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Summary: Stealing the diamond necklace was a lot simpler than they anticipated. It was like taking a dive into a pool, but then...Sakura’s disappeared. The water swallowed her whole, leaving the other girls with questions of their own. sasuXsaku, nejiXten
Stockholm Syndrome
-butIdoLOVEyoU-
000000000000
!!!...ONE-SHOT...!!!
‘With the right adjustment I’ll be able to detect their alarm settings too.’ Sakura thought with a smile.
The corridors were cleared, something she awaited for almost four hours. It had been eight when she entered the entrance hall to the elegant museum. She had done a good job at blending with the rich and keeping a low profile of her identity. ‘It’ll be hard to find a Margarita Vancuz.’ She chuckled in the back of her head. Of course, once it was discovered that the precious necklace of gallery number twelve were missing, a search would commence in the homes of the attendants to the San Cristobal private museum. ‘Very hard in deed.’
There was no Margarita Vancuz registered threw out the whole island, Miriam Wan, but they didn’t know that.
“Get the stepping.” A voice cracked threw her ear piece. “The guards are on the other side and you have ten minutes to stock and flee.”
‘More than enough.’ With the right equipments and remodel of the security and display setting Sakura knew she could nail it in five minutes and twenty two seconds. She had practice precision in the confines of their hideout.
The team had followed all leads to the Jade Star diamond necklace for several months. One year of cat-and-mouse and she had finally reached the hosting museum. The wait was considerably pleasant at the end. The security didn’t compare to that of the Holland museum when she first tried taking a swipe. ‘Such a breeze.’ Sakura smirked.
Her feet moved soundlessly as she started at a light run across the marble floor. The gallery awaited her down the hall and to the left. She had observed it for a good portion of the time during her visiting hours. It was the one and only Jade Star diamond. No way in hell was it a fabricated fake. The center stone was a 62.51 carat Fancy Deep Jade, around cut. Another 50 carats of smaller exquisite jade diamonds ran up each side, all surrounded by ninety carats of pure, white flawless, colorless stones.
“This is amazing!” She murmured threw her mouth piece. “I feel...naked.”
“No kidding!” Tenten’s voice resounded threw the ear piece.
“Temari really outdid her self with this.” Sakura was talking about her gear. It was styled like the footies kids wore and the fabric itself felt odd. It firmly hugged every inch of her sensuous body, a zipper was drawn from waist to chin. It all felt like a second skin.
“Get this.” Tenten sounded much closer. It spooked Sakura that Tenten was actually in the ventilating tubes, the one in the bathroom that would lead them out with no problems. Yet it sounded as though Tenten was breathing down her neck. Who knew, she had probably stalked after her for safety measures because for some reason she couldn’t shake of the feeling of being watched. “The suit maintains a constant body temperature...” ‘No wonder I’m not sweating bullets for this operative.’ “Best of all, it acts as a shield. Isn’t it impressive? It’s bulletproof.”
“I think I’ll wear it to sleep.” Sakura grinned. Having Tenten so close by comforted her. With years of robbery Sakura had grown adept to the feelings involved, in fact, there were none. But this was the Jade Star diamond she was after and her nerves were on edge. Not one piece of jewelry that she’s stolen before could mount with the excitement and exhilaration she currently felt. She was an adrenaline junkie after all, but still, if caught all her fun times would be over. Stealing the necklace and getting caught would result in her head.
“Okay, not one word Tenten.” Sakura communicated with her friend. She was already in the room, the Jade Star diamonds winking back at her.
Activating her night glasses, she was able to locate the invisible alarm and motion sensors place around the glass encasing the jewel from her fingers. A straight red light divided the room in half. Of course Sakura stood on the side that the glass case wasn’t at. Crossing the line was simple, but getting a hold of the diamond necklace was impossible. Green motion sensors and red alarm settings crisscrossed at every angle mere millimeters away from the glass. That would be difficult to break. The security system in the room was far better than any other display under security.
‘Lucky me.’ Sakura smiled. Though Temari couldn’t breach the security in the room she had managed to loop the cameras. She had two minutes until the cameras would reset, disabling the looping and it would take thirty seconds for Temari to re-loop. Either way the cameras wouldn’t be able to detect her in the room. Tenten had managed another access point.
-
Crawling up the ventilation tube was slightly difficult, but Tenten had been smart enough to hook a rope and leave it dangling for her to climb upwards. Once she made it to the top she would craw left a few meters and then crawl downwards toward the opening of the vent right on top of the display.
“Tell me when I’m ready to go.”
Sakura waited approximately twenty seconds until she heard Tenten’s voice giving her the green light. ‘Two minutes Sakura.’ She reminded herself
Carefully crawling head down threw the vent she dangled two feet above her desired object. Her feet were spread wide, hooked to the edge of the inside top. With careful precision all she needed to do was replace the jewelry with a heavy enough object.
‘Thirty seconds left.’ Sakura counted in her head, her pulse racing pleasurably at the beauty she held in her hands.
“I’ve got it!” She then cheered into her mouth peace. A sigh was all she received from the other end. With agile movements she was able to crawl back the way she came, only stopping for another thirty seconds until she could slide down the entrance vent she used.
Her heart hammered in her rib cage for those long agonizing seconds. The pulsing of her blood deafening her ears as her eyes took in the beauty she held in her hands. When her thirty seconds were up she easily slid down the vent, running out of the room as soon as she was out. She paused long enough to ask how much time until one of the guards walked her way.
“One minutes to crawl up,” Tenten counted, “Twenty seconds to wait, two minutes for the job, another thirty seconds, and one more minute...it all adds up to a total of four minutes and fifty seconds. Congratulations you bet the five minutes and twenty-two seconds.” A smile of satisfaction spread across Sakura’s face. “That means I have close to five minutes to get to you.”
“Yes and hurry. I think three minutes should do.” Tenten encouraged, her own heart beating as wild as Sakura’s. She’d been in similar situations and the rush of it all was magnificent.
Sakura took one long breath, her victory smile still plastered on her face. ‘The chase after this baby was a lot harder than the theft.’ She clasped the necklace around her neck. ‘It is heavy.’ When she was sure the Jade Star necklace was secure around her neck she took of in another light run.
Rule number one: Make sure the cost is clear on either side.
Mistake number one: Sakura Haruno never looked back.
When she was only a few feet away she was pulled back into a hard male chest, arms instantly wrapping around her while a chin propped at her shoulder, a warm breath caressing the side for her face.
“Hello beautiful.”
‘...t-that unmistakable voice.’
-
-
“What are you planning to do with the girl?”
“That’s of my concern only; none of you should get involved.” He brushed strands of hair away from her face, taking in the little differences since he last saw her. ‘Beautiful indeed.’
He smirked.
“Yes, but why would you send back the Jade Star diamonds after our hard work with tracking it down?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. She did all the hard work; we just kept tabs on her.”
“Heh, heh,” was the sheepish response the captor received.
-
-
The girls had a major problem. Sakura had disappeared. All of the sudden the monitor on Tenten’s watch couldn’t pin-point where Sakura was. The red dot that symbolized her was gone. Tenten’s first thought was a malfunction with the sensor watch or back at the base.
Nothing.
Tenten had waited for those five minutes thinking that perhaps it was Sakura’s equipment that went dead.
Wrong.
Tenten had risked it all by climbing out of the vent and going in search for Sakura. She could have been caught but when she communicated with Temari everything was clear.
