A/N: And here it is, chapter 6! Yeah! I'm not even going to waste time with warnings and disclaimers. Just read and enjoy!

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The questioning took forever-the cops were relentless. No, he wasn't anywhere near the coffee shop. Yes, Kisame had been with him last night. No, he didn't see what their relationship had to do with anything. Yes, they had witnesses. Yes, he supposed the words of Sasuke, Sasori, and Deidara could be considered biased. No, they did not threaten Naruto to cover for them. No, they had no reason to want Anna dead. Finally they seemed satisfied and let him go. Itachi had never felt so annoyed in his life as he did when he was leaving Tsunade's classroom. Kisame, who was leaving Asuma's class at the same time, looked tense. His face twisted into an unconvincing smile as Itachi walked to him.

"Welcome to our first day as suspected criminals", Kisame said dryly.

"If they had kept me a moment longer I would have become a real criminal", Itachi muttered darkly.

Kisame blinked as Anko walked Kabuto past them to be questioned. "This is getting ridiculous."

"I'll bet his crime was wanting a cup of coffee before a study session or something equally stupid.", Itachi rolled his eyes.

"I'm amazed at how stupid they think we are. I mean, sheesh. You and Kabuto are the top students in our grade and my grades aren't bad. No one with minimal intelligence is going to kill someone and stash their body in a classroom."

Itachi was quiet as they walked back to the track. His mind was reeling. Why would someone kill Anna? Why would they then stash her body in Ibiki's classroom? It didn't make a lick of sense. Unless someone had a grudge against him or Kisame...

"What happened?", Temari gasped, rushing up to them, Kankuro in tow, Deidara and Sasori a little behind them. "I heard you were brought in for questioning."

Itachi glanced over at the blond member of their group. "That's true", he said calmly. "What are you doing out here, Kankuro?"

"Oh, you know...skipping class. There's so much commotion, I doubt anyone knows I'm gone. Besides, I'd just be held up in my homeroom. No one's left their homerooms, and I was curious."

"So...the younger students don't know someone's dead?", Kisame asked.

"Nope. Just me."

"Lucky you."

"Itachi? Are you mad at me, un?", Deidara asked.

One glance into those bright blue eyes was enough to make Itachi shake his head. "No. I'm just thinking."

"About what, un?"

"I think this killer is trying to get to me.", Itachi said. Deidara, Sasori, Kisame, Kankuro, and Temari all stared at him.

"That's a pretty bold accusation", Temari finally stated.

"I know", Itachi replied. "But I find it sort of odd that the woman I worked for was murdered and put in my homeroom."

"But Itachi", Kisame said. "I worked for her, too."

"Not as long as I did, though, and you don't have Ibiki for homeroom."

"Eh. I'm sure you're just reading too much into it. I wouldn't worry about it", Temari assured him.

"I hope so. I don't want to die", Kisame said.

"Oh, you don't have to worry yet. The killer's going in reverse order to cause me more pain. Toby'll be the next victim." Itachi's face remained as calm and emotionless as ever, making it impossible to tell if he was joking or being serious.

"No body is going to die", Sasori stated firmly. "Now, stop. You're scaring Deidara."

Itachi just shrugged.

He and Sasori didn't speak another word to each other. Not then, not when Sarutobi came out and dismissed them for the rest of the day's classes, not for the rest of the day.

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"Gaara!"

The redhead blinked at the sound of his name. A moment later, his uncle, Yashamaru, poked his head into the room Gaara shared with Kankuro. Yashamaru smiled gently at Gaara, and his eyes sparkled kindly.

"You have a phone call", he said. "Someone named Lee."

Gaara gave his uncle on of his rare smiles-one of the ones where the person they're aimed at knows you truly feel affection for them-and took the phone. "Hello?"

"Gaara!", Lee called energetically from the other end of the phone.

Gaara pulled the phone away from his ear. It sounded as though Lee was trying to shout to him from across a football field. "What is it, Lee?"

"I just rented The Grudge!", Lee proclaimed happily. "Wanna come over and watch it with me?"

