A/N: Since it has been long since I updated, here's another chapter!

10: Betrayal

Two weeks later, when Sasuke came home from work, he opened the door to his apartment and found Neji and Itachi sitting by the table. He closed the door behind him. "Hey." He said.

"Hey." Itachi said. "Sit down please."

Sasuke looked at Itachi surprised. "Ok. Why?" He asked and hang up his coat before sitting on a chair.

"I had a talk with Neji." Itachi said. "It's about your grades."

Sasuke shot a glare at Neji. Great. Now his brother knew. "Oh..." He said and looked at the table. Neji just glared back at him.

"Why do you never talk with me about stuff like this?" Itachi asked.

"..It's just grades.." Sasuke answered, not looking at either of them.

"Yes, and those grades decide about your future." Itachi said.

"..I'm just not as smart as the two of you.." Sasuke said.

"That's a stupid excuse." Neji snapped.

"Indeed." Itachi said, looking at Sasuke. "What's bothering you Sasuke?" Itachi asked.

"..Nothing..." Sasuke said, feeling a bit attacked by Neji and Itachi before him. Against him.

"Sure." Itachi said.

"That's why you said it's too much." Neji said. "Look, we just want to help you ok."

"..I know...And that's nice..but.." Sasuke stopped. If he continued now, they'd know what was wrong.

"But?" Neji and Itachi asked at the same time.

"...I don't wanna think of them..." Sasuke softly said.

"The reasons why you get those grades?" Itachi asked, a bit confused.

"..Mom and dad..." Sasuke said, almost whispered.

"I knew it." Itachi said, sighing.

"Why do you always put things away Sasuke?" Itachi asked.

"..It's easier.." Sasuke answered, still not looking at Neji or Itachi.

"Perhaps it is, but not wiser." Itachi said.

"..It's still easier...I just don't wanna think of them..and it worked too...until this year.." Sasuke said softly.

"Why didn't you come to me then?" Itachi asked.

"..Because you have it hard enough already...And I figured you wouldn't want me to come whining about our parents now.." Sasuke answered.

"Sasuke, you can whine against me all you want." Itachi said. "That's where I'm here for. And I have it much harder when you put everything away then if you let it all come out. And Neji has that too."

"...I don't wanna whine about them..I don't wanna be a drag...I don't wanna be a burden...I know I'm making things worse.." Sasuke said.

"You're making things worse because you put everything away." Itachi said.

"...But dad always said that was better.." Sasuke said.

"Dad was an ass." Itachi said. "Look at how he ended. He put everything away too. Do you want to be like him?"

Sasuke shook his head. "...No..But even if I let it out I still can't work on my grades enough...School's just so hard..I don't get half of it..And then I start thinking of them and it just gets harder." Sasuke said.

"And that's why you should talk about it." Neji said.

Itachi looked at Neji for a moment and then nodded to Sasuke.

"...It's hard.." Sasuke said.

"Of course it is." Itachi said. "But it will even be harder if you keep putting it away."

"..I miss them..." Sasuke said, trying to open up at least a little.

"..I know.." Itachi said. "Please Sasuke, if you feel sad, please come to me and just talk about it. Or go to Neji."

Sasuke was silent for a while before nodding. "...But don't start thinking I'm annoying.." Sasuke said.

"You're more annoying when you say there's nothing with you while there is." Itachi said and Neji nodded.

"..Can you please help me with my homework too then..?" Sasuke asked carefully. Maybe that was too much, but he would never make it without help now.

"Of course." Itachi said, smiling.

"And I will too." Neji said, nodding to Sasuke.

Sasuke nodded. "Ok..Thanks.." Sasuke said and smiled a little.

They both nodded and it was silent for a while. Neji's face changed more and more into a frown while he laid his hand onto his stomach.

"...What's wrong?" Sasuke asked as he saw Neji's face. Hand on his stomach. Was something wrong?

Itachi looked at Neji too now.

"...One moment." Neji said and then hurriedly stood and almost ran to the toilet, throwing up there.

Sasuke looked at Itachi worried and then stood up to follow Neji, who was throwing up. What the hell was going on? "...What's wrong?" Sasuke asked as he quickly pulled Neji's hair out of his face.

"...Oh shit.." Itachi said as he arrived there, while Neji threw up again. "..I think he has.. well.. that sickness you get from being pregnant."

