Others Ch 17

DUN-DUN-DUNNN~ I'm really happy you guys have taken Kumori wanting to switch to being a Protector well, as soon as I posted that chapter I started worrying about what you were going to think. A lot of people have mentioned this is like Twilight (I love the series and this was partially based off of it to get me going but now it's my own series~) If it starts seeming like it, pleeeeease tell me and I'll do my best to correct it!

cheeky half-demon: You'll find out why in this chapter! Since you asked, I'll update… NOW! XD

Likes to Smile: *squeals at Smile-chan's cuteness* Unless she somehow screws it up!

SnowsShadow: *joins in the celebrating as Kisame and Sasori blush a little* Don't worry! 'Mori-baka and Kakuzu can't have kids, because of some technical crap that happens with the change to Protector-ism. Please, please, please tell me if she starts acting like Bella!

XxRainbow-DarknessxX: I was starting to wonder what happened to you! *glomps* But now you're back and you don't have to apologize, I get it. And oh yesh~ ;3

Thanks to reaperman262 for the favorite story! I think that's the first guy I've ever gotten to like one of my stories! *dances badly*

This chapter will be told for Kakuzu's POV, at least the first part. ONWARD! *gallops away to let the reader read in peace*

I listen from the room where my girlfriend's life as a monster will begin. I clench my fist as I hear her on her cell.

"Hi Mommy," She says and I can hear her voice shake. "Hmm? ... Oh yeah, sorry about that… It's a long story. I'll tell you when I get back home… What?... No, no. Kakuzu's taking me to LA for our anniversary. … I know, he is really sweet. … Mom! We're just going to the beach! … Yeah… I'll be back in a couple days. He's talked to the school so they've approved this. … Of course I'll get to make up the work. … Okay. I love you too Mom, kisses for Ryuu too. … Bye," She hangs up and I see a tear roll down her cheek.

"I'm going to see her again, right?" Her tone is strangled and I open my mouth to respond but Kisame beats me to the chase.

"Of course, she won't see any of the changes. Most of us have some kind of Genjutsu over us so humans don't stare or suspect something. Almost impossible to break," He smiles a little and hands her a tissue. She mumbles her thanks and looks away. "Everyone's scared when they get ready to go through the change. Look, I was here when Kakuzu went through it. He was so freaked out before hand he was throwing up for almost an hour," This gets her to giggle as she shoves the tissue in her pocket and wipes the tear-streaks away with her palm.

"Okay, I think I'm ready," She says shakily. He squeezes her shoulder and offers a comforting smile.

"Pein isn't going to be in the room, he never is for changes. We just need you to um…" He turns slightly red. She nods with understanding and blushes. "It's just going to be me, Kakuzu, and Hidan,"

"I'll meet you guys in there," She says and he nods, giving her privacy.

"You should be the one comforting her, you know that," Kisame says giving me a withering glare. "You haven't talked to her since you found out about the blood," I flinch at his words but just shake my head.

"She's scared of me,"

"She loves you!" That hits me like a slap to the face. "She f*cking loves you, Kakuzu. Go talk to her. She's doing this. Because. Of. You. Because. She. Wants. To. Be. With. You." His hand clenches into a fist and he punches the wall, but not hard enough to do anything but leave a small mark.

"You act like this isn't eating me on the inside too," I growl, surprised that I actually told him that. That wasn't supposed to happen.

"She's still going to love you, even when she sees the real you." He says softly, looking me in the eye. "She's not going to care, Kakuzu. You Imprinted on her, she Imprinted on you. That's never going to change," I cross my arms and lean with my back against the wall next to me.

My stomach twists into knots. Am I that see-through? No… I've learned better than that. I grunt in response to Kisame's words, walking into the operating room.

The strong sterile smell of hospital hits me, stinging the insides of my nose. I take off the mask Kumori has never seen me wear and look at myself in the mirror. My green eyes look normal to humans, who can't see the blood red around them. The scars on my neck, my face, my everything…they are bold, more pronounced. I look down at my hands and grimace. I harden it out of my own free will and it turns black. Disgust is clear on my face when I look back up. I thread my hands into my hair and pull at the dreadlocks. Ever since I was changed, I haven't aged.

"Kuzu?" I turn around and see Kumori, the girl I've fallen head-over-heels in love with. Guilt plucks at my heartstrings when I see how pale she is. A soft robe-I dully recognize it as one of ours- covers her and she keeps fidgeting with it. Tugging a string here, pulling it closer there. She keeps messing with it and I can almost feel the nervousness radiating off of her. She looks tiny and scared, like a little kid lost in a department store.

I take three long strides towards her, a knife driving its way into my stomach when she flinches. She looks even smaller now, compared to me. My arms go around her and I pull her into a hug. Two words leave my mouth I'd never thought I'd say.

"I'm sorry," She relaxes a little and puts her head on my chest, listening to the beat of my hearts. They were going erratically now, like some retarded hamster running on its wheel so much it's about to give itself a heart attack.

"It's okay," She says softly as her arms interlock behind my back. I gently put my hand on the top of her head. "I know you did that because you care about me," I push the hair back from her forehead and kiss it before anyone can see.

