CC: Yo. Once again I'd like to thank Mystic Spirits for her awesome beta reading services. You are a fantastic lady! Thank you, thank you! Also, a big thanks to everyone who left feedback, favorited and lurked - you are awesome. I hope you enjoy the first chapter! Let's get the ball rolling, shall we?
As usual, I do not own Naruto and I don't make any money from writing this.

Sakura sat hunched over her desk, her fingers busy transferring notes to another file. When she had come up with a more efficient way of ordering patient files, she didn't think she'd be the unlucky one who was stuck reorganizing it all.

She wasn't bitter or anything, and sometimes she even enjoyed the mundane work. She just thought that perhaps because of her seniority, she would have something a bit more rewarding to do. Then again, perhaps this was Tsunade's way of getting back at her for questioning her sobriety the other day. She wouldn't put it past her.

The hum of the light above her and the soft ticking of the clock on the wall were the only noises in the office, and if Sakura didn't do something soon, the sounds were going to lull her to sleep. She shoved her chair away from the desk and stood to stretch, raising up onto her toes. She sighed and rubbed the back of her neck as she glanced up at the clock. At least her lunch break was coming soon.

At that thought, her stomach rumbled. How she would love some udon, or maybe some barbecue, or some nicely-cooked-to-golden-brown-perfection tempura. A nice glass of tea would top off her meal – and she could bring a bottle of sake back to Tsunade and maybe get off of paperwork tomorrow. Mmm, and some dango afterward…

Sakura huffed. No wonder she always put on a couple kilos after suffering through long nights at the hospital. Cafeteria food was awful; it was sub-food, what real food ate. Maybe she'd just slink down to the vending machine instead.

There was a sharp knock on the door and Sakura granted her guest entrance as she quickly sat down again. Tsunade would have her hide if she was caught slacking off and fantasizing, about food or otherwise. She was a little surprised, however – and relieved – to see Kotetsu enter instead.

"Good afternoon, Sakura-chan."

"Hi Kotetsu," she greeted him with a warm smile. "So I think I know why you're here, but I still have to ask."

He chuckled. "Tsunade sent for you."

"Of course."

"Of course," he repeated, and then added with all seriousness, "She said to come quickly."

"Better not keep her waiting then. Hey, Kotetsu, Ino hasn't made it back to the village yet, has she? Her squad was supposed to return yesterday."

His brow furrowed as he thought back. "I don't remember seeing her name on the log, but I can check for you."

She dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "That's alright, thanks though. I'm sure she'll track me down when she's back." And she really hoped that she would. She needed a solid night with her best gal pal.

"Don't work too hard," he said with a wink before disappearing out of her office.

She nodded and stood to collect the files into a neat stack. She had gotten a lot of it done today and was hoping to have the entire thing finished by the week's end. She honestly doubted that bringing Tsunade any kind of gifts of bribery would get her out of this task. Shrugging out of her coat and hanging it over the back of her chair, she clicked off the light with a sigh.

She started on her way to the tower, curious as to what Tsunade possibly wanted to see her for. Her mind raced with all sorts of ideas, from changing bed pans to being her personal errand girl. Tsunade would call her in to tell her in person too, she was just that sort of woman. If she caused any kind of discomfort, she usually liked to see it. Sakura would often be at her side though, not on the receiving end. She cringed at all of the twisted images her mind produced, but they were far off the mark for what was really happening just beyond those heavy double doors.

When Sakura entered Tsunade's office, she could feel the tension in the air. It was like an electric current buzzing through every square inch of her body. Shizune was nervously avoiding eye contact, and Tsunade's hot glare could melt steel. This wasn't going to be good.

"Take your place, Sakura."

She bowed her head. "Is everything alright, shishou?"

She could have sworn she saw Shizune stiffen from the corner of her eye, giving her a silent warning. She'd really have to teach her how to give such warnings in advance. Tsunade clucked her tongue in annoyance. "Hold on, we're still waiting on someone else."

There was another knock on the door before she could say any more about it, and Sakura wasn't sure if she should be relieved or not. They all turned toward the sound just as an older man entered.

"Forgive my tardiness, Hokage-sama," his deep voice resonated as he bowed.

Sakura studied him openly. His name slipped her mind, but his face was familiar. He was older than her, by at least a decade if she guessed correctly, and like most ninja he was very well-defined. He was fair skinned, and his shaggy brown hair came below his ears, falling over and covering the material of his hitai-ate. His walnut shaped, forest green eyes turned to her suddenly, and Sakura had a feeling he was sizing her up.

