Ch 4
"This is where it's coming from." She frowned at the familiar voice she wondered why they all sounded as she had heard almost. Of course the woman must have heard them if she saw them. Perhaps she wanted them to sound the same as well. She looked up slowly. A big dog bigger than hers was looking at her and whining. She should have left.
She just looked up at Keba and waved. "Are you alright?"
She nodded. She heard another voice she knew and smiled. "What is it?"
"It's a woman." Keba and Akamaru backed away so Kakashi could come forward.
"Hello." He smiled behind his mask; he could see her tears. "I'm afraid you will have to come with us." She nodded and stood.
"I know." She looked at them all. She knew everyone. "Hello."
There was just one missing. She felt feet land behind her. "Madara took him before anyone could get near him. He didn't look happy about it." She closed her eyes. "Who is she?"
"She was with Sasuke. She smells just like him." She just sighed and headed out of the alley.
She was in between Kakashi and Keba. She looked behind her and smiled. He really was handsome too. He met her eyes and his changed. She just watched him. "Who are you?"
"Andrea." She answered him.
"What were you doing with Sasuke?" She sighed.
"We were going to a man named Shinto he was supposed to be able to help me" She didn't see any reason to lie. Sasuke wouldn't go there without her and she knew these people were not the enemy.
"Help you do what?" Kakashi frowned.
"Go home." She shrugged. "We didn't know if it was going to work. I may just be in a coma." She sighed. "So he got away?"
Naruto looked at her wistful eyes and raised a brow. "Yes he got away. Koharu and Homura had us following but, also black ops. He was supposed to get nabbed by them. I have no intention of letting them do that." He snarled.
She took a deep breath. "Thank goodness he got away. I was so worried." She just walked with them. They watched her with a strange fascination. When they got back to the inn where she knew her stuff would be she walked up the stairs. "I just want to get something." Keba walked in.
"He was here."
"Of course he was we were together, I told you that." She sighed. "I'm not lying. I don't see you as the enemy. I know better. He knows how I feel. I'm not going to lie." She looked at Neji and pointed. "He would know if I did."
"How do you know so much about us? You've called all of us by name. You seem very familiar with us." She sighed.
"When I tell you, you'll think I'm crazy." She picked up his cloak and pulled it on. It still smelled like him. She smiled. She turned in a circle to make sure she didn't leave anything. She saw a scroll and picked it up.
"What is that?" She frowned and jerked it away.
"It is mine." She glared at Shikamaru when he tried to grab it. She slapped his hand. "And, you might get to see it and you might not. Just back off."
He raised his brows. "You are our prisoner you can't act like that."
"Oh really and what crime did I commit I can barely mold chakra at all. And, only because I worked so hard at it. The first time I tried to do it at all was only like three weeks ago. So I promise I'm not a criminal. You are not high on my list right now of favorite people Shikamaru so just leave me alone." He just stared at her.
She turned and walked to Naruto. "I know you will want this just in case you think it might be some kind of jutsu I have no idea what it is. You can tell me I wouldn't be able to read it anyway. I can understand it but, I can't read or write it." Naruto took the scroll and frowned.
"Why me?" Kakashi frowned and stepped forward.
She smiled. "Because you are the only one I would trust with it." She shrugged and walked out.
They walked down the road and Kakashi moved beside her. "Who are you really?"
"Andrea I told you that. I know it doesn't make sense." She stopped. "Wait where are the elders." Her voice turned cold.
"Back at the festival they weren't traveling with us." She sighed.
"Oh good. I don't want to see either of those vipers." He just watched her as she walked beside Naruto much to his amazement. She almost clung to him. Never touching but, right there with him all day. Naruto just looked at her.
They camped only two days out of the Leaf. She looked at Naruto and held out her hand. He took the scroll and handed it to her. She looked at it. "I don't even know if there's anything on it. I just figured since it wasn't there before."
He frowned. "Why are you being so nice to us."
"I told you I don't think you're the enemy. He and I don't agree on who's responsible for his family's death." Naruto just watched her. She slid the seal free on the scroll and opened it slowly. She sighed. "Nope I can't read it."
She handed it to him. He looked at it and read it to her out loud the rest of the camp was silent.
Andrea, I shouldn't have left you. It was all for nothing Once I got to look at them with my eyes I realized it wasn't even them it was a trap to catch me.
Naruto stopped and looked at Kakashi his eyes red and angry. She felt it she looked at him and sighed. "It's alright don't be angry with them they probably didn't know either." She just watched him he took a deep breath and let it out his eyes were blue.
