A/N: Another view...and something new. If you follow both of my postings I recommend you read the other first, but there are just enough differences in the August 20th events that you'll find both interesting.

Disclaimer: Datclaimer, what's the difference, I don't own the rights to Naruto. Kishimoto-sama does...so now on to De-other-claimer -Dattebayo!

August 20

The good news is Sakura went through with it and married Lee. The bad news is just about everything else that happened today. It really started the night before when Sakura and I were walking home; she asked me if I would pick up an item for her, so she could have it to use in the morning. I couldn't believe it when she said "a pregnancy test" I'm like, 'aren't you one of the top medics of the village, wouldn't you just know these thing instinctively?'

To which she replied, "Well, I've been thinking about it and I keep checking to see if there's anything wrong with me, but it occurs to me that it wouldn't be wrong…just different, which might just be the case. Babies can be a natural part of the female condition. So, since I really haven't been around that very much in my training I might not be able to recognize it, especially in myself."

It made sense to me so, I promised to help her out since she's so much better known around the village than I. Then I asked her how many times she and Lee had done the deed. I was stunned to learn that it was only twice, both on the night after the night they got engaged. I mean if it was me and I found someone who obviously excited me as much as Lee apparently did her, I would have gone out of the way to find the time and a place. However, if she wasn't going to talk about it…well, I'd already pried enough for one evening.

Early the next morning, I picked up the kit in a part of town where I almost never go. Luckily, since I was going to do most of my beauty regimen with Sakura in our dressing room, I could actually be partially disguised by dressing almost frumpy. Why take chances or waste chakra on justu? Especially on a day where I might need my energy for other more entertaining things: like new conquests.

When I got to the hall that the wedding was being held, an hour earlier than I was supposed to show up I might add, Sakura was already there and in a panic. Of course, it was all about my getting there with the test. Well, we got our answer in short order: yes, she was. I, of course am doubly 'happy' for her because this only guarantees she's out of the Sasuke contest.

So, of course the next panic set in, 'How was she going to tell Lee?' I found this almost funny because Sakura was getting such positive reviews because of her calm and thoughtful manner as a medic: if the Hokage could just see her behavior this morning, all crazy, she wouldn't have recognized her. She almost ran out of the room to see if he had arrived yet.

The preparations weren't that hard once I calmed her down. I thought I made her look pretty good considering what I had to work with. When her mother came in to check on us, everything was so under control we were able to get her out of there with ease. Soon thereafter, I got myself all glamed up to my satisfaction, after all it was my sacred duty as maid of honor to find someone who had harbored a secret crush on the bride and comfort him …I wonder…maybe Kakashi?

So, anyways the ceremony went off without a hitch. I even caught the moment Sakura whispered her little secret to Lee. It was kind of funny watching his eyes get wider than usual, and then she had to kiss him right away before he made some sort of excited exclamation (He's so predictable).

When we sat down for the dinner was when my next job kicked into high gear, intercepting any attempts to get the bride drunk, usually by drinking them myself. 'Maybe my dad's habit of inviting me to drink with him might finally come in useful,' I thought…WRONG, it just loosed my tongue at an inopportune moment.

That moment came when Tenten decided the line for the regular ladies room was too long for her so she slipped into our changing room to use the restroom there. She came back into the main hall squeaking, "Look what I found, and it's positive." and waving the pregnancy test around. I immediately snatched it from her which prompted her to accuse me of being the one who used it. My buzz got the best of me: several guys in the crowd blushed, some of whom had been my partner recently enough to have reason to fear, but no, Chouji has to stand up and I had to focus on him and literally confessed our liaison from back in February in front of everyone. Then, I finally told the crowd the test wasn't mine, so with all faces looking at her, Sakura had to announce it. The room exploded with comments, in particular about various bets pertaining to the bride, groom and the baby's due date. Good thing it wasn't my wedding.

