Chapter 3

For anyone who has any confusion this will eventually be a MadaraXHashirama story. I know some people don't like Sakura but I mostly used her for her looks for Ayla. You can't lie she was a cutie when she was little, wasn't she :)

This chapter is kinda short and choppy because I'm not great at fight scenes and we all know what happened during the last Uchiha vs Senju fight,

Please make sure you read and review! please let me know what you think or if you have any ideas or helpful tips. reviews keep me motivated!

I DO NOT own Naruto

"You're going to have to stay still, Obito, no training or climbing trees, got it?" Shisui was instructing as he secured the cloth sling to the 5 year olds shoulders and across his chest. Wild haired Obito stuck his tongue in his cheek in a pout and looked up at his oldest brother. He didn't understand why he couldn't go with them to the battlefield. Shisui and Itachi both joined the battle at 6 years old and he would be 6 soon. Though Father told him he wasn't ready. But still it wasn't fair that he was stuck babysitting 3 year old Sasuke and now this new baby sister of his. She looked like his mother but she was so tiny and sick that this would be the first time that anyone had let him hold her on his own. Before he or Sasuke could only hold her if Father or Uncle Izuna held them in their laps or had their arms wrapped around theirs. Father didn't talk a lot about his new sister much but he was almost always holding her. Obito and Sasuke couldn't tell what Father thought about her.

When Obito had learned about his mother, he didn't know how to feel. Their Father had allowed the two young boys to say goodbye to their mother. When he led them into the room, it was scary to see their mother cold and pale laying there. She was beautiful even in death, just like always. Her long pink hair was draped around her head, a blanket pulled up over her and her hands were rested in her stomach. Both boys had sobbed as Father allowed them to kiss their mothers forehead and hug her one last time. When the witch healers, as Obito liked to call them, asked if they wanted to see their new sister Obito refused. He hated Ayla for being born early. He hated that his mom had to die for her. Uncle Izuna had punished him for thinking that way. He and his older brothers had explained to Obito and Sasuke that mother would have gladly died for any of them, weather in battle or in child birth.

Shisui looked Obito sternly in the eye when he didn't reply. "I'm serious, Obito, you need to be careful with Ayla."

Hot- headed Obito rolled his eyes. He felt like a girl with the baby carrier on. "Why can't I go and fight?" He demanded. "I can show off my amazing fireball jutsu!"

Shisui cracked a small smirk. Obito's fireball jutsu could defiantly use some work but for a 5 year old he was defiantly good at throwing shurikens. He stood straight and adjusted his sword strapped to his back and then patted his little brother's head. "Maybe next time. Right now you have a super serious job to do. Being a big brother is hard work!"

"Sasuke's not that hard. All he wants to do is play so taking care of him is easy." Obito shrugged.

Shisui frowned. "Yeah, but Ayla is fragile, you have to be careful with her."

Obito weaved his fingers behind his head like a headrest and then kicked the dirt. "Fine..."

"The Elder Clan women will be by later to check up on you three if this goes too late...So make sure you're good for them..." Shisui continued, putting his hands on his hips. Both Shisui and Itachi were always strict with Obito. Since the time he could walk or talk he has always been getting into trouble or saying the wrong things. He wouldn't be a good shinobi if he kept acting that way, his brother's did everything they could trying to get him to grow up and take more responsibility.

Obito looked across the courtyard to the far end where all the Clan shinobi stood. They were all hissing to each other and making sure all their weapons were in place. Several clan leaders were gathered around Father asking questions. Father stood unmoving and un-phased by every demanding question that was asked. He held Ayla in the crook of one arm like always, his face was hard. Uncle Izuna stood beside him answering the questions his Father wouldn't answer. Out of all the shinobi going to fight, Shisui and Itachi were the youngest and the youngest to process the sharingan. Even some of the adults, no matter how strong, didn't process the sharingan. They all looked so strong and so intimidating, Obito longed to join them one day.

"Faster, Itachi, faster!" Sasuke crowed one arm wrapped around Itachi's neck the other fist punched up into the air.

Itachi adjusted Sasuke on his back and ran through the yard in a flash coming to a skidding halt in front of Obito and Shisui. Sasuke giggled uncontrollably hugging Itachi from behind. Itachi smiled softly and Shisui laughed, plucking Sasuke off Itachi's back and setting him on his feet next to Obito.

