Authors note: It been a while. I know. Life got the better of me and I have no excuses. All I can say is that stress and a whole lot of life changes made it difficult to write anything. But I have this to post and the epilogue of Undercover. I may have a few YYH fics to post but I think that this may be the end of my NejixSaku for a time. I don't have anything further for Shadow and it may out on hiatus until I do. And with that let's get into the final chapter of BOFA.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the chapters.

Sakura let out a labored sigh. She was weary from a long shift but her fatigue went deeper than that. Waiting and fretting always brought a level of exhaustion that could only be matched by an extended stint on a particularly busy week at the hospital, even though that did not seep into her psyche to the same extent.

Much to her concern, she knew what was causing it and in all honesty she had thought she was done worrying herself sick over a man. Apparently not, but thankfully it was not the same man from troubled years past. There was actually potential this time around. A mutual breathtaking desire that left her longing for more, a lot more.

Their almost kiss had haunted her. The promise of what was to come niggled at the back of her mind and no matter what she did she could not get it to go away. There were many times during the day that it was not at the forefront of her mind but she knew that as soon as she was not keenly focused on the task at hand she would find herself playing over the moment in her mind. It simply refused to go away, sneaking up on her at the most inappropriate intervals. The last thing she needed to be thinking about when she was in the middle of a surgery was that pair of bewitching eyes staring back at her, inching ever closer to capture her lips with his.

Even now it distracted her from her drink which was getting cold. The canteen bustled around her but she hardly noticed, instead replaying the moment in her mind over and over again while daydreaming of what might happen when a certain ANBU captain returned.

"Forehead," Sakura jumped at the sound, which she had to admit was embarrassing but at least it was only Ino. Blue eyes bored into her green orbs as the busty blonde settled in across from her in the canteen. Perfectly shaped brows were knitted together in agitation and concern. "Alright spill."

"Pig, I don't..." she started not really wanting to discuss the situation. The solution would not present itself until the man that was on her mind returned. She suspected that he was the solution. The trail off did not stop Ino from cutting her off.

"Don't give me that. You've been staring at your coffee so long now that it's gone cold." Konoha's resident gossip chided flippantly. "And don't think I didn't see what was happening between you and the Hyuuga. I was drunk and hung over respectively, but not blind."

The pink haired medic blinked a few times thinking back on the evenings in question. "Was it that obvious?" Sakura did not deny what had transpired. What was the point in trying when she did not really wish to. In fact she really wanted to squeal like she had so many years before as a teen. She would have, except she was amongst work colleagues, and there was no real reason to squeal yet. Had they cemented the attraction she may not have been able to hold back her zeal.

A rueful grin decorated Ino's pretty face and Sakura knew there was going to be no way out of this. "Yes, and I want to hear all the details," she said, tapping her finger on the table pointedly.

Sakura leaned her cheek on her open palm, doing her best not to look wistful, but utterly failing. "There is not much to tell, really. Not anything that you didn't see," she said thinking over the events once more. A blush rose on her cheeks. Well, there had been one major thing Ino had not been privy to. There was no point in hiding it. The blonde would find out eventually, most likely through Sakura letting it slip. So she came out with it, still moping over the fact that she had been denied a finale befitting her lovely evening out with the Hyuuga prodigy. "Well, we almost kissed but-"

Ino did not need to say anything to stop Sakura. One look was all it took to get her point across. The blonde was curious if not a little befuddled. "Almost?"

Sakura wanted to groan in frustration at recalling the scene. It had been romantic and sweet and intimate, and she was truly distressed at the fact that they had been left hanging. She wanted more and she knew he did too, which made her all the more anxious for his return. "We were interrupted. He got called away for that mission."

Ino thought for a moment and then picked up her tea with a knowing grin "So that's what's had you so distracted." The blonde took a sip of her drink. "That good?" she asked after swallowing her cocoa.

Sakura hummed. "I think so," she said confidently. Intuition told her that the kiss, should they ever be in such a situation again, would be amazing.

