Dangerous Lives Chapter 37: The End Of Pain, a naruto fanfic

Dangerous Lives

Chapter 34

The End Of Pain

Kankuro did not give compliments easily, though he would endlessly go on about the benefits of people's blood line traits if they were beneficial, and with Minato's eyes, they had found the entrance to the mountain easily. There hidden under the layers of rock and sand they devised a plan. There were seven men in total, Kankuro, Minato, three ANBU and two Jonin. The ANBU who were trained specifically in staying under the radar would sneak in, incapacitate three of the men and steal their uniforms and would go in under cover. Kankuro would make a diversion with the two Jonin and they would act like a normal cell of shinobi who just happened to happen upon the hideout, and Minato would sneak in, and using his Byakugan he would locate Naminé and get her out.

They were going to time it, because Minato said he could get her out in ten minutes or less, and when that time was up, the ANBU were going to start taking out every person they seen, right along with Kankuro and the two Jonin. At this point in time Gaara should have already arrived, and after he dealt with the leader Itami, he would join the rest of them after setting off the letter bombs, wiping the hide out off the map.

The ANBU were the first to make their move, and Minato watched using his Byakugan as they incapacitated and killed three of the guards of the hideout.

"It's time to move." Minato said crouching and readying himself to run to the hidden shaft covered by sand.

"Good luck, bring her back Minato." Kankuro said putting a hand on the teen's shoulder before he and the two Jonin headed towards the other side of the hideout where they had seen patrolling forces. Quickly Minato ran towards the hidden entrance, and pulling it open just enough for him to slip into it, he entered the dark hallway. With his Byakugan activated he could see most of everything on the floors above and below him.

On the current floor there was a flurry of activity in the direction of Kankuro and the Jonin, the floor below him had about ten or so people but they didn't seem to be doing much of anything other than cleaning, so Minato felt comfortable enough to ignore them, and on the lowest floor there were three figures, two with large amounts of chakra, and one with chakra patterns being swirled and barred. Knowing that must be Naminé, Minato began heading down the hall easily finding stairs to a lower level.

It seemed that the commotion from above had caught the attention of the two people below for they both left the room and began heading in opposite directions, one much faster and in more of a hurry than the other. Immediately Minato recognized the taller of the two as Itami and headed in his direction. Just as the man was at the foot of the stairs Minato stuck his hand into his pocket, and clenching the necklace tightly he pushed his chakra through it feeling as the metal reacted and began heating up in his palm.

The moment Gaara arrived, Minato led the way motioning for him to follow as he raced towards the stairs, and running he jumped off the wall passing the man in a flash as he hurried down the stairs, hearing the sound of the sands along the stone walls and the clashing of metal.

O0o0o0

She could hear them talking, the only reason that she knew it wasn't the shadows was because she recognized their voices.

"Itami, it's been a full week, much longer and her body will shut down and she'll die. You need her alive." Gekido said. Naminé could hear the movement, and felt as his hand touched her face lifting her eyelid and looking into her brown eyes with his black ones.

"Her dilation is getting sluggish, any longer and she really will die here."

"We'll have her here one more day, and if not we'll put her back in the isolation tank. Now go upstairs, I can hear a commotion." She heard the door open as both men left. The shadows were stirring around creeping towards her once again as the fire was dying. The shadows were approaching as the door opened.

Naminé could feel the pain in her shoulders lessen as she was lowered down, now flatfooted on the ground instead of standing on her toes. A shadowy figure was standing in front of her, and Naminé just stared at it. The shadows were alive, and now this one was touching her cheek so gently. Closing her eyes she savored the feeling of it, it was the nicest thing she'd felt in months. It was moving, reaching around her and fiddling with the contraption on her neck and gently lifting her head and removing it.

The moment the shadow's touch left her chin Naminé allowed her head to drop, her eyes still closed and now just refusing to open as the need for sleep loomed over her. She felt as the shadow continued to hover around, and suddenly she felt a warmth against her skin as it embraced her, lifting her from the ground as she rested against it, the sharp pain in her shoulders all but receding to a dull throbbing.

