Hello! It's been practically a year since an update. I got a better grip on the direction of this story with mature scenes brewing in these next few chapters. I am not one for a slow burn so I will try to speed it up to the good parts.

I will state that all characters obviously do not belong to me.

This is 100% Alternative Universe and some characters might be out of character in the future.

Please feel free to PM me with any ideas or advice on this story and don't forget to review if you feel like it!

Chapter Two: Detective Haruno

The sun rays invaded the platinum blonde's room causing her to finally stir. She pushed her locks out of her smudged makeup face as she sat up and checked her phone.

5 new messages.

9:02 AM TenTen: Morning Ladies! Since a few of us got a little too inebriated last night, I thought we could all meet up at our usual brunch spot to catch up.

Ino scoffed and rolled her eyes upon reading the brunettes message. 'She always has the slickest things to say…Shady just like mother.'

9:05 AM Hinata: Good morning! That sounds lovely! What time were you thinking?

9:11 AM TenTen: Let's shoot for 11 to give Thelma and Louise enough time to wake up.

5:15 AM Sakura: I'll have you know that I am already awake!

9:16 AM Sakura: Ino-Pig on the other hand...

Feeling a sudden jolt of energy, Ino sat upright while composing her message.

9:17 AM Ino: I'll stop you right there billboard brow. I'm awake and surely more rested than you. I think if memory serves me right, you and certain Uchiha left the gala together last night.

9:18 AM TenTen: Lol now I know you've just woken up. You're more delusional than usual. You know you did leave— well got escorted out before any of us left, right?

She stared at her phone analyzing the text message. Her gaze adverted upwards while she tried to recollect the night before.

The memory was hazy by Ino managed to muster up the image of Shikamaru, her Shikamaru, at the bar with a dirty blonde woman. 'His eyes… that lazy smirk,' Ino closed her eyes but could not escape the sight of her childhood friend with the same look he used to give her.

'What was so special about that girl anyways? She could use a diet if anything.'

Flashes of a disheveled pale pink mop being escorted by Kiba made it into her memory. With furrowed eyebrows, instinctively she reached up to smother the lines between her eyebrows. Commanding her face to relax.

9:20 AM Ino: That bartender did not need to cut us off from that bar.

9:21 AM Sakura: Agreed! Speaking of bartenders, I am sure Shiho won't cut us off from mimosas later today!

Ino hearted Sakura's message before closing out of her messages. With a deep sigh she mustered up enough energy to get out of bed and trudge over to her restroom to wash off last night's events.

Shiho greeted the four girls with a smile on her face. It was not unlike her to see a hung over Ino and Sakura with their faces covered in overly huge sunglasses that practically swallowed their faces. Like the majority of Konoha, Shiho was privy to the fact that Ino and Sakura have made a name for themselves. The word socialite could be best to describe the duo, or that could be too generous and provides too much of a graceful aura around them. Party girls could also be a term used to describe the partners in crime, which could potentially be more fitting depending on who was describing them. The blogs had already picked up the story of Ino and Sakura being escorted out of the animal charity event. Despite the event being private, well, for the most part— this did not exclude the few individuals that would sell stories to the tabloids in exchange for a quick buck. Nevertheless, the four girls sat out on the patio out back of the cafe. Ino leaned forward placing both of her elbows on the table with her hands clasped together. The platinum blonde meant business, despite the obnoxious sunglasses covering her blue eyes.

"As you all know I was pressed for time this morning or else I wouldn't be asking you all this," the blonde began in a serious tone, "but who are the Sabaku's?"

TenTen stifled her laughter while absentmindedly stirring her smoothie before taking a sip. Sakura of course entertained Ino's curiosity, mimicking her stance from across the table.

"The trio from last night right? I already did some digging earlier this morning."

The girls listened carefully to what the pinkette said next.

"Well I am not too sure if you guys looked them up or not," she stated referring to TenTen and Hinata before continuing, "but their internet presence is so low-key. You would think with their estimated network they would be plastered all over the place for like a list of the most eligible bachelors and bachelorettes!" Sakura spoke animatedly with her hands as she dived deeper into her findings.

"Well anyways, there are some forums online that hypothesize the reasons for the practically invisible internet presence but these are like practically nonexistent threads online that appear to not have gained that much traction so sip or spit the tea, up to you ladies. These conspiracy theories allegedly say there have been hits put out on their family. Like assassin's creed attempts or something crazy like that! This particular theory stems from the lack of their mother. It's weird enough that the siblings and their father are super low-key but it's insanely bizarre that the mother is like.. never talked about after a certain date. The only photo online of the mother is one of those old money paintings where the mother is sitting in a chair and the father's hand is on the mothers shoulders with a baby in the mothers arms and the kids standing on either side of the chair— you know what I'm talking about right?"

Ino nodded furiously as she was immersed in Sakura's findings. TenTen and Hinata on the other hand nodded their heads slowly still apprehensive to where all of this was going.

