Kakashi before the group had left summoned his dogs and made them track Gaara's scent by one of his shirts. The old woman watched the girl carefully fold the material into her backpack a sad look on her face. "We'll find him." Naruto had promised her. She feared they were taking too long and her Gaara would not make it.

So when Kakashi shot off in the direction they had just came from Kira wasted no time and chasing after her brother. Back in the forest it was hard to tell how long they had been moving. They needed to get to Gaara soon but minutes felt like hours to her anymore.

"Hey Naruto, Kira, can I ask you guys something?" The two in question glance over confused. What did she need to ask? "How long have you two been targets for the Akatsuki?"

Naruto didn't enjoy talking about this, he looked annoyed and upset that he's being asked this question to begin with. "How should I know?"

Kira shook her head jumping over onto another log and swinging to another tree. "Isn't it obvious?" Sakura still didn't understand.

"Two Akatsuki members came to Konoha looking for Naruto and Kira about three years ago, now they're back. But I'm still not sure what they want exactly." Sometimes Kira didn't know if Kakashi was telling the truth or not. He was known for keeping secrets to spare someone's feelings unless it was for the mission. Kira knew though, she knew the Akatsuki wanted them for the monsters inside them.

Why else would they go after them? What more could they want from two teenagers? "Why did they wait three years?"

The old woman looked upset like she knew something "They probably couldn't do anything, not that they just didn't...after all, both Naruto and Kira were with Lord Jiraiya." Kakashi explained the last time why Itachi and Kisame failed.

"No...according to my information, it seems there were other reasons. Extracting Biju sealed in a human body requires some preparation...they needed time." Lady Chiyo explained keeping her head face forward.

Naruto and Kira glance at one another choosing to stay quiet there was no point in talking now. "What's a Biju?" Sakura muttered, looking back at the old woman confused.

"What?! You're a pupil of Tsunade's but don't know that?" Kakashi sighed shaking his head thinking it best to explain to Sakura what the woman was talking about. "In Konoha information about the Nine Tailed and the Water Spirit is absolutely top secret." Lady Chiyo scoffed like she already knew that. "Well, that's not surprising."

Sakura was still confused. "Biju are powerful spirits. Like the Tailed Beasts and Elemental Spirits. From long ago, there was Ichibi, the one tailed spirit of the sand. Then Shukaku which was sealed in Gaara."

"Ichibi? So, there are Demonic Beasts other than the Fox?"

Kira stared at Sakura confused. "I have horns sticking out of my head and you think I have a fox in me?" Sakura flushed "I didn't know about the Water Spirit." she muttered looking away from her. That was sort of stupid to assume there was just the Fox in both of them.

"Yes, there are Nine Tailed Beasts and Five Elementals in this world."

Nine and five?! What? "Biju are distinct in character, each of them has a different number of tails. Ichibi means one tail, Nibi is two, up to Kyubi, the Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit. Their names represent the number of tails they have."

Kira wasn't sure she wanted to know anymore, but the old woman let on explaining everything. "Biju are huge concentrations of Chakra. During the era of the great war, every nation's hidden village competed for control of them for military purposes. But their power is beyond human understanding and no one could control them. I don't know the Akatsuki's intentions but that kind of power is far too dangerous for them to get ahold of." This wasn't good at all, my one fear was this what happens to the human after they extract the demon.

'I'm afraid I can not tell you, but you are correct to worry.' Kaida's booming voice echoed through her mind. It had been some time since she last heard from her but a sense of dread washed over her. Gaara. He was alone and powerless against those bastards. "Well... in peace times, things have changed. I heard that Biju have spread and exist all over the world now."

If they exist all over the world now, then why can't they just leave them alone? Leave the holders off on their own? "Stop everyone!" Kakashi commanded skidding to a halt staring wide eyed at the enemy in front of us. Kira quickly pulled out her kunai's staring horrified at the man. Itachi Uchiha.

It had been some time since she last saw him, but those eyes were still the same. "Who?" Sakura couldn't tell who he was. Then again, she never had to go up against the man.

"Sakura... only one clan has those eyes." Kira muttered gripping her weapons tighter she wouldn't freeze up like last time.

"Uchiha Itachi."

The surprised look on Sakura's face when she finally figured out that he was Sasuke's older brother. "Itachi, yes he's the boy who murdered his entire clan." Chiyo muttered remembering hearing about such a boy.

"Long time no see, Kakashi, Naruto, Kira," his smooth voice sent shivers down the girls spines, Kira kept her eyes down, three years of practice with the Sharingan and she was able to somewhat protect herself against it. She still wasn't as skilled as Master Guy, but thanks to Kakashi always attacking her when she wasn't paying attention she had a better understanding on how to protect herself.

