Hi again, everyone! Gomenasai for making all of you waiting for so long...and sorry for the sudden title change. I decided that "the Reason" sounded quite boring to some, so I decided to make it sound more interesting. Though "the Reason" fits the title of this story's prequel "That's why", don't you think so?

Now, is the school holidays and finally I will have time to update sooner than expected! So enough ranting let's move on, here is another chapter of The Reason..Hope you enjoy.

Happy reading..and reviewing..Have a good day, Minna-san!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, just the story plot

Start of chapter

The first light of the morning peeked through the leaves, waking her from her short sleep. The chirps of birds told her that the weather was fine, but she was not in the mood to enjoy all that. She really had to get going to Konoha, after so many delays in her journey. First, Kisame at Sasori's grave. Then Kakashi tried to stop her at the inn, followed by Yakushi Kabuto offering to take her unborn baby in return of Sasori's resurrection.

And last night, the Konoha team appeared in attempt to capture her. 'I wonder who will appear after this?' she asked sarcastically and hopped down the branch. As calm as ever she walked to a nearby stream and set down her belongings by a fallen log. After all the work outs she had, Konan thought she really deserved some nice refreshing bath. With ease, she shed off her cloak and training gear before diving into the cool water.

The feeling of ice cold water on her paper smooth skin was nice. Konan reached up and pull the hairpins that secured her paper flower accessory in her blue strands of hair. The curls fall from the bun and cascaded down her bare shoulders. She dove into the water for a few moments before emerged from underwater, breathing in the fresh air of the morning. It felt really good to relax that way once in a while. Sometimes she wondered if Pein had ever gone for a swim in the river before, or at least for a stroll down the stream.

'Probably not, he doesn't seem like the type to enjoy nature. Like Sasori did. Or…Kisame does,' she sighed and leaned against a rock when the thought hit her. She remembered how she and Sasori used to take a dip in the stream near the hideout, where Kisame loved to spend his time practicing his water jutsus. Wait, what was wrong with her? Konan pushed back the hair from her face and closed her eyes. Was this what it felt like to be really in love with someone? Having him in your mind every second and hearing his voice all the time? Thinking that you have gotten over him but actually you can never get rid of him?

She despised that feeling, hating but loving in the same time. It made her felt vulnerable but stronger in the same time. Her right hand went to her stomach that was carrying a soon to be her child. Everything came pounded on her without stopping. From the moment she received the news that she was carrying Pein's child to the death of Sasori and now Kabuto's offer to take the baby.

Konan had always thought she was a strong, independent woman that could stand on her own feet. That thought made her left the security of hideout and went to avenge Sasori. But today, it was proved that she wasn't as strong as she thought. She was like a fragile porcelain doll, one slip and it all broke.

She was so deep in thought that she didn't realized the presence of two shinobis just behind the bushes by the river banks. They inched closer, and by the time she spun around, it was too late.

With Kakashi and the Konoha Team

Shikamaru complaint loudly after finished recounting what happened for the third time. First to Temari, Kankurou and Gaara, the second time to the Suna border patrols and the third time to Hatake Kakashi, who was playing with a ring with purple stone much to his dismay.

"A female Akatsuki? Then, I don't think it was the same person that attacked all of us," this piece of news captured the attention of everyone in the room. However, Gaara's gaze was the most disturbing compared to the others combined together. It was as though he was trying to tell him something.

"Why did you say so, Kakashi-san?" Temari asked feeling unsatisfied. "Because you said the kunoichi who attacked you acted alone. I don't think whoever attacked me worked alone," he answered simply. Temari huffed lightly and began walking towards the door. "I'm going to include that in the report," she said firmly before slamming the door shut.

"Poor Temari. She was really into catching the perpetrator of these attacks," Kankurou shook his head sadly and followed her. "I'll go to check on the messengers to see if Nakamaru had came back," he chirped before closing the door. Gaara sent both his sibling with a mere glance before turning back to the Konoha ninjas. "Kakashi, I want to have a word with you," he finally said and stepped out of the room with Kakashi following. "Let's go to my office. More privacy than prying eyes," Kakashi raised a visible eyebrow.

Soon enough, he understood what Gaara meant. As they walked down the streets, he could see practically every single girl at least took a glance at the young Kazekage.

"You don't stand a chance, Yumi,".

"He looked at me, I'm positive about it,".

"No way, she liked girls with tattoos, I think,".

"Do you reckon he's gay?"

"Don't think so. Matsuri said she had a picture of a girl in his pocket,".

"Who is that lucky girl? I'm so envious,".

"Probably his sister,".

"I am so going to send him a Valentine's Day card,".

He had to try real hard to suppress his laughter as such whispers reached their hearing. Gaara as usual showed no emotions, though he went slightly red in the ears. Didn't these girls know that shinobis have heightened senses? 'Hope not one of them will end up with Gaara. That wouldn't be pretty,' the Copy-Cat Ninja thought to himself and smirked.

They reached Gaara's office in five minutes. Gaara immediately took his place and Kakashi sat opposite him. The red-headed handed him a drawing of a young woman with long curls of hair. Kakashi understood and thoroughly studied the picture. She was very beautiful, but appeared deadly in the same time. But what captivated the most were her eyes. They were icy cold, which pierced into his soul even though it was just a drawing.

Kakashi knew the woman in the drawing, even though not by name. "Er, Wazana Miwako. I don't know her real name. She is-". "The only kunoichi in the Akatsuki, often moving out with the Leader. I know. Her name is Konan, and originated from Amegakure," Gaara cut him off seriously. "Konan, of Akatsuki," Kakashi repeated more to his hearing only.

