Payton brushed her hair staring blankly into the mirror as she did. She wasn't doing anything special with it, no matter how much she was hounded by her new caregivers to look more presentable when seen with them. Most of the time they would get Konan to go in with Itachi to hold her down and fix her up. A tear escaped her eye and she watched in the mirror as it went down her cheek and stop at her chin, not quite enough water to drop down to the floor. This was no better than being with her dad, the one who she was trying to stay away from. She shook her head and stood up, the chair under her scratching against the hardwood floor under her. She needed to focus on her life now; her life away from him. These crazy new roommates were keeping her secret safe for now and there was no way she could express how grateful she really was for them doing that.

Walking to her closet she opened the door and her jaw dropped, seeing only a black dress hanging where her other clothes normally would. Only the slinky black dress that laughed in her face mockingly. She held her hands to her chest as she backed up, tearing up more. She didn't want to wear that…she didn't want to not be able to decide for herself. She turned and walked to the bathroom, locking the door. They had keys, but she wasn't going without a fight.

There was no way she was going to their dance.

OoOo

"Hm…seems rather quiet up there," Pein mused as he stared up at the ceiling where he knew their little 'captive' stayed. He brought his tea to his lips and sighed in content. This was way better than coffee by a long shot.

Konan frowned a little at her peer. "Don't you think leaving just one article of clothing in her closet is rather…I don't know…cruel," she said, leaning her head on her hand. "Plus it would mean that she would have to wear it all day or go to school in what she wore to bed."

Pein waved a hand at her. "We have her uniform in her dresser. The dress is just a sign to give her that she is going to the dance this Friday….and with someone."

Pein was met with a face full of cold orange juice, making him frown deeply as he wiped it off with his napkin. "That wasn't very necessary Konan," he chastised.

"How can you even think that she would be ok with that," she yelled at him, but had only just started. This wasn't in her nature to yell, but she knew when the leader was crossing the line. She resided next to the female and hears her every night in tears or throwing things in anger. They weren't stabilizing her with these constant rules and forceful natures; it was only making it worse.

"Konan…calm down…she gets to pick who out of the ones who ask…she just has to choose one…," he rubbed his ear to hopefully stop the ringing. He knew he now crossed something bad when Konan yelled.

Konan huffed and walked from the kitchen table without another word. If she had to, she would loan her outgrown clothing to her. She could only imagine who picked the dress out …

Earlier that day….

"Tobi don't go into the bra shop again, un," the blonde male yelled at the masked teen. Tobi sputtered and ran back to his senpai's side quickly, mumbling great apologies, but Deidara could see through the nice boy routine.

"Gah why did they send us," Deidara complained to no one in particular. "What do we know about picking out dresses? I mean…she's like tiny and we could get the wrong size or the wrong thing and she won't look great and….," Deidara ran a hand through his blonde locks in a way to calm himself. "Alright let's go into this dress store first, yeah."

Tobi clapped and ran ahead of him into the store, in search of a dress for the pretty girl to wear. Of course, he knew more than he let on about making women look great, but for now he would throw around a few stupid ideas to see if his blonde friend would figure out something on his own.

Deidara blushed slightly as he walked through some…rather out of dress code dresses. He remembered that I was preferred to get her either red or black, even a combination. He didn't want a dress that ruined the innocent air he found around her, but he had to admit it would be rather nice to see a little more skin.

Shaking those thoughts he shuffled through the dresses. Every time Tobi came up with another dress, he was forced to get more and more annoyed with his companion for picking the types of dresses he did. What was the point of all this crap for a girl who didn't even appreciate it? He sighed, knowing he would probably never understand women…or at least this girl.

"Sempai! Sempai! I found one," Tobi yelled from across the store, earning both of them unwanted stares. Deidara glared at them, daring them to say something, but they only turned around and busied themselves with their shopping. Deidara trudged over to his peer and blinked at the perfect dress he picked out. "Great job Tobi."

OoOo

"Now listen, Payton…."

"Don't tell me to listen you asshole," she growled at him. They had just gotten her down and told her the plan. She was not happy to say the least. "You're forcing me to go to a dance with someone I don't even know!"

"That's the point! It's so you get to know them," Pein growled back, trying his best to not just pair her with Kakuzu and get it over with. "You have an entire week to choose. Any of us extend our invitations, excluding the obvious," he looked at Konan before looking back at her, "But if you choose someone outside of us, then more power to you…isn't this what you wanted? To have a choice," he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"If you really gave me a choice you wouldn't force me to go to it in a dress that I don't even like looking at," she yelled, frustrated to the point of tears. She knew she was being stubborn, but she was sick of being pushed around like this. She could only take so much in such a short amount of time. Yes she would adore having friends; to have a life. It's just something that couldn't be afforded right now, especially when it's being forced on her. They wouldn't know her reason for always running…one day, she knew, they would wake up and she would be miles away in another town.

