Erica: *reads from script* Good night my good Sirs and Ladies. I welcome you to our latest presentation, a chapter entitled...The Girl?...What is...no I will not continue reading...is this about me?...Fine, after then...The author bids me read...Rhaps, this is stupid...bids, really? *sigh* Anyway, she wants you to know that she appreciates all the wonderful "fantastic awesome reviews" she's gotten especially OTURAN-IKAMUZU1, EmilyMichele01 and jadeismycolor. She also wants you to know that she has a ... a Beta. A "wonderful, fantastic, kind and generous" Beta named WingedMercury who began what is going to an uphill battle with Rhapsody's grammar. *throws away script*.

Anyhow, I hope you guys are enjoying the story. Don't forget to review...the author pines if she doesn't get at least three...kinda sad really...oh right, disclaimer. Rhapsody does not own Naruto or any of the characters in that series, if she did then Jiraiya would have gotten at least one good, hard...

Rhapsody: Don't say it!

Erica: ...kiss from Tsunade.

Rhapsody: ... right. Anyway, I know this one is short but I have posted two chapters tonight. Don't forget to review!

The Girl

(Itachi's POV)

I watched as she fell forward. I don't know what made me do it. I'm sure it wasn't kindness, compassion or empathy but I caught her, lifted her up and carried her quickly to her room. She was covered in blood but the smell had long ago lost its impact, so much so, that I barely noticed it. Laying her on the floor I stepped back and prepared to leave. I sensed rather than saw her move. She stood and made her way to the bathroom. Her motions were quick and efficient, completely at odds with her worn out state. Curious, I followed her. She was standing at the sink washing her hands, her eyes had the glazed look of a sleepwalker or the very ill. She shut off the faucet, turned away and began undressing. I frowned. She seemed completely unaware of my presence. I was about to leave when I felt her attack. I intercepted her kick, aimed at the back of my head and moved to push her back. Faster than possible for a civilian she flipped backward and tried to kick me in the face with both feet. I moved out of range and she fired a series of punches at me. I backed into her room and she followed. I was surprised by the fluidity of her movement and how quickly she reacted. Just as suddenly as it started, she stopped, turned and went back into the shower, closing the door behind her.

I stood there for a long moment thinking. She was, for all intents and purposes, a civilian yet she had a rapidly growing supply of chakra. She had no training, yet she moved with the swiftness, skill and condition of someone of at least chunin rank. She supposedly knew nothing of jutsu yet it was clear to me that she used one on the woman Deidara had captured. The sharingan doesn't lie; her chakra had passed through her hands and into the woman, altering the flow of chakra to her brain. It was very similar to what I had done to her. Was it a coincidence? I didn't believe that for a second.

Things were getting more interesting. I left her room as silently as I had entered it but the second I opened the door, I knew that I wasn't alone. I was being watched. The presence moved and then vanished.

So they still didn't trust me, even after all these years. It was all for the best, I suppose.

After all, I was going to betray them.