They had run for somewhere around ten minutes. The forest suddenly opened up, forming a clearing around the shore of a small river. TenTen landed in the center, staring up into the sky. Drake's momentum carried him to the edge of the water.

"TenTen?" Drake asked, turning back to her. "I think... Gah!" She tackled him into the water. It wasn't deep, but it was cold, and he ended up half-submerged. He looked up into her eyes and she smiled, wrapping her arms around the back of his head. The kiss was gentle, and he wrapped his arms around her back, letting the moment linger.

"Stop thinking." she ordered softly, easing her way back to let him sit up.

"You know me." he said sadly, bringing himself into a crouch. "If it were that easy, I'd just st..." She tackled him again, pulling him into another kiss. This time her momentum sent them out deeper, and the weight of his gear sent them to the bottom. The kiss didn't stop this time, TenTen brushing his lips with her tongue until he opened them and allowed her in. Her tongue darted into his mouth and teased him until he fought back, rolling her onto her back and returning the kiss with more passion. She shivered with pleasure at the intensity. He was kissing her like he hadn't seen her in years, and it was a good feeling. She returned the kiss with equal fervor. Underwater, the kiss couldn't last as long as they'd like, and they broke to kick up to the surface.

"On the other hand..." he muttered, catching his breath and treading water. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, and they each made a point to take a very deep breath before their weight set them sinking again. This time the kiss lasted, and Drake's hands moved of their own accord, mapping the arch of her back, the curve of her hips, the firmness of her thighs. TenTen moaned involuntarily, sending bubbles streaming to the surface. Drake's feet touched the bottom and he kicked, sending them both back to the surface. They each gasped for air before he finished his thought. "...you present a very compelling argument." She smiled happily, resting her head on his shoulder as he tread water for the both of them. His arms returned to her back, wrapping around her and holding her close.

"Relax." she whispered, lifting her head from his shoulder. He felt her hands form a seal behind his head, and she ran her fingers through his soaked hair, the fingertips of her other hand gently ghosting over his neck and shoulders. Every touch sent little sparks of electricity through him, a tingling sensation shooting down his spine and setting his nerves alight.

"How are you doing that?" he shivered, his eyes closing as the feeling intensified.

"I can turn my chakra into electricity." she purred into his ear, running both hands through his hair. "I can use that to stimulate your nerves, and make them as sensitive as I want."

He gasped again as her hands found the sensitive spots on the sides of his neck. She pulled him down into another kiss, her hands trailing lazy circles across his neck and shoulders. The kiss broke and she gently scraped her nails down the back of his neck, making him shiver as the sensations were amplified. Her hands trailed lower, sending tingles of sensation through his shoulders, and then his back. She hit his coat, and the steel rings sent the electricity dancing across his back and shoulders, but her hands kept going. They disappeared below the surface of the water and slipped inside the coat. Drake groaned when her hands slid under his shirt and ghosted across his abs. The amplified sensations were definitely less innocent in nature now. He buried his head in her shoulder, his breath warm even through her soaked kimono-top.

"Wait..." he blinked. "Does this mean you've been training your chakra control just for the next time we started making out?" She narrowed her eyes, and her nails suddenly scraped down his abs, the sudden jolt causing him to bite down involuntarily. TenTen gasped as his teeth closed on the join of her shoulder and neck. For the first time, she was glad she still had a shirt on. That definitely would have hurt otherwise.

"Wow..." she mused. "That got a reaction." She scraped her nails across his abdomen again, trailing down to his belt and stopping. Drake groaned into her shoulder as the thunderstorm of sensation danced through his midsection and pooled slightly lower. He caught her hands and pulled them away, his head resting on her shoulder.

"Whoa." he muttered dizzily. TenTen felt the chakra around her fingers dissipate and felt the familiar coolness of his power envelop the two of them, followed by the chill of the river.

"You're no fun." she pouted.

"I'm not complaining." he muttered, his breath ragged. "But much more of that and this night will be over very quickly."

"So what do you suggest?" she asked.

"I think this river is bone-chillingly cold." he muttered. "I suggest we find somewhere warmer. You?"

"I agree." she nodded, releasing her grip on him and swimming toward the shore. "Let's get a fire going. You can keep me warm while our clothes dry."

"Wait..." he paused, an eyebrow arched. "Don't you have like ten sets of fresh clothes for each of us in your scro...?" she cut him off with another kiss.

"What did I say about thinking?"

"Yes ma'am." he smiled, the first full smile she'd seen from him since they'd left Suna.

Three minutes later, their clothes strewn about the clearing, TenTen tackled him again.

"I can't believe you actually keep firewood in your scroll." He chuckled, kissing her forehead. "My lazy girlfriend."

"Not lazy." she pouted, lighting the kindling with a small arc of electricity. "Prepared."

"Lazy." he repeated with a smile. The fire began to grow. TenTen unfurled a small scroll beside him and touched her hand to it. There was another puff of smoke and a bedroll appeared underneath them, a blanket floating down lightly to settle on their forms. "...wow." he muttered.

"Prepared." she repeated with a smug smile.

"Okay." he admitted. "Prepared."

She spotted a dark blotch on his chest, just above his heart, and squinted, the firelight making it difficult to discern. The outline was too dark for a scar, and she realized what it was. "When did you get a tattoo?"

