A/N: :D I want to celebrate this 21th chapter with a free hug for all my readers! I want to comfort you! haha! Ohh I almost died this weekend! :( All my chapters and other stories disappeared of my iPod and I panicked because I was starting chapter 25 and geeeeeez... I cried when they disappeared but I found them thanks to my Macshell! :D A moment of panic for my little heart xD

With no more to say, enjoy your reading!

*Naruto is 17 month-old and there's a little jump of 1 month in the second part of the chapter.*

"Honey, this time, take care of Naruto like you were me. I have to go but I will be back for this noon."

"Are you sure you don't want us to go with you?"

"No hon, Naruto is sick, I don't think he would like to go out. Just stay with him ok?" She smiles at me and leaves me again.

I know I'm a good father but Kushina is 1000x better than me to take care of Naruto. She has the skills and patience for him. Something I try to equal but can't.

"Minato-sama, Naruto-kun woke up."

"Thank you Boo." Boo has helped us a lot. He is probably better than me.

"Minato-sensei, Naruto's bottle is ready."

Kushina asked Kakashi-kun to come and keep an eye on me because she is scared I make another mess and hurt Naruto. Last time was an accident. I would never hurt my son! Who would hurt a baby? Anyway, Kushina should trust me a little bit more. Our son is older now, it's easier to take care of him.

"Dada!"

"Naruto?!" He is behind me with teary eyes. What is he doing here?! He was in his crib! "Naruto, how did you get here?" I scoop him up and touch his forehead. "You are burning." He rests his head on my shoulder and whimpers. "Papa will take care of you ok?" I rub his back and try to comfort him. He shrieks in my ear and kicks me hard. "Naruto, what is it?"

*shrieks*

"Minato-sama, everything okay?"

"Yes Boo. He is tired." I guess. I rock him but he fights back. He might be hungry. I go to the kitchen, take the prepared bottle and go back to the living room. "Here, a delicious bottle of warm milk for this upset tummy." I sit on the couch and place my son ready to feed him. "Open your mouth baby." He squirms and cries refusing the bottle. "Naruto, you have to eat." He pushes the bottle away and cries louder.

"Need any help sensei?"

"Naruto doesn't want to eat." I try again but he refuses it.

"Force him?"

I give him the bottle by force and he drinks slowly. "Ah! That worked! Thank you Ka-" I feel warm drops on my face and look at Naruto. He spat out his milk on me. Kakashi leaves the room immediately, giving me some privacy with Naruto.

"Alrighty then. You want to be a bad boy? Then be a bad boy but papa won't listen to your complains." I put him down and he hits me with anger. "It does not hurt." I don't know why he got so upset suddenly. I wish he could talk.

"NOOOOOOO!" He lets himself fall on the floor and starts a temper tantrum. He rolls over his body, kicks the floor, cries, screams and dares to bite my leg.

"Ow Naruto. No! No!" I take him back in my arms and he fights me swinging his feet angrily. He is getting red of anger. That's not good. Not only he is sick but throwing a fit won't help him to feel better. He needs to take everything easy. "Ok Naruto, stop it now." I give him a minute to stop but he keeps screaming and squirming. I put him down again and leave the living room. "I will be with Boo and Kakashi." When I don't pay attention to his tantrums, he stops and comes back, asking for hugs.

"Dada! Dada! Dadaa!" He runs behind me, falls and his tantrum gets worse. I leave and place the baby gate so he does not follow me. "Dada! Dada!" I admit it, it hurts me when my son cries for me but I can't concede on a behaviour like that.

"I can hear your brat's tantrum from the Hokage building. What a bratty prince."

"Sensei! Glad to have you back!" I bow and invite him to take a seat. "Boo, Kakashi, come and join us." I place cards on the table and grin. "Let's have fun between men."

"Oh? Kushina is not home?" asks sensei who looks tired but with lots of adventure to tell.

I give him a glass of wine and answer to his question. "She left this morning."

"Sensei, what about Naruto's tantrum?"

"Let him finish his tantrum. Want a glass of wine?" He nods and I give him his glass. "Boo?" He shakes his head and stays up. "Why don't you take a seat?"

"I have to look after Naruto-kun, sir."

"That's my job, sit down now!" My authority as father works on Boo and Kakashi so well. The ANBU sits down looking around him hesitantly.

"DADAAAAA!"

"Don't listen to him. Now, where were you these last months? We thought you would never come back."

"I was doing research and taking a break."

"Minato-sensei, Naruto is sick, shouldn't you take care of him?"

"I will take care of him only if he calms down." I reply harshly. I continue my conversation with my sensei. "Jiraiya-sensei, I missed you."

"Don't be a crybaby."

"Dadaaaaa! Dadaaaa!"

