I opened my eyes and listed for a few minutes before slowly sitting up out of bed. I looked down at the foot of my bed and saw a small note addressed to me. I picked it up as I stood up out of bed and opened it as I started walking to the kitchen for something to eat.

Riku, we're going out to finish the bridge builder mission once and for all. We'll be back around noon, see you then sleepy head.

- Haku

I looked up at the clock on the wall and noticed the time, three o'clock, and my stomach dropped. They should have been home by now as they weren't ever late. I knew they would be okay, they had to be, they were Haku and Zabuza who never fell to anyone. I kept reassuring myself that they would be fine as I grabbed the plate of cold eggs and bacon from the fridge and sat down at the make-shift dining room table, which was really just a couple boxes pushed together on the floor, and began eating. I looked up as the door opened hoping that I would see their happy faces but instead all I saw was Kabuto walking in. I looked at him with a frown as he sat down in front of me with something wrapped in a cloth. Kabuto looked down as I looked up at him and I knew immediately that my worse fears were confirmed.

"They're gone, aren't they?" Kabuto nodded. It was an instant reaction as my tears couldn't be held anymore and they flowed freely down my cheeks. Kabuto handed me the wrapped package and I slowly unwrapped the item and sobbed when I saw Haku's blood-stained broken mask inside it. Kabuto moved to next to me and wrapped his arm around me as I sobbed into his chest.

"Riku, I'm so sorry."

"You all should've let me die! I could be with them right now!" I weakly hit Kabuto's chest as I cried.

"Riku, your father has somehow found out about you being alive. I'm not going to be able to visit anymore or I risk leading your father right to you…" Kabuto sounded miserable as he told me that during my hardest time he would abandoning me. I wiped my eyes and looked up at him with a blank expression.

"Then go, I'll get through this on my own." I sounded angrier than I meant to sound.

"But Ri-"

"Go!" Kabuto held up his hands and stood up from the floor before walking out of the house. I laid my head down on one of the boxes and looked down at the floor. I looked down towards the healing wound on my chest and ripped off the bandages as I didn't want to heal. I stood up and stumbled to my bedroom where my weapon pouch laid on the floor and grabbed out my kunai from it. I looked down at the blade contemplating shoving it into my chest wound and opening it back up or putting it back inside my weapon pouch and living without my friends. I took a deep breath as I made my decision and plunged the blade deep into my chest. I held back cries of pain as blood dripped down from the corners of my mouth and down my hands. I pulled the kunai back out and stabbed it into my chest one more time. I dropped the kunai as I pulled it back out and stood up off the floor while clutching my chest. I stumbled towards our living room where my jacket sat on a coat rack and yanked it on. I zipped it up to hide the bleeding and left the house so I wouldn't ruin it with my blood. I

"Fuck…" I gasped in pain as I started walking toward the road. I didn't know where I was headed but I knew anywhere that wasn't home was good enough.

I walked down the road taking in all the nature around me. The road was empty which was unusual for this time but for once I was grateful for it. I heard footsteps behind me and looked over my shoulder to see two bright green eyes looking back at me. I smirked weakly as I stopped walking and spun around to see Kakuzu in front of me. I heard someone jump down behind me and knew there was only one person that could be: Hidan. I didn't have any strength to fight as I held up my arms together for them to tie up as they pleased.

Kakuzu watched me closely as Hidan approached me carefully. I had no plans of retaliating as Hidan grabbed both of my arms and tied them together with some rope that was hanging from his scythe. Hidan looked at me strangely before grabbing me by the arm and throwing me down towards Kakuzu who lifted me up as he started walking into the woods I had just run from. I didn't look at either of them as we walked through the woods and was going to let them ask the questions should they have any because as far as I was concerned I would die soon.

We'd been walking for almost four hours when we took a break down in a small clearing shrouded by trees. I couldn't walk anymore although I hid that from Hidan and Kakuzu, I knew I was going to die soon as the wounds had just about run dry underneath my jacket. It was surprising to me that none of my blood had soaked through my jacket but I hadn't yet fully recovered from what happened the first time as well, which I assumed had something to do with it. Kakuzu let go of my arm suddenly which made me sway before falling back against a tree. I looked up at them with an apologetic side smile before closing my eyes as I laid back against the tree. Kakuzu huffed before walking towards where Hidan was setting up to rest for the night. I looked up at the darkening sky and guess it was probably about seven, maybe eight, at night so it wouldn't be long before it was too dark to see through the woods.

I closed my eyes once more and listened to everything around me before hearing someone walk up to me. I couldn't open my eyes as I heard them speaking from far away but couldn't answer them. I smiled apologetically before slumping over against the tree and falling unconscious from blood loss. Hopefully I wouldn't be awakened anymore after this final time.