However my run in with Tenten wasn't over we had a bitch-fight over the bouquet. Then I snagged Neji for a dance and the Hokage had to stop the fight before it started again. I also grabbed Kakashi for a dance, and then had to dance with Gai because he thought it was the next duel with his rival.

So anyways, once things settled down, the party actually got to be fun. Everyone decided to go all out to get me drunk and did they ever succeed. I vaguely remember saying goodnight to the bride and groom. I remember seeing a few more people leave, Tenten with Neji, lucky girl. Then Shikamaru and Chouji offered to walk me home, I refused saying I had a sacred duty as maid of honor to comfort someone...I didn't know who yet but dammit, I was gonna stick around. "The pickings are getting thin, Ino," Shika, muttered, "you might want to get while the getting is good. We'll get you home safe." I refused them and they left.

Well, I can say with authority that Gai is not gay, he's, at least, bi. Somehow, we ended up underneath the head table humping for all we were worth. He was easily as drunk as I was, I don't even remember if he was any good. I think I was way too gone to feel much of anything as badly as I wanted to. He did talk a lot about Lee, incoherently at times. He seemed worried how Lee's marriage could change their special bond and cried more than I'd ever seen him cry before. Fortunately, I had just enough control not to say that I was all for a change there, I certainly wouldn't want a husband of mine having that kind of insane hero worship going on. I would have hated to see his reaction to that. This definitely wasn't the comforting job I'd expected. Well, after the third time around, his stamina, along with the alcohol I'd consumed, did me in, and I passed out.

I woke up still under the table, Gai stretched out beside me face down, butt naked, and I'm embarrassed to say it was one of the top five butts I'd woken next to. I carefully crawled out from under the table desperate not to wake him. The last thing I would have wanted would have been him to wake up, and give me that grin of his while making some stupid declaration about youth and some part of my anatomy. The only other people in sight were Hinata sleeping with her back up against the wall with Naruto sleeping with his head resting in her lap. There may be an interesting story here; I'll have to keep my eyes open. Oh, how my thighs are killing me! Luckily, I don't have to worry about having Sakura's little problem. I'm always prepared for just such occasions.

September 1

Ebisu showed up at the shop again and asked if half a dozen dark pink roses could be delivered to a certain address at a certain time. Of course, I said that I would see to it personally.

At the address in question there was a sigh posted that said "Deliveries around back".

So, I wandered around to the back of the building and discovered a small garden surrounded by high hedges. Everything in the garden was green. There were no flowering plants to be seen. Ebisu came up behind me: "This is my aunt's house, she asked me to check up on it for while she's out of town for a few weeks." He showed me the path, and how at the center of the garden there was a ring of stepping stones about two meters in diameter, within the grass looked very soft. "This is our place tonight." He entwined three of the roses in my hair. After that he had me lie in the center of the circle then he gently plucked the rose petals and let them land upon my skin. He did his usual sketches, this time it was actually very comfortable waiting for him to finish.

When he set his materials down I was waiting to see what he had planned next. He knelt beside me, then one petal at a time he picked them off me with his lips. The softness of each petal enhanced the sensation of his kisses. It was truly a sensual torture as I waited for him to pluck each one from my body, no matter where they were, and, as always, he lingered over the more sensitive places: the man is a devil. When that was over, we took each other with wild abandon.

Some part of me wonders what he going to do with all those sketches he makes of me. Another part of me wonders if he has any other models around town. Maybe someday I'll ask him, but for now I don't want to risk our arrangement. I'm having way too much fun…even if I haven't tried any of the things I've learned on anyone else.

September 23-Happy Birthday to me.

