Chapter Three: "Why so soon?"

Bodyguard or not, he was not staying in her room while she got dressed and ready for the lingering day ahead. Tightening her hair in it's ponytail, she couldn't help but be harsh and hard in her actions, she was still pissed off but mostly, she really didn't know what to do with herself and that normally irritated her.

She seemed to have inherited her father's constant desire for productivity, oh what a joy.

Finishing off, she collected her handbag, shoved in a purse, make-up kit, pen and notepad, pack of tissues and her phone then left the room with a tap of fresh tan pumps, spying Kakuzu standing by the stairs a little ahead of the corridor.

Taking in a deep breath. Something she found herself doing a lot recently, she made her way towards him.

"Hey!"

He turned to her nonchalantly, eyes dull. He was very tempted to say: 'You took your time'.But it wasn't his place to criticise. She was lucky it wasn't. Coughing his acknowledgement, she pouted at his lack of enthusiasm.

"Well I don't really need to do much today, I suppose I might go to the gym a bit later on, but I'm still pretty tired so I am going to take a drive" she explained, simultaneously messing with her fingernails until she brushed them off and looked up at him.

"I suppose there is no damn way I can go anywhere without dragging you along" she sighed, and Kakuzu raised an eyebrow.

"Ouch" he scoffed sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes and pursed her lips.

"Deal with it" she purred and walked around to head downstairs. Kakuzu followed as he should and even felt himself drag, this is not how he wanted to spend any of his time.

It was babysitting for all he thought; she was so young and immature.

Inoichi looked up at his daughter stepping downstairs and her bodyguard trudging behind, he truly felt sorry for the unlucky buggar.

He had just picked up some notes and letters from the door and nodded to his daughter who just flicked her hair back in a confident, careless manner.

"I am going out for a drive and to the gym, don't worry Kakuzu will be with me, have a nice day" she declared in a mono tone voice, not even meeting eyes with her dad.

Who just grunted in response, but soon she and Kakuzu were getting into her Porsche and kicking into a soft growling purr. Inoichi shook his head and closed the door.

Damned bitch, why hadn't she just died? It was an inconvenience that they now had to deal with her for longer, instead of carrying on with the plan.

"The chick probably didn't even hear anything, just squabbling and swear words, she will have passed us for some ordinary thugs that she doesn't want to get involved with" Kisame claimed, stretching so hard his bones cracked, he looked bored.

"But leader would kill us if we just let her live, un" Deidara replied in protest, pinching the bridge of his nose with a finger and a thumb.

"Trying to kill her was bad enough, but now chasing her down...I don't even like killing girls, un"

"Especially when they look just like you" Sasori sneered and the blonde member glared at him.

"Yes! Maybe she was a relative of Deidara! OH! Or even a sister!" Tobi squealed with delight.

"You know Tobi; I don't think I have any damn sibling's, moron"

Tobi flinched.

"Last time I checked, this wasn't about Deidara's twin, but what to do with the girl" Itachi snarled and everyone fell silent.

Kakuzu was secretly glad that Ino had turned the music on; it was an interruption for the awkward silence they had already endured for ten minutes.

He wasn't great at conversations anyway so he was also glad she had not tried to start one, although he didn't expect she would have, so leaning back in soft leather he just watched the road ahead. She was a very smooth driver, and at quite a nice, fast speed as well.

The urge to sleep was difficult to resist and as he folded his arms, making a slight shuffle with the clothing making Ino glance over, he closed his eyes.

Ino looked over again around ten minutes later (sure it was a long drive but who cared) and saw a motionless Kakuzu.. Except for deep breaths that rumbled through his chest, he was silent. Sleeping on the job? She made a sound gesture of mock disapprove and turned her gaze back to the front, an amused smile on her face. It seemed more comfortable when he was asleep, less like she was constantly being watched, which despite her self centred nature, creeped her out.

