Hey there! I'll keep this short for all of you and get right to it! Thanks to all reviewers and welcome back GrimmyGrim!!

Disclaimer….Okay, we all know we want to own them. Sadly, we do not. So, again, I don't own any of the characters, places, …blah blah blah. I am borrowing select characters for this story with the strict understanding that once I've finished manipulating them to my will, they will be immediately returned to normal, just as I found them.

The cool fall wind was crisp and hard against the withering leaves that clung healthily to the many branches. The moon still lingered over the horizon, not yet ready to allow the sun it's rightful day. This was the last day of summer and the cool air was already starting. The dark shadows and remains of night fall were still dominate over the forest leaving the sun a few more hours before it would peak over the mountains.

Tap…..tap-tap…….tap…..tap-tap….. The small sound of sandals against branches was drowned in the rushing of wind in their ears and the whistling of kunais spiraling at them from behind. Just a little further..... Almost there, repeated in both of their minds like a mantra just as a Konoha shinobi appeared in front of them on a branch away who wasted no time throwing poison laced senbon needles there way. Both fleeing ninja stopped dead before jumping away from each other and out of range of the senbons. The team of shinobi behind them had to dive to the forest floor to keep from being hit, momentarily losing sight of the two targets.

With all the team's eyes to the tree tops, one luckily caught sight of white hair before vanishing behind a tree. "There," he pointed to the spot. With a nod from the captain behind the cat like mask, the group took to the tree to bring out the wanted man. Before they reached the target, a kunai landed inches from the captain's face, stopping him in mid step. Quickly he looked to the owner of the kunai to see it was the woman smiling smugly on a different tree branch with her hands tacked to her hips.

"You three, with me," he ordered and left the rest of the group to attack the white haired man.

The woman saw the pursuing men dart towards her before she spun on her heals and leapt into the opposite direction as the chase began once again. Each of the men split through the trees in a heated hunt while pulling kunais, shuriken and explosive notes out to their side. The girl was fast, but that could only be due to always being on the run. As a missing-nin she had to in order to survive and the captain knew that all too well. If they kept this up, then in the next hour his men would be too exhausted to continue. It was by their luck that they were nearing the border to Sound and if they didn't kill this woman soon then it would be too late. With their chakra becoming dangerously low, it would be a fool's choice to follow into Sound Country where enemies lurked through the shadows. With two fingers, the irritated captain signaled for his men to split above to the higher branches hoping to keep the attack subtle to the kunoichi's knowledge. Silently they obeyed and disappeared from his side while he continued after the woman. Just what was Kakashi thinking? Why would he hire a hit on the Hokage? He had to have hit his head on the last mission or something. Anything would sound logical at this point which was why he had ordered his men to capture Hatake alive. This….troublesome wench was another issue. Death would be all she would meet by the end of this hour.

"Why don't you just give up," the said kunoichi called back.

The captain could feel his anger burn to fury at her games. She was toying with his anbu team…. She'll be damned. "Start saying your prayers, bitch. You only have a little while left on this earth."

"Well that's a shame…." She paused while she jumped to another three branches before spinning in a hairpin move to her left. "I happen to like earth. I can't say the same for the people who live on it, though."

The man said nothing except followed with new found energy. Any second now and the plan would be set in motion……

Only a half mile in the opposite direction was Kakashi running from three others. The wind was brutal against his half covered face but he couldn't complain too much as his mask covered his lips from becoming bruisingly chapped. A stray shuriken suddenly clipped his ankle, making him leap instinctively away backwards. His white hair rushed around his face just as a shinobi appeared behind him in midair for an attack however Kakashi forced himself into a flip, bringing his sandal on to the top of the unsuspecting ninja's head, dropping him to the forest floor. Kakashi landed hard onto a near by branch right as another shinobi attacked, but the attack fell short when Kakashi took to the tree tops and sped to the North.

"Damn it!" yelled the frustrated shinobi. His team mate landed next to him on the branch but before he could make any other move, his orders came to him swiftly from the man at his side. "Check Yumieki. Make sure he's alive." And with that, he summoned chakra to his feet and continued his hot pursuit after Kakashi.

Tree after tree he leapt, trying to gain distance between him and his target. Closing in but not fast enough, his mind was starting to slow down. His focus was dull as the tap of his sandal echoed only five trees from the fleeing white haired shinobi. Exhaustion filled him to the rim from hardly any sleep and low chakra. He was almost to Kakashi when the said man swung under the branch. It had happened instantly and the anbu was unable to dodge the kick from his once target that sent him to the ground; viciously hitting a few branches. He was only thirty feet from the forest floor when he luckily tossed a kunai into the tree with a rope attached so he could slide to a stop in mid air. He inhaled to sigh but the air was locked in his lungs just as Kakashi attacked from above and with a series of punches and jabs the anbu found himself falling to the ground head first with the shinobi at his back to hold him in place. No-no-no-no! ran through his head like a skipping cd but was cut off as he collided with the ground with a sickening snap. There was a pause from Kakashi before he released the motionless man and stepped back.