"What sickness?" Sasuke asked worried. He should've paid attention during biology.

"It's called morning sickness.. every pregnant woman has those, not always in the morning by the way." Itachi answered.

"..Is that bad?" Sasuke asked as he rubbed over Neji's back.

"Well, not really, but it's just not really comfortable." Itachi answered, while Neji stopped, shaking a bit and sweating.

"Oh. Does he have that the whole pregnancy?" Sasuke asked and looked at Neji.

"No, only the first few months." Itachi said.

Neji meanwhile shakily reached for the toilet paper and took a piece of it, cleaning his mouth.

"Oh...good." Sasuke said. If poor Neji had to throw up for nine months it would be hell for him. Sasuke grabbed another piece of toilet paper to clean Neji's hair a little.

"He'll be very emotional too in a few months." Itachi added.

Neji swallowed and carefully sat up again, with his hand on his stomach.

"Are you ok?" Sasuke asked and grabbed Neji's shoulders, slightly pulling him back so he could look at Neji's face.

Neji nodded, smiling a bit.

"..Does this harm the baby?" Sasuke asked and looked at Itachi.

"No, else it wouldn't be part of the pregnancy hm." Itachi said.

"True..Hey..how's that baby gonna get out anyhow..?" Sasuke suddenly asked. You could see on his face that he was thinking of all possible ways.

"Caesarian?" Itachi said.

Neji nodded, while flushing the toilet.

"..Oh...Well that makes more sense then the natural way." Sasuke said and put the lid down and put Neji on the toilet.

"Doh." Itachi said.

Neji stroke through his hair with a frown.

"What you frowning about now?" Sasuke asked.

"..I don't want this every day." He muttered.

"I know...I'm sure it'll skip some days." Sasuke said and stroke over Neji's cheeks.

"Hmm.." Neji mumbled.

"Well I'm going to eat something." Itachi said, walking to the kitchen.

Sasuke looked at Neji and then smiled. "You look ridiculous like this. You should take a shower and go to bed." He said.

Neji shot him a death glare. "Thanks." He said, sarcastically.

"You look pretty for someone who just threw up, that better?" Sasuke asked and pulled off Neji's shirt.

"..Thanks."Neji said with a blank face.

Sasuke nodded and kept smiling while he opened Neji's pants. Neji was really cute like this.

Neji just sat there, looking at Sasuke while Sasuke was undressing him. His mind was a bit full of everything now.

"...Something wrong?" Sasuke asked as he pulled Neji's pants down.

"..Mno... I'm just thinking about what can still come.."

"..What can still come then?" Sasuke asked as he pulled of Neji's socks and then his boxer.

Neji automatically pulled his knees up to cover his crouch now. "I don't really know, that's why I'm thinking about it." Neji said.

"Oh. You can put your knees down, you've got nothing I haven't seen before." Sasuke said as he pulled Neji up and helped him to the shower.

"I know, it's just instinct." Neji muttered and walked to the shower.

Sasuke put on the shower and placed Neji under it once it was warm enough. "Good like that?" Sasuke asked.

Neji smiled at him and nodded. "I could do it myself too you know." He said, amused by Sasuke's behaviour.

"Consider it practising for when you're belly gets so big you won't be able to do everything alone anymore." Sasuke said and smirked a little.

Neji smiled and made his hair wet now. "Thanks." He said.

"You're welcome. When will it show?" Sasuke asked, sounding as well thrilled as worried.

"I don't know." Neji answered.

"What do we tell the people at school when it happens?" Sasuke asked.

"..That I'm ill." Neji answered.

"...Shouldn't we just tell them the truth..?" Sasuke asked.

"...I don't know..." Neji muttered.

"..We should Neji." Sasuke said.

"I don't want it." Neji said.

"They'll find out anyway." Sasuke said.

Neji silently continued to shower. Perhaps it was true..

"Instead of hiding it Neji, we should be proud of it. It is our child for that matter." Sasuke said.

"..Yes but.. it's not normal.." Neji said.

"They won't try anything with me around Neji. And I'm always around if I want to." Sasuke looked at Neji.

"...I'm just afraid of the reactions." Neji said, while washing his hair now.

"I know you are. But you were afraid of showing yourself too and that turned out pretty fine." Sasuke stated.

