**Authors note: I am currently one or two chapters away from finishing the Twelve Gaurdian Arc. :D Woooooooooo. Haha I am really excited to get this chapter out :3 So please, please, please tell me whatcha think. Vote, comment and enjoy!**
Shikamaru
I walked back into the hospital. I figured after Asuma-Sensei told everyone to leave it had to be something important. So instead of eating BBQ with the others, I told them I had to help my Dad with something. Instead, I was returning to Kakashi-Sensei's room. I opened the door and they turned.
"You guys don't need to leave me out of this. I'm just as concerned about the Akatsuki as you are" I started as I entered the room making sure to slide the door closed behind me.
"And Naruto is he going to be okay? What if those guys from the Akatsuki attack, even Gaara couldn't-?"
"You're right; he wouldn't be able to do it." Kakashi Sensei interrupted.
"Naruto said Rin was there to help Gaara, even Temari told that they were..." I stopped I couldn't bring myself to say it. I glanced up and noticed Kakashi sensei's eye on me.
"She was there and she helped, but we can't keep assuming she'll come to the rescue." Kakashi replied.
"Besides if she shows weakness they'll kill her. They keep her around for her skill but that'll only keep her alive for so long. If she betrays them again it'll be her life to pay." He continued.
"They'd just throw her away like that?" I asked feeling a spark in me and he nodded.
"They don't care about Rin. Her skill can be taught to others. They only tolerate her because of her dark chakra."
"What's so special about it?" I questioned and Asuma sensei sighed as he leaned against the window sill.
"Dark ninjutsu was forbidden after the first ninja war. Not only because of its power but also how quickly it killed the user. They thought after forbidding the practice it would disappear and for a while it did until Rin." He explained.
"But why doesn't it kill her?" I asked and looked at Kakashi sensei when he sighed.
"We don't know"
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Sasuke
I hated this part of any fight I had with Rin, the guilt and then the apology. I knew she had to head out soon which is why I didn't want us parting on bad terms. I didn't knock when I got to her room; I just pushed open the doors. There she was staring at a map that was surrounded by four pictures.
"This is Akatsuki business you really shouldn't be in here right now." She said flatly as she circled something on the map and glanced down at a scroll on her desk.
"I wanted to talk" I said and she sighed.
"I don't have time; I have to track down four idiots who think it's fun to rob graves. Reminds me of Kakuzu" She muttered and I didn't bother asking her who that was.
"I wanted to apologize" I continued and she put down the scroll.
"You know if you use apologize so much it starts to lose meaning."
"I know, I just shouldn't have..."
"You called me a tool, a tool Sasuke and you pulled your Katana on me. I thought we were past all this!" She shouted turning to face me.
"I know, I just didn't want the leaf knowing you were my weakness"
"Oh yeah cause the great Sasuke Uchiha can't have a weakness" She shot back and I forced back a glare.
"It was so you'd be safe! You're a strong weakness to have Rin but you're still a weakness. That puts not just me but you in danger." It fell silent then as she stared at me. She sighed as she ran a hand through her hair.
"Just don't do it again, alright?" I nodded then and she turned back to the wall as I walked up to her.
"Are these your new targets?" She nodded.
"Fudo, Fuen, Fuka and Furido who also goes by Kazuma, they're lurking around somewhere in the land of fire"
"I thought you didn't take an assignment involving the leaf?"
"They're not leaf shinobi and they're not in the leaf otherwise they'd be a lot easier to track" She replied frowning slightly.
"Do you have any leads?" I asked and she nodded pointing to where she had circled.
"There was an attack on a small village near the border, it wasn't the Akatsuki so that's where I'll start. Other than that the grave robberies all center on the fire temple. It'll be a harder to get in there but if the village comes up dry then that's where I'll be headed." She explained as she took her belt off her bed post and snapped it on.
"You're leaving right away?"
"The sun is starting to set, easiest time of day to use the transportation jutsu" She replied as she slid her katana into her belt. She grabbed her black cloak and slid it around her shoulders. I watched as she did a hand sign and looked back at the map just as it all burst into flames.
"Anyways Kabuto tells me that Orochimaru is going back into hiding, I probably won't get to see you for a few weeks"
"I know" I replied and she smiled slightly.
"Take care of yourself and just be you when I come back alright?" I sighed lightly but nodded.
"You too" She smiled again and gave my shoulder a tight squeeze.
"See you in a few weeks" I nodded slightly watching as walked into the shadows of her room and waited until her presence was gone. I sighed lightly; it was going to be a long few weeks.
