A/N- Hi! This is your writer speaking.

I am currently extremely pissed off. I had written four chapters for a new fic called 'A Tragic Switch', three chapters for 'Home', and two chapters for 'Hidden Strength', 'Prodigy', 'Anything is better than one', 'Reign of Blood' and 'Ice Prince; revamped'. And ALL OF IT GOT DELETED. *Insert hysterical laughter*

I have no idea how!

Than I was like OK I saved it on my flashdrive. So I was inwardly rejoicing. Thanking myself for thinking of saving it.

So I found my flashdrive in my little brother's room, connected to his Xbox 360. I thought nothing of it, I was just too happy I found it. I plugged it in…and everything was DELETED.

Apparently the little brat needed data space and deleted all of my shit. I am so pissed that I don't even want to look at my stories right now. The sad thing is that I never even got a chance to post 'A Tragic Switch' so you guys don't even know what you're missing out on! So I started writing this one.

Just until I remember what the fudge I wrote.

Also during my little (large) self-imposed sabbatical from the throngs of the fanfiction world; I had the time to reread all of my stories and decide where I want to go with them and what needs to get rewritten completely. I also realized my writing was severely lacking.

'Ice prince' was rushed.

'Withered heart' was too emotional with no time to develop.

'Abstinence' was also rushed and the timeline meshed.

'Red lust' kept true to its name but happened within the supposed span of a month and I was too focused on the Fuji/Ryo pairing that I did little to nothing in the development of the other characters.

'Reign of blood' seems to be going fairly well but I continue to find contradictions within the story itself.

'Home' seems to be on the borderline but the randomness of my chapters makes me wonder if I should have listed it beneath a parody or something within the realms of comedy and FOR THE LOVE OF KAMI how did NO ONE comment on the disgusting use of 'I's in my first chapter of 'Home'. After I read that chapter (multiple times) I was prepared to ban said word from my vocabulary. If you have no idea what I'm talking about…reread the first chapter.

And in all of my stories; I continue to find little grammar mistakes and typos.

Pairing Harem- Naruto/ Kurenai/ Yugito/ Anko/ FemHaku (Will not change, this is the definite pairing. Also please note that in the pairing above I wrote FEMHAKU as in NOT MALE. If you have any issues with that please do not read my fic. Frankly, because I don't want to hear bull.)

Disclaimer; -_- …Do I really need to answer that.

Also the flashbacks are going backwards. So the first flashback was the most recent, the second flashback happened before the first and so on. As far as the timeline goes.

For the Love of Time!

Chapter One

He could feel it; the rumble in his chest. The deep foreboding stemming from the sewers of his stomach and creeping into the walls of his heart, and there it stayed lining the walls making them brittle and ready to crumble. He could feel the ache, the pull, the dull throbbing from his grumbling tenant.

But he wasn't ready. His mind could not recede; at least not yet. He needed to know, to check, and to be positive that the deed was done. His friend was calling to him, calming his shattered mind; pleading with him to fall unconscious; not to see.

Naruto ran; his determination being the only thing keeping his body from failing him. With the speed of a sage, he still felt unbearably slow. His actions felt clumsy and his head felt light. He ran in his dreamlike world, with his destination seen but still so far out of reach.

He tried so hard. But he knew he wouldn't make it. What he wanted to make; he didn't know. It was just an instinct.

With his mind and body so attuned to nature chakra; he felt every living organism, every plant, anything in the possession of chakra. And he felt when the chakra of whom he was so acclimated with, disappeared.

He failed.

Right when it mattered most.

His blue eyes flashed along the landscape as he cleared the trees; unwillingly catching sight of eight bodies, his worst fear. It was something he never wanted to see. Something no one would ever want to see. As a man who has loved and felt that love returned; the sight was damning. His most precious people; his entire world, and his heart crumbled.

He staggered, nearly tripping as he took in the sight. The disgust in him, at his failure, briefly overshadowed at the realization that four of the eight were moving. He wanted to find solace in that. His children lived, but now he had to endure the pain without his wives. They were the four women who showed him the meaning of love, the holders of his fragile heart that acknowledged him. They were the people that took the time to get to know him, to see him for who he truly was. He could see it, from where he stood as his children grieved. They were dead.

