Sorry about the wait, guys!

I just found out I'm moving halfway across the world in just a few weeks :D lol pretty stressful but exciting at the same time! just means a lot of travel time where I can write more :)

This chapter is kind of just a filler. There is another time skip so I'm really just trying to get from point A to point B. I promise the next chapter will have more HashiramaXMadara moments and more moments with Obito and his new team :)

Please remember to read and review! let me know whatcha think please!

I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!

Obito glanced back at Rin with an apologetic smile while Father waited with his arms crossed under the tree. Quickly the young Uchiha gathered his textbooks and shuffled to meet him. Behind him he could hear Kakashi snickering. He darkened but kept his head low as Father stared down at him. His heart was racing, he knew that once they got home he was in for it. The two left in silence with Obito's classmates staring at their backs. Rin ringed her apron anxiously as she watched her friend go. It had only been two days but Obito was her first real friend in the village.

Madara clasped a stern hand on the boy's shoulder and steered him towards home. "Where is Sasuke?" He demanded darkly. His voice was low so passing villagers couldn't hear.

Obito bit his lip. The two had to go through the middle of town to get to home. They would pass the sweet shop. Izumi tended to only stop in the store long enough to buy her mother treats before going home. Her mother hated to be alone for long so Izumi didn't linger there. Obito hoped his little brother was out of the shop by now. He had only given Sasuke a few coins, enough to buy him something small, and told him to go with Izumi. Hopefully he listened and didn't stick around with the other kids that stayed longer.

"Rin asked me to help her train after class, Father... so Sasuke walked home with Izumi..." he said anxiously.

Madara's eyebrow raised as he looked down at his nervous son. The hand he kept on his shoulder was firm. His children didn't fool him as they believed they did. Izumi was a good girl and Madara knew she frequented the dumpling shop for her mother. As much as Madara preferred his children not to indulge in sweets before dinner he supposed that he could let it slide this one time. It could be a way of making up and rewarding Sasuke for his first day of school. As long as Sasuke returned home safely, as Madara knew Izumi would insure, he wasn't angry about it.

"That stunt didn't look like training, Obito. Who was that young man? You two could have seriously injured each other."

Obito grumbled to himself and kicked a nearby rock. It shot out and rolled to a stop several yards in front of them. "He's a guy in my class," he grumbled. "Kakashi Hatake. He's a jerk! He's always talking badly about the Uchiha!" The image of Kakashi's smug face irritated Obito. Though half Kakashi's face was covered, his eyes displayed each of his emotions. His condescending voice was almost unbearable. The more Obito thought about him, the more unable he was to control his anger. His fists began to shake and his voice got louder.

The grip on his shoulder tightened slightly. A silent reminder on who he was talking to and that they were in public. Quickly he bit his tongue and tried to control his heart rate. Madara mused over that name. Young Hiruzen had mentioned that name as one of the students to become genin. That young girl, Rin was mentioned as well. It was obvious by the way that his son looked at that girl that he had a crush on her. He smirked, Obito was about as awkward around that girl as Madara was around Sakura when they were young.

Still, that didn't excuse Obito's actions. For once, Obito didn't rush his hand signs and that fireball jutsu had been perfect. If Kakashi hadn't dodged it, he could have been killed. Madara had been about to step in and break up the fight but before he could even take a step forward, that blond jounin had appeared out of thin air. Impressive speed that was perhaps faster than Tobirama, which Madara would agree was the fastest shinobi in the village. That was the only fact, Madara and Izuna both agreed on.

"You need to learn to control your anger, Obito...I never want to catch you fighting within the village again. Save whatever 'training' you have for the training grounds. Despite weather the two of you like each other or not, the two of you will become shinobi of the Hidden Leaf. Even if the two of you are not in the same team, you two are still comrades." Madara scolded harshly.

Obito darkened and grumbled under his breath. The idea of Kakashi being his 'comrade' was impossible. He was pretty sure that Kakashi would let Obito die in battle or even kill him himself. Madara squeezed his son's shoulder in another warning and Obito quickly bit his tongue.

As they continued to walk through the village, several people stared at the Uchiha or avoided eye contact. Walking with his Father, Obito noticed this fact as well. Usually when he and Sasuke walked alone, no one paid them any mind because they were only children. But with Father several people seemed frightened or nervous. He grit his teeth. It was just like what the other students had said before. He looked back down at the dirt. "Why do they look at you that way, Father? Kids at school say their mothers are scared of you...That the village doesn't trust you...Kakashi said that's why you didn't become Hokage..."

Madara nodded seriously. "There are a lot of misconceptions about the Uchiha. I have strived to eliminate these conceptions but I supposed it will just take more time."

Obito shook his head. "It's not fair. If any of these snot nosed kids or adults try to bully Sasuke or Ayla for being an Uchiha... I will destroy them!"

