Torture

Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Don't own.

A/N still no spell check, my apologies...

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When they finally got back to her apartment Sakura's phone was ringing. She hurridly kicked off her shoes and answered it. Kakashi walked over to the plush chair and sat down watching Sakura pace the living room smiling and talking, who was it?

"Yea... So how is your brother doing?... That's great! It's nice to hear from you again... Really?... So how long are you two going to be in town. I was planing on getting together with some friends tonight, it would be great if I could actually see you.
No, probably going to have be here, wait a second, Kakashi?"

"What?"

"Do you think we could out tonight?"

Kakashi gave her a not so sure look.

"Please... Oh come on," she raised a finger to tell him to wait a second, "No no Kankurou, just wait a second, So Kakashi, please. ANBU will be following us around, Kankurou hold on, I will explain it in a minute... no just wait. Come on, it's not like we'd be going somewhere easy to target, just the bar or something, so please?"

Kakashi rolled his eyes,

"Fine, no wandering off though."

"Yes!," she put one hand over the reciever, "thank you thank you thank you, I really needed to get out of the house." uncovering the phone she went back to pacing, "So about what time do you want to meet at Iyasu's.
9 sounds good, just let me call some other people.
I will explain it when we get there...Yes... no, I will tell you then.
Okay, say hi to Temari for me.
Oh really? well then put her on the phone.
Temari?
Yea, hi. what's going on?
okay, well you better go with Kankurou, it would be nice to really catch up.
Alright see you tonight, Bye."

"Have a nice little chat?"

"Why yes actually, now give me a moment. I have a few people I need to call."

Walking phone in hand over to the desk in the corner of the room Sakura dug around in one of her drawers and found purchas with a little black book, with an exclaimation of 'Ah Ha!" she flipped it open and dialed.

"... Hey Anko?"

Anko? Why was she calling Anko? He knew they were friends, he had seen them together at various dango shops and tea houses before, Kakashi eyed her suspiciously as she began pacing again,

"Yes, well I am going to be at Iyasu's around 9 and wanted to know if you could round up the usual suspects...yes I know... no...no I already talked Kashi into it... yes... no, I would never! Anko where do you get these things? Yes... yes I know... I do and what of it... No there is no way, he is my friend, he trusts me..."

What the hell is she talking about? Kakashi raised an eyebrow and waved one of his hands to get her attention. When she looked over he mouthed, 'what's going on' she let her shoulders slump back and yanked at her hair while mouthing 'why me', at this he chuckled and she reached over to the side table and chunked a little figurien that looked a lot like Pakkun at his head.

"Alright now that's been settled, you better be there and bring everybody that's available... Okay, sure you can bring a friend... Alright see you then."

She paused in her pacing and looked at Kakashi who was looking at her rather expectantly, "She wanted me to trick you into showing her your face, I said no."

"Good, so who are, and I quote, 'the usual suspects'? I have never seen you with Anko at the bar before, Tea houses and food places sure, but never drinking and I can't see that ending well."

"Oh well, Anko and I started hanging out after a mission a couple years back, we had gotten to be really good friends. We would get together every month at the bar to play catch up and it slowly evolved into a regular thing... as for who the regular suspects, it started out with Anko, myself, and Genma.

Then this one time, Genma brought Raido and he started coming regularly. And then once after Tsunade had given Izumo and Kotetsu a really hard time at work, I invited them and they too became a part of the regular group. And then we ran into Shikamaru and Ino once and had them sit with us and they brought Kiba the next week... So that's the 'usual suspects', answer your question?"

"Uh, yeah..."

Sakura smiled and went back to her book,

"How many more people are you calling? That right there would add up to 13 including us, 14 with her bringing someone."

"Well, nosey aren't we, I know for a fact Raido is gone on mission and there is no telling if the others will all be able to make it, so I plan on calling Sasuke and Naruto because I promised to get drinks with them the other day and I am thinking about inviting Yamato, Sai and Shika... oh and possibly Neji."

