Chapter 4 - Truth and Lie

Opening my eyes I sat up on my bed slowly. Looking around I saw all my cats on my bed. They woke up when I did, I held my head as I suffered from my hangover. Sky had walked over and headbutted my arm which I smiled a little as I petted his head. "I drank too much. It seems I hallucinated last night as well before I passed out before I passed out. I thought I heard you all talk." I laughed as I leaned against the headboard of my bed.

"It would be awesome if you all could talk. I have terrible social experience with humans and people." I stated as Reaper came over and tilted his head in confusion. I smiled at him he was just so cute. I petted his head which earned me a small growl.

"To answer your question my little reaper, I define people and humans to be two completely different things. Humans are hateful and are no longer trustworthy. People are those who try to do what's right even though it goes against nature of the human race. But still People hurt others and cause things like war and famine, it's in the Human nature but regardless I don't want to deal with them. Too many bad experiences with past pains and too many trusts broken. So if you all could talk that would probably be a highlight of my life."

I smiled sadly as I knew it couldn't come true. I looked off to the side while leaning back once more, looking out the window off the side. It was quiet. Almost too quiet. "I never was a friend of silence...Come on my lovely kitties let's get some breakfast for you while I try to get rid of my headache." With that she climbed out of bed as she noticed something on my arm. A bruise?

"Hmm...well I was drunk last night…"

It wasn't all that shocking that I held some form of injury since it was the drunkest I've been in a long time. I knew I was a mess whenever I was drunk. I knew about the types of drunks. The aggressor, the happy, the depressed and the cryer…. I was the cryer kind of drunk. Sighing I entered the kitchen and worked on breakfast. Thanks to my new schedule I had more free time, which I could use to attend my schooling and training. But overall I still have free time, and even days off work. I was making the same amount from when I work my two jobs from before and then some.

Setting the breakfast for my cats down on the floor I went to the fridge with my intent of getting some frozen waffles to bake for breakfast. I wasn't normally the kind of girl who ate breakfast but I needed to get rid of this hangover before I did any work. I leaned on the counter as I worked on my small breakfast, today I didn't have much of anything to do.

Looking around my kitchen I wondered what I was supposed to do. I had no work due in my college work, training was going to start tomorrow and every second day, while my actual job was starting next week after they got my set up ready. So really I had nothing to do today, nothing but a waiting game I guess. I was interrupted from my thoughts as my breakfast became ready.

Picking it up I ignored the slight burning feeling from the hot waffle as I ate it. It was really bland, maybe I should buy chocolate chip version next. With a waffle in my mouth I looked back at my cats, they seemed to be a little more relaxed than before when they ate around me. As I walked out of the kitchen I felt the eyes of my cats on me as I left. Sitting in the living room on my couch. I looked around, I didn't have enough stuff to fill out this house. Sighing through my nose I finished my breakfast.

Leaning back on my couch to stare at the ceiling I thought I heard talking. I frowned slightly, it was odd… I took my medicine last night I was sure for the voices, so why was I hearing them again. The only problem was the voices while male weren't yelling at me, but each other? Hearing many male voices I walked along the side of the wall towards the kitchen. Being as silently as I could I peeked in my kitchen to see no one but my cats. Looking around slightly confused I went to turn away and leave me cats to do there own thing until I heard the voices again. Looking back I saw Reaper was talking...Like actually talking in human language.

A fuzzy memory of my cats talking entered my head from last night. I barely remembered this so it was shocking to see them talking. Stepping into the kitchen I saw most of them flinch at my appearance, Stitches seemed to bopped Reaper over the head. Walking around my kitchen I cleaned it a little as I looked around for anything odd. Nothing odd expect for my leftover bottle of wine from last night. Throwing that away I looked back at my cats, kneeling down near them I watched them carefully. Thinking my words carefully I wondered just what was going on here.

