Mind you- the time period is the 18th Century, so names are being changed because I said so;
Gaara- Nathaniel

Hidan- Samuel

Ayumi- Abigail

Plus, in chapter 1 I stated that I didn't own Naruto…

Mary woke lazily the next morning. Her face and pillow were stained with tears. She sat up, and whined in pain. The scars and bruises on her back ached her. She moved quickly, saving herself from suffering. She suddenly stopped. Sitting upright she gazed around the brightly lit room and panicked slightly. She leaped out of bed and, ignoring the stinging pain, hurried to the window. She braced herself against the pane and gazed to the cobblestone streets of Philadelphia; horse drawn carriages hurried busily down the streets, it was easily noon! Mary normally got up at 7.

She hurried to pull on her dress. She pulled the white petticoat on, then mustard colored floral dress over her head and laced up the front, placed her apron on over her head, quickly brushed through her hair and tied it up under her cap, pulled on her weathered boots and hurried out the door. She slipped across the floor when she saw Nathaniel standing outside her door waiting. He wore his blue wool coat and britches with his black boots and hat. He smiled when he saw her, "Good morning!"

Mary paused, catching herself, "Why are we- why didn't anyone- where's- What's going on?"

"You know as much as I do. Oh! But Samuel's in the room still. I'll wait by the stairs if you want to go get him."

She nodded and took off down the hall, lifting her dress and petticoat out of tripping reach. The door was closed when she arrived.

Mary knocked twice, "Samuel? Are you in there?" No answer.

She knocked a third time and the door swung open. There was no light cascading into the room. The shutters were closed and the curtains were pulled across. Mary took a few silent steps inside the dark room. She found a candle and matches on the table by the door and lit it. There was blood on the floor; the blood formed the pentacle-like symbol Samuel wore around his neck. In the center of the circle sat Samuel. Mary grinned to see him but stopped dead in her tracks when she realized the blood was his. He wore nothing but a hooded cape around his waist, Mary's face turned from worry to horror when she saw that he was slowly plunging a dagger into his chest.

"Samuel, stop this madness!" She cried, racing towards him.

He gasped and turned to look, but she was already upon him, tackling him to the ground. He pulled the dagger from his chest and let it drop to the floor.

"What are you doing?!" Mary sobbed.



He couldn't speak. She slapped him.

"I'm… I'm sorry…Mary," He finally choked out. Mary cried over his shoulder and he was afraid to comfort her. He hesitantly placed a hand on her head. Mary wept until her eyes dried and she could pull away from him. His pink eyes looked down at her with sympathy. She looked up at him, his blood smudging across her face. He wiped his thumb across her face and helped her off of him.

"Let us get you cleaned off." Mary sniffed, walking away from him toward the water basin. Samuel silently followed.

Mary took a rag and dipped it in the water. She patched up his wounds, after, telling him to sit. He sat in the wicker chair and Mary began cleaning blood off his shoulders. She continued to clean blood off his body while Samuel remained silent. When the last of the blood was gone, Samuel placed his hands cupped around Mary's. They stayed like that for a few seconds before he took the rag from her and cleaned her face.

Mary gave a faint smile and cleaned out the rag, "You should put on some clothes."

He nodded and went to the dresser. By the time Mary turned around, Samuel was already tucking in his shirt. She waited for him to finish, staring down at her feet. When he was done he walked over to her.

She looked up into his, now, clean face. He pulled his necklace off from around his neck and held it in front of her, "I want you to hold onto this for me."

She stared blankly, "Why?"

"Because. Now take it."

She nodded dumbly and took it into her hands letting the chain fall loosely through her fingers. She traced the circular pentacle with her fingers, and then went to slide it into her pocket. Samuel grabbed her wrist, shaking his head. He took the chained symbol and placed it around her neck. She looked down at it, and then tucked it into her shift.

"What does it mean? That symbol?" Mary asked.

"It's a long story. Some other time, alright?"

"But-"

He placed a finger to her lips, "Some other time?"

She reluctantly nodded. He placed a hand on her shoulder and began leading her out the door. She refused to look up into his eyes, so she stared down at her hands as they walked.

Just like he said, Nathaniel was waiting at the head of the stairs.



He ran up to Mary, "Jesus! You look like you've seen a ghost!"

She gave a fake smile, "Yeah. That's must have been what it was."

He looked warily at her for a moment, then up at Samuel, "What happened?"

He said nothing.

"What did you do to her?"

Samuel looked down at him, "Nothing. I was bleeding and she helped me."

Nathaniel's eyes narrowed into slits, "Alright. Mary, let's see if we can get something to eat."

Mary nodded, "I am still wondering why we weren't awakened like everyone else."

Both Samuel and Nathaniel nodded. Side by side with Mary in the middle, the three headed down the beaten wooden steps. The front door towered above them and they realized the door was locked.

They shrugged off the thought when hunger rumbled through their stomachs. The group moved single file through the arch hallway to their right where it opened up into a large dining room. The table was set for the kids, but there was no food… just kids. They scanned the group of children, who stared straight ahead at each other like zombies. All three eyes came to rest on an empty chair, usually belonging to a thin teenage girl named Grace.

"Everyone is here except Grace. Grace is gone…" Mary whispered blankly, Samuel and Nathaniel looked at her.

"Excuse me?" Came a young voice from behind them, snapping them out of their trance.

Nathaniel whirled around, followed by Mary and Samuel; behind them stood a girl about their age. She looked like nothing they'd ever seen. Her hair was blue like the ocean, reaching her shoulders and her eyes were like Mary's. Ice blue. Her dress was blue matching her hair with a cream colored apron and petticoat. Her stockings were torn at the ankle and her gloves had a hole at the wrist.

Nathaniel grinned, "Can we help you, miss?"

"Please, call me Abigail," the girl grinned in return.

"Abigail," Nathaniel repeated.

She nodded, "I was brought here this morning," she seemed sad, "My parents got sick and died a few nights ago."

"I'm so sorry," Mary said, sympathetically.



"Please. I'm looking for a Mary Anna Kenneth, she is to be my roommate?" She emphasized the word.

Samuel elbowed Mary in the ribs and she jumped, "Oh! I'm Mary Anne Kenneth."

Abigail extended her hand, and Mary shook it lightly, "Pleasure to meet you."

"Yes, pleasure. Allow me to show you to the room."

She nodded.

Mary placed a hand on Abigail's shoulder; she gave a shrug to Samuel and Nathaniel and headed back in the direction of the stairs.

The blue haired girl's bags were already waiting at the top of the stair case. Mary looked around, who was here to carry them up? She thought.

She shook her head and ushered Abigail up the steps. Mary insisted on carrying her things and soon they arrived at the room. The busy streets were still abuzz as Abigail unpacked her things, "Now, are you sure you don't mind my staying here?"

"Wha- Oh, no, not at all." Mary said with a friendly smile, "I've wanted a roommate like all the others. It gets lonely in here by yourself at night."

"I'm sure. So tell me about yourself, Mary." Abigail inquired.

"Well, I'm 14 years old, have lived her most of my life, and have boys as best friends."

"Wouldn't most people think that's unlady-like?" Abigail asked.

Mary shrugged, "I don't think much of it, and neither should most people."

Abigail let out a small chuckle, "Well it's good to have free-thinking ladies in this world of war."

Both the girls were silent for a while before Abigail spoke again, "Let me ask you something very serious, Mary."

Mary's icy eyes met hers, sending shivers down both of their spines, "Has anything strange happened in the last 2 days?"