Recap

The room stayed silent. Although it seemed unfair that they might have to come back without Sasuke, they knew it would be the smart thing to do. Even Sakura, who had finished crying before Tsunade began speaking, knew that they may have to do that.

"So, who wants to go on a mission?"

~Chapter Three: I Think It Should Be Me~

"Oo! Me, Baa-chan, pick me! I wanna go! I wanna go!" Naruto's shouts could be heard throughout the whole building. The obnoxious brat didn't know when to keep quiet. Probably everyone in all of Konoha could hear him.

"What about me! I should go too! Who's gonna take care of blondie, huh?" Kiba yelled equally as loud. Seriously, how did those two even get into Konoha Yakuza?

"Oh, my youthful friends! How youthful friends you are and so eager to go save the wonderfully youthful Sasuke-kun?" Lee. Enough said.

Over all the commotion, no one noticed Tsunade's brow twitching, and the anger behind her golden brown eyes. And if you looked closely enough, you could see the veins popping on her forehead. And overall, she looked as if you could kill everyone in the room in a single heart beat. She was about to blow…

"Naruto, Kiba, Lee! Shut the fuck up before I shut you up! If you want to go, I suggest you sit down and behave and act like the spies you truly are! Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama, sir!" And with that, the three of them sat down, no one noticing their mistake of calling Tsunade, 'sir'.

Tsunade sat down too, massaging her forehead with both hands.

"Shizune, go get me some sake!"

"Yes Tsunade-sama!"

"Okay now, back to business. I want to send a team that I know will be able to defend themselves, and hopefully help their teammates too. I want people who aren't afraid of dying on this mission, and are willing to engage in battle if the need arises. I can't afford sending someone who wouldn't be strong enough to at least defend themselves against Orochimaru's men. They most probably are strong beyond belief, but crazy as well, and would attack even if ordered not to. Do I make myself clear? Now who is still willing to risk their life to save Sasuke?"

At first no one stirred, they were thinking over this as well as they could. It's not because they didn't want to save Sasuke, it was because if they weren't the type of person Tsunade described, they could be putting the mission in danger. They have to be able to protect themselves at the very least against very intimidating men. If they couldn't handle that, the mission would surely be a failure.

The first hand suddenly shot up. Everyone looked at the hand, eyes slowly traveling down the creamy, pale skin, finally seeing the face that belonged to none other than Sakura.

Then heads suddenly turned to Tsunade. People would imagine how they couldn't have gotten whiplash from turning their heads so fast. Even Gaara seemed to be interested into what was about to unfold.

Tsunade was still, hands folded in front of her face, expression emotionless. What was she going to say? Was she going to let Sakura, who was like a daughter to her, go on this highly dangerous mission? This was an S-rank mission we are talking about. What would she do?

"Sakura…" Tsunade began speaking, only to be interrupted by the pinkette in front of her.

"Tsunade, I have to go. I know that you're worried about my well-being, and want to keep me safe, but I'm a grown woman now. You know perfectly well as I do that I can more than take care of myself. I am the top woman spy there is, and I think I could be a valuable addition to the team. I am also a skilled medic, and you wouldn't have to spare one for the team since they would have me. And I know not to get my feelings for Sasuke in the way, but I have to do this. I have to, Tsunade. Please understand, but I will go, whether you assign me or not."

What she had said was true; Sakura had to go, not only for herself, but for Sasuke too.

"Sakura… you're right. And I'm proud of you. You have come so far, and I'm so proud that I can call you my pupil. But I worry about you, and I want you to be safe. But I can't exactly stop you from going, so I wish you the best of luck. I know with you, the mission will succeed, and everyone will arrive home safely."

"Thank you, Tsunade."

"Now, are there any other volunteers?"

"I would like to go." The speaker being identified as Neji. Shocked murmurs spread throughout the room, and Gaara narrowed his eyes dangerously. Sasuke and Neji weren't exactly the best of friends.

"Neji, are you sure you want to go?"

"Yes. Since Sakura is going, I feel that I should be with her, for I know I can protect her if the need arises, and I am also very skilled in hand-to-hand combat as well as sword play, and I can handle a gun very well. I believe you have no objections?"

Tsunade knew that Neji thought of Sakura as a little sister, though how the two grew close was a mystery to her and everyone else present. "Very well; anyone else?"

"Pick me, baa-chan!" Naruto bounced excitedly in his seat, trying to get her attention. "I wanna go save Sasuke-teme!"

"Fine! I'll finally get some peace and quiet around here. And how many times have I told you not to call me baa-chan, brat!" Tsunade said, as a random lamp sailed past Naruto's head.

"Yay!" Naruto started doing a little victory dance on the table, happy and excited to be going on an S-rank mission.

"Shikamaru, I would also like you to go with them, you being a great strategist and all, and be the leader of this team. Hopefully you four will be enough, but I will set aside a small group in case you every need backup. I trust your decisions, and I expect you to not let us down."

"Maa… how troublesome." Everyone sweat-dropped at that. Typical Shikamaru.

