6:50 am

Kakashi woke the next morning to find Maia still peacefully sleeping next to him. The young woman had unconsciously moved over to his side, wrapping her legs in his, hand resting on his chest. He took a moment to watch her lightly inhale and exhale, and a feeling of fuzzy warmth, deep calm overcame him. Never once had he considered leaving her. He needed her more, to be with her much more, in order to fully understand what she meant to him. He leaned over to lightly kiss her lips, light enough she wouldn't wake.

Sleep a while longer. I'll be here soon.

Smoothly slipping out of her unconscious embrace, Kakashi got up, wrapped her up more, got dressed, and left the house to have a much needed reflection at the memorial.

-Memorial Stone-

The chilly dawn air was filled with a light mist, a grey haze he was used to at this time of early morning. He came here every day, often multiple times, to honor his lost friends. He never talked aloud, but he would talk to them internally, it was the least he could do.

"Hey guys." He bowed respectfully in the silence. "I met a girl. I told you about her a few days back. I think she might be the one... though I'm not certain yet." The trees nearby blew in the wind; going through his hair. He smiled at the thought of her still curled up in his bed, all his.

"I'm not sure what you would think of her, but I think you would like her, Obito. Maybe you would like her too much and we would fight over her, even if she was mine. Then again, you might not, or you might have used her for one of your little lame brained schemes."

Little did he know, he had.

"I know you would like her though, Rin. I think the two of you would get along like good friends... even if you did have feelings for me..." He sighed. "Hey Obito, maybe you could have taken Rin out, and we could have a double date? How does that sound? Naw, I'm just being foolish." Was it foolish to think to himself of talking with them? In such a childish manner? He often asked himself that. Even if it was, it wouldn't hurt not to.

"Rin, the thing is, there's this extra something about her, it's hard for me to put my finger on it. It's in her face, it's in her eyes. It's like there's a part of her that's a ghost of you... It's not just that she looks like you, because that's true also, but there's an extra thing that gets to me. I need to get to the bottom of this..." The sun had risen higher in the sky, and it began to shine above the branches of the trees. It would be wise to get going soon. He wouldn't want her to wake up to find him missing after their first night together.

"The bottom line is, I really, really like her. Thank you Obito, for letting me live long enough to meet her. She's a little frail in fighting, but I'll work to protect her and help her work on her jutsu." He gave them his farewells and bowed a goodbye. Then he walked back home to find her laying in his bed, still fast asleep. He removed his mask, shirt and shoes to slip smoothly under the covers, marveling at her once again, and his own feelings. He thought of his friends once more.

"I guess you would have to see it to believe it, her likeness, I mean. Gosh, I wish you both were here."

Little did he know, in a way, they were.

He gently slipped under the covers. The woman's eyelids fluttered into wakefulness, though he watched her breathe with them shut, favoring the idea of sleep. In a moment, she found her attempt at feigning sleep futile. The woman's aquamarine eyes gazed up at him, her arm pulling her warm figure closer to the man who had changed her life.

"Good morning," she smiled

"Morning beautiful" she stretched and wrapped herself tighter around him only to find his legs covered. Her heart sank a little.

"Where did you go?"

"I had to go to the memorial stone, but I wanted to get back quickly to see you wake up." the woman smiled and noticed his face which had been obscured in the darkness was now illuminated by the sun. She climbed up onto him to get a better view.

Even in the sunlight it was exactly as she had pictured in daydreams. And though he had lived as a shinobi for so long, his skin was unmarred minus the long scar on his obscured eye. Kakashi watched her mouth move ever so slightly. It was odd feeling so exposed; though it was such a vital part of him, he hadn't shown his face to a girl in a very long time. For her, it was worth it he thought to himself. He smiled with two lips, which once again seemed to have some odd gravitational pull, because the girl found herself pulled into warmly kissing him good morning.

I might not deserve him, but I'll take it she thought. They felt themselves meld into each other for a little bit until a mockingbird flew by.

