Bright Eyes: The Unsung Ninja: A Naruto Story

by GeneralWildfire

A kunoichi's exploits have gone unsung in the world of ninja...until now! Sara Uchiha is a young ninja in the Hidden Leaf Village, trying to find her place in the world while keeping an eye on her mischievious friend, Naruto Uzamaki.

17. Bright Eyes: The Unsung Ninja: Part 17

DISCLAIMER: Some of the text and characters are from Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto, which I do not own. Only the characters & text that were not in the original manga/anime series are mine.

Recap: Sara has risen through the ranks rapidly showing her prowess as a young ninja. After her fight with Naruto she has made friends with Kenshin Nara and Ryo Morino, and she is learning from many different ninja so she can keep up with her teammates who are all being trained by Sanin. But all of this good luck has not come without consequence; she keeps getting into arguments with Kakashi, and everyone who knows the pair is waiting for the true battle of wills to begin.

Fissure

As Sara walked up to the gate, Kenshin and Ryo on either side of her, she glanced back towards the forests that were outside the Hidden Leaf Village and sighed, it's been six months since Naruto left…and I've only been a jônin for four of those months…granted you wouldn't know it by the way Master Kakashi acts!

She turned to tell Kenshin and Ryo that she'd do the report for the mission when Kenshin said, "I'll do the report this time, you two can head home."

"Thanks, Kenshin!" Sara said as she teleported back to the house.

As she was about to open the door, Sara paused and listened. She could barely hear the faint sounds of music coming from inside the house. Cautiously, she opened the door and walked in to see Kakashi washing dishes and swaying to the music while Pakkun sat on the counter next to him. The song that was playing stopped and changed to a different one. Sara tried to stifle her laughter as Kakashi began singing Troy Gentry's part in If You Wanna Keep an Angel while Pakkun sang Eddie Montgomery's part:

There's one thing that I've learned in this life
The only thing sweeter than the laughter of friends
Is the smile of a woman when you do a little something
To please her now and then

I like the nightlife but I don't wanna be
One of those slouched over in the corner guys
Looking for the game that don't come here no more
Sleeping alone at night

I look a little rough but I got faith
That I still can change

But I'm no angel
Just lucky that I found one
And I never wanna see her
Slowly flying outta sight
Now I'm not trying to preach it
But buddy I believe it
If you wanna keep an angel
You gotta learn to fly right

To listen to the whole song go to .com/popup/504684680783249138

Throughout the song she tried not to laugh as Kakashi swayed to the music and Pakkun bobbed his head, but at the end, she just couldn't contain her laughter any longer, causing Kakashi to jump.

He whipped around and asked, "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough," she giggled.

Kakashi changed the subject, "Did you see Lady Hokage before coming here?"

"No…was I supposed to?" She questioned.

"She wanted to see you," Kakashi added, "And I suggest you do it now."

"Right," Sara said rolling her eyes as she teleported to the Hokage's Mansion and climbed the stairs. She knocked politely and the door and she entered when she heard Tsunade's voice.

Tsunade turned in her chair to face her when she entered, she asked, "Have you received any mail recently?"

"No…" Sara said feeling confused.

"I suggest you open this here then," Tsunade said handing her an envelope, "and remember…it may not seem like it but… Kakashi probably had his reasons."

Sara's anger suddenly reared up along with her new emotion…resentment. She opened the envelope and pulled out the letter inside reading it's contents carefully before rereading them a second time.

She stuttered, "H-head o-of t-th-the An-anbu b-bl-black ops?" Tsunade nodded. Sara asked, "Do you think I'm ready?"

"Truthfully," Tsunade said smiling, "I don't think any other missions could prepare you for it. Will it be rough on you…yes. But like I said, there is no mission that will prepare you for it."

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade," Sara turned to walk out.

Tsuande called after her, "Try not to let your anger run rampant!" She sighed as Sara teleported out of her office. I have a feeling that this event will be the final straw…

Sara teleported directly into the kitchen where Kakashi was drying the dishes, she angrily threw the envelope and letter onto the table. He looked at her and said, "So?"

"So?" Sara shouted, the resentment fully awakened along with her anger. "You've kept this from me for what…a week now?"

He stated simply, "You're not ready."

"Lady Tsunade said that there was no…"

Kakashi shouted, "I don't care what she says! You're not ready emotionally for such a position as Head of the Anbu Black Ops!"

"But you were!" Sara snapped. "Oh, but wait! I forgot, you're the great Kakashi! You can do no wrong and you're absolutely perfect!"

"I know that I'm not perfect," Kakashi snapped back, throwing the towel onto the counter. "But I am more experienced then you are, and you happen to live in my house!"

She tried to keep her anger in control and asked, "So what was your plan then?"

Kakashi, seeing that she was trying to be calm steadied his own anger, "I think a few more years wouldn't…"

"And I'd still be in your shadow!" She shouted unable to contain her temper. "That's all you care about! You don't want me to be better then you!"

"That's not it at all!" He added, "And what's so wrong with being in my shadow?"

"I want to be my own ninja! Yes. I want to be like you, but not exactly like you!"

Kakashi spoke very quietly, anger laced every word, "Well like it or not, you are not going to go to the Anbu's while living under my roof. You can either stay here and wait a couple more years, or you can get out and be 'your own ninja'!"

He turned away from her, furious and hurt by what she had said.

Sara stormed up the stairs and slammed her door making Kakashi flinch, but he didn't go upstairs to see if she was okay, or to try and make things better. He sighed, things have been like this a lot lately…once we've both calmed down I'll talk to her…

She clenched her fists ready to punch the nearest thing, she settled for her pillow. After she had taught the pillow a lesson, Sara glanced around her room and she shuddered. It suddenly felt like a cage to her. Her eyes drifted to her closet and clothes drawers and finally to the window. She felt tears prick her eyes as she thought, I'll have to leave…after that ultimatum he gave me I have no choice. I'm NOT going to let him run my life. I'm ready to be Head of the Anbu Black Ops now, at age thirteen! He can't stop me!

She heard a tentative knock on her door, which was unusual for Kakashi, but she said, still feeling angry, "Go away!"

He said through the door, "I was wondering if you were hungry at all…"

"No," she answered.

"Let me know if you do want something," Kakashi said, sounding slightly hurt and angry at the same time.

Sara curled up under her covers and decided, I won't eat anything tonight and I'll just go to bed early…that way I'll be up long before Master Kakashi…so I can get out of here…just like he wants… Tears spilled down her cheeks as she thought that, and she went to sleep, her tears still falling.

Kakashi tried to ignore the overwhelming sadness he felt coming from Sara. He was still angry at what she had said. It had hurt him when she had said that she didn't want to be in his shadow or exactly like him. He knew it was stupid to be upset about such trivial things, but, for the time being, he wanted to keep those emotions. In the morning he would try to make things right between them.

After several hours of reading his books he went up to bed. He wasn't angry with her anymore, nor was he hurt over her words. Such stupid things we argue about nowadays…he thought sadly as he got into bed and closed his eyes, falling into an uneasy sleep.

Around three Phoenix roused Sara from her sleep with a loud screech in her mind. Thanks, she thought ignoring the headache that was slowly coming on from his screech. She began to pack all of her possessions, but she paused as she grabbed Kashi. Smiling she hugged the little stuffed animal and set him on top of her folded bed sheets. Her hand drifted to her headband on her desk and she paused, Master Kakashi gave me this as well…I'll leave it here too; I have no need of it where I'm going… She placed it next to Kashi.

She stood up and tossed her bags out the window, before she leapt out and silently made towards the kennels. She walked down a few steps and opened her dogs kennel doors. Within a few seconds, all of them were walking up the stairs groggily. When the saw her, they all bounded forward, whining happily. She shushed them and stroked each of their heads. With a wave of her hand they all set off, she carrying her bags and her dogs trotting happily beside.

Around four, Enaki was waiting patiently for the next Anbu to relieve him of guarding the gates to the Anbu area so he could get some rest. A noise behind him made him turn towards the village streets. He sighed, so she came anyway…

Sara stopped in front of the gates and smiled, "I don't suppose you have kennels here do you?"

"We do," Enaki said opening the gates for her. He said in a serious tone, "I hope you realize that this isn't going to be a walk in the park."

"I'm well aware of that fact," she said meeting his gaze.

Enaki chuckled, "Well…at least Hanashi will be happy to see you."

Kakashi awoke from an uneasy sleep, he looked around wildly and sighed, "It was only a dream that she left…it had to be!" He got up and took a shower, before he walked into Sara's room. His whole world came crashing down around him as he looked at the empty room. His eyes wildly searched for any sign that this was some cruel practical joke, but he soon realized that she had taken his ultimatum seriously.

Walking like a sleep walker, he moved towards the bed and sat down staring at his old headband and Kashi. He picked up both of the items he had given her and sighed. This is all my fault…I've created a fissure between us that I might not be able to fix… He looked up towards the ceiling as tears spilled down his cheeks. The silence of the house seemed to bear down on him, and he shuddered. I can't give in to sorrow… I'll have to write her a letter so she understands how sorry I really am…and how stupid I've been…

Decision

Two weeks had passed since Sara had arrived at the Anbu Black Ops Area. She had been studying non-stop with Hanashi for two weeks on everything she would need to know as the Head of the Anbu Black Ops…there was still one problem though…Sara hadn't said that she'd be the Head Anbu yet.

Sara sighed as she stood poised in front of her uncle's door. It was the middle of the night, and she was trying to figure out if she should really take on the task of being the Head Anbu. Her left hand drifted to her right shoulder where the Anbu tattoo now was. The person who owned the tattoo shop had thought she was kidding when she said she was going to be an Anbu, so he placed the tattoo on the opposite shoulder than what was customary for women. Even though her tattoo was on the wrong shoulder, it would serve to her advantage out on a mission. Her enemies would assume she was a guy, not a girl.

She let her left hand fall to her side, and she continued to stand outside Enaki's room. Part of her wanted to go in and ask his opinion…the other half wasn't sure if she'd even be allowed to enter.

Enaki had told her his first day that she would have to earn his respect like any other Anbu. He had stayed true to his word, ignoring her when they were on guard duty together and never talking to her unless it was absolutely necessary.

This is ridiculous! I need an adult's opinion and Uncle Enaki's the only one I can ask! But then again…he has a really foul temper when he get's awakened in the middle of the night! On the other hand, Hanashi wants my answer tomorrow as to whether or not I'll take the position of Head Anbu…

Taking a deep breath she knocked on the door. A few seconds later, a groggy Enaki opened the door and looked down at her.

Sara said, "Can I talk to you?"

"As what?" Enaki yawned wiping his eyes.

"As your niece," she answered.

Enaki beckoned her inside and sat down on the bed asking, "What do you need to talk about?"

Sara sat down next to him, "Do you think…" She trailed off unable to ask.

Enaki smiled as he pulled her against his side, "You want to know what I think of you becoming Head Anbu?" She nodded. "Honestly…I'd wish you wait…"

She snapped, "I don't want to hear that story again…"

"Kakashi's right in that aspect…but let me phrase it differently," Enaki looked serious, "Would you be able to tell Tiégra that I had died in battle?"

Sara laughed, "You're joking?" She saw his serious expression and said, "Yes."

"Really?" Enaki raised one eyebrow.

"Sure…okay, maybe," Sara amended reluctantly. "But I don't see what that has to do with anything."

"Its part of the job," Enaki said looking out of his window at the night sky. "You need to be able to tell people they've lost their loved ones or you won't be able to handle being Head Anbu…it's the reason I stopped being Head of the Anbu Black Ops."

"What? Wait a minute; you said you were never Head Anbu!" Sara said, indignant.

Enaki countered, "I never said I wasn't!"

"That's true," Sara muttered.

"I'll tell you a little bit about what I experienced as a Head Anbu," Enaki said smiling.

Meanwhile, Kakashi was finally starting to write his apology letter to Sara; his bedroom floor was littered with pieces of paper, all of these were notes that he had started, but he eventually tossed aside. Pakkun sat next to him on the bed, and he watched as his master tossed yet another failed attempt at a letter, to the floor.

Kakashi glared at all of the papers on the floor, "Why can't I write a stupid apology letter?"

"I don't know," Pakkun muttered, "but I wish that you'd write one soon so I can deliver it!"

Kakashi laughed, "For all I know, she's not even the head Anbu yet." He glared angrily at the papers on the floor and began to write, glancing every now and then at Kashi and Sara's headband.

Pakkun stared up at his master and watched him write. Kakashi paused every now and then, but he never tossed the paper away. After several minutes, Kakashi set down his pen and looked the letter over. He nodded satisfied with it and handed it to Pakkun. "Take it to the Head Anbu's room. Even if she's not in there yet, Hanashi will know that it's meant for her."

Pakkun nodded as he took the letter and dashed toward the Anbu Area. He leapt nimbly up onto the windowsill and padded into the Head Anbu's room, setting the letter on the bedside table before he leapt out the window.

Sara said as she exited Enaki's room, "Thanks, Uncle Enaki. That's given me a lot to think about." She closed the door quietly.

Enaki stared at the door and wondered, did anything I said change your mind? Or is it just another challenge to you? Or is it another way to outdo Kakashi…"

Enaki's words had made a mark, but Sara's decision was made. She walked up to Hanashi's door and knocked.

The office door behind her opened and she turned, as Hanashi asked, "What do you need so late at night?"

Sara looked him in the eye, and Hanashi watched as the moonlight shined on them making them more intense, "I've made my decision…"

A Whole New Level!

Sara rubbed her temples as she sat behind her desk, the papers on it never seeming to stop. Not only did she have to look the dang things over but she had to bring them up to her office as well. Several times she had considered incinerating her desk, papers and all...that would at least end the immediate torture. She sighed as she considered all the work that needed to be done, not only in and outside of the village, but just in the Anbu Area itself. Sara slammed her head against the desk for the hundredth time that day. So far she had been an Anbu for two weeks and she had not earned any of the veteran Anbus respect. Even Enaki, whose support she desperately needed, pretended that her orders were just a suggestion.

The door to her office began to open and she sat up, pretending that nothing was wrong. Signing her name to the paper on her desk, as Shi' walked in. Sara glanced up, she was surprised to see that Shi' looked like she had been crying.

"Would it be all right if I took some time off," Shi' asked hoarsely. "My mother just died and…" She trailed off unable to finish.

"Go ahead, Shi'," Sara said quietly.

Shi' was stunned, "You mean it?"

Sara looked thoughtfully before she said, "Yeah."

Shi' didn't need to be told anymore, she quietly scooted out of the office before she shouted for joy.

Sara smiled. One of the greatest aspects of the Head Anbu's Office was the jutsu that was cast on it by the first Head Anbu of the Leaf Village. That Anbu had cast a jutsu that made it so no one could here what was going on inside, but the person inside could hear everything that went on outside of the office.

She sighed again, who am I going to get to cover Shi's shifts…oh who am I kidding! I'll have to do it…so much for getting any sleep these next few days…

Her office door opened again and Enaki walked in. He asked, "Did you really give Shi' time off?"

"Yeah," She muttered, as she glanced over another mission report, signing it, hoping that Enaki would leave.

He commented as he watched her, "That was nice of you…but who's going to cover her shifts?"

"I am," Sara replied curtly, thinking angrily, Since none of you other asses are willing to do it!

Enaki nodded. "I'll leave you to your work then."

She moaned once the door and closed, the last thing I want to do is this stupid paper work! I also need to pick a second in command soon or else I'll go insane! Her mind began going over the possible candidates, but her eyes drifted to the biggest problem in the Anbu Area. She stood up, sighing for what felt like the thousandth time that day, I guess I'll fix the roof…at least I get to go outside then!

Enaki was on gate duty when he heard the hammering start, he glanced up at the roof and stared in astonishment at Sara. Is she really going to do that all by herself? He thought back to the previous two weeks and smiled, she's not at all like Kakashi…he tried to throw his weight around immediately, but she's just trying to show us that she deserves our respect… A younger Anbu walked up to him and commented, "Man, she sure is working hard, I almost feel bad for ignoring her orders…almost."

"That might change soon," Enaki murmured as he walked towards the roof.

Sara jumped when she heard someone step onto the roof; she glanced to the left and saw Enaki. She grumbled, "What do you want?"

"To help," he answered.

Sara glared at him, "It's a little late for that!"

Enaki didn't say anything; he just set to work, helping her out. They worked all throughout the afternoon.

Sara asked quietly as they finished the last repairs that needed to be done, "Enaki…would you mind being the second in command again?"

"No. I wouldn't mind," Enaki answered as he smiled, "I've actually become accustomed to the job."

"Thanks," she said smiling.

Enaki nodded as he teleported off of the roof. Sara teleported also, but she teleported to the training area with the Memorial Stone; she looked around the area and sighed. There were a lot of great memories there, but she had a different reason for being there.

She stared at the water in the pond. Nothing stirred its crystal clear waters that reflected the evening sky, which was exactly what she needed. That very morning, she had thought of Kakashi's Sharingan, and for a brief second, she could have sworn that her left eye had looked like Kakashi's Sharingan.

Sara squatted down next to the water and thought, Kakashi's Sharingan. Here eyes widened as her left eye suddenly became red with three little comas in it. She blinked and the red disappeared. I need to test this further… Neji's Byakugan! Both her eyes became the light violet color of Neji's Byakugan. She looked around her and was amazed at the vision she now possessed. She could see for miles around, but it ended quickly. A gasp escaped her lips as she fell onto her knees. Trembling, she thought to Phoenix, "So this is what Masa meant! The Devil's Eyes is truly the deadliest of Kekkai Genkai! But the chakra it takes to use it, it's scary! If I didn't have you, Phoenix, I would not even use it!"

"It's a good thing to have in your arsenal though," Phoenix commented, "You now have many different Kekkai Genkai copied, including that Haku's."

"I still won't use it unless absolutely necessary," Sara decided, as she stood up.

She teleported back to her room and collapsed gratefully onto her bed, ready for sleep to claim her.

Her eyes shot open moments later as someone rapped against her door. "Go away!" She shouted as she rolled over, her back to the door.

Tsunade shouted through the door, "I will break this door down if you don't open it!"

"Coming Lady Tsunade!" Sara shouted as she leapt out of bed, she glanced out her window, it's already dawn! But I just fell asleep! She opened the door.

Tsunade said, "You have a mission to do. I've already awakened Enaki, who will be going with you." She glanced down the stairs before she continued, "You will be doing another assassination mission, it is critical that you are not recognized as Leaf Shinobi."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade," Sara said, "I'll inform Enaki of the conditions of the mission."

"Good," Tsunade said as she turned and walked down the stairs.

Sara quickly showered and changed into regular clothes; she wasn't surprised to see Enaki already waiting, dressed in regular clothes.

They walked down the stairs together and Enaki said, "Lady Hokage already briefed me on the details of the mission. We need to head to the Land of Water."

Sara looked at him, "We'll have to worry about Mist ninja then."

"Indeed," Enaki murmured as he nodded. "We'll have to be extra careful."

"I know," she agreed.

Enaki looked at her, "Shi' was supposed to come with us, but since she's off…"

"Don't sweat it," Sara said happily, "we can handle this!"

He chuckled, "I wish I still had that kind of optimism…" His gaze drifted towards Tiégra's.

"Go ahead," Sara said, "I know you won't take too long."

Enaki dashed forward and entered the restaurant quickly. A smile crossed Sara's features as she leaned against a wall, patiently waiting for Enaki to reemerge from the restaurant. A thought suddenly struck her, how old is Enaki? Shouldn't he be retired from the Black Ops by now? She glanced up as Enaki jogged out of the restaurant.

Sara met him halfway and they continued to walk towards the village gates. She asked him, "Why haven't you retired?"

"Are you saying I'm old?" Enaki questioned, a smile playing across his features.

"Never!" She quickly said, "It's just…I figured that maybe you would want to spend more time with Tiégra…"

"When I'm fifty I'll retire," he said quietly, "but that's not for another year yet!"

She asked, "Don't you miss being with Tiégra or your kids?"

"Tiégra and I never had kids," Enaki suddenly rubbed his eyes, "damn! I've got something in my eyes!"

