The next morning my alarm instantly gave me a headache. Getting up, feeling worse than before I dressed like the other day, covering my pale face and dark circles with make up and loaded everything into my sidecar and then called Sasuke's cell, knowing he'd almost be at school by now.
He answered and I said, "Hey Sasuke, how's school?"
He said, "Not bad, those punks haven't bothered us again. and everything else is going smoothly, right Naruto?"
I heard Naruto in the back ground agree and Sasuke asked, "How about you?"
I said cheerfully, "Fine, just heading to work. Call me if you need anything."
He agreed and we hung up and I headed to work. Going in and getting to my office I set the done work aside and got out the work that needed to be done. I got done just after noon and sighed in relief. Then the phone rang and I answered it. The receptionist said, "Ma'am, Kisame is on the line."
I told her to put me through and he said in a horrible sick voice, "Hey um, I caught a cold. And can't come in to work. Sorry Ariana, but can you finish my work? I swear I'll be back by Friday."
I felt my heart sink at the thought of more work and said cheerfully, "Sure, no problem. But you owe me cake."
He coughed and said, "Deal, thanks a million."
We said bye, "Don't die idiot." "Bite me witch." And I went to grab the box of work that wasn't even started on yet. Sighing I set it on my desk, squared my shoulders and got to work.
Four hours later, I felt myself nodding off and saw that it was 5pm. Gathering the box up and my own work for the day, I blew my nose and went home.
Getting home I groaned and plopped on the couch, "Dammit, I feel like crap."
My phone rang and I answered grumpily, "Go away."
"Is that anyway to talk to your boss?"
I shot up and gasped, "Itachi! Hi! Sorry about that."
"It's fine. So how are things? I got a call from Kisame, he has a cold?"
I stood and went into the kitchen to make some tea, "Yeah, I'm doing his work. I'm done with mine so I should get his done before you get back."
Suddenly feeling a cough coming on, I didn't hear what he said as I held the phone away and coughed into a rag. Bringing it back to my ear he asked, "You ok? You sound weird."
I chuckled and said, "Yeah, I just drank some water that went down the wrong pipe. So how's the buisness trip?"
He sighed, "Boring, and not worth my time. But I want this over and done with so I guess I'll have to live with it."
I cooed, "Aww, poor Itachi."
He snorted, "Whatever. I just wanted to check in."
I said cheerfully, "Everything is fine."
He sounded pleased, "Good, see you in a few days."
We said bye and right after I hung up another coughing fit came on. I added honey to my tea and drank it in relief to get rid of my sore throat. Sighing I went back to the couch, feeling a chill and wrapped myself in a blanket. Taking up the work once more, I tackled it thinking of ways to torture Kisame once he got back.
I got half of it done before I fell asleep and woke up to my alarm. I stood and groaned, feeling cramped for sleeping curled up on the couch. Gathering everything I quickly got ready and stashed cough drops in my pocket and went to work.
0o0
I sat at my desk with a sigh, feeling tired and achy. The phone rang and Naruko pleaded, "Can you come down, their at it again."
I sighed and went back to the fashion department. Sasori and Deidara were dueling with manequens and I stood next to Naruko and asked, "How long?"
She said, "20 minutes. I thought they'd get tired by now."
I sighed tiredly and she looked at me in worry, "You ok?"
I nodded, waving her off and grabbed a ruler. Going up to them I swung with a snap, "Knock it off!" and smacked them both across the face. They groaned and dropped the maniquens to hold their faces. I growled, "What is going on here?"
Sasori pointed to Deidara, "He's an idiot and wants to put a blue skirt with a yellow shirt!"
Deidara yelled, "It would look better then orange and blue!"
They reached for the manequens and I asked, "Why not both?"
They stared at me and I motioned for Naruko's help and she held up a sketch, "Half and half, with stars and flowers."
They took it, looked at each other and added a bit and showed it to us. Naruko smiled, "Perfect!"
They grinned and I said, "Next time, get her opinion before battling."
They agreed, minds already at work to do the design. I rolled my eyes, winked at Naruko and headed back up to my office. Plopping in my chair, I leaned back and rubbed my eyes, praying I could hold out until Kisame or Itachi got back.
I didn't know I fell asleep until I woke up to Naruko shaking me awake and asking worried, "Ariana, you ok? Your burning up."
I sat up quickly and looked at the time. It was seven o clock. I groaned, "I didn't get anything done."
I gathered the work and she asked, "Are you sick? Shouldn't you take it easy?"
I shook my head and regretted it as everything spun. I paused and waited for everything to still and said, "I'm fine. I just need to finish these."
She looked about to argue and I said, "look, Kisame's out sick and Itachi won't be back until Saturday. I just have two more days till the weekend and I can rest then."
I pleaded with my eyes for her to understand and she sighed, "Alright, fine." I smiled and we headed down to my bike and I drove us home and she helped me take things to my apartment. I settled down on the couch to work and she left, only to come back with a bowl of soup and tea.
I blinked at her and she said sternly, "Eat what you can and I won't call Itachi."
