1zara-uchiha1 and I don't own the Naruto cast or anything else you might recognize. 1zara-uchiha1 owns Laura and I own Kahlan. Together we own the plot.

Chapter 15

Note: You're not safe even if you're standing on the sidelines

~Kahlan's POV

I'm sitting on the sofa with my laptop. My eyes are looking at my next costumer's request. They want me to write a poem with the lines 'warming days of gold,' and 'not take things for granted.' The costumer also wants me to use the words 'mask,' 'fool,' and 'love.' I'm allowed to make whatever kind of poem I want but I must use those lines and words.

Clicking open word I set it to the way I like it, Times New Roman twelve point font. With that done I stare at the screen thinking up ideas. Closing my eyes I let my head rest on the back of the sofa. The line 'warming days of gold,' makes me think of either youth or…a time when things seemed perfect. The other line is obvious so the poem won't be about youth but during a time in life when things seemed perfect.

Obviously this person wants a poem about love. That may be a little difficult since my…well that's for me to know. So how am I supposed to write a poem dealing with love if I don't love anyone? Unless I take a different approach since there are so many types of love.

Suddenly my eyes snap open. By taking the normal approach about writing a poem about love it will suck because I will feel nothing for it. However, taking the other approach, which is what I'm going to do, my mind conjures up the image of a certain man.

With a nod I start typing, my fingers flying across the screen and within a few moments I finish the poem. At first I don't bother actually reading it; I just scan over it looking for errors and edit it. Then I start mumbling the poem under my breath making sure it sounds nicely to my ears.

I finish the whole process within ten minutes, not including the time it took to analyze what was given to me and how to go about to make the poem. Nodding, satisfied I read over the poem one last time:

I long for the warming days of gold, when I was naïve and hopeful.

You were so clever with your smiling mask

That I never saw through your façade.

I should have paid attention,

Tried to spend more time with you instead of brushing you off,

But I fooled myself that you would always be here.

I can only hope that you'll forgive me, and that you're happy.

I've learned not to take things for granted,

So know that I have and will always love you.

Grandpa, save me a spot up there in Heaven next to Jesus,

One day I'll come home.

That's right it a poem about a grandfather. Truthfully, when I thought about everything I came up with my grandpa. I always saw him as invincible as a little kid and even as I grew older. What I never knew though was that he was slowly dying and he hid that fact with his smiles. He would try to spend time with me, but because I was so focus on pushing myself to be the best for my parents I had brush him to the side.

Do I regret what I did? No, because I have no regrets. I regret nothing because everything is a lesson and I learn from the mistakes I made. It helped shape me into the person I am today. So no I don't regret.

As for adding the Heaven and Jesus to the poem it's a way of respect to my grandpa. He was a religious man, but he never shoved his religion down anyone's throat. He never told anyone that they would burn in hell for having different beliefs or for loving someone of the same gender. In fact he thought that as long as people were good then God would love them all the same and welcome them 'home.'

It's sad that he died five years ago. In his will he left me his house as well as close to 100 acres of land the house is on. It's a large beautiful four story house because he had a lot of kids. Some of his kids are just his step kids because he got married four times. The thing is I haven't gone to the house yet. It's something I don't want to do alone. Though if I think about it, moving out of this apartment to there might be a good idea but I'll just keep that to myself. It would only take about fifteen minutes (if using a car) to get there and it's even closer to the beach.

Anyways, with the poem finish I contact my costumer on deviantart through a note informing them that I finished the poem for them. They're surprised and tell me that I can send it to them. So that is what I do; I post the poem on the website leaving a watermark on it so no one can try to plagiarize and send them the poem. A moment later I get a note telling me that they love the poem and that they're sending me more money.

Confused I ask them why because they already paid me the three dollar charge. I usually charge three dollars for poems unless it's a ballad or sonnets then I charge eight. For stories I charge anywhere from ten to twenty dollars maybe even more depending on the content that they want in it and the word count, if it's a short or long, and if it's a simple few page story or a chapter type story.

They reply saying that it was a really great poem and that I didn't do what they expected me to do, but in a good way. That brings a small smile to my face and I tell them thanks. After that, I look at my long list of other costumers. With a sigh I log out, no longer wanting to do any more writing. I've just finished writing my tenth poem and I wrote three one-shot. So I'm done for now until later or tomorrow.

