Eyes of the Broken Soul

by SincereNaruto

Every night since he could remember, it always happened the same way. The beatings, the pain, the cruelty, it never went away. But one night, it all changed and Naruto unlocked a power that would alter his life and the rest of the world around him forever

38. Chapter 38 Recovery

Eyes of the Broken Soul

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor am I affiliated in any way with Naruto. I just like the show and mangas so I wrote this fanfic.

Beta reader: Kiiroi Senko! XD

AN: Hey everyone, it's me again. Yes, I know it has been a long time since I last updated and it is highly unusual for me to leave you guys hanging for such a large amount of time. However, circumstances have been very poor these last months and my life has had a few rough spots thrown into the fray. They are circumstances that are difficult to share or even mention, so please just understand.

It also doesn't help that I have been quite busy lately, something that has kept me from the one pastime I love so much. Anyway, I am glad to finally bring you the next chapter in my story, after a long absence, and I hope to return to my frequent updates as soon as possible.

I hope you guys enjoy the chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it, and I hope to update it as soon as possible following this one.

Enjoy!!! ^ ^

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Chapter 38 - Recovery

"Naruto... Naruto, you need to wake up now. Naruto, please we need you..."

Naruto's body began to shuffle slightly as the soft, distance calls of barely coherent voices fell over him, bringing him from his slumber as they shook into his soul with an unnerving desperation. An icy cold chill, one all to familiar to his touch and one that brought dread to his heart whenever he felt it, once again sank into his body as it embraced the cruel exposure in its awakening.

The young boy's eyelids began to falter thereafter, shaking slightly as the sudden and terrible cold began to seep its way into his very core, before they finally opened to reveal the darkness that had settled around him.

"W.... Where am I? Am I dead?"

As Naruto's soft, strained whisper scattered across the vast scape of shadow that surrounded him, as sudden tremble began to shake him where he lay, causing him to sit up in panic as he was rocked violently back and forth by the sudden, unnerving jolt.

Soon afterwards, the tremor subsided once more leaving only darkness behind, but the lingering feeling of dread that remained still clung firmly to the boy's racing heart, a feeling that he recognized but could not quite place at that point in time.

Naruto then took a brief moment to look around once more, trying to find any source of life that he could find, but nothing else met his gaze other than the emptiness that had seemingly consumed him. However, despite how dark it was, he could still see his own hands and feet, as well as the rest of his own body as he sat there in the cold silence.

It was almost as though he was the only soul that existed in the darkness, as if he alone was the only source of any illumination in what was otherwise nothing but an cold empty shadow, however the loneliness that began to eat away at him soon became overwhelming and his panic grew that much more prevalent.

"Naruto... help us!"

Once again, the same familiar voices that had awoken him, reached out for him from inside the darkness, voices that he knew he recognized from somewhere, but ones that he could not quite place in his memories.
 Following them, Naruto slowly and painfully stood to his feet, before making his was across towards the source of the call for help, his heart now squeezing with anxiety.

"Hello! Is anyone there!"

All the boy could hear in return was the loud echo of his own panicked voice answering to his anguished cries, followed by an unnerving silence. It was only a while later before that silence was finally broken again, as the recurring call for help echoed across the halls once more, only this time it was much more easily recognizable and it caused his heart to tense up in fear.

"Hinata? HINATA!!!!"

Naruto immediately took off as fast as his legs could carry him as soon as he realized that it was his friend that needed him, following the sound of Hinata's voice as it led him through the darkness that seemed to stretch on endlessly.

After running for what felt like an eternity, the shadow around him suddenly began to lift away like an ominous fog, revealing a familiar scene as the new surroundings met Naruto's startled gaze. The young boy came to a halt soon afterwards, taking in his new surroundings as confusion began to consume him even more than it had before.

The tall trees and muddy forest floor that haunted his recent memories now surrounded him completely, bathed in the soft illumination of an eerie full moon and chilled by the soothing embrace of a gentle breeze.

"I don't understand..." Naruto mumbled to himself, his confusion now settling in completely. "What's going on? Why am I here again? I thought..."

Just then, a sudden realization came rushing back to him in a overwhelming flood of emotions. Naruto quickly held his hand up to press against his chest in an effort to ease the dull aching thud of his heartbeat that now pounded at his ribcage, but it did little to ease the anxious discomfort that now ate away at him.

'That's right, we were attacked by those shinobi and I was taken away, but then.... then dad found me and brought me back home. I thought... I thought I was dying. I thought I was... dead...'

Before Naruto could think on it any further, a gentle whisper carried across the breeze that swept up against him, brushing past his ears and causing the hairs on his neck to stand on end. The soft calm voice that addressed him soon afterwards, brought with it a cold dread and caused his heart to sink even more.

"N.... Naruto... please... save us..."

The wind then continued in its unrelenting motion, caressing against Naruto's skin and brushing gently passed the nearby leaves, before disappearing into the darkness altogether. Naruto, now feeling a little bit more than unnerved and even somewhat frightened, quickly chased after the ghostlike phantom and followed it through the dense undergrowth.

As he made his way through the branches and mossy stone outcroppings, with the numerous sprouts of greenery never allowing him more than a few feet of vision at any one time, the voice that lead him forward slowly grew louder and louder, as if to urge him closer to their awaiting destination.

"Wait, slow down a bit will ya? Please, I don't know what's going on!" Naruto's desperate cries seemed to lose themselves in the darkness, as if being soaked up by the very shadows themselves, but even still the voice that lead him never once relented in its motion.

Finally, after a few minutes of desperate chasing, Naruto eventually cleared the trees and bushes that hindered his progress, before arriving in a small clearing soon afterwards, but the sight that met him on the other side caused his chest to tighten and his eyes grew wide with the sudden panic that met as a lump in his throat.

"No... it can't be..."

There, lying on the floor right before his very eyes, were the familiar figures that he recognized from his academy, all lying on the muddy earth covered in traces of their own blood. The thick stench of copper and flesh filled the night sky around him and the suffocatingly stale air was enough to make Naruto nauseous.

The boy quickly ran forward in his panic, unable to stop the quick flickers of his eyes as they darted from one figure to the next, taking in the visage of each battered form before moving on to another.

Eventually, his eyes settled on one last form, one who he recognized immediately. Naruto ran up to where Hinata lay sprawled across the floor, motionless, before sinking to his knees in front of her.

"Hinata! What happened? Who did this to you!?!?!"

The young girl's eyes opened to greet the voice that addressed her, pale lavender irises looking up to meet panicked blue ones. Naruto nearly choked when he saw the pain and sorrow that had filled inside of them, the defeat he could see staring back at him, but even despite that she still managed to smile weakly.

"Naruto, we tried so hard, but they were just to strong. I'm sorry... I'm sorry I couldn't protect you..."

The eyes then emptied once more and Hinata's head lolled lifelessly to the floor. Naruto quickly grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly, but he could no longer feel any life flowing back into him.

"No... no you can't die! You were supposed to be safe! This wasn't supposed to happen!!!"

In his panic, Naruto quickly placed both of his palms on top of Hinata's cold, lifeless body, before pushing what lifeforce he could spare into her. Soon, he could begin feeling the drain of warmth leaving his already tired and trembling body, but no matter how much it seemed to slip away, Hinata's condition remained unchanged.

He still couldn't feel her, there was left nothing coming from her touch but the empty coldness of death that met his fingers, and soon Naruto's clenching heart began to ache painfully in his chest. He quickly activate his Tenraigan, with the blue shimmer of his eyes shifting to a shining gold in seconds, before searching desperately for any signs of life he might otherwise have missed through touch, but even still there was nothing but darkness to meet his gaze.

"Hinata... no..." The boy's doujutsu then faded away again, before he finally sank down in defeat. Naruto's head soon found itself resting on his hands as they lay on top of Hinata's lifeless form, with his own body trembling in shock as the sickening realization once again began to sink into his heart.

"I couldn't... save you. I couldn't save anyone. I don't understand... why did this happen...?"

"It's hard, isn't it? This is all that your precious love will bring you, pain and loss. This is the price you will pay for that weakness in the end."

