Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto…

Thank you all for the reviews! I'm glad that you're enjoying the story as much I'm enjoying writing it...So here's chapter 12, yay!

Chapter 12

Amaya lay awake. She couldn't sleep. Not with the thought that Itachi could creep into the room and crawl into the bed beside her at any moment. She had considered moving to the floor, but that was probably what he wanted and she was currently feeling stubborn – and that would teach him for thinking she was stupid. Hah.

However, despite her efforts to stay awake she soon felt herself growing tired and could not stop her eyes from closing. Well, she reasoned, I don't have to have my eyes open to feel him climb into the bed. Besides, it's dark and I can't see anything anyway…

She listened, but dead silence lay all around her, drawing her in, and before she knew it she found herself sinking to a deep sleep…

Falling, falling, the same as every other time she had had this dream.

No, not this again!

The sound of her mother singing floated down to her, but her attention was drawn from the gentle melody as someone screamed her name.

"Amaya-chan!"

Amaya smiled sadly, keeping her eyes closed to stop herself from crying, Hana-chan, arigatou. You were always my best friend…Always there for me…Arigatou…

Another cry reached her ears.

"Amaya!"

Her eyes flew open and she looked up to see who it was that had called for her. Her long hair was blocking her view though, so she pulled it out of the way quickly. She caught a glimpse of someone far above before they were pulled away from the edge, protesting. It still wasn't enough to make out who it was.

She knew that voice, though. Their name was on the tip of her tongue. She opened her mouth to call out to them.

But it was too late. She had fallen as far as she was going to go. The breath was knocked from her small body as the rocks below tore at her. Their sharp edges ripped through her clothes, piercing her skin, drawing blood. Loud snaps rang in her head as she struggled to draw air into her lungs. The pain was unbearable, like fire, burning through her whole body. Tears rushed from her fading blue eyes. She screamed.

Her eyes shot open as the scream tore from her throat. Her heart was pounding, her breathing rushed and ragged. She rolled to the side and let out a cry as she fell from the bed, hitting the floor.

"No, no, no, no, no! Help me, onegai, someone…" she whispered fervently, unable to manage much more; the pain was too intense.

She couldn't see. There was nothing but black. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She forced herself to sit up as she ran shaking hands over herself, just waiting to feel the hot, sticky blood seeping through her clothes

"Itai, itai…Make it stop, onegai…onegai..."

A sudden hand on her shoulder made her jump; her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes met with his crimson ones. They still scared her and made her feel uneasy, but right at that moment…right at that moment, she was happy to see them.

I'm awake…It was just a dream, a nightmare…I'm not hurt, not dying…

"Uchiha-san." Her voice was barely audible, even for him. With the sharingan he could see her clearly in the dark. The fear on her face was evident, relief touching her features when she saw him. She was pale and shaking, sweat mingling with the tears on her cheeks.

Her hand came up shakily to touch him as if to confirm that he was really there, crouched before her. As soon she her hand brushed against his chest she let it drop, bringing it to cover her face, her other hand joining it as her shoulders shook. She sobbed into her hands uncontrollably, unable to stop herself.

Amaya hated crying. It made her feel like a weak child, but she couldn't help it. Her hair had come free again and covered her face. For once she was glad, as it hid her from his eyes.

He waited silently for her to calm down a little before taking her hands in his own and pulling them away from her face. She tried to pull her hands free, but he laid them firmly on her lap.

Lifting her chin with his fingers he made her look him in the eye.

"Stop crying," he said.

"Leave me alone," she mumbled back, moving her head away. He caught her chin again, forcing her to look at him.

"Don't answer back. Stop crying."

She wiped her eyes and shuffled backwards away from him, "Have you ever seen anyone just stop crying on demand? Baka, I'm obviously crying for a reason, so just leave me alone and let me cry!"

Something flew past her, making her hair stir as it did so. There was a small crack as the thing buried itself a small way into the wall. She guessed that was for calling him a baka.

"And what is that reason?" He asked coldly.

"Huh, that doesn't take a genius to work out, baka." Her emotions were running high, she was tired, fed up, and simply didn't care anymore.

Suddenly she ducked and felt something brush the top of her head. That one was close.

"Call me that once more and I will make sure you never call me it again," he said darkly.

"I'm sure you will," she threw back.

"Well, now that you've stopped crying, tell me about your nightmare."

"Don't make it sound like I stopped crying because you said so – I stopped because I don't feel like it anymore," she said angrily, "And no, I don't really want to talk about it…" …especially to you. Where's Hana-chan when you need her?

"I did not ask you."

"I noticed."

"Tell me," he repeated.

"Why should I?"

Oh, she was testing his patience and he was very close to putting an end to her silliness. She needed to realise that she was still a prisoner and he was in charge.

"Because, I am telling you to."

"That's not a good enough reason and I don't respond well to being told what to do. Perhaps if you were a little nicer and actually asked me to tell you I might be a little more willing."

He thought for a moment. "Very well," he would try it her way, but only this once, "Would you tell me about your nightmare?"

She made a face to pretend that she was thinking it over before shaking her head, eyes narrowed, "No, I don't think I will."

That was it. He had been perfectly reasonable and done it her way, but she was being difficult. Now they would do it his way.

She blinked as his eyes disappeared from in front of her, replaced with a strong hand pulling her roughly to her feet and something sharp against her throat.

"Tell me," he said quietly, his deep voice dangerously soft as he spoke into her ear.

Amaya knew that she was probably on very thin ice her and she was seriously close to falling through, but she couldn't stop the answer that escaped her lips: "No."

He pressed the kunai against her neck a little harder, almost drawing blood and was about to repeat his order when she laid her hand over his.

