"Kakashi! I had heard rumours that you were well!"

Kakashi, who had just opened the hospital window to make his escape, turned calmly back towards the door. Gai was leaning against the door frame, grinning madly.

"Leaving so soon?"

"I've been here long over a week – and with Mai gone, it's only a matter of time until one of the nurses tries to smother me with a pillow." Kakashi sat down on the sill, ready to leave at any time.

"Well it's your fault for lazing around in bed." Gai lectured, walking into the centre of the room and folding his arms over his chest.

"I was in a coma-,"

"I don't want to hear it! You have kept Maia from her training for far too long!"

Kakashi scratched the back of his head, frowning slightly. When had he done that? Gai noticed the confused look on his friends face and continued.

"She hardly left your side! Convinced that you would come to harm if she wasn't around! She hasn't trained in over a week; I'm going to find her the minute I'm done here."

"She left pretty quickly when that ANBU guy showed up." Kakashi said calmly, gazing out the window.

"Ah! That scoundrel! I don't believe she's still with him! Just last night he was out fraternising with some other woman; I would have wrung his neck if I wasn't positive that Maia would kill me for it…"

Kakashi look back quickly at Gai.

"He's cheating on Mai?"

"Yes indeed. I told her this days ago. I'm all for taking advantage of the blessings of youthfulness, but when it comes to Mai this is just down right despicable!"

"They obviously worked it out, they seemed perfectly happy when I saw him." Kakashi failed to keep the bitter note out of his voice.

"Jealous?" Gai asked, almost hopefully.

"No."

"Heartbroken?"

"Gai, shut up."

Kakashi was silent for a moment. He had known she had been at his bedside for the entire week. He frowned slightly, wondering why she would stay so long if she was clearly still with this Adam person. Gai rambled away in the background, completely unaware that Kakashi was no longer listening. He had to at least try to talk some sense into her…purely out of concern as a friend. It was impossible to catch her in a spare moment; she was always training or being ambushed by her idiot boyfriend…

"Gai,' he suddenly interjected, 'I will resume Mai's training from here."

Gai's eyebrows shot up.

"What?"

"I'll do it. You've trained her well enough in Taijutsu, and I noticed that she is working on a new jutsu; there were scrolls everywhere when I woke up…I'll work on her Ninjutsu with her, I had always intended to do so…" He trailed off, staring into space.

Gai's gleeful grin went largely unnoticed by the copy-nin, who was in the process of thinking up a game plan.

"And this offer is purely a friendly one, I bet -?"

"- tell her to meet me at the training grounds the day after next. I'll talk to you later." Kakashi stepped up onto the sill, and turned back to jump up onto the hospital roof.

Gai stood still for a moment, excitement welling up inside him. So Kakashi would take over Mai's lessons. His grin grew even wider. Just wait until Asuma heard about this…

fI took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

"Come in!" came the sharp reply.

I opened the door to the Hokage's office, revealing the angry woman standing behind the desk, and the two cowering Shinobi before her.

"– And don't let it happen again!' Tsunade barked at the Nin before her, 'now get out of my sight before I change my mind!"

Great, so she was in a foul mood. I had something to ask of her, and an angry Hokage was not a good place to start.

The two men dashed from the room, nearly knocking me clean off my feet in their fear inspired hurry. I stared after them wide-eyed, dreading what the Hokage was going to do to me.

"Shut the door and sit down Maia."

I pushed the door shut with my foot, watching the stressed woman warily. I walked to stand where the men had been previously, as she took a shuddering breath and sat down.

"Uh, you wanted to see me?"

Tsunade rummaged around her desk, lifting piles of paper and files, muttering to herself.

"Yes, yes. Have a seat Sumiko while I…Ah here it is."

She pulled a rather thick file from beneath a heap of scrolls and a cup of coffee and opened it. I sat down in front of her, and peered at the files contents interestedly. My photo lay atop the heap of paper inside – Ah, my record. She flicked through the information quickly, and I watched records of my school marks and achievements, mission reports, notes from the Chunin Exams and my promotion to Jonin flash by, until she finally reached another folder hidden within. It was slim, and had several seals covering it.

The Hokage performed hand signs, before pressing her hand to the second folder. The seal disappeared in a puff of smoke, and the file opened. This time there was a photo of Itachi. Tsunade studied it for a moment, before looking up at me.

