AN: Okay, so please read this, I need to explain something real quick. I will be switching back and forth from what happens to Ino and up until Kakashi's Team will reach her. That being said, things may get a bit confusing. In WBC, I have used Italics to show when things are in the past but the way I started off this chapter, I am unable to use Italics because it is Ino recounting all that she had done. So please bear with me, as I switch between scenes. Kakashi's Team is in the present while I am still recounting what has already happened with Ino. As usual, thank you for all the love and reviews. It seems as if I have finally come up with a plot for this story, rather than focusing on just the relationship between Ino and Kakashi. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Happy reading~

Rating: Rated M for Sexual Themes, Violence and Language

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

006 Hide

She recounted all that she had done leading up to this moment. She traced every single step she had taken. She questioned every decision she had made, reviewing them and concluding that she had made her judgement calls properly. However, that wasn't enough. What was she lacking? She ultimately knew that it was her inexperience on the field, but she didn't want to believe it. She had done countless of missions that involved gathering information. She could do this mission in her sleep, everything had been simple and of ease. She knew exactly where to be and the moves that she was supposed to make. Perhaps it had to do with the pressure to do well that was weighing a heavy burden on her shoulders. Perhaps she had been overconfident that she found herself in this position. Perhaps it was because she had found something that she hadn't been expecting. It had thrown her off guard and she didn't know how to recover. This was all a lesson that she was still learning from and trying to understand. This was an experience she had yet to have and now she was analyzing why everything had gone up in flames.

This mission was a failure.

For the majority of her mission, she had traveled at a decent pace, making sure to not expend her energy too much, due to the lengthy distance. It had taken her roughly five days to make it to Shimo. Prior to reaching the white country, she had changed into suitable attire. Her apparel matching the drab scenery, mixing in with the white and grey colors that filled the place. She wore a markless mask, as it was standard attire for those who had yet to join the ranks of Anbu. It did well to keep her inconspicuous within the solemn land. After crossing the border from the Land of Fire, it had taken her another two days to reach her destination due to travel through the Land of Hot Water, Yugakure.

Ino had battled the terrain and weather, seeing it as a way for her to battle the elements while completing a mission. It was a way for her to get used to extreme conditions that she may face while out on her own. She was being cautious with every move that she made. She was being overly aware of everything that surrounded her. Despite this being a simple in and out mission, she still felt uneasy. It wasn't because she was worried about being on her own. She had done her research on the land and the people that inhabited the area. She had learned from Anko it was always best to familiarize oneself with the area before reaching it. During her five day travel, she had studied an in depth map of Shimo, learning about what she may find upon arrival. In the past, the Daimyo resided in the area, however due to the World War, they were evacuated to Konoha for protection.

The Daimyo wanted to move back into the area, now that peace was relevant and they had no need to be protected from possible battle within their lands. However, whatever had been left behind during the last few years had been disturbed. This had caused suspicion to rise in the hearts of the Daimyo, therefore this was the reason for her being called out to investigate the area. It was truly the most simple mission she had ever been assigned but she couldn't shake this feeling of something wrong happening from the corners of her mind. It almost felt like the Daimyo truly had a reason to be uneasy in this place.

She had done well to cover her tracks, using the foliage around her to make a tool to brush the disturbed snow back in its place. She made sure to ease through the thickets without snapping the dead twigs and branches. She tried her best to make sure that nothing was disturbed as she continued to survey the land. The continuous snowfall helped to hide her footprints as she journeyed towards her destination. The silent fall was eerie, further fueling this unsettled feeling within her being. She felt rather embarrassed for being so on edge, she had almost killed an innocent animal that happened to cross her path one day. She rubbed the back of her neck, letting out a shaky laugh when it had happened. The tension that loomed in the air was foreboding, she ultimately knew that something was awry here.

