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Ayame made them split up into smaller groupings. Kakashi, Kiba, Hinta, and Shino went ahead of them to scout out their surroundings, since Akatsuki has been active lately and in Fire Country. So Ayame, Yamato, Sai, Sakura, and Naruto fell to a slower pace. While the change of position happened Ayame used Kage Bunshin no Jutsu creating four clones that took the sides and back areas from Ayame's group. She knew that she was being overly cautious but since she heard of what had happened with Akatsuki. How successful they have been in capturing the tailed demons, also that Naruto and her are the only two left. Mistakes weren't an option to her.
While they traveled she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was following them, closely. Yet her clones were still moving about and didn't strike. She decided to try and confuse their pursuer by making a confusing path. She jerked left and the rest followed her with questioning glances.
"Ayame why are you deviating from the path?" Yamato caught up with her.
"I have a feeling that we are being followed," Ayame mouthed and he nodded, telling the others to be quiet.
It took them an extra day to reach their destination. Kakashi paced around waiting for them and when they did arrive he started to yell at Ayame. But Ayame brushed Kakashi off entering an abandon lair while Yamato explained for their delay. Naruto recognized the lair and rushed to Ayame. He was about to say something, but he noticed Ayame's concentration and kept quiet. It wasn't hard for Naruto to keep quiet since thoughts occupied his mind enough to keep him from talking. It was a little over six months since he was here last, trying to retrieve Sasuke. They came upon a crumbled wall and Sasuke's words still spoke clearly into Naruto's mind. Ayame coming back to herself realized Naruto's silence. She placed a hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry, Naruto, we'll bring him back." She beamed at him, trying to cheer up his gloomy face. But he just stared at her then turned his head away.
"Naruto, I understand all to well how you feel. Trying to keep those who you love close to you and away from the loneliness that you felt." Naruto looked at Ayame now. "I was in a position similar to you before I left Konoha. A friend, who I held dear to me, chose to betray his family, Konoha, and our friendship. He too left Konoha. Ever since that day I wondered if I did something, or said something earlier if I could have prevented his betrayal. But the truth is that I couldn't have done anything different. He made his choice and power covered his judgment. I had to stop blaming myself for his mistake and for the fact that no matter what I did I couldn't bring him back." Ayame paused for a second staring into Naruto's eyes and she saw the yearning for a lost friend that she once had and at time still has. They were more alike than she thought, considering the fact that they have been separated from each other for so long. She saw her father in him, his strength, his courage, but most importantly his love for others. "Naruto you can try everything to bring Sasuke back but ultimately it is his decision. Don't blame yourself for his mistakes. If you do that it will tear you apart. You have to let him live his life, but I will help you find him to the best of my ability. I promise that I will try everything to help you, one of us should succeed in bringing our friends back to us."
"Thanks," Naruto said slowly and Ayame nodded to him. She motioned him to stand back and walked to safe distance away from everyone. Then she began to transform into Gobi. Her body consumed itself in the chakra until she was no longer visible. Moments later an enormous white dog with five tails emerge. Gobi used Ayame's ability to see the past and since she was Gobi now her power increased tremendously. This caused Gobi to amplify her secret power so that Gobi would be able to get a clear scent of Sasuke, even though it has been clearly months since anyone was last here. While Gobi was searching three cloaked figures entered into the lair. Gobi's instinct told him to fight but Ayame held him back reminded him that they were inside a lair. Were any natural disaster would kill everyone surrounding them. She urged Gobi to focus and let the other's handle the intruders.
Pein, Tobi, and a woman unmasked themselves. Kakashi told Naruto to stand back and protect Ayame, since she won't be able to help. Pein demanded that they just leave and let Gobi and Naruto come with them. Kakashi placed himself between the Akatsuki members and Ayame. The rest fell inline before lunging at their opponents.
Itachi, still in the shadows saw this as his moment to get closer to Ayame. He swept past the fighting only to find Naruto standing in his way. He smirked at Naruto telling him that he was a waste of chakra and jumped back into the shadows before Naruto could lunge at him. Then at that moment, something went wrong with Ayame; she felt poison seep into her bloodstream. Gobi went mad fire sprang from his tale, creating a half circle. Ayame felt Gobi transforming back into her. The poison didn't seem to be deadly but it did suppress her chakra and Gobi's chakra. Naruto screamed at Kakashi. Kakashi left the fight as soon as he could and went towards Naruto only to be stopped by the bright flame that seem to dwindle as Ayame transformed back to herself. Once the fire stopped Kakashi saw Ayame lying in Itachi's arms. Kakashi lunged at Itachi but he dodged the attack, blasting his way out of the lair caring Ayame with him. Kakashi ran after Itachi only to be stopped by Tobi intercepting his way. They laughed as they exited the lair, leaving a defeated team Kakashi to tend to their wounds.
Ayame stirred away and found herself on a bed and in a room that she didn't recognize. She felt cold, realizing that bandages were wrapped around her torso, where her shirt should be. Her skin looked pale and she felt dizzy when she moved quickly. Ayame tried to recall what had happened when Itachi came into the room. He carried a bowl with him; he sat next to her with a washcloth. "You're awake, early." He said as he wiped the sweat off of her body. She didn't even realize how much she was sweating, but she could feel the stickiness of the sheets attaching themselves to her bare skin. He tended to her wounds and she stared at him curiously. This wasn't the Itachi that was known to be a murder, yet it was the same Itachi that she had known. He still wore his hair in the same style and his face didn't change much, except he matured.
"Where's my shirt?" Ayame asked, noticing that she was almost half naked in front of him, well except for the bandages that covered up her breasts. He pointed towards the chair in the corner.
"I'm going to have to burn it," Itachi didn't dare look at her eyes let along her face.
"What! That's my favorite shirt!"
"It has some of the poison on it," he calmly explained as he set her back down onto the sticky sheets.
"What poison,"
"It suppresses your chakra and can kill you if left in yours system for too long."
He almost left the room when Ayame asked, "Why are you doing this?"
"If you have to ask… then you don't deserve the answer," Itachi coldly replied leaving her alone. She looked around the room. It was a shabby room, with little light shining through. Right next to her head on the bedside table was a row of pictures. The one closest to her was their team picture. After that was her missing picture of them. She enclosed her fingers around the outer frame bringing it closer to her body.
Itachi peered into the room two hours later, bringing a tray of food. He saw her curled up holding tightly onto something. Quietly he entered the room and lifted her arms away from the object. She held their picture tightly to her chest. He made room on the table and laid the tray down before taking a seat.
Kakashi sat under a near by tree away from the others. His hung his head down while fingering a pocket watch, a gift that Ayame gave to him years ago. Yamato assured the kids that Kakashi would be fine soon. But Naruto and Sakura weren't so sure. Kakashi was in a daze however they left him alone.
"Aren't we going after her?" Kiba spoke out loud what they were all thinking.
"We need a plan and probably more people, since Akatsuki has her." Yamato explained.
"They don't have her." Kakashi rejoined the group sitting next to Yamato.
"But they all left at the same time, after Itachi grabbed her. Who else has her?" Naruto asked.
"Just Itachi," Kakashi replied softly.
"Well that's good, then. There is only one and eight of us." Kiba interjected.
"No," Naruto remembered their first encounter, when Itachi tried to kidnap him, then their second encounter when they rescued Gaara.
"Naruto is right." Sakura thought of Sasuke and how much stronger his brother was.
"Itachi has the Sharingan and knows how to use the Mangekyou Sharingan. We need a plan, but first." Kakashi summoned Pakkun and Pakkun immediately left them to wait for his return.