"Now that you're here, Shingo, we can begin," Tsunade spoke, getting straight to the matter. "I'm sending the two of you on a mission to Lightning."

"With her?" he questioned in sheer disbelief at the same time she loudly asked, "To Lightning?"

Then, when Sakura realized what exactly he had asked, she turned to him with an offended glare.

"Yes, to Lightning. With Sakura." Tsunade turned her hard taupe eyes to him. "Do you have a problem with the ninja I hand-picked for this mission?"

Shingo straightened, not one to be reprimanded. "No, Hokage-sama."

"Sakura is an excellent medic and an asset to this mission."

For a moment, Sakura felt proud that her mentor would speak so highly of her, but the fact that a medic could be so essential on a mission left her questioning, "What exactly is our mission?"

"You're going to find Hatake Kakashi."

As soon as his name reached her ears, she felt as if the breath had been knocked out of her. This didn't make any sense. "Kakashi? Why? What's happened to him?"

"Kakashi was working undercover in a village known as Ametsuchi. He was investigating an important matter and was sending regular bi-weekly reports to me. The last correspondence he sent said that he finally had a lead, but we haven't heard from him since."

Sakura hoped no one else could hear her pounding heart as she reached for the question that was suddenly plaguing her. "And when was that?"

Tsunade's brow ticked. "Nearly a month ago."

Sakura was shocked into silence, so Shingo spoke up. "What else can you tell us?"

"The matter of his mission is confidential. Best case scenario, I simply want the two of you to find him and find out just why the hellhe hasn't been reporting in, and then report to me yourselves. Worst case scenario…" she paused and locked her fingers together. "It'll be a rescue mission. If Kakashi is incapacitated—"

"You want us to finish his mission?"

"I want you to destroy all the information you can find and get him out of there."

"When do we leave?" Shingo asked, as the words were still sinking in for Sakura.

"First thing in the morning." Tsunade retrieved two scrolls from her desk and held them out for them to take. "This is information that will be useful to you; a map of the area and Kakashi's alias, as well as last known whereabouts. Study it and know it by heart. Should something have prevented Kakashi from reporting in, it is imperative that his cover is not blown. Understood?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama!"

"Good. If you don't have any further questions, you may go."

Shingo turned to face Sakura, his eyes hard and skeptical as he met her gaze. "The sooner we leave, the better. I'll be ready at dawn."

She hardened her gaze back at him. "Then I will be, too."

"I hope so. Don't be late," he paused and then tried out her name. "Sakura-chan."

"Sakura!" Tsunade swiftly spoke up as she saw her apprentice ready to pounce. "I need you to stay for a moment."

Shingo took his leave, casting another disapproving glance at his young pinkette partner. That one glance alone told her that he thought very little of her, that she was just a pest, a set-back, a ninja whose caliber was inferior to his. It was obvious that he did not care to be setting out on this mission with her, and she knew he was not going to be easy to work with.

Sakura growled as the door shut behind him, then spun to face her mentor. "What is his problem?"

"Don't let him get to you. It's nothing personally against you, he just has a poor history of working with kunoichi."

"And so you thought he'd be a perfect partner for me?"

"He also has a very special gift that will certainly come in handy."

"And me? Why me?" Surely her shishou had no knowledge of her and Kakashi's relationship!

"You know Kakashi, you have a bond with him. If something's going on with him, you'll know it."

"Why, do you think something's going on with him?" she asked, returning her words. It was obvious there was more going on that she was not being told about. Tsunade knew how much she disliked being kept in the dark, but she was doing it anyway.

"I can't say for sure. Look, Sakura, your medical abilities are top notch and you're bright. You're a decent strategist and you pack one hell of a punch for someone your size. If something goes wrong, I know you can handle it. That's why I chose you."

She nodded, still not confident and still very confused. "Anything else, shishou?"

"Take the rest of the day off. You need to prepare for your journey."

Sakura bowed her head and, with a tight grip on her scroll, made her way to the door.

"Sakura, don't worry about Hatake," Tsunade called out after her.

She didn't reply, just opened the door and saw herself out. Once outside the doors that seemed to loom over her, she dropped her head and gasped for air. A lot of effort went into keeping her cool; she had no idea how Kakashi made it look so easy.

Kakashi.

