The day Ayame left…

Flash Back:

"Dorchet! Please let the little ones know that supper is ready." Ayame yelled up the stairs of the modest two story house. Being the oldest she was the leader of the orphans and considered "The only one to give orders besides their 'master'." Their 'master' was the orphanage's head, a monstrosity of a man named **. He was very abusive and no one was allowed to call him by his real name. He was also the one that had organized a hierarchy: at the top was himself, followed by employed help, followed by adoptables' (everyone younger than ten), and lastly the undesirables (everyone older than ten and deemed unadoptable). To the last class was where she and her six companions belonged, Dorchet who was a bit of a pain in the butt, but was very loyal and would do anything to get the younger ones out of harm's way (12); Leia, the oldest after her and the one in charge of cooking for the orphans(14); Ryuu, a realist with a 'glass half empty' attitude (12); Kazuki, who was the one who tried to keep the peace between everyone and was sort of the judge when it came to disputes (13); Ren, the 'healer' of the group who tended to all injuries of the body and mind (mind meaning he was good to talk to; 13); and Deidara, who had been at the house since the age of four (now 13) and was like the scapegoat. Whenever someone got in trouble he would take the beating saying "I'm the one who's been here the longest meaning I'm more capable of dealing with the beatings." Ayame and Deidara were very close and as much as he a strong happy individual to everyone else, he put down his mask only to her. He told her everything and she often comforted him after punishments allowing him to cry into her shirt.

One by one the groups arrived from different directions, all lead by one of the 'undesirables.' While all of the younger ones sat down to eat a measly dinner of bread and butter, the older caregivers sat on the dusty old couch and watched. As they began talking about their day Ayame noticed that someone was missing.

"Where's Dei?" she asked and the room got instantly quiet. Everyone looked at each other in silence not knowing the answer, until one stood.

"He was called away…" said a little girl no older than 5. "To the masters room. But no one did anything bad." She concluded.

As the younger ones resumed eating the others looked at Ayame who sighed.

"Alright, Ren get your medical stuff," she ordered. "Leia, and Ryuu, watch the little ones. Dorchet your with me, and Kazuki you go and get the bath tub filled up." And with that they split up. Dorchet followed Ayame to the master's room and the two sat down across the hall. They could now hear muffled yelling and sounds of abuse through the thick wooden door, but made no intention of moving, they knew what would happen if they interrupted.

"What do you think he did?" Dorchet asked her astring at the door. His nails scratched at the tile floor and his teeth clenched telling Ayame that he was trying hard to fight back his instincts.

"I'm not sure." She replied also fighting the urge to go and help her friend. "I don't understand why he would call him in without him doing something wrong and he never is the one to actually do it. It makes no..."

At that moment Deidara was thrown out of the room and the door was slammed shut. He landed on top of Ayame who gazed down shocked by both the action and what she saw. The blonde teen was in nothing but his boxers and had numerous fresh wounds on him. Flipping him over he winced and she heard the nauseating sound of ribs cracking. His teeth and eyes were clenched from the pain, and she looked at Dorchet.

"Looks like Ren's got his work cut out for him." He said gazing at his friend. Ayame scooped him up and carried him to the bathroom, being carful not to let the younger ones see.

Dorchet opened the door for her and she set him down as Ren and Kazuki looked on.

"I've never seen you so beaten up Dei." Kazuki said sympathetically. The boy gave a small pained smile as Ayame rid him of his boxers and placed him gingerly in the tub. She grabbed a sponge and started to wash his front, being careful of his ribs, and Dorchet undid his hair which was back in a pony tail.

"What did he want?" Ren asked as he started preparing gauze and body wrap.

"It was just a drunken rage." He stated shifting in the luke warm water. "Nothing but slurs and random beatings. Once he even fell asleep for a couple minutes." At that he tried to laugh, but ended up coughing and clutching his torso. Moving to his back Ayame shushed him. He looked down at the blood stained water for a moment and then looked back up solemnly.