That comment made Madara pause for a moment. Obito was protective of Sasuke. He was the only little brother Obito had. Though he would never admit it, Obito looked up his big brother's and how they cared for the little ones. He always tried to be a good big brother to Sasuke.

Madara wasn't sure why Obito was so hard on Ayla. There had been several theories but none of which stuck out as the main culprit. He had blamed himself for causing most of it. Obito had been upset that he couldn't be like his older brothers and help their mother give birth. He was upset that his mother had died before he had a chance to say goodbye. But he had been so young, he didn't need to be there to see what happened. The way Madara treated Ayla her first few weeks had given Obito a mixed signal towards his baby sister. Madara had let his own emotions get in the way and he had been too afraid to get too attached to the baby or call her by her name. What young Shisui had said to him had opened his eyes to his actions but it was still several weeks before Madara was able to bring himself to truly show emotion towards Ayla. He had been in love with her since the moment she was born but it had been so painful to watch her pitiful body writhe and struggle in pain. Yet even when she started to gain strength, Obito still seemed uninterested in her. The Father had believed that maybe it was because she was a little girl instead of a boy. He had been raising her as he had the boys and tried to make it a point to never treat her any differently. But she was also fragile it was hard to raise her the same way. Obito couldn't roughhouse with her as he did his brother's. Either way, whatever made Obito act the way he did around Ayla, it wasn't always that way. Sometimes the two of them could get along.

Hearing that Obito wanted to protect both Sasuke and Ayla, made Madara smile. "Good. I expect you to always protect them, Obito."

Obito glanced up at his Father's expression and nodded once. He was hiding his grin, making his face look as stern and dark as always. "Yes, Father..." he looked back down at the ground.

They walked in silence for several blocks. The Uchiha compound had been built on the far outskirts of the village so that made the trek home several miles. It frustrated Madara but he tried to ignore it. There was no more fighting he could do over the fact of where the Clan was located.

He looked down at Obito's signature pouting face. His son's tongue was pressed to the inside of his cheek causing his cheek to bulge out. One of Obito's cheeks were scared from yesterday's mishap at school. The other cheek was smooth, healed of any bruise that Madara had caused weeks ago. Hashirama's bride had no idea on raising or disciplining children. Compared to how others may discipline children, the Uchiha were old fashioned in more ways than one. Madara hadn't meant to leave a bruise on Obito. But he strived for order and discipline in his home.

Feeling his Father's gaze on him, Obito looked up. Madara ruffled his crazy hair, chuckling. "I have confidence that you will." He looked around the market place. "Hopefully Izumi didn't let Sasuke spoil his appetite too much at the dumpling shop...Tonight we are celebrating. Perhaps Itachi and Ayla will even make a strawberry cake. You're favorite, right?"

Obito gasped. He never understood how Father always seemed to know when he and Sasuke were hiding something. His stomach growled slightly at the mention of the cake. It had been a long time since Itachi and Ayla made a cake for dessert. They usually only made cakes for someone's birthday or special holidays. "Celebrating? What are we celebrating?"

"I'm a day late. But we're celebrating yours and Sasuke's first day of the Academy. We're also celebrating the fact that you have made genin."

Obito stopped in his tracks in the middle of the street. "Genin?"

Madara stopped and looked back at Obito. He nodded once. "Your teacher has confidence in you. Starting tomorrow you will attend the genin class until the end of the week when you will be placed into a squad."

The young boy's heart started to race with excitement and his eyes lit up. "Really? No way!"

Placing his hand back on his son's shoulder he turned him back around and they continued back towards home. "Yes. I'm very proud of you, Obito, I knew you wouldn't be considered a student for long. You've come a long way since you were young. Hiruzen also had confidence in that girl you were helping. Rin will be attending the genin class as well."

Obito's cheeks turned a faint shade of pink and he smiled crookedly.

Sasuke was home before Madara and Obito arrived. He, Shisui and Itachi were out in the yard training. Sasuke had to burn off the energy of the sweet dumplings. The youngest black haired boy didn't spend all the money Obito had given him at the shop, but he had overdone it enough that his stomach hurt slightly. As he trained and burned off the sugar he started to feel better. Ayla was in the shadows of the overhang on the veranda. She was worn out from practicing using her eyes with her older brothers before Sasuke arrived home. Her little eyes were heavy but she fought sleep, brushing her dolls hair in her lap while she watched her brother's.

When Father and Obito arrived home, she started to feel better. Their good moods eased the discomfort in her chest. She felt like she was being able to breathe fresh air. Obito was in a happy and excited mood as he ran into the courtyard to tell his brother's the good news. Father was still stressed but he was happier than what he usually was. Ayla smiled and sat her doll down in the shadows. She jumped off the deck and ran forward into the yard to hug Obito around the legs and congratulate him. Instead of pushing her away like she had expected him to, Obito hugged her back and allowed her to hold his hand as they all walked back into the house.