After her two day travel from the border to the village, she was met with the shell of the former village that had been full of life. Everything was dusted with a thick blanket of white, seemingly untouched since the people had left. She glanced around, noting that the only signs of life was her able body. Peering through the sockets of her mask, she noted that not a single soul existed. However, if the Daimyo had noted that there was something here, she would definitely find it. Standing in front of the village, she knelt down to the ground, placing a gloved hand on the solid ground. She expanded her Chakra as far as it could go, stretching and searching for anything that would raise questions. Sweat trickled down the side of her face as she had reached her limits as to how far she could search. Pulling her Chakra back to herself, she let out a heavy breath before standing up.

She progressed further into the ghost village, keeping an eye out for something...anything. There was a dull ring in her ears as she tried to listen carefully. All that could be heard was the snow falling with the slight sound of her even breathing. Once in the centre of the village, she knelt down once more, repeating the process she had done prior to entering the village. Her eyes snapped open as she felt a subtle chakra signature just a few yards away from the position she was in. She immediately made haste, wanting to finish her mission. The air around her felt stifling and the tension was suffocating. Azure hues landed on the building that she had felt the signature from, she deducted that someone had been here at least two weeks ago.

She jiggled the handle to the door, realizing that the handle was frozen solid. A cluck of annoyance left her as she didn't want to barge into the place. Who knew when whoever had left behind that Chakra residue would come back. She circled the building, seeing a window was slightly ajar in the back. Running up the side of the building, she wiggled the window to slide up higher before crawling inside of the place. She could see her breath turn into puffs of white before her. Inside, it felt colder than what it was outside. She silently maneuvered through the house, heading downstairs, tracing where the Chakra signature felt the strongest.

The blonde arrived at a bookcase, looming high above her height. She studied it, inspecting every aspect of the shelves. She even pulled a few of the books back, wondering if there was something hidden within the shelves. She moved to the side, pushing it to the left. There was success as the bookcase moved easily, revealing a hidden entrance. A blast of frigid air caused her to take a step back as she looked down the long and dark corridor. She jumped as torches came to life and she touched her chest briefly. Red flags popped up in the back of her mind and she knew that she had to check out what was down there but she was hesitant.

What if it was a trap?

After gathering a few ounces of courage and determination, she headed down the corridor, knowing that she had a mission to complete. The dim light from the torches did nothing to lessen the uncertainty that she felt. The further she went into the hallway, the more she wanted to turn around and retreat. It had been such a long time since she had last felt her heart beat so erratically within her chest. It had been just a long time since she last felt her mouth run dry in fear. She had to press on, she needed to gather what was happening and return to the Hokage with what she would soon find. The hallway felt endless but she could see a gentle glow coming closer as she rounded the corner.

As the corridor ended, she came to a halt, staring at the scene before her. Icy chilled her bones and her eyes widened in shock and disgust. Quickly she moved forward, her hands reaching up to touch one of the many glass cylinders in the room. She couldn't believe her eyes. Who could have done something like this? She stepped back, stumbling over a silver tray, one that she had seen many times during her shifts at the Hospital. She regained her footing, staring at an arrangement of syringes and other medical tools. She could see files and papers lain astray all across the room, different tools made for surgeries were hanging on the wall and placed before each cylinder. She stepped back glancing around the room as a heat flooded the air, it seemed as if she activated something. The heat allowed for the glass cylinders to defog for better view as to what was inside.

There before her, floating in a saffron colored liquid, were children.

"We'll make it there within a few days. at least three to four days top. Time is of the essence so we won't slow down," Kakashi stated. "We will use my Summons to track her down and should we encounter any enemies, I'm sure you all understand the necessary course of action."

His Team nodded their heads and he motioned for them to follow after him. As much as he hated to admit it, even to himself, he should have expected something like this to happened. Not because he had doubted his pupil, that wasn't the case. The mission had reeked danger all over it since the beginning. Even on his way to give Ino the scroll, there had been this foreboding feeling enveloping the mission scroll. Even though he had placed his trust in his student, there was no way to get rid of the ill feelings he had about her taking this mission. He should have stood his ground more with Tsunade. He should have pressed the issue harder but he hadn't. All because the Hokage had mentioned that his faith wavered within his pupil.

This was his fault.

