Itachi led Kakashi into the bathroom, sitting him down against the wall across from the sink and grabbing several towels. He ran them under hot water, warming the towels enough for Kakashi's sensitive skin. He wasn't going to risk a shower at this point; maybe when Kakashi was a bit more stable. He put a small bit of soap on one of the towels and used a clean one to dampen Kakashi's skin before using the soaped towel to clean him off more. He rinsed the soap off with a third towel, this one pure water, and dried the area with a fourth, dry towel. Itachi worked on each section of Kakashi's body in turn, making sure not to make any sudden movements. Kakashi was slowly calming down; Itachi suspected it was because he could smell Sasori's cooking in the next room. Finally, Itachi stripped Kakashi down to boxers and cleaned off his legs, hearing Kakashi's whimpers like screams. He sighed as he realized that washing Kakashi's thighs would have to do, and gave Kakashi a soft kiss as reassurance he wouldn't be harmed. He stood up, leaving the towels in a pile, and went into his room to get Kakashi some clean clothes. He came back quickly, but Kakashi was still tearing up when he did come back. Itachi sighed, taking Kakashi's fragile form into his arms and kissing him.

"You okay?" he murmured, stroking Kakashi's hair. Kakashi shrugged.

"I am now," he said softly, leaning against Itachi's shoulder and wrapping his arms around the Uchiha's neck. "I'm just happy you came back for me…" Itachi's heart warmed at the comment, and he tightened his embrace on Kakashi. He handed the jounin a shirt and pants and waited while he got dressed. Kakashi came right back to him, putting his arms around his neck again and standing against Itachi. Itachi found himself quite comfortable, just standing there with Kakashi, and almost didn't want to move when he heard Sasori calling the two of them to eat. Kakashi glanced up at Itachi, as if asking for permission to go.

"Go on," Itachi said, giving Kakashi a gentle push. "I'm right behind you," he assured, and Kakashi started for the kitchen. Itachi walked right behind him the entire time, and sat next to Kakashi at the table. Sasori sat across from Itachi, and both started eating immediately. Kakashi waited for a minute, then began to slowly eat. Itachi and Sasori somehow finished after Kakashi, and the jounin cleared the entire table.

"Learned to eat quickly, or just that hungry?" Sasori asked. Kakashi shrugged.

"Both, I guess," he said, taking Sasori's plate and putting it in the sink. He sat down again when he had finished, and Itachi glanced at him.

"You want anything else?" he asked. "Glass of water?"

"I'm okay," Kakashi said. He managed a small smile, and Itachi almost passed out from shock. When was the last time Kakashi had smiled, let alone sat quietly without crying?! Certainly not for weeks now! Itachi gave him a smile in return and stood up. Kakashi leapt up as a sign of respect, and stood at the doorway to the kitchen, waiting for Itachi. Sasori stood up as well, and both headed into the living room. Itachi settled on the couch; Sasori sat down again in an armchair slightly off to the side of the couch. Kakashi hesitantly sat down at Itachi's feet and, meeting no resistance, leaned against the Uchiha's legs.

"Kakashi, come sit up here," Itachi said, motioning to the couch next to him. "Plenty of room."

Kakashi shook his head. "N-No, it-it's not polite…the slave, reclining with his master? I-It's not-"

"Get up here," Itachi said sharply. "You are no lower than either of us, and that's something that has been contradicted much around here. Kakashi, you're special, alright? You're not just another prisoner-you're mine. And that's not to be disputed. Come. Here."

Kakashi's head lowered. He couldn't disobey a direct order-he knew the consequences under Kisame, and even Pein, and never wanted to experience that again. He slid up onto the couch with a whimper, fully expecting a blow for even causing Itachi to give him the order to begin with.

Instead, he received a warm embrace and a kiss.

Kakashi took a shaky breath, shocked that he would be treated like a person; no, a lover! A person who was truly loved and cared about…Kakashi could hardly remember what it was like, but he was certain he wanted to make it last.

