(Genshi means "apparition")

Genshi – Chapter 2

Coffee, Vodka and Water.

There was no doubt in Sakura's mind that someone else was in the apartment. Sensing chakra was one of her many talents, and this person had an unmistakable signature.

The shadow of a man appeared at the end of the hallway. She imagined the grin on his face was dark, just like he was. Although he came to her once in a while, she hadn't expected him tonight. A mixed blessing perhaps; at least she knew what he was doing now.

As he came closer, she could see the sleek male body dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans; exactly what he had been wearing in the pub.

"Your walk was long. What did you and Kakashi talk about?" Sasuke said as he slowly approached.

"Nothing in particular," she said coolly.

"I don't mind if you stay angry with me," he smirked. Sure hands reached for her waist and she backed up slowly, staying just out of his grasp. Then brushing past him, she went into her bedroom. She pulled out her shirt, undid her belt, and then unzipped her jeans casually as if he wasn't there. For now, she'd just keep her back to him.

Of course, he followed her. Half in her mind, she knew how the night would go when he had walked away from the Chuunin to come over to her and Kakashi in the pub. This scenario in her apartment had played out every so often and she couldn't say she was opposed to it. The sound of her metal belt buckle opening was a clear invitation to him, even if she pretended it wasn't. They had an understanding and feelings were hard to dismiss when they'd been part of her for a decade.

Busy with ANBU, busy with the hospital and the hunter squad, Sakura never took the time to sort out her feelings for Sasuke. Companionship is what she offered three years ago when she said they'd be "together." Now it had a new meaning.

A second of silence passed as her head fell back, and she rubbed at one shoulder in a soothing manner. Sitting in the tree for hours the night before was catching up to her.

"Tense?" Sasuke's deep voice asked from right behind her. It was calm, but still kept that seductive whisper that he used in the darkness of her bedroom. The warmth of his body pressed against her back and she didn't move away.

Sakura sighed, "Long day."

Sasuke's warm hands reached her shoulders and kneaded firmly. He earned a soft moan for his effort as her head found comfort on his shoulder.

"Why don't you take some time off? I'm sure the hospital can do without you for a while. It's not like Konoha will fall apart if one doctor isn't at work."

The tenseness returned and he felt it under his fingers.

"That's right, I forgot. Hospital work is for those who can't cut it as ANBU. It's easy, lazy, non-contributory work for our village," she recited, the sarcasm blatant.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it. Are you starting a fight?" Sasuke's hands slid down lower and rested on her hips while his forehead touched the back of her head. "Why does this always happen? I don't want to talk anymore."

Slowly, his hands slid lower, fingers dipping into the sides of her panties in the loose pants. His breathing grew heavier as his mouth moved to the shell of her ear. "It was hard to watch you with your arms around him."

"Who? Kakashi? You're bothered about Kakashi?" Sakura creased her brow and fought a small scoff.

"He's a man, Sakura," Sasuke whispered as he nuzzled her neck just below her ear. Sakura closed her eyes, finally giving in and allowing her body to enjoy his attention.

She opened her eyes again. "You smell like her perfume."

"I wouldn't if you'd commit to this. And you know I don't take those women seriously. I only want you. Stop pushing me away."

"Your hands are all over me, Sasuke. What more do you want?" she whispered huskily as one of his hands slid under her shirt and into the bottom seam of her bra. The other found its way down the front of her pants.

"I want all of it."

Sakura could feel him getting more excited in his movements until he finally pushed her onto the bed. His hands pulled at her jeans as hers tugged at his black t-shirt, anxious to remove it.

When she finally allowed him to move on top of her and kiss her hard, the discussion was over.

The smell of vanilla coffee drifted through to the bedroom at exactly 6:00 AM. Sakura smiled a little as she turned over in her double bed, but managed to stay in the warm spot she'd created with body heat. Purchasing a coffeemaker with a timer was a stroke of genius, if she did say so herself.

The small apartment was empty save for her. Sasuke knew she liked it that way and never pushed the issue of staying. If she ever asked him to stay, it would mean that she was his and she wasn't ready for that. For now, the way things were was fine. Besides, it had only been a year since their relationship had actually progressed to sex. Hazy memories of that first night always came back in the mornings after.

So many things could have been blamed for them ending up in bed: vodka, sharingan, loneliness, that too-short red dress. But really, it was the mission that caused it.

Hunter-nin was a job for a certain type of person. Everyone knew that. Her first mission was hard, and horrifying. It was a capture and a disposal of an S-class criminal. She'd vomited after until if felt like her stomach would come through her throat, and that was saying a lot for a medic. Two days later, she managed to drag herself from her bed and look at the world again. Sadly, it wasn't the same.

