Summary: Eyes glistened with a golden hinge, blood dripping out of her nose. She would save them, even if it killed her. Slight SI. Third War Era. OC

….

Chapter 8: Happenstance

"Words are easy, like the wind; Faithful friends are hard to find." ~William Shakespeare, The Passionate Pilgrim

….

Mitsuko wanted to sigh. She didn't but just for the record she really felt like she deserved to in that moment. Her former Uchiha genin was looking expectantly at her, he had asked her a question, a question that she really did not want to be the one to answer. Also she was pretty sure she told the boy long ago that she could not make this decision for him. But perhaps she hadn't been clear about it.

Finally Mitsuko let out the breath she had been holding patted the teens head and spoke, her voice soft. "Itachi-kun, I told you long ago that you would have to make this choice. This decision is for you and you alone. You cannot let the opinions of other influence what path you take, because you need to choose what will make you happy." The teen gave her a pointed look, she merely shrugged at him.

"You aren't any help Mitsuko-sensei." The almost sixteen year old told her with a highly annoyed tone. Mitsuko wanted to snort at the face he was making but decided that now probably wasn't the best time.

"I'm sorry Itachi-kun, but I'm not going to pick for you. I'll support whichever you choose." Mitsuko turned her head away from him. She cast her gaze on the reason Itachi had been able to ambush her with his concerns. Her sweet little nephew and Itachi's younger brother seemed to be in some sort of rivalry. And while highly amusing to watch the two ten year olds argue amongst each other she was supposed to be picking up the Yondaime's son. Kushina was on a diplomatic mission to Suna, something about fuinjutsu there was more but Mitsuko had drowned out while watching Naruto plan a prank on Obito.

Itachi sighed at his former Jonin-sensei he followed her gaze, he had volunteered to pick his otouto up from the academy today. The Uchiha heir shook his head not surprised that the Namikaze woman hadn't done anything yet to stop the two boys bickering. "I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up on a genin team together." Mitsuko grinned at that statement, she knew exactly what he meant.

"They've got at least another year at least before then. But it wouldn't be unlikely, besides the Hokage has the final say so on team builds." Mitsuko then shook her head, she probably shouldn't let Naruto hit the other boy. Even if he did deserve it. She shared a look with her student before seemingly disappearing from the spot next to him. Itachi couldn't help but to shake his head at her.

"Alright gakis, that's enough." Mitsuko held Naruto under one arm and had the other held out to the younger Uchiha. Itachi snickered slightly from his spot before shaking his head and walking over to them.

"Otouto it's time to go home, okaa-san is almost finished with dinner." Sasuke's face still lit up with a slight hero worship when he saw his older brother. Mitsuko was rather happy about that, she did however give her student a teasing look over it.

"Itachi-kun give your okaa-san my regards." Itachi nodded his head as Sasuke raced over to him. She was right though he did need to decide what he wanted. He rolled his eyes at the thought, sensei loved being right.

"Of course sensei, and give mine to the Yondaime." Mitsuko's lip curved into a smile, she sat Naruto down but get a hand firm on his shoulder. He gave her an innocent look. Her other hand rubbed his head rather affectionately.

"I know you saw me walk up." The blonde boy grinned at her, a mischievous look in his eye.

"Yeah, but I knew you weren't going to do anything." She flicked his shoulder a found look on her face.

"Brat. Come on let's go get dinner." Naruto turned blue hopeful looking eyes at her. Mitsuko laughed. Namikaze puppy dog look, something she had mastered at the mere age of two and then taught him. She couldn't be any more proud.

"Can we get ramen?" She nodded her head at his question and allowed the little boy to run ahead of her. Mitsuko shook her head and mutter softly under her breath.

"You are just like your mother." Naruto turned back to look at her to make sure his Aunt was still close, he barely missed the smirk that danced across her lips. He shot a grin back at her before turning and heading off again in the direction of the ramen stand. Aunt Mitsuko was the best.

…..

Daichi wasn't as dependent on his old Jonin-sensei as his other two teammates. However from time to time he did seek out her advice. Today for instance, he was watching her warily waiting for her to react. Mitsuko set her cup of tea down opened her eyes to give Cell Two's medic a humorous look.

