AN Thanks to Pixychick84, love-warmth-life, ForsakenKalika, and Janice for reviewing the first chapter! It means a lot and I really really appreciate feedback. The song I chose for this chapter is about losing someone you love. Next up, Sakura's POV! Thanks again!

Please R&R xoxo

The Electric Soft Parade - Brother, You Must Walk Your Path Alone

II.

He was following her. Deep down, Kakashi knew that he had no business tailing Sakura like a criminal, but after reviewing her file he became curious. She was making more many than was accounted for. Her apartment building, though still in a bad side if town, had an elevator and security guard. It was impossible for her to make loan payments, pay for her rent, and still manage to eat on her meager salary. He'd asked Naruto, but apparently the two didn't spend a whole lot of time together, because Naruto didn't have a clue. It was possible that she was receiving help, but Sakura hardly seemed the type to lean on the support of others, at least not anymore.

Sakura was, for lack of a better explanation, completely alone in the world. She had coworkers, mentors, people she occasionally spent time with so as not to raise suspicion that she may be a robot or alien, but after watching her for a few days, Kakashi knew it was all an act. Her smiles, her brazen confidence, her sweet tinkling laugh were all a part of a carefully constructed lie. He hadn't managed to get ahold of her medical records, but he could bet they would tell him that she was prescribed a high dosage of antidepressants or anxiety medication.

Sakura had just gotten into her car after a ten hour shift at the hospital and Kakashi watched as her false happiness slowly melted away to reveal a face as calm and placid as a still lake, eyes burning tragically with despair.

He waited, assuming that any minute she would start the car and head home, but she surprised him. Instead, she started to apply makeup, the charcoal liner and fire engine red lipstick transforming her from a sweet girl next door into a sultry, irresistible young woman.

Where on earth could she be going? It's already ten o'clock at night.

Then, slowly, she pulled off her shirt over her head and shimmied into a form fitting black dress. Her head momentarily disappeared as she probably slipped out of her pants and into something else, tights maybe.

Is wherever she's going the source of her extra income? A bad feeling settled in his stomach as he thought up the possibilities of where she would be working looking like that.

He followed her car to the entertainment district and waited outside the parking garage she disappeared into. When she finally emerged from the only exit, her appearance knocked the breath from his lungs. She looked ravishing. Her tone legs were covered by a pair of shiny black tights, but they caught the light in such a way that Kakashi could see how shapely they were. Her dress was short, but she had the decency to wear a thick, black coat to cover herself. This was a relatively safe area, but Kakashi lamented to admit that there were few places that a woman could feel even remotely safe in the city.

Sakura crossed the street into an alleyway. Kakashi waited a moment before trailing her footsteps into what looked like an empty side street. He came upon a door, the neon sign rearing OPEN. A quick look around told him that there was no other place she could have gone. Steeling himself, he took a deep breath and pushed through the and into... A restaurant?

Beautiful girls hurried to and fro carrying trays of appetizers and buckets of iced champagne. Of the many round, comfortable-looking booths, most were filled with men, a beautiful girl smiling brightly and pouring champagne at every table.

It was a host club. Technically these places were illegal, but also very expensive and exclusive. Unless he actually saw someone paying for sex, he had no intention of bringing the hammer down. In his line of work, sketchy or illegal establishments were good to have around. They sat on a wealth of information.

"Hello, sir. Do you have a reservation?" He glanced down to see a pretty blonde smiling sweetly.

"No ma'am, I do not. I was wondering if I could be seated with Sakura this evening?"

She gave him a puzzled look. "Who?"

"Pink hair."

"Oh, of course. We know her as Midori. Well, she's with a group right now, but it's policy to only reserve an hour at a time and no one else has asked for her tonight. Want me to put you down for the next hour?"

"That would be lovely."

"Perfect! Okay, you can wait at the bar and I'll show you to your table when she is finished. You need a deposit of one hundred dollars."

Kakashi grimaced and pulled out the money, a pained expression marring his face. The blonde showed him to the bar and explained that the deposit was just a formality and would go towards his final check. Apparently being a new customer meant open bar while he waited, a clever way to get him drunk enough to keep spending money.

He sipped the top shelf scotch the bartender poured him and scanned the crowds for a head full of pink hair. With the low lighting and constant distraction of the live jazz music and beautiful women shuffling around, locating Sakura was harder than he had anticipated.