Naruto snarled pointing a finger in his direction. "Who do you think you are?! First you come after me and Kira! Now you kidnap Gaara?! I'm gonna take you out!" Kira shot her hand out grabbing onto Naruto's hand, this wasn't good, not at all.

She started feeling the tremors of fear start to radiate through her system like the last time. Kakashi threw his arm up. "Nobody look directly in his eyes, it's dangerous." Everything about Itachi was dangerous. She couldn't let herself get distracted by him.

Sakura kept her head down beads of sweat already starting to drip down her face as she avoided looking Itachi in the eye. "Then what, are we supposed to do?" She hissed, flexing her hands.

"Read his movements by watching his body and footwork. Itachi's genjutsu is ocular jutsu. Basically, he seizes his target with his vision But you'll be okay so long as your eyes don't meet his." Kakashi explained.

"This is not going to be easy." Sakura muttered, annoyed at the current situation. She wasn't trained in this kind of attack.

Kira forced her fear down feeling a familiar warmth radiating through her core. She wasn't alone. She took several deep breaths before she felt herself again. "Just try to read his movements with his feet." Kira whispered softly not fully trusting herself just yet.

"The Uchiha clan...I haven't gone up against the Sharingan in a long time. But you needn't be afraid. Several tactics can handle ocular jutsu." Lady Chiyo explained. Naruto may have gotten a lot stronger over these past three years, but he didn't have any special training when it comes to Sharingan.

"Well, what do we do?!" he yelled, keeping his head down waiting for the old woman to give him answers. "If it's one on one, you definitely run. If it's two on one, get his back." Naruto stared at the woman confused. "If it's two on one, even if one falls under the genjutsu they can be released if the other gets behind the enemy and lands a hit. If that doesn't work, you can free your comrade by giving them a whack too."

Kira nodded her head, so if anyone falls for the trap just hit them. "In other words, when you are two or more, one acts as a decoy than the others attack continuously from the Sharingan's bland spot." Chiyo finished her explanation.

"I get it."

"There's some old age and wisdom for you!"

Kira shook her head glancing over at her brother for a moment before speaking up. "That's only okay if it's a regular Genjutsu level." Kakashi nodded picking up where Kira left off. "Correct, but in this guy's case, it's a little more troublesome. He uses Mangekyo Sharingan. It's more powerful than the original Sharingan. If you're caught by his ocular jutsu, he has you instantly. It has nothing to do with whether or not you can defeat Genjutsu." Kakashi explained thinking back to when he was caught in Itachi's trap.

"Well done, Kakashi. You've learned from experiencing Tsukuyomi, the nightmare realm, only once." Itachi mocked rubbing salt in the wound.

"That's not all, after using that ocular jutsu you were spent and tried to wrap things up and leave. That justu requires a considerable amount of Chakra. And it seems there's quite a risk to your eyes too... Itachi." Kakashi analyzed thinking back to his past fight.

Itachi didn't show any form of shock or surprise. He was still blank faced as he spoke again. "After only one fight. That's a pretty good analysis." After all, Kakashi was a genius. She watched her brother reach up and shift his head-plate off his eye. "Itachi... how much of your eyesight have you lost?"

Itachi seemed startled for just a moment. "Anyway, I dropped my guard last time. But I learn quickly. I don't make the same mistakes twice." Naruto smirked at Kakashi turning to look at Itachi in the eye.

"And if you think I'm the same as before your makin' a big mistake!" Kira monitored Itachi's feet watching in case he did anything. But he wasn't moving. He stood stock still, open for attack.

Kakashi never took his eyes off Itachi's "I'll take care of him, Naruto." Naruto grumbled thinking this was some sort of non-fighting teamwork task. "No, this time I need you for backup. I'd like to send you on ahead but I don't think I can take him alone."

It was a matter of seconds that passed, Kakashi had shot after Itachi and Naruto had frozen, he was trapped in a regular genjutsu. Sakura, Lady Chiyo, and Kira all held onto the boy looking him over concerned "You okay Naru?" Kira whispered softly never taking her hands off his shoulders.

He was fear stricken staring at Itachi. "It was Genjutsu, you're okay now." Sakura sighed slowly, letting him go. "It seems ocular jutsu isn't all he has."

Kakashi made sure Itachi was trapped when he told Naruto to attack Itachi and Kakashi shadow doppelganger. Naruto and a clone created a rasengan killing him off. Only it wasn't Itachi. "I felt something weird in the middle of the fight…" Kakashi confessed staring at the dead body.

