update - When Everything Changed - part XII
I have been a busy bee!! I've been so swamped with work and school :/
But I have the next part to share, so I can't complain too much!
Title: When Everything Changed
Part: XII / ?
Chapter Rating: T; Wherein we meet the real Kiku and there's a bunshin or two.
Hope you like it! I'm suspecting only one more installment, possibly two, and it'll be done.
But I'm also toying with an idea for the next thing I'm going to write
-Part XII -
Kakashi's steps were careful, measured; his gaze wandered but always snapped back over to Kiku. He calculated the perimeter and the remaining distance to Sakura's side. He took stock of the available natural elements and corresponding jutsu he could use - just in case. He knew there were eight others watching, plus the three that lingered behind, and he added a rough guess of at least two others if they weren't too particular on security.
"You can stop there," the medic's voice snapped.
He immediately came to a halt, his sight flickering to Sakura's still form. "You've got me here, so you can let her go. Sakura's done nothing to you."
The right side of Kiku's lips twitched upward into a smirk. "I can't do that. I still need her."
"Why? You separated us just so you could reach me, to get me to comply."
"Smart, but I wouldn't expect anything less from a jounin."
"I'm here and I'm complying, but I still don't understand the reason. You're a great medic, and Sakura looked up to you, and you've been so respected in the community -"
"It has nothing to do with respect, or my abilities, or the bonds I've made," she replied, smoothing her fingers down the back of Sakura's head and twirling the ends of her hair. "I'm afraid this is just good, old-fashioned revenge."
His eye narrowed on her and she looked up with a pleasantly calm expression. "Sakura asked me why, too, but we had to wait for you. It's not exactly the kind of story you tell twice. And I toyed with the idea of not telling you at all, of just snapping her neck as soon as you walked in. But then you would've killed me on the spot and never have known that it was all because of you... and that's what I want after all."
He watched as she circled around Sakura, like a stalking vulture, his entire body tensed to spring into action.
"It was about fifteen years ago when I was being integrated into Konoha after fleeing from my home village. Instead of peace after the Third War, my village encouraged more intense training. Even medics like me, fresh into chunin status, were pushed into harder regimes. They punished us if we didn't follow orders; they killed those that got out of line in the middle of the streets. I was more afraid of my own people than the ones they claimed were our enemies. You probably have no idea what that's like."
A light shiver passed over Kiku's body, but she kept talking, refusing to linger on past horrors for too long. "When I couldn't take any more I convinced my best friend, Shintaro, to leave with me. I couldn't just abandon him there and he deserved a better life - with me. Your Hokage welcomed us and helped us settle in as comfortably as they could allow as we went through all of the required procedures, interrogations, and safety checks. It was agonizing, but I endured it because I wanted to show Shintaro that it was worth it. We could be happy and live with more freedoms than we could've dreamed of back home. The hurt was worth it.
"Instead, he had been scared to move forward after seeing what I went through. He was afraid of what he'd have to face. He wanted to live in Konoha as a civilian, free from war, but it wasn't allowed. Since we had already taken it upon ourselves to be ninja, we would still have to uphold our duty as such with our allegiance pledged to Konoha. If we refused, we would've been extradited back to our home and neither of us wanted to face what would've been waiting. As I continued my training, Shintaro reluctantly began learning more about Konoha's history, the rules, and your shinobi code of conduct - the type of order we didn't have. It took him some time to feel like he wasn't betraying his home, but it faded. He was practicing with other ninja, learning your ways, and putting in all the extra effort so he'd feel accepted here. But you ensured he'd never be."
Kakashi could feel her energy change. Her toying smile fell and her eyes narrowed into predatory slits as she curled her hands over Sakura's shoulders.
.x.X.x.
"He's not far!" Pakkun announced, ears flapping in mid-air as he bounded across branches.
Yamato sighed when he caught sight of moonlight silver hair and he landed beside his old friend, followed by the others. "We're here. Tell us everything you can," he prodded, his hand coming down to rest on his shoulder.