Then like magic, her arms were free, and for the first time in days she could actually see them as she collapsed against the shadow as it supported her with the utmost gentleness as her tiredness grew heavier. It held her head gently, and Naminé felt as she was laid down on the ground, her hand was held firmly, her left hand, the same hand as her throbbing shoulder was being pulled and rotated until she felt the pop that made her cry out in pain. Even the pain couldn't make her open her eyes. She could feel it once again, the gentleness as she was lifted from the ground, cradled in a pair of arms as brightness shone through her closed eyes.

'This must be it, this must be what dying feels like…I have to be dying…' the redhead thought feeling so much relief pour through her body.

"I'm dying…" she breathed feeling as the shadow carrying her froze. "Thank the gods I'm finally dying…"

It was the last thing she said before the darkness of sleep overwhelmed her.

O0o0o0

His eyes were sore, and knowing that the only person in the room was hanging by their arms, Minato deactivated his Byakugan and quickly pulled the door open. Immediately he spotted the redhead standing, trembling on the tips of her toes. Looking around he spotted the mechanism that raised and lowered the chain that held her in place. Carefully he lowered her until her feet were flat on the ground, and hurried over. Her face was gaunt and her eyes stared without seeing, Minato cupped her cheek, and instantly her eyes closed as she let out a soft breath pressing her cheek into his palm. Minato looked down and spotted the metal instrument that was forcing her head up and was quick to unbuckle it lifting her head just enough so he could pull the metal that had been lodged in her skin free from it. Immediately her head fell forward.

Crouching down Minato wrapped his arms around her legs and lifted Naminé up so he could access the chains on her wrists easily able to pick them unlocked, and the moment she was free of them did he notice the strange way her arm hung as Naminé collapsed against him. Her left arm was dislocated, and knowing it had to be put back into place Minato lay her carefully down on the ground, his hand cushioning her head as he gently removed it, taking her arm in his grasp, and holding her hand tightly as he began re-positioning it feeling as it popped back into place as she let out a yelp of pain, other than that Naminé didn't respond.

Carefully Minato lifted her cradling her against his chest feeling as she rested her head against him sighing in relief with her eyes closed.

"I'm dying…" she breathed sounding so heart brokenly relieved, and hearing this Minato froze looking at her examining her with his Byakugan for any proof that she was slipping away from him as she spoke once again. "Thank the gods I'm finally dying." Quickly Minato began rubbing her cheek.

"We're going home, you're not dead yet, we're gonna go home and you'll be safe and happy, but for now Naminé, just sleep." Minato said softly watching as her chest rose and fell with her breaths. "Just sleep." He whispered kissing the top of her head.

O0o0o0

The battle was fierce, that was the one thing that was immediately clear to Minato as he carried Naminé through the halls, there were kunai, shuriken, and splatters of blood all along the corridor. He'd taken a different route to avoid the still waging battle between the Kazekage and Itami. He was now on the main level, and he'd made it back to the place he'd entered, and after checking that the area was secure Minato pushed the door, opening it as he carried Naminé back to the rendezvous point.

He'd been the first one back, and on his arrival the first thing Minato did was grab her necklace and lace it with his chakra making it burn into his palm. This was supposed to set off the final stage of the plan, but Minato had a sickening feeling that everything was not going according to plan.

It had been decided that once they returned to the rendezvous point and were declared to be safe via the necklace, the hide out would be blown sky high by the letter bombs that the ANBU had been placing all over key areas as they snuck around. Gaara would then flood the place with his sand, leaving no survivors able to escape. They had a system, and as Minato began timing the ten minutes they had to follow through, all that was left to do was wait.

With time to kill Minato began examining the girl in his arms looking for any other injuries, he knew there would be new scars, he'd expected them to be there. There were very dark circles under her eyes, and immediately Minato knew that the newest form of torture for her had to have been sleep deprivation. He'd seen Ibiki delve into that and the results were honestly something that had reminded him of stories of what Orochimaru had done to people, needless to say it was scary how it affected the human body.

Minato checked the four puncture wounds she had from that metal device around her neck two were just under her chin, and the other two were just below her collar bone. Immediately he noticed the colored discharge and knew they were infected. Minato knew that the heat wouldn't help them either.

Wetting a cloth with the water from his canteen and being sure not to waste any he began cleaning the four puncture wounds flushing them out before putting an antibacterial salve from her mother on them. Minato checked the time, there was five minutes still left to wait.

