Chapter 2

Familiar Settings

6 months later

Kakashi pushed himself to run faster along the tree tops, he needed to get home to the Hidden Leaf. No, scratch that, he HAD to get home and unwind before he lost what was left of his sanity. Six months on a mission normally wouldn't do this to him, but this particular one had tried his patience to the extreme, and it wasn't like he had much left to go around anymore.

He scoffed, 'Mission, yeah right, more like a babysitting gig. A chunin, hell, even a genin could've done it no sweat and yet the Hokage, in her infinite wisdom, decided it was perfect for me. I have a feeling this is payback for all the times I've been late to her summons.' He missed his village, his own bed and more importantly the rest of his Icha Icha collection. Only having one to go over and over for six goddamned months, will crack anyone's sanity. He even missed Gai and his ridiculous challenges and that's saying just how boring the mission really was.

When he'd gotten the mission scroll thrown at him, literally thrown mind you, bouncing off his head and all. The time limit had said undetermined but that hadn't concerned him too much. Most missions didn't have exact dates so that didn't faze him. What did catch his eye was the subject. A Daimyo's nephew needed a personal bodyguard for the whole time he was visiting his uncles palace. A cakewalk for an elite ninja like him and his eyebrow rose in question at the blonde sitting behind her desk as she fingered her sake cup looking contemplative.

Tsunade snorted as she thread her fingers together and rest her chin on her hands. "Yeah, I know Kakashi, this is one you could do in your sleep and normally I'd agree with you. However, there has been a lot of talk about civil unrest in that region and kidnappings are happening more frequently. The targets being of high ranking military or royalty. Seems they will go for anyone these days, even the maids aren't exempt from being abducted and used," Her lip curled in distaste.

"Hmm, so basically I'm a glorified babysitter for this one?" He said as he rolled up the scroll and tucked into one his pockets.

"As cut and dry as this one sounds, it's really not. You need to keep a sharp eye out," Chuckling softly at her pun as he glared with his one visible eye back. Her back straightened, placing her palms down on her desk looking for all the world like a leader at that moment, all humor erased from her face. She was back to business mode.

"You need to know there have been a few threats on this youngsters head already and multiple attempts that have only been foiled through sheer dumb luck. We have no clue who or what are behind the recent kidnappings so you're going in blind. I don't need to remind you to stay sharp, senses on full alert, but make sure and be as inconspicuous as can be. We don't want to scare whoever is behind this before we find out just who they are. So utilize a henge and cover up that gray mop of hair so you don't stick out like a sore thumb."

"Its not gray it's silver," He muttered as he pouted. She glared at him silencing his protests with one look and continued.

"You're not only acting as this one's bodyguard, but it's also your job to flush out the kidnapper or kidnappers."

"Ahh, so now its revealed why I was hand picked for this one. No worries, there isn't anyone I've met that can escape my nose or the combined noses of my ninken," He boasted smugly. Tsunade bared her teeth in what looked like a very evil smile.

"Hmm, so I've noticed. Another thing, I'm not sure how long this one will take you, but since these kidnappers have eluded capture for five years now it may take you a while." Shuffling papers on her desk she waved him out. "Take care Kakashi and do try not to get yourself killed. I don't need anymore paperwork to deal with."

"I'll do my best," Saying farewell with a salute and disappearing from her office with a pop and a puff of smoke.

"Damn Shinobis," she growled as she coughed and waved the smoke out of her face. "They never know how to work a damn door."

He was brought out of his thoughts by the familiar sight of the Hidden Leaf's gate looming in the distance. Sighing in relief he dropped to the ground and proceeded along the path at a more casual pace. At least tonight he would have a hot shower and his very own bed to sleep in. Months of camping out in what had to have been the rainiest season they ever had in Fire Country had soured his liking of sleeping under the stars. For a while anyways. He always came back to the great outdoors, the smell, the feeling of wildness around him. It all spoke to his baser instincts of going back to the basics. The utter silence of the night only interrupted by crickets in his ears. Ahh, peace and serenity. Besides, he owed the ninken some time off from that last mission. Kakashi cringed as he remembered the humiliation of a certain pug whom he had spotted dressed in all pink sitting in a baby carriage, courtesy of the boy's little sister.