Madara sat at the table amused as both his youngest son's expressed their first days of school. The sound of the excited chatter made Izuna come out of his room from the back hallway. He had been sulking there since the meeting was dismissed. But he couldn't help but to be excited and happy for his nephews as he listen to them talk. Itachi and Shisui cooked dinner. Grins tugged at the corners of their mouths listening to the stories they had heard the day prior. Ayla sat on the counter, her little legs dangling in the air while she stirred the cake batter.

The sharingan was proving itself to be too advanced and difficult for the youngest Uchiha to handle. Being able to feel and read emotions left the little girl open to the vulnerable to the sharingan. Ayla had no choice but to try to get a grasp on how to use her visual prowess. It was harder to master than she thought. Shisui and Itachi were both unbelievably fast but they had slowed all their movements so that Ayla could see with her eyes. Though she could now see and memorize all the signs that her brother's weaved, her body wasn't physically able to perform them yet. Her hand signs for her fireball jutsu were perfectly weaved but the chakra built up in her chest was only enough to make a small ball of flame or sparks. After tirelessly trying to create a ball of flame, she wore out quickly and the corners of her mouth were burnt raw.

Both older brothers trained their little sister with all the spare time they had. But now that they had been set in their assignments as village shinobi, they were very busy. Shisui was captain of a 4 man squad and in the mornings he trained with them. All the new teams in the village underwent vigorous training as they all got to know each other and each other's skill set. In the afternoons, Shisui had responsibilities helping his Uncle with the police force that was being formed. It was Shisui's job to keep Izuna in line on the days he felt quick tempered. This job has proven harder than the oldest son had thought. Darkness was brewing within secret channels of the Uchiha Clan. It was effecting how many of the Clan's shinobi behaved. Shisui was determined to keep them all in line, starting with Uncle. The others usually followed Izuna's head so Shisui tried to keep his mind on what was best for the village.

Itachi had been assigned to a squad within the ANBU black ops that reported directly to the Hokage. He was the only chunin within the organization but everyone knew he wouldn't keep that rank long. It was only a matter of time before he was promoted to jounin and even a captain to a squad. He was the only Uchiha within the organization. Several adults from the Clan would bombard Itachi for information or secrets that they might not know. But Itachi stayed firm by keeping his mouth shut. In reality he really didn't know much yet. Everything was still so new that no one knew anything. Shisui was never far away when these adults cornered Itachi. He wasn't going to allow them to bully or hurt his brother. Itachi was just following orders, the same as any of them. Shisui may have only just been a teen, but he was stronger than the adults in his Clan, besides Father.

Madara had also been busy too. His old schedule used to bring him home late but occasionally it has time for him to arrive home early. Now he arrived home late every day. He attempted to make it home for dinner but several nights he came home with the little ones already tucked into bed. This only meant it was late night or early morning that he went to bed himself after his own training. If he did arrive home before the young ones were in bed, Ayla or the others would be too tiered to train.

With everyone out of the home during the day now it was a constant struggle for Madara to find someone to watch Ayla. He had finally convinced young Izumi's mother to watch his daughter. The woman hated to be alone and Madara and Sakura had done a lot for the woman over the years. She was a kind woman but slightly neurotic which made Ayla very uncomfortable. But it was better than staying with Minami and spending all day fearing being spanked by that old cane. The little girl tried to help the woman out with whatever household chores she needed done. With Izumi away training with her new squad, the woman was left to tend to the small home alone.

Ayla washed the dishes or folded the laundry that the woman took down off the line. Izumi's mother wasn't a shinobi. Before her husband's death she was the model obedient housewife. She didn't have a lot to talk to Ayla about, besides on how to keep a clean home or how to cook a specific meal. But she did like to go on and on about how Ayla reminded her of Sakura and how Sakura used to be a very precious friend to her. Ayla liked to hear stories of her mother but the way this woman told them made her upset.

"Oh, she grew up to be so beautiful," the woman sighed longingly. She picked a large white sheet off the drying line and then handed it down to the little girl waiting beside her, to fold. Ayla took the sheet and folded it silently. Izumi's mother had been going on about mother for an hour now, explaining how she used to be a shy girl. She had never heard that story before that the other Clan's children used to pick on her for being adopted, or that her hair was shaggy or that her forehead was large. But the woman's story telling abilities were choppy and she would jump from subject to subject.

"She and your father were the first ones our age to get married. Well, your father had so many responsibilities at such a young age- he needed someone by his side. I don't know how she kept such a clean home with all those little boys running around. Whenever I stopped by for tea I would always be amazed at how tidy it was. I used to tease her 'now, now, don't you think you've had enough children? Any more and you'll struggle to keep all those little mouths fed. Are you not afraid of losing your figure? What about complicated births? You've gotten lucky the first few times but you never know.' She always told me she didn't mind it. Sakura loved everything about being a mother. I was starting to get worried when she was pregnant with you, though. She had seemed more tiered than usual. Minami had told her that her body was under a lot of stress having children so close together like she did. Her body was already slightly damaged after fighting on the battlefield. I told her she should have considered abortion..."