"Yes but that's different.." Neji muttered.

"I understood your situation, Itachi did, Kurenai did, so why wouldn't others do it too? And at least Itachi and I are way more involved then the rest of school." Sasuke said.

"...We'll see ok?" Neji asked.

"We have to decide on that Neji." Sasuke said. "And I can't hide it a lot longer from my friends. They've been asking me all about our relationship, that I spend too much time with you, why I missed school for a week." Sasuke said.

Neji stopped showering now, putting off the shower. "..I guess.." Neji muttered.

"I should at least tell Kiba." Sasuke said. Kiba was his best friend and even though Sasuke was never sure about how good of friends he was with any of them, he had shared most of his secrets with Kiba.

"...But what if they think of me as a freak?" Neji asked, while stepping out of the shower.

"They won't and if they do, I'll tell them I'll kick them out of the in crowd. They'll get so scared they'll never say a word about it to you." Sasuke said and smirked, giving Neji a towel.

Neji accepted the towel but stayed silent.

"Look Neji, they will probably think it's weird, but they'll be fine with it. If any, they'd blame me for doing this to you." Sasuke said as he looked at Neji.

"Perhaps.." Neji said, starting to dry himself.

"I've got an idea. We'll invite them here, shock them with my way of living, poor, and then tell them the news. They'll be so overwhelmed they won't even start thinking about how weird it is." Sasuke said and smiled at Neji.

"...Do you really think that that's a good idea?" Neji asked.

"No. But it's time they learn the truth Neji. I don't wanna lie to them anymore." Sasuke said.

Neji was silent for one moment and then nodded. Perhaps it was a good idea.

Sasuke walked to Neji and suddenly hugged him tight. "You're not a freak Neji. You're perfect." He whispered.

Neji frowned. "No one if perfect Sasuke." Neji said. "..But thanks."

"Well to me you are." Sasuke said and held onto Neji's face, smiling at him.

Neji smiled back. "That's sweet of you." He said.

"That's because I am oh so sweet." Sasuke said and smirked. "Now dry off you idiot, before you catch a cold." He said and walked out of the bathroom to get some dinner too.

Neji nodded. "Sure." He said.

A week later, Sasuke opened the door to reveal his best friends. Kiba, Ino and Tenten were standing in the doorway, looking at him frowning. They hadn't expected him to live here at all.

"Well uhm...come in." Sasuke said uncomfortable, scared of their reactions too. He stepped out of their way to let them in. Ino was first to walk inside and looked around.

Kiba nodded and walked in too. He was also looking around, and Tenten followed him, doing the same. Itachi wasn't home today and Neji was cooking something.

"Hi...Neji...Why are you cooking here?" Ino asked. Sasuke mentally slapped himself in the head. He hadn't told them about Neji living here either.

Kiba looked at Neji with a frown on his face. Indeed, what was he doing here? Neji looked at Sasuke. "Are you going to tell them or..?" Neji asked.

"Yeah yeah. You guys should sit down for this and please DON'T freak out." Sasuke said as he himself sat down on a chair from the kitchen. The couch only had room for three.

Tenten frowned but did as she was told, and Kiba and Ino followed. They all sat down.

"Tell me." Kiba said.

Sasuke took a deep sigh as he looked at his friends. "Neji's living with me." He said and waited patiently for the reactions.

"...What?" Tenten asked, looking at Sasuke like he was crazy.

"Ha.Ha. Funny." Kiba said, looking at Sasuke dryly. "Sure. After this short amount of time."

"Yeah, as if we'd believe that. You can stop the act now Neji." Ino said and laughed a little.

"I'm serious." Sasuke said. "Neji started living with me four days after that date."

"Why would he do that?" Kiba asked.

"Because...Ok seriously, don't freak out ok. Remember when I told you guys Neji and I had sex?" Sasuke asked. Ino nodded and looked at him with a what-does-this-have-to-do-with-anything look on her face.

Kiba snorted and then nodded and Tenten just nodded.

"Yes?" Tenten asked.

"To prevent you guys from thinking this is a joke, it's not. But erm..." Sasuke looked at Neji for a while, noticing he was looking at the floor. "I got Neji pregnant." He said. There, it was out. Now he just had to wait for the reactions again.

It was silent for a while and then Kiba burst out laughing.

