UNTITLED

The whole week she seamed to be off beat more morose and detached than others. "You noticed that too?" asked Naruto directing his question to Sasuke. "Might be Kakashi's absence" he suggested. "She's gone years with out seeing him, one week wouldn't cause that" said Sasuke pointing at Kai sitting under a secluded tree with her head on her knees and her arms wrapped around her legs. "Loneliness can creep up on you, out of nowhere, consume you from the inside out" added Naruto knowing Sasuke would understand. The only person who didn't understand completely what that felt like was Sakura, who sat between Sasuke and Naruto. "Should I go talk to her?" interrupted Sakura "No, I think its best we let her think things through, whatever they may be" stated Sasuke blankly getting up and walking away. Naruto and Sakura sat together watching Sasuke walk by Kai.

"Sasuke" she sadly said in a low voice, lifting her head. Sasuke quickly stopped and looked down at the balled up girl. He didn't respond but simply looked down at her. "Do you know when Kakashi will be back?" her voice quivered as the words slipped out. "Next week if he's early" coldly flowed the words. He thought she was a fan girl because she was always around him but so was the rest of the squad. Yet Kai had no interest of that kind in him. "Oh" her head lowered once more and her gaze fell to the floor. He took tow steps when he realized he couldn't just leave her there, wallowing in her sadness. He figured "what fan girl wouldn't like to get some food with me? She is a teammate after all." He turned around to face her "Kai" her eyes slowly looked up "I'm going to get something to eat, do you want to come?" he asked not putting any interest in the question.

Sakura and Naruto watched in amazement as Sasuke talked to Kai. "Didn't he say to let her be and think it out?" asked Sakura anger growing with in her. "Yeah, but maybe it's best for her to talk to someone even if it is Sasuke." Naruto's eyebrow raised as he saw Sasuke take Kai's arm pull her up and if not drag her to where ever her was going. It seamed to Sakura that everyone was concerned about Kai, but to her the was nothing to be concerned about.

"No" her answer was as bleak as possible, her outgoing personality seamed to be disappearing with the coming of the days. Sasuke was surprised be her answer, he was sure she would say yes. Not long from his rejection did he get an overwhelming feeling of compassion, sympathy, and pity. He reached down and took hold of her hand. Her head turned up as he pulled her up. She was rather light and easy to hold up. "What are you doing?" she asked with surprise in her voice. He didn't answer but forced her to walk by pulling her arm behind him. A couple of steps away from the tree he wrapped his arm around her waist and said "you're accompanying me to lunch." This time it was her who was speechless. They continued walking his arm around her waist until they reached the ramen shop. "Sit" he ordered with a blank look. She did as she was told, just trying to the day done with.

"His arm is around her waist" pointed out Sakura but Naruto had already walked away. "I knew she was no good to have around here, and just when me and him where starting to get close" sighed Sakura getting up herself. In her team she had always been the one others worried for, she was the helpless one who didn't know how to defend her self until recently. But now the tables had turned, Kai was stronger than her by far, she had more skills and power, yet she was the one others were concerned for. "Maybe I can crash them and interrupt their… what ever it is." She walked in the direction she watched them go. It wasn't long before she spotted them at the ramen shop. Sasuke was looking down at her with a smile. Even though they were sitting he was a good two-three inches above her. She was looking back at him with a slightly irritated simile.

"What are you having?" asked the man behind the counter. "Depends who's paying?" replied Sasuke looking at Kai with a smile. She looked up at him with an ironic smile hinting that he was going to be the one paying. "Hey guys" came an unfortunate voice to Sasuke's ear. "Sakura?" asked Sasuke irritated by her presence. "Mind if I join?" she asked, Kai was quick to answer "No… you can join Sasuke, I had to get going any how" her voice got lower once more. Her movements were slow as she climbed off the chair. Sasuke and Sakura watched her walk away. "Just me and you" smiled Sakura. "Maybe another day, I'll grab something at home, see your around" his voice sounded annoyed but Sakura refuse to accept his rejection. "He's busy" she said to her self sitting at the ramen shop alone.

