Chapter 15- Why is she different?

"Well now, who do we have here?" you hear a voice say to you

Opening your eyes slowly, you're looking directly into the eyes of the person talking to you. His face is familiar, but you're so weak that your brain can't place him…then you remember.

"Kimi-"you start to say as a hand covers your mouth

"Oh no you don't, the last time I heard your voice I woke up an hour later." Kimimaru says to you.

More alert than before you sense that he's alone, this for you is good, do to your exhausted state.

Akatsuki compound:

"Itachi, Kisame!" Pain yells from his office.

They both stand and walk towards the open doors, there sits Pain looking at a map on the wall.

"Kasai is on her way back, I don't want her walking the whole way alone. I just learn that Orochimaru has been seen on the outskirts of Fire country. Go meet her, you should find her about half way." He says not looking them

"Yes sir!" They say in unison.

Kasai:

"Now why were you with Itachi?" Kimimaru asks

You shake your head to answer "no".

"You lie." He says slightly annoyed

Pulling his hand from your face, "I do not." You say to him

Sitting face to face with him, you wonder what he has planned.

"I don't believe you, we talked to the Itachi clone, then you came." He says

"It was my clone, why do think you killed it so easily?" you ask

He squints at you, trying to figure out if you're telling the truth or not.

"Why are you in Fire country?" he asks

"Vacation." You state

"Now you're lying again." He says smirking

"Am I? You say straight faced

"Lord Orochimaru wants you after he found out what you did with your voice." He says

"Sorry, I previous engagements." You say trying to stand

In an instant a bone shoots straight threw your right shoulder, you scream in agony as it slices threw you and embeds itself in the tree trunk. Your hands wrap around his arm in reflex and you close your eyes. You breathe heavily, as you open your eyes.

"Ouch, that hurt." You say bringing your knees to your chest, you plunge them into his chest.

Kimimaru goes flying back but steadies himself to his feet. You stand wobbly holding your shoulder, you don't have enough chakra to heal yourself and fight him. He lunges at you, bones protruding from his chest, you barely have enough strength to stand let alone dodge his attack. He hits you right in the stomach throwing you against the tree, but with your pack on your front his bones pierce into various books in your bag.

"Glad I like to read." You say looking up at him.

Feeling an odd flow of chakra your body strengthens, a sudden rush of complete hatred flows threw your body.

What is happening?

He stares into your eyes noticing they are changing. He squints down at you as your reflective mercury eyes now bare a white slit threw their middle.

You focus what charka you have onto his bones, they begin to recede back into his form. His eyes widen as he realizes what is happening, he fights back pushing them back at you. But you win, as the sudden burst of bones return into his body it sends him flying back once again. He lands on his back wind knocked out of him; you walk over to him and lean down next to his ear.

"No one will hurt me, or my child." You say in a whisper. Standing you walk away, your walk turns into a run.

I'm only a few miles away…I….have…to…make…it…

---

Walking down the path Itachi suddenly stops.

"What's wrong? Kisame asks stopping next to him

Kasai!?

Itachi begins to run down the path Kisame following close at his heels. They turn the corner and Itachi stops abruptly, almost slamming into him Kisame looks at what Itachi sees.

"Is that Kasai?" Kisame questions

Itachi knees down to you, you're leaning against a tree unconscious. Blood soaks your white cloak a deep red, dirt smudges you face and clothes. Leaning closer to you he hears you breathing, looking up to a worried Kisame, "She alive." He says to him. Letting out a breath he held in, Kisame knees down too. Itachi moves your cloak and rips your shirt to expose your wound. He removes some medical bandages from his pouch and wraps you the best he can.

"We need to get her back." He says standing

Kisame gently picks you up bridle style, your face is a pale white not it's usually cream color.

"Is she going to make it back?" Kisame asks

Itachi doesn't answer he just looks at your face and turns away beginning to run back to the compound. Kisame follows trying his best not to shake you to much.

"Her chakra feels funny." Kisame says running next to Itachi

"It's like, it changed, or morphed. It's hers but something else too." Kisame says confused

"I know." Itachi says still running and looking forward.

"Should we worry?" Kisame asks

Itachi doesn't answer; he continues his pace back to the compound.

