Summary: After being betrayed by the people she loved most, Sakura shunned herself from everyone and became an emotionless doll. Kakashi wants to try and save her but; does he have what it takes to rescue Sakura from her own hell?

A/N: This is my first fanfic ever, so be nice, ok? Since I'm a newbie at this, comments, suggestions, and tips are welcomes. Please don't flame me, but constructive criticisms is always accepted. Hopefully, I'll improve as time goes by. In any case, please read and review. Thanks and I hope you enjoy my fic.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters.

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Redemption- KakaSaku

Chapter 1

"Sakura!" Tsunade called out. She was sitting in her chair as she looked at some papers in front of her. In her desk, there were two stacks of paper: one with unfinished work and the other with finished work. It was around noon.

"You called for me?" a gentle voice said from behind the opening door.

"Ah yes, come in." Tsunade replied. Once the door was opened, Sakura walked in. She was wearing her usual nurse outfit: her red shirt, white skirt, black shorts and black boots. She had her hair long once again. It stopped a little bit after her shoulders, maybe 5 inches, and it was sort of wavy, giving her a more adult and attractive look.

"What is it Tsunade-sama? Is there something you need me for?" Sakura asked. Tsunade shook her head and looked at her. Sakura's cheeks had lost a little bit of her rosy color. She had eye sacks and it was obvious she was tired.

"How long have you been working?" Tsunade asked. Sakura looked up and counted.

"Um…about 16 hours."

Tsunade exhaled heavily and resumed her work.

"Take the week off."

Sakura looked at her with wide eyes. "What?! I can't do that! You know the hospital is busy and there's a lot going on. After that mission a lot of ninjas returned injured. I can't just leave!"

"And that's exactly why we have other nurses and shifts." Tsunade said while looking at the papers. She put the paper down and crossed her hands. She laid her elbows in the desk and rested her chin in her hands.

"Listen Sakura. I understand what you're saying. But you aren't doing yourself any good by overworking yourself, is not healthy for you. You're our top medic here and what good would our top medic be if she got sick herself? Listen, just take a week off. We can handle it."

"But-!" Sakura was going to protest but she was interrupted by and angry Tsunade.

"No buts! You're going to take the week off or I'm gonna slap you upside the head! Got it?!"

Sakura gulped and nodded.

"Good. You can leave now." Tsunade said.

Sakura turned and exited the office.

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Sakura was walking through the village with a bored expression. Man…Tsunade sure wants me to take a break. I am feeling tired though but now, I don't know what to do. This is gonna be a boring week.

Suddenly, a figure in the distance started to wave at her.

Sakura couldn't figure out who it was at first but as the figure closed in she saw that it was Neji.

"Hi Sakura-san. How are you today?"

"Hi Neji-san. I'm doing quite well. Tsunade told me to take the week off since I've been

working too hard in her point of view." Sakura replied.

Neji chuckled "That is true. You've been in the hospital ever since those ninjas returned from their mission. You deserved the break."

Sakura smiled. "I guess you're right. So, what brings you here?"

"Well, actually I was looking for you." Neji answered scratching the back of his head with his hand.

"Looking for me?" Sakura said with a quizzical expression.

"Yes. Mind if we talk at the park?" Neji said. Sakura shook her head in return.

"So, what did you wanted to talk about?" Sakura asked.

They were both sitting on a bench. Sakura was at the right while Neji was besides her. There weren't many people walking in the area so, Neji and Sakura were alone.

Neji rested his arms in his knees. "You and Hinata-sama are really good friends. You practically tell each other everything that's anything. Am I correct?"

Sakura looked at him with a quizzical expression. She didn't get where he was going at still, his serious look said that it wasn't a joking matter.

"Um…yeah. What about it?"

"I wanted to know…" Neji felt a bit uneasy and couldn't get the words to come out at first but he gulped and finished off.

"…is Hinata-sama still in love Naruto?"

Sakura looked at him stunned while Neji looked at the ground.

Sakura shook her head and closed her eyes for a moment, still not believing what she just

heard.

"Don't tell me that you love Hinata-chan?!"

Neji didn't response for a second but nodded soon after.

Sakura held her hand in her mouth and started giggling. "I knew you liked her."

Neji looked at her bewildered. "But…how did you-"

Sakura interrupted him. "I didn't but I had a feeling that you did. I mean, you always treated her differently and acted different towards her. I wasn't sure so I never commented about it. But, now I know. So…since when?"

Sakura looked at him eager to hear Neji's explanation to why he had fallen in love with Hinata.

"Well, some time ago now. See, after I changed and started to look after Hinata-sama I looked at her as nothing more than a sister. I loved her like a sister. Hinata-sama changed as well. At first she was afraid of me but later on, she started to talk to me more. And soon, we became really close. No doubt that I was a brother figure to her. In any case, I noticed that I was the only guy that Hinata-sama could talk freely with without muttering or being shy. She would trust me with her deepest thoughts, her worries, and her dreams. We could talk everyday about anything. That made me feel special in a way, you know? Before I knew it, I started looking at her differently. I started noticing things I didn't before."

"Like what?" Sakura asked curiously.

"Like, the way her warm smile always made me smile, how her laughter would make my heart happy, how her eyes shined, how the sun would highlight her smooth hair, how her gentle voice could always soothe me…in the end, I started to fall in love with her." Neji said smiling.

Sakura could notice how in love with her he was as he talked about Hinata. Neji's smile said everything and how he looked at the sky, picturing Hinata as he talked; there was no doubt that his feelings were pure.

Neji's smile slowly faded and he lowered his head.

"But…" Sakura added noticing Neji's sad expression.