His heart…it broke. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. It was just a matter of existing. And again he felt the pull. His lifelong friend and tenant were trying to trap him within the light of his mind; to save him from the pain, to speak with him. But once more he couldn't; not yet.

"Dad." It was a broken sob; one that he would recognize anywhere. His eldest son was the first to speak, calling for his father, calling for Naruto. But the man was too shocked; his son needed comfort but the shinobi needed affirmation. He had to know that the sight before him wasn't a nightmare or Genjutsu but reality.

"Dante…Is she?" Naruto paused; his throat closed on him. He couldn't speak. How could he ask his son this? His little innocent boy, that couldn't even move his eyes. His beautiful red eyes couldn't stray from his mother's face. Naruto stared as he stared, his deep blue gaze boring into the lifeless eyes of his wife…and he remembered.

Flashback

He stood in the forest behind the Hokage Monument. The forest just outside his heritage; it was his family home. The subtle thrum of insects buzzing and birds chirping were overshadowed by the constant metronome of repetitious thumps. And with each thump a single grunt slipped past his pursed lips.

"What are you doing?" She asked as Naruto trained. Most people would have been surprised by her presence but he was used to her curiosity; after all it was her curiosity that brought them together in the first place. His fists punching holes in the bark, his jutsu's uprooting trees and landscape. He was angry, frustrated and worried. She asked knowing full well what he was doing; so he edited her question in his mind to 'why?'

He had a one track mind. But his emotions were wild. "Tsunade-baachan made me Rokudaime Hokage." His chest puffed out with false pride. He felt her red-eyed gaze on his form, and his shoulders slumped. He was disappointed in himself. He wanted this for so long; the acknowledgement of the village, of his people. But for a while now the only thing keeping him sane was his girlfriends; the four women he would do anything for. It was his secret from all of his friends. That he found love.

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I don't understand…isn't that your dream?" He paused mid punch; as his own furrowed as well.

"It was." He assented before turning to face her; a soft smile played along the corners of his lips. "It's just…" How could he tell her? How...does he tell her that he loves her? His words changed before they even left his mouth. "…I have so many enemies."

Pfttt! 'You're such a coward, kit.'

'Keep out of this furball.'

'Whatever; grow a pair.'

He could see the confusion in her eyes; in the way she stood. Arms crossed, resting along her stomach; almost demanding for the truth. He watched her confidence as his eyes roamed her body. Along her lithe figure, trailing her porcelein skin, and resting on her usually stoic visage. She didn't shift or look uncomfortable, if anything she smirked.

'That little minx.'

'Vixen.'

'Maa maa; technicalities. That women is after my heart.'

It truly was his hope but for a while now his dream has been simple…he wanted a family. To want anything else was just… for lack of better term, troublesome. He wanted a child to spoil and he wanted a wife to love; or in his case wives. So he spoke the truth… "When I'm announced as hokage, I don't know what's going to happen." He stared at the ground before looking at her. He stole a glance from beneath his lashes.

"The villagers love you…" He smiled more somberly at her words.

"I know they do…now. But it's not the villagers I'm worried about or even my enemies really. I'm worried about what they would do… about my family." He peeked once more and immediately noticed her confusion. He realized she wouldn't understand what he meant. So he had to give her another nudge. "Or at least the family I want." This time he caught her reaction and smiled as her cheeks tinted red. Just a tender shade lighter than her vibrant eyes. She froze and Naruto would've chuckled had he not been so serious. She looked so adorable with her wide red eyes.

He strode forward, steeling his resolve.

"I don't care about being Hokage anymore. I want a family; a big family and I want to protect them…you." He lifted his right hand and cradled it against her cheek. And he felt her melt in his arms, her legs failing her. He wrapped his right arm around her waist. "Kure-hime." His voice became softer as she stared at him and he swallowed, pushing down the persistent lump in his throat; her eyes watering at the words she knew would leave his lips. "I love you; and I would do anything to keep you safe...Fate, destiny words I once berated Neji for, I now thank for leading me to you." He tilted her face closer to his. And he grazed her lips with his own. "I love you so much." He spoke lowly, sending tingles down her spine; waking her from her stupor.

