A/N: Yo! Just posting a rather short chapter to remind you all that I'm still alive! I've been rather busy and I've become rather...obsessed with YuGiOh again, ha ha.

Anyways, the end of the tunnel is coming closer! Thanks for everyone sticking with the story!

Chapter 10: Mother

"A red string tying hearts together, never to be separated. A future that lasts forever, preserved by eternal love. Separation is an illusion. Don't doubt the feelings of your heart. I've always been by your side, and it wasn't until now that you finally see, the heart I've given to you…"

"Will you shut up, un?" Deidara groaned as he and Nayami were walking along the path.

"I'm bored and besides if we were on your bird I probably wouldn't be as bored."

"I can't use the bird all the time! I only have so much chakra! Besides, you were singing all day yesterday while you were on the bird as well!"

"Really?"

"Yes and I told you to 'shut up' multiple times too, un!"

"Nah…I don't remember that." Nayami laughed as Deidara groaned.

"Why did I let you come with me?"

"Because you love me!" Nayami said happily skipping off ahead of him.

"I do not!"

"Do too!" Nayami turned around to shout back at him.

"Do not." Deidara rolled his eyes only to be glomped onto by Nayami. "Do too."

"Get off." He glared at her and she, to his surprise, obeyed. "Do too," she whispered before running off and he ran after her.

"Will you stop running! We're going to get separated if you do, un!"

"Why would you care you don't want to travel with me anymore, right?" She asked looking back at him while she ran.

"I never said that!"

"You were thinking it!"

"So what! I'm not thinking it now, un!"

"If you want me to stop, you'll have to catch me first!" Nayami laughed, now going a little faster.

"Nayami! Watch out for the…"

BAM! Nayami ran right into a tree. She found herself with her back on the ground, seeing stars. Her head was throbbing. Deidara stopped and knelt beside her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…" Putting her hand to her head, amazed at how familiar this situation seemed to her. She got up to her feet a bit unbalanced. "I'm still gonna beat you."

"Beat me at what?" Deidara wondered aloud. Nayami tried moving forward, only to fall again. Luckily Deidara was there to catch her. She looked up at him with her blue eyes; an unwanted blush rose upon her cheeks. "Great now you're turning red too, un." He murmured, oblivious to the actual reason why she was blushing. "Just sit down for a minute. I'll make a bird so we can fly for a bit."

"But your chakra."

"I was lying. I thought that by making you walk you would eventually run out of energy to sing."

"Jerk." She insulted him under her breath.

"I heard that, un." There was a poof and the familiar giant clay bird was before them again. Before Nayami could protest, Deidara had swept her off the ground. "Deidara!"

"What? It's not like you can stand on your own, un." She looked away from him a bit embarrassed. "What's wrong with you?" He asked. "You're really red. Are you hot or something?"

"No…"

"Women are so strange, un."

"That's funny. I thought you'd understand since you're one as well," Nayami snickered as Deidara set her down on the bird.

"Hey, I got you on this bird; I can kick you off just as easily, un." He glared, but Nayami only laughed. Her smile was contagious and Deidara faced ahead to hide a small smile he couldn't hide. He couldn't understand it. He had only spent a couple of days with the girl and yet….

"Come on Deidara! Let's get going already!"

"Hey, don't go ordering me around."

"Please?" she added. He sighed and took off. Immediately following take off, Nayami latched onto Deidara arm.

"Will you get off me, un?" Deidara asked, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"I'm still not used to flying yet." She said, clinging onto his arm tighter, her soft breasts pressing against his arm. Deidara was now finding it a bit difficult to concentrate and the bird shook a little. "Deidara!" Nayami shrieked, holding onto him even tighter. "Don't do that!"

"Sorry," He muttered, looking away.

"Is something wrong?" She asked looking up at him. Before he could answer, Nayami began to laugh gleefully. "You're blushing Deidara; you're cheeks are turning pink."

"That's only because of the sun! It's rather hot today you know, un!"

"That has to be the lamest excuse I ever heard."

"Oh yeah, well why were you red a few minutes ago?"

"Well…" Nayami started, looking around as if looking for a good reason. "…that's because it's so hot today."

"That basically the same thing I said, un!"

"No it's not. The heat and the sun have absolutely nothing to do with each other."

"You're not making any sense, besides I did say it was hot today!"

Nayami stuck her tongue out in response and Deidara rolled his eyes. The two fell into a slightly awkward silence. "Deidara…"

"Hm?"

"Did Saso-nii read my letter?"

"What letter, un?"

"Never mind," Nayami sighed. She released Deidara arm and focused her attention elsewhere. They were quiet again.

"So…does that Orochimaru guy know you're going to Nagashiro?"

"No…" Nayami answered Deidara, still looking away. "I ran away." She added non-caringly.

"Is that so? I'm surprised you weren't caught," Deidara commented, he too was rather nonchalant.

"He did catch me."

"What did he do to you, un?"

"He threw me in a dungeon," Nayami said calmly, as if she was talking about the weather.

"That sucks."

Nayami stress dropped. "Is that really all you have to say?"

"What else could I say, un?"

"Dunno." Nayami shrugged. "So how are the other Akatsuki members? How's Old Man Kakuzu? He was rather grumpy the last time I saw him…"

"He's still as moody as ever, especially when it comes to money."

"Who's his partner now?" She asked, knowing that his partners never seemed to last very long.

"Now? Some crazy religious dude name Hidan, un."

"How's Zetsu doing?"

"You're actually friends with that guy?"

"Yeah…he was the person I got along with the most. I usually spent most of my time with him…unless he was feeling hungry, then I'd stay as far away as possible!" Nayami laughed, but Deidara didn't really find it funny. "I'd like to see them again."

Deidara peered over at Nayami, who was now holding her knees up against her chest. "You can come back with me if you want," Deidara found himself saying before he could stop himself. "I'm sure Leader wouldn't mind too much since you were part of it before…"

She smiled sincerely up at him. "I don't think I'm cut out for it."

"I don't see why not. You lived alongside the Akatsuki when you were a kid right?"

"Yeah, but I had Da…Orochimaru looking out for me back then."

"I'll watch out for ya then, un."

She laughed. "You know, you're a very nice person."

A foreign feeling grew inside Deidara, forcing him to look away from her. "You're talking to a S-ranked criminal, un."

"Yep, I know." She laughed. "I guess I should say that you're a nice person to me."

"You keep talking like that and I won't be so nice."

"Awww, I think you're embarrassed! Awww!" She cooed over him and Deidara growled in discontent.

"Why are you following me, un?"

"Well, I was thinkin' maybe you can help me after we do whatever it is what you need to do."

"I already told you I don't want you following me like some lost puppy."

"Yeah, but if I decide to go to the Akatsuki with you, then how would I be able to find you if we split up?"

"Just be quiet and don't say a word, un." Nayami nodded eagerly and followed Deidara as he climbed up…a tree.

"I know you told me to be quiet," Nayami whispered. "But what are we doing in a tree?"

"Shhh…" Nayami looked into the window of the house the tree stood beside. Inside was woman with grey hair, but Nayami could tell that it was once golden blonde years ago. She simply sat there, painting.

"Deidara, who is that?"

"My mother."