"As I am sure you are well aware,' she began, 'the events surrounding the Uchiha massacre are absolutely confidential. You are not to discuss what happened during the execution, nor the events following. You will keep to the story that Itachi kidnapped you after he had finished -,"

"Yes I know all this; you don't need to repeat it." I interrupted, annoyed.

"I thought I would remind you, that just because there has been a change in power, it does not mean that promises and agreements with the previous Hokage become void."

I cleared my throat.

"I choose to keep this a secret out of loyalty to Itachi, not Konoha."

We were silent for a moment, sizing each other up. The Hokage spoke first.

"And that's why he returned to the Village? To make sure you had kept your promise?"

"No. To make sure that the powers that be would remember theirs; to protect Sasuke."

She nodded.

"As I said before, the change in Hokage does not nullify any previous or continuing arrangements."

She looked back down at my file, and continued to flick through the notes on Itachi and I. She was silent for a long time, but just as I was about to ask to leave, she spoke.

"Itachi's group; Akatsuki. You are aware of their aim?"

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant.

"I know they are after the nine-tails."

"All of the Jinchuuriki. You are in possession of a Hou-ou spirit. You need to be on guard."

I stood, smirking at her.

"It's not the same thing."

"The Akatsuki don't know that, and you can't be sure that they won't decide to add you to their…collection, too"

"Itachi wouldn't let them near me."

"Uchiha Itachi murdered his clan, his family, on orders. Do you really believe that you would escape that fate should Akasuki command him to come after you?"

I clenched my jaw tight, furious at the remark. Tsunade seemed to sense my anger. She gave me one last cursory glance before turning back to the strewn papers on her desk. She sealed my file, put it in a drawer and resumed work on something else. However, I forced myself to remain silent, I still had a request to make, and angry remarks would get me nowhere.

"Just be prepared. You may leave."

"Lord Hokage, I have a request."

She looked back up at me, studying me carefully. I met her gaze coolly.

"As you probably saw in my file, I began training as a medic before I left the village. I have retained the skills I learnt, and while they are passable, my training is incomplete. Seeing as that area is your specialty I would like to-,"

"You want me to train you?" She looked slightly suspicious.

I nodded. She put down her pen and considered me.

"I know you have large supplies of chakra, and good control. You would be an asset to team missions, but you are also a valuable Ninja."

"All I'm asking is a few sessions to brush up my skills. I don't want to solely be a medic, but yes, having reliable healing skills would be asset."

She seemed to think it over for a moment.

"Fine. Be at the hospital at 5 tomorrow morning."

She returned to her work, silently dismissing me. I bowed jerkily, thanking the heavens that she didn't ask about my sudden interest in medicine, before leaving the room swiftly.

I groaned when I rolled off the bed and onto the wooden floors, crawling into the bathroom. It had been a few days since my first training session with Tsunade, and while I had done fairly well, it had been an extremely long day. I didn't get out of the hospital until 11pm, after falling asleep halfway through healing a bird's wing and nearly crushing it. I had run into Gai on my way home, which had been to visit Kakashi at the hospital, and learned that the copy-nin had escaped.

"There is no excuse Mai! Training shall resume!" He had cried cheerfully, before tearing off down one of the streets.

I felt around blindly for the light-switch, wincing at the brightness when I found it. I had just enough time for a shower and breakfast on the run before training started. Gai always wanted to start nice and early, and while a 7am wake up call was welcome after yesterday, I'd still rather have slept until midday. On top of training, I was supposed to be back at the hospital in the evening. Gai would not be happy about cutting back on training, but Tsunade was set on improving my skills.

I sat in the shower, and fell asleep, only waking when the hot water ran out and switched to freezing.

I barely bothered to look at the clothes I put on, simply dragging on the closest things on the floor to the kitchen. Checking the time confirmed that I was running twenty minutes late, so I settled for wrapping two pieces of bread around a banana and eating it for breakfast on my way to the field. I shoved hair-ties, several scrolls, my throwing stars and knives and a bottle of water into a bag. I ran out the door, not bothering to shut it properly behind me, and tore down the stairs. Gai would undoubtedly make me do one handed chin ups for being so frigging late.

