Hearing noises from within the room, Tsukihime woke up to a blanket of darkness.  A bit startled, she abruptly sat up.  As her hair fell back from her face, sunlight bathed the room.  The sound had stopped.  She quickly surveyed the foreign room and discovered from where the sound had come.  Gemma was standing in front of his dresser, with some clothes draped over his arm and looking back at her, "Gomen ne, I didn't mean to wake you, I just took a shower and was getting my clothes."

Finally fully awake, Tsukihime realized that she was still at Gemma's house and that he was standing in front of her wearing nothing but a towel   Remembering the last time this had happened, she quickly jumped out of the bed and ran out of the room apologizing, "Oh sorry, I'll let you change, I should be getting home anyways."

Gemma stood there for a moment stunned.  Everything had just happened so quickly.  Hearing the front door slam, he realized what was going on.  He quickly threw on some pants and ran after Tsukihime, 'Where does she think she's going?'

Looking back at Gemma's house with relief, she was met with yet another surprise.  She turned her head to see with whom she had collided.  Kakashi looked back down at her not knowing what to make of the situation, 'Where in the world did she come from and why is she wearing such baggy clothes?'

Just then Gemma appeared shirtless on the porch, "Oi Blank, you can't leave without your clothes."  He had provided all the information Kakashi needed to form an opinion of the situation.  "Oh hey Kakashi," Gemma nonchalantly greeted his friend.  Remembering what he had heard Tsukihime talk to Gemma about the day before, the reserved ninja withdrew from her touch.  "Hey Gemma, ja ne, I gotta get going," he smiled coolly   The twice rejected female stood there completely ignored as he swiftly disappeared.

Gemma was quick to move out of the way as the violent woman stormed back into his house and flopped down on his couch in a rage.  Not exactly being able to calm her mood swings, Gemma escaped to bring in the laundry.  When he came back Tsukihime was much calmer and strangely silent.  "Your clothes are dry," he kept a safe distance while handing her the garments.

Grateful for all Gemma had done, Tsukihime took her clothes from him.  "Arigato gozaimashita," she bowed low to him.  "And I'm sorry if I ruined any plans you had for last night."  After she apologized she was once again out the door.

'Plans?'  Gemma was confused.  'She can't mean...'  Noticing that she had left, Gemma ran to the door yelled after her, "I told you, I don't have any women."

The few people on the street had heard his exclamation and looked at him curiously.  They had heard rumors about Gemma and his "hobbies", but now they were given even more to gossip about.  It seemed like everyone had heard him except for Tsukihime.  Knowing that anything he might say would only make the situation worse, Gemma could only smile and wave at the villagers.

Upon returning to her house, Tsukihime was met by an old friend, "Jadoku!"  he swept the adorable feline into her arms.  "And just where have you been?  I haven't seen you since we came back to Konoha."  The miniature animal purred in her arms, rubbing its tiny black head against her cheek.  "Off on your little mysterious adventures, I suppose."  The animal immediately jumped out of her arms.  He seemed to be insulted that she would call his adventures "little."  "Oi Ja-chan, did you bring me back anything?" Tsukihime asked in a sweet tone.  Jadoku looked at her and then turned around, sticking his tail haughtily in the air.  "Oi koneko-chan, gomen but I have no time to play with you," she quickly undressed and then put on her uniform.  Jadoku followed her to the door growling, partially because of what she had just called him and also because she was leaving, "Look, I have to talk to Tsunade-sama about something, so I really can't stay, but you can come if you want."  Immediately he stopped growling and looked up at her with pleading eyes.  "However, there will be many other people around," Tsukihime pointed out.  Hearing this last part, the small animal turned around and went to pout in a corner; if there was anything he did not like, it was other people.

Tsunade’s office was already brewing with business when Tsukihime arrived.  Because the Hokage had been recovering from her alcoholism the day before, she had much to catch up on.  After being told that the hokage could not see her right away, the persistent jounin decided to take a seat on the ground outside the office and wait.

"Oi Tsukihime," Gemma had come out of the office.  "What are you doing here?"

"Oh hi Gemma," she suddenly felt strangely shy around him; probably due to the recent happenings.  "I have to talk to Tsunade."

"Is it something I can help you with?"