That statement made Ayla's shoulders hunch. Izumi's mother hadn't know what she said would upset her. Her emotions were at a high peak at the moment but Ayla could feel that they were about to drop at any minute. It didn't matter Ayla was already prepared for the woman's soon fit of depression. Ayla was already upset. Her little hands shook as she concentrated on folding the sheet. She bit her lip hard to keep it from trembling. Why didn't mother listen to her? If she had then she would be alive and she could be here for her friend. It was Ayla's fault. If mother had just stopped having children after Sasuke...

Just like Ayla predicted, Izumi's mother's emotions fell. The woman took in a shaky breath remembering and then sniffled as she took down another sheet. "What I wouldn't give to have tea with Sakura one last time..."

It was her fault. There were even signs and mother didn't get rid of her. Ayla bit her lip so hard she could taste the blood on her tongue. Her hands shook and the sheet slipped from her tiny fingers onto the grass.

Izumi's mother looked down at her. Entirely unaware of what her statements meant to the girl. "Ayla?"

Ayla quickly picked up the sheet and bowed apologetically. She held out the sheet to the woman. "I'm sorry, obasan!"

The woman blinked. "What is the matter?"

Fighting tears Ayla looked up at the black haired woman and she gasped. The sheet in her own hands falling to the ground. Quickly the woman backed up. She wasn't as accustomed to seeing the sharingan as everyone else was. Though she was a part of the Uchiha Clan, the woman didn't attend meetings or leave the home very often. Before her husband died, he had only obtained the sharingan for a few years and he was able to control his eyes at home. Izumi didn't possess the prowess yet. It was frightening to see it in such a young, innocent looking child.

"G-go out to the front and wait for your big brother to pick you up!" The woman demanded with a shaky voice. It was exhausting to be around her with how her emotions changed in split seconds. She pointed a shaky hand to the front of the house. Though she was trying to sound intimidating and angry she was still afraid of the sharingan. "Don't let me see those eyes again, young lady! I will tell your Father about this!"

Ayla quickly looked back down realizing what the woman was so afraid of. Emotions were welling up inside her. She hung her head and apologized again. Instead of walking through the house, she walked around the yard to the front concrete step. Unlike Madara's traditional home, Izumi and her mother lived in a more modern home in the center of the Clan's district. The front door faced the street where others were walking along about their day. Ayla sat down on the concret step and pulled her knees up to her chest, burying her head in her arms. Being away from Izumi's mother helped her calm down some but she was still upset. She tried to focus on what Itachi had thought her about deep breathing to control her heart rate and to force her eyes to change back. Everyone else made it took so easy. But just flashing these red eyes by accident took all her energy.

The technique was starting to work though. Soon the faint pressure she felt in her eyes faded but she was left exhausted. In her hazy mind she could see the old photograph that Father had of mother and him on their wedding day. They were both so young but looked so happy. Father told her that mother wanted Ayla so badly but Ayla didn't understand why. If what Izumi's mother was saying was true and if mother had known something was wrong with the pregnancy then why didn't she save herself. Why did she try to stick it out? Why did Ayla have to come early? Why couldn't she have been like a normal baby? She didn't mean to cause so much trouble. She was sorry she had. Moments after she was born, she was already a burden. Ayla knew she was a burden now too. She was sick frequently and even training took longer than anyone else. Father told her not to think this way. But she couldn't help it.

Something big, bad and scary was going to happen soon. Ayla could feel that deep down in her core. It made her heart race until it hurt. But Ayla couldn't stop it, she couldn't even explain how it felt or knew what it was. She wouldn't even be useful when it did happen. Ayla would only be a burden once again.

Father and Uncle spent many late nights in Father's study whispering harshly to each other. The sound was dark and menacing. They whispered about demons, beasts and someone called Uzumaki. Ayla didn't know what any of these things meant. Father would always sense her peeking at the door and shoo her to bed. Whatever they were muttering about had something to do with the bad thing Ayla felt. She had cried one night and tried to explain this to Father, like she had the night at Nakano shrine. But he had only held her tenderly like a baby and shushed her to sleep. Whatever it was he didn't understand. Or he didn't want her to understand.

"What's wrong with you?"

Ayla looked up from her arms to see Obito standing down the steps in the street. His fists were jammed into his pockets and he was looking at her funny. The Hidden Leaf headband flashed in the sunlight. It had become Obito's job to pick Ayla up from Izumi's house after he was done with training. Thankfully the past few months he had been in a decent mood. He was thrilled to be a genin and he loved his new team, despite Kakashi. The silver haired boy was the only thing putting Obito in bad moods lately. Ayla was grateful that Obito wasn't in a bad mood today. It was easier to keep her secret hidden that way.

