Disclaimer: I'm not repeating myself again.
Notes: I'm really really really sorry this is a short one again...school's been really busy lately. My updating might start being more spread out too because I'm doing outdoor track, soccer, and all my school stuff, so bear with me...okay? I'll try to keep updating as much as possible and write when I have time...
Chapter Thirteen
"We've been called here to speak to the likes of you?" Sasori asked. His voice rung with dislike and he spoke to us as if we were scum.
I closed my eyes, and whispered under my breathe, "Arashi, I'm dropping to jutsu, pick it up immediately."
I opened my eyes, and my hands dropped the last seal. Arashi's hands started to move and pulled the jutsu right back up almost instantly.
"I'll be back," I whispered to my two team members.
The thing about this jutsu was that I could leave it, but I wouldn't be able to come back in unless the person that was performing the jutsu dropped it.
I took a step forward, and left the chakra wall, only to stand in front of my old friends. There was no emotion on their faces, they acted like they hadn't known me. What had I expected? For them to jump out and hug me, to welcome me back? They were on a mission, this is how they acted. That was also how I acted on missions.
"I'm supposed to tell you," my voice started to quiver. I paused, think mission. This is a mission. "I'm been told to come here…to inform you of the addition of Uchiha Sasuke to the Hidden Sound's group."
Itachi's eyes widened, and Zetsu whispered, "He's got the Sharingan," underneath his breathe.
I closed my eyes and shook my head, and whispered just loud enough for them to all hear me, "I want to come back."
I ran to Itachi and hugged him, expecting him to push me away. He didn't, he only hugged me back. "I just want to come back! I don't want to be there!" I cried, he squeezed me into a tighter hug. "I want to be back home with all of you…"
I pulled back.
"Then why don't you come, hmm?" Deidara asked me slowly.
I shook my head, "You don't understand! Orochimaru sent me on this mission on purpose! He did it because he knew that I wouldn't leave Sasuke there by himself and that I wouldn't let my new teammates to go back to be punished!"
Sasori touched my shoulder, "Who cares," he told me. He smiled slightly. "You hardly know these people…and Sasuke made his own choice to go there."
"But…I can't let them get into trouble for something I did…" I said, glancing at my new teammates and shaking my head.
Kisame eyes narrowed, "How did you end up with Orochimaru anyways…?"
"When you all left…it was a distraction. Orochimaru showed up, and I was too weak, he has a girl from the Kamizurui Clan set some poison bugs on me or something…actually, that's why I was sick in the first place."
Deidara's eyes looked both directions, "Well, they kidnapped you in the first place, what'll happen if we just kidnap you back?" I glanced back at Aikyo and Arashi. "Don't worry, I'm sure they'll be fine."
I gave them a pained looked, and they both just grinned and waved at me…
Sasori threw me over the shoulder of the large puppet thing he was always in during the missions. I gasped in surprise, and I could see Aikyo and Arashi laughing at me.
> >
"Is it really okay…for us to be letting her go like that?" Arashi asked the girl sitting next to him.
Aikyo grinned back at him, "Yeah…I don't mind getting in trouble just this once for her."
"I think I do."
Aikyo rolled her eyes, "That's rude. Plus, she deserves this. She wasn't supposed to be with us and Orochimaru in the first place. She was completely taken from what she loves for the second time in her life."
"I was taken from what I loved."
"You were not. You came to Orochimaru on free choice, your fault," Aikyo told him severely. "Kirei, she never wanted to be here. She loves that guy…and she always has. Uchiha Itachi. She may not realize it," Aikyo added shaking her head, "But she would do anything for him, and she would do anything just to stay by his side…"
> >
The members of Akatsuki ran for a few minutes, me on Sasori's shoulder, and then stopped.
"Deidara," Sasori ordered, "Take Kirei for a moment." He tossed me to Deidara, who caught me easily.
"Just don't talk, okay?" Deidara whispered.
