Author's Note: 2 updates in one day! Wanted to make up for the gap :) Please leave me reviews. Have a great Labor Day.

Chapter 15: Run After Me

The next morning, Kohana woke to a shuffling noise that was too near to her liking. Whatever it was, she could hear its thuds on the wooden floor. She grabbed the edge of her covers tightly, and shut her eyes. Her immediate thought was snakes, which happened to be one of her more recently acquired fears, especially ever since Kabuto had kidnapped her. But, snakes didn't thud. Did they? She tried to imagine the tail whacking the floor, but even in her fear-clouded mind, she knew the idea was absurd.

So she slowly opened her eye and almost squealed in joy for her eyes had landed upon one of the cutest pitbulls she had ever seen. The brown dog was sniffing around her bedroom floor and wore a silver collar around his neck. Kohana jumped up from her bed. The sudden leap caused the dog to stop its investigation and look at her with a lazy eye that remarkably resembled Kakashi's.

She crouched down to it and put her face in front of its wet nose. Just as she was about to mouth her words of happiness, which undoubtedly contained the word cute, the dog held up its paw. Now, Kohana was thoroughly bewildered because she had met stray dogs and cats before and none of them had communicated like this before.

Did it want a high five?

"Don't say the word cute, lady", the dog said.

Kohana exclaimed, "You can talk?!"

The dog scoffed, "Of course I can talk. I'm a ninken. Pakkun."

Kohana looked at him in confusion and Pakkun sighed, "I'm a ninja dog. Kakashi sent me." Kohana then realized what she thought was a silver collar was actually a sliver headband not unlike the one Kakashi and other shinobi owned.

Kohana had stood up, and straightened her back, glancing at the clock as she did so. It was 7:00 am, and much too early for surprises.

She spoke to the dog, "Look, I already told Kakashi this. But, if he thinks he's so smart that he's not breaking his promise by sending one of his pets, you can run back to him and reiterate that no part of his body, or his kunai or his dogs are allowed to barge into my room without my knowledge."

She said this all in one breath, and for a moment she was concerned that Pakkun didn't register anything. But he had, because the next moment, he had yelled, "I AM NOT HIS PET!"

And for the next 10 minutes, Kohana seriously wondered why she ever thought dogs were cute because Pakkun had ransacked her entire closet, finally throwing in her face her only pair of athletic clothes and shoes.

She deadpanned, "What are these for?"

"Like I said, lady. Kakashi wants you to meet him on the training grounds."

Kohana backed away, now understanding why Pakkun had laid out the tight black pants and pistachio green shirt. But, the dog looked at her so menacingly that she faltered and had no choice but to dress for what she hopelessly thought would be an exhausting morning.

There were several reasons Kohana hated to exercise. First, she barely had any strength. One lap around, and she would be panting as if she had just climbed to the top of Mount Everest. Second, it hurt and Kohana hated how her ankles would throb leaving her to hop stupidly on alternating feet to ease the pain. But thirdly, and most importantly, she didn't want Kakashi to see her pant and cry. She knew he didn't have any patience for those who didn't put in any effort and after the Nara clan, Kohana was, at least physically, the laziest person around.

So when she had finally made it to the training ground, she had tried her best to weasel out of the situation making up wild excuses. But to her dismay, Kakashi simply smiled and without warning threw her over his shoulder and dropped her on soft grass. Kohana noticed that she was in a circular area and by this point she was seething that he refused to acknowledge her requests.

"Damn it, Kakashi! I don't need to do this."

At this statement, Kakashi pulled out a sheet of paper, which happened to be Kohana's hospital records. It was clearly written that she would now be able to walk, run or even jump over a bridge if she wanted to. Beneath that small paragraph was another few lines that stated the following.

I hereby grant Hatake, Kakashi permission to train Kohana as he sees fit, with the hope that he will nurture and strengthen her. Should she have any concerns regarding this appointment, do send her to me.

Kakashi slowly and neatly folded the paper back into his vest pocket.

"I'm here because of the 5th. Like she said, you are more than welcome to talk to her", he said nonchalantly, as if he had nothing to do with this.

Kohana pursed her lips. The battle was lost. She would rather run a hundred laps around the village than face Tsunade. Everyone knew her temper and as much as Kohana enjoyed hearing the 5th yell at others, she did not want to be on the receiving end of her anger.

Moreover, what exactly was she to plead.

The Hokage's decision was final, and so Kohana snapped, "Fine. I don't know how you did this, but just go easy on me."

Kakashi, however, did the exact opposite or that's how Kohana felt. To her horror, he told her to run 10 times around the large circle, with Pakkun keeping track of her time and progress. By the time she had dragged herself around for the final time, she collapsed on her knees.

Pakkun waddled towards her, and asked concernedly, "Are you ok?"

Kohana nodded feebly. Her hands felt like lead and she sarcastically doubted whether she would be able to move her legs in the future. She glanced upward and saw Kakashi lying on a tree branch, reading an orange book, not giving a care that she was sprawled on the floor, gasping for breath.

She then asked Pakkun, "Did he watch me at all?"

Pakkun's hesitation to answer was enough. Kohana mustered the remaining ounces of strength and stomped towards him. It wasn't until she had reached his branch that he looked up to see her sweaty, flushed face.

"Oh, done already?"

Kohana seethed, "You're supposed to be watching me." Her anger surprised Kohana herself. Wasn't it better that he didn't watch how she ran clumsily, one foot landing awkwardly before the other?

Kakashi said as he closed his orange book, "I put Pakkun up to the task. I wonder how long it took you."

But Kohana was looking at the book, its pages clearly worn. And without thinking, without asking, she made a sudden grab for it, interested in what text could possibly hold his attention. Instead of feeling the paperback material, she felt the rough texture of cloth. Her hand at missed, and she had grabbed Kakashi's vest pocket.

Kakashi jumped down from the branch, his right loosely holding onto Icha Icha Paradise, the title cleverly hidden from Kohana's view.

"Let me see the book, Kakashi."

"Oh this? You wouldn't like this, Kohana."

"Maybe I can decide that for myself. After all, it seems to be a very intriguing book, especially since it's kept you occupied while I ran ten laps", she said through gritted teeth, as she leaned across him to reach for it.

Kakashi's arm came in her way, and she pushed against it for several minutes, before he suddenly and swiftly pinned her against the tree, his arms forming a cage around her.

Kohana froze. She had never been this close to him before. He leaned in slightly, and Kohana felt his mask graze the side of her face.

"Not this book, Kohana", he said hoarsely into her ear, as Kohana visibly shivered.

Kakashi stepped back and inexplicably placed his fingers on her cheek and wiped away a string of sweat. Kohana just continued to stare at him with wide eyes, only registering one sound – her heart beat, which was pounding furiously against her ribs.

Kakashi then put his finger on his chin, "If this book will make you run after me, then maybe I will use it."