Finally. I was starting to think I'd never finish this chapter. Anyways, i hope you guys enjoy it.

Disclaimer: No I haven't suddenly decided I own Naruto just because I'm writing a story based on it

Ch. 26: Surrender

The explosion rocked the village and everyone rushed to its source. Part of the wall surrounding Suna had been turned into rubble. Standing in the center was the Akatsuki. Gaara pushed Kaoru behind him when he saw the group and wondered if they could fight all of them. Kaoru examined the Akatsuki. She recognized a few of them. One of the two blondes was Deidara, who was probably the one that caused the explosion. The one that looked like a shark in a human form was Kisame. Next to Kisame was a man that looked a lot like Sasuke which meant he was Itachi. The others she identified by Sasori's descriptions. There was the plant man, , the only female member, , the silver haired man, , and the one that was wrapped up like a mummy, . There was one other member that she couldn't identify. He wore a mask with a single hole where an eye was suppose to be. Kaoru figured he was Sasori's replacement.

The last man was blonde with piercing eyes. He was the Akatsuki leader, Pain. From what Sasori had told them there were actually seven of him and each had unique abilities. Only one of them was present at that moment. The other six were probably hiding somewhere near by in case they were needed.

Sasori stepped up next to him with Sasuke and Naruto. "Every member of Akatsuki is here. That's unusual. Pain must really want you and Naruto."

Gaara glanced at his brother-in-law, "We won't go easily."

"I don't think they're going to fight just yet. Pain is stepping forward."

"I am Pain. Leader of the Akatsuki. Surrender Gaara and Naruto and I might spare the rest of you. If you don't then we'll level this village and take what we want anyway."

Kaoru glared at the Akatsuki over Gaara's shoulder. If they thought that for they would surrender those two then they were in for a big surprise. The blonde member that she remembered was Deidara looked directly at her and she flinched. He had been one of the two that had kidnapped her and Tamari several years ago. He knew what she meant to Gaara and if he knew the Pain knew. Kami help them if they decided to use her against Gaara. Unlike her friends she still wasn't capable of fighting someone with the Akatsuki's skills. She was an average fighter at best.

"Why in the hell should we surrender to you? You can't kill anyone with Gaara here," Naruto commented in his usual loudmouth fashion. "Or did you forget that he can protect the whole village with his sand?"

Pain smirked, "You've already lost."

"What?" Naruto asked but he didn't have to wait long for an answer.

Deidara threw out two objects and instead of exploding a smoke screen filled the area so that no one could see anything. Gaara heard coughing and people calling out to each other. They were waiting on an attack that never came. Instead the smoke floated away into the sky and no one seemed injured. The kazekage frowned. Surely they didn't throw that smoke screen out for no reason at all. They did something.

"How can you say we've lost? No one was even hurt in that," Temari demanded.

Pain smirked, "Gaara, Naruto, look behind you. Isn't someone missing?"

Gaara turned and couldn't see what Pain was talking about. He glanced at Naruto, who shrugged. The two scanned the area around them. Suddenly Naruto let out a growl, "Where's Hinata?"

Pain smirked and stepped aside. Behind him stood Itachi holding Hinata. Her arm was being twisted behind her so that she couldn't move. Naruto growled and started forward but stopped when Itachi pulled on Hinata's arm a little in warning. She whimpered in pain. "You bastards," Naruto growled but didn't move any closer.

Pain turned to Gaara, "Now for you, Gaara. Who is missing?"

This time Gaara didn't even bother looking. "Kaoru."

"Very good." Pain moved again. This time he revealed Deidara holding Kaoru in the same position as Hinata. The medic wasn't whimpering or crying. Instead she was glaring at her captors with absolute hatred. Gaara had to commend her for her pride even as he cursed himself for not leaving her at the house.

"Let them go," Naruto demanded.

"Now why would we do that. We need them to make you cooperate."

"Itachi, let Hinata go. She's an innocent girl," Sasuke stated as he glared at his brother.

Itachi looked at Sasuke. For a moment there was something in his eyes that no one could identify before he looked away again. "I will not."

"Itachi..."

"Don't waste your breath, Sasuke. Itachi might have been savable once but he's not anymore. He chose to give up his soul a long time ago," Sasori said calmly.

Sasuke nodded in acceptance. In the last few years he had lost a great deal of his hatred and anger. He still mourned the loss of his family but it no longer dominated his life. A part of him had hoped that he might get his brother back. Sasuke ruthlessly pushed that part of him aside for now. Itachi was the enemy and would pay for everything he had done. That was the only option left to either of them now.

"If we give ourselves up, will you release them?" Naruto asked.