"Unfortunately not."

"Well we're pretty busy today, so I can't guarantee you'll get to see her."

"Yeah I've noticed."

"Well I'd better get going before I become a victim of Tsunade-sama's rage.  There's some business Tsunade wants me to handle. Ja."

"Ja." she felt a little relieved that Gemma was gone.  She did not want to tell him what she needed to see Tsunade about.

A few hours later, Gemma returned to find Tsukihime lying on the ground, still waiting outside the office.  "Tsukihime, wake up," Gemma softly patted her cheek. She had fallen asleep from sheer boredom.

"Oh you're back?"

"Is what you need to talk to Tsunade-sama about really that important?" he questioned her reason for waiting so long.

"Yeah, she told me to do some research and I believe I have discovered what I was supposed to," she vaguely and disjunctly responded.

"Well I finished that business I had to do about an hour early, and it's almost lunch time, so do you want to have lunch together.  You look like you could use some company."

"Ok sure....oh wait I can't."

"Why not?"  Gemma was a little disappointed.  He had been looking forward to a break and did not want to spend it alone.  Tsukihime did not answer, but tried to avoid his sight.  "You don't have a lunch do you?"

"Well you see, I didn't think..." she began.

"Hey don't worry about it.  I have enough for the both of us."  The truth was Gemma had figured something like this would happen.

"No Gemma, I have imposed on you enough."

"How many times have I told you that you don't know what's good for you?  Now wait here, I'll be back in a moment."  Gemma ordered.

"Hai Ojii-chan,"

Hearing those last words, a sweat drop appeared on Gemma's head as he entered Tsunade's office to retrieve his lunch,’ Why must she call me that?'

As many more days went by, Tsukihime became much closer to Gemma as Kakashi continued to deny her existence.  Gemma always brought enough food to share with Tsukihime and had recently even started making two portions of everything, so she could have a lunch just for her.  One day, Gemma was taking their lunches to their usual eating place, when he was bombarded by other male shinobi.  "Oi Gemma, which one of your girlfriends made that for you?"

"I don't have any girlfriends," Gemma must have told them this a million times and was a little annoyed.

"Geez you idiot, can't you see that he's carrying two portions?  A girl wouldn't make him two lunches, would she?" another shinobi pointed out.

"Maybe he's has two girls and one made him a lunch for him and the other?" some random guy proposed.

"You idiot, why would any girl do that?!" a fight was beginning to break out over the status of Gemma's lunch.

"Enough already!  I made it and extra is for Tsukihime."  Gemma did not think anything of what he had said.  However, just then a strange atmosphere passed over them as Kakashi was passing by.

"Hey I thought Tsukihime belonged to Kakashi?" one guy had obviously not been aware of Kakashi's presence.

"You idiot!" his friend slapped the back of his head.

"You know what, I'll see you later guys.  I have to get going." Gemma started to leave.

"Tsukihime-chan is waiting, nee?" the fool had obviously not understood why his friend had hit him and soon found himself being pummeled.

Having had enough of them, Gemma was quick to leave and meet Tsukihime.

Kakashi had heard everything they were saying, but continued walking seemingly unaffected.  He arrived on time, for once, to meet Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura.  After only a couple hours of training, the three genins were desperate for a break.  Naruto was digging in the ground in search of water, while Sakura and Sasuke caught their breath under the shade of a tree.  After about only a minute of rest, Kakashi announced with a smile on his face, "Ok that's enough.  Let's get started again."  This continued throughout the day and the sun's wrath was harsh upon them.  Only when the moon had risen and the sun had been stripped of its power, were the children released from their overseer.

Kakashi returned to his house, and after taking a shower, did not know what to do with himself.  He sat on the window sill in his bedroom and looked into the night sky, as he had always done when something was on his mind.  It seemed to him that he lost and gained relationships as often as a new star was formed in the sky and another disappeared.  Remembering his fallen companions, he picked up the picture of his childhood team.  "What do you think?  I must be doing the best thing, right?" he looked at his old sensei.  After not getting the answer he had asked for, he put the picture back in it's place and grumbled, "I mean at least she's finally happy."  He spent the rest of the night in deep thought on his windowsill and did not even notice when he had fallen sleep.