AN: Full version of chapter one is now posted so please skip ahead to next chapter. Didn't want to remove the teaser because of review linking. Thanks all. Ps sorry for the previously missing line breaks. Forgot always takes them out. It's been corrected now.

"Just do your best, do everything you can.
And don't you worry what the bitter hearts are gonna say."

~Jimmy Eat World- The Middle

Chapter 1

Kakashi sighed again as he waited for his team mates to catch up. He had promised Naruto he would be home in time for his genin test but what had started out a relatively simple A rank had quickly devolved into a spectacularly messy S rank.

He's going to kill me if I'm not home by the end of the day, Kakashi thought bleakly. Unless he was willing to leave his team behind he was going to have to resign himself to dealing with a very angry blonde. Granted I missed his last test because of a mission too, so that might have something to do with it. It was only an end of year examination but this is his genin test and if he wasn't forgiving then, I doubt he'll be now.

Kakashi's head snapped up and a kunai was already airborne when he recognized one of his ANBU.

"You know Snake, it's generally unhealthy to sneak up on people," Kakashi drawled as the ANBU caught his kunai easily and tossed it back to him.

"Awwww come on boss. Is that how you thank your relief force?" Snake teased.

"Relief force?" As Kakashi spoke three more ANBU appeared on the branches near her.

"Well it is the brat's test today and you were running late, so we've had teams on the lookout since."

"Great, so now all of ANBU thinks I'm incompetent…"

"Nah, you just have a tendency to be a bit late to things so we thought we'd assist you in overcoming that habit."

Kakashi's visible eye twitched and he growled a little, barely restraining himself from launching a few more kunai. Then he sighed. "Fine, but you better make sure they get back without any additional injuries or mental trauma. This last mission wasn't exactly a walk in the park."

"Sure thing boss."

With that Kakashi was back to darting through the trees, though a part of him kept up a running commentary on how disrespectful his subordinates were becoming.

Who am I kidding? In my seven year tenure Anko's never listened to a word I said that wasn't a direct order. Itachi was giving me parenting advice from day one and Hizashi was nearly old enough to be my father. Tenzou's the only one who actually listened.

AN: Left this chapter up from the teaser, fixed the redundancy.