Protectors Ch 3

Yeah… That last chapter was interesting, wasn't it? ^^ I'm loving where this is going and I already have the ending planned. I'm hoping to get around twenty chapters… :/ I have no idea to be totally truthful. XD I just write the stuff, guys. Don't shoot the author!

Likes to Smile: XD He probably wouldn't have said anything unless I 'made' him. Kisame is a very angry man when he wants to be, isn't he? That's a really cute nickname though~ She was a little useful but not as much as some people think she should… *huge sparkly eyes* Really?

cheeky half-demon: Oooor the not so happy reunion! Not sure yet. Yep. ^^ Only Pein and Hidan know about his 'dirty little secret' XD

SeEmYaWeSoMeNeSs: XD I'm not saying your wrong, but I'm not going to say you're right either. You're just going to have to wait until I flat out write it. Sorry~ I still love you though~ It's not a problem! I actually think it'd be best to see what my reviewers are thinking… Ooo! That's a really good idea! I might have to steal it~ XD I love your plot ideas and I think being one of your characters sounds cool! Ha… Kind of. Oh… that makes a lot more sense now. ^^" Three years? o_O"

SnowsShadow: Yeah. They're all so aware~ I love Kisame too! :3

Thanks to SnowsShadow for the alert/favorite and HearItXxI'mScreamingIt for the alert and favorite!

I've heard there was a secret chord,

That David played and it pleased the Lord.

But you don't really care for music, do you?

It goes like this:

The fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, the major lift.

The baffled king composin' hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Your faith was strong, but you needed proof.

You saw her bathing on her roof.

Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you.
She tied you to your kitchen chair.
She broke your throne,

She cut your hair.

And from your lips she drew the hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Maybe I have been here before.

I know this room,

I've walked this floor.

I used to live alone before I knew you.

I've seen your flag, the marble arch.

Love is not a victory march.

It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

There was a time

You let me know.

What's real and going on bellow.

But now you never show it to me, do you?

And remember when I moved in you.

The holy dark was movin' too.

And every breath we drew as hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Halle-

"Tobi, can you turn that off please?" My voice sounds shaky and my knuckles are turning white against the black of the steering wheel. He nods and his gloved hand reaches across to press the radio button. It's at that exact moment that the car dies. A loud curse I don't use except for rare occasions like this one. Tobi looks over at me with what I'm sure is a look of pure shock.

"'Mori-chan!"

"What?" I ask turning on my hazards and pulling over to the shoulder.

"That's a naughty word!"

"I'm a naughty girl," I shrug stepping out of the car and putting my hands on my hips. As soon as Tobi steps out, the car is engulfed in flames. This time I cover Tobi's ears before I say that word again. "Looks like we're walking into town," I sigh and let my shoulders slump.

…line…line…line…line…

Kakuzu's POV

"Hidan turn that sh*t off," I say as he wails along with "Hallelujah."

"F*ck you old man!" He says flipping me off and turning up the music. "Religious songs kick a$$!"

"That isn't even religious," I sigh rubbing my forehead with one hand as I drive with the other. My hearts start pounding when I see a familiar car smoldering a little on the side of the road. From the looks of it, it just went out.

"Hey," Hidan stops singing and turns off the music. I thank anyone who's listening to my thoughts as he gets me to pull over. Bending down, he picks up the remains of a license plate between his index and middle fingers. "Looks like they were just here," There's a huge sh*t eating grin on his face as he jumps back in the car. My heart is thudding dully as I get back in the car and drive towards the center of Taki, my mind racing as I try to think what I'm going to do when I see her. A few ideas run through my mind as Hidan whips out his phone and starts dialing numbers.

This definetly will be interesting…

…line…line…line…line…

Kumori's POV

"Looks like we're going to have to lay low here for a while," I sigh running a hand through my tangled hair, wishing I'd grabbed those little conditioners from the hotel in Suna.

"Tobi's hungry," He decides and skips off to the vending machine to get munchies.

