[Akane's p.o.v.]

I sat with Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura at Ichiraku Ramen after a long day. Naruto really did show me around everywhere. Konoha was actually quite a nice village.

As Naruto led me on his grand tour, I noticed Sasuke staring at me in a strange way. It was a bit frustrating for me that his eyes were so dark and unreadable. I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

As I slurped down my ramen enthusiastically (when I told Naruto how good I thought Ichiraku was, he declared me his new best friend), Sasuke set his chopsticks down and studied me again. He was sitting next to me. I glanced at him as I took a sip of my iced tea.

"Is there any particular reason why you keep looking at me?" I inquired, lifting an eyebrow.

Sasuke stared for a few more seconds before he answered.

"So, you can't remember anything about your past before you ended up here?"

I shook my head, swiveling slightly in my seat so I could face him. "Why do you ask?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly. "You're strange. How old are you anyway?"

I chuckled. "If I could remember, I would've answered all your burning questions by now."

"Hey, jerk, leave her alone!" Naruto barged into the conversation, waving his fist at Sasuke. "Stupid, Kakashi sensei already told us she can't remember anything, so stop asking!"

Sasuke turned his face away in annoyance. "Shut up, you idiot."

Just then, Kakashi showed up in a puff of smoke

. "Yo!" he called out as he walked over, perverted book in hand. We all voiced our greetings, and then Sakura exclaimed, "Whoa, it's getting late! I'll see you guys tomorrow. Don't be late for the mission!" before running off.

Naruto and Sasuke also got up to leave. Now it was just me and Kakashi. He came to sit by me.

"So, how do you like Konoha?"

"It's nice," I replied, turning to look at the dark sky. "Peaceful."

Kakashi nodded. "So, did you find a hotel for the night?"

I groaned, smacking my forehead. "I forgot."

Kakashi scratched his head.

"Well, we only have one hotel, and I passed it on the way here. There's no vacancy."

I sighed, looking around. "So where am I supposed to go?" Kakashi stood up.

"Well, I have a spare room in my apartment. You're welcome to it. I wouldn't like for you to spend the night out here."

I turned to look at Kakashi suspiciously. Kakashi noticed and chuckled, waving his hand in the air.

"My dear, I'm probably twice your age. You don't have to worry about me trying anything."

I sighed, getting up. "I'd like that. Thank you for helping me. And I wasn't trying to call you a pervert or anything… I just don't know who I can trust here."

Kakashi nodded, starting to walk in the direction of his apartment.

"That's perfectly understandable. You can remain awake all night, if you really want to be safe. I just want you with a roof over your head."

I smiled. This man seemed so reserved and withdrawn. It seemed out of character for him to be so nice.

I threw on an old shirt Kakashi had given me, and settled in bed with my belongings. I turned on a small lamp at my bedside and pulled out the notebooks from my bag. The first one seemed to be a sketchbook. I opened it, and my mouth dropped open in shock.

It was a drawing of me. A very good one. Underneath it was a name. Akane. 'Who the hell is Akane?' I wondered. 'Is that my name?'

I kept flipping through the sketchbook. There were other drawings of various things, like flowers, a forest, and animals. But I was disturbed by some of the others. They were strange and creepy. There were drawings of me crying, of me screaming in anguish while chained to a wall. Of me naked and bleeding on the floor. Of a hand that looked like mine... gripping a penis and testicles that had been cut off.

I slammed the sketchbook closed, my hands trembling. What the fuck was this?

Drawing in a shaky breath, I reached for the other book and opened it. I felt the blood drain from my face. Glued to the inside was a picture of a woman with bright, flaming red hair and jade green eyes carrying a small child with amber eyes and the same colored hair. The child looked like me. Who was this woman? My mother?

On the next page, there was a sketch of the same woman. She was lying on the floor, dead, with blood trickling out of her mouth. Her eyes were open and empty, seeing nothing.

My hands shook almost violently as I turned the page. It was a diary entry from two years ago.

November 18

Today is my birthday. I am fourteen. And I've now been in this hellhole for two years and two months. I've decided to start writing so I could maintain what is left of my sanity. As a birthday present, I was only raped once today. My father did the honors. Son of a bitch.

I'm afraid to write because I don't want this journal to be found. But whatever. Nothing worse could happen to me at this point.