"This meeting is now at an end. I expect the four who were assigned to this mission to be back at the break of dawn. Do not be late. You are dismissed."

After the room cleared out, Tsunade let out a long sigh.

"I need my sake."

~Following You~

Blond hair blew in the night breeze as a girl; excuse me, a woman walked at a pleasant place in the direction of what seemed to be her home. Ino Yamanaka, with her bright blonde hair and shocking blue eyes that could almost rival that of Naruto's slowly made her way down the street at a leisurely pace. Her eyes danced with liveliness, but her heart screamed otherwise. She was worried, but who wouldn't be when their best friend was leaving and possibly never coming back?

Ino felt as if nothing was going right in her life. Her best friend going on an S-rank mission, tension from her upcoming tests at her universities, and the fact that her love life was down below, she couldn't think of anything else that could ruin her even more. She realized Shikamaru could never love her the way she thought she loved him; it was obvious that he was head over heels in love with Temari. But she felt no jealousy, as she had gotten over her crush a while ago. But she couldn't help but wonder, is there anyone for her out there?

She didn't notice Sai walking next to her until he spoke up.

"What's on your mind?"

Ino looked up to see Sai walking while looking at her intently, as if searching for the answer that could somehow be hidden in her face.

"Sai… ah, it's nothing really. I'm just worried, you know, about Sakura leaving an all. And my college exams are coming up too, so I'm really stressed out."

"Something else is bothering you, is there not?

Damn him and his straightforward attitude and his ability to read her like an open book.

"I'm just wondering if I'll ever be able to find someone that's just for me. Sakura has Sasuke, Naruto has Hinata, and Shikamaru has Temari. Sometimes I feel left out, you know? And I feel like no one likes me, for me, and just the way I look."

"Mm, well, I think you're a wonderful girl who's head strong and is annoying at times, but a loyal friend and fun to be around." Flashing a small, but real, smile, Sai walked off in the direction of his home, leaving a dumb-founded Ino standing in the street corner.

Was he telling me the truth, or was he just saying what he thought should be said? Ino hoped it was the truth…

~Following You~

Somewhere on a different road, Neji Hyuuga walked at a brisk pace towards his own home. He had felt the presence awhile ago, and was waiting to see if the person would approach him, or if he should just out walk said person. It was getting quite annoying, playing this game of cat and mouse, and for some reason, Neji felt as if he was the mouse.

Coming to a signal where surprisingly quite a few cars where on, Neji stopped walking, waiting for the crosswalk signal to let him pass. The presence had stopped behind him too, at a respectable distance, but then suddenly started approaching him.

Neji felt someone grab his arm in a solid grip, and being pulled to turn around and face his captor.

"Gaara." Said man just stared intently at the Hyuuga, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

"Neji." The stare down began. Neither moved a muscle while waiting to see who would make the first move. To them, it was a sign of weakness to even twitch, and if they were any ordinary people, one of them would have succumbed by now.

Neji looked away first, but only to check the signal to see if he can cross yet. Gaara took that as a sign of giving in.

"Neji, I do not want you to go on this mission. Why not let someone else take your place?"

"I am not so weak that I can't go on this mission, and you of all people should know that. I am not going to withdraw from my position just because you expect me to. Sakura needs me, and I feel I can be a great asset to the team."

Gaara stared at Neji dangerously. Had he really just said that? Was he really going to risk his life for some stupid girl? Not that he didn't like Sakura, more than that he just didn't want Neji to get hurt.

"Fine, do as you wish. But if you die…" Gaara didn't finish his sentence as he abruptly turned around and stalked off, going who knows where.

"What was that about?" Neji wondered aloud, and turned around just in time for the signal signaling to him to walk.

~Following You~

"AHHHHHHHHH!"

The heart wrecking scream echoed throughout the shallow cave, where the people, if that's what you can call them, stopped for just one second as they listened.

In a different room, secluded from the others, Sasuke was strapped onto a bed, burn and cut marks all over his body, indicating that he had gone through some kind of torture.

"You like that, don't you Sssasssuke?" A snake like man spoke, as his assistant cleaned the knife he just used. "Oh, we're going to have ssso much fun with you."

Sasuke could feel himself losing consciousness, and he tried to will it away. He had been through much more torture than this and still be able to keep awake, but had spending all this time here really made him that weak?

"…bastard…" Sasuke meekly let out, suddenly get punched in the stomach by the same man he insulted.

"Now, now, Sasuke, we wouldn't want to be a bad boy now, would we? Why don't you just cooperate with me, and before you know it, the pain would be gone. And you could see your friends and family again."

The idea that this could all be over was really tempting, but he knew what the snake man wanted, and wouldn't give himself up for anything. He just hoped everyone back at Konoha Yakuza Headquarters got his message.

"…never…" Sasuke said as he began to blackout, and the last thing he saw was the silver-haired assistant, speaking to the snake man.

"Orochimaru…"

~Following You~

So what do you think? Is it good, or is it good? Bahaa, well review, ne? Criticism is appreciated, but no flames please! Arigatou Gozaimasu! Ja!