A/N: I heard this song and fell in love with it. I was playing it on my guitar when I thought, 'Hey! I want to write something with this!' and so this was created. I enjoyed writing this and had fun finding all the different versions on Youtube but Tracy Chapman's is still my favourite.
I'm kinda proud of this. It's unrealistic but I think I got it kinda incharacter, which I find hard for Itachi. I also wrote it pretty quickly for my standards! I hope you enjoy it!

Song: Fast Car – Tracy Chapman

You got a fast car
I want a ticket to anywhere
Maybe we make a deal
Maybe together we can get somewhere

That was it. He'd had enough of his father's over bearing ways, his brother's constant battles to be better then him, the job of keeping the family name clean. He couldn't cope with the pressure any more. He was eighteen for God's sake! Old enough to take control of his own life and live whilst he still had the chance. He wasn't the submissive type at all, so why had it taken him this long to crack?

Itachi calmly took hold of the reins around his temper and walked up to his room. Once the door was locked to avoid any unwanted confrontation with the rest of his family, Itachi grabbed a rucksack and started throwing the bare necessities into it. Clothes, money, toothbrush and that book he was half way through. Anything else he could buy once he was out of this prison of a home.

Itachi took a step back and surveyed his former bedroom. There was nothing sentimental on the walls, no posters or old pictures. His desk didn't carry the marks of a teenage life and was void of photo frames or anything else that would link the room to a human. It looked like a show room at a furniture store, all crisp linen and clean cut wallpaper and that was exactly how Itachi like it. He was never one for 'keeping it for the memories' or 'because it reminds me of that time'. The only person he'd ever been truly close to was his younger brother, Sasuke, but even that relationship was deteriorating.

Zipping the bag shut, Itachi walked out of the room for the last time but not before grabbing his car keys from his bedside table. As predicted his father was stood by the stairs waiting for him, yelling at him for some reason other, telling him he was a disgrace to the family and that Sasuke had better not grow up to be a disappointment like him. Itachi ignored the comments as ever and silently walked out to his convertible parked out front. Slinging his bag into the back and settling himself behind the wheel Itachi asked himself for the final time 'do I really want to do this?'

Seconds later he pulled out of the driveway and was tearing down the road faster then he could answer 'yes.'

Anyplace is better
Starting from zero got nothing to lose
Maybe we'll make something
Me myself, I got nothing to prove

He'd been driving aimlessly around the city's back roads for sometime when he finally decided to hit the motorway. It was late at night and few people were around so it was just Itachi and the road. Normally he'd be quite happy with the situation but he felt the need for human companionship. Not to talk to or anything like that, just to be comforted with the knowledge that there was somebody else at this time of night with nowhere to go and nowhere to go back to.

Itachi saw somebody sat on one side of the road. They sported scuffed up jeans, a plain white t-shirt and sat on a beaten up suitcase. It seemed to be straining from both the weight of the person on it and the stuffing of belongings it was carrying. The person's long blonde hair was caught by the wind and blew away to reveal a thumb stuck out pointing down the road. A hitchhiker. The kind of person his father would frown upon and accelerate past if they ever passed them on a journey, as though they could hijack a car going at sixty miles per hour.

Itachi liked to think he was simply stopping by the person just to spite his father but something in his head told him that it was more then that. He wanted company for the journey ahead, wherever it may lead him to.

As he pulled up and looked over the car door, Itachi could see that the hitchhiker was, in fact, male. He had been undecided on the fact up till then, but despite the feminine figure of the man, his face had a harsh masculine edge to it. Itachi watched as the blonde pushed himself up of his makeshift seat, picked up the suitcase and threw it into the back of the car. He then jumped into the front passenger seat without bothering to open the door, swinging his lithe body over it instead.

Itachi didn't know it that was what normally happened when picking up hitchhikers but decided to go along with it anyhow. This guy obviously knew what he was doing. Turing back to the wheel, Itachi put the car back into gear and sped off, finally leaving his old life behind.

"Where to?" he asked after a minute.

"Anywhere, un."

You got a fast car
And I got a plan to get us out of here
I been working at the convenience store
Managed to save just a little bit of money

"Thanks for this, un." Said the strange blonde sat in the passenger seat. Itachi had learnt that his name was Deidara, a year younger then him and a college drop out. When asked about why he'd dropped out of school, he'd quickly changed the topic of conversation and asked Itachi about himself. Somehow the older man had steered the chatter back to Deidara and now the younger boy was talking animatedly about his former job. It seemed that he could get excited over the slightest thing.

"Yeah, we'd have a blast. Hidan was the best though, un. He wouldn't mind taking my shift at the cash till, unlike Kakuzu who you'd have to pay. He swore like a sailor though!"

Itachi wasn't listening to the mindless words escaping he other's mouth but he was glad of the company, however one-sided the conversation was.