After playing for five minutes, I leave the boys and go for Naruto. To be honest, none of us were focused or having fun during the game. We were all a bit concerned about Naruto's cries. I wanted to go for him but I don't like when he cries for nothing. Well maybe he was crying for something. Who knows. I don't understand baby language.

Subtly, I look in the living room and see him playing with my kunai. "NARUTO NO!" I jump over the baby gate and rapidly take the kunai of his hands. "That is dangerous! That is not a TOY!" I put the kunai in my pocket and sigh. "Don't you ever touch that ok?" He looks at me innocently with a hand in his mouth and grins.

"Hey, did you listen to me?" I ask in an amused way.

"Dada?"

"Yes, I'm talking to you young boy."

"Ohh!"

"Feeling better after that tantrum?" I sit on the floor with him and he crawls toward me. "Wanna sit on papa's lap?" He climbs on my legs and finally sits down. "Naruto, do you want to eat?" He babbles and coughs. "Awwwn, you are so grumpy and cute when you are sick." I rub his back and sing him a lullaby. "Papa loves you."

He falls asleep on me and coughs from time to time. He is getting big day after day. I can't believe how much he has grown. From a little fragile and quiet baby to a giant rascal with lots of energy. Ah ha ha ha giant rascal! Many of his clothes don't fit him anymore. Kushina likes to go shopping for baby clothing and she goes every month.

Sensei joins me and whispers in my ear. "Oi son, what happened to my room?"

"Huh? Why?" Carefully, not to wake up my son, I get on my feet and follow sensei. When he opens the door, I see a mess and doodles on the walls. I recognize those doodles; Naruto.

"I guess Naruto found a way to go in your room and decided to welcome you with a unique design."

"He is lucky to be sick, otherwise, he would have to deal with the great Jiraiya." He starts picking up his pillow and looks at the window. "When are you going to take your place as Hokage?"

"I was supposed to go back to my duty when Naruto would get four but Tsunade-sama changed her mind and I will leave my peaceful house in-" I count in my head. "In seven months." I realize my time as full-time daddy is coming to an end. "Kushina was asked to join the shinobi system again and she is still thinking on that. She would like to get back to her life as kunoichi but she has Naruto now and that would involve dropping him to daycare."

"I'm nosy but most of the babies of your son's age are in a daycare center. Naruto is one of the luckiest baby in Konoha. Mom and dad are giving him all of their time." I turn my head to the left and see Kakashi leaning against the wall.

"Kakashi has a good point." Adds Jiraiya. My former student, who tries his best to be an easy-going boy with Naruto, observes him curiously and frowns with his only visible eyebrow.

"Is there something Kakashi?"

"Is it normal for a baby to drool that much?"

Jiraiya and I chuckle at his question and I nod at him. "Yes, he is still teething, that explains the drooling."

"And also the why he is so grumpy and tired." adds my sensei, folding his arms.

"And feverish." I say completing the sentence. I contemplate my son and leave Kakashi and Jiraiya talking. "I will put you to bed. You were tired, weren't you?" I tuck him in and close the curtains. "I want to see the happy Naruto soon." I whisper starting his frogs mobile.

~ A month later~

"Naruto no! Don't go there!" He isn't listening to me! I run behind him and he tries running faster. He thinks I'm playing. "No way you go there."

"Go Naruto! Go!" Kushina cheers him and enjoys the scene. "Got you!" He laughs in my arms and plays with my face. The house was childproofed carefully after Naruto improved his walking skills. He likes to run away and hides himself behind sensei. Boo had new orders since there was no danger for Naruto. He doesn't need to stay with him all days. He comes from to time and gives us news about the problems around and in Konoha.

"I made my decision."

I sit Naruto on my forearm and swing him. "Decision about what?"

"Enroll myself as a kunoichi again."

I stop every movement and look at her surprised by her decision. "Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"What about Naruto?"

"I will send him to a daycare center. It will help him to socialise."

"Are you sure of that?"

"He is almost two year-old and I think it's time to give him some freedom. We are always after him; overprotecting him. If we keep acting like that, he won't be able to live without us and that can ruin friendships as little boy."

Somehow, Kushina is right. I admit it, we are very overprotective with him, always stalking him wherever he goes but we want to make sure he is out of danger.

I think about my son's safety and hesitate on sending him to a daycare. What if someone mistreats him? I rub my cheek against his and many worries fill my head. "Remember some villagers don't accept Naruto. What if the caretakers don't accept him? They will let him apart and won't feed him! Then he won't be friends with any of the babies because they would lock him in a room and-"

"Minato, stop over-thinking. He will be fine. Who would not fall in love with our son? He is cute, full of energy and well-behaved just like you."

