Sylvia walked into her fathers office, she had decided all ready she was not going to marry Charles. Today was their marriage day, she had asked Charles to meet her before the wedding to talk about their life together. She was in her wedding kimono all ready, but who really cared that it was bad luck to see the bride before the wedding? Walking in the closeted room she saw her strikingly handsome fiancé. His square chin and high cheek bones made him look almost ethereal. "Hello darling," his smooth voice purred.

"Hello Charles," Sylvia replied with in difference.

"What was it you wanted to talk to me dear?" He asked, Sylvia sat down behind her fathers' desk.

"I'm not marrying you Charles." The words flew from her mouth easier then she had anticipated. Charles looked startled for a minuet before regaining his composure.

"Why do you say that, my dear Sylvia?" His voice was still that composed purr that they had started the conversation with.

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"Takashi quick!" Suike pulled at the robes of her nanny at the hospital. "You have to go save Sylvia!"

"The wedding doesn't start for another hour honey, let's just sit here and see if Kaida's ok." Takashi's guilt washed over him, if he hadn't been so selfish those kids, that girl wouldn't have died, and the little one wouldn't be in the emergency room. He wouldn't have to watch over a disheveled Jounin. This was his entire fault, he didn't deserve Sylvia.

"Charles will force her! If you don't come and stop him. He's ruthless; he was the one who did this to us! He was the one who killed that girl." Sasuke said his voice dead pan, over the years of being the nanny he knew this, suike could predict the future, and sasuke could see why it happened. If sasuke said Charles was the one who hired the akatsuki it was probably true, but just because he believed them doesn't mean other people would believe them.

"Please Takashi, sitting here and doing nothing will get nothing done, let's go find Sylvia!" Suike pleaded. The kids were right, he should go find Sylvia.

--------------------------------------------

Sylvia stared at the man in front of her; he was staring at her right back. "I don't love you Charles, you and I both know that."

"When has love had any thing to do with our relationship?"

"That's why I'm not marrying you; it wouldn't be fair to either of us."

Charles started laughing manically, "Is it the Nanny?"

Sylvia shifted a little in her seat pointing her face in defiance she replied, "And if it is?"

"You will be bitterly disappointed," Was the chuckled reply. He started creeping toward the seat she sat on.

"Why do you say that?" Her voice was rising in worry.

"Because he's dead he is not coming back." Charles stated. He was only a foot away from her.

"I don't believe you" Sylvia stated she wasn't going to fall into his lies, Takashi couldn't be dead. This was just Charles lying to her so she would marry him in an hour.

"Your little infatuation is getting on my nerves dear Sylvia."

-- - - --------------- -- ---------------------------- -- ----

"TAKASHI!" Sylvia's hand maid charlotte cried startled from her needle work.

"Charlotte, where's Sylvia?" Takashi asked.

The girl smiled at him "trying to save the misses from a fate worse then death?"

Takashi rolled his eyes; Charlotte had always been a romantic, "yes, now where is she."

"She decided to have a talk with her fiancé in her father's office," The maid stated going back to her sewing. Takashi kissed her on the cheek.

"You are too much Charlotte," he then rushed out of the room.

The maid giggled before yelling after him, "I hope you find her Takashi."

Takashi was running at full force to get to the other side of the mansion, he had no idea what would happen if he found them. But he had to; it burned in his blood he had to.

----------- -------- - -- --- - ------------ --- --- ---- -- -- -

"Sylvia, why ruin your life with a nanny, you have so much going for you." Charles leaned both hands on the arms of the chair, and smelt Sylvia's neck, he was too close for comfort.

"May I remind you that a gentleman would keep his distance from a lady." Sylvia stopped breathing and closed her eyes; Charles took in the scent of her hair.

"Why do I need to keep my distance from my future bride?" Charles asked, stepping if possible closer.

"I'm n-not going to marry you," Sylvia's confidence was slowly leaking away as the man brushed her neck with his lips, she didn't like this, and she didn't like this.

"Ah but you are, your little nanny is dead." He laughed kissing her neck again.

"You lie." Her voice was a whisper; this made Charles throw his head back and laugh.

"No I tell the truth, I hired some rouge nin to take care of him," Charles leaned over to kiss her cheek, "they are going to get paid double if they take out those little brats."

