, no need to worry.”

 

“Well then…” With multiple `poof's the dogs disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Kakashi turned to his group.

 

“I want from this point to a fifty yard radius around us to be filled with traps, trip wires, and trenches. We've got one hour, let's get busy.”

 

By the time midday rolled around the sweaty quartet of shinobi were well hidden in attack position with their blood pumping. Even if there were three opponents to each leaf ninja they were ready. This was a mission and failure was not an option.

 

As the sun met the focal point of the sky, their target approached. With chakra concealed, they lay in wait knowing that the other eleven thunder ninja were moving soundlessly concealed through the trees.

 

As the tip of the messenger's dark hair appeared over the ride of the farthest part of the road, Kakashi started his mental count down.

 

`5…'

 

He glanced over to the spot of foliage across the road where Sasaki lay hidden with her sword drawn.

 

`4…'

 

His eyes traveled a few yards to the left of Sasaki's spot to Sakura who crouched with her back pressed tightly against a tree.

 

`3…'

 

He turned his head slightly and caught a glimpse of Yajima out of the corner of his dark eye. The younger man was ready with his threads of wire trailing out of the sleeve of his traveling cloak.

 

`2…'

 

Kakashi tightened his grip on his own set of kunai in his cool calm hands. Their battle was just about to start and he had to keep a clear head.

 

`1…'

 

The next events happened so fast. A boom resounded through the forest making birds fly and animals scatter, a scream followed as a body fell through the leaf strewn ground and onto sharpened sticks, an `oof' was heard as a swinging log impacted with a stomach, crushing the owner between it's self and a tree.

 

A voice shouted communication to the others and soon the remaining nine jumped into view on the road surrounding the messenger. Another wire was tripped and a blast note was ignited. As their enemies were forced to scatter the Konoha ninjas took this as their opportunity to attack.

 

Kakashi gave the signal, and they simultaneously jumped into the foray. Sasaki drove her sword through the man's chest nearest her. Her next opponent parried her attack with what looked like an extendable metal staff.

 

Yajima's wires twisted around the ninja's legs and feet closest to him. With a yank of his preferred weapon of choice the enemy ninja was pulled savagely into the underbrush. Yajima embedded a kunai in his throat, silencing the man's cries and ending his life.

 

Sakura's gloved fist smashed into the flesh covering her target's heart. The man went flying back through a tree already dead before his body even touched the ground. She turned to her next opponent with kunai drawn.

 

Kakashi's kunai punctured a lung leaving his enemy to fall bleeding from the mouth with only seconds left to live.

 

The element of surprise had worked for them; it cut the number of their enemies in half. Now only two of the elite ANBU members had to deal with more than one opponent.

 

Kakashi unfortunately was one of them, but then again he would rather it be him self then one of the others. The two ninja circled him like predators circling a wounded prey, but in this case Kakashi was no where near being wounded and he damn sure let them know.

 

The silver haired battle hardened shinobi dropped to the ground kicking out a strong leg tripping the nin to his left. He swiftly grabbed the fallen ninja and used him as a human shield against the one baring down on him with two short swords drawn. He felt the blades of metal sink into the body he was holding and then tossed it to the side, leaving his last opponent weaponless.

 

Sakura had quickly dispatched the first of her two enemies by stabbing a kunai in his gullet and sending it even further inside his body with a swift chakra leaden kick to its protruding end. The ninja had flown back and crumpled to the base of a tree. Sakura now faced the cloud ninja holding in his possession the object of their mission.

 

“Qui Tosao no Jutsu!”

 

Before Sakura's leg even had a chance to return to the ground she was blasted yards back from her position by a jet of air forced from the palms of her enemy's hands. She landed with a splash in the lake's cold murky depths yards away.

 

Sakura sucked in a lung full of water as she made her way to the surface. Once there she used the chakra in her hands to pull her self up and used the chakra in her feet to stand on the top of the water. Her enemy was already doing the same, a short distance from her on top the shimmering liquid. Her enemy skated along the rippling surface at full speed toward her.

 

Sakura put up a forearm to dodge his blow intent to follow up with her own monstrous jab. She had not been expecting to feel the tip of a kunai pressed into her back. Before the tip could go any further, her form burst into a shower of cherry blossoms and she appeared behind her attacker.

 

She twisted the hand holding the kunai behind him and lodged it into the base of his neck. She reached around him to pluck the scroll from his vest pocket before his body dropped into the greenish blue waters below.

