Ashley's POV

Kiba and I leap down from the trees we had been bounding through, the two of us pausing to catch our breaths. Akamaru sits inside Kiba's jacket, having had enough of running about thirty minutes ago.

We had made good time to get here. The last time I'd been to this spot was back when I was six, and getting from here, to the Village, had taken us a good few hours. With Kiba and I both running, it had taken us just over an hour.

Luckily, it's currently the season for it to stay light later, so it still isn't dark, though I can see a few stars up in the sky.

"Where exactly are we going Angel?" Kiba asks between breaths. "Are you gonna kill me and hide my body out here or something?"

"Not today" I smirk, pushing myself away from the tree I am resting against and walking up the sloping hill before us. "We're here anyway."

I can feel my heart rate increase as I slowly walk up the hill, looking around through hooded eyes. At the top of the slope, only a short distance away from the forest, I come to a stop.

I am not disappointed when I see nothing but grass, and the cliff edges further ahead. I had expected this from the very beginning. But I can still see everything so vividly in my mind. Almost as if it were still there......

"Where are we?" Kiba inquires, looking around in slight confusion as he comes to a stop beside me. He lets Akamaru down, the puppy eager to sniff around and investigate.

I step forwards again, my hands now on my hips as I slowly wander through the grass, my head down and my eyes trained on the ground.

It was here that I was born. Here where we had been a family, and here where many happy memories had been formed.......It was here where the worst day of my life had begun. It was here when I was stolen from my homeland.

This was the last place I had stood, when the rest of the island had been swallowed by the ocean.

I hug myself, I suppose in an effort to try and comfort myself. I had put off coming here. In fact, I didn't even think I was going to come here at all. Why would I? Standing here is painful.

A lot of things about my homeland are painful. But specifically this spot......

"Angel" a soft voice addresses me, causing me to turn around. I see Kiba standing in front of me, looking concerned. "Are you alright? Is this, um.....a place of significance?"

I blink at that, feeling tears welling up in my eyes. I don't cry though, instead choosing to smile sadly at Kiba and nod.

"Yeah, it is" I reply, my voice trembling a little. "This is where my home was. Right here where I'm standing. This is where my Mom, Kiyu, Keilor, Ace and I lived together."

Kiba's eyes widen slightly at that, and he takes a step even closer to me, before pausing. He hesitates, seemingly uncertain of what to do.

"I'm alright" I assure the Inuzuka, although I think I might be lying a little. "I have a lot of happy memories of this place......But I guess the bad memories were the last ones. This is the exact spot that Orochimaru took me from......."

I pause for a moment, remembering the feeling of seeing him here at my home. I was so terrified back then.

".....Angel-"

"It's okay" I say quietly, my back now facing Kiba. "This is also the spot that I grew up in. It's the spot that my sister and I played in, and got in lots of trouble in. And it's the spot where my Mom loved us a lot......"

I trail off again, smiling to myself this time. I feel a tear slide down my cheek, although I can't say that I feel sad right now. I guess I feel more nostalgic than anything.

"Ah, sorry for crying" I apologise, laughing softly as I turn back around to face Kiba. "I've been doing that a lot since coming back here."

"....You don't have to apologise for that" Kiba informs me, a troubled look on his face as he watches me intently. "A lot of bad things happened to you here."

"Yeah, I guess you're right" I agree, sounding a little dismissive. I raise my head, now smiling at Kiba gratefully. "Thanks for coming with me. I didn't think I'd ever be brave enough to come back here, but with you here by my side......I finally felt strong enough to do it-"

My eyes widen, as Kiba suddenly reaches out and grabs onto my shoulders, before pulling me into his chest and hugging me tightly. I hold my breath for a second, my heartbeat quickening, before I am able to relax and close my eyes.

I raise my arms and wrap them around Kiba's torso, my fingers clinging to the back of his jacket, as I listen to his heartbeat and enjoy his warmth.

We stand like that, in comfortable silence, for what feels like ages, though I know it is only a few seconds. I find myself having to concentrate on not crying, Kiba's hug suddenly making me realise just how much I am going to miss him when he leaves.

I can't believe I didn't realise it earlier. I'm really going to miss him.

I curl my fingers tighter into his jacket, my brows furrowing as I will myself not to cry. I can't cry. If I do, Kiba will ask me why I'm crying, and I just won't be able to tell him.

I should probably at least tell him that I'm going to be staying though. I know he'll be upset, but I don't want to spring it on him last second and shock him with the news......

"......Hey Angel?" Kiba speaks up, breaking the silence.

"Yeah?" I reply quietly, still holding on to him.

"I need to tell you something."

"Alright" I say, leaning back and looking up. I don't know what he needs to say, but judging by his tone and the look on his face, it seems serious.

Kiba gazes down at me with his brows furrowed for a second, before briefly turning his head away and letting out a low breath. He then looks back at me, seeming a bit more shy than usual, though he maintains his eye contact with me.

