Chapter 2

It had been a week since everyone split. Kakashi was getting close to Minato and Kushina as everyone started coming close to the village. Jiriaya had Obito join him and the other two young men, much to his dislike. Rin had arrived and finished healing Kita as they moved forward; leaving Kakashi to try to work through the maze Minato had laid down. It was once again time to camp for the night and the nights seemed to get colder and colder each night. Kushina slowly helped collect wood and build a fire wearing Minato's warm jacket before they both sat down together like that had for the last week.

"It's getting colder every night," Kushina said as she leaned against Minato. After the first few nights they had started to get used to sitting together every night, instead of being embarrassed trying to keep each other warm.

"Yeah, seems like winter's coming early this year. Hopefully it will hold off and allow us to get home." Minato said looking up at the moonless sky at all of the twinkling stars. "Kakashi and the others should be catching up to everyone any day, if they haven't already." He started to laugh. "Let's hope Kakashi was the one to follow us. With the trail I left behind us, I think Jiriaya would even have a hard time finding us." Kushina smiled and giggled. Through the week, Minato had begun telling her about Jiriaya and the others as she did the same with her friends and villagers keeping science and awkwardness to the absolute minimum.

"I think you and your team would enjoy your selves if you stayed in my village for a while," She said looking from the sky to him then at the sky again. "The whirlpool village doesn't sound like much and really it isn't anything compared to Konohana but we have our fun. From what you tell me I think your sensei would love our bars. We make our sake special for our own village." She giggled thinking of the stories Minato had told her about. "Your three genin would have fun too. They could go out with the others their age and do whatever, and I think you'll have a lot of fun too. I'll show you around and everything."

"Maybe an early winter would be nice." He chuckled and they settled down for the night.

Kakashi creped through the trees and spotted a large fire. As he went closer, he heard the voices of men that were out for blood. He listened closer, listening for anything that could help them protect the village and finish this problem off forever.

"They split up. They can't get very far with the injured ones, specially that little red head." Came a deep voice.

"That little red head was the most fun. She's got a lot of fight in her." Laughed another with a raspy voice. "Say boss, could I have her when we catch 'em. I could really use the fun." He said making the four other guys laugh.

"Take what you want. We have orders to destroy the whirlpool village, I don't think Danzo would mind if we had a little fun first." The leader said making Kakashi's eyes go wide before he took off running through the trees again trying desperately to find his teacher. He saw the glow of a smaller fire and decided to be safe. He pulled his sword and moved stealthily towards the camp to find his teacher leaning against a tree with the red head leaning against him wearing his jacket for warmth. Kakashi gave a sigh before he was startled by his teacher's voice.

"Kakashi, you finally made it." He said with a smirk. "How did you and the others do?" Kakashi slid his sword back into his sheath as he walked closer to his teacher when Minato placed Kushina on the ground to sleep, for a little while at least.

"We found where you split. I sent each of them on the other two trails and I followed yours. One my way here I found a camp with five missing nin. They were talking about destroying the whirlpool village. One asked to have her." He said and looked over at the sleeping woman. "The leader said that they had orders to destroy the village and that he didn't think Danzo would have a problem with the man taking her." Kakashi said and explain everything of his journey.

"Are you sure you heard the name right?" Minato asked, seeming to be slightly worried as Kakashi gave a firm nod. He summoned a small dark blue toad in front of him. "Go to Jiriaya. Tell him that we have an even bigger problem and we need to get to the village as soon as possible. Kakashi came across a camp not far away and they said Danzo gave the orders. Then get to Yoshi and tell him to get moving to the village." The toad gave a nod and disappeared.

"Jiriaya, you're really old but you taught Minato sensei, so is Sensei old too?" Obito asked making Jiriaya even more upset. The boy had been working on getting on his nerves since he showed up making the two men chuckle as they listened. "How old is sensei?" He asked.

"Obito, why don't you be quiet for a bit?" Asked Sotaru with a bright smile as he glanced at the fuming Jiriaya when a dark blue toad appeared in front of him. "What is it?" He asked knowing that the toads were used to send messages between the man in front of them and Minato.

"Minato says we need to get moving to the village. Kakashi stumbled into a camp not far away and they're planning on attacking at any moment." Jiriaya said before he gave a nod and summoned a deep red toad as the dark blue one disappeared. "Tell him watch root leader." The toad gave a small nod and popped away. "Let's go." He said standing up making the others pack up and start moving once again.

"Rin!" Came a small croak. "Minato said that you need to get moving and get to the village quickly. He will meet you all there." Rin gave a nod as Kita, Yoshi packed up, and the three started moving as fast as they could.

