A/N: Hello again everyone! So what's up with Anko? Let's get her to the expert to find out. Also, who is Anko's new admirer? You're about to find out! So without further adieu, let's get started. Enjoy!

Before they knew it, they were at the fifth Hokage's offices. Usually, Genma and Shizune were parked outside the doors, but neither was there at the moment. Genma was out helping rebuild – they'd seen him just slightly before. Shizune – they didn't know where she was, just that she was recovering from her injuries.

Anko knocked on the door to Tsunade's office. She turned to Kakashi when no-one bellowed for them to enter. She knocked again, louder and heard a, "Yes? Who is it?" come from inside.

Anko said, "That sounds like Shizune!"

Kakashi said loudly, "Shizune, is it you?"

Neither heard footsteps come to the door, yet it opened to reveal a smiling Shizune. She grinned like a happy child at them and threw herself on Anko. "I'm so glad to see you Anko! And you too Kakashi!" She withdrew from a slightly stunned Anko and wrapped herself around Kakashi. She soon let him go and asked, "So what's it feel like to finally be married?"

Anko and Kakashi looked at each other. Anko said, "It's pretty much the same – only better. Kakashi gave her a wink and nodded in agreement.

Anko put her hands on her lower back and stretched. She bent at the waist trying to loosen up the tight muscles that were giving her pain. When she looked down, she was surprised to see Tonton sniffing her shoe.

Anko said, "What's she doing?" while she pointed to the little pig.

Shizune said, "She's got a very sensitive nose – she must smell something she likes."

Anko looked at Kakashi and said, "I didn't step in anything did I?"

Kakashi said, "Could have – I knew I should have carried you."

Anko looked down again and saw that Tonton had taken a seat at her foot and was looking up at her. She swore the little pig was smiling at her.

Shizune said, "She likes you."

Kakashi said, "Naw, you probably just stepped in something."

Anko said, "Hey! I'm likeable!"

Kakashi got a little closer to her and said, "I know."

Tonton gave a snort in Kakashi's direction as he got closer to Anko.

Anko said, "That's right Tonton, you tell him. Us girls gotta stick together." She reached down and patted the little pig on the head. Tonton leaned into her hand and Anko could swear again, the little pig was smiling.

Kakashi broke up the piggy love fest by asking, "Shizune is Tsunade around?"

Shizune said, "Yes she is. She and Jiraiya and a team of medical ninja specialists are doing a ton of research and studying. They have a lot of analyzing to do."

Kakashi said, "Oh what, the remains of the blue gold abominations Orochimaru summoned?"

Anko visibly shuddered, not only at the mention of Orochimaru, but the blue fire breathing snakes she had the unfortunate task of tangling with during the invasion. She patted Tonton again and soon felt less anxious. She thought Pets really do calm people. Maybe I could get a pet. Like a cat, or no, wait, a tiger. Yeah . . .

Shizune said, "No, they're not studying the snakes Orochimaru had summoned," she paused, "they're studying Orochimaru himself."

Kakashi thought so that's where they took his remains. They're trying to learn his secrets. Kakashi noticed Anko then. She stood there next to him, with a pained look on her face. The mention of her former sensei's name and the fact that his remains remained close obviously troubled her.

Kakashi said, "Hey, maybe we should come back later – maybe when Tsunade's finished with him and done with her research."

Anko's face hardened suddenly. She said, "No. It'll be fine. I'm fine. I need to see Tsunade anyway. I want to see her now even if he, or part of him, is there. Let's go. Bye Shizune." She then reached down and scratched Tonton the way that drove Pakkun crazy. The little pig seemed to smile wider as she pushed the side/back of her head against Anko's hand.

Soon she stood, holding her lower back as she did. Kakashi asked, "You sure about this?" as they left Shizune and Tonton behind.

Anko turned to her husband and game him a look. He recognized it immediately. It was a look of unshakable determination. Nothing would sway her, nothing would stop her. The corpse of her former sensei meant nothing to her. She said nothing to Kakashi, but instead, walked slowly in the direction of the medical floor where Tsunade and Shizune often worked. Those rooms were the same ones where Sakura was trained. As she walked slowly, a smirk started to narrow her eyes and turn up the corners of her mouth slightly.

Kakashi said, "What are you thinking?"

Anko turned to him and he saw the full effect of her face. His heart almost stopped as he gazed at her – noting how incredibly beautiful she was when she was fiercely angry.

Anko smiled at him slowly, her eyes closing slightly as she said, "I can't WAIT to see that fucking bastard dead again." And without another word, she walked down the hall to see her dead former sensei, while leading her breathless husband behind her.

The medical experimental training rooms were in a restricted area of the academy. Shinobi were permitted there if there was reason for them to be there, but it was off limits to the public. Too many secretive things went on, too many experiments that could harm someone if they didn't know what they were doing.

Anko and Kakashi approached the double doors leading to the medical wing when Anko once again paused to stretch her back. She said, "I hope Sakura's here if Tsunade is busy. I need her to help me loosen these muscles up."

Kakashi instinctively went to her and squeezed her lower back with his right hand, causing a large sigh to escape his wife's lips. "You know just what to do."

"I try. Let's find our Hokage." The two talked through the double doors, Kakashi's hand still protectively on Anko's lower back.