 

A burning pain shot through her system originating from the area the enemy's kunai had struck. Her feet began to sink into the water as the even chakra flow was disrupted.

 

Kakashi caught a bit of pink sinking under the thrashing waters to his left. He knew something was wrong in that instant. Heaven collided with earth in that moment, shaking him to the very core. He had to do something and he had to do something fast.

 

He sent a large amount of chakra to his right hand where it festered and grew. Bluish white light materialized around his digits forming his trademark move, the move that had taken him years to perfect.

 

“Lighting Edge!”

 

Sakura could do nothing as her body's responses failed her. Whatever had been laced on the tip of that kunai had rendered her body almost immobile. Its fast efficiency baffled her. The concoction apparently affected her nervous system, slowing the impulses from the brain to a crawl.

 

The attempts at saving herself were almost none existent. Her limbs couldn't move fast enough in the water to propel her self upwards. Water began to clog her nose and throat as she gazed up at the rippling vision of the sun above her. A cold fear filled her body matching the temperature of the water around her.

 

`I'm going to die here… this damn lake is going to be my watery grave…'

 

Sakura's eyes closed in defeat and her feeble struggles ceased as she came to grips with her unfortunate fate. She was going to die from such a pathetic wound after everything she has been through in her life as a ninja. A small insignificant scratch was going to result in her death.

 

Anger formed in the pit of her stomach briefly, but only to be replaced by regret. A memory from the previous night flashed before her eyes. It was of Kakashi looking at her in that way she had never seen before, in a way she realized as she floated down to the bottom of the lake she wished she could see one last time…

 

Sasaki faced her single opponent and slowly step by slow step, they sized each other up. Sasaki could tell by the way he held his staff and his stance in general that he would be a formidable opponent, his parry of her weapon earlier being a fine enough example.

 

She waited patiently for the other to make the first move. She didn't have to wait long and it came in the form of a downward arc, intend on crushing her sandaled foot. Her sword met the metal rod chest high and both ninja's hands and weapons shook slightly from the impact.

 

Sasaki put her strength into forcing the opposing weapon back up into the air and then pushed forward with a thrust of her sword to his chest. The cloud ninja brought his weapon vertically in front of him with the bottom dug slightly into the ground. He used the middle of the staff to bounce her sword tip away.

 

Sasaki quickly struck her right leg out intending to catch him off guard and hit his side, but only felt the cold metal hit her shin and knock her off balance. The blow was hard enough to put her on her back and on the ground is exactly where she landed. Her opponent immediately came upon her with a downward swing meant to crush the organs in her chest and abdomen.

 

Sasaki instantly let chakra flow into the leather bound hilt of her sword and then into the blade itself. With her newly chakra infused weapon she swung her sword with all the strength her right arm could muster, effectively cutting the weapon in half. The half he held landed with a loud thud on the ground between her thighs. The half she cut went flying through the air to the side.

 

She swung her sword back to its original position at her side effectively slicing the man's throat open. Red sprayed onto her legs as the man fell to the ground with his life blood spilling between his fingers.

 

Yajima was already in the process of lashing his enemy to pieces by the time he saw Sasaki's opponent fall a few feet from where he stood.

 

“Yosona Nisa no Jutsu!”

 

The thinnest of wires wrapped around the bloodied cloud ninja's body and neck. With the pull of Yajima's right hand and arm, the captured shinobi's neck was sliced and crushed under the force.

 

Kakashi ripped his glowing hand back from the cloud ninja's chest. More of the man's blood coated his hair, face, and chest. This didn't matter to the Copy Ninja; all that mattered to him was the pink haired kunoichi slowly floating to the bottom of the lake. With out even glancing at the other two members of the squad Kakashi ran full out to the edge.

 

Once there he concentrated his chakra to his feet and ran to the spot where he had last saw that last bit of pink. When his feet had reached the area he dove into the cold waters intent on rescuing the woman who caused this blind panic to rise in his chest.

 

Kakashi took a moment once underneath the glossy surface to look around in every direction hoping to spot that familiar shade of pink. When he did, an icy hand squeezed at his heart, making him suck in the slightest of water.

 

Her body was already resting on the bottom of the lake. Her hair was flowing around her face making her appear angelic like. Sakura's eyes were closed and he didn't find any sign of movement. She reminded him of a porcelain doll that had been dropped in the water.

