"Absolutely not," Sakura growled, raking her fingers through her tousled hair. "I took Yamato off the mission roster for a reason."

Kakashi leaned forward, leveling Sakura with a stare that would have broken her resolve three years ago. "Yes, and I'm asking you to explain that reason."

Huffing out a breath, Sakura turned away. After hearing that Kakashi wanted to meet with her, she'd fled Tenzo's apartment through the window. She'd never expected him to ask Ino about her recommendation, but she shouldn't have been surprised. Kakashi and Tenzo were friends, so it made sense that he'd try to get Tenzo reinstated. Now, she wasn't sure what to tell him, especially since he'd betrayed her trust by revealing what she'd said about Tenzo's drinking.

In the silence that followed his request, Kakashi waited. The clock on the wall ticked forward several long seconds before he tried again. "You said he was drinking again. Why do you think that? I saw him earlier, and he seemed well, healthy even."

Sakura ran her fingers over her neck as she turned back toward Kakashi, recalling the feel of Tenzo's hands as the edge's of her vision went dark. If she hadn't healed the marks, the evidence would have proven her point better than words ever could. Even Kakashi couldn't have denied that, but Sakura didn't want to betray Tenzo again. "Elevated levels in his blood work," she hedged, deciding on a half truth.

Kakashi studied Sakura long enough that she wondered if he'd pulled Tenzo's file to check the results for himself. Would he have understood them? "When was the last time you checked?"

As much as Sakura wanted to lie, she knew that it would only make things worse. "It's been about a month."

"And, you don't think things might have changed in that time?" Kakashi's right eyebrow climbed toward his hairline, then his forehead wrinkled into a frown when Sakura shrugged. "Do you know something you're not telling me?"

Ignoring the question, Sakura crossed her arms over her chest. "Tell me about the mission."

Kakashi raised one shoulder in a shrug. "It's an S-ranked Anbu mission. You know I can't give you the details."

"Well then, you also know I can't clear him." Sakura raised her chin to meet Kakashi's dark, guarded gaze. As much as their friendship had developed over the past few months, he still managed to needle under her skin with little effort. Releasing a frustrated breath, she continued. "How can you give me mission details when broken shinobi come home, but not let me know what to expect? How does that make any sense?"

The tense silence between them stretched for a moment as Kakashi formulated his response. Then, he sighed. "We have intel that a hideout belonging to Orochimaru is showing—"

"You want to send him back to Orochimaru," Sakura burst out, unable to contain her incredulity. "After everything he's been through? How could you possibly think that's a good idea?"

The lines across Kakashi's forehead deepened, and Sakura realized that she might have revealed more about her relationship with Tenzo than she meant to. They wouldn't have had much reason to talk about his past, especially since she had him on leave for medical reasons. But, as the Anbu medic, she had access to his file. Tenzo had admitted that much of what he'd told her was recorded inside. It wouldn't have been unlikely that Sakura read it.

Whatever conclusion Kakashi came to about the information, he kept his opinion to himself. "An abandoned research laboratory on the outskirts of the Land of Fire has been showing activity: disappearances, strange noises, and smoke. I need someone to secure the facility."

Refusing to be swayed, Sakura inclined her head. "And, you have dozens of Anbu who aren't currently on leave. Send one of them."

The idea of sending Tenzo back to one of the facilities that he'd been trapped in as a child soured Sakura's stomach. He would understandably be on edge and, if something went wrong, it would set back weeks of hard work. Considering his slip with alcohol the night before, and the terrors that came with it, Sakura couldn't risk returning him to the field, not yet. He wasn't ready. She had to find a way to protect him without damaging his trust again.

"Sakura," Kakashi chided, voice taking on the tone he'd used when trying to make her see reason as a genin. It hadn't worked then either. "There are people disappearing, a couple of them were kids. If anyone knows how Orochimaru operates and how to capture him, it's Yamato."