I grimaced and set aside the papers and worked with my rebellious stomach to eat half of it. Then I sipped the tea as I worked. I thanked her and she nodded and went back home, taking the dishes with her. I worked and worked until i got Kisame's work done and then I staggered to bed and collapsed.
I woke up the next morning I only felt a bit dizzy and tired. Shaking it off, I took medicine and headed to work. I was able to finish Kisame's and my work that didn't get done while I worked on the boxes, before falling asleep at my desk.
There Naruko found me and woke me up. I felt better and we headed home, her looking relieved when I told her. Then the phone rang and the Principal said, "Ma'am, would you mind coming over please?"
I sighed, dropped Naruko off and went to see what the fuss was about. Like before Naruto and Sasuke were next to one wall and Suigetsu, Sai and Danzo was next to the other, minus Sakura. And this time Suigetsu and Sai looked worse for wear.
I sighed, "Ok, what happened?"
The Principal sighed with me, "Suigetsu insulted Sasuke's parents, and that started the fight."
I stiffened and turned to glare at Suigetsu, "Oh? And what did he say?" the Principal looked at me warily and said, "He said that they were worthless Uchiha's who were right to get in a drunk car accident."
He stopped as the room seemed to drop to freezing and I said coldly, "Did he now? And what would you know of the matter Suigetsu? Who the hell are you to say something like that?"
Suigetsu, along with the rest of his family, stared at me fearfully and Danzo lifted his chin and said angrily, "Well, the point is that they weren't around to teach this welp manners! He's an ungrateful, no good bastards son! And Naruto is no better!"
Before anyone could prevent me, I grabbed Danzo by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the wall, holding him off his feet, "You're the worthless no good bastards son who needs to learn manners!"
He struggled and I raised my fist. The Principal raced to stop me, as did Danzo's sons. But my fist flew. It slammed into the wall beside Danzo's head, causing a hole to form. I dropped him and he shook from where he collapsed on the floor.
I growled, "you say something like that again, and I won't miss next time." My threat went to his sons too as they stared in horror at the wall. I spun to the principal and said, "Sorry about the wall sir, I'll send a check."
I motioned to Sasuke and Naruto and they followed me out. I looked at them fearcly and said, "Don't you dare believe a single poisonous word that man or his welps say! I should of hit him!"
I punched my hand and Naruto smiled and said softly, "Thank you for sticking up for us Ariana."
Sasuke nodded and I smiled at them, "My pleasure. Now lets go home." Naruto gasped and said, "I forgot my bag! Hang on!"
We waited next to the front door as he ran down the hall and Danzo and his son's walked by, glaring and left without a word. I smirked, "How much do you want to bet I made them wet their pants?"
Sasuke chuckled, "Nothing, because your right."
I chuckled with him and Naruto ran up. We went outside and got on the bike, Danzo no where in sight. I started the bike and this time Sasuke and Naruto wanted to sit with each other in the side car. I let them and we headed for home.
We drove down the streets and a flash of Danzo's smirking face flitted through my mind and a green light changed to red. I tried to slow, but as I squeezed the brakes, nothing happened.
I gasped, horror and panic threatening to swamp me, "My brakes!"
Sasuke and Naruto looked at me in horror and I saw we were heading right for traffic. Reaching down I grabbed the pin that connected the car to the bike and yanked. Sasuke screamed, "Ariana!"
The side car instantly bent sideways and the side without the wheel hit the ground and they skid to a stop. Me on the other hand was still going and I knew this was going to hurt. I yanked the bike sideways to try and be missed by the on coming traffic.
But I couldn't yank it far enough because being sick made me too weak. "Dammit! This is going to hurt!"
I couldnt' do anything but watch in horror as a truck hit the back of my bike first. I screamed, trying to do something. But nothing seemed to work before another truck coming in the opposite direction hit me dead on. I felt myself flying, then everything went black. All I could hear was someone screaming my name.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Sasuke and Naruto raced for Ariana's lifeless body, traffic completely stopped and someone was already calling for an ambulance. Sasuke knelt next to her and saw with relief that she was breathing. Naruto called Naruko as the ambulance arrived and they got in with Ariana. One of the parametics asked, "And who are you?"
They both said, "Her nephews."
He nodded and said, "She's in bad shape. I can't guarentee anything."
Naruto leaned against Sasuke, who held him close as they watched Ariana take one labored breath after another. As they got to the hospital, she was rushed to the ER and they sat in the waiting room. Sasuke took out his phone and called his brother.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Itachi froze as a chill went down his spine and he looked around warily. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he entered the office to finish signing the papers. He smiled to himself at getting the deal closed early so that he could get home.
The moron's smiled as he signed and he then went to go back to his hotel and rest. His phone rang and he saw that it was Sasuke, "Hello Little Brother."
He paused and a look of horror covered his face, "I'll take the first flight out. Yes. Just stay calm, I'll be back soon."
He hung up and ran to pack his things and take the first flight back.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Naruko hummed as she finished with a design and her cell rang. She sang as she answered, "Hello?"
She froze as Naruto talked, nearly sobbing as she heard sirens in the back ground. She dropped everything, grabbed her coat and said, "I'll be right there."
She raced out, calling a taxi and yelled for the driver to step on it to the hospital.
