Using her earth release, she easily slipped down beneath the ground and landed noiselessly. The light cascaded onto her, slightly illuminating the dark bunker. She struggled to adjust to the darkness as she scanned around her.

A figure knelt lifelessly on the stone floor. His calves clamped down and arms strained backwards by metal chains. His head hung below his shoulders, and his stripped and beaten body slumped forward pulling against the restraints. His skin was coated in dried blood and dirt as was his hair. The bones in her legs threatened to tremble from the memory of kneeling for so long. The scars on her wrists remembered the iron biting at her skin. Focus.

The air was stale and grated the inside of her nose as she inhaled. As she neared the body she hesitated. The faint sound of dripping drew her eyes to his arms. The weight of his body pulled at the metal cuffs causing his wrist to ooze freshly. Crimson pooled below as the droplets plopped rhythmically. The shallow puddle grew as the iron chewed at the unconscious man's wrists.

A sigh escaped as her fingers brushed under his chin, the stubble pricking her skin as she gently lifted his head. She knew vaguely of the man's appearance but double-checking is imperative, she wouldn't go through all this trouble just to get the wrong guy. As far as she could tell there were four prisoners that she knew of that are held here. Her eyes narrowed behind her porcelain mask as they surveyed the man's features. Reports of his appearance were almost non-existent but he had a few tell-tale signs they instructed her to look out for. Her gaze dropped from his hair to his closed eyes. As filthy as he is there's only one giveaway that this is him. The dim sunlight cascaded down from the hole she made in the ceiling, the light barely reached his face. A long and heavy silence stretched between the two before his brows twitched downwards into a frown.

"Name?" She asked as she crouched down, her knees giving an audible crack.

His breathing was laboured and shallow. His head kept threatening to lull down, but her hand now grasped his face keeping it steady. Her thumb pressed into his cheek and fingers pressed into the other. She heaved his head and forced his eyes to meet hers. He blinked effortfully, showing mismatched glazed eyes adjusting to the invasive light. His swollen lips parted and closed attempting to swallow. His throat constricted as he attempted to force his vocal cords to cooperate. A strained noise escaped, but it wasn't distinct. His eyelids grew heavier, she could see he was fighting to keep them open.

She pulled a water flask from her hip beneath her cloak and released the cap. With one hand steadying his face, the other gently poured a little water onto the barely conscious man's damaged mouth. His eyes closed and didn't reopen. The water trailed over his jaw, cascading down his body and dribbled audibly onto the floor. Tsk.

Her hand reached to her mask and slid it over her head to reveal the lower half of her face. The hood of her cloak fell as the mask was pushed back revealing her hair long lilac hair. She felt vulnerable and exposed, she knew he could not see her, but, it was uncomfortable being so close to someone. The grip on his face loosened. She brought the flask to her own dried lips and glugged the crisp water. It swirled around her tongue as she repressed the urge to swallow. It threatened to escape as it leaked out the corners of her lips, wetting her chin.

With a tilt sidewards of her head, she met his lips. They felt cold and stiff, despite the damage to them. She noted that his body mustn't have the energy to heal smaller damage. She pushed the water into his mouth, forcing him to swallow. It registered and his body woke, he began to greedily receive the life-giving liquid, guzzling from her mouth. She released his head and dragged her clothed arm across her wet chin, flicking the remains onto the floor. She pulled her mask down to once again cover her face and yanked the hood of the cloak back over her hair. His breathing became more effortless, and his eyes started to focus on her.

"I need to know your name." The tone was urgent. He blinked at her as she watched confusion run through his glazed onyx eye.

"Ha-" he breathed, and a weak cough broke through his lips, "Hatake, Kakashi." The air rasped in his throat as he murmured his name. Every syllable fought against him. Her shoulders dropped. It's him. The corners of her mouth tugged upwards behind the mask.

