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Chapter 21: Healing filled with Malice

Sasuke was still bed-ridden two weeks after he touched the diamond. Karin had recovered, but she was unable to dispel any further symptoms. When Pain had found out, his first reaction was to laugh at Sasuke's stupidity for touching something that radiated dangerous chakra. I have to give him credit however; to find that diamond is quite a feat. Kazumi-chan won't be pleased at all.

Kazumi still had not returned from the Leaf Village and the Akatsuki was starting to get worried. Although she had changed because of Itachi's death and Sasuke's arrival, she was a breath of fresh air that kept the base a little cheerier. Kazumi kept everyone positive and always pulled through. The thought of her not being able to escape the Leaf Village was squashed quickly in favor of the theory that she was tricking the Leaf Village and that was the reason for the delay.

Tobi smiled as he looked out the window towards the Leaf Village. Kazumi-chan, everyone misses you… The longer you are out, the less use you have for the Akatsuki. After all, Itachi wants his plan accomplished does he not? Hiding out with Leaf Ninja is not the way to accomplish this. "Tobi misses Kazumi-chan," he whined and nudged Zetsu.

Zetsu rolled his eyes. Tobi is like an annoying child who lost his mother. Why couldn't it have been Tobi gone instead of Kazumi-chan? Or Hidan not return and we still keep Kazumi-chan? Could have been worse; she stopped Leaf Ninja from following Hidan and finding the base I suppose…"Hey Tobi, did Pain-sama ever give us a mission to retrieve Kazumi-chan? The base feels weird without her…"

"Pain-sama did not tell Tobi of a mission to get Kazumi-chan. Tobi will go ask Pain-sama about a mission!" With that, Tobi dashed off, leaving an irate Zetsu. Kisame walked in, just barely avoided getting trampled by Tobi, and notices Zetsu's annoyance. "You miss Kazumi-chan too?"

"Yeah. She liked talking about plants and stuff. It was fun to take care of the plants in the gardens with her; she has a natural talent for gardening."

"I'm sure she'll be back. Kazumi-chan never failed a mission." Please Kazumi-chan, for Itachi's sake, stay safe. He would not want you dead or he will haunt me for eternity.

Meanwhile

Kazumi was walking around the village…bored out of her mind. Kakashi made sure this time that he would not let her out of his sight. He was slightly saddened by the fact that Kazumi had not yet kept her end of the deal. Kazumi tried to cheer up Kakashi; she even offered to buy him an Icha Icha novel. She despised the series, knowing about its intent, but she was willing to buy it if it cheered up Kakashi, but he refused. Kazumi remembered how Shizune told her that Kakashi was starting to change in little ways: he was not reading those books anymore, he was on time more often, and he seemed a lot more serious about training Team 7.

Kazumi was tired at being virtually ignored by the Copy Ninja, so she immediately stopped and thought up a plan. Kakashi was confused as Kazumi suddenly collapsed into his arms. "Uh Kazumi-chan, are you alright? You don't have a fever do you?" Damn, she's unconscious. I have to take her back to the hospital. Too bad Sakura and Tsunade's medical jutsu can't help her.

As Kakashi scooped up Kazumi and was beginning to escort her, he felt a mysterious presence and stopped. Damn, if it's an Akatsuki member… Kazumi's in danger. "Come out, I know you're there."

"Well, well, I suppose you do earn your reputation," muttered the Akatsuki member. Lifting her hat, she tossed it aside. Her red hair was long on one side and short on the other. Kakashi stared at her. What the hell…?

"Who the hell are you? You seem kind of weak." Kakashi mentioned in a deadpan manner. At this, the member lost her footing and fell.

"I am Karin, Sasuke-kun's true love!" At this statement, Kazumi regained enough consciousness to manage a snort of contempt. "I require the girl in order to heal Sasuke-kun. He touched some weird gem thingy and is sick. She will heal him."

At this point, Kazumi was bursting out with laughter, "He was the idiot who touched the chakra diamond? That absolute moron! I do not trust him, so it is natural for my chakra to reject him. If he touched the diamond… that means he was in my room… the bastard!" Kakashi glanced carefully at Kazumi as her eyes changed colors from green to red.