She stood and brushed the dust off her skirt. "Nothing..." she said softly. Her thin legs were shaking ever so slightly as she walked down the steps to stand next to him. Her body felt weak and drained.

Obito looked down at her with an eyebrow raised. He pressed his hand to her forehead. "Are you sick? You feel kind of hot."

Ayla shook her head. "No..."

Still unsure, Obito looked her up and down once more then shrugged. "Common, let's go."

He turned. Before he could stuff his hand back into his pocket, Ayla's little hand darted out to grab it. Sighing, Obito looked down at her but she ignored him. The two continued to walk down the dirt path. As they walked, Obito noted that Ayla's hand was hot in his. Ayla's poor heartbeat and poor circulation usually left her skin icy to touch. But her forehead had been burning up and her palms were almost sweaty.

"Are you sure you're feeling all right?" He asked again cautiously. Obito knew almost nothing in medical ninjutsu. Rin harped on him frequently, telling him he still needed to study a medical ninjutsu text book. She said that even though they weren't in the Academy anymore it was still important to learn. She was the medical ninja in their squad. But if she wasn't around, he wouldn't even know how to truly tell if someone was ill or not. But Ayla was sick often enough that he knew her normal symptoms.

"I'm okay..." she said slowly. Her voice was soft. That wasn't like her either. Ayla was usually bubbly.

Obito frowned and stuck his tongue in his cheek. Now that he was a genin, Shisui and Itachi had been showing him a little bit more respect. They didn't scold him so often and they had started to share their responsibilities with him. With their new positions they were busy too so they needed help between tending the home and the younger siblings. It made Obito happy that they were starting to respect him more. Even though Father came home late most nights, he too had been showing Obito more respect. Father praised Obito like how he did Shisui and Itachi telling him that he was proud of him. He was no longer grouped in the little kids category like Sasuke and Ayla were. Father even told him that he could attend the next Clan meeting. With these new responsibilities Obito didn't want to let anyone down.

"Obito, can we go to the river and practice fireball jutsu?" Ayla asked softly. They were making the turn towards home, but she looked over her shoulder towards the direction of Nakano River.

Obito blinked and looked down at her. She had been training a lot recently. Never before had she asked him to train with her. Ayla only wanted to ever train with the older brothers or Father. The corners of her mouth were burnt to raw flesh and Itachi had placed new patches on the damaged skin this morning. He shighed and shook his head. "Nah- we need to make sure Sasuke got home alright. Besides, I'm tiered from training with Minato- Sensei."

She looked up at him with wide, dark eyes. Obito bit his lip trying to be strong through those puppy dog eyes. They were almost unbearable. "Please?"

The brother swallowed hard. Gently he reached out to pinch her round cheek around the bandages. "You need to let your mouth heal first. Even Father would tell you that."

Ayla sighed defeated and looked down at the ground.

Obito tugged her hand lightly and they continued towards home. He was surprised that Ayla had wanted to train with him. It made his heart swell slightly. But Ayla was looking pale and her knees were shaking.

It was silent for a long time while they walked.

"What jutsu's did Mama know how to do?"

Again Obito blinked in shock. He tried to act cool, peeking down at Ayla from the corner of his eye. "She was a medical ninja so she could do a lot of stuff. Mom did train under the witch, you know. That old bat knows how to do a lot."

"Besides medical ninjutsu..." Ayla prompted, quietly.

"Mom was super strong too. She almost made the entire house collapses once because Uncle Izuna told her, her vegetable soup was too salty." Obito smiled, remembering the look of fear on Uncle's face. But then he shuttered remembering mother's face. A single blow had broken through the chabudai and through the floor below. The blow had made the entire frame of the house shake. Supporting beams squeaked in protest. Everyone had been still for several moments after it happened, fearing that a single motion would make the house fall to shambles.

Ayla looked up at Obito. "Father misses Mama..."

"Everyone misses her..."

"Will Daddy find a new woman to marry?"

Obito thought for a moment. He had really never considered that optioned. Honestly, he really didn't think Father was interested in finding any other women. "I don't think so...Why are you asking so many questions?"

Quickly Ayla bit her lip trying to control herself. Izumi's mother's words were echoing in her brain. She couldn't let her emotions get in the way. Obito was so happy right now, she couldn't let herself ruin it. Ayla didn't want whatever this thing that she was so worried about, to worry her big brother. Concentrating hard, she worked on controlling her breathing.

Obito stopped at the corner of an alley. They stepped to the side of the street so they wouldn't be in the way and Obito bent down to look at Ayla closely. Again he pressed his hand to her forehead and then her cheek. "You are sick! Tell me the truth, Ayla!"

