Stage Thirty Two: Escape

Sasuke

Being as I was with her all night, I tried to stay awake as long I could. I admit I was nervous. She explained to me before what happened when she slept without someone she trusted nearby, and it didn't seem pleasant. However, there was a good side to seeing her sleep; she looked so peaceful and at ease. She wasn't growling at anyone, Orochimaru's hurt wasn't written on her face, and she wasn't hiding anything. This is the most natural I've ever seen her. I was happy to be there.

I'll own up to my words; I couldn't really stay angry with her. Watching her risk her life this past week has opened my eyes; she wasn't his tool. I was wrong about her. That isn't easy to come out and say. She never had any plans for me. I was just an innocent bystander to her. It's unfair to everyone involved how quickly love can turn to hate. I shudder to use that word. I don't enjoy being tied to anyone in such an emotional way. I'm just relieved it was her instead of Sakura or Ino. At least she has the common sense to not return it. I could only hurt her in more ways; never as deep or as terribly as Orochimaru, but pain is pain, no matter which way you look at it. I want her to be happy and lead a normal life. She can't do that with me.

She can be my friend, no matter how dangerous that might be. So long as I don't place her above Naruto, I don't mind it. I could never bring myself to kill her in cold blood. Keeping my distance is a way to protect her from my need to do what has to be done. If I'm going to avenge against Itachi, I need the Mangekyo. She knows that this is what I will do. She's known all along. I can't go back on it, just because she's close to him. I've devoted my entire life to being stronger than he is. Just fathoming not doing this; what a waste…

So, in a way, hating her has kept her alive. If I needed to, there's no doubt I would have used this time of weakness to obtain the final power of the Sharingan. It's like we're starting over with our friendship. I didn't think second chances were possible for me; how quick she is to forgive one crime, when another has been committed that is ten times worse. I wonder if there is anything in the world that can be done to make what Orochimaru did look tame. I really hope there isn't. There has to be a point when things can only get better.

She stirred in her sleep every so often, and it never failed to startle me. I was a live bundle of nerves being wound so tightly, it was painful. I kept shifting myself, trying to relax there, but I couldn't. I was in danger both by her explosive chakura, and Orochimaru's volcanic wrath. That night wasn't exactly easy for me.

Eventually, I did fall asleep next to her, leaning against the headboard. I kept that side of the bed neat, lying on the duvet the way I did. Her side was thrashed thoroughly from her uneasy sleeping and continuous shifting. It was sometime around three in the morning when I woke up. Something settled outside the room, and that alarmed me. I tensed myself, pulling a kunai from her pouch on the side table. I got distracted by a ring that was caught on the blade, but I just dropped that back on the wood.

Tsuki

I woke up to the weight on the bed shifting under me. I was being pulled somewhere, and I wasn't sure if that was a good thing. I was too tired to put two and two together, not that I had anything to go off of.

"Sasuke," I whispered.

"Shh,' someone whispered, "he's not here. It's just me."

I blinked twice, trying to focus my eyes. The effects of the Sharingan had faded to nothing more than a red tint around movement, but it was still disorienting. I looked into the face of the man holding me, but couldn't see him properly. I was not happy with this.

My nose told me the truth of the situation. I was in Deidara's arms once again, and he was okay. Pieces of his scent had changed, but it was him. I was sure of that. It was a relief to me. If there were ever a time for me to need someone like him, it was then. He saw me for whom and what I was, yet still sought after me. Needless to say, I was happy to be in his arms.

"Where did he go?" I asked, remembering his promise to stay beside me.

"He left when I came," Deidara chuckled. He put a hand on my cheek, where I felt a kiss being placed. "I told you that I'd be back, didn't I?"

I smiled at him. "Yes, you did; but I didn't believe you."

"Good thing I proved you wrong, then, hmm?"

"You have no idea," I muttered.

