Iruka's eyes finally fluttered closed, lulled to sleep by the cadence of Kakashi's running and the warmth of his back beneath him. Kakashi glanced over his shoulder, and under his dark mask smiled slightly, before returning his concentration to running. His mind continued to whirl as he sprinted towards the water country.

Tracking them across the open water would be useless he knew, but the enemy knew where they were going, and considering Iruka's luck on this god-forsaken mission, they probably knew he was injured. The water country was close, Kakashi slowed then stopped, allowing the mist around them to thicken. Iruka stirred.

"Clone." Kakashi said quietly, flying through hand signals.

Iruka nodded, alert now, and followed suit. His clone hopping onto the second Kakashi's back.

Iruka wrinkled his nose at the sight,

"Do I really look that ridiculous being carried like this?"

"Now's not really the time to be worrying about that." Kakashi said seriously, but Iruka caught the grin that flickered under his mask, and smiled. Kakashi sent the clones ahead, then after several minutes, padded silently after.

"You expect an ambush in water country?"

"For all we know, water country is the one trying to kill you."

"That seems unlikely, after all they requested Tsunade-sama's reply. Why would they want to take out her messenger?"

"Perhaps it has nothing to do with the mission, just you."

Iruka scoffed, "That's even less likely. I'm just an academy teacher? That's hardly a threat to anyone."

Kakashi shrugged, then instantly regretted it as he felt Iruka wince,

"Sorry! Sorry!"

"I'm okay." Iruka smiled ruefully, "Let's just hope water country ISN'T our enemy, and that they've got a pleasant hospital staff."

Kakashi stiffened, he hated hospitals.

Iruka laughed, "You're not the patient remember? You don't even have to go inside, I can check myself in."

"No. I'm going with you."

"After we deliver Tsunade-sama's scroll."

Kakashi muttered something unintelligible under his breath, but nodded once, and the two nin slipped across the water.

A heavy fog covered most of the aptly named, Hidden Mist Village, as Kakashi and Iruka made their cautious approach to the Mizukage tower.

Iruka glanced warily around, This whole place is… far too quiet… He suddenly longed desperately for the sunny boisterous streets of Konoha.

Kakashi was slightly more relaxed, the village of hidden mist had always struck him as eerily quiet, but the silence was normal. He suspected it was the ever-present fog that hung oppressively over the village that kept its citizens so subdued.

The tower loomed into view. A pair of Mist Nin stood at the entrance. Without a word, Kakashi sat Iruka on a bench and, swiping Tsunade's scroll, went to exchange a few words with the Mist guard.

Iruka almost yelled after him, but the heavy mist and oppressive silence stilled even his boisterous call.

Kakashi returned after a moment, his movements wraithlike as he unconsciously shifted and swirled with the mist. Iruka found himself mesmerized by the silver haired ghost that drifted towards him.

"Ruka… Iruka?" Kakashi's low whisper sounded almost like a shout, despite the fact that the fog dampened it into nothing within a few feet. Iruka startled. "Are you alright?" Kakashi asked, his grey eye level with Iruka's wide chocolate gaze. The chunin nodded,

"Sorry. You just… looked like a ghost just now… I guess I spaced out a little." He added sheepishly

Kakahi's eyebrow crinkled in what Iruka knew to be a thoughtful frown,

"We're hardly in a position to be letting our guard down. The Mizukage will hold an audience for us now."

Iruka nodded and let Kakashi help him to his feet. Fully aware of the chunin's tender pride, Kakashi didn't try to carry him, despite the teacher's obvious limp. Though he still remained protectively at his side, the chunin's arm looped over his shoulders as the two nin made their way inside.

Iruka's mission completed, Kakashi scooped up the younger man and made a bee-line for the Kirigakure hospital, a special note from the Mizukage in hand, demanding immediate attention for the Leaf Nin.

Upon entering the building, Kakashi found he disliked the Mist hospital as much as he disliked the Leaf hospital. The stark white walls and smell of disinfectant made him instantly smiled and let the medics lead him to a hovered closely behind. Iruka was mercifully sedated as the medics reset his broken leg and set to work wrapping his ribs.

A brunette mist nin smiled brightly at Kakashi as she hung a clipboard on the foot of Iruka's bed.

"Your friend here's really cute. He got a girl back home?"

"Not exactly." Kakashi's grey eye narrowed

"Really?! Wow! I could totally fall for a guy like that! He's so polite and soft-spoken! I thought for sure he'd already be taken."

"He is." After a moment Kakashi added, "And he's NOT soft-spoken."

"But I thought you said he didn't have a girl…"

"He's mine." Kakashi growled

"Oh! Gosh… I'm sorry!" The girl blushed, but didn't leave. Instead, Kakashi noted as she began fiddling with random objects on the table, she seemed to finding excuses to stay.

Kakashi's eye narrowed suspiciously.

"Can… Can I ask you a personal question?"

Kakashi raised his visible eyebrow,

"Ah, you know what, never mind." She smiled brightly and fled the room.

Kakashi shook his head, slouching in his chair. What the hell was that about?

Kakashi liked watching Iruka sleep, but it'd been hours and hospitals made him uncomfortable. He summoned Pakkun to help ease his boredom a little.

"Yes boss?" Pakkun asked, scratching an ear

"What do you sense about this place?"

"It's too quiet for my taste. Everyone's… subdued. But it's like that every time we come here? It doesn't feel any different from normal."

Kakashi nodded and finally relaxed.

With the healer nin's coming in twice a day to help re-knit the bones and speed along the chunins recovery, Iruka would be fit for the journey home in only 4 days. Kakashi sighed in relief when that day finally came.

Iruka pulled on his tattered gear and the two nin checked out. Kakashi led the way through the eerily silent village and stepped out onto the water, Iruka quickly following suit. "Are you ready?" he asked, his whisper almost like a shout in the silence, Iruka nodded and the two nin set off.

Right! So.... this chapter was an eternity in coming.... sorry guys. I got some HILARIOUS reviews though!
Some of you people are damn impatient.
Okay, maybe that was MY fault- it was like... half a year or something- but still, I'm sure Kashi and Ruka would be THRILLED to know they've got such a hyper-aggressive fan-base.

Who called me lazy and demanded updates!!! Ahahahaha - SOOO funny!

You guys are great, sorry I took so long, I'm pretty absorbed in a Heero/Duo Gundam Wing story right now, AND I'm in school, so I won't promise any super fast updates, but I swear I'll do better than dropping off the face of the planet again!

xoxo

-Chi