He laughed for a moment and then snorted. "Jeez Sasuke, you idiot." He said, laughing again. "Was this why you let us come to this place? Where is your real house, I mean, dude!" Tenten was giggling too now. Neji just turned around and focussed on the cooking again. He knew they wouldn't believe it.

Ino started laughing now too. "You're such a moron Sasuke! You didn't seriously think we'd believe this right!?" She laughed.

Sasuke turned his eyes to the side. "...I'm serious...I live here..with Neji...because I got Neji pregnant.." Sasuke mumbled, feeling so embarrassed. Afraid that his friends would think of both of them as freaks.

"Oh sure." Tenten said, smirking. "Ah well, you sure as hell won the bet though. He seems to be in love with you hm."

Neji frowned at this and looked at Sasuke with a confused look on his face.

Sasuke's head snapped towards Tenten. He forget about the stupid bet. He never told Neji about that stupid bet. "I..." Was all he could bring out.

"...What bet..?" Neji asked. This just couldn't be what he thought it was..

"...Nothing.." Sasuke said as he looked to Tenten angry. She just had to remind him.

"Oh but he should know now, else it isn't fair." Tenten said. Neji looked at Sasuke with a frown on his face.

"Yeah you see Neji. We had a bet about you. Back in the old days we made a bet with Sasuke. He said he could get anyone so we told him we'd only believe him if he got you to fall in love with him. So he took it and went to talk to you and have sex with you and stuff. So." Ino explained, all the while looking at her nails. Sasuke shot all his friends death glares in the mean time and then looked at Neji.

Neji looked at Sasuke now. "...Is this true...?" Neji asked, feeling something sting in his heart now.

"...Y-yes..but I didn't do it just for that dare...Only in the beginning.." Sasuke said and looked at Neji desperate. This was going wrong.

"..So the being interested talk was only for that dare?" Neji asked, while biting his lip.

Kiba looked at them confused. Where they really in love?

"..Yes, but that was before I got to know you.." Sasuke answered.

Now Kiba gave a snort and Neji saw Sasuke shooting Kiba a glare now. Neji looked at them for a moment and then put off all the fires where he was cooking with and walked past them.

"I should've known." He muttered and then walked out of the room, towards his coat.

Sasuke quickly got up and followed Neji. This couldn't be happening. "Neji wait..please...I can explain it..I just thought of it as a dare in the beginning.." He said and grabbed Neji's arm.

"Stay away from me!" Neji yelled and pulled his arm loose, quickly getting his coat. He felt tears starting to form in his eyes. Stupid, stupid... he was so stupid.. how could he actually have been so naïve about this all?

"Neji please..please listen to me...It's not just a dare..It was only that in the beginning, before I knew you...please...don't go..." Sasuke desperately said afraid to touch Neji again.

"I don't want to hear it!" Neji yelled. "It always goes like this! Why do even 'you' have to be one of them?!" He felt the tears come now. He just had to get out of here. He quickly went towards the door and opened it.

"No Neji please! I'm not like them! I'm not! I really do like you! Please don't go!" Sasuke yelled panicked now. This couldn't be happening. Neji was leaving him. Neji told him he wouldn't leave. And it was all his own fault too.

"I don't want to hear this anymore!" Neji yelled and then slammed the door shut. You could hear him running down the stairs.

Sasuke opened the door and yelled for Neji, but he heard the door downstairs close and he knew he wouldn't be able to catch up with Neji now. He put a hand to his mouth. What had he done? He had driven out Neji. NEJI out of all people. He felt the tears come. They were streaming down his face. How could he have been so stupid? Why did he have to go with that stupid dare? Why?

His friends came walking into the hallway now, Kiba wearing a huge smirk across his face. They couldn't see that Sasuke was crying.

"Oh man oh man." Kiba said, smirking. "You're such a dramatically actor. Great job."

"SHUT UP!" Sasuke screamed and pointed his finger to the stairs. "SHUT UP AND GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE! ALL OF YOU! LEAVE!" Sasuke had never been angry at his friends. Not once. But it was all their fault. All their fault Neji was gone. And now they dared to stand there with smirks on their faces? How DARE they.

But now all the smirks disappeared.

"..Are you serious about this?" Tenten asked. If Sasuke truly loved Neji they had just done something horrible.

