Squad 17

Summary: In which Sakura meets her ANBU team, a captain whom she can easily fall into routine with, an asshole, and a reserved man that she gets along with quite nicely.

Part one: Meeting the Team

Sakura would attest to the fact that the entrance exams to join the ranks of ANBU black ops had been hell. She really didn't even believe that anyone would say otherwise. Her opinion didn't even have anything to do with taking the exams before she was ready. Because, as much as Sakura had her ego under control, she knew she was going in more than prepared to take her rightful place among the elite. In fact, the Haruno could have joined nearly two years ago, when she had just turned seventeen. However, she had taken a solo S-ranked mission to Suna instead. Said mission occupied her time with teaching their medical core how to actually do their jobs. A feat she was proud to say she had accomplished, at the price of many migraines.

"You must be our newbie." A tall man remarked as he entered one of the many standard issued rooms housed in the ANBU headquarters. Sakura would estimate, correctly so, that this man was just on the brink of twenty-three. His appearance included severely cut brown hair with what may be considered piercing grey eyes, which blended in nicely with his broad build. The kunoichi was unimpressed, especially as he sat down in a way that intentionally flexed the muscle which his ANBU tattoo rested on, "I'm Naosuke."

"Charmed, I'm sure." She replied dryly as she played with a Senbon needle. A needle which she had swiped off Genma earlier that day. At a time when they had both waited for Tsunade to pull herself into some sort of sober state. Out of the corner of her eye, Sakura watched as another member of her new squad entered the bland room. This one was a few inches shorter than the first with vibrant red hair and deep charcoal eyes. Like the first he was in full uniform, his mask resting on his hip.

"Sakuzo," he offered, walking into the room and leaning against the furthest wall.

"Sakura," she replied eyeing the clock. Maybe she should be the slightest bit nicer to her teammates, but she was not in the mood. Sakura had returned from Sand without rest in order to get to this year's exams. A very unintelligent move, seeing as it was suggested that participants in the exams rest during the days prior. Obviously, she hadn't done that due to her two day run. Furthermore, she had only gotten three hours of sleep before being called into the hospital for an emergency case. Hence, she was not in a very happy mood. Then again, if you asked her, she would state that she thought she had gotten along quite nicely with Sakuzo.

"Nervous princess?" Naosuke asked, misinterpreting her glances at the clock. Idly, Sakura wondered how he made it in ANBU. Surely, someone like Anko would have 'accidentally' put him into his place by now. Maybe he was a very good ninja, she sure hoped so considering she was going to have to put up with him. Instead of answering his unappreciated comment, Sakura sent him a dark glare. A glare which had been picked up during the many hours spent with Gaara, over the course of her stay in Suna. Naosuke shrunk back in his seat a bit, only a bit.

When her glare might have saved her temporarily from one teammate it seemed to grab the attention of the other. Sakura ignored the discreet glances and watched ten seconds tick by on the clock.

"What's your specialty?" Sakuzo asked in his rough voice.

"Medical Ninjutsu and Genjutsu." Her response was bland. She didn't want to not get along with her teammates, however, any emotion in her voice would have been laced with irritation. Taking the emotion out of her voice simply felt like the more prudent option.

"Damn, means that we are going to have to protect her cute little ass," Naosuke commented. Thus adding yet another reason for Sakura to dislike the man. It really bugged her how the pompous bastards in her profession always seemed to think that medics couldn't fight. One would think that their particular Hokage would have changed that line of thinking by now.

"I'll be sure to remember that on the various occasions I will be saving your worthless ass." She snapped back, her resolve to get along with her teammates suddenly mattering little to her. "I offered up my specialty; now enter your part for this bonding ritual." Sakura continued dryly. Oh, what she wouldn't give to just kick Naosuke's ass and go home to sleep. Hell, she would sleep right here in this chair if it weren't for the fact that she lives for her job.

"Ninjutsu and swordsmanship," Sakuzo responded, walking towards the pair to sit on the window sill beside them. The interaction between the pair, when possibly problematic, was fascinating to observe.

"Taijutsu, I fight up close and personal. I'm very good with my hands." The idiot commented in a poorly suggestive manner. Even Sakuzo was getting a little fed up with his teammate and he was used to the frequency of such comments. Had she been in a better mood, Sakura might have toyed with the idea that the harassment she was suffering might have been a byproduct of the reason there had been an opening in the squad.

"That's nice, and if you touch me with those hands I will cut them off." Sakura remarked seriously as she looked at the clock again. The captain was already a half hour late. If her captain turned out to be Kakashi, she was going to seriously kick Genma's ass for not telling her. She could be sleeping right now. Actually, the lack of sleep wasn't even what bugged the female the most. She could go days without sleep during a mission and still kick ass when they got into a battle. What bugged her was that there was no valid reason for her to be up right now. If the captain wasn't here, there was no reason for her to be. Too bad she couldn't remember if Kakashi was an active ANBU at the moment because she really didn't want to ask her team. Correction, she really didn't want to say or do anything that would invite Naosuke to speak.

