A/N: Guys thank you so much for the support. Alot of you were readers of my original story from the very beginning and I am so thankful for you guys and your support. I hope that the mystery at the beginning won't push people away. I promise I will explain that later.

Chapter 2

Kagome let her legs and feet lead her home as her team headed back to the village. This was the first mission in a long time that had not involved fighting of any kind. It was also the first that was not directly linked to Orochimaru. To her it seemed Orochimaru took up all her time. Everything she read, did, or thought was directly related to stopping the rougee ninja. On rare occasions her mind slipped to her reasons or even rarer, to Orochimaru's apprentice, her former teammate. She hadn't seen him in the two and a half years since he'd left the village. If Orochimaru was smart he was keeping the two of them apart.

The gates of the village came into view as the sun was coming up. She glanced at her team and with a nod transported into the Hokage's office. Their sudden arrival startled Shizune, Tsunade's assistant who then rushed off to find the blonde woman. By the time she arrived they had made themselves comfortable against the wallsof the office until Kagome was the only one left standing before the desk. It didn't matter what the others did now. Kagome was the one giving the report.

"Well?" Tsunade asked sitting elbowsss on the desk.

"It would appear the Akatsuki have split." Kagome said to which Tsunade sat up straighter. "We were already aware that Orochimaru is a former member of the organization but he left some time ago. He has pulled four of the nine current members to his side through his subordinate Kabuto."

"What do we know about the four who left?"

"We have only what was written in the bingo book from their rouge activities. Their names thoough are Kakuzu, Tobi, Sasori, and Deidara."

"And the five who didn't?" Tsunade asked.

"We don't know why they remained behind. It would appear they were uninterested in whatever Orochimaru was offering them."

The Hokage sighed. "Thank you, you may go."

The other four members of her team left but Kagome stood still. "Lady Hokage, if I may, there was one more thing. Orochimaru sent out two of his new recruits in the direction of the Sand."

The Hokage nodded gravely and Kagome knew that her presence was no longer required. She headed home with a speed that made her invisible. In her room she pulled the mask off and looked at herself in the mirror. She was beginning to recognize herself but she seemed harder and colder than the last time she'd been this age. She let those thoughts go as she pulled her hair loose from the tight dutch braid it had been in for the past week. She needed a shoer and a good night's sleep before she did anything else. To bad they had gotten back in the middle of the morning. She showered anyway hoping to wake up from the hot water. It worked enough for her to get dressed and head out to see Hiruzen.

The hype over her role in saving the former Hokage had died done but the respect she had earned remained. Upon nearing the Sarutobi clan compound the guards smiled and waved her past. When she could she came here. Often times she wasn't in the village for more than a day and if she was she spent her time training or hidding from overly sympathetic friends. When she was trying to hide she came here. The gaurds knew her well nd let her through with simple nodds and smiles. Finally she found herself in the door way of Hiruzen's drawing room. She stood there for a moment, just watching him as he bent over the scroll he was working on.

"Are you going to come in or are you just going to stand there?" The old man growled.

She chuckled and stepped in. "Good morning, grandfather. How have you been this past week?"

He grunted. "I feel old, useless. Retirement does not suite me. Care for a game?"

She laughed. He told her often that he hated sitting around all day. Once or twice he mentioned to her that he would have prefered that she let him die against Orochimaru rather than force him to live a meaningless life. She would laugh and tell him he didn't mean it. He had truly taken her in after she let him in. She was thankful. The two sat down at his permanent

"Is there a wager today?" She asked.

"Asuma says that I should not gamble."

"Wouldn't want you to end up like your former student."

Before he coulld respond Konohamaru came rushing in. "He's back! Naruto's back!" He blinked when he noticed her. "Nee-san?"

Kagome looked up at him. So Naruto was finally home. "It's been a while hasn't it, Konohamru?"

"Welcome home!" He cried throwing his arms around her. "How long are you back?"

"I don't know." she said. "So I should go see Naruto before either of us has to leave."

