Kash opened his eyes, his vision blury but could make out the paneled ceiling above him. The scene rushed through his brain causing him to snap up in a sitting position, a cry ringing out from his mouth.

"Mick!" with a hiss he slumped forward, his hands clutching his abdomen in pain. Hands met his shoulders, urging him to lay down again. He struggled against them until he saw Asuma's face. Seeing him and the sorrowful look in his eyes made him freeze.

"Mick-"

"I know. We've got a B.O.L.O. (be on the look out for) for the van." Kash snarled out with every bit of helpless rage he felt.

"Look harder damnit!" Asuma flinched slightly, his eyes stared at him in pity.

"We've got everyone looking." Kash went to retort but stopped himself as the door across from him opened and Tsunade entered. Instantly his eyes searched her face desperately.

"Kash." She signaled for Asuma to leave. When the detective left the blonde woman stood at the foot of his bed, eyes guarded.

"We need information." Kash nodded,

"They were apart of the group were looking into, im sure of it. They said to-" he stopped, his eyes clouding, he ducked his head to look at his hands clutched into fists fighting tears.

Tsunade reguarded him quietly, patiently waiting for him to continue. Kash swallowed down his dispar, now wasnt the time for tears. He raised his head, eyes cold with tears brimming the edge of his bloodshot eyes.

"They said to stir clear or they'd kill her."

Mick woke her eyes narrowing as her head spun. The room was dimly lit, the only light was above her swinging lightly. Mick groaned as she raised her head, the rope bitting into the exposed skin of her wrists and arms. The chair creaked loudly at her movement, alerting the man in the corner of her consciousness. Mick glared weakly at the man who stepped into view.

"Rise and shine, little kitten." Mick curled her lip at his mocking tone.

"Shove it, pussy." she growled, though her body was weakened her spirit was not. These bastards had hurt Kash, the thought brought an onslaught of emotions. Unsure if he was ok or even alive. Her head jerked to the side as a stinging slap was delivered to her cheek. The force of it split her bottom lip, blood filling her mouth.

"Shut up bitch. Now listen here, what do you know of our organization?" Mick slowly turned her eyes up to him, the pale blue blazing with pure hatred. Gathering the saliva and blood to her lips she spit it onto his chest, staining the white materiel. Mick smiled up at the dark man, his eyes locked on fluids on his shirt. With a cry of rage he backhanded her so hard the chair tipped over onto its side, blows raining down on her wildly. Mick tried to contain her crys of pain as to not give him the satisfaction but the more he hit the harder it became until she was screaming below him. Mick faded into darkness again, the blows landing with hollow thuds around the room.

Kash forced his legs into the crusted bloody pants, his cast hindering him slightly. A nurse was trying him stop him, but he shrugged her weak struggles off. Standing his legs gave out monetarily, he clutched the bedside with gritted teeth. Sending strength to his legs once more he shoved himself up and hobbled out of the room down the hall, eyes like chips of ice.

Kash reached the parking lot, standing there was Asuma smoking while sitting on the hood of his Crown Vic. Kash looked around for somewhere to hide but the detective knew he was there, waving him over. Kash frowned at him but limped over, the cigarette was flicked to the ground as Asuma stood up, crushing out the ember with the toe of his shoe.

"You're supoose to be resting."

"If Kuneria was kidnapped would you be resting?" the silver man retorted, his kunckles turning white as his fists clenched tighter.

"Hell no, thats why im here." Kash stared at him in geneiun shock, eyebrows raised mouth agape. Asuma pointed to the passenger side as he walked around to get in the drivers seat. Kash complied, he grunted in pain as he sat, holding his stomach with a grimince. Asuma noticed but said nothing as he drove out of the parking lot towards the precinct. Kash stared out the window in silence, his mind trying to piece together the events that lead up to the crash. A sudden realisation hit him hard, how did the Group know he was looking into them? They had been careful not to alert them. His eyes grew wide as he thoughy of the only logical explanation.

