I do not own Naruto…..

Chap 14

Akemi was quiet.

The strong, steady heartbeat of Kaito reassured her, how could she not tell him? He had always been there for her. Always. And now, she had hurt him and it hurt her too.

"Gomen, Kaito." She whispered, "I-I'll tell you, b-but it may take awhile. It still hurts." She squeezed her eyes shut.

Kaito rubbed her back gently and murmured, "I have all the time in the world if you are involved."

Akemi swallowed, "I-I was putting out everyone's clothes to dry when I suddenly found myself on my stomach. Tomoe's voice was everywhere." She shivered, "He attacked me with his strongest jutsu and burned my clothes. Then, while I was still in excruciating pain, he told me to come with him and kissed my neck. I refused." Tears began to form in her eyes, "D-do you remember Suzu?"

Kaito was a little lost but nodded, "Hai. The girl who was always mean to you?"

Akemi nodded and buried her face deeper into his shirt, "S-she was with Tomoe and told him to hurry up and finish me off. She really does hate me." Her muffled voice said.

Kaito squeezed her, "Then she is in the wrong for going with him, it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself, ne?"

"B-but I can't help it! I never would have thought she would turn her back on Konoha like that! Even if she was mean, she's one of the hokage's students!"

Kaito murmured, "It doesn't work that way. Remember the horror stories that Rhys-san told us about the things Orochimaru did to her Tou-san? About the nauseating experiments that he performed on innocent people? How many lives his influence has either killed or ruined even now? He was the Third Hokage's student along with Tsunade-sama and Jiraiya-sama, but he was the only one who went astray. Suzu-san is just the same, but it was love that drew her away, not power. She had feelings for Tomoe as well, didn't she?"

"But still. . ."

Kaito gently broke in, "Akemi, what happened after that?"

Akemi took a shuddering breath, "Gomen, Kaito, I was side-tracked. . . I wanted to put off explaining what happened after Suzu-chan came."

Kaito waited.

She took another breath and forced herself to go on "Since I was resisting, Tomoe attacked me again. The pain was worse than before since Tomoe already had me pinned. He kicked me onto my back at the same time he shoved his foot into my stomach and," she shivered, "he said something really disgusting and touched my cheek. When I shrunk away, he got mad and stomped on my stomach again before offering 'one last chance' as he put it and sat on me. I still said no. Then. . . then. . ." gone was Akemi's monotone, her voice cracked with emotion, "h-he. . . h-h-he. . ." she tried to control her voice, but, she couldn't, not any more. Her whole body shook with sobbing.

"Akemi. Akemi. Calm down." Kaito said, trying to keep his own dread at bay, "What happened?"

"A-after an-nother attack, h-he kissed me. I was scared and angry, frustrated and horrified." Her sobs rose as her tears soaked Kaito's shirt, "I was so scared. . . I felt like he was eating me then, when he was done he –"

Akemi tore her face away and vomited into the grass as the nausea overcame her. Unfazed, Kaito helped her to her hands and knees.

"Just breathe Akemi." He murmured, rubbing her back.

"T-the blood that was on my face," her voice trembled, "h-he licked it off his lips and called it 'delicious'." She shuddered and sat down, "Then you came before he could do anything worse." She gave him a weak smile and turned away.

Kaito's heart throbbed painfully. Impulsively, his hands reached out for her, pulling her into his chest. His face buried itself in her blond waves and his lips found her neck.

"Akemi." He murmured into the soft skin, "Gomen, it was scary wasn't it? Please forgive me for not getting there in enough time." He squeezed her tightly and gave her a soft kiss.

Quietly, Akemi turned around in Kaito's arms and sobbed into his shoulder. Kaito held her head there stroking it gently, "Just cry as much as you need to Akemi." He murmured.