AN: Continuation of Gaara's capture! I hope you guys enjoy it!

Sasori was right, only a few minutes after our little conflict ended, Diedara flies toward us on top of a giant bird with Gaara lying unconscious behind him. I stifle a growl of outrage as I see this. I can't believe this blond idiot defeated Gaara.

Diedara hovers on the bird and looks to me. His blond hair in a pony and bangs covering his right eye, which seems to have some sort of mechanical device on it. His blue eye looks at me with curiosity as he speaks to his partner, Sasori.

"Sasori my man, who is this, mm?" He asks still eyeing me.

Sasori turns and starts off as he answers, "She's dead if she doesn't explain herself."

Diedara snickers and smiles at me as we follow after Sasori, "Tell me, do you like art, mm?"

I look at him blankly, "It depends on what kind you're talking about." I answer flatly.

He frowns at me, "Well all kinds of course, yeah." He says as if it's obvious to everyone except me.

I walk behind Sasori silently for a moment then say, "I only like natural art."

Diedara looks at me, "Like what, mm?"

"Things mother nature created herself, not man kind," I say, trying not to sound annoyed, as Sasori snorts ahead of me. "Like . . . clouds."

Diedara seems to roll this theory around in his mind, like he hadn't thought about it before. "Well I suppose clouds are art. And humans are natural art – in some cases, yeah."

I smirk, "Supposedly."

Sasori looks back at us, "Will you two shut up? I'm trying to hide our tracks. Someone is following us."

I look back, and indeed I can feel someone's chakra following our path. A familiar chakra, too. Way too familiar. Damn, it's him.

"Shit." I mutter in dismay. I do not want to deal with that baka* right now. I look up at Diedara on his bird.

"Since we're being followed," I suggest coolly, "Why don't we split up while hiding each of our tracks?"

"No need," Sasori says. "No one will be able to find out where we are in this desert."

I nod reluctantly. He does have a point. With his masking our trails and the fact that it is almost impossible to navigate your way through the desert without knowing where you are going. There is a good chance that our pursuer won't catch up with us.

But then again, he could use the sand that had been leaking from Gaara's gourd. Damn it!

Kankuro is behind us. I can feel him. And I know the other two can sense him, too. He's trying to hide, but he isn't doing a very good job. We're in a desert after all. Not much coverage. Plus, his presence is obvious, at least it is to me.

I don't want to turn around; for fear that I might kill him myself. I know one of the Akatsuki with me will fight him, and quite possibly kill him. I don't want him to see me. Not with them. Not if he is going to die. I carefully, as not to reveal my features to the body behind me, get on Diedara's bird.

"What are you doing, mm?" He asks with a smirk.

"Someone is behind us, and I don't want them to see me," I state.

He examines me then pulls the forehead protector from my upper arm and ties my hair up with it.He removes the straw hat from his head then places it on mine. "There that should provide some protection on your face."

I'm not entirely satisfied with this disguise, but it's all I have. Plus, I'm surprised Diedara even helped me in the first place. Now that he doesn't have his hat his face is visible, something that is dangerous for any criminal. Let alone an S-ranked member of the Akatsuki. He must admire the fact that I like some art.

He takes my upper arm and pushes me to a sitting position, "Stay behind me so he can't see you." He whispers.

I do as I'm told gladly. Anything to prevent Kankuro from seeing me like this. As I sit on the bird I can see Gaara. He looks like a broken rag doll. I gently touch his cheek with the back of my hand. I feel guilt for cooperating with the man who did this to him, but I get myself through it by telling myself that it's for a good cause.

Something is flung at the bird, but Sasori blocks it with his tail. I hold the hat close to my face as I look to the attacker. Kankuro has appeared with all his puppets. Little does he know that he is no match for the man who created them himself. As Sasori and Kankuro lock in battle, Diedara flies us ahead on his clay bird.

I take a sharp breath and clench my fists. That was so close. My hearts is racing out of control.

Diedara looks down at me and smirks. "Having trouble breathing, mm?"

I look up at him, "Thank you."

He furrows his brows at me, "Right, I'll need my hat back now, yeah."

I pull it off of my head then give it to him. He looks at me while I pull my hair back down and replace my label, showing who I'm loyal to.

"Why are you so at ease with me, mm?" He asks puzzled.

I shrug, "I guess it is because I'm at the most ease with people similar to me. I'm not afraid of you, because I know about you. I know Itachi forced you into the Akatsuki. I know you used to live in the Rocks. I know you have a fascination with art."

He stares at me, "Do you know this much about everyone in the Akatsuki, mm?"

"Zetsu is a cannibal. Hidan is Jashinist. Konan is the healer. Kakuzu has multiple hearts." I reply like a human computer.