She felt a jab of pain in her chest as she turned her gaze out the window. She set her hand against the cool glass and looked down at the people going about their day. Where was Kakashi? What was he doing? Was he okay? Alive? In pain?

She squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath in attempt to calm the frantic pounding beneath her ribs. When she looked upon the village again, she yearned to see a head of silver hair walking below, book in hand.

"What have you gotten yourself into, Kakashi?"

~.oOo.~

"Hey! Sakura-chan!"

Sakura stilled on her walk home, pausing her mental check list of what needed to be sought to before tomorrow, and she cast a glance over her shoulder. She waved, unable to smile as wide as he did. "Hi, Naruto."

"Let's go get some lunch," he suggested happily as he came to a stop by her side.

"I can't, I have to prepare for a mission."

He pouted. "Right now?"

She hated it when he sulked and got pouty, it wasn't like him, but she needed to stick with her resolve. She had very important things to take care of, and no amount of puppy-eyes or pleading would convince her otherwise. "Yeah, I've got a lot to do before I leave in the morning."

"Well, if you don't leave until tomorrow, then you should definitely come to lunch."

Under different circumstances, she'd take the opportunity to catch up with him, but she wasn't feeling like very good company right now. "Naruto, I can't."

He grabbed her hand, not listening to any of her excuses. He knew how Sakura could often overlook taking care of herself when she was so busy taking care of others. She looked a little pale and thinner than when he saw her last, and as one of the precious people in his life, he felt like he was obligated to take care of her. "Come on. You can't pack on an empty stomach."

"I'm going to throttle you," she warned through clenched teeth.

Didn't she know by now that he would take whatever beating she gave him as long as she was with him? He gave her a goofy grin in response to her threat of violence. "Then do it over ramen!"

Then somehow Sakura found herself sitting at Ichiraku's beside a grumbling blond rubbing his sore head. Yet as soon as the piping hot bowl of noodles was placed before him, his attitude shifted and he began shoveling his favorite meal into his mouth. Sakura, however, ate with less enthusiasm.

He noticed right away, brow furrowing in concern. "What's the matter?" he asked around a mouthful of noodles.

"Nothing. I'm okay."

He swallowed and scooped more noodles through his chopsticks. "You've always been a terrible liar, Sakura. Does it have to do with your mission?"

She quietly stared into the golden broth and took a deep breath. It would be so easy to tell him the truth, but Tsunade would be pissed. Besides, she couldn't bear to let him know that Kakashi could be in danger. "I'm okay, really, just a little worried is all."

Naruto shot a beaming smile her way. "Heh, well you're one of the best ninja I know! Whatever it is that you're being sent to do, I know you'll do great. Baa-chan wouldn't send you otherwise, ya know!"

"Yeah." She smiled gently. "Thanks."

There was nothing like the way Naruto believed in her that lifted her spirits. Back when they were genin, he was one of the only few who didn't consider her useless – and now when she beat herself up over something, he was always there to encourage her fighting spirit back. It seemed Hinata's comparison of him to the sun wasn't too far off after all.

"Now eat up! You can't let ramen go to waste." He nudged her bowl closer to her and tilted his head with a grin.

She picked up her chopsticks and began to eat. Naruto's gaze softened as he watched her. He would never understand women, especially someone like Sakura, who felt they had to hide things. Whatever she wasn't telling him, he'd find out what it was, somehow.

~.oOo.~

Sakura felt a little lighter after her run in with Naruto. He always seemed to have that affect on her, on everybody, really. He had ended up eating the rest of her ramen, but she didn't mind. She wasn't really all too hungry in the first place, her empty stomach now full with butterflies, and this way, she at least didn't feel bad about him paying. Still, after parting ways, she couldn't deny that she felt somewhat uneasy.

At home she tried shaking off that feeling with a cup of tea, and when that didn't work, a hot bath. She sighed as she soaked in the calm waters. Back when the life of a ninja was new to her, Sakura could remember feeling nervous and excited about going on missions, especially once they were ones that involved something more than pulling weeds or chasing cats. Those missions were the start of her career, the beginning of proving herself to the one person she thought she needed approval from. She had been so eager to do what she could, holding onto her naivety the entire time.

At this moment though, it was unbelievable that she ever felt that way. There was nothing exciting about what she was going to do. The fact that they didn't have much information to go on was discouraging as well. Naivety no longer had a place with her.