I was forced to kill my mother yesterday. She'd only been held prisoner these past two years, but recently she was being tortured. My father wanted to know how my power could be extracted out of me. At the moment, it's too immense to control, so they can only curtail it with a seal. But my mother didn't betray me. May she rest in peace…. Right before I killed her, she said, "Survive, my darling. And thank you for being the one to end my suffering…." Slashing her throat with my sword was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I cried. And I almost never cry. My father walked into the room, and smiled. He called in three of his men and they took turns raping me right next to my mother's dead body. I've never felt more disgusting and degraded. I want to die.

I had to close my eyes for a minute to keep from vomiting all over Kakashi's bed. This wasn't my journal. This hadn't happened to me. It couldn't have. I gulped, turning the page. This entry was nearly a year later.

September 18

Today is my mother's birthday. I miss her. I remember when I was younger and first learning how to cook. I used to bake a cake every time it was her birthday, and she'd always eat it, no matter how horrible it tasted.

I've found out how this place works, finally. There are no cameras in my room, which is why this journal hasn't been found yet. But they're everywhere else. I've been sneaking out, even though I knew I would be discovered sooner or later. But I do it anyway. I have to escape for a while. If I don't, I'll kill myself. Every time I sneak out, they're in my room waiting when I return. They rape me, then beat me half to death. I hate that I heal so quickly. It makes them hurt me more often.

I've decided that I have to escape. I can't take much more. But I have to live. I have to get revenge.

Summer has come and passed,

The innocent can never last

Wake me up when September ends….

I turned the page again, my eyes starting to sting with unshed tears. This was the last entry. It was over a year later.

May 2

I'm being temporarily sold to a whorehouse. I've packed everything of value to me. They're making me wear a kimono dress and heels. That attire won't do for making my escape. I packed extra clothes just in case. I'm running away tonight. Nothing will stop me.

Shit. I've been discovered. I tried to go along with my original plan and be a good little whore, but I could only withstand two men. The second one was the worst. I couldn't take it anymore. I snapped his neck. Killing the bastard was one of the best feelings I've had in years. Too bad it couldn't be more slow and painful.

The seal is weakening. I feel stronger. My power is returning. They found the bastard's body faster than I anticipated. I can hear them looking for me. They're getting closer. I have to

The entry was cut off mid-sentence. I tossed the notebook in my bag, closing my eyes. My God. This wasn't my journal. It couldn't be mine…. I turned off the lamp and forced myself to try to sleep. I couldn't take this. Not today.

[3rd person p.o.v.]

Kakashi jolted awake to the sound of screaming. It was coming from the girl's room. Shit!

He sprinted out of bed and ran to the girl's room. Then he remembered he'd told her to lock her door.

He braced his shoulder against the door before shoving hard, and it flew open.

With his Sharingan, Kakashi couldn't detect any intruder. But the girl was shrieking as if someone was trying to kill her, thrashing in bed and babbling. Kakashi went over to the girl, trying to wake her without startling her.

"Hey, wake up," Kakashi said, shaking the girl gently. He had to do this several more times before the girl stirred. When her eyes opened, she almost screamed again. She shoved away from him and cowered in the corner of the bed, half-sobbing.

"It's me," Kakashi said gently. "Are you alright?"

"…Kakashi?" the girl asked, her tears subsiding.

"Yes," Kakashi said, even more gently. "It's alright. Did you have a bad dream?"

The girl just nodded, turning her head and wiping her face. From the moonlight shining in, Kakashi could tell the girl was sweaty.

"C-can you stay with me?" she asked, looking at him, her amber eyes large and round with fear. But then she turned away again. "You don't have to," she added.

Kakashi smiled at her attempt to be brave. "No, of course I can stay," Kakashi replied. "Would you like for me to sleep on the floor?"

The girl shook her head. "No, you can stay on the bed. Just don't touch me."

Kakashi blinked in confusion. "Okay. Goodnight. I'll be here if you have another nightmare."

The girl nodded shakily and went back under the covers, her back to him. Kakashi lay down and covered himself as well. Yes, it was all starting to make sense now. How jumpy she was when she'd first met him and the Hokage. How she didn't want any man touching her. How she had looked at him when he'd told her he'd stayed with her the whole time she was in the hospital. She'd disguised it pretty well, but she didn't seem to be particularly grateful.

She had been abused by men before. In what way, he didn't know, although he had a pretty good idea. Kakashi shook his head and stared at the girl's back. At her long hair, which glowed a brilliant red even in the darkness. Poor girl. If she did regain her memory, she was in for a lot of problems.