A/N: This is the last chapter of When Life Gives You Kittens. Looking back, I honestly never thought my story would get so many reviews or even be noticed. I can't wait to see you all again for the sequel, When Life Subtracts, Add Revenge. I'll hopeful have all my reviewers for this story migrate to the X Files which will be little bloopers, deleted scenes, a few rough drafts, and things you never knew about the girls or the story itself.

I'd like to thank all my reviewers, followers, favoriters, and just readers in general. You make this worthwhile.

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, things would be different.

Chapter 24

Here Comes Goodbye

"I can hear the truck tires coming up the gravel road and it's not like her to drive that slow; nothin's on the radio. Footsteps on the front porch, I hear my doorbell; she usually comes right in, now I can tell. Here comes goodbye, here comes the last time, here comes the start of every sleepless night, the first of every tear I'm gonna cry. Here comes the pain, here comes me wishing things had never changed and she was right here in my arms tonight, but here comes goodbye. I can hear her say 'I love you' like it was yesterday and I can see it written on her face that she had never felt this way. One day I thought I'd see her with her daddy by her side and violins would play here comes the bride…Why does it have to go from good to gone? Before the lights turn on and you're left alone, all alone, but here comes goodbye."

I walked around in the black, or at least that's what I liked to believe. An occasionally glimmered of light hit my vision the disappeared before I could act on it. I didn't know how long I had been walking around or if the Akatsuki were going to be there when the black disappeared. I prayed that someone, anyone, would take pity on me and help me take control of my body again but no help came. I continued to walk, no light flashing in the black.

Had it been seconds, minutes, hours, or days later when a ray of white hit the black I didn't know but I immediately reached out and grasped the ray. I didn't let myself take the time to be confused as I yanked down on the ray, the black disappearing and Itachi's familiar sleeping face filling my vision.

Emma

My eyes were suddenly pulled open, not by me or anyone else in the room. The muscles pulled open wider and Itachi's sleeping face filled my vision. My muscles jerked again, the control of my body disappeared. All grogginess disappeared as I fought to gain back control of my body. I stood and began walking to the French doors, opening them as Emma's presence leaked further into my body. She had found a way out of the mental comatose I had put her.

My arms pulled open the French doors, my feet stepping out onto the cold wood of the balcony. I began to climb to the roof as Emma took further control of the body, her voice beginning to fill my head.

'This is it, Faydre.' Emma's voice rang as I pulled my body onto the top of the roof. I wondered Emma had planned as she walked my body to the edge. The black points of the fence surrounding the houses sparkled in the moonlight, Emma's plan becoming clearer in my head. 'You're figuring it out, Faydre.' Emma's voice held a different tone, a stronger tone, than before. She spoke with more confidence, more assurance.

'I plan to kill us both.' My heart dropped at the serious tone in Emma's voice. 'However,' Hope sparkled in my heart, 'if you let me have my body back, I won't jump. Can we compromise?' I sneered, in distaste. 'I might as well die. I refuse to go back to that pit of nothing.'

"Then I guess this is suicide. Or is it homicide? The world may never know." Emma's voice rang out of my mouth as we jumped.

I breathed deeply, not ready for the pain of being impaled by the spikes. Wind rushed by as I made my last minute decision. I let go of the red threads I held onto to control Emma's body, my essence rushing out of Emma's body and disappearing into the night instead of back into the black.

I curled up in a fetal position as I felt Faydre's presence leave me. I wasn't able to curse aloud as memories flashed in front of me.

I placed my head on my knees, watching Kisame have a bit of a one sided conversation with Itachi. I still couldn't believe they were here; it was basically a wish come true. I gazed at the Uchiha, my heart thumping lightly as his eyes met mine. I waved my hand and broke eye contact, not catching the flash of emotion behind his eyes.

"I don't want a lot of kids." I said to myself, unaware of Itachi's presence behind me. "Just one. Or two. So, the other doesn't get lonely. A boy and a girl, Demetri and Ella." I nearly cried on spot as Itachi's voice reached my ears. "We'll see what we can do about that." I slapped my hands over my face, a rare blush covering my cheeks as I smiled to myself.

