Important: Quite a few people reviewed the last chapter, wondering if Naruto's past would be revealed in this chapter...and it made me wonder if some of my readers are forgetful, didn't read, or didn't receive the notification for chapter 24... Everyone, if you don't know the story of Naruto's past, re-read chapter 24...because it's all explained there!
Happy Re-capping!
Q_Q I cried writing the last bit of this chapter...I really and honestly did. 'Why?' You ask? Simple...that scene is a sad scene, and therefore, to make it (hopefully) naturally sad to you all, I listened to sad songs, and watched depressing vids until I myself was feeling completely sad and emotional and crying and then I sat and wrote that scene...I hope you feel the same emotions I did...else I'd have been sad for nothing. T_T
The songs I listened to were... ALL of the sad soundtracks on the Naruto Shippuden and Naruto soundtrack...and also, one song with lyrics which really made me cry was the song 'Who Am I to Say?' by Hope...God, that song makes me cry everytime I hear it... So yeah...
This entire chapter is in Naruto's POV.
Thank you for all the reviews, I'm so glad you're enjoying this story, but it's not over yet!...quite far from it, actually...
Online!
I sat in the backseat of the Uchiha car, my knees curled up to my chest and my arms wrapped around them. My shoulder was pressed against the window and I let my head rest on my knees to, staring stubbornly at my toes instead of the buildings whizzing past. Sasuke was seated next to me, but I wasn't touching him or him me. His hands were clasped in his lap, but he occasionally reached up to prod and rub at the bandage across his nose. Even though his head was facing forwards, I still saw the glances he sent me, but I ignore him.
It may have been a tad mean, but I was still angry with him. I felt like he'd lied to me by not telling me he knew the truth the moment we could exchange coherent words on Monday. Even if he had kept it from me because I was in hospital and didn't need the extra stress...I'd been begging to know the truth for years and now someone close to me, my own fucking boyfriend, knew and he didn't tell me.
It was annoying. It hurt. And I was going to stay angry until he'd told me the story.
Plus it was kind of amusing to watch him squirm.
Oh yes, I am evil. But after everything that I've been through, I think I have the right to take on the role of the villain for once.
Sitting beside Sasuke was Itachi, wearing his usual stoic 'I-can-kill-you-with-a-single-thought-for-I-am-Darth-Vader' face. I kept an ear open for the heavy, electronic breathing to start any minute. Mikoto was sitting in the front seat, her worried gaze washing over me every now and then much like Sasuke's 'secret' glances. Fugaku just kept his eyes on the road the entire time, and I would've almost believed he'd forgotten I was even there if it weren't for his glancing at me in the rear-view mirror at a stop sign.
There was silence in the car as we drove onwards towards the Uchiha house, and I wasn't sure if the silence was tense or awkward. Either way it was there and it wasn't looking to go away anytime soon.
Sasuke was rigid in the seat beside me, almost as if he was made of stone despite the occasional movement of his arm or his eyes. Itachi turned his gaze out the window next to him, one palm pressing against his mouth as his elbow rested against the door. His other arm moved slowly upwards until his hand was level with Sasuke's face. I was watching out of the corner of my eye, wondering what the devil had planned.
Sasuke seemed to notice the movement too, since he tilted his head towards Itachi and I imagined him curving one of his eyebrows like he usually did.
"What're you-" Whatever Sasuke was going to ask was cut off when Itachi pressed his palm flat against his face and shoved. I gasped in surprise while Sasuke grunted as he fell backwards in his seat, his head landing against my stomach while his hands shot out to grab at the top of the seat for balance.
"Ouch! What the hell Itachi?.!" Sasuke snarled, one hand reaching up to cover his bandaged nose gingerly. I stared over at Itachi while Mikoto twisted her head around to look at us.
"What's going on? Itachi, why did you push your brother?" she asked, frowning.
Without even taking his eyes off the window, Itachi smirked under his palm.
"He was invading my breathing space." He said nonchalantly.
Sasuke growled, trying to claw his way upright again. "Oh, you won't need your precious 'breathing space' when I'm through with you!" He snarled, hands already twitching towards Itachi's neck.
"Boys, come on. Is this really the time for this?" Mikoto sighed, reaching one hand up to rub at her temple in annoyance. "We're almost home. You two can play around with the paintball guns in the garden again(1), or something if you want, but for now we need to get Naruto-kun nice and settled." She smiled at me and I couldn't help but offer a small one back.
