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Chapter 10

Sakura raced through the forests of Rain, true they were not as thick or deep as the one in Leaf, but the expansion of the forest allowed to race across the branches with nary a sound and an ease born of long practice.

It had been a long time since she had been to the falls of Rain, but she knew the way as though it had only been yesterday. Her mind firmly fixed on the path before her; it came as a bolt out of the blue when she sensed another familiar chakra in the area. What is he doing here? She thought frantically, and immediately stopped on a nearby tree branch, her face a serene tranquility, belying her racing heart and state of anxiousness.

"Neji….I know you're there, show yourself." She called out into the forest. "Nice to see your training hasn't been for nothing, Sakura." Replied Neji coming from behind a neighboring tree, only a foot away.

"I had an excellent teacher." She replied with a trace of banter. It was no secret that Neji had been her ANBU trainer. Only the faintest of smiles reached his mouth. "What are you doing here?" she asked, a frown forming on her lovely features. "I thought that it was agreed that I would do this alone, for now."

"With the Uchiha so close to Leaf, Lady Tsunade and Lord Kakashi could hardly ignore that fact." Neji frowned this time, and before Sakura could blink, he was on the tree branch next to her. "Just because he was once a former member of your squad Sakura, doesn't mean he will show you any mercy."

"I know Neji." She told him, her voice calm.

"So why do you still insist on doing this alone?" demanded Neji, as close to agitated as she had ever seen him.

"How would you feel if it were Tenten or Lee who had become a Rogue?" she asked him instead, making him pause. "Would you simply allow another to bring them to justice, because someone else thought that you would be too emotional to handle it?"

"Hmmmm." Was his only reply, but Sakura knew she had him there.

She tried for a friendly smile, praying silently, that Sasuke would still be at the falls. "I know you think that this is foolish, but I have to do this. Naruto can't leave the village, not with Madara still lose and his training incomplete."

Without a though, Sakura laid a gloved hand on his arm. "Neji….please, one more day, that's all I ask. Give me one more day to find him and do it my way. After that…" Sakura trailed off and shrugged her shoulders as if to say, after that; I'll take any help I can get. This of course, was the farthest from the truth.

Neji sighed, "Fine. One more day Sakura." He gave her a hard look, "After that, you will have another with you. Is that understood?" Sakura snapped to attention. "Understood Captain."

Sakura turned to leave, but stopped as her blood ran cold at his next words. "However, since I am already here, why don't I join you? Your message said that he was in this area. With the two of us, he shouldn't be that hard to find."

Sakura turned back to look at him, his pale lavender eyes devoid of any emotion. Her own emerald one reflected that image. "That is very generous, Captain." She said slowly, "but the information I received was vague at best. However, there were confirmed sightings of the three former members of Hawk sighted near the lands of Stone."

Neji's eyes narrowed at that. "Stone….perhaps they seek refuge there…in that case…." Once more his pale eyes focused on her face and Sakura made sure to keep all expression from her eyes. "You have until sundown, after that, return to the village, with or without the Uchiha. I will go to the border of Stone and see for myself if those three are there."

Sakura nodded her head, keeping down the overwhelming relief that she would be able to find Sasuke without Neji knowing about it. She hated lying to her Captain, but her desire to see Sasuke, to talk with him, overshadowed her guilt.

She was surprised, however, when Neji reached out to grab her wrist. The Hyuga was not one for personal contact, despite that fact that they had become friends over the past few years.

"Neji?" she asked confusion in her eyes.

"Do not trust the Uchiha, Sakura. He is treacherous and will play on your feelings for him."

Sakura still at that. "Feelings, what feelings?" she asked, could he know….but how?

"Of your time with Team Seven. He is no longer that boy, remember that." Neji told her an intensity in his gaze that was oddly disconcerting. "Don't worry Neji, I'm not that little girl anymore." She told him lightly, forcing herself to relax. "I'm just going to go check on the rumor I received from the villagers. Honestly, do you really think he would stray so close to the Leaf village?"

Reluctantly, it seemed, Neji let go of her wrist. "Perhaps you are right. In any case, be careful and remember you have until sunset."

Sakura cocked a pale pink eyebrow at him, but conceded to his wishes. Her easy smile dropped immediately as soon as the ANBU Captain was out of eye shot. Sakura looked to the sky. She had at least five more hours before the sun began to set.

Sakura raced through the branches once more, a desperation giving wings to her feet. She knew, without a doubt, that this would be the last time she would see Sasuke alone, away from everyone.