Sorry it's been so long guys! I had writers block for a while. I wasn't sure how I wanted this chapter to go! So I took a break from it and began writing another story I had been wanting to start! It's a Teen Titans and Young Justice crossover if any of you are interested! I'll warn you though, its Robrae. In case you don't like the ship. Anyways! I hope you guys like this chapter! I promise I'll try and update more often! Please comment!

Chapter 21

Akari stood on the tip of a tall pine tree, her arms crossed and her mask hiding a solemn grimace. Tobi occupied a tree next to her. She stared up at Deidara as he flew above the lake on one of his clay birds. He held countless little clay spiders cupped in his hands which he suddenly released. They dropped down into the water disappearing under the waves. She watched as dozens of explosions went off underneath the surface of the misty lake. The Three Tails suddenly appeared once again, roaring in anger.

"Wow! If you look at it more closely, it kinda looks like a giant turtle." Tobi commented.

"Sure does." She muttered.

She watched as Tobi leapt from the tree tops and landed gracefully in front of the beast. Deidara's bird lowered closer to the water, flying next to the masked man.

"I think we'll leave the rest of this to you, Deidara Senpai!" Akari heard Tobi say.

"Actually Tobi, since you are still pretty new to the Akatsuki, you can handle this." The blonde man smirked.

With that, Deidara flew higher into the sky leaving Tobi to fend for himself. Tobi cried after him helplessly. Deidara's bird brought him closer to Akari who still hadn't moved.

"Aren't you planning on helping him?" He arched an eyebrow at her.

"Nah. He seems to be doing just fine on his own." Akari shrugged.

The two of them stared down at the lake watching as Tobi ran across the water trying to escape the beast. They could hear his panicked screams as the Three Tails chased after him.

"Since this is a water creature, shouldn't we let Kisame-san handle it?! They assigned the wrong guy for this!" They heard him shout.

Akari and Deidara hissed through their teeth when the beast brought one of its tails crashing down on top of the masked man. He was lost under the waves, only the shadow of the beast visible under the surface.

"Ouch. That's got to hurt." Akari shook her head.

"He's useless, isn't he?" Deidara grumbled.

He maneuvered his bird down over the lake. It followed after the large silhouette of the creature who had dragged Tobi into the waters depths. Deidara tossed another one of his clay molds, a fish this time. It disappeared for a moment and then an explosion went off, launching Tobi out of the water. Akari chuckled to herself as she watched Tobi flailing helplessly in the air. Then he fell face first onto the belly of the beast. Akari's laughter died out when she saw that the Three Tails was now floating upside down over the water, clearly knocked out.

"Did you see my awesome jutsu Deidara Senpai! Of course Pain would send me! He knew I alone would be plenty for this momentous task!" Tobi bragged.

"No. The artistic gift of my explosive clay made the outcome. It's my art that the deserves the praise here, yeah. Don't get so cocky and forget that I helped you! Listen…"

Akari rolled her eyes, already tuning out Deidaras rant about how artistic and cool he was. Yada Yada. Instead she gazed down at the beaten creature, with a somber expression. Yet another win for the Akatsuki. And once again she was here, just watching and letting it happen. She couldn't keep this up much longer. As she stood there, silently brooding, she suddenly heard a larger boom followed by cold drops of water raining down over her. Then Tobi's loud cry of pain resonated around her. She blinked, her eyes already showing signs of irritation. Akari turned to glare at the culprits.

"WILL YOU TWO QUIT IT! LET'S GET THIS THING OUT OF HERE ALREADY!" She shouted at them.

"DON'T YELL AT ME! IM RUNNING THINGS HERE! NOW LET'S GET THIS THING OUT OF HERE ALREADY!" Deidara yelled back.

"Did I not just say that?" She muttered to herself.

Akari dropped down from the tree top and helped tie the beast to two of Deidara's birds. It wasn't long before they were pulling the Three Tails across the water's surface. Akari hopped on one of the clay creatures and sat down with her legs crossed. She had her elbow on her knee, chin in her palm. Deidara rode on the other. Tobi was laying on his back, still riding on the beast.

