AN: YAY

AN: YAY!! I finally, FINALLY found out to link my laptop and my computer, so the things that I type on my laptop can now be uploaded on my computer!! I have no idea (actually, no, that's a lie. I like the sound the keys make) why I do this to myself, it just causes pain and suffering, but… What ever! I know it's weird, okay?! I LIKE being weird. So leave me alone.

Disclaimer: Do I have to do this EVERY FLIPPIN' TIME?! I DO NOT OWN NARUTO! Never have, never will. There. That should satisfy the lawyers. XD I really shouldn't be slamming lawyers in general, because I plan to be a lawyer someday…

Dedication: To Reidluver, my second reviewer!! Your review made me smile for days afterward. …It really is sickening, isn't it? To Eleni, who told me to get off my lazy ass and figure out a way to fix my problems'. To Emma, the only human in the entire world (that I know personally) who is almost as obsessed with fanfiction as I am.

It was getting late. Sakura looked out the window at the darkening sky. Karin had left a few hours earlier to get to the charity ball in time, so that, in the unlikely situation that Sakura got caught, she had an alibi. Thank God for odd hair colours. Sakura was sure Ino would turn up any minute now to screech at her for being so lazy and not getting up.

Ino did indeed turn up, a second or so off Sakura's estimation. She was holding out the suit, which Sakura immediately grabbed so that she could try it on. Ino left as Sakura quickly switched clothing, leaving her comfortable faded jeans and favorite black tank on the floor. As she pulled the body suit on, she realized that she would never want to take it off. Ino had said it was made of one of Hinata's special bullet-proof fabrics, and it was one of the most comfortable things she had ever tried on.

She laughed as Ino came back into the room to see how it fit, which was perfectly, of course. Ino knew all her friends measurements down to a T, so that she never had to do and extra re-make.

Sakura turned around for Ino's inspection, still laughing slightly crazily. She didn't know why, because there was nothing going on that was very funny. Sakura was nearly crying now, she was laughing so hard.

"Sorry Pig, I guess it's just my nerves. I can't shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen and soon…"

Ino shook her head, as Sakura gasped for breath.

"Don't worry about it Saku. Nothing will happen." But Ino couldn't shake the same feeling that her dearest friend was feeling at the moment.

At the Charity Ball with Karin

Karin was smiling, flirting, being social, and she was hating it. It was Ino who could pull this sort of thing off, and although Karin was proud to admit that she could hold her own when it came to the flirting world, she did have trouble with it. She had always hated the looks creepy old men gave her when she was dressed up like this.

But for Sakura's sake, she would. It was far too dangerous not to have an alibi. And she was the only one who looked anything remotely like Sakura, so she was always the one conned into doing this, as Sakura had no people skills. The last time that Karin had been the one on the job, Sakura had nearly slapped a man who had simply shaken her hand.

Karin didn't mind it one bit. It meant that she got to wear fancy clothes often. And it also meant she got to show off her amazing figure to the many men around the room. She knew she had a nice body, and she knew that it attracted attention.

She quickly scanned the room for some younger (the average age of the place was over forty-five, she would swear it…) prospects. One man caught her eye. His hair was light-gray-ish, almost light blue. As he turned to face her, she caught a good look at his body. He was smartly dressed, in a tailored gray suit, but it was his eyes that caught and held her own pair of dark orbs.

His eyes were a stormy blue-gray that she had never seen before. They were swirling with emotion as well. She could see anger, annoyance, resentfulness at the entire room, surprise at the fact that his gaze had been locked so securely with her own, but most of all, arrogance. 'So, he wears his heart on his sleeve, huh? Maybe I should break it, and teach him a lesson in humility. I have a feeling his ego need's to be brought down a notch or two…'

She checked her watch. Eight-thirty-eight. Sakura would just be getting ready now, getting ready to do the job. Once they were done at the museum, Temari would come in and announce to the entire world that Karin was needed at home. Karin, as Sakura, would apologize profusely to everyone around her, but she had forgotten that she had promised her room-mates a night on the town.

She would pull it off, and if she didn't she'd be stuck here for an entire night. Karin rolled her eyes at that thought.

God, people could talk forever if given the chance! Some random girl had sidled up along next to Karin and was chatting animatedly. The girl had, apparently, noticed the looks that the man in gray had been sending Karin all night, and she had assumed, incorrectly, that they knew each other.

"He's been looking at you all night Sakura, how do you NOT know him, huh?" The girl was obviously impatient as hell. "If you don't know him, then why the hell am I talking to you?"

The girl's annoying, bleach-blonde voice trailed into the distance as she left to pester some other poor victim.