Sara didn't press her uncle for more details but he spoke up anyway, "Tiégra had several miscarriages…and the last time we tried to have any kids was when Itachi was Head of the Anbu Black Ops… I wanted to take time off to make things less stressful for Tiégra but, he refused to allow me any time off…"

And Tiégra miscarried again… Sara finished, her gaze drifted to Enaki.

He glanced at her and smiled, "You've been the closest thing Tiégra and I have to a daughter. And I can't help but think that if we had had any kids, that I would have wished that they could have been like you." Sara blushed. Enaki pulled her against his side, "I know I couldn't have asked for a better niece!"

"You're embarrassing me," she protested as she tried to pull away from his one armed hug.

"That's my job!" Enaki commented as he held her tightly.

Sara finally managed to escape and she said, "Come on, let's go! I'd like to be in the Land of Water before nightfall!"

Several hours later, Enaki was lying on his back staring up at the stars, while Sara was trying to figure out how she was going to cook the fish Enaki had caught.

Enaki glanced at her and said, "I wouldn't start a fire here, if I were you. We'd have Mist ninja on us in a second."

"I know! I know!" Sara snapped, letting her frustration get the better of her. She glared out into the night, this sucks! We're in the Land of Water and we can't even cook anything because of the stupid ninja here!

"I could cook the fish if you want," Enaki commented, still lying on his back.

"You caught it, so I'll cook it!" She muttered as she stood up holding the two fish.

He watched her as she walked off, "Where are you going?"

"Someplace where I can cook the damn things!" Sara shouted at him.

Enaki sighed, she'll learn how to cook real fast if she keeps going on missions like this!

Sara glanced at the sky as she walked, following the column of steam that was rising up into the night. She smiled when she saw a hot spring, a perfect place for her to start cooking.

Carefully, she set the two fish on the ground and made some quick hand signs. Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu! With extreme caution, she began to cook the fish, steam rising off of the carcasses. A smirk crossed her features as she watched the steam from the fish blend with that of the hot spring. The fish began to smoke after a few seconds and she cursed silently as she flipped the fish over to cook the other side, this time I can't burn them, or I'll never hear the end of it!

Enaki listened to the usual night sounds as he lay on his back. All of his senses were straining for anything out of place, a whisper on the breeze, a shadow under the trees, the snap of a twig… He jumped as Sara appeared beside him.

"Don't do that!" He said, giving her a stern glance. "If I had been a rookie I would have shouted, alerting any nearby Mist shinobi!"

"Well, good thing you're not a rookie," she said as she tossed him his fish.

He looked it over, "You burned the l-!"

"I know!" Sara practically hissed as she sat down.

Enaki bit into the fish and commented, "It's not that bad, and don't worry about it right now. With a few more missions, you'll be a cooking pro!"

"Don't bet on that," she muttered foul temperedly, as she bit into her fish.

He chuckled, "You'll see…" In response, Sara stuck her tongue out at him. Enaki's tone became serious, "Tomorrow will be the rough part…everything depends on timing."

"I know," Sara said, throwing the burnt half of her fish into the woods where some lucky raccoon would find it. Enaki threw his burnt half where Sara had thrown hers, making that raccoon extremely happy.

His light brown eyes locked with her ice blue ones, "Remember, our target will be in the village square at twelve o'clock unguarded. We will only have ten minutes to assassinate him and get out. We will be unable to use any flashy jutsu, Taijutsu will be the quickest."

"What if I use my Chidori?" Sara questioned.

Enaki looked thoughtful, "Show me how quickly you can produce it."

Sara grabbed her right arm and began to produce the Chidori, before she had even completed it, Enaki said, "Not good enough. It'd be better if it was up to the level of Lightning Blade, an S-rank attack. But yours is still an A-rank technique. You'll have to sit back while I take care of the assassination part of the mission."

"What am I?" Sara asked indignantly, "Chop liver?"

He chuckled, "No. I can guarantee that once I've killed our target the Mist shinobi will be on us."

Sara nodded thoughtfully. She asked, genuinely curious, "So…how are you going to assassinate our target?"

"That's for me to know." He added in a scolding tone, "And you shouldn't sound so excited about assassinating a person…" His gaze became brooding, "It's not something that we as shinobi like to do…"

"Sorry," Sara said abashed.

Enaki smiled as he rolled out his sleeping bag, "Don't worry about it and get some sleep. We've got a rough day ahead of us."

"Yeah," she said as she crawled into her own sleeping bag. Her eyelids closed over her eyes, and she was fast asleep.

She looked around the white misted area; her eyes searching for someone, or something, anything that would disturb the white mist around her. A smile crossed her features as a familiar silhouette appeared within the mist, "Hi, Dad."

Sitka smiled at his daughter, and he embraced her, "It's good to be able to talk to you again."

"I know what you mean!" Sara said, smiling up at her father, an unwanted thought struck her, Master Kakashi used to… she shoved the thought away.

Sitka's eyes missed nothing though, "You miss Kakashi…" It wasn't a question.

"Yeah," Sara muttered. "Can we not discuss that right now?"

He chuckled, "All right, what would you like to discuss?"

Her gaze became thoughtful, "How about when you and mom met?"

His eyes lit up happily, and Sara knew that there'd be no more mention of Kakashi in the near future. She paid close attention to what her father was saying as he began to speak, "Your mother and I met when we were in the Black Ops. She was a fiery tempered Uchiha, everything I had been taught to hate, while I was a Hatake, everything she hated." Sara couldn't believe how easily he stated those two facts, but he didn't seem to notice, "The Head Anbu of the time decided to put us on a mission together…I tried to be chivalrous at first, but your mother made that very difficult, especially after I saved her life on the mission, she wasn't very grateful…" His eyes lit up with amusement, "So I shoved her out of a tree when I had had enough of her attitude, and she in return decided to hit me in a private area, managing to get a sound to escape from me, even though I had no voice box," he flinched at the memory.

"That's how you first met?" Sara asked.

He smiled at her, "I know, it's hard to believe, but that is how your mother and I met."

Sara contemplated her question before she asked it, "Why did you two decide to date then if you hated each other so much?"

"I've asked myself the same question," Sitka said, his eyes brooding. "I could never figure out what your mother saw in me." He noticed his daughter's questioning gaze and he supplied, "I was a Hatake, and not a very handsome one at that, what with all the scars that I had managed to get. I couldn't speak or tell her in any way that I loved her and…" He trailed off, his eyes full of pain.

"Dad," she said cautiously, "I don't think any of that mattered."

His eyes rested on her and he smiled, "I'm well aware of that. I just could never figure out why she loved me so much."

Sara didn't say anything, what could she say? She had never met her mother and the only reason she knew her father or anything about her parents was because her father chose to visit her in her dreams.

Sitka seemed to be reading her mind as he said, "I don't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. It's just something I could never understand, even when I was alive." He gazed at something only he could see before turning his gaze back to his daughter, "I'll let you get some sleep now. You have a rough day ahead of you. Sleep well." With that said he disappeared and so did the white mist.

For the rest of the night, Sara's sleep was undisturbed by anything.

The next morning, Enaki shook Sara's shoulder trying to get her to wake up. He sighed in exasperation when she didn't stir, this is ridiculous! An army could march through here and she'd still sleep through it! Granted…she has been working hard as of late… He went to the hot springs with his canteen, and he filled the canteen full and walked calmly back. Once he was back at the camp he promptly dumped the, still hot water, onto Sara. To say the least, she wasn't happy.

"What the hell was that for?" She shouted; enraged that she was not only

wet but that she also had a few minor burns.

Enaki said, ignoring her anger, "You weren't waking up, so I decided to dump water on you; and since the nearest water source happens to be a hot spring, I got the water from there."

Sara muttered something darkly under her breath; Enaki got the feeling that it was something along the lines of "I'll get you back later!"

Enaki put out the fire as Sara asked, "How far is it to the village?"

"Not very far," he answered gazing into the forest. "Maybe a half hour walk from where we are now."

Sara nodded thoughtfully, she turned her gaze towards Enaki and asked, "How are you going to kill our target? You seem certain that it's faster than my Chidori."

"I AM certain," Enaki said smiling, "and you'll see what I have in mind once we're in the village square." He stood up, "Let's get going."

Several hours later, Sara stood next to Enaki, her eyes on him, waiting for him to make his move. Enaki's eyes were locked on their target, his muscles were tense. It reminded Sara of a spring being held by a child; as soon as the child released the spring it would shoot up. She wondered, what does he have in mind? He hasn't made any hand signs so…? Her thoughts trailed off as Enaki shot forward, the target's back was too him. He was nothing but a streak as he came up behind the target, a man, and he as he swung into a kick, he was still only a blur.

Sara's eyes widened as Enaki's leg slammed into the man's neck, that was his big plan? Just kick the guy in the neck? There's no guarantee that he's dead… Her eyes watched as the man fell limply to the ground, he hit him dead on…? That's not something any shinobi can do in the heat of a mission or battle…!

Enaki teleported next to her and whispered, "Time to go!"

She nodded, as she looked at her uncle in a new light, he has to be a great shinobi…greater than I ever thought…

A sound behind her made her turn and she made some quick hand signs, Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu! The Mist shinobi that surrounded her backed off, but they refused to separate enough to give her room to run. This is quite a fix I've gotten myself into…

Enaki dashed into the woods and stopped panting, he was excited. It had been a long time since he had been on a mission where he could use his skills. He grinned and said, "That was pretty easy wasn't it, Sara?" His grin faded as he looked around. He called out, "Sara!" He headed back towards the village, perfect! On the first mission I lose the Head Anbu! Scratch that, on her first mission I lose my niece!

Landing on a rooftop he looked down into the village square where ten Mist shinobi had surrounded Sara, oh no! I have to get down there! Before he had moved, a ring of fire surrounded the entire group, he watched with wide eyes as a figure nonchalantly stepped out of the ring of fire. The figure disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"What are you looking at?" Sara asked as she appeared beside him.

Enaki looked at her and said, "You know how to use your father's jutsu?"

"Yeah," Sara murmured as she turned her back on the slowly shrinking, circle of flames, "The Fat Toad, taught it to me." She leapt off the rooftop, and Enaki followed her, he asked quietly, "When did you learn how to do the Fire Entrapment jutsu?"

"When I went with Naruto and Jiraiya to find Lady Tsunade, Jiraiya was the one to show it to me," she answered as she picked up the pace.

Enaki easily kept up with her, "How did you figure it out though? Jiraiya was never able to completely master it, so…"

"I worked it out on my own," Sara said, watching as Enaki glanced back uneasily.

Enaki muttered to himself, "I wish there was a better way to check if we were being followed!"

Sara stopped and said, "Hang on for one minute then."

He stopped and gave her a skeptical look as she activated her Devil's Eyes. "I know that you can see things close up, but that won't-!"

Sara interrupted him as she said, "Byakugan!"

His eyes widened in astonishment, Sara's eyes went from the usual icy blue to the pale of a Byakugan wielder. After a few seconds the icy blue of her eyes returned and she said, panting, "We…should…*hack*…keep moving. There…*cough*…several of them…behind us…"

Enaki stood still as Sara jumped to a different tree branch, she glanced back when Enaki didn't follow her, "What's wrong?"

"You just…the Byakugan…how?" He stuttered, unable to comprehend what he had just seen.

She sighed, "I'll explain on the way." She leapt onto another branch, Enaki keeping pace with her.

Enaki turned to her after a few minutes of silence and raised one eyebrow. "All right all ready," Sara exclaimed. "It's part of my Kekkai Genkai…I can copy other Kekkai Genkai, but to use the copied Kekkai Genkai takes up A LOT of chakra."

"How are you using it then?" Enaki questioned. He answered his own question, "Phoenix."

"Yeah, I wouldn't use it otherwise," Sara stated. "But even then, it takes a lot out of me to use it."

"I noticed," he commented, his brown eyes missing nothing.

Sara grinned, "We'll stop every now and then so I can use the Byakugan to see if we're being followed." Enaki was about to argue when she added, "That's an order."

Enaki sighed, knowing that he had been outwitted, and by his own niece.

The next day, early afternoon, they staggered into the village, neither of them had slept, since they had been constantly changing their course and covering their trail so the Mist shinobi would not find them.

Sara and Enaki both glanced down the main street as they heard two familiar voices.

Akane said to her brother, "Look, Akira, it's Sara!"

Enaki chuckled beside Sara as he said, "It would appear that your fans have been waiting for you." Sara stuck her tongue out at him.

"Whoa, you're right!" Akira exclaimed.

Sara said, "I'm going to make sure those Mist ninja aren't following us…" She closed her eyes, "Byakugan!" It was several minutes before she slumped over, leaning heavily against Enaki.

"Are they still following the fake trail we managed to lay?"

"…Yeah…" Sara managed to say, "just don't move anytime soon."

Akira and Akane dashed up to them, and Akane asked anxiously, "Is she okay?"

"She's just tired," Enaki said smiling.

Sara asked, trying not to show how exhausted she was, "So, how have you two been?"

Akira boasted, "We'll be in the Ninja Academy next year!"

"Good, we need more brave kids like you," Enaki said.

Akira and Akane both blushed from Enaki's praise. He turned to Sara and said, "Let's head back, I'll file the report once I'm sure you're not going to collapse." He waved goodbye to Akira and Akane and teleported to the Black Ops area.

Enaki stepped away from Sara and asked, concern in his voice, "Will you be able to make it up the stairs to your room?"

"Yeah, quit worrying!" Sara said, slightly annoyed.

"All right then," he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

A sigh of relief escaped Sara's lips. It was an immense relief to be back in the Anbu area. Now there was no mission to worry about nor was there the worry of enemy shinobi finding out where they were. It was bliss!

With the speed of a snail she slowly made her way up the stairs and towards her room, but she never got there. Her gaze rested on the paperwork that was sitting just outside her office. An indescribable fury rushed forward, and Sara was beyond tempted to incinerate the entire floor. She snatched up the papers and walked into her office, ticked that she had to do paperwork when she really needed the rest. What really topped off her temper was that not one Anbu had done the work while she had been away.

It was late at night when Enaki got back to the Anbu area, as he was about to enter his room, he noticed a light on in Sara's office. With extreme caution, and the memories of former Head Anbus passing through his mind, he knocked on the door.

"What?" Sara shouted, fury showing through that one word.

Enaki wasn't sure if he should say anything, but he decided he should. He pushed open the door and walked in.

Sara's eyes, if possible, would have incinerated him on the spot, just because he had disturbed her work. Enaki smiled. Many Anbus had given him the same look over the years; all of them usually were working on a lack of sleep, as Sara was now doing.

"You should get some rest," he said softly, well aware of Sara's foul mood.

He regretted using the word "rest" instantly as Sara snapped, "I would LIKE to get some rest but I can't! Since some people can't even bother to take a LITTLE extra WORK!"

This wasn't the first time that Enaki was glad to have the jutsu that worked in the room. He said calmly, "You still need rest." Her only response was to glare at him more. Casually, he changed the subject, "So…how are you going to develop your new found ability?"

"My Kekkai Genkai?" Sara questioned a hint of a smile showing through, "I was thinking of working with Neji or Hinata sometime when I have free time…Ha!"

He smiled, "I think you could do that, I'll take over your paperwork when you're training. And if I can't be around, I'll have someone else do it."

A grin was really beginning to show, "Really? That would be great!"

He smiled, "Good, I think once a week would work."

"Hey, Uncle Enaki?" Sara asked quietly. He nodded showing that he had heard her. "Would you be willing to teach me how to…" She trailed off, unable to finish.

"You want me to show you how I can target points on a human body that would kill them in the heat of battle?" He supplied.

"Yeah!" Sara said excitedly.

Enaki looked thoughtful, "I could, but I need something in return."

"What?" Sara moaned.

"I would like more time off, I'm not as young as I used to be," he said, grinning.

"How about this deal…once I reach a whole new level in my Taijutsu, then you'll get time off," Sara said.

Enaki sighed in defeat, "Fine."

"Then it's a deal!"

Fury Unleashed!

"No!" Enaki shouted, several weeks later, trying to stop Sara from incinerating her desk.

With practiced ease, she quickly made the hand signs for the Fireball Jutsu and within seconds her desk was nothing but ashes. She smiled smugly at Enaki.

He commented, "All you've done is given yourself more work for later."

"Yeah, I'm aware of that fact," Sara said, still smiling. "But all that matters is that the paperwork is not in front of me now!"

Enaki sighed, trying to keep a smile from crossing his features as he said, "Since you have nothing else to do, why don't you go train or do something that doesn't relate to being an Anbu."

"That's not a bad idea," Sara said as she teleported out of the room, before her second in command could change his mind.

Enaki allowed a smile to cross his features, she doesn't realize how very different she is from Kakashi…yes, she does run things similar to how he did, but the two are two VERY different people. Kakashi pretty much skipped his childhood, while she still has time to be a kid...

Sara walked the streets of the village, looking for Neji, she had trained with Hinata with the Byakugan, but she wanted someone who could really test the limits of her Kekkai Genkai, not someone who was afraid of hurting her. A voice calling her name brought her out of her searching and she turned around. Her eyes widened in surprise and she called out happily, "Hey, Shikamaru!"

Shikamaru jogged up to her, and then the pair continued to walk side by side. He glanced at her and said, "You seem different…where have you been these past couple months?"

"Oh, here and there," Sara said, well aware that an Anbu was not to tell there identity to anyone who wasn't family.

Shikamaru glanced at her and he said quietly, "I know you're not living with Kakashi." Sara stopped dead in her tracks. He stopped beside her and continued, "If I'm correct in my assumption that means you're in a position where we won't see each other as much, as has been the case…"

"Shikamaru," Sara said, looking him in the eyes, "you're right in your assumption, as to how far your assumption has gone, I have no idea. But for today, I'm just you average shinobi who currently has no mission to do, so…" Her gaze became mischievous.

Shikamaru knew that look well and he smiled, "Glad to see nothing has changed. So we're hanging out for the day?"

"Yeah," Sara said smiling. "But, I do have one thing that I need to do before we hang out." Her gaze found Neji and she waved him over. Shikamaru bristled a bit at Neji's approach.

Neji looked only at Sara as he asked, "Yes, what do you want?"

"To train with you…today. I'm sure you've heard from Hinata about my Kekkai Genkai's abilities," she stated.

Shikamaru stared at her incredulously, her Devil's Eyes? What abilities does it have?

"Yes, I've heard about it's new abilities," Neji said. "We can train now."

Sara nodded and followed Neji, with a reluctant Shikamaru following, am I just a third wheel here? How much have you changed Sara?

Neji led them to his usual training grounds and activated his Byakugan. Shikamaru watched as Sara activated her Devil's Eyes. His eyes widened in shock as the usual ice blue left her eyes to be replaced by the pale color of the Byakugan.

What the-? What's going on here? Why did her eyes suddenly change color?

Neji smirked, "So, it's true what Hinata said. You're Devil's Eyes can copy Kekkai Genkai!"

The Devil's Eyes can copy Kekkai Genkai? Wow! But why am I here if she's just going to train…it's like someone replaced her with Naruto… Shikamaru thought sadly.

He jumped when Sara said, as if she had read his mind, "This won't take too long Shikamaru. It's just some training that I have to do." She silently said to him in his mind, startling him, I know I've changed a bit, but I'm still me…just a tad bit more foul tempered!

When were you not foul tempered? Shikamaru questioned silently, thrilled at this new found way of speaking.

Good-oh shit! She dodged to the side as Neji rushed her, and they began to spar using the Gentle Fist style of fighting.

Neji said, "At least you had enough sense to pay attention to me while chatting!"

"I've learned that through being a jônin," Sara said smiling. "And I wasn't joking about this sparing match being quick…you're within range."

Neji gave her a confused look until Sara went into the Eight Trigrams: Sixty Four Palms fighting stance.

"We're done," Neji said, his Byakugan fading. "You can't hold out much longer anyway."

"Touché!" Sara said, smiling, but her eyes went back to their usual ice blue. Neji teleported out of the clearing while Sara walked over to where Shikamaru was standing.

Shikamaru noted that she was breathing heavily, as if she had run a marathon, but he decided to keep quiet about it. Instead, he asked, "So what do you want to do?"

"The usual," she said, still smiling.

Shikamaru smiled as well as they both teleported to a hilltop that overlooked the village. They both laid down on their backs and watched as the clouds went by.

He glanced several times at Sara, and finally he asked, "Is it hard, what you're doing I mean."

