With a groan, Naruto dropped the bags on his table as Tsukino walked over and sat on the bed with the baby. They had went everywhere today, but only Shikamaru, Ino, Neji, Tenten and Choji and his wife Ayako were home. Everyone else was just gone or out on missions.

He smiled as he watched as Tsukino smiled as she changed the baby. Walking over to sit behind her he sighed as she instantly leaned back against him, the baby laying next to her on the bed. "You don't have to be so guarded here with me. Or anyone else in this village. What's wrong."

Trying to hold back her tears, Tsukino sighed. "It is just hard when I think about it Naruto. Except for Sumaru I am alone in the world and don't what to do now." Then her eyes went wide when he hugged her from behind. "Naruto?"

Smiling as he leaned his forehead down on her head Naruto sighed. "You are not alone in the world except for him Tsuki. You got me. You got my friends. You got the Leaf. Like Ino said, a friend of mine is a friend of yours. I wouldn't doubt that she don't show up here first thing in the morning and leave Shikamaru to run the shop."

"You really think so?"

"I know so Tsuki. So long as you are here, and even if you decide to leave and go anywhere else, the Leaf village and everyone in it will always be friends for you to lean on."

Tears streaming from her eyes Tsukino dropped her head slightly as she grabbed onto Naruto's arms with a death grip. "It is just going to take some time for me to let anyone other than you in Naruto. In a single night I had everyone I loved with the exception of three ripped out of my life. You, Jiraiya and Sumaru are the only ones in the world I know on a personal level."

"That will change. The more you get to know the people of this village, you won't be able to keep your guard up. You can't help yourself but let them in."

"I hope so."

X

The cry of a baby once again, for a second night in a row woke Naruto up for the third time now. Standing up so he didn't wake up Tsukino who cried herself to sleep, Naruto reached over and picked him up out of a basinet that Ino had Shikamaru bring them. It helped with his bed only being a twin size bed. It was hard enough for him and Tsukino to fit.

Bouncing the baby Naruto sighed. "I tell you what kid. The sooner you start sleeping all night the better everything is going to be for all of us." But he now methodically went through the steps of changing his diaper, getting a bottle, then sat in the chair next to the bed as he fed him. Something he never thought he would be doing at this stage in his life.

But then he smiled as he looked from the baby, over to Tsukino then smiled as he looked back at the baby. "I wonder how often I would have had my mom and dad up all night long like you have me the last couple of nights?"

"Knowing you constantly."

Looking up with wide eyes at his window Naruto half smiled. "Hey Pervy Sage." Then sad and angry eyes darted to Tsukino. "You know what happened then right?"

Quietly climbing in the window Jiraiya also gave the sleeping girl a sympathetic look. "I do. Tsunade didn't tell me. I was coming back from trying to find where Sasuke was hiding at. If he was maybe using one of Orochimaru's hideouts. I was going to stop and stay a few nights in the Moon, but it was devastated. I saw where the bodies had been buried. I had every intention on coming here and having Tsunade investigate what happened to her. And the village. But I sensed her chakra here with yours and came here instead."

With the baby now on his shoulder, Naruto still sat in the chair patting its back. "It was Sasuke. He was the one who did it. He heard about Tsuki's talent with sealing jutsu and wanted it for himself. During the attack, no one called her chief she said. They all ran to help her calling her Tsukino. Just before Sasuke killed her, someone else ran to try to save her and he forgot about her. After he left she managed to make it just outside the village when Neji picked her up and took her to Tsunade two days ago."

"I see. So what are you going to do about it?" Jiraiya leaned on the window seal as he crossed his arms. In a different setting, he could have seen Minato and Kushina doing this with the kid. 'I guess it is a look into the past and a look into the future.'

After a few good burps from the baby, Naruto laid him back down in the basinet and then headed for his desk. "The obvious is simple. I will keep them with me all the time and protect them. I won't let him touch them. I know what I need to do but I also know that I am not strong enough to be able to do it yet. Last fight I had with Sasuke ended up in us both reaching a stalemate. We were evenly matched in strength, experience, and knowledge. As well as jutsu. I need to get stronger."

"How you planning on doing that? It won't be long before he realizes his mistake and tries to come for her."

Crossing his arms Naruto glared up at Jiraiya. "Tell me something first. Did you know who my parents were Jiraiya?"

"Your parents? What do they have to do with anything?" When all he got was the same blue eyes as so many years ago glaring back at him he sighed as he closed his eyes and dropped his head. "I do. In fact I was your father's teacher. I also knew your mother very well."

"Who were they?"

"I answered your first question now you answer me one. Why the sudden interest in your parents?"

Looking down to glare at the floor Naruto sighed. "Tsunade said that everyone has kept it from me. Who they are, and who I really am. That it is time to meet them and Kakashi and Yamato said they have a link to me far more than what…"

"You thought. I understand now. She is going to have you fight the fox from within and take control of its chakra. She is right on that one Naruto if you can get that power under your control, then you will be able to beat Sasuke without a doubt. Since that is what she is clearly having you do, I will be there, but I am not telling you another thing. Or your father will just kick my ass when I do pass on."

"But….."

Turning and stepping out the window, Jiraiya smiled. "When are you going to do it?"

"Six more days."

"See you then. I am going to go have a talk with our lovely Tsunade."

Naruto sighed as he watched him leave then walked over to the bed and laid down, a sigh with a slight smile and sympathy deep in his eyes when Tsukino scooted closer to him and grabbed his clothes with a death grip. Tears shedding from her eyes. She was going to wake up soon from another nightmare. 'I wish I could take them for you Tsuki.'

X

Jiraiya didn't even stop to knock and just walked in the room. "So you are going to have him defeat the best from within huh? Do you think that he can really do it?"

Turning on him with a glare and crossed arms Tsunade let out a growl sound. "You know as well as I do that without their help he would never be able to do it. But we also know that they sealed their chakra into the seal so that they could stop him after he reached eight tails seal. With their help he will be able too, and he will finally know the truth about what happened and why."

"And you are also hoping that he will shed some light on who was really behind it."

Nodding as she relaxed and sat down Tsunade closed her eyes. "I am. Minato was the only one who fought the one who was controlling the fox. He was the only one who knew what was going on and why. He and Kushina. We need to know what they know, and Naruto needs to know the truth about why we push him so hard."

"I couldn't agree more." Then Jiraiya walked back toward the door. "I will be there in six days when it happens."

"Good."