Neji sat in the sun combing his hair and telling it how beautiful it was. He had discovered that positive reinforcement added to overall luster. Soon though, he stopped mid sentence when he heard multiple voices in camp. He approached to hear Sakura speaking.

"Yes, he has been ill." He heard Konohamaru's voice answering.

"How is he now?"

"Oh, he is okay. He wanted to wash his hair which is a good sign." Neji made this an opportunity to enter the clearing.

"Why are you here? What about the others?"

"Neji I hope you are feeling better."Konohamaru coughed nervously as Neji glared at him. He glanced between Sakura and Neji then looked like he was holding back a laugh. Bastard. "The others are here too."

"Why?"

"There have been a few complications in the mission..."

"Hm..."

"They were spotted." Sakura gasped, but said nothing. "But we need to continue! You will never guess what they discovered!"

"Where are they?"

"In that tent. They need to speak to you about the rest of the plans." Neji made his way over to the implied tent and Sakura made to follow him. "Oh, not you Sakura. Sorry, they said to ask you to wait outside." Neji entered and moments later Konohamaru followed. Kiba spoke.

"I assume that Konohamaru explained-" Neji had activated his Byakugan.

"Sakura! For one of your intellect I would have assumed that when asked to wait outside you would have been able to gather that you were not to be included in this." They heard an angry yell before a figure stormed past, knocking against the sides of the tent. "Continue please. Yes, I know why you are here."

"I know you were not given many details as to the mission so I will start there." Neji nodded at him to continue but Tenten began instead.

"Rumors have reached the Hokage of a man working somewhere around this village to create new Jutsu's. In fact these rumors were heard at the council of the Hidden Village of Grass." Kiba took over.

"The source of these rumors however was not entirely reliable. The only reason the Hokage and Grass took any notice of them was because the rumored methods behind the Jutsu's is not entirely legal. Grass would have sent in some of their own Nin's to investigate but the supposed man they would be after, was once one himself."

"Yes, they believe the man could be that who has recently deserted the village. He was very intelligent but not the best fighter and was quite poor because of it. That is why they believe he may have left to concentrate on his studies but would not have been able to move very far." Neji absorbed the information and the entire mission made more sense.

"So Ninja's that would have no chance of being recognized were sent in by the Hokage for Grass. Sakura and I were sent as precaution because the mission had so many unknowns to it. Now, something has gone wrong with the plan?" Tenten answered.

"Yes, because there was another tiny addition to the rumor which turned out to be true. The Grass deserter didn't notice us but the additional extra sure did."

"And the additional extra is whom?"

"Uchiha Sasuke." Neji tried not to look startled. His reputation had taken enough of a beating latley.

"So that is why Sakura and I did not receive full mission details. There was a chance it was related to Orochimaru and therefore Sasuke. I was not told to keep everything fair and to help avoid suspicion whileSakura was not told for emotional stress reasons."

"That's right. It made sense that Orochimaru would be helping someone to create new techniques in the manner he had been. It also made sense that Sasuke would be sent to watch over and would comply if new creations could lead to further power."

"So I am being told this now why?"

"Well Tenten was the one he spotted; she was with Akamaru so he remembered her. He confronted her but she was able to escape with injuries. Shewas healed in the village as she needed urgent attention. Tsunade laid down the idea that it would be up to you to try and convince, without force, Sasuke to return. You would have the best diplomatic skills and the best chance if things turned badly." Tenten looked at Kiba then continued with what he had been saying.

"Only problem is that the Grass has set up security restrictions because of these events and you need a pass to enter. We have no time to allow me to heal completely or to get new passes but you can use a Genjutsu for the time frame you will be in view, as Kiba." Neji was beginning to work out where this was going.

"But Kiba has a wife. Now Tenten can't be her..."

"It will have to be Sakura. We have no other choice if we are going to take this opportunity. However, Sakura doesn't need to know exactly why you are there. Just tell her enough to make everything operate smoothly but work around...the problem areas."

"I understand." He sure did, and he didn't like it at all.

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Sakura was very conscious of her own hand curled in Neji's as he dragged her towards the popular Grass holiday town. She was replacing Tenten in this mission and had had Neji relay further details onto her earlier, but she wasn't entirely satisfied. She knew she was missing something and she knew Neji knew she did too. However that was all she was going to get and she was simply pleased to be doing something constructive rather than mooning over Neji. Something constructive like pretending to be his wife that is. Although everyone else saw him as Kiba, she saw him as Neji. Neji's hair, Neji's eyes, Neji's hand around hers... She blushed and was glad Neji was very much facing forward not looking at her.

When they arrived at the gates Neji dropped her fist and she quickly wiped her palm on the back of her skirt, not wanting to appear particularly nervous. The thought of him finding out how she was feeling almost made her pass out. She watched as the men at the entrance eyed their passes photos, then herself and Neji. Sakura knew they would not see through the Genjutsu's being held up, and minutes later they passed into the town. Neji reached out his hand then quickly drew it back. Sakura noticed this but then he quickly grabbed her own and looked in the opposite direction. Was she so insignificant she burned him when he touched her? What an absolute pig! A really arrogant and hot worm of a man. Damn it! To distract herself, she gazed at the stalls they were passing...Stalls... SHOPPING!

"Oh, Oh! Can we shop?" He glanced at the pavement near her feet.

"No. When I said we needed to waste some time I didn't mean literally waste it."

"Shopping's not wasting time! If we don't I shall cause a scene and blow our cover."

"Not if I don't first." Wow! Was that a half joke from Neji? Strange, must be the town air.

"We have to go shopping, you need new shampoo." Neji stopped, spun around and dragged her back towards the stalls. That worked well.

Nut2: Oh, a short but probably very boring chapter. This is a bit like a shovel and pile of dirt for all my plot holes so please just bear with it. It either had to be really short or too long and probably split into two chapters.

Thank you to my reviewers! I think I have replied to you all but if I missed someone...Thank you! I really love reviews and my collection is coming along nicely, but it still needs more! I take great care of them and polish once a week! They all get a separate showing case! Please! I don't mind anonymous ones either as long as they are not flames. Embers, combined with constructive criticism, I can handle.

Thank you again for reading!

Disclaimer: I really don't own anything to do with Naruto. I am starting to sound like a parrot here...