Pein groaned softly, rubbing his pounding temples. "How about this? You either do as I'm telling you or we turn you in to the cops as a runaway," he said, giving her ultimatum.

Deathly quietness filled the room as all first stared in bewilderment at the harsh leader then at the girl. Someone grunted as all they saw was her staring wide-eyed, tears rolling down her cheeks. Was this their goal? To slowly break her, almost painfully?

"Do you know how to dance," Pein continued, not bothered from her tears or sudden silence.

"Answer me."

"Payton I said answer me."

"Pay-!"

oOoO

Nothing mattered anymore as she walked through school to her class with Hidan. He kept talking and talking, trying to get her to go to the dance with him. He saw the dress and he wanted the first dibs in dancing with her. Plus this week was his week and it only made sense that she went with him. It was nearly his right! Hidan looked down at the quiet teen and scoffed.

"Maybe if you weren't so damn stubborn we wouldn't do these things to you. What the hell is so wrong with making friends? I mean most of these people are bastards but we aren't," he said pursing his bottom lip out in a childish fashion that screamed that he got no ice cream for dessert.

Payton closed her eyes and only grunted at him. She knew he was right, and wanted more than anything to smile up at him and give him a big hug. She didn't think she could smile at this point though…not until she knew for sure that she was safe forever. She wanted him in bars but nothing could be done, she knew, until she was of legal age. She couldn't prove his neglect or abuse; all she can do is run until she reaches that age. Only then could she smile.

Maybe.

Hidan sighed and put an arm around her shoulder, making both of them stop. He looked around and noticed no one was out in the halls, of course, because of the threat of the hall monitors. He brought her into a tight hug.

"I don't do this often but damnit it's the only thing I can think of right now to force you out of this fucking attitude," he grumbled almost foully at her. She blushed softly and pushed against him. "Oh hell no. You're not being released until you return this Jashin-damned hug."

Payton bit her lip and returned the hug in a quick but tight manner. He let go and pushed her away "You tell anyone about that and I'll cut you up," he threatened, though a tiny hint of a blush was shown before he turned away. Of course he was embarrassed! He didn't want to look soft to the underclassman!

Payton turned away "I need to go use the restroom…," with being excused she walked in a fast pace to the bathroom and almost made it to her solitude when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and she was twirled around.

"Payton-chan," Tobi squealed in her ear in a happy voice. "Go to the dance with me," he extended, placing her on the ground again. Out of all of them, Payton couldn't even find a whim to trust Tobi, not from this fake attitude. She didn't know what he was thinking and she couldn't see his eyes which made it worse. She preferred to see their eyes rather than not. Eyes told a lot about a person.

"No Tobi…I'm not going," she said trying to side step him.

"But leader-sama says you must….," she could almost hear the pout in his voice. She guessed living life behind a mask most of the time you learn to make your voice show your emotion.

"I don't care. How would like it if someone was forcing you to into everything in your life," she asked and was caught off guard when his gloved hand grabbed her chin and forced it up almost painfully. "You ungrateful girl…I could have told them to just make you turn yourself in. For once try to think about what you do have instead of just the bad."

The newly found evil man dropped her and skipped off happily. Payton stared at the ground and only laid on the ground staring at the wall quietly. He was right and she knew it…but she felt too far gone to start acting better. They would see it as a fake effort and try even harder with her. She closed her eyes only now hearing the bell for the next class rang and the sound of running feet sounded in the hall.

OoOo

Pein stared around at everyone in the circle in the middle of the living room. In the center a hat full of paper resided. Papers with their names on it. After Payton being sent to the nurse then home due to not being in the right mind, the only way they could get her a date was to draw from them. The first five drawn would be put back in then the first three. Then from the final three, one person would take her.

"Konan do the honors," Pein said, resting back in his chair. Payton was upstairs taking a relaxing bath that she fully agreed to this time. They were only worried about relaxing her and making her back to how she was normally, before they came in, even if that made no sense at all.

Konan felt the tension rise as she reached in. "Itachi…..Tobi….Kakuzu….Pein….and….Deidara." There were several sighs of relief from the mean who were picked and one grunt from one who had wanted to.

The papers were placed back in and she shuffled them around. It was as if everyone was holding their breaths. "Kakuzu….Deidara….Itachi…." The Uchiha closed his eyes, hiding his cocky nature inside. He wanted to see how much of a dancer the girl was. He bet she would be a decent one, he could tell that from her legs. Kakuzu watched patiently, rather ok but slightly irritated at the thought of taking the stubborn girl to the dance. Deidara fisted his hands, the teenage boy only anxious to see her in the dress and hold her close in a dance.

Konan shuffled a minute longer than last time, making the boys wait or possibly come to their senses that they are forcing someone into something they don't want to do. She set the hat down and reached in, pulling out the piece of paper.

"Um…" Everyone looked over to the girl who stood in her pjs and wet hair. "I um…just…accepted to go to the dance with Sai…"