Requested fanfic. But I kinda wanted to do this anyway. Just ashamed I didn't think of it sooner ^^'

Well, unless you've been living under a rock, I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. That right goes to Masashi Kishimoto. So there's my disclaimer. Now on to the fun!

Chapter one: Different from Normal

Konan sat against the wall, turning a thin scroll over in her hands. As she turned it, she couldn't help but curl the edges. If the scroll weren't so thick, it would be much easier to fold into a long stem. Scrolls weren't meant to be folded. She looked over at Nagato laying on a bed of stone softened only by a pile of straw and a single blanket. He had his back turned to her, saying nothing. They had spent the last few hours in silence. It was hard for her to know if he was awake or not.

"They'll be arriving soon, won't they?" he asked softly.

She didn't looked up from the scroll in her hands. "Yes."

He glanced over his shoulder, only for a moment, to look at her. Then he rested his head against his arm, facing the other way. "This will be one of the rare times when everyone's all together."

"We've had our meetings," she said softly.

"But this is a time when we're together without a jutsu over great distances. We will all be together under one roof for a time. A long time."

"Only a few days until things calm down a little. It's a safe house. You picked the location yourself." Konan uncurled the corners of the scroll and flattened it out over her knee, trying to smooth it before rolling it back up.

"It is a safe place where we can all locate and live comfortably for a short time." He gave a sigh, his voice growing weaker.

"Are you alright?" she asked looking up from the scroll in her hand.

"Yes." He let out a deep breath. "This headache is getting worse. I think it might be becoming a migraine."

She said nothing, but shifted her legs to let him know that she had heard him.

"I'm trusting you to go there and keep an eye on them in my place."

She nodded, even knowing that he could not see her do so. "I understand. I'll take care of everything. Don't worry."

He shifted and she stopped. "Wait." He was silent for a while. She stared at him, scroll folded up in her hand. He gestured to her with his shoulder, not turning to face her. "That scroll you have in your hand. Was it from that woman you met before?"

She held it tighter. "Yes." She kept her answer short. He already knew the story. They passed by a small shop on their way to the next town and then to their current hiding place. The shop seemed rundown and about to close any day. The old woman who ran it seemed desperate to sell. When she saw them pass, she stopped them and asked if she could interest them in anything. Nagato ignored her and Konan was eager to follow his lead. Then the woman asked if they were ninja and they both stopped. They talked for a short while and at the end of their conversation, she handed Konan a scroll. The scroll in her hand at that moment.

Nagato gave a nod of his head. "Is it what she claimed it would be?"

She turned it over in her hand. "It seems so."

"It only lasts for a week, correct?"

"Yes."

He nodded again. "I see. And she gave it to you yesterday. That means you have five days left. Six if you count today."

She nodded. "Yes."

He shifted again, throwing an arm over his eyes. "You should use it. After all you will be stuck with them for a week. This should make good use of it. And it gives you an excuse to be more open and speak. You little wallflower."

Konan tucked the scroll away in her coat and out of sight. "Do you think so?"

"Of course." She could practically hear the smile he was giving her. "You're entitled to a little fun. And if you need to hear it, I give you permission to mess with them a little."

She nodded and turned to give him a proper farewell. "I'll put everything back when I'm finished."

"If you wish," he said. "No hurry."

Not too bad for a start, right?

This is gonna be fun! ^-^