The Kakashi bunshin slapped his hand over Yamato's. "There's no time. The other Kakashi will be able to tell you more."
Hinata didn't quite like the sound of that. "Other Kakashi?"
"How did you think you were going to get there? Take hold, everyone, and thank you Pakkun," Kakashi said, honest sincerity showing in his tone.
The pug watched as the others placed a hand on him. His fingers blurred as he wove together the seals required and then, with a brief flash of chakra, they all disappeared.
.x.X.x.
Kiku surprised Kakashi by spinning over and sitting on Sakura's lap, cradling her limp head to her bosom. "I wonder if she knows just how easily and mercilessly you can kill. Being her former sensei I'm sure you've protected her numerous times, taking lives to ensure hers. But has she seen you really kill? Has she seen you slice through bodies as if you were simply knocking down dominoes? Has she seen your eyes burn with murderous intent? I've seen your records, Kakashi, and there are a lot of smudges. What I particularly found interesting though were the psychological evaluations."
His jaw clenched so hard it ached. Somehow she had gotten her hands on his classified documents; she had been planning this for some time now. If she wanted to read up on him, fine, he just wanted her to leave Sakura out of it all.
She stroked through Sakura's damp hair. "From the day I first met you, I knew you were the doesn't-play-well-with-others kind of guy, but fighting and killing as a kid really fucked you up, didn't it? Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, night terrors, panic attacks... a suicide attempt." She shook her head. "So ruthless and yet you couldn't even manage to kill yourself. Since we're being so intimate here, tell me, were you just too cowardly or did the dead not even want to take you?"
She let a small laugh rumble in her throat. "Then again, who could blame them when you failed them all?"
"Shut up!" he growled; the ferocity he felt reverberated in his chest like an angry clap of thunder.
She wagged her finger at him as she stood from Sakura's lap. "You better watch yourself or I won't give you the chance to save her."
Kakashi froze; even if she was just giving him false hope, he'd take it. Every minute he kept her talking was another minute he was buying his back-up.
.x.X.x.
Upon their arrival in a meadow, Yamato noticed the Kakashi bunshin looked pallid and worn from the jump. He didn't know how much longer he'd last.
"Good, you made it!" Kakashi greeted as he landed beside them.
The captain turned to Hinata who shook her head. "He's a clone, too."
"Then that means-"
"Yes, the real me is in there," the clone confirmed.
"Stupid, crazy, son-of-a-" Yamato muttered, but was silenced by Kakashi's hard stare.
The clone gestured for them to follow. "Kakashi was taken in through an entrance on the south side. I've only seen three people patrolling the area, but I'm not sure how many are inside. We have to get in there, quickly."
Yamato turned to the Hyuuga. "You're up."
"Right." Hinata activated her Byakugan and gasped at what she saw. "It's huge. Beneath the house is a system of... caverns and tunnels, it looks like."
"How many people?"
"There are three in the house and a little more than a dozen in one of the main cavern chambers. Sakura and Kakashi are there."
"Can you tell their condition?" Yamato urged.
"Chakra flow still seems rapid and healthy on Kakashi, but," she paused and her brows knit. "But Sakura's chakra is being blocked. I can't tell her condition for sure. I'm sorry."
"No, you did great, Hinata," the captain assured her. "Just keep watch. Sai!"
"Already on it," he retorted, his brush working along the parchment with amazing speed.
Two snakes and a bird came to life, springing from the paper. The two snakes darted off into the grass as the bird took to the sky. Sai's fingers began their swift, graceful dance as he started to write a script. It didn't take long to receive his cue - the bird circling its target three times - and he had finished just in time. With a seal, his hand came down over the script and the ink seemed to vanish. Only then the bird expanded in size and swept down at a steep angle, growing with every second of its descent, and secured its prey without a sound.
When the bird met the sky again, a body was clenched in its talons.
"It's safe to move up," he announced.
"What about the other two?"
"They were attacked by snakes. What do you think happened to them?"