Another year's come and gone. I'm older and hopefully wiser. After my family celebrated, my father once again decided that it would be a good idea to share some sake with me, five-six-I don't know how many little cups later, I was really buzzed and decided staying home and going to sleep would be my best bet, especially after what happened last few times I got drunk. Next thing I know I had the strangest dream:

I was sitting along the town gate like I was waiting for somebody. I had brought a picnic basket with me and a blanket. Along comes Gaara of the Sands; he's also carrying a blanket, but he has a cooler with him, and, of course, the big gourd of sand he always has with him. Then he looks at my basket and says, "Oh good, I remembered correctly, I was worried I was in charge of the lunch instead of the drinks." He smiles at me and bats those dark ringed eyes of his and offers me his free hand. We walk off into the woods, then poof, we're suddenly at a beach. We spread out the blankets and sit together. We open the basket and pull out some of the lunch items. "Allow me," he says softly, and then he selects a tidbit from the dishes and gently feeds it too me. It tastes and feels of sand. I practically crawl across him to get to the drinks. Damn, I'm parched, water. Fighting to pull off the cap, I feel like I'm about to choke on the unnatural dryness in my throat. Gaara serenely watches as I panic. I try to guzzle the water as soon as it's open. I feel like I can breathe again. Gaara smiles at me as I put down the bottle. He leans forward to kiss me, his tongue brushes mine and…I'm parched again. I snatch up another beverage and suck in down, but I still feel a strange grittiness in my mouth. I start to spit out sand. I grab another water bottle, but Gaara stops me before I can get the cap off it. "You are mine now- you must be one with the sand." He gently guide my right hand to his face, he feels of sand. My left hand moves off the blanket onto the beach: the sand feels the same. I feel soooo dry. My mind screams: 'if you don't get water soon, you'll turn to sand!' He takes me into his arms and it's like I'm being covered in a blanket of sand.

I wake up with a start and snatch the glass of water off my nightstand. Dammit, too much alcohol, I'm dehydrated. I sit there in my bed and think about it: Why would any girl want to be with Gaara? That would be like taking sand paper and rubbing it between your thighs, let alone if you let him in….I can still feel myself violently shuddering at this thought. Ouch, no thank you.

So to clear my mind I try to come up with another guy. The only one that came up readily was Gaara's brother. When I think of Kankurou, all I come up with is this guy who hasn't given up on wearing his kiddy pajamas; does he even have a body worth doing under that? The face paint makes me wonder, how much of that stuff would come off if you kissed him. That's if you could get him to stop being condescending long enough to even get him to pay attention to something other than those puppets of his. Some boys have weird toys.

September 25

I did it again. I hit on someone while he was at the guard booth. Well, okay, it was really a moment of mutual verbal teasing. I was assigned to fill in at the guard booth for an evening session. I hadn't been out there before so I ended paired up with Izumo. It was probably the first time I'd ever been around him without Kotetsu around. It was one of those things where you almost wondered about those two… Izumo and I started chatting about things in general. Then it started.

"Hey, we have something in common." Izumo said quietly.

"And that would be?"

"We're only keeping one eye each on the situation here." He flipped his hair up showing his right eye and grinning.

"I see." I quipped back, tossing my head to flash my right eye at him.

"Working with you isn't quite what I envisioned," he said, "The time is going surprisingly fast."

"So then you'd say things are looking up?" I gave him a dreamy smile, hoping he'd go for it.

He looked at me for a moment with a slightly surprised expression on his face.

"What?" I asked.

"I thought the guard booth was off limits?" Izumo smiled a sly smile.

"If the Hokage assigned me I guess it isn't…is it?" I reply, "Besides where the problem came was from me dating two guys at once. If I'm not dating the guy or anyone else at the time there should be no jealousy issues….right?"

"It's a possibility." He tapped a finger to his chin.

"It's a possibility we could do something after this or would someone would be jealous?" I ask casually.

"Who would be jealous me?"

"There are some that would suggest Kotetsu."

He flinched. "You don't buy into that do you?"

"I don't know, some of the stories sound pretty convincing. However, I bet you can dissuade me with a demonstration of your skills." I play the reassuring card by lightly patting my hand on his.

"You're pushing me into a corner."