Only a few people knew who the hunters were. She had no one to talk to but Kakashi, and he was gone on a mission. So to numb it all out, she went out with Naruto and Sasuke to try and forget.

She'd had too much, Naruto knew it and Sasuke should have known it. But for him to notice how far gone she was, he would have had to be at some level of sobriety. Glass after glass of strong liquid fire went down her throat with ease, and it seemed like the other two were trying to keep up. Naruto never felt the liquor like everyone else thanks to the kyuubi. Sasuke was just as drunk as she was.

After last call, they'd stumbled back to her apartment with thoughts of coffee and stories; no one really wanted to be alone. But Naruto had gone missing along the way and left them to carry each other, tripping and laughing, to her apartment.

So when it was just the two of them, it couldn't be helped. There had always been an attraction, but they hadn't acted on it for two years, maybe longer. She didn't want to act on it for so many reasons, but that night she couldn't think of one.

Maybe vodka or his sharingan or his dark hair and deep voice were to blame. When he'd whispered things in her ear about where he wanted to touch her, and what he'd wanted to do to her for so long, she couldn't stop him. And when he slid his hand up that short red dress, she couldn't stop herself.

Three years had passed since Sasuke and Itachi almost killed each other, and she'd healed the elder of the two at his complex. In the first year after, Sakura had slipped away from time to time to return to Itachi. While with him, they'd talk a little, train a little, eat together, and then he would take her to his bed. Gentle and attentive, he could bring her so fast that she'd beg him to pause. But he never failed to do it again or stop until he had.

At then end of that year, Itachi wanted to bring her to the leader of the Akatsuki. The idea had blindsided her; she'd been blinded by her desire all along.

On that last day, they fought.

On that last day, she was sure he would kill her for refusing.

But he didn't, and she came home and spent another year thinking about him and what he could have changed her into. Already tainted with his colour, she'd become jaded and depressed. It seemed to all fit in perfectly when she became a hunter-nin. It was like being in Konoha's Akatsuki, albeit a necessary and acceptable occupation by the five countries' standards.

She'd had moments as a hunter to question that.

At the beginning of the next year, between the vodka, the sharingan, and searching fingers, she gave in to Sasuke. Not entirely a terrible choice, but not exactly what she had planned after she left Itachi. Being alone seemed like something she had to be because of who she had become. She loved Sasuke, but he deserved someone who wouldn't betray him with, or still want, the person who deserved his hate most.

A year with Itachi, a year alone and twelve months with Sasuke had brought her to today. She'd made peace with it all, or so she believed.

The strong bite of the flavoured coffee crossed her tongue this morning, and so she was awake. Standing in her kitchen, she stared at herself in the decorative mirror on the wall and tried to decide whether to cut her shoulder length hair short again. She hoped it would be the hardest decision she'd have to make today.

A confident knock sounded at her door. Sakura closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of vanilla from the mug under her nose before acknowledging it.

"Come in, Naruto," she sighed as she pulled the maroon bathrobe tighter around her naked body.

The tall blond stepped through the door dressed in typical ANBU gear with a large grin to match his personality. "How do you always know it's me?" he laughed. He rubbed at the lines on his face as his eyes closed in humor, and then walked closer and bent to kiss her on the temple.

Sakura scoffed before laughing, "Besides your large chakra, no one else would bang so loudly on my door at six am."

"I see." Naruto stroked his chin thoughtfully before laughing as well. "I have a message from Tsunade. I would have come later but she said she needed to see you before nine."

"She probably needs someone to go through all the texts she's too lazy to read to find a new medical jutsu to try. I guess it'll be a nice change. I could use a boring day of research," she half grumbled, and glanced up from her coffee at Naruto's puzzled look.

"It's that crazy at the hospital?" he asked innocently.

Sakura waved it off, smiling and pointed to the coffeemaker in offer. Like a kid at a candy store, Naruto reached in her cupboard for the largest mug. For someone as energetic as Naruto to love caffeine was just overkill. But he did, and she welcomed the half hour he would sit with her before she had to get ready.

Tsunade paced. She didn't normally pace, but today the sound of her heels on the wooden floor filled the office.

Sitting calmly in a wooden chair in front of the Sannin's desk, Sakura's eyes followed Tsunade's slow stride to the window and back.

"Shishou, is something wr…"

"Shh," Tsunade admonished, and continued a slow glide along the wall before finally stopping at the window and staring out at Konoha. "I'm still deciding."

Sakura picked at the open zipper on her Jounin vest, trying to keep from interrupting the Hokage's thoughts again. Without meaning to, she breathed out a little too loudly.

Tsunade flashed her a sideways glance. "I said I'm still deciding,"

It was on the tip of Sakura's tongue to ask 'What?' but before it had come out, a merciful knock at the door saved her.

