Episode Fourteen

Dreams, they were so wonderful and to be honest, it was one dream that Naruto never wanted to leave. The taste of hot chocolate mixed with something so unexplainably amazing that it sent Naruto's heart flying out of his chest.

He awoke to the sound of page turning and moaned as his dreams faded, he turned over feeling his godfather's chubby leg as he did. He knew it was the Pervy Sage from his scent and the the fact that he was writing and he was the only one to be in his bed other than Gaara and that boy was thinner than him!

There was a chuckle but Naruto snuggled closer to Jiraiya before dozing back off only to be reawakened by his hair being tugged playfully. He groaned and batted the hand away only to receive another chuckle.

"Are we getting up any time today lazy Gaki?" Jiraiya asked curiously.

Naruto mumbled something that his brain couldn't quite figure out before he pried his sleep filled eyes open and sat up as though he were drunk. He rubbed his eyes furiously desperate to get the nasty gunk out of his eyes. "Hm, what time is it?"

Finally, Naruto was able to see.

"One o' clock."

Naruto nodded not surprised in the least, he yawned and stretched. "I – didn't get to sleep until about four o' clock."

Naruto pushed the covers down and as his feet landed on the wooden floor, he stopped and rewound his mind back to why exactly he hadn't gotten to sleep until near daylight.

He squeaked aloud when he realized that his dreams hadn't exactly been a dream but reality. Jiraiya arched an eyebrow as Naruto giggled stupidly and staggered to the bathroom to get dressed thus causing Jiraiya to worry a little.

It was like Naruto was drunk, he stumbled through his morning routine dropping everything from the toothpaste to the hairbrush and it was only luck that Naruto caught his flinging toothbrush before it could wind up in the toilet.

"What did you drink last night?" Jiraiya asked when Naruto came out of the bathroom fully dressed.

"Hot chocolate," Naruto answered honestly.

Jiraiya blinked. "By yourself?" He followed Naruto like a puppy to the kitchen, his curiosity rising every second.

Naruto grinned and shook his head. "Not something for your book Pervy Sage," he teased pulling out some bread and starting with toast.

"Awe, come on Gaki! Give me something to work with," Jiraiya complained hovering over Naruto like a child.

Naruto stuffed a piece of toast in the Sage's mouth before adding butter and jam to his own. "I had a visitor last night, alright?"

"Not alright!" Jiraiya declared after chewing and swallowing a mouthful of toast. "Tell me!" he practically whined causing Naruto to stare at him incredulously.

"Alright but swear you won't put it in the book."

"I swear!"

Naruto eyed him dubiously before smiling again. "Kakashi kissed me," he said feeling like a stupid girl in gossip mode.

Jiraiya almost dropped the toast as he stared stunned. "Did he now?"

Naruto nodded. "Yes, we had a really long talk last night. I won't go into details," he said softly. "But it was nice." The teen gasped when Jiraiya practically lifted him off the ground.

"So undeniably cute and I have been revoked from using it, I mean I could seriously title the chapter, Midnight Musings."

"No!" Naruto said bonking him on the head with the tail end of the butter knife. "Keep this between you and me, please!"

Jiraiya chuckled. "I'm only kidding Gaki, of course. Even I know some things need to be private."

Naruto gave him a look of thanks and breathed in relief when he was put back down on his feet.

"What are your plans for today?" Jiraiya asked.

Naruto shrugged. "Don't know I feel weird."

"How so?" Jiraiya asked stealing another slice of toast. Lucky for Jiraiya's fingers Naruto had three others to contend with.

"Well, I'm a Chuunin-Jounin-Sage, how the hell does that even work?"

"However you want it Gaki."

Naruto stuck out his tongue childishly before plopping down at his small table and eating his extremely late breakfast. "I'm not sure how it will work now, I mean last time none of us were Chuunin and now it's Sasuke and I."

"You will most likely keep your team, even with the Genin on it, sometimes she may be replaced for others more skilled if you go on ranked missions higher than C but I don't think you have much to worry about. You will likely be changed from Team Seven to Team Kakashi though and you'll no longer get missions that are pathetic, even to a Genin's standards."

