A Rose in a city of Thorns

Hi, my name is Sasuke Uchiha and I'm a secret agent for an organization called Ninja. Our job is to clean up the mess the CIA and the other guys leave behind. In a way we're the ones running the world and making sure that everything runs like clockwork. I'm the leader of a unit known as 'Hidden Leaf' and my team and I help maintain the peace in a city that is shrouded with sin, greed and violence. But in the city my partners have manage to find their light in this world. Kiba my man in charge of our dog unit met up with a girl named Mina, who just happens to run an animal clinic in the countryside. She's a sweet girl and very patient with Kiba and happy. Our resident geek/nerd/computer genius/lazy bum Shikamaru ended up with a girl that keeps him on his toes. Her name is Temari Suna and she is one bossy bitch which is good for Shikamaru cause he gets his work done and isn't asleep at his desk during work hours. One of our Medical specialists a girl named Ino found a guy by the name of Sai who keeps her mind on him instead of me. Which is good cause I don't need another fan girl following me around wanting me to sleep with them.

Now my idiot partner and his soon to be cousin in law are a real special case, cause no one knows how they managed to keep their girls. Neji is one of my top gunman and an expert when it comes to hand to hand combat met his match at the hands of a five time Judo champion and undefeated Kung Fu master, TenTen. Of course when they met it was love at sixth pin. And I mean Neji literally pined her on the sixth pin cause she pinned him the first five times until he finally got the drop on her and then some. Now my partner Naruto is a special case, this is because of the fact that the girl that he is seeing just happens to be Neji's cousin, Hinata. And despite his tendency to be an idiot, klutz, clown, slacker, moron, incompetent fool, etc, etc…he actually seems to be thinking right when it comes to her. And why she said yes to marry him is beyond me but that's them.

Now while everyone has someone special to them, I however have yet to find that special someone. That is until I met Sakura Haruno, the one girl in this whole world that drives me nuts. But I'm moving ahead of myself; let me take you back to when I first met her.

(Two years ago: Late winter)

It was a normal day at the office and when I mean normal I mean Shikamaru was asleep at his desk. Neji was putting ice on the lump he received from his last sparring session with TenTen. Kiba was being a pervert with Mina over the phone while she was trying to tell him something important. Naruto for his part was doing his work, but was also eating his lunch at the same time. Which I don't mind one bit since his lunch partner is Hinata. Since he has someone to eat with him now, my afternoons have been…dull. Which brought me back to the work that Ino was supposed to have on my desk before she left today, and never received.

"Nara where is Ino at, she never came in today with those reports I asked her for." Sasuke turned to see Shikamaru still asleep on his desk with mountains of paperwork surrounding him as he once again was asleep.

"Uchiha give it up, you know that once he falls asleep that there is no waking him up. Heck the only one who can wake him up would be Temari and she's at the hospital right now tending to her brother Kankuro." Sasuke just sighed when he heard that. True his team was one of the best, but there were days that he wished that they would do what they were told before they did whatever they wanted.

"Well where did she go anyway? It's not like her to run off for no reason besides to see that boyfriend of hers" Sasuke then went about the task of working on his other paperwork that he had while the other tried to remember why she left in the first place.

Kiba who had just gotten off the phone with Mina was the first to speak up for he remembered Ino asking him to watch her Dalmatian, Dolly for the day while she was out.

"Chill Sasuke, she just went to go pick up a friend of hers that's moving into the city. Apparently her friend was having some trouble back home and decided to move out here with Ino and a few other friends. Why I don't know, but one thing is certain whoever got this girl upset is in for the ass whooping of their lives from Ino" Kiba laughed a little for he knew how protective and downright dangerous when she was mad at someone.

"Oh and did she say when she was going to be back too Kiba? Because I need those reports and she just up and leaves in the middle of the day. *groans* Why does she do this to me? And in any case she needs to get back before-,"

*BEEP-BEEP*

Sasuke stopped mid sentence and Naruto stopped stuffing his face with noodles for a moment and turned to his partner then back to his fiancée for a moment.

