Chapter 11

Slithering along.


Rachel had stayed with Kakashi well it was the excuse she was using to justify her not sleeping. She made breakfast for Naruto and slipped out before Minato had gotten up.

It was early and she wondered if Inoichi will be at the flower shop this early.

She held the umbrella a little lower to buffer from the wind, the streets where a wash with muddy puddles. It was early so there were no people around. Even the street venders had chosen to stay home.

She was relieved when she saw that there was lights on at the flower shop.

She knocked on the glass door Inoichi peeked through the yellow blind that was a cross the door. He shut's it and unlocked the door.

"Rachel, come in out of the rain" he steps aside she closed the umbrella shaking some of the rain off before she entered the shop.

He closed the door and the sound of the rain quieted down a bit.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he steep in front of her, his pulps -less eyes searching her face for any hint as to what was wrong.

"You don't seek me out for nothing, come on through to the house and we can talk."

He led her behind the counter and in to a door. To the right was some stairs and straight on looked like it led to a green house.

He led her up the stairs turned off to the right again and in to a small boxed living room the window had a nice vase of flowers the room was painted a gentle peach, the sofa and chair were flowers but of a peached colour.

There where photos of Ino and Inoichi and his wife everywhere. In each one Ino had a different flower in her small hands.

She walked to the window she could see it overlooked a large green house.

"Can I offer you some tea?"

She shook her head but didn't turn around to face him.

She heard the door click shut behind him.

"I don't want to wake my wife, Ino had a bad cold recently and she been up with her."

Rachel nodded hadn't Shikamaru had a cold too?

"So, what brings you here?" he asked gently.

She took a deep breath and turned to face him, though she couldn't meet his gaze.

"I….I um, I'm responding to -to the kiss I gave Minato."

"All normal" he said, "Your allowed to react to it."

"But I-I had a nightmare that he-he raped me" she said it so quietly that she wondered if he had heard her.

"That's normal to. "

"Huh?" her head shot up to look at him.

"We really do need to tackle your nightmares," he said. "Your subconscious is using your fears against you. You trust Minato, right?"

She nodded.

"Good, then can I ask how your reacting to the kiss?"

Her face flushed. She turned away.

"I'm aroused by it."

Inoichi frowned there was too much disgust in her voice, he knew she didn't except chi's body as her own.

"How does that make you feel?"

"Dirty ….and tainted this body is not mine to taint like that, I already got her innocence taken from her, I don't want to taint it any more then I already have."

"This body you're in is yours now, you can feel what it feels."

She whirled around "No! no this is not mine it will never be mine I took over she would have lived if I hadn't have, had my soul shoved in to her body."

Inoichi remained calm. He knew that this was a big hurdle for her to overcome along with her nightmares.

"How do you know she would have lived?" he asked, "What if she had died her parents should have mourned her instead you gave them a lot longer time with her then they originally would have had."

She was silent, but the look of sorrow was edged in to her face.

"But it was a lie I wasn't really Chi. I always felt I was cheating them in some way I was only pretending to be there daughter. In the end, it didn't really matter any way they died, along with my whole village."

She turned her head a way so that he would not see the tears glisten in her eyes.

Inoichi waited patiently for her to continue, he watched as she tried to regain control of her emotions.

She blinked wiped her eyes and turned to him "Where getting off topic here." She said. "How do I make it stop?"

"Rachel what you are feeling is normal there no way to stop how your body is reacting."

She looked frustrated.

"However," he said slowly "Tell me about your nightmare last night?"

"What good will that do?"

"it will help to ease your fears of Minato"

She frowned "I don't fear him… well yes ok he is a man to be feared but I don't fear him in that way."

"And that's good to know, but if you want the dreams or at least that particular dream to stop then talk to me."

At first, he thought she wasn't going to answer she simply stood still. She usually shuts herself down now not letting anyone in.

He had approached the issue before and had gotten nowhere with her, still she had sought him out witch he could only see as a triumph.

She heaved a sigh and sat in the chair "Fine"

He was surprised but kept his fetchers blank.

He sat on the sofa. "How did it start?" he asked.

As she retold the dream he noticed she got more and more agitated, her eyes moved all around the room never resting on him. She rung her hands out, he saw her once go for her wrist until she thought better of it.