"I've been working there for a while, managed to save up quite a bit of cash, un. So I thought 'Hey, why not go see the world?' you know, whilst I'm still young." Deidara flashed a lop-sided grin an the Uchiha, the skin around his eyes crinkling slightly. Itachi couldn't help but envy the carefree aura the younger boy gave off. Just by being around him he felt more relaxed and at ease then after any number of the yoga sessions his mother had forced him into at a younger age.

We won't have to drive too far
Just 'cross the border and into the city
You and I can both get jobs
And finally see what it means to be living

Itachi could feel drowsiness taking over his eyes and so pulled into a lay by on the side of the road. Deidara knew that the darker haired man was tired and didn't question the man when he pressed the switch for the car roof to fold out, back over them. Both travelers were thankful for the near instant heat it provided as the night had suddenly gotten rather cold due to the lack of cloud cover. Soon the two of them were leant against their respective windows and sound asleep, the night swallowing the car into darkness.

Somehow during the course of sleep, Deidara ending up stretched across Itachi's lap. It had been the blonde's quiet mumblings that had woken the older man up. He'd always been a light sleeper. Itachi didn't really mind, however, after a few minutes of getting used to the close contact. It was quite nice actually, comforting but there was no want for the gesture to go any further.

Closing his eyes to rest again, Itachi allowed his mind to wander. He would have to find somewhere to live but the money in his bank account was enough to deal with that problem. A job would also be on the cards if he expected this to be a permanent thing. Itachi didn't know what he'd do for money as he'd been training at the Police Academy until he'd been kicked out two weeks ago. His father had only just found out and he was not very happy, to say the least. His expulsion had been final and even the Head of Police could get him back onto his course. It wasn't often his father had found his request denied as the Head of Police was a very influential position and the fact he could do nothing about it had made the rage ten times worse.

Slowly but surely, the gentle breathing one the one in his lap lulled Itachi of to sleep again, allowing his to forget for a while all the arguements and rows he'd had with his father.

You see my old man's got a problem
He live with the bottle that's the way it is
He says his body's too old for working
His body's too young to look like his
My mama went off and left him
She wanted more from life than he could give
I said somebody's got to take care of him
So I quit school and that's what I did

They had stopped at a service station to refuel the car and something to eat. Deidara was sat on the bonnet of the car munching happily on a cheese sandwich, basking in he sun's rays, whilst Itachi leant against a nearby tree sipping a Styrofoam cup of black coffee. He was just starting to appreciate the way that Deidara's hair split over his shoulder when said blonde spoke up and broke the silence unexpectedly.

"I left because of my dad, un."

"Hn?" Itachi didn't speak properly, hoping that the small noise wouldn't disturb the hitchhiker from his thoughts. Before pulling in to top up the gas tank, Itachi had been gently pressing Deidara on information to why he left school. The boy had instantly clammed up about the topic as usual, so now that he was freely talking Itachi wasn't going to stop him.

"School, un. I left to look after my dad." Deidara looked down at the crust of his sandwich, picking off little bits and throwing them half-heartedly at the ground. "Mum left because Dad was a drunk. Don't get me wrong un, he never lay a finger on us but she wanted so much more out of life then just being a housewife, un. So she just upped sticks and left." He sighed and stared into the distance, eyes unfocused as though looking at something that no one else could see. "I couldn't leave with her because Dad was a mess and someone had to look after him. Turns out that all that drinking gave him liver psoriasis so, when at college, instead of learning I spent all my time in lessons worrying about him. In the end I dropped out just to save myself from the stress."

Itachi was slightly stunned by the confession. He found it a foreign concept that school could come second to family. His father had always pushed him so hard to be the best, to be perfect that Itachi reckoned that even if his father were dying he'd want him to be at school. He certainly wouldn't appreciate Itachi leaving college even if it was to look after him in his greatest time of need.

"You wish you'd stayed?" He asked suddenly, breaking the silence that had slipped over the two, unnoticed. Itachi had meant stayed at school but the answer he recieved led him to believe the blonde thought he meant leaving home.

"Not really, un. There was nothing left there for me. I'd probably have a better job and more money, I guess but then I wouldn't be traveling, un. I wouldn't have met you either." Itachi looked up at Deidara, about to ask what he'd meant by that but the blonde was already walking to the bins to dump his empty coke can and sandwich wrapper in them. By the time he'd returned the conversation was over and had moved to a new topic.

You got a fast car
But is it fast enough so we can fly away
We gotta make a decision
We leave tonight or live and die this way

It had been two days. Two days of driving across the country, pulling into lay-bys for sleep and living off greasy burgers and energy drinks. Deidara seemed in his element, taking everything in his stride whilst Itachi wasn't used to eating processed foods and sleeping rough. Though he couldn't say he wasn't enjoying the experience. He didn't know what to expect when he drove out of the driveway that night but he just wanted something different. Deidara was about as different to his regular life as Itachi could have possibly found.

