Gratitude.

Chapter 2.

Ino smacked one of her legs and wiped the mosquito on Choji's shirt.

"I swear..this is getting old really fast." She complained.

"Hey!" Choji exclaimed. "Stop doing that!"

"Calm down." Shikamaru groaned as though he were babysitting academy kids. "We're almost there." They didn't want to stay too close to the coast so they found an inn at the next town over..but they had been mostly walking and camping out for the last three days. A very hot, mosquito filled three days.

"I'm soaking in a hot bath." Ino grumbled.

"I'll check out the food!" Choji said excitedly.

Shikamaru groaned again.

...

Sighing, Ino dropped her bag on the floor of her room. She immediately dug out some fresh clothes and took a bath.

After she was done and dressed there was a knock at her door.

"Ino! I brought you dinner!" It was Choji.

She slid the door open and he walked right in with an extra plate filled with food. Her stomach actually growled.

"I heard that." He said. "And you're welcome." He dropped the plate and some chopsticks on her table.

"Well, me and Shikamaru are rooming across the hall, if you need us." She nodded, feeling very grateful for her friends.

"Thank you, Choji." She meant it this time.

She slid the door closed behind him and ate most of her dinner.

...

Ino woke just before dawn feeling rested and energized. Maybe Choji was right and she did need to eat more.. More importantly she didn't dream at all last night. She preferred it that way.

After a small breakfast they left their things at the inn, taking only kunai knives and discreet weapons. Just reconnaissance but you never knew what was going to happen. It was better to be prepared for anything.

Walking down the road that lead to the town on the coast..everything seemed normal here. People were buying from shops. Parents walking around with their children..just a normal day.

It took a few hours to reach the next town..the moment they stepped out of the treeline a heavy aura surrounded everything.

"It's like a ghost town." Ino said. There was no one out and none of the shops were open.

"And I was hoping to grab a snack." Choji said.

"Be on your guard." Shikamaru snapped.

They walked through the entire town and didn't see a single soul..what was going on?

"We should split up..search the surrounding forest for anything unusual and meet back here in half an hour..no later." Shikamaru took charge as usual and they both nodded in understanding.

Ino started along the beach figuring she could go up the coast and cut back through the woods to the town. The beach was empty too and it spooked her. Usually there was someone out playing in the waves anywhere you went.

After walking for a few minutes a sudden loud crack echoed through the air! It was behind her and in the forest. Were Choji and Shikamaru being attacked? Ino spun around and only made it a few feet into the forest before a growling teasing tone met her ears.

"Where are you going, Konoichi?" It was him.. of all the places in the world to be he had to be here.

"To check on my friends." Her voice was strong and for that she was grateful. The sound of his voice did something to her..made her tense and..she heard him breathe deeply again in her direction.

"They're..busy."

Ino had heard enough she turned and tensed to run. A whistle of a kunai swished by and pinned the end of her skirt to the nearest tree. It was her kunai..the one she had left buried in the trunk of a tree high above the ground. His breath was on her neck again and she yanked out the kunai in time for her to blindly swing it behind her.

There was a small ripping noise and she had cut him. The arm that she healed last time was bleeding again. Not badly but she was making a point. To leave her alone. Ino had slashed through his Akatsuki cloak straight to skin.

"You actually cut me!" He laughed. Another earsplitting crash reverberated throughout the forest bouncing off the trees. They needed her! Ino didn't have time for this. She dropped low in a crouch and spun one of her legs out in a graceful arc, effectively sweeping his legs from under him. Kisame went down hard. Ino didn't hesitate and began running again. She could hear their voices now.

"Who's attacking, Choji?"

"I don't know! I never saw them!" He yells back.

"Where's Ino?" Shikamaru snapped.

She opened her mouth to scream she was here but a large hand wrapped around her mouth and drug her backwards. Her teeth bit into his hand and she breathed in that scent of his.. man, musk, and the ocean.

"Fight me, Kunoichi. I like it."

Ino did everything to slow him down but nothing worked. She had dropped her kunai somewhere on the forest floor and it was too late now. They were out of the forest back on the beach.

Kisame had a firm grip on her upper arm and wasn't letting up.