But she couldn't help but notice how frustrated he looked, even in sleep his eyebrows twisted into a narrow strain. After a few moments of hesitation, Ino slowly crept her hand to the side of his seat and with movements she did as carefully as possible, moved his seat back to a more suitable position.

To her surprise, he didn't wake, not such a fantastic on guard protector after all. Continuing her drive she bobbed her head along to the music in a new good nature.

Kakuzu was awake the moment her hand had grasped the lever, but he didn't open his eyes, out of curiosity and apathy. He was surprised when his seat moved back but he supposed it was her hidden nature of consideration and he thought nothing of it, so once he stopped moving, he fell back into a deep sleep.

He wouldn't mind, it was like, three steps away, besides he was asleep, he wouldn't even know.

Leaving the car, Ino quietly clicked it into lock and headed into the little shop.

"Bad move, pretty girl, yeah" Deidara smirked and stepped out from his own car and as if on cue, which they probably were, Itachi, Sasori and Kisame followed suit. Only they had come on this mission, because it would only take those four to deal with it.

Muffins, cupcakes, chocolate éclairs, Ino's stomach and she whimpered, she was so hungry, but that didn't mean she would let herself fall vulnerable to the sweet bakery section.

Okay, yeah so she ended up buying a cheap packet of four muffins, she wouldn't die! Besides, she would give some to Kakuzu. Dropping them into her shopping bag she carried on to more suitable food items like some fruit and drinks. She felt like a snack was necessary, after all the stress, she bloody deserved it!

Turning the corner, brushing a strand of long flaxen hair behind her ear, she stopped dead when she saw who stood in front of her, eyes narrowed and all.

"Billboard brow" she sneered.

"Ino-Pig" the equally as vicious voice replied.

As if she needed this! Ino didn't know Kakuzu's sleeping patterns, he would be furious if she got back any later.

"Sorry Sakura, but can't chat, got someone waiting for me, but it was terrible to meet you again" Ino sighed in a mock dramatic way. Flicking her hair, she walked past the green eyed female who shouted.

"What? Like someone would wait for you, no one has the time"

"Well Kakuzu has the time"

"A guy?"

"Yes, I know it's strange for you to say, since you haven't been with many"

"You bitch!"

That's when a hand out of nowhere grabbed Ino's shopping bag and dragged her into an aisle. With a silenced yelp she disappeared from Sakura's view, but that didn't matter, because the blossom named girl was knocked out and slumped to the ground before being hauled over someone's shoulder, Ino recognised long dark hair.

What. The. Hell. Was Itachi. Doing here?

Of course the blonde knew of the infamous Akatsuki gang, an organised criminal group in the streets. Well known for their unusual but distinctive patterns of using more traditional weaponry and tactics.

The kunai in her wall. Oh god. How had she not known before. That must mean...

Ino turned to her own capturer, he wore a long dark hood so she couldn't indicate a face, but he was huge, with a muscular build.

"Oh shit"

Kakuzu mumbled slightly as he woke, turning to see a calm and casual Ino but instead, it was an empty seat. A few moments was all Kakuzu needed to process the information, Ino was gone.

Looking around out the windows, Kakuzu realised they were at a shop, oh fucking marvellous, as if the little bitch hadn't already strolled in there with a big sign flashing over her head: 'Here I am, catch me if you can'

Unlocking the door, he got out and as he closed the door, saw the entrance doors slide open and someone pulling Ino along leave, followed by a certain Uchiha, with a pink haired girl in his arms. Ino saw him and yelped.

"Kakuzu! H…Help! KAKUZU!" at hearing the bodyguard's name, the abductor glared and as he rushed over, Kakuzu saw the flash of blue skin.

"Kisame" he growled under his breath and stormed over, where the shark-man managed to pick up speed, but not before Kakuzu had caught up, wrenching Ino from his grip, he gripped the larger man's wrist and wires slipped out of crumpled stitches over his arms, tightening the blue limb with crushing voice.

"Okay man! Just stop! Its orders!"