All was quiet in the forest except for the cold wind as he watched the leaves above him flutter to the branches. He took a deep breath to relax his tight muscles, not expecting to do this much running away from countless teams. Which reminded him… he had to find Akane. Kami knew where she ended up. Sighing he turned back to leap into the tree tops once again when the whistling of kunais crashed against his eardrums and freezing him just as there was a stab of four into his back. His eyes widened momentarily before he disappeared in a poof of smoke. "It-it was a clone?!" exclaimed another masked man with a dazed shinobi hanging over his shoulder as both stared at the spot where Kakashi had disappeared. "Where's the real one?!"

It was only a mile away where Akane was still trying to outrun the anbu that persistently followed. The kunoichi finally jumped from the trees and to the ground where she was met with a wide river cutting through the forest. Not wanting to be caught, she jumped across the riverbed when a hand erupted from the water below and pulled her into the frigid dark waters. Her senses were suddenly flooded and dilated, unable to see anything under the rushing waters and the hands that held her under. She tried to spin from their grasp and reach for her kunai but that was easier said then done. Splashes were heard above from the surface and grey eyes looked up to see who was there, hoping that Kakashi was coming to help her, but instead she felt a stab in her back from a blade. Bam! The men around the kunoichi's clone were pushed back through the river from the force though none were luckily injured from the pressure of water that surrounded them when the bomb went off. Each of the four men swam back to the surface when the captain let out a string of curses. "Damn that bitch! Kakashi will pay for this!"

"Sir. What do we do now?" asked one of the masked men. "Should we go back and look for more tracks?"

"Yeah. If we go now then we should catch up to them sometime today," agreed another as he pulled himself to the surface with chakra at his feet.

"No. We'll return and tell Lady Tsunade. She'll send out search teams before sun up if we hurry. They can deal with the traitors."

Only six miles to the west was two frantically sprinting ninja who took swallowing strides across the ground. Low and fast they travelled, listening for any followers that could be on their trail. The wind was cold against their bare flesh but they ignored the fall breeze. "I just lost my clone," said the man quietly to his partner that ran beside him.

There was a small silence between them before the woman finally returned with, "Mine too." The white haired man looked to her; the wind pushing his hair into his face and over his exposed crimson eye. She didn't seem to notice his eyes pointed at her and examine the pure concentration across her milky complexion. Akane's face was screwed into a firm thoughtful purse of her lips and shimmering gun-metal grey eyes that scanned the area around her subtly yet still unaware of Kakashi's staring. He wasn't sure what her motives were for helping him and he was even less sure whether to trust her fully or not. He was stuck between his instincts and logic here which was rather uncomfortable for his conscious. If he trusted her then she may end up leaving him hanging somewhere or kill him off, though she would need a decent motive for that. She didn't seem like the type to just kill randomly because she got bored. Instead she had somewhat a conscious compared to most rogue ninjas. Off topic. If he didn't trust her then it could ruin the mission and cause more problems. It was the mission or his life, but seeing as this mission would cost his life in the long run then why not trust her? It was a hard choice but it was turning out to be that he was for once going to throw his instincts aside. Might as well his sanity too.

"We shouldn't run to Grass. That's too obvious, Kakashi. If they know that they were following clones then they could be on our trail in a matter of a few hours."

"It'll take them longer then that to find the trail alone. We're heading to Grass," he explained calmly, almost absentmindedly.

Akane didn't like the plan at all. Was he a fool? He had to be. She had survived out here by out-smarting her opponents, and the idea of running where they would look first was suicidal. Of course that it was the first place the Konoha ninja would look was in land, but they wouldn't think to look to the water at Mist. Why were they going this way?

"We need to head to water. If not Mist then Tea country will be perfect-"

"I'm not repeating myself, Nori," he said in an edgy voice.

Akane narrowed her eyes at his use of her last name. So he was better then her now? He was getting too comfortable around her and she didn't like it. She didn't like any of this!! She didn't like the deal she made or having this man know so much about her! She lived her life alone and completely independent. This man… this… white haired shinobi lived his life serving his Village with people to return to and depend on… He was now dependent on her, right? She knew what was out there and who to avoid. It was a completely different life in the missing-ninja's world. He would have to learn that. A leader though wasn't supposed to be lead by the follower so what was he playing at? "We can't go to Grass Country yet. We're going to Tea instead," she demanded darkly and turned in a hairpin spin to sprint to the south.

Not two steps later did a hand grip her shoulder and spin her into a tree where two hands blocked any escape route that she may try to take. Grey eyes stared straight to the mismatch, neither looking away.