She sighed in relief; she didn't really want to be with anybody. Today was the day that her parents had past away. The only person she had known since then was Kakashi and he was no where near the Village. She walked to the little stream she remembered spending time with her parents at. Her head was buried in her knees; her arms around her legs, hiding the tears the flowed form her eyes. They were abundant; she could taste their salty flavor as they went over her lips. Why had it been her parents sent on the mission and gotten killed.

"Maybe I was wrong about her" thought Sasuke standing on his porch. "Or is it just her depressed attitude" he couldn't put his finger on it but there was something he liked in her. He wasn't sure if it was recent of if he had just grown fond of her.

Naruto was back at his house as well "Sasuke and Kai, sounds weird, but like it belongs. Like it was always there" announced Naruto to the empty house. Would it be because when one of their names was called the other was sure to follow? "Sasuke and Kai you're searching the West side" Naruto repeated Kakashi's words. "Kai, Sasuke…, Sasuke, Kai" repeated once more Naruto. "Maybe with Sasuke out of the picture with Kai, Sakura will have time for me" he stood in joy, his plan seamed full proof.

"Why her?" Sakura talked to herself as she walked through Konaha. "She comes and shows up out of nowhere, Kakashi starts paring her off with Sasuke, and he falls for her, if only Kakashi pared me with him." Sakura's anger grew with in.

It was getting late the sun wasn't far form setting. Yet, she still sat there wallowing in her sorrow and tears. She had spent all afternoon down by the stream, playing memories of her and her parents over and over in her mind. "If only it wasn't them…" she kept sobbing. There was alight drizzle falling form the sky, almost accompanying her tears.

Sasuke walked to Kai's house in hopes of finding her there. Her house was empty; no one home, the door was still locked. "Kai" he yelled knocking on the door, he was now walking though the Village looking her. It was strange to him that he was worried about her, he had never really felt worry for anyone. He went as far as the outskirts of the town. He was walking a dirt path through the forest when he heard a faint "If only it wasn't theme…" followed by mournful sobs.

"Kai?" he whispered looking at her drown in her mournful tears. She didn't seam to hear him, nor did she want to, she just wanted all the pain to come out. He didn't know what to do or say. All he could feel was a wave of pity crash against him. The rain was getting harder; she sat there continuing to sob in pain. Sasuke froze, stood there watching her, under the freezing rain.

The moon was now out, the heavy rain continued, but Sasuke and Kai where still in the forest under the rain. He watched her continuing to cry hour after hour. He hadn't moved since he had gotten there. She hadn't stopped crying since she left Sasuke and Sakura at the ramen shop. He took a step near her, and slowly continued to her close, as if she were a frightened animal that was going to run away.

The rain dripped of his nose as his face came near hers. She didn't react but simply kept crying. He watched as the rain mixed with her tears and flowed down over her lips. "You can't stay here" he announced his body kneeled next to hers. "Why?" she managed to mumble. "It's freezing and raining" he came closer to her. "Why them? Why?" she repeated. Sasuke had no idea what she was talking about but he knew he was getting out of the rain and she was coming with him.

She unwrapped her arms, laid on the ground her knees up against her chest, her arms under her head. "Kai" he yelled at her under the rain. She didn't answer she just wanted to be alone. "Just go" she whispered her tears getting lighter. "I'm not, until you come with me" "Where? The only place I need to be is here" she was stubborn beyond belief. He didn't know what to say, he didn't know why she was crying. He kneeled next to her for a while before he spoke again "Why do you cry?" his voice was down to a whisper. Then it stuck him, she had never been with other adults besides Kakashi and he didn't have any children, Kakashi has always been the one caring for her beyond the care of a sensei. "Your parents, they're gone" his voice was low and frail; he laid next to her looking up at the sky.

"Four" three years before Sasuke had lost his. She wasn't facing him; her head was turned in the opposite direction. But his head was facing hers, now he wasn't the only one, Naruto had no parents either nut he didn't know what it was like to have parents to be loved. She did, like him, had parents and though unfortunate events had lost them. He has so longed wished that he could let out his pain and frustration like she was. Ni he couldn't he wouldn't, he wasn't going to let his weakness come out. He wasn't going to tell her his life story, sure enough she probably knew it or so he thought.

