Update is incredibly, incredibly overdue. Unfortunately I've been dealing with a lot of health issues - I was diagnosed with MS (multiple sclerosis) at the end of the last year and didn't have enough time to really sit down and work on this chapter. I wrote parts here and there until now when I went through it all, filled in the gaps and edited so it's more cohesive. It's been a few good months in the making, that's for sure.

This chapter is dedicated to all the readers who have stuck by this story and myself despite the long periods of time between updates. Luckily there aren't many chapters left (three including this one) so you won't have to deal with my tardiness for much longer.

…unless you also read my other stories. If so, your diligence sorely needs to be greatly rewarded; much more than I am able to give.

Please enjoy, and remember, reviews are very much loved! :)

CHAPTER NINE

"Goodness Sakura-chan, don't you ever go home?"

The question was innocent enough and in jest, but Sakura couldn't help but wince slightly as the elder medic bumped into her in the corridor, concern in her slightly wrinkled features as she regarded the younger woman.

"What do you mean? This is the place to be." she joked weakly with a grin that didn't quite reach her eyes, an attempt to avoid answering the question honestly.

The other woman shook her head slightly with a smile. "If I had a handsome young man waiting at home for me…"

Sakura hid her grimace with a practiced grace at her colleague's musings, doing her best to avoid thinking about that certain young man that was most likely seething over her absence at their shared home. Instead she focused intently on the folders that her colleague was grasping to her chest, and gestured towards them.

"These are my patients for the day?" she inquired, hoping to change the direction of the conversation.

Luckily, she was successful. "Just a handful of general checkouts for out-patients, nothing too exciting. Although, one of them did ask specifically for you."

With that, Sakura raised an eyebrow. She had a few patients who usually requested for her when they came to the hospital, but she'd seen the majority of those in the last month and sent them on their ways with a good bill of heath.

Going through her mind to figure out who had been recently discharged from the hospital that she knew well, only one face stood out and she nearly recoiled right there in the hallway.

Taking a second to regain her composure, she took the folders from the older medic with a forced smile as she bowed her head slightly. "Thank you Yui-san."

Before Yui could say another word, Sakura spun around on her heel and hurried down the hallway, desperate to get to her office as soon as possible before she could no longer keep the professional act up. With her heart beating and her mind racing at simultaneous quick paces, she breathed a quick sigh of relief as she reached her workspace, scurrying inside and locking the door behind her.

Feeling more secure and safe in the room where prying eyes couldn't witness her slow descent into exhaustion and loss of sanity, Sakura ran a hand through her pink-hued tresses as she tried to focus on the problem at hand - her first patient of the day.

She hadn't seen him since he'd awaken from his coma, unable to deal with the guilt and remorse that flooded through her body every time she set eyes upon him. Thinking about everything between them made not only her brain hurt but also her chest; the best thing she could do was keep her distance and continue down the treacherous path she had set herself upon.

It was all too much, and when she thought about him she couldn't help but recall the night she spent hours trying to keep him alive; only to come home covered in his blood and be accosted violently by her fiancé.

Neither she nor Sasuke had spoken about it since. She'd returned home to find her dining set two chairs short and a number of dinnerware items missing, but it had been easier not to ask any questions and simply forget it had happened. In fact, she'd barely said more then a few sentences to him over the past few weeks.

There was something seriously wrong with the situation she was in and Sakura knew it, but there was a voice in her head that piqued up whenever she thought about addressing the issues in her life, the reservations in their relationship. It reminded her that this was what she had always wanted, and that she should be more grateful.

It was an understatement to say that she wasn't overly fond of that voice.

Sasuke had since moved the wedding date up; she was getting married in just less than two weeks. The thought terrified her more than it thrilled and it was becoming more and more difficult to hide from her friends and family. Her mother had expressed concerns about her demeanour, confused why she wasn't more excited about the big day. Sakura had been using work as an excuse, that her extra hours were simply making her feel tired all the time.

While that was true, it was Sakura's own choice to pick up more shifts at the hospital. She liked the distraction it provided, the thrill of emergencies she missed from being out on the field, and the excuse it gave her for not spending more time at home with Sasuke.

She still couldn't shake the feeling of fear she'd felt when his hands had become vices on her arms, nor the way his dark eyes had looked at her, full of rage and menace.

Letting out a shaky breath, Sakura closed her eyes tightly in an attempt to clear her mind before making her way to the large desk that was nearby, placing the folders upon it. Unconsciously she ran her fingertips over the printed name on the top file, wondering if she would really be able to get through the appointment with a brave face or simply crumple at the sight of his masked features.