"What's going on…?"

Kira stared at the man confused, who was he? "Did he just work for Itachi?"

"He…" Lady Chiyo started shocked. "You know him?"

It broke her heart seeing him. "He's Yura, he's a Jonin from our village." it made little sense, how could this man resemble and create a fireball jutsu just like an Uchiha? And on top of that we wasted so much time on trying to save Gaara.

"The real Itachi is at the Akatsuki lair... this replica was too slow us down and gather intelligence on us, they're good." Kakashi explained for the group who were still confused.

Chiyo couldn't look away from Yura. "Yes...it's clear they were trying to buy time. There's no doubt they've already started extracting the Biju." What? No! "Presumably they're trying to create a new Jinchuriki with the one tailed Shukaku."

"We have to hurry and rescue Gaara. We have to save him." Kira snapped looking to her brother expectantly. "There's no time to lose." He agreed.

"Jinchuriki?" Sakura muttered, confused. "Sakura not now! Gaara needs us!" She snapped about to run off on her own if it weren't for Kakashi grabbing her and keeping her grounded. "She needs to know."

"As I explained Biju have superhuman powers, and each country tried to use them for military purposes. If you control the Jinchuriki, you can control the Biju he's hosting." Chiyo explained looking saddened. "But you said no one could control such power." Sakura yelled confused.

"No one could in the end. But at one time people tried to control them by sealing Biju in humans." Kira glared at the ground thinking back to when Kakashi had told her how to save a village they had to seal a dragon inside her... now to find out they only did that to control the dragon?! "In that way, people tried to suppress the Biju's extreme powers and control them. And people in who were sealed like Gaara, are called Jinchuiki."

Kakashi felt his sister's hand raise to her head feeling her horn as the old woman spoke. "A Jinchuriki is capable of incredible power by resonating with their Biju, including Gaara, there have been three Jinchuriki in the Sand's history."

Sakura processed the information in her mind, her face contorting to one of pained sadness. "Using those Jinchuriki people have waged war repeatedly, right?" Chiyo didn't even hesitate to answer. "Yes." Sakura exploded her anger, raising to another level right now. "But then what the people who were made into Jinchuriki?!" She glanced over at Kira and Naruto. Their saddened looks made her heart ache.

"What can be done to pull the Biju out?"

"Removing a Biju requires a sealing jutsu with the power that is equal to that of the Biju and quite a bit of time. But once the Biju is removed the Jinchuriki…" Kakashi held Kira tighter than before, hugging her already knowing her pain would be great. "Oh, no…" Sakura whispered understanding now. Kira's hand dropped to Kakashi's arm squeezing it understanding the answer. She's dead if it comes out.

"When the Biju is removed the Jinchuriki dies." Sakura looked back and forth between Kira and Naruto. Naruto faced away from Sakura while Kira just looked dead as is. She was pale, she clutched onto her brother but showed no emotion. She looked like she wasn't even there. "Both of the sands other Jinchuriki I just mentioned died because Shukaku was removed."

Sakura let out a sob and then another. Tears desperately tried to fall. "Always quick to cry Sakura, don't worry. I'm gonna save Gaara!" the dam broke the tears stained her face and she couldn't understand why he thought she'd care more about Gaara.

"Naruto it's you Im…"

Kira pulled away from her brother "Let's go. We don't have much time." She muttered her heart already breaking. If she found out that the Akatsuki killed her boyfriend...she wouldn't be in control anymore. She'd give over control completely and sit in the shadows while Kaida ripped those who hurt Gaara to pieces.

They group of five ran off into the forest no one spoke everyone lost in their own thoughts. When it got dark, Kakashi ordered a break. Naruto and Sakura fell asleep while Kakashi, Chiyo and Kira stayed up. Kira's mind was hazy she just wanted to see him okay again. She wanted her Gaara to be happy and know she loved him.

Kira caught the woman staring at her a few times but ignored it. It didn't matter if she got stares anymore. All that mattered was Gaara.

Two teenagers sat in different countries laughing over the phone over a silly joke the other had said. Kira giggled curled up on her bed looking out the window of the dark sky. It was late but she couldn't seem to hang up. She loved him.

"Your joking. There's now way Kankuro failed that badly at talking to a girl." Kira snickered hugging her newest plushie. She wasn't the biggest fan of plush toys, but when this raccoon plush came in the mail, she just fell in love with it knowing he sent it.

"I'm swear Kankuro doesn't know how to speak to women. He talks tough but he can't." Kira giggled again, wishing he was sitting beside her, talking face to face. "Well, I hope you're not bringing in all the ladies." Gaara started laughing like it was some joke.