"Do you like her?" Because she always thought so plus it was also funny to see the sensible teen's face flush. Since he rarely let anything embarrass him. He gave her an unamused look, Mitsuko held her hands up at him.

"It's a perfectly normal question Daichi-kun, and even if you don't answer out loud I think we both know the truth." The chunin medic decided then was a great moment to take another sip of tea. Mitsuko took that opportunity to continue talking.

"Because I'm of the opinion that you do have some feelings for her and that is wonderful. Besides I would bet she shares some of those feelings too." Daichi coughed, she raised a brow at him where was her normally so put together student.

"But it's Aiko, the little brat I used to get into verbal spars with." Daichi almost whined at her, Mitsuko wanted then to mention the physical spars too. She instead folded her hands in her lap and sighed.

"Ask her out, no don't give me that look. Take Aiko on a date and see how it goes." Daichi's mouth gaped at what the woman suggested. Mitsuko leaned across the small table put a single finger under his chin and pushed it up closing him mouth.

"But.." Mitsuko gave him a look and then let out a rather annoyed sigh. He obviously didn't like her advice, so why ask her?

"Daichi-kun go talk to Obito or Itachi about this and get their opinion. I'd start with Obito if I were you he has some experience in what you're going through." Falling in love with a teammate that was not a situation she was experienced in.

Yes she had loved her teammates but she had never been in love with them. That had been all Sparrow and Raccoon's department, she was stupid she knew how the two felt about the other. Those two had never been good at hiding things from her, if things had been different Obito and Rin's wedding wouldn't have been the only one she'd gone to this year.

The boy seemed to consider that and nodded his head. "Thank you sensei." She shook her head to keep from laughing.

"No problem Daichi-kun. If you go now you might be able to catch Obito on his market patrol route." Senior member of the police force or not he still had to go on at least one market patrol a quarter. Much to the younger man's chagrin.

The teen stood quickly bowed his head at his sensei before pretty much running out of the small apartment. He had dealt with enough embarrassment from her to last at least the rest of the month. Daichi had no doubt that sooner or later he'd need her advice again and she would manage to embarrass him just as much if not more. She always seemed to be in the habit of it. Mitsuko let a small sigh escape his lips, just thinking of them put her spirits down.

Kakashi chose that moment to appear in his standard anbu attire sans the dog mask. She could tell he was smirking under the half mask. "Obito actually just finished that portion of his patrol." He informed her watching as she stood from the table taking the two empty tea cups and the half empty pot with her.

Mitsuko nodded her head as she walked past him. Kakashi snickered, of course she knew that. The woman had the uncanny ability to almost always know where they were. He still wasn't exactly sure how she managed it either.

"I know, Obito is actually on the other side of the village now." She told him blandly, Kakashi shook his head at her.

"That poor chunin." He commented sarcastically. Mitsuko shrugged, Daichi's own fault for not checking to see if the specific officer was close or not.

"He'll live, besides it's a form of training." Kakashi laughed at her before shaking his head one last time and walking towards the bathroom to take a shower. He was certain that the two weeks without an actual shower was showing. Border patrols in Anbu weren't fun for any of its agents. They'd cherish there time together once he was clean. She'd be leaving for Ame soon.

….

"I'm back!" Konan looked up briefly to see one of her favorite Leaf nin standing in the door way of the common room. She only briefly wondered who let the younger girl in because when she saw the look on the woman's face she knew what had happened.

"Welcome back Mitsuko-san, the Yondaime didn't say he would be sending you." Mitsuko grinned at the blue haired older woman.

"It was either me or Raido, and since he knows how much I like to visit it was me." Raido had been the one chosen to run correspondence between the two villages when Mitsuko was unavailable because of anbu work or on a mission with her genin team. It was one of the ways she made sure Stag was alright and did every now and then get out of the village. Because there was one downside to being on the Hokage's Guard Platoon. If the Yondaime didn't leave the village and if you weren't given any missions outside of its walls you'd never leave. For some that was perfect, but Raido had at one point been the assassin for Hawk's squad and that squad for the most part had rarely actually spent time in Konoha.