She wasn't sure if she was truly ready for this.

"Do all medics lock their doors or is it just you?"

Unfortunately she had no choice in the matter.

The voice sent chills down her spine and Sakura felt her body tense up but didn't dare turn around.

"Do all shinobi pick locks or is it just you?" she replied, her voice not as steady as she wished.

"If you hadn't locked the door, I wouldn't have needed to pick the lock." came the casual response, and Sakura couldn't help but whip around to face him, green eyes narrowed sightly.

"Kakashi, what are you doing here?"

The older man raised an eyebrow at her tone but did not move away from the door he leaned against, bandaged hands in his pockets as he slouched ever so slightly.

"I had a check-up today." he answered simply with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders.

Sakura couldn't help but roll her eyes at him out of habit, but was aware that her hands were still clenched into stiff fists.

"I'm aware of that. The better question is: why did you request that I do it?"

This time Kakashi folded his arms across his chest. "Because you're the best."

Sakura gave no response, choosing instead to turn her back to him once more as she picked up his file and quickly read through it, giving Kakashi a moment to reflect on the current situation with a sigh. He'd known this interaction wouldn't go as smoothly as he'd wished, and honestly wasn't even sure how to approach it. The woman before him was a very different from the one he'd known intimately, the dark circles under her eyes were enough evidence of such.

He resigned to remaining quiet but moved over to the examination bed, sitting down on the edge of it as he mulled through his thoughts. He'd spent the better part of the morning preparing a speech that would lay down his thoughts and feelings to Sakura, which had irritatingly fled his mind as soon as he'd caught sight of her uniquely toned hair.

Eventually she plucked up the courage needed to approach Kakashi, placing his file on the bed beside him as she took in a deep breath to still her racing thoughts. If anything, Sakura was a professional, and that could be her saving grace if she was lucky.

"I'm surprised you're here. I know how you feel about the hospital, especially when it comes to check-ups." she said softly, trying to make basic conversation as she did her best to concentrate.

His hand suddenly grasped her arm causing her to gasp. "I thought you might want to talk." he told her sincerely.

She let out a shaky laugh. "There's nothing to talk about."

Kakashi wasn't buying the act at all. He knew Sakura better than most, and she'd never been all that successful at concealing the truth to him.

"Don't try that on me. There's something wrong Sakura, I can see it as clear as day." he told her, dark eye focused intently on her face.

"It's nothing." she attempted to shrug him off, but was unsuccessful as his grip tightened.

"Sakura…"

"Why did you ask to see me specifically?" she asked, her voice steeled as she regarded him with a suspicious look. "There are plenty of other doctors and medics-"

Kakashi sighed and returned his hand to his lap, Sakura absentmindedly rubbing her arm where his skin had touched hers.

"Okay, you got me. I'm here for selfish reasons; it was the only way to see you. To talk to you." he explained truthfully, his gaze moving to the nearby wall. "You've been avoiding me-"

"Since you almost got yourself killed?" she asked with a sharpness in her voice, causing Kakashi to lean slightly away from her. "Do you have any idea…"

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Any idea about what?"

Sakura closed her eyes and took in a deep breath before responding. "How difficult it was to see you like that." she finished, her voice soft.

"You've seen me injured in battle plenty of times Sakura." he pointed out, and she opened her eyes to observe him once more.

"Never like this. Not with extra…implications." she admitted, wishing she'd not said anything and avoided this topic of conversation altogether. "It was bad, Kakashi. The worst condition I've ever seen you in."

Kakashi couldn't help the slight shrug of his shoulders that accompanied his reply. "I have died before." he reminded her, instantly regretting doing so when her eyes narrowed, her demeanour changing entirely.

"I know that." she seethed. "Of course I know that. I'm terrified of it happening again. You're one of the most powerful shinobi in the world and yet you got cut down so easily by rogues; I don't understand how."

Kakashi pushed himself off the bed and stood before Sakura, clearly taking advantage of the height difference between them and looking down at her with a look she couldn't quite read. She refused to back down though, and placed her hands on her hips as she stared up at him with a stubborn ferocity.

"What are you trying to say Sakura?" he asked, his voice lower than usual.

Determined to not be put off by his sudden manner, Sakura wasted no time in responding. "I want to know you suddenly seem so weak."

Her words appeared to cut into Kakashi, but she did not regret them even when he moved towards her, causing her to shuffle backwards until her back bumped into the wall behind her.

