The following morning came sooner than she'd expected. And by the shrilling sound made by the birds outside and judging from the pink hues formed behind her eyes it seemed pretty late in the morning. She softly squeezed her eyes, but did not open them. Just not yet. She felt a familiar warmness. It was almost like waking up in her bed, home. She needed to open her eyes just to make sure she was still in the ten. She wanted to move her hand, but felt something heavy on it. She opened her eyes. Her breath stopped and her cheeks got redder and redder as she took in the face of the person in front of her- Kakashi. It was all clear to her now. She took him and somehow he ended up putting his arm over her while he was sleeping. She heard Yoh playing outside. Kakashi was still sleeping. For once, she saw he had a clear and smooth forehead. He looked so relaxed and peaceful there. He felt right. What would he think if she were to wake him up? Biting her lower lip she decided she didn't need to know so she closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.

"Anko," she heard his deep husky voice.

"Kya!" she pushed away from him nervously blushing and almost breaking him down the tent. "This isn't what it looks like! I wasn't awake and enjoying the way we were…" she quickly said. "Oh, God," she didn't have enough composure and self-control to keep her mouth shut.

"Hn…" he got up on his elbows. "Sorry about…the situation," he got up. "Pack things here, I'm going to make breakfast," he got out.

Anko rolled on her back. "Stupid…" she growled slapping her forehead.

He quickly made the fire and placed the food just above it. The small pieces of fish grilled. He looked over his shoulder and saw Anko still struggling with the tens. She had that determined frown he was used to. He found himself smiling.

"Hey, Kakashi," he heard Yoh calling him.

"Dig in, kid," he gave him some fish.

"I was wondering…" he took a bite noticing that it tasted far better than his previous meal. "Can ask you something?"

He frowned. "Sure, go ahead."

"You and Anko argue a lot…" he started.

"I guess," he shrugged.

"So I was thinking are you two in love?" he asked.

At that point Kakashi dropped the chopsticks from his fingers. His eye was twice its size and he stopped breathing.

"No!" he answered regaining composure. "Anko and I are very dedicated to our work that's what brings us together."

"Are you in love with someone else?"

"No," he got up. "Now finish your meal."

He went and to help her with the tent.

"Thanks," she sheepishly smiled.

"Hmph," he grunted.

"I couldn't help but notice. You do have a way with kids," she casually stretched her hands.

"Don't push you luck," he growled without facing her.

She frowned for a moment, but shrugged it off. She had to get used to him that way.

"So what are our goals today?" she asked.

He cleared his voice. "We're going to finish our journey today. We're going to wait for reinforcements there."

She bit her lower lip. "I see. We're going to fight?"

"Yes," he answered.

She tried to hide, but she couldn't. She was worried. The thought of the fight made her pale with fear. She twirled on her heels and went after Yoh. He looked after her. He felt his stomach turn. He shivered. It was the same kind of feeling that overtook him whenever he looked at Rin and whenever he feared that he might lose her. She had a brief conversation with him and indicated him to get on her back.

"We're ready," she said.

"Go ahead," he indicated.

She jumped and caught the first branch, but then she felt that Yoh wasn't that stable on her back. She lowered her pace. That gave them the privilege to have a light conversation.

"My favorite color is violet too," he cheered. "Hey, Anko?"

"Yes, honey?" she answered.

"Are you in love with Kakashi?" he blurted out.

"N-no…" she blushed. "Why would you say that?"

"Because I saw the way you act. You care a lot about him, don't you?"

"I do," she nodded. "But as a comrade. I'm supposed to care about him."

"When I asked my mother how she married my father she said that at the beginning she cared much about him."

"Yes, that's true, but it's not my case."

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because…he's already in love with someone else. He'll never fall for me," she continued.

"You'll never know," he shrugged.

"So tell me more about your friends," she encourage him.

He looked at her. He saw she was talking with Yoh. He saw they were laughing. And he would be a pretty big liar to say that he wasn't curious at all. He was. He couldn't take his mind off her. It wasn't fair. He was supposed to be mourning Rin, but all he could think of was Anko and the way she acted, the way she talked, the way she was. Special. That was the word. Special. And better than him.

"Why are we stopping?" he asked when he saw her lowering her pace and pausing by a small river.

"It's close to lunch time," she said opening her backpack. "Yoh is hungry."

He went by a rock and looked at the river. She put a blanket on the ground and started lunch.

"What would you like to eat?" he heard her call.

"I'm not hungry," he answered.

He looked at the sky. It was a sunny a day. He felt hot.

"Look, what you did!" he heard exclaim. He saw that Yoh had spilled all over him some sort of mystery food that Anko probably made. "Good thing that we have this river here. Now in you go, time to clean you up."

He watched her as she gingerly helped him out of his clothes and in the river. She took a seat on the shore and dipped her legs in the cool water. He smiled. It was probably the hundredth time he thought she was sweet.

"Yoh, stop that!" she cried. He saw that the little boy was now throwing water at her. She tried fighting back, but he pulled her in the river.

He rolled his eyes. "Stop it, you two!" he called.

Anko grinned and devilishly whispered something in his ear. The next moment he was attacked by both them.

"Stop it!" he tried moving away, but she grabbed him by the hand and forcefully pulled him in the water.

"Let's bring him down!" she swung herself in his direction and they both collided on the smooth sand. They both madly blushed. She stopped breathing. He pulled away.

"God…" he grunted. "Let's get going."

He went ahead. She could be so annoying in the end. They didn't speak to each other the rest of the day. When he finally stopped it was well in the night. His feet were sore. He did not exchange any words with Anko. She rested in the shadow of a pine tree holding a sleeping Yoh in her arms. He sat up the tent for them and then turned to make a fire. He thought she went to bet, but he saw her come up next to him pulling her knees to her chest.

"Any news?" she asked.

"No yet," he answered looking at the fire. "Listen," he looked at her. "I just want you to know that from now on it's going to get really dangerous. We're risking our lives at any point. I also want you to know that I am not going to hesitate."

"Sure," she rubbed her cold nose. "You've got nothing to lose, do you?"

He didn't answer.

"I pretended not to know about you, you know?" she said. "Of course I knew. Who didn't? I also knew…" she sighed. "Obito Uchiha."

A tremble went down his spine. "You knew him?"

"I did," she nodded. "A little more than I was supposed to. I…knew a lot about him. We never spoke, though…" he saw her pale fingers run over her cheek brushing away what seemed to be a tear.

"He was my best friend," Kakashi said.

"I know," she pulled her knees closer. "I'm sorry I never go the opportunity…well… you should know," she sadly smiled at him.

It hit him like lightning. She had been in love with him.

"You look a little cold," he said. "Just let me…" he went back and bought a blanket. "Here," he put it over her.

"Thanks. Hey," she opened her arm. "I saw you were cold last night. I can share."

He hesitated.

She laughed. "You don't have anything to lose do you?"

Holding his breath, he came next to her and they sat there in silence.

Wow, another update, but now I have more time and I think I'm going to finish the story pretty soon.