"The last day I was in Suna." he said quietly. "While you guys were out at breakfast."

"What does it say?" she squinted, trying to make the symbol out. He raised one shoulder, bringing his chest clearly into the firelight. She stiffened for a moment, and then smiled. "It's true..."

"What do you mean?" he asked quietly.

"This is home." She kissed the tattoo gently before resting her cheek against it, his heartbeat loud in her ear. "Right here." He wrapped his arms around her and held the moment. "Now..." she began, her voice less tender and more suggestive. She slid up his body, and he was reminded for the first time that neither of them were wearing anything. "Where were we?"

"Somewhere around here." he smiled, pulling her down into a gentle kiss. The gentle tone didn't last long. Soon, the pent-up urges both of them had been suppressing were brought to the forefront. TenTen broke the kiss, and her mouth found its way to the side of his neck, nibbling and sucking gently. Drake's hands wandered down her sides, continuing to map all the curves he'd almost forgotten.

"You never did tell me where you learned that trick with your fingers." she whispered huskily into his ear. Drake tensed up, his hands stopping. "What?"

"You really want to hear this?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I asked, didn't I?"

"My first girlfriend taught it to me." he said simply. "It just isn't a story I'm fond of telling. Not a happy ending."

"What happened?"

"It was back when I was doing mercenary work. I was fighting for a rebel army on the far side of Sharn, and she was one of the rebels. We hit it off right off the bat, and whenever I wasn't fighting, we were together. We ended up hooking up about six months later."

"You don't really add much flair to your stories." TenTen observed dryly. "So what went wrong?"

"Remember the story for this one?" Drake asked, drawing a finger across the horizontal scar that ran along his collarbones.

TenTen furrowed her brow in concentration, staring at the scar. "Bounty hunter? You woke up just in time?" He nodded. "Did the hunter get her first or something?"

"She was the bounty hunter." he said emotionlessly. "Turns out, the entire relationship was just a ruse so she could get close enough that I'd drop my guard. As soon as she thought I was asleep, she tried to slit my throat."

"What happened to her?" TenTen asked.

"She ran away." he muttered. "She thought I was going to kill her. Truth be told, I was too shocked to be angry."

"Did you love her?" The weapon-mistress asked, turning her head to examine his face.

"She was pretty, and she seemed genuinely interested in me." he paused. "In hindsight I can understand why. I learned from it, at any rate."

"You're amazing." TenTen muttered, kissing him lightly.

"Why?" he asked confused.

"The fact that you can make a situation like that actually sound normal." she chuckled, kissing him again. "Why do you get so tense when I bring it up?"

"Back then..." his voice trailed off. "I just don't like remembering the person I was."

"The person you were doesn't matter to me." she said simply, looking into his eyes. "I love who you are."

He looked away, feeling all the negativity fleeing as quickly as it had come. "How the hell do you always know the right thing to say?"

"Ancient family secret." she smiled. "I'll get the bitch's name for my Book of Grudges later. But now, if you don't mind, you have a very horny girlfriend on top of you, and she demands satisfaction."

"Yes ma'am." he chuckled with another smile.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Four hours later, Ino was beginning to appreciate Drake's taste in music. When the others had left, she'd gone back to check on the medical tent. With the unit medic and all the injured sleeping peacefully, she'd gone to check on Chen and Daeric. The two of them were asleep now too, the exploits of the past day finally catching up to them. Then she'd returned to her fire.

Since then she'd been mentally mapping out all the music on Drake's headphones. He had it organized by mood, starting with the angriest songs and slowly working to the calmest. The big man's soul-song was the last song on the list, and she thumbed the device to find it.

The song started, and she closed her eyes, letting the music soothe her mind. She tried to understand the lyrics. They weren't in any language she recognized. She made a mental note to ask Drake about them when he and TenTen got back. The thought of them together sent a twinge of jealousy into her mind like a splinter. She opened her eyes, staring up at the stars.

They were the same, and it brought to mind something he'd said when they'd been sailing. He said the stars always made him feel better. They made him feel small.

"No matter what I accomplish... Compared to the stars, I'm tiny." He'd said. "I'm completely insignificant, but because of that, no matter how big they seem, my problems are all just as insignificant. The trick is to see your problems on that scale, but not yourself."

It had made no sense to her, but she tried thinking about the scale of her problems in relation to the sky. It was true. To the stars, the fact that TenTen had gotten him first didn't matter at all. The sky wouldn't change, no matter what she accomplished. The thought was dark, but strangely comforting, relaxing her a little. Someone was coming. She tilted her head, turning off the music and listening to the footsteps. It was Sakura.

"Hey forehead," The blonde girl said without looking. "Where's your husband?"

"He's meditating." the pink-haired girl said simply, stretching out on the opposite side of the fire. "Doing his sage thing. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine." the blonde girl said a little too quickly. "Just thinking."

Sakura looked up at the cloudless sky. She'd known Ino since before their days at the Konoha Academy. The situation had been obvious to her from the beginning. Now that Ino had been alone with him for a while, it was getting painful for the blonde woman. "Have you checked on the medical tent?"

"A few hours ago." Ino nodded. "They're about due for another checkup."

"I'll go check." Sakura nodded, springing lightly to her feet and moving to do so.

