A/N: Hey there! Now, serious stuff going on. Anko is about to find out about the mission. Kakashi doesn't know how to tell her, so for honesty's sake, he just comes out with it. How's she going to take it? Let's find out. Enjoy!

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Anko was still lying in her bed, enjoying her glorious day off. She was very successfully completing her "do nothing because I feel like it" day. She looked at her clock and it was getting close to lunch time. She said to no one, "I am getting pretty hungry. Wonder if I could get the rest of that chocolate out," and she reached over to the cold pot next to her clock. In the process, she knocked down a small picture frame that she'd put there recently. When she and Kakashi became a "public couple," they did something that new couples sometimes did in public. They went to a photo booth and had some goofy pictures of themselves taken. The one she particularly liked was one where she was standing behind Kakashi, and she had her arms tightly across his chest. She was grinning at the camera like a buffoon, but Kakashi had his head turned, looking up at her, and she could tell, even though he was wearing his mask, that he was smiling. She loved that picture because it was spontaneous, and it showed a comfortable closeness that had grown between the two of them. There were three other pictures that they had done on the strip of four that they paid for, and Kakashi kept one with him. The other two were stuck with magnets to her refrigerator.

She righted the small picture frame, taking a quick second to look at the picture and smile. Then she turned her attention back to her cold chocolate pot. She reached her finger in and tried to use her fingernail to pick at the sides of the remaining chocolate, hoping to pop it out in one go, so she could eat it all at once. "Come on, you stubborn thing! Mama wants to eat you!" She continued to pick at it, managing to splinter little bits of it, which she quickly ate from her fingernail.

A knock at her door interrupted her attempts at chocolate mining. Who could that be?

Kakashi stood outside Anko's door, a thousand conflicting thoughts whizzing in his head. What do I do? It was never hard to decide before. I never had to. Now, I care about someone other than myself. I don't know how to do this. He knocked gently and waited for Anko to let him in.

Anko jumped up and put her chocolate pot and its lingering stubborn remains next to her clock and picture. She thought it's not even lunch time. Who could this be? She grabbed a robe and wrapped it around her as she went to see who her unexpected visitor was.

She peeked out her peep hole and saw the hair she recognized immediately, but she couldn't see his face. She instantly thought Kakashi. What's wrong with Kakashi! She almost tore the door off its hinges, she opened it so fast. Before he could even speak, she started, "What is it? What's wrong? Why are you here now? You should be at work. Talk to me!"

Kakashi walked into the apartment right past Anko and said, "I'd talk to you if you'd let me." And he kept walking.

Anko turned and watched him walk to her bedroom and go inside. She was totally confused. Usually Kakashi in the bedroom meant one of two things – sex or sleep, or most of the time, both. But now was the time for neither, so Anko's confusion and concern grew. She closed her door and followed him to her bedroom.

By the time she'd gotten there, he was flat on his back looking at the ceiling. His arms were thrown out on either side of him. He wouldn't look at her. Anko approached slowly and sat on the edge of the bed, next to his hip. She leaned carefully over his face and said, "Are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

Kakashi looked at Anko by moving his one exposed eye only. He pulled his mask down and said, "Something happened to me today – I need to talk to you about it. I need some help."

Anko was startled. Kakashi needs help? And he's coming to me for it? Of course I'll help him. Anko said quietly, "Start at the beginning."

Kakashi closed his eye and said, "I've been given a mission with Asuma."

"Just the two of you?"

"Yeah, but that's not the problem. What we've been asked to do may be the problem, because what Tsunade wants me to do could affect you."

Anko's heart rate quickened. She began to feel nervous in her stomach. She swallowed hard and said, "Tell me."

Kakashi opened his eye and looked at the woman he loved. He took her hand in one of his and began, "Tsunade wants Asuma and me to go on a mission to . . . befriend . . . two sisters, both research scientists, who worked for Orochimaru," Kakashi tightened his grip on Anko's hand. She continued to look at him as he struggled with getting the words to come out. "The sisters ran from him after he injured one of them in an angry fit. They're being hidden in a small village not far from here, and are scheduled to be moved to a safe house, and then they're going to disappear for good. Apparently they have information on Orochimaru's next moves, but they haven't talked yet."

