hey everyone! I'm back with a new chapter. Just want to say thanks to everyone who favorites, read, followed, and especially reviewed so far! It makes me happy when I see how many enjoy this story. I think I'm nearing the end of this story, but depending on reviews, I am thinking of writing a sequel. Let me know what you think either way!

Remember, I only own Chibi, regardless of what the Akatsuki think=).

Chapter 16

three days had passed and Chibi still hadn't awakened. Naruto sat by her bedside, watching over the small girl in worry and guilt.

"Naruto, you need to get some rest." Tsunade said, entering the darkened room.

She checked the still girl's vitals, sighing at the lack of change.

"why won't she wake up? You said yourself that physically she was fine," Naruto asked, looking at the woman he considered a grandmother/mother.

She sighed. "I don't know, her body is fine, and her brain waves are steady. She's just asleep. she could wake up any time." she responded.

"Why don't you go home and rest?" she continued, taking in his exhausted face.

"No, I'm not leaving until she wakes up," he said, shaking his head stubbornly.

"Why?! I don't understand why you feel so guilty. I understand the guilt a bit because i put you in charge of her. But you hardly know her." Tsunade exclaimed, throwing her hands up in agitation.

"I met her once, when Kakashi sensei, Sakura, and I were on our last mission. She was really sick, I think. I remember how terrified she was of us, and how when those Akatsuki guys came, she calmed down instantly. She trusts them. Before I had to leave a few days ago, she was talking to me, she thinks we're the bad ones, did you know that?" he said quietly, looking up at her.

Tsunade flinched at the look of pain in the brilliant blue eyes looking into hers. She opened her mouth to respond when a shift on the bed drew the two conscious occupants of the room attention.

Chibi was squirming in the bed, an unhappy frown on her face. She whimpered as she twisted again.

Naruto was on his feet, leaning over her in an instant.

"Chibi?" he asked hesitantly.

He received no answer apart from another whimper, this one bordering on pain.

Tsunade nudged him out of the way, hands already glowing as she ran a diagnostic. Her eyebrows scrunched in worry.

"What the hell?" she muttered.

"What?!" he asked urgently.

"She's dreaming. But I sense a massive amount of chakra beginning to gather," she explained.

She yelped and jerked her hand back, just in time when Chibi's eyes flew open, glowing amber. Razor sharp teeth snapped at the hand. Eyes of a wild animal looked at them as she flipped onto all four limbs, snarling threateningly.

"What the ever loving hell is going on!" Tsunade shrieked, more surprised than worried.

"this happened last time too," Naruto whispered, beginning to edge back slowly.

"What are you talking about?" Tsunade asked, noticing his worried expression.

"First time we met, she nearly tore Kakashi sensei's throat out. She's incredibly strong in this form, he couldn't pin her for long. The only way she calmed was when the Akatsuki guys came," he said, a sick feeling welling inside him.

"Oh shit. Shitshitshit," Tsunade said, staring at the still snarling girl? thing? on the bed.

Naruto stepped forward slowly, gesturing for the blonde woman to move back.

she stepped back, then started when Naruto slowly stepped in front of her. By his tense stance, she realized he was showing the creature on the bed he would protect her.

"Damnit brat! I don't need your protection," she growled.

"Just be quiet and let me try something," he pleaded quietly.

When she remained silent behind him, he slowly stepped forward and sank down so he was lower than the bed.

"Chibi, can you hear me?" he asked quietly, extending a hand and placing it on the edge of the bed.

Amber eyes watched him with suspicion, but at her name, a drop of humanity seemed to slide through her gaze. The snarls slowly stopped and she sat back slowly, cocking her head at him. A crunching, slurpyish sound filled the air as bones seemed to move beneath her skin and fur was sucked back inside her. When the change ended, the girl was crouching in front of them with calm amber eyes, ears cocked and tail swaying slowly.

"Chibi?" he asked, hopeful.

she looked at him for several moments before she slowly shook her head. she opened her mouth and after a few coughs and failed attempts answered.

"No, she's asleep right now. I am Memory. Where the hell am I, who are you, and where is my pack?" she asked, voice clear and several years more mature than the voice he'd heard before.

'Huh?" Naruto asked, feeling lost.

"What now?!" Tsunade asked, exasperated, as she pushed in front of the puzzled boy.

"my name is Tsunade. I am the leader of the village you are in, Konoha," she said to the girl.

She turned her gaze to Tsunade and nodded before repeating her last question.

"Pack?" Tsunade repeated, furrowing her eyebrows.

"the humans i was with. Where are they?" Memory asked, narrowing her amber eyes.

"The Akatsuki?" Tsunade asked, surprised. when the girl nodded stiffly she responded, "you were rescued from them. they are a dangerous group of criminals," she responded, resisting the urge to wince when anger filled the girl's eyes and she snarled.

"you need to give us back! we don't care what they are, they're our pack and we need them!" she exclaimed.

"I'm trying, but the council sees you as a perfect hostage," Tsunade said, frustration coloring her voice.

Naruto looked at her sharply when he heard her. He hadn't known that.

"Maybe if youd listened, you would have remembered me telling you that," tsunade said, seeing his look.

"You need to give us back, we'll die without them," the girl said insistently.

"What do you mean you'll die?" Naruto asked, sounding distressed.

'We imprinted on them, separated, we will lose consciousness and eventually waste away. The only reason we haven't yet is because I can still sense them very faintly through our bond." she explained.

'Why would you do something like that?!" naruto exclaimed.

"We've been through hell and alone for a very long time. when they took us in and gave us a place to belong, we decided we didn't ever want to be alone again," she explained, sounding unregretful.

Her eyes began flickering between the color Naruto was familiar with and amber and she began to collapse again.

"We're falling again. i don't think I'll be able to wake us again. Please give us back, I beg you," she said before the amber faded completely and she collapsed against the pillows unconscious once again.

They stared down at the girl for several long moments before naruto spoke up.

"I'm going to go to them and help them get her back." he said, not looking up.

"That's stupid and suicidal! they're after you, and you just want to give yourself up?" Tsunade exclaimed.

"I think they'd put Chibi's life before capturing me," he said.

"You're willing to bet your life on that?!" Tsunade asked in disbelief.

He nodded and looked at her, determination shining in his eyes.

"If they care about her a fraction of what I think they do, ten she deserves to be with them. Besides, it's either they want her back and are willing to make a trade, or they don't care and they'll end up destroying the world a little sooner." he said with a shrug.

Tsunade's eye twitched. "That doesn't inspire any confidence in me, brat," she growled.

Naruto's eyes widened after he thought about what he'd said. "I didn't mean it like that!" he cried, waving his hands.

"Fine brat. I'm trusting your instincts here. Please don't make me regret that. i'll give you two weeks to find them and convince them. If anyone can do it, it'll be you," she said.

naruto grinned at her and gave her a quick salute, bounding to the window and jumping out.

"Thanks granny!" he called over his shoulder, heading to his apartment to pack a bag for his journey.

"Don't thank me until you come back alive," she muttered.