Chapter Two: Arrival

Sakura groaned and stretched. It had been a long day in the lab, and on top of that she had forgotten to grab lunch, resulting in a tired, cranky Sakura. Capping the last vials of serum, she gathered her papers together and left the lab.

Immediately, a cat-masked ANBU agent landed in front of her. "Haruno-san? Your presence is required by the Hokage."

Sakura smiled wearily, jade eyes darkened with exhaustion. "Thank you, ANBU-san. Please inform her that I'll be there shortly." The nin nodded and jumped off. Sighing minutely, Sakura set off for Hokage Tower.

"Enter!" Tsunade's voice boomed from behind the door as Sakura rapped lightly on the mahogany wood. Opening the door, Sakura stepped in and glanced at the stunning blonde woman almost obscured by the massive piles of paperwork cluttering her desk. "Tsunade-sama?"

The middle-aged Hokage looked up and smiled. "Sit down, Sakura." Sakura sat. "Now, where did I put that paper… Ah, here it is! Sakura, I have a mission for you."

"Yes, shishou?"

"You're to retrieve a scroll from a temple in Kumogakure. This is an S-class mission, due to the heavy security around the temple. I need one of my best shinobi to go, and you were the only one available. I know you just got off your shift, but the scroll is needed immediately by the client. You are to leave tonight; the actual mission should only take about a week. Are you able to do it? You look a little tired."

Sakura shook her head respectfully. "No, shishou. I can do it."

Tsunade smiled. "I knew I could trust you, Sakura. You're dismissed."

Bowing, Sakura left the room.

"WHAT?" Naruto howled, shaking the foundations of the small ramen shack. "YOU'RE LEAVING ON ANOTHER SOLO MISSION?"

"You just got back from the last one, Ugly," Sai said reprovingly. "You need some rest."

Sakura smiled tiredly. "It's alright, guys. It's just a retrieval mission. I should be back in a week." Yawning, she dropped some bills on the bar and winked at Ayame, the owner's daughter, who grinned in return. "See you, Ayame-chan!"

"Sakura-chan! Don't go!" Naruto whined. He promptly received a pop on the head from their sensei.

"Have a good trip, Sakura." Kakashi said brightly, eye creased in his famous smile.

Rolling her eyes at her team's antics, Sakura laughed slightly and left.

It was completely silent when Sakura crept over the hill and watched the temple for a few minutes. Scanning the vicinity, she was satisfied that the security guards were indeed gone, led astray by a few tickets to the next sumo-wrestling match. As quietly as a feather in the wind, she slipped into the temple and began her search.

Sakura ghosted through the various hallways until she found the one she wanted; a seemingly innocuous door that led to the safe room. Thanks to some information she had squeezed out of certain household servants, she knew exactly how to access the scroll. Sliding through the doorway, she paused and threw a kunai into the empty air in front of her.

Immediately, a barrage of shuriken and other ninja tools came raining down, and she waited silently as they all clattered to the floor, wincing at the noise. After a kunai came down with a final clunk she walked forward and flashed through some seals, triggering the release of a poison jutsu that certainly would have caused her some trouble if she had been unaware. Passing that, she made her way to the final barrier; an animal summon lay sleeping on the floor before her.

Sakura tiptoed behind the drowsy creature and pressed a few pressure points on its neck. If it had been sleeping before, it was now out like a light. Breathing in relief, Sakura opened the last door and strode into the holding room.

She definitely did not expect someone to be inside it already.

And she definitely didn't expect that someone to be Deidara.

There was a moment of silence as both occupants of the cramped room stared at each other. Finally, Deidara ventured to speak.

"Sakura, yeah?"

Too stunned to speak, Sakura flailed around for her voice. Inner Sakura was equally shocked. What's he doing here?

"What're you doing here?" Sakura hissed, confusion evident in her tone. Deidara frowned, his beautiful blue eyes squinting adorably. Sakura almost hit herself as she realized what she was thinking. He's the enemy, stupid!

"I could ask you the same question, un. I'm here on a mission." Deidara murmured.

Tension was hanging thickly in the air as they both recalled the last time they had met. Surreptitiously, Sakura slipped her hand into her pocket and fingered the lovely clay bird.

There was another moment of silence before Deidara finally sighed. "What now, un?"

Sakura quickly assessed the situation. "There's one scroll… And two of us."

"You're a genius, yeah."

"Shut up, Deidara."

Another tense silence stretched.

"You can take it." Deidara said quietly.

Jade green eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah, un. You saved my life. I owe it to you, un." He acknowledged. The tension melted.

Sakura beamed, and impulsively hugged the artist. Now it was his turn for his eyes to widen. Tentatively, one arm snaked around her waist. Sakura's cheeks flared red as she realized it was there.

Suddenly, they both froze as footsteps sounded further down the hallway. "What the… Tosuke, the doors are open!"

Sakura detached herself from his warmth. "Deidara!"

He was already in action. Tiny white clay spiders streamed down his arms to the floor. Facing the wall, he made a sign. "Katsu!" The entire wall detonated in a cloud of fire and ash, and the two ninja wasted no time in leaping out. Shouts rang out from behind them. "The scroll!"

By the time the soldiers reached the room, Sakura and the Akatsuki were long gone.

"That was close, yeah."

"Don't remind me."

"That was close, yeah."

"Shut up!"

Deidara chuckled. It was so easy to rile the pretty kunoichi. He swiveled to look at her. "You still have the bird, un?"

Sakura blushed. "No. Why would I? It's a gift from a missing-nin."

He cocked his head. "Liar. I can sense it, un."

"You can… sense it? It's a tracking device?" Sakura growled, delicate hands balling.

"Calm down, yeah. That's not what it's for; you'll see." Deidara assured her. This kunoichi was so volatile.

"Anyway, here's the scroll, un. Don't lose it, I'll get in a helluva lotta trouble for this."

She took the scroll silently and they stood there, looking at each other in yet another awkward silence. Again, Deidara was the one to break it. "Told you we'd meet again someday, yeah."

A small smile graced her face. "Yeah." Inner Sakura was having a field day. His eyes are so blue… He's looking at us! Kyaaa!

As if he knew what she was thinking, a small smirk appeared on his handsome features. "We haven't had a proper introduction yet, what with all the blood, gore and interruptions. How about I take you out to dinner sometime, yeah?"

Sakura gaped. "Did you just ask me out on a date?"

Smirk. "Maybe, un."

A warm smile grew on her face. "How does Friday afternoon sound to you?"

Deidara tilted his head and the first genuine smile she had seen from him appeared. "Perfect, yeah." He winked. "A little birdie will tell you when I'm coming." Without another word he leaped into the tree above and was gone.

Sakura glanced down at the small clay bird in her hands. It chirped brightly at her and flapped its wings a few times.

A scroll retrieved, a mission completed, and a date arranged with a missing-nin. A missing-nin from Akatsuki, no less. Just a typical day in the life of Haruno Sakura. Sighing and smiling at the same time, the pink-haired kunoichi leaped into a tree and started toward home.

A/N: Reviews appreciated