‘She’s probably doing a mission of her own at the moment.’ Ino replied on behalf of Temari.
But why would she leave the necklace behind after working so hard? That questioned troubled Tenten. And the fact that her communication devise had been left behind troubled them as well.
“What do we have?” Ino questioned, coming into the room were the other girls were gathered.
“Nothing much, Sakura unexpectedly disappeared from the sight.” Tenten continued to swivel around in her chair. It had been an hour since she returned to the store.
“That much I know.” Ino sounded irritated; all of them were, though the other girls were doing a better job at concealing it.
“That’s as much as Tenten can give us.” Hinata’s meek voice chimed from in between Tenten and Temari, who sat at either side of her.
“Did she say anything out of norm, or look out of sync?”
“Of course not. She was pumping with vibe, happy to accomplish the mission. We last communicated about timing.”
“This is a major head-ache.” Temari raised from her chair, a coffee mug in hand. “Did the monitor sense another presence?”
“Nope.”
“Major head-ache in dead.” Temari grumbled under her breath. “If there were another presence close by the motion sensor in the body suit would have communicated back with us, breached your communication system and alerted you as well.” Temari looked at Tenten for confirmation.
“Nope, nothing, I’m telling you. She just vanished. No clues were left, no indication of force entrance or forced disappearance, nothing. The only thing left behind was the necklace and her communication system. Though,” Tenten paused to let things sink, “I can’t grasp how she would disappear and leave behind the precious necklace, this was a personal job.”
“You don’t think she betrayed us do you?” Ino had a look of disorientation about her face.
“Sakura would never.” Temari communicated Tenten’s and Hinata’s thoughts, her own as well. “She would have fled with the jewel, and that she didn’t.”
“Besides, it was a personal mission, betrayal or not she would have taken the necklace with her.” Tenten swiveled the chair to face Hinata. “What do you think?”
It was Hinata’s jobs after all; to sort threw the big knots and give them a single thread to run by. Brains were a major reliance for the girls—and shy little Hinata who had yet to fully commence in any operation full frontal. The girl helped by proving and providing the information, piecing two and two together, analyzing situations like these.
“Not much to go by.” Hinata thought for a few seconds. “Though, in Sakura’s case there isn’t much to go by. There are other loose ends...” Hinata’s brain was on over drive, too many possibilities bouncing around in her head. “The bracelet, where did you leave it?” She asked standing and crossing the confines of the room to reach the door.
“I gave it to Ino.”
“Placed it in the safe.”
“I’ll need it; we should probably run some DNA background on it. Something’s telling me some one else was there at the same time. Sakura wouldn’t disappear into thin air...”
“And if she did, she would have returned to us.” Temari reached Hinata’s side. “I’ll be in the lab with Hinata. She turned her gaze towards Tenten. “You left the gear there didn’t you?”
“All there.”
“Okay, bring back the necklace would you?”
Tenten gave her a mock solute and turned her attention to Ino. The blond was already tapping away at the computer. “What are you doing?”
“Running a background check for any of Sakura’s identity,” was her clipped replay.
“If Sakura were to betray us she wouldn’t use any of the identities you have booked for her.”
“No, but she could use one for the mean time, until she’s able to forge a new identity.”
“How would that be? You’re the one equipped for that sort of thing. Besides, there is no way Sakura would force IDs in less than an hour.”
“Perhaps, it was planned...”
“You have that much trust in her?” Tenten’s voice pierced threw Ino. A sneer was etched onto her friends face. “Hinata’s possibility makes more sense than Sakura bailing on us.”
“I’m sorry, but you never know who your running your chances with.”
“One of our best friends Ino, that’s who. How many years has she stuck by with our kleptomaniac life?” Ino was ready to response but Tenten didn’t allow. “She’s come to your rescue more than enough, she’s risked her life, she worked alone...once before she banded with us. If it were you in her situation Sakura wouldn’t have sat here doubting you.”
Ino reclined in her seat, closing her eyes briefly. Her piercing azure eyes then looked at Tenten with questioning.
“I don’t know, I really don’t. All I do know is that I have this funny feeling that Sakura might be in danger, not that she is but that she might. Either way, I can’t shake it off.”
“That’s how I feel too.” Ino confessed. “It’s weird and all. On the one hand, if she is in danger the enemies got a hold of her, but then, what if she’s not. What explains it?”
“I understand and it’s the same way I’m thinking. Though, I do not doubt her fidelity.” Brown eyes gave azure eyes a pointed gaze.
“We don’t have much, fuck...we have noting to work with, other than Hinata’s efficient brain that is. Lord knows there is no doubting her conclusions.”
“You’re right.” Ino smiled at her encouraging friend.
“I was thinking, while Temari and Hinata work at the lab we should check out the loft.”
-
-
“I’m starting to think that we should have looked here first before anything else.” Ino looked over at Tenten who was already unbuckling her seat bealt.
“No kidding, could have given us major clues.”
San Cristobal wasn’t their home, though they had spent three months in the South American continent already. As planned they had rented a loft together, something along the line of exchanged students. They were in and out regularly, like most collage kids were. Five young girls were of no harm to the community...wrong. It was a big no-no.
All sort of thief business took place in the confines of various hotel rooms. Each girl rented a room of their own regularly, always with a different identity. Checking there would have been pointless because all girls made their last check-out three days ago. If Sakura really wanted to flee -like Ino thought- she would stop by the loft and take with her all of her belongings, though it wasn’t much of anything either.
Their moving in to the loft had been simple. A few furniture, utensils and average clothing for collage students on low budgets; nothing out of norm. However, if they were ever tracked down they should try the comic store that was recently opened. Up in the compact attic they kept all sort of things, from Tenten’s weapons, Ino’s disguises, Hinata’s files and Tamari’s inventions.
“Now I’m starting to think this was useless.” Ino offered. “All of Sakura’s things are always shipped back to Japan after any accomplished mission. The little things she keeps here are always replaceable, if she did bail on us she would never stop here.”
“Would you shut up with that?” Tenten called from in front of Ino, already moving ahead of the blond. “She has important documents here, as in o-ri-gi-nal.” Tenten looked over her shoulder and gave the blond a pointed look.
“Shit.” Ino smacked her forehead. “I should have done a search on here original identity. W-”
“Keep it down will you, I’m sure our sleeping neighbors would be furious with us...and we shouldn’t be talking about this in the open.”
“You’re right.” Ino hissed under her breath, following quickly behind Tenten. “But if I would have checked her real identity then I would have know if she fled or not.”
“You should really quit with that idea while you’re at it, if not I’m gonna to have to...”
When the doors to the elevator provided them with privacy Tenten realized something. “Lets suppose that what Hinata said is true: someone else being there. They could also be here you know.”
“What about it?” Ino asked trying to desipher why Tenten was grinning so broadly at the moment.
“I won’t be as useless.”
“What?”
“Nothing, don’t mind me.” Tenten waved it of with a flick of her hands.
“Are you talking about some manhandling whoever’s in there?” Ino couldn’t believe it.
“No, some skull cracking.” Her grin only widened.
“I can’t believe you, always thinking about getting in on some action.” Ino shock her head disapprovingly.
“Don’t blame me. This is as much as I can do for helping with this case.”
Ino was silence with the arrival to their floor. Both didn’t waist precious seconds and got right down to it. As soon as they stepped out of the elevator they briskly made their way down the hall and to their door. Tenten’s first action was to place her ear at the door; she then thought better of it and moved aside.
