I know! I know! I'm so sorry! And before you begin, my ears have already gone deaf with all the curses you have all thrown my way! I'm am very sorry about the lateness of this chapter, and I really don't have an excuse, except for the usual work, school, and all the other distractions that come with life.

However! I hope that the humour and length of this chapter will make up for the lateness. I did have a plan to get a couple of chapters ahead so i could release them more often, however that was taking too long, so i decided just to post this now, although! the next chapter is about half done!

I don't know how many of you have seen epic meal time, but i suggest you watch one or two episodes before reading this, otherwise, you might be a bit taken aback if you've never seen them before. I suggest watching the Christmas special! I hope they are in character enough, although i think i slipped in places.

Now, i am sorry for the language used in this, but its to keep in character!

With all that said and done, please enjoy the randomness and madness that is chapter 23.


Bang, bang, bang!

My eyes flew open, well here goes nothing.

"I'll get the door," Kisame muttered when none of us moved.

I started freaking out on the inside, this was a bad idea, a really bad idea. Now I looked back on it, I couldn't even imagine what spark of insanity drove me to accept this idea. But I didn't have any time to freak out as our old rustic door burst open.

"Epic meal time coming at you with a chainsaw an a big pile of cake!" as four guys walked through our front door Harley's voice filled the room. Kisame stopped in his tracks and was now the closest to the new group, "if you ain't down with that, you ain't down with cooking!"

Unfortunately Harley had a chainsaw in one hand and a cake in the other, the latter of which he threw to the ground, causing it to splatter all over the room. As Kisame was closest, the majority of the cake ended up all over his jeans and top, the rest of us were too far away to take any damage.

Kisame's eyebrow twitched dangerously.

Obviously the epic meal time guys weren't aware of Kisame's rising temper, and so continued to walk over to the kitchen, Tyler hauling a huge Christmas sack onto the counter.

There were four of them all together; Harley, Muscles Glasses, Tyler and the camera man; Sterling.

Harley started pulling things out of the sack, "We've got a big bag of Christmas shit; bacon strips and bacon strips and bacon strips, what up fish?" Harley looked up as Kisame walked up to him, a snarl on Kisame's face. Harley obliviously wasn't intimidated by Kisame's glare and took a step forward, "beef tender loin, Merry Christmas."

Kisame growled, "How dare you-"

"Okay, that's enough," Konan quickly put in, jumping forward and dragging Kisame back. "We don't need anymore bloodshed."

"Right, this is what's going to happen," Pein started, "Kisame you're on first watch, try not to kill anyone, Konan you're on next. I'll leave the rest up to you guys," he said turning to the epic meal time guys who nodded in response, "If you need any help these two will be able to help you," he said, pointing to Emily and I.

With that the rest of the Akatsuki went up stairs, leaving Emily, Kisame and I alone with the some of the most famous people on YouTube, and let me tell you it was quite daunting.

"So let's get this shit started," Harley said, turning back to the bench, sterling started to set the camera up and the other two went around the counter into the kitchen.

"Where do you keep everything?" Tyler asked, "And what's this cake going to look like?"

With that most of our time was spent pulling out baking trays, cake tins, knives and other assorted equipment. Kisame stayed seated at the table, keeping out of all the fuss.

"Who the hell is that crazy dude?" Harley asked as Emily and I showed the guys a picture we'd got of Tobi.

"That's Tobi, we need you to make a cake that looks like him." I explained.

"Life size?"

"Yeah."

"…Shit."

"Yeah."

"Oh man you're serious aren't you?" Tyler asked.

"Unfortunately we are," Emily said, an apologetic smile on her face.

"This is going to be interesting," muscles glasses commented while smiling.

"You're telling me," Sterling agreed.

"Alright, let's get this shit on the road, sterling, start the camera." Harley ordered as the three went into the kitchen and sterling went to the camera.

I sighed as Emily and I stood to the side, this was going to be a really long night, not to mention what would happen in the morning. Itachi, Kisame and I had to be gone before Tobi woke up so we could get into our costumes, oh fun.

"Alright, we've got 20 pounds of bacon, 13 pounds of cake mix and 40 pounds of chocolate, that's some real shit!" Harley started, pulling more items out of the bag. "And what are we going to do with all this delicious food? We're going to make a cake, but not any cake, we're going to make one of these!" he shoved the photo of Tobi towards the camera.

