Wow one night and 150 people read this! O.o

Sakura was arranging her pages on her clip board. In the next room over were the potential people to assist in her research. No had already agreed to help her and even suggested taking an interview with her volunteers. This worked out nicely since she had to get them to sign a paper to ensure they knew what they were getting into and she had their consent. It wold be a nice break from her usual routine of going to the hospital after breakfast for surgeries and if it was slow check-ups.

She had stated on a form posted around the village that she was looking for volunteers and to meet her in this section of the Hokage tower. An area separated meant for meeting with people in private, particularly clients however she had permission to use this area for however long it took to get through her interviews.

"Okay contracts, log books…I think that's everything. " she ran her hand through her pink hair pushing the stray hairs out of her face, the jade diamond on her forehead barely noticeable as she had only recently started storing chakra there. Deciding that a once over of her appearance was needed she went to the bathroom in the back to check. In an atmosphere such as this looking professional would be critical to win over her volunteers to help her and assure them this was all professional.

She entered the bathroom and looked herself over. Her Pink hair was down in the front but in the back it was pinned up again, she reminded herself she had to go get her hair cut again as she had grown long tired of having long hair. She wore simple white dress shirt and knee length pencil skirt. However she kept her boots the same, some things couldn't be parted with. She adjusted her headband to hold her hair back a bit better and fixed her doctors robe. Her eyes travelling to the diamond in her forehead and gave a proud smile.

Pleased with her appearance she exited the bathroom and went to the door. Ino was waiting with the potential applicants, her job was simple, send people in one at a time and check to make sure they were within the age range she wanted. Of course Sakura had said she couldn't turn anyone away that was within the age range that was Sakura's job. She cracked the door open and next to the door was said girl. "Okay Pig start sending them in."

Ino nodded and Sakura closed the door as she could hear Ino getting everyone's attention and explaining how things would work with interviews. Sakura took her seat a the table and waited patiently till the door opened. Clip board in hand to hold the papers they had to fill out containing generic information and things she herself would need to fill out.

Within a few minutes the door opened and In stepped a cheerful Tenten.

"Hi Sakura!" she said walking up to the desk.

"Hi Tenten! Glad you saw the paper. It's easier doing this when you can get friendly sympathy." She said releasing a breath she hadn't been aware of holding.

"I can see why, the topic of research isn't exactly the most open for discussion topic on a day to day basis." She nodded handing the form to Sakura who put it in her clip board.

"Okay, getting to business though you already know the topic as I'm sure Ino-pig has had all too much fun telling. But seeing as I've already talked with her and she's brought to my attention that I need to stress something. This is NOT a dating game. I don't care what she told you."

Tenten laughed "Yes that sounds like Ino alright. I understand and I wasn't walking into this thinking otherwise."

Sakura smiled and laughed with her "Yeah well I had to make sure. I've been planning this portion for a week and in that time who knows what gossip she's spread about this."

She nodded "Okay so what else do you need to tell me?"

"Well first off I need you to sign a contract saying you agree to the terms of this study." She handed her the forum "I don't think you'd make a fuss but its precaution. This entire study was created based off a legal issue, wouldn't look good if we created more with the study."

"Really? Well alright I trust your judgment." She said signing the contract.

"Awsome, now there are 2 types of log books, red are girls, blue is boys." She handed a red log book to Tenten and took the contract.

"Why the difference?" she asked looking through it.

"Well this study has a lot to do with gender so theirs different things that each gender needs to record. Case in point, girls ovulate. Theirs a section to record your cycle times seeing as that might be an important factor. Not to mention there is umm..other sections such as your 'activity' as it could be nicely put." She explained feeling slightly awkward even though Tenten was a friend and a female to boot.

"Oh umm okay well it's not like anyone but you will see it." She nodded "Kami forbid Ino saw this."

"Yeah, Ino may be a good friend but she's way to much of a gossip." Sakura said with a smile, remembering many a days in the hot springs when they were young talking about everything from fashion to boys.

Tenten nodded and Sakura explained a bit more to the Booklet and then let the girl take her leave before readying for her next interveiw. It wouldn't be the first shock of the night when she looked up to see a lean body and ebony black hair. Emotionless black eyes looking at her as the eldest Uchiha approached her. This was far from expected.

