A/N:To anyone who actually reads this, grins I was hoping to update sooner but I've just been hella busy. Over the last few months my english has come on in leaps and bounds and now I'm back in Bath again I have felt inspired to practise a little. So anyway on I go.

Oh! I also got very bored on the flight to England and did some brief sketches for this fic, their on my deviantart page - theres a link from my profile page, so check em' out if you want, their very rough though.

Chapter 2: Haunting Konoha

Waking up in a now pleasantly warm apartment, Katumi stretched luxuriously and dug her feet into the padded leather.

It had been a very welcomed nap and a now a few hours into early evening she sighed in contentment. She had decided not to start writing up her mission report till the following day, seeing as she'd only been home for a matter of hours. So she was left with the last of the day for herself.

Slowly, taking her time she sat up. The glowing twilight spilled across the wooden floor in long strokes, basking everything in a gentle illumination.

It seemed surreal - to be back in her own home, without having to worry about nearby enemies, weather turns or worse. Complete safety within these walls. She couldn't help but smile to herself as she thought through all the things she had to do, glancing around her apartment she found herself cringing at some of the more "adventurous" furniture items she'd bought when she first received the apartment from the Hokage.

She'd fallen in love with the patchwork armchair when she first saw it displayed in Echigoya's home store so long ago, she was convinced at the time that it was totally gorgeous - but seeing it now it looked hideous and embarrasingly out of place.

With the huge pay off due from the five years, she would have more than enough money to fix the place up... 'Maybe I'll get a pet, I've always liked cats.' It seemed with a little cash in her pocket, anything was possible.

Cracking the knots out of her back, she winced slightly at the pops and cracks clicking down her vertebrates. Finally noticing her combination smell of sweat, mud and wet hair she decided that she would very much enjoy a long hot shower.

She flicked the light on in the small bathroom and sighed happily to see it clean, unlike the rest of her flat. The white porcelain positively gleamed in the poor lighting. She turned the hot water mechanism in the shower and peeled off her muddy trousers and top. In just her undergarments she caught a sight of herself in the mirror above the sink.

She barely recognized herself, her toughened feet, heavily blistered in the first few weeks were like leather, completely unsenstive to a delicate touch. Her legs were slim but the muscles jutted out unattractively in places . Whilst away she could only eat when time and circumstance offered, but after the first few months she had trained herself to block out the hunger.

Her ribs stuck out alarmingly and looked like they could burst through the skin when she reached up. Her pale cheeks were gaunt and her eyes sockets stuck out.

It was true, the years had really not been kind to her and the marks and scars covering her skin proved this. She had neglected her body, she was aware of that, but here, now it shocked her like a blow to the gut. She had been so busy all the time, running around, fighting, moving again. It was no wonder to her why her body had become so lanky and thin.

Sighing she pulled her hair out from it's confinement and shook out her chestnut hair, down, it fell well over her elbows. 'Man, when did I last get a haircut?!' Just another thing to do in the next few days. For the first time in so long she was going to relax, have a good time and do things she wanted.

'I've more than earnt it' Untying her jounin headband from her right arm and slipping off her undergarments she walked forward and without hesitation stepped into the shower and let the good, clean water rinse away all her thoughts.

After her long indulgent shower, she stepped into her bedroom wrapped up in a fluffy robe. Sitting on her double bed she wrinkled her nose at the crumpled, musty sheets. She really had left in a hurry.

For a while she just sat there looking around the room, soaking up the nostalgia. But then she remembered an earlier conversation with Jin,

...Jin chuckled and scratched his soaking mop, "That's me, but don't think you've escaped me so easily - come down to the bar tonight and we'll catch up together..."

"Dammit," she growled under her breath. She really didn't fancy going out tonight. It would just be a big production, explaining her absence to people, meeting and greeting everyone etc. But she did want to see Jin and a few others - just without all the talk of her mission but it was inevitable. In case you have guessed already, you can't just leave for five years and then expect no questions.

Sighing she decided she may aswell get the big re-introduction over and done with. Walking over to the closet she struggled to remember her wardrobe, she couldn't exactually saunter out to the bar in her slashed, muddy ninja gear.

Browsing through the collection she decided on some baggy combat trousers and a large white shirt. Baggy and comfortable was the look she was going for, hopefully people wouldn't notice her body so much. Checking her face in the mirror she sighed in discontentment.

Grabbing a small plastic box, she flipped off the lid and selected a small pot. Rubbing some of the flesh coloured make up under her eyes she successfully managed to minimize the dark bags. After running a brush through her damp hair and brushing her teeth she checked the time, 8 pm, 'Good timing, I don't want to stay out too late tonight. I'm exhausted before I've even left'

She walked into the dim hallway and grabbed her keys from the side table. Sliding on her sandals she exited the apartment, the door quietly closing behind her.