"What makes you ask?" She questioned, her eyes never leaving the clouds.

Shikamaru shrugged, "It's just that you have bags under your eyes, and you look like you've had to deal with hell the past few weeks."

She laughed half-heartedly, "It feels that way. I haven't slept in at least two weeks, nor do I think that I could even if I tried! And the An-!" She trailed off.

"They're whinny kids…the ninja you work with, huh?" Shikamaru said understandingly.

"Exactly!" Sara said smiling. Within a few seconds her smile faded as she said, "I wish things could still be like when we were genin." Shikamaru glanced at her but he remained silent, "Things were less complicated and we didn't realize how vicious and cruel the world of the shinobi really was…"

"So you regret becoming a ninja," Shikamaru half-stated and half-asked.

She looked at him, "No. But there are days where I just want to be a villager. No worrying about the safety of others, no worrying about succeeding on a mission, and no worrying about a loved one dying on a mission."

"But you'd be bored," he commented, "and you wouldn't have met me, or Naruto, Kakashi, Enaki, or anybody. We'd all just be some meaningless names to you."

"I know," she said smiling, "that's what I keep telling myself."

Shikamaru sat up and asked, "In all seriousness, where are we in our…" He trailed off, a blush rising to his cheeks.

"I think we're still going strong, it's just that we won't see each other as much while I'm at my current rank," she stated.

Nodding thoughtfully, Shikamaru said, a grin flashing across his features, "It still means that I'm the luckiest guy in the Hidden Leaf Village!"

They both laughed at his statement, before they relaxed again, each enjoying the other's company and the clouds above them.

Back in the Anbu Area, Enaki was working diligently on getting the paperwork done with or without a desk. A knock sounded against the office door and Enaki said without looking up, "Enter."

The clicking of heels against the floor made him look up to see who it was. He jumped out of his chair when he realized that it was Tsunade.

"I see our Head Anbu decided to demolish their desk and anything on it," she commented looking at the burn mark on the floor.

Enaki rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "Yes, she's a little stressed right now."

"How stressed is stressed?" Tsunade questioned, adding, "And for that matter where is she?"

Enaki sighed, "She has only had small increments of sleep for three weeks in a row now, and has been working almost non-stop… As to where she is, she's out enjoying herself, getting the chance to be a teen for a small period of time."

"Good," Tsunade said smiling, "even the Head Anbu and her Second in Command need rest."

Enaki was nodding in agreement, until the last part struck him and he said, "I'm fine, really. I've done this kind of stuff before with more foul tempered Head Anbus, then you could count."

"Are you insulting your Hokage?" Tsunade asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Never!" Enaki said sarcastically, going with Tsunade's good mood.

Tsunade smiled and said, "Don't push yourself to hard, you old dog."

"I'll try not to you old slug," Enaki said, going back to his paperwork.

Later that day, long after the sun had set, Sara walked through the gates to the Anbu Area. Enaki scolded, "What were you doing that you couldn't be back BEFORE nightfall?"

"Relax," Sara said, smiling at him, "I just lost track of time."

"Doing what?" He questioned.

"Relaxing on a hillside, watching the clouds go by with Shikamaru," she answered.

"I see," Enaki said knowingly. He added, "Try to get some rest tonight, the last thing we need is for you to be in a foul mood again tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Sara said as she headed towards her room, taking the stairs two at a time.

Once in her room, she collapsed onto the bed and sank gratefully into sleep.

She glanced around the white room, partially annoyed. All she wanted to do was to get a good night's rest…not one riddled with spirits.

Obito appeared, and lost no time in scolding her, "What were you thinking? He didn't really mean for you to leave! You practically broke his heart!"

Sara felt the usual prick of sadness when she thought of Kakashi, being apart from him had helped clear her thoughts and she wanted to apologize, but she still was unsure of whether or not she'd be welcome, "He shouldn't have said it then," she answered.

Obito was about to make a sharp retort…

Enaki opened her door and Sara sat up reluctantly in bed and asked, "What is it?"

"You'd better see for yourself," he answered.

Sara felt her fury mounting, all she wanted to do was sleep for a night and no one seemingly wanted her to.

Enaki led her down to the lounge, which Sara found odd. The lounge was a simple room with three couches, one recliner, and a television for exhausted Anbus to relax in, and sometimes even fall asleep in…usually.

Sara walked into the lounge and her fury reached its breaking point. The rookie Anbus were partying in the now unrecognizable lounge. The cream carpet was now a horrendous tie-dye, the furniture looked like Shikamaru's cat times thirty had decided to use them as scratching posts, and the TV lay shattered amongst the mess.

"What the hell is going on here?" Her fury laced every word. Enaki took a step away from her, slightly worried.

A rookie looked at her and laughed, obviously missing the furious tone in her voice said, "Oh look, it's the midget 'Head' Anbu!"

Several of the other's laughed nervously, but the others were smart enough to stay silent.

"Now's not the time to test me," she said in a deadly quiet voice.

"And what's the midget going to do? Swat me!"

He regretted those words. Sara made the necessary hand signs and touched the ground with her fingertips, Ignited Summoning: Hellhound Jutsu!

One of the women present screamed as the floor cracked and flames leapt up, along with two fiery hounds. The offending rookie paled as the two hounds merged into one and leapt towards him. Too stunned to move, the flaming hound's jaws locked on the rookie's left shoulder. He cried out in pain, and trembled as the hound disappeared. He gripped his shoulder, his gaze furious and terrified at the same time as he stared at Sara.

Sara's furious gaze swept over all of the rookies as she said, "You're all going back to the Academy, take your friend to the hospital and then tomorrow morning you'll be Academy students again."

Enaki followed her out of the lounge as she left. He commented, "I think you handled that nicely…you should go with them to see how that man's shoulder is."

She sighed, "Fine…but may I ask what happened to getting a good night's sleep?"

Enaki laughed as she walked outside and teleported to the hospital.

Several hours later, Tsuande walked out of the surgery room and asked, angrily, "What type of blasted technique did you use on him?"

Taken aback she answered, "It's my own technique, Ignited Summoning: Hellhound Jutsu."

"You used this technique on him? Do you realize that I had to amputate his arm?"

"What?" Sara asked startled, "I only wanted to break his shoulder!"

Tsunade's gaze softened, "You really have no idea the power of your hound's jaws. It's not the teeth that is to be feared in your jutsu, but the pressure the jaws create. The pressure was so great that it just obliterated his left shoulder. He won't be a shinobi ever again."

My jutsu just ruined a ninja's life… "Lady Hokage…"

Tsunade interrupted her, "Don't apologize, he got his just dessert, as did those others, just, don't use that jutsu on a fellow Leaf ninja again, all right?"

"Yes, Lady Tsunade," Sara said smiling.

"Get out of here," she said, gesturing to the doors. As Sara walked towards them she added, "And no more Lady Hokage business, it's annoying coming from you!"

Sara laughed as she exited the hospital and teleported back to the Anbu Area.

Kenshin & Ryo…Back Again!

The next morning, Enaki and Sara both had some free time, so Sara asked Enaki, "Would you mind starting that training you promised?"

"I was hoping to get some sleep, but since you won't wait, I don't see why we can't start," he answered. A smile crossed his features as he watched genuine excitement come into Sara's eyes, there are days that I forget that she's not Kakashi…but those days are becoming fewer and fewer…

He led her to the enclosed Anbu training grounds; passerby would not be able to see what was going on.

Sara stood in the center of the grounds as Enaki brought out several training dummies from the shed. He set them up in a circle around her and then he walked up to her and said, "When using Taijutsu as a means of assassination, one must know exactly where to strike. Assassinations need to be quick, one mistake, and it could ruin the entire mission. So, this exercise is to get you up to the necessary accuracy and speed. I'll call out a vital spot, and you will either kick or punch that spot." Enaki looked at each dummy and startled Sara when he said, "Neck."

Sara teleported in front of a dummy and smashed her leg into its neck. She felt pretty good about her speed until Enaki said, "Too slow. You'll need to be faster than that…spine."

So went the next hour until Enaki finally said, "That's enough for today, besides, I think we have our new rookies here."

Sara turned to face the gate and smiled when two new rookies out of the twenty waved. Kenshin and Ryo would now be Anbus with her.

She walked up to them, and Kenshin said, "Good to see you again…is it true that the Head Anbu is…"

"Foul tempered," Ryo finished for him, looking like he'd rather be anywhere but the Anbu Area.

"Depends on if you think I'm foul tempered," Sara said, setting up a trap for them.

Kenshin sighed in relief, "Then we have nothing to worry about."

"Good answer," Sara said, turning to face all of the rookies, "As you know, the last batch of rookies was sent back to the Academy, let's hope you guys won't be the same. I'm the Head of the Anbu Black Ops, Sara Uchiha."

She smiled as Kenshin and Ryo's mouths fell open, she continued, "I expect you to do the assignments that are given to you by myself, or my second in command, Enaki, without complaint. Understood?" All of the rookies nodded. "Good, you guys can follow Enaki to your rooms."

Kenshin and Ryo stayed behind and asked indignantly, "Why didn't you say you were the Head Anbu?"

"I wanted to see if you would dig yourselves a hole, which you didn't, so no harm no foul," Sara said, shrugging. "You'd better go follow Enaki, he's the only one who knows where the rookies rooms are."

Sharkskin

A month later, Sara stood at attention in front of Lady Tsunade. The, still rookie, Anbus stood behind Sara, ready for their orders. Each was in their Anbu uniform, the only difference between them was their mask, and hairstyles, and height, otherwise all of their tattoos were on the same shoulder, there was only one female amongst them, the Head Anbu standing in front of them.

Tsunade said, "This is a serious mission. You are to track the movements of Akatsuki, Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki. I can not stress enough that you are NOT to engage them in any way. We've lost plenty of ninja already…"

As Tsunade trailed off, Sara's mind reeled from the loss of shinobi recently, all of them under her command, I haven't been on any of the missions, but that doesn't stop the pain or the heartbreaking sobs of their loved ones ringing in my head at night. This time though, none of these Anbu are going to die! I'll make sure of it!

Tsunade looked directly at her, jerking her out of her thought process, "I've told you all that you need to know, now go!" She waved her hand and all of them teleported out of the village.

Once they were out of the village, Sara made sure that none of the rookies had decided to head back to the Anbu area. Seeing that they were all there, she decided to give a pep talk, "Now I know you're all nervous, and I also know that the loss of your comrades is weighing heavily on your minds as it's weighing on mine…but we can't dwell on that now. Now, we need to worry about making it back to our loved ones. And I promise that I will make sure that you all make it back."

One of the rookies commented, "We're not genin you know!"

"Too true," she admitted, "but either way. We do need to get moving."

It didn't take the squad of fifteen to find Itachi and Kisame's trails in the

Land of Wind, after a three day journey.

Sara asked one of the rookies next to her, "Do you see any sign of them in that wasteland?"

After a brief glance he answered, "No. There's no sign of them anywhere."

"That's what worries me," she muttered as she looked behind them. A nagging thought in the back of her mind kept suggesting that she use her new found Kekkai Genkai ability, but she shoved it aside. I can't waste chakra now. Not on a mission this important… Part of her wished that Enaki was there. His steadying presence was desperately needed as the atmosphere of panic kept threatening to overcome the rookies.

Sara glanced at where they were all hiding amongst the trees, and she said in a commanding tone, "You're all to stay here unless I signal for you to come. That's an order."

"What?" The rookie next to her gasped. "Are you insane?"

"Seems like it," she muttered darkly as she leapt out of the tree and landed

on the sand.

As if on cue, Itachi and Kisame appeared on the dune above her. She glared at them through her mask, I should have known they were close. They knew that the Leaf Village was going to monitor their behavior at some point in time…

Kisame glanced at Itachi, "Can I kill him, Itachi? It would make things so much easier."

He? When have I been…? Right! The tattoo is on my right shoulder…they don't realize that I'm…well, me! I'd better do some mimicking...

Itachi answered Kisame's question, "No, Kisame, your way is too grotesque. Plus, he has his subordinates waiting in the trees. Isn't that right?"

She said in a voice that could have passed for a young Kakashi, "I don't know where my subordinates are. Probably ran off as soon as they saw you. However, I won't be as easy to scare off."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from a Head of the Anbu Black Ops," he stated calmly. "But aren't you worried at all about your comrades?"

Sara whipped around, her hair having grown out a bit since she had cut it during the Chûnin Exam, was tied into a tiny ponytail, so it did not give her away. Her Devil's Eyes activated as she saw Kisame standing near all of the fourteen rookies, who seemed dazed or lost in thought.

Damn that Mangekyo Sharingan! She rushed at Kisame, but dodged to the side as Itachi tried to strike her with a kunai.

Itachi said, blocking her path, "Kisame will not touch them as long as I don't change my mind in letting them live."

"You bastard!" She shouted, still mimicking a young Kakashi.

Itachi dodged her reckless charge, and she whipped around, kunai in hand, just in time to block Itachi's blow.

She propelled herself away from him and took a steadying breath, calm down…he wants you to lose your cool. Stay focused and remember all that Guy taught you about facing a Sharingan wielder…

When she lunged at Itachi, katana in hand, she kept her gaze on his feet, he moved slightly to the left and Sara brought the katana down on his left shoulder.

Itachi gritted his teeth and moved his right hand. Sara quickly moved away from Itachi as the Fireball Jutsu engulfed the spot she had been in.

He asked, amazingly calm for someone whose shoulder was bleeding, "I see you're familiar in facing the Sharingan."

"You could say that," she said evasively, avoiding his gaze.

"I see you also know about the Mangekyo too," he commented, eyeing the Anbu in front of him.

Kisame watched as the two combatants faced each other. In the blink of an eye they were right next to him, sparring. He jumped back startled, the speed with which these two are battling at is incredible. But Itachi is faster!

As if confirming Itachi's thoughts Itachi's kunai blade collided with the right cheek part of the mask, cracking it.

Sara staggered, taken off guard by Itachi's sudden change in speed. Has he only been toying with me. She back flipped and faced Itachi, panting. I don't have the kind of stamina to keep this up.

Itachi said calmly, "I've enjoyed this little spar with you, so I've decided I'll merely leave you and your subordinates unconscious instead of killing you." Sara blinked and that was all it took to change everything.

Itachi punched her straight in the face; the only thing keeping her from getting a broken nose was her mask as it shattered. She hit the ground hard and rolled several feet before she came to a stop, her mask lying in pieces behind her.

Itachi and Kisame's eyes widened in shock, but Itachi's gaze soon turned to one of rage. He said to Kisame, "I'm not one to go back on my word, so…rough my cousin up a bit, Kisame."

"With pleasure," Kisame said grinning, as he rushed forward. Sara had only just sat up and her eyes widened as she got a good look at Sharkskin. She gritted her teeth in pain as Sharkskin ripped through her armor and torso, ripping right through flesh and muscle. She rolled, keeping her eyes open, so she could see what Kisame would do next. He swung Sharkskin low to the ground, aiming at her head. She managed to get her head out of the way, but her left shoulder was wrenched out of place, and she felt flesh and muscle tear once again. Gritting her teeth, she barely managed to keep her eyes open to watch her opponent's movements. With barely a flick of his wrist, Kisame made to cut her in half. She swung her upper body out of the way but the back of her legs did not escape Sharkskin's grasp. Her leg bandages got tangled in Sharkskin and Kisame flung her toward the trees.

He's been wanting me to dodge…more like counting on it…Itachi told him to rough me up a bit…not kill me…I just hope… her thoughts trailed off as she blacked out, the last image in front of her eyes was Kisame swinging his horrific blade, Sharkskin.

A New Challenge

Enaki sat in the waiting room of the Leaf Village hospital, his head in his hands. His mind kept replaying over and over the scene that had occurred four hours ago…

A rookie bolted into the Anbu area, colliding with Enaki halfway up the stairs. Enaki glared at the rookie, until he noticed the blood that covered the rookie's armor. "What happened?" He demanded.

The rookie was trembling, "I-Itachi a-and Ki-Kisame, they am-ambushed us and…" He lost whatever contents his stomach had, but he continued, gasping, "I'm not sure what happened, but one minute we were watching Sara and the next…" He shuddered, "Sh-she was lying near a tree, looking as if something had ripped her to pieces and Itachi and Kisame were nowhere to be seen!"

"Where is she?" Enaki demanded, more anger then he intended showing in his voice.

The rookie flinched away from him, "We took her straight to the hospital. I came here to tell you what happened while another Anbu went to get Lady Hokage."…

Enaki made it to the hospital in no time, and he bolted past the waiting room doors, and his mind reeled from what it saw.

Sara lay on a surgery table, her eyes half closed and containing no sign of life. He desperately searched for a part of her body, that was visible, that was unscathed, but he found none. His stomach turned, as he gazed at the depth of the wounds, it was worse then when Kakashi had come back from being tortured with flesh hanging off his back. There was flesh hanging off and Enaki could see Sara's arm muscles and the muscles in her stomach and…

A gentle touch, shocked Enaki and he looked up, Tiégra's concerned face gazed down at him, "Are you okay?"

"No," Enaki said, lowering his head back into his hands. Tiégra rubbed his back, and neither spoke for several seconds. "I should have been there. I could have helped her!"

Tiégra said quietly, "And what good would that have done? You probably would have been killed!"

"Better an old dog like me then her…she's so young!" He wept, not caring who saw, the terrible images of his niece's battered body flashing through his mind.

"How bad is she?" Tiégra whispered.

"It took them two days to get her here, and they were all practically dead on there feet from running non-stop to get her here…"

"You didn't answer me," Tiégra whispered, tears in her eyes.

Enaki sat up and embraced her, "I hope Lady Hokage can pull off a miracle."

Three more hours, and there was still no news as to how Sara was doing, Tiégra had fallen asleep against Enaki's chest, and Enaki's eyes never left the doors to the surgery room. He jumped when Tsunade strode through the doors, just as the red light above the doors turned off.

Before he could ask her anything, Tsunade said, "She'll be okay, she'll have only a few scars from where the blade really ripped through, but otherwise the other wounds will heal nicely with barely any scarring."

Tiégra, who had awakened when Tsunade had walked through the doors asked, "Can we see her?"

She nodded, and Enaki and Tiégra walked through the doors, Enaki sighed in relief when he saw that Sara's eyes were closed and no longer halfway open. His gaze swept over all of the bandages that covered almost any visible skin. She looked like a mummy.

He jumped when Tsunade said, having followed them in, "She'll have trouble with her muscles from here on out. What problems…I don't know. Only time will tell. I tried my best but…some of the muscle tissue was missing so…"

Enaki sighed in defeat, knowing that Sara would be watched like a hawk until she was completely better…whatever that may be.

Tiégra walked forward and gently stroked Sara's light brown hair and she sighed, before asking quietly, "Should I tell Kakashi about this? He really misses her."

"He hasn't apologize to her," Enaki commented.

"Kakashi said that he wrote a letter and had Pakkun drop it off in her room," Tiégra said calmly.

Tsunade said, "If I know Kakashi, he probably knows something is wrong, but telling him will not help matters, nor will it help make things better between them. Plus, Kakashi is currently out on a mission and he won't be back for several days yet."

Tiégra nodded and said, "Yes, Lady Hokage." She kissed Enaki on the cheek and walked out of the room.

Tsunade turned to say something to Enaki when the doors opened again and an Anbu with silvery white hair entered the room.

Enaki's eyes widened in shock as he took in the Anbu's features as he pulled off his mask; his mask itself was a dog mask, the only markings on it being two light blue upside down triangles on the cheeks. His eyes were the darkest shade of gray holding cunning and vast knowledge in their depths. He acknowledged Tsunade with a bow of his head, as she followed Tiégra out the door, giving Enaki a look that said they would talk later. The newcomer's gaze turned on Enaki, "It's been a long time, brother. Aren't you happy to see me?"

Enaki's gaze was full of fury as he took a defensive stance in front of his niece. "Can't say I'm that happy to see you, Kai."

Kai's gaze swept over the situation and he laughed lightly, "I was told to report to the Head Anbu and someone told me she was here." His gaze never left Sara's face taking in every detail. His eyes took on an angry gleam for a brief second, before he hid his emotions and said lightly, "Now why wouldn't you be happy to see me?"

"Because I know that you still hate anything to do with Sitka and Selene and their marriage," Enaki snapped.