I knew that Mikoto and Fugaku and Itachi also knew the truth, but I couldn't be mad at Mikoto. She was just too sweet. Itachi I could be mad at, but I'd be a cooked turkey before I tried to get him angry. Prankster Itachi was bad enough; I didn't even want to imagine him coming at me in anger.
And Fugaku...well, Itachi is his spawn which means he must be even worse. I did not want to even think about making him mad at me because the outcome would most likely be a slow and torturous death.
Beside me, Sasuke nodded reluctantly, and sat himself upright. However, he sat closer to me than to Itachi and I let him. I wouldn't want to invade Itachi's breathing space again.
The car grew silent once more, and Sasuke was sitting as rigid as a board once again. I furrowed my brows in annoyance as we neared the more suburban areas. When Sasuke sat like that, it was literally like sitting next to a large, teetering block of stone, or a log or something. No wonder Itachi grew tired of it.
"Teme." I mumbled into my knees, and Sasuke's head snapped around to look at me. I barely concealed a smirk. Sasuke could be kind of cute when he was nervous. "Would you like me to remove that tree trunk from your butt for you?" I asked, raising my eyebrow in mock question.
Sasuke blinked before scowling and crossing his arms. He slumped in his seat, staring ahead with a grumpy expression.
"I do not have a tree trunk up my butt." He growled.
"A Roman Column then." I supplied and Sasuke sent me a dark glare. But I could see the slight relief in his eyes, and immediately I turned away. If I saw him looking relieved, my resolve would crumble.
I was such a softie, but I couldn't afford that now. Not when I was so close to finding out the truth at last. I couldn't let Sasuke relax until I'd gotten every last bit of information out of him.
It was the sudden jerking of the car that alerted me to the fact we'd arrived at the Uchiha house. I looked through the window at the two story house and a sense of comfort and security washed over me. This place felt...like home.
Fugaku stepped out of the car, Mikoto following as well as Itachi. The oldest Uchiha turned to look at me through the glass, and offered that trademark smirk.
"If you're expecting me to open the door for you, you're in for a disappointing time." Fugaku said before turning. "Itachi, get his things from the trunk."
Through the window, I saw Itachi raise one of his delicately plucked eyebrows.
"If you're expecting me to play bellhop for him, you're in for a disappointing ti-"
"Get the bag, or eat my cooking. You're choice, son." Fugaku cut in smoothly.
Itachi didn't say a word as he opened the trunk and grabbed the bag with the few supplies I had before making his way to the house, a smirking Fugaku following behind.
Mikoto waited for me to get out before placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. I looked up at her while Sasuke climbed out of the car, and blinked at the sadness swirling in her eyes.
"Naruto-kun...I understand you are anxious to know about what happened in the past..." she said softly so that only I could hear. "But I just want you to know...no matter what you may think...She loved you very much. They both did."
Without another word, she leant over and kissed my forehead before swiftly walking towards the house.
I stared after her, confused. What was she talking about? 'She loved you very much?' Who?
My hand came up to rub at the spot she'd kissed, and I stared ahead blankly, trying to decipher what she was talking about. A hesitant touch to my shoulder made me look around at Sasuke, who stood waiting for me to walk.
"We should go inside and get you settled." He said slowly. I nodded and we walked towards the front door. Sasuke kept his hand on my shoulder.
I decided to let him.
The Uchiha house was just like I remembered it, the walls and hallways the same as well as every room. Of course it hadn't been too long since I'd stepped foot inside, but I guess I had just somehow expected it to change a bit.
I guess I guessed wrong.
I followed Sasuke down the hall and up the stairs. Itachi was on his way down, obviously having dropped off my bag. As he passed us on the stares, he paused and turned to us.
Sasuke and I looked at him carefully, wondering what he had planned. I sincerely hoped he wasn't planning on pushing us down the stairs. I just got out of hospital, thank you very much.
Itachi smirked and reached both his arms up. In a move that was way too fast to be human, he reached out and flicked us both on the forehead, right between our eyes. I pressed my fingers to the spot, feeling the tingle of the hit, and just stared at him. His sanity was now officially under question.
Sasuke snarled, slapping Itachi's hand away. "Dammit, we're not five you know." He muttered. Itachi's smirk never left his face as he continued down the stairs.
"Oh, and Naruto-kun?"
I looked down at him to see the serious look in his eyes, despite the teasing smirk on his lips.
I swear, only an Uchiha could pull that off.
"...Yes?"
"If my foolish little brother fails to explain things clearly, you may come to any of us, and we will answer your questions to the best of our abilities." Itachi said, blatantly ignoring Sasuke's mutters of where Itachi could shove a large, prickly object.