By the end of it he could see her fear, her voice trembled, and her breathing had increased and she is shaking slightly.

"Why is my head doing this to me?"

"Your subconscious is trying to make sense of the events it will often twist things.

But I'd say it's your fear of Minato been in love with you that triggered it. See you don't want him to love you so your mind turned him in to the bad guy."

"I suppose that makes sense, what about the other nightmares?"

Now he was surprised she had indeed come a long way from the stubborn woman who wouldn't let him in to the one who openly asked questions. He smiled.

"Those will take time there from your…. trauma and to explore those I'm not willing to leave you alone for five minutes. So those are for another time."

"Will the Minato nightmare stop?"

"That depends on you, you must stop seeing him as the bad guy, let him in Rachel he's not going to bite."

She looked down "I want to I do….I just…..I'm scared there so many what if's that my head hurts…. He's so, so sweet and it makes me mad because he is waiting for something that's impossible, isn't he?" she looked up and he saw desperation for him to say that it is impossible.

"Have I ever said that you where an impossible case? Rachel, you are capable you just need to realise it."

"What if I don't want to?"

And there it was the door was once again had slammed shut but still he would admit today she has made great progress.

He chuckled earing a glare from her.

She stood and so did he. "I think I should get going Minato will worry."

Inoichi smiled. Even without realising it she's always thinking of him.

"Do you want me to walk you home?"

She shook her head "No I need to think some things over."

He nodded and led her out of the shop. He watched her walk way he felt emcee pride she had come such a long way. And as her therapist he couldn't be prouder.


Minato had woken to find Rachel gone, fear set in he had thought she had ran again but he could sense her seal within the village.

"She's gone to see Inoichi, sensei" Kakashi said, as he learned on the door frame lazily.

Minato breathed a sigh of relief.

"What happened last night Kakashi?"

His student heisted for a moment "She had a nightmare and it involved you."

Minato breath hitched, he had heard her scream but Kakashi had told him to go he now knew why.

He was pleased that she had sought out Inoichi he hoped the mind walker will be able to help her.

He sat and had breakfast with his son, Naruto was complaining because of the awful whether. And his son got bored easy when he couldn't burn off his excess energy.

"Dad why do you have to work on the weekends" he whined.

"Because if I didn't I wouldn't be able to spend the summer with you."

Naruto still look disappointed a little, "Rachel should be back soon perhaps she will invite some friends over?"

"Most of them have a bad cold Choli and Ino didn't show up for class yesterday." The boy crossed his arms in a huff.

Minato did recall seeing a notice for a cold epidemic he would send for Tsunade later and see if there was anything that could be done.

"I'm sure Rachel will make it fun for you." He smiled down at his son.

"Yea she always dose…juts I- I want you to join in too ya'know"

Minato hart melted at his son's smile.

"I promise once I have caught up with the paper work why don't we all go camping?"

Naruto smile grow wider if that were even possible.

"Okay dad I'm holding you to that,"

Minato smiled. He felt Rachel's chakra getting closer he thought it best if he not be there when she gets home.

"I have to go now Naruto be good for Aunt Rachal ok? No pranks got it. She's still mad about the exploding cake."

Naruto sniggered "Ok I'll try."

Minto sighed and ruffed his hair before he flashed away.

As always, a pile of paperwork was already piled high on his desk.

He sat down and got to work. His thoughts did stray to Rachel every now and then.

He was concerned about her, she hadn't slept for a while except for to have the nightmare last night.

He hoped Inoichi was able to help her, the last thing he wanted was for her not to trust him again.

It was half way through his day when an ANBU popped up in his office.

"Sir."

"Report!"

"It's the Sannin sir."

"What about her?" Minato said with a hint of weariness in his voice.

"She's…well she's walking down the street…. naked sir."

"Naked?" he knew Tsunade could get so drunk that she forgot her own name but never had he seen her strip before.

Heat rose to his cheeks at the thought. Jiraiya will be pissed he missed this. He thought. Then again with how perverted his sensei was Might be best he has missed it, she would kill him.