Despite being polar opposites of each other, both Itachi and Deidara were happy with the others company. Itachi was glad to have found a traveling companion who would fill what would have been a lonely, silent drive with conversation and daft jokes and also didn't mind paying for the gas sometimes. Deidara was praising the Gods that he'd managed to get picked up by someone with a damn hot car and who didn't mind listening to him prattle on about his old life back home. The last person who would listen to his ramblings had left his home town awhile ago, and the blonde had lost all contact with him. Sadness flicker through his eyes as the image of a certain red head flashed in his mind, a sigh escaping from his lips as long forgotten memories resurfaced.

Itachi caught the change in Deidara but didn't say anything. It was impossible to be happy constantly and even the blonde was allowed a moment of respite from his seemingly endless amount of energy and enthusiasm.

I remember we were driving, driving in your car
The speed so fast I felt like I was drunk
City lights lay out before us
And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder
And I had a feeling that I belonged
And I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone

The sky was burning orange and reds with thin wisps of purple clouds trails as the silhouette of Itachi's car raced through the desert. The dying rays of the sun lit up both Deidara's and Itachi's faces, one smiling with glee at the sensation of the wind and the other allowing a faint smirk to grace his lips due to the blondes actions.

"Woo-hoo!" Deidara stood with his arms stretched above his head the wind rushing past at what felt like a thousand miles per hour. He held his arms out as though about to take flight and leave the car, Itachi and everything else behind him.

In the three days of being with each other all day, every day Itachi had found himself growing rather fond of Deidara. He could help cheer up the older man's day with that cocky grin of his, something that only his little brother could do before they started to grow apart.

Itachi looked up at his friend and a heat that had nothing to do with the sun spread across his face. He grabbed the younger boy by the belt loop of the back of his jeans and pulled him back into his seat.

"Hey 'Tachi, what was that for?" came the indignant cry of the blonde.

"It's unsafe." Was the only reply he received in return.

"Aww, you worried about me, un?" Deidara teased, knowing such comments annoyed the Uchiha.

"Hn." The pink glow on his face grew slightly deeper but both boys put it down to the skin-chapping wind, nothing else.

'You got a fast car
And we go cruising to entertain ourselves
You still ain't got a job
And I work in a market as a checkout girl
I know things will get better
You'll find work and I'll get promoted
We'll move out of the shelter
Buy a big house and live in the suburbs'

Deidara was singing along to the radio. His voice suited the song well, Itachi thought. It was deep enough to hit the low notes but had a tiny feminine twang, a lot like the woman singing on the actual track.

He'd heard this song before but had never really listened to it properly until Deidara had turned the volume up. In fact Itachi had never really stopped to appreciate music, never having to time or patience or always having something better to do. However now he was quite enjoying driving to the rhythm, gently tapping his fingers on the steering wheel along with the beat. He liked the combination of voice and acoustic guitar to create something simple yet sophisticated. It was the merging of two completely different things to give birth to a sound that could be considered even more beautiful then when they were separated.

'You got a fast car
And I got a job that pays all our bills
You stay out drinking late at the bar
See more of your friends than you do of your kids
I'd always hoped for better
Thought maybe together you and me would find it
I got no plans I ain't going nowhere
So take your fast car and keep on driving'

Itachi had pulled into yet another gas station when Deidara had complained of 'really needing to go, un!' Whilst he waited for his friend he turned on the radio and hoped something good was on.

It was that song, the one Deidara had been singing before in the car a few days ago. Itachi had thought about the story behind the song and decided that, although the woman was obviously the main focus, he felt more sympathy towards the man. He'd found someone he'd loved but couldn't change himself and therefore lost that person. He thought that was more tragic then the woman's story.

It was later that night when Deidara asked a question Itachi hadn't been expecting, though it was rather obvious he was going to ask at some point.

"Hey Itachi, un?" Deidara whispered for fear of waking said man up.

"Hn?"

"Why'd you leave home? You never said." Itachi consider keeping silent and not answering for a moment but then realized that since Deidara opened up to him, the least he could do was return to favour.

"…I had to escape my family."

"If it's escape then why not leave completely, un? Leave the country and go see the world. There's no point in staying around because all that's gonna happen is the ghosts of your past will catch up with you."

This time, Itachi didn't answer.

I remember we were driving, driving in your car
The speed so fast I felt like I was drunk
City lights lay out before us
And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder
And I had a feeling that I belonged
And I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone

A week after he'd first picked up the blonde, Itachi woke that morning to an empty car. He checked the back but Deidara wasn't there and neither was his suitcase. It seemed that Deidara had done a disappearing act but it wasn't as though Itachi hadn't been expecting it. He knew the blonde was a free spirit who wanted to follow in his mother's footsteps and travel the globe. The raven haired man wished he could chase after him, to keep him company to the ends of the earth but he knew he couldn't go too far. The guilt of leaving his family, no matter how constricting they might be, would weigh down on his shoulders far too much.

There was a note left on the dashboard of the car in the form of a neon yellow Post-It. It was a short message, clearly left by Deidara as it was written in his messy scrawl.

'You got a fast car but is it fast enough so you can fly away?
You gotta make a decision; you can leave tonight or live and die this way.'