Hey everyone. A couple of quick little things I wanted to say before I go on with the story. For one, thank you so much all of you who have been reviewing. It really makes me want to keep going and it also helps me see if I'm going the right way with this story. But with that being said, I was wondering if more of you reading my story could review. Anonymous reviews are accepted and I don't mean to sound picky or unappreciative, but I was just wanted to see this story do I little better as far as reviews go. Another thing, I know I promised three more stories after the last chapter but I decided to hold off on starting those until this one is done, and MAYBE sequel is about to be written. And one more thing, I need someone to help me out. As you all know I am not the best with spelling and grammar and I was wondering if someone wouldn't mind looking over my future chapters for any errors, and correct them. If you want the job then just leave me a message or review saying you do. Everything will be done through email so yea. But don't worry they will be coming soon. Anyway that's all I wanted to say. BACK TO THE STORY!!! Hope you all like it! Please read and review ^_~

--Yuuki

Chapter 14

SPOV

I could faintly hear Nekio talking beside me as we walked all the way up the stairs. I was too focused on Gaara and Neenah, right in front of us, talking animatedly and doing a lot of public affection. He looked happy with her so I should be happy for them but, I couldn't help feel jealous that I wasn't the one with his arm around me.

"Are you ok?" Nekio asked from beside me. I shook my head and gave the best smile I could before answering, "Yes I'm fine, let's do our job but also have fun tonight, ok?"

He nodded and pulled me close to him, wrapping his arm around my waist. I knew I shouldn't let Nekio do that but it couldn't hurt to just have fun and forget about everything for awhile.

We finally got to the top of the stairs to see the ball. There had to be more than 200 guest here, not including they're guards. It wouldn't be hard to do our job tonight considering there were others doing the job with us. The more the merrier.

I looked out to see Gaara and Neenah already being greeted by the Prime Minister of Defense and his date. Neenah was talking and I guessed she said something stupid or wrong because the Minister looked confused and his date just looked away. I sighed and looked around for Temari and Kankuro.

Kankuro, of course, was hitting on one of the waitress and Temari was standing off by herself having a drink, all and all, so far so good. "Would you like to dance?" Nekio offered as an upbeat song began to play. I nodded with a smile as he led me to the dance floor. "I must warn you," I started as Nekio turned to me in the middle of the dance floor, "I'm not a good dancer, and I have been known to step on feet." Not only step on feet, but break toes. To say I wasn't a dancer was an understatement.

Nekio leaned down close to my ear and whispered in a husky voice, "its ok. If you can't dance then I will just have to move your feet for you." Before I could ask what he meant, Nekio grabbed hold of my hands, wrapping them around his neck, then took my waist and lifted me up, as easy as if I only weighted 5lbs. instead of my 125lbs. He hugged my close, resting his head on my shoulder, putting my feet on top of his, like father dancing with his daughter. I hid my deep blush in his shoulder as he twirled us around the dance floor effortlessly. Nekio's strong arms held me tight yet gentle as the song came to a close and we began to slow down.

When I looked up to say thank you to Nekio, I couldn't believe what I saw. He had the sweetest, loving smile I had even seen. He did all that because he liked me, and I was using him to get my mind off of Gaara. How could I have been so evil?

I held back the tears the stung at my eyes as Nekio leaned down and kissed my cheek. I was going to say something when I voice broke through over the music. "Come on! Baby, we haven't danced yet and look! Even you servant is having more fun than we are!"

It was Neenah arguing with Gaara. How stupid of her to say something like that out loud, and in front of all these important people. It's one thing to embarrass yourself in a place like this; it's another to embarrass the Kazekage. I sighed ignoring the whole commotion. Nekio was looking of at Neenah, laughing.

"I'm glad I came with the 'servant' with manners, then the dress up rude Barbie," he said as he looped his arm over my shoulder and guided me to the drink table. As I took a drink off the silver planter, I noticed a dark figure reflecting in it. I took a quick peek up to see someone was indeed there watching, dressed in all black.

I turned to Nekio to say something but he cut me off, "I saw, don't worry lets go take care of this now, and find the Kazekage."He leaned closer, appearing to hug me as he whispered,"Here's the plan, you keep calm and act like nothing has happened, find the Kazekage and alert him of the situation. All go let the other guards know so we can be read for an attack." I nodded and turned away, still holding my drink as I went to look for Gaara. I looked back to see Nekio disappear into the crowd, but not before a quick wink at me.

I looked around until an annoyingly familiar giggle caught my attention from not too far away from my left. I walked over there, pushing myself through the tightly pressed together crowd, until I was at Gaara's back. I lightly tapped him on the back as he took a long gulp of his drink before turning to me. Neenah was still talking loudly to someone I couldn't see. I nodded at Gaara before leaning in close enough for only him to hear me,"We have a situation. Please find Temari and Kankuro and return to a safe place so that we can deal with this."

He leaned back to look firmly at me before nodding and grabbing Neenah's wrist. "If you all will excuse us," Gaara said trying to take Neenah to find Temari and Kankuro without causing any uproar. Neenah had other plans. "What? I don't want to go, I'm not done talking," Neenah whined as she stomped her foot like a little two year old. Gaara rolled his eyes and ignored her trying to move her away from everyone, but Neenah still refused to go.

