Gaara'slittlegirl

Really?? Do you really think so? You are the coolest!! Thank you, you are great!

1. No, sorry no KisaHina, he doesn't like her like that, but there is a bit of ItacHina, it's kind of weird.

2. Yes, they will be friends again but not at the present time…

3. I updated now! Hopefully I'll get another wonderful review from you!!

You really are too kind all of you are, I'm truly grateful and happy that this story is your fav. That is really nice to read, thank you, you make me blush, thank you!!

Stephanie: Thank you, I really do, thank you I'm happy to read that, thank you. Hopefully you'll think that still with this chapter!!

lex07gaara: Thanks you are too kind! Don't worry I will keep it and I hope to read your full story soon, please PM me when you have it up! I'm really looking forward to reading it!

enoa-chan: You are too nice, I enjoy your kind words! You should tell me what you imagine might happen I find it interesting to see what you guys think might happen. Yes, Itachi is starting to suspect and doubt in Hinata. Don't worry she will; she has to, doesn't she? I hope this was soon enough.

Aya: Thanks, I'm glad to read that. I don't know I'm kind of hating Sasuke at the moment so who knows if they'll end up together, after all she has Naruto…I know I'd kill for a love like that to well except all the beating the sh out of her and stabbing her in the back…I know a girl can wish for the pairing could actually happen but I don't think our wishes will come true, sad but true, and I suspect that also.

xhinataxrocks95: Thank you! I hope you keep being attached to the story and read it to the bitter end! You rock too!

unknown: Thanks, I tried to hurry but this was the end result so sorry.

x.Nanako-chan.x: Thanks you are soooo kind! You are just as amazing! You make me want to cry because you understand!! You are the best, and I think I might have to start making the chapters shorter. I really love that you like the chapters so long! Thank you, thank you and thank you!

deviltwit: Thanks! You are fantastic!

unbeatablehinata: Thank you! I understand I had normal algebra and I failed the first year I took it and I had to retake it senior year! But you have honors, I can't imagine how hard it must be, actually I don't want to imagine it because then I'll start thinking back to those two awful years and begin to cry because of the torture… I'm sorry for taking too long and not to worry Itachi appears again in this chapter!

HopeoftheForgotten: Thank you I'm glad you like it! I'm really sorry I don't mean to torture you really I don't! I'm so ecstatic that you loved that line I really wanted to use it at least once and I knew only Naruto could pull it off, but then I thought about Sasuke also saying it if they encountered each other again but it wouldn't be so funny know that I actually think about it…I will try and continue to do a great job!

Hinata Lovers: Did I really take that long?

I know I expect to read somewhere that she decided to do Rini's story but sadly we have gotten nothing…

Yeah he can't be evil since he did kill Orochimaru, but have you read the recent chapters? I swear I'm so disappointed that he…you know what I mean right? I still think about it and it pisses me off he shouldn't be that powerful!! He shouldn't!

Thank you.

Yeah, me too I've just gotten used to being laughed at espically by my little sister at one time in her life she used to think I was soooooo cool now she thinks I'm soooooooooooo lame…it's just sad to be looked at like that but the little girl who used to look up to you…

Were you happy? With who she met with again? Or disappointed?

I've been told by my sister that I'm weird but I really don't care, it's like they can say everything they want but I won't change at least I hope I don't, you won't either will you? We'll both still keep being weirdo's together!

Yeah, I think that's why I connected with Naruto the most because he can see the faults in himself, and yeah not so much love from Sasuke poor Naruto.

Thanks, I wanted to make him more mature and more everything, I'm glad you like him because in most fic's he is still kind of dumb and I hate that! So I wanted him to be a better Naruto.

Yeah, it's complicated with that Itachi, but in a way she has gotten used to him treating her like that she doesn't like it but deals with it in her own way.

Oh, you know how in the manga Shikamaru and his former teammates go looking for the Akatsuki team to avenge a certain sensei and right when Kazuku was about to finish Kakashi off Naruto and his team came to defend them, that was about the time the last chapter took place.

I'm sorry I just hope it's not too depressing…but hopefully the plan she came up with works and she'll be free to live her life like it was meant to be!

Thank you, you my friend are the greatest!! I swear you are because of you mentioning the flashback I must now tell you how Hinata and Sasuke are going to meet again!! No one else mentioned it and I loved the last flashback, so I promise to send you a PM once I read your review for this chapter and write to you their encounter!

I've always loved Naruto from the first chapter onwards he is my fav. Character along with the Fourth and Jiraiya! I'm glad there is another loyal fan of Naruto Uzumaki!!

Are you kidding me I love your reviews the longer the better!! I promise because I love to read about your thoughts on the chapter, I really do so keep reviewing it doesn't matter if they are long or short I'll read them and write back to you!

I'm sorry but no Sasuke this chapter, I was going to have him in it but then the chapter became too long and decided to cut the chapter, so until the next one we'll find out about his reaction to Naruto being captured by Akatsuki so hopefully you look forward to that, well thanks once again for the great review and I hope I get to read another one for this chapter, you are the coolest! Thanks!!

LittleHyuga321: Really? You are tooooooo kind, thank you!

I'm really glad you enjoyed it hopefully you'll enjoy this one just as well! Let's hope your computer isn't being evil this time too!

I'm sorry I made you wait this long; with any luck it won't happen again!

St.Rivenj27: I'm sorry you thought I took too long to update, I'm sorry I took too long again please have a bit of patience.

Well it's not that much one-sided…I hurried as best I could and with a bit of luck you'll like this one too, nope no Sasuke in this one either but the next one will have Sasuke in it I promise!

cygnet411: I know I'm sorry; this one took just as long…Sorry no SasuHina moment in this one either, you'll have to be patient for those moments to come because believe me there will be many!! Thank you!! Well it wasn't so much inspiration as daydreaming, I just read so many fics about Sasuke falling in love with Hinata or him meeting her when they are older then he gradually fell in love and so on but I just thought that if Sasuke was to fall in love with her…so I thought that if he had to make a friend or fall in love it would have to be before the massacre of his clan, it had to happen before all that and who better for him then Hinata? Since they both have awesome blood lines and are born into a prestigious clan, who better to train with Hinata then Sasuke? I just wanted them to both have someone and with time fall in love with each other. Plus I really wanted Hinata to have a katana and cut peoples guts out…crazy but true I wanted Hinata to be crazy powerful and a bad-ass shinobi!

Secrets Are Walls: I know right? I'm sorry I took just as long.

Thanks, I've been told my imagination is too active… and hopefully your friend does like it and continues to read it, you must inform me if she does! Thanks, I'll try to keep up with the story!

HiN4-cH4n: I'm sooooooo sorry, I never meant too, I swear!! Don't worry he lives!! Oh my god, thank you!! I'll have to PM you also with their meeting between Sasuke and Hinata!!

I'm soo happy you get a fuzzy feeling when reading my stories!! That is the greatest thing anyone has written to me, hopefully those feeling continue!!

I'm so not an awesome writer I still need much work but I thank you for the compliment.

Yeah, I'm happy I fooled you for a second with Kisame, I kind of like Itachi so he doesn't annoy me much, well that's true he is annoying when he is emotionless but that's just Itachi for you.

Yeah, Naruto is cute!

Hopefully you are still looking forward to this chapter and the more to come!

DarkSmile: Yeah, they are, I know the friendship between them is cute, sorry she just doesn't have the heart to tell him the truth about the mission she doesn't want to hurt him so she won't tell him.

netbreaker0: Nope, thank you for reading it!

Kawaii Kabu: REALLY, you did!! Yeah!! I'm happy to get such a great response to my fav line I've written!

I know he's a bit too slow to understand the situation he's in and shouldn't be making such a joke.

Ducky is the name of one of my cats and I just had to name the tiger the same, unusual name for a cat right?

I'm glad you like Jin!

puertorrican-babe: Yeah, he really is, I'm sorry!

Thanks, I'm glad to read that because there will be a bit of NaruHina action going on in the fic…You my friend have a dirty mind!! Sorry but no threesome in this fic but maybe it could happen in a dream sequence?? What do you think?

NanamiYatsumaki: Thanks!! I'm happy you liked that line; I just thought it would be perfect for that part of the story!!

Thank you, although I must admit I'm not that awesome but I must thank you for thinking that!!

I know and I still haven't seen it!! But then again it must be because I'm too lazy to watch it online…but one day I will watch the episode!!


Hello!! I was going to wait to update until I got internet on my laptop, but then I decided to put it up now so I won't get more PM's asking me to update, but hopefully now I'll put them up faster then before so please look forward to it, thank you for waiting I present the newest chapter of JAB


Chapter 7: Putting the plan into action!

I look into the fire ignoring Naruto's intense gaze on me, I could feel Jin's and Ducky's eyes on me also. Jin knows the truth, I think that's why he's treating Naruto like this, plus he used to feed him bowls of ramen and Jin still remembers, Naruto doesn't.

I know Naruto deserves to know the truth, I know it but I can't bring myself to tell him.

Because once I do he will know that I still love Sasuke after everything that asshole did I still love him and then Naruto will be heartbroken.

I put on my mask of White Doom as I keep looking at the fire.

"You wouldn't understand," I tell him, I feel this chill take over my body, I'm cold and the fire doesn't warm me.

"Try me Hinata, I'm a very understanding guy," he teases me.

"Are you pathetic?" I ask him as I look up at his eyes; he looks down at me confused.

"What happen to you?" he asks me softly, I smile at him, why is my stomach churning like this? I swallow down my saliva.

"Things that you can't imagine," I confess to him, my body begins to tremble; I bring my shaking hands out in front of me. "These hands are slathered in blood; actually my body is coated in a thick invisible layer of blood. I've killed entire villages, wiped out clans to get where I' am to become the person you see today. Naruto you can not possibly understand everything I've gone through, you who have had a sheltered upbringing. You haven't been there to see what I've seen or done for this past three years, you have had the privilege of not killing innocent people with your hands," I say as I keep looking at my trembling hands. "You can't see it with your eyes but death is always surrounds me, with my Byakugan I can see the Death God guiding my hands to kill to kill anyone my Master's order me to. The smell of death is glued onto me, that smell is familiar to my nose, if I don't kill someone soon I feel like I might lose it," I confess to Naruto as my hands begin to shake violently.

He stays quiet as he continues to look at me his face a mask; I look over at Jin he watches me with skepticism then I look at Ducky, that traitor has his head lying on Naruto's leg, he opens one eye to look at me but then closes it again falling back to sleep.

"No one forced you into it," Naruto's mature voice says to me, my body stops trembling and my eyes slowly go up to meet his, I feel like I can't breath as I wait for him to go on. "It's not like someone put a knife to your throat and threatened you into joining Akatsuki you didn't have to become a murderer it was you and you alone who became who you are now," he says to me, oddly to my ears it sounds right, his honest words are correct. "The only pathetic person here is you."

"Hey!" I shout as I whirl my head around to look at Naruto angrily, "now you have gone too far, I'll accept everything else except the pathetic part," I say to him.

"Now, you know how it feels to be called pathetic, it's not a very good feeling now is it?" he asks me with a smile and a laugh, I reluctantly smile along with him. I become serious once more as I look into those eyes that I missed so much, the very same ones that bring me strength.

"Once I've finished what I've meant to do, I'll tell you the whole story, I'll confess everything but for now just please trust me. It's difficult I know but just believe in me…one last time," I plead with him; I keep my back to him not wanting to see his expression.

"No," he says after a period of suspense, I feel like the wind has been knocked out of me, I fall forward but as I fall Naruto runs through the fire, he grabs a hold of me before I fall into the flames. "Shit! What the hell?" he yells in my face as he shakes me, his voice sounds scared, he sits me upright. "You didn't let me finish!" he continues to yell I look up to find an angry look on his face; it softens as he looks down into my eyes. "Only if you promise this won't be the last time," he says to me softly his voice turning tender.

