Trace: Wow.... Ummm... oops....

*camera pans to see Itachi covered in needles and blood*

Trace: Okay.... ummm.... *doesn't know what to do* Okay... that manual says that you aren't suppose to be bleeding...

Itachi: Well, it's too late for that!

Trace: Umm.... right.... I'll...be...right....back.. xD

Itachi: Trace! TRACE!!! WHERE ARE YOU GOING!!! TRACE!!!

A/N: Okay. I know that I haven't been good to you guys at all. I just lost interest in Itachi's and Lido's story and got busy with other pairings. I promise you, however, that I have picked this back up and that I won't leave you peoplez in the dark. Thank you! Enjoy. :D

Chapter 3 Speechless

All I heard this morning was that they were coming; but I didn't know who. The hokage had placed me under the care of their best black ops and jounin which were positioned around the heavily guarded building. I sat in my bedroom in which five blackops were positioned around, staring out the rain pelted window.

It was an awful dreary day, rain pouring down all day. If anything bad were to happen it would be a terribly good day for it. I sighed then thought about going out for a treat after this was over. Surely they wouldn't keep me locked in here for long.

My thoughts were interrupted by a clash of metal and loud thuds outside the building. I bolted out of the room. All of the ANBU in the hall were already rushing outside. The intruder had advanced inside the building and was now forcing the leaf ninja further in. I readied myself for anything; I had thought.

My feet sank into the ground and my heart throbbed. More ANBU fell to the ground, blood splattered on the ground and across this unearthly man's face. Men and women I knew fell to the ground and did not get back up. Another blue being towered over the first one and swung a sword.

"Try not to kill them." said a wonderful, melodic voice. The voice seemed to hum and pause in his throat before it was released and hit the ears. The sound was like water pausing on the tip of a rose petal then falling to ripple in a puddle.

"You take all the fun out of it!" said another rough and wild voice which I barely registered. Shark-like teeth disapeared behind blue lips. Fists met flesh and kunai met kunai until the only two left standing were the strays.

Blood had streamed down my Jounin vest and my skirt. My face was soiled with the same red substance I had grown used to over the years. Everyone I had known had just been taken out, and I had just stood there. I had stared in wonder. Was this what it was like to have so much power? Was this like what happened so many years ago?

The shorter figure straightened from his fighting position then turned his head for his eyes to meet mine. I could not distinguish the irises of his eyes from his pupils therefore the expression that could be expressed on his face was cold. Black hair tied back, black cloak with red clouds, and a scarred leaf headband-- surely this was death for I thought this day would never come until I had passed on. The wrinkles under his eyes as well as the dark shadows had become more visible and his face and body filled out, but this was indeed--

"Careful Itachi." spoke the blue man warningly.

Itachi. The name I had waited for so many years to hear again was now the name of a killer.

I wonder what Tsunade would think of me, frozen in place-- unable to kill the notorious murderer of the Uchiha clan.

Two forces pulled me in different directions at the same time: run and never look back at the man who betrayed me or wrap my arms around him. My head and my heart both were pounding in my head.

Itachi walked to me, closing the gap between us and causing my heart to pound harder and faster with each step.

He put his lips to my ear and whispered my name. Lido. He poofed into smoke before me. "Kuso." I breathed. I raised the kunai and glanced around. The blue skinned man grinned toothily, watching my every move.

I struck, my arm flinging out to meet flesh before my mind could tell it to do so. A strong hand gripped my wrist. My left hand began to sign. The floor rose up to trap Itachi's legs, his hand immediately releasing mine. Kisame's grin faded.

"Stay there," Itachi warned. He then turned to me and closed his eyes. My eyes trained themselves upon his feet.

"Your power is halved without your Sharingan. Whatever it is you want, you will not get past here."

Itachi began to form hand signs. "Too bad we don't have to go anywhere. Fire ball jutsu!"

I dodged the flames quickly but couldn't see what he was really doing. The heat from the jutsu was just enough to free him from the floor. The flames allowed him just enough time to slip behind me and knock me unconscious.

When I woke up I found myself to be lying in a very uncomfortable bed. I looked around me. The walls were rock. There was nothing in the room except for an armoir. To the right of the door a small portion of the room was walled up and had a door. I hoped that was a bathroom. I rose up quickly and saw Itachi standing in the corner. He no longer wore the black kimono with red clouds on it, but was instead wearing blue jeans and a gray t-shirt.

"About time you woke up." he said, his voice a cold sensation sending shivers down my back. "Sleep well?"

I didn't know what to say. There was so much to say. So much to ask him. So much to tell him. But all I could manage was a nod.

He walked a few steps forward toward my bed.

"Well." he said. "Um.... If you will, get up and get dressed. The shower is to your right."

He turned around and opened the door and then closed it, disappearing into the hallway outside.

I didn't know where I was or why Akatsuki had kidnapped me. But I had to find out. I got up from the bed and grabbed a white robe from the chair beside me. I then went to the bathroom and closed the door. Stripping down I turned the shower on and stepped into it, the warm water waking me up and soothing my nerves.

After I had washed and dried off I put my robe on and then opened the door to go out to my room. My eyes widened when I saw Itachi sitting on the bed. Startled, I withdrew and calmed myself quietly. "Um. Could you-"

"We need to talk." he said.

"Okay, but can it wait? I'm a little..."

"No. Once I take you outside that door, Lido, you and I become something quite different than what you are used to."

Stunned I asked, "Why exactly am I here, Itachi? Why have you protected me over these years. I kept your secret. Why don't you feel like you can trust me?"

"Because this secret does not just involve us. If I told you, I would not only be risking my life, but yours as well as others." There was a long pause of silence in which we both stared at each other. I looked for any trace of weakness in his eyes, anything that would give me a clue as to what he was talking about. As usual, there was nothing.

"When you and I step out of that door, we are no longer what we once were. I am the captor, you are the captive. You are to do what I tell you to, when I tell you to do it. Understand?" his voice was low, even for his regular one. This voice struck fear into me. What had I gotten myself into? More importantly, what had Itachi gotten himself into? I nodded.

His face relaxed a little. He handed me some clothes. Here, put these on in the bathroom. You won't be needing the ones you have on."

I looked at my jounin vest and sighed. I hid my headband under the matress then I went to the bathroom and changed into a red tank top and a pair of dark blue jeans. Next came a pair of sandals. I combed through my hair with my fingers and pulled it over my shoulder.

"The man you are meeting is Zetsu. He is the one we report to around here. Do not let him scare you. He feeds on fear." came Itachi's voice.

I opened the door to see Itachi standing inches in front of me. I saw a stunned and soft look on his face, the same one that I had seen on his face so many years ago. As quick as the look had come, it faded into a grim one. "This way."

Trace: Alright alright! Calm down! *comes back with a box of bandaids* (I think the readers are getting tired of the accupuncture thing anyways. I need a new hobby!

Itachi: o.o Please.... no more needles....

Trace. Nah... needles are boring. I was thinking more along the lines of taking up chainsawing.

Itachi: O.O

Trace: *grins evily*

Itachi: *runs for his life*

Trace: *runs after him* Awww.... come on Ita-san. I was only kidding!!!!