A/N: Hi again everyone. Time to start to stir things up a bit. Asuma messes with Kakashi a bit, and later on, a breakthrough happens. And what kind of trouble has Asuma gotten himself into? Time to poke the Fates and see what they do. Enjoy!

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Anko and Kurenai had some dinner together in a little café. Kurenai asked her, "Want to stay at my place again tonight? They'll be back tomorrow."

Anko said, "Naw, I think I'll be alright tonight. You're a great friend. I haven't felt too miserable today at all."

"Well I was hoping I wasn't going to make you feel miserable."

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah I do."

Anko said, "In fact, I'm going to go turn in after dinner. I don't have any idea when they're going to be back, and you and I do have to work in the morning."

"Yes there is that. Work always seems to keep the mind busy."

She looked at Kurenai and said, "I hope they're home early. I need to know what happened."

Kurenai looked off in the distance and said, "Me too."

Anko said, "But you trust Asuma right?"

"Of course. But I still want to know."

After finishing their dinner, Anko said goodnight to Kurenai and thanked her again for helping her get through this one. They hadn't really talked that much about it, but Kurenai had been just what Anko needed – a distraction from over thinking things.

She went home and went straight to bed. She left the light on for a little while, so she could look at the picture next to her alarm clock. Then she reached over and set her alarm so she'd arrive to work ON TIME. She said to the picture, "Good night Kakashi. Come home soon. I don't want to miss you anymore." She turned off her light and after thinking about him and worrying a little more, sleep finally claimed her.

After Kakashi and Harumi arrived back at Akie's house, they waited around for Asuma and Hanami. As dinner was being plated, the wayward sister and her guard finally breezed into the kitchen. Hanami looked like a new person. Her cheeks were flushed and she was smiling – a lot. Asuma too was smiling a bit more than was his style. Kakashi immediately thought the worst.

Dinner was eaten and the sisters talked about finalizing their plans before they were moved the next day. They had both retrieved information on things they were working on and had packed them to be ready to go the next day. Everything was set, all they had to do was wait for the guide to show up to take them to the safe house. Kakashi was starting to get a little nervous, because neither sister had really said much of anything that would be helpful to the Hidden Leaf Village.

Asuma was paying a lot of attention to Hanami and she was responding to him wholeheartedly. He wasn't touching her, or being inappropriate, but he was focusing on her and she in her shyness began to blossom from his attention. Harumi on the other hand, seemed confused with Kakashi. She seemed to want to talk to him, but she didn't know where to start. He finally asked her, "I hate to be a pest, but is there anything, anything at all you can tell me that may help me prevent a war, or at least save the village and its people? I know you have trust issues after what Orochimaru did to you. But seriously, we are trustworthy people who only want to keep our people safe. Will you help us?"

Asuma had heard Kakashi's plea and looked at Hanami. Her eyes immediately went to her sister. Harumi said, "I need to talk to Hanami for a while. We have some decisions to make."

The girls rose and began to leave the room. Kakashi again reached for her arm and said, "I'm going to turn in early. If there's anything you want to ask, or tell me, I'll leave my door open." He hoped he wasn't misleading the girl, but if she and her sister came to a decision, he wanted to know immediately.

Harumi said, "If not tonight, tomorrow." She turned and the two left the shinobi at the table again. Akie had already turned in for the night, leaving them alone.

Kakashi said, "Why the fuck do you look like the cat that ate the canary?"

Asuma said, "Whatever do you mean?"

"When I saw you two come in earlier it looked like you'd both been up to no good! Tell me you didn't!"

"Didn't what?" Asuma smiled at him sideways.

"You had better be fucking with me or so help me,"

"Ok, calm down there big fella. I am fucking with you. And I can tell you this much, I never so much as laid a hand on her. I was just paying a lot of attention to her and did you see how she reacted? She wants to tell me what they were doing, but it seems that Harumi pulls the strings. I think Hanami feels guilty that her sister was wounded and she wasn't."