I can't react only my tears speak for me, I lung myself at him and wrap my arms tightly around his stomach burying my face on it I start to sob, suddenly feeling all my energy to fight leave. I feel like the old me, the one that liked to talk about ramen with Naruto, or train with Sasuke and Naruto, laying on the grass with Sasuke in silence but seeing a faint smile on Sasuke's lips as he looked up at the stars, or getting praise from Sarutobi-sensei after a long training session with both boys, it's almost as if the old me knows that it's safe to come out of hiding after three long years, the true me can be set free. It knows that Naruto can protect us.

I sob uncontrollably as Naruto rubs my back softly whispering kind words, words of encouragement.

I've missed him so much. Words really can't express my gratitude towards him, towards the one guy that it's okay to lower my guard with, I feel all my fears vanish into oblivion as I tighten my hold on him, I've really needed this.

I've waited three years to get this cry out of me, three years of holding it in, three years of being separated from the guy that deserves my love: Naruto, the boy who has always loved me.

But my heart only responds to one boy, the boy who broke all our promises. The very same boy who stole my heart when he ran away in the cover of darkness, he took my pathetic heart as a token, as some cheap gift, that he has taken for granted.

"I-I h-h-hate h-him," I mumble onto Naruto's stomach, I try to conceal my face deeper; my sobbing seems to have no end to it.

"I can't," I hear Naruto whisper, I stop, everything around me comes to a halt I sniffle and slowly get away from him to look him in the eyes, I look at that small sad smile on his lips, he looks at me that usual easy-going smile gone, replaced with a frown and sad eyes that seem to look at something far away. He reaches forward brushing away my bangs as he comes closer to me our kneecaps touching; I watch those sincere eyes look into my confused ones.

"W-w-wh-what?" I whisper amazed I can find my voice.

"I can't hate him," he tells me again, how did he hear me? "Just like I can't hate you," he tells me softly as he rests my head on his shoulder and hugs me, "he had to go, he had to leave to become stronger in his own way, granted I don't like his methods but he had to do it in order to live peacefully with himself, he has to carry out his plan in order to even think of having a future. Just like how you had to leave to be by Itachi's side to become as strong as you are today. I didn't like your methods either," he tells me chuckling.

I push him away he almost falls back but he grabs a hold of himself before falling backwards. I wipe away my tears angrily, feeling my anger bubble inside of me as I stand up.

"He left with the man that tried to destroy your precious village!" I yell frustration and anger becoming one. "He went with Orochimaru the man who killed Sarutobi-sensei!" I continue to yell, tears of anger falling out of my eyes, I gasp holding onto my stomach as I feel a shortness of breath, God, it still hurts to talk about his death it feels as if I can't breath properly the tears continue to fall at a faster pace, I wipe them away but it's no use. "He left with the snake," I say after a long period of silence, "the one who killed the man that taught us the meaning of being a shinobi! Sarutobi Sensei taught us, he trained us!" I continue to scream, Naruto just looks at me the pity he feels for me shows in his eyes and expression, I look away.

He stands up and walks over to me.

"What about you?" he asks using an accusing tone, my back straightens as I look at him waiting for him to go on. "You went with the man that took everything away from Sasuke: Itachi is the one who forced Sasuke's hand into doing what he had to do. Because of Itachi, Sasuke had no other choice but to go to Orochimaru just like you had to go with Itachi. You can't blame him? Now can you? Do you think he blames you and hates you?" he asks me softly, I don't even have to think to answer him.

I look at the ground, the Sasuke I knew would hate me, he'd want to kill me if he ever saw me just like I want to kill him if I ever see him. I look at Naruto a faint smile grows on my lips.

"Do you remember the day you fought Sasuke on the hospital roof top, then that night you found me in the shed?" I ask him.

"How can I forget?" he asks me with an ironic smile on his mouth, "that was the last time you were yourself…after that you changed so much," he confesses to me.

"I told you that night that you were more mature, well I was wrong," I pause he looks at me confused, I smile he looks adorable with that expression on his face, my God!! Did I just actually…think that?! I feel my face turn red. "Now you are truly mature," I say to him with a smile and blush he too begins to turn pink in the face, my smile becomes wider. "So you still haven't gotten over that crush you had on me?" I cover my mouth with my hand.

Did that just come out of my lips?? What has gotten into me all of a sudden, his blush becomes brighter, I laugh.

"Silly Naruto," I tell him trying to down play his embarrassment and my own.

"How can I not?" he asks me in a whisper, Naruto gradually lifts up his head to stare deeply into my eyes, I feel as if he looks intensely into them any longer he'll see my tainted soul, I look at the ground under me.

Ba-bump, my eyes become bigger, ba-bump, ba-bump is my heart reacting to Naruto? I breath quicker in anticipation, I really can't wait to hear what he has to say, actually I want to scream at him and shake Naruto to hurry him along.

I raise my head up to look at him, I watch as Naruto takes a couple of calming breaths, his hands clench into fists at his sides, but then he slowly unclenches them and keeps looking into my eyes, he lets a shaky breath escape his semi-open lips, a reluctant smile appears on his lips, he opens his mouth, ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump my heart starts to pound faster against my breast. I wipe my sweaty palms against my kimono.

"You invade my dreams every night," a blush comes onto my cheeks, I bring my right hand to my cheek and look to the ground, he begins to panic. "No! Not like the kind of dreams you are thinking about!!" his words coming out in a rush his hands moving from side to side at a rapid pace his red face showing a mixture of concern and nervousness, I smile at him to encourage him to continue. "I mean there are some dreams that are like you what you were thinking but its only once in a while, you know its not like everyday or anything," he tells me while looking to his right that red face showing how shy Naruto can be, I hold in my laugh, but my face feels like its on fire.

"That's…good…to…hear?" I question a shy Naruto, softly, he look at the little ground that separates us as he coughs into his hand, he looks up at me with his hand cupped around his mouth he clears his throat a few times, his face becoming an even brighter red then before.

"It's just that even after learning the truth about me you kept being my friend, you didn't care if I' am the container of the nine-tails. You are just so…so lovable there is nothing wrong about you," I open my mouth to talk well more like argue against him but he quickly walks closer to me the small gap between us is no more, he rests his index finger on my separated lips, a wicked smile materializes on his mouth, he looks into my stunned gaze. "Just let me finish then you can argue all you want," I slowly nod as I keep eye contact and close my mouth.

That wicked smile grows impossibly wider, he keeps his finger on my lips then, his magnificent cerulean eyes slowly slide down to look at my lips, and they seem glued onto my lips he's keeping closed with his finger.

After a few minutes of silence and his eyes keenly interested in nothing else but my lips, he gives his head a little shake, then his eyes slide back up to look into mine once more, that signature easy-going smile makes its appearance as he is in no hurry whatsoever to remove his finger off my now closed mouth he brings his tied hands in front of him.

"You really are so easy to love. Everything about you is what I wish for, I wish to the Heavens so they would let me live the rest of my life by your side until I die. I want you so bad that my heart hurts when I think about you, how far you are from me," he looks down at his tied hands. "Knowing that these," he says keeping his sad gaze down on those hands he seems to dislike at the moment, "useless hands can't reach you. I just need you, Hinata, by my side to make my life complete, I don't need the title of Hokage just with your love I'll be fine," he looks back up into my eyes, I softly gasp as I look into them the pain he is in is so visible that I also feel the pain in my heart. "I just wish you'd look at me the same way you look at Sasuke," he tells me with a faraway look in his pain filled eyes. "Just once I want you to look at me with that undying love that you feel for Sasuke," his voice becomes softer, "just one and my pitiful existence would be complete," he whispers to me.

The tears form in my eyes, I hold them in, I beg them not to fall, I look down at my feet, I clench my jaw holding in the soft whimpers that escape between my closed lips. The ground becomes blurry as I try to focus on the green grass.

I try to deny the fact that it's me that is causing innocent Naruto so much pain but the excruciating torment my soul is feeling because of that pain filled look in his eyes is undeniable.

The tears I was holding in begin to fall onto my kimono, my fingers clutch tightly onto the fabric of it, I should comfort him, I should do something to ease his suffering, to take away his pain.

"When you fell in love with her did you know about Sasuke?" Jin speaks up, a small gasp of surprise escapes my lips, I look up suddenly to watch Jin as he gets up and walks slowly towards me, I feel Naruto's gaze leave me and direct it at Jin.

"Yeah," he says in a low-certain voice as Jin sits next to me.

"You shouldn't wish for her love then," Jin says it bluntly I look at him speechless, I should stop him but it's like watching a duel you know you should stop them but you just can't take your eyes off of those two people not until one of them is left standing and the other admits defeat or dies.

"If you knew about her love for that worthless idiot was there, then you shouldn't have set your heart on her. You should forget about her, she isn't worth the time or effort, you won't get anywhere with Hinata because even though she denies it, she still loves Sasuke, she can't stop loving the traitor. The very same one that watched as she got her ass handed to her and he actually helped," Jin says ending it with an ironic laugh; I look at him to see a cynical smile on his mouth.

I really and I mean really want to punch that cynical smile off his face but before I get the chance to Naruto jumps up to stand up nose to nose with Jin, he begins to growl at Naruto his eyes showing that Jin's stomach isn't full yet, his eyes show the hunger he is feeling and there is enough room for a certain blond boy.

"First of all," Naruto stars his voice hearing angry his face set in a scowl, "you take back what you said about Sasuke!" his voice rising towards the end. "He isn't a worthless idiot and if he is then only Hinata and me have the right to call him that not some tiger! Next, Hinata sure as hell is worth the time and effort if anyone is it's her!" he yells, up in Jin's face.

I stand ready to defend Naruto if I have to but then I watch as I can only describe as a smirk develop on Jin's mouth, my jaw falls open, what the hell is going on here?

"Kid, you sure as hell have balls, guess the legend that's starting about you is true," he says, his smirk becomes wider, he looks over at me. "You should've fallen in love with this loser instead," he tells me as he walks away from us, I'm speechless I can't seem to find my voice, "this brat is actually worth something, he has heart unlike that other human," he whispers to as he walks away, I look at the trees in front of me as I speak up.

"You don't know Sasuke so you have no right to speak of him like that," I say in a low angry voice, I fight the urge to yell, "Sasuke has heart just like Naruto."

Jin stops walking and he looks in front of him, I can't see a smile on his face since his lower back is at my side but I can just imagine it on his lips.

"You still defend him even after the hell he put you through. It's just as Sakuya said you are a dismal excuse for a human," he tells me his voice reflecting the disgust he feels for me.

My world comes to a halt, everything around me is not moving it's almost as if the world is in pause, all I hear is my rapid breathing, and my heart beating softly; my face, hands, whole body becomes cold, my mouth suddenly dries up, I feel my body shudder, I blindly look at the trees before me, the tears that won't fall make the world that has paused blurry.

"She…" I pause trying to gather my strength to ask what needs to be asked, "said that about…me?" I ask Jin just above a whisper, I feel my face become colder, I don't look back at him or anything my head won't move. I want to run; I want to run far away so I won't have to hear his answer, I'm too scared, I feel a thump, so he sits down.

"That was about the nicest thing she said about you," he begins, "after she talked to His Royal Majesty about your betrayal she had something's to say about you but by the way you are reacting it's best I not tell you anything else."

"She asked His Royal Majesty to take away my contract with you guys, am I right?" I ask him slowly reacting like normal but my heartbeat still hears faint, my body temperature is still down there's no sensation in my limbs almost as if they've gone numb but it isn't shivering anymore.

"I guess you really did know her," he says with a laugh, "yeah she did but His Royal Highness denied her request, which by the way must've been the first in history. His Highness always does everything the Princess asks he has never said no to her."

"Why? Why did he leave the contract in tact?" I ask the insider of the royal family.

Jin always knows everything that has to do with the royal family he makes it his business to know and because the King himself took Jin under his wing, the King himself trained Jin, another first.

"When I asked him about it," he begins after a long silence, "he said that there is a reason for it and he knows he could trust you, the Hinata he knows would never put in unnecessary harm to any of us tigers. I think it's all bullshit by the way," he decides to inform me.

"Why would you say that?" I ask the all-knowing Jin.