She spoke against his lips. "I love you too."

They both leaned in at the same moment and kissed feverishly. Their need clamping around the other. Driving them both into each others arms. His right hand cradled her lower back as his left continued to hold her face against his. Her hands wrapped around his frame, creeping up his sides and latching onto his shoulders pushing his body flush against her own. And pulling her body higher so she stood on the tips of her toes.

He stooped lower, losing his mind to his heart.

End Flashback

He mentally shook himself, unprepared for the remembrance. His mind craving more, but knowing such a moment would never come again.

"She's not breathing, dad." Dante wept above his mother. His dark red eyes were unfocused and glazed.

The boy just couldn't understand why this happened. Just a few hours prior; they had been happy. He was being hounded by fangirls, while he walked around his village. In a manner only taught to him by his mother. He ignored them and kept a distance with a carefree aloof air that only Kashi-nii could compare to.

It just didn't make sense! They were so happy. They're the perfect family.

He leaned back and just lay with her; his head above her heart. "She's not breathing." He spoke hallowly, in a voice that could freeze your heart. And he continued to cry; only now, no sound escaped his lips. He kept silent, his pain held in secret as his fists laid limply above his mothers hands.

Naruto watched as his son began taking in the reality of his mother's death; of his wife's death. He choked on the thought; bile rising in his throat.

It was his turn to take it in; to grasp it; to understand his sons' confirmation. "She's not breathing." He mumbled, more to himself than to anyone else. The words tasted wrong and tainted. He knew what those words meant. His Kure-hime was dead… And Naruto felt a part of his heart break off.

-o-O-o-

The night froze and the wind stilled. The bleakness broken by the strangled hushed plea of his daughter.

"Kaa-san. Please move...breath...do something, anything!" She cried, and Naruto's head moved mechanically to his right. He took in the sight and would have gasped if he could even catch his breath. His mind was already shattered.

Her skin; that was usually a beautiful creamy white, was now tinged red; it took him a second to feel relieved that the blood was not her own. But in the next moment; as the revelation that it was his wife's blood settled into his brain, did he truly feel disgusted with himself. He couldn't even find happiness in the thought that his daughter escaped harm.

He watched her weep as snow fell; just above them. Isis definitely took after her mother; in every aspect. The sight of snow falling in a single area would normally be an anomaly; but not for them, they who knew that such a power was held in tandem with their emotions.

Her chocolate brown eyes were just as wonderful as her mothers. His Yuki Megami was the one who gave him a reason to protect those precious to him; the one who showed him his nindo. He could only watch dumbfounded as she wept.

"Do something, anything." She whispered as she desperately tried to pull life from her mother's deadened eyes. Naruto watched as she rested her head above her chest. The snow that fell melting upon contact, leaving tracks of water along the child's cheeks.

The sky was crying with her.

Flashback

Naruto walked into the village without his red-eyed goddess. She strayed to the back with her team. It was moments like these that he wished he could tell everyone about their relationship. But at this point in time no one knew. And no one would know until he either left the leaf or became Hokage. Such a decision would have to wait. With the war over and only Madara remaining, he was almost ready to settle down.

He needed someone; to just lean on. As an orphan growing up completely alone; he wanted to feel the warmth that comes with the comfort of those that love you.

The grieving blond ignored the procession he led, and just walked.; having already spoken his words to the crowd, his last remembrance. It was during that time that he revealed the very well-kept secret that his mentor was in fact his godfather. Such an announcement raised a lot of questions and he would answer them soon; just not now.

He felt everyone's gazes as he scaled the bridge; stopping at the very top. He felt the air flutter through his hair, ruffling it, and his sage coat. It was the last true piece of evidence of the sennin training him. True he never got to finish under the man, but that was unavoidable. He held the urn in his hands. It was in essence the most precious thing he had ever held. And it would continue to be, until the birth of his children. His children, the thought brought a gentle smile to his lips. It was a rare temporary moment of peace.

