I've been getting the kid I babysit addicted to Naruto, mwhahahahahaaha! Ah, it's so much fun infecting children! :P

Kumiko's dreams were filled with fuzzy memories she could barely comprehend and before she knew it she was awake again. Though her situation was not as pleasent as she would have hoped. She was under open sky and before her lay a gaping hole in the earth, as she focused, Kumiko could make out the figures of Sai, Naruto, Sakura and Captain Yamato in the center of the hole. It was then that Kumiko noticed that she was being held in someone's arms. Looking up she recognized Sasuke's features.

"You sure do sleep a lot." he commented upon noticing her awakedness.

"Damn you stupid Uchiha, give her back right now!" Kumiko squinted across the hole to see Deidara, further squinting revealed that he was pissed.

"What!" Naruto screamed, "I thought you were dead!"

"Not now, nine tails, I''ll deal with you later!" Deidara hollered back.

"Like hell you will!" Naruto snarled.

"Do you know that Akatsuki guy?" Sasuke asked Kumiko.

She nodded. "H-he's my partner."

Naruto's head flung around at the sound of Sasuke's voice.

"Sasuke..." he uttered.

"Ah, Naruto, is Kakashi here as well?" Sasuke looked down at the group.

"Unfortunately, Kakashi-san couldn't be here, but I'm here in his place," Yamato explained, "We, team Kakashi, are going to be taking you back to Konoha."

"Team Kakashi, huh?" Sasuke smirked.

Nobody spoke for a few seconds then Sai unsheathed a sword.

"Sai! I knew it!" Sakura snarled.

"So he's my replacement? He burst into my room spouting some nonsense about protecting the bonds between Naruto and I. One more pansy for the group, quite a fit I'm sure." Sasuke's expression was darker than ever.

Sakura turned to Sai, surprised. As Sai spoke, Kumiko examined Sasuke's face, hoping for some clue as to what he was thinking. There was no trace of the kindness he had shown Kumiko on his face, it was a blank slate; only his eyes showed the emotion of pure hatred.

Could I really be related to this person? Kumiko wondered, This boy, even though he does bare a resemblance to my mother, he's nothing like her.

Suddenly Sasuke was speaking again. "Sure I did know. And that's why I severed them. I have other bonds I carry." Sasuke dug his fingers into Kumiko's arm. "Fraternal bonds, forged through hatred." Kumiko could see a flash of remembrance in his eyes and his grip on her softened. "Having too many bonds causes one to lose focus. Weakening their strongest wish, their greatest desire."

His speech left Kumiko wondering, What is his greatest desire?

Naruto's fists clenched. "If that's true... if that's true then why... why didn't you kill me back then? Is that what you call severing bonds, Sasuke!"

Sasuke spoke but Kumiko wasn't listening, she was lost in thought once more.

Kill me back then...? What went on between Sasuke and Naruto? What could have left them both with such feelings?

Sasuke set Kumiko down. "Stay." he ordered.

Kumiko couldn't see what was happening in the hole; Deidara appeared in front of her, blocking her view.

"Are you alright, Ku!" he asked grabbing her shoulders, "That Uchiha didn't hurt you, did he?"

"Deidara!" Kumiko exclaimed, shaking him off, "I'm a member of the Akatsuki too, I can take care of myself! Don't forget that it was my plan to modify Four eyes' memory and let myself get captured by him! And Sasuke isn't a problem here, Orochimaru was much worse!"

Deidara's eyes widened. "What did Orochimaru do to you!"

Kumiko went bright red. "That doesn't matter! All that matters is that I got the info on him, 'kay!"

"Fine," Deidara sighed, "Let's get back to Pein-sama and you can tell me along the way, un?"

Deidara stood and held his hand out to help Kumiko up. Kumiko didn't take it.

"I'm sorry Dei-chan," Kumiko said, biting her lip, "I'm going to stay a little longer and get some more information..."

"But, Ku..." Deidara protested.

"Go. Tell Pein-kun that the mission was a success and I'll be back soon, he knows I can handle myself." Kumiko shooed him.

"Okay, okay." Deidara turned to leave and Kumiko let her guard down, her face portraying her true emotions of sadness for the fact that she wouldn't be seeing Deidara for a little while.

Then, Deidara suddenly turned back around, placing a kiss on Kumiko's lips. It took Kumiko by surprise, but it left her feeling happy inside.

"See ya, un." Deidara said, pulling back from the kiss and disappearing.

Kumiko smiled, muttering her farewell, then she turned back to the hole. She inhaled sharply upon seeing Orochimaru there, but quickly recovered. Sasuke turned around, grabbing Kumiko's arm.

"We're going." he stated.

Before Kumiko could say a word, everything disappeared and a hole new scene lay out before her.

"Where are we?" Kumiko asked, turning to Sasuke.

"Another one of Orochimaru's bases." Sasuke explained.

"Now that our schedule for moving bases is all screwed up, we'll be staying here for a while." Kabuto sighed.

"I'm going to go pick a room, come on Kumiko." Sasuke started walking, pulling Kumiko along behind him.

"Sasuke!" Kabuto exclaimed, "Where are you going with the girl, we've still got to interrogate her!"

"Over my dead body you will." Sasuke turned, fixing a glare at Kabuto.

"I'm surprised she's even still here," Orochimaru licked his lips, "I wonder why she didn't run away while she could? Maybe she has some sort of attachment to you, Sasuke."

Kumiko gripped Sasuke's hand harder and he started to walk again.

"Like I care." he threw back.

When they were much farther away from Orochimaru and Kabuto, Kumiko spoke up. "W-where are we going, Sasuke?"

"There's someone here that I'd like to talk to." he replied.

After a few more turns, they came to a door. Sasuke opened it, inside was a giant tube of water. Kumiko looked at it in wonder.

"Suigetsu." Sasuke said, facing the tube.

A face appeared in the tube; a boy's face with white hair and purple eyes.

"Hey Sasuke," the face grinned, "Who's the girl?"

"Kumiko, this is Suigetsu. Suigetsu, this is Kumiko." he introduced.

"Hey Kumiko, it's a pleasure to meet you!" Suigetsu's grin grew wider.

"Hi..." Kumiko bit her lip awkwardly, "Um... Sui-chan? Where's your body?"

Sasuke and Suigetsu both erupted in laughter. "What?" Kumiko asked angrily.

Argh! Trying to understand Sasuke's thought process is so confusing! So there's chapter 11! The next few chapter's will be fillers to pass the time until Sasuke kills Orochimaru. Please review and I'll update again soon!