She let her palm slap against the water. She didn't feel much for being in the bath anymore, not even with her new fancy soap that Hinata had gotten her for her birthday last year. She sighed and hastily got out of the tub, pulling the plug and watching the water swirl down the drain in distaste. So much for washing those unpleasant feelings away.

Once dressed, she packed methodically, efficiently, remembering instructions within her mission scroll: Pack lightly, restricted weapons use. Kakashi was acting as a civilian, you must be a civilian as well. Do not draw unnecessary attention.

Sakura had plenty of clothes for when she was off duty or on a rare vacation, but nothing that she particularly wanted to chance ruining. Perhaps the town marked on the map before reaching Ametsuchi would prove to be useful.

Usefulness.

An idea flashed through her mind and she pulled open the bottom drawer of her dresser and removed two scrolls secured with black ties. It would be best to be prepared for anything, and the fact that she had them made her feel a little more secure.

There was nothing else she could do tonight, so she hastily shut off the light and collapsed into bed. She shifted against the cool sheets, the empty bed even more of a reminder of who she was missing. She drew a pillow in, buried her face into it, and let out an irritated noise. With a huff, she rolled over and let her eyes fully adjust to the darkness. It was in the still of darkness that her last memories of Kakashi came floating to the surface.

"So you're leaving tomorrow," Sakura said, attempting to keep any worry out of her voice.

"I am," Kakashi replied, his open hand sliding up her thigh and eliciting a tiny sigh from her lips.

Her fingers skimmed over his chest. "I'll be waiting for you."

"Will you?" His voice was as steady as ever, but there was a hint of teasing there.

"Of course."

A lone dark eye turned to train on her, suddenly serious. "Even if it'll be months from now?"

Her brows raised. She hadn't stopped to think that it could be one of thosemissions, that it could really be that long. She was still certain of her feelings though, and she answered in earnest. "Yes."

When she said it, it was with great confidence, and it warmed Kakashi to the bone to know she cared so deeply for him. He smoothed his fingers in her hair and leaned in, his lips colliding with hers. As their tongues danced sensually, he rolled to cover her body with his, bare chests pressing together before she hooked a smooth leg over his hip…

Sakura raised her hand and closed her eyes, remembering the feel of his mouth against hers as she ran her fingertips along her bottom lip. It had been three months already, the longest they had been away from each other since their relationship evolved, more than a year ago.

As much faith as she had in his abilities – he was an elite after all, the best of the best – her heart still feared the worst. She knew she could not let such feelings take over, and she vowed that she would reach Kakashi, no matter what. He would come home. For Sakura, tonight, sleep would not come easy.

~.oOo.~

In a cozy block of the civilian residential area, a scene very different, but much the same, unfolded.

Shingo was sitting on the edge of a small bed, his hand smoothing down the top of a little girl's head. He noticed, but did not say anything about, the slim figure in the doorway.

The girl before him smiled brightly at her father. "So you're going to help out one of the other good guys, right?"

"That's right."

She pushed herself up into a sitting position, her hands going wild in show as she spoke. "Are you gonna use that jutsu you showed me? T-the one that breaks the ground and then shoots all those rocks up like boom!" Her fingers waved downward as if imitating rain. "It makes a really cool sound when it comes down."

"I just might," he replied with a grin.

"Honey, please, do you have to fill her head with such things before bed?"

Shingo turned his attention to the door and the woman who leaned just inside it. "She likes it."

"Yeah, I like it, mommy!" the girl chimed as she leaned out from behind her father.

She shook her head. "If she gets up in the middle of the night, you're putting her back to sleep."

"Fair enough."

The little girl didn't seem to mind or care much for what they were talking about. She simply played with the button snap on his pant leg, content.

"Come on sweetie, it's time for bed," he began as he turned back to her.

"Aww, but I want to hear another story!"

"I've already told you two."

"One more?" she asked with a pout. She really wasn't ready for bed, and her father's stories were always better than the ones in the books she had. Princesses were for babies, and she was five already! She was sure other kids got cool ninja stories from their parents anyway (and she knew that her father's were the coolest).

At least she was persistent, he thought. "Mirai, it's bedtime."

"But…but I'm not tired. And—"

He gave her a stern look. "Mirai...!"

Her pleading expression turned to one of unwilling acceptance. "Okay…"

She huffed and laid back, wriggling in her spot until she got comfortable. "Goodnight honey," the woman said before walking away.