"I say his Majesty has something up his sleeve, so to speak, concerning you."

"Why me?" I ask puzzled at the drastic change of events.

"Who knows but I'll find out what is so important about you. I know you are the first human to have a summoning contract with us white tigers but there must be more to the story then what the King said," he tells me sounding way too intrigued by the events that have transpired.

"What!" I hear a confused Naruto yell out, I look over at him to find a very upset Naruto, is he barely registering what Jin told him before? Jin gets up and walks away Naruto runs after him. He blocks Jin's way, I get up and walk over to them, and Naruto's tied hands go up in front of Jin's irritated mouth. "Wait just a minute!!" his voice getting higher with each passing word.


What Jin said, I've always wanted to hear, but to hear it mentioned so abruptly got me all confused.

So I have to hear it once more. His eyes look similar to how Sasuke used to look down on me but I don't care about that now.

"There's a legend…about…me?" I manage to squeak out. "With…the…white tigers?" I wonder out loud, I look up at Jin's hairy white with black striped face. "What is it?" I shout out, I hear Jin's low growl.

"Don't shout at me!" he raises his voice. "You don't deserve to know," he says going around me but I step in front of him again.

"Come on!" I whine sounding like a child I look over at Hinata real quick to find her smiling at me; I look back at Jin to find a very irritated tiger. "How can you say that? After I cooked the food you just ate?! Now you don't have to worry about coughing up a fur ball of rabbit hair!"

I hear Hinata choke on her laughter; I look over Jin to find her face bright red and her small, pale hand covering her mouth.

She now looks like a mature version of her old self, the same one I fell in love with.

I look into her eyes, when I first saw her those lavender pupils looked dead; like that glazed over look of a dead fish has, was the same as Hinata's and that scared the shit out of me. But now they look alive that shine; that I only ever saw in Hinata's gaze is back, I smile fondly at her, she shyly looks to the ground. I watch her for a bit more my eyes never ever being able to get it's fill of Hinata but I sadly look up at Jin, his growling continues louder.

"Don't be like that Jin you're my buddy, my pal so come on! Tell me!" I continue to bug Jin; he looks down at me his patience gone.

"Fine!" he says hearing resigned in the little time he's known me, Jin has come to an understanding that I never give up.

"There's this prophecy going around," he starts off I look up at him entirely concentrating on his mouth; it's not as pretty as Hinata's but…Oh wait a minute! I should be only paying attention to Jin! "It talks about one of your sensei's," he tells me, I want to yell out who, but he'll only get angrier and stop telling me about this prophecy, plus I don't want to see him get real pissed. "It says that one of his student's will become the destined child, that this destined child will either become the savior of our world or the one who will destroy it," he tells me sounding a bit afraid to my ears. I slowly look up letting my mouth hang open as I look into his eyes, they don't hide the seriousness of what he just told me.

Can that destined child really be me?

No, I don't think it can.

I mean this prophecy speaks of a student of one of my sensei's, all of them have had many students, I mean look at Ero-Sannin he had the Fourth Hokage as a student, the Third Hokage had Ero-Sannin, Granny Tsunade plus Orochimaru as students, then Kakashi sensei has had Sasuke as a student and Sakura too, not just me.

The prophecy must be about Sasuke that's it!

It has to be! That is exactly the fuel I need in me to make sure I never give up on saving him! I must never give up on Sasuke; I must help him at all costs!

He must never be driven to the evil side because if he is it just might end the world we know!

"Do you know which sensei the prophecy is about?" my shaky-uncertain voice asks Jin. He shakes his head; I look at the ground feeling this new energy in me driving me to save my best friend.

"It's not about him," I hear Hinata's soft voice tell me, I look over at her and find her next to Jin, she looks at my face then into my eyes. "It can't be about him, it must be about you," she says that radiant smile directed at me. My heart begins to beat hard against my chest, everything in me starts to believe every word that is coming out of her mouth.

"How can you be so sure?" I ask her, she just looks tenderly at me and taps her chest with her index finger.

"This heart is telling me that it is you," she says to me softly, I look into those eyes the ones I always drown in and they make me believe her words, they make me believe in her.


Why do I feel the need to assure him?

And why am I so sure of this?

He looks at me his face showing how grateful he is for my words, I feel warm inside it's because of that huge smile on his mouth. He laughs closing his eyes, I feel a shortness of breath, my heart beat quickens as I watch him closely.

I've needed him…badly.

"Thanks," I hear him, I was about to tell him something but I get this prickly sensation on the back of my neck. I sense as if someone dangerous is watching us. I walk over to Naruto and grab his collar and drag him over to Jin he doesn't fight me along the way but I throw him at Jin then I grab Attainment's hilt and unsheathe it to point it at his wound that was caused by Kisame.

"Let's go, get on Jin's back," I say using a threatening tone. He looks at me his puzzlement apparent on his expression, he doesn't understand my change. I mask my emotions as he goes on top of Jin willingly.

I go to the fire giving them my back. "Take him I'll catch up to you shortly, roar if you need my assistance," I instruct Jin.

"Don't count on it, I can do fine on my own," those are his parting words as he runs away with a very bewildered Naruto ridding on his back.

I look over at a resting Ducky, "Aren't you going to chase after your new love?" I ask him, he raises his head up faintly opening his eyes, then resting his head back down.

I snicker at his laziness.

"So I see that you completed the mission given to you by Itachi," I hear Zetsu say, I bow at him as he comes up from the grass, he looks over at a now very awake and alert Ducky. "So you found him?" I hear disappointment in his voice as he looks down at an angry growling Ducky.

"More like he found me," I say smiling back at Ducky who is now on all fours growling ferociously at Zetsu.

"Too bad none of the theories we came up with actually happened," I hear him say.

"Well we could always make our theory come true," I hear one of Zetsu's side say. Goose bumps crawl all over my body, does he really mean to eat Ducky? He wouldn't!!

"Anything is fine with me, I could eat him whole," he says getting closer to a growling Ducky.

"Ma-Master Zetsu!" I call out to him, he stops moving to look back at me waiting for me to go on. "P-Please don't joke around like that…not with Ducky," I plead with him.

Zetsu looks back at Ducky, I glance at Ducky, then Zetsu gives Ducky his back, but my tiger stays up alert not trusting Zetsu, he looks at me then leaves, I watch his retreating back knowing he'll stay close to accompany me wherever I go.

Zetsu hands out to me the Akatsuki robe, I look at it then at Zetsu, he smiles as I reach for it.

"The Leader wants you to wear it from now on," he informs me, I unbutton it to put it on, "he also wants you to paint your nails purple," I look up at him not really getting why he's saying this.

"Does this make it official?" I wonder out loud, "but I have no ring," I state the obvious to Zetsu.

"We are in the process of accruing Kakuzu's ring," he says walking away. I go over to the fire and make the necessary hand seals for water to come out of my mouth, Kisame taught me a few basic water techniques. I put out the fire but then I understand what Zetsu is saying and whirl around to look up at him shocked and unable to hide it, he evilly smirks.

"S-say that again Master Z-Zetsu?" I faintly ask him, he turns his head to look at me.

"We are in the process of accruing Kakuzu's ring. Would you like to come along to retrieve what's rightfully yours?" he asks me, his voice turning sinister.

"But shouldn't I see to Naruto?" I ask him trying to hide my fear. "That is what Master Itachi ordered of me."

"This order comes from above," he says as he walks in the direction I just came in, I stand in place, my body trembles, how can I face Lady Hokage now? Because if what Naruto told me earlier the other Konoha shinobi had Kakuzu's body.

What if while I'm away they start to extract the nine-tails from Naruto?

This is too much; I have to process this information.

"Why are you standing there like an idiot? Hurry your ass up!" he yells, I run to him as I create hand seals, then two Kage Bunshin appear, one runs toward Jin and the other just runs in a random direction, Zetsu throws a kunai at the one running towards them it disappears leaving a puff of smoke, my other Kage Bunshin quickly goes into the ground, Zetsu looks at me furious. "I thought I ordered you to leave him!" he yells coming to a halt in front of me.

I direct my gaze at the ground.

"I'm sorry Master Zetsu when I'm given an order by Master Itachi I must see it through," I lie; I want to tell Jin that there's a change in plans.

"I should kill you right now," he says as he stands before me, I feel him breathe on me, I stand absolutely still knowing for a fact that he won't kill me, there's an unwritten law in Akatsuki that one can't kill another's subordinate. "But I won't so you should feel lucky," he says giving me his back then meshing with the grass under his feet he looks over at me, "well, what are you waiting for?" I create the hand seals he taught me himself, I start to mesh with the grass as well and look back one last time feeling worried for Naruto and Jin.


"What happened?" I ask Jin; he doesn't say anything as he looks everywhere to make sure no one is around.

"She sensed someone," he tells me.

"Then shouldn't we go back to help her?" I want to yell out but I shout out instead.

"He was from Akatsuki," he says to me keeping constant watch all around, "what do you plan on doing with that cut on your stomach and that broken arm? You're trying to be brave but it's killing you isn't it?" he asks me.

"I can still fight!" I tell him pissed that he could see through it.

"But you can't create hand seals, so what good are you if you aren't able to use ninjutsu?" he asks me, I was about to say a really awesome comeback but Jin suddenly stops and I slam into the back of his neck. I pull my front back about to ask what the hell is wrong only to see Hinata come out of the ground.

"What is it?" Jin growls in his rough voice. How could she have beaten us? He was running as fast as the wind.

"There's a change of plans!" she tells him hurrying her words, "I've been taken on a mission to Konoha so I need you to take Naruto…" but a kunai is thrown at her forehead, I gasp in shock, then watch as a puff of smoke materialize, I feel a rush of relief, I hear Jin growl as he looks behind himself, I look back to see Itachi and Kisame.

"Damn! I was too busy paying attention to her Kage Bunshin that I wasn't watching my back! Shit!" I hear Jin say quietly. He turns around facing the Akatsuki team, I look at the expressionless Itachi not at all surprised that he is here.

"Leave him," I hear his detached voice order Jin, he just growls backing up, and I can tell that he's strategizing, coming up with a counter attack against the duo.

"Don't Jin," I tell him, he doesn't look back at me, "just leave me, I promised them that if I had time alone with Hinata I would willingly go with them," I say as I get off of him, he looks over his shoulder to meet my eyes.

"Don't be stupid kid!" he shouts at me, I can see the worry he feels for me reflect in his eyes, I smile at Jin giving him a thumps up.

"I'll be fine! They don't call me Naruto Uzumaki for nothing!" I tell him not having to pretend to be brave or anything. He shakes his head, like he can't believe me.

"You really are a loser," he tells me with a smile on his mouth, "it's either that or you're retarded," he turns his head around to look one last time at Kisame and Itachi growling. Then disappears, I face my captures and walk over to them knowing that if I run for it, it'd be no use, I'll just get even more hurt.

"That's an obedient little fox," Kisame tells me, I look at him showing my anger. "Oh man that look just made me shit in my pants," he tells me sarcastically, he reaches up, behind him and gets a hold of his sword. "Do you want to have another round?" he asks me sounding excited at the prospect.

"It'd be no fun," Itachi says coming over to me, "can't you tell that he's barely conscious, the pain his in, is too unbearable," he says walking around me, I watch him and see the corners of my sight turn black then the blackness increases until I can't see any more, my black world is tilting as I stand still.

How is that possible?

"See I told you," I hear Itachi's voice.

"I don't know…" I hear a disbelieving Kisame.

"What?" but that's the last I hear as I feel I'm drowning and just fall deeper and deeper into the ocean.


I look at a standing unconscious Naruto.

"What the?!" I say as I walk over to Itachi and Naruto.

I poke him in the chest and he bounces back forward.

"You cast a genjutsu!" I accuse my partner; he ignores me and keeps watching Naruto.

"I didn't," he tells me his tone proves that he did not indeed cast it, I look at Naruto is he really unconscious or is he just playing?

"Well, I guess it really was an easy mission…" I say as I look at our new prisoner.

"It must have been the shock from seeing the real Hinata and the injures he has…his body couldn't take it anymore…" he says as he keeps watching Naruto.

