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CHAPTER TEN: First and Last

"Please, just help me get into the file room without being seen? Kotetsu, Kakashi's life depends on me finding out more about Yoro," Rayne begged uncharacteristically. She had come to Kotetsu, even after he admitted the he loved her, to ask for help in saving Kakashi. All she was asking him was that he help her get into the file room, which she would be able to walk into normally if she hadnt just broken out of the hospital. She knew that Tsunade had several shinobi searching for her right now. She had gone directly against Tsunade's orders to stay in the hospital and let her handle Kakashi's kidnapping. Rayne couldnt, refused, do that.

"Rayne, I cant. You have to get back to the hospital and heal." Kotetsu refused to help her. So, she resorted to something she felt horrible doing.

"Kotetsu, you said you love me... Do you?"

He nodded, wary.

"And that means you want to see me..happy...right?"

He began to understand where this was going but couldnt help it and nodded once again.

She took a breath and looked him in the eyes, hers pleading. "Kakashi makes me happy, Kotetsu. I love him. I know that it hurts you but its the truth. And I know you must pretty much hate him right now, but I...I need him, Kotetsu. I cant explain to you how bad I hurt when i broke it off with him. Loving someone but not being with them...it hurt. So, please, if you have ever loved me, help me get him back." While she spoke, her eyes began to fill with tears without her permission.

Kotetsu didnt answer her at first, he just simply looked at her. He knew how it felt to love someone without being with them. He wondered if she realized he was going through the same pain. He was searching, trying to see if he loved her enough to help her bring back the one man who stood in his way of being with her. He took in her shining eyes, her slightly trembling lower lip and he found himself coming to a decision.

"I'll help you, Rayne," he said at last, looking away, not wanting to see how grateful she was that she would get Kakashi back. He wanted her to want him. To love him in the intense way she loved Kakashi. To need him like air, need him like she needed Kakashi. But he was painfully aware of who her heart belonged to. Who it beat for. And it wasnt him. It would never be him. This knowledge cut him inside, it was a searing, throbbing pain in his chest. But he wouldnt tell her that. He wouldnt tell her how bad she hurt him. Because that would hurt her. And even in his pain, he loved her to much to do that.

Rayne wiped away her tears and hugged him lightly, her ribs were still broken and very sore. He held her to him for a moment, trying to savor any intimate moment he had with her and trying not to think about how Kakashi had her to hold or kiss or make love to whenever he wanted. After a moment he felt her pull away and reluctantly unwound his arms.

"Thank you," she said, giving him a small smile that made his chest tighten painfully. He just nodded and told her to follow him.

Sneaking around the back entrance of the Tower, he quietly made sure it was clear before motioning for her to follow. They quietly slipped past the rows of light wood doors that divided the white washed walls, ducking into an empty room whenever a shinobi or kunoichi passed. After making two lefts they came to a door that was darker than the others,a mahogany color compared to the lighter wood doors. Kotetsu used his key, Rayne's had been confiscated by Tsunade to discourage her leaving the hospital, to open the door, wincing when it creaked. After a quick check that no one was around to see them, they slipped into the room.

Rayne wasted no time and went straight to the file cabinet marked "Illegal Trading". She leafed through the files until she arrived at the 'H' section. A second later she pulled out Yoro's file. It was about and inch and a half thick.

Kotetsu stood guard at the door while she combed throught the file and took out key papers to take home and read over. She returned the file to its spot and closed the cabinet, locking it. Stuffing the papers in her shirt she headed to the door and tapped Kotetsu on the shoulder, motioning that they could leave. He locked the door behind them and they quickly left by the way they came in. They were stopped only once when Genma walked in front of them but he was too preoccupied with his sandwich to notice them.

Once outside Rayne turned to Kotetsu and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. When she turned to go he cupped her face with his hand and caught her lips with his. He kissed her gently for a moment before slowly pulling away. "I love you more than he could ever, because I love you enough to let you go," he whispered honestly.

Rayne closed her eyes a moment before speaking softly, "Im sorry I cant return that love. I really am, Kotetsu. But, you desevre better than me anyway." She quickly turned and headed into the trees and side streets, avoiding any searching shinobi as she headed home.

--

She approached her house slowly, masking the little chakra she had and going to the route anyone watching for her would expect the least, right up to her front door. She unlocked the door and slipped inside, locking it behind her. Entering the kitchen she was surprised to see a scroll on the table addressed to her. She opened it and as she read it, felt a cold chill creep up her spine. After reading it to herself twice she read it aloud a third time:

"My Dearest Rayne,

I will first tell you that I am not angry with you for my current imprisonment, I am simply hurt. I realize you are too. Your precious Kakashi has been taken unwillingly, hasnt he? You must be very upset. What if I give you a proposal?

I tell you where Kakashi Hatake is being held and you, my Dear, will visit me here in my cell for as long as I deem neccessary.

How does that sound? The location of Kakashi Hatake for a small visit to your husband. I believe it is a very good deal. If you shall accept it, I will be waiting in my cell at three thirty pm today.

love,

Your Husband, Tsume

P.S: wear something nice"

She looked at the clock on the fireplace mantel in the living room. It read three o'clock.

--

"Hey, Izumo. Im here to see Tsume."

But instead of giving her the sympathetic look she usually got whenever Tsume's name was mentioned around her, Izumo frowned. "Shouldnt you be in the hospital? Tsunade has Genma and Anko out looking for you. I should report you." He was trying to sound strict and in control but they both knew that Rayne could kick his ass any day. Today, due to her injuries, was the one exception.

