There was no slow awakening this time; instead Sakura became suddenly, and acutely aware of her surroundings. This, she deemed unfortunate as unlike her previous gutter 'nest', she was now sprawled quite happily on a familiar bed and resuming sleep seemed like a rather tempting option.

It wasn't however her own bed, she realised belatedly, but one of the generic hospital beds she saw almost every day. That in itself gave life to several questions she deemed of a most pressing nature; the foremost of course being how she had come to arrive at such a location in the first place.

Not that (with the incredible force of her rapidly impending dread) she couldn't remember the events leading up to her attempted journey home. Instead, glancing at the low sun, there appeared to be several hours of her day still unaccounted for. The majority of that time she now assumed she had spent on this very bed. Sitting up she faced the door with trepidation. That wasn't however the part that was concerning her.

There would have been a small interval in time in which she was somehow relocated from slumping 'drunkenly' (she could admit it now she was recovered) against Neji to sleeping peacefully where she was now. Obviously he had been unable to 'drag her home' as he had intended but she couldn't exactly imagine him helping her here either.

She was almost willing to put money on the idea that he had shoved her back into the gutter for someone else to find.

However, she could engage him with a glare the next time they were unfortunate enough to encounter each other. Right now there were more important issues at hand. She had determined exactly where she was despite not quite knowing how she got there the next logical step would be to get up and leave considering her recovery. There was however, one problem that would perhaps prevent this; the paperwork.

Sakura seriously considered her escape routes. The hospital was large enough that technically, she should be able to escape without Tsunade seeing her. Then again her Sensei could be on the look out for attempted exits through the main doors. No, that could be seriously risky. She could always try to get out of one of the first floor windows under the pretence of checking on a patient. Unless of course Tsunade had borrowed Pakkun to track her. . .

Sakura shook her head feverishly in an attempt to dispel the invading thoughts or rather; plots. In truth, the only thing she could do was explain, apologise and hope like hell there was some way of replacing those papers that didn't involve her own flesh used as parchment. She had a horrible feeling however that would be one option her Sensei would be sure to consider.

Before she could gather any further resolve Sakura gagged as Tsunade suddenly and forcefully shoved the door open narrowly missing the small table beside the bed. Hurriedly trying to erase all traces of deep set horror and panic from her face Sakura hung her head in what she hoped was a guilty manner.

"Feeling better?" Tsunade asked in a kindly manner while revealing she was carrying a single yunomi of green tea. Sakura watched her with reserve as she placed it carefully on the same table she had almost demolished with her entrance.

"Yes, thank you," Sakura hastily muttered suddenly realising a response was probably expected of her.

"You should be pleased having completed such a complex operation," Tsunade reprimanded obviously noting the worried tone in her pupil's voice "Perhaps you wasted a little too much chakra on reducing the pain but otherwise it was almost flawless."

"Except that wasting just a 'little too much' chakra meant I couldn't even get myself home," She answered petulantly before she could stop herself but Tsunade only laughed in response.

"Proves your determination," She told her with a smile "Which is the very reason I expect you back tomorrow ready to finish studying that paperwork you seemed so eager to get at. What did I say? Determination indeed," She finished looking pleased with herself making Sakura wonder if this was some sort of a sick joke or ploy to make her confess.

"I actually intended to talk-" She began hesitantly before she was cut off mid sentence.

"I'll be very disappointed if you ask for a day off just over a little bump to your pride," Tsunade threatened her expression darkening.

"No, that wasn't what I was-"

"Tomorrow then, enjoy your tea."

Before Sakura even had a chance to respond with another 'thank you' the woman had exited leaving the door slightly ajar. Sitting with her legs hanging over the edge of the bed Sakura sipped at her tea half wondering if it was poisoned but enjoying it too much to care.

Besides; poisoning wouldn't give Tsunade nearly as much sadistic pleasure as the plethora of other options available. Sakura was certain that she was to be reprimanded in some form very soon. In fact, her Sensei was probably lurking outside considering her options right at that moment.

There was a movement as the door opened again slowly.

Very soon indeed it appeared. In an attempt to down the rest of her tea Sakura closed her eyes and hurtled as much of the hot liquid down her throat as possible.

"Excuse me."

Sakura gagged for the second time that afternoon this time managing to cough half the contents of her mouth onto the floor.