"What part of Grass don't you understand?" he questioned darkly. "Grass will hide our trail better and we will be able to escape to any other country easily if needed."

Akane knew he had a point but her instincts still told her to head south. They needed to lie low for a few days and keep their ears out before going to Grass which was open ground with few forests to hide in. She opened her mouth to voice her complaints but Kakashi cut her off.

"I have everything to lose on this and I will sacrifice it for a damn good cause. You will listen to me because now I'm calling the shots," he hissed warningly.

The look Akane shot him screamed she wanted to rip him apart right then and there. How she managed not to was beyond him but he was slightly grateful that she didn't. It wouldn't do any good to have a fight between them now. They needed to act as a team if they were going to survive this and he was finding it hard to keep his emotions in check. Over night he had found out about the mission then agreed to it only for them to start running for their lives hours later. No sleep, a sudden change of life and a beautiful fiery kunoichi really wore down his self control.

Akane's temper wasn't any better at the moment and all she could do was have her own inner battle. She was angry and yet very afraid. Her anger only masked her fear of the man in front of her. She didn't like the closeness he was taking and hated feeling trapped. Never did anyone get this close to her because she never allowed it. The demoralizing feeling that was growing rapidly inside her adrenaline was starting to become too over bearing and she couldn't stay this close to this man any longer. With that she tried to duck under his arm but his other hand gripped her shoulder; keeping her between him and the tree. She wasn't giving up yet as she tried to push him away and force herself through his barrier arms. Again it was pointless as he held her to the tree with each hand right next to her head and his body closer then ever. Grey eyes burned but not from anger. Instead she felt fear pushing through all resentment though she tried to play it off as nothing. There was no point in showing weakness unless she wanted to be killed. Gun-metal grey met with the same mismatched that studied her.

Kakashi watched her attitude change drastically before him. Only seconds ago she was ready to slaughter him and now… Now the fiery kunoichi had changed to an almost fearful mouse though she kept her anger fighting a mean battle with her fear. To any other person in the world it would still look like rage but he knew the difference better then anyone. Questions suddenly leaked to his mind; was she afraid of him? Why did she fear him when he hadn't done anything to her?

He could feel his anger leave him while taking most of his energy with it. He wanted to know more about her and if they kept this up then it would never happen. Taking a deep breath, he let his eyes wander over her face. The morning was still dark and the wind had stopped blowing. She seemed to have calmed down mostly as well, which was when he realized what it was she feared. The small inkling of memory returned from when he had interrogated her teammates and they had clearly stated that she didn't trust anyone. She must not trust him enough to be at such a close distance. He almost felt his heart drop knowing the walls that she had put up around her. Without him realizing it, he raised his hand to her cheek but she retracted; turning her head away still annoyed that he had the nerve to tell her what to do. He drew his brows together and dropped his hand. He would have to work slowly around her if he wanted this to work… What exactly did he want to work? They were just team mates right? Right he confirmed thought not entirely convinced. "We're going to have to find level ground between us." With that he took a few steps back from her while watching the woman's reaction.

She pushed her chin up and straightened her shirt out angrily before glaring at him; all irritation firmly back in place. This only confirmed Kakashi's thoughts as he turned and started back to Grass with Akane following grudgingly. What had she gotten into? She hadn't expected it to go like this at all. At the start of all of this she had honestly thought it would be much smoother.

(Four Hours Ago)

With a hand under her chin and her fingers tapping intensively against the rupture of her desk, Tsunade sighed heavily only for it to fill the silence before dissipating in the air to leave the Hokage in stillness once more. It had been three hours since Kakashi and the woman left her office and 30 minutes since Jiriaya had departure to find themselves some food before the meeting with the elders. After trying optimistically to push answers from the strange woman, she had ended up with only minor details. Nothing that answered her questions. It was to be expected, she supposed, but it did nothing to ease her rambling thoughts. That was when she had devised a plan. A plan that worked perfectly for her need to just know what Akane was hiding while also having Kakashi escape with her in a very believable attempt. All she had to do was wait for the wretched elders to come to her suddenly drawn meeting—

Knock, knock, knock, came the rupture of wood against wood, no doubt from a cane to the door.

"Speak of the old devils," she murmured and walked to the door only for it to open and reveal two very displeased elders.

"Lady Tsunade," one greeted disdainfully and hobbled in with shaky bones. It was a wonder that they could wake up at 2 in the morning and be here- albeit two hours later then necessary.

Both took a seat while she walked around the two and sat at her desk. "What is this about? I hope, for your sake it is a dire situation," the woman emphasized.

"It is," Tsunade nodded, not taking any offence to their tone. It was to be expected. The elders were grumpy and short tempered on good days. Why would 1am be any different? "There has been a problem that has come to my attention from a fellow Jounin this afternoon and I was curious about a few things that I wanted to know before I sent a team to arrest the two in question," she explained while setting both hands on the desk top.

