Author Note: Thanks for the reviews!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Age Reminder: Rookie Nine: 12 — Neji, Tenten, Lee: 13 — Kankuro: 14 — Temari: 15

Divinity

Chapter XIII

Vulnerable

"Real love hurts, real love makes you totally open and vulnerable. Real love will take you far behind yourself, and therefore real love will devastate you. If love doesn't shatter you, you will not know love."

-Unknown

"Love is not love until love's vulnerable."

-Theodore Roethke

"Love that we can not have is the one that lasts the longest, hurts the deepest and feels the strongest…"

-Unknown

There were times when in the back of her mind, Hinata knew that she was dreaming. And yet, her subconscious self triggered a feeling of reality that flooded through her entire body and soul. Mostly, though, there were many times in which Hinata hoped that her dreams were real, and that she could remain inside that sense of comfort forever. Other times…she would scream in her dreams, begging to awaken, to have her reality restored, so that she could live in the reality where the tragedy of her mind could remain hidden.

It was easier to repress her subconscious feelings and memories when she was in control to do so. Currently, however, she did not have that control.

There were brief flashes of different images and different people.

For the most part, it was Itachi's face that was at the forefront of her mind.

Memories of the things he had done and said…memories of the different ways he would look at her…the many different facial expressions that all related closely to indifference.

In every dream that she ever had of Itachi, it was almost always the same. It would switch to different places, but the actions and people never changed.

It either took place in the meadow, the village center, the temple courtyard, or even her bedroom.

Like a few previous times, her current dream setting was the meadow.

At first, she was always playing her harp, but never hearing what she was playing.

She would be leaning against her large animal friend Mr. Wolf while she played.

There would always be a large gust of wind that tousled her hair, though she couldn't feel it.

And then he would appear.

His face was a mask of indifference, but his blood-red eyes were tainted windows that attempted to hide what his soul was yearning to show.

Then slowly and with careful movements, he would extend his hand towards her, asking wordlessly for her to come with him.

She reached toward him until her hand fell into his own, and that was when the dream turned.

Mr. Wolf had disappeared and Itachi was no longer in front of her. Instead, she could see him walking into the unknown darkness far away from her. She would call out to him, desperately screaming his name, begging him to wait for her, to not leave her.

As much as she tried to move, she felt stuck and hopeless as she continued to watch him slowly disappear into the black abyss of her memories.

"Itachi!"

"I'm leaving…"

"No…Wait!"

"It'll be awhile before I come back…"

"No, don't leave me…!"

"Go to sleep…"

"Itachi, please…Don't leave me…"

"Go to sleep, Hinata…"

"Itachi…No…Don't leave me…Please…"

It was too late. His figure was already disappearing, and there was no chance of her being able to reach him.

"Itachi!"

Her throat was sore as she released a moan, suddenly feeling her body awaken, while her mind was forced to readjust to being conscious. Inhaling deeply, she slowly pried her eyes open, blinking a few times to clear her vision. The first thing she took notice of was the dimly lighted room—or whatever it was—that she was in.

Quickly, her mind had to reassure her that she was in a bed, though it was not her own. She was also in a smaller room with the only color dominating the space being white. Despite what her sight was revealing, her ears picked up on a faint scratching sound.

It stopped suddenly. "Good, you're awake."

Gasping, Hinata turned towards the origin of the voice, setting her eyes on the thin, dark-haired woman. With short hair and dark eyes, it only took a second before Hinata identified the person. "Miss Shizune…"

Shizune smiled briefly before looking down at the papers she was holding in one hand, the other hand holding a writing utensil. Placing the objects onto the nightstand next to the bed, she approached Hinata's bedside. "How are you feeling?"

"I-I'm alright…" She murmured, glancing down at the thin bed-sheet that covered her body, which was surprisingly still clothed in the garments she wore into the village, which was…Now, her mind was confused. When was that? How long had she been in bed? Just…what happened, exactly?

"No physical pain?" Shizune asked, unaware of Hinata's distant mind.

Looking at Shizune, Hinata shook her head. "No…"

"That's good." She exhaled deeply. "I was worried there for awhile when I saw you frowning in your sleep. I wasn't sure if you were in pain or not."

Furrowing her eyebrows, Hinata emanated disorientation. "I…was frowning?"

"Mhm." Shizune answered while checking Hinata's heartbeat. "But since you weren't in any pain, I suppose that it could've just been a bad dream, huh?"

Hinata offered the doctor a small smile before nodding.