Naruto's head suddenly shot up again as the ominous call of a terrible voice reached out to him, but he was surprised to find that the forest that had once surrounded him, was now gone altogether, replaced instead by the familiar halls that he recognized all to well from his nightmares. The damp floors and rusted pipes that met his gaze immediately betrayed his location and the floor in front of him was now empty of the body of his friend.

"Why... why am I here?" Naruto then turned his head around carefully, as if already expecting what he was about to see, only to face the same giant iron cage that he had appeared before already in the past.

The young boy quickly stood to his feet again soon thereafter, before narrowing his eyes angrily.

"Why do you keep doing this to me!?!?!" Naruto shouted at the top of his lungs, only to have his voice cut away as the strain on his throat acted up again.

"Isn't it enough that everyone in the village already hates me, without you making me have these nightmares all the time?!?! Do you really want to hurt me that much!?!?!"

In answer to the boy's angry cries, two glowing red eyes soon materialized into view, before casting their gaze down towards the subject of their discontent. Naruto faltered slightly as they narrowed dangerously in his direction and he instinctively took a wary step backwards. He could tell there was no amusement in those awful eyes, only anger and hatred, and the mere sight of it forced him to lower his own gaze to the ground, lest he inadvertently subjected himself to the horror that lay within such a terrible soul.

"You insolent brat!"

The voice that tore from the darkness behind those glowing red eyes quickly filled the large hall with their authority and power, as well as the unmistakable dread of their malice. Naruto fell backwards to the ground from the mere pressure that crept towards him and he could easily feel the killing intent practically oozing off from the cage, knowing all to well that it was directed solely at him.

"How dare you show such disrespect in my presence! I child like you cannot possibly fathom the power I wield and I will not tolerate such behavior from the likes of you!"

Naruto took a deep, wavering gulp, but bravely stood to his feet again despite the overwhelming fear that pulled at his heart. He then took another shaky breath to calm his own nerves and stepped forward again, gaining a slight look of surprise from the monster that now looked down at him.

"I... I just don't understand. Why do you keep showing me these visions? Why do you want to hurt me so much when I've already had to feel so much pain? Isn't it enough for you, that you have to hurt me even more?"

The Kyuubi narrowed his eyes again, but this time they seemed more settled than they had been moments before. It was almost as if the rage that had exploded out before had now dampened into mere discontent.

"Do you really think I alone am the one who subjects you to these visions? That I alone am to blame?" There was no answer and Naruto simply kept his head lowered, to which the great kitsune continued.

"No. These thoughts, these fears, they belong to you and you alone. I do not have such a frail heart that I would be subjected to such weaknesses nor do I care for the useless bonds you have developed with those you say you love. I merely took the fears that existed in your heart and set them out before you, to show you how futile it is to hold onto those precious emotions of yours."

"But... why?" Naruto asked again, this time allowing his voice to raise a little higher.

"Because this is the third time you have almost died for the sake of your so called love, the third time you would give your life away to save those around you instead of protecting only yourself as you should be. Only once you realize how futile such emotions are, will you be able to grow strong enough to destroy your enemies. That is, of course, not to mention that my own life is tied to yours and I will not tolerate your reckless endangerment of my own being simply to abhor such a pitiful weakness that is your fragile body."

Naruto's simply lowered his head even more at that, as if to sink into his own sense of defeat. The Kyuubi's lips quickly curled up into a wicked smile at the mere sight of the boy's wavering hope, content that his words had hit their mark in the Naruto's heart.

"Yes, that's right, you feel it don't you. You're finally beginning to see how much you stand to lose for this... this 'love' of yours. Only hatred will save you now..."

"You're wrong..." Naruto suddenly spoke up in a small whisper, cutting the giant kitsune off from his lecture. The Kyuubi's eyes narrowed once more, but he did not speak up to respond.

Naruto then lifted his head up once more, allowing his eyes to bravely meet those of the great fox before him. Much to the Kyuubi's surprise, the emotions he could see reflecting back in them were not what he expected to witness. There was no more doubt, no more unease or dread or even fear.

There was simply peace, unmoving and solidified in his gaze. It was almost as though the boy had already found his own answer, as though he had already accepted the truth of the matter as it lay within the bounds of his own heart.

"All my life, I've only ever felt pain..." The boy finally continued, still speaking in a low voice, but just loud enough for the kitsune to hear.

"Ever day it was always the same for me, everyone would always try to hurt me as much as they could. They would beat me and curse me until I cried for mercy and when that wasn't enough to break me, they would continue until I couldn't even cry any more. I never understood why I was hated, but what I do remember is how alone it made me feel."

Naruto then clenched his chest with his hand, holding back a heavy breath as the pain of his own words began to fill up inside of him. He took a moment to muster all of the strength he could, and it was all he could do just to continue.

"There were times that I wanted to kill myself just to take that pain away..." He continued solemnly, unable to help the sudden hiccup that caught in his throat. "... I just wanted to end the feelings of loneliness that I felt inside, but I was too afraid that if I died, that I would be even more alone than before. It was the worst kind of pain I have ever felt and I couldn't stop crying every night it happened."

The Kyuubi simply continued to look on in silence as Naruto spoke softly, never once interrupting the boy's words despite how slowly and carefully they fell from his trembling lips. The boy noted the uneasy look in the fox's eyes, but continued regardless.

"But then... then dad came and found me. He saved me from that loneliness and pain and I was so happy, because for the first time in my entire life I felt loved. It made me feel warm inside, like I wasn't alone anymore and that someone cared about me. Then I cried for a different reason, but this time crying wasn't painful like it always had been before. This time I knew it was good."

Naruto bravely held back the sudden sting of tears that pushed towards the corners of his eyes as his emotions began to well up inside. He would not let them fall in front of the Kyuubi, he would not allow the fox to see that weakness now. Instead, he allowed the memories of his father's smile to give him strength, a strength he never had when he was alone.

"When... when I thought I had lost my dad, it hurt so much that I thought I would never be able to bear it, and even after I knew he was fine I was afraid to feel that kind of pain again. I thought that if I was alone again, that it would stop anyone I loved from getting hurt, but then I realized that I was only hurting myself and the people I cared about even more by pushing them away. That is why I have decided never to let go anymore, to protect them no matter what the cost is, even if it means that I might lose that love in the end. Even if it hurts me, it will never hurt as much as I felt when I was alone, when I never felt any love at all. That is why I will continue to hold onto it dearly for as long as I can, no matter how painful it is."

Once all was said and done, the boy lowered his head again, as if awaiting the hidden wrath of his tenant's response to his conclusion. However, the storm he expected to burden never came to bear, instead being replaced by a deep, hollow voice that seemed to permeate him to the core with an overwhelming sense of disappointment.

"Very well, if that is your decision then so be it. It seems that I will not be able to convince you otherwise. However, I have already warned you that this path of yours will only lead to your own suffering in the end, but it seems you have chosen to ignore my warnings and allow yourself to continue to be weak. Leave now, I do not wish to speak to you any longer."

Before Naruto could even respond, the world around him went dark again, before his thoughts once again fell away into dreams.

--

It was only moments later when the darkness began to lift away again, only this time in its place, light greeted the small, tired eyes that slowly began to pry themselves open. Naruto squinted painfully in the glare that met his gaze as light bathed his vision, but after a few moments, the world slowly began to peel into view.

At first, it was little more than an incoherent blur, but the squinted shapes and faded walls around him quickly melded into solid objects and it wasn't long before he could finally make out the small confines of the hospital room around him.

'I'm, here again. That means...'

Naruto's eyes quickly wandered down to the rest of his body, noticing the bandages that wrapped around his arms and chest, as well as the IV attached to his arm. The blanket that covered him came up to his stomach, resting just around his waist, and covered what ever other wounds he might have had on his legs.

'I guess this means I am still alive after all.'

The boy's gaze then shifted once more, only this time with a new objective in mind. Moving his head was slightly painful, no doubt from the muscle ache of resting in one position for a reasonable amount of time, but he still managed to turn it to the side, noting with a huge amount of relief that sure as daylight, Iruka was sitting peacefully on a chair just to the right of his bed, his head embedded firmly in his hands as he rested his eyes.

"D... dad..."