"I'll deal with it" he stood from his desk found Tsunade Marker, he flashed to it. The rain hadn't let up, the streets were wet muddy, the people that were around where hurrying to their destination, those that had stooped to ogle the Sannin were quickly moving away once Minato appeared.

She was swaying mumbling under her breath, and yep just as the ANBU said she was butt naked from head to toe. The rain running down her naked body.

Minato swallowed the lump in his throat and pushed his blush back down. What on earth had caused her to get so drunk to undress?

"Tsunade" he called his voice stern.

She turned her honey come eyes to him, they were glazed unfocussed but he saw recognition in them.

"L-lord forth come…. come to-to punish me have…. have you?" she was slurring her words but he could understand her.

"Punish you? Why for been drunk? You won't remember anyway." He took off his Hokage coat and draped it over her shoulders. It did little to hide anything, her enormous cleavage still was visual to all.

She turned to face him was she crying or was it the rain? He couldn't tell.

"I'm bad…I'm lowest of the low….M-Minato I-I-"

She stumbled and on reflex alone he caught her but his hand ended up on her large breast his face flushed a deep red, she didn't seem to care though, ever she didn't feel it or she was too drunk to notice, he was going with the latter, he quickly adjusted his hold to her shoulder.

"I'm…..the lowest of the…..the low….." she sobbed on to his shoulder he had never seen her like this before, when she got drunk she got violent but never had he seen her like this, something was wrong.

"Tsunade what are you talking about?" he asked firmly.

"I…. I nearly…so very nearly betrayed the-the village."

Minato went still, his eyes sharpened on hers

"What do you mean?" his tone chipped icy cold.

She didn't care didn't notice he was even emitting some battel spirit arura. What had she done?

He pulled back lifted her chin to meet her gaze.

"What have you done?"

"I…..I…..Rachel…I almost betrayed her."

Minato was concerned now.

He flashed them both to his office. Ordered an Anbu to get a blanket and strong coffee.

A plan blanket was tossed to him taking his coat off her he wrapped her up in the blanket shoved her in the guessed chairs and he took the other one.

"Tsunade what have you done?" His tone low chipped.

"He…..offered..." she was crying now but as much as he wanted to be sympathetic to her she may have put the village at risk somehow.

"Who offered what?"

It was clear she was still too drunk to answer.

He pulled her up walked her to the sofa dumped her on it.

"Sleep it off" he ordered. He might have been a little rough but she may have put the village in danger.

She wasn't fighting him she wasn't showing any anger towards him, which made him worry all the more.

What had she done and how did it involve Rachel?

He sighed, took his wet coat and hung it on the back of his char. He took a seat and glanced at the now sleeping Sannin, he was tempted to summon Jiraiya back but what could he do? His team mate was stubborn.


Rachel was sat with Naruto eating ice-cream.

"We so shouldn't be doing this" she mumbled.

"But it's so yummy."

She laughed "True but we won't have any room for tea."

"Mmmm I will I always have room for Ramon" the boy cheered.

Rachel laughed it was a good-natured laugh too, Naruto always brought out her fun side.

They were sat in the Livingroom in front of the fire Kakashi had set going. They had played games and eaten junk food all day. Truth be told she had enjoyed it.

The talk with Inoichi helped a lot, she knew one day she would have to face her demons but no today. Today she would spend the day playing with Naruto.

"Hey aunt Rachel?"

"Hum?"

"Do….do you like me?"

His eyes had lost their happy shine and were full of hopefulness.

"Of cause, I do silly."

"No, I mean do you like me enough to be my…mom?"

Rachel choked the ice-cream, honestly, she didn't know you could choke on it…. she glanced at Kakashi who was sat on the sofa looking just as shocked as she was.

After her little coughing fit she looked at the boy whose face had sadden.

She placed the bowl down and scooting closer to the boy.

"Naruto honey l love you more than the sun and moon."

"But what about as a mom?"

"That…" she didn't know where this was coming from "Why do you want to know?" she asked.

"cause I love you, and I don't know what's it's like to have a mom, so I was wondering if you loving me was like one ya'know?"

"Naruto, I love you. And yes, you're like the son I never had, but I'm not your mom but to answer your question yes me loving you is exactly as a mum should love you."

