I stood from afar watching Kakuzu's fight with Kakashi and Might Guy's teams. My assigned team appeared to be winning the fight until I saw Kakashi and Shikamaru exchange something in their hands. From the distance I was away I couldn't tell what the item was so I hurried towards Kakuzu and Hidan. I could hear tidbits of their conversations about Hidan's special technique and connected the dots myself. I was unable to make hand signs due to the collar around my throat but I still had the advantage of my speed. I tracked Shikamaru as he ran at Kakuzu but as he was about to use the vial in his hand I jumped quickly across Kakuzu before hiding once again allowing Shikamaru to believe the blood in that vial was Kakuzu's. I looked down at the small cut on my arm realizing that I would die because of Hidan and he would never realize it. I couldn't protect Hidan and Kakuzu so I knew I would be losing at least one of them today but I couldn't allow it to be Kakuzu because of my orders. Kakuzu was stronger than Hidan, considerably stronger, because without that scythe he wasn't much of a fighter.

I didn't have long before my death as Shikamaru lead Hidan away from the battlefield. I looked back at Kakuzu realizing he had gotten the upper hand and knew everything would be okay now. I walked out from my hiding spot and looked at Kakuzu, he seemed to know where I was and looked directly at me. I had tears forming in my eyes as I mouthed my final goodbye because I wouldn't be going back to the base this time. I was going to hide my body from Obito so I couldn't be resurrected to help Obito use these people's lives. Kakuzu became distracted by the battle as he tried to come to me which gave me plenty of time to run. I was fast because of Orochimaru's experiments so I was able to put some distance between the battle and myself quickly. The collar around my neck makes my chakra undetectable even for Obito, that's why I was always supposed to die in a designated area so I could be retrieved and revived easier. This time I wouldn't allow them to find me so easily.

I am so very sorry, Itachi…

I wish you would've killed me back in our room.

I'm so sorry..

I gasped in pain as my chest started to hurt. I collapsed next to a tree knowing that Hidan fell for Shikamaru's trick at last, but I managed to trick them as well and save Kakuzu's life. I wonder whose life I just jeopardized by saving him from his fate. I clutched at my chest feeling my heart slowly stopping and tears started flowing from my eyes. I gasped in pain before finally feeling my heart stop at last. I took one last gasp before my hand fell from my chest and onto the ground next to me limply.

I looked around me as my memories surrounded me with warmth. I noticed there were a few that I don't recognize and gasped when I realized that was me before Orochimaru took me. I had the sharingan in those memories, Orochimaru must've taken my eyes from me when he took me. I saw Itachi following behind me as I took a load of laundry to my room for our mom. He bumped into me and I dropped all of my laundry on the ground. Mom popped around the corner wondering what was going on and she was very pregnant, must be with Sasuke. I could feel tears flowing down my cheeks as I watched all the memories of before Orochimaru fly past me.

I looked up when a hand touched my shoulder and I was suddenly pulled into a pair of arms I recognized.

"Mom… Where am I?"

"You're in your own version of purgatory, Riku. I missed out on so much of your life all because I stopped searching for you…."

"I am sorry too Riku." I looked over to see my father walking towards me.

"I'm scared of what's going to happen to me now, I can't go back just to keep dying for them but I have so much more left of my life… I could really use you guys there right now.."

My mom rubbed my cheek with a sad look on her face. My dad wrapped his arms around my mom and looked at her as a bright light appeared behind me.

"Itachi found me…" I could see Itachi crying over my body as he held me close to him no longer able to keep his cool collected face. Kakuzu was next to him staring away from my face.

"He never left you Riku, Itachi has been following you on every mission you've been on since he found you. He will lie and say he hasn't but he has had to watch you die three times. He was there on the bridge, during the fight with Sasori, and even now. He has been hiding it from you because he has to keep a facade up for Obito." I looked at my dad.

"I don't want him in pain, but I can't keep doing this dad… it hurts so much to keep dying. And as long as I keep saving them they will be sent again and again to their deaths which I will have to prevent. The only escape is to finally die in peace."

"It's your choice honey, we are here to guide you on whichever path you choose." I smiled at my mom.

"I love you guys.." I looked towards Itachi before looking back at my parents.

"Obito has arrived to my body, I won't have a choice anymore… Ah! It hurts!" I gripped at my neck and dropped to my knees screaming.

"What is he doing to my baby, Fugaku?!"

"Its that damned collar Obito put on him! It hurts him even in death!" I collapsed panting as the pain let up and looked up at my parents as they started disappearing. I could see I was now in Obito's arms being taken back to the base to be revived once again. I was really starting to hate life.