Placing the back of her hand against Hinata's forehead, Shizune nodded to herself as she backed away. "Well, you don't have a fever, you're not ill, and you don't have any injuries. You're perfectly healthy. From what I gathered, you just passed out from exhaustion. With all those people surrounding you, I wouldn't guess otherwise."

"I passed out?"

"That's right."

Blinking and trying to remember, Hinata couldn't help gently shaking her head. "Miss Shizune, what happened? I don't…really remember. I remember all those villagers surrounding Neji and I…and I remember Sasuke being there too. I remember trying to heal them, but…I don't…"

Shizune nodded. "Yes, well, from what I was told, you fainted…and probably at that time. As for the details, you'd have to ask Lady Tsunade since I wasn't there. I didn't see you until Gaara brought you in."

Gaara did? Hinata let herself fall into silence, gradually noticing how really quiet it was; not just in the room, but outside it as well. It was so silent… "Miss Shizune, what time is it?"

"Late." She answered quickly. "I'd guess it's about midnight now. All the others are in bed except for the adults…" she smiled. "And three certain children out in the waiting room." Shizune watched as Hinata tilted her head in curiosity. "You've only been asleep about eight hours, and I need to go get Lady Tsunade to come see you since it was her request that I do as soon as you awoke." She walked towards the only door in the room, opening it quietly. "I'll be back."

After Shizune left, Hinata decided to look about her surroundings once again. She was definitely in one of the rooms within Shizune's medical ward. They were dull rooms, and the beds were too high above the ground. That, and there were no windows, so it was impossible for Hinata to determine whether it was night or day, despite that Shizune had already told her the time.

Sitting up in the bed, Hinata let the sheets crumple into her lap, her eyes still wandering around the room while her hand automatically reached to her chest to grasp onto the pendant that Itachi gave her…only to realize that it wasn't there.

Panic settled in quicker than her heart could skip a beat. She clutched at her chest and neck, searching for the meaningful necklace, not finding it anywhere. Her lips were trembling, her eyes moistening, and all that ran through her mind was, Where is it?!

The door opened, and Hinata's eyes snapped in that direction, focusing onto red hair and a face masked with indifference. She recognized Gaara, but something was definitely off with him. Her mind temporarily put aside the necklace situation to worry about her friend's appearance. He didn't look well at all.

In fact, as Gaara took slow, staggering steps toward the chair near her bed, she noticed how haggard he looked. She knew that he didn't sleep much, but that never affected his appearance. As of that moment, he looked as though he just returned from a year long, restless battle—minus the battle wounds. She had never seen him look so exhausted. To make it worse, when he finally sat down, she was able to hear how deep and strained his breathing was. "Gaara? Are you alright?"

"Fine…" He paused, gathering his breath. "Lady Tsunade will be here…I need to give something back to you first…"

She didn't speak, but watched as his hand disappeared into his pocket, and upon pulling it back out, he revealed her precious necklace. He held it out to her as if asking for her to take it quickly, which she obliged to without hesitation. It was as though she had a piece of her soul back. As soon as it was back around her neck, her hand automatically went to grasp onto it, although it was being hidden beneath her gown.

Gaara heard and understood her sigh of relief, while feeling as though he had to explain his reasoning. "I had to take it. Shizune had to examine you, and that necklace would've attracted too much attention. I thought I'd hold onto it until you were awake."

She smiled at him in gratitude. "Thank you, Gaara. I didn't think of that…"

He nodded once, breathing easier as he relaxed into the chair, something that was almost too open for Gaara. He usually never revealed such sides of himself as that, and it made Hinata smile warmly at seeing a brief glance at the vulnerable side of her harsh friend.

Pulling out the pendant to rest on the palm of her hand, Hinata smiled lovingly at the diamond. Her eyes softened as she let her thumb stroke the edges in a caress. Within the diamond, she could see the unmistakable blood of her demon friend and the way it cryptically glowed. Itachi… Her smile widened briefly and didn't fade until she had hidden it beneath her gown once again.

Only then did she look up only to see that Gaara was staring at her with an enigmatic look to his eyes. Biting her lip, she thought to shyly ask, "When was the last time you slept, Gaara?"

His eyes narrowed. "You know that I do not like to sleep."

"I-I know, I just…" She lowered her head, trying to hide her embarrassed blush. "You don't look so well…"

He was silent, only moving his eyes to avoid her glimpse of concern. "That necklace…" He began slowly, knowing that she would wait quietly until he would speak again. "There is…great power that comes from it. It's as if it's only meant to be worn by…certain people." His eyes met hers with meaning.

"What do you mean?" She whispered.

"For eight hours, I carried it with me." Gaara looked away again. "For eight hours…it slowly drained my energy."