I said a muffled 'hello' to the landlady, who had her forehead resting against the desk and was moaning about today's hangover. I didn't stop to talk, instead fleeing outdoors into the street. I weaved in and out of the people, faster than was wise on a busy high street, but I managed without incident.

I reached the training grounds in record time, dumping my bag on the ground and pulling out a knife simultaneously. Gai was no where to be seen on the field, though I suspected one of his 'surprise' attacks. I twirled the knife on my fingers and finished the rest of my breakfast. After a minute or so of pacing the field, I looked around again, surprised that Gai had contained himself for so long. I held the knife between my teeth while I tied my wet hair into a knot on top of my head.

Still no Gai.

This was just ridiculous. After one last look around, I sat down on the grass and pulled out one on the scrolls. If he was going to waste time sulking, I may as well continue to work on one of my unfinished jutsu.

I was currently working on creating a new type of shadow clone, one that could travel greater distances away from the original body, and be used as a messenger clone. It would make contact far easier and more reliable. Sending messages with birds and the like was risky, as they were easily caught by enemy ninja. Using a shadow clone as a messenger was a better idea, as you could release the jutsu at will, and the message would disappear with the clone.

That was the theory, but trying to create a reliable double was proving to be harder than I had first thought.

I made hand signs, and a double appeared next to me. I instructed it to run away into the forest, while I tried to keep control of it, and prevent it from disappearing in a puff of smoke. The idea had come to me when I was trying to think of a way to protect the village and Naruto from the Akasuki threat, and I had the beginnings of a plan, but to execute it would be dangerous, and have dire consequences…

"Yo."

I jumped and looked over my shoulder. Somewhere in the distance I heard a faint 'puff'; the short, sad life of a clone.

Kakashi stood behind me with his hands in his pockets, looking calm as can be.

"What are you doing here?" I blurted out. I suddenly realised that the last time I saw him I had kissed him. Then I remembered just how bad my appearance was, my wet hair scraped back, my t-shirt was dirty and I realised too late that my sandals were mismatched. I hastily kicked them off and pulled the elastic out of my hair to try to remedy the situation.

Kakashi barely seemed to of noticed.

"I'm your new teacher."

It took a moment to process.

"We're going to what now?" I spluttered.

"I will continue your training. I had always intended to, but I had promised my time to Sasuke. Gai has taught you enough in regards to Taijutsu, but seeing as you are working on a new jutsu,' I quickly closed the scrolls, 'I thought I would take over."

I struggled into a standing position.

" 'kay, so what're we doing today?" I asked trying to remain calm. I reattached my kunai holster to my leg and adjusted the shuriken pouch to avoid looking at Kakashi.

"Well, I guess a good place to start would be to see how far you got in your Taijutsu..." He was looking disinterestedly up at the sky.

I shrugged and walked away to the other side of the field, pulling out a knife as I went.

"Alright, but this can't run late, I've got somewhere to be in few hours." I called over my shoulder.

Kakashi was silent for a moment, and I turned around out of curiosity. He was frowning slightly.

"What?"

"I'd say your training take priority over your boyfriend, don't you think?"

His tone was aloof, but the dark look remained and it took me a moment to realise what he was talking about.

"It's not actually any of your business what I do with my evenings." I said, annoyed at his assumption.

"But you're seriously going to sabotage yourself for that idiot?"

Kakashi voice harshened. How did this suddenly get so serious?

"Gee Kakashi, I didn't think you cared." I said sarcastically, unable to stop myself.

"I don't."

That stung. I was too far away to see Kakashi's expression, to see whether he was shocked by his remark, or if he truly meant that.

"I thought you were smarter than this. Gai's already told you that he's a womaniser."

I laughed bitterly.

"You're one to talk. Every time I see you, you have some new floozy on your arm – you're just as bad as Adam." I shot back.

"Jealous?"

"Never."

He was silent, and I realised that I had gone too far. When he next spoke it was so low that I nearly missed it.

"Is that what you really think of me?"

"It's what I know."

Part of me was in agony, willing myself to shut up and try to amend the situation. Unfortunately, anger had won over reason.

It was quiet again, each of us avoiding the others eyes. My stomach was churning with anger and anxiety. I finally broke the silence.

