Hey! I know that Some of you are concerned about the time in between my updates but I am in my final part of my college years and am working part time as well. Please be patient I do write on these stories every chance I get.

On that note I was rereading some of my old stories to get some inspiration. I found the world series and forgot that in how in Clash and Collide when different animes came in and like then towards the end of Breaking Boundaries it looks like Payton dying and coming back was the release.

I have a poll on my profile asking if you would be interested if I continued it on. I have a plot I can follow but I wouldn't know if it would be interesting to all of you who have kept up with me. If you say yes, you can go look at that chapter then choose one of the animes or even choose another anime. However now I am open to even Video game suggestions.

Thank you!

"Shush! She's coming."

"Has she spoken yet, un?"

"Shut up!"

"I'm surprised she is back at school already. Tough bitch."

"Hush!"

"Itachi, has she even looked at you?"

"I SAID BE QUIET!"

Everyone stopped and looked over at the perturbed looking Pein. They were all sitting at the lunch table, watching, just like everyone else, as the brunette walked calmly to an empty table and sat down. She knew they were staring, but she just didn't understand why. She didn't need this type of attention it had been hard enough to keep the doctors believing she was a ward of the state, but she knew the paperwork would soon be in and her secret out...meaning he...will come for her again. No one really tried to talk to her except maybe Sai and Karin. They respected her space at least. Not like that Hyuga chick with her fake-ass 'nice' act. She knocked her out the second day back when she kept trying to 'be there for her'. She had kept warning her to back off and that she didn't want to be around her but Hinata had kept pushing her buttons. Of course this landed her in detention but for some reason the school didn't have it in them to expel her. Plus being secluded in detention meant she was forced to be away from everyone. This was her first day out of it since that incident. She had apologized to Hinata but it seemed like the Hyuga was trying to milk it for all she can, especially around Naruto. Payton felt bad about doing it, but she had done all she could to make up for it. The only real reason she did was because Naruto talked to her for a while about doing the right thing. She thought it was sweet how he stood up for his friends.

"Hey...you need to eat," Sakura said as she slowly sat in front of her, Naruto sitting beside the pinkette. Ever since the dance he had been following her around more than usual, much to her...dismay? It was hard to guess with her sometimes.

Payton didn't mind these two sitting with her. They just began eating their lunches and chatting with each other. For whatever reason they understood that Hinata had been asked several times to leave her alone. Since she put the bug eyed girl out like that only a handful from their class tried to speak with her...but that was a good thing. It was another way she could distance herself from the annoying ones. Now if only the annoying ones she was forced to call her roommates would go away too. She felt their eyes on her and glanced over her shoulder. When they noticed her look all of them made it a point to look away except for one. Itachi. His eyes were tired and pleading. Despite everything she found herself holding pity for him. He had been what had pushed her over the edge, ignoring puns, but her long standing on wanting suicide went deeper than a drunken encounter. She was...used to those so that's probably why she had been pushed towards it so fast. He didn't know that...she in good heart couldn't hold it against him fully.

She looked up again when Sai sat beside her. Karin was off sitting next to Sasuke, it wasn't that odd to see that happening. Sai gave her a smile before he turned to the others and started annoying Naruto. This was how they did it. These kids were two years younger than her but they understood her better than anyone. Even Itachi's brother had made an attempt, saying he would put dye in Itachi's shampoo next family reunion. Apparently even Uchihas had rules about how they got their mates. That brought her back to her current thought. She may hate the monitors with all her heart but her near death experience made her realize something. What they did was because they knew she was homeless, friendless, and alone. They had helped her with money, with food, everything. They were very pushy and too personal but...they had been the ones to stay by her side. She always faded in and out, but every time she could remember, one of them was always by her side. Payton was a lot of things, but not someone who took the things people did for her for granted. She understood that she had been less than grateful to them...but she had to put up that front. They had no way of knowing why, she couldn't expect them to after all. Maybe...she could do something a little nice for them...just this once.

"Hey guys..." she said in a soft voice, it was practically the first time she had spoken in weeks so she had every one of their undivided attention. "I...need your help with something..."

"Sure," Naruto said with a gigantic grin, "Anything you want!"

(a few days later)

"Why didn't you just say so?!"

Payton cringed on the floor among the mess she had unfortunately made. Pein was yelling down at her and every one of them glared at her. She had made them dinner and even cupcakes. When she had heard Pein rush in and start yelling at her, she had dropped the waters she had been carrying to the table. None of them knew why she had been doing so, in fact none of them had been home all day which meant she could make everything. But that wasn't why he was mad at her. None of them were mad at her, actually. The glares she got were full of the trust she knew she had lost with them. She knew she shouldn't have tried.

"You don't understand," she whispered up to him.

"Understand," Pein continued, "You're a runaway! There are adds of you all over the county! How selfish can you be?!"

"I said you don-"

"You know...," Hidan said, unable to even look at her, "I would give anything to have my parents look for me like that. Fucking spoiled brat."

