Chapter 3

They all made their way out of the Hokage tower; she was in front of the group deep in thought when Sakura walked up to her.

"Thank you and I want to apologize for the way I acted."

She looked at the girl and noticed she seemed a bit nervous. She smiled at her, "its fine. If I were in your place I would've acted the same. You and your generation do not need to learn what I had to when I was your age… Well actually younger then you…"

"Um… I have a question though?"

She couldn't help but quirk a brow at Sakura for being so timid.

"How can you be so calm… about that?"

Her brow rose higher at the fact that this kunoichi couldn't even mention seduction or any form of sexual advancement. "You mean seducing men or using my body to get information?"

"Yes."

"Easy, Mind over body. You imagine yourself with someone you really wish you were with, instead the actually person that is there. You have confidence in yourself in getting the job done no matter what the cost may be, as long as the mission is complete and there are no lives lost."

"You mean, like Itachi?"

"Huh?"

A deep laugh comes from behind them; they both turned around and saw Itachi laughing with a smirk on his face.

"Though I may be Misa's friend… I'm not the one in her mind when she does any of her seducing or sexual advances."

She couldn't help but smirk at her long-time friend, he knew her too well sometimes. She almost choked when she heard the next question come from the young ninja that remained quiet.

"SO, what is your relationship with the fag?"

"We are just friends, Sai."

"Are you saying that friends can also sleep together?"

"It depends on the type of friendship you have with someone, if you and the other person are close and feel comfortable then yes it can be like that."

"Does that mean, dickless and the traitor have slept together?"

Everyone stopped and you could see the uncontrollable shiver, as disturbing images flittered in their minds. The next thing you heard was two big thumps.

"Anyway… I am heading back to your place to get a little more sleep."

"I think we should head back to our own places and get some rest since OUR captain wanted us to leave out so early," Kakashi said casually as he pulled out his trusty novel.

"That means you best not be late, Captain!"

She watched him give his signature wave and poofed away.

'Ja Na, Kashi.' She continued walking a little ways before she felt light headed for the second time that morning, she reached out and steadied herself. Itachi was there a moment later…

"Misa; you alright?"

She gave a weak smile before darkness over took her fatigued body.

She woke up to the feel of something soft and warm surrounding her; she knew she didn't have to worry because she already knew where she was. She buried herself farther into his warmth, feeling his arm tighten around her waist and the deep rumble come from his chest as he laughed.

"Nani?"

"Nothing just thinking about what you have done today. Let everyone know that we sleep together, piss off the Hokage, and managed to push your way into a Captain position and lead a mission where you'll be stripping and seducing men… Is there ever a dull moment in your life, Misaki?"

She looked up at her best friend and gazed into his dark pools, as she thought about the question. "Hmm, there have been a few but not when you've been around."

"Great, as long as I'm around you there will never be a dull moment in my life. I don't know whether I should feel grateful or worried?"

"How about shutting up and living life moment by moment, never regretting anything, living life to the fullest."

"What like still having a crush on Kakashi-senpai and not telling him or doing anything about it?"

She went rigid, a sharp pain seemed to shot through her gut, she couldn't reply. All she could do was roll over and removes herself from his grasp and bed. She noticed she was still clothed, so she walked out of his room. Entering the living room, she notices Sasuke sitting on the sofa watching TV.

"Mind if I join you?"

She watched as he shrugged his shoulders but moved over so that she could have a seat. She walked over and had a seat on the sofa, drawing up her knees to her chest and just stared at the TV, as it played some form of anime.

"Got tired of my brother's company?"

"You could say that," she said disheartened at the fact that Itachi brought up the subject of the person she had been in love with since she was a small girl. It's not the fact that he wasn't true on the fact that she hadn't said or done anything in relieving her feelings about Kakashi. It's that fact that she didn't want to be the one to do it. When she had to play the part of the "seducer" that's what she was… But she wanted the person she had extreme feelings for to sweep her off her feet; she wanted the role to be reversed then what she normally was used to. Something different that really divided the two feelings. Seducer. Loved.

She tried to shake the feeling that was placed inside of her by his smartass comment, but it would not yield. She felt the tears form, but she would not let them fall, she refused to let herself feel sorry for herself. Then she heard a rumble come from Sasuke, she looked over and quirked a brow.