"I'm sorry Naminé, I'm sorry it took so long to find you." He said softly holding her tighter in his arms. "I never stopped looking for you, you know. Everyone told me to just stop, that I was going to kill myself over it, but I just knew. I knew that you were still out there, that you needed my help. I don't know how I knew, but I just did. Even this, this mission…I figured everything out after months of work. Still, I'm sorry it took so long, I couldn't give up, I wouldn't give up…not on you."

Naminé was still tucked in his arms when Minato remembered the sealed block on her chakra. Lying her down on the cool shaded sand Minato activated his Byakugan and began inspecting the chakra seal. Immediately he'd recognized it, it was a chakra repression seal that was taught to ANBU members, it was the same one Aya had been using on him to be sure that he wouldn't be using any chakra in their fights, it was a brutal yet effective method.

Forming the proper hand signs with chakra glowing at the tips of his fingers Minato released the seal watching as it slowly diminished as chakra began to circulate through the redhead's body once again. He checked the time and there were two minutes left for the plan to be finished. Minato continued to hold the redhead tightly. They didn't have a backup plan that he knew about, his part of the plan was just to get in and free Naminé. What happens if somebody was held up? What happens if the bombs went off and Gaara was still inside fighting Itami?

It's not that Minato doubted Gaara's fighting capabilities, there was a reason he was a Kage after all, but sometimes things happened that held up a mission. Sometimes people weren't in their places, or out in time, or even enemies were stronger than originally thought, or there were more enemies than originally planned…or sometimes even people fell into traps. His mind had gone haywire, and checking the time once again Minato blinked in shock, it was five minutes after detonation time.

Quickly he activated his Byakugan and focused towards the hide out, Kankuro, the Jonin, and two of the three ANBU were heading towards him, but there was no sign of the Kazekage among them. Lifting Naminé Minato raced towards them.

"Is Gaara with you?" Kankuro asked as they hurried over, and feeling dread course through him Minato passed the girl in his arms to her uncle and raced towards the hideout.

"I'll find him, give me five minutes before I set off the detonation or you do it!" he shouted over his shoulder as he raced through the hidden entrance activating his Byakugan once again. He looked upwards scanning the upper levels that he could see, and seeing nothing he turned his gaze downwards spotting the battle raging below as he ran towards it.

So this is what had held him up, there were dozens and dozens of them along with Itami all going at the Kazekage at the same time, and knowing that despite any amount of strength one could be over powered by sheer numbers Minato raced down the stairs leaping over the railing and booking it down the hall. One thing that was bugging him more than anything though, was why was the Kazekage fighting by hand? He like Naminé used his sand…unless…

Minato focused on the center of the fight as he neared it and was shocked, because somehow they'd managed to block off his chakra in its entirety. Entering the chamber Minato felt the sand gritting under his shoes and could hear the squelch of blood. The smell of death was overwhelming and grabbing a kunai the first thing he did was sink it into the neck of one of the men that had raced towards him, and palming his chest he blasted him away with a Juken strike to the heart before diving into the fray.

He fought fiercely and minutes later their kunai locked, lavender Hyuga eyes met the sea foam green eyes of the Kazekage. Instantly they were back to back fighting the oncoming fray.

"Where's Naminé?" Gaara asked dodging a slash from an oncoming Kunai, and grabbing the man's wrist he broke it using the man's own kunai to eviscerate him.

"She's with Kankuro! Cover your back!" Minato shouted dodging into the group of men watching as Gaara blocked the man behind him, and quickly preforming a rotation he blasted the majority of his side away. It gave Minato enough time to form the seals he needed, and racing over he rammed his shoulder into the stomach of the man Gaara was in battle with the same time as he slammed his hand into the Kazekage's stomach.

"SAND! NOW! USE IT!" The bluenette yelled kicking the heavier man off him rolling to avoid the kunai aimed at his head. Moments later the man attacking him was grabbed by the chakra infused sand and flung to the far side of the room. Now the battle shifted sides becoming a massacre, and it was then that Minato spotted him lurking in the shadows slowly approaching the Kazekage preparing to strike.

Racing over the blue haired teen bowled him over feeling a stabbing pain, and in the process he was slammed to the ground.

"ENOUGH!" The older man shouted as the fight came to a halt, everyone froze, and turning Gaara faced them spotting the teen on the ground with the blade in his chest. "Any sudden movements Kazekage, and the boy dies." Itami growled. "His aorta is at the end of my blade that is death in seconds if severed."

