Chapter One
Back at the Ichiracku Ramen restaurant, Naruto and Jiraiya go over their plans for the day.
"So purvey sage, when are we leaving to go train?" a noodle still hanging from Naruto's mouth.
Jiraiya pays their bill "Sorry Naruto, but I've got important business to take care of today."
Naruto snorts "Let me guess… you have to collect important intelligence on something, but your really going to run off with some woman?"
Jiraiya smirks "Oh I'll admit it, I'll be with a very special lady today, as a matter of fact I'd like you to come with me Naruto." Naruto had a baffled look on his face. " Just come with me and you'll understand. It's time we met her at the gates anyway."
They head for the Konoha gates. Naruto looks up at his master, he can't help but notice his goofy grin and the sparkle in his eye. 'Man he's acting strange…maybe he had bad ramen'. Once they got to the gates it wasn't long till they saw an object off in the distance. Jiraiya's grin turned to a smile. As soon as the object had reached the gates, Naruto's jaw dropped. It was a young woman, about his age. She had big light brown eyes and long silver hair. She was tall and slightly over developed for her age. She wore tall boots, black top, blue skirt and a white sash tied around her waist that hung off her hip. There was a scroll on her back, it looked like one of Jiraiya's.
"Isn't she a little young for you master?"
Jiraiya ignored his comment and gave the woman a hug "Naruto, I'd like you to meet Hotaru, my daughter."
Naruto's jaw dropped "YOUR WHAT?!" his scream echoed through out Konoha. After a minute or so of yelling and random gibberish, Naruto finally settled down. "So could she be considered my sister then?" smiling up at Jiraiya.
Jiraiya's smile turned to a frown, but before he could say anything, Hotaru spoke "Why not? I'd love to have a brother!" she smiled at Naruto.
"Alright Sis!" then he gave her a back breaking Naruto hug.
Jiraiya smiled. "Well I guess it's time to meet mom."
"WHAT! What do you mean meet mom?" Naruto looked at the both of them "You mean you don't know her?"
Hotaru sighed "No I've never met her, but she lives here in Konoha. That's why I'm moving to Konoha, to be with my parents." she smiled at Jiraiya.
Naruto stared off, trying to visualize what her mother looked like. "Hmm, so your mother lives here eh? I wonder if I know her…"
Jiraiya chuckles to himself 'You have no idea kid' looks down at Hotaru, she smiles back at him. 'After all that girl has gone through and she still loves me…I must be the luckiest guy on earth. I just hope the rest of the day goes smoothly.' looks back at them and see's Naruto chatting up a storm and carrying her bag. 'Ah well, the boy never had much of a family either, might as well let them have their fun.' Naruto's too busy talking to his new 'sister' that he hasn't noticed that they were walking to the Hokage's mansion.
Meanwhile at the Hokage's Mansion
Tsunade nervously taps her fingers on her desk, staring out her window. Ton Ton asleep on her lap. Her assistant Shizune walked in "Lady Tsunade, what's troubling you?"
She pulled out of her trance, "And just what makes you think that something is troubling me?"
"Well, with all do respect, you haven't been acting yourself lately. Plus you haven't touched your sake." she braced herself for her reaction.
Tsunade looked at her sake. Sure enough she hadn't drank an ounce all day, not since getting Jiraiya's message. Drowning her troubles in alcohol sounded real nice right now, but she just couldn't. Not now. "Just one of those days I guess…I have a job for you though."
She immediately stood up strait "Yes lady Hokage"
"The sand siblings will arrive in the morning. Give these to Sakura and have her set up sleeping arrangements for them." she handed her the details of the sand sibling's trip.
"Yes Lady Hokage" she bowed, then raced out of her office.
She continued to stare out her window. Tears began to collect at the corners of her eyes. 'I remember the last time I saw her'.