She had taken an instant liking to the irritable pug the moment Kakashi had summoned them to scout the area around the palace. Poor thing had been dragged from one end of the palace to the other always adorned in something frilly and really girly looking, much to the amusement of the other ninken if the snickers were anything to go by. Oh Pakkun tried to get away and being his normally grumpy self hadn't discouraged her one bit, if anything it made her more determined. She would only smile and scratch his ears when his baby bonnet would slip off his head from shaking it so hard trying to dislodge it.

Now, normally Pakkun wouldn't put up with something like that, but the girl was so darn cute and so meek and timid and it didn't help one bit that she was also mute. Her family said she was always so shy that when she perked right up at seeing the adorable puppy, (their words not his he reminded the grumpy dog) they asked if the pug could stay with her for the remainder of their stay to keep her company. Plus, it was only added security if the pug was with her since she was a constant shadow of her older brother who happened to be the target.

He chuckled to himself, knowing he owed that dog more treats and belly rubs then he could ever pay. But no matter how much the pug whined and growled at being carted around Kakashi knew better. He saw how contented the pug looked in his stroller when he thought no one was looking. And Pakkun most certainly couldn't disguise the happy snorting noises he made when the girl gave him milk to drink, the little glutton. Mentally promising a vigorous regimen of training after they rested up. Can't have them going chunky and not being able to keep up with him now can he? A feral grin spread across his face at the thought.

The mission, all in all had been bittersweet. Boring as hell most of the time, but all kidding aside in the end it was a total bust. Kakashi had no idea how the little shit managed to slip out from under more than six canine noses, including his, but he did. He was sure he'd been on the right track when his nose picked up a sweetly sour smell as the evening meal was being served. As discreetly as he could he signaled to his canines, who were stationed around the room, to move in and check out the food. But when Pakkun gave a small yip confirming what he already knew, he was already on the tail of one of the supposed servants who had just exited the room.

Not many could keep up with the Copy Ninja's speed, so when his target seemed more than capable of keeping ahead of him and almost losing him not once, but twice, it understandably took him back before pushing himself to catch up. Even when his ninken had joined the chase in order to corner him he still managed to give them the slip. Shocked and all around pissed he missed the target, Kakashi went back to the Daimyo and explained what had occurred since dinner was interrupted and then thrown away once chloroform was detected in the everyone's water. The Daimyo and the boys parents were extremely grateful he was able to catch it in time and managed to chase the would be attacker away, but he was still frustrated and offered to stay on longer. But the Daimyo wouldn't hear of it saying he deserved a break and to not worry about it, as his guards would be stepping up patrol from now on.

So, he went on his way, silently fuming to himself that he let such a small rat scurry away. His ninken had already gone back to their realm, but he knew they felt the same way and were ashamed, thinking they'd let him down somehow. But they hadn't and he told them as such. This one was just a more cunning opponent than previously thought, and he would be informing the Hokage of everything he knew and requesting to take similar missions with similar circumstances. No one had ever gotten away from the Copy Nin before and he wasn't about to let someone now. Kakashi would find him, it was just a matter of time and he was a patient man.

Passing through the gate he greeted the two guards Izumo and Kotetsu with a wave. They always seemed to be on duty, and he wondered if they ever went home, or if they even had a home for that matter. Although, with the way they always seemed to be snoozing, he doubted they had need for an actual bed since a chair did just fine or in some cases a wall. The voice of Izumo followed him, reminding him to go see the Hokage right away to check in. He didn't know why they even bothered. Everyone knew Kakashi didn't follow anyone's schedule but his own. He marched to his own drum and no one could change that.