The sound of footfalls broke her from her thoughts again, and Kakashi came into view. He was walking arm-in-arm with Catt, and the green-haired girl was swaying like she'd had a bit too much to drink. He walked her up to the fire and eased her down beside Ino. His eye darted around the clearing, looking for something. Ino spotted Pakkun waiting on one of the fringes. The little pug looked tired. Kakashi walked over to where he sat, and Catt mumbled something.

"What?" Ino asked, not making the word out.

"Seventeen." the green-haired girl mumbled.

"Seventeen what?" Ino asked, removing the headphones and sitting up.

"Seventeen visions." Catt said tiredly, slumping onto her back.

Ino chuckled to herself. Evidently Kakashi still had some tricks up his sleeve, even in this department. "So did you find what Drake wanted?"

"And then some..." the green-haired girl nodded, pushing herself back into a sitting position. "I'm still getting random flashes, but Young Tachi is about a week to the northwest. Just a day for you and your friends. He's set up a forge on the border of Sharn proper, in a secluded area of the mountains."

"Before..." Ino muttered, blushing slightly. "You said you were glad that Drake found the two of us. What'd you mean?"

"I won't lie to you, little Ino." Catt said simply. "If you're hoping for a future between yourself and young Drake, you're probably setting yourself up for disappointment." Ino let out a sigh, her eyes falling to the ground. Catt moved next to her and brought her into a reassuring hug. "I'm sorry."

Ino's shoulders slumped defeatedly, her eyes glued to the ground near her feet. "So what did you mean?"

"There will be times..." the green-haired druid said softly, releasing her grip and sitting beside the blonde girl. "Times when little Drake will need you more than he needs her. There will be times when she cannot help him, like when you saved him from your team, or when you and he were sailing. In those times, you will find your happiness, brief though it may be."

"How do you know about that?" Ino raised an eyebrow. "That was thousands of miles away."

"We all have millions of futures, but only one past." Catt said cryptically. "And it's easier when you think about it as often as you do. I can pick up on the surface thoughts of the people around me." Ino sighed, fighting back the tears she could feel coming. Catt's eyes flashed from within. "Who is the boy with the swirls on his cheeks?"

"Choji." Ino smiled. "We dated for a while. He's a total sweetheart. I tried, I really did, but the fire just wasn't there."

"And now you're thinking about the boy with his eyes on the sky."

"Shikamaru." she said simply. "Same thing, distinctly less of a sweetheart, and the lack of fire was from his side."

"He had eyes for the girl from the desert." Catt finished.

"Hearing someone else finish my thoughts is weird." Ino admitted. "Oddly liberating, but weird."

"Anyone with less experience reading minds would have gotten defensive by now." Catt reasoned. "It is nice not feeling sudden anger for once. Now you're thinking about the pale artist."

"Sai." she nodded. "That relationship was all fire."

"But no emotion." Catt surmised. "It was just physical."

"On both sides." Ino nodded. "It seems like I can never find someone I feel both for. It's always either just physical or just emotional. Now I feel both, but he's taken."

"You act like he doesn't feel anything for you." Catt smiled. "Do you have any idea how much you were tempting him on the ship? You almost broke a man who had the willpower to lop off his own bloody arm when you weren't trying. Don't belittle that, and don't try to act like it doesn't cheer you up."

"It does." Ino admitted. Suddenly Catt's eyes lost focus and widened in shock. "What's...?"

"Another vision is coming." the green haired girl cut her off, her eyes shifting to the green of her hair. Ino watched as the eyes closed, light pulsing from behind the lids. Suddenly Catt's brow furrowed, alarm becoming evident on her features as the glow intensified. "Oh no..." Her eyes shot open, the green glow fading as she locked eyes with Ino. There was an edge of panic in her voice when she spoke again. "Which direction did Drake and TenTen go?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Don't tell me you keep a shower in that thing too..." Drake deadpanned as TenTen unfurled her utility scroll on a nearby tree branch.

"Not exactly." she smirked. "I'm improvising." He watched as she found a certain seal, and in a puff of smoke a small blue scroll appeared, the symbol for water scrawled on the side. She walked back over to him and unfurled the scroll above her head. It just hovered in the air, and TenTen made a hand-seal. The Kanji in the center of the scroll began to glow, and then fifty gallons of warm water were released in a rush. The sudden weight slammed her to the ground next to him, completely drenched. Drake, equally drenched, started laughing.

"Way to improvise." he chuckled, propping himself up on his elbows in the soaked grass.

"Shut up." she coughed, glaring at him. "It worked, didn't it?"

"It did." he conceded. "Got any towels in that thing?"

She raised an eyebrow, feigning insult, and walked back over to her scroll. Two puffs of smoke later she returned with a towel wrapped around her body, tossing another to him and summoning them each a fresh set of clothes.

He caught it and dried himself off. TenTen tossed him a fresh pair of pants, which he donned quickly. His boots came next, and his eyes swept around the clearing as he laced them up. His gaze found TenTen and lingered of its own accord. He watched with undisguised disappointment as she got dressed.

"Enjoying the view?" she asked when she caught his stare.

"Yes." he admitted. "Where did you throw my shirt?" He finished lacing his other boot and stood, scanning the clearing for his shirt. The scene was completely silent. A sense of wrongness was all the warning he had.

