Blossom: Yay, I finally got time to make another chapter!

SillyxEmo: …Are you on crack?

Blossom: NO! … You're just thinking of one of my friends… I'M JUST HYPER!!! I had a lot of candy and sugar and sweets and junk! MUAHAHA!!!

SillyxEmo: Ok… Let us all back away from the insane girl with the bowl of Trix… and 100 lb of sugar…

Blossom: MUAHAHA!!! Go to hell. Well back to the story!

Recap

Ino bent over the counter of the flower shop, staring at her new ANBU mask. It was an orange tiger. You would think it would be a pig but she was happy she got that mask. Longing for some company she sighed and stared at the door.

It finally opened but to her 'disgust', it was Shikamaru.

End Recap

"What do you want, Shikamaru? I'm working." Ino looked Shikamaru over and noticed that he had his ANBU uniform on and his mask was on top of his head, hiding his 'cute' pineapple hair. He was wet from the rain that was pouring cats and dogs outside. It sort of made him look hot… (A/N: WHAT AM I SAYING?!?! I LOVE SASUKE AND SAI!!!!!!!!! Tehehe).

"Ino, I don't have the time to get in a fight with you now so I want to get this over quickly. I am going on an ANBU mission for a while and I want you to know something before I leave…" Shikamaru hesitated. Furemu had come up to him earlier and told him that Ino would want to know his feelings before he left. This mission ranged from one month to a year. It was also a 45 percent possibility that he would die…

"Shikamaru… you're scaring me… Why are you wearing your ANBU uniform? You couldn't possibly have a mission already… I mean I know you will probably become a captain before all of us but-" She was cut off by Shikamaru embracing her tightly.

"That's just it… I am going on one… I wanted to say before I left that I would miss you… and that I lo-"

"Nara, you're late. We have to get going." An ANBU burst into the room in a hurry, making Shikamaru break away from Ino in a hurry and grab his stuff. He hesitated while following the ANBU out, turning around to look at her, and then disappeared into the heavy rain, leaving Ino confused with a tear running down her cheek.

Furemu was outside and when he came in, she went inside to help Ino out.

"Look, Ino. Shikamaru wanted me to give this to you in case he didn't make it. I'm sure he will but the letter will explain everything he was going to say." The younger girl handed an envelope that was very full and bulky to Ino. When she didn't reach out to grasp it, Furemu put it in her hand for her. Poor girl… She was helplessly in love and didn't even know it. The blue-haired beauty just knew Shikamaru would pull through though. He was very interesting. She wanted to see how he would fair in a fight with herself. Pity no one had seen her or her friend's true potential. Not very many people had even knocked her out, much less hurt her.

When Furemu left, Ino slowly opened the envelope with her name quickly scribbled on the front. It said:

Ino,

I know you probably don't feel the same way and you would probably think it was a waste of my words but I don't care. If you are reading this, then I am already dead and I have no reason to regret not leaving this with Furemu who has given this to you. Tsunade gave me a gigantic mission. It is an assassination mission. The guy is at the top of everyone's bingo book and Tsunade wants him gone. They needed my brains as they so quaintly put it but I just wanted you to know something if I died. I wanted you to know that I love you with all of my heart and I hope you feel the same way.

Love, Shikamaru.

A small smile crossed over Ino's face. This was a bittersweet moment. She had found out that he loved her back and he had a chance of coming back. She would be waiting for that 'troublesome' day.

WITH SASUKE AND SAKURA

Sasuke came out of the shadows and came up behind the rosette. Looking at her feet, Sakura saw the shadow and jumped. She quickly turned her head and sighed a sigh of relief when she saw it was only Sasuke.

"Jezz, Sasuke, you scared me. You shouldn't sneak up on me like that…" Sakura said. Something was wrong… Sasuke just glared at her and didn't say a word. Sasuke didn't do that sort of thing any more. What was with him? Sakura got up and rested the palm of her hand on Sasuke's forehead.

