Sakura P.O.V

I woke the next morning with sunlight streaming through the window and out over my bed. Sighing, I try to bury myself under the duvet for another five glorious minutes of sleep wincing at the aches of my injuries from yesterday.

"Morning Sakura." Comes from my kitchen chair. I turned to where the voice of my ex-sensei chirped, Icha Icha in hand. "You must be getting rusty already, I came in through the window and you didn't even wake up."

"There is a difference between not waking up because I'm rusty, and recognizing the chakra signature of the threat as nothing but a ex-sensei who doesn't know how to knock." I huffed as I prepared myself for the insurmountable task of leaving my heavenly nest. "What brings you here?"

"Oh a little of this and a little of that, mostly because we have a mission." He said, not even glancing up from the pages of his porn.

"Washing the pack is not a mission, it's exploiting friends." I said, sitting up and trying to figure out if I had a clean shirt in the pack by my feet.

Finally, he glanced up. "Actually the mission is an ANBU class infiltration in Iwa, but I understand if you would rather wash the pack. I'm sure Pakkun would love a chance to catch up."

I blinked at him slowly, "You are my partner? I just passed my exam yesterday."

"Problem?"

"No! I just thought that you had retired from ANBU, thats all. Also, aren't I supposed to meet you this afternoon?"

His lone eye crinkled. "I'm only 35, Sakura." He stood and handed me a scroll with the ANBU insignia on it and a note from Tsunade with her handwriting on it. "Normally we would've had a nice long chat about ANBU, but Tsunade got word of a new development in Iwa and had to send a team right away. Ibiki figured we were the best shot since we have a background together. Since the mission is time sensitive I need you to meet me at the gates in an hour, I will fill you in on the way to Iwa."

"How long is this mission?" I asked glancing up from the ANBU scroll but he was already gone. 'This is what I signed up for I guess.'


Kakashi P.O.V

Jumping between the rooftops I could finally release the breath I had been holding in. 'Someone has certainly grown up in more ways than one.' I can't even remember the last time I saw Sakura.

After the final battle, Konoha had been all but obliterated again. Rebuilding took months and many nations had not been able to keep up the security in the outer regions of the land. Bandits and Rogue non wandered the countryside attacking small villagers and wreaking havoc on the roads. Thus, many of the Shinobi who weren't too injured were on constant missions to crack down on crime in the outer regions.

'This mission will be interesting nonetheless. I wonder how long it will take for her to kill me when she realizes that what our cover is.' Playing lovers in a country as war-like as earth made me nervous, but our history as both student and teacher will help us make it more believable.

'I can't help but feel like this mission is going to change everything.'


Sakura P.O.V

I touched down at the gates 20 minutes late, and true to form Kakashi wasn't there yet. 'Why am I even surprised?'

I laid down and pulled a kunai and Tsunade's scroll. Flipping them in the air was a bad habit I had picked up to cope with the waiting. Watching it flash up the sky I couldn't help but think of all the people who this kunai had touched. How many nine lost their lives to it?

"You know I would say that you shouldn't do that, but being a Shinobi and mednin makes that a little redundant." Said the voice of my new partner, ex-sensei, and current pain in the butt.

"Kakashi, you're late." I said evenly to him, while standing and putting the kunai back in my hip pouch.

"Well, there was this dog that a little boy lost and what sort of person would I be if I didn't help him find it again?"

"Lets just get going. Why was Tsunade's note so vague?" I said, strolling out the gates and onto the main path noticing him lag behind. "You ready?"

"As I will ever be." He said taking a deep breath and following her onto the path of the unknown.


*Authors Note*

Sorry it has been so long, life gets you at every turn. I hope there are still a few of you out there who are reading this! PM me with any annoying spelling and grammar mistakes and I will try and fix them, because as you can probably guess this story is *GASP* edited by me! Hopefully update again soon my lovelies!