"So, you know that this…child, is our niece," Kai said quietly, not bothering to disguise the disgust in his voice.

"I won't let you harm her in any way, shape, or form," Enaki practically growled. "It would have been better if you had continued whatever mission you had been on for so many years."

Kai looked hurt for a brief second but he smiled and said, "Just remember, you won't always be around to protect the Head Anbu." Without a second glance, he left the room.

Enaki sat down on the edge of Sara's bed and sighed, why now of all times did he have to come back? Kai's the eldest of all of us, and he took Sitka's marriage to Selene hard…

Three weeks later, Enaki stood in Sara's hospital room, ready to help her if she asked for it. Sara said, glaring at him half heartedly, "I'm not going to fall over!"

Enaki smiled at his niece's display of her old spirit, she was perfectly fine, her muscles had healed well. But there was one flaw…her muscles would seize up every once in awhile causing her to be unable to move, and if anybody touched her when this occurred, it would cause her tremendous pain. Enaki had learned from experience.

He asked, "Are you…okay with this?"

Sara knew exactly what he meant, "Yes. I'm okay with my new handicap. It's not the first time I've had one. My left leg used to give me trouble." She smiled, trying to reassure him, "Now everything gives me trouble, no big deal!"

Enaki tugged her little ponytail, "It's a big deal, but you're handling it well."

Sara rolled her eyes, "Sometimes you're as bad as Master Kakashi with your worrying."

"I'm insulted," he said, feigning to be insulted.

"Good," she said as she teleported out of the room.

Enaki rolled his eyes; she was supposed to wait for me!

He arrived at the Anbu area and said, to Sara's back as she walked up the stairs, "You really should rest one more day."

"Now why would I…" She stopped midstride up the stairs.

Enaki closed his eyes, having already seen the classic tensing of the muscles as Sara was now stuck on the stairs…literally.

He asked, hoping she would not be in too much pain to answer, "Are you all right?"

"Do you think I'm all right?" She snapped.

Enaki ignored her temper, "Do you want me to carry you up."

"No," Sara said, releasing a sigh of relief as she walk the rest of the way up the stairs.

He commented as he walked behind her, "You really should consider finding a successor. Your muscles seizing up will prove disastrous in battle."

"I'm not going to quit!" Sara practically snarled.

Enaki held his hands up defensively, "I don't mean quit, you could still be an Anbu, it's just that…"

"You worry too much," she supplied. Enaki raised an eyebrow at her. Sara quickly changed the subject, "What can you tell me about that new guy, Kai?"

Enaki's mood immediately darkened, "He's a veteran at what he does, which is gathering intelligence, which is what he was doing for the past," he mentally counted how long his older brother had been gone, "Thirteen or fourteen years."

"He's been gone from the village as long as I've been alive," Sara commented. "Anything else I should know about him?"

"Don't trust him," Enaki stated flatly. "All that intelligence gathering and seeing how our village uses that information has made him untrusting, not to mention he's a good actor, he can play many different rolls, be it a rogue ninja, a trusted shinobi, or even the enemy."

"I'll keep that in mind," Sara murmured, her gaze thoughtful, I've never heard Enaki talk like this about anybody before…wonder what Kai did to piss him off?

Understanding

Enaki yanked the papers off the desk before they were engulfed in a furious blaze a month after Sara's encounter with Itachi and Kisame.

Holding the papers up triumphantly he said, "Ha!"

Sara promptly incinerated the papers with a well aimed Fireball Jutsu. She smiled smugly as Enaki moaned.

He commented, "You do realize that this just means more work later."

Before Sara could respond her office door opened and Tsunade strode in, quickly assessing the office. She scowled and said to Sara, "You really must stop burning your desks. This is the third one you've annihilated." Sara's cheeks flushed while Tsunade turned her attention to Enaki, "I need you to leave while I speak to Sara and another Anbu about a mission."

Enaki looked at her closely, "Do you want me to get this Anbu for you?"

"No. They know to come here once you've gone," Tsunade stated.

Enaki sighed as he walked out of the office shutting the door behind him; he glanced down the stairs listening to the footsteps coming up them. At first, he thought about waiting to see who it was, but at the last moment he changed his mind and walked into his room.

Sara watched as the door opened only a few seconds after Enaki had closed it, and in walked Kai. I don't like the look in his eyes every time he walks in here. There's a deadly cunning there, if only for an instant. But it's still there.

Tsunade said, "Good, you're here Kai. I have a mission for both of you. It's one that suits your rumored skills, Kai, and your Head Anbu may be able to teach you a thing or two."

Kai asked, "Rumored skills? Forgive me Lady Tsunade, but if you remember, I'm a year older than you, meaning I've also served alongside you."

"I'm well aware of that," Tsunade said smiling at Kai.

Sara sighed, it's still hard to accept that Kai is fifty-two while Enaki is forty-nine and approaching fifty…crap! That means I'll have to find a new second in command…wait a minute…I'm also fourteen…when did that happen?

Tsunade said, breaking Sara's thought process, "I want you to go to the Rain Village and gather intelligence on what's going on there. Jiraiya hinted that something was going on there with the Akatsuki, but I want to know more than just hints. That's where you two come in. Kai, you're skills are unrivaled in gathering intelligence, and Sara, you're teleportation is getting close to rivaling that of the Fourth Hokage from what Enaki has told me."

Sara blushed. On her most recent missions she had teleported to at least ten different places within a matter of seconds. It wasn't as fast as the Yellow Flash's, but it was getting close to the point. Enaki's Taijutsu training played a large factor in her new found speed. She asked, thinking it an appropriate question, considering who she was going on a mission with, "Do you want me to lead this mission, or Kai?"

Tsunade and Kai both stared at her incredulously for a good five seconds before Tsunade said, "You of course. You're the Head Anbu, it doesn't matter if I place you with more experienced ninja, you're still in charge! Why are you even asking that? You've never asked that before!"

"I was unsure if back…" Sara tried to think of the right words to use without invoking Tsunade's wrath, "a few years ago, if things were different in the Anbu Black Ops."

Tsunade tried not to smile at Sara's rephrasing, "Things haven't changed much in the ranking system."

Sara nodded and barely glanced at Kai, who was still staring at her incredulously. She sighed, maybe that wasn't the smartest thing to say, but I'm not sure if he would follow my orders on a mission.

Tsunade said as she headed towards the door, "You're to head out immediately, and I want you back by this time next week. Otherwise, I'll be sending a follow up squad."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade," Sara said as she watched the Hokage walk out of her office. She turned to face Kai, "Meet me in front of the village gates in forty-five minutes."

"All right," Kai said walking out of her office, still looking at her as if she had grown an extra head.

Sara followed him out, walking into her room while Kai walked down the stairs. As she closed the door behind her, Enaki said, making her jump, "So, Kai's going on the mission with you?"

"Don't do that!" Sara shouted, checking that her heart was still beating. "Yes, I'm going on a mission with Kai."

"Is anybody else going with you?" He questioned.

"No, just the two of us," she answered.

Enaki's eyes blazed, "Don't trust him for a minute! Never let your guard down around him, he-!"

"I know what he's capable of, Enaki," she reassured him quietly, "I've looked over his records and I also know that he's your eldest brother and that he probably wants to kill me because I'm Sitka's daughter…have I forgotten anything?"

"No," Enaki admitted, feeling embarrassed that his niece had caught him withholding information.

"Good! Now if you don't mind, I would like to pack, I have to meet Kai in front of the village gates in forty-five minutes. You know the drill here, just keep everybody occupied, don't take any crap from them," Sara said smiling.

Enaki sighed, "Do I ever take crap from anybody?" He walked towards the door, "I never even took any crap from Kakashi either." He smiled as he added, "And you've never really given me any crap."

Sara smiled to herself as Enaki closed the door behind him. It was good to know that she was different from Kakashi.

Forty-five minutes later, she and Kai were heading out of the village. Sara walked slightly ahead of Kai; her senses alert for any sign that he would be going for a weapon, or even starting to make hand signs for a jutsu.

She was shocked when Kai said, "Don't trust me?"

"Not particularly," Sara admitted, turning her head slightly so she could make eye contact.

"Enaki spreading more rumors?" He questioned, nonchalantly.

"I know they're not rumors," she stated in a quiet voice.

"Oh," Kai said, his eyes glittering maliciously, "you know." She nodded. Kai chuckled, "Then I suggest you keep watching your back."

Sara whipped around, her Devil's Eyes up, "Is that a threat?"

Kai walked up to her and whispered in her ear, "It's a promise." He continued walking, taking the lead.

Sara walked behind him, her deciding that her Devil's Eyes would remain up for the rest of the journey to the Rain Village. She admitted, reluctantly after walking for several minutes in silence, "How far is it to the Rain Village? I've never been there before."

"Four days," he answered, without glancing at her.

Sara nodded, "Meaning we have only a day or two to get the information Lady Tsunade wants before we have to get back…" She added as an afterthought, "Giving you loads of time to try and kill me."

Kai chuckled and said, "Maybe I won't kill you on this mission, since you're on guard."

Four days later, Sara barely had any sleep, but Kai was well rested. They looked at the rain falling over the village, and only the village.

"Probably some sort of jutsu," Sara muttered, squatting down and placing her fingertips on the ground to think.

Kai nodded in agreement, "Most likely a detection jutsu. Anything bigger than an animal will be detected."

"What if we did a transformation jutsu then?" Sara questioned.

Kai shook his head back and forth, "It will most likely detect us anyway." He turned around, "There's no point in even attempting to get in. Lady Hokage will just have to- What are you doing?"

Sara disappeared in a quick teleportation, and entered the village, glancing around quickly for anything suspicious, before teleporting again.

Kai began to pace restlessly, but Sara was only gone for a few seconds, she appeared in front of him, "Let's go!"

He asked as he followed her, "Find anything?"

"No, whatever's going on isn't well known in the village," Sara said, "at least from what I could tell, I tried not to stay in one place long enough for anybody to notice."

"Good," Kai said, nodding.

"I'd like to put a lot of distance between us and that village," Sara stated, glancing at Kai. He nodded in agreement.

Later that night, Sara and Kai were sitting on opposite sides of their fire, well out of the boundaries of the Rain Village's country.

She asked Kai suddenly, "I'm curious about my father."

"I'm not the person to ask if you want to hear anything good," Kai practically growled.

"I'm tired of hearing all the good, I want to hear someone else's perspective," she stated, looking at him across the fire.

Kai was slightly unnerved by her gaze. Her pupil's were only slits, and the fire seemed to be caught in them, reflecting back at him.

"Your father was foolish…he never thought how others would be affected by his actions. It nearly killed our parents when he told them he was marrying an Uchiha…he told only Enaki and Yusuke before that…" He glanced up at her, his eyes showing how much anger he still had, "He refused to listen to me when I tried to talk him out of it brushing off my concerns." He seemed lost in his memories now, "What confused me the most was why he wasn't even considering what a future child would go through because of their bloodlines." He looked at her again, "It seems funny now."

"What seems funny," Sara questioned.

Kai sighed, "That ever since I came back in to the village that I wanted to kill you." He laughed, "I don't have it in me to kill you."

Sara eyed him suspiciously, "Forgive me if I don't believe that."

He laughed, "You're smart! But I'm also old, meaning I would probably mess up and someone would link your death to me."

"Sorry if I don't believe that either," she stated, "but I've seen Lady Tsunade in action. Age has nothing to do with skill."

"Valid point," Kai said, nodding thoughtfully, "but I just have no desire to kill you after watching you since I've been back…probably because you don't remind me of your father or your mother…except your eyes. They're hers…"

"What do my looks have to do with anything?"

Kai sighed, "All of those years away from the village, I tried to picture Sitka and Selene, happy and living with a child. I received the news a year after there death from an old friend who's no longer alive. No one knew about the child though. So I kept trying to picture what the child would look like. I assumed you would like your father, or at the very least your mother, so I managed to harbor some of my anger. And then I saw you for the first time. I lost a lot of my anger just looking at you. You barely have any resemblance to either of them, except in maybe your facial features and build…maybe… Anyway, I decided I'd wait to see if perhaps you were like them personality wise…you aren't. I can't picture you as their child; I can just see you as…" He didn't finish, blushing slightly.

"Niece?" She supplied. He nodded. "I still don't trust you."

"Good," Kai said, smiling. "A shinobi shouldn't trust anybody until they've gotten to know them."

"Nice piece of advice," Sara said, "good thing I already figured that out."

"Right," Kai said yawning. "I'm going to get some sleep, wake me for my watch this time."

Sara laughed, I can't trust him yet, but maybe he can earn my trust…maybe. But I do understand him better now. He wasn't really mad at my dad until it seemed like he didn't care that I would be a half-breed. Back then, it wasn't good to be half one clan and then half a different shinobi clan. But times have changed…maybe some shinobi are die-hard against half-breeds, but most of the village doesn't care anymore.

Crack

Enaki stood in Sara's office, ready to wring her neck. He said, amazingly calm, "You've been sick for several weeks now, off and on. Not to mention that you haven't experienced one of your muscle spells in awhile. As your second in command, I strongly suggest that you don't go on this mission."

Sara glared at him, shadows under her eyes from lack of sleep, and her skin was paler then usual, showing that she was still recovering from her last bout of sickness. She said quietly, "I'll be fine, and you're right, I haven't had my muscles seize up, so I'm going to take advantage of that fact! Lady Tsunade said, specifically that I HAVE to lead this mission."

"But if you said you were unwell she'd understand!" Enaki insisted, trying to make his niece see sense.

"We're short on ninja as it is in the village," Sara stated calmly. "We need every able bodied shinobi to be out on missions. Especially with the Akatsuki beginning to stir…"

Enaki tried to find a logical explanation to keep her at the Anbu Area so she could rest, but he found none. She was right. Even the Anbus had begun to feel the loss of attempting to track the Akatsuki's movements, many ninja had been killed or had gone missing, their names added to the Memorial Stone.

"At least let me come with you," he said, looking at her.

Sara gazed at him, now dumbfounded, "You're fifty…today! Don't you want to leave?"

"Now what type of second in command would I be if I let the Head Anbu get killed because they're to dumb to realize that they need more rest?" Enaki commented dryly.

"Ha, ha, very funny," Sara said, shoving him good naturedly as she walked past, "Gather the other ninja that are on that sheet there. We'll need every one of them to accomplish this mission."

Enaki glanced over all the names, "Good choices, but are you sure you don't want Kenshin on this mission as well?"

"I have plenty of close range fighters, I don't need anymore," Sara said, walking down the stairs with Enaki following as he knocked on the various Anbu's doors. "Ryo's about the only one who specializes in long range fighting while everyone else is either close range or both…you and I being the only ones who can do both."

He rolled his eyes, "Good thing I decided to come along…I do expect to be relieved of duty when I get back though." He made sure she caught his glance.

"I know," Sara said sighing, "Even though I have no idea who will replace you."

"Kai will make a good substitute," Enaki murmured, "at least until you find a better replacement."

Sara smiled to herself, Kai and Enaki have really bonded…granted I've bonded with my other uncle as well. He really seems to want to get to know Enaki and I better…that and he also wants the money Yusuke still owes him!

Enaki saw her thoughtful expression, "Don't get any ideas that Kai and I are on good terms, it's just we have a better understanding of the other. We never got along when we were younger either."

"Uh-huh," Sara said, ignoring the slightly peeved look Enaki shot her. She added, talking over her shoulder, "We'll head out as soon as everyone is ready to go."

Within minutes they were leaving the village behind, all of them, veterans and rookies alike knew the seriousness and importance of the mission: track the Akatsuki's movements and do not engage them in any way if it can be avoided. This was a mission that most considered easier said then done, considering the Akatsuki's record of killing Leaf shinobi.

The reason for Tsunade's sudden interest in the Akatsuki's movements, was because of how close they were to the Leaf village. She gazed after the Anbus as they left, and thought worriedly, I hope I'm not sending any of them to their deaths…but I don't like how close the Akatsuki are getting to the village.

As they traveled, Enaki kept glancing worriedly, at an already panting, Sara, "Are you all right?"

"Just lost some fitness from being cooped up so long," Sara answered smiling.

Enaki was about to say something when Ryo came up beside him and said quietly, "Don't worry about her so much. She can hold her own."

A smile crossed his face, "I'm aware of that, but it's my job to worry."

"No," Ryo said, looking him in the eyes, "it's all of our jobs to watch out for each other."

"Well said," Enaki stopped as Sara stopped in front of him, holding out her hand, signaling that everyone should remain quiet.

Enaki cautiously jumped to the same branch and glanced down the hillside. His eyes widened when he saw two Akatsuki. His eyes widened, they're only five hours away from the village! How could they have gotten this close?

Different thoughts crossed his mind, "Why do you think they're so close to the village?" Sara asked silently.

"Looking for that friend of yours, Naruto," Ryo supplied.

"You would think their intelligence would be more up to date," Enaki thought, "But then again…maybe they don't get up to date intelligence that often."

"Or they're here to just make it easier by getting rid of whatever task force is sent to get rid of them," Sara thought, eyeing the Akatsuki.

A different female Anbu thought, "Either way, we're not to engage them if possible."

"I'm well aware of that," Sara answered.

They all froze as one of them said, in a deep voice with a unique sound to it, "Why don't you quit hiding in the trees? Or are you going to make us come after you?"

Sara sighed in defeat, "Looks like we'll have to engage."

"That or run," one of the newest rookies muttered.

Enaki glared, "We don't have that option as Anbu Black Ops. If we ran that would mean bringing the enemy to the village, and we can't do that."

Sara nodded as she leapt out of the trees, they all followed.

The one who had spoken, had a gray pallor, and his face was hidden behind a mask, with a bandana style headband, while his companion carried a large scythe and had slicked back gray hair, his headband rested around his neck.

The gray haired one said, "Well, Kakuzu, looks like we found ourselves quite a good catch."

"From what I can tell, none of them would bring in a decent amount of money," the one named Kakuzu muttered.

The gray haired one snorted, "Honestly! All you ever think about is money! If you focused on your religion, now then…"

Sara interrupted him, mimicking what Kakashi sounded like when he was younger, "Are you just going to stand there arguing like an old couple or are we going to get things started?"

Kakuzu smiled, "I like this one, Hidan, let's oblige them. Especially since they seem so eager to die."

"Only two of us are going to die today," Sara stated boldly, "and it won't be any of us!"

"Bold words," Kakuzu said as he rushed forward. Sara braced herself, but he went around her and aimed at the reluctant rookie who had spoken earlier. He froze, petrified.

Sara whipped around and grabbed Kakuzu by the cloak while Enaki engaged Hidan. Ryo leapt backwards, pulling one of his giant shuriken off his back.

She yanked on the cloak and shouted, "No you don't! I'm your opponent!"

As Kakuzu turned to face her, apparently not caring who his opponent was, she leapt back as Ryo threw his giant shuriken. Kakuzu ducked and Sara caught the shuriken, throwing it lower to the ground to try and catch him off guard.

They both underestimated Kakuzu's reaction time; he easily dodged the shuriken letting it embed itself in the ground. Before either Ryo or Sara realized what he was planning to do, Kakuzu yanked the shuriken out of the ground and threw it at the reluctant rookie, who took it full in the chest.

Sara and Ryo stared horrified at the rookie's still form, he would not rise again.

Hidan laughed as he knocked Enaki aside, "What did you say about us being the only two to die? Looks like you were wrong!" One of the other Anbus tried to sneak up behind him, but with a quick whirling of his scythe, the Anbu fell to the ground, his head landing a few feet away.

Sara exchanged a glance with her remaining Anbus, before she rushed at Hidan, kunai in hand. Hidan shouted with joy, "Another sacrifice to Lord Jashin!"

Staying out of range while trying to stay close to her opponent was no easy task, and she heard the telltale signs of more of her comrades falling as she sparred with Hidan, trying to find an opening.

Her eyes widened as Hidan swung his scythe over his shoulder, this is my chance! She took a step forward and practically shouted in frustration aloud as her muscles chose then to seize up.

Hidan laughed, "Ah! The Leaf Village sent a handicapped shinobi to do it's work. Lord Jashin will truly enjoy this!"

Enaki and Ryo were trying there hardest to pin down Kakuzu, waiting for an opportunity to strike. But it seemed the more they focused on Kakuzu, the more shinobi he managed to strike or cut down.