"Please...let me expl-"

"My close family is dead," Sasori put in, "And you just push yours aside to take advantage of people's kindness."

Payton just stared at the ground, listening to them. She would just let them speak until they allow her to put in her own side. She shed no tears, knowing full well that what they said just wasn't true. She couldn't get upset or anything about that.

When they grew quiet, she could sense their sudden confusion at her quietness through their jeers. She looked up and some glared harder when they saw how calm she was.

"If you're done...I'll explain why I ran away...," she stood up slowly and picked out the glass that had pierced her skin as she thought where to begin.

"I lived in another country for the longest time before my real mother's death. I remember how it happened but no one believes the words of 5 year old. Dad said it was a heart attack but she had taken so many pills...so many. My dad moved us a few counties over and married another woman. Suddenly I had two older brothers and for a few years things were fine."

She felt her breathing hitch. Once she told them this she hoped they understood if she was going to have to disappear. She couldn't trust them any more than they now trusted her.

"My step-brothers started to get...touchy. When I brought it up to their mother, she struck me and said that I shouldn't have led them on. I was only 12, what did I even know about that? I brought it up to my dad and at first I thought he was on my side...but then I found myself pushed down the stairs into the basement and locked in there for a few weeks. I...lost all titles of being a human...if I ate with them, I had to beg on the floor like a dog...if they failed a class because I didn't know what their homework was I was beaten within an inch of my life. I had to teach myself things that most don't even learn until college. Dad's new wife had him wrapped so tightly around her finger...I don't even think he realized she was playing off of his hurt of losing the love of his life."

She saw their shocked gazes and Konan had started to tear up. Some of the stronger of the male teens had blank stares, as if trying to believe such a horror story. Of course she understood if they didn't...people were brought up to believe that no human would be that cruel to their own spawn.

"I got pneumonia a year ago and since they had to make sure no one knew their live in maid was being treated as such, I still went to school. After coughing up what they called a lung-full of blood, I was hospitalized where they found cancer growing in my bones. I thought..."

She let the tears fall as she continued.

"Dad was going to turn over a new leaf. I could see it in his eyes...I look so much like my mom it hurts. But once I received 'the miracle of the year', he took me home and I was locked in the basement from then on. He...told people I was still weak and sick so he pulled me out of school and into homeschooling. A few months ago I was able to escape through a hole I had dug under the house."

She looked down at her hands and wiped them off on her apron, getting rid of the carefully practiced make up to show the scars that had long started to fade.

"From then on I jumped from town to town, school to school, from half-way house to foster homes until I came here. I had stowed away on a plane in the luggage hold and snuck my way to the house Itachi found me in. I had become accustomed to forging my father's signature without him knowing to take small amounts of money here and there from the savings mom had left for me. He never looks at it but I ran out of checks before I got here. I also used this to get transcripts from my old school. The police here started to notice that I wasn't in school so I had to enroll..."

Now she let herself glare at them, showing that there was some blame she put on them.

"Where I met the Akatsuki Monitors. Some monitors considering none of you do anything to actually ensure the rules of the school are being followed. I was told that I had to make friends. That I had to do what they said. When I tried to kill myself to finally get rid of all the trouble I cause in my wake...all the lies I told people...all the tricks...damint! That's not who I am! But now I just had to survive and now I have to leave because...I am sure that you have already contacted the police about where I am. I can't just go in and tell them because I have no solid proof anymore. The bruises and everything are gone now...I can't put my father away...I fear...what could happen to me with his wrath."

She took off her apron and put it on the table beside her.

"You're right...you should leave," Itachi said as he stepped over to her calmly.

"Itachi," Konan gasped, "How could you be so-"

"I'll show you where you can hide."

Payton felt her heart stop. The conversations that had been filled with malice just moments before were now filled with such compassion that she felt like crying tears of joy...but she didn't because she knew that they couldn't help her.

"We can change her entire appearance!"

"I wonder what she would look like as a blonde, un..."

"No! Let's make Payton a red head!"

"With blue eyes!"

"OOOH! And I can finally dress her in cute lolita clothes!"

"What about a name?"

"Tsukiko!"

"Fuck! She already sounds hotter!"

"I wouldn't mind spending a little money to help her out this way..."

As they spoke, Itachi and her just stared at each other. Itachi had mixed feelings about this. His cop training told him to take her in. The other half of him, the one that truthfully cared about his friend, wanted to help her...forever.

"She has been hiding long enough," Pein said suddenly. "Don't get me wrong, I'm still rather angry with you, but I don't want to risk that your sob story is true. We aren't going to hide you...we will wait for your dad to come. Itachi. Tell your father that it was a false alarm. Kakuzu. Go into the hospital and change her information. Bribe whoever you have to that already knows. When your dad comes, and trust me he will, we will put a wire on you. Until then, Payton, you must act like nothing has even happened. You have to force yourself to get better and make friends. No one can suspect that you are a runaway, believe me some of the teachers believed you were already. Can you do that?"