Her eyebrows rose in surprise mixed with horror. "H-How…?"

The expression on his face didn't change. "I think it can detect when it's not being held by its owner—owners. By draining energy…it must be some type of defense mechanism, signature to that demon blood." He didn't mention that just by being in its presence, there was that constant warning to stay away. After feeling the draining of his own energy, he realized that it would be wise to not get too close to Hinata when that necklace was on her person.

Her surprise and horror drained away into concern for her dear friend. "Oh, Gaara…" She reached out to hold one of his hands. "I'm so sorry…"

His eyes fell to their conjoined hands, and once more, he was puzzled. Despite how he felt that warning, it was fainter whenever she touched him. He still didn't understand the pendant fully—only knowing that it was truly an enigma, something only the maker of the necklace would comprehend.

The door opened at that time, revealing Tsunade with Shizune shadowing her steps. They both entered, closing the door behind them. While Tsunade stayed near the door, leaning against it with her arms crossed, Shizune walked near Hinata's bedside, taking up her position by the nearest wall. Tsunade smiled at the small, twelve-year-old girl. "It's nice to see that you're finally up, Hinata. How are you feeling?"

Returning the smile, Hinata answered politely. "I'm fine, thank you."

"Good." The Lady glanced over to Gaara with a sly twinkle to her eye. "Wanted to be the first to see Hinata, huh, Gaara?"

He retained his ever-present mask of indifference. "I was awake. I didn't see why not."

"Mhm." She smirked, pointing out with her eyes the way that they were holding hands.

Seeing what the matriarch was motioning towards, Hinata couldn't help but blush, releasing her handhold on Gaara.

With a quiet chuckle, Tsunade continued to look at Gaara before nodding her head towards the door. "Well, I need to speak with Hinata, so why don't you go get some rest, Gaara. You look like you need it."

He merely grunted before standing up and walking lithely to the door, a stature so very opposite to how he came in. He opened the door, glanced back to Hinata, and then left.

Once he was gone, Shizune looked to the matriarch. "You know that Gaara won't do that, right?"

"Oh, I know." Tsunade spoke while coming to take the seat that Gaara once occupied. "He'll stay out in that waiting room, just like Temari and Neji."

"Temari and Neji?" Hinata questioned, expressing her shock.

"Oh, yes." Tsunade was smiling again. "They've been out there since you've been in here. The only difference between them and Gaara is that they are actually sleeping right now. I wouldn't blame them, since they've been out there for…seven to eight hours."

Lowering her head, Hinata felt somewhat ashamed. She didn't mean for them to worry so much, but then again…it was Temari and Neji. She supposed that could hardly be her fault since they were so protective anyway…

"Okay," Tsunade started speaking again, attracting Hinata's attention. "So, Shizune tells me that you want to know what happened, right?"

Hinata nodded eagerly. "Yes, please."

"Very well. I can do that, but keep in mind that I wasn't there. Everything I know is what everyone told me. Before I get into that, though, I thought I should ask you about why there were so many villagers surrounding you."

Feeling that familiar shame, Hinata bowed her head once again, allowing her fingers to fiddle in her lap. "I healed a little boy…and then his little baby sister, who was very sick. After that, it was like every villager saw what happened, and then…there were so many of them…surrounding us and begging me to heal them…I tried to heal as many as I could, but…" Hinata shook her head. "Neji was right. I should've listened to him when he said that I should've kept my powers hidden." Gazing up at Tsunade with passion and determination in her white eyes, she leaned forward. "But I felt I had to. I felt that I needed to help them. I had to at least try…I'm sorry…"

"Hey," Tsunade placed her hand over Hinata's entwined hands. "That's enough of that. I didn't ask so that you could start feeling repentant. You did what you had to do, and no one can fault you for that." She sighed. "Not to mention, if anyone's at fault, it would be the lot of us adults. I suppose that we didn't think through everything when we decided that going into the village would be good for all of you." Another sigh. "I don't think that we counted on just what the villagers were capable of."

Hinata was quiet, keeping her head slightly lowered.

A brief moment of silence passed before the matriarch began speaking again. "It really wasn't your fault, though, Hinata. You need to understand that." She glared at the girl until Hinata obliged by nodding her head. Only then did Tsunade lean back in relaxation. "You know that my grandmother was a deity, right?"

"Yes."

"My grandmother shared the same power as Sakura, so it's easier for me to understand Sakura's problems over any of you other girls. However, my grandmother told me once about how each deity had their share of problems. The one that she thought had it the worst was the deity who could heal."

Hinata was surprised again. "Really?"