Karin seemed to suddenly change from being cocky to being very scared all of a sudden. Kazumi noticed the change and barked out a cruel laugh. "What's the matter? I think the red of my eyes really brings out the slight red highlights in my hair. Why are you so scared Karin? I will not break you with my genjutsu… yet."

"Damn it, just come back to the Akatsuki base and heal Sasuke-kun. Zetsu and Kisame stopped the disease's progression, but it's not getting any better. He needs you to heal him."

Kazumi rolled her eyes and muttered a near silent apology to Kakashi. "Fuck no bitch. I have no intention of healing Sasuke's eyes. He deserved it for snooping around in my room. I wish he could have held the diamond even longer so that the chakra would devour him. Or I guess if I really cared, I could remotely kill him with my chakra he unknowingly took from the diamond into his body…"

"Kazumi-chan, as my duty, I cannot let you go out of the village, especially with an Akatsuki member," Kakashi murmured. He turned his attention to Karin. "Please leave now Miss and I will disregard your intrusion into the Leaf Village."

"No I can't go back. I will have failed if I go back empty handed. They will most likely kill me for doing this." Karin was panicked. What the hell am I going to do? Kakashi Hatake won't let me leave with Kazumi and she most certainly isn't going to come along willingly…

"Well, well, I guess you leave me no choice. Kakashi-kun, you heard her. She cannot return to the Akatsuki empty handed or they will kill her. At least here, we can give her a fast, mostly painless death." Kakashi nodded and turned to Kazumi.

"You can't fight. Just watch ok, Kazumi-chan?"

Kazumi nodded and as Kakashi got ready to fight Karin, smoke appeared and two other ninjas appeared next to Karin. Kazumi glimpsed them and recognized them.

"Juugo-san, Suigetsu-kun, I assume you are rescuing her," Kazumi motioned to Karin. "Make it fast. I feel no sympathy for when she returns."

Juugo picked up Karin when he noticed something weird about Kazumi. He was going to keep quiet, but it had appeared that Suigetsu noticed as well. "Damn Kazumi, why are your eyes red. Oh shit, never mind, I remember Kisame's information. Uh Juugo, let's get out of here before we die." With that, the three ninja disappear and Kazumi shakes her head.

"Stupid idiots, the whole lot of them," Kazumi muttered. Her eyes, however, transformed back into the tranquil green that Kakashi liked best. This look suited her best and made her look the most compassionate.

"Come on Kazumi-chan. I'll take you to the hospital and make sure that you aren't so light-headed anymore." Kakashi was about to rescoop Kazumi back into his arms when he pulled him close to her.

"Kakashi-kun, what made you think I was really unconscious?" she contentedly murmured. "I just remembered, I did not give you your reward for the katanas did I? You really deserve a reward you know…" With that, she began stroking his face again and Kakashi was trying so hard to not smother Kazumi with affection.

She tugged his mask down and kissed him. It was not a tongue session or extremely heated, but a simple, classy kiss. He returned the passion of the kiss and they broke about after a minute. They looked at each other with a smile. Kazumi's hand went unconsciously to the ring around her neck while Kakashi's hand went to his eye. They both looked at each other briefly. Their reflexes went to a place where someone who died had left a gift for them.

Kazumi hand her hand still on the wedding ring. Itachi-kun, I know you said I could love again and I want to… I just hope that Kakashi-kun is the one you were talking about. She reached out for Kakashi's hand and smiled. "Let's go back to the hospital before Tsunade-sama has a cow."

Kakashi took her hand and smiled. It's been a while since someone could make me this happy. With that, the happy couple strode off towards the hospital.

Meanwhile

Ten minutes ago, she had panicked at the thought of a dangerous Akatsuki member running around town with no guard except for a love-struck jounin. However, that was before Tsunade had found where Shizune and Sakura was hiding her sake. After two reacquaintance bottles, Tsunade was perfectly content drooling on the floor in Kazumi's hospital room. She did not even notice when Kakashi entered and placed Kazumi in her bed. Kazumi was too tired to do anything but sleep and immediately, her eyes shut. Kakashi went to his chair and fell asleep.

Jiraiya was in the hospital and bored. That is, until he noticed a drooling Tsunade. Assuring himself that Kakashi and Kazumi were asleep and Tsuande too asleep/intoxicated to do anything, he grabbed a camera and snapped a couple of shots. "He he, blackmail. I will definitely find a use for this in the future."

With that, the hospital was peaceful again.