"I've been wanting to say this for ages, but I've been way too chicken to do it" Kiba admits. "I feel like if I don't say it now, I might never get the courage to."

I tilt my head slightly, curious as to what could be too difficult for Kiba to have told me any earlier.

"I......I really like you Ashley" Kiba tells me, his cheeks turning red. "Like I said, I have for ages, I just......didn't have the guts to tell you."

I stare at Kiba for a few seconds, my mind whirring as I try to process what has just been said to me.

I really like you.

What did that mean? What did he mean by like? I know what it could mean, but it could also just mean that he likes me as a friend, right? There's no way he'd be standing here in front of me, telling me that he likes me as anything other than a friend, right?

And why did he say my actual name? I don't remember my name sounding so...special.....

I feel myself beginning to internally panic a little. I don't know anything about this sort of stuff. I've never been in this situation. I don't know what I'm supposed to say, and I don't want to say anything stupid.

I have never wished for Sakura or Ino to be here more.

"I-I like you too Mutt" I say cheerfully, forcing myself to try and sound casual, as I decide to take the safe approach to this sudden situation.

The last thing I want to do, is jump the gun and make a complete idiot of myself.

I see Kiba slightly wince at that, though he lets out a bit of an awkward laugh and shakes his head, before looking back at me.

"No, that's not what I meant" he explains gently, a tiny, lop-sided smile on his face. "I meant it more as in....a-as in......I love you."

I freeze at that, my eyes widening, as I feel that panic immediately rise up within me again. My whole body grows warm, as my face flushes bright red.

I see Kiba watching me expectantly, the Inuzuka clearly extremely nervous.

But I don't know what to say. I suddenly realise that I can't seem to find the words that I want to say. I want to, but they won't come out. I feel too embarrassed, too surprised and too overwhelmed.

I've never had anyone besides my family and my Wolves tell me that they love me, and even I, as clueless as I may be about this sort of thing, realise that what Kiba is referring to is something totally different.

"Uh...." Kiba says awkwardly, tilting his head. "Are uh, you alri-"

"I-I lo.......I.....uh........Thank you" I finally manage to blurt out, before I am able to stop myself.

Kiba blinks, thoroughly confused. I see his brows slowly knit together, his eyes searching my face for something, though I'm not sure what.

"Uh, what?" Kiba asks, taking a step back from me. "Thank you?..........Thank you......."

I take quick, shallow breaths, watching Kiba through round eyes, as he looks away from me and begins to nod, as if he is trying to understand something. I fidget nervously as I watch him, knowing that I've said something stupid, but I find myself unable to say anything else.

I don't know what's wrong with me. I feel so anxious.

"I don't get it" Kiba eventually says to me. "Why did you kiss me, if you don't even like me?"

I feel my face flush again at the memory of kissing Kiba, on the night that he came to look for me during the storm. I duck my head and place both hands over my face, feeling so flustered that I can't even look Kiba in the eye anymore.

Why is he asking me that?!

"I-I don't know" is all I am able to say, panicked.

"You don't know......" Kiba repeats, muttering to himself. "Great.........I feel like an idiot."

I drop my hands from my face at the sound of Kiba's footsteps retreating, only to see him walking back the way we had come from.

"Kiba, wait!" I call out. "I....I........I'm really sor-"

"Don't apologise" Kiba interrupts me, pausing in his walking, though he doesn't turn around to look at me. "Please don't apologise. That'll just make it worse........C'mon Akamaru!"

"B-But.....you don't know the way back" I protest.

"I'll find it" comes the short reply.

Feeling defeated, I look down at Akamaru as he slowly trudges past me. He meets my gaze, his tail between his legs as he whines at me, before breaking into a run to catch up with Kiba.

I watch as Kiba and Akamaru disappear into the forest, waiting about two seconds, before I abruptly burst into tears. Not sure of what to do, I crouch down, hugging my knees and crying into them.

I feel stupid, I feel embarrassed, I feel frustrated. But mostly, I just feel overwhelmed.

I've experienced far too many strong emotions since coming back to my homeland. Too many things have happened, and now, I've got one more bad memory to add to this spot.

Third Person's POV

"You know" Ino states, lounging on her futon, "I'm actually looking forward to going home. As nice as it is here, I miss my own bed."

"Me too" Sakura agrees, brushing her hair. "I'm tired of living out of this small bag. And I miss my nice shampoo."

"I-I've enjoyed sharing a room though" Hinata adds, kneeling on her futon. "It's f-fun being with other girls."

"Yeah, that's true" Ino says, wrinkling her nose. "We all spend to much time with the gross guys on our teams. We need to all hang out more often."

"We need to do more girly things together" Sakura decides, both Hinata and Ino nodding in agreement, before all three girls begin to giggle.

They all turn around as the door to their room flings opens, the sudden movement having given them a fright. They all sigh and relax however, when Ashley walks in through the door.

"Oh Ashley, we haven't seen you all day" Sakura smiles. "We were just talking about how we all need to hang out and do fun girl stuff together."

