"Come in." The three man team entered the Hokage's office. "And?" Tsunade looked at them, not sure what to feel. Had they found something or had Anko vanished.

"Nothing," said Shino. "We searched the area from the lake back to where Kiba lost her scent. It's as Kakashi said, all traces of her vanish."

Tsunade frowned. "Well, this can't be good. One of or special jonins just vanishes."

"Um Tsunade-sama?" Hinata stepped forward half a step.

"Yes Hinata?" Tsunade looked at her.

"Um, well… When Shino and Kiba were searching, I found something with my Byakugan. There were trace amounts of chakara, barley visible even with my Byakugan. They were around the area where Anko-sensei last stood."

Tsunade frowned. This could be a problem. "Did they lead anywhere?"

Hinata shook her head. "They were just around the area where she stood."

"I see." This gave Tsunade something to think over.

"Hokage-sama." Shino spoke, breaking the silence.

"Yes? Oh sorry. You three may leave. Good work."

The three young ninjas left their Hokage in a now silent room. In her mind, Tsunade was turning over these new developments. It would seem Anko knew she would disappear, but why would she let it happen. Or maybe it was just a coincidence that she had asked Kakashi what he would do if she vanished, but Tsunade knew better. Anko was gone, more of the Fourth's secrets had been revealed, and Kakashi Hatake... just how powerful was he?

He was in a field lit by the dying amber light of the sun. Then he saw her, Anko! She was alive, she was here. He ran towards her. "Anko!" he called out with joy.

Slowly, she turned towards him. He stopped a few feet from her. "Anko, what's wrong?" She looked at him, her eyes sad and pained. "Anko."

"You didn't." Her voice was soft and broken. "You didn't find me."

"Anko… you're right in front of me." Kakashi reached out to take her hand, but she drew away."

"Am I Kakashi?" her voice got a bit louder. Then she screamed with pain, fury, and her broken heart. "AM I REALLY!?"

He took a step towards her. "Anko, you are. Let me prove it." He reached a hand up to stroke her cheek. She shivered as his hand went right through her. His eyes widened in shock, what the hell was going on. "What's happening?"

She looked up into his eyes. "You didn't find me." Her voice was void of all emotion now.

"You haven't even been gone a day though." Kakashi was baffled; this wasn't the Anko he knew.

"Don't you understand?" A tear rolled down her cheek.

"Understand what Anko?"

She raised her hand and slapped him, well she tried to but like before her hand went strait through him, sending shivers through his body. "I'M DEAD KAKASHI, DEAD!"

He sank to his knees. "No." His voice was hoarse and barley audible. "You can't be."

She turned her back on him. "Goodbye Kakashi." She started walking away.

"No! Anko wait!" He tried to stand, but his knees wouldn't lift from the ground. "Don't go!" He reached forward and tried to grab her arm. It didn't do any good. She was to far away. "ANKO!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Goodbye…" her voice faded off as the last rays of sunlight danced across her body. As the sun vanished below the horizon, Anko turned and looked back at Kakashi with her tear stained face. "You didn't find me…" She was fading. The last thing Kakashi saw were her eyes, sad and broken. Then she was gone.

He stared at the spot where Anko had been. "I…. I failed."

Anko came around slowly. The first thing her mind registered was that her wrists were chained to the floor on either side of her, preventing her from doing anything except sitting there with her back against the cold stone wall. Slowly her other senses came around and she opened her eyes. A whole lot of good that did her, it was dark and the only light filtered through small cracks in the wall opposite of where her back was.

Though not much light filtered through, it was enough to illuminate her surroundings to a small degree. She looked around. She was in a cell about six feet by six feet and built into solid rock. The door was solid steel.

So much for an escape, she thought. Even if my hands were free, I'd never be able to get threw that door and who knows what enemies are waiting on the other side.

She drew her knees close and rested her head on them, the tears flowing freely. Kakashi… I can't believe it. In the end, I never did tell you how much you mean to me.

The sound of metal sliding caused Anko to jerk her head up. A small part of the door had slid aside and a man peered in. "Sir, the prisoner is awake," they said to some man Anko couldn't see.

"Open the door." Wait... Anko knew that voice. So he was behind this. Somehow, it didn't surprise her.

The man entered the room, a satisfied smirk on his face. "Hello Anko."

Anko's faced darkened to a scowl and she was filled with a deep hatred.

Kakashi woke with a start, nearly falling off the couch. His dream had been so vivid, so real, that it hurt him even now that he was awake. He was more confused than ever. Was his dream telling him Anko was dead? Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he would never believe it unless he saw her body with his own two eyes; he stood up with a sigh. Never before in his life had he felt so conflicted, not even when Rin had been captured.

He wanted to live up to his sensei's wishes and honor him after his sacrifice to protect the village. He wanted to protect those he cared about. He wanted to live up to his father's sacrifice that had cost him his honor and his life. But… how could he? Anko had vanished. He failed to protect her and now he was unable to search, to look, to do something.

With a heavy sigh, he stood up. His family's scroll stood on the table. He strapped it over his back, grabbed his father's sword, and left his family's house. As he walked down the streets of Konoha, people eyed him strangely. To them the quiet, laid back copy ninja looked different. He walked through the streets with a purpose.

At the training grounds, he chose a large clearing isolated from the rest. Opening the scroll, he began training. It never mattered how tired he got, it never mattered how much chakara he was using, he just had to keep training, train and forget.

Three hours later, Kurenai and Asuma found him there practicing and releasing obscene amounts of chakara. The trees around him were scarred and broken and the grass was burned in vivid black streaks. Kakashi was cover and soot. He hurled another bolt of lightning and this time a tree exploded. His face lit up with grim satisfaction. "Finally got that move down."

"Kakashi!" Kurenai called out in alarm. "What are you doing?" She looked at him with concerned eyes.

He turned around to face them. "What does it look like? I'm training."

Asuma gestured to the charred and smoking trees. "This is training?" Kakashi nodded.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready? We have to go after Anko!" Kurenai felt a strong urge to slap the man.

Kakashi turned his back to them. "There's no trace of her, nothing. We have no leads, no evidence, no where to go from here."

"Why is that stopping you?" Tears were leaking from her eyes. "You've never given up before!"

Kakashi ran through hand signs, unleashing a powerful sphere of lightning chakara that he hurled strait through a boulder and then gorged a deep crater in the ground behind it. "There's nothing I can do. We have nothing to go on. I am forbidden to leave this village. I will obey my Hokage."

Kurenai and Asuma were blown away by the shear power of the attack. Asuma frowned. "Why are you forbidden to leave the village?"

Kakashi let out a breath he'd been holding since his power returned. "I am needed here. I must obey my former sensei. I shall not disappoint him again."

Seeing as they were getting no where, Asuma led Kurenai away. Neither of them, not even Kurenai with her sharp eyes, could see that the man was truly desperate. He wanted to find Anko, he wanted to find her, hold her close, and kiss her until air itself seemed insignificant. He wanted to, but could not. He'd lost his chance to be with her long ago, when she had lost herself, her memories, and her soul to Orochimaru's poison.

A/N: I'm sorry it took so long to update. School is starting for me in like a week and I was working on my summer reading. That and starting with my class we need to write a reflective essay on our community service. I mean seriously! Anyways I'll try to update again as soon as possible. And just who is keeping Anko hostage.

Please review. If you don't, it makes me sad. Well not really, but reviews help motivate me to write more! Be sure to include who you think Anko's captor is!
Constructive Criticism is very welcome.
Please no flaming. If you have the time to insult my writing, then you have time to go write something better. So :P