"Kill him!" Minato snapped earning both of their attentions. "Kill him or I will!"

"You're in no position to make threats boy, you're nothing but a liability."

"That's never stopped me before!" Minato grunted feeling the sharp blade in his chest.

"Minato DO NOT move!" Gaara shouted assessing the situation.

'This is not happening, he was right, I'm just a liability…just a mission risk because of who I am, who I'm related to…' Minato watched as the men went back and forth, he being the leverage, though he didn't take in anything they were saying, then he watched as Gaara stepped forward, his sand armor dropping from his body as he tossed his kunai aside.

"No…" he breathed watching wide eyed as the men approached the red headed man who looked determined, steadfast in his decision. This wasn't happening. This was not happening…not for him. Bringing as much chakra as possible into his hand, Minato slammed it into the man's chest sending him flying as he felt a searing pain where the blade was wrenched from his chest, watching as a stream of blood followed.

"I am NOT a LIABILITY!" he shouted jumping to his feet, a hand on his chest and racing towards the man who'd been pinning him as he began a single handed Juken assault blocking his chakra points one by one until he sent the fatal blow to the man's heart using far more chakra than necessary, his vision was flickering, but the blue haired teen watched as the man's heart exploded from the immense amounts of chakra.

Itami had coughed up blood and dropped to the floor, but that wasn't enough for the teen as he continued to pummel his body until every single cell in his chakra system was destroyed beyond repair. If he lived, if he succeeded in the impossible task of living, remaining a shinobi would be impossible. He turned watching as Gaara crushed the last of the men with his sand, and with his hand still on his chest, Minato could feel the blood under his palm, he was getting light headed and knew they needed to get out of here.

"Let's move!" Minato shouted watching as the final man was crushed, the Kazekage turning to face him as he hurried over. Minato led the way knowing the quickest way out of the hide out, and slamming his hand on the paper bomb, he activated them and raced down the hall. Gaara was faster than he was and it got to the point where he was calling out directions to the door.

"Straight ahead!" The bluenette called out as black spots began overwhelming his vision. His hand was saturated in blood as he held it over the wound, and stumbling he'd made it through the door just as the explosions went off. Gaara was far off ahead of him, and stumbling again Minato hit the sandy ground hard his vision nothing but spots feeling as the ground shook beneath him. Slowly his world turned black.

O0o0o0

Gaara raced through the sands, and at last check, Minato was right behind him.

"I have to give you credit, you've grown exponentially since we've last met and- Gaara turned seeing nothing but air where the blue haired teen had been, and whipping around he spotted him lying still on the ground just as the explosions went off. Immediately he raced over, his sand forming a protective dome over the teen as debris crashed around him. The moment he'd grabbed him, Gaara spotted the puddle of blood that had stained the sand beneath him. Pulling the teen over his shoulder Gaara raced towards the rendezvous point. He'd spotted them the moment he'd gotten close enough for them to hear his footsteps in the shifting sands.

Kankuro had stuck his head out, but before he could say anything Gaara cut him off.

"Where's the medic?!"

"We lost him what happened?"

"Is Naminé up? Wake her up we need a medic now." The red head said urgently as he cut Minato's shirt off with a kunai digging around until he found gauze and quickly began packing the wound on his chest with it.

"She hasn't woken yet." Kankuro said watching as his younger brother looked around frantically for something that could help as he tried waking his niece.

"Kankuro, I don't heal things, what are we going to do? At this rate he's going to die!" Gaara said quickly feeling as his cool was slipping.

Kankuro watched as Naminé's eyes flickered open, though it was obvious that her staying conscious was going to be a problem.

"U-uncle?"

"Naminé, I need you to try and stay awake, can you do that? Minato needs you." The puppeteer said urgently watching as concern flickered in her eyes.

"Minato?"

"I need you to try and heal him, Minato's hurt, he's hurt badly and he needs you to heal him Naminé." Gaara said quickly watching as slowly her head turned to face him.

"Daddy?" She blinked turning over on her side and immediately spotting the bluenette, she pushed herself up, Kankuro supporting her.

O0o0o0

Everything was dreamlike, and there was blood so much blood. Her father's hands were on Minato's chest and they were covered in in the sticky red fluid.