"I think it's time to start the day. You slept in late."

"Yeah, my head hurts." she wiped the sleep from her eyes and let him get up and open the door a crack, but the sight of his back turned on her brought an ache to her stomach of the notion he might not have had the same intentions as her from the very beginning.

"Kakashi?" he turned to her

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering" the crinkled the blankets in her hand "If this was only one time. If you weren't wanting to be together..." was she an idiot for having asked? She saw his shoulders rise and fall.

"No, Maia. I told you last night that though my friends might have told you I was unloyal, they were wrong. I wanted a relationship with you. I'm never going to just leave you like that." he smiled and she smiled back. It felt like a hundred pounds had been lifted off her shoulders. When she finally got up and dressed, he had come back. "Oh and I forgot to tell you, we have a mission today. Lady Tsunade personally requested we both come together."

"I knew I had been summoned, but I'm happy you were too." He nodded. The girl smiled and passed him to make breakfast, but when she walked out the door, she encountered a problem. In place of more rooms in front of her to the house, there was a walkway to her left and a walkway to her right. In front, the sky, trees, and a view of part of the village. Utterly confused, the girl walked back inside to find him with his mask on, looking at her dryly. Looking down, she noticed the doormat under her feet.

Finally, she came to a realization. He lived in a small, one room house.

"Whhaaat?"

"What?"

"Ummm..." It felt awkward to inquire. She didn't want to come across as rude or insensitive. So instead, she put a knuckle to her mouth waiting for an explanation.

"I never saw any reason to move into a new house. I don't need anything else." Well that made a little sense, she thought.

"What about eating?"

"I go grocery shopping. We have a group kitchen, several bathrooms, and I eat out a lot." she looked at him skeptically for a long moment.

"What? Is my new girlfriend going to question my life choices too?" he lightly chided.

"No..." It wasn't her place to question or dissuade him now. At least, not yet.

"Well then, I have to be off. I have to get some paperwork done regarding my team's last mission, but I'll be with you after that. " she smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You promise?"

"I promise." his eyes squinted in a smile.

"Good." he kissed her a last time through his mask; they thought of how much things had changed between them in one night. Already she felt a need to have him very near to her.

"Kakashi? Will we tell everyone yet?"

"I'll tell Gai. Things are bound to get out about us eventually but we can take our time."

"Okay." they left and said their goodbyes and Maia headed for her house to brush her teeth.

A little ways down the street to the hokages house, she felt an odd, twisted energy around her. It was as if it was lurking just out of sight. She tried to ignore it, but the feeling she was being followed intensified. Looking around warily, she walked faster. Each time she turned to check, the energy disappeared only to near when she turned back. It was very close.

"I gotcha!" two ropes tied around her, pulling her in a few steps. Letting out a fearful yelp, she closed her eyes bracing herself for whichever criminal had gotten into Konoha. But whoever it was let go of the rope and their face was now next to hers.

"Looks like I caught you red handed."

"Who the heck are you? I promise I'm not crazy like they think I am and I am a Leaf Village citizen." Whoever had trapped her moved around her to stand in front of her. When Maia finally opened her eyes, she exhaled in relief.

It was Anko, hands on hips, grinning.

"Anko, how could you?! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Confess."

"What? I'm not guilty.."

"How did the date go? I know you were on one!"

"Oh, um, it went well!"

"Is that all! Come on Girly, you don't have to be secretive with me!" Maia looked at her tentatively. Confessing wasn't her nature. So instead, Anko merely gave a sly, knowing smirk.

"I heard everything from Gai. Kakashi told him. Flaunted was more like it." Maia inwardly sighed. Looks like he was the one man Kakashi went to for men talks. Had he really been that eager to tell his closest friend? Well then, news did move fast.

"Oh fine" Maia sighed. "Can you please not freak out to everyone about it? I'd really appreciate it." Anko snickered in a friendly, patronising way.

