Hi guys :) Yep! I've uploaded already! :D Haha, but I'm thinking I might upload Yoso O Tatakatte next, since it's been awhile, and I've had a few people asking me to.

I'm pretty sure there's something I wanted to say here......but I can't seem to remember......Oh well! Hopefully it wasn't too important! Lol.

Just a quick thank you for all the voting and commenting you guys have been doing! It never ceases to amaze me that so many people like Twi and Stwf.

I actually typed in Naruto, searching for a new story to read, and mine was the first one! :O

Thank you sooooo much all!!! :D

Pic of Deidara! <3  --->

Third Person’s POV

Silence reigns in the air, as the sun begins to lower itself down behind the horizon.

The cloudy sky slowly darkens, leaving a slight chill in the air.

Exactly nine kilometres from the border of the forest, rocks begin to protrude up from the hardened earth.

Suddenly, a blonde head explodes out of the ground, gasping for breath.

A man leaps out of the rocky earth and lands easily on his feet, an unamused look on his face.

“I can’t seem to catch a break” Deidara mutters, his now messy blonde hair flowing in the cool evening breeze. “Who would’ve guessed that my self destructing clone would prove useless as well hm?”

Deidara scowls to himself, recalling his plan to blow the Leaf Ninja up with his clone.

He hadn’t counted on them managing to avoid its explosion……

“Although…..” Deidara sighs. “At least it created enough of a diversion for me to make my escape……”

Deidara suddenly pauses, looking over his shoulder, eyes and ears alert.

Finding nothing suspicious behind him, Deidara releases a weary sigh and turns back around.

“All is not lost” he mutters to himself dryly, walking forwards. “…….Well, only up to the elbow anyway. Now to find the rest of it hm…..”

“Looking for something?” an amused voice suddenly asks, making Deidara freeze.

Looking up, Deidara narrows his eyes.

“Not you again” he growls lowly, eyeing the masked woman in the tree beside him.

Ashley chuckles, leaning her shoulder against the trunk of the tree, her arms crossed.

“You’re not happy to see me again?” she asks teasingly, making Deidara’s eyebrow twitch.

Did she even have to ask? He’d sooner stick a kunai in his own leg before having to deal with the annoying woman yet again.

“I’m really not in the mood for you right now” Deidara warns, leaping backwards and taking up a defensive stance.

Ashley chuckles again, finding Deidara’s irritation at her presence highly entertaining.

“And just what are you gonna do about it?” she asks, flipping down from the tree and landing on the ground in a crouched position. “It’s not like you’ll be able to beat me in a fight. Especially since you seem to be missing a few body parts at the moment.”

Deidara’s scowl deepens, an anime vein appearing on his forehead.

He didn’t have time to deal with this irritating woman right now! He had to find his severed arm, as that hand still had his Akatsuki ring attached to it.

“Why are you coming after me anyway hm?” Deidara asks lowly, trying to stall for time and come up with an escape plan.

Ashley slowly rises to her feet.

“I’ve got something you may be interested in” she says mysteriously, as a small yellow butterfly suddenly flits over to her and lands on her shoulder.

Deidara’s eyes narrow, as Ashley reaches behind her back.

“Hold it!” Deidara commands, taking a step back and preparing himself for an attack. “Don’t even think abou-”

Deidara freezes again, his visible eye widening, as Ashley holds up the item Keiji had found earlier in the forest.

“My arm!” Deidara gasps, before his face darkens. “How did you get it hm?”

Ashley shrugs, holding the severed arm away from her, as if it was about to come to life and try to strangle her.

“My little buddy here found it while we were tailing you” she explains breezily, nodding her head at Keiji. “Thought it might come in……handy.”

Deidara blanches at Ashley’s joke, sweat dropping as she laughs softly.

“I don’t find your sense of humour amusing at all hm…” he sighs irritably, feeling like banging his head against a rock.

Every time he came across her, the masked woman got more and more annoying.

Ashley shakes her head, making a tutting sound.

“Deidara, Deidara, Deidara……” she sighs, a teasing tone to her voice. “If you want this arm of yours back, you’re going to have to try and be nicer to me.”

Deidara blinks, before his lower jaw slowly juts out.

She was kidding……right?

“No” he says bluntly, making Ashley sigh again.

“Not gonna be nice?” she asks, to which the blonde man shakes his head.

Ashley shrugs, placing her hands at either end of Deidara’s severed arm.

