'What happened.' I thought, breaking out of my sleeping trans. Memories of the beating and fighting flashed through my head.

'I understand now.' I thought. 'That explains the pain.' I flexed my toes, then my legs all the way up to my head.

'No excruciating pain or non-movements, that's good…now about Tobi' I slowly opened my eyes, still worn out from the earlier events. I looked down at where the sleeping pup was, only there wasn't a pup.

"What the?" I muttered, sitting up with the thing resting against me to make sure I was seeing things right. Yep. There, sleeping peacefully in my arms, was a young child who looked to be about 2 or 3. He had dark clothing and hair, a mask similar to the swirling design on Tobi's face covering the young boys.

I also noticed that there were bandages wrapped around the boy's stomach, exactly where it was on Tobi.

Before I contemplated this more, images of Tobi flashed through my mind as well as the child, only older. Realization dawned on me. The child was Tobi, the energetic pup that I've come to love.

"I guess I should make breakfast before I really start thinking about this." I muttered, getting up with the now human Tobi in my arms.

As I walked past the living room to get to the kitchen, I noticed that the pups and Konan were either asleep or awake, looking toward where my room was. When they saw me, they wagged their tails happily, like they have been waiting for me to wake up. I smiled at them before going into the kitchen to get breakfast.

No one's POV

The ones that were awake swatted their paws that the sleeping ones, successfully waking them up before heading into the kitchen to see Tera pouring bowls of cereal instead of their normal breakfast stuff. Using one hand, she got out the milk and set it on the table next to the 10 bowls of cereal.

That's when they noticed the young child in her arms instead of their puppy comrade.

'Is that Tobi?" Kisame asked, astonished when he saw the same swirly mask their childish member wore. Tera saw their surprised looks and let out a small laugh, bending down so that she was level with them.

"So this is Tobi." She said. "I had a feeling he was. I was wondering why he changed forms, and then I thought that maybe he wasn't in his true form before. I'm guessing that's the same with you?" They nodded, impressed with how calm and how quick she was to figure out the situation.

"So, the only question is how he turned back." Tera muttered, thinking over what could have possibly caused the change in form.

"Arf!" Itachi said, nusling her leg.

"What are you trying to say?" Tera asked. Itachi rolled his eyes before nudging her leg again and staring straight at her.

"You think I had something to do with it?" She asked, pointing to herself. He nodded. This made Tera narrow down the list to the ones that involve her starting the reaction.

"He must have changed while we were sleeping." She muttered "So that means that everything that I did before I fell asleep could have caused it."

"Mew." Konan said, walking up to Tera before jumping in her lap.

"I guess you are going to help me figure it out." Tera laughed, setting Tobi down so that one arm supported him in her lap.

"Let's see." Tera sighed. "I hugged him, but I have been hugging you guys and you haven't changed. So….Maybe when I kissed his forehead." She used her free arm to lift the kitten and peck her furry forehead before pulling back, waiting like the others for what might happen.

"Mew." Konan chirped, looking down at herself. She jumped, noticing that she was getting taller.

In less than 5 seconds, she became a young kid, looking to be about 3. She looked up at Tera with happy amber eyes.

"I am human again!" She sang, spinning around. "No more hairballs!" This made Tera laugh.

"I can imagine that being a good thing." She said, patting the girls head. "Now that we know this works, we can change the others back." Konan nodded and went to grab Pain.

He was still when she lifted him up and brought him over to Tera. Tera gave him a quick peck to the head before pulling back. When he started to change, Konan set him down. Once changed, he nodded in thanks.

"I feel a lot better out of that form." He said. "But I suggest you change them back in a certain order, otherwise there'll be conflict." Tera nodded in understanding, knowing that not all of them got along.

"So, who should I get next then?" She asked. He simply pointed to Itachi and Sasori, raising an amused ginger eyebrow at her.

"Good idea." Tera said, laughing in embarrassment at not thinking of that earlier. The two pups walked forward, sitting down in front of the older girl.

She bent down, giving each of them a peck on the head and watched them change back. The two looked at each other before going over and grabbing two other pups.

"Deidara and Kisame then." Tera said, watching as the two set the dogs down before backing away, allowing Tera to transform them back.

When they changed, Kisame had a huge grin on his face while Deidara looked to be blushing a little.

"Guess you're not used to getting kissed." Tera laughed, patting the boys head. Deidara gave her a light glare, covering his hair with his arms.

Of course Tera found it absolutely adorable, making her giggle.

"Who next little leader?" She asked Pain, who gave her a light glare that she found cute.

"Kakuzu, then Zetsu and Hidan." He said. Tera nodded before changing them back in that order.

"Ok, now that you're changed back, you can have breakfast." She said, motioning to the table. They all climbed up onto the chairs before looking at their cereal.

"Anyone want milk?" She asked. Everyone except Hidan and Zetsu nodded. Tera pored the milk into their bowls, looking at all the children with a smile growing ever so larger by the second.

"Ok, I can't hold this in anymore." Tera cried. "You guys are just too adorable!" This made every single one of them blush. Tera laughed, finding their blushing adding to their sweet factor.

"T-tera-chan?" A small voice asked, making said person look down. Tobi was looking up at her through his mask.

"Yes Tobi?" Tera said, sitting down on an extra chair at the table.

"Tobi's tummy feels weird." He said. Tera's eyebrows furrowed for a second before she smiled, going to the medicine cabinet. She shuffled through the bottles till she pulled out a pink one.

"This should help with your tummy ache." She said, reading the directions and poring a small amount in a little plastic cup. She smiled, handing it to the little guy.

"What's that?" Tobi asked curiously.

"It's medicine to help relive stomach pains." Tera said, smiling gently. Tobi took the cup gently in his hands before lifting his mask to take a sip. Tera, who was searching for a cup, filled it with water before turning to the now done Tobi, giving him the glass.

Tobi drank the water quickly, afterwards rubbing his eyes under the mask. He froze, looking up at Tera with amazement.

"Tobi a human again!" He cheered, looking at his hands in wonder. Tera giggled, cradling the kid closer to her.

"You hungry?" She asked. He nodded, so she repositioned him so that he could reach into the bowl of cereal in front of them.

"You seem happier Tera-chan." Itachi said, staring at her with curious onyx eyes. She just smiled, eyes softening.

"Well, I finally have some company that I can understand, and I know you guys truly care for me." She told them. "Before I would just take care of strays or unwanted pets until someone adopted them. But they always left in the end." The Akatsuki gave her a sad look.

"What happened to your parents?" Konan asked. "They're not here." Tera immediately quieted down, her gaze set on her lap.

"They died." She said quietly, the group almost missing it. Tera instantly shoot up, going into the living room to set Tobi on the couch before heading to her room in a hurry, a few tears managing to escape her eyes before the door shut.

The Akatsuki all looked at each other, before heading towards her door. They put their ears against the door, trying to hear her except for it to be drowned out by the shower turning on.

Konan looked at the other kids, a question set in her head.

"Did I say something wrong?"

Sorry it took so long. I love the reviews I got and am happy that so many people like my story. I was on a temporary hiatus do to some personal problems, but am ready to update now. Enjoy and Ja ne!~