The two elders waited for her to continue, clearly interested at the sound of someone getting arrested. Being woken by the mere woman that they loathed was the last thing on their minds at the moment.

Tsunade took their silence as a signal to continue. "I should start at the beginning. The guards at the eastern gates had informed me that Kakashi had returned. I had just happened to be discussing something with another Jounin at the time and asked if he could drop by Hatake's to have him come in for the mission report. He agreed of course and the next thing I knew, he was back at my door unexpectedly. I had asked him what he needed and that was when he informed me that there was a woman with Hatake as his apartment…"

She let it sink in and didn't miss the impatient scowls. "Lady Tsunade, I hope you didn't bring us here to talk about your love interests," sneered the elder lady.

The blonde scowled, but bit her tongue. "On the contrary. This woman was a former Konoha kunoichi…"

"Former?"

"That's right," she confirmed with a nod.

"And what is Hatake doing by bringing in a missing-nin?" hissed the elder man. He had clearly made an effort by his tone to push at Tsunade, but she for once shocked them as she fully agreed.

"That's what I want to find out. It has endangered Konoha on so many levels… It clearly was a reckless move and he will receive his punishment, however…. I want to ask a few questions to calm my thoughts on this woman…"

Obviously, Tsunade was not the enemy to the two in this case and they both nodded with no resistance. "Like wise. First off, what did you say to Hatake when he came in?"

"The usual. After the mission reports, I had hinted as to the woman, but he stayed oblivious-"

"Or that's what he wants you to believe…" one interrupted.

"You think I don't know that?" she snapped but took a deep breath to relax herself. "While he was here I had the Jounin go and sneak a glance to find her identification and according to the Waterfall Country bingo book, she goes by the name of Nori, Akane."

The room seemed to drop drastic temperatures to a frigid air and the two stayed silent, making Tsunade raise a brow in question. "So you have heard of her?" She mentally punched the air. Gotcha!

"Are you sure it is that woman?" they asked skeptically.

"Positive." It was a good cover. Earlier when she had asked Akane, she hardly got any answers.

(Flashback)

"Will you just tell me why you aren't in the books and what kind of connection you have with Sarutobi?" Tsunade asked in exasperation. She was running out of patience all too quickly for her liking.

The woman before her merely sat back and crossed her arms, contemplating on the answer before she reached into her sash to pull out a bingo book, though very much different then Konoha or Suna's. With out a word she tossed it onto her desk, letting it land right in front of her. Tsunade looked to it in confusion and opened it before glancing up at Akane who was now to her feet with Kakashi looking bemused at the incident. "For the last time, I don't know why I am not in the book and No I don't know where my file is. As for me and Sarutobi, you won't be finding out. Like I said, he was like a father and took me in. End of story," she said with a swipe of her hand through the air in front of her. "Any other questions and I'll just tell you he took it to his grave." She turned and walked to the door with Kakashi watching her to see what she would do.

"Then why did you give me this?" she asked the raven haired woman as she motioned to the Waterfall bingo book.

She merely shrugged as she opened the door but didn't walk out. "Maybe you can find some answers in there that I couldn't." With that she left with Kakashi forcing a grin under his mask and following after her to make sure she wasn't seen.

(End)

The elders looked to be contemplating to themselves while Tsunade waited. Exchanging wary glances, they could only come to the conclusion that Tsunade was on their side. "Years ago at the start of the Third Shinobi War, there was a girl that was brought in to this office. I believe a team was returning earlier one morning when they found her asleep on the sidewalk or something like that. When they brought her to Sarutobi's attention, he couldn't help but take her in. Her father, Nori, Harno was the first of the family to take up becoming a ninja and was later a discharged shinobi due to his drinking habits. From then on, she would visit Sarutobi throughout the week and take lessons from him while in the academy."

"So what happened to make her leave?"

There was a long hesitation and Tsunade was on the verge of asking again, but they answered albeit unwillingly. "I'm not sure… She ran away but Sarutobi later told us that she was killed. Hence why she isn't in the bingo books."

Lies. But the blonde woman didn't need to know that. They had their suspicions when Sarutobi told them she had… died. It was strange for her to be seen running around happily that morning when she had suddenly disappeared. Suspicions arose and after many strings pulled and pushing Sarutobi into a corner, they had found their needed explanation. The girl had found out about the Uchiha Massacre. Of course she would have run away… Leaving too many loose ends. But instead of sending teams to hunt her down they had decided to erase any and all proof of her existence. Therefore she wasn't a liability. Keep her from the bingo books, burn her file and kill her father. The latter of the plan had also proved unsuccessful seeing as he too had ran away only days before they found out the truth of her knowing. But it didn't bother them. She wouldn't have lived on her own out there….