Henry.

That little weasel had squealed about Kash and Mick looking into them. A murderous rage came over him, Asuma sensed it and glanced over at him.

"Whats up?"

"That little cunt!" Kash slammed a fist into the door side panel. Asuma raised an eyebrow,

"Who?"

"Henry! He told them we were asking questions! I'll kill him!" Kash turned to him with a snarl,

"Head for the Bottom! Now!"

"I cant let you do that Kash,-" the silver haired man turned his aggression on him,

"The fuck you cant!"

"KASH!" Asuma's yowl made him jump slightly, the bearded man was glaring at the road, hands tight on the wheel.

"If we go down there ill end up letting you kill him." Asuma's jaw clenched, "We need to tell the Cheif."

"Fuck that Asuma! He might know where they took her!" Kash let out a growl, the amount of pent up anger and sorrow was making him grind his teeth. He wanted nothing more than to snap every limb of that little coward until he squealed and begged to die.

The men arrived at the precinct, Asuma got out and waited for Kash, making sure to keep an eye on him. Kash was unstable and not think logically like he normally would. Asuma could tell this was going to prove badly if- he refused to finish that sentence.

They made their way passed the other officers who had gathered round to do nothing else than throw Kash sympathetic glances and murmured apologys. Kash ignored them, his eyes rooted on the Chief who waved them into the office. Asuma pushed Kash into a chair, placing a hand on his shoulder, to anyone else it looked reassuring but to Kash who felt the tight grip of fingers digging into his rotater cuff he knew it was to keep him sedated. Asuma quickly explained Kash's notion to the woman.

The Chief immediately walked to the door, calling Gen and Kotetsu over. She explained the situation, her eyes hauntingly aflame.

"Bring him in on suspect of crimes agaisnt a police officer, kidnapping and criminal mischief." The two nodded then quickly left, Kash watching them with dark eyes.

"Im interrogating that bastard." Kash growled, shoving Asuma's hand away. The Chief turned to him with hard eyes,

"Get in line, Kid."

Henry was shoved through the doors, his cuffs digging into in skin from how tight they were. The quiet police department made his skin crawl, but the heated gazes from the men and women there were worse. Henry duckes his head, fear worming into his belly. Again he was shoved into a door, only this open stayed closed as his small body colided agisnt the oak. The force of it made his teeth clack, biting his touge. The man with the tooth pick opened the door and roughly shoved him into a seat in front of a table. The officers left, the only one in the room other than his reflection across from him in the two way mirror.

A blonde woman entered, she sat across from him at the table, her hands folded together on the wood between them.

"I understand youve been read your rights." Henry said nothing, she couldnt make him talk.

"Hmm, i see youre going to exercise your right not to talk?" The chubby man stared blankly at her, he tried to seem void but she could almost smell his fear.

"Fine, you just sit there while i talk." The Chief leaned back in her chair, cold calculated eyes watching the sorry excuse of a man before her.

"You are under suspicions of being involved in a police officers kidnapping. And also the attempted murder of another police officer."

Kash watched from the two way mirror, his hands leaning on the windows seal. Studying Henry closely he could see from the way he fidgeted that he was hiding something.

"I dont know what youre talking about." Henry jumped, eyes glued on the mirrior behind the Chief of police, it was rattling voilently. His eyes shifted to the woman who leaned onto the table, her eyes narrowing,

"Should i let in our mutual friend?" Henry's eyes widened, shaking his head slowly. He knew who was on the side of that glass, the thought sent shivers down his spine. Mick was frightening but the murderous intent flowing from that mirror made him conclude that Kash was dangerous. Like a shark smelling blood, Kash yowled out with all his anger fueling his ruthless rage,

"Where is she!?" Henry flinched, though muffled he heard the man loud and clear.

"I..I dont know." A bang on the table made him leap to his feet with a yelp of fear.