I am sorry. I hope you reach Shinto in time. Ask them for help they may help you. Naruto will.
He stopped reading and looked at what it said. He looked at her and smiled she watched the tears gather but, he blinked them away, was there ever a more wonderful man. She really was glad she got to meet him too. She smiled back at him.
He's still a knuckle head but, a loyal one. Just stay safe and don't let them take you to the black ops they won't help you. You know that.
You're unlikely comrade
Sasuke Uchiha
She sighed and pulled his cloak close curling up. "I really wanted to say goodbye."
"Maybe you'll get to. Who is this Shinto?"
"He's a summoner. If my memory serves me he was friends with Sasuke's father." She nodded.
"Sasuke said he could summon anything and possibly summon me to my home." She sighed. "But, he's leaving for somewhere else in a day or two and I don't even know if he can help.
She took a deep breath of the cloak and sighed.
"Why was he helping you?" She frowned at Shikamaru.
"Because he's not a bad person." She threw at him.
Shikamaru frowned. "You've been nice to everyone else why are you so nasty to me."
"Because you decided to kill him without talking to his best friend. That's why." She closed her eyes and frowned. There was something in the cloak she hadn't noticed it was in a built in pocket. She pulled it out and frowned. Then she grinned. It was a pillow.
She fluffed it and snuggled it under her head. Her eyes closed and she was sleeping in minutes. Naruto stood and walked to the others. "How in the world do you think she knows that?"
"Beats me." Keba frowned. "She's probably a spy."
"Right a spy that tells the truth and doesn't mold chakra what would be the point." Naruto frowned.
Neji looked at her and his eyes changed. "He's right she is not a spy. She has never had any kind of treatment from a medical ninja but, she has been injured. I see several injuries. Her arm was broken at one time her ribs on her right side were crushed. There's horrible scarring on her back.
Naruto sighed. "I wonder what happened to her. She certainly seems attached to him and he cared enough to leave her a scroll." Kakashi just watched her sleep.
She woke in the night and screamed. Naruto flew to her side. "Are you alright."
"No don't !"
"No please leave me alone. Help me someone help?" Naruto didn't know what to do with her. Her eyes were open but, she was sleeping.
She screamed again. "Stop please where's Sasuke, he'll make them go away." She grabbed Naruto suddenly. "Help me please." He looked helplessly at her, she didn't sound like the woman they had traveled with all day she sounded like a small child her voice high and filled with terror. Naruto looked at Kakashi helplessly. He walked to her side kneeling down. He used his eye and he was inside her mind. He had never really done this. Though he understood the concept. He saw her cringing in a corner. "Andrea?"
She looked at him and shook. "Please help me he's the only one that makes them go away." He looked where she was looking and, saw a small girl hiding under the stairs in a home. It was her as a young girl no more than six or seven. Then two men came and found her they drug her down a hall.
He watched in horror as they drug her to a room filled with bodies. Her parents he could feel it. They started to…He felt chills run through him. He turned away and walked to the woman putting himself in between them. He knelt down. She looked at him and her eyes were frantic. "He makes them go away." She whispered.
He sighed. "I can try." He tried to block the memory and it slowly faded but it took a lot for him to make it work. He closed his eyes and shook. He had blocked her but, he had seen it. He looked at her and shook his head.
Naruto watched her his heart breaking. She had sounded so scared. "Is she alright?" Kakashi sighed.
"For right now." He looked away. "Stay with her if she cries out again tell her you'll keep her safe that's what he did. I think it will work for you too." He walked away and went to a creek. He knelt down and washed his face. My God. His hands shook as he tried to calm himself. He had felt her fear her helplessness like a cloak. It was hard to breathe.
"She's sleeping peacefully now Senpai." Yamato looked at his haunted face. "What happened to her?"
"Some one broke into her home in the middle of the night." His words were weary. "I don't know who they were or the weapons they carried. But, They killed her family in front of her after raping her mother and her sisters then they tried to do it to her. She ran and hid but, they found her and almost beat her to death then did what they wanted anyway. She only survived because they didn't bother finishing her off. They assumed she would bleed to death I suppose. Her father was in law enforcement and did something to make the wrong person angry. Does that sound familiar to you Yamato?" The younger man sat down and sagged.
"No wonder he cares for her so much." He shook his head.
"She's just like him." Naruto looked at them. "He understands her pain and she understands his." He sat down. "I'm going to help her."
"This could be a trap to lure you away." Yamato frowned. Naruto glared at him.
