Disclaimer: I don't own, kthxbai. I do own a massive headache, though.

-X-

Chapter 5: Realizing

-X-

Sakura fell in a heap upon the comfort of her own bed, staring at the ceiling and mulling about the information relayed in that briefing of doom, as her mental roommate had already tagged it.

It took all her control not to scream bloody murder at Sasuke's name when Kakashi, with his head still bandaged and slumped into a chair –Yamato had brought him from the hospital, serving as a human crutch for his sempai–, recounted all the events that happened during the mission. It seemed that the dark-haired Uchiha sensed Naruto's presence and hunted him down, in an attempt to kill him one more time. The reasons only he knew, as Naruto didn't comment on the words they exchanged between the man they had known as a teammate and friend –for her he was certainly more, or so she used to think–, that Sasuke was attempting to gain the Mangekyou Sharingan. That's what Tenzou and Kakashi concluded, and Neji's nod from the wall showed his muted agreement.

But once again she surprised them all by repeating that vow she made, not out of anger, Inner Sakura pointed out, but out of exhaustion. She had had enough of Sasuke's imbecility regarding the rivalry he exploited against Naruto. She swore in front of everyone that she would protect them from the last Uchiha, to the cost of her own life if it was necessary.

Sakura didn't notice it, but Hiashi had a proud glint in his eyes when she stood, faced her teacher and spoke those words in a detached but determined manner. But she did note when the regal features of the Hyuuga Leader hardened with hatred then Tenzou surveyed Sasuke's attack on his daughter.

Hinata had pushed Naruto away from a direct Chidori attack, deflecting it in a perfect performance of control of her techniques. Yamato knew about Hinata's aspiration to join ANBU, so he shied away from the spotlight and made a point of the amazing skill she showed when she faced the young nukenin. Noticing this, Sakura lifted her eyebrow twice at Kakashi, earning a curving of his eye.

Everything was fine until Kakashi stepped out of the ambush that a blond Sound nin tried to pull him into a mad fight, while Sai was battling against a red-haired kunoichi. Yamato was against a pale-haired nin, as he said, looked a lot like Hoshigaki Kisame, Uchiha Itachi's Akatsuki partner. Sakura growled in frustration when they told them of Kabuto's unexpected grand entrance, deflecting Naruto's attack on Sasuke and severing his muscles as he did once.

It was clear that Orochimaru was no more, as Tsunade concluded after a few moments of consideration when they detailed the awful look the Sound medic-nin sported when he took off his cloak. Hinata shivered openly and Naruto grimaced in total disgust, their reactions were more than enough for Sakura to understand that, indeed, Yakushi Kabuto was lost in a horrible genetic mix with his terrible leader.

Truth to be told, Sakura didn't look forward to see that with her own eyes.

Ew.

Once again, Naruto stepped forward and spoke about how he and Hinata worked as a team against Kabuto and Sasuke, only to be almost obliterated. The Hyuuga heiress was thrown against a tree after the resulting explosion Chidori versus Rasengan, earning her a concussion, while Kabuto had to all but drag away the self-proclaimed 'Team Hebi' from battle.

And then, Sakura knew about Sasuke's message.

"Naruto, tell Sakura that I'm looking forward to seeing her again."

Of course, this was the trigger for her feminist side –pumped by her inner self– to jump off her chair and rant angrily about the Uchiha's stupidity. When confronted with the fact that she was by no means a match to the dangerous Sharingan user, Sakura tch'ed and yelled at a dumbstruck Kakashi that it was beneath her rank to be underestimated by her own teammates.

Tsunade nodded at her outburst, saying that in that very rate, Haruno Sakura was stronger than the Hokage herself in many aspects.

This seemed to sink the whole room in a very tense silence, which was broken by Sakura herself by jumping out the window with some parting words.

"At this moment I'm taking the reins of my own life. I thank the Hyuuga Clan for their kindness toward my simple self, but now I need to be independent. I'm not a little girl anymore and I'll be more than happy to demonstrate that in a fight against anyone. Good afternoon."

She disappeared in a flurry of pink cherry leaves, going to her home within a few leaps.

Sakura was tired of all the condescending crap. She was pissed at Kakashi, but she knew that he was nothing but worried about her. Sai chose not to comment anything about the battle or the matters regarding the whole Sasuke scheme, and she was grateful for that. The last thing she needed was a blunt and awkward statement from the ink user and, with the murderous mood she was in, he would have probably flown like an ahou bird across the whole village under the effect of her charged punch.