"I'm sorry that you guys are stuck cleaning up my messes." He said. "It means a lot."

"Well who else would." Dorchet said with a warm smile.

"Ya, that's what families for!" Ren piped in. "If we didn't look after you, you'd be dead by now."

Ayame hugged his wet body. "We'll always be there for you Dei."

Deidara sat astonished and the others looked and smiled. Ayame's breathing was calm and steady and it helped to reassure him that everything would be okay.

"Okay, now let's get you fixed up." She said pulling away with a smile. To everyone else she looked happy that he was okay, but in all reality she was going through extreme anguish at the fact of how busted up he was. She would never admit it but she considered them all as blood, as if they all were her real family that abandoned her years prior.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

After everyone had gone to bed, Ayame snuck out onto the roof, her favorite spot to go when she had a lot on her mind. Lying on her back using crossed arms as a pillow, she stared out at the stars, not moving as a figure sat down next to her with its arms curled around its legs.

"Couldn't sleep?" she asked. Deidara glanced over and shook his head.

"No, for some reason I can't get what Master said out of my head…" he replied. Ayme sat up and gave him a quizzical look. He hadn't told her about what he had said beyond slurs.

"What could he have said that got to him that badly?" she wondered before asking him out loud.

"He said that I was worthless." He mumbled. "He said that no one, not my parents, or my friends or anyone cared about what happened to me." A hot tear down his face. "I don't want to be a burden to you guys, and I don't want your pity either."

"Dei…" Ayame said concerned.

"The reason put up with the abuse is so I can feel of value to all of you." he said harshly, tears flooding his eyes. "I…I…"

"Shhh. You don't have to say anything more." She said sitting up and hugging him for the second time that day. "You'll never be a burden to us, and taking the beatings is of more value to us than you will ever know. And regardless of what the master says, all of us care about you. You saw how everyone came to your aid today."

Deidara leaned into the hug.

"I know, but the one thing that I fear the most is that everyone only does and says that stuff out of feeling sorry for me."

Ayame lessened the hug and held him square by the shoulders looking him straight in the eyes. He was going to hate her for this, but she had to tell him the reason that she was up here and would never be again.

"Dei, you know what tomorrow is right." She asked tears welling, but she would not show him how upset she really was.

"Ya, its your birthday, why?" he asked quizzically.

"It's my 16th." She replied. She watched as his trembled in her hands, everyone knew what happened at the age of sixteen.

"But, is he really going to kick you out." He asked miserably.

"Ya, he already told me he was. He said that as of tomorrow I am no longer his problem, that I am old enough to be tried as an adult if I get into trouble, and that he hopes to never see my wretched face again." She told him.

"What will happen to the rest of us?" she said looking at the roof under them.

"Dei look at me." She begged him. "Please this is harder on me than any of you. When he told me that, I came up here and cried the entire night, and seeing you like this isn't going to help me." He looked up. "Deidara, I promise, as soon as I get the money, and a place of my own I will come and get you guys. And I promise that after that you will NEVER have to suffer again, you or the others. But I need a promise from you. I need you to promise to protect everyone while I'm gone. Promise me!"

"What am I supposed to do?! I'm not you Ayame!" he yelled shocking her. "Ya I've known everyone since they arrived at this accursed place, but I'm not you. I've seen you take beatings that would have killed, literally killed, anyone else here including me. How am I supposed to protect everyone else when I'm almost to the breaking point myself?"

"Deidara! You Have to! I can't go through with it without knowing everyones being taken care of!" she said raising her voice so loud that it woke everyone in the house except their hung over master. "Think about it until I have to leave." She ended getting up and walking back toward the window she has used to get out on the roof. As she did she passed the other five you looked at her but continued on to find Deidara heartbroken and sobbing, and while everyone wanted to know what happened no one asked either of the two, figuring they would find out soon enough.

Deidara spent the rest of the night and most of the morning thinking over all he had been told and when he looked down to see Ayame being forced out the door. He blurted out one single word as she walked to the edge of the property.

"I promise!"