Yosh! Another chapter done!! I'm getting closer and closer to the end, but I'm getting less and less time to write TT But I'll finish this, I'm determined!!

Anyway, enough talk, here's the nineteenth chapter, and I hope you enjoy :)

Oh, and I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 19 – the inevitable truth

The day passed without Deidara or Sakura noticing it. They ate something in the afternoon, cleaned the house further of dust and cobwebs – and darn, did Sakura hate spiders – and before they knew it, the sun was already setting and making the shadows long, covering the house in darkness, forcing Deidara to put on some lights.

He looked at Sakura and then, with a nod of his head, gestured that she should get up, before getting up from the couch himself. Sakura followed him immediately, knowing that, if she didn't go with him on free will, he'd drag her with him. The floor was now so clean that you could nearly eat of it, but still, she didn't exactly like the feeling it was giving her. So she walked close behind him, their chained hands hanging next to each other, the chains between them hanging loosely to the floor.

He then pulled the curtains shut, making sure that no light filtered outside, and moved to the other window to do the same. And Sakura followed him, head bowed obediently, knowing not to make a sound. He had changed since this morning. He'd grown to be… very silent. He didn't talk to her anymore like he used to, he even stopped with his useless and irritating comments he used to throw at her all the time. She didn't know what had caused this sudden change in behaviour – he hadn't punched, kicked or hurt her in anyway which she had though he would since she was his hostage – but she had the slightest feeling that it might be because of what she'd thought that morning.

Somehow she might have insulted him, and even though she didn't want to admit it, not even towards herself, she hated herself for making him act so strangely. What even made me think he might… she thought, even her thoughts shaky. He's been acting a lot softer and nicer than I guessed he would. The question is, then why did he say he had planned it all out? It doesn't make any sense at all!

"What do you wanna eat?"

His voice startled her, since he hadn't spoken to her for at least five hours. She blinked before answering. "Eh, I'm not, er, really hungry, actually." And she smiled apologetically, blushing faintly. He gave her an emotionless look.

"Well I am. I thought about making cup ramen."

Okay, something is really off, Sakura thought while she stared at him. He didn't even use the 'hmm' ending!

"I'm going to eat." He turned around so fast that he tugged the cuffs, spinning Sakura on the spot, before dragging her with him. Just in time she managed to keep her balance and she stumbled behind him.

"Hey! Could you watch it!"

She clapped a hand in front of her mouth. He stopped walking.

What did she just say?

A flash of the ninja rules appeared in front of her eyes while she stared at his back, which she could nearly feel tensing. "…in case of being taken hostage, act calm and obedient, and wait for your chance to escape. If that does not occur, make sure that you make up a plan and try to send a message to the outer world. If that does not succeed, accept the fact of taken hostage and wait for your rescuers to come, do NOT make foolish attempts to escape…"

I just dropped the "act calm and obedient" part, she thought while he slowly turned around. And he seems pissed off, too… she clenched her fist. Well, if he's gonna yell at me, he's gonna get damaged!! Don't mess with Sakura!

Then, a sound she expected least came out of the person in front of her. Nearly four inches away from her, she heard Deidara giggle. Thank god it was no girlish giggle, not at all, more something like a chuckle, but less evil, less… less bad… he turned his head, and as their eyes met, Sakura saw that they sparkled with something she could only define as excitement. She gulped.

"I was already wondering," he said, still with a very happy undertone to it, "when you would finally break, hmm."

Sakura frowned. "Break?" she asked, forcing her voice to remain soft and controlled. "I did not break. Not at all."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh please. Don't try anything fancy with me. remember…" he tapped the side of his head with his free hand while turning to face her fully. "I can read your thoughts, hmm. At this very right moment, you're confused why I'm saying this…" he stepped closer. "And why I've been silent the entire day…" he stepped even closer, his chest nearly touched hers. "And now, your heart and brain are going crazy with me being so close, even though you should hate me, detest me, and wish I was dead, hmm."

He brought his face closer and stared into her eyes. "Am I right?"

Sakura stared at his face, her eyes shooting from his eyes to his mouth uncontrollably, feeling the urge to close the gap between them but suppressing that by sheer willpower.

