In a small cabin near Mist borders, a group of popular missing ninja were united, they were called all sorts of names, Demons, Shinigamis, the eye that sees it all. They were formed by powerful people who not only had betrayed their home place, but also killed. They had been planning this for a month now, and time was ticking, their leader worrying.

"You know the plan." the Leader started saying and watched the other ones with tired eyes, as expected they all nodded.

"Sakura Haruno will be out target, we will not force her." he continued and one of the others began speaking, "Leader, and how is it that we will engage this mission?" there was silence, followed by a long sigh. "Compromise. We will use her weakness. Her loyalty and her proud personality will not deceit us. She will come willingly."

The information they had served the purpose. Sakura Haruno was perfect for the job, she was trained a killer, born a healer and developed an amazing humanity. They had been against her before, and it was not a pretty fight. She was a hell of an opponent and they knew it. They would have to be careful with this one.

xXx

She looked out of the establishment to look at the sky, it was clear and sunny, so far a good omen. She returned back to the stool she was sitting on, her best friend and ex-lover was beside her and silence reigned the table. "Neji, you are awfully quiet." she said and then chuckled at her own joke, Neji Hyuuga was always quiet, or at least it seemed.

He smirked and just as he was going to begin a simple chat as one would say, the order arrived and the bowl of steamy food was set in front of her. She smiled at her food, a yummy bowl of steamy beef ramen, a small gesture towards her 'brother' Naruto who was currently away with his girlfriend and her friend, Hinata Hyuuga, also Neji's little cousin.

She looked at him carefully, "will you not eat anything, Neji?" she asked and studied his frame. He could always use some food, and so she called the old man behind the counter. "We do not have enough time, Hokage-sama ordered us to be there on time." "And what time was that?" she asked, already knowing the answer, but she still wanted to hear it and she did, " One o'clock'". she smiled and looked at the time, they had enough time. When the man arrived, she looked at him and smiled at her request, "could I have another pair of chopsticks, please?" the man handed them to her happily.

Sakura was beautiful, no need for modesty with this one, she was an excellent doctor, almost as good as Tsunade-sama and she was very smart. She was every man's dream and yet she was not interested at the time, and she had a very good excuse. She handed Neji a pair of wooden chopsticks and pushed the bowl between them, and started eating. "Eat." she said softly and he complied, of course he left most of it to her as a perfect gentleman and when they were done. "that hit the spot." she said and he smirked at her selection of words, do not get him wrong, Neji Hyuuga was one sane, and pure minded man, but this was Sakura we were talking about. She drove him crazy, in a good way.

She smiled at him and reached to grab enough money to pay for the meal, Neji of course would not allow that and so he paid and gave the check to the man with tax and all included. She looked surprised, but nerveless thanked him. They walked out and started to take the normal route towards the Hokage tower.

Well, it was her who had the appointment, but he was merely accompanying her, and yet he felt the sudden urge to hold her, make her his and make the world know it but he knew his chance was over. As they walked, he suddenly regretted the route they had taken. It was filled with families, and little children running around the village. Couples looking in love walked all around them and Neji looked at Sakura.

She noticed too, she was trying to look straight ahead, trying to imagine they were not there. That the people and couples and children were not having a nice day and instead were at their own homes, where she could not see them. She tried, but failed. It was painful and it hurt so bad. She felt Neji's calloused hand grab her own, he gave her a squeeze, feeling sympathy for her.

His sudden whisper made her realize he was speaking to her, "You don't have to act brave, you know. You can be sad, you can cry, you can hit me if you want. I'll… be here for you, Sakura." and she knew he meant it but it didn't help heal her wounds, she was only 20 for god damned sakes! She deserved more than pain! And so she ran, she escaped her painful memories.

She pulled away from his warm hand and looked at him straight in the eye. "I am fine." when ahd she turned into such a liar? Oh yeah, the moment she turned 14. She learned how to live in this world, and even though she was an emotional woman, she only lied when she was hurt. When se did not want other's to see her pain, it made her feel weak and in this nation, in this country with the people who knew her past, she could not have that.

"No you are not. The incident happened not less that 2 years ago, and you are still hurt and I know you are because I know you. And because you know I feel that way too." his words stung, how could he know so much pain? He did not understand but she respected the way that he tried to. She shook her head, "No, don't you get it, Neji? I will always feel this pain, but now I am used to it. Why? Because I have lived with this pain and sorrow since I was 8. I know how to deal with it." and with that she disappeared.