Yamato considered his words for a brief moment. "Okay, move up!" he ordered.
The team advanced to the house when Kakashi nudged the Hyuuga. "How are things down there?"
She hummed. "Building. Hardly anyone has moved and there's another signature down there that's almost familiar."
"Familiar how?"
"I can't quite place it," she answered honestly.
"Alright. Kakashi, keep watch; it's my turn." Yamato lifted his hand to the cabin. "Oak, my favorite," he mumbled before his body began to seep into the wood.
"Please, Tenzou, hurry," Kakashi whispered to himself.
A sharp gasp caught both of the men's attention and they focused on Hinata.
"What is it?"
"It's Sakura-"
That was all Kakashi heard before turning on his heel and dashing toward the house.
"Kakashi-senpai!" Sai called after him, but the Copy Nin wasn't tuned in.
Hinata's eyes were filled with urgency. "We have to get down there."
Sai nodded and then pulled Hinata along as they followed after Kakashi.
.xXx.
Kiku gave him a dangerous smirk. "Then again, considering your track record with medics, do you think you could save her?" His body stiffened and she knew that she hit a nerve. "Nothing to say this time?"
She huffed. "At least I'm going to give you a chance, which is more than you gave Shintaro. He hadn't officially been added to the roster and his uniform and hitai-ate were still being made. He was doing a favor for his future captain and when you found him in the reserves without proper clearance or identification you attacked him."
The memory of that evening was vague at first, but came rushing back to him with clarity. "I was following procedures."
"You killed him!"
"He attacked me."
"He was defending himself," she snarled.
"You weren't there! He wasn't the person you thought he was."
Kiku spun and marched behind Sakura, palming her forehead and pulled her head back against her. A kunai glistened at her throat. "Don't you dare talk about Shintaro to me!"
Concerned for Sakura, he began to nod before he was even aware that he was doing it. "Okay, you're still right. I killed him."
Her chin quivered, but she didn't cry. Her voice came out strained, but determined and unmistakably hateful. "In that hell of a home, he was all I had. He's what kept me together. I owed him my life. I owed him a life worth living. I never got to give it to him and it's all because of you!"
"You don't have to do this, Kiku."
She snapped and was suddenly back to her stoic, cold facade. "But I do, and who dies is up to you."
"I'd gladly give my life for hers, but how can I trust you'd let her live?"
"That's just a chance you'll have to take."
"No, we can work something out. Set her free, make her safe, and then you can have me."
"You don't get to negotiate terms! Either you die or she does - here and now."
The kunai pressed against Sakura's throat and Kakashi could feel his resolve faltering as a slim ribbon of blood trickled down her neck. "Stop, Kiku, please-"
"Choose; your time is running out."
She was right about one thing: time was running out. His back-up still hadn't arrived. His timing was off in the worst possible way this time, he feared. Looking at her there, it was such an easy decision for Kakashi. Of course he'd give himself up for her. Sakura was destined for so much more, and he had lived far beyond his own expectations. Obviously, he wanted to experience whatever blossoming future there could've been with Sakura. But to Kiku, he had ruined her opportunity and she was going to take his. He knew Sakura would be devastated, but at least she'd know that he came for her; she'd know what his sacrifice meant.
If he had to sacrifice; he glanced over to the men at the wall. He'd have enough time to take Kiku out, and although the majority of the men hadn't tapped into their chakra they did have the numbers on him. If he wanted to have a chance, he'd have to use a jutsu to take out as many as he could - without risking the structure of the cavern or Sakura's safety.
"Tick-tock, Hatake," she reminded him.
"I already told you, you let her go and take me."
She stared at him in silence, almost as if she didn't trust that he'd give himself up so easily. After a moment she pulled the kunai away. "I'm glad you're being so cooperative."
Kakashi would remember the next moment millisecond for millisecond without even using the Sharingan to engrave it on his memory.
