Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Her heart was beating radically with the wind whipping into her face. She cradled her injured wrist protectively to herself screaming on the way down. Her eyes squeezed shut praying mentally someone would catch her.

At the height and velocity I'm going I'll die instantly without being able to register the pain...

It was like time itself had slowed down as it came to this moment. If Kimmy had kept her eyes open she would have noticed the two ninja racing toward her, both trying to get there before the other but apparent death was alarming enough to have her eyes kept shut. She prayed for a miracle.

A bomb went off.

Kimmy could feel the heat of the explosion in front of her, the momentum of it throwing the brunette backwards. A scream was ripped out of her mouth as her eyes shot open. Smoke covered her line of sight.

She felt strong arms grab her stopping her from flying through the air. Kimmy looked up. Her throat was surely to become raw from all the screaming in the last few minutes.

"Don't worry; I've got you, hm." The blonde Akatsuki members' grip tightened around her arms and legs. "You're the one I'm trying to avoid!" Kimmy yelled squirming in his grip. Deidara grinned before checking down below from the edge of the rooftop to an alleyway.

"Hey Sasori no Danna, take Kimmy with you. I'll take care of this one myself, hm."

"Just throw her over," Sasori dead panned. His voice sounded different; hoarser. When she looked over she didn't see Sasori but this scorpion-like man instead. What she didn't know was the one she was currently looking at was Sasori's puppet Hiroku and him inside of it.

The woman screamed as Deidara chucked her in midair over the edge toward the scorpion man Hiroku's direction.

But it wasn't he who caught her.

"Hah! You snooze you lose!" Naruto exclaimed sticking his tongue out securely holding the brunette to him. Kimmy immediately latched her one good hand onto him. This was going to get worse before it got better. She stared in fright at Sasori's moving puppet heading rapidly fast towards them. Naruto turned the other way to see Deidara standing in that direction as well, both ways blocked.

"This is even better than I could have hoped for. Our insanely hot captive and the jinchuuriki? You're making it too easy. Like hitting two birds with one stone, hm."

Naruto growled.

"Watch out!" Kimmy screamed.

In that span of time Sasori's puppet Hiroku's tail plunged at them. Naruto quickly evaded it but another bomb exploded right behind him throwing them both to the side. Kimmy felt Naruto's arms tighten around her before slamming against the wall grunting in pain. Her eyes went up to the teen who had turned his back at the last moment to receive the full impact.

That had to have hurt.

He was protecting her, someone he didn't even know. Somehow he was able to stay standing and even gave her a confident grin.

"Don't worry; I won't let them take you away!"

He had such a deep conviction in his eyes there was no way she could feel she could doubt him.

The sound of clashes brought Kimmy's attention back to the present in time to see Deidara backflip high before landing next to the scorpion man.

"Are you guys alright?"

Kimmy blinked and turned her head at the sound of the new voice. It was Kakashi. She didn't realize when he had shown up but then again when did she ever realize?

"We're fine," Naruto nodded setting Kimmy down on her feet.

"You should keep your eyes on your opponent!" Deidara yelled out. The woman turned her head in time seeing clay-like creatures come their way exploding in contact with kunai's.

They took that as their cue to run and get by Kakashi's side.

"Naruto, I need you to take Kimmy San here and get as far away from here as fast as you possibly can," the older ninja stated.

"And let these guys destroy our village? Hell no! Hey you!" Naruto yelled, glaring at Deidara. The blonde pyro's mouth twisted into a grin when he realized Naruto was speaking to him.

"You're part of the Akatsuki, right? That means you're after me so leave this woman out of it! You've got another thing coming if you think it'll be an easy battle!"

"Naruto," the tone in Kakashi's voice sent chills down Kimmy's back. "You have to evaluate and assess your enemies first before even thinking on jumping in to attack,"

"Hah! Just wait until they have a taste of me first!"

"Oh no," Kimmy muttered placing her good hand to her forehead in clear disapproval.

What was I thinking believing this guy could take them on? Don't tell me I got to him at the beginning of his character development. I'm surely doomed.

"Naruto, take her to a safer location away from here! I'll handle these two," Kakashi ordered pulling his headband up uncovering his sharingan.

"But-" Naruto started in protest.

"They're after a civilian. Whatever the reason Akatsuki want her for we can't let them get to her or you. Both of you need to be kept away for now. Do you understand me?"