He smirked. "I am, isn't it?" when she didn't respond but let her eyes rest on his lips, which were oh so close, he laughed softly. "What holds you back, kunoichi…?" he whispered, placing his free hand on her back. "No one ever needs to know… we're far away from everybody…" he brought his face to her hear. "You can even say that I forced you, hmm…"

Sakura slowly started to loose it. He was talking right in to the things that held her from jumping him, right in to the things that she felt were holding her back from doing what her entire body screamed for. "I… I cant, Deidara, and you…" she clenched her teeth on each other when he kissed the skin beneath her ear. "…you shouldn't, either…"

"I shouldn't?" he whispered, kissing her again, making her freeze. "Why shouldn't I? You see, that's the best part of it…" he chuckled. "Of leaving town. Becoming a free ninja."

He kissed her jaw, getting closer and closer to her chin. "I can do…" he'd nearly reached her lips. The twirling feeling in Sakura's stomach was reaching uncomfortable speeds and heights. "everything…" she let out a little surprised sound which startled herself but was completely justified as he pulled her closer to him and panted against her chin. "…that I want, hmm."

And then he moved his lips to hers. Time seemed to freeze. Sakura froze. He was getting closer and closer, and she moved towards him. A drop of sweat ran down her neck. She wanted this so badly, her entire body wanted this more than anything out there. But then, completely out of line, something hurt like hell.

She collapsed. Deidara gasped while reaching for his stomach, too, while Sakura stumbled backwards, dragging Deidara along with her. Pain shot right through her lower stomach. It felt like several hot knives were put in her flesh, moved up and down, and then removed again.

"Goddammit," Deidara panted while grabbing a doorpost with his free hand, pulling Sakura towards him with his chained one. "What the hell is this, hmm?!" he couldn't end his sentence properly as another shot of pain forced him to close his mouth. "You didn't eat something bad, did you?!"

Sakura shook her head. No, she hadn't eaten anything bad for a very long time, not since the milk she'd been given when she'd been at Naruto's place once. So what was going on? Then, slowly, something occurred to her. Oh no. No. No no no no. No this cannot be. Her heart raced in her chest while she started to count the weeks. One… two… three… FOUR…! she gulped and looked up at Deidara, who was still staring at her with an angry and also frightened look.

"And?" he asked, sounding rushed.

She opened her mouth but the words wouldn't come out.

"Whát?!"

She stared at her feet. Another cramping pain attack hit her and she gasped again.

This, she thought, still unable to speak, concentrating on Deidara with all her mind. Is one of my periods.

"you're kidding me."

He stared at her with wide open eyes, jaw dropped to the floor, pupils shrank to the size of a needle point. Sakura trembled, her lips curled in a smile something in between crying and smirking. She didn't know how to react to this. She could be happy, yes, this was another thing that would irritate him crazy. But, also, this would hurt. And what about…

"stop, stop," he cried, pushing his hands against his head. "You can't be serious, you simply can't, hmm! You're just… I dunno…" he stared at her. "Making fun of me!"

Sakura shook her head. Another cramp hit them and they both collapsed half. Sakura grabbed her stomach. "Have you got something…" she muttered, looking up to him half. He shook his head, gasping with pain.

"What do you suspect?" he asked, his voice sounding angry but also extremely annoyed. "I'm a GUY, I don't have… don't have…" his voice died away. "I don't have those things here!!"

"Oh god, oh god," Sakura muttered, looking left and right. "You know," she looked up at him and he stared back. "if you hadn't taken me with you this wouldn't have happened at all…!"

His lip twitched. "What are you talking about, hmm?!"

They stood a feet away from each other, both still bowed forwards to ease the pain a bit, staring at each other's faces. His gaze was both angry and upset, and her gaze was accusing but also painful. Her mind was already wandering to the places that she would have to go to shortly. Let's say, what about the blood? He didn't have anything at home. And besides, she would get extremely grumpy. And, seeing how much he got troubled by just hearing what was wrong, if he had to help her…

"I'm talking about the fact that I or at least Tsunade would have had something for this."

He sniffed. "Well, it doesn't have to be so bad, hmm? I heard…" he blushed. "I heard that… with some women… the blood isn't so much… so perhaps..?"

Sakura bowed her head. "Gomen, Deidara," she whispered. "I'm not one of them."

- Konoha -

"WHAAT??"

Naruto, standing in the door of the hokage office, looked astounded. "No, Tsunade-baachan, you need to be wrong! This cannot be, dattebayo!! I'm better, I'm healthy, I don't even feel any pain anymore! Besides, Sasuke and I will be able to work together just fine, it's okay, he won't even touch me anymore, so I can-"

"Naruto!"