"You want to know what my weakness is?" he growled as he closed the space between them, taking no notice of the way Sakura shivered when his hands made their way to her hips to rest there. Biting her lip, she forced herself not to look away from his intense gaze above her.

Sudden silence surrounded them for what seemed like an eternity before Kakashi spoke again, pulling his mask down slowly.

"You are my weakness." he told her with a whisper before his lips slammed onto hers.

Although her mind screamed at her that this was wrong and urging her to push him off and re-establish boundaries, Sakura's body moved of it's own accord. There was such an intensity that she could feel her legs wanting to buckle beneath her, and she clung to his shoulders, fingers gripping to his jacket to prevent herself from falling to the floor. His thigh slipped between hers to keep her balanced, one hand moving to the middle of her back as the other slid slowly towards her bottom.

Finally regaining her composure, Sakura abruptly broke off the kiss and pushed Kakashi back with all the strength she could muster. Luckily he only stumbled backwards to hit the opposite wall, saved from the devastating effects of her full strength which most likely would have caused him to find his way to the other side of the hospital and possibly beyond.

Her breathing ragged and her ire growing, she glared at Kakashi. "You had no right to do that."

He laughed, the bitterness laced within it making Sakura's stomach churn.

"I had to do something to remind you about us." he told her breathlessly, not bothering to pull his mask back up.

She couldn't help but scoff. "Kakashi, there never was an 'us'. Not really. It was sex, and that's all."

His face went completely blank, and Sakura reprimanded herself inwardly for being much harsher in her anger than she had anticipated.

"It wasn't just sex to me. Not in the end."

Sakura couldn't help but gape at his admission, staring at him silently for a few moments before she managed to regain her composure.

"What…what are…"

"I'm in love with you, Sakura." he answered her unfinished question, appearing unshakable in his resolve and wholly unapologetic in his sudden declaration. "It's the only explanation for how I feel. I tried to forget, to leave it all behind, to detach myself from the situation like I usually do…but I couldn't."

"Kakashi, I-"

Running a hand through her azalea tresses as she tried to take in everything Kakashi had just told her, closing her eyes in determination of setting the situation straight. This wasn't supposed to be happening. She'd finally resigned herself to let the past be so, and attempt to work towards the near future where she was due to become someone else's wife.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi, but I love Sasuke-kun." she forced herself to say, trying to not only convince him but also herself.

"No you don't."

Her eyes flew open at his dismissal of her words, and the conviction of his tone.

"That's a lie that you tell yourself over and over in hopes that it will sound like the truth, but we both know it's not true. It's what your head tells you is the right answer; I want to know what your heart says." he embellished, moving closer to her once again but maintaining a safe distance.

"But I-"

He held up a gloved hand. "I don't want any more excuses. I want the truth, Sakura."

She couldn't help but hunch her shoulders in defeat, knowing there was no way she could honestly win this argument. The last thing she wanted to do was recognise the truth and vocalize it, but it seemed enough was enough and she would have to come clean.

"I thought I loved Sasuke-kun, he was all I had ever wanted for so long…but it's different to…this." she indicated between herself and Kakashi. "There are feelings there, but I refuse to let myself consider them because this can't happen."

Kakashi cocked his head slightly to the side. "Why not?"

Frustrated, she held up her left hand and pointed to the shining ring on her finger. "This."

His lips quirked slightly. "I'm sure the ring won't mind." he quipped, chuckling softly to himself.

Unable to contain herself, Sakura let out a shriek of frustration before stalking over to the silver-haired man who ceased his laughter and watched her with caution. "I meant what the ring represents, Kakashi. I'm engaged. I made a promise to another man that I would marry him, a promise I can't just break so easily."

Kakashi frowned down at her, and there was a hint of sadness in his features. "I hate that he's made you so weak, Sakura."

"I'm not weak!" she huffed in return, eyebrows furrowed in annoyance as she raised a fist to him. "Unless you want to test that theory?"

His hands flew up in defence. "That's not what I mean and you know it. Sasuke has this effect on you and it's not right. You're so concerned for his feelings and making sure that his happiness goes above your own that you don't take time to consider what would make you happy."

Sakura lowered her fist and looked away from him, saying nothing as she closed his eyes and mulled over what he was saying.

"Does he make you happy?" Kakashi implored, his voice gentle and even as he moved a hand to her chin, guiding her sight to meet his once more.

Although she didn't want to answer his question, Sakura knew it was time to face the truth.

"No."