Ashley completely ignores Sakura, stalking past all of the girls and dumping herself down on her futon, her back to the others.

Sakura and Ino exchange concerned looks with each other.

They had been worried that something was wrong with Ashley, and it seemed like they had been right on the money.

"Um, hey Ashley?" Ino attempts to speak with the girl, changing the subject. "Did you hear that we're heading home tomorrow?"

Ino's eyes brighten a little when she sees Ashley pause at this, the girl in the middle of removing her hitai-ate.

"Yeah, yeah!" Ino continues eagerly. "Kurenai Sensei said that the hospital is happy to release Shino tomorrow morning. So, we'll be heading home after that! Isn't that great?"

"............Fantastic" Ashley responds sarcastically, before throwing her hitai-ate on the floor and climbing under her blanket.

The girls all stare at Ashley with wide eyes, not having expected her to be in such a bad mood. While feeling a little uncomfortable with the atmosphere Ashley's attitude has created in the room, Sakura, Hinata and Ino all try to be conscientious of the situation.

Perhaps Ashley was just upset because they were going to be leaving her homeland behind. Apparently now even sooner than Ashley had expected.

The three girls all return to getting ready for bed, although they are silent now, not wanting to annoy Ashley any further. Upon getting dressed, turning off the lights and climbing under their blankets, the girls all whisper good night to each other, with Ashley the only one not responding.

Lying with her back to the other girls, Ashley stares sullenly into the darkness, her eyes red and swollen, and her heart heavy.

She didn't want to be cruel to the other girls. She really liked all three of them. But right now, Ashley just didn't have it in her to speak to anyone.

And now, they were all leaving in the morning. And Ashley hadn't yet had the chance to tell any of them that she was staying.

Ashley squeezes her eyes closed. She wasn't going to be sleeping, so she would have a long time to dwell on it.

Everything was going wrong......

"Good morning Leaf Ninja" Chief Dashi greets, watching the large group of Ninja step out of the forest. "It's good to see you all."

"Morning" Kakashi says in return, leading the group of chattering Genin, with Asuma and Kurenai at the back. "Thanks for meeting us."

Kakashi comes to a stop, right in front of the waiting Minami and their Wolves. He notices that Kiyumi and Keilor aren't present, though he assumes that Ashley's younger sister has not been allowed to leave the hospital yet.

Not that it really mattered, seeing as Ashley was not going to need to say goodbye to her...

"Aw man" Naruto complains, peering over the edge of the cliff. "We still gotta hike all the way down there....."

"I'll be happy to accompany you down Blue Eyes" Saffire flirts, standing close to the blonde Ninja and raising her eyebrows.

"That won't be necessary, thank you" Sakura informs the older girl sternly, a vein pulsing on the side of her head as she steers Naruto away.

"How is Shino meant to hike back down that hill?" Choji wonders, examining the injured boy. "Doesn't he have broken ribs?"

"I managed to walk all the way here, didn't I?" Shino responds, his sarcasm almost lost due to his dry tone.

"As slow as a crab, yeah" Naruto confirms smartly. "It's gonna take all day for us to get down there with you coming along."

"Not to worry" Chief Dashi chuckles. "I will be lifting all of you down to the harbour. There will be no need for hiking today."

"You'll be....lifting us?" Shikamaru repeats, eyeing the older man carefully.

"He'll be using the earth, idiot" Atsui snorts, rolling his eyes. "He won't be physically carrying you down the mountain."

"Although, we'll happily shove you guys down the cliff" Saffire offers meanly, her sharp teeth bared in a grin. "If that'll be quicker."

"Come now" Chief Dashi admonishes, interrupting before a fight can break out. "Today is not a day for picking fights with our new allies."

"Maybe tomorrow then" Ino suggests, poking her tongue out at the Minami Clan members.

Standing at the back of the group, her Wolves sitting around her, Ashley surveys everyone sullenly. She hadn't been able to bring herself to talk to her friends much, because she felt as if she was on the verge of bursting into tears again.

The thought of her friends leaving and not being able to see them for a long time, left a painful throb in Ashley's chest.

Not to mention, Kiba couldn't even bring himself to look in Ashley's direction. Not that she blamed him, and Ashley didn't want Kiba to look at her. It would be far too awkward if he did.

"We are incredibly thankful for your help, Leaf Ninja" Chief Dashi says sincerely, bowing his head. "We are in your debt for everything you've done for us."

"You're welcome" Kakashi responds, on behalf of the other Leaf Ninja. "I'm glad we were able to help. Although, I don't think this will be easy to explain to Lady Tsunade."

"Ah, about that" Chief Dashi remembers, holding out a sealed scroll. "I have written up a detailed report of the events that took place. Please give this to your Hokage. Hopefully it will help ease any anger she may feel about what you did for us."

"Much appreciated" Kakashi says thankfully, sweat dropping as he accepts the scroll.

