A/N- I am so sorry this took so long... I kinda deleted all of the chapters that I had typed up (Nine for this fic)Don't ask me how, it's a long, and pretty stupid story and... yeah. I couldn't get myself to start typing again. Now I am.

Here ya go.

P.S. I think Itachi will come sooner than I thought because I kinda thought about what I could leave out of the story, and now I know exactly what the next few chapters will be. So he WILL come soon. Just not yet. I believe I said I was a procrastinator before, didn't I?

enjoy


Kakashi's single eye glanced in at the Kunoichi with her head laying on her desk. Her hair was finally back to the way it was supposed to be, pink, and vibrant, excluding the blackish tint still lingering on the tips.

After the kunoichi had finished her workday, she had taken out of her desk a slightly large bottle of sake for them al to share as they conversed. Today was her day to stay late In case of an emergency, so they camped out in her office and talked all night. Well, until now.

And now... she was fast asleep.

Both Kakashi and Genma stood, knowing it was time to get home. They looked to each other for a moment before Kakashi offered to take the sleeping woman home.

"It's okay Hatake, I'll do it. You just got home from a mission, you need your rest." Genma said stepping forward.

"You wouldn't... try anything, are you?" He asked bluntly, knowing the habits of his friend, and fellow jounin.

"Of course not Hatake..." Genma sighed. He wanted this woman more than he'd ever wanted any other, but he would never try anything while she was so vulnerable, he respected her too much.

"I trust you." Kakashi said, stepping out of Genma's path. "Thanks, I'll clean up this mess, and then turn in."

Genma lifted the sleeping kunoichi into his arms and stepped out into the hallway. He could see Yumi at her desk, scribbling something onto a sheet of paper.

He sighed when he felt a delicate hand on his shoulder, turning him around. Then, in front of him, stood a tall woman, beautiful, but also hideous, staring at him.

Her eyes shot downwards, with a scowl, she asked disgustedly, "What are you doing with her?"

"She fell asleep while we were talking... When did you get back?"

"This morning, didn't you remember Genma-kun?" She asked, disorienting her perfected features into a fake pout.

"No, I forgot." And if I'd known, I sure as hell wouldn't have been here. He added silently. No woman had ever scared him, not even Anko. But this woman...

"Oh, well, why don't you let Yumi take her home... They seem to be good friends, and then we can go get dinner, or something..." She said, running her fingers affectionately down his shoulder.

"She can't carry her without using her chakra, I'm not going to ask her to do that." Genma replied, turning around and heading towards the said secretary.

"Genma?" Haruka asked.

Genma stopped, but didn't turn around.

"Why do you like her?"

"Because, she's real." He said simply, stepping away.

He smiled at Yumi as he passed, and she grinned, telling him she had been listening. "Have a good night."

Haruka scowled. What did he mean by that? Real? She, herself was real... What did he mean!

She returned to her office to think about what he'd said.

XXXXXX

The turn of the lock clicked, and Sakura's eyes opened slowly.

"Heh. Lucky I gave you a key huh?" She smirked at him, as he carried her inside.

"Yeah, I guess so." He smirked back, setting her onto her bed.

"Thanks Genma." She said, positioning herself to a sitting position against the wooden headboard of her bed. "Aww and you haven't even tried anything yet." She teased, beginning to remove the wrappings from around her arm.

"Yet?" He asked, taking on a feigned injured look. He would never go back on his word to his friend. Not even if she asked him to, unbeknownst to Sakura.

"Yet." She smirked.

"So what exactly are you inferring? That I cannot be a good enough friend to resist temptation and not make a move on you while you're drunk?"

"No... I'm saying that I'm too attractive for you not to." She burst out laughing at her own comment, kicking off her shoes as she laughed.

"It's true... It's like I'm being drawn to you..." She grinned. His senbon flicked upwards as he grinned back, taking a seat on the edge of her bed. They enjoyed their little teasing conversations, that was, in fact how they spent the majority of their friendship, excluding talking.