It was the first time she'd actually admitted it to herself, and it hurt. She managed to keep the tears at bay, fighting off them off in determination to stay strong and not give in to her weakness anymore.

Kakashi sighed, glad to have the answer he'd been so sure of and pained to see Sakura upset at her eventual resolution.

"Do I make you happy?" he dared to ask, not sure if he truly wanted to know the answer.

She paused for a moment before returning her eyes to meet his. "It hasn't been smooth the entire time, but when I'm with you…I actually feel like myself. There are times I want to beat you into a bloody pulp," she noticed Kakashi gulping, "but at the end of the day…yes, you make me happy."

Not waiting for him to react, Sakura reached up to the lapels of his jacket and brought him towards her, her lips slanting against his in another kiss; this one with a very different energy compared to earlier. He responded instantly, arms wrapping around her petite frame as he pulled her closer.

Pressing her body against him, the warmth there infectious and his touch soothing, she nipped gently at his bottom lip and rejoiced when he responded feverously, his mouth warm and soft as it moved against hers with renewed purpose.

It wasn't until they were forced to break apart to take a breath that realization suddenly dawned on Sakura.

"I have to break off the engagement."

"Yeah."

It was more of a revelation than an announcement and Sakura rested her forehead on Kakashi's shoulder, gripping to him in an attempt to get the strength she needed to move forward with such a big change in her life. Everything would be different from now on and it was slightly terrifying, but his presence was the balm she needed and when they were together, she felt at ease.

A feeling she hoped would become more regular.

There was a sudden knock on the door, one of the nurses calling through the door that Sakura's next patient had arrived and was waiting to be seen. Reluctantly the pinkette tore herself away from Kakashi, instantly missing his embrace as soon as she let go of him.

"I guess I should go." he murmured, moving his mask back over the lower half of his face before sliding his hands into his pants pockets.

"If it's any consolation, I really don't want you to." Sakura told him, a small smile appearing on her lips.

"I know." he replied, leaning down towards Sakura to give her a masked kiss on the cheek.

"So much for your check-up." she laughed shakily.

He shrugged in his usual fashion. "It's never been too much of an issue before."

She smiled at his words, only for it to leave her lips mere seconds later.

"When I go home…afterwards…" she trailed off, unsure how to put the question.

"You're more than welcome to stay with me if you need." the older man answered her unfinished question, knowing that she would most likely move back into her parents home or into her own apartment whilst they figured everything out.

He knew this wasn't going to be easy for either of them, but that it would be worth it in the end. He was fully prepared to face the scrutiny of their friends and colleagues, of her family and the inevitable wrath of Sasuke which slightly worried him. The young man had turned his life around since returning to Konoha, but there was still something about him that unnerved Kakashi and made him concerned about Sakura.

She nodded at him. "Thank you Kakashi. I guess I'll see you later?"

Hearing the hope in her voice, he couldn't help but grin underneath his mask. "I'll see you later." he reiterated, throwing her one last glance before opening the door and making his way out to the corridor, leaving Sakura to gather herself before the next patient came in.

She watched him go and missed his presence immediately, anticipating seeing him again later that evening and dreading the needed conversation that would need to happen before that. She could only hope that Sasuke wouldn't be too angry, although her previous experiences cautioned her to watch out for his loosely-controlled anger.

No, this would work out in the end, and be worth all the pain. Sakura was sure of it, and it was with this resolve that she walked out of her office to greet her next patient.

When Kakashi returned home, the place was dark which was not unusual; however the menacing glare he felt aimed his way was. He took no time in switching on the nearest light to confirm his suspicions, letting out baited breath but unable to relax in his intruder's presence.

"You do know it's rude to break into other people's homes, don't you?" he spoke evenly through clenched teeth, his visible eye moving across the room to meet with swirling crimson ones.

"You're one to talk." came the sardonic reply as Sasuke folded his arms across his chest and moved closer to the older man.

"I thought it was rude to have intimate relations with another man's fiancée."

Here's three things you should know;

1. In regards to the Naruto ending, I'm in two minds. I liked some things but greatly disliked others, and no matter what is canon and what isn't, KakaSaku is my ultimate OTP and that won't be changing anytime soon.

2. Hopefully the last few chapters won't take a year between each to be updated. I'm still overwhelmed at the moment with medical stuff but I'm really trying to get back into my writing. I've missed t.

3. I need to thank nekr0mantic (Kelley) on tumblr for being so lovely and supportive, she gave me the confidence boost that helped me finish writing this chapter. This one is for you!

Please let me know what you think, feedback in incredibly helpful and very much appreciated! :)