"M-Minato?" her vision was flickering, but knowing he needed help she focused her chakra, preparing for the excruciating pain to start in her stomach though it never came. Her hands glowed green as she held them shakily over her father's, and began focusing on the wound.

"Move…, dad, hands move…" Naminé said sounding exhausted as she pushed her father's hands, gauze and all away from the wound on Minato's chest. She focused her chakra as much as she could watching her vision grow fuzzy and her hands dimming. Suddenly she felt hands on her shoulders and a voice in her ear startling her awake.

"Naminé you can do this." Gaara said softly watching as the green chakra around her hands strengthened in brightness. "You can do this, you're going to save him. Minato fought to save you, he saved me, and now you're saving him. He needs you." He watched as the wound began closing, the blood flow slowing until it stopped, the visible wound closing up completely. The glow dissipated from her hands and Naminé leaned forward, her hands on Minato's face leaving smears of blood on his cheeks.

"You did so good Little One, you can rest now, he'll be okay now." Gaara said still holding her up, but now Naminé leaned downwards, her hands still resting on his face as she kissed his forehead before collapsing in exhaustion.

"Will he be okay Gaara?" Kankuro asked looking from Minato on the ground to Naminé who was being held up by her father.

"I don't know. We have to get out of here. I want you to carry Naminé, I'll bring Minato in, he's in the most danger right now." Gaara said lifting the teen as his sand began swirling around the group of ninja. It had taken a great amount of chakra but the group arrived just outside the gates of Suna, and quickly they entered hurrying towards the hospital.

O0o0o0

The sound of beeping was what woke her, the room smelled clinical and for the first time in days Naminé felt sheets against her skin. She had vague memories of what had happened…she'd thought she was dying. They had been talking, Itami and Gekido, then the shadow had freed her, and then there was nothing, after that she had that weird dream of healing Minato…

Looking around the redhead took in her room. Tiled floors and pale walls, she was in some kind of hospital…Suddenly she remembered the conversation she'd overheard as they checked her the last time she was being held.

O0o0 Flash Back o0o0

"Her dilations getting sluggish, and longer and she really will die here."

O0o0 End Flash Back o0o0

She must have nearly died, and knowing that they needed her alive they brought her to their healing center Naminé remembered having passed it once. Quickly she pulled the blankets off of her and ripped out the IV's listening as the heart monitor flat lined as the clip on her finger fell off. Quickly Naminé peered out into the hallway and decided that this was probably her best chance and ducking past one of the healers the red head raced down the hall pushing through the double doors as she continued to run.

Naminé's arm was grabbed by an orderly and screaming she snatched it away she punched him hard shoving him away as she scrambled away from him.

"Somebody grab her!" The man shouted, and pushing herself harder Naminé continued to run dodging the arms that flung out to grab her, until finally she was caught hitting the floor hard. Arms had pinned hers down tightly as the red head screamed.

"Let go of me! Let me go!" She screamed struggling as the arms held her tighter, suddenly she felt something resting on her shoulder and, she could feel warm breath as the person spoke.

"You're okay, you just have to breathe Naminé, you, are okay."

"Please let me go, just let me go home." She sobbed still trying to free her arms.

"You are home, you're in Suna hospital, they brought you back Naminé, you are home." The voice said softly before addressing someone other than her.

"Go get her mother, any familiar face, somebody related to her." Naminé watched through tears as several people hurried off, and the first thing that came to mind was not that she was home, but that they'd captured her family too.

"Let them go home, let them go! I'll stay here if you just let them go!" she wailed sounding heart broken.

"Naminé, Naminé you're home, you are home. Look at me, I'm your teammate, it's- suddenly the young man felt as she stiffened in his arms before struggling against him panicking much more than before.

"No! Not Shinra, not again, let me go, not again, let me GO!" she'd almost gotten away, but before she knew it her arms were pinned to her side once again as this time she faced the man holding her.

"Naminé, it's me, it's Kato." The brunette said softly watching as she grew quiet looking at his face as if waiting for something to change. After a few minutes the red head spoke.

"Kato?"

"That's right, it's me, we've been friends since the academy remember?" Naminé nodded now looking from her childhood friend to looking around the hallway recognizing the hall, and even some of the nurses.

