Being face to face with Uchiha Itachi was frightening whether you were an ally or not. And when you don't know which one you are, it gets even worse. It didn't help that the girl was simply terrified of anyone anyway.

"It was a command that I take you to headquarters. If you don't agree to come I'm ordered to kill you. Though I don't know why he would choose you."

She didn't argue, didn't say anything, just lowered her head and nodded to the ground. Fear kept her from defending herself. At least that's what she was going to convince herself. It was fear of the Sharingan Heir; not her belief that what he said was true.

"Keep up." He said simply, before jumping into a tree above him. The girl followed, never once saying a word.

XxX

"What's she like, Itachi-san?" Kisame asked as his partner entered the hideout, his traveling companion absent.

"Quiet."

"What a nice change…" Kisame muttered to Itachi's retreating back. "Where is she?" he asked suddenly, realizing that their new housemate was absent.

"She was supposed to keep up. If she couldn't, she doesn't belong in Akatsuki."

Kisame sighed; they were under orders to make sure she made it to the hideout safely. The young woman had somehow managed to have Kirigakure put a high price on her head. Leader had not told them much, just that she was to be kept safe for the time being.

Itachi, he had noted, didn't seem pleased at all at his assigned escort mission.

"A waste of our time." He had called it, but didn't argue with Leader. Kisame had simply shrugged and watched Deidara strangle Tobi for reasons he did not yet know.

But that had been a few days ago, and now Itachi was supposed to have returned with the girl with him. Yet, he was alone. "Could you at least tell me what she looks like?" Kisame called out, walking down the hall he had seen is partner walk down.

"Green eyes. Black hair, in a braid." Shaking his head, Kisame turned and walked out the door that Itachi had entered, ready to go searching for Leader's ordered houseguest.

"I've never seen her before, un."

"Is she a trespasser, Deidara-senpai?"

"Iie," a timid voice said. "I was following Uchiha-sama."

"And why aren't you now?" Tobi asked.

"I… lost sight of him. He sped up when he got near here and I wasn't expecting it. I was being foolish."

"She must be the one Leader sent Itachi-san after!"

"We don't know that, and letting her in could be dangerous, un." Deidara said in annoyance. "Don't assume things so quickly, Tobi."

"She's who she says she is," Kisame spoke. "Itachi-san got back just a minute ago, and vague as his description was, she fits it."

"Kisame-san when did you get here?" Tobi asked.

"Doesn't matter. Let her pass."

"Arigato Kisame-sama," the girl said quickly before walking into the hideout, her head down to avoid eye contact with anyone.

"What was her name, un?

"Nakamura Misaki," Kisame answered.

"Why is she here, un?"

"Because Leader told us to keep her alive and bring her here."

"She seems overly scared, un."

"Hai, she does."

"Who's making dinner tonight," Tobi asked, losing interest in the conversation at hand.

XxX

She decided she didn't like this place. Given, she wasn't too fond of any place, but this was different. She really hated this place. It was plain, dark, way too large, and there were no windows. She wasn't claustrophobic; she just liked windows. It wasn't that big of a request to have a window in a room. She didn't have one in her old house either… and she despised that place as well. This place wasn't off to a great start.

She noted that the bed had one blanket on it, and it too was the same colorless shade as the rest of the room. She didn't like it.

A knock at the door stopped her from giving into the urge to throw something against the wall simply for the sake of seeing it break and make a mess in the sickeningly clean living quarter. It was the man that looked like a fish… what was his name? She was sure it started with a 'K', and she had even said it… so had the blonde man. What was it? It would seem rude not to remember a simple name.

"Hoshigaki Kisame," he introduced himself to her relief has he entered the room, carrying a robe identical to the one he was wearing.

"Nakamura Misaki," she responded. He nodded to her before setting the robe onto the bed.

"I'm sure it won't fit," he said glancing at her. "Demo, not wearing it could prove fatal. If you are to be a true member, Leader will get you one your size. If not, you might be sent on your way."

She looked like she was about to say something, but kept her silence. Instead she nodded once to show she understood, not looking at the shark man.

"Your forehead protector," he continued, holding out his hand. She touched the cold metal on it before untying it from around her neck and handing it over. She closed her eyes so she didn't have to witness what she knew was going to happen. A sharp clang was heard and she flinched before she accepted her new title and took her forehead protector back. She ran a finger across the gash now running through the symbol of her former homeland.

"We match now, Hoshigaki-sama." She muttered, noting that he was also from Kirigakure by the mark on his own damaged headband.

"And why is that?"

She didn't need to ask to know what he meant. "What I did will put an end to the suffering of my family. If that means I'm missing-nin, so be it."

Kisame noted that although it was noble thing to do, she didn't seem too proud of herself. She had, in her mind, done something heroic even if it cost her, yet her tone of voice was still rather small and frightened. She didn't seem to regret doing what she did, but rather believe her words. She didn't think it was worth it. He looked her over. While her clothes were dirty from the travel, they seemed fairly new. Her hands were small and her nails were clipped and filed.

"You were royalty of some sort."

She didn't respond, instead she walked to her bed and lay down, closing her eyes to block out everything around her. Kisame took this as a sign to leave and exited the room.

"What did you find out, un?" he was asked once he turned a corner.

"Nakamura Misaki. Shy, quiet, I'm guessing unsure of herself. Her family seemed to be pretty well off judging by her appearance."

"There's a girl in Akatsuki, un."

"Hai. It should prove interesting."

"Any chance it'll get Itachi-san to lighten up, un?"

"Not a chance."

"Didn't think so, un."

"Want to go train?"

"Can we use Tobi as target practice, un?"

"What'd he do this time?"

XxX

Just a note, this story is post Sasori death (if you couldn't tell already) but pre Orochimaru death. No reason why except that this was written before the latest chapters of manga.