Author's Note: *Sighs* Another late update. -.- Sorry about that; time got away from me! But hopefully this chapter could make up for that. :D ...Hopefully. -_-

Maybe this chapter doesn't really get us anywhere...but it does include some ItaKon. So that's satisfying enough, right? I think so.

*Grabs fire extinguisher I was previously armed with* If there's OOC moments; I can't help that. So need to flame foolishly for that! ;P

The inspiration I got from this chapter...actually came from randomly listening to a song on youtube. It was really good; but I totally forgot the name now. -_- But I'm positive it was a song by Cascada. And I know what you're thinking. NO: it isn't based on the song! It was just random inspiration. ;)

Also...Is Konan a medic nin? I can't really remember. …. …. ….I don't think she is. But whether she is or not, she is in this fic. So don't go flaming me for making her a medical ninja! I'm just warning you about that, so you won't go "WTF is wrong with this freak of an author?" when you read that!

Anyway, read on now~!

Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me in any shape or form.

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Romance In The Snow:

Chapter Nine

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Konan walked along the freezing halls of the base. She hugged herself slightly as she did so. It was very freezing, and after being outside in that blizzard from fighting Mayumi, she was freezing to death.

But she didn't care. She had to see Itachi at that point. She didn't know why...but she was worried about him more than what she let on to everyone else. Konan blamed herself for not interfering with him and Mayumi's fight when she took notice of the blizzard forming. After all, would Itachi be in even worse shape than he already was if someone hadn't interfered? Of course not. And the paper mistress clenched her hands into fists as he her footsteps suddenly became a little less quiet than they already where.

"(I hope he's okay. Mayumi...she better not have put his life in even more danger. If she did...)"

Konan suddenly stopped walking and took a long sigh. She was getting a little too worked up at that point, but the thought of the new Akatsuki member putting Itachi's life in more danger made her blood boil.

Suddenly, rolling up her right cloak sleeve and staring at the several wounds that were across her paper skin, Konan suddenly questioned Mayumi's actions. If she wanted to join, why would she get into a fight with Itachi? It wouldn't make sense...unless; since she was from the Leaf, she knew of Itachi's infamous reputation there and his...crime. So maybe, since her clan; including her, was consider weak...she wanted to prove herself.

That was the only explanation.

Konan continued walking a little quieter, her steps light and her wounds still stinging. Whatever Mayumi was thinking when she let herself get into a fight with Itachi, she would have to find out about that later.

"(Mayumi definitely had some tricks up her sleeve. But if she comes from such a weak clan like she says: why would she actually have some strength? ...Well it COULD be because she's been a rogue ninja; maybe she trained herself while on the run. Maybe she actually did develop some strength...)" Konan brought her hand slightly and blankly stared at her 'perfect' appearing paper skin. "(I don't know why I'm thinking about this though. It really shouldn't be of my concern at all...)"

"I really should be checking on Itachi. ...Now where could he be..." Konan glanced over at some of the member's rooms. "Hmm...well the obvious place would be his room. I'll check there."

Realizing that, Konan continued to walk through the freezing hall. And blankly and without emotion, she glanced around at it. The halls were very empty pretty much; and very dark. Maybe a random, picture was on a certain wall, but it didn't really help light up the place.

Though as she shook her head, her blue locks of hair swaying slightly from where they were down, she knew that place was supposed to look pretty bare. There was no need to make it look homely; since none of the members actually had or needed a home.

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Konan finally walked up to the door. She stood there for a moment; deciding whether or not to enter. Besides, if Itachi actually was going to be okay...Kakuzu would see that she's worried about him; and he would, like everyone else, assume she "likes" him.

But if she didn't check on him, and he wasn't going to be okay, she may never actually get to see him again! Especially considering the fact that the poor guy's eyesight is wearing away and he's got a terrible disease on top of that!

...Konan was convinced that she didn't "like" Itachi. But that didn't mean that she couldn't still check on him. So she sighed inwardly and grabbed the ice cold doorknob. She shivered from it, and entered the dark room.

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"I guess I'm done here-"

Kakuzu cut himself off as he glanced over at the doorway. Standing there, was Konan with her hair still down and messed up from fighting, and a few wounds visible on her. Something was a little different about her though...the greedy man couldn't quite read her blank expression; but her eyes showed a little worry.

Glancing down at Itachi, he suddenly realized why she was worried. And he felt a little disgusted by her unnecessary worry.

"How is Itachi doing, Kakuzu?" Konan suddenly asked as she closed the door behind her; making the room very dark again. "Is...is he alright?"

Kakuzu sighed and walked over from Itachi's bedside to her.

"Don't worry. He will be alright...well, for now anyway." Kakuzu replied.

Konan's heart beat suddenly sped up as she heard the last part. But she showed no signs of being fazed by that. She did know where he was going with that...

"I just came back in here. He's still unconscious; though I guess he will wake up sooner or later."

Konan's eyes absentmindedly wandered over to the floor and she felt a little tense suddenly.

"...How are his injuries?"
"I think they're not too bad; mostly minor. But still...that Leaf kunoichi really kicked his chest violently; some bones are probably damaged."

Konan looked back over at Kakuzu and swallowed slightly. Kakuzu normally wouldn't have cared much about her, but she was very worried for him. And he couldn't help but be affected by the tense moment.