"And I'm not drunk." She snorted. "I only had like... one and a half. I was talking too much to drink that much, plus I was on duty..."

"If that's the case then how come you passed out?"

"I didn't pass out. I was tired, and under a lot of stress, it was just a... Blah kind of day, you know? Between Haruka, Asuma, and you two, it just built up and I was just wiped." Sakura explained with a sigh.

"So... you heard about Haruka... huh?" Genma asked, feeling a bit guilty. "Is she giving you problems?"

"No... She's just..." She stopped unwrapping her arms for a moment for a second to think, "Full of herself?"

"Yeah, that she is. Don't worry about her though, she is weak." Genma smiled good-naturedly, "You could take her."

"That's not the point Genma," Sakura sighed in frustration, "it's dangerous to have someone that obsessed about you. You need to do something."

"Well, I have tried. She is generally a good woman, once you get passed her snobbery I don't want to hurt her, she's been through a lot. So I just ignore her." Genma explained, looking concerned.

Sakura sighed and resumed removing her wrappings, this time from her legs. "I don't know her that well, but if you say she's a good person, I believe you but... I don't know Genma."

"I think she needs a friend."

"Oh no ... no, I'm not going to put up with h-"

"I'm not asking you to, I'm jut asking that you leave room for a potential friendship to develop."

"All right, but I'm not promising anything." She sighed.

"I still don't believe that you only had one drink..."

"I DID!" She said, turning to look up at him to see his brown eyes following every move her fingers made as they removed the strips of cloth from around her still tanned legs. She stopped, and watched as his eyes flicked up to her own, a grin flashing across his lips. "Stop it!" She laughed.

"Okay, okay, I wasn't doing anything..."

She laughed, a soft charming, but real laugh. "You never fail to make me smile..." She said, shaking her head.

"That..." He said, in a more serious tone, "Brings me to my inquiry. Since I already spend most nights here anyway... Do you think I could sleep on your couch a few days a week?"

"Well, yeah, but why? Don't you have your own apartment?" She nosed. She trusted her perverted friend completely, despite his reputation, but was still curious.

"Yes, I do ... but there are too many bad memories in that place..."

"Oh, okay, well, be my guest. Literally. I don' mind as long as you can handle my incessant talking." She grinned genuinely, throwing the last of her wrappings onto the tan carpet.

"I don't mind at all, talk away. In fact, I remember you telling me that you fall asleep easier when you talk yourself to sleep, and you don't dream."

She nodded. Throwing back her covers she asked teasingly, "Do you think you can manage without trying something?"

"I don't know, but I guess I'll have to try won't I?"t

Sakura laughed, and walked over to her dresser. "I'm going to go change into something more ... comfortable." She said in a mock seducing tone, flipping her air as she stepped into the bathroom.

Genma shook his head as he laughed quietly to himself. "I'm looking forward to the flannel Pajamas!" He yelled towards the bathroom.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Genma eyed the sleeping woman in his arms Her breathing was even, and passed through her lips softly, with relaxation that only sleep could bring. She must have been having a pleasant dream, for there was a small smile gracing her pink lips. Genma sighed. This woman was too beautiful for her own good.

Somehow, he couldn't help but think of her as his daughter, or maybe even a sister ... well, one he flirted with. This was amazing to him because after the age of nine, he hadn't given females an extra thought unless he had ulterior motives.

And then, at times he wanted her, but it wasn't lust, as it was with other women. This kunoichi was ... he couldn't even find a word to describe her. She was more beautiful than an October sunset, she was more graceful than a black panther, more deadly than a viper, and as gentle as a mouse. For some reason that he would perhaps never fathom, it was satisfying to just be around her.

He watched as her brows furrowed and her lips opened slightly in a whisper.

"Itachi..."


Uh-oh... That's not good... What will Genma's reaction be? OO

-loves trying to be suspenseful-

Review, PLEASE