"Listen Tobi, don't you ever get ahead of yourself…yeah. The sanbi was weak because it didn't have a jinchuriki. It lacked the brains to actually harness its own powers." Deidara was saying.

He paused for a moment, expecting a reply from Tobi. There was only silence. Akari arched an eyebrow and glanced back at the masked man. He just lay there, motionless. Deidara stared down at him, still waiting. Then he let out a sigh.

"Hey Tobi! I said to shut your mouth and act cool, but that's too quiet. At least a reply would…"

Tobi began to stir. He let out a couple of incoherent sentences. Akari turned to look at him and realized he was talking in his sleep. Deidaras face turned deadly and Akari let out an exasperated sigh. She wasn't surprised as yet another explosion went off.

"YOU LITTLE SHIT! ILL GIVE YOU A NICE, EXPLOSIVE WAKE UP CALL!"

Tobi was blasted off the beast and sent flying into the air. Akari smacked her palm on her forehead and groaned.

The real Akari hid behind the trunk of a tree, shaking her head as she watched Tobi getting caught in another of Deidara's explosions. She just hoped her clone wouldn't get caught in the next one, blowing her cover. She waited a moment until the Akatsuki members were out of sight. Then she stepped out from the shadows and stared out at the open lake. It was calm and silent now that the excitement had come to an end. She then stared up at the orange and pink hues in the sky. It was close to sunset meaning the day was almost over.

Akari knew it was best if she started home now, hoping to get back to the village as soon as possible. She had a lot to prepare for. But first, she had to go back to her hidden cave. She needed to change, plus there were a couple of things she needed to get. Akari decided it was time to see Shun again. Why not make things easier? Akari bit her thumb and created the needed hand signs before slamming her palm on the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

A cloud of smoke exploded around her. When it cleared, the giant red cheetah stood before her licking its paw. He stared down at her, his expression lazy and indifferent.

"Hey Kid." He said.

"Hey Kid? I haven't seen you in weeks and all you say is Hey Kid?" She glared up at him.

"Has it been that long? Felt like it was just a few hours." Shun yawned.

"Fine. Don't say you missed me. I know you did so I don't need to hear it." She stuck her tongue out.

"Then why mention it? By the way, that's in interesting choice in clothing." He noted.

"Oh yeah. We have a lot to catch up on big guy." She muttered.

The large cat waited until she leapt onto his back, then asked where she wished to go.

"Near the border leading into the Hidden Rain." She told him.

The cheetah gave her a nod and began walking towards the cave. He kept a slow pace at first, knowing he could get her there in just a few minutes.

"So…let's see. The last time we saw each other was when I broke my leg right? You saw those guys who attacked us?" She began.

"They were wearing the same clothes you are, if I remember correctly."

"Yeah. So the thing is, I'm part of their group and…."

Shun listened as Akari told him of her previous couple of day. He kept quiet most of the time just letting her get it all off of her chest. And if he did comment, it was just to tease her over something stupid she did. Still, she felt a whole lot better once she was done. Close to the end, Shun had sped up and they were now a few feet in front of the cave.

"So yeah. Now I'm going home and plan to wait until Sasuke handles thing with the Snake, while my clone handles things with the Akatsuki. At least until I get the chance to switch out." She finished.

Shun came to a stop and she dropped down off his back.

"If you ask me Kid, you're spreading yourself out a little thin." Shun muttered.

"Maybe. But it's too late now. Might as well just go with the flow." She shrugged.

Shun waited outside while Akari made her way inside her cave. She dropped the genjutsu she had placed to trick prying eyes and strolled into the back. Akari stripped off her cloak and mask as she went, folding them in her arms. Then she kneeled down next to a wooden chest that she kept against the farthest wall in the cave. Opening it, she placed her things inside including her defaced headband. She hoped nobody would ask her about it back home. Then she began pulling out a couple of handwritten pages sitting at the bottom of the chest. Information she had gathered over the past few weeks. She turned to the most recent one and grabbed some ink and a brush. Quickly, she jotted down the capture of the Three-tails and let the page dry. Akari also pulls out her usual mission pack sifting through it making sure she wasn't forgetting anything. Finally, Akari folded the pages and shoved them all the way to the bottom of her bag. She then hung it on her shoulders and made her way out of the cave, placing the genjutsu on it once more. Shun turned to her as she walked out.

