Author's Note: the law abotu adoption was completely made up so dont bite my head off it it doesnt really work. I couldnt think of any other way to have both Kakashi and Tsunade be her "parents". And no, Kakashi and Tsunade are not together. Sakura's parents died when she was 14 in this fic. Enjoy!

Summary: When dealing with the mystery that is life Sakura finds that it is best to experiment with what you have and look forward to the gifts that lie ahead. NejiXSakura.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, etc…

"Sakura, you seem tense." Neji stated as they waited for their food to arrive.

The medic sighed and ran a hand through her short hair. Her gaze, he noted, seemed to land on his forehead. She shook her head and then gave him a rather large smile.

"Don't worry. We can talk about it when there are less people around." He seemed to understand that whatever it was that was bothering her was not something to be announced in a busy restaurant and left it at that.

Their food arrived and they ate the delicious sushi together. Sakura slowly munched away not quite sure what to say. As it would turn out she needn't have worried. For once Neji began the conversation.

"Hanabi-sama seemed extremely amused when I saw her on my way out of the compound this afternoon."

"Really?" Sakura asked trying to hide a smirk, knowing exactly what he was eluding to.

"Yes. I wonder if you would know anything about that…" The look he gave her told her that he knew everything. Well, maybe not everything but he certainly knew she was behind Hanabi's enthusiasm.

She couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled up from the pit of her stomach. Neji's infamous smirk was etched into his face. He seemed rather amused with her antics.

"Care to share?"

"I wore my ANBU mask to greet Hanabi's team this morning," she said between giggles. He eyebrows shot up suddenly.

"You wore your snarling wolf mask to greet three twelve year old children?" His amusement was ringing in his voice and shining in his eyes.

"I thought a little bit of mystery would do them a bit of good. Kaka-sensei scared the crap out of me when I took the bell test the first time and part of what helped him along was the fact that I couldn't see his face. I figured I could use the same tactic on them since it worked so well for my team," she said before popping another piece of sushi in her mouth.

"Yes, but did you have to use your ANBU mask?" he asked reaching for his tea.

"I would have borrowed a mask from Kaka-sensei but I couldn't find him so I improvised." She shrugged and dove in for the last piece of sushi quickly putting it in her mouth as Neji let a deep chuckle escape from his lips.

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"Hatake, how many times have I told you to come straight here when I call for you?" asked and agitated Hokage.

Kakashi shrugged and sat in an open chair next to the equally agitated Hiashi. They had been waiting for the infuriating man for about an hour now.

"Hokage-sama, may we begin our discussion?" Hiashi's tone was slightly clipped and the infamous Hyuuga glare was in full force.

"Of course. We are here to discuss my apprentice, am I correct?" She looked around inspecting every corner of the room before she pulled out a high quality bottle of sake out from under her desk. Faster than either male thought was possible, she had poured herself a cup of the intoxicating beverage, inhaled it, and hid it back under her desk. Hiashi blinked a few times before speaking.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama. I would like to inform you of my intentions to bring Sakura-san into the Hyuuga clan."

"Before you take this any further, who exactly would my Sakura-chan be marrying?" Kakashi asked with suspicious eyes.

"Would it matter?" Hiashi's gaze was cold and emotionless. Tsunade sat back and watched the two men square off ready to fight over Sakura.

"Yes, it would. My Sakura-chan deserves nothing less than the clan heir." Hiashi nodded.

"Then we are in accord." Kakashi's visible silver brow was raised.

"You want Sakura-chan to marry Hinata-chan?" Hiashi physically recoiled in surprise and slight disgust.

"Of course not. If she was to marry anyone she should marry Neji." Hiashi and Kakashi both fell silent for a few minutes as Kakashi thought about the prospect. Eventually he seemed satisfied.

"I could accept that… eventually." The two men seemed to come to a mutual understanding. The Hyuuga prodigy was a good catch for any woman and a good match for Sakura in more than one way. All in all Neji was Sakura's type and the power he had physically, socially, and economically was only an added bonus.

Tsunade folded her arms over her ample chest.

"And I suppose my opinion as her adopted mother doesn't count, right…" Hiashi looked at the woman in surprise.

"Adopted?" At his question both Kakashi and Tsunade nodded.

"When Sakura-chan's parents died in a fire three years ago, I became her legal guardian. It wasn't until recently that she was adopted." Kakashi began. Tsunade quickly took over the conversation.

"As you know, Hiashi-san, there is a law that states that if a child is adopted it must be a family until that does the adopting, meaning both potential parents must be present and accounted for. It is an old law and seeing as though not many people are willing to take in an orphaned shinobi or child for that matter it has not been changed. Last year Kakashi decided that it was time for him to adopt Sakura and treat her as the heir to the Hatake clan. He needed someone to fill the roll of mother and who better than me, her shishou, to take that position." Hiashi took the information in and leaned forward slightly.

"So her name is technically no longer Haruno. She is now Hatake Sakura."

"Yes, but only on legal documents and even then she usually signs as "H. Sakura" . She retains the Haruno name for the sake of her profession. She is known through out the world by that name and so she keeps it. We agreed that this was the best course of action."

Their reasoning and actions were understandable. Both of them truly cared about the young woman and would protect her with their lives. Just like real parents. Hiashi looked over to Tsunade.

"Would you agree to Sakura-san entering the Hyuuga clan?" he asked carefully. The blonde woman leaned back in her chair and sighed.

"I will agree to it the day she tells me that she loves your nephew and not a day sooner."

"I second that." Kakashi said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Hiashi's brows furrowed. This condition would make things more difficult. But he had faith in his nephew and the growing attraction between the two young shinobi.

