I'm glad people have liked my story so far and I got more reviews than I thought I would. Thank you all very much! I won't waste time talking then and let you get to the first chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, just the idea. If I did Naruto would be filled with both canon and crack pairings!

Chapter 1: Envy

Killing became easier as missions passed, she was able to tune out her emotions until afterward, but she still threw up with every kill however. Over the years she had moved up in ranks, now a jounin she hoped to become leader of the interrogation squad sooner of later. A suggestion from her teammates mostly relating to her special jutsu, she didn't think she had it in her to torture someone. She still thought about it however, perhaps it would toughen her up more make her more apathetic to her job.

"Ino…Ino!"

She awoke from her thoughts. Bright blue eyes stared into pupil-less eyes. She was in a small tea shop across from her best friend, Hinata Hyuuga, a fellow jounin and medic-nin.

"What, Hinata?"

"Your tea is getting cold…"

Ino looked down at her cup; the contents no longer steamed and had cooled quite a bit. She smiled almost sheepishly and picked up the cup drawing it to her lips. While the contents fell down her throat she couldn't help but stare at her friend. Hyuuga Hinata was what villages took pride in. A twenty- year old elite ninja and one of the head of the medical staff, head of a family with a powerful bloodline and one of the few kunoichi…who could fall in love and she had with a Kage! Ino couldn't help but look at the girl with a bit of envy, all she wanted, all she wished was that she wouldn't have been lonely. Wished she had someone to fight and live for. The jealously passed however when she thought of all the responsibilities Hinata had to take on, the young woman didn't seemed to mind however and Ino found she admired that about the woman.

"Gaara!" Hinata exclaimed upon seeing her beau enter the tea shop.

She stood and approached the Kazekage. He in returned wrapped his arm around her waist and planted a kiss upon her forehead.

Still...Ino would think to herself watching the pair…it would be nice to be able to have a pair of warm arms to go too...

"You called Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade seemed a bit stressed, her fingers worked her temples and there were several saucers of sake piled up on the side of her desk. Papers were scattered along the desk falling to the floor in large piles that almost reached her desk.

"Hold on, we're waiting for someone else."

Ino raised a blond brow, she didn't mind working in teams but as of late she preferred to work alone. There was usually some tension between her and other members of the team as there were usually one or two people she clashed with over leadership. Ino just liked having control. It was the only thing in life she could control. Only a few seemed to know this, the few including most of the rookie nine and Gai's team. After a few moments the door opened once more, she didn't look to see who it was asI didn't me she would in a moment. Steps that were deliberately heavy but usually moved with grace approached quickly until they stood beside her. She now took the moment to take in the new arrival and it made something inside her clench.

"You have summoned my presence, Hokage-sama?" The familiar deep voice of Hyuuga Neji sent shivers up her spine

"Now that you are both here I have to say that both your missions were an utter and complete failure."

Ino's attention snapped towards Tsunade, her hands slammed upon the desk and it creaked under the force.

"What do you mean it was a failure? I killed the ring leader!" Ino demanded, she did not like being told all her hard word and sacrifices were made in vain.

Neji's reaction was more reserved but similar to his fellow jounin. Brows drawn into a frown and mouth set into a thin line he too did not like being told missions were done in vain.

"Please explain, Tsunade-sama."

"Well apparently those were just decoys. The real leader is still hidden. They're starting to experiment on their captives and getting bad results. We have however found a main center for trafficking and experimentation. We've tried teams but only a few manage to come back to us. Thus I want to send you two, Ino for your skills and Neji for his mind and power. I want you to get in, gather information, perhaps save a few people for questioning, and then get out. The mission should take three weeks at the latest, a week to get there, a week to gather information, and a week to get back. Here are the details that you will need, any problems?"

Both jounin bowed their head slightly to the sannin.

"No, Hokage-sama," they spoke simultaneously.

"Good, you leave tomorrow."

Ino turned on her heel and exited the room. Her fist clenched at her side and unconsciously she began to grind her teeth, a nasty habit she had picked up in earlier years. She was upset. She had degraded herself and exposed herself for what? Nothing.

"Ino."

The call of her name made her pause in her mental rants. She glanced over her shoulder to find Neji slowly closing the door behind him whilst looking at her before approaching the blond jounin. She had to look up to meet his eyes. Since when did Neji grow so much? By now he had to be one of the taller ninja in the village.

"I know you may be upset-"

"Furious," she corrected him, crossing her arms and tapping her foot in an impatient manner."

"-Furious," he continued "But I would like to finish this mission as soon as possible in time for Hinata-sama's wedding. So I expect to follow a strict schedule. We'll meet on the east side of the village by noon."

Ino scoffed. She too wanted to be back in time for Hinata's wedding. She was the best woman! The way Neji spoke though, with such authority made her want to oppose him. Her head turned to the side with lids closed. The tapping of her foot grew into the drilling of her fingers.