The pink-haired kunoichi smiled bitterly. Sai had changed enough from the bland ROOT nin that was assigned as a replacement for Team Seven. As for Naruto, it was only a matter of time for him to be accepted by the Hyuuga Clan as a formal suitor for Hinata, if Hiashi saw all the body expressions that tied him to the pale-eyed woman. He loved her, which was pretty much obvious even for an old bat like the Hyuuga Patriarch.

Thinking about love was hurtful for Sakura. It didn't matter that she was left in a stone cold bench one dreadful night by the same boy that nowadays was threatening her beloved nakama, her friends and her family. She hated the fact that she fell out of love with him, and she now frowned or was angered with the mere mention of the Uchiha's name. She knew very well that she had been a perfect stupid by chasing a man that never loved her back.

And his tainted parting words, surely uttered with a mocking voice she knew well, angered more than she was ready to admit. This Sakura hated, hated to be underestimated.

As many people knew by now, Sakura had a penchant to retaliate viciously against those who had underestimated her in the past. There was Ino, but that was a silly thing that was resolved in the Chuunin Exam; there was Genma, who flew out of the hospital window when he tried to make some of his lewd moves on a much stressed emerald-eyed medic...

And also there was an onyx-haired ANBU that surprised her with his weird fondness for plum jam. Damned Hyuuga, she thought shaking her head.

She still didn't know why he had chosen to tease her in that way. She always thought that the Hyuuga prodigy was asexual, always so focused in work that he didn't have time for social stuff.

Sakura trampled her other personality with an external furrow of her brows as she commented about her own flare of desire that engulfed her senses when he leaned in and all but slid his hot tongue over her jam-stained cheek. To others the action may have sounded gross, but for her... it was...

"Gah!"

Must return to the briefing, yes, she thought, thinking about Naruto and his issues with the Hyuuga family. Too much for being a respectable ninja, no matter how many missions he accomplished, no matter how much people he changed –even that very same pearly-eyed shinobi that threw her sanity out of the window–, it was not enough for Hyuuga Hiashi and his self-righteous court.

Too bad that he had already decided to make Hinata happy, Sakura grinned at the ceiling. It was going to cost much more than a public scorn to shy away that boisterous blond from the demure and pretty woman. She wondered about Neji's opinion on their relationship, as he never commented anything when Hinata's name was mentioned or when Naruto's was brought up to the conversation.

Which, lead her to remember that she left her pack at the Hyuuga Compound. That Mansion that was too big for her tastes but as secure as the ANBU Headquarters itself. She could take care of herself, of course. Tch.

It was a shame that Ibiki forbade her to undertake the Secret Ops exam, saying that she was too much a prized asset to Konoha to be treated as just another masked assassin.

She felt too damn sheltered for her liking.

What to do, then? Sneak into the ANBU exam as if she was just another aspirant? That was a wild dream. After Danzou's death –fucking bastard! Inner Sakura raged–, Ibiki was the General Commander of the whole Black Ops Force under the sole orders of the Hokage, so his keen eyes were too damn vigilant over the new recruits.

Remembering Hinata's application for the secret forces, a wistful smile drew on Sakura's lips. The purple-haired father that loved her, even if he was too repressed to admit it, a family that regarded and respected her, a man that worshipped her and skills that were beyond her initial expectations.

As for Sakura, she only had a big, empty flat and her friends. And her medical skills.

And her seal.

Sakura frowned. She had been thoroughly shocked when she felt her chakra reject the so-called attack that Tsunade attempted on her back, sending her a few paces back.

It was clear that this seal was more than a Creation Rebirth, as Tsunade wrote for her in that piece of parchment. The mark, when fed with her energy, created a defensive barrier which acted as a shield against aggressive attacks and rejected any chakra used against her back.

Maybe she could extend that rejection effect on... say, her whole body?

That bears consideration, her analytical mind reflected while she finally rose from her supine position. Opening the balcony door, the quiet early night air made her tresses flutter gently, relaxing her.

Sakura smiled and climbed on the balcony, backflipping in a skillful but somewhat lazy leap on the roof of her building.

Good thing about being a ninja, she thought amusedly as she sat on the roof parapet, was that she didn't need to use those threatening stairs to the terrace. Sakura sighed deeply as she crossed her legs in the standard meditation position, concentrating the flow of her chakra and focusing it on diverse parts of her body.