He had made sure that the blonde was prepared before accepting her first mission because he only wanted to be sure. He only wanted for her to succeed when others doubted her. Even when he had doubted her. Perhaps this wasn't about her capabilities but more of the promises that he had made to himself. His promise to protect her. His promise to guide her. His promise to Asuma. His promise to Sakura. That was what was truly eating away at him. He was unable to keep yet another promise. Another silent vow that he would never allow anyone under his care to be harmed. It was all out of his control. Her mission and her life were not something that he was able to control and it struck a cold fear into his being. One that felt suffocating. This was not a place that he had ever wanted to be in again.

As they breezed through the thick forestry that the woods of Konoha provided, he could feel himself sink down to a familiar place. He thought that he had long ago shed those worries and doubts about himself. But here they were, smiling at him like an old friend. He swallowed the saliva that pooled in his mouth, allowing his dry throat some sort of relief. There was panic and chaos in his mind. Dark thoughts of losing someone else in his life haunted him. plagued him. Every step he took, every leap he made felt heavy. He felt sluggish. His heart beat erratically within its cage, the fear of not making it on time pushed him further. He could still recall the day that Rin had been kidnapped. He could still remember the way he had felt that day.

Hopeless.

If he closed his eyes now, he could still recount every detail down to the wire. He could tell anyone the exact plan that he had formed with his Summons. He could still remember finding his teammate bound to that pole. He could remember the adrenaline rushing through his veins as they made their escape. The Heavens help him if Ino were to be captured. The increasing fear that was building up inside of him would swallow him whole. He wasn't sure if he would be able to handle another incident like that again. He could still hear her voice his head, telling him to end her life. He could still see the look of pain and shock on her face after she had placed herself within range of his Chidori. He could still feel the warmth leaving her body around his arm.

He remembered everything about that day. It was what had kept his resolve strong for all these years. It was what had made him teach his Genin Team the way he had. It was because of that incident that he had wanted show the younger generation the importance of bonds and friendships. Because those were things that he had been unable to keep in his youth. At least, that was what he had thought until the War. The War had changed him, for the better or so he had hoped. He had thought that by talking with Obito and Rin that he would be able to move forward in his life. He thought that he was long over those endless nights of the past tormenting him. He thought he was long over those days where he emulated Obito in everything that he had ever done. He thought that he had received closure.

So why was it that the past was flooding into his mind now?

They had advanced a little more than halfway to their destination by nightfall when Kakashi ordered for them to rest for the night. Setting up a makeshift campfire, the area was filled with silence as the sounds of nature created a noise in the background for them. Sakura and Naruto had gathered an adequate amount of food and water to replenish their systems. He was sure to keep an eye out on the perimeter, calling for Pakkun to scout a few miles ahead of them before they rested.

"I'll keep watch for the night," Kakashi stated after Pakkun had returned giving him a notification that were still in the clear. "I need to two of you to be well rested on this journey."

The pink haired Medic look at the Captain before glancing over at her long time friend. They both shared a looked and a gentle nod. Kakashi prepared himself for the words that were going to leave the Medic's mouth. "Hey, Kakashi," she started off gently, a look of uncertainty filling her eyes. "I know that you want to rescue Ino as soon as possible but maybe it would be a good idea if you rested tonight…"

"Yeah, the way you were moving today...you should be more exhausted than us," Naruto interjected, rubbing beneath his nose slightly.

A gentle sigh left him and he shook his head. "As much as I appreciate the concern, it isn't needed. Do as I say, the both of you," he said in a cool manner, his tone leaving no room for arguments.

It seemed to work on his former students as they deflated after his denial. A slight pout came to the blonde's face as he began to poke at the fire with a stick. Sakura had pulled her knees to her chest, watching the flames in a disinterested manner. He knew that they were worried about him but it didn't matter, not when there was someone's life on the line. He knew that Sakura was probably far more worried than he should be. He knew that the Yamanaka Heiress had affected the lives of everyone on this mission. He knew that he shouldn't be so fully engrossed with his building despair and hopelessness because he had no right. He had barely known the blonde that long and he was already crumbling before his peers and students.

Why did he care so much?