"No need to react so strongly but then again; I suppose you are not accustomed to having visitors," Neji scornfully told her eyeing the tea on the floor.

"When the visitor is you; yes indeed, not accustomed at all. In fact, it calls into question whether anyone would be accustomed to the idea of you calling in for a casual visit," She answered equally as contempt as she rose.

"Tch, so ungrateful, I had other business to attend to in this area," He patronisingly admonished making her wish she still ha some tea to tip on him. Unfortunately however (or perhaps not), she had to suffice with dabbing at the drops on her shirt.

"And may I inquire as to what exactly I have to be grateful for?"

"It took longer to drag you here than it would have done to shove you back into the gutter."

Despite standing corrected (as it seemed he hadn't actually left her to be found by someone else after all) it still gave Sakura a small satisfaction to see he had at least considered abandoning her.

"Thank you then for your…dragging efforts," She mocked but paused as he continued to glare unswervingly at her "What? I thought you wanted to be thanked?"

"I could take offence to your insincerity," He chided monotonously while shrugging the bag he carried from his shoulders and reaching to select something.

"Are you serious?"

"It depends on how unappreciative you are in regards to these," Neji continued as he moved to the table and began making stacks from the sheets of paper he was pulling from his pack "I told the Hokage I gathered them out of your own bag."

"But you obviously didn't," She hissed pushing him out of the way to look at the slightly battered but otherwise in good condition documents.

"What did I say? Completely ungrateful," He repeated however this time he sounded amused. She turned and rounded on him half torn between relief and annoyance.

"You collected all of these!?"

"Tasks which may seem like impressive feats to one of your skill do not always prove so difficult for the rest of us."

"BUT THEY'RE IN ORDER!" She screamed in disbelief. There was a logical explanation for this; she was still concussed. She could only hope she remained in this state long enough that Tsunade would be so worried she wouldn't care about the papers.

Yeah, good luck.

"It becomes especially convenient if a particular member of 'the rest of us' posses a bloodline ability that prevents them from selecting random sheets in the first place."

From the tone of his voice she almost expected to find him smiling but of course she had to settle for a kind of half smirk.

"Oh Kami…" She muttered and gingerly petted the top of the stack "Thank you Neji, I mean it, honestly."

He let out a drawn sigh suddenly sounding obnoxious again.

"You thank me on such a personal level. Honestly I believe you should be reprimanded for your irresponsibility and would have gladly allowed it to happen. However, the documents seemed to be of some importance to this hospital, I considered their retrieval necessary."

She gaped at him. He ignored her and simply readjusted his bag in preparation to leave.

"Please consider further rest to assure you don't put anyone, or anything else at risk for the remaining hours of the day" He pushed the door open, stepped out into the hall and was about to close it again when he paused "I trust you can return these to their correct place unaided."

"Wait!" She shouted a moment too late as the door snapped curtly shut.

She was only just able to resit the urge to hurl the stack of documents right out the window. Instead, she made the rash decision to bundle them up and follow Neji out into the hallway.

"You could have just told Tsunade what happened then!" Sakura yelled at his retreating form. She was taken aback when he stopped suddenly and stood completely still.

"Ooooh, what's wrong?" She asked grinning as she approached him slowly "Don't like being caught out doing a good deed?"

"It was not my intention to do a 'good deed'," He told her flatly while glaring warningly from the corner of his eyes.

"But you never accepted my thanks!"

"Then consider your thanks accepted."

With a final narrow and menacing look he began to stride away again. Sakura found this unsurprising but when she skipped ahead to keep pace with him, she was surprised to find he made no further attempt to ward her off.

As they reached the final floor of the building and Sakura turned away with the intention of finally filing the damned papers, she gave him a last glance.

"You know Neji, I think we're beginning to see too much of each other," She joked.

"I think we're seeing too little," He said arching an eyebrow "Or at least, I seem to be seeing to little of you doing anything other than making a fool of yourself."

Despite the fact it almost sounded like he was teasing her she glowered heatedly at him for a moment.

"I'm not making a fool of myself right now!" She attempted to counter.

"You do realise you still have tea on your shirt?"

A/N: Update update update 8D! Hehe, hope you enjoyed the ending of this little saga and I managed to keep it a little bit IC.

O.o

I had fun reading some of your guesses too!

Thank you for reading and please, I would be incredibly grateful and appreciative if you left a review on your way out.