AN: This is a sequel to Death of a Virus, you will need to read this before you try to read this story :) I'm just seeing how it goes at the moment, so feel free to let me know your thoughts, if you like it or if you don't. Cheers!

Two weeks.

Two weeks was all it took before Ino was crawling back into Neji's lap.

Her sadness had taken a toll on her mental stability. She needed the company of someone, the company of Gaara; but she couldn't have it. Ino let her instability get the better of her and resorted to sleeping with men in hopes that her emotional state would come to an end.

She was wrong; all it did was make her feel worse.

It was moments like these Neji took full advantage of. He didn't want a relationship with anyone but he also had needs, needs that only the company of woman could fulfil. He and Ino had history; nothing fantastic but it seemed to be a relationship of convenience. He thought that was all going to change, seeing the affection she showed to the Kazekage only weeks before; but he was wrong.

It only took two weeks before they were both in bed together, bodies tossing and turning, heat rising in the rooms as their breathes mixed together. She obviously didn't care for Gaara as much as he thought she did.

Ino sat up from the bed, ignoring the smell of their love making in the air and pulled her clothes back on. She pulled a dark blue hoodie over her head before looking back to Neji as he lay just staring at the ceiling. With his chest bare, she could see it rising as he took small shallow breaths.

Tucking her now short locks behind her ears Ino couldn't help but be grateful how private Neji was. She couldn't bare the thought of Sakura finding out that she was sleeping with him again because she was trying to suppress her feelings...

"I'm going on a mission in a few days," Neji spoke quietly. Ino jumped slightly, not expecting him to say anything. "I'll be gone for a week."

"Oh," Ino mumbled to herself, not sure why he was telling her this. She felt a small tug in her chest, the fear of being alone for the next week or so starting to surface.

He sat up. "You will be okay, wont you?"

She nodded immediately, putting on a brave face before snickering, "Of course I'll be fine."

"You do not need to pretend with me, Yamanaka. I know a lonely soul when I see one."

Ino scoffed, putting on her shoes before opening the door to the Hyuuga compound. "You really know how to romance a lady don't you?"

"I'll call you before I leave."

Ino slammed the door.

0o0o0o0o

The council members need to be kept in check. Do not be afraid to speak up. They will try to shut down any ideas that don't give them a significant amount of money in their bank accounts. They say they care about the people of Suna but that judgement is clouded by greed.

The infirmary is always needing funding. Question it. Always.

The local Nin will need to be organised and placed into strategic teams, I trust your judgement for this as you have seen them in battle yourself. Use that knowledge of yours to execute perfect teams for the missions available.

Never judge a mission by what is written. Investigate as always.

If you need anymore help, Matsuri will assist you.

Love, Gaara.

Temari sighed at the note her brother had left her. She wasn't cut out to be a Kage, her priorities were different. She wanted to work on the field, finish a mission then go home and potentially write a letter to Shikamaru; not sign wavers to approve funding for companies she didn't even know existed.

The only thing Temari wanted to know was where her brother had gone. She knew he was feeling upset after Ino had left, but he didn't seem to confide in her or anyone else about his feelings. It was all new to him, this feeling of caring for someone other than himself. Temari struggled to get him to realise that he could trust her, that she cared about him in a way no one else could; but with Ino, that was another different kind of affection that he no doubt couldn't properly comprehend.

Gaara wasn't sleeping at all. It was normal for him to go a 3 or four days without sleep, but Temari noticed he had been in his office for at least 10 days. Who knows what 10 days without sleep would do to him.

"Miss Temari," there was a knock at the door. A familiar brunette peeked her head into the Kage's office.

"Matsuri, what can I do for you?"

She held out a scroll for Temari. With a nervous hand she accepted the scroll and read the contents. Her eyes widened in shock; she read it again to make sure she knew what she was looking at.

"Is everything alright, Miss?"

Temari rolled up the scroll and placed it in her hip holster. "Matsuri, assemble the most skilled nin in Suna. Make sure they're ready to depart today. I need to speak to the council."

"Of course," she bowed, leaving the office quickly.

Pulling her robe over her shoulders, Temari moved quickly to the council office. If this letter from Naruto was true, she needed to make sure Suna was protected and she needed to make sure now.

Why did Gaara have to leave at this crucial moment?

O0o0o0o0o

"What's the mission?" Ino asked Neji as he sat himself down at the table.

She placed a small cup of tea before him before taking a seat opposite him.

"We haven't been briefed on what the risk of the mission is. All I know is that Lee, TenTen and myself have been asked to go to Tonika Village immediately."

"It must be pretty serious if they wont tell you what it is," she said under her breath. "And you'll be gone for a week?"

Neji nodded.

There it was again, that pang in her chest. It had only been two days since she had seen Neji and even then it felt like too long. Ino needed to be near someone, she needed to feel wanted. Being with Neji made her feel that way, even though she was suppressing other feelings.

Sipping his tea he watched through his pupil-less eyes as Ino's chakra changed dramatically. She wasn't showing it in her face, she was stoic as per usual; her chakra always said otherwise. "You'll manage."

Slumping in her chair she sighed. "Yeah."

Standing up, Neji placed his cup on the kitchen bench, Ino watched him carefully. He smiled a little at her his bangs framing his face. "We'll celebrate the victory when I come back."

With the slamming of the door behind him all Ino could feel was her cheeks going rosy. "Damn Hyuuga's."