He was becoming desperate as he stood trying to catch his breath, I'm not fast enough to find an opening, if only Sara would hurry up with finishing off Hidan, then…! His thoughts trailed off as he heard Hidan's insane laughter. His heart skipped a beat as Sara remained rooted to the spot as Hidan charged, swinging his scythe back for the strike. Without thinking Enaki dashed forward.

Sara watched her opponent's movements, hoping that her muscles would loosen up so she could move; the scythe seemed to be moving slowly as it neared her. Something slammed into her side without warning, causing her muscles on her right side to protest as she was flung sideways. Her eyes darted to what had knocked her aside and a choked sob escaped her throat, as she stared at the shinobi who had knocked her aside.

Enaki stood, his right arm missing, and a slash across his chest, his left arm having plunged a kunai into Hidan's neck. Hidan took a step back, while Enaki swayed, coughing up blood, and he calmly pulled the kunai out of his neck, complaining, "That hurt, you bastard! I'll teach you to interfere with my religion!" He swung his scythe and Enaki moved to dodge, but he was too slow. Hidan swung the blade low, catching Enaki's left leg and slicing it off, and then bringing it upward, causing more damage to his chest. He hit the ground.

Sara felt an uncontrollable rage shake through her body and with it Phoenix's chakra rushed through her, she stood up and released Phoenix with a shout of pure rage, "BURN THEM TO THE GROUND!"

Phoenix gladly obliged. With a shriek that must have shaken the skies he released a blaze of flame that engulfed the ground and everything on it.

When the flames finally ceased, Sara was relieved to see that her Anbus were unharmed. She knew that her flames had missed their intended targets, since they had fled when Phoenix had shrieked. Wiping the tears from her eyes she dashed to Enaki's side and fell on her knees.

He opened his eyes slightly, but then closed them; his breathing was irregular, each breath seeming to be a great effort.

She whispered, holding back tears, "I'm so sorry."

Enaki opened his mouth to say something, but she interrupted, "Save your strength, we're going to take you back to the village." She glared at her remaining squad of fourteen Anbus, "Don't just stand there! Somebody help me get him up so we can get him to the hospital."

She grabbed Enaki's right side, unaware of who had stooped down to grab Enaki's left side, she didn't care. As they stood up, the blood continued to flow freely from his wound, flowing down onto her, drenching her with blood within a few minutes. He was also coughing up blood every few seconds

They had barely left the, now burned, area, when Enaki opened his eyes halfway and gasped, coughing up more blood, "Ss-ar-a…it's…it's n…" He stopped talking, and Sara did not look up, assuming that he had lost consciousness.

When they got to the village, several hours later, rain was falling and a medic was there to meet them, one of the other Anbus having teleported back to the village.

As Sara set Enaki down the doctor shook his head, and began to cover him with a blanket.

She shouted, grabbing his wrist, "You didn't even examine him!"

The medic looked at her and stated, "He's been dead for at least several hours."

Sara stared disbelievingly at her uncle's body, many thoughts rushed through her mind, but none of them were coherent. Finally she whirled on the Anbu who had helped her carry Enaki and was ready to take out her anger and sorrow on them.

She stopped when she saw Ryo's kind gaze on her, understanding showing

in his eyes. Blood stained his clothes and some of it was obviously his. He looked worn out, but he stood ready for her orders or whatever she needed of him.

A quick glance showed her that the other Anbus were also waiting for her orders, one asked, hesitantly, "What do you want us to do with his body? Destroy it as we usually do?"

She flinched, her mind unwilling to picture the scavengers ripping apart her uncle's body, but it was the only way a shinobi's body could be disposed of. Even in death, shinobi carried too many secrets. She bent down slowly and closed her uncle's half open eyes, standing up slowly afterwards and turning to face the Anbus. Weariness showed in her every word, "Take it to the Anbu Area, one of you will come with me." She turned around, not caring who went with her

Ryo walked beside her in silence as they walked to Tiégra's. Sara remembered, from what seemed like a lifetime ago, Enaki asking her if she would be able to tell Tiégra that he had died. Now it was a reality.

She paused at the corner and said to Ryo, "Wait here for Tiégra, take her to the Anbu Area when she comes."

"Will she be escorted by you?" Ryo questioned.

"I don't know, if I'm not with her don't wait for me," she stated, walking forward.

She hesitated before the door, but she eventually knocked, steadying herself like she had done for all the Anbus that had been lost when she had to tell their families.

When Tiégra opened the door, her steadiness disappeared. Tiégra swept one look over her and asked quietly, "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Sara gritted her teeth, unwilling to cry, but the words wouldn't come. They refused to leave her mouth.

Tiégra's expression, at first, was of incomprehension, but then it slowly set it and she whispered, "Oh no!" She bolted past Sara and darted down the street where Ryo was waiting. She glanced up at the sky, her own tears falling as she made her way to the other families who would not be able to see the bodies of there loved ones since Phoenix's flames had done their job well.

Three days later, she was no better, if anything she was worse. Kai had tried to talk to her, but she couldn't confide in him like she could have done with Enaki. She stood next to him, at Enaki's funeral, wishing that her uncle was there with his steadying presence and quiet reassurance. Her gaze darted to where Tiégra was sobbing, Yusuke gripping her shoulder, trying to comfort her. She walked forward with her flower and set it in front of Enaki's picture where a few others had placed their own. Even though the picture was there, her mind only pictured how he looked after his last mission, it's your fault he died! He told you not to go and you wouldn't listen! Her mind shouted. Another glance at Tiégra put her voice to different thoughts, "How could you? You killed him! He was supposed to be here with me! You shouldn't have allowed him to go! He was supposed to be retired!"

When the funeral was over, she walked away, not once going to see Tiégra or Yusuke, not even to comfort them, her mind shying away from the words that would never come from their mouths, but nonetheless she feared.

Kai gazed after her and sighed, she needs to go home. She can't keep this up anymore… He found Lady Tsunade in the crowd and walked up to her and stated, "She needs to go home. There's no way she can be the Head Anbu anymore."

Tsunade nodded, watching Sara walk away, her head down and her shoulders hunched. It was not the same shinobi who had willingly taken the position of Head Anbu with head high and eyes alight, "I know…will you take over for her temporarily?"

Kai nodded, "She was sick on and off before this happened but now…I don't think she's kept anything down since Enaki's death."

"It hit her hard…especially since he died protecting her," Tsunade said. "It's something that weighs heavily on her mind."

"Enaki protected her?" Tiégra demanded, tears still flowing down her cheeks.

Tsunade and Kai nodded, and Tiégra laughed hoarsely, "No one would tell me how he died! I thought he died trying to show off one last time! Now that I know…oh!"

Kai moved forward and Tiégra wept against him and whispered, "I shouldn't be happy to hear that he died protecting her, but it's just a relief! He loved her so much, it doesn't surprise me and I don't blame her, I'm just relieved!"

Tsunade nodded in understanding, even though she's not apart of the shinobi world entirely she understands that a ninja's death should be honorable and that's exactly how Enaki's was. He died protecting someone precious to him…

Kai teleported to the Anbu Area and managed to catch Sara going up the stairs to her room, she glanced back at him when he called her name. He said, "Lady Hokage has agreed with me. You can no longer be the Head Anbu."

Any other time, Sara would have snapped at him and told him he was nuts, but she had no such complaints, so he continued; "Do you have a place to stay?"

She murmured quietly, "I don't know, but I'll pack my things anyway."

Kai watched her retreat into her room, and he wanted to embrace her and tell her that it was natural to feel the way she was, but part of him wondered if there was more going on then Sara would let on.

Sara began to pack her things and as she pulled items off of her nightstand, she stared at a dusty letter, grabbing it carefully, she opened it up and read it:

Dear Sara,

As you can probably guess, this isn't easy for me…I'd actually prefer to tell you this face to face, but since I said things that hurt you and that I wish I never said, this is how I have to apologize.

First, I need you to understand that I love you and that I would never really send you away, if you read this while you're still an Anbu I would be ecstatic if you came home every now and then. But then again, you probably won't read this for a long time since you never seem to find things that are right in front of you. Just know that you have a place to go to if you need it.

Second, I must apologize for my behavior, I forget what it was like to be a young shinobi eager for a promotion…then again, I never really experienced that which may be why I acted the way I did. I wanted you to wait. I wanted you to experience what I never could. That aside, I still should not have stood in your way, I should have been supportive and I wasn't which was wrong. It did hurt when you said that you did not wish to be in my shadow. You could say that my brain translated that into "I've changed my goal, Master Kakashi, I decided that I really don't want to be like you." Stupid, I know, but that's kind of how I took it. Yet again though, I should have accepted this. Young ninja's goals change all the time, and to be honest, I don't want you to be exactly like me. I really DO WANT you to be your own ninja and make your own path in this world.

Well, I guess that's about all I can say…I'm not good at writing letters! I can't stress enough that I miss you a lot and that I want you home, but I would understand if you wanted your space. I love you.

Love,

Kakashi

Sara wiped the tears from her eyes and finished packing. She checked that she had everything before she walked out of her room to say goodbye to Kai, Shi', Ryo, Kenshin, and all of the other Anbus who she had grown close to.

Shattered

Later that day, was the sun was setting, Sara sat outside Kakashi's house. She had left her key when she had left, so she couldn't get in and Kakashi was not home. Her gaze drifted to a figure who was walking towards the house, and she shuddered. Part of her knew that Kakashi would be please to see her, but another part of her wondered if he was still mad at her.

Kakashi walked up to her, grocery bags in hand; he gestured for her to wait there while he opened the door and took the groceries in. A few seconds later he walked outside and sat next to her.

They sat in silence for several seconds before Kakashi asked, "Is this just a visit or are you home for good?"

"Do you want me home?" Sara asked back.

"Yes," he said smiling at her, "I've been wishing that you'd come home

everyday… I've missed you."

She admitted, "I've missed you too."

They were both silent for a few more seconds before Kakashi said quietly, "I'm sorry about Enaki. I heard when I came back from a mission a couple of days ago. I wish I could have been there to comfort you." Sara nodded. Kakashi asked, "When did you get my letter?"

She answered, "Today."

He laughed before asking, "Are you still the Head Anbu?"

"No," Sara answered. "Lady Tsunade and Kai decided that it was taking too much of a toll on me physically…and emotionally."

Kakashi pulled her against his side, "It gets us all in the end. Why else do you think the previous Anbus quit? It's not that we don't like our job…well…partially that, but it's more that our bodies and minds can no longer handle it."

Sara hugged him back, "It's good to be home."

He kissed the top of her head, "I can make something for dinner if you wan to go settle in your room again."

"Or you can help me and then we can cook together," Sara suggested. Kakashi looked uneasy, "Oh come on! I had to learn how to cook when I was an Anbu! My cooking isn't that bad!"

"We'll see," Kakashi said smiling, "I'll help you with your room and then we'll cook together."

Sara began to place things in her room while Kakashi set her headband and the stuffed dog, Kashi on her nightstand.

She questioned as she finished placing her last few items in their proper place, "Where did you stash them?"

Kakashi looked slightly embarrassed, "I had them in my room on the shelf above my bed."

Sara laughed as she hugged him and said, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Now you'll see that I can cook!"

Kakashi smiled, but it was slightly forced, her eyes don't look right…it's as if she's faking her happiness, or forcing it to the surface. I think she's happy to be home, but I'm beginning to believe that Enaki's death hit her harder than anyone can imagine.

He followed her down the stairs and watched as she began to cook. He questioned, "Do you even need my help?"

She looked thoughtful, "No, I'll just impress you with my skills!"

After a dinner of grilled chicken and stirred fried rice and vegetables, Kakashi said, "I must admit, I'm impressed! You've gotten much better at cooking."

She smiled and said, "Guess who has to do dishes."

Kakashi moaned as he stood up, but he quickly filled the sink with dishes and soapy water. Sara grabbed the towel and dried the dishes, and once Kakashi was done washing the dishes, he put them back in their proper places.

Once all the dishes were put away, he said, "It's good to have you home."

"It's good to be home," Sara said, hugging him.

He hugged her back and said, knowing it could cause some strain between them, "If you ever want to talk about…anything that went on when you were Head of the Anbu Black Ops, I'm here and I'll listen."

"Thanks, Master Kakashi," she said as she pulled away. She knew exactly what subject he thought that she needed to talk about, but she just didn't want to talk about it.

That night, Kakashi awoke to a terrible scream, and he shot out of bed and bolted to Sara's room. She thrashed in her sleep tears streaming down her face, and Kakashi wasn't sure if he should wake her or not, but she solved that problem by waking up, eyes wide and she trembled violently.

Kakashi sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her, wiping the tears on her cheeks away. He asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," she answered after several seconds of silent trembling. Looking embarrassed she asked, "Can I sleep with you the rest of the night?"

"Sure," Kakashi said, walking back to his room. Sara snuggled against his side, and he sighed. He had missed having her in the house; it had been extremely quiet and lonely. Especially since he had no one to care for, but now, things seemed to be getting back to normal. His thoughts wouldn't let him relax completely though, as Sara fell asleep he thought, she's home but something's wrong…I can sense it, and it's not something I can ignore either. He gently moved her hair out of her eyes; she's also refusing to tell me anything that happened when she was Head Anbu which worries me…

A week went by, and Sara seemed okay, so Kakashi began to wonder if he was just overreacting again, but then something happened that changed everything.

Sara was out in the village by herself, having just picked up some groceries that Kakashi needed, when she heard a jibe that made her blood run cold and her temper flare up, "Hey! Anbu killer!"

She whipped around, wondering who would say such an idiotic thing, when more people began taking up similar cries:

"How could you kill so many of our Anbus?"

"What we're you doing as Head Anbu? Just sitting around?"

"You even killed your own second in command!"

Sara shook her head, trying to clear it; the shouts of the crowd that gathered around her seemed to penetrate every thought that she had had since Enaki's death though. Part of her silently argued, I didn't kill anybody! I never sat around; I was always in the front lines when it came to missions! And I didn't kill my uncle! A darker thought seeped through, are you sure? Couldn't you have done more? He did die protecting you...what if that happens again, but to Kakashi? Something in her snapped.

Kakashi was sitting on the couch reading Make Out Violence for the umpteenth time when a knock sounded on his door. He looked questioningly at it as he stood up and walked over to answer it; he was surprised to see Lady Tsunade and Sara.

He asked, addressing Sara more than Lady Tsunade, "What happened?"

"Sometimes villagers know some things that they shouldn't," Tsunade stated, "and then they also say things that they shouldn't."

Kakashi said, "I'm not following where you're going with this."

Tsunade sighed, "Some of the villagers learned that Sara was Head Anbu. As you know there have been more deaths recently because of the Akatsuki, but they're blaming her." Kakashi looked disbelievingly at her. "I'm going to have Shizune question the Anbus that were under her command for a long time, but until then you need to keep her here…and I don't think that will be a problem either."

"What do you mean?" Kakashi asked, looking at Sara. His heart twisted when he looked at her eyes. There was no spark in there depths, and she stared blankly ahead, unseeingly.

Kakashi grabbed her shoulders gently and said, "Sara, are you all right?"

There was no response. Her eyes remained dull, and they looked unseeingly ahead, as if she were somewhere else.

Tsunade said quietly as Kakashi straightened up, "She attacked one of the villagers that was taunting her, but I don't think she even realized it. She's gone through a lot Kakashi, and she really needs you now."

Kakashi nodded, staring at his once bright eyed genin, whose spirit never seemed to be dampened by anything. He closed his eyes scolding himself, I shouldn't think like that. She'll be back to her old self in no time!

He asked, "Do you think it was…" He couldn't finish his question.

"Yes," Tsunade answered, "I think being the Head Anbu has taken its toll on her."

Kakashi nodded sadly and murmured, "That's what I thought you'd say."

I'll Wait

A week later nothing had changed, except for the fact that Sara had gotten thinner and had a sickly pallor while Kakashi looked like hell from lack of sleep.

He sat next to her on the couch, wracking his brain for any way to help her. The village isn't doing her any good and neither is staying here…but where can I take her that won't bring back any painful memories. After listening to her talk/scream in her sleep he had decided that it was a combination of her time as Head Anbu along with some other painful experiences that had caused her to become the way she was.

A knock on the door startled Kakashi, while Sara seemed oblivious to it. He stood up and walked slowly to the door, not even sure if he wanted any guests. Upon opening the door, Kakashi was surprised to see Shikamaru.

Shikamaru looked embarrassed as he said, "I heard that Sara was back from being an Anbu, and well… I also heard some rumors and I just wanted to talk to her."

"Go ahead and try," Kakashi said, motioning for Shikamaru to come on in.

Shikamaru walked in cautiously, afraid Kakashi might change his mind. He walked over, expecting Sara to say hello, when she didn't say anything, he began to worry. Shikamaru shot an excusatory glare at Kakashi when he noticed that Sara's eyes were lacking that familiar spark in them. But his glare soon softened.

Kakashi sat at the kitchen table, his head in his hands, he wasn't crying, but it was obvious that he was going through a rough time. He looked as if he had been working tirelessly to try and help Sara.

Shikamaru looked at Sara and said, not caring if Kakashi would yell at him later, "I'll wait for you. I'll wait for you to get better." He turned and walked out the door, and he wasn't surprised when Kakashi followed him. Turning to face Kakashi, he was surprised to see gratitude in the jônin's eyes.

"Thank you," Kakashi said, giving Shikamaru an exhausted smile. "You have no idea how…"

Shikamaru cut him off, "I meant what I said, it wasn't a favor or anything. I'll wait for her to get better."

"And if she doesn't?" Kakashi questioned.

"I'll wait," Shikamaru stated, turning away from Kakashi.

Kakashi watched Shikamaru's retreating form, perhaps I shouldn't be so hard on him…but we'll see what happens, all of those words could have been just that…words. He looked at Sara as he walked back inside, she hadn't moved an inch.

I have to do something! She can't stay here cooped up…she needs…she needs to get out of here! And I know just the place…it's just getting Lady Tsunade's permission to take her there… Kakashi walked over to where Sara sat and kissed her forehead whispering, "I'll be back in a few minutes…" He trailed off; he would have told her to behave, but that seemed to cruel of a thing to say…at least for him. With one last anguished glance at Sara he teleported to the Hokage's Mansion, Tsunade allowed him to come in almost immediately.

Tsunade asked, concerned, "Kakashi, what is it? Has something happened?"

"No, nothing from the usual," Kakashi said, "but that's not why I'm here. I'm here to ask a favor…would you allow me to take Sara to some old friends in the Land of Waves?"

"I would, but you have to come straight back," Tsunade said sternly, "I'm already low on ninja I can spare for missions, and I need you now more then ever for missions."

"I understand," Kakashi said, "thank you, Lady Hokage."

"And Kakashi," Tsunade said as he opened the door to leave, "I hope she get's better."

"So do I," he said, before he closed the door behind him and teleported. He found Sara right where he had left her and his heart twisted; it killed him to see her like that. Kakashi said gently, "Sara, we're going to go somewhere, I need you to pack." No response.

Kakashi walked upstairs to her room to pack some clothes for her and other necessary items. Part of him wanted to weep his sorrow to the world and let everyone know how much pain he was in, but he held back. He was stronger than that.

Looking around the room, after he had packed all of the necessities, he wanted to be sure that he wasn't forgetting anything Sara might need. His gaze rested on the little, stuffed dog, Kashi. He reopened the pack and stuffed Kashi inside.

Sara hadn't moved an inch from the time since Kakashi had gone upstairs. He gently took Sara's hand and pulled her up. She didn't resist, and showed no reaction when Kakashi said, "We're going to Land of Waves to visit some old friends."

The trip to Land of Waves was uneventful, Kakashi made sure that he sent Pakkun ahead to warn Tazuna and his family that they would have a guest for, what could be a long time. Kakashi tried to keep his mind off of how long it could take for Sara to recover.

When they arrived at Tazuna's, everyone was waiting for them, Inari, who had grown a couple of inches, Tsunami, and Tazuna. Kakashi looked at Sara hoping to see some sort of reaction, but there was none.

Kakashi smiled at Tazuna and his family, "Thank you for helping. I've run out of options, I-I can't think of anything else to do." He almost lost his composure, but he continued, "I can't stay though. I've been ordered to go back to the village, so…just take good care of her until she recovers."