"Let me go! I won't tell anyone!" She lied easily and clawed at his hand and arm with her fingernails.

"Kisame. We don't have time for this." Ino looked up at Itachi Uchiha..Sasuke's older brother. The resemblance between them was striking. From the raven black hair to their unblemished pale skin and their dark bottomless eyes.

"She's seen us. She'll report back to the hokage. Did the other two see you?" Kisame growled.

"No." Itachi replied smoothly.

"We're moving on anyway..they won't know where to find her or who took her."

Ino's heart began to pound..and she tried to break free even harder.

"Itachi?" Kisame asked him a silent question. Not one emotion crossed the Uchiha's face.

"She's your captive. Control her." Itachi turned and walked away.

Ino continued to claw at him as though her life depended on it. "Let me go..please."

"What are you so afraid of, Kunoichi?" Ino narrowed her eyes..he was enjoying every minute of this!

"I swear I'll scream." She threatened.

"You will." He grinned down at her. "I'll make you scream." His large hands gripped her waist and tossed her over his shoulder as though she weighed nothing.

"Put me down!"

"Your heart is racing," He sounded absolutely pleased about it. "I haven't hurt you yet, Kunoichi. You've hurt me."

"And I'll do it again!" She exclaimed..Ino swung her knee up and it successfully made contact with his face. He dropped her immediately to clutch his bleeding nose.

"Goddammit! You're really testing my patience now!" He roared and reached for her again. She threw up her hands ready to fight.

"Trying to spar with me, Ino?" He teased.

"Mind..," Suddenly his large blue hand wrapped around her throat! She couldn't even get a word out..

He leaned down next to her face looking menacing as ever.

"Keep fighting me and I will kill your teammates." Ino stilled immediately and he loosened his grip on her. "I'm trying to pay a debt, Kunoichi."

"There is no debt! I release you from your imaginary debt!" She cried out desperately.

"Now you have to heal me again." He grinned, tossing her back over his shoulder easily.

Ino dug her fingernails roughly into his back and he suddenly dropped her like dead weight to the sand again. Her breath momentarily left her. Ino looked up to see his hand coming down towards her..he hit the pressure point in her neck and all Ino saw was black..

...

The smell of smoke and cooked fish entered her senses. A striking pain rushed through her head and she groaned.

"She's awake." Itachi's bored voice announced.

"About time." Kisame answered.

Ino was on her feet in a heartbeat reaching for her hidden shuriken but finding nothing. Kisame jingled a small pouch and the sound of clinking metal hit her ears. Of course they took her weapons..

"Relax, Kunoichi. Have some fish." Does he always grin like that? It gave her the same feeling she would get if a kunai was held at her throat. The sudden pounding pain in her head and a weakness in her knees had her falling to them.

"What?" She only managed to say before Kisame laughed. He touched Samehadas hilt almost lovingly.

"I drained your chakra so don't even think about trying a jutsu. You'd only end up hurting yourself." Her hate filled eyes glared at him.

"How will I heal you with no chakra?" She spat out.

"Now you want to heal me?" He laughed.

"Where are we?" She demanded and her voice shook a little.

"Like we would tell you. Far away from your friends." It was getting dark outside..she had been out for hours. Ino suddenly had to relieve herself. She hadn't peed since that morning.

"I..," She started softly and then turned pink. Itachi was watching them go back and forth across the flames of their fire. She didn't want to say it in front of Kisame but she didn't want to say it in front of Itachi even more.

She stood on shaky legs and began to walk away from the fire..away from them. Kisames hand shot out and grabbed her wrist with blurring speed.

"Try to run and I will come fetch you. I can smell you miles away and you won't get far." His tone lacked the teasing and his eyes were serious. Ino didn't dare look at his face a second longer she just nodded quietly and entered the treeline.

She relieved herself quickly and was immediately annoyed there was nothing to clean herself with. Living out in the woods was for animals not a lady like herself. She would need a bath soon but she'd be damned if she was doing that in front of them. She couldn't bathe in the ocean anyway. Ino hadn't heard them coming for her yet so she kept walking..a light mist hung in the air and it was hot and humid she was already sweating.