Ino leaned in ready to pick up as much information as she could. "When does he get back?" she asked, flicking her ponytail playfully over her shoulder and subsequently catching the attention of a near by nurse. Poor Sora had a huge crush on the leggy Ino, but the blonde had yet to notice. She was far too concerned by Sai, who was the only man on her radar. Sakura felt bad for the young man and hoped he would find a new interest soon. When Ino set her eye on someone she never gave up without a fight and her battle for Sai had only just begun. Many that did not know them might have suggested it was a near impossible task, but Sakura Knew better. If there was anyone that could bring the artist into the real worked and make him notice them it was Ino.

Sakura did not dwell on that too long. Ino was no doubt coming up with a plan to turn Sai's head, probably a few plans, and unless she asked for it Sakura would not butt in. As it stood the female sannin had her own romantic entanglement to focus on. "No idea. But soon, I hope."

Pink lips pursed in understanding. "His team is usually pretty quick on the turn around," Ino intoned, going over the facts in her mind. All in all it seemed like a pretty sure thing from Neji's side. Ino knew the moment that she spotted them walking in the garden together that Neji was serious about her best friend. She was even more convinced by the intimate dancing, the close proximity, and their rooftop dinner. He was not hiding his feelings, but she needed to be sure of Sakura. Plus it was all a very good distraction from her Sai situation. "And then?"

That was a question Sakura did not really know how to respond to. What had happened? Everything was on hold, open ended, and she could not say that she was thrilled for it to be as such. "Well, I'm not sure. Like I said, we got interrupted."

Ino leaned back to stretch a bit. Long days at the hospital bent over papers or a body could take a toll and they both had another few hours on the clock. "And would you object to or welcome finishing what you've started?"

There was no hesitation when a signal word answer flowed former lips. "Welcome," she said, somewhat surprised at how direct and decided she was. She had thought it would be more complicated than that, but it was actually quite simple. She liked him, and so far as she could tell he liked her. Everything else would work itself out if they both made time. She certainly intended to and she hoped he would too.

Ino sent her a rueful grin. "Then do something about it. That is if he doesn't beat you to it." Sakura chuckled. Ino was right, as she tended to be in such matters. Speaking to her Ino had pulled her from her slump and given her something to look forward to. There was no point in sitting on her hands when she knew what she wanted. A bell went off near by and both women instinctively moved to stand, Ino holding out her arm for her best friend to latch onto. "Now come on, lets get back to it before Tsunade-sama tans both our hides."

Neji was furious. Truly furious. He could not recall being so angry on the job before. It had started out as an insistence to get the mission over with as quickly as possible. His team seemed to understand and had pushed to get to the target at a pace that was almost ungodly. Neji had no doubt that Toki had very quickly filled the others in on what was happening before he had arrived to meet his team at the gate. The young man had seemed more than a little apologetic and accommodating since their outset.

Sadly their target was not so helpful. After trailing after her for about a week, one of the team picked up some information in a dingy bar that was far too sticky for Neji's liking. The target had a buyer and a meeting set.

She was late for the meeting. More than couple days late, much to his annoyance. He was not the only one put out by her tardiness. The buyers for her intel were also agitated. He was just far enough away from the camp to see everything going on but not so close as to arouse suspicion. In a way it was a good thing that she was late, for fairly early on he had discovered that in addition to a secret formula there was also a sample of the serum she was peddling. How Orochimaru managed to steal so many secrets and then be so careless with them was beyond him, but perhaps chaos was a state the sannin enjoyed. It certainly wriggled its way out of Otogakure to infect them all often enough.

Regardless, the only reason they were all still here, slowly freezing to death in the knee high snow was because she kept sending notes postponing the exchange. He had almost laughed out loud when he saw one of the men curse his way through the note. She suspected someone was on her trail. She was probably right. Oto nins would have been sent out along with a few other ANBU teams. Thankfully it seemed none of them had gotten wind of the meeting. If they had then the area would have been swamped and he would not have been able to secure his teams formation. He could see each one of his ANBU team, set up in a circle just within his vision around the rouge's camp.

It was how he had seen the incoming messages, and hopefully how he would see their target before anyone else got to the exchange to intercept her. So he sat in the cold with his eyes trained on the extremities of his visual field.

It was another hour or so before a new chakra signature entered his line of sight. The kunoichi was at the opposite end of his line of sight and unbeknownst to her, wandering straight towards Toki. She was wary, as most nins were heading into an exchange, but she seemed more concerned with where she had been rather then where she as going. Someone was on her tail, though not close enough for her to have further stalled her delivery. She had probably given them the slip for now. Better to get this whole thing over with quickly and be on their way before anyone was the wiser. He had no intention of getting caught up and further delayed by participating in a battle. The longer they lingered the more likely they were to be intercepted or caught which meant more time out in the wilderness and less time getting back to Sakura.