She bid the two farewell and went to find Naruto. According to Konohamaru her former teammates were getting lunch with their sensei after passing a test in order to reform Team 7. Kagome felt a pang of loss not being a part of the team. She knew that her role as an Anbu was important but her friends would be doing simmilar work without her. Still it would be good to see Naruto again. She finally found the three of them catching up on the training grounds. From the goofy grin on Naruto's face see could tell that thee two had passed. Pride swelled in her chest at the thought of how much he must of grown.

"Kagome!" He cried when she came in sight.

She smilled when he threw his arms around her. "Welcome home, Naruto. How was it with the pervy old man?"

"Not so bad. I mean there were a lot of trips to hot springs." His voice turned dreamy.

Kagome smacked the back of his head. "So, you ready to challenge me yet?"

"Yeah, no, miss I became an Anbu while you were gone. I enjoy being in one piece."

"I still expect you to take Tsunade's place as Hokage when she's done, otherwise I might have to fill in." She joked with a smirk.

"No way. I'm gonna be the next Hokage. Believe it!"

It almost felt like old times for her. They spent some more time talking and the longer they sat there the more Kagome believed that Naruto's training had been an attempt to give them a leg up against Orochimaru and the Akatsuki. If Naruto was safely away they could meet them on their own terms. She wished she understood why they were after the tailed beasts. Whatever it was it couldn't be good. The kind of power the Nine-Tails held could desolate an entire country if left unchecked.

"I should go. I just got back and I'm exhausted." Kagome said with a sigh.

They said their good-byes as she stood and walked away. She was extremely exhausted. These days she didn't sleep well on missions. Her nightmares had gone away from the most part. They still came but now they'd changed. Often times it was Naraku's new face, Orochimaru, that tortured her while other times it was Sasuke who tormented her. On those nights she woke up in tears, the sting of his betrayal fresh in her heart. On missions she didn't dream. She wouldn't even call what she did sleeping. Those kind of sleeping habits left her constantly exhausted. That night she fell in to a deep dreamless sleep.

"Hey Captain! Wake up! Cap!" Someone yelled.

Kagome rolled over and moaned. "Go away."

"We've got a problem. The Sand is under attack from two of the Akatsuki."

She sat straight up startling Fujio who now worked as her right hand inn their squad. "Have we received orders?"

She stood and brushed past him attempting to tame her hair. "Not yet. Hokage wants to see us, ASAP."

By the time he'd finished she had her hair braided. She pulled out her uniform and nodded for him to leave for a moment. She knew he was just outside her room. After they'd worked the task force together he had started to like her. Even if the task force was a failure she had preformed her duties perfectly. He had grown to respect her. They were friends now and she had given him a key to her house so that he could check on her since she no longer remained in contact with Kakashi. He was a confidant and he made sure she took care of herself. She stepped out of the bedroom wearing all her gear but her mask.

"Let's go." She said.

They were quick on their own, refreshed mostly from a night's sleep and they made it to the office quickly. The rest of the team was already there in a room waiting. Considering their skills they were constantly left to wait for the Hokage or Shizune to come and give them their orders. As they waited someone prduced some food and those like Kagome, who'd missed breakfast ate their fill. Fujio glared at her to make sure she ate something. She did so queitly. She may have been in charge of the team but he had no problem giving her input on her choices especially when it came to taking care of herself.

"So any clue what this is about? I mean I know the Sand is under attack but why are we here? If we were being sent out we'd be out there by now. So what's the mission?" Nayuko asked.

She has a point. Kagome thought. "We'll know soon enough." She was right. A moment later Tsunade came through the door. "Are we going to the Sand?"

"No, I've sent Team Guy on ahead and Team Kakashi will be on their way as soon as they can prepare. You five are going ofter the five Akatsuki that broke away because of Orochimaru. We need to know what they know." Tsunade said. "I am willing to offer them full pardon if they will help us to stop him."