"Uh, do you think anyone will recognise him?" I quietly asked Emily.

"I have no idea," she answered.

"That's some fucked up shit! But epic meal time's going to show you how to make a real cake, sprinkles? Fuck sprinkles, we've got bacon!"

And so it began, the kitchen that Emily and I had worked so hard to clean quickly became a huge mess once again.

First the bacon strips went in the oven, accompanied with their signature, "bacon strips and bacon strips and bacon strips." As well as many trays of candid bacon which Tyler had control over.

In the mean time muscles glasses and Harley worked on the cake mixture, "What you know about cake? Vanilla? Fuck vanilla, we've got Jack Dagnals!" and out came the Jack Daniels, and it all went to the cake mixture, all five bottles.

"How are the Akatsuki with alcohol, do they get drunk easily?" Emily asked me.

"Oh crap, I hope not," I said as I watched the bottles of Jack Daniels being emptied into the many mixing bowls of chocolate cake mixture. The last thing we needed was to have the Akatsuki drunk in our house, sober was bad enough, although…

I laughed evilly to myself as images of all the fun things we could do with drunk Akatsuki members ran through my mind.

"Alright boys lets get this shit into the oven," Harley ordered. Cake tin after cake tin was crowded into the oven, the bacon was taken out with Tyler taking control. As I stared in amazement at my oven I realised that never before had it withheld so much food as it did now.

By this time Kisame's watch was up and Konan was the next in line.

"Nighty night fish," I said snickering as Kisame stood when Konan appeared.

He gave me a final glare before heading upstairs. Konan came and sat at the table with Emily and I as the guys worked none too quietly in the kitchen.

I also received a glare from Konan, "What?" I asked frowning.

"You know exactly what, you need to stop picking fights," she said in a stern voice.

"But annoying him is so funny," I whined.

She sighed, "I know it is," and then her voice turned serious, "but that's not the point, you need to stop or you will end up seriously hurt, the only people who can stop Kisame are Itachi and Pein, I can't help you for much longer if you keep pushing him."

I sighed, "Fine, I'll try to stop having fun."

Konan just rolled her eyes.

"Hey in all the time you've been here I've never seen you do origami, and isn't that your speciality?" Emily asked, her face brightening up.

"Oh yeah, show us some of your stuff," I agreed.

"Okay well I guess I could show you guys," she began as Emily and I lent in, eager for some action.

First she showed us her butterflies, one of her main themes in Naruto, she even made them fly around a bit, luckily the other guys were taking no notice.

She did the basics also, a crane, box, hat and paper aeroplanes that flew around by themselves. Then she made a rose like the one in her head, and just looking at the complexity made me gasp, it was beautiful.

Suddenly a voice rang out behind me, making Emily and I jump. "What's all this origami shit?" Harley had noticed something was going on and had come to investigate, "I bet you couldn't make bacon," he challenged.

Konan frowned as she concentrated and before I could blink she turned a piece of paper into something that very much resembled a piece of bacon. She looked up at Harley, a smirk on her face.

"Shit!" he exclaimed, obviously he hadn't expected she could, "that really is some fancy shit, how about making us a 3D model for our cake?" he asked.

"Sure," and almost before she answered there was a small 3D model of Tobi standing on her hand.

"Shit," Harley murmured again, taking the model and then returning to the guys to get back down to business.

Konan showed us a few more tricks before Kakuzu came down stairs to take over her shift.

"Night," she said before leaving us with a very quiet and slightly murderous Kakuzu.

"Sooo," Emily began as Kakuzu sat down across from us. His gaze, or should I say glare, fell on her.

"What's with those tentacle things?" I asked before Emily had a chance to pick up a conversation. I'd always been curious about Kakuzu, and I thought now was as good as time as any to find out more about him, "have you always had them? Are they like your veins? How do you control them? Does it feel weird-"

"Enough with the twenty questions," he said, his voice as stern as always.

"But I'm curious," I said, trying to win him around.

"Yeah me too, come on, let us in on your secrets," Emily winked at him.

He sighed but offered no response.

"Oh come on, what else are you going to do with us for the next hour?" Emily whined.

His gaze which had previously been on the stack of food once again dropped to Emily, "There are plenty of things I can do to pass the time than to sit here with you two and discuss pointless topics."

Wow, so blunt, "Like what?" I asked.

"Like eating," his eyes were back on the food.