Naruto immediately felt his heart fill up with both an endless amount of joy as well as a sudden sense of anxiousness. All he wanted to do was call out to his father, to reach out and touch him, but when he tried to speak, he found his voice still caught with a heavy rasp and unable to produce anything above a small whisper.

"Dad... I... I'm h-here..."

Once again, his anguished whisper barely held any weight, and Naruto's desperation quickly evolved into action as he lifted his hand to reach out for the figure across from him. As he lifted his shaking hand desperately, despite how weak he felt at the time, Iruka suddenly stirred, seemingly noticing the movement out of the corner of his eyes.

Soon, the man's gaze lifted from his palms, only to notice the small desperate shuffles inhabiting the bed set before him, as well as the two small, wavering blue eyes that met his stare.

"N... Naruto..."

Iruka did not allow his shock to restrain him for very long and he quickly leaped from his seat and up to Naruto's side, managing to catch the boy's falling hand into his own just just as it collapsed in weakness. Naruto simply smiled as he felt the sudden flow of warmth spread throughout his body, as Iruka squeezed his hand tightly in his own.

The sudden and overwhelming sense of relief and love that he felt coming through their contact was almost enough to ease all of Naruto's pains and he couldn't help his own heart as it rose up and throbbed joyfully in his chest, a beating life that had almost been snuffed out but one that was now filled with a new spirit all its own.

"It's... good to see you... again....D-dad..." The boy choked affectionately, doing little to hide his emotions.

Iruka simply smiled in return as he felt the soft, gentle whisper reached his hearing, before moving his hand up to Naruto's head and brushing it through the boy's hair, stroking it gently in comfort. It was almost like a dream, seeing Naruto awake again, but the strong emotions shared between them clearly spoke of the reality at hand.

"Thank god you're awake." The man smiled gently. "Finally, you've come back to us, I have been worried sick. You really gave me a scare there you know, and I am not the only one as well."

Naruto's face quickly fell into a frown as his father's words reminded him of the nightmare he had witnessed only moments before, something Iruka noted with a slight hint of unease.

"What... a... about the o-others?" The boy whispered nervously, his voice now making a slow but shaky return to normality. "Are they on t-there way... back? Are they... alright?"

Iruka simply nodded his head with a reassuring grin, a gesture that immediately put the boy's fears at ease and saw his frown melt away soon afterward. Naruto's head then sank back into the contours of the pillow that it rested upon, accompanied only by a heartfelt sigh as he gently closed his eyes as an overwhelming relief washed over him.

Iruka obviously noticed the sudden change in emotions, because he quickly squeezed the boy's had again, as if to help ease his lingering distress and allow it to drain away from his soul.

"Actually, they got back yesterday afternoon to be exact." The man continued. "Some of them have even come to visit you already. Even Lee came by when he heard what happened. I can assure you he was quite concerned about your wellbeing."

Naruto's eyes quickly sprang open again, before diverting their gaze back to Iruka.

"You mean, they're back already?" Iruka nodded his head again in response to the surprised question, before turning his gaze to the end of the room. Naruto's own eyes followed suit, only to see the small bundle of flowers standing near the window.

"Ino arranged those for you along with some of the others..." Iruka smiled. "I was actually quite surprised she came here to deliver them personally, but apparently she was feeling quite guilty about what happened to you."

Naruto couldn't help but blink in stunned surprise. To say it was unusual for him to be receiving gifts from the blond Yamanaka was an understatement, so it was no surprise that the boy felt a bit uneasy about the sudden and kind gesture. Iruka noticed the uncomfortable silence, despite the fact that Naruto still found it difficult to talk properly, so he quickly spoke up once more.

"Anko, Kakashi and Kurenai also came around for a while after they made their report to the Hokage. I could have almost sworn that Anko herself was about to permanently end the careers of half the staff here, and not with the kind of retirement package one would ever want, but we managed to calm her down before too much damage was inflicted. Jiraiya-sama has also been here most of the time, in fact he's hardly been away, except for just now."

Naruto nodded his head in understanding, clearly signifying that he had understood everything that had been explained to him, and he even manged a brief smile just thinking about how Anko would have reacted to seeing him there, but there were still some questions nagging at the back of his mind.

"What about Hinata... and.... and Kiba?" He croaked nervously. "Did they come... and visit as well?" Iruka's cheery disposition fell away somewhat at the question, but he quickly spoke up to answer before his unease was betrayed in his expression.

"Well, Kiba had a few injuries from the attack, including a broken arm and leg, so he was administered to the hospital for treatment as soon as he got back. In fact, he is just a few rooms down from where we are. As for Hinata...." The chunin then paused for a moment, something that Naruto noticed easily as a sign of his discomfort, along with the uneasy tension flowing through the grip around his hand.

"Well, her father has kept her at the Hyuuga estate since they got back. I'm afraid she has not been here yet."

Iruka finished off with a heavy sigh, clearly betraying his discomfort with regards to the news. Naruto seemed a bit disappointed that Hinata had not been there, but he simply remained quiet for a few moments despite himself, before finally speaking once more.

"If... if they're all back... then that means..." He then turned his gaze back towards that of his father's, who had since turned to meet it again. "Dad... how long... have I been out for?"

Iruka simply leaned over and ran his hand through Naruto's hair again, smiling softly as did so.

"Well, it has been four days since we got back to Konoha. You were constantly sliding in and out of a critical state and your condition had been very poor up until this morning so I was afraid that we might have lost you. We... we almost did lose you at one point, but now I'm very glad to see you awake again, you have no idea how happy it makes me to see those eyes of yours full of life again."

Naruto took a deep gulp, feeling a sudden lump form in his throat as the words of his father met his ears. Iruka could see his eyes waver with a soft shimmer and soon the golden hue of his emotions came into full view once as his irises were enveloped in their radiant shine. He could also feel the small hand wrapped in his own squeezing his fingers tightly, showing more strength than they had only moments before.

"I... I never got to say hello properly..."

Iruka raised his eyebrows curiously as Naruto spoke once more in a near whisper, curious as to what he meant by his words. In response, the boy just swallowed another gulp and continued.

"When you saved me... I... I never got to hug you and to say hi." The boy choked again. "Is it... is it alright if I.... say hello p-properly now?"

Soon, the tears of relief that had stung at Iruka's eyes began to shed themselves at last and he quickly nodded his head in response. The warm smile that spread across his lips right then stood in stark contrast to the crystal liquid that ran down his cheeks, but he quickly wiped them away so as to not cause Naruto alarm.

"Sure thing kiddo..." He whispered softly. "I would... like that... very much..."

Iruka then climbed up onto the bed, being careful not to cause Naruto any discomfort in his movements, and then lay himself down next to the boy resting on it, before moving his left arm around Naruto's shoulders and pulling him into a gentle embrace. Naruto himself simply curled up into the man's hold, allowing his head to rest on Iruka's chest as the chunin's arms wrapped around him in a comforting hug. Naruto's lips then spread into a warm smile, although they still quivered even as he moved them to speak.

"H... hi dad...." Iruka just giggled softly at the gesture and then rubbed Naruto's head once more, gaining a warm, affectionate sigh for his efforts.

"Hi there kiddo..." After that, they simply lay there in the peaceful moments that followed, content to just remain in one another's arms.

As they continued to lie there in the silence that followed, Naruto began to close his eyes in his exhaustion, but before he could dose off altogether Iruka spoke up once more, seemingly to know one in particular as he continued to stroke Naruto's soft blond hair aimlessly.

"I'm... sorry kiddo, I should have been more careful. If I had watched over you better, if I had only realized what was going on, I could have kept you in the village so that you would have been safe. I shouldn't have brought you on that trip and endangered your life like that."

Naruto quickly opened his eyes again and looked up to his father, somewhat startling Iruka as his golden irises locked into his gaze. The chunin had forgotten how entrancing those eyes were, how much they drew a person's gaze in their strangely supernatural beauty and hypnotic shimmer.

"No.... don't be sorry..." The boy spoke softly. "I know what happened was bad but...." Naruto then lowered his head again and rested it once more.

"... but sometimes even when bad things happen, good things happen as well. I wanted to go, so it isn't your fault. I... I was happy just being with you. I was happy because it felt so good, just spending time with my dad, because it is the one thing I love more than anything else and I got to make new friends as well, even though it was hard at times. I'm just glad I got to see you again... as long as you're alright then I am happy."