"I don't care what you think of him he would never use someone like that." He snarled.
Kakashi sighed. "No he wouldn't. But, Madara would."
Naruto closed his eyes. "Yes he would." He frowned. "Kakashi you can send the whole village with us or I can just knock everyone out and she and I can go but, He told her I would help her. He put his faith in me. I won't let him down." His eyes turned red. "And, you won't stop me."
Kakashi looked at him and smiled. "I know Naruto." He sighed. "We'll get back to the village and I'll get you a team then you can go until then there will be no talk of that scroll or where she came from." Kakashi touched Naruto's shoulder. "You stay with her don't leave her side. She is something precious to him or he wouldn't have entrusted her to you." He saw Naruto's heart swell and he smiled.
"Of course I will." He turned and walked back to the young woman.
Yamato frowned. "Are you sure you should get his hopes up like that."
Kakashi sighed. "Naruto doesn't have any illusions about Sasuke. He knows what his destiny is. Either he'll save him or die trying. You had better accept it. I had to. But, he will never see him as anything but, a trusted comrade and brother until he takes his final breath on the battle field. He will help him whether it's a trap whether Madara is waiting for him he will help Sasuke and all we can do is help him."
Naruto watched her. "How long have you been with Sasuke?" She sighed.
"Well, what day is it?" He frowned.
"It's Wednesday." She pulled up her fingers and counted then she sighed.
"Geez it's been three weeks and two days." She shook her head. "If I'm not dead I'm definitely in a coma." Naruto frowned.
"What?" She wasn't sure she wanted to tell them. She was pretty sure Kakashi knew. He looked at her sometimes like he knew but, she didn't know how he knew.
They were almost to the Leaf. Naruto said it was half a day away. "How is he?" She frowned.
"He's better and he's the same Naruto. He hasn't given up. I don't know if he can. He is hurt. So hurt. I know you know that. And, I know that you understand loss better than he thinks you do but, he's broken inside." She smiled. "Don't lose heart. No matter what they might think of him he's a good man." Naruto smiled at her.
"Thank you for that." He patted her shoulder and she flinched. He frowned. "I'm sorry." She shook her head.
"It's nothing." They walked on an she felt her heart jump in her chest. "We're almost there." She grinned looking like a child on a vacation.
"Yes." He frowned. She looked way too excited to just be going to the village. "Have you never been here before." She shook her head.
"I've seen it in pictures so many times but, this is so different." He raised his brows.
"Pictures?" She frowned.
"If I tell you, you'll think I'm crazy." He just watched her and nodded.
"You can tell me later." She sighed.
"Alright but, you'll think I'm crazy." He smiled. She didn't seem crazy….
"You're nuts." She sighed and laid her head down on the counter.
"I tried to tell you." She stood up. "Come on. I had to prove it to him, I'll prove it to you. Of course, it wasn't that hard for him he just rummaged around in my head for a little while." He frowned. "I'll have to show you."
He watched her almost warily as she walked down a street she shouldn't know if she had never been here.
Andrea walked down the road that she had read and seen so many times. She got all the way to the edge of the village. She looked at it and sighed. "No wonder she never shows this place anymore." She touched the tattered banner. "Come on." She walked in and he followed her but, stopped. He didn't like this place it always felt too heavy in here. It was worse now that he knew the truth.
"Where are we going? Why would you bring me here?" She looked at him and frowned.
"Well for one there is something I want to see and he would get so mad at me if he knew I was looking but, I don't care and you have to read it because I can't. Second it should tell you I'm telling the truth. If that doesn't work I can take you places only you and have gone that I know about that should be fun too. Or I can tell you something you would know that he wouldn't like the fact that Master Jaraiya believed you were the child of the prophecy along with Nagato." Naruto froze.
"He thought what?" She sighed.
"It's you. Don't you see what you've already done. Because of you the Sand has a kind Kazekage that they can rely on. Nagato brought this village back because of you. And, some day you really are going to be the best Hokage ever." He just watched her as she climbed the steps of a place he knew she shouldn't know but, of course Sasuke could have told her about it. But, he wouldn't. Sasuke wouldn't tell someone about this kind of stuff.
"In Takano shrine under the seventh Matami mat on the right." She walked to it and pulled it up. "Did you know about this?" He shook his head. She walked down the stairs. "Did you bring the oil." He nodded. She lit the oil lamps.
It was there the book that told about the eyes. She frowned. "There it is. I almost want to burn it."
"What is it?" She looked at him and frowned.
