Chapter 5Heart or Hell

I was still in that half awake-half asleep state, when I heard people talking but my brain couldn't process what was being said. From the sound of tone they used, they seemed angry, I guessed they were threatening someone. The voices were quickly quieted and I heard the thump of heavy objects hitting the ground. The room became silent for a while but I soon heard foot steps approach my bed.

"I guess even you can't avoid Orochimaru-sama's watchful eye." A voice said. "It's unfortunate…for all of us."

I heard the words clearly but their meaning I could not register. Once again there was silence. I felt my oxygen cut off and the mask lifted from my face. My blankets were pulled down and my body lifted. Still, I couldn't completely wake. I was still blindfolded but I guessed my body was shifted into the position of a piggy back. My arms automatically wrapped around the persons neck. I heard soft laughter.

"Just like old times, huh?" The voice said and I, again, drifted off to sleep.

The next time I "woke" we were moving. Whoever was carrying me was walking forward. The person was talking to someone else. I could only catch hints of what was being said.

"…you drug her…"

"No…was like this when I found her…"

Silence.

"…going to me another vessel?…"

"No…to strong willed…would never cooperate…"

"…what's the point then?…"

"…caught my eye…back in Akatsuki…has interesting talents…"

"…why give her the curse mark…heaven seal…"

"…complete control…can't have her running…"

"…for experiments then…"

"…precisely…" More silence. "…hospital ward…care of her…with Kimimaro-kun…"

"…understood…"

I lost consciousness again.

I was much more awake the next time I came to. I wasn't blindfolded anymore but something, some sort of paper, was strapped down over my eyes, so I still couldn't see. I felt tubes in my throat that came out of my mouth and probably connected to some machine. I was in a bed that was larger than the one I had in Konoha, the blankets thicker. I heard the steady beeping of a heart monitor.

At first I found it hard to breath with all those tubes down my throat and I panicked. I began to gasp for air and the monitor speed up. I heard the sound of hurried footsteps.

"What's wrong?!" A voice asked.

I couldn't respond, blood had bubbled up in the back of my throat and I had to cough it up. The heart rate monitor speed up even faster.

"Calm down." The voice said. "Take deep easy breaths."

I obeyed and the monitor slowed to normal. I breathed evenly and relaxed.

"You mustn't get too worked up." The voice commanded sharply.

I struggled for words. "K-Kabuto-san?" I asked weakly

"Yeah, it's me." Kabuto answered softly.

"Are we alone…?" I asked, hoping Orochimaru wasn't around.

"No…Kimimaro-kun is with us but he's asleep."

I smiled to myself. "It seems like ages."

"Since?"

"Since we…you know…grew up together."

"Well…" He paused. "That was quite along time ago."

There was silence.

"Where…are…we?" I said slowly.

"One of Orochimaru-sama's hideouts."

The heart monitor speed up.

"You shouldn't get to worked up." Kabuto said sternly. " You're running a high fever."

"How…high?" I asked.

"If we're not careful, it could possibly kill you…"

The monitor slowed.

"Does that relax you?"

Death is better than…being here…" I answered slowly before I fell asleep.

My fate was not to die, though. God apparently had other plans for me. Even now I still wonder if death would've benefited me better and saved me form the pain I later experienced.

Not much happened after that. I never left the bed and my eyes were never uncovered. Most days I would just sleep. There was often nothing else to do.

Kabuto told me I had to focus on getting better. My fever wasn't going down but at least it wasn't rising. I couldn't talk very well, I didn't have the energy for it anyway. I didn't have energy at all, actually. Kabuto wasn't always in the hospital ward, he wasn't in the hideout at all most of the time. I was usually tended my other doctors who were constantly giving me shots.

One day I woke up to hear Kabuto's voice, but he wasn't talking to me. I heard a soft spoken voice that responded to Kabuto. I knew there was only one other patient in the hospital ward with me and that was the boy named Kimimaro. I had never been awake at the same time as him. I listened to their conversation with growing interest.

"Kabuto-san…who is the other patient?"

"Uchiha Karasu, a rouge shinobi and former spay for the Akatsuki."

Former? I thought to myself.

"Does she have a seal?"

"Yes, a heaven."

"Does that mean she is my replacement?" Kimimaro sounded sad, as if saying those words hurt him.

Kabuto was silent.

"No," He said finally. "Orochimaru-sama claims she is too strong willed. Besides…he already has his heart set on another host."

Kimimaro paused. "Is she strong?"

I heard a smile in Kabuto's voice. "I'm not so sure about now but back in Akatsuki, even though I'm nearly seven years older than her, I could never beat her." He laughed. "Then again, I wasn't all that strong back then."

"Why is Karasu in need of medical attention?" Kimimaro continued.