The plea tugged at Sakura's heartstrings, but Tenzo needed just as much protection as those missing children did. If something went wrong, as it so often did on missions, she wasn't sure how he'd react. His battered body in the hospital bed after his previous two missions flashed through Sakura's mind. But, it gave her an idea. "I'll grant his medical clearance on one condition."

The soft snort of disbelief from Kakashi didn't match the ice in his gaze. "You do understand your input is a recommendation, right? I don't have to follow your advice."

"Yet, you keep asking for it," Sakura countered, meeting Kakashi's stare without flinching. There were only a few things that would make her stand up to her former sensei, and patient care was one of them.

"What is your condition?" Kakashi shifted in his chair, a clear mark of discomfort. At least he was willing to entertain the idea.

Sakura let out a measured breath to gather her courage. There was only way that she'd feel comfortable with Tenzo being back in the field. "Assign me to his team."

"Absolutely not." Kakashi's answer came almost as soon as the words left Sakura's lips. "This mission has a high probability of failure, and you are not trained to handle these types of situations."

Whose fault is that? Sakura managed to keep the question from escaping her lips, but only barely. Anger flooded her system at the implication that she was somehow less because she hadn't received Anbu training. She had completed S-rank missions before, and her medical ninjutsu rivaled, if not surpassed, Tsunade's. "If you're worried about failure, I'm the best option to get your team out without casualties."

"This isn't a game," Kakashi growled, scrubbing a hand through his hair. "I know you're a good medic, the best even, but Yamato's team won't cater to you if you can't keep up."

"I don't need anyone to cater to me." Sakura gestured at her dirty clothes with one hand as if they explained everything. "This may come as a surprise to you, but I'm in the best physical shape that I have ever been."

Kakashi shook his head like the fact was of little consequence. "That may be so, but you aren't Anbu. There won't be an extraction team if something goes wrong."

"You think I don't know that?" Sakura recalled the harsh reality that she'd witnessed at the hospital and Tenzo's apartment since returning to the village. "I'm not a scared, untrained genin any longer, Kakashi-sensei."

The title melted the ice in Kakashi's eyes, transforming it into something like pride. "I know, but that doesn't make you ready for this type of situation."

Sakura blew out a tired breath, wondering how many times she'd need to prove herself before someone believed in her. "Because you don't think I can do it?"

"Because I don't want you to do it," Kakashi corrected, leaning close enough for Sakura to see the pale flecks of silver in his eyes. It underscored the sincerity in his voice. "I don't want this to be something your generation has to deal with."

Before she could stop it , a chuckle of disbelief slipped through Sakura's lips. "My generation? You're not that much older than me."

"Fourteen years, give or take." When Kakashi leaned back, Sakura noticed the dark circles under his eyes. Exhaustion clung to him as closely as the robe these days. "That's old enough to have seen some things I hope you'll never have to live through."

"What about Yamato," Sakura asked. The slight twitch of Kakashi's mask suggested that he'd winced, but she couldn't leave the question there. "Don't you want to protect him from the same things?"

For several long, miserable heartbeats, Kakashi didn't answer. Sakura watched him weigh her suggestion against Tenzo's desire to rejoin the mission roster, then compare that with the threat to the village. "Yamato has been in Anbu longer than you've been alive," he pointed out.

"And, how much damage do you think those years have done?" Sakura resisted the urge to pace around the room by picking at her cuticles. "Is this mission worth his life?"

"Enough," Kakashi growled, voice tight on the single-worded rebuke. "Yamato is my friend. You should know me well enough to know I won't risk any of your lives needlessly."

Realizing that she'd pushed Kakashi too far, Sakura let out a soft sigh. "I'm sorry, but if you're dead set on Yamato completing this mission, he needs medical support. I'm your best option."

Kakashi turned away, staring at the door like he wanted to bolt. The man was right, of course; he didn't need Sakura's approval to send Tenzo back into the field. As Hokage, the final decision was his, but he'd asked because he trusted and respected her judgment. Sakura could use that. "I can do this," she encouraged, voice soft but confident.

When Kakashi brought his gaze back to Sakura, pain clouded his eyes. "Fine. Against my better judgment, you can be part of Yamato's team. But, I have some stipulations."