"Uh I don't really think that's a good idea…" I started.

"Yeah they may not like you taking their food," Emily put in.

"But I guess you could always take some without their knowing…" I said, hoping to see the tentacles in action.

"Perhaps…" he said, his mind on other things. Suddenly he had a piece of candid bacon in his hand, his tentacle moving without me even noticing it.

"Wow," Emily and I breathed.

"Hang on, where's mine?" I asked with a smile on my face. His look made me squirm but I persisted, "Oh come on, you can't sit there eating infront of us without offering us anything."

"Oh really?" and with that he ate the piece of candid bacon while Emily and I sat there with our stomaches growling.

"You are the meanest person I know," I grumbled at him as I watched the perfectly cooked piece of bacon disappear.

"Good," was the only reply we were offered.

I huffed in annoyance, he could be so frustrating sometimes, and his indifferent and cold attitude was starting to annoy me just ever so slightly.

"Well, I bet you can't do it again," I said slyly, a plan forming in my mind.

Kakuzu raised an eyebrow, "I am not going to fall for your foolish ideas and tricks."

I pouted, he was such a hard nut to crack, but the faint twitch of his hand told me I was on to something.

I put on an indifferent expression, "Oh well, if you can't do it then I won't persist, I'll just ask someone else to get me a piece."

His hand twitched once again, and I grinned inwardly. If there was one thing I had learnt about the Akatsuki while they were living with us, it was that they all hated passing up a challenge, no matter how mundane. I suspected that it had something to do with them always trying to out do each other, whether it was with muscle or with brains.

Even Kakuzu who never really engaged himself in arguments or fights with the others still seemed to be competitive when it really came down to it.

"Hmm, I wonder if Hidan would be able to get some more candid bacon," I murmured to myself, although I made sure it was just loud enough for Kakuzu to hear.

Emily had finally caught on to what I was up to, "Maybe even Kisame if we asked him nicely," she said, seeming to partake in my musings.

Kakuzu's eyebrow twitched.

"No, Kisame's not very fond of me at the moment, he'd probably get a knife instead," I replied.

"Konan might be able to; she could use her butterflies to get us a piece." Emily said, her deep brown eyes lighting up with the idea.

Both hands twitched.

"Or Pein, he'd have no trouble getting a piece, he wouldn't even need to use anything like paper or tentacles…" I stopped at that point, knowing I had pushed just far enough.

If looks could kill, I'd be on the way to hell. The glare that Kakuzu sent me told me my plan was working, it also told me that along with Kisame, I had been successful in pissing off a member of the Akatsuki.

I tried to return his look without showing the faint steak of fear that settled in the pit of my stomach, "well you said you couldn't," I said shrugging my shoulders.

It seemed those were the magic words.

He raised his hand, "You really want to see?" he asked in a deathly quiet voice, with one eyebrow raised.

Both Emily and I nodded eagerly.

"Then you had better watch closely, because the next time you see them will be when they're closing in on your throats." He muttered darkly.

Emily and I exchanged a quick glance. We both knew he wasn't lying, but the opportunity was too good to pass up.

"Okay we're watching," Emily told him, a tight smile of anticipation on her face.

Slowly, so we could both see properly, Kakuzu pushed out the tentacles from within his skin.

I watched with sick fascination as they creeped forward. They were blood red, and up this close I could see the thin sheen of moister which clung to the surface and quickly dried in the outside air. Fluid and rippling muscle moved snake like beneath the thin layer of clear skin.

Both Emily and I sat entranced by their strangely unearthly beauty, and Kakuzu watched our faces for the slightest expression.

So it was that as he reached forth with the tentacle, neither Kakuzu, Emily or myself noticed Harley's fingers reaching for a knife. Also unknown to us was the fact that Harley kept a very close watch on his food, and even the piece of bacon Kakuzu had stolen before had not escaped Harley's sharp eyes.

Kakuzu was just about to reach his prize when the swish of moving air whispered out around the room, followed by the almighty bang of the metal knife hitting the wooden board where the candid bacon rested.

There was a moment of silence before the uproar.

Kakuzu let out an explosive breath that ended with a growl of pain and anger while the rest of the epic meal time guys yelled out in surprise. Emily and I sat stunned as Harley's laughter sounded around the room. It then died down again as a smirk erupted on Harley's face, "Don't cry you little bitch," he growled at Kakuzu.

