Chapter 32

AN: Kishimoto owns all except my characters-Kiminari, and Kimiko, and later characters. Also I'm probably not going to follow any of the story line except a few small things. I may take the characters outside their natural personalities, but that's because it's my story, and it'll add to it. Another thing: since I'm not following the story line of the series- All main (good) characters will start out the same age as they should be, but even though the Akatsuki will be around, the war will not happen until later; if it does at all. Again this is because I'm making up my own story line; it gets kinda boring when nothing has changed and, you readers would be able to guess what was going to happen all the time. So, enjoy, and please comment, review, rate, whatever you wanna do. :D

P.S. I don't like to go into detail to tell you things most of you already know, and if you don't already know them, then it's best I don't tell you.

Sure enough, three days later, Obito came to find me saying that I needed to follow him, and that a large group from Konoha was here. He explained to me that Kazuma was already aware of what he was to do, and what he was to tell Haru once they were safely away from here. When he was done explaining, he told me he was going to lock me in my room with a seal so it would appear that I was there against my will. He knew I would play the part.

Before he left, I gave him a quick hug. "By Tobi." I said with a small giggle. "Be sure to give that to Kazuma and Haru for me." He gave me a quick hug back, then left. I was really going to miss this crazy dysfunctional group I'd started to consider family.

I was pacing in my room about fifteen minutes after he'd left, listening to the noises of the fights happening outside, hoping no one from either side was getting hurt. Finally, I heard someone coming down the hallway.

Sure enough, they sensed the seal, and broke it. As they barged in, I recognized the person as Neji Hyuuga. We'd never talked much when I was in Konoha, but I knew he would know who I was. He saw me standing there with a look on my face that, although was really one of worry, probably looked to him like one of fear.

"Uchiha Kimiko?" He asked. I nodded. "Are you alright?" He asked.

I answered honestly. "I'm scared." And I was: for my family; both sides.

At that he walked across the small room towards me. I backed off a little, wondering what he might do. He paused and said. "Come with me, Kimiko. It's not safe here right now. We'll take you back home." I nodded slightly and allowed him to lead me gently from the room.

We left the cave, and I noticed that Sakura had done a good deal of damage to parts of it on the outside. When we finally got outside, I pretended like the bright light hurt my eyes –it did a little, so it wasn't hard. When I'd finally regained my vision, I saw Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, Ten Ten, Lee, and Guy, all standing, looking at me in shock.

"Kimiko?" Kakashi asked first. I nodded again. He took a few steps towards me and I pressed myself closer into Neji –I will have to admit, I was a little nervous around them. "Kimiko, you do remember us, right?" He asked. I pretended to look at each of them. They had hardly changed at all.

"Yeah." I said, my voice playing it up perfectly, as I had been trying not to cry ever since Obito had left. As a look of relief flashed across everyone's face, I decided to just let it go; I broke down. Seeing this, Neji allowed Kakashi to pick me up and carry me as they made their way back to Konoha. It had been a long time since I'd seen the man who had once been a father-figure to me, and I was perfectly content in simply crying into his shoulder; letting out all the anger and sadness I felt at having to leave the place I'd learned to call a real home. Sure, Konoha had been great, but not even Kakashi had loved me like my father had-he'd been more like Obito, like an uncle of sorts- and no one else had accepted me as easily as the Akatsuki had-they were pretty open to just about anyone who could hold their own. I was really going to miss them. I just hoped that Haru and Kazuma made it out alright.

We traveled for probably four hours before it got dark. I knew from memory of the surrounding area, that we were only five miles or so outside the village. I knew what was coming next, and I was really, really scared now.

They had not tried to confine me in anyway, nor tried to block me in, so I knew they trusted me to an extent. However I had noticed that Sakura had slipped some chakra draining pills into the food they'd given me. They still remembered how strong I was; it wasn't enough to completely keep me from using it, but I wouldn't be able to do anything big for very long.

Kakashi approached me and sat down beside me. I looked up and me his eyes, giving him a small but grateful smile. "Was it the Akatsuki who took you?" I shook my head.

I decided to lie and say, "No, some big guy did. I never found out who he was. He got me with a poisoned dart, but when I woke up, he was dead. Some guy from the Akatsuki had killed him for a bounty." He nodded for me to continue. "I don't exactly know what they wanted with me; they never really said anything. I had to stay in my room most of the time, but every once in a while, they'd let me train with two other kids they kept there."

"What were their names?" He asked.

"One was Kazuma, and the other was Haru. The only thing I know about them is that they're both seventeen, and they were both hostages too. Kazuma was taken from a nearby village about the same time as me, and Haru was Deidara's brother. He told me about how Deidara had lost a bet with Itachi and was forced to join the Akatsuki; he said something about Haru, his adopted brother, and then they kidnapped him. Again around the same time as us. We guessed they were trying to start something, but they never did anything with us. We just had to stay in our rooms for what, almost three years?" I finished, adding up time on my hand, and having recalled my old friends was able to let a few more tears add to my story making it seem genuine.

Kakashi wrapped an arm around me and just sat like that until I had stopped crying. When I had, I looked up and said, "Is Gaara-sama really dead?" He looked at me shocked. "I overheard Itachi saying something about it, but is it true?" I had a look of longing in my eyes; longing for him to be alive.

He nodded and I allowed, yet again a few more tears, hugging him in the process. Geez, if I cry much more, I'll run out of tears. I thought to myself. He patted me on the back, and asked, "Did Itachi ever find out you were an Uchiha." I stiffened a little, then nodded. "That's why he told you about Gaara, then." I looked up to him confused. "To see if you had or would awaken your Sharingan." He clarified.

I gasped; my Mangekyou. He looked at me again. "Did you awaken it more?" He asked, clearly hoping I had not. I nodded, slowly. He gave me a sad sort of look, then said. "I'm sorry for the pain you suffered for it, but I think you'll be glad to know that, although he did die, a woman named Chiyo, was kind enough to swap her life for his." I was shocked. I'd heard about the possibility of that, but never thought anyone would ever try it.

"Is he OK now?" I asked, worried.

"Shocked, but OK, yes." He answered.

After a while, he finally decided to say what he knew he'd have to:

"Kimiko, I know it's going to be hard for you, but I need to interrogate you. If you'd rather not say things aloud, I can just use the Sharingan." He offered, and I nodded. "Whenever you're ready." He said, offering me time to mentally prepare myself. And to hide certain thoughts.

I nodded. I had already experienced my father doing this once. The Sharingan could cause painful things when its user wanted to, but when used like this, though, it gave the receiver a very odd feeling, one similar to floating. I assumed it was because it felt like something was moving around in your brain. It was indeed odd though.

When he was done, he smiled through his mask, and, with a relieved look, turned to the others and said, "She's all clear." I smiled back at them but was soon knocked over by an overenthusiastic Naruto, who had decided I needed a hug. Well, at least he was ready to go back to the old times.

AN: Don't forget about the drawing entries! If you would like, I'm starting a competition. Just send me a link in the reviews, or on private messaging of a drawing, sketch, or painting of your favorite characters from my stories. You may include characters that are from the actual universe, but all entries must include at least one of the stories OCs. I'll start the first drawing on March 1, but if you're just reading, don't worry. I plan to continue this for a while