Naruto snorted remembering annoying cats and idiot ladies squeezing the stuffing out of them.

There was a scratching at the door after Naruto's breakfast. Naruto quickly grabbed his bracelet and activated the Henge as Jiraiya let a familiar pug into the room.

"Pakkun!" Naruto said in surprise.

"Naruto-kun," he said sitting on his haunches, "message from Kakashi-kun, to meet on the bridge that leads to the training grounds area seven."

Naruto tilted his head. "Alright, I'll be there, thanks!"

Pakkun nodded. "See ya later, Naruto-kun, Jiraiya-sama!" He wasted no time rushing out of the apartment.

"So, I should probably show up an hour and a half then…"

Jiraiya chortled. "Probably."

Despite what Naruto said, he headed to the bridge an hour later; his heart was fluttering like crazy. Luckily for him, everyone knew Naruto to be a cheeky and cheerful Gaki.

Sasuke was already there sitting on the ground with his hands on the concrete and he was staring up at the white clouds. Naruto perched on the bridge, his legs swinging lazily, neither of them spoke, they didn't have too.

Sakura soon met them and sat as close to Sasuke as she could without him sneering at her.

"How long have you guys been waiting?"

"Ten minutes or so," Naruto said shrugging.

Sakura scowled. "Doesn't he ever take anything serious?"

"Sure he does," Naruto said, "he has his reasons for being late."

"Oh and what are those?" Sakura asked crossing her arms.

"How would I know?" he lied as Sasuke sent him a ghostly smirk. "Just leave him to his quirks."

"Quirks," Sasuke said blankly and Naruto saw behind the mask of the Uchiha that he was more than amused.

"And how's Haku doing, Sasuke-nii?" Naruto asked sweetly.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "How would I know?"

"I don't know, I last saw you with him," Naruto sing-songed playfully.

"He's fine," Sasuke answered after a minute.

Naruto beamed.

"So how does it feel to be a Chuunin?" Sakura asked hoping to strike up a conversation.

"I don't know," Naruto admitted, seeing as he really wasn't a Chuunin.

"One step toward my goals," Sasuke answered and Naruto winced at that.

"What are those Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke never answered her and Naruto could feel the tension between them. Naruto had hoped he may have dampened Sasuke's want for revenge but obviously he hadn't. Perhaps Sasuke was more level headed about how to go about it but Naruto suspected that he couldn't stop all those jaded feelings that Sasuke held onto.

Naruto didn't know specifics, he had never asked in fear of the answers but now, he wondered if he should get the whole story.

He was saved from thinking harder about it when a white puff of smoke filled the area in front of Naruto and Kakashi was standing there, masked and giving a one-eyed smirk. "Yo!"

"You never cease to be on time, huh?" Sakura asked hotly.

Kakashi ignored her question. "I see we're all here." He observed everyone until he landed on Naruto and perched next to him and nudged him with concealed affection.

"Yup, on time," Naruto teased shifting so that he could see Kakashi and the others better.

"Why would you want to be on time?" Kakashi then asked.

"Either be on time or listen to a Perverted Sage," Naruto said getting a dry chuckle from the man. "So I decided to be on time. Watchya got for us today?" he asked feeling a warming sensation surrounding his chest and slipping down into his stomach. He had to keep telling himself that it wasn't a dream.

"I have plenty, I wanted to talk about the future of the team," Kakashi said and this made Sakura flinch.

"I'm going to be replaced aren't I?" Sakura asked sadly.

"We'll talk about that," Kakashi said trying to focus on why he had called them here. It really was hard when the sunshine kept distracting him. Naruto was so innocently cute, his hair flickering into his eyes and he could feel the boy's tiny shoulders. Wow, he looked like a chibi at twelve but when he aged he sure did grow and fill out.

After a second he remembered exactly what he wanted to say, especially to Sakura. "However, Sakura-san, I must stress that from here on out you need to take being a kunoichi seriously or I may be forced to do some rearranging. This team was specifically set up for combative infiltration, which means we will be on the front lines. If you are not cut out to be on the field of battle Sakura-san, please speak now and do not take your infatuation for Sasuke into account. He should have nothing to do with you getting yourself killed."

