Chapter 10

Naruto started to wake up, the fog clearing slowly as his blue eyes opened and he looked up seeing a white ceiling above him. Shooting up quickly he heard a groan of pain from beside him as well as his name. "Naruto." He looked to one side and found Hinata worried with Minato, Kushina, Kaori and Kakashi standing off to the side. "Naruto lay down."

"What happened?" He asked.

"You and Sasuke got into another fight." Kakashi said as he moved closer with the others. "Sakura healed you but it exhausted her." Naruto turned and looked at Sakura lying on the bed beside him with a look of pain on her face.

Naruto leaned onto his elbow and smoothed a hand over her cheek. "Sakura-chan…" He whispered.

"Naruto, you need more sleep." Hinata told him and to her and Kakashi's surprise he just laid back down closing his eyes and almost instantly Sakura pulled herself closer, putting her head on his chest as they both slept once again.

"Hinata, how are their chakras?" Kakashi asked her. she turned her byakugan on and looked over Naruto and Sakura gasping.

"What's wrong?" Kaori asked as he walked a bit closer. Hinata paused before shaking her head.

"It's nothing. Their chakras are recovering but slowly." She explained. "They should be fine with some sleep. I'll check their chakras again in a while." She stood up and excused herself.

"How are they?" Temari asked seeing Hinata walk into the room.

"They are recovering. Naruto woke up for a minute but when back to sleep. Temari, can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked. Temari looked at her confused but nodded and followed her into the other room. Hinata turned and looked at her. "When… when I was checking their chakra I…" She trailed off looking down.

"Hinata, what's wrong? Is there something wrong with their chakra?" Temari asked worried.

"No. no." Hinata shook her head quickly. "I… I…"

"Hinata, what's wrong?" Temari was confused now.

Hinata took a slow breath before continuing. "When I checked their chakra I found…" She looked down again. "Another chakra."

"Well there are two of them." Temari said confused as to what she was trying to say.

"No. Temari, there were three chakras." Temari looked at her as it sunk in. "What do I do?"

"You have to tell them." Temari said as she started smiling. "I mean if we wind up in a fight or something… you have to tell them what you found."

"Who found what?" Asked Kaori as he and the others walked down the stairs and into the living room. The two women turned and looked at the four older ninja trying to think of something to say. "What?" he asked looking between them.

"It's nothing." Temari shook her head. "We." She said pointing between herself and Hinata. "Shouldn't say who found what until who tells who what." The others looked confused but decided not to push it walking into the kitchen to the two men and Akamaru. Kakashi stopped at the doorway and walked back over to the two women.

"What's going on?" He asked. Hinata looked at Temari looking for help. "Hinata, you gasped when you were looking at their chakra, and now you're talking about finding something. We need to all be on the same page if we're going to be watching each other's back." The two women looked at each other before looking back at him. Hinata looked down.

"I saw another chakra." She glanced up at Kakashi who looked at her a bit confused. "A third… chakra." She clarified and watched as understanding crossed Kakashi's face.

"Sakura's pregnant?" He asked and watched the two nod.

"I told her we should tell them." Temari said watching Kakashi as he glanced at the doorway to the kitchen before looking at the two women.

"As soon as Sakura wakes up tell her." Kakashi said after thinking a moment. "Let her tell Naruto." They nodded in agreement and the three went into the kitchen to wait for Sakura to wake up.

Three hours later Sakura walked in slowly. "It's about time you woke up." Kiba laughed. "Naruto's always causing you problems." Hinata stood up quickly with Temari.

"We'll be right back." Temari said quickly before grabbing Sakura's arm and pulling her behind her and Hinata. The others looked at each other curious and noticed Kakashi sitting back thinking quietly. They heard the door shut.

"What's going on Kakashi?" Minato asked him.

"There's nothing to worry about." Kakashi responded with a small smile.

"When my wife looks that happy, there's plenty to worry about." Shikamaru mumbled.

Kiba nodded in agreement. "Shikamaru's right. Even Hinata looked really happy."

"You will find out soon." Kakashi told them. "They need to discuss something with Sakura first." They looked at him confused before Naruto walked into the room.

