Prologue

I don't exactly remember why I did it, just that I had to do it. Minato-senpai wasn't forcing me, Uzumaki-san wasn't forcing me, and Kakashi was even disagreeing with my decision. Kushina Uzumaki was infertile. She would never be able to conceive children. She didn't seem too concerned about it, but I could tell Minato-senpai was devastated. I recall sitting on the floor with Senpai, holding him as he wept while Uzumaki-san left because she couldn't stand his "whining."

I knew I was able to birth children. Fugaku proved that to me, for sure. I wanted Minato-senpai to have a family like he always wanted. So, I offered myself to have his sperm be artificially inseminated into me. It took a little convincing for him to agree, but he eventually jumped on board. Uzumaki-san smiled, held my hand, and thanked me for my generosity. But, the thing is, her eyes were blank. She didn't care. I don't know why, but she didn't care one bit.

When Minato-senpai told me stories of his and Uzumaki-san's past together, he painted a picture of happiness and love. But, all I saw on her part was animosity. I felt bad for Senpai. It was completely different than what I and Kakashi had.

We understood each other and accepted each other's past. We stood by each other no matter what. We were each other's everything. I once thought I couldn't live without him.

After I went into surgery for the insemination, I was nervous. More specifically, I was terrified. I was so worried it didn't work, or that there really was something wrong with me. It was a long few days. I took the test. I thought those few days were long, but that five minutes of waiting killed me. It felt like an eternity had passed before the alarm went off. Minato, Kakashi, and I held hands, counted to three, and looked.

It was positive.

I was going to have a baby. I was going to have my best friend's baby. Life was good. We celebrated, and everyone celebrated with us. The whole village was ecstatic; their Hokage would finally have an heir.

We decided, after figuring out the baby was a boy, to name him Naruto. I always fancied Jiraya's books and even put a hand in a few of his more Rated M ones, but he didn't release them yet. As Naruto grew inside of me, I grew happier. He was feisty too. He would move around a lot, and kick. It was amazing. Kakashi and Minato were always touching my stomach, and talking too little Naruto. Of course, the rambunctious squirt responded so enthusiastically. We were all so happy.

Then, on the night of October 10th, I went into labor. Simultaneously, Kushina Uzumaki did something so vile, that it would forever mark the lives of the Leaf villagers for generations to come.

She killed herself. Thus releasing the Nine Tails fox demon. Then, Madara Uchiha controlled the demon, and wrecked havoc on the village. Kakashi and Minato were beside themselves. They both had a duty to perform, to fight the demon and Uchiha and protect the villagers. But, they also wanted to be there for me.

I made them go.

That night was the hardest night I've been through. The pain was immense. I remember screaming and begging for God to kill me then, to end the pain. But, it was all worth it. I heard his little wail as he took his first breath of air. I looked at his little scrunched up face, and I smiled, because the pain was worth it. Every single day leading up to that moment, all the tears, scars, fights, everything. None of it compared to my little blonde angel. None of it.

Then, as I healed myself and breast-fed Naruto, the ground shook and I heard a roar. It thundered in my ear drums, and I struggled to keep Naruto's ears covered because of the pain in them. The roar startled Naruto, and he started to wail again, swinging his little chubby arms in agitation. As I shushed him, I walked to the window and looked out.

The flames; they consumed everything. The fox demon stood proudly in the center of the village, destroying everything in sight. Madara stood on top of its head, controlling the great beast. I knew I had to fight. I had to protect my baby boy, the man I loved, and my best friend.

I still hate myself for not saving Minato. I left Naruto with my sister and Fugaku, who stayed in a bunker with their children Itachi and Sasuke. I ran as fast as I could, I pumped chakra into my legs and activated my kekkei genkai. I jumped over destroyed houses and other rubble and dodged flames, trying m hardest to get to the demon as fast as possible.

I could see Minato start the jutsu. He was going to seal the demon into Naruto. But, the thing is, Naruto couldn't handle that amount of power, not as little as he was. I landed behind Minato, gasping for air and clutching my stomach. I still wasn't completely healed from Naruto's birth.

Minato turned his head slightly, just enough to see my face, a sad but determined look in his eyes. "You are my best friend Miku," He whispered, "And, I couldn't ask for a better mother for my child. You and Kakashi will be great parents." Then, his hands started flashing into hand signs.

As the jutsu started, I could see Minato's eyes darken. As the seconds ticked by, his eyes turned darker and his breathing more ragged. But, before the sealing was complete, I stepped in.

The only way for Naruto to live was if somehow, at least seventy-five percent of the fox demon stayed out of him. His little body could only handle about twenty-five percent of the demon, and even that was pushing it. I knew I had to hold the other seventy-five percent.

I grabbed on to Minato, and immediately pain engulfed me. I could feel a power go through me that has never gone through me before. It was dark, but not evil. Misunderstood. I could feel the powerful chakra crawl up my finger tips, arms, torso, and neck. I let go when I knew Naruto could with stand the rest. As I did, I looked at my bare arms, and was surprised to see swirling tattoos across them, starting at the inside of my wrist, and moving up past my shirt and probably extending from there. This mark was my seal. The jutsu was complete.

I heard a thud.

I looked up, and the demon was gone. But, Minato lay on the ground, motionless. I stumbled to his body, and fell to my knees beside him. I pulled him into my arms and wept. Then, I screamed. I screamed at the agony I was feeling inside me. My best friend was gone forever, and I did nothing about it. I didn't save my best friend.

I was weak.

I was worthless.

I was nothing.

Then I looked up. I looked into the angry, blood red Sharingan eyes of Madara Uchiha.

I felt a whooshing sensation, and I saw the environment warp around me into a vortex. Then, it got dark.