No one corrected him as he stood there, looking at Sara. After a few seconds, he bent forward and kissed her forehead, "Get better soon, so you can come home, and I can see you again."

Something stirred within her, going…?Why…? Can't go…! Not ready…!

Kakashi stopped dead in his tracks as two hands grabbed his right arm. He turned his head and he stared at Sara, who clung to his arm, a small trickled of tears flowed down her cheeks.

He turned around and wiped the tears from her eyes as he said, "Okay. I'll wait too."

Devastated & Desperate

Tazuna exchanged a glance with his daughter, Tsunami, as Kakashi sat down at the table for breakfast, massive bags under his eyes. It was only the first morning that the two ninja had been there, but you wouldn't have guessed by the way Kakashi looked. Tsunami placed a cup of steaming tea in front of him and asked, "How long has this been going on?"

"Too long," Kakashi murmured as he sipped his tea, not caring that he had

not pulled his mask off.

Tazuna said, "So she screams like that every night?"

Kakashi nodded and said, "There's nothing I can do though…she won't talk to me about…well…anything!"

"What caused this?" Tsunami asked.

"Many different things," Kakashi stated, staring up the stairs to where Sara was resting, "things just piled up and losing her uncle was the last straw."

Inari came down the stairs and asked, "What's wrong with her? She's really different."

"She's going through a rough time," Kakashi answered.

Tsunami set breakfast on the table and glanced up the stairs, "She someone wake her?"

"Let her rest," Kakashi answered, "she needs it. Besides, she'll come down when she's ready."

"So you thought bringing her out here would help," Tazuna stated.

Kakashi nodded, "I was hoping, but right now…it seems like I may have to take her somewhere else."

Tazuna questioned, "That Hokage of yours going to give you hell when you get back?"

"Most likely," Kakashi said sighing, recalling that he had only sent the letter back to the village the previous day when Sara had finally shown a spark of life. He couldn't bring himself to leave her, not when she clearly didn't want him to leave.

His gaze drifted to the stairs again, I can sense that she's up, but I can't figure out why she doesn't come down to eat…

Sara sat upstairs in her room with the curtains drawn and no lights on, Naruto…Sasuke…Sakura… Her mind replayed the memories that went with Land of Waves, of how Squad Seven had bonded as a team, what happened? I don't understand…

A noise at her door, didn't even disturb her thoughts. Kakashi walked up to her and asked as he turned on a light, "Do you want to come down and eat?" She didn't respond. "Well," he said, trying to look somewhat happy, "just come down whenever you get hungry." Still no response, he added as he left, "If you're not going to open the curtains, leave the light on."

He left the room knowing full well that the light would not remain on. As the day went on, Sara seemingly refused to come down and eat with everybody. Kakashi even left a plate of food for her outside the door, since it had been locked, but it remained untouched.

As everyone settled into bed, later that day, Kakashi sat up in bed, listening to the sound of a door unlocking and then opening, before footsteps made there way downstairs. He sighed, hoping that Land of Waves would do the trick and help her to get better.

Two weeks later and there was little change, and Kakashi decided that he would take Sara somewhere where the memories of the past would haunt her.

Tazuna commented, "She looks better than when she got here."

Kakashi nodded. It was true; Sara had lost her gaunt appearance, but she remained indifferent to everything around her. Particularly to him; Tazuna and his family could say something and she'd show the slightest of interest, but when Kakashi tried to talk to her, she would ignore him. It unsettled him slightly.

"So where are you going?" Inari questioned.

Kakashi answered, "To the Land of Snow, the princess there owes me a favor."

"Good luck," Tazuna said, "and we hope she gets better."

Kakashi smiled, "If she does, I'll be sure to bring her around here for a proper visit."

After three days of traveling, the pair made it to the Land of Snow, and Kakashi smiled to himself when he saw Sara's eyes widen in wonder at how much snow was on the ground. They did have snow in the Hidden Leaf Village, but it was a rare sight and never did the snow get over a few inches.

Before the two shinobi stretched a seemingly endless amount of snow, at least a foot high.

Sara stared around, feeling alive for the first time in a long while, snow? Where are we? There's so much snow! The Leaf Village never gets this much! She saw Kakashi's happy expression and deadened her emotions, I can't let him get close again…I don't want to be close to him anymore…bonds just cause pain…

Kakashi watched as the light left her eyes and he sighed, at least she reacted which is a good sign.

They walked towards a large castle, where Kakashi was greeted, enthusiastically by the young queen of the land.

"It's great to see you again!" She said releasing him from her hug.

Kakashi couldn't help smiling, "It has been awhile, hasn't it?"

"Too long…" Her gaze rested on Sara, "This is who you were talking about? You're right, she looks like a change of pace is exactly what she needs."

He sighed, "Yes, I'm hoping that this place will do the trick."

"It should, especially with we do a snowball fight!" She said with a mischievous grin.

Before Kakashi even realized what she was doing, the queen grabbed a handful of snow and threw it at Sara. His eyes widened in astonishment as Sara's eyes showed the old spark of life and she dodged to the side, grabbing a handful of snow and throwing it back, a slight smile crossing her features; but as soon as the spark had appeared, it disappeared as she landed nimbly.

The queen laughed, "Well, at least she showed some sign of life!"

"Yes, I'm glad," Kakashi said smiling.

Over the next few days, Sara became more and more like herself, but anytime Kakashi tried to approach her or talk to her, she instantly reverted back to being unresponsive, her eyes dull.

Sara tried her hardest to avoid Kakashi, wanting desperately to break the bond that was so strong between them. She didn't want to deal with any more pain. The pain of losing Enaki had been so raw, she couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose Kakashi…not unless she broke the bond between them so it wouldn't matter anymore.

Nightmares of Enaki's death still plagued her, every time she dreamt about it, she woke up in a sweat, and sometimes tears would still be on her cheeks.

Several days after they had arrived in the Land of Snow, Kakashi cornered Sara in her room, and demanded, "Would you please tell me what's going on with you? I've been trying to understand, but apparently, I'm not getting anywhere." She remained silent, the spark of life showing. He snapped, "Tell me what the hell is going on! I'm not even sure why I'm here! You completely ignore me!"

She said quietly, "Why is it that I always have to tell you what I'm feeling, but you never tell me anything about what you're feeling?"

Kakashi was slightly taken aback, but he practically growled, "Fine! You want to know how I've felt, then here it is! When my father killed himself, I didn't know what to feel or think! He had been my role model, everything! I wanted to be just like him and then he did that all because he broke the rules, so I decided that I would ignore my feelings and be a shinobi that was completely by the books…then Obito died, shaking my world once again. I had to look at who I was and who I really wanted to be…and then…then I broke my promise to him and allowed harm to come to Rin…I was devastated. How could I be a ninja if I couldn't protect what was most important to me?" Tears streamed from his eyes as he relived those memories. Sara didn't know what to think as he continued, "Then I found you, and my entire world changed, suddenly, I had something to take care of. A child that needed me and wanted my company, who couldn't care less as to whether or not I was a ninja, but that didn't last, first the Fourth died, and then I was separated from you, I drowned myself in missions, rarely staying home. The Third Hokage, though, decided that I needed you back in my life, and placed you on my squad. I was thrilled and yet nervous; I wanted you to succeed, but I couldn't change my philosophy just for you." He smiled, "But low and behold, you and the others succeeded, making me very proud of you, and you continued to make me proud as you developed as a ninja and eventually became the Head Anbu… I didn't like it at first though, I wanted to keep you safe and away from that lifestyle, but afterwards, I felt foolish for thinking that way. I had trained you to be a shinobi and you were excellent at being one. And right now…it kills me to see you like this. I hate not being able to understand…and I HATE feeling useless!"

Sara's eyes were wide with shock, she had not expected Kakashi to react like that, and she could feel his pain due to their bond. Tears filled her eyes as she tackled him, and he stared down at her, feeling slightly stunned. She sobbed, "I was trying to break our bond!" Kakashi didn't say anything as he held her tighter, wanting to shield her from whatever made her want to break the bond in the first place. She continued, sniffling, "After Enaki died, I didn't know what to think. It hurt so much, and…and it was my fault!"

"It was not!" Kakashi soothed.

Sara sobbed, "Yes it was! He told me not to go, and I ignored him! He wouldn't have gone if I hadn't!"

Kakashi said gently, "He would have protected you no matter what. Enaki loved you."

"That's not all," she whispered, still crying, "All of the others, I-I…"

He interrupted her firmly, "You did not kill them! I don't care what the villagers think, you did not kill them! From what Tsunade told me, you saved many of them!"

"But," she tried to argue.

"No but's," Kakashi said gently, moving her bangs out of her eyes, "You saved a lot of Anbu. And to appease the villagers, Tsunade is talking to the Anbu that served under you to be sure."

Sara said, wiping the tears from her face as she pulled away from him, "I'm sorry for putting you through that, Master Kakashi."

He sighed, "I understand…I just wish I could have protected you from it. But you need to make your own choices and mistakes."

"Right," she said smiling. Her eyes flickered with uncertainty, "I'm not sure I like the ninja I've become…"

Kakashi said, "That's easy to fix, just take a long look at yourself and decide what you want to keep, and what you don't want." He stood up, "I'll leave you alone for now."

Once he had left the room, Sara stood facing the mirror in her room, what do I want to change? What do I want to keep? What will make me a better shinobi? Let's start with my original goal: to be as great of a shinobi as Master Kakashi…that has to change…maybe injured shinobi are as good as others… Yeah! I can do that! Now, what else…? My temper…I kind of like that, but maybe I should tone it down a bit… There are a lot of things that need to change…

Vacation!

Sara and Kakashi had been away from the village for three weeks, the bond between them now stronger then ever.

Sara asked, as they were packing to head home, "Master Kakashi?"

"Yes?" He said, looking at her.

"Can we take a vacation?"

"A what?"

"You know," she said grinning, "a vacation. Take some time off to see some other countries."

"Lady Hokage would have our hides," Kakashi said.

Sara begged, "Please! We really deserve one! Look at all we've done for the village, a small vacation wouldn't hurt!"

Kakashi sighed, he had to admit that she had a point. "Very well. We'll take a vacation, I'll write Lady Hokage so she doesn't think we've gone rogue…and we'll have to disguise ourselves a bit so we're not recognized as Leaf shinobi."

"Fair enough," Sara said smiling.

Kakashi quickly wrote the letter and was about to summon one of his dogs when Sara said, "Allow me!" She summoned Quick Silver.

He admitted, "I guess Quick Silver would be faster than any of my dogs."

"Yup!" Sara said proudly, as she tied the letter to Quick Silver's collar. "Go to the Lady Hokage." Quick Silver woofed softly before taking off at a full sprint, the snow flying behind the Greyhound.

Kakashi smiled, "We'll take off, and disguise ourselves on the way."

"All right!" Sara said brightly.

Once outside of the Land of Snow, Kakashi said, "I want you to wear a dress and to let your hair down." She scowled, but she did as she was told, changing behind a tree into a poofy, light blue dress.

She said, "You should put a contact in to hide your Sharingan, and you'll need to put some makeup over your scar."

"All right," Kakashi said, rummaging in his pack for some contacts, while Sara applied some cover-up over his scar. He changed behind a tree into a nice traveling suit, making him appear to be a wealthy business owner.

"Not bad," Sara said smiling.

Kakashi smiled back, "You look nice as well."

She stuck her tongue out at him, "Don't get used to it."

"Well, let's head to a nice beach place first," he said.

"Land of Waves?" She questioned.

"No. We'll stop there once we're closer to the village, for now, we'll head to a small nation, where the beaches are even better than those in Land of Waves."

"Cool," Sara said, walking beside him.

Within two days they were on the beach, Kakashi wearing his swimming trunks and Sara in a swimsuit.

Kakashi asked, as he nervously glanced at all of the woman who were staring at him, "What are they staring at?"

"You," Sara answered instantly.

He told her silently, hug me and call me "dad"

Sara hugged him and said, loud enough for the women to hear, "This was a great idea, Dad!"

Several of the women walked away dejectedly, but several still stayed, so Kakashi added, "It's a shame your mother couldn't join us." The other women moved to different spots on the beach.

Kakashi released a sigh of relief, "I thought they'd never leave."

"Well you can't really blame them, you are good looking," Sara said.

He blushed as he lay down on his towel, sunning himself, "I'm not that good looking."

She changed the subject, "Do you ever think about getting married and having kids of your own?"

"Why would I want to go through more kids when I have you?" He questioned.

"I just thought that you would want kids of your own…you know, carry on your genes."

He sighed, "I've thought about it, but honestly, I have no time for dating, much less marrying a woman and taking care of kids." He added, smiling, "You were a handful as it was, I'm not sure that I would want to go through raising any more babies."

Sara stuck her tongue out at him, "You said that I wasn't that bad!"

"I lied," he said, smiling.

Sara threw sand at him.

"Hey!" He objected as he sat up, "knock that off!"

She laughed, "What? Don't like sand?"

He said, "I like sand, just not in places it doesn't belong!"

She smiled, "So…where are we going next?"

After six weeks of travel, traveling from climates of tundra, to herbaceous, to desolate, they ended up in the Land of Waves, heading for Tazuna's.

Kakashi knocked on the door, and Tazuna opened it. He smiled when he saw them and asked, "Is she better?"

"I'm fine now," Sara answered for herself.

"Glad to hear it!" Tazuna exclaimed, "I'll get Tsunami and Inari."

A few minutes later, Tsunami and Inari greeted Sara and Kakashi enthusiastically.

Inari asked, "What was wrong with you?"

Kakashi stared at Sara, unsure if he should allow her to answer. Sara answered Inari's question, "I was just recovering from losing someone I cared about."

"Oh," Inari said, "I'm glad you're better.

"So am I," Kakashi said, pulling her close. He added, "We can't stay, even though we would like to. Our Hokage is probably furious with us for being away for so long.

"Well head back then!" Tazuna said, shooing them away.

"And be safe," Tsunami added, smiling.

"Take care," Inari said, as he and his family waved at the retreating pair as they headed home.

New Look

Kakashi and Sara stood outside the, surprisingly closed, village gates. Kakashi shouted to Kai, who was on gate duty, "Kai! Open the blasted gates!"

"I don't know any Kakashi or Sara though," Kai responded.

"Come on, Uncle Kai!" Sara shouted, "We need to get back in the village."

"I don't know a Kai for that matter," Kai said.

"Fine," Kakashi said smiling behind his mask, "we'll just leave."

The gates flew open as they turned to leave and Kai shouted, panic stricken, "Lady Hokage will kill me if you two leave!"

"Well then," Kakashi said, "let us in."

Kai motioned them through the gates and they walked through, Kakashi with his usual, easy going stride, while Sara walked jerkily, wearing her old jean jacket and jeans, both were too small for her, but she refused to wear a dress into the village.

Kai hugged Sara and said, holding her at arm's length, "Man, have you grown! You're almost up to Kakashi's chin!"

Kakashi did a double take. It was true that Sara had grown taller over there vacation period, taking to the relaxation and the training they had done when they weren't near any villages to train, keeping in shape. Kakashi had failed to notice since he had been with Sara so much until Kai had just pointed it out, How could I miss that she's grown? Some guardian I am! He thought, slightly embarrassed.

Kai glanced at Kakashi, "It's good to see you as well, Kakashi."

"It's good to be back," Kakashi said smiling, glad his mask hid most of his facial expressions.

A familiar, commanding voice said, "It's about time you two got back!" All three of them turned to see Lady Tsunade striding towards them with Shizune following.

She continued, "I'm glad to see that you two appear to be in shape."

Kakashi said, "You sound so surprised. Even though we were on vacation doesn't mean that we'd allow ourselves to get weak."

Tsunade nodded, "I was hoping you wouldn't, since Sara still needs to be placed in a ninja rank."

"Wait!" Sara said, holding up her hands, "I don't have a rank right now?"

"Not at the moment," Tsunade said, "But we'll see how you do on several jônin missions and then put it up to the Jônin Council to see if you're fit to be a jônin."

"Fair enough," Sara conceded.

Just then, a familiar voice said, "It's about time you got back, Kakashi."

Kakashi smiled and said, "I know, it's been a bit hasn't it, Asuma?"

Asuma and Kurenai greeted them and Asuma said, "Word's spreading quickly that you two are back. You can almost hear all of the jônin sighing in relief now that you two are back."

"Indeed," Kurenai said, "you would think they forgot what hard work was."

"Probably have," Kakashi said laughing.

Sara turned around as a familiar voice said, "Hey, Sheatan!"

"Hey, Pig," Sara said, greeting Ino in her usual way.

Ino said in a superior tone, "I've been training with Lady Tsunade while you've been gone, I'm stronger than you."

"I doubt that," Sara said nonchalantly, "I was the previous Head Anbu."

Before Ino could say anything in retort, Tsunade said, "By the way, after interviewing all of those that were under your command, it was found that you saved more lives then was lost. Our village has forgotten that these are hard times right now. All of those rumors about you being an Anbu killer have been dealt with."

Sara sighed in relief. She had known deep down that she hadn't killed any Anbus purposely, but a part of her had believed all of the rumors that had flown around. It was good to know that they were false. She asked Kai, "So...who replaced me as Head Anbu?"

Before Kai could answer, Kenshin appeared along with Ryo as Kenshin demanded, "Why are you still here? You were supposed to be on gate duty in the Anbu Area fifteen minutes ago!"

Kai said, "Can't I have a little time to greet my niece?"

Kenshin looked at Sara and smiled, "Good to see you again!" He glared at Kai, "Go now!" Kai disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Kenshin turned to her and asked, "How did you do it? I can't believe how tough it is to be the Head Anbu."

"You're the Head Anbu?" Sara asked, incredulously.

Kenshin nodded, "Ryo's my second in command."

"How did that happen?" She questioned.

"Same way he convinced me to be an Anbu in the first place," Ryo grumbled.

Kenshin elbowed him, "Oh come on! It's not that bad!"

"Says you," Ryo muttered.

"We should head back though…good to see you Sara, Kakashi," Kenshin and Ryo teleported back to the Anbu Area.

Tsunade smiled, "Those two are very good at what they do. I'm impressed with how well they've done."

Asuma said, making everyone turn to see what he was talking about, "Please tell me that's not one of my idiots?"

"Hey!" Ino objected glaring at her teacher. He ignored her as the cloud of dust got closer.

Shikamaru skidded to a halt, panting as he gasped, "Not…much time. Chûnin Exam proctor…Ibiki…had to see you!"

Sara blushed as Shikamaru kissed her cheek, and asked, staring at her scar, "When did you get that?"

"I've had it since I went to get Tsunade," Sara said laughing.

"Oh! Well it doesn't mar your beauty in any way! And I'm glad you're better, we'll have to hang out sometime," he glanced towards Ibiki who looked furious as he walked towards them. "Got to go!" He teleported, and Ibiki did as well.

Kakashi sighed, telling her silently, "it's a good thing that I was too stunned to kill him for kissing your cheek in front of me…but I'll let it slide for now."

Good, because I thought he was sweet! Sara thought.

"I'll admit, that was pretty smooth, and I'm somewhat amazed that he waited for you," Kakashi said.

Sara rolled her eyes at him as Kurenai commented, "You need new clothes."

"I know," Sara commented.

Kurenai said, "I'll take you shopping so you won't have to deal with Kakashi."

Sara cast a quick glance at Kakashi who nodded his head in permission. Ino said, "I'll come to."

"Why?" Sara questioned, wondering about Ino's motives.

Ino said, "I can be helpful when I want."

At the store, Sara glanced around while Ino showed her several dresses, which she ignored, and Kurenai merely stood by, allowing her to make her own choices.

Her eyes glanced around the store, I want a new look, but something that's still me… She shoves one more froo froo dress in my face I'll shove it down her throat! Walking past Ino she walked to a rack of sleeveless, black shirts, and pulled off a couple different sizes. She then walked over to a rack of black jeans and pulled off a couple of different sizes and went into the changing room to try them on. Ino managed to throw a couple of decent dresses over the door.