Worry wormed its way through Sakura's triumph. "What kind of stipulations?"

Kakashi raised a finger, indicating that there would be more than one condition. "I know Tsunade taught you to ignore the protocol for medical shinobi, but I don't want you to intentionally put yourself in danger. Your role is supportive, rather than combative."

Sakura nodded without missing a beat. She'd expected Kakashi to remind her that she wasn't supposed to be on the front lines since he did that before every mission. However, no matter what promises Sakura made, she'd never let a teammate be injured if she could stop it. "Okay, what else?"

"You agree to respect Yamato's position as captain, and Sai's role as your superior." Kakashi studied Sakura for a moment before continuing. "You've worked with them in the past, so you'll avoid the normal posturing that comes at the start of missions."

Rolling her eyes, Sakura crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't have a history of insubordination, so that shouldn't be a problem."

Kakashi hummed in agreement and looked over with an unreadable expression. "I have one last request." Sakura made a questioning sound as he continued. "Bring everyone, including yourself, home safe."

Hours later, Sakura waited in the grey light of early dusk by a side gate that she'd never used before. She hadn't even known it existed until she received the coordinates. An overfull pack sat by her feet, stuffed with everything that she might need for the next two weeks. After Kakashi approved her assignment, she'd expected Tenzo to come by with tense shoulders and information about what to expect. Instead, he'd sent a messenger with the pertinent details.

Sakura assumed that Tenzo was angry with her for telling Kakashi about his drinking problem, not that she blamed him. Hopefully he would realize that she'd only been trying to protect him. And, if not, Sakura knew that Tenzo would be professional enough to keep his annoyance from affecting the mission. Besides, she'd been angry at Kakashi too; the idea of Tenzo back on active duty had driven it from her mind, though. She would deal with him when she got back.

Tugging at her uniform, Sakura pushed the questions about Tenzo from her mind. There was nothing she could do about it right now; she'd win him over on the mission, or she wouldn't. That was, if they ever got underway. Sakura had been standing by the gate for ten minutes, fretting about what she'd forgotten and everything that might go wrong. She didn't expect the mission to be too difficult, but there was a slim possibility that she'd overestimated her abilities.

Sakura glanced down at the jonin blacks she'd chosen and smoothed the cuff of her sleeves. They fit differently than she remembered, tighter through the legs and arms. Apparently the training sessions with Tenzo had been paying off. Sakura's flak vest fit like an old friend, though, one that she hadn't seen since the war. The uniform was from a different life, one where the tug of weapon's pouches on her thigh and hip were as familiar as her heartbeat. Sakura wasn't sure whether or not she'd missed it.

Someone calling Sakura's name startled her from her nostalgia. Sai stood a few feet away with a bland expression and a lazy, half smile that could have meant anything. The man had always been difficult to read. Sakura found herself wondering if he'd been with Ino before reporting for the mission. Warmth slid into her cheeks at the thought of what they might have been doing. She didn't want to imagine anything about them together.

"Good, everyone is here." Sakura took an involuntary step backward when Tenzo materialized from the shadows nearby. Even though she'd seen him in his Anbu uniform a handful of times, there was a difference knowing that Tenzo was preparing to lead a mission in it. His gaze slid past Sakura to linger on Sai, then he nodded. "Let's move out."

The lighthearted, teasing demeanor that Sakura had discovered over the past few weeks evaporated, replaced by an icy barrier that she no longer felt confident she'd be able to breach. How long had Tenzo lurked there without speaking to her? Was he that angry over the situation with Kakashi, or was he trying to create professional distance between then? Either way, the change left her shivering, especially when he clipped a cat mask over his face.

Feeling more out of place than ever, Sakura slung her pack over her shoulder and followed the men through the gate. Sai and Tenzo wore the black and grey of Anbu while she stood out in the black and olive green of a standard jonin. She wondered if she should have requested a different uniform for the mission. Would there have been time to prepare one? Sakura supposed that it didn't matter.