“Okay then” she says dangerously. “I’ll just have to snap it in half then. And then maybe I’ll bury half of it deep in the earth, while keeping the other bit tied on a string around my neck. Kind of like a trophy.”

Deidara watches as Ashley begins bending his forearm, making his eyes widen in a panic.

‘She’s really going to do it, the crazy bitch!’ he thinks frantically. ‘I can’t let her. I need that ring back, not to mention at least one of my arms!’

“Stop!” Deidara shouts, suddenly darting forwards.

Ashley grins, quickly spinning around and kicking her leg high into the air.

Deidara is stopped in his tracks as Ashley places her foot against his chest, holding him back easily.

“Hold it” she says lowly. “Come any closer, and I’ll kill you.”

Deidara smirks, hooding his eyes.

“You couldn’t kill me if you tried” he sneers. “My art is undefeatable!”

“You taunt me” Ashley says smugly. “Yet I could easily dispose of this precious arm of yours. Maybe I’ll keep the ring for myself?”

Deidara pauses, not sure whether the woman is kidding or not.

He suddenly chuckles to himself, shaking his head and giving Ashley a confident look.

“An ugly little Philistine like you has no chance of outsmarting me” he boasts. “I managed to escape all of those Leaf Ninja back there without my arms. Getting rid of you will be easy hm.”

“And yet after all this time, you haven’t managed to” Ashley retorts, growing annoyed with Deidara’s attitude. “And I’m not ugly! What kind of man are you? Calling a girl ugly……”

Deidara rolls his eyes and leans closer to Ashley, making her bare her teeth behind her mask.

“How do I know what you look like?” he asks smartly. “You always wear that ridiculous mask hm. You must be ugly, since you always hide behind it.”

Ashley growls.

“My mask is not ridiculous!” she snaps, hurling herself forwards and tackling a surprised Deidara to the ground. “My Father made this for me!”

“Oof!” Deidara grunts, landing on the ground on his back and wincing.

His eyes widen, as Ashley sit on his stomach heavily, growling dangerously as she brings her hands up to her face.

She quickly unties the mask from her head, wrenching it away and glaring down at Deidara.

The young man’s eyes widen further as he sees Ashley’s face for the first time.

He lets out a low breath, blinking rapidly.

He hadn’t been expecting her to be so young…….Or gorgeous.

Ashley smirks, showing off her Minami canines.

“By the stunned look on your face, and the silent stupor you’ve fallen into” Ashley sneers, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. “You’re rethinking that crack about me being ugly, right?”

Deidara tilts his head, still staring at the blonde sitting on top of him.

“Hm” he grunts, making Ashley laugh mockingly.

“Smooth operator aren’tcha?” she taunts, making the blonde man sweat drop and curse himself mentally.

“Not my fault hm” he grumbles, scowling up at Ashley in annoyance. “You never said you were hot. Caught me off guard……..bitch……hm……”

Ashley blinks, before laughing again.

“Well, I don’t really tend to walk around informing everyone of how hot I am” she chuckles, sliding off of Deidara’s stomach and grabbing the upper arm still attached to him.

Deidara immediately leaps to his feet, knocking Ashley away from him.

“Don’t think you can seduce me and catch me off guard again!” he shouts, eyes round and crazy looking.

Ashley sends Deidara a strange look, pulling his severed arm into her lap.

“I was just going to reattach your arm for you” she says slowly, as if Deidara is completely stupid. “Aäliö.....” (Idiot.....)

Deidara gives Ashley a wary look, suspicious of the girl’s sudden change in attitude.

Was she just trying to get him off guard, so she could attack him or something?

He didn’t trust her any more than Kakuzu would trust Hidan with his money.

“Why?” he demands to know, making Ashley sigh with irritation.

“Look here you annoying little bastard” she snarls, glaring up at Deidara. “I’m not known for having a lot of patience. I’m offering to help you out, so just take me up on my offer, sit your ass down, and stop being such a whiny pain in the ass!”

Deidara’s face drops, shocked to hear such a small girl talking to him in such a way.

She’d never spoken like that before, so he hadn’t been expecting that either……

Deidara tilts his head, a thoughtful look on his face, as he tries to figure out why the girl he’d deemed as his stalker was offering to help him out.

It was all just too suspicious for his liking……

Ashley clenches her fist, trying to stop herself from socking Deidara right in the face and knocking him down.

‘Damn you Lady Tsunade!’ she screams in her head, internally pulling at her hair. ‘Why on earth do I have to be nice to this obviously gender confused guy?! He’s too damn pretty for his own good!’

“Sit the hell down!” Ashley suddenly shouts, making Deidara jump with fright.

Diving forwards, Ashley grabs Deidara by the ankles and tugs them out from underneath him, making him topple to the ground in a most ungraceful way.

“Ungghhh……” Deidara groans, rubbing his head.

He freezes, seeing Ashley performing hand signs beside him.

“Yeah, you’re not going anywhere” she growls lowly, visible eye flashing dangerously.

Deidara tries to jump to his feet, only to find that his arms and legs have been shackled to the ground.

“What the-”

“Kekkei Genkai” Ashley says impatiently, hands beginning to glow with a soft green aura. “You’ve got cuffs of earth holding you down, so just relax and get over it. I’m not gonna hurt you or anything…….Even though I’m seriously considering it……”

Deidara sighs in defeat, lying his head back against the ground and scowling up at the dark sky in annoyance.

The two Ninja remain silent, as Ashley lifts up Deidara’s severed arm, the cool breeze blowing around them and ruffling their hair.

Deidara watches the dark clouds as they float painfully slow through the sky, the odd star peaking through every now and then.

Deidara twitches, the strange feeling of his skin, muscles, nerves and bones beginning to reconnect making him feel slightly nauseous.

“You’re a medic Ninja too hm?” Deidara suddenly asks, making Ashley look up at him.

He slowly turns his head, giving her an unreadable look.

“I guess” she replies quietly, refocusing her attention back on Deidara’s arm.

She tries not to pull a face, wanting nothing to do with Deidara and his stupid severed arm.

If it were up to her, she’d have ripped that arm of his to pieces right in front of his face, just for a bit of payback.

And it probably would have been a good laugh too.

“What are you helping me for?” Deidara demands to know, making Ashley grit her teeth.

“Just shut up and let me finish!” she snaps, smacking Deidara across the head and making him yelp.

“Hey!” he cries, glaring at Ashley angrily.

Ashley ignores the irritating blonde man, pulling her arms back and giving him a cold look.

“Now, I’m going to release you” she says warningly. “And you’d better not run away. I need you to sit up so I can finish healing your arm properly.”

Deidara rolls his eyes.

“Fine, whatever hm” he agrees reluctantly.

Deidara sighs with relief, feeling the uncomfortable shackles receding back into the earth, freeing his limbs.

He sits up slowly, wincing slightly, as his arm hasn’t finished being healed yet.

Ashley watches Deidara carefully, making sure he isn’t about to either make a run for it or attack her.

Deidara tilts his head back and gives Ashley an even look, before a smirk finds its way onto his face.

“Enjoying staring at me hm?” he asks cheekily, making Ashley blink.

“Hardly” she scoffs, lowering her eyes down to Deidara’s arm and continuing to heal it. “I was staring at you because you’ve copied my hairstyle.”

Deidara’s smirk drops, replaced with a frown.

“I did no such thing!” he cries indignantly, kicking his feet in annoyance.

“Sit still you moron” Ashley growls, willing herself not to rip Deidara’s arm right back off and shove it up his-

Nose……

“I did not copy your hairstyle” Deidara repeats firmly, blue eye narrowed. “And besides, my hairstyle is completely different to yours hm! I have some of mine tied back, plus, mine is way longer than yours! It’s a lot nicer than yours too….”

Ashley scrunches up her nose, recalling the long hair she had not too long ago.

“I used to have long hair” she mutters, almost done with Deidara’s arm. “Until that bastard Kisame chopped it all off……”

Deidara blinks.

“Kisame cut your hair off?” he asks slowly, making Ashley nod.

He suddenly bursts out laughing, raising his arm and pointing at Ashley.

“Oh, that’s hilarious!” Deidara laughs, as Ashley grows an anime vein and rises to her feet. “I’ll have to remember to ask Kisame about that hm!”

Deidara suddenly pauses, realising that he’d just lifted his arm.

“Hey!” he cries, waving it up and down madly. “This feels great hm! Better than ever! Amazing!”

“You’re welcome” Ashley huffs, crossing her arms and glaring at Deidara.

Deidara shrugs, too proud to say thank you to the blonde girl in front of him.

“And now that that’s over with” Ashley mutters to herself, picking up her mask. “I’m out.”

“Wait!” Deidara cries, throwing his arm out and making Ashley pause.

“What now?” she growls, glaring at Deidara over her shoulder.