Tsunade nodded. "I never met the healing deity back then, since she had died in the war. But, my grandmother did tell me about her, though she didn't like to speak about those who had died in battle. She told me that the healing deity had it the worst, because she was both blessed and cursed at the same time with an overly compassionate heart. There are always people in this world that are ill and injured, and there always will be. Your job will never be over, and your power will always be needed." She leaned toward Hinata, giving her a sympathetic gaze. "That's a huge burden for only one person to bear…especially one who cannot live forever. People will always look for you and see you and desire your help. And you won't refuse, because it is engraved into your heart and soul to help those in need."

Hinata nodded, knowing exactly what the matriarch was saying. "I…I do want to help, Lady Tsunade. I want to help all of them."

Tsunade smiled, despite that it did not reach her eyes. "I figured you would. But," she held up a finger. "We will discuss that later. For now, I'll let you know the details of what happened, and then I want you to go back to your room and try to get some more rest before morning. Do you think that you'll be feeling up to going about your usual routine tomorrow?"

Hinata smiled and nodded happily. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good." Leaning back, the Lady tapped her finger against her chin in thought. "Okay, where should I start…?"

"I, um…" Hinata silently interrupted. "I was wondering…how Sasuke got there…Because, I remember seeing him, but then I blacked out, and…"

"Ah," Tsunade figured that she would start from there. "Well, unbeknownst to you deities and your guardians—well, some of the guardians—those boys that are training to be in the security force were given the task to follow behind all of you. Sasuke was assigned to watch over you and Neji, and to supply extra help should Neji need it…which he did. When Sasuke saw that Neji wasn't able to handle all those people, Sasuke had to surrender his hidden position in order to help keep the villagers away from you."

"He was following us the entire time?"

"That's right. I'm actually surprised at how well he did. He knew that he and Neji couldn't handle the crowd by themselves without harming the villagers, so he uncharacteristically called for help from the other security force boys. I think that this was about the time that you passed out."

"I remember hearing voices, though…"

Tsunade shrugged. "I wouldn't doubt it. There was quite a bit of commotion after you collapsed. The adults that were keeping an eye on you guys had to come in to help, and even the other security force boys came, along with the guardians and deities. It was a huge mess, from what Kakashi told me."

Hinata resituated into a more comfortable position, while showing the matriarch that she was still paying attention. "I see…"

The matriarch suddenly laughed to herself. "Apparently, Gaara got there right in time. He managed to catch you before you could even hit the ground. He was the one who transport—" She suddenly cleared her throat awkwardly. "He was the one who brought you here."

"Oh…"

"Neji and Temari were particularly worried." She chuckled and shook her head. "Poor Neji…" She stood and patted Hinata's head gently. "In case you didn't already know, you have that boy wrapped around your little finger."

Hinata could only watch Tsunade start walking towards the door, while she remained frozen for the moment. "W-Wait, but I…Neji…"

Tsunade turned to her and winked before opening the door. "I'm going to get all three of them in bed. Meanwhile, Shizune's going to check you over one more time before escorting you to your room. I'll tell Neji to come get you in the morning for breakfast. Okay?"

"Yes…ma'am…"

"We have more to talk about tomorrow. Until then, goodnight Hinata."

"Goodnight, Lady Tsunade."

The door closed, allowing for Hinata to turn towards Shizune, who had remained quiet for the duration of their talk.

In turn, Shizune approached Hinata. "Alright, let's make sure that you can walk without falling down."

Tsunade wanted Hinata to try to get some more sleep, but that was proving to be easier said than done. Hinata had already slept for eight hours, and trying to go back to sleep was something that she wasn't capable of doing at the moment.

Eventually, after giving up lying in her bed, she claimed a seat atop her balcony railing. The surface of the railing was quite large, which allowed for her to hug her legs to her chest whilst gazing distractedly at the night sky. Like most of the time when she was alone, she held one hand to her chest, grasping soothingly at the pendant. Itachi…Where are you? When will you come back for me? You promised that you would…How much longer do I have to wait?

Gulping, she looked down at the courtyard before dragging her eyes up and around to the temple walls. She could see other similar balconies with the curtains billowing in the slight breeze. Hidden behind the curtains, she knew that the occupants were no doubt sleeping…save for one, not counting herself.

Almost in direct vision to her room, she could see Gaara's room. More importantly, she could see him leaning against one wall on his balcony, arms crossed casually over his chest, eyes focused on the stars above. It came as no surprise to her when he stopped and turned to look at her, since he could sense when he was being looked at. When their eyes met, he nodded while she offered a small smile and a short wave. Only a moment later, he disappeared in a whirl of sand before reappearing on her balcony, not two feet from her.