Mattie, Denver, and Caitlyn sat to my left, each looking the way they did in 7th grade. A Hispanic boy, Guillermo, and an oriental boy, Nick, say to my right. Golden and silver instruments as we sat in a small practice room connected to the band room. I pulled out my iPod, holding it up with a smile. "I want a picture of everyone!" I said, clicking on the camera app. My girls and the two boys gathered together, smiling brightly for the photo. I snapped the picture, smiling bigger at the photo on my iPod.

I held up the blue camera, snapping the photo. I stared at the camera, smiling softly at the dysfunctional family on the screen. Mattie, Denver, Caitlyn, and I had been lucky enough to be added and accepted into the family. The Akatsuki were a very odd bunch but I loved them all the same. 'Thank you.' I said inside my head.

"For giving me the family I always wanted." I finished the memory as the memory disappeared, the spike appearing a half a foot away from my face.

A gun like pain shot through my side, hitting me backwards away from the spikes. I hit the ground, the hole in the side giving me déjà vu. I winced as I placed a hand over the wound, in an attempt to keep the blood from gushing out. I pulled myself off the ground, pleased that I hadn't broken anything. I stumbled back around the house, standing in front of the balcony.

My head was beginning to get light as blood continued to drip from in between my fingers. "Itachi!" I yelled, coughing slightly. A few seconds passed and the shinobi appeared at the edge of the balcony, eyes meeting mine. "I could use a little help before I die from something as simple as blood loss." Itachi's eyes flashed red and the next thing I knew he had jumped down and swept me in his arms and already began to jump back onto the balcony.

'I blame the blood loss.' I thought. 'My mind isn't processing like it should be. Or maybe it's because Faydre isn't inside my head anymore.' I coughed, again, more heavily. Itachi didn't stop in the room but walked, swiftly to the door, waking Kisame as he walked past. Kisame lifted his head and stood, following after Itachi.

"Itachi, what's wrong?" Kisame asked, catching up to the man as he began walking down the staircase. His eyes met mine and I smiled, shakily, "Hey, Shark Lord. Sorry, I haven't been here lately." Kisame froze on the staircase as Itachi huffed, slightly, and just jumped over the railing, making sure that he didn't shake me. Another thud landed behind us and Itachi turned on his heel, passing me to Kisame, then disappearing.

"What happened to you?" Kisame asked, rushing into the living room and setting me down on the glass table. I shook my head, coughing again. Kakuzu and Itachi appeared in the room, Hidan's loud voice filling my ears. Kakuzu bent down, pulling my hand of my wound and lifting my shirt up to reveal the giant hole. More people began to fill into the room as Kakuzu asked Itachi to distract me.

"Hey, babe." I smiled, tiredly, at the Uchiha whose signature Sharingan spun. "I like clouds." I absentmindedly said as I felt Kakuzu's string poking at my skin lightly. "They're free," I said as my girls walked into the room to, Deidara and Sasori holding the back from rushing to me. Mattie and Denver were shushed as I continued. "They take any form they want and don't care what people think about it. Sometimes they're angry and sad, dark, but they eventually fade back to white." I looked at Itachi, reaching out to hold his hand. "I used to want to become a cloud but I realized that were already clouds. It just depends on whether or not we let ourselves turn white. I'm a white cloud."

Everything suddenly hit me as Kakuzu finished stitching up my side. This family in front of me, my family, would be leaving. Caitlyn's in the hospital. Faydre's no longer in my head and I have no clue if Graylan is going to try and pull the same stunt. For a moment, I pushed aside my worries and ran my eyes over everyone in the room; worry either on their face or briefly flashing in their eyes then disappearing.

"Thank you." I said, coughing again. Black began to fuzz my vision as I finished. "Thank you…for everything."

When Faydre left my body, Caitlyn had later woke up in the hospital, completely stable. The hospital released her, reluctantly, but told her come back tomorrow for a checkup since she was leaving for an emergency. We all stood outside, saying our 'see you later's. I hugged Konan to my body tightly, my eyes tearing up greatly. "I'm going to miss you so much." We said in unison, pulling apart. We smiled at each other and I moved away from Konan and turned to Pein. I met his eyes briefly and fearlessly throw my arms around him.

