A/N: Thank you for the ongoing support, reviews, follows, favs, reads! Means the world to me. We are gearing up to the final wave of this journey... My head is still twisting around some haziness as to how it'll all pan out; if at all. Hope you're all still enjoying it 3

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 102


Pulling up at her front door, Nina commiserated on whether she should dash away under the cover of the night to check on Asuma and Naruto. If she were caught out doing just that she would be subjected to a harsh punishment which could mean she would be pulled from the investigation and sanctioned to the hospital. Shit. It sucked. Horribly so, but for the bigger picture a shower and sleep were in order. She unlocked her door and stepped into her apartment. Placing her Anbu mask on her bedside table, Nina slipped out of her uniform in increments on her way towards the shower, bundling and discarding them in the corner of the bathroom.

The room filled with steam almost immediately given she'd turned the taps onto a fairly hot temperature. There was a want to wash away the day, her increasing concerns but… She turned her hand over so she was staring at the palm of the hand that had held Kakashi's. She grabbed the soap and loofa and soaped up her body. As the soapy suds dwindled away down the drain, Nina lathered her hair in shampoo. All wasn't lost. There was still something there between them. Dipping her head under the shower spray to rinse out the shampoo she mulled over tomorrow.

Her mind instantly returned to the uncertain fate of her and Kakashi. When she thought about it, only when she let her guard down did it feel right. Nina had expelled a hefty amount of energy into denying anything concerning them. When she did as they'd agreed to on the mission it had all come as easy as, well, as easy as breathing. So, it begged her to question, who was she really fighting? Who had really been lying?

Turning the taps off and blindly grabbing for her towel, her eyes stinging where some conditioner had seeped into her eyes. Once her eyes had been rescued, Nina used the towel to rub a clearing on her fogged up mirror. Her own self wasn't the only image reflected from the mirror. Behind her appeared silhouettes of her father, Orochimaru, Asuma, targets from missions and the faces of the men from her trifle excuses that had been relationships or at least prospective dates. Nina hung her head, dripping, sodden hair curtaining around her face and over her shoulders. Her body shook uncontrollably in small quivers. She gripped onto either side of her basin and steadied herself.

Dammit. She trusted him; she had told him herself. She had aggressively and fearlessly questioned his … her mind flung back to that lunch before their mission. Even then. Yes, even then Nina's conviction was questionable. Shit. But they couldn't, she couldn't… he was Kakashi Hatake. The perpetual soloist in the shinobi world. And she… well, she was Nina Sarutobi. She'd taken and given life. Why was this so hard for her to swing her head around? It seemed to be easy for everyone else around them. The latest to voice it had been Naruto. And she had almost, what felt like a whole lifetime, on him.

She tore out of the bathroom for the bedroom, shaking her head to rid her mind of the thoughts that didn't pertain to the investigation. As she jammed her underwear drawer shut, there was a hushed thunk on the floor, followed by a tinkle, almost a chime. Hmm? Nina angled back to allow the moonlight to show what was at her feet. A pink ribbon lay over her foot. Shit. She rushed to crouch down and carefully picked up the ribbon, box and the delicate gift that had escaped the box. Moving over the window, she inspected the hair pin that she'd been gifted for any damage. Thankfully there was none. She took care to replace the stunning gift to its box and retied the ribbon; setting it down on her bedside table next to her Anbu mask.

The clock on the same table indicated she was well overdue for bed and sleep. Her fingers slowly slunk away from the ribbon as she buried herself under the covers. Not bothering to sort out the twists and folds that had resulted from her not making it this afternoon. She fussed with pillows and squirmed to find a comfortable spot. In the end she'd settled for crumpling herself against her pillows on her side. Sucking in a breath through her nose as last deterrence to fight the thoughts that were cascading through her mind, she had a reason. No, truthfully, it was a discovery. No not that it was more of an admission. It wasn't her head that was the problem at all. It never had been. It was her heart. Her internal organ caged behind her lungs and ribs. Guarded under lock and key because …

The pillows deflated as Nina's body relaxed, surrendering to the much needed sleep.


"Call him back."

"Sorry Mellady. Call who back?"
"Jiraiya."

"Yes Ma'am."

"Have the other teams been pulled back?"

"Yes, Shikamaru Naara's team…"

There was a knock at the door.

"Enter."

Tsunade used the glass to see who had entered the room.

"Oh good Shikamaru, you've returned."

"You summoned."

"Yes. Shizune why are you still here?"

Shizune startled and made a prompt exit to see to Jiraiya's summons.

"Shikamaru I understand you have just returned but I need you to watch over Asuma tomorrow."

What a drag. It's not that he had a distaste for spending time with his sensei but he valued a decent night's sleep.

"Time?"

"First light."

"Ugh."

Before Tsunade could bellow Shikaku cleared his throat and had his son vacate with a look that had him accepting without further protest.

"Mellady we are one short."

"Of course we are."

She huffed and sighed, sitting down at her desk. "Team Ro will just have to do without."

She disliked the idea for several reasons. Every team should have one of the trained medic-nins in case they were to come across another victim. Sending a team without one was less than ideal, let alone the team set to be stationed furthest from the village. She couldn't spare Shizune; the village still needed to operate regardless of this investigation. Should the worst occur they would need every one they could. Sakura included. She'd taken care of that by sending her home early and assigning Ino and Hinata. Tsunade was here if they needed her. She wasn't limited as Shizune and Nina. She had that jutsu to fall back in dire circumstances.

"Mellady…"

"Inform Ibiki at once."

"As you wish."

Shikaku left the Fifth to her own devices.

Swivelling the chair she stood back at the windows overlooking the village. It wasn't just leaving the team short of a trained medic who could start treating a victim, but a medic was a lifeline to the village using the reverse summoning jutsu. Nina had been Team Ro's but she was needed here more. And that was the other issue. The mission to Amegakure had failed to relieve her as first intended and her subordinate was suffering. Tsunade had never witnessed Nina in the condition she had been tonight. So, emotionally vulnerable. She hadn't planned on continuing the guard duty but Nina's reaction had given rise to reason enough. She wasn't just a subordinate and she inwardly cursed the man she'd just called to return to the village for putting the thought in her head. He'd been right. It was like looking into a mirror.

The door was being banged on once again, this time it was Sakura.

"I'll be there soon."

All Tsunade could do was hope. Hope that the worst wouldn't happen. At first light three teams would set upon three separate suspect venues in a hope to get to the bottom of this blasted investigation that had cost them five lives. And with all going to plan, the perpetrator would be found and no more lives would be lost.

Then, she could give Nina her just deserved break. And maybe, coincidentally, she could perhaps spare the same for Kakashi Hatake. Hmpf.