"Are you hungry?"

"I was waiting for Itachi and you get up before getting something."

"Screw Itachi, come on I'll make us something." She got up off the sofa and walked into the kitchen and rummaged around finding something to cook. She found some unfrozen beef strips, a few spring onions, tofu, miso paste, carrots, peas, and rice and dashi granules. "How about miso soup with fried rice and teriyaki beef strips."

"You sure you want to cook all of that?"

"Well, think of it like this, both you and Itachi will be going on a mission that will last at least a week if not more, and this is going to be the only good meal you will have before we get to the Land of Moon."

"Point taken, would you like some help?"

"If you want to help that's fine by me."

Both of them busied themselves in the kitchen, working sided by sided getting dinner ready. They seemed to work well together in the silence as the prepared the meal. But she didn't expect the silence to last much longer, and she was correct.

"I want to thank you for saving Sakura form having to go through the training."

"There's no need to thank me, Sasuke. I could tell that she was scared and like I told her earlier, she doesn't need to go through what I had to when I was around your age."

"Will you be alright handling that part of the mission, basically by yourself?"

She removed the finished beef strips from the heat of the stove, and placed the pan beside the pan that had the cooked fried rice. Turning off the burner, and turning her attention completely to Sasuke, while folding her arms in front of her as she leaned against the counter.

"I have done a lot of missions like this, even when I was in the Guardian Twelve. And I will not be alone; I will either have one of you, and Kakashi or your brother as a patron in the strip club. I trust in my teammates to watch my back, and I trust in everyone's ability. "

"But you don't know any of us?"

"I know more about you then you think Sasuke. I remember a young boy asking his brother to help him with his training, how you went with Itachi and watched him train and then ending up hurting your ankle. Or how Itachi would hold you as a baby when you started crying because there was a thunder storm and your parents wouldn't wake up because they didn't hear you're cry, but he did." She watched as shock crossed the young ninja's face as he listened to her tell him of things that she knew about him.

"How do you…"

"I know because I am one of your brother's best friends, and because sometimes I would sneak over to the Uchiha compound and stay with your brother."

"Like last night?"

"Yeah, like last night. Sorry, by the way that he didn't tell you or the fact that I didn't ask if you were okay with it."

Sasuke just shrugged his shoulders as he removed the skillet from the burner as he turned it off. "Didn't bother me any, I didn't even hear you. Besides I was starting to wonder about him, I mean brought a girl or two over but I haven't seen him bring one home since we have been back in the village."

"So, that's why your teammate called him a fag?"

"Sai. Hmm, well if you haven't noticed he's not all there?" He stated as he moved over to the cabinets and started pulling out dishes.

"Let Itachi get his own dinner," she said as he was about to get a third bowl and plate down.

He looked at her with his brow raised, "Did something happen?"

"Yeah, he's a teme."

"I could have told you that one," he stated as he handed her a plate and bowl and started dishing out the food for themselves.

"Anyway, what do you mean that Sai isn't all there? I read his file and he seems to be a very skilled ninja, and very tactful when it comes to completing a mission and gathering information."

"Yes, but he is a former Foundation operative, so he doesn't know how to express emotions or socialize at all."

"Ah, that's why Itachi had to explain his and my relationship."

"Well, to be honest I was wondering about that as well but after it was explained I only have one question," he said as they both moved over to the kitchen table and sat down their food. He walked back in to the kitchen, pulling open the refrigerator. "What do you want to drink? We have milk, juice and beer?"

"A beer, if it's cold."

Coming back over to the table with two beers in hand, handing one to her as he sat down.

"So, what was your one question?"

"Why do you do it?"

She looked over at Sasuke not fully understanding the question. "What do you mean, do it?"

"Have a relationship like that with my brother? I am just wondering because you are a beautiful woman; you could easily have any man you want. So, why have that type of relationship with him?"

"Straight to the point even though that's a little personal, Sasuke…," she stated in a somewhat shocked tone. She looked up and saw that Sasuke was about to say something, but she interrupted him before he could speak. "Though I guess you have a right to know, and besides you are a little easier to talk to then your brother sometimes…" She took a drink of her beer before she continued, "the reason I have the relationship with your brother and a few other friends of mine is because after a while you get lonely in this world of Shinobi. Of course you know this but, as for me; I have always been the seducer, though I may be very skilled at it I am not proud of it. That's why when it comes to a relationship of someone that I love I want the roles reversed. To separate the two feelings, the two personalities… Do you understand?"

