Viraten's Note: Once again, there is profanity in this chapter too. I really wanted 30 reviews for 5 chapters. That would've come out to nice average, wouldn't it? Anyway, onward with the story!

Sakura was worried about her team mates. The sudden revelation had most definitely been painful for Anko but it was also having an effect on Naruto. They had both almost instantly arrived at the scene when Anko had begun pouring her heart out, and had heard pretty much everything.

"Naruto, are you alright?" He didn't respond. It was seriously bugging her, seeing her team mate like this. She hated it when he wasn't his usual cheerful brash self, though she'd never actually admit it.

"She…is the same as me and Sasuke."

"What? What do you-" she stopped then. It was true. She had the curse seal, just like Sasuke. But why was she the same as Naruto?

"I don't understand."

"She knows loneliness."

Kakashi looked on at the huddled figure next to the tree and sighed. Matters of such emotional intensity were not really his forte. However, he too had known loneliness and rejection after everyone from his original team had died. After all, he did wear a mask and his father was a disgraced legend. He had some comrades to cope, and surprisingly, Gai as one of them to thank, despite his disturbingly eccentric attitude.

After he believed that Anko had calmed down a bit, he went to approach her. He hadn't really much planned that far ahead of what he was going to do or say. As a result, he was completely unprepared for her surprise attack. She leapt at him, swiping her kunai, forcing him to lean back, only for her to use her body weight and his disturbed balance to force him to the ground, using her own weight to keep him down to support the kunai she now held at his throat, their faces inches away from each other.

"I should kill you now One-eye. Then wait until the Konoha shinobi find out and come after me. And then die a disgraceful death. It's not like anyone would care. Orochimaru won't take me and I won't let him; the Third is dead and I have no reason to live."

"Don't do this Anko. It will be a waste of your life." She laughed bitterly.

"My life is already over." She pressed harder at his throat. Kakashi didn't even react. Nor did he prepare to physically counter her in any way. He could feel her teardrops fall on his mask. He could even feel his Sharingan eye start to water a bit. Obito sure was a softie, Kakashi mused. Her kunai was starting to tremble.

"It's ok. You can stop now." She shook her head vigorously, like a little girl not wanting to see the dentist. It was sort of cute in a way, he mused further.

He moved his hand up to the kunai and gently removed it, and pushed her up so she was now sitting on her legs. Her teeth and fists were clenched as she fought to control herself from breaking down again. So it was more than just the curse seal bothering her. Hokage-sama had given him a trickier mission than first thought; 'Look underneath the Underneath' he mockingly berated himself.

"Why don't you kill me now? I've betrayed Konoha." She was begging him to do it in those words. He smiled under his mask.

"I'm not the kind of scum who'll do that to a comrade." She lunged at him again in a poorly charged attack. He easily caught her fist and before she could launch another attack, he sedated her body by wrapping his arms around her. She did not initiate further attacks but continued on a verbal scale.

"Could you cut that shit out already? All this comrade bullshit! Maybe you have comrades but I don't! Maybe in your perfect world, you have comrades, friends and family but in my shitty little world, I don't! Stop rubbing it in my face!" She hollered at him. He continued to smile under his mask. Obviously she knew little of him, but that can't be helped.

He moved closer her ear now, and whispered.

"Shall I tell you a secret? You remind me of my old self at one time." For all that had recently happened, this was one of those things that instantly captured Anko's unwavering attention like a moth to the flame.

It had taken some time, but Naruto was back to his old self. He was all smiles and laughter again, much to Sakura's relief. They heard footsteps of someone approaching and turned to the source.

"Don't worry guys; everything's ok now. Now, did you get the firewood?" The two junior ninjas looked at each other before disappearing in search for said item.

Kakashi turned around now to see Anko.

"What is it?" She bowed her head swiftly.

"I'm sorry for my earlier actions. Please accept my apology." He waved his hand dismissively.

"There's no need for that." She jumped up. Was he crazier than her? She had held a kunai to his throat and easily could have ended his life.

"You've had a hard day. You should get some sleep. And we'll have to talk about closing that cursed seal." Her smile disappeared into a slight frown at the mention of her increasing bane. He walked past her but then stopped.

"Or does a big jounin like you need to be tucked in?" He teased. She smirked. He smiled. At last, she was returning to her old self.

Viraten's Note: Ooh, I can actually see some Kakashi-Anko moments here. I read somewhere that Anko is actually a chunnin…let's just say she got promoted to jounin for this fic, if that's true. This chapter is quite short, but to make up for it, the next chapter will be long one.