"Kind of makes me feel sorry for the fool…well almost," I say as I keep poking him and he keeps bouncing back.

"We should start heading back," Itachi tells me as he walks away, I look at him my jaw falling open.

"What about your jinchūriki?" I say after him he turns around looking at me, I can picture his evil smile directed at me under that pulled up collar.

"That's why I have you…Kisame…you're my brute strength," he says turning around again walking away.

"I wish Hinata was here…she'd summon a tiger to take the weight off my shoulders," I tell Itachi's retreating back. I bend my knees and grab Naruto and throw him over my shoulders his stomach resting on them and his front body laying on my front. I walk faster trying to catch up with Itachi. "Where is Hinata?" I ask as I walk behind Itachi, who knew this fifteen year old could be so heavy?

"She's on a mission with…Zetsu," he reminds me quietly.

"Oh…right…are you okay with it? I mean this is the first time she's going on a mission as an official Akatsuki member and she's with Zetsu," I ask him but Itachi doesn't respond he keeps walking acting as if I said nothing.

So my suspicions were correct, he's pissed that Hinata may become Zetsu's partner…well I better not say anything that might piss him off further.


We stand half a mile away from Konoha's gates.

I can't stop worrying about Naruto.

What if they do start without me, my plan won't work not unless I'm there when they begin the process.

"Hinata focus on the mission at hand," Zetsu orders me.

I still can't believe Itachi threw a kunai at me, what a jerk! I'm still pissed! I'll get him back!

"Hinata…" he calls me in a warning tone, I give him my full attention.

"You must locate Kakuzu's body and bring back the ring," he tells me, I nod swallowing down the knot in my throat.

"Mater Zetsu?" I call out to him, he looks at me growing impatient, he doesn't respond so I continue. "What happens if I get caught?" he smiles.

"Then they'll torture you until you talk but I suggest…" he pauses, "that you kill yourself so you won't give any valuable information away," he says sounding excited at the prospect, I find my anger grow as I give him my back and create the hand seals and begin to become one with the ground.

"I have a pretty good idea of where Master Kakuzu's body is don't go far away I'll be done in a bit," I boast before my head disappears, I hear him laugh before I leave.

I wander around a bit in my home village, but I don't notice the differences that have happened during my time away.

I have been to the morgue before, Lady Hokage herself showed it to me, I emerge into a wall of the morgue and notice Shizune there with three ANBU Black Ops., and I hide my chakra like I was taught by Zetsu himself. I create three clones and do my invisibility jutsu, each of my clones have a needle with a low dosage of poison on the tip, I prick them and before they can think about anything they fall to the ground.

I disperse my Kage Bunshin and come out of the wall; I walk over the sleeping bodies and go to Kakuzu's body that is lying on the exam table.

I look down at him feeling a bit sad because he was an okay guy even though he nagged me most of the time about all the money the organization spent on me.

I remove the ring of his left middle finger and put it on my own then the door of the morgue opens and look up to find first a very surprised Lady Hokage but then she becomes angry as she looks down at the bodies before I can even open my mouth she comes at me, I activate my Byakugan and see all her chakra go to her right fist even though she comes at me with her left, I lean back then jump away just as she brings her right arm forward the cement that was under my feet crumbles and flies up some pieces hitting me all over my body as I jump up on the ceiling of the room.

"L-Lady Hokage?" I call out to her as I look down at her, her rage filled eyes look up at me.

"Shut up!" she yells, "do you know what I was doing just a minute ago? I was treating team Kakashi and Shikamaru's team! They couldn't even talk! You know who informed me that you, your organization took Naruto? It was Pakkun! So don't you dare open your mouth again!" her voice hears so loud and strong but also like she's choking back her tears, I sadly look down at her.

"Tsunade what's going on?" I hear my savior come I look over at him to watch as he enters the room.

"Lord Jiraiya!" I shout out, Lady Tsunade glares up at me.

"Didn't I warn you?" she screams as she jumps up at me with her left and right fist so much chakra are going towards her fists that I can see it emitting out, I fear for my life as I join my hands to create hand seal's, I disappear off the ceiling just as her fists land on it crumbling it to rubble, the smoke of my Kage Bunshin mixes in with the dust her fists created from the cement. I let my head to come out of the wall that I stayed in when I felt chakra come in the direction of the morgue.

"Lady Hokage please listen, I must leave but I want you to hear my reasons, only if you permit me to speak, my Lady!" I say to her my voice becoming desperate.

"What is it Hinata?" I hear a calm and rational Jiraiya ask me.

"Jiraiya! Hinata is a traitor of Konoha! We must capture her so she can tell us more of the organization!" she yells, "That is an order!"

"Tsunade weren't you the one who agreed to let Hinata infiltrate Akatsuki? And have her report to me? She is doing that now, but if she says something we don't like then we'll kill her. After all no matter how great she is, she cannot stand a chance against two Sannin," he tells her his voice sounding cold, cold enough to make me shiver in fear.

"Is it safe to come out?" I ask hiding how scared I' am of the two.

"I guess," Lady Hokage answers still hearing pissed to my ears, I come out of the roof head first and flip as I get closer to the floor and bow at her my eyes not wanting to look into her angry ones.

"Hokage, don't worry Shizune and the ANBU will wake up in an hour, the poison is not harmful at all," I inform her keeping my head bent down. "I had no choice but to capture Naruto, if I would've refused they would've killed me and still would've taken Naruto," I say to her.

"Should you be speaking this freely? Are none of your superiors around?" Jiraiya asks me.

"Yes, Zetsu is wandering around but he won't do anything, he can not interfere, it's an order from above, the Leader himself gave it to me. There is no need to worry since there's a barrier around this building," I say to them. "But I don't have much time, so I'll explain quickly I did indeed capture Naruto, his arm is broken from killing the Akatsuki guy on your exam table, a cut on his stomach caused by a fight between him and Kisame, he's probably in pain but my summon, Jin is with him even if Itachi and Kisame have him they won't harm him anymore that is unless he fights back. We didn't plan on capturing him but Itachi said he didn't see a more perfect opportunity so he decided that we might as well just take him, they are probably taking him to one of the hideouts so I must leave to be with him," I tell them about to take my leave.

"Hold it!" I hear Master Jiraiya yell out at me, I look up at him. "Why are you in such a hurry to leave? Tell me why you are dressed like that?" he asks pointing at my robe.

"I fear they may start trying to extract the nine-tails from Naruto, so I must get him just in case. And…" I meet their eyes as I stand up on my feet. "My mission was to retrieve this ring," I raise my hand so they could look at the ring on my finger, "because as of today I' am officially a member of the organization Akatsuki," I tell them not feeling proud of the fact.

"Do you have new information for me?" he asks me crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the door frame. I feel the frustration get to me, don't they understand how grave the situation really is!

"Lord Jiraiya and Lady Hokage can you not see how little time I have I don't have time to talk!" I shout out, letting it get the best of me, bad idea they both look at me with the intent to kill me, I bow down staying in this position. "I'm worried about him," I confess keeping my tears at bay, "I'm sorry for disrespecting you."

"I'm glad you see that," the Hokage says in a low voice, I shake in fear, as I keep my body bended forward trying to stop the shaking.

"You should go," Jiraiya says his voice softening.

"What makes you think she isn't playing us? What happens if she is deceiving us and really is on their side, we should get her in an interrogation room to question her," Lady Hokage somewhat suggest but to me it hears like a demand.

"No, she hasn't turned, if she had she would've killed us when she had the chance," he says, I'm shocked, how did he know? "I've worked with her long enough to know her this well," he informs the Hokage. "Itachi taught her to find different ways to kill people in her mind, to picture it so to say; he's jammed it into her head so now without planning on it, it comes automatically. She easily finds our flaws and weaknesses, isn't that right Hinata?" he questions me in a light friendly tone, I nod.

"How did you know we were close?" Lady Hokage asks me sounding surprised and not hiding it.

"My element is earth, if I send chakra to my feet with my Byakugan I can see everything going around me, I feel when someone walks on the earth, I feel small tremors so to speak," I tell her.

"Itachi while he was training her never allowed Hinata to use her Byakugan he taught her to relay on her instincts and elements, that's how she learned to see without the Byakugan, she's going to be a strong ally when she joins us again," Jiraiya tells her, sounding like a proud father boasting of his child's accomplishments, it brings a smile to my face.

I want to get out of here, now but first I must ask something.

"My Lords may I ask a favor?" I say out loud.

"Sure, what is it Hinata?" he asks himself.

"May you fight me?" I ask the question I feared asking, if I know Lady Hokage she wants to fight me.

"Why?" she asks.

"You my Lords came in from the outside, you weren't inside the facility so if Zetsu is outside keeping watch he probably saw you when you came inside," I tell them; I hear her crack her fingers and knuckles.

"Go easy on her, Tsunade," Jiraiya warns her as I stand up straight.

"I'm the Fifth Hokage to you pervert!" she says looking back at him, "plus how do you expect me to go easy on White Doom, I want to witness her greatness for myself," she says facing me.

"Actually," I hear Master Jiraiya interrupt his old friend, "I think it'd be more appropriate if you beat her a bit, Hinata won't be fighting back, right?" he asks me, I nod, Lady Hokage smiles evilly at me.

"Just don't break my arms or anything, I have to do hand seals in order to escape without anyone else finding out I was here," I finish as she punches me hard on my mouth, I spit out the blood and a tooth, she elbows me in my stomach, my feet lift off the ground and I slam into the wall behind me crumbles, I move and cough up blood I jump up and vanish. If I stay any longer she most would've killed me.


"She ran," Lady Hokage says.

"I would've ran too," she walks over to him, he reluctantly smiles.

"True I don't want to face your monstrous strength," he tells her off-handedly. She ignores him as she looks at the ceiling.

"Do you really trust her?" she asks him softly keeping her eyes up.

"Yeah I do…she has a strong will of fire in her…one that won't easily be blown out," he tells her walking away, she follows him.

"I'm worried about him," she confesses.

"I' am too," he tells her truthfully, "but it's all in Hinata's hands now," Jiraiya says as both him and Tsunade come out of the morgue. "Are you going to leave them down there?" he asks his head moving in the direction they just came out of.

"I'll contact the medical corps immediately," she says leaving her friend behind but before she goes to faraway Jiraiya calls out to her, she stops to look at him waiting.

"You already have a plan in mind don't you?" she just smirks walking away. "Wait, at least until Hinata or Naruto contact us, just assemble the teams as you see fit then wait until they talk to us," she doesn't say anything but then turns around to look at him.

"They only have three days before I send out teams to locate them, then attack Akatsuki! Do you understand if they don't then I, myself will scout along with the rest of the teams," she tells him her voice unwavering.

Jiraiya nods knowing that whatever he tells her won't change her mind.


I arrive to where I last saw Zetsu; I sit down on the grass then lay back looking up at the sky. I feel as if all my insides are against my spleen has my stomach caved in? I bend forward a bit to take a look but it's too much work and too much pain. I throw myself back down the back of my head slamming against a rock, today is just not my day.

"So you actually fought the Hokage and live to tell the tale," he tells me looking down at me blocking the sun as he evilly smirks at me.

God, just breathing hurts.

"Master Zetsu?" I croak out, he keeps smiling at my pain, "is my stomach caved it?" I ask him, his smile widens shaking his head, I close my eyes. "It feels like it is," I mumble, relaxing my body but it doesn't matter it still hurts.

"How are you still alive?" he asks me sitting down next to my head.

"Because I escaped," I tell him, lying motionless, "even though I think I lost the ability to digest anything, hey are you positive my stomach is still there? I swear I feel as if it is caved in, do I look weird? Do I look like someone without a stomach?"

"But wasn't the other Sannin, Jiraiya there also, didn't he try to stop you?" Zetsu totally ignores my questions; he asks me, I don't react because that's what he wants out of me.

"Yeah, he was," I begin carefully, "but the Hokage told him to guard the door saying that she can handle me on her own."

"Ha, she was taking White Doom too lightly!"

