A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Square Mom Lover, U3fan, Ojay1307, and Miss Laury. Thank you so much for reviewing! They never fail to inspire me. :) And thanks to all of my new followers/favorites!

Tsunade stepped out of the cemetery, and slumped against a tree trunk in the shadows of the forest. She pressed her fingertips to the bridge of her nose, exhaling heavily. Gods, she couldn't do this. Not when everything inside of her wanted to run back to Kakashi, and kiss him until—until...

Stop it. Tsunade forcefully shook herself. They had made a promise, hadn't they? As long as she was hokage, they would wait. She groaned. No matter how long it took. No matter what his touch, his words, did to her. Another presence brushed her chakra, and Tsunade stiffened. She knew who it was even before she stepped out onto the path to face the hooded figure. She clenched her teeth. "What are you doing here?"

Danzō only chuckled. "So. You and Kakashi Hatake, hmm? I thought I sensed something between the two of you earlier, and it seems I was right. Such behavior isn't very becoming to a hokage. But I think you know that."

Fury ballooned in her chest. "I don't answer to you. And I don't appreciate you intruding into my personal life. You have already gone too far, and you will regret it if you push any further."

"Is that a threat I hear, Tsunade-hime?" Danzō smiled thinly. "Let me return the favor. I will hide this little…relationship from the council. For now. And whenever I bring suggestions to your desk, you will see them through. Otherwise, the council will hear every detail of you and Hatake. I can't imagine it will go very well, especially for the hokage caught in such a scandal with one of her jōnin."

Nausea rolled Tsunade's stomach, but she kept her glare pinned on Danzō. "Nothing happened and you know it. You have no proof."

"Proof isn't hard to attain. Reputation... respect... honor. Those are harder to get back after they are lost." Danzō tapped his scarred chin. "What was that young shinobi's name? Ah, yes... Zabuki. Perhaps he gives you an idea of what I am capable of."

Tsunade's skin tingled as the blood drained from her face. "What are you talking about?"

"Mao was acting under my orders." Danzō's dark eye burned. "Zabuki was merely one of my creations—a backup plan, if you will. I knew it was only a matter of time before his hate brought him to Konoha. He was supposed to take you out if the chakra-seal didn't, but you exceeded my expectations."

Tsunade had no words. All the torture inflicted on Zabuki—had been by Danzō's hand, to create a weapon of hatred against Konoha? Anger and revulsion burned in the pit of her stomach. The fact that Danzō had the arrogance and gall to tell of his treachery to her face... he knew there was no danger of being caught. A man like Danzō, who had dealt with such secrecy his entire life, knew how to wipe his trail clean. She squeezed her eyes shut. And there was nothing she could do about it.

At least, not yet. But Tsunade silently vowed that one day Danzō would pay for his crimes. She would see to it.

Danzō turned and glided away, calling over his shoulder, "What I do, I do for Konoha. You should think about doing the same."

Tsunade glared after him, wallowing in helpless rage. A quiver ran through her body, and it took all of her willpower not to destroy the trees behind her. She closed her eyes as a familiar chakra presence washed over her. How long had Kakashi been watching from the treetops? Had he heard the entire thing? His warm presence moved closer, until she knew he stood right behind her. But she couldn't face him. Didn't want to.

Instead, Tsunade strode away into Konoha's darkened streets, even as Kakashi called her name softly. She didn't want to hurt him, but she couldn't let him comfort her. She didn't have that right. Not yet. And she would do whatever it took to protect him from Danzō. If that meant keeping a distance, then so be it.

Shinobi are trained to be alert to their surroundings at all times, even in sleep. Which was why Tsunade woke instantly when she sensed a presence in her room. Two specific chakra signatures, to be precise. Tsunade sat up in bed, blinking at the two night-patrol Anbu standing in the middle of her bedroom. Cold settled in her stomach. They wouldn't be here unless something was wrong. Very wrong. "Speak."

