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 101


The entire Anbu operation, along with some of the senior jonin, had been called in and they were addressed by both Ibiki and the Fifth. There was chatter around them and Nina was doing her best to ignore them and not snap at them for their inability to understand the importance of the moment.

Kakashi kept his eyes ahead but every now and then glanced to assess Nina's body language. She was agitated. Aware of the cohort that they were surrounded by, Naruto wasn't the only possible victim that had been abandoned.

Nina's ears perked when she heard Team Ro was announced and Kakashi stood to attention next to her. The clicking of the Fifth's heels drew closer to her.

"Not you."

"But Mellady."

"Not now Nina. I don't want to hear it. You've been assigned to Ibiki's Team."

Nina clenched every part of her body, ignoring the agonising pain coming from her wrist. Fuck it.

"Mellady, do you think you could look at my wrist again please?"

"Hmm?"

Nina held her arm out for the older woman to assess. She was still listening to the commands being given to Team Ro.

"Over here."

Nina followed her superior off to the side.


"Nina, I know you are a part of Team Ro but I need you here closer to Konoha."

It was only quick but wearing a mask meant her movements were accentuated more. Now, was not the time and place to bring it up; best to leave them be. "Tch. A mirror really?" She thought she'd healed it completely earlier but that wasn't so. Nina's injuries were extensive and what she had passed off as stiffness earlier was actually unhealed ligaments. Judging by what she could feel Nina had attempted to stretch them out thinking that it was just stiffness too. The mirror was a believable story at first but it was clear to Tsunade that it had also been a lie.

"No. The basin."

"Well that makes more sense. You really did an unbelievable number on yourself. I thought I taught you better?"

"Sorry Mellady."

Despite being hidden behind the mask Tsunade detected the honesty coming from Nina and something else…

"Mellady?"

"Hmm?"

"Will the guard duty resume following this?"

"No."

Nina pulled her hand back before returning it to where Tsunade had it.

"Nina, they'll be safe. Thanks to you and Kakashi, we've only got to check out three places. It's the reason why I have you assigned to Ibiki's team so that you're as close as you can be should the worst happen."

"But if we…"

Honesty had been replaced with fear. She wasn't accustomed to Nina displaying any such emotion. But here she was trembling not in pain from healing but from the thought of what may or may not lay ahead of them.

"Nina. You chose the shinobi life. Life and death is a part of the world."

She fell silent. There was a great deal she wanted to protest on the subject but the Hokage's word was impassable.

Shinobi Rule 2: A Shinobi must not value themselves but rather adhere to their village's ideals.

Nina re-joined the ranks and took in the commands pertaining to Ibiki's team.


Kakashi had managed to hear most of the conversation. Nina wasn't the only one whose concern laid with the likes of Naruto and Asuma. He had another concern though. They were running on very little energy. They weren't the only operatives in that position. Sending teams out that were in poor condition for a mission that was reliant on rapid response was …

"Tch."

They were dismissed. Nina took her time to find her feet and Kakashi waited. She was brooding, seemingly tuning out the room and people around her. Including him. He turned and bowed to Ibiki and Lady Fifth and headed towards the door.


"Gah! What on earth are they thinking? A night! That's a whole night without guard duty. I'm sure our enemy is going to take a night off because we finally caught up."

She was beyond infuriated. This was stupidity. It made … she pulled up. Drawing in a long breath and sliding her mask to the side. She wasn't alone. She heard his footsteps close in and his hand came to rest on top of her head.

"Nina, we aren't robots. We need rest. You need to rest."

She wrapped her hand around his wrist, allowing her hand to slide into is as she stood up and faced him. Kakashi moved his mask to the side of his head. Her breathing was still unsettled after the fair pace she had set since leaving the interrogation building. Nina looked down to where there arms hung; their hands were still together.

"I know." Nina squeezed her hand in his. She knew she was in no state to help anyone in her condition. The best chance to save just one life would have her and a team exhausting their chakra reserves, even being heavily assisted with pills. However, given the state of her mind she doubted she would be able to nod off into a peaceful slumber.


The mask had disguised her face for vast majority of the night but Kakashi could plainly see Nina's expression. She was making no effort to hide it. Exhausted, anxious, frustrated and… It was there, alright. Her eyes gave it away. Fear.

He reached up and scratched the back of his neck, replaced his mask and started moving forward. "Do you want Bull tonight?"

He didn't pull her along, they needed sleep but they didn't need to race at the blistering pace they had earlier.


Nina didn't want to let go of Kakashi's hand and it was evident that he wasn't going to either. She pushed her hair out of her face and then slid her mask across. Bull huh? He was good bed company but she needed to wake up fresh. And try as he might, the oversized canine drooled terribly.

"NmmNmm." She shook her head side to side.


They walked along the roof tops, jumping between buildings as needed but never breaking their hold. Until they were on a familiar building.

"Well, this is me."

She freed her hand, giving it a final squeeze and took a few steps away before turning around. "Thank you."


Strange woman.

He gave her a crinkled-eyed smile, then remembered his mask was still in place. Unfortunately she'd already turned back and had disappeared over the side of the building before he reacted.

Night, Nina.

Kakashi had a few more years to have perfected his poker face. Once at home he exhaled all the pent up concerns he had and threw himself into the lounge. Team members changed all the time but Anbu, well Team Ro had included Nina for far too long for it not to make a notable difference. That and his … yes… he'd tried but his emotions had resurfaced. He'd barely kept them in check tonight.

"Boss?"

Perfect.

"Pakkun, I need you and the pack to split between Asuma and Naruto for the night please."

"Oh?"

"Pakkun. I'm too tired to explain. Please?"

"Righto, Boss."

He was at his limit too. Emotions were a heavy burden and something he'd not entertained for a long time. Kakashi stared at his empty hand. That had been nice tonight.

Standing on his feet groggily he made his way to the shower. He had to leave in a few hours' time to make it to that inn. He would have liked to have Nina on the team but understood their need for her to be as close to the hospital as possible.

Letting the shower run its hot spray over his head he rubbed his neck, with one hand resting on the tiles in front of him. The likelihood that the inn was going to turn out to be their suspect was slim. Call it hunch or whatever but, his hunches were rarely off. Again, he understood being assigned there. It was on the outskirts of Konoha, close by to Rain Country. They needed a formidable team assigned to keep a low profile and deal with any issues promptly.

Opposing that understanding was the irrational pull to be close by to her. Should anything happen he'd be a fair hike from her aid and that bothered him a great deal. He rubbed the loofa over his body. Soapy water slapping at the tiles. His mind eye flashed memories of their shower together, causing … no. This was not the time for such thoughts and he willed need to be gone. But then as soon as Kakashi settled his wandering urges, his mind wondered about the bigger picture. This would be their life wouldn't it? Even… even if they could sort this mess out, situations would like this would arise all the time. He assigned to a mission away from her. Her commitment to the hospital and his to Team 7 and the odd S-ranked mission meant that it was inevitable.

He scooped up a handful of water, scrubbing his face and hitting the faucet to halt the shower. He pulled the towel off the rack and dragged it through his hair, pat his body down before wrapping it around his waist. Pulling out a pair of boxers and pants and he chanced a look at the clock above his bed. He let out a groan. Three hours before he'd have to wake and leave.

Climbing into the bed, leaving one leg out from under his shuriken printed blanket, Kakashi's mind gave him one last thought before giving way to sleep. Idiot to suggest Bull. Why didn't you just stay?