Heyy all! I'm here with a new story. Now I know that I haven't been updating all my stories, but I've been busy. We were having MCAS all this week in school, and finals are coming up so I have to try to remember all that I can. I'll try to start updating soon. I'm working on a new chapter of Puppy Love and Akatsuki Nikoto. I'm trying to fix my computer so that I can put my new chapter of High School Drama up. I have writer's block for Shadow's Perfect Match and Hidden Feelings. But please forgive me. Now, on with the story.
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Neji stood in front of two big red-wood doors. He knocked twice and pulled the doors after a lazy 'come in' that was muffled by the door. Neji walked in and saw the Hokage half asleep and resting on her right hand.
"Hyuuga-san." Tsunade greeted the young man before her.
"Hokage-sama." Neji greeted back.
"Do you know why I've called you here?" Tsunade asked.
"I'm guessing you have a mission for me?" Neji asked, although he already knew the answer.
"Yes. It will be a two-man mission-a retrieval mission for Sasuke. It is an S-rank." Tsunade said.
"Do we even know where he is hiding?" Neji asked calmly.
"Yes, we have a general idea of where Orochimaru's base is. We need you and a medic of your choice to retrieve Sasuke and bring him back to the village. I don't care if you tie him up and drag him back here, I want him back in Konoha." Tsunade said seriously.
"A medic of my choice, hm?" Neji asked with thoughtful eyes. "I have a person in mind. I think you will know where I can find her?" Neji asked the Hokage.
"If you're thinking of my student, Haruno Sakura, we need her here at the hospital. She's our best medic."
"That's why I need her for this mission. If we need to fight Orochimaru and possibly Sasuke, her strength and knowledge on medical ninjutsu will come in handy."
"Fine, I will allow you to bring her. But if she comes back with a single scratch on her, I will have your head." Tsunade said. Neji nodded. "She'll be finishing her shift at the hospital at 5:30."
"That's in 15 minutes." Neji stated.
"Well then hurry."
Neji bowed to the Hokage and walked out the door calmly. He got outside, jumped to the rooftops, and hurried to get to the hospital where Konoha's pink haired medic would be getting off work in 12 minutes.
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Sakura was finally out of work after an extremely exhausting day. She pulled off her medic coat and put on her real coat, and set out of the hospital.
Sakura just came through the doors when she heard a voice.
"Haruno-san. Nice to see you again." The voice said. She recognized that voice. Only one person in Konoha had that smooth, sexy voice.
"Neji-san." Sakura greeted back. "What are you doing here?" She asked politely.
"I can't just say hello to an old friend?" Neji asked with a smirk.
"It's not like you. What do you really want?" She asked.
"I need you on a mission." Neji said flatly.
"A mission? What kind of mission?" Sakura asked warily.
"It's an S-rank retrieval mission." Neji said. Sakura narrowed her eyes.
"Retrieval mission for what, exactly?"
"Not what. Whom." Neji said.
"S-sa-sas…"
"Yes, Sasuke Uchiha."
Sakura got a pang of sadness just from the name. A single tear fell from her eye.
"No." Sakura said simply.
"No?" Neji asked, shocked. He would have thought she would be ecstatic to be included in a retrieval mission for her first love.
"You heard me. No." Sakura said as she turned away, looking down.
"May I ask why not?" Neji asked, cocking his head to the side a bit.
"I-it'll bring back too many bad memories. I don't want to break down in front of Sasuke and have him think I'm still weak." Sakura said.
"I really need you on this mission. I need a good medic and a strong fighter, and you're both. You're the best medic in Konoha, next to the Hokage, and you have inhuman strength." Neji said. Had Neji Hyuuga, the emotionless stoic bastard of Konoha, and one of the most wanted bachelors in the city, just complimented her?
"I-I just can't…" Sakura said softly.
"You're the best one for the job. As I said before, I need you on this mission. Especially if we fight Orochimaru." Neji said. Sakura sighed and turned around to face Neji. Her face was slightly tear stained and her eyes were red and puffy.
"I'm not ready to see Sasuke. And if he doesn't want to come back, I'll have another breakdown, and if that happens, Orochimaru will have an advantage and probably kill me." She said. Neji looked at her tear stained face and sighed.
"You've reduced me to begging. That's not like a Hyuuga. Please, Haruno. Accept the mission." Neji said, pleading with her in his monotone voice with his icy eyes.
"I-I just can't…" Sakura sobbed softly. She fell to her knees and held her stomach, as if trying to keep herself from falling apart. Neji saw this and walked over to her. Sakura looked up and saw the stoic Hyuuga looking down at her.
"Get up. You'll get dirty." He deadpanned. This made Sakura cry harder. Her small frame racked with sobs. Neji sighed and got to his own knees. He pulled her chin so she was looking at him.
"Don't cry. It's pointless and shows weakness. As a shinobi, we can not be weak." Neji said to her. It didn't help much. Sakura continued to cry. Neji glared at her. 'Maybe she's too weak for this mission. If she does this, she'll be killed in no time flat.' Neji thought to himself.
His thoughts were interrupted by Sakura flinging her arms out to the Hyuuga and pulling herself to him in an embrace and started sobbing into his chest. Neji flinched at the contact, but did nothing more to show that the action affected him in any way. She continued sobbing into his chest and pulling him closer until the whole front of his shirt was drenched in tears. Sakura pulled back and looked at his shirt.
"I-I'm sorry –sniffle- I ruined your shirt…" Sakura said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.
"It doesn't matter. I have another exactly like it. Are you feeling any better?" Neji asked as if he could care less.
"Y-yeah…A little." Sakura said. She pulled herself off the ground. "I think I'll take the mission. I want to prove to Sasuke that I've become stronger." Sakura said. Neji pulled himself off the ground and looked at her.
"Good. We leave tomorrow at noon so have a few changed of clothes and plenty of weapons packed." Neji said and began to walk away.
"N-neji?" Sakura called to him. He stopped walking and turned slightly.
"Yes?"
"Thank you." She said.
"Hn."
And with that, he walked away, leaving the konoichi to walk home, alone.
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Ta-da! Please R&R, no flames! I'll try to update as soon as possible. Adios! Teehee, I'm getting better at my Spanish. :]