Akatsuki's POV:

The group had a hard time keep Hidan silent while the girl was around so when she left the room, Hidan decided that he would voice now his issues towards them. Only for the girl to return to the kitchen. She looked at them with a confused look before she went to throw away her wine bottle from the pervious night. At first they thought she didn't hear them that is until she knelt down in front of them, watching them. They could see her thinking carefully before she opened her mouth.

"You guys can talk can't you?"

Staying silent, in order hope she would wander away from that thought. But it was in vain as she looked towards Hidan. Her dark eyes reminded him of a doe's with how dark and innocent they looked. As if she was just asked a normal person about the weather. She stayed silent as she watched them, not moving from her question. The rest of them wondered if she was onto them as humans. They could only hope that Hidan wouldn't blow this.

"Fuck ya we can talk you damn bitch."

They had forgotten that Hidan was an idiot. And now they had to figure out how to save this somehow. Amber just looked at him with wide eyes before smiling at him as if he didn't just curse at her. "Well, then that's a new one. Tell me Reaper, have you always been able to talk? And can the rest of you talk as well?"

"Yeah, been talking since birth and the rest of the heathens can fucking talk. Their just being pussies on it."

"How cool. My guess is that ya'll wanted to get away from something and that's why you didn't talk before?"

"Nah, we just made the deal of staying here for fucking safety reasons."

"Oh? Well then…" She looked shocked slightly from that reason. "Well, I guess I can lend you guys my house for safety reasons then. After all you're my responsibility at the moment so just let me know if you need anything." She stated with a smile as she petted Hidan's head.

"Now that you mention it….I'm still fucking hungry." Hidan stated as he let her pet him.

"Oh, hmm sure I'll get you some more food. Are the rest of you still hungry?" She asked as she went to the fridge. They looked at each other wondering if they should just speak but settled for nodding at her question. She smiled again as she readied some more food mixed with cat food. It was tuna mixed with a cheesy cat food mix of sausages and chicken chunks.

Hidan dove in first, his tail swaying happily. The rest of them walked to the plates she set down for each of them. As they ate they wondered if she knew they were human or if she just thought they were some advance type of cat. "When you feel like you want to talk with me, could you let me know what types of food you prefer?"

"Why hell should we?" Hidan asked not too happy with his meal being interrupted.

"That way I can feed you things you like?" she stated as she sat on her counter with a soft smile as she looked at them. With that she leaned back on her hands as she sat on the counter watching the clouds out the window near the sink.

It was silent as she watched the clouds as they ate to fill their stomachs. It was slightly odd really, the girl had not questioned how they could talk nor did she seemed frightened from the idea. Kakuzu watched the girl as he ate, he saw that their wasn't much to the girl. Her appearance wasn't much, just a skinny brunette. Nothing special.

But her personality was like a storm. Unpredictable, everything they thought she would do she did something else in return. From not giving up, to facing down a threat, to facing the fact she had talking cats in her house to being calm with Hidan's language. She has done everything in the opposite from what people from their world would do when in this situation.

'Were all people here like this?' he couldn't help but wonder. Was this girl so different that she might be a better asset than he originally thought?

Seeing her getting off her counter, waved at him as she saw him staring at her and walked out of the kitchen to do her own thing. Curious he saw her walked down the hall to a phone system. She picked it up and he wondered if he should act or wait and watch to see if she was going to call someone about them.

After she dialed she waited, Kakuzu felt the presence of the others watching as well, curious as to if she was calling the authorities. She smiled as she spoke. "Morning mom. I'm calling to give you my new number."

She was calling her family? That confused them, she wasn't going to turn them in? "Yeah, I moved into my first house. Ah, well it's nothing important. Really mum I'm fine, nothing bad happened. Alright, talk to you later…"

She wasn't going to tell her mother about the break in?

"Ah, sure I'll talk to him… Hey, what's up? No, I haven't. Yes I know I need too, but I'm a little busy at the moment. Yes I'm busy, I got a new job at the station. Of course I can handle it."

"Not everything you know about me makes it to where I can't take care of myself. Ray stop trying to tell what I can't do. Even if I didn't take the job I would have to find a new a new one anyways. Its none of your business why. Ray why did you want to talk with me?"

