Break up to Make up

Sorry about the wait. My computer is a bitch. Anyway, guess what? I have another story in the making. this time, I'll try to write about the good guys. Well, that's all I have to say. Enjoy!!

"So...it's finally gonna happen, huh?" Chase said as she watched Tess pack her things for her six day long trip to the rock village. Tess raised an eyebrow as she zipped up her bag of necessities, bouncing on her bed when she was done.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Tess asked, taking off her sneakers. Chase shrugged, laying on her back." You know, you and Itachi are finally going to get some alone time together. Now you both can really settle your differences, and there will be no one there. And the trip is takes thre days to get there and three to come back so you guys will more than aquainted with each other." Tess looked over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes as she did. She really didn't get why she wanted Itachi to be alone with her so bad. She would really like to see those two together. A blind, deaf and dumb guy could comprehend that those guys are nuts for each other... well as least she thought so.

"I don't understand what the big deal is. Pein told me I was just a mode of transportation. We get in we get out and I'm done. I don't really want to get to know him, I know him enough." Chase raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Really. What do you know about him?"

Tess looked up at the celing a moment, putting together all the things she has found out about the Uchiha thus far. "Well, he likes to choke people, his eyes are red, his hair is black and his name is Itachi Uchiha. Oh, and he killed his familly because he was bored."

Chase shook her head. "He didn't kill his family out of boredom."

"Yes he did. I totally know how he did it too." Chase tried to hide her smile. Tess probably thought long and hard about this, and it was always funny, so Chase decided to humor her. "Ok, Tess. How did he do it?"

"You sure you wanna know?"

"I asked didn't I?"

Tess waited a moment, trying to get her story straight in her head. She then cleared her throat and began. "Well this is how it went. He was probably watching T.V one day, flipping through the channels, and surprise, nothing's on. Now that alone can make you suicidal. God, having nearly 1000 channels and nothing to watch must be murder to the psyche..." Chase rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, so he's rollin' through the channels and then, suddenly he thinks to himself..'Man, I really wanna hurt sombody, or worse. okay, if I don't find a channel in the next five minutes, I'm raising hell." Chase tried to keep her face straight, she gave a valliant effort but she could stop herself from laughing out loud.

Out of stupidity, Chase asked. "What does he do next?"

"Okay. So believe it or not, he finally finds a channel that he likes, in four minutes and fifty nine seconds...but." Chase sat up, a grin still on her face. "His mother comes in, and wants him to take out the trash, and then..well the rest is history."

"What does he do to the girl telling the story?" Tess and Chase looked towards the door to see Itachi standing in the threshold.

There was silence for a long time before Tess cleared het throat again, "Um. He laughs at her and tells her how great the story was." Chase, in that time had made it off the bed and was almost out the door. "I know nothing happens to the girl listening, so she just leaves. It was nice knowing you Tess!"

Tess' jaw dropped to the floor as she watched her friend leave. "Traitor!" she screamed past Itachi and huffed when she heard a muffled 'Oh Well' in Chase's room. Tess looked over to the Sharingan wielder with a sheepish smile. She let out a nervous laugh.

"The End..."

---

The Elemental woke up the next mourning, throughly surprised that Itachi didn't strangle her. 'maybe he's trying to make this whole thing work. maybe we can become friends..' she thought as she dried her face in the could have really hurt her yesterday. He just placed a folder filled with her mission info on her bed and left. Who knows? He's probably growing a sense of humor. He did ask what happened to her after she was done with her story. He probably found it funny...

Who would've thought she'd be wrong.

As Tess dabbed her face with her towel a second time, taking it off her face, she jumps when she sees Itachi in the threshold of her bathroom. She quickly turns to him, her back facing the sink. he didn't make any sudden movement, he just stared at her, with those creepy red eyes. So Tess, being the kind of person she is, decides to speak. "Hey, there Itachi. I'll just be a minute, so if you could just go out so I can get dressed, we can go." as she made to close the door, Itachi grabbed her wrist. She jumped, trying to pull away but his grip was as if it was bolted around her wrist.

"Could you let go, we have to go on this mission and--" Tess was immediately cut off when he gripped his other hand around her throat, kicking the door shut behind them.

Itachi watched with a blank face as Tess tried to fight back, hitting his chest with her free hand, trying to snatch her wrist away. He knew it was too good to be true. He knew something was going to happen. He knew she would fuck up and do or say something he didn't like and he would utimately make her hate him all over again. Yeah, and maybe, just maybe he was overreacting just a smidge, but not even he talks about his family, and she obviosuly hasn't learned her lesson yet so...

