Gratitude.

Chapter 3

Ino woke suddenly..startled. It was still dark outside and the fire was going out..just smoldering cinders barely causing a glow on her face. She thought she had heard something..

BOOM!

She gasped as the whole earth shook beneath her..what the hell? Her frantic blue eyes searched for Kisame but no one was there at the fire..she was alone and still naked wrapped in his large coat. Ino spotted her clothes and quickly pulled them on. She found her hairband and wrapped her long blonde hair back in her ponytail.

Weapons..she spotted the little pouch near where Kisame had been sitting last night and she practically dove for it. It was empty. Bastard! He took them..

She felt hungry still but her nap gave her energy enough and she could feel the power of her chakra coming back to her.

Another rumble shook the earth and then everything was still. This was her chance..she had to get back to her teammates. Only one problem. She didn't know where she was. Ino gritted her teeth..she would have to wait and get her bearings first.

So instead of running away from the camp her eyes scanned the horizon of forest..looking for a shark man with a giant sword. Then she saw movement..coming out of the forests edge..but it was still too dark to see who was sauntering towards her. Ino built up her chakra and put up her symbol with her hands.

"Going to attack me?" Kisame grumbled and pointed that long sword at her. "Or do I need to drain your chakra again?"

Ino immediately powered down.

"I didn't know it was you. What are those noises?" He lowered his sword and promptly collapsed into the sand.

Ino froze..torn between helping and making her escape. She backed up a step and then stopped. She couldn't leave him like that..she just couldn't. Ino rushed to him and turned him over onto his back carefully avoiding touching Samehada directly as she drug it by the hilt away from them.

Most of his chakra was gone and he was bleeding badly from multiple wounds. Her hands glowed bright blue with her own building chakra and she got to work on healing him.

When she couldn't detect any more injuries she finally sat back and wiped the light layer of sweat off her forehead. Kisame groaned but didn't open his eyes yet..

"Give yourself a few minutes." Ino warned..

He laughed lightly. "Your friends are persistent." Ino's eyes widened..Choji and Shikamaru did this to him? How the hell did they manage that? That meant they were fighting Itachi now? Or were they out there dying and he was already on his way back..now was her chance. Ino patted down Kisames pockets before snatching out her kunai and shuriken.

She quickly leaned over him putting one hand on each side of his head in the sand. Ino leaned down until her lips hovered over his..a whisper on his mouth as he had done to her.

"I just healed you again..a debt repaid is letting me go uninjured." She swallowed hard.. knowing her time before he was at full strength was coming to a fast close. "I..enjoyed your company." She admitted and blushed.

"I enjoy yours." He grinned up at her. Ino leaned down and met his lips in a kiss.

"Forgive me..but I have to go." She stood and his large hand wrapped around her ankle. Ino looked back down hoping she didn't need to fight him.

"If you think I'm going to sit back and let you go..you're mistaken." He suddenly yanked her ankle out from under her and she landed on her back, stunned.

She clutched her kunai in her fist watching him stand and tower over her. He leaned down to pick her up and she swung the kunai. Before she even made it a few inches off the ground a sandal stomped on her arm. A bolt of pain shot up all the way to her shoulder and she gasped, dropping the kunai. Her eyes looked up and met Itachi's sharingan. Two glowing red orbs against a dark sky. Shit.

...

Choji ran to Shikamaru and checked his pulse. He was still alive. Choji wiped blood from his mouth with his sleeve. There was no way they could do this on their own against two Akatsuki members. Ino had to be with them..there was no other explanation. That shark ninja had her knife..Ino always scratches her initials into her kunai.

"Why did he leave before killing us?" Shikamaru coughed.

"Probably because I roughed up his partner pretty bad while they were focused on you." Choji grinned.

"I always knew you had it in you." Choji helped Shikamaru to his feet. "Do you think they're hurting her?"

"I hope not. Ino sure has a mouth and a quick swing though. She can take care of herself." Choji said firmly.

"We need backup. I just need a few hours and then I'll be okay to travel back to the village." Shikamaru said. It killed them both to leave Ino but they couldn't help her if they were dead themselves..

...

"You do realize," Itachi started after Ino lost consciousness. "That all of this has been caused by you..and your infatuation."

Itachi's dark eyes watched his companion collect her weapons and toss them one by one into the ocean. He then picked up Samehada and touched it to the girls exposed stomach. Some of her chakra flowed into the sword and then Kisame pulled it away.

"Kisame!" Itachi snapped for the first time in a long time..

The shark ninja looked at the Uchiha's throat..just in case.

"I'm not going to use my Sharingan on you." His voice slid back into bored disinterest.

"Are you hurting her in her own mind is what I need to know right now." Kisame looked into Itachi's eyes..showing him trust and respect in that move alone.

"No. She's where she wants to be."

Kisame sniffed the air immediately recognizing the scent of her arousal even in sleep her body was reacting to something..or someone.

"And where is that?" Kisame huffed, strapping Samehada to the sheath on his back.

"With you." Itachi said shortly and began to walk. Kisame grabbed his coat and shook off the sand before putting it on so there would be a barrier between her and the sword. Kisame lifted Ino over his shoulder and followed Itachi..