"I don't feel like training anymore." I walked towards him, to gather my bags. I kept my eyes aimed straight ahead, away from him and I walked away.

"If I want training, I'll ask Gai. Wouldn't want you to waste your time."

Without looking back or apologising, I walked away from the training fields and Kakashi.

"That Bastard!" I suddenly shouted at the same time Tsunade yelled at me.

"Mai, stop!"

There was a mighty explosion, as the fish I was supposed to be healing suddenly blew up in a bloody pink mess. My hands where still poised over where it had been a moment before. I stood still for a moment, blinked through the gore, before coming back to my senses.

"Son of a -,"

I muttered curses to myself and I shook the fish guts off my hands and glared down at the inspection table. Tsunade was in front of me, wiping the fish covered clipboard she had used to cover her face with a rag. I grabbed a nearby towel and roughly wiped myself clean, before resuming glaring at the table.

"What the hell was that Sumiko?" Tsunade demanded.

It had been three days since my fight with Kakashi, and what a shitty few days it had been. I hadn't talked to him, nor had he made any attempt to contact me, and my emotions and chakra were all over the place. I switched between anxiety and anger throughout the day, and was constantly snapping at people over miniscule things.

"Stupid, useless men." I finally spat out, throwing the towel into the laundry chute.

Tsunade leaned back against the wall, chucking the clipboard onto her desk.

"Which one in particular?" she asked.

I considered not asking – after all, shouldn't it be obvious? Everyone in this entire frigging village seemed to be in on the Maia/Kakashi state of affairs. However, a glance in her direction showed the Hokage with a questioning raised eyebrow.

"Kakashi is being a shit head." I sulked, looking away again.

"And he's why you've been so useless for the past few days."

I shrugged.

She sighed and pushed off the wall, walking round the desk to take a seat.

"Yes I thought it would be him. What happened?"

I finally met her eye, and realised just how far the fish had spread – hopefully she wouldn't make me clean the office up.

"I don't even know. One minute we were fine, the next, end of friendship."

"Hmm, sexual tension can result explosively."

I glared at her; there was no point in denying it. Because it would only prove that I had something to hide…which I didn't. Plus I was quite sure that if I told her to shut the hell up I would get kicked through the door.

"Too bad he's on a mission, or I'd make you two sort it out now."

"He what?"

"I sent him off with a team yesterday morning. S class, for a week or so."

"But he hasn't even healed properly from the Itachi thing!"

She shrugged.

"It's just the way it is. The village is under a lot of strain at the moment, we need leaf Shinobi out in the world to show a strong, united front."

So, there was the reason for his silence…but how long would he be gone? And would he even want to talk to me?

"Either way,' Tsunade continued, 'sort yourself out. I don't need animals exploding in my office because of your emotion driven charka. You obvious care a lot for the guy, why not just tell him and be done with it."

I scoffed at her and shook my head.

"When hell freezes over."

She raised her brows again, looking victorious for a moment, then I realised what I had just admitted aloud.

"Whatever. You can go, same time tomorrow."

I barely heard her. I was suddenly thinking about Akasuki, the plan I had been forming at the training grounds before the fight with Kakashi. And seeing as he would probably never talk to me again, it seemed I had nothing to lose, yet everything to protect.

"Um, actually."

She looked back up at me.

"I've thought of a way that I can be useful to the village…repay debts to the third and fourth. About the Akasuki."

She raised an eyebrow, giving me her full attention.

"And…,' I continued, 'you're not going to like it."

Kakashi glared up at the stars, furious. She was absolutely ridiculous, chasing after that asshole like a…what was the term she had always used? Obsessive fan girl? A memory floated back to him, from when Mai had called one such 'fan girl' a fat sack of useless and ended up hiding in a tree for four hours.

Kakashi caught himself starting to smile and hastily resumed his scowl. His teammates had long fallen asleep; the last three days had been trying. They had been sent to retrieve documents from an enemy nation, one that had shown signs of threat towards the village in its weakened state. The mission had been successful so far; they had successfully infiltrated the enemy territory unnoticed and were less than a day from their destination.

Kakashi sat up silently, quickly checking on his two teammates, Minobi and Katsuo.

