Author note: Yep another story

disclaimer: i own Rein and Emilia not Pein

Six Ways a Path: Chapter 1

A young girl hid behind the notorious leader of the criminal organization known as the 'Akatsuki'. The tall man was one that was feared by all but his partner and the little girl who was standing behind him now. The young girl fidgeted uncomfortably with only her adoptive father alone with her in a dark shadowy room. Pein felt her small hands tighten around his pants for only a second, glancing down at the girl's bright quicksilver-colored eyes, Pein quickly patted the small girl's dark purple-colored hair to ease the girls nerves as his grey-ringed eyes, his blood limit the Rinnegan, roamed across the dark room, silently summoning his jutsu.

A swishing of cloaks interrupted the silence as six men silently walked into the room, their eyes watching for anything that might threaten them with harm. A light turned on bathing the room in it's light and more importantly letting the 8 people in the room see each other. The six men that stood facing Pein and the little girl were Pein's six bodies, 'The Six Paths of Pein'.

The six men looked exactly like Pein, the same orange-colored hair, the same kekki genkai ,the same piercings and if they deactivate their blood limit the same clear blue eyes. The only differences were their height, the style of piercings and the length of their hair.

"Hey, Pein who's the girl? A new member or something.." one of them a tall man with his long orange hair swept back in a high ponytail asked as he stared at the girl hiding behind Pein.

"No Dein, she's a girl who Konan and me have adopted from Ameragakure..." Pein replied back to the man called Dein.

"what's your name..?" a equally tall man asked her kindly, the man's build wasn't as thin as Dein's but was a little fatter.

The small girl said nothing but only clutched at Pein's cloak harder as she adverted her eyes to stare at her own feet. Pein gave a small pat on the head in reassurance.

"Her name is Emilia" Pein said. Each of his bodies exchanged a look between each other before staring at the nervous girl.

"Hello Emilia, I'm Gein..." the man said kindly noting how the girl's eyes widened in panic at his voice.

'Pein-papa will they hurt me..?' she asked him telepathically, her arms tightened their hold on Pein's right leg as she waited for his answer

'No, they won't, they're going to be taking care of you while me and your mother are gone..' Pein's voice said soothingly.

'I don't want you to go..!!!' she thought panicked, intense sadness filled her thoughts and words.

'I know but I have to' Pein said in her mind

The six bodies shifted restlessly as Pein and Emilia spoke to each other in silence, little did Emilia know that all six bodies heard the words that she and Pein were saying , She jumped in fright when Gein's voice cut them from their silent conversation as he asked:

"Is she shy?"

"Yes.." came Pein's response. Silence followed but not for long.

"Arggg...what do you want !?!!??"one of the men said aggressively as he stepped forward from the other, scowling darkly at Pein.

"This...Konan and me have to go into hiding with the rest of the members, the Konoha-nin have found our current base so now we have to find a new one. The problem is that finding a suitable one will take months and we can't take Emilia with us so-" Pein's hold on Emilia tightened as he explained their situation.

"You want us to take care and protect her right?" Dein finished for him.

"Exactly."Pein said darkly

"Oh hell no" the man who spoke to Pein of his reason of being here said violently.

"Shut up Sein" another muttered to Sein

"Whatever Kein" Sein snorted

"Fine we'll do it" Dein said smoothly interrupting Sein and Kein's argument

"WHAT!?" Sein yelled out, shock written all over his face.

"Good. While she's in your care don't yell at her, and at nine she has to receive her medication which she will give to you when I leave, if she doesn't take it then follow the instructions of this scroll." Pein instructed ignoring Sein's outburst, as he gave the scroll containing his instructions to Dein who nodded an affirmative.

"Alright, Emi, mama and me are going away for awhile okay? if there are any problem with anyof the guys behind me use this" Pein said with a rare short-lived smile, looking at his daughter as hehanded her a sealing scroll. Emilia looked up at him and gave a small nod in understanding as shetook the small scroll from him. And then in a flurry of hand seals Pein disappeared, leaving his Emilia alone with the six men.

"Well, we should introduce ourselves, I'm Dein" the long haired man said sighing.

"..." the little girl's eyes closed a little as she teetered forward, to the 6 men.

"I'm Zein,the mature one.." a man with shoulder length hair in a ponytail said, his deep sure voice echoed in the room.

"Mm...h-hi" Emilia stuttered softly, her voice turning small, as she stared at the wall.

"I'm Kein" said a rather handsome man whose hair was put up in a spiky bun with black feathers stuck in it.

"...hm...mm" the tiny girl murmured softly, her eyes looking curiously at the pretty young man.

"My name is Rein.." a man with his long elbow-length hair strapped in a low ponytail said his eyes looked at the charge with boredom.