Without waiting for acknowledgement, Hatake Kakashi slipped into the large office, looked at Tsunade, and glanced quickly at Sakura before finding a seat on the wide windowsill. Typical of Kakashi, even in the heavy atmosphere Tsunade had created, slouched shoulders and arms crossed, he looked like he was waiting for the bus.

Maybe it's going to hit me, Sakura thought.

"Hokage-sama?" Kakashi asked calmly.

Tsunade pointed to a scroll on the desk in front of Sakura, and Kakashi got up to get it. This time he winked at Sakura when he looked at her, and after taking the scroll, found his place back on the windowsill. It only took a glance at the parchment for his brow to crease.

"Sakura," Tsunade began with an air of finality, "There has been a request from the Mizukage to borrow one of our hunter-nins. They need help tracking a criminal. I don't want to ask you, but the fee they will pay is exorbitant."

In an unusual display, Kakashi piped in instead of waiting for the right moment. "You're going to refuse, aren't you?"

"Since when has Hatake Kakashi ever expected us to refuse a Kage's request for help? Look at the bottom of the scroll. His personal seal is there. He is completely responsible for the request and it assures he can be trusted. But the amount he offered to pay…"

"I'm sorry, may I see the scroll?" Sakura asked while reaching toward Kakashi. "Why are you asking me to go? Clearly you are both uncomfortable with it. Send one of the others."

Tsunade finally turned to Sakura, her face never looking more concerned. "They want the Genshi, Sakura. The request is for the Genshi."

In the downward turn at the corner of her mouth, Sakura showed the disdain she held for that name.

"The fee concerns me because for them to pay such a high amount means that they believe the probability of your returning is very small."

"So refuse it," Kakashi reiterated.

"This amount will rebuild portions of Konoha, as well as replenish our stores of weapons and supplies. It is one of the highest fees I've ever seen. The Mizukage knows this. You know this."

Sakura looked over the scroll after Kakashi handed it to her. "Shishou, would you refuse this if the Genshi were anyone else? If they had requested Kakashi, would you refuse?"

Tsunade turned back to the window and stared at her transparent reflection instead of what was outside. The truth was that they would never refuse such an amount. It was not the first time a ninja or two had been seconded to another village. But it was Sakura.

"Do you think I can't handle this?" Sakura added.

Tsunade glanced at Kakashi, and he returned the look. She could handle it, they both knew it, but it was hard to let her go to what could be her death.

Kakashi regarded his former student with a mixture of pride and sadness in his eyes. She was right, and they would accept the offer, whether they wanted to or not.

Finally, Tsunade said quietly "It's your choice, Sakura. I will refuse if you want me to. I am the leader of the Fire Country, after all. I can do what I want."

"No, I'll go." Sakura stood up, committing herself with her confident answer.

"You have to understand, Sakura, you will be under their command. When you get there, you can't come back if you don't like the mission. Now is the only time you can refuse. Why don't you think about it for a little while and come back this afternoon."

Kakashi sat silently, arms still crossed, brow again creased.

"When am I required to be there?" Sakura added as if she had been ordered to go.

Tsunade turned away and bowed her head.

"You'll have to leave today," Kakashi said in the Hokage's place.

"I understand. I'll go and get ready, and leave before noon. Don't worry," Sakura's tone lightened, "I'll return in one piece. You and Kakashi have made sure of that." Itachi has made sure of that.

Kakashi looked down and laughed softly, just a breath of sound.

With her rucksack packed and her ANBU uniform laid out on her bed, Sakura took a deep breath and tried to clear her thoughts. Dangerous or not, she had to go. For Konoha and for herself, she had to do what duty required and just because she was the Hokage's former student, she deserved no special treatment. Besides, what could possibly be any more dangerous than the duties she has in Konoha? S-class was S-class.

No country would ever request another's hunter if it would strain ties. Mist and Fire were close allies, and perhaps they were having trouble catching one of their own and needed a different style of tracking. This idea made the most sense, so she bit down on it.

Glancing into the closet, she looked at the spare black vest hanging there. She didn't normally wear it unless they had a mission in the rogue country. It was special. The black vest was exactly like the other ANBU vests, but the seamstress who made it had stitched with red thread. This one was made for the Genshi.

When she was being measured, Sakura requested a little something extra in this uniform, and so the seamstress used the red stitching to tell it apart from the others. There could be no mistake of giving it to another person. Inside the back of the vest, a light silver bracelet adorned with seals had been stitched into the fabric. When wearing it, if Sakura pressed on her lower back, she could feel the cool metal through the thin layer of material between it and her skin.

It would warm and light with Itachi's chakra. If he came near her, she needed a warning.

They were enemies now.

Walking slowly over to the closet, she pulled the vest out and replaced the normal black one with it. The red and black reminded her so much of the Akatsuki, but it didn't matter. This belonged to the Genshi, and might one day save her life.