"Well that is the only evidence of the Sabaku's mother. Some type of oil painting. Expanding on that theory there are people that think that all of that oil money is just as dirty as the oil they profit off of. Speaking of profits, I think I vaguely remember Sasuke and Fugaku meeting up with the siblings a few years back. It had to have been a least 4 years."

"What exactly were you doing over there anyway's billboard brow?" Ino interjected ready to tease her further.

"Ugh it's not like that Pig. Naruto and I were stopping by the Uchiha corporate office to bring Sasuke lunch. He was interning there still back then. We were all still in high school then anyways."

"Well they seem like nice people," Hinata's timid voice chimed in between the two best friends. "Naruto is a good judge of character and he seems to be particularly fond of Gaara," she finished off speaking fondly of the blonde.

"Which one was that again?" Ino questioned.

"The red head, he's the youngest. I found at least that solid piece of information while doing my investigation. Kankuro is the middle child whilst Temari is the oldest."

'So that's her name,' Ino thought to herself making a mental note for her own future investigation.

TenTen stated between her bites of her breakfast burrito, "Well, I agree with Hina. They seem like good people, besides Temari and I hit it off just fine. Plus she was friendly enough to give me her contact information last night."

Comically, it was as if a lightbulb appeared above Ino's head. "Well, since she is such a good person invite her to dinner tonight," the blonde pressured the brunette sitting diagonally from her in a mocking tone.

"Sure I will," TenTen picked up her phone that lied on the table and began composing her invitation to Temari.

Across town the Sabaku's were on the 33rd floor of their penthouse. Kankuro scrambled into Gaara's home office to much of Temari's dismay and plopped down in a seat to the right of Gaara. Without so much as a second to spare their father's stern face appeared on the computer monitor in front of the three siblings.

"Good morning Father," as if programed like robots the trio greeted their Father in unison. Rasa was seen, quite visibly shuffling an array of documents on his own desk.

"Good morning. I'm afraid I don't have much time for the pleasantries so go on with the update," without much interest or even manners their Father urged them to start the meeting.

Gaara begins without needing to reference the organized papers on his desk as he explains his schedule clearly and concisely for the next month. The certain spark in the youngest brother's eyes goes unnoticed by Temari and Kankuro as he throughly explains the lists of scientists along with their qualifications that he has lined up to meet with him. In addition to these scheduled interviews Gaara highlights an affordable facility that is suitable for his research just on the outskirt of the city. Thus providing amble space and legally enough distance between such a dense population to test out different energy sources. The red head states the projected dates of milestones to keep himself along with his siblings on track with his project. Dates in which he plans on selecting the team of scientist to continue his research with, dates in which the research facility will be fully operational and even dates which trials utilizing this energy should be held. Despite the assiduous planning and timeline their father's facial expression remained just as stoic as when the video conference call began.

Rasa pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes shut tightly before stating, "I request another update when actual substantial progress is made."

The light that was held within Gaara's cerulean eyes noticeably dimmed before he stated in his usual monotone, "Understood."

Without so much more of a word their Father disconnected the call. Upon seeing their Father's face disappear Kankuro immediately relaxed his posture in the chair, spreading his legs far wider than he sat before while throwing his head back releasing a grunt before venting.

"I can't believe that bastard forces us to wake up at the crack of dawn and then LITERALLY dismisses us as if WE were inconveniencing HIM. I tell you what, unbelievable is what he is!"

Temari's phone vibrated.

1 New Message.

11:45AM TenTen: Good morning! Or better yet Good afternoon, am I right? Hah! The girls and I were wondering if you and your brothers would like to go out to dinner with us tonight. I can't promise that no one will get escorted out again tonight but I can assure you that the majority of us are sane and know our drinking limits!

The dirty blonde tried not to focus much on her Father's discouraging conference call but she couldn't help but also feel the same way Kankuro was feeling right now. Looking at her youngest brother made her heart break. Although on the outside looking in many people would not see much of a different from Gaara's usual expression to this one but as siblings it was hard for Kankuro and Temari to not notice. Gaara busied his hands by writing down times and locations on his desk calendar.

Glancing back down to her phone she recalled TenTen mentioning a brilliant scientist that she grew up with at the animal charity event the other night. She utilized this information to cheer her brother up.

"Are you guys down to go to dinner with Naruto's group of friends? I met one of the girls in his group and we swapped contact information. She messaged me just now seeing if we want to go out to dinner with them tonight."

Temari then added, "She also mentioned an accomplished renewable energy scientist she has been friends with since childhood. I would presume this could get a great lead for your group of scientists Gaara."

Gaara's hands slowed down as he registered the idea. Kankuro agreed this would be a good opportunity to network with the people in Konoha and spoke briefly about Kiba's love for bourbon matching his own. The youngest sibling nodded in agreement.

"Great! I'll let TenTen know that we will be joining them tonight then," Temari said as she composed her text to TenTen.