Ino was amazed that from underneath her black leather jacket Tenten was able to produce a nine-millimeter. “Always armed to the teeth,” she grinned.
“Better safe than sorry.” Tenten bit back with a grin of her own. She then motioned for Ino to come closer. “Here’s what we do,” she whispered into her friends ear, keeping away from the peephole just incase they were being watched. “I’ll go in first; you stand here to the side...just in case the fool races out. If anything shoot the fucker.” Tenten answered Ino’s puzzled look by passing her the gun, “I want him living though.”
“What—” Ino was going to ask how she would defend herself, but Tenten broke down the door with a solid quick to the cheep door. In an instance she produced two swords from her jacket. ‘Always armed to the teeth.’ Ino thought dryly, moving aside from the entrance.
-
Tenten nearly tripped with the rags of clothing to the small entrance hall. ‘We should really start picking up after ourselves.’ She reprimanded herself when she spotted a few article of her clothing scattered about. ‘With this mess the intruder would have busted his head open.’
Tenten lowered the swords to her side; instincts told her that there was nothing wrong going on. For one thing there didn’t seem to be an entry from unwanted foes, but she continued to venture into the loft. The small hall eventually opened to the living room area, three fourths covered by glass windows from ceiling to floor, pretty grand in size. There were no places of hiding here so Tenten crept into the kitchen. ‘Jesus, always the same mess.’
Whirling on the sole of her feet she made it back to the living room. She followed the stairs that lead to the bedrooms upstairs and after checking every room she concluded that the house was cleared. “Come in.” She shouted at Ino.
“Find anything?” The blond asked, entering Sakura’s room where Tenten was doing a quick raiding.
“Nothing much, just the same mess.”
“It seems like she wasn’t here.” Ino noticed. For one thing, Sakura’s mess still remained in tact.
“And her passport is here,” Tenten waved the object in her hands, coming from within Sakura’s closet. “So are her birth certificate, a few hundred bucks, and her drivers license...well her old one anyways.” Tenten noticed.
“We really do have a problem then.”
“Yes we do.” Tenten sighed. “She didn’t run of like you thought, not without these babies.”
“She can always do with out those.” Ino didn’t sound too sure.
“You’re the expert you tell me.”
Ino let out a breath she’d been holding. Sitting at the edge of Sakura’s bed she looked up at the brunet and shook her head. “Nope, she would definitely need those. Though she could have taken false identities she would be caught eventually, unlike those real babies.” She gave another dejected sigh. “We should make it back to Temari and Hinata. Think of something else that we’ve over looked.”
There was no arguing around that, though it was Ino’s specialty to produce hundred of identities for them, all of which came with passports, birth certificates and such, it didn’t take a genius to know what Ino meant.
“Like Black Rose and Akatsuki?”
“Yes, not to mention Plastic.”
“Those sore losers?” Tenten bellowed, eventually ending in a fit of laugher.
“Yes, as hard as it is to believe Plastic could be involved.” Her voice was grim; perhaps she used the Sakura fleeing because she didn’t want to accept her dearest friend being caught by the enemies.
“Seriously,” Tenten tried talking threw fits of laugher. “You’re inhaling something.” She gave a howl of rich laugher. “Plastic? You’re insane.”
“Yes, very ridiculous but who knows. The unexpected happens, proven as much today. Would you quit your laughing? It’s not called for.” Ino finally snapped. She didn’t find the humor in any of it.
“Sorry, but I needed that.” Tenten composed her self. “Stress relief.” She mumbled to herself, Ino didn’t seem approachable all of the sudden.
“I’ll wait in the car.” She marched on a head without Tenten, throwing the gun on top of Sakura’s bed.
Tenten stuffed the important documents into her pockets, throwing the cash onto the bed and reached for the gun. After that not a word was said between Ino and Tenten on their way back to Hinata and Temari, a fifteen minute drive.
-
-
“Find anything?” Temari asked, sensing Tenten’s presence looming behind her.
“Nothing just confirmed that she didn’t flee...well intentionally that is.” Tenten too a look around the room. “Where’s Hinata?”
“In the back room, needed some space for thinking. Ino?”
“In the office, isn’t approachable at the moment. Find anything?” Tenten seriously couldn’t understand the numbers...erh, swirls on Temari’s screen.”
“As a matter a fact, yes. Hinata was correct; there was someone else during the job.”
Tenten cracked a smile and it then staggered. “So it’s one of that good news, bad news.”
“Yes it is.” Temari picked up an odd looking tool; she was working on a chip. “Good news, we have one clue, bad news...we have bad guys.”
“Can’t it be good news, good news?”
“So how did you find this clue?” Tenten eventually asked Temari. Looking at the screen was useless; she couldn’t understand the software that was running at the moment, not the type she used for her weapons.
“The head seat recorded everything.” Temari looked up and gave her a big grin. “Though I can’t explain how you didn’t hear him, everything was working accordingly. See that right there,” she pointed at the screen of her lap-top. “I was able to hear every word you two shared during the job, and so now it’s breaking the sounds down so that I can identify if there was a glitch at the moment.”
Tenten quirked an eyebrow and nodded her head. “So what did he say, because I swear to everything I love, I heard nothing.”
“It isn’t much, though it helps confirm that it was male.”
“And?” Tenten pressed on. “Did he threaten her?”
“No, nothing of the sort. All he said was: ‘Hello beautiful.’”
Tenten pushed of the wall she leaned against and sauntered forward towards Temari’s personal space. “‘Hello beautiful?’ What in the hell?”
“Exactly. Nothing else was heard from her, not since you last communicated with her, and not even towards the voice of the stranger.”
“You must be kidding me.” Tenten didn’t know what to think or do at the moment. ‘Hello beautiful?’ “This doesn’t make sense. Hello beautiful and then she’s gone?”
“Sip.”
“Did the set pick up anything else?”
“Yeah, it took him or her no time to remove the necklace and then there was a brief shuffling, perhaps struggle. After that nothing, the head seat falls to the floor.”
“But how didn’t I hear any of it? Surely, I would be able to hear it.”
“I don’t understand that. I’m waiting until this finishes so I can diagnose if something was wrong, her seat seemed perfect, but then there could have been a malfunction for your seat.”
“There must have been I mean...” Tenten looked up at the ceiling, as if pondering something. At the moment she felt like yanking at her two buns.
“Go check in with Hinata; perhaps you can help her or something.” Temari didn’t need her crowding her personal space at the moment. She couldn’t operate on the chip with Tenten filtering the light.
“Yeah.” Tenten moved from Temari’s facilitating area and down the room, opening a door to the left of her a few meters down.
-
-
A day later Tenten was called into Temari’s labor area. “Get this,” she sounded like a child who made her first discovery. “The two minutes and then thirty seconds to re-loop,” She waited for Tenten to nod her head, “it was their doing. The security was already looped, everything. I’m speaking cameras, motion sensors, alarms, anything and everything that was under security was already looped. We were actually hacking into their system, a very tight one.” Temari’s face switched to one of disillusion but it quickly turned to one of eagerness. “Sakura didn’t really have to climb up the vent or avoid seating of the alarms. She could have easily walked right threw them without a scratch on her.”
“So then...”