Shisui took a knee and pushed Sasuke's long bangs out of his face then tickled his sides. "You need to behave too."

Sasuke giggled and nodded. "But as soon as you guys come back we can play, right?"

"Of course, Sasuke," Itachi patted his head. "As long as both of you behave and take care of baby sister."

Sasuke nodded eagerly and Obito rolled his eyes.

Madara and Izuna moved back to the boys now, the other Uchiha turning to leave towards the meeting place. They would catch up to them. Izuna smiled widely at his two youngest nephews ruffling their hair when he reached them. "That sling fits you, Obito!" He teased.

Obito ducked out underneath his uncle. He glared up at him and his Father. "This makes me look like a girl! Only girls wear these!"

"That's not true, Obito," Shisui crossed his arms. "Itachi and I both carried you and Sasuke in one of those."

"I used to carry your uncle in one when he was a child," Madara grumbled, shooting a glare at his hot tempered boy. Ayla was soundly asleep in his arms, for once her breathing was light, and he hoped it would stay that way while he was gone. None of the women within the Clan wanted to watch over Ayla while he was away. They all cooed over how cute she was and how sorry they were that she was sick. But none of them wanted to be responsible for the sick infant. It annoyed Madara.

Being careful not to wake her, he shifted the pink haired girl in his arms. Obito stood very still as Madara took a knee and laid Ayla in the cradle of the sling. Then he slowly took his son's arms underneath the fabric to reinforce the cradle. "Promise me you'll be careful, Obito." He said sternly looking into his son's dark eyes.

Obito's pout slid from his face, he nodded seriously. "Yes, Father."

"You will be back soon, Papa, right?" Sasuke asked nervously, his hands behind his back as he looked at the ground kicking the dirt. This was the first time in days he had been feeling better and not sobbing over his mother. But it always made him sad to see his family leave to fight. He knew one day he would be a strong shinobi like his Father but until then all he could do was worry.

Madara looked at young Sasuke and laid a hand on his head. "Yes. This will not take long. Until then both of you take care and protect Ayla, understood?"

"Yes, Father!" They echoed.

Madara smirked, ruffling each boy's hair and then standing up. "We must go," he addressed the others and they nodded. They left leaving the two young boys behind in the courtyard. Sasuke waved his little arm as they left, his lower lip quivering. Shisui and Itachi gave him a crooked smile waving back to him. Obito huffed as they turned their backs and disappeared. With one hand supporting the cradle of the sling, he grabbed Sasuke's hand with the other and half dragged him back towards their home.

"You got my peace letter then, Madara," Hashirama sighed in relief as Madara stepped forth from the group of Uchiha shinobi. Hashirama stood straight and unarmed, a soft smile on his face when he saw his friend. Growing up Hashirama learned how to read past that unreadable face, he could see Madara was exhausted. If they did fight it wouldn't be fair. He hoped that there would be no fighting today, he hoped that today would be the day that both Senju and Uchiha set aside their differences and joined forces. Before approaching the meeting site, Hashirama had ordered all his Senju shinobi to approach in peace with no weapons out. The Uchiha were all armed though and ready for a fight.

Of course like always Hashirama spotted Madara's younger brother Izuna, and his two sons Shisui and Itachi closest to him. They too looked exhausted. Shisui and Itachi stood close together, Shisui slightly in front of sword already bared. Itachi stood behind him, his dark eyes now sporting a dark red. Behind Hashirama, Tobirama saw the change in the boy too and grumbled under his breath.

Madara glared at his rival. "I have no interest in making peace, Hashirama. Senju spies have been sneaking around our homes the past few days. We both know each Clan is short on supplies, I cannot have Senju stealing what little we have."

Hashirama darkened slightly and shot a fast glare over his shoulder. He had told his shinobi that anyone caught near the Uchiha would be severely punished. Quickly he regained his composure and looked back with a smile. "I hear congratulations are in order, Madara! A daughter! That must be very exciting!"