He stares at me like I'm the last woman on the planet, "That's why Sasori brought you with us. How long have you researched us, mm?"

I shrug, "For about two years. I've visited all the major villages and asked around. I've broken many rules, getting the information. No one in my village knows I know this much about you. Or else they would've found you by now and killed all of you. . ."

He marvels at me, "Why wouldn't you tell anyone, mm?"

I stare at the passing scenery, "Because I don't want them to know. I know that you all are doing these things for a reason. I just can't figure that reason out. I feel like it's something big." I look up at him, "And I know Konoha isn't as nice as it seems to be."

He gapes at me, "You're fascinating you know that, mm? I suppose I could talk with our leader . . . It seems like you could be a nice addition to our organization, yeah."

I smirk, "I don't add up to a bunch of S-ranked criminals like you. I wouldn't fit in."

He chuckles, "That's what I said. Before Itachi forced me to join, yeah."

I look at him, "How did you take it?"

He shrugs, "At first I was upset because I had lost to Itachi. But then I met Master Sasori. . . And then it was better, mm."

I nod, "So you enjoy being in the Akatsuki now?"

He smirks at me, "Yes, it's better than running around looking for jobs like I used to, yeah."

I look him over and notice he's missing an arm. "What happened?" I ask him. I don't remember seeing anywhere that he only had one arm.

He chuckles, "Lost it retrieving the jinchuriki, yeah."

I look down, trying to hide my death stare, "Oh, right."

I'm just starting to loathe the silence when I hear Sasori come up behind us. I turn and look him over. There isn't a sign of struggle on him. He's completely unscratched. That doesn't look good for Kankuro . . .

"Did you kill him?" I can hear myself ask.

Sasori looks up at me, "No. He seemed to want to live so badly, that I let him die slowly."

I look away. That's horrible. I'm trying not to get sick thinking of the things Sasori did to him. But he is alive. There's a good chance Baki sent someone to look for him. . . He might be recovered.

The giant bird swerves under me, avoiding the branches and limbs of trees that pass us. We are just getting into the forest. The place where they will extract the jinchuriki should be coming up soon. I wonder how they will hide, and how they will defend that hiding place.

I can see a huge cave coming into view. The bird lands and I hop off, Diedara carrying Gaara following me. He sets Gaara down and sighs, looking back at me. I don't like the devious smile of his.

"Well, this is where your fate is decided, yeah." He says eyeing me.

"Just kill her, Diedara," Sasori says and I stiffen in response. I can't fight both of them, and there is a big possibility that all the other members of Akatsuki are inside this cave. I am going to die.

Diedara frowns, "But I'm sure she'd like to join us. Wouldn't you, mm?"

I just look at him. I can't join Akatsuki. That would not only betray Shikamaru and all of Konoha, but more importantly Sasuke. I could not do that to Sasuke.

A dark, shadowed set of figures come into view; seven familiar figures. Oh, crap it's the rest of the Akatsuki.

One of them speaks, and it's with a certain authority that I can tell it's their leader. "Diedara, Sasori, you've returned with the jinchuriki. Good, but, who is this?" The shadowed figure looks at me.

The two silhouettes of Itachi and Kisame look at me. Kisame gives an evil laugh and says, "It's that brat, Itachi. Popori, I think her name was. We have unfinished business. I still never got her back for that cheap shot."

I scoffed, "What cheap shot? I'm sure you're the only one who cheated." I'm not even trying to behave. I know I'm going to die in a few moments. What's the last minute of your life without excitement?

Kisame growls at me. But he doesn't advance. Wait. The silhouettes . . . There's something about them. I don't think those are their real bodies . . . but some kind of special jutsu that allows them to be in two places at once.

Their leader looks at me, "Why are you here, girl?"

I lock gazes with him, "I know a lot about your organization. And I know what you plan to do with Gaara but . . . I don't think I could join you, just yet."

He stares at me for a long time, and then Hidan puts in his opinion. "I vote we make the little bitch our slave!"

The leader gestures to quite him. "I don't think your services will be needed at the moment. If you please, do not interfere when we perform our extraction."

I bow and nod, obediently. I'm not going to sit still when they extract the jinchuriki, but I'm not going to do anything rash at the moment.

Diedara strolls over to me as they all take their places for the extraction. He smiles at me, sinisterly and chuckles.

"Well, it was fun talking, my pet. But this is goodbye. We'll have to kill you afterwards, yeah." He says.

As I gawk up at him, Sasori comes up behind me and slams me up against the wall of the cave. As my world is consumed with darkness, I can see Diedara and Sasori looking down on me. Diedara smirks devilishly and Sasori glares down at me with those wooden eyes.

When my eyes open, I try to get into a defensive stance, but I'm stopped. I look down and examine myself; someone bound me to the wall of the cave! There's a seal on it and everything. What in the hell? They were really that worried about me interfering? I'm only one Chunin, I couldn't do much damage.

