Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters, unless otherwise stated. In this case, I only own Kimi and her village.

Author's Note: I've been doing some extra research to make sure I get my Akatsuki facts/personalities straight (for the most part), and I've discovered something rather interesting. At this point in the Naruto timeline, Deidara would only be about 13 years old. This could present a problem, especially since I haven't been able to find anything on when exactly everyone joined the Akatsuki. I'm toying with the idea of inserting a couple original members, which would mean some editing in the last couple of chapters. However, I also think it might prove to be interesting if these events took place right after Deidara joined Akatsuki, and have it explained later why he's there so young. I'd love to get some feedback on this idea. One another note, I've tried a different sort of storytelling road with this chapter. To clear up any confusion, this happens a couple of days after the last chapter (I think that fact's mentioned, but I just want to make it clear). Every time I tried to write the events between then and now, it never seemed to come out right . . . oh, well. I hope you all enjoy!

XVIII

Konan paused in the hallway, listening. Someone was singing. Though not totally unskilled, this person was no vocal angel either. The words were not as smooth as they could be, and a few here and there were slightly off-key. Though she had not heard this singing voice before, Konan could easily surmise who it was. None of the Akatsuki members would ever be caught dead singing such a cheerful tune, and the voice was definitely female.

There was only one other woman besides Konan allowed in the Akatsuki living quarters.

The blue-haired woman listened to Kimi sing for another minute – something light and soothing about ordinary miracles and life being a gift. Konan discovered that she was smiling slightly and pushed her lips back into their normal flat line of indifference. There was no use in such hopeful words or thoughts, yet she could not bring herself to tell the girl to stop. So, instead, she stood still and continued to listen, though her mind wandered elsewhere.

It had been several days since Itachi – with some barely-visible reluctance – had left Kimi in Amegakure, and already the Akatsuki headquarters was looking a bit healthier than usual. Konan had forgotten what color the stone tile was supposed to be until Kimi had scrubbed it until it shone slightly blue.

Konan had almost felt sorry for Kimi when she tackled the bath rooms. The girl attacked the grime, however, with fierce determination, leaving the Akatsuki second-in-command impressed and grateful to be able to take more than a five-minute shower. Anything more than that before might have defeated the purpose of bathing.

Crossing her arms, the woman leaned her back against a wall. The girl was useful; there was no doubt about that. For the first time what seemed like forever, the kitchen was actually being put into use. Konan woke each morning to delicious scents wafting through the air, breakfast waiting to be eaten and enjoyed.

Konan could not help but chuckle as she thought of Kimi's first "work day" in the place. She had gone straight for the kitchen, declaring it her top priority. When she had opened the refrigerator, though, the young woman had cried out in alarm and fear. Itachi – who had just been about to leave for a mission with Kisame – had unsurprisingly been the first on the scene, followed shortly by Konan.

The blue-haired kunoichi had entered the room to find Kimi cowering behind Itachi, gasping. "H-horrible. It's – it's –" She had seemed unable to find the words. When Konan approached to investigate the source of the young woman's fear, she had warned her against it. Of course, she did not heed the warning.

Konan's reaction to the sight within the refrigerator elicited a similar response, though the shinobi had not verbally called out. Pein, sensing Konan's alarm, had appeared moments later to discover his subordinate with her back pinned against the door of the kitchen appliance as if barring it shut.

"See?" Kimi had squeaked. "I warned you."

At first, Konan was unable to speak, unable – as Kimi had – to find the words necessary to explain to Pein what the hell was going on. Finally, she had rasped, "I don't think tomatoes are supposed to be that color."

Kimi had given a soft laugh. "Are you sure that was a tomato? I think it moved."

Itachi had remained stoic through the entire ordeal, staring at the refrigerator as if it was some offensive beast. Finally, Kimi had declared that if she was going to be cooking for them, then something would have to be done about that. Despite her duties as a sort of maid, she vehemently refused to touch whatever horrors lay behind that white door. Someone else would have to do it.