 

Kakashi's jaw clenched tightly as he kicked down to her position. It would take every thing he had to make it down and then back up to the surface with the extra weight in tow, but his mind was not working as it should have been. It could have been the panic or it could have been something else pushing him to save this woman, teammate, and friend.

 

Kakashi felt like his very life depended on saving this woman and in so many ways, that even now he didn't realize, it did. When he reached her he wrapped one arm tightly around her body and kicked up from the ground. His lungs were fit to burst and his legs and arm muscles burned with a fiery passion.

 

To help concentrate he kept his eyes on the sun above. He kept pushing and pushing never loosening his grip on the woman wrapped securely at his side, but no matter how hard he pushed the surface still seemed well out of his reach. He could feel his arms and legs giving out on him. As he felt the pain of a cramp forming in his right calf muscle he knew the situation looked utterly bleak.

 

`I'm sorry so Sakura…'

 

When the regret had set in, the sun was suddenly blocked from his view by a body diving headfirst in the water above. Long purple hair swirled in the waters before him. From his position he could also see a figure standing above the first and that's when he noticed the silver wires.

 

The moment Sasaki grabbed on to Kakashi's wrist Yamija pulled on his strings with all his might heaving the three out of the water like a fish caught on his line. The wire snapped back to his hands as Sasaki caught Sakura's unconscious body in her arms and Yajima grabbed Kakashi under the arms. The two hauled their teammates back to dry land.

 

Once there Kakashi collapsed on in the grass from exhaustion. He ripped his water soaked mask from his face and let out a lung full of water while gasping for air. Sasaki placed Sakura down on the ground a foot away from the men and proceeded to check her life signs.

 

“Shit…she has a pulse, but it's faint and she's not breathing…”

 

Kakashi's head snapped in their direction and he took in Sakura's blue tinged lips and her pale clammy skin. Her condition did not look good at all and there was that icy hand constricting his heart again. Sasaki set about performing the actions of CPR, this being taught to every shinobi during their academy days. As the sword totting woman began to try and force the water from Sakura's lungs Yajima looked hurriedly around.

 

“In light of the situation, I think we need to get rid of the bodies soon and cover our tracks. Wait…shit…where's the scroll?”

 

Several conflicting emotions passed through Kakashi in that moment. In his rush to save Sakura he had completely forgotten about their mission objective, the scroll could be resting on the bottom of that damn lake for all he knew. This important mission was now a complete failure and he had let it happen along with Sakura's possible death. He felt closer to his estranged father in that moment than ever before. He had to think fast, it was broad daylight and this was a common roadway. Anyone could happen upon them. Sasaki's voice called out to him breaking through his thoughts.

 

“Holy… Captain, Sakura still has it in her hand.”

 

Kakashi smiled and both Yajuma and Sasaki caught it.

 

`That's my girl…'

 

The relief that their mission wasn't a failure and the pride in the woman he had risked his life to save washed over him. The scroll may be water logged but there were still ways to unlock its hidden inked secrets. Their mission was one step closer to being accomplished now, but even that elation wasn't enough to lessen the hand around his heart.

 

Sasaki gave another push to Sakura's abdomen and water gushed like a small geyser from her mouth. The choked sputtering was like music to Kakashi's ears. She could still die of hypothermia and shock, but those sounds meant that she was alive and that's all that mattered.

 

His analytical mind seemed to come to life then. Possible resolutions to the situation began to form. The bodies had to be dealt with, the scroll had to be returned and Sakura had to be taken care of now rather than later if she was to survive the night.

 

It was still a day and a half's travel back to Konoha and the nearest village was a good half a day away. Kakashi began to speak even as Sakura continued to shake and spew water from her filled lungs.

 

“Yajima, Sasaki you two are to hide the bodies and then start your journey back to Konoha. Sakura is in no condition for travel at the moment so I will stay behind and find us some shelter. We'll start our own return journey once she's able.” Yajima immediately set about gathering the fallen shinobi while Sasaki turned to their leader.

 

“Kakashi I can stay behind with Sakura. The scroll will be safer in your hands, neh?”

 

Kakashi shook his head in the negative.

 

“Our attack was unforeseen so you shouldn't encounter any resistance on the return journey. The danger is more prominent here and as Squad Captain it's my responsibility to ensure my teammates safety…I have faith in your skills to see this mission to the end.”

 

Sasaki returned his smile.