The Anbu on the left answered immediately, "We need you to come with us, Hokage-sama. There has been an attack. Kakashi Hatake and Danzō Shimura are both—"

Attack.

Kakashi.

A jolt of terror pulled Tsunade out of bed before the Anbu finished speaking, any drowsiness from sleep gone. She snatched her haori and pulled it on over her pajamas. "Take me there. Now."

The Anbu led her along Konoha's dark rooftops. It couldn't be any later than 2 or 3 am. Tsunade kept pace with the Anbu, though everything in her wanted to leave them behind and find Kakashi. An attack. The Anbu hadn't said anything about enemy shinobi, and that filled her with dread even more. She bit her lip, attempting to shove away unwanted thoughts, but they flooded her mind anyway, pounding incessantly.

The deathly chill flowing from Kakashi as he'd stared at Danzō.

"I won't let him hurt you again."

"I'm ready to say goodbye."

No. No. She couldn't let her fears run away with her. All that mattered was making sure Kakashi was safe. Because he had to be. He had to be. She wouldn't let herself consider any other option.

But as the Anbu dropped down the backside of a sprawling home in Konoha's richer district, the cold claws gripping Tsunade's chest tightened. She knew their destination. Danzō Shimura's mansion. They reached it moments later, and Tsunade couldn't stop a strangled sound as they landed on the expansive lawn. The entire west wall had been blown out, though by what jutsu, she couldn't tell. Tsunade didn't wait for the Anbu. She reached the gaping hole in seconds, ignoring the other Anbu moving among the wreckage. She stepped through the debris, searching desperately for the only man who mattered.

One of the Anbu appeared at her elbow. "The two bodies are further back. We decided not to disturb them until you arrived."

Bodies. Tsunade sucked in a breath of arid smoke, and shoved past the Anbu. Her heart stopped. Kakashi was sprawled on the ground, his bloody and burned uniform in shreds, and a torn and bleeding stump was all that remained of his left arm. Another motionless body—or what was left of Danzō—was further back, but Tsunade didn't care. She crashed to her knees at Kakashi's side, healing chakra pulsing through her as she checked his vitals. Please... please...

He was alive. Barely.

Tsunade choked back a sob of relief. She moved her glowing hands over him, all her focus on repairing damaged cells and replenishing chakra. She just had to keep him alive until she could get him to the hospital. She wouldn't lose Kakashi. She couldn't. Without looking up, she demanded, "Who else knows about this?"

"No one, Hokage-sama. Just you." The Anbu's voice held a tinge of worry. "Will he survive?"

Tsunade glanced at Kakashi's face, barely covered by a shred of his mask, but panic crept in the edge of her vision, and she had to look away. Instead, she focused on the Anbu's question to keep her calm. She'd almost forgotten Kakashi had once been in Anbu; perhaps this Anbu had been one of his comrades. "I won't let him die." She exhaled. "Find Shizune, and have her prepare a room in the back of the hospital. We need to take him there immediately, as soon as I get him stable enough to move."

"Hai." The Anbu flashed away.

Tsunade tried to focus all of her being on healing Kakashi, but her thoughts continued to assault her. Though she'd only taken in the barest glimpse of her surroundings, she knew what had happened here. It hadn't been an outside attack; it was an assassination. And by the looks of it, a successful one. She shook her head as she moved her hands to Kakashi's torn stump, a tear falling from her chin.

Why, why, had he done this? Didn't he know what the consequences would be if—no, when—he recovered? Tsunade choked back another sob. No, she couldn't think about it. Not now. In her current state, she wouldn't be able to deal with it, and Kakashi needed all of her concentration to survive.

"Hokage-sama," an Anbu said from behind her, "Shizune-san sent me to inform you that the hospital room is ready."

Tsunade analyzed Kakashi's vitals again. He seemed stable, at least enough to get him to the hospital. She glanced back at the Anbu. "Bring a stretcher. We'll transport him there immediately."