Sasori opened the puppet up, and I saw his face smiling out a me. He offered me a space in the puppet, and I climbed in with him.
I could see what was going on all around me, on a count of that there were screens all around me showing images of every side.
I saw Itachi poke the side of the puppet, "It'll be the most safe for you in there."
I smiled, even though I knew he couldn't see me.
Sasori glanced at me, and positioned his hands around strings so he could control his puppet, "We won't let you get hurt," he said. "Or get captured again," he added.
I felt relieved, "I'm glad…"
Nightfall finally came, and we stopped and made camp. I climbed out of Sasori's puppet, which he stayed in, and I ran to embrace Itachi.
"I really have missed you…" I whispered into his jacket. He pulled me closer, whispering into my ear…
"I've missed you too."
I let out a cry of joy, and kissed him. At first he was tense, then he relaxed, deepening the kiss. My heart beat out quickly, it felt like it was going to jump out of my chest and run away. I had always been waiting for this moment…
When we finally parted, the rest of the Akatsuki members were just staring at us. I laughed nervously.
Itachi grabbed my hand, and lead me away from everyone else. They watched us go, I had a feeling that they were snickering.
After about ten minutes of walking, it seemed like Itachi had finally made up his mind, and he climbed up into a tall tree. I followed him, awkwardly.
We reached a wide tree branch, and he leaned against the trunk of the tree, feet dangling on either side of the branch. I was sitting next to him, and I felt a lurch and where was I? Leaning against his chest. Through the branches, the moon sat--crescent shaped.
"It's beautiful…" I whispered.
"Like you," he said softly, "Just like your name implies."
After a few moments, I giggled, "I would say something like that in return," I paused, trying to hold back laughter, "But your name's meaning…is a bit odd." ((Natsu: cough cough weasel cough cough))
He responded in laughter. "You eminently just ruined the moment."
"So…?"
My breathing returned to normal, and once again, I stared up at the moon. It really was beautiful. Being here almost felt like a dream…
Itachi hands moved from my stomach, traced up my chest, and stopped at my cheek. I shivered slightly. He hand pushed my head to the left and his lips greeted me. This definitely had to be a dream…
> >
I sat up and looked around me. It was morning. I must have fallen asleep in the tree, because I didn't remember coming back here.
"Morning," Zetsu said, not even looking at me. He was the lookout, or at least that's what I was guessing since he was leaning against a tree away from all of us.
Everyone else slept closely around where I was, almost in a circle. I looked over my shoulder and realized that I was also sleeping in Itachi's sleeping bag. I blushed as I noticed his arms were still wrapped loosely around my waist.
"We didn't want anyone to take you," Zetsu said. "So if anyone would have tried, we would have noticed…"
"That is if the lookout didn't find and eat them first," his voice said. I now remember why Zetsu always kind of freaked me out. His two sides and…liking to eat people…
Kisame stirred, and looked at me grinning. "When you got back last night, you were completely out of it…did you have fun?"
I twitched, "Kisame…it's called exhaustion. Go join Orochimaru and you'll see what I mean. He works his Shinobi like there's no tomorrow…"
Slowly everyone else stirred. Itachi unwrapped his arms from around my waist and yawned. "I'm going to go to this river I saw last night to get something to drink…" he said, rubbing his eyes, "I'll be back."
I watched him walk off.
"He really missed you, y'know," Kisame said slowly. "He wasn't his usual self without you around. He was really worried…"
I frowned, "I didn't mean to worry him…I didn't want to be with Orochimaru, you have to know that…I would much rather be with you guys."
"We know, but I'm just saying…don't to that to him again…he was miserable."
In a split second, Itachi jumped down from the trees above, "They're coming," he whispered.
"Who?" Sasori asked urgently.
Itachi's sharingan lit eyes stared directly at Sasori, "Orochimaru."
Once again...I'm really sorry it was so short... ;-;