Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Naruto

Chapter 25: The Paranoia Sets In

"All done" Kushina said happily with a big smile on her face as she waved around her hand to emphasise the completion of her new home. After hours of packing, unpacking, arranging and then rearranging, her new home was finally worthy to be lived in.

"It looks lovely" Minato replied a warm smile on his face as he looked at her excited one.

"Thank you and thanks for helping me ... I know you didn't want"

"No no, that's behind us, it was silly, I was being silly and I just want to apologize again for my attitude. I hope you know I really am happy for you." Minato replied humbly.

"I know, I can see it in your eyes" she replied softly.

Sending him a warm smile, she enthusiastically said, "I feel like it just needs some things, to make it more homely, more mine. So I want to find some nice pictures and ornaments to put around the home. Oh and I'm thinking new curtains too, these ones in the living room are a bit boring. And Naruto's room of course, we'll jazz it up so that it'll look rereally cool."

Minato nodded his head as he playfully said "I sense a long day out at the home ec store, and my tired arms as you make me push the trolley full of things you want to buy."

Kushina chuckled as she retorted "I can push my own trolley, thank you very much".

Minato looked at her flashing her one of those smiles that made her heart melt as he said "I know but, I'd push it for you anyways."

Smiling back at him, a new thought popped into her mind, "Oh, do you think I should make the curtains? That would be cool and it would put my old sewing machine back to work."

"If you want to, but do you even know how?" Minato asked.

"How... My sewing skills are basic or at least they were it's been a while but... it shouldn't be that hard, right?" Kushina replied enthusiastically.

Minato chuckled lightly and Kushina frowned slightly as she said "Why are you laughing?"

"I just, I've never seen you so excited before about things like this, it's just really cute, you've been so chipper all afternoon" he said as he walked towards the blushing Kushina.

"It's just I've never really had this experience before. When I left the orphanage my home was just a single room, there was hardly any space for the few things I had let alone what I wanted. Then when... we got the house, the decorating was how he wanted it, he always got the final say." She paused for a few seconds, sadness exposed through her eyes but then she shook her head and the light shone back through them as she added "But now, I finally get the chance, so of course I am happy, I'm ecstatic."

Placing his hands on her hips, he pulled her closer to him and placed a short and sweet kiss onto her supple lips. "I'm glad" he whispered, as he repositioned a stray red tendril behind her left ear. Shifting his hand towards her neckline, he looked at the golden necklace he'd given her and quickly repositioned the chain so that the clasp was behind and not in the front where the pendant was. "That's better" he murmured as he slowly let go of her.

Lifting her hand up, she clasped onto the pendant, smiling as she said "It really is a beautiful necklace... Thank you Minato"

He nodded his head and said "When I saw it, I knew I had to get it for you."

"You know I would have been happy with anything you gave me, you didn't need to spend so much money on such an expensive gift for me." Kushina said softly.

"I know... but I wanted to, you deserve the best, Kushina." Minato replied simply.

"I already have the best with you." she responded as she wrapped her arms around his torso leaning in to give him another kiss.

"I could never tire of doing that" he murmured as he stared into her enticing sea blue eyes ready to capture her lips again with his own.

But she leaned away and took a step back as she mouthed, NARUTO, and sure enough seconds later a blond haired boy ran up into the living room shouting "Mummy, I finished packing my clothes and toys in my new room"

"Good boy" she said as she stroked his messy blond hair. Spinning him around slowly she said "Take a look Naruto, this is our new home, our special place to return to."

Picking Naruto up she gave him a big hug and as he hugged her back, a wide smile on his round face he whispered " I love it mummy, thank you."

"I love it too" she murmured. "I was just telling Minato that we need a few more things to make it more homely and more us and then it'll be perfect."

Naruto nodded his head in agreement. He wasn't really sure what making the apartment more homely and more them meant but he believed that his mother was right.

"Well" Minato said catching their attention, "I have something that just might achieve that" he added cheerily as he held out a square shaped present.

"A present" Naruto said excitedly but his mother didn't portray the same excitement he did as she sent Minato a discerning glance which he understood immediately. She didn't want to be spoiled by him, she didn't want him to spend his money on her and especially after the necklace he'd given her she didn't want anything more.

And sure enough before the words even left her mouth, he was right.

"Minato that's really sweet but I... I don't think... I can't accept another gift from you, not after this" she said slowly as she gestured towards her necklace.

Minato shook his head slightly as he softly murmured "Nonsense" and then handed the gift to the opened armed and ready to accept Naruto.

Kushina pursed her lips as her eyes travelled with the present from Minato's hands to Naruto's.

Eagerly ripping a small tear in the present, he stopped, suddenly remembering his mother's words and looked up at her for permission to open it fully.

Minato touched Kushina's arm as he said "It's just a simple housewarming gift, I promise. If you want, don't think of it as a present for you and Naruto but for the house."

