Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto...

Yes, believe it or not, here is another chapter already, and a long one at that... In fact, it's really rather long, so I hope it's not boring...I just got writing and I guess I was in the mood for it... I probably should have been doing revision instead, but there you go...

As ever, thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed, and also to the people who read but don't review...

Just a note: Anything between these '--' is a memory, but because I already have all the thoughts and stuff in italics I did it like this so that you guys can tell the difference...You'll see what I mean, I just hope it's not too confusing...

And without further ado...

Chapter 17

Sasuke jumped calmly through the trees, behind the Konoha ninja, heading in the direction of the Sand. He wasn't following, of course, they just happened to be travelling in the same direction as he was.

It was slightly strange, seeing those people he had once known, but now they were all like strangers to him. One pink haired member of the team caught his eye. Memories of team 7 training together, fighting, completing missions together flashed through his mind. Was that that same Sakura he had known back then? She'd always been the weakest out of the three of them, useless in almost every situation. She'd always been bright, with a good memory and perfect chakra control, but even when she'd tried to protect him and Naruto during the chuunin exams, she had had to be rescued.

He found himself watching her as she appeared occasionally through the trees in front of him. Why was he having all these thoughts now? They'd come to Orochimaru's hideout only a few days ago and not even a thought of how things used to be had crossed his mind, yet now he couldn't seem to stop.

It was then that he decided that when he found his brother he would kill him, as he had always sworn, and then he would go back, if they would take him; he wouldn't have any reason to stay with Orochimaru afterwards and he didn't much like the snake sannin, anyway. Sasuke was sure it would be a lot more difficult to gain back Sakura's trust than anyone else's, but Naruto would take him back without a moments hesitation - he was a fool who would always forgive him, simply for those stupid bonds of his.

But why was it that he couldn't forget about those stupid bonds either? He tried, doing everything he could to stop himself thinking about them, but when he lied down at night, or had a spare moment to himself they would come creeping back into his mind.

He shook his head and stared to devise a way that he might be able to use the team from Konoha so that he could fight his brother without interruptions; so that he could kill him without anyone getting in the way; so he could have his revenge.

No one would get in his way.

Amaya sat watching Itachi, laying on his back, hands behind is head with his eyes closed. After returning earlier he'd informed the others that there was just five Konoha ninja who, of course, wouldn't be a problem.

More of her memory seemed to be returning and, if it served her correctly, Konoha was Itachi's village, which made her wonder if he would hesitate to kill them. Then again, he had murdered his whole family save for his little brother…She somehow doubted that them being from Konoha would make a difference.

Deidara and Sasori had some business in Suna, it seemed, and Kisame had gone along to get something to eat. When she'd asked why they didn't just spend the night there, Itachi had replied that he preferred the open air.

And so she found herself left alone with him again. She was beginning to wonder if it was fate's strange way of making her talk to him. She stubbornly refused, however, and closed her eyes, trying to sleep, but to no avail. It wasn't that she was particularly uncomfortable, or that the silence and open air made her feel vulnerable; she simply couldn't sleep.

Looking over at Itachi again she closed her eyes and reached out with her chakra. The steady beating of his heart told her that he was asleep – well, as close to it as he got, anyway. It was relaxing and hypnotic, in a way, and she found herself crawling closer to him.

She looked down at his relaxed face. He didn't look so stern or dangerous lying there.

He really is quite handsome…When he was younger in my dream he was quite good looking, but even more so now…

Caught up in her memories and the sound of his heart she leaned forwards. She reached out to brush a stray strand of his jet black hair from his pale face. Her hand was a mere centimetre from him when his eyes shot open, glowing red, and he caught her wrist tightly, rolling her underneath him and easily pinning her to the sand.

Amaya gasped, her chakra disappearing with surprise, and pressed her free hand against his chest in defence. He froze then, realising that it was just her, but did not release her.

"What were you doing?" He asked quietly, his face only an inch or so from hers, his hair tickling her face.

"I…I…Sorry," she whispered back, not completely sure herself.

"You'll get yourself killed," he replied.

It almost sounded like he was warning her to be careful again. He seemed to do that a lot lately and she was beginning to think that maybe he did care, even if only a little, about her well being. Perhaps it was because of whatever 'special' past they had together, or there was even the chance that they were new feelings, but she couldn't believe that he would treat any other prisoner this way.

Or it could simply be because they had a use for her.

"Amaya?"

She blinked, "Huh?" Why does he just call me 'Amaya'? There's no 'san' or anything…

"I asked, 'what are you thinking about'?" He repeated.

"Nothing," she replied quickly, waiting for him to let go of her; but he didn't.

"Ano, Itachi-san-," she started, but stopped. When did I start calling him 'Itachi-san?'

"Hnnn?" He murmured lazily. Amaya blinked at him; in some strange way it made her think of a cat purring.

How odd.

"Uchiha-san, could you let me go please?" She asked politely, not liking the way he made her comfortably warmer than she had been before – more specifically, not liking the way that she liked how he made her comfortably warmer.

After a moment he let go of her, and moved to sit beside her. Sitting up she looked sideways at him before shuffling a short way away and facing the opposite direction so that he wouldn't see the blush on her cheeks.

Why am I blushing? Why is my heart beating so fast? Why does he always have to get so close?

She was glad for the cool night air on her cheeks and busied herself with brushing the sand out of her hair with her fingers, so that she didn't have to look at him.

He's a murdering kidnapper. There's no way he can make me blush and there's no way I have feelings for him. I don't care what past we had together, I hate him. I do, I do…

She tried almost desperately to convince herself, but she couldn't deny the facts.

I…I…I don't… I should but I don't…Why don't I hate him?!

It made her angry that she didn't hate him or wasn't as scared of him as she undoubtedly should have been, even after everything he had done, and that made he get to her feet and stomp a few paces further away. But as she did so, she thought of her dream and how he had called out her name, they first time they met he'd told her how beautiful her voice was, how he'd carried her when she was injured by the snake, his almost gentleness…With these thoughts she found that her anger disappeared and left her with nothing but utter confusion over her own feelings.

With a sigh she plonked herself back down, legs crossed, elbows resting on her knees and her head in her hands.

Damn it, why is it so difficult to hate him?

I suppose he has saved my life a couple of times, but I wouldn't have been in those dangerous situations if it wasn't for him and fish-face kidnapping us in the first place. He's never hurt me though, except for when we were fighting…He could have killed me, but then again they only want me alive for whatever use I am, so that part doesn't count.

And Hana-chan is gone because of them…I know it was really Hoshigaki-san but I can't forgive either of them… Oh how I wish she was here… Whenever I was confused she'd always be there to say something in her own funny little way, but somehow it would make sense and solve everything… She could always put a smile back on my face, no matter what… But now she's not here… Right now, when I really need her and she can't be here because they took her away… and I don't know what to do about anything…I feel so…Lost…

Hana-chan…Help me…

"I never did like to see you cry," Itachi said as he crouched in front of her and softly wiped a lone tear from her cheek, "A smile suits you better."

Amaya's eyes narrowed and she slapped his hand away.

"What are you doing? Can't I just have a moment alone to decide weather I hate you or not? I can't even remember much about the 'brief' time we once knew each other but I still have all these feelings whirling around inside of me and I don't understand any of them!"

And there's this weird feeling, she continued to herself silently, not willing to discuss it in any more depth with him, this weird feeling that somehow I can't even put a name to. It's like a bubbly feeling that feels like it's going to burst out my chest, and I don't even know if it's something to be happy about or cry about! All I know is it's there whenever I -. Her thought trail came to an abrupt halt, her eyes widening with something reminiscent of horror, as a thought suddenly occurred

Itachi gave her a questioning look but she shook her head.

