Deidara paced up and down the room- she hadn't returned last night, so where was she? Surely his dumping her wasn't that bad- they hadn't known each other that long, and yet the horrible ache in his chest said otherwise.

"Alex," he whispered, as if she could hear her name. But even if she had been there she wouldn't have replied- he had hurt her.

He should tell Pein- but the leader's response wouldn't have been anywhere near reasonable- Alex was an important tool for him. That thought brought anger to him; she was not just a tool.

It was amazing how much she had affected him in the short time he had known her- and not just him, he could see some of the others were affected. Though it wasn't like they normally had time to interact with females.

There was no choice, he would have to search for her himself- maybe some of the townsfolk would know. A small place like this was bound to have some sort of gossip network.

So he quickly prepared himself to head out onto the streets, leaving the inn without a thought of paying- it wasn't like he wasn't coming back.

He searched the whole town. But he could find no sign of her- and it wasn't until he was approached that he found out where Alex had gone.

"Excuse me, sir?" asked a voice. Deidara turned to see an old couple approach him.

"What, hmm?" he asked impatiently, not wanting to waste time on idle chitchat.

"You've been looking a little lost- weren't you the one who came with that lovely young lady?" questioned the woman. Deidara's eyes widened with surprise.

"Do you know where she is, hmm?"

"Yes- she left town with a white-haired spectacled ma and a younger man who looked like could have been her brother."

Deidara didn't have to know what they looked like to guess who they were- Itachi's younger brother and Sasori's former underling.

There was no doubt about it- Orochimaru had his eyes on Alex.

-XxX-

The fear was back with me as Sasuke 'escorted' me through the darkened corridors of Orochimaru's lair- it was like a small imp clutching at my heart. Sasuke had once used pain to overrule fear, but I was disbelieving of that as his killer grip on my arm had no effect on the fear. Except perhaps making it ever so slightly worse.

"You found your sister then?" chuckled a voice, and I resisted the urge to hide as Orochimaru emerged from the shadows.

People say Orochimaru is Michael Jackson's anime clone- but I bet Michael Jackson never made you feel like you were facing a demon.

"What are you talking about?"

Sasuke's voice contained a barely suppressed anger- but also curiosity.

"This girl is Itachi's twin sister," Orochimaru replied, taking pleasure in our surprised looks.

I was really related to them? But that wasn't possible- it was just an idea out of a story, Itachi never had a twin! He was lying, he was lying just to get to me- but what was it doing to Sasuke?

"Your parents planned for her to be something special, but the Third and Fourth Hokage sent her away because of what she had become."

There was no way this was trued, and yet some part of me accepted this as the truth and that part was the part of forgotten memories.

"You're lying!" shouted Sasuke, before pulling his hand of my arm as though I was an unstable bomb. "They would never do that! And I never had a sister!"

Though we both somehow knew that this was true- me because of a feeling, and him because of childhood memories. But the truth didn't make us happy; like in fairy tales- it just caused more pain. Pain for the sadists to feed and nourish on.

Sasuke left, leaving Orochimaru and me in the cold, dark corridors of this endless maze. Though shock and disbelief overruled the fear, it remained.

Orochimaru walked over with that evil smirk on his face, and I found myself shrinking back as he reached up to stroke my cheek.

"Poor child, sent away from home because she was a little different," he said soothingly, but still with that smirk on his face. "And now you return to find your family is dead- apart from your murderous twin and hateful younger brother. I wonder what Itachi wii do when he finds out?"

I bit my lip until it bled, my family- my real family- was dead, they were all dead apart from my brothers and Madara. I was an unwelcome element in a disaster- my presence was unneeded. Just the fact that Itachi even has a twin changes everything.

Itachi.

Would he kill me know that he knew- because the way he had 'acted' around me gave me some indication that he had known. It was like he was trying to love me and avoid me all at once. Twins had strong bonds, remember? I wonder of he could sense I was in danger, trapped in a place with someone who might want my body for either his jutsu or Kabuto's experiments.

But luckily for me, Orochimaru was too happy revelling in the mixed emotions I was feeling to care about my future. As for the emotions- have you ever found out who your true family is and then discovered that you've known them all along, you've known their destruction and betrayals? If not you can't possibly imagine what it feels like for me, though I can tell you one thing- I think it's created more problems than it's solved.

My sense of time blurs, and I no longer have any idea about how much time has passed. One of Orochimaru's subordinates takes me to a room, and meals arrive at various times- but everything else is a blur. My head filled with so many questions, most without answers.

I lay on the bed when someone enters the room, and I snap out of my pathetic mope fest when I realise it's Sasuke. He doesn't say anything but climbs into the bed and lays next to me whilst I hold him like I used to hold Sam after days of being bullied because of his sexuality.

Neither of us say anything, but instead relish in this rare moment where we can be brother and sister without worrying about the world.