In the distance bells tolled. The plaza was filled to overflowing with mourners. The whole village was here, or near enough. They stood in silence. Here and there people cried quietly. Some spoke prayers or whispered words of comfort to loved ones. They had all come honor those who had died to protect them.

But above all most of them had come to honor one man in particular.

Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage, Konoha's Yellow Flash, and their savior. To the people of Konoha he was more than just a hero, he was a symbol of everything that was good and worthwhile about their village. He had been the best of them, and to most of the people here his loss hurt just as much as the loss of a loved one.

From the very back of the crowd there was a stir. People looked to see a group walking towards the Tower where more than three hundred portraits were on display. When they saw who it was many in the crowd began to feel anger. How dare she come here! Many felt her presence to be nothing but a mockery of their beloved Yondaime's memory.

XXXXXXXXXX

She saw the looks on their faces as she led the others towards the Tower. Except for Jiraiya they were all dressed in mourning clothes like everyone else. But it seemed that even now she stood out. Along with the ugly looks she heard their mutters.

"Damn whore…"

"… completely shameless!"

"Stole what was his!"

"… because of her…"

"Mother of a demon, she…"

Every harsh look and every word fed her anger. What a bunch of hypocrites they all are! They loved Minato, worshipped the ground he walked on. But they can't stand me even though I'm his widow. To them I'm still just the foreign whore who seduced their hero. And if Naruto were here right now they'd want to tear him apart even though he is Minato's only child. What monsters they all are!

Her hand twitched a bit. She wanted her katana. She wanted to wade into this crowd and really give them something to fear.

Instead she kept silent and walked on with her head held high. She had nothing to be ashamed of. She had loved him with all of her heart and he had loved her. She had been his devoted and faithful wife and would be a faithful widow now. She had already decided she would never allow anyone else into her bed. Minato had been her one and only, she could never be with anyone else.

And as for their precious son she was going to love him and protect him. Not only was he her little baby, he was Minato's legacy, the last true Namikaze. Whatever the village or the Council thought he was going to grow up to be a great man.

She would see to that no matter what.

As she and the others approached the front of the Tower a man with bandages on the right half of his face stepped out in front of her. His hair was mostly grey with a few strands of black mixed in. "You can't go any further," he announced.

Despite the bandages they all recognized him.

"What are you doing Sobou? Get out of the way!" Tsunade growled. He was one of the top ninja in the village, an elite Jonin they all knew and respected.

Sobou looked directly at Kushina. "You have no right to be here, you are not from this village. This ceremony is for the people of Konoha." Throughout the crowd people nodded their agreement.

"I am not from here," she said tightly. "But I am a citizen of Konoha, though kami knows I am no leaf nin, I became one when I married Minato."

Sobou frowned angrily. "No one believes that! I don't know how you fooled Sarutobi but everyone knows you were never anything but Minato's woman. You were never his wife."

"That is not true!" Tsunade said loudly. "Jiraiya and I were both at her wedding and witnessed their marriage. They were actually married more than a year and a half ago!"

"That's right!" