Disclaimer: I own nothing! I'm making no money off of this! Everything belongs to its respected owners!

Chapter 16

Kisame kneeled beside Kitty and the others started gathering around him. Before Kisame could do anything, Kitty coughed up the water that was in her lungs and she gasped for air. Her eyes flew open and she looked at Kisame without really seeing him. She was still in a daze, but she was alive.

Kisame was so relieved that she was alive. The most obvious reason was that now Itachi wouldn't kill him. And Itachi wouldn't just kill him and be done with it. No. Itachi would make him suffer. There was also another reason why. He felt that he didn't want to lose her, but he didn't know what exactly that feeling was. He may not have been emotionless, but he hadn't had feelings like this in a long time.

Kisame started to say something, but when he looked back at Kitty, she was gone. He looked up and saw her in Konan's arms. Konan had grabbed her when he was distracted.

"Crap," Kisame thought. He wanted to tell her it was his fault and he was sorry. He wanted her to hear it from him. Not from Konan. He watched Konan to see if she would tell Kitty. Hell for all he knew, Konan didn't know what happened. She could've just heard the splashing and saw him put Kitty on the edge of the pool. That seemed to be the case because Konan started asking questions.

"What the hell happened?" Konan asked Kisame.

Kisame fumbled with words, trying to explain it without making it sound bad. He was determined not to say how it was his fault and how he was so stupid. He looked at Kitty and felt his resolve crumble. Then he completely lost it when she looked up at him with confused red eyes.

"I pushed Hidan in the pool and he knocked her in," he said. There. That way it didn't sound like his fault. Now Itachi wouldn't kill him.

"HIDAN!" Konan yelled.

"What?" Hidan asked from the pool.

"YOU ALMOST KILLED KITTY-CHAN!" she yelled at him as her face heated up out of anger.

"No I didn't. She's a Jashinist so she's immortal," he explained lazily. He glanced at Kitty and saw a blush spreading across her face. "What?" he asked her. Was she embarrassed about it? She shouldn't be. And if she was, Hidan would fix that. He felt the smirk on his face, but he couldn't stop. His idea was just too good! He climbed out of the pool and sat on the edge.

Kitty chewed her lip and looked down. She knew he was watching her. She knew the others were too. She couldn't take it. She jumped up and ran inside before anyone could even blink. And where was she going? To Itachi. He'd save her.

Kitty knocked on Itachi's door. She heard someone coming. Itachi opened the door and she threw her arms around his waist. She tried to ask him for help, but with her head buried in his chest, it was all muffled and didn't make a bit of sense. He stroked her hair and pulled her inside.

She stayed with him that night and she never could tell him what exactly had happened, but he didn't really care. He held her until she fell asleep. He had planned on taking her back to Konan, but he just couldn't do it. At one point, Konan knocked on the door and peeked inside. She left without a word.

The next morning, everyone packed up. They left around noon. Itachi carried Kitty on his back, much to Tobi's (and a few others who wouldn't admit it) annoyance.

When they finally arrived outside the hideout, Leader opened the seal and opened the door. Itachi refused to put Kitty down until he was inside their room. Once there, he carefully sat her on the bed. She held his arm as she looked down at the floor. He watched her with growing interest. What was she thinking? What did she want? Why did she keep clinging to him like this? Not that he minded, of course.

They both stayed there, neither wanting to move and ruin this. Kitty was the first to move. She released his arm and turned away from him. She lied down with her back to him. Itachi stared at her in confusion. What just happened? Why did she turn away? And why did he care so much? He grabbed her arm and rolled her towards him. Her eyes were closed, but he could tell she wasn't asleep. All anger and frustration instantly left him when he saw her face. He gently touched her cheek and she opened her eyes. The look in her eyes nearly made his heart. She looked lonely and lost. It made him ache to see her this way. He wanted to see her happy again.

"Onegai nya," (translates to "please") she said in a whisper. "Don't leave me nya," She said as quietly as before. To say Itachi was confused would be an understatement. What had brought this on? Why would she even think he would leave her? He would never…

"I won't. Not ever," he said as he stroked her hair. And he meant it. He would never leave her. Not if he could help it. And if he did have to leave for whatever reason, he would always come back. And he would leave her with someone who could take care of her in his absence. It really was amazing how much this little cat girl could change him. How much she could make him care. How easily she could draw him towards her. Even now…

He picked her up and sat down on the bed. He put her on his lap and scratched behind her ear. She started purring and she nuzzled his chest. He smiled and he couldn't stop himself. But why would he want to anyway?

She fell asleep, and her purring grew lighter, but she didn't stop. She "nya"d in her sleep and her tail wrapped loosely around his arm. The next thing he knew, it was late, probably around midnight or later. He had fallen asleep and didn't even realize it. He looked down and realized he had lied on his back with his legs still hanging off the edge. He also realized that Kitty was lying on his stomach and chest. Her hair was brushing his face. He wanted to get up and stretch his aching legs, maybe even take a shower.

He carefully moved her onto the bed and she whimpered and grabbed his arm. So much for getting up. He did manage to twist them both so they were lying correctly on the bed. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. She purred lightly in her sleep and nuzzled him. He definitely could get used to this. He didn't want to get up anymore. He just wanted to lie there with her forever.

End of chapter 16! I know it's short and it took forever to post, but it's the best i could do! Gomen! I'll try to update sooner AND make the next chap longer! And thank you everyone who reviewed my story! I love to know my work is paying off! (And yes, I'm EXTREMELY hyper right now! Lots of sugar and soda! Hope it doesn't affect my writing too much!) I guess that's all...luv ya, bye~! =^^=