Kakuzu snapped into reality with a start. He quickly rose to his feet, but then regretted the hasty movement. His wounds burned and ached terribly. Then he remembered what had just happened moments ago. He was in the midst of a fight with several Konoha shinobi, attempting to catch the Kyuubi Nine Tails.

The fox child had been more powerful than Kakuzu had anticipated. Seconds before being struck by the Kyuubi's wind technique, Rasen-Shuriken, Kakuzu had swapped places with a body double, courtesy of Pain. Itachi and Kisame had been the first to test that jutsu and it proved to be very useful. It worked, but Kakuzu knew it wouldn't stall them for long especially considering that they had fallen for that trap twice before. He had to keep moving.

Then he remembered Hidan. The little zealot had gone into the woods to battle the shadow brat. He would have to fetch his partner. Kakuzu took a step forward and the world spun around him. He stumbled, luckily catching himself on a tree before he could fall. His muscles ached, his wounds seared, and his chakra was dangerously low. His breath was raspy and shallow. After taking a moment to steady himself, he opened his eyes and took several heavy steps forward. He moved toward the sound of water. The sadist had fled the land of dead trees and was now wandering through a lush, radiant forest. He sauntered over to the small babbling creek the split through the middle of the forest and dropped to his knees at the edge of the water.

He cupped his hands together and plunged them into the cool water. The cold stung as it seeped into the cuts that laced the misers hands. He then raised his hands to his lips and drank the cool liquid. It tasted painstakingly sweet as the cool water poured down his parched throat. Kakuzu knew he was dehydrated and hunger pricked at him. He crawled to the nearest shrubs, sat, and picked at the ripe blackberries that grew on the vines of the undergrowth. Despite the intake of food, he was still very nauseated. Being in the fire country worried him, and staying put there dragged his fears on. He had to move fast and find Hidan.

He rose on weak legs. The shinobi stumbled forward, chakra depleted, body breaking and will deteriorating. Nonetheless, he carried on. The slightest breeze burned as it passed the crevice of his wounds and threatened to push him down, but Kakuzu managed to keep his ground. Tall lush trees stood close together and shaded the land. Shadows hung on Kakuzu's frame, making the weary nin look more gaunt and dark. An icy aura emanated from Kakuzu and the overcast of trees seemed to darken his mood further.

Lost in though, yet with no particular thought at all, he walked on, only stopping when a glint of harsh light assaulted his eyes. Shielding his eyes with a bloody hand as he sauntered into the sun lit area and crouched next to the metallic object. The object was half steeped in dirt, but anxiety made Kakuzu's heart race. He wiped the dirt away with a shaky hand and confirmed his fears. The weight on his shoulders became spine crushing as he picked Hidan's blood smeared headband out of the earth.

Kakuzu practically leapt to his feet. "Hidan!" he yelled, his knuckles white with the force of his grip on his partners accessory. "Hidan!" Kakuzu broke into a half run, half stumble movement. The muscles in his legs seared in agony, but he pressed on. He didn't understand why, but something compelled him to search for his comrade. Hidan was annoying, loudmouthed, bullheaded, cocky... he really knew how to get under Kakuzu's skin, but for some reason the incoherent priest was always on Kakuzu's mind. Was it friendship? Kakuzu knew that was a far fetched idea, but he hadn't had a friend in years. He never allowed himself to grow close to anyone. All those bonds did was hurt him, so he killed everyone around him, his fellow Akatsuki being the only exception.

But oddly enough, Kakuzu had grown fond of having the masochistic priest at his side and frankly, he enjoyed the company. Even if the ignorant dumbass had pissed Kakuzu off to no end, he always seemed to lighten Kakuzu' sour moods, but Kakuzu never admitted that. Now that he thought about it, Hidan had grown to be somewhat of a priority to Kakuzu. For some unexplainable reason, Kakuzu felt a need to protect Hidan. Was it because now he may have lost Hidan forever? That he didn't want Hidan to perish from his life? Or was it something even more ludicrous? Was it the vista of friendship? Or even... Love?

Kakuzu stopped in his tracks and chuckled incredulously. Love? That was beyond foolish. Just considering Hidan a frien was a huge stretch, but love? Kakuzu hadn't loved anyone in decades. Yet some foreign feeling pushed the stitched nin forward. All he knew was that he had to find Hidan. But then a cold reality dawned on him. The body double stunt took a mass amount of chakra and concentration to pull off in a spurious moment. He could have been unconscious for two minutes or two days. Kakuzu felt the color drain from his face and, despite his wounds, he sprinted through the woodland, yelling his comrades name until his voice was raw and he coughed up specs of blood.

Finally, he reached an ominously shaded clearing. He dropped to one knee over a mound of dirt. Sweat dripped from his face and seeped into the freshly uprooted earth. This mound must have been constructed recently, but Kakuzu saw no importance the pile could hold. Disappointed and frustrated, Kakuzu buried his face in his hands. Then he heard the fragile voice. "Hello..?' it said, a broken muffled cry. "Is anyone there..? Help me.. I'm so cold..." the disoriented voice continued its pitiful plea. Kakuzu instantly recognized that pathetic voice. Hidan was buried in the earth beneath him. It wasn't until the Kakuzu noticed the dry blood that painted the ground and trees a sickly shade of red.

"Hidan!" Kakuzu yelled into the ground. It took a moment, which seemed like an eternity to Kakuzu, but Hidan responded. "Who is it? Jashin-sama?..are you here to take me home?" Kakuzu began clawing at the dirt. "No, Hidan. I'm not your God and you aren't going anywhere." It took a minute for the voice above to register in Hidan's mind, but he pinpointed the voice. "Kakuzu?" He said. Kakuzu began digging at a more rapid pace. The sadist saw his blood begin to stain the dirt he so desperately clawed at. "Yeah its me." he responded. "Just hang on.." Kakuzu wasn't a pious man like his partner, but he prayed to whatever deity watched over all. Please, he prayed. Please let it not be too late.