"Itachi? I didn't expect to see you here!" she said with open surprise, an odd feeling of nervousness befalling her. She stood up and reached out to shake his hand, becoming more formal now. It was hard to just 'relax' with Itachi, especially when it came to socializing with the man. His cool calculating aura seemed to demand the formalness of anyone's behaviour.

"Ms. Haruno," he responded and shook her hand, his grip firm but not crushing, and certainly not as light as to say 'I'm afraid I might break you' as some ignorant men would do with a woman, shinobi or not. After he shook her hand he handed her the form and she took it with a nervous nod. She was vaguely familiar that she might be blushing a bit, not from arousal but nervousness at being in the room with him. She wasn't even fully understanding why this was the trigger though she did admit he was attractive. 'Well this could be something to look into on this project' she said becoming aware of it.

"Please just call me Sakura and while I am surprised that you are available, what with being an ANBU Captain and such, that you have the time to help me with this project I must say I'm welcome to the additional help." She said taking a seat and he followed suit, his chair barely scrapping the ground as he pulled it out. He didn't respond to this but nodded in acknowledgement of what she said. Sakura took a deep breath to calm herself and focus on the task at hand "Alright now if you're sure you do indeed have the time to help, because it wouldn't do to have you leave part way through on mission, I have a contract for you to sign and then I'll give you your log book." She slid the contract to him over the table.

He took the paper and began to read in silence. Sakura just sitting there and looking around aimlessly not wanting to stare and be rude, the awkwardness sitting in the air like a thick fog that she was sure only she could feel. Things like this never seemed to bother the Uchiha heir, and she'd know. This wasn't the first time they had been alone together in a room and this fog had hung heavy. Many a time when she would visit Sasuke, make a house call to the compound or delivering medicine she would see Mikoto and said woman would invite her in for tea. Not wanting to be rude to the friendly gesture and the lovely, in appearance and personality, woman she would accept, and in more than once occasion she would find herself alone with Itachi and sometimes Fugaku and Sasuke. She could honestly say she liked when Sasuke was present, at least then she had somebody to attempt to talk to that was familiar.

She once even attempted a conversation with Itachi but felt she was doing all the talking and quickly stopped, worried she might annoy the man too much. Fugaku was even easier to converse with then Itachi. While Sasuke wold give short replies to her at least he gave them and she knew her team mate well enough to catch his moods turning or growing, long had she given up her crush on the stubborn man but it didn't qwell their friendship. With Fugaku the choice of subject was easy too, he was a very formal man but kept his mind in politics and business, and it helped to know that the man seemed to have some respect for her, most likely coming with being the Hokage's apprentice and a renowned medic.

She was pulled from her thoughts when the door opened very suddenly and both shinobi turned to see Naruto at the door "Sakura! Whats the hold up?"

She sighed, while she knew Naruto was impatient and was never properly taught manners he had hoped he would know better by now "Naruto go sit and wait until Ino sends you in!"

"Can't I just give you the stupid form and be gone? Hinata and I were going to go have Ramen." He whined.

"Naruto. Go sit and wait! I'll be with you shortly, this is really inappropriate!" she said getting up and walking to the door to close it on the blond.

"But Sakura…" he pressed, from behind him she heard a "Get in here dobe." 'So Sasuke did show up.' She thought to herself as she gave Naruto a grim shove back and closed the door. Turning she saw Itachi looking at her and she felt the blush come back, not sure if from embarrassment, nervousness from his stare, or both.

"Sorry about that, he doesn't learn does he?" she laughed nervously and moved back over to her seat.

"It's alright, I've grown used to it." He said before signing the paper.

"Really? Oh right you probably hear it a lot since he visits Sasuke a lot," she gave a nervous chuckle again taking the paper and giving him a blue log book "The instructions on what to fill out and when on inside, you can always ask me if you're not sure about something." She explained sitting down.

He nodded in response but instead of looking in the book he looked at her "If I may, I'd like to ask you a question." He said and she was taken aback, he hadn't even opened the book yet he had a question already.

"Umm sure." She said feeling the awkwardness jump and her heart beat faster, the blush she assumed grew from it.

"Why did you turn down your invitation to become ANBU?" he asked straight forward, still no sign of emotion.

