Sorry about the long update: feel free to blame my government and literature teachers for that! Well so it's chapter three and yeah…I hope ya like it!

Thanks so much for the reviews!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Sakura awoke tangled in her bed sheets. She had tossed and turned all night as her dreams were filled with dirty, pleasurable activities with the brown haired Hyuuga. She slowly rolled on her stomach, laying her face down in the pillows. Thanks to Neji invading her mind every night, she was getting less rest the more she slept. Sakura rolled over on her back again and off the bed, where she began groggily shuffling her feet towards the bathroom for a much needed shower.

At around nine o'clock that morning, Sakura sat at the small round table in her kitchen; sipping orange juice and finally finishing up a book that she'd started reading eight months ago. She was so engaged in the story that the resounding, urgent at her front door made her jump a little-spilling droplets of juice onto the books pages.

She set her book and cup on the table and walked curiously to the door, though she figured the knock to belong to Naruto. When she opened the door, she didn't see Naruto at all, but a tall, lanky chunin with shaggy, brown-blonde hair.

"Lady Hokage wants to see you." He said to Sakura as soon as she opened the door. "She expects you there in fifteen minutes."

"Alright, thank you Surino," Sakura sighed to the man whom she'd seen around the Hokage's office quite often. Surino was a quiet man; often times saying nothing other than 'hello,' 'how are you,' or 'goodbye,' and right now was no different. He gave a polite nod to Sakura and disappeared from her doorstep.

Laughing quietly to herself, Sakura closed the door behind him. She turned back into her house and headed towards her room where she picked up her apartment key and her headband. Having dressed after her shower in a pair of grey Capri-length sweat pants and a black tank top, she found no need to change and therefore no need to rush. She tied her headband around the short hair of her head and walked out the door.

At approximately nine ten, Sakura walked through the Hokage's office; the last of her three mission teammates. She entered the large room to find Kiba and Shino already there. Beside Shino, stood someone that made Sakura's footsteps falter slightly and her heart pound loudly in her chest. Neji.

Despite the fact that Neji was wearing a loose robe and pants, Sakura could only see him sweaty and topless like she had in the forest yesterday. She avoided eye contact with him-which wasn't hard because he didn't look at her anyway-and silently walked forward to stand beside Kiba; as far away from Neji as possible.

When all four were in line, Lady Tsunade cleared her throat. "Now then, since you are all here, we can begin. If you haven't figured it out by now, I've assembled the four of you to take on a B-ranked mission. Team Eight, the three of you specialize in tracking which is key for this mission. However, Hinata returned home after another mission earlier this morning which is why I have Neji standing in for her spot. Sakura, it's very likely that medical treatment will be needed on this mission. Keep that in mind."

Shizune walked forward as the Hokage paused and opened a long, wide scroll.

"Early this morning, two notorious rouge nin from the Village Hidden in the --, Sezin and Tomoji, were spotted just a few miles from the Leaf border. However, they seem to have disappeared, but the chances that they'll return are very likely. And that's a chance we cannot take. Your mission is to go out there, track the men down, and put an end to their roaming.

"I'd like the four of you to leave within the next twenty minutes. Once you find and bring down the rouge nin, you are to return home."

"Yes ma'am," the four nodded simultaneously.

"Shino, I know that you are typically team leader for your group, but for this mission, leave the task to Neji."

"Understood," Shino responded in his usual, low voice. Sakura bit her lip as she prayed to herself that a conflict of egos wouldn't erupt on this mission.

"Alright, you're all dismissed."

The four left the tower and hurried home preparing for their mission ahead. Back at Sakura's apartment, Naruto was just turning and walking away from the door.

"Hey there you are!" he smiled as he waved to her. "I was gonna ask you if you wanted to get a little early mornin trainin goin on?"

Sakura smiled apologetically as she ran past Naruto and to her door. Unlocking it, she rushed inside and left it open for him to follow.

"Sorry I can't!" she called over her shoulder as she headed into her bedroom. "Lady Tsunade just gave me a mission. I have to leave like now!"

Naruto groaned. "Fine, I'll just practice by myself."

"You'll get over it," Sakura scoffed playfully as she rummaged through her closet, trying to find the perfect outfit to wear around Neji.