Finally, his eyes landed on her, immediately widening in shock at her choice of company. Itachi, Deidara, Kisame, and Sasori. If Uchiha Fugaku was the head of Uchiha Inc, then his oldest son was the seedy under belly, and the sole reason why the Uchiha remained unrivaled. He was smart as a whip, cold and calculating and very skilled at manipulating those around him. The other three were just his cronies.

As Kakashi watched Sakura interact with the men, he couldn't decide which one was in control of the situation. The obvious choice would be Itachi, but Kakashi had personally seen Sakura's interrogation skills. The way she smiled and laughed almost looked genuine, forcing Kakashi to wonder if maybe she wasn't faking. They'd grown up together and she had once dated the younger Uchiha, so obviously they were close at some point in time.

Sakura leaned in to tell them something as she refilled their champagne glasses. The three henchmen threw their heads back in a raucous laugh, while Itachi smiled fondly at his fair-haired companion. He actually smiled. Kakashi almost coughed up his scotch in shock. Uchiha Itachi definitely had feelings for Sakura, and she was using it against him. How much of that information she'd given Kakashi came from Itachi? How was she getting it? Was she sleeping with him?

The way they interacted suggested that they hadn't. His cold eyes would often reveal a longing of someone who hadn't had the pleasure of spending the night with the one he was after. Plus, she touched him with familiarity seen often amongst friends.

Finishing his drink, Kakashi noticed the blonde from before was ushering him to a small booth in the corner. He turned around and peeked over the seat to see Sakura bid each man farewell with a kiss on the cheek. When it came to be Itachi's turn, his hand caressed the curve of her hip for a fraction of a second. Kakashi felt his blood run a degree warmer at the sight, setting his temper to a simmer just beneath the skin.

"You know, I had a feeling someone was stalking me. I'm not sure if I should be thankful or furious that it's you." Sakura stated, setting a bucket of ice and two glasses on the table. "Champagne?"

He nodded, feeling a little guilty that she was doing this for him, even if it was her job. "Should you mix antidepressants with alcohol?"

"You went through my medical records?" She demanded through clenched teeth, her mouth still pulled into a smile.

"No," he took the glass from her, "but you just answered my question."

Sakura took a seat next him, leaving a foot of room between them, and sipped her champagne. "Why are you here, Kakashi?" She asked tiredly.

"I am investigating something for you, and I don't enjoy when a client fails to be completely honest about her situation. Were you planning on telling me that you work here, or that you're fucking yet another Uchiha?"

Her hand grasped the stem of her glass so hard that her knuckles were turning white and Kakashi was certain that the crystal would soon shatter in her hand. "First of all, I am not fucking anyone. And why would I bother telling you everything when you'll just find it all out for yourself?"

"I guess if a busy detective decided to handle my case pro bono out of the kindness of his heart, then I would save him as much time and money as I could so as to make his job a little easier, but that's just me." He shrugged, finishing his glass so that she could pour him another.

"Well, you certainly aren't saving yourself any money by following me here. I feel bad for your wallet. But since you requested me personally and on your first visit, I get a pretty nice bonus. So, thank you, Kakashi."

He scowled before letting his face fall into a look of detached professionalism and closed the space between them to talk. "Would you consider this to be a safe place to have a discussion?"

Sakura's jade eyes, now as dark as evergreens in the low lighting, looked around quickly. She bit her lip in thought and Kakashi felt that tinge of desire creep into his mind. "I mean, the place is full of gangsters and businessmen, so you tell me."

"As I suspected." He sighed, placing an arm around Sakura's shoulders as naturally as possible, and pulling her against him. His mouth dipped low, closer to her ear. "I was going through the Uchiha's bank records. Which, by the way, were incredibly difficult to get my hands on. I noticed that there are two transactions unaccounted for. One of nearly 500,000 dollars just before your parents' death. It was deposited into an offshore account under the name Ishikawa Katsuya. Does that name ring any bells?"

She shivered but remained calm, trying to smile in case anyone was watching them. "No, should it?"

"I have reason to believe that it was hush money given either to your parents or someone who worked closely with them."

"What about the other transaction?"