--- -- - ---------- ----- -------- - ----------------

Takashi leaned towards the door, he didn't like what he saw, he saw Charles leaning over Sylvia whispering into her ear and kissing her neck. He couldn't see Sylvia's face. Her body wasn't inviting Charles in but he didn't want to disturb them if Sylvia didn't mind. Then Charles through his head back and laughed, "No I tell the truth, I hired some rouge nin to take care of him," Takashi could see Sylvia's face, it was flushed and nearly in tears. The man leaned closer and kissed Sylvia's perfect cheek. "They are going to get paid double if they take out those little brats."

That was it, Takashi burst through the door. Charles stood up to see who had burst in. Before he could even scream for the guards, Takashi decked him in the face, flinging him back towards the wall knocking the bastard unconscious.

"Takashi!" Cried Sylvia, she flung her arms around him. "I thought you had died, oh god!" She sobbed into his shirt. Takashi hugged her back just as fiercely.

------- --- - ----------------- -- - - -- - - - -

Yamato was woken up by a women yelling, "MY BABIES YOUR OK!" it was the twins mother and father, followed by Takashi and a very pretty girl under his arm. The twins ran to their mother and hugged her.

Their father, a very handsome man looked at Yamato, "Are you the Jounin in charge of protecting them?" his gravely voice asked.

"Yes," was all of the replay Yamato could muster. "How's my team?"

"I just checked, there both fine, they might need a little rest tho." The Daimyo replied. "I don't know what to give you to thank you for this."

"You could give him one of the diamond minds you own daddy, its not like you don't have enough to spare." Sasuke told his father, his mother slapped him on the head.

"Don't talk about your fathers business like that." She scolded.

"If you could just send troops out to look for a girl, who is about 14'sh long grey hair, Konoha Head band, hazel eyes, will have cigarettes on her, names Nariko Zakuro." Yamato said, "She's MIA."

"Said and done anything else?"

"I would like to see the other members of my team." Yamato told him.

"Down the corridor to the left."

Yamato got up of the chair and headed towards the room. When he got there, he saw Keiji in the closest bed near the door; he was looking at Kaida worried. Her eyes were open but they were just staring at the window. "She hasn't said anything since she woke up." Keiji whispered.

"Hello Kaida," Yamato said trying to gain her attention. The 8 year old turned her head and blinked, she turned back toward the window.

"They sent men looking out for Zaki." Yamato couldn't muster up the strength to say body.

"When can we go help find her…?" Keiji couldn't say body either.

"Tomorrow, today you two need to rest." Yamato told them, the room seemed unbearably calm.

"How much time will we waist looking for her body?" Kaida spoke up saying the word the other 2 couldn't. She still didn't look at the two though.

"We don't know she's dead!" Keiji yelled, Zaki couldn't be dead, "you said yourself Zaki was invincible."

Kaida finally looked over at the two men on her team, "well I was wrong wasn't I?"

Yamato felt that he needed to tell these two that Shinobi die every day, it was part of their life, but he couldn't not just yet, not when there was a slight chance she was still alive. "You two need your rest, go back to sleep." Was the words he used to end that conversation.

---- - - - - - - ------ - --- ------------ ---- --- ------

The next day, the three of them looked endlessly by the gorge, never saying anything except when they were starting on a different path to search for her.

Keiji kept going, he would search every nook and cranny for a sign, never stopping, yamato assumed never thinking. He seemed like he didn't want to think about it like if he did she would die. He was defiantly in denial.

Kaida's reaction was more surprising; she didn't put any effort into looking. Like she had resigned herself to the fate of Zaki's death all ready. She had an indifference to her, which was usually saved for the ninja's who had survived all the war. She seemed to think looking was a waist of time. Yamato was startled out of his trance; by Keiji he just gave a little yelp.

"What is it Keiji?" snapped Kaida. Keiji looked like he just seen a ghost. His yellow eyes were wide as he looked straight at Yamato, and held up Zaki's head band.

----- ------------- ----------- --- -- - ------------------- -

It started raining when they got an hour or so away from Konoha. They hadn't found her, the only evidence they had of Zaki was her headband. Yamato didn't know what to say to comfort them, he was to busy thinking about other things.

A ninja who leaves his friend is worse then trash. That's what they had taught him all his life, he didn't just leave a friend he left a student. But did he have a choice, Kaida had been dying and Keiji couldn't have held of much longer. He knew right away he would be stripped of rank maybe disgraced. How could one let a student die? Just like that? Yamato was worse then trash. Keiji and Kaida deserved a better teacher, one like Gai or Kakashi, they never had to think about this kind of thing. Yamato wasn't fit to be a sensei. He had thought that from the very beginning didn't he? He had thought he couldn't teach these kids, but he had. And now one of them had died….NO might be dead. Might be there was still hope wasn't there?