Watching him near her, she thought to break the silence. "You're not going to sleep?"

It wasn't until he was leaning against the balcony railing that he answered her. "Perhaps later. I will not need much."

Her lips curled into a welcoming smile. "You're already starting to look better."

He merely inclined his head toward her in acknowledgement, as if it was his way of agreeing. "Those with demon blood have a way of recovering at a rate ten times faster than humans. My energy will be back by dawn."

"That's good…" She paused briefly. "Do you know if Neji and Temari went to bed?"

He nodded. "Lady Tsunade forced them, despite their protests to see you."

She giggled silently before biting her bottom lip. "Lady Tsunade…told me about what happened in the village." Her eyes rose to meet his, emanating insurmountable gratitude. "Thank you…for helping me."

Gaara looked up to the sky again, keeping his expression and tone of voice neutral. "Is that not what a friend is supposed to do?"

"Yes," Hinata hugged her legs to her chest even tighter. "You're a very good friend, Gaara."

A foreign feeling of happiness flooded his body, though he did not reveal it outwardly.

They did not talk after that. There was only silence between them as the sounds of night filled the air. They could hear distant owls calling into the breeze, which caused the leaves of trees to rustle together in a type of lullaby.

The nightly weather was not cold, and it usually never was in their village, except during the dead of winter. Only during those times were the balconies sealed off to preserve heat inside individual rooms.

During spring, though, the weather seemed to be kept at constant warmth, a comfortable warmth. Hinata definitely loved spring the most. It was a time to pick flowers and help them grow, to practice with her harp in the gardens, and…to remember times when she used to do those same activities within a distant meadow, where she would spend long hours with her wolf friend and her favored demon companion.

Her heart ached painfully every time she remembered those days and those precious moments. She couldn't count how many times she spent in her room, closing her eyes and replaying memories that she had kept locked deep inside herself.

She held such an unbreakable longing to be with them again. There were so many times that she became tempted to tear apart that wall until her escape to freedom was open again. Hinata loved her temple home and the friends that she could easily call family. She loved being around Temari and Gaara and Neji. She loved laughing at the antics that Naruto was an expert at creating with the others. She loved watching the secret friendships between Shino and Kiba, and Ino and Sakura, and most entertainingly, Naruto and Sasuke. They were close friendships hidden beneath a guise of annoyance, irritation, and jealousy. She loved it all the same.

Nonetheless, her home had become an invisible prison since the day that she had befriended the red-eyed demon and the gray-haired wolf. Oh, what she wouldn't give just to see them again…just once.

"Your demon seems to protect you even when he is far away." Gaara broke the silence, jarring her out of her reverie.

She didn't say anything in reply, but grasped onto her pendant with a tighter grip.

"You miss him." Gaara stated, turning his emotionless gaze on her. "I see it in your eyes, and I notice it when you think that no one is looking."

Her lip trembled as she nodded.

He continued. "You don't want to be here…but you don't want to leave either. You feel helpless…stuck between two worlds."

She could feel her eyes moistening, though she tried to restrain her tears.

"I wonder which world you will choose when the time comes…"

Hinata sniffled, rubbing away the traitorous tears beneath her opal eyes. "Gaara…" She shook her head, clutching onto her clothes as a form of self-protection. "I…It's been so long since the last time I saw him…He said that he would come back…He promised me…" Despite how she had fought it, more tears trickled down her pale cheeks, which glistened under the moonlight, giving her an ethereal appearance. "Every time I close my eyes…I can see his face…" Her fingers shook as she held her blood-filled diamond. "It's like he's always there…at the back of my mind." She laughed bitterly. "When I'm…not feeling well…I can hear his voice…telling me things that he's said to me before…"

Gaara could only stare, feeling his insides turn with different emotions at seeing her practically fall apart in front of his eyes. His eyes followed her movements as she curled into herself, releasing trembling whispers. If vulnerability had an image, she would be it. It was no wonder that she evoked strong feelings of protection in those close to her.

Slowly, his feet moved, taking him closer to her insecure form. Making sure to not touch her, his lips moved to whisper. "Hinata…"

Her eyes snapped to meet his own in utter shame, which was signified by her head lowering. "I'm sorry…" She attempted to smile it off as she stepped away from the balcony railing. "I probably sound crazy, don't I?"

How could anyone look so lost, weary, and alone? Gaara didn't understand it, and even worse, he didn't know what to do or say that would make her feel better. Unless…

A brief flash of emotion flickered across his face as he recalled the time when Hinata was depressed about her demon leaving. They were children then, but what he tried had worked.