"Most of the girls here don't really talk to me...you're the only one I ever talk to anyway." her heart fluttered in her chest knowing this.

"That just can't be true," she heard his scoff in her ear. "Right because I can attract girls."

She couldn't understand how he didn't think he was attractive. "Why's that so hard to believe? You got me to love you." Kira's eyes widen in fear. Shit! She's never said that to him before. They had said nothing about love. She didn't want to scare him away. "Suh-sorry Gaara I…"

"You love me?"

Kira's face was tomato red as she squeezed her Raccoon tighter to her chest. What was he going to think? "I...you...we...ah…"

"Kira...you said you love me." His voice was so soft, his surprise was evident. "You love me?"

It was no or never the embarrassment was not going away and unfortunately it was bound to happen, eventually. "Yeah...I love you Gaara." The silence was killing her, did he hang up on her? What if he didn't feel the same way? What was she going to do? She couldn't just take it back.

"I think I love you too." Her heart leapt for joy hearing those words. She knew he was slowly coming out of his shell and talking about his feelings more. "I-I mean I...I don't know what it means to love another person…"

She didn't blame him, not after how he was brought up. She sunk into her pillow, staring up at her ceiling a big goofy grin on her face. "I understand...for me to figure out that I loved you were these phone calls. I miss you when you're gone, I like being beside you just staring up at the stars and talking, I look forward to our phone calls and wait for the next one when we finish. Even if we don't talk sometimes on the phone, it just makes me happy knowing you're there. When I'm sad you cheer me up easily, you send me little bits of Suna randomly, which makes my heart soar because it means you think of me. I worry I'm going to lose you as a boyfriend and friend and...I can't see us apart. The idea kills me inside."

She gave her explanation of love smiling to herself as she waited for him to respond. Sometimes it made her nervous but the weight on her chest for holding in that she loved Gaara was finally gone. She didn't care who knew it. She loved Gaara.

"Can you go check your email?" Kira snuck out of her room and quietly made her way to the computer in the living room. It took a few minutes for everything to load up. There was a new email from Gaara. It was a picture file. "What did you send me?"

"Just open it. I think you'll like it." Kira furrowed her eyebrows together, waiting for the picture to load. There were two. One where it had a Raccoon carrying a lizard on its back and the second was a picture of the stuffed dragon she found in Konoha. There was a note attached to it in big red lettering. 'I love you'

She didn't know what to say. "When did... how did... when did you take that?"

"A month ago... I didn't know how to say it. I wanted to hear the reason why you loved me first."

Gaara loved her? Gaara loved her!

"Break's over, let's head out." Kakashi startled Kira out of her thoughts. It took two minutes to get back on their journey.

They ran and jumped well into the night. With dawn approaching, Kira could feel they were close. When Naruto sped up, Kira did too. "Naruto! Kira! Wait!" Kakashi had yelled, but it was useless. His request fell on deaf ears.

"Why are they trying so hard to save Gaara? He's not even from the same village...And who in the world is he?" Lady Chiyo finally asked what had been bothering her. She just couldn't understand why Naruto and Kira cared so much about Gaara.

Kakashi stared at Naruto and Kira thinking if he should even tell her, she seemed awfully curious about those two but she had been kind to give them information on Sasori and what she knew about Biju extraction. "They're Jinchuriki as well. My sister has the Water Spirit sealed within her and Naruto has the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed within him." Lady Chiyo stared at Kakashi shocked. She knew the girl had something within her but the boy as well? "They probably don't have any special feelings toward Sunagakure but Gaara is a Jinchuriki too."

"Naruto understands Gaara better than anyone of Sunagakure ever could. When he first came to our village Gaara made an impact on her, she doesn't bring just anyone home." Chiyo's eyes started to close. "Naruto and Kira understand Gaara better than anyone. When it comes to how Jinchuriki have been treated all the villages are pretty much the same. That's why they have to save Gaara. Whether it's Konoha or Suna, it means nothing to them. To those two, Gaara is a comrade who shares his pain." Chiyo took in Kakashi's words feeling upset for being the cause of Gaara's pain.

"Naruto's dream is to become Hokage with Kira as his personal advisor so when he found out Gaara became Kazekage it frustrated him. But on the other hand Naruto was sincerely happy for Gaara, Naruto possesses a special power." Chiyo glanced at him confused. "Without exchanging many words he can strike up a friendship with anyone."