His blue eyes lit up. "So, when you hug me that's what a real mum dose too?"

She nodded "yep"

"So like Sasuke mum too you love me like she loves Sasuke?"

Again, Rachel nodded though she had some idea were this was going now

"Naruto are you jealous of Sasuke?"

Naruto folded his arms "No" he looked thoughtful "Maybe the term is always rubbing it in my face how he has a mom and I don't and I like pretending that you are my mom."

Rachel's hart swelled with love for this ray of sunshine,

"Come here" she tackled him with a hug that she took advantage off and started ticking him.

Naruto laughter filled the room and Rachel would admit she was happy, she did need to stop avoiding Minato but for now for right now with Naruto she was happy.


The Sannin struggled to open her eyes, where was she? She could here scratching like a pen to paper. It was grating on her nerves her head was banging, her mouth was dry and tasted foul.

The shinobi in her would not let her move yet, not until she could discern her location.

She was wet and she was naked under a thin blanket.

What the hell happened?

She knew she had drank until she couldn't remember what she had done.

Guilt twisted in her gut, or was that the alcohol?

She had pushed Rachel away to lessen the attachment she felt to the girl.

But no that had made the guilt much worse, so she drank and drank and drank.

She slowly begun to use her chakra to speed up her metabolism and get rid of the alcohol in her system.

She hoped she was been discreet enough not to alert the other person in the room. Her hopes were dashed when she heard footsteps. She was unarmed and venerable, she doubted she could form chakra enough to enhance her strength.

The foot steeps stopped just short of striking distance.

"Awake now are we Tsunade?"

Her honey come eyes flow open upon hearing Minato's voice. She winced at his intense gaze.

Now that she knew where she was she forced her medical chakra to her hand and pressed it to her head.

There was no amused look in the Hokage eyes, some annoyance but Tsunade also so saw rage just beneath them.

"Sit up" he commanded.

She did pulled the blanket around herself.

"I don't have time to be sympathetic." He said and she could tell by his tone that he meant it. "What have you done, or what did you almost do?"

Her face palled her mouth became eve dryer.

"You were wondering the streets naked saying that you were the lowest of the low and that you almost betrayed the village and Rachel. Now I'm in no mood for games. Talk"

Guilt ran through her body,

"He-he came to-to me"

"Who did?"

"Orochimaru." For a moment, the room was quiet save for their breathing.

Minato pulled her up bringing her eye level with him.

"What did you do?" he gritted out.

"N-Nothing I rejected his offer."

"He is not the sort of man to take no for an answer" he spat. "Tell me now Tsunade what did he want tell me exactly what he said or so help me I will not be held a countable for my actions."

She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"He…. Approached me made me an offer, said I could see Dan and my brother again…." She licked he lips. "I considered it, for a moment I considered it. But I couldn't betray her and the village." Her voice was trembling Minato grip on her arms had tightened.

"What did he want?"

"Blood, he wanted Rachel's blood and hair samples,"

"Why?"

"I-I don't know I didn't ask."

He let her go and fell back on to the sofa.

"Bore" he called. A masked ANBU appeared. "Escort Tsunade home, she's under house arrest until I come up with a punishment. Confiscate all of her sake." He turned his back on her for now he couldn't be sympathetic to her.

Just as they were about to puff away Minato felt Rachel's seal activate he felt something bite her neck.

Anther ANBU pooped in "Sir your hose-" the ANBU didn't get to flashes that sentence, Minato fleshed home. He found Kakashi unconscious shielding his also unconscious son, Rachel was nowhere to be seen, he tired her seal, it had been blacked.

The patio doors in the living room were shattered the living room was still littered with white snakes.

He picked up his son and Kakashi and fleshed to the hospital.

Shizune was there to greet him

"Tsunade out of commission for the moment can you handle things here?" the young girl nodded and ordered the nurses to get Naruto and Kakashi treated.

Genma popped up beside him "Make sure the house is snake free."

The puffed away. Minato Stroud in to the room Kakashi was been treated in. the copy Nin had woken.

"Sensei I tried to stop him but…..we thought he wanted Naruto…..and I l left her wide open….please forgive me."