He turned back to TenTen and time slowed to a crawl. Drake saw everything in perfect focus. TenTen was fastening the buttons on her top. She was beautiful, despite the exhaustion etched across her features. His eyes flitted over her shoulder to the moonlight glinting from the tips of the crossbow bolts, and to the the malice in the eyes of the men holding them as they rose some fifty feet behind her. TenTen's face seemed to blur for a moment, and he found himself staring into Shanks' green eyes, the familiar face of the man who'd killed her resolving over that of the lead crossbowman.

His body was moving. He wrapped his arms around her and spun, putting himself between her and the attackers as he heard the thumping of the crossbows being fired. A moment passed, then another, and the entire forest went silent again. He loosened his grip and looked TenTen over.

She was safe.

"Heh..." he chuckled, tasting blood. "...Made it." He attempted to let out the breath he had been holding. It didn't work. TenTen was staring at his chest, a look of horror in her eyes. His gaze followed hers, to the bloody tips of the five crossbow bolts. His vision blurred as the pain hit, lances of fire burning their way through his chest. His knees buckled. TenTen caught him, careful not to disturb the bolts.

"We got him boys!" a voice said loudly, cackling in the darkness. "If we hurry him back we can get those fifty thousand crowns! Kill the girl!"

The bushes around the clearing shook, and Drake and TenTen realized that they were completely surrounded. There were men armed with swords and other various weapons forming a loose circle around them. The six with the crossbows had shuffled out to join the line. They recognized four of the men from the mercenary unit, but the rest were unfamiliar.

*Thirty two men.* Drake and TenTen realized in unison. Drake reached a hand toward where he'd left Snaga, at the tree with TenTen's scroll. Nothing happened, and he was seized by a coughing fit, dropping to a knee and gasping for air.

"Why did you do this to him?" TenTen asked aloud. "What has he done to any of you?"

"He's worth a fuckload of money." one of the men she recognized chuckled cruelly. "What other reason do we need?"

She saw red. Rage blotted out her thoughts. Her swords were in her hands, and she was suddenly among the men. There was no clash of steel-on-steel, no sounds of fighting at all. A few seconds passed in a blur, and then all but four of the men were on the ground. Some were already dead, most were still dying. The four that were still unharmed dropped their weapons and ran as fast as their legs could carry them. They sprinted past the wounded Drake like he no longer existed, and the big man's hands shot out.

He caught two of them around their throats and slammed them into the ground. The force of the the impact left craters under the men and snapped the first's neck. He died quickly. The other writhed for a while as he attempted to draw in a breath through his smashed windpipe. Drake turned to follow the other two. His legs failed him again, and he ended up on his hands and knees instead. He managed to draw one of Shanks' knives, and it took one of the runners in the neck, dropping him without a sound. He drew the other knife, but fell into another coughing fit before he could throw it. TenTen appeared beside him, helping him into a standing position.

"Don't let him get away." he coughed, reaching out to support himself against a tree. "He knows who I am." She nodded and sprinted off. He slammed a fist into the tree, feeling his body start to go numb as the wood splintered. *Fuck!* he cursed inwardly. *I should have heard them coming.*

TenTen returned a few moments later and he swayed on his feet. She moved to his coat, rummaging through it until she came away with his case of blood pills. Drake was leaning one of his shoulders against a tree. His face was pale, and there was blood on his lips. He wasn't moving. He started to fall and she stepped in, looping one of his arms over her shoulders and easing him to his knees. "Stay with me!"

"I'm still here." he wheezed, wiping the blood from his mouth. She got a good look at the arrowheads, there were five, three in his abdomen, one just below his heart, and another just below his left collarbone.

"I'll go and get help." she said quickly, turning to leave.

"No!" his hand shot out, catching her own. He sounded scared, the tone catching TenTen off-guard. She stepped back and knelt beside him. He stared at the ground, embarrassed by his outburst. "I don't want the back of your head to be the last thing I see."

"Okay." she nodded. "So what do we do?"

"Normally... leave the bolts in until we found a medic to get them out safely." he rasped.

"But?" she asked.

"But I can barely breathe." he wheezed. "And if I can't breathe... I can't move. I have blood pills... How many are... in my back?"

She checked before speaking reluctantly. "Six."

"Fuck." he muttered breathlessly. "How deep is the sixth? And where?"

"Deep. Maybe a few inches behind the others." she said, her voice shaking. "It's just above your left kidney."

"They're barbed." he said simply. She nodded and he felt her hand close around the arrow. He drew one of Shank's knives, setting the handle between his teeth and biting down tightly before nodding to her. Her arm tensed.

White-hot pain speared through him as the arrowhead pierced the skin of his abdomen. He snarled around the handle in his mouth, his teeth making indentations in the leather. Eventually the pain ebbed somewhat, and he relaxed as much as he could. TenTen found his shirt on the ground, tearing it in half. She handed half of it to him and folded the other into a makeshift pad. He did likewise.

"We need bindings." she reasoned. She moved to gather what remained of the bindings she'd been wearing before. There weren't enough. She summoned another roll from her utility scroll.

"Well," he chuckled, the motion sending him coughing again. "At least my tattoo is still there." She feigned a smile. "Snap off the fletchings." He replaced the knife, gritting his teeth as she snapped the first arrow a few inches from where it disappeared into his back. The leverage sent fresh fire into his chest.