With a nod she stood, and again, the sound of her grinding joints greeted her. Chakra was willed through her limbs to her hands like a blade of the energy formed above her fingertips, glowing her usual silver hue. With little effort, she sliced through the iron chains. A welcomed clattering of metal met the hardness of stone beneath them and rang in her ears. She expertly released his legs from the clasps binding him to the floor. She noted that he didn't have anything on his person to repress the control of his chakra. Her eyebrows knitted together whilst her brain sped through possible scenarios as she went about releasing the restraints. The sound of the iron clanging bounced off the cell walls around them. Hatake cringed from the metal clashing with stone. A wave of sympathy ran through her chest and began gnawing at her heart. She placed a hand on his shoulder for reassurance. Her hand tingled as the coolness of his skin met the warmth of hers.

"Hatake-san," she paused and considered her words and once again, gently tilted his head up so her eyes met his heavy-lidded ones, "Everything is going to be ok now." His body sagged and limply fell to rely on her. She clawed at the string nearing her neck, shrugging it off her shoulders. The cloak flitted through the air rippling as she pulled it onto him. She tightly wrapped it around the barely conscious, naked Nin, sighing at the state of his bloodied appearance. She released the remaining restraint and caught his body with her right shoulder which met his chest. She pumped chakra through her muscles and heaved the weight of the Ninja over her shoulder. She wriggled and adjusted him to ease the carrying of his now unconscious body cocooned in her cloak. Sigh.

Her chakra levels were low so far as she took out a small army trying to get in. Tiredness knawed at her body but she pushed it aside. With the limp body hoisted over her shoulder, she made her way back under the opening. She projected her sonar Jutsu to survey the area above her. Silence returned meaning no surprises on extraction. Using her camouflage Jutsu she covered the two which rendered them invisible to most naked eyes. She jumped, chakra-assisted, upwards and out of the hole. She wouldn't risk any confrontation now she has him. However, using chakra to carry him, keep them camouflaged, and, make it back would definitely drain her. But, the risk was calculated, this was the safest way. She wouldn't be able to confront enemy nin and carry him back on safe levels of Chakra.

It was less than 4 hours before her body gave out. She always had been bad at maths she thought to herself. She slowly descended to the forest floor and ungracefully released the body with a thump, despite her effort to be careful. Her whole body screamed at her. Kakashi stirred only momentarily once.

She couldn't risk a fire despite the winter breeze swirling amongst the trees. She just needed an hour to regain strength before heading back to the Leaf. The barely conscious man shook against the frigid temperature. She breathed beneath her mask into her glove bound hands. Her breath swirled in the dropping temperature. Releasing a hand from her glove, she slid her kunai across her thumb and performed the summoning seals. Her summoned bats flitted around her waiting for instruction. They knew the job, she nodded as she usually did and they disappeared into the darkening forest.

The sun had disappeared not long before she'd stopped and the night was setting in. She rose to her feet and inspected the infamous nin. Her cloak barely fell below his knees and didn't manage to wrap completely around his body. Tsk and people wondered what his face looked like. She knew people would've paid good money to know what was under the mask and now she had more than an eye full. She gave him the privacy he probably wished for and avoided looking at his face. The glimpse she did get wasn't pretty. Swollen, bloodied, and bruised she wouldn't be able to tell what he looked like anyway. She kept her eyes anywhere but the obvious and maintained as much respect as she could given the situation. He continued to drift in and out of consciousness, shaking. She pulled the large nin's torso backwards, avoiding his damaged shoulder until her back hit a tree. She slid down wedging him against her upper body, between her legs, willing her warmth to his skin. Her eyelids were heavy, her body positively screamed at her now she'd stilled. The calls of her bat summons ricocheted amongst the living timbre, reverberating onto her sensitive eardrums. She felt the pull on her eyes, threatening to close but she squinted through the dark hoping for just a moment of rest.

He shifted suddenly his arm reached towards where his kunai pouch would've been. A wheeze escaped the battered copy nin.

