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Kakashi watched warily as Brook hobbled to the ANBU headquarters. After Sasuke's random beating, she was pretty banged up. One of her teeth was loose, she had a black eye, swollen jaw, and a fat lip. Still there was a happy air about her, and it rubbed off on him as it always did.

When they walked into the building, Genma was waiting for them and just about screamed when he saw Brook.

"What happened to you? Are you okay?" He shot at her with concern thick in his voice.

"Sasuke beat her up. I don't think she can talk." Kakashi looked at her and she nodded.

Genma took a deep breath and shook his head. He turned and said, "This way. I hate being the Hokage's lackee."

Brook laughed through her pain, and so did Kakashi.

When they walked into the room, Itachi stood to greet them, and was taken aback, as was Tsunade, by Brook's appearance. Tsunade stood up and rushed to Brook’s side, making two hand signs as she went. As her hand began to glow, she said nonchalantly, “What happened?”

“Sasuke got angry,” Kakashi said.

“Why?”

Brook glared and pointed at Itachi, who was sporting a smirk and looking away from them.

Kakashi watched as Tsunade healed Brook’s face with her glowing hand. The swelling just melted away, but her eye was still bruised and Sasuke’s knuckles were still visible on her face. After Tsunade pulled her hand away, Brook smiled, then cringed at the slight pain from her eye.

“So, fill me in on the mission,” Brook said as she sat down next to Kakashi on a couch. The look of malevolence in her eyes was plain. Unbridled.

“Okay. The mission is a simple B-Ranked escort mission.”

“When?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Have you decided if I can go yet?” Kakashi asked as he stared out the window.

“Yes, you can. Your basic- and I mean basic- medic skills are needed.” Brook and Kakashi rejoiced inwardly and saw the smile play out on Tsunade’s face. Brook glanced at Itachi, who was glancing at her, and saw the disdain on his face. She smiled in spite of the pain.

“Thanks, Tsunade! So, who are we escorting?” Brook asked, elated.

“An architect from here to the Land of Lightning. He’s sought after because he’s building a military base for enemies of the Land of Earth.”

“Got it. What should we be watching out for?”

“Enemy ninja,” Itachi spat at her. She paid him no mind and listened to Tsunade.

“Basically. We don’t have that much commerce with the Land of Earth, so just be on your guard. Be ready for anything.” All three in the team nodded. Brook had completely forgotten about how much she hated Itachi. This was what she lived for, and she would do it perfectly.

Kakashi and Brook stood with Tsunade and she dismissed them, telling them to be ready at 7 the next morning. They bowed and left the room.

As soon as the door shut, Brook swung her arms around Kakashi’s neck and hugged him, a favor he gladly returned.

“I’m so happy you get to go!” She exclaimed as she pulled away from him, grabbed his hand, and walked out of the building.

“Agreed.” His voice told her otherwise. There was small talk until Brook opened the door to their home.

They took off their shoes and walked into the living room together, sitting on the couch.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, not looking at him.

He turned to her, then placed a hand under chin to turn her face towards him and kiss her forehead through dark blue fabric. “I don’t want you to go. I don’t trust him.”

“I don’t have much of a choice, there bud.” She smiled and continued, “I don’t want to go either, but this is about this architect now, not me. Okay?”

He sighed and nodded. “He won’t go anywhere near you. I’ll kill him if he looks at you wrong.” There was a no-nonsense tone to his voice. Brook looked at him with the kind of look that said that while she would never believe such a thing, but believed every word.

Kakashi pulled Brook into his lap and she looked him in the eye. Kakashi looked back, and he felt as if she were looking through him. Her bright blue eyes soothed him, yet made him uneasy at the same time. They penetrated to the deepest recess of his mind.

Kakashi’s thoughts were interrupted when Brook’s soft lips pressed against his. It took him a second to register that she had taken off his mask. He gently moved her out of his lap and she laid on the couch, breaking their kiss.

Brook looked up at him, and laughed. When his face became puzzled, she just grabbed his shirt and pulled his lips to hers. She could feel him smile against her.

Kakashi pressed his chest to hers, so that she could feel all his weight, but none of it. She kissed him gently, then more intensely, then gently again. Kakashi pushed her legs apart with his knee and lowered himself between them. She became immediately cautious, but knew he wouldn’t push her. He started rubbing himself against her rhythmically, gradually speeding up.

She pulled away from him. She said in a warning tone, “Kakashi…” His lips were on her neck and she was enjoying every part of this, but didn’t trust herself to be able to stop it in a few minutes.

She loved Kakashi and wished more than anything that she had been able to give him her virginity. But after Itachi they had made love once, the night before, and she had doubted herself deeply the next morning. Kakashi knew all of this, and accepted her boundaries just as he had before, and loved her in spite of the fact he wanted her so badly it hurt sometimes.

He pulled away from her and looked in her blazing blue eyes. They smiled at each other. “I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to, Brook.” His voice was soft and he whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her ear lobe. “I promise.” He nibbled her ear softly.

“I know you won’t, but,” She pushed him up from where he was kissing her ear to look at him. He looked cool and collected, but she knew his blood was boiling right under his skin. “I don’t trust myself enough to know that I won’t do anything I don’t want to.”

He kissed her again, but his lips were different. He was kissing her in a way that should be illegal. He was too gentle to be the infamous Copy-Nin, too persuasive. But they both knew the mood had been broken, if only because Brook had admitted she didn’t trust herself. They put in Juno and watched it, lying on the couch. Brook was on top of Kakashi and she was so light to him it was like she wasn’t there. About half-way through the movie, Brook was asleep.

Kakashi picked her and carried her to their bedroom, and when he laid her on the bed, she woke up.

“What time is it?” she asked groggily. She tried to sit up, but Kakashi put his hand on her shoulder, holding her to the bed.

“It’s not late, but you still need to sleep.” She nodded and yawned.

Kakashi pulled his vest and shirt off, revealing every muscle in his torso. As he threw it to the hamper, Brook snatched it out of the air, exchanging it for her own. She took off her jeans and lay down just as he turned around in sweat pants. Her strong legs were above the covers, and he climbed on the bed, giving her leg a squeeze as he went by. She moved under the two blankets on the bed, and snuggled close to him. He smelled like sandalwood, just like he always did, and the smell relaxed her even more than she had been.

He kissed the top of her head and said in a soft voice. “I love you Brook.”

“I love you too, Kakashi. You know I do.” He could feel her smiling as she drifted to sleep. He watched her sleep for a few hours, then drifted off as well.