"When she was getting ready to attack me again, I took the chance to escape, so it's really great that you taught me your jutsu, that's how I was able to flee. But it still feels like I might die, are you sure my stomach is still visible?" I continue to worry about it, knowing I'm angering Zetsu.

"I taught Tobi but he was too much of an idiot and didn't get any of them right. It was easier for you because your element," I stay quiet and listen to him thinking to myself. "We should get going the Leader wants to begin to extract the biju," he says as he stands. I feel my heart beat faster could they really start taking the nine-tails from Naruto?

I knew I had reason to worry! My stomach feels sick, I will my body to get up and it does, it so painful but I don't care I must get to Naruto!

I don't walk right; my feet feel as if they are made of rubber, Zetsu stands next to me.

"So you want to rest some more?" he asks me lightly, I glare at him.

"No, Master Zetsu I'm sure they want us in the hideout since we are so close, so lead the way," I tell him feeling a shortness of breath, I gather my chakra and create the same hand seals that Zetsu is doing my feet disappear from under me and enter the earth, "I'll follow you Master," I tell him as the bottom half of my body vanishes under me, he smile becomes sinister as he too disappears.

I have to get there quickly! I must defend Naruto, it doesn't matter if I die trying I'll help him no matter what!


I wake up feeling sore all over; I just lie here unable to move.

My eyes open to darkness, they can't adjust, it feels as if I've gone blind the darkness has taken over my eyes and is dominating them. My back is damp, I sniff the thick mold stench, and it smells so bad that I'm afraid to breath.

If I breathe in this kind of air will fungus grow in my lungs?

My body feels weighed down almost as if I gained a thousand pounds after sleeping for…I don't know how long.

I move the one hand I can still feel, I touch the ground around me and just grab a hold of dirt. My hand finds something. I reach out and drag it over closer to me, I feel around it, the top is a bit round, two equal size round holes next to each other, another one a few inches between the other ones but this one is a bit triangular, the top is smooth almost like a bone or ivory.

Right now I really wished I learned some fire jutsu so that I could see what my hand is touching.

My other arm doesn't hurt but it feels as if it isn't even there, it just feels dead.

The air in here is cold, my body is shivering, all I hear is my teeth clatter against each other, why is it so cold in here?

Where is in here anyways? Where am I?

Why did Itachi and Kisame bring me here?

But the question I really want answered is where Hinata is?

Why isn't she with me?

I feel something walk over my shaking leg; it had four little feet and a long tail.

At least I'm not alone. I have comfort in that little fact.

So is this where I'm going to die?

Is this end to what was to be the great legend of Naruto Uzumaki?

To die alone, okay with a huge rat in a damp dark place?

Can I get any lamer?

I hear a door creak open, my eyes automatically search for the light but are blinded by how bright it is I close them.

All I see are white spots.

"N-Naruto?" I hear Hinata's voice call out to me softly; I bolt up only to fall back. "W-where are y-you?" her soft voice asks me but before I could answer she steps on my leg, I hear her yelp and I laugh.

"You found me," I say to her.

"I'm so sorry! I never meant…It was an accident, I swear!" she rushes out the words, I laugh, "I should've activated my Byakugan but I wasn't thinking," she tells me as I feel her kneel next to me she grabs a hold of my trembling cold hand to grab it with her warm shaking one. "D-did you know that before A-Akatsuki put a hideout in this cave, it was used by the village to kill traitors. They would lock them up in here with lions, alligators, rats, vultures," she tells me letting out a shaky-scared breath.

"But this room is small-all-all-ll-ll-l-l" I hear the echo so I was wrong and it seems to be pretty big, I hear water splash, Hinata squeezes my hand tightly.

"There's this huge lake in here it was for the alligators," she whispers. "I'm scared to be in here!" she whispers as she comes closer and rests her head on my chest, I hear her rapid breathing. "I can feel them…I feel all the spirits in here, wallowing, screaming as they die at the claws of a lion or being barely alive as vultures begin to its their intestines, they silently cry, yelling out but no noise coming out of their mouths. They are all angry shinobi, they who used to be proud are reduced to nothing but bones, pissed that they never got to say good-bye to their loved ones," she tells me as her body shakes violently I hear her teeth clatter like mine. I feel my hand squeeze onto the round part of what I was holding then it breaks because of the pressure I put it in, Hinata screams out in fear, I screech alongside her. I feel something grab onto my leg and pull me I shriek out grabbing onto Hinata's hand hoping she could hold onto me, not letting whoever or whatever is trying to take me away. It must be one of those spirits she was talking about.

I see brightness through my eyelids, I open them to see Kisame standing in front of me laughing, Itachi against the wall, and Hinata sitting on a chair, her legs are on the side of the seat and both arms bent over the top of the chair an evil smile on her lips as she too laughs.

"You cast a genjutsu on me?" I accuse a smirking Itachi.

"It was worth it," I hear him mutter.

"You scream like a girl!!" Kisame tells me between laughs, he clutches onto his middle laughing real hard.

"'But this room is small-all-ll-ll-l-l'" Hinata mimics me then laughs out loud her face up towards the ceiling; I look over to find a chuckling Itachi.

"Man! That was classic!!" I hear Kisame gasp as he continues to laugh real loud.

I want to yell at them to tell them off but before I do I hear Hinata scream and Kisame starts to crack up again this time even louder.

"That…heard…just…like…him!!" he yells out laughing and saying the words, he gasps and Hinata laughs louder still both hands holding onto her middle, she bends forward laughing.

Why did she change? Why is she dressed like that? Like a real Akatsuki member? What in the world is going on!!

"It was almost as funny like that one time you killed Orochimaru's bitch!" Kisame says getting into a whole new fit of laughter.

Who was Orochimaru's bitch? Then my eyes become big with the realization, I look at her my eyes unable to hide my disbelief.

"You killed Kabuto?" I ask her, she looks at me not laughing anymore but turning serious.

"Yeah, what of it?" she asks me her laughter stopped.

I can't believe it!! Granny Tsunade had a difficult time bringing him down and Hinata was able to kill him? How is that even possible? How strong is Hinata really?

Why do I suddenly fear her?

"Is this another genjutsu?" I ask her as I move around in the chair I'm bound to by rope, my arm feels dead as it's tied behind the back of the chair, I try to move it but it won't budge at all but it hurts.

"No, this isn't a genjutsu inside another genjutsu, I don't think that's possible or is it, Master Itachi?" she asks looking over at him.

"I've never tried it," is all Itachi says.

"You should try it you might be the only Uchiha that has the ability to do it," she says looking at him, he turns his head to meet her eyes.

"And what of Sasuke?" he asks her, she laughs throwing her head back laughing so hard that it must hurt her throat.

"You are joking, right Master Itachi? That traitor could never dream of it! He has no skills at all! He is no match for you!" she says hearing pissed that Itachi would even mention his brother.

"I've heard that he's gotten good," Kisame says, we all turn to look at him, he shrugs his shoulders, "I know people," is all he tells us, we all stay silent as we digest the information.

"You know people from Sound?" I ask him, he nods as he sits in a chair that is directly across from Hinata.

"Every intelligent shinobi has informants from every hidden village," Hinata informs me sounding all snobby and emphasizing on the word intelligent what is she trying to say? "But I guess that's too much asking from you," she snickers and Kisame laughs. "I even have informants that my Master's don't know about," she tells me stretching her arms up and her legs out, yawning.

"Really, I didn't know," Kisame tells her sounding interested. "Who are they?" he asks her trying to act as if he isn't really interested but anyone can tell that he's intrigued by her words.

"Who are yours?" she asks him with a sly smile, he keeps his mouth shut tight, her smile widens as she leans back, "I thought so."

"Do you know all of Orochimaru's hideouts, where they are all located in?" I ask them trying to act cool and uninterested in their answer but the truth is if I wasn't tied to the chair I wouldn't be able to sit still.

"Maybe," I hear Hinata say, "Why do you want me to mark them all on a map or something?" she asks I smile wide at her.

"Yes!" I yell unable to hide my excitement, I laugh a bit feeling happy, she looks at me not hiding her disbelief, then she laughs, she laughs real loud and Kisame joins in, my smile starts to fade away as I look at them.

"You can't honestly? Do you actually think you'll get out alive?" she questions me I was going to answer her but she didn't give me a chance. "You aren't going anywhere! You saw what happened to Gaara when the one-tail was taken out of him? The same thing is going to happen to you once my Master's and I take out the nine-tails! You are going to die and this time no one is going to revive you like Gaara, doesn't your Hidden Village hate you, they hate your existence? They'll probably thank us for taking care of your miserable life!" she yells at me opening up new wounds that I thought healed a long time ago. I don't care because I still have my friends and I'm sure they'll try to help me out if not then I'll just have to take them all on my own.

"Don't think your friends or sensei's will try to help you because Kisame and me took care of them," Itachi speaks up, can he read my mind now? "You look surprised," Itachi says to me, "no, I can't read your mind but I know how simple minded you are," he says, I look at the ground feeling stupid.

But if I think like that, then I'd be leaving my nindo way behind.

"I won't lose hope!" I tell them as I slowly raise my head to look at them one at a time to meet their gazes so they can see my resolve with their own eyes. "Because if I do I'll be betraying my nindo!" I shout out finishing with Hinata as I meet her eyes head on and they shine their pride for me, so it is all in act she put on, that smile she has on her mouth could very well melt my heart.


I look at Naruto feeling my heart flutter at his seriousness; he looks handsome with that look in his eyes.

I think I might be falling for him…falling hard.

Is my heart finally giving up on Sasuke? Can I finally give him up?

I feel a pair of Sharingan eyes pierce through me, I sit frozen at his anger that he's directing at me, my sweat drops, slowly slide down my forehead and onto my cheeks, my whole body trembles in fear, I bow my head down.

"Don't worry it's be the greatest thing to see you when you lose all hope and give up on your friends," I hear Kisame say as he gets up. "When you do I'll ask you then where that nindo way went," he tells Naruto before walking to the door, "I'm bored, I'm going to go talk to Tobi since he's always funny," he says exiting through the door he opened, my body tremors a bit as it recognizes how dangerous it is to be alone with Itachi.

We all stay silent, I don't look up at either of them but I feel Itachi's intense gaze, I too get up and leave without a word knowing that Itachi wishes to talk alone with Naruto. He won't harm him any further; he won't harm him any further, I chant to myself. I have to believe that, I must!! That is all I can think about as I close the door behind me.


I wait until its dark and everyone is a sleep to sneak in to his room, I go in to find him wide awake lying on the bed with one arm bent over his forehead, he looks over at me not so surprised to see me in here.

He smiles up at me but I can tell that smile is fake, I stop by his bed side to look at him closely and notice the paleness, his face is set in a frown, I look down and watch his right eye twitch and bites down on his bottom lip.

I go to him avoiding his agony filled eyes, I look at his forehead and notice the sweat, I reach up with trembling fingers and touch his forehead and he's burning up, I calm the nerves that are sending warning signs to my brain by telling myself that everything will be fine, because I know a way to cure him.

I bite down on my thump and create the hand seals I need to perform then throw my palm face down a puff of smoke appears, once it disappears I see the small tiger cub, he comes running to me and digs his claw nails in my coat, I fall backwards with him on top of me, licking my face, I laugh at his excitement and hug him tightly against me, he snuggles closer, I hear him purr.

"Hey, Chibi!" I call him by the nickname I gave him.

"Hinata-a-a I missed you!' he tells me in his small child-like voice, I hug him tighter as I stand up and take him over to Naruto. "What? You want me to work already?? I don't get to play a game with you first? What about a kiss?" he says bringing his mouth to my lips but I put my hand palm out for him to kiss it instead.

"Not now Chibi you have to save him first then I'll kiss you all you want, I promise," I tell him crossing my heart with my left index finger.

He lets out huffs of angry breaths as he looks down at a very still Naruto. "Is this the human Jin-sensei spoke of?" he asks me not hiding his wonder, as I set him down on Naruto's chest, his jaw hangs down as he looks at Naruto his face slowly shows that he feels the same pain Naruto is in.