It was only a moment later when she appeared on the hokage's mountain and she knew already it would be an isolated place where she could realease her emotions. "Agh, I need to stop this. If I keep getting this emotional then how would I keep on going with missions." that seemed to make her remember the appointment with Tsunade-shishou. She cursed herself and apparated into the main door of the hokage tower. She ran in and was greeted by the many people inside, she practically lived here and in the hospital.

She knocked once and walked into Tsunade-shishou's office, she was quite shocked by the aura in the room. It was a very somber aura and it made Sakura anxious, she noticed a cloaked figure in the corner of the room, patiently waiting and judging by the broad shoulders and height, she guessed a man. She sat down on her usual chair and looked calmly at the hokage.

"Sakura, I called you here for an important reason" she started saying and Sakura could tell something was bothering her about the mission, but she let her sensei talk. "You were requested for an important mission and believe, I would have done everything to keep you out of this ordeal but I have to think of everyone's sake." she said and Sakura was getting worried now, she interrupted this time. "Shishou, I am not following." Tsunade sighed and looked at the cloaked figure, said person walked towards them and stood in front, letting the cap fall and show his face.

Shock went through Sakura's body, making it go numb and her mouth was open, if the situation was not serious, Tsunade might have laughed. "Pein." Sakura whispered, confirming his identity. "Haruno-san, I believe you know me and you are aware of my status as a missing nin. Our group requires your assistance and I think your medical abilities should be used during your mission with us." he said and Sakura could not believe it, her, going to Akatsuki? No way in hell.

"No." she said before the missing nin could continue and said ninja kept on talking, as if she had never said anything. "I am also sure you are aware how powerful our group is and how much destruction we can cause." he said and that is when Sakura noticed his appearance. This was not Akatsuki leader Pein, this was Pein in a vulnerable way. He had bags under his eyes, as if he had not had a good night sleep, or any sleep by the matter, for at least a couple of weeks.

She studied him and tried to find what she was looking for, a weakness. She found none, and she narrowed her eyes. "IF you are done with trying to find any weaknesses then I may continue. As I was saying, we will need you for a while. Think of it as a temporary mission, and in exchange we will not hurt any citizen of Konoha. We will not attack leaf for a period of 8 years." she blinked, he was making a deal? What could he possible need from her? Sakura did not lose her resolve. "I will not betray my country by helping you."

Pein was losing his patience and he was now thinking of taking Sakura by force, he breathed in and out. He had to remember the plan and thus he continued. "We will require you for 2 years as a maximum time and you will be treated as a guest in whatever our location is." Sakura was not sure, but then again, why would her life be more valuable than any other? Why was she being so selfish if she knew it would help her village?

"And how would I be sure you kept your word?" she said and she knew it was Tsunade's concern too. "Akatsuki may be based on betrayal to our homes, but our word has never been broken" and with that Pein grabbed a hidden kunai and cut his palm with one slice, it was a deep gash and it bled. "Consider this as a blood promise" he said. Sakura for some reason believed him.

"I… I will go." she saw Tsunade's shocked face from the side of her eye but did not stop voicing her decision. "I will go but I will need time. How soon do you need me?" she hoped it wasn't too soon, she had to say good bye to everyone. "As soon as possible. Preferably tomorrow." she nodded and started to formulate a plan. "bring whatever you wish, just keep in mind we move a lot." he looked at Tsunade and narrowed his eyes as if remembering something. "and during the time you stay, you will be loyal to us. Meaning you will be part of Akatsuki."

Apparently this was new to Tsunade because she stood up and anger flared through her, "What are you saying, that Sakura will become a miss-!" "I understand." Tsunade was shocked by her apprentice's reaction. She looked at her mentor, "I understand because if I was him, I would have done the same, I would need something to assure me I would not be sold out and be found." Tsunade cursed herself, because it was logical.

"You will not become a missing nin, I will assure you that. You will be welcomed back anytime, Sakura-chan." Tsunade said, and it was a promise. Sakura nodded, "We will meet in neutral ground. Tomorrow at the 'Lovey Dovey Motel'. I will depart at midnight and I should arrive at dawn." Pein was not used to being ordered around but he was fine with this deal.

"Sakura. We need to go over the details, this will be classified as Black Ops ANBU mission, so it will be secretive. All the village will know is that you have been sent on various missions and thus you won't be around for a while." Sakura nodded, comprehending the situation. She nodded at pein and he disappeared.