"Fine, the day she comes to love Neji is the day that you will give your blessing on a union between the Hyuuga clan and the Hatake clan." Kakashi nodded in consent, his eye lifted in a crescent shape.

"Of course. We will discuss benefits and such later, that is if the need should ever arise." The corners of Hiashi's lips twitched and for a moment Tsunade narrowed her eyes, realizing that the Hyuuga clan lord knew something she did not.

"We will discuss this more when the need arises. Have a lovely evening Tsunade-sama, Kakashi-san." Sooner than either shinobi would have liked he was out the door and down the hall. Tsunade turned to Kakashi.

"You spy on Sakura and I'll look out for Neji. Meet back here in an hour… unless their together…" They looked at each other with worried glances. Their little girl might be on a date with the Hyuuga and they weren't there to supervise!

Scrambling to the window they went searching for the missing couple.

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"Do you think Tsunade-shishou should give ANBU more funding?" Her question reached his ears and his began to wonder why they were taking about work on their romantic walk.

And it was romantic. He might not have shown it in the past but Neji knew what women liked. Even though they were talking about work he could tell that Sakura was enjoying the feeling of their hands joined together and the peacefulness of Konoha at night.

"I think ANBU could use it but I believe that the money would serve a better use somewhere else." Sakura nodded her pink head enthusiastically.

"I agree. I think that she should put more funding into the academy. Iruka-sensei could really put the money to good use." For a few minutes there was silence while Sakura thought about lord knows what as she looked at the stars.

But apparently the silence was bothering her because she began speaking once again on an extremely random topic.

"Do you have any favorite activities? You know, like how Shikamaru likes shoji." He furrowed his brow. Why would she want to know something as trivial as that? It was probably a girl thing…but he obliged her despite his slight confusion as to why his hobbies were important.

"I like to train and meditate, if that's what your asking." She frowned at his answer.

"That doesn't really count but I'll take it." They were getting closer to her apartment and she knew she would have to ask him the dreaded question soon. She had been avoiding it all night but she had to bite the bullet and get it over with. Now she would just have to somehow bring up the subject.

"What do you like to do?" he asked quietly. She was so thrilled her asked. This was the perfect question at the perfect time and she could use it to her advantages.

"Since you gave me a work related answer I'll give you one as well. I love medic work and I truly to love to save lives but sometimes I find that a good research project is so much more fun and relaxing." Neji gave her a knowing smile.

"You really are quite the academic. Questing for knowledge has been a constant ever since I met you. Speaking of research, how is the Hyuuga research going?" Neji truly did have the perfect timing. She couldn't have brought the subject about better if she wanted to.

"It's going well but I have a slight problem." She let out a deep sigh. He turned concerned pale eyes to her shadowed form.

"What is it? Perhaps I can help you." She looked up at him with a pair of big green eyes that he knew he would never be able to resist.

"I would never ask you to help me with this Neji. I know the curse mark bothers you. As it turns out I have to do some research on it in order to complete some research Hiashi-sama requested of me."

Neji thought about it as her apartment door loomed closer and closer every step. By the time they reached her obnoxiously painted apartment door, which if he recalled was an awful green that had been used by the land lord on all the doors in the building, he had come to a decision.

"You may use me for your research." He had always been weary of allowing anyone see the mark (he will never know what possessed him to show the world the wretched thing during the chuunin exams) but the smile Sakura gave him pushed all his worries aside.

"Oh thank you Neji. This is wonderful. I have a lab spot open three days from now. Are you free then?" Neji nodded and was startled, though he didn't show it, when she reached up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you so much Neji, it means a lot." She opened her door ready to go in when she heard his deep baritone.

"Goodnight Sakura." She turned to give him a similar fair well when she felt his lips seal themselves firmly over hers. Her eyes widened in surprise but then she responded in kind. She melted into him a allowed herself to feel everything he was offering her. Protection, love, security, passion showed through in every second of his simple kiss. It ended all too soon for her and before she knew it he had pulled away and shot off into the night.

In a daze she called out to him.

"Goodnight Neji."

A few trees away he stood behind two slack jawed over protective shinobi, one blonde and the other a funny greyish silver.

"To avoid any further confusion I would like to inform you that Sakura and I have entered a relationship. Therefore, Tsunade-sama and Kakashi-san, if you feel it necessary to spy on us for her parents by all means please do so. But know that I would never hurt Sakura, if that is what you are worried about. Have a good evening."

He jumped off into the trees and the two shinobi turned to look at each other.

"He won't be letting her go anytime soon, will he?" she asked dejectedly.

"Nope."

"And I don't think he will let us scare him away…"

"I doubt it."

"And he is probably in love with her already otherwise he wouldn't have started dating her in the first place. He not exactly one to make a big fuss over a crush."

"Sounds about right."

"And by the look of things she really likes him otherwise she wouldn't have responded to the kiss in that manner."

"The evidence is pointing that way."

"We're screwed aren't we?"

"Yep."

"I'll arrange a meeting with Hiashi-san. You have a talk with Sakura-chan later this week."

"Got it."

End Comments: So, this moves the plot along. Just to let everyone know there will not be a marriage anytime soon. And yes there will be a lot of Neji/sakura in the next chapter and I will also squeeze in some Deidara/Tenten as well. Naruto will also make an appearance in the next chapter. Just to make it clear Sakura has been adopted by Tsunade and Kakashi and because Kakashi is the one who initially wanted to adopt her she took his last name. this inst really important now but it will be later. Remember, Neji doesn't know about the adoption…