"It hurts me to be on top of him," Mamuro tells me as he looks in my eyes, "this pain he's in is intolerable, I'm going to perform it so ready your chakra," he tells me sounding grave, he keeps his intense gaze down on Naruto's colorless face, I look on as he searches for the cause of his pain he looks at his heart, could this be because of me?

Is his suffering my fault and not his injury? I gather the chakra just as Mamuro asked me to.

I watch as his head moves away from his heart and goes down to his injured arm, I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Are you ready?" Mamuro asks me not bothering to look at me.

"Yes," I finish just as Mamuro bites into Naruto's arm, Naruto cries out in pain I put my hands on Mamuro's paws that are pushing down on his arm, I watch as his front paws start to glow, he pulls out his fangs and licks where he just bit into, I look down to watch it doesn't matter how many times I see it, it still never fails to amaze me, the bite marks fade away. I look up towards Naruto's face and notice the frown gone and a peaceful expression on his now relaxed face, I notice the sweat gone and color is slowly returning to his face.

I fall back landing hard on my butt, I look down and at my shaking hand, I feel drained and it's not because of the chakra I just used, it has to do with the worry I felt, a shaky breath escapes my open lips my whole body continues to tremble.

I rest my right arm over my bent knees and lay my forehead down on my forearm, I was scared. I was afraid I might not have made it in time to save my friend, the one guy it's safe to let my guard down with.

For a minute I thought Mamuro didn't make it in time and wouldn't be able to heal him.

"You doubted my ability," he says jumping off of the Naruto and sits down at my feet putting his paws on my sandals, I raise my head to look down at him not hiding the outrage I feel at his words.

"Never!" I say faking my anger, he looks up, that knowing expression on his young tiger face, his eyes are wide pretending to be innocent, I smile down at him and sit Indian style and stretch out my arms for him to come and jump in them, I grab a hold of him and kiss him on his irresistible pink nose.

"Did you know that you are the cutest white tiger ever-r-r!" I inform him as I snuggle him tighter and kiss his forehead, I hear him purr as he rubs his head on my neck.

"He's going to wake up in a minute or two, he'll be tired and his muscles will be sore but other than that, Naruto will be just fine," he says laying on his side and resting his head under my chin, I lower it and hold him as I hear his purring become louder, I pet him as he takes a much needed nap.

I look over at Naruto to find him sleeping, I look down at Mamuro, I need him to take a message to the Hokage but he looks so cute asleep that I don't have the heart to wake him.

I drag myself over to Naruto to sit against his bed, my back is to him, I bring up my knees and rest Mamuro's bottom on my thighs and hold him with one hand as I softly rock him, his purring becomes softer as he moves his head around to find the place where is more comfortable.

I look out into the darkness of the room, I used to fear this darkness, I felt that if I lived in it for too long then it would swallow me whole, the world forgetting that I even existed, would anyone miss me: would they mourn me? That's what I used to ask myself but then I slowly started to forget to fear it and welcomed it, now I can even see in this darkness well enough, to my eyes this blackness is just like the sun, it doesn't make me warm but it doesn't make me cold either. Now all I can think about as I look out into the gloominess are all the things I have yet to accomplish, all my goals I must complete before dying, the most important one now is to protect Naruto, to protect him even if it costs me my life.

I never used to think like that, all I could think is about my revenge against Sasuke and the snake but now that I've seen Naruto again he's changed my way of thinking with his warm-sincere smile, the one he always has for me. I don't care if I never accomplish any of my goals if I can protect Naruto then I will, I'll gladly give my life in exchange of his own.

I go back to my thoughts of the message I must send to the Hokage, I must send it to her to see if she agrees with what I have planned.

"I thought you'd leave if I pretending to sleep but I was wrong," I hear Naruto's deeper voice whisper to me.

"So that's how it is? I see so I guess I'll leave!" I fake my hurt but he grabs the sleeve of my coat to hold me in place.

"No! I just wanted to see if you gave up on me or something along those lines," he says to me as his hand lets go of my coat, "what did you do to heal me?" he asks still sounding drowsy.

"This little guy did it, I just supplied him with my chakra," I say to him directing my gaze down at Chibi.

"Hey, he's cute. Was that how that tiger…what did you call him?" he asks me as he leans up on his elbows letting them rest on the bed. I feel his eyes look down at me.

"Ducky," I say his name softly as I watch the farthest wall in the room focusing on nothing in particular. "Was Ducky this small?" I ask the question he was going to ask me, and answer it before he confirms my suspicions. "No, Ducky was bigger when I found him wandering around, he was probably about three feet high," I tell Naruto as I lower my gaze to Mamuro scratching him behind his ear, I pull on the tip of it and smile as he moves around. He always hates it when I pull on that irresistibly cute ear.

For some reason, I can't explain, I love ears, any ears from any animal, be it a tiger, dog, monkey, cat, bear, I find them all cute. I used to call Akumaru over just to touch his ears and pull on them, he would always get angry but I'd give him a treat and he'd forgive me. But the next time he'd come over to me he'd walk much more slower and cautiously

I hear whining at the door and a faint smile comes onto my mouth, I stand up and lay Mamuro on top of Naruto but he wakes up and cries but then jumps off of Naruto and the bed to follow me, I go to the door and open it enough for Ducky could come in and he does roaring angrily at me, I grin down at him as he walks past me and goes over to Naruto ignoring me, Naruto chuckles, I walk towards the bed after closing the door but I feel something on my back weighing me down I turn my head downwards to find my Chibi hanging on my coat. I reach back for him and his claws dig into my coat bottom, I sigh.

"Mamuro I hope you stop doing that. I'm lucky Naruto took care of Kazuku or else he'd be nagging me about the ruined coat," I say as I was about to sit back down but then this idea comes to my mind. "If you don't then you leave me no choice but to feed you to Ducky," I warn him and grab onto his back fur to dangle him in front of a still very hungry tiger, Mamuro moves around trying to scratch me with his claws, I see tears form in his eyes as Ducky roars.

"Hinata!" Naruto yells at me in a warning tone, he grabs a hold of Ducky's open mouth to forcefully shut it, and Ducky quickly loses interest and lays down his back to Naruto's left side resting his jaw on his joined paws.

I hug a trembling Mamuro he burry's his head in my arms, I pet him to calm him down a bit.

"I was just playing," I tell a still much freighted tiger, he doesn't react to my words but I hear him whimper.

"How can you joke with a cub like that?" Naruto demands my answer as he gets up to sit next to me on the floor, in a haze Ducky follows.

"You remember Sakuya and Jin, right?" I ask Naruto he nods. "This guy is one year younger then both of them," I tell him as Mamuro finally seem to have calmed his nerves and looks up at a taken aback Naruto. "And he is Sakuya's younger brother, so little Mamuro is a prince!" I tell him feeling proud of this tiny tiger, I shake him a bit and he reluctantly smiles at me.

"Wow, really? Your big sister was a snob. She was conceited," Naruto tells Mamuro sounding snobby himself. Mamuro gets up and walks onto Naruto's shoulder and with his left paw scratches Naruto's cheek, it starts to bleed but before it actually hurts the cuts and blood disappears, Naruto reaches up amazed there's no trace of the cut.

"Wow do it again!" I hear Naruto shout, Mamuro sticks his tail up and walks over to me and rests his head on the opposite shoulder that Naruto is sitting next to so that he won't have to look at him.

"Mamuro loves his sister he'll always defend her so be careful because the next time you say something bad about Sakuya he might not heal you when you become injured," I say to Naruto as I pet Mamuro's back.

"Oh, now I get it, that's why he likes you so much because you're his sister's best friend," I look down at my feet ignoring Naruto's cheerfulness.

"Don't you know anything?" I hear Mamuro ask Naruto while he still doesn't look at him. "My sister and Hinata got into this huge fight three years ago, a few days after leaving Hidden Leaf, she stopped talking to her and to this day Hinata hasn't summoned big sis," Mamuro informs Naruto of the news that to this day still hurts.

The way Mamuro talks about it makes it sound so simple but it's far from it.

"But I thought you two were…you were so close to her," I hear Naruto tell me a concerned tone in his voice.

"I don't want to talk about it," I tell him quietly as I look down hoping he can't see the hurt I feel just thinking about our fight.

"Spoken just like Sakuya," I hear Mamuro mutter under his breath.

"If you love your sister so much why do you still come out when Hinata summons you? Shouldn't you hate her just like your sister does?" a curious Naruto asks.

"That's different, I may love my sister but I love Hinata more!! Hinata is my girl, so don't go trying to get between us! I felt your feelings for her! So don't even think my Hinata could fall for you! It doesn't matter if you are the rumored destined child!" I hear little Mamuro yell at Naruto as he gets up to face him.

"You felt how I feel? What do you mean?" Naruto shouts back, I answer for Mamuro, I grab his paw and point down under it at his paw pads.

"He can tell what we feel with these little things, he uses his chakra to 'awaken' his ability," I look at Mamuro and ask him softly, "what does Naruto feel for me?"

"His heart rate accelerates and his blood pressure rises when you are near to him. I can feel his love for you vibrate under my paws, it's really quite sickening," I hear Mamuro mumble the end.

"Hey!" Naruto shouts.

"Hinata!" I hear a shocked tiger shout at me, he gets up and stands up on my chest. "How dare you?!" he accuses me, I just look at him my eyes growing big with surprise at his sudden outburst. "Your heart is fluttering and it's beating faster! How can you feel that for him?"

"Feel what?" I hear Naruto ask, but before Mamuro can answer I close my hand around his mouth keeping it shut.

"Don't answer him!" I order Mamuro he nods but for my safety I keep his mouth forcefully shut. "How dare you do that to me?" I shout down at him feeling my face heat up.

My face feels so red that I think it might be glowing, I slowly loosen my grip around his mouth.

"Don't worry!" I hear Mamuro's sweet child voice say, "I don't want any more competition for it so I won't tell him how you feel!" he says stretching out his arms and resting his paws on my chest, and his body lying back down for another nap.

"Hey! You can't sleep again; I need you to do a mission!" I say to him, he gets up right away ready for whatever mission I might give him. "I need you to give a message to the Lady Hokage and Lord Jiraiya."

"All alone? You want me to go to Konoha by myself?" he whines at me, "come with me!"

"I can't that's why I'm sending you! I know you can do it! Unless you want me to summon Jin so he can accompany you," I say to him innocently knowing that if anything will convince him to go will be the threat of Jin, "but I need you because you have to heal a few of Naruto's friends and comrades."

He keeps his head bent down, I can't see what he's feeling or thinking then I hear Naruto speak up.

"I can summon a toad to take you," I hear Naruto tell him quietly.

"Yeah," Mamuro shouts out excitedly like a kid but then he looks down trying to act cool, "that would be better because Jin-sensei would just lecture me all the way," he says sighing just thinking about the kind of things Jin would tell him about.

Naruto spares no time to summon a toad I watch him bite down on this thumb making the same hand seals I did to summon Mamuro here, he throws his hand palm down and a huge puff of smoke appears in the room and behind it is a very big Gamakichi, I look at him my jaw dropping as I once again see the once small toad.

"Naruto, how many times do I have to tell you that I won't play shinobi just so you could show off for those little kids!" he tells a very embarrassed Naruto.

"So that's how you use your summons?" I ask Naruto with a smile.

"Well…" he tells me sheepishly, smiling with his eyes closed as he scratches the back of his head.

"Yo, who's the babe? Did you finally trade in Sakura for a newer-prettier model?" Gamakichi asks winking at what I can only imagine a very red, embarrassed Naruto.

"Don't you remember me Gamakichi?" I ask letting my hurt sound in my voice but he probably can't see me so I walk over to the door for the light switch then I turn on the light and once he sees me he quickly attacks me. I just as fast reach for Attainment and bring it forward cutting his huge-thick kunai's blade off only the handle is left in his hand, he throws it to the side and ready's his hand and clutches it into a fist he throws his arm back then swings it forward but I jump up on the ceiling before the punch could connect, I've had enough of them. Mamuro suspends on my coat, he hanging towards the ground I quickly grab him before he could let go and hold him to my left side, my right holding my katana by its hilt.