Two days later Yoshi and his group were, first to arrive and tell the Kage about everything that had happened and making Yoshi explain why he asked for an escort. A day later Jiriaya arrived and started discussions with the Kage trying to come up with a plan only to decide to wait until Minato Arrived two days after Jiriaya.

"How was your trip?" Jiriaya asked walking out to greet the three as they arrived. Kushina ran and hugged her father with a bright smile when she saw him walk out with the others. "What's with the coat?" Jiriaya asked making Minato smirk and shake his head.

"Don't even start your thinking, sensei." He chuckled. "It was getting cold at night and she had nothing but her outfit. Anyway have you told the Kage about the group?" He asked and everyone came closer together.

"Yeah. I sent word to the old man to see what he wants to do now that we know who it is." Jiriaya told him as Kushina started to tell her father and brother about how Minato made sure she was safe and warm. "Sounds like fun." Minato laughed as Kushina hit Jiriaya so hard he fell to the ground, loopy for a few minutes.

"I heard all about your thinking." She said to Jiriaya who looked at Minato as he began to laugh harder. "Come on. I'll show you around a bit." Kushina said with a small smile to Minato as he walked up to the Kage,

"The Third Hokage told me to give you this." He said pulling a scroll from his pocket and handing it to the Takage. "He also sent word that we were to help with what we could for a while, until everything is straightened out at least." The Kage nodded as Minato gave a short bow.

"Kushina take them to the house and set up the guest rooms. I appreciate the leaf village helping our little village." He said and bowed his head slightly as Minato and the others bowed and followed Kushina to her house. They walked from the large building out onto the street that was, surprising to the leaf ninja, not busy like back home. The village was tiny and the streets were all straight, there were no maze like streets and large building lining the crowded streets, this was all new to the five leaf ninja as they stopped at the front door of Kushina's house.

"Mom!" She called as they all stood by the door and her mother came running to hug her daughter. Her light brown hair pulled up into a loose bun and her green eyes full of relief as she grabbed her daughter. Kushina pushed her mother back slightly with a smile and glanced at the others. "Mom, these are ninja of the leaf and they're gonna stay with us and help with the ninja who keep attacking us." Her mother let go of her and looked at each of the ninja. "This is Jiriaya, Kakashi, Rin, Obito and Minato." She said pointing at each of them as she named them. "This is my mom, Yuki."

"It's nice to meet you." Yuki said giving a slight bow. "Toshiro!" She called through the house, everyone saw a young boy with brownish red hair, and brown eyes ran into the room only to attack himself to Kushina's waist. "Toshiro, I want you to make up the guest rooms for our guests." The boy gave a quick nod and ran off to do what he was asked.

"You got them here fast." Yoshi said as he walked in only to be almost tackled by his mother's hug. "Hey mom." he chuckled. "Dad's gonna be coming home early. He said he wants to have dinner with them." He said glancing over at the others as his mother let go and stepped back. "Where's Shiro?" He asked only to see his little brother run into the room and give him a quick hug before standing next to Kushina with a smile.

"So how long is dad gonna keep you guys home this time? Three days a week?" Toshiro asked looking between his older brother and sister. They bother looked at each other before shrugging.

"Don't worry 'bout it, Shiro. We'll be here for a while." Kushina said as she bent down to look at him.

"Yeah, after this last trip and your mission I don't think dad's sending either of us out for a long time." Yoshi said moving closer. "Especially you." He said low as she stood back up. Their mother and little brother looked at the two of them and the others standing in the living room. Yoshi looked at his mother and little brother and smiled. "Dad's not really gonna be sending anyone out. The leaf ninja are here to help us so we have nothing to worry about." Toshiro smiled and went to talk to the three students while Yuki looked more worried. "Mom, don't worry, dad's got everything under control and you can't imagine how safe we are with only these ninja being here." He said, as she walked over not convinced.

"Yoshi's right. These guys are like an army. And that girl can do wonders with healing. I've never even seen the elders heal as well as she healed me and the others." Kushina said with a smile as she glanced over and saw the four kids talking.

"Healed you and the others?" Yuki asked as she walked closer to her two children who backed up to the two men, Yoshi stopping beside Jiriaya and Kushina accidentally bumping into Minato. "What kind of mission did your father send you on that required you to be healed?" She asked burrowing her green eyes into Kushina's emerald green eyes a little more each time she spoke a word.

"Dad just said… I-it was a mission. L-like all the others." She said slowly looking back at her mother as she stood in front of Minato who glanced at Jiriaya who had a small smirk on his face as he watched the two women. Before anyone could say anything, they heard the Kage walk into the room and say hello to his wife and the others and noticed his wife was looking angrily at his daughter.