Stepping out into the mild darkness she was once again relieved at just being back home. It seemed kind of surreal just to be in the street outside her apartment.

The place really didn't look any different, even crabby old Mrs Hayatsaigo still occupied the ground floor below her and had welcomed her back with a less than enthusiastic rant,

"Oh it's you. Last thing I heard was that you were dead. Don't bother me with your loud footsteps at night, I was just getting used to peace and quiet nowadays..."

Katumi didn't bother to state that she had been away for five years so she highly doubted the old bat had only just gotten adjusted to her absense, but she merely nodded politely to the wrinkly titan and legged it up the stairs before their conversation could continue any further.

The familiar streets rolled by Katumi and she soon found herself reaquainted with the geography of Konoha. She saw many closed shops she recognized and popular crowded restaurants blazing into the peaceful streets like torches.

As she crossed the final road towards her destination she caught sight of someone she recognized, their bouncing steps and trademark ponytail served as a dead giveaway.

Iruka hadn't seen her in the night's silent dark yet and she smirked slightly, she loved creeping up on the guy - as a child and teen she had often amused herself by making the older Iruka scream like a little girl as she pounced on him from nowhere.

Iruka sighed in contentment as he saw his favourite bar up ahead, it had been a stressful day and the children at the academy had been slow at grasping the concept of chakra points. He was looking forward to having a nice foamy beer with his friends, he didn't go out much and he had been looking forward to getting out all day. The timing couldn't of been better, especially as the rain had finally stopped, wiping the sky clear and scattering the inky blackness with stars.

But his small peace was quickly destroyed as he saw something leap out of the shadows towards him. Quickly he whipped out a kunai and got into a fighting stance.

Preparing himself for a conflict he was surprised when the figure grinded to a sudden halt infront of him, an impatient foot tapping and a very disappointed expression. Then he saw her face and stifled a surprised gasp.

"Katumi..." he breathed. It was like seeing a ghost, his arm was still raised, gripping the knife with white knuckles. He quickly sheaved it.

"Well that was a disappointment! You used to scream like a stuck pig, not whip your kunai out and be at the ready to kick my ass," Her tone was dry but the grin on her face and mischief in her eyes showed her humour.

"What?...How?..." He paused and thought through his sentence, he was truly blown away, "Why aren't you... well, dead?"

Her pierced eyebrow raised in amusement, "Well that's nice. I finally come back to Konoha and everyone's asking why I'm still alive?!" She chuckled, "Would it kill anyone to say, 'Hi Kat... long time, no see. How are you doing?'"

Iruka snorted slightly and outstretched his arms in an obvious gesture. She accepted his brief hug.

"Hi Kat. How are you doing?"

She punched his arm lightly in a playful manner.

"I meant it sincerely. You've been ok, right?"

Katumi nodded, "I'm ok. A little worse for wear but whatever."

"When did you get back? I haven't seen you around till now."

She sighed a little and rubbed her chilly arms, "You wouldn't of, I got back late afternoon. In that bloody storm." She smiled, "I felt like a drowned rat."

Iruka examined her form, she certainly looked very different to the newly accepted, flush-faced jounin that had left so long ago. She looked half starved but far from weak, it was quite a transformation.

But Iruka bit his tongue - he was more than sure, that she was well aware of her physical state.

"You heading in to see everyone?" He indicated the bustling bar a few metres away.

Katumi nodded, it was starting to get a little chilly now that she had stopped moving. Smiling to her, he offered her his arm, 'Well this is an improvement, when did he learn manners?' she accepted the surprisingly muscly arm and he lead her towards the front door, apprehension twisting in her gut.

Katumi held her breath as her and Iruka crossed the thresh hold into the bar, the light and noise was a little overwhelming from the quiet calm outside.

Smiling she took in the old sight, bands of Konoha ninja sat around tables, Tsian taking a million orders a minute, his little brother Tai running around like a headless chicken, wiping at soaked tables. Loud voices and merry laughter flowed through the air, the place smelt the same as ever; a comforting rich scent of smoked wood and warm saki.

Katumi breathed in deep and caught Iruka looking at her in a blank almost unbelieving way, she burst into infectious laughter, "It's good to be home..."

Iruka smiled back, he had missed her and had often wondered what had became of her after she'd left. He found himself still in a state of mild shock seeing her walking around with a pulse. No doubt people were going to be talking by the end of the night. He couldn't wait to see the look on everyone's face when they noticed their long lost friend returned alive.

"Well come on then, I promised Jin I'd find him. Though I'm surprised Tsian serves him any alcohol, he always suspected Jin was just a kid in disguise!"

She bared her teeth in her cat like grin and she started carving a path through the crowds of both Shinobi and citizens towards the bar, Iruka not far behind her. It was definitely good to have her back.

Thanks for reading! Would be nice to get a lil' heads up on how I'm doing grins hopefully so if you wouldn't mind review would be really kind. Till next time xx