"No, but I'll look into it. Yes I know, talk to you later then." Hanging up the phone the members of the criminal organization saw their caretaker rubbing her eyes. Their ears could pick up some of the words she mumbled.

"Both mum and Ray need to learn that I'm an adult now. They can't try to take care of me forever." she smiled a little at the phone as she walked away from it. The members found themselves curious as to why she seemed different from all woman they had previously met.

Seeing her walk to her bedroom, it looked like she was going to be getting ready for the day. They hadn't noticed but she seemed to wear her pajamas around her house the most. Seeing her getting dress most left her alone and wandered away, though Kakuzu had to drag his partner away. Which he was getting tired of doing.

Seeing the girl Amber walk out of her room fully dressed, she walked over to the front door putting on her shoes. Kakuzu sighed as he walked over and sat next to her. "Woman, where are you going?" seeing her jump was amusing to him but he put it past him as she looked at him with shocked eyes. But it was replaced with a smile as soon as she saw him.

"I'm going out, did you want me to pick you up something?" she asked as she petted his head, scratching behind his ears. He would never admit it but her scratches felt like heaven, he could feel the soft touches deep against the fur if his henge. He wondered if she had a job as a masseuse before.

"Not really just curious." he gruffed out as she pulled her hand back. He almost felt the need to tell her to continue.

"Ah well, I need to head into town for a bit, I'm meeting up with some friends." She smiled as she finished putting on her shoes.

"Well when should we expect you back?" he asked, it was nice to talk after having to stay silent for so long when she was around. Plus she really was pleasant to talk with as Kisame stated.

"A little later, I'm going clubbing so it might be a little late before I get back."

"Clubbing?" Hidan asked as he walked over to see what his partner was doing . He felt a little odd about the girl talking with his partner but he couldn't place what it was.

"Yeah, it's like partying. I promised to meet up with Erica and Dillon at the club to party. We go every month and have fun to get away from our normal life." She stopped after she said that but quickly looked back at them. "Not that I don't want to stay here and talk with you all, I just can't leave them alone, I mean if I could take you I would but no cats are allowed and um…"

"The fuck we are-"

Kakuzu bopped Hidan over the head and pinned him down while pushing him away as Kisame came over to speak. "Have fun for us then." Kisame spoke to her she smiled at him after awhile of looking back at Hidan.

"Alright, I'll be back a little late so when I return I'll be sure to feed you all again, stay safe alright?" She smiled as she stood up after petting Kisame and Itachi on the head. Kisame didn't realize that his partner had followed until she reached past him to pet him. As she waved after at them as the door closed Kisame and his partner went into the room where the zombie duo were currently fighting.

Upon entering Hidan was being pinned to the ground by Kakuzu who was holding him down and had him in a headlock. They seemed to have dropped their henge as they fought. "Idiot, can can't tell her we're human." Kisame stated as he stayed in his cat form.

"Why the fuck not?"

"Think you imbecile, she doesn't like people. Would she be more willingly to let us stay here if she knew we were human? It's better this way, she's more comfortable and she doesn't suspect a thing." Sasori stated as he unhenged so he could sit on the couch. Shifting his leg over the other he leaned on his hand watching the fight boredly.

"Why should we fucking care if she is happy with how we stay here?" Hidan asked as he gave up the fight against his partner.

"Because it's less trouble."

"Remember what she said before she had the break in, un? About a show not doing the Akatsuki any justice, un? What do you think she meant about it, un?" Deidara asked as he sat next to his danna.

"It's possible she might know of our organization but again she might not. It's not worth the risk. Plus it might not be what we think." Itachi stated as he unhenged out of his cat form. "Do we know the time the girl would be returning?"

"Nah she said it would be late and she would feed us as soon as she got back."

xXxXx-TIME SKIP-xXxXx

While waiting for the girl to return they all unhenged to wait for her, not that they cared. But each of them wondered what was taking her as the time passed. And seeing as they had no idea how to read her clock they couldn't figure out how much time has past Hearing the door knobbed rattle they all jumped into their cat henge, and the rattling stopped soon after but the door didn't open.