It was an easy task for her control. Maybe she didn't have a Kekkei Genkai as the Sharingan or the Byakugan, but the chakra control was one of her innate gifts that she was thoroughly grateful for.

Sakura smiled as she lifted her body, supporting it with only two fingers.

Refreshing task, meditation, she mused, not noticing that there was two pairs of eyes detailing her solo performance.

-X-

A rough knock on her door awoke her rudely the next morning.

Cursing in a sotto voce, she threw a yukata robe on and went to answer the door, preparing in her sleep-dazed mind the string of insults and punches she was going to throw at the poor soul that dared to raise her from her blissful slumber.

Opening the door, she stood face to face with no one other than Hyuuga Hiashi.

"Good morning, Haruno-san."

"Er... good morning, Hyuuga-sama," she answered after blinking several times, still awestruck for his presence at her humble abode.

"May I come in?" he asked in a steely tone. Finally snapping awake, she bowed and extended her hand as she opened the door completely.

"Of course, Hyuuga-sama," she said clearing her throat. "I apologize for the mess, this was rather unexpected."

Hiashi observed her tastefully decorated living, with earthly colors such as deep emerald green, with a cream and brown couch and several family pictures on the table. There wasn't anything out of place, he concluded.

"I apologize for this early and unnoticed visit, Haruno-san," he turned to regard her but he had to notice how she was staring back at the young Hyuuga male that had offered to lead his uncle to the medic's home. Neji was dressed in the traditional clan garments, in white and cream with a brown belt and pants of the same color.

Neji trailed his eyes at the surprising view of a disheveled Sakura: the short light pink yukata she wore stopped short of her mid-thighs, leaving her long legs bare. Her hair was mussed from her sleep and her hands were clasped in front of her robe, closing the flaps demurely.

And his snowy eyes didn't miss her blushing cheeks as she stared at his own formal appearance.

Hiashi smirked inwardly as he cleared his throat, startling the two younglings.

"I must bring your attention to what I am about to tell you, Haruno--"

Neji whirled as a cloaked ANBU poofed upon the threshold. A wolf mask with blue stripes, Neji noticed. He had worked with this operative, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember his real identity.

"Haruno Sakura," he addressed in the cold, announcing voice that Neji had used on duty. "You are to be present at the ANBU exams in half hour as attendant medic for the examinees. Commander's orders."

Sakura straightened and nodded. "Please tell the Commander I'll be there shortly."

The ANBU nodded back and disappeared in another puff of smoke. She smiled widely and turned to the two silent Hyuuga males.

"Please, excuse me while I dress."

"We will wait for you," said Hiashi with a ghost of a smirk. As she went back to her room, showered in a flash and pulled her medic uniform on. Inner Sakura chose that moment to squeal with utter happiness. Hinata was entering ANBU!

She knew she was going to make it, of course. Then she grinned as she pulled her wet hair back in a little but sober bun, strapping her medicinal pouch and her weapons case on her hip belt. The ANBU that had brought the message had been Kakashi, and she was sure he was as excited as her.

She went back to the living room, finding that Hiashi and Neji hadn't moved from their spots. She bowed respectfully at Hiashi, who nodded back.

"I'm very sorry, Hyuuga-sama, but I need to go."

"Of course, Haruno-san," he conceded. "But I must ask you to now be accompanied by my nephew. You are still under our watch and we are not going to disappoint the Hokage's request."

"Er... yes, sure," she agreed, refusing to look at Neji.

"I must request something else from you," the Hyuuga Patriarch said. "By the looks of your entrance, there are some security breaches that can be exploited by a devious outsider. We need to guard you properly, Haruno-san. The Hyuuga Compound is more secure that this part of the village."

That was the way to ask her to come back to the Mansion without saying it, Sakura thought. No orders were issued because he had seen the way she handled displeasing commands. And this side of the pink-haired medic was more mellow, if treated with respect and understanding.

Hyuuga Hiashi wasn't a fool as some people said. He, too, knew when to request things in an appropriate manner. That was why Sakura had to recognize his sneaky scheme and smile at the Hyuuga Leader.

"I feel honored for your invitation, Hyuuga-sama," she said, bowing again. "Please allow me to accept it humbly. I don't deserve your kindness."

If Tsunade-sama had some saying on it, I will be winning this bet, he thought as he took in her words. "Do not worry about your luggage. You left some of your belongings in the guest wing. We only require you to claim them back."

"I will, Hyuuga-sama," she said, strapping her sandals on. "I must go now."