He didn't think anything was going to curb Lady Tsunade's anger, especially not when she found out that Ashley hadn't returned with them......

Ace watches Ashley very carefully, growing more and more restless as time goes on. She hadn't said so much as a word, the whole way up to the cliffs, and she didn't seem to be making a move to say goodbye to any of the Minami. Not to mention, Kiyumi and Keilor weren't here, and those two other Wolves that Ashley liked hadn't come to say goodbye either.

It seemed that she truly did intend to stay here.

Rei nudges Ace's shoulder, the two Wolves exchanging looks with each other. Rei had been feeling anxious ever since Ace had gathered with all of the members of Ashley's pack, so that he and Kai could explain what had happened in Kiyumi's hospital room.

Ashley had grown so much, and she had flourished whilst living in the Hidden Leaf Village. Ashley's friends had been kind, and understanding, and had helped draw her out of the deep shell that she had withdrawn into over the years.

Rei was scared of what would happen to Ashley if they were gone.

Kai too watches Ashley carefully, sitting directly behind her. While he personally was glad that he would get to stay in the same place as Fang, having taken a liking to the pretty Wolf, Kai didn't feel good about Ashley leaving the Leaf Village.

Living there, with these people, as stupid and annoying as they could be, had helped Ashley become happy. And if there's one thing that Kai wanted, as well as the rest of the pack, it was for Ashley to be happy.

Chi fidgets at Jet's feet, continually looking up at the taller Wolf for comfort. He had been firmly instructed, by all members of the pack, not to say anything about Ashley's choice to stay in the Land of Ambience. While Chi didn't overly mind where they lived, as long as Jet was with him, the younger Wolf couldn't help but feel nervous.

Lady Ashley had become so nice and fun since living in the Leaf Village, and Chi had noticed that she had not been feeling nice and fun all morning. In fact, she had very much seemed to feel the opposite of those things all morning.

Seeing Lady Ashley sad, made Chi feel sad. He didn't want that.

Jet heaves a low sigh, leaning down to nudge at a fidgeting Chi. He was dreading the moment all of the Leaf Ninja realised that Ashley wasn't leaving with them. They were going to cry and get angry, and then Ashley was going to be left behind, feeling the loss of her friends.

He didn't think staying here was a good idea, but he wasn't going to question it. Ace had already tried, and if Ashley wasn't going to listen to him, she wasn't going to listen to any of them.

"Alright" Kakashi says slowly, not really keen on hurrying everyone along, "It's time to get this show on the road. Let's say our goodbyes and head off."

Ashley doesn't move, as the Leaf Ninja and Minami Clan members all begin muttering goodbyes to each other, the two groups not really having grown close despite the difficult situation that they had all found themselves in together.

"Let's do this old man" Naruto prompts, waving for Chief Dashi to come over as the Leaf Ninja all approach the cliff's edge. "Come on Ashley, stop dawdlin over there."

Ashley's heart thuds in her chest as she maintains her position, her arms crossed and her eyes trained on Naruto.

Confused as to why Ashley hasn't moved over to where the rest of the Leaf Ninja are, Sakura places her hands on her hips.

"Aren't you coming Ashley?" the girl queries. "Or...Oh! Did you want to say goodbye to your Clan in private?"

Ashley feels her brows furrowing slightly, her body beginning to tremble. The moment had come. She had been dreading it, and now it was here. She had to tell them.

They were going to be devastated, and it was going to be Ashley's fault.

Kurai and Saffire look to Ashley with hopeful eyes, only for both girls to pause, when they see the expression on Ashley's face. They hadn't seen that look before, and they certainly hadn't expected to see it either. They had both thought she would be happy to stay, and that saying goodbye to people that, as far as they were concerned, Ashley barely knew, would be easy. But that apparently wasn't the case. That look on her face......

Heart break.

"I......I'm not coming" Ashley says tightly, barely able to get the words out.

Sakura, even more confused now, turns to glance back at the other Leaf Ninja, all of whom seem as curious or puzzled as her. The pink haired girl looks to Kakashi however, only to see a resigned look on his face.

"What do you mean you're not-" Sakura cuts herself off as she turns around, her green eyes suddenly widening with realisation. "No."

Sakura says the word firmly, as if she will not allow what Ashley is saying to be true.

"No" the girl says again, shaking her head. "You're coming with us."

Seeing the awful look of realisation on Sakura's face, Ashley feels her lower lip tremble slightly.

"I'm not coming Sakura" Ashley reiterates, almost sounding apologetic. "I-I'm staying here."

"No" Sakura repeats a third time, sounding more desperate now as her eyes fill with tears. "No. You are coming back with us! You're not staying here!"

Behind Sakura, the rest of the Leaf Ninja seem to catch on to Ashley's meaning. Sasuke's eyes widen, his heart beginning thud to loudly in his ears, as a feeling of coldness washes over his body. Hinata clutches at the hem of her jacket and squeezes her eyes closed, while Ino gasps loudly. Shikamaru and Choji both pause, before looking to each other with apprehension in their eyes. Shino, not having heard anything about Ashley potentially staying behind, tilts his head in confusion, before turning to look at Kiba.

