Ch.14: Keep Your Friends Close and Your Enemies Closer

Neji pov

"So that's your plan? You want me to lure him out so you can raid his house for a little girl? What are you a pedophile?" I growled. The demon called Zabuza glared at me, his partner Haku stared at me. "What's so special about this girl anyway?" I asked. I wasn't about to go after a child, my only target was Sasuke and even that was personal revenge. "You let us worry about that. You distract the Uchiha and his familiar." Zabuza said. "Let me stop you right there. I'll need assistance doing that. Him I can take but having her there will hinder our plan." I said. Haku took a step forward, "It may set us back a day or two but if we could possibly take away his blood source then he'd be weakened. Also we could learn their routines..." "No that will take to long. You hunter will eliminate his blood supply and Haku when you see an opening you take his familiar out." Zabuza said. We nodded, looking at me he seemed to smile behind the wraps around his face. "Get going. We make our move today." I nodded in understanding.

It took at least four hours but finally the waiting paid off. A blonde came looking for the blood suckers liquid power. "Giving a blood transfusion are we?" I asked while walking into his way. The color drained from his face. "Naruto Uzumaki...your the vamp demons butler right?" I asked. No answer which I found to be rude, "I'm going to have to stop you right here. That blood will not reach him." "You think your going to stop me?" He bravely replide. He talked a big game but I knew his type. A failure and once a failure, always a failure.

Sakura pov

Huffing I rolled over. Sitting up I rubbed my eyes then tried to brush my hair back into semi neatness with my fingers. I just remembered that I was no longer at my house, I was at Sasuke's and I couldn't let him see my morning mode plus I still needed to change and shower. I climbed out of bed, found some clothes and walked to the bathroom. On my way I heard a door click open. Turning I saw a sleepy looking Toshida come stumbling out of Sasuke's room. "Morning Toshida. What were you doing in Sasuke's room?" I asked semi curious. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, "I had a nightmare last night so I went to sleep next to daddy so he could keep the monsters away." She said, I smiled. Maybe Sasuke can be a good guy sometimes. "Hey Toshida would you like to take a bath with me?" I asked. Her face brightened, "Really!?" Her response made me giggle, "Yes. Go get you some clothes."

The water was nice and hot. I washed Toshida's purple hair, I was amazed at the vibrant color. Once we were done we got dressed and headed downstairs to find Naruto putting breakfast on the table. "Your up early." He just smiled then sat down plates full of bacon, toast, and eggs. "Wow trying to feed an army?" I joked. The blonde shrugged, "It's rare I get to cook real food for anyone. Sasuke usually just drinks..." He caught himself before going on and saying, "Rootbeer or eats Tomatoes and pizza." Toshida began to eat as if everything was normal. Taking a bite I moaned, the food was excellent. "Mmm. Great food Naruto!" Said blonde blushed at my comment. "Na it's not that good. Me...I'd rather have ramen." To prove his point he pulled a steaming cup-o-ramen out of the microwave.

After gulping it down he sighed, patted his stomach then frowned. Cursing under his breath he walked into the next room. "Everything ok?" I asked Naruto. "I just have to go get Sasuke some more uh Rootbeer. He's out. If it's ok will you watch Sasuke till I'm back?" He asked as tho Sasuke was a child he was baby sitting. "Um sure." "Thanks. I won't be long." And with that he walked out. I sat at the table and sighed, I noticed Sasuke hasn't been up yet. "Why havn't you gone to school?" Toshida asked me as she downed her fourth cup of chocolate milk. "Our mission is to stay here and protect you. So to do that we're staying home." I explained. Her eyes seemed to shimmer, "Ooohhhh so cool."

An hour passed. Naruto hasn't come back and Sasuke still hasn't gotten up I began to get bored with a mixture of worry. "Hey Sakura! Can we go for a walk!?" Toshida asked. I remembered Naruto said not to leave but there was nothing here to do. "Sure let's go." I said unaware that the moment we stepped out of the front door we were being watched.

Haku pov

I was unprepared for the familiar to have a little girl with her. I watched from a distance as they exited the building, "Well that was easy. Now just to follow them around and wait for my moment to take the familiar out. I stared at her a couple more seconds, last time we met I didn't get to look at her properly. She wasn't bad looking tho she lacked in the chest department. The girl at her side threw me off. I followed them to the store where they bought some lunches then went to the park where they sat. Now was my chance.

