A/N: This is basically one big $$ romance chapter. There is a lemon, there are lime scenes, nakedness, you name it, I've either thought about it or done it in this chapter. Anyways, as always, props to Kishimoto-san for an awesome series like this. (My manners have improved...slightly).

HI GUYS!! It's Sissy...ACK! She's choking me!

Sis...I'm going to hog tie you if you don't stop butting in! OUCH, don't swat my hands you brat! Stop infringing...you can have the laptop after I post, okay!? Sheesh...sisters...Anyways have fun with this!

CH. 30: Romance and House Cleaning

Gaara didn't budge, even after she submitted. He wanted her to know who the master here was. Sakura let all the tension seep from her body. She had lost, he had won…he was the dominant one, and there was nothing she could do about that right now. To assure him she had submitted, she rubbed her bottom against him while she purred and crooned for his attentions.

Gaara eased his hold on her shoulder and licked the spot tenderly to ease the ache. He continued to rub himself against her bottom while she pushed back against him. He leaned over her, his chest to her back and started licking and nipping, growling low to ensure her continued submission. She arched up against him and moaned, the back of her head resting on his shoulder as he attacked her neck. He scraped his teeth over her neck gently, taking this as a sign of submission as well.

Content that she had surrendered to him, he lifted one had to cup her breast, kneading gently as she continuously rubbed her ass against his groin. He could feel her arousal on his member and it made him purr in satisfaction. He listened to her gasps and moans as he played with her breasts, giving each the same amount of attention.

After having his fun with those soft pillows, he let his hand travel down her stomach until his hand was nestled in the soft curls of her pubic hair. He slid one finger between the lips of her sex and rubbed gently. He heard her yelp of surprise and the moan that followed it. He smiled against her shoulder smugly.

Sakura's head was spinning as he played gently with the pearl of her sex. She could feel small jolts every time he rubbed and it was driving her mad. Swallowing her pride, she used her body to beg him to take her. He laughed then, knowing she was desperate to do such a thing. He rubbed a little more vigorously and then inserted a finger inside. He felt her buck and scream at the feel. He then inserted another, pumping gently.

He could feel her channel clamp around his fingers and purred with anticipation. Sakura's incoherent rambling made him smile…he liked having this effect on her. He felt the tension building in her small frame beneath him, but knew it wasn't an attempt to escape. No…this was much more preferable to the tanuki jinchuriki.

With a piercing scream Sakura's body started trembling and Gaara could feel her inner muscles clamping, spasmodically, on his fingers. He could hear her ragged breathing and could sense her strength abandoning her. He nuzzled her shoulder and pulled his fingers from her tight clasp. He then pushed her down until her chest was pressed tightly to the floor. He ran his hand over her bottom while she tried to regain her senses.

Very gently, he prodded her entrance with his straining member. He heard her strangled gasp and could feel the apprehension building in her. He leaned over her again, so that his front was pressing against her back, pressing her more tightly into the floor. He started whispering to her and could feel the heat that flushed through her whole body as she blushed. He prodded gently again and heard her whimper.

Not wanting to prolong her pain, he started licking her shoulder. Without warning, he sank his fangs into her bare shoulder while impaling her with his shaft at the same time. She screamed and her fingers dug into the ground below her. Tears leaked out of her eyes as her shoulder throbbed and her womanhood burned.

Gaara stayed still and licked the blood away from the bite he'd given her. He nuzzled the nape of her neck, kissing and licking, murmuring comforting, loving words to her. He shifted slightly and he heard her gasp again. He could tell this wasn't like the other gasps…this one was a pleasured gasp. He gently rocked his hips against hers and there were more small gasps of pleasure.

Unable to stand it, Sakura thrust back against him and moaned at the feel. Gaara took this as a sign that she was ready and started a slow pace, hitting deep within her. With each thrust, Sakura let out a load moan, clutching at the ground beneath her for something to hold on to. Seeing this, Gaara grabbed her hands and put them above her head, holding on to them firmly.

She used his hands to ground her as she floated on a sea of pleasure. She managed a choked "Faster" and he chuckled, but complied nonetheless. He started thrusting faster and slightly harder, but not hard enough to hurt her. He buried his face in the crook of her neck while he thrust himself into her almost mindlessly.