"It's aright Kakashi you're not to blame. I'm going to find her Naruto will be brought in to this room so he's with you. I'll be back shortly."

Minato left and went home retrieved his mission bag and went to the ANBU headquarters down to the cells, he opened Sakumo's and Chloe door. Both stood up at his arrival.

He went to the girl pressed his hand to her eye patch before she could react to him when he moves his hand away it fell to the floor

He turned to the older man.

"Orochimaru has her find her bring her back."

"What if I don't come back" Chole glared at him.

"You're her friend, aren't you? She needs your protection now more than ever some very dangers people are after her."

Chole was silent but she nodded.

Minato walked over to Sakumo and unlocked his chakra suppressant cuffs. He handed the man the mission back pack.

"I don't need to tell you how impotent this is. I don't know why he wants her but it can't be good. Bring her home please."

Sakumo nodded and he and Chole left.

Minato went back to the hospital to be with his son.


Rachel, was aware of hissing lots of hissing. She couldn't move. Panic went through her, as she realized just how vulnerable she was.

She was naked she could feel the cold air around her. As her fear took over her chakra flared and an audible hiss was heard.

"Seemsss that sedative was useless as well, no matter, you can't move thanks to my snakes paralyzing bite."

She knew that voice to be Orochimaru's panicky rally did fill her chest what did he want?

She felt something tight around her left arm and a sharp scratch, she flared her charka again.

"Stop that." He hissed. Like hell she was going to stop, she whimpered or would have done if she could when she felt something sliver along her leg.

"My pet is very sensitive to chakra, I would advise not anger her."

She reluctantly stopped her chakra. Her breathing was ragged but the ex-sinning didn't seem concerned with that.

He continued to draw blood, she had no idea how many vial's he had filled up, she suspected he wanted enough so that he could examine her chakra.

"Apart from the seals the Yondaime placed on you I see no other reason for the Akatsuki and that fool Tobi to want you, other then been a civilian who can use chakra."

She could hear him shuffling about, she felt him place a cold palm on her face, he opened her right eye and she caught a glance of black hair pale face and slit yellow eyes. He shoran a light in to her eyes gaging the pupil reaction. "You also seem to be immune to most sedative's." he closed her eye and she was in darkness again. "Perhaps you are from a clan? Unfortunately, even your medical records don't supply that information, I thought Tsunade would have been more furrow in her investigation of you."

Clan? Investigation? What was he on about? Since when had Tsunade investigated me? She wondered. And as far as she knew Chi or Jex weren't part of any clan. Then again, she didn't know much about her…chi's family history.

The snake that was between her legs slithered father up it felt cold against her skin she felt it leave her and settle next to her arm.

"I have what I need and I doubt the Yondaime will be pleased that I took, you." She heard a puff "Take her far away from here but in the direction of Konoha" she hears a hiss, and felt fangs and a long-wet tongue saliva, she realised she was been swallowed. As she felt the wet and warm stuff surrounded her she panicked her bereaving was so ragged she was hyperventilating, she knew she was going to pass out soon but honestly if you where been swallowed by a giant snake wouldn't you pass out too?

She was moving down in to a small space, the smell was putrid but she could not move still, she had no choice she could offer no resistance.

Please Minato find me.


Sakumo and Chloe where speeding through the trees, truth be told he was surprised the girl's stamina not many shinobi could keep up with him, then again, he supposed he was getting old.

He wasn't all that surprised to see the girl have a concerned look on her face. She had said that Rachel had become a friend and that she was not the sort of person to turn her back on a friend.

In all honesty he was worried, he was the only one aside from Rachel who knew what was going to happen or rather what could happen since now so much has changed the future was an uncertain one.

He had managed to find some shinobi cloths before they left the village the only thing missing was the head band, but the Hokage had not reinstated him as a shinobi of the leaf yet, so it would not be right to where their head band.

Chloe was in the same cloths they had caught her in.

He stopped and sniffed the air, he could not smell her, he was flying blind, he ran through his head possible hideouts that he knew about.

"What is wrong?"

"I can't smell her."

Chloe frowned "I can sense her blood" she said "Part of deal we made I always know where she is."

"Then lead the way."

They took off at an even faster speed, as Chloe lead them nearer he could now pick up here sent, he could smell her fear even from here.