"You're so innocent. My lips are sealed. It'll be more fun to watch them figure it out anyways." Maia smiled gratefully.

"Thank you, it means a lot. One more thing, could you please let me out of these ropes?" The woman snickered and untied her.

"Where are you headed anyways, you little lovebug?"

"Lady Tsudade. I was called for a mission."

"I'm headed to the same one! Walk with me." And so they did.

"There's been some kind of disturbance."

"What kind of disturbance?" Anko sounded concerned.

"Not sure. I'm sure you recall the last mission you both took together, when Kakashi was in the Hospital." She gestured over to him.

"Of course. It was when we gathered the document's Orochimaru's men stole." Anko's hand made a fist behind her. Maia's thoughts immediately flashed to her first encounter with Itachi; the first moments that had changed her life. Lady Tsunade nodded gravely.

"We were able to recollect the information completely. However, Jiraiya has reported some new activity. Nothing is certain yet, but he did discover something horrible."

"What m'lady?"

"A trail of three fallen leaf ninja down a river near the Sound Village. Normally we wouldn't have paid it as much mind as we have, but there was something unique about the incident. These leaf shinobi had no injuries. Not only that," she sighed "but they were each reported dead and buried years ago." Maia's brows furrowed in concern. How could that be?

"If his goal is to create new jutsu to gain power, could he have had a spy enter the village and take the bodies from their graves? Have you checked the burial sites?"

"We have. Though there were signs the graves were in fact unburied, the bodies remain unharmed inside. I don't really know what to make of it. That's why I need you three to investigate and gather any intel you can. If Orochimaru is using our dead for his own purposes, it's of the utmost importance we understand how and why. Kakashi, I'm putting you in charge, but due to Anko's previous experience, if she has reason to take the lead, she may do so. Do you accept the mission?"

"Yes m'lady." Anko said. Kakashi nodded.

"I'm coming too." Maia added.

"Very well. Maia, I need you to stay with Anko at all times. In addition, you will listen to her and do exactly as she says."

"I will." She nodded and felt a hand grab her waist from behind her back, tickling her in an unusually harsh way, if that was even possible. She figured that gesture was the definition of their friendship. This gesture was concealed from the Hokage.

"I'll make sure she listens and obeys, don't worry," she told the Hokage. Maia had half the urge to chuckle but held it in.

"Then Anko, Kakashi, you're dismissed." Anko turned to leave but not before squeezing her tag along's side half painfully. When the door closed she looked at the Hokage uneasily.

"Maia Nishikawa. Do you know why I put you on this mission?"

"I figured it might need more guesswork... or maybe we were low on available qualified ninja." Maia looked at Shizune intuitively. Their expressions changed.

"I told you she would guess!" Shizune pointed a finger at her.

"It's no matter." Tsunade calmed her. "This mission is going to be hard for your partner. It might make her chakra… unstable. It's none of my business to tell you, just know this. She's had a dark past, and it is related to Orochimaru. This mission is in the land of Water, which means it might bring up hard memories she's suppressed of him. It's better if we keep her from as many memories as possible, but it might be hard to avoid. If in the case the mark on her neck begins to act up or her energy gets worked up in any way, I need you to use the tools you learned working with Ibiki to help her stabilize herself. Were you educated in the practice of chakra stabilization?

"Yes ma'am, I was."

"Good. Then in that case you may go. Looking back on your last missions, I'm sure you'll do well. The three of you must report back to me when you've collected sufficient information.

"Thank you." Maia bowed respectfully and left her office.

What hardship is Anko hiding? What dark past was she talking about with someone like Orochimaru? I noticed the mark on her neck a while ago but I had always thought it was a tattoo. I wonder what it could be for…. I suppose it's not my place to pry right now but if I have to I'll tell her it's in our best interests if I heard the story.

In the deepest pit of her stomach, Maia was excited. There was a pull to this mission, and Kakashi would be with her the entire time. It made no sense, but it felt like her gut was leading her closer to understanding the truth of her existence in the Leaf.