They three headed towards the hokage tower soaking wet, they were met at the door with a somber Shizune in front of them. "We heard," she said, Yamato closed his eyes in shame. Shizune looked at the soaking wet genins to his left. "The hokage just wants to see your sensei you two may go home." It was a soft motherly tone it didn't help the look of despair on the children's faces. Kaida nodded and started running towards her home, Keiji didn't seem so hasty, he looked up into the clouds and started walking in the opposite direction of his house.

"Do I have to wait?" Yamato was surprised at himself, after hours of not talking his voice was unusually calm. He could feel Shizune's pitied filled eyes on him.

"No she can see you know."

Yamato walked in the door, the hokage had both hands to her mouth. "Sit down." She told him gesturing towards the chair in front of her desk.

He shook his head, "no sense in ruining the upholstery." Was his reply.

"I want to hear what happened from the very beginning of the journey." The hokage ordered.

Yamato told her everything, from the very beginning chat about which path to take, about Suike's dreams, about how they had run into Kisame and Itachi, telling her how he assessed the situation and how he was to late in remembering to catch Zaki, how he had let her fall. And instead of looking for her, or trying to save her, he decided to continue the mission. "I guess you want me to be sending in my resignation by tomorrow?" Was the question he ended with.

"Why do you ask that, Yamato?" barked the 5th, Yamato was too stunned to answer. "We have had Squads of Jounin try to take on those two Akatsuki and none of those squads came out so lucky. The fact that all of you didn't die is a shock. Any body in your position would have done the same thing; I'm not going to punish you for cutting your losses. The event not only showed your leadership ability but the fact that those two no how to deal with such situations. I'll let you three have a couple day's vacation, but as soon as those two days are up I want you practicing for the Chunnin exams. No exceptions. Now let me remind you that until we find the Childs body we can not declare her dead, she is MIA. So you three do not get 2 weeks morning period. Now stop feeling sorry for yourself and leave my office." Her voice was harsh and her words harsher, but it was truth she spoke. They had to move on.

"Good bye Hokage sama."

------- - - - - --------------- - -- - - - -

Kaida was at her house, what happened with Itachi still was prevalent in her mind. He was right, she needed to grow up. Her child ness had Zaki die, it was all her fault. But she couldn't let that ruin her; she just had to get rid of her child hood. Grow up would be the best plan for her, but right now she just wanted to sleep in her bed. She would start remaking her life tomorrow, today was time for rest.

She walked quietly in the door, but her sneaking in was interrupted by her mothers cry. "MY BABY GIRL YOU'RE BACK!" She cried running over and hugging her soaking wet daughter. Usually Kaida loved being called a baby girl, she loved being cuddled and spoiled like she usually was. But today she just wanted to rest. "What's wrong baby?" her mother asked. Kaida smiled weekly at her mother.

"Nothing mom, I'm just tired that's all." She told her mother.

"well no wonder pumpkin, your soaking. I'll make you some Mac and Cheese I know how you love that." Kin stood up starting to busy herself in the kitchen.

"No thanks mom, I'm not hungry. But I am super tired could I just you know get my jama's on and go too bed?" Kaida asked her mother, Kins eye brows tented with worry, her little dragon was always hungry.

"Oh ok dear." Was all the mother could come up with as a reply. She watches her normally perky girl slouch around the house and change. Then the girl laid herself on the left side of the mattress and go to bed.

Her husband Lido walked in 15 minuets after her daughter came in. Lido was about to say something really loud before Kin held her fingers to her lips. "Kaida's home and she is sleeping."

Lido raised his eye brows, "Oh, ok, how did the mission go?"

"That's what worries me, she didn't say anything about the mission, didn't even eat anything, she just went straight to bed." Kin admitted wringing her hands in worry.

"I'll go talk to her darling," Lido said, he snuck into there bedroom. It was such a small house, he his wife and Kaida had to share one bed, but nobody ever minded. His little dragon wasn't asleep he could tell. "Dragon," he cooed, the girl opened her eyes once before closing them again. "Dragon I know you're not asleep, what happened that got you so upset?"