"You should have summoned me earlier! Let's try that jutsu we were working on the other day, ready?" Gamakichi asks Naruto as he gets on his two back legs and stands, gathering his webbed hands before him.

"No, you got it all wrong!" Naruto tells him.

"We heard about your capture, so I can't be wrong. I know you loved Hinata once, well you never stopped loving her but she betrayed you and your village so we must kill her and escape while we can!" I look down at Naruto.

"It seems everyone knows about how you feel about me," I joke around with him smiling down at a very red, mortified Naruto.

"Don't talk to him like you are his friend!" a very angry Gamakichi yells at me.

"Gamakichi listen to me," Naruto tells his friend an urgent tone to in his voice. "Hinata is still loyal to Leaf; Granny Tsunade gave her a mission to infiltrate Akatsuki so that we could bring them down from within. She's still my friend, you got that?" Naruto summarizes my mission.

"That's bull!" Gamakichi says as a new kunai appears in his hands leaving some more smoke around Gamakichi.

"How did you know?" I ask surprised Naruto knows of my mission.

"Jin told me," Naruto says not looking at me but at Gamakichi, I look over to see Ducky get up and growl at the toad, he shows his fangs. "Look Gamakichi, just trust me, I'm your friend aren't I? Plus you know how much I love Leaf, I'd chose it over Hinata any day!" Naruto exclaims.

"Don't kid yourself," I hear non-believing toad say as he looks at Naruto. "You would choose Hinata over the Hidden Leaf any day off the week," he says, Naruto stares at the toad with his jaw dropping and looking a bit outraged at his toad friend.

"No I wouldn't!" an angry Naruto shouts walking closer to Gamakichi becoming composed once more.

"Yes you would!" an equally angry Gamakichi shouts back, they are acting like little kids.

"Is it safe to come down or no?" I ask the duo that are staring each other down.

"Yes!" they both shout at the same time, Naruto slits his eyes as he stares down the toad but then Gamakichi gets bored and looks over at me starting from my head down to my toes, he smiles.

"You've gotten much prettier then I remembered," he says as he hops over to me. "Take that coat off so I can see you better," he tells me winking.

"I can't," I tell him innocently, then I flutter my eyelashes as I shyly look at the ground, "I'm not wearing anything under," I tease both of the guys and Naruto plus Gamakichi fall backwards foam escaping their open mouths. I laugh real loud as I sheath Attainment and hold Mamuro forward, his back on my stomach and his front facing outwards, his paws resting on my forearms that are holding him. "I'm just kidding you perverts!" I tell them between my laughter.

They both get up looking a bit disappointed; I continue to laugh at their sad expressions.

"They are perverts aren't they Mamuro?" I ask my tiger as I hold him away from me to hold him up in front away from me to hold him up before my face.

"Yeah, they are! They probably haven't even seen a girl naked in all their lives! Hinata wasn't I a good boy when we bathed together that one time?" he asks me with a smile.

"Yes, you were the best!" I say as I snuggle him between my breasts out of the corner of my eye I see Naruto and Gamakichi look at us with a blank stare and their jaws hanging down. "Okay Mamuro I'll give tell you the message you must rely onto the Hokage, I'll write it down just in case, you know to be on the safe side," I set him down on the floor and squat before him, he looks up at me in serious mode, I smile down at him. "I know this is a heavy burden," I say to him sincerely, "maybe too heavy to carry on your little shoulders, but this message might just save the world and it will save Naruto but you must be brave and give it to Lady Hokage fast!" I say to him he nods his gaze never wavering from my own, I stand up straight only to crash into Naruto.

When did he move?

He hugs me his arms circling around my waist, I stand motionless as I take a surprised intake of breath, I stand in his arms as he loosens his hold on me and I turn around to face him then my arms circle around his body to hug him back, he tightens his hold on me again. I stand like this for a long time, me resting my head on his shoulder then I raise my head only to find him watching me, I lean my head back trying to get a better look at his expression but he follows me and his lips meet mine.

I stand here his chest crushes my breasts as he kisses me softly, I keep my eyes open to stare at him but then I decide to close my eyes, kiss him back, I hear a familiar voice whisper. I don't though, I just keep my lips closed as he moves his soft lips over mine, my hands move up until they rest on his shoulder blades, I open my mouth because I was surprised to feel his muscles flex under my hands, the tip of his tongue takes advantage of my surprise to invade my mouth slowly after circling the outline of my lips. That was when I bring my hands forward and push him away. I pant as I look at him accusingly he smirks at me, Mamuro sits in front of me growling and looking angry bur he looks so cute in my eyes.

"What the hell!!" I shout at Naruto as he crouches in front of Mamuro and the tiger bites that hand that was about to pet him. Naruto was going to yell out in pain but the bite marks disappear, he looks at his hand amazed that the marks are gone, he sticks out his hand towards Mamuro's mouth but the tiger raises his head and walks away with his tail up. "D-don't do i-it a-again, got it?" I ask Naruto as he gets up to face me, I feel my face flush as he looks at me his eyes showing how honest he really is.

He just stares into my eyes; I look to the left not being able to take those beautiful eyes of his anymore.

"Got it," he responds, I let out the breath I was holding, he gives me his back as he walks back to his bed. I look over at Mamuro and start to tell him the message he is to take to the Hokage, I hand him two scrolls, one has the battle plans for the upcoming war and the other is the location of all the hideouts Akatsuki has.

"Mamuro," I smile down at the adorably-cute tiger and up at the toad that has grown up so much during the last three years, "Gamakichi we are counting on you two," I tell them and Mamuro walks over to Gamakichi then jumps up onto his back and walks up onto his head. "I put a summoning seal at the entrance of Konoha's gates so you should arrive there," I tell them as I gather my chakra and start the hand seals, "bye and good luck," I tell them as they disappear and leave only smoke to show that they were actually here.

I stand here getting this gut ugly feeling that something is wrong, I feel queasy and my hands start to tremble.

Why do I feel like this?

Then the door opens behind me and I see Itachi at the doorway, I hide my surprise as I turn to face him, he doesn't say anything as he closes the door behind him, Naruto gets up to stand in front of me but I stop him and grab his jacket to throw him against the wall that's farthest from us, he crashes into it with a loud thud.

"Why aren't I surprised to see you in here?" he asks me his voice and face completely devoid of any and all emotion, just like always.

"Because I've become a dull girl?" I joke, his Sharingans look into my eyes, I feel a chill go down my spine but I don't show it, I keep my face and eyes blank just like he taught me.

"Do you feel something for Naruto?" he asks me, I look to the ground not sure where this question is coming from, how should I answer him?

"What is your definition of 'feel'?" I ask him slowly meeting his gaze with my own.

"Does your heart react?" he asks me vaguely, I don't try to hide my confusion at his choice of words but his Sharingan eyes show how serious he is.

"No," I answer, it's a lie but he doesn't have to know that. He stays silent as he looks into my blank gaze trying to see if he can witness something in them to show him that I'm lying, he abruptly gives me his back as he starts to walk away but then stops. "You should get some sleep you are sparring with me in the morning," he informs me now, his head turns to look over his shoulder to see me and silently dare me to say something to him.

I swallow down the knot in my throat.

"Does the L-Leader k-know?" I whisper as I follow behind him ignoring a moaning Naruto who still hasn't gotten up off the floor.

"He said that he'll even stop the rain," I gasp amazed that the Leader would do that for our spar, I trip on my feet, almost falling flat on my face but I steady myself.

"He w-will?" I ask surprised, he doesn't respond as he opens the door and stands at the doorway with the door open, I run to him not looking back at Naruto ignoring him.

"He'll even watch, he says that he's never seen you in action and finally after three years he'll finally get to see White Doom fight," he says closing the door behind him. I watch as he takes out some seals and puts them on the door frame and door, he does the tiger seal and I watch as the seals glow and activate, he looks back at me. "Now, I will know if you enter his room again," he says to me, I look at the ground and give him my back but I feel his hand grab my upper arm and he throws me against the wall.

I search his blank eyes wondering to myself what is he thinking? He forces my legs apart by putting his knee between them, he grabs my chin tightly, I watch as his usually blank face turns angry.

"Are you lying to me?" he asks me his voice sounding weird because there's actual emotion coming out of that mouth.

"What would I gain from lying?" I ask him keeping my calm and not letting my natural fear of Itachi get the better of me.

"I still don't understand you," he tells me forcing me to look up into his eyes.

"What do you mean?" I ask him softly so that I won't provoke him any further.

He stays silent I don't know if he's ignoring my question or is just watching me to see if I give anything away.

"Ever since I met you, that day on the swing, do you remember?" he asks me leaning forward, I feel his thigh go up under my most sensitive area; he slowly and deliberately rubs me back and forth with his thigh. I shut my eyelids together as I feel the vomit at the base of my throat I swallow it back down.

How can I forget that dreadful day? The day I met the two Uchiha brother's, I still don't know if that was the worse day in my life or the happiest.

"Of course, how can I forget? That was the day I met my Master," I force out the words, he looks into my eyes once more, I beg myself not to look away, I compel my mouth to smile at him, I lean my head forward to grab his bottom lip with my teeth and bite down softly, I hear him groan, then he takes his knee out from between my legs and slams his lips against my own, I force out my moan as I kiss him back.

I need to throw-up, how do I put up with this? He pulls his mouth off of my own, I hear him breath rapidly, I do too, and he puts his hands on my shoulders then pushes me hard against the wall.

I act confused by his violent reaction, I look at his face that is directed at the floor.

"Don't trick me like that!" he says in a low-dangerous voice, I smile down at his bent head, he looks up I keep smiling, I watch his face become angry.

"How could I trick my Mater?" my voice asks softly, his nails dig into my coat and kimono.

"Don't play with my emotions like that!" he screams out, my eyes widen at his unusual outburst. I watch as his emotions play across his face and quickly disappear, he looks up into my eyes to study them. "Ever since I met you," he starts again, "I never knew if you could see through me, were you the only person that saw the real me?" he asks stepping closer to me he leans his head to my side whispering in my ear. "What kind of power do you have over me?" he asks me his voice sounding confused.

"The same power you have over me," I whisper in his ear, I playfully push him away and go up to my toes to kiss him on his cheek. "Good night, Master, I'll see you in the morning when we fight," I say as I walk away on shaky legs.

I make it to my room and fall to my knees after I close the door behind me.

Why did they decide to do this now? Why is Itachi reacting like this? What is going through his head?

I bring my trembling cold hands forward and hug myself, they are so cold, I can't feel my legs, it's almost as if they won't function again.

I can't talk to Naruto now. I need to talk to him!

It hurts me to know that he's so close but I can't speak freely to him because if I do I might blow my cover.

This sucks! At least I have comfort knowing that if Lady Hokage listens to Mamuro then this will all be over before the week is done.

I won't have to kill innocent people, I'll be able to live in the village after I complete this awful mission, I can take comfort in that, that is what I keep telling myself, but a small part of me can't believe…more like it won't.


"Wow, we really did transport to the gates," a surprised Gamakichi tells the young tiger.

"It feels that it's been forever since I was last here," Mamuro confesses looking at the enormous gates that protect the Village Hidden in the Leaves, "we must hurry and deliver the message to the Hokage."

Gamakichi hops into the village but is stopped by two Jonin.

"Stop you aren't permitted to enter the village without the proper paperwork," one of them says.

"Look the Hokage herself is waiting to hear from us," an irritated Gamakichi informs them.

"We haven't been told anything," the strict Jonin tells him.

"We really don't have time for this," Mamuro tells Gamakichi quietly, then he stands at the top of the toads head and gathers his hands in front of himself and performs a genjutsu that puts the Jonin to sleep, "they'll wake up in ten minutes tops, we should go to her office, do you know the way?" the young talented tiger asks the shocked toad.

"Yeah, I remember how to get there," he says starting to hop away and fastens the pace to get there as quick as they can.