Tyler, muscles glasses and sterling all began to laugh, only making Kakuzu even more angry.

"Well damn!" Emily said, "I guess that didn't as well as we'd planned."

The look Kakuzu shot both her and myself seemed to say that those tentacles of his would find their way to our throats a lot faster than we had originally thought.

With the heavy and dangerous glare of the seething Kakuzu hanging over us, Emily and I sat in silence while the guys in the kitchen worked, creating as much noise as possible.

"Its about time," Kakuzu growled after a while, making myself and Emily jump slightly.

We looked around to the stair case where Kakuzu was currently heading in a rush to escape from the two of us it seemed. As he reached the foot of the stairs, Zetsu came down to meet Kakuzu. They exchanged a few quiet words with each other as both Emily and I strained to hear over the sounds coming from the kitchen, yet the dirty looks that Kakuzu threw us said all to clearly what they were talking about. As Kakuzu gratefully made his way up the stairs Zetsu walked into the room.

"What the fuck is that!?" Harley's voice rose a few octaves as he noticed the one and only Zetsu.

"Dude, is it even human?" Tyler asked from behind his pot-lid shield.

I was about to answer when I realised that not even I knew exactly what Zetsu was.

Zetsu turned to look at the guys who had grown still, even muscle's glasses was standing there with his mouth open in shock. And Harley spoke up, "It's a fucking plant, this dude has a plant around his head, now that's fucked up."

"shit it really is a plant," Tyler said, stepping forward slightly in curiosity.

Zetsu frowned, "Is there a problem?" "Perhaps they want to be our next meal," His black side said, and the other half grinned.

Harley scowled as Zetsu walked towards the dinning table where Emily and I were seated, and then turned back to the camera to continue the episode, holding up a piece of candid bacon, "We make candid bacon, its like dog treats for human." And to my disgust, the three of them preceded to eat the candid bacon dog styled, obviously some cut scenes in mind.

Yet at Harley's words Zetsu paused, "Hmm?" he turned back towards the epic meal time team, "Dog treats for humans you say?" "How interesting…"

Then, to our shock and horror, Zetsu wandered over to the team and spent the next half an hour talking, discussing and finally arguing over the best way to lure a human being. Their voices rose until Harley finally kicked Zetsu out of the kitchen and told him to, "Sit the fuck down moss head."

"So I see you made some new friends," Emily started.

Zetsu looked at her, his yellow eyes gleaming in an emotion I didn't understand, "Your notion of friendship appears to be different from others." "Well…she is a lowly human being."

"Hey! I'm not lowly, and there is nothing wrong with being a human," Emily told him, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Well considering you have no powers to speak of, I wouldn't call you anything but ordinary and poor," white Zetsu answered, the slight frown returning to his strange features.

"Well-!"

"Argh! Shut up both of you!" I groaned, it was now really late, and the little sleep from last night's revenge plan had caught up with me, and it had bought along with it a nicely thumping headache.

"What's got your knickers in a knot?" Emily asked, always the ball of energy.

"Nothing I'm just tired," I muttered.

"What!? But we've done, like, two all-nighters in a row before, and you got plenty of sleep last night, why are you so tired?" she asked.

"I don't why, I just am." I sighed as I leaned my head into my hands. I didn't know why, but I knew what caused it. The dream I had last night shimmered in front of my eyes, it had felt so real so lifelike, so much so that when I had woken I'd been short of breath and my legs ached from the long sprint through the forest. And then those eyes, they were so familiar, just like Itachi's, but what did it all mean?

"Maybe you should get some shut eye," Emily said smiling, bringing me back to the present.

"Unfortunately you are not allowed to do that," Zetsu told us, "It was your idea to bring these savages into our home, so it is therefore up to you to watch over them."

"Then why are you guys coming down to watch them?" I asked in confusion as suspicion slowly replaced it.

His eyes met mine, flat and emotionless, "We're to watch over you, not them."

"Us? But why?" Emily asked.

"Haven't you realised it yet? You are both under suspicion and at least one of us is required to watch over you at all times."

"Again, why us?" this time I asked, and Black Zetsu, who had remain silent for a while answered.

"Because you fit perfectly. You both already know we came here looking for a family, well we found one, you guys. Although we don't have any proof yet, you both fit our descriptions and the info we were given before we came here. The only thing that's stopping us from taking you guys back to our world is the lack of proof, but we will not hesitate for a moment once we find it."