His blue-eyed gaze returned to the center of the bridge and remembered the words his mentor spoke. In one of the rare moments during their training trip where he hadn't acted the pervert and earned the right to be called his Kyofu and Sensei.

He uncapped the urn as he remembered. 'If I die I want you to burn my body and spill it off this bridge.' It was such a crude statement that was said entirely absentmindedly. Naruto turned to face his mentor with a quizzical expression. But the old man continued, ignoring the youngers gaze. 'I don't care if it takes a couple years after my death, as long as you do it Naruto. I want to be remembered at your first greatest achievement…I missed a lot of your life going after the snake-teme and missed a lot of firsts. Your first step, first word, first jutsu…but the place where you first fell in love; I think I want to be here.' Jiraiya turned towards Naruto with a warm smile one that he could almost see even now; and spilled its contents; allowing it to scatter through the wind. He watched with a small smile as the particles of his late-sensei flew away.

Naruto stared at the sky, willing rain, but he couldn't, just as he couldn't cry. He hadn't grieved, but this was what he wanted.

…to be scattered off 'The Great Naruto Bridge.'

He took a hearty breath and channeled chakra to his feet as he sat at the tip of the salvation of wave. He ignored everyone and everything and waited; listening as the crowd dispersed. He knew his loves were concerned for him, but he needed this. He needed to confirm what his Kyofu said. He needed it to be real; he needed her to be real. He looked at the sky as a misty breeze fell over his face, momentarily reveling in the coolness of the damp frost.

He remembered… 'Amazing things, shadow clones, just add a little blood and they can pass for the real thing.' He spoke pensively, 'Have you looked at the graves since you buried them?'

Naruto had looked at his mentor uncomprehendingly, almost angry for him having said something like that to him, but his puzzlement at the question overrode his anger. 'I visit them every time I come to wave. Why Ero-sennin?'

Jiraiya just chuckled rubbing the back of his head. 'Nothing, never mind just thinking aloud, I guess. Ignore me! I'm an old man… I prattle on.'

Naruto's deep blue gaze fell on the water and the reflection of everything above. He watched as light turned to dark and still he waited.

Until finally; he heard a rustle beside him. His head turned to the noise slowly almost fearful of what he would see and watched the remnants of an ice mirror melt into the ground. He felt the anticipation swell in his chest, so much that it ached. "He was precious to you." The voice murmured behind him and his heart skipped a beat. He was scared to talk, afraid his voice would crack. He nodded slowly; swallowing the lump in his throat.

"He is." He corrected. Death meant little to him, because as long as he lived Jiraiya would always remain precious in his world.

He turned to face her, failing to hold in a gasp. She looked even more beautiful than he had last seen her. She wore a dark blue kimono that fell mid-thigh, where bandages proceeded to wrap down mid-calf. The sleeves trailed her arms tightly, bound in an odd crisscrossing pattern to her wrists. Her hair was held in an elegant bun by two senbon needles, with few strands falling, framing her creamy white cheeks. His eyes trailed her ruby pursed lips, around her nose, through her blushing cheeks and straight into her liquid chocolate pools.

"Haku-chan…how?" He stared at her as she settled in beside him.

"Does it matter?" She responded, wrapping her arms around his waist, snuggling into his side, resting her head on his shoulder. "Were together again, and I won't leave you." Her head nestled into the crook of his neck.

She allowed a smile to grace her lips as he wrapped his arms around her pulling her closer to his body. "No I suppose it doesn't matter." He spoke softly, and a foxy smile flashed across his own.

End Flashback

Isis lay beside her mother and held the hand that lay above her chest. She spoke quietly, "Please Kaa-san." With no strength left in her voice, having already screamed herself hoarse. She buried her face in her mother's hair, something she hadn't done since she was a baby. And just stared, no tears fell from her cheeks as she clutched her mother.

A layer of frost dusted the grass around their fallen forms. Flowers frozen only to break off and shatter on the ground. And with her death another piece of his heart shattered.