"But you wont," she said, an order, not a question. She gave him a hard look and he averted his gaze. It was only a moment more before he sighed.

"Does Kakashi ever win anything with you?" he asked as he unlocked the main door and led her up the staircase to the sign in area.

"Never. I can kick his ass too." She faked a smile to go with the joke to cover her neverousness.

Kotetsu laughed and showed her into a visting room where she sat on one side of a glass divider and in a moment, Tsume was seated in the other.

"Hello Rayne. Its been a while. Almost a month and a half. You look beautiful" He was obviously enoying the sight if her, even with her generally abused appearance. But her kept his gaze to her face more than her body.

He was absolutely obsessed with the haunted look in her eyes, one that would never go away. She had had that look even before he got to her, one of the reasons he had been so intrigued by her. The haunted look was usually hidden but there was always an air about her that spoke of sadness, even when she was laughing. Her defined cheek bones and perfectly full lips gave her the facial features of a queen. And her grey blue sapphire eyes showed a woman who was deeply sad but determined to be happy.

It was a tribute to her face that it held his gaze from her body. She had been gifted with curves that were just as present as Tsunade's, although her chest wasnt as large. Her figure was completely in porportion, the shape only princesses were thought to have. But instead of flaunting her figure, he always saw her try to downplay her curves with too large clothing. But the way she walked, the quiet alertness of her steps added so much allure that it gave men a reason to try and see her shape.

Everything about her was distinctly femine, the kind of feminine that made men turn to her when she walked into a room without knowing why. And he was addicted to every inch of her.

"Tsume, where is Kakashi? If you know, tell me, if not, Im leaving right now." She was not in the mood to have him stare at her and regretted her choice of a form fitting black turtle neck and her usual cargo pants.

"You'll stay. We both know it. You wont leave until you know where your precious Kakashi is."

He smirked and leaned towards the glass divider. Using small amounts of chakra in his fingertips he cut a pretty large square into the glass, poppong it out onto her side when it was complete. Rayne just sat still in her chair and watched him, her eyes narrowed and cautious. She knew he had conserved his chakra in secret for months to be able to do that. Every week the inmates were drained of their chakra until they had only enough to stay above chakra exhaustion but never enough to perform justsu. Apparently Tsume had discovered a way to conserve enough each draining to be able to use it.

"Surprised? You underestimate me, my koi," he said as he climbed through the window to her side until he was standing in front of her. The whole time Rayne was wondering where the hell Izumo was and what about the damn security camera? Tsume answered her question a moment later. "I used my chakra to short circut the cameras. It keeps replaying you and I just saying our hello's but, they wont be reading lips so we have some alone time at last." He reached up and ran his finger down her cheek and neck, stopping to push don her turtle neck to draw circles with his fingertips on her collarbone. Rayne kept her breathing steady and watched his face carefully, his eyes watching his fingers on her skin.

"Where is Kakashi?" she asked clearly, her voice calm.

He didnt move his eyes from his fingers, which were moving across from shoulder to shoulder. "If I tell you, you'll just go after him." He sounded like a jealous child, which surprised Rayne.

"I wont. Just tell me where he is, Tsume." her voice was still calm even as she watched his eyes drift to the steady rise and fall of her chest.

"No, Rayne. You dont belong with him. You're still mine. You'll always be mine," he murmured confidently, leaning his face closer to hers.

But before he got within an inch of her lips she shoved him back, sending him back over to his side of the divider. "Im not here to play games, Tsume. either tell me where Kakashi is or I get Ibiki to pull it out of you. If you dont know, then Im leaving and I wont be coming back. Got it?" Her voice was cold and stern and her eyes narrowed, daring him to test her patience. She was not in the mood to play around. Kakashi was out there being held captive somewhere and she didnt have time for Tsume's little games.

"You know, with your injuries you shouldnt be able to do that," Tsume informed her as he stood and brushed himself off, hiding the fact that being thrown by her had hurt, bad.

"Skip the small talk. Stop procrastinating and tell me where the hell Kakashi is." Yep, she was in no mood to deal with him right now. No mood what so ever.

He raised an eyebrow at her tone but shrugged and sat down across form her anyway. "Rayne, you never used to talk to me like this. What's gotten into you?"

"Common sense and a real man. Now cut the crap. Do you know where Kakashi is or not?" She stood up and walked towards the door. her hand on the knob. "If not, Im leaving."

He frowned, sensing that she wasnt playing around anymore. "Fine,. I'll tell you." He was wondering what happened to the days when he could bring up the past and she would crack. It used to be so easy. All he had to do was whisper 'my koi' and she was putty in his hands. Frankly, he did not like this Rayne. She was too strong, it annoyed him.

She took her hand off the knob but stayed where she was to remind him she wasnt playing around. "Where?"

Tsume smirked and leaned forward over the desk. "Our home." He watched as Rayne's eyes narrowed and her hands balled into fists. he knew she would hate to know that Kakashi was anywhere near their old home. Thats exactly why he offered it to Yoro to use as a base of sorts.

"You're a sick bastard," She growled in disgust before walking out the door. she saw Izumo waiting for her and told him about Tsume's little chakra conserving techniques. he promised to make sure it never happened again.

She said it wouldnt concern her becuase this was her first and last vivsit to Tsume.

She thanked him for letting her in and then headed homw, to where rontu was waiting for her to get back so they could get ready. then, then they were going to save Kakashi.