"How did they get everyone? Or am I- Am I really?" she asked nervously afraid to know.

"You're home Naminé, you're really home." He said softly. A door opened and neither of them looked towards the sound until a voice spoke.

"My Naminé, my baby…" Quickly the redhead whipped her attention in the direction of the voice.

"Momma? MOM!" Kato released her feeling she wouldn't run off anywhere but to her mother, and he'd been right, immediately Naminé ran into her mother's arms knocking the woman to the ground.

"Oh baby, we thought we'd never see you again! My baby! Oh! My baby, my baby girl you're okay!" The brunette said crying as she held her daughter tightly in her arms. "Somebody get my husband." Nia called out lifting her daughter to her feet as she walked her back down the hall.

They walked back to her hospital room, and just to reassure her daughter, Nia brought Naminé to the window pulling the curtain back she revealed the desert village in all its twilit beauty.

"I'm home?"

"You're really home baby."

"How? I don't remember, I mean I think I remember but I-

"It's okay sweetie, your dad can explain everything, he your uncle and Minato along with a few others brought you back." This froze the red head in her tracks.

"Minato?! I- I had a dream- or I think it was a dream, he was hurt. Mom…is Minato okay?" Naminé asked looking at her mother in concern, but before she could answer the door opened once again and this time her father and Sakura walked in, the woman as slim as she'd been when she'd first arrived.

"Naminé it's wonderful to see that you're up." The green eyed woman said with a smile. Naminé however stared at her father.

"Dad, was it a dream? Minato being hurt-

"No, I'm sorry it wasn't a dream Naminé. Minato was severely injured during the mission, but you healed him enough to stabilize him during travel, you saved his life." He said softly motioning for Nia to sit their daughter down.

"But what happened?"

"Itami had him pinned, there was a blade in his chest and he was threatening to kill him. I'd been intending to give myself up, and when he saw what I was about to do he attacked Itami with an attack from his Kekkai Genkai. The force of the attack knocked Itami back, but he still had a hold of the blade and it ended up cutting his aorta, but only slightly. Minato killed him and after escaping he collapsed. It was only then I realized what had happened. You had been unconscious, and the medic in the group had been killed in the ambush, we had no choice but to wake you. I'm sorry that the first thing you were forced to do was heal him, to be thrown into such a hectic situation like that."

"Is he okay?" Naminé asked nervously.

"Naminé, this is going to be hard for you to take, but it's necessary to tell you this. I just need you to remember more than anything that you saved his life, and that's the important thing."

"Dad, what happened?"

"When you healed him, you were able to heal him enough to stop the bleeding, but there was still significant damage to his heart that had to be treated. He needed an emergency operation for his heart Naminé, but because you healed him and because they had to fix the internal damage, they had to cut open what you healed to properly heal what had remained damaged on the inside, what you couldn't reach in your condition. That's led to significant scarring on his heart."

"But he's okay right? Dad tell me he's going to be okay!"

"He will be fine Naminé, but unfortunately his shinobi status has been revoked indefinitely."

"What?" she breathed. "Oh no it's all my fault-

"Naminé, no, you saved his life-

"I ended his career! He never even got to be a Jonin!"

"Yes he did sweetie, he was promoted several months ago, but it's okay because he's alive." Nia said holding her daughter's hand.

"No it's not okay! I ruined his life!" Naminé said sounding heart broken.

"No, I did." Gaara said earning his daughter's attention.

"What?"

"Had I been more focused in the fight, Minato wouldn't have taken that hit. He saved my life by nearly giving his, and you saved his. He's okay Naminé. He's okay."

"I need to see him. Right now!"

"Okay, let's go, we'll go to his room now."

"But I never did her evaluation." Sakura said watching as they passed by her, Nia pausing to place a hand on her shoulder.

"It can wait Sakura-san…shouldn't you be preparing to head home anyways? You, Lee, and Sayuri?"

"Yes, that's right but I was preparing for this to be my last day."

"You can leave early Sakura, go be with your daughter and husband, I know Lee's waiting for you in your quarters, he was so excited earlier today." Nia said walking past the Pink haired doctor who nodded and walked from the room. Walking down the hall Nia made it to Minato's room pausing outside the door with her husband, watching her daughter inside.

"She's taking this harder than he is." Gaara said softly as they watched the teenagers inside the room.