“Yes, all those practices for nothing. Another interesting discovery I made: everything was under their control. Which helps explains why you didn’t hear the person within the museum. I don’t know how they did it, but who ever did is more than a genius. For a total of thirty seconds your head set was reset, the same silence in which you awaited to hear Sakura was reset on your line. Every second you guys spent in there was recorded by them.”
“How?” Tenten was lucky Temari was talking English at the moment, god knows that if the caffeine wasn’t working in Temari’s system her friend would be talking technological terms. However, she was amazed and confused at how everything was done.
“I’m really wishing that my gut feelings are wrong but...they could have hacked into our system.” Temari wince, as if expecting a blow of some sort, but Tenten still sat in her chair looking stupefied.
‘This means,’ the wire in her head were making the big wheel turn. ‘They have or had access to all information stocked up in the system. Previous jobs, future jobs, real identities...’ Her eyes grew wide. “So, if they for some reason kept a hold of our files, personal files that mean...”
“They know everything.” Temari nodded.
Tenten sprung from her seat. “So Akatsuki...” “Or Black Rose.” Temari aided. “They could reach us at any turn, any second?”
“Yup, but that depends on how good their system is. Though I fear it’s one hundred times superior that anything I can come up with, maybe they didn’t take a swipe at anything in the system, other than this operation that is.”
“No Temari. They did get a hold of everything and anything you stored up.” Tenten gave a positive nod. “Black Rose or Akatsuki would do anything to get us out of the competition.”
“But there’s still the case with the Blue Star, they didn’t take it instead they took Sakura.”
“Are we positive they took Sakura?” Tenten knew this was the case, but there was nothing wrong with a little hope.
“Yes, I was able to trace one of the hacking dials. Ino is working on it now, trying to breach it. In the mean time, I’m trying to get threw with Sakura. Her suit is still with her, or I hope it is. I got threw with it for three seconds and I’m still trying.”
“What about Hinata?” A cold chill ran down Tenten’s spine. “You should go to her. I think she wants you, she was wondering where you went.”
“Back home, didn’t want the landlord getting suspicious if none of us returned.”
“Another nosy bastard.” Temari grumbled under her breath.
“Yes and for the record, Ino and the pink-headed girl got into a serious argument. You are out on a short vacation with your boyfriend and Hinata tagged along with you, leaving me to take care of the house.”
“Suave.” Temari smirked. “Mind describing the lucky guy?”
“I’ll save it for when we’re over the edge.” It was meant to lighten the mood, but with the information that Temari just shared, the whole was a little deeper than they imagined. Hopefully, when they got to the end, it wouldn’t be at the core of the scalding earth. “I’ll go see what Hinata needs.” Tenten walked down the familiar small path to Hinata’s privacy. “Oh, I forgot,” she paused. “I brought coffee, left it in the office though.”
Hinata lay on her stomach, a mess of papers scattered in front of her. She had managed a shower Tenten noticed since she last saw her. Today she wore all black, a black turtle neck sweater with black sweatpants. “Any luck?” Tenten questioned, pulling a chair and angling it so that she could look down at Hinata.
“I have some theorems.”
“Black Rose and Akatsuki are obviously involved.”
“Okay, so I have one and though Ino wants to insist that Plastic is involved in the whole ordeal I won’t allow for a second one.”
Tenten gave a soft laugh. “Thank you; I can’t possibly see how Plastic would be involved.”
“They could, but their skills don’t match what Temari confirmed. They’re on short budget and she already breached their system, nothing much other than destroying us.”
“You seem relaxed.” Tenten noticed. Normally Hinata was a jittering mess, well on the small occasions they’d have to improvise.
“I don’t know I don’t feel the urge to be the mess that I usually am.”
“Same here, though I’m a little nerve wrecked with Temari’s information than for Sakura’s wellbeing.”
“Yes, same here. Sakura-chan is very capable. I’m guessing it’s the number of obstacles that are taking her so long to return to us.” Hinata’s crystal-like eyes took a glance at Tenten’s sluggish for in the chair. “She survived the few years she worked alone.”
“Yes, that’s why I’m not so worried about her. What bother’s me most is all this hacking and technological usage Temari couldn’t notice before. That and how Sakura disappeared under our noses.”
“Definitely Akatsuki or Black Rose deemed.”
“Yes, on the down fall there’s that possibility that Sakura won’t make it out of there and on the other how much longer until she’s able to come back.”
“And of course, though it’s both these groups our main concern is how much longer.”
“Hell yes!” Tenten smiled ruefully. “The girl has brains, she doesn’t need any of us, and we all know it.”
“Yes, but we need her.” Hinata gave her a small smile. “But on a side note, we should get working on finding Sakura on the safe note, just in case she can’t get out on her own.”
“Yes, so tell me what you have.”
“Take a look at my lap-top.” Hinata pointed to the computer under Tenten’s seat.
-
‘Exactly ninety-six hours since Sakura vanished from sight.’ Ino thought exasperated. ‘This is really dragging out too long.’ Though they had little information, much wasn’t needed. Not in their world it wasn’t. When one crook disappeared one knew that the competitive crooks had to be the cause. There was no way around that, but just which crook was the problem. ‘And were in god’s world are these bastards.’
In truth it wasn’t a surprise that one of their own went missing. Somewhere, in the back of all their minds, they knew something like this would happen. Whether it was one of them Akatsuki’s or Black Rose it was going to happen. ‘And here Sakura had to be first bait.’
The war between all of them had been going on for quite sometime. Black Rose and Shadowed Blossoms-them- had spiked at the same time, exactly two years since Akatsuki first formed. Four years later and the first encounter between them came, at least face to face with any member of either group. None of them knew how large Akatsuki or Black Rose was; both groups didn’t know just how large they were. Akatsuki was rumored to be the largest, though it was a rumor one wouldn’t trust too easily. It was an advantage that their two competitors didn’t know that Shadowed Blossoms consisted of five female members. But in the end, when it came down to it all three groups didn’t know the consistency of each other. Was it all male? Female? A mix perhaps? Those were questions that plagued all parties.
Just how ruthless were they? Only Black Rose and Akatsuki knew, for Shadow Blossoms during their four years together had yet the opportunity to face of with anyone outside of their ring. A few cops, yes, but nothing the girls couldn’t handle. Akatsuki had done the job of clearing the stage for them, Black Rose helping once they joined the world of kleptomania. On the one hand, things looked good for Sakura on the other they wouldn’t if...
“What are you smiling about?” Ino asked, taking a glimpse at Tenten who had a firm grin etched over her face.
“Oh nothing,” Tenten sing song. “I just thought what if she’s held captive by this gorgeous guy? You know, all that you’ve dreamt off.”
Ino rolled her eyes, “your point exactly?” She questioned tapping impatiently at the keyboard.
“Stockholm Syndrome.”
“Excuse me?” Ino questioned the words. She turned in her chair to face the brunet who sat across from her.
“Stockholm syndrome,” Tenten repeated again. “I read it in a book. Something about a psychological response in abducted hostages. Basically, the victim becomes attracted to their victimizer.” Tenten sat back in her chair, propping her feet at the edge of Ino’s desk, near the corner that was vacated from piles of files.
“That’s absurd.” The blond challenged, her face contorted to one of disbelief.
“It is possible.” Tenten shrugged.
“And, a ridiculous possibility.” Ino didn’t have the time to waste on obscene ideas. ‘What type of fairy-tale is she reading?’ There were other matters they needed answers to. For instance, Sakura’s where-about. How come her captors only returned the object and not their team member? How come they sent a message with the words: she’s safe?