"Hey Hinata-hime I think Sasuke needs to take this call in private so why don't I drive you home so you can get ready for our dinner-date tonight? Or we could just skip dinner and move straight to dessert *Husky sexy Growl*" Hinata just giggled as her Naruto took her out of the room and down to their car.

Meanwhile Sasuke and the others stayed and listened to their latest mission assignment from HQ. And this one was one hell of a mission for them.

"You know Kakashi you have the worst timing known to man. If Naruto hadn't taken Hinata out of the room, we all would have been busted. Now what is the mission this time Kakashi and please tell me it's not guarding the sultan's daughter again." Sasuke heard his chief laugh behind his mask and then began telling them about their mission. Sasuke would just have to tell Naruto when he got back from taking Hinata home.

Meanwhile across the city, Ino and Sai were at the airport waiting for her long time friend Sakura to get off and meet them. Ino was overjoyed to hear from her longtime friend and former roommate was coming to stay in her town. Ino and Sakura were very close as children and she knew of all of Sakura's problems. One of which was with her step father and step brother. The second problem was the reason she's moving here. Ino had received a call last week from her about Sakura's mother dying in her sleep and her not feeling safe in her own home anymore. Ino didn't have to be told twice about her living with her at all. Sakura was like family and she would always be welcomed in her home. Now she was busy trying to find out where the hell she was. I mean a girl with pink hair and a wide forehead like hers can't be hard to miss.

"Oh…where is she and why hasn't she come out of the plane? I'm beginning to worry about her Sai. Sai….are you listening to me?" Ino turned her attention to her boyfriend to find out why he wasn't listening to her and found him looking out on the runway at what looked like an ambulance and a girl with pink hair…wait pink hair!?!?!

"SAKURA!!!!" Ino and Sai rushed down to the runway before the ambulance could drive away and rode in the back with her friend. Once at the hospital Sakura was taken into the ER and Ino made a few phone calls, one being to Sasuke and the others telling them to meet her at the hospital.

"Come on Sasuke, quit being a dick and pick up your damn phone already." After the fourth ring Sasuke picked up. Ino then told him to meet her at the hospital and she would explain everything once he got there.

*One hour later*

"Okay Ino now tell me this one more time…what happened to your friend and why did I have to send Naruto and Shikamaru to the airport to talk to the crew?" Ino for her part took a deep breath and turned to Sasuke and tried to tell him what happened to her friend without breaking down again.

"Okay from what my partner Dr. Seiryu said, my friend was hurt before she got on the plane just she didn't notice. And knowing her and her stubborn nature she was determined to get out here one way or the other. From what I've been told she got into one hell of a scrap with whoever did that to her. I was told that she had severe bruising and she was cut on the lower right side of her hip. Dr. Seiryu said that she'll live but she'll be on bed rest for a sometime but there's a good reason for that. My partner mentioned something about doing a tattoo removal on her." Sasuke gave Ino a weird look and Ino's face became very stern as she continued with her story.

"Sasuke someone in her family put the Red Dragon seal on her. And you and I both know that people from that clan have a tendency to disappear for no reason. Sakura doesn't deserve that fate. And I think I know what happened to her mom too. You see the last time I saw her mother she was weak very weak and was holding her arm a lot. Then I noticed one time before her and Sakura left the city that she had the Red Dragon tattoo on her arm. Sasuke her mother was murdered by those guys and Sakura was next on their list. I can't lose her and she doesn't need any more drama in her life. Losing her mom hit her hard enough and it will take a while for her to get over that. What she needs right now is to be around people that care for her and people she can trust." Ino heard Sasuke give a blunt grunt at the last thing she said.

"You mean like a trusting friend like you who just happens to be a part of a secret organization that is devoted its life to protected everyone on this planet and you think she'll be as forgiving to you for lying to her all this time, Ino?" Sasuke knew that Ino meant well by her friend and only wanted to protected but now her friend was involved in a war that they had been fighting for years and she would be caught in the crossfire if she wasn't careful.