I blush and blow her a kiss. "That's because I raised him." My wife sticks her tongue out and I keep on my talk. "I will talk with the caretakers personally. I will test them and see how they react to my son's presence. I will look at every blink, every word and gesture! If I notice they are rejecting my son, I won't let them take care of him!"

"Don't you think you are overreacting now?"

"Nope, I want my son to be in good hands."

"Anyway, I will ask to be considered as a partial-time kunoichi. Naruto is still a baby who needs of his mommy."

"Papa!"

"Hm?" He points me the floor and I put him down. "Don't run okay?" He stays by my side and a second later, he runs away. "Here we go again."

"Papa! Papa!"

"Yes what is it Naruto?" He hides himself behind the couch and giggles. "Oh where is Naruto?" I walk around the room and look under the table, behind the TV, behind the door but I don't find him. "Kushina, do you know where's Naruto? I don't find him!" His giggles fill the room but I pretend I can't head him. I fall on my knees and start crying. "Where is my baby son?" Of course, I'm acting so Naruto shows up and comes back to me. "Narutoooo!"

"PAPA!" Here he comes! He runs and hugs me hard. "Mama?" He raises his arms so I can carry him but I'm lazy today. I don't want to use my arms. He is heavier than months ago. "Papa!"

"I'm sorry little sunshine, papa is tired."

"Hon, carry him."

"But-"

"Do it."

"Alright. Come here!" I pick him up and allow him to play with my face. "Don't pull papa's hair."

"You know, I'm surprised he got your hair. The Uzumaki clan are known for their reddish hair and it goes from generation to generation but Naruto, is the exception." Remarks Kushina, playing with her red long hair.

"I ordered him to born with yellowish hair like his papa!"

"Isn't it too hard to use 'order'?"

"Nope. My son obeys papa's orders." He pulls my hair and I flinch of pain. Carefully, I remove his hands and shakes my head. "Naruto, I said no. You don't pull papa's hair." He pouts and pulls my hair again. "Naruto! What did I say? Stop it."

"Mama!"

"No, you don't go with mama. You got yourself in troubles, you deal with them like a little man."

"Minato, do I have to remind you he is a baby?"

"The day I will leave home, you will miss me son."

"Stop being so dramatic. I want to go somewhere. Being here is boring."

"Where do you want to go?"

"I want to visit the caretakers of Naruto's future daycare!"

She is happy. Happy about what? To meet devils? "Okay, we leave in 10 minutes."

"Can you dress Naruto please?"

"Sure." I turn on the light in Naruto's room and check the village through the window. The little snow we had is melting and the good weather is coming back to us. "Bye bye Snow." Naruto does as I do and repeats my words, "Ba ba sno!" as he waves his hand. I lay him on the changing table and tickles him. While I change him, a sudden presence surrounds me. A dark presence. What is it? Naruto starts crying and tries to roll over his tummy. "Naruto?! What is it?" His screams become louder and higher. Something is provoking him pain!

"Minato!" Kushina rushes to my side and examines Naruto. "What happened?!"

"Minato! Minato!"

What is this dark and heavy presence? Why can't I move or talk? What is happening? My body is numb and my vision is getting blurry.

"Minato!"

I can hear Kushina's voice in the background. What is she saying? Did I get deaf? The room is getting dark! Where am I? Kushina? Naruto? Where are you? I don't see anything. I don't feel my legs and arms. Am I going to pass out? Naruto... papa is not feeling w-

*Kushina's POV*

I was brushing my hair when I heard Naruto's cries. Those were not typical cries, I got so worried that I dropped everything I had in hands and rushed to his room. That's when I found him crying with my husband fixing him.

"MINATO!" Rapidly, I take Naruto in my arms and run to help my husband. He fell on the floor, his eyes are wide open but he doesn't react to anything. "Minato! Wake up! Stop acting!" I slap him but he stays in his vegetative state. "JIRAIYA-SAMA! BOO! KAKASHI-KUN!" I scream for help. I don't know what to do! My husband is probably dying in my arms. "SOMEBODY HELP ME! Hang in there love!" I leave the room with Naruto and run out of the house to call for help. I need help!

*Minato's POV*

"Where am I?"

"Hm! How weak."

"Who said that?" I try to look around me but everything is total darkness. I am not cold neither hot. I don't feel anything. What is this place?

"If you have fallen so rapidly into my hands, then your son will be easy prey."

"Who are you?!"

"Oh? Have you forgotten me already?"

Don't tell me it's the man from months ago. The one who came in Naruto's room when he was just 11 month-old. "You are the one who wants my son, aren't you?"

"I'm glad someone like you remember me. Tell me, how is your son doing?"

I wish I could see him. I can only hear his voice.

"I will not tell you anything about my son."