He strolled down the main street and made a beeline for the familiar blue building he missed the entire time he was gone. Didn't matter that he was still filthy from traveling, a fine layer of dirt and grime plastered to him. He was in the mood to drown himself in booze. And it wasn't like it was a high class place anyway, being a shinobi bar. Saluting the bartender, he made his way to the familiar table in the corner, plopped down in a chair as a waitress brought him a beer. Slouching down in his chair, he popped open the bottle and brought it to his mask covered lips and took a generous swig of the bitter liquid. Didn't matter to him that he could taste the cotton from the mask, that's just how he drank in public. And it was added filtration in his mind. No one would see his face if he could help it, barring the one incident with the father and daughter from Ichiraku. He sighed in contentment, 'It's five o'clock somewhere.'

His gaze swept across the other patrons in the smoky darkness around him, most of them being shinobi who had the same idea he did. Nothing like crawling into a bottle to forget the world around them. Taking another swig he paused, the bottle resting against his lips as he spotted a familiar pink head of hair at the bar. Scrunching his face he got the strangest feeling of deja-vu, wondering where he had seen this before.

His thoughts were interrupted as a dark haired young man slid into the seat beside her, an arm going around her waist. Suddenly it struck him, about a six months ago he'd seen this very same scene before leaving for his mission. His eye narrowed on the young man as he recognized that pineapple hairstyle and lazy attitude. Though right now the laziness was conspicuously absent, instead replaced by a shrewd glint in his dark chocolate and oddly warm eyes.

It didn't escape his notice how the strategist was acting towards the pinkette, his normally aloof attitude more warm and caring. He didn't know why but the way Shikamaru was acting put him on edge and irritated him. He paused and wondered why on earth he should care if the brilliant young man was showing his ex-student some affection. To be honest, he thought the shadow user and the buxom blond had a thing, but judging by this it must not be true. Although, a lot could change in six months, and he wondered just how much he had missed.

Kakashi brought out a worn copy of Icha Icha and concentrated on the pages, determined to block out the little voice in his head that was urging him to investigate. It was none of his business what Sakura did in her free time, or who she spent it with. His fingers clenched around the bottle in his hand as he tried desperately to mind his own business and squinted harder at the words on the pages. Only to be brought out of his daze as the crackling of glass stopped him cold, his eye snapped to the spider webbed cracks littering the bottle in his hand. He uncurled his fingers from around the bottle and grasped onto the edge of the table as he went back to his book.

Stubbornly, he tried to keep his attention glued to his book, but everything that seemed to move in that direction drew his gaze back to the pair. Being an Elite Jounin, Kakashi knew how to read body language and he was exceptional at it. So it surprised him when instead of Sakura reciprocating the affection, or possibly punching him through the wall; secretly he wished for the latter. She seemed to not really care, instead she was almost oblivious to the attention, which wasn't like her at all. Puzzled, the Copy Ninja continued to study the two and noticed how Shikamaru seemed to dote on the young woman.

It must have been at least 15 minutes before the shadow user stood, paid the tab and helped Sakura to her feet. Kakashi watched as he looped her arm around his waist and put his arm around her back, grasping her shoulder as he held her against him. They made their way out of the bar, Sakura's head against his side as they walked slowly so she wouldn't trip.

Decision made, he slapped a few bills on the table and made his way out of the bar behind them, determined to get to the bottom of this. He honestly had no idea why it bothered him so much, but right now his logical side had been bound and gagged by his curiosity. Deciding stealth was necessary, he masked his chakra and leaped to the rooftops, shadowing them as they ambled down the street. This was just one more puzzle his mind couldn't wrap around and he was determined to solve it one way or the other.

AN: I just couldn't resist putting Pakkun into babydoll clothes. His grumpy little mug all decked out in frilly pink, too cute to pass up.

(¯`¥´¯`·.¸.:¨NIchiki ¨:.¸.·´¯`¥´¯)