“You are thinking about it aren’t you?” Tenten smirked, eyeing the blond who seemed to be distracted in thought.
“Am not! That’s just a ridiculous idea and you know it.”
“Ah, but it’s a ridiculous idea proven time and again.” Tenten leaned further back into her chair. “Think about it. Someone as capable as Sakura held captive, it has been almost four days and she has yet to return...”
“God knows how many of them there are.” Ino interjected, bewildered by Tenten’s idea.
“Well there’s that. But Sakura has never had a problem with that. She’s got brains. I’m sure she’s managed to calculate a few plans that will obviously work. The question is; does she want to leave the place.”
“Why wouldn’t she? She’s dealing with crooks!” Ino bellowed outraged with the bizarre topic unfolding.
“She hasn’t left us yet...has she?” Tenten was sounding too smug for her own good.
“You know the situation is different.”
“Which means this situation can be different. Correction IS different.”
“Do you listen to your self Tenten? You are talking crazy.”
“Why? Is it because in a way it does hit home?” Tenten gave Ino a Cheshire grin.
“How in the world does Stockholm syndrome connect with Sakura and her disappearance?”
“I just said she can be emotionally attached to her captor. Stop being so hard headed and think it threw. It isn’t too complicated when you look at it.”
Ino took several breaths to calm her self. ‘It did make sense as soon as she mentioned it, but it’s too farfetched. I mean, Sakura wouldn’t risk everything she’s built over this one guy...’
“Would she be wiling to give it all for this one person?”
“All you’ve dreamt of.”
‘Darn, she does make sense.’
“You must have a theorem to this syndrome and its link to Sakura.”
“Of course and it’s quite simple, and in truth I think the last theorem to the equation.”
“Well, we know that she’s not dead so that’s something good.” Ino commented.
“Yes that is still weird. I mean good news for us. Temari confirmed that they DO have all documentations on us, and they don’t need her for information but yet she’s alive.”
“There’s also a theorem that the harm is yet to unfold.”
“Nonsense.” Tenten waved her hand disagreeing with that possibility. “Why would you keep a decaying body at close watch when you can dispose of it quicker?”
“She’s the enemy...”
“Alright,” Tenten cut her off. “We’re supposed to be moving forward, not rewinding. We covered those topics already.”
“There are other things. She could be tortured at this moment.” Ino looked really tormented at the thought.
“Tortured?” Tenten erupted in a fit of laugher. “As in Sakura Haruno?” The laughing wouldn’t seize, it only aggravated Ino. “I’ve yet to lay a finger on her...we,” She corrected, “and you think she’s being tortured?”
“She’s not superwoman.” Ino roared. Abruptly she stood, causing the chair to give out under her. “Who knows, Akatsuki could have gotten a hold of her. Black Rose, even Plastic.”
Tenten continued to laugh and in between breaths she spoke. “Plastic shouldn’t be of any concern.”
“No, but Akatsuki and Black Rose are. Those guys are ruthless.”
“And we aren’t?” Tenten regained her breathing and gave Ino a serious eye.
“It’s three groups against one Tenten. Must I remind you?”
“Your point?” Ino exploded into a short scream. Hands grasping her head to try and keep her thoughts in place.
“We formed at the same time Black Rose did. And though we’re dueling for second spot at the moment they shouldn’t be so hard to handle.”
“.” Ino gritted to Tenten. ‘Must I draw a diagram?’
“But those guys haven’t showed them selves since the incident in Tokyo.”
“Tenten,” Ino was at the brink of shredding her female friend to pieces. “What if THEY have her? We have no clue as to where they are.”
“Temari’s still working on that.”
“What?” In that instant a white light was cast over Ino’s eyes, shielding the red that was starting to form.
“Temari got a second connection. It’s just a matter of time until she gives us location.”
“Why didn’t you say so sooner?”
“Must have slipped.”
“Are you out of your mind?”
“No,” Tenten gave her a confused look before resuming. “Alright, back to Stockholm syndrome and Akatsuki.”
“You really are insane. Instead of looking at our latest info, you’re worrying over this stupid theorem of yours.”
“Alright, so I’m your weapon mistress and there isn’t much I can do at the moment. Besides, Hinata and I spoke about it. That is part of her field. If you want I can call her, seeing how you won’t take me seriously.”
“Take you seriously? All you said was Stockholm syndrome and what not, you didn’t elaborate...if there is such case.”
“Of course there is.” Tenten proclaimed.
“Yeah, sure. She fell in love with this monstrous beast.”
“You’re so close minded.” Tenten shook her head. “Listen, who said her abductor, had to be a hideous man? I’m telling you, he could be all that Sakura’s ever wished for, maybe more.”
“No Tenten, you should listen to yourself. You’re talking crazy. We’ve been trained and you that what those requirements are. Just be because you read it in a book, the author could’ve been high for all we know. He could be the captor.”
“She,” Tenten corrected.
“Big difference.” Ino bellowed. “Do you think Sakura would be this selfish to not let us know of her where about?”
“Ever read a sizzling novel? She could still be living in that high, you know...indulging...”
“You are psycho.” Ino accused a finger at the brunet. “Delirious. What next? They’re going to profess love to each other, get married and live happily everafter?”
“That happens after.”
“Not in this twisted world of ours. I don’t know what book you’ve been reading but everything just spells retarded.”
“Okay, so I didn’t read it in a book.” Tenten sprung from her seat, knocking the chair over. She planted her hands on Ino’s desk looking at her friend seriously.
“I knew it was too outlandish! You were making this up weren’t you? Trying to keep our spirits high?”
“I don’t make up parts of my life.”
Ino had a retort ready at hand but all words faded. ‘That means...’
-
-
The way his fingers skimmed over her bare back was a familiar caress to her as her sent was to him. His calloused hand, settling in the small of her back was a welcomed gesture when he warmed her skin there, with a mere touch. The touch was a familiar one, yet a shattering one. For she had broken bonds with the man beside her, at least that’s what she though, until he whisked her of her feet again.
The pad of his finger, which traveled lower over her body made a deep ache well with in her. God, she’d missed the way that one finger teased at her. She missed how it glided from her butt cheek and down her leg, stopping at the back of her knees, satisfied with the reaction he invoked in her. Yes, just like that gliding higher again, like a soft silky feather to the back of her thigh. At the moment she wanted to spread her legs farther apart, letting him know just where she wanted his hands.
Her breast felt heavy, her nipples gripped in a tight ache. Her skin felt sizzling hot; it burned to be her right now, as much as his gaze had burned her, his skin...
“I’ve missed the taste of you.” He murmured, shifting so that he partially lay on her, his head resting against her turned one. “The smell of you—you,” his lips moved across her cheek, nuzzling his way up to her hair, in haling deeply he scent that only lingered...never greeted.
“Talk to me Sakura. Let me hear your voice,” he moved her pastel pink hair out of the way, allowing his mouth access to skim over the side of her face and then down the length of her throat, “I’ve missed hearing you.”
His hand lightly caressed from shoulder to arm, fingers working its way back in a dance he had staged over her entire being. The only response he received was a shiver from her anticipating body. He knew, as much as she lay there impassively, he knew. She wanted him, she still did. She had yet to shriek and pull away from him, she had yet to blow up in his face, throw a tantrum and throw her fists at him. The mask on her face was ebbing away; her eyes confirmed it, the racing pulse right beneath his lips.