Sakura left the office that night with slight regret, just to have it washed away by the fact that what she just did would save lives and it would be worth it. She needed to prepare herself for what would come next.

xXx

Sakura woke up to a beautiful morning, the birds were chirping and flowers on her balcony were blooming. She looked at herself in the mirror, her emerald eyes were the same as during her genin eyes, only this time hardened with life/death experiences. Her pale pink hair was still short, an above-the-shoulder do, it was flirty and filled with layers, she thought it suited her.

She had grown, and that was good at her 20 years of age. She had grown boobs and an ass, but she didn't really care about that. It was her strength she was proud of, and she had a good reason, she could demolish a ton of solid rock with her pinky finger. She smiled at the necklace she always carried around, it had a ring around it. A promise ring.

She walked into the shower and took what looked like her last shower in her home for a least a couple of years. She started packing. It was around midday when she was done, her clothes were packed, the essentials and some memories she always carried around. Weapons and scrolls were packed into a summoning stud she always wore as a belly button earring. No one knew about that one and she planned on keeping it that way.

She walked out the door and down the street, she had to say goodbye to a few people and that was it. She spent a couple of hours searching for Naruto, to find him training in their old genin grounds. She smiled at the irony. "Naruto!" she said as she waved and he stopped training, all 6 clones waving back, the real one hugged her and she hugged back. "We need to talk." she said and watched Naruto's grin disappeared, he had heard those words before and he was ready for them now.

"I'm leaving on a mission." his grin appeared again, like his worries had been solved. "Oh, I thought you would say something horrible." he thought that was simple and it was. "Actually it's a couple of missions, I should be gone a couple of years." she whispered the last part and watched his broken hearted face, he blinked and looked down on her, yes, he was still taller. "I was only told of that and I am leaving tonight." she hugged him and before the tears could fall she waved and ran "I'll talk to you later!"

Now she had to find Ino, Kakashi and Neji. Kakashi was on a mission as always, so she wrote him a letter and left it on his erotica stash inside his home and Ino was in the flowershop. Their farewell was if not the same even more emotional than Naruto's and finally Neji was up. She didn't know if he could take it. She walked up to the Hyuuga manner and was gladly welcomed by some of the Hyuuga elders, she was like part of the family. "Excuse me, Hiashi-sama, where could I find Neji-san?" she asked with a smiled and hiashi answered truthfully. "Sakura-san, it has been a while since you visited. Neji should be training with Hinata in the grounds, if you wanted to talk to him." she nodded, "If he is busy training, I will leave him. I could always come back later." it was dirty lie and she knew it.

Hiashi shook his head, "Go, he should not mind. It was… nice seeing you, Sakura-san." he still felt as if she was a Hyuuga matriarch, even though she was not. And hiashi was right, they were training, but as soon as she came close, Neji sensed her and stopped fighting, Hinata must have sensed her too because she complied. She was actually glad they were together, she would like to say goodbye to her too.

"Hinata-chan, Neji. Sorry to bother you while training." she apologized and they both shook their heads, "Don't worry, Sakura-san." Neji said and Hinata smiled. "I wanted to talk to you both. Actually, I came to say goodbye." she rubbed her neck, a gesture that had been passed on from Naruto when she was nervious. Neji was the first to talk. "Goodbye?" he did not like the sound of that.

Sakura had a good reason to be nervous, "Hai. As from tonight, I will be leaving in a series of missions." Hinata looked worried and Neji was confused but it was the Hyuuga heiress who voiced their confusion. "And how long would that take, Sakura-chan?". Sakura sighed and prepared herself for this, "About two years." she watched closely at Neji's reaction, Hinata was more than horrified. Her friend could die out there, Sakura stepped closer and hugged Hinata tightly, "Please take care of Naruto for me, you know how close he is too me, and he will probably have it hard for a bit." she was crying by now, "and if he starts whining about ramen, a good smack on the back of the head should be enough."

She let go of her and stepped closer to Neji, he was looking furious. When she came closer to hug him, he grabbed her and performed the hand seals to dissaparate. They found themselves in the forest, where it had all begun. Sakura was shocked to the least, but Neji was furious. "You are doing it again, running away from your problems." Sakura sighed, "I am not. This is not about me, this is about the village and its safety." Neji was shaking.

"I know that it had been tough, Sakura. I know." Sakura knew where this was going, it would not be centered around the incident. "I should have protected you, and I failed and you do not know how much that hurts." Sakura stopped him. "I am not leaving because of that, I am leaving because I need to, someone need my medical attention and I was requested! I cannot say no, the village is now involved!" she said and then realized her mistake, she had talked too much.

Neji narrowed his eyes, something was not right here and he would find out what that was.