It had to be coming from a hot spring they were all over the place in the land of fire. She stepped through some bushes and found the spring..the steamy water was calling to her.

Ino stripped down quickly and stepped into the scalding water. She didn't have any soap with her..all her things were back at the inn. Ino hissed at the heat on her skin but she dropped in anyway.

Her sore muscles relaxed and she took our her hairband freeing her long blonde ponytail before dipping her head under and washing her face as best as she could. Ino washed the dirt and sweat out of her clothes wringing them out thoroughly and placed them on the flat rocks to somewhat dry.

This wasn't too smart of an idea while her chakra was depleted and she had no hand to hand combat weapons but the blissful water was already helping her headache go away. Ino leaned back and closed her eyes sighing in bliss.

The minutes ticked by and she could feel herself drifting off.. imagining she was back home in her bathtub before a shift at the flower shop.

"Trying to drown yourself?" Kisame asked out of nowhere..she didn't even hear him approach! Ino gasped and immediately dipped under the water to her neck..hiding her body from him.

"Still debating." Her voice was as icy as her eyes. He began to take his sword off of his back and shrug out of his coat..

"What are you doing?" She demanded and the urge to jump out and dress hit her full force. She didn't have a towel so even if she jumped out he would still get a good look at her and her clothes were still soaking wet..that would be uncomfortable. Ino turned away from him the minute he kicked off his shoes and unbuttoned his pants. That bastard was coming in!

"Kisame, leave me be." Her voice wasn't hard and demanding anymore..it was pleading. Her neck ached where he had knocked her out and she put a hot hand to it..hoping the heat would dissipate the tension.

"Allow me." His hands were suddenly on her shoulders and she tensed up again.

"What makes you think this is what I want?" She snapped. The fire returned in her. Her body betrayed her..her nipples were hard peaks under the water and his hands knew what they were doing.. massaging the stress and tension right out of her.

"Everytime you look at me..I can smell your arousal." He was back to his teasing growl. "But you're afraid..that you'll like it. It's new to you." Ino swallowed hard because he was right..but that was only part of it.

"And in your twisted mind once your done with me..you'll kill me." Her voice shook.

His hot slick tongue slid up her neck causing her to shiver violently despite the heat.

"Maybe I won't."

One of his hands stopped massaging her to twist into her wet hair. He pulled gently until the back of her head was forced to rest on his broad chest.

"I like your hair down." A sudden brush of his hard length against her inner thigh had her gasping and pulling away. He released her..letting her back up and turn to face him. He was..magnificent. A chiseled blue water god in his element..literally. Her eyes followed the steamy droplets drip down his chest and lower back into the water.

He sniffed again and grinned at her.

"Let me help you relax..Ino." His lulling voice did something to her..she wanted to relax, float in the water as though nothing else existed.. as though time could stand still.

"No. You're going to hurt me. I'm a virgin..it's inevitable." Her voice shook again..and her cheeks turned even more pink at admitting it out loud.

"I'm not going to fuck you, Kunoichi. Not this time." There was no tease in his voice and when she didn't answer he moved closer to her. Dipping down and wading to her in the water..like the shark he was. Her back hit the rock submerged half in and half out of the water..

Ino watched him drift closer with wary eyes. His hand brushed her bare thigh under the water and she couldn't help but jump at his touch. His other hand broke the surface of the spring to gently cup her face smoothing over her cheek with his thumb. No one had ever touched her like that..like a lover. It was..weird coming from him.

She closed her eyes and he came closer..she could feel his strength and chakra the closer he got until..

Kisame pressed soft lips onto hers coaxing her to open up and respond to him. Ino hesitated for a moment to breath in that musk he gave off..feeling drunk off of that alone.

"I won't hurt you, Ino. I promise." Something about his tone had her responding to him. She willed her lips to move with his and when he shoved his tongue in her mouth she hesitated again not knowing how to respond.

"Relax. Let me do all the work. It is my debt after all." He placed her tense hands on his shoulders and dived back to her mouth..tasting every inch of her soft lips. He continued down..nibbling her soft throat with his sharp teeth never once hurting her. She found it had the opposite effect this time..she relaxed and found herself moving closer to press her breasts against his chest. The contrast between his hard body flush against her soft one had her hot and aching between her legs.