Orders that almost lost him a shit-load of cash.

With a last snap he cracked the man's bone and Kisame hissed at the pain, Kakuzu knew he was a fast healer though, so not much harm done.

Seeing Itachi with the kunoichi, he couldn't help but not care, and instead, yanked a flustered Yamanaka back to the car.

"Kakuzu, wait!" she panted "Sakura!"

"They will just put her by the pavement, they don't tend to fuss over unnecessary captives" he snarled in reply and Ino watched with more than mild surprise as Itachi lowered Billboard brow to the ground and then rushed off with the others, who got into a bright red BMW m3.

Kakuzu raised his eyebrow, they couldn't have picked anything more subtle…and cheap? They were at a loss with cash since his resignation. At least the colour of the car complimented their organisation.

Ino obediently got into the passenger seat of the car, Kakuzu held the wheel furiously in his grasp when they both sat there silently.

"You absolute IDIOT!" he snarled, eyes blazing. "Do you know where they could have taken you, and what they would have done before killing you?"

Ino didn't say anything; she just looked down at the fists that were loosely curled on her lap.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous it is, to just walk into the shops, or get out of your car alone, until these men are dealt with?" his voice wasn't as loud, but still filled with anger. It scared Ino and she blinked away tears.

"I know, I…I am sorry" she stammered, ashamed that tears and sobbing could already be heard.

Kakuzu had heard because he let go of the wheel and turned to her.

"No one wants you to be hurt or…even worse than that, and you know what I mean, so please just think before you go anywhere, it will be over soon" his voice was steady, clear and controlled but Ino bit her lip and whimpered as a tear slid down her face.

"Look, it's alright now…I'm…sorry I yelled okay?" Kakuzu was crap at apologising and being nice, and much better at shouting, so the apology didn't sound too genuine, but he meant it.

Leaning forward, he fell back and froze when she dove into his chest and gripped the front of his top in fistfuls of clothing.

"I am so…so sorry" she sobbed. "I…was so…s…s…scared"

It had gotten way too much and she hated herself for breaking down in front of him. But right now, she needed someone.

"Look its fine now, your safe, just get-" he was cut off when she responded to the words he didn't say and moved off his chest, where tear stains embedded in the dark material.

"Kakuzu" she said slowly and he replied with an undeniably nervous.

"Yes?"

"What the hell are you doing sitting there? I am driving!"

The pout was back and although the tears were not quite gone, Kakuzu secretly smiled under his veil. She was a little stronger than he thought. Getting out the front seat, and he opened the door as she slid into her place.

"Oh shit" she cursed when he got back in and clicked on the seatbelt.

"What?"

"I forgot to pay for this stuff"

Kakuzu glanced at the bag.

"They won't miss it, what did you get?"

"Muffins, some bananas and apples, four bottles of water and some paracetamol tablets" she claimed and then added."And you won't get a muffin until you forget I ever cried on you"

"When you what?" he mocked surprise and she smirked.

With a grin she opened the bag to show Belgian chocolate chip muffins, large and fresh baked.

Kakuzu liked Muffins enough to pretend Ino never broke down, but he preferred to think that anyway in order to never enter an awkward conversation in the future.

"You know Ino, they know I am your bodyguard now and they have a small degree of information on you, so staying at your house won't continue happening, which is why I want you to drive according to my directions, to a small, insignificant motel which should be good enough cover for now"

"A motel? But I need to get clothes and food!"

Food will be provided there and I have a suitcase of clothes in a suitcase at the back in case of a situation like this"

"You knew this would happen"

"If I knew, I wouldn't have been asleep"

She pouted.

"It better be nice"

A/N: A lot more action then before, sorry for the awkward hug but I couldn't help it, and it just kind of flowed so…yeah, haha. Now I'm redoing it I can see how poor my punctuation was, bless you all for tolerating!

Thank you XxKikikyxX for putting this story under your favourites and subscriptions AND reviewing it! Really made my day!

#LAW09