"We'll leave in the morning at ten, so we can travel when it's cooler."

Cool fingers found their way under her chin directing her face towards the source of the hand. The eyes that matched the color of the sky opened staring into ones that matched freshly fallen snow. Neji's lips tilted into a something akin to a smirk and he allowed his hand to drop once he had the young woman's attention.

"I expected you to say something similar to that. We'll meet at ten."

Ino felt as though she was falling into those snow colored eyes. She shook herself free however of their captivating spell upon realizing his words. He was playing with her! A scowl found their way to her lips.

"You…you knew I would change the time!"

Neji said nothing. Lips tilting into something similar to a smile and walked passed the female his fingers barely brushing against her shoulder.

"Till ten tomorrow, Ino-san, good day."

Normally Ino would have verbally attacked the person but listening to Neji's words and feeling his touch…

Neji reminded her of a fairytale…one that she could never be apart of.

So these feelings that circled in her chest and seemed to consume her whole self. She tossed them aside and made herself apathetic once more.

What good would feelings do for a kunoichi after all?

"Only a few more days until…" she trailed off, a blush falling upon her cheeks as she still could not believe she, Hinata, would be getting married and to Gaara of the sand of all people!

The crush she had on Naruto once upon a time seemed like a far away dream. One that was soon erased with another dream, a dream of someone who her heart seemed to feel much stronger for. A connection neither of them could explain.

"Until you become my wife," Gaara finished for her.

They were currently in the Hyuuga compound. Usually an outsider like himself would not be welcomed within the inner walls of the Hyuuga. This outsider of an exception however, the Kazekage within their walls, what an honor! Some of the Hyuuga thought. The older members however could care less that the outsider was Kazekage. The Kazekage was just a boy and a container for a demon no less! In their eyes they were far more superior to this outcast.

"Hinata…we have something important to discuss."

Hinata knew what he was speaking off and wanted to avoid it as long as possible.

"Have you decided?"

Gaara wanted her to give up her life in the village of the leaf and come with him to the sand. Though he had promised she could continue her status as a medic-nin he preferred that she rarely went on missions anymore and gave up control to another Hyuuga. The last part was the least to worry her, she already knew she was not suited for leading the Hyuuga and decided upon giving it to someone who truly deserved it. Her cousin, Neji, as opposed to her younger sister, Hanabi, who was still just a child. The other parts however…to leave Konoha behind. All her friends and family, the people she held very close to her heart but…she held Gaara close to her heart as well.

"I'm sorry, please give me more time Gaara…" Hinata spoke in a soft tone.

Gaara nodded. He understood he was asking her to take a big step with him. He would have liked to save her the burden of deciding and stayed with her in Konoha but it wasn't that simple. As Kazekage he needed to be with his village and could not leave them to fend for themselves. He rose from his seat on her bed walking up behind her from her place in front of her medicine table. Arms wrapping around her frail figure he held her close to his chest burying his face into her hair. Hinata stiffened only for a moment before relaxing and melting into her fiancé's arms.

"I love you…" Hinata murmured.

And she did, she truly did love Gaara. Adore him, practically worshipped him. He was everything she wanted and more, something she had been unconsciously looking for. She worried however, when she had accepted Gaara's proposal she had been hesitate for the simply fact that Gaara was Kazekage and liked to take it upon himself to defend his village single handily. One day she feared he may not come home to her, by no means did that mean Gaara was a push-over but still…

Perhaps loving someone was harder than being a kunoichi.

"-kunais, and the scroll," Ino went over her mental checklist, finishing packing the things she would need on this journey.

She fell back on her bed with a sigh. Arms tucking behind her head as she stared at the ceiling of her apartment. She had never worked with Hyuuga Neji before though she had heard good things about the genius ninja. Atleast he was fairly likable now as his personality seemed to be changing over the years. If he had remained the same as he was in his genin days she would have strangled the young man by now. Not only had Neji changed internally, externally he had changed as well. Ino would admit that when he was younger Neji was already a handsome boy but as the years passed he had grew into an even more handsome man. Woman from all over seemed to be trying to have the Hyuuga for themselves. Neji never seemed interested in the woman however which had been the butt of many jokes about his sexually particularly from Naruto and Kiba. Neji was the perfect example of tall, dark, and handsome-

"What am I thinking?" Ino rolled over covering her face with a pillow.

Why was she thinking about Neji? And about his appearance nonetheless, such thoughts were useless to her so what was the point? Ino sighed into the pillow, turning her face to the side to stare at her wall. Still…She never could get rid of the feeling of their fingers brushing against each other, or his hand gently touching her shoulder. A groan was elicited from her mouth. Her eyes turned a bit sad as she thought to herself.

Who was she to think that she could have feelings of her own? A Kunoichi didn't belong to herself…she belonged to her village.

And that's how it would always be.

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