"Sure. I'll bring rum raisin ice cream", Gaara said in a deadpan voice.

Lee made a gagging noise.

Gaara chuckled. "I was kidding, Lee"

"Ah, of course, of course.", Lee's cheerful voice continued.

Gaara smirked. Lee getting drunk off of ice cream had been funny, but he wouldn't intentionally make Lee drunk again. Or would he? Mint green eyes flickered deviously.

"Anyhow. Come over whenever. I'm going to straighten things up." Lee clicked the phone off.

Gaara stared, Amazed, as the phone buzzed loudly. How anyone could have so much energy was beyond him.

Gaara climbed off his bed as Kankuro came into the room. The older brother threw his things onto the floor and started up their computer without even looking at the younger boy. Gaara could tell, though he'd never ask why, that Kankuro was very upset.

"Bye, everyone! Be back in a bit!", Temari's voice called out. Yashamaru replied with something or the other, and Gaara heard the front door open. Yup. Big sister just left, and big brother was in a foul mood. Definitely time to leave the house.

"Where are you going?", Kankuro asked shortly. His dark green eyes never left the computer screen as Gaara's mint-green ones flicked in his direction.

"Lee's house"

"Oh."

Gaara turned towards the door. His hand hand had just touched the knob when his brother said "Be careful"

He was taken aback. His brother always pretended to want nothing to do with him. Gaara's hand slipped off the door knob and he looked at his brother, waiting for him to say more.

"Well? Aren't you going?", Kankuro's ears were red at the tips.

Gaara nodded. He had just pushed the door open when a feminine shriek pierced the air.

"Temari!", Kankuro was on his feet in seconds. He pushed past Gaara and rushed out the door.

Gaara shook his head and jumped out their open bedroom window. He could see someone in a cloak and mask wrestling with his sister.

Gaara rushed over to help her at the same time his brother and uncle came tearing out the front door.

The person wrestling with Temari let go of her and took off running. Kankuro ran off after him or her. It was impossible to tell, as it could have been a tall woman or a slender man. Yashamaru helped Temari to her feet and supported her back to the house. Gaara decided to stay with his sister and uncle. She needed them right now.

"It's alright. You're safe now", Yashamaru said gently, helping her into a chair and getting her a glass of juice.

"What if he comes back?", Temari asked, taking a sip of the juice her uncle had given her.

Yashamaru chucked softly. "If Kankuro catches him, there won't be anything left to come back."

The phone rang and the three jumped. Yashamaru looked at the caller ID and handed Gaara the phone. It was Lee. Gaara'd forgotten about him.

He answered and watched as his uncle pulled out one of five first aid kits in the house, this one conviently placed on top of the refridgerator, and applied ointment to a few cuts and bruises his sister had.

"I won't be able to come. Temari was attacked-" Gaara trailed off as the line went dead.

Five minutes later, Lee was at his house to make sure everything was alright/

Despite all the chaos, Gaara had to smile.

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"See you later, Sakura-Chan", Toby said, smiling at the pretty girl he was dropping off. He'd been spending a lot of time with Sakura as of late.

The girl kissed his cheek and opened the door. "Thanks again, Toby. I had a wonderful time."

Toby laughed. "Good. Because you're paying next time!"

Sakura stuck her tounge out at him and went inside her house. As her door swung shut behind her, Toby smiled.

He'd always thought he was gay, but now he was wondering if he was bi. Or even straight, sine the guy he'd liked looked so much like a girl.

So much confusion, but it didn't matter. He was very happy right now. Toby blinked, his smile fading a little, as he spotted a boy a few years younger than himself standing alone. Well, standing wasn't exactly right, since the kid was half-doubled over, coughing.

"Hey. Are you alright?", Toby asked. Part of him knew he should stop talking to strangers he just saw on the street, but he couldn't leave someone who looked so sick out on the road. Besides, the boy hardly looked threatening.

The boy looked at him out of dull eyes that were a startling green color. "I'm fine. Just waiting for someone."

"Your brother?", Toby asked.

"Sort of.", the boy replied, toying with a strand of his longish hair.