Naruto twisted his mouth into a frown but didn't have time to voice his thoughts when the brunette in question forced her way into his line of sight and took his hand. "Come on!" She was already tugging him and began to run away from the area. Naruto turned his head back to his Sensei noticing all too soon the blonde Akatsuki member jumping onto a monstrous sized clay bird. He threw something up noticing it morphed into smaller sized clay birds flying towards Kakashi.

The Jonin pulled kunai's out and threw them with precision at the clay birds. They exploded upon contact and as he took to confront the blonde Akatsuki member a scorpion tail drove itself at him forcing him to draw his kunai's against the sharp blade.

He noticed almost immediately the tail was dripping wet.

Poison

"Hah, I'll be back soon!" Deidara's voice called back. Kakashi grunted noticing the other one had used his moment of distraction to move on ahead.

"We're not going to get very far if you insist on looking back!" the brunette's voice finally brought Naruto's attention back to the woman who was pulling him as she ran. "Right! Sorry," he finally pulled his eyes away from the Akatsuki member pursuing them to lift her up so he could run instead for them.

He took a turn at an alley corner and quickly shifted the woman in his arms to make a hand sign.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

"I will never get used to that," Kimmy started wide eyed at the sight of dozens upon dozens of exact replicas of them surrounding them. When the sound of Deidara's clay bird drew near Naruto shouted.

"Disperse!"

At Naruto's command the countless bodies went scattering in different directions. He jumped on top of the roof planning on running in the direction of the Hokage tower when small clay creatures attached themselves to the duo.

"Take another step and your legs will be the first to go, un."

A shadow passed over their heads before the bird landed a few meters off. Deidara came down from the bird, a cool grin never leaving his face. Kimmy unconsciously tightened her grip on Naruto's jacket noticing the little clay buggers dotting all over their bodies. She turned her head burying her face into Naruto's chest a whimper escaping her lips.

"I was hoping for something better from you after that little spat you gave me but you kind of let my expectations down, hm."

"How did you know it was us?" Naruto growled.

"The woman you're holding gave it away. I only had to look for the one that didn't have chakra,"

"What?" Naruto looked back to the brunette realizing it was true. He didn't feel anything from her, she was invisible to him.

"Kimmy,"

The woman slowly lifted her head frowning. This was the first time he called her by name.

"You had a good run I'll admit that. Hell, there hasn't been a dull moment since we brought you in but unless you want me to kill the brat you'll come with me, hm."

Kimmy stared at Deidara feeling at a loss.

"Fuck that! Lady, you don't have to do anything he says! Don't worry about me, I'll be okay. You shouldn't believe from the likes of him!" Kimmy eyes darted up in disbelief, and amazement, at Naruto.

He didn't know her and yet he was still trying to protect her. Her heart hurt from the kindness he was showing her.

No, she couldn't allow her misfortunes to fall upon him as well.

She reached up and placed her hand on his cheek grabbing his attention.

"Thank you... but I can't let you sacrifice your life for mine,"

She wiggled out of his arms to stand on her own and took a deep breath before she walked toward the grinning blonde.

"Kats(u)!"

The explosion went off from behind. Kimmy whipped around in horror at the sight.

"The fuck Deidara?!" she yelled running toward the injured boy. He had nasty second degree burns all over his body. She crouched down to him and pressed her two fingers to his neck searching for a pulse.

His pulse was there but it was weak, he was out cold.

"I didn't say I wasn't going to harm him. He'll be fine." His footsteps grew closer as he drew near.

"Now," he reached down pulling Naruto up to throw over his shoulder.

"Do I have to do the same to you or will you be a good girl and come along?"

She glared up at the man tightening her fists at her sides but slowly got to her feet.

"Good," he took her hand before hurrying back to the bird where he deposited the unconscious boy into the birds' mouth. Soon they were on the bird and making their way back to his partner.

"We may be in over our heads, hm."

"I've dealt with similar situations," came Sasori's reply.

"Under the same time stamp we have?"

They both glanced back at the sight. A fleet of Konoha nins in the sky not too far behind gaining on them.

"We don't have time for this. We need to get to Amegakure without any further delays,"

"I'll lose them," Deidara grinned holding a hand sign up.

Author's Note: I admit it's a bit shorter than what I was aiming for but I do feel content with this and, I also wanted to save the next idea I have for the following chapter just because there's going to be A LOT going on.

So, what'd you guys think? Let me know in your reviews what you thought of this chapter or what you're hoping for next! :) You may be surprised, I may include it.