"And what you don't want to go there? You can trust me, I've learned a lot since that incident in March. I'm older, wiser, and very cautious." I let my voice slide into sultry. "You don't have to worry; I'm strictly a 'no commitment' kind of girl. I consider these just another training exercise. Surely you're the kind of guy who likes to get some exercise."

He looks at me appraisingly. "Oh, what the hell, I suppose we can do something after our shift. We'll just have to set up a meeting place."

"It can't be my place." I look at him, "I hope you don't live in 'guardsman central'."

"If you mean the place where your little incident took place in March, no," he looked at me, "I live next door in 'guardsman central 2'."

"Is that good or bad?"

"How about safe, I live on the first floor, near the door. I can get you in and out again discretely." Izumo smiled.

"So I guess this means we're on." I feel relieved. I would have hated to miss out on some action after all that.

So two hours later (but only ten minutes after shift end) we meet up just around the corner from his place. Then he guides me inside: there's only one other room between his room and the entrance. He's right, it is fairly discrete getting in. His room is reasonable… not as neat as Yuji's was…not about to be condemned like Yama's…but the structure is identical. I like the placement of his bed in the room better.

So we hit the sheets. He's by far the noisiest man I've ever been with- even Gai drunk had nothing on him. So much for a discrete encounter…at least he didn't scream my name out. Other than the noise his skills were very solid, we both got what we wanted out of our encounter…twice. Somehow, I ended up curled comfortably in his arms for about fifteen minutes afterward then just as I decide its time that maybe I should get going. I start tugging my clothes back on.

"Hey, thank you, that was fun. Now I definitely know one of our differences...you're a screamer. I haven't had one of those before." I smirk at him.

He looks like he's about to quip back when there was this weird rhythmic tapping at his door. He swears, lunges toward it and opens it a crack.

"Hey, I thought we had a deal…we share. Who ya got in there?" It was Kotetsu.

"Can't I have one to myself once in a while…she kind of wanted it that way." Izumo sounds defensive.

"If you could have been quieter, I, and half the guys here might not have known." Kotetsu replied. "You have more self control when we take turns..."

That was the moment I chose to move to where he could just see me through the crack that the door was open.

Kotetsu stared right at me. "Damn you for a fool…she's underage."

"No, she's not she just turned 18."

"Did she tell you that?"

"Her friend Sakura just got married last month. They're close in age."

"Hey guys, I hate to interrupt." I cut in, putting a hand on Izumo's shoulder. "One, no one asked my age, yes, I just turned 17. Two, Sakura got married with parental permission; so she didn't have to be 18 either. Three, did Kotetsu just say that you share? How do I sign up for that?"

They both looked at me slightly stunned. Then Kotetsu spoke again, "The rules we were trying to follow were that the girls are legal age. So I guess you're just going to have to wait for next year…and really just for future reference he really is a lot quieter when we give our visitors the tag team treatment."

"Shall I book a date on my calendar now or should I look you two up when I've made it past my birthday next year?" I smiled up at his bandaged face. "Just in case you two have a falling out over the next year, or, worse yet, find steady dates."

"She's got the skills," Izumo glanced at me as he started to argue to Kotetsu, "can't we make an exception just this once?"

"The Hokage would kill us if she finds out…it's at least 18 or a no go." Kotetsu popped his friend in the forehead with the flat of his hand, "Use your brain."

"Well, I'm sorry for any trouble I've caused," I said, "but I better get out of here before anyone else finds out I'm here. If what you say is true I certainly don't need my dad to find out either." I walk past them noticing the room just before the exit is open…I'll assume its Kotetsu's. I stop just short of leaving, strike an enticing pose and add, "See you next year, then?"

They both look blankly at me, then start to nod.

A/N: Please don't hate me Gaara fans. That's just how I see it...yeowch! On the other hand Izumo and Kotetsu sandwich, "aw yeah that's hot, yo." (Ok it's sorta like 'Naruto Abridged')