"I will see you both later," Hiashi replied offhandedly, as he made his exit.

She stood, staring at the open door. "Whoa," she murmured. "That was..."

Neji waited. "Yes?"

"Damn unexpected," she laughed. "Okay, off we go in a flash."

Jumping unto the roof next to her, Neji's lips curled wanly. He didn't know why Ibiki wanted her at the ANBU exams, but he was going to find out.

For her safety, of course, he assured himself in his mind as he heard her laugh with excitement.

-X-

"Tsunade called for your skills in this exams, Haruno, but don't get so full of yourself or I'll have you removed from the site under arrest," Morino Ibiki had said in a stern tone. This wasn't the first time he got on her nerves, but she didn't show any of her usual spunk this time, settling her composed self on the stool next to the gurney, facing the underground arena. Neji stood behind her, with his arms crossed.

"I find surprising that Hogake-sama has allowed you to be here, after all that happened yesterday," he said, wanting her to lose her temper. But to his surprise, Sakura smirked devilishly.

"Ah, Hyuuga-san, you're not going to make me mad this time," she answered, turning the stool to face the tall onyx-haired man without standing up. It wouldn't have made a difference anyway, for she was shorter than him, reaching only to his chin.

"...But I'm so going to enjoy seeing your dumbstruck face later on, you know..."

"Why?" he drawled dryly. "Are you going to surprise me?"

"Me?" she laughed. "No, Hyuuga Neji-san. Not me. Watch."

He lifted his eyes to the arena, where the applicants to the exams were entering. His pearly eyes widened as he recognized the third person in the line.

His cousin!

"Wha..."

"Watch, Hyuuga-san," Sakura said, spinning the stool back to the arena. "This will be damn entertaining."

He was all but pleased with Hinata's presence in the ANBU exams, but he couldn't do anything about it. Repressing his anger, he noted that her position was ranked third, as she had already passes the two first tests –the Forest of Death Quick Mission test and the Psychological Interrogation– and now his dear, shy and chuunin-level cousin was about to undertake the final test. The Full Contact Battle.

"Oh my God, she must have done pretty well on the two first tests," Sakura said conversationally. "Third rank, that's pretty nice for a kunoichi, don't you think? I ranked fifth when I took those because the Psychological Interrogation deemed me as 'temperamental and psychologically overexerted'. The bastards."

His eyes snapped at the back of her head, as she threw him a lopsided glance and a crooked grin. "No, I didn't make it. Tsunade-shishou was pissed at my excuse to have days off from the hospital, and Morino disqualified me. I was angry, but Kakashi talked me out of retaliating. They were right; I'm too damn precious for the village as medic-nin, like shishou yelled at my injured ass. I wish I had made it though... but then again I don't have the heart to slay our missing comrades or assassinating innocent people. I save lives, I don't terminate them."

Neji was silent, mulling her words while the contestants formed two lines –Hinata in the front row– and Ibiki called for the first round to begin.

The Full Contact Battle was held in this sealed arena because the space didn't take damage under the harshest of the techniques. Prepared by the Nidaime himself, the ANBU Headquarters training grounds were the most secure and secret place to explode a bomb without the villagers being none the wiser.

As the first ninja was knocked out cold, Sakura stood up.

"Ossu, show time! Hyuuga-san, please sit here and don't move. The last thing I need is my space being hampered."

As she started to treat the large string of thwarted ninjas, he found himself observing her fluid moves rather than watching the fights.

-X-

In the end, Hinata didn't make it.

But the large smile she had on her face after waking up from her unconsciousness said more than it let on. Neji berated her for not telling him about her aspirations, but she cut him short with five words.

"I needed to prove myself, Neji-niisan."

Promptly shut up, he noticed that Sakura was beaming at the Hyuuga heiress. "That was absolutely stunning, Hinata-chan! Wait until your father knows about this."

"He already knows," said Tsunade as she entered the medical tent. "I told him after the Team Seven mission briefing."

"What?!" Sakura spluttered. "And here I thought I was being cautious about this whole matter!"

"Haruno-san," said Hiashi, entering the tent. "No one is sneakier than a Hyuuga. Hinata, I should punish you for this preposterous and rebellious act. However, after seeing your brilliant performance on the tests..."

Everyone leaned in, almost pleading for him to continue.

"I understood that this is your way of the ninja. Tell Uzumaki I expect him at our house in a week. And get him some other colors for clothes, Hinata. I hate orange. Now, there is an issue, Tsunade, and it is time for you to pay off."