Clenching his teeth uncertainly, Gaara stepped in front of her, dragging his arms up around her. As soon as she felt his touch, she immediately stepped closer to him, wrapping her arms around his torso, clenching her fingers onto his clothes. Gradually, his grip became secure, while Hinata hid her face in his chest, her shoulders shaking in response to her quivering breaths.

Itachi…Please…Please come back…

Itachi could finally breath easy and let his mind rest at ease, knowing that the significant necklace was back where it belonged—around Hinata's neck.

The past twelve hours had felt like an eternity to him. Each second was filled with intense emotion, though it was not his own. For the first few hours, he had felt the drastic and quick shifts of Hinata's emotions, ranging between excitement to utter trepidation. However, he had become used to that over the past four years. What he wasn't prepared for was the overflowing sense of panic that flooded through his body, as if a giant boulder had crashed into him, knocking him sideways. What made his heart quicken at that was the knowledge that the panic originated from the necklace's current owner.

Not being able to perform adequately, he was forced to withdraw away from his warring companions, seeking out a hidden place of solitude to focus entirely on returning the emotional balance.

He spent what felt like hours attempting to transfer a soothing sense of protection into his distant pendant, hoping that the feeling would reach Hinata to settle whatever was making her panic so.

It seemed to have worked, but it really only went downhill from there.

Suddenly, he could not sense her presence in the back of his mind like he was used to feeling. Through his blood in the diamond, a fragile and faint connection was made between Hinata and him, allowing him to sense when she could possibly be in trouble. Although, that connection was based upon her emotions, so he was never fully able to see or understand whatever it was that was causing her intense emotional outbreaks.

Either way, as soon as he could no longer sense her or that delicate connection, he had meditated for hours…using every ounce of energy to mindfully search for the cut in the connection and the reason why.

It was an exhausting process, even for a demon such as himself. As far as he knew, very few and only the very powerful demons were able to go to those limits and use their power in such a way as that.

Unfortunately, he was helpless and at the point of abandoning his campaign in order to return to see whether she was safe or not. But finally, all at once, she was there again…calm, relieved, and pacified. Itachi wasn't aware of the breath he was holding until he released it, feeling calm himself at the return to normality.

By the time he had opened his eyes, returning from his deep meditation, night had already fallen and the chill of the north had settled in. There was also a familiar presence nearing his position, which was made noisily known by the thud of footsteps behind him. "What is it, Kisame…"

"Heh," The shark demon crossed his arms tightly over his broad chest. "So, this is where you've been. Well, I hope you're done with whatever you were doing, because Pain and Konan are back with orders from the leader."

"Very well." Fluidly standing up, Itachi turned and began to lithely walk toward Kisame and past him into the dense forest, heading straight for the designated meeting spot.

The blue-skinned demon walked next to the Uchiha, allowing silence for only a brief moment. "Can you believe that we've been on this stupid campaign for—what—four years now?"

"Conquering all of the north, claiming territory, and decimating demon-hunter villages has never been considered short-term, even for the most powerful of demons." Itachi replied monotonously.

"Right…" Kisame grumbled. "And just how much longer are we going to be doing all of that?"

"It depends on the leader's orders."

"So…Another four years?"

"Possibly. Perhaps more."

"Damn…" Kisame paused very shortly. "Don't get me wrong, I love human slaughter as much as the next demon, but doing it as often as this just gets boring. It's starting to feel more like an occupation than entertainment."

Itachi stayed silent, letting Kisame ramble on like he normally did.

"When this is over, I could live a hundred years without seeing a human and be perfectly content."

"Hn,"

"What? You don't think I could?"

Itachi didn't answer, and Kisame didn't have time to add anything else before they entered into the meeting place, where the rest of the leader's favored demons were waiting. There were nine "favored" demons total, also known as the leader's secret weapons. When the leader wanted something done efficiently, they were the ones who were sent, just as they were for the current campaign.

Though they were favored, few had ever seen the leader's true colors. In fact, of the nine there, only four truly knew just who the leader really was. Two of them happened to be Pain and Konan, known by the majority of demons as the leader's hands. As usual, they were the ones acting as messengers, distributing orders to the other demons, just as they were currently about to do.

"Good of you to make it, Itachi." Pain began. "I was beginning to fear that we were interrupting on your precious solitude."

"Nearly." The Uchiha demon murmured, typically expressionless.

"Hm." Pain grunted before glancing around the rest of the group, all wearing similar black clothing attire. "As for the new orders, pay attention well, for I'm only going to say this once. We are targeting three villages. Two of them are demon-hunter villages, and the other one is merely an annoyance. One of the demon-hunter villages is located the farthest south from here, and will be the most challenging. Konan, Zetsu, and I will handle that one."