The Inuzuka, having been trying his best to avoid Ashley as much as possible all morning, is now staring at the girl with wide eyes. His arms folded tightly across his chest, Kiba can't help but feel conflicted. While still immensely embarrassed by what had happened the night before, he feels an uncomfortable sense of disappointment and shock. Ashley had assured them that she would be going home with them, and now to suddenly hear that she had decided not to, had thrown Kiba for a loop. He didn't know what to do.

A small part of him hoped that she hadn't made that decision because of what had happened last night....

"What?!" Naruto exclaims, horrified. "You said you were coming home Ashley! You said! You're not a liar........Are you? You wouldn't lie to us, would you?"

Naruto steps forwards to stand next to Sakura, his blue eyes already wet with tears as he stares at Ashley in disbelief.

"You can't stay here" the blonde continues, reaching out and grabbing Ashley by the wrist. "Now come on, we have to leave."

"Let me go Naruto" Ashley orders quietly, struggling to maintain her composure. "I told you, I'm not-"

"I'm not listening to you Ashley-chan" Naruto informs the girl, scowling at her, the boy in pain at the thought of leaving his friend behind.

Ashley digs in her heels and pulls back against Naruto's grip as he tries to drag her behind him, something that causes the boy to turn and look at her over his shoulder. Ashley's heart sinks further when she sees the tears dripping from his eyes, her resolve to stay seeming harder and harder to maintain.

"Is this why you ignored me yesterday?" Sasuke demands to know, also stepping forwards now, looking agitated. "Too chicken to face me because you knew you were leaving us?"

Ashley remains silent at the accusation, though the guilty look on her face is confirmation enough for Sasuke, the Uchiha merely scoffing under his breath.

"But why Ashley?" Sakura presses, trying her best not to cry as well. "You told us that you weren't going to stay behind. Why would you say that if it wasn't true?!"

"I-I wasn't lying" Ashley tries to reason, desperate for her friends to understand. "At the time, I wasn't planning on staying. I only changed my mind after that......"

"But why would you change your mind?" Sakura continues, reaching up and wiping at her eyes with her palm. "Don't you want to be with us anymore?"

Her chest feeling so tight that she almost feels unable to breathe, Ashley looks at her three teammates with a pained expression. She clenches her jaw, so much so that it begins to ache.

Standing before her, Naruto watches Ashley intently, his bright blue eyes shining as tears silently slide down his face. Sakura continues to rub at her eyes with her palms miserably, trying to wipe her tears away before they can fall, while Sasuke stands with his arms crossed and his dark eyes narrowed at Ashley in silent accusation.

She was going to miss them. Immensely. More so than she had ever thought would be possible.

In fact, Ashley didn't even know how she was supposed to go through life without them all in it. But....

Ashley thinks back to the desperate look on her sister's face as she had sobbed in her hospital room, reaching out for Ashley and begging her not to leave again. She had clung to Ashley so helplessly as she had cried...

"I want to be with you" Ashley answers, feeling defeated as her brows knit together, her eyes drifting down to look at the ground. Her tears were forming, and Ashley was determined not to let them fall. "But I....I can't. I need to stay with my sister......

"......If you said it like you meant it" Naruto mumbles, watching as Ashley ducks her head and clenches her hands into fists, "I'd be more likely to believe you. You can't even look us in the eye Ashley-chan......"

"O-Of course I can't look you in the eye" Ashley replies regrettably. "I'm afraid that if I do, I won't be strong enough to stick with my decision........."

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke all blink at that, staring at the trembling blonde before them, before looking to each other, perplexed about what to do.

"Y-You're my friends" Ashley reminds them, glancing up to look at her team through pained eyes. "......I don't want to leave you guys, b-but I have to........I....I can't leave my sister again........"

Sakura sucks in a breath, now allowing her tears to fall freely, as Naruto's shoulders droop in defeat. Sasuke, his arms still crossed, grips onto his arms so tightly, his knuckles begin to turn white.

So, it seemed as though Ashley was suffering because of this decision. It hadn't been made lightly, and it didn't even seem that she was completely sure it was the correct one. She wasn't just trying to abandon them.....She didn't even want to leave them.

She was, once again, putting someone else before herself. She always did that. And she always seemed to suffer for it.

"Milady...." Ace says softly, stepping forwards to gently rub his head against the girl's shoulder.

He could tell just how much pain his partner was in, and it hurt his heart greatly to see her suffering so much. While it was wonderful that Ashley had found some of her family still alive, Ace finds himself unable to keep from thinking that, in this situation, maybe it would have been better for Ashley to have never come across them again......

"B-But, I'm gonna miss you" Sakura sobs, finally breaking down as she flings herself at Ashley, hugging the blonde tightly. "I'm gonna miss you so much Ashley!"

