Sorry for being a little late, but I've just been thrown back into the hellhole they call school. And Believe it or not, those nut jobs expect me to actually work.

If you Review I'll make time for this story :D I promise ;)

Anyway, on with the chapter.

No way, No hope, absolutely No chance. Not if hell froze over. Not even if hell froze over twice, make that three times. Ain't gonna happen.

This is but a mere sample of the thoughts that plagued Sakura's mind when it came to Itachi.

The girl has mulled it over then she proceeded to mull it over again. She tried to think of a scenario where she and Itachi ended up together, but to no avail.

She couldn't help but think that; it was absolutely hopeless to even think about the man.

He is an engaged man after all. And even though he seems rather indifferent about his fiancée, the woman was anything but indifferent about him. And Sakura just didn't see herself as a home wrecker. Not to mention that Itachi didn't seem to have any intentions to leave Anko.

The medic saw no way out of this quandary. And that's why she accepted Shisui's offer.

*he's andsome.* she thought *and funny too. He also seems very interested in me. So why not just go for it?* she pondered as she made her way out of school. She was currently headed for the hokage's office. This is because; said lady has requested an immediate audience with her pink haired student. And Sakura knew full well that it never bodes well for anyone, when the normally laid back Kage uses the words 'Immediate' and 'Audience'.

Sakura didn't need any extra stress, as her life was already in shambles. First, she has a ball coming up in three days, for which she's yet to make the necessary preparations. She was also busy avoiding Itachi, which was made that much easier, by the fact that; ever since that day at the hospital; the man seemed to actively ignore her.

He didn't even bother to make her run errands like Anko was doing to Ino. Instead the stoic Uchiha simply ignored the girl. *It's for the best.* she told herself. *I need to forget about him.*

However, she couldn't help but wonder at the reasons behind his sudden change of heart.

Another contributing factor, to Sakura's immanent mental break down, is the fact that the entire school seemed to be conspiring against her. Every time she walks into a room, an eerie silence descends on its inhabitants, as they proceed to give the girl shady side glances.

First, she didn't know what was going on. But soon Ino offered to fill her in. However, the truth is; Ino didn't really need to tell Sakura anything, as she herself managed to run into a juicy piece of information, during gym class.

Flash back to said gym class:

"Hey." Sakura greeted a bunch of girls who were huddled together under the bleachers. The girls barely acknowledged her, since they were so engrossed in their juicy conversation. One of them simply motioned for her to join them, as if her being a girl somehow granted her a life time pass into the "gossipers anonymous" club.

Sakura took her place inside the buzzing circle. She figured it might take her mind off of things for a while.

"That's nothing." A prissy blonde said haughtily. Obviously, unimpressed by the unjuiciness of the latest offered tidbit.

"Well, what do you know about her, then?" a red head who's also the supposed provider of the unimpressive tidbit commented, seemingly offended.

The previously mentioned blonde flashed her hair and stood a little higher than before. "I know a lot." She bragged. "First, aside from the obvious fact that she's their little slut, she used to be a guy." The girl intoned.

"WHAAAAT?" a collective squeak met her statements, as the gossip enthused girls were already starting to think about whom they want to share this rumor with first.

"Shut up." The red head almost screamed in a get-out-of-here sorta way.

"It is true." The blonde said snootily. "Apparently, the younger brother met her in a gay bar and she had an operation done just for him, but when she transferred she got the hots for his brother and became their little hussy." She said confidently.

"How would you know that?" the red head questioned. She was annoyed that she had been out gossiped.

"Oh, my information comes from the source." She paused, puffing her chest regally. "I know her in person." This was met by yet another round of collective screaming.

By this time Sakura was blinking confusedly, as she went through a list of the people she knew trying to find out if anyone met the requirements.

A wave of raucous laughter snapped her out of her trance.

"Ah, she's such a slut." One of the girls said cheerily.

Sakura cleared her throat. "Umm, do you mind me asking; who that girl is?" Sakura asked timidly.

The blonde turned to Sakura, now finally noticing her presence. "Ah, you won't know her." she said, confidence oozing from her every word.

"Her name is Sakura." The red head supplied helpfully.

"I AM SAKURA."

End of flash back.

Afterwards the girls scampered hurriedly, as Sakura's augmenting Chakra threatened to eliminate everything within a twenty mile radius.

The pink haired Kunoichi vowed to kill Anko, but the woman had the good sense to clear out of her path. This left Sakura with a lot of spare rage, which allowed her to effectively silence any unlucky gossip monger, who happened to cross her path.

Sakura pondered those sleazy little idiots as she approached her mentor's office. She knocked lightly and was instantaneously greeted with Tsunade's bubbly voice.

"Come on in."

Sakura pushed the door, but froze at what she saw.

Tsunade sat regally at her desk. Her chest puffed out in its normal Z-cup glory and a slightly drunken smile graced her lips, as she regarded her subordinate. But, what threw Sakura off completely is the person who was standing in front of Tsunade's desk. The very Uchiha she has been trying to avoid all week was standing impassively in front of the Hokage. His attention wasn't drawn to the new entrant, not in the least bit.

Sakura on the other hand felt a mix of emotions run through her. She was happy to see him, but she was also mad at herself for being happy to see him. She was upset that; her determination to avoid thinking about him was being overthrown by her concern about the reason behind his ice cold demeanor.

"Here you are." Tsunade sang. "Come in, come in." she motioned enthusiastically.

The girl walked in, plastering on her most professional of attitudes.

"Listen, Sakura." Tsunade started with an ominous glint to her eyes. "Itachi-Taicho and his Anbo team are in need of a Kunoichi to be part of their next mission. They are going on a recon mission, and having a bunch of guys prancing around is bound to draw attention. Accordingly, I have nominated you to tag along with them." She said in that voice she used when she wanted to make herself more Hokage like.

"Me?" Sakura wondered, taken aback.

"Is there a problem?" Her quick tempered mentor hissed.

"O-of course not. It's just that I have never been on an Anbu mission before and ….."

"You're my student. You're more than qualified for this. Besides, you'll be with our toughest captain, so you should be just fine." The Godaime Hokage said with a wink at the still emotionless uchiha.

Sakura shifted her eyes to look at the man, but before she knew it he was breathing past her like an ice storm. "We leave in an hour." Came his ice cold monotone. And that was all he said.

Sakura looked confused for a second. She stared at the door where he disappeared, as she wondered what just happened. She then shifted her attention to her mentor. Said lady was watching her with earnest interest. A knowing smile gracing her artificially beautified features.

"What did you do that for?"Sakura questioned.

"Why did I do what?" the woman questioned in obvious faked innocence.

"Why did you nominate me? You never nominate me for Anbu duty."

"I just thought you were right for the job."

"So, you didn't do that because Jiraiya-Sama told you something?"

"Ah, Sakura, I haven't seen that slimy bastard for months."

"You've gone out drinking with him last night."

"Ooops."

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