O0o0o0

Minato didn't know how to react when Naminé flung herself at him from across the bar on the bed, but he held her as she cried apologizing over and over. He'd been told the prognosis, his father had come down for a meeting with Gaara and had already told Minato of his intentions of removing him from the roster indefinitely, especially after such an injury. He was no longer able to be a shinobi, and as much as the blonde expected his son to be distraught, he was shocked to see that he wasn't…the teen just took it in stride and oddly with a smile.

"How can you not be mad at me?" Naminé asked her eyes streaming, and reaching over Minato lowered the barrier on the gurney and pulled Naminé onto his hospital bed. Holding her tightly in his arms Minato buried his face in her hair reveling in the familiarity of her scent.

"You listen to me, I found you. I saved your father's life, and I gave you your dad, and your parents you. I promised you that I would never let you hurt if I could stop it and I did. I killed him Naminé, I killed the man who hurt you, who tortured you, who hurt and tortured us. Itami's dead, and you never have to worry about him ever again. I'm not upset, I'm happy because my injury proved that I fought and won. I succeeded in saving you and in bringing you home."

"But Minato, being a shinobi, it's what you've always wanted to be, it was your dream."

"No, I did want to be a shinobi, but it wasn't my dream Naminé, having you by my side, dating you, and having you love me was and is my dream. I love you and I would die for you, so don't be upset. I became a Jonin, I met my goal in bringing you home, I saved the life of a Kage, and if I can do that, then I can ask him probably the most important question of my life…but don't you worry about that.

I'm happy, I have you, you're safe and because of that I'm so happy so don't be sad. My not being a shinobi is nothing, nothing in comparison to how I felt when I lost you. Besides, it's temporary, I could get better you know so don't count me out just yet." Minato said wiping the tears from her eyes. "Don't you dare."

"Okay, okay…" she said softly still unable to stop her tears.

Minato held her tightly feeling Naminé's head resting under his chin as she clung to him. It was a kiss to the top of her head that dislodged the redhead making her look up at him. Closing her eyes she felt as he kissed her forehead, and then her lips, and feeling this she kissed him back, her hands tangling in his hair as he held her tightly against him.

"Your lips are always really soft after you've been crying." Minato said allowing Naminé to pull back slightly as she stared up at him with watery eyes.

"Minato I'm sorry." Now he smiled and rested his forehead against hers still caressing her cheek.

"I'm not."

O0o0o0

After more than an hour Naminé was shooed from the room because Minato needed his rest, plus her own evaluation had yet to be done, so with a final kiss good bye for Minato, Naminé and her mother walked to the room where shed woken.

Nia gave her daughter a once over and seeing that she was recovering well, she made note of it in the chart, and looking over she watched as her daughter blinked tiredly.

"Are you tired sweetie?"

"Yeah."

"Okay get some rest, I'll be here when you wake up okay?" The redhead nodded closing her eyes falling into a restful sleep.

Naminé heard it before she saw it. Little voices, and her parent's voices.

"Naminé." Her mother's voice said softly.

"Na-Naminama."

"Naminé." Her dad's voice said just as softly.

"Namaminé" Two babbling baby voices were talking trying to say her name.

"Naminaminama."

"Namimina" Slowly she opened her eyes turning towards the sound and met a pair of wide sea green eyes. Suddenly he smiled showing the few teeth he had.

"Namaminé!"

"Nomminé!" They were both so big, Kaze in green and Kira in yellow with little pigtails. They were beautiful and they seemed to remember.

"Hi Kaze, hi Kira." Naminé said with a smile as she pushed herself up. She wanted to hold them, her little siblings. Reaching out hesitantly she watched as little chubby arms reached for her, and with a smile Naminé lifted her brother into her arms, Kira sitting on her mother's lap hesitantly. Naminé placed Kaze on her lap and smiled at him. She smushed his cheeks, poked his little dimples and tickled his belly watching as he laughed. Just the sound of his laugh made the teen smile as she hugged him feeling as the toddler nuzzled into her neck petting her shoulder and making her heart melt.

"Awww Kaze are you showing Naminé love?" Nia asked watching as her eldest child beamed, her heart overflowing with complete and utter adoration for the child in her arms. He just sat there continuing to hug her and Naminé couldn't stop the tears, such an overwhelming amount of love coming from the small child in her arms was what had pushed her to tears. Moments later she felt a small hand on her cheek and blinked her eyes open to see her little sister reaching for her face.

