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Chapter 14

"Let me go! Let me go, I have to go to her, she's going to die! Get off me!" Amaya struggled, pulling against Itachi, but he had a firm grip on her wrist and continued to drag her back towards his room.

"Are you even listening to me? Let -," she stopped suddenly as the sickly bad feeling suddenly disappeared. The panic on her face switched to fear. Whatever bad thing that had been going to happen, had now happened. She wasn't sure which was worse - knowing something was going to happen, or that it had already happened and was now unstoppable.

Itachi stopped walking as she went stiff, looking over his shoulder at her.

She spoke after a moment, mumbling to herself, "It's gone. Why? What happened?" She looked up at him, her eyes narrowed, glinting with anger, "Let me go." Her voice was no longer pleading, but cold and sharp, almost like an order.

If Hana-chan is dead because he wouldn't let me go to her…

Ignoring her, he began to walk again without a word, but she refused to move.

"Uchiha, let me go."

…if she's dead because of him I swear…

Silently he pulled open the door and pushed her inside, closing it behind him. Then he turned to her. Something was different. She was no longer wary of him as she usually was, but stood watching him with something very close to hatred on her face, blue eyes cold and piercing.

"If she dies because you wouldn't let me go to her, I'll swear I'll kill you, if it's the last thing I do," she said, barely managing to stop her self from shouting at him.

"There are many who want me dead, but you are the least likely person to actually accomplish it."

"It's always the ones you least suspect."

"Hn. What would you have done if I'd let you go? How would you have been able to help?"

Amaya stared at him, "I would have thought of something! Even if it was just distracting the opponent or something, I would have done it!"

"Hn," was all he said, before moving towards the bathroom.

Amaya watched him. Damn him and his 'hn'…It's so annoying…

As the door clicked shut behind him she glanced from the bathroom door to the bedroom door and back again. It was a stupid idea, she knew that, but she had to get out. Not that she would manage to get through the door, because of the barrier, and even if she could she doubted she would get far before he caught her. But she couldn't stand this anymore. She wanted to get out, and away from him. All she needed was a moment alone to collect her thoughts and work out what was going on; just a moment.

Outstretched fingers stopped an inch from the door as an arm caught her around the waist.

She can move quite fast when she wants to, Itachi thought as he tightened his grip a little.

Amaya let out a frustrated sigh and glared at the door.

"You know what happens if you touch that door, so why bother?" He asked.

"I'm fed up of being trapped in this room," she replied simply.

"Would you rather be in a damp little cell?"

"I'd rather be away from you."

"If you behaved yourself a little better, I might consider leaving you alone."

"Huh, like I'd be able to get out even if you weren't here. And would you also consider moving your arm?" She felt uncomfortable being so close to him.

"That depends."

"If I choose to touch the door and get shocked that's my choice."

"Why would you make that choice though?"

"Because I feel like it; why do you care?"

"I've told you before, I don't."

"Why bother asking then?"

"Because I feel like it."

Amaya sighed and laughed dryly – it was impossible to beat him. Breathing out slowly she relaxed a little and closed her eyes for a moment before speaking quietly, "Uchiha-san?"

"Hn?"

"Why do you do any of this? At the end of the day, what is it that you're working towards? Do you ever lie down at night and feel proud of what you've done? Or do you just do it because you've got yourself into something you can't get out of?"

He let go of her as he answered, "I could leave at any time."

"And?"

"And you have no need to know what we are working towards."

"I didn't mean that," she turned, but she didn't look up at him, instead staring at the floor between them, "What I really mean is…does anything ever make you…happy? I've only seen you smile a couple of times at most, and I've only ever heard you laugh once, but even then…"

He lifted her chin gently and she blinked in surprise as she found herself looking up at deep black eyes instead of red.

"Once is more than most people have ever heard. As for you, your emotions are all over the place."

"I wonder why," she jerked her head away, but he caught her chin and made her look at him.