"We can't do it. It's wrong." She sighed. "It's a book that tells about the eyes of the Uchiha and how to get them and how they work. But, reading it would be wrong." She frowned. "Damn." She turned and knelt down to pray for a moment. "I guess we should go."
He looked at the book. "Do you think it would have ways to defeat it in there?" She looked back at the book and nodded. He frowned.
"I guess."
"Yes let's just leave it. Do you think anyone else knows about it." She shook her head.
"Not alive anyway…"
What was she doing? He sighed. He had grown attached to her. The worst possible thing he could have done. But, it was impossible not to. "Well you seem solemn, still missing your new friend." He gave Madara a withering look.
"I don't remember talking to you about anything that had to do with my feelings." He turned away.
"You should have killed her now the Leaf has her and Karin." Madara just sighed. "You are far too sentimental."
"I thought you liked me being sentimental since that's what drives my vengeance."
"It's your vengeance not mine." Madara looked out the window beside him.
"I know and some day Madara I will pay you for your part in that crime." He turned away. "Unless you want it to be sooner rather than later stay away from me." He walked out.
Madara watched him and smiled, yes he missed his little red head. He didn't blame him she had been a pretty creature. And, probably the first woman he had ever shown an inclination towards.
Perhaps he should retrieve her. She was still an interesting creature. Where had they been going. Sasuke blocked him from his mind and after taking Itachi's eyes he could do it effectively.
His feelings for the woman were his own. Madara was still curious how she had been so well informed. He refused to speak of her at all to him. Well it wasn't their problem anymore. Unless one of the recordings showed something. He went to Zetsu and watched everything he saw and only one thing caught his eye. Zetsu couldn't stay very close. Sasuke would feel him. But, he could see them and Madara could read lips. Just before they were attacked a conversation about guns and bombs. He had no idea what guns were but, bombs he knew. Bombs that could blow up a country not just a village. He scowled. She couldn't have said that there wasn't a weapon like that anywhere.
He frowned. Well he was just going to have to find out something about that perhaps the girl was useful after all.
Naruto looked at his team, he had never really been sent on a team as the leader before. Kakashi had told him to pick anyone he wanted. He looked and smiled. He was pretty sure he'd done well.
Andrea sat on a post her legs swinging. "Hinata, Shino and Yamato." She murmured to herself. It was a pretty good team.
He looked at her and shook his head. "I still can't believe this." She shrugged.
"I still think this might be my subconscious trying to cope with a coma." He laughed.
"Well whatever it is let's get started." She jumped down and they headed for the gate. "I thought about asking Sakura but, I don't really think that 's a good idea."
"I don't either, everything is pretty messed up between them right now. Well as far as I can tell anyway." He sighed.
"It is so weird having you know everything." She smiled.
"Yeah he thought so too. And, he's a whole lot more private than you are." He laughed a little.
"I'll bet it drove him nuts." She smiled.
"He wasn't too bad but, like I said he just rummaged around until he saw it was the truth." Naruto looked at her and frowned.
"He was really trying to help you." She smiled and nodded.
"Is that so hard to believe." He shook his head.
"No but, it is a relief. Are you going to leave without seeing him?" She looked at the ground as they walked.
"I don't have much of a choice he's with Madara and I can't go there." She sighed. "No I don't want to."
"You must care a lot about him." She sighed.
"I care a lot about all of you." She smiled. "You know Hinata cares an awful lot about you." She looked at her. "She's beautiful."
He looked at her and nodded. "I know. I'm just not really sure what to do." He rolled his eyes. "You know it is so strange having you know things like that. The only people that heard what she said was me and Nagato and her so there is no way you should know that." He sighed but, then he smiled. "Wow so in your world I'm famous."
"Yes you are the story is named Naruto after all." He grinned. "That's great." He sighed. "So everyone in your world can see what Sasuke is doing even when I can't."
"Yes Naruto." She sighed. "But, only if the writer decides to write about him. We watched the fight between him and his brother." She frowned. "It was a good fight but, it was sad. Just like your fight with him. I'm so sorry this had to happen but, you have become so much stronger because of it." She closed her eyes. "And you will have to be so strong to stop Madara he's so powerful." She thought of telling him about Kisame so they could warn the cloud village but, she didn't want anything to happen to Kisame. She liked him. She just kept walking.
"We will be in the village of Akago in a couple of hours. Yamato nodded to Naruto.
"Thank you Yamato." They moved forward. Sai had his little mice moving in the forest around them.