Konan shook her head. She would be sending a letter to her fellow in way of Jiriaya about letting them know when and who they would be expecting for the information exchange. "Well the others will be thrilled to see you, also I think Nagato had something for his cousin." Mitsuko nodded her head, the two Uzumaki's had their own letter exchange one that only she was permitted to carry. Stupid fuinjutsu.

"I know, Shina-nee was very vocal that I didn't forget it. I think there working on some kind of tracking seal or whatever. All I know is there very interested in finding any more survivors from Uzugakure." Mitsuko ignored the look the other woman gave her.

"I still find it very odd that growing up with those two and around Jiriaya-sensei you never learned fuinjutsu." Mitsuko actually paused there, because not very many knew the truth. She hadn't always been vocal about her dislike of fuinjutsu. Because the truth was at one time she did use the art herself. Seriously, she's the younger sister of Konoha's Yellow Flash and sister-in-law to the granddaughter of the great Uzumaki Mito. It was just nativity to think otherwise, she even still used the art from time to time.

"I do know fuinjutsu." She admitted slowly after a moment. The older woman's expression reminded her of the cat who ate the canary. Mitsuko decided that maybe it was alright for the Ame woman to know. Eventually she'd need to talk about it to someone. Also she trusted the blue haired konouchi more than she probably should.

"But you call it stupid." Mitsuko looked down, she wondered if she could bring herself to tell the Ame konouchi her reasoning for it. Sure she trusted her, but that bit of truth made her vulnerable.

"It killed my teammates. When I was still a genin both my teammates died in front of me, we got separated from our jonin-sensei when an exploding tag went off breaking up the ground bellow us. One of my exploding tags, I'd lost my pack early that day when we ran into enemy shinobi." Mitsuko decided who better to let see her vulnerability than a woman who could appreciate the aspects of what guilt does.

If Konan suspected there was more to the story she didn't say anything, Mitsuko was grateful because even sharing that vague reason made her stomach churn. Even after more than a decade she did not like to think about them, about their death and her hand in it. It was nevertheless still a sore spot for the Anbu captain and diplomat.

"Yahiko probably has what he wants you to take ready, I can go see if you like?" Mitsuko nodded her head in response. She didn't trust her own voice just yet. Thankful at that moment for her fellow konouchi's good sense.

….

Mitsuko was ambushed as soon as she delivered the scrolls from Ame to the Hokage's office. Aiko who was only a few inches shorter than her was giving her a very unimpressed look. "I don't know what you did sensei, but Daichi has been acting really weird since the last time he visited you and Itachi looks like he has more than usual on his mind." Purple eyes narrowed at the anbu agent who saved her life. The teen knew why she had been placed on Namikaze Mitsuko's team.

"I don't think I like what your insinuating Aiko-chan." Mitsuko tone serious but the gleam in her eyes gave it away. She unlocked the apartment door after a cleverly hidden pause to see if Kakashi was home or not. The dark red headed teen snorted.

"Yah sure. What did you do to them sensei? We're supposed to leave for a mission tomorrow and neither one of them will focus." The girl threw herself down on Mitsuko's couch after she followed her sensei in the apartment without actually being invited in. Mitsuko didn't even blink at the girl as she made herself comfortable. After so many years of being Cell Two sensei she was finding her team to be rather predictable.

"Daichi has a crush on you, and Itachi had been offered the half jump to special jonin or anbu." Aiko blinked raised her brow at the blonde woman.

"Okay first that is not anything new, and second seriously?" Mitsuko nodded her head, the teen sighed loudly shaking her head. The blonde raised her brow she had expected more of a reaction from the teen.

"Daichi-kun hasn't been careful when he stares. Why doesn't Itachi just take the special Jonin slot? From what you've said about it he'd be miserable… You're not telling him what you think he should do, that's just mean." Mitsuko snorted at the teen as she sat down in the chair across from her. Aiko had always been the most perceptive of the three. Even given her wild temperament. But she supposed being pulled away from your family and being forced to watch other children kill each other would do that to you. Wow, that was morbid even for her.