The park was clear and there was a chill in the air. I could have attacked her right off but my mission was to only keep her busy. "Aww didn't get me anything? How sad." Her head snapped in my direction. Once our eyes locked she jumped to her feet, I was surprised to see little pink cat ears appear out of the top of her head. "What do you want?" She growled. I took out a steel needle and touched the tip with my finger, "I'm just here to keep you occupied" With a quick movement I chucked the needle at them. She jumped on top of the girl barely dodging the needle but of course I had a follow up. I ran at her, sitting up she only had time to blink before I kicked her in the ribs causing her to go rolling across the ground.

"Stop hurting my mommy!" The purple haired girl yelled. Jumping up she surprised me with a kick but her body wasn't suited for combat. Blocking it I back handed her. "Don't touch her!!" A flash of pink and I was skidding backwards. The familiar stood in front of the girl, could that really be her daughter? No...she's to young to have a daughter that old. So wrapped up in my thoughts I missed her coming at me. Pain flashed through my cheek as her fist connected. Falling back I smiled, "Seems your not just going to sit there and behave." "Like I would. You said your here to keep me busy, right? That means your after Sasuke." Standing I brushed myself off, "Well I'm not but your kinda right. Either way your not leaving any time soon." I said while taking a steel needle in each hand. She glared at me, her bright emerald eyes drove me crazy. I couldn't wait to see that light disappear.

Sasuke pov

Click. I started to stir once my bedroom door shut. Toshida must have left, yawning I just continued to lay there not wanting to get up and deal with the crap of the day. My phone started to rumbled on my night stand, grabbing it I clicked the green phone. "Hello?" "Sasuke it's Ino. What's up? Hope you don't mind but I have your number now." She said in a rush. "It's fine. What do you need?" I asked. "Oh just calling to see how you feel today." I was starting to become confused. "Um...I'm ok." She was quiet for a moment then laughed nervously. "So your not feeling any um...strong connections to Sakura or any...let's say love?" Ok now I knew something was up. "What are you talking about?" I asked. "Oh nothing...what's she doing?" "I don't know. Call her." I hung up. I hated talking over the phone especially to people who talked a mile a minute.

Climbing out of bed I went to the bathroom then downstairs but found myself alone. No one else was here but me, my stomach growled. I opened my secret hatch in the fridge but found it empty, Shit I'm out of blood. I slammed the door a little harder then I meant to. If I knew Naruto then he probably went out to get some more but that didn't explain why Sakura or Toshida were gone. Walking over to the living room I sat down and started watching t.v. I never imagined I could be so bored. I was deep into an episode of Doctor Who when a loud bang rattled the door. Standing I watched my front door get kicked open.

A big guy with an even bigger sword came thomping in. His mouth and nose was wrapped obscuring it from view. He looked around before his gaze fell on me, this was the only time I cared about being seen shirt less. "Ahh...The half breed of the Uchiha. I'm glad to finally meet you now if you please hand over the shadowed heart and I'll let you live." He said in a gruff tone. "How do you know it's here?" I asked. "I'm not stupid boy. I know that little girl your harboring here contains the shadowed heart and I want it. If I must kill you then so be it. It'll just be more war later if the Uchiha's even care that I kill you. They may even congratulate me." "Your not going to kill me." I growled. Shrugging he drew the giant bladed sword. "Your right. You see I promised a certain hunter that he could kill you. So I'll just take off your arms and legs then let him finish you off to inflate his ego."

I didn't like my odds here. That big sword gave him longer range but slowed him down. "Alright if we're going to do this could we at least take it outside? I don't want to tear up my house.""By all means." he said while turning and walking back out the door. I followed, once we stood outside I smirked. "I hope your ready to lose." I ran at him full speed thinking I could just rip out his heart and be done with it but that wasn't the case.

I was within striking range when he laughed. Out of the corner of my eye I saw his sword coming right at me. No way should it have moved that fast, I couldn't dodge so I did the next best thing. Spinning to face the sword I grabbed the blade with my hands. I skidded to a stop, "Hmm...you were able to stop my sword huh? I'm surprised it didn't cut your hands off." I winced at the pain in my hands. Blood trickled from my hands but wasn't to bad. He rushed forward and kicked me right in the stomach sending me crashing back onto the ground. I could hear him laughing, "So much for the mighty Uchiha." Shit....I may be in trouble.

To be continued....