"It's not too late to back out…" I try but determination shines in her eyes.

"I'm going to be useful to you now, Kuzu-kun," That alone gets my hearts to start beating like that retarded hamster. I mentally curse myself for acting so stupidly but she keeps talking. "Plus, now we can be together, right? If I'm a Protector. And now that snake guy will stop following me around and sending his minions after me… bleh, Nari and Santai are so creepy. So a little pain will set us free, right?" Unwillingly, a chuckle escapes me.

"Right." I say as Hidan and Kisame walk in. Hidan is, as usual, shirtless, making Kumori blush.

"Man…" Hidan sighs and throws himself at a chair. "This is going to be such a pain… Ha, for her that is!"

"Don't listen to the d*ckless wonder," Kisame says kicking Hidan hard enough in the shin for it to hurt but not for it to break. He goes down holding his knee, a few strangled swears making themselves audible. "Hidan's stupid,"

"You ready?" I rub her forearm gently and she nods, hesitantly shrugging off the robe. The Jashinist whistles from his spot on the floor.

"Not bad!" He gives her a thumbs up and I kick him in the stomach. He's still groaning as I pick up my girlfriend and set her on the table. Goosebumps rise on her skin because of how cold it is. I give her an apologetic look but she doesn't see it. She's too busy gaping at all the needles we're going to use in the procedure.

"C-Can you give me something to knock me out during this?" She squeaks, her voice several octaves higher than usual. Kisame nods in understanding and puts his hands on either side of her neck.

"When you wake up you're going to be a Protector," He says with a smile. I kiss her hand and she weaves her fingers with mine.

"…'Kay," I almost have to step back at all the chakra he's pumping into her at such a rapid pace. It goes straight to her head and her eyes roll back when she passes out. He catches her and gently lays her out on the table. He attaches a heart rate monitor to her finger and puts a few other stickies on her neck and forehead to monitor brain waves. Everything looks normal.

"Ready when you guys are," He says picking up a needle. "We need to get this started soon, it's going to take a while for the medic to take full affect and we have no idea if or when the Others are going to find out,"

"Got it," Hidan and I say picking up needles as well. I inject one into the side of her neck, another goes into her left leg, then her right, both her arms, and the biggest one goes right into her stomach. I pick up a smaller one and put it to her temple gently. Pressing it into her gently, I put my hand over the wound to make sure not much blood is lost. It stops bleeding relatively quickly and Hidan injects the last one into her chest.

"Her heart's still is beating, right?" I ask and he nods.

"She's got a strong pulse. D*mn, this should be easier than a cheap wh-" The machines start screaming and we all jerk our heads around to see what's going on. Kumori's chest starts heaving and she starts jerking from side to side. Not normal, even for a change to Protector.

"What's going on?!" I bellow at Kisame. He darts over to her and his hands glow over her heart.

"The Others started her implosion," He says, his voice deadly calm. "She's going to die if we don't do something," Blood flows out of her mouth and my eyes get huge.

"What can we do?" Hidan asks going a little pale.

"If we can keep her heart and brain going, she should be able to survive this." Kisame says. We both nod.

"Kakuzu, take her heart. Pump chakra in and out of it to keep it going. Filter out the probes. They're setting them off manually so we still have a chance. Hidan, keep the blood from her brain. Use your chakra to get oxygen to her brain. Whatever you do, don't let your concentration lapse or you could kill her."

"No pressure," Hidan says under his breath as his hands glow.

We're like that for over half an hour before I grimace.

"I'm almost out of chakra," I growl and Hidan closes one eye with effort.

"Same here," He says with a slight grunt.

"Looks like we'll have to do this with chakra, I'm almost out too," Kisame steps to a drawer quickly and pulls out a pair of paddles. He puts ooze on them and rubs them together. Hidan pulls his hands away first, panting slightly. I pull away next but still stay close. Her heart beats on its own for a couple of counts but then stops.

"Charging… Clear!" Kisame shocks her and her heart starts back up. He rubs them together again with the ooze, waiting. "Charging" It beats for just over a minute before stopping again. "Clear!" This goes on for what seems like forever before the shock doesn't work. "Charging!" He puts the paddles on her chest. "Clear!" Her chest heaves up as the line just jumps once before going back down. Sweat drips down the side of his neck.

"Charging!" He yells. "Clear!" Shock branches through me as he does this more times than I can count. I look at the clock. Less than a minute has passed. The brain will die without air after three. There's still time…! He drops the paddles after another few charges. "Kakuzu," His voice is mournful. "I'm sorry. She's gone,"

I punch the wall next to me, leaving a huge dent in it. "No! Sh-She's still alive! There's still time!" I fall to the floor next to it, putting my head on my knees. "No…"

"Time of death, nine thirty-four pm. Ca-" Hidan starts to write down the facts that the doctors would want to know on a sheet of paper but the monitor beeps.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

"Holy f*cking Jashin-sama," My partner says softly. Kisame and I both look up to see her chest rising and falling.

"She's alive," Kisame says dumbly, like his mouth doesn't really know how to work. "She's alive."

She's alive!

I start laughing as I hug her. The hardest minute and twelve seconds of my entire life.

That's the first time anyone has seen me cry since I can remember.