When Pein had dryly inquired who would be dealing with it, a sly grin had spread across Kimi's face. Beneath the suspicious eyes of two of the three Akatsuki – Itachi seemed unsurprised by her actions – the young woman had trotted to the door and called to the only other non-Akatsuki that dwelled on this level – Tobi. He had eagerly agreed to clean out the refrigerator while Kimi (escorted by Konan of course) went to acquire fresh provisions.

Konan could have sworn she heard Tobi's shriek of horror all the way outside. Nonetheless, the appliance had been spotless when the women returned.

Another ghost of a smile crept onto Konan's face as she thought of the masked boy that had attached himself to Kimi almost immediately upon her arrival. Though Tobi usually followed Zetsu continuously, he had begun to spend more of his time in the Akatsuki base rather than out on the road.

Normally, Konan might have cringed at this fact. Tobi's energy and continually-positive outlook on things was almost unbearable. However, he had begun focusing all of his energies on Kimi, and to Konan's increasing amazement, the girl was able to handle him. Though the boy was certainly older than Kimi, she treated him like an excitable child, with the patience and grace of a loving mother.

In the other room, Kimi's song drew to a close. Almost immediately, Tobi's bombastic voice begged her to sing something else. Konan bit back a chuckle as she waited for Kimi's response. Graciously, the young woman agreed, beginning another tune with a bit faster tempo. It was obviously one that Tobi knew, for he quickly joined in.

Konan winced. The boy was definitely tone-deaf. Shaking her head, she turned and left the pair to their singing.

Tobi sat on a stool in a corner of the den, watching Kimi as she scrubbed years of ground-in dirt from the tile floor. She had saved this particular common room for last in her quest to rescue the tile from a life of grimy misery. This was due to the amount of furniture that needed to be moved in order to reach the floor. She sang softly as she worked – sweet little tunes that brought life to the dreary halls.

Tobi liked her singing; she had a pretty voice. He told her so. Kimi smiled and thanked him, continuing to work. Her smile lit up the room. It was a pretty smile. He told her this too, and she blushed and giggled lightly, thanking him again.

Pleased that he had made her happy, Tobi sat still and watched her. It was hard to sit still. He wanted to help. He told her so.

Kimi sat back on her heels, smiling and wiping her forehead with the back of one hand. "Thanks, Tobi," she said sweetly, "but this is my job. It wouldn't be fair for me to ask you to help."

"But you don't have to ask Tobi!" the young man said eagerly, leaning forward on his perch. "Tobi wants to help you!"

The blonde young woman glanced around the empty room at her handiwork. "Well," she sighed, "I'm nearly done with this room already. You can help me clean the next one, okay? Besides, you moved the heavy furniture for me, which was a big help in itself."

Tobi beamed behind his mask at her praise. "Of course Tobi will help! Tobi's a good boy!"

Kimi giggled at this. "That you are, Tobi. Thanks."

After she finished the den, Kimi rose achingly to her feet, her knees and arms sore from all of the scrubbing on the hard tile floor. Tobi leapt to her aid, carrying the large bucket of dirty water for her as they trooped down the hall toward one of the bath rooms to empty it.

Kimi paused at one of the doors. "Tobi?" she asked. "What's through here? I was told what all the other doors lead to, but not this one."

Tobi looked to see which one she was talking about. "Oh, that's Orochimaru's room, but he's not here anymore. He left."

"So no one uses it?"

"Nope."

Kimi thought for a moment before glancing hopefully at Tobi. "Do you think Leader might let me use it, since no one else is? A room shouldn't be allowed to go to waste, after all."

"Maybe, but Tobi wouldn't go in there if Tobi was you. Orochimaru might have left traps. You could get hurt."

Kimi's face fell slightly. "Oh."

No, no. This would not do. Tobi did not like to see her frown. "Tobi will go in there first to make sure it's safe for you, though!" he volunteered brightly. "Tobi can help!"

That wonderful smile returned to Kimi's face. "Thank you, Tobi. You're a great friend."

"Tobi's a good boy!"