They laid on the moist floor under the freezing rain, but no longer did the rain feel cold, no longer did her heart beat with pain. All she wanted now was sleep; Sasuke's presence had faded from her mind, her eyes slowly closed as she dreamt of a better yesterday. It was a while since Sasuke realized how long they had been out there. He sat up slowly leaning towards Kai her eyes where closed "Kai?" he lightly spoke. The early morning was quiet, all that could be heard where the droops of the water hitting the puddles that had formed on the ground.

Sasuke picked her up in his arms; he looked down at her face buried in his chest. His mind was black.

They were both soaked head to toes. Sasuke instinctively walked to his house. He gently threw her over his shoulder; all that came from her was a small groan. He unlocked his door, walked up the steps and laid her on his bed. He took out an old shirt, turned to Kai "put this on your soaked." She surprisingly sat up, undresses in front of him, and threw the old shirt on. She laid back down on the bed, placed her head on the pillow, closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

The sun wasn't up yet, it wouldn't be for a couple hours. He took a change of cloths and walked out the room after placing the covers over Kai.

He was sleeping on the couch when a loud knock woke him. The sun was out and bright "what time is it?" asked Sasuke squinting his eyes towards the sun. "8:40" answered Naruto with Sakura behind. "We have training to do with Yamato today" announced Sakura steeping in front of Naruto. Sasuke stepped away from the door allowing them to come in. "Did you sleep on the couch?" asked Sakura moving the blankets so she could sit. "Yeah" Sasuke's voice was tired and his body wasn't hiding it. "Well I'll go get Kai while you get ready." Sasuke sat on the couch opposite Sakura and said "don't worry" he sighed "she's in the room" his hand pointed to the shut white door.

The sun was shining through the window exposing the beautiful early morning. Kai stretched her arms out, then quickly tucked them under the covers again. Her eyes didn't open she was still sleepy. It seamed as though she didn't realize she was in Sasuke's house, on his bed. The whole night before was a blur to her.

"She is?" Sakura stood form the couch in surprise. Sasuke merely shook his head relaxing his body on the couch. Naruto was speechless; he didn't really know what to say but "Why?" The room was full of tension, tension that wasn't needed. "She spent the night" not really night but early morning. As he spoke not a muscle in his body withdrew from relaxation. Detail, why did she spend the night? For what reason? Is what they wanted to know. Trying to droop the subject he asked "so when are we to be at the training grounds?" "Nine" quickly answered Sakura walking to the door. It was now 8:53 "you guys get going we'll see you there" Sasuke remained on the couch. Surprised by his relaxed manner they quickly walked out take aback of what had just happened.

Naruto and Sakura walked with a steady pace "she spent the night" repeated Sakura "how, why, why would Sasuke do that?" Sakura was now hysterical with anger. Naruto, on the other hand, had warmed up to the situation and didn't care much for it. "You don't even know why Sakura and you're already upset" he walked closer to her trying to comfort her. "But …" she got interrupted "we'll ask them at lunch, then it will all be explained" Naruto's arm was on her shoulder and she wasn't hitting him, maybe Sasuke and Kai was a good thing after all. It was exactly nine when they reached the training grounds. "Where are Sasuke and Kai?"

His body was heavy with lack of sleep yet he still stood and walked over to the closed door. "Kai?" he knocked on the door, there was no response for a couple seconds.

Scared by Sasuke's voice Kai rolled over and fell to the floor. She let out a scream of shock as she hit the floor the blankets still wrapped around her.

Sasuke pushed the door open to see Kai on the floor. She looked up at him in amazement. Her hair was slightly curled, her eyes bright against her dark hair, her lips rosier than before. "Your hair" he muttered, Kai sat on the floor pulling her hair forward twirling her fingers through it. "What? Does it look bad? Tell me" she continued disregarding the fact that she wasn't in her own house. "No, just curly" he had never seen her with curly hair, or any one for that fact. "Oh" she stood walking to the mirror on the dresser "I haven't seen my hair like this since my… a while ago" she corrected. Sasuke stood in the door way looking at her, her hair long down to her waist.