Ok, so I came up with this idea around midnight. Went and looked at pictures on photo bucket of Kakashi and Sakura until around one (I have a problem, it's been addressed). Then I wrote this until 2:30 and then played evony until 3 ish, then came back to writing this. It's now nearly 4. It's probably gonna have mistakes, but that's because I'm working on my laptop and I can never use the f***ing keyboard.

Warning: rated M, because I know someone's gonna have sex later, not promising a lemon, but… strong possibility.

Warning: I have a potty mouth. This will not be so much in the story, but the author notes (see above comment) I'm sorry.

Warning: This is stupid, and probably a stolen story line, but whatever. You can't copy write fanfiction.

Disclaimer(read at your own risk): I will not be editing, I will not be proof reading, I will not be checking facts. I will not be telling about anything that happens after Sakura and Granny beat Sasori, (cuz just dubs won't let we watch anything after that).

Anti-Claim-ing: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters

When Tsunade first told me she was postponing my long-term mission it was only supposed to be for a few days. The man I had been training and preparing with for the past three months had been sent on an emergency mission and it simply couldn't be helped. A few days though… became a week. And then (of course)… a month. I was simply waiting for the word "indefinitely" to be used by the time my partner finally returned.

In the condition he (and the rest of his team) returned in I would most likely be hearing that evil word very soon.

I tried not to dwell on that fact as I patched up the holes in the young ninja, and refused to look at his newly scared face. He was actually quite handsome, as I had come to realize over the past three months, and I certainly didn't hate Tsunade for choosing the Hyuga boy as my faux husband. After all, she had made worse decisions. I'd come not only to find something beautiful in his empty eyes, but also to find them quite helpful for the silent communication we would have to use over the course of the mission. I could send him the slightest gesture or mouth the softest words and he could easily read them. As an added plus… he happened to be an above average kisser. Though I doubt Tsunade thought of that while choosing the man to escort me into enemy territory.

I jumped as Neji's hand touched my waist gently, settling there as naturally as if our relationship were real.

"Sorry, Sakura," he whispers, smiling softly. "Guess our mission will have to wait a while longer."

"Shush, you," I command softly. He sighs and drops his hand allowing me to do my work. When I'm finished I turn and sit next to him on the bed, finding the spot that's least bloody. "I don't think you'll be going on any missions any time soon," I confess softly, "much less a long haul like ours."

"Think Tsunade will give you a new hubby?" He asks with a grin, placing his hand on my knee. I was proud of the advancements I'd made with him, I truly was. In the beginning he couldn't even look at me without blushing, knowing what we were supposed to be. I think now he even gets carried away sometimes. My heart clenches at the slash across his face, reaching from his temple to his chin. As a rule of thumb I don't heal vanity injuries, but I simply can't help it.

As I'm reaching out to heal the slash on his face the door behind me slides open, Tsunade's voice stopping me. "A moment, Sakura? If you've finished…"

I smile at Neji, leading forward to place a kiss on his forehead, which he wipes off with a childish grimace once my back is turned, and then joining Tsunade in the hall way. "Lady Hokage?" I ask quietly.

"How long until I can put him back in the field?" She asks softly, aware of how thin these walls are.

"A few months, two, if we're lucky. But Tsunade, I don't think he'll be ready for our mission before the end of the year, it's not plausible anyway." It pains me to admit it, but it's stupid to deny all our hard work has been for nothing.

"That's no longer a problem, Sakura." I arch an eyebrow at her, but she isn't paying attention, she's watching something down the hall. "Neji is needed in the village at the moment; I'll be sending you with someone else."

"But Tsunade…" I mutter, "Neji and I have been preparing for this for months, you can't expect me to form a relationship with someone else in that amount of time."

"I believe you already have a bit of a relationship with this man, have trust, Sakura." She's not scolding me, but I can't help be feel apologetic. "Come see me later tonight, and get ready to leave, you won't have much notice." I bow slightly, more a nod of the head really, and she hurries off down the hall.

I sigh heavily and go back into Neji's room, smiling sadly at him. "I know that look," Neji sighs. "You want a divorce don't you?" I smile despite myself and nod.

"It's over, I could never be with a man who can't return home from 'S' ranked missions without a scratch on him." I'm just teasing, but Neji looks thoughtful.

"So either you're running away to Sand with Gaara, or you're going to join the Akatsuki." His conclusion makes me laugh softly, but he catches the vinegar tone to it and quickly changes the subject. "Well, Sakura, have fun with your new beau. Perhaps when you return we can grab some tea?"

"Are you asking me on a date, Mr. Hyuga?" I wink playfully and to my relief he grins sloppily back. It'd just be too cliché if we ended up together now, I'm not sure I could deal with it.

"Take care of yourself, Sakura." He whispers, kissing my hand. "And tell whatever worthless bum they send you out with to do so as well." I nod and he kisses my hand again. "Promise."

"I promise, we'll get tea when I get home, and you can tell me all about how well you're recovering." I grin at him and he laughs, wincing, and then laughs again, more shallow this time.