As the last traces of Naruto's words fell from his lips, slowly falling into a soft murmur as exhaustion finally claimed its prize, Iruka could feel his body relax thereafter and soon the steady rhythm of sleep could be felt in his breathing. The chunin looked down to the boy's peaceful face, whose whiskered cheeks now rested on his chest, as well as the small hand that clung firmly to his vest, and couldn't help the knowing grin that crept across his cheeks.

'Likewise kiddo. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you. I am glad that things turned out alright after all. I am so proud of you, for being so strong and protecting everyone as best as you could. I'm sorry Ryuukimi, but it looks like you will have to wait a little bit longer before Naruto summons you again.'

After a few moments of peace thereafter, Iruka then turned his attention to the window, once he knew that Naruto was fast asleep in his arms. After another weary breath, to relieve his lingering tension, the chunin spoke up once more.

"Alright Jiraiya, you can come in now. I know you're out there, so you might as well show yourself." Moments later, as if on que to Iruka's words, the toad sannin came bolting into the room, before directing an amused grin towards the chunin across from him.

"Heh! First the old man and now you. I'm surprised you noticed me at all, I guess I'm becoming a bit sloppy in my old age." He laughed, before looking down to where Naruto lay.

"And I see it looks like you're gonna also be stuck there for a while to. I don't think Naruto's going to let you move for the next few hours at the very least." In response, Iruka simply looked down at the boy lying on top of him and smiled.

"I don't mind, in fact I think I needed this just as much as he did. I am just glad he has finally woken up again. It was hard, watching him like that, not knowing whether he was even going to wake up at all." Iruka then turned his attention back to Jiraiya again.

"You could have come in earlier, you know. I'm sure Naruto wouldn't have minded an extra visitor, especially after everything that he's been through. He could do with the company right now and I'm sure being lost and away from those he cares about, for so long, must have really been hard for him."

Jiraiya simply grinned at the suggestion directed towards him, before leaning against the nearby wall in an all too familiar fashion and crossing his arms firmly in front of his chest.

"That may be true..." The older man smirked boastfully. "... but I think this was a necessary transition. You two needed some time alone first, before the rest of us started smothering you with affection. Hahaha!"

The sannin then pushed himself up off the wall again and made his way over to the chair that Iruka had inhabited only moments before, taking a seat and folding his arms once more. His expression then took on a far more serious tone, something that immediately warned his company to the coming discussion.

"Look Iruka, there is something I need to talk to you about. The seals on Naruto's body, the ones that appeared when we found him in the forest, well I took some time to examine them while he has been out and I can only say that I am deeply puzzled by their nature. I have never encountered anything like it before, although I think you may know more about them than I do."

Iruka simply sighed at the subject. "Well, unfortunately, I don't know that much about them either." He responded glumly.

"I only know what little Naruto has managed to explain to me and even that is very little. The thing is, he is the only one who can read the scroll you gave him and I am afraid he is simply too young and inexperienced to understand it properly himself, although he is surprisingly knowledgeable considering those drawbacks."

Jiraiya let out a deep, uneasy breath as Iruka explained the situation to him. He was hoping his thirsting curiosity on the matter would have been somewhat quenched, but it seemed as though circumstanced once again impeded anything regarding Naruto's well being.

"I suppose it is up to us to help him figure it out then." He sighed.

"We can assist him if there is something he doesn't understand, after all when it comes to seals, their nature is far more complex than any other art a shinobi could hope to learn. The thing is, when I was examining them, I came across a few interesting characteristics. Like many other seals, they aren't visible to the eye when they are not in use, and they are not even recognizable for someone who does not know what they are looking for."

The sannin then allowed his body to sink back into the chair he rested on, trying his best to become comfortable for the conversation ahead, before continuing.

"However, seals normally become visible when they are exposed directly to the flow of chakra, but when I tried to run my chakra through Naruto's seals to better inspect them, they did not react at all. In fact, it was almost as though they were not even there to begin with."

"Well, that makes sense." Iruka replied. "Naruto did mention that the seals on his body only react to his unique bloodline, so they will only respond to Naruto's chakra and life force signatures. He said it was created as a way to protect the jutsu passed down through his lineage, so that they could not be stolen by outside clans or analyzed by any potential enemies. Apparently the seals are used to to resonate with his chakra in order to activate a jutsu, but I am not entirely sure how it works or why it is even necessary."

"Hmm, that is interesting indeed." Jiraiya replied, nodding his head in thought. "It wouldn't be the first time I have heard of such a thing, however I have never actually seen a living example of it before."

Iruka simply stared blankly as the sannin continued to mumble in thought, completely clueless as to what he was going on about. Jiraiya noticed his confusion and quickly smiled at his own foolishness.

"Ah, forgive me, I guess it would be better if I explained. You see, the nature of seals are almost as varied as one can possibly imagine, as well as their purposes. From simple storage seals to the more advanced ones such as that which holds the Kyuubi sealed in Naruto, there purpose is almost limitless."

"Yeah, I see what you mean." Iruka mumbled, somewhat frustrated by his own lack of understanding. "But what about the seals on Naruto's body?"

"Hahahah! I was getting to that." Jiraiya laughed in return, amused by Iruka's obvious concern.

"Well, let me put it this way. When a shinobi performs a jutsu, they normally produce a series of hand 'seals' in order to unlock specific chakra pathways in their body, allowing them to mold it to the desired state and nature. Once the chakra has been molded sufficiently, they can perform the jutsu."

Iruka nodded his head in understanding as Jiraiya continued to explain, signifying that he was following so far. After all, being an academy teacher had its benefits and he already had extensive knowledge on how a jutsu was performed. The older man across from him noted the gesture and then continued.

"Now in Naruto's case, the seals on his body may actually serve to replace hands seals in this regard. Instead of performing a series of hand signs in order to unlock his chakra pathways, Naruto would instead run his chakra through the necessary seals on his body in order to achieve the desired state and then simply mold it accordingly."

"Oh, that explains why he never used any hand signs when he showed me his new jutsu." Iruka recalled. Jiraiya nodded his head in agreement.

"Yes, indeed. This 'system' serves two purposes. Firstly it allows the user to perform jutsu more spontaneously, without having to take the necessary time to perform signs. However, the main purpose would be to protect the secrets of the user's jutsu from being copied or stolen from the user's enemies. You see, there are very few seal masters in the world who would be able to create such advanced seals and even fewer who could copy them flawlessly, even doujutsu such as the Sharingan cannot copy them. However, there is one thing that bothers me..."

"What?" Iruka gulped, not to keen the sannin's last choice of words.

"Well, the thing is, systems like this were never implemented due to their complexities and dangers. Those few that were used never went beyond simple seal designs used for lesser purposes. However, the patterns on Naruto's body..."

Jiraiya then closed his eyes in thought, as if to merely contemplate the mysteries and wonders of Naruto's past heritage. It was clear to Iruka right at that very moment, that even for Jiraiya, such a thing was difficult to contemplate.

"I have never seen such a complex design before..." The sannin finally continued, releasing his words in a heavy breath.

"The markings on Naruto's body cover him from head to toe, enveloping him completely. Normally, such a feat would be impossible to perform without killing the person it is used on due to the dangers and strain it can incur, in fact not even I could hope to match it. The thing is, there isn't a single living person who could have created such a complex design. Whatever created these seals on Naruto's body, it is simply beyond human understanding. I would not even be able to guess as to where they originated from."

Iruka narrowed his eyes in thought as Jiraiya finished his explanation, allowing a few moments of silence between them, before speaking up in return.

"Well, the first time we saw those markings was after Naruto came into contact with the scroll you gave him." He explained, remembering the first time he had laid eyes on the intricate 'tattoos' that ran across Naruto's skin. "Is it possible that they were transferred to him when he opened it?"

"I doubt that..." Jiraiya replied, shaking his head.

"To initiate such a transfer through something like that would be relatively impossible, especially considering the precision of the design. It is more likely that Naruto was born with them and that they simply remained dormant until the scroll 'released' them. It was probably a precautionary measure used by his predecessors so the seals could not be used until their wielder was old enough to understand and control them properly. I think we may have unlocked them a bit early for Naruto's sake, but it is too late to do anything about it now. It also explains why they did not interfere with the Kyuubi's sealing as well."