He halted the girl, he could also smell a snake a summons because It was large.

They moved slowly quietly from branch to branch, they spotted a large red snake with yellow and orange patterns.

They watched as it appaired be regurgitating, both looked on in hora as Rachel's limp form bound on the ground rolled to as stop.

The snake stuck out its tonnage gaging the air around it, it turned to them and launched straight at them.

They dodged Sakumo to the right and Chloe to the left. Chloe used the single Kunai Sakuma had given her, and mad a deep cut down her arm, she lifted the eye patch and the blood flow out of the wound she made it in to chain and wrapped it around the snake's head, sitting on top of the said snake she plunged the kunai in to its scull. The snake puffed away.

Sakumo wrapping Rachel up in a blanket. "I don't think she can talk or move. We need to get her back to the village now."

They both sprinted up in the trees.


Minato waited anxiously, he sat in between Naruto's and Kakashi bed his son had not stained series injury however they boy was resting. At least he thought he was. He suddenly shot up and Minato realised that this was the older version of his son.

"Rachel ok Sakumo bringing her back now." He said.

"You can tell that from being inside my son?"

"Don't underestimate sage mode, I thought purvey sage taught you it."

"He did, but when I became a Jinchuriki lost control of it."

"That's because Kurama was been jerk you should be able to do it now I merged my half with yours."

Minato winced as the fox gave a rude remark to his future son.

"I heard that Kurama we're still connected ya'know!"

He folded his arms across his chest and mumbled under his breath about the said fox.

Minato chuckled, despite the worry for her, it was nice to see that his son hadn't changed much in the future, he still had Kushina's personality.

"You should let Shizune know, I think he poisoned her somehow."

Minato nodded and stood to leave.

"Don't worry I'm not staying your son will wake up soon."

Minato left to inform the Sannin's apprentice.

Kakashi turned to the boy.

"Tell me was I as bad as Rachel made me out to be?"

"You mean where you desperately lonely and wanted to die then yeah you were. But I think your different from my Kakashi, you….." he paused thinking of the words "You lost that will to simply end your life veer a mission. In fact, you prefer to be in the village, right? In my time you were always on missions I think having Dad and Rachel around had helped you tones."

Kakashi couldn't deny that, he sees some of himself in Rachel, the part that almost broke.

She without realising it she inspires him, she's been through hell, and yet she surviving.

"She's perfect for Dad huh?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Oh, come on, it's obvious he likes her and she pretending she doesn't like him when rally she does."

"Oh?"

"I can feel it when I'm in sage mode but don't tell dad ok? I think they need to figure things out on their own."

"I agree with both things she is perfect for him but I don't think she can see it just yet."

"I hope she will, soon" the future Naruto said "She would make a great mom for this times Naruto don't ya think?"

"Yea I do."

The room lapsed in to silence for a moment "Well I better go the younger Naruto is starting to wake and its' best if he's not aware I exist."

"Ok, do you want me to tell Minato sensei anything?"

"No, just keep pushing them in the right direction I don't have much time left and I still haven't apologised to her yet."

Kakashi nodded and in an instant, he was gone and there Naruto lay sleeping though just as he said he was starting to wake.

Just as Minato entered the room his son awoke.

"Hey kiddo how you feeling?"

"Dad? Whereas aunt Rachel, I saw that really creepy man taken, her."

"She's safe, Naruto don't worry," Minato sat on the bed and pulled his son in to hug, Naruto was shaking, and Minato stroked his back comfortingly. When he pulled away he saw his son was crying.

"Dad I was so scared…I-I couldn't do anything" he squeezed his eyes shut at first Minato thought that they were tears of fear, but he realised Naruto was frustrated at his self because he froze up. Though he was still young he was a shinobi in training, and shinobi don't freeze up.

"Naruto, its ok that you froze up, do you want to know something at only a few people know about?"

The boy nodded and Minato saw Kakashi learn forwarded slightly.

"When I was younger before I saved your mother, well it was well before she came to the village.