His words left a chill which seeped right down to my very bones.

"But surely we would know, wouldn't we?" Emily asked. God I loved her acting skills.

"Know that you were this family? Well… I guess you would."

"But we're not this special family you're looking for, like you said, we're ordinary," I told him.

Once again his eyes met mine, "Everyone has their own secrets."

In the pit of my stomach a black hole yawned open, fear.

"Oi Zetsu, get back upstairs, its my turn to keep watch now." The harsh voice made me jump, and turning I saw it was only Hidan coming down the stairs.

Zetsu stood and took his leave, but cast us both a knowing glance as he left.

I barely saw Hidan sit down, barely heard him mutter his usual curses, my mind still on what Zetsu had said. He knew, they all knew! They were just bidding their time until they found the proof that would tell them who we were. I suddenly realised they had known all along, and that this whole thing had probably been a game for them, was any of it real? All we had been through, all the dangers we had faced, was any of it real? Did any of it mean anything to them? I wasn't stupid enough to think that any of them were actual friends, even though it was a nice thought. I had known from the start that they were just using this house as a base, that they would probably leave without saying goodbye. But after everything we had done together, after all our adventures, surely it had meant something to them, surely a bond of some sort had been forged… yet they had know!

"Crissy!"

I sat bolt upright as Emily's voice cut through my panicked thoughts.

"What's wrong? You were spacing out." Her voice was concerned, but her eyes were like daggers, telling me to get my act together. She was right, I couldn't give in, not now, not after so long of protecting our secret.

"Ah sorry…" I mumbled, "I've got such a big head ache, I can't keep focus."

"Damn right you can't," Hidan said, "you were fucking out of it."

"I'll go get you some pain killers," Emily said, making her way to the kitchen cupboard while dodging and weaving between the epic meal time team, getting dragged infront of the camera in the process.

"So what's your deal?"

"Hmm?" I turned back towards Hidan, "What do you mean?"

"Two teenage girls owning this big old house? How the fuck to manage it?" His look was thoughtful, but his words were prying.

"We inherited it from our grandparents, they lived here up until they died a few years ago, and then the house was passed on to Emily and I." I explained trying not to give too much away.

"What about your parents?" I knew he was asking for Pein, or even for Tobi, the Hidan I knew wouldn't sit down and hold a conversation such as this.

"They died when Emily and I were little, we came to live our grandparents afterwards," I told him, knowing full well that the answer I gave wouldn't satisfy, yet hoping he wouldn't ask any more questions. Even though he was asking to gain information, it was still difficult for both Emily and I to talk about out parents.

"Okay, well whatever," It appeared the conversation was as boring for him as it was painful for me. "These guys are such dicks, I bet they don't even know about Jashin's almighty power," He said, glaring at the team in the kitchen.

A spark of curiosity mingled with the doubts swirling around in my mind, "So, is Jashin the only god in Jashinism, or are there other, lesser gods too?"

Hidan scoffed, "Of course He's the only God, He's the only God in the whole world! All others are just fucking pretenders."

"Does he have any angels?" I asked, my curiosity now burning.

Hidan gave me the 'are you stupid' look, "Of course not! He's the God of Death, He doesn't have angels, He has Demons instead."

Well I guess that made sense, "Hmm I see."

"Do you believe in him?" His voice was direct, and held the hint of steel, yet his eyes were slightly amused.

"Its all about killing people isn't it?"

"That barely touches it," He growled, "killing people isn't just a task, its not even a burden, it's a privilege that should be undertaken with joy and in complete faith."

"Exactly, and seeing as I have yet to kill anyone, I have no idea whether I truly belong amongst you and those in your faith." I cringed slightly as I waited for his answer, he didn't have his scythe with him, however that long black stick of his was, as always, by his side.

"You're right, you haven't yet felt the warm flow of life over your fingers, or tasted the lush velvety flavour. You have no idea what its like, so therefore you do not belong among us, but-" and suddenly he grinned, "-you will know soon enough, and then when you realise what a wonder it is, you will have no choice but to follow us."

"Well I guess we'll find out," I told him, honestly believing that I would never enjoy killing another human being.

"Okay, I really have to go now!" Emily's voice sang out from the kitchen.

Hidan and I turned around to see what she was yelling about, and saw that she was trying to escape from the camera, while the guys were trying to keep her there. "What the fuck are these non believers up to now," Hidan growled.