 

`I understand now why he covers that up…'

 

“Even though your journey should be relatively fine, run…run like the devils licking at your heels and don't look back. If we return to find out that something happened to the two of you I'll go looking for your bodies to make sure you feel my wrath even in death.”

 

His gaze was intense and his voice dripped venom, but Sasaki only smiled back in return.

 

`That's our Captain, always concerned with the safety of his `troops'….but something tells me his concern for one runs a little bit deeper than the rest.'

 

Sasaki watched Kakashi gather the wet shaking girl in his soaked arms, as she hurried over to Yajima's side. She took one last look at them from over her shoulder and caught the visible smile their Captain held as he looked down at the pink haired kunoichi. Sasaki couldn't miss a certain pang in her chest as she turned to the job before her.

 

`What I wouldn't give…Yajima isn't the only one who thinks he's amazing…'

 

With the scroll tucked securely inside her vest pocket, she quickly performed the set of earth seals to raise the ground and cover the bodies Yajima had thrown together.

 

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Once Kakashi had wrapped Sakura in both their traveling cloaks he rushed as fast as his already tired body could go in a more southeastern direction toward Konoha than the other two. Separate directions would confuse followers.

 

With Sakura's condition needing immediate attention and no village in sight for a good twelve hours, Kakashi decided it would serve them for right now to get the hell away from the area of their battle as soon as possible. He figured that once they had put a sufficient amount of miles between it and themselves he would have to make camp out in the middle of the forest.

 

When Sakura started going into convulsions in his arms he immediately decided it was time to stop. His own body still hadn't stopped shivering as well. The sun was just beginning to set as he laid her thrashing body down near the roots of a tree. He urgently began stripping her of the weapons and wet clothes that clung to her body like a second skin.

 

In his recent fantasies Kakashi had imagined doing exactly this but for entirely different reasons….

 

When he finally managed to take off the white vest that's when he noticed the small tear in the black material on her back as he held her shaking body in a sitting position. His pointer finger slid over the red and strangely blue puckered puncture as he heard her raspy stuttering voice.

 

“P-P-P oi…son…e-ed.” His hand froze in it's inspection as his chest tightened for what seemed the hundred time that day.

 

“Poisoned? Do you know what kind? Do you know how much time you have? Do you know of an antidote?”

 

He gripped both of her shoulders tightly as he stared intently into her sluggish closing eyes, willing her to answer.

 

“R-r-an i-its -c-cour-se…” Kakashi let out a relieved breath.

 

“Thank god for small favors…” He set about taking off her gloves next and Sakura's eyes fluttered open slightly once he tugged rather hard on the stubborn left one.

 

“C-cou-ld s-sti-ll d-die…” Kakashi set about his efforts with renewed vigor. The damn glove finally came off.

 

“No, no you won't… because I won't let you and don't you forget that.” He hadn't meant for his voice to come out so harsh like it had. Sakura remained silent in her shivering.

 

He next began removing the rest of her clothes. Sakura's dull glazed eyes remained fixed on his own during the entire ordeal, making Kakashi feel considerably uncomfortable. His shaking fingers set about relieving her of the final two pieces, her already transparent white panties and wrapped bindings.

 

As she leaned boneless, sideways into his chest he fingered the knot of her bindings and swiftly began the unwinding process while maintaining eye contact with his shivering companion. He gently laid her down and then moved to the side of her hips. Finally with a few slight tugs and a trembling lift of her bottom the last damp article was shed.

 

If she felt uncomfortable with being so exposed to him he couldn't tell. The unhealthy paleness to her skin left no hints to the slightest blush. She just continued to unblinkingly stare at him.

 

The process, needless to say, left him with a considerable hammering heart. Once finished, he immediately set about to cover her naked body with the two slightly damp traveling cloaks from before.

 

Even though he had done it to save her life, his eyes couldn't help taking in the sight before him and his male mind couldn't help categorize and log said images for a later time. Of course he meant for a later time when danger of losing her was not so prominent.

 

A slight summer wind quickly reminded him of his own wet clothes. Kakashi went about getting up from his position beside her when he felt something ice cold snake around his ankle. He looked down to see a shaking pale hand attached to it and sleepy emerald eyes pleading with him.

 

“D-d-don…'t g-go.”

 

That fear filled voice reminded him of a little girl and not the 24 year old fiery woman he had come to know. It chipped at the walls around his stricken heart. He bent and took the shaking hand in his own. He tried to keep his face from showing the emotion that threatened to overshadow his features.

