A fanfic by Jordan that I just HAD to upload

the italized words are lyrics from the song Photographs by Nickelback

Disclaimer: I do not own the Akatsuki or the song or the story

Konan was alone. No surprise there. She was the leader of the Hidden Rain Village now. She had made her villagers and guards stay behind. Because…she needed to visit some old memories. The old Akatsuki Base. Tucked under her arm was a book…a photo album.

When she arrived at the base, she undid the seal guarding the door. And walked inside. Madara, Kisame, Zetsu, and the team Taka were nowhere to be found. Good. That was definitely a VERY good thing. She walked to the center of the room, still holding the photo album. Her footsteps echoed eerily throughout the cold stone room.

Suddenly, she sat down, cross-legged, on the floor, the book opened on her lap. This photo album…she'd made it in her spare time. Kakuzu had gotten a camera, believing they could take pictures to send to fangirls worldwide to receive cash. Money-loving old geezer. But…his idea had backfired, especially seeing as the Akatsuki had started using it by taking pictures of the more…humorous moments.

The first picture actually brought a smile to her normally calm, serious face. It was a photo Tobi-back when he had been known as such-had insisted on taking. He and Deidara were standing by each other, Deidara looking ticked off and bored, Tobi giving the "peace" sign. Scribbled on it were the words "Tobi and Deidara=BFFs." Once again, back when he was Tobi.

Look at this photograph, every time I do it makes me laugh...

Oh, this one! Back when she and Pain had started up the Akatsuki. The five main members at that time stood silently: Her, Pain, Kakuzu, Sasori, Orochimaru (This picture had been taken when he had been a member…I think this was what the group was back then…) A simple group of five. She had been younger, maybe ten years so. Same with Pain. Ah, Pain…she missed him so much…that base had just been an old cave they had abandoned. She wondered how it looked now.

This is where I grew up, I'll bet the present owner fixed it up….

The next one was when Pain was trying- and failing- to teach the Akatsuki a few random things about their plans. It had ended up as this: Itachi fell asleep, she had made paper airplane love notes that she'd tried sending to Pain (It had failed, she had to keep pulling them back before Kakuzu could grab them), Deidara had been flinging clay spitballs at Tobi in an attempt to blow him up, Kisame and Kakuzu had cut off Hidan's head and begun using it as a volleyball…Zetsu had just gone outside, and Sasori had died by this time. Pain had been yelling and swearing like crazy.

This was where I went to school, most of the time had better things to do…

Oh, this was a good one! They had been at their favorite place…well, Kakuzu's anyways. A casino. He was ALWAYS cheating at the machines…had actually gotten them kicked out a LOT because he blamed it on them! Oh, well. They often ended up spending more than gaining. She never drank much since she felt like a LOT of guys in the casinos were just waiting for her to get a little drunk. The cops had hated them for many reasons, and they hadn't even known they were the Akatsuki then! But that particular casino had been burnt to the ground in a raid on that town…not their fault…COMPLETELY. Seriously. OH, JUST BELIEVE THIS MESSAGE ALREADY! They'd stopped going there when the preparations were completed for sealing techniques nearly three years ago….

Remember the old arcade? Blew every dollar that we ever made. The cops hated us hanging out. They say somebody went and burned it down…

THIS picture made her face go red. Oh…OH. Her and Pain's first kiss. She couldn't quite remember how it happened. They'd just been talking and flirting…mostly flirting…and then she had leaned forward…Pain had been so nervous she couldn't believe it…and they'd kissed. THEN they'd seen a flash which would be Hidan snapping a photo. They'd ended up hanging him by his underwear into a tree for that. And…who had drawn those hearts all around the picture? Ugh, if Deidara was still alive, he would be in SO much trouble right now!

(Imagine Pain singing this line, I did a quick edit) Konan's the first girl I kissed, I was so nervous that I nearly missed...

Konan sighed. She hadn't thought she'd miss all of them this much…she'd felt so perfectly happy as the Rain Village leader…wait…was she…yes, she was actually crying. She hadn't cried in so long! This was ridiculous…but…she still couldn't quite believe it. She'd cried for Pain, true, but the others…they'd almost been friends, and if not quite that….she still felt an ache in her heart looking at these pictures.

I miss that town, I miss their faces. You can't erase, you can't replace it. I miss it now, I can't believe it. So hard to stay, too hard to leave it.

She closed her eyes, letting the memories flow through her head…Sasori's death, Hidan's technical death, ALL of their deaths….maybe, if she'd KNOWN it would happen, she could have been there to prevent it. But there were some things that would never change….

If I could relive those days, I know the one thing that would never change…

"Konan?" a surprised voice caught her attention…or rather, two voices. He stood up abruptly, closing the book, and turned. There stood Zetsu, stealthy as ever.

"Well, Zetsu, you haven't lost you spying abilities, I see."

"Why would we?" "Of course we still have them." White Zetsu, Black Zetsu. So interesting how they conversed. "Anyways, Konan, you had better go. Madara-sama would not like to find you, after leaving the Akatsuki, here."

"I was just leaving." She stood up and walked out of the room as Zetsu sank into the ground. Then she turned, looking over the cave.

It's hard to say it, time to say it…

"Goodbye."