Moments later, they had Kakashi's body strapped on the stretched. Seeing him so weak and helpless, Tsunade's heart felt like it would break in two. She straightened, sternly chastising her emotions. Now wasn't the time to give in to weakness. She looked to the two Anbu carrying the stretcher. "Let's go."

"Hokage-sama." The third Anbu's voice stopped her. "I apologize for interrupting, but what about Danzō Shimura's body?"

A harsh, I don't care, nearly passed her lips, but Tsunade clamped her mouth shut instead. Though Danzō had been a disgusting human being, he was still one of Konoha's leaders. And now as one of the dead, he deserved what little respect she could muster. "Take him to be prepared for burial."

The Anbu bowed, and Tsunade turned away. She nodded to the other Anbu, who promptly headed out with the stretcher. Tsunade followed closely, keeping her gaze fixed on Kakashi to make sure he stayed at stable levels.

They reached the hospital in record time, and Shizune was waiting to lead them to the room she had prepared. Her horrified gaze fell on Kakashi. "Oh, Tsunade-sama. Do you know what happened?"

Tsunade strode past her, bare feet slapping the floor. She didn't have time for questions she didn't have answers for. "Enough, Shizune. I have a patient in critical condition. If you haven't set it up already, I need a blood transfusion unit ready. I assume you prepared the back room in the west wing?"

"Hai." Shizune glanced back at Kakashi's body again, brows furrowed. "I'll go get the transfusion unit prepped."

Shizune vanished down another hallway, and Tsunade led the Anbu to the isolated room. She flung the door open, and immediately took in the equipment stocking the room. Shizune had done well. She gestured to the bed, and replaced her haori for a white medical coat. "Move him to the bed. Carefully."

"Hai." The two Anbu lifted Kakashi, and gently set him in the bed, doing the job almost as well as her medical assistants.

Tsunade washed her hands, the familiar rituals of the medical practice soothing her nerves. She moved to Kakashi's side as she gave the Anbu their last instructions. "No one is to enter this room, except for Shizune. I want the details of what happened tonight to be kept hidden for now, even from the elders. Saving Kakashi is the first priority, and I won't be leaving this room until that happens."

The Anbu gave sharp nods, and promptly left the room with the stretcher, closing the door firmly behind them.

Tsunade focused on Kakashi. First things first. She used her chakra scalpel to slice off what remained of his clothes and shredded mask, and discarded them in the corner. She'd already seen his face, so she knew he wouldn't mind—but it didn't stop a pang through her heart. He'd done this for her, she knew that, but it didn't make it any better. She needed him alive, more than anything.

Tsunade put all of her concentration, all of her medical prowess and skill into the man lying in front of her. At some point, Shizune entered with the blood transfusion unit, but Tsunade dismissed her as soon as she'd delivered it. Kakashi might be near death, but she would preserve his privacy at all costs, as long as she was able. She set up the unit herself, and once it was working, she returned to Kakashi's side. The damage was even worse than she'd originally thought, and she realized it would take all of her abilities, likely healing all night if Kakashi was to survive until morning.

Tsunade didn't leave his side. The night seemed to take an eternity, but finally, as the morning light warmed the window, Kakashi was stable enough that she knew he would live.

Tsunade pressed her wrist to her forehead, and leaned heavily against Kakashi's bed. She'd been healing non-stop since they'd arrived at the hospital, but all she could feel was knee-weakening relief. He would need a few more days in bed before he would be able to walk, and his left arm was gone up to just past his elbow, the ramifications of which would be life-changing, especially for a ninja who specialized in ninjutsu... but he was alive. He was alive.

Kakashi's breathing quickened, and his eyelashes fluttered as his head tilted toward her. "Tsuna..."

"Shhhh." Tsunade leaned over him and placed her palm against his warm forehead, more as reassurance than anything. "You will be fine, but you need to rest. Go back to sleep."