"Where's Sakura?" He asked groggily.

"She went outside with Hinata and Temari." Kiba told him.

"How do you feel?" Kushina asked him. "You used a lot of chakra and had some bad wounds."

Naruto smirked. "I'm fine. My chakra recovers fast and Sakura knows how to fix me up."

"Of course she does, she's been doing it for years." Shikamaru said making Kiba chuckle as Naruto rolled his eyes and walked out to find Sakura. "I thought you said to leave the three alone?"

Naruto walked around the side of the house to see Sakura smiling brightly as she pulled away from hugging the other two women. "Naruto!" She smiled brightly.

"Kakashi-sensei said you were out here. What are you guys doing?" he asked confused. Hinata looked down with a slight blush as Temari smiled at him. Sakura grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him closer to kiss him. Pulling back, he saw her still smiling. "What was that for?" He asked.

"For you going to be the best dad in the world?" She said and watched the confusion on his face as he tried to process what she had told him. Slowly she saw it register and his blue eyes lit up as he smiled. He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifted her up and kissed her as he spin them around. He set her back down with a huge smile as she laughed at him. "So, you're happy?" She asked with a bright smile.

Forgetting about their company he bent and kissed her deeply, pulling back with a grin hearing the Temari laugh. They looked over and saw Hinata looking away with a blush and a slight smile as Temari smiled at them.

"I think he's more than happy, Sakura." Temari smiled. Sakura looked at Naruto who stood beside her with a silly grin on his face.

"I think you're right." She said still watching Naruto who couldn't wipe the grin from his face.

"We'll be inside. Shikamaru's probably trying to figure out what's going on." Temari smiled at them before she and Hinata left the two alone. Naruto looked at the smile on Sakura's face and couldn't help but kissing her again.

"I know we wanted to wait until after we settled things with Sasuke-" She said.

Naruto shook his head. "Sakura-chan." He stopped her. "I'm so happy; I couldn't care less about Sasuke." She looked up into his blue eyes, locking with her green ones. "I love you."

Sakura pulled him towards her again kissing him. Pulling back, she smiled up at him. "I love you too, Naruto." She gave him a quick kiss. "What about the others?" She asked

"They have to focus on getting the scroll and getting home." He said and watched her smile.

"Let's keep this between us until we have the scroll and we're about to go home." Naruto nodded. "Temari told me that her and Hinata talked to Kakashi-sensei about what to do. They're the only ones who know."

"Well then, let's go in there so that they don't start grilling them for answers." He kissed her quickly before they walked back into the house. Sakura shut the door behind them, she turned and grabbed Naruto's shirt pulling him back to her and kissed him. Both pulling back with smiles on their faces.

"So what were you two doing?" Kiba asked with a smirk making them look at him and the others who had walked to the doorway to the kitchen.

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck with a chuckle. "We had to talk about something, if you must pry into our lives, Kiba." Sakura told him before she walked past him and into the kitchen where Temari, Hinata, Shikamaru, Kakashi and Akemi who had come home from the village.

"Are you two hungry?" Akemi asked as she stood up to make them food.

"Thank you." Sakura smiled at her. "Would you like some help?" She turned and looked at Naruto with a smile. "You hungry?" He nodded and she turned back to Akemi. "Why don't Naruto and I cook dinner for tonight? You made breakfast for everyone and cooked last night."

"Naruto? Cook?" Kiba started to laugh as Naruto leaned against the counter as Sakura smiled at him.

"Naruto is a wonderful cook." She told him. "Naruto, come help me." Naruto nodded and pushed off the counter to walk around and help her start cooking dinner.

Kushina walked over with a smile "Would you two like some help?"

"If you would like." Sakura told her as the others took their seats around the table to talk and watch as Naruto and Sakura started moving around the kitchen with Kushina.

"This is nice to have company." Akemi said as she leaned over, laying her head on Kaori's shoulder. Naruto glanced up from what he was doing before looking at Sakura who had stopped mixing to stare at her parents. Naruto walked over and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Maybe this will help her." He whispered to her as he wrapped his arms around her to rest his hands on her abdomen. Sakura smiled and nodded. She hoped that maybe once word got out that she and Naruto were going to have a baby, her mother would want to be a part of its life and try to work things out. "Things will work out. They always do." She shifted a bit to be able to look in his eyes.