"Grab me a soda?" He nods and I sigh, leaning against a pay phone. "Just peachy… The car catches on fire and I bet it's going to rain." It's that exact moment when it starts pouring. It takes two minutes for my shirt to be soaked through and my bra to show. Black bra plus white shirt equals stupid. You think I would have figured that out in my seventeen years of existence.

"Kumori?" I turn around and see Kakuzu standing behind me, a mix of emotions on his face.

"Hi," I say quietly and he takes three quick strides towards me. I blink. Suddenly my cheek is stinging and I'm slumped against the tree four yards away. My eyes water from the pain and I hear Hidan gasp.

"Dude… you f*cking hit a girl." He says and comes over, pulling me to my feet.

"I know," Kakuzu says and comes over. I flinch when he raises his hand again. I see a flicker of emotions in his eyes and I'm pressed against his heaving chest. His arms are tight around me, so much so I almost can't breathe. "I can't believe you, Kumori-chan," He mumbles, just loud enough for me to hear.

"I know," I say quietly and let my arms go to his back, pulling myself closer to him. "I'm sorry, Kuzu-kun. I-" He pulls away putting a finger to my lips.

"You shouldn't be apologizing, I should. I f*cking punched you," I laugh despite myself.

"I deserved it,"

"No girl," He says taking my chin between his thumb and forefinger. "should ever be touched like that," This makes my heart melt as I get onto my tiptoes to kiss him. He smiles a little and puts his hand on the back of my neck, tilting my head back effectively deepening the kiss.

"Woo-woo!" We both break away at the same time and see Hidan on the ground laughing, now covered in mud from rolling to side to side. Tobi looks at us sideways

"What are 'Mori-chan and Kakuzu-san doing?" He asks, sounding confused.

"Kumori-chan was choking and I got it out," Kakuzu says clearing his throat and pulling his mask back up to cover the bottom half of his face. "Peppermints are the worst," He finishes and pulls an umbrella out of his coat pocket, unfolding it above us.

"Time to go," He says and kicks Hidan in the stomach as he passes.

"F*cking a$$hole," Hidan groans and pulls himself to his feet. "Where are we going?"

"Doctor," My boyfriend says coolly and takes my hand as we go back to the car.

"Are you sick? Ulcer?! OhmyGod I gave you an ulcer didn't I?!" Panic sets in, it dying when he start laughing.

"Kumori-chan, I'm fine," He says brushing a soaking wet lock of hair out of my face with another chuckle. "Just a checkup, while I'm here. S…Someone I know is a doctor at the local clinic. I owe him a visit,"

…line…line…line…line…

Kakuzu's POV

The trip over to the clinic is quiet, save for Hidan's incessant grumbling about how we're such d*cks. Taki seems so familiar but so different from what I remember as a kid. It has been almost thirty years since I was last here.

"Hey, old man, didn't you grow up here?" Hidan asks poking me in the back of the head. I flick him in the forehead before going back to driving.

"Yeah," I grumble and Kumori makes an awed noise.

"You grew up here Kuzu-kun?" Her eyes are sparkling and her hand is on my knee. "That's so cool! Can we stay here and see where you used to hang out? Where you went to school? OhmyGod is your family still here?"

"We really need to get back to Konoha," I struggle to keep my voice level as I grip the steering wheel even tighter. My temper flares and I take a deep breath, closing my eyes and counting to ten very slowly. When I open my eyes again, my girlfriend is staring at me intently.

"You okay?" She asks and her fingers work their way around my palm.

"Fine," I say and squeeze her hand gently. "Hey,"

"What?" She settles back into her seat and looks over at me, her head resting on the headrest.

"I love you," This makes her face break out in a grin wide enough to split her face.

"I love you too,"

"Barf," Hidan says rolling his eyes and crossing his arms moodily.