As soon as Kiku pulled away, there was a distinctive crunch of wood. The left arm of the chair broke away and as Sakura swung the wooden piece slid down where she caught the end in her hand. There was so much power behind her strike that Kiku went flying back in the air and landed in the pool of water that had gathered in the cavern.
Sakura smiled up at him, but then she started to slip from her seat. He flashed to her side, catching her in his arms. The men were already withdrawing weapons, preparing to attack, when the hatch above opened with a loud thud and Kakashi's bunshin jumped down to join them. The clone rushed at them, intercepting the attackers and causing confusion among them at the same time.
Feeling relieved, if even for a brief moment, Kakashi looked down at the feisty medic. She was dirty and absolutely worn, and still such an incredible sight. He pushed her hair out of her face. "That was incredibly stupid of you."
"Not as stupid as what you were about to do," she croaked out.
"You have no idea what I was about to do."
He smoothed his hand down her face and she closed her eyes with a sigh. "Your hands, they're usually so cold..."
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
"No, they're warm this time."
As he went to reply her body fell limp in his hold, all of her weight rushing to be supported by his arms. He cradled her to his chest as he used a free arm to break the chair since he was unable to get the restraints off. Once he had her free, he lowered her to the ground and checked her vitals. She was still alive, but-
"Come on, Sakura," he urged.
Someone began calling out his name, but he wasn't aware that the voice belonged to Hinata until she was there beside him.
"I've got her, Kakashi-sensei," she assured him.
He rose to his feet, trying to gather his wits about him, and saw Sai there as well, and then he noticed Yamato fighting alongside his clone. He snapped into combat mode and turned to Sai. "Watch over Hinata. As soon as Sakura can be moved, you get them out of here. Yamato and I will follow when we can."
"Understood."
Kakashi ran over to join Yamato's side and blocked an incoming katana attack. The ANBU captain glanced to his side. "Thanks for coming."
"You, too."
Even though there weren't many ninja opponents, in close range the men were nothing short of masterful with their weapons. Meeting blades sparked and sang as the Leaf nin dodged simultaneous attacks. Yamato noticed Sai and Hinata carrying Sakura out of the cavern and signaled their parting to Kakashi.
His hands then flew together in a series of seals and water raised from the pool, twisting and funneling towards the men before crashing into them without mercy. The water sprayed back as it hit the cave wall, raining down on the Konoha nin.
A wet and unhappy Yamato eyed his senpai. "Nice," he deadpanned.
Smoothing wet locks away from his face, Kakashi only grinned dryly behind his mask. "Thought you'd like that."
"Let's get her and take her back to the village for questioning," the captain said. "I'm sure you're eager to return."
That was an understatement in Kakashi's book. He turned and made his way over to Kiku, his eyes narrowing with caution as he neared her. The way her body laid sprawled on the rock gave him little doubt that there was any life left in her. He noticed the pool of crimson, but still took her by the shoulder. He turned her over and then sat back, turning his eyes from the massive crack in her head. Kakashi stood and then faced Yamato, giving his head a firm shake. "There's no need to take her back."
The ANBU captain nodded in understanding and then put his hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "Then let's get Sakura home."
Kakashi emerged from the cabin moments after Yamato and he walked on by with an appreciative touch as his kohai stopped; he needed to check on Sakura, and somehow Kakashi knew that his friend understood why. Hinata had cleaned up her face a little and managed to get the wires off from around her.
Sai helped to put her on his back, and Kakashi wrapped one of her loose-hanging arms around his neck. He hadn't really realized how small her arms felt in his hands until now, and he squeezed at her elbow, hoping she could still feel that warmth.
As he stood, the marks around her left wrist caught his eye; four thin-lined burns circled her entire wrist - so close together it looked more like a band. He snapped his gaze away as the creaking and cracking of wood caught his attention.
Yamato demolished the cabin in the time it would take twenty civilian men to do, and then faced his team with a heavy stare. "If there aren't any objections, let's head for those gates."
Kakashi took up center as Sai scouted ahead, and he held Sakura close against him the entire trip back to Konoha.
