Chapter Six: Into the Past

''I don't want to go back. I-I-I hate that place." Naruto shook his head. "Everything is so depressing."

"Think about this." Minato tried to comfort his son, "It's temporary. I promise I'll try to find you a house as fast as possible."

"It hurts going to the orphange knowing that I have you."

"I know it does." Minato hugged him again, "Don't you think it hurts me too. Why do you think I couldn't face you when I told you yesterday?"

He pulled apart and began stroking his hair, "Come on. We have to go back. The village can't be very long without it's Hokage."

They left the shack and began the journey home.

"Can we keep in touch?" Naruto asked.

"Unfortunately no." Minato answered, "They musn't know that you know that I'm your father."

"Well how about meeting or talking secretly?" Naruto suggested hopefully. Surely they could manage that.

"Not that either. Don't you think I tried. As much as a Hokage I am, they always figure me out. I've had warnings already. When you were a baby in the orphanage, I use to secretly break in at night to see you. But, they caught me. Numerous disguises. Everything. They would catch on later."

"Wow. You sure tried hard."

"I sure did." Minato looked down to smile. Naruto noticed they had the same smile.

Resemblance. They had so much of it. Same blonde messy hair, same eye color., same smile. Although, something hit him. He wasn't sure if he sould ask, but it was his only chance.

"Uhhh..." was the only thing Naruto could utter out.

Minato looked down at his sound of hesistation, "What?"

"I want to ask you something. I-I want to ask because it's the only chance I'm going to have. Don't get angry!"

"Calm down. I'm sure it's not that bad. What is it?"

"It's-It's about my mom." he asked nervously and Minato stopped and staread at him, "Tell me about her. Why isn't she with you?"

Minato stared at him some more then his eyes sadden. Sighing, he place his hands on his shoulders.

"I was sort of expecting this." he said quietly, " Naruto, I'm sorry. Your mother died when you were born."

Naruto comprehended. So his mother was dead. That explained why it was only his father left.

"Atlhough, I can assure you that she wouldn't allow this situation. She would be fighting this harder than me."

"What kind of person was she?"

"She was a kind and helping person. Stand up for what was right. Very outspoken. Always said what was on her mind. She was a konoichiif you want to know. But she wasn't born in the Leaf Village. Originally, she was a ninja from the Whirlpool Village, but she moved here after the village was destroyed and it ceased to exist."

Minato gave a little laugh, "If it's one thing I had to find out the hard way about her is her attitude. She was sometimes a bit aggressive. You wouldn't want to get on her bad side. I hear you're a bit of a troublemaker."

Naruto gave a sheepish smile and gave a nervous laugh.

"Too bad I'm not there to keep you in line. But if you're mother was alive you wouldn't be like that. She would be very strict with you when it would come to behavior. That doesn't mean I would go easy on you either." Minato went on to explain.

"Anyway..." Naruto tried to steer the conversation away from his behavior, "Tell me. What did she look like? What was her name? You haven't told me."

"She had red hair, very long red hair, I might add. Big wide blue eyes." Minato described then stopped, "In fact... you can see her eyes for yourself."

"Really?" Naruto asked excited.

"Yeah just look at yourself in the mirror."

"Look at myself in the mirror?" he lifted an eyebrow.

"Yes. You inherited her eyes, Naruto. They're exactly the same."

"Really?" he looked awed, "I...had no idea."

The continued walking. The breeze swaying their hair as they walked in silence.

"Kushina Uzumaki.." Minato remembered.

"What?" Naruto turned.

"Kushina Uzumaki. That was her name." Minato explained. Then he saw comprehension down on his son's face. "Yes, you have her last name."

"So that's where it came from. I just thought they picked it out of random. I was a bit confuse because your name is..."

"Namikaze. Yeah, I know you would be." Minato finished.

He saw Naruto turn to face foward a bit happy to know about his past. He stared at him. Wondering the next answer to his question.

"Naruto?" he called.

"Huh?" his sparkling eyes turned back.

"I was wondering. Would you like the name Namikaze as a last name?"

"Why do you ask that?" Naruto looked suspicious.

"Well...It would've been your last name if this wouldn't have happened. Don't you think so?"

"I guess it wouldn't be bad." he looked at the sky.

"I see." Minato was happy that he didn't reject it.

The village's heavy thick structured walls was seen between the trees. Naruto's hapiness fell. This is where everything ended. Back to his misery. Where he would pretend to not have a father. Back to the bullying and torment.

"We're near." Minato voiced his finding.

He kneeled to Naruto's level, making him face him. Already he saw the boy's sorrow.

"Listen, Naruto." he said his happiness leaving him as well, "I know I said that I didn't want you to find out the truth. But I believe it's the best thing that could've

happened. Sure from then on they're maybe times that we wished it shouldn't have occured, but at least remember this day when you feel like that cause I will too. And I'm really sorry about what has happened to you. I wish you had a normal birthday like everyone else."

"You don't need to appologize." Naruto looked at him, "It's them that have done this to me."

Minato stared more at his face. Looking closer, he saw the sadness that Naruto was failing to hide.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't there to protect you. I thought ANBU would be enough. I thought they would make up for their mistakes year after year." He hugged him again, "This is where it must end, I'm afraid. But it's good that I had a chance to talk to you. Please, I'm asking you not to go looking for me. Don't do stuff that makes us cross paths. Let it happen natrually. And please control yourself when it does. Do you understand me?"

"Yeah, I do." he agreed reluctantly. How had he known that was his plan?

"Promise?"

"Promise." this was his only chance, "Dad."

Minato, who still had him in his hold, parted in surprise but it shifted to a wide grin, "I was wondering when you were going to call me that."

"It's my only time to." his son said.

Standing up, he lead him back to the village where he had to drop his paternal feeling towards Naruto. Although he was sure to take him all the way to the orphanage, so that he would be temporary taken in.