"You are all old enough now to make and live with your own choices. Like why you won't just tell Daichi your feelings and get on with it." Aiko did flush at that statement. The blonde woman did her best not to let her smirk show. However the look she was pinned with from the younger girl made her think she hadn't done a good job.

"I'm waiting for him to ask me." Mitsuko rolled her eyes. Aiko ever the traditionalist.

"Sure. Anyway talk to your teammates, I may not want to tell them what to do but that doesn't mean you have to keep your opinion to yourself as well." Finally permission. The teen sprung up from the couch, something she could work with.

"Hai sensei, well I'll see you when we get back I have a mission to go prepare for." The girl shunshined out of her teacher's apartment.

"It's a wonder to me that those three have yet to figure out you live here." Kakashi came out of the bathroom wearing blue pajama pants. He shook his head letting water droplets fall to the carpeted floor. She couldn't help but compare him to a dog. His eyes met her gaze and gave her a pointed look. Cell Two wasn't the only thing that was predictable in their life.

"I can't believe you let her in knowing I was in the shower." He sat down on the couch, Mitsuko moved from the chair to sit next to him.

"I had faith in you." He rolled his eyes at her, she got comfortable cuddled into her side.

"I don't remember them being this needy when they were genin." Kakashi informed her lazily. She shook her head in agreement.

"They weren't, honestly I have no idea what's going on with them." He hummed slightly in response. Suddenly he looked down at her.

"Did Obito tell you he's getting a genin team?" Mitsuko looked surprised at that news.

"He did not, Tenzo told me that Gai was possibly getting a genin team." Even though Mitsuko wasn't exactly sure when those two had become friend or how. She was going to blame Kakashi for that one.

"Gai told me the other day, I ran into him at the market. He was with one of his potential students." Mitsuko gave him a thoughtful look.

"What's the score now?" Kakashi shook his head, a soft smile forming at his lips. He was going to blame her for his 'rivalry' with the jumpsuit clad jonin.

"Tied." She making a tsking sound.

"Shame, you're not trying hard enough." He snorted at her. Shaking his head he stood from the couch and headed towards the kitchen. Kushina had been kind and dropped food by before Mitsuko had gotten back.

Even though Mitsuko had somewhat mastered cooking at this point the Yondaime's wife every now and again dropped food by their apartment to ensure they weren't just eating take out. Because for their joint household that tended to be the most common case. It was just easier with their workloads. Regardless Kushina insisted and you were stupid if you didn't accept free food. The blonde thought it was still habit for her, she'd been feeding Minato and herself for so long that when her brother got his apprentice he was just folded into the equations.

Mitsuko frowned with the movement. She was quite content to just sit there. Kakashi threw her a smirk over his shoulder. "Kushina-san brought food over earlier." That got her to move, she didn't trust him to heat it up correctly. Their kitchen had only just stopped smelling like burnt fish from his last endeavor to heat food up. Turned out lighting was not a proper heating source.

….

Rin was giving Kakashi and expectant look. Obito was trying not to snicker at his teammate for being at the receiving end of his newly wedded wife's glare. "Has she said anything about it?" 'She' being Mitsuko and the 'it' in question being that her birthday was coming up soon.

"No, honestly I think she's forgotten." Again. Rin let out a sigh. That was so typical of the older woman. She never remembered anything important unless it was work related.

"Great, Kushina-san was worried she was suspecting something." Rin hoped that the wife of the Yondaime would finally get to throw Mitsuko a surprise birthday party. She had lost count how many times the woman had tried at this point. The medic knew that the number was rather high.

"Her old genin students have been keeping her busy lately, and she's been taking a lot more intelligence missions. Mitsuko actually leaves in the morning to meet Jiriaya-sama for a mission." Kakashi told them, Obito actually snickered at that. He wasn't sure of all the details but the Toad Sannin and the Yondaime's sister weren't allowed to run any diplomatic missions outside of Ame together.

"Well that answers that question. Have they figured out you live together?" Kakashi shook his head, smirking under his mask. The shinobi who knew about their relationship was a very small group which consisted of his two genin teammates, their sensei and his wife, and two of their former squad mates. Stag and Badger didn't like to talk about how they figured it out either. It was an uncomfortable situation all around.