He could feel the heat coil in his balls and knew it wouldn't be long till he reached that pinnacle. He could feel the clamping of her muscles and hissed in pleasure, rubbing his face against her neck and mumbling nonsense. He started thrusting even faster and harder, making her cry out with surprise at the increase in penetration.

Gaara wondered if there was any way to share his pleasure with her and wished that he knew how, just so she knew how much he was enjoying this. With each thrust, he grunted and groaned, feeling himself approach that precipice. He wondered if she was close as well, but then he felt her touch his mind. He could feel something coiling in his stomach, like a spring waiting to be released. He wondered if this was what she was feeling, but then the connection was broke as a spasm rocked her body.

He smirked as her breathing got shallower and shallower. "GAARA!!!" She screamed as she was pushed over the edge. Her ear piercing scream made his ears ring and he could feel her channel tighten to the point of pain around his rock hard tool. He clenched his teeth and thrust harder and harder. With a roar and a curse, Gaara followed her in the free fall from the heavens.

Sakura felt warmth spread through her and could feel him thrusting spasmodically against her, his orgasm tearing through him. She knew that her muscles were milking him and that his instincts would have him stay in her until the spasms stopped so that there was greater chance for his seed to take root.

She felt him rolling them over until they were on their side. His spasms were fewer and farther between, but until they stopped completely, he would not pull out. She could feel him thrusting lightly into her, almost subconsciously, as the spasms started to die down. He had a death grip on her and was curled tightly around her. She smiled and let her eyes drift closed.

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Tenten was definitely not happy. Not only did she get stuck in the same room as the hormonal Hyuuga male, but they were also the last two for the patrol rotation. She sighed and sat on the bed, looking at the bathroom door that closed her off from the young man.

She couldn't explain why she was so irritated about this. She liked him…a lot…and he liked her she guessed. But it was his 'I am man, hear me roar' complex that was driving her INSANE! He didn't ASK her to do things…he TOLD her what she was going to do and when she was going to do it. She glared at the door and heard the shower running. She smirked wickedly…this gave her an idea.

She quickly shed her clothes, took her hair down and slipped under the covers of the bed as the water stopped running. She was snuggled up under the soft comforter when the bathroom door opened. She looked up as the young Hyuuga man walked out, his hair dripping wet and a towel around his waist. He walked over to the dresser where they had unpacked their bags and grabbed a few things. He looked over at Tenten with an arched brow.

"You can get in the shower now." He said and looked back at the dresser. Tenten raised an eyebrow and started enacting her plan. She sighed and threw the comforter off, getting to her feet with a flourish. Neji didn't look at her, so she walked over and leaned slightly in front of him, grabbing her night clothes. She heard a gasp and knew that the fact she was naked had registered in his mind.

She stood up straight and started to make her way over to the bathroom when she felt a restraining arm on her waist. She turned around and looked up at him with innocence in her eyes. "Neji-kun…what are you doing? I thought I was supposed to take a shower?" she pressed herself against him a little tighter and noticed his nostrils flare and his body tense.

He did the one thing she hadn't counted on…he buried his hands in her hair and pulled her closer to him. Her breasts were pressed tightly against him, her hard nipples making him groan. She stifled a moan when she felt him nuzzling the crook of her neck, his wet hair trailing over her shoulder sensuously.

"Why are you torturing me?" He growled lightly, scraping his teeth over her pulse. He felt it jump and felt the moan that reverberated through her thin frame. "It's taken all of my self control not to take you and this is what you do?" He bit lightly on her earlobe, making her hiss in pleasure. He felt her rubbing her body against his own, subconsciously pleading with him.

"You've got too much self control then." She murmured and licked his neck. She kissed the side of his face and pulled away. He stood there staring at her as she walked into the bathroom. She heard him curse when she shut the door and smiled to herself. Step one…complete. She got in the shower and washed herself in a special soap she had bought after meeting Neji.

She dried off and put on her night clothes without any underclothes on. She walked out and the smell of her new soap wafted out. Her hair was down and more than a little damp. Her tight shirt hid nothing from the man in the room with her. It was white and her hair was soaking through it. Her dark green bottoms were loose and baggy, so it didn't really show all that much…except that she didn't have a panty line.

She rung her hair out more in the doorway and let it soak into her shirt. She then walked out and went over to the chair beside their bed. She grabbed a book she'd borrowed from Lacey and started reading. She felt a breeze and felt her nipples harden. She knew that Neji had seen it too when she heard a quiet gasp. She looked up to find him staring at her…or more like her chest. She could see the slight blush creeping into his cheeks. She cleared her throat and he looked up into her eyes, though he had to tear his eyes away from her pert breasts, and she arched a brow at him.