"Here I want you to carry this." She looked at Shino and nodded. He just watched her. "You aren't going to get upset that I'm giving you a bug." She smiled.
"Shino you are awesome. I'm just going to do what you tell me. I really don't feel like doubting any of you." She grinned and he watched her for a moment.
"I can see why he likes you." She smiled sadly and held out her hand, he set the small beetle in her palm she just let it go on her shoulder.
Naruto landed back beside her. "Are you ready?" She shrugged. "I'm sorry this isn't what you wanted." She shook her head.
"No I wanted to meet you." She smiled at him. "I have loved you for a long time. Just like I have him and the rest of you. I'm so happy I got to meet you." He turned ten shades of red and smiled.
She stopped. "I feel something." He frowned. "I feel something familiar." She closed her eyes and brought up her hands, doing what he had taught her, everyone watched as she turned in a circle. She frowned and opened her eyes. "It's gone."
"She's a sensor." Madara frowned. "Damn." He looked at the village of Akago. He would just have to go and see this Shinto for her." She was still new in her powers or he never would have heard any of it.
They reached the village and found that the man Shinto lived outside the village on a small farm. They headed that way and she felt uneasy but, it was probably because she didn't want to leave. She looked at the farm house and sighed. "Well here we go."
They waited and moved in cautiously.
A man walked out. "Hello can I help you." He was elderly.
Naruto moved forward. "We are looking for a man named Shinto."
"Yes and what do you want him for." He looked wary. Andrea stepped forward.
"Sasuke sent a hawk to you about me. I'm Andrea." He frowned and looked at the ninja around her. Leaf ninja.
"Then where is he." She sighed.
"He had something he had to do." She looked away. "He told me how to get here but, he had to leave. These ninja helped me."
"I know who they are and I doubt he sent them." She smiled. It would be a good question.
Naruto smiled. "He didn't entrust her to the Leaf. He entrusted her to me."
"And, who are you?"
"Naruto Uzumaki." The man stopped.
"So you are the son of Yondamei." Naruto smiled. "Well if he was going to trust anyone in the Leaf he chose the right one if you are anything like your father."
"Thank you." He said softly.
"Come in." He looked at the rest of them. "You can wait outside."
They frowned. Naruto just nodded. They watched him.
Hinata used her eyes. "There's no one in there." She sighed. "It should be safe."
They headed in. She got into the door and stopped. Her eyes widened, the man it wasn't Shinto. "Naruto go back outside." She turned and blocked the door. "Go back outside." She looked at him and felt him coming. "Go now. Yamato." She screamed and pushed Naruto. Yamato frowned and looked at her. She closed her eyes as she felt the hand touch her. "Clever girl." She shook. Naruto picked himself up, she had infused her hands and then hit him. He had flown about ten meters from the door. He turned, about to tell her she was rude when he saw Madara. She had pushed him away from Madara.
"I had hoped to get two birds with one stone. I'll just have to settle for this little bird. Sasuke will come and get you." He grabbed her and she flinched away but, was gone.
Naruto fell down. "No, I was supposed to keep her safe." Yamato had put a cage around Naruto to keep Madara away from him he pulled it back now. "He wanted me to keep her safe." Yamato patted his shoulder.
"She will be with him now. So she should be okay." Naruto shook his head.
"No he never wanted her with Madara." He walked into the house and found a note and a scroll with a vial.
Sasuke I couldn't wait had to leave. Here is a scroll and this vial of my blood should be all you need. It will take her where she belongs. Where ever that is." Naruto picked it up.
"We are going to find her or him and we are going to give him this." He turned and looked at them. "You can come with me or you can go."
Shino smiled. "I know where she is." Naruto grinned.
"That's right." He patted Shino. "She's right you are awesome."
He smiled a little and they headed north east where the scent of the bug led…
He landed and she struggled away from him, rubbing her arms where he had touched her. "You stay the hell away from me."
Her angry words reached the other inhabitants of the home. She shook uncontrollably. Sasuke walked in fury plain on his face. "What have you done?" She saw him and sagged passing out, She just fell. He caught her. "What have you done to her?"
Madara sighed. "Nothing other than bring her here."
He pulled her up into his arms. "You shouldn't even be in the same room with her much less touch her."
"I'm not going to take your woman I am going to find out more about the bombs she spoke of." He frowned at him.
"You were having me followed." He narrowed his gaze but, stayed silent. He just carried her away.
Madara watched and raised his brows. "Well I guess he really did care about her after all." He smiled. "This will make life easier. Sentimental I told him it was a hazard."