Sorry about the long wait. Been busy. But here's the update.

--

"Wow....." Hinata gasped as she walked in to Naruto's new home and untied her bandages. Everything was clearly dusty. But the grandeur of the place could not be denied.

The entrance hall big, two oak tables on either side of the door. At the very end of the room stood a large door. Naruto walked up to it confidently and turned the doorknob, emerging into a huge living room. Clear plastic sheets lay over all the furniture. Two or three large couches, an entertainment center, two comfy looking recliners. Not to mention the pictures that hung on the walls, or above the brick fireplace. It obviously wasn't lit. Their attention was held by the painting above the fireplace in any case.

"That's my mom," Naruto said in awe, walking over. A beautiful woman with red hair sat in one of the recliners, a tall blonde guy standing behind him. He was absentmindly playing with her long hair. The background was the same living room they stood in.

"Both your parents had beautiful blue eyes," Hinata told Naruto. "Your looks are from your father though. When we were younger, you did look like a child-sized version of the Fourth Hokage. A lot of people thought that."

"Ero-sennin did always say I reminded him of his former student," Naruto recalled. "He said that both my looks and stubbornness made him think that. Do you think he knew?"

"He may have," she conceded. "If he did, there must have been a good reason for not telling you."

"No doubt," Naruto agreed. "He was probably thinking about my safety. If we think it through, maybe he didn't want anyone knowing. It was well known he had a lot of enemies. If they would have found out he had a child, they may have gone after me, being unable to get at him. Everything I know about my parent's would suggest this. Hey, let's go look around some more. I want to fund my Aunt Ciera's room. I would like to get her here as soon as possible. So we can solve this."

They found two sealed rooms among those they discovered. One was the master bedroom, which was the personal sanctum for both his parents. A room off of that room was actually a nursery, decorated in blues and whites. With a heart wrenching pang, he realized that his mother Kushina must have intended this room for her only child's use until he was old enough to sleep away from her. He took off a plastic sheet from the dresser in the room and opened it's drawers. Infant's nightgowns and clothes filled them.

"If only my mother had lived," Naruto said remorsefully. "She would have been an amazing mother. Any child would have been proud to claim her as mom." Hinata put a comforting hand on his shoulder, smiling brightly. "Sorry. Being a soft-hearted idiot, aren't I?"

"No. You're acting properly," Hinata said. "I would just like to be here for you. That's all." Naruto smiled back for her.

The second room was protected by a room with a dark red door. A nameplate on the door pronounced it as Ciera Namikaze's. Both marked the door in the minds, not trying to open it. Naruto did look at where Ciera had to drop her blood to unseal it for when she came by.

"Hinata, I'm gonna summon some clones to help me clean up this place," Naruto said after a full exploration of the house.

"Okay. I'll help," Hinata volunteered.

"No," Naruto told her. "You're my guest. I know you can't go home yet. But neither can I make you work." He summoned some clones and equipped with cleaning supplies. Hinata came over all the same and took some all the same.

"And I'm just supposed to do nothing while you work?" Hinata questioned. She shook her head. "Not happening. I'm going to help you. You spoiled me on this mission and I have to get out of that behavior." She led some clones off to another room to clean that room. Naruto only shook his head as he smiled. The girl he loved definitely had some spunk to her. No one could deny that. Then he started cleaning the living room with a few of his clones.

--

It was a few hours later when he and Hinata waited to be let into the council room after Tsunade had told them it was time for the regular council meeting. They waited, their hands unknowingly creeping towards each other's. Hinata was more nervous than Naruto. "We have one new overwhelming order of business to discuss," Tsunade announced. They couldn't see, but they could hear.

"Tsunade-sama, what are you talking about?" Hiashi Hyuuga asked politely. Hinata gripped Naruto's hand tighter.

"Leave this to me," Naruto told Hinata softly, looking at her directly. "I have a plan. Just let me do my thing." Hinata nodded, pulling her hand out of Naruto's.

"I mean something urgent has come up. Konoha will never be the same after this day," Tsunade said in response to the Hyuuga leader. "The Fourth's only living descendant has showed up to claim what's rightfully his. I oversaw everything myself. He's the real thing." Many of the council members gasped.

"Tsunade," Danzo rasped. Old age was finally catching up with him. "The Fourth died childless. We all know that. I say it's time we seize the Namikaze Estates and officially make the Hokage's home."

"Wrong." The way Tsunade spoke left no room for doubt. "As you all know, he had many enemies. His child was never told until recently about his parentage and he was given his mother's last name to protect him until he was old enough to fully protect himself."

"And who do you claim is the Fourth's heir?" Inoichi Yamanaki asked calmly.

"Naruto Uzamaki," Tsunade declared boldly. "He faked his death to retrieve his father's will, which was left in the hands of his aunt, Toki Uzamaki. Hinata Hyuuga accompanied him, at his request and my approval."