" And I'm Gein!!" a slightly chubby man said cheerfully as he looked at the nervous toddler, smiling softly when he saw her eyes looking at him with burning curiosity, as she blushed pink with shame.

"I'm Sein, the violent one " said another man whose short hair spike in every direction.

'His hair is like Papa's' Emilia realized sadly, masking the emotion, her eyes widened and she took a shaky step backward trembling hard at the word 'violent'.

"Hey you okay Emilia ??" Gein asked her with genuine concern, noting how the girl trembled. Emilia just shook her head and continued her slow retreat. Dein frowned, and walked to the small girl, but stopped when he heard her squeak of fear. What was up with this kid?

Shifting into a crouch, his arms resting on his knees, Dein smiled softly at the trembling girl as the others stood watching wary of the small toddler.

"Emi-channn...Shhh hey it's okay, Shhh.." Dein softly murmured to the girl as tears welled up in her eyes. The other men now seriously alarmed, stepped forward, but stopped at Dein's warning glance as a small cry escaped the toddler's mouth.

Emilia trembled as the man crept closer to her. She squeaked as her back hit a wall and tried to run from them by ducking under the small rickety table. A second later two warm arms hugged her, as they pulled her whimpering body off the floor and into a soft body. She flinched as Dein kneeled in front of her, his arms never letting go from the embrace. Her eyes widened as Dein sat her on his lap, as he

murmured soft words of comfort in a attempt to calm the toddlers deteriorating nerves. Emilia tried in vain to escape the man's grip but it was futile.

"H-heyy listen Emi, we won't hurt you, none of us will" Dein cooed running his hands over the girl's small trembling back in a soothing manner. It was only a matter of minutes before the girl no longer trembled as hard as she did before. Standing up from the ground gently cradling Emilia in one arm, Dein walked over to where the rest of the men were, who all but Gein and Zein where either smirking or snickering their asses off.

" Heh..man Dein I'd never would have known you did that.." Kein said smirking, while Rein tried and almost failed from laughing.

"Shut up..." Dein growled out as he walked toward a set of stairs, Emilia shivered slightly at the tone but soon forget about it when she looked at the stairs in awe. Insisting that Dein should put her down, Emilia and the 6 men began walking up the set of stairs.

All seven people climbed up the steep wall, the six adults with ease but Emilia on the other hand was having a rough time. They had almost reached their destination when the 6 bodies suddenly heard someone collapse. Whipping her heads around, they saw Emilia curled up on the set of stairs panting her heart out. They all frowned at the sight. Why hadn't she said anything?

Zein walked down to where the small girl laid her breathing turning into hard forced gasps, and scooping her up in his arms ran up to the others and continued to walked to the end of the stairs where the entrance of a large house stooped in the tower of Amergakure.

Emilia's eyes opened wider when she saw the interior of the grand house. It was gorgeous! The door led to a vast circular room that was the living room. From the left of the right of the room's wall were two deep halls leading to the bedrooms art rooms, bathrooms and ect. The living was conjoined with a fairly sized kitchen, where steel gray colored counters and a silver refrigerator gleamed like burnished silver wire.

The living room had a large plasma TV where several gaming systems were hooked up. 2 long low benched black leather couches stood in the center of the room. But for the house to belong to a group of six men, the entire house was surprisingly clean. Some of the bodies smiled at the girl who looked around the main room in awe.

"Welcome home..." Kein said, stepping forward.

"Home..." Emilia whispered softly to herself, she couldn't help but give a small smile at the word. She yawned in exhaustion, her eyes drooping shut.

"Looks like it's someone's bedtime.." Zein said gently, before the young girl yawned again earning her a deep chuckle from Zein.

" 'm nwot Sweepy!" Emilia protested sleepily

"I'll take her.." Gein offered lifting Emilia from Zein's arms. Turning around from the group of men, Gein walked throughout one of the dark halls until he stopped and entered into a spare room. On top of the black-colored blankets was a small bag full of Emilia's things, which Pein had given his bodies the day prior Emilia coming here. After helping the drowsy girl in her nightdress, Gein laid her on the bed and tucked the young girl within the thick covers.

"Emilia,if you need anything just call for me" Gein's voice whispered in her ear.

"'nwight " Emilia said tiredly

".....Goodnight" he said, he turned on his heel and walked out of the room after turning off the lights.

In the darkness Emilia grab a wooden doll that Sasori had made her (who only snapped: "My Art is NOT a craft used to make toys!!! but was forced by leader anyway who threatened him to do it, or he'll "Have Deidara blow up the poison master's "art" for inspiration) and rolling over on her left side fell asleep, sucking her thumb the doll clutched tightly, to the light sounds of the pitter patter the rain made.

Authornote: Awww fluff Review !! :D