"The house?" she repeated questionably.

"The house" Minato replied, and Naruto nodded his head in agreement.

Kushina stood silent for a minute, her eyes flickering between their two faces and the present before she sighed deeply and nodded her head, a small smile creeping onto her face as she said "Ok Naru-kun open it up"

Turning to Minato she whispered "It's only because you're terribly stubborn and persuasive when it comes to these things. I still remember what you said to me when you wanted to buy me coffee regularly on the bus.

Minato wrapped his arm around her shoulder as he whispered back "I said, let me treat, you tentatively replied you can but just not every day."

"But you couldn't accept that."

"Not for you, so I said something like, you deserve to be treated every day though, anyway treating you makes me happy and I'd like to think it makes you happy too. So please don't make problems out of nothing."

"Yes that was it, how could I possibly say no to that?"

"That was the point" Minato said smiling.

"I know and even without those smooth words it was hard enough to try deny you when just your presence alone caused my heart to flutter so madly let alone a single look or touch. Kushina replied fondly.

"OH" Naruto squealed with excitement as he stared at the gift in his hands. It was a picture frame and in it, was a lovely picture of a smiling Naruto, Kushina and Minato on their day out to the picnic.

Kushina stared at the picture for the longest time, feeling such warmth flood to her heart that it seemed to have pushed a single tear drop out of her eye.

"Caught it" Minato whispered softly as he swiftly swiped his thumb across her cheek catching the tear drop. "It wasn't suppose to make you cry, you know" Minato said teasingly as he saw a huge smile start to spread across her face. Pulling her into an embrace, he looked at her and said "It's a beautiful picture isn't it?"

"It's the absolute cutest" Kushina replied affectionately as she leaned up and surprised him with a kiss on the cheek as a show of her thanks. Smiling he bent down and picked up Naruto who was still smiling at the picture in his hands. Holding him up with his one free arm Kushina supported Naruto up with her own.

They stayed in this embrace for a while, smiling, laughing and chatting about the picture; reminiscing only though it happened just the day before.

Just before they put Naruto down, their arms having tired from holding Naruto up, Kushina looked towards the both of them with sparkling eyes and said "I really do love you two, you are my favourite two people in the whole wide world. I love my cute son who's sweet, funny, kind and one of the bravest boys I've ever known. And I love my boyfriend, who's strong, clever, kind and the sweetest man in the world. I honestly don't know what I would do without either of you two. Naruto and Minato, you are my light, my happiness and my warmth. Quite simply, you're my everything!"

The expression on Naruto's face could only be described as stunned as he looked up at Kushina, with his big blue eyes brimming with emotion. He didn't quite understand, it always seemed like the other way around to him. Mummy was his light, she'd guided him out of the darkness with it. She was his warmth, holding his body against her own and shielding him from the darkness and she was his happiness because through her he had found out what love was.

"What's the matter?" Kushina asked Naruto, having picked up on his stunned expression.

"It's nothing mummy I just really really love you, lots lots lots lots lots" Naruto said sweetly a smile stretching across his face as he gave her another hug, his small arms wrapping around her upper legs since he wasn't tall enough yet for anything higher. Bending down so that she could give him a proper hug, she stroked his hair affectionately as she whispered " I really really love you lots lots lots lots lots too".

Standing back up, she felt Minato's arm on her shoulder as he turned her around and murmured "I love you too Kushina, You are my everything!" as he kissed her tenderly on the forehead in affection.

Smiling to herself she looked up at Minato and then towards Naruto and said "Come on, I want to treat my two favourite people to the best ramen in Konoha."

"Ichiraku?" Naruto asked with a wide grin on his excited face.

"The one and only" Kushina replied, wasting no time to grab hers and Naruto's jacket before piling into Minato's car and driving to Ichiraku Ramen, Kushina, giving him directions on the way there.

Parking nearby they climbed out and walked towards the small and cozy looking restaurant. To Naruto's surprise just as they were walking in to the ramen place Sasuke and his mother were walking out.

Naruto's eyes widened in excitement as he ran up to Sasuke tapping him on the shoulder and happily greeted him.

"Sasuke, what are you doing here?" he asked excitedly as he looked towards his raven haired friend.

Sasuke's face flushed with embarrassment as he let go of his mother's hand and mumbled "Hello, Naruto" as they began to chatter and bicker between each other.

"You must be Sasuke's mother, it's lovely to meet you" Kushina said politely as she held out her hand "I'm Kushina Uzumaki, Naruto's mother and this is my boyfriend..."

"Minato Namikaze" Minato answered as he shook her hand.

Sasuke's mother smiled at the both of them as she said "Yes, I've seen you two around the school a few times but it's nice to finally have a chance to talk face to face. You can call me Mikoto, Mikoto Uchiha."

