Hey, here's the next chapter... and some home made brownies! ^^ Enjoy!
Itachi could do nothing but stare at the Hyuuga, who just stared back up at him with wide eyes. She looked so pitiful and helpless.
"Hinata!" Itachi asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
Hinata sneezed. "I got lost," she simply said. "What are YOU doing here?"
Itachi just sighed. "How did you get lost?" he asked, completely disregarding her question.
Hinata remembered the story that Deidara and Kisame had told her to tell Itachi in case he asked. "I went on a m-mission, and got k-kidnapped by some bandits. I escaped, but n-now I don't know w-where I am." She sneezed again. "I found this Akatsuki cloak, so I knew that it m-must be close to the hideout. B-but then it started to rain, and... Achoo! ... this was the only shelter... Achoo! ... I c-could find."
Itachi relaxed a little. He picked her up and cradled her. "Well..." he looked around. They kind of were in the middle of nowhere. Maybe he could take her to Amagakure? He looked back down at her. She looked exhausted. If I don't hurry and get her inside, she might die. "Hinata, I'm afraid that the only place you can stay for right now is here..."
Hinata sneezed yet again.
I have to do something, fast! Itachi didn't want to cause a scene by stepping into the front door for the world to see him and Hinata, so instead, he ran to the other side of the base, and did all he could do.
He somehow opened his window from the outside and climbed through
/3
Itachi looked down at Hinata, who was once again sleeping uncomfortably and wearing one of Itachi's shirts. She had collapsed wordlessly on Itachi's bed and instantly fallen asleep, so Itachi tucked her underneath the covers and sat on the edge of the bed. He couldn't quite bring himself take his eyes off of her, let alone leave her all alone in his room in a place full of the worst criminals the ninja world had seen.
He brushed her long hair from her perfect face. It was still raining like crazy outside, and it pounded noisily on his window. Lightning crashed in the sky.
Wow, if she was out there any longer, she could've gotten a deathly fever, Itachi said, cringing at the thought. It was good that he had found her. But, how did she end up right outside their hideout? Was it destiny?
Itachi quickly eliminated that idea. Destiny wasn't real.
Hinata turned awkwardly onto her side. Itachi gazed down at her. He knew that he couldn't just keep her a secret forever. But how would he tell his fellow Akatsuki members? The only people that knew about Hinata were Deidara and Kisame, but he didn't exactly trust them very much.
Suddenly, the Uchiha's bedroom door opened, and fast as lightning, Itachi pulled the covers over Hinata's head.
"Itachi? What are you doing? I thought you went outside or something..." Kisame said. "How did you get back in?"
Itachi walked outide of his room, taking Kisame with him, and shut the door hastily. "Uhm, I... crawled through the window," he said rather lamely.
Kisame raised an eyebrow. "Really? Why?"
Itachi shrugged. "I guess I was feeling adventurous," he said awkwardly. Why couldn't he think of better excuses?
Kisame shrugged. "So... what did you find outside?" he asked.
Itachi coolly shrugged. "What I was looking for."
"Anything else?"
"Nothing else. Why are you on my back about this, anyway?"
/3
Hinata sat up in bed the second Itachi walked out the door and opened her eyes. She felt fine, but the only way that she could get in was to act as though she were very ill. ("Act like you're gonna die, un!") And ninja in her academy were taught that very well.
The Hyuuga creeped over to the door to listen to the rest of the conversation.
"I don't know!" Kisame said. "Sometimes you can find some pretty crazy, unexpected things outside?"
It was silent.
"Do you know, something, Kisame?" Itachi asked suspiciously.
Kisame was quiet. "No, I don't know anything," he finally said.
"Are you sure? Did you follow me and see something weird?"
"I swear, I saw nothing!" Kisame said, sounding desperate. "I didn't follow you!"
Once again, it was silent. "Well, if you did see something," Itachi said, "don't worry about it. I'm not going to stay quiet about it forever."
"When will you tell?" Kisame said in a hushed tone.
"Tomorrow," Itachi said.
Hinata frowned. She was already very nervous that she was there, but how would the rest of the Akatsuki react when they found out that she was there? What if they tried to kill her? Itachi wouldn't let that happen, would he?