“Why don’t you come with me hm?” he suggests, smirking slightly, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “I’ll bet we could have some fun hm.”

Ashley grows another anime vein, whirling around and stomping over to the obnoxious blonde man sitting on the ground.

“Like hell I’d do that you creepy lowlife!” she shouts, swinging her arm at Deidara and tearing the hair tie from his blonde locks. “Go pay for a prostitute or something if you’re that desperate!”

Deidara gives an indignant cry, as his hair falls down his back, ruining the hairstyle he was so proud of.

“Damn idiotic clay using freak” Ashley mumbles, replacing her Wolf mask on her face and turning on her heel, disappearing off into the night.

Deidara stares after her, his reattached arm searching though his pockets for a new hair tie.

“Hm…….” he says thoughtfully, a smirk creeping onto his face.

Kakashi slowly opens his unscarred eye, seeing a grey tiled roof above him.

“Hey look!” a familiar voice cries. “Kakashi Sensei’s awake now!”

Kakashi blinks, feeling groggy, as he notices Naruto, Sakura and all of Team Guy standing around him.

“Ughh…..” Kakashi sighs tiredly. “I’m back in hospital huh?”

Naruto gives his silver haired Sensei a wry smile, as the door to Kakashi’s room slides open.

“Well done on your mission Kakashi” Lady Tsunade greets, striding into the room with Shizune right behind her. “Well done.”

“Oh!” Sakura squeaks. “Milady!”

“Lady Tsunade?” Kakashi asks, painfully trying to sit up.

Wincing, he drops back down, the blanket covering his face slipping slightly and catching the attention of Naruto.

He’d never gotten to see his Sensei’s face before, so……

“No Kakashi Sensei” Sakura orders. “Don’t sit up, you’ll hurt yourself!”

Naruto subtly leans to his left, trying to sneak a peak at Kakashi’s ever hidden face.

He leans further and further left, struggling to see properly, his body beginning to shake from the odd angle he’s standing at.

“Sakura’s right” Tsunade agrees, nodding her head and ignoring Naruto’s idiocy. “It’s going to be awhile before I let you return to your normal duties. Bed rest is what you need!”

About to fall over, Naruto quickly whips back to his normal stance, casting a look over at Sakura.

She glares back at him, an anime vein on her forehead.

Tsunade chuckles, raising an eyebrow at Kakashi.

“Looks like you need a bit more practise with that new Sharingan of yours” she says teasingly, making Kakashi sweat drop.

“Looks like it…..” he agrees with a sigh.

Lady Tsunade smiles, before turning to Guy and his team.

“Team Guy, you should all go and get some rest” she says, feeling oddly generous. “You can file your report later.”

“Right!” Guy salutes, grinning his blindingly dazzling grin. “Let’s go team!”

“Whoooo!” Lee cheers enthusiastically. “Let us go and get in some training while we can!”

He charges from the room, fist pumped high in the air.

“That’s the spirit Lee!” Guy cries, speeding off after his student, just as enthusiastic.

Tenten and Neji stare after them, blanching.

“Everyone else can see how weird they are right?” Tenten asks with a sigh.

“You’d have to be blind not to” Neji mutters, shoulders drooping as he slowly exits the room.

“See ya guys” Tenten says, sweat dropping and jogging out of the door, not wanting to be left behind.

Tsunade nods, before turning to Shizune.

“Alright, let’s go Shizu-”

“Lady Tsunade!” a voice calls, interrupting the Hokage and making her turn towards the window.

Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi do the same, eyes widening as they see someone crouching on the window sill.

“Uhh….I didn’t realise you were with……these guys” the masked woman says awkwardly, making Naruto scowl.

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” he exclaims, clenching his fists. “What the hell are you doing in Kakashi Sensei’s room anyway?!”

Lady Tsunade face palms, letting out a sigh.

“Can’t you ever just be normal and use a door?” she asks dryly, shaking her head.

Sakura blinks, before letting out a gasp.

“Hey!” she cries, jabbing her hand at the masked stranger. “You’re that lady that came when I was fighting Sasori! Kuzuri I think….”

Lady Tsunade’s eyes narrow.

“Is remaining hidden too hard for you?” she asks rudely, making the masked stranger sigh.

“Relax” the stranger says wryly, sliding down from the window sill and placing a hand on her hip. “It’s not like I was recognised or anything.”

Kakashi narrows his eyes at the masked woman suspiciously.

It couldn’t be……..