"Find something you like, Neji-kun?" she asked with a smile. Neji blushed openly then and lay on the bed, his back to her. She chuckled and went back to her reading. A few minutes later, she closed the book and put it on the night table on her side of the bed. She climbed onto the bed and saw Neji stiffen. She raised the covers so that they covered her feet and leaned back against the head board, closing her eyes.

She felt eyes on her and opened one eye, looking over at Neji, who was staring at her again. She giggled and slid under the covers, much to his disappointment. He wasn't disappointed for long as her shirt and bottoms came out and she flung them over his head and in a pile by the dresser. His eyes went wide as she smiled, her eyes glittering. She scooted closer to him, her bare shoulders showing and her long hair spilling over the creamy expanse.

"Neji-kun…can you answer me something?" she asked seductively. He nodded absentmindedly and slid closer to her unconsciously. She smiled and put her hand on his bare chest. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back as he gasped lightly at her burning touch.

She scooted closer to him and he could feel her body heat. The only thing separating their skin from touching was the comforter. Her lips, he noticed, were very close to his own. He gulped and stared at her lips for a moment before his gaze dropped down to her breasts, which he could feel through the comforter.

When she spoke, he could feel her hot breath on his lips. He wanted to kiss her so badly but waited for her to finish. "Why is it you always tell me what I am going to do?" she asked, her eyes half lidded and a smile on her face. He couldn't think straight with her that close to him, so all he could do was gape at her. She giggled and nuzzled the side of his face.

"Neji-kun…" she said in a sing songy voice. He stared at her with blatant hunger. She relished in it and used it to her advantage. She scooted back in the bed so that she was in the center and crooked a finger at him. "Come here Neji-kun." She said seductively and smiled when he quickly scooted closer to her. She reached out and ran her fingers over his face, tracing his lips in the process. She felt his breathing hitch and leaned closer to him, her lips brushing his.

She could feel his labored breathing and it made her hot, knowing she could do this to such a normally stoic young man. It gave her a sense of power that she'd never felt before. She put one finger under his chin and led him to her lips. He eagerly followed, wanting to press his lips to hers so badly he couldn't think straight.

Tenten gently pressed her lips against his, tasting him delicately. She hummed in pleasure and was surprised when he moaned in reaction. She stored this information and pressed her lips for firmly against his, licking his lips. He was too content to take the hint, so she resorted to…other…measures. She reached down (above the covers mind you) and slowly stroked his growing arousal. His eyes widened and he gasped, giving her access to his mouth like she wanted. She licked every inch of his mouth, humming the whole time. She also stroked him while she did.

She felt him buck against her hand and moan. She didn't understand why he wasn't taking control. Then it hit her…he didn't know what to do in this situation…he was a virgin to all types of sexual pleasure. She broke the kiss with a gasp and looked into his eyes. He looked dazed and that was good for her. She didn't want him to gain control here…it was her turn.

Tenten started tugging on the blanket under his shoulder and he just looked at it, then at her. He blushed when he realized what she wanted. He tried to stay calm as she pulled the cover out from under him, flashing him a view of her from the navel up, and had him scoot under with her. He felt her bare breasts against his chest and couldn't help the blush that formed on his face…again.

Tenten smirked and whispered in his ear. "Roll to your other side…I have a surprise for you." He arched a brow at her, but did as she told him. He wondered in his mind when he had lost control of this situation. It occurred to him that he had never been in this situation before and that is why he allowed her to lead him.

What he was wondering is how she knew so much. The thought went across his mind that perhaps she wasn't a virgin, but that was shot down by her reaction to him in the hospital when he had threatened to take her against the wall. He groaned when he felt her breasts on his back and her hands slowly moving over his chest. His breathing hitched when her hands wandered lower, to the waist band of his sleeping pants and then even lower.

Tenten could feel his ragged breathing and knew he was shocked. She could feel his hard member through the thin material of his boxers. She rubbed it, being sure to be gentle yet persistent. She could feel his body trembling and smiled as she kissed his shoulder. She put her mouth against his ear and purred "Now for your surprise…" She felt him stiffen…obviously he had thought THIS was his surprise. She chuckled and dipped her hand inside his boxers, taking his length into her hand.