"Where is your A.N.B.U mask?" He asked.

"Underground with Hidan. It was broken anyways, not sure if I'll even need a new one. Won't have much use for it after I leave the village." She shrugged.

"I see. Well let's go then."

She nodded and jumped onto his back again. This time, Shun ran off at his top speed. Akari was soon staring at the entrance to her village, the sun just barely starting to set. The perks of having a cheetah for an animal summon.

"Alright Kid, you're home. And its time I go home as well. Next time you call me, I hope it's for something a little more exciting." Shun told her.

"Yeah, yeah. See ya later, big guy." She patted his leg.

The red cheetah gave her a smirk before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. Akari smiled at the spot he once stood before making her way toward the village. As she got nearer, she noticed a couple of figures heading towards home as well. Grinning, she quickened her step and jogged to catch up.

"Hey! Wait up!" She called out.

The group stopped and turned back to see who was calling. Their faces showed some confusion at first but then lit up when they recognized her.

"Akari! Hey! You're home too!" Naruto ran up to meet her.

She stopped in front of him and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She smiled at him as he led her towards the others. The others waited for them to catch up before they continued towards the village.

Two days have passed since Akari had made it home. The first day, she had spent with her family. She didn't tell them that she planned on leaving soon, knowing they'd try anything to get her to stay. Riko was the one who worried her the most. He would be livid as soon as he found out. She had also spent some time with her friends, catching up and trying not to feel guilty about deceiving them. It was harder around Naruto and Sakura. They would definitely be upset with her the most.

Now, on the second day, Akari was making her way towards the Nara residence. She clutched a folder firmly to her chest, chewing on her lip as she walked. The village was quiet and peaceful, hardly anyone out on the streets. Except for the Root Member watching her silently from the shadows. She stared straight ahead, seething from irritation. How much longer will Danzo continue to be thorn in her side? It was getting old very fast.

Finally, she arrived at her destination. Akari walked up to Shikamaru's house, gripping the folder just a bit tighter. Timidly, she knocked on the door. A few moments later, a woman with fair skin, dark eyes, and dark brown hair kept in a low ponytail opened the door. She blinked, clearly surprised to find Akari standing on her doorstep.

"Um. May I help you?" she asked.

"Hi. My names Akari. I'm one of Shikamaru's friends." Akari said.

"Oh! Well what do you know! My lazy son really does have more than two friends!" The woman laughed.

"Uh…yes ma'am. Pretty hard to believe someone as cynical as him could actually make friends right." Akari chuckled.

"Especially a girl as pretty as you! He better not be fooling around that boy! If he's moving on, he should at least tell Temari first."

Akari blushed at what the woman was implying.

"What! Oh! No! No, ma'am! It's nothing like that!" She managed.

"Well why else would you come here?" The older woman asked.

Akari made to answer but stopped when she heard footsteps coming from inside the house. Followed by a familiar voice.

"Mom? Who are you talking to?"

Shikamaru appeared behind his mother. He looked over the woman's shoulder and rose an eyebrow when he saw Akari. She gave him a wave. Shikamaru gave her a small smile and started to say something before his mother interrupted him.

"Shikamaru! Why didn't you tell me you were friends with someone as lovely as this! And does Temari know about her? Because I taught you better than that! To have a girl come here calling for you while Temari is back home with her brothers. That is very disrespectful!" The woman said sternly.

"What?! What are you talking about!?" Shikamaru stared at her.

"Ma'am. You have the wrong idea! This has to do with a mission. I just wanted to speak to him for a moment and give him something. That's all." Akari explained.

"Oh. Oh dear me! I'm so sorry! How could I think that! Besides, your far to pretty to pay that kind of attention to my son! Temari is probably the only exception. And I'm sure you already have a nice boy after you, with a face like that. You really are very pretty." Mrs. Nara chuckled.