"Promise?" She asked making him look deep into her worried green eyes before he nodded.

"Promise." He grinned and kissed her.

"Hey, you two." Temari called making everyone look at Naruto and Sakura as they looked at her. "I don't need all that in my food." Sakura laughed and pulled out of Naruto's arms to finish cooking as he just turned back to what he was supposed to be doing.

An hour and a half later, they were all in the kitchen eating, talking and joking. "So, how did you all meet?" Akemi asked.

"Kiba, Shikamaru, Sakura, Naruto and me went to the academy together." Hinata said. "I met Naruto when he saved me from a couple bullies right before we went into the academy, the others I met there."

"I met everyone at the academy." Kiba shrugged as Shikamaru agreed.

"I met everyone during the chunin exams." Temari smiled and looked at Naruto. "Naruto was actually the one who turned my youngest brother around and the reason a lot of people are friends now." Naruto grinned and shrugged.

"So then you were all friends in school?" Akemi asked as they looked at each other.

Sakura shook her head. "Not exactly. Hinata was very shy and stayed to herself. Shikamaru, Kiba and," She looked at Naruto with a smirk, "Naruto were the lazy ones, always in trouble for something."

"And you were the good girl who did everything she was told." Kiba told her as she smiled.

"Always in trouble?" Minato asked looking at Naruto who was ginning, remembering his childhood pranks.

"Naruto was the troublemaker." Kakashi started. "Always a prank to share with the village. You painted the Hokage monument, if I recall right." He looked at Naruto who chuckled.

"Naruto." Kushina said disapprovingly. "Why would you pain that?" Naruto stopped laughing as his friends fell silent. He looked at her before shaking his head.

"I was a kid." He stood up with his plate. "I'm going to see if I can put together a few more things to help against Sasuke." He put his plate in the sink before walking up the stairs to Sakura's bedroom. Minato, Kushina and Kaori watched as Sakura took a small breath pushing her chair out.

"I'll go talk to him." She said softly before leaving to follow him up the stairs.

"What happened?" Kushina asked. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No." Kakashi shook his head. Kiba and the others stood.

"I think we're going to go train a bit in the yard. We're going to need to be sharp if we run into Sasuke again." Temari said leading the other three ninja out so the older ninja could talk.

"Why is everyone leaving so unhappy?" Akemi asked confused.

"They know about Naruto's past. They know what happened and they know he doesn't like to talk about it." Kakashi started to explain.

"Why wouldn't he want to talk about it?" Akemi was confused.

"Naruto uses his past as obstacles he overcame. He sees it as what it is, the past. He was missing treated a lot as a child; there was no one to take care of him as he grew up. Lord Jiriaya was on missions looking for Orochimaru and I was on missions with the ANBU. He pushes all the bad things aside and remembers the good. Uses it to strengthen himself and to keep moving."

"What exactly happened to him?" Kushina asked not knowing if she really wanted him to answer the question.

"If you want the answers you should talk to Naruto, or even Sakura. He's bound to have told her. I only heard rumors in my short times back in the village." Kakashi pushed back from the table and stood up.

"What about the others?" Kaori asked.

"They had good childhoods. No stories that I would know, you would have to ask them directly." Kakashi answered. "I'll be in the yard with the others." The others nodded as he left the room and Akemi started cleaning up. Minato was sitting back in his chair thinking as Kushina leaned on the table and Kaori sat a bit hunched.

Naruto sat at the desk looking over a few of his scrolls he brought with him while Sakura slept on the bed. He sat back and sighed before he made his way to the window. He opened it and went to the roof. He was surprised to see he father sitting with Kaori both talking softly. Kaori glanced over and smirked.

"Can't sleep again?" He asked.

Naruto nodded as he took a seat next to his father. "Just going over some things to stop Sasuke." Naruto told him.

"So you're a very strong ninja in the future?" Minato asked after a moment of silence. Naruto smirked and gave a nod. "Kakashi and your friends told us a bit about when you were a kid. I have to say I'm surprised you turned out like this rather than bent on revenge and angry at everyone."

