Sasuke's Pov.

Shizuka had been on the road for five days now, and slowly I began to worry.

The Land of Iron was only a day's journey away and wasn't very big, which is why the ravenette should have been back by now.

»Do you think Shizu-nee-san is coming back today?« Akito asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

»I do not know, she thought it might take a little longer,« I replied, looking into the distance from the watchtower.

»I hope nothing has happened to her,« the little boy expressed his fears.

»Never show your fear,« I reminded him.

Three days ago, he asked me to teach him something about ninja existence, which I had done in the last three days.

»Besides, this isn't Shizuka's first mission. She knows what she's doing, and even though she's met with resistance, she always keeps a cool head in bad situations. She always finds a way out, "I added to calm the green-eyed boy down a little.

He looked at me for a moment, then nodded before returning to looking at the distance.

The sun was already setting as Akito jumped to the edge of the watchtower.

»There she comes!« he exclaimed happily and shimmied down the outer façade.

When he reached the ground, he ran to the water that separated us from the mainland and waited there impatiently for the female Uchiha.

I jumped from the tower and followed him until I came to a halt at his side.

Shizuka wasn't quite there when I realized that she looked pretty pale and exhausted. Her clothes seemed completely soaked and her hair hung in her face.

»Are you okay, Shizu-nee-san?« the little black-haired boy asked and ran to her as she entered the land.

»You're all wet,« he said as he hugged her.

»I am alright,« she said, pulling away from his embrace before putting her hand on his head and giving us a tired smile.

I saw that a little differently, but she was never the one to complain about anything.

»Would you bring that to Orochimaru? I just want to take a shower and then go to bed,« she said, holding out her backpack.

I nodded and took it from her before she went past me in the hideout.

»Akito, you stay with her. If she's going to go limp in any way, you'll tell me right away, understand?« I said to the Kurama.

He nodded and hurried after the girl.

I opened the backpack that contained the rest of her clothes, which weren't particularly dry either. What had she done? Was she swimming?

I discovered the three vials filled to the brim with blood. After taking them out, I shouldered the wet backpack and headed straight for Orochimaru's lab.

Without knocking, I entered.

Orochimaru had now moved into his new body and could now use his arms again.

He was mixing something up when I put the phials on his desk.

»So, Shizuka-chan really made it,« he grinned.

»What do you mean?« I asked suspiciously.

»The blood I demanded comes from rather bad tempered summons and no one has ever managed to enter the realm of the three rulers of the Land of Ice. But Shizuka-chan seemed to be allowed to enter this Land,« said the Sannin, whose grin grew even wider, as he lifted the vials one by one and examined the blood.

»But why are you bringing it to me and not Shizuka-chan herself?« he wanted to know.

»She asked me to,« I answered shortly and left the room again.

I restrained the anger that was just coming up in me. This man had simply sent Shizuka off, though he didn't know if she would ever reach the goal. He knew her and knew that she would never have come back without the blood.

I headed for the bathroom Akito was standing in front of.

»Everything's fine,« he said, seeming proud of his job.

»Very good. I'm making tea and some food now,« I said, ruffling his dark hair and moving on straight away.

After brewing the tea and making a plate of Onigiri, I went to the sleeping area. To my surprise, none of the other two were here.

»Sasuke! Shizu-nee-san doesn't open the door and all I can hear the shower rushing. I knocked and called her a couple of times, but she doesn't answer,« Akito said, looking a bit panicked.

I nodded, put the tea and the onigiri down and followed the boy toward the bathroom.

I pressed my ear against the bathroom door. Just like the green-eyed Kurama said, only the rushing of the water could be heard.

»Shizuka?« I called and knocked on the door.

No answer.

»Shizuka, if you don't answer, I'll come in,« I said again and again I received no response.

I opened the door, which fortunately was not locked, and entered.

»Shizuka?« I asked again and again I received no response from the girl.

If the black-haired female was really naked in the shower now and discovered me, she'd beat me out of the room, I had no doubt about that.

Since there was no answer, I stepped further into the room and took a quick look behind the curtain.

Shizuka leaned asleep on the wall of the shower, fully clothed and showered by the hot water.

I turned off the water and squatted in front of her. She was still pale.

»Hey Shizuka, what are you doing here?« I wanted to know something louder.

She did not seem to hear me. I took my hand and held it to her forehead.

»Damn shit,« I swore as I felt her skin glow like a stove and picked her up.

I picked her up and carried her to our room while Akito trailed behind me.

»What are you doing?« mumbled the ravenette against my chest.

»You have a high fever. Why didn't you told us that you are sick?« I asked in a reproachful tone.

»I'm not sick. Just tired,« mumbled Shizuka.

»Your body feels like as if you've been sitting in a hot spring all day, so don't tell me anything about being healthy,« I said mockingly.

»That's because of the hot water,« she murmured, before she drifted back into unconsciousness.

I shook my head and put her, arriving in our bedroom, on the until now unused bed. Since her closet was completely empty, I looked in my closet for a long clothe. After a few seconds, I pulled out a dark blue yukata with a white shash.

»What are you doing there?« Akito asked indignantly, as I wanted to take her wet clothes off, so she didn't get a pneumonia.

»Shizuka needs to get out of that clothes,« I replied.

»You certainly will not do that. Go outside and wait there,« the green-eyed boy told me.

I raised an eyebrow. I did not know what to think about a 9-year-old boy ordering me around.

»Get out. Now,« the Kurama repeated, giving his words force as he pointed with his finger at the door.

»Are you sure you can do it?« I asked doubtfully.

»Of course. Now go,« said the black-haired boy determined.

What do you think of Akito so far? Please tell me in the comments!