He still affected her; he was still imprinted in her. “Let me see your eyes.” Those big green eyes, always accommodating to her emotions. “I’ve—”
“Missed toying with my emotions. Shattering me?”
His lips quit the play over her shoulder. ‘Toying with her emotions...shattering her?’ He lifted from her to turn her gently on her back.
Her body still reacts the same.
As she lay naked under him, it wasn’t hard to notice the reactions he still held over her body. “Shattered you,” he voiced?
The way his voice whispered the words ever so softly cause her eyes to search his face, however, his bangs shielded his gaze. Those piercing eyes she would commit suicide just to see again.
‘How I’ve missed him.’ She had told her self she would move past him, forget who he was, what he meant to her. She wanted to forget how he hid from her, shielded another part of himself. It had been two years since she made that promise and she had coped with it perfectly fine. However, she had ran away back then. Leaving no traces, no trails as to where she had ran to...she simply up and fled from him.
“Shattered you?” His voice rose a bit, brining her attention to him. ‘He’s mad.’ His voice indicated as much, she couldn’t read his expression with the way he hovered over her, but it was unmistakable. She knew him well. “Shattered you, you say?” He kept repeating her words like they had a strange taste he couldn’t bare to spit out. “When you up and leave I shattered you?”
She could see it now, with the tight press of his lips. He was upset, upset to the point he couldn’t look at her. Instead, his arms gave out under him and he buried his face against her neck, lying atop her. She watched his composure slip with the way his body vibrated over her. He was furious and trying to stay under control.
And just as she stared at him now he still held everything back. She remembered the scene clearly, it was in his apartment, his bed, under the familiar sheets they had endlessly made love under and now...as she hovered thousands of miles of ground—in a plane, she couldn’t help but glare at the man across from her. She felt nothing but resentment for what she allowed to happen after he got a hold of her. Back at the museum, a couple of days ago.
She knew a few days had slipped past. He had drugged her; for one thing she couldn’t remember anything past being held in his arms—and for another she wouldn’t willingly come abroad a private jet with him.
Threw gritted teeth she asked again, “what did you do with the necklace and what do you want from me?”
The low hum of the plane had been pleasant for quite some time, lulling her into a world of void ness where nothing could harm her. It couldn’t last forever until her bladed needed a release and so her body protested for her to awake. The nagging feeling that chilled her bones as she slept told her it wasn’t wise to feel all cozy and comfortable. She was being watched, but her dream was of a white fluffy cloud, nothing was there but the calming essence of the surrounding white. As soon as she rolled over, opened her eyes and propped on her elbows dark eyes peered at hers.
As her instincts told her she was being watched.
One hour later, he still remained mute. He had tried approaching her but when she cowered away he remained rooted to his spot, like the brooding man he presented now. It was best that he didn’t touch her though; their first encounter had been reckless on either side. Everything had dissolved to nothingness at the minimum touch. The tickle of each others breath fanning cold skin instantly sizzled with the need of touch, the longing of wanting to be held...like in the past.
“Get the fuck out then! I really don’t need you making this weirder than it is with your presence at the moment.”
“You asked...” When he finally attempted for speech she exploded with the animosity he had grown to miss. He knew her best, and by the indications of it all, she was using her temper because she was frightened. The thought of her life being meddled with by him again scared her. She was being stubborn at the moment, wanting to hold a piece of sanity she still held from him.
“It’s clear at the moment!” Her fists pounded into the bedding. Her face had promptly flushed with the anger, jade eyes burning with the intensity of it all. “I’m hostage. Black Rose is going to pride information out of me. You slept with me to make things slipper on your half...you held me because you know I have no defenses when it comes to you...because,” he watched her break down in front of him, her eyes rounding to those of pain and sadness. The tears threatened to spill over the rims of her eyes. “Because I still haven’t gotten over you and its much easier for you to play with me.”
The tears did fall, a streaming substance of the pain he feed her, awoke in her. And though teas weren’t cascading down his face, the way she cried into a pillow made his heart hang by a short thread of happiness. He was glad to see her again; not like this though.
When Sakura felt arms wrap around her she struggled against the warmth, the safeness and love. She didn’t need his from him, his pity. She was doing just fine without him and even if her heart had felt heavy with loss, it didn’t feel mangled like it did now.
She continued to struggle against him, she didn’t want to be in close proximity of him, it would only result with them under the sheets, him whispering his love for her; sweet nothing. “Let go, please let go.”
It pained him how much she wanted to free herself from his existence. He had done nothing wrong—perhaps waiting longer than needed to get her back, but there shouldn’t have been any reasons for her to flee like she did. Instead, he pulled her under him, confining her to him, securing her too him. “I’ve missed you so much Sakura.” He whispered against her forehead.
She choked on a sob. ‘He said the same thing last time,’ when he held her close to his heart.
“I thought I would go insane if I didn’t hold you like this again. If you want me to apologize I am and that’s for not finding you sooner. As much as it pains me to see you suffer, it was you who inflicted such emotions upon yourself. To my knowledge, I cared for you to the best of my abilities. I gave you everything. Happiness, something to live for like you said so yourself and yet...”
“You never told me who you really were. I still don’t know why you do this.”
“Because I love you Sakura.” He inhaled her scent before opening his eyes to look at her. “I love you and you should know that. I showed you as much.” He paused long enough to plant a gentle kiss on her lips. “But either way, you still don’t know who I truly am.”
“No, not because you told me,” she assured him, clutching at the back of his shirt. She wanted to push him away and at the same time never let go of him. “It shattered me to know who you truly were.”
“Like it did me when you left?” She chose to turn her had to the side and ignore that question. Only she knew how unbearable it had been at first. “It was an illusion you didn’t let me explain to you.”
“What was there to explain? You’re a member of Black Rose, founder in fact. You kept it a secret. You knew who I was and so you approached me on a different level. You were using me.” It had hurt to realize the truth when she discovered his identity. Before she didn’t know the true meaning behind the black rose tattooed to his chest, she quite simply found it fascinating.
“How could I have used you when not once information was shared? Besides, you worked alone then.”
“Yes but...”
He silenced her with another gentle touch of his lips. “You’re right though, I approached you on a different level.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “I know you want answers and at the time I wanted them too. Why didn’t I hand you over like I was supposed to,” He took a long pause, “like the detective I am.”
Every fiver in Sakura’s body went stock still, the last breath gushed out of her like a heavy blow to her stomach. All of a sudden she couldn’t breathe anymore. It was like she didn’t know how to.
‘It’s a sick game!’ She screamed in her head, remembering she was flying in...his private jet?
“Sakura.” His voice sounded distant, worried. “Breathe Sakura, breathe.” He instructed her. She remembered fallowing his indications, looking into his concerned eyes and then, just as quickly she passed out.
-
-
“It was the weekend we guys parted over a year ago. The time I retrieved the Black Stone which weren’t due for another month. Just like this was Sakura’s personal mission that Black Stone was mine. And so, when I saw myself with the opportunity I took a swipe. It hadn’t been as hard as we had calculated. Sure, five bloody hours could have been reduced to one if I was equipped properly...but I made do.” Tenten paused long enough to draw her knees to her chest. She sat on the floor near the door, lost in remembrance.