"Yeah, well I did what I could." Naruto leaned back to look up at the stars. "Besides it's not all bad. I did make friends and I got Sakura." He smiled.

"I told you last night I'm glad for that." Kaori smiled as Naruto grinned.

"Kakashi told us how you two were growing up." Minato said. "Sounds like you two were complete opposites."

"We were." Naruto agreed.

"We still are." Sakura said making all three turn and look at her as she walked over with a blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders.

"Sakura-chan, why are you up?" Naruto asked as she walked closer.

"Same as you." Naruto looked at her and furrowed his brow. She was lying. He could see it in her green eyes. Minato and Kaori watched as Naruto shook his head looking at her.

"Sakura." He said as she sighed and sat beside him making him sit up. "What's wrong?" He asked a bit worried.

"It's nothing." She waved off his concern. Naruto pushed to his feet and held out his hand to her making her stand back up and walk with him. The two fathers sat in their places and looked back out at the village wondering what was going on.

"They didn't have to wonder long. Naruto was back in a half hour to sit back down with a heavy sigh. "She okay?" Minato asked his son.

"Yeah, just a bad nightmare." Naruto said looking up at the stars again, lost in thought.

"What were they about? Dreams are a good way for the unconscious to tell a person what's bothering them." Kaori explained.

"Yeah." Naruto nodded. "It's just some dreams about Sasuke."

"What do you mean?" He asked his son in law.

"She's just having dreams of about what he could do. She's fine and back to sleep now." Naruto said trying to steer away from the subject.

"You seem reluctant to talk about them." Minato observed.

Kakashi walked over to them, "has anything to do with earlier?" Kakashi asked as he stood by Naruto's head and looked down at him. Naruto nodded. "The sooner we get things handled I think the better for everyone. Set her mind at ease with what's coming." Naruto nodded again.

"What's going on?" Kaori asked curious. "What happened earlier? What's going to be happening?" He asked and watched Naruto and Kakashi look at each other.

"It's your news to say Naruto." Kakashi told him as he sat up and looked at his father and father in law. "Just be careful, if this gets out to Sasuke…" He trailed off and Naruto nodded.

"I think I'm going to go to bed and make sure Sakura's okay." Naruto said standing up with a sigh. "Night." The others bid him a good night before looking at Kakashi.

"What is it?" Kaori asked. "What do you know that he seems bent on not sharing?"

Kakashi shook his head. "I only know because of the decision making. It's not for me to tell anyone. I am simply here to help when advice is needed on paths to take."

"You're starting to sound like Minato." Kaori laughed.

"I was taught by him. It would be natural to gather things from my lessons." He replied with a smile and looked at his old teacher as he sat thinking through things, trying to figure out the big secret on his own. "We are leaving early tomorrow so I think it is best we get our sleep so we can all be well rested for the journey." He suggested.

"Kazu and Rin will be joining us as well." Kaori informed him making him paused and then nod before leaving the two friends alone once again. "What do you think?" He asked Minato.

"It could be a number of things. I'm sure they'll tell us eventually. The time is just not right for us to know." Minato told his friend with a smile.

"Of course not." Kaori rolled his eyes with a chuckle before they both fell silent. Kaori gave a soft sigh to break the silence before he spoke. "I'm glad she got your boy." He looked at his friend. "I've talked to him a couple of times. He seems like a great kid even though he went through a lot growing up. Wouldn't expect anything less from your son."

Minato smiled and nodded at his friend. "Naruto has grown up really great despite what he went though and for the record it's a good thing he found your daughter. She is very beautiful." Kaori smirked and nodded.

"She is, isn't she? I'm really glad this happened. she's turned out really great. Smart and powerful." He grinned. "your son is a brave one." He laughed making Minato chuckle. "I'm glad we could meet them and see how they turned out, even if we don't get to see it or remember it once they're gone." He sighed sadly.

"We'll just have to make the most out of what we have and carry one." Minato told him. "I think it's time I get back to Kushina. Like Kakashi said we need our rest." Kaori nodded before the two went back to their wives for the night to await their mission in the morning.