It wasn't hard to miss the sarcastic eye-rolls and incoherent grumbling from certain members.

Pain continued. "The other demon-hunter village is located fifty-seven miles southeast from here. I want Kakuzu, Hidan, and Sasori to take care of that one. Itachi, Kisame, and Deidara will handle the civilian village. The village is directly to the west of us, situated near the shoreline. Kisame, you are to go into the ocean and have the other shark demons provide a sort of barricade on the side of the village nearest to the water. Any humans that attempt to escape into the water for refuge will be yours to deal with."

Kisame couldn't resist the natural upward pull of his lips.

"Deidara and Itachi will attack the village directly. I'll give you the coordinates in a moment. Now, something for all of you to keep in mind when pursuing your missions…As per usual, leave none alive."

Few of the demons responded with emotionless stares and closed-lip silence. Most of them, however, openly expressed their growing excitement at the human blood to be spilt.

Slowly and in calculated measures…every demon's naturally born aspiration was coming to fruition.

The world would soon be theirs to rule and dominate.

There was no point in hiding how sincerely dispassionate Itachi was at that notion. It didn't matter to him what village had to be destroyed, or how many humans would soon lose their lives, as long as Konoha remained untouched…at least while a certain white-eyed individual was occupying it.

Hinata…

Itachi could sense when she had finally fallen asleep. There was a moment that seemed as though it lasted forever that he could sense her erratic emotions. There was such pain there, but it was not physical. Hinata was in emotional pain; so much so, that he could practically feel her heart aching. She was feeling lost and vulnerable and confused, at least until she had calmed down enough to sleep.

He didn't realize just what it meant when he gave her that necklace, and therefore forging a connection between them. He was frustrated at the minimal connection, though. He could sense whatever emotion she was feeling without having a clue as to what caused her to feel that way. It wouldn't have been such a big deal if it didn't interfere with his outward appearance and his performance during missions. The mission did get completed in the end, but not without difficulties. What made the matter more frustrating was that sometimes the others would notice and comment about his mental awareness.

Deidara just happened to be one of them. It was normally Kisame that questioned him on it, but the shark demon was not traveling with them; rather, he had gone a different route, aiming for the ocean.

It was Deidara and Itachi who were traveling together, towards the civilian village near the coast. They traveled at a fairly quick pace so as to get there while the night was still present. To a demon, nothing was more enjoyable than attacking humans during the night, when they were most vulnerable and scared. If it was screaming they wanted, night was the opportune time to aim for.

During the travel, it was normally a very silent time with very little talk between the demon partners. Unfortunately for Itachi, Deidara was far from being a non-talkative being.

"I still don't understand why the leader does this all the time." The blonde began. "It only takes one of us to destroy a village, so why send three, hm?"

It took a vast amount of restraint to hold back the temptation to roll his eyes. Instead, Itachi replied. "It doesn't matter."

"Of course it does, yeah!" Deidara countered passionately. "It's a total waste of time."

Itachi released a quiet exhale. "At this point in the campaign, the leader just wants the villages gone, and to be destroyed quickly. That's why we were sent in groups."

"Hmph," Deidara grunted before grumbling under his breath. "I still think it's stupid."

The red-eyed demon remained silent, taking to mind that there was only one-half mile left before they reached the outskirts of the village.

Sighing and allowing his frown to falter somewhat, Deidara eyed Itachi briefly before facing forward again. "Y'know, the others were right. You seem…different."

Itachi didn't acknowledge the blonde.

Nonetheless, Deidara continued. "When I asked Sasori about it, he told me that you 'tend to get distracted'." He mimicked the redhead's voice, as well as scrunching his face into a comic frown. "Is that true, yeah?"

"Believe what you want. It is of no consequence to me."

Deidara frowned in confusion. "I don't know what the hell you just said, but I sure hope that you aren't planning on getting distracted during our mission."

"I wasn't aware that someone could plan on getting distracted." Even speaking at a monotone, there was still a sense of sarcasm leaking from Itachi's words. At least, Deidara thought so, or suspected it anyway.

However, before the blonde could retort, Itachi silenced him by motioning towards the fact that they had arrived at their destination.

Suddenly finding himself in a pleasant mood, Deidara smiled maliciously. "Oh, lovely and petrified human screams, here I come!" He laughed maniacally. "Let's spill some blood!"

"Leave none alive." The dark-haired demon murmured, allowing his blood-red eyes to spin lazily under the moonlight.

