Countdown less than a week to Christmas! :D

This chapter's title as well as certain moments come from the song "Love Exists" by Amy Lee.

Chapter Fourteen

Love Exists: Naru and Itachi

The flames died, leaving behind nothing but blackened wood and ashes. That left the job for someone to collect them for the jar that was in Naru's other hand. But before the burning was finished, there were each person's words save for a few who didn't know Tsunade well.

"She was a hell of a woman," Shizune said after a sniffle. "She was the only family I had. She taught me everything." Tonton the pig oinked in agreement.

Naru grimaced for a moment before she forced herself to be stoic. "Granny Tsunade was a grouchy old bat when I first met her, and we betted I could be Hokage which was also the dream of two of her lost loved ones. I'm continuing my dream for us both - and everyone else counting on us."

Kisame wasn't the kind of man to be like the girls were in terms of their emotions, but the somber displayed on his blue face was as genuine as it could get, and Deidara's glances back and forth and then at the burning remains caused his face to twist as if struggling to keep a straight face. Most likely recalling his "mistake" and what she said to him.

"I didn't know her well, but she was everything you said she was, big brother," Sasuke said. "That's all I have to say." Which was better than nothing. Though his teammates said not a word.

So the fires were done with their work, leaving him and Sasuke to pick up the ashes themselves while Kisame and Deidara were charged with taking care of the grieving women, and left Sasuke's trio to join them. He could only hope there would be no clashes because of differences in these walls.

When the ashes were in their rightful place, both their hands dirtied and would do well to wash by the nearby spring outside, the brothers found themselves alone, but Itachi was holding the urn carrying what was left of a great woman. The silence between them was strained, and he did not know how to start small talk since Sasuke was the one doing most of the avoiding - until the younger broke it first.

"Where is she going to be kept?" Small, awkward words first. "There's going to be plenty of explosions, so there's a chance she might end up being blown apart, and her ashes flying about."

"Yes, you are right," Itachi agreed, drying his hands on his cloak and then knelt down to pick up the urn.

Sasuke was looking at him now, no trace of hostility, and the elder knew why. He's starting to accept the facts. But even I still can't tell what you are thinking. "I'm going to talk to Naru," he said, and he was turning away when his brother called to him.

If his younger sibling was going to try to comfort Naru in a way he knew best, then he had to be wary of how to word it carefully, so Itachi warned him to NEVER say anything to upset her.

"I am not going to. I saw everything, so I want to try to make things right between us again."

~o~

Three days passed, but everything that happened was eventful if quiet. By quiet, she meant that there was no sign of Danzo or his Root anytime soon. That gave her and the gang, after Tsunade's cremation - her urn kept safeguarded within these walls so that she and Shizune wouldn't have to spend their time always watching over it - time to start to interact more, learn to handle each other, and other things.

There was Kisame showing Suigetsu how to be a real master swordsman, and Juugo getting his Curse Mark rages under control even without Sasuke's help. It was then that Naru found herself getting to know Karin more, even finding out her lineage.

She's an Uzumaki...like me. Distant cousins.

Doesn't surprise me. I suspected as much.

Why didn't you say so before then, Kurama? she challenged, getting a huff.

Well, you never know, brat.

Well, anyway, she and her mother were from the Hidden Grass Village - or rather, they refuged there, and her mother was a kind and caring woman who healed wounded from the village under the watchful eye of a horrible man...until one day she died after giving away way too much chakra, which was left up to Karin from then on against her wishes.

Naru flinched in and out at the thought of someone biting onto your body just to have more chakra to heal the inside and outside of another. That's...despicable! Screw that it's the way of the world! What about chakra donation like hospitals donate blood?!

And then, when she had a part in the Chuunin Exams five years ago, she was there when she was tasked with finding both scrolls - and then she was attacked by a huge bear before being saved by Sasuke. But despite that, she and her team failed to get the Heaven and Earth Scrolls.

Sometime later, she ended up staying in another village for her failure, and that was when she sensed attackers who did just that to her "home"; it just so happened that Orochimaru was among and discovered her when she survived. Having nowhere to go and recognizing her potential, he took her under his wing...but she still continued to be a human buffet for chakra donation to the injured. The Snake Sannin and Kabuto also continued to study the way her body worked so that replications could be made; she even got to be involved with experiments involving Juugo, Suigetsu and even Kimimaro. Luckily, she'd been placed in charge of the Southern and eventually Eastern Hideouts.

By the time Sasuke defeated Orochimaru, he had the test subjects released from their cells, and others who were immensely suffering had to be treated before consideration to return back to their families if they had any left.

More and more every day having terrible lives like me, Haku, Sasuke, Itachi, Neji...Deidara...