Neji lifted his hand to the device at his neck and spoke softly, "Leaf 3, target approaching from your 9." His team mate turned to face their target, blending himself into the foliage with an expertise that was required of all Neji's operatives. He would have preferred to take care of the job himself but he trusted all of his teammates. Toki was more than capable of handling the missions particulars and was crouched, ready to strike. Neji felt his frustration with the situation dissipate and turn into focus, perhaps prematurely, on getting home.

"Leaf 3 engaging target," Neji heard in his monitor just before the attack began. The kunoichi was caught off guard and the kunai that sliced her throat came as a shock. Leaf 3 stood behind her, having dropped into the snow soundlessly, and held her until the life had slipped away. The ANBU member made swift work of finding the formula which was contained on a small scroll tucked into the folds of her vest.

"And the sample," Neji commanded quietly. It would have been easier had he been the one to intercept the enemy. He could easily see the vial of serum stuffed in the depths of a pouch near her waist but Toki was doing well enough without amplified vision.

His comrade dug a bit further into the pouch, eventually pulling out a vial of florescent liquid. "Acquired," Toki whispered into the mic. It was hard not to notice the small twinge of pride that one would have only noticed if they knew the operative. Emotions were supposed to be kept out of missions as much as possible, but Neji was not going to fault him for it lest he become a hypocrite. His emotions had been less than fully concealed on this mission and he could not help the relief that spread across his features. He was glad to see it over and with any luck he would be back in Konoha by weeks end.

He steeled his voice and watched as each team member waited for his order. "Meet at my position. Out."

"Roger," the sound off came from each of his team in tune. They would be arriving shortly so he set about eating a solider pill and was pleased to see his team doing the same. Just as their trip north had been swift, so too would be their return. By the time anyone found the deceased and discovered her prize had been retrieved Konoha's ANBU team would be long gone.

To his mind the pace fulfilled two needs. First, they could avoid confrontation thus leading to a successful mission and a fulfillment on his promise to be careful. Second, he would return to Konoha and Sakura faster.

Her down turned lips and concern had not been forgotten. In fact every time he closed his eyes he saw her standing there in the dark. He regretted not putting off his duty for the few moments it would have taken to assuage her concerns and feel her lips on his. The promise of Sakura waiting for him made him want to take off and have his comrades catch up, but that would not make him much of a team leader. So he waited, his impatience practically palpable. One by one his masked ANBU landed at his side, taking their spot in the optimal travel formation. Toki was the last and as his feet set down they all took off.

Neji was determined and with his byakugan still active he could see that his vigor had spread to the team. He allowed a small smile to grace his features. Konoha would be on the horizon in record time.

Sakura took a look at the darkening sky. She was not really supposed to be in today, but she rarely took days off, particularly when she had something on her mind. The something this time was more of a someone.

Ino had been right when she said that Neji's turn around time was usually quick and that was what concerned her. This mission had not been quick. He had originally guessed he would be gone for a month and so she stuck to that trajectory, but that time marker had come and gone. Now she was beginning to get worried. She knew each mission was different but he was usually back by now, his team presenting their success to the Hokage, at home, or on another mission by the time the three week mark had hit for a track-eliminate-retrieve mission. She had been keeping that information to herself. She was not even supposed to know he was on an ANBU mission really, but after some subtle digging through a few files about a week before she had found out the type of mission and stopped after that. She did not need to know any more than that, and so long as he came back she would dig no further. The good news was that she had spotted the expected mission timeline and he was only late by a couple of days really.

She smiled. No doubt he would be upset to be late at all, as he was so timely. Neji could be very particular and was goal oriented by nature which made him easy to read in some ways. When he set his mind to something he excelled. On the rare occasion that he did falter, he came back to the task at hand with determination and a part of her was excited to see that determination turn in her direction.

"Sakura-chan!" The exuberant shout rounded the corner of the hall and she knew exactly who was looking for her. the ever bouncy Naruto bounded up to her, not taking into account what was going on around him. His bright grin made her smile and she could always say she was happy to see him. "Are you busy?"