The pain moved to the other side of his chest and then lower into his abdomen as TenTen continued snapping off the ends of the arrows. A few agonizing moments later, the pain faded. He replaced the grip of the knife between his teeth in preparation for what came next.

He set the folded shirt on his shoulder and tried to think of something that made him angry. He pictured Danzou, standing there and smiling, all smug and condescending. He remembered being told that the council owned him. He remembered Danzou trying to have him disciplined for saving Toji. A dozen faces sprung to his mind, calling him a monster, telling him he wasn't human. He pictured Hiashi, and remembered Kota Hyuuga's death. He remembered TenTen being thrown in jail. He remembered being told he couldn't go home. All of these things played through his mind, and TenTen heard his breath speed up. His muscles tensed. His hands balled into fists as they moved to grasp the arrowheads. She could practically feel the anger rolling off of him. Before she could ask, his hands moved, wrenching the arrows free one by one.

Getting angry had helped, but it was like fighting an inferno with a bucket. The pain felt like a fiery brand plunging into Drake's stomach and twisting. He cried out, Shanks' knife falling to join the broken arrows on the ground. TenTen pressed the folded cloth to the wounds on his back. He pulled the cloth from his shoulder and did likewise on his front. She realized what he had done. He'd worked himself into a rage to help with the pain, and the ease of the action told her it was a trick he'd used before. She began wrapping the bindings around his chest and abdomen, pulling them as tight as she could. A few moments later, the improvised bandages were secure. He collapsed backwards into her arms, unmoving.

"Drake!?" she shook him, terror in her voice. "Say something!" Drake's eyes shot open, and he drew in a shuddering breath, his chest heaving.

"Ow..." he groaned. She helped him to his feet, looping his arm over her shoulders to help keep him standing.

"How bad is it?" she asked, eying the blood soaking through the makeshift bandages.

"Ask me again tomorrow." he replied, spitting a mouthful of blood out. He slid the toe of his boot under Shanks' knife and kicked it into the air, catching it and replacing it in its sheath more out of reflex than will. "I can breathe, though."

TenTen started to walk, supporting him as he forced his legs to move. He staggered and almost fell, but she held on. They moved in silence for a few minutes, backtracking toward the camp. The only sounds disturbing the night were their footfalls and Drake's labored breathing. She squeezed his hand periodically, making sure he wasn't going numb. Eventually she broke the silence.

"Why did you jump in the way?" she asked, not sure when the tears had started rolling down her cheeks. "Why do you always jump in the way?" He was silent. "You could have just knocked me down. Why did you have to get hurt?"

"I wasn't fast enough..." he muttered deliriously.

"Obviously you were." she argued, confused. She turned to him and saw that his eyes were unfocused, staring off into the trees.

"Shanks..." he wheezed. TenTen's eyes went wide. "I wasn't fast enough... to save you, Shanks." a single tear rolled down his cheek. "I wasn't strong enough to save Tree either. Every time I shut my eyes... Every night... I'm never fast enough. I'm sorry." His eyes came back into focus. "Sorry. Drifted off... for a minute there. What was I saying?"

TenTen was silent, squeezing his arm and holding him as closely as she could without stopping. She suddenly understood why he had so many scars. This was why he chose to protect people when he could have evaded his attackers countless times. This was why he'd jumped in between her and the sound-nin the day they'd met. He'd been subconsciously trying to save Tree and Shanks every single time. He'd been trying to atone.

"TenTen?" he spoke, shaking her from her thoughts. She squeezed his hand, and he squeezed back before speaking. "Why were you crying back at the campfire?"

"Catt told us a story." she said sadly.

"Which one?"

"The one that convinced you to come across the sea." she said .

"Ah." he stared at the ground sadly. "That one. Little Nira. Not my finest moment."

"Didn't want to rub salt in any old wounds." TenTen muttered sadly.

"Old wounds aren't so bad when you have new ones. Heh..." he chuckled at the realization. "Story of my life."

A long silence formed. Again, the only sounds were their feet hitting the ground and the Drake's heavy breathing. About five minutes into the walk, he started to feel dizzy, and his body began going numb. TenTen read the change in his motions and squeezed his hand. No response. She fished another blood pill from his case, setting it between his teeth. Drake groaned in pain as the feeling returned to his injuries.

"Can you keep going?" she asked, slowing down slightly. He nodded, and picked the pace back up.

"The arm was worse than this." he said, nodding to the scars on his right arm.

"You must have the pain tolerance of a grizzly bear by now." she muttered. Drake laughed bitterly. "What's so funny?"

"Everybody thinks... that your body builds up a pain tolerance if you get hurt all the time." he muttered tiredly. "It's total bullshit."

"What?" TenTen was confused. "I've seen you shrug off things that'd kill me five times over. How can it be bullshit?"

"Getting hurt stimulates your pain receptors." he explained, wincing. "Pain works just like any other sense. The more often you exercise it, the keener it gets."

TenTen's eyes went wide, her mind temporarily refusing to recall the sheer number of scars that he carried before she spoke. "It hurts more?"

"Yeah." he nodded tiredly. "Anyone who tries to convince you otherwise just hasn't had enough to notice the difference."

She couldn't think of anything to say. Drake stumbled again, and she caught him. "You're talkative when you're hurt." she finally said, staring at their feet.

"Talking keeps me awake." he said tiredly.

"Did...?" Her voice trailed off, and she avoided eye contact. She involuntarily squeezed his hand, and he returned the gesture.