Her cheeks flushed and her eyes widened.

"O- oh, I – I know. I really want to be a better kunoichi," Sakura said desperately.

"Then, I've set up something for you and it's your job to take it or leave it."

"What's that Kakashi-sensei?"

"I was late today for a valid reason, Maito Gai and I have decided since he has two Genin and one Chuunin and I have two Chuunin and one Genin to do a temporary switch."

Sakura's face fell.

"This isn't permanent," Kakashi promised. "Not unless the time comes and you want it to be. What I'm saying is, Hyuuga Neji and Kuma Tenten are still Genin and they too were developed for combative infiltration and since Rock Lee is his Chuunin we've decided to take on a switch. You'll be with another kunoichi who could help you reach the level of Chuunin by the time the next exams crop back up again."

This made Sakura pause in her thoughts and tilt her head. She did want to be stronger and she did want to be useful and not just because of Sasuke-kun. She wanted to be strong to prove her worth against Ino and all those other bitches that had teased her when she was a little girl. Temari's words rang through her ears; she would give anything to be a kunoichi as strong and beautiful as her. All that grace, Temari had it naturally, if only…

She nodded slowly. "That's fine, Kakashi-sensei."

"After you receive your title of Chuunin with Gai's team we will switch back and work on regrouping as teamwork. Also, I have added something else for you that may prove useful since you have such excellent chakra control."

Her curiosity was well peaked now. "Oh?"

"Tomorrow at ten o' clock you are to meet Yakushi Kabuto on the fourth floor of the Hospital and he will give you an introduction to Medical Ninjutsu. If there is one thing that is exceptionally important it's to be able to keep your comrades alive and healthy especially when they are thrown onto the front lines. Hyuuga Neji has quite the Medical Ninjutsu at his disposal being a Hyuuga, every one of them has excellent Chakra control so not only will you be learning valuable skills that will be useful to us but you'll also be able to join and actually fight without feeling useless."

Sakura bobbed her head furiously, looking rather excited now. "Thank you Kakashi-sensei!" she said sincerely.

Naruto guessed she must have realized that they weren't trying to get rid of her but actually help her. He could see her small shoulders relaxing and the self-esteem rising slightly.

Naruto decided that if anyone could slap the fan girl out of her that's not Tsunade it would be the one girl who idolized Tsunade, Tenten. So either way a lot of good will definitely come out of this and he was pleased that he had kept his mouth shut about Kabuto. Things would be progressing like they had before except this time she was learning the same things from different people.

"When will this start?" Sasuke asked.

"I was thinking at the first of the month we will make the switch and then we'll see how well your teamwork is."

"That's in two weeks," Sakura squeaked.

"You are to prepare yourself Sakura-san for Gai, he may look ridiculous but don't you dare judge his skill by his taste in clothes."

Naruto laughed out loud and even Sasuke smirked a little as Sakura blushed and mumbled, "I think I figured that out already."

"That's all I have for now."

Sakura scrambled and looked imploringly at Sasuke who was dusting his hands off. The Uchiha turned to Naruto. "I'll be there, if you want to join."

Naruto beamed. "Alright, tell Haku I said hi!"

Sasuke paused and he looked as though he were going to deny meeting him before he shrugged and nodded simultaneously. "See you."

Sakura frowned and tried to rush off to follow, knowing she wouldn't get anything from Naruto if she asked.

Chuckling, Kakashi dropped his gaze onto Naruto. "What are you doing today?"

Naruto shook his head. "No idea," he said jumping off the bridge. Kakashi followed suit and the two headed for a walk through the training grounds.

"You know, I like that off you better," Kakashi said reaching out to take Naruto's wrist and examining the bracelet. "You're so cute, like a chibi this way."

Naruto laughed and bumped Kakashi's side. "Maybe you're just too tall."

Kakashi deftly pulled the bracelet off causing Naruto to grimace as he began to grow. "Better."

