Disclaimer- I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 4- Melodrama and Suspense

"What is he hiding? Just what did he mean by all that?"

Sakura paced around in her living room, thinking hard about Itachi's actions and what his words implied. 'What's going to happen?'

'Oh come on! You have to track him down and force the answers out of him. Maybe even distract him a little bit-'

"Shut up, pervert. Do you even realise who we're talking about? If he wants to hide something, you can bet your ass no one will ever find out about it."

'But if he didn't want you to find out about whatever it is that he's hiding, he wouldn't have said anything at all!'

"We'll..I don't know.." Sakura said doubtfully. "And what was that part about being afraid?"

'Who would be afraid if they've got that hunk of an Uchiha by their side?'

'It'll happen soon. Don't be afraid. Remember, no matter what happens, I am always there for you.'

That made her grin.

'Just ask him in the morning. I think you should sleep.'

Sakura sighed and set the alarm clock for 6:00 am. She changed and got into bed quickly.

'I'll get my answers tomorrow'

XxxxxxX

6:30 am.

Sakura packed all her things, and stepped back with a triumphant smirk as she mentally checked everything off her list.

'Poisoned senbon...check'

'Kunai and shuriken...check'

'Extra medical supplies...check'

'Food pills...check'

'Soldier pills...check'

'You forgot lingerie. The silk-'

'NO.'

There was a knock at her door, but she was busy arguing with her inner. Suddenly the bell rang twice, making her jump and race towards the door.

She opened it to see...

"Hola, Sakura. You look lovely today. But your dark circles are a bit too prominent. Had company last night?" Uchiha Shisui winked at her, charming grin in place. Well, charming to most people. Sakura just thought it was annoying.

Uchiha Shisui was twenty-four, and good looking like every Uchiha male, with short dark hair and eyes. Though, his behaviour had convinced quite a few people that he was adopted, until they saw his Sharingan. He was a complete flirt, but knew when to get serious. He was renowned as 'Shisui of the Body Flicker.'

Shisui was a member of Squad 2, Itachi's squad, along with Shiranui Genma and Hyuga Neji, who had replaced Uzuki Yugao after she had retired from ANBU. Itachi was the squad leader, and Sakura had been going on a few missions with them for the past two years, on the ones that required a medic.

"Hola? Shisui, please. You're not Spanish. What are you even doing here?" Sakura asked, rolling her eyes, ignoring his question.

"I have to escort you to Hokage-sama's office. Mission briefing."

'But...Itachi's the one who usually escorts me to Shishou's room for these briefings...'

Shisui smirked at her, knowing exactly what she was thinking. After all, he had wondered the same when Itachi told him to escort Sakura to the office. "Had a little lover's spat, did you?"

Sakura gave him a dirty look as she stepped outside and turned to lock her door. She was dressed in the temporary ANBU uniform given to her, which would become her permanent one if she chose to join the organisation. She wore fitted black pants and a black turtleneck, with grey chest armour and metal arm guards. Sakura wore her own gloves, and had a katana strapped to her back. Her Jounin teammates had no idea that Shisui had actually trained her to use a katana almost perfectly, and that Itachi had, after a lot of sweat and tears, helped her perfect her Genjutsu to a deadly level. She had different types and sizes of senbon hidden in her arm guards, courtesy of Genma, and had trained with him enough to know how to kill with just one.

Her mask was styled to resemble a cat, Shisui's to resemble a lion, Neji's to resemble an eagle, Genma's to resemble a hawk and Itachi's mask resembled a snake.

They reached the Hokage's office soon, and Sakura frowned when Itachi glanced at her once, nodded and went back to looking at Tsunade. She turned and bowed to greet her mentor. Tsunade smiled at her.

She could almost feel Shisui smirking.

"Alright, as you know, this is an A-ranked mission, and you are to travel to Kusagakure (Village hidden in the grass). Reach within three days, less if you can manage. The details of your mission are in the scroll in Itachi's hands, best of luck, now get out." Tsunade's hand was slowly inching towards the hidden compartment where she kept her sake. Sakura laughed as they teleported out of the office.

"Do you have your cloaks?" Itachi asked them as they reached the gates.

"Yes."

"Yup."

"Of course."

"Yes master." Shisui got a glare for that.

"Very well then. Lets leave." With that they disappeared.

XxxxxxxX

'You do realise we didn't say bye to dumb and dumber.'

'Be fair, Sasuke's not that dumb. Just a little thick-headed. Naruto...well, he'll understand.'

They were about half an hour away from Konoha when they felt two powerful chakra coming their way. They tensed and waited for them to show up. But it was just Kakashi and Yamato.

"Hello, Sakura. Fancy seeing you here. With four good looking males too. Naughty naughty." Kakashi giggled creepily.

"Sensei, stop it!" Sakura whined. "Hey, Yamato-Taichou! How was the mission?"

"Hello, Sakura, Snake, Hawk, Eagle and Lion. It went very well. And Sakura, I am not your captain anymore. Just Yamato is fine." Yamato said pleasantly.

"And I am not your sensei. You make me feel like an old man," Kakashi said sadly.

"But you are one, grandpa," Sakura said somewhat happily.

Kakashi looked at Itachi and smirked. "So, Itachi-San. You must be very happy on the inside, huh? Since you have Sakura with you. Bring my little girl back in one piece, or you know what will happen to you," he said cheerfully.

Itachi nodded and gave his squad the signal to move. Sakura waved at Kakashi and Yamato and caught up with her squad.

'She grew up too fast,' Kakashi mused to himself.

XxxxxxxxX

"We will stop here. Genma and Shisui, set up camp. Sakura and Neji, there's a stream nearby, which Neji can find, you two are in charge of dinner." Itachi commanded.

"Wait...what about you? What will you do?" Shisui asked him.

"Supervision."

Genma had to drag the outraged Shisui away. Sakura looked at Itachi once before she followed Neji towards the stream.

'What's up with him?' Sakura thought grumpily.

'Maybe he's too afraid he'll lose control and do something neither of you will regret. Hehehe.'

'...no I'm sure that's not it.'

After dinner.

Throughout dinner, it seemed as if Itachi was trying to avoid Sakura, as he didn't even look at her for more than two seconds.

"Sakura and Shisui, you will take the first watch, followed by Genma and Neji. I will take the last watch."

Sakura went up to Itachi before he could enter his tent. "I need to talk to you." She said in a serious tone.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it can wait till morning." Itachi said indifferently. "I cannot deal with it right now."

"No it cannot wait." Sakura insisted. "Damn it, what is wrong with you?"

"This is a mission Sakura. You would do well to remember that. There is no room for emotions in a mission," with that he turned and went into his tent.

Sakura was stunned, while inner was raging inside her head. 'NO ROOM FOR EMOTIONS? What, does he think you're a genin? YOU CAN BEAT HIM. DO IT.'

'No, I can't. I don't even want to talk to him,' Sakura thought bitterly. Shisui was also shocked at the way Itachi was behaving. Out of all of them, Itachi was kind and gentle only with Sakura, and always listened patiently to what she had to say. This sudden turnabout was pretty unexpected.

Sakura eyes hardened. 'If that's what he wants, then fine. That's what he'll get.'

'I'm sure there's a reason. There's always a reason.'

'Whatever it is, I could care less about it.'

Sakura grabbed Shisui's arm, and he tried not to squeak out loud at her strength as she dragged him towards the centre of the camp, while Genma and Neji went inside their tent.

Shisui rubbed his arm discreetly, watching Sakura as she moved almost mechanically, as she poked the fire with a stick.

'This isn't good.'

XxxxxxxxxxxxX

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