"Need any help?" Naruto offered, leaning against the doorframe of her bedroom.

"Um…no thanks," Sakura huffed, as she finally found an outfit and shoved it in her bag. Then realizing that the mission wouldn't probably take long, she ran for Naruto, shoving him away from the door as she closed it.

"O…kay….are you alright Sakura?" Naruto asked in confusion through the closed door.

"I'm fine!" Sakura yelled back as she ripped the outfit she was wearing off and pulled the other one-a short skirt with tights and a sleeveless tank top- on. "I'm just in a hurry. I told you I gotta be there in a few minutes!"

"So why are you changing?" Naruto asked as he slid down the wall opposite the door and sat on the hard, wooden floor. He knew from experience that on missions, Sakura tried to keep things as simple and comfortable as possible. Ordinarily, the outfit she had on would do her perfectly.

"What?" Sakura yelled through the door, unable to hear her comrade. Her head was once again stuck in her closet as she rummaged through her belongings.

"Why are you changing?" Naruto repeated, louder this time.

"What?" Sakura yelled back again.

"I SAID--" Sakura's bedroom door opened up and Naruto fell quiet. "Never mind."

Sakura rolled her eyes playfully. "Alright, come on you gotta leave now!"

She dragged the stumbling blonde up and pushed him towards the door.

"Alright, alright! I'm goin!" he said as the two stood outside. Sakura locked the door and bid Naruto goodbye before turning and heading for the village gates; the location in which they were to meet.

"Had to go play dress up?" Kiba smirked as Sakura approached the men. Like earlier, Sakura, though on time, was the last to arrive.

"Shut up Kiba," she scoffed back. "I'm here aren't I?"

"Alright," Neji said, interrupting the conversation. Sakura felt short on air as she heard him speak. "According to the Hokage, the men should be near the town of Jito which is just up ahead. I've scanned the perimeter and from what I can see, they're nowhere to be found.--"

"So what are we gonna do, head to Jito?" Kiba asked impatiently. Neji shot him a look that shut him up and continued.

"We'll proceed ahead in the general direction of Jito; stopping every now and then to check our progress. Now, let's move."

After about fifteen minutes, the group stopped in order to scout out their targets. They'd covered good ground and were nearly halfway to Jito. Standing a bit off from the group, Neji used his Byakugan to scout ahead.

"They're here," His eyes narrowed as he glared off into the far distance. The four furtively closed the distance between them and their targets. When they were less than a quarter mile from their targets, a kunai came slicing through the trees and was stopped inches from Shino's face by a wall of bugs.

"Are you all gonna just stand back there all day or are you gonna be men and come out to play?" The ninja who'd thrown the kunai asked. He was a tall, effeminate man with slender muscles and tanned skin. Neji led the way, appearing in front of the men of the two men with a silent, deadly glare.

"I take it you're Tomoji," Neji stated rather than asked the man who'd spoken before.

"Heh! Who wants to know?" Tomoji smirked.

"The people who've come to take you down." Neji responded suddenly in indifference.

"You're Leaf shinobi," observed Sezin apathetically. He at least three heads taller than his counterpart with large, thick muscles. His skin was a smooth brown and his eyes were wide and deep.

"Yeah, so what?" a glowering Kiba asked.

"So you don't stand a chance," Tomoji scoffed arrogantly as he threw four kunai in the direction of the men. Shino's bugs blocked them all with another wall, but the kunai proved to be a diversion. Tomoji appeared behind the ninja.

"Senbon Stages!" he yelled and the Leaf shinobi found themselves frozen in place.

"I-is this some kind of paralysis justu?" Kiba grunted as he struggled against the unseen force immobilizing him. Suddenly, everything around them grew pitch black and they felt a complete separation reality and space.

"N-Neji? Kiba? Shino!" Sakura called as she groped blindly through the darkness. She received no answer and took a step forward, only to find herself inexplicably falling. She screamed and shut her eyes tightly.

Yes a cliffy ending I know! The next chapter will be up shortly though (I promise!) Ok then, so read and review please and I'll update ASAP!

See ya soon! xoxoxoxoxo