"You can bitch about your new husband to me and it'll be just like old times."

"I think you're delirious." I laugh, glancing over the monitors he was hooked up to. "We don't have old times."

"We will when you get back," he comments.

By the time I've escaped his endless ring of pointless conversation it's nearly midnight. I playfully dance my way to Hokage tower and into Tsunade's office, knocking once. She's sitting on the desk, Kakashi leaning against the front of it on her right side.

"Hey," I say happily, a grin on my lips, "Kakashi-Sensei." I mean it to be an acknowledgement of his presence, but it sounds more like I'm calling his name.

"Yo," He mumbles, holding up one hand. Tsunade elbows his carelessly and he coughs. "Broken…" he mutters, touching his ribs tenderly. At a warning look Kakashi sighs and turns back to me. "Sakura, would you run away with me?" My jaw sags a little. I should have been expecting this. He was in the room for Kami's sake right after Tsunade told me she'd found me another husband. "Please?" he adds for good measure.

"Tsunade…" I groan. "How could you?"

"Now, now, Sakura," she scolds. "I'm sure Kakashi is just as handsome as your precious Neji."

"That's not even the issue," I grunt in response. "He's like… a brother… a very much older brother…"

"Gee, thanks," Kakashi sighs. I throw him an apologetic shrug, but he's reading.

"A porn-addicted, older, brother figure."

Tsunade rolls her eyes. "Sakura, Kakashi is familiar with the area, Neji was not. Kakashi is strong enough to protect you, Neji, at the moment, is not. You have history with Kakashi, so you can use stupid references only each other get, with Neji you don't. You've worked with Kakashi a thousand times. With Neji you haven't. Plus Kakashi has the Sharingan."

"Neji has the Byakugan!"

Tsunade's fist splinter's the desk next to her and Kakashi wisely moves away. "You being with Kakashi makes more sense, Sakura. Think about it." I sit silent, refusing to do so. She sighs. "What did I really have to object to you and Hyuga?"

"I'm your prized pupil. He could've gotten me pregnant and I would be put out of commission," that was what she'd come up with when she'd first introduced the mission.

"That's bull shit, and you know it Sakura. I could have many reasons for you and your former sensei to not marry, and all of them perfectly reasonable. Which would make it so you must leave the village to do so. Plus… the fact that Kakashi is famous will add to your story. That the Copy ninja would leave the leaf has to prove something of his love for you." I groan, knowing she's right. Looking over Kakashi makes my stomach clench. Holding hands, sleeping in his arms… kissing him, as I had Neji. I feel more than a little dizzy at the thought.

"Sakura, try not to be too disgusted at the thought, you might hurt my feelings." I want to shoot Kakashi a dirty look at his words, but my face won't cooperate.

I swallow thickly, closing my eyes. "The mission." I whisper.

Tsunade and Kakashi are silent for a moment before Tsunade speaks, her voice simple. "Sakura, I'm sending you to Sand, to help with the medical staff, and to visit your dear friends." She pauses for a moment. "Kakashi will follow you, against my orders. You are then to flee Sand together, going north."

"The Kazekage will have to retaliate… if he is to keep up the pleasantries with us," Kakashi comments.

"Obviously… Gaara will be more than happy to dispatch his best Anbu to make sure you don't reach the border. You'll have to out-run them." Her voice is too sweet, it's making me sick. "Once you're gotten over the border you'll be pretending to be travelers, looking for a place to get married. You'll have to stumble across a little town just pass the border. It's just been a trade post in the past but we have reason to think it's creating weapons that could be… inconvenient. Figure out if they are in fact manufacturing these weapons, and who is in charge, and more importantly, if he can be… convinced to sell to us. They'll know who you are, of course, Kakashi at least. Hopefully they'll refuse to marry you, which of course will make it so you must gain their trust, convince them to do so. It will also keep you in the country longer with more reason. You'll live there as long as you have to in order to figure out what's what."

"What happens if they don't refuse?" Kakashi asks.

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Hatake." He voice caries a certain dryness at those words, as if it tastes like acid on her tongue. "As long as you two don't consummate the union I can annul the marriage, if you do get carried away I'll have to divorce you."

My eyes fly open in shock at her words, just in time to catch the blush on Kakashi's cheeks above his mask. "That won't be an issue," I hiss. Kakashi's visible eye rolls over to me slowly, watching me. I refuse to meet his gaze.

"Should we need you back home," Tsunade continues, "We'll send Anbu, someone you know. You're to return as prisoners. Any questions?" Kakashi looks to me and I shake my head slowly. "You'll leave in the morning, Sakura, with a few other medic nin, and, since protocol demands in, a small Anbu Escort. They won't get in the way. Oh, and one last thing for the both of you. I've sent Sakura away, as far as close friends who know what's what know, because you two are getting too close. I guarantee this will be spread around the village before noon tomorrow, so… prepare for a bombardment of disapproval." My heart sinks, hoping foolishly that Ino will not hear before I'm gone. "Would you wait outside, Kakashi?"