I finally get the grasp of the situation. The Akatsuki has just finished taking the jinchuriki from Gaara. As my red headed friend falls to the ground, I can hear the sickly thump his lifeless body makes as it hits the ground. Oh, god, he's dead. He can't be dead. He just can't be. I wasn't able to do anything. Shit, I am so useless.

I'm in shock. My brain has gone numb. But at the same time every muscle in my body is screaming at me to kill one of them. An eye for an eye; that's fair isn't it? No, fair doesn't even matter now, this is pure revenge. How dare they kill Gaara-kun! My face is completely blank as my body works on its own to pry myself out of this hellish experience.

As I pull and twist myself forcedly out of this binding, I can feel my joints popping out of place. My left wrist is almost out, but in the back of my mind I know better; this has been with chakra. I can't get out of it, there's no point. I'll only injure myself.

I snarl animalistic, feeling blood escaping from the places on my body that is struggling too much. That's it; I'm going to do something drastic. It might leave me weak, but I'm going to land at least one blow on one of them before my last breath.

I concentrate like my life depended on it. My mind goes blank like in my training; all that I can see is pure white. All I can feel is the warmth of light. All I can smell is a warm chakra. All I can hear is the thumping of my pulse. All that is, is complete serenity.

I open my eyes. My senses have been heightened; I can practically taste the electricity in the air around me. I smirk and lash out with my kekkai genkai. I can feel some of the lightning bouncing back and hitting me, but most of it is breaking through the binding.

The next thing I know I'm laying on the cold ground in the dark. I've been weakened by my escape, but I'm free to strangle the life out of something. I use my elbows to prop myself up and look around. The remainder of my heightened senses allows me to see in this darkness. Diedara and Sasori are sitting in the middle of the cave alone, with Gaara lying lifeless beside them.

I groan in irritation. I'm going to get Gaara back, I just don't know how. I analyze my situation. In the state I'm in, I don't have the strength to beat either of them. Plus, I can barely keep my eyes open. My strength is dwindling by the second. This is going to be difficult on my part.

Light pours into the cave and I use the remainder of what I have to look to see who it is. Team Kakashi and an old lady come into view. Oh, good, Naruto will get Gaara. I know he will.

Someone screams my name. I'm not conscious enough to see who it is. But that screams reminds me why I'm here. It knocks some sense into my head. I need to remember my goal here. Get Gaara away from the Akatsuki.

I keep going in and out of consciousness. The world goes black; when the light comes back Diedara has snatched Gaara and put him on the bird. I use pure willpower to through myself at him. He easily catches my poor attempt at attack and places me on the bird, and then flies out of the cave. Naruto and Kakashi pursue us. Darkness.

The next time I come to, Naruto is attacking Diedara. I give a grunt of pain and grab Gaara and send both of us flying through the trees. One of Naruto's clones catches us and places us safely down on a tree limb. Darkness.

Someone is stroking my cheek. I struggle to open my eyes, but it seems easier than the last times. I focus on my surroundings. Kankuro is holding me in his arms. I thought he was dead? I'm glad he's alright, though. Temari is looking down at me, tears streaking her face. Gaara peers down at me and I get a jolt of energy.

I jump out of Kankuro's arms and into Gaara's. He chuckles and holds me. I'm speechless. I look around and see Team Kakashi and Team Guy. Sakura is holding the dead body of that old lady I saw earlier. Naruto is beaming at me, the hint of dried tears at the corners of his eyes. Kakashi nods approvingly when I meet his gaze.

It takes me a moment, but I realize they are speaking to me. I block everyone's voice but Gaara's. He's thanking me.

"Popori, Naruto tells me that you made it possible for me to be alive." He says.

I shake my head, "No Gaara-kun. Don't thank me; I don't need a big head when I'm so ecstatic to see you alive."

Gaara and the people close enough to hear me chuckle.

"Popori," Sakura says.

I look to her and she continues. "It's a wonder you're alive, as well as Gaara. Why did you use your own jutsu on yourself?"

I sigh, "I had to get to Gaara. No matter what it took . . . I had to get him back."

Kakashi comes over and kneels beside me as Gaara remains holding me. "Looks like both you and Naruto had the same idea. You have a strong will, Popori."

I smirk despite my state, "You didn't need to tell me that." I remember someone yelling my name in the cave. I ask him who it was.

Naruto holds up a hand sheepishly, "That would be me."

"Well, thanks." I tell him. "Without that, I would not have been able to keep a good head on my shoulders."

He smiles brightly at me, and I pass out in Gaara's arms with a smile of my own playing on my face.

AN: And that concludes that arc. Just for people who didn't know. *Baka - Japanese for idiot.