Hello again and thank you for reading this, oh-so-obvious crack pairing story of Kakashi and Tenten.

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"I" -pant- "am home" Gai Sensei said swinging the door open to his 3 bedroom home in which his team resided for the time being. "Tenten can you make up some ramen I'm starving!" he asked.
"C'mon Gai Sensei just because i am a girl doesn't mean I belong in the kitchen! Can't you ask Lee or something?" Tenten plead. She absolutely hated being treated like some 'weak woman' or something.
Lee did make some ramen for the team and sat it at the table. The four gathered around and began to eat.
"This is our last meal together for a while. " Gai stated with tears forming in his eyes. "You will be going on your Anbu missions tomorrow you won't even be a team... I will be supporting you all the way though! I am going to miss my students!" Gai wailed. Lee and Tenten tried to comfort him the best they could. Neji just glared.

As soon as Gai's emotional break down was over, they all went to bed. Neji and Lee in one room,
Gai in his own and Tenten in her own.
'I never really had a chance to talk with Kakashi Sensei before today' Tenten thought as she brushed through her hair in front of her mirror. Kakashi was peeking through her window trying to see if Neji was harming her but saw nothing so he went ahead and walked home.

She jumped into bed and laid down. For some odd reason she kept thinking of Kakashi. Was she really that lonely to be thinking of a Sensei ? Was it because he had shown her kindness when no one truly had before. Except Lee and... It was very hard to take him seriously, besides Lee was practically family. 'What's behind that mask of yours?' this was the first time she actually had a slight interest in anyone since calling Sasuke cute right in front of Neji's face. Of course she cared for Neji and Lee but not in a romantic way. She knew there were more important things in her life like becoming as strong as Lady Tsunade, prove to the world that not all girls were not as emotionally unstable as Ino, Sakura, and Hinata. Never caught up in 'crushes' or fantasies. But now that she was about to achieve her final goal, was there room for romantic feelings all of a sudden? " Hmm I better get to bed, tomorrow... My first Anbu mission. Or should I say my first solo mission." she stopped her crazy wandering mind. Normally they work together, the Anbu but this was more like a test. She closed her eyes. "I don't know if I will sleep I am anxious for tomorrow. "

Early morning in Tsunade's office sat an anxious and sleepy Kakashi. He was early for the first time in years.
"Tell me again why you are here, Kakashi. " Tsunade spoke, slightly annoyed.
"I'm just curious as to what the new Anbu students will be taking on as their solo missions. " he stated.
"What makes you so curious about these three, they're not your students and it is none of your business." she said getting more annoyed and angered.
"it could be, if I join up again. I've been contemplating a lot recently. I may just want to be captain. " he calmly said leaning over her desk slightly.
"Truthfully Kakashi? No, I need you here!" she slammed her fist on the desk.
"Tell me the missions, Tsunade. Truth is..." he started to think of one of his obvious excuses. "Gai Sensei is really torn up about Tenten. He is confident in Neji and Lee but he wants to have some peace of mind about her first mission so he sent me to you to ask you since I have 'charm' and 'smoothness'. " wow that was a not so obvious excuse for once.
"Oh alright Kakashi. And I will consider you for that captain position. Tenten Momochi's mission is..." she started but she was cut off
"Momochi? As in Zabuza? As in that is her father?" a now confused Kakashi inquired.
"You didn't hear that. Okay? It is in her file I'm the only one who knows. Don't you breath a word of it Kakashi, or I will kill you!" she snapped.
"uh...got it. Please continue. " he said trying to calm his nerves. She could be really dangerous. But the thing that was heavying his heart was that her father was dead and it was thanks to him.
" Her mission is Itachi Uchiha. " she said plainly. Kakashi's eyes widened. He knew she would be killed no matter how tough she was or who her 'so called' father was, she was a goner.
"I will accept your offer as captain. And as captain I make the decision that this is a group mission and test. Are you really ignorant enough to send a new Anbu out to kill Uchiha Itachi or are you just eager to get rid of Tenten?" Kakashi asked in a defensive tone.
"Who do you think you are marching in here telling me what to do? Kakashi get out! You can accept that position some time else when you learn respect!" she yelled.
Kakashi left. It didn't matter, what she said, he was going out there to get to Itachi before she did. it wasn't ninja code he knew that. It stopped him. He may become disgraced like his father. What was he to do? He couldn't go but he couldn't let her stay either. He was Kakashi always living by the code always. Never wavering or changing.