"Thank you, Nagato." I whispered, holding back tears. "Thank you for bringing all these wonderful people together." I pulled away from Pein and he ruffled my hair, a small smile flashing across his face then disappearing. I sent him another smile and moved on to Zetsu, who was standing close by. I attacked him with a hug, sniffling slightly as I struggled to hold back my tears.

"Don't start crying, we'd rather not remember you with tears streaming down your face." I smiled and pulled away, exchanging farewells with the bi-colored man. I walked away from Zetsu and spotted Deidara next, hands shoved in his pockets. I came to him, stopping to stand in front of him and wait for him to take his eyes off the ground. He looked up after a few seconds, sadness sparkling in his blue eyes.

I didn't say anything as I wrapped him in my arms, rocking back and forth as Deidara's arms snaked around my waist. He buried his face in my neck, his hair falling over his shoulder and mingling with mine as my neck started to feel wet. "This isn't goodbye, Deidara." I said, pulling the blonde off my shoulder. I smiled at him, pulling a tissue from my pocket. I had come prepared. I wiped the tears off of Deidara's face and repeated what I had said before, "This isn't goodbye."

Deidara nodded and we hugged one more time as I moved on, stopping for a moment to watch Mattie. She simply hugged every person she came to and sent the thoughtful looks, her mouth never moving as tears silently slid down her face. I felt a stab of pain in my heart as I moved my eyes to Denver, whose arms were wrapped around Konan. Denver was blubbering and her mouth moved at a fast pace, mostly like speaking of how much she would miss everyone. I smiled slightly as Caitlyn awkwardly said goodbye to everyone, emotionally goodbyes not her forte in the least.

"Hey, bitch!" I turned my head, spotting Hidan walking over to me with Kakuzu trailing slowly behind him. I smiled and ran to Hidan, tackling him in a hug. Hidan cleared his throat, awkwardly, patting my head and hugging me with one arm. I pulled away from him and smiling, moving to hug Kakuzu next. I rested my head on Kakuzu's chest, looking at Hidan as I spoke. "Thank you guys so much. I'm so happy to have met you and I'm so happy that," I took a deep breath, my tears building up. "I was able to spend time with you and-"

Kakuzu stopped me, pulling me away from him. "We never did anything, Emma." He said, Hidan finishing his sentence. "So, there's no fucking reason you should be fucking thanking us." I smiled at the mismatched duo, "You'll see me again, I promise." Kakuzu and Hidan smirked and Kakuzu reached out and ruffled my hair, "I wouldn't doubt at all."

I looked at the duo then turned away, walking to the deck where Tobi sat in one of the chairs. I sat down beside Tobi and rested my head in my hands, looking at everyone in front of me. "You're still going to through with your plan, aren't you?" I said, softly as possible. Tobi looked at me, nodding slightly. I sighed, heavily, looking at the masked man. "I have no right to stop from fulfilling your dream but…just promise me that you won't let any of them die before it's their time."

Tobi looked at all the members, "Staying here I've noticed something." The darker tone to Tobi voice set me on edge slightly. "Each one of them is willing to do anything for you and the other girls. You give them something that I can't comprehend that gives them the will to fight. The Akatsuki are closing now, more like a family. There's-"

"There's nothing there but love for each other, Tobi." I said, the man turning to me as I looked over to Itachi. "It's not some magical sorcery or justu. Its love. Coming here has brought them together and now they actually care for each other whether you see it or not." I stood, not looking at the masked man as I walked down from the deck. "Maybe one day you'll understand."

I moved on from Tobi, heading straight to Kisame and hugging him tightly. "You're my one and only Shark Lord. I'll never forget you." I said, my tears returning to the back of my eyes. Kisame hugged my tightly, "Thank you for him a chance. That sparkle in his eyes," Kisame pulled away and bent down to look me in the eyes. "you put it there. You should be proud, very proud."