Once they moved into the forest, Tenzo set a blistering pace without checking to see if Sai and Sakura could keep up. She wasn't sure that she could have if not for their recent training sessions, and even then it was questionable. Sai made the movement look as effortless as Tenzo. She did her best not to hate them as she pushed herself further from her comfort zone.

Sakura's thrill of being outside the village dissipated under the strain of physical exhaustion and boredom. Nobody spoke as they traveled, leaving nothing to notice besides the soft scuff of sandals on the trees, or the occasional animal. After two hours, Sakura's overtired muscles ached to the point of distraction. Recalling Kakashi's warning that the Anbu wouldn't cater to her, she bled chakra into the most painful area to keep up with the unflagging men. If either of them noticed, they didn't comment.

An hour or two later, Tenzo raised his right fist into the air and dropped to the ground. Sai followed immediately, and Sakura landed a few strides ahead then jogged back, muscles warm and itchy. When she turned toward Tenzo, the cat mask hid his eyes. The effect was unsettling. "We'll take a short break here," he declared, staring into the forest. Sakura wondered if he was avoiding her or keeping watching. "Get what rest you can."

Deciding she didn't have the energy to cater to Tenzo's pettiness, Sakura removed her pack and flopped onto the dewy ground. The brief healing that she'd done left her more tired than she should have been, or maybe it was the lack of sleep from the night before. As she reached for her water bottle, Sakura glanced over at Tenzo. He crossed his arms over his chest as his shoulders crept toward his ears. Every line of his body screamed out tension, but Sakura knew better than to approach him right now.

"Did you get bored at the hospital?" Sakura found Sai staring at her through the eye holes in his bear mask. "I didn't expect to find you on an Anbu mission."

"I didn't expect to be here," Sakura admitted. As much as she tried to keep it away, her gaze slid toward Tenzo. He'd moved into the deeper shadows among the trees, opening the distance between them. Moonlight glinted off the cold porcelain of his mask when he tipped his head to catch their conversation.

Humming, Sai tucked his water bottle into his pack and looked up. "How did you get assigned to this mission, then?"

"Sakura is here in a medical capacity," Tenzo interrupted before she could come up with a reply that wouldn't incriminate them both. "She is learning what Anbu missions entail to better train our operatives."

Surprised that Tenzo had come up with an answer so quickly, Sakura tipped her head and studied him. His half truth answered everything, which meant that he'd thought about it before Sai asked. Was he worried that the man would somehow draw a connection between Sakura and himself? Or, was he that embarrassed about her presence?

Sai nodded and dusted his knees as he stood. "That's logical."

"She's under strict orders to observe, providing support only if it's needed." Tenzo raised his head to meet Sakura's gaze for the first time since they'd left Konoha. "She's not going to be taking part in the combat."

Broiling at the vindictiveness in Tenzo's tone, Sakura offered a sickly sweet smile. "I'm just here to help wherever I'm needed."

Scoffing under his breath, Tenzo shook his head. "Of course you are."

The tension of the moment stretched between the pair as Sai stared from one to the other as if trying to fit puzzle pieces together. Tenzo cleared his throat and looked away first. "We've rested long enough; let's get moving."

Feeling like she'd won a battle that she hadn't known they were fighting, Sakura slung her pack over her shoulder and leapt for the trees.

By the time pale streaks of light started to push through the forest, Sakura relied more on chakra than physical strength to keep going. They had followed the same pattern all night: run for a couple hours, then rest for a few minutes. Sai and Tenzo looked no worse for the wear, moving with the impossible ease of Anbu. Even so, Sakura knew they must be tired. Tenzo hadn't gotten more than four hours of sleep the night before, then they'd worked out. He had to be feeling it, but something about the uniform made him more difficult for Sakura to read.

When Tenzo stopped not long after dawn, the forest looked no different from all the other times. Sakura didn't mind, though. Resting her palms against her thighs, she hung her head and drew a couple of ragged breaths. A painful stitch had formed in her side over the past few miles. At least her legs had gone numb from the stress of running. With a few minutes to reset herself, Sakura would be ready for the next part of their journey.

