I'm soo sorry about this short chapter! and knowing it was soo long before i actually updated TT gomen ne

PLEASE GO BACK AND REREAD CHPT 6 & N.O.T.E that all pairings are changed

significant changes to it

please enjoy

disclaimer: do not own, wish did own

-Yawn- Naruto came into the room behind Hinata.

"Alright, I think we should have the day off. But from then on, we will be full, hard out training. So that will be from after dinner tonight." Various surprised, understanding noises were uttered.

Naruto attempted a grunt half way between astonishment and acceptance. Yumeko laughed innocently at the sound before getting back to what she was saying.

"Oh…yeah…Today, go visit your families and get supplies, oh and get a few casual outfits that can be used for battle if needed, we need to pass through towns to collect information." She tossed them each a bag of money.

"There's more than enough for…two outfits each, breakfast, lunch, dinner, food on the way and a few new weapons or weapon accessories. "She noticed the look in Naruto's eyes.

"It's only sufficient for breakfast and lunch at Ichiraku's." she turned back to everyone.

"Well, it is your last chance to see family before we go, we might be away for 6 months or a year. Make the most of it with family. "

"Are you coming home?" Neji asked Yumeko.

Hinata nodded frantically to try and encourage her.

"No, it's not home, and they -" Yumeko said.

"- wouldn't want me there." The Hyuugas exchanged pained smiles.

"I'm going to go see my parents then Kurenai- Sensei and little Chiyo-chan." Shikamaru decided.

"Me too." Choji said,

"Nn" Ino and Hinata agreed. "I haven't seen her in months!" The blonde cried out.

Life in ANBU was secluded. Only a few family and/or friend visits a year.

Not even funerals were usually permitted for access to the village and beyond. It surprised everyone that this chance was granted so easily.

"They had gone out a few times." Sai noted, his onyx eyes narrowed in thought.

"This maybe our last chance ne?" Sakura said, voicing Sai's next depressing thought.

Outside passes were usually approved through the head captain. Everyone in the room was a captain; Yumeko is the head captain that was superior to the division captains.

The others were ranked below Yumeko, but each had a few squadrons of ANBU agents working under them. But not all the captains were being sent on this mission. Kiba and Shino were staying. To avoid the wrath of dogs and bugs, they had been sent on missions until they leave in four days time.

Lee remained a regular Jounin, following in the steps of his Gai-sensei. But he could have made the elite group even with his 'disabilities'.

"We should go visit Lee and Gai sensei." Neji stated were than suggested.

"Hai!" Tenten said brightly.

"Who's Chiyo?" Yumeko asked suddenly.

A tension built up.

"Sarutobi A -" Choji began, but his words withered in his throat.

"Oh." Yumeko said, knowing the rest and accepted the answer. She tapped her right foot on the sand free floor and went to close all the doors that over looked the balcony,

"Let's met at the PSB restaurant for lunch." She suggested, waltzing back to the catter of the room. "I want to see Chiyo." She requested shyly.

Yumeko sat on top of the Hokage tower, watching over the village, more specifically her subordinates. She scrummed up her face at the word.

"No, I'd prefer friends, hopefully it will be that way soon. " Temari, due to being a shopiholic and not shopping in konoha often, had stacked and filled both her aniki and Shikamaru's arms with bags, and 'necessities'.

Ino resorted to using choji once her arms had become tired: he was forced to carry them using baika-no-jutsu.

Sakura only carried a few packages.

Tenten had brought a lot of weapons as well as the clothes that were asked of them. She had sets of Kunnai, shuriken and needles. The weapon mistress was respired to start her own wall collection after seeing the fifth floor dojo.

Tenten leaned against a lamp post, she called everyone to a stop for a rest. She carried ten boxes of weaponry and three bags of other things she was asked to buy.

Neji stared at her. He knew he won't be allowed to touch the weapons. So he approached his best female friend detached the bags from her arms. The girl smiled gratefully.

"Why didn't you take her wea-" Naruto was silenced by Tenten's flared murder defend and Neji's glare.

Soon Naruto was back to normal and was carrying Hinata's bags. Neji eyes his former team mate. She strained under the ten boxes she carried. He had decided he'd seen enough of her tired frown. He walked in front of her, ignored her protests and pouts and picked up 7 of her boxes and walk on.

The brunet kunoichi fumed "If I wasn't carrying these…"she thought glaring at his back. Then she sighed, knowing she could trust him with them. The shinobi saw Neji retract his Byakugan after seeing Tenten relax. A very playful smirk then dominated their Hyuuga friend's face. As the girl chatted behind them, Choji, Shikamaru, Naruto and Sai caught on to what Neji was thinking. Naruto fell behind Neji, the plan was to pretend to trip Neji and see Tenten get angry and protective with her weapons.

But Naruto's plans always had flaws.

Naruto held out his food and folded a tap to the back of Neji's foot, but because the timing was somehow screwed up, he did tap his senpai's foot. Naruto, realising his mistake, quickly used Kage Bunshin to catch the falling boxes. Neji as his cheek scraped against the ground.

"Neji!" Tenten screamed in a strange voice. Caught between worry and anger. She seemed to hesitate for a fraction of a second before disposing of her luggage and running to Neji's side.

He stood up, brushed off his robes and fingered his graze.

She forced his hand away, then using her index and middle finger, applied green healing chakra to his insignificant wound. All kunoichi were required to have some basic medical Jutsu, healing cuts and small/minor injuries. He muttered an inaudible 'arigato' only for her ears.

"Why don't we visit everyone's relatives as a group, we can go to the Hyuuga compound first then meet up with Yumeko-chan, she didn't seem to keen on going there."

"But knowing her, she might be watching us right now." Sai said to himself, and cast a look to the mountains that concealed the ANBU head quarters. And so they retraced the familiar road to the Hyuuga's quarters.

Yumeko quietly watched.

She would have loved to go with them. In ANBU, trust and respect was given immediately to your superiors, there was no doubt. But they were not just doing as the rule book states; they were friends, well, almost there anyway.

One could not be surprised how friendly they were, even Tenten, but the problems resolved by themselves easily.

She craved their company. Having never had stability, she wanted her friends. She knew that she would only have to ask, but she didn't want to worry them, especially Neji.

The past isn't something she could ignore easily, but it makes her apart of who she is… that's what Sai told her. He didn't have a past as much, he revelled in the fact that she did, not needing to suffer the same pain of not knowing about yourself. A relationship with Sai was not normal, far from it… that's why its so easy to settle into something that came so naturally to only them, her fondest memories of belonging. Yumeko, had a family. But she didn't think so.

Her family was Neji… it once included Sai.

tbc--

NO fear

this story shall continue.

thank you for the great constructive feedback. very well appreciated!

exams soon TT

but that not mean to be an excuse

very sorry this was soo short :(

will do better next time :)

R&R please

ty

kk.