-o-O-o-

Tremors shook the ground in an unnatural way. "Damnit!" exclaimed the mirror image of Naruto when he was thirteen; who seemed to be on the verge of losing himself. Arashi pounded on the ground in anger cracking the hard rock; sending fissures through the ground. His appearance became more feral, while he growled; a low guttural noise of anger, sadness and grief.

He pushed out a wave of his power, toppling trees. Naruto had moved towards his son only to get thrown back by the force of his chakra. Cerulean eyes simply stared, allowing his sons emotions to run it's course. He watched as his son hovered over his mother and Naruto's wife. Just watching how he shook, with his hands clenched so tightly.

"Damnit Tou-san, what do we do?" He howled through the sobs, as tears trailed down his battle dirtied cheeks. Arashi's eyes hunted along the sky, searching for an answer. He fell to his knees beside his mother. "There has to be something!"

His fists unfurled and trapped a lock of her hair in between his thumb and forefinger. In a show of uncharacteristic softness and gently placed the lock behind her ear. "I would do anything."

Flashback

"Even go against those that you love?" His onyx eyes flashed. "Because that's what I did. That's what I gave up." He was so angry and yet oddly calm, like a true Uchiha. He refused to see reason. For the longest time he believed that the last of his family would be his salvation until it was taken from him. How could he redeem himself now that his brother was dead? Now that Konoha had all but fallen, where did his allegiance lie? "I gave up my family to protect Konoha. And you're doing the opposite." His ire rose as the object of his frustrations remained silent. "Why are you here? Konoha needs you!"

The blonde before him shook, his lips settled into a frown; as his hair shadowed his eyes. He balled his hands into fists and bit his lip. He knew Konoha needed him but he knew that she needed him more. He felt it; he felt her call to him. It was unexplainable even to him.

He stood above the head of a previous kage and watched the raging waterfall.

He had no time to grieve the loss of Sasuke. "He was my brother too." He spoke so mutely that even Itachi couldn't hear him. The blonde stared into the clashing depths of deep blue water and remembered him. The boy he fought and the man he grew into; the one who still remained loyal. He remembered their clashes in this spot.

It wasn't the end of their friendship…it was the beginning. It was the first of a final understanding; being able to share and shoulder each others' burden.

But right now was not the time for this; this conversation had already lasted long enough. He could feel her calling to him. He needed to be there; he needed to hurry. He could hear her; her agony as they played with her, slicing her, stabbing her. It was unbearable. A single tear trailed down his cheek. "I'm coming for you love." He mumbled quietly and felt the pain in his heart lessen, like she heard him.

"For love?" Itachi scoffed at the thought. For 'love' was such a foreign word in his mind. He killed his entire family for the safety of Konoha. He left his own brother in the hopes that maybe his brother would avenge him. Create bonds and protect them, and he did… just not the way he had hoped. Sasuke died and Naruto was leaving. Why would he leave the safety of the leaf when so many are hunting him? Why would he do such a thing? All the while both knew that if he were caught, Konoha would fall along with the rest of the elemental nations.

"Yes." The Uchiha paused and turned to his blonde haired friend/ enemy, it seemed to them that with the death of Sasuke Uchiha the lines between the two had blurred. Naruto had become a brother to him. Because of Sasuke…

"Why are you doing this?" Itachi wanted to understand, to see why he would give his life away.

"I always wondered why there were no bodies, and Pein told me. Their still alive." He smiled softly. He was so happy, his first friend, he thought he lost her. But with Peins dying words, he had to see for himself. The fact that he had always been able to feel her, he thought it was just a phantom of their past, but with this, he knew she was calling to him.

"So you're going to let the world fall for her?"

"Why does it have to be, either, or!?Konoha or family? Damn you Uchiha. No, I will save Konoha and those that I love!" He spoke vehemently before turning his voice softer calming himself down. Regulating his voice, keeping his determination held within his eyes; he turned to stare the Uchiha down, directly into his onyx eyes that looked so much like his brothers. "…because their precious to me. I'm telling you Itachi, join me and we'll protect them together." Naruto shifted out of his crouch and moved towards the last loyal Uchiha. "I love Konoha and its entire people and I will protect her, just help me get my kitten back."