“I’d meet him there. The bastard had done such a good job that he made it quite impossible to enter the place. I’m still peeved that it took me that long to open the vault doors,” her tone took an edge to it. “He knew that once in side he would get caught, no matter what, and so being the genius he is he made it so he could have an escape route. There wouldn’t be a way of entrance while he was in there so he reset the vault number for that purpose. The ones we had already cracked...”
“Which explains the bloody hours?” Ino asked softly and Tenten nodded.
“There would be no way of blasting the doors down and so with out the combinations no way of access either. As he explained, when ten hours passed could the doors be opened with the old combination. Besides that, after I opened the vault he had his hands on the precious stone. As I worked a sweat with the combinations he worked one too with getting the stone. After that...after that,” the images were so vivid she couldn’t help the smile.
“We ended up in a vent. Stupid I left the door open and so he had already activated the alarms at the moment. That was his escape route, he had everything set. But he hadn’t expected me there. The shock had been evident in his face. He would have shot me if it weren’t for my outburst.”
Tenten chuckled as she recalled it. ‘What the fuck?! This is my inside job! Let go of the stone...kami-sama good thing I chose to break in earlier than planned. For another month and another crook would have stolen it!’
“He didn’t know whether to shot me or not. After a few precious seconds he still didn’t hand over the stone and so when security was near he pulled me into the vent. I still don’t know how he did it. We ended inside the vent with him on top of me.
“I threatened him when he still wouldn’t hand over the stone. It was such a tight fit that I couldn’t stab his eye out for it...” Tenten chuckled. It was a tight fit indeed, what with his built and their position, she couldn’t even reach the katana that made it uncomfortable on her back.
“You know, if you want to make it out alive you should hand over the stone. If I scream they’ll know we’re still here.”
“He pressed a gun to my head and the only thing out of him was an ‘oh really?’, and when he saw I was ready to yell he basically made love to my mouth.” Her eyes went dreamy for a few seconds, a finger to her lips. “After that I awoke at his apartment. I wanted to slit his throat so badly for managing to sneak away under our tight conditions but he had been wise to disarm me. And by god it is pun intended. He mystified me with his strategy and all, how he managed to get away without a track on his trail? I still wonder why I hadn’t been paranoid for those seventy-two hours. I guess it’s because he never tried anything.
“I should have worried about that but it seemed I was just a guest. For one thing, I was too taken away with his procedure that I gave him credit for it. He even found it amusing how I complimented him out of the blue. When like a normal person I should’ve been worried sick. And like you say, I’m a psycho and he liked that about me.”
“As much as you’ve like his ventilation style.” For the first time in days Ino laughed without restraints. They founded enlightening how she executed the plan; however, they hadn’t known the source behind it all. That would have been a better lesson.
“Yes, just the same and you must admit, it proves successful.” She grinned when Ino nodded.
“Well, it was obvious I was being held hostage. It was sticky at the moment to get out of there alive, blow a cap he would have. After a few hours I was bored that I ended up complaining to him. Being the psychotic weirdo I am I convinced him to a game of cards. It was gratifying to win the katana from him.” As if by magic she held the sword in her hands. “It would have been better to get a hold of his collection but that came later.” Another dreamy look.
“And well, cards got boring after a while and so with a hot guy like him...we had a blast!”
Tenten stretched her arms above her head, a dorky grin on her face.
“We knew you had gotten some that weekend when you returned late on Monday.” Ino gave her a knowing look.
“SOME? Do you know how bored we were?” They both laughed. “Though at the end,” she sounded a little nostalgic, “I thought it was a mistake letting him be the first and all. The guy proved me wrong when he sought me out for more.
“Never knew slipping on my real identity would keep me as happy.”
“Still?”
She nodded. “When time permits we still see each other.”
“No, you mean when weekends come and we’re not on a schedule. And you said you were getting some training!”
“But I was!” Tenten defended on a whine. “Other than sex and being all lovey-dovey we occasionally spared.”
“Well I see.” Ino was hesitant for a while. “How long ago did you see each other?”
Tenten laughed. “Remember that night a month ago. I called from the hotel saying I was too tired and I would be staying there?” Ino nodded. “Well, we had bumped into each other. He was on a job at the moment. I was really surprised because he didn’t know I was here.”
Ino hummed. “And so that explains why you being tired.”
“No, that was after. We spent the night out, enjoying each others company. Like a couple, you know its hard and all. I haven’t seen him since and I’ve been trying to contact him.”
“Scared him off?”
“No, happens a lot.” Tenten shrugged.
“But it’ been one year since then.”
“Yup!”
“And who exactly is he?”
“Well...” ‘If she find out later she’ll definitely kill me.’ “NejisecondincommandtoBlackRose.” Everything was expelled in one gush of wind that only the echoes of Black Rose howled.
“TENTEN!” Ino barked jumping from her seat.
“I’m sorry!” Tenten sounded like a kid with her whining. “And I know what you’re thinking. That’s why I’ve been trying to get a hold of him. I don’t know if they have Sakura or not.”
“Is that why you’ve been so collected?” Ino couldn’t believe this. If it weren’t for restraint she would have blown Tenten’s head of with the gun in her drawer.
“A little. Neji once said it wasn’t in their interest to harm any hostages if ever. I know, I know...” She held out her hand in defense. “I was a special case. But there’s nothing wrong with a little hope. I-I...I really don’t want his image to change so...”
Now that Ino looked at it, it was also hard on Tenten. With that look she bore at the moment. Not knowing if her boyfriend was the cause of her best friend’s disappearance...
“I guess its Stockholm syndrome after all. If Neji’s as charming as you made him to be his partners must be the same. Who knows?” Tenten was real thankful at the moment.
‘Please Neji! If you guys have her, for whatever reason, make sure you bring her back unharmed.’
-
-
“Sakura love?” Sakura found herself leaning against him.
“What happened?” She croaked, peering back at him.
“You fainted, is all.” He sounded relieved.
‘Is all?’ “Is all? Are you out of your mind? Am I supposed to believe that bull...”
“You believed the other without a beat. Why not this one?”
“Because you’re trying to get be back.”
“But I did.” He hugged her a little tighter, kissing at her temple. “And if you deny it we’ll be in here for as long as you live in denial.”
“Are your out of your mind? They’ll be looking for me” She sounded outraged, but she sat still in his arms.
“Which explains why we’re up in the air?” Sakura gave him a questioning look over her shoulder. “That body suit of yours. They managed to get a connection and so...we ended up here?”
“What in god’s name?” Sakura mumbled under her breath.
“Well, unless you want to go suicidal on me you won’t be able to escape. We are well equipped for a month and until then we won’t have to land.”
It took her a few minutes to respond. “Why are you doing this?” There was still hurt in her voice, but unlike before it had lessened. All she needed was reassurance.
“I’m really selfish and I needed you back. If anything I regret not coming sooner.”
“...” He didn’t allow her for speech. “Let me explain.”
“You’re obviously familiar with Black Rose and as you know I am their leader. What you don’t know is that our organization runs differently than Akatsuki and Plastic. Yes, we do exist but no as the thief we appear to be,” he answered her question. “To make it simple, I was ordered to go after you, not as a crook but as my job to free society from people like you.” He gave her an assuring squeeze.
