I do not own Naruto

Some of you have doubted with Eiji and are asking me what this has to do with the story. Eiji and his friends do have a role to play. A big one....

You just won't know it for a while....

Chapter 13

Reunion 4

Having stayed with them to hear their stories the previous day, Eiji was in deep thought as he left with his two friends to go back and get them. He now understood the nightmares and the phantom pains he had as a child even better now. All those aches, all those hurts that he felt twinges of.

Was his brother's soul crying out in agony, for someone, anyone to take the time to listen....

But for once he was glad of those people who were there for Naruto when he was not. Somehow he knew if he was to walk into Konoha with them, he would know these people on sight. Iruka-sensei, Baa-Chan, Sakura-Chan, all these people who were a part of his brother's life he already now felt as if he knew them.

And he knew without a doubt that he would consider them as his brother does, his dearest friends along with Akiko and Dewu.

Admittedly though, he kind of wants to meet this Hinata Hyuuga as soon as he can. Watching and amused as their dad gave his twin a good ribbing over the liking of this girl, Eiji wanted to check her out. If she was as Naruto had said, perhaps her sister Hanabi might be worthwhile to meet.

Now after just having just gotten his brother back, even if only for two days so far. Eiji so did not want to alienate him all ready, by chasing after the girl that he liked.

But one thing about his village that had been a problem was its size. Although not many people live there as it was just trying to restart back up again, there was a lack of girls. Specifically girls around his age...

Akiko was one of only five in their school for nearly two years. Keep in mind their school could only fit 15 people at the time.

Lost in thought, he looked at Dewu with a little bit of apprehension as he realizes his entire life today would be turned upside down and somewhat ripped to shreds. The other youth just understanding the hesitancy in his features, he gently pulls as things need to be done if any sense of a life is to come back for Eiji as well as the two who wait.

And well he could understand why, as Eiji had also mentioned he wanted to come with them. Although he was a shinobi under his mother's tutelage and quite strong as is, with what he had told them he saw his father and brother do, he knew things would be changing for his friend. Where he, Eiji, and Akiko, would register at the most a B rank. His father and Naruto both were Kage and Sannin level...

Still at least his friend had a legacy, for which Dewu and Akiko both sported irritated looks as the blonde told them about the summons contract, when he had returned tired.

Yes Eiji was allowed to sign the toad contract. Although Naruto still asked their father about it yesterday, the fact of the matter was his twin, with their godfather's death had inherited the title of Toad Sannin. And as such as Gamakichi had reminded him, when Eiji on his twentieth try managed to summon the smaller toad before he almost collapsed from exhaustion...

Which shocked the summons to no end as he rubbed his flipper hands across his eyes to be sure he wasn't seeing things.

That was another strike against his mother as even though he has yet to summon the smaller toad's father. The orange summons like his brother and Dad knew Jiriaya when he was at his best and at his worst.

He never got to know the man that was his and Naruto's godfather according to his dad. Jiriaya was dead. Killed by the man Pein, who at the time before his own demise, was one of many who wanted to destroy his brother for what the 18 year old held within him.

So many things he could have been a part of and his mother's well her insecurities for lack of a better term took that away.

"Things will work out you will see." Akiko said quietly as she came up from behind him. The blonde turning around to look at her, she smiles sweetly at him with a slight smile. "You and your family right now are deep in, well shit for lack of better term. There is no place else to go but up you know that Eiji."

"What she said." Dewu chuckled as they stepped out of the village. "You ready buddy?"

"Ready as I will ever be. Let's get what could be the day from hell over with."

That said the three leapt into the trees and vanished for the campsite.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

One hour later

Already knowing that her son was gone as he said he would be to go and get his father and brother, Kushina was forced to realize that within the next couple of hours if not sooner, her past was about to come back and bite her in the ass.

Minato...her husband will be here. As will the son she abandoned...Naruto.

Feeling the urge to be sick now, she collapses into her chair as Sari enters. A single look towards her, the dark haired woman shakes her head. "No...They have not returned yet. Are you positive you do not want me here?" The woman asked quietly. "With my presence, things could not get out of hand."

"No, I'm not sure." The red headed woman admitted softly. "But you were right when we spoke yesterday Sari. You were right; years ago I should have faced my problems rather then run from them."

"Good." Sari replied. "Do you know what you will say?"

"Have no clue in the slightest, I do know this though."

"What?"

"Eiji was also right." Kushina responded sadly. "I have no excuse."