"We'll stop here for the night," Tenzo declared, moving deeper into the trees.

Sakura frowned at the man's back. There wasn't a good place to set up camp, and sunlight was already spilling through the trees overhead. Why would they stop here for the night? Unaware of Sakura's gaze, Tenzo walked toward a rocky hill covered in scrub and brambles. She raised one eyebrow as he and Sai disappeared into the foliage with ease.

After a moment, a blue and white bear mask reappeared. "Anbu have secret hideouts all over the Land of Fire. This is just one of them."

Sai pointed out where Sakura needed to step to avoid thorns and branches as the screen of leaves opened up into a small alcove against the hill. The space was large enough for three or four people to rest comfortably on the ground. Twisting branches overhead let in the light and breeze so the camp didn't feel stuffy. They would have let out smoke as well, but Sakura didn't expect Tenzo to allow them the luxury of a fire. Not that she minded. Sakura was tired enough that she could have slept anywhere, no matter what it looked like.

Sai removed his pack and mask, hooking the latter on his belt. Tenzo did the same a moment later, but he kept his back to Sakura as he laid out his gear. She read the tension more easily now that they'd stopped, but she wasn't sure if he was still angry with her if the nervousness came from being back in the field. Sakura wanted to bridge the distance between them, but she wasn't sure how. Edging closer, she rested a hand on Tenzo's back. "Are you okay?"

Shuddering, Tenzo dipped his shoulder so that Sakura's hand slid off his armor. "I'm fine."

The sarcasm dripping off of the words underscored Sakura's assessment that Tenzo wasn't ready to be back in the field. She thought that he'd leave the conversation there, but he rounded with poison in his eyes. "And even if I wasn't, Kakashi is too far away for you to tattle to now."

Bristling at the implications, Sakura crossed her arms over her chest. "That isn't fair, and you know it."

"What I know is that we have a mission to focus on," Tenzo returned, ice sliding into his tone like armor. "We don't have time for any other concerns."

Long gone was the man who had teased Sakura about her inability to hold a handstand less than twenty-four hours earlier. The man who'd held her as she sobbed about Sasuke was lost as well, buried beneath a cold, unfeeling Anbu commander. Sakura mourned the loss like a physical ache in her stomach, but she couldn't verbalize that. Instead, she lowered her chin. "Yes, taichou."

As Sakura loosened the bedroll from her pack, she considered the situation. Tenzo needed rest to function at his best, but he wouldn't take the necessary steps to ensure that he got it. And even if they could, it would be awkward to get too close on a mission. There had to be another way to help him. Then, she had an idea.

Dusting off her pants, Sakura turned to face Sai. "If I take the middle watch, could you do the first?"

The man straightened in surprise at being addressed by Sakura, then glanced at Tenzo for permission. When the latter dipped his chin in acknowledgement, Sai inclined his head. "Of course."

"Sakura and I will set up camp," Tenzo instructed, voice tight as he dug through his pack. Then, he looked up at Sai. "Can you scout the perimeter?"

"Of course." Sai moved his pack deeper into the alcove and leapt for the trees. Within moments, his uniform blended with soft shadows among the trunks.

Tenzo waited for several long heartbeats for Sai to get far enough away. Then, he spun to face Sakura. "I do not need your help," he growled.

"If you care about this mission, you won't jeopardize it just because you're pissed off at me." Sakura stepped closer to Tenzo, meeting his icy stare without an ounce of fear. It gave her a flush of pride that she wasn't afraid of him. "You need to rest."

"This is your first time on a mission of this caliber," Tenzo ground out, ignoring everything that Sakura had said. "If anyone needs extra sleep, it's you."

Tossing her bedroll onto the ground, Sakura shrugged. "Oh well, Sai already agreed to it." She managed to avoid sticking her tongue out at Tenzo, but only barely. "I guess you'll have to take the extra rest and be thankful for it."

"Or, I overrule both of you and do whatever I want." Tenzo grumbled as he pulled a scroll from a pocket on his pack. There wasn't a lot of heat behind the threat, though. "I distinctly remember you agreeing to follow my leadership."