His face fell from the happy smile and playful banter to sorrow and seriousness. "I do know," he whispered. "Sasuke told me everything that happened. I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner."

I looked confused. "You couldn't have done anything to stop this."

He blinked at me. "I could have taken you away from here. I know I told you I'd never take you back to the Akatsuki against your will, but there are other places I could help you hide in; places he would never look for you."

"I don't know how I would take to Iwagakure," I stated.

"If it helped you survive unscathed by his hands, I'm sure you wouldn't care. I'd know where you are, Itachi would know where to find you, and you'd be safe, damn it."

"Orochimaru would find a way. Once our guard would be let down, he would slither in and wreck havoc on everything. Iwa would be destroyed."

"Then we would move you." He wrapped his arms around me tighter. "I can't let anyone else violate my girl. I shouldn't have allowed him to touch you."

"It was a plan that was laid before you or I was ever born, Deidara. He always had a dream of a genetically perfect generation of Shinobi. I was just his first choice in breeding stock."

He looked at me, horrified. "How can any man look at you and see merely breeding stock? How can any man want to use you as a populating tool?"

"Greed," I answered. "Sasori revealed that to me."

Deidara's face fell further. "Sasori is dead," he murmured. "He was killed by Lady Chiyo and Sakura Haruno. I don't know if you heard that, yet."

I put a hand on his shoulder. "You and Sasori were never close, but I know how hard it is to loose a comrade."

"It's an occupational hazard," he sighed. "We move on. He was a pain in the ass, always complaining about being kept waiting. Always criticized my art, he did. 'Art isn't temporal. It should be everlasting, something to withstand the passing of time.' Utter bull shit." He let loose a small, "Hn."

"I see," I mumbled under my breath. It was common knowledge to me that they didn't get along. It was one of the first things I learned about Deidara when I first got there.

"How about we get you out of here, hn?" He pushed a strand of hair behind my ear, smiling at me.

"Deidara, I have to stay here," I stated. "If I leave, Orochimaru will kill us both."

"How will he know?" he asked, rather naively.

I held up the picture of him leaving my bedroom. "He has cameras everywhere. Even in here. If he were awake, he'd know you're here now."

He considered that for a moment. "Then we have to leave. He'll know I was here. He gave you hell for it the first time, ending in this. What will he do when he learns that you're my girl? Besides, I can't just leave you here to be killed. I told Itachi I'd take care of you, damn it, and I'm going to."

I blanked. "You told Itachi?" I asked, in shock.

"As soon as I got back," he answered. "I told you before, I won't hide it from you. Besides, he already knew."

I just stared at him. I couldn't believe he'd do that.

"So are you coming, or shall I drag you out of here by force?" he smirked.

There was a knock at my shoji before Sasuke re-entered the room. "You're running out of time, Tsuki. Orochimaru is coming to. Get out of here."

"Sasuke, I can't just leave you here," I stated.

"Why not? He won't kill me. He needs me alive, for now. I'm his next body, remember?" Sasuke smirked. "Please, go Tsuki. Don't make me regret not killing him." He pointed at Deidara.

"As if you could take me, ne," Deidara retorted. He then looked at me. "We still have your things at the compound. We can return to get them, then go wherever you want to. The world is yours after this; just promise that you'll still be mine."

I looked at him, unsure of committing to him. "Alright, let's go, Deidara. There's no point in staying here."

He grabbed my clothing off the floor. "You might want to change. That isn't exactly something I want the world to see you in. Actually, I don't even want to see you in it, knowing what it's for."

He then looked at Sasuke. "Thanks, kid. You've probably saved her life by not attacking me."

"That's the only reason I didn't. I see the way she looks when she talks about you. Keep making her happy, and I won't track you down, got it?"

"You're one hell of a punk." He looked back at me. "Go change; the sooner we're out of this hell, the better."