Older men from both Senju and Uchiha Clans started to grumble, which gave Hashirama the sense that raising daughters wasn't as exciting as it sounded. He chuckled nervously and then became serious again. "I am sorry about the spies. That was not my intentions, the Uchiha were supposed to be left alone. I'm sorry about Sakura, she was-"

"I've heard enough of that-" Madara growled darkly shaking his head. "I didn't come here to listen to you jabber, Hashirama. I came here to settle the conflict between Uchiha and Senju once in for all."

"That's what I want as well! But peacefully! We don't have to continue this fight."

"The only way a conflict can be solved is battle," Izuna huffed, his red eyes locked on Tobirama's every move.

Tobirama's glared at Izuna his fingers twitching, eager to grab his sword. "If that is what you want..."

Hashirama stepped in between the two's locked glares. "Things can be solved peacefully! Madara, this has been a rough week for you-"

"I told you I've heard enough of the pity, Hashirama!" Madara growled and clasped his hands together.

Both Clans tensed and the Senju revealed their weapons. Whenever Shisui and Itachi were on the battlefield Hashirama would order his shinobi to leave them alone if at all possible. But now Hashirama worried that his fellow clan members would go straight for the young boys now just to further distract Madara. Hashirama gritted his teeth no matter what happened in the battle, he would protect those boys. Even if it distracted him from his own opponent.

The battle lasted all day. Everyone was exhausted as the sun started to set over the valley. Madara fell to the stone in exhaustion, he didn't have any chakra left to even more. Hashirama fell to his knees besides him, panting for air. Weakly he lifted his head and only saw the bodies of exhausted shinobi around them. Most of them had worn out far earlier than the two Clan leaders had. They lay on the ground, trying to recover their chakra. Izuna and Tobirama were the two closest to himself and Madara. They would fall to their knees to catch their breath and then both stand again and attempt to fight each other again. Their efforts were useless and their swords just weakly clashed together.

Behind them Shisui was on his knees with Itachi's head in his lap. He stroked back Itachi's long hair, speaking to him softly. Itachi was wounded but not mortally. He was holding pressure on his bleeding leg.

"It's over, Madara..." Hashirama panted. "Let's end this now. Your Clan is exhausted, my Clan is exhausted. Your son, Itachi is hurt. It's time to this meaningless fighting. We can go back to skipping rocks like we used to."

Madara glared up at him. "You're never going to grow up, are you?"

Hashirama sighed, hanging his head.

Across the valley three Senju shinobi jumped up off of the ground and darted forward. Two of them grabbed Shisui and Itachi ripping them apart from each other and pinning them onto their stomachs on the rock, trapping their arms behind their backs. The young Uchiha's started shouting attempting to fight back against the sudden attack but they were both to weak. Tobirama stood as the last shinobi appeared above Izuna who was on his knees. Before Izuna could react the man kicked him squarely in the chest knocking the air out of him and causing him to fall onto his back. The Senju stepped on the Uchiha's chest, preventing him from getting back up. Before Hashirama knew what was happening, Tobirama stood beside him, his long sword in hand he glared down at Madara.

"Father!" Shisui and Itachi cried kicking and struggling against the men that held onto them.

"Madara!" Izuna shouted from the ground, trying to sit up but a Senju shinobi kept him on the ground. He grunted and glared up at the man, but he was all out of chakra he didn't have any energy to try to fight him.

"You're finished, Madara," Tobirama hissed, lifting his sword into the air.

Madara just stared up at Tobirama's sword. He accepted his fate.

Anger and fear welled up inside Hashirama's chest. He had never been more disappointed in his younger brother than in the past few days. Tobirama had been so irrational towards the Uchiha. Since learning of Sakura's death, Tobirama had only encouraged the others of their plans to destroy Madara's family and the rest of the clan. He feared that their sharingan would grow in strength over that tragedy. Since they were children Tobirama had been the more level headed of all his siblings but Hashirama could remember listening to him rant about change. How he believed grown-ups were wrong and that things didn't have to be the way they were. He didn't have Hashirama's wild, elaborate dream of a peaceful village like something out of a children's story. But he did believe in the idea of a village where Clans could set aside their differences and work together.

Hashirama also feared never seeing Madara's hard crooked smile ever again. With what little strength he had the ground rumbled beneath them and Hashirama glared up at his younger brother. "Tobirama! Don't you dare touch him!" He growled darkly.