...

Ino's eyes snapped open and she blindly reached for her kunai..then it all caught up with her. The sky was starting to lighten and she sat up slowly to find Kisame awake and looking right at her. Itachi was nowhere in sight.

"You should have let me go. You drained me again! After I healed you!" She was angry..Ino could have been long gone with her team by now but her conscience made her stay to help him. He didn't answer her and his silence fueled her rage.

Itachi suddenly appeared and Ino immediately rolled over..putting her back to both of them. Anything to avoid another Sharingan.

She woke again to daylight and the smell of more cooked food..but the thought of Choji and Shikamaru lying dead out in the woods because of her immediately turned her empty stomach. Ino hopped up and jumped a good twenty feet away from the camp site.

"Ino!" Kisame snapped behind her but she ignored him..grabbing at a tree before bending over and throwing up what little she had in her stomach. His steps slowed as he realized she wasn't running away but he still came to stand behind her. She retched again.. purely from her nerves this time.

Kisame squatted next to her and the smell of him instantly calmed her nerves. She didn't know how to feel about that.

"Are you okay?" He asked, tucking her bangs behind her ear.

"What do you think?" Ino snapped back and swatted his hand away from her. She took a deep breath and stood again.

"Are you ever going to let me go home?" She asked.

"Come on..you can rinse your mouth out and get some fluid in you." He said turning to walk back and Ino hesitated but followed after him.

She didn't recognize any landmarks all day but finally when Itachi said they would set up camp there for the night she was relieved. Most of the day was spent jumping from tree to tree but the last hour or so they had been walking. Ino swatted yet another mosquito away from her and sighed..

"Do you want to bathe?" Kisame asked her. She cut her eyes at him already seeing right through him.

"Alone..yes. Is there another hot spring?" She asked hopefully. He shook his head.

"A lake."

He led her through the woods to the lake and she refused to speak to him the entire way. The thought of jumping into an ice cold lake had her hesitating. She didn't want to catch a cold on top of everything else.

Kisame began to remove his clothes.

"I said I wanted to bathe alone!"

He grinned at her before dropping his pants. "I don't see you rushing to jump in."

He walked into the water and Ino couldn't help looking at his backside..he had a nice one. Once he was far enough out she watched him gracefully plunge under the surface.

A few minutes went by and he still didn't come up.. her eyes began to search for him until she remembered he had gills.. of course he could breathe underwater. Suddenly his head popped up all the way at the other side of the lake. He was fast on land but even faster in the water. Ino watched him from where she sat on the rocky shore. He was completely at ease here.

Kisame swam gracefully around before driving back under. Ino took off her shoes and dipped her feet in the freezing water. She really did need a bath. Ino stood and began removing her clothes leaving them in a pile next to Kisames.

She slowly got in and realized it wasn't as cold as she thought it would be. He hadn't come up for air in the last ten minutes or so and she bathed quickly. She was about to rush back out to wring water out of her hair and get dressed again when a hand grabbed her bare thigh. Ino didn't even jump this time already knowing it was Kisame. His head popped up.

"You can't keep me with you forever..I have to go home eventually."

"Hmm." He grunted in disagreement and took her hand..leading her farther into the water with him. She waded out farther until her feet could barely touch the bottom. He began to swim his muscles flexing with every stroke and Ino tried her best to keep up but she just couldn't. Kisame began swimming lazy circles around her until she began to shiver from the temperature.

"Your lips are almost as blue as mine." He grinned at her and she shivered so he took her hand and guided her back to the shore. The heat of the evening was welcomed against her cool skin and she pulled her clothes back on while he dived a few more times..coming back up only to toss a few fish onto the shore.

Ino was still cold even after she was dressed and she eyed his coat before pulling it on to sit and watch him fish for a few more minutes.

Ino watched him walk out of the lake and he glanced at her in his coat but he didn't say anything. He dressed and Ino stood offering to help him carry the fish back even though they were slimy and disgusting to her.

"Your friends are alive." He said to her as they left the lake. "No need to get sick over it."

...

She was finally able to eat that night and she laid down still wrapped in his coat it was the only thing she had really. Her eyes closed and she finally got a dreamless sleep.

"Her team knows it's us now." Itachi said once they were sure Ino was asleep. "There's no point in keeping her around anymore. If they are smart, they'll go back to their Hokage. If they aren't, we need to end this."

He knew Itachi was right. It's what they have always done. Kisame looked over at Ino sleeping. If they killed her teammates she'd be impossible to deal with. Itachi would want to kill her as swiftly as the other two.

"So why didn't you kill them?" Kisame asked. "You had them both right there."

Itachi didn't answer nor did a flicker of emotion cross his face.

"Don't tell me it's because you were worried about me?" Kisame teased and when Itachi gave no reply Kisame grinned. "I was fine. I just got blindsided by a few expansion jutsu."

"You were distracted. It's beneath us for such careless mistakes. You were thinking of the girl..if she would still be there when we returned." Itachi said.

She could've ran and left him on that beach but she couldn't.. even asked for his forgiveness for leaving despite her team being their enemies. She's a part of that team..an enemy. Ino didn't seem like much of an enemy these last few days.