The compound

The first thing I noticed when I got there was the scent of someone I didn't know, but smelled faintly… Uchiha-like. I couldn't place who it was, but I would bet he was somehow related to Itachi and Sasuke. After inquiring about the newcomer, Deidara just stated that he got a new partner, and that he was annoying as hell. His name was Tobi.

It didn't take long before he popped up, invoking Deidara's wrath to be unleashed. There were punches thrown and swearing to be had, which made me wonder who this kid was. Regardless, I left them where they were and went forward, seeking out Itachi.

He was home, just as I thought he would be. He looked up when I walked into his living space. "Tsuki, I didn't expect to see you so soon."

"I didn't think I'd be back, either." I sat down beside him, leaning against him. He loosely wrapped an arm around me, confused.

"Do I want to know how he did it?" Itachi asked, referring to Deidara.

"Being here was better than being with Orochimaru," I answered. "That's all there is to it. I'm officially a missing ninja, Itachi. I'm never going back."

"Your file says you're a leaf shinobi. You've been a missing ninja for years," he informed me. "Maybe it's time to fix that?"

I looked at him for a moment. When I filled in my file in Suna, I did say I was affiliated with the leaf. I've been missing ever since. "I think you're right, Itachi."

He just looked at me and smiled before turning back to his work. "I have your backpack still, if you want your belongings."

"That's why I'm here, Itachi. I don't think I'll stay very long."

"I didn't think so," he answered. "You'll be back, though. Pein won't be happy knowing you were here without even saying hello to him."

Itachi's sense of humour was a twisted one, for sure. "Maybe I'll stop in on my way out," I mused.

He chortled quietly. "Where's Deidara?" he asked.

"Tobi's holding him up," I answered. "They're out fighting in the streets like common criminals."

He smiled lightly. "What's your opinion on Tobi?" he asked me.

"He smells like an Uchiha," I answered. "Other than that, I don't have one."

Itachi just looked at me as though I had said something strange. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, he shares the same base smell as you and Sasuke," I answered. "It's a little like smoke."

"You associate that with all Uchihas?" he asked.

"I haven't met an Uchiha that doesn't have that smell," I answered.

"All the other Uchihas are dead," he stated. "You wouldn't know if they smelled like that or not."

"Exactly," I answered. "That's why I associate that smell with Uchihas. You and Sasuke are all that's left, unless this Tobi person checks out."

He rolled his eyes at me. "If you say so, Tsuki."

"I do, Itachi." I folded my arms across my chest. "I'll figure it out, mark my words."

"They've been marked." he answered. "When are you leaving?" he asked.

"I think I'll spend a few days here with you and Deidara, and then I'm going back to Konoha."

"You plan to stay under the radar?"

"Of course, Itachi," I replied. "A capture now would put a damper on my plans. Orochimaru knows I'm here. He has murder in his eyes, Itachi. The sooner I get to Konoha, the better for me."

'Does anyone there know about your tie to Orochimaru?" he asked.

"Only one person," I answered. "I told him to explain everything to the Kage, but he failed to do so."

He sighed. "That could prove to be a problem. Is he hostile?"

"Not particularly," I answered. "He wants to spar, only to see how our prowess compares."

He arched his eyebrow. "Who is he?"

"Hyuuga Neji," I answered.

"Hyuuga, you say? First or Second Branch?" he asked, familiar with the family.

"Second Branch," I answered. "That's all I know. He saw through me the day I approached you and Kisame in Konohagakure."

"Yes, the Byakugan would be able to see your very unique chakura. If you had blue chakura like everyone else, you have been alright. Are you sure he hasn't told anyone?"

"It's been years," I answered. "I don't know what he's done. When I left him, he told me I could always come back to Konoha, and no one would ever know about Orochimaru. However, I'm sure the Hokage would need to know."

"That might be a good idea, especially if he becomes a threat." He squeezed me for a brief moment. "I support this idea, and promise not to tell Pein when you leave. Let him find you on his own. I'll keep your secret."

"That means the world to me, Itachi. Thank you."