But I have the next part to share, so I can't complain too much!
Title: When Everything Changed
Part: XII / ?
Chapter Rating: T; Wherein we meet the real Kiku and there's a bunshin or two.
Hope you like it! I'm suspecting only one more installment, possibly two, and it'll be done.
But I'm also toying with an idea for the next thing I'm going to write
-Part XII -
Kakashi's steps were careful, measured; his gaze wandered but always snapped back over to Kiku. He calculated the perimeter and the remaining distance to Sakura's side. He took stock of the available natural elements and corresponding jutsu he could use - just in case. He knew there were eight others watching, plus the three that lingered behind, and he added a rough guess of at least two others if they weren't too particular on security.
"You can stop there," the medic's voice snapped.
He immediately came to a halt, his sight flickering to Sakura's still form. "You've got me here, so you can let her go. Sakura's done nothing to you."
The right side of Kiku's lips twitched upward into a smirk. "I can't do that. I still need her."
"Why? You separated us just so you could reach me, to get me to comply."
"Smart, but I wouldn't expect anything less from a jounin."
"I'm here and I'm complying, but I still don't understand the reason. You're a great medic, and Sakura looked up to you, and you've been so respected in the community -"
"It has nothing to do with respect, or my abilities, or the bonds I've made," she replied, smoothing her fingers down the back of Sakura's head and twirling the ends of her hair. "I'm afraid this is just good, old-fashioned revenge."
His eye narrowed on her and she looked up with a pleasantly calm expression. "Sakura asked me why, too, but we had to wait for you. It's not exactly the kind of story you tell twice. And I toyed with the idea of not telling you at all, of just snapping her neck as soon as you walked in. But then you would've killed me on the spot and never have known that it was all because of you... and that's what I want after all."
He watched as she circled around Sakura, like a stalking vulture, his entire body tensed to spring into action.
"It was about fifteen years ago when I was being integrated into Konoha after fleeing from my home village. Instead of peace after the Third War, my village encouraged more intense training. Even medics like me, fresh into chunin status, were pushed into harder regimes. They punished us if we didn't follow orders; they killed those that got out of line in the middle of the streets. I was more afraid of my own people than the ones they claimed were our enemies. You probably have no idea what that's like."
A light shiver passed over Kiku's body, but she kept talking, refusing to linger on past horrors for too long. "When I couldn't take any more I convinced my best friend, Shintaro, to leave with me. I couldn't just abandon him there and he deserved a better life - with me. Your Hokage welcomed us and helped us settle in as comfortably as they could allow as we went through all of the required procedures, interrogations, and safety checks. It was agonizing, but I endured it because I wanted to show Shintaro that it was worth it. We could be happy and live with more freedoms than we could've dreamed of back home. The hurt was worth it.
"Instead, he had been scared to move forward after seeing what I went through. He was afraid of what he'd have to face. He wanted to live in Konoha as a civilian, free from war, but it wasn't allowed. Since we had already taken it upon ourselves to be ninja, we would still have to uphold our duty as such with our allegiance pledged to Konoha. If we refused, we would've been extradited back to our home and neither of us wanted to face what would've been waiting. As I continued my training, Shintaro reluctantly began learning more about Konoha's history, the rules, and your shinobi code of conduct - the type of order we didn't have. It took him some time to feel like he wasn't betraying his home, but it faded. He was practicing with other ninja, learning your ways, and putting in all the extra effort so he'd feel accepted here. But you ensured he'd never be."
Kakashi could feel her energy change. Her toying smile fell and her eyes narrowed into predatory slits as she curled her hands over Sakura's shoulders.
.x.X.x.
"He's not far!" Pakkun announced, ears flapping in mid-air as he bounded across branches.
Yamato sighed when he caught sight of moonlight silver hair and he landed beside his old friend, followed by the others. "We're here. Tell us everything you can," he prodded, his hand coming down to rest on his shoulder.
