*2 month timeskip*

It took him 2 months to realize that Sakura did grow on him. In training, he didn't have the heart to rumble with her on the ground like he used to. Nor did he have the heart to refuse her offer of helping people once he saw her expression. Many had noticed that the two had gotten closer, and Rin admitted that she felt left out. In front of her, Sakura was walking with her arms behind her head grinning at Kakashi who seemed to be having a conversation with her. They were on the way to Kushina's home for their weekly gather. The three of them entered and soon were devouring their food.

"Tomorrow's mission will be an exciting one," Sakura stated and felt Kakashi glance at her. "Even though our mission is an A-rank it's nothing we can't handle," she said and looked up at the sky. Kakashi stared at her for a while and breathed in, "Sakura, I..." he started but did not get to finish as Sakura tripped over a rock. He stared at her in disbelief and shook his head. She groaned and rubbed her head in shame, "It was the rock that moved I swear," she exclaimed and turned her head to the side. She gave a soft laugh, and Kakashi gave her a soft smile. Kakashi swallowed his words and promised to himself. 'Tomorrow, I'll tell her.' Once he got home, he made sure to water the flowers he was planning to give.

Sakura froze in fear at the camouflaging ninja. One second he disappeared, and the other Kakashi appeared in front of her and got his eye harmed. She quickly shook her head and slashed her kunai behind her, feeling it connect and heard a thud. She did not look at the body but turned to her teammate. "Use the package Rin gave you," she stated, "We have to help our comrade." Kakashi opened the package and Sakura wrapped the bandage over his eye. "I'm sorry Kakashi, I was supposed to protect you," she whispered, but Kakashi shook his head. "Let's go save her," and with that the two quickly started to track down their teammate.

The two entered a cave and quickly took care of the enemy. They danced around each other gracefully, and Kakashi landed a kick to the enemy ninja. Sakura quickly ran to Rin, "Release," she exclaimed, and Rin's eyes widened at the sight of her teammates. The three genin' eyes widened as the rocks started to fall and started to run towards the entrance. Sakura's eyes widened as Kakashi fell. She did not think twice before pulling him up and throwing him out the cave. 'Goodbye, Kakashi.'

"Kakashi!" Sakura exclaimed and let a smile slip onto her lips. She quickly brought her hand up in a thumbs up and watched as Kakashi stared at her, with a scared expression, from outside the crumbling cave. He tried to get up but crumpled to the floor. "Don't be a loser, Kakashi. Take care of yourself and of Rin for me, because I won't be able to protect my friends. Promise me," Sakura shouted, and Kakashi reached out a hand to her. He felt his facade break and a tear rolled down his face. Sakura sadly smiled, inwardly sent her farewells, and felt a wave of pain pass through her.

He stared at the pile of rocks and ran to them. He felt the tears run down his face as his hands shakily grabbed onto the rocks. He felt his skin tear as he pulled and scratched at the rocks. His tears furiously ran down his face as none of the rocks moved. Rin was covering her mouth and silently crying at the scene. 'I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry,' she thought but cried harder as she heard Kakashi scream. The pain he felt on his hands did not matter. The pain he felt in his heart made him cry. He felt himself hit the ground and closed his eyes, hoping to wake up from the nightmare. Minato, for the first time, was late. The one time he was late, he had lost something precious. He felt his heart ache at the scene he walked onto. Kakashi on the ground, Rin silently crying, and a rubble of rocks. No pinkette in sight.

He found himself looking down at her name on the stone. He gently set down the flowers he had bought for her. The heliotropes were in her favorite color, and he sat next to her grave. The silent tears did not bother him but the absence of the pink haired companion that would be on his right did. He felt the wind touch his face, as if it was wiping the tears away. He sat there until the sun had set and walked home. The usual chatter was gone, the laughter that would follow him was gone, most importantly the one that he could lean on was gone. Never had the walk home felt so lonely. Kushina arrived at the pinkette's grave and felt tears start to form at the sight of the flowers. "Eternal love and devotion," she whispered and cried. Not for her own pain, but for a love that was crushed because of war.