She checked the clock once more, a force of habit more than anything. "I'm supposed to be off. Why?" she said, despite the fact that she was fairly positive where the line of thought was going.

Blue eyes rolled in a good-natured manner. There were few that worked longer or harder than Naruto. Sakura was one of those few and when he could he dragged her away from duty to pass the time. "You really should take breaks when you can. I was going to ask you to spar before my next lesson."

Pink hair pooled around her shoulders in thought. "Let me wrap us and we'll see," she said tapping her open folder with her pen. She continued to write, hoping that her letters would remain legible

"You always say that and I end up waiting for ages." His whine had quickly turned into a pout, which was rarely cute on a grown man but somehow Naruto managed to pull it off. Her features softened. He as still a kid at heart in many ways and there were times he distinctly reminded her of the boy she had encountered all those years ago, playing pranks on Iruka-sensei and raising hell wherever he went. Regardless, no matter how funny he looked she was not going to leave her work incomplete.

"I'm almost done with these notes," she said with a small grin. He was right. He was often found lurking around the hospital halls in an attempt to find her on break. Sadly he ended up waiting most of the time, but he understood. The health of Konoha's citizens came before sparing or food. Still it was in her best interest to finish up her notes as quickly as she could. The longer she made him wait around the more fidgety he would get, thus more agitating. So she moved quickly and efficiently, notating the details of the lacerated hamstring as best she could.

Nins got up to all sorts of shenanigans when they were left idle for too long. This particular pair of genins had been sparing when the idea of using each other as target practice had come about. It was only a matter of time before one of them had ended up on a medical table and she was just glad they were not yet experts, lest the damage have been significantly worse. She had admonished them soundly and sent them off with a strong warning, which she hoped they heeded. There were plenty of ways to practice with moving targets without having to aim at one's teammate. She was about to sign the notations as was required by any attending medic when Naruto's voice caused her eyes to shoot up and her pen to continue in an illegible version of her name.

"Neji! Good to see you back." The name made her breath catch in her throat. Pure excitement raced through her veins and she did not know what to do. All her daydreams had been centered around finishing the kiss they had almost shared. She had made plenty of potential plans, all of when involved her going and finding him. She didn't have a plan for what to do if he found her first. Slowly she turned her wide gaze towards the hall. His porcelain mask was tied to his belt and his hair swung behind him. Long black clad legs moved towards her, silver eyes settling on her with the resolve she had been hoping would be there. Suddenly things were abundantly clear. He was here for her. He had a plan and it seemed they were on the same page.

"And you," he greeted never taking his eyes off her, which caused the kyubbi to knit his brow in confusion. The ANBU captain marched past their friend with purpose and came to a halt before her, his height and proximity causing her to tilt her chin in order to see his face.

Mutual anticipation and longing was there plain as day, along with excitement and relief. A rough calloused hand came up to cup her cheek and she found herself instinctively leaning into his touch. In an instant his lips here on hers and she held onto the arms that wrapped around her securely. She vaguely heard a surprised exclamation from Naruto but ignored it. She was far too busy enjoying the moment to pay attention to much else.

Neji's presence was the only thing she could focus on; his smell, his strength, and his warmth insisted that he was her whole world in that moment. She fell into his embrace, gripping his arms to bring him even closer. Her body felt like it was on fire but she felt safe, so very safe and wanted. He was making sure of that. The kiss was not long but she could not have imagined better and she followed his kiss with one of her own. A pleased rumble from him resonated in the hall and she found herself smiling as they pulled apart, just far enough for their eyes to lock intensly.

"Are you free?" he queried, an attractive guttural quality having laced its way into his usually smooth timbre. She hummed her accent. A smile lit up his eyes from within and he took her hand in his, gathering the words as he did so. "I would love to take you to dinner."

She leaned into the sensation of his thumb stroking her jaw line, taking in his appearance through heavy lashes. Handsome as ever, he did look a little less put together than usual. His ANBU uniform was ever so slightly dusty, and his hair was not quite as pristine as usual. "You just got back?" she surmised, quite pleased to have been his first priority upon his return.