Karin sighed in happiness at the silence that was filling the space next to her. She closed her eyes, hoping for this night to be over. Then she heard somebody else walk up to her, and she was going to politely tell them to go away, but, as she opened her eyes, she realized that it was the man in gray.

He was even cuter up close. Gray-ish hair that fell into his eyes, tailored, expensive suit, gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous stormy, steel blue-gray eyes. Karin nearly drooled just looking at him, but her pride wouldn't allow that.

"Is it over?" she joked, her voice light and airy. "Can I go now?"

He laughed at her statement before offering her his arm. She looked at him, puzzled by the action. He grinned.

"I was just wondering if, maybe, you wanted to dance?"

She nodded with a glowing smile, a slight blush touching her cheeks.

He led her out on to the dance floor. Several men threw angry, envious glances his way. He smirked at them unashamedly. He was dancing with the most beautiful girl in the room, he could attest to that fact and apparently there were some people who didn't like it.

Karin was faring no better. She couldn't help grinning at all the girls in the room who were glaring at her for simply holding onto this guy's arm. Good God he was hot.

He turned to smirk down at her, as he was a good half-head taller then she was, even with her heels on. She realized that his teeth were pointed. 'How odd…' was her only thought, before he smiled, and Karin could feel herself melting.

'Dammit!'

A voice in her head, the one that always spoke in a voice aloof from the rest of the world started yelling at her. 'You're here on a job, not on a boy-scouting mission! Get it together dumb-shit!!'

She shook the voice off, but took its advice. She didn't even know his name, and he had her half into his arms already.

A steady, beautiful, ballroom waltz filled the air. Karin looked over towards the orchestra. They were very good, so she decided to comment on it.

"They're very, good, aren't they?" She said softly, nodding towards them.

She was please that he was such a good dancer, as it was rare nowadays that anyone had formal dance lessons. As he slowly spun her out and back in again, he murmured in her ear. "Yes, they are very good. I'm Suigetsu, by the way. What's your name?"

She looked down, and away, so he took the hint that she didn't want to tell him.

"Don't worry about it. I'll call you Strawberry."

She looked up at him, surprised. No one had ever called her Strawberry before. Actually, she had never really had a nickname in general. Well, that was as long as you didn't count Ino calling her 'whore' every now and again, although it was always in jest, and the blonde never really meant it. She smiled at him.

"I like that. I think I'll keep it."

Suigetsu like this girl's smile. She was beautiful, she smelled nice, and she was obviously very used to being rich. The dress she was wearing didn't come cheap, he was sure. He could tell by the way the thick silk touched the ground, and by the way it was designed. She also had the simple air of being used to luxurious things about her. Sometimes you find that in people, and it makes them rather stuck up. Suigetsu could tell that this was not so with Strawberry.

He grinned at nothing in particular. The nickname Strawberry suited her. There was just something about her that reminded him of a strawberry. Her hair colour, and, he realized, her perfume. That's what had attracted him in the first place. He could smell the most amazing perfume, and he followed it straight to this girl.

The more he looked at her, the more he liked her. He had a feeling that by the end of the night, he was going to want to marry her. Wasn't that typical though?

When Suigetsu did something, he did it all the way, and he made it so that nothing would ever change his view on things. Just like cornflakes and milk. Just like Naruto being an idiot in the morning. Just like food-fights and Halo 2. Nothing changed the things Suigetsu liked and disliked, and this was no different.

He whisked her around the room, whishing to God that Kakashi could see him now. He had been telling all of them to hurry up and find a girl, or all the good ones would be gone. This girl, Strawberry, would prove him wrong, and it would set Sasuke Uchiha to steaming.

At the Iwagakure Museum; Eight-Twenty-Three with Sakura

Sakura's normally lose bubble gum pink hair was tied up in a tight bun, fake-dyed brown and pulled under a cap. The museum was going to be closing in seven minutes, so she had seven minutes to get ready. There was hardly anyone at the museum as it was, and she could hear the security guard coming around to check the perimeter before closing the place up for the night. He would turn on the seven cameras in the place, one of which centered on the katana display.

It was there for precautionary measures, but puh-lease, as if Bloody Blossoms was ever unprepared to take down something as simple as a security camera.

She could hear the crackle of static in her ear piece. Anko's voice would be coming out of it soon, guiding her around the dangers that she might face.

She had tried Ten Ten's hand guns out, and had found them to be exactly what she needed. This way, she wouldn't have to worry, not really at all. As long as they didn't see her hair, she would be just fine. Well, then again, even if they DID see her hair, it was another colour, so she would be alright. She was also wearing coloured contacts, just in case. It was always good to have a backup plan. This was hers.