Kakashi didn't seem to hear her. His bloodshot gray eye fixed on her, tears welling, and he wheezed as he attempted to get words out. "I'm—I'm sorry. But I... had to. I couldn't let him hurt—hurt you anymore."

Tsunade bit her lip. But she was a medical-nin first, and Kakashi didn't need to be talking. "Don't worry about that now. Rest."

Kakashi's mouth clamped in a grimace. His rough, bloodied fingers brushed hers, and he weakly curled them around her hand, holding on as if she was a lifeline. "I'm... sorry."

Tsunade placed her free hand against his forehead again, but this time with a burst of chakra that would put him to sleep. Kakashi's hand went limp, but she didn't let go. Instead, her legs gave out, and she sat on his bedside and cried.

Everything had faded to a dull ache. Kakashi blinked at the shadowed, empty hospital room surrounding him, then let his eye close again to soothing darkness. Clearly, Tsunade had been working her magic. And he knew it could have been a lot worse. Taking on a shinobi such as Danzō, he'd accepted it could very well be a suicide mission. Yet, here he was, alive. Maybe... maybe Tsunade would forgive him, after all.

A familiar presence approached, and Kakashi cracked his eye open as Tsunade walked into the dim hospital room, holding a dark bundle. She set it on a small table, and he realized it was a folded jōnin uniform with a forehead protector on top.

But Tsunade rested her hands on the table and bowed her head, long bangs falling on either side of her face. Exhaustion seemed to seep from every pore of her body. Kakashi dug his fingers into his blanket. Or, at least, his right fingers. For some reason, his left hand refused to work. How long had he been out? Or, more importantly, how long had Tsunade been here, healing him without rest?

Kakashi tried to swallow, but his mouth was too dry. So, he settled for a weak rasp, "Tsuna—Tsunade."

Tsunade spun around, eyes wide. "Kakashi!" She strode to his bedside, and Kakashi took in the dark circles under her eyes and lack of makeup. She set her hand gently on his shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

Kakashi shook his head slightly, wincing at the throb in his skull. "How long have...?"

"You've been here four days. Now, no more questions until you tell me how you are feeling," Tsunade said sternly, her trained medical-nin gaze roving over him. "Where do you have pain?"

That wasn't the question he'd wanted to ask, but he supposed it answered it well enough. He knew Tsunade well enough to guess that she probably hadn't eaten or slept in the past four days. Kakashi sighed. But he also knew the quickest way to get Tsunade to rest was to answer her questions. "My... head."

Tsunade nodded. Her cool fingers ran through his hair, gently probing his scalp. Kakashi couldn't help a slight groan. The feeling was heavenly. Tsunade's blonde eyebrows furrowed, clearly misinterpreting his groan. "Where? Am I close?"

"No... yes. Just—just keeping doing that." Kakashi briefly closed his eye at the blissful sensation. "It feels good."

Tsunade smiled slightly as she obliged, her soft, yet firm fingers continuing to massage. "Do you feel well enough to dress? I brought your clothes."

If he hadn't been so acutely aware of Tsunade standing next to him, Kakashi would be drooling. He forced an eye open. "Eh?" Why was she asking so many questions? He'd be perfectly content with her fingers running through his hair for the rest of his life. "Why do I need to get dressed?"

Tsunade smirked, and withdrew her hand. "Because you're naked?"

Huh? Kakashi looked down at the sheet covering him up to his waist. Without thinking, he started to move the sheet to check, then Tsunade coughed pointedly. Ears burning, he pulled the sheet back more snugly against his torso. Of course she would know. She was likely the one who had removed his clothes to treat him. "Uh, hai. I would like my clothes."

Tsunade nodded, but she didn't move. Kakashi raised an eyebrow, but Tsunade only pressed her lips together. "You... may need help."

