This chapter was lovingly beta'd by the wonderful Yummy_Foods

Monday morning found a hungover Shizune strolling into the office. This time it was Tsunade who handed her a coffee and offered healing.

Tsunade watched her assistant carefully. It wasn't like Shizune to drink the way she had the night before, and she had never strolled into the office as she was today.

Her eyes were red from lack of sleep, or the alcohol, or maybe both; Tsunade wasn't sure. She wasn't wearing any makeup and her hair was in a short ponytail to keep it from her face with loose strands everywhere.

As Shizune finished her coffee Tsunade replaced it with a large bottle of water.

"Drink that," she ordered, stolling back into her office as if nothing had happened.

It was lunch time before Shizune spoke more than a word to anyone. A delivery man had just arrived at her desk with what smelled like teriyaki chicken.

"Who is the order for?" she questioned so she could direct him to the recipient.

"Hakamichi," he answered robotically.

Shizune looked up, suddenly interested. "I didn't order anything."

"Ticket just says it was to be dropped off at 12:30 and was already paid for."

Shizune reached out and took the bag, thanking the delivery angel who just saved her day. Mondays were incredibly busy, and with her day off yesterday there was no chance of her sneaking out for food. Opening the bag she did find teriyaki chicken and rice, and a ginger salad. It was only enough food for one so Tsunade hadn't ordered it for them. Just then she notice a wink from Cougar, who was standing guard at the door today.

Shizune felt the blood rush to her cheeks as she pretended not to notice, and began to dig into her meal with an embarrassing enthusiasm.

Behind the cougar mask Genma was grinning. He had seen enough lunches and dinners in the tower to have some idea of what she would have ordered for herself, but he wasn't expecting her to look so tired. She seemed find when they parted ways the night before, so what had changed after he left?

He wanted to pull her aside, just to check on her, but that wasn't an option now. He was rather happy with himself for getting the door post today. He might not be able to hear what was happening behind the closed doors, but he knew who was going in and out, and he could watch Shizune.

My target. She isn't Shizune; she is my target.

No matter how many times Cougar said that, Genma couldn't bring himself to believe it. This mission was causing a confusion he hadn't anticipated, and he honestly had no idea how to handle it. Deciding there wasn't much else he could do, he pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind and stood guard, almost hoping some idiot would come charging in and give him something to hit.

An hour or so later, Tsunade's new apprentice emerged from her office and turned to Shizune's desk, "Hokage-sama would like to see you now, Shizune-san."

"Thanks, Sakura-chan. Are you done for today? You look exhausted."

"Yes, I don't think I could keep standing if keep channeling chakra like that."

"Don't worry, it'll get more natural. Medical ninjutsu uses up more chakra than most other types. You'll acclimate soon enough. Get some rest, and eat something healthy. She won't go easy on you tomorrow just because you're tired."

"I'm learning that. Thank you, Shizune-san."

Shizune turned and walked into the hokage office, leaving the door open behind her. "Yes, Hokage-sama?"

"Do I have any meetings or teams returning today?"

"No, you are done for today. All that is left is this mountain of paperwork. Is it just me or is it getting bigger at an alarming rate?'

"The council seems to think that if they keep me buried in paperwork I won't have time to enact any of my own ideas." She laughed it off but there was more truth to that than either woman cared to admit. "I am going to take the rest of this paperwork home and finish it up there. I don't think I have it in me to spend anymore time in this office today."

"Hokage-sama, are you sure that is wise? What should I tell them if anyone comes looking for you?"

"I don't give a damn what you say. I am going home." She sealed the mountain of paperwork from her in tray into a scroll and started walking to the door. "And I want you out of here by five. Don't make me send someone to run you out."

As it turned out, Shizune didn't leave the office by five. She did leave about 6:30 long after the administration offices had emptied out for the day.

As she walked out of the tower she got the feeling she was being watched, in that ninja way that says to be on guard. She continued towards home with a bit more caution than normal, but could feel someone getting closer to her. This time of day the streets were busy with people making their way home, or heading out for dinner so it was crowded, but she couldn't escape the feeling someone was behind her.

Turning the corner that led to her apartment, she ducked into the alley and waited, kunai in hand. Not a minute behind her, Genma turned down her street. He stopped at the stairs to her apartment and was just standing there not moving forward. She stayed in the shadows as she inched closer to him.

"You've been out of the field too long," his voice spoke from behind her. Just then the first Genma disappeared with a light pop. A shadow clone.

"So it would seem, and why did you feel the need to sneak up on me like that anyway?" she added with a light punch to his arm.

"When, I saw you coming out of the tower and was just trying to catch up, but when you thought you were being tracked, I couldn't help myself."