"Not as of yet. Those that know still remains the same." He informed them smugly. Their relationship wasn't something they wanted to broadcast. Those that didn't know them well wouldn't even understand how they got together. Because as far as most could tell the only interaction the two jonin had ever had was briefly during the third war. They both had seemingly vanished from public view post Kanambe. In their defense they both did, just deep into anbu.

"I don't know how you two do it. Or why." Rin shook her head at her husband comment. She knew why. It was the same reason that Mitsuko didn't have very many close friends anymore. Mitsuko couldn't get close to anyone, and those she was close to she tried to keep those ties secret. The woman didn't want to give her enemies anyone else to use against her. Namikaze Mitsuko had made many enemies throughout her whole shinobi career.

"Anyway, she'll be back in time correct?" Rin asked, Kakashi nodded his head. Thankful for the change of subject.

"Yeah, sensei said she'd only be gone a few days. Jiriaya has information he wants delivered back to the village but he can't return yet." Former anbu captain, A-rank threat, saddled down to nothing more than a glorified mail carrier. Mitsuko apparently didn't mind, especially given most of the information she carried back and forth was highly classified.

"I'll let the other's know the party is still on." Rin took a sip of her glass of water. She didn't even look shocked at Kakashi's empty plate, never even wondered when he had time to eat. Some things never changed. They both had seen his face by now, but they were in a semi-public place and Kakashi had always liked his privacy. Hence the privacy seals on the edge of their table.

"I'll keep her from finding out." He promised, Kakashi had never seen the blonde surprised. They always said curiosity killed the cat. Eh, perhaps that wasn't quite right. Obito made a face at the suggestive tone of his fellow teammate.

"We don't want to know that." Light laughter filled the table after that. Kakashi would never admit but he had missed this. Team seven rarely had any time to spare to spend together nowadays.

….

Mitsuko laid her hand on the top of the stone. She'd only just returned from her mission but she felt the need to come. Probably because she had been thinking about them. The blonde informant didn't come to the memorial stone near as much as she once did, but from time to time she occasionally would visit to talk to the long dead to tell them what was going on in their absence. They deserved that much, she was still alive because of them after all.

A masked figure appeared next to her, Mitsuko frowned as her eyes narrowed. "Lizard?" The anbu captain held out a blank Mouse mask, she'd broken hers on the last mission she ran for Bear. Mitsuko didn't like this, she accepted the mask cautiously before slipping it over her face. Lizard nodded his head before grabbing her arm. He shunshined them to Anbu headquarters.

The Yondaime was standing in the door way of Bear's office he had a soured look upon his face. Mitsuko didn't know what to think. She gasped when she saw around her brother's body. Her masked face turned to look behind her to look at Lizard. Lizard was recently retired, Mitsuko knew that because she had thrown him a retirement party.

"What the hell happened?" She demanded. Lizard sighed he didn't like it either.

"Someone managed to murder the Anbu commander in his own office." In that moment with those words the Namikaze woman was no longer herself. Lizard could feel the change in the atmosphere. Briefly he felt sorry for whoever did this. That feeling passed quickly, this only meant one thing. They both knew it too.

"Yondaime-sama, this seems to be an internal affair. I will personally over see this investigation." Mouse's tone was icy. Minato didn't even recognized his sister at that moment. This was the Anbu Captain Mouse and she was livid.

"Good, I'll leave you and the captain Lizard in control of Anbu operations until this matter is resolved. As of this moment you both are the only trusted members." Because no matter how much anyone of them didn't want to admit it they all knew the truth. Only a fellow agent could have killed the commander like this. Or someone with immense knowledge of how the black opps division worked. Either way there was a snake in their den.

"Hai sir!" Mouse bowed her head at the Hokage before turning her glance back into the office, they needed to move the body. She whirled her head back around to look at Lizard. There was only two other agents she knew to be absolutely trustworthy.

"Lizard who in your former squad do you trust entirely?" Who in your squad isn't capable of being a traitor? The unspoken question. Lizard placed a hand under his chin thinking.