She looked at him and could see him trying to understand what she had just said. "That still doesn't explain why the reason of the relationship?"

She couldn't help but smirk, she had hoped she could skirt around the truth of the subject but she was wrong in thinking she could fool an Uchiha. "Because someone holds my heart already, though he doesn't know he does, though I could tell him how I felt or make the first step."

"But then you would be the seducer."

"Exactly, and that is something I do not wish become in a relationship like the one I hope to have with him. So, until he realizes my feelings or develop feelings for me on his own, I take comfort in the friends I hold close to me."

"I guess I can understand that."

She couldn't help but smile at Sasuke; he showed her that he had accepted her and that he trusted her. They continued throughout dinner with small talk here and there about different things but ended up talking about the mission ahead. Just as they finished dinner, Itachi finally made his way out of the bedroom; he went over to the kitchen and noticed the pans and skillet held enough food for him.

"Why didn't you let me know dinner was ready?"

"Because we didn't want your company," she said in a heated tone, she looked over to Sasuke; who was back on the sofa watching the news. "Sasuke, where's the bathroom."

"Down the hall, second door to the left. You can use the shower if you want, if you don't have anything you can use my spare items, in the second draw to the right in the cabinet sink."

"Thanks, Sasuke."

"No problem."

With that she left the room.

"You must have really pissed her off, what did you do?"

"Opened my mouth when I probably should have kept it shut, did she talk to you?"

"Yeah, but not about what you did and no, I am not telling you anything about what we talked about. We talked, and I have come to understand and respect her. So, I will not betray her trust and discuss what we talked about with you. Though if I was you, I would apologize to her before the mission starts or it's going to be hell for you," with that said he turned his attention back to the news, getting the forecast for the next couple of days for the mission.

"Tell me something I don't know," he quietly responded as he started getting him some food. He heard the shower start running, and thought it would probably be a bad idea to try and apologize right then. He decided to fix him his portion of food, and wait to see what would happen.

It had been several hours now on the road, heading towards the Land of Moon. Still the silence stretched between the two; neither would look at the other, the others could feel the air around them was filled with anger and tension. The others looked to Sasuke for answers but, he just shrugged and continued on.

Misa held up her fist, making the group come to a halt. Kakashi came up beside her; she scanned the area with her eyes, she did not see anything but she knew that the group was near, she could smell them.

"What is it, Misaki?"

"The scent of sand and wood is in the air, you should smell it too, Kakashi." She knew who it was but she did not expect them to meet up with her teams here, but in the Land of Moon. "This day keeps getting better and better…," she said in an irritated tone as she jumped to the forest floor.

The others followed, wondering what the hell was going on.

"Let's take a small break, we have been going more than six hours now," she said as she made her way over to a tree and sat down leaning against it.

"We can continue on, why make us stop," the pineapple ponytail Shinobi said.

Misa looked at the Nara boy, and she knew he was like his father planning and strategizing everything making sure everything was thought out and everyone would stay alive. She reached into her back pouch and pulled out a volume of Ichi Ichi, the very volume about her and began to read. "Because the third group is close, they should be here in about thirty minutes or so. I thought they would meet us in The Land of Moon but it seems the captain of the group wishes to have words with me…"

"How do you know that, Misa," Sasuke asked as he walked up in front of her.

She couldn't help but smile, "Because knowing him; he's a little pissed at me, probably going to say something like I shouldn't be on this mission and probably try and drag me back to the Leaf while the rest of you finish the mission without me."

"Will he be able to?"

She looked at Sasuke after he asked her the question; an evil grin grew upon her face with the hint of mischief in her eyes. "It's going to be fun for him to try, especially in the mood I'm in."

She watched as Sasuke and a few others in the group glance over to Itachi; who looked at her with fury in his eyes then stocked off to another tree that was a good distance away from her. She shrugged her shoulders, and went back to the book as if she didn't care. She watched out of her preferable vision Sasuke sat down next to her against the tree. She could tell he was a little on edge after what she had explained to him, but loud enough for the others to hear as well. The rest of the group stayed close to her but not as close as Sasuke.