A few minutes later they both stand in front of a very pissed and tired Hokage, a very relaxed Jiraiya stands next to her desk.

"Hey, Mamuro! It's been a while," Jiraiya happily calls out to the tiger.

"Lord Jiraiya!" he shouts out loud and jumps onto the Hokage's desk and some of the papers scatter as he runs across her desk to reach Jiraiya faster, they all fall to the floor in no order, the Hokage gets up off her chair to try in vain to get a hold of the papers that are falling onto the floor.

Mamuro happily jumps up into Jiraiya's open arms, Jiraiya hugs him.

"Get that tiger cub out of here!!" the Hokage yells out slamming an angry fist down on her desk breaking it in half, everything flies up then quickly drops to the floor.

"She is in fact scary," a very terrified Mamuro says as he hides in Jiraiya's arms.

"Tsunade, don't say that. This tiger heals all injuries," he tells his old team mate she quickly calms down as she looks at the tiger that is hiding in his arms.

"What? Heals?' she asks looking at Mamuro's raised behind.

"Yeah, Hinata probably summoned him to help you heal all who got injured in the fight today," Jiraiya says petting the now visible tiger.

"She really is the monster you des…" then he murmurs into Jiraiya's hand which his currently holding his mouth shut, the great Sannin nervously laughs as he keeps Mamuro's mouth shut forcefully.

"I-I would never say that about the lovely T-Tsunade," he tells her backing slowly away from a now visibly pissed Tsunade, he watches in fear as a vein pop out and throbs violently. She closes her eyes and rubs her forehead with her finger tips.

"What message do they send?" she asks leaning back on the chair she sat back down in with her eyes firmly shut.

"Naruto is fine, Mamuro healed all his wounds and is now healthy," Gamakichi starts. "They haven't extracted the nine-tails so he's still being held as their prisoner."

"Hinata sends these two scrolls," Jiraiya says walking over cautiously to Tsunade, "one is a plan Hinata came up with for the take down of Akatsuki and the other scrolls have all of the organizations hideout, she thinks they won't move hideouts but if they do, she'll risk being found out to send you a message to tell you about a change of plans. But she suggests that you send a team of two to each hideout to keep a watchful eye on them, to keep an eye on Akatsuki's movements."

"She also says if you do send someone to the Hidden Rain Village to be careful of the rain. Hinata says you should send either slugs or frogs because of the Leader of Akatsuki controls the rain and he can tell if someone infiltrates the village," Mamuro tells her sitting on Jiraiya's right shoulder.

"He controls the rain?" a dumbfounded Tsunade asks, Mamuro nods.

"It's safer to send an animal like those so they could keep you informed. But on the day of the invasion she says to send a powerful team in the opposite direction of the hideout that way some member might be sent over there and the hideout might be left empty. The teams you send have to be able to handle themselves or they might get themselves killed, so they'll either have to take on a suicide mission or you believe in their ability," Mamuro tells her becoming serious. He jumps out of Jiraiya's arms and walks over to her he brings down his paw, smoke appearing under it then a black binder materializes under his paw. He pushes the binder towards the Hokage; he looks up to meet her curious gaze. "Hinata risked her life to gather this information for you and for the village, Lady Hokage," he finishes with removing his paw and sitting down before her, she bends down to get it then opens it up as she looks at the pages her face becomes stunned.

"There are pictures of the Akatsuki member and their abilities, that way you'll be able to inform the shinobi of your village so they could know what they are up against, and won't be surprised," he tells her as she skims over the pages quickly turning the pages faster every time. "Hinata started gathering all that information since the beginning of entering the organization, she gave it to me for safe keeping but she asked me to hand it to you, knowing that you would make good use of it. But the only member she couldn't obtain a picture of was the Leader but she did write some of his abilities, although most everything is kept a secret about him. The things written in there are just stuff other member told her about, but the one thing she is sure about is him having the power to control rain. She is positive that he is able to do that."

Jiraiya walks over to Tsunade and looks over her shoulder to look at the pages of information Hinata has gathered.

"She even wrote battle plans; on who is able to defeat the members by using squads of four that are already formed," an amazed Jiraiya says out loud, he looks down at the pages not sure if he actually believe their contents but knowing he can trust Hinata.

"Yeah, she really thought this through," a usually unsurprised Tsunade says as she reads Hinata's clear writing, she thinks about the doubt she had about the young girl, for not believing in the girl that risked her mental sanity to get this valuable information for the village she loves.

"She knew this day would come, she knew that one day Konoha would have to fight against Akatsuki for Naruto," Jiraiya tells the silent group.

They keep quiet lost in their own thoughts of the day that is to come in less than a week.

"I tried to kill her," Gamakichi breaks the silences.

"Hinata has the ability to act the part of a real member of Akatsuki. She can hide her feelings real well, well enough to fool her closes friends," Jiraiya quietly says, "sometimes it's even eerie, that she is able to hide them that well, kind a makes me feel sorry for her."

"All I know is that I can trust Hinata to keep Naruto safe," Gamakichi voices his opinion.

"Where are the shinobi you want me to heal, Hinata said that they are all assists to the success of the mission," Mamuro says walking away and jumping over the desk that was broken in two and making his way to the door.

"Lord Jiraiya I'll tell all the toads what is going on so they can be ready when the day to attack comes so when either you or Naruto decide to summon us we'll be ready," Gamakichi says. Jiraiya nods and with that the toad leaves back home.

Jiraiya looks down at Mamuro to tell him to lead the way only to find him at the door trying to jump up to grab the knob, he laughs to himself as he goes after the tiger.

"Do you want me to supply the chakra?" he asks as he stands next to the tiger, he nods.

"I'd like to see him heal," Tsunade butts in.

"Don't you have Hokage stuff to do?" Jiraiya asks looking at her and not believing she doesn't have things to do but is actually trying to look for an excuse to get out of them.

"Shut up!" she shouts looking guiltily at the floor, she walks over to them elbowing Jiraiya in the stomach as she passes by him, he crouches forward holding his stomach and groaning in pain.

"T-that's just m-mean," he forces the words out because speaking brings pain. She ignores his words and keeps walking away opening the door and letting Mamuro walk in front of her. The tiger looks back at Jiraiya worry taking over his cute little face but continues to walk away too afraid of Tsunade to help him out.

About an hour later all of Naruto's team mates seem to have gotten better, the Lady Hokage enters back into the room where all of them have gathered ready to explain the situation they are currently in.

"Naruto was taken by Akatsuki?" Kakashi asks not looking like he was beat to a bloody pulp by the Akatsuki duo. "I suspected as much."

"Hinata has been a spy for Konoha all this time?" Sakura asks in a disbelieving voice, she gets up off the bed to walk around in the room.

"What are we going to do? We can't let them have Naruto," Yamato says, then the Hokage looks at them they are going to be the first to know of the plan Hinata came up with.

"In four days we will attack Akatsuki, we will attack to destroy their organization…for good," she tells them full of confidence that they will accomplish their goal, everyone in the room nods. "I need you all in top shape for the war to come," she tells them walking out of the room with Mamuro behind her.

"Lady Hokage?" the timid and scared tiger calls out to her, she looks down at the tiger, "please tell Hinata what a great job I did when you see her again! I'll leave now and tell the tigers of the upcoming war," he says not giving her a chance to respond because of the smoke that appears.

"He has great power doesn't he?" a now recovered (thanks to Mamuro who secretly healed him without Tsunade knowing) Jiraiya says as he walks over to Tsunade at leisurely pace.

"Yeah, it almost makes me want to make a contract with the tigers just to be able to summon him."

"Too bad his family doesn't appreciate him like you do. His grandfather says he's a disgrace to all tigers," Jiraiya informs the Hokage. "Hinata told me about it, he' never mentioned it to her but his oldest sister told Hinata about it."

"That is stupid, his grandfather should be proud of his abilities," Jiraiya gives his back to Tsunade so she won't see him snickering.

"You just called the King of white tigers stupid, I wonder how he'll react when I tell Hinata about it," Jiraiya asks out loud with a smirk on his lips.

"You dirty old man, get back here!"


The next morning all the remaining Akatsuki members gathered at one of the hideouts to watch the spar between Hinata and her Master Itachi.

They brought me along to watch, the guy I fought while rescuing Gaara drags me towards them, I don't fight because I must admit I want to see them have it out, I want to witness Hinata's true strength with my own two eyes, I'm tired of being told how great she really is.

"I brought the bait just like Itachi asked me to, hmm," he says to the rest of the people there.

I look at them all, so this is Akatsuki, the most feared criminals in all the Hidden Villages gathered together in one organization named Akatsuki.

I stand at one end of the line at the farthest from me is a guy who looks to be same age as Kakashi-sensei, this guy has orange hair with some weird eyes and for some reason my body begins to tremble, he shows nothing on his face as he meets my eyes, I break eye contact as I breath rapidly I look up to find him talking to the girl next to him, they look like they've known each other for a long time, the guy on his other side who is in a Venus fly trap and his body is black on one side and the other white with yellow eyes seems to be talking to himself. Next to the girl is the long blonde haired guy who brought me here, Kisame and another guy with a mask covering his face is with them and they all talk and laugh between the three acting as if this is a happy gathering. Hinata appears going first to the guy with the weird eyes and bowing at him, they talk for a bit and she smiles and blushes they laugh and the other girl joins their conversation.

I find someone blocking the sun and I look up to see Itachi there.

"Why did you let him bring me out here, I could runaway?" I ask knowing he wouldn't start the conversation otherwise.

"No, you couldn't," he tells me simply, is he trying to imply that I don't stand a chance against all of them? I was about to yell at him but Hinata runs over to us.

"Master Itachi!" she calls out him smiling and frowning down at me, "the Leader says we should start."

He doesn't say anything as they both go about twenty feet away from us.

"Okay, now I'll be taking bets!" the masked guy yells out. "I put a hundred on Hinata beating Itachi!" he exclaims taking out a small notepad and pen as he scribbles his bet on a page.

"I put a hundred-fifty on Itachi," the black and white guy says, the masked guy writes it down.

"I don't know…" Kisame says rubbing his chin with his right hand fingers. "Both are pretty capable of kicking ass, the Sharingan came to be from the Byakugan, so you know the Byakugan must be stronger then the two…" he was about to go on but black and white interrupts.

"No one gives a fuck!" he yells venomously "just put your bet!"

"A hundred on Itachi," he answers.

"I put a hundred on Hinata," the blonde dude says.

"I've seen both fight and Itachi will win, I put one hundred twenty-five," the girl says looking out at the two.

"Hinata will win," the orange haired man says, "I put three hundred on it."

"I put a thousand on Hinata kicking ass!" I tell them as I watch her look at Itachi with a smile on her lips. I feel their eyes on me; they quietly watch me for a few minutes.

"Do you have the money to back up the bet?" the masked guy asks me, I feel my face heat up, oh yeah I forget about that. Here I was trying to act all badass and I forgot all about that small little detail.

"Y-yeah!" I say to him loudly trying to act all sure.

"You are lying," he says to me.

"I-I' am not!" I tell him loudly acting outraged at his accusation.

"Yes, you are!" he tells me in a sing song voice as he circles around me. "Yes, you are, yes you are!" he sings, I stick out my foot and he trips on it, I laugh at him.

"First he was acting all cool and now look at him acting like a child, man, is he a loser or what?" Kisame asks the others as they all look down on me.

"I know I've never seen anyone look more like a loser," black and white says agreeing with Kisame.

"He is a loser and a lame-o what a sad combination," the girl says looking down at me like I'm a bug.

How could they rip into me like that without even knowing me? All their mean and cruel words make me feel miserable.

"They are about to start," the one Hinata called Leader says, they all look down at me one last a pitiful look directed down at me, then turn their attention to the oncoming fight; I too look out at the two people out in the field.


There, finally!! I had more written but I think I'll leave you guys in suspense for a while plus it's pretty long now imagine if I continued, I hope you enjoy it, hopefully now I'll be able to post them online sooner now that I have my own laptop! So here's to you hearing from me sooner, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter of Just a Betrayal until the next time! Thanks!