It was eleven thirty, and she knew it was time to get moving, but had to do a few things before she could leave. When she stepped out of her apartment door into the bright warm morning, she found Kakashi leaning lazily up against the light pole across the street.

He wanted to say goodbye, and handed her his fanged vengeance scroll. Two years ago, he had taught her how to summon the dogs during training, and this scroll was a prized possession of his. It had been passed down from his father, and was one of his best tools when tracking and capturing people during his ANBU days.

She swore she'd guard it with her life. Kakashi said he'd rather have her life than the scroll.

The look on his face was not encouraging as he forced it into her hands and reminded her of the procedures. Sakura hugged Kakashi and told him to keep an eye on 'the boys' while she was gone. It made Kakashi laugh and she was glad for a moment of levity with him.

He walked her to Hokage Tower where she had a more emotional farewell with Tsunade. It was getting all too depressing.

Lastly, after leaving them both, she made her way to the Uchiha complex. It was quiet. Sasuke had sold many of the houses in the complex and there were people there, but around the largest Uchiha home, the houses still lay vacant.

Sakura approached the door and knocked softly.

A voice yelled through the door before it opened "Yeah?"

Dressed only in his black jogging pants, Sasuke stood in the open doorway with a gray towel over his head, peeking through it to see Sakura standing on his doorstep. The surprise in his eyes was unexpected.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" Sakura asked cautiously, wondering if he wasn't alone. "I know you didn't expect me, but…"

Without warning, Sasuke grabbed her arm and pulled her inside. Sakura followed his lead until he closed the door and pushed her against the wall. His fingers wrapped around her upper arms and he held her there as he bent to kiss her, the towel slipping down his back to the floor. It was passionate and a bit unexpected, but Sakura melted into it.

Finally, he backed away and smiled at her. The scent of shampoo and soap seemed to cover him and she breathed it in.

"What brings you here?" Sasuke smirked. He leaned forward, putting his hand on the wall beside her while the fingers of his other hand ran along the bottom of her pink hair. From where the towel had rubbed over it, his hair stood at odd angles, making her smile.

"I…I've got to leave," Sakura began, forgetting everything she had planned to say.

Sasuke stood straight up, "Leave?"

"A medical trip. There is a seminar on medical jutsu in the Northern part of the Fire Country, and then I'm going to go and do some research in the lightning country on some of their herbs. They won't grow here so I need to go there. I don't know when I'll be back," she lied, and it was hard.

"You've never told me you were leaving before. It's a nice change."

"I suppose I never felt the need to tell you before."

Sasuke tilted his head and half smiled, "Why this time?"

"I don't know…I didn't want you to worry, I guess," Sakura mumbled.

"Well, a medical seminar and research doesn't sound too dangerous. I won't worry, but I'll look forward to you coming back," he said sincerely. "Maybe then we discussed the way this relationship is going. I think it's about time, don't you?"

Sakura looked at the floor, "It is, Sasuke. I'm not sure why I'm feeling like this today, but I just wanted to see you before I left. Naruto went on an ANBU mission this morning so tell him that I'm gone and I'll miss him."

She looked back up to see he was regarding her with a look of curiosity. Unfortunately, his face lacked trust.

"What aren't you telling me?"

She sighed deeply.

"I guess there is a lot I don't tell you. But today, I just wanted to see you before I left. Isn't that enough? When I'm back, lets take time off together and figure out what this is."

Sasuke nodded a little, but there was still some distrust in his dark eyes.

"It's all I can manage right now. I have other things I need to sort out for myself. Can you understand that? This is a big step, Sasuke. I guess I'm admitting that there is more here than I can dismiss as casual."

"Alright," he said, a calm smile on his face, "Alright. Be careful, and I'll see you when you get back."

Finally, Sakura felt some relief, and stepped forward ontiptoe to kiss him.

She stared at herself in her bedroom mirror acknowledging how different she looked in that black uniform, stitched in blood red. Darkly, she thought it suited her so well.

Black gloves to her elbows, red leg guards, and black arm guards made her look like something out of a nightmare. She omitted the shirt under the vest to combat the heat, and pulled the white porcelain mask down over her face.

She pressed on the silver bracelet just under the fabric and felt the hardness of it on her back.

Finally pulling herself from her inner thoughts and the turmoil they always produced, she went to her back door, slipped out, and darted away.

It would take all night to get to Mist. Who knows what would be waiting for her there.

A/N: Genshi means "apparition"

Sakura got this title for her ability to appear like a ghost or apparition, quickly and without warning and disappear just as fast. I'll explain it later when she's on her mission.

Thanks to roark28 for the fast beta, and thank you to everyone who reviewed. I'm so grateful for the support. You guys are wonderful!