Running into the entertainment room, "Deidara go get the medical kit, Hidan find Pain." Itachi orders as Kisame places you down on the couch. Deidara runs quickly as Hidan turns the corner to Pains office.

Pain runs into the room kneeling down next to you.

"What happened?' he asks placing his hand over your forehead

"We found her like this." Kisame answers

Deidara rushes in with the Medical kit handing it to Pain. He moves your blood soaked cloak to the side and carefully removes Itachi's wraps. He looks over your wound,

"Itachi, you're the only one who can control a fire ball jutsu enough not to kill her; you have to cauterize her wound to get the bleeding to stop." He says not looking at him

"You're going to burn her, but I'll shield her face." Pain explains to him moving your hair aside and tilting your head away from your shoulder

"Just make a small steady stream at her shoulder, Kisame hold her down incase she wakes up, don't want her punching Itachi in the face." He says with a laugh as Kisame walks around him to hold you down.

Itachi kneels down to your shoulder; Pain uses his chakra to shield your face while Kisame holds you down. He does the hands signs bringing his hand to his mouth he blows out a small stream of fire to your shoulder. He listens as your skin starts to hiss, the smell of your burning flesh reaches his nose. Closing his eyes he continues for a few more seconds then stops. Pain un-shields you and washes your wound, rewrapping it he looks at Itachi.

"Follow me, your bringing her to her room." Pain says to him

Itachi slowly lifts you up bridal style your head leans on his chest; he's able to sense your chakra more now. It's still quiet strange to him yet familiar, it's still you, yet different. Pain unlocks the door to your room; Itachi walks you in, laying you on the bed.

"I trust that you can clean her up and change her?" he says to Itachi, more of a command than a question. Itachi nods, Pain turns and leaves the room closing the door behind him.

Itachi walks to the door locking it, and then walks into the bathroom. He grabs a wash cloth and runs the warm water. Returning to you as the water warms he removes your stained cloak, ripping the rest of your shirt off, he sees the dried blood trail to your abdomen. Unbuttoning your shorts, he slides them off, and throws everything in a pile at the end of the bed. Opening the drawer of your dresser he grabs a pair of pajamas, noticing a long thin box as he picks up the clothes. Not thinking of it he closes the drawer placing the clothes on the bed.

Back in the bathroom he wets the washcloth and shuts off the water. Sitting on the edge of your bed he slowly washes the dirt from your face, trailing the wash cloth down your body he stops at your pelvis.

Why is her chakra stronger here? Why is it different? Why is it so familiar?...

His eyes widen, and he stands quickly, rushing to the drawer he searches for the white box. Holding in his hand he opens it, sliding the contents to his hand. A long white stick falls to his palm with a blue + on it. Placing the stick on the dresser he flips the box over and reads the directions…

WHAT?! She's pregnant…

Tossing the box on the dresser he returns to you placing his hand over your abdomen and staring at it. He feels a small burst of chakra…

"That's…your…son." You say with your eyes half open looking down at him

He turns to you still having his hand over your stomach. Then he feels it again, a tiny chakra burst from inside you. Looking back at his hand, he feels it again. Taking his hand away, he straightens himself, looking back at you he notices you've past out again. He blankly looks at the wall not knowing what to feel, he finishes dressing you. Walking back to the dresser he stares at the box, placing it back in the drawer he closes it and returns to your side. Covering you with a blanket he kisses your forehead.

I'm glad your home

Leaving your room he sees Pain leaning again the wall outside your door, arms crossed he speaks.

"So?" he asks

"She still asleep." He says to him

"And?" Pain asks

"She's cleaned up and changed…and resting" Itachi says staring at him

"AND!" Pain gets more aggravated

"And…she's carrying…my son…" Itachi says turning to his room, opening the door he walks inside closing it behind him.

Pain continues to lean against the wall, smirking he pushes himself off and walks into your room. Sitting on the edge of your bed he rolls the blanket down to your hips. Placing his hand over your abdomen, he feels for the child. Smiling largely…

Kasai, your child has grown so much in these three weeks, so strong…

"He knows now." He whispers to you removing his hand he replaces the blanket to your shoulders. Standing he kisses your head as a father would a child, turning he leaves your room closing the door behind him.

Itachi's room:

My son…

He sits in the darkness staring at his hands, not sure how to feel or act at this new information.