 

“I'm going to start a fire and take care of our security. I won't travel too far out of your eye sight. I promise.”

 

Unsteadily she slowly retracted her hand.

 

As she lay wrapped up still grandly shivering; Kakashi set about to gather things to make a fire. Keeping his promise he stayed within her view as he gathered whatever kindling he could find and then with a rapid set of seals he started the fire. Once a small blaze had formed he brought the shivering woman closer to the source of heat.

 

Next, Kakashi brought out a scroll from a pocket and began a series of movement after he spread blood from his thump over the parchment. Four `poofs' were heard and Pakkun and three other canines appeared before him.

 

“I see you're still alive.” Pakkun turned and raised an eye as he took in the sight of the haphazardly covered naked woman near by.

 

“Indeed. I need you four to take turns keeping watch…and act as a form of insulation.”

 

Pakkun's other eye rose, but nodded just the same.

 

“In that case, hurry with your preparations. I'd like to get back to my nap.” As if on queue the four dogs took up a perimeter around the camp turning away from the humans.

 

With the flickering firelight as his backdrop Sakura watched with gradually closing eyes as Kakashi shed his own damp clothes before her. She noticed the way he kept his eye focused on the ground in front of him. Even in her state of shivering and slight shock, the vision before her left it's imprint.

 

Taut and toned flesh, some tan and some pale, the way his silver locks cascaded down over his eyes now free of their village's headband, how his boyish features contrasted starkly with the manly body. The way muscles moved beneath skin as he came closer.

 

The scars of old wounds that sprinkled over his body just added to the over all package that was Hatake Kakashi. Her eyes unwillingly fluttered shut as sleep took over. Even if the ice-cold hands of death took her as she slept she would be eternally thankful to have witnessed that exquisite vision of perfection.

 

Kakashi watched Sakura succumb to slumber as he slid his naked body next to hers under the cover of the cloaks. He silently prayed for three things. One, obviously being she didn't wake up and especially not before him the next day. Two, being that it didn't rain and three being that no enemies showed up to try to attack them in the night. Kakashi seriously did not want to have to fight in the buff.

 

Kakashi's body covered Sakura's like a warm blanket. He held his breath as she slightly stirred under him. He kept absolutely still with his head resting comfortably in the crook of her neck as he waited for signs that she had fallen back into sleep. When he was positive that she had he sighed.

 

Even though her body felt like an iceberg beneath him, it was still a woman's body. Intimate parts of him self were pressed painfully close to her own. His chest was pressed onto Sakura's; his stomach covered her hip and half of her own, his leg rested between her two. He was almost lying completely on top of her, but slightly off to the side so as not to crush her.

 

There bodies were so closely melded together that it took every disturbing image he could think of to not let his own body react.

 

`Its times like these that those images of Gai striking his favorite poses in the bath house come in handy…'

 

Needless to say the shiver that ran down his spine had nothing at all to do with the cold.

 

As he laid there entwined with the object of his recent lustful thoughts he smiled to himself as his own lids began to get heavy.

 

He was only vaguely aware of the two new sources of heat on either side of him or the one that draped it's self over the top of their cloaks.

 

`I wonder if she'll let me do this again…minus the threat of death of course…'

 

His sleepy smile turned to a drowsy scowl as he mentally kicked himself for his slip.

 

`I am her Captain damn it and as her Captain I should remember that fraternization can lead to many an avoidable death…'

 

`…but even so …I have to admit…a part of me…yearns for this…yearns for...her…'

 

Soon the only sounds were the crickets chirping, soft snores, and the occasional scratch of a fur covered ear. Two humans and three dogs slept peacefully that night without a care in the world.

 

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Author's Footnote:

 

This chapter took a little longer than usual because I suck at actions scenes…

 

Admittedly I had to watch a marathon of Hero, House of Flying Daggers, and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon just to come up with what little I have…sad I know…

 

Also just to warn you…I don't have much practice at the whole romance stuff…witty banter is more my forte but…I'm trying so yeah!

 

 

 

Any-who! Next Chapter!

 

The obligatory “Wake Up” scene! Insert evil cackle here

 

Why is Kakashi secretly speaking with the ANBU Commander!

 

Why is Sakura trying to kill our favorite silver haired ninja!

 

Quick somebody stop her!

 

Next up!

 

Innocent Lies & Dangerous Liaisons!