"Who would leave their sick brother out on the side of the road? It's getting cold out. You'll get worse."

"I'm sure he'll be here soon. He's usually on time, if not early." Dark circles lined the boy's eyes and Toby found himself wondering how much he weighed. He was very thin, probably the result of some sort of chronic illness.

"Here. Take my jacket.", Toby said, shrugging it off and draping it on the boy's too-thin shoulders. "My name's Toby Uchiha. You got a name or should I just call you kid?"

A smile flickered briefly on the boy's face. He brushed his fingers over his hair again and said softly "Kimimaro Kaguya."

Toby nodded. Will you be alright out here?", he asked kindly. "Should I stay with you until your brother gets here?"

Kimimaro shook his head. "Thank you, but I'll be alright." He held out Toby's jacket to him. "He won't be long."

Toby nodded again. "Why don't you hold onto that for now? You need it more than I do. I'll meet you back here tomorrow at four to get it back."

Kimimaro didn't say anything as he put his arms through the sleeves of Toby's jacket. Toby smiled and started to walk away when Kabuto from his band class ran right into him. The two boys fell down and stared at each other.

"Sorry about that", Kabuto apologized, giving Toby a kind smile. "I'm late meeting up with someone."

"Well, don't worry. I made sure he's OK for you." Toby was pulled to his feet by Kabuto. He smiled at the two boys and headed for home.

He'd walked about five feet when he got the feeling he was being followed. Of course the streets were so crowded with people bustling from shop to shop that he quickly decided he was being paranoid.

The feeling didn't go away. "Is anyone there?", he asked. No response. Toby sighed. If he was being followed, the person had been quick to duck amoung the crowds.

Toby eyed a large tree near one of the shops. If he could climb up that, he would be able to see everything and everyone, and then he could determine if someone was following him or if he was going crazy. Carefully, Toby climbed up the tree. Knowing his luck, he would fall out. After a few minutes, he was seated on one of the upper branches, looking down. Nothing looked suspicious.

"Miss me?", a voice asked in Toby's ear. He felt strong hands on his back. Toby looked back hoping to see the face of his attacker, but the attacker was too quick. Toby felt strangely dazed as he fell towards the ground. He heard a woman scream, then felt amazing pain as a sickening thud issued from his left arm. He heard more screams and felt someone touch his left arm and state that it was broken. Kabuto. Toby reconized his voice. He tilted his head and saw Kimimaro, very white-face, on a cellphone. Toby then felt his jacket being laid over him like a blanket and heard Kabuto asking him his age.

"Tree. Up in the tree...", Toby started.

"It's a;right. You fell out. Your arm is broken and you make have a concussion. The ambulance is on its way."

"No, I was pushed", Toby stated firmly.

Kabuto opened his mouth to speak-perhaps to tell Toby there was no one up in the tree-but the ambulance came just then.

Toby was loaded into the ambulance and his parents called.

He was very angry when no one even bothered to check the tree for the person who'd tried to kill him.

What was this world coming to?

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Kisame spent the next few days in a state of paranoia. He kept checking over his shoulder making sure no one wanted to kill him. It would have been funny except this proved Itachi's "they're trying to get to me" theory was true. The attacks on Temari and Toby where too much of a coincidence not to be. Itachi shuddered to think what would had happened had Temari's brothers and uncle not been home, had the killer followed Toby down instead of letting the ambulance take him-or worse, had gone to the hospital to finish him off. Whoever it was, it was an amature.

"Think hard, Itachi", Sasori stated at lunch one afternoon. "Who did you piss off enough to make them want to hurt you this way?"

"Envy is a deadly sin", Toby stated, coming up to them. "Maybe it's someone who is jealous of you"

"It could be a guy who was left by his girlfriend because she wanted to date Itachi", Kisame said thoughtfully.

"Or any girl, un. Itachi's a heart breaker, un."

"Oh, goodie. So it's about three-quarters of the 12th grade" Itachi rolled his eyes. Leave it to Kisame and Deidara to unknowingly put salt in his wounds.

"Eh, whatever. You still have to sign my cast, Itachi." Toby pulled out a black sharpie and held it out to his cousin.