"Kakashi, I would never hurt you," Itachi whispered, pulling the jounin into his lap and leaning on the arm of couch, tucking Kakashi securely underneath his arms. Kakashi settled deep in Itachi's embrace, but a tear still slipped free.

"Kakashi," Itachi murmured, stroking his love's face and picking up the tear. "Baby, what's wrong?"

Kakashi shook his head and buried his face in Itachi's neck, a soft sob escaping his throat. "I-I'm sorry," he stammered. "B-But…I-I'm so happy…you care…"

"I didn't hit you."

Kakashi hesitated, then nodded. Itachi sighed and sat up, and Kakashi shrank back with a gasp, two more tears slipping free of his eyes. "I-Itachi-sama?"

"Hush, love," Itachi whispered, taking Kakashi into his embrace again. Kakashi's shaking suddenly ceased, and he exhaled all his held breath. "I would never, ever, hurt you…and you should know that. I wouldn't even touch you if you didn't want me to. If you wanted, I would leave you alone for as long as you wanted, and I would let you come to me. I can respect your rights as a person, Kakashi; unfortunately, Kisame and Pein can't seem to return the favor."

Kakashi shook his head, whimpering and clinging to Itachi like a burr. "I-I'm so scared of him…" he murmured, his grip tightening. "H-He always hits me…why? D-Did I do s-something wrong? I-I always w-wonder…i-if I angered h-him…b-but when I-I ask h-him what I did, h-he just yells at me…a-and calls me stupid…and hits me…"

"Kakashi, calm down," Itachi said, recognizing the threat of tears. "Kisame can't get you, alright? Not for the rest of tonight, and tomorrow. Let's just forget about everything else, and take your time recovering a little, alright? Because I'm taking you back to Konoha when you're ready."

Kakashi gasped, head shooting up to stare at Itachi. "Y-You would do that…? For me…? But why? What did I ever do to deserve your kindness?"

"Kakashi, you don't deserve to be treated this way, so think of it as my apology to you for four weeks of misery."

Kakashi shrugged and slid back into Itachi's arms. "W-Well, when you put it like that…"

Itachi nodded. "Love, I would never hurt you, just understand that. So, as long as you're with me, you can do whatever you want. Just don't go crazy and kill everything within a thirty mile radius, okay?" he said with a grin. Kakashi shrugged.

"I-I'll just do what you tell me to," he said slowly. "I-I don't want to mess anything up, or make you angry, or-"

"Kakashi, nothing you do could ever make me angry," Itachi said with a sigh. "Except maybe some sort of explosion, or maybe killing people…but I think the worst you could ever manage is saying the wrong thing, so relax." Itachi gave Kakashi another reassuring smile. "And even if you do something really bad, it would have to be really bad for me to even think about hitting you, so don't worry about it."

Kakashi didn't seem convinced. "B-But Kisame-sama…he said that if I even did one little thing wrong, he would hurt me s-so bad, I-I wouldn't be able to walk for a week…"

Itachi sighed again and gave Kakashi a small kiss. "Love, that's Kisame, and he's just stupid, alright? You just have to trust me."

Kakashi's head fell a bit more. "B-But…I-I'm supposed to be hit," he murmured. "I-I'm just a slave…and a stupid one, too…I don't think it would be right to treat me this nicely."

Itachi sighed for the third time. "Kakashi, if you want that to be true, go back to Kisame. But if you want to get what you deserve, which is love, three square meals a day, and no beatings, stay here."

"Don't leave me!" Kakashi cried, dropping to his knees on the floor. "Please, don't make me go back to him! Don't-!"

Itachi placed a hand over Kakashi's mouth, hushing the trembling jounin at his feet. "Kakashi, hush, I didn't mean I was going to turn you away," he said slowly, removing his hand and kissing his love. "I merely commented that it might be better for you to stay here if you really want to get what you deserve. You're not a slave, and you're certainly not stupid, nor should you be treated like it."

Kakashi's head went down, and his hands fell to his thighs. "I'm sorry," he whispered, and the tears threatened to come again. Itachi wordlessly reached down and picked Kakashi up.