Naruto circled his wrists and once again shook his feet one at a time. "Gah, puberty."

"Is it really?"

"That's what it feels like, my joints hurt when they do that. It's a very effective Henge not your typical one that can be seen through easily. There are three seals on this to keep from being discovered."

"I see," Kakashi said looking the bracelet over. He handed it back and Naruto stuffed it into his pocket.

They walked together in a comfortable silence; they passed by the area in which they had the begun the bell test.

"I have to know, who was tied to the pole the first time?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto laughed, "Yours truly."

"Really?"

"Yup, we passed because Sasuke and Sakura were going to feed me anyway."

"Sounds like something that would have happened. Now I have another question, will Sakura-san ever grow up or am I just wasting my time?"

"She does," Naruto said with a nod. "She becomes a very good Medic Nin and she uses her Chakra to channel it to her hand, she destroyed this whole area when you tested us the second time. Actually, she began to grow up a little more after her hair was chopped."

Kakashi looked confused and Naruto went on to explain what should have happened in the Forest of Death.

"How interesting, she actually cut her hair to get free…"

"Yep, but when Tsunade got a hold of her she shaped up and I think Tenten and Neji will do enough of that."

"That's what I was banking on," Kakashi said with a smile.

"The only thing I regret about the Forest of Death now is the hitai-ite I lost, it was Iruka's," he said softly. "He gave it to me the night Mizuki almost killed us."

"I see," Kakashi said tucking the information into the back of his mind to review later; right now he was trying to gauge Naruto's emotions and thoughts. What was he thinking? It was the one thing Kakashi longed to know but he wasn't sure if he should ask. Last night had been utterly spontaneous but perhaps one of the gentlest moments of his life.

The very air that Naruto gave off was filled with yellow light and that was where Minato-sensei and Naruto collided, both of them knew how to pull people to them like metal and magnet. They were blessed with an ability to change people's hearts and dive right into said muscle and latch on.

There was a movement from the trees causing Naruto to slip his bracelet back on and activate the Henge just as a tall brown-headed man appeared wearing an ANBU mask.

"Kakashi-san," he said approaching the two of them.

"Yes, Squirrel?" Kakashi queried.

"The Hokage has requested your presence as soon as possible."

"Thank you, I'll be there."

With a nod, the ANBU shot off. Naruto smirked and peered up at the now very tall silver-haired man.

Kakashi laughed and looked down at Naruto. "I will see you later."

Naruto sighed. "You're so tall from my stand point!"

Kakashi leaned down and pulled his mask far enough so that Naruto could see all of him. "And you're a chibi from my stand point," he whispered and blessed Naruto with a kiss to his whisker marks before replacing the mask and disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Once again, Naruto was stunned stiff. Did he always have to kiss and run?

(o)

The Hokage Tower was not the first stop on Kakashi's mind; he appeared before a yellow flame grave marker and stared at the encrypted name scrawled professionally in bold lettering: NAMIKAZE MINATO.

Usually, he visited his father or Obito alternatively but not today. He sank down onto the ground and crossed his legs and simply stared at it for a moment, his thoughts swirling around in his head.

"What would you think of me, Minato-sensei?" he asked the cold stone, he placed his elbow onto his knee and put his chin into the palm of his hand. "Is it okay that I hold such fierce affections for your only son? I wonder if you would approve or kick my ass? I would like to think you'd accept it; you are the kind of man who always looks beyond, who sees the good in everyone even if you are sometimes blinded. But this is your son, I don't know how you would have reacted had you survived long enough to see this come into play."

He sighed heavily and brushed his middle finger along the edge of his mask, he could feel the scar beneath the material.

He thought about Naruto and then he thought of the future; what could have been and what was at that very moment. He was altering everything left and right and Kakashi felt confused about things, he was guilty for stuff that could have occurred but hadn't. It did made no sense and yet it made perfect sense at the same time.

Naruto was perhaps the only one who had gotten an honest smile out of him, the only person to see behind the mask, and the only one who had the ability to make him feel a lot less lonely.

