"Itachi? You brought one of the Akatsuki to Konoha?" Eneko hissed at him quietly. He looked frantic.
"Please, Eneko, don't ask questions right now. Can you help him, please? He's really hurt, and I don't want him to die." He whispered back. She looked into his eyes; they were pleading. She kneeled down next to the unconscious figure and started summoning her chakra up.
"Our team is coming over for dinner to celebrate their twentieth successful mission and you bring home an injured Akatsuki member. It seems like a wonderful present, don't you think?" She began healing the gaping wound in the young man's chest, sweat beads forming on her forehead the longer she worked.
"Thank you for helping, Eneko. I know I'll have to explain myself, but he really needed your help. Please don't be mad." He whispered softly. Eneko gave him a look that said 'don't talk to me now, I'm working' and he shut up. By the time she finished healing him her skin was pale and she was breathing heavily. She stood up shakily and refused his help when he tried to steady him.
"Carry the man home. We'll take better care of him there and that way our team will be the only ones to know about you bringing home a missing-nin." She told him wearily. Itachi nodded and slung the young man's arm over his shoulder and carried him that way. They got there later than Eneko had hoped; she'd had to stop multiple times because of chakra exhaust.
"Sensei-chan! You look awful! Are you okay?" Anei asked her the moment she stepped in the door. Fushi and Retsu steadied her as she sat down and Anei helped Itachi carry in the unknown man.
"I'm sorry, you three. Itachi needed my help and you know a wife can't deny her husband when he needs her help. Especially since she's the only one in the family that knows healing jutsu. Itachi, you're lucky I trained my chakra to be completely controlled. Fushi, dinner is in the kitchen, if you would please serve it, I think I'll faint when I stand up." Eneko asked the girl weakly. Fushi immediately got up and served the dinner. Itachi laid the boy down on the couch.
"Who is that, Itachi-sensei?" Retsu asked with a confused look. Itachi looked at Eneko, who was being forced to drink something before she passed out.
"This is an old teammate of mine. One from when I wasn't living in Konoha because I believed I betrayed my Clan." They had heard the reason for why he hadn't been living in Konoha and nodded, understanding. "His name is Deidara and I found him while coming home from a mission. Remember this, kids, a shinobi doesn't ignore an injured comrade unless he's in the middle of the war and is about to be killed. I have always placed a teammates life before my own." He told them and he watched them all process the information he had given them. "So, since I knew Eneko would help him, I brought him here, but you can't let Tsunade-sama or anyone else know he's here. He is, unfortunately, a missing-nin from Iwa." The team's eyes widened.
"I knew it. You always talked about Deidara when we were talking about Akatsuki. He and Kisame, that is. So, do you know why he's here? Are you sure you're not condemning Naruto-kun, Itachi? Did you not think these things over?" Itachi glanced over at his exhausted wife and sighed.
"I did think it over, Eneko, please don't be mad. I did think it over and I knew he needed my help, even if he was after Naruto. Can we not talk about this now, please, Ene-koi?" He asked her quietly. She looked at him and nodded, unable to keep up the argument any longer.
"So, do you need help eating, sensei-chan? I'll help you." Anei offered. Eneko smiled at him and moved so that she was at the table.
"I'll be fine, Anei-kun, but thank you anyway. Itachi." She called her husband in a commanding voice. "Eat. Now." She told him icily. He immediately obeyed, sitting down and picking up his chopsticks and shoving food in his mouth. She started eating calmly, Fushi trying to copy her polite eating style. As she was standing up to take the dishes, she heard a groan from the man Itachi introduced as Deidara. Retsu stood up and took the dishes for her so she could check on her illegal patient.
"Where am I, un?" He asked, rubbing his head and sitting up. He saw Eneko and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Itachi had taken the kids into the back room at a hard glare from Eneko moments earlier.
"Welcome back, Deidara-san. My name is Uchiha Eneko; it was my husband that brought you to me to heal. You're lucky I usually do what my husband tells me to or you'd probably be dead. I guess you're welcome to stay with us until you can get on your own feet. Other than the fact that we have a mission tomorrow, but I guess you could accompany us on that as well." She blinked, wondering things aloud, while at the same time laying Deidara back down with a wet rag on his forehead.
"Uchiha, un? You're Itachi's wife, yeah? I thought he told me you were dead, un?" She smiled at his shocked expression.
"Everyone thought I was, Deidara-san. That's what happens when someone finds you're the only survivor of a gruesome battle and takes you away, leaving everyone else to find your team slaughtered and expect that you're also dead." She told him. He blinked again.
"Where is Itachi, yeah?" He asked, his head aching again. Eneko smiled and cleaned a cut on his cheek, making him wince.
"He's in the back with the kids." She replied, not remembering exactly who she was talking to. Deidara grabbed her wrist.
"You already have kids?" His eyes were huge. She started waving her arms around, shaking her head.
"No! That's not what I meant! We have a genin team! That's what I meant by kids!!" She defended herself. Deidara blinked, then grinned.
"Can I meet them, yeah?" He asked, tilting his head to the side. Eneko smiled and nodded.
"Kiddies! Come in here and meet Itachi's old friend!" she called. Almost immediately three figures came bursting out of the room followed by a slower one that stayed near the wall. Anei hugged Eneko around the neck, seeing as she was kneeling down.
"I told Itachi-sensei that it wasn't a good idea to leave you in here with an Akatsuki member, but he wouldn't listen to me, sensei-chan!" He pouted to her. She giggled and patted him on the head.
"Anei, introduce yourself to Deidara. Fushi, Retsu, you too." She ordered. They all grinned over at Deidara.
"Hi! My name is Yamino Anei!"
"I'm Youjino Fushi, and it's nice to meet you!"
"The name is Metsuki Retsu." They all introduced themselves. Deidara blinked again.
"Alright, kiddies, now that you've introduced yourselves, we have a mission tomorrow that I want everyone rested for. It's time for all of you to go home. Am I understood?" She asked. Her team saluted her, which she returned.
"Yes ma'am, sensei!" They called back. She started trying to hold in her laughter and brought her hand down.
"Dismissed. Now, go home and get some sleep. It's probably already passed midnight." She told them, giggling. They all grinned at her and left.
"Hey, Itachi? Akatsuki has taken a turn for the worst and I don't want to be a part of what they're planning? Think that I could hang here with you guys, yeah? That's how I got so hurt, was from them nearly killing me after I ran." He told his old friend pleadingly. Itachi nodded.
"Hey, niji-chan? Why don't you get some rest as well? I'll take Deidara to the Hokage." He told her gently, coming over to help her up. She took his help this time and kissed him.
"Don't be too late getting back, Itachi-kun. And see if Deidara-san can come with us on the mission. I'd rather not have him here to be discovered by Naruto or Sasuke." She told him before going into the back room to shower before she went to sleep. Itachi grinned at Deidara.
"Let's go."