She ignored his comment, looking up at him. "Who is Mito Uzumaki?"

Obito gasped. "Huh?"

Ayla nodded once and asked the question again. Obito swallowed hard and shrugged. "She's that pretty lady who is going to marry Lord Hokage."

"Do you know her?"

He shrugged. "I mean, kind of. I have met her before."

"I think Papa wants to know her better..."

Obito laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "No, no, Ayla! She's already promised to Hashirama-sama! Father's not interested in her! Besides, I think the witch would have Father's head if he wanted to court a lady who wasn't from the Uchiha Clan!"

"Mama wasn't..."

"She wasn't Uchiha by blood but she was one of us...Is that why you're acting weird? Your scared Father will marry another woman?"

Ayla paused. That wasn't really what she was worried about but she nodded. Obito grinned crookedly and ruffled her hair. "Don't worry so much about it! Now, don't scare me so much like that, pip squeak! I thought you were really sick!"

He stood straight and took her tiny hand again. "Common, I'll help teach you replacement jutsu when we get home, okay? That's an easy one."

Ayla smiled softly and nodded.

Once they got home, the two never got to practice any type of jutsu. By the time they got home, Ayla had broken out into a cold sweat and shivers. Her fever had spiked dangerously high and her chest sounded like crackling plastic. Obito and Sasuke had done everything they had seen the others do for her. They searched the medicine cabinet for something for her fever and then pressed a cool towel to her forehead. Thankfully it had been an early night for all the others. Shisui and Itachi arrived home before dinner and took over the job of doctors. Father arrived home not long after and took over the job for the rest of the night.

A large family had always been Mito's childhood dream. She was an only child and her parents had been so protective of her as a child because of Kurama inside of her. Often she was never allowed to leave the house or wander further than the walls of the courtyard. When she was allowed to go out and play with other children, her cousins and the other clan children were frightened of her. They had all heard tales of the terrifying nine tailed beast that was inside her. The rumor had been that at any moment she could snap and eat them for dinner. These rumors were entirely childish and inaccurate. Mito's father had attempted to train her to become a shinobi when she was young. But she had no interest in fighting or battle. As a child she couldn't care less if she could control Kurama or not. All she wanted was for the other children and adults to accept her. Both children and adults could be so cruel with the rumors and gossip about her. Therefore she had no friends growing up. She was all alone.

Growing up, Kurama could be very mean and harsh to her. He had been angry for being sealed inside a female child. He teased her about her hair or that she didn't have friends. Mito spent most of her time trying to find ways to avoid him. It was hard since she had nowhere to run. The older she got, the more she realized that her reaction was all that Kurama wanted. He was just like any other bully. It took a long time but the older she got the more she realized that she may never be a shinobi but she had to at least tame the nine tails if she couldn't control him completely. She trained hard, demanding Kurama's respect the stronger she became. It took years before she could handle just small amounts of the fox's chakra. The power used to overwhelm her and any cloak she formed used to burn her delicate skin. But she could do it and that is what made Kurama finally let up on her some.

Mito wasn't naive enough to think that people within the clan actually started acknowledging her strides the older she got. She was an Uzumaki princess. Mito was a pretty little girl and she grew into a beautiful woman. Boys started to follow her and girls started to fawn over her clothes. She knew that it was her beauty that drew people in, not her ability to hold the nine tails chakra for small amounts of time.

Thankfully the Uzumaki clan was a peaceful clan. It was very rare that the clan ever saw battle. The clan was at peace and had strong ties with several other clans. Within these clans is where Mito finally found friends. Her father only disclosed what was inside of Mito to few people so the members of these clans didn't fear her as her own clan did. This was how Mito became such good friends with Kokoa Senju and several others. While Mito was finally surrounded by friends, it still never changed the fact she never got the large family she has always wanted. Her friends started courting other young men, getting married and started to have children and families of their own. Men approached her father about taking his daughter's hand. In the end father didn't trust them or once they learned about the nine tailed beast inside of her they went running for the hills. When she was younger it was flattering to see such handsome, strong men come and ask to be married. Only to be disappointed like when she was a child. Even strong shinobi were frightened by her.

Mito's mother passed away due to illness when she was in her late teens and when these proposals of marriage started. After her passing, Mito's father became more protective. He wanted to keep her hidden from the world. Hidden from the constant hurt and disappointment that he knew she went through constantly.

That's when Mito began her nature hikes. She was a grown woman though her father still wanted to keep her by his side. He couldn't keep her locked inside all day like he wanted. The fresh air did her good and would calm Kurama down inside of her when he was in particularly bad moods. It was calm and peaceful out there.