"So, is this going to continue throughout the mission, you and Itachi I mean," Sasuke said in a low tone.

"Probably not, but until he learns not to bring up a pacific topic and someone then it will continue, I would have thought your brother was smarter than that but it looks like I was wrong," she said in a whisper as she flipped a page and continued reading.

"I take it; it was the topic we were talking about last night over dinner?"

"Yes, it was. He knows who it is and he mentioned the fact that I had yet done anything about it. You know why I haven't I thought your brother was smart enough to figure out why I haven't but it looks like you are smarter in the area of listening and understanding then your brother."

"Hm… well, he has never been the brightest on that fact. He could have told me about things before taking out our clan and everything but he didn't. He chose to keep me in the dark and then have me hate him for something that was ultimately the right choice to save the village."

She cringed at the memory of that time, everything that was happening then… Sasuke must have seen her reaction, because he turned his attention fully to her.

"What?"

"…"

"Misaki?"

She looked over at Itachi; he was facing away from her talking to Sakura, and she took a deep breath before turning to Sasuke. She saw concern in his dark pools, and she couldn't afford to not tell him; he had a right to know.

"I was remembering when that was happening, I actually afford myself into doing the deed so that Itachi could stay in the village and raise you but he wouldn't let me. I was planning on leaving the village anyway because of the topic we talked... I was going to my father to ask to do the mission, when your brother stopped me and made me swear not to say or do anything. Of course I kept that promise he was basically my only true friend besides…" she couldn't continue what she was going to say, it brought up too much terrible feelings. "I was so angry afterwards because what people were saying about him, that I took the Feudal Lords offer and left."

Everyone except Itachi looked at her as if she had grown another head; she took a deep breath to calm herself some from the terrible memories during that time. Then rustling noises came from behind Sasuke and her; she didn't need to turn around to see the three that emerged from the trees.

There stood the three Sand siblings, Gaara stood in front of Temari and Kankuro with his arms folded in front of him staring at Misaki. She ignored him, staring at her book as if she was reading it, though she wasn't. She was waiting for him to say something, she knew that he was staring her as if he was going to kill her; the anger that was radiating off him was extremely heavy.

"Just what do you think you are doing, Misaki?"

She turned to him then, looking as innocent as she could, holding up her book.

"What does it look like I am doing, Gaara… I'm reading while we waited for you guys to show up, though I thought we would be meeting you in the Land of Moon instead of halfway to the coast," she said as she glanced to Temari looking for her to answer the unspoken question. Temari just shook her head and pointed at her younger brother.

"Grrr… You damn well know what I mean, Misaki!" He said as he walked directly in front of her, staring intently at her. "The last time you went up against Toshi, your whole undercover group was whipped out and you yourself were nearly dead!"

The fact that he brought up her old team and the fact she almost died had her pissed beyond belief. She was on her feet inches from Gaara's face as she stared murderous at him.

"If you want to talk about this, then let's take this somewhere else," she said harshly as she stuffed the novel back in her hip pouch. She ran and then jumped up into the trees, going a little distance away from the groups before descending again to a very small clearing in the forest floor. Gaara jumped down beside her and continued to stare at her with murderous intent.

"Go ahead and speak your mind here… but nothing you say will make me turn back," she said sternly as she folded her arms in front of her as she faced the Kazekage.

He stared at her a long time before he finally spoke, "What makes you think that you can take him down when you couldn't last time?"

"Simple. One: I'm not going in blind like I had before, two: I have a very skilled team that I know I can trust, unlike before, three: things have changed since three years ago Gaara." She watched as he shook his head at her, and then walked up to her only stand a few inches in front of her. He placed his hands on either of her shoulders, which drew her attention to him. She watched as a mixer of emotions played across his face before a small gentle smile graced his pale complexion.

"At least you asked me to be here this time, instead of me having to save you again," he said with a small amount of humor behind the words.

She could feel her face draw and her brows frown as she grew a slit aggravated, he knew that she didn't like to sound or be viewed as helpless. She shoved him away, which barely moved him and besides it was in a playful manner. She walked away from him a few feet before turning around the face him.