Shingo pulled the blankets up around her and tucked her in. He placed a kiss on her forehead, only to hear her sigh. "Daddy?" she asked quietly.

"What is it?" he replied in the same hushed tone.

"You'll come home fast, right?"

His gaze softened, betraying the turbulence he felt inside. "As fast as I can."

"Good." She wrapped her fingers around a corner of her pillowcase. "When you're gone for a long time, mommy gets sad."

His heart sunk a little. He knew his wife had trouble coping when he was gone, sometimes. She knew how dangerous his work could be, and she always tried to be strong and supportive, but he often saw through it. It saddened him to know that his young daughter could also pick up on it so easily. "Does she?"

The girl nodded, her dark green eyes meeting his. "She always plays with me and buys me lots of things and takes me to the park and I stay up late—"

"Ah, but that sounds like fun."

Mirai pulled the blankets up around her more tightly. "Yeah, but at night when mommy thinks I'm sleeping, I hear her cry sometimes."

He forced another smile. "Well, then I'll really have to try to make it back home as quickly as possible. We don't want mommy crying."

He carefully got up from her bed and patted her on the head.

Wanting to prolong his leaving for a bit longer, she spoke up again. "When you come back, will you tell me how you beat the bad guys?"

"Of course."

Her eyes lit up. "And tell me about all the jutsu you used?"

He nodded. "That's the best part."

He watched with amusement as she then threw the blankets off and got out of bed, her bare feet lightly padding across the floor as she walked to her dresser. She opened the tin box that sat atop it and quickly found what she wanted. She dashed back to bed, then held her prized possession up before her. It was a marble, her favorite because it was "blue like the sky" with its 'clouds' of white swirls.

"Take this," she said holding it up for him.

"No, Mirai, you keep it."

"But I want you to have it! Give it back to me when you come home."

He looked to her with a smile, touched at her offering and her willingness to part from it for so long. "You're sure?" She nodded and tried to hide a yawn, but he saw it anyway. "Okay, now lie down and go to sleep, young lady."

She didn't argue this time and passed over the gem as he pressed one more kiss to her head. He rolled the cool marble in his palm. "Sweet dreams, Mirai. I love you."

"Love you too, daddy."

He got up, practiced steps not making a sound as he crossed her room and shut the door quietly behind him. His wife was waiting for him silently in the hall. Their eyes met for what felt like a long moment, so many thoughts and feelings going unsaid but still heard, before he met her for a strong embrace. Her fingers clutched onto his shirt. Nights like these were always the hardest for her.

It wasn't uncommon for shinobi to marry civilians, but early in his life, Shingo thought he'd marry a feisty kunoichi and spawn creative geniuses primed for the Academy. Life had a funny way of working things out. Instead he was tied to a civilian woman named Kotori. She was pretty and intelligent and owned a bakery in town with her sister. Instead of an army of children, he had a single daughter who was old enough to attend the Academy, but Kotori didn't want her to, as she was too concerned about the dangers. They were still working on that.

Even though his life was nothing like how he had imagined, Shingo was incredibly happy.

"You didn't make her any promises, did you?" Kotori asked into his chest.

"No," he replied with his eyes closed, taking in the scent of her hair.

"Just do your best and come home to me."

He always did. "I will."

He went to pull away, but she held fast, not quite ready to let go. Smoothing his hands down her arms, he spoke. "Let's go to bed."

"But it's early and I—"

"I didn't say we had to sleep."

She looked up, taking in the mischievous expression on his face, and blushed. "Shingo…"

He wrapped an arm around her and led her to their bedroom. He had always made it a point not to promise when he'd return because as a ninja, you never knew how long a mission would keep you away – or worse, if it would be the mission, the one you didn't return from. So if he was going to be gone, then he wanted to leave with a good memory.

He'd find his comrade – for better or worse – and come home as soon as he could, back to his daughter and into the open arms of his wife.

~.oOo.~

The dense forest surrounding the tiny unnamed village made for excellent cover. The stars were barely visible from the ground, leaving what little sky could be seen to take on a dark shade of blue. The narrow street was calm; no travelers came at this hour. It was far too quiet and tranquil for what indignity was happening just across the creek.

Kakashi kept his position on his side of the brook, keeping himself aware of the surroundings so he could alert the group inside the house to anyone's presence.

He huffed as he pushed his now coffee-colored hair out of his face. He never was a man for disguises, and he felt uncomfortable even with something as simple as changing his hair color.

