"Y-you…" Keilala looked up at the man, and he gazed back at her. The face was older, the form taller, but the trademark weapon and the feel of him were familiar. "…Kisame…"

"Keilala… get up, you are coming with me." She looked up at him, first in shock, then rage.

"What is this? First you abandon me, and now you come back, almost nine years later, and order me to come with you!?!?! Make up your mind…" He turned and she instantly regretted her words. Not because he was angry, but because he seemed… hurt. Actually hurt.

"If it was my choice, Keilala, none of it would have happened. But it has, and I'm asking you now, come with me." He held out his hand and Keilala stepped towards him, emotions long dead coming to light within her again.

"Kisame… Why did you leave?"

"Not here. Not now."

"When?"

"I'll tell you when we're far from here, and safe." Safe. Keilala almost laughed. She hadn't felt safe since the day he'd left. But here he was, asking her to come with him, and not leaving her behind this time. She nodded and took his hand.

"Alright…" She placed her hand in his. A squeak of surprise escaped her as he lifted her into his arms bridal style.

"Oh, don't tell me you forgot this…?" A smirk played upon his lips as she blushed furiously.

"Stop playing with me, Kisame, you butt!" He grinned at the Kunochi in his arms and chuckled.

"Oh, wonderful! Not only do I have to bring in my own daughter for murder, but I have to take out the last surviving of the Seven Swordsmen as well!" Nakai stood up all of the way and took a defensive position.

"Well, really you don't have to do that, Nakai-san. You want to." With that, Kisame leapt into the trees and began to run for the Akatsuki base. Keilala threw kunai and senbon at her father as he followed, soon killing him as well. They traveled for the rest of the day, soon coming to a village not far from their destination.

"Keilala, we have to get a hotel for the night… and that damned Kakuzu only gave me enough money for one…"

"It's fine Kisame. Remember, we used to live in the same hut with only two rooms in it. One hotel room is no different." They went to one that was nearest to their trail, and inquired about a room. The man at the desk sized them up and told them.

"We only have one room right now, and it's only got one bed." Both froze for a second, then resigned to their fate.

"We'll take it, since this is the only hotel we have the time to stay in." Kisame paid the man, and walked up to the room, with Keilala in tow.

"Kisame, how early must we rise to get to the base in time?"

"Well, if we include showering and all… six a.m." The kunochi nodded and followed her old friend to the room, feeling very tired and worn down from the day.

I looked at Kisame as he opened the door and let me in first. He was a gentleman as always, and I smiled upon the memories that came. I was so caught up in them, that I almost didn't hear Kisame move behind me. Almost. His arms snaked around my waist, and his head came to rest in the crook of my neck.

"Keilala-chan… I'm sorry…" Turning to my one and only true friend, I saw the pain of his regret.

"I forgive you, Kisame… I… I never thought I'd ever see you again… All I want to know, is… why?" He looked around the room, as if asking the wall and the few furnishings for the answers to the questions that only he could answer. Kisame sighed and sat on the bed, pulling me into his lap.

"It's a very long story... so I hope you'll sleep well after this…"

Kisame's Flashback

"Ngh! NO! Leave Keilala-chan out of this! I won't let you lay a hand on her!" A nineteen-year-old Kisame fought to keep the strange teens in the cloaks away from his only friend. He would never let them even see her, speak to her… If anything happened to his beloved Keilala…

"But Kisame… Her "factor" could help our organization greatly… unless you're willing to take her place." The oldest of the rag-tag group at that point, a twenty-nine year old man named Kakuzu, stepped forward. "our leader wants her or you… both is preferred, but only one will do." Kisame shook with rage and stepped forward, brandishing Samehada.

"I'll come… just leave Keilala-chan out of this!" Nodding, Kakuzu sighed.

"Fine… fine… as long as you give us your all and forget about her, we'll leave her be… unless she gets to be a problem." Days after that, Kisame did the hardest thing he ever could do in his entire life… and for nine years, it nearly killed him.

Kisame studied Keilala's face as she sat and thought about what he had just said. He hadn't wanted to leave her. Never in a million years would he make the same mistake if he knew just how it would hurt. But now it was over, and they were together again.

"You caused quite a bit of trouble for Hidan there, Lala… They were tempted to send Kakuzu after you, and he was rearing to go after the way you messed up his new toy…"

"What do you mean by 'His new toy?' Don't tell me they're gay." Kisame nodded.

"'Fraid so. It's really a pain when they use the torture devices at night. All that screaming…" A glint suddenly came into his eyes. Keilala knew instantly what was 'up' and growled.

"No… I'm not sleeping with you… not that way."

"What?! Don't tell me you're lesbian?!"

"Wah-? NO! Kisame you perv!" Chuckling, Kisame snatched the pillow out of her grasp just in time to keep it from hitting his head. Then he placed an oh-so-light kiss upon her soft, sweet lips.

"We really should get to bed now, Keilala-chan… good night." He slid her off of his lap and went into the bathroom to change into a pair of boxer shorts. When he came out, he raised an eyebrow at Keilala's garb. She wore a white t-shirt and yellow shorts that did hardly a thing to cover up her shapely, gorgeous legs.

' Good night Kisame." She got under the covers and rolled over to one side of the bed. Kisame entered the other side and wrapped his arms around Keilala's waist.

"Just for good measure." He nuzzled her cheek. "I really missed you… good night."