Kakashi remembered Naruto's words and deftly hand-signed: Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram; "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Biting his thumb he placed his hand on the ground causing the seal to scrawl and glow in circles.

The Ninken appeared all eight of them and they greeted him instantly.

Pakkun tilted his head. "What's going on Kakashi-san?"

"I need you to do me a favor," he said softly, "Naruto's lost something in the Forest of Death that was kind of precious to him, would you mind retrieving it for me?"

Pakkun tilted his head and looked over. "Got that guys?"

They all called out in affirmation.

"Have anything that smells like him? I have his scent but they don't," Pakkun relayed.

Kakashi smirked and dipped into his pocket and pulled out a kunai that he had pick-pocketed from Naruto; he didn't know why he'd done it and would give it back to him later.

Maybe.

"Will this do?"

Pakkun sniffed and nodded. "Perfect scent of Naruto-kun."

Each one of the dogs took in the scent.

"Forest of Death, it's a hitai-ite."

"Right, we'll be back, let's go guys!"

The little dog with the droopy eyes; Biscuit was the only one that didn't talk; he wagged his tail for Kakashi to pet him. "Thanks Biscuit."

He woofed and then took off following the white one named Urushi.

They were gone and Kakashi was left staring at his sensei's grave for a little longer. "I guess I'll never really know, huh? I suppose I should just trust my instincts and be optimistic for once."

He stood after that. "Good-bye Minato-sensei."

When he popped into the office, he was stunned by what he saw. The first thing he noticed was Iruka was tied up by chakra ropes to a chair and he was actually growling menacingly. Jiraiya was also there with his hand on Iruka's shoulder to try and calm him.

Another face that Kakashi hadn't seen in a very long time was standing behind the Hokage's desk against the windowsill which had the tapestries pulled shut to keep any potential lurkers from dropping in unexpectedly.

Long pale blonde hair, tied in two tails down her back, full figured chest, and clothes that didn't accent her precious features near enough was Tsunade, the Medic Sannin. She was also glaring, her light brown eyes piercing a man who stood with his back to the wall, scarlet eyes and familiar long black hair tied loosely to the base of his neck with pieces flying around.

"You!" Kakashi hissed before he could stop himself. His hands clenched into his fists and his one eye narrowed as the eldest Uchiha brother gazed at him, his face set into that of a slab of stone.

"Exactly!" Iruka snarled. "How dare he… if I get free from here…"

"Iruka-kun, calm down," Jiraiya said strangely serious for once.

Kakashi felt a rage deep inside of him as he tore his eye away from the thin man and looked to the Hokage. He was puffing away on his pipe before setting it aside.

"Now that we are here. We can begin," the Sandaime addressed. "Iruka-kun would you kindly calm down and allow for an explanation?"

"What kind of explanation can you give us, Hokage-sama?" Iruka demanded. "All I heard was him – near – Naruto!"

Kakashi clenched his jaw but chose to keep quiet and instead, he sized up Itachi remembering what Naruto had said about him. He would try and trust the sunny blond, really he would but having this murderer in front of him now...

Instead of showing outright disgust and hate, he took a seat on the loveseat and waited as Jiraiya flashed him a look.

"I have asked each one of you here because of your personal feelings for Naruto-kun," he said gently. "So kindly listen to what I am about to tell you, this is a lot of information and it is an S-Class secret."

Tsunade managed to move from the sill, Itachi still in her line of sight as she took up the seat next to Kakashi.

"Now, may I ask where Naruto is at this moment?"

"I left him on the training grounds about forty minutes ago," Kakashi answered tightly.

"Very well, he really should be here to hear this."

"I don't want my boy around that murderer!" Iruka said sharply.

"Why didn't you tell me? I could have brought him with me."

"I thought he would have been with Sasuke-kun and I didn't want him to become…" he paused and stiffened the door opened revealing the blond who closed the door tight.

Naruto had been shaking his head all the way to the tower. What was the point of getting Kakashi when he too was needed? A crow had come to him with a small scroll from Itachi saying to meet with the Hokage immediately.