"I'm Leaf nin." She spoke slowly and precisely trying to reassure him. He began to heave a breath to speak again. "Don't talk, rest. We will be back at the Village by tomorrow morning." She pulled the cloak to recover his manhood as he attempted to wriggle.

"Clothes?" His voice was strained and hoarse, barely a whisper. She tried not to think of how he lost his voice.

"Seemingly confiscated." She felt him flinch as memories passed over him. His shivering had subsided a little as her warmth slipped from herself. The wounded expression marring his battered face compelled her to reassure him. "They paid with their lives" she knew she was awkward at consoling people but was surprised as he huffed a laugh.

She willed the healing chakra to her hands and assessed the damage. She could tell Hatake had broken ribs, bruised organs, a broken femur, dislocated shoulder, open wounds from various sharp and blunt objects. Sorry, buddy. His shoulder snapped into place with a noise she knew all too well. Kakashi grunted but his delirium suppressed him. She didn't have much chakra left, but she just healed his ribs and the gash on his temple. She'd have to risk the organs and femur hoping it wouldn't tear the artery. She just didn't have enough left.

"Rest" she commanded. His head didn't take long to fall to the side as his breathing evened out.

She limped towards the village line with Hatake hoisted over her shoulder. Her chakra was dangerously low and her vision blurred. Numbness has taken over her limbs but somehow she lifted her leg attempting the next step. Her bones turned to jelly as they wobbled and gave way. Her knees kissed the ground with a thump. She clung onto Hatake's body as the world before her swayed. She couldn't feel her hands but she clutched furiously to the unconscious nin. Her breath clawed at her throat as her lungs burned inside her rib cage. When was the last time she drank water? She wondered as the lights of Konoha twinkled before her. The sun was rising but the world seemed to darken as the gate guards came into view.

"Two cracked ribs, bruised lungs, sprained wrists, infected lacerations all over, dehydration, dangerously low chakra, strained eyes, and you overdid it using your sonar, again." The medic-nin stood over her with a disappointed scowl over her features.

"Another day in paradise" she coughed as her voice barely escaped her chapped lips. The medic-nin stared down with a clipboard still readied in her clutches. Concern oozed from her. "I'm fine" she spoke sternly.

"I will tell you if and when you're fine." She snipped. "And for future reference, this is not fine. I don't know how you made it back carrying another ninja and didn't die from chakra depletion." She sighed and began scribbling notes down. "You've overdone it, again."

"Yeah yeah, next time I'll just abandon my mission" she waved the medic off and her ribs cried in response. She repressed the urge to flinch at the pain restricting her breathing, it didn't go unnoticed. The medic-nin's hands glowed green and the tingling sensation spread over her ribs. She wanted to sigh in relief but refused to give her the satisfaction.

"Better to come back alive" she muttered.

"Is it?" It was rhetorical but the words hung in the air.

"The Hokage is on his way here for debrief. He was alerted when you woke." She spoke gently as she concentrated on healing the ribs. She moved her hands towards the strained eyes and the tingling amplified throughout her skull. The ninja lay clenching her lids shut trying to block out the sensation when the doors swung open, screeching against the old metal latches. Before the medic-nin could react she was out the hospital cot, kneeling in Anbu fashion before the Hokage Sarutobi. Two Anbu guards donned a fox mask and a bear mask stood on either side of the Hokage in their usual silence.

"Hokage-Sama" she chanted in the usual fashion.

"Get back in this bed before I drag you back myself!" The medic-nin raged. "I apologise Hokage-Sama but she's not well enough to be on her feet yet."

"Rise, you needn't get up for my sake" her head rose to meet the Hokage staring down at her. His arms were held behind his back and a smile reached his eyes.

"Yes, Hokage-sama" she rose and sat upright on the bed, fighting the pain bolting through her torso.

"How are you doing?" He asked.

"Mission was successful Hokage-sama." She breathed, covering the breathlessness that threatened. "Target was retrieved near Land of Rivers with 5 enemy nin encountered and neutralised on site."

"Hm, full report." He stroked his chin as he pensively stared.

