Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This story is purely a work of fanfiction.

Nina- is my original character (I do own her)

Chapter 9

"Something wrong?"

"Uh, no."

It wasn't a particularly convincing reply and Kakashi considered further questioning. On several occasions she'd been distracted by something and when he'd asked her about it, she quickly brushed it aside but this was different. Neither of them had openly announced the obvious- they were at the same inn they'd stopped in on their way to Amegakure; the same one Team Ro had been assigned before…

Nina chewed the inside of her cheek. The place brought forth a horde of emotions and thoughts. She tried to focus on the here and now but found herself stuck on the play by play occurring in her mind of that morning. The dumplings here were delectable however her stomach's incessant churning rendered her unable to enjoy the meal on the plate that had been placed in front of her. What's more, Nina's hands trembled, caving in to the darkness. She felt like the walls and ceiling were enclosing on them and her breaths were becoming harder to make.

She'd failed. Failed so many people. If she hadn't gone on that first mission well then he may still be alive. Then again, if she hadn't gone, would Kakashi and she be where they were?

Nina's eyes tunnelled into the three-coloured dango sticks that laid crossways on a green rimmed small plate. There were endless questions and possibilities for what could or should have happened to prevent that from happening but here they were. Her attention was drawn back to the present, saved by the gentle coaxing touch of Kakashi's thumb running back and forth over the back of her hand.

"It's a pleasant change, I must admit."

"Huh?"

"This visit is a welcomed change. Have to admit the last two were a little…" unsure of the correct word, fearing disapproval from the deadly kunoichi beside him. "Well… let's just say it's an improvement."

Nina gave a chuckle recalling how she'd had to put Kakashi back together after hurling him. "I suppose it is a little different."

Picking up one of the sticks of dango he watched as her lips folded neatly over one ball at a time. Kakashi recalled their last conversation here. Guy. His woeful sigh earnt him a questioning look from Nina which he quickly waved off.

A familiar tree caught his eye, out the window of the inn. The last two visits here had been mission related. Tsunade's words found their way into the forefront of his mind. This was not the norm; at least not for a shinobi. Even if they were allowed to continue carrying out missions together, this right here, wouldn't be permitted. Considering their usual workload between missions, Anbu, and the hospital, it really didn't leave much time.

Similarly, Nina was lost in thought too as she finished off the dumplings. They really were the best that she'd tasted by far. Setting down the last stick into a neat pile of three onto the little plate Nina pulled away from Kakashi's hand and stretched both arms far above her head. Almost instantly, a cold shiver ran down her spine, sending her senses into overdrive. The same familiar yet, tainted chakra signature was detectable. Nina's eyes flashed around the almost empty room as she tried to place the exact location where it was emanating from. There. In the back corner, a hooded figure hunched over the table furthest from where they sat.

She swivelled in her spot to chance a better look, weaving as a group left the restaurant. Nina clambered to her knees, gave a weak smile as the last of the group who whispered an apology, however, the person had vanished from view, along with the chakra signature.

"Nina?"

His warm hand rested on her lower back as she collapsed down, her bottom on the wooden seat. Nina didn't give a reply and her sight was still firmly fixed on the far back corner of the room.

"Nina, what is it?"

Once again, Kakashi had apparently not detected it and that concerned Nina more so than anything. Why was she only able to?

Nina passed her eyes around the room and decided this was not the place to have this conversation. Although, they had only been low key thugs when compared to their own abilities, Nina was hyper aware they were still in hostile territory as they drew closer to Rain Country.

Kakashi was quick to clue into Nina's adversity to saying anything in the openness of the restaurant and slid out of the booth. She followed him, finding his hand and led the way back to their room. Nina's skin seldom crawled like it had. The very mention of Raido's name was one such reason or men of that nature. The type of man who only perceived a woman to be a tool to fulfil their sexual needs on the most depraved of levels. The other well, his name had only been mentioned in passing conversation and rarely. The last time had been … well, wasn't that ironic?

"Just then in the restaurant, there was a chakra signature."

They were quite close to the border between fire and rain country and Kakashi believed there to be nothing out of the ordinary should they come across other shinobi. He patiently waited for further information.

The chances it could even be him were minimal, at best. Nina was aware that Lady Tsunade had worked diligently to ensure those ties had been mended meaning that anything of the sinister nature was all but prevented. "Did you pick it up?"

"No."

Nina paced across the width of the room in front of him, pausing in step at his reply before continuing her path. "My mind was elsewhere."

That was a poor reason. Kakashi was known for his acute attentiveness. The same attentiveness that was able to observe how Nina was rolling her shoulders and running her hands over her forearms, indicating she was very unsettled. "Did you recognise it?"

"No and yes. It's familiar but I can't place it. And it goes as soon as I detect it."

Kakashi pushed up off the bed, resting his hands over Nina's that were folded across her chest. Her senses were bound to be heightened; still coming down from the adrenalin of the investigation and Asuma's passing. Disappearing chakra signatures happened from time to time. They were trained to eliminate their own for missions. So, it was entirely possible that the one Nina had sensed was simply that of another shinobi who recognised their signatures and decided to hide his or her own.

His soft caresses over her hands and arms reduced her unrest and soon her arms unfolded to wrap around Kakashi's torso. She sucked in a deep breath, closed her eyes and let his scent… "Kakashi…"

"Hm?"

"Did you want to try the local spa?"

He wasn't sure how to take her question- was she alluding to the fact he needed a bath? They'd been walking for some time today and it had been a tad balmier than usual. It was also not unusual that they could go days without a shower or freshen up on missions. Such luxuries weren't given a priority and often they would simply wait until they were back in the village for a much welcomed shower in the safety of their own home.

Nina promptly realised the fault in the timing of her question. "It's not that you smell… you always smell like home. I just…" Shit.

Kakashi caught sight of the fire engine red flare to Nina's cheeks and found himself blushing too. Nina's question had been innocent however, his mind less so. Flickers of how she'd returned from the spa last time came to mind. How he'd watched with great vigilance how the singular droplet of water had cascading down her body and dipped into her belly button. And how she'd smelt so pleasing that it had him racing for a shower.

Again he'd forgotten just how unacquainted Nina was with such things. Pinching the material on the bridge of his nose, he pulled it down until it rested on his chin allowing him to slant his head in to give Nina's heated cheek a kiss. "Lead the way."

Nina decided to forgo telling Kakashi that it hadn't been the first time she'd sensed it. Settling instead to put it down to their current location and her fatigue. That and well, she had something else on her mind. Kakashi hadn't stopped at just a single kiss to her cheek; instead he'd continued by trailing a line of them down her neck.

She'd be lying if she said she only read Jiraiya's books for his writing abilities; it was just that up until recently she'd lacked …

"Kaka…shi. We'll never get … there… at this rate."