I nodded slowly, and smiled. "Yeah. Thanks." I muttered before turning and following my grumbling boyfriend up the stairs.
We walked down the hall, and I was surprised when we passed Sasuke's bedroom instead of stopping.
"I'm not staying in your room?" I asked. Sasuke looked over his shoulder, smirking slightly.
"No, sadly not. My father thought it would be...inappropriate." he said, his tone as suggestive as those condom ads you see on T.V.
I stared at him blankly, letting him know I was not in the mood for that sort of talk or jokes, and his smirk faltered before he sighed.
"Naruto...I know you want to know about your past...and I understand that you're upset with me...but..." he hesitated, stopping outside a door one door away from his own. "..I really didn't want to hurt you." He finished, looking at me steadily. His eyes were pleading and regretful, and I could practically see flowers sprouting around him.
Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair, wincing when I touched a bump from the incident.
"I know, Sasuke. I know you didn't do it to hurt me, but it did. I've wanted to know the truth for so long. And it's not just a little secret. It's the reason behind why I've been hated and despised by everyone." I stared right into his eyes. "Isn't that right?"
He swallowed, nodding. "Yeah...It's...It's so fucking stupid if you ask me." He grit out, clenching the door handle.
I walked up beside him, placing my hand on top of his. "I just want to know. I want to finally know what it is. Because maybe...maybe then I can actually do something to change it." I whispered, my eyes trained on our hands.
I heard Sasuke's intake of breath beside me, before his other arm came up and wrapped around my shoulders. I kept my eyes down even as I felt him place a soft kiss to my temple. His actions only made me wonder what the story was even more. Why were his arms shaking slightly after my words? And why did that kiss feel like a...reassurance?
"...I understand." Sasuke said, and he pushed the door open.
The room was pretty simple, with white walls and a pale blue carpet. There was a double bed with ocean blue sheets by the window, two oak-wood side tables beside it. A chest of drawers was in one corner, and there were several books stacked on top of it neatly. My bag was sitting at the foot of the bed.
But what caught my eye the most was the plush toy sitting innocently on the bed. It was a cuddly looking fox holding a small, white, star-shaped object with a pink swirl on the middle.
"...Is that fox eating...me?" I inquired, tilting my head. Sasuke frowned, looking down at the thing.
"I'm not sure what that's doing there. I haven't seen it before." He said slowly.
There was a light rap behind us, and I jumped, turning around to see Mikoto leaning against the door frame. Her presence wouldn't have concerned me if it weren't for that sad smile on her face as she looked at me.
"I put that there. It's a gift for Naruto-kun." She explained, her voice soft. I blinked and turned back to the toy. I walked over and sat down on the bed, picking it up. It was incredibly soft, and I could easily picture hugging it in my sleep, since it was so cuddly. I smiled down at it, running my finger over its snout. It was only then that I realized it looked quite old. Although it was clean, the colour was faded slightly, and the edges were a bit to ruffed to be new. However, the eyes looked as if they'd been sewn on yesterday.
And they were blue.
"It's quite old." Mikoto whispered, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her. Both she and Sasuke sat down on the bed with me, Sasuke listening to his mother and Mikoto looking at me intently. "It belonged to a dear friend of mine a long time ago." She added.
I felt Sasuke tense up, and looked over at them both suspiciously. "Thank you Mikoto, but...if it belonged to a dear friend, why are you giving it to me? Surely you'd like to keep it as a memento?" I asked.
Mikoto's smile grew even sadder, and I felt my chest clenching in warning.
"Ah well...I've got enough memento's of her...and I know that she'd want you to have this."
Now I was very apprehensive, especially since with each word Mikoto spoke, Sasuke grew more and more tense and her eyes looked more and more ready to leak tears.
"...What is going on?" I whispered, alarms going off in my mind that this was big.
This was the moment of truth, so to speak.
Sasuke sighed. "Mother...are you going to stay?" he asked quietly.
Mikoto laid her hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Yes. I think it is best one of us is here with you, don't you agree?" she answered, her gaze never leaving mine. Sasuke nodded, turning to look at me.
I felt my hands clench tighter around the fox, and it was becoming harder and harder to hold their gazes.
Sasuke moved closer until he was sitting to my right, in full view of my face. Mikoto sat right in front of me, her long legs crossed like a girl at a sleepover. But I knew this was far from something so enjoyable.
A voice in my head was screaming that I mustn't listen. That I must just go on without knowing the truth. That it would be easier.
But I'd wanted this for so long, I couldn't back out now.