Neji's breathe left in a whoosh. He felt like someone had just sucker punched him in the solar plexis, but in a good way. He arched into her hand, biting his lip to fight the moan this unexpected pleasure was building inside him. He felt her gently grip his shaft and pull up, then push down gently. He thought he'd died and gone to heaven.

"T-Ten…ten…" he managed to gasp as she did another long pull and gentle push. He snaked his arm back until his hand was tangled in her hair. He was panting and trembling from the mere touch of her hand. Tenten giggled when she thought of how he'd react when she made her final move. She gave him another pull and push, then cupped his balls, effectively startling him.

"Neji-kun…would you like to make a deal with me?" she whispered seductively. He groaned and nodded his head adamantly. She giggled and released him. He growled in disapproval, but she turned him onto his back and lay on top of him, effectively silencing the growling. She heard him gasp as her body pressed down on his. He could feel his arousal cradled in the crevice between her legs.

He felt her hands at the elastic band to his pants. His mind went blank when she started pushing his pants and boxers down at the same time. he felt her creamy skin against him the more she pushed down. He almost yelped when she hooked a foot in the garments and shoved them all the way off, making them drop to the floor at the end of the bed.

He was the reddest he'd ever been in his life as he felt her entire naked frame pressed against his agonizingly sensitive naked form. He knew then he would agree to anything she wanted…and that was dangerous. Tenten knew this as well and decided not to make TOO much of a demand.

"Neji-kun…every time you dominate me outside the bedroom…I get to dominate you inside the bedroom." She purred and rubbed herself against him. He felt his insides melting at her words. He tried to think it over, but it wouldn't process with her so close to him and them being pressed together in only their skin.

However, he knew the gist of what this deal meant. If he bossed her around in the social setting, she would boss him around in the personal setting. She wanted their relationship to be equal. He knew that he was a hard man to get used to…he was used to dominating…it kept him alive during his missions. This, however, was much different. If he agreed to this, it meant that every time he bossed her around outside their bedroom, she would dominate him inside their bedroom.

His contemplations then turned to 'their bedroom'. He rather liked the sound of that. He wanted her with everything he was…but he didn't know if he could relinquish the power. He felt something wet drag from his chest to just under his chin and he hissed, looking down at the young woman atop him.

He felt her rock her hips against him and his mind went blank again. He didn't want this to end…he wanted to do more, to get more. He nodded his head in agreement, but she kept torturing him. "Say it out loud Neji-kun." she nuzzled his chest and licked the patch of skin right above his heart. He grunted and tangled both hands in her hair.

"Fine…I agree." he said huskily and kissed her hungrily. She moaned into his mouth and ran her hands down his sides to his hips. She felt him shudder and giggled wickedly. He felt her nails scraping and knew he'd just sold his soul to her.

"It's time for your punishment, Neji-kun." she whispered and grabbed his hands and gently untangled them from her hair. He knew that she was going to pay him back for what he did earlier in front of all those agents. Question was…what was she going to do to him?

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Kankuro knew that he would eventually have to leave Karin for his turn at patrol, but he really didn't want to. She was still trembling and crying softly in her sleep. He could kill that man for what he'd done to her. He pulled her closer, letting her lie on top of him and cry into his chest.

Kankuro kissed her face and murmured to her gently, telling her everything was going to be just fine. Her tears slowly stopped as she drifted into a deep sleep. Kankuro just held her and thought about what he'd learned today. He really didn't think Minotsu was as involved in this as people were trying to make him seem. He made up his mind to investigate this personally, so that Karin wouldn't hurt so much.

With a twitch, he sent Karasu to spy in the Hatori house. He knew that his puppet would not be found, so he decided to rest his eyes. About twenty minutes after he shut his eyes, Kankuro had the breath knocked out of him. He opened his eyes to see Karin flailing about, crying out for whatever was disturbing her to leave her alone. Kankuro grabbed her wrists and held her close to him. He said her name loudly and shook her, trying to wake her up.

Karin woke with a scream, trembling, her eyes wide and tear filled. She buried her head in his shoulder and cried like he'd never seen her cry. He tried to make out what she was trying to say, but all he could hear was Lydia and something about rape. Kankuro stiffened and sat up with her in his arms.

"Karin…sweetheart, you need to calm down." he said gently and rubbed her back until she was in a semi-calm state. He then put his finger under her chin and made her look at him. Tears were falling down her face and her blonde hair was tumbling around her face. He could see the fear in her eyes and it made him angry. He hugged her tightly to him and whispered loving words to her.