The village had become practically decimated by the time the sun decided to show its face over the horizon. At that time, Itachi's sword was stained with the blood of many, as he continued his search in every residence for any survivors. Deidara, he knew, was doing the same, just as Kisame was from the coastline. Leave none alive.

That wasn't difficult to understand or obey, considering civilians were hardly challenging or even worth the hunt. Unfortunately, orders were orders, and the campaign had become that much closer to being over. At least, that's what Itachi told himself day after day, mission after mission.

He could feel the dried blood on his skin, causing it to itch faintly. There was no doubt in his mind that he would go bathe as soon as the village was cleared of human life. He only had a few more houses to scour, which wouldn't take too long.

There weren't usually any problems with human slaughter, and his "distractions" were gone—thanks to the fact that Hinata was still asleep and unharmed.

With the barest of sighs, Itachi entered the last house, allowing the wooden door to open with a loud creaking sound just before the hinges came loose, and the door fell to the ground. Walking unperturbed through the arisen cloud of dust, his eyes glanced over every detail of the small cottage, searching for any sign of life.

Surprisingly, he had only been in the house for a brief moment when a faint whine tickled his ears. Going immediately towards the direction of the sound, he was led to a mediocre door, too small to match up with the other doors. As he got closer, he could hear rustling, which seemed to have been caused by struggling of some sort.

Bored and without hesitation, Itachi quickly grasped the handle and opened it wide, revealing a small closet. Before he could even look around inside, something charged him, forcing him to leap backwards, keeping his sword ready.

The creature stopped at the entrance to the closet, as if guarding it fiercely. With rigid shoulders and sharp teeth on display, the dog growled furiously at the intruder.

Itachi in return only scowled in irritation. He was really starting to hate canines, and their obsessively protective natures.

Overlooking the dog, Itachi set his eyes on what the animal was guarding so ardently. A strange sensation occurred to the demon when his eyes lay upon the trembling figure of a small, dark-haired girl.

For the briefest of moments, Itachi was not seeing a dog guarding a little child. Instead, a familiar memory rushed at him before he had time to blink. He remembered the gray wolf growling at him threateningly, as it protected the uncertain white-eyed girl behind it. She was always the most vivid in his memories, though he couldn't explain why.

Her dark hair, bordering on a slight violet color…

Her opal eyes, emanating pure moonlight…

The way she held herself, with always her dainty knuckle resting against her petite lips…

And then she would visibly relax upon meeting eyes with him…smiling timidly with an occasional embarrassed blush painting her naturally pale cheeks.

"Hi, Mr. Demon…"

"Itachi…"

"Itachi,"

"Itachi?"

"Itachi!" A voice yelled out to him, breaking off his dazed reverie. "Yo, Itachi!"

Turning to the origin of the voice, Itachi noticed Deidara standing outside the front door, looking in at the scene in bewilderment.

Raising his hands into the hair and furrowing his eyebrows, Deidara stared at the Uchiha. "What are you doing just standing there, yeah? Finish 'em off so we can leave already!"

Turning back to the still growling dog and the trembling human girl, Itachi formed a mask of indifference over his face before his grip tightened on the hilt of his sword. With two swings, two different heads fell to the ground, and even more blood dripped down the demon's blade.

Even more so, his hand gripped tight to the hilt, while familiar anger boiled up inside of him. It only took a few seconds to leave the residence and see Deidara and Kisame standing near each other conspiratorially.

They both had their arms crossed over their chests, as they seemed to examine Itachi. Deidara was the first to speak. "Took you long enough."

"It's over now." He murmured, turning on his heel to walk away.

The blonde obviously wasn't finished. "It looked to me like you were hesitating with that human. Is the mighty Itachi Uchiha growing a heart?"

Itachi came to an abrupt halt, turning until he was glaring warningly at Deidara, a promise of a slow death written in his eyes.

Backtracking quickly, Deidara gulped and waved his arms in front of him defensively. "Or I could be wrong!"

Ignoring the blonde, Itachi gave a brief glance to the shark demon. "Kisame, send a message to the leader from me."

Kisame watched as Itachi turned his back on him, though he did not walk yet. "A message? To the leader? About what?"

Repressing the intensity of his anger, Itachi spoke, slightly revealing venom in his words. "Tell him to finish his campaign…or I will end it myself. It has dragged on too long already."

And then he was gone before the sun even had a chance to rise fully.

I know that it's shorter than the last chapter, but at least this one was updated sooner than the last one. Anyway, thanks for the reviews! You guys seriously keep me going so that I don't give up this story.

Don't forget to check my profile for updates, since it might come in handy.

Thanks again, and I hope to hear from you guys soon!

Tranquilwriter