The Kakashi bunshin slapped his hand over Yamato's. "There's no time. The other Kakashi will be able to tell you more."
Hinata didn't quite like the sound of that. "Other Kakashi?"
"How did you think you were going to get there? Take hold, everyone, and thank you Pakkun," Kakashi said, honest sincerity showing in his tone.
The pug watched as the others placed a hand on him. His fingers blurred as he wove together the seals required and then, with a brief flash of chakra, they all disappeared.
.x.X.x.
Kiku surprised Kakashi by spinning over and sitting on Sakura's lap, cradling her limp head to her bosom. "I wonder if she knows just how easily and mercilessly you can kill. Being her former sensei I'm sure you've protected her numerous times, taking lives to ensure hers. But has she seen you really kill? Has she seen you slice through bodies as if you were simply knocking down dominoes? Has she seen your eyes burn with murderous intent? I've seen your records, Kakashi, and there are a lot of smudges. What I particularly found interesting though were the psychological evaluations."
His jaw clenched so hard it ached. Somehow she had gotten her hands on his classified documents; she had been planning this for some time now. If she wanted to read up on him, fine, he just wanted her to leave Sakura out of it all.
She stroked through Sakura's damp hair. "From the day I first met you, I knew you were the doesn't-play-well-with-others kind of guy, but fighting and killing as a kid really fucked you up, didn't it? Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, night terrors, panic attacks... a suicide attempt." She shook her head. "So ruthless and yet you couldn't even manage to kill yourself. Since we're being so intimate here, tell me, were you just too cowardly or did the dead not even want to take you?"
She let a small laugh rumble in her throat. "Then again, who could blame them when you failed them all?"
"Shut up!" he growled; the ferocity he felt reverberated in his chest like an angry clap of thunder.
She wagged her finger at him as she stood from Sakura's lap. "You better watch yourself or I won't give you the chance to save her."
Kakashi froze; even if she was just giving him false hope, he'd take it. Every minute he kept her talking was another minute he was buying his back-up.
.x.X.x.
Upon their arrival in a meadow, Yamato noticed the Kakashi bunshin looked pallid and worn from the jump. He didn't know how much longer he'd last.
"Good, you made it!" Kakashi greeted as he landed beside them.
The captain turned to Hinata who shook her head. "He's a clone, too."
"Then that means-"
"Yes, the real me is in there," the clone confirmed.
"Stupid, crazy, son-of-a-" Yamato muttered, but was silenced by Kakashi's hard stare.
The clone gestured for them to follow. "Kakashi was taken in through an entrance on the south side. I've only seen three people patrolling the area, but I'm not sure how many are inside. We have to get in there, quickly."
Yamato turned to the Hyuuga. "You're up."
"Right." Hinata activated her Byakugan and gasped at what she saw. "It's huge. Beneath the house is a system of... caverns and tunnels, it looks like."
"How many people?"
"There are three in the house and a little more than a dozen in one of the main cavern chambers. Sakura and Kakashi are there."
"Can you tell their condition?" Yamato urged.
"Chakra flow still seems rapid and healthy on Kakashi, but," she paused and her brows knit. "But Sakura's chakra is being blocked. I can't tell her condition for sure. I'm sorry."
"No, you did great, Hinata," the captain assured her. "Just keep watch. Sai!"
"Already on it," he retorted, his brush working along the parchment with amazing speed.
Two snakes and a bird came to life, springing from the paper. The two snakes darted off into the grass as the bird took to the sky. Sai's fingers began their swift, graceful dance as he started to write a script. It didn't take long to receive his cue - the bird circling its target three times - and he had finished just in time. With a seal, his hand came down over the script and the ink seemed to vanish. Only then the bird expanded in size and swept down at a steep angle, growing with every second of its descent, and secured its prey without a sound.
When the bird met the sky again, a body was clenched in its talons.
"It's safe to move up," he announced.
"What about the other two?"
"They were attacked by snakes. What do you think happened to them?"
