Disclaimer: I do no own Naruto...

All I can say is wow, and thank you to everyone who reviewed! This chapter took so long because I wrote three or four different versions of what happened (Itachi uses mangekyou, Itachi doesn't use mangekyou, Hana lives, Hana-dies...) and finally decided on the version below...

Chapter 15

Bright blue eyes glared daggers at the Uchiha pinning her to the wall, meeting his dangerous mangekyou sharingan without even a trace of fear on her pretty features.

"Or what?" She asked, her voice as cold as his, "You'll kill me?"

"No. I'll put you through something worse than death."

"Well, I suppose I won't do it again then. Now, if you don't mind, I was in the middle of a fight with fish face over there," she replied calmly, glancing over his shoulder at Kisame, while pulling his hand away from her throat with one hand, and throwing a dozen shuriken at the shark man with the other.

Moving swiftly away from Itachi she jumped over the table and ran after Kisame, who had disappeared through the kitchen door. Sasori and Deidara, who were stood on either side of the door, shared a glance as Itachi followed the girl through.

"Don't run away from me, you bastard," Amaya shouted, pelting down the corridor after Kisame, though he had already disappeared from view. When she reached the end she glanced both ways.

"Kuso…" she cursed under her breath.

Which way did he go? Left or right?

Her eyes widened momentarily and she jumped to the left. Damn, too slow… She cursed again, reaching over her shoulder to pull out the shuriken that had buried itself into her left shoulder. Peering round the corner she threw it back at Itachi, narrowly missing his head.

"Stay out of this, Uchiha!"

"You should be careful, shouting at him like that," Kisame laughed behind her, "He's already warned you a number of times."

She jumped, dodging his sword and landed lightly. Gathering chakra in her feet she prepared to run at him again. Another kunai found its way into her hand and she started to move.

She didn't have the time to move very far, though, except to turn slightly so that she could see Itachi coming towards her. He caught her by the throat and pinned her against the wall again. Then his eyes widened slightly as cold metal buried its way into his flesh, followed by a chakra filled kick, which very nearly broke his arm as he blocked. She slapped an exploding tag, that she had found among the kunai, to the ceiling and turned her attention back to Kisame.

"Stop running like a little girl and fight me yourself, you damn fish!" She shouted as the ceiling tumbled down on top of the Uchiha behind her.

"If that's really what you want…" Kisame grinned, and swung Samehada at her. She blocked and let out a cry of surprise as she felt the chakra being drained from her.

Jumping away she didn't see the kunai that he had thrown, but she felt them as they hit her. She stumbled and fell backwards to find Kisame already behind her. Knocking her to the ground her lent over her and held her down with Samehada pressing against her, sucking in her chakra.

She struggled and tired to force him off of her but she could feel the strength being drawn out of her.

No, I can't let him win. I have to beat him, for Hana-chan. I have to.

Her eyes closed and a tear rolled to the ground beneath her.

But I've lost…

She was about to give up when the voice in her head chose that moment to speak up again.

No, you haven't lost, you're still here. You can still fight. For her, for Hana. You still have chakra that you can use. Don't give up, isn't that what she used to say? Amaya, get up. Get up.

Amaya smiled, remembering her friends words.

Yes, that's right. I can't give up.

Her eyes flew open, burning with a new determination. Gritting her teeth she took hold of Samehada with her bare hands and pushed upwards. Kisame's eyes widened as her strength suddenly rivalled his own.

She managed to force him off her enough so that she could move. She got slowly to her feet as he backed away, that bloodthirsty shark-like smile on his face again. Her hands had been cut by Samehada and now hung at her sides, two pools of deep red blood forming on the ground at her feet.

Her eyes fixed on him and her chakra changed, swirling around her as though it was out of control. He stared, wondering how she still had so much left after having contact with Samehada for so long. He didn't have long to think about it though, as she came at him much faster than before. He had to admit, her speed was quite impressive.

When she stopped for a second, breathing hard after attacking him relentlessly, he caught her arm with his sword, leaving a deep gash. She ignored it and was about to move again when she turned, her eyes widening as a fist came into contact with her stomach, sending her flying back into the wall with a cry of surprise mixed pain.

Bits of rubble and dust fell around her as she coughed and tried to catch her breath. Looking up she glared at Itachi, stood above her, and pushed herself back onto her feet. She balanced herself unsteadily against what was left of the wall and wiped a trickle of blood from her chin.

"Just let me…" Taking a step forwards she made to move towards Kisame but Itachi held out an arm to stop her.

"You cannot win."

"Don't you think I know that?"

"There is no use fighting a battle that you know you cannot win."

"I know that too. But I still want to…I still want to avenge Hana…I want…" Tears started to form in her eyes. She took a step away from him.