Kisame walked over to the window still in his transformation, he looked out the window to see it was the same black shadow. Her stalker seemed to have returned. He frowned, the man had followed her to her new house and now had her house address. Watching the shadow for a while until he left, but not before he saw him leave blue roses at the porch with another note.

Kisame waited until he left until he put on a genjutsu and un-henge as he brought in the roses. Taking them into the living room, it was lucky that the room didn't have any windows. The fight between the two zombie duos stopped when he entered. "The bastard found her already?" Hidan asked as he sat up after Kakuzu got off him to investigate the roses.

"Yeah we might have to show ourselves to the girl soon if we are going to protect this place as our home." Kisame stated as he lowered the roses. "Want to set this on fire Itachi?"

"Wait it could be used to show her that we could help." he stated as he looked at the note, and as usual they couldn't read it.

Hearing the front door unlock they all henge back into cats. Seeing Amber walk in was a relief as she locked the front door after entering, she held smiles on her face when she saw them but it changed into horror as soon as she saw the roses. The bag she was holding dropped to the floor, inside was sweets and other snacks for the food pantry such as chips and other items. "He found me already? I only left my house once….Twice if you count today…"

"Woman, we want to offer you a deal." Sasori started as he sat in front of her.

"A deal?"

"Yes, in return for you letting us live here we will protect you from this stalker." Sasori stated with no restraint.

"How, you're cats…" She said as she knelt down to him.

"Thats the thing, un…" Deidara started. "We aren't cats."

"We're fucking human. The fucking Akatsuki." Hidan stated with pride as he un-henged himself all of a sudden.

They were expecting a lot of things that she could express when they told her but her swinging the other bag she held in her other hand to Hidan's gentiles was not one of them. They were ready to fight her until they saw she was backing away with uncertainty on her face. She backed away slowly. "You're all human then…" She asked when she felt a safe distance away.

"Yes, but listen, we will not harm you." Kisame stated as he was hesitant to un-henge since he didn't have a normal human appearance.

"I've shared my bed with you all…" Her face turned bright red as she slid down the wall. "This can't be happening." She took a moment to calm down, when she did she looked up at them, with only Hidan as his human self. "You look...familiar…" she mumbled as she sat and waited for them to become human.

For a moment they all looked at each other before they all un-henged. It was silent for a long time before she sighed. Kisame was shocked when she didn't freak out about his appearance when she looked at him. She leaned against the wall looking up at the ceiling. They noticed that she does that a lot when she starts thinking.

"I knew you looked familiar...you're the Akatsuki right?" She asked really calm like. It was shocking, she was afraid of them only when they showed up as humans but she knew of their organization yet she wasn't afraid of that.

"Yes. What's it fucking to ya?" Hidan asked as he glared at her, but inside he was impressed. While she was weak to a ninja standard she still had a killer swing for a civilian.

"Nothing really, just want to ask you all something." She stated as she went over to where what they believed some records were. They were interested in how calm she was acting with criminals in her house. Turning she showed them a strange cover that showed each of them in their duos.

"The fuck is that…" Hidan asked, not sure what to think about it.

"It's you I believe. Here let me put this in."

xXxXx-Time Skip-xXxXx

After watching the fight between Hidan and Shikamaru they realized that something was very wrong. It was like a live recording of their fight. It confused them to be honest. The girl sat on her couch hugging a pillow as she waited for them to speak.

"So we are entertainment in this world, un?" Deidara asked as he wondered about his battle with Sasuke, which I clearly remembered how that ended. The girl nodded as she watched each of them like a hawk.

But her gaze held no fear but nervousness. They could tell she was uncomfortable, which from the talks she gave them told them it was because they were humans and not because of their history. "That deal, what benefit do you get from it?" she asked finally.

"Simple food and shelter is all we ask for. And we'll deal with any threat you get." Kisame stated as she looked at him. He grinned as he waited for fear to cross her face, but when it didn't he strangely felt pleased. She wasn't scared of him.