Itachi visibly deflated as Naruto extended a hand of friendship. It was then that Naruto saw something he hadn't seen in years…an Uchiha smile. "I will help you Naruto and only you…brother." He moved away, turning his back to Naruto.

"Where are you going?" Itachi turned back just long enough to speak five words that left a blushing Naruto and a smirking sharingan wielder.

"To get you're kitten...Yugito-san."

End Flashback

"Go-gomen nasai kaa-san. Come back." Arashi knelt beside her fallen form, and shook in his grief. "Gomen, I wasn't strong enough Kaa-san."

Naruto couldn't look anymore, it just hurt too much. He got her back just to lose her again. How could this be happening? He lost his kitten, his Yugi-chan.

Naruto fell to his knees in the center of loves of his life.

-o-O-o-

He couldn't look anymore. No more, please. But he had to. He had to see for himself. But he knew his An-chan was gone. She was his purple haired goddess, sadistic, blood fetish love.

His hands cradled his head as he turned. He had to see, it needed to be confirmed. He needed to see her. His heart squeezed in anguish; it was already beating so fast. And he felt it stutter.

He gasped, unprepared; as he gazed upon his last wife.

His face went blank, until small arms snaked around his torso and a face buried itself into his side. "She's gone Tou-san." She sniffled and continued to cry, as he engulfed his youngest in his arms. His daughter. His eyes flickered to the sky thanking Kami that she was safe.

"I know Nami." His lips trembled over the words.

He didn't want to think about Anko. She was the first women to ever love him, even if he was too oblivious for it; the one who protected him from the shadows. So much of their lives were spent together. She was the one who gave him his Kure-hime, the one who made him strong enough to go to wave and fall in love, the one who convinced him to go on the training trip with his Kyofu where he first met his kitten. She was the one who made his life amazing.

And it was also the hardest…because of that snake-teme. They worked so hard to reverse the damage until finally they could have Nami. Our hope, she is the most absolutely pure thing in his world.

He felt his children coming, getting closer, until four sets of arms held onto him. Isis knelt on his other side hugging his torso; gripping Nami's wrists as she gripped hers. Dante hugged Nami burying his head into her shoulder; as Arashi hugged Isis, his head under her left arm.

Naruto smiled softly at his children. 'Is there really no way to fix this?'

'There is kit.' Naruto froze his body stiffening; as well as his children. Knowing they all heard their fox tenant. Arashi spoke first in eagerness.

'What do we do Jiji?'

A/n- OC'S

Dante Uzumaki Namikaze Yuuhei

Kurenai/ Naruto's son.

Age 14

Cropped, chin-length midnight black hair.

Dark ruby red eyes.

Tall, 5'6 lean.

Wiry muscles. Built more for flexibility than strength.

Kenjutsu master and Genjutsu apprentice to his mother.

Dubbed, 'The God of Gen- Ken-jutsu'.

Isis Uzumaki Namikaze Yuki

Haku/Naruto's daughter.

Age 14

5'3

Long wavy black hair with tints of blond along the roots. And streaks within.

Chocolate brown eyes.

Very fair skin, a creamy white.

Strong but not muscled.

Kekkai Genkai- Ice user. Control over ice.

Dubbed and inheritor of the title, 'The Goddess of Ice."

Arashi Uzumaki Namikaze Nii

Yugito/ Naruto's son.

Age 13

Cropped, spiky blonde hair.

Crystal blue eyes.

5'5

Muscled built more for strength. With uncharacteristic finesse.

Three cat-like whiskers adorning each cheek.

Dubbed, 'The Storm God."

Nami Uzumaki Namikaze Mitarashi

Anko/ Naruto's daughter.

Age 13

Short, shoulder length purple hair.

Lightly tanned skin.

Emerald eyes.

5'3

Lean and flexible- perfect for the hebi style. Strong and forceful- like a wave.

Dubbed, 'The Sea Goddess.'