The Hokage grumbled. "Okay, you sneaky Hyuuga bastard. But we need to talk about the other bet."

"I won't bet about that topic," he shot back with his brow arched in an elegant and ironical manner, throwing a lopsided glance at Sakura. "Those desired results are as clear as water. Haruno-san, thank you again for treating my daughter."

"It was nothing..." she said, looking as dumbfounded as Neji was feeling as Hiashi retreated out of the tent with Tsunade in tow. "Hyuuga-sama..."

"Sakura-chan," Hinata whispered as she rested her head back in the pillow. "You were right, so right... that test was... exhilarating, I still can feel the adrenaline..."

The medic grinned widely. "I told you! If it wasn't for Tsunade-shishou, I'd be wearing that gray gear and I would have a nice tattoo on my arm!"

"Keep telling yourself that," a deep voice offered. Both females turned their heads at one young Hyuuga male that was all but glaring at both of them. "I sincerely don't know what's so amusing about the ANBU tests. They're horrid, and here are you talking like they were like one of the Academy partials."

"It's because we took those exams as a test, to prove ourselves," Sakura shot back angrily. "Being in the shadow of our teammates is not funny, Hyuuga. And Hinata agreed, so she took them because she wanted--"

Seeing the Hyuuga woman's hand on hers, Sakura bit her lip and stepped back.

"Neji-niisan... I love Naruto. And I will do everything to get him accepted by the Clan. If this... if this is horrid, I must agree with you there about the nature of the tests, I endured it because I want... to be acknowledged."

"You are acknowledged," he replied darkly. "You are the daughter of the Clan Head."

Hinata sighed. "Sometimes, I feel that Father would be more content with you as his son. Not me."

It was all she said, with her demure voice almost a whisper. But the weight of her words struck hard at the man.

"I'm so tired..." mused Hinata aloud. "Will you tell Naruto about this, Sakura-chan?"

"Only if you want, dear," she answered, making the seals for her sleep jutsu. "Rest now, okay?"

Seeing Hinata's relaxed face and Sakura's frown, Neji understood all too well that not because of being women, those two were about to allow themselves to be sheltered.

"She didn't break anything," the pink-haired murmured without looking at him. "We can take her back to the Hyuuga Compound now, if you want."

Neji grunted his agreement and picked up his light cousin, as Sakura finished fixing her notes on the clipboard, passing it to a nameless medic that was entering the tent. Giving some last instructions, she waved and rushed to his side.

There was something about her calm façade that told him that she was upset...

-X-

The past night, Hikari led Sakura to her room after two days of having left it. She was sure to sleep soundly, but somehow slumber avoided her until she went over all the things that happened during the day. She was sure that Hinata would have made it, if it wasn't for the implications of there being another Hyuuga in the Black Ops.

Maybe that was the reason why Neji was so angry about this whole ordeal, she thought as she fidgeted absently with the sheet that covered her.

Remembering his scent, when she drew him in a playful manner to get him to notice his cousin in the arena, made her sigh heavily.

Their banters, as much as they were nice and full of good-natured sarcasm, were the trigger for her own senses to be sent into overdrive whenever the Hyuuga prodigy was near her.

It was crystal clear that he was nothing but handsome, those snowy eyes were intense and glowed with a particular light that made Sakura so wobbly; his accurate answers and sometimes harsh remarks would have offended another more sensitive woman, but Sakura...

Sakura was made of a tougher material.

Having listened to scathing remarks and insults all her life, first about her forehead, later about her attitudes, had shaped her in nothing but a hardened and dry-humored kunoichi. Kakashi had sustained that she was at the brink of being jaded, but she liked to think that she was... grown up.

That's why Neji's words never got past the second layer. But that stunt he pulled during breakfast that time... and how her seal had been reacting to his closeness...

Sakura groaned. She needed to stop thinking about him, no matter how handsome he was, no matter now nice he smelled, no matter the way his long hair dangled over his features, framing his face in such a delicate and oh-so striking manner, no matter how pleasant his presence felt when the bickering was so damn amusing...

"Goddammit," Sakura said, in a whisper that clung to the quietness of the guest room.

I'm attracted to Hyuuga Neji.

Oh, boy.

-XXX-

Denial is a bitch, don'tcha think? XD
Thank you all again for the reviews and your kind words! You made me smile for sure.
And all my love -minus Gaara's slippers- goes to Celtic Oak for her awesomecakes betaings!