It was time.
"Naruto...I suppose...the best place to start is..." Sasuke looked around the room, as though the best place to start would magically be written on the walls. I waited, tense and anxious, but paitently.
After a few minutes of Sasuke struggling to find the place to begin, Mikoto sighed.
"It begins with your parents." She supplied softly.
My heart froze along with my body and my eyes stretched to inhuman size.
"M-my...p-parents?" I stammered. A familiar feeling of sadness sliced at my insides at the mention of them. At the mention of people I'd never gotten the chance to know...
"Yes. We knew them, Naruto-kun. Fugaku was your father's best friend, and I...I was best friends with your mother." Mikoto said sadly, her eyes locking onto the plush toy in my hands.
My entire body felt cold as I turned my gaze to the innocent toy, looking up at me with those glass blue eyes.
This toy...
"T-this...belonged to m-my m-mother?" I stammered, staring at the thing. My hands were shaking even as I caressed the soft fur.
"Yes. It was one of her favourite toys when we were younger, and she had planned..." Mikoto took a breath. "She had planned to give it to you on your fifth birthday. She left it with me for safekeeping...and she wanted me to sew on new eyes. She...wanted me to sew eyes the same colour as her baby boy's."
The...new eyes. The sky blue eyes on the toy.
I saw the teardrop darken the fabric fur before I heard the shaky breath flow out of my mouth. My shoulders were shaking with repressed sobs, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the toy.
This had belonged to my mother. This was something real, something she touched. Something she cherished.
Something she gave to me.
"W...What was her name?" I asked, feeling more tears leak down my face.
It was Sasuke's voice that answered, his tone quiet and filled with more emotion than I'd ever heard.
"Her name...was Uzumaki Kushina."
Uzumaki Kushina.
My mother.
I clutched the toy closer, biting my lip to hold back the sobs. The part of me that had, for so long, wanted proof that I even had a mother...that I had someone to call that...was breaking down.
My mother, Kushina.
Sasuke's arms were around me, but I couldn't feel them. All I could feel was the small object in my arms, and the pain in my heart.
"W-what happened to her? A-and my f-father? Where are t-they?" I stuttered.
Sasuke made a pained noise, and I found it so hard to look at him. When I did, I wished I hadn't. The look on his face...it physically hurt.
"Naruto...I'm sorry...but they're...gone. They died... a long time ago." He forced out, his voice weak.
I had always known, really. I had always figured that they were dead. I'm sure Tsunade and Jiraiya had even told me, but...there had always been a tiny, tiny hope that they were wrong.
I had hoped that there were parents out there for me to find.
But now...now I knew it was definite.
And it hurt.
Breathing was so hard right now, and I tried to control the tears, but they kept coming.
"H-How?" the question was whispered, but I felt Sasuke tense; I saw Mikoto bite her painted lips. I felt my heart shatter a bit more.
"It was...a horrible accident." Mikoto said. "Kushina...she...she made a mistake."
Sasuke tightened his hold on me, and I didn't even bother asking. He would have to tell me, and I would have to listen. I clutched the toy tighter.
"Naru...You're mother and father had been out of Konoha for three years, following your dad's work. He was a motivational speaker." Sasuke added, a weak attempt at a humour in his tone. I sniffed in response.
"W-what was his name?"
"Namikaze Minato." Sasuke replied gently. I nodded, running the name over my tongue.
The name of my father.
"You know, you look just like him." Mikoto said with a watery smile. "Expect for the shape of your eyes. Minato's eyes were quite narrow, but you've got Kushina's wide puppy eyes." She said.
I gave a feeble laugh, reaching up to rub at my eyes. Tears smeared across my hand, and I leant closer to Sasuke, trying to find comfort in his warmth.
"But anyway...They'd been away from Konoha. However, they called my parent's to say that they would be coming back soon. They took a train home. You were three at the time." Sasuke continued. "I...I don't really know the details, since I obviously wasn't there...but it seems Kushina went a bit...crazy."
I stiffened, fingers digging into the toy in my hands. "What do you mean 'crazy'?" I asked darkly.
Mikoto sighed. "Naruto...this is going to be hard to swallow. It's hard to say." She took a deep breath, bracing herself. "...Kushina had a drug addiction. To heroin and others...maybe many others. We can't know for sure. But she was addicted, and it was so bad."
I felt empty, hollow. My mother had been a drug addict?
"Apparently, she had run out of her supply during the train ride. When they were nearing Konoha station, she...she freaked out because she didn't have any and she was desperately craving the next fix. She grabbed you...and she rampaged through the train."