"I TOLD YOU TO GET OUT! GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME NOW!" Sasuke screamed as more tears streamed down his face.

Tenten looked at him in shock but then decided to not go in against him. She got her coat and walked out of the door, Kiba doing the same.

"...We're sorry Sasuke.." Ino quietly said as she too got her coat and walked out. Sasuke shut the door in their faces and ran to his room, collapsing on his bed and bursting into tears. He hated himself so much. And Itachi wasn't even there now...and Neji was gone..gone. And it was all his own stupid fault..all his fault.

Meanwhile, Neji ran like there was some kind of monster after him. This couldn't be happening.. this was a nightmare.. Neji clenched his eyes shut for one moment, letting the tears fall out of his eyes, and then continued to run with his eyes open. He didn't even knew where he was going. He just ran. As far as possible from Sasuke. Sasuke was probably laughing at him with the rest of his friends now.. stupid, stupid, stupid... Neji bit his lip and turned around a corner and then, like in a movie, bumped into someone and fell onto the ground.

The person he bumped into gave a slight moan and regained posture. "..Watch where you're going.." He mumbled in an uninterested tone. He looked at Neji.

"..I'm s-sorry..." Neji muttered and stood, moving past the strange person. Neji had seen that this boy had the hair of a pineapple though. But he didn't really care, he just wanted to go even further from Sasuke's house.

"..Hey..are you ok?" The person asked as he turned around to Neji.

Neji turned around for a moment to look at the boy. Hey... this guy was in his class.

"...I'm f-fine.." Neji muttered, wanting to go further again.

"Are you sure? You don't look so good. And you shouldn't be wandering around these streets on your own either. How about I walk you home?" The guy asked.

"..You're on y-your own too.. " Neji sniffed, wiping away his tears and ignoring the rest of what the guy had said.

"I live around here. So where do you live? I'll walk you home." The guy said and signed for Neji to show him the way.

Neji looked at him for a moment and then looked away, feeling his lip trembling again.

The guy was silent for a while and then sighed. "Follow me." He said and walked a little further, then waited till Neji followed him.

Neji looked at him frowning. "..I don't even k-know you." Neji softly protested.

"Ah I know. But a warm house would be better then the streets. I'm too lazy to do anything to you anyway." The guy said and gave Neji a slight grin.

Neji looked at him for a moment and then nodded. "...Thank y-you.." He said and then looked at the guy at a questioning way. Who was this guy?

"Good." The guy said and started walking. Neji followed him and walked beside him. "I'm Shikamaru by the way. You?" He asked.

"Neji." Neji answered. He waited for it now, this guy would probably know him as 'the freak'.

"Neji hm. Aren't you in my class?" Shikamaru asked, not sounding really interested though.

Neji nodded. "Yes.. with history I believe." Neji answered. 'Just like Sasuke..' Neji thought and he felt his eyes started to prick again.

"Could be. So what are you doing here this time a day?" Shikamaru asked, not interested in the whole 'freak' part of Neji at all.

"...I just.. g-got to know something..." Neji muttered.

"It must be pretty bad for you to run away from home. What happened?" Shikamaru asked.

"...Well... I t-though Sasuke really.. cared about me.. so.." Neji muttered, moving his hand through his hair.

"And he didn't? No surprise there." Shikamaru said and looked at Neji.

Neji bit his lip and nodded. "..It was j-just a bet.." Neji said softly.

"..I have no one anymore n-now.." He said, almost whispered, while he felt the tears coming up again.

"...Well you can stay with me for as long as you need. I know how you feel. They're all like that." Shikamaru said.

"...It's nice of you, but I c-can just get my money and stuff from Sasuke's home, since I s-still got the keys.." Neji said softly.

"You lived with him? And still, I bet you don't really have a lot of money right? Wouldn't want you to spend time in a hotel. They suck." Shikamaru said.

Neji shrugged. "..Yes, I lived with him.." Neji said, wiping away his tears again. "..We almost had to live together.. something happened.. and well.."

Shikamaru stopped in front of a small house and opened the door. "What happened?" He asked as he let Neji in.

"..I just.. I'm not a normal guy you know..." Neji said softly.

"No one's normal. So what's it with you?" Shikamaru asked again and plopped down on a chair, yawning.

Neji sat down beside him. "I don't think you will believe me.." Neji muttered.