"Tell me what's wrong Kokoro…I can't fix it if you don't tell me…" he pressed gently. He kissed her forehead when she leaned back and looked at him. She tried valiantly not to cry.

"I…I had a n-nightmare about…Lydia…" She choked the name. He rubbed her back and reminded her that Lydia was very much alive and didn't remember anything from her experience. Karin nodded, but she was still shaking. "The thing is…it wasn't LYDIA that was going through it…it was ME!" she started weeping again and a chill went up Kankuro's spine.

He growled and bundled her closer to him than she already was. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. He looked down at her and she could see the determination in his eyes. "I will kill ANYONE that hurts you…" He hissed, making her eyes go wide.

"Why? Why do you care so much?" she asked quietly, looking into his eyes. He smirked at her and nuzzled the side of her face. She couldn't help but giggle at how he reminded her of a puppy at that moment.

"I care because the first time I saw you at Sakura's house I knew I was in love." he said softly and held up a finger when she was about to speak. "When we met in Sakura's kitchen, it was like our souls made a connection. When you ran upstairs and I felt you crying, I wanted to beat every one of the others until they were in as much pain as I could sense from you." He rubbed his face against her shoulder. She couldn't believe her ears. She cleared her throat and wiped at her eyes.

"You…you love me? ME?" she asked, looking up at him with big amethyst eyes. Her eyes were so big that they almost took up all of her face. He thought it cute that such a beautiful woman needed someone to tell her that. He thought she'd have heard it several thousand times on a regular basis.

"Yes I love YOU. I don't care about your past, who you are, where you came from…all that matters to me is that you're HERE. You make me happier than I have been in a long time. You're beautiful, smart as hell despite what people think, you're kind, loyal, loving…there are so many things that make me love you more than you can ever understand." He looked down at her and she could see the truth in his eyes. She smiled and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest and rubbing.

He blushed slightly, but soon got a goofy look on his face. He hugged her to him and lay back down. He pulled the covers over them and curled himself around her. The last thought he had before he slipped off to sleep was 'Screw patrol…someone else can do it'.

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Raidu could feel the electricity arching from his fingers to anything outside. He heard several yelps but ignored them. He didn't like the amount of electrical charge he was drawing from the device in his brother's head. Raidu watched the little girl called Moegi as she cooed and encouraged Sai's spirit to stay with the.

He couldn't see what it was she was talking to, but he could see a set of blurry type hands sticking out of the bottom of her wrists and going into Sai's body. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Raidu looked over at Cheela, who was checking over Sai every few minutes, then lying on the bed with Eto, who rubbed her back.

Raidu noticed her shoulders bouncing and remembered that she was still just a child. He sighed at his own stupidity…he'd put a lot of pressure on her shoulders. Raidu heard Sai groan and decided it was time to draw more of the current away from the youth. Raidu drew more and more current from the black haired artist, wincing when he felt his fingertips burning slightly. He shut his eyes and concentrated on the eyes of the young woman he'd come across when he'd escaped the Center.

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Lacey sighed in boredom. She was stuck on the first rotation of patrol with her bushy browed room mate. She looked over her shoulder at him and wondered what he was thinking about. She heard something that sounded like paper being removed from something. She stealthily made her way over to him and peeked over his shoulder.

What she saw startled her…it was a picture of a young boy with long black hair in a ponytail with a tall man with a bandana on his head. The man was smirking while the boy tried his best to imitate the older man. She noticed the bushy brows and knew the boy was Lee. She focused on the man…she knew it was her father, but she'd never seen him with anything but a frown. She looked at the floor and walked back over to her post.

She had just sat down when his voice startle her. "Lacey-san…can you tell me something?" She looked over her shoulder at him once more. She could tell he was still staring at the photograph. Her eyes watered and she grunted, not wanting him to know how close to crying she really was.

"You said Ibiki-shishou abandoned you and your mother, but you also said he taught you never to scream. How old were you when Ibiki-shishou left?" She knew this was a gentle interrogation and she chuckled through her tears.

"My father taught me from the day I was born not to scream. When I would cry, he would put his finger to my lips and say that good girls didn't make so much noise and they never showed weakness." She smiled as she remembered the little time she'd had with her father.

