Too Late
Story : 0112
by Kaline Reine

WARNINGS: This may not be suitable for minors. There is adult content, rape, language, violence, gore, and other things. You've been warned. This is an OC fic, meaning it is mainly about an original character.

Based on a true story.

Disclaimer: I do own Kaline, since I am her. While most of this is based on real events, any resemblance to any real people you might know is purely coincidental. Names have been changed, and some people were replaced with characters from Naruto. I do not own Naruto, it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 10:

"What did you just say to me?" Itachi demanded. He leaned down over her smaller form, placing one hand on each side of the back of the chair she was seated in. She was pinned.

"I-I said…" She thought it over for a moment. Was this really the Uchiha Itachi she knew?

'He's an Akatsuki member now,' She reminded herself. 'And I'm sure he's changed. He had to…'

"Nothing."

Kaline hung her head in defeat and shame. She felt a hand gently brushing her cheek, and her face was tilted upward, giving her no choice but to look into his eyes… The same eyes that had seen so much in just one lifetime. She was well-aware of the irony of the situation. She thought that she could play around, and joke with him, like always. But the person before her now was not the same… He was dangerous.

Mirth sparkled in his red eyes. "That's a shame."

He walked out of the room, leaving her alone, to gather her thoughts.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

When he came back, a few hours later, she was sprawled on the bed. Kaline had been thinking… About what he said, what he did. She didn't feel like she even knew him anymore. What was going on? She just wanted to know what would become of her.

Not waiting for him to acknowledge her presence, she spoke to Itachi as she would have spoken to anyone. "I want to know what will happen to me, Itachi-san." His face didn't show it, but this annoyed him a bit.

"Hn," He nodded, and crossed the room to pick up a key off the dresser. "Fine. Come with me. We'll see what fate has in store for you."

Without question, she followed him to wherever it was that he was going. They came to a dark blue door with strange markings on it. It was almost as dark as the room she had gone in to speak with their leader, but not quite. There was someone standing in the middle of some kind of platform, or altar.

"This is the Oracle," Itachi explained, to Kaline's mystified look. "She is the one who is behind most of Akatsuki's movements. Leader-sama keeps her here in order to help us predict what course of action we should take. Kaline-chan, this is Kigome-sama. She is our greatest secret."

"…Okay."

She was confused. She'd never heard of Akatsuki using anyone to help them predict the future, or anything of the sort.

Her blue eyes met with those of a girl… She had long black hair, held up with a dark green bow. It was the same shade of her dress, and of this room. Bright green eyes looked almost eerie, as they shined in the light that filtered down through a skylight. Kaline hadn't even known that it was day time.

Lips parted, and an ominous, feminine voice filled the room. "I cannot predict her future at this time," She sounded fragile, like a flower on a cold winter morning. "I will let you know when the time is right."

'What the hell is that supposed to mean?' Kaline thought. Normally she would have shied away, scared of confrontation. That is what the old Kaline would do… But she was no longer that person. It was time to show Itachi that she too had changed.

"I never asked you to do so in the first place!"

Itachi was stunned. "Kigome-san, I beg your pardon. She does not know-"

"Understood," The seemingly frail girl turned away from them. "You can go."

'She seems… sad.'

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kaline was surprised at such a reaction. "Why did you ask her do that?" She waited until they got back to his room before asking her question.

"You will have to go back to your cell, once she decides your fate. Leader-sama listens to her, and I have to listen to him."

'Why isn't he angry? I was so rude to her… He acts like he doesn't even care.'

Kigome had been with them for a long time. Itachi almost knew, almost for certain, that she would send the insolent girl to be executed. She was the Oracle, she could so as she wished. But he also knew that unlike many, who would use that power to their own advantage, Kigome had been fair and just up until now with her judgment. He just really didn't want anything to happen to her.

"When I got back from my mission, Leader-sama ordered me to have her see you."

"Why?"

He smirked. "Probably his way of deciding what to do with you… But what she said was unexpected."

Kaline didn't really have anything to add to that. But her stomach did. A fierce growl cut through the silence, staining her cheeks crimson. She hated eating, but she knew that it was necessary.

Itachi left the room, without telling her where he was going. It wasn't something that he would have done, had they actually been on good terms. Well, she wasn't sure what kind of terms they were on at this point. All she knew was that he had left her all alone now. But her whole childhood she had always been used to being alone.

'Then why does it hurt so much for him to leave me alone now?'

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

About half an hour later, Itachi returned to find Kaline sitting on the bed. With nothing to do, she had just been waiting for him, or for something to happen. He had two boxes of food with him.

"I brought you some ramen. I didn't know what kind you liked, so I guessed. Is chicken okay?"

"Actually… I prefer plain ramen, with nothing on it but salt and pepper. But chicken will do," The way she spoke to him so coldly had caught him off guard, and for a brief second, his face showed it. "Oh, but thank you. I'm really hungry."

They ate their meal together in silence. She felt a little weird when he sat on the bed next to her. They had hot green tea to drink, and she gulped it down after her meal nervously. Itachi seemed to merely pick at his food.

'Could it be that he is nervous too?'

"Itachi-san," Sasori was at the door, opening it without knocking. "Kigome-sama wishes to speak with you… alone."