"Sasuke I know, but I just want her to be safe and away from whatever or whoever did this to her. So I had an idea to give her a job working with us and before you say anything Sasuke listen to what I have to say first. She won't be working in the field with us, more so she'll be working with you and helping you get your paperwork done and stop complaining to me about getting it done. I had hoped that she would have finished med school with me and she was only two years away from earning her Master's degree in medicine too. But this is just until she can get on her feet. 'And if I play my cards right she can become a permanent part of your life Sasuke. Among the lot of us who deserve to be happy, you deserve it far more than any of us. And I'll see to it that you find your happiness.' Now what do you say, sound like an idea to you?" Ino waited for Sasuke to answer hoping that he would agree and let her friend work as his assistant for a while.

"And you promise that she'll get the work done and won't run off in the middle of the day like you do? The last thing we need is another you running around." Sasuke saw a vein appear on Ino's forehead and knew he hit a sore spot.

"I promise you Sasuke that Sakura will be the best assistant you've ever had. And she makes a mean carrot cake too and the best butter cookies these lips have ever tasted. I promise you she'll get the job done. Just promise me that you will be careful about what you say around her. Her mom's death is still on her mind and it will be a while before she gets over that. Also I was wondering if she could stay with you for a bit until she finds her own place and before you say anything think for a moment, if she stays with me she'll feel as though she's taking advantage of my generous off. If she stayed with Shikamaru and his girl she probably get killed by Temari and drive Shikamaru up the wall. Naruto and Hinata are out of the question since Neji is determined to get him to walk down that aisle to his cousin a good man with no past problems with women, or have you forgotten about Karin and her harem of women that tried to ruin their relationship because you called her a slut over the PA system and practically ruined her social life?" Ino knew about Karin's little attempt to break those two up and it ultimately backfired on her.

"And Neji and Kiba are out of the question, cause of TenTen and Kiba's dog squad that seem to rule over his house. True if it was just one dog it wouldn't be a problem but Kiba has about twenty to thirty dogs living with both him and Mina. And Sakura is not use to being around big dogs like his. And I don't know how Dolly would react to her since she's never seen her before. Please Sasuke, I promise she won't be any trouble." Ino gave her best puppy dog eyes knowing that Sasuke would give in like he always does.

"Alright, alright Ino you win she'll stay with me until she can find a place of her own and that's it. Now when is she supposed to get out of the hospital?" Ino just smiled and hugged the man who was like a big brother to her.

"Well let's go check to see if we can get her out of here today. Cause if I know her she'll try to check herself out and try and find me later." Sasuke just shook his head and followed the blonde woman he saw as a sister to find out where her friend was.

Meanwhile Naruto and Shikamaru just got through talking to the crew to find out what had happened and to say that they were pissed is an understatement. Naruto couldn't believe that people as stupid as that didn't once check on the girl to see if she was alright. He was so mad that he was seeing red which is why Shikamaru was driving.

Shikamaru for his part just wanted to get back to HQ to get the blood samples he found to the lab. Also whatever was behind this girl's seat that would give off small traces of radiation and not arose suspicion in the other passengers. And why couldn't he get a straight answer out of the crew. Well he had time to wonder about that later, right now he had to get back to the office and the sample he got to the lab.

Meanwhile back at the hospital, Sasuke and Ino were on their way to greet Sakura who had just woken up from the surgery and was feeling just fine.

*KNOCK-KNOCK*

"Hey Forehead how are you feeling after being under the knife for two hours?" Ino didn't miss the small vein that appeared on her friends face when she called her by her old nickname for her.

"Oh I feel just fine Ino-pig I always enjoy going to the hospital after I pass out after a flight" Sakura was far from fine and Ino knew it. If Sakura was being this sarcastic then she was far from fine.

"Sakura what happened to you before you got on the plane? The doctor said that you were in one hell of a scrap before you got here. Sakura what happened to you before you got here anyway for you to end up like that?"

Sakura could tell that her friend was worried and she had every right to be. Heck the last time she ended up in the hospital was when they were kids and she fell off a tree and broke her leg trying to get her cat down. She knew that she couldn't lie to the one person who has been like a sister to her for so long.