"This can't be!" Danzo sputtered incoherently. "All of the Fourth's possessions were left in the hands of the council to take care of. Are you saying the jinchuuriki is now the owner of the mansion on the hill? I won't accept this. I encourage the council to also do likewise."

No one so far had noticed Toki Uzamaki's presence in the council room. "You won't touch a single thing of my nephew's!" Toki shouted, apparently standing up. "My brother-in-law knew you would hate and despise Naruto just for what he had inside him. He knew the people of Konoha would do everything they could to make his life a living hell. So he left the will with me, the only person who actually cared about him. You will not descrate his will and you will not pull such an injustice on Naruto!"

"If you cared about him, why were you never there?" Danzo shot back. Naruto was smiling. His aunt was taking care of everything. "Where were you hiding? Let me guess. You were ashamed to have a demon for a nephew!" Silence fell like a bomb within the room.

"That's out of order!" Inoichi said, a slamming sound coming into Naruto and Hinata's range of hearing. "Naruto Uzamaki may be a jinchuuriki. But we all know he is not a demon. We have seen proof of that on so many occasions. If Tsunade-sama says Naruto is his heir, then I for one believe her. Look at the Fourth's picture. Naruto is a splitting image of the Fourth. No one can deny what we see with our eyes."

"I agree," Hiashi Hyuuga intoned. "Tsunade-sama, please call them both in. Let's hear his words." Everyone agreed. Without waiting for Tsunade's bidding, he walked in, Hinata right behind him.

"Good afternoon, father," Hinata said respectfully with a bow. "I apologize for leaving without telling you. But Naruto asked for me personally on this mission and there was no time to tell anyone. We were under orders to not say goodbye anyway." Hiashi smiled and bowed back, shocking everyone. Especially Hinata, who was the most confused of them all.

"I too apologize for that," Naruto said. "But I knew without a doubt Hinata was to be my partner for this mission. There was no other." He didn't bow, but he did show respect. "As for my mansion, I have already moved in. We cleaned it while Tsunade prepared for this council meeting. If anyone has doubts, they can be sure to approach me and I will show them all the proof they need. The will is recorded via a jutsu. All I need to do is drop a little of my blood onto the crystal. Toki Uzamaki, my aunt, was witness, and a drop of her blood can proof that as well."

"Naruto, would you be willing to answer a few questions?" Hiashi asked.

"Of course," Naruto replied. "What would you know? If I can answer it, I will."

"Tell us of your mother. We found no records of any Uzamaki's living here before you," Hiashi requested. Naruto chuckled.

"You would be hard-pressed to," Naruto informed the council with a foxy grin. "My mother was Kushina Uzamaki. She's the daughter of the leader of the fallen Whirlpool Village. And as you know, dead. I was born as the Nine-Tailed-Fox attacked. The attack caused stress, which produced complications in the delivery. She died shortly after naming me. My father then took me, a newborn baby, and sealed it into me. He did not feel it right to ask another mother or father to make a sacrifice he himself was unwilling to make."

Even Danzo was shocked into silence. "My daughter, was she of help to you?" Hiashi then asked. Hinata looked afraid that the little show of respect her father had shown would now be revoked.

"I would be lying if I said otherwise," Naruto reported with a huge smile. "Without her, I don't think it would have gone nearly as well. She has quite the talent, in more ways than one. There could have been no better partner for this mission. And for that, I thank her now." Hinata began to blush furiously.

"I move we accept this," Hiashi recommended. "Naruto's succession has my blessing."

"And the Yamanaka Clan approves as well," Inoichi seconded.

"The Aburame family does as well," Shibi Aburame said.

"As does the Nara Clan," Shikaku said proudly. "Naruto has turned to be an excellent ninja. We'll have to watch him carefully now. Just to see how high he climbs."

"Tsume Inuzuka speaks for her entire clan when she agrees."

"As does the Akimichi Clan."

One by one, all save for Danzo, gave their blessing. Naruto's eyes went wide. He hadn't expected it to be so easy. But here it was happening. Danzo left the chambers in a rage, as fast as his aged body would take him. "So it's approved," Tsunade said. "Let it be known that the Fourth has an heir and is to be treated justly. Naruto, just to show them your good will, let us see the will. I've already seen it once."

Naruto pulled off the diamond necklace and bit his thumb to draw blood. His father's hologram appeared and spoke. Once it finished, he held it out to his aunt. "Aunt Toki, if you could please do your part." Toki smiled and did her part. His aunt's voice filled the room.

The curious atmosphere was only interrupted by Shizune. She came in and whispered something in Tsunade's ear. "Naruto," Tsunade said as she left. "Ciera Hajin has been found and told of the situation. She's on her way here now."