Kurenai's eyes widened in shock. "Asuma? A jinchuuriki? There's no way-"

"Yes, there is, little lady," the leader said hardly. "Because he is."

"How do you know, bitch?"

"Stick to Kakuza," the leader said, shrugging off Kurenai's filthy mouth. "And let's just say I have my sources."

Kurenai sighed. "I suppose you're not going to clue me in on this little joke of yours?"

Kakuza laughed cruelly. "Of course not; not unless knowledge overpowers love."

"Way to hit below the belt."

"Thank you; I know I have skills."

"Shut your damned mouth!"

Kakuza sighed and gave Kurenai a well-earned slap across the face. Kurenai growled a warning, and Kakuza smiled.

"Little tiger," he said softly. Kurenai leaned forward lips parting to reveal sharp white canines on either side of her mouth.

"She bites like one, too," Itachi said, holding up his bandaged hand. "It still stings an hour later."

Kakuza threw a glance at Kurenai's bared fangs. "You better not have rabies."

"That's what he said," she muttered, jerking her head towards Itachi.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah; really."

"You have quite an attitude, little girl."

"I'm not so little once I'm on top of you."

Itachi sighed. "Okay, little lady, let's see what you know."

"Depends on what you want and how you treat me," Kurenai said. She gave an inaudible sniff and turned her petite nose up to the ceiling, flipping her hair over her shoulder at the same time. "Torture me, there is no doubt that I will suicide."

"Why?" Kakuza asked. "Why? Then you'd just be subjecting yourself to mind searching jutsus, and as long as the cadaver is fresh, it can find anything that the brain once had in memory. And you'd also be leaving your boyfriend in the lurch, so think twice before you bite off your tongue and drown in your own blood."

Kurenai's eyes narrowed and she spat in Kakuza's face. The leader of the Akatsuki stumbled backwards, swore, and gave Kurenai an evil stare.

"You hit me dead center in the eye!"

"Damn right I did!" Kurenai yelled angrily. "How dare you?!"

"How dare you?"

Itachi could have sworn electricity traveled between the two as their eyes met.

He sighed and coughed, trying to break the silence. Kurenai seemed none too happy about it, though, and neither did Kakuza.

"One…word…out of you…"

Kurenai rolled her eyes. "Word."

"You're dead!!"

"I'm gonna kill you!!!"

Itachi sighed again and stepped back. "I'm gone."

He let them fight it out.

OOOOOOOOO

Asuma almost ran into Tsunade looking for her.

"Tsunade-sama!" he gasped, shoving the unconscious Kakashi at her. "It's bad! Itachi, and Kisame, and they-"

"Asuma, shut up. Give me him…" Tsunade lifted Kakashi from Asuma's arms with much more care than Asuma had thrust him at her with. "I'll take care of him. If you want to help, you have to do whatever I say, when I say it. Got it?"

Asuma nodded and followed Tsunade to a room. Tsunade laid Kakashi on a bed and pulled the curtain halfway across the track.

"Strip him down to whatever he's wearing under those pants, I need to see what's going on by way of physical injury." Asuma hesitantly pulled Kakashi's clothes off, baring a pale chest and a long, lean body. Kakashi's muscles were rock solid and smooth, and they slightly rippled in response to Asuma's touch. Asuma tried as hard as he could to respect Kakashi, but he couldn't help but smile at the sight of his boxers. It wasn't anything ridiculous, just plain blue, but it was still kind of funny to see your close friend in…nothing but their underwear. Tsunade was pulling medicines out of a cabinet on the opposite wall; syringes, pills, and bottles of liquid. Shizune walked in, carrying Tonton, and quickly assessed the situation.

"What happened this time?" she asked, setting down Tonton on the floor.

"Itachi got him," Asuma grunted, pulling a sheet up over Kakashi's body.

"Tsunade-sama?" Shizune said, pushing up her sleeves.

"Take his vitals, oxygen 50/50 and monitor heart rate and pulse ox, I do not want him slipping, got that?"

"And Tonton?"

"If he doesn't behave, it's bacon for dinner tomorrow night."

"BWEH??!!!"

"Get out of here Tonton," Shizune said dryly. "She's in a mood."

"I am not, I just don't want him in the way," Tsunade grouched. "Now do what I told you to!"

Shizune brushed past Asuma with a nod of thanks and picked up the oxygen mask from the table next to the bed and settled it over Kakashi's face. She quickly set the tank and moved to Kakashi's sides, which were raked with scratches and cuts, and set her hands against his sides, glowing with healing chakra.

"Pulse ox is 91, so he's pretty good with respiration. Respiration rate is 30, heart rate is 63, reflexes look okay, no internal damage, it all looks superficial, mental damage is severe."

Tsunade nodded and Shizune removed her hands. "Can I heal the bruises and all?"

"Wait until I examine the patterns; he may have been abused."

Shizune stepped back, next to Asuma, and waited as Tsunade ran her hands down Kakashi's body, sharp eyes taking in every tiny detail.

"The shape of these…" she said slowly. "Asuma, know anything about these bruises?"

"During the battle, Kakashi took a lot of hits, but most of them just glanced off…why?"

"The pattern of these bruises suggests that Kakashi was…sexually abused…do you know anything about that?"

"He wasn't captured recently, but didn't you give him an A-rank a couple days ago?"

Tsunade thought back for a moment. "I did," she said slowly. "I sent him to…Snow, I think, an assassination. He might have suffered for it, although the mission was a success."

"So while the person was…in such close contact with him, he killed him," Asuma said slowly. He exhaled and pulled a packet of cigarettes out of his pocket, along with a lighter.

