Chapter Two: The Hidden Truth

He woke up again, bandages covering his forehead and his eyes. There were some on his left cheek and the left side of his torso. With his eyesight block, he relied on touch and hearing.

He felt someone holding his hand and heard him sniffling. Almost as if the person had been crying minutes before. Naruto wondered who it was. This person that seem so caring towards him. He was about to speak out, when he heard to door open and close.

"Minato" said a voice that he recognized as the third Hokage's. Naruto was surprised that it was the forth Hokage at his bedside.

"Sarutobi." the Hokage whispered in surprise.

"I'm sorry but you're too close to the boy again. Remember the agreement."

"But Sarutobi!" he protested silently. Apparently he was trying not to wake Naruto. "I have to be… look at him."

"Naruto is fine. He's healing at an outstanding rate, faster that any person." The third Hokage responded, "I'm starting to think that the nine-tailed fox has a hand in this."

"Trust me. If I knew this was going to happen, I should've never sealed it within him. All he knows is pain and rejection. I can't even be close to protect him. I can't protect him. I can't protect my own son."

"The ANBU is there to do it in your place. That is what you hired them for."

"The ANBU!" Minato raised his voice but realized his mistake. In a lower voice, he continued, "The same ANBU that failed to do their duty on the night he needed it most. He almost died on their watch. They nailed the door and windows shut with boards, so that he couldn't get out from the fire they started. How could the ANBU not noticed whoever did this? They were keeping surveillance on his house!"

"Calm yourself Minato. You'll wake up the boy."

"It just aggravates me that I see my son like this and I can't do anything about it."

"I understand that, as a parent myself, I really do." Sarutobi said, " But you mustn't violate the agreement. It's been to many times. The consequences could be severe. It might involve taking Naruto away from the village forever."

The room was silent for a few minutes. Nothing could be heard but the sounds of birds and the swaying motion of the trees.

"Come," The third Hokage suddenly spoke, " We must leave now."

"Could you just give me a few more minutes?" the forth asked hopefully.

"Alright." Sarutobi answered.

Once again Naruto heard the door open and close. Once again he heard silence. Naruto wondered what the Yondaime was up to. He was surprised when he found out that the forth was his father. It took all his strength to keep his emotions bottled in as he was faking sleep.

He felt gentle fingers stroking his hair.

"I'm sorry Naruto. I'm so sorry." His apologizing sorrowful voice came next. "If I only knew what I was going to put you though when I performed the sealing jutsu."

There was movement and then Naruto felt a kiss on his right cheek. He had the feeling of being watched. The forth still hadn't let go of his hand.

"Good bye… my son." He whispered into his ear before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

Naruto laid there. The conversation between the two Hokages was going over in his head. The forth Hokage was his father. Yet he couldn't be with him because of an agreement.

"Why?" he thought, "Why must it be like this?"

The days past with him healing alone in the hospital room. With each day he hoped to wake up with the forth Hokage at his side, but it seemed that he needed his words because the incident never repeated. Although two days after the bandages from his eyes were removed, proving no damage to his eyesight.

The burns were minor and with time they would vanish. The doctors and nurses smiled and kept telling him how very lucky he was that he had survived. Yeah, he was really lucky… or so they thought.