"You won't look at me with the Sharingan and now you won't look at me without it. Why?"

"Because…your eyes don't show any emotion…they're…even when you smile, they're…cold…"

Cold…I feel cold…The sun's up though…It's probably because I've lost a lot of blood…Maybe these wounds are fatal after all…It's getting dark, even though the sun's just come up. But that's probably just me too…

With no chakra left and barely enough energy to keep her eyes open, Hana was on her knees. Dirt, thrown up when the lightning had hit the ground, mingled with blood and sweat on her face. Her hair was in her eyes and stuck to her face, too. She did nothing about it though, all her attention focused on where Kisame had been standing.

She watched as the air cleared, hoping to see him, dead, or badly injured at least, but sadly she saw neither.

"That was a pretty good idea, midget. As it turns out, Samehada does conduct electricity, but you should know better than to reveal your plans before the battle's over." He bent down to her, "Funnily enough I did exactly what you wanted and dropped it, and here I am. That's irony for you, eh? It's a shame really. I was enjoying myself. I wonder what your friend's face will be like when she hears the news of your death, hmm?"

"Go…to hell…bastard…" With all the strength she could muster she held on tightly to her last kunai and forced her tired arms to move, burying it in his chest.

Just die already…

His eyes widened in surprise and he grunted in pain, stumbling backwards.

"Don't assume…that someone's dead…before they actually are," she panted.

Hana watched as he pulled out the kunai with a smirk, "Almost, but you missed my heart and it's not really that deep, thanks to my cloak. I'll live, midget, but you won't. You're as good as dead," and he threw the kunai back towards her, to land in the dirt by her knees, "Good bye, Hana."

With that he picked up Samehada and strapped it onto his back before disappearing into the trees without another glance at her. Hana sat there for a moment before forcing herself to her feet. Gritting her teeth against the pain she began to walk very slowly and unsteadily back towards the village.

He never learns. Baka, assuming I'm dead…I won't give up that easily…I refuse to…to give up…I refuse…I have to…rescue Amaya-chan...

She looked up at the sky, blinking away the black that seemed to be closing in around everything. It was a clear blue expanse, not a cloud in sight. The edges were still tinged with vibrant oranges and reds form the rising sun, which was spreading its warm rays across the village.

The warmth didn't reach her, though.

It's so dark…so cold…I'm so tired…just a bit further, though…then Sakura can heal…she can heal me or…Tsunade…they have the best…healers here…I'll live…and save… you…I promise…

Amaya…

"Emotions are a weakness. They interfere with missions and can get you killed," Itachi said.

"But you're not on a mission right now," Amaya pointed out.

The hand he had been holding her chin with moved, and he brushed his fingers against her cheek, "I guess not."

She blinked at him, a light blush covering her cheeks at the small but gentle gesture. He then walked past her and opened his draws, taking something out and throwing it to her. She caught it and held it gingerly, careful not to cut herself, "What's this?"

"A kunai," he replied.

"I can see that much, but why?"

"We will be moving soon and will undoubtedly run into trouble."

"So, you're giving me this so I can defend myself?"

He nodded.

"What's to say that I won't attack you with it?"

"Nothing, but you wouldn't be able to make a mark on me, even if you did."

I guess that's true… "Are you going to teach me how to use it?"

"We do not have time."

Great idea, Ice-cube-san, giving me a weapon that I don't know how to use...Pure genius! She thought sarcastically.

She looked down at the weapon in her hands. It was the same size and shape as any of the kunai she had seen before, but it had lightning bolts engraved down the centre on both sides, right to the sharp point. The metal seemed to have jet black flecks in it, which was unusual, too, but it was the blood-red ribbon which was tied through the hole at the end that made her give him questioning look. It was the same as the one in her hair.

Just then there was a loud knock on the door, which opened to reveal Deidara.

"Kisame just got back, un."