"Monkey, or Tiger." She deadpanned under her mask. Monkey like her own squad was long dead. Mouse shot him an annoyed gesture, now was not the time for his poor humor.

"Tiger it is then. I trust Captains Dog and Badger." It was enough to form an investigation team. Lizard nodded his head. He trusted her judgment. Hell he followed her former captain into hell once, and he'd do it again if she ask it of him. Mouse was one of the best.

"I'll get Tiger and Dog, I'll leave the Mokuton user to you." Lizard told her plainly. Mouse nodded her head at that. Badger and Lizard didn't always see eye to eye.

"I agree, keep this matter amongst the five of you. Until this is resolved I want you to focus solely on this matter." Anbu was the villages last defense it couldn't be having internal issues if anything happened. The two captains nodded their heads in understanding. Minato sighed before vanishing from the office doorway. Kushina wasn't going to be happy but he was certain all birthday plans for Mitsuko were about to be thrown out the window.

….

Mouse looked down at the dead anbu commander's body. Badger had helped her move him discreetly to the medical bay. It was the first thing they did after all gathering in the dead man's office. "Tachio?" She shook her head before turning to look up at him.

"You'll have to do the autopsy Badger, you're the only anbu with medical ninjutsu knowledge that we trust." Badger nodded his head, at the blank masked Mouse.

"Hai tachio." Mouse turned too walked away from him, she spared him one last look.

"Only report to me from now on Badger. Let me know what you find." Mouse left the bay. She headed back up to her office, they were using it as there command center. Stag had been pulled, he'd be the one reporting to the Hokage. They didn't need any questions asked.

"Mitsuko?" She turned her head to look at him. Stag knew her as Mouse better than anyone. He was waiting for her in the office.

"Let the Yondaime know that Badger is going to oversee the autopsy. I have nothing more to report." Stag sighed but nodded his head otherwise.

"Hai, tachio." His body flickered out of view, Mouse let out a sigh.

Slowly she walked over to the board that marked a timeline. It was a track to see if they could figure out which agent was where and who could have killed the anbu commander. However every agent was accounted for and tasked with something during the time frame that allowed Bear's murderer to strike. Which didn't bode to well with the Anbu captain. Mouse even took into account where any and all retired agents were. She'd gotten the full list regardless of how short it actually was. Besides there was no clear motive for the retired agents, injured or not.

Her nails clicked at the bottom of her chest armor. This felt wrong. Nothing added up. No agent had any motive to kill the anbu commander. But it had to be Anbu, no other person could have pulled this off. It had to be someone the commander would have trusted. "Mouse?" Heel turned on the floor pivoting her body around to face the unfamiliar feminine voice.

Mouse raised a brow behind her mask, a new mask. It wasn't uncommon if you'd been out for a while new mask were bound to happen. However no one except those cleared for this mission were allowed in this sector of Anbu Headquarters. "Can I help you?" Her tone was dry, the agent looked around nervously.

"I was told to come get you by Captain Dog." Her shoulder's rolled, half confused. Of course she hadn't showed that to the new agent. Dog was just here. She knew very well that he was off running an errand for her. This didn't feel right.

She decided to play along, she stepped forward. "Just give me a moment. I need to deal with this." Her hand was holding a stack of files and she made a grand gestured to her office.

"I'm afraid it's urgent Namikaze-san." She had missed the gas ball attached to the imposter's hip. Mitsuko fell to the ground with a silent thud, her vision blurred, In brief moment she surged her chakra to the inked marked up her hip her eyes closed soon after, and then everything around her was consumed by darkness.

XOXOX

Dun, Dun Duh…. Things just got interesting. And it was a fun chapter in the begging but things for our heroin are about to take a dark course… Eh maybe. I apologize how long this update has taken. It's been harder to write with my jobs and school starting for my husband. Things have been crazy.

I promise I'll try harder at updating quicker. But I really had to take a step back from this to figure out where exactly I wanted to go with this story. The direction isn't yet set in stone so let me know what you think you'd like to see.

Thank you for reading! I can't wait to hear from everyone.

Sincerely, La'Rae

Music inspiration

Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley

Save You- Matthew Perryman Jones

Heathens(cover)- Living in Fiction