Rin
I stepped out of the shadows of a group of trees and walked to the edge of the cliff over-looking the village, or rather what was left of it. It was heavily damaged and I doubted that I'd get any useful information. I jumped from the cliff and kicked off a roof before sliding along the ground. I looked around at the wreckage; it was even worse up close. I pushed back my hood and walked towards a small group of people. They stared up at me with fear in their eyes.
"Who did this?" I asked.
"We don't know" One replied quietly and I sighed.
"Someone had to have seen something" I insisted but they shook their heads. I sighed as I reached into my pouch and they flinched away.
"Relax alright, here you need this more than I do" They stared at me as I offered them a small pack. One of the children got up and slowly took it from my hand.
"Are you here to help us?" He asked and I nodded.
"Maybe, but you need to help me first. I need to know who did this. Did you see anything at all?"
"I-I can't remember much, just screaming and fire and four people"
"What did they look like?" He shrugged as I let the pack drop in his hands.
"I don't know they were w-wearing hats that had four lines on them" I raised an eye.
"You're sure about that?" He nodded and I sighed.
"Alright thank you for your help" I told him before standing straight again and walking off. Four lines meant the hidden rain village but Pein wold have mentioned if they were from his village, it had to be a cover. They probably needed someone to frame. I was about to jump back to the roofs that was until my body stopped moving.
"What the..." I tried to take a step but my body wouldn't respond and instead turned while I tried to fight it. I stared down wide-eyed following my shadow as it connected with another.
"No way" I breathed.
"Shadow possession jutsu complete"
Shikamaru
I knew she was fighting to look up but I forced her to as I stepped out from behind the house. I had seen her speaking with the villagers and decided to follow. I had nearly run right up to her but luckily common sense took over. I met her gaze then and I could see the surprise as she stared back. She was beautiful, more beautiful than I had remembered. I wanted to tell her but chose another approach.
"So you're behind this?" I asked and she attempted to shake her head.
"You could at least say something; it's been what, three years almost?" She glanced away from me.
"I have nothing to say" She replied finally and I felt my heart skip a beat at the sound of her voice.
"No apology, no oh hey I betrayed the leaf but I'm all for helping the Kazekage if he needs it. Or I can't be with you but I can be with Gaara"
"You're with Temari!" She shouted suddenly and I fell silent. She sighed.
"Look I didn't do this and it wasn't the Akatsuki so could you just let me go. I'm on assignment"
"No, you're coming back to the leaf"
"I don't have time for this Shikamaru, I have to hunt down some grave robbers"
"Then why are you here?"
"Because this attack wasn't of the Akatsuki I wanted to know who did, it could have been my targets." She replied firmly. I knew she wasn't lying but I couldn't just let her run off. I sighed as I began to walk towards her and felt her reluctance as she was forced to follow.
"I don't want to hurt you Shikamaru."
"Don't worry" I replied and stopped at an arm's reach from her.
"You won't have too" I slammed the side of my hand into her neck and caught her before she hit the ground.
"Hey Shikamaru Asuma sensei wants..." I turned as Jazmine slowed to a stop her eyes widening as she stared at the figure in my arms.
"I-Is that..." I nodded.
"We're taking her back to the village, she might know something about the Akatsuki and what happened around here."
"But Shikamaru, they'll torture her if she doesn't cooperate. She killed four of our Anbu when she left, Lady Tsunade won't go easy on her." I shrugged as I lifted her over my shoulder.
"We need information and she has it, if I let her go that makes me an accomplice"
"But its Rin, she's your best friend. You can't hurt her." She argued.
"Why not? She hurt me."
"Revenge isn't going to make you feel better, you'll only regret turning her in." She objected as I began walking.
"Maybe and then again maybe not. I guess we'll find out"
"Shikamaru you can't just do this, you'll put the leaf and yourself in danger too. Sasuke will come after her or Itachi, what if they send the Akatsuki?" She tried.
"What do they care?"
"You know just as well as I do that she's their weakness."
"Let her brothers come, she'll be under the strictest guard and as for the Akatsuki well they don't give a damn about her." I replied.
"Don't do this Shikamaru, I know you still love her!" I stopped walking then and turned to face Jazmine who was just a few paces behind me.
"No, I'm with Temari"
"But you love Rin, you always have even after she left." She insisted.
"How can I love someone who hurt me!?" I shouted and Jazmine fell silent as she stared at me.
"Because she's your best friend, and hurting her isn't going to make the pain you feel any less. It'll only make it worse." I held Rin a little tighter and turned my back to Jazmine.
"I don't love her" I finished but even as I said the words I knew I wasn't trying to convince Jazmine that they were true, I was trying to convince myself.