The Secrets We Keep *COMPLETE* (Sasori x OC? / Itachi x OC?)

Devastation

Maeme gets to her feet and her eyes fall on several other ninja near Kakashi and the boy, including Chiyo and the pink haired girl she left Sasori with. Her body tenses, her mind racing through dozens of explanations for them still standing. They both look severely injured, but Sasori was never known to leave any targets alive. Deidara notices the whirlwind growing at her feet and tries to gather her attention to make an escape plan.

"Get out of here Deidara. There are too many for us to take down alone. I'll be right behind you." She tells him as the words 'Sasori' and 'dead' reach her ears.

"But-"

"I said go!"

Deidara watches as Maeme walks calmly toward the elderly woman, her feet hidden behind the swirling dust.

"Where is he?" She asks, her voice low and harsh.

"Maeme dear, it's been a long time." Chiyo greets as everyone else gets into a defensive stance to protect the elder.

"Cut the shit. Is he-?" She trails off at the flicker of sadness in the woman's eyes. "You raggedy old bitch! You made me give up my freedom, my life, everything to protect your grandson then you come and take him from me!? I will tear you limb from limb!"

Maeme lunges at the old woman, the earth shaking around them as she moves. The blond boy tackles her to the ground but Maeme uses the momentum to roll him off of her as she gets to her feet, landing on a chunk of the ground that lifted away from the surface. She lifts her hands and slams them together, trapping the elder in giant earthen hands.

"I will steal the rest of your life as you stole ours." She growls, her hands slowly tightening as her trap follows suit.

An explosion sounds behind her, but her focus doesn't waver. Nothing else matters. Chiyo has to die. As Maeme's fists begin to clench, four ninja rush toward her, intent on saving Chiyo since their attempt to pry the hands open failed. Maeme's eyes widen as she is ripped from her perch in the air, a scream tearing from her throat as the bind is released. She thrashes against the hold on her as the ninja get further and further away.

As Maeme's feet touch the ground again she rushes back in the direction they'd come from, Deidara helplessly running after her. He manages to tackle her at the edge of the treeline, pinning her underneath him using his torso and legs. Maeme struggles against him, cursing and shouting threats toward him and the 'dusty old bitch' they'd left behind.

"Maeme! Calm down, un." He soothes, desperately trying to calm his frantic partner.

Maeme's rage slowly dies down, the fire in her eyes burning out. She takes a few calming breaths before he rolls off her and gets to his feet.

Zetsu appears in front of them with another person, but Maeme's attention is locked on the destruction behind Deidara. As if in a trance, Maeme slowly walks through the remnants of destroyed puppets to the tragic scene in the center. Two life-sized puppets stand on either side of another, similar to an embrace, but the swords running through the middle puppet ruin the illusion.

"Sasori..." she whispers, her eyes filling with tears. "We need to leave."

When he doesn't respond she repeats herself as she steps closer, ready to heal him.

"Maeme-"

"Shut up Deidara, I can't hear him."

"Maeme, Sasori is-"

"Shut up!" she snaps, turning to face Deidara. "He's not dead! He can't be... I can heal him. I'll bring him back. Everything is going to be okay."

She turns back to the puppet and finds the core, the last human part of Sasori, and places her hands on it. Despite her already drained chakra supply, Maeme begins to flow her chakra into the core.

"Maeme, Sasori is gone. You're going to kill yourself if you don't stop!"

"He's not gone! He can't be! I took an oath years ago that I would give my life in order to save him, so if I die now to give him a chance to live, then so be it!" She shouts as her vision begins to waver.

A set of arms wraps around her, pulling her gently away from the puppets.

"He-he can't be dead... He can't be..." Maeme gives up the fight and sinks to her knees, dissolving into sobs as she stares up at the puppets.

The newcomer passes into her line of vision a moment later, approaching Sasori's original body.

"Don't you dare touch him!" She hisses, her tears turning into rage.

Deidara sighs as Maeme tries to lunge at the man but passes out from chakra depletion before she can get to her feet.