"You seem very interested in Karasu-san." Kabuto said.

Kimimaro did not respond.

"Karasu-san is experiencing harsh side effects from receiving the heaven seal."

"How harsh?"

"She's running a life threatening fever and it is contributing to her tuberculosis."

"She has it too?"

"It's a side affect to her other kekkei genkai."

"Other? Isn't she Uchiha."

"Karasu-san is only half Uchiha, on her mother's side. Her father's side is an ancient clan with a kekkei genkai that only appears every few generations."

"What's the ability?"

Kabuto was silent again. " It's the ability to make one's blood like acid."

"Acid!?"

"Yes. It works in percentages. 5 being the lowest, 100 being the highest. But tuberculosis isn't the only risk. After about 50 the blood begins to affect her whole body. Her own blood will begin to eat away at her insides."

"What happens at 100?"

I knew the answer, He had often reminded me.

"She would inevitably die."

The whole room went silent. A twisting in my stomach told me I didn't want this conversation to continue. I shifted in my bed and sighed, making it seem as though I had just woke up.

"Ah, Karasu-san, your awake." Kabuto said and his footsteps approached my bed. "How are you feeling?"

I thought about my condition.

"I still feel like shit but I think I'm recovering." I forced a smile.

"That's good." He said and his footsteps retreated out the door.

"Uchiha…Karasu?" Kimimaro said slowly.

"Yes? You're Kimimaro-san, right?" I asked.

"Yes."

"I look forward to meeting you face to face." I said as cheerfully as I could manage.

"Yes. I also look forward to testing your skills."

I was a bit surprised by the blunt challenge. I smiled.

"Yeah."

About a week later Kabuto came in and began removing the tubes from my arms and mouth.

"What are you doing?" I asked as the last tube was pulled from my mouth.

"You've recovered enough that you no longer require medical attention."

The paper that covered my eyes was ripped away. I blinked and looked around the dim lit room. I found it strange to be able to see after almost a month. To my left was a bunch of computer monitors, which I guessed was for security purposes. Also to my left was the heart rate monitor and Kabuto, who was putting things away in a drawer. The door was on the wall opposite me. I looked to my right to see a bed identical to mine. Kimimaro lay there, caught in his own dreams. I couldn't see his face, he also had his eyes covered, but the triangular shaped seal on his chest was clearly visible. His heart rate monitor beeped slowly.

"Here." Kabuto said and I turned.

He held out a yukata. I realized for the first time that I was practically naked and grabbed it quickly.

Kabuto smiled. "Get used to that."

I didn't know what he meant but I was to busy looking at him to ask. He must have been…what…nineteen now? He was much taller and more mature looking. I couldn't help but smile at the thought of how he had become more attractive.

"What is it?" He asked when he noticed I was starring.

"Nothing. Just thinking about how much you've changed."

"You've changed quite a bit yourself." He said.

I smiled.

"Well I'm guessing your going to want to take a shower. I left some clothes in there for you. Follow me, it's just down the hall." He disappeared out the door.

I was beyond grateful to be able to take a shower. After all that time lying in bed and the chunnin exams, I wanted to get clean. I reached back and ran my fingers along the curse mark. Suddenly my stomach churned and my whole body shuddered. I doubled over and began coughing up blood. When I finished I slumped down to the shower floor and tried to get my breath back. I bit my lip and tried to get my shoulders to stop shaking but the stress was too much.

All this had happened to quickly. It was just a simple mission and I ended up with two dead teammates and the mark of Orochimaru. Then I get kidnapped and taken back to one of the S.O.B's hideouts. No matter how hard I tried I could never seem to lead a normal life.

You're a shinobi. That's just how it works.

I looked down at my shaky hands, all covered with blood and water. I got out of the shower shortly afterwards.

Kabuto had left me a simple outfit that consisted of a pair of black sweats, a black tank top and a pale olive green yukata, which I wore loosely with white obi. On my way out I stopped to look in the mirror. I had never been one for starring at my reflection. I had never really taken the time to look art myself at all. I looked at the curse mark. It was so small and harmless looking. My eyes wandered to my face, my sandy blond hair, my golden eyes. It wasn't long before I turned away in disgust. There was a reason I didn't like looking at my reflection. Everyday I looked more and more like him. Like my father.

When I left the room I was startled by Kabuto who was standing outside waiting for me.

"Come. I'll show you your room." That was all he said before he began to walk down the hallway. I followed after him. Neither one of us spoke. I observed my surroundings carefully. I needed to devise an escape plan but first I needed to gather intelligence. To my dismay, I realized that all the hallways looked the same. I started to look for details that might single them out from the others. Not much stood out. I sighed. My escape would take some time.

"Here it is." Kabuto said derailing my thoughts.