"I just need some time alone to think," she mumbled and got to her feet, making her way slowly to the top of the large sand dune and sitting atop it.

That feeling's there whenever I look at him…

Kami-sama…Please, don't tell me…Don't tell me I loved him…

Unbidden tears found their way to her eyes again.

No, how could I have loved him? We were so young; maybe it was just more of a childish crush?

Childish crush, indeed! So much so that you still have all these feelings for him?

She jumped at the sound of the strange, but somehow familiar, voice resounding inside her head.

What?! What was that?

Waiting she tried to still her thoughts in case the voice spoke again.

Uh, hello?

She felt stupid waiting for a reply from inside her own mind. Thankfully there was no reply.

Great, now I'm hearing voices…I don't believe I talked back to it…I think I've finally lost it. I've seriously lost my mind. I don't believe it…They broke me…

Then she blinked, sitting up straight, remembering.

But... that wasn't the first time?

When we were falling from Deidara-san's bird…

--You'll be fine.

The thought floated through her mind and she suddenly felt…calm. Then confusion settled in as to why she was suddenly so sure of their safety. Even though it was her own mind, she could find no reason why she had thought that.--

That was the same voice?! Why didn't I realise it was different to my own? And when Hana-chan was in trouble…

--You have to go to her, a voice in her head told her. You must.--

When I was fighting, too, I remember thinking that I'd lost, I was about to give up, but…

--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.--

It reassured me, encouraged me…I've been hearing voices for days and I didn't even realise it!

She began to panic a little.

What do I do?

As day broke out across the Land of Wind, the Konoha ninja started moving again, still following the scents across the sand, picked up by Akamaru and Kiba.

"We're getting closer, I can smell them," Kiba said as they descended another smooth sand hill, "They're not far away now."

"Byakugan," Neji muttered, putting his hands together. The veins on his face stood out as he gazed around through the sand with his white eyes. Hinata followed suit, facing in the opposite direction.

"Found them," Neji said, pointing in a slightly different direction to that which they had been traveling up this point.

"T-there's only t-two p-people there," Hinata replied, following her cousin's gaze, worry evident in her voice and on her face.

"There are five scents here," Kiba insisted, Akamaru barking in agreement, "Which means that the other three are somewhere else."

"Can you see them anywhere?" Sakura asked Neji and Hinata.

They both shook their heads.

"Well, if three of them have gone missing it's better for us, unless Amaya-san's with them," Shikamaru said, leaning back in the sand and glancing at the clear blue sky above them, wishing there were some clouds that he could just sit back and watch.

"There's one Akatsuki, sitting and someone laying down; I think it's a girl. It must be her," Neji explained.

"Who's the Akatsuki?" Kiba asked.

"I can't tell from here," was the reply. Hinata couldn't quite make out the figure either.

"Never mind, whoever it is, if Amaya-san is there I suppose we should keep going," Shikamaru sighed, getting unenthusiastically to his feet.

As he did so though, he sensed a familiar chakra. It was clear that the others did too, by they way they all stiffened before their gazes moved slowly to Sakura, whos eyes were wide.

"Our m-mission is our f-first p-priority, Sakura-c-chan," Hinata said quietly, laying a hand gently on her friends arm.

Sakura's face quickly hardened and she nodded, "I know."

Shikamaru sighed again as they started moving. He would have much preferred to just to sleep and enjoy the nice whether.

Sasuke listened to the Leaf-nin's conversation. It didn't matter that they had sensed him.

He was so close now, but what if the Akatsuki member wasn't Itachi? What if he wasn't even there?

Then I'll just have to carry on hunting him until I find him.

Determination shone in his dark eyes as he watched the Konoha ninja below him begin to move again. This time nothing could stop him. He was much stronger than he had been before. This time he would win.

Channeling a small amount of chakra to his feet he began to move in a slightly different direction to the others. He intended to loop around behind the Akatsuki member and whoever this girl was, while the others would come at them from the opposite direction.