"Thanks." Akari chuckled lightly.

"Yeah, thanks mom." Shikamaru muttered sarcastically.

"Well. I'll leave you to it. It was nice meeting you Akari!"

"You too, Mrs. Nara." She smiled at the older woman.

Shikamaru's mother then turned away and walked back into the house. He watched her leave until she was no longer in sight. Then he faced Akari again who was giving him a teasing smirk. The Nara boy only shook his head, clearly annoyed.

"She's a troublesome woman." He sighed.

"Aren't we all. So…Temari has met your mother? So soon in the relationship? Scandalous!" Akari wiggled her eyebrows.

"Shut up. What's this about a mission?" He yawned.

"Oh. Well, actually I just came to talk to you about…well you know. My recent activities." She whispered.

"Huh. Well then I guess you should step inside. We can use my dad's office, he's not here right now."

Akari nodded and followed him inside his house. He led her down the hall and into a room with a bookshelf, a couple of boxes and a desk. He closed the door once she was inside and then offered her his father's chair. She took a seat and he leaned against the desk beside her.

"Okay. What's with the folder?" He asked.

"This…this is information on the Akatsuki. Who they are, how many are left, their abilities and how many beasts they've captured. Everything I've learned so far. Itachi had me right everything down, he told me to wait until the right time to give it all to you." She told him

"Why now?" He eyes the folder.

"Sasuke. That's why. I'll be leaving soon remember. Which means I won't be coming back for a while. I don't know when I'll be seeing you guys again so I thought it best if you knew everything I did. Just in case something was to happen while I'm away."

"Right. Okay. But why give it to me? Why not the Hokage?"

"Because you're the guy with the plan! You're the only one who can come up with a way to stop them if they tried to take Naruto. Though…there are still a few blanks about the leader. Pain. He doesn't give much away."

"This is such a drag." Shikamaru muttered.

"Yeah. Yeah it is." Akari gave a small laugh.

"Okay. I'll take them I guess. Ugh…what about Itachi? If something were to happen, what side would he be on?" He asked her.

"You don't have to worry about him. Something tell me he's going to be busy dealing with Sasuke." She frowned.

"And you'll be too busy making sure they don't kill each other." He muttered.

"In the words of a good friend of mine, what a drag." She smiled sadly.

"I couldn't agree more." He nodded.

"I should go now. Thanks for sharing my burden. And sorry I dragged you into this." Akari stood.

"That's okay. I was bound to get involved eventually. This was too big for you to handle alone."

"Oh. And keep these safe. I have a couple of stalkers who know I came here." She warned.

"No problem." He nodded.

Shikamaru took the folder from her hands and then ushered her out of the room. He kept a firm grip on the papers as he opened his front door for her. She stepped out onto the porch.

"When do you think he'll get here?" He asked her.

"I don't know. But it will be soon."

She gave him another smile before walking off his porch. He watched her go for a moment, a grim look on his face. Then Shikamara stared down at the folder in his hands, his mind already racing. Silently, he stepped back inside.

It's been nearly five days since the Three Tails incident. Five days, and Sasuke was still a no show.

Akari walked through the village, a bag of groceries in her arm and Hinata walking beside her. It was around noon and the girls had just finished picking up a few things they needed. Hinata carried a bag of her own, except hers had yarn. Something about a memory she had remembered from when she was a kid. It involved a red scarf and a much younger Naruto.

"So. Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Hinata said.

Akari turned to her, her eyes wide in surprise. She stared at the Hyuuga for a moment before lowering her gaze to the ground. Her lip between her teeth.

"What do you mean? I'm fine." She mumbled.

"Akari. Something's bothering you. I can tell." Hinata said softly.

"I…okay. Yeah, you're right. I'm just a little…worried is all." Akari sighed.

"About what? You haven't had any assignments lately. In fact, this is longest you've stayed in the village since, who knows how long."

"Hinata…I…I'm waiting."

"Waiting? For what?"

Akari glanced up at her again, her eyes unsure. The raven haired girl gave her a kind smile, encouraging her to continue.

