Itachi spent the rest of the night holding Kakashi.

He had to sleep on the couch that night because of Kakashi's fear, but it was worth it. Just to be able to hold him again, to kiss him, to touch him, to feel his smooth skin shivering under his touch-

"Itachi-sama?"

Kakashi had seemingly just woken up, and he was staring placidly at Itachi, a certain calmness in his eyes that Itachi had never seen before. "Yes, my love?" Itachi murmured, sitting up. Kakashi blushed and ducked his head.

"I-I'm so sorry t-to bother you," he stammered, trying to find the right words, "B-But…"

"Hungry? Thirsty? Tired?"

"A-All of the above…"

Itachi nodded and stood up, motioning for Kakashi to follow him. The jounin did so without question, trailing after Itachi as he was led to the kitchen. Itachi poured him a glass of water and let him drink while he pulled out some leftover ramen and heated it up.

"Kakashi, how did you get back here?"

Kakashi looked down, clearly ashamed of the answer. Itachi glanced at him, concerned. When Kakashi finally answered, his voice was so soft and subdued that Itachi had to strain to hear him, even though he was right next to him.

"Kisame-sama came back to Konoha," he said softly. "He came to me and told me…to get up and come with him…or he'd kill me…" Itachi could see the tears blossoming in Kakashi's dark eyes and took Kakashi into his arms, letting the jounin rest his head against his shoulder. "I-I tried to tell him no, I t-tried t-to fight…" Kakashi's voice was faltering and breaking, but Itachi held him still. "But he wouldn't l-listen…he grabbed me and hit me…a-and he…he…" Itachi knew everything he needed to know even as the tears came out and took Kakashi into the circle of his arms again. Kakashi immediately buried his face in Itachi's shoulder, sobbing his heart out.

"I-I tried to tell him no, but he…"

"Love, it's alright," Itachi whispered, stroking Kakashi's hair. "It's alright, I don't blame you for anything. It's certainly not your fault. Don't worry about it." Kakashi was shivering and shaking; Itachi pulled off his cloak and wrapped it around Kakashi's thin shoulders, trying to keep him as warm as possible. Kakashi had truly lost weight: his entire body was as frail and fragile as he had been when he had first come to Akatsuki months ago, and his ribs were clearly visible. Itachi held Kakashi closer and began rubbing his arms, trying to generate enough heat to warm Kakashi's malnourished body. Kakashi pushed himself closer to Itachi, clearly wanting the warmth.

Itachi guided Kakashi over to where he had put the ramen down and let him sit against the cabinets, on the floor. He handed Kakashi the ramen and sat next to him, handing Kakashi a pair of chopsticks. Kakashi asked no question: he ate quickly and quietly, standing and putting his bowl in the sink when he was done. Itachi rose and got Kakashi another glass of water, kissing him softly when he was finished drinking.

"Come here…"

Itachi embraced his lover, giving him another soft kiss and eventually picking him up. He carried him back to the sofa, set him down, and sat next to him. "You okay?"

Kakashi hugged his arms to his body and nodded, but Itachi wasn't convinced. Itachi scooted over and looped an arm around Kakashi's shaking shoulders, pulling him into his lap and kissing him. "What's wrong?"

Kakashi leaned against Itachi's shoulder, wrapping his arms around his lover's neck. "I…" For a moment, the word hung between them, until finally, Kakashi continued: "I must be so worthless…Itachi-sama…why am I worthless? What did I do?"

For a single breath, Itachi was only stunned. Then, the shock set in and he felt rage, disbelief, and finally sadness wash over him.

"Love, you are far from useless," Itachi finally said, taking Kakashi into his lap. "Love…Kakashi…sh, sh, sh, it's okay…you're not useless, by any standards. I take it you heard that from Kisame?"

Kakashi nodded, and Itachi sighed. "Kakashi, when did you start listening to Kisame?"

"Since he started beating me."

Itachi exhaled slowly. He had suspected as much, but he needed more information. "Kakashi, what does he do to you?"

Kakashi stiffened, but only hesitated for a moment before saying, "He hits me…every time he thinks I do something wrong. Even I'm not sure if I did something or not but…apparently I did." Kakashi's voice was still quiet and subdued, and Itachi felt a growing concern rising in his chest. "And then…almost every night, h-he wants me t-to sleep with him…" Kakashi's voice finally broke, and he tried to force down a choked whimper.

"Love…" Itachi sighed and kissed Kakashi, running his hands through the other's hair. "That's not all, is it?" he asked. Kakashi was shaking, and he looked like he was about to cry again. He shook his head with a small whimper, and curled up in Itachi's lap.

"S-Sometimes…if he's had a bad day…h-he'll whip me…and i-if he failed a mission…h-he'll even d-do it again…"

Itachi could feel his heart breaking for Kakashi and tightened his embrace around the jounin, sighing with the sudden rush of emotions. Honestly, Kakashi was the only person who could ever make him feel emotions, he swore. Itachi gently kissed Kakashi's silver hair, holding him close and stroking him as softly as he could.

"Come here, love," he murmured, placing another kiss on Kakashi's soft, pink mouth. Kakashi flinched at the contact with the bruises, but he obviously did not fear Itachi's touch, and he clearly wanted to keep going. Itachi pulled back, though, cupping Kakashi's face in his hand.

"You're beautiful," he whispered, kissing him again. "Why would anyone want to hurt you?"

"I'll tell you why!"