Sakura wondered how much of their conversation Kakashi had revealed to the man, but it didn't matter. Tenzo looked up from his scroll when she didn't answer right away. Meeting his gaze, Sakura dipped her chin. "I'd follow you anywhere, provided you aren't hurting yourself to get there."

A flash of pink spread over Tenzo's cheeks and disappeared so quickly that Sakura wondered if she'd imagined it. "For the record, I'm not pissed off. I'm focused on what matters."

As if to underscore the words, Tenzo unfurled the scroll and studied the seals inside. After a moment, one of the characters glowed golden and released a poof of smoke. When it dissipated, a pile of clothing lay where the kanji had been. Lifting the bundle, Tenzo held it out. "If you're going to complete Anbu missions, you should look the part."

Frowning, Sakura ran her fingers across the smooth black cloth and silver armor. She brushed something cold hidden in the fabric and lifted an Anbu mask from the folds. Sakura studied the stylized creature for several long seconds before she realized what she was holding. A flush of pink inside each rounded ear matched a tiny nose and streaks of color on the cheeks where whiskers would have been.

"Go on, little mouse," Tenzo encouraged, sounding more like himself than he had since the start of the mission. He nodded toward the forest. "Try it on; we need to sleep soon."

"Thanks," Sakura mumbled, wrapping the mask back into the bundle. Feeling self conscious, she moved further away from camp in the opposite direction from the one Sai had taken.

Once Sakura was surrounded by the familiar quiet of the forest, she knelt and unfolded the uniform. She ran her fingers over the mouse mask, touching the light pink streaks that almost perfectly matched the shade of her hair. Had Tenzo picked out the mask and colors, or had it been random? She didn't think coincidences stretched that far, so it must have been him.

Lying the mask aside, Sakura pulled out the inky pants that seemed identical to the ones she wore. The material felt lighter against her legs when she pulled them on, more breathable somehow. Content that they fit, Sakura wrapped her right thigh and replaced her weapon pouch. After a few stretches, she shrugged. She couldn't tell much difference between the two, but she supposed there must be some.

Sakura eyed the sleeveless top next. She knew the compression material added a second layer of protection for the muscles underneath, but she worried about the fit. Huffing out a breath, Sakura wrestled the skin-tight garment into place. The air felt strange on her shoulders. The long, black gloves that she put on next did nothing to lessen the exposed feeling.

Ignoring the feeling, Sakura strapped the silver arm guards on next. They provided more freedom of movement than she'd expected, allowing her to flex her wrists in multiple directions. Sakura rocked back on her heels and eyed the protective vest. Having removed a few at the hospital, she knew it would be lighter than the jonin armor at her feet, but it made her uncomfortable. She remembered cutting away the crushed material on Tenzo's chest not that long ago.

The memory made Sakura's stomach turn, so she forced it away with a hard exhale. It wouldn't happen again. Tenzo was on the path to healing, and she was here to protect him if something went wrong. Undoing the straps, Sakura wiggled into the Anbu vest. It fit tighter than the jonin one, squeezing her lungs with constricting bands. She frowned and removed it, but it felt the same when she tried it on again. After adjusting it up and down a couple of times, Sakura gave up. It would loosen up the longer she wore it.

Using a scroll similar to Tenzo's, Sakura sealed away her old armor and lifted the mask from the ground. Covering her face with the cold porcelain made her feel different, like hiding her identity changed her somehow. Sakura wondered if that was why Kakashi always wore the fabric mask. Knowing that he'd been a part of Anbu made her wonder what secrets he held. Was his past as broken as Tenzo's?

Look after him so he can look after everyone else. Tsunade's words drifted through Sakura's subconscious, leaving a trail of guilt. She'd been so busy worrying about Tenzo and his problems that she hadn't paid enough attention to Kakashi. As she walked back to camp, Sakura made a mental note to check in with her former sensei when she got back to the village.