Naruto didn't know exactly what was going on but one thing he did know it was the Hokage was probably aware of the changes, especially if Itachi was involved. But when he entered the room he hadn't expected to see Iruka tied up and glaring death at the Uchiha or Jiraiya trying to sooth him with one of his rare serious expressions.

Tsunade was sitting near Kakashi and Itachi was as far away from everyone without being totally excluded.

"So you're the Gaki…" said Tsunade tilting her head. "Mercy you do look like…."

"Minato?" Naruto finished with a sideways smile as she nodded looking a little weak. "Well Baa-chan we both know the reason for that."

She blinked at him. "How come you know me but I don't know you?"

"You're my Baa-chan! Well, at least the other one was."

"The other?" Tsunade asked.

"And that brings me to exactly what we need to discuss," Sarutobi said smiling a little. "Naruto if you wouldn't mind?"

Naruto sighed. "I guess so, but I don't want to give Baa-chan and Iruka-sensei a heart attack."

"What about this pervert and that pervert!" Tsunade argued pointing to Kakashi and Jiraiya.

"We know," Kakashi and Jiraiya said in unison.

"I suspected that when Kakashi-kun protected Naruto from Anko-san's interrogation that he knew something but I had no idea that you Jiraiya?"

Jiraiya shrugged. "It happens, I'm special that way."

Naruto snorted. "More like it was an accident," he teased and went to stand with Itachi causing Iruka to snap.

"Get away from him Naruto-kun! Please!"

"Itachi won't hurt me," Naruto placated, "I promise you he won't. He's the one who made it possible for me to get here."

"What on earth are you talking about?" Tsunade demanded.

Naruto held up his fingers. "Watch and don't faint." He pulled the bracelet deactivating the Henge causing the three who didn't know to gasp and cry out in shock.

"N- N Naruto-kun?" Iruka breathed.

Naruto smiled and used a kunai to rip the ropes from the man's arms. The two were the same height and Iruka was stunned silly. He touched Naruto's shoulders and looked him over.

"What is going on here?" Tsunade asked wide-eyed.

Naruto quickly explained everything leaving out the personal details that Kakashi and Itachi only knew and by the time it was over, the Sandaime was smiling slightly.

Iruka gasped, his body swayed and he looked as though he were really going to faint. Naruto wrapped an arm around his waist to keep him up. The brunet groaned and pressed his head to Naruto's shoulder.

Tsunade was gawking. "What kind of seal was that?" she asked as Naruto tossed her the bracelet so she could check it out. "Interesting."

"Who else knows?" the Sandaime asked.

"Gaara of Suna," Naruto said and seeing the Hokage's slight confusion, Naruto went on to explain the truth behind Orochimaru and the death of the Kazekage by the Snake Sannin's hand.

Tsunade's eyes lit up as though they were on fire with every mention of Orochimaru. Jiraiya had a slightly lost look and Naruto didn't blame them. It was a look that could have been found in Naruto and Sakura when Sasuke left.

After the story, the Hokage looked at Naruto. "What level are you?"

"Jounin and I'm classified as a Sage with Seal Mastery."

"Which is why this is so impressive?" Tsunade said holding up the bracelet.

Naruto shrugged not really answering that, he felt a little sheepish at the compliment, Tsunade rarely ever gave them out.

Iruka seemed to have gotten some sense back and was now staring at Naruto in awe. "Th- that doesn't explain him!" he said jerking his head toward Itachi who hadn't spoken the entire time. If he hadn't been such an infamous person they might have forgotten about him.

"Itachi-san is innocent," the Sandaime began drawing in gasps from his small crowd. "Itachi-san would you like me to explain it?"

Itachi inclined his head only once and smile on Sarutobi's face lit the room before he began the explanation. "Very well, you see on the night of the Uchiha Clan Massacre, Itachi walked into the battle at the near end, everyone was dead except for Fugaku who was fighting with a masked man. At the time we suspected it to be Madara but he never did give a face nor did he speak. Whoever it had been was well aware of Itachi's capabilities with Mangekyou he disappeared using Sharingan abilities to alter the room around him."