"Don't even think it," Kaoru yelled. "I would rather die then let the Akatsuki get their hands on you two."

Deidara pulled Kaoru's arm and she yelped in pain. Gaara took an involuntary step forward. Kaoru glared at him, "Don't you dare, Gaara. I won't let you."

"Quiet girl," Pain stated. "We all know that the honorable kazekage would sacrifice the entire village before he'd let you die. Isn't that so, Gaara?"

"You bastard," Gaara growled.

"Now that's not nice. It's not my fault that you finally opened your heart. Didn't you know this would be the price? Weakness. A soft spot. You should have known that she would be used against you."

Itachi stepped back taking Hinata with him.

"Give her back, Itachi!" Naruto shouted.

"How about an exchange then," Pain suggested.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked in and uncertain tone. He obviously didn't trust anything Pain had to say.

"We will let Kaoru Tsukino and Hinata Uzumaki if..."

"If?" Gaara prompted.

Pain smirked, "If you and Naruto surrender yourselves first."

Kaoru and Hinata's eyes widened in fear. Kaoru looked at Gaara and saw it in his eyes. He was going to agree. She struggled. Deidara pulled her arm making her cry out in pain. "Stop moving girl. Don't make me hurt you."

"You're already hurting me," Kaoru growled at him. She looked at Gaara, "Don't you dare surrender. If you do, I swear I'll never forgive you."

"I'm with Kaoru," Hinata agreed while glaring at her husband.

Gaara and Naruto took a step back as they considered what to do. Pain looked back and Itachi and Deidara. He gave them a nod. The two akatsuki members pulled out kunai and held it up to the girls throats. "Now we wouldn't want anything terrible happening to these girls. Why don't you just give up peacefully? It'll spare everyone some heartache."

Gaara and Naruto exchanged a look. They had no choice. The two closed their eyes and nodded, "Fine. We give up."

"NO!!" Kaoru and Hinata shouted.

The two shinobi didn't look at the girls. Instead they calmly walked forward without a word. Kisame relieved them of all weapons, including Gaara's gourd. They even went to the precaution of putting chains on their wrists. Itachi and Deidara turned taking Kaoru and Hinata with them.

"You said you'd let them go," Naruto shouted.

"And I will. Just as soon as I have the nine tailed fox and the one tailed Shukaku. I should also remind your friends that if they attack Kaoru and Hinata will be the ones to pay the price," Pain responded with a grin. They had finally one. Gaara wouldn't risk Kaoru's life for any reason. Not even to save himself.

They left the village with their hostages and prisoners. To Gaara's surprise the Akatsuki took them to the village hidden in the rain, Amegakure. The building shot up into the sky and the villagers all coward away in fear of the Akatsuki. Naruto and Gaara were taken to different section of the village. All Kaoru and Hinata could do was watch them go in fear. Kaoru was expecting Pain to put her and Hinata into a dungeon but, to her surprise, he led them to a comfortable room. There were two beds for her and Hinata. The only two door were the entrance and the bathroom. Kaoru noted that there wasn't any windows. Although it was a comfortable prison it was still a prison all the same. The girls were tossed and and Pain stood blocking the door.

"Meals will be brought to you along with an extra set of clothes. There's a bathroom over there. The door will be locked so don't bother trying to leave this room," he told them as he shut the door.

"Wait!!" Kaoru shouted.

He paused and looked at her, "What is it?"

"Please don't hurt Gaara-kun. I'm begging you. Just let him go."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. We need what's inside him too badly to give it up now," Pain responded

"But if you take Shukaku away he'll die. Please. You already have all the other beasts. Why can't you just leave Gaara and Naruto alone. They've already suffered enough because of those beasts."

"We need all the beasts to take over the world. The loss of Gaara's and Naruto's life means nothing to me."

He shut the door and there was a deafening click when it locked. Kaoru collapsed and just cried. She didn't know what to do. They were locked in a room with no way out. Pain was on his way to kill Gaara and Naruto and there was nothing they could do. Hinata knelt beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Kaoru. The other's will come and save us."

"Yes, but will they be here in time to save Gaara and Naruto."

Hinata smiled, "We have to believe they will. Otherwise we've already lost."

Kaoru wiped away her tears and stood up, "You're right. Besides. I still have to hurt Gaara-kun myself."

"For what?"

"For surrendering in the first place. Come on. Let's try to find a way out."

"Right."

The two girls began searching the room for anyway out. Meanwhile Pain walked into the room Gaara and Naruto were standing in. The two of them watched Pain with hate filled eyes. Pain smirked, "Let's start with Naruto."

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