I was out training out in one of the training grounds, I was attacked by an a wounded shinobi from….." he paused "Well it's been that long I can't remember what village he was from, but the point is I froze and ended up wounded a nearby Jonin had to rescue me. I remember feeling so much fear that it pearlized me. I felt so ashamed afterword I nearly stopped becoming a ninja. The second Hokage came and a chat with me. He told me to face my fear and not let it beat me and from that day I did."

"You-you were that scared you couldn't move?" Naruto wiped his eyes and looked up at his farther, with a new-found hope in his eyes.

"Yep."

"Then if you can overcome it then so can I believe it"

Minato new his son would he could see the dermatome behind his son's eyes, he ruffled his son's hair in an affectionate manner.

"I have to go and see Rachel, Kakashi although injured will be staying and be your Guard ok, as soon as Shizune says its ok you can go home, the house is safe, I made sure of that, and others extra seals and Guard's in place."

Naruto pouted "But you'll be home soon, though right?" Minato could just see the tiniest amount of fear in his son's eyes, "Yes, Naruto I won't stay long."

He hugged his son and waved to Kakashi and left, he could feel Sakumo's chakra getting near and he singled to Shizune who was in the corridor that they were close. The dark-haired woman collected two nurses and they waited in side of the room.

They didn't have to wait long before the large man came in throw the open window, followed by Chloe.

Sakumo placed Rachel on the bed and moved away, and retold what he knew.

Shizune scanned Rachel she didn't pour chakra in to it her body still rejected medical chakra. The nurses placed and canula and I.V in to her right arm.

"It's a paralyzing bite fetch the antidote and inject it straight away." She ordered one of her nurses left.

"Lord forth do you feel anything, is she hurt somewhere?"

Minato weaved the hand signs to enhance the seal connecting them.

He focussed on what she could feel,

"She's sore and bruised, but nothing serious."

The medic nodded. "I want blood taken send them to my office I'll run them myself."

The nurse comes back and injects the antidote,

"It will take a few hours for it to where off."

Shizune shines a light in her eyes, just as the Orochimaru had, her breathing increases. "Rachel, Rachel your safe you're in Konoha."

It does little to ease her fear.

"Shall we sedate her ma, am?" one of the nurse's aske.

"No, we don't know if he gave her any or not."

Minato took her hand they had placed her under a hospital blanket,

"Rachel," he placed his other hand on her head and stroked her damp hair "Its ok your safe, you'll be able to move soon."

There was no response.

"Send for Inoichi we need to know what happened."

He felt an ANBU leave.

He reluctantly let go of her hand, "I'll be back in a moment." He said softly.

He went to Sakumo and Chloe who were stood in the corner.

"Thank you." Minato said and he meant it, he dreaded to think what the ex-Sannin would have done if he knew that Rachel new the potential future.

"There's no need lord forth." Sakumo bowed slightly showing his respect for the man.

Minato glanced at the girl, she was holding her left arm he saw the self-inflicted wound. No doubt she had used her Jutsu.

"I will reinstate you and find you some place to live, but for now would you mind returning to the cell's?"

"Yes, lord forth." Sakumo grabbed Chloe shoulder before she could retreat.

Three ANBU pooped up and surrounded them.

"It will only be for a short time, I'll send a medic to heal your wound."

Chloe glared at him and he supposed it would take time to urn her trust.

They puffed away, and Minato turned to Shizune.

"Can you give us a moment lord forth? I'll clean her up and place a gown on her."

Minato nodded and left he waited fifteen minutes before he was allowed back in the two nurses left and Shizune stood with a clip board in hand.

"I'll get to work on the blood and see if he did anything to her, as of now she's stable but I have not restrained her yet, because she cannot move. However, I did fit them encase they are needed."

"Thank you Shizune"

She bowed and left. A chair had been left for him and he sat taking her hand and mumming comforting words to let her know it was him. She had an oxygen mask over her face, her breathing was still ragged. As if she was still in a state of panic.

He did his best to comfort her.

It wasn't long before Inoichi came and Minato filled him in on events.

"Rachel's mind is fragile you know that, I may be some time I don't want to tip the mental balance."

Minato nodded, and Inoichi approached "Ok, Rachel it will be just like before, I'm going to view the memories of whilst you where awake and those whilst you were unconscious. The brain is still active then it's just that we can't remember what accord because it classes it as rest." He paused. "I'm also going to do it so you can't feel anything you're just going to view it."