But again they were proven wrong.

She had obviously survived. Damn Sarutobi for protecting the damn girl.

"So who was her mother?"

"A whore in Grass Country… So are your questions answered and if so, then can we send a team to arrest the two traitors?" Before they start talking…

Tsunade sighed. She might as well. "I will send down the team in a few hours. I want to give Hatake a chance to come in willingly before we use force…"

Akane paced the living room, letting her eyes linger on the same furniture and pictures all around to keep her mind from bursting. She was anxious to run. It was in her blood and she needed it. The feel of the chase and the pounding of her heart. It was her drug. All those years on the run and she loved every second of it. The chase, the run… It made her feel alive. All she had to do was to wait for the men to come by like Tsunade said before their plan was thrown into action. Finally the white- haired shinobi emerged from his room with a small pack over his shoulder. Akane stopped and looked over at him with her mouth open, ready to complain about the lack of action at 1:56 am, but stopped when she noticed his focus on the object in his hand. Sighing, he set it on a nearby table before walking to the couch. Akane tilted her head as she examined the picture from where she stood. It was a photo of him and his team that she had seen days ago except this picture looked to have been taken years ago. She recognized the younger girl in the center with long pink tendrils and her friendly blonde friend next to her… but there was another. She hadn't seen him before though he looked very familiar. If she had to take a guess she would have said it was an Uchiha… Itachi wouldn't be him, but perhaps it was his brother? Hmmm. Interesting.

"Are you alright?" Kakashi asked solemnly with his head resting on his knuckles with his elbow on the arm of the couch.

Akane was shaken from her musing and looked to him. "I'm fine. I hope you aren't backing out of this."

He cracked a grin behind his mask but she could tell it was forced. "Of course not."

Akane didn't pay him another glance as she turned back to her pacing, oblivious to Kakashi's staring. Back and forth, back and forth; it continued. Finally Kakashi couldn't take it. "You're going to wear a hole in my carpet from your walking."

"Don't worry, you won't see it again," she said absent mindedly. She stopped halfway through another step and blinked. She hadn't meant to sound so blunt. Grey eyes looked over to see the forced grin was absent from his face and he now sat with his eyes to his lap. Damn it…. She sighed and walked to sit on the opposite side of the couch and sat down. "I didn't mean it like that," she said. There she apologized. Her conscious was cleared.

"I know."

The short answer made her brows knot together but she shrugged it off. Looking around once more, she leaned into the couch and threw her arm over the back with her hand dangling. "Soooo…. Why do you wear a mask?"

"… I want to."

"Obviously."

"…" No response.

She frowned but didn't push it. She couldn't count the many times her team had asked her the same thing and she replied that she was the Grim Reaper. Of course she stilled favored her answer over Hatake's. At least hers had some imagination.

"I think I remember you," Kakashi said slowly before raising his eye to meet hers.

"Oh yeah?"

He nodded. "Mhm. I think you were with Sarutobi when I had a meeting at one point. That's about all I remember though."

Akane pondered it over for a second before nodding. "Yeah I would say that was about right."

Kakashi thought for a moment and watched Akane shift in her seat, trying to get comfortable. She seemed to be pretty restless. He couldn't say she was alone, though, seeing as his nerves were a little wracked. Even now, he wasn't sure what was going to happen. How would the mission turn out to be? Would he succeed? Would he die and Konoha burn? He couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't allow Naruto or any one else to get hurt over his failure. Constantly he had to keep reminding himself that he wasn't alone in this. Akane would be there to help him and they had even made her sign a blood oath to promise that she wouldn't go against her word. With this thought tumbling over his previous worries, he glanced to her hand that she had used to cut herself for the blood oath. It was healed perfectly just like the other wounds she had previously. How was that possible if she had a scar on her other hand? If she could heal then why couldn't she heal all wounds? "What happened to your hand?"

Akane gave him a confused look before looking at her hands as if they had the answer. Finally she realized what he meant and a wry grin crossed her lips. "You mean the scar? Mmm… I was on a mission… in Iwa I think and got in a really tight situation. Long story short, I ran into some messed up ninja and they cut me up pretty good. With my chakra as low as it was, I couldn't heal anything so it scarred in the process of healing the old fashion way."

"So you're a medic?"

She snorted. "No. I wish it was that simple."

"Care to explain?"

"Care to take off your mask?"

"…."

Akane studied him carefully. "Information comes with a price. You'll have to learn that if you plan to survive."

Kakashi lost interest in the conversation, not wanting to have anything to do with a conversation about his mask. Instead he pulled out his trusty book from his pocket and began reading. That part alone was going to be hard for him as well as leaving his friends. Not the reading part, but the part about not getting any books. It was a shame that the whole collection was just going to sit there now. Oh well, he would meet up with Jiriaya when he got a new book out.