Tobirama's breath caught and Madara's dark eyes moved from the light shining off the swords sharp edge to his rival. Hashirama's eyes were dark nearly black. Madara had never seen him this way.

"Father!" The young boys screamed again.

Madara's eyes wondered to his sons pinned to the ground then back to Hashirama. "So what now, Hashirama? Are you going to kill me in front of my sons?"

Hashirama shot a glare at Madara for saying such things and then shot a glare at the shinobi that had helped Tobirama make his move. "Get off of them!" He shouted.

"Brother..." Tobirama growled, as he lowered his sword.

That earned him another dark glare. "Izuna is weakened and they are children, Tobirama."

Tobirama swallowed his words. Hesitantly the Senju shinobi released the Uchiha and backed several paces away, still ready to strike if need be. Shisui crawled to Itachi, quickly looking him over for any further injury. Itachi ignored him just staring wide eyed at their Father.

Izuna forced himself up onto his elbows.

Hashirama looked down at his friend. "What is your daughter's name, Madara?"

Madara blinked in shock but didn't reply. Hashirama played these mind games with him ever since they were children. He couldn't stand it. Why did he need to know her name? That name was for Sakura and his family.

When he didn't reply Hashirama stood slowly stripping his heavy armor as he continued. "Do you want her or Obito or Sasuke to lose their Father? Or to lose their only Uncle or older brothers? They are home now probably worried sick. It doesn't have to be that way. They wouldn't have to worry about loosening their loved ones. Things can change."

Everyone on the battlefield stared at the tall long haired man as he reached into his rear weapons pouch pulling out a kunai. He angled the small sharp point towards himself. Hashirama smiled looking around the battlefield to both Senju and Uchiha. "From the moment this kunai takes my life I forbid any Senju fighting an Uchiha." Looking down at his Uchiha friend, his eyes soft. "I will kill myself to prove that we can live in peace, my old friend."

"Brother..."Tobirama breathed.

It was too late for anyone to stop it. The kunai in Hashirama's hand was plunging towards his body. He closed his eyes with a small smile still on his lips. The battlefield went silent.

Suddenly a gloved hand clasped around his wrist, stopping his sucidice by just seconds. Hashirama gasped and opened his eyes. With what little energy his friend has left, Madara had pushed himself upright stopping him. Hashirama's heart sped up as he looked down at him. Madara looked up with dark eyes. "Ayla..." he said slowly."My daughter... Her name is Ayla... I don't wish her to grow up in this time of conflict..."

Hashirama's smile brightened.

"Staying with your elder brother, huh? Must be embarrassing, Izuna..." Tobirama was muttering as he helped Izuna limp along the trail to their home. The taller Senju had the Uchiha's arm thrown around his neck and his other arm supported his waist as they stumbled down the path. Both young brothers were seething and embarrassed at the idea of being this close and helping eachother but their older brothers had ordered them to.

Madara had agreed to Hashirama's offer of peace in the end and ordered the end of Uchiha fighting Senju. Both Clans left the battlefield without the fear of having to battle again. But with all of Madara's family were all exhausted and had no energy left to make the trek back home. So in a symbol of friendship and peace, Hashirama and Tobirama helped them.

Madara rolled his eyes and Hashirama chuckled lightly at their two younger brothers picking on each other behind them. They had been making these sly remarks at each other the whole way. The sky was nearly black and it was dark underneath the canopy of the trees. Though Hashirama couldn't examine Madara's face like he wanted to in the darkness just being this close to him felt right. Madara's body was hot against his and he loved the warmth. It was the same as he remembered it as kids.

Izuna glared up at the white haired Senju. "Shut it!"

"With all those brats I don't know why your brother would need another one living with him..." Tobirama continued.

Izuna growled and attempted to push away from his rival but once standing on his own, he swayed, stumbling into a tree. Tobirama smirked and grabbed his arm again, dragging him along. Behind them Shisui and Itachi stifled their giggles.

"You are holding the shuriken too tightly!" A raspy woman's voice snipped from the other side of the trees. "Hold it lightly in your hand and in one swift movement throw it! Your movements are to jerky and your grip is effecting your aim!"