"I should have interfered..." Konan suddenly said; her tone lowering slightly. "Then he wouldn't-"

"You couldn't have done much in that blizzard anyway." Kakuzu pointed out; interrupting her. "Let go of that subject and move on."

Konan scowled at him, and she crossed her arms and leaned against the wall; having to try and calm herself down. Kakuzu just didn't understand at all!

"I'm going to help him. Leave, Kakuzu."

"But what could you possibly-"

"Leave! Go get information about Mayumi from Pain or something..."

Kakuzu was a little taken aback by Konan's sudden want to help Itachi. He didn't really know where she was going with that; because it wasn't like she was a medical ninja or anything...

"...Okay, okay. 'Help' Itachi. But I don't know what the hell could possibly do..." Kakuzu replied as he walked off.

Konan watched as Kakuzu left the room and closed the door a little loudly behind him. She rolled her eyes at that, but suddenly looked very worried as she walked over to Itachi's bed.

"(Itachi...)"

Konan was now standing by the bedside, staring at the figure lying there unconscious. It was Itachi.

Though her eyes weren't too adjusted to the darkness, Konan could still see him; she noticed that he wasn't wearing his cloak, and was wearing his clothes underneath it. And a few minor wounds were on his face and arms; her eyes kind of stayed there on his arms though.

"(I don't care what that jackass says, I still could have done something. If I had gotten in the way fast enough or something, Mayumi would have gotten me instead. Then you wouldn't be in any worse shape.)"

Konan's expression softened slightly and she lowered her hand over his face. She swiftly traced over it and then traveled up to his forehead; where she brushed some of his tousled raven locks of hair to the side.

Strangely, the Uchiha looked rather peaceful than usual. Konan came very close to smiling when she realized that he didn't look as stoic and intimidating as he did when he was awake. Somehow...she thought that he actually looked really cute.

"Itachi...you don't deserve this." Konan glanced over at the closed door and then back at him. "Not just these injuries from fighting Mayumi...but all that's happened to you in the past as well."

Konan lowered her head slightly and sighed.

"You're a good person..." Konan lifted her head up and scratched her cheek slightly as she glanced away again. "...I don't know all that much about your past, maybe, but I do kind of understand how you feel..."

Konan noticed that there was a little blood starting to drip out of an open wound on the right side of Itachi's face. She quickly ran her fingers over it and wiped it off. She stared at the blood that was now all over her finger and staining her 'perfect' skin.

"I can't put this all into words, Itachi...but I just want to make sure you're alright. And the thought of your life getting cut shorter and shorter as each day passes makes me feel terrible. I feel terrible that..."

Konan ripped some of the paper on her finger off where the blood had stained it, and crumpled it up and tossed it carelessly over onto Kisame's bed. She then furrowed her eyebrows together and looked up at the ceiling.

"I feel terrible that there's nothing I can do about that!"

Konan sighed and looked back down at Itachi. She clenched her hands into fists and thensuddenly felt a little upset that there really was nothing she, or anybody, could do.

She wanted to help Itachi. And she would one way or another. So she extended her hand over the few wounds that Itachi had. Suddenly, a soft green glow surrounded her hand and started healing the injuries slowly.

Konan closed her eyes as she remembered her secret medical training; she had been training secretly for several months, and doing really well because of her good chakra control. She knew that they would all need at least one medic in the Akatsuki; since it was crucial that they don't get badly injured to the point of not being able to leave out or fight.

Pain was actually the only one who knew about her training. At night, he would sometimes pass by her room, or wherever she was training and watch her for a few minutes before going back. She knew that he watched her; she didn't really care though. After all, Konan secretly wanted to be strong enough to carry out the plans. And be strong to enough to...prove herself to everyone. She felt like nobody but Pain actually acknowledged the fact that she is strong.

Konan smirked slightly as she thought about the fact that Pain watched her when she was secretly training. They never brought it up whenever they talked; so she wasn't really sure if he even knew that she knew he would watch her train. But somehow...she got the feeling that he didn't know that.

"(Itachi...you are actually the first person I've tried to heal other than myself...I hope I can do this. I must help you somehow; this might be the littlest thing a person could possibly do for you though...)"

Konan didn't think too highly about her medical abilities; they weren't the best. But they would be enough to heal him. Still...it enraged Konan when she realized that she could only heal the small injuries, but couldn't do much for the big.

The angsty feeling she got from the season didn't help anything either. It was as if...the season was downing her more and more; the longer it went on.

Still, Konan felt her lips start to twitch into a rare smile when she noticed Itachi's eyes slowly flicker open.

"(...I won't leave your side, Itachi. I'd rather die myself than you die. But maybe...maybe I can do something for once anyway.)"

End.

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Okay...sorry for the short chapter! -.-

I couldn't really think of much...though the inspiration from listening to that song helped a lot! ;)

… … …Like I said, I'm not sure if Konan IS a medical ninja. I had to make her one for this to work out though; and it's not like she's a master at healing anyway. ...Right? Since I forgot whether she is or not. *Sweatdrop*

Anyway, I hope this chapter was fine...now here have some of the hurt/comfort comin' in. *Winks and then smiles briefly* But WILL Itachi be okay in here? O.o Well...only I know. And besides, Itachi's one of my top favorite characters; I wouldn't want anything TOO bad to happen to him in this fic. (Like in the canon plot. TT_TT)

Hopefully...the next update will be next week. But I'm not too sure with that one. We'll just have to see!

Read and review.