"You're staying with me," he reassured him. "And nothing you say or do can change that, alright?"

Kakashi nodded and fell against Itachi's shoulder, silent tears falling down his face. Itachi held him and comforted him, talking to Sasori in between.

"What are you going to do about Kisame?" he asked. "And Pein, for that matter."

Sasori shook his head. "Not sure…there's not much we can do, really. Anyway, we could just sneak him out now…"

Itachi shrugged. "I like it. He needs to rest, though…"

Sasori sighed. "Well, now is the perfect opportunity. Kisame sent Kakashi away, so he probably won't come for him until tomorrow morning. Pein is probably aware, so he won't be a problem, and Deidara has guard duty, so I'm confident he won't betray us. Kakuza might have posed a problem, because of his money issues, and Hidan might cause a revolution to end swearing forever…Zetsu's never around for anything, so he may get the wrong idea, and Tobi's just a fool."

Itachi sighed. "You're right," he finally said. "I have to take him now, otherwise we'll never get him out of here. Cautious, but not too cautious, as that might ruin everything. So, give me a cloak, and I'll get him out of here. I have my weapons still on me; I'll be fine."

"I'll come with you," Sasori said. "Just for the support. I have most of my stuff still on me. I can leave Hiruko. Come on; the window. Lucky for you, you're right next to the entrance, so all you have to do is jump out the window, wave to Deidara, and continue on your merry way. Now let's go."

"I think Kakashi's asleep," Itachi said, upon taking a closer look at his lover. This comment received no return comment, so Sasori shrugged.

"Doesn't matter. Let's go!"

Itachi handed Kakashi to Sasori for a moment, threw on his cloak, and took the jounin back. He also grabbed Sasori's cloak, as the puppet master wouldn't need it for warmth, and wrapped it around Kakashi's shoulders. "Come on," he said, opening the window and picking up Kakashi again, looping his arms around the jounin's shoulder and legs. He sprang out the window, Sasori close behind. Sasori gestured at Deidara, and the blonde waved them through with a shake of the head. Sasori nodded his thanks, and he and Itachi ran out the door of Akatsuki. Itachi flew through the woods, making sure he never looked back.

OOOOOOOOO

Itachi burst into Konoha at breakneck speed.

"Where's Tsunade?" he hissed to Sasori, pausing in a tree to catch his breath. The two had been running for days now, hardly taking a few hours to rest. It was night again now, and the two were going to deliver Kakashi, rest just outside of Konoha, possibly in it if Tsunade would allow, and then head back to Akatsuki. Sasori glanced around, searching for her within visual distance. He finally shook his head.

"I didn't expect her to be out at this time of night; I was looking for her in any windows I could see through. Even the silhouettes of people through blinds or shades: I might have even been able to tell then. Her mansion is right there, and truthfully, I don't see any lights on-wait! There's one!"

Sasori crept closer to the building, staring through the window. He sighed. "Had to be the bathroom," he muttered, turning away. "Well, I'll wait until she's done, and we'll go in."

Itachi nodded and slipped closer, holding Kakashi tighter. The jounin stirred, but didn't wake. He was hardly awake for more than a few hours each day; he needed the rest, really. Itachi sighed and glanced up, just in time to see the silhouette of Tsunade moving towards the door. He leapt up to the window without thinking and tapped lightly on the glass.

Tsunade spun around, raced to the window, and opened it.

"Relax, Tsunade," Itachi said swiftly. "Let me up for a second; I have something for you." Tsunade warily stepped back, and Itachi slipped through the window, kissing Kakashi one last time right in front of her. "Here," he said softly, and thrust Kakashi into her arms. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to help him much this time."

And he was gone again.

Tsunade shook her head sadly, sinking to her knees on the floor of the bathroom and cradling Kakashi in her arms, giving him a sweet kiss on his soft, full lips. "Baby…" she whispered, "I missed you…"

Kakashi slowly opened his eyes and gazed at her from behind glossy tears. "I missed you too."

Tsunade sighed and held him closer, unwilling to let him go.

A/N: How do you feel about light TsunaKaka…?