Akane, though, was growing even more so anxious. Waiting wasn't her thing. Rules weren't her thing… Sitting in a room filled with awkward silence and a non talkative man wasn't her thing. Yet here she was.

The clock ticked on to the next digit: 2:17am. The tick continued above the two who sat in the small flat; kunai bags strapped securely to their waists and kantana's sheathed to their backs. The two ninja were ready just when the knock drew their attention to the door. Neither got up for a moment and just stared. Again the knocking came and Akane stood to her feet. A few steps towards the door, she felt a hand on her shoulder stop her. "I don't think you should get this," he hinted. She tossed him a skeptical glare.

"Why? We're going to have to run eventually and it's not going to change if you open the door."

"That's not what I mean," he said in exasperation. Instead of explaining he went to the door. There was a list full of reasons why he didn't want her to open it. He could just see her swinging it open and saying, "Oh, you're here to arrest us so early? Give us two more minutes, k?" Or even, "About time, you dumbasses! Do you know how long, I've been waiting?!"

Neither of which would end well. Opening the door himself, he was met with the same jounin from earlier that day along with five others. "Is there something wrong?"

The man looked from Kakashi to Akane who stood in the center of the room then back to him. "Hatake, Kakashi, you are under arrest by Konoha Law and we ask you to come quietly with the rogue Kunoichi."

A flash of worry stretched his face and he looked between the men. "I don't understand… I was just going to bring her in tomorrow-"

"No Hatake. You are under arrest now and you have to come with us. Don't make this difficult."

"Oi," Akane yelled to get the men's attention. All looked to her questioningly only to meet a twisted grin and gleaming grey eyes. "You better go back where ever you came from if you want to save yourself from embarrassment."

"Akane-shut up," Kakashi snapped. He was in no mood to play her games.

He turned back to the Jounin. "Can't you forget this? She is here for a reason, and I can't just let you take her. She's part of a plan."

"You don't understand," a different man informed grumpily. "You are being held treason and that wench is going to be executed. What were you thinking anyway?"

"I can't allow you to take us away," Kakashi said defiantly. "This girl is a weapon that I plan to use, so don't get in the middle of it."

"To use? Damn it Hatake! Just what are you talking about?" the next man said while pulling a blade out.

"Konoha needs a new leader. Plain and simple. Tsunade is a Sannin, not a Hokage-"

"What is wrong with you?" The first growled. "And who do you expect to run Konoha? Why are you so hell bent on killing our leader? You were so loyal to Konoha-"

"I still am! The council is what needs to take control-not a drunk woman!"

The silence grew thick and stale. Akane wasn't sure how this was going to turn out, but Kakashi was too close to the men to start a full blown chase out of the Village. She was nearly positive that he knew that too. She would have to interfere, much to Kakashi's disappointment. Akane slowly ducked behind the couch and made sure they didn't see her before she sent a clone out to the hall. Kakashi was still in an argument and she had to admit that his acting was pretty good, but she shook the thought away. She shouldn't be complimenting him at a time like this. Instead, she finished her seal and her clone appeared behind the men.

"Catch me if you can!!" she yelled happily, turning all their attention away from Kakashi and back to the clone that had started running away.

"You three, go after her!" the leader order.

"Hai!"

Turning back to Kakashi, he took a few steps to walk in the apartment, but was met with a door slammed in his face, sending him back into the two men behind him. Kakashi didn't waste time to lock the door as he ran back to the couch where Akane popped her head up. "How was that-"

"Perfect," he cut off as he ran by and grabbed her wrist to make her follow. They rushed through the room and to the window.

"Where are we-"

"Through the window," he said simply and threw it open.

He glanced back at dark haired kunoichi who had her hands on her hips and a thoughtful look on her face before Kakashi growled angrily and forcefully pushed her out of the window where she landed hard on the fire escape.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" she asked as she stood up and rubbed her butt. Kakashi didn't answer but instead followed to the metal landing.

The door in the living room burst open and in charged the angry jounin. The shinobi looked over the railing then to Akane. "Jump-"

"I will not."

"You will or I will throw you over," he snapped.

Akane glared but reluctantly jumped from the apartment to land hard on her knees against the concrete. She hated being in villages. Too much obstacles that she wasn't used to. Too many people too.

Kakashi landed much more gracefully next to her and pulled her to her feet. "Where to know, genius?" she said in her usual angry tone as she dusted herself off.

"Out of here," was her reply as he took off running down the street.

"You've got to be joking me…" she mumbled under her breath. "I got stuck on this mission with him?"

"There she is!" came a cry behind her and she looked back to see three men charging her way.

"Shit!"

"What is going on?!" Ibiki questioned as the alarm was sent blaring through the halls of Anbu Headquarters. A man with a cat mask appeared before him.