Sadness filling Ashley's heart, she closes her eyes and hugs Sakura back, her hands gripping onto the girl's red shirt.

"....I'm gonna miss you too" is all Ashley is able to say, her body shaking as Sakura's pitiful cries ring in her ears.

Sakura clings to Ashley, as if letting her go would mean that she would disappear forever. To Sakura, that almost felt as if it were true.

Ashley had been rude and unkind when they had first met, but over time, she and Sakura had grown close. Very close. To the point that Sakura basically viewed Ashley as a sister. Ashley had protected her so many times, and made Sakura feel safe. She couldn't imagine what she was going to do without Ashley.

"W-what are we gonna do without you?" Sakura asks miserably, leaning back from Ashley and holding her by the shoulders.

Ashley tilts her head to the side, smiling sadly.

"The same thing that you did before you met me, I guess" she supplies, shrugging. "You'll be alright Sakura. And they're sending messenger Hawks home with you, so we'll be able to write each other letters."

".......It won't be the same though" Sakura says, breaking into a new round of tears.

"Hey" a sharp voice interrupts, causing both girls to turn their heads.

Ino stands in front of them with her hands on her hips, her teal eyes wavering and her mouth pulled down into a scowl.

"I want to say goodbye too" the blonde demands, marching forwards and roughly pulling Ashley into a hug. "I'm mad at you, just so you know."

"I know" Ashley says, smiling faintly as Ino's arms wrap around her even tighter. After a few seconds, Ino releases Ashley and steps back, glaring at her, tears dripping down her face as she stands beside Sakura.

"I'm not g-gonna argue about it, e-even though I want to" Ino stutters, trying to maintain her composure. "But I'm just gonna say this. D-Don't regret it. We're pretty great though, so i-it'll be hard not to."

"I'll try not to" Ashley assures the blonde. "......Thanks Ino. Please look after Sakura for me."

Sakura begins to snivel at that, her eyes filling with fresh tears, before Ino flings one arm around the girl's shoulder and gives Ashley a thumbs up.

"You bet" Ino confirms. "I've been looking out for her since we were kids, so I'll do a good job."

Sasuke steps forwards, right in front of Ashley, causing her to look up. He stares down at Ashley through hooded eyes, his arms still crossed and his mouth set in a straight line.

"I'm taller than you" the Uchiha points out, his words confusing Ashley, before she is suddenly pulled into a fierce hug. "......You're the chibi, not me."

Realising that Sasuke is referencing the silly nickname she had given him as a child, Ashley releases a quiet laugh, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around her cousin.

Sasuke may have been stoic and even cold at times, but he cared about Ashley very much, especially since finding out that they were related. Sasuke would never admit it out loud, but he had enjoyed having Ashley on the team, and her presence was going to be sorely missed......

"Be good, Sasu Chibi-chan" Ashley says teasingly, as the two young Ninja release each other. "......I'll miss you."

Shoving his hands in his pockets and turning his head, Sasuke glances at Ashley from the corner of his eye, smirking as he walks away.

"Hn.....yeah" he murmurs, unable to say anything more than that.

Knowing that Naruto is still waiting to say goodbye, Ashley is relieved when the remaining Genin, except for Kiba, all step forwards to say their goodbyes as well. She accepts hugs from Shikamaru and Choji, as well as a shy, but genuine, farewell from Hinata. Shino places his free hand on Ashley's shoulder, giving the girl a chance to thank him for protecting her during the fighting that had taken place days earlier.

It wasn't that Ashley didn't want to say goodbye to Naruto, but she was trying to put it off as long as possible.

Saying goodbye to him was going to be almost impossible. How was she supposed to say goodbye to him? He had done so much for her.

"Is it my turn now Ashley-chan?" Naruto asks in a low voice, watching as the others step back from her, finally giving him an opportunity.

Ashley feels her breath catch in her throat at the sight of him, having never seen him look so sad before. She had seen him angry, happy, excited, frustrated, discouraged......She had seen the entire rainbow of Naruto's emotions before, but that look on his face......It was painful to see, and even more so knowing that she was the cause of it.

Feeling her eyes welling up, Ashley finds that she is unable to say anything to Naruto. Instead, she merely holds out her arms, to which Naruto darts forwards and scoops Ashley up into a strong hug.

Ashley bites her lower lip to keep from crying, relishing in that warm, comforting feeling she had gotten whenever Naruto had saved her from losing herself to Hakuba's influence. She didn't know what exactly it was about Naruto, but his presence made her feel safe and calm.

Hearing that Naruto is now crying, Ashley presses her face into his shoulder, not really wanting to let him go. Naruto was a good friend. A once in a lifetime friend. She had so much to say to him, so much to thank him for, and yet.....Ashley couldn't find the strength to say one single word to him. Her throat hurt. It felt as if a huge lump were stuck in it.

"I-I'm gonna miss you Ashley-chan" Naruto says softly, through his tears.