“Who are you?!” Naruto shouts, feeling frustrated that he doesn’t know what’s going on.

“You mean none of you recognise her?” Lady Tsunade asks, smirking to herself. “You’re all so dense.”

“Do we……recognise her?” Sakura repeats slowly, tilting her head and studying the masked stranger in confusion.

“How would we?” Naruto asks rudely, waving at the stranger dismissively. “She’s wearing a weird mask on her face.”

“Hey!” the stranger barks, throwing her hands on her hips. “My mask isn’t weird! It’s-”

“Been awhile Ashley” Kakashi interrupts, making Naruto and Sakura freeze.

“What?” Naruto asks stiffly, eyes wide.

“Who….Who did you just…..” Sakura trails off, now staring at her Sensei.

“Sharp as ever Sensei” the stranger chuckles, reaching up and untying her mask. “Not that I’d expect any different.”

Sakura and Naruto gasp, instantly recognising the girl’s visible fuchsia eye. No one else had those coloured eyes, but the few members of a certain Clan…...

Ashley grins up at her teammates, eyes sparkling cheekily.

“No way…..” Naruto breathes, heart beating hard against his chest.

“A-Ashley-chan?” Sakura whispers in disbelief, her hands shaking.

“I’ve missed you guys” Ashley chuckles awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head and looking down at the floor.

Sakura’s eyes immediately fill up with tears, surprised, relieved and happy to see her old teammate again.

“Ashley-chan!” Naruto exclaims, a broad grin lighting up his face.

Ashley’s head snaps up, just as Naruto and Sakura suddenly fling themselves at her

“Whoa!” Ashley cries, waving her arms around in a panic, before the other two crash into her, knocking them all to the floor.

Sakura throws her arms around Ashley’s shoulders, crying and making a blubbering sound, her words not coming out of her mouth properly.

Naruto rubs his head, before leaping to his feet and bouncing up and down, not sure what to do.

A light bulb suddenly goes off above his head, before he bends down and grabs Ashley by the waist.

“Hey!” she cries as Naruto sweeps her up from the floor and hugs her tightly.

“Ashley-chan!” he exclaims again, spinning around in an excited circle, making Ashley chuckle.

“Naruto-kun” she says softly, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. “It’s so good to see you again….”

“I really missed you Ashley-chan” he replies just as softly, ceasing his spinning. “I only just got back myself, but I didn’t think you’d ever be coming back since you were gone for so long!”

Ashley smiles as Naruto releases her, allowing her to turn around and glance at Sakura, who is still sobbing quietly on the floor.

“Sakura?” Ashley asks gently, kneeling down in front of the pinkette. “Are you okay?”

Sakura sniffs and looks up at Ashley.

She suddenly giggles, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

“I c-can’t believe you’re really back” she says happily, her green eyes shining from crying. “It seems too good to be true.”

“It feels too good to be true” Ashley agrees, leaning forwards and enveloping Sakura in a big hug, having missed the pinkette greatly. “I’m so happy to be back with you guys.”

Sakura giggles again, returning Ashley’s hug gladly.

“Hey” Kakashi calls dejectedly from his bed. “What about your poor old Sensei? Aren’t you happy to see me as well Ashley? I’m the only one who recognised you after all……”

Ashley and Sakura laugh, as the blonde Kunoichi rises to her feet, pulling Sakura up with her.

Ashley turns to Kakashi and walks up to the side of his bed.

“I was just saving you for last Kakashi Sensei” she says cheekily. “And I do appreciate that you recognised me……..You better watch out Sensei. I’ve seen your face before, but Naruto and Sakura haven’t. Keep a tight hold of that blanket.”

Kakashi sweat drops, although his smirk is hidden by the white blanket covering the lower half of his face.

Her attitude hadn’t changed much at all, one of the reasons he’d recognised her in the first place.

Ashley turns back to Sakura, a hand on her hip and one eyebrow raised.

“I’m pretty surprised that you didn’t recognise me Sakura” she says dryly, making the pinkette give her a questioning look. “I mean, I used my Katsuryoku and a Wolf related Jutsu in front of you. I thought you were the sharpest mind on our team?”

Sakura sweat drops, before sending Naruto a dangerous glare as he chuckles behind his hand.

“I did find it strange” Sakura admits sheepishly, poking out her tongue. “But I guess I just didn’t think it would be you, having not seen you for so long.”

Naruto narrows his eyes at Ashley, seemingly thinking about something very hard.