Yamato considered his words for a brief moment. "Okay, move up!" he ordered.
The team advanced to the house when Kakashi nudged the Hyuuga. "How are things down there?"
She hummed. "Building. Hardly anyone has moved and there's another signature down there that's almost familiar."
"Familiar how?"
"I can't quite place it," she answered honestly.
"Alright. Kakashi, keep watch; it's my turn." Yamato lifted his hand to the cabin. "Oak, my favorite," he mumbled before his body began to seep into the wood.
"Please, Tenzou, hurry," Kakashi whispered to himself.
A sharp gasp caught both of the men's attention and they focused on Hinata.
"What is it?"
"It's Sakura-"
That was all Kakashi heard before turning on his heel and dashing toward the house.
"Kakashi-senpai!" Sai called after him, but the Copy Nin wasn't tuned in.
Hinata's eyes were filled with urgency. "We have to get down there."
Sai nodded and then pulled Hinata along as they followed after Kakashi.
.xXx.
Kiku gave him a dangerous smirk. "Then again, considering your track record with medics, do you think you could save her?" His body stiffened and she knew that she hit a nerve. "Nothing to say this time?"
She huffed. "At least I'm going to give you a chance, which is more than you gave Shintaro. He hadn't officially been added to the roster and his uniform and hitai-ate were still being made. He was doing a favor for his future captain and when you found him in the reserves without proper clearance or identification you attacked him."
The memory of that evening was vague at first, but came rushing back to him with clarity. "I was following procedures."
"You killed him!"
"He attacked me."
"He was defending himself," she snarled.
"You weren't there! He wasn't the person you thought he was."
Kiku spun and marched behind Sakura, palming her forehead and pulled her head back against her. A kunai glistened at her throat. "Don't you dare talk about Shintaro to me!"
Concerned for Sakura, he began to nod before he was even aware that he was doing it. "Okay, you're still right. I killed him."
Her chin quivered, but she didn't cry. Her voice came out strained, but determined and unmistakably hateful. "In that hell of a home, he was all I had. He's what kept me together. I owed him my life. I owed him a life worth living. I never got to give it to him and it's all because of you!"
"You don't have to do this, Kiku."
She snapped and was suddenly back to her stoic, cold facade. "But I do, and who dies is up to you."
"I'd gladly give my life for hers, but how can I trust you'd let her live?"
"That's just a chance you'll have to take."
"No, we can work something out. Set her free, make her safe, and then you can have me."
"You don't get to negotiate terms! Either you die or she does - here and now."
The kunai pressed against Sakura's throat and Kakashi could feel his resolve faltering as a slim ribbon of blood trickled down her neck. "Stop, Kiku, please-"
"Choose; your time is running out."
She was right about one thing: time was running out. His back-up still hadn't arrived. His timing was off in the worst possible way this time, he feared. Looking at her there, it was such an easy decision for Kakashi. Of course he'd give himself up for her. Sakura was destined for so much more, and he had lived far beyond his own expectations. Obviously, he wanted to experience whatever blossoming future there could've been with Sakura. But to Kiku, he had ruined her opportunity and she was going to take his. He knew Sakura would be devastated, but at least she'd know that he came for her; she'd know what his sacrifice meant.
If he had to sacrifice; he glanced over to the men at the wall. He'd have enough time to take Kiku out, and although the majority of the men hadn't tapped into their chakra they did have the numbers on him. If he wanted to have a chance, he'd have to use a jutsu to take out as many as he could - without risking the structure of the cavern or Sakura's safety.
"Tick-tock, Hatake," she reminded him.
"I already told you, you let her go and take me."
She stared at him in silence, almost as if she didn't trust that he'd give himself up so easily. After a moment she pulled the kunai away. "I'm glad you're being so cooperative."
Kakashi would remember the next moment millisecond for millisecond without even using the Sharingan to engrave it on his memory.