"Who is our captain?" She finally asked as she looked at the red head.

"Hatake Kakashi. He is the great Copy Ninja-" the woman stopped listening to the praises coming out of Naosuke's mouth. Yup, she was going to kill Genma.

Continuing to ignore his rambles, she got up and walked over to the standard looking table and laid down on the surface. Completely content to allow herself to enter a doze until the captain arrived. Even with both teammates staring at her in confusion, she counted the scarce raindrops that hit the window. Sakura also channeled out her chakra which gave the impression of 'watching' the people walk around the building. She didn't even bother to move when the captain teleported into the room.

"Yo." Her closed eyes knew that his book would be in sight.

"Hey captain, you never told us our new teammate was HOT!" The Sharingan User's eyebrow rose and her trained senses could feel his eyes on her form.

"Yeah, I'm surprised he is still conscious too. By the way, I might not be on this team for long." She considered sitting up. "I could easily get away with murder, but a double murder might get me demoted" she mused. Being tired really wasn't the best state for her to be in.

"Well then," Kakashi responded happily as his male subordinates watched the girl in confusion, "let's take the time to spar before we lose you."

Twenty seconds later the squad was standing in the center of training ground twenty eight. "This is the first time that we have introduced a new member into Squad 17. So, tell me boys, how should we go about this training session?"

"Straight Sparing, two on two," Sakuzo suggested, obviously thinking to gauge the compatibilities of fighting styles among the different combinations.

"I think we should put her through the bell test captain." Naosuke added with a broad gin.

Sakura wanted to laugh, was it possible that someone out there actually enjoyed the bell test? Had Kakashi seriously put an ANBU team through the test and had they managed to get the bells?

"Interesting suggestions." The squad leader remarked with an eye crease making Sakura feel like a genin again. "And as amusing as it would be to watch you try and get a bell Naosuke," Sakura had to fight back a grin. "Today Sakura will be watching a three way spar between us men." A few years ago Sakura might have taken offence to that, she would proudly protest and then go about showing anyone and everyone that women are just as capable as men. However, that was years ago during a time that Sakura was not comfortable with her own abilities. So now, Sakura calmly walked over to the tree, one which she was happy to find was very comfortable, and watched the men with her head tipped to the side.

Naosuke seemed to think that this was her natural place, watching at the sidelines. A fact which did not sit well with his newest teammate. However, Sakuzo seemed worried about this arrangement. "Ah, captain, I apologize if it is out of line for me to say, but are you sure Sakura shouldn't be participating in our match." It was clear that the man was questioning his captain of sexism. Furthermore, if that had been the case then it very well would have been out of line for him to imply such.

"Of course not, we have our first mission tomorrow and we can't have Sakura-chan here worn out. All she needs to do is watch our styles to blend in with the teamwork," the Captain offered cheerfully.

"You know Hatake, that both enforces and completely destroys the idea of your decision being sexist," she commented from her spot a few meters away.

"Well Haruno," he pronounced her surname slowly, "if you have no argument with the matter then I don't see why they should." Their routine and mannerisms were so easy to fall into that the transition was flawless. Although, to an outside observer their teasing was very borderline dislike. She had missed him.

"You are correct that it isn't any of their business. However, had Sakuzo not made it his business, you would be disappointed in him for failing to live up to the team bonds that you are known for harping about." Sakura probably should have felt bad for her teammates. The poor boys were eyeing their captain like he might just pounce and slit her throat any minute.

"Fine then, let's make this a guessing game. First person to tell me why Sakura will sit there and look pretty when we spare, doesn't have to run one hundred laps around Konoha. No penalties for wrong answers, now go." Kakashi was enjoying himself. Causing discomfort and confusion among his subordinates was always amusing. More importantly, it always seemed to bring the subordinates together, banding together against the big bad captain.

Sakura took pity on her teammates and knowing that Kakashi wouldn't make them run any laps that he hadn't planned on giving them before-hand, answered for them, "I'm currently functioning on about two percent of my chakra. If I reach absolute zero then it will take more than a night's sleep for me to be able to function enough for a mission."

"Did the exams take that much out of you that you still aren't replenished?" The sexist one commented.

"Well, at least I know which one of my victims will be my free shot." Sakura mused as she realized Naosuke became target number one. Genma would therefore be her victim that would result in her demotion.

"Be nice Sakura-chan, and we need to be open with our teammates. Our girl here had a nice two day run before her exams and then did a high ranking operation at the hospital to save some of our own before meeting up with us. Isn't that right Sakura-chan."

"Get on with your sparring." She countered thinking about how Kakashi was going to let the bastard shoot out as many sexist comments as he liked, waiting to see which one finally landed him in the hospital.

Because Kakashi had finally learned that Sakura could fight her own battles.