Aimi awoke in the cell with a pain in her neck. She had slept on it wrong. She groaned and sat up. She saw Ichirou and Sasuke sitting in some chairs over a little ways off from her, watching her. She looked down and tried to ignore their eyes. Now what?

"Do you want something?" she asked. They didn't say anything. She curled up again.

She heard footsteps coming toward her cell. She looked up and saw Sasuke there. She growled. He opened her cell, and before she could make a break for it, he grabbed a hold of her. She growled again. He clamped the handcuffs on her. "What?" she asked. He took a deep breath. "We want you to come back with us, Aimi. We miss you," he said. She lowered her head. "I-I can't. Wouldn't you want to stay with your family? You wouldn't want to get taken away from them, would you?" she asked. "We're your family! They're nothing, they're criminals, they're not your brothers," Sasuke said. Aimi shook her head. "They are everything, I'm a criminal too, and yes, they are my brothers," she said. Aimi saw he was getting frustrated. "But they AREN'T, Aimi! If anything, they're using you!"

"Do you know what The Tigress is?"

"What?"

"Do you know what The Tigress is?"

"Uh…"

"You don't remember."

"What?"

"The Tigress is a powerful person, a girl or woman, who can use cats as their friends, companions, and battle helpers. Haven't you heard?"

"It sounds familiar…"

"Think hard, to a long time ago."

"I don't remember. Why did you bring this up, anyway?"

"Ugh. Forget it."

Aimi let him pull her for a little while as she tried to think of an escape. He brought her over to Ichirou. "Aimi." Ichirou said. Aimi looked up, then back down. Why was all this happening? "Leave me alone, please, just leave me alone, both of you! I want to go back! Let me go!" she yelled. "Aimi… we cant let you-"

"Let me go! Please," she whispered the last part.

Ichirou shook his head.

Aimi got behind Sasuke, and threw her handcuffed arms over his head. The chain of the handcuffs was against his neck. "Let me go, or I'll choke him."

"Aimi, stop this."

"I will, I swear." She pulled the handcuffs back a little, harder against his neck.

"You wont hurt him, Aimi. You know you won't."

"Yes I will." She pulled back harder.

"Aimi, let him go."

"No. Let ME go." Harder. He began to choke a little.

"Aimi…"

"Let me GO." Harder.

"Aimi! Stop!"

"Let me go and I will." Harder.

"Aimi!"

"Let. Me. Go." Harder. He was really starting to choke.

"OK! OK! We'll let you go!"

Aimi took her arms off him and Ichirou took off the handcuffs. He opened a door and Aimi ran out, not looking back.

Sasuke watched her go. "Ichirou…"

"I know. I'm sorry." He bowed his head.

"No matter what could've happened to me, you shouldn't have. Now we really have a problem."

"I know, I'm sorry… I blew it…"

"No you didn't, we still have a chance. It'll be fine."

"No, I really messed up."

"Yes, you messed up, but that doesn't mean its over."

()()()()()()()()()()()()

Aimi ran through the forest back to the hideout. She screeched to a halt and entered the cave. "Hey, I'm back," she said, out of breath. Everyone was glad and excepted her in.

"Now. We have made a plan…" Pein said.

"I'm listening," Aimi said, a small smile crossing her face.