"When I was a year and a half, my father noticed that I would end up in places someone my size shouldn't be able to get into…tall trees with no low branches, roof tops, high furniture…one day he asked me how I got up there. I showed him the vines that my kekkei genkai produced. It was the closest I had ever seen him to smiling." She shook her head, trying to dispel the tears.

"On the day before my second birthday, I heard my mother screaming. She was crying and begging my father not to leave. He told her that he would put us all in danger if he stayed too long…that she had known that. My mother swore she'd follow him if he left…he told her to stay in the village, to keep me safe, and then he left without saying a word." She could tell Lee was looking at her now and looked at the floor, letting her bangs cover her eyes.

"For years I thought he'd left because I showed him my secret. Like an idiot, I ran away. It was then that Madara came upon me. He watched me for months before he abducted me. I was living with this little old woman who had a hard time moving around. I used my powers to help her on a daily basis. She told me I was a good girl." She smiled at the memory, then her features darkened.

"The day he took me…Madara killed the woman, saying that she was the only connection I had to the outside world. He waited for me to cry, to fuss and draw attention so that he could kill more innocent people. When I didn't, he thought maybe I was mute. He told me to say something, anything if I was sorry for what I had caused." Anger built inside her, hot and bright. She remembered the look on his face when she had said the only thing she had ever said to him the entire time she was held at the Center.

"I looked that cold hearted bastard in the eye and told him that someday I would kill him. That was the last time I ever talked to him. That was the only time he ever heard my voice. He tortured me, physically and mentally, for years and never got so much as a whimper out of me. Pissed him off some kinda bad that he couldn't break a child." she gave a wicked smile as she remembered his cursing and his tantrums.

She chuckled and sat back against the wall. She looked over at him and smirked. "When I got older, he thought sexual abuse would break me. He bout had an aneurism when I didn't even blink when he tore into my body. He hissed at me and demanded to know why I never screamed, why I never made a noise. I just smirked at him and he stormed away." She looked away then, out into the darkness that was slowly falling over the house.

"It wasn't until they captured my father and brought him in and threw him in a cell with me that I made any noise at all. They had knocked him out and thought I couldn't do anything to help him at all." She turned back over to him and he could see the tears in her eyes.

"They made me watch them drill holes at the base of his skull and take out his knowledge of torture. They then strapped me down and drilled holes in the same place on me. Daddy's eyes went wide when I never made a noise while they did it. He knew who I was in that minute, even though Madara had changed me physically. They put his knowledge in me in hopes that behavioral modification would make me useful to them." She could see the anger building in Lee and held her hand up.

"My father was a good agent and an even better interrogator…but even he had his limits. When they bandaged us up and threw us back in the cells, he held me close and whispered how sorry he was that I had to go through this. It was the first and last time my father ever showed any weakness. I held onto him and cried silently. They left us alone for what seemed like two days. We both woke with a start one day, both of us having a bad feeling. Daddy asked me to do something that made me cringe." She still felt sick at what he had asked her to do. He had told her that if there had been any other way, he would not have asked her to do this, but there was no other way.

"Lacey…if it hurts you to talk about it, you don't have to." Lee said softly. Lacey shook her head and gave him a glare.

"My father may have been lousy as a dad, but he was a great man. He went through excruciating pain to ensure that no one from Hatori Corp. would ever be in danger. The scientists couldn't break the mental barrier Sakura-sama had instilled in his mind, so they were going to use one of their subjects to try to break it. He made me use my probes on him and take all the information for myself. He was left in a writhing heap for several hours." She saw Lee's shock, then saw his face go blank.

"I couldn't stand to see him in such pain…I used my abilities to produce a natural pain reliever and I forced it on him. He was lying on his side in a heap when the man named Kabuto came in our cell. He smiled at me and asked if I had played nice with my cell mate. I hissed at him and huddled close to daddy. Kabuto grabbed me by my hair and injected something into my arm. When nothing happened to me, Kabuto cursed and took out a second syringe. He stuck it in my arm and waited. When I didn't react, he threw me against the wall, knocking me unconscious. That is all I remember before I escaped from the Center to find my father." She played with the edge of her skirt and looked back out into the growing darkness.

"When I escaped, I came across one of the lab techs that had enjoyed raping me when Madara got fed up with me and went to one of the other girls. I probed him and left him comatose on the floor. I went through the Center trying to find my father. I left when I couldn't find him and tracked him to Hatori PI, which came from the memories he'd made me take." She sighed and rubbed her face with her hands. She lightly massaged her neck.