Kaida got up and hugged her dad, trying to hold back tears. "One of my, team mates, she fell off this huge cliff during battle, and its all my fault cause she fell trying to save me and," the girl gave a little hiccup, "and now she's dead and I couldn't help her." Lido hugged his little princess closer to him, this was his entire fault. When Kaida had came home one day talking about how she wanted to be a shinobi, that they were so cool. Lido had looked around for information to get her into the academy, but they didn't have enough money, so he got his Cousin Moses to tutor her. And she had excelled at everything, he was so proud of her. So when the Gennin test had come up he was the one who had persuaded Kin to let there daughter join. He had argued that a Gennin team would have easy mission, and it would help her in her dream. He had pushed little Kaida into this life.

"I'm so sorry honey," Lido said hugging his daughter; she was hiccupping into his shirt trying to hold back the tears. "You don't have to go back if you don't want to." Lido told his daughter.

Her blue eyes looked at his, Lido continued, "you don't have to continue being a shinobi if you don't want to, if you're not loving this, you can do something else. You're still so young you still have options in your life." Kaida looked at him confused.

"Just because I'm a bad shinobi doesn't mean I should quit." Kaida looked mortified at his suggestion, "it just means I need to grow up faster, need to train more. I just need to be more professional."

"Your 8 love, you have a long way to go before you have to worry about being a grown up." Lido reassured her.

"You don't understand dad." Kaida said separating them and shaking her head. Lido stroked her hair.

"What don't I understand dragon?"

"The fact that being a shinobi is about protecting the people you care about, and even if you fail once, there is still other people out there that need protecting, I have j=to just work harder, I'm not giving up. I just need to stop being treated like a baby." Kaida said, she seemed so old.

Lido shook his head, those words reminded him to much of what the fourth hokage said to him. "Those words sound like the fourth hokage's." He said to his daughter.

"You knew the fourth hokage?" She asked she seemed a little less upset now.

"Yes this was ooh about 4 years before I met your mother, I was lurking around the holy Mitsu places when I found an old tomb with flickien spells I guess what they used to call them. They call them Jutsu's know but back over two thousand years ago they called them spells, and this one had how to seal a daemon. At the time I had no country alliances, I was a wonderer. But the 9 tailed fox had just wiped out the entire whirl pool country, it was heading towards Konoha, I had never been to Konoha and I hated blood shed. I still do I am a pacifist. So I told the 4th hokage how the Jutsu or spell worked, and what he had to pay to make it work for him. He told me that his job was to protect as many people as possible, not just his people, but every one. I guess they teach you that too hu?" Her father said. Kaida looked at her simple short father differently. Her belly rumbled he gave a throaty laugh. "Just because you want to be all grown up now doesn't mean you don't need something to eat, come on your mothers making mac and cheese."

- - --------0 - - - -- - - - -- ---

Adara sighed as she looked out the window at the rain outside, she hated the rain, it meant everyone was home and inside. Shikimaru and her father was playing Chouji as her mother flipped through business magazines. Adara always forgot her mother wasn't a housewife she just worked at home. It was weird to see her on the phone with her employees yelling at them to sell one type of stock. Adara was in her room, she still hadn't looked at the document yet, she wanted to wait until Keiji and Zaki were back. It looked like Keiji was outside her window looking up at her right now, but that was just her imagination.

Wait….that wasn't her imagination, that was Keiji outside of her window, soaking wet looking up at her. Why wasn't he knocking to get in. She gestured him to meet her out back, and he nodded. Adara ran down the stairs. "WHAT'S WITH RUNNING DOWN THE STAIRS LIKE AN ELEPHANT?" her father asked as he moved his shoji piece.

"God dad, sorry, you sound like you're in a bad mood." Adara shot as she headed towards the back. Something was wrong with Keiji. Adara opened the kitchen door to see Keiji standing 5 feet back soaking wet, His golden eyes were troubled, his short purple hair plastered to his face. "Come in Keiji." He shook his head no, "what's up?"

"I- uh—I just wanted to see if you were still ok." He replied, the boy was shaking.

Adara didn't understand what was happening, she had never seen Keiji so, shaken before. "Well, I'm ok, what is up with you?" She stated, "are you sure you don't want to come in."

"I – I don't want to bother the family." Keiji answered. Adara looked back into the kitchen, she didn't want her family hearing about this either, so Adara stepped outside and closed the door behind her. Maybe she should tell Keiji now.

"Ok your not bothering them, tell me what happened." Adara said, the thing he did next was unexpected, lifting Adara off the ground only a little Keiji gave her a giant hug. It wasn't too big; she could still breathe and smell his musty scent. Keiji buried his head into her neck.

"Zaki died." Were the only two words he said, Adara was then the one in need of the hug, she hugged him back, not caring about the rain that was getting them both soaking.