Konoha City Hall

10:46 A.M.

"Out, out!"

Echoing voices from inside city hall brought passerbys to a stop as they tried to discern what could be happening inside the government building. They watched as the double doors to the building flew open and a petite pink-haired girl was dragged out by two bulky security guards. One of them shoved a canvas bag into the girl's arms before turning back to reenter the building. The other let go of her arm but crossed his so he could watch her leave.

"You can't kick me out!" The girl said angrily.

"Sakura, go home." The guard said tiredly. "Their meeting is private and for council members only. You can't sneak in and record what they say."

Sakura huffed. "I was in a public setting, admiring the structure and thinking about our history when they walked in. It's not my fault they decided to use the same room I was in to discuss what would happen with that gas leak at the high school."

"Rumored gas leak." The guard said placidly. "Go tell Jiraiya there was nothing to report."

"Oh trust me, I have something for him. I'll report how guards at city hall treat female citizens who were unfairly and unjustly-"

"'Unfairly' and 'unjustly' what? What did you do now?" A voice interrupted Sakura's heated retort. Sakura whipped her head around, her long fishtail braid slapping the guard in the chest and bouncing onto her back. Her green eyes were dark and narrowed until she saw who had interrupted her.

"Itachi!" Sakura's voice changed. She descended the stone steps lightly, coming to a halt where Itachi was leaning against his police car. "What are you doing here?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow at her. "Someone called in a disturbance at city hall - something about an angry journalist causing problems again. The guys at the station seem to think I'm your personal officer, and told me to take care of it. How many times do you have to be dragged away before you learn that your nosing around isn't wanted?"

His words didn't faze her. "I'm not nosing around, I'm informing our citizens of what's happening in our city. Just because we have a corrupt council doesn't mean we should be ignorant."

Itachi held Sakura's gaze for a long moment, before his eyes dipped and examined her grey sweatshirt, black leggings and ballet flats. "Did you spend the night there?"

"Just because I'm wearing a sweatshirt and leggings doesn't mean I just woke up!" Sakura bristled. But Itachi had stopped listening and was already walking over to the driver's seat.

"Get in. I'll take you home."

Sakura deliberated for a few seconds before opening the passenger door. "You're lucky the forecast called for rain at eleven."

"Yes, let's call it being lucky." Itachi turned on the engine and waited for Sakura slide in. As she closed the door, his radio went off.

"We have a situation over here, Itachi."

Itachi spoke into the radio. "What is it?"

"You should come and see for yourself. Was the situation taken care of at city hall?"

Itachi glanced at Sakura, who smiled innocently and batted her eyes mockingly. "The situation is a continuous thorn in my side. Next time, get my father to come down and arrest her. But what's happening-"

"Hi Shisui!" Sakura interrupted cheerfully. "See you in a few!"

"Hey, punk. You coming down to the station?"

"No." Itachi replied.

"Yes." Sakura refuted. "I'm coming with the cranky sourpuss, so don't worry. What's the situation over there?"

Itachi yanked the walkie-talkie away from her. "I'm going to drop the dead weight off and head over right now." He looked at her in annoyance. "Unless she wants to come down to spend the night in the cell."

"Just bring her with you. You might be able to kill two birds with one stone." Shisui laughed.

"What?" Itachi asked sharply. "What's happening there?"

"You'll see. See you soon." Shisui said mirthfully.

Itachi put his walkie-talkie down and glared at Sakura. "I'm taking you home, and having a word with Jiraiya."

"Good luck with that. I'm pretty sure no one's seen him since that time Tsunade told all the liquor stores in the city to stop selling him alcohol." Sakura tugged her seatbelt on and began fiddling with the radio. "Maybe he's the one who's at the station."

Itachi swatted her hand away and turned off the music. "If he is, you know who your cell mate will be for the night."

Sakura stuck her tongue out at him.

The police station was located towards the southern outskirt of the city. There was a parking lot full of sleek black cars with tinted windows, the trademark of the Konoha Police. Itachi parked and held onto Sakura's arm before she could bounce out of the car. She looked at him annoyedly. "What?"

"I don't care what position it'll put me in - if you cause any trouble, I will keep you in a cell for twenty four hours." Itachi narrowed his eyes. "I mean it, Sakura."

"Alright, alright." Sakura shook him off and got out of the car. "I'll only take a few pictures if something crazy happens."

"Put that camera away." Itachi warned as he grabbed her bag like a leash. He pulled her to the glass double doors, flashed his ID to the scanner and walked in when the doors opened. Sakura walked in two steps behind him, fumbling with the contents of her bag. She had just managed to pull her camera out when she heard someone yell, "Get off me!"

Sakura looked up and began snapping instinctively before she realized that she was getting pictures of Itachi holding a younger, angrier version of himself. He had the similar unruly hair, piercing black eyes, and unnaturally good looking features rounding his face and body. He was a few inches shorter than Itachi who gripped his upper arm.

"Who brought this waste of human life into the station?"

The younger Uchiha glared up at his brother. "I would leave if you would let go of my fuc-"

"The chief left him here after you went to go pick up the menace." Shisui smiled at Sakura, who smiled back innocently. "Have you two met? You guys should - you're both the bane of Itachi's existence."

"Shut up, Shisui." Itachi let go of his minature's arm. "Why did Father leave you here?"

The younger Uchiha didn't answer but rubbed his arm roughly. Shisui answered for him. "He and Naruto were found by Hokage mountain, with graffiti all over the First's face."

"It wasn't us!" The younger Uchiha retorted.

"Trust me, that's the least of your worries. They were both found with a BAC of 0.2 - at ten in the morning."

At that, the younger Uchiha fell silent. Sakura raised her eyebrows and discreetly turned around to see how her pictures turned out. If the city hall piece didn't work out, then maybe she could write a piece about the wayward brother of Itachi Uchiha.

"I know what you're thinking, and that's not happening." Itachi snatched the camera from her hands and began flicking through the pictures. He began deleting the photos that she took at the station, much to her distress.

"Itachi!" Sakura yelled. "Stop, those are mine!"

Itachi finished deleting the photos and held the camera out of reach. "I have a proposition."

Sakura crossed her arms. "What is it? Don't think you're going to get away with erasing my pictures."

"I'll give you something to work on."

"Please, like I can't find something myself."

Itachi lowered his arm, and Sakura grabbed the camera. "This is a confidential case. I'm not saying I'm leaving you in charge, but if you can get information for us, then you can print the story."

"In exchange for?"

"You take my brother with you and stick it through together until the case is finished."

"What?!" Itachi's brother snapped.

Sakura narrowed her eyes and flung her braid over her shoulder. "You're making me baby-sit your brother?"

"My brother can get you access where you can't." Itachi said calmly.

"He's like an inconvenient, life-sized access pass." Shisui added. "Isn't that right, Sasuke?" He slapped a hand over Sasuke's mouth before could say anything.

Sakura cocked her head and examined Sasuke Uchiha. He was furiously trying to shake off Shisui's arm around his shoulder and then hand on his mouth, the sleeves of his t-shirt straining around his biceps. He wore dark jeans that were dirty and shoes that were scuffed, and his arms looked like they had been through a few dangerous fights. When Sasuke finally broke free, he turned to Sakura and looked at her with eyes that seemed to have no light.

"I'd rather live in Naruto's toilet than stick with her on a damn case."

The corner of Sakura's lips turned up before she held out her hand. "I don't know who this Naruto person is, but you'd better say goodbye to his toilet because we'll be working together for the next few weeks. Congratulations, your brother just sold your soul to the prettiest devil you'll ever meet."

"What the hell?"