"When Hetoshi-sama took me in, he knew who I was. I had made no secret about my parentage…at least on my father's side. People called me a liar until I told them that the Center had given me all his knowledge in torture. I told them every case on which my father interrogated someone. Most called me a demon, but I had daddy's memories of these people and knew who I could and couldn't trust. I went past Minotsu and straight to Hetoshi with my claim. He had a blood test run and even though there were anomalies in my blood, it was obvious I was Ibiki's child." She stood and walked around a bit. She then looked at him once more and sighed.

"I have been a sleeper ever since. They tried to put me on active duty, but I had been alone so long without any kind of TRUE human interaction that I was unstable and couldn't get along with the other agents. Instead, Hetoshi-sama made me Karin's bodyguard. He knew that I could deal with another woman, especially one weaker than me. Karin, herself, is unusual. She grew at twice the normal rate of children until she hit her sixteenth birthday. I was sixteen when Minotsu brought her home and I was nineteen at her seventeenth birthday." Lee's eyes bugged as he tried to do the math in his head and failed. She sighed and scratched the back of her head.

"The first I heard of any lead on my father's murder I heard he had a young boy that was following in his footsteps. I never thought I'd meet my father's protégé, or even spend that much time with him. As much as I loved my father, and still love him, I was angry that he left. I'm still hurt that he didn't at least try to find me…" She said sadly. She then felt a hand on her shoulder. She was turned quickly and stood facing a solemn faced Lee.

"Ibiki-shishou left HQ one day saying he had personal business to attend to. When he got back, he was frantic. He told me to look up all kidnappings and reports of mysterious deaths. The old woman you spoke of popped up. Ibiki-shishou went to investigate the house and that is where he was captured. I have a feeling that your mother told him that you had run away after he left and he had a feeling you'd been kidnapped by the Center, you being just a child and not knowing you needed to hide your powers." He saw the surprise in Lacey's face, then the sadness.

"I was fourteen when he was brought in…He waited twelve years to come and check up on me?" She said as a tear rolled down her face. She gasped when she felt Lee shake her. She looked into black eyes and was enthralled at the emotion playing behind them.

"Ibiki-shishou had been involved in some research to determine what causes kekkei genkais. It was discovered that the male is most likely to pass on a kekkei genkai, even if he himself doesn't possess it. It's like a mutated gene, Lacey. Some people are carriers, others have it. Ibiki-shishou probably tested himself after you were born to see if he was a carrier. If he was, then he knew what to expect if you ever started showing signs of a strange ability. It's probably why he didn't freak out when you showed him the vines." Lacey thought about this. She arched a brow and scowled.

"They are called Serleena, not vines. My genjutsu is Venus Fly Trap…they are separate, yet the same." She muttered, giving him an odd look. Lee smiled at her and continued with his explanation.

"Ibiki-shishou was probably afraid that the Center would follow him back to your village and find you if he stayed and continued working for Hetoshi-sama and Sakura-sama. He knew he couldn't quit his job because then more and more children would be in danger. The only thing he could think of to protect you and your mother was to leave and lay low until the Center resumed their normal activity." Lacey gasped in surprise, then started to tear up. That would be something her father would have done. She remembered the tender look in his eyes, even though his features were cold and detached.

She dropped her head in her hands and started crying…her sobs were heart wrenching and frame shaking. "I miss him…so much…I was so hurt when he left. I felt like I'd done something wrong…that I'd been bad and that's why he left…" She let him hug her and pull her onto his lap. She turned and threw her arms around him, crying into his shoulder. He rubbed her back and checked around to make sure the area was secure.

"Shhh…its okay Lacey. You were just a small child…you didn't know." He continued to rub her back and he felt her sobbing ease down to a gentle crying. Soon he heard her sniffles. He felt her rub her face against his uniform and stroked her hair.

"Let's go…it's time for the next patrol. I'll take you to your room." he felt her nod, then they both got to their feet. Lacey kept her face down so that the next two on patrol didn't see her red, puffy eyes.

Lee smiled and greeted Kiba and Naruto, who were the next two on patrol duty. Both of the young men greeted Lacey, who grunted in response. Both noticed she wasn't in the mood and gave Lee sympathetic smiles. Lee just smiled again and walked Lacey to her room. She laid on her bed and sniffled, her body trembling lightly. Lee sat beside her on the bed and rubbed her back until she fell asleep. He sat there, on the bed, and stared at her. There was such pain in her that he couldn't imagine how she hadn't gone insane before now. He smiled and put his head back, closing his eyes and resting.