Again she was taken aback, how he knew about this seeing as it had been a private invitation and as far as she knew ANBU didn't discuss potential applicants. "Oh well...how to explain…well I'll admit I didn't really want the position for multiple reasons. I suppose the most prominent is it would mean separating from team 7. Don't get me wrong, I know very well that now I can be sent on solo missions but were I to join ANBU it would mean a bigger jump. Not to mention I couldn't keep up with my work at the hospital and helping Tsunade. Kami knows somebody has to keep that woman sober." She laughed again some of her nervousness melting off with it.

Itachi nodded and she swore she saw the barest smirk on his face but wouldn't bet on it.

"I see, thank you. If that is all I'll take my leave." He said getting up with the log.

"Yes and thank you again Itachi, the more the better." She nodded going to shake his hand again.

He accepted her out stretched hand "Your welcome Sakura." He said sending a shiver down her spine as her name rolled off his tongue, she hoped he hadn't noticed. Turning around he left her alone in the room again and Sakura let out a content sigh 'That went better than expected. Odd that he knew about my invite- wait he's a Captain. Baka they probably let all Captains know about invitations. Still Sasuke hasn't given me any dirty looks recently so he hasn't told him at least, if anyone else.'

She smiled contently and felt refreshed after the awkwardness had subsided. Naturally however Naruto had come in right after and skipping all formalities Sakura took his form, got him to sign the contract, and kicked him out with his log within 3 minutes. Her brief refresh aura now annoyed. Once he was kicked out she flopped back into her chair and rested her head in her hand, her elbow propped on the table. The door opened and shut and she looked up fixing herself only to receive yet another surprise.

"Gaara! What are you doing here much less in Konoha?!" she said getting up in her seat in surprise. Here was the Kazekage in all his red haired, sea foam eyed glory. Not in his Kazekage robes but in his normal Shinobi gear.

"I came to discuss foreign affairs in regards to Suna's medical system under the elder's requests. However I learned you were busy in a research project and came to see what it was about." He said approaching her.

"I hadn't heard that you had arrived! It good to see you again." She said with a toothy smile, feeling right at home with the Kazekage. Gaara had been her friend and many others since his turn around at the Chunin exams. She hadn't forgotten when she had defended Sasuke from Gaara's assault and ended up pinned to a tree being slowly crushed. No she hadn't in the slightest. However she DID believe in a change of heart and Gaara had proven that his was real. Now whenever she heard he was in the village she and Naruto had made sure to spend quality time with their friend.

"I only arrive shortly ago, it's good to see you're in good health." He said with a nod.

"Same with you although it'll only be official good health until I say otherwise." She joked "So judging from what you said you don't know what this study is about ,huh?"

He shook his head no.

She nodded and sighed wondering where to start "Well…to explain the reasoning behind it there was a legal issue between a couple. Apparently they had a child but it came to be deformed and they both want to blame each other for the deformation." Gaara scowled "Yeah I know, its shallow and cruel, I don't exactly know what befell the child but I believe it's in its fathers Aunts care and is safe and sound with the widow. But back to the legal debate. They can't prove that either one of them was responsible, so this study is to look at human reproduction and better understand the drive to…well the human drive to mate and how genetics work better." She said the last bit rushed from embarrassment and felt her blush back.

Gaara just nodded "Interesting, and you took this on yourself?"

"Don't make me out to be a pervert but yes. Mostly because Tsunade can't lead it with her duties, Shizune doesn't want it, and I'm the next contender. Besides this field is uncharted and as weird as it is it would give me more of a name for myself." She explained.

"I didn't see you as somebody who would do this for perverse reasons." He stated "And you're rounding up people for test subjects?"

"That sounds harsh when you put it like that but yes in a sense. People come and volunteer, I let them know what they're in for, and see if they'll do it. Your welcome to join in but I doubt you'll have the time. You're a Kazekage, I can't have my 'subjects' leaving mid study." She explained.

"It's fine, I won't be leaving for a while, I'll help." He said casually but with firmness to it.

'Today is just full of surprises!' She mentally exclaimed "If you're sure then by all means!" she said grabbing the contract and going through the motions of preparing him. He didn't even bat an eye at the contract and signed instantly.

"Thanks Gaara, much appreciated." She beamed and he gave a soft smile in return and nodded "By the end of this perhaps we can better foreign affairs through this study." He said and left.

'…why do I feel like that had a double meaning to it…' She said as the blush blossomed over her face again at the many things it could mean, some of which her sexually frustrated mind picked up on instantly.

And so it begins~ I wont tell who gets the girl in the end guys you'll just have to hope and see

-Nyrababe