"M-Me t-too" is all the girl is able to say, her grip on Naruto tightening.

He had been the first one to try and befriend Ashley, despite how mean she was to him back then. Every time she pushed him away, he had come right back, offering his hand of friendship. Ashley hadn't known back then, just how precious that friendship was going to become to her.

After a few more moments, Ashley reluctantly releases Naruto, as the boy leans back from her. He keeps both hands on her shoulders though, closing his eyes and breaking into his signature grin, despite his tears.

Ashley feels a pang in her heart at the sight of that smile. It was as bright as the sun itself, and Ashley was going to miss it.

"I'm gonna keep training to become the next Hokage Ashley-chan" Naruto informs his friend, "So you've gotta train and keep up, okay?"

Ashley chuckles quietly at that, nodding in understanding. She knew he was forcing this pleasant attitude, but she appreciated it nonetheless.

"I got it" Ashley confirms, forcing herself to smile in return. ".........Thank you Naruto."

Naruto's grin falters at this, and he feels his lower lip begin to tremble. He immediately whirls around and throws one arm up in front of his face, trying to hide his eyes.

"Gah!" he grumbles, walking over to the group of Leaf Ninja, ready to leave. "Dammit........"

Ashley watches him go, the sight of his back retreating from her making her feel sad again. As she watches Naruto however, she spots Kiba not too far from him, the Inuzuka gazing at her through hooded eyes.

Ashley feels her breath catch in her throat at the sight of him again, a little hurt that even now, he chooses not to say anything to her. Deep down though, she understood why.

What could he say? And what could she say? It would just be awkward and uncomfortable now. There wasn't really anything left to say after last night. It's not like Ashley was any less tongue tied now, than she had been last night. Sorting out her feelings now, wasn't going to go any better than it had yesterday.

"Arf!" Akamaru barks urgently, squirming out from the hood of Kiba's jacket and bounding over to Ashley. "Arf arf arf!"

The Ninken, despite what had taken place between Kiba and Ashley, still really cared about the girl. Even if Kiba didn't want to say goodbye, Akamaru did! He was sad that Ashley had decided to stay, because it meant that he couldn't play with her, or get cuddles from her anymore.

"Hey Akamaru......" Ashley coos, crouching down as the pup comes to a halt at her feet, his ears drooping and his tail hanging low.

He whines as Ashley gently pets his head, before the girl scoops him up into her arms and hugs him close. Akamaru licks Ashley's cheek a few times, still whining. He was going to miss her.

And he knew Kiba was going to as well. Akamaru understood how Kiba felt about Ashley, and he was sad that Kiba would be going back to the Leaf without her.

"I'll miss you boy" Ashley murmurs into Akamaru's fur, kissing the puppy on the head, before carefully setting him back down. ".......Look after him, alright?"

"Arf......" Akamaru agrees sullenly, now walking back over to Kiba, moving at a much slower pace than before.

Chief Dashi watches his granddaughter knowingly, clearly able to see the agony that she is going through by saying goodbye to her friends. He had been very surprised when she had agreed to stay here in the Land of Ambience, although, he did feel as if she had been ambushed by the others a little bit. He was sure they hadn't meant to do that to her, and while he was, of course, overjoyed that his granddaughter was staying, he couldn't help but wonder if it actually was the best thing for her......

"Alright then" Chief Dashi speaks up, smiling at everyone, "If we're all ready?"

Now holding hands with Ino, Sakura begins to cry again, not wanting to leave Ashley behind. Naruto places one hand on the girl's shoulder, scrunching his face up in a bid to hold his own tears in. Sasuke, also standing with the group of Leaf Ninja, sighs quietly, maintaining his scowl to avoid looking sad.

As Dashi moves over to the Leaf Ninja, ready to take them down, Kakashi steps forwards, walking over to Ashley. The girl looks up at him with imploring eyes, her expression causing Kakashi's brows to knit together sadly.

"......Be good Ashley" the Jonin instructs in a low voice, reaching out and placing his hand on Ashley's head affectionately.

The blonde closes her eyes, enjoying her Sensei's head pat for one last time. It always made her feel good when he did that. Aside from this, he didn't really show much affection, despite really caring for his students.

Ashley recalls the time Kakashi had protected her from Orochimaru. He had done that even after realising that Ashley had been the monster who killed two of his teammates. He had been prepared to fight to the death to protect her, and he had listened to her story. He was the first person that Ashley had trusted enough to tell about being a Jinchuuriki.

He had taught her, cared for her, protected her......Kakashi Sensei had always gone out of his way to support Ashley. Even now, Ashley knew that he didn't' agree with her decision, yet he hadn't tried to guilt her into changing her mind. He always wanted the best for her.

Ashley was going to miss his kindness and his guidance terribly.

".......Thanks for everything Kakashi Sensei" Ashley says gratefully, looking up at the Jonin's face.

He shakes his head.

"Don't get all mushy on me Ashley" he teases quietly, before growing serious. "It's hard enough as is."