I want to kill him. I want to kill. I'd be a murderer then…Hana-chan wouldn't want that. What am I doing here? What am I…

Her eyes widened with horror, "Don't…Don't follow me," she said as she turned.

Focusing chakra to her feet she disappeared down the corridor as fast as she could, leaving only a sparkling tear in her wake, the two men watching silently.

They didn't follow.

"We believe she fought with a member of Akatsuki. When Sakura found her, she managed to tell us his name, but nothing else. Hoshigaki Kisame, from Kirigakure," Tsunade explained to the ninja assembled in her office.

"You want us to rescue her friend?" Shikamaru asked, looking to the ceiling as though searching for a way to get out of something so troublesome.

"Exactly! Jiraiya has recently been able to find out the rough location of a base not far from another that was recently destroyed by ANBU from Iwagakure. Even if she isn't there, there may be a clue as to where she has been taken. This mission is to find her and rescue her if you can. I don't want to lose anyone in unnecessary fights, so avoid getting any closer than you have to."

"Hai, hai…" The Chuunin replied, "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow morning. I'd like to send some Jounin, really, but they're currently all on missions. Backup will be sent as soon I can arrange it. Spend tonight choosing your team. Don't let Naruto know what your mission is though. It would be too dangerous if he went along."

"But it's Akatsuki! If they have an innocent girl captive, then we have to save her! And Hana-san fought one of the Akatsuki without damaging a single building or person. We should at least save her friend for her. Let me go, Tsunade-baachan."

"Naruto!" Tsunade shouted as she thumped the table and glared at the blonde boy who had burst in through the door, "She will be saved, that's what this mission is for. And yes, it's Akatsuki and that is exactly why you can't go. I understand that you want to save her friend for her, her lost friend, taken by the enemy," her voice softened slightly, "like Sasuke, but I forbid you from going, Naruto."

He opened his mouth to argue but she held up a hand to stop him.

"You're not going and that is final."

Amaya shivered in the cold night air, hugging her knees close to her chest. Laying her head back slightly she looked up at the sky. It was clear again, the stars twinkling the same way that they always did, so far above her world which had changed so much recently.

She sighed and rested her head on her knees. She stayed like that, even when she heard the light thump of someone landing lightly beside her.

After what felt like hours, Amaya took a deep breath and sat up straight, uncurling herself slightly, but still not looking at the man who was now sat beside her.

"To think that just over a week ago I was at home. I was safe and happy and Hana-chan was alive, but now…Now I'm sat on the roof of the hideout of a bunch of criminals and I don't even know how I got up here. Earlier on I was so upset and angry that I don't even know what I was doing, or how I did it, but somehow I feel as though that's what I really am. It's like everything I've forgotten is slowly coming back and I'm not sure I want it to. The nightmare…It's a memory, isn't it? It's too real to just be a nightmare. You've known that since I told you about it, and I want to know how. How did you know?"

"You will find that you and your friend are well known in the ninja world."

"Like you? I expect everyone knows your name. I don't know where it came from but is it true? You…murdered your clan…your family…?"

"Yes."

"With those eyes?" She sighed, "I was so caught up in my emotions earlier that I didn't even realise how close I was to having you use them on me. I guess you're right. Emotions can get you killed."

"They can get you killed, but you need them to live."

Amaya smiled slightly and turned her head to face him.

"How are your wounds?" She asked.

"I am fine. I see you are too?"

She shrugged, "I heal fast, and even faster recently...I-I didn't really mean to stab you, it was just in my hand and-."

"We both know that's a lie," he interrupted, his dark eyes moving from the sky to her face.

She nodded slowly and bit her lip, "Uchiha-san, who am I? Who am I really? I've been thinking and those kunai and shuriken, the ribbon…they're mine, aren't they?"

"Yes."

"Why do you, of all people, have them?"

"You will remember that soon enough."

"And the mystery person in my dream? Will you tell me who that is?"

"You'll remember that too."

She was silent for a moment before looking away from him.

"Will you tell me anything?"

"…You look a mess."

Her eyebrows furrowed and she looked back at him questioningly.

"Anything," he shrugged.

A smile broke out on her face and she ran her fingers through her hair, noticing that it was loose again.

"You'll lose it if you're not careful," Itachi said as he dangled the blood-red ribbon in front of her.

She took it from him with a thankful smile and tied it around her wrist instead, "It's probably safer like that."

"You never really used to use it for your hair, anyway," Itachi said, getting to his feet, "Don't stay up here all night," and with that he casually jumped the long distance to the ground below, landing easily.

"Wait, what does that mean? I never used to? How do you know? Uchiha-san?" She peered over the edge and watched him go in through the door, leaving her outside and alone.

She shivered again.

"How do I get down?"

Sorry it's so short again, but I hope you enjoyed it as much as the last chapter. Feel free to give me as many reviews as last time...