"We have just received word that there are two traitors making an escape now. They have evaded six Jounin's and have just past through the east end neighborhood."

Ibiki's face scrunched up in a stone scowl and he started down the hall in swallowing strides. "Who are they," he asked in his cold voice that he was famous for.

"Nori, Akane and Hatake, Kakashi," reported the man as he struggled to keep up.

If Ibiki was shocked, he didn't show it. His face stayed unchanged and he continued on his way. "Send three anbu teams out after them and I don't want them killed."

"Sir, one man had reported that Hatake was planning on using Nori to assassinate Lady Hokage."

Ibiki's steps hollowed and he hesitated slightly before stopping and turning back to the man who abruptly halted before running into him. "Hatake? Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Ibiki sighed and turned to start walking. He wasn't sure what was going on in Kakashi's head. It had always been a mystery and it never set well with the tall interrogator. His job was to get past a person's mental barriers and learn about them in everyway. Some were easy, few difficult, but rarely was one impossible. Perhaps Hatake had finally snapped? He never seemed to be fully stable with the way he always was happy but seemed like he was depressed at the same time. It just wasn't right.

"Then we have no choice but to keep Konoha safe. Kill both on contact unless there is a chance to bring him in alive."

"Him, sir?"

"The woman is of no importance. I want to figure out Hatake, if the opportunity presents itself."

The day had passed faster then Akane could imagine. Once the sun rose over the many trees, the day's events bled together as Kakashi and her sprinted towards the border where they made camp just five hundred yards within the Fire Country border. It would be foolish to go into open grass fields with no cover from any Anbu or hunters. So instead it was only a few hours after sun down that they set up camp silently. Akane had briefly said she would be right back and had left before Kakashi could tell her other wise. That was the first time she had spoken since the morning though not because there was any tension. To be honest the tension was absent but they both obviously had a liking for silent travel. Then again Akane was one to hold a grudge.

Kakashi had just finished setting up traps and snares around their area incase some one had snuck up onto them during the night when Akane came back into view with a few thin sticks in hand. Kakashi looked to her and scowled when he saw what she had. Was she really this foolish? "We can't have a fire. It could give our position away," he badgered in disbelief.

Akane rolled her eyes and purposely dropped the pile right at his feet defiantly. "It would be stupid not to. Don't worry," she added when she saw that he wasn't convinced. "It'll be small enough that they won't catch anything and I even went so far as to pull the leaves off so there won't be smoke.

Before he could even try to argue with her she had already breathed life to the small fire. This didn't set well with Kakashi. Not so much that she had started a fire-at his feet mind you- but because she was once again ignoring him. Stubborn woman. "Put the fire out. We don't need it-"

"Let me tell you something," she interrupted while looking at him from across the small fire. "We have not slept and have run all day. Not to mention that we haven't eaten. If you want to keep up this pace and get away from any enemies then we need to be at top shape and I will not risk my life because of you superstitions and Kami-forsaken pride."

"And I am to assume you have food?" he backfired with raised eyebrows. All he got as a response was her pulling out a scroll in between her fingers before tossing it to him. He blinked once he caught it and looked questioningly to it before opening to see a series of seals that he recognized as meal portions that anbu used when ever a war had broke out.

"You'll get your own once we get to a decent town and then we can get you your own supplies…." Pause. "If that's alright with the leader of this team."

Kakashi sighed and set the scroll aside before turning his attention to Akane. "I didn't mean it to sound like that. We're two leaders working as a team and we'll have to treat each other equally."

"So what are you saying?"

"No leaders."

Akane pondered for a moment before nodding. "I can live with that. I want a say in this mission. It isn't just about you."

Kakashi didn't say anything and pulled the scroll to his lap before releasing a pan and some ingredients. He had to admit he was impressed at her organization.

Akane though took this silence as him not wanting to listen to her and she frowned. "I don't even owe that Village anything and here I am laying my life for them."

"I understand. We both have to make sacrifices." The smell of cooking chicken and rice filled the base of the tree while a silence blanketed over them. Only a few minutes later and the small fire had finished the chicken. Akane could feel her stomach complain at not getting the food yet and she quickly released a seal with two bowls. Kakashi gingerly scrapped the pan clean into both bowls before looking questioningly to Akane. "What would you like to do with this pan?"

"Just put it back to the seal. If you look there's another seal over the top of it and that will automatically clean the pan once it goes through the parchment."

Kakashi blinked and looked to see that there was in fact another seal placed over the top. It was impressive, but then again if you had to survive, little things like this would always give you an advantage.

Akane had already begun to eat her warm meal, thoroughly impressed with the man's cooking. Who knew that this white haired shinobi wasn't just talented in throwing kunais and using deadly jutsus. The warm chicken and rice was unbelievably full of flavor that she was truly jealous she couldn't cook like that. Taking a pause between bites she looked across the small fire to Kakashi who was deep in thought. "You know," she started slowly. "You could always join Akatsuki as a cook. I'm sure they would be grateful unless all males knew how to cook as well as they could fight."

