Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters blah blah blah

Behind Every Great Man

She first saw him when he was walking with his kids down the street. He had looked at her, smiled and waved. She returned it. After that, they saw each other in the hallway at the Jounin office and often made polite conversation. Just enough to know each other's names.It was only when she had to bring him the message that the Hokage wished to see him that their friendship started to take off. He kept pestering her to tell him what it was about, and she simply smiled.

"Well, am I in trouble?"

"I don't know."

"Am I getting promoted?"

"I don't know."

"Well, you're no help."

"All he told me was to get you and tell you to see him immediately."

He made a small whining noise and his face fell a little. She chose then to look him over, he was an attractive man, and with his face hung in that expression, it made him look like a child. She laughed softly and chided him.

"If you're so anxious then go see him and find out what it is."

He chuckled and grinned down at her, saying that she was right, before going off in a puff of smoke.

It was later that night, when she was eating at the Ichiraku ramen shop that she saw him again. He took a plop in the seat next to her, and rested his chin on his hand, grinning at her.

"Thank you so much for giving me that message."

She made a confused "Hmm?" and looked over at him. Then she realized how stupid she looked, an eyebrow raised, and a wad of ramen sticking out of her mouth. She quickly gulped down her food and replaced her "Hmm?" with an "Eh?"

"What did the Hokage want?"

He smiled and then leaned forward, motioning for her to do the same.

"There's a very good possibility that I am going to be the fourth."

Her eyebrows raised and her mouth dropped open.

"A good possibility? What does that mean?"

"It means," He sighed. "That some of the elders are second guessing it because of my age. They think because I'm so young it will be a mistake."

She looked him older. "So young? I suppose that's true. How old are you? Nineteen?"

"Twenty-one."

She smiled and commented how he didn't look it. That took off their conversation on age and how everyone in his family looks a little younger than they are. They talked and laughed until the owner of the store mentioned that it was ten thirty at night and they were closing. That was when they decided to say their good-byes and leave. But his was different than what he normally gave her. All the other times she saw him he just said, "I'll see you around." But tonight it was different.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I mean…you are going to work…right?"

"Oh! Uh, yes. I just didn't expect for you to…"

She trailed off and smiled softly at him.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

He nodded, grinned and left.

What shocked her was that she did see him tomorrow. She also saw him the day after that, and the day after that until they had talked with each other every day for two months. Then it was on her twenty-first birthday that he took her out for a celebration. It was also the first time she had ever been drunk, and the first time she rode home on his back.

"How drunk are you anyway?"

"Drunk enough to know I'm drunk."

He laughed, a sound that vibrated through his shoulder blades where her head was resting. He continued to laugh until she mentioned how her current state happened to be his entire fault.

"Hey, I'm not the one who forced you to order six more beers."

"No, but you didn't tell me not to."

"Point."

The walks went on in silence, with her simply listening to his footsteps on the ground and feel his steady breathing against her ivory cheek. It was so relaxing; that she hadn't even realized that she had asked him if he wanted to hear a secret of hers.

"What?"

"Hmm? Oh…well, do you promise you won't laugh."

"Cross my heart."

"I want to be an ANBU. I've wanted to be an elite ever since I became a Genin. Now I've been a Jounin for about a year. Maybe it's time to take the next step."

Then she shook her head against his back, and muttered how it was a stupid dream. That was when he cut her off with a firm voice. The tone of voice he used when his students doubted themselves.

"It's not a stupid dream. No dream is a stupid one. Dreams are things that we want to achieve. Goals in our life that we reach for. If we don't have dreams, then we have no reason to move forward. We have no motivation. Don't ever doubt your dreams, or you abilities. I'm sure you'll become an ANBU. You just have to try. I believe in you."

Maybe it was then. Maybe it was in the exact moment that he finished that little speech that she fell in love with him. Of course she didn't know it. But her heart became renewed. It was also in that moment that she knew, this was the next Hokage. He would be the greatest that this village has ever seen.

Months went by, and she worked harder and harder, pushing herself to the next limit. The young woman would train in the rain, in the sun, and underneath a cloudy sky. He would often spar with her, motivating her to go to the next level. But one day he told her that she was pushing herself too hard and she needed to take a break. She just replied that he should talk less and punch more. But he was right. A week later, in the middle of sparing with her, she collapsed. When she woke up, she was in an unfamiliar bed, with a very familiar hand holding onto hers in the tightest grip that she ever felt from a man. She whispered his name, and his eyes locked onto hers. There was fear in those cerulean orbs. Fear for her. He commented on it.

"I almost thought I lost you."

"How long was I asleep?"

"A week."

"Where am I?"

"The hospital."

Her eyes widened. She sat up, but her muscles ached and she winced, until a strong hand pushed her gently back down onto the mattress. Their eyes locked again, and he didn't realize that his hand had moved up to her hair, and his thumb was brushing against her cheek.

Three weeks later and she had claimed the title of his girlfriend. That was when he had taken her to see his kids. The girl had warmed up to her right away, smiling and commenting on how the adults looked standing next to each other.

"You look so cute together, sensei!"

The boy looked her over once, and then nodded his head. She could tell that he was smiling slightly by the way his eyes gleamed. Even though he had a mask on.

"You're good for him."

That's what the boy told her.

A year later she sat him down with a large smile and told him she had news. He replied that he did too. She started first.

"How does it feel dating an ANBU?"

He grinned and kissed her, saying how he always knew she would do it and he was very proud of her. She then asked him what his news was. He took her hand in his and asked a simple question that would change both their lives.

"How would you like to marry the Fourth Hokage?"

Author's Note: Ok, so this is about the Yondaime and Naruto's mother. Going on the theory that he is Naruto's dad. It's going to be a three-part story. The next part will be told in Naruto's dad's point of view, and the last part in his mom's. I don't really like how this part came out, but the next two will be better, I hope. Reviews welcome.