"...No."

She slowly walked past them to the front door. None of them tried to stop her.

"Payton...please don't leave...," Tobi said in a whisper.

She stopped and looked back at them. She stared at each one of them in turn and let a smile fall on her lips. She had to make a decision to stop running sometime. Despite everything...they were only mad at her for lying to them. It was only right that they were. She said nothing as she stepped out of the door and closed it before silently disappearing into the night.

"Guys...look."

The group walked over to the kitchen where the food she had made was scattered around on the countertops.

"...We have to help her."

Itachi turned and had already started to follow the girl. She knew he was...so why wasn't she trying to stop him. Soon, they were walking side by side towards the lake. Nothing was said, but he could only guess that she actually didn't want to be left alone for once. This was the first time he had been alone with her since the dance. He watched her sit down on the edge of the pier before he spoke.

"Payton...," he began, "I know it's not my place but...I really hope you can eventually forgive me for the way I behaved. I was...just so frustrated by your behavior. We all were. You're the one of the few girls that has made it very clear to all of us that you weren't interested...people like me don't take that very well."

He paused in case she was going to stop him. He frowned a bit when she hadn't even looked back at him. He sighed as he continued.

"When you got so upset about the lie I told...I didn't know how to react...It sounds cliché but...I am just a teenage boy...That hurt my pride hearing such a gorgeous girl not want that to happen. I know that is just an excuse, it doesn't make it right...but...Payton please look at me."

She turned slightly and gazed up at him. He felt his breathing catch in his throat. She looked so...serene. The moonlight danced off the water and onto her hair and face. This was the calmest he had ever seen her look at him. He could only guess that not having that big secret hidden was a lift off of her shoulders. He slowly knelt down and had to stop himself from doing something stupid again. It might have been an excuse, but it was true that the chase of a girl who didn't want him for once was a big turn on. It could have been any other girl and he would have acted the same. He knew there wasn't anything special there and there never would be...but looking at her right now he found himself wishing there was even the tiniest possibility.

"We care about you," he continued, "Maybe not as friends, family, or anything special like that, but we know when we need to step up and protect someone that truthfully needs it. Now I can't say if your story is true or not, but it's out there now and despite the Akatsuki's true meaning for being banded together...there has been an attachment formed. But in order for us to help you, you have to open up and give an effort as well. This means making friends, going on dates, hanging out...no more of this depressive stuff. I can get you help for free to help you deal with it, but that's the only thing I can do without your effort in there too."

Payton looked him over for a few quiet minutes, he was most likely giving her the chance to think it over. What else could she really do at this point? If she chose to walk away they wouldn't help her and she had to face the fact that she needed help right now. Maybe...she should just hope that things will work out for a chance. Maybe the family responsible for all of her pain and torture would finally be kept away from her. She didn't want to rely on maybes though.

"I can't rely on any of you," she finally said, making his frown deepen, "You said it yourself. Your excuse isn't anything but that. All of you have a secret and have been using me as a charity case. From day one all of you have only reminded me of my time with my actual family. I had hoped being stubborn and very unreasonable would be enough for me to be left alone. Right now that's a blessing hidden in a curse. This being said I have no choice but to accept your conditions if you'll accept mine."

Itachi sighed softly and finally sat down beside her. Before he responded, he placed his jacket over her shoulders and couldn't help but smile as it draped her small frame like a dress.

"First of all...I'm actually 17 and have already graduated high school. I figured knowing this will help. I say I am 14 because that means I can stay longer in a town and get a little more consideration from places like soup kitchens, half way houses, and even schools. I have been on the run since I graduated. I skipped a grade when my mom was still alive."

Itachi chuckled.

"Anyways. I only need help until my birthday in a few months...School ends soon and through the summer I need to be well hidden but not a recluse. I do need to start getting a job so I can support myself once my birthday DOES come at the beginning of the next school year at the end of August. You have to understand that I need your help to by pass a whole bunch of things so I can get an actual job set up...maybe even start."

"...My uncle will help you. I can't get into it so don't ask but he already knows about your situation. He can give you a secretary job at his firm...as well as he will be the one that will be starting your psychiatry work."

He could feel her tense up but said nothing more, nodding at her to go on.

"...Second is that I want minimal time with all of you...I will be like ya'lls friend, but after everything...I just don't think I should be around any of you unless I deem it okay. So the whole bullshit about 'a member a week' will end."

"Hidan will be pissed about that," he couldn't help but chuckle with her on this.

"Is that all?"

"Yes. When I am out and on my feet I will be able to repay all of you for keeping this big of a secret...by then you should have all graduated."

"Most of us have as well...you may never find out about the truth behind the Akatsuki, but just understand that it's for the safety of everyone."

Payton sighed deeply and pulled his coat tighter around her. This wasn't very good, she could only imagine what was going to happen even if they hid everything.