Later in the morning three Anbu sat before Tsunade. They each had missions to complete on their own. She couldn't help but feel as if Kakashi was right. How could she have let that scarecrow get to her like this. Still he was right and she needed to switch around the missions some.
"Anbu Tenten, you're assignment is retrieving Sasuke Uchiha and bringing him back in one piece. Anbu Neji, Itachi Uchiha dead. No exceptions. Anbu Lee, Kabuto. He is said to be in the mist village picking up specific medicines for Orrochimaru. Kill him. No exceptions.

They took their missions and headed on their way. Kakashi waited outside and decided just to follow her and make sure she would be okay. Taking on Itachi would be difficult and if he needed to step in he would and he would make it look like she did it. She looked cute in that Anbu uniform. Her mask was, fittingly a panda face with red eyes and ears. She took off towards the Forest of Death. And he followed carefully behind trying not to get caught.

'where is she headed? This is not the way to the Akatsuki hide out. This is Orrochimaru territory. So Lady Taunade must've thought I was right and have her the task of picking up Sasuke.' Kakashi kept his distance but kept his eyes, yes eyes on her and everything surrounding her. Normal Anbu mission tests you are given about 2 days to complete them. One day there, one day back. She was moving fast.

'I can't help but feel like someone is watching me. Probably stupid Neji. Just keep your eyes peeled Tenten you'll be fine. Dragging this punk in will be a walk in the park. I know Lady Tsunade doesn't think I can kill that's why she gave me the only mission that doesn't involve that. But I plan to make sure he suffers just enough. ' thoughts rang through Tenten's mind. She had to be careful not to run into Orrochimaru. Chances were that Sasuke was on his own mission around these woods somewhere.

She continued deeper and deeper into the Forest of Death and soon the beautiful blue sky started to change into hues of orange, red and pink. She was running out of time.

'if I keep going I will find him but I may not have strength to fight him. If I stop I may be vulnerable to attacks or I may miss him. So I must go on' she thought to herself. 'right after I take a drink' she got into a little bag on her side and pulled out a small bottle of juice.

'Ah! He's Already right behind her! I have to hurry!' Kakashi thought as he picked up his pace still keeping his cover.

"Did they really send YOU after ME?" a voice came from behind Tenten.
She was startled and jumped a bit dropping her juice to the death covered ground. Slowly she pulled out a small scroll and turned around to face her match. His face was right in front of hers.
"Sasuke Uchiha you have to come with me. " she said with no trace of fear, no hint of worry, anxiety or stress only strength.
"what makes you so sure of that, Tenten Chan?" he said as he drew his sword from its sheath and putting it directly under her chin beginning to lift her mask from her face.
"Traitors shouldn't be allowed to live, Uchiha but here you are, still breathing. That's gonna end." sternly she spoke getting ready to summon her scroll.
"You know they asked you to bring me back alive." he pushed up on his sword knocking her mask to the ground next to her juice. "it really is a shame you didn't chase after me like the other girls Tenten, I would have picked you, but maybe not. Maybe the only reason you intrigued me was because you never showed me the slightest hint of interest." he inched closer to her so close she could feel his warm breath.
"Sasuke, I'm not flattered by you, by a traitor. " she stated as she summoned her scroll "ATTACHED METEOR!" she said summoning a mariki-gusari and restrains Sasuke. Normally with this Jutsu she would be slamming weapons into her victim but she can't kill Sasuke so she just stabs a Kunai to each knee so he can't run.
"Ahh !" Sasuke wailed in pain, he didn't activate Sharingan fast enough. This girl was not one to take lightly like Sakura or Ino.

'She has top knotch skills. She acted fast knowing he could defeat her if he activated those Sharingan. I can't believe she caught him so fast. Maybe sh have taken out Itachi. But there is no way he would show vulnerability to her, the way Sasuke did. Maybe Sasuke thought that she was just as weak in the knees for him as every other girl who knows his name. Now he's paid the price for underestimating her. I wonder what price I will pay for that same mistake. ' Kakashi was smiling to himself. Had this girl really struck his interest that much? So much that he demanded the Hokage to tell him where she was going, tried to take over the mission, then followed her all day into the Forest of Death. 'Get ahold of yourself Kakashi. What are you thinking? But I still better make sure she gets out of this forest unharmed.'

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