"If she attacked the Konoha ninjas, so that meant she is not far. I am going to need your help," he leaned in closer on his desk. Sudden silence dropped between them. "As in a mission?" Kakashi finally responded after a full minute of staring. The Kazekage nodded once and took a scroll out from his drawers.

"Please find Konan, and warn her to not come any closer to the Suna borders. The thing she was looking for is not here. I'm afraid she might get herself killed if our border patrol came across her. Even if she is a very powerful shinobi, I'm afraid something might hold her back. Give this to her and she will understand," Kakashi accepted the old looking scroll and kept it inside his vest jacket.

"Thank you for your cooperation," his emotionless voice for once sounded a little grateful. "Oh, and Kakashi," the jounin spun around. Gaara was looking at the floor, but apparently struggling to say something. "I know you're going to drop in at the hospital before you leave. Can you please…tell… Hyuuga Hinata that everything is going to be alright?" he mumbled the last part incoherently. "I beg your pardon?" Kakashi asked casually, even though he heard what the young man had spoken earlier.

"Please tell Hyuuga Hinata that I promised her that everything is going to be alright," Gaara seemed to be more confident this time, though a microscopic blush appeared on his pale skin. The older man smirked knowingly and pulled out his favourite orange book, now with a large hole in the middle courtesy of Konan's kunai some nights ago. "Don't worry, Kazekage-sama. I will," he formed several hand seals and quickly teleported to the hospital. Walking under Suna's hot climate did not do him any good.

With Pein and the other Akatsuki

Walls, walls, walls and more walls surrounded him in his room. Truth to be told, he felt really depressed to see the same thing every single day. But at least, he used to have Konan by his side to keep him entertained. Pein set down his pen and began tidying his paper works. He slowly rubbed his temples and leaned back in his chair.

It had been almost a week since Konan left the hideout, and yesterday was the first time he went on mission alone. And it really made him felt as if he had lost Konan forever, of which he might be. Zetsu's report just now disturbed him a little bit.

Orochimaru had begun moving on to complete his goal of mastering every jutsus known to mankind. This included Kekkei Genkais, like his Rinnegan eyes. The eyes that he could possibly passed down to his child that was residing in her womb right now. "Leader-sama?" he spun around to face the doorway. Deidara was standing over there, holding a scroll of parchment in his hand.

"Tobi and I had finished our mission. Our target was demolished so our pathway to the Bijuu is clear now," the blond reported with such formality all the while setting down the scroll on his desk. "You look pale today, Leader-sama. Is it about Konan?" he was one bold fellow to ask such question to Pein. But Pein was not in the mood for any killings today so he just nodded once and reached out for the scroll.

"You really love her, didn't you Leader-sama? I mean more than how all of us love her. Love as in undying love?" Pein raised an eyebrow. "And your point is?". "You should act fast and tell her how you felt. She loved Sasori deeply; Kisame had told her his feelings towards her and willing to wait for her, but I don't know about Itachi-san, though," Pein thought he had heard it wrong. "Wait, wait, what? How did Itachi come into the picture? He is barely old enough to vote! He will not stand a chance in winning her love!" his fist automatically slammed onto the table.

"How should I know, love is blind. Besides, he is older than me," Deidara stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You may go now," Pein put and end to their conversation. Deidara obliged to this and got up to leave. "Thank you," his head turned back in surprise. A second later, it cracked into a grin. "Heh, no problem!".

With Konan

"Kisame, Itachi, what the hell are you two doing here!" Konan practically screamed at their ears. "No, we don't mean anything. We don't know you're-" Kisame was unable to finish his sentence as she get into stance and punch him hard that he flew six metres in the air. She turned and kicked Itachi in the face, but the Uchiha coolly stop her with his hand. He flew back several metres, though he landed on his feet. A whole lot better than Kisame who landed on his back some distance away.

Konan glared daggers at the two shinobis, still drenching wet from the stream. "Konan, calm down. Put on your clothes first, at least," she looked down at herself. Her paper butterflies had formed some sort of dress around her, shielding her body from view. But her bare shoulders were showing, and he could see droplets of water sliding down her skin from her knees to the ground.

She dressed up quickly, but abandoned her cloak on the ground. Itachi stepped closer and handed her some bread. The kunoichi accepted it gratefully, since it had been days since her last decent meal. "You look starving. It wouldn't do any good to your child," as calm as ever, he spoke to her like a doctor would to his patient. Her eyes darted to his features, clearly asking how he knew that she was pregnant.

"You look just like when my mother was pregnant with Sasuke," Kisame and Konan looked at each other. Itachi sounded a bit dreamy, but still maintained his calm posture. "Fine, yes, I haven't eaten properly lately. Why are you two here? Don't you have some mission to get yourselves busy?".

"We are in our mission. The mission scroll said bring Konan of the Akatsuki back to the hideout," Kisame scratched the back of his neck guiltily. She glared daggers at his direction before turning her glare at the young Uchiha. "I refuse to, you can break every single bone in my body and still I would refuse to return until my goal is accomplished," firmly she told them her decision. As soon as she said this, her body disappeared along with the wind in the form of shards of paper.

Kisame made a futile attempt to catch it, meanwhile Itachi just merely shut his eyes, leaning against a large rock by the banks. "Let her be, Kisame. She is a shinobi of great ability, capable of defending herself. It wouldn't be too long until she finished her goal,".

"Then, what should we do now?" the shark like man slumped down next to his partner. "Wait and see, I guess. We just back her up if something goes wrong," Itachi was enjoying himself thoroughly. "But how are we going to find-. Oh, I get it. The flower!" the Uchiha nodded, before drifting into a light sleep.

end of chapter

I kind of ran out of idea for this chapter, but I promise I will work harder on the next chapter. Please Review!

Thank you very much I bid to all of you!