Hey, all! Yeah, I know I said I was going on brief hiatus, but I couldn't help myself. I wanted to update. Plus, the next day I'll update will be next Thursday, so I was hoping to keep some order to the chapters.

This chapter is really cute at the end, but it's still really creepy. (shaky laugh) I answered the REAL Cassie's demand for some 'action' in this one.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, including my new reviewer. Rinai! I miss you!! Please revew again!

Okay, that's all for now! Enjoy!

A couple of hours later, Deidara reentered Akai's, Tobi's, and his own room, "Akai…" He ruffled his ponytail, seemingly nervous about something.

Akai looked up from the book that she was reading, which, eerily enough, was a book on traveling through time to other worlds and times. Konan had confined her to bed rest after the blue-haired kunoichi had found her training with Tobi about an hour immediately after she had been healed. "Hi Deidara-san. What's up? Have I been released?"

Deidara chuckled, "No, you haven't. Well, actually, you kind of have, un." Seeing her face visibly brighten, he chuckled again, "Well, Leader-sama has given us a mission, un. Well, two, actually. Mission one: Capture the Kyuubi. Mission two: Kill Itachi-teme's younger brother, un." He paused there as she took a deep breath. "We can just stick to the first one, un…"

Akai bit her lip, thinking these options over for perks and deficeits. "No… I think that one is the better one. I mean, I'll get to see Cassie again, and maybe she'll listen to me about coming here…" Inside, her thoughts were much different: 'Well, we just won't tell her that she'll be traveling with the killers of her favorite anime guy in this whole damn anime world…'

Deidara seemed to read her mind, "You seem unwilling, Akai-san, un." He sat next to her on the bed, making sure to keep a polite distance. "You don't want to see her?" Okay, maybe he couldn't read minds.

She sighed, "No, I want to see her. I just know that if she finds out you, or Tobi, killed Sasuke, she'll never forgive you, and, possibly, me."

Deidara nodded, "I understand, un." He grinned, "You want me to let you go? Konan-chan told me how, un."

Akai's eyes widened happily, "Hells yeah!"

Deidara nodded, "Okay, but, un… If it seems really weird, then just think of it as a doctor's appointment, un…"

She stared at him, confused, but still nodded, "Okay…?" Secretly, she was wondering why he was taking so many precautions. Was the 'treatment' really so wierd?

He sighed, but still moved so he was in front of her. He placed his hands on her ankles, "Kai…" He murmured.

The pressure keeping her legs to the bed lessened slightly, and she wiggled her feet. "That's better…" She murmured, staring at her feet, hidden under the covers.

Deidara sighed heavily again, and started moving his arms up her legs, murmuring 'Kai' every once and a while.

Akai got redder and redder as he moved farther up her legs. He was coming dangerously close to a place where she didn't want to be touched, not even by him.

Deidara stopped at her upper thighs muttering "Kai." for the last time. He looked up at her, smiling, "There, un. You should be able to move now, un." He moved so he was only over one of her legs, his one-eyed gaze still stuck on her face.

She blinked, and lifted her leg slowly. It actually moved, and she grinned at Deidara, "Thanks, Deidara-san!"

Deidara nodded, "Yeah… you're welcome, un…" His stare was still on her face.

She turned to look directly into his eyes, "Is something the matter, Deidara-san?"

Their faces were only inches apart, and Deidara was painfully aware of this fact. He closed his eyes, silently gathering up nerve. 'You're an S-Class missing Nin, Deidara!' He thought to himself, 'Yet you can't even raise the courage to kiss this damn woman…Pathetic!' He opened his eyes again, "Akai…"

The silver-haired blinked confusedly at him, "Yes?"

He bit his lip, "Close your eyes, and don't get mad at me for this, un."

She blinked again, but obeyed, horrible thoughts about what was coming flowing through her mind.

Deidara took another deep breath, and then did the unexpected, closing the distance between the two of them. He pressed his lips to hers for a little more than second before he pulled away, blushing madly. "S-Sorry, un…" He stammered, looking away.

Akai was almost as red as he, and she looked away, "N-No… It's alright…"

Deidara abruptly stood up, pulling her up with him. "Well, c'mon, un! We have to go, un! Tobi's not that patient, as you know, un" He dragged her out of the room, barely giving her enough time to pull on her cloak.

She blinked in confusion, being dragged along behind a suddenly-perky Deidara. Where had this mood swing come from? She sighed, giving up on it, and let herself run along behind him.

He pulled her out to where Tobi was waiting. "Finally, Senpai!" The masked-nin declared. "I was getting worried! Was it that hard to free Lady-sama?" The 'Good Boy' gasped as another, more frightful idea popped into his head, "Or… Did Senpai RA-"

"NO!" Deidara yelled, "I DIDN'T, UN!" He was bright red, yet again. This had to be the most he had blushed in a long time.

Tobi giggled, expressing his glee at annoying his senpai so badly.

Deidara sighed, trying to get his face under some control. He turned, "Come on, you two, un. We're going, un!" He stalked off, his face still beet red, with a giggling Tobi and an embarrassed Akai trailing behind him.

After they had been traveling for a long time, Deidara suddenly stopped, "Whoa…" He whispered.

"What is it, Deidara-san?" Akai asked.

"It's… strange. Both of our targets are insanely close, un. I need to get in contact with Leader-sama, un." He closed his eyes, tapping into the mental connection that all Akatsuki members, except for Akai, shared.

After a few moments, he opened his eye again, "That wasn't helpful at all, un. He said we could go after either." He glanced around at them. "I picked the Uchiha, is that okay?" He looked straight at Akai.

She nodded, "Yeah, it's fine…"

"He's close, un." Deidara suddenly switched into battle mode, and the three were off.

A few mere minutes later, Akai and Tobi walked up behind Sasuke and Chikazi.

The raven-haired teens turned around to face them, not expecting what they saw.

Dun dun dun!!!! Okay, yes I know that's a horrible cliffhanger, but whatever. See you uys in Jan! R + R, 'Kaythanks!!