/3
When Itachi came back into his room, he walked over to the bed and folded the covers off of Hinata's head. Her big eyes were still closed and she was as still as ever.
Itachi sat on the edge of the bed and kissed her softly on her forehead. She looked like an angel that had fallen from heaven. Although Itachi was worried, he was also happy to have her here with him.
Suddenly, the Hyuuga spoke. "How will they react when they find out I'm here?" she asked.
Itachi thought for a moment. How would they react? Would they be mad? Or would they be excited to have another member? "I'm not sure," he said honestly. "They can be kind of unpredictable." It was true. Sometimes, they could be as cold and serious as ever. And other times, they could be real drama queens. It was always a surprise to see how they would act every day. Always something new.
"Just know, Hinata," he said gently, "I don't think I've ever been happier."
Hinata smiled up at him. "M-me either," she said shyly. Although he still looked as serious and sullen as ever, Hinata knew that he was happy. And if he was, then so was she. Especially since he was there with her. She sat up. "Itachi," she said nervously.
Itachi never took her eyes off of her as he stroked her pale face. "What's wrong, Hinata?" he asked, concerned. "Would you like more rest?"
Hinata quickly shook her head. "N-no, please don't leave. It's just..."
"What?"
Hinata sighed. "Do I have to leave?" she asked, blushing.
Itachi cocked an eyebrow at her. "Don't you want to go home? To Konoha, and all your friends and... and family?"
Itachi still had a hard expression, but Hinata swore that she saw a pained look in the Uchiha's fake red eyes. His eyes quickly dropped to the ground, and his emotionless look returned.
Hinata sighed. "I miss my friends," she said honestly. "And my family." Neji, Hanabi, "but lately... if I had to go one way or another, I would want to stay here with you."
Itachi's eyes widened as he looked down at Hinata's sweet face. She blinked her large lavender-white eyes up at him. He wanted desperately for her to stay, and thought that she deserved to make her own choice.
He sighed. "Hinata, you know that you shouldn't just take your family and friends for granted like that," he said, closing his eyes. When they opened, they looked distant, as though he was looking straight into his past with sad eyes. "They love you and care for you. Don't you remember how they were when Sasuke left Konoha?"
Hinata gulped. "Yes..." she said quietly. They were still determined to get him back. She admired them for doing all they could to get their best friend back. It was amazing.
"Hinata, you can make your own choices," he said. "But do you really want your friends and family to have to worry more about yet another rogue ninja?"
Hinata sighed and stared out the wet window. "No one really cares about me, anyways," she said. "Everyone is just always telling me that I have to do better. The only one who has ever really loved me for who I am over there is Kiba." She felt a stabbing feeling in her chest when she said his name.
"I'm sure that you're overthinking," Itachi said. "They must love you. They would be crazy not to admire all the hard work you've put into your training. Hinata, you really are doing your best. You are so determined to be a great ninja, to impress everyone. I admire that about you. Hinata, you're amazing."
Hinata blushed. "Y-you really think so?"
"I know so."
Hinata couldn't stop the small smile that graced her lips. "Itachi, I really want to stay here with you," she said.
The Uchiha's brow furrowed. "You know that it's gonna be difficult," he said.
Hinata nodded.
"You may have to go to Konoha on missions, as well."
Hinata frowned and hesitated, but then nodded.
"Look, why don't you think about it a little more tonight? It's a really big decision, and it should not be taken lightly. This will affect your whole life."
"O-okay. Goodnight, Itachi."
Itachi stood up after kissing Hinata on the forehead. "Goodnight, Hinata."
He closed the door and turned out the lights before going downstairs...
... on the dreaded couch.
/3
"WHAT!" Konan exclaimed, chucking her glass of water across the kitchen. It hit the opposite wall and shattered into thousands of small shards. Water dripped down the wall where it had hit.
All the men of the Akatsuki stared in shock (or just emotionless stares) at the one and only female. She had her messy blue hair tied into a ratty bun. She didn't have her piercings in, and she was still in her pajamas. Her expression was filled with rage as she paced back and forth throughout the kitchen, mumbling, "I don't BELIEVE this!" Therefore, she took on the appearance of an abusive adult.
"Calm down, Konan, un," Deidara said carefully. "It's just one more member-"
"Just one more member, you say! What, were you in on this all along!"