Itachi hardly noticed the door slamming open and Kisame standing there, all eight feet of fury. Pein stood in front of him, Konan behind, and all looking furious.

"Sorry!" Konan called from behind Kisame. "I tried!"

"Itachi, what suddenly gives you the authority to-?"

"He was being raped!" Itachi suddenly screamed, standing bolt upright. Kakashi whimpered at the sudden movement and recoiled from Itachi, settling on the couch. "When he goes that far, that's when I step in! It's just not right!"

Pein's eyes narrowed, gray rings forming dark striped slits. "Itachi, Kisame has permission to do to Kakashi whatever he wants, now hand him over!"

"No."

The word hung between them for several seconds, with Pein finally saying, "Itachi, if you won't hand him over willingly, I'll have to use force."

Itachi glared. "Oh, will you now?" he snarled, spreading his legs and dropping into a crouch. "Don't you dare even touch him or so help me God, I will make sure you die the slowest, most painful death a human can die!"

Pein sighed. "Itachi, it's two against one-"

"Two people, both of whom I have already beaten the living shit out of."

Pein sighed. "Itachi, I'm sorry."

Itachi wasted no time as the other two shinobi rushed him: he grabbed Kakashi, sweeping the injured jounin into his arms, and leaping out the window. He took off for the woods, knowing Kisame and Pein were right behind him. He ducked around to the other side of the hideout, heading for the beach. He knew a back way he could get out-but not before-

Pein was suddenly in front of him, shoving Itachi to the ground and ripping Kakashi from his arms. He darted away and, as Itachi moved to follow he found an enormous shark-man in his way. But by the time he had gotten around him, he had lost sight of Pein.

OOOOOOOOO

Pein threw Kakashi to the floor, kicking him hard in the jounin's prominent ribs. Itachi's cloak was still clutched about his fragile body, and Kakashi found himself suddenly freezing as the cloak was brutally stripped away.

Pein was silent, just staring down at the sobbing slave for the longest time. A false hope began to dawn in Kakashi: maybe he wasn't going to be punished as harshly; maybe they wouldn't even touch him tonight! Maybe it would be better…but no such luck. Pein leaned down, seizing Kakashi's wrist and dragging him up, binding him fast and pulling him after him as he yanked Kakashi into his room. Kakashi's violent protests fell against numb hands; his pleas fell on deaf ears. His sobs were heard by none, and cared for by none. And as Pein proceeded with his brutal whipping and beating, Kakashi could only cry out in fear, pain, and longing.

Longing for someone he knew would never come.

OOOOOOOOO

Itachi angrily stormed into his room, kicking the refrigerator on his way into the living room. He sat down on the couch, holding his bangs between his fingers. He took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself…ad failing miserably. He could swear he heard Kakashi screaming from Pein's room below him, and groaned aloud. He hated being so powerless! He hated having to take seeing his love abused, over and over again, for no good reason! And he hated Kisame, above all else. Why did his partner have to be so difficult? Why did he hate Kakashi so much? There were so many questions, and Itachi could only guess at the answers.

"Itachi?"

Itachi glanced up to see Konan standing next to him. He sighed and shook his head, trying to tell her he wasn't in the mood to talk. Konan only sat down on the couch, right next to him, and sighed.

"Well, on the bright side, you have a chance…"

"Hardly," Itachi said. "Every waking moment of his here will only be suffering, even with me. Because then there is that constant fear, and the knowledge that he will always have to go back to that horrible life he had with Kisame, and it ruins everything." Itachi sighed and rubbed his temples. "That's why I let him go to begin with," he said, pulling off his ninja headband. "So he wouldn't have to go through that anymore…" He sighed again and placed his forehead in one hand, letting his other arm rest across his knee, headband dangling from his hand. "I just can't stand it…"

Konan nodded slowly, "I agree, bad attempt at comfort…"

Itachi nodded and lifted his head, letting his other hand flop down across his thigh. "Well, what now?"

Konan leaned back, blowing a piece of hair out of her face. "Dunno," she said, voice resigned. "We could keep fighting, but it probably wouldn't do a whole lot of good…"

Itachi sighed for the third time. "Depending on how we do it…"

Konan shook her head. "I suppose in the end…all we can do is wait."

OOOOOOOOO

Kakashi knelt on the ground, wrists suspended above his head, stretched out like he was reaching for something far out of his grasp. Blood trickled down his back, between his legs, and it was coated on his face. Kakashi was completely naked again, and the bruises all over his pale skin were frightfully visible now. He was shaking from the cold, from fear, and from pain, and all three together were tearing him apart from the inside out. Pein stood behind Kakashi, admiring his handiwork as he pulled his clothes back on.

"Pathetic."

With that, he delivered a swift kick to Kakashi's bruised and bleeding side, extracting a few more sobs of pain from Kakashi until he finally quieted down. Pein simply walked, slamming the door and leaving Kakashi behind. He would deal with him in the morning…

As Kakashi knelt in front of the wall, trying to free himself, he couldn't help but ask himself: what had he done to deserve this? Had he done something wrong? Had he displeased his masters? What had he done to merit such abuse? There had to be a reason…Kakashi's head slowly lowered, silver hair falling onto tear-stained cheeks. There had to be a reason…! Didn't there…? Kakashi let out a small, choked sob escape his throat, before unconsciousness claimed his broken soul.

A/N: I am so sorry for the late update, everyone!! My computer is having trouble loading the new login page, and so I couldn't get anything up!! T.T Review, please-it encourages me!!