"Tobi wants out!" He announces when Kakuzu pulls off the road into a parking space out front of a clinic with a family atmosphere. He slides open the door to the minivan and bounds out. Kumori follows after him leaving me and Hidan alone as the door slams shut.

"You gonna tell her?" He asks running a hand through his hair with a tired look.

"I can't," I say clenching my fist and bringing it to my forehead. "I can't even begin to tell how hard I've been working to make sure she doesn't find out. She'd never be able to talk to me again,"

"But you Imprinted on her and now that she's a Protector she returned it. Why the f*ck aren't you going to tell her?! It's better she finds out from you than someone else, d*ckhole," This gets me to flinch a little but I keep my composure.

"She isn't going to find out," I say patiently, rubbing a growing ache behind my eyebrows. "Because nobody is going to tell her. Only you and Leader-sama know and I know that neither of you are going to tell her."

"But she IS going to find out, you stupid f*cker!" He explodes, launching himself into the front seat so he can yell at me better. "I'm surprised as hell that she doesn't know already! If this… this thing doesn't work, she's going to hate you!"

"She's already going to hate me if she finds out what I really am," I say coolly. He growls and I can hear his teeth grinding together but I look away, watching Kumori now. Tobi has her hand in his and he's dragging her around the parking lot, the two of them just dancing in the rain. He must say something funny because she looks at him then bursts out in peals of laughter, throwing her head back. She looks beautiful. And happy. She's still laughing as she falls to her knees, Tobi obviously confused from his body language but she can't stop laughing.

"She's going to hate you if she finds out you were lying to her," He growls clenching his fist and it comes dangerously close to my face before I catch it with my wrist. "Have you ever talked about it?! Have you ever thought about what she might say?!"

"I've thought about it," I say, my pseudo coolness starting to wear off. "I've come close to telling her a few times but I've never been able to actually do it."

"You're an idiot, old man," He says leaning back and taking his fist down. His shoulders are heaving with effort to keep the emotions swirling inside of him in. "You are such an idiot."

"I do what I have to, to keep her safe,"

"You're a f*cking Other, old man," He says softly. "She's never going to be safe. She hasn't been safe since she met you." Hidan sighs and puts his head in his hands. Surprising myself, I reach over and squeeze his shoulder, giving it a slightly rough shake.

"Don't talk like that Hidan," I say, keeping my voice a low growl. "She's always been safe with me and she's safer with me then she is with other Others."

"Not much," He snorts waving my hand off. "Your bloodlust is coming back and it's going to haunt you. Hope this doctor guy can help you."

"I hope so too," I say and get out of the car, knowing that the discussion has ended. Kumori looks up from where she's mercilessly tickling Tobi and frowns a little.

"Goin' in, Kuzu-kun?" I nod and she starts to get up but I shake my head.

"I'd really rather do this alone, thanks," My voice comes out a little harsher than I had originally wanted it to be. She flinches a little but nods and I see her smile slightly forced.

"Don't take too long, Kuzu! We have a lot of catching up to do," This gets a small smirk behind my mask as I walk through the doors of the clinic.

"Do you have an appointment?" The perky blond secretary that looks like her chest width bigger is bigger than her IQ.

"No, but tell Dr. Hoku that Kakuzu is here to see him." I say and she nods before scurrying into the back, her extremely short skirt showing off a little more than necessary. "The doctor will be right with you," She gushes and sits back down, snapping her gum obnoxiously. I take a deep breath and try not to think how much fun it would be to kill her right then and there. A few minutes pass before a nurse comes out. She's dressed in blue-green scrubs and looks almost plain in comparison to Ditzy at the desk.

"The doctor will see you now, Kakuzu-san," She says and leads me into the back. The third examining room on the left is mine and the doctor is already waiting for me. A tall wiry man with a thin, angular face is staring at me intently as I walk in the room and slip my shoes off before sitting on the examining table. He pushes up his thick glasses and clears his throat.

"What seems to be the problem?" He asks all business.

"I need your help," I hesitate before adding "Father."