Anko's voice crackled to life in Sakura's ear piece. It was reassuring to hear the older woman's voice so close to her ear. Sakura almost felt that Anko was right behind her, watching her back. She felt safe and relaxed for the first time that night.

She didn't need to worry, because Anko was there, watching the security cameras that Temari had hacked into for them. The computer genius would then delete the extra tape, and replace it with some that she had already rigged.

The mouthpiece in her ear crackled to life again.

"Sakura, watch out, you've only got 3 and a half minutes to get in and out of there."

Anko's voice was worried. Sakura knew Anko would worry until she got out of there with her treasures.

She went for the necklace first. After slicing through the cheap plexi-glass with a small glass cutter, she took out the fake necklace from underneath her bodysuit. As she switched them (all the while taking care to make sure there was the same amount of weight on the pillow at all times. It was always good to be careful, and it was good practice all the same) and carefully slipped the real one under her bodysuit, in the place where the fake had been.

She also replaced the small cut out plexi-glass, for good measure. She carefully considered her options next.

She decided going after the fan was best. Same routine, over again. Slice through the plexi-glass, switch the fake and the real, replace plexi-glass, and move on to the next.

As she looked down at the real fan, she took a second or so to admire it. It really was beautiful…

"Sakura! Just what the HELL do you think you're doing?!" Anko's voice was frantic in her ear. "Only two minutes left!!"

Sakura nodded to no one in particular. And then she went after the katana. She checked the measures of security. Next to nothing. With renewed vigor she followed the same, simple rules that Anko had taught them right from the minute she took them under her wing.

Always be careful. It's better to overestimate then underestimate. Never do any job alone, always have help. Sakura was following those rules now, as she pulled the real katana out, switched them with the fake katana, replaced the plexi-glass, and got the hell out of there.

Out the East Side vent, down the alley, drive the familiar black sedan all the way home. As soon as she got back to the manor, she ran in screaming.

"I GOT THEM! I GOT THEM!!"

The other females hooted and hugged her after she had put down the treasures, not wanting to ruin the ancient artifacts. A couple more screeches of glee and hugs, and then Sakura told them she needed to take a shower before she could leave.

"And I'm taking these damn contacts off. I can barely see with them on."

Temari nodded and said "Ino left you some clothes on your bed. You should wear them tonight, because the rest of us are wearing similar outfits, and it would only be appropriate."

Sakura grinned at her. "Temari, you gotta learn to speak like a normal human. All this proper-ness scares me. What happened to the Sabaku no Temari I knew a year ago?"

Temari smiled, pain showing in her eyes. "Shikamaru Nara happened."

Sakura's face fell as she remembered. Anko had ordered Temari to stop seeing him, once she had met him.

Flashback

"There's something strange about him Temari. I don't like it. I don't want you to get hurt. Please. For all our sakes, stop seeing him."

"But I-"

"No 'Buts'' Temari. What if he's part of Sharingan?"

Those words had sobered Temari up. What if he WAS part of Sharingan? What then? They never spoke about work, as the both said that it was exhausting to think about. What if Anko was right?!

End of Flashback

She hadn't seen him since. She had moved back into the manor, changed her cell number, everything. She wouldn't let him find her. Not today. Not now. It was simply too dangerous.

Anko's words still rang true in her ears.

Most nights she lay awake, hoping that she didn't break and go to find him. But everyday it was getting harder. She was having trouble sleeping, because every memory she had of him would replay in her head over and over again.

Temari turned and left Sakura in the kitchen, where they had been standing, rushing up to her room to try and stem the flow of tears that were threatening to course down her cheeks.

Oh. Right.

She was supposed to go get Karin, before the other woman screamed in agony at the deathly boredom of the place. She straightened up, eyes dry. If he hadn't found her in a year, then what was the point? He had probably already forgotten her. The thought pained her, but sobered her up all the same.

There was no point in males, except for breeding. All they did was cause heartache and confusion.

With that last thought, she whisked herself down the stairs, jumped in her silver Mercedes Benz, and left the place in a hurry. The less time this took, the better.

At the Charity Ball with Karin and Suigetsu

Good God, where was Temari?! It was almost 8:46, and Karin was getting nervous. Had something happened? She sure hoped not. But then again, this was very comfortable. Suigetsu had strong, muscle-y arms, and considering how tight they were wrapped around her waist, he wasn't going to be letting go any time soon. He was so hot…

The doors to the place were suddenly thrown open. Temari walked in, and came over to the dancing pair. She poked Karin in the shoulder.

"Y'idiot! Don't you remember you promised me and Hinata that you were going to come drinking with us at eight thirty? Then I realized you might still be here."

The blond-haired girl turned towards Suigetsu, sent him a smile then murmured to him.

"If you would be so kind as to let my friend go… We have the important business of getting totally plastered. So if you could…?"