I breathed deeply as Kisame patted my head and walked away, Sasori slowly walking to my frozen figure. "He's right, you know." I looked at the puppet man, tears frozen in my eyes. "Just like Madison made a change in Deidara and just like Denver made a change in me, you made a change in Itachi." Sasori hugged me with one arm and then let go before I could return the favor. "Go." I stared at him for a moment before walking away.

He leaned against one of the many trees on the edge of the woods. The sun peaked through the branches, the light shining on his face as he opened his eyes and I saw the sparkle in his eyes; the sparkle that wasn't there when I first met him. He didn't move to come to me or say anything, letting me come to him. I didn't say anything either, just words away from tears. I reached out a hand and brushed his jawline, tracing down his neck and over his collarbone, leaving my fingers over the area where his heart beat.

"I had prepared everything I wanted to say to you." I said, looking in his eyes. "But I can't remember a thing now. When I think of what I want to say to you, all that comes to mind it that I love you. So, I guess that's everything, everything packed into three tiny words. I love you." Itachi pushed off the tree and leaned down, placing his lips on mine.

Everything word, every emotion that couldn't be said, every uplifting word and quote, was mushed together and blended then put together in that kiss. The kiss wasn't perfect but it was mine and that's all that mattered to me. As long as my name was written on his heart, I didn't care where he went or how far away he was.

We pulled away, placing our foreheads on the others. I felt my ring slid off my middle finger, a colder ring sliding onto my finger. I looked down, my heart fluttering at the silver promise ring. "It's engraved." Itachi said, softly, his fingers turning the ring. 'When forever isn't enough, love is. – I' the ring read in elegant script. I took my eyes off the ring and met Itachi's eyes, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

I pulled my hands away from the man I love, both of us walking side by side to the others. Itachi joined the other Akatsuki members and I joined ELLA. Caitlyn awkwardly looked at me, unsure of how to care for Denver whom was in Mattie's arms, sobbing. I took my eyes off the girls and turned to the Akatsuki, stepping forward. "Personally, I'd like to thank all of you for giving me a family I always wanted. And other than that, there's nothing left to say that hasn't already said to you." I said, my eyes scanning over everyone. "One day, when we were younger, Mattie looked at me and said, 'If there's one thing I hate, even though hating is bad, its goodbye. Goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting and I don't want to forget. So, what's the point of goodbye if I don't want to forget?'"

I looked at Mattie then back at the Akatsuki, "You will see us again. This isn't goodbye. This is just 'see you in a little while'." Pein spoke up after a few seconds, "It's time."

One by one the Akatsuki members began to slide their rings on their fingers; in the order that they slid their rings on, they began to disappear. On impulse, I ran forward, hitting Itachi in an embrace. His arms wrapped around me as he disappeared, leaving me hugging air. My arms fell back down to my side and I stared in front of me, a sudden rush of sadness hitting me. My shoulders shook and tears began to finally leak out of my eyes.

I didn't them bring me to my knees, instead turning and walking inside the house with Mattie, Denver, and Caitlyn. The three heading to the staircase immediately, Caitlyn stopping as Denver and Mattie headed on up. "Are you coming?" I shook my head and Caitlyn ascended the staircase.

I walked through every room in the house, tracing over the dusty shelves or the neatly made beds. The Akatsuki's clothes were neatly folded in the doors, the only sign they had been here. I walked into my room slowly, closing the door softly. Nostalgia had already began to set in my heart as I looked at the ring on my finger, pulling it off my finger to see if it was engraved on the inside. I wasn't disappointed, the words 'I'll find you again someday.' marring the silver elegantly.

I walked straight my mirror; the bed Kisame and Itachi had slept on already inside the closet again. I looked at my reflection, seeing the sunlight pouring in the French doors. A sparkle caught my attention and I looked at my neck. Itachi's necklace rested on my collarbone, the three metal pieces catching the light.

Everything crashed around, seemingly. I hit rock bottom, the feeling of loneliness setting in like poison. They were gone and there nothing else I could say about that. I continued to stare into the mirror, as hoping, by some slim chance, Itachi would pop up and whisper in my ear that they had never really left and they were downstairs waiting for me.

Itachi never came.

END OF BOOK ONE