Kagome raised her eyebrows. She didn't question the Hokage aloud. It seemed that they would be taking a risk to bring the criminals that made up the Akatsuki into the fight on their side would risk the lives of the ones they were trying to protect. Still if the Hokage ordered it they had no choice. Nodding she placed her mask on her face. The others did the same as they prepared to head out. Kagome knew how to start. The last place they'd seen the Akatsuki was in a small hidout just outside the Land of Fire. The five they were after had headed north.

"We'll do what we can." Kagome told the Hokage.

They headed off. "I don't like this." Goro said.

"It doesn't matter, we have our orders." Fujio said with a stern certainty that Kagome was thankful for, she was as sure as Goro now.

"Goro's right, we allied with the Sand after the invasion. We need to be sending the best to help them not a few squads of chunin. It wasn't like we had already been assigned this mission and were gone."

Kagome cut in before Jun could voice his opinion. "Fujio is right. It doesn't matter what we think or feel about the situation. Our orders come from the Hokage as they always have. If she thinks we should go after the help of the break away members of the Akatsuki, that's what we do."

Her small speech cut the conversation short. In the end they all knew their duties. If they were ordered to go after the Akatsuki then that was where they would go. They moved quickly, avoiding roads, and not resting for long. Kagome tried not to let her thoughts linger on the fact that Sasuke's brother was one of those whom they were going to pardon. She almost could not stomach the thought. It hadn't been until after Sasuke's betrayal she had found out the depth of his hatred for his brother. Itachi may have spared Sasuke but he had tortured the boy first. Shown him the body of his parents and used a special jutsu on him to twist his mind.

"Boss, I think I've caught their trail." Jun said bringing them to a halt.

"Lead the way."

He took the lead from her and took them along a small path. They remained in the canopy above the trail. They hoped that if they came upon the Akatsuki they could surprise them. Kagome doubted they'd be able to. From all she knew they were much stronger and more experienced than her team. The members of the Akatsuki mmust have grown used to living looking over their shoulders. She was right.

Not long after they found the trail they met up with two of the Akatsuki. At first the five of them hung back to see if hey had been made. Inn her mind Kagome was planning out every move any of them might make. She had done some training with Kakashi against the sharingan but she had not thought to use it against anyone but Sasuke. She could see the Uchiha bearing in Itachi. He was as dark as his brother, his face was passive, emotionless to his brother's constant hatred. His partner, the one they called Kisame, was the opossite. His face was fish like, filled with blood lust.

"You should come down." Itachi said.

Her team looked at her. Kagome merely jumped from her spot. She faced the two proudly, her team backed her, two on each side. For a moment it was all completely still. Neither group spoke as the silence choked Kagome. Finally it was Kisame who broke the silence with a harsh insult. Kagome didn't hear it but Fujio jumped to engage him. She was rooted to the spot but her team continued to fight without her. She felt the weight of the Hokage's orders on her chest. She had no choice. Orders wer orders. Her fist clenched at her side. Itachi had destroyed Sasuke, broken him. She went for her sword.

In a moment she stood between Kisame and Fujio. Her sword was crossed with their two sowrds. With a flick of her wrists she threw them back. Both Akatsuki stared at her with curious gazes while her team stood frozen in shock. "Remember our orders." She said. "Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, we were sent by the Hokage to meet with you and the three others who broke from the Akatsuki."

"Oh yeah, what for?" Kisame taunted.

"Orochimaru seems to have taken control of your organization. If you share what you know-"

Kisame interupted her. "You'll go easy on us? You'll show us mercy?"

He hoisted his sword up on to his shoulder and then lunged at her. She didn't move save to raise her sword at he last moment. She had expected to be able to deflect him but the weight of him was too great. Growling slightly she kicked him away. He jumped back up and came at her again until Itachi stopped him. The elder Uchiha stared her down. Could he sense how much she despised him?

"What is it that the Hokage would offer us?" Itachi asked.

"You and the others will be offered a full pardon if you tell us what Orochimaru and your former allies are planning and help us tostop them." Kagome said.

His cold eyes continued to stare at her as though they could see her for all she was without the sharingan. "Follow us."