Obito slowly got up from the couch, and made his way up the stairs. "Going to bed, hm?" Deidara asked as he went.

 "Hai, I'm exhausted." They heard his voice get fainter as he went further away from them.

He opened the door to his room. He threw off his coat onto the ground lazily and laid down on his bed. Before drifting off to sleep, he took one final glance at Taki's small portrait sitting on his night stand. He sighed.

He opened his eyes into darkness, taking in his surroundings of.. well.. it was a total absence of light. Black. Nothing.

He stepped forward cautiously, putting his hand in front of himself in case there was anything ahead. At the same time, he was searching for light. It wasn't there. No, that was impossible. 

After walking around aimlessly for what seemed like hours, he stopped, and clenched his fist in slight frustration. A small voice made him perk up.

"hey...~" The feminine voice echoed in a whisper. Wait. This voice.. it was so vaguely familiar..

"hey.." The voice repeated again, not too much louder this time. Obito's head whipped around, but couldn't locate where it was coming from.

"Hey."

He jerked in surprise when he felt two warm hands place themselves upon his cheeks. Almost as if someone had found the light switch just then, everything was suddenly visible.

He looked at the young girl in utter shock. 

Rin.

She smiled sweetly at him, and he just stared back. Carefully placing his hands on her wrists, he brought them down, and gazed at her while he still held those small hands of hers.

"Obito," Rin started, looking straight into his eyes with care, "what's wrong?" she asked, suddenly with a look of concern. "You look like you've never once smiled in your life, Obito. Your eyes are filled with sadness, and depression."

He couldn't bring himself to answer the question. It was because it was mostly true. But he couldn't tell her that.

"Rin, I have loved you for a very long time, that was what kept a smile on my face." He replied with sorrow present in his voice.

Those chocolate brown eyes looked up at him dismally. "Kakashi told me so.. and I feel very sad that you mourned so long after my death." Yeah. Like his entire life up until now.

"But.." she smiled slightly at him, then turned to look over his shoulder. A new set of hands were placed on his shoulders, causing him to look up..

Dumbfounded. There she was. The girl he had just lost. The beautiful girl with long wavy blue hair, that "looked like water", as Kyo had once described it. The girl that looked back at him with her big doe-like eyes that seemed to shine with happiness.

Taki.

She gave him the brightest smile he had ever seen come from her. Was this proof that she was truly happy for the first time? Taki giggled, the pleasurable sound ringing in his ears.

He turned back to Rin, who also gave him a smile. "You're.. you're here.." He whispered. The girls looked at each other, and both gave him a cheery grin.

What was this feeling? Was it happiness? Sadness? Overwhelmed by his emotions, he just gazed at them. This is what he was waiting for all his life. To see them again.

He couldn't bear it. Tears collected at the edges of his eyes, and he began to choke up. He couldn't speak, because... he was starting to cry.

Both Rin and Taki gave him a hug, comforting him. They didn't have sad looks on their faces, but instead an understanding smile.

"It's okay.." Taki whispered. Sniveling into their pretty white dresses, he held their hands tightly. He looked up at them. 

Rin looked down at him. "We saw Kyo with you." She looked over at Taki, then back at him.

 "Y-you saw her?" He asked, trembling slightly.

"Yes," Taki answered, "she's really a respectable young child, isn't she?" 

"Wonderful.." Rin replied. Obito looked down a little. "But.."

His head snapped up. Rin gave him a nervous smile. "Kyo has gone through many many things, I think you know what I'm talking about."

He nodded slightly, wondering where this could be going.

Taki's eyes trailed to his, and asked a single question.

"Do.. do you think that this young girl is safe at this moment?"

...

"W..what? What do you mean?" He asked, tensing a little.

Taki looked at him with serious but caring eyes. "Obito, I'm afraid that Kyo is not safe with the Akatsuki. This sweet little girl should not have to experience more than she has to. I'm.. I'm sorry."

He stared, wide-eyed at them. "Are you.. telling me.. that I have to take her back?" He had slight disappointment present in his voice.

The two girls looked at each other, and turned back to him with a knowing look.

"We're really sorry, we know how hard it must be for you."

Obito looked down, and quickly brought his gaze up to them. "I wasn't that close to her anyway." He lied straight through his teeth. 

Taki and Rin immediately had somber looks on their faces, but nodded.

"Please take her.. exactly where you found her." Taki whispered with a tinge of sadness to her voice.

His vision started to get hazy. All colors visible were molding together, until it was all darkness.

Obito woke up, and looked around him, expecting Taki and Rin to be there. No, they were gone. It was just a dream.

He sat in silence, letting everything sink in. Remembering what the girls told him, he wallowed in double the sadness and regret.

Kyo would have to go today. Taki was right, she would be in danger if she stayed with them. She deserved to grow up in a better and safer environment than this. Taki and Rin knew what would happen to Kyo, and they told him what he needed to do.

It was the "doing" that was the hard part.