Maybe it wasn't because he truly cared about the blonde but more of the fact that he cared about the vows that he made to himself. He cared about the promises that would snap into pieces should he not fulfill them. He didn't want to let down anyone else in his life. He had started a new point in his life, he had shed those broken promises. He didn't want to make anymore, that was why he cared so much. Even then, he knew better than to think like that. He knew that it truly wasn't his sole reason as to why he so desperately wanted to find the Yamanaka Heiress. He was ashamed of himself, for thinking such things, as if she were not worth the time to care about. He sighed a bit, rubbing the back of his neck. He glanced up at the sky, gazing at the stars above them.

He could remember their conversations that they had at the Training Grounds. More and more, he found out about the blonde. The more that she opened it up to him, the more he found his care for her growing. She had this determination to succeed, to test everything that was lain before her that he admired. He had grown fond of the idle chat that they would have after their training. He had grown fond of the way she seeme dto light up, talking about the people that she cared for deeply. He was amused whenever she would talk about how cruel Anko was to her. He was overall, enchanted by her presence. She was so full of life that it was blinding at times, even her smiles, he had to look away from. She was certainly like Naruto, in his opinion. Both blondes were so full of energy and determination that he couldn't stop himself from wanting them to become more.

So, he pushed her over her limitations daily. He wanted what only a teacher wanted from their student. He wanted her to succeed. He wanted her to grasp life by the horns and conquer all the obstacles in her way. Yet, he wanted none of that form her as well. There was a feeling of protectiveness that overwhelmed him at times, perhaps it had something to do with the innocence that seemed to be fading from her. He could that pure light slowly fade from her eyes, the more she went through with training under him and Anko. He could see the bitterness behind her smile whenever she spoke of her training with Ibiki. He wanted to preserve all that she encompassed, the light that seemed to favor her, but he knew that was out of his control.

She was out of his control.

She stumbled back as the small bodies began to appear around the room, the look of horror never leaving her face. How was she supposed to handle this situation? How was she supposed to figure out what to do? No one had told her how to deal with a situation like this. She breathed heavily trying to look around for something. Anything! She had to save the children! She had to...She had to…She quickly searched her mind for the proper answer. She knew that she needed to leave here as soon as possible in order to tell the Hokage. She knew what she really needed to do and yet...she couldn't leave them here. They...they were just children. Shaking her head, she knew that once she was able to return to the village, she would have to come back. There was no way that she would be able to cope with leaving them behind. Taking in a deep breath, she forced herself to become calm and collected. This was no time to fall apart. Her mission was done now. She would go back to Konoha without any form of confrontation.

As soon as that thought filled her mind, she felt something stir within the air. There were footsteps approaching her, she could barely sense it, but someone was coming closer. She cursed the moment when her guard had faltered for not being aware that she had company.

"Oui, Touzen, are you back now?"

She froze as a voice came from the hallway she had come down from, this was not the situation that she wanted to be in. Teal eyes darted around the room as she searched for an escape route. Damnit, she should have done that after entering the room! She quickly ran to the far end of the room, ducking down behind one of the cylinders. The footsteps were steadily getting closer and she began to recite a mantra in her mind, in order to calm herself down.

"You know, the guys were getting worried after to left but they'll be happy to know-" The voice had entered the room. "Eh, Touzen?"

This was bad. She had made an error. How could she have not suspected this to alert other people? She should have thought this through more, she should have made a plan prior to entering the building. But no one had been here! She hadn't caught another person's Chakra in the village, she had been so sure that this place was abandoned. How wrong she was. She leaned forward, trying to get a look at the person who had entered the room. She slowly began to extend her Chakra out in order to location whoever had joined her. She had been listening for any sound of movement. She had no idea what she was up against, it was better that she was prepared to fight.

"My, my what do we have here? You're not Touzen at all."

Glancing up and to the right, she immediately jumped back. Her hand gripped the hilt of her Tanto blade and a frown was placed on her lips. How could he have gotten past her? How could she not have sensed him? She let out a cluck of her tongue, knowing that she was now in a difficult situation but at least she had a face for the person. He stood at least a head taller than she, bright yellow eyes gleaming at her with amusement. Navy blue locks fell down to his chin, the rest was pulled back into a low ponytail and there was a scar just beneath his left eye. His skin was a tan complexion and he wore what seemed to be like shinobi garb, with a few plates of armor. She couldn't tell what village he hailed from but that didn't matter, if she could escape then surely she would be able to uncover his identity when she was back in the safety of Konoha.