"No boo boos. No cry, no boo boos." The sight only made her tears come faster, especially when she felt the small hand petting her wet cheek and the little kisses. "No cry Naminama." Quickly Naminé wrapped her arm around her baby sister.

"I love them, they're so big and I absolutely love them." She said squeezing the children in her arms. "Mom, Dad, they're beautiful, I missed them so much and I was afraid they wouldn't even so much as know me." her father was the first to speak.

"We were sure they would never forget you. We showed them your picture every day. We told them your name." Gaara said with a smile.

"Your father and I told them how much you loved them, and around them we spoke often of you. We didn't want them to forget about you, the big sister who loved them so much, that she gave herself and her life in exchange for their safety. Naminé we could never let them forget what you did and we never will." Nia said softly.

"I'm just so happy, I'm ridiculously happy." She said softly loosening her grip on the children in her arms, Kaze now reaching for his mother, and taking him Nia sat back on her chair watching as her two daughters sat together. Naminé smiled at the girl in her lap, she had the same dimples and chubby cheeks as her brother, and the same sea green eyes that blinked up at her.

"Blow kisses to her, Kira loves that." Gaara said watching his daughters happily. Naminé looked from her father to her mother who nodded with a smile silently urging her on. Bringing her hand to her lips Naminé kissed it blowing the kiss to her sister who began giggling. Naminé watched as the little girl kissed her palm and flung it from her mouth.

"MWA!" Seeing this Naminé laughed as she blew the toddler kisses once again as together they went back and forth stopping only when their father stood.

"I have to go, there are matters I have to attend to." He said looking towards his wife. "I'll send Kankuro over to help you bring home the munchkins." He said but Naminé's laugh stopped him.

"The munchkins dad?" Turning to his daughter he smiled softly.

"Of course, because no matter how big you get and how old you are, you Naminé, will always be my Little One." he said watching as his daughter simply stared before giving him a watery smile.

"I love you dad."

"I love you too, now I must go, I have a meeting to attend." He said with a nod before walking from the room. Oddly though he did not head towards the Kazekage's tower nor any of the meeting halls, but instead two halls over. Minato looked eagerly at the door before looking disappointed.

"I kinda thought you were the food nurse, sorry Kazekage-sama but I'm starving." The blue haired teen said with a grin that was a little too excited to be about food.

"Minato you're a terrible liar you know, Naminé's not with me."

"Oh good because being that happy over food was pushing it." He said scratching the back of his head.

"I've been thinking this past week Minato, about what you've asked me." Gaara said closing the door watching as the young man sat staring intently at him. "It has been discussed by my wife and I and we've come to a decision."

"And…?" Minato asked unable to stand the silence any longer.

"You have both my consent, and the blessings of my wife and me. We would both be thrilled for you to marry our daughter." He said watching as Minato smiled letting out a relieved breath.

"Thank you Kazekage-sama, this means more to me than you could ever know."

"Good. Now before you propose to my daughter, tell me, where do you plan to reside?" Gaara asked still looking at Minato who answered without hesitation.

"Where ever she wants to be. If Naminé wants to live in Konoha, we'll be in Konoha. If Naminé wants to live in Suna, then I'll live here happily."

"So if Naminé wants to stay here, you'd give up your family and your home for her?"

"Of course I would, I mean I would miss my family but sometimes sacrifices like that have to be made. As long as she's happy I don't care where we are. Just as long as she's happy, Naminé's happiness means everything to me."

"Good. I look forward to seeing my daughter's excited face when she tells her mother and I the news. So how are you feeling?"

"I've been better, it hurts every once and a while but they said that it's normal and that I'll feel that every now and again." Minato said wincing.

"I'll have Nia come check on you personally and I'll leave you now." Gaara said watching as Minato nodded leaning back on the bed. He was happy, he was ridiculously happy and he didn't think he could ever be any happier. He was actually going to marry the girl of his dreams, the love of his life and his very best friend. With a smile on his face, Minato drifted off to sleep.

Thanks for reading! And thanks for the reviews! I LOVE them 'll update next week or so. The one ironic thing I would like to point out is that the title is called The End Of Pain, and Itami means pain.