I was shocked beyond belief. Tsunade can't leave on a mission. She's Hokage! What's going to happen if she dies!? Don't think like that Kakashi, she isn't going to die. She's the strongest female in the entire village. I rubbed my arm where I once had several bruises from her, I should know. She must be taking guards. Who? Will I be one of them? When will she say who she's bringing?

I walked into my house to find Sakura sitting on my couch crying. "What's wrong?" Could she already know that Gaara was going on a mission too? Damn it! I need to figure out what's going on before I lose my mind! I rubbed my eyes and pinched the bring of my nose as I sat next to her. I heard her sniff. "You okay?" I asked her already knowing she wasn't.

"Gaara's going on a mission." Her voice was strained, most likely from sobbing. "He came to say good-bye earlier. He doesn't know how long he'll be gone." She broke down into sobs, her voice allowing no more words. I took in a deep breath and hugged her. I kept my mouth shut this time because I couldn't tell her that everything was going to be okay. I didn't know if anything was going to be okay anymore. Honestly if Gaara and Tsunade were going on a mission it wasn't going to be okay.

Sakura cried, and I held her. My mind raced and I couldn't stop thinking. I couldn't stop thinking about the troubles she could get herself into. I know that she's strong, that she can hold her own, but that wasn't helping me any. I didn't know the type of enemy she would be facing. I didn't know anything about what she was doing. It was worrying me down to my bones.

Sakura fell asleep in my arms and I moved her to my bed yet again. She was the only woman I allowed in my bed with me not there. But that was because I trusted Sakura with everything. She wasn't a small girl anymore, she was my equal now. I looked at her, and I didn't see her, I saw her strength, in her strength I saw Tsunade. I didn't see her at all. Everything about Sakura reminded me of Tsunade. Her attitude and the way she can take control especially.

The next few weeks were full of worrying, boredom, and more worrying. I didn't eat, I hardly slept, I just sat, with a blank expression on my face. Genma bound into my house, he was ranting about something. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he bounced around and started throwing things of mine into a bag. They were mainly weapons and a few outfits. I looked up him and when he caught my eye he looked sad, and worried.

I felt my chest tighten as one word slipped from his mouth, the only word he spoke clearly. "Tsunade." My body moved without my mind telling it to. Under my sink, my favorite weapons came out and were put into the bag. I hardly heard him mumble the word Anbu, it was late at night and I knew we were leaving right away. It took me a moment to realize that he was already dressed for it.

Anko, Asuma, Kurenia and Gai were in my house not long after. They were dressed and ready to leave as well. I went to my room and changed, I slung my bag over my shoulder and lead them out of the door. They followed, I tried to keep my pace, I tried to stay slow. But it wasn't working, my heart was racing, my mind was going even faster. I bit my lip under my mask the material rubbing against my skin. My fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly.

I was brave, yet I felt myself growing scared. I could feel myself start to sweat, and I could feel their eyes on me. I took a deep, calming breath and spoke. I tried as hard as I could to keep my voice from shaking. "What?"

"Kakashi..." It was Asuma that spoke. They had stopped walking. I turned and faced them. They were all staring, their eyes locked on me. Gai's were wide, and Anko's were stern. "We need to talk." I knew where this was going and I didn't want to hear it. They were my friends. They could tell when something was wrong, it was what friends do. "Now."

I turned around and began walking again. "No. I can't." We didn't have time for an intervention. We didn't have time to lollygag around. We needed to move, and we needed to move fast. Why weren't they getting that?!

"Kakashi, you're to emotionally attached. You should go back to the village. You're putting everyone at risk." Anko was never the voice of reason, someone had to have told her what to say. She would never have come up with that on her own.

"No." my voice was monotone, and I didn't want to be bothered with their stupidity right now.

"Kakashi stop!" I stopped and faced them again. They hadn't moved from their spots the first time. I looked around, why were they stopping here. "We need to talk. Seriously Kakashi. You can't keep going like this. You're going to get yourself killed. And if you die, how is that going to help anyone?" Asuma said, he was getting mad.

"We can't stop. I'll calm down. If you're worried, then go home." A man never abandons his comrades. I knew that's where this was going to go. They weren't going to let me go alone. They had my back, just like I had theirs.

A scream and crash were heard. The scream was female. Tsunade.