"Now, what obligates me to sign that nasty thing?", Itachi asked, taking the sharpie from Toby.

"Well, everyone else did. Even Naruto and Sasuke, look", Toby pointed to a spot near his elbow. In tiny, perfect script was written "God made the rivers, and God made the lakes. Then God made Toby-even God makes mistakes."

Itachi laughed. "My brother loves you."

"I know it. And Naruto spilled ramen on my arm." Toby wrinked his nose. "Anyway, here's your spot." Toby pointed to a spot near Sasuke's inspirational message.

Itachi was going to write something to rival his brother's message, but decided against it since it was his fault Toby's arm was broken to begin with. Instead he wrote "Get well soon" and sent his cousin on his way. Toby didn't care-he was on his way to meet Sakura. The Akatsuki members watched him run off and collectively shook their heads.

"Anyway...", Kisame muttered to break the silence.

"That note was quite touching. He's definitely your brother, Itachi", Sasori said, brushing his crimson bangs off his forehead. He tapped a piece of paper he had in front of him with one small, pale hand. "Getting back on track here-suspects?"

"Well, the cops said Kabuto was near the coffee shop the night Anna died, but I don't think it was him." Itachi cast a glance at the boy who was seated near by, talking animatedly with a pretty red haired girl.

"Couldn't have been him", Sasori stated. "He was the one who reconigized Toby had a concussion and kept him awake. He probably saved him. If he wanted him dead, why go through all the trouble?"

"Haven't you ever watched a detective movie/ He'd offer assistance to shift the blame off of him, Oh, he's such a sweet boy, he saved the idiot in the tree, blah, blah, blah. It could be a trick."

"Kisame, Toby was pushed from a tree, un. Wouldn't the witneesses have seen Kabuto drop down, un?", Deidara asked.

"He's got a point", Sasori said. "If Kabuto had been in the tree, the fifteen people who saw Toby fall would have seen him jump down"

"Well, what about that kid he had with him? Kimishima or whatever his name was?"

This time it was Itachi who shot him down. "Kimimaro, and believe me. I've seen the kid. He's not going to be climbing any trees anytime soon."

"Maybe it's an act...", Kisame said, but he didn't look like he believed his own words.

Itachi shook his head. "No one can pretend to cough up blood. Anyway, I don't see what those two would want with me."

"Can you think of anyone else?", Sasori asked, his reddish-brown eyes on the blank piece of paper.

Itachi shook his head.

"Then we're back to square one..."

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"You've been spending a lot of time with Naruto lately", Itachi commented lightly later that evening. Sasuke, dressed in a pair of white pants and a dark blue T-shirt, rolled his eyes.

"So? I'm not allowed to be his friend?", he asked hotly.

"You're fighting a loosing battle, kiddo. Just give in." Itachi made kissy faces at Sasuke..

"I'm going to kill you", Sasuke snapped wappishly.

"You can do that, but who is going to take you two to the bowling ally?" Itachi ruffled Sasuke's hair and smiled at him. Deidara had called him a heart breaker, but he was willing to bet in a few years his brother would be even prettier than he was.

"Idiot." The younger brother stalked off.

"Oh, Sasuke-Kun. Don't get too angry. It's bad for your skin!"

Itachi ducked as Sasuke's shoe came flying at him. Maybe he should stop teasing his brother.

"Are you ready to go pick up your friend?", Itachi asked.

Sasuke reappeared and retrived the shoe he had tossed at Itachi's head.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

A few hours later, the Uchiha brothers, Naruto, and Kisame were piled in Itachi's car on their way home from the bowling ally.

"Sheesh. Where did that one get his license? Chick-Fil-A?", Itachi commented as a driver swerved in front of him and slowed down to a wonderful crawl of five miles an hour.

"Now, now, Itachi. Sarutobi warned everyone to be careful. I think that includes driving safely."

"He's the one who cuts people off and then goes five miles an hour"

"Just go around him, Itachi", Kisame bit his lip looking anxious. Itachi suddenly felt very protective of him and angry at whoever it was that was toying with them and making his boyfriend a nervous wreck.