She stopped there at the thought of the clay bomber. The one who hadn't meant to kill Konohamaru but didn't so much as flinch when he even thought of a life being lost. So Naru spent her time avoiding him, not wanting to explode again because she was out of control around him over the littlest things. And this Sasuke noted but simply raised an eyebrow over.

The places to sleep were spacious, and since it was consisting of caverns, it wasn't a surprise that there were limited resources for a proper guest room, though it had to do. She and Shizune ended up sharing a space together, and Tonton was the first to go to sleep right away since animals always were worn out first and took a couple days or so recuperate from the changes.

As for Shizune - she had her work cut out for her not only with healing the men and with Karin's help, she also had the men hitting on her, from Kisame and Suigetsu's end. Naru did NOT want to hear half the things that were spoken about her somewhat big sister figure.

"But Deidara," Shizune said, a little sparkle in her eyes, "there is something about him. I mean, he goes on and on about his 'art', but someone should get him to open his eyes up. He even talked to me about how...heartbroken and explosive you were." And you know what he hinted.

So, in other words, Deidara was a coward to talk to HER about this, but he talked to Shizune? What the hell does that mean?!

Or does it mean that he really does see someone to talk to instead of all of us?

Perhaps, but it's too much of a conclusion to jump to, Kurama replied, and he was totally right.

"What did he say?" Naru asked when they were enjoying a good fish that was caught and roasted over fire, just the two women together now, and the pig enjoying flaky meat of her own. She oinked with appreciation, then going to curl at Shizune's feet.

"He lost a sister when he was much younger. They were both from a clan which possessed the Explosion Release, though Deidara wasn't born with the use of clay," the raven explained, a faraway look coming over her eyes. "He was extremely close to her, protected her like a big brother would, but when she was taken from him by an enemy within his own village, revenge consumed him which resulted in taking a forbidden jutsu to finally hunt down the one who did it. He had been an apprentice of the Sandaime Tsuchikage, and the old man's granddaughter was in a way the sister he lost, though it wasn't really HER. So, I understood what it was like to have someone new to fill the void, except it never goes away..."

Deidara...you lost someone, too. It wasn't just being misunderstood for your abilities. I see why you hardly open up to anyone. And after you used that forbidden jutsu to create what you have now, you were branded. You got your revenge, but it took you off the correct path like it did to Sasuke. That's where you and he are similar...

Naru was more confused than ever, but after what he did to Gaara, she had forgiven him by a small amount. Could she even do the same now?

Runt, look deeper into her eyes.

She saw it: the sparkle behind the mist at the understanding of the pain of losing someone close to you. And the way Shizune spoke was no different than the time she told a younger Naru about her mistress losing Dan and Nawaki...

Was she...falling for Deidara so soon because of an understanding?

No, it might not be. But if it is, then it shouldn't happen so soon. Those two ought to know each other first.

This was also an opportunity to ask the older girl about something important, regarding a topic that Sakura once misunderstood. "Shizune, what is...love?"

~o~

The Akatsuki grounds had more isolation than anything around for the training sessions between its members.

They all knew how strong each other was, but it was also means to keep each other going and not have a moment's peace during the day, though you shouldn't push yourself either. Itachi set that grounds when he took the Akatsuki head seat, but sometimes he wondered if he was too soft which was what Kisame sometimes teased him about...just like Shisui.

And besides these last three days, he saw some people bonding with each other, jabs between Kisame and Suigetsu mostly, and then he caught on that there was something between Deidara and Shizune, but he didn't eavesdrop. What they talked about was their business, and if the bomber knew his leader unintentionally invaded his personal space, he would lash out for the "invasion of privacy".

It was around this time that Sasuke happened across his brother one night, on the third day of being here at headquarters, while Itachi was atop the entrance of bones and looking upon the quarter moon. To gaze upon the moon which is a gentle protector above the darkness we live in...it purifies enough of the soul if not everything.

"I talked to her."

Itachi had his eyes closed in deep meditation, having clearing his thoughts but finding them troubled mostly regarding her, and this time not the battle that was ahead. It was another battle altogether that he had no idea if they should approach despite the clear attraction by the invisible thread. What had come from nowhere and in the least expected of places, which he never would have dreamed of after Izumi, though they had never been more than just dear friends. Blossomed like a wildflower that wasn't by human hands.

She plagued his dreams at night, chasing away the memories of the horrors of war, of his clan's demise and the dirty deeds he did in the Black Ops, overlapping rather than extinguishing the nightmares of his past life.

But if only the past could be erased forever, thrown to the darkness where it should be.

"She's...I don't feel ready admitting it to her or anyone except you, brother. But I wish I could have consoled her better than I have. I forgot what it was like to assure someone, or be assured myself." There was a distant look in his eyes; the elder brother could see it even when the younger lowered his eyes to the ground. "I know I hate seeing her like that, and you know how to comfort better than me. I know that hasn't changed."