What she did know was that he was strong, far stronger than she was. Sweat rolled down the side of her face as they continued to stare at one another. The air around him was dark, instilling a feeling of dread within her chest. She needed to leave. There was no way that she would be able to fight him alone. She glanced to the side, looking at the only exit of the room. She only needed a few seconds of distraction for her to get out of here. If she couldn't rely on her strength then she could rely on her speed.

"Tell me, what are you doing here." The man called out to her, slowly making his way towards her.

She felt every muscle in her body tense, screaming that she should hurry up and leave. His presence was filling the room, trying to overpower her. She knew that he didn't know who she was, she knew that she had the upper hand now that she knew his features. Gripping the blade of her sword tighter, she slowly began to inch away from him. She felt a shiver roll down her spine as his eyes lit up in delight.

"Aw, not one for talking? Can't we just have a friendly conversation," he asked, his hand reaching into his pockets. Her eyes followed his every movement, unsure what his capabilities were. She took in a slow breath as she watched him pull on what seemed to be metal shackles on his hands and wrists. He flexed the items briefly before locking his gaze on her. "I can tell by your stature that you're a woman," he stated, a cruel grin slowly causing his lips to spread. "Do you know how much I adore women?"

She immediately let go of her blade and infused Chakra into her fist, slamming it into the cylinder beside her. It cracked under the pressure, steam rising out of the glass before exploding. The man stilled watching in horror as the cylinder burst and he recoiled, not wanting to be touched by the liquid. She had made her escape immediately, running out of the room and back into the dark corridor. His booming laughter followed after her, causing her to increase her speed.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

The ground and walls around her began to tremble as she continued on with her escape. Her legs took her away from the area as fast as she was capable. She began to grow impatient at how long the corridor was. She had been running in the darkness for at least two minutes now, which was far too long for her standards. She took the time to look back, only to see a bright light advancing at her at a terrifying pace. The ground and walls began to crumble and crack around her, she had to dodge a few pieces of the ceiling. She stumbled slightly, as the light of the upper ground came into her view but even if she escaped, was there more of them? For some reason, she was unable to sense the enemy until they were too close. She did not do well with close combat, despite all the training she had done with Anko and Kakashi. She bit her lower lip, trying to formulate a plan. There was a familiar chirp that caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand up. There was a familiar heat that tickled her back.

This wasn't good.

As she had made it through threshold of the door, lightning ignited the area, causing the earth made entrance to crumble and burst around her. She left out a grunt as she flew into the wall across the doorway, a gasp of pain leaving her. She quickly pulled herself up off the floor as a foot came through the debris and dust. Shaking her head, she tried to rid the dull ringing in her ears. Her eyes widened as she jumped away from the place she had landed in, dodging a cackling fist that landed in the wall. Yellow eyes locked on her in a wild trance and she scrambled to gain her bearings once more. Her foot kicked open the door as she ran out into the empty streets, rolling onto the ground as some debris was thrown after her.

Her hands flew through a few seals before she slammed them into the ground, a hawk appeared above her head before it went flying off in the direction of Konoha. She willed it to make it there in time as she slowly stood up, she glanced over her shoulder, her enemy already in view. She had sent the messenger bird as soon as possible, hopefully she would receive aid within the next day or so. She only needed to make sure she survived until that time. She glanced around, looking at the barren forest that was a few yards away, she would have better luck there. She began to move into the cover of the foliage, knowing that she would have to do her best to hide for as long as possible.

There was no way she was going down without a fight.

It was strange. He was being strange. She was sure that Naruto felt the same way, after all this wasn't how he normally acted. After the countless of missions that she had been on with him during her younger years, she had never seen Kakashi like this. She had never seen this side of her former teacher. It wasn't like he was doing anything rash or reckless. It was more of how he was carrying himself. His mannerism were different than what she was used to. The way he stood was not as relaxed at it usually was. Despite the severity of any mission, Kakashi had always remained calm. Despite knowing what was on the line, Kakashi never seemed to lose control of himself. But from what she was seeing, he was on the verge of falling.