The grip on Tess' wrist and throat was starting to grow tighter. Breathing became a hassle and her wrist was cracking under pressure. And she knew that if he didn't let it go soon, it would snap. But on the upside, she probably wouldn't be awake much longer to feel the pain. Itachi came in close to Tess, their noses practically touching when he told her in a chilling voice.

"Listen, because this is the last time you will hear it. Do not ever speak of my family again. Not in humor or to anyone else or I will kill you." And with that he let her go. Tess grabbed on to the sink to keep her balance, grabbing her throat as she coughed harshly in the now red rimmed hand.

"Hurry up. We leave in five minutes." Tess looked behind her to give a sharp retort but he was already gone. Tess turned to the mirror, moving her head to examine her neck, already seeing the bruising.

"Well, so much for friendship..."

---

Tess spent the last three minutes in the hidout saying goodbye to all the members, not forgetting to give a sarcastic comment to konan, who immediately said something back. After a few more goodbyes, just for Itachi's displeasure, they were off. Tess gathered all the wind she could and followed the Uchiha as they made their way to the Rock Village.

There was silence between the two for hours. Itachi looked behind him, to see Tess was beginning to grow tired. She was fighting to stay a float, occasionally going down into the trees only to come right back up. He would tell her that they could make camp but she wasn't talking to him. So, with much deliberation, he decided that he should just make her go just a little farther. He can't read minds, so he doesn't know what's wrong.

Some would say that this is desperate to make her talk to him, ask for his help, but this was totally not the case.

Tess was dying back here. Itachi was like a machine, jumping from tree to tree like it was nothing to him. He was getting sleepy, it was getting dark and she had to pee really bad. But she would rather die than say anything to him. She saw how he would occasionally glance back at her, and sometimes resisted the urge to flip him off for fear that he would come over and punch her in the face.

She still can't believe how he overreacted the way he did. It was a joke! He even chimed in! If she knew it was that personal to him, then she wouldn't have made the joke. 'and isn't HE the one that killed his family in the fisrt place?!' She thought angrily. 'he should be the first one to laugh out loud!'. The elemental really started to think back on that apology that she gave him. She had really thought she was wrong and wanted to make ammends, and he goes all bat shit crazy on her.

'I can't believe I tried to make this work! I tried to be friends with the same guy who put me in this situation, and has made my life hell ever since. I put all that aside and still wanted to be friends and he pulls this?! FUCK HIM!' Tess thought angrily as she floated down to the ground, landing softly as she did. She took her backpack off her shoulders, rubbing the injured spot as she sat on the cold, dirty floor before hearing a dull 'thud' as sandals hit the dirt before her.

Tess didn't take the time to look up, because she knew who it was. so, she opened her bag, looking for the pack of chips Deidara gave her before she left.

"What are you doing?" Tess ignored him, finding what she was looking for, and turning away from him, which was a bad mistake. Itachi kneeled down to her level and grabbed the back of her hair.

"Let me go Itachi." Tess started calmly. Even though it hurt like hellfire she didn't yell or scream because that's how he gets his sick kicks. She knows that it gets to him when he dosen't get a rise out of her.

"I didn't say we could stop."

"Well, you still fail to realize that you are not the fucking boss of me, you're just accompanying me on this mission. So please, for the last time let me go." Itachi narrowed his eyes at the tone of her voice. It sounded like a silent threat, that if he didn't let her hair go then there would be consequences. Oh, gracious he had best let go then...

Tess felt another tug on the back of her head again, threatening to rip her hair out from the roots. Suddenly as he starts to tug, and through no will of her own, her eyes start to turn from grey to white. Wind started to blow all around them. Tess felt Itachi's grip loosen comepletely as she turned to him. The gentle blowing soon became hostile, making the Uchiha cover his face from the dirt and debris. The vicious winds started to push him farther and farther away until one particular blow knocked him off his feet and into a tree.

He would've been fine had the tree not had a branch protruding from it, piercing his shoulder from the impact.

Itachi nearly bit the tip of his tongue off, almost letting out a string of curses. Tess however seemed to calm down, her eyes turned back to the original color, shaking her head and rubbing her eyes.

The elemental narrowed her eyes, seeing Itachi against a tree at least thirty yards away. Tess kept her eyes narrowed as she went closer, becoming horrified as she did, seeing a branch straight through his arm.

Itachi just watched, emotionless, as Tess came closer to check out his condition. No doubt to probably laugh at him, or finish the job. But it was the total opposite when he saw her face. She looked genuienly concerned that he was in this predicament.

"What happened to you?" She asked, her hand hovered over his injured shoulder, wanting to touch but fearing that she may hurt him worse.