Sasuke still thought of her as a friend despite everything, but didn't know how to be a true good friend when the other was in distress. He thought he could shoulder everything alone even now, as well.

"Well, Sasuke, perhaps you should start learning how to," he stated, standing up and jumping down from the good if not great height to stand a perfect five feet away from his brother. "When a friend is in distress like Naru, even if you don't understand, simply telling them everything will be alright - even if you know it isn't - will do so much. But since you know as much what it's like about loss and solitude, you should already know but are holding it in. That is nothing to be ashamed of."

As expected, the younger Uchiha said nothing, but his eyes said it all: you can't expect me to do what you're better at than me. Sighing, Itachi resigned and chose to leave him at that, but he knew Sasuke would learn his lesson eventually.

Night fell. He was out here alone, much deserving of it, and he was certain that there could be no disturbances after he sought her out.

The air was fresh and cool, and the river water was the only music available. Crickets could be heard far in the distance. Barriers were around the location so that no one would sense a presence, but any sensors inside would detect when you were Naru Uzumaki and Karin.

It didn't surprise him that she was using Sage Mode to check the perimeters again; she worked too hard again. But it appeared she was done, for she was getting up and leaving, but when she saw him there, she had known he was there all the time. And for the period, he watched her from behind, taking in how her hair was always so untamed, like she was, and bright even as darkness fell. Had she'd been in the Black Ops on missions, enemies would spot her no matter camouflaging herself - because of her hair alone.

He didn't see her joining the dark side of the Leaf Village, because she was too good for that kind of tainting.

"I know what you're going to say," she started, but he held his hand up.

"I'm not here to tell you that you're overdoing it again, but rest assured, this mountain is protected by undetectable barriers. I came here because...well, after everything, you deserve something that I seldom received from others, except Sasuke when we were children," Itachi said, approaching her carefully as she stood straighter, and he paused right in front of her, keeping one foot away.

She frowned when she saw this. "Why do you insist on staying so far away?"

"You call one foot far?"

"It's too far for me," she stated. "You do this with everyone except in battle. Sasuke I understand, but why do you do this with me especially?"

You know why.

Naru looked away from him, right at the raging waters which were only calm at this time of night. "I hate that things have to be so hard. Can't we just come out and say it already? Say that there is something there that can't be explained with words but is obvious enough?" she said, agitated. "And why does it always have to have us frustrated?"

He thought to himself that it was more her than him, but that would make her feel worse. She had no idea he was just as much as she, and he was finished dancing around. "I wish it were otherwise. I came here to put an end to that, starting with this." And so he crossed the barrier, sealing it with a kiss that froze her where she was, and he took her right into his arms, wrapping them around her waist, but hers were out on either side in shock until they came to rest on both his cloaked shoulders.

Heartbeat to heartbeat was the silent declaration without speaking.

Darkness instantly blared with light from its core, ignited by this kiss alone...binding him to her and her to him.

When they broke apart, lips were swollen, cheeks flushed but their hearts were moreso ablaze. I've NEVER felt like this before.

"Oh, God, Shizune was right," Naru gasped, looking at him with vivid eyes filled with stars. He wouldn't be surprised if she was literally blinded.

He chuckled, having a hint as to what she was referring to. "What precisely did she say?"

"That love makes no real sense, drowns you and sets you on fire at the same time...but it's also without reason and conquers all fears."

All true the same in the sense it molds you into a far better person, changes you and drives you to do what you never imagined you would...but if only it were as simple as asking for nothing in return. "Is this what you've wanted?" Itachi asked, not releasing her until she answered, and after a few breaths as well as still-flushed skin, she answered.

"I never even looked for falling in love, but I was deprived of it much of my life. I think I want more than just friends and familial love...the kind Sakura misunderstood for Sasuke, and I understand what it really is even though I never had it before," Naru answered. "Just like you must have had for...her."

He knew who she meant by "her". He looked down at the small barrier between their bodies, but it wound up landing on her endearing chest curves accentuated by the exposed fishnet. "I didn't...love Izumi the way you believed. I cared about her as a dear friend, but I knew her side was so much more. I didn't know how to lower my guard after everything that I've seen, which was more than she could handle. She had to be left away from the darkness I lived in, like Sasuke...but I couldn't even protect two people at once."

"But can you do it...for me?" she asked, biting her lower lip, and the sight as well as the color darkening to the shade of a rose made his blood boil.

"We'll go somewhere more...private for that," he husked, picking her up into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist, and he took her to a farther away place that was close enough to the mountain and within the barrier's protection.

~o~

We're going to finally do it.

She had to say she was nervous and excited at the same time.

His hand was resting on her thigh, bending it at the knee, as he lay her down in the grass behind a collection of shrubs, and his cloak all but discarded to be safely hidden. She reached up and pulled that headband from his forehead and then the tie from his hair, letting the rich midnight locks fall over either shoulder to release his wild side...and she found she liked this new side of Itachi Uchiha that she'd never seen before.