“I know why you’re in the business. Why the other girls you work with do it too. But I hadn’t known that until recently. Either way, I failed on my mission. I was supposed to catch you on the act, however, you captivated...wound me so tight that no matter how wrong it seemed I still admired you, desired you. Everything then escalated to an uncontrollable state. I fell head over heals for you. I shouldn’t have approached you as a man, not unless it was to boot you to jail. I just couldn’t help myself at the end.”
She listened to him talk. Explain his desire for her, which eventually mounted to love. She heard him explain how Black Rose was an organization mimicking crooks in order to rid of them. She listened to him when he spoke of his feelings for her, and she believed every word he spoke.
Why?
His love was sincere. It said as much with the way he held her in his arm, the lengths he took to hold her like this.
During his explication of why he kept this a secret she had turned in his arms and silenced him with a tender kiss. “I understand now. I appreciate you making me realize the huge miss understanding and the misery I dug myself into when being without you. What I don’t understand is how you never used my secret identity to reproach me?”
“Why should I? Your not one of them either?” His heart magnified with the permission he received to her lips. He was glad she wasn’t holding back anymore.
“You didn’t know that then.” She had been self-centered, she accepted that. How couldn’t she when her heart was involved. She believed him to be the bad guy and that’s why she fled. She could’ve presumed to be one of the others but she wasn’t. Her organization was similar to his. At first she had worked alone, after she fled from him she accepted the invitation to Shadowed Blossoms.
“We still have many things to clarify.” She brought his attention away from her neck.
“Yes and that could wait.” His hands were drifting over her body.
Pushing his hair out of the way she stared into his gaze. God how she’d missed those eyes, those obsidian eyes that always threw her of guard. “I love you Sasuke.
“As do I my precious Sakura.”
This time she didn’t hold back from him. She didn’t have that nagging feeling at the back of her mind telling her she would only end up in tears. For this time, they would be of happiness. A man like Sasuke was hard to find and she was grateful she did. Not many would make her their priority over morals and work.
“So this means we can go back to ground level?” He murmured against her collar bone, his lips moving a little lower.
“Anywhere with you,” she sighed. She then sought his lips and a burst of love exploded in his chest. “You will agree that a few more days would do us some good.”
“I don’t know.” Sakura pouted. “This was unplanned and I’m sure my friends are worried over me.”
“But we have much catching up to do.” He gave her a pout of his own in which she had missed a lot. He could act like such a big baby at times. She knew there wouldn’t be any way of changing his mind, he hand already made it for the both of them—and the way he loomed above her suggestively, topless, indicated something.
She admired his tattoo. “I always thought it looked sexy on you.” She brought her right hand to his chest so her fingers could tenderly outline the intricate design of the black rose. “So sexy?” She whispered low, still meant for him to hear.
He loved the way her eyes darkened with desire, how she gave him that seductive gaze. It was him then that returned it and sunk his teeth to the full of her bottom lip. “This is what drove me insane.” He kissed at her cheek. “Not knowing if I could hold you like this again. I want us to grow old Sakura, until death does us apart.”
“Sasuke?” Sakura questioned his gaze with hers. As always, they were set as stone.
“I guess I forgot a missing detail.” He had that mischievous look about his eyes. “I won’t be letting you of this plane until you agree to marry me.”
“Sasuke.” He saw the tears of happiness rain down her face. “Is that anyway of proposing to a girl?”
He kissed her passionately, of conveying love. “To a stubborn girl,” He whispered against her lips. “Yes.”
That night she drowned all over again. In his eyes, his voice, his skin...she repeatedly drowned. The way his fingers ran down her skin was still a familiar caress, the intensity of him. She never forgot, and yet she relived.
In both their hearts they knew that the new chapter would commence from the one they left of before she fled.
-
-
“Hello?” Sakura had tried contacting the girls at the office but no one was there. She tried their cell phones and nothing. She had her heart in her throat when she heard Ino’s voice pick up the house phone.
“Ino!” She had missed her friends dearly.
“Sakura?” Ino wasn’t too sure if she was hearing the right voice; she had been awoken from a much needed sleep.
“Yes it’s me...”
“The bitch was right then.” Ino mumbled under her breath, sounding cranky. There was urgency to Sakura’s voice, but not the type of urgency where there was a threat.
“Heh...?” Sakura expect to be playing twenty-one questions right now.
“No need to explain. Stockholm syndrome, know all about it.” Ino said threw a yawn. Damn, sleeping in at the table wasn’t wise. She then noticed Tenten who was pouring her self a cup of water. “Tenten’s eager to know though. Are you getting married?
“Actually...” ‘How in the world?’ “Yes?”
“So the bitch was right after all. Well, just don’t forget about us.”
“Uh...” Sakura was speechless.
“Night, night!”
Ino didn’t wait for a response. She quickly turned to Tenten and hated the smirk etched on her face. “You whore...you were right.”
“Ah, what great satisfaction. Didn’t I tell you...”
“Put a lid on it...or Neji’s...” Ino gave her a suggestive smirk.
“I’m off to bed. See you in the morning.”
“Well me too.” Tenten offered with a huge grin.
-
-
“Uh...night?” She heard the dead dial tone signaling Ino had ended the call. “That was weird.”
“Come back to bed.” Sasuke suggestively arched an eyebrow.
“Again?” She grinned back at him.
“What did you think I meant by catching up? Surely no talking involved...unless...”
Sakura gave him a rueful smile.
-
-
It was currently three twenty-seven in the morning. Tenten couldn’t explain how she had to be the one to open the door. Sakura wouldn’t be it—and she was having such a peaceful slumber too!
‘It is because I’m always armed to the teeth?’ Tenten wanted to cry. She knew that had to be the answer but still...
Peaking threw the whole a bunch of red roses greeted her line of vision. ‘Don’t tell me it’s a bomb?!’ She growled sardonically in her head.
“A little early for delivery, neh?” She almost barked when opening the door. “Who in their right mind would...”
“A little cranky?”
“...N-Neji?” It was his voice; surely this was one of her psychotic dreams. For one thing he didn’t know her residence.
“Tenten.” He lowered the flowers and simply gave her a smirk.
Tenten bit her bottom lip in delight; her heart was just about to ram its way out of her chest. But then...“You bastard! Where have you been? I’ve been trying to get a hold of you. And don’t you think flowers will cut it because...”
He silenced her with a kiss. His tongue teased at her, “how about your bed?” He gave her that wanting look.
“What...but...” Tenten stumbled for words. How did he find her exact location anyways?
He moved in closer and closed the door behind him. “Will your bed cut it?” He smirked when she looked away nervously. “You see, I was thinking about you and...” It was his turn to host the embarrassment.
She stepped closer to him. “Can we make it to my room?” She purred seductively into his ear.
“I don’t know, does that mean...?”
“Here, now...yes!”
“God, I love you.” He whispered into her ear.
Her heart tripped and slammed into her chest. “I love you too.”
And he wanted to hear it forever more.
THE END!!!!!!!!!!-------FOR NOW...I guess?
I hope you all liked! And I kinda intend to write another one shot. For Tenten and Neji! xDDDDD I also want to write this as a full story, ya know...there were a few things that needed polishing but I left it at be since I want to have the full drama and romance for the story...that’s depending on how ppl react? There are two versions I’m flipping over in my head and I intend to write them both.
Plz Review, with everything you can. I intend to make the story better. Any pointers would be nice. Just don’t burst my bubble! I’m really happy about this!!!! (((((
--Forgive me for any mistakes. Not beta proofed yet.--
THANKS FOR READING!!! REVIEW!!
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