He couldn't help but wonder what Shikamaru's plan was though. Clearly their mission was to save this girl they were on about, but how did they intend to steal a girl from under the nose of an Akatsuki member?

Naruto grinned to himself, glad that his friends were finally in sight; he'd had to travel fast to catch up to them, but with his stamina that hadn't been a problem.

He knew that he shouldn't really have been there, especially since Akatsuki were involved, but he had finally managed to persuade Tsunade to let him go and help. Well, not so much 'persuade' as 'pestered' until she could stand it no more.

Though, of course, he did have his reasons for being there, but suddenly he found himself with one more.

His attention was distracted as he caught a glimpse of dark hair, the blue tint made more evident as it caught the sun; that familiar chakra; those clothes. There was no mistaking it.

"Sasuke?"

Naruto wanted nothing more than to run after him and have another go at beating some sense into that revenge-filled Uchiha head of his, but he had grown up from the hot-headed boy he used to be.

Deal with Akatsuki first, then I can beat him up as much as I like without interruptions.

He nodded to himself, blue eyes sparkling with determination.

This time he would bring him back.

Itachi watched as Amaya slept silently, peacefully. She'd been strange the previous night, and had refused to look at him after sitting herself atop the large sand dune again.

She'd also been crying again; he could tell by the way her eyes were slightly puffy. He sighed lightly to himself. Quite honestly, he was a little unsure about his own feelings. Were they just old feelings being drawn up? She was different to how she used to be, though – well, she had only been ten at the time and he had only been thirteen, barely ANBU at that point – but it was her eyes that had always stirred something inside him.

They were bluer than they used to be, brighter and more captivating. The way they sparkled when she smiled; the way they flashed when she was angry; the way they were as cold as ice when she was annoyed but usually as warm as the clear blue oceans of the Land of Water in the middle of summer.

Whatever she makes me feel, it is unimportant. Shinobi do not show emotion, especially Akatsuki, he told himself, his face betraying none of his thoughts.

Amaya stirred and those beautiful eyes of hers flicked open. Seeing him she immediately turned the other way, speaking after a moment.

"Eight people. I doubt they all just so happen to be out here heading towards us by coincidence?"

A hint of a smile crossed his lips, "I, too, doubt that it is coincidence."

Getting to his feet he waited patiently. They could run, heading towards the hideout, but they had been tracked his far and they could not afford to lose another one. Besides, this could prove to be interesting.

The five Konoha ninja were still on their way, but there were now three other chakra signatures coming steadily towards them. To his slight annoyance one was his brother, but the other was the unmistakable chakra of the Kyuubi container.

He waited. Perhaps those two would tire themselves out, saving him from wasting his energy dealing with them, also giving him the chance to could collect the Kyuubi while he was here. He looked down at Amaya who was now on her feet too. There was a high possibility that she could get caught up in this, but there was nothing he could do about that now.

"You will stay behind me and you will not go anywhere. If you move or try to run I will get you back. Understood?"

At first she didn't reply but after he suggested that he tie her up just to make sure she didn't try anything, she sighed. He was cold and threatening again.

"Hai," she replied shortly, wondering just what was going to happen with these eight people closing in on them.

Shrugging lightly to herself she decided that what was going to happen, was going happen, and that couldn't be helped.

Only, it wouldn't happen the way that any of them were expecting it to.

And that, dear readers, is the end of yet another chapter. As I said at the beginning, long and boring, but now I've got it all set up for some good ol' action in the next chapter.

Also, Amaya's losing her mind? Not good. She loved him? Not good either, eh? And what about Ice-cube-chan himself? Isn't it sweet how they watch each other sleep? Oh and some of you may be wondering where the fudge Sasuke suddenly fits into all of this...Well, he is there for a reason (and not just randomly), which I should hopefully get round to explaining in the next chapter amidst all the action, yay!

Feel free to review... You know you want to...