"Um… torturing my cousin I think," I replied, smiling at Emily and giving her a wave while she pleaded for help.

"They're being too loud," Hidan stated, and he was true, the noise had definitely risen.

After a few moments Hidan finally stood up, "That's it, I've had enough."

"Wait! Hang on a moment, I'll go quiet them down," I said, also rising.

He looked at me and snorted, "Yeah right."

I stood there for a moment, "hey!" and then went after him to help rescue Emily.

"What the fuck is all the noise about?" Hidan asked them as he reached the kitchen, a frown deeply inlaid on his forehead.

"None of you fucking business," Muscles Glasses answered, turning towards him.

"Hey hey! Calm down both of you, this is no time to be hating, this is the time for friendship!" Harley cut in between them.

"I'm so glad you finally came for me," Emily said all in a rush as she managed to slip away during the distraction.

"Actaully I came here to make sure Hidan doesn't end up killing them all, but I guess I came for you too," I said, giving her a large grin.

She punched my arm, "Gee thanks for your support cousin, I'll remember how much you love me."

I poked my tongue out at her and she gave me a grin back.

"You fucking no-believer!"

Oh god… Emily and I turned back to the guys… and found disaster.

Hidan and Muscles Glasses were glaring at each other, Harley and Tyler were standing to one side, smiles on their faces and Jack Daniels at hand.

However Muscles Glasses no longer lived up to his name, and his now visible eyes were locked onto Hidan's violet ones. In Hidan's grasp, the fabled galsses were now clutched, and he raised his hand so it rested infront of Muscle Glasses eyes.

"You see these? This is what I'm going to fucking do to you if say that Jashin is gay one more time." Hidan growled, and painfully slowly but surely he bent the glasses until they snapped right in the center.

Silence descended over the kitchen, Harley and Tyler were shocked into silence, as was Emily and I.

But Muscles Glasses had only just begun. "Jashin. Is. Fucking. GAY!" He roared, and lunged for Hidan.

In an instant the long slender stake that Hidan used in his rituals was out, and was aimed directly for Muscles Glasses heart. Yet Muscle glasses didn't stop, or rather couldn't be stopped. He rushed at Hidan, using one hand to grab the stick and the other he swung at Hidan's face. But Hidan was faster. He dodged the blow and threw one of his own. Hidan's punch collided full with muscles glasses stomach, and blow would have been enough to wind anyone, and to probably break their ribs, yet muscles glasses didn't even flinch. Hidan hesitated for a slip second, surprise flashed across his eyes. That was all it took.

Suddenly the black stick was wrenched away from Hidan's grasp and muscles glasses took a few steps back, victory written across his face.

Hidan growled, but it was too late.

Harley turned towards the camera, "While we're cooking this shit, Muscles Glasses is breaking his big arse stick!"

And in his anger, muscles glasses preceded to snap Hidan's stake in half.

There was a moments silence. A breeze shifted in through an open window in the dinning room, bringing the saltiness of the sea, and some other, darker scent. Whispers danced on the edge of my hearing, a language I didn't understand, but voices that stirred the shadows.

"Of course not! He's the God of Death, He doesn't have angels, He has Demons instead."

My mind had barley touched on the memory before I bolted up the stairs, taking three at a time. I barely took note of the long hallway, I didn't even see any of the doors that lined it, except for one. I flew to the door and burst in, not even bothering to knock, it was dark, but I knew where the bed was. He was sitting up before I reached his side.

"What's wrong?" Red eyes light up the darkness.

"No time, come NOW!" I had a hold of his arm, and I tried to drag him out of bed yet he knew something was wrong, and he was out the door before I could blink.

I followed as fast as I could, but he was heading down the stairs as I reached the hallway. It was at the head of the steps that Hidan's roar reached my ears, buts that's not what I heard, its not what caught my attention.

It was the whispering!

They were there again, the voices, that strange language that I couldn't understand. And as I bolted down the stairs, the shadows seemed to grab at my feet.

"MOVE!" Hidan's voice boomed around the room as I reached the bottom of the stairs.

Hidan was standing in the same place as before and Itachi stood infront of him, blocking his way.

Behind Itachi where the window above the sink used to be was a large gaping hole.

And Muscles Glasses was no where to be seen.

"Hidan stand down." Itachi's voice was steady, but it held more warning than I'd ever held before.

