The past...

"I don't know what he'll do if he catches you here." Anko's breath was a fevered whisper, barely passing her lips. The young man that lay beside her in the cool grass was breathing heavily as well though he was smiling broadly at her.

"He won't catch me. I'm not afraid of your sensei." He told her proudly. "And you shouldn't be either. A genin should never be afraid of their sensei."

"You're such a know it all." Anko snorted, sitting up and picking at the blades of grass that clung to her slender sweat covered calves. "I wish you'd stop that."

The young man laughed as he too sat up though he was kissing at her bare shoulders trying to pull her back down into the grass with him. "You know you love me."

"I do not!" Anko protested, though she was giggling. "Kakashi stop that. We can't do that again. He'll hear us for certain."

"Not if you keep your mouth shut." The sliver haired shinobi whispered, his lips grazing her throat.

"Me?" Anko said rather loudly. "Me?! You're the one moaning my name! How dare you..." Silence flooded the wooded area as Kakashi pressed his lips to hers.

"Maybe that is true. Perhaps we both need to exercise silence." He chuckled, his warm breath playing over her lips.

"You need to go." Anko whispered back, her heart physically aching at the thought. "It's almost dawn. He'll come looking for me."

"Come back with me." He pleaded, his voice even and soft. "The Hokage will forgive you. He'll find someone to finish your training. You'll be a leaf village ninja in no time. Please, Anko. You don't see what he's doing to you."

"Orochimaru isn't doing anything to me." Anko insisted, suddenly angry. She began to yank on her clothing, muttering all the while. "You're the one who is blind. My sensei is teaching me things that you will never learn! He's not blind to the things that you and the Hokage are. Nothing is good anymore, Kakashi!" She paused, hoping into her pants. "Everything is gray and every one is out for their own gain. When you realize that it will be too late for me to save you!"

"Anko, wait!" the silver haired young man jumped to his feet to follow her, doing his best to pull on his pants at the same time. "Wait! He's draining you! Don't you see it? Your chakra is weak. You're weak..."

That was enough. Anko stopped where she was and turned back, her slap resounding in the forest and echoing back to them. "I am not weak!" She shouted, no longer caring if she were heard. "I will never be weak! Get out of here, Kakashi! Don't come back!"

"Anko..." He didn't get the time to beg. He reached out for her but she was already gone, diving into the thickest trees and leaping across the branches. "Damn it."

0 The present...

Anko came striding through the trees, carrying TenTen along with her. The young woman was unconscious having been unable to handle herself against Anko's clone jutsu as well as her blue snake jutsu.

Gai nearly choked as she set the girl at his feet. "Anko one, power of youth zero." She said proudly, receiving a chuckle from Kakashi and a glare from the man she was speaking to.

"Let's see if your..." He paused looking from the silver haired man to the nearly widely grinning woman, knowing he was better off keeping his silence. "Let's see if you're so lucky against Neji and Rock Lee." He growled, covering his tracks well.

"They're just little boys." Anko announced. "What harm can they be? Rock Lee doesn't even have chakra. I'm not worried about him."

"You should be." Gai said proudly.

"You know I would swear you have a dark secret of your own. Could it be that I'm not the only one with a son about to become a ninja?" Anko asked him. She'd hit a nerve and she knew it but by the way his jaw twitched she'd guess that she was right. "We could make a side bet. Power of youth verses power of..."

"Enough. No bets." Kakashi said, wanting Anko to get back to the woods before the children began to come back looking for trouble. The dark haired woman nodded and returned to the trees already deciding she was going to take the other female out. If they stayed in they were likely to cause problems later. It was easier this way.

"She has good days..." Gai whispered, picking up TenTen and sighing. "Do you suppose she knows who the father is? I mean after what Orochimaru did to her...can we really be sure."

"Well...it's one of two men." Kakashi said thoughtfully, watching the dark shadows in the forest of death.