Closing my laptop, I set it down next to me then stretch and yawn. Earlier Leader had asked if there was any more hidden rooms and I answered him truthfully telling him no. He never asked about any safes so I never told him. Plus, I'm hoping he thinks he now has all my weapons. In truth though, I have no idea how to fight with any of the weapons I have.

Standing up, I grab my laptop and head to Laura's room. In the room I place my computer in the exact spot I placed it last night and grab my phone. I search through the small contact list until I get my teacher's name. Remember I said I was in the process of learning cello, that's why I have my teacher's number. I send her a text telling her that some stuff came up and that I won't be able to make it to practice. Truthfully, I don't trust these demons (as far as I know they're not human) alone in mine and Laura's home.

I leave Laura's room closing the door behind me and make my way to the kitchen. Looking through the cabinets I pull out Kiwi pocky. Pocky comes in many flavors and so far I love all of them. Pocky is my second love, peaches being my first.

Opening the pocky, I start to eat it as I go to a drawer and pull out a small notepad and pencil. I start writing down what we are going to need. On the list for the food, I write down a ton of American type of food and then I start writing down the Japanese food that I do know. Laura would have to add more to the list since she knows more about Japanese. I only know a handful of things. The good thing is there is an Asian shopping center in this town.

Suddenly I hear the sound of metal. It's kind of like a clinging sound that's heard when two pieces of metal clash together. Letting the pencil fall from my hand to the notepad, I head towards the door with my pocky in hand still munching on it.

Slowly I start opening the door. Outside in what I consider to be the backyard for this apartment complex is Itachi and Kisame with MY weapons and fighting one another. Pein and Konan are off to the side very far away from the two fighting. I take a step forward about to swallow the food in my mouth so I can tell them to stop when I see metal glint from the fading sunlight as it flies right at me.

My food gets stuck in my throat as the weapon whizzes right by my face. I hear it buzz through the air as it misses me by a hair's length and makes a thud behind me. Next second I start chocking on the pocky stuck in my throat causing the two to stop fighting and all of them to look at me. Do they try to help me out? Absolutely not, but whatever it doesn't matter.

"I'm alright," I cough out banging my chest. "I'll live." A second later the food finally slides down my throat, though a bit painfully. I cough a couple times to clear any more pieces of food then give them my attention.

"What in the world do you guys think you are doing," I ask.

"We're just training," Kisame replies with a grin, sharp shark like teeth showing.

"I will not stand by and allow my members to slack off from training just because we are in unknown territory," Leader says.

"Well that's all nice and dandy," I reply. "However, we have neighbors above us," I say pointing to the windows above the ground floor Laura and I live on. "This is an apartment complex and luckily most of them are at work. You can't be doing that stuff out here. They will think you're trying to kill each other and will call the authorities. That in turn will cause me and Laura to get in trouble. Then my father will find out and he will use that as an excuse to drag me back home saying I am incapable, irresponsible and whatever else, of taking of myself.

Plus do you not see the sky? There's a freaking thunder storm coming, well it's sort of already here, and being outside is not a good thing unless you want to be struck by lightning. Though if you want that to happen to you then be my guest.

All I'm trying to do is look out for Laura. I cannot allow you to do activities like these to happen here. There's a high chance of the authorities will get involved and I don't want anything to go on Laura's record or that would ruin her reputation or anything that will cause her harm. Now if you don't mind I have some things to take care of. Enjoy yourselves."

That is the longest thing I've said to anyone in a while. They already know Laura is important to me so I didn't really spill anything out. I've always been careful about what I said around people, but around these people I have to be even more on guard.

I don't bother staying there waiting for a reply. My throat is a little sore because of chocking on the pocky so I need some water. Plus it's time to bandage my ribs again; I've let it get some breathing air long enough. As I walk back into the apartment, I see the dagger like weapon they've threaten us with embedded into the wall.

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We both hope you enjoyed this chapter. Both of us are thankful for everyone who is reading, reviewing, adding to their favorite and/or alerts. Please review, even a simple 'I like this story' or 'update' will make us happy. Also stay tuned for the next chapter on Saturday. Once again thank you and until next time. ^.^