"Kushina, you've only been back for a few hours. What did you do to make her mad this time?" He asked before he watched Yuki's green eyes shift to burn into his hazel ones. "Yuki, what's the matter?" He asked.

"You sent our daughter out on a mission that she got hurt on. She could have died." She said and looked back at the four standing in the place still. "What happened? And don't lie." She demanded making Yoshi, Kushina and their father look at each other.

"Well, they sent a group after me and my team and they beat us pretty bad. The last thing I remember is Ryuu going down and then when everyone was about to attack they came and saved us. Then I only remember waking up later." Kushina explained. And watched her mother look at her father with a hard look before speaking to the others without looking away.

"Why don't you guys show them around the village?" Yuki said and a false happy voice making the others move out of the house quickly. Once outside they all stopped as Toshiro announced he was going to show the three genin around the village.

"Careful Shiro." Yoshi said with a smirk. "I'm gonna take Jiriaya to the bar to meet the guys. You gonna join us?" He asked Minato making Jiriaya chuckle.

"Minato doesn't go drinking. If he does go to bars it's to-" Jiriaya was cut off.

"Drag you out so you stop hitting on the women. You're lucky I find you before Tsunade finds out and tracks you down." Minato said making Kushina and Yoshi laugh while Jiriaya looked at him as he tried to shrink where he stood. "You guys go have fun, but Sensei; I don't want to have to get in the middle of a fight tonight." Jiriaya smiled and gave a nod before the two were off leaving Kushina and Minato.

"Would you like to take a walk?" She asked and watched him give a nod before they set off. She walked him through the almost clear streets that were surrounded by large shops and homes. They stopped at a few shops to look around then stopped to get a bite to eat before Kushina led him to a spot that she used to go to when she was younger, before she was a ninja and had no time to just relax. Minato looked around and gave a small smile. The place was on the edge of a cliff, to the back was a dense forest and to the left was a very small trail that leads to where they were sitting overlooking the village of whirlpool.

"I'd rather live in a little place like this." Minato said softly looking out watching the lights begin to go out. "Konohana is very big and very crowded."

"Yeah but all of your friends are there and I guarantee you wouldn't really want to live anywhere than home." Kushina said. "I would love to move to Konohana but I know way down inside, I don't think I would be able to leave where I'm from." She said and looked out over the town with a smile on her face before she looked back at Minato. "So your friend is quiet a drinker?" She asked making Minato laugh.

"You could say that. He drinks too much and he likes to spy on women all the time. He calls it research." Minato told her making her laugh. "I'm always dragging him home. I usually have to be quick. He has this old teammate who has quite a temper when he starts his stuff and if I don't get him first it leaves me a really big job. Not only do I have to get him sober but I have to get him healed up and pay for damages. God knows he doesn't pay for anything." Minato said making Kushina laugh.

"The lights are almost all out. I'm sure my mom is done yelling at my dad for putting a team into such a bad situation. We should start heading home." She said as Minato stood and held out a hand to help her up. "Hopefully my brother will be able to get your friend home with both of them safe." She giggled making Minato smile.

"Hopefully I don't have to drag him out of a fight or save him from being killed by a woman he was peeking on." Minato said as they started walking back to the house as they talked about their pasts before they passed a very noisy bar making both of them stop. They knew the two loud voices that were yelling. Minato sighed and turned to look in the bar with Kushina behind him.

"Yoshi!" Kushina yelled when she saw him trying to push the bartender back from trying to make the two get off the bar. She walked over as her brother looked at her afraid as he fell off the bar taking Jiriaya with him. "Yoshi, get up and start marching home!" She scolded making him jump to his feet and walk out the door. "You're forgetting your buddy." She said making him turn and grab Jiriaya who was about to drift off to sleep. "Neither Minato nor I will be carrying either one of you. You will go home and go to bed."

"B-but Kusssshina. We doesn't do nothin." Yoshi slurred as he held the laughing Jiriaya next to him. "What's you doin here?" He asked and burst with laughter making Minato chuckle from behind her before he walked forward and took Jiriaya.

"I'll take him." He grabbed the front of Jiriaya's outfit with a smirk as Jiriaya started talking. "Yeah, I know sensei. You better hope nothing gets back to Tsunade, she's really gonna kick your ass if she finds out about anything you do here." He chuckled when he heard Jiriaya start talking about Tsunade, going from her being pretty to him going to win in a fight and kick her ass.

"Yoshi come on. Mom's gonna be really mad at you if she sees you stumbling around acting like a moron." Kushina said as she started walking beside Minato and Yoshi stumbled past them. After a walk that took much longer, than it should have with the two men stumbling along until they reached the house to find everyone, even the kids sound asleep.