Other side

Chapter 10

The ANBU looked back at the two men following them and simultaneously sighed. Had they known that this particular errand was going to be so troublesome they would have told Tsunade to stick it where the sun doesn't shine. Admittedly, that was the epitome of a pretty stupid idea, but quite frankly being laid out flat by the Hokage was currently a much more preferable situation. The killing intent being thrown off by the two nin following them would be enough to make even the stone faced Ibiki weep. The ferret faced ANBU turned to his partner in the rooster mask and although he couldn't see his face he knew the other man was nervous, his body language screamed it in fact.

"So what does Tsunade-sama want with us?" The copy-nin's voice was cold and steely.

"I am... Not sure Hatake-san." Ferret replied, trying hard to not give away his unease.

Kakashi frowned at this and turned to Iruka, the brunette was looking ahead with an intensity that made the silver haired man shudder. The chunnin was in full on mission mode, all business, with an emotional blankness that was worrying the jounin greatly. Kakashi knew the man running beside him was a time-bomb just waiting to go off, he had seen the signs many times before. It was just a case of when and what would be the trigger.

"So why are there two of you? Surely one ANBU would be more than enough to escort us."

Rooster coughed, in an obvious gesture of guilt. "We were sent out separately Hatake-san, it was just coincidence that we converged at the same time."

Coincidence my ass Kakashi thought bitterly. He should have known Tsunade wouldn't leave well enough alone, should have known that she'd have ANBU tailing him to make sure he didn't talk to Iruka. What was she so afraid of? Maybe he should have just told the blond that he'd seen everything that had happened over the last few weeks, it probably would have saved him a lot of trouble. But with the way gossip spread through the village it would have just landed him in more trouble, especially if it came to the attention of the terror and interrogations unit. If the TI personnel found out about his little 'adventure' he'd be hauled in for a 'briefing' faster than he could blink.

Kakashi repressed a shudder at the thought, no one willingly wanted to become a guest of the TI department. Especially if they thought you were hiding something and weren't willing to share and the jounin was convinced that they'd want him to share what he'd learned over the two weeks of wandering. Because 'who knew what important top secret information he'd been privy too? What secrets and truths and half truths he'd managed to observe whilst he'd been separated from his body and most importantly of all: was he about to run off and sell it to the highest bidder, betray Konoha and her people?

Oh yes, they certainly want that particular piece of information.

And if they weren't happy with the information that he did give them, and his explanation then one of two things would happen. One: If they still believed him to be disloyal to Konoha they would have him executed. Admittedly not an appealing option but Kakashi was not afraid of death, he had walked side by side with it for far too long for it for it to hold any sway over him.

The second option however did bring a chill to his heart.

If they were not satisfied that he was being truthful his memories from the two weeks he had been unconscious would be erased. The idea of losing everything from those two weeks, everything he had learned about Iruka brought a physical ache that started in his chest and expanded outwards.

No, it certainly was a wise idea to keep his little adventure to himself and gradually use the knowledge to help the emotionally damaged sensei.

That was of course if Iruka didn't balls up that plan in the mean time.