This is a very, VERY short chapter. The final chapter has been finished, and it'll be posted tomorrow. I'm excited! Yet not...

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto. Nori's mine, betches.

Here it comes!!!

Nori jumped quickly across the trees to the place where she had last seen Kisame and Itachi. She paused to get her bearings, then detected something. She turned and raised an eyebrow. "You guys can come out now."

Kakashi, Gai, and Iruka slid out from their hiding places shamefully. Gai looked at her in amazement. "How did you know we were following you?"

"The back of your sandal bent a leaf, and the top of Kakashi's hair brushed against a twig. You should be quieter." She looked at them as if she were sizing them up. "You guys...aren't going to go back to Konoha, are you."

Iruka smiled at her. "Nope."

"We're on a mission. We can't just quit." Added Kakashi.

"The future springtime of Konoha is depending on us to keep it safe!" Declared Gai.

Nori sweatdropped. "Well. I'll take that as my answer, then. Well, you guys, listen. I'm the only one of us that can fight Itachi this time. You three would be better off if you focused on Kisame. Itachi is my fight. This time...it's me or him. There's no way around it." She noticed the looks in their eyes. "Don't worry, you three. It's going to be him."

No one spoke, letting the quiet thicken for a few seconds. Then, Iruka swallowed down a wave of emotion and broke the silence. "But, Nori...what if it's you?"

Her eyes flashed. "Don't worry, Iruka. It won't be."

Then, she turned and began to jump off again.

The other three followed her. 'Don't worry, she says.' Thought Iruka. 'As if I could not worry, when my Nori is about to fight the man that could have had her for his own. I'm still so afraid he'll realize his mistake and try to get her back. And...if he does...what happens then, to me and her? Nori would probably...I'd probably lose her. I don't want that. But what could I do? He'd kill me in an instant, and besides that, it's her choice to make. I don't want to lose her, but I...I'm nothing compared to Itachi. He's stronger, he's smarter, he's closer to her age...and she loved him first.' Iruka's eyes were glassy and filled with pain. 'He's the logical choice for her.'

Nori had been too distraught to mention that Itachi had tried to get her back, so Iruka didn't know that she had refused Itachi in favor of him. He never did find out.

Just then, Nori let out a yelp as the branch underneath her gave way. She had just enough time to observe that it was too straightedged to have broken on its own before she was speeding towards the ground. She somersaulted in the air and landed on her feet, bent so her stomach was touching her knees, hand on the ground, and kunai out. Kisame jumped down in front of her.

"I knew something like this would happen. Itachi told me that you would come alone, but I knew you'd bring backup."

"He was right. I did come alone. Those three followed me." She said in annoyance.

He shrugged. "Well, you're here now. And you're about to die!"

With that, he swung out his sword and launched it at her. She dived out of the way, compacting her chakra against her body so that the only way it could shave away her chakra would be to cut her.

Just then, Gai jumped in to attack Kisame. "Nori! If you're going to carry out your plan, go, and go now! Kakashi, Iruka, and I will take care of Kisame!"

Nori hesitated. "Are you guys sure you can-"

"Go!" Shouted Kakashi as he jumped into the fight.

Nori still hesitated, but, realeasing her hold on her compacted chakra, she turned and jumped off. 'Iruka...honey, be careful.'

Iruka watched her go, then jumped into the fight.

'Nori...be careful, baby.'

There it goes!!!

That's it for now...final chapter tomorrow! GUYS I'M SO EXCITED NOW!!!!!

Blackdragon333, out.