"Why do you say that?" Iruka enquired once more, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Well, I'm sure you noticed how Naruto's markings responded when Mikomi tried to heal him. They seem to react negatively to any outside chakra source that tries to enter his body while they are active, probably as a defensive measure to protect him from outside harm. Any seals added to his body in future may be rejected as well in the same manner. The only reason the Fourth's seal worked at all was because Naruto's were still dormant at the time it was applied, and when they were released, they obviously accepted the Kyuubi's seal as already being a natural part of Naruto's body. In fact during my inspection, I found that they actually seemed to reinforce the seal that holds the Nine-tails intact."

Iruka sighed in relief in response to the explanation, somewhat glad that something good had finally arisen from what otherwise seemed to be nothing but a mystery. He then rubbed the boy's shoulder soothingly, who was still sleeping silently in his arms, completely oblivious to the conversation taking place around him.

"There is just one thing that confuses me." The chunin mumbled as he continued to hold the boy in his gaze.

"Naruto managed to create a seal on his hand similar to the ones that cover his body as a means to summon his sword, Ryuuga. It was fairly small and nowhere near as complex as the others covering him but the fact that he managed to even design it at all and the fact that that his body accepted it is odd."

"It must be the nature of the seal..." Jiraiya responded. "Perhaps it was created that way in order to give the user a choice whether to use it or not. After all, forming such a bond with a weapon is almost as personal as signing a summoning contract, so the seal must have been designed in a way that made it acceptable to the ones on his body. Either way, it seems we have ourselves a potential seal master in that boy if he was able to create one with no prior experience."

Iruka seemed to agree with the explanation, although he never made any motion to respond. Jiraiya easily noticed the yawn that escaped the chunin's tired lips moments later and smiled warmly, before standing from his seat and heading over to the window.

"Well, it seems you are just as tired as Naruto was." He grinned cheekily. "I think it is about time I took my leave and allowed the two of you to rest properly. I will continue to investigate this interesting development we have stumbled upon. Hopefully, with Naruto's assistance, we can uncover more about these markings on his body and their true nature as well."

The sannin then jumped out of the window, swiftly disappearing from view once more. Iruka could no longer see him once he was gone, but he suspected that the sannin would not wander too far from them.

'He could have just used the door.' He smiled inwardly. 'But then again, he would probably tell me there was no fun in doing something like that.'

The chunin then relaxed his head back into the pillow touching at his neck, allowing another tired yawn to stretch from his lips as his exhaustion began to claim his eyes. Naruto shuffled slightly in the subtle motion underneath him, mumbling something incoherent under his breath, before settling once more, never giving any more ground for his father to escape his hold.

Iruka, however, did not mind the possessive embrace. He was content to just lie there, happy to feel Naruto's light breathing on his chest as the boy's own chest continued to rise and fall in his deep slumber, as well as the promise of life as it flowed through their contact. It was only moments later when the chunin's own eyes melted away into darkness as well, his own exhaustion now enrapturing him in its inescapable hold.

It was in that moment, as the sun's last rays melted behind the horizon, before settling into the cool shadow darkness, that father and son had once again shared an unknown love and happiness in one another's arms, along with the warmth and comfort to carry them through the night.

--

Sleep held its embrace over the two quietly sleeping figures for the rest of that evening, and it was only the next morning, when the first rising rays of warm sunlight entered the room and bathed it in a comforting and promising glow, that Naruto's eyes finally began to stir open once more.

Only this time, they did not wake from the terror of an awful nightmare nor with a heavy heart ridden with fear. Instead, this time they woke in the comfort of another's arms, and the warm embrace of emotions that flowed from such a gentle and caring soul.

Once the two cerulean irises came into the light that met there gaze, Naruto took a brief moment to look over the room around him, noting with a great deal of comfort that it was the same as it had been when he want to sleep. He was still safe, and he could still feel the comfort of his father's hold around him, keeping his body warm in his arms. After lying there in a few moments of subtle relief, the boy then moved his hands up to his face to wipe away the sleep that still inhabited his eyes, before yawning loudly in an effort to rid his body of fatigue.

"Good morning kiddo."

Naruto quickly looked up as a familiar voice met his ears, only to see the dark brown eyes of Iruka staring back at him along with a soft smile. The sleepy youngster returned the gesture full heartedly, allowing his father the comfort of seeing his eased expression as his cheeks lifted into a grin.

"Morning dad." He mumbled sheepishly in return, stretching his arms out to revive his aching muscles. Naruto was pleased to hear that his voice carried a lot better than it had the previous afternoon and it was far more coherent than the whisper he could barely manage before.

In return, Iruka squeezed him again, although he was careful not to cause Naruto any discomfort. After all, he was still in some pain even though most of his injuries were healing very well. The one on his left shoulder was still not completely recovered and it would probably need some time, but it was looking far better than it had days before.

"Well kid, I think it's about time I got up now. Besides, the doctor will be in to check your wounds soon and to see how you are holding up."

Naruto just nodded his head, although Iruka could clearly see the boy's discomfort at the mention of a doctors visit. He didn't blame Naruto for feeling that way though, after all, the youngster's past experiences definitely warranted such distrust, especially after how he had been treated here during his previous visits.

"Don't worry Naruto, I'll be here the whole time. Just relax and everything will be fine."

Iruka gave one last affectionate rub on the head and then slowly moved out from underneath Naruto, helping the boy back down again once he was standing. He then walked over to the nearby basin and poured a glass of water, before returning to Naruto's side and holding it out to him.

"Here, have a drink, you must be thirsty."

Naruto just smiled warmly at the offer and clasped the glass with both of his hands, before bringing it up to his lips in an effort to drink. Iruka used his free hand to hold against Naruto's back in an effort to help lift him enough to drink properly, while his other hand continued to hold the glass steady in the boy's otherwise shaking hands.

Once Naruto had satisfied himself, Iruka took the glass from his hands and placed it back down on the table.

"Thanks dad." Naruto allowed, as Iruka helped lower him gently to his bed again. "Thanks for always being there for me. Thanks for looking after me..."

"What are fathers for, if not to look after their child and make sure he was happy?" Iruka replied affectionately.

Before Naruto could think to respond, the door slowly pried itself open, before revealing the familiar figure of Dr. Mikomi as he entered the room. Both Iruka and Naruto turned their gaze towards their new visitor, at which the doctor smiled warmly.

"Ah, I see we are finally awake again young man. That is good news indeed, especially after the ride you gave us these past few days."

Naruto just continued to stare as the young man spoke with a cheery tune that would seem to lift any soul. Mikimo noticed the unwavering blue eyes that had settled on him and flashed another grin in return, before turning to Iruka.

"And now you can finally get some sleep Iruka-san." He laughed cheerfully. "I can already see the bags disappearing from under your eyes."

Iruka simply laughed in return, a gesture that put Naruto somewhat at ease. The boy could see that his father was still relaxed in the other man's presence, which meant he harbored no mistrust towards him.

Once the two had finished sharing their brief moment of relieved humor, Mikomi made his way up to Naruto's side and looked over the boy, as if to inspect him carefully. Naruto shuffled slightly under his gaze, but otherwise remained relatively calm despite his discomfort.

"Alright young man..." The doctor began, pushing up his glasses to allow for better vision. "It seems your injuries are healing nicely, however I will need to run a diagnostics jutsu to make sure they are recovering properly."

Naruto just gulped at the suggestion, before turning his gaze towards his father. Iruka flashed a warm, reassuring smile in response, to which Naruto turned back to face Mikomi again.

"Um..." The boy choked uneasily. "I... I don't... I feel uncomfortable when people touch me. Is it alright if you just look?" Iruka was about to intervene, when Mikomi lifted a hand to halt his tongue.

"Don't worry, there will be no touching necessary during the examination. I am simply going to run some of my chakra through your body in order to better analyze its condition, that's all. Is that alright with you?"

Naruto was still a bit unsure, but the cheerful expression on Mikomi's face quickly eased his tension. He didn't know why, but something felt familiar about this person. Something told the boy that he would be safe under the mans care. After that, Naruto gave his approval in the form of a quiet nod, to which the doctor smiled once more, but before he could make any real effort, Naruto spoke up once more.