Kakashi gave her his famous eye crinkle and a chuckle. "If that gets me in then I have no complaints."

Another moment of silence came as they ate quietly. Akane was too deep in thought to notice Kakashi watching her intently out of the corner of his dark eye. She was very different and had that dangerous streak in her, but he couldn't help notice her self control and… kind hearted nature. Of course the latter she tried to keep hidden but the fact she was helping him with this mission even when it could cost her life was enough proof for him. He didn't need to worry. He was an excellent judge in character and throughout the day he didn't once feel the distrust towards her. Though the same couldn't be said for her. He wanted to get past that and to know her on a deeper level. For once he was impatient. He didn't want to wait for them to get through the ice as you had to with all new team mates….. This had to be the first time he was really looking forward to this change. To imagine what they could accomplish and how well they would work together… But sadly he would have to wait for that to come. Until then he would work slowly around her and hopefully gain her trust… Quickly.

"So why'd you do it?" Akane's question brought him back from his musings.

"What?" he questioned, trying to focus on the subject.

"The mission. Why did you do it?" She set her plate next to her and studied him carefully.

"Because Konaha is my home and Naruto is my close friend. If there is a chance to keep them safe then I will lay my life down with out a seconds notice."

"But what about your family?" She asked sadly.

"…." Kakashi stayed quiet and looked to the fire.

"You don't have one, do you?"

"Well it depends on what you call a family. Naruto, Sakura, and many others are my family."

"…..But there isn't anyone that you would return to? I mean… Someone to live for?"

Kakashi took a deep breath and changed the subject. "What about you? I'm sure you must have a lover somewhere that doesn't want you laying your life for someone you don't even like."

Akane grinned to lighten the mood, knowing that he was wanting to change the topic. "Well I'm sure that he wouldn't be happy with me trying to get in with a dangerous organization of men," she laughed.

Kakashi smirked but that was all he could muster. Sighing once she saw that her joke didn't work, she gave up and answered seriously. "I work alone. Those guys you saw me with followed my orders but I never stuck around for long before I took off without them. Sarutobi is the only family I have and look where he's at."

Kakashi couldn't help but feel his heart lift slightly. "So there isn't any shinobi out there that I need to be fending off?"

Akane laughed again. "Nope. No lover. No trouble will follow me so there's nothing to worry about."

"So how do you expect to gain Akatsuki's attention?"

"Well…" Akane started. "I would guess that you would need to get their attention. Of course you being you will get their interests started but we'll have to act the part while showing off our skills…"

"So we need missions," he nodded.

"I have connections in a village in Stone that can get us some S-rank missions. That should spark their interests."

"Then we should start right away. News travels fast and Akatsuki is an organization with a mixture of all ninja. They have their own connections to villages so it will only be a matter of days before they know about us."

"………What is your plan to make them believe you aren't a spy?" she asked skeptically.

Kakashi grinned. "I'll give them some information on Konoha. Plus the not-so-much lie about me bringing a missing-nin into Konoha freely is going to be backed by Itachi and Kisame."

"You sound certain of that." She observed out of the corner of her eye. She wasn't entirely convinced.

"You can be certain that Itachi will. He wouldn't lie about it. Did you know we worked together before?"

"When he was still in Konoha?"

"Hmm. It seems like a life time ago but it really wasn't." Kakashi leaned back against the tree and stared at the many stars above them. "But things always seem to change on you once you think you have a good grip."

"A moral blow?" she teased.

Kakashi chuckled. "Exactly."

Silence fell and the sounds of forest arose with the crickets and the distant owl hoot that was muted by the sound of the waving leaves. They sat, each enjoying the crackle of the dying fire and the company of each other. "I'll take first watch," Kakashi offered when he finally looked away from the sky. But Akane only shook her head.

"Not tonight. We need a full nights rest."

"I'm stronger then you think."

"I'm not saying anything about you," she scoffed. "But I need my beauty sleep and I don't want to keep watch."

Kakashi chuckled. "Fair enough." He wasn't too worried about it. He had already rigged the trees around them with traps for the night. The shift across from him turned his attention as she snuggled close to the warm embers of the fire and closed her eyes, almost falling asleep instantly.

Through the night's shadow he watched her calmly for minutes that ticked by before he let a small smile curl his lips. This would be an interesting mission….As he leaned back against the tree, he pulled one knee to a bend and closed his eyes; replaying one last piece in his mind…

"So there isn't any shinobi out there that I need to be fending off?"

Akane laughed again. "Nope. No one."

There you are!! Thanks for the reviews and sorry for the long wait! School has gotten really busy for me and A LOT of homework!!

Please review and I'll update faster!!!