Itachi obediantly merged to the other lane to ease some of Kisame's tension. He glanced in the mirror and could see Naruto and Sasuke were fast asleep in the backseat.

"Itachi! Look out!", Kisame cried as the car swerved towards them. Itachi stomped the gas, barely managing to get past the driver.

"What the fuck is that crazy bastard doing?", Itachi hissed. The car was right up on them now, even though Itachi was pushing ninty miles an hour.

"Kisame, hang on ", Itachi said, merging quickly to the left.

Kisame was jolted forward. A few seconds later, the boys felt the car ram right into theirs. Itachi wrapped his arms around the steering wheel in an attempt to keep his head from smashing into the windsheild. Kisame's hands curled around the bottom of the seat and he pushed himself back. They were both aware of Sasuke and Naruto screaming in the back seat, and Itachi barked at them to hang on. There was a second impact, and then Itachi's car flipped over a few times before landing smashed up against some trees off the road.

Itachi peeled his eyes open first after they'd all lost consciousness. He felt sick and disoriented, and for the first time, very afraid. "Kisame?", he asked, nudging his boyfriend's shoulder.

Kisame groaned and opened his eyes. "Are the kids alright?", he asked.

"I-I'm not sure. I'm going to need your help if they're hurt." Itachi unbuckled his seatbelt and climbed onto his seat.

"Sasuke. Naruto. Are you two alright?", he whispered.

Naruto pressed his hand to his forehead. "I feel sick. What happened?"

"Someone ran us off the road", Itachi said, reaching in the back and putting his hand on Sasuke's shoulder. He shook the younger boy gently."Sasuke?"

Naruto screamed. "Don't shake him!", he exclaimed. "He's hurt!"

Sasuke's head lolled forward and Itachi could see a line of blood running down his pale cheek.

"Shit!", Itachi cursed. He threw open the door and moved as quickly as he could to Sasuke's side. "Naruto, if you can stand up, get out and come stand by me. Kisame, my cellphone is under the seat. Call 911."

Itachi brushed Sasuke's hair back, feeling sick at the sight of the gash and bruise on Sasuke's left temple. The younger boy was knocked out cold, and Itachi felt worried. He had to get Sasuke up somehow.

"Sasuke!" Itachi pinched his brother's hand as hard as he could. It worked. Sasuke pulled his arm away from Itachi and his dark eyes flickered.

"Come on, kiddo. Stay with me."

"Itachi?" Sasuke's glassy eyes were unfocused. "I'm so tired..."

"I know. But don't go to sleep. You might not wake up."

"But I'm so tired..my head hurts so much..." Sasuke's eyes started to slip shut again.

"Bastard!", Naruto yelled, tears on his cheeks. "Your brother told you not to go to sleep!"

"Shut up, Moron. You're making the pain worse"

Kisame appeared beside Itachi and Naruto then. He nudged the two out of the way, unbucked Sasuke's seatbelt, and lifted him from the car. Wordlessly, he craddled the younger boy to him and walked towards the side of the road, where he set the injured boy down against a tree.

Itachi and Naruto went over to them.

"What'd they say?", Itachi asked.

"To stand as close to the side of the road as we can while remaining safe and to make sure Sasuke stays awake-alert if we can keep him talking."

"And?", Itachi asked, kneeling down beside Sasuke to prod him awake again.

"And make sure we stay together. Other than that., we wait." Kisame looked nervous at the prospect of being outside in the dark when someone who wanted them dead was lurking around.

"Alright, then. We wait", Itachi said softly.

He was sure he and Kisame had the same question on their minds as he instructed Naruto to keep Sasuke talking. When the ambulance got there, would they be taking away four injured-but still living-teenagers, or would they be loading up dead bodies?

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A/N: Whew! This was a bitch to write! I took out a few scenes to get this up. I hope you all enjoyed it. My update day is officially changing to Sunday. As the chapters get longer, I find I don't have enough time to finish typing them up on Saturdays. I guess that is it. See you all next Sunday for HSB Chapter 7!