"Well, something is supposed to happen. Something pretty big. I…I can't say what it is, but I was expecting it to happen already. I'm a little worried that somethings gone wrong. That things didn't turn out the way they were supposed to."

"This thing. Is it dangerous?" Hinata frowned.

"I'd say so. I don't know how everyone will react to it." Akari muttered.

"Is it bad?"

"Yeah. Well, no. I know it isn't. I know that it's something I must do, If I plan on fixing things. But, the others might not see it that way. They'll think I've betrayed them. They'll think I'm being selfish. I'm going to hurt them Hinata. But please believe me when I say that I have to do this. It's my only shot at making things right."

Akari turned to Hinata, her eyes pleading. She didn't want Hinata thinking badly of her when she left. Not Hinata. The Hyuuga was her best friend, and she'd be heartbroken if the soft spoken girl doubted her.

"Okay. I believe you. But, whatever it is, I hope it doesn't cause to much damage." Hinata whispered.

"Yeah. Me too." Akari frowned.

The two of them fell silent. They made their way through the streets, in the direction of Akari's home. Hinata walked with her up until they got to Akari's front gate. The Hyuuga turned to her, a small smile on her face.

"Hey Akari, I was thinking that us and the other girls could go out to eat tonight, we could…Akari?"

She wasn't listening. Akari was staring up at her bedroom window. Something had caught her eye, something shiny with a hint of red. She stared up at it, her heart racing in her chest.

"Akari?" Hinata asked again. Her brow creased in worry.

This time Akari heard her. She startled slightly, having forgotten her friend was still standing beside her.

"Oh, Sorry Hinata. I zoned out. Anyways, I um…I can't tonight. I have a couple of things I need to do."

"Um…okay. Some other time then."

"Yeah. Yeah, sure. I'll see you…later." Akari bit her lip.

Then, she sat her bag of groceries on the ground. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around her friend and hugged her. Hinata was caught off guard, her arms and bag trapped in between their chests.

"Akari? What's going on?" She whispered suddenly very nervous.

"I just…I want you to know that you're my best friend. No matter what. And please, tell Neji what I told you okay? I…I never like when he's upset with me." Akari whispered back.

Then she let her go. With a sad smile, she picked up her bag and rushed into her house. Hinata stared after her, suddenly very worried for Akari. Quickly, she ran home, planning to find Naruto as soon as possible.

Akari dropped the groceries on the kitchen table, her nerves on edge. Her mother was at the sink, dishes in her hands. She turned to her daughter, meaning to thank her. Instead she blinked after Akari in surprise as the girl practically flew upstairs. Her husband walked in from the living room, a questioning look on his face. All she could do was shrug.

Akari yanked open her bedroom door, closing it roughly behind her. She ran to her window, pulling it open. She stuck her head out and stopped breathing for a moment. Her kunai was embedded into the wall outside her window. Its red ribbon fluttering lightly. Hesitantly, she pulled it free and stepped back. Akari held the weapon closely to her chest, her body shaking. He was here. It was time.

There was no time to waste. Quickly, she dropped to her knees and reached under her bed. Akari's hands gripped the backpack underneath tightly in her fingers. She yanked it out, and in one quick motion, hung it on her shoulders. She then grabbed her katana and slid it into the sheath on her back. Finally, she dug through one of her drawers pulling out two letters. One for her parents, and one for Riko. She blinked back tears as she sneaked into their bedrooms, leaving the notes on their pillows. Taking a deep breath, Akari then leapt out her window landing softly on the ground below.

She took to the roofs, her nerves on edge. Akari made her way to the front gate and had almost made it. But, she stopped when she heard the shouting. Then, she noticed other ninja leaping over the houses. They were heading to the front gate as well. Her face fell, and she ran faster. The scene she arrived too made her blood run cold. She stood motionless, her eyes glued to the people below.

