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Though her morning had started out quietly enough, Kagome soon came to regret even rolling out of bed for the day. After sending Itachi off with an extra stern lecture about his health and shooing Kakashi and his students away, an incensed sneer on her face when the Jonin waved goodbye, the medic made her way into work.

It was the last time she got an ounce of peace for her entire shift.

Numerous missions had been completed and the injured were trickling in faster than the staff at the hospital could shove the healed out. Kagome was behind by no less than four patients throughout the day, and it even seemed that the most inane of mistakes had been made in the field. She had to wonder if the Hokage was going to make all current field medics retake their damn exams.

"I need a break..." Kagome grumbled, swiping her bangs out of her face. She slipped a hand into her pocket and fingered the chakra pill there. She'd already taken two, and knew that if she decided to pop the third, she would probably be one of the next ones in a hospital bed. 'But I still have so much to do...' Glancing out of a window she passed by, she stopped and was vaguely surprised to see the sun already setting. When had she eaten last? If the Higurashi girl remembered correctly, it was that granola bar before noon...

Swallowing, the medic clutched the pill and pulled it from her pocket. She still had rounds to do. She couldn't stop just because she was feeling tired! Raising the pill, she opened her mouth to slip it between her teeth...

A hand stopped her, and a shadow fell from the window. Blinking rapidly, Kagome eventually was able to make out the shape of the number one most annoying Jonin to her.

"I was hoping you would be off work by now," Kakashi murmured, "Maybe we could get something to eat?"

Kagome jerked her arm out of his grip and leaned against the opposite wall, glaring at him. "Don't you use the door like everyone else?!"

"I suppose I could have," the silver-haired man shrugged, tilting his head a little as he assessed the exhausted girl in front of him. By the bloodshot look in her eyes and her pale complexion, he suspected she was running on nothing more than soldier pills and maybe water. "Have you actually eaten today?"

"I've been a little busy!" the medic snapped, her glower becoming twice as fierce as she watched the smooth way he vaulted from the window and landed in front of her. Hell, she'd probably accidentally toss herself out the window if she tried that right now! "Now, if you'll excuse me, I still have rounds to make!" With that, Kagome stuck her nose in the air and made to stomp past him.

It would have been a clean getaway too, if he hadn't snagged her elbow and made her trip back into him.

"I think... you need a break first, Medic Higurashi," the Jonin surmised in a firm no-nonsense voice, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to keep her from escaping. Instead of the struggle he was expecting, the Higurashi girl slumped against him and sighed, letting bruised lids slide shut to hide tired ocean eyes.

A moment later, he spoke again, "You really need to eat something. How many of those pills have you taken already?"

"What do you care," Kagome ground out.

"Well, I know a little blonde boy that's waiting for you at home that would care very much." And there was her weakness.

'And he knows that, damn him!'

"Ugh! Fine! I'll take a break!" she finally caved, tilting her head back and giving him a glacial glare. She felt, more than heard, the laugh that bubbled up in his chest and if she wasn't so friggin' tired, she'd have shoved away from him by now!

"Good! I'll wait for you at the front." Between one heartbeat and the next, he disappeared in a swirl of leaves, and she stumbled back against the wall.

A few moments later, Kagome let out a long and breath and cursed the Copy Nin for egging her on when she couldn't mentally fight back. And then herself for agreeing to have dinner with him again.

I guess this can go towards my three hours a day though...'

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A/N: I'm trying really hard to not do these notes at the end of stories anymore, but this one is actually important. Simply put- Life. It can suck all the happy out of you if you don't watch it. In other news, I am no longer just a stay-at-home-mom. I have a spiffy new job. Pro- I'm making money to support the fam. Con- I ache everywhere and I have no energy. So, that being said, I will try to continue posting as much as I can. Thank you all for your patience.