Naruto stopped ranting. He stared at Tsunade. She stood, half panting, bowed over her desk. Shizune stood next to her, the pig in her arms, a worried look on her face. Dotongu stood on the other side, a serious expression on his face, a hand placed on Tsunade's back.

"But…"

"We can't go yet, Naruto," Tsunade said. Her voice was weak and sounded shaky, and she didn't even make eye contact with the blonde ninja. "Mizura's messenger hasn't arrived yet. Without the cure, we'd have no reason to go after them." Then she finally looked up, and Naruto flinched as he saw the sad expression on her face. "I want Sakura back, too, Naruto," she whispered, tears glistering in her eyes. "Don't think I don't… I really want to. But if we get them back without having a cure…" she swallowed. A tear ran down her left cheek, and Dotongu patted her back softly. "Things would just repeat themselves. And… and I don't want that!"

Naruto scowled at her. "I don't understand," he complained. "If we get them back first, we can wait for that messenger to come, right, right? And then we can cut them loose, and question Deidara anyway!"

But the happy expression on his face drained away as another tear ran down Tsunade's cheek. "…right, Tsunade-baachan?" he asked, his voice dying away at the end of the sentence. But the Hokage shook her head.

"I've thought about it, Naruto. A lot. But I've come to my conclusion and I wont back out of it anymore. We can't get them back without the cure, it's just impossible." She swallowed. "Please Naruto, try to understand. We have to prepare ourselves before we undertake any action at all… and that cure is one of the many preparations we have to do before our departure."

Naruto yelled out of anger. "But why, Tsunade-baachan?! You told me – no, you promised me we would go! Besides," he panted of anger, eyes shooting fire but also glaring into Tsunade's desperately. "What reason do you have to think that? I… I just… I cannot understand it!!"

Tsunade looked down again and several tears dripped on her desk, her shoulders shaking heavily with crying. Shizune put an arm around the Hokage and pulled her closer, whispering soft words of comfort, while Dotongu concentrated on Naruto, who stared desperately from Dotongu to Tsunade and back.

"Naruto-kun," Dotongu said, his voice low and warm as always, but with a sad and cold undertone to it. "What Tsunade tries to say, what she can't say," he looked to Tsunade and then back to Naruto. "…is that Sakura perhaps won't come back with us if we don't loosen her from Deidara-kun."

Naruto stared at Dotongu and then shook his head. "No, that's a lie!" he shook his head again. "Why would Sakura-chan do such a thing, huh? She hates that guy! She'll take any opportunity to escape!" suddenly his voice died. He stared at Dotongu while slowly the pieces of what he had seen and heard started to fall together.

Sakura had been happy with that guy. She'd been laughing, making jokes, talking normally… the color swept out of his face as he remembered that she'd actually been kissing Deidara minutes before he had attacked them.

"She will come back, right?"

Dotongu shook his head slowly, his eyebrows curved in a sad curve. "Sumimasen, Naruto-kun… but that's because…"

"That's because Sakura…" Tsunade suddenly said, silencing Naruto, making him stare at the broken woman. "…fell in love with him."

- Tobi -

He was hiding in the bushes nearby a large group of trees, staring at them intensively. Just minutes ago, heck, perhaps even a few seconds, he'd heard something, coming from the same group of trees he was staring at right now. Something that sounded like a yell, or a cry, which could've been from both shock or anger, Tobi couldn't tell, came out of those trees. He was sure. Next to that he could tell that there was something extraordinary about that group of trees, because he had found a powerful genjutsu shield around it as soon as he tried to enter.

He tilted his head. Hmm. Perhaps Deidara's hiding in there. He looked left and right before he walked over the open spot towards the group of trees, coming as close as possible without stepping over the genjutsu line. It would be something for Deidara though to attach bombs to the shield… I should be careful. He carefully touched the shield, and he saw the air ripple like water beneath his touch. He smirked beneath his mask.

Good thing Kisame's not here, he thought while he searched on the floor for a clue to where the seals might've been hidden. He'd probably try to break through it by sheer power… heh, the idiot. I'm glad I left him behind…

He started to walk outside the circle that the genjutsu line formed, and he carefully stepped forwards, cautious not to touch the shield again, knowing that a too hard touch would probably detonate the bombs – just for in case there were any. Just when he was about to enter a pair of bushes, determined to keep following the shield's line to find the seal – this kind of shields was made out of seals, mostly two of them, placed on the floor and by that making a circle – he heard a sound behind him.