"Try me." Shikamaru said and gave a slight grin at Neji.

Neji was silent for a moment and then looked at Shikamaru.

"...I'm pregnant." He said softly, looking at the ground.

"How? I thought you were a guy." Shikamaru asked, not really surprised in any way.

"Something got wrong when I was born." Neji muttered. "I have an uterus. And one that works."

"Now that's weird. So let me guess, Uchiha got you pregnant right?" Shikamaru asked.

Neji nodded, looking away.

"Hmm. So not only did he just do it for a bet, he saddled you up with a baby too." Shikamaru shook his head. "They're all such assholes." He said.

Neji nodded, biting his lip. "..And my uncle, where I'm living with, thinks I'm a huge disgrace.. I left... I was just so afraid that he'd punish me for it." He said. "So I can't go there either.."

"I already told you, you can stay here. My mom and dad won't mind, they're out working most of the time. You should just forget them, they're not worth it." Shikamaru said.

"Thanks.. but why would you let me stay here?" Neji asked. "I mean, you don't know me or something.."

"Ah no, but I've had my fair share of problems with the in crowd. Besides, it's nice to meet someone who's not a total asshole to begin with. Besides I could use the company." Shikamaru said and grinned again.

"You don't have friends either?" Neji asked.

"Nah, I never made an attempt after what happened with Kiba and his crowd." Shikamaru said and sighed lazy.

"What happened then?" Neji asked, frowning.

"I had a crush on the guy last year. Not a smart thing to do. Let's just say they like taking advantage of that." Shikamaru said.

"..Did he have sex with you?" Neji asked, while taking off his shoes.

"Pretty much. The next day he dumped me together with his friends. Lucky for me I'm not one that gets embarrassed so much. But it still makes you feel bad." Shikamaru said and grinned a little.

"That sucks.." Neji said. "I'm sorry for you." He crossed his legs now.

"I never want a relation again.." Neji muttered. "Not that I can get another one or something."

"Ah cheer up. I'm sure you'll be able to. There's lots of 'nice' guys out there too." Shikamaru said.

"...Yes but everyone thinks as me as a freak." Neji muttered.

"You did wear a weird cap. Besides, not all boys go to our school. There's lots of others too." Shikamaru encouraged.

"That's true.." Neji said. "..Damn I'm tired.."

"Go to sleep. I'll get you a mattress to sleep on and a blanket." Shikamaru said as he got up.

Neji nodded. "Thanks." He said.

"You're welcome. We'll talk more tomorrow." Shikamaru said and then disappeared into a room. Minutes later he walked out of it again with a mattress and blanket and pulled them lazily into what seemed like his own room.

Neji nodded, while sitting down onto the mattress and starting to take off his clothes. Sleeping in his pants and shirt wouldn't be very clean, since he had to wear them again tomorrow.

"You can borrow a shirt from me for the night." Shikamaru said and threw him a shirt before grabbing one himself.

"Thanks." Neji said, accepting the shirt and laying it down beside him. He removed his own shirt and pants now.

"...Why did you hide?" Shikamaru suddenly asked as he changed his clothes too.

"What?" Neji asked, while putting on the shirt now.

"You hid beneath that cap and big clothes. Did you just do that because you could get pregnant?" Shikamaru asked as he sat down on the bed now.

"..Yes." Neji muttered, while laying down.

"Hmm. You shouldn't have done that. You're pretty." Shikamaru said.

"Perhaps." Neji said. "And so what if I am? Am I obligated to show everyone then?"

"Sorry, didn't mean to offend you." Shikamaru said. "I just meant that you shouldn't hide if you're that pretty. You could've lived a happy life if you didn't hide so much."

"...I'm thinking of going to a record label." Neji muttered after he had been silent for some time.

"For what?" Shikamaru asked surprised as he too crawled into bed now and turned of the lights.

"For recording a song." Neji answered, pulling the blanket over him.

"Why? Do you sing?" Shikamaru asked again.

Neji nodded. "Yeah.." He answered.

"That's nice. You should try that then. Now sleep. We still have school tomorrow and I need at least ten hours of sleep." Shikamaru said and grinned. Not that it could be seen in the dark.

Neji nodded. "Goodnight then." He said.

"Night." Shikamaru said back.

A/N: Drama, drama, drama