Ashley, sensing something boring into the back of her head, turns around and smirks at Naruto.

“Yes Naruto?” she asks pointedly, making the boy pause. “Can I help you?”

Naruto brings a hand up to his face and rubs his chin, tilting his head and studying Ashley closely.

“Ashley-chan…..” he begins slowly. “Didn’t you used to have longer hair?”

Sakura blinks, not really having noticed before Naruto had brought it up.

Now that she was looking though, she could see that it most definitely was a lot shorter than it used to be.

Ashley nods, an amused smirk playing at her lips.

“Yes” she says simply. “I did.”

“Well……What happened to it?” Naruto inquires curiously, expecting a good story, as Ashley tended to get into interesting situations quite a lot.

Ashley merely shrugs.

“I got a haircut” she informs Naruto with a secretive grin. “Is that okay with you?”

Naruto blanches, getting the strangest feeling that Ashley may be making fun of him somehow…..

“What?” Ashley asks, feigning hurt. “Don’t you like it Naruto-kun?”

Naruto’s eyes fly wide open, seeing Ashley’s puppy dog eyes, her lower lip trembling.

He was always a very gullible boy….

“N-No!” he cries, waving his arms back and forth, thinking about how Kiba would have his head if Ashley told him he’d insulted her and made her cry. “It looks great Ashley-chan! I promise!”

Sakura nods vigorously, clenching her fist and sending Naruto a warning look.

“It really does Ashley” she says encouragingly, smiling at her blonde friend brightly. “Short hair suits you, plus, it makes you look older! And it’s so much easier to look after, not to mention it doesn’t always get in the way.”

Ashley begins laughing, shaking her head at her two teammates.

“You guys are too easy” she scoffs, making Naruto and Sakura sigh, realising they’d been tricked. “I liked my long hair much better, but this is okay I guess.”

Ashley pauses, gazing at Naruto intently.

Naruto’s eyes flick up, widening when he notices Ashley staring at him.

He clears his throat and begins swaying back and forth casually, feeling incredibly awkward under the attractive girl’s gaze.

“Ummm….” he begins, sweat dropping and looking back over at Ashley. “I-Is something wrong Ashley-chan?”

Ashley shakes her head, sending Naruto a closed eye smile.

“Oh it’s nothing Naruto” she replies cheerfully. “I was just thinking about how much Saffire would love to see you right now.”

Naruto’s eyes widen further at the mention of the Minami girl’s name.

“Wh-Why’s that?” he asks stiffly, as Ashley sends him a cheeky wink.

“Coz you’ve gotten pretty handsome in the last two and a half years” she informs Naruto, laughing as his face turns bright red.

“Huh?!” Sakura cries in disbelief, as Kakashi rolls his eyes and Tsunade chuckles behind her hand.

“Oh Sakura” Ashley sighs, waving her hand. “You think Naruto’s handsome too, I know you do. Don’t act like you don’t.”

“How can you be so forward like that?” Sakura asks with a sigh, sweat dropping. “What would Kiba say if he heard you calling Naruto handsome?”

Ashley’s body stiffens at the name, her heart rate picking up slightly.

She hadn’t seen him for so long, and she was missing him so much, it hurt her to think about it.

She’d even go so far as to say that she was longing for him.

He was an arrogant ass at times sure, but he was also funny, generous and loyal, like any good Dog is.

Ashley had missed his company, and that of his small Ninken as well.

‘I wonder how much Kiba’s changed?’ Ashley thinks, feeling nervous at the idea of seeing Kiba after so long.

Would he still have feelings for her? Or had he moved on while she was gone?

“Ashley?” Sakura asks, shaking the horrible thought from Ashley’s head. “Are you alright?”

“Uh yeah, sorry” Ashley apologises, sighing softly.

She looks up, feeling someone tug on her kimono sleeve.

Looking up, she is met with Sakura’s large green eyes.

“You haven’t seen Kiba yet have you?” she asks slowly.

Ashley’s eyes drop to the floor.

“No…..Not yet” she admits, making Sakura squeak excitedly.

“He’s gonna be so ecstatic to see you again!” she cries, regarding Ashley with a wide grin. “He was so depressed for ages after you left! He never lets any girls touch him at all. He’d rather bleed from a wound, than let a female medic Ninja heal him. He said something about them not having the right to touch him, because he’s yours, and you’re his. I don’t really get it, but then, it is Kiba we’re talking about…….No offense.”

Ashley stares at Sakura incredulously.

