Hey, wow, it has been a crazy two weeks! So much has been going on and I have had little or no time to do this fic but I figured I owed you guys an update. So Happy Holidays.Anywayz, hope you like this chapter.I'm trying to make them longer as I progress but as usual, time is an issue.

Chapter 6 : Compromise and uncomfortable situations

"Kakashi! Someone was here!" Nemiki screamed as she ran into Kakashi's tent that currently held both him and Anko. Both shinobi jumped up and pulled out their kunai and shruiken that they kept under their covers as they were trained to do. Nemiki ran to Kakashi and started to cry and shake. He hid his annoyance at her weakness and reminded himself that not all women were as strong minded and dependable as those in his village.He also reminded himself that Nemiki was NOT a ninja and just a common village woman who got caught up in something way to big for her to handle.So with all this in mind he wrapped one arm around her and tried to calm her shaking. "Shh, it's okay. Calm down," he soothed and when her sobs started to die away he asked, "Nemiki, this is very important. Can you tell me exactly what happened? The way you remember it?"

Nemiki sniffed a couple of times and looked up at him, her face stained with tears. Then she nodded slowly. "I couldn't sleep and so I wanted to get up and walk around the camp a little but when i opened my tent flap, this man was in front of it and then I shut the flap and hid in the corner of the tent. Then he laughed and whispered something and after a while I didn't hear anything so I ran out of it and came and got you," her eyes teared up and she buried her face in his chest. "I was so scared! I thought he was going to kill me" she cried.

Kakashi turned to Anko, who had been silently fuming at Nemiki's's closeness to Kakashi, "Anko, go out and check if you see any footprints or ninja."

Anko nodded and left. Outside of Nemiki's tent were several footprints, most belonging to Nemiki. But there was one set that stood infront of her door that were different. They were light and barely noticeably. They were a man's and they stood facing the opening to the tent. Damn, she wasn't lying. Not even a day on the mission and we already have assassins, she thought with a sigh. When she went back into her and Kakashi's tent she clenched her fists and stood in the opening, pissed.

Nemiki had managed to wrap both arms around Kakashi and had her face tucked into his neck. Although most of his face was hidden by his mask, it was obvious that Kakashi wasn't exactly comfortable and he was trying to disengage himself from Nemiki's tight embrace. Sh was crying again and eventually Kakashi gave up trying to free himself and put an arm around her, hoping it would calm her down and get her off him. Unfortunately, thats when Anko walked him. He looked up at her and saw the hurt in her eyes. He cursed himself in his mind and decide to act like it was nothing."Anko, did you find anything?" he asked, acting as there wasn't a young, beautiful woman clinging to him.

Anko hid her clenched fists in her trench coat and nodded stiffly, "There was a set of footprints in front of Nemiki's tent. They stand in front of her tent, she was telling the truth," she admitted, hiding her aggravation perfectly. her voice was cool and calm.

Nemiki turned her head and glared at Anko, "Are you saying you thought I was lying?" her voice was angry and coated nicely with fake hurt.

Anko shook her head and lied, "No, you could have misremembered things in your fear, thats all."

Nemiki ignored her and looked up at Kakashi, feigning hurt,"Did you think I lied?" she asked, her voice cracking.

Crap, why me? "No, of course not. And neither did Anko. I'm sure she was just checking to make sure everything was exactly how you said and nothing was left out. Thats all," he said calmly.

Nemiki smiled and hugged him, " I knew you'd believe me." Kakashi kept his face impassive to hide his annoyance but pulled away carefully."We should get as much sleep as we can before the morning. Anko, from now on we should take shifts, do you agree?" he added the last part to let her know that it wasn't an order but a suggestion.

Anko smiled her usual smile, catching his way of letting her know that he wasn't telling her but simply putting an idea out there. "Yeah, sounds good to me. So, who takes first shift?"

Kakashi's smile was hidden by his mask but subtle creases appeared in the navy blue material."I'll take first shift. We'll make them four hours each."

Nemiki's head shot up, "Wait, where am I going to sleep? I cant be alone, what if he comes back and neither of you see him. He could slip into my tent and no one would notice." Her voice sounded frail and both Kakashi and Anko could tell she was actually afraid and not pretending.

Kakashi sighed inaudibly and thought for a moment. "We should go into the next town and get a tent that holds all three of us. That way, no one would be alone and we could all watch each other. It will be easier and more secure."

Anko nodded reluctantly, upset that her alone time with Kakashi would be interrupted by that clingy, wannabe, whor---.Yea she was a tiny bit upset.

"If you think thats whats best. Well, lets get back to sleep before we run out of time."

Nemiki bit her lip, "So I'm going to have to be alone again?"

Kakashi realized that she would need protection and so he thought of a quick solution, "Nemiki, you sleep in here with Anko and I'll take the first shift outside of the tent. Okay?"

Neither Nemiki nor Anko liked this plan very much because it didn't involve any alone time between one of them or Kakashi but both knew it was the safest way and so they both nodded. Anko turned and crawled back into her sleeping bag.

Nemiki left and appeared a moment later, dragging her sleeping bag into the spot where Kakashi's had been a moment before.

both women looked towards the front of the tent where the moonlight showed Kakashi's relatively still form sitting outside. Nemiki sighed loudly and turned away to sleep but the last thing Anko saw before falling into a deep sleep was the outline of the silver haired jounin that she was falling in love with.

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Well? You likey?? If yes or even a no, REVIEW..

This is my holiday present to you all so please Tis the season...to review. thanx. Hope you liked it, if not , tell me why and I'll try to improve.I told you they would start to get longer and I'm trying to keep my promise. Ill try and update soon.