Shisui and Itachi glanced at each other recognizing the voice as the group passed through the trees in the yard of the Uchiha home. Sasuke was out in the yard of the home throwing kunai and surikens at a large tree stump in the moonlight when the men approached the home. Only rarely did one actually stick to the tree. The rest clattered off into the grass. But Sasuke kept trying throwing each one harder than the last. On the deck of the home the old Uchiha healer stood with her hands on her hips instructing the boy. Her hair was pinned up making her hard face look meaner. Sasuke grumbled as she snipped at him.

Obito sat on the step with Ayla, he really wanted to jump up and show Sasuke what he was doing wrong but he knew if anything happened to the baby that it would be the worst punishment he ever received. The old woman behind him held her thin cane in her hands. Whenever Obito said something out of line she wasn't afraid to use it on the poor boys back, hands or rear end.

Ayla was awake now her dark little eyes looked up at Obito with curiosity. She had cried when she first woke up causing her breathing to become ragged and she couldn't stop coughing. Her skin seemed like it was on fire and her coughing sounded wet like there was fluid built up somewhere and her breathing was raspy and bubbly. Obito was scared so he had to send Sasuke to fetch one of the scary healers. Unfortunately the only one available at the time was the meanest and scariest one of all. She had come back with Sasuke and immediately went to work on Ayla. The two boys didn't understand most of what the woman told them but Obito understood that whatever was wrong was bad, worse than what it was before.

When the woman was finished with all that she could do, she gave Ayla back to Obito to tend to while she tended to dinner for them. Ayla had cried the entire time the woman handled her. But after a few minutes of Obito and Sasuke making funny faces at her, she stopped crying and coughing. Her breathing was still ragged and he could feel her heart beating wildly when he tickled her sides. He had tried to feed her with the bottle that Father had prepared but she had refused to eat. She had been refusing to eat since she was born causing her to be even weaker. Father had tricked her a few times by dropping milk onto his small finger and putting it into her mouth. It worked a few times but other times she had refused. Obito had tried the trick but again she wouldn't open her mouth, instead she whimpered weakly.

Now she still felt hot but she seemed better than what she was earlier in the day. Her tiny shaking hands lifted slightly to play with his fingers. He couldn't help but to crack a grin. Besides her eyes, she reminded him of mother.

"Obito!" Sasuke screamed as the group appeared from the trees. The two Senju men could look intimidating at first glance. As far as the boys were concerned they were holding their Father and Uncle hostage. They hadn't seen their older brothers in the back.

Sasuke ran back to the home, a kunai in hand. Obito jumped up snatching the dagger he had sat beside him on the step. The sudden movement jerked the baby in his sling and Ayla started to cry. The old woman glared at the newcomers, her beady dark eyes assessing each movement.

"Let our Father and Uncle go!" Obito barked trying to sound intimidating.

Hashirama started to chuckle as both the small boys stood defensively to protect their home. It amazed him how much they resembled Madara when he was a child.

Shisui and Itachi stumbled to the front of the group. "Obito! Sasuke! Relax! They are helping us!"

"Helping?" Obito demanded glaring at his brother and then at the two tall men.

"Yes!" Itachi breathed, tired. His legs were shaking to keep him upright. Though his wounded leg had stopped bleeding, it was still in a lot of pain.

Obito could see that his family was hurt badly and exhausted. He gritted his teeth and stood his ground. "They're the ones that did this to you! Their Senju!"

"Obito, enough!" Madara looked up at his son, his eyes flashing crimson and Obito knew he meant business.

Obito swallowed his words quickly, still holding the dagger. Sasuke lowered the kunai, seeing his family beaten like this frightened him. His stomach turned and his lip began to quiver. He ran into the yard to meet Shisui and Itachi.

The old woman stepped in front of Obito. "So...it's over then, is it?"

Madara looked up at her. "Yes."

She scoffed but nodded.

"Are you okay?" Sasuke cried, looking up at his brother's. He looked around to his Father and Uncle but was too scared to approach them with the tall strange men.

"We're fine, Sasuke," Itachi put a shaky hand on his head.

"You don't look fine," the old woman interrupted. "Shisui- bring him up here. Let me look at him. The rest of you sit down before you fall down. Sasuke- go get my bag and the food pills I laid out in the kitchen." She barked orders. Teary eyed Sasuke nodded determined and ran off into the house.