Kisame glanced at Itachi who was already looking at him. He never missed anything.

"I don't see this ending well." Itachi stood.

"Are you going to end it?" Kisame asked boldly.

"It depends who comes after us next. Two ninja or Leaf Village reinforcements. Either way, we still need to keep moving." He suddenly melted into the shadows leaving Kisame to stare into the fire.

...

Ino wasn't sure what woke her..once she opened her eyes and sat up she realized what it was. Itachi was staring right at her across the fire. Ino looked over to her right seeing that Kisame was gone. It gave her anxiety being alone with this blank faced killer.

"You're going to get him killed." His voice was low but carried across to her perfectly. "Does that mean anything to you?"

"If it didn't mean anything to me..I wouldn't have healed him on the beach." Ino answered honestly.

"Your village will keep sending reinforcements after you. It would be best for everyone for you to return and for us to vanish." He never took his eyes off of her and Ino was just grateful they didn't turn red.

"Haven't you seen I've been trying?" Ino asked. "He won't let me."

Itachi didn't reply and Ino laid back down..she couldn't fall asleep until Kisame came back and took his spot by the fire.

...

"Let her go, Kisame." Itachi said out of nowhere. "If you and her would rather not have casualties, then she needs to go and we need to go."

Kisame didn't like to hear it but he was right.

"Do you feel for her?" These mundane feelings were frowned upon in their organization. Kisame wasn't sure.

"I'll take her home." Kisame growled.

"Would that be wise? To travel so close to the Hidden Leaf. It's a few days at least." Itachi replied.

"I said I'm going to take her home. That's what I'm going to do." He growled.

"Of course." Itachi went back to staring at the fire.

...

Morning came too soon for Ino..she definitely could have used more sleep. She yawned and stretched already getting backaches from the hard ground.

Kisame was already awake eating leftover fish and drinking water.

"Got any left?" Ino asked and he handed her the rest of what was his.

"I don't want to take yours." Ino sat back and didn't reach for it.

"Take the fish, Ino." His tone was light and playful but his eyes seemed so serious today. Did he sleep at all?

She finished the fish and chugged some water. After she was done Kisame put out the fire and started to gather his things. Ino removed his coat feeling warm in the late morning sun.

"Where's Itachi?" Ino asked..they usually left early in the morning and he was usually with them. She handed him his coat and he put it on before the large sword sheath rested at his back.

"We're parting ways for now. I'm taking you home." He glanced at her.

That was a few days at least..a few days alone with Kisame..she didn't know whether to be excited or nervous. She felt both.

"Thank you." She didn't know what else to say.

"If we leave now..we can make some good distance by dark."

The rest of the morning was quiet. He didn't bother to start any conversations or tease her like he had before. He seemed..distant. Ino kept quiet not knowing what to say to start a conversation either..

When the late afternoon sun was dipping below the horizon they found a place to camp for the night. It was a little colder than last night. He started a small fire and let her spread his coat out as a makeshift blanket to lay on.

"Are you hungry?" He asked and she shook her head. Her stomach was fighting her..her nerves were making her feel like she needed to jump out of her skin.

"Cold?" He asked her and she nodded. Kisame set Samehada down at a safe distance before coming around behind her. He stretched out on his side with his head propped up by his hand and with his other arm pulled her against him. He was radiating warmth.

"Are you..upset with me?" Ino found the courage to ask.

"Why would I be?"

"Because of last night..and me going home now." Obviously...

"Of course not. Like I said last night, I enjoy your company." Ino closed her eyes feeling a weight lifted off her shoulders and she relaxed enough to fall asleep.

In the morning she woke up alone and reached for the water..she was so thirsty. Ino suddenly wondered how injured her friends were..

After Kisame had come back and they ate breakfast she mentioned it.

"Kisame..you're a tracker right? I mean that's what you guys do." She said, referring to the Akatsuki.

"Of course." He grinned.

"My team..how badly are they hurt?"

His grin faltered.

"The shadow kid got roughed up before the other one blew in out of nowhere."

"They need my healing, too. They'll push themselves too far to get to the village. We should track them so I can help and then the three of us can go back home. No one will need to see you."

"And once you get to the village they'll tell your Hokage and make things more difficult for us."

Ino was suddenly annoyed..these were friends she was talking about not some poor victim at the hands of the Akatsuki

"If I say no?" His grin returned. Ino huffed fed up with that stupid grin.

"Then this is where we part ways. Give me my kunai and shuriken back." She stood and held out her hand.

"You wouldn't even know where to go and your weapons are gone."

He was right to a point.. wait.

"What do you mean gone!" She snapped at him as though he were one of the team annoying her on a mission.

"They're at the bottom of the ocean." He lifted his cup to his mouth..

Ino didn't know what came over her she smacked the cup away from him glaring icicles.

His smug expression never wavered.

"Calm down, Ino. I'll track your team." His eyes raked up and down her body. "I like this side of you. So loyal."

He stood and she stepped back suddenly nervous.

"I'll go take a look around..get our bearings and we'll go."