He deepened the kiss right after taking off her headband as well, so that tonight they were not associated with anyone other than each other. Naru moaned when he moved down to her neck, suckling where a major vein throbbed. "I-tachi, make me yours."

She wanted only him and no one else, because as far as she was concerned, if she could never have him in the end, then there would be no one at all. She would have her friends and that was all that mattered, and if Sasuke returned home to be with them again, she would settle for that.

Itachi growled at the words, making her body vibrate with pleasure, but said nothing as he began to divest her from the waist down, dragging her trousers, tool pack and underwear down her legs, the gooseflesh rising on her exposed self, and stopping where her sandals were. All were gone in no time. Naru sat up to unzip her orange vest the rest of the way down, shoving it behind her and then yanking the fishnet above her head, breasts bouncing before his eyes, nipples shocked by the night air and his eyes which blazed to the cores.

But then his eyes traveled south to her trimmed hips and thighs, resting on the wild, dark triangle covering her V-shape, which started to twitch on the insides from his stare alone. She quickly closed her legs together, suddenly feeling a little shy. He frowned, brows forming a straight line, standing up then and starting to remove his clothing to join her. She watched, transfixed by the sight, feeling her throat go dry and her mouth getting wetter and wetter at each part of his beautiful body that was revealed, from his powerful upper muscles she'd seen before to everything else below his waist, namely the large, mushroom-headed thing between his legs which was framed with dark curls. That was what men looked like, but Temari said size varied.

But she also looked upon the black swirl on his forearm, marking him as former captain of the Black Ops. Naked and vulnerable just like she was, long hair swaying in the breeze - she drew her knees up to her chest, however - and holding himself together as he let someone else see him for the first time, and maybe be touched the way he would.

She knew what he was feeling.

Standing up, Naru walked up to him, resting her head against his chest to feel his heartbeat, listening as its pace quickened upon contact. "Naru," he murmured into her hair. "My breath of fresh air."

She'd breathed new life into his without trying too hard. He didn't deserve someone like her, not after all he did with his hands on orders or not, but she wanted to prove him wrong. Because for all she suffered, she deserved him as much. And for that, she said the very words.

"I love you, Itachi."

He stiffened, and that was enough. Lifting her head from his chest, Naru looked up at him and made things a bit rough without leaving bruises and broken bones, and that was pushing him off his feet, onto his back which was where more grass was. He had no idea yet how to say those words, but while it felt good for her to say them, she had yet to get used to this kind of thing despite learning what she did from Shizune.

When girls fall in love, is it always really true love? Can their feelings change as time goes on?

Shelve that for another time and just enjoy the present.

Itachi harshly gasped for breath as he didn't expect what she did, but their coupling intensified as their bodies and their groins rubbed together for more, wishing to take that final step that made them one. She could hardly wait herself. Naru gasped when she felt herself touch him right there, and it was like two deities dancing together, alone and unafraid. They were free to be each other, with their comrades nowhere in sight...for now.

Kurama was asleep, or pretending to and was just enjoying the show for his own pleasure.

When he slid between her legs, the insides of her womanhood were highly sensitive on new levels because of him. She felt her heart jump against her breastbone and the interior of her pelvis erupt with a small pain, telling her that her virginity was taken - by him. The pain was gone in moments when his hips thrusted up to meet hers. She began to utter moans at the magical feeling that made her feel so alive and happy, and looking down, she saw that he wasn't restraining his emotions at being sheathed inside her, linked with her and proud to have her.

His black hair was spread around his head like a halo, his muscles flexing and gleaming in the light of the fireflies that had come out to dance and play with their mating ritual.

"When this is over, I'm going to pull out at the last minute," he rasped, arm wrapped around her waist and dragging her body down with him, their pace increasing rapidly. "While the thought of having a child with you is surreal, it's not an opportune time."

Tears burned Naru's cheeks at both his words and his touches, the grass caressing their skins and waving as their bodies occasionally switched positions: her atop him then switching to lay on one side to face each other, eventually with him atop her and assuming the position. Naru choked on her cries as Itachi passionately made love to her, sometimes bowing his head to kiss her lips and then her breasts, suckling the painfully hard tips and telling her she tasted exquisite.

This is the happiest night of my life.

In brainstorming Deidara's backstory, besides not being understood, I thought there could be something more than that, such as a great loss that he had to bury himself into his art to avoid another bond and the pain of loss. It makes sense much of the time for people who lost someone they loved that they seek something else to alleviate the suffering, but it never goes away. (And no, the unnamed sister isn't the Third Tsuchikage's granddaughter Kurotsuchi)

And bloody hell, the deed done between Itachi and Naru. :3 Now that it's done, REVIEW! Totally deserving.