Kushina smiled back as she warmly said " It seems like we're thinking alike, bringing our cute little sons here for a good dinner as a treat.

"Ahh yes, this place never disappoints and Sasuke deserved a treat he's such a good little boy, such a sweetheart" Mikoto replied lightly.

"Wait till they turn ten, the double digits change all of that. They think they're big but they're 'still so young and that equals conflict." Minato said playfully causing them all to chuckle.

"Sounds like you've been reading up on the parenting books" Kushina replied teasingly, as she added "Those things always make it sound worse than it actually is, anyway it's the teenage years I'm more worried about."

"Kushina's right, I've been through that already with my eldest son Itachi, and it's really not so bad. Pausing she slowly and quietly said "Although the teenage years?..."

"Was it really so bad?" Kushina asked nervously.

"No, no, I'm kidding" Mikoto said lightly a small laugh escaping her lips as she added, "they were a breeze, although every kids different."

"That is true" Minato replied "Although I suppose that is just one of the enjoyments of raising children; seeing how your kid grows up and blossoms and going through all the ups and downs with them along the way."

"I can't help but agree more" Mikoto said softly "and all those ups and downs only strengthen the bond between family."

All three adults nodded their head in agreement as they looked towards the boys they saw in front of them, as if trying to envision what they would be like in the future.

Still bickering away oblivious to their parents observant glances.

Naruto looked at Sasuke, a frown on his face as he raised his eyebrows and pointedly said "You told me that you hated ramen!"

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders as he smirked and said "I was just joking, winding you up...Baka, you're so easy to tease."

"Am not" Naruto replied quickly as he stuck his tongue out a Sasuke.

"Are too" Sasuke replied indifferently.

"Liar Liar pants on fire" Naruto retorted.

"Hey, hey" Mikoto Uchiha said sternly as she looked towards the two boys.

Naruto instinctively moved closer towards his mother thinking that Sasuke's mum was going to get angry with him for arguing with her son but instead she gave Naruto a warm smile and then bent down pinching Sasuke's cheek, which caused him to blush with embarrassment as she said "Sasu-kun, be nice to your dear friend."

"Hn" Sasuke huffed as he turned his head away but his mother just chuckled lightly as she ruffled up his hair and looked towards an amused Naruto saying. "You must be Naruto-kun, it's nice to finally meet you, Sasuke's told me a lot about you."

"Really?" Naruto asked both surprised and pleased.

"Oh yes, I know Sasuke pretends that he's indifferent all the time but really he's not. He really does think of you as a good friend, and he always has nice things to say about you. I thank you Naruto, I don't know why but I know he puts out a kind of chilled exterior at school and that has made it kind of hard for him to make good friends with his classmates. But with you I've seen him slowly changing and it's nice to see, he needs someone like you in his life; a fun spirited, energetic and sweet boy."

Carrying on she said "You should see how he is at home he really is such a sweet heart"

"Mum" Sasuke moaned as he rolled his eyes wanting her to stop, she was always embarrassing him. So he cuddled with her while watching TV or helped her bake cookies, it didn't mean she had to tell the whole world.

Kushina smiled, feeling such happiness from hearing somebody compliment her son like that as she said, "Likewise, Naruto's always calling Sasuke his best friend and it's just so lovely to hear all the fun stories he tells about Sasuke and his other classmates."

Making eye contact with the subdued Uchiha boy Kushina then said, "And I want to thank you Sasuke not only for being Naruto's friend but for helping him out in class. I was talking to Iruka Sensei the other day and he was telling me that you've been helping Naruto in the subjects that he's been struggling with. There's been an improvement in his marks and I think some of that has to do with you."

"Yes thank you" Minato added "Naruto's mentioned that before and he's proudly told us about you and your all around A+ marks, that's really impressive."

Sasuke nodded his head a small smile creeping onto his face when he thought no one was looking.

"He's a smartypants" Naruto said teasingly as he stuck out his tongue to Sasuke when no one was looking, knowing full well that Sasuke hated when he called him that "But I have the higher mark in PE"

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he retorted" Don't be silly, I could beat you in a football match easily"

"Cannot" Naruto replied.

"We'll see about that" Sasuke said with a confident smirk on his face "My brother taught me how to play so I won't lose."

"Well Minato was the best soccer player in middle school and I beat him yesterday when we played" Naruto replied smugly.

"He obviously went easy on you so that you wouldn't cry" Sasuke replied nonchantly.

"He did not! I beat him fair and square, right Minato?" Naruto asked with his big blue eyes full of hope causing Minato to nod his head immediately. "See!" Naruto said.

"Boys come on that's enough, no fighting you two are friends I'm sure you're both skilled at football" Kushina said trying to be the mediator in the argument.

"Hn" they both replied as they frowned at each.

"We're not friends anymore!" Sasuke said.