Why would he—? Kakashi started to move his numb left arm out from under the sheet to prop himself up... and found himself staring at a bandaged stump. His chest seized, and he could only stare at the half of his upper arm that remained. Only one thought was stark and clear in the muddied mess of his mind. What kind of ninja couldn't do hand seals? Not a real one. Well, besides Guy and his pupil. But he wasn't Guy. He was Kakashi Hatake, the copy ninja; a master of ninjutsu. Who was he without that?

"I'm so sorry, Kakashi." Tsunade's gaze was pained; the regret in her voice even more so. "There was nothing I could do."

Kakashi took in the depths of her golden-brown eyes, sending a jolt through his chest. Why was he feeling sorry for himself? He had been more than willing to give up his life for Tsunade, and all he'd had to give was half of his left arm. He would do it again, in an instant. "It was worth it. I'll manage."

Tsunade opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Instead, she shook her head slightly. Kakashi understood. Neither of them were ready to talk about what had happened, so he offered a quick smile. "Weren't you going to help me get dressed?"

Tsunade accepted the subject change with a lift of her chin. "If you can get out of bed."

Kakashi steeled himself, then eased up into a sitting position. His head swam, but other than that, it wasn't so bad. But what had he expected? He was in the care of the best medical-nin in the world. He slid his legs to the edge of the bed, attempting to pull the sheet with him. But the stupid thing was tucked in at the foot of the bed, and he was apparently too weak to tug it free. Kakashi glanced at Tsunade out of the corner of his eye, but she made no move to help him. Well. He resisted a smirk. She'd already seen him without clothes, hadn't she? To hell with it.

Kakashi shoved the sheet aside, and slid his legs out of bed. His knees buckled, but then Tsunade was holding his right arm, steadying him. She met his gaze with a smirk of her own, but he couldn't help but noticed her cheeks were a bit more pink than usual. "As a medical-nin, I've seen more than a few naked men. You're no different."

Kakashi frowned as Tsunade released him to walk to the table with his clothes. He didn't much like the sound of that. "How many is a few?"

Tsunade shrugged as she unfolded an undershirt and pants. "I've lost count." She walked back to him and held out the pants. His disgruntled expression as he grabbed the pants must have been obvious, because her lips curved with amusement. "Why?"

Kakashi only grunted in answer as he struggled to stick a foot in the pants leg while holding them with one hand. If he kept this up, he was going to end up in a faceplant of the floor. "I thought you were going to help me?"

Tsunade hummed. "Just waiting for you to ask." She snatched the pants from him and pointed at the bed. "Sit."

Kakashi sat, and his frustration melted away as he watched Tsunade crouched in front of him, deftly tugged both pants legs over his feet and up his legs until his feet were exposed. He stood, and she pulled the waistline up to his hips. She stepped back and raised an eyebrow at him. "I think you can button it."

"Ah, hai. Right." Kakashi bent his head so she couldn't see his grin. Except buttoning with one hand was a lot harder than he'd thought. "So, do you help all of your patient dress?"

"Of course not." Tsunade huffed, and smacked his hand away from the button before doing it herself. "You're taking too long."

Tsunade picked up his shirt, and Kakashi obediently ducked his head through the neck hole in his undershirt as she held it open. She stepped closer, avoiding his gaze as she tugged the shirt down his chest and torso, leaving trails of heat whenever her fingers brushed his skin. She smoothed invisible wrinkles on his chest, her hand lingering. Her flushed cheeks said everything she wasn't. Kakashi leaned in until his lips were nearly touching her ear, and she shivered as he murmured, "I'm no different, hmm?"

Tsunade lifted her gaze to his, golden-brown eyes glistening. Her palm still rested against his chest, and his heart raced at the warmth of her touch. But she only whispered, "Why?"

Kakashi stilled. Denial could only go on so long, but... he'd wanted this moment with her to last a little longer. Because once Tsunade left this room, everyone would know he had survived. And survivors had to answer for their crimes. But right now, he didn't care about that. He only cared about the hurt he'd caused the woman standing in front of him. And hoped she would forgive him.