"3 missing nin listed in the bingo book from Land of Rivers, Land of Wind and two unidentified enemy nin. Chakra needles and my reaper burial Jutsu used to neutralise and remove hostiles before retrieving the target from an underground bunker. No enemy sited or engaged after retrieval of the target." She halted as pain sliced through her torso. She tried to breathe through it but the medic-nin's hands glowed the familiar green and the relieving tingling seeped throughout. "Bat summons surveyed the area, no other hostiles or witnesses. Target was in and out of consciousness but appeared to be out of danger once removed from the bunker. I can confirm he was held hostage and possibly subdued using medical Jutsu or substance to repress chakra usage. It appears he was tortured for approximately 5 days before retrieval as assumed, Hokage-sama."

"5 days is a long time" is all he said.

"Yes Hokage-sama" she answered robotically flinching at the memories flying behind her eyes. She met the Hokages gaze as she watched thoughts fly past his.

"Good work. You're on leave for a week. Rest up and report to me in the office in a week."

"Thank you Hokage-sama." She bowed as deeply as she could on the bed as he walked out with the two Anbu guards on each side. Once the doors swung shut a breath escaped her bruised lungs. She lay back down and suddenly felt tired. Very tired. The medic-nin hovered above her as she lay.

"A week will get you back on your feet and almost in fighting order with healing, just don't overdo it again. Especially not the eyes." She warned. "Get some rest." She closed her eyes and the sound of pen writing on paper lulled her into asleep.

"Don't forget" the medic-nin warned.

"I won't" she looked doubtful.

"Here is everything you came in with" a nurse handed back her things as the familiar medic-nin placed the paper into a file without looking up. The nurse did her best to repress the disdain on her face as she held out the dried blood-coated Anbu uniform.

Deja vu descended as she changed into her filthy Anbu uniform in the small toilet of the hospital ward. She discarded the hospital robe as the smell of soil, blood, and sweat invaded her nose. Striding out of the bathroom and towards the exit of the hospital basement, the medic-nin's voice made her pause.

"He's not awake yet" she held her hand on the swinging doors of the main ward.

"I didn't ask." She pushed through the doors sliding her plain porcelain mask down over her features and headed out without looking back.

She made her way to the rooftop, pausing to take in the sight of Konoha in the daylight. A deep breath of fresh air reminded her that her ribs were still tender. Three days in the hospital and she was itching to get out. She decided to stretch her legs and leap from rooftop to rooftop heading towards her apartment. Her body was groggy and needed the exercise. She reached her flat in the cheaper side of Konoha, the rougher side. She slipped in through the window realising she'd left it unlocked. She may be Anbu but there wasn't anything in her studio apartment unless thieves wanted a futon or slippers anyway. Besides, she wasn't in Konoha enough to even notice if something was missing.

The darkness of the apartment was inviting but she resisted the urge to nap, she'd already slept enough the past few days. She peeled off the anbu attire leaving it discarded on the floor and slipped into her tiny shower room. She left the door open, letting a little of the light filter in. She needed to replace the bulbs soon. The shower ran cold but she didn't mind. She was used to cold water on rivers and waterfalls. The shower woke her up as she cleansed what remained of the mission from her skin. She scrubbed where the blood felt like it lay harder than she should've. Her wet hair ran down her back as she stared in the bathroom mirror. Her featureless pale grey eyes stared back at her, deep purple dug underneath them, tiredness obvious to all who saw her. Veins popped as she tested her byakugan for strain. They twinged but she persisted, she read her own chakra points and looked around the room focusing on different things, testing in her usual ways after she overused them. The veins sunk back below as she relaxed them. She pulled her wet light lilac hair into her usual low twin tails as she wrapped her towel around her body. With her body crying out at all the aches and pains she wandered to her closet and pulled out her gear. Full-length chain-mail reaching her ankles and her still sore wrists was pulled on. She bandaged her hands and her feet leaving them exposed to pick up vibrations. She slipped her navy blue halter neck playsuit over the top and as usual strapped up her kunai pouch on her thigh. Winter was cold but training would certainly warm her up.