The older woman knew that few people could be this way; In all her years, she never saw such dedication for someone to help her village. "I've lived long, I've seen many things. And I've learned the ways of the world accordingly. And because I've found that alliances with other countries are mere formalities we needed resources to protect Sunagakure." She paused, letting out a sigh "The jutsu that sealed Shukaku inside of Gaara. I did it. I did it to protect the village, and the villagers suffered for it and now the village I avoided and didn't make an alliance with is trying to save us. All the things I have done may have very well been mistakes...even worse I've become decrepit and started giving up on things easily ..."

Lady Chiyo kept her eyes down, watching her footing. This was a top she never expected to have with anyone, especially the son of Konoha White Fang. "Kakashi, the young have so much potential within, I envy them."

Kakashi let out a laugh trying to smile through the situation "No, no. Your life's only just begun. You're still quite young." That seemed to cheer up the older woman she started laughing at Kakashi "That's true, there may still be something I can do."

The base was only just a few meters away. Naruto, Kira, Sakura, Kakashi, and Lady Chiyo could see a group of four standing outside a large boulder. It had to be the entrance to the Akatsuki base. Gaara was in there!

After Master Guy tried to break open the door only to be resisted Team Guy were stuck unsure what to do. How were they going to help save Suna's Kazekage? "First we have to break this barrier! Hey Lee!" Might Guy explained to his students.

"But how?" Tenten muttered completely flabbergasted. This was something they've never encountered on a mission before.

"It's a five seal barrier." Kakashi explained landing just outside the group. The others not too far behind him. "You're late Kakashi." Guy muttered.

"Well you see, we ran into a little trouble along the way." Kakashi explained in a carefree attitude. He was trying to stay calm, at least for his sisters sake.

Lee seemed to brighten up catching sight of the group. "Naruto! Kira! Sakura!" He exclaimed a big bright smile on his face. Sakura seemed to be the only one happy to see Lee and the rest of Team Guy.

Kira bit her bottom lip and started to fidget with her arm again, there was a small rip in the metal. She didn't know if it was part of her imagination or not but she kept picking at the metal piece. Maybe it was a loose screw? Maybe it actually had torn out of place, it was a perfect distraction at the moment.

"Naruto…" Neji called nodding in his greeting. Sakura was beaming now. "Everyone's here. So you arrived ahead of us!" Kira gave a small nod to the group and watched the water ripple beneath their feet as they moved. They were wasting time!

Pakkun said his farewells and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. The first order of business was to figure out where the other seals were placed. Neji was quick to activate his Byakugan and was able to pinpoint the other four seals. "I see them. One's on a rock five hundred meters to the north east, another on a tree by a river about three hundred and fifty meters south southeast, then there's a cliff wall about six hundred and fifty meters to the northwest, and the last one is in a wood, about eight hundred meters southwest from here."

Guy grinned pulling out form wireless earpieces "Alright! They're all within wireless range. Take these. Neji will guide us straight to the talismans." It took them seconds to get everything in place "My team is faster. We'll handle it. The frequency's at 174. Hang tight until I touch base."

Kakashi glanced back at Kira once more to check on her. She was getting antsy staring at the large rock willing it to break. "We're counting on you."

"Team Guy! Lets go forth with the power of youth! Scatter!" It took three minutes for Team Guy to find the remaining seals. Kira shot up sticking to the rock hand hovering on the paper. She waited for Kakashi's signal.

"So to break in, I'm thinking we'll need a switch hook entry." Kakashi explained nodding his head to his sister watching her rip the paper seal away. "Sakura!"

"Here I come!" Kira was quick to jump away landing gracefully beside Naruto keeping her head down as rock crumbled and dust surrounded the vicinity Kakashi rushed in first, then Naruto and the others filled in behind. Weapons drawn ready for action.

Two men dressed in Akatsuki robes sat on the ground and… oh gods no. The blonde haired one was sitting on Gaara a large clay bird stood staring at the group confused.

Kira's eyes widen as she saw her boyfriend's pale face. He wasn't breathing. Tears started to spring to life, she was too late. "No..." she had whispered horrified.

"Now lets see, which one is the Jinchuriki hosts? Hmmm?" The warm feeling that usually made her feel calm was gone. Her eyes stung, her headache, everything burned as she stared at that jackass just sitting on her boyfriend.

'We must make them pay!'

'Yeah, we should.'

Okay so thats it for this chapter! This took me longer than I would have liked to figure out what to do. I have an announcement to make, I've gotten a new job and when I start I probably won't be able to update as much as I'd like to. I'll probably be able to update twice a month and thats if my laptop stops being a piece of garbage. Oh well. But I wonder what's going to happen in the next chapter? How is Kira going to handle Deidara and Sasori. Is she going to fight with Sakura or chase after Deidara to kill?