She tried on the dresses first, one was a light blue, that fit nicely and would work well on espionage missions, as did the other, a silver dress that was form fitting but easy to move in. When she tried on the right size of black sleeveless and black jeans, she looked at her reflection. A smile spread across her face, it was exactly the look she wanted. All she would need to do is cover up her Anbu tattoo with some athletic tape…she stared at her headband that was lying neatly on the seat, where am I going to wear my headband? Picking it up she placed it on her forehead, her bangs hiding the Leaf Village symbol. She tied it around her neck, that's where I'll wear it! She turned around to pick up the other shirts, jeans, and dresses, when she noticed the red and white on the black of her shirt, the Uchiha fan. On another shirt, the Hatake clan symbol, the scarecrow face. She smiled; I'll get several of each shirt…weird that the shop owner has several of those though…

Kakashi, Tsunade, Asuma, Kenshin, Ryo, and Kai, were waiting for the three kunoichi to return from their shopping trip. Everyone wanted to see Sara's new look. Shikamaru would have been there if he could have been.

Asuma said suddenly, "Well, she chose an interesting wardrobe."

Kakashi followed Asuma's gaze and he sighed. As they got closer he could make out Sara's new look. Dressed in all black apart from her blue cloth headband, athletic tape covering her tattoo, her hair was in a new style as well. No longer was there just one braid. Instead, her hair was tied back in a ponytail, while some of her hair hung down to her eyes, framing them…emphasizing them. Kakashi had to admit that he liked the new look, and he could tell that the others did as well.

He said when Sara was close enough to hear, "You look like a shinobi."

Two shirts came flying at him suddenly, and he caught them easily, he held one out and saw the Uchiha clan symbol on the back, when he held out the other, he saw his own clan's symbol. He commented, "I'd wear the Uchiha ones more. People might begin to wonder if you really are Hatake, and that could cause some trouble."

Kai nodded, "Some of my cousins would be more than happy to do what I couldn't."

"Comforting," she stated, rolling her eyes. "I'm way ahead of you though, I have more Uchiha shirts than the other."

Ino couldn't contain herself any longer, "She also bought two dresses!"

Kurenai added, "It was under protest, but she admitted that they'd be good for any espionage."

"I'm impressed that you got her to try on any dresses," Kakashi laughed.

Sara muttered elbowing his right side, "Don't get used to it! I may have changed a little bit, but I'm still me."

"I know," Kakashi said smiling, "and I like the new you."

Tsunade commented, "I haven't seen much of a difference."

"Then you haven't been paying attention," Kai said quietly to her. "Yes, she still appears to act like Kakashi, but underneath it all is a completely different shinobi, one who can't quite get the look of laziness that Kakashi can get."

"Not to mention she's more sarcastic and her temper hasn't improved in the slightest!" Kakashi stated, "If anything, it's gotten worse."

Everyone laughed at that, including Sara.

The Lightning Tiger

Sara sighed as she stood outside of Tsunade's office waiting to be called inside. She and Kakashi had only been back two days…Kakashi had gone out on a mission right when they returned.

Who am I waiting for? Tsunade said to wait for someone, but who? As if on cue, Asuma walked up the stairs and asked, "So, are you waiting for me?"

"That's what I'm going to assume," she answered, as she pushed herself away from the wall she had been leaning against.

Tsunade's voice called from the office, "Both of you get in here."

Asuma motioned Sara forward and she muttered sarcastically, "Thanks." She added, "Expecting trouble?"

"Depends on what we're here for," he answered.

"Good point," she conceded, as she walked in.

Turning in her chair to face them, Tsunade said, "You two have a mission. I want you to head to the Land of Tigers, Sara don't give me that look! And I want you to assassinate…!"

Sara interrupted, "I'm not going on a mission where I have to assassinate someone I've protected!"

"If you had let me finish," Tsunade said quietly, controlling her temper, "I was going to say that Lord Yuudai requested this mission. You are to assassinate a ninja from the Land of Clouds, who has tried to assassinate several high ranking people in the Land of Tigers, Lord Yuudai being one of them."

"Why haven't they succeeded?" Asuma questioned.

She answered, "This shinobi is sloppy, making noises before they strike."

"Or they're waiting for a challenge," Asuma said thoughtfully.

Tsunade nodded, "Yes, that could be the case as well. Which is why I'm only sending you two…" Sara and Asuma nodded. "I want you two to head out immediately, and Sara, consider this your first test to see where your rank should be."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade," Sara said following Asuma out the door.

Asuma said once they were at the gates, "I want you to hang back until we're in the Land of Tigers, then you can talk to Lord Yuudai, since you seen to know him so well."

"I've only met him once, and that was when I was a chûnin. Shikamaru was with me," she stated.

He nodded thoughtfully as he lit a cigarette, "Either way, I want you to hang back until we're there. No need to let everyone know you've been in the Land of Tigers before."

"Right," she agreed, nodding. Asuma took several steps away from her, pausing when he didn't hear her footsteps. "Are you coming…or…not…?"

"I'm kind of stuck for the time being, please stand by!" Sara said smiling, even though her muscles had seized up.

Pulling on his cigarette, Asuma commented, "I guess it's good that this happened now instead of later…otherwise that could have jeopardized our mission."

She glared at him, "Do you think that I do this on purpose?"

"I know you don't, I'm just saying, I'm glad it happened now instead of later," Asuma clarified. He muttered under his breath, "Your temper hasn't improved at all."

Sara grinned mischievously, "I know!"

Asuma grumbled about something that Sara didn't quite catch, she sighed in frustration at her handicap. He asked, "How long does one of these spells usually last?"

"It should be over…now!" Sara said as she happily took a step forward.

Asuma shook his head back and forth, "That was quick."

She shrugged, "Sometimes they're short, sometimes their long, depends on the day."

"Meaning?"

"I have no idea how long the muscle spasm or whatever it is, will last!" she stated.

Asuma nodded thoughtfully as he began walking again. He asked, "Do you know how to communicate using your mind?"

"Answer your question?" She wondered silently.

"Yeah," he chuckled softly, "I just wanted to be sure."

Several days later, the pair arrived in the Land of Tigers. Sara looked around, recognizing a few structures, but otherwise, a lot had changed in two years. A voice distracted her from her gazing.

Lord Yuudai walked forward, "Sara! How have you been? I'm glad your Hokage could send you! I was hoping she could send Shikamaru as well…"

"She sent me, his teacher, instead," Asuma inserted.

Lord Yuudai smiled, "I can imagine he learned all of his skills from you."

Sara smiled while Asuma stood dumbfounded. It was hard to get mad at Lord Yuudai, he seemed to like everyone.

Lord Yuudai addressed Asuma, "How do you want to find the assassin?"

"We'll discreetly follow you wherever you go until he shows himself," Asuma stated, "One or both of us will always be somewhere close by…you just might not recognize us."

Lord Yuudai nodded, "That sounds good…but how will you recognize the assassin?"

"Same way as last time," Sara murmured, "when they try to kill you."

He paled slightly, "You'll put yourselves in danger?"

"We're shinobi, it's what we do," Asuma stated.

Lord Yuudai shook his head back and forth, "I was worried about Sara and Shikamaru last time…since they were children…it still perplexes me that you would put your lives on the line for strangers."

"It's more then that," Sara said, "we put our lives on the line because it helps keep our family's going…and it is also the right thing to do…usually."

Lord Yuudai laughed, "I'll let you two get to it then." He turned around and walked away from them.

Asuma murmured, "You follow him for now as you are, I'll bump into you purposely in a few minutes…you'll know it's me."

"Right," she muttered back as she followed a few feet behind Lord Yuudai.

A few minutes later, a man dressed similarly to all the other people on the street bumped Sara's shoulder. Sara continued to follow Lord Yuudai for a few more seconds before she diverted to a side street, allowing Asuma to take over.

Thus the routine continued for four days, either Sara or Asuma finding various ways to switch off or sticking together always using the Transformation Jutsu to keep with the look of the people. They were both following Lord Yuudai to the local temple when Sara asked, "What's with all the tiger statues? I know your land is called the Land of Tigers but…"

"We have a god called Tiger, he wields the power of lightning and strikes down our enemies if he deems it right," Lord Yuudai answered.

Sara nodded thoughtfully, "That's why you're going to the temple? To pray for Tiger to strike down this assassin?"

"It can't hurt," Lord Yuudai murmured as he walked into the temple.

Sara and Asuma gaped at the enormous statue of a tiger before them. The statue went all the way up to the ceiling, but what was most interesting about the statue was that near the tiger's paws, lightning bolts had been sculpted.

Lord Yuudai bowed and then sank to his knees and folded his hands, his eyes closed as he silently prayed.

Asuma said silently, not wanting to insult or anger Lord Yuudai, "Interesting place isn't it? They worship an animal."

"I don't know…something about Tiger bothers me…" Sara thought.

"What?" Asuma wondered.

"Not sure…something about the description…" Sara's eyes darted to the door. "We have company!"

Asuma turned and said, "Time for us to do our job…I just wish they hadn't

picked the temple."

"They?" Sara watched in disbelief as row upon row of Cloud ninja rushed through the door, several others waiting outside. "That's more then one assassin!"

Asuma grunted as one attacked him, "I know!"

One of the Cloud ninja laughed and taunted them, "I noticed you Leaf shinobi so I gathered a force that you wouldn't be able to handle. Our client will be pleased with the demise of Lord Yuudai."

"Over our dead bodies!" Sara snapped, slamming a Cloud ninja into one of the temple walls. She glanced at Lord Yuudai who was still praying. How can he still be praying?

Asuma continued to relentlessly fight the Cloud ninja, pushing them back through the doorway or, if necessary, killing them. After several minutes of this he stood breathing heavily, trying to catch his breath, wondering where Sara had disappeared to. A noise beside him made him turn to the left just as a kunai knife grazed against his side. Damn it! He thought as he went down on one knee. Where the Hell is she at? I haven't seen her since the fight started! What's going on over there?

He whipped his head from side to side as he heard the anguished cries of Cloud ninja from all over the temple. A second later, Sara was beside him, "You okay?"

Asuma stood up, "I've been better, but I've been worse too."

"Good," she disappeared. No puff of smoke. No nothing. You blinked and you missed it.

Well, if she's still fighting, I guess I'd better get moving, as a Cloud ninja made to slash his other side with a kunai, he dodged to the right and brought his own blade on his right hand up, cutting the shinobi's throat.

Lord Yuudai continued to pray, even as the shinobi fought around him, please. Please Tiger, protect these brave Leaf ninja who have done so much for me and the Land of Tigers. Please!

Several minutes later, Asuma and Sara stood as close to Lord Yuudai as they dared.

Asuma asked, "How are you holding up?"

"I'm almost out of chakra. All of that teleporting plus the jutsu I've used have left me pretty depleted. I can do a few more teleports, but that's it," Sara answered.

Asuma nodded, "I'm pretty much done too."

The Cloud ninja laughed, "I see that you two are exhausted, while I still have four ninja left."

"Not something to be proud of," Sara practically growled, "you had over twenty when you started."

"True, but their sacrifice will not be in vain," the Cloud ninja said as he and the four others advanced on the two Leaf shinobi.

Sara and Asuma felt the hair rise on the back of their necks, and it wasn't from fear. A ferocious roar split the air as the ceiling of the temple caved in with a several lightning bolts entering the temple.

They were shell shocked as the remaining Cloud ninja were struck by the lightning, electrocuted.

Lord Yuudai didn't seemed surprised, once the lightning had dissipated, he strode up to the two shinobi. "Thank you. Your courage must have impressed Tiger. I'm glad he answered my prayers."

"That lightning was from Tiger?" Asuma asked, sounding skeptical.

"Yes," Lord Yuudai answered. He gazed at the dead Cloud shinobi, "We will have to burn them and send their ashes to there homeland."

"I can help with that…" Sara answered.

Asuma nodded, "I'll help too."

After dragging the bodies out of the temple, Sara released Phoenix, who was more then willing to help. Lord Yuudai's eyes widened when he saw Phoenix, "You have a deity in you?"

"Don't call Phoenix that, it will go to his head," Sara muttered.

Lord Yuudai shook his head, "He's like Tiger though, except Tiger is surrounded by lightning, while your Phoenix is surrounded by fire! The similarities is amazing!"

"Phoenix is Phoenix," she murmured as the Cloud shinobi's bodies were incinerated. But he brings up a decent question, Phoenix. Is the Land of Tigers Tiger like you?"

Phoenix answered, I believe it is. I think they're Tiger is the same as the Tiger I'm thinking of. A large white Tiger that rules the skies, surrounding itself with it's lightning chakra. Tiger is not as flashy as I am though. He rarely makes appearances.

I see… Sara thought.

Asuma said, "As interesting as things have been, we need to head back to our village. Hopefully, no one will try to assassinate you in the near future."

Lord Yuudai smiled, "I don't think so. I think they must have learned their lesson by now."

"I hope so," Sara said, trying to smile, but she was to exhausted even to do that.

Asuma said, "Perk up, when we get back to the village, I'll buy you a meal."

"Okay let's go!" Sara said, as she dashed forward.

Asuma rolled his eyes as he quickly followed her.

1,000 to Learn

Two days after Sara and Asuma had returned from the Land of Tigers, Kakashi was gently shaking Sara awake, "Do you want to train today or not?"

"Yeah, I want to train," she murmured, "but I want to sleep more."

Kakashi sighed, "And here I was going to show you something that would help your muscle spasms."

"I'm up!" Sara announced as she swung herself out of bed.

Kakashi shook his head back and forth incredulously as Sara grabbed her clothes and headed to the bathroom to take a shower. He shouted, "Breakfast will be ready when you're done!"

After a quick breakfast, Sara followed Kakashi outside to the usual training field with the Memorial Stone. Kakashi said, "First, though you may find this ridiculous, we're going to stretch."

"Are you serious?" She questioned, "We never did that before."

He nodded, "Believe it or not though, stretching will help your muscles, and it will help you to know what triggers the spasms."

"Well, if you think it will help," she muttered as she put her hands over her head and arched her back as she stretched.

Kakashi did the same, but not arching his back as much, "It will work, I did this when I first was injured. My back is still sensitive but it's nowhere near as touchy as it used to be."

"I'll give it a try since I have nothing to lose," Sara said, stretching to the side.

A few seconds later when Kakashi stretched to his opposite side he asked Sara who hadn't moved, "Aren't you going to switch sides?"

"Yeah, when I can move again!" She snapped.

Kakashi automatically straightened up and walked quickly over to her, his gaze anxious. Sara sighed in exasperation, "It will pass in a minute just don't touch me." He continued to hover anxiously until the episode passed.

He murmured quietly, "I worry about you…"

"I know," she answered.

"Stretching will help quite a bit, even if you have to do it when I'm not here," Kakashi said. "Now, I'm going to teach you a special jutsu."

Sara cocked her head to the side questioningly, as Kakashi began to perform the jutsu. Her eyes widened in amazement as Kakashi performed the Rasengan, holding the whirling orb of chakra in his right hand. "I know you've seen Naruto do this jutsu, but I think it's time I taught you how to perform it."

She stated, "I remember how to do the first stage of training."

"Good," Kakashi said as the whirling orb of chakra disappeared. "You'll do Rasengan training on your own time, right now…I have many different jutsu to train you in, most of which I've copied over the years with my Sharingan…are you ready?"

"Yeah," Sara answered, her eyes blazing.

He smiled, "I have to warn you, I'm not going to go easy on you. I want you to learn these quickly and put them to memory."

Sara thought about that, "The harder ones I will use my Kekkai Genkai on." Her Devil's Eyes went from their usual ice blue to the red of the Sharingan, then it faded back to ice blue.

Kakashi chuckled, "That will make things go faster…I've also arranged for Tsunade to have a training session with you in the near future when I'm away…but for now…let's get started!"

Kakashi continuously pounded jutsu after jutsu into her memory, praising her when she got the jutsu right off the bat, sometimes losing his patience when she took forever to get others, usually the water styles.

At the end of the day, as the pair was walking back home, Kakashi said, "You did well, I didn't think we'd get through so many jutsu today."

"Next time don't get so frustrated with me and we may get through more," she commented.

Kakashi smiled, "Sure."

Relationship

Several days later found Sara waiting outside the Hokage's office with Kakashi. Kakashi glanced at Sara who looked furious, as she held a silvery blue dress that would be form fitting when she wore it. Kakashi remembered it vaguely from when he had asked her to show him what she had bought at the store once they had gotten back from their vacation. He was nervous as to what purpose the dress would serve on a mission. As long as it's nothing that involves getting too close to the opposite gender I won't mind!

He smiled under his mask when he heard Sara mutter darkly, "If that Hokage of ours even thinks that I'll wear this for some stupid mission she's got another thing coming!"

"You have to remember that intelligence gathering would require such attire," he said, still smiling at his ward's modesty.

"I don't care!" she fumed turning her back on him, "Who's side are you on?"

He sighed, "No one's. I'm merely making observations."

Sara grumbled something that Kakashi didn't quite catch, and he was sure that he probably didn't want to hear anyway. So he decided to change the subject, "You're blowing through all the jutsu I've copied like they were D-rank jutsu."

She blushed, "I could do better."

"I know you could, but for what I'm teaching you, you're doing very well," he smiled, "Not to mention that you're learning the Rasengan without my help."

"That's because I've seen all the stages done before," Sara muttered.

Kakashi chuckled, "That's true."

Before he could say anything else, Tsunade called from her office, "Sara! Get in here!"

Sara sighed, her letter to me earlier worries me. "Bring that silvery blue dress you bought when you got back from your vacation, and you can bring Kakashi as moral support"…not exactly the most comforting mission summons! She felt slightly comforted as Kakashi followed her into Tsunade's office.

Tsunade saw the silvery blue dress and said, "Good, I'm glad you brought that as I requested. You will be going on an intelligence gathering mission with Kurenai; Asuma and Shikamaru will be your escorts to the Land of Grass. There you will gather all the intelligence you can within a day's time. You and Kurenai are visiting royalty from the Land of Fire as far as everyone in the Land of Grass is concerned, so learn as much as possible."

"Yes Lady Tsunade," Sara moaned.

Shizune walked in at that point, "Come with me so I can spruce you up a bit."

Sara gave Kakashi the "just kill me now look" before the door closed behind her and Shizune.

Kakashi gazed after her worriedly, hoping that she wouldn't hurt Shizune if Shizune took the makeup too far.

Tsunade smiled, "I'm sure she'll be fine."

"It's not Sara I'm worried about," he answered.

She laughed, "Shizune knows not to go too far, besides, Sara's natural beauty will be enough for this mission."

Kakashi asked, "Will this mission involve…" He couldn't finish his question.

Tsunade rolled her eyes, "You worry too much. The Leaf Village rarely does missions like that anymore, and we make sure we ASK before we send the kunoichi off."

The door opened just then and Kakashi could already see all of the boys in the Hidden Leaf Village with their mouths hanging open."

Sara looked stunning in her silvery blue dress, the color accenting her ice blue eyes and light brown hair. Her hair was in its usual ponytail, but instead of her usual sandals, Sara wore high heels that were the same silvery blue as her dress. There was barely any makeup on her face apart from that which covered her scar.

Sara glared at Kakashi and said silently, "I shall hurt you if you ever ask me to wear this dress again!"

"I won't," Kakashi answered. He added to himself, I'll probably get rid of it for her! All of the boys in this village will be drooling!

Tsunade nodded in approval, "You're ready to go. Meet Kurenai, Asuma, and Shikamaru at the main gates then depart."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade," Sara grumbled, nearly tripping in her high heels as she left.

Sara was not oblivious to the stares she received as she walked down the street (having gained the balance to walk in her heels). But she ignored them. She did feel slightly flattered, but otherwise it annoyed her. Any other time these people wouldn't give me the time of day!

As she approached the gate, hating the high heels already, she heard laughter coming from one of the Anbus. Her eyes focused on the Anbu, Kenshin as she walked forward, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

Shikamaru's mouth was hanging open, his mind totally blank of all thoughts as he gazed at Sara.

Kurenai greeted her, and Asuma complimented her dress, but Sara was too focused on the laughing Kenshin.

Ryo pulled off his mask and glanced anxiously at Kenshin who was still laughing. Kenshin pulled off his mask, hugging his sides, he couldn't picture Sara as anything but a friend, or a younger sibling…more a friend, so he found it funny to see her in a dress.