"Hn. Next time, knock before entering my room," He glared daggers at the redhead.

"Okay, sorry. …You never had a problem with it befor-" Hazel eyes flickered to the bed, where Kaline sat, waiting patiently. "Oh I see."

Kaline wanted to know what the Oracle had to say. But she knew she had asked to see Itachi alone for a reason.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

He stepped into the gloomy room with a stoic look. Itachi knew this was a time when he would have to be serious. He tried so hard to tell himself that he wasn't; that he didn't care what she said. He would have to accept Kaline's fate, no matter what it was. And that was perhaps what scared him the most. No matter what he told himself, he didn't think he would be bale to bear it if something were to happen to her.

'She should never have come here,' He thought angrily. 'If only she'd stayed in Konoha… She could have been safe. But it's too dangerous for her here.'

Apparently Kigome has a different opinion. Her eyes flashed opulent forest green, as she tossed a cloak to him. "This is for the girl. It's different from the others, because she is different from the others. See that she gets it."

"Hn," He nodded, and bowed to her, showing a sign of respect. "Thank you, Kigome-san."

"And Itachi?" She stopped him as he turned to leave. "She dies before you. Keep that in mind… I don't like that girl."

He had only paused briefly, her words making him falter in his practiced, rhythmic step. "And what of me?" He turned, only long enough to ask his question. "When will I die?"

"No, Itachi. I refuse to ever look at your future. It would be too painful for me to even try. I cannot tell you when you die, because I cannot bear to know that. I am weak."

There was an ominous slam of the large blue door. He was gone.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Here," He tossed it to her.

Kaline stared at the cloak as if it would burn her if she touched it. It looked sort of like an Akatsuki cloak… But it was pink and black, rather than the familiar red and black. The color puzzled her.

"What does it mean?"

"You're asking the wrong one. If the Oracle asks to see her, maybe you can ask her then. She is not to be disturbed otherwise. I couldn't get any answers out of her. She just said that you were different," He shrugged, changing the subject before he revealed too much. "I leave for my mission in three days."

"Am I an Akatsuki member then?"

He nodded. "I suppose that means you are. Wear it with pride. But it's dangerous…"

'I've never seen him like this…' Her thoughts were getting the better of her. 'He actually looks… worried.'

"I understand," She got up from the bed now.

It was awkward for her to be so close to him, after not seeing him for so long. After all, the man did murder his entire clan. Kaline knew it wasn't fair to him, but she couldn't help but be a little bit frightened of that fact. She had no idea what he might do.

"Where are you going?"

"When you leave, I'm going to make a short trip to Otagakure, if you don't mind."

"Why do you want to go there?" He narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Is it because of that letter?"

"Letter? What letter?"

'Oh shit!' He realized it a moment too late. 'I said too much… I didn't want her to know about that.'

"Never mind that," Itachi cautioned her with his tone, more than with words alone. "I don't want you going to the Sound Village. It will be too dangerous… Or is there someone… waiting there for you?"

'What should I tell him?! I have no idea how to answer that!' Kaline was at a loss for words.

Her poor mind couldn't take anymore of this. She needed to get away. She'd thought it over, and decided to take Kimimaro's offer to spend some time with him. Despite her sense, Kaline couldn't help but still harbor some feelings for him. And she was human, after all. It was only natural that she want to be physical with someone. Right?

She sighed heavily, staring at the ground. She would have to think this over carefully.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kaline left for a while to walk around the base. She liked to walk when she had an important decision to make. It helped her think. But right now, she couldn't really focus on what that important decision should be. She didn't have a choice but to join Akatsuki. She had already decided that she wanted to be with Kimimaro. It would be hard to have both, but she could pull it off.

If that was the case, then hadn't she already made up her mind? If so, then why was she hesitating? She put on her cloak, and went back into the room where she knew Itachi would be waiting for her.

"So… Do I get my own room here, or what?"

He was seated on the bed, reading through several scrolls. She peeked over his shoulder to see what they were, but he put them down where she couldn't see what they said.

"It's getting late," he yawned for emphasis. She'd never seen him yawn before, but her eyes were somehow drawn to the place where his shirt was moved up by him stretching his arms over his head. He was surprisingly muscular for being so slim.

Kaline blushed, instantly forgetting all about whatever it was she had been thinking… Something about a room? 'Oh yeah…'

"Can I… have… uh…"

"Yes?" Itachi smirked knowingly.

"…My own room here?"

"No. There are no other rooms. I already talked to Leader-sama about it while you were gone… You'll be staying here."

Kaline was silent. She just looked at him for a long moment before replying. "In here? With you?"

"That's not a problem…" The weasel smirked. "Is it?"

'What do I say to that? He isn't leaving me any room to answer!'

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A/N: You didn't see that one coming, did you??? Nah, didn't think so. I love this story, but it's kind of weird, I think. Kigome is meant to be a character in another story. I will write it. It crosses over with this one, just a little. Sorry if this is confusing. I promise I have plans for all of this! You never know what to expect from this story. SMEX!!! XD

Special thanks to my friend Ashley for inspiring me for this chapter, and the next one. ^_^ She gave me a lot of ideas for Itachi and Kaline. I didn't use a beta for this chapter, b/c I want to see how my new writing software does!

-Kaline Reine