"But, it couldn't be. Hinata-sama was always like a sister figure to me and I couldn't bring myself to accept my change in feelings of her. I was a brother to Hinata-sama and this would only complicate our relation. If any, it would make it awkward and Hinata-sama might start to avoid me. So, I started to deny whatever I felt. But it didn't last for long. As time passed, I saw how Hinata-sama changed in her physical appearance. And that made my feelings grow even more and they started to become difficult to control. Before I knew it, I couldn't keep living in my own denial. I was…no…I am in love with Hinata-sama. Sakura-san, I want to tell hew how I feel but I'm afraid it would damage our relation."

"I understand what you mean." Sakura put her hand in his. "Listen, to answer your question. Hinata did love Naruto and I can tell that she still blushes when she sees him. But she doesn't love him anymore."

Neji looked at her as he heard that last sentence. "Seriously?"

Sakura nodded. "Yes, Hinata-chan said so herself. She told me that although her crush is still there, she realized that she didn't really want anything romantic with him. Besides, Naruto was always too oblivious about her feelings and she slowly started to realize that they really weren't meant to be. She said that she felt her heart belong to someone else, but she doesn't know who. So, you have a chance Neji-san."

Neji grinned. "Thanks Sakura-san. But don't tell anyone about this."

Sakura smiled. "You have my word."

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After hearing Neji's confession, Sakura left and started to walk in the village. She grinned as she was walking along, thinking about what Neji said.

I knew Neji-san loved Hinata-chan. I'm very happy for him. I wonder when he will confess though.

That thought kept inside Sakura's head and she could only pay attention to it. Suddenly, she heard a voice calling her from behind.

"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan!"

Sakura turned to see who it was. It was none other than Naruto, running at her, calling her name and waving at her.

"Naruto!" Sakura waved back.

Naruto stopped a few feet in front of her. "Hey Sakura-chan, shouldn't you be working now?"

"I should, but Tsunade-sama said that I should take a break." Sakura answered.

"Oh. Hey, do you want some lunch? I'm starving." Naruto put his hand in his stomach.

Sakura smiled. "Sure. But I only have money for one. You'll have to pay this time."

"Ohhhh!" Naruto groaned. "Then I need to go and get money. Wait for me at Ichiraku. I'll be right back."

Naruto left running the direction he came from. Sakura put her hand in her hips and shook her head and she chuckled.

That Naruto.

Sakura walked along and passed a bar. She turned and saw a familiar figure. It was a tall man wearing the jounin attire, minus the pine-green vest. The man had spikey-silver hair. That hair was impeccable; it was Kakashi.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura called out.

Kakashi heard the voice calling him and only one name came through his mind. There was only one girl that would have such a cheerful yet gentle voice. He turned half-way and waved at Sakura.

"Hi Sakura." Kakashi grinned.

"Hey." Sakura smiled back and stood in front of him.

"I though you'd be working at this time." Kakashi commented.

"Tsunade-sama gave me the week off." Sakura said with an annoyed tone.

"You must've been overworking yourself once again. You know, that isn't very healthy for you. I wouldn't want something bad happening to you.

Sakura sighed. "I know, I know. Tsunade-sama said the same thing."

Kakashi chuckled.

"So, did you eat lunch or are you going to?"

"Going to. Naruto invited me and well…he thought I was going to pay for him again but

I didn't bring enough money so...he went to get some." Sakura said.

Suddenly, Kakashi moved forward, cupped her chin and gently lifted her face a bit. Sakura's emerald eyes stared at Kakashi's onyx eyes.

"Now, that makes me sad. You go to eat lunch with Naruto, but not with me little old

me." Kakashi said with a flirtatious tone.

Kakashi flirted with Sakura but just for laughs. Sakura would just reject him but laugh about it later on. She and Kakashi became really close. She would visit him everyday and talk about anything. Sakura trusted him with all her heart and she always felt at peace whenever she was with him. Of course, she loved him as her ex-sensei. Although he flirted with her, it was all harmless; he liked messing around with her.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Oh please Kakashi. Naruto invited me. I couldn't say no."

"Well then, what you're saying is that if I invite you you'll go with me?" Kakashi said leaning closer to her.

Sakura raised an eye brow and gave him a flirtatious yet harmless look. "Maybe."

She chuckled. "If I say no, you won't stop going on about it until I do. So, how about tomorrow?"

Kakashi maintained his distance as before and grinned. "It's a date."

Sakura smiled back.

Then Naruto appeared. "Hey, Sakura-chan! I thought you were at Ichiraku?"

Sakura turned at Naruto. "Oh, I was just talking with Kakashi. Let's go I'm starving."

Kakashi waved at Naruto and Sakura with a grin. "You two enjoy yourself."

Both replied with a smile and departed the bar.

Kakashi watched at Sakura and Naruto left. Both talking and smiling their way.

Kakashi's grin slowly faded.

I'm glad she's smiling again. I remember when she stopped smiling like that. After Sasuke left…she became a total wreck. Having constant mental breakdowns, a serious depression that left her locked in her room for almost a week and what's worse…her attempt to commit suicide. I thought she would never smile again but, amazingly she mustered the strength she needed and slowly got back in her feet. She became Tsunade's apprentice to keep her mind in something and soon, she became the village's top medic. I could see how she slowly regained her happiness back; but most importantly, how her cheerful smile would slowly appear in her face.

As Kakashi remembered, he felt a knot in his throat and heart. Remembering Sakura's grief always resulted in Kakashi feeling a mixture of emotions.

Sakura…

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A/N: Well, chapter 1 is done. I hope you all liked it. This is an intro for the characters and how their relation is between Sakura. Chapter 2 will continue will the intros. Again, no flaming but you can leave constructive criticisms. I'll need it. See you soon!