"He's going to fucking die! I'm going to kill him with my bare hands in front of Jashin!" Hidan shouted in Itachi's face.

"Hidan, leave, now."

"Or what!? You're going to turn on your creepy eyes and torture me? Fuck you Uchiha!" Hidan went to take a step but suddenly stopped. His eyes glazed over and his shoulders slouched.

Emily, Harley, Tyler, Sterling and I all stood staring, shocked by the events that had unfolded.

And then the door opened, and Muscles Glasses walked through, seemingly unscathed.

"How was the trip?" Tyler asked, a grin spreading across his face.

Muscle Glasses cracked his neck before saying, "Oh you know, it was fucking great."

And that sent up a gale of laughter between the four men. During their mirth Emily came over to me, visibly shaking, "You should have seen him! Hidan went crazy!"

"I know, I heard," I said, remembering the roar I had heard while upstairs.

I looked over to where Itachi and Hidan stood, and realised for the first time that Itachi was shirtless. My cheeks must have reddened, because Emily dug her elbow into my side and grinned at me. I pushed her away with my face growing even hotter.

"What did you do to him?" Emily asked Itachi.

Itachi turned towards us, and I turned away, my checks now flaming, calm down! I told myself, you're being ridiculous!

Itachi's voice cut through my efforts, "I put him into a trance."

"So you're not torturing his then?" she asked.

"No, there was no need for it, however leader has forbidden me to use the mangekyou on my fellow Akatsuki members." He told her.

I spun around in surprise, "Really?"

"Yes," he said, his eyes falling on me.

I managed to gain control of myself as my eyes landed on his bare chest, although I could picture myself as Sanji having a massive nose bleed right now.

"When are you going to bring him out of it?" Emily asked him, not even fazed in the slightest.

"I'll take him up to his room, and then release him, however I'll need some help to get him up the stairs, Crissy?" His eyes were still a deep crimson red.

"Uh, yeah… sure," I mumbled, wandering over to Hidan.

"Emily you stay here and look after them," he said, glancing at the four mates who were still in hysterics, "if you need help just call out."

"Alright," she said as I grabbed Hidan's wrist and guided him towards the stairs, with Itachi bringing up the rear.

The stairs were definitely a lot harder to navigate the senseless Hidan, but we finally managed with much pushing and pulling and by the time we got him to his room, I was breathing heavily.

"Thankyou," Itachi stated, as he stood Hidan beside the bed.

"No problems," I said, and tuned towards the door.

"Crissy," his voice made me stop, "What's troubling you?"

I turned around, his eyes were back to their dark onyx, and in the dim light from Hidan's lamp, his bare chest was a bed of velvet.

I knew the answer to his question, it was the voices I had heard, it was the dreams I was having and it was the fact that I could no longer trust him at all, "Nothing." I turned back around before he could see through my fake smile, "I'll go get Sasori, its his turn next, and thank you for helping."

I left the room before he could say anything else and headed over to Sasori's room. When I knocked on the door it opened straight away yet there was no one standing there, "Um… hello?"

I poked my head in the door and once my eyes adjusted to the dark I saw Sasori was sitting at the desk in his room, a puppet arm spread across the table top. He was starting at me, "How long are you going to stand in my door way?" his voice was low, and held a tint of annoyance.

"I was letting my eyes adjust, how can you work in the dark?" I asked, wandering into his room.

"I go mostly by touch, but I don't think that's why you here…" His tone left it open as a question.

"No, its not, Hidan went berserk so your watch is up." I told him, my eyes moving around his room. I hadn't seen it since he'd moved in, and it definitely looked different. There was stuff every where! Bit of wood, shavings, whole puppets, half puppets, Hiruko's tail was coiled up in the corner and there were multiple tools lying around the room.

"Are you done gawking?" he asked.

I gave him a grin, "Just making sure the room is still intact. I'll meet you downstairs."

I left him to his work and headed towards the stairs, my feet dragging slightly along the thick carpet. It had been such a long night, yet it was only half over, and I still had to get through tomorrow yet. I had no idea how we would accomplish it, I didn't even know how we had made it so far already.

As these doubts plagued my heart and mind, the shadows stretched their fingers out toward me, and their whispers reaching for my heart.


Well there you go everyone, i hope you all enjoyed it, and that it brings out your forgiving side!

Have a great night or day everyone! and keep smiling! :D