‘He remembered me saying that?’ she wonders, recalling the day she’d said words to the same effect.

I narrow my eyes at Kiba, before crossing my arms and turning my head away.

“I told you” I say stubbornly. “I wasn’t jealous. Her presence was merely an annoyance to me.”

Kiba jumps onto the bed beside me and grins.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Whatever” I say with a shrug, before Kiba grabs my face and makes me look at him.

“Face it” he says slyly. “You were jealous.”

I frown, before sighing in defeat.

“Well, you’re mine” I growl, making Kiba chuckle. “She has no right to touch you. And neither does any other girl for that matter.”

“I never knew you were the jealous type” Kiba says, raising an eyebrow at me.

“Neither did I…..” I mumble.

Kiba chuckles again, before leaning down and kissing me gently.

I blush as he leans back and gazes at me.

“Just so you know” he says quietly. “She had nothin on you anyway.”

Ashley finds herself smiling softly at the memory.

He was a good Dog, despite whatever the others thought about his superior attitude.

“Ashley!” Naruto calls, hands cupped around his mouth. “Earth to Ashley!”

Ashley frowns, giving Naruto an irritated look.

“What?” she asks, crossing her arms.

Naruto scrunches up his nose and gives her a strange look.

“Stop fantasising about that jerk Kiba” he commands. “It’s gross.”

“Naruto!”

Ashley smirks, as Sakura throws a monster punch at Naruto, nailing him in the stomach and sending him flying into the wall.

“YOU’RE THE GROSS ONE HERE!” Sakura snarls, waving her fist at Naruto threateningly, making Kakashi chuckle.

“Ashley brings out such an interesting side of you Sakura” he muses, making the pinkette pause.

Tsunade nods, as Shizune giggles.

“That’s very true” Lady Tsunade says, smiling with amusement. “I haven’t seen you this animated for quite some time.”

Ashley grins cheekily.

“I bring out the best in people” she brags, hooking an arm around Sakura’s shoulders.

Sakura just rolls her eyes, trying to hide her own grin.

Tsunade rolls her eyes as well, turning and heading for the door.

“Alright, now that everyone’s settled down, Shizune, we’re leaving” the blonde woman instructs.

“Yes ma’am!” Shizune cries, hurrying after the Hokage.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine!” Ashley calls sarcastically. “I’ve still got the key to my old house and everything! Thanks for asking!”

Ashley narrows her eyes, as Lady Tsunade’s hand appears back in the doorway, saluting the young blonde Kunoichi with her middle finger.

“Crazy old bat” Ashley mumbles, crossing her arms as Sakura blinks.

“Wait Milady!” she calls, ignoring Ashley and running for the door. “I need to speak with you about something! See you later guys! Ashley, I’ll catch up with you soon!”

With that, the pinkette disappears into the hallway.

Naruto sighs dejectedly.

“I wanna know what they’re talking about” he whines. “Girls are so secretive!”

Ashley chuckles, waving at him dismissively.

“Well, go and follow them then” she suggests, making Naruto’s face light up.

“Yeah!” he agrees enthusiastically. “I’ll bet they won’t even notice heeheehee……”

Naruto suddenly whirls around and dives out of the window, seemingly opting for a different route.

Ashley stares after him, before shaking her head and glancing at a sweat dropping Kakashi.

“They haven’t changed” Ashley says wryly. “At all.”

Kakashi chuckles, looking up at Ashley as she pulls up a chair beside his bed.

“Neither have you though” he informs the blonde, making her smile slightly.

“Not that you can tell yet” she mutters, leaning back in her chair.

Kakashi regards his old student seriously, fixing the blanket so it stops slipping down from his face.

“What exactly have you been up to these past few years?” he asks lowly, making Ashley look down at him.

She gazes at him thoughtfully for awhile, before sighing and resting one of her feet on the edge of Kakashi’s bed.

“Well, at first I was just training back in the Land of Ambience” Ashley explains dully, already tired of having to tell people about what she’s been doing since she left. “How is everything going back there” Kakashi inquires curiously. “You know, since you……..got rid of Sirius.”

Ashley winces at the memory of her going berserk and beating the evil man to an absolute pulp.

“Things are good” she eventually replies, smiling cheerfully as she thinks of her homeland. “Master Dashi is the new Chief of the Land of Ambience, and the soldiers and villagers are living very peacefully with my fellow Minami and their Wolves. Arelle was sick when I first got there, but she’s doing a lot better now.”