"That's a possibility. You just looked like you were enjoying yourself a little too much."

"At least I didn't invite one of the sisters into my room later."

"To talk! Only to talk if she wanted to!"

"Sorry Kakashi, but I saw the way she looked at you. I think if she comes to your room later, she may want to do a little more than talk."

"Please tell me you're fucking with me again."

"Sorry pal. Not this time."

Oh fuck no. No, no, no, no, no. Kakashi came up with an idea, "Switch rooms with me tonight then."

Asuma said, "Get real! Do you honestly think she won't be able to find you if we switch rooms?"

"True. I'm just going to have to wing this one."

"Listen; don't let it eat at you. You know you'll do the right thing."

And inside his heart, Kakashi did know he'd do the right thing. If it was a choice between doing what was right for the village and what was right for the woman he loved, he hoped the answer was the same.

Asuma got up and left the room, and Kakashi followed him. He did as he said he would, and he left his door open. He heard Asuma close his door. All was quiet. He turned his back to the door and sat on the small bed. In the quiet that ensued, he took out his picture and looked at it thinking I chose you, I choose you. I'll do what I have to, but I won't risk losing you.

Because of his distraction, he didn't hear Harumi until she was right behind him.

"What are you looking at?" Harumi asked Kakashi.

"Nothing," he said as he tried to stuff the picture back into his pocket.

"It had to be something, because I was able to come in here and you didn't even hear me. It must be something important."

It is. "It's just a little something I brought with me. Have you come to talk?"

Harumi stood next to him and said, "You want me to trust you, so tell me, truthfully, what were you looking at?"

Either Kakashi was going to blow the mission right then or not. He decided that trust was built on truth, so he decided to show her what he was looking at. He said, "I was looking at this." He reached in his pocket and pulled out his picture of him and Anko. "I look at it all the time, whenever I can."

Harumi took the picture from him and looked at it. She asked, "Is this your wife?"

"No." Not yet. He surprised himself with that though, and how easily it came to him. "She's my girlfriend."

"Has she got a name?"

"Anko."

"How long have you two been seeing each other?"

"A little more than four months if I remember correctly."

Harumi said, "You're a man so you probably don't remember correctly. Men never do remember stuff like that."

Kakashi laughed a little under his breath, because he knew she was probably right.

Harumi handed the picture back to him and asked, "Do you love her?"

Does the sun shine? Does the snow fall? Do the birds sing? "Yes. Very much."

"I bet you miss her."

"Every time I leave her, or she leaves me."

"She's a ninja too?"

"Yep. And a pretty darn good one at that."

"Then why isn't she here with you?"

"This wasn't her assignment."

"I wish I had someone like you coming home to me."

Kakashi's heart almost stopped. He had to choose his words very carefully now, because Harumi was showing a very vulnerable side of herself to him. He said, "That's a pretty big compliment to someone like me. Thank you."

She said, "Maybe someday huh?"

"Someday?" He hoped she didn't mean someday with him.

Harumi said, "Someday I'll find someone who will love me like you love Anko."

Kakashi sighed inaudibly and said, "I'm sure you will."

She said, "I'm going to bed. But I'll have something to give you in the morning. I'll go talk to Hanami one more time. I'm sure she'll be in agreement. I'll make sure you get your information, because Kakashi,"

He said, "Yeah?"

"I do trust you." She smiled at him and left his room. Kakashi felt relief like he'd never felt before. He looked at his picture again and thought trust still intact. But I would have made sure it was no matter what. Anko, I'm coming home.

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A/N: Ha! Betcha didn't see that one coming did you? Well, that's why I like to stir things up a little. But there's more. Oohhohoho there's SO much more yet. Only a few more chapters, but lots more story yet. And there are surprises too!

Next up: Plans for moving the sisters are coming along. Meanwhile, Anko and Ibiki keep themselves busy. And there's something wrong with the "guide" who's supposed to take the sisters to the safe house. See you soon!