"Are you sick or something?" Sasuke didn't answer. All he did was grab her wrist and put her in an arm lock with her arm being pushed against her back. Sasuke started to squeeze he wrist even harder and Sakura let out a tear of despair and pain.

"Sasuke, that hurts!"

"Ssstill haven't figured it out, Sssssakura?" A sly voice erupted from the so called "Sasuke's" mouth.

"Orochimaru?!" Sakura gasped. Kabuto walked out from behind the trees and Sakura spat a dirty look at him. When she looked behind her, he saw that Orochimaru had morphed into his true self.

"Remember that promise we made and you won't die like your parents."

"Don't kill me, I promise… I promise…" Sakura whispered as he let her go. When he left, Sakura collapsed and slowly faded out of consciousness.

Later the next day, Sakura awoke to find herself far in the forest where she was the day before when Oro-freak had come. She suddenly remembered that she had to meet everyone at the club today. The girl ran to her house and got dressed and ran to "The Bus."

"Hey Sakura…! Sak, why are your wrists so bruised?" Tenten asked, holding Sakura's forearm.

"Umm… None-ya?" Sakura said nervously. All Tenten did was give Sakura a suspicious look and let her go, looking through her like she was glass.

"Fine, but I will find out, just know that…" she said in a deadpan voice as she slipped off into the raging crowd. Sakura just stood there as dancing people closed in around her. She had a look of fear and desperation on her face.

A tap on her shoulder broke her out of her pained gaze and she looked up to the face of her teammate, Sasuke. A little sense of relief made its way through her system as her aching muscles were relieved of their suffering.

"Sasuke," Sakura said as she nodded her head some to show that she had acknowledged his presence. Her voice sounded monotone and deprived of any emotion.

"Wow, you sound like me," Sasuke said with a tint of amusement in his dark eyes. A second later he frowned. "And that's not a good thing."

"Whatever," Sakura rolled her eyes and turned the other way. That's when it happened. A slow song started up and the DJ said the wrong words.

"This is for all of you lovely couples out there this evening. Lets bring the heat down a few notches with this slow song." And then the song started… It was Fallin' by Alicia Keys. Man that was random… (A/N: I know it's a weird song for a slow song but I think it goes great with the couple.)

I keep on fallin' in and out of love with you

Sometimes I love ya, Sometimes you make me blue

Sometimes I feel good, At times I feel used

Lovin' you darlin', makes me so confused

"May I take this dance?" Sasuke asked like a gentleman, extending his arm for her to take. A small smile crept up on her face and she hesitantly accepted, knowing something might happen.

He put his hands on her hips and she clasped her arms around the Uchiha's neck. They slowly swayed with the music

I keep on fallin', in and out of love with you

I never loved someone the way that I love you

Sakura knew this song all too well. When Sasuke had left, she had listened to this song, over and over. She somehow agreed with the song in a way because she could never really stop loving the boy who she was so closely dancing with.

The rosette sang along with the words in the second verse and pressed the side of her face into Sasuke's chest.

Oh Oh, I... never felt this way

How do you give me so much pleasure,

And cause me so much pain (yea-ea, yea-ea)

Just when I think I've takin' more than would a fool

I start fallin' back in love with you

[Chorus

I keep on fallin', in and out of love with you

I never loved someone the way that I love you

[Bridge

Oh baby

I,I,I,I'm

Fa-a-allin'

(yea-e, yea-e)

I,I,I,I'm

Fa-a-allin'

Fall, fall ,fa-a-a-allin'

[Chorus 4x

I keep on fallin', in and out of love with you

I never loved someone the way that I love you

I keep on fallin', in and out of love with you

I never loved someone the way that I love you

I keep on fallin', in and out of love with you

I never loved someone the way that I love you

I keep on fallin', in and out of love with you

I never loved someone the way that I love you

As the song ended, the couple parted quickly, trying to get rid of the awkwardness. Of course, that's the time that their friends decided to show up… How planned…? No matter how much they didn't want to, the polar opposite teammates were falling deeply, madly in love and everyone knew it.