There was a heavy air clinging to him like a second skin. There was this dark look in his eye, one that she had only seen long ago, when he had fought against Zabuza. It was almost as if he was not entirely here with them. His body was here, physically but mentally he was in another place. She wanted to ask him if he was all right. She wanted to console him in some way but she knew that she didn't have the right words to soothe him. Despite being on a Team with him for many years, she still had no idea how to approach her former teacher. She still didn't understand him properly, even though he could read her like the back of his hand. To be honest, she felt it unfair that he had that advantage over her but that just went to show how mature his skill levels were. She felt a bit useless, like she wouldn't be able to do anything for her former teacher, whom she cared deeply for. She felt that the only thing that would be able to soothe him was the face of his new pupil.

Ino.

A frown touched her lips, thinking about her best friend. There had been a point where they were torn between friendship and a boy. No, Sakura knew that she had been the one at fault for the distance she had created between them all those years ago. She hadn't seen that Ino was only trying to help her grow out of the shell she had placed herself in. She hadn't seen the look of hurt that crossed the blonde's face when she declared them rivals. She hadn't seen the bitter grin that touched Ino's lips as she took off her red ribbon, giving it back to the blonde. She hadn't seen any of that because she thought that a boy was more important. She had disregarded all the things that Ino had done for her in the past, only to realize that latter, she had broken the girl's heart that day.

As the years passed, she had no idea how to mend the wounds that she had created. She had no idea how to heal the hurt soul that was within Ino. So, she had tried everything in her power to show the blonde that she was sorry. She gave her gifts from time to time. She spent countless of hours giggling and laughing on the floor with the blonde. All to apologize to her. All in hopes that she would be forgiven one day. Still, the words could never form on her tongue and leave her mouth. Why? Because she was afraid of rejection. She was afraid that the blonde would hold a grudge against her for the rest of their lives. But, she hadn't. She had opened her heart back up to her and Sakura could not describe the waves of gratitude and relief that washed over her.

Ino had been the first one to bring up the topic of the past, stating that it was only holding them back in their friendship. It was constantly looming in the air, every move that Sakura made was unnatural. It eventually had begun to grate the nerves of the blonde. Sakura had been surprised when Ino had stated all those things. She hadn't realized that she was acting in such a manner. She hadn't realized that the blonde could easily read her emotions. She supposed it was the innate ability that all Yamanaka had that allowed the blonde to be in tune with the people surrounding her. She had apologized for being so obvious in her ways. Those apologies soon ran on into other apologies, falling from her lips like river of words. She couldn't stop the words leaving her mouth. She couldn't stop the tears that filled her eyes and fell down her cheeks.

There had been a laugh that left the blonde, one that stung her slightly. She had flinched away from the sound, knowing that this was the time that Ino would exact her revenge. But that never happened. Instead, the Medic had been pulled into the bosom of her best friend, strong arms wrapping around her and a hand rubbing her head gently. When she looked up at the blonde, she was graced by the most beautiful smile that she had ever seen. Perhaps it had something to do with the sun shining down upon her flaxen looks, making a halo of gold appear above her. Maybe it had something to with the deep turquoise color of her eyes, shimmering like waves, as emotions filled those watery hues. Perhaps it was the sheer amount of adoration that emitted from her, as she held Sakura close to her. Sakura could never be sure, but what she did know, was that the blonde had yet again changed her life.

"Took you long enough, Forehead."

How could Ino forgive her so easily, Sakura would never understand. There was still lingering doubt that she had yet to be fully forgiven but she knew that it would only further anger and hurt the blonde if she said that to her. So she kept those thoughts of self doubt to herself and continued on, forming a new and stronger bond with the blonde. They had become inseparable once more and the Medic felt like things were beginning to look up once more. Ino gave her confidence and strength, as she had always done in the past. Sakura never knew how much the blonde affected her life until now. She never realized that the blonde was the reason why she wanted to be strong. All along, she had been chasing after the backs of Naruto and Sasuke, thinking that she would never amount to their strength. In reality, she had always had Ino cheering her own. She always had someone in her corner, even she was plagued with doubt and pity.