He had been appointed as guard for the night; there were Nin roaming the wilderness for enemies, though the team had removed their traces from their journey. Everything seemed fine for now; he couldn't sense anyone nearby, though well trained ninja could cover their chakra signals…

Again his thoughts floated back to Mai, emotions he normally kept suppressed floating to the surface. How easily she could get under his skin and cause so much anger, frustration and annoyance.

Kakashi groaned quietly and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Everything 'right, Boss?"

Katsuo had his eyes open, and was looking at the sky.

"There's no one nearby, we're fine."

As 'fine' as could be expected. Kakashi pulled his vest tighter around him, the night was still and cold and not being able to light a fire meant that they had not had anything completely sustaining to eat.

"That's not what I asked."

Kakashi looked over his shoulder again at the Nin, who still was yet to meet his eye.

"You 'right?"

"Hm." Was all Kakashi offered, turning away again.

"Woman trouble?"

Kakashi said nothing, not wanting to lose focus on what he was supposed to be doing. Katsuo, however, didn't seem keen to drop the matter.

"You know, Mai's a nice girl. You be good to her."

Kakashi frowned to himself. This was the most he had ever heard Katsuo say in one go, and was surprised that it was about Mai of all people.

"She made an impression then." Kakashi muttered conversationally. There was no point in asking how he knew about their 'situation', everyone knew.

"I'm only saying." Katsuo replied, shifting in his sleeping bag.

Kakashi didn't want to hear about how great Mai was; she didn't think the same of him, she made that much clear. She had compared him to Adam, of all people. He wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Unlike Adam, he hadn't had a whole lot to do with who he dated. Either Gai or Asuma set him up, or he was ambushed. It wasn't like he couldn't get out of going out with those women, but the truth was, he just didn't care. He didn't care if he went out or stayed in, because most of those women held no interest for him.

He just went through the motions that he was expected to.

Clearly guarding with indifference was not a great way to go. Maia certainly wasn't impressed at all, and would probably never want to talk to him again. She certainly had terrible taste in men, though if she was so unwilling to listen to him or Gai, perhaps Asuma would have more luck convincing her to ditch Adam.

She shouldn't be ducking out on training either; she needed to be prepared for anything. The Hokage had told him that she could be a potential target for the Akasuki in their aim to capture and possess all the Jinchuuriki. He couldn't lose her too, not after she had just come back, not after everyone else…

Kakashi ducked the moment he heard the thin shiing sound cut the air. A demon shuriken cut the tree behind him in half. Katsuo and Minobi were up in seconds, and Kakashi jumped out of the way of the falling trunk. He drew out kunai in the air, and landed in a stance to attack. It took a moment for his eyes to catch the movement of the enemy. A tree was suddenly lit on fire, and what would now be the battleground was illuminated. They were completely surrounded; all the ninja were wearing masks. One of them spoke, their voice muffled.

"Hmmm…Konoha. We've been waiting"

Kakashi counted the warriors, seventeen in total. Two were hiding further back in the forest.

"I'm surprised that the higher ups could spare the man-power."

Then ninja laughed quietly, and started to circle around them. Kakashi couldn't accurately tell whether these Nin were Chunin or higher, but they didn't seem to have noticed who he was yet. Seventeen to take care of, retrieve the documents and complete the three day journey unscathed was too much to ask in this state.

Some of the Nin raised crossbows, and took aim. He heard Katsuo shift behind him, ready to attack; Minobi crouched slightly, preparing to jump over the ranks. They wouldn't escape uninjured.

"Men,' the leader continued, 'take aim on these intruders. Konoha won't miss three more dead nin stupid enough to get caught."

They simultaneously pulled back on the kunai and waited.

Kakashi's thoughts turned back to Mai one last time. He had to see her again, make things right. He had to return to Konoha for her.

Anger, frustration, annoyance…and want.

The kunai sprung away from the crossbows as Kakashi pulled up his headband.

Hey SO. I'm reeeeeally sorry about how long this has taken, and that it's a bit shit and shorter than usual. But the next chapter will be great – promise. I know exactly what is going to happen, so hopefully it will be out much sooner than this one. I recently started a new job and university, and just have no time to write – this chapter is practically a paragraph a week effort. Bear with me, there is more to come. Check my profile if I'm taking ages, I will post the latest excuse there. Cheeeeers. :)