He suddenly felt a flare of chakra and tensed, preparing to make a move. A loud commotion came from inside the house, and he sprang to his feet, ready to act if he was given the signal. He cringed at the sound of glass breaking. Things were getting out of hand, it seemed, but he was not ordered to come to their aid, so he remained rooted. A pained cry echoed in the night, and then there was nothing but eerie silence.

Kakashi studied the entrance of the home, and a moment later, three men stepped out. A low whistle signaled for him to join them. He crossed the bubbling creek and, along with another look out, met up with the other men. This was becoming a sort of routine for him, and, unsettling as it was, he took the black canister that was passed to him. He pocketed it safely away.

The leader of the cell appraised his group with a smile in his icy eyes. "Good work, men."

There were nods and light chuckles all around. They certainly felt proud to have accomplished their task. One of the men newest to the team clapped Kakashi on his shoulder. "Too bad we couldn't use you tonight. I hear you're a hell of a fighter, Irinami."

"That he is," the smooth voice of the leader commented. "Irinami, you and Taro take up guard positions to the transport site."

"Yes, sir!" they said in unison. Kakashi guarded the rear of the formation as they made their way out of the village. His gaze slid to the open door of the home they had come out of, and as they passed by, he glimpsed an arm of the fallen man inside.

He offered a silent apology, and continued on his way.

~.oOo.~

Sakura lay awake, staring at the numbers on her clock. There was a faint click, and then the alarm sounded. It was still dark outside her window, but in the distance, the first signs of morning were approaching with dusty pinks and oranges. Her limbs felt heavy as she got out of bed, shut off her alarm, and made her way to the bathroom to wash up.

With her pack over her shoulder, she was eager to leave, but anxious all the same, and all of her other mixed feelings seem to take root in her stomach.

She had no appetite this morning. Out of habit, however, she snatched up her last remaining apple and took a final look around her apartment. Everything was good and in place, she had her note to Ino in case she came by, and she was positive that she packed all of her essentials. She paused at the door to strap on her zori, and then in her own little ritual, she tapped her fingers on the light switch.

Once for speed. Twice for agility. Three times for luck – she felt she was going to need it.

Since the main office was still closed at this hour, she slipped her payment for the month's rent through the slot before hurrying off to the gate. Her partner already thought poorly of her, and it wouldn't do her any good to arrive late.

~.oOo.~

Shingo reached the gate after Sakura did, a little surprised to see her there before him. She stood stiffly near the post, her arms crossed, staring at him as he approached as if contemplating saying something to him. But he was in no mood for conversation so early. They had work to do, and he reminded her of this.

"Let's get moving. The sooner we get to Ametsuchi, the sooner we find Hatake, and the sooner we get to come back home. You ready?"

First thing in the morning, and he was already striking a nerve with her. She resisted the urge to swing her fist; they were supposed to be partners after all. Instead she simply readjusted her pack.

"I've been ready."

His brow quirked as he looked her over. There was a seriousness in her eyes and voice that let him know she understood this was no game, that this was a far cry from D-ranked missions. Still, he harbored his doubt. He looked up to the sky, his hand in his pocket to finger the tiny marble, and nodded absently to himself.

"I won't stop if you fall behind, so keep up," he commented before flashing up into the trees.

Sakura huffed. She had heard that line countless times back when she was still a genin. Luckily her years of experience, and her infamous sensei, had helped to strengthen her endurance, so she quickly fell in beside the seemingly hard-hearted Shingo.

And then, as the sun emerged from the horizon and brought in a new day, Konoha faded out of sight behind the ninja.

~.oOo.~

The entire morning was spent traveling in silence. Usually Sakura didn't mind the quiet, it helped her concentrate and stay focused, but this kind of quiet was awkward. She glanced over at Shingo, who kept his eyes to the front, his attention solely on the path they were taking.

Going against her better judgment, she spoke up. "So when do you want to break for lunch?"

"I'm not hungry. Do you need a break?"

What was with this guy? "No, I was just saying—"

"Well, don't say anything," he snapped. "Save your energy for your feet, not your mouth."

Sakura came to a halt on the next branch a second later. She hadn't worked with someone so infuriating since she first met Sai. True to his word, Shingo kept going forward. It was as if he hadn't even realized she had stopped, but she knew better than that. It was more like he didn't even care that she had.