Sasuke stood under the village's front gate. Behind him was a strange man, he had an amused grin on his face. Facing them was her friends. All of them. There was Neji, his face cold and calculating. Tenten, her expression confused and Lee, his pose stiff and uncertain. Then there was Ino who had tears in her eyes. Choji who stared at Sasuke in total shock. Shikamaru's posture and face gave nothing away. Kiba's expression was one of pure rage, Akamaru whined next to him very unsettled. Shino was motionless. Hinata stared at Sasuke, her eyes full of sorrow. Sai stood in the back, his eyes emotionless like usual. But that was nothing compared to the emotions flickering across Naruto's and Sakura's face's. There was misery, anger, confusion, but the one that stood out the most was…hope. Kakashi was there too, but he wasn't watching his students. He was staring up at Akari. He had already guessed.

"Sas..Sasuke. What are you doing here?" She heard Sakura.

Sakura had her hand held out, towards him. She took a step forward but stopped herself. Akari could tell that she was itching to touch him. To prove to herself that he was real. That he was really there. Sasuke said nothing, he just stared at them with a look of indifference. He barely gave them a second glance as he scanned the area. He had yet to look up, but she knew that he had seen her.

"Have you come home? Where is Orochimaru? What's going on? SAY SOMETHING!" Naruto shouted.

Even if Sasuke was planning on answering, he didn't get the chance. Suddenly, Danzo was there. A dozen Root members by his side.

"Sasuke Uchiha. You are hereby ordered to stand down and come quietly. You are under arrest for betraying your village." He ordered.

"You think I will abide by your rules?" Sasuke spoke. HIs voice cold.

"He's not going anywhere with you!" Naruto growled.

"Stay out of this fox! Your opinion is worthless to me!" Danzo spat.

"Enough! Danzo you are not in charge here!"

Everyone turned to Lady Tsunade who had finally arrived, Shizune trailing behind her. She glared daggers at Danzo who didn't seem fazed by the Hokages appearance.

"Are you saying he will not be punished? He deserted the village did he not? That makes him a traitor. And last time I checked, that is a crime punishable by death." Danzo smirked.

"Back off! You are not Hokage, that burden is mine and mine alone. I will decide what happens here today!" Tsunade seethed.

"I've had enough of this meaningless conversation. I'm here for one reason and one reason only. I'll take my leave as soon as I have what I've come for." Sasuke stated.

"You're leaving again? What is it that you want? What have you come for?" Naruto looked crestfallen.

Akari hadn't moved an inch since she had arrived. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, threatening to burst. She had a metallic taste in her mouth and knew her teeth had sliced through her lip. Naruto's questions brought her out of her daze. Steeling herself, she took a deep breath and finally made herself known.

"Me. He's here for me." She called down to them.

Akari felt the urge to run when all eyes fell on her. She dared not to look anyone in the face, not trusting herself to hold back tears. Still, she could still make out the looks on her friends faces. They looked bewildered at first until they took in her appearance. Her gear packed and weapon slung on her back. Then, their expression changed to understanding. She nearly broke down when she saw their looks of disappointment and disbelief. Before she could change her mind, Akari leapt off the roof and landed beside Sasuke, her back to her friends.

"I'd like to go now." She said, her voice hard and emotionless. Just like the A.N.B.U taught her.

"So. That's where you've been sneaking off to all this time? You've been having secret meeting with the traitorous Uchiha? I had guessed as much." Danzo called to her.

She didn't turn around. She refused to.

"Is this true, Akari? Have you been meeting Sasuke in secret?" Said Lady Tsunade.

She knew very well that this wasn't true. The Hokage knew that Akari had spent all her time elsewhere, only seeing Sasuke once or twice. But, the others couldn't know that.

"I'm leaving. That's all you need to know." Akari answered.

"Akari…why?"

Naruto's voice cut through like a knife. It was hollow and heartbroken. She felt his disappointment and almost shed a tear. Akari blinked it away. Sasuke stood beside her, his eyes on her face. He said nothing, but she knew he had seen her moment of weakness. He saw everything. That's when she forced herself to turn and face Naruto. Not only to prove to Sasuke that she could, but to prove it to herself. She was strong enough to do this. She had to be.

"Because. He's all I need. All I want. If he's not here with me, then there is no point in staying. I have nothing keeping me here. None of you are important enough. You all are meaningless to me. Therefore, I have no reason to stay. It makes leaving all that much easier" She said coldly.