Suigetsu let go of the scarlet-haired female from the simple shock of being told to do something. The woman slipped from his arms with a smile. She softly placed a kiss on his cheek, before Temari grabbed her hand and pulled her from the room.

"Wait! Strawberry! No, come… back… I don't even know your name…"

Suigetsu nearly cried. How could she have disappeared so fast? He had a bad feeling that he was never going to see her again, and the short space of a few minutes he had fallen head-over-heels in love with her.

He sank to his knees, people swirling around him as the love of his life disappeared out a door to a world that he suddenly knew nothing of. Was she going to be alright? Was she going to think of him? Did she have someone else?

He stood up. No time to lose. He only had seconds to spare before she was gone. He had to get to her before she left him forever. But as he rushed out the door that she had just been so rudely pulled out of, all he saw was the flash of a silver car, and he couldn't see the slinky black dress she had been wearing anywhere at all.

Life was cruel.

This was no different. He stood there for a minute or two, before realizing that he should probably leave, because he could tell that any single girl back in that ballroom would be vying for his attention. And that thought scared him more then anything else.

In the car with Karin and Temari

As soon as Temari had shoved her into the silver Benz, and they had gotten on the road, Karin blasted the music and rolled down the windows. It was late now, but she was free.

Free, but without Suigetsu.

Who the hell was he, anyway? There were so many things about him that threw her off. His smirk, his hair, his clothes, and oh, not to mention those eyes… Most of all, she loved his eyes. Temari was eyeing her critically, before the older girl shook her head and turned down Hinder's Homecoming Queen.

Karin sighed.

She knew this would have to happen. Temari was giving her 'The Look'. It was the same look that Anko had given Temari after she had met Shikamaru.

It was the 'Don't-let-your-heart-mess-with-your-judgement' look.

Karin sighed again, this time louder and less caring.

"Don't worry Temari, I won't lose my head. He's just cute!"

Temari sighed, glared at the younger woman, and said, her voice softer then usual,

"I said the same thing about Shikamaru. Please be careful Karin. A broken heart is the worst thing you can ever have."

The red-head nodded, and then turned the music on again.

The silver Benz zipped towards the manor, and a night of drinking and idiocy. As soon as both Temari and Karin got out, they were enveloped by hugs.

Sakura's hair, albeit slightly damp, was back to its usual bubble-gum colour, her eyes their usual sea-foam green. She was wearing a green halter top, the shimmer a gold colour, the neckline going scandalously low, showing off her ample cleavage. She was wearing a pair of dark wash skinny jeans. Her shoes were a pair of gold flats, obviously worn and loved. She threw some clothes at Karin.

"Go get changed. You can't party in that".

Ten Ten smirked at her; the brunette's clothing being a black leather miniskirt, her shirt being a white tube top emblazoned with a black Playboy Bunny. She was also holding a purse made of black leather with a white Playboy Bunny on it. Her hair was let loose, for once, falling well over mid-back in soft waves. Her stilettos were simple, black, and added a good four inches to her 5'4 frame.

She quickly eyed all her friends, checking them over. Hinata was wearing a white miniskirt, and a red cap-sleeved, scoop-necked shirt that showed off her naval piercing. The young researcher also stuck her tongue out, showing off her diamond tongue stud. Her long bangs had been pulled together at the back, so that they wouldn't get in her way as she danced.

Temari dressed as she was before, in a form-hugging teal blue tube top mini dress, her layered blond hair falling all over the place in that way that's impossible to emulate but looks sexy all the same. Her shoes were a pair of black peep-toe heels.

Ino was looking, as usual, amazing. Her long blonde hair was curled into ringlets that were falling all the way down to the small of her back. She was the only one who had decided to go traditional, and go in a black mini dress with a plunging neckline, her shoes a pair of simple black stilettos that added height to her already model-worthy body.

Karin rushed back down the stairs, already dressed. She was wearing a white skirt that ended eight inches above her knees. Her scarlet hair matched her peep-toes heels and her shirt, both of which were a deep, blood red. She grabbed a white purse on the way down the stairs.

"Isn't Anko coming?"

Karin was a little confused. This was Anko's idea, and the purple-haired woman rarely missed out on a night of fun. It just didn't happen. Ino shrugged.

"I dunno, I think she was feeling a little ill… She didn't look so good when I checked up on her. She just wants us to have fun tonight."

Karin nodded, and with that, the six girls stepped out into the night.

R&R People! I LOVE REVIEWS!! I love them so much it makes me sick. Please be gentle, this is my first ficcy, and it's my baby… This chapter was mostly directed at SuiKa, because I love SuiKa. It's that simple. Don't like it? Too bad.