"What is it with you and Itachi? Thinking I'm helpless or ignorant because I have or have not done something… Kami, I need to find some other friends that don't pry…" she thought about it then, and an image popped in her head of 'Genma'; the village playboy. She quickly shook her head, and sighed with defeat. "Nope, I would whether be stuck with you and Itachi then him… Oh, Kami I feel like I'm going to be sick," she said in a very weak voice.

She heard him chuckle at her sickening expression, it annoyed her even more. "If you don't stop I swear you are going to send you flying through this clearing back to the others, if you get my meaning."

Gaara held up his hands in a sign of truths, as he walked towards her once again, "Why are you in such a bad mood? What happened?"

As Gaara and Misaki had their little talk the others had started a fire for something to eat during their break. Ino, Choji, Naruto, Sakura, and Kankuro sat by the fire and chatted about various things, while Shikamaru, Itachi, Sai, Temari, and Kakashi talked about the mission that lay ahead.

Sasuke had stayed where he was gazing off in the direction that Gaara and Misa had went, he knew nothing would happen between to the two, or at least he hoped. Though he had not known Misaki long, he felt that he could trust her and they were becoming fast friends like Naruto and he had when team seven was first formed. Even though there wasn't the rivalry there like there was with him and Naruto, he could tell that the feeling of siblings he had with Naruto was the same with Misa. So, the strong instinct to protect her was there. He kept alert and trying to listen for any tale, tale signs of fighting or anything.

Suddenly there was a deep howl that came from somewhere close, everyone grew silent and alert. A few moments later Gaara and Misa came rushing toward everyone, the frantic look on Misa's face had Sasuke on his feet.

"Everyone but…," Misa stopped and scanned the group and she glanced over at Itachi then over to Kakashi. "Everyone but Kakashi take cover quickly."

"What's going on, Misa?" Sasuke questioned as he stepped toward her.

"No time to explain; just take cover if or when I give the signal you'll know what to do. Now go!"

Quickly everyone except Kakashi and Misa grabbed their things and took cover. She swiftly walked over to her former captain.

"How quickly can you get dressed in civilian clothes?"

"Quickly, I guess if the situation requires me to."

"Trust me, it does." She said as she grabbed her bag and went to a nearby bush, and began stripping off her ninja gear. Not caring if anyone from her unit saw because several of the outfits she had with her showed off her assets. Changing in a shorter boy cut black shorts, an extremely low cut v neck cream skin tight mid drift muscle tee, (a type where the v neck stopped, was where the end of the shirt stopped. Only having a strip of fabric between the valley of her breast and gradually the fabric got wider to cover her breast.) and she pulled black ankle length black skirt that had slits going all the way up to the waist band of the skirt; both the skirt and shorts hung low on her hips. Last slipping on a black pair of opened toed heel sandals that went up to her knees (kinda like what Sakura wears but more hookerish.) Stuffing her gear in her bag and grabbing it rushing out from behind the bushes.

She wanted to stop dead in her tracks as her eyes fell on Kakashi wearing a skin tight black muscle tee that had a mask attached to it, baggy khaki color cargo pants, a simple eye patch covering his sharingan and regular black sandals sitting down with his back leaning against a tree with his trusty novel out. She tossed her bag beside his and walked over to him and sat down in his lap, that startled him.

She winked as a coy playful smile creped on her lips as she leaned down, as she was leaning down she saw his body relax but the look in his opened eye was strained as if he wasn't sure or he was in pain. She leaned down until she felt his warmth of his skin from his cheek touch hers and his breath ghost across the nape of her neck. She wanted to let the pleasurable shiver run through her body, but she restrained from it happening.

"There is a group of men coming this way that might know me and might have some information. So, I need you to act like you want to be here and that you are my guard until I reach my new job in the Land of Moon. I know this is sudden and I'm sorry if I am making you uncomfortable captain." She whispered into his ear.

"You need to stop calling me that when you are nervous, Misaki. Call me by name or by Tenko that is my name for this mission. And…" She felt him move then suddenly felt his hands on her skin at her waist, lifting her up so she could straddle him. He placed her down after she did that though wrapping his arms around her waist pulling her closer so that her chest was crushed against his steel one. Inches from his face, he smiled and leaned into her like she had done to him earlier, mimicking her actions, and continued. "And it's not going to be hard to convince anyone that I am a guard and that I want to be here… Remember I am a student of Jiraiya's teachings…"