"You look... familiar..." Naruto mumbled, just as Mikomi was about to get to work. "I think I've seen you before." The doctor simply continued his preparations, before holding his hand a few centimeters away from Naruto's bandaged chest, just near the area around his shoulder.

"Well, from what I hear, this isn't the first time you have been in here..." He finally replied, running his chakra into the palm of his hands. "... so I'm sure you must have seen me in the hallways at some point. I do get around quite a lot."

Naruto just sank his head back into the pillow after that, content with the answer given to him. Soon afterwards, a soft green light began to pulse around Mikomi's hands, before moving down to envelope Naruto's body. After a brief inspection of the boy's chest and shoulders, the doctor then moved his hands further down his body, scanning Naruto's legs and then completing his analysis.

"Well, it seems as though everything is coming along nicely. I am pleased to report that most of your internal injures, minus the wound around your shoulder, have just about completely healed. Your shoulder wound has closed nicely as well and the muscles in that area have already mended quite sufficiently, so it shouldn't be long before you can leave the hospital. I will check back later and see how you are doing."

With that, Mikomi made his way out of the room once more, leaving only Iruka and Naruto behind. After a few moments of silence, the chunin turned to his younger counterpart and raised his eyebrows at the expression on Naruto's face. It was obvious that the boy was pleased to hear that he would be allowed out soon, especially considering how relaxed he looked.

"Well, I think it is about time you let your companion know how you are doing, am I right?" Iruka grinned, to which Naruto looked up at him with a confused expression. "After all, I bet he's worried sick about you after being left in the dark for so long."

It took a while for the boy to realize just who his father was talking about, but soon his mind clicked into gear and his eyes widened in stunned surprise.

"Oh boy, he's gonna kill me when he sees me." Naruto gulped, to which Iruka laughed.

"Hahahaha!!! Well then, it would be best if you got to summoning him already. We wouldn't want to make him wait any longer."

At that, Naruto slowly pushed himself upright off his bed, until he was in a relatively comfortable sitting positions. He then raised his hands up together, noting with a great deal of satisfaction that he could now move his left arm more easily, before biting his thumb and forming a familiar series of hand seals.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" The boy then slammed his palm into the mattress before him, creating a plume of white smoke as the jutsu took effect while covering the bed in a small dense fog.

Before Naruto could even peer into the opaque cloud before him, a sharp cry caught his ears from inside.

"Naruto-chan!!!!" A small bronze figure flashed into view not even a second later, leaping from the white plume and straight into Naruto's chest, eliciting a sharp, surprised yelp from the boy as he was knocked back down into the bed.

"I missed you so much! I was so worried that something had happened after you didn't summon me! Why didn't you summon me?!?!" Iruka simply laughed as he watched the small dragon continue to jump up and down on Naruto's chest, effectively winding the boy and hampering any attempts he made to reply."

"Hold... ugh.. on buddy..." The boy finally managed, in between his desperate breaths. "You're hurting me... I'm sorry, alright..." Ryuukimi seemed to calm down at that and he quickly halted in his excitement, stepping back slightly onto Naruto's lap and allowing the boy some much needed oxygen.

"But... I was so scared." He mumbled lowly. "You promised me you would summon me as soon as you got back. You promised... but I waited for so long..."

Naruto picked himself up into a sitting position again, with Ryuukimi still on his lap, before placing his arms around the small dragon and pulling him up close against his chest. He then leaned his head down into the hug and whispered softly.

"I... I'm so sorry buddy, I really am. It's just that, things didn't work out the way I hoped and I was sleeping for a while. I didn't mean to make you worry so much." Ryuukimi just sighed despondently, before giving into the gesture and allowing himself to relax in Naruto's arms.

"It's okay." He finally replied. "I'm just glad you're alright. You just... really know how to make me nervous." Naruto just giggled slightly at that.

"Yeah, apparently I do that a lot, or at least that's what dad told me. I'd hate to think what's going to happen when Anko-neesan gets a hold of me." Everyone in the room began laughing at that and Naruto couldn't help but giggle nervously as well.

That he would deal with later, provided he survived long enough.

The rest of that morning was spent simply relaxing in one another's company, as Naruto and Ryuukimi caught up on the missing days lost between them, although Ryuukimi did most of the talking, with Naruto having a complete lack of any memory beyond his dreams regarding his time in sleep.

It was a bit later when a nurse came in with Naruto's breakfast, which the boy promptly gulped down with little trouble. Hospital food was very poor in comparison to the food he ate at home and Iruka even noticed, much to his ire, that it was very poorly prepared for Naruto, but the youngster did not seem to take any notice any of that.

It was the first solid food he had eaten in days, and anything was better than scraping for what little they could manage in the forest during their time lost in the Fire Country. Besides, the food at the orphanage was still a lot worse, so he did not seem to be affected in the slightest.

--

Later that day, Mikomi came in for another checkup, but was pleased to notice that Naruto was recovering rather quickly since he had woken up. It would not be long before he would be allowed to check out, so things were definitely looking positive. Ryuukimi, however, was not too pleased with the intrusion in the least bit and was on sharp alert the entire time, but he relaxed somewhat after seeing that the man clearly meant no harm to Naruto.

It did not stop him from remaining at the boy's side, though, or it would be more accurate to say firmly fixed to his lap.

"Well, it looks like I can finally allow you some visitors now." The doctor smiled as he finished his latest inspection, before making his way over to the door before opening it to allow his new guests' entry. "After all, they've been nagging me to let them see you the whole day, so I guess its high time I granted their wish."

Soon afterwards, three familiar figures came into view through the entrance to Naruto's room, with Kakashi appearing first, holding an all too familiar small orange book in his hand, while Kurenai followed in full glare after him. Naruto chuckled slightly at the sight of her obvious frustration regarding her companion's choice in reading material, but his amusement was sharply cut off as a loud voice interrupted his thoughts and announced the identity of the third guest.

"Damn it!!! It's about time you let us come in!!! How long did you expect us to wait before we could see the little brat?!?!?!" Mikomi bowed his head apologetically as Anko came strolling past him into view, regarding the doctor with a great deal of distaste.

"I apologize Mitarashi-san, but I had to make sure he was well enough before he saw anyone. Too much excitement could have worsened his condition if we weren't careful."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." The jounin retorted, shrugging him off, before turning her attention to her objective. "And there's the little gaki himself, grinning at me stupidly like he's done nothing wrong."

Naruto's grin just widened at the playful jab, but he couldn't help but feel slightly unnerved by the woman's wicked smile. He knew he was in for it, and all he could do was try his best to help lessen the blow. He hoped his smile would have the desired result.

"Anko-neesan, Kakashi-niisan, Kurenai-neesan! It's so good to see you!!!" The boy boasted happily, grinning at his visitors madly. Kurenai and Kakashi just looked at each other somewhat dumbfounded, both pondering on their new titles so readily given by the boy before them. Anko, on the other hand, simply stepped up to the bubbling youngster's bed and knocked him over the head with a precise blow, eliciting a small, painful yelp as her knuckles knocked against his crown.

"Ow! what was that for?!?!" The boy groaned, rubbing his head to ease the throb that had formed.

"That was for making me worry so much, ya brat! I think I gained a couple of pounds at the dango store because of you. Don't you know how hard it is for a woman to shed her weight?" Before Naruto could even think to respond, the jounin knelt down in front of him and pulled him into a hug, startling him with her sudden change in tone.

"Damn it gaki, don't ever scare me like that again." She whispered softly, betraying her real emotions clearly through her touch. "Otherwise, I'm really gonna have to take you out myself next time." Naruto giggled softy at that, and then returned the hug with all the strength he could. It felt good, just bathing in the strong emotions coming from her touch.

"Yeah, I know you would. You are a psycho after all..." Anko's eyebrow twitched at the sudden jab hurled at her and Naruto quickly pulled out of the hug as he felt the sudden and very sharp change in her emotions, before smacking his hands up against his gaping mouth.

"Oops, did I say that out loud?" He mumbled through his fingers, his eyes widened with shock. Anko just nodded her head slowly, trying her best to hide her waking wrath as well as the throbbing vein on her forehead.