"I'm disappointed. I thought Fathers loved to talk about their children to others. I think you are not that proud of your son then."

"Why would I share my joy as father to someone like you? You want my son, you want to take him away from me!"

"You can have another. Babies are easy to have. Perhaps this time he will get your wife's hair." He laughs crudely.

"YOU BASTARD! Who the hell do you think you are to talk about that! You don't know how important are children when they are born from a marriage based on love and trust! My son is the biggest miracle I could have had in this life! No one will take him from me, NOT EVEN A TRASH LIKE YOU!"

"Aww, parents are so protective with their child. I admire you."

"Shut up."

"Pardon me? What was that?"

"Shut up! I don't need to hear more of your stupidity."

"But I need to know how is Naruto doing. He is finally walking? I can't wait to see him older. I am looking forward for that hate he will have toward Kushina and you. Sealing a bijuu in your own son? That is cruel."

I am boiling with anger. Where is he so I can beat him! No, beating him would be too nice. I would probably beat him to death. "Why don't you show yourself? Feeling coward too much?"

"I am just waiting for the perfect moment. The day-"

"NARUTO!" I wake up from my unconscious state and look around me. Am I in the dark place? No, the light colours and toys are not from that place. I'm in Naruto's room. I have never felt that secured to be in my son's room.

"Minato, look me in the eyes, son."

Where is that man? How did I get there?

"Naruto...''

My son. Where is my son?! I am in shock. What the hell did I just experience? Was it a dream? Was it true? If I fell asleep, why did I sleep on the carpet?

"Minato!" Two firm hands redirect my sight to sensei's face. He looks worried. Why? Why is Kushina crying? Where is Naruto?

"Minato, wake up!"

"Huh?"

"Yes, come back to us son. You are back to our world."

Our world? So I was away during all that time? I look around the room to find any clue about that mysterious dream but sensei snaps his fingers to get my attention.

"Hey! Hey! Look me in the eyes! Focus on me. Stop looking around now."

"Se-sensei," I am so sleepy. "where is Naruto?! What happened?" No... I'm not sleepy, I'm numb.

"You were trapped in a genjutsu. Your son is safe."

"What?! Genjutsu? Where? Naruto..." I am fully awake now. Well, my mind is, not my body. I'm talking nonsense. "How did it happen?! Who casted the genjutsu?!"

"I don't know. Kushina called for me in the streets. Luckily, I was coming back home so I came in rapidly and released you from the genjutsu."

"Genjutsu..." I scratch my head and sigh with laziness. So it was not a nightmare. I try to get on my feet but I'm a little dizzy.

"Easy kid, easy." Sensei helps me and brings me out of the room. "Relax okay?"

"Kushina, come here." I open my arms and Kushina rushes to them and cries hugging me. "I am sorry. I did not want to scare you like that." She cries and kisses me all over my face.

"I thought I lost you!"

I smile gently and caress her red hair. "I will always be with you until death calls for us. We made that promise the day we married, remember?"

"You dummy! Don't fall again like in front of Naruto."

"Where is he?!" How could I have forgotten my son?!

"I asked Kakashi-kun to babysit him till you got out of that unconsciousness state."

"Did I leave for too long?"

"Yes.." She cries again in my arms and I reassure her that I'm alright. She must have been afraid to hell. "You were unconscious for two hours."

"Two hours?! But I felt like I talked to him for 10 minutes, no more!" When she hears me say that, she raises her head and frowns.

"To whom were you talking? A woman? Who was she? Tell me! Oh no, but you said 'to him'. Sorry."

I humph in an amused way and shake my head. "I don't know who it was. He never showed up." I lied to her. I know who was that man but I don't want to worry her.

"Hmmn." She rests her head against my chest and holds my hand tightly. "I will go for Naruto."

"No, we will go for him. Besides, if I remember well, we said we would go with him to meet the caretakers of his daycare centre."

"No, you need to rest."

"Have you forgotten who is your husband?" I kiss her forehead and embrace her again. "Do not worry about the event. I will take care of that."

~At Kakashi's place~

"Thank you very much for taking care of him." Naruto greets me with a 'papa' and a big smile.

"No problem. Sensei, are you alright?"

"Yes. I experienced something odd but I'm okay for now. Thank you for your concern Kakashi."

"Hm. Take care of yourself. See you soon Naruto-kun." We leave him and walk down the street, observing the village.

"Where is that daycare centre?"

"There!" Kushina points me the big building with her finger and I drop my jaw of astonishment. Is that really the place? Why is it so...

See you next chapter my friends! :) heh heh heh! Take care!

Ohhh... If I get 10 reviews, I will update chapter 22 on Saturday or before. :D Otherwise, chapter 22 will be updated in two weeks! XD

Love you! :)

~lilskystar~