"Another withdrawal of equal value. In cash. It would appear that the money seemingly disappeared, but I did some digging on the convicted robber. He's married and has three children, but also has a dilapidating heroin addiction. His wife is paying off a lot of medical expenses, lawyer fees, et cetera on a teacher's salary. Each month she deposits a thousand dollars more than she makes."

"A pay off."

He hummed in agreement. "Also, there was no sign of forced entry at the crime scene, yet it was clear that your parents didn't know the man and knew immediately what he was after. Someone had to have given him the security codes to your home."

"You want a list of all our friends, family, and my parents' coworkers." She said easily, as though it might take an hour tops to do that.

"Yes. I think someone betrayed your parents. We also need to find out what exactly your parents were developing in that lab. I have already tried everything within my power, but I can't get anything. You need to find a hacker who will either uncover that information or get you into the building."

Someone must have walked by because Sakura's hand squeezed his thigh playfully and she let out a brilliant laugh. "I already know the perfect candidate. And why me? I'm the most conspicuous person I know."

"You are young and knowledgeable enough to pass for an assistant or maybe an intern. You'll figure something out." His voice came out a bit strained as Sakura's fingers began tracing small figure eights on his inner thigh. He hadn't quite noticed their proximity until that moment and a flood of sensation washed over him. Sakura smelled like vanilla and jasmine, a sensual combination that caused his heart to beat a little faster. She was practically in his lap, and her hand was getting dangerously close to what was soon to be an erection if he couldn't keep himself under control. The smooth skin of her neck was mere centimeters from his mouth..

Sakura cleared her throat, obviously realizing the change in atmosphere. Snapping into attention, Kakashi pulled away and morphed his expression into one of boredom, ignoring the way her cheeks flushed and her pupils dilated.

"I think it's best for your wallet if we meet somewhere else. I work all day tomorrow, but the day after I'm off. If anything changes, call me, okay? I'll let you know about the hacker after I talk to him." Sakura stood up, Kakashi following suit, and kissed him on the cheek, her lips parted just enough that he could feel the faintest touch of her tongue. "Thank you, come again!"

He nodded and went to pay the bill, nearly weeping when it read four hundred dollars.


Sakura groaned around the dumplings she'd just stuffed into her mouth. Three hours of sleep and four coffees later and she still wasn't entirely awake. She had already completed two emergency surgeries during her first shift, but the day was already wearing on her. It had been a pleasant surprise when she found someone had food delivered to her, but after checking her bank statement, she knew immediately that it must have been Kakashi, because he was the only person who could possibly have access to her credit card information.

Her phone vibrated loudly in her pocket and she pulled it out to see two missed calls from Ino, her best friend and possibly only friend who put up with her long periods of absence, and two text messages.

The first was from Uchiha Itachi reading: Will you be at the club tonight? I know you work hard and I believe that calling in sick would be ideal.

Sakura stared at the message in bemusement. He came every night last week, why was he suddenly worried about her well being? She replied, saying that someone would fill in for her because she needed the sleep.

The next was Kakashi. Her heart skipped a beat very much against her will. His text simply said Call me.

She quickly dialed his number with an excitement she wasn't proud of and nearly smiled when he answered.

"Hello?" he murmured into the phone, just barely audible.

"Why are you whispering?"

"I'm at a crime scene."

Her mind immediately went to work, wondering who was on staff and if they were prepared to deal with the police. "Anything I should worry about?"

"Nah. It's just a domestic. I'm not really sure why I'm here. Did you enjoy the lunch you bought yourself?"

"Oh very much so. Thank you for your thoughtfulness."

"I try. Listen, I would like to accompany you to meet this hacker you seem to know so well." His voice grew louder and she heard a car start in the background. He must be alone now.

"Why? Want to offer him a job?"

"Something like that."

"You wouldn't be the first. I think he's been approached by more than one government agency. I'm going after work."

"I'll pick you up when you get off."

She started to argue that he had no clue when her shift was over, but the call was ended. Just as well, he probably already knew anyway.

...

Sakura huffed for the billionth time since she got into what Kakashi called a nondescript vehicle suitable for their needs, i.e. piece of shit. The car itself was terribly ordinary, but that wasn't the problem. Apparently Kakashi filled out the paperwork at the impound without reading it, which landed the two of them in a car with a broken heater.

"Maybe if you huff and puff a few more times you can raise your body temperature." Kakashi offered, breaking the tense silence that had fallen over them. "So does your friend actually live out here?"