He was smirking again. Shizune was beginning to find she really liked it. "So you just happened to be at the tower when I was coming out?"

"Well, I remember you being told to leave by five, so I figured it would be six at the earliest."

Shizune was a little taken aback by this. "Why?"

"Because you couldn't leave that much work undone—it would drive you crazy."

"Why didn't you just come up?"

"I spend enough time in that building, thank you very much. Better question is, why are we standing in an alley?"

Shizune turned red and, deciding not to answer that, she started toward her apartment.

Genma seemed unfazed by her silence. "Got any plans tonight?"

"Um...actually no."

"Good, drop your stuff off and let's go out. How does barbecue sound?"

"Pretty good, why though?"

"Because you are out of the the tower when the sun is still out and that is cause enough for celebration. And because I wanted to see you."

Shizune studied him for a moment, biting her lip and thinking. There was no good reason not to go, it would help progress her mission, she enjoyed his company... Still, she was hesitant to say yes. It sounded so much like a date. Was it a date? Did she want it to be a date?

"Shizune?"

"Hmmm?"

"Why did you stop in the middle of the stairs?"

She wasn't sure how long she had been standing there lost in her own thoughts. She turned back and he was two steps behind her. "Sorry, lost in my own thoughts."

"I noticed," he chuckled. "It's okay, I was enjoying the view."

Shizune spun around with wide eyes of embarrassment to find him grinning at her with his senbon balanced between perfect teeth. She wanted to push it into his face. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

He pulled the senbon from between his teeth and placed it behind his ear as he leaned in and whispered into her ear, "I said I was enjoying the view." He capped it off with a light squeeze of her ass. "So are you going to open that door or are we going to stand of the steps all night?"

Shizune opened the door and walked into her home kicking her shoes off. "You know your way around by now...um I will be right out." Then she disappeared behind her bedroom door.

Genma wasted no time in beginning his search. Feeling along walls looking for anything that shouldn't be there. The search would go much faster if he could use his chakra, but he knew Shizune would sense it. The way she was immediately suspicious of being followed today worried him. He wasn't trying to sneak up on her, but she was paranoid. He hoped it was just her nature and not that she suspected him. It certainly felt that way when he saw her creeping up on his clone with a kunai. He checked all the wall in the main room and nothing was too off, but before he could go any further Shizune emerged from her room.

She had changed into black leggings and a long green tank top. "So do you own anything that isn't standard issue?" she questioned.

"Um maybe...guess you will just have to stick around to see. Come on, I'm starving." He took a step forward to meet her and take her hand, but she pulled it back playfully.

She crossed her arms over her chest before answering, "I never said I was going anywhere with you. Why should I trust a man who sneaks up on innocent girls in an alley?"

"Find me an innocent girl being harassed, and I'll gladly defend her honor. The only woman I'm sneaking up on is you." He held her gaze and winked adding, "And I'm not too sure about innocent. Now let's go eat?"

"Wait, you are going to track me, insult me, and then expect me to go out with you?" Despite the accusation she couldn't suppress her grin.

"Isn't that how the whole dating thing works? I'm sorry, I don't do too many second dates. I could be wrong on the procedure."

"I have no idea how I am supposed to respond to that."

"That's okay," he said, tugging her hand. "You can figure it out at dinner. Now come on. I didn't get to eat a lunch today."

"That's true. Shit! I never thanked you for my lunch. That was incredibly sweet of you. How did you know teriyaki chicken was one of my favorites?"

"Spend a lot of time standing around looking scary, you notice things." Shizune was suddenly reminded this was a mission and pulled herself back mentally.

"I guess you do. Come on, let's go get some barbecue."

Dinner left Shizune feeling torn. She had enjoyed it. Maybe that was the problem. Genma was fun, charming, and far too good looking. And now he was walking her home. Again. Why was he initiating so much time together? Was she doing something right, or was he up to something? She couldn't get past why he didn't just speak to her sooner on the street, or why he felt the need to create a clone. Did he see her kunai and suspect she didn't trust him? If so, why was he here and not heading to his own place? It was all too much to process while she was holding his hand and watching the senbon between his delicious lips.

As she approached her steps, Genma's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "Thanks for coming. I had fun. I forgot how nice it was to have company at dinner."

"It was nice. Shizune looked up a the moon and stars for a moment and studied them. "It's still early, do you want to come up and maybe watch a movie or something?" She was blushing again and she knew it. Was she ever going to be able to talk to him without blushing?

"'Or something' sounds good."

I have chapter 9 mostly written, but I am still cleaning it up. I have a few other projects coming as well so updates might not be as regular as they have been, but they will still be coming. Thanks for reading