After a few more moments of Neenah whining, I decided to step in. I took Neenah's other hand and twisted it behind her back causing a very satisfying crack to be heard, but not the cracking of a bone. She leaned back a little and l slipped a little needle into her back, just to make her a little drossy. I released her arm and catch her as she fell back against me. The whole thing looked like Neenah was being a drama queen and just fainted but I knew Gaara wasn't buying that. I could tell he knew what I did when I looked up at him and he was smirking a little.

I picked him her bridal style and turned the opposite direction. I probably looked like a little girl carrying a tall model. Oh well. "Everyone please clear the way," I said as I began to make my way over to the wall were I saw Temari standing by herself alone earlier.

We got to the wall to see Temari drinking a very weird colored drink and some guy next to her talking animatedly about something Temari was clearly not interested in. A soon as Temari caught sight of me; she did a double take and dropped her drink on the poor guy. I would have laughed, but if I did, I probably would have dropped the fat cow I was holding and if I did that, I think Gaara would be mad.

"Sakura," Temari cried out rushing over to my side as I sat Neenah on the ground, leaned against the wall. She would wake up in about five minutes and I'm guessing she would not be happy.

"I'm fine, she's fine, and we have a situation so I need you and Kankuro here with Kazekage-sama while Nekio and I deal with the intruder. Before Temari could say a word of protest Kankuro came through the crowd and put a strong hand on her shoulder, "We got it here. Don't worry Pinky; Nekio is waiting for you over there." He nodded his head behind him.

I pushed my way as quickly as I could through the crowd until I finally saw Nekio talking to a few other guards. I went up to him and touched his shoulder and he looked at me, nodded and grabbed my hand. He led me up to one of the huge cement pillars towards the corner before stopping and facing me.

"Ok, here's the deal," Nekio whispered, "We tailed the intruder. He's upstairs in one of three back rooms. We made sure no one was up there but him so, in order to keep this quiet, the guards are going to stay here and let us go up and take care of him." I nodded and we sneaked up the stairs and into the dark hallways of the upper floor. Nekio grabbed my hand and pulled me through the winding hallways until we heard a small crash from a room a few yards away. Nekio and I both pulled out our kunai before going up to the door where the crash was heard. Nekio put his finger to his lips as he leaned his ear to the door.

He mouthed '1…2…3' before kicking down the door. I rushed in first. It was darker in the room than in the hall, but I could see the intruder's figure against the far wall. I threw several kunai at him; ripping his shirt and pinning his sleeve and pant leg down before charging at him. I pushed chakra into my fist before pounding into the ground where he was. But he wasn't there anymore.

I stood up and looked to see Nekio being choked by the man. Without thinking, I grabbing another kunai and jumped across the room. I brought the kunai down with me, making it slice off the hand holding Nekio's neck. The man screamed in pain and I took the opportunity to grab him into a head lock tight enough to make him pass out.

I dropped his limp body and rushed over to Nekio. He was clutching his neck and coughing. "You alright?" I asked and tilted his chin up and checked his neck. "Yeah," he said hoarsely. I smiled and bit off my glove and started to heal his neck. Suddenly, Nekio pushed me out the way and dodged a kunai the hit a few inches from my nose.

I looked over in time to see Nekio and the man wrestling on the ground, kicking and punching each other hard enough to be heard. I got up and grabbed the poison needles from my thigh and tired to pull Nekio out of the way as I stabbed the needle into the man's shoulder.

I said something I couldn't hear before passing out for good. Nekio was breathing heavily as he stood up next to me and leaned his weight on me. I looked over and even in the dark, I could see he had multiple bruises and cuts on him. I sighed and shook him off me, "Come on, I'll carry him to the back. You meet me back there with a couple of guards so they can take him down town and I can take you down to the hospital"

Nekio nodded and started down the hall as I lifted the man over my shoulder and down the back steps. He wasn't heavy but with my recent chakra lost and I was out of breathing, so he felt more like 200lbs.

Once I got down the stairs and out the back, I tied the man up and pulled his mask off. He has bruises all over his face and dark brown shoulder length hair. He was out cold, snoring like a dog on a full stomach. I sighed, sitting down and closing my eyes for a few minutes until I heard footsteps, and Nekio's voice. I opened my heavy eye lids to see Nekio with two other guards coming towards me. I sighed again, getting up and grabbing the guy by his collar, dragging him over to the guards, "He's out cold. Take him to the jail and he should get at least 4 years in there."

They nodded and carried him away. I looked at Nekio's bruised face and sighed once again. He looked like shit. His face was swelling in a lot of different areas and his outfit was torn and ripping all over. "Come on," I said, taking his arm and swinging it around my shoulders and helping to the front gates. I sat him down on the steps and asked one of the hosts there to get up a carriage so that we could go. "I'll be back," I told Nekio as he rested his head in his hands, "I have to tell Kazekage-sama that we are leaving." With that I took off as quickly as I could up the long stair case and back into the ball room.

ALRIGHTY EVERYONE! THAT IT FOR NOW!!! But don't worry I'll update very soon. Remember what I asked before the story and please leave reviews! ^_~

--Yuuki