Sakura was well known for her quick temper. Even though years of experience had taught her how to keep a handle on it, biting her tongue was still not a strong suit of hers. There was no way she could go through the entire mission like this. Applying more chakra to her feet, she soared forward, branches and leaves a blur in her peripherals as she caught up to him.

"Shingo!"

He paused as she landed on the branch in front of him, forcing him to stop. She turned to face him, keeping as much of her frustration off her face as possible. "We're supposed to be partners on this mission. I don't like it, and you definitely don't like it, but it would help if you'd treat me more like—"

"Like what? An equal?" he asked, cutting her off.

"Like your partner," Sakura finished as if it was the most obvious answer, because really it was.

Yet in his mind, she still had to prove herself. He didn't particularly have any ill feelings toward women, but kunoichi were of a different breed. "I don't know what kind of partner you've had in the past, but not all relationships work the same. This is how I operate."

"Well, you have a lousy way of doing things," she spat.

"That's something for you to take up with the Hokage."

Her hands balled into fists and her eyes narrowed at him. He could almost feel the resentment rolling off her. She leaned toward him. "Trust me, as soon as we find my real partner and we get back home, I plan on it."

She pushed off the branch and sped ahead, giving Shingo no time for response. If he thought he could get away with acting like a complete and utter jerk, then he did not know Haruno Sakura.

Shingo stared after her in stunned silence. He had no idea that Hatake Kakashi, the great Copy ninja, was her partner. Perhaps this was what he got for not being more of a 'people-person,' as they called it, and for not doing any research on his partner-to-be. Maybe he had been a little too unreasonable, but that stubbornness of his did not allow him to offer any sort of reconciliation, at least not until they stopped for the night.

He picked a clearing off the main road for them to settle and dropped his pack to the ground, ignoring the glare being sent his way. If she kept staring at him like that, he wouldn't offer an apology at all. With an idle scratch to his cheek he sighed. "I'm going to find us something to eat if you can—"

When he turned to face her, he realized that she was already walking away. He watched after her retreating back and figured she was still pretty sore about what happened earlier. Women.

Sakura ventured out on her own to gather up firewood while Shingo set his sights on the stream nearby, in hopes of catching a simple dinner. Sakura muttered to herself as she hastily picked up twigs and leaves for kindling. Why did her shishou have to pair her with such a snappy, stuffy, stiff like him? Her inner self raged as she built the small fire, and her eyes snapped toward him as he met her back at camp.

Sakura watched him in angry silence as he prepared the fish for cooking. She was actually quite surprised that he brought back two, and not just enough for himself. He stabbed the fish through with a pair of sticks and angled them to the fire. There was an uncomfortable blanket of silence falling around them, one that made the air feel tense, but Sakura wasn't going to make the mistake of trying to break that again. She wasn't exactly in the mood for whatever comeback he had in store for her.

Shingo felt it too, that uneasiness. His dark eyes would glance to her from time to time, and he hated the idea of being wrong about anything – or anyone. Not that he was wrong about her, he reminded himself. He just should have learned a little more about her first. He should have known better, then again, less than a day to prepare meant he had to prioritize his list and honestly, his partner's background was not high on it. He pulled one of the fish away and sampled it, and finding that it was done, he pulled the other free and held it out for Sakura.

She stared at him skeptically, like she expected him to yank it away as soon as she went to grab it. He sighed. "Take it."

After watching him for another moment, she reached out and accepted it. Then after further contemplation – there was no telling what a new person could do to her food – she bit into it.

"You're welcome," he commented.

Their eyes met, the fire dancing in hers, and he rubbed a hand down his face in irritation. "Look, Sakura, I…apologize. I didn't know Hatake was your partner. I know you must be very eager and determined to find him."

He had lost her at the word apologize. She had only known him two days, and already she didn't think he was capable of using that word, let alone know what it even meant. She was glad she was wrong, but she was pretty good at reading people, and she doubted it would change the way he treated her.

She nodded and allowed herself a sullen smile. "I am."

"Then I suppose it's a good thing you're with me. His partner would fight tooth and nail to rescue him if she had to, right?"

With all the times Kakashi had risked his own life for her? "Without hesitation," she answered with smooth certainty.

He let out a single laugh. "That's good to know. Finish your dinner and get some rest, I'll take first watch."

As tired as she was, she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. Besides, the only person she was used to taking first watch was Kakashi. She shook her head at him. "That's okay, I can take it." She drew in a long breath and looked down at the fire, quietly reassuring herself.

"I can take it."