He took a deep breath and mad his clan's jutsu hand signs. He applied in the hall with cracked and crumbling doors he knew well enough to stay away from those.

He frowned when the voices bombarded him.

Your week. You shouldn't be here. Orochimaru nearly found out what then? How many will die? Because of your secret?

Aww look Minato still loves you even though you killed his wife, I heard you think it I heard you pray for it whilst he had you, that he would kill you, it's sad that he didn't you don't belong here. aww your sad that he didn't kill you. Tut, tut. What will they say if they knew you still wanted to die?

Inoichi realised he was going to have to tackle that issue with her but for now he needed to silence them she was lost to them he could feel it.

He heaved a sigh, and mad some hand signs and pointed his fingers up in to the air. The voices stooped.

"As always Rachel I wouldn't be able to do that if you weren't. Rest assured we will be talking about this."

He walked to the most recent memory door and opened it, darkness met him. But he focused on the sounds and feelings around him.

"Hurry up and place her over there" he ex-Sannin cried.

He felt her been injected with something, her cloths been cut away. His charka enters her system as he probed the seal. He felt her consciousness, begin to wake.

"What? I gave her enough for a large summons." The ex-Sannin hissed.

Inoichi felt anther injection, this one had little effect and she a woke but not enough to gather her senses.

"Interesting….she's immune to sedatives let's try this one."

Once more he felt her been injected with a sedative, this one mad her groggy but she held on to been half awake.

Outside Minato stroked the back of her hand her breathing had increased but there was nothing he could do for her, for a short time she quoted down, but it didn't last long.

After half an hour the mind walker excited her mind.

"As far as I can tell no jutsu was implanted he probed the seals and doped her up or at least tried to. Do you want the memory's?"

Minato nodded and Inoichi transfer what he had felt to Minato. He included the voices Minato frowned as he absorbed the new information.

He looked back at Rachel she still wants to die. He thought sadly though she had promise not to end her own life did she want someone to do it for her?

He felt sadden by that he hoped he had reached her enough that she wanted to live.

"I'll be taking to her about it when she's feeling better."

Minato nodded it was all he could do. Inoichi patted him on the shoulder as he left "Stay strong Minato she's going to need you."

He left leaving them alone once more.

He sat back in the chair. Time seemed to drag as he waited for her to regain her feeling she twitched every now and then but other than that there was no movement. At some point he must have dosed off he awoke she moved. His head shot up and he saw her clamber down the other side. He got up and moved around the bed. "Rachel?"

"I can still hear them" she said "There everywhere." She looked around in a cercal and placed her hands over her ears, she dropped her hands and looks at him.

"You can hear them, too right?"

At first, he thought she meant the voices in her head. "Here what?" he asked calmly.

"The-the snakes."

"Rachel there's no snakes."

"But-but I can hear them." She looked up at him and he felt his hart pull for her she was so scared so lost.

"There's no snakes" he said again gently softly.

She bit her lip and tears filled her beautifully sea-green eyes.

"It's ok. Your safe." He moved to words her slowly, "It's ok."

She shook her head from side to side and bit her lip harder. He put his arms out wide inviting her in to his embrace, "Your safe your home." She launched in to his chest and he gently wrapped his arms around her trembling form.

"He had me, He had me Minato" she sobbed.

"I know, its ok. It's going to be ok." He could feel her shaking so much was this shook? Her knees gave out had he not been holding her she would have fallen to a crumbling heap.

He adjusted his hold and picked her up bridle style and carried her to the bed, he set her down and sat beside he turned so he was facing her and she leaned her head in to his chest. He held her tightly for how long he wasn't sure. He knew it felt right to hold her, he longed for the day he could hold her and say those forbidden words.


An Merry Christmas to you all.

What did you think of this chapter?

Sorry it's late I have no the excuses other than life sucks at the moment.

That and I think I may have out grown this story, I was very nearly tempted to give up on it…but I won't. She will have a happy ending damnit

Soooo I recommend this Civil Affairs by OrthodoxLily

You will not be disappointed.

Hope you all have a windfall Holladay. And I'll see you on the flip side.