"We're rivals now!" Naruto replied.

All three adults looked at the two young boys and sighed, undoubtedly thinking; Boys why did they have to be so difficult?

"Can't you be friends and rivals?" Mikoto Uchiha asked her voice full of hope.

"But Naruto and Sasuke shook their head as they said in unison "That's not the ninja way?"

"Ninja?" All three of the adults said clearly confused but neither one of the boys explained so they just dismissed it as some pretend game the boys played.

"Anyway, it was nice meeting you Kushina, Minato and of course you Naruto but Sasuke and I must get going. We were going to surprise his big brother and father at the station. Isn't that what you wanted Sasuke" Mikoto asked as she took the young boys hand in her own. Sasuke nodded his head as Naruto couldn't help but ask "The train station? You didn't tell me your brother went on a trip".

"Oh no not the train station, the police station, hasn't Sasuke told you that his father is the chief of police and that his brother works right under him." Mikoto said sounding proud of both her husband and son.

"Oh" Naruto said "I didn't know that, that's so cool, your brothers a police officer, that's awesome."

Sasuke nodded his head a smile on his face as he said "My brother's the best he's so coo"

Mikoto ruffled up Sasuke's hair affectionately as she said "Sasuke absolutely adores his big brother, he looks up to him and loves him dearly. And Itachi loves him back just as much, I know that if he wasn't so busy with work he'd spend all his time with Sasuke, teaching him new things, helping him out with homework and playing with him like brothers do. When they were younger..."

"Mum come on, we have to go" Sasuke said purposely interrupting and tugging at her hand to try get her to leave before embarrassing him even more in front of Naruto and his parents.

"Ok, ok" she murmured, just before turning to leave she looked towards Kushina and Minato and said " It was really nice talking to you two, what do you say we plan a dinner date or something and get to know each other a bit more"

"That sounds lovely, I'm sure the kids would love that too." Kushina responded, trying not to betray the slight tremor in her voice, caused by the revelation that Sasuke's family was highly involved in the police force.

"Yes, I'm not sure how soon it can be though because my husband and son seem to be really busy at work right now, cracking down on all the criminals. Well I shouldn't really say that should I? Not all the people caught by the police are necessarily bad people or criminals. Some are just everyday people like us who made one bad mistake, one wrong decision. But nevertheless what they did cannot be excused and so like it should that one mistake catches up with them.

Kushina's face paled at Mikoto's words, they were true and what was scary was that they applied to her, it really was worrying. This wasn't fair, that one thought kept circling around in her head. This wasn't fair, it may have been illegal but looking down at Naruto's happy face, how could it be wrong? How could they penalize her for saving a life? Starting to feel dizzy she felt comfort in knowing that Minato's hand was on the small of her back as she looked towards the wife of the man that could have her arrested at any time if the secret was to ever get out.

"Anyway, here let's exchange numbers, I'll give you a call when a date can be determined." Mikoto said friendly, as she took out her phone

There was a long pause as Kushina processed her thoughts, how could she be friends with this lady knowing that her husband or son could take her in for questioning at any given moment. That was just way to stressful and she did not need paranoia right now. But this was also Naruto's best friends family, she couldn't just avoid them or ignore them, that could potentially ruin Naruto's friendship with Sasuke which she didn't want to do that. Also over the short conversation they had just had she quite liked Mikoto and it would do her good to make some friends of her own and get to know the mums a bit more. This was a complete mess, she needed to deny her request to exchange numbers without coming off as rude, at least until she knew what she was going to do.

"Ahh that sounds great", Minato said breaking the silence as he took out his phone so that they could switch numbers.

"Kushina, you left your phone at home right? No need to stay quiet about it you should have just said, we can just use mine" Minato said lightly not knowing how else to explain the silence.

Catching onto his thinking she looked at Mikoto flashing her a weak smile as she quietly said "Sorry, yes I was just embarrassed that I forgot it again".

"Ahh no worries" Mikoto said as she exchanged numbers with Minato and then took off with Sasuke waving goodbye and shouting, "I hope you enjoy your dinner" before turning round the corner.

Once Mikoto and Sasuke were out of view, Minato took Kushina's hand giving it a squeeze as he leaned into her and whispered "Don't worry I know what you're thinking but everything will be ok. It's been months since you've taken Naruto in and nothing's happened and that's how it is going to stay. Anyway what you did wasn't bad."

"It wasn't legal either" Kushina replied. Solemnly

"Mummy come on I want some ramen" Naruto said excitedly interrupting their conversation.

Minato looked at Kushina as he whispered "I know it's hard but just try to push those thoughts out of your mind right now. You came here to treat us so we could all have a happy time and enjoy the best ramen ever so just..."

"I'll try" she said as she squeezed his hand and then smiled down at Naruto and said "Come on then let's go in and eat".