"Yeah, you did, you little brat. You're lucky I am in a good mood right now, otherwise you would have been spending a few more nights here above the norm. That smile of yours may work on Kurenai quite well, but it won't always protect you from me." After that, the jounin stepped aside and allowed her fellow companions to share their greetings as well, Kurenai giving hers in the form of an affectionate hug and a small peck on the forehead, while Kakashi simply waved as he normally did under such circumstances.

It was only a few minutes later, while everyone was finally settling down, that another knock was heard on the door, announcing the arrival of yet another visitor. Iruka quickly moved to answer it and let a despondent Shikamaru inside, pushing what looked to be a very grumpy Kiba in front of him in a wheelchair.

"Shikamaru, Kiba!" Naruto shouted, seeing the two appear into view. Kiba's face immediately seemed to lift at the greeting and he flashed a feral grin in return, baring his slightly enlarged canines enthusiastically.

"Hey Naruto!" He shouted in reply. Shikamaru, however, simply rubbed his ears in annoyance and to ease his suffering hearing.

"Sheesh, must you two be so loud? How troublesome. Anyway, I thought we would just pop in to say hi, seeing as how we were in the area and all. We decided to visit you when we heard what room you were stuck in. Grumpy socks over here has been itching to get out for a while and I got stuck pushing him around."

"Hey, I'm not grumpy!" Kiba retorted, sticking his tongue out at the Nara. "I'm just bored. You try sitting in a wheelchair all day and see how you feel."

Naruto's face fell into a frown as he looked over the rowdy Inuzuka, feeling more than a bit guilty about the injuries the boy had sustained for his sake. Kiba, however, noticed the sudden fall in his expression and smiled reassuringly.

"Hey Naruto, don't worry about me. Besides, I think if we were having a contest for best mummy in Konoha, you would have won easily with all those bandages on you." The young blond cheered up at that and he nodded his head enthusiastically.

"Yeah, I guess so..."

"So, what are you doing here Shikamaru?" Iruka finally intervened. "I don't recall you being injured, so are you just here to visit Naruto and Kiba?" The young Nara just shook his head, before letting out a deep sigh.

"Not exactly, I find hospitals quite troublesome. Actually, I was here to visit my father. He was also checked in a few days ago and my mom said I should see how he was doing. I think that in the contest for best mummy, he would probably win at this stage."

"Oh, was he injured?" Kakashi enquired curiously. "He looked fine while we were on our way back to Konoha."

"Actually, everything was fine during the trip back, if you don't count Kiba's constant wining while his mom carried him." The said boy just pouted in annoyance, with his cheeks flushing red in embarrassment, something that made everyone in the room laugh.

"However..." Shikamaru continued. "When we got back, my mom got a hold of him and then all hell broke loose, and so here we are. He still can't move his jaw to eat properly, so they have him on a liquid diet for the time-being. Ino's and Chouji's dad's wouldn't stop laughing the whole time when they came to see him."

Anko couldn't help contain her laughter as the vivid description of what had happened ran through her mind, causing everyone to stare at her in stunned silence as she giggled maniacally.

"YEAH! NOW THAT'S WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!!! THAT'S MY KIND OF WOMAN!!!" Shikamaru, however, just leaned closer to Naruto as Anko continued her flashy, chaotic display and whispered into the boy's ear.

"Is... she always like this?" Naruto simply nodded his head knowingly.

"Yeah, in fact this is her on a good day. You should see what she's like during training." The Nara simply shivered at the mere thought of it, muttering something about troublesome crazy woman under his breath. Having one woman like his mother was bad enough as it was and he dared not think about what would happen should the two ever meet.

--

That afternoon, after spending a day together and sharing their stories between one another as well as recapping on days past, everyone finally said their goodbyes and made their way out once more, leaving only Naruto, Iruka and Ryuukimi behind. The three jounin of the group had left first, citing a meeting called by the Hokage, while Shikamaru and Kiba made their way off a bit later. Once their visitors had left, the young blond, whose room they had all occupied, sighed despondently and fell back into his bed in exhaustion.

If anyone else were to see him, they would simply say he was only tired, but Iruka knew the truth behind the matter and it was painfully obvious to the chunin that Naruto was disappointed that Hinata and Lee had not come to visit him yet.

"Hey kiddo, are you alright?" The boy just let out a deep breath and looked over to where Iruka was sitting, his eyes clearly betraying his emotions as they emptied of the joy that held them only moments before.

"Do you... think that Hinata will be allowed to visit me?" Iruka just shook his head in dismay, unable to give the answer he would have preferred.

"I'm sorry, but I just don't know at this point. Hiashi may want to keep her under his protection for a while, especially after everything that has happened, after all she is the heir to the Hyuuga clan above anything else and their duties come first."

"I understand..." Naruto grumbled in reply. "I wonder where Lee is as well. I was hoping to see him too."

Iruka was somewhat surprised by how well the youngster seemed to manage himself, even though he was clearly upset. Ryuukimi, seeing his companion's distress, simply snuggled up to the boy and pressed his head under Naruto's hand, prompting the the blond to stroke the top of his head.

"Don't worry buddy, I'm here for you. I'm sure Lee and Hinata are worried as well and they'll visit as soon as they can." Naruto just nodded his head glumly, for lack of any better response, but the words of his companion did offer some hope depsite everything.

After that, nothing more was said from either of them. However, just before the room could fall into complete silence, one last knock sounded at the door, prompting all eyes to turn in its direction whle igniting a hopeful spark in Naruto's heart. Moments later, as if to answer the boy's silent prayers, two small figures stepped from behind the opening entrance, revealing the smiling faces of Naruto's two best human friends as they wandered into view.

The boy's jaw almost fell slack at the sight of them, and his eyes wavered with the soft shimmer of a slight golden hew, although it was barely recognizable in the warm afternoon sunlight.

"Lee... Hinata..."

"NARUTO!!!"

Both said youngsters immediately came running up to the blond's bed, before jumping up onto it and crushing him in an embrace that would make most others pale in comparison.

"We're so happy to see you!" Hinata cried, snuggling up as closely as possible. Lee just smiled as the two of them continued to hold their waking friend, with Naruto eventually returning the hug with just as much warmth and joy.

"Yosh! When I heard what happened from Hinata, I was worried sick about you, but I heard you kicked a lot of but out there. I just wish I could have seen all your training and hard work in action!"

"Yeah, but Hinata was cooler than I was." Naruto replied, his voice muffled by the closeness of their embrace. "If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have made it as far as I did."

As Iruka continued to watch the trio share their estranged greeting, with Naruto being bathed in the comfort of his friends' arms, another movement caught the corner of his eyes, diverting their gaze back to the door once more only to see Hiashi walk inside. The Hyuuga clan head bowed respectfully in greeting as he entered, to which the chunin returned the gesture in kind.

"So I see you've allowed Hinata to come and visit after all." Iruka offered once they had properly greeted. "I didn't think the elders would be too pleased with allowing something like this, especially after everything that has happened." Hiashi nodded his head knowingly.

"Indeed, they were quite opposed to my decision for bringing Hinata here, however my daughter managed to be quite convincing in her argument to see your son and I could not simply refuse her request. After all, from what I've heard by her description of his actions, I owe this boy my gratitude for saving my daughter's life."

Hiashi then turned his attention back to the three youngsters, who were still caught in a tight embrace, the young blond of the group being hardly given a moment to breath as he was crushed by their overwhelming display of affection. Iruka could almost swear that he saw the makings of a smile touching against the corners of the man's lips, but the ever stoic Hyuuga expression never betrayed any real form of emotion.

"The thick-browed one bumped into us on the way here, so he ended up joining in our visit." The clan head finished.

Iruka was about to respond, but a muffled cry for help caught the attention of his ears and both he and Hiashi turned their attention to the trio between them.

"Um.. guys... I'M DYING AGAIN!!!!"

Naruto had obviously also noticed the desperate cry, because he quickly pulled out from the embrace, with Lee and Hinata following suite, only to reveal a heavily panting Ryuukimi sprawled out on the mattress between each of them. Naruto's hands once again found themselves covering his mouth in shock as he realized what had happened.