Ino had always been there.

Now, in this moment, Ino was in danger and Sakura couldn't begin to cope with the feelings of fear and panic that gripped her chest tightly. It almost felt like she was unable to breath, just thinking about the fact that her friend was no longer alive. No, she knew better than to think like that. If anything, Ino would survive and they would find her. It would be only a matter of hours that they would reach the area from which the distress call had been sent from. She popped a Stamina pill into her mouth, feeling the increasing urge to make it on time fill her being. She felt her hands curl into fists, knowing that the worst possible outcome could happen. There was no way that she was prepared for such a thing to happen.

Her eyes glanced over to the blonde male beside her, he had been abnormally quiet this entire journey. When the mention of Ino had been brought up, she had seen all the color fade from his face. Then again, she was sure that she had had the same reaction. It was no secret that the two loud mouth blondes had found a strange friendship form between them. It also had helped that Ino was friends with the Hyuuga Heiress and she had helped the two of them form a romantic relationship. Sakura was sure that in Naruto's eyes, he owed a lot of his newfound happiness to the Yamanaka Heiress. It was funny, the way that Ino was connected to everyone. She was always so busy that it seemed like she had little to no time for anything else. But she had always found a way to help out others or be involved in the local Konoha Gossip Group. She was a social butterfly by nature and it was proven now, how easily she could affect someone's life. Ino was the kind of woman who disregarded herself and helped others. She helped bring people together, if they lost that then…

Shaking her head, she kept her mind away from those thoughts, her verdant hues looking back at the back of their Captain. Still, he was being strange. She had never known that Ino had affected her former teacher to get such a reaction from him. He hadn't been late, as he usually would have been, given any type of mission. When he had entered the Hokage's Office, he had been silent as usual, taking the orders that were given to him. He spoke to them in a the usual manner, giving them their different set of tasks and afterwards he had remained silent. He was still the Kakashi that they all knew and respected. But the way he stared off into the distance. The way his jaw clenched as he thought to himself. It was not like the Kakashi that she had learned from. This Kakashi was far different. He usually tried to lighten the mood by telling some sort of joke or a story that would ease their increasing fears. He had done none of that and that caused her to worry. She wanted to tell him that things would be alright, but even then she wondered if her words would reach him.

Licking her lips, she decided that she would say something, but he cut her off immediately as his hand raised and the Team came to a halt. She blinked looking around, seeing that they were at the border between The Land of Hot Water and Shimo. She could definitely feel a change in the wind, a slight shiver rolled down her spine. A heavy breath left the silver haired Jounin as he turned to look at them. His dark eye regarding them in nothing but professionalism.

"We'll change here and continue on. I want her found in the matter of a few hours," he stated as he began to pull out clothing to help battle the cold terrain they were about to enter. In the distance, he could see the trees being covered in snow, the wind blowing in their direction foreshadowed the frigid temperatures. He could only hope that they would make it in time. He could only hope that he would not let down another person in his life.

They would find her.

AN: Cliffhanger alert….again! Here are some questions that may come up that will be answered. Why did it take Ino roughly a week to reached her destination while it took the others a few days? Well the way I see it, Ino was given an allotted time to complete her mission, it was not urgent. Therefore this gave her time to learn the land and also, it gave her time to search all the areas to make sure nothing was there. After all, this is her mission to join Anbu, so the Hokage gave her time to complete the mission accordingly. It gave her time to prepare herself and plan out how she was going to do things. Now as for Kakashi and his Team, they have a sense of urgency to retrieve her because she may be alive or dead. I looked at the Naruto World Map, and I tried my best to make the travel realistic in a sense. Also this was becoming a really long chapter, so I decided to end it here. Thank you all for reading and I hope you look forward to the next update. If any other questions arise, I will be happy to answer them. Until next time and thanks for reading! -Tinyraver