Itachi could not stop the questionable gaze that played on his face. 'You did this' He thought to himself, but couldn't bring up the energy to say it aloud. She obviously didn't know what she did, and he, for some strange reason didn't want to tell her. Weird, he was furious at her a moment ago, she had even injured him, and that was a great feat, and he should still be angry, he should be reaching in his kunai pouch right now but all he wanted to do now was look at her.

Tess was on the brink of panic. She had only seen these kinds of things on television, and was never really good with injuries. 'Okay, calm down. you need to be calm for the both of you.' Tess took a deep, relaxing breath before speaking.

"Itachi, I need you to grab my waist with the arm that's not hurt and lay your head on my shoulder, okay?" Itachi nodded and pulled her closer to him, laying his head in the nape of her neck. He could have just as easily told her that he could do it himself and that there was a healer nearby that they could go to and be on their way, but hey, it's not often that he gets this kind of treatment.

Tess wrapped her arms around his waist after he put his arm over her shoulder, and slowly started to pull him away from the tree branch. The blood from his shoulder started to spurt out and the sickening sound of his shoulder being separated from the tree was gag worthy. Finally after having to hold pretty much all of her breafast down, Tess finally got Itachi up and over her shoulder.

"Do you know if there's a hotel somewhere around here?" Itachi pointed in the direction, and with that he led her to the nearest hotel.

Tess kicked the door to the small hotel open, carrying the slumping Uchiha on her back. The man at the counter smiled at her, soon fading when he saw Itachi.

"Um, can we get one room please and some extra towels?" She asked politely. Tess dug in Itachi's pocket, taking the money out to pay for the room. The man reluctanly gave her the key, watching as Tess carried Itachi up the stairs shaking his head.

---

As soon as they got upstairs, Tess sat Itachi on the bed gently. "You okay so far?" She asked, looking over his grusome injury, kneeling between his legs to get as close to the wound as possible. Itachi said nothing, just observed the way she stared at him and his shoulder. He watched in silence as she unbuttoned his cloak, gently sliding it off his shoulders careful not to hurt him. Tess stopped a moment, getting up and going through her bag to look for scissors. When she found then, Tess gently cut through the mesh shirt sliding it off his shoulders as well.

She had tried not to look but his chest, and all it's chiseled magnificence, but it took up her vision. 'its paler than I thought it would be' She thought to herself, absently tilting her head to the side to get a closer look. She had also only tried not to touch anything but the injured shoulder, but she slipped up on that as well.

"Smooth..." Tess said, not knowing that she said it aloud. Itachi's lips twitched, holding back the small smirk that threatened to come.

"Tess."

"Huh? Oh your shoulder! Hold on, I'll get some water and those towels.."

---

The sound of sandals hitting the ground was barely heard through the small town. Neji as well as the rest of the rookie nine were trying to find Tempest for weeks and the trail has become cold so they have decided to stop for the night.

"Hey, why don't we stop at a hotel? I can't tell you how tired I am of sleeping in the woods!" Ino exclaimed as they made their way through the town.

"For once I agree with Ino, those trees are murder on my back." Shikamaru said, moving his neck around to pop out the kinks. Hinata looked around seeing a small hotel where they all can stay.

"Oh, there goes one over there! Why don't we try that one?" She says. Neji rolled his eyes, this was really starting to get annoying. "Fine. Ino, go check us in for two rooms, we'll wait out here." Ino nodded. "Sure I'll be quick."

---

Tess whistled her way down the stairs, contemplating on complaining to the man at the register for not getting her towels when she saw what looked like Deidara. a smile split her face instantly when she noticed, and decided against telling the man off. That girl had just made her day.

Ino looked over to the beautiful bombshell of a woman as she bounded down the stairs and to the register. Ino turned to her, narrowing her eyes when she saw the hints of blood on her clothes. And she couldn't help but think that she saw her before. Tess glanced at her a moment, somewhat uncomfortable at her staring.

"Excuse me." Ino finally said. Tess turned to her, giving her full attention. "I can't help but fell that I know you from somewhere." Tess narrowed her eyes.

"I don't think so. I know I haven't seen you before."

"Are you some sort of fashion model. I think I saw you in a magazine or something." She said. She could swear she's seen her somewhere. Tess blushed, waving embarassingly at her.

"Thank you, but no I'm not."

"You know, I think I saw you somewhere too?" Tess looked over to the man, smiling as he gave her the towels.

"Okay, I'm sure I haven't seen you before." Tess laughed. "Thanks for the towels." She said as she bounded back up the stairs. Ino took the keys from the owner and looked up the stairs one more time before going back to her teammates.