I wait patiently as Kakashi leaves and prepare for her to scream at me.

"Sakura," I look up in shock at the soft smile on Tsunade's face. "This is just another mission. Go into it with resentment and you may die. Go in trying to do a good job and you may very well do just as well as this village needs you to do. You know Kakashi, better than anyone in this village most likely, and Kakashi knows you. Don't let the titles scare you; what I really need here is a pair of shinobi who can work together without letting others know they're working together." She pauses, brushing aside the loose hair that sticks to my cheek. "I know you can do that, Sakura."

"I've worked with Neji for three months, Tsunade." I complain half-heartedly.

"And with Kakashi for more than three years," she's making perfect sense, but I don't want to hear it. "He's a quick learner." I sigh heavily. "Go teach him."

Kakashi's waiting for me at the top of the stairs. He doesn't speak, but walks along my side as I head back to my house. To my surprise he doesn't pull out his dirty novel, and he doesn't comment on my attitude in the tower. He just keeps his eye out of the reach of mine. As I unlock the door to my apartment I can feel his gaze on me, but when I turn to look back at him he won't meet my eyes.

"Would you like to come in?" I ask, amazed at how hard it is to ask such a simple question. He nods and follows me inside. "Tea?" He shakes his head, looking around, lost. I wave him after me, cautious, as I lead the way back to my bedroom. He follows a few steps behind me, and stops at the door. I sit cross-legged on the bed and take a great interest in the pillow in my lap. "Neji and I used a modified sign system mixed with Morse code," I begin carefully. "To be sure the signs weren't noticeable they're mostly done by touch."

"Show me," he orders, lifting his head band.

I wave him over, patting the bed next to me. When he sits down I take his arm in my lap and press symbols into it carefully. "This means we have an audience. Also using pet names will get the point across. You try." I offer my hand and he presses the symbol into my skin, his ring finger a bit out of place. I fix his hand quickly. He scowls in what could be confusion or frustration, as if he's not used to things not being naturally easy. "This is danger, or be careful," I finally continue, once I'm content with his sloppy sign.

After ten or so signs I sigh, pulling away. "Those are the important ones, all you'll need for now anyways," I yawn and stretch lazily, lying back onto the bed with my hands above my head. "I'll teach you some more on the road."

"Sakura…" I freeze as the bed shifts, taking a moment to realize what he's doing. His legs settle in the curve of mine, and the feel of his Jonin vest against my thin clothes makes me shiver as he moves his way up my body. I can't do anything but look into his one visible eye as he holds himself above me. "I'm sorry, I know you don't think very highly of me, but if we can't fake some kind of attraction then this will never work." His voice is dark; with a sort of mischief to it that fills me with angry butterflies.

"Kakashi sensei…"

"Don't call me that," he hisses. "Not unless you want everyone who sees us to think I've been fucking you since you were twelve," I grimace at that, but don't have time to properly react before he catches my chin in his hand, supporting his weight on his other forearm. "Say it."

"Kakashi."

"Again," he demands.

"Kakashi."

He leans closer and I distinctively close my eyes. "Again."

"Kakash-" his lips, bare, mask-less, lips touch mine carefully. I shoot my eyes open in shock, but recover fairly quickly, sliding my eyes closed impossibly slowly. He moves his lips against mine and, after a moment of hesitation, I follow suit. His hand slides to my neck, just under my ear, and pulls me closer to him. In the back of my brain I marvel at the smoothness of his lips. The mask must keep the elements away from his skin, keeping it smooth.

Hesitantly, I bring my arms up to wrap them around his neck, pulling him back down when he pulls away slightly for breath. He groans softly, (the noise against my lips shoots off fireworks in my lower abdomen I would rather not have felt) and reaches back to unlink my arms and pull away. "Good…" He croaks, pulling up his mask before I can properly see his face.

"That's it?" I gasp, slightly breathless, marveling at how Neji had never kissed me like that. In fact… no one had ever kissed me like that.

"Baby steps," he mutters, touching the fabric of his mask softly. "I'll just let myself out?" I nod in understanding and in a moment he's gone. I smile slowly, touching my lips. I can still smell him in the room, which annoys me to no end. I glance at the clock on my nightstand rolling my eyes and the numbers far too large for one who has to be awake so soon. Bed time. Then hap-hazard packing in the morning… and then a quick bolt for the city gates to get the hell out of here before someone tells Ino.

I think I should point out… I'm not a huge Sakura fan. I'm really not. She pisses me off, but she's in a good position to manipulate into doing cool and scandalous things. She's also f***ing talented, so there ya go.

It's been a while since I posted anything on here, and a year ago or so I went through and removed all my stories. I want honest opinions if you review, although it's always great to hear "you rock keep it up" I'd rather hear "That was good, but you made Sakura take off her left shoe twice, did you notice?" (I could very well write something like that) I'll even take, "You idiot, People only wear one shoe per foot". REVIEW please.