Itachi nodded, and handed a full kunai pouch and shuriken holder to her, before turning back to a surprised looking Deidara and leaving the room.

Amaya looked at the equipment, torn between putting it on and going after Itachi.

"Here, un," Deidara said, showing her how it was done quickly. She blushed lightly as he fixed the shuriken holder to her leg, but she was too eager to see Hana-chan again to make a comment on it.

She followed him to the door, and when he didn't stop her she walked behind him silently, resisting the urge to push past him and run.

The door to the kitchen was open, and she listened, waiting to hear her friend's voice. She was almost there, when she stopped.

Everything stopped.

Her heart skipped a beat before plummeting.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Her head rang with Kisame's words.

"The midget is dead."

No.

No, no, no, no, no, Hana-chan can't be dead. She can't be! She can't, no, he must be lying, he has to be, there's no way, no way that she'd be dead, not Hana-chan…

"You're certain she's dead?" Itachi questioned.

"I made sure of it."

He…made sure of it…He killed her? He did it? It was him?!

Deidara's eyes widened as she ran the last few steps to the door, drew a kunai and threw in the direction of the shark-man, so fast that his eyes hardly caught any of it.

Kisame himself barely managed to move in time, and he stared at the kunai buried a deep way into the table as though it were something from out of space. He then glanced at Itachi before finally looking at her.

A tear rolled down her cheek as blue chakra glowed around her. Her eyes seemed to take on the same bright blue colour and burned with anger, hatred, pain as she tried to form words that would express how she was feeling; how much she hated him; how much she wanted to kill him.

"You…You…Bastard…I don't believe…You…" She shook her head. There weren't any words that fitted. There just weren't word for the kind of emotions whirling around inside her at that moment. There was no way that words could possible express such strong emotions and do them justice. So she drew another kunai instead.

She took a step to move towards him, but Deidara caught her by the arm. That didn't stop her though.

"Go to hell!" She shouted as the second kunai left her hand as fast as the first on had; but this time it was easily caught.

"I would suggest you do not try throwing another," Itachi said dangerously.

"Shut up, this doesn't involve you," she snapped at him, and pulled another one free, "Only him."

The weapon was about the leave her hand when Sasori appeared beside her, laying a hand gently on her arm, "Would your friend wish for you to lose your life like this?" He asked quietly, trying a different approach to stopping her.

She turned her head slowly, silently.

"What would you know…about what she would want?" She said, her voice venomous as she jerked her arm away from him, tearing away from Deidara too, and launching herself at Kisame.

He moved from his chair, narrowly missing being hit by another kunai, to find that she was already in front of him.

Where did this speed come from? Suddenly she remembers how to use chakra? He thought, as he blocked her attack with Samehada.

She disappeared from in front of him, appearing behind, her movements a blur.

There was another blur though, a black one that even she didn't see coming.

The breath was driven from her lungs as her back collided with the wall. She coughed, finding it hard to breathe before realising that there was a hand around her throat, pinning her to the wall, her feet barely touching the ground.

"I have warned you before about speaking to me like that," Itachi said, his voice low and quiet, but deadly. Usually it would have made her want to apologise and get away as quickly as possible. But this wasn't usually.

"Oh and how would you expect me to speak to you? I've just found out that my best friend is dead, her killer is sitting over there, calm as you like, telling you about it over a bottle of sake and you expect me to speak to nice and politely?! Let me tell you, Uchiha, it hurts when you lose someone close to you, the only person you have, the only person who's never tried to kill you or wanted you dead, but I wouldn't expect you to know about that, seeing as you cold heartedly murdered the whole of your own clan!"

Sharingan eyes whirled angrily, and her eyes widened as the three tomoe in his eyes merged into a pinwheel-like shape.

"Never speak about that." He leaned closer, "Ever."

...Gasp...Review if you want more! (Oh, and sorry if there are lots of mistakes. I checked through it a dozen times but i'm so tired right now there's a good chance that i've missed some...)