FLASH BACK
Jiraiya whispered holding their new baby girl "Just look at her Tsunade, Isn't it amazing how you can fall in love with someone you've known for only hours?" he stared at her in awe, with a sparkle in his eye.
Tsunade watched with a half smile, but sad eyes "Jiraiya, we gotta talk" he looks up from cuddling with his two legged treasure "I'm not ready to be a mom Jiraiya. I thought I could but I can't." she waited for his reaction, but he just smiled.
"I thought you might feel this way, so I got you something" he put down their baby and pulled out a little box. Her eye's got big when he got down on one knee. "Tsunade, will you make me the happiest man on earth, by being my wife?"
She was silent, the ring he gave her was beautiful. But right then she made the worst decision of her life. "No Jiraiya. I can't, I'm sorry…"
He looked up at her, you could see his heart breaking through his eyes. "Is it because I'm not him? I'm not Dan?"
Her eye's grew wide in shock "Of course not! I just want us to marry for love and not because we have a baby!"
Jiraiya's face grew angry "You think I don't love you? Tsunade, I've been in love with you since the ninja academy." Tsunade was quiet "I want a family Tsunade, don't you?"
She looked up at him, tears in her eyes "No, I don't" Jiraiya's heart crumbled. "Please Jiraiya, take her to another village. Where someone will take good care of her."
Jiraiya took a deep breath "Alright, I'll take her. But we'll always be a family Tsunade." she burst into tears as her friend left with their baby. An emptiness overwhelming her. He leaned in and whispered to the baby "Don't you worry, you can't get rid of me that easily." he smiled down at his sleeping beauty.
End Flashback
She pours a glass of sake and mumbles a few words to the sleeping pig on her lap "What do you say to your daughter after you've made it clear you didn't want her?" truth is, she regretted her decision a day or two after Jiraiya left. He never told her where he put her, just that she was safe. She wondered what her name was, what she looked like… she sipped her sake and stared out her window.
Back at The Hospital
Sakura and Ino were finishing their rounds. For six years now, Tsunade has taken Sakura as her medical ninja apprentice, and for four years Ino has been Sakura's apprentice. Konoha is known for its medical ninjas, so other villages often request their services. Shizune brought Sakura the message and details from the Hokage. After Shizune left, Ino had an ear to ear grin on her face.
Sakura looked at her friend "What are you so happy about?"
Ino just giggled "So you gotta make sleeping arrangements for the sand siblings eh?"
"Yeah so? I'll probably just make reservations at an inn or something."
Ino smiled and whispered "So where are you going to have Gaara sleep?"
Sakura turned pink "What are you talking about Ino pig!"
"Oh don't give me that billboard brow, there is so much tension between you two you can cut it with a knife!"
Sakura was now as pink as her hair "Our relationship is strictly professional."
Ino rolled her eyes "Oh whatever! What about when we rescued him and his siblings and you healed his legs? You two were staring at each other…" Sakura was beet red "And when you and lady Chiyo brought him back to life? Yep, I heard things. Don't deny it Sakura."
Sakura was speechless. She made numerous trips to Suna to help tutor the sand village's medical ninjas. Every time she came he was a perfect gentleman and they even had a conversation now and then, which is rare for Gaara. She had to admit, he was attractive. Maybe she was right.
Her daydreaming of the Kazekage was interrupted when she saw Naruto and Jiraiya walking with a young woman.
Almost as if it was on cue, Sakura and Ino both said "Who is she?" then looked back at the stranger.
Ino put her hands on her hips "I say we investigate" She didn't like new competition. Even though she was beautiful, Ino was always dieting to impress boys but with no success.
Sakura sighed "Well we are all done for the day and we have nothing better to do." they quickly change out of their coats and follow them. They hop from roof to roof till they see them go into the Hokage mansion.
"Sakura, why are they going into the mansion?"
"I don't know…Lady Tsunade didn't mention anything about a meeting. Lets find out" the girls jump down and follow them into the mansion.