The corridor they traveled seemed endless. Rooms lined the long brightly lit hallway. Some rooms had wide windows, revealing people in white coats looking into microscopes and experimenting with beakers and chemicals. Some rooms had doors that were marked "No Admittance." The two shinobi continued to walk the hallway, looking in windows, trying to find Tsunade or Sakura.

At the end of the hall, two medical personnel came into view. They had come from a room there, and were holding clip boards. Anko called out, "Excuse me? Hey you two! Can you tell us where Tsunade or Sakura are?"

The two men turned to Anko and Kakashi then one said, "Lady Tsunade is behind closed doors with Sakura, Hanami and Harumi.

Kakashi said, "Is there any way you can get a message to her?"

One of the men said, "Come with us. We'll show you where they are. I'll let her know you're here."

Anko and Kakashi followed the two men who led them to a large door with the word "Restricted" across the top. "Wait here," one of the men said, as the other stayed there with them.

Anko took a chance and said, "Sooo, what are you and your friend working on?"

The man that stayed with them said, "We're looking at and comparing some cell samples. They're strangely mutated cells. We're trying to find a pattern to them, but we haven't found one yet."

Anko said, "How many people did you take samples from?"

"Just one."

Kakashi said, "You mean to tell me that cell samples you are researching all came from one person, yet they're not the same cells?"

"That's it," the man said. "It's as if more than one person was in the body."

Kakashi said, "How many so-called bodies, if that were the case, are we talking about?"

The man said, "We've identified five so far – there may be more."

Kakashi said, "Like a human chimera?"

"Yes. Similar to that."

Anko and Kakashi didn't have a chance to contemplate this any further, as the restricted doors opened and the man who had gone inside them emerged. He said, "Lady Tsunade requests that you follow me."

Kakashi stepped back and said, "After you."

Anko took a deep breath and gave her husband a slight glance. As she looked at his cool resolve, she smiled slightly at him, faced forward and walked through the door.

The room they passed through was dimly lit. More like "softly" lit. It was the type of lighting that would give a surgeons' eyes a rest after spending many hours in a brilliantly lit surgical suite. The two men motioned for them to sit in a small waiting area. Then one said, "Lady Tsunade will be out to get you shortly." Then both turned and left them, going back the way they'd come.

Anko looked around the room and said, "It looks like this is the place they break the news to you."

"It does look like a bad news room doesn't it?" Kakashi answered.

"Suddenly I'm regretting coming here."

"Because of Orochimaru?"

"No, I'm just getting a bad feeling in general."

Kakashi protectively put his arm around Anko's shoulders and pulled her against him. "We can still leave," he said as he kissed the top of her head.

"No, Tsunade knows we're here. She'll be pissed if she comes out to find us gone. We've already interrupted whatever she's doing – we'd better stay put."

"Ok, but if you want to leave, all you have to do is say the word."

"It feels good to sit."

"I still think you should have stayed at home with me and rested." He gave her a little tighter squeeze for emphasis.

She leaned into him and said, "I'm fine – you have to stop treating me like a child!"

"Maybe someday I will."

Before Anko could say something in protest, another door opened and Tsunade strode in. She looked a bit haggard as she pulled a white surgical cap off her head. "I didn't expect to see you two for another couple of days. I thought I ordered bed rest for you Anko?"

"That's what I told her Hokage-sama," Kakashi said.

Tsunade said, "At least tell me you didn't attempt any honeymoon activities . . ."

Both Anko and Kakashi tried to look inconspicuous as Kakashi removed his arm from Anko's shoulders. He stared at the floor while Anko picked at one of her fingernails.

"DAMN IT ANKO! Are you purposely trying to un-do all the healing that Sakura and I have done for you?"

Anko looked at her sheepishly and said, "No. Sorry."

Tsunade's face betrayed her tired anger as she said, "I need you at 100% Anko. We have things coming up, things going on now that must be dealt with and I can't afford having you out of the game any longer than is absolutely necessary."

Anko said, "Yes Tsunade-sama. Before you go on, may I ask a question?"

"Make it quick. I've got to get back to work."

Anko cleared her throat then said, "One of the researchers that brought us back here told us that they were working on cell studies. That they were working with cell samples from one individual, but the cells don't match each other. Are the samples from someone who was with Orochimaru? Was it Kimimaro?"

"No, Anko. The cell samples are from Orochimaru himself."

Anko immediately knew where Orochimaru's body had disappeared to. He who conducted so many experiments on innocent and mostly unwilling people was now being experimented on himself.

Anko said, "They found five different cell types?"

Tsunade said, "They are probably assimilated from the different bodies he, shall I say, 'occupied,' in his efforts to guarantee his immortality."

Kakashi spoke up, "In the end, that didn't work did it."

Tsunade was silent.

Anko said, "He's right, right? It DIDN'T work!" She began to panic. "Tsunade-sama, tell me he's not alive!"

Tsunade looked at the floor and sighed heavily. She looked up at Anko and said, "You'd both better come with me."

A/N: Mwoo-ha-ha-ha-haaaaa!!! EVIL! What have I done you say? Well, I will repeat myself and say this, "When I kill someone in a story - THEY STAY DEAD." Confused? You won't be. And how'd you like Anko's new admirer? Tonton! Cute huh? More to come!

Next up: Tsunade shares some interesting and terrifying information about Orochimaru, and Anko's long dormant curse seal begins to show signs of life! And I'll leave you again with just a minor cliffy. See you soon!