"From killing his friend, right?" Iruka asked gritting his teeth.

"No," Itachi this time answered. "I fabricated that tale to my brother so that he wouldn't know, so that he couldn't know. Killing your best friend does not make Mangekyou activate, what does is grief and guilt."

Iruka looked sad, torn between guilt and weariness.

"How do you know this is truth?" Tsunade asked the Sandaime.

The Sandaime tapped a very clever item on the side of his desk; Naruto recognized it as a white globe used to watch him often. "After Shisui drowned, I made it a purpose to keep tabs on Itachi-san, not because I thought he was guilty, but because I thought he might need a witness wherever he went."

"Danzo," Naruto said softly causing everyone to start and look at him.

"What are you talking about, Gaki?" Tsunade demanded.

"Danzo confiscated Shisui's eye and right arm," Naruto explained.

"He could have done that after the body was taken," Kakashi for the first time spoke up.

"It's true he could have, but I think there's a lot more at play. You see Danzo used the Sharingan to persuade the council to become Rokudaime when you Tsunade went into a comatose state after using all your chakra to protect Konoha's civilians. Itachi, do you know a man named Ao?"

Itachi looked at Naruto and nodded. "Kirigakure bodyguard to the Mizukage, he has the Byakugan eye from a defeated Hyuuga Clan member."

"He was the one who discovered it, he sensed Shisui's chakra."

"Hm." This came from the Sandaime. "It seems that there is a lot at play here," he said sitting back in his seat idly.

"He's never outright admitted it however according to a friend of mine who was a ROOT member; Danzo has an explicit hatred for all things Uchiha. It was an unhealthy obsession that everyone took notice of."

"But I don't think he'd be powerful enough without the backing of his ninja," Tsunade pointed out.

Naruto shook his head. "Don't underestimate him because he looks fragile Baa-chan. I'm Jiraiya's level in Sage arts and Kakashi is the single best ninja in Konoha hands down. We took him together and we wound up in a cell, true he couldn't kill us but he was able to do enough damage because we underestimated him."

Kakashi straightened at this. "How did we get out?"

"My ROOT member friend, speaking of, I'm going to have to find a way to get a hold of him," he said thoughtfully. "But he's a little unstable right now." He sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Sai's a good guy really but Danzo messed with his head."

"We'll worry about Danzo and his ROOT Nin later right now what we have to deal with is now that you all know some of the answers to some very dark secrets what should we do next?" the Sandaime asked. "I prefer asking those I trust rather than the members of the council."

"This is a lot to take in," Tsunade remarked.

Iruka was now sitting once again in the chair, his gaze flickering from Itachi to Naruto alternatively. Jiraiya winked at Naruto who left Itachi's side to sit on the arm of the loveseat next to Kakashi.

"It is indeed."

"Sasuke," Naruto piped in again, "he needs to know the truth. He's old enough to accept it and young enough to forgive."

"When?" Kakashi asked.

"Tonight at my apartment?" Naruto suggested. "He might feel a little more comfortable that way." He said feeling a nauseating sensation. "Oh and it should only be Itachi, Kakashi, and me. I don't want to attack Sasuke with too many people, he may panic and try to run off and in case he flips out I think Kakashi would be best to handle him."

"Why me?" Kakashi asked.

"I might not be strong enough and he would do more than flip out if Itachi got near him."

"I'll leave the decisions up to you and Itachi-san."

Jiraiya sulked. "You guys get to go and have fun and I have to stay behind."

Naruto chuckled. "Sorry Pervy Sage!"

Tsunade snorted. "Pervy Sage, huh? I think I can like you, kid."

Naruto beamed.

Iruka looked over at Naruto. "You are unbelievable, Naruto-kun."

"Why is that, Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka smiled. "You just are," he said breathlessly.

Could it have been coincidence? Kakashi didn't know but it was at that moment that Biscuit popped into the room and stood before Kakashi with a wagging tail and his droopy eyes peering up innocently and clasped in his mouth was a hitai-ite.

Naruto looked down as Kakashi took the hitai-ite and stroked the dog's head. "Thanks Biscuit."