Training ground 4, deep in the forest of Konoha she practised and practised until her body screamed at her. Her muscles burned and her joints cried. Her ragged breathing ravaging her lungs. The sun had nearly set and her stomach growled warning her she needed food. As usual, she was too caught up in training to think about eating. Her hands lent on her knees as she tried to regain steady breathing. Birds sang sweet melodies as the day grew to a close. She dismissed her summoned bats and her senses needed the rest from training with sonar. Her skin buzzed with exhaustion as she made her way to central Konoha.

Her bandaged wrapped feet were used to walking on the bare ground. In fact, she preferred it. Wearing shoes felt like taking away one of the senses she relied on. The vibrations of everyday life buzzed through her feet giving her extra eyes. People chatted as the orange light of sunset filtered the world around her. She wove in and out keeping her head down, blending into the masses. The streets were busy in the evening rush. Restaurants were packed and bars even more so.

"You need to learn to cook Ame-chan" the owner of Ichibanya was gone 60 with a kind round face. He was the closest thing to a friend she had and always gave her an extra-large helping with a side of smoked sausage.

"Are you saying you wouldn't miss me, Taiyo-san?" She battered her long lashes only to receive the red glow of Taiyo's cheeks.

"I'm only saying you might benefit from other foods" he flustered and didn't look her in the eye as he served up her order.

"But yours, simply, is the best food Taiyo-sannn" he handed over the plastic bag and the warmth radiated onto her. The smell inundated her senses causing a faint growl of her stomach. She pulled out the cash but he held his hands up.

"On the house, Ame-chan, haven't seen you around for a while"

"I couldn't possibly accept."

"I insist" she stared at him directly but could see he would put up a fight.

"Fine." She quipped and pulled out a high stool to sit at the counter of the small open restaurant. "Then I insist you keep me company."

"Would be my pleasure." He continued cooking and frying and flipping as she unpacked the containers of delicious curry. Beef based curry sauce with 150g white rice, chicken cutlet, smoked sausage and pickled ginger. This might be the real reason she made it home after every mission. She purred with pleasure as she inhaled the fragrant meal laid in front of her. Taiyo-san laid out a spoon, napkin and poured her barley tea.

"You know me too well, Taiyo-san" she shovelled the curry into her mouth with a helping of rice.

"You have been coming here nearly every day, for..." he paused his stirring to think.

"11 years" she answered.

"That's right, you were here on the first day I opened." He smiled and moved onto the fryer. "You were just a small thing back then weren't you. All skin and bone."

"I gave you all I had and it wasn't even enough for rice" she smiled fondly at the memories of this place.

"You've grown up well, Ame" he smiled fondly over the grill. He placed another small smoked sausage over the counter onto her takeaway container lid. "Your last mission tough?" He poked conversation.

"What makes you say that Taiyo?" Her mouth twitched at the obvious answer. Her face was marred with splodges of old green bruises and small cuts dotted around the skin left exposed.

"I was worried after you didn't come back for a week." He admitted it weakly.

"Was I really gone a week?" She asks shovelling more food into her mouth. The savoriness made her mouth water and her tongue tingle.

The conversation continued as customers poured in and out. She stayed well after the night had fallen and her food long since eaten. Barley tea turned into a cold beer and cold beers turned into sake after closing.

"Taiyo-sannnn" she slurred, "you're the best"

"I think it's time to get home Ame-chan," he answered, "let's get you home". He wrapped one of his arms over the back of his neck hoisting her up.

Taiyo did his best to drag her back to her apartment block external stairs. She stumbled and slurred the short distance to her place. The man was about a foot shorter than she, and he surprised himself in making it that far.

"It's all up to you now" he spoke merrily after having more than one sake himself.

"I got this" she attached herself onto the cold iron railing and began very carefully stepping onto the lower step. "You're the best Taiyo-san" she called out but she dare not release either hand from the railing or risk turning back to look at the man.