"What?" he asked, gritting his teeth and forcing his legs to keep moving.

"Nothing." she said simply. "It can wait."

"The holes in me would suggest otherwise." he deadpanned. "What is it?"

It took her a few seconds before she could bring herself to ask the question. It hurt. She wasn't even sure she wanted to hear his answer. When she finally did, her voice was barely a whisper. "Did you really come to Konoha to die?"

This time it was his eyes that fell, staring at the ground as his feet kept moving. After a few minutes he spoke. "Not Konoha specifically," he sighed. "But yes. That was the original plan."

"Was?" she asked sadly. "So you changed your mind?" He nodded tiredly. "What changed your mind?" He didn't respond, his eyes were drifting shut. TenTen shook him and his eyes snapped open. "Stay with me." she squeezed his hand again. He squeezed back weakly. "Keep talking."

"What were we talking about?" he asked groggily, shaking his head in an attempt to dispel the dizziness as he forced his feet to move again.

"What changed your mind?" she repeated.

"You did." he answered, his gaze briefly lifting to her own before darting back to the ground. Shock replaced the sadness on her face. "Causes worth dying for are a copper piece a dozen. You can find them anywhere." he lifted his eyes to her own. "You're the first I've found that feels like it's worth living for."

The answer was just about as far from what she'd expected as possible. She stopped and pulled him into a hug, tears flowing freely down her face. She held him as tightly as she could without disturbing the bandages. His arms wrapped around her and held the moment.

"Found them!" Naruto's voice called from ahead.

Drake didn't hear him. He felt warm, warm and safe. His eyes drifted shut, and his knees gave out. His arms were still wrapped around TenTen's shoulders when he lost consciousness.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"He won't fight again." Daeric said, shielding his eyes against the intense light. "He probably won't even wake up. I've seen men die from wounds half that bad. It's a miracle he's made it this long."

"You don't know him at all." Catt muttered, the glow surrounding her hands vanished. "I fixed the organ damage, but the rest will have to heal on its own."

"Why not just fix it all?" Ino asked, confused.

"Because then he wouldn't learn anything." Catt muttered irritably.

"Wow." the blond kunoichi muttered. "Harsh. I think we'd get along."

"Maybe." Catt shrugged. "I'm going to go see if Kakashi is busy." Ino chuckled and nodded as the green-haired girl walked out into the night.

"What does she mean I don't know him?" The young mercenary asked defensively, blinking his eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness. "I met him before any of you."

"This." Ino said simply. She leaned down until her face was a few inches above Drake's. "Wake up!" she yelled, her hand snaking out to slap him across the cheek. The sound echoed through the tent, and Daeric winced in sympathy.

"Ow!..." Drake snapped tiredly. His hand moved up to rub his reddening cheek as he blinked groggily. "Ino? ...the fuck did I do to deserve that?"

"You almost died." Ino said irritably. "...again!"

"Oh yeah," Drake muttered sheepishly. "...that." Daeric looked terrified, his eyes locked on Drake.

"What were you thinking?" Ino asked, her eyes blazing.

"I have more experience being hit by crossbows than TenTen." the big man muttered sarcastically as he tried to sit up. Pain flared in his torso, and he slumped back down. "I was worried she might not get the landing right." His face turned serious. "How is she?"

"A little shaken up." Ino answered, the anger fading from her face. "She's helping Kakashi root out anyone else who knows who you are among the unit." Drake winced, half in pain and half in sympathy for anyone TenTen actually found.

"It doesn't matter." he said dismissively. "We're leaving. We need to get to Tachi's place before word gets out that I'm back." He finally noticed Daeric staring at him. "What's wrong kid? You look like you just saw a ghost or something."

"How the hell are you alive?" the young mercenary asked, a smile of relief splitting his face when his shock finally faded.

"Assassins these days aren't even trying anymore." Drake muttered, keeping his sarcasm despite the pain lancing through his chest. "I would have thought that a bounty as big as mine would at least warrant poisoned bolts. Help me up."

"Should you really be getting up when you're hurt like this?" Daeric asked, his skepticism returning. Drake shot him a look that made him take an involuntary step back.

"For once I agree with the kid." Ino said simply. "You should probably rest."

"Stop calling me a kid!" Daeric protested. "And you're the one who slapped him awake anyway!"

"I was proving a point!" Ino glared at him.

"Help. Me. Up." Drake grumbled. The blonde woman and young mercenary didn't move. "Fine." he rolled onto his stomach and started to push himself up. Ino stepped in close, hands spinning through a series of seals, and leaned in to touch his forehead. His arms gave out from under him, and the bedroll felt even more comfortable than he'd ever thought possible.

"What did you do!?" he heard Daeric's voice cry out. Sleep seemed to reach up from beneath and pull him down into it. The best kind of sleep. Sleep without dreams.

Consciousness came back to him slowly. He was moving, that much was certain. He could feel the wind in his clothes and his hair, the strength of wind that only happened when he flew through the treetops.

*How the hell am I moving?* he wondered deliriously. *Druss?* No answer. "Druss?" he croaked.

"He's waking up!" Ino's voice called from beside his head. The sudden noise made him wince, and he felt them land and was eased down to the ground, his head resting in someone's lap.

"How long have we been running?" Drake asked the two blurs looming above him.