Sara pulled back her right arm and slugged Kenshin, and she practically growled as she went to stand beside Kurenai, "Next time you go on a mission I'll make sure you're stuck in high heels and a dress."

Kenshin rubbed his jaw, "Damn! I forgot how hard you could punch!"

"You also forgot that she has a temper," Ryo muttered.

Kenshin sighed and said, trying to smile past the pain in his jaw, "You know you look great, I just had to laugh because I never thought of you as one for dresses." He rubbed his jaw, "Granted your punch proved me right."

Kurenai smiled at Sara, "That was a good hit, although, when we're in the Land of Grass you are to keep that temper of yours under control."

Asuma nodded in agreement, "We don't want your cover to be blown…if you must hit somebody, make it a pathetic punch."

Sara gave a worried look, I'm not sure I can do that…make that I don't think I can do either of those things!

Asuma rolled his eyes at Sara's worried expression, "Either way, we need to get going, so let's go!"

Asuma and Shikamaru walked several feet away from the two kunoichi, treating them like they would royalty. Giving them privacy, yet being close enough to keep them from harm.

Sara sighed, not fighting off enemy shinobi is going to be REALLY hard…

"It's easier then you think," Kurenai murmured, reading her mind.

"I hate it when people do that," she grumbled, "maybe it's easy for you, but for me…"

Kurenai cut her off, "When you have a shinobi you find attractive 'protecting' you…" She let Sara come to her own conclusions.

Sara blushed slightly, glancing at Shikamaru, it would be neat to watch Shikamaru fight…! She let the thought trail off, granted we haven't really seen each other since I got back… Her gaze moved elsewhere when Shikamaru glanced her way.

Shikamaru sighed softly, here I am, on a mission with the prettiest girl in the village and I'm not even sure where I stand! What a drag! He heard Asuma chuckle softly, "Laugh it up!"

"I will," Asuma answered silently, "You're stressing too much over a girl."

"You're one to talk, dating Kurenai," Shikamaru thought. Asuma remained silent. "That's what I thought."

They traveled in silence for the rest of the day, stopping finally when the sun began to set.

Asuma paused, lighting another cigarette, "We'll stop here if this is up to your standards ladies."

Kurenai answered, before Sara could make a sharp reply, "This will do nicely." The look she shot Sara reminded her that they were on a mission and were to act the part.

Sara watched, hating the mission more and more as Asuma and Shikamaru pitched the tents. Sara asked Kurenai silently, "I understand the need to act the part, but do we really have to just sit here?"

"We could always talk like regular women," Kurenai answered, a knowing look in her eyes.

"I like keeping silent," Sara thought quickly.

Once the camp was set up, Kurenai asked, "Would it be all right if I took a walk."

Asuma quickly stood up, "So long as you have an escort, mi'lady."

Sara rolled her eyes, "What happened to keeping with our roles?"

"I didn't say we couldn't still have fun," Kurenai answered as she walked away with Asuma, hand in hand.

Shikamaru and Sara were quiet for awhile, neither one moving nor speaking as they listened to their surrounding environment making sure that they were indeed alone. Sara was the first to move, flinging her high heels away from her. She grumbled, "Annoying contraptions."

An awkward silence lapsed between the two, neither one sure of what the other wanted to talk about.

Shikamaru broke the silence, "Where are we at?"

"Near the border to the Land of Grass," Sara said, wondering if Shikamaru was suffering from fatigue.

"That's not what I meant," he said smiling slightly. "I meant, where are we at in our relationship?"

Sara blushed, "I'm not exactly sure."

"Neither am I," Shikamaru said laughing. He added in a serious tone, "Should we…well…you know…"

"Kiss?" Sara supplied feeling her cheeks burn, giving away her embarrassment and shyness.

Shikamaru wasn't doing much better at concealing his feelings, "Well…yeah…" After a brief silence, Shikamaru stood up and walked over to where Sara was sitting.

Sara stood up automatically, wondering how this was going to work. She wanted to kiss Shikamaru, but she was terrified that he wouldn't like it when they did eventually kiss.

Shikamaru was nervous, he had never kissed a girl before, nor did he plan on kissing any other girl besides Sara…so long as all went well with this kiss.

They stood within millimeters of each other, neither sure of who would make the first move.

Shikamaru steadied himself, it's not cool for the girl to have to make the first move…but man! Why am I so nervous? All right, here it goes… He leaned in slowly towards Sara hoping he didn't look like an idiot, since he felt so awkward.

Sara had closed her eyes as soon as she noticed that Shikamaru was leaning towards her, Crap! I'm not ready for this am I? Maybe we should wait on this! She felt his lips press tentatively against hers and she did the same back, tentativeness and all.

He pulled away, I was terrible! She'll hate me! Why on earth did I have to be one of those unslick guys? He thought, his cheeks flushing bright red.

Sara felt ridiculous, I don't think we'll be kissing again for awhile, he probably thought that was horrible!

Another silence spanned between them until Shikamaru asked, rubbing the back of his neck, "Well…what did you think?"

"It was great on my end…" She couldn't ask him what he thought.

"It wasn't torture," he quickly amended, seeing the flash of anger in her eyes, "That didn't come out right! What I meant was it was great! My nerves are just wound so tight that I'm not even thinking straight!"

She smiled, "I know what you mean."

"Do you want to try again?" Shikamaru asked.

She nodded feeling her heart pound a bit more loudly. Shikamaru didn't hesitate as long before he leaned in, pressing his lips against hers with the same tentativeness, but he left them there longer as the tentativeness disappeared. Sara pressed her lips against his, feeling exhilarated. This wasn't the type of kiss you'd find in a romantic novel, but it was enough for the young ninja to know that they cared about each other.

Sara broke the kiss first, a smile on her face. Shikamaru looked at her and smiled back, "That went well," he stated. They both burst into laughter knowing those words didn't cover anything of what they felt.

Asuma and Kurenai walked back into the camping area and stared, utterly perplexed, at the laughing, young shinobi.

"Apparently, we missed a lot," Asuma murmured, squeezing Kurenai's hand slightly.

Shikamaru and Sara heard Asuma's murmur and they stopped laughing; although they couldn't quite stop, they would blush or laugh every few seconds whenever they looked at each other.

The next day, when they finally arrived in the Land of Grass, Kurenai and Sara sat in on a meeting with Asuma and Shikamaru close by, making sure that no harm would come to the kunoichi.

Sara decided to pretend that she wasn't interested in the meeting's proceedings, instead, taking pretend interest in her nails instead, listening to everything that was going on, taking more interest in the hushed voices of two shinobi in the corner, Grass ninja. When their conversation held no interesting info, so she listened for other interesting tidbits.

On the way back to the Leaf Village, Kurenai and Sara exchanged information about all they had overheard and seen, jotting down everything for when they returned to the village.

Four days after the team had left, Kakashi stood waiting near the village gates, he was anxious to see how his ward was. The first night she had been gone he had felt her extreme nervousness and then her extreme joy. He wanted to be sure that she was okay.

As the four ninja arrived, Kakashi sighed in exasperation. Asuma and Kurenai walked side by side, and even though they weren't holding hands, it was obvious that the two ninja were comfy together. His exasperation was directed at Sara and Shikamaru who held hands.

I'm glad that everybody is getting along, and I'm genuinely happy that Sara will have someone who will care about her when I'm gone…but really! That is pushing my patience! He sighed more in defeat then exasperation, and I'll never find the right person it seems…then again I really don't have the time anyway, nor do I think I'm ready. Kakashi cleared his throat loudly to attract their attention.

Shikamaru and Sara quickly released hands, and Sara walked calmly up to Kakashi, hugging him. She said silently, "Don't kill him."

"If I know anything about what you feel for him, which I think I have a good idea," Kakashi replayed the memory of having first her nervousness and then her joy, "I think I know how you feel…but it doesn't stop me from feeling protective and wanting to rip him limb from limb."

"Master Kakashi!"

"Just wait till your thirty okay?" he pleaded.

She whispered to him, "Didn't I agreed to that already."

"I don't remember," Kakashi murmured.

"Well, I'll wait that long," she reassured him.

"Good."

Monster Strength

The day after Sara got back from her intelligence gathering mission, Kakashi said to her as they ate breakfast, "I'll have to leave for a mission as soon as I'm done eating, but I've arranged for you to train with Tsunade today."

"How'd you manage that one?" Sara questioned, genuinely curious.

Kakashi muttered, "She owed me a favor."

"So…what am I learning?" She wondered.

"You'll have to wait and see," Kakashi said, taking his plate and silverware to the sink. He walked back over to her and kissed her cheek, "Please behave while you're with Tsunade, I don't want you to come back with broken bones." He smiled slightly, "Just make sure you pay attention. It took a lot to convince her to do this training."

"All right," she muttered.

Kakashi sighed, "I really don't want to leave, I'd much rather see how your

training goes."

Sara stood up and shoved him slightly as she headed for the door, "I know, but you still have to go."

Kakashi shoved her back, "I'm well aware of that." He closed the door behind them and walked with her to the Hokage's Mansion. "This is where I leave you." He ruffled her hair before he teleported with a puff of smoke.

As if on cue, Tsunade appeared in front of her, "Are you ready for this training?"

"Yes," Sara answered.

Tsunade snorted, "We'll see…Follow me!"

Sara followed Tsunade to the usual training area with the Memorial Stone. Tsunade turned to face her and said, "A shinobi should always be alert for an attack."

Sara nodded, it makes sense. It's one of the first things a shinobi lea-! She blacked out when something slammed down on the top of her head sending a shockwave of pain through her entire body.

Tsunade hovered worriedly over Sara, she hadn't realized that Sara wasn't ready for her kick, and she was now wondering what she would tell Kakashi if Sara didn't wake up, "Well Kakashi, I was training her and I thought she would dodge my kick…"

Sara stirred, wincing as a dull throb started on the top of her head, "What happened?"

"You weren't ready," Tsunade said in frustration. "After I told you to always be ready for an attack."

Sara muttered, "Next time you say something like that I'll know."

Tsunade said, "I have one other thing to teach you today so let's get started."

Sara tensed up, waiting for Tsunade to strike, when Tsunade hadn't moved for several minutes, she began to look around, where could the real Tsunade be…? Tsunade charged forward when Sara was looking around. She glanced to the side, and moved out of range of Tsunade's kick. Tsunade continued her assault. Sara constantly managed to stay out of range of Tsunade's kicks and punches until her muscles seized up.

Sara tried to move as Tsunade's kick came closer and closer to her shoulder. She was frantic, think! Think! Think! What can I do to get out of this? I don't want to black out again! As a desperate effort, Sara asked Phoenix, "Give me your chakra!"

Phoenix heard the desperation in her thoughts and shot a large amount of chakra through her body. Sara was amazed when she felt the spasm stop. She teleported before Tsunade's kick could land.

Tsunade paused in her attack and asked, "Did you just have a muscle spasm just now?"

"Yeah," Sara gasped, trying to get her heart rate back under control.

"How did you get out of it?" Tsunade asked. "I thought I was going to land a hit and break your shoulder blade."

"I had Phoenix give me his own chakra, he sent it in a large surge," Sara answered.

"Interesting," Tsunade mused. "Well…in any case, your training needs to continue. Now, I'll teach you how to send chakra into your fists so you can do this." She pulled her left arm back and punched the ground. Sara teleported so she wouldn't be thrown into the air.

Sara said eagerly as she stood next to Tsunade, "I can't wait to learn that!"

Tsunade smiled, "Then let's begin…"

The next day when Kakashi got back from his mission, he was surprised to see Tsunade standing in front of his door. "Is something wrong?" He asked anxiously.

Tsunade wouldn't meet his gaze, "Well…Kakashi…yesterday…well…"

Kakashi shoved past her and dashed up the stairs to Sara's room and threw open her door.

Sara sat up in bed with a start and then held her head in her hands, "I hate that monster strength of hers!"

Kakashi looked down the stairs at Tsunade, "You hit her with a chakra infused kick?"

Tsunade looked embarrassed, "I thought she would dodge it."

"Are you all right?" Kakashi asked, ignoring Tsunade.

"My head is throbbing," she moaned, laying slowly back down.

Tsunade reassured Kakashi, "She'll be fine, I've given her some pain killers to take." She quickly left before Kakashi could find a reason to get mad.

Kakashi sighed, pulling the blankets higher up on her, "I hope you feel better soon…that's the last time I let her train you."

Shadow Wolf

One week later, (Sara's headache only last a couple of days) Sara stood in Tsunade's office along with Shikaku and Kakashi while Tsunade explained their mission, "Kakashi you will wait in the Sand Village while Shikaku and Sara assist the new Kazekage." Her gaze rested on Sara, "This is your last mission before your rank as a shinobi is determined."

Sara's eyes lit up with excitement, finally!

Kakashi smiled at her, she's been waiting for this for a long time now. So that's why Shikaku is here; being the head of the Jônin Council, he'll be a major factor in determining her rank.

Shikaku turned to face Kakashi and Sara, "We should head out right away. Meet me in front of the village gates in an hour."

"Of course," Kakashi said nodding. Shikaku teleported out of the room.

As Kakashi and Sara were getting ready, Sara commented, "I've never been on a mission with Shikaku before."

"You'll be fine," Kakashi said reassuringly. "I know you'll do your best as always."

She asked quietly, "Do you think I'll get jônin even with my handicap?"

"What handicap?" Kakashi questioned, smiling at her.

Sara leaned her head against his shoulder, "Thanks, Master Kakashi."

"You've come a long way from being an inexperienced genin," he commented, ruffling her hair.

An hour later they met Shikaku in front of the village gates and then they headed to the Land of Wind, to the Sand Village.

After traveling three days, Sara was ready for her mission, and ready to meet the new Kazekage. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw Gaara waiting for them. She asked, "Gaara, are you the Kazekage?"

"Yes, I've been the Kazekage for almost a year now," Gaara answered. "I'm glad your Hokage sent you for this mission."

Sara nodded, "It will be a pleasure to fight beside you again."

Shikaku asked Gaara, "What is the mission?"

"It's fairly simple, while one of you stays here in the village, I will distract the ambassadors from another ninja village. The other two shinobi are to get a stolen Sand Village scroll for them."

Shikaku nodded, "It does sound simple enough, but sometimes simple missions can be the most deadly."

Gaara asked, "Who will be staying behind."

"I will be," Kakashi answered. He looked embarrassed as he added, "I'm sorry about my behavior the lat time we met."

Gaara nodded to Kakashi and then turned his gaze on Shikaku and Sara, "You two need to come with me."

Sara brushed against Kakashi to reassure him that she would be fine as she followed Gaara and Shikaku.

Gaara said quietly as he walked, "In an hour I will be meeting with the shinobi that stole our village's scroll. It is vitally important to the village to get it back."

Sara and Shikaku nodded. Gaara stopped and said, "I'll let you two plan how you will get the scroll back."

"Before you go," Shikaku asked, "Why not have your own shinobi do this mission?"

"It would be too obvious if one of my own shinobi were to do this mission, I told the ambassadors that I would meet them without my shinobi present," he answered.

Sara grinned fiendishly, hence the alliance with the Leaf Village coming in handy.

Gaara walked several paces away from the two shinobi as Shikaku began to talk, "I'm not good at being inconspicuous about trying to stolen items. I'll merely be observing how you get the scroll…so do you have any type of plan?"

Sara shook her head back and forth, "I won't have one till I see what I'm dealing with."

"Good answer," he said, grinning.

An hour later, Gaara greeted the ambassadors and engaged them in conversation. Shikaku glanced at Sara to talk to her but was surprise to find her nowhere to be seen, odd…where did she go? He shrugged and continued to watch the ambassadors and the Kazekage. His eyes widened when he saw the pouch flap on one of the ambassadors move to reveal a rat holding a scroll. The rat flipped out of the pack and transformed into a dog carrying a ball. The ambassadors turned to look at the dog but otherwise suspected nothing.

Shikaku smiled as the dog trotted up to him and deposited the ball at his feet before transforming back into Sara.

Sara sighed, "That was easier then I would have thought. Not very bright are they?" She gestured to the ambassadors who were leaving.

Gaara walked up to them and picked up the scroll, "Thank you. You may head back to your village now." Shikaku nodded and began to walk back to where Kakashi would be waiting and Sara was about to follow him when Gaara said, "Sara, wait."

Sara paused as Gaara asked, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," Sara said, knowing that Gaara was referring to when she and Kakashi had passed through the Sand Village on their vacation. She had talked to Gaara only for a brief moment then, but he had obviously picked up on her pain.

He nodded and walked beside her as she followed Shikaku. Kakashi asked as they approached, "Did the mission go well?"

"Flawlessly," Shikaku answered.

Four days later, Kakashi sat next to Asuma as Shikaku called the Jônin Council meeting to order, "Lady Hokage wishes for us to decide if Sara Uchiha should be reinstated as a jônin…all in favor as 'aye'," a resounding "aye" echoed throughout the room, "all opposed same sign." All was quiet. Shikaku nodded, "Then she shall be reinstated as a jônin of the Hidden Leaf Village…is there any other business that needs to be addressed at this time?"

Asuma stood up, "Shouldn't a nickname be given to Sara Uchiha? She has become a bingo book entry rivaling Kakashi or myself."

Shikaku smiled, "People have already made up one."

Kakashi and Asuma exchanged a confused look as Shikaku continued, "I overheard on one of my missions some shinobi discussing the Leaf Village's Shadow Wolf." Kakashi and Asuma were even more confused as were the other jônin who were present, "They said that the enemy was lucky to see the glint of a kunai blade or other weapon before a shinobi was killed…Sara earned her nickname back when she was an Anbu Black Op, she is the Shadow Wolf."

Kakashi couldn't help smiling, that's my girl! I'll have to tell her when I get home.

Later that evening, Sara was reading Make Out Violence when Kakashi got back from his meeting. She looked at him eagerly, "So…what rank am I?"

Kakashi smiled, "You're a jônin…Shadow Wolf."

"What?" Sara asked, confused.

"That's a nickname our enemies have given you. You're known as the Shadow Wolf to them, just like I'm known as the Copy Ninja or Mirror Move Ninja." He added, "Did you realize that you're as big a target in a bingo book as I am?"

"I had no idea," Sara said, quickly looking at Make Out Violence.

"You knew," Kakashi said wrapping her in his arms, "but that doesn't matter. What matters is that you're happy and well." He kissed her cheek. "Tomorrow, you're officially a jônin again."

Growing Up

Several months later found Kakashi and Sara sparring in the usual training area. Kai was the lucky spectator. Whenever Kakashi moved, Sara quickly countered, but neither could gain a direct hit on the other.

Kai turned as Kakashi appeared beside him, "Shadow Clone, huh?"

"Yeah," Kakashi said smiling. He watched Sara spar with his clone, "I'm impressed with how much she's learned."

Kai nodded, "She's grown too. She has the lanky build of a Hatake but her facial features are definitely Uchiha."

Kakashi sighed, "She's grown so much. Just the other day I noticed that she comes up to my chin."

Kai nodded again, "Her hairstyle has changed as well."

As Sara dodged an attack from the clone, her ponytail blew forward. She had hair on the side of her bangs that was slightly longer and it framed her eyes, enhancing her Uchiha features."

Kakashi chuckled softly, "Naruto is certainly in for a surprise when he get's back."

"He sure is," someone said in the tree above the pair.

Kakashi and Kai both glanced up as Sara's Shadow Clone used the Rasengan sending the Kakashi clone flying.

Kakashi flinched, "I should have known you wouldn't be fooled."

"You're right!" She grinned mischievously.

Kai laughed, "That Naruto had better watch out. You're one deadly shinobi, Sara."

Sara nodded, "Naruto will be back soon, and he'll be in for quite a shock, as will Sakura when I see her again."

"That's right," Kakashi said sighing, "you two have been so busy that you haven't been able to see each other."

Sara asked, "You have though, how is she doing?"

"She's doing well," Kakashi said, "she's grown since you last saw each other…you've all grown."

"Even Naruto will be stronger," Sara murmured to herself gazing at the horizon, when you get back Naruto…you'll be surprised at the shinobi you meet…

This is the last part of the first half of Bright Eyes, I will be posting the second half soon, but first, I have to post the Bright Eyes Specials that go with both the first & second halves...though I haven't posted any yet for the second half ^^ so I'll be posting a Bright Eyes Special every day tis week.