Disclaimer: I wish I owned Naruto. But guess what? Dreams don't always come true.

I am Uchiha Akane, and I was the youngest member to join the Akatsuki. Four, to be exact.

No, Konan-chan and Pein-sempai didn't kidnap me or anything. No, I'm not some tragically orphaned baby either, or at least, I don't think I am. I joined on my own volition, which might have been a rash decision for a toddler. But I wasn't just any toddler. And I didn't really take no for an answer.

Blurs of brown and gray flashed past as Pein ran across the muddy swamps of Amegakure. Beside him, Konan had a stiff, stone-faced expression as she ran along. They had just finished their first official Akatsuki mission. The first step to a greater, more peaceful future. But they both knew that the path to the future was to be riddled with bloodstains; they both weren't sure they were quite ready for it.

No words were exchanged as they both released the genjustu, the grimy landscape dissolving into a gaping cave. As they quickly slipped inside, Pein stayed behind for a second, delaying the restoration of the genjustu. He felt a small chakra presence slowly approach. Patiently, he awaited it's arrival. That was no animal's chakra.

"Hello mister." A toddler waddled up to him, matted hair swinging behind her as wide eyes looked up at the cloaked figure. Pein had to tilt his head downwards to see the child.

"Hello," he greeted coolly, studying the girl. Her accent wasn't Ame, but it still sounded familiar to him. Pein thought back… Where had he heard this before?

Suddenly, he remembered and his eyes widened a fraction. Konoha! Her accent was the same as Shimura Danzo. A sour taste pervaded his mouth as he thought of the man. The toddler stared back at him patiently, not answering his response. He inspected the child more closely.

Black hair, black eyes, fair skin… She was completely and utterly Uchiha. Her chubby baby and dirt-blackened skin couldn't disguise the sharp, intelligent facial structure resembling the rest of the clan, who he had seen in bingo books.

'Kami,' Pein thought, 'how did she get all the way to Ame?' Eying the child warily, he decided to go with plan B.

"Konan? I could use your assistance." She flitted over and raised one indigo eyebrow at the girl.

Pein used hand signs behind his back. Kid… Konoha… Fire… Help… Konan rolled her eyes. Pein needed help talking to a baby?

"Hey sweetie," Konan kneeled down. "What are you doing all the way out here? Where's your mommy and daddy?"

The child's lower lip trembled. "Mommy? Daddy?" Tears started pooling in he eyes.

"Hey, hey… What's your name?" Salty tracks started cutting down her dirty cheeks.

Konan looked at Pein and shrugged helplessly. He looked decidedly uncomfortable.

Go… To… Konoha… she signed with one hand, the other reaching out to pat the girl.

You… Go… Pein argued back. Why does he have to deal with her?

Konan huffed. Mission… Chakra… Low…

Pein sighed, but gently held onto the girl's sleeve, keeping her as far away from his body as possible while still having a good grip. He flinched slightly when she wound her muddy hand around his. And then they disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Pein was standing outside Konoha's gates, 1200 miles away from their hideout. The toddler looked up at him in awe, a little gasp of joy escaping her. He pointedly scanned the area, avoiding her curious gaze. 'Good. No one's here.' Bumping into a ninja of one of the Great Five Nations wouldn't have been a great idea for a missing-nin.

Pein pointed to the open gates, where two sleeping chunin leaned against, snoring. "Go there," he said quietly.

"No!" the toddler shrieked, grabbing onto his leg and burying her face in his cloak. Pein scanned the area alarmed. Had someone heard? If they didn't sense his chakra before, they surely did now.

Soon enough, he felt chakra signatures closing in on him. He desperately pulled at the clinging child, trying to pry her off his leg.

"Come on now," he whispered, "you have to go home now." She held on tighter.

It was no use. If he didn't leave now, they might spot him. Reluctantly, Pein shunshined back to the base. Konan as waiting there expectantly.

"This child," he spat, gesturing to the baby attached to his calf, "almost made me get caught by Konoha."

"Stay," the girl mumbled into his clothes. "I wanna stay."

Konan grinned cheerily. "Well, I guess that's that. We have to keep her."

Pein blinked twice. "What?"

Yeah, that was me.

Hey guys! Sorry for not updating this story for awhile, I published a few one-shots instead. This is the third chappie of... Crap, I just forgot the name of this story.

Whatever.

But anyways, I made this one a while ago, so yeah, it might not be the best. Oh, and I changed the name of the OC. It's Akane now. I just thought it would fit better than Kimi. Tell me how you like it :)

Thanks to everyone who bothered to read my story, and to those who reviewed/followed/favorited, 3 3 3

Comment if you have any story ideas, for one-shots or extras or chapters. My creative energy is running low ;)