"That's it, Ino. Relax for me." He whispered seductively and his large hands traveled up her hips..up her taut stomach and to her breasts. A pleasure so primitive rocked her entire body and she wanted him to continue.

"Do you want me to leave you now?" He growled. Now he was asking her permission? A little late for that..

She shook her head.

"No."

He suddenly dipped his head under the water..what the fu..? His arms suddenly lifted her completely out of the water and she gasped throwing her palms out behind her so she wouldn't knock her head into the rock. He laid her gently over it.. effectively spreading her legs. Her face burned again just thinking about him eye level with her..

Suddenly his tongue snaked out and dipped into her.

Her thoughts stopped then..now it was all about the pleasure filling her up. Oh God she thought and fell back onto the rock spreading her thighs farther to give him more access. She'd never felt anything like this before..not even when she touched herself. Kisame devoured her teasing her as she grew even more wet than she ever thought possible. His tongue was teasing her sensitive bundle of nerves..licking this way and then the other way sending jolts of pure bliss up and down her limbs. If this was what it felt like to be caught by him..she didn't mind.

"You taste even better than I'd imagined." He growled and suddenly his long tongue pushed past her folds and penetrated her. His large wet hand snaked back up her hips and up her tightening stomach muscles to cup a breast and tease one of her hard peaks.

A strange pressure was building in her lower stomach..it was good..it was too good!

"Kisame!" She gasped and he slowed his movements..agonizingly slow..prolonging her pleasure to the point of agony.

A high pitched cry left her throat and he growled..thoroughly pleased with her reactions.

Ino couldn't help herself..she gripped handfuls of his soaking wet blue hair into her fists and pulled him closer into her..wanting more.. needing more.

Suddenly she hit a high so amazing she never wanted to come down. His sharp teeth pinched her clit and she came..damn did she cum. He watched her scream and writhe under his mouth her breasts heaving with her gasping breaths. Such pretty noises she made. Finally he removed his skilled lips from her lower ones and gave her a grin. She wasn't even embarrassed at being naked and spread open for him anymore. All could she think about was catching her breath and letting the spasms of pleasure fade.

His mouth was on hers again, kissing her deeply and Ino didn't hesitate to kiss him back. Kisame growled in content. "I told you I wouldn't hurt you." His tone was complacent.

"Again, Kunoichi?" He whispered against her mouth.. and she nodded dreamily..just one more time..

...

Kisame watched her float on her back in the water. Relaxing and basking in the moonlight. Kisame kept his promise..and his dick away from her..but God she was beautiful. He wanted nothing more than to take her now claim her entire body as his and make her scream..again. She suddenly slipped under her face going right under the water. Kisame jumped up from his relaxed position to yank her back above the surface.

"Really trying to drown yourself, aren't you?" He laughed at her. She choked for a few seconds on the water she swallowed.

"You're falling asleep. It's time to get out."

"My clothes..are still wet." She replied and he could hear the exhaustion in her voice. Kisame lifted her out of the water still naked himself and draped his Akatsuki coat around her shoulders. She was temporarily stunned by his actions but slipped her arms into the too long sleeves. It covered her completely almost to her knees.

"Why?" She asked while watching him dress back into his pants and shoes before slinging his sword in the strap across his chest to rest heavily at his back.

"Do you want Itachi to see you naked?" He teased and her cheeks went pink again.

"No." She said in a small voice. He gathered her wet clothes and tossed them over his bare shoulder to rest there.

"These will dry faster by the fire." He growled. She took a step away from the springs but her legs shook and she stopped again. He was never going to hear the end of this from his partner.

He lifted her carefully into his arms and she yanked the front of his coat tighter around her breasts. He didn't miss the gesture. Her stomach growling violently reached his ears.

"Is there..any fish left?" She asked quietly even though her eyes were sliding closed.

"Of course, Kunoichi."

"My name is Ino." She said quietly.

He carried her back to the camp meeting Itachi's accusing stare when his dark eyes observed her state.

"Don't say anything." Kisame growled and Itachi didn't say a word as he watched his partner gently lay her down in the sand.