"Put it away. You're not going to kill me because you obviously have some use for me else you wouldn't have kidnapped us, or I would be dead already. I don't want to tell you, and why do you want to know anyway? It's not like you care," she said tiredly.

"No, I don't."

"Then go away."

"Do not tell me what to do."

"Go. Away."

He spun her around to face him, burning red eyes fixed on her, "Do not push me. I could make you experience things that make death look like a blessing."

"Why don't you then? You lay down threats but so far you haven't laid a hand on me -." She stopped as his hand came into contact with her cheek, making it sting. He had hit her quite hard, causing her to turn her head and she resisted the urge to bring her hand up to touch what she suspected would turn into a hand shaped bruise.

"Now-," he began but he, too, was cut off, as her hand came into contact with his cheek. He blinked. With the sharingan he had seen it coming, obviously, and he could easily have moved out of the way but the fact that she would dare stunned him so much that he didn't move.

She was quite surprised too. As it was still dark she couldn't see him and had to judge where his cheek was according to his eyes. She was a little disappointed that he didn't even flinch but she had hit him and that was satisfying enough.

As his hand hit her cheek again she almost lost her balance, but refused to fall and instead swung her own hand back towards him, rewarded with another hit.

Two, two…She counted.

He replied in kind and her cheek was burning but she looked up him, her own eyes shining as a small smile formed on her lips.

Three, two…

"Don't you da-," Itachi began.

Slap. Three, three…

"You were saying?"

Slap. Four, three…

"Don't you dare," he finished.

Slap. Four, four… She refused to let him win.

"I told you, I don't like being told-."

SLAP. Itai! That one was harder! Five, four, damn him!

"You were saying?" He said, copying her own words.

"…what to do!" She ended her sentence, accompanying it with all the strength she could muster as her hand collided with his cheek again. His head turned ever so slightly and she smiled triumphantly.

He hit her back, as was to be expected, and said, "Hit me one more time and I will make you wish-."

Her hand came up but he caught her easily around the wrist. Why he hadn't done so sooner he wasn't really sure, but he had been interested to see how many times she would actually dare to hit him back.

"-that you hadn't."

She watched him silently. The sun had started to rise, shining the first few morning rays of light through the window. She could just about make out his face now, along with the red, almost perfect hand print on his cheek. She hoped it would stay there for a few days.

Her own cheek was feeling a little swollen and tender, her hand stung and was red, but she seemed to have worked all the anger out of her system – for now – and was feeling much, much better.

Itachi wasn't quite sure what to make of her. She would have a bruise for sure, but she should have fallen at the first hit, yet she stood for six, and now she was looking at him with a small smile on her soft lips.

"Now your cheek matches your eyes, ne?"

His lips twitched at the corners in an almost smile, but other than that he ignored what she had said.

"Tell me about your dream."

Her smile grew and she let out a small laugh, "You're not going to leave me alone unless I tell you, are you? Why do you want to know anyway?"

"Recurring dreams often have a meaning behind them. If you can find that then they might stop."

"And what do you care if they go away or not?" She asked, looking at him questioningly.

"If you keep waking me up, I won't get any sleep."

"So you do sleep in here?"

"Yes. Now, tell me."

She sighed as he released her hand and moved towards the chairs by the window. Drawing up her legs she rested her elbow on her knee, her chin on her hand. After he had seated himself in the other chair she took a deep breath and began.

"Usually it starts with me running and there are people chasing me…"

Hana looked up at the night's sky from the roof top where she was stood. Sakura had kindly agreed to let her stay at her house, in the spare room, but it was only temporary until Tsunade decided what to do about her and Amaya.

It was a still and silent night with no moon. The stars were shining though, pinpricks in the dark velvet of the night. It was a little chilly but that didn't bother her. She'd needed to get out of that small room and resisted the urge to go after Amaya then and there. The truth was that she didn't really know where Amaya was at the moment.

She knew where someone else was though.

"I'm surprised you managed to get in here without being noticed. And you don't hide your chakra nearly as well as you think you do. Most ninja probably wouldn't notice it, but you'll need to do better than that to sneak up on me, Sharky."

Kisame landed lightly beside her, grinning, "Not bad for a midget."

"Hey, I'm actually taller than I was with that jutsu, thank you very much."

He looked down at her, pointing out matter-of-factly, "you're still a midget compared to me."

"Isn't everyone?" She asked, and then sighed, becoming serious, "Why are you here? Come to take me back?"

"No, actually, I was thinking that I might have to kill you so that you don't cause any trouble and come after your friend."

"What? Why do you only want her?"

"We have uses for her."

Hana's eyes widened.

"I think I'll enjoy this," Kisame said as he freed Samehada and prepared to run at her.

She dodged him easily, "You'll have to do better than that if you want to get me. We have been missing for a year, but you don't think I just sat around for the whole time, did you?"

Throwing some kunai at him she began to formulate a plan. He was fast, but that wasn't a problem. Samehada was. She knew it could absorb chakra if it touched her, let alone cause a lot of damage. To beat him she'd have to somehow make him drop it, or something to that affect.

First things first though, they needed to move this battle somewhere else, away from where innocent villagers could get caught up in the mix. She jumped backwards as he came at her again, leading him away. He knew what she was doing but it didn't bother him. She alone would be enough fun for now.

Sorry for the cliff hanger, but it was getting quite long and I'm going to be busy the next few days, so it was stop there and post it now or keep you all waiting for two or three more days. So I decided to stop there…Besides, it was another, umm...nice...moment for Itachi and Amaya...

Plus, I didn't feel like writing anymore right now as I had a really bad day today…So why don't you all review and cheer me up a little, ne?