He nodded. Tsunade had been surprised by his brusque report and even more surprised by his quick request for a few weeks off duty. As soon as his leave had been granted he turned on his heel and headed for the hospital, leaving his vice captain to answer any further questions. " I have some time off that I would like to spend getting to know you better."

She felt the blush flush her cheeks at the depth of his tone and the implication that it was not just one dinner he had in mind. "I'd like that." She turned to check with her old friend, the words leaving her mouth before she had gotten a good look at him. "Naruto, will you be alright?" she asked only to find him staring at the pair with wide sparkly eyes filled with tears that reminded her a bit of Lee. She had thought he would be protective, but he had always been a bit of a romantic, and if there was anyone he knew he could trust with his Sakura-chan it was Neji. The sight of his giddy expression made her smile. The warm hand that held her own brought her to lean further into the tall man at her side.

The deep quiet chuckle shook bounced against her ribs pleasantly. "Good." Neji reached down and retrieved the file that she had forgotten in their reunion holding it out to her. Sakura raked her eyes over the medical file and then promptly put it back on a cart to be filed. "Ready?" he asked only to find himself being pulled down the hall.

"Keep up, Captain," she said beaming at him from over her shoulder, fully intending to pick up where they had left off.

Hiashi held back a grumble, one that would have hardly fazed his angelic daughter, who was currently at his side. He hated attending these events. He was much more comfortable hosting them. He supposed he would have to resign himself to attending them, as the Hyuuga would not be hosting another Peace Celebration for many years to come. well, unless he could somehow convince the next clan to host for Konoha to let the Hyuuga take over the proceedings.

The crowd was heaving with chatter and general revelry as they all awaited the first dance to begin. This event was far less formal then his had been and in a away he was glad for it. He had already heard a few voices making it known that the previous Konoha Peace Celebration had been more impressive. He was a prideful and competitive man by nature and he drew pleasure from the ego boosting comments. That was not to say that Suna's event was not grand. It was in its own way. The lack of a specific dress code was appreciated. That blasted cummerbund had driven him mad the year before and he was thankful to be in a formal yukta this year.

A shock of red in the crowd grabbed his attention. The Suna leader was standing by to greet his guests quietly while his brother, who they all knew had been tasked with the planning of the party, chatted away with those who approached.

Hiashi bowed to the young kage, who in turn bowed back. "Hiashi-san and Hinata-san, it is good to see you." Hiashi could tell that the young man meant it. Gaara had done a great deal of developing over the years, possibly more than anyone he knew. Even so, social functions still made him a bit wary and the older man knew that the sight of a face connected to those he was comfortable with set the ruler at ease.

When the two men rose to their full statures the Hyuuga leader gestured to the grand hall which was now almost full. "And you, Kazekage-sama, have excelled yourself."

"We had a formidable example to live up to." It was subtle, but quite suddenly the leaders visage changed and his gaze lost the more relaxed quality. Something over Hiashi's shoulder had caused the kage to look for a quick escape route. Jade eyes narrowed briefly and then, as politely as he could manage whilst trying to escape he began to make his way towards a spiky blond head of hair. Naruto was not far away, exuberantly corresponding with a foreign diplomat. The clan leader quickly realized that he would soon be left by himself, for whilst his daughter was shy everyone knew she had a fondness for the Uzumaki boy. Gaara was more than aware and had been attempting to help his dense friend down the path towards happiness for sometime. "May I?" Gaara asked holding out an arm that Hinata gleefully accepted. She had been looking for the young blonde man since they stepped into the building and was only too happy to be escorted to him.

It was only a matter of seconds before Hiashi saw the matching bright purple kimonos heading his way. He remembered the mother from the year before and had to say he was surprised by her eagerness. He had not expected her to ever seek him out, not after the way he shut down any queries the year before, but here she was dragging her daughter along behind her. "Hiashi-sama, we were hoping to see you here tonight." The matriarch cooed with intent. The clan leader repressed a shiver. He knew a woman on the prowl when he saw one and it was as clear as it had been the last time they had met. He had not expected her to be so eager to seek him out but there was a first time for everything.

As it stood he could not recall their names. Thankfully he knew he could skirt that particular formality with a few well placed pleasantries. "Ladies, what a surprise. I was not sure you would make it this year," he said with a restrained bow.