As she got older and more and more of her friends started to get married and have children. The more she longed to have the family she wanted. She yearned to be a mother so bad. When she held her friend's babies or played with their children she always felt an emptiness once they were out of her arms. She longed to feel a baby growing inside of her. Mito longed to tuck her sleeping toddler into bed and then watch the child grow. She never wanted anything so bad before.

When Obito came into her life those few months ago, her motherly instincts kicked in with him. She loved to hear about his day. Mito loved his spirit. He was so smart, kind and driven. The dark haired boy had quiet a temper and quick tongue but she could tell he had the best interest in mind.

Before he came along, Mito had only heard rumors about the Uchiha Clan. That they were all very strong, gifted shinobi. Her father always told her to fear them because of the nine tails. If they knew he was inside of her they may try to extract the beast and control it for their own evil goals. If she hadn't have met Obito she would have believed all these rumors. The Uchiha were defiantly intimidating especially Obito's father, Madara. He was a frightening man. Mito knew the clan was old fashioned and she knew it was nothing new for children to be whipped or spanked as punishment but the bruise that Madara had left on Obito's cheek sent a blaze of furry in her core. She may not have known Madara but she hated him for what he did.

The night the old Senju clan elder came to speak to Mito's father about a possible suitor for her, Mito didn't allow herself to get her hopes up. She knew what would happen. The old woman went on and on about the man she had in mind for hours and it was starting to seem like something out of a story book. Mito's friend, Kokoa, the granddaughter of the elder and cousin of this man, only backed up her grandmother's stories. Kokoa told Mito that she wouldn't be disappointed in Hashirama. In the end that had been true. Hashirama Senju was a very handsome and kind man. Upon their meeting, he was remarkably respectful towards her father and herself. Mito had worked for so many years to build a barrier to protect herself against charming men. But in just a matter of days Hashirama broke that barrier to peaces. The beautiful Uzumaki practically melted under his dark, cheerful eyes. His touch was gentle as he kissed her small hand or placed his large hand at the small of her back. Often when he came to fetch her from the Senju guest quarters where she was staying, he would bring small arrangements of flowers. Two or three wild flowers that took her breath away. He was a perfect gentlemen.

Her only disappointment was his best friend and now his right hand. Madara Uchiha. It didn't take long for Mito to pick up on how Hashirama felt towards the frightening Uchiha. Whenever Madara was near, Hashirama's eyes always found him. Hashirama had sworn to protect Mito from any danger and she held his promise to be true. Though she despised the Uchiha, she put up with him because he was her fiancés best friend.

During the inauguration of the Village Hidden in the Leafs first Hokage, Mito stood behind Hashirama beaming with pride as her soon to be husband stood in front of his village. Hashirama's brother, Tobirama stood beside her, his face a stern mask but she could see the ever so slight grin on his lips and spark in his eye. Madara had stood far across from them, his hard face entirely unreadable. Mito had followed his gaze once to see what he was staring down so intensely at in the thick crowd.

Down below in the sea of people a pop of color caught Mito's eyes. A tiny pink haired girl was looking up at the new Hokage with sparkling eyes. A young short haired teenaged boy held her in his arms, a smile on his own face. It didn't take long for Mito to make out the cluster of children. They were all huddled closely so they wouldn't become separated in the crowd. Beside the boy and the girl was another lean, teen boy with long hair. One hand held the hand of another small boy with spikey black hair. The other hand was placed on another boy's shoulder. Mito couldn't help but smile to herself when she saw Obito in the crowd. He was trying to look like a tough guy and trying to shake off his older brother's hand. The sight made her giggle. All of them were beautiful children. She would have loved for them to be hers. Jealousy made her chest feel tight as she looked back at the Uchiha Clan leader. It wasn't fair that he had been so blessed with them.

With Obito's new position as genin, he had been very busy between training and small scale missions. Mito had been busy as well. She had been staying in the Senju guest quarters. Her father had left her there to return home to the Uzumaki compound. While she stayed there she was being constantly entertained by Kokoa or the Senju elder. Mito attended Kokoa's wedding, escorted by Hashirama. Kokoa's wedding had been beautiful. The cherry blossoms had been in the peak of their bloom. The pink color complimented Kokoa's pink cheeks and beautiful white kimono. Kokoa helped Mito plan her own wedding that was a few months out. After he finished his business, Hashirama would come fetch Mito in the evenings and they would take walks around the village. Because of all this Mito and Obito didn't get to spend as much time as they wanted to together. But they tried to see each other at least once a week.

"That stupid...stuck up...jerk..." Obito panted in between throwing each kunai at the tree. They all stuck to the thick trunk closely together, he had a pretty decent aim.