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Shino sat on the bed beside Sai, watching the youth closely as he shuddered. Shino felt his chest tighten with heartache. He wished there was more he could do for his young lover. Shino put his hand to the side of Sai's face and cupped it, letting the smaller male know he was there for him.

He felt something creeping up his leg and noticed the small, pale hand of the smaller man. He took the hand into his own and squeezed. He leaned down and kissed the smaller youth's forehead, whispering loving words before pulling away.

He noticed the sad look on Moegi's face and put his hand on her shoulder while his other held Sai's in a weak grip. Moegi looked up at him and he could see the tears in her eyes. "Do not fret Moegi…he is better than you think." Shino said quietly and smiled slightly at her.

"I know I shouldn't worry so much, Shino-san, but…Sai-kun…" Shino felt her tears hit his hand and he just let her cry. He saw Konohamaru walk up behind her and hug her. The girl calmed mostly, but was still visibly shaken. Shino could understand, but what they didn't know, was that Sai wasn't in as much pain as they thought.

Seems Raidu was doing an excellent job diverting the electricity. Shino looked up at the lightening youth and he felt a grudging respect for his lover's older brother. Shino turned to the kids and smiled slightly. "Be at ease kids…Sai isn't in any pain…he has assured me of that. Raidu isn't letting any extra electrical current touch our young friend." the kids looked at Raidu with awe and respect. Shino just chuckled at the older boy's blush.

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Sakura stirred slightly. She opened her drowsy emerald eyes and looked around her. She was on a soft bed of sand, her head cradled by a hard, yet soft pillow. She looked behind her and found Gaara, sleeping blissfully. She smiled and stroked his cheek, while leaning over to kiss him on the cheek. He growled and held tighter to her, burying his nose in her hair.

Sakura lay back down and contemplated what he'd been telling her before Choji's frantic call.

Flashback

"Mitsukai-chan…Ray spilled his guts while we interrogated him. He told us the names of every mole The Center has planted in Hatori Corp. since your grandfather started the company. He told us of another secret project, much like Karin, involving a carbon copy of you. Her name is…"

End Flashback

"Lotus…" Sakura tried the name out and decided it wasn't as bad as she had thought. She felt Gaara stirring against her, rubbing himself against her like a cat would. Sakura smiled and shook her head.

She remembered the message Lotus had told Choji to give her. 'She also wanted me to tell you that you have an ally at the heart of The Center.' Sakura could only hope that were true. She took a deep breath and purred, trying to wake Gaara up gently. She knew they had work to do and now that they were mated, their bond would be even stronger. As a team they would be invincible…she hoped.

Gaara growled again, but it was the unconscious whine that had Sakura chuckling at her lover. She turned to where she was facing him and stroked his hair from his eyes. "Wakey Wakey, Panda-chan…we have things to do…" her voice sounded husky to her own ears. She felt him stretch against her and his hands roamed as he did. He opened one sleepy eye and tried to close it again and go back to sleep, but she rolled on top of him and did a mew-like growl at him.

He cracked the same eye as before and looked at her before sighing and opening both eyes. "We just had the most amazing sex ever and you want to clean?" he asked, proving he could read her mind just as easily as she read his before. She stuck out her tongue slightly and kissed his nose.

"This is the fun cleaning, Panda-chan. I get to watch you be sexy while ensuring my company is mole free!" she chuckled at his arched non-brow. He chuckled as well, but it was cut off when he felt a shift and a sharp pain in his mind.

"What the hell was that?" he asked, putting the heel of his hand into his left eye socket. Sakura shut her eyes and opened them again to reveal silver eyes. Her horrified look made him freeze.

"Cheela has found something that is threatening Sai's health…we have to go…NOW." She stood and looked around for her clothes. Gaara just wrapped his arms around her and they disappeared.

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So yeah...I dont think there are any new words...if you find something you dont understand, let me know. And now I must go because Sissy is throwing a fit...she wants to work on Behind Emerald Eyes...I kicked her off earlier so I could finish this chapter. OUCH...FINE i'm going...-.- she hit me...and it actually hurt...really bad...my head...I think she knocked the story line completely out...