"Look i thought if i gave them Kash and Mick they'd set me up with some money! I honestly didnt know theyd take her! I thought theyd rough you guys up!" The Chief broke her silence, snapping her fingers,

"Book em." Henry opened his mouth but was interupted by Kash charging in with a bloodlust in his charcoal eyes. Naruto and Kiba grabbed at the frantic coworker who was swinging wildly trying to damage the short chubby man before him. Meanwhile Asuma came in to excort Henry to a waiting cell.

"You piece of shit! Fucking coward!" Kash thrashed vainly against the grip holding him. The Chief stood, eyes unreadable as she strode over to Kash. The silver haired man fixed her with a violent glare, teeth bared under his mask. The sound of a slap ringing out made everyone turn to see Kash's head cocked to the side, Tsunade standing before him with annoyance rolling off her.

"Get a grip, Kash. This isnt helping Mick." her voice was quiet but laced with malice. Kash blinked then nodded silently, his cheek stung.

"He knows more than he's telling."

"And were gonna get him to spill but we need you to calm down."

Mick woke again in the dark room, her left eye swollen shut and her other couldnt focus on anything. Groaning in pain she lifted her head from her chest to lean it back towards the ceiling. Her body was screaming in agony, blood crusted her face and neck from her busted lip and eyebrow. A soft voice reached her ears, making Mick tense up. She raised her head with a struggle until her eye locked onto a man before her. Her eyes notes the orange hair and piercings littering his face.

"I do apologize for your wounds. I had him dealt with for his barbaric treatment." Mick just watched him, unwilling to say anything that would earn her another beating. The man seemed to notice this, a silence spand over them, Mick could hear her disturbed breathing while watching this man before her. He was different from the thug before, this man held an authoritative air about himself. Mick took in his face, sketching it into her mind. Her eye lingered on his eyes, the coloring making her skin crawl.

He allowed her to wander over his features, tilting his head slightly at this woman before him. She was a fighter, even now he could see the spirit within her glaring back at him.

"Tell me, what do you know of this organization?" Mick blinked slowly at him, letting her head roll back to stare at the ceiling. She wasnt going to talk, he knew it as well. From his tone of voice she knew that he understood she'd never admit to anything. She closed her eye, waiting for the hit.

He watched her, her tense position, he stepped forward with an indifference clear in his movements. He snapped his fingers, causing the battered woman before him to flinch slightly and clench her jaw. She let out a shock gasp as warm soapy clothes began washing her arms. She snapped her head to look down at the two women cleaning the dirt, grit and blood off her skin. Mick fixed the silent man with a suspicious glare,

"Im not saying shit. I don't care what you do." At the growl in her voice the man raised an eyebrow. Nodding to her that he understood, which confused Mick emincely.

Mick sucked in a gasp as the warm water reached her face. Gritting her teeth against the sting of soap entering her cuts, she never faltered in her glare at the man before her.

"Until later then." The women and man left, he paused to glance at her. Mick frowned, her busted lip opening at the action.

"Ill be back, Mick."

It had been weeks since her kidnapping and there had been no word on Mick. They were starting to loose hope, even Kash.

Kash walked into the parking lot, rain drizzling down making his hair flatten to his head. He held a key in his palm as he limped over to Mick's bike. He ran his fingers over the gas tank, her smiling face pelting his half broken mind. He smiled softly as he straddled the bike, starting it, her voice in his head yowling at him to stop being a pussy and get on. He clutched the handle bars tightly, a tear threatened to slip over the edge of his lid.

Kash pulled out of the parking lot and rode slowly towards Micks house. His heart heavy at the thought of seeing it empty. As he pulled up he could almost see her in her PJs calling for him to get inside before he washed away. Kash cut the engine before pushing it into her garage, he closed the door then made his way silently into the house. He entered into the kitchen, his fingers dragging lightly over the countertop. He laughed softly as he remembered her trying to cook him breakfast, he could still smell the burnt eggs charing in the pan as she panicked.