The shaded alcove was silent when Sakura padded through the secret entrance. Sai must not have come back from scouting yet. Hooking her mask on the belt the way that she'd seen the men do, Sakura cleared her throat. Tenzo glanced up from the scroll that he'd been studying and did a double take.

Heat rushed into Sakura's cheeks as Tenzo's eyes widened. If he started laughing at her, she was going to hit him, consequences be damned. "It looks stupid, doesn't it? Like a little kid playing dress up; and the vest is too tight and—"

"No," Tenzo interrupted, letting his scroll roll up on itself. A pink glow appeared on his face as he looked away. "It looks nice."

"Nice," Sakura scoffed; she couldn't imagine a less fitting adjective. Fierce, deadly, or powerful she could have accepted, but nice? Sakura rolled her eyes. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Tenzo turned back to run his gaze over Sakura a second time. The palest shade of pink faded from his cheeks as he nodded. "I meant that it seems to fit."

"Mostly," Sakura grumbled, tugging at the chest plate again. She hated the way that it squeezed her ribs and made taking each breath a struggle.

Rising, Tenzo crossed the distance between himself and Sakura in two strides. Warm fingers brushed the exposed skin of her shoulder, then moved down. "Here," he murmured, tugging on one of the straps. He nudged her arm up and ran his fingers along the top edge of the vest toward her underarm. Tenzo squeezed a section on the side, and the tension released. "Better?"

Sakura flexed from side to side, then drew a deep breath. "Much. What did you do?"

Tenzo moved to the other side and repeated the movement. The vest relaxed further. "There's more give in the fabric after a couple of days. Storage makes the seams in the new vests stiff for some reason."

The words struck Sakura as amusing, but she couldn't quite reach the innuendo in Tenzo's statement to make it a joke. As she smoothed a hand across her stomach, she realized that he must have guessed her sizes. He'd been close. "Thanks."

Raising a shoulder in a self depreciating shrug, Tenzo took a step back. "You would have been an easy target in your jonin uniform."

"There's nothing easy about me," Sakura growled, annoyed that Tenzo wrote her off so easily. It was like being part of Team Kakashi all over again, watching the men plan their moves while they disregarded her contributions. She straightened her back. "I can hold my own."

Tenzo chuckled. "I know. You're the fiercest little mouse I've ever met."

Growling under her breath, Sakura turned away. Anger twisted through her stomach. Tenzo knew how often she'd been overlooked; they'd talked about it before. He could say that he believed in her all that he wanted, but the doubt that he showed in the field said otherwise. Letting her fury get the better of her, Sakura shifted her weight onto her left foot and swung her right shin toward Tenzo.

"What the—" Tenzo lost the remainder of his words in a grunt when Sakura's kick connected with his crossed forearms. She took obscene pleasure that his reaction was almost too slow. A moment later, her strike would have knocked him prone.

Tenzo rolled backward, springing to his feet in one fluid movement. He brought his hands up between them, but Sakura pushed forward. She jabbed with her fingers, looking for a weakness in his defense. He batted the strikes away like they were nothing more than annoyances. The lack of retaliation fed her fury.

Redoubling her attacks, Sakura forced Tenzo back. He gave ground, circling around the alcove. "I am not an easy target," she hissed when a strike brushed against the man's ear.

With a huffed breath that might have been amusement or condescension, Tenzo pushed Sakura's hand away. "If you can't control your anger any better than this, you are."

A curse rumbled and died in Sakura's throat as she recalled every ounce of strength remaining to her. Her next kick scraped harmlessly against Tenzo's chestplate. She followed it with a double punch at his solar plexus. Tenzo danced backward from another kick, Sakura's boot grazing his hip when he shifted. "I never said you were weak," he pointed out, dipping beneath a round of angry jabs.

"You might as well have," Sakura hissed, feigning to the right then changing her attack to the left at the last second. She was rewarded by a soft grunt of pain when her fist connected with the man's shoulder. "I don't need your help."