"Okay......"

Removing his hand from his student's head, Kakashi briefly closes his eyes and inwardly sighs, before placing both hands in his pockets and strolling back over to the Leaf Ninja.

"Alright Chief" he confirms with a nod. "Take us down."

Moving to stand on the edge of the cliff, Chief Dashi's eyes begin to glow, before the ground beneath the Leaf Ninja's feet separates from the cliff and slowly begins to float down towards the harbour.

Her eyes widening slightly, a panicked feeling welling up inside her, Ashley darts over to the edge of the cliff to look down at her friends, only to see all of them looking up as well.

"Bye Ashley!" Sakura calls desperately, waving one hand in the air. "We'll miss you! I'll write to you soon, I promise!"

"Bye Ashley-chan!" Naruto shouts, both arms flailing above his head. "Bye! Bye!"

"Send me letters too!" Ino instructs loudly, also waving both arms. "See ya!"

Sasuke stands with his hands in his pockets, though he does watch Ashley intently, the girl growing smaller and smaller as they descend the cliff's face.

The Minami all stand at the cliff's edge as well, watching in silence as the Leaf Ninja slowly near the ground. Kurai and Saffire sneak glances at Ashley, only to see her looking rather solemn, her eyes hooded. They had wanted to go and comfort her, but upon seeing the girls move towards her, Chief Dashi had motioned for them to leave her alone.

He didn't think Ashley would want the comfort of any of the Minami right now. The only thing that would make her feel better, would be to leave with her friends. But Dashi couldn't say that. Ashley would have had to realise that on her own.

Peering down as the Leaf Ninja finally reach the ground, Ashley watches as they all head out to board the ship, with many of them turning around to wave at Ashley as they walk.

They eventually climb aboard, some quickly disappearing from sight, as they head off to complete whatever tasks Kakashi Sensei has instructed them to do. After some time, Ashley sees the sails unfold, though they don't do much, considering there is barely even a breeze today.

Seeing that the Leaf Ninja need a little help to get going, Ashley heaves a sigh and raises her arms. She didn't really want to help her friends leave, but it was just a fact that they had to go.

Kurai, seeing what Ashley is doing, also raises her arms. Together, the two girls get a small whirlwind going, and begin sending blasts of wind down towards the ship. They all watch as the wind catches the sails, the Leaf Ninja down in the distance cheering when they realise what is going on.

Ashley and Kurai continue to assist the Leaf Ninja out of the harbour for the next few minutes, the two girls lowering their arms as the ship begins to move easily in the water, heading for the horizon.

As Ashley's arms fall back to her sides, her eyes focused on the ship far ahead, her Wolves all step forwards and gather around her. Ace and Rei stand on either side of the girl, while Kai and Jet sit behind, watching over the top of her. Chi rubs against Ashley's legs in a bid to try and comfort her, the pup also watching as the ship slowly grows smaller and smaller as it heads further away from them.

Ashley can see tiny dots jump up and down on the ship, waving to her even from this distance. Her tears now falling freely and silently, Ashley raises one arm up in the air and begins to wave, her teeth gritted together.

For a long time, the Minami stay with Ashley, watching in silence as the ship carrying the Leaf Ninja home sails further and further away, before they all eventually begin to leave.

Chief Dashi places a finger to his mouth as Saffire steps towards Ashley, shaking his head and ushering the girl along. Saffire begrudgingly obeys, watching her best friend over her shoulder as she walks away. Chief Dashi sighs a little at the sight of his granddaughter, the lone Leaf Ninja now left behind.

He had a feeling she was going to stay there for quite awhile, and wouldn't want to be disturbed.

Not even noticing as the other Minami leave, Ashley sits down at the edge of the cliff, her legs crossed. Chi immediately jumps into the girl's lap, with Rei curling up beside her and placing one paw on her knee, tears in her lavender eyes.

Ace remains in a sitting position on Ashley's other side, while Jet lies down, one large paw on either side of Ashley and his chest pressed against her back. Kai moves over to sit next to Jet, the two Wolves exchanging a sullen look with each other.

Watching as the ship travels further into the distance, so small now that it looks like nothing more than a tiny silhouette, Ashley is unable to hold back the sob that escapes her mouth. She tries to cover her mouth, but as her Wolves all look to her with concern, Ashley finds herself crying loudly.

She had been trying to keep her tears in while saying goodbye, if at least to make things a little easier for her friends, but now that they were actually gone......

Jet closes his eyes and lowers his head, resting his chin on top of Ashley's head, while Chi rubs his cheek against Ashley's shoulder. Rei rests her chin on the paw already on Ashley's knee, looking up at the girl sorrowfully as she cries.

Looking over at his partner, hurt by her pain, Ace rises to his feet and nuzzles his nose against her cheek, wishing he could help.

But Ashley had made this decision, and no matter how much it hurt, she now had to stick by it.

"We are all still here with you Milady" Ace murmurs comfortingly. "We are here......"