"Alright, I guess I can take you on that deal…" she stated as she slowly stood, picking up the bag she dropped. "What do you all want for dinner?" She asked as she walked into the kitchen.

Hearing the casual way she spoke to them as shocking since she was clearly uncomfortable with them as humans in her house. Sasori was the only one who spoke to her question though. "Whatever is fine."

She frowned and nodded as she started to cook a large meal for them all. While she cooked in the kitchen they all sat around the living room, thinking about how the girl just accepted them into her home just as easily as she did when they were stuck as cats. Before they knew she was walking out with a large pot. Setting it down on the coffee table and said nothing as she went back into the kitchen to return with bowls and spoons. Soon she started to serve some as she handed them to each member. "What is this?" Kakuzu asked as he looked at the food he was given. It smelled good but you can never be too careful.

"Chili Mac. It's a very filling meal that is easy to make for a lot of people. If you don't like it I'll try something else." She frowned as she served herself last, sitting against a wall once again ate.

They all looked at the food Itachi and Sasori being the first to actually try it. Slowly their stomachs won and they tried the food. It wasn't much like the food they were used too but it was better than going hungry. The dinner was silent as they all took moments to look at the girl who was calmly eating near them.

It was a little off putting, she was surrounded by killers and yet she held no fear towards them. In fact she seemed to accept them as a person while back in their world they were not considered as such. As they finished the meal some went for seconds since it was free food. Itachi wondered if he asked would she pick up something sweet for himself. He had a calmer mind since he last remembered his younger brother getting his revenge.

They all recalled how they died and wondered slightly on how they got there. Why were they in this world. Was their world fake? So many questions and yet they had no answers as they ate in silence. After the food was gone Amber took to cleaning it up. Itachi walked over and tapped her on the shoulder.

His actions caught most of the others attention, but mainly Kisame's. She turned after she tensed from the physical contact, he only spoke when he saw the dark eyes giving him their attention. "Allow me to help." And he took to cleaning the dishes while handing her the ones that needed to be dried and put away.

Her smile was soft as she worked with him as she did the dishes with. The rest of them were silent as they watched the girl relax after a while of him being near her. For a moment they wondered if she was just not used to them, or was it the fact that her stalker was still following her that made her uneasy. Sasori being the one who wanted answers asked first.

"In regards to the stalker, has anyone been hanging around you a lot as of late?"

She stopped moving as she dried her hands, turning to the redheaded member. "Not really, most people don't talk with me and I normally don't talk with anyone unless it's necessary. It was silent for a moment before the girl turned to walk down the hall.

"Where are you going?" Hidan asked as she walked past him.

"Bed, I have work, training and school tomorrow…"

"Where the fuck are we going to sleep?" Hidan asked as he stopped her from leaving once more.

"Um...I'm not sure. I have a large bed in the spare room,,," She stated as she backed away from the half naked Akatsuki member. He saw her nervousness and smiled.

"Why don't we share you're fucking bed. Keep each other fucking warm?" He asked with a grin on his face. Kakuzu saw the question coming and quickly hit his partner over the head.

"We'll find a way to sleep as we keep watch, you head to bed." he stated as Amber looked at him in shock but smiled a little as thanks and nodded as she went to her bedroom.

Amber's POV:

I was not expecting that last question. But it made my brain shut down. I was glad for Kakuzu's interference since I was too tongue tied to fight the question. Curling up in bed after changing I wondered if I will wake up tomorrow and this would all be a dream. Maybe but then again maybe not. Falling into the darkness of my mind I fought a small smile as I slipped away in my dreams. After all, it's not everyday you meet members of a popular show you watched as a kid. I'll have to show them how to live in this world while they are here, and maybe get them things to help with living with me. Maybe I should invest in more beds for them before a car…

Question of Last Chapter: As a self insert I am trying to keep her as close to me as possible, which is fun to write in a way. But hard at the same time. It a challenge and I hope you all like this version of Amber.

Question of this Chapter: What is your favorite animal?