Kash entered the living room, pausing as he noticed the t.v. was on but muted. Heart at a gallop he went to call for her but froze. What if it wasnt Mick? Pulling his 9mm from his side he held it out in front of him. He listened intently for any sounds, a soft thump from upstairs answered his silence. Kash crept towards the stairs, finger on the trigger, ascending them two at a time. Kash checked the dark bathroom, finding nothing he cleared the guestroom. His heart hammering in his chest as he stood before Mick's cracked bedroom door. His eyes fixed on a blood smudge on the knob. Movement inside made him flick his gaze over to the bed, the sight made him almost drop his gun. There in the sheets was Mick, her back to him. Kash pushed open the door with shaking hands, her bare back was covered in welps with yellow fading bruises while some still held an angry purple color. He slowly put his gun away to walk to the other side of the bed to see her face. A straggled cry rang from his throat when he saw her. Her face was swollen, lips purple and busted, her eye swollen shut with a large blueish lump. Angry red cuts littering her cheeks and over her eyebrow. She looked pitiful, small and broken. Kash dropped down beside her, knees hitting the hardwood floor loudly.

The woman seemingly came to life, swinging out blindly at him while trying to get out of the sheet. Kash took her feeble blows while reaching for her, her open eye wild and bloodshot. She wasnt seeing him, she was fighting demons in her mind. She clawed his face as he pinned her down to keep from hurting herself.

"Mick! Its me! Its Kash!" he yowled down at her over her screams and pleads. She continued fighting him, his heart breaking. Kash pulled her to his chest, holding her there as she scratched, bit and clawed at his body. A sob escaped his chest, tears finally falling down on the battered woman in his arms.

"God, Im so sorry Mick." She finally lasped into silence, her body going limp as her eye glazed over. Kash pulled back to look at her, the fire in her eyes was gone, washed away by what they had done to her. She hadnt even recognized him, didnt even know she was home now.

"Mick, its Kash." his voice a whisper, eyes locked on hers. A twitch of her eyebrows showed she had heard him, they furrowed slightly.

"Kash.." her voice was raw, strained from her constant screams. Kash nodded, moving his hands on either side of her face.

"Yeah its me." Hope budding in his chest as her good eye fixated on his. He smiled weakly at her, almost begging for her to understand. What she said next broke him completely,

"Im dreaming again..." a sob racked his body as tears fell on her face,

"Dear God, what did they do to you.."

The sound of many sirens reached his ears, he turned to glance at the window as they got closer. He went to move towards the glass but a pair of hands grabbed his shirt roughly, he turned to meet a pale blue eye, wide and scared.

"Dont leave me, i dont wanna wake up yet!"

The police force that esembled in Mick's lawn stacked at the door. Asuma taking lead tried the door knob and found it unlocked, he stepped in with the others, guns drawn. They cleared the living room, shouting out for anyone to come out for the Konaha police department. Freezing when they heard Kash's voice upstairs. Asuma sent two officers to clear the kitchen while the rest made their way up the stairs to clear the second story. Asuma walked over to the bedroom door and paused, finding Kash and Mick. His eyes widen when he saw the woman. She had been beat almost beyond recognition. Putting away his firearm he called for someone to send an EMT. Mick hugged against Kash's chest, her face buried in his shirt. When she turned to him he almost lost his lunch over the sever face trauma she had.

"I dont wanna wake up!"

Kash had insisted on riding with her to the hospital, not that anyone could stop him anyway, Mick had a death grip on his shirt and refused to let go. The poor girl was completely out of it, screaming she didnt want to wake up and that he was coming for her. The whole scene had shocked the officers watching into a stoic silence.

This wasnt the woman who would normally joke or pick her way out of an awkward situation. The woman who would rather die in the street than be caught dead crying infront of people. This weak almost child like woman wasnt Mick, this was a broken damaged mind in her body. They had tortured her only to sooth her then to torture her again. To her credit she never once gave them any information, she had stayed true to her word of 'not saying shit'.