Chubby fingers and long sharp nails jutted out playfully towards him and he was glad to have remained at a distance. "We simply would not miss it," she said, her hand returning to her person where he hoped it would remain. The matriarch craned her neck in an attempt to see around his shoulders. "Where is your dashing nephew? My lovely daughter was hoping he would be with you."

Hiashi had to give her credit. She did not beat around the bush. "He will be joining us shortly," he intoned, a small smirk lifting his features. A rustle of silk drew closer and he recognized the sure and steady foot falls that announced a new presence. Finally this whole matter would be put to rest. "Ah, there he is now."

"Uncle," Neji greeted, inclining his head slightly when he turned to the pair of bedecked women. "Ladies." His greeting was met with far too much enthusiasm. In the past he would have made a swift exit but this time he remained where he was.

After a quick nudge from her mother the young woman at her side meekly stepped forward with the start of a blush on her cheeks. "Neji-san that is a wonderful silk. The color is remarkable. Perhaps you might tell us which merchant procured it for you?" she was in earnest, he could tell and so he felt it better to nip the whole situation in the bud.

He folded his hands into his sleeves, an action that reminded him of his uncle but also showed off the beauty and detail of the navy silk. "I must admit that I did not pick this out myself, but I am sure my betrothed would be happy to help," he stated proudly.

For a moment the two women were uncertain and soon the daughter turned to the mother looking for guidance. The older woman's jowls bobbed a few times in shock, her daughters mimicking the motion next to her comically. "Betrothed?" she finally uttered somewhat accusingly and with a pinch of disappointment.

Much to Neji's delight, and his uncles too if the tone was anything to go by, the Hyuuga lord loftily responded. "Indeed. Did I not mention that my nephew was recently engaged?" The knowing smile he sported directly contrasted their shock and he was thrilled to finally be able to talk about the match. They pair had been dating for almost a year and while they had all seen quite clearly the direction the pair were headed they could not really discuss it formally. In typical Hyuuga fashion a relationship was not official until marriage was on the horizon. Some might have said that the courtship was fairly quick but for the family it had been drawn out. Sakura was already a family favorite and when she started making regular visits to the estate to see his nephew they could hardly hold back their excitement. After the previous Peace Celebration it was hardly a surprise to find them snuggled up intimately in the Hyuuga gardens a few months later. In their free time they were always together and Hiashi could not have been more pleased. As clan leader, he was ecstatic to bring a woman of Sakura's caliber to the clan. As and uncle, he had never seen Neji so happy. And so, with a bounce in his step he wandered off into the crowd.

Neji could hardly blame him. He too was pleased to finally put all of the political angling and match making to rest. His lady love was waiting for him not too far off and he had no intention of being away from her for long. "Ladies, it has been a pleasure," he said excusing himself gingerly, just as his uncle had done.

She was not hard to find. Her pink hair was held up by a simple yet lovely pin that matched her kimono. He was glad to have left their dress in her hands, for while they did not match in a way that was overly obvious, their colors complimented each others to a tee. She looked as sublime in the traditional silver and navy kimono as she had in the formal western attire. Her beauty often left him in awe, regardless of what she was wearing. He was always proud to be at her side and tonight he was doubly so for they were making their first formal outing as fiances. If he had his way, the news would be all anyone could talk about when the night was through.

He weaved his way up to his fiance, admiring the way her petal pink hair shone under the lights and her green eyes seemed to sparkle with mirth at the other kunoichi's comment. He recognized the girl as one of Gaara's students and was not surprised to find Ino and Sai hovering behind her. Sakura always seemed to know when he was near for just as he approached she turned to grace him with a large smile. "May I have this dance?" he asked, extending his hand out.

Her hand rested securely on his own as they made their way towards the dance floor. "I thought you'd never ask."

End Comments: This is not the perfect ending I had in mind. Sadly I don't have much inspiration at the moment but I did not want a repeat of GOL, where I promised to update but procrastinated for 5 years. I am also not entirely sure of where this was supposed to end when i came up with the idea all those years ago but I think this wraps it up well. It is also my hope that this does not seem too rushed but I fear it does. Regardless, it is finished and I intend to upload the epilogue for undercover shortly. Thank you to all my fans for sticking around. I may return to Shadow, and I may not. We will have to see. As always, I have no beta so please forgive any mistakes you find; I try my best. Reviews are always appreciated but no flames please.