As soon as Kiku pulled away, there was a distinctive crunch of wood. The left arm of the chair broke away and as Sakura swung the wooden piece slid down where she caught the end in her hand. There was so much power behind her strike that Kiku went flying back in the air and landed in the pool of water that had gathered in the cavern.
Sakura smiled up at him, but then she started to slip from her seat. He flashed to her side, catching her in his arms. The men were already withdrawing weapons, preparing to attack, when the hatch above opened with a loud thud and Kakashi's bunshin jumped down to join them. The clone rushed at them, intercepting the attackers and causing confusion among them at the same time.
Feeling relieved, if even for a brief moment, Kakashi looked down at the feisty medic. She was dirty and absolutely worn, and still such an incredible sight. He pushed her hair out of her face. "That was incredibly stupid of you."
"Not as stupid as what you were about to do," she croaked out.
"You have no idea what I was about to do."
He smoothed his hand down her face and she closed her eyes with a sigh. "Your hands, they're usually so cold..."
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
"No, they're warm this time."
As he went to reply her body fell limp in his hold, all of her weight rushing to be supported by his arms. He cradled her to his chest as he used a free arm to break the chair since he was unable to get the restraints off. Once he had her free, he lowered her to the ground and checked her vitals. She was still alive, but-
"Come on, Sakura," he urged.
Someone began calling out his name, but he wasn't aware that the voice belonged to Hinata until she was there beside him.
"I've got her, Kakashi-sensei," she assured him.
He rose to his feet, trying to gather his wits about him, and saw Sai there as well, and then he noticed Yamato fighting alongside his clone. He snapped into combat mode and turned to Sai. "Watch over Hinata. As soon as Sakura can be moved, you get them out of here. Yamato and I will follow when we can."
"Understood."
Kakashi ran over to join Yamato's side and blocked an incoming katana attack. The ANBU captain glanced to his side. "Thanks for coming."
"You, too."
Even though there weren't many ninja opponents, in close range the men were nothing short of masterful with their weapons. Meeting blades sparked and sang as the Leaf nin dodged simultaneous attacks. Yamato noticed Sai and Hinata carrying Sakura out of the cavern and signaled their parting to Kakashi.
His hands then flew together in a series of seals and water raised from the pool, twisting and funneling towards the men before crashing into them without mercy. The water sprayed back as it hit the cave wall, raining down on the Konoha nin.
A wet and unhappy Yamato eyed his senpai. "Nice," he deadpanned.
Smoothing wet locks away from his face, Kakashi only grinned dryly behind his mask. "Thought you'd like that."
"Let's get her and take her back to the village for questioning," the captain said. "I'm sure you're eager to return."
That was an understatement in Kakashi's book. He turned and made his way over to Kiku, his eyes narrowing with caution as he neared her. The way her body laid sprawled on the rock gave him little doubt that there was any life left in her. He noticed the pool of crimson, but still took her by the shoulder. He turned her over and then sat back, turning his eyes from the massive crack in her head. Kakashi stood and then faced Yamato, giving his head a firm shake. "There's no need to take her back."
The ANBU captain nodded in understanding and then put his hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "Then let's get Sakura home."
Kakashi emerged from the cabin moments after Yamato and he walked on by with an appreciative touch as his kohai stopped; he needed to check on Sakura, and somehow Kakashi knew that his friend understood why. Hinata had cleaned up her face a little and managed to get the wires off from around her.
Sai helped to put her on his back, and Kakashi wrapped one of her loose-hanging arms around his neck. He hadn't really realized how small her arms felt in his hands until now, and he squeezed at her elbow, hoping she could still feel that warmth.
As he stood, the marks around her left wrist caught his eye; four thin-lined burns circled her entire wrist - so close together it looked more like a band. He snapped his gaze away as the creaking and cracking of wood caught his attention.
Yamato demolished the cabin in the time it would take twenty civilian men to do, and then faced his team with a heavy stare. "If there aren't any objections, let's head for those gates."
Kakashi took up center as Sai scouted ahead, and he held Sakura close against him the entire trip back to Konoha.