Sakura scanned the dark countryside that surrounded them for miles in every direction. They were way off the grid. "Live is a pretty strong way to put it. I highly doubt he'll be at this location much longer."

"And how do you know him?"

"We went to high school together and didn't hate each other. One time, he hacked the school's security system and locked everyone out of the campus for three days just so they would have to cancel the sports festival."

"So you're saying that he works really hard to be lazy."

"A wise man once said: I would work all day if it meant nothing got done." She grinned sleepily.

"I believe we have arrived."

They pulled into a small dirt driveway leading up to a huge precarious structure Sakura suspected was once a barn. Pulling her coat a little closer, Sakura led the way, following her instructions to walk around to the back of the building. Kakashi found the door before her, his eyes obviously keener than her own in the darkness. She pushed it open and called inside. "Shikamaru? You here?"

"Just walk straight in. It's a projection." His tired voice answered in monotone.

Sakura was confused. She couldn't see a foot in front of her, but apparently Kakashi understood because he grabbed her hand and pulled her into the wall of shadows. Her skin prickled with electricity and she suddenly found herself in a control room. Complete and utter awe painted her face into what she knew was a stupefied expression, but as she opened her mouth to ask what she had just experienced, a young man fingering a cigarette cut her off.

Shikamaru. He was just as handsome as she remembered. Silhouetted by the glowing light of a dozen monitors, he looked ethereal and untouchable.

"Don't ask. It's above your comprehension. Who's the narc?" Shikamaru asked, using his cigarette to point at Kakashi.

"Didn't you get my message?"

He turned around to face the pair completely, wearing a bored look. "Surely you must know that I don't sit around, waiting with bated breath for your texts."

Sakura curled her lip in distain. When had he become so snarky? "He's my boyfriend."

"Yeah, okay," he snorted. "I'll just pretend to believe that. What exactly do you want?"

"We need to know if you can hack Uchiha's server and recover files regarding the research conducted by Sakura's parents." Kakashi stated, clearly not enjoying being in the backseat of their conversation.

"Obviously I can do that. I am the one who created their security software. However, because I am, I legally can't help you do this. But, I might have a couple of solutions."

Sakura and Kakashi stared at him, waiting, until Sakura huffed. "Which are?"

Shikamaru stuffed the butt of his cigarette out into an overflowing ashtray, then lit another. His motions were lazy and unbothered, and driving Sakura mad. "Well, I could create a virus, then they will call me in to fix it. However, the virus will, unbeknownst to them, only affect a portion of the computers, leaving the rest uncorrupted. Sakura, you can use that time to access one of the lab computers and get what you want. Actually, now that I've said that aloud I realize that option one is probably your best bet. There is only one problem."

A growing sense of foreboding crept over Sakura and she dreaded to even ask. "What kind of problem?"

"You need to be the one to introduce the virus. It has to be done on sight. Also, you'll need to get top security clearance."

"Isn't there just a back door I can use?" Sakura questioned, immediately earning her a matching look of disbelief from the two men.

"Sorry. I wish I could help more, but I can't. If you could manage to steal an employee's phone, I can figure out the pass-codes, but they aren't guaranteed to work in every part of the building."

Kakashi gave her a knowing look. "Unless you get your hands on a very important person's phone."

Oh. Oh. "I'll figure that part out. How long will it take you to finish the virus?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "About a week."

"Okay. I'll call you when I get my half finished." Sakura gave him a weary smile, and he returned one that was possibly more exhausted.

"Before we go, here." Kakashi pulled out his card and handed it to Shikamaru. "If you know Sakura, then you probably know her idiot friends who work for me. We could use someone like you."

...

The drive back was excruciating. It was easily negative ten degrees and the only radio station that came in played traditional opera. Sakura was just about to lose her mind with boredom when Kakashi's phone began to ring loudly.

"Hatake here. What?" his voice had a frantic tone to it and Sakura seized with anxiety. "I'll be there as fast as I can. No. If I get there and you've let a single reporter in, you're fired." He hung up and rummaged around in his bag before retrieving a police light and fastening it onto the roof.

"Kakashi, what's going on?"

He glanced her way, but didn't meet her gaze. "The club, the one where you work, apparently someone came in wearing a bomb and blew the building up."