Well guys, this is the last chapter. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I've decided to put up the sequel! The first chapter should be up tomorrow.

Oh, here's just a spoiler: I'm far from running short of ideas, because the fourth one is like...half way done. So yeah.

Ai gazed out the window into the night sky. She frowned as the full moon rose higher in the sky, and owls began cooing around the surrounding forest.

"Is something the matter?"

Kakashi's voice took Ai by surprise. She gasped lightly, then spun around and smiled grimly. "No, nothing's wrong. It's just…" she dipped her head and studied her feet. "It's already been three days. And tomorrow the week will be half over…"

The feelings that built up in Kakashi couldn't be explained. "You mean…you don't want to leave…?" he suggested, trying to figure his student's sudden emotions out. Ai smiled a very small smile and gazed up into Kakashi's onyx eyes.

"It's not that I don't want to leave," she explained. "It's that…I like spending time with you." She turned back to the window, "And out here, it's like our own little adventure. You know what I mean?"

Ai continued to gaze out the window as Kakashi digested her words. He'd always known that she had taken a liking to him, but he never expected her to not want to leave his side.

"Ai…" he began. Before he could continue, Ai turned to face him.

"But please don't take this the wrong way, sensei," she said. "I…don't want to marry you, or anything drastic like that. I guess we have…as much as I hate to admit it…a Guy-Lee relationship."

Kakashi tried to take in her new words. A Guy-Lee relationship? Well, he obviously didn't want something like his relationship with Sasuke, which was less than friendly.

As he delve deeper into his thoughts, Ai gave him a smile and retreated to her bedroom. It was about 30 seconds later that Kakashi had realized that she had gone to her own bedroom. "Shoot," he muttered and walked to her bedroom, gently guiding her to his bed.

Nope. There wouldn't be anyone passing out tonight.

***

Ai awoke the next morning to someone rifling around with something. She opened her eyes and saw Kakashi crouched down on the wooden floor, packing his stuff up into his bag. Ai furrowed her brow, confused as to why he was packing.

"Uh…Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi paused and turned around, smiling slightly at Ai's confused expression. "Morning," he replied, and continued packing.

Ai slid out of bed and walked over to her teacher. "OK, I guess a better question would be exactly why you're packing your stuff when we're staying here three more days."

Kakashi sighed. He knew this news was going to upset her. "We…aren't staying three more days. We're leaving today." Ai gasped and edged backwards.

"I-it's because of what I said last night, right?" she demanded. "I didn't mean for you to take that the wrong way, I just…"

Kakashi shook his head and stood up, walking over to his student and placing his comforting hand on her shoulder. "We aren't leaving because of you," he informed. "Early this morning I got a messenger bird that said that I was needed back at Konoha. Apparently there's some sort of trouble."

Ai's lower lip quivered slightly. "So…we have to…"

"Yes," Kakashi finished for her. "Immediately."

The chunin's blue eyes became dull with disappointment and understanding. "I'll go pack my things," she said, and walked out of the bedroom and into her own.

***

After traveling from tree to tree for about an hour and a half, Kakashi determined that they were about 2/3 of the way to Konoha. The journey had been wordless, which made things very awkward for both Kakashi and Ai.

In an attempt to strike up a conversation, Kakashi began speaking. "Um, you remembered your inhaler, right?" he asked. Ai half-heartedly nodded and pulled the white L-shaped container out of her weapon's roster. Kakashi sighed with relief, realizing that now would be a lousy time to ask if she remembered everything, considering they were almost back to Konoha.

"Hey…Ai, please don't be disappointed," Kakashi said to his student. "We're about 20 minutes away from Konoha. Once we're there, it's not like we can't ever have outside contact again. We'll still train together…like always."

This put a slight smile on Ai's face. "Yeah, sure," she replied, but Kakashi could detect an excited voice amidst the depressed act.

***

Kakashi and Ai arrived at the red Konoha gate soon enough. Kakashi was about to walk in when he heard Ai's voice. "Hey, wait sensei!" she called. He curiously paused as his student ran up to him and smiled. "Be careful on your mission, OK?" she grinned, and gave him a big hug. Then , once done, she waved 'bye' over her shoulder and ran off towards her house.

Kakashi glared off with a bewildered expression in her direction, blushing. Oh, yes. She was still the same Ai Raiokachi he had always known.

End…for now.