"I'll wait here until I see you're inside and safe"

"I'm a top top Ninja, Taiyo-sannnnn" she slurred. "Nothing can get past me." She stepped ever so carefully one step after another until she reached the top. She waved furiously down at the short man "Oyasumi!". He returned the wave with a merry chuckle.

She twisted the handle of her apartment and stepped into her dark studio apartment. She stretched and felt around for the cupboards. Her hands slapped the doors as she felt for the furthest cupboard above the sink. She pulled the cupboard door and felt around for the single glass that was held there.

"Why are the lights not on?" She whipped around and the drunken haze lifted. She crouched into her defensive stance and the glass shattered slicing her hand. She could barely make out the tall shadowed figure standing near the two-person table. was there one or two of him? Her vision and the darkness played tricks on her mind. The street lights barely made it through the frosted small window he leaned near.

"You." Is all she said. She didn't relax her stance. Her hand slipped down to the kunai in her pouch and he raised his hands in surrender.

"I'm not here to fight"

"Why are you in my house" she could see his head turn-taking in the tiny room she just called a house. Her eyes narrowed as her patience wore thin.

"You left your door open." He lowered his hands and they made their way into the pockets of his trousers.

"Last I checked that doesn't give an open invitation to unwanted guests" she hissed. She could really use water right now.

"Why don't you turn the light on?"

"The bulb is out"

"Light from the bathroom?"

"….That's also out. Why are you in my house." Her patience was all but expired and she pulled the kunai out and wielded it well. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness as the seconds passed and she could make out the bandages wrapped around him under the vest with attached mask. His face was covered partly by the mask but she could make out his uncovered eye was swollen almost shut and the gash down his face was healing already. He looked tired and beaten.

"I heard the retrieval was tough" he spoke slowly considering his words. His voice was hoarse and rough.

"I handled it" silence rang out.

"I heard you took out 3 from the bingo book single-handedly." She nodded and didn't relax her stance.

"And?"

"And, I also heard you carried me for almost two days after," he hesitated and her scowl deepened, "I heard you exhausted your chakra carrying me back"

"Are you just here to throw it in my face or are you going to get to a point so I can sleep and you can leave?" He cleared his throat and straightened.

"A lot of Ninja wouldn't have been able to pull it off" he paused again considering the words.

"Are you going to give me a medal?" He pushed off the wall he was leaning on and limped. He closed the distance a little between them. She saw his face more clearly now. Bruised and grossly swollen, his mask in place covering the lower half. It was hard not to cringe away.

"It's… it's always difficult after" he looked at her dead in the eyes. He was talking about the torture. She knew all too well what he felt like and she fought against the dread filling her body.

"Always." She nodded in understanding and relaxed her stance. Her kunai slid into her pouch and she strode towards the door. "Well, it wasn't nice to have you, please don't show up again." She opened the door and the light from the street lamps flooded in showing just what a mess he was. He was bandaged almost completely, his arm was strung up, amongst the rest. He nodded and hobbled towards the entrance.

"You should go back to the hospital, they don't like runaways." She spoke "trust me"

"I know" is all he said as he left, limping towards the stairs. She slammed the door and locked it along with the two windows. Her first and last intruder she promised herself. She stood proudly in her almost pitch black apartment.

After assessing her accomplishment she slumped. Water. She thought. She stood barefoot on glass and howled. The cursing would've made her father turn in his grave. That was her only glass. She considered a bowl but opted for drinking directly from the tap. She'd sobered a little but the tiredness was creeping back upon her. She stumbled over to her futon that she didn't roll away. Tripping over the discarded anbu uniform on the way. She peeled off all her gear and slithered between the duvet and mat. A content hum purred through her as she rubbed her legs between the familiar sheets. The cold air of her apartment hung heavy but her alcohol coat kept her toasty as she slipped into her slumber.

Memories flew behind her eyes that night. Memories she'd rather forget.