Hidan sat in the hard steel chair leaning forward onto the table. His wrist was shackled to the metal loop welded to the tabletop so he was forced into an uncomfortable position.

"I still think you're doing this too soon" Kakuzu said lowly to Madara. The two men were watching Hidan from behind a two way mirror, both with their arms crossed and both refusing to meet the eye of the other. "The evidence is overwhelming. He's the only Jashinist in the City and his DNA is all over the murder weapon and the corpse. I'll get a death conviction from this" Madara said, his lips twisting into a smile. Kakuzu growled in his throat, his hands clenching into fists so he didn't punch Madara in his smug Uchiha face.

"Let's dance," Madara said with a sadistic smile as he opened the interrogation room's door and stepped in. Hidan's head snapped up when he heard the door open and for an instant he had hoped it was Kakuzu coming in to tell him it was all a bad joke and that he would be free.

Instead, Madara threw a file folder and photographs down onto the table. Large color photos of the gruesome injuries spread themselves out in front of Hidan. "Just save us all some time and confess" Madara said. "Fuck yer hat" Hidan muttered, digging some imaginary dirt from under a fingernail. Madara leaned down, putting his weight on his hands as he leaned closer to Hidan, "confess and we'll kill you quickly."

Hidan lunged at the man, intending to claw his face off, but his shackled wrist stopped him. Madara stepped back, laughing at Hidan's predicament. "You always were a hotheaded fool. I warned Pein against hiring you, especially considering the suspicion you were under in Yusa." "I didn't do a damn thing in Yusa! And I haven't done a goddamn thing here!" Madara lazily waved off Hidan's protests, "so you say, so you say. Tell me, why did you target this man? This...Ao? He was a diplomat from Kirigakure, working on a trade deal between us and them. What possible reason could you have to murder him?!"

Hidan leaned as far forward as he could and bared his sharp canines at his enemy. "I. Didn't. Fucking. KILL HIM!" He shouted and slammed his fists on the metal table, the sound echoing in the room. Madara was about to speak when Kakuzu entered the room, followed by Kisame.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Madara demanded. Kakuzu walked past him, to Hidan, and unshackled him. Kisame silently handed Madara the DNA report. His black eyes quickly skimmed the paper: "he's not a match? How is that possible?!" Kakuzu threw Hidan some clean clothes causing the albino man to stop flipping Madara off to catch them. "The DNA, while it's Hidan's, was contaminated. We found another profile that we're certain is the actual killer's. So in the meantime, he goes free so I can have him on the investigation and Kisame will work to find a match to the unknown profile."

Madara ground his teeth in anger and frustration. "This isn't over" he said to Hidan, poking him in the chest with the folder. He'd rather have preferred to stab the arrogant man but he'll put him in the execution chamber. One day.

They filed out of the room, Madara back to his office, Hidan to change in the bathroom. Kakuzu stopped Kisame before he could get too far. "Where is your assistant?" Kisame sighed heavily, "I had to fire her for insubordination. Don't worry, the work will get done" he reassured the miser. "Don't fall behind" Kakuzu threatened, shaking Kisame's shoulder roughly for emphasis. Kisame nodded and headed back to his lab.

Itachi smiled, the guilt from having played hooky from work slowly fading as he watched the sunlight catch the highlights in her hair. He had surprised her and arranged to meet her for coffee.

Now, they were walking in the park and he decided now was the time. She was turned away from him, commenting on something that had caught her attention and he moved closer. She turned back and found herself face to face with him, a small smile playing on his lips. One hand went around her waist while the other entwined it's fingers with hers, and he gently kissed her.

Yukiko moaned softly against his lips and he pressed her closer to him. His tongue licked her lips, asking for permission, which she granted. She was unsure how much time had passed while she was blissfully occupied by his kissing but the sound of laughter brought her back to her senses and she pulled away.

Itachi held her hand as they continued their date, stopping every so often to kiss her. She was becoming a drug to him and he was enjoying the beginnings of his addiction.

It was late and Kakuzu was tired. He had gotten Hidan off a death penalty murder charge although he still didn't have any answers for Pein as to why a diplomat was targeted. Kisame was working with Sasori, for now, to develop and hopefully match the unknown profile found on the body.

He dropped his briefcase on the floor, undid his tie and unbuttoned his shirt. He went to his kitchen and poured himself a bourbon, adding a few ice cubes to the drink. Sinking into a chair, he sipped his drink and tried to make sense of it all.

Soft knocking at his door woke him from his musings and he growled. He was not in the mood for press, Hidan or anyone. He put his drink on the coffee table and answered the door. He swung it open, "I don't-" he began but the sight of Shinju standing in front of him choked off his words. "What are you doing here?" He asked.

Shinju tore her eyes from his sculpted and scarred body and looked at him, "we have a date?" She asked. Kakuzu groaned; he had forgotten. "Come inside" he said and stepped aside, watching Shinju's ass as she walked by.

She turned, giving him ample view of her curves, and raised an eyebrow. "You forgot, didn't you?" Kakuzu ran his hands through his hair and sighed, "yeah, I did. Work. Don't want to talk about it" he said curtly and she was a little hurt that he wasn't going to open up to her.

He sat back down in his chair and picked up his drink, taking a sip and letting out a sound of contentment. Shinju walked over to him, pulled up her skirt, and straddled him. "What-" She took his drink and placed it back on the coffee table before placing her hands on his jaw, her thumbs stroking the strong line. She leaned forward and kissed him, slowly at first but more insistent the longer the kiss went on. She needed her fix.