What? An enemy?

He turned around just in time to see a very pissed off Kisame, flying at him, Samehada held out in front of him and howling a battle roar. "FOUND YOU!!"

Tobi immediately snapped back to his cover and held his arms out in front of him, screeching: "Noo!! Kisame-san!! Please don't hurt – OOFF!!"

Samehada hit him full, and just when Kisame though he would shave a nice large amount of skin off the boy, the sword went right through Tobi, and as he stumbled forwards, lost his balance completely, Tobi stepped aside, dropping Kisame to the floor, where he immediately got up again, growling angrily, holding Samehada out in front of him.

"I don't know what you did, you little punk," he yelled, and Tobi's head yanked to the left, at where the shield was, hoping the person inside wouldn't notice them. "But you'll pay for leaving me behind!!"

And he dashed forwards, slicing air with Samehada, but again going right through Tobi, who didn't make a sound as he jumped backwards, falling over on purpose, landing on his backside hard.

"Gomen, Kisame-san!!" he cried, trying to make his voice sound as pitiful as possible, tugging his legs up to his chest defensively while he kept glaring at the shield from behind his mask. "But Tobi thought, if Tobi went without Kisame-san, Kisame-san could sleep a little longer! Tobi meant no harm! He swears! He swears!"

Kisame sighed and then placed Samehada with a loud thump on the floor, leaning on it faintly, staring at Tobi. "Hmpf," he eventually said before turning his attention off the boy. "You're lucky I'm not the worst guy in the world, or I'd have killed you."

And he turned again. This time he faced the shield. Tobi held in his breath while Kisame did the same as he'd done just before Kisame'd attacked him. "A shield?" he whispered, touching the shield's surface, making the air ripple again beneath his touch. He snapped his head towards Tobi. "did you know about this?"

Tobi nodded. "Yeah, yeah, Tobi found this shield! Good, isn't it? Tobi's great, right?"

"Yeah, right," Kisame muttered, his eyes searching the line of the shield in the sand. "Already found the seals for this shield?"

"No, not yet, but Tobi thought they would be over there," and Tobi pointed out to the bushes behind him. "But, Kisame-san, be careful!"

The large blue man stopped walking and looked over his shoulder to Tobi, who was still sitting on the ground. "And why would I?" he grunted, not completely sure if he had to trust Tobi. He had just left him without telling him where to go, and Kisame hated it when people just left him. It made him want to shave their skin off, even if he actually liked the person.

Tobi shrugged. "Well, Deidara-sempai was always fond of bombs, so, Tobi thought, perhaps sempai attached bombs to the shield…?" and he looked at Kisame, hoping with all his heart and mind that Kisame would believe him and do nothing stupid, as he suspected that Deidara might've used his favourite C-3 clay for the surveillance bombs.

And if they exploded, things would certainly get very nasty.

Kisame tilted his head and seemed to think what Tobi had said over a couple of times, before he suddenly looked back at Tobi and grinned widely, baring his pointy teeth. "You know, punk," he said and he stepped towards Tobi, offering him a hand to help him get up. "You're quite handy sometimes." And Tobi took the hand, allowing Kisame to help him get up. "But if Deidara's already in there – and I said IF – how are we going to get him out?" he stared at Tobi as if he suspected the boy to come up with a conclusion.

"You know, with all the bombs possibly attached to the shield and stuff… Jeez, really, if he actually did that, he's just too damn overprotective," and Kisame rubbed his head in an attempt to get a bright idea. If there were bombs, they had to be extremely cautious of their movements. One wrong step, a little bit too much pressure on the shield, and everything outside of it would detonate, including themselves. And that, Kisame was sure, he wanted to prevent.

"well," Tobi shrugged, "we could try to find the seals and break the shield by doing so. Don't you think, Kisame-san?"

Kisame nodded slowly. "..yeah, we could do that. But what if this damn thing explodes the second we get the seals off? We don't know that, do we?"

Tobi seemed to think about that. "You're right, Kisame-san," he said, staring at his hands. "But if that's so, then how are we going to break it?"

Kisame thought so hard that his head started to hurt and he grunted again, rubbing his face with his hands, trying to clear up his mind. Then he got an idea. He looked at Tobi.