Mito watched curiously from her favorite moss covered rock. She occasionally had to hush Kurama inside of her when he started to tease the pouting child. While she watched him she could help but to smile proudly at that new Hidden Leaf village shinobi forehead protector that was tied around his head. The brand new metal plate still shined since it was just a few weeks old now. It suited him well. Mito had been so proud when he came to her to share his great news. Though she had been in the room when the subject of him becoming a genin came up. It was much more exciting and made her happier to hear him tell her himself. Obito had been practically jumping off the trees while sharing the news. He was so happy to share with her how his family had a large celebratory dinner and his brother and sister made his favorite cake. Then he was so excited to tell her about being teamed up with his new friend, Rin and how he really liked his new Sensei, Minato. Obito wasn't thrilled about his other teammate Kakashi, though. From walking around the village she had already heard many whispers about Kakashi Hatake. Many in the village called him a genius. He was a part of a good team. Mito had faith that they would all work together perfectly one day.

But Obito and Kakashi both were going to have to set aside their self-pride...

"Your sensei isn't training you hard enough if you have this much energy..." Kurama growled.

Mito sighed hanging her head.

Obito looked back over his shoulder, glowering. "For a fox, he sure has a lot to say..."

She smiled apologetically. "He's comfortable with you. He only teases you because he likes you. Kurama used to pick on me all the time."

Obito laughed once. He threw another kunai. The boy was quite tiered. After he had picked up Ayla from Izumi's mothers, he had spent all afternoon playing doctor for his little sister. He felt bad for leaving this evening and not helping his brothers. But this would be the first time all week that he would be able to see Mito. He grinned remembering what Ayla had said earlier. It was funny how his sister was scared that Father would find another woman. Obito knew that would never happen. That old healer would never allow Father to marry someone she didn't approve of first. Besides Father had zero interest in women after mother passed. Women in the village were scared of Father. Even if he did find someone, no one could replace Obito's mother. Mito would be the only woman Obito would consider close to his mother. But not even she could fully replace her.

"My sister said something funny earlier," Obito grinned crookedly and turned back to face the redhead woman.

She smiled and raised an eyebrow amused. "And what was that?"

"She thinks Father likes you and wants to marry you." He chuckled at the thought.

Mito's eyes went wide in shock and she gasped. Her stomach twisted slightly, she couldn't tell whether it was disgust or longing to have Obito and the other children as hers. The idea was ridicules. During her brief meetings with Madara, Mito knew that he hated her just as she hated him. But Mito would be lying if she said she hadn't thought about the idea of Madara just so she could be a mother. That was only a silly day dream of course. Though Mito had no idea of Madara was interested in any other females in the village, she did know someone who was interested in Madara. It burned her to the core to watch Hashirama's eye's follow the Senju with longing. She knew he did not look at her the same way. Maybe one day he would. Finally she composed herself. "What makes her say something silly like that?"

Obito shrugged and tossed the kunai in this hand, letting it spin then catching it again by the handle. "I think she's just scared of losing Father. I don't know why...Father recognizes me more now but he's still never around. He's always coming home late and leaving early. It's like he's not even there..." he paused for a moment. "But I think it would be good for Ayla to have a mom... She never got a chance to really meet our mother..." His voice became soft. The black haired boy looked away quickly embarrassed by the sudden sadness he felt.

Mito smiled gently and picked up her paper fan. She examined the elaborate, colorful flowers printed on it. Her mother had given her this when she was young, it was very special to her. "It's important for young girls to have strong female bonds with someone if not their mother's... Someone to teach them for when they grow up, you know. Ayla won't get that in a house full of boys." She teased lightly.

Obito grimaced slightly at the thought of all that. All of them in the house preferred to never think about when Ayla grows up. It was easy to think about her now as a kid. But Obito had seen some of Izumi's friends, they were nightmares. "She has Izumi and those old bats..."

The red haired woman shook her head. "That is not the same thing." She thought for a moment. The woman knew that Madara had a hard time finding people to watch his little girl while the rest of the family was away. She had always loved babysitting young children in her free time before. Now it would give her a much needed break from the stress of wedding planning. Mito didn't hate the whole Uchiha Clan. The young ones like Obito were entirely innocent. She was disgusted to have to ask Madara permission to do this. He would probably spit in her face for such an idea, even though she would be doing him a favor. Hashirama would be more than happy to ask his friend for her. The Senju man adored Madara and his children.

The sun was beginning to set and it was becoming dark under the cover of the trees. She had better hurry back to her room at the Senju guest quarters before the elder had a search party sent after her. The old woman scolded her just as much as her father did about wondering alone. 'Proper young woman should always have an escort.' She smiled thinking of the first time she had met Obito too. He had said something similar to that as well.

Mito stood slowly and descended from her stone. Obito stood as stiff as a board as the woman kissed his forehead softly. His cheeks radiated with heat. She giggled. "I'm proud of you for working so hard, Obito. You'll beat Kakashi one day, I know it."

The Uchiha flashed his teeth. "Yeah! Of course I will!"

Again she giggled and turned. "I hope to see you soon!

I DO NOT own Naruto

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