"NO!" Kisame and Deidara both yelled at the same time.
There was an awkward silence as everyone stared at Kisame. Without another word, Kisame stood up from the large round table and walked out the kitchen door.
"Anyone ELSE have something to say about this? Are you guys really going to make such a big decision! Itachi, are you going to sleep on the couch every night!"
Itachi glared at Konan, but said nothing.
"WELL!" she shouted.
"KONAN!" Sasori yelled, pounding his fist on the table as he powerfully and boldly stood up, earning tons of respect from the rest of the intimidated members. "I know why you're angry, and it's the dumbest reason ever!"
Konan stared at the red haired man, dumbfounded.
Sasori walked over to Konan and placed his hard hands on her slim shoulders. "Konan, just because you're not the only female member, doesn't mean that you're always gonna have all the attention! The rest of us want the spotlight sometimes, too!"
Everyone was beginning to see Konan's expression change from furious to shock and fright. Because really, Sasori was yelling at her pretty loud.
"We all think that you're beautiful, okay! But I think that it's good for you to have another girl member! So you don't have to always hang around pathetic guys! ALL THE TIME!"
The Akatsuki groaned, offended at what Sasori had just said.
"NOW!" Sasori whipped around to face his fellow Akatsuki members, taking his hands off Konan's shoulders and raising them high in the air. "Fellow Akatsuki members!" he preached, "I declare that KONAN," he pointed an accusing finger at the grumpy girl, "is HIGH! And very covetous! 'Thou shalt not covet,' right, Hidan!"
Hidan just stared at Sasori like he was seeing a ghost.
The pupped master took this as a cue to continue his speech. "My dear friends! I believe that EVERY great, beautiful, hot or sexy girl ninja should have the chance to be in the Akatsuki!"
"Hold on now-" Itachi and Konan both protested in unison. But Sasori held up a hand to silence them.
"Take DEIDARA, for example! Deidara isn't the best ninja ever, and he MAY NOT be a girl, but if he WERE a girl, he would be pretty hot! That is my biggest confession that I will probably ever make!"
Deidara's face turned pale white. He hastily stood up and left the room, shaking in disgust.
The poor thing was probably scarred for life.
"Konan, I want you to go upstairs and THINK about what you have just said and done," Sasori snapped. "And don't you DARE touch the girl!"
Konan's eyebrows arched down angrily. She stamped her foot and glided out of the kitchen, lividly slamming the door behind her.
"Now," Sasori hissed, narrowing his eyes at the rest of the Akatsuki. "Does anyone else have anything to say regarding the Hyuuga!"
The room was silent. No one had ever seen Sasori in such a... disturbing state...?
"Good!" he said loudly, smacking the table, and looking everyone dead in the eye. "Now EVERYONE! Go upstairs and INTO YOUR ROOMS! And, like I have said to Konan... DON'T TOUCH THE HYUUGA GIRL!"
"Yes, Sasori!" several of them cried, while the others were already halfway out or already out the kitchen door.
Itachi was the last one out (after Hidan had complained "Don't we get to finish breakfast!" and Sasori freaking out: "NNNNOOOOOO! Upstairs, young man! NOW!") of the kitchen. He looked back at the readhead puppeteer, who was clutching the sides of the circular table and staring at the far wall, panting as though he had just run a marathon around the world.
"Sasori," Itachi said.
"Upstairs, Itachi," Sasori said. "You'll probably want to protect that girl. She's important to you, right?" Sasori didn't take his eyes off the wall.
Itachi narrowed his red eyes. "I just wanted to tell you... how weird that was."
Silence.
"I hated it," Itachi said. With that, he closed the door and calmly walked up to his room.
And THAT was his way of saying, "Thanks for having my back... even though you could've been a little nicer to the others about it."
He opened up his door to find Hinata, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Well," he said, "it looks like you've got a new home, now."
Finally get what y'all wanted? Because I know I did XD Now I'm gonna go and look at some smokin' pictures of Wentworth Miller 3 Please review! And I'll SURPRISE YOU! With something great! Like some MILK to go with those brownies... Okay, I know that's lame... I'll think of something better, I promise! Just review and keep me motivated! XD