"Because I would do anything for you." Kakashi placed his hand over Tsunade's and laced their fingers, never taking his gaze from hers. "And I am prepared to face the consequences."

Tsunade's expression crumpled. She moved closer, resting her forehead against his chest, and her voice trembled, "I'm not."

Her shoulders shook, and Kakashi felt his heart breaking as he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. He buried his face in her hair and breathed in the scent of jasmine. He couldn't do this. But he had to.

A knock came from the door, and Kakashi barely had time to separate himself from Tsunade before Shizune stuck her head in, brow furrowed with worry. "Tsunade-sama, I'm so sorry, but the council has demanded to see you at once."

The door closed. Tsunade sighed, and walked to the table. When she turned, something was in her hand. She stepped close to Kakashi, jaw set with determination, and placed her cool hand against his cheek, her thumb tracing down his lips and chin. "I will figure something out. I promise."

She pressed a cloth and metal bundle into his hand, then strode out of the room. Kakashi didn't look at it until Tsunade was out of sight, but when he did, an ache grew in his chest. His Konoha forehead protector.

But not even Tsunade could ignore the rules of the village. And he didn't want her to try. The council would want him to answer for his crimes, and with no evidence against Danzō, he had no chance of being pardoned. At best, his punishment would be life-long imprisonment. Something he couldn't allow. Not if he wanted any chance, no matter how small, of keeping his promise to Tsunade.

Kakashi tightened his grip on his forehead protector. There was only one option. He had to leave Konoha as a missing-nin. It would be like admitting to his guilt, but he didn't see another way. Besides, there were other ways to protect Tsunade—and Konoha—than from inside the village.

He placed the forehead protector on his pillow, and stared at it for a long moment. Tsunade would find it, and she would know what it meant. She wouldn't like it, but he hoped she would come to accept it. And maybe, eventually, forgive him. But even if she didn't, he wouldn't change anything.

Kakashi took the sandals and mask Tsunade had left on the table, and pulled them on. Then he strode to the window. It was unlocked, so it wasn't hard to lift open. He slipped out, and vanished into the early morning bustle of Konoha. It wasn't hard to get past the yawning chūnin at that gate, and only once he'd made it into the forest did Kakashi look back. Years might pass before he saw his village again, and he was prepared to accept that. But Tsunade... Kakashi closed his eye at the painful void in his chest. She was strong. She would be fine.

If only he could say the same for himself.

Square Mom Lover: Whaaaat? Love is a strong word. ;) But your reaction was very satisfying. When I can bring out such emotions, then I have done my job as a writer. Tears are always good. XD I admit, that graveyard scene gave me a bit of trouble to write, so I'm very glad it worked out! No, Tsunade had no idea what was going on. Though she certainly does now. Aww, thank you! I'm so glad you loved it!

U3fan: I think that after what happened with his first team, Kakashi is even more determined to protect his new precious people, and in Tsunade's case, act rashly. Maybe there was a better way to deal with Danzō, but maybe not... Thank you! :) I'm glad you're enjoying Tsunade and Naruto's relationship. I agree, she was one of the few who treated him so.

Ojay1307: Thank you so much! It's taken me years of writing before I thought it good enough to publish for others to read, and I'm still growing for sure.

Miss Laury: Thank you so much for reviewing! :D No worries, never feel like you have to review, though I definitely appreciate it so much! But dang, your predictions are good. Yes, I definitely think Kakashi is thinking logically, not emotionally. If he were, he might realize Tsunade needs him more than she needs Danzō gone. And yes, there will be a time skip in the next couple of chapters. I agree on the relationships in the anime. I'm so glad you're feeling it! Showing more of their relationships was something I really wanted to do in this story. Thank you so much! You stay safe as well. :)