Kash had thought when she'd come back itd be bad but he was underprepared for this. Mick had lost her mind so to speak, his eyes couldnt believe it was real.

Tsunade entered the hospital room, her face twisted slightly in agony at the sight before her. Kash cuddled with Mick in the bed cooing at her that it would be alright whilst Mick hyperventilated in his arms, eye wildly scanning the room but not understanding where she was. A doctor who was trying to put in an IV stepped away to face the Cheif.

"She's been drugged regularly, its still in her system and she wont allow us to try and flush it out."

"So this-" she gestured towards the woman now biting Kash's chest while clawing his arms "is the drugs?"

"Hard to say, part of it might be but Im afriad some might be her state of mind. It seems she thinks she's dreaming and that 'He' will be back soon." Tsunade nodded, eyes fixed on the pair in the bed. The doctor called for nurses to hold her down to strap her arms and legs. Kash helped while still holding her in his arms.

"No! No please! Ill be good now! PLEASE!" Her crys fell on deaf ears as they finally managed to hold her still long enough for a needle to be inserted. Kash had to look away during this time, slamming his eyes shut while grinding his teeth. Finally Mick grew quiet and eventually drifted to sleep.

Kash turned to his Cheif with pleading eyes, she met them with pity.

"Take some time off Kash, she needs you." With that the Chief left, leaving Kash to himself and his partner. The silver haired man climbed into the bed with her, laying his head on her chest to listen to her heart beat. The rhythm soothed him, making his eyelids grow heavy until he couldnt hold them open anymore.

A flash of purple eyes and orange hair blazed in Mick's mind, it blurred into a needle sticking into her arm while her screams echoed in her ears. Everything went black, screams and choking sounds made her fight desperately against the darkness that seemed to pin her down. Mick snapped open her eye as a scream ripped from her throat, she struggled vainly agaisnt the straps around her wrists and ankles. A face appeared, her heart stopped as she saw the man.

Kash.

She mewled in agony at him as tears poured down her face. What was he doing here? Had they got him too? His hands grabbed her face after ripping off his mask to scream at her.

"Mick! Its ok! Its me!" Mick paused, her eyes lingering on his beauty mark. Was she? No, it had to be some cruel trick. But there he was, his face so close to hers.

"Kash? Is it..You're real?" Kash nodded voilently, eyes pleading with her to truely see him. A cry of joy escaped her as she smiled at him, she tried to reach for him but her arms refused to be moved.

"They had to lock you down." he told her as her eye adjusted on the heavy-duty strap.

"How did i get here?" Mick winced at her voice, horse and cracking. He gave her a halfsmile, unsure himself had she had got away.

"Who gives a shit, you're back now." Mick glanced around, her head spinning.

"Where am I?"

"The hospital. Who've been unconscious for a few days." Kash's voice was soft, his callased hands caressing her face.

"Few days..." She murmured, her eyes narrowing in confusion. The last thing she remembered was- she forced the thought away. She felt Kash's gaze on her face, she turned to him, noticing now the healing scratches on his face and a scarred over bit mark on his throat. Her eyes grew wide,

"What happened?" Kash quickly covered the bite mark with his hand, not meeting her eyes anymore.

"Kash?"

"You didnt mean to-" she gasped in disbelief, she had done this?! She felt vile creep up from her stomach, feeling sick with herself. Kash noticed and bent down to kiss her forehead, hands on her face again.

"You didnt mean to, you were drugged Mick." He pressed his lips to her cheeks softly, loosing himself in the moment. Mick caught her breath as he kissed along her face almost desperately and needing.

"I thought i lost you." He whispered as his lips drug across her face towards her own. He paused as his eyes watched her mouth, Mick lay beneath him frozen. His lips brushed hers as he whispered out,

"I love you, Mick." his lips met hers, making her mind melt into mush. They lay together kissing eachother in desperate need of the others touch. Groans and moans escaped them until Kash pulled away, panting. His eyes glistening with tears, Mick met his gaze with a small frown.

She was home now, but at what cost?