He barked high pitched before disappearing in a puff. Kakashi then handed it to Naruto, the teen peered at it with confusion.

"Wha-?"

"It's yours, isn't it?"

"M- mine?" Naruto took it. "How did you get it?"

"I had my Ninken search the Forest of Death."

Stunned, Naruto didn't know quite how to react at first, he stared at Kakashi for several long seconds before launching onto him and wrapping his arms around the man's neck and squeezing him tight. "Thank you, thank you!"

Kakashi chuckled, his heart thumping fast, Naruto's warm body pressed into his chest. He didn't have to say anything as he rubbed the teen's back and tugged on his blond ponytail gently.

"Thank you," Naruto said pulling back sheepishly. His cheeks flushed even brighter when he realized he was sitting in Kakashi's lap. Before anyone could comment on the situation, he crawled back onto the arm of the loveseat, his smile never ceasing.

"What was that all about?" Iruka asked looking suspiciously at Kakashi before studying Naruto.

Naruto shook his head. "Just something I lost Iruka-sensei."

Jiraiya was practically hopping up and down. "I can't wait to get back to Natsuki and Kisoki!" He was glowing bright red with excitement and Naruto thought he looked like a kid in a candy store.

Naruto then smirked at Jiraiya. "Oooh, Baa-chan!"

Jiraiya paled. "No!" he breathed causing Kakashi to chuckle softly.

"Yes, Gaki?" she asked curiously.

Naruto gave an indignant sniff. "Pervy Sage is writing perverted stuff about me!"

Tsunade's eyes narrowed and Jiraiya cleared his throat. "Uh, well, I'll be going now… got two characters to get to…. Aaahh!" He rushed out of the room as Tsunade stood.

Naruto doubled over in giggles, Tsunade grinned slyly.

"You know I really do like you more and more!" Tsunade said with her hands on her hips. "I haven't seen Jiraiya run like that in decades!"

"We'll have to do it more often," Naruto said wiping his eyes from the laughing tears.

Even the Sandaime was chuckling while Iruka looked torn between amusement and glaring at the door where Jiraiya had disappeared. Kakashi quirked his lip. "As scary as you are Tsunade-san he will never stop."

"Of course not," Tsunade scowled. "I mean this is the same guy who wound up with multiple broken bits after I caught him peaking in on me. He was in the hospital for two weeks and he went right back to doing it all over again."

"It's the thrill," Naruto and Kakashi said at the same time.

"Jiraiya-kun wouldn't be Jiraiya-kun if he didn't prove his self proclaiming of being a pervert," the Sandaime said as he lit his pipe and puffed on it. "Now, is there anything we have left to discuss?"

"So long as the discussions have nothing to do with me becoming a Hokage," Tsunade said darkly.

Naruto smiled. "You were such a wonderful one though, Baa-chan!"

"Oh hush it Gaki! How you ever talked me into it, I wouldn't know."

Naruto chuckled. "Well, we made a bet. At the time the Pervy Sage was trying to teach me the Rasengan and you bet that if I could complete it then you would agree to become Hokage."

Once again her eyes narrowed and looked like she was glaring at her nose before huffing. "That is so something I would do," she grumbled.

Naruto beamed. "You gave me a necklace that helps control the Kyuubi while I was training."

She gasped and stared up at Naruto. "Necklace?" she reached into her pocket and pulled it out.

Naruto nodded. "Yamato-taichou had to use his wood technique while Kakashi was teaching me Rasenshuriken because of the Kyuubi."

"Hm, and don't tell me your dream is to become a Hokage!" she said sharply.

Naruto shrugged. "It was a dream. I wanted to protect everyone and get the village to recognize me as something more than that demon boy."

Her gaze softened and she flung the necklace him. "Here Gaki, lose it and I'll kill you."

It dropped down onto Kakashi's knee; Naruto picked it up and looked at it closely. "Thanks Baa-chan."

She rolled her eyes in response.

A/N: I wasn't actually feeling the hottest when I wrote this. I hope it turned out alright. Thank you for the response.