"Uh-outside, mister!" Shizune scolded, pulling the lighter away from him. Asuma sighed and repossessed his lighter, walking out of the room and down the hall. Shizune watched him go until he rounded the corner, then walked back into the room and waited for Tsunade's next order.

"Tsunade…sama…?"

Tsunade whipped around at the sound of Kakashi's voice. "Kakashi-san!" she gasped, rushing over to him and pulling him into her arms.

"Are you all right?!"

Kakashi sighed and pulled the oxygen mask off his face. Shizune took it from him and switched off the machine, setting it down on the table.

Kakashi was silent.

"Kakashi…?" Tsunade said slowly. "Are you-?"

Kakashi shook his head and collapsed onto her shoulder. Tsunade wordlessly dropped to the bed next to him, wrapping her arms around him and letting him press his face to her shoulder. Tsunade's hands moved to his wrists, healing the breaks immediately.

"Better?"

Kakashi nodded and closed his eyes. It was warm against Tsunade's chest, and he could fall asleep in her arms…

"Come on," she prompted, gently pushing him back to the bed. "You have to rest."

"Tsunade-sama…there's something I didn't tell you…about my last mission…"

"I know," Tsunade said softly. Her hands traced the bruises along Kakashi's stomach and legs. "Bruises tell all tales."

Kakashi sighed and settled once again in Tsunade's embrace. "And…are you mad at me…?"

"For what?" Tsunade asked, bewildered. "Why do you think any of this is your fault?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I don't know…he just said that…we would war and…because I killed him…it would be my fault…"

"Don't you dare think that any of this political crap is your fault," Tsunade gently scolded. "Because it isn't. And dead men tell no tales, right?"

Kakashi thought for a moment. "True," he finally said. "But still…I still feel kinda guilty…"

"It's natural," Tsunade consoled. "Most people do feel that way after something terrible happens to them like that; death of a family member, a kidnapping, a killing, a rape…either to them or someone close to them, you will always feel guilty. It's just how you're going to feel for a while. But don't worry; I'll always be here for you, and you know you have friends who will back you no matter what."

Kakashi nodded. "And about that…Kurenai, she…she tried to save me from Itachi and…she stayed, and told us to go, and after that, I had no clue, I was out, but I remember Asuma telling her not to, but then I totally lost it…"

Tsunade exhaled. "I'll get the full report from Asuma. For now, just sleep."

Kakashi nodded again and Tsunade put him down against the pillows. "Shizune can stay for a little while, she still has to heal those nasty bruises."

Shizune stepped forward. "Okay, I can take it. If you want to leave Tonton…"

"Sure. When I find him, I will send him in."

A small smile teased at the corners of Kakashi's mouth, crinkling the edges of the mask. "He'll be miles away by now," he said. "That bacon thing…oh, yeah. He's gone."

Tsunade grinned as Shizune moved in. Her pale hands graced Kakashi's abused sides, and Kakashi could feel waves of relief as the wounds closed over and bruises healed.

"Shhhhhh, relax," she whispered, ghosting the bruises as gently as possible. "It might hurt if you don't."

Kakashi lay quietly as Shizune's hands moved over his entire body, but she hesitated at his hips.

"Are you going to freak out if I touch you?"

A tremor went through Kakashi's body, and he shrugged. "I'm not sure…" he said slowly. Shizune tentatively stretched her hands down, running them along Kakashi's smooth, softly curving hips. "I can see why anyone would want you," she murmured. "You're beautiful…"

Kakashi fought down the urge to shy away as healing sent it's calming sensations through his legs and stomach. Shizune watched him closely for any signs of distress, ready to pull away if Kakashi was too uncomfortable. But the moment never came, and Shizune simply kept working down Kakashi's smooth, muscular body, feeling the ripples of hardened muscles and the satin-like feel of his milky-white skin. Kakashi made no effort to push her away and allowed Shizune to heal whatever she found.

Asuma re-entered, seemingly in a better mood now that he had smoked a cigarette or two. "Aaaaah, that's better," he said, stretching up his arms. "A couple cigarettes will do one wonders."

"Shut up, Asuma," Shizune snapped, grasping Kakashi's ankles. "We all know it's bad for you."

Asuma glared. "Whatever."

Shizune sighed. "Would you shut up for a minute so I can concentrate on him?"

Asuma obliged and stepped up to Kakashi's side. A large hand rested in his hair, stroking back the fallen locks of liquid silver.

"How are you feeling?"

Willing to take comfort from anyone, Kakashi moved his head to the hand that meant to quiet him, allowing Asuma to push his hair back from his face.

"Okay, I guess."

A look of concern crossed Asuma's face. "You sure?"

Kakashi nodded. "Yeah, I think I'll live."

Shizune's hands were lifted from Kakashi's body and she set them on her knees and leaned forward. "Such a pretty face," she said softly. "Do you want me let you sleep, or should I stay?"
Kakashi shrugged. "If you have other stuff to do, then go ahead, don't let me hold you down."
Shizune smiled. "As a matter of fact, I do have some paperwork, but I can bring it in here."

Kakashi smiled a bit underneath his mask. "Thank you."

Shizune could see the gratitude in his eyes as she told him she would stay with him. "Asuma, can you stay for a second?"

"Sure," Asuma said. He sat down on the edge of the bed, next to Kakashi's head. Shizune quietly exited the room, leaving Asuma alone with Kakashi.

Neither male moved.

For the longest time.

And Asuma came to a startling realization about his friend.

A/N: Thank you everyone who reviewed, I hope you like the story so far!