A/N I'm kinda starting to fall in love with the Naruto/Jiraiya and Naruto/Tsunade family pairings! I did a Naruto/Tsunade Mother's Day story that people seemed to like so I wanted to go for a second successful story!

"Hey kid wake up! I've got something incredible to show you!"

Naruto opened his eyes groggily to see his father, Jiraiya, standing in his doorway. Looking at his clock, Naruto saw that it was 2:15 in the morning. Yet, Jiraiya was fully dressed with a warm smile on his face.

"C'mon kid! It'll be gone soon!" Jiraiya said urgently, beckoning Naruto with a wave of his hands.

Slowly Naruto lifted his body and slid out of his bed. Taking one slow and cautious step after another, Naruto finally made his way to stand in front of his father.

Jiraiya's mouth formed a gentle and familiar smile that made Naruto's heart clench.

"Come along son. Let's get out of here." Jiraiya said offering his hand. Naruto stared at the outstretched appendage for a long moment.

Blinking once he suddenly reached out his own arm...

Quickly punching Jiraiya in his smiling mouth.

Jiraiya continued smiling as he slowly disappeared, shimmering and faintly glowing before he was gone completely.

Just as all illusions did.

Just as Jiraiya had been doing for the past 2 years since he died.

Naruto took a step back and stared blankly at the spot where his father had stood only moment before. For a brief second he felt regret and wished that he had allowed the hallucination to remain with him. To show him what was so incredible. He just missed seeing Jiraiya's smiling face and booming laughter. For a moment he wanted the crazy image in his mind to return and take his hand.

But that was impossible.

He remembered the first night he began seeing his dead father… His immediate reaction had been sobbing. He fell to his knees and sobbed his apologies to Jiraiya, the most important person in his life. However, he knew Jiraiya would never actually hear his apologies ever again.

When Naruto had stopped crying he looked up into Jiraiya's face, which was still warmly smiling with a vague expression. It was then that he realized his father wasn't actually interacting with him. He merely repeated the same phrases over again; "C'mon kid I've gotta show you something! Hurry up before it goes away! Let's get out of here."

Naruto looked into the uncomprehending face and felt a surge of anger. The man standing before him, he had no emotional attachment to. This image was just a shell of his father and it had no right to impersonate the incredible man Jiraiya was!

Pulling his fist back and snapping it forward with as much force as he could muster, Naruto's breathing became labored and panicky when Jiraiya began disintegrating.

"No…" He whispered reaching out to the illusion. "Don't leave me again…" He rasped, falling gently to his knees again.