"What if we waited?"

Tobi tilted his head. "Wait? For what?"

Kisame rolled his eyes. "You know, wait for Deidara to come out. If he's already hiding in there, then chances are that he hasn't got enough food to survive long. If he already has food. So he'll be forced to come out and hunt, right?"

Tobi nodded fast. "That's a very good idea, Kisame-san! Tobi agrees completely, he does!"

Kisame grinned. "I knew you would. Now, we first need to get a spot to hide…" he looked around and quickly found a nice spot, not too far away from the shield but well hidden behind some bushes. "And then, after we sit there," and he pointed to the spot while his other hand dug in his pocket. "We go and have a drink to get through the night! What do you say, heh? Pretty awesome, right?"

And he held up the saké bottle in front of him, smirking at Tobi. The boy nodded again, clapping his hands. "Oooh, that's liquor, right? Tobi has never had that, Deidara-sempai wouldn't give him any…" he jumped from one foot to another. "How does it taste? Is it sweet? Or is it bitter, because then Tobi'll probably not like it…"

Kisame shook his head and then pushed Tobi towards the bushes. "just go and sit over there, if you want a sip, that is…"

- the next day, at daybreak -

Sakura felt extremely awkward. Even though Deidara had acted very kind and understanding towards her, she felt that he wasn't exactly glad with the situation they were in. Not that she was, anyway. He didn't have any sanitary napkins so she was forced to use toilet paper – a LOT – but because of that, she hadn't been able to sleep for the entire night as she kept on worrying if the blood might leak into her clothes.

Darn, she thought, while staring at the ceiling angrily. Sometimes I hate being a woman…

Deidara, who was still sleeping, moved a little in his sleep, tugging the chains and making Sakura wake up out of her dozing state. She shook her head and blinked several times, but the sleepiness wouldn't go away. She sighed. Typically her to get this now.

besides, she thought while she turned her head to look at the sleeping Deidara next to her. I guess I'll have to stay in bed for the next day, or I'll collapse… I've never once slept this bad, not even the first night we shared together. She grinned unintentionally as she recalled the memory. Well, I guess I don't even remember a lot of that, too.

"Psst, Deidara," she whispered, poking his back with her free hand. She was facing his back, which was not very comfortable for their chained hands – her left hand lay flat on the mattress and the chains ran underneath his body towards his chained one – and she'd like to turn over since her leg was starting to feel numb of the weird position. "Psst! Would you please turn over? My arm's…"

He turned already, but she was sure he hadn't heard her speaking or thinking. He was still fast asleep, his mouth opened slightly, muttering things in his sleep which Sakura could not understand. Her eyes ran down his face towards his neck, and they rested at his collarbone and ribcage, which moved up and down on his constant breath, and she unintentionally crept closer towards him. Without thinking, she stroke the area between his chin and the little dimple between his collarbones, feeling his skin beneath her fingers.

She caught herself in the middle and yanked her hand back, her face soon flushing red as she realised what she had just done. Okay, this is getting scary, she thought as she stared at her hand like she had just committed a murder with it. Come on Sakura, come on girl, think for an escape, do not think about him… not in any way…

But her eyes immediately travelled back to his chest and she smacked her own head with her free hand in an attempt to stop herself. Because of the impact, Deidara woke with a start, dashing to the front and thus launching himself on top of her. Sakura's face got even redder as their bodies touched, and Deidara stared at her with wide open eyes, hands to the sides of her head, her own hands beneath them.

"Why did you do that?" he panted, voice still thick with sleepiness. "I was just… sleeping…" and Sakura saw his eyes slid close again. Before she could react, he collapsed on top of her, and as all the air got smacked out of her lungs, she desperately tried to push him off her, but with no success. Soon he also started snoring, and Sakura could nearly cry of embarrassment and because of the position she was in.

Oh god, Tsunade, Naruto, she thought while making another failed attempt on getting him off her. Save me, please come and save me as fast as you can… she gasped as he moved and she blushed again. OH GODDAMN THOSE FUCKING HORMONES!!

Bit of a vague chapter, if I may say. Hope you all liked it anyways :P oh, and before I forget, I'm going to post a picture of Deidara with SHORT HAIR anytime soon on Deviantart. So if you're interested…? My name is Shabaku (just like here on ) so feel free to look around :)

PS: I said: anytime soon, so please don't get mad when it's not today