Before Tenzo could respond, Sakura surged forward. They'd trained together often enough that she recognized his tells and saw the way he telegraphed his movements. Tenzo dipped to block a strike at his stomach, and Sakura changed the trajectory of the attack. Her palm slammed into his chestplate with a deafening crackle. Green light filled the clearing, dissipating when Tenzo stumbled backward with a wheeze.

Adrenaline sang through Sakura's veins, tempering her momentary shame at using ninjutsu against a teammate. Her hand stung with the force of the blow on armor, even with chakra softening the impact. Shaking his head like he was trying to clear confusion away, Tenzo stared at Sakura for a split second. Then, he moved, too fast for her eyes to follow. She brought her hands up to ward him off, but iron gripped her wrists. A sandaled foot hooked behind hers and suddenly Sakura was falling; the world spun in green and brown overhead.

Tenzo's weight knocked the air from Sakura's lungs when they hit the ground. He pressed her hands against the forest floor. "What you need," he growled through gritted teeth, "is to stop putting words in my mouth."

"Or what," Sakura challenged, flexing her fingers against the man's superior weight. Tenzo's hold remained steady. "You'll send me back to Konoha for insubordination?"

A razor-edged smile slid across Tenzo's lips. "No, I don't need to hide behind Kakashi. That's the coward's way out."

"I was trying to protect you." Sakura bit off each word, frustrated at having to repeat herself and annoyed that Tenzo had been able to subdue her so easily. She twisted and writhed, trying to break the cage of his knees and hands.

Tenzo didn't budge. If anything, he lowered more of his weight. "I'm not the one who needs protection."

"Neither am I.'' Sakura sent a surge of chakra through Tenzo's right arm through their connection. He had a split second to look confused, then he toppled to the side as his support collapsed. Sakura rolled with him, encouraging Tenzo to fall the rest of the way onto his back.

Sakura pushed Tenzo's hands against the ground as he'd done to her, then sat on his stomach. Glaring down at him, she shook her head. "Being female doesn't make me a damsel in distress any more than being a medic makes me a lesser shinobi."

Scoffing under his breath, Tenzo sat up despite the weight on his midsection, dumping Sakura into his lap. He made no attempt to stop her from hitting the ground between his legs. "And I'm not the insecure, immature boy who made you feel that way. Stop taking it out on me."

"I'm not," Sakura grumbled, disgusted by the accusation and the way it made her feel. She shoved away from Tenzo's chest and scrambled to her feet. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yeah, okay." Tenzo's tone told Sakura that he didn't believe her, but that was fine. She turned away, angrier than before the impromptu spar. Despite ending up on top, Sakura wasn't sure who, if anyone, had won the combat. It left her restless and frustrated for reasons that she didn't understand, which annoyed her even more.

After a moment of awkward silence, Tenzo cleared his throat. ""What did you do to my arm?"

Sakura dusted the dirt and grass from her pants without meeting the man's gaze. "It's a localized nerve block; it'll fade in an hour or two."

"An hour or two," Tenzo growled, stalking closer with his right arm dangling at his side. "And, what happens if we're ambushed in the next fifteen minutes?"

Tipping her head to the side, Sakura considered the options and offered a cheeky grin. "Then I guess you'll be the damsel in distress."

"Do you have any idea how unprofessional—" A rustle in the leaves overhead brought Tenzo's growled reprimand to a halt. He produced a kunai with his left hand before Sakura managed to do the same with her main. Tenzo stepped between her and the sound, releasing his weapon with a practiced flick at the trees.

Sai landed between the pair with a soft thud and raised his palms. His eyes widened in the closest to surprise that Sakura had ever seen. "Did you not hear the signal?"

Tenzo huffed out an exhausted breath. "It's been a little loud here. What did you find?"

"No sign of enemies." Sai removed his mask and cut his gaze to Sakura. If he noticed the tension in the air, he ignored it. "I thought you weren't trying to join? You look like one of us now."

Thankful for a break from her frustration at Tenzo, Sakura twirled. "I wasn't, but it looks pretty good on me, right?"

When Sai started to speak, Tenzo cut him off. "That's enough chatter. Get some rest; we have another long night ahead of us."