“What was wrong with her?” Kakashi wonders, closing his eyes.

He was still very tired from using his Mangekyo Sharingan three times in one day.

Ashley looks down at him for a moment, before looking away.

“She had a virus of sorts” the blonde replies quietly. “I’ve never seen anything like it before, but it was like……..eating away at her cells. It was pretty much destroying her from the inside out, making her weak. It was a very slow working virus though. I’m pretty sure she’d been infected with it for years. I eventually managed to get it under control, but it took me quite a long time to fix the poor old thing. She was doing a lot better when I left though.”

Kakashi nods, trying not to fall asleep.

“And what else have you been doing?” he asks tiredly.

Ashley smirks, knowing her answer will wake him up somewhat.

“I’ve been tailing the Akatsuki for the past year and a half” she says breezily, making Kakashi’s normal eye fly open.

“What?’ he asks, turning to look at Ashley, not caring that the blanket slips down from his face.

She’d seen it before, what difference would it make?

Ashley feels herself beginning to blush at the sight of Kakashi’s face, making her stare hard at the wall behind him instead.

“Orders from Lady Tsunade” she says simply, making Kakashi narrow his eyes at her. “She wanted me to gather information on them. So I did.”

Kakashi shakes his head, rubbing his temples as he feels a headache coming on from sitting up so quickly.

“Jiraiya told me that he thinks they’re after Jinchuuriki” he says carefully, eyeing Ashley as she shrugs carelessly.

“Yeah, I already know that” she replies, almost sounding rude.

“You’re a Jinchuuriki Ashley” Kakashi reiterates, going for the not so subtle approach instead.

Ashley sends her Sensei and irritated look.

“I also know that Sensei” she growls. “Better than anyone.”

Kakashi sighs, running a hand though his hair.

“Ashley, I really think you need to tell Lady Tsunade about your Ten Tails” he says quietly, giving her a concerned look. “It’s not safe for you to be around the Akatsuki. What if they find out that you are a Jinchuuriki as well? They’d kill you, like they did Gaara. Well, Lady Chiyo brought him back to life, but still……”

‘She revived him?’ Ashley thinks in surprise. ‘That’s great. Good for Gaara…..’

“She’ll treat me differently” Ashley argues stubbornly. “I’ll never be allowed to leave the Village. It’ll get around somehow, and people will fear me, or ridicule me. Like they did to Naruto way before I got here.”

Ashley shakes her head, glaring at the floor.

“No” she growls, clenching her fists. “I’ve got it under control. It’ll all be fine. Please just keep it to yourself Kakashi Sensei, I’m not ready for anyone else to know yet. Just give me time……”

Kakashi leans forwards, feeling Ashley stiffen as he places an affectionate hand on her shoulder.

“I’m just trying to look out for you Ashley” he says softly, sending her a tiny smile. “I don’t know what I’d do if it was you in the same position that Gaara was in. Naruto and Sakura would be beside themselves too. Not to mention Kiba……”

Ashley closes her eyes momentarily, before opening them and sending Kakashi a mischievously.

“So, how are you and Kyoku going Sensei?” she asks cheekily, not so subtly trying to change the subject.

Kakashi blinks in surprise, leaning back against his pillows and folding his hand behind his head.

“Just great actually” he says calmly. “She’s pregnant with my children at the moment.”

Ashley’s eyes bug out of her head, as she wrenches her neck around to gape at Kakashi.

“She’s what?!” Ashley cries, jumping up from her seat and grabbing Kakashi’s arm.

He sends her a lazy look, internally amused by her reaction.

“You’re gonna make the worst Father ever Kakashi Sensei!” Ashley suddenly laughs, making Kakashi scowl. “I feel sorry for those kids!”

Kakashi rolls over onto his side, glaring at Ashley in annoyance.

“I was kidding” he says lowly. “We’re going just fine. Now go away, because I want to sleep.”

Ashley rolls her eyes at her Sensei’s childish attitude as she strides toward the door.

Pausing in the doorway, she turns around and smirks at her silver haired Sensei.

“If I see Kyoku” Ashley says slyly. “I’m gonna tell her you said that to me.”

Ashley laughs at the horrified look on Kakashi’s face, turning around and strolling from his room.

Kakashi groans, flopping back onto his bed and throwing an arm across his face.

She probably would do it too, the little brat.

Kakashi can’t help smiling to himself.

He was happy she was back though. She had the strange ability to make things much more interesting.

Or difficult. He wasn’t really sure which one……