"Ayla." Madara tried to stand on his own, stumbling through the yard. Hashirama followed his friend, his arms still outstretched to catch him if need be. He was worried about Madara.

Obito looked down at Ayla, who was crying weakly. She started to cough again, the sound of fluid in her lungs. The sputtering caused her tiny body to shutter and writhe. Quickly he attempted to pick up the rocking and swaying movement that he had seen the others use on her. But the effort was useless, she continued to cry.

Madara made it to the deck, he reached up towards Obito to hand him the child. Obito lifted Ayla carefully out of the sling, she wasn't heavy but she was as fragile as glass. Carefully he handed his Father his sister. Madara could feel the change in her temperature since he left. He started to worry.

The old woman starting explaining by the time he looked up at her. "Obito and Sasuke did the right thing by fetching me when they did, Madara... Not long after you left the child she came down with a high fever. My belief is that it is pneumonia...I did what I can do but again she's so small it's hard to treat...Her fever has gone down but only time will tell..."

Madara sighed.

Hashirama listened to the healer speak and he became worried himself. But he couldn't help but widen his smile when he watched Madara take the baby into his arms. The way he handled her with such care made him proud of his friend. She was impossibly small that it even frightened him. But Madara didn't seem to fear it. Madara lowered himself onto the step with his daughter. He slid one of his gloves off and stroked her wrinkled forehead softly then ran his hand over her chest that rose and fell.

Tobirama helped Izuna limp besides his brother. Izuna rolled onto his back next to Madara, groaning, holding onto his side. Shisui sat Itachi down as well and then he and Obito dissapered into the home helping Sasuke gather what the old witch had sent him for.

Hashirama lowered himself to sit besides Madara, he looked into his arms to watch the baby struggle for air. He frowned. "What can you do, Madara?"

"I don't know..." Madara said honestly. His hand lightly stroked the pink hair.

"There is nothing anyone can do," the healer grunted as little Sasuke came running back outside from the open sliding door of the home. His arms were full of medical equipment. Obito and Shisui were right behind him. The woman laid out everything the boys brought out for her in a small table that sat beside the door.

"Funny faces worked earlier, Papa..." Sasuke said as he sat behind Itachi, stroking back his long hair. Itachi smiled up at Sasuke.

Hashirama grinned. "Funny faces, huh?" He looked down at the crying infant and stuck his tongue out crossing his eyes.

It only earned him a frightened cry. Madara stroked her rolled his eyes at the tall man besides him. Softly he stroked Ayla's cheek with his fingertips. "Hush, Ayla, hush..." he murmured softly. The baby in his arms whimpered, her little body shaking but the more she lay in her Father's arms the more she calmed down.

Hashirama smiled.

The old woman distributed a tray of food pills to the tiered shinobi both Uchiha and Senju. It took everything the warriors had to keep the disgusting things down. The woman stood behind them as they all gaged and choked on the things, her cane still in her hand threatening to beat any of them that dared spit the pills out. After she made sure they swallowed the pills, she started her work patching Itachi up. It didn't take long for the food pills, no matter how disgusting to work. When they did Tobirama had insisted that he and his brother go. Hashirama didn't want to leave his friend. It had been years since he was able to sit beside him again. Madara had his hands full with all his beautiful children and now that Sakura was gone, Hashirama worried about him. He knew that the older boys were mature and Madara had Izuna there to help him. But Shisui and Itachi were only children too they deserved to act like kids. Ayla worried him as well, only his first time meeting her and he was in love with the tiny girl. He was in love with all of Madara's children already. Each of them had such a unique personality of their own it amazed him. He didn't want to leave.

As he walked slowly away from the Uchiha household, listening to the old Uchiha woman barking at the younger boys. He looked back one more time to see his friend still sitting on the steps. Madara had his tiny daughter cradled to his chest, carefully monitoring her condition. Feeling Hashirama's eyes on him he had looked up. He smirked crookedly at his old Senju friend. Hashirama's stomach fluttered and his face brightened as he smiled back. He lifted a hand to wave at Madara. They would see each other again soon. Today marked the first day of a new era.

I DO NOT own Naruto

Please make sure you read and review. let me know whatcha think! Thanks for reading

Chapter 4 soon...