"Alright I'll tell you what happened but you have to promise me Ino that you won't go crazy and kill someone."

"I promise Sakura just tell me what happened to you."

*sigh*

"Okay before I left I had a little run in with my stepfather. He wasn't so happy to find out that I was leaving town and tried to keep me there. Unfortunately for him I'm not so easy to deal with once I'm set on doing something. I had already packed up my stuff and had it shipped here but I wanted to get a few things that I left back at the house that belonged to my mother and I ran into him. And it was my sixteenth birthday all over again Ino. He didn't even care that my mom was dead at all. All he cared about was me giving up my inheritance to him and the next thing I know he and I are shouting and after that I was thrown thru the main window of mom's house. That was the first time he ever did something like that and the next thing I know I'm being kicked into the wall and pass out for a few minutes. When I woke up he was gone and after that I made a bee line for the airport and I guess you could say that the rest was history. The next thing I know I'm waking up here. Does that answer your questions Ino or would you like me to go into detail about all the things he said about you that I'd rather not repeat?"

That was the last straw in Ino's opinion. She knew that Sakura's stepdad was an ass and downright mean at times but she didn't think he could be this heartless. Ino and her family could tell that this man was no good and had a shady past. As Ino got older she figured out what Sakura's stepdad was. He was the leader of a gang that is wanted by the FBI and the CIA for murder, arson, smuggling, and the list goes on and on. That was one of the main reasons that Ino joined Sasuke's unit and became a medical specialist. She had hoped that Sakura would become a doctor along with her but Sakura had put her dreams on hold to help her mom.

"Sakura I promise I won't kill your stepdad but I can't promise that I won't cause him bodily harm the next time I see him. But everything will be fine. Oh and before I forget there's been a slight change in your living arrangements. You see I kinda forgot about your thing for big dogs and well my Dalmatian is kinda not use to meeting new people. And she's rather big for a dog of her breed so I asked my friend Sasuke if it was alright if you could stay with him. Just until you get on your feet and find a place of your own. So are you ready to meet him Sakura?" Sakura could tell that her friend was up to something but didn't have the strength to deal with it right now.

"Alright since I know you won't take no for an answer and I really don't have a place to stay; I guess staying with your friend would be alright. Just as long as he's not that Ramen obsessed freak you keep telling me about."

Both Ino and Sakura laughed at that joke and it made Ino happy to hear Sakura laughing like that.

"Okay you wait here and I'll bring him in and promise me you'll get along with him Sakura, okay?"

Sakura put on her best smile for her friend and watched as she left to retrieve Sasuke.

"Now Sasuke please be nice to her okay?"

"Fine just as long as she doesn't remodel my house I'll be fine with her Ino" Sasuke wasn't looking forward to this but kept a cool face around Ino so she wouldn't kill him.

"Sakura allow me to introduce the man you'll be staying with, Sasuke Uchiha. And Sasuke this is my long time friend who is going to be staying with you, Sakura Haruno." Ino had a smile on her face for she knew her plan was working since neither one of them had stopped looking at each other.

"Hi I'm Sakura and it's nice to meet you Mr. Uchiha" Sakura extended her hand to shake it only to have her hand kissed by the lips of the man that was going to let her stay with him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you but as long as we're staying together, you can call me Sasuke. Mr. Uchiha makes me sound old and I don't want that. And Miss Haruno I just have one rule in my home and that's no remodeling it while I'm either away on business or running certain errands. Think you can do that?"

Sakura just smiled and nodded her head yes to the man. "I understand perfectly but just so you know, I like to be called Sakura. If that's alright with you?"

Sasuke just smirked at the girl and nodded his head.

*To Be Continued*

*Well what do you think of this fanfic so far? I got this idea after watching CSI: Miami and the Unit with my Dad and it hit me, why not do a story like this. True it's not a crossover of the shows but it's kinda like it. For now just enjoy the story and I'll get back to you with more. Please review and I'll make more chapters. So until then…Ja Ne!!!*