"Since dawn." TenTen's voice spoke from the left blur. "How do you feel?"

"Like I got kicked by a horse." he winced. A greenish glow appeared in front of him, and the pain in his ribs ebbed somewhat. "How far from Tachi's are we?"

"Two or three miles." she replied. He sat up, stretching his limbs and shaking his head to wake himself up. His eyes cleared, and he saw TenTen and Ino. "Can you run?"

"Yeah." he nodded. "Where's my gear?"

TenTen unfurled her scroll, and a large puff of smoke heralded the arrival of his equipment. He donned it swiftly, the uncomfortable lightness replaced with the familiar weight of his coat and weapons. Kakashi landed next to him, Naruto and Sakura on his heels.

"Let's go." the silver-haired Jounin ordered quietly.

The group started to move at a jog, the forest around them moving by at a pace that seemed slow to Drake. He realized with a start that they were slowed down for his sake and jumped into the trees, taking off as fast as he could. He relished the feel of the wind rushing through his hair and clothes, and pushed himself to go faster.

"Where are you going?" TenTen asked, appearing effortlessly alongside him as he sped through the branches.

"I don't like being babied." he said simply. "It's bad enough that you two carried me all the way here."

"I didn't mind." Ino spoke from his other side.

"Neither did I." TenTen agreed.

"That isn't the point." he argued stubbornly. He spotted the cabin ahead and kicked off a branch to soar high above the canopy. The single moment of weightlessness at the peak of the jump was cut short when his momentum carried him downward. He angled his landing and hit the ground about twenty feet in front of the house, kicking up a cloud of dust. He felt, rather than heard, his five companions land soundlessly behind him. "I recognize this place." he thought aloud. "This is where he used to live. Thought he would have moved by now. He was usually more cautious than that."

The cabin was fairly unassuming, built out of logs, and looking like it had sunk into the side of the mountain over the years. There was a set of talon-marks across the door, and Drake approached wearily.

"Doesn't look good." Ino thought aloud.

Drake drew Snaga and gestured with his free hand. The group spread out, each drawing weapons or making hand-seals. The tall man approached the door slowly, barely making a sound. He stepped inside, and TenTen saw his shoulders relax as he replaced Snaga in its harness.

"It's fine." he called simply. TenTen and Ino approached his side, returning their swords to their respective sheaths, Team Kakashi stepping in after them.

"Where is he?" Ino asked, eying the empty room. It was fairly spartan, with a fireplace, a simple couch, and a leather armchair which looked well-used.

Drake brought a finger to his lips for silence, then gestured to his ears. The group listened, there was a sound repeating from the far wall, too soft to distinguish. Drake walked over and began to examine the wall.

"Team Kakashi should probably stay outside." he muttered. "The old man isn't friendly at the best of times, and if he's hiding like this, these are not the best of times."

"Why are we even here then?" Naruto asked.

"You need clothes and weapons that don't scream Ninja." the tall man said simply feeling between two of the logs that made up the rear wall. "Tachi makes the best weapons."

"The best in Sharn, you mean." TenTen corrected him. "The weapon-makers in Konoha are..."

"Nowhere near Tachi's league." he said softly, still focused on the wall. "Just trust me." his fingers found purchase between two beams. There was a click, and a portion of the wall swung outward to reveal a stone tunnel, lined with torches. The sound became much clearer, and the five ninja recognized the sound of a hammer pounding metal.

"How did you know how to do that?" Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I remember everything but this wall." Drake explained with a shrug. "This room used to just open into the cave."

The hammering stopped, and there was a distant hiss.

"That's our cue." Kakashi spoke softly, gesturing to the door. Naruto and Sakura followed him out.

A silhouette appeared in the hallway, the recognizable shape of a hammer in each hand. Ino and TenTen each looked to Drake for any sign of something amiss. There was none. He looked completely calm.

"Who the hell's there?" a gravelly voice boomed. "What in the hell're you doing in my house?"

A dour looking face appeared, a few inches lower than TenTen's own. The face was old, with skin that resembled worn leather, and a thick, braided beard that hung past the man's belt. The man was nearly as wide as Drake at the shoulder, with huge bands of muscle bulging from his upper body and arms ending in massive fists. More than anything, his expression and build gave the impression of a small boulder, stubborn and immovable. The man's dark eyes flitted from Ino to TenTen, and then to Drake, where they widened.

"Drake?" the old man muttered, scrutinizing the tall man's face. "Is that you, boy?"

"More or less." Drake nodded with a smirk, stepping forward and taking the man's hand in the warrior's grip. "I see you're still too stubborn to die, Tachi."

"Likewise." the old man grumbled. He turned to TenTen and squinted. "Shanks?" TenTen's gaze dropped to the ground and Drake's smirk vanished. Tachi turned to regard Ino. "You finally grew. Who's the new girl? and why are you so quiet?"

"I'm not Shanks." TenTen said simply. "My name is TenTen. This is Ino. We're friends of his."

"You're something more than that, from the way two you look at him." Tachi muttered. The turned to Drake and held out his hands expectantly. "Weapons?"

Drake took Snaga off his back, handing it to the smaller man. Tachi stepped back and took a few practice swings, handling the axe like he'd held it all his life. At last he seemed satisfied, setting Snaga on the table next to the anvil.