"It's a good thing that I heard you say that, dear wife of mine." Replied a male voice that even now despite its calmness held a bit of anger in its tone.... "And that is good, because you and I have a lot to talk about. Beginning with, why the hell you abandoned one son and not the other, to a life I did not want him to have!"

The two women hearing it find themselves staring at a silvery haired man dressed in black and yellow. A leaf protector upon his forehead, his stance, his firm hard look, was all quite familiar to the red headed woman sitting down. Especially the angry glare in his normally warm blue eyes....

"Minato...you are alive."

"You can thank Naruto for that." The man replied as Sari hustled out, the woman wishing her friend luck as she closes the door. "He is right now being given a tour by our other son and his friends around this little village. For which I am glad at the moment he is doing. Because right now, I don't want you anywhere near him...."

Wanting to protest already, Kushina was smart enough to remain silent. Her eyes alone, stating her sorrow and regret, Minato just ran a hand through his hair as he looked at his wife.

"How...How could you do it Kushina? He was our son as well as Eiji. Did you even know the hell you put him through when you abandoned him?" Minato said softly. "The beatings? The attempts on his life? If not for Kakashi and the ANBU, our so called friends would have killed him."

Puzzlement on her features Minato gets up close and personal to glare at her angrily. "That's right wife, if you had bothered to even let the Third know personally as you're your right as my wife, about what was going on. You would have seen the reports. The reports where about half of the attempts on Naruto were made by Fugaku, which honestly did not surprise me as he always was a arrogant jackass. But surprisingly as well...Hiashi, Tsume, and the other clan heads. Our so called best friends, tried to kill Naruto, Kushina. Our best friends...."

"Tsume wouldn't have done that." The red headed woman protested. "Hiashi would not have done that as well! They knew you! They knew that Naruto was not the demon!"

"Oh, they may have known me darling wife." Minato replied in anger. "But you forgot as well as I did, to factor in their reactions of my death and the sealing of the furball." He said bitterly. "Ibiki when I ran into him again pointed out something that even now I should have thought of when I sealed the fox. But I believed in Konoha and above all I believed in you." He whispered with sorrow.

Kushina hearing it comes to him wanting to reassure him as even without seeing him for almost 19 years now. She knew what his emotions, his needs sometimes for a gentle touch. But having him pull away from her; instead of allow her that touch... It hurt.

"What did he say...?"

"Human nature dictates that all of us are afraid of something new and different. Although the knowledge of a Jinchuuriki is nothing of the sort, having one so close made them afraid, made them need to blame all their problems on something. And guess who their scapegoat Kushina was?" Minato painfully stated as he looked at her.

"No...god no."

"Yes...Naruto was the target of their blame. Naruto in their eyes became the damn fox, because he was no longer what they expected. He was no longer just a baby. You could have told them otherwise Kushina! Why the hell didn't you?"

"I couldn't! I had just given birth! You and so many others had just died! I didn't know what to do! Hell I didn't even know half the time what was going on!"

"Then why didn't you just ask?!" He whispered. "Why didn't you just ask someone you trusted to help? Tsume despite trying to kill Naruto would have come. All you had to do would ask her and maybe then you could have done something. Same with Hiashi damnit! All you had to do was fucking ask!"

"I shouldn't have had to ask Minato! I was your wife! If you had not kept our marriage a secret from most of the damn village I may have never left!"

"It was your idea!" Minato yelled. "I wanted to announce it to the world, but you wanted some privacy or don't you remember?"

"You had half the freaking shinobi world after you either wanting to kill you or make love to you Minato! How could I not?! But you could have done something besides keeping our love a damn secret!"

"I tried or don't you remember. You didn't want guards. Your words and I quote, were. 'Minato, I am a shinobi. Pregnant or not, I am perfectly fine and am capable of looking after myself."

About to open her mouth to retort, it was at that moment that Eiji walks in along with his teammates. A gentle tug on someone still in the shadows of the hall and door, it was only with a slight push from Akiko, that the fourth person enters the room.

Looking identical to Eiji, save for the marks of the Kyuubi was the son she gave up. The son she left to fend for his very life. The son, who even now looks around her office with blue eyes, and not red as people have said, but eyes that looked so very tired, and so very old...

Eyes that should not belong on an 18 year old boy....

Long ago when she witnessed Minato training his three brats as she called them, one lesson even now sticks with her to look underneath what is seen. She could see the evidence of false joy in those eyes...

Of broken hopes and dreams over and over.

And now as Naruto truly looks at her, the realities of her actions have now come full circle...

"What have I done..."