AN: mostly talking here. I forgot what I was going to write, but I had to include that Sakura thing. It explains why she is acting like she is. Hmm… I wonder what happened to that Icha Icha… evil smirk Next chapter is the couples again. Disclaimer still applies.

925 words in this chapter

Missing in Action

Chapter thirteen- Dignity

Anko leant back in the chair with a frustrated look on her face once she had finished watching the recording. "Pathetic man"

"Really?" Tsunade smirked from beside her "I wouldn't say he was pathetic. I've forced him into more than one physical exam and I couldn't find any… deficiencies"

"You're a lucky woman Tsunade-sama"

"Did you not like what you saw in Sakura's little present to us?"

"There was nothing to see!" she sulked "Who knew that that thing he does with taking of his mask is an ability he can spread to the rest of his body?"

"Hmm… it's a wonderful gift." She didn't seem surprised "I mean, think about it, you could flash a political figure in front of their face and they wouldn't even realize it"

"Or a not so political figure." Anko reminded her.

"I wonder if he ever has. I'm sure it's crossed his mind" she reached up to rotate the screens around so that Anko once again had a live image of the Kakashi-Sakura apartment.

"Hey! Where's Kakashi?"

Tsunade looked over to find that, sure enough, he was nowhere to be seen. She shrugged. "Probably in the other room"

"There's another room?" she leant forward in anticipation.

"Hai. Other than the bathroom, there is a meeting room for the guys. It was the only way I could get them to agree to this"

"Hold on. They did this willingly"

"Hai. They all did. Did you think I trapped them without consent?

"And they knew that the kunoichi were to try and seduce them?"

"Hai. You see, Shikamaru is heading off in the same direction. That's the second time they've done that now. Obviously they're finding it more difficult to cope than we thought. Looks like I'll win that bet" Tsunade shot the younger woman a smug smile.

"No way. They're probably just after some company that isn't female."

"I wouldn't count on it. They aren't exactly the most social shinobi in Konoha."

"Well can we see them?"

"No. That I can't do, just like with the bathrooms."

"Damn it."

"You wouldn't want to. All they do is talk tactics. Then we wouldn't get the element of surprise."

She turned back to the monitor. "I can't wait for the next development. It's so boring watching them sleep."

Anko watched as Sakura began to stir, looking over at the spot on the bed that Kakashi had recently vacated. She expressed no emotion as she stood up from the bed and began to set the sheets right, then paused, thinking of something.

She wandered over to the kitchen area and looked into the glass on one of the cupboards, using it to observe her reflection as she tried to tie her hair up properly. She then headed to the bathroom door and leant her head against it, listening for sounds of Kakashi's presence. For some reason she smirked as she turned around. Anko started to wonder if she was going to make her move, catch him off guard when he comes out, or go to set up some trap while he was out of sight.

Then Sakura looked up. It was only for an instant, but she did look up, straight at the camera. Anko sat back in surprise and went to rewind it just to ensure herself it wasn't in her head. It wasn't. She really did look up at the camera, with a knowing smile that teased anyone who was looking.

"Um… Tsunade-sama?" She asked hesitantly

"Yes Anko?"

"Do any of them know about the cameras?"

"No. I'm not that stupid."

"So how the hell does Haruno know where to look to find us?"

"What?!" Tsunade grabbed the controls from the kunoichi and rewinded the tape again. When she saw it she swore out loud. "She knows me too well. She's figured it out"

"That girl is too clever." Anko agreed "well at least that explains why she's being a bit more dignified than Yamanaka"

"Even Shikamaru hasn't figured that out, and he's a genius. This will be no fun now."

"I don't know about that. She may even play it for our amusement. Especially once it's Kakashi's turn to flirt. I doubt she's as fussed about respecting his dignity." She grinned mischievously. "After all, she is your apprentice"

"Let's hope. Though we'll have to tell the other's to keep an eye on her. If she tells Kakashi…"

They both turned to watch the screens again as the guys returned to the rooms. Kakashi sat down, watching Sakura as she began to make the bed, not in the hap-hazard way she was before, but in a way that perfectly imitated a hard-working housewife. Anko noted that the Icha Icha had somehow disappeared from the apartment completely as Kakashi drank in the sight of housework Sakura. What is she trying to do? Get him to marry her? she scoffed.

She then looked back over at Tsunade's screen as Shikamaru shoved something nervously into his bag at the end of the bed, just in time for Ino to begin moving. He glared at her with a frown and slumped down on one of the chairs, trying not to look. He put his fingers together in his thinking pose and closed his eyes as he tried to come up with his next action. A few seconds later, once Ino rolled over to face him, he stood and went over to the kitchen.

"Tsunade-sama?" Anko called again

"Yes Anko?"

"Can we swap?"

"Why?"

"Sakura is so polite. She makes me feel like a whore"