Akari didn't flinch when his eyes widened in shock. All her friends stared at her with hurt and betrayal in their eyes. She started to back away.

"DON'T YOU DARE. DON'T YOU DARE WALK AWAY!"

She stopped dead in her tracks. Riko pushed through the crowd, his eyes bulging, face red with rage. He waves her letter wildly in his hands.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS! YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST WRITE ME A FUCKING LETTER AND THEN DISAPPEAR!" He shouted.

"Riko." She kept her tone monotone.

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP AND DROP THIS STUPID ACT OF YOURS! MEANINGLESS? WE'RE MEANINGLESS? BULLSHIT!"

"Riko!" She tried again. Her eyes trying to signal a warning. A warning to keep quiet.

"NO! I'VE HAD ENOUGH! IM TIRED OF YOUR LIES AND IM TIRED OF WORRYING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOUR GOING TO MAKE IT HOME ALIVE! YOU'RE WALKING A THIN LINE AKARI AND I WONT HAVE IT! YOU NEED TO FORGET ABOUT THE AK…"

"RIKO! THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Akari wasn't the one who shouted. She turned to Lady Tsunade who was glaring at Riko. She radiated authority and gave no room for insubordination.

"Your sister has made a decision. There is no way to stop her. Not without a fight. And I refuse to allow that to happen. No one, and I mean no one will force her to stay. Is that understood." She told him.

"But…" Riko's anger drained away and was replaced with sorrow.

"Let's go Akari." Sasuke said beside her.

She nodded. Not trusting herself to speak. But Sakura stepped forward.

"I need to know why you're doing this. Why you've chosen him over us. Over your family."

Sakura was hurting, but she was also angry. Akari could see it in her eyes. They had agreed to let Sasuke decide between the two of them. But after they had brought him home. Yet, here she was, leaving with him. With no consideration of Sakura's feelings. Now, Sakura wanted an explanation. So Akari gave her one.

"Because. We're the same. He and I." She told her.

Akari took a few steps towards them. She then looked straight at Naruto who stared back at her, his face broken. She closed her eyes. When she opened them, everyone gasped in shock. Naruto's eyes grew wide and he turned to Sasuke in disbelief. Akari couldn't see the Uchiha's reaction. She was busy making sure everyone had gotten a glimpse of her Sharingan.

"You see. The same. I belong with him. I go where he goes." She said.

Her friends couldn't seem to grasp this new reality. She was an Uchiha. She had lied to them all this time. Akari decided that this had dragged on long enough. Again she made to leave, and again her departure was interrupted. Akari was so caught up in leaving that she didn't notice the hand swatting towards her. Only it didn't reach its target. Akari blinked as Sasuke appeared in front of her. He had a firm grip on Sakura's wrist. She had been seconds away from delivering a harsh slap across Akari's face. Sasuke's old teammate looked up at him in total misery. He glared at her, steel in his eyes.

"You won't touch her." He stated.

Then he dropped his hold on Sakura. He started to back away, shielding Akari with his body. She had no choice but to let him push her back. She stole a glance at Shikamaru. He was watching her, his face unreadable. He was her only hope. Her only way to make them understand. He didn't have to tell them everything, just enough to realize that she was doing this for Sasuke's sake. To bring him home. Her sharingan was still active and she managed to catch the small nod. It was barely noticeable. But she saw it, and it was enough to ease her worry.

"We're leaving now. If any of you follow, I won't hesitate to kill you." Sasuke warned.

She knew he wasn't bluffing. She silently prayed that they would heed his warning. That they wouldn't come after her. She couldn't bear the thought of any of them getting hurt. Not because of her. None of them moved.

Sasuke led her under the cover of the trees. His companion close behind. The last thing she saw was Sakura falling to her knees, her face buried in her hands. Naruto knelt beside her, his hand on her back. But his eyes were on Akari. Refusing to drop his gaze. When her friends were no longer in sight, Akari tore her eyes away from the village. She took Sasuke's hand, gripping it tightly, and let him pull her away from her home.