Anko listened to Kakashi's whole speech. When he'd finished, she said, "Befriend. How friendly does this "befriending" have to be?"

Kakashi said, "If the sisters insist, or suggest it, possibly the friendliest form of the word."

Anko was conflicted. She knew that this was a job. It was part of the life of a shinobi. She had been trained how to use her own sexuality to get information out of people before. She'd done it on occasion, when ordered to. She found no joy in it. The only joy she felt was if it worked and her mission was successful. She looked at Kakashi and knew he was having a moral conflict with himself. She knew exactly what he was thinking, because if the shoe was on the other foot, she'd feel the same way.

Still, she knew being shinobi, they were called upon to do things they were trained to do, that they may not necessarily like. They may be ordered to torture and cause harm on a moment's notice. To kill and not regret it. They did as commanded for the betterment of all. It was their job; it's what they signed up to do.

Anko looked Kakashi in the eye and then looked down. She said, "When do you leave?"

Kakashi let go of her hand and sat up. He looked at her and said, "Are you kidding? This is KILLING me and all you want to know is when I leave?" Anko stayed silent. He continued, "What if it gets out of hand? What if I have to fuck this woman, because that's where it leads?"

At the mention of "the word," and the realization that there was a distinct possibility that that could happen, Anko cringed. She broke her silence and said, "Don't say it. Just don't say it."

Kakashi stood up and said, "But it's fine if I do it? Because I don't think it is!"

She looked at him and said, "What do you want me to say? Something like, 'No Kakashi, I forbid you to go and do that. I won't let you do your job because I love you too much and I'm the ONLY woman you're allowed to fuck!' Is that what you want to hear?"

That was EXACTLY what Kakashi wanted to hear. But since he didn't he just looked away.

Anko looked at him. She was completely flattered that he was having such a problem with his assignment. And quite honestly, she was too. But she thought it may not happen. It may not go that far, but there is a possibility that it could. She knew what he needed to hear, and so she started to say it, "Don't let it get that far."

He looked at her. She continued, "If you're going to do it, and I know you're the best at getting information, don't let it get that far. Flirt, tease, whatever. I'd prefer that you turn down the mission completely. But if these girls squeal on Orochimaru, we could better protect the village."

Kakashi felt a little relieved. Anko hadn't come right out and said DON'T GO, like he really wanted her to, but she came pretty darn close. He knew how she felt about him, but she cared about the welfare of the village too. He had his answer. He told her, "I'll do my best, but not ALL of my best."

"I'll ask again then. When do you leave?"

"Day after tomorrow."

"Good, that gives us a little time together before then. Do you have to go back to work? Couldn't you stay with me for a while?"

"I'd better go let Tsunade know I'll take the mission. And Asuma too. Oh, by the way, he said that since Kurenai's been through this before, that if you wanted to talk to anyone about it while I'm gone, she'd be the one to talk to."

"I just may do that." Trying to lighten the mood a little she said, "Take me out to dinner tonight and I just might put out." She looked at him suggestively.

Kakashi relaxed a little. He said, "But you always put out."

She walked to him and put her arms around his neck, "Only for you big boy." She kissed him gently, not feeling all that sure about how she felt about what had just happened.

They separated, and Kakashi walked toward her door. She followed closely behind him. He opened the door to leave, but first turned and said, "You're the only woman I've ever loved you know."

Anko felt as if a senbon had pierced her heart. Her throat hurt suddenly, and she choked a little when she said, "Yeah. I know."

"You'd better get back to your chocolate adventure."

How'd he know? "Yeah, I will in a minute. Before you go, one more thing," he turned and waited, then Anko said, "I trust you."

Kakashi kissed her one more time, flipped his mask back up and closed the door behind him as he left.

Anko leaned against the door, then slid down it. She put her elbows on her knees as she sat on the floor and put her head in her hands. She sat there, alone with her terrible "what if" thoughts, but she didn't cry. Instead, she tried to think of what she'd do next.

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A/N: A little different than you thought it was going to be right? No, Anko did not kill anyone - yet. Kakashi is having more trouble with this than Anko is, but she's having trouble too. What's she going to do you ask? You'll soon find out.

Next up: Anko comes up with a DEVIOUS plan, while Kakashi and Asuma go over the mission information. See you soon!