Chapter 18

The next day, Leader called Kitty-chan to his office. It took her a while to get there, but she eventually managed to stumble across the right room.

"What took you so long on your mission?" Leader asked.

"A-ano…I…" she started. Her face heated up and she looked down at the floor. "I got…lost nya," she mumbled. The room was silent.

"You got lost?" he asked with disbelief. She nodded. "But you still got what I asked for," he continued. She nodded again. "How?"

"S-someone that worked there found me and took me there nya…"

"Honto?"

"H-hai nya…"

"Who was this person?"

"F-fumio-kun…the s-second-in-command nya…"

"You managed to convince the second-in-command to take you to the base? What did you tell him?"

"N-nothing nya…he just offered to take me to his home nya…"

"I see…" Leader trailed off. "Do you get lost a lot?" he asked. Kitty-chan hesitated before nodding slowly.

Leader leaned back in his chair and thought. She was perfect for stealth, but she got lost too easily….

"From now on, when you go on a mission, you will have an escort to make sure you get there and back," he said as he sat up.

"Th-that's it nya?" Kitty asked quietly.

"Hai. Konan-chan, if you would…" he said as he nodded towards Kitty.

"Of course," Konan said as she walked towards the door, motioning Kitty to follow her. Kitty hesitated for a brief moment before turning to follow the older woman. Konan closed the door behind them and started walking down the hall. She stopped when she noticed Kitty wasn't following her.

"Kitty-chan?" Konan asked as she span around.

Said pink-haired cat girl jumped slightly and looked at Konan with wide eyes. "G-gomen nya," she said as she rushed to catch up.

"What's wrong?"

"Nandemo nai nya." (It's nothing.)

"Don't lie to me."

"I-I'm not nya!"

"You can't fool your big sister. Just tell me."

"It's not important nya…"

"Then why won't you tell me?"

"…"

"Kitty-chan?" Konan asked as she took a step towards her. Kitty took a step back and ran down the hall. Konan followed her after only a moment of pause.

Kitty easily lost Konan, but then she got lost. She wandered the halls, always peeking around corners and listening carefully for any sign of anyone. She didn't know why she ran. She wasn't going to, her legs just moved on their own.

She didn't mean to keep lying to Konan either, but she just couldn't tell her Nee-chan something like that…she couldn't tell anyone about what happened to her before Itachi found her…Itachi…she had told him some of it…but she couldn't tell him the rest. She couldn't let any of them know…

She turned the corner and couldn't stop before she ran into something…or someone. She started to fall back, but whoever it was caught her.

"Daijoubu?" Sasori asked her.

"H-hai nya," she said with a slight blush. She felt tears prick at her eyes. She didn't know why…she wasn't hurt…she just wanted to cry. She tried to hold back the tears. She tried to blink them away. But either it wasn't working, or Sasori saw them before she could make them stop.

He didn't say anything, but he gently took her hand and led her to his room. Apparently, it was just down the hall and he had been on the way there before she bumped into him. He silently opened the door and led her inside. His room had the same lay out as Itachi's, but with more tan and he had several puppets of various sizes around his room.

He sat on his bed and motioned her over. She hesitantly inched towards him. He didn't rush her. He didn't force her. He just let her sit beside him. He then opened his arms and spread his legs slightly to let her lie against him. She paused for a few seconds before carefully leaning against him. He wrapped his arms around her and let her relax.

As soon as she did, she couldn't stop the tears that pricked at her eyes again. He held her comfortingly as she cried. She couldn't stop. It was like all her emotions were bubbling over and she couldn't control it anymore. Everything that she tried to keep secret just exploded from her as she cried into Sasori's chest. He stroked her hair and held her close. He felt…something rising inside of him. It felt so…good.

She cried herself to sleep and Sasori continued to hold her. He didn't know what this feeling was, but he didn't want it to stop and he NEVER wanted to let her go. If it was like this, then he decided emotions weren't so bad. Yes, he could get used to this.

He wasn't sure what to do now. He didn't want to wake her, but if she stayed here with him, the others (Itachi and Tobi especially) would get worried. He didn't want them to take her, but he had to at least tell someone where she was.

He slowly moved her to lie beside him. Then he slowly slid off the bed. He took a step towards the door until he felt a small hand in his. He looked down. Kitty was still asleep, but she had reached out for him. He tried to pull his hand away, but her grip tightened. She wanted him to stay with her. He gave in and lied down beside her. Whatever happened, he would deal with it. No matter what they said, it wouldn't matter. He had tonight with Kitty and by gosh he would enjoy it! He relaxed as he watched her sleeping face. A strand of hair fell into her face. He gently brushed it back. She nuzzled his hand. He smiled. Granted, it was a small smile, but it was a smile. Sasori, the man who turned himself into a puppet, the man who thought emotions were nothing but a hindrance, smiled.

Yes, maybe emotions aren't so bad after all…

End of chapter 18! Hope ya like it! AW~! Who knew Sasori could be so sweet~? Anyway, thank you everyone who has reviewed this story so far, and please keep R&R-ing! Luv ya, bye~! =^^=