"Do you guys ever think of me when you start hugging each other?" The small dragon grumbled again, writing himself and standing to his feet once more.

"Hehehe... sorry Ryuukimi..." Naruto smiled sheepishly, before lifting the dragon onto his lap again. "You're just a bit small, so we lose track of you sometimes."

"Great, just great.... make excuses will ya! Talk about being crushed with love..."

With that, the three youngsters began to talk, with Naruto once again beginning to explain the past few days, only this time to Lee, who was eager to learn what had transpired in his absence.

After once again sharing their stories between one another, with Hinata and Naruto recounting their unexpected adventure in the interests of their oldest friend, the three youngsters said finally their goodbyes for the last time that evening. Lee and Hinata both made their way out the door after sharing their fond farewells with Naruto and Iruka, with Hiashi following shortly after them.

However, the older Hyuuga paused just before exiting, once the other two youngsters in front of him had dissapeared from view and from hearing. He then turned his attention back to Naruto, who propped up nervously as the expressionless eyes bore into him with an unnerving gaze.

"It is strange..." The man spoke softly, causing Naruto's face to twist into a confused expression. "My daughter sees so much in you, more than she sees even within the bounds of her own family, even that of her own father. I often stumble upon her training at night, and hear her whispered vows to become strong to protect those who are precious to her, even though I could never attain such dedication from her myself."

"I don't understand..." Naruto squeaked nervously, to which Hiashi sighed.

"Perhaps it is my fault." He continued, while Iruka listened carefully to the exchange between them.

"When her mother died, I was not prepared to be a father. I was raised as a clan head and throughout my entire life I was taught how to handle such a task and to ensure my clans prosperity. When I married Hinata's mother, she completed a side of me that never existed before. She was able to care for that which I could not and she showed the kind of love I simply couldn't express. However..."

The man then went silent for a moment, while Naruto just continued to stare in stunned silence. The boy wasn't sure why Hiashi was telling him all of this, whether it was directed specifically towards him or whether it was just means of relief for an overburdened heart, but he never once interrupted and always listened intently. After a brief, uncomfortable pause, the Hyuuga finally continued, never raising his voice above a low soft tone.

"However... when my wife died, I was left to take care of our daughters alone. I did not know how to handle such a daunting task, so I relied on the one aspect of my being I had perfected so well. I raised Hinata as a clan head and not as a father and I tried my best to instill the same strength in her that had been instilled in me, but it seems I only ended up pushing her away by doing so. What is it, that you have done so differently, to bring such strength and happiness forth from her heart? What must I do to see that for myself instead of the coldness that lingers between us? Why is it so hard?"

Naruto remained silent for a moment, un-answering in the uneasy moments that followed. Hiashi, noting the boy's lack of response, closed his eyes and cursed himself silently, realizing that he was burdening a mere child with such a difficult question that the boy couldn't possibly hope to answer in his youthful innocence. Realizing his mistake, the older Hyuuga then turned back to make his way out the door. However, before he could exit the room, Naruto called out softly to him, stopping the man in his tracks.

"It... it isn't hard..."

Hiashi turned around again and regarded the boy curiously, while Iruka just smiled instead. The chunin already knew what answer lay within the boy's heart without even needing to hear it and it brought a great deal of comfort to him, knowing that Naruto had grown so strong over the past few months.

"It's really easy..." The boy finally continued, raising his voice just a bit more. "All she wants is for you to love her, to care for her and hold her in your arms, that's all. At the end of the day there is nothing else that is important, its just love, that is the only thing that matters in the end. I know because..."

The boy then turned his gaze to Iruka, sharing in the man's warm smile and smiling softly himself in return.

"... I know because that's all I ever wanted. It was all I ever needed to give me strength and to make me happy. To show someone love, I think that is the best gift you can give them, and its the only way to make them truly happy. If you just love her, I think things will get better."

Hiashi just stood there in silence, as if to contemplate the answer given to him, before bowing softly. This time, however, both Iruka and Naruto could see the barely visible smile spread across his lips.

"Very well then, it seems you have a wisdom on this matter beyond that of my own. I will consider your words carefully indeed young one, but for now I must be leaving. I wish you a good night and a hasty recovery."

The Hyuuga then made his way out the door, leaving a very stunned Naruto and Iruka behind. Ryuukimi just glanced in between the two as they continued to stare after the now absent Hyuuga and then shook his head despondently.

"Man, you humans are so complicated..."

--

The next few days went pretty much the same for the young blond as he continued his recovery in the hospital.

That is to say very, VERY slowly.

However, his friends never left him alone in the drab confines of his room for long and both Lee and Hinata made every effort to visit him whenever possible. Hinata could not visit as often as the enthusiastic Lee though and when she was allowed to come, it was always under the watchful eye of a branch family member, but it was enough to keep Naruto happy just seeing her from time to time.

Iruka was there all the time as well and even slept inside the hospital room at night, partly to make sure Naruto was comfortable and at ease, knowing he was not alone, and partly to protect the boy from any possible follow up attack that may have occurred during his vulnerability.

Jiraiya was almost always there as well, even though he could not always be seen. However, Iruka was deeply comforted simply knowing that the sannin was always nearby and it helped him sleep better at night knowing that Naruto was under the watchful gaze of such a powerful figure.

It also helped his nerves that Ryuukimi would always sleep at the boy's side, or in most cases, on top of him, always present and constantly sheltering the blond under his protective wings. It made the chunin feel warm inside, just seeing the small bronze dragon huddle up so closely to his young human companion and the bond they shared between them was clearly displayed in the affection and loyalty he could see in Ryuukimi's actions to keep Naruto from harm.

It was four days after Naruto had woken up for the first time since getting back to Konoha, that Mikomi had finally cleared him for departure after removing the bandages from his body and making sure that he was fine to leave. It was on the very evening of that fourth day that he and Iruka both made their way from the hospital's entrance, with Ryuukimi still riding the boy's shoulders as he had always done before.

The late afternoon rays of warm sunlight slowly began to creep away into darkness soon afterwards as both father and son stood there in the soft glow that touched against them, before allowing for the cool, crisp evening air to settle against their skin.

Iruka looked down to the boy beside him and smiled fondly, seeing Naruto healed from his wounds and free of the bandages that covered him days before. He then placed his had on the boy's head and ruffled his hair affectionately, gaining his cerulean eyes as well as a warm smile in return. He then lowered his hand once more and offered it to Naruto, who regarded it with a happy, joyful grin.

"Well son, I guess its time to head home now. Are you ready to go?" Naruto took a hold of the hand offered to him into his own, never once letting the soft smile slip off his face, and then squeezed it tightly. He then looked up to his father again, his eyes now glowing in the soft gold of his emotions and the love that harbored inside his heart.

"Yeah... I'm ready. Let's go home... dad..."

The two then made there way towards the fast disappearing sunset and to their awaiting home, striding forward into the future with the strength of one another's love and the hope held in each other's hands. It was a strength that would always embrace both their hearts closely together and it was also one that would always be shared through their touch, as long as the other's hand was there to hold.

Now that strength led them home once more, as well as the hope of a better future.

'Home... I will always be home as long as dad is at my side...'

--

AN: Alright, that is it for this arch. It was a long road with many twists and turns, but now we move onto the next faze in Naruto's life and all the adventure that comes with it.

I was actually very pleased with this chapter and how it came out. It was a bit long and I had a lot to get through before it was over, but I think I managed to wrap it up nicely. Unfortunately, because of the length, I had to leave out one scene that I had hoped to fit in, regarding a certain someone, but that will still come soon enough.

Anyway, my writing also seems to have improved quite a bit following my fairly reasonable absence, but I think it was something that may have been necessary for me to refocus on what I was doing. I also hope things will start to settle down now, so that I can get back into my more frequent updates. I will not abandon this story any time soon, circumstances have simply held me off it for a while. Hopefully, they won't hold me back any more.

I also have a new Poll up on my profile, so feel free to drop by and give me your opinion. This time, it is regarding what you are looking forward to most in the new arch. If there is something I did not put there, feel free to PM me and I will add it to the choices given.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!!!! ^ ^

Notes:

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" = Summoning Jutsu!

Credits:

Writer - Me of course!!! XD

Beta - Kiiroi Senko.