What was this feeling? This level of pain?
"Minato...your dad tried to stop her, but she just kept going. When they arrived at the station, everyone was running off the train to get away from her. She...she assaulted one of the guards and took his gun."
That distant sound in the back of my mind...what was it? It sounded like...waves crashing ashore?
No...
That wasn't it.
"Everyone in the station...they started panicking, of course. Everyone was running away, and it was chaos. People got hurt and Kushina ran outside. Minato followed her."
It wasn't the sound of waves...
It was the sound of a crowd, screaming.
My eyes had closed as Sasuke continued to tell the story, and now...now I could see something. Something that I'd long ago forgotten.
Something that I'd long ago buried under the guise of strange nightmares.
Screaming crowds and chaos everywhere. Faces filled with fear flashing past, and so much screaming.
And through it all, the feeling of being held to a warm chest.
"Kushina got on a bus, and hijacked it, holding the gun to the driver and ordering him to drive her to a certain place. We...we think it might be a place she could get more of her drugs."
A vision of a woman...with long red hair.
"Minato managed to get on the bus and tried to talk to her, but she was just so far gone."
A deep, fearful voice talking quickly while gentle hands tried to reach out. The arms clutching me closer to that warm chest, heaving with heavy breaths.
And through it all, the fear clawing at my chest, and the desire to get away.
"Minato...he tried to get the gun away from her. He tried to get you away from her." I barely felt Sasuke's shuddery breath. I barely felt anything. I was so lost in the sounds and flashes of memories in my mind.
I knew they were memories. Memories I'd buried so deep in my subconscious that they'd only managed to emerge in the form of vague nightmares.
"They fought...and in the end, Minato...was killed."
Blood.
I could see it.
Pained blue eyes, tears streaming down rapidly paling cheeks. And a voice, weak and soft to the screams around it carrying on.
"I love you, Kushina. I love you Naruto...I always will."
It hurt so much.
And I could remember.
The sobs of pure agony coming from the woman holding me.
"Minato...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...Oh God, what have I done?"
"At some point you'd managed to get away, and you crawled over to the bus driver, crying. Kushina turned around and saw you, and she ended up shooting the driver too."
"No...that's wrong." I whispered, my eyes still shut tightly.
I heard Sasuke and Mikoto make confused sounds, and slowly I opened my eyes, tears flowing down my cheeks. Mikoto had a few tear tracks as well, and Sasuke's eyes were filled with sadness.
"What do you mean?" Mikoto asked.
"I can...I can remember some of it now." I whispered, my voice sounding hoarse with tears and pain. I held the fox toy closer, my eyes unseeing of the people around me anymore.
"I wasn't dropped. After Mi..Dad was shot, Ku...Mom put me down. I crawled away to get away from the loud noises, and I went to the front of the bus. The driver...when he saw me by his feet, he got a fright. He accidentally kicked me, and I screamed. Mom...she turned around and saw me clutching at his leg and he was panicking. She stepped forwards..." I took a shuddery breath, the memories more painful than the death grip Sasuke now had on my shoulders. "I don't remember much other than seeing her running towards me and feeling the bus sliding and crashing. And then...then I was surrounded by warmth."
Mikoto had her hands over her mouth, tears streaming over her fingers. I knew I was no better. Breathing was hard, and the pain in my heart was excruciating. Sasuke was holding me tightly, but his warmth was nothing...nothing compared to the memory.
I lifted my head weakly, looking directly at Mikoto. "...I was in my mother's arms when she died...wasn't I?" I asked, my voice less than a whisper.
Her nod was so slow, it was almost invisible. Her hand shook as she pulled them away from her mouth.
"T-the bus had crashed into the station and c-caused an explosion. A lot of people died, but the search and rescue crew found K-Kushina and you under rubble...She was clutching you to her chest so tightly."
I closed my eyes, letting Sasuke hold me closer, and his lips pressing against my forehead.
"I understand what you meant before, Mikoto." I whispered and took a deep breath. "M-My mom did love me...they both did. R-right up to the e-end."
And then I broke down, held in the arms of Sasuke and Mikoto as I cried the tears I'd saved for my parents, for my past and for the truth.
*sitting in emo corner*
Juura: WAAAAAAAH! *sobs*
Kao: *pats her shoulder gently* there there sensei...It's alright...
Juura: *presses face into his chest* WAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Kao: =.='' oh dear... *turns head* LITTLE BRO! WE NEED RAMEN, POCKY, AND A WHOLE LOT OF PLUSHIES OVER HERE!
