Okay, I have had a couple people saying that they dont know where Nala comes into the story with the whole thing demon thing. While it will be added I just have to find a place to put it... -_-#

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

An abandoned two story house on the edge of town, but for Ayame it brought back memories she has tried so hard to forget. Inside the wall was the tragic stories of the children that lived there; the hatred, the violence, the pain. The dust covered shelves once spotless and clean and the shattered glass of window once gleamed in the morning sun. And up past the attic was a haven for the inhabitants; a place to go when life seemed to dump you flat on the ground. The roof of this little house was where all of Ayame's memories were kept. It's where she first met Deidara and Dorchet, and where her and Dei had fought when she left, and ironically the tab les were turned.

Ayame sat down under the now risen moon, the long haired blonde boy next to her deep in thought. She didn't speak, if he wanted to talk he would let her know, she just wanted him to know she was there for him.

"I can't do it." He mumbled hugging his legs to him and resting his head on them. "I cant just show up after letting them down like I did."

"You did your best, that's all I could ask for and that's all they needed. You have kept them safe for this long, and that is a major accomplishment in itself." She replied.

"But it wasn't good enough." He said, a single steaming tear rolling down his pale skin. "I watched as, one after one, everyone was thrown out powerless to do anything. I couldn't help them; I couldn't protect them; everything crumbled after you left and when it was finally my turn, I leave without saying goodbye. I haven't stopped hating myself for doing that to them."

"I've done some things that I'm not proud of either." She assured looking out into the black abyss that was the night sky. "I ask myself over and over again if what I did was the right choice, the only option, and I realized that those mistakes, those things that I wanted so much to erase from time and my past, are part of what makes me who I am. Our past makes us who we are, and I don't regret any of it, not my leaving, not my promise, nothing. I am who I am, if accepting the wrong decisions in my past make me a bad person, then I will proudly walk around with all of the mistakes I've made tattooed to my arm."

"I know that I am young and I can be somewhat hopeless when it comes to some things, but there is always one thing that's in the back of my mind that has bugged me since the day it occurred." He clear blue eyes staring off into the unknown.

"And what is that?" Ayame asked looking over at the young boy who took a single shaky breath.

"Do my parents ever regret giving me up?" he asked looking over and meeting her gaze. "Do they ever wonder who I turned out to be? Do they lay awake at night, like I do, and just wonder what would have happened if they hadn't brought me to this retched place, if we were still a family?"

The two sat in silence and just thought. She also wondered what life would be like if her mother was still alive and her father hadn't run off to who knows where.

"If you could, would you give all of this up to find out?" she asked. "Meeting me and the others, our nights awake together telling stories and making sure that the little ones had a chance at a good future? I know that our lives haven't been great Dei, but would you be willing to let go of everything to answer all of the what-ifs?"

"No." he replied. "My life has been rough, but I would never trade it. I'm not about to just abandon everything I know, the trust that everyone's put in me, just for the prospect of a different life."

Ayame scooted over and hugged him warmly, and he placed his head on her shoulder.

"Dei, I'm proud to call you my friend, no, my brother. Your parents are fools for letting you out of their lives and you can ask anyone. I would sacrifice my life for you and the others, and I hope that you guys know just how much you mean to me. My life, my purpose, has always been to please others and just skate by in life unnoticed, but when I'm with you guys I feel of value. I feel like I can just be myself and don't have hide behind the curtains. That is something that no one had ever offered me until I met the 6 of you. You guys are my family. If it weren't for you guys, I probably would have ended my life long ago." She looked at the boy who still had his head on her shoulder and she smiled a genuine smile, something she hadn't done in a long time.

"Ayame had been through so much." Deidara thought. "I should have known she'd be back, she understands what we've gone through to much not to care."

"Ayame?" she spoke.

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you'd come back." He apologized. "And I'm sorry that you had to give up everything for us. You love us more than our parents ever could, and I'm proud to call you my foster sister." He said snuggling up to her.

Ayame couldn't respond, but instead sat there with the boys head on her shoulder, and tears running down her face for all to see, and for once she forgot of her past and forgot of what lay ahead. She was just happy to be part of a family, a family closer than flesh and blood ever could be…

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Ya ya, I know it was short so sue me! But I must admit, it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside… ^^