"Next." he muttered. Drake retrieved Shanks' knives from his boots, hesitating a moment before handing them to the old blacksmith. Tachi stared at the blades for a moment, realization dawned in his eyes. His expression hardened and he began to spin the weapons in a few simple maneuvers. TenTen realized after a moment he was testing the balance on the blades. After a moment he held the knives close and examined the edges.

"Next?" Tachi muttered, sounding irritated.

Drake drew two of Tree's throwing blades and handed them to the bearded man. Tachi hefted the first briefly, then threw it. The blade stuck into one of the support struts some twenty feet away. He hefted the second blade and threw again. The blade thudded into place about a foot above the first. He repeated the process until all of Tree's knives were embedded at various angles in the wooden beam.

"What happened to them?" Tachi asked gruffly. "Tell me everything."

"You might want to sit down." Drake said simply. "This'll take a while."

An hour later, Tachi had a slightly abridged version of the last five years of Drake's life. The old man didn't react beyond asking the occasional question for clarification. He seemed to take all of the story in stride, the dour expression never leaving his features. After Drake finished, the old blacksmith stood and turned to Ino and TenTen.

"Can I speak with Drake alone for a moment?" he asked politely.

Ino raised an eyebrow, looking to Drake over Tachi's shoulder. Drake nodded. The two kunoichi stood and moved to the next room, closing the door behind them. Ino stopped the door a fraction of an inch before the latch closed, pushing the door open slightly and holding her ear to the crack to listen. TenTen did likewise.

Tachi was muttering angrily in a language neither of them understood. Drake replied, his tone soft, almost apologetic. Tachi's voice grew angrier, taking on an accusing tone. Drake's replies were short and quiet. TenTen had never heard him so reserved. Tachi continued to spout what sounded like accusations, and Drake just kept answering quietly. Tachi bellowed something in the strange language, punctuating the end of the tirade with a recognizable "YOU MORON!" There was the familiar sound of a punch impacting, and a body being hurled to the floor, scattering furniture. Ino opened the door.

"Stay out of this..." Drake's voice sounded from the floor across the room. The two kunoichi saw him roll to his feet, locking eyes with Tachi again.

"What was the first thing I ever taught you?" Tachi asked, stomping across the room to glare venomously into Drake's eyes.

"Self reliance." Drake said quietly.

"Self reliance!" Tachi bellowed, thundering a punch into the younger man's stomach. Drake doubled over, dropping to one knee. "You've got Shanks' daggers, Tree's throwing blades, Druss's axe..." he fumed. "None of it belongs to you! None of it is you! You're the most feared swordsman in Sharn and you don't even own a sword! Where is your self reliance!?"

Drake didn't say a word. Tachi's fist slammed into his face. TenTen saw him turn his head a fraction to take the hit on his cheek instead of his nose. The blow sent him back, but Tachi grabbed the collar of the big man's coat, holding him in place. He swung again, fist slamming into Drake's brow. Another thundered into his jaw, and another, the sound making TenTen and Ino cringe. Drake's eyes were emotionless.

"What is the first thing the swordsman has to learn to protect?" the old blacksmith asked coldly.

"His vitals." Drake muttered.

"His vitals!" Tachi slammed his fist into the bandages on Drake's chest. Blood began to soak through. "But here you are with armor everywhere except your vitals. Still waiting for that one lucky thrust that'll put you out of your misery? Waiting to die? Do you remember anything I taught you!?"

Drake didn't answer, and Tachi slammed another punch to his face before gesturing to the weapons on the table.

"You've dinged and chipped and re-sharpened the blades on those weapons so much that they aren't even balanced anymore!" Tachi said vehemently. "And why? Because you're afraid to give them up. You're hiding behind them. When you walked in here I thought you'd grown up, but you haven't. You're still just clinging to Tree and Shanks like a frightened child. You're still just a coward."

"Don't talk to him like that!" TenTen said angrily, stepping between them, Ino followed her. Their hands moved to rest on the hilts of their swords, blocking Tachi's onslaught.

"You will speak when spoken to!" Tachi hissed, bringing his hand around toward TenTen's face. The slap stopped inches short, and the weapon mistress opened her eyes to see Drake's hand clamped around the man's wrist. Tachi's massive arm flexed, but didn't move at all.

"I owe you more than I could ever repay." Drake said, his tone cold. "But the next time you take a swing at either of them, you pull back a fucking stump."

The room was silent for what seemed like an eternity.

"There's the fire." the old man said, a glimmer of approval on his face. "I thought it had gone out completely."

"Not completely." Drake said tiredly, releasing the blacksmith's hand. "It's just burning low."

Tachi turned to TenTen. "I'm sorry girl. I was just trying to get the boy to do something other than stare at his feet and take the beating. He used to be so quick to anger."

"He still is." Drake said coldly. "He just got sick of killing all the morons who made a point to piss him off."

Tachi glared at him, and Drake glared right back. When Tachi spoke again, his voice was less harsh.

"There was a time when I wouldn't have even landed the second hit before you lost your temper and attacked me." Tachi said simply, his eyes softening for a moment. "You have grown, boy. Now get your doomseeking ass out there and start splitting logs. Tomorrow you're starting a new sword."

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Feedback? Please? I'm averaging less than one review per chapter lately. I write to try and hone my skills, but cannot do so without any kind of feedback.

Regardless, have a good one!

-Casa