"Sakura, you do realize that if Naruto says yes, Hinata will come and if Sasuke says yes he will bring that Suigetsu guy..."

"Yes and I would love to see Hinata, Suigetsu not so much, but hey, Sasuke is just trying to get him to be less weird around all of us, no one has really warmed up to him even though he has been here for a few years now."

"He's a bit creepy... But that's not my point, is there going to be room at Iyasu's for that big of a crowd to sit together, I don't think so... well unless you get the VIP room..."

"And I will, I happen to be on good terms with the owner, it's where I get Shisou's sake!"

She went back to making calls and by 8 o'clock she had gotten a yes from Sasuke, Naruto, Shikamaru, Yamato and a maybe from Neji. The owner of Iyasu's had said the room would be ready for her and not to worry about a thing. Sai was gone on a scouting mission with Suigetsu, Izumo and Kotetsu. She looked over at the jonin who was reading in her chair,

"Well, go get ready... that's what I'm doing."

She turned and went back into her room, dissappearing behind the door. Kakashi straightened what he already had on and yelled, "Ready!" at her through the door.

About 30 minutes later Sakura stepped out of her room and Kakashi just about fell over.

"Why are you so dressed up?"

"This is not dressed up, this is... well it's 'damn I feel good and I wanna look it'. You got a problem with that?"

"No."

"Alright then, lets go."

Kakashi grumbled a little bit and pulled his shoes on, Sakura grabbed a pair of heeled combat boots and pulled them on and the set out for the bar. The ANBU outside followed silently.

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When they entered the bar everyone there looked up at them, probably because of the 2 ANBU behind them. Sakura walked over to the bar and informed the barmaid working that if anyone asked for her to direct them to the VIP room. She nodded and Sakura then noticed that Kankurou and Temari were already there.

Sakura walked up behind Kankurou and motioned for Temari to be quiet about it. When she reached him she promptly glomped him, causing him to jump and fall from his chair while Temari cackled from her seat across from him.

"Kankurou!"

Kankurou rubbed the back of his head as she helped him up from the floor.

"Come on, we're in the back."

Kankurou threw an arm around her shoulder as they walked. Temari smiled and Kakashi stiffened a little though he wasn't sure why, he was a little annerved by the young sand-nins arm being around Sakura.

They walked into the room, the ANBU standing guard stood on either side of the door, looking like rather intimadating bouncers.

Anko, Kiba, Genma, Ino, Shikamaru and oddly enough Ibiki were already seated at the gigantic booth and had a few bottles... no scratch tha, jugs of sake in front of them. Anko jumped up and pulled Sakura into a bear hug before sitting back down pulling the girl into her lap and laughing at the look the new comers gave her.

"Sakura?"

"Ha, don't worry about it." She smacked Anko over the head lightly while sliding off her lap and into the seat next to her.

"She always does that. I think she likes me."

Kakashi took the seat next to her, Kankuro across from her, while glaring a little at the copy-nin and Temari next to Kankurou.

"So, I believe I owe an explaination to Kankurou as to why I am being escorted about by ANBU, ne?"

"Yeah, I would think you do."

"Guards, there are some people after me. Not to mention that I am, uh... 'mentaly unstable'. I was captured and questioned by an enemy so until whatever time I have ANBU following me... that is all I am saying about it though! I am here to have fun."

Pouring herself a cup of sake she smiled,

"Anko, was Ibiki who you were talking about on the phone?"

"Yea," she turned and looked at Ibiki who was sitting beside her with his arms crossed looking a little uncomfortable, " He had talked to me a little the other day about you, I wanted him to get the chance to see you at your best. So when you called earlier it gave me the idea and I drug his ass along."

"You have some rather odd friends to say the least, Genma wont stop taking about women he wants, Yamanaka and Nara wont stop acting like Sarutobi and Yuhi when they were younger, the Inuzuka wont stop asking me about my scars and the I don't know much about the two you just brought in, but Kakashi is odd enough on his own... How do you deal with these people?"

This statement garnered a couple of huffs, a 'troublesome', and a small squeak of protest as well as a dry laugh from the copy-nin. Ino looked a bit confused,

"What do you mean 'Saratobi and Yuhi?"

"I mean Asuma and Kurenai, they always fauned over one another."

"Oh."

"I notice you didn't mention Anko there..." Sakura was grinning through her drink as she spoke.

"Do I really have to say anything? I think she did a good enough job of that by sitting you in her lap."

"Oh that's a good story!"

Kiba started laughing,

"Can I tell, can I?"

"Go ahead Kiba."

Ino and Shikamaru shook their heads and Ino leaned into his side as Shikamaru leaned back nursing his drink in one hand. Kankurou sat forward while Temari had managed to crawl over him and sit next to Ino. Kakashi just leaned forward on an elbow with his eyebrow raised to listen.

"Okay, okay. So it was the third time I had come, Sakura was sitting between Genma and Anko. Well anyway, some dude's came in and were all preaching about god this and god that, and when they got to our table Sakura smirked at them and completely seriously, she snaked her arm around Anko, who grinned like a mad woman and told them, " I don't believe in a god, but I damn well believe in a goddess." and they started being all dirty and crap. Right there at the table!

It was hilarious! Those two dude's mouths hit the floor and for all their preaching, couldn't turn around when Anko started kissing her... that was pretty hot... but when they finally came to their senses they ran as fast as they could outta there. Sakura and Anko about died laughing! It was great! Funny and hot. Jerk worthy even!"

There was a loud,

"Amen!"

from Genma who looked as if he was now picturing it in his head while Kankurou and Kakashi just looked at Sakura disbelievingly and Temari piped up,

"Girls are fun!"

" So Temari, what are you doing here?"

Temari smiled while taking a sip from her own drink, "Well, chunin exams are coming up so here I am. Shika and Ino have been having me stay with them... I have been having my own fun, to say the least."

"Hey we aren't drunk yet... no sex stories, especially when they involve me!" Ino was blushing a little.

"Alright, Kankurou, we know why Temari is here, why are you?"

"Well, we have I happen to have a team in the chunin exams, so take from that. They are pretty good, well good enough for me to want them in the exams."

The doors opened again and Sasuke, Neji, Hinata and Naruto walked in. Naruto was trying to get one of the ANBU to say something while the rest made their way over. Sasuke spoke as he sat down next to Kakashi,

"Yamato can't make it, he said to send his apologies. Last minute mission."

The night progressed almost every one save for Kakashi, Ibiki, Sasuke and Hinata getting rather sloshed. Kakashi was finding it hard to ignore Kankurou's hitting on Sakura every chance he got and was getting a bit agrivated.

Sakura was now thoroughly smashed and Kankurou kept throwing cheesy pick up lines at her, she was laughing when she felt Kakashi pull her closer to himself. She looked at him curiously,

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Sure..."

Instead of bickering she just scooted a little closer and leaned against him while she continued talking to everyone.

---

Ibiki was watching Sakura and noticed how relaxed she had become most of her friends were around her, he made a quick mental note of that before turning to Anko,

"You were right."

"I know, I always am. Besides, it is exactly what she needed. Sakura is a great kid and I am really glad she was assigned the mission that led up to our friendship,"

Anko turned and looked at Ibiki,

" She saved my life. Damn good medic! She is dependable and just as long as she has all of us around she will get better and faster than if she didn't. It was the same for me, and I am pretty sure the Uchiha over there too... And god! Would you just look at them? When are they just gonna do it already! Jeez, you can tell they love each other what the hell is taking them so long!"

Ibiki looked over at the two in question and silently nodded, though he had never seen them together before this insident, it was enough to know that they did care for each other. Not to mention Neji had come into work just the other morning rambling something along the same lines.

"It is a major difference from her usual behavior, even before the situation she just went through, from her work demeanor. She seems happy and relaxed. At work she was all business really."

The conversations were raging around the table, Ibiki had even joined in once or twice, supplying some good banter, when the doors flew open and Gai stood in the doorway,

"I knew it! How very un-youthful to have party and not call I, Konoha's noble green beast!"

Almost the entire table rolled their eyes, Sakura spoke,

" Gai, I would have but I figured with such a youthful person, as yourself, you would have been away on mission!"

Kakashi, Ibiki, Kankurou, and Sasuke all looked at Sakura as if she had grown another head. Their neighbors quickly leaned over and whispered to them, "Don't worry, she just knows how to deal with... er handle him..."

"Why Gai!"

she stood up and pointed at him,

"Some one as hip and cool as you should know that! How could you accuse, I, the youthful cherry blossom of Konoha, of such a discrepancy! I challenge you to a drinking contest to aswage the injustice you have committed!"

This earned a few snickers and wide eyes from those who had never seen this before.

"Yosh! I must beg your forgiveness and submit to the contest as my apology!"

"Bring me sake!"

The door s were opened again and a small table was carried in by one Barmaid and exactly 1 normal sized bottle of sake as well as 10 cups.

Sakura moved over Kakashi' and Sasuke's lap and took her place at the table while Gai stood at his.

"Aright, lets start this!"

The bar maid poured the first shot.

----

Exactly 16 minutes later Sakura stood triumphant and Gai was passed out in his seat. She walked back over to the booth and took her seat again. She was recieving strange looks from those same sets of eyes.

"What, he can't hold his drink. Haven't you ever noticed that he only ever has 1 or two drinks and never goes further than that? By the 5th glass he always passes out, and don't worry Lee wont be bursting through the door, he doesn't drink unless he wants to go all drunken master, which isn't often and he wont be hurt by the lack of invitation."

After about 2 hours Naruto, Hinata, Neji, Ino, Shikamaru, Temari, Kankurou and Kiba took their leave, Naruto having carried Gai out with him to take him home.

Sakura was leaning against Kakashi's side again and he had his arm draped around her. Sasuke was smirking from his seat while Anko was giving Genma a hard time and Ibiki spoke with Kakashi about old times. Sakura soon piped up,

"So, Sasuke... I have seen most of your scars, are you planing on telling me how you got that one?"

She reached over the table and poked him in the cheek.

"Sparring."

"Oh come on! you know I like the stories!"

Sasuke huffed,

" Fine! It was Naruto... he got me with a kunai."

Sakura dissolved into a fit of laughter

"Oh oh thats just great, mister 'you wont even scratch my forehead after all these years' and he finally got you!"

"Oh shut it... Well I should call it a night anyway. I will stop by tomorrow 'kay?"

"Sure see you then Sasuke."

Sasuke gave her a quick hug and left Ibiki finished his drink off and stood,

"I should get going as well, I have work rather early tomorrow. goodnight and get home safely."

Anko shuffled her feet under the table and looked at Sakura,

"Oh just go Anko, jeez."

Anko jumped up planting a kiss on the pink haired girls lips and flew out after Ibiki, before the door closed Sakura could see her snake her arms around Ibiki's and follow him out. She giggled,

"I'm glad she caught him."

Sakura looked at Kakashi who was looking at her rather oddly,

"What, what is it?"

"She just kissed you..."

"Uh, yeah..."

"Does that mean the story Kiba told earlier was true?"

Genma smirked from his corner,

"Oh hell yes it was true, and it was hot!"

"Oh shut up Genma, Yes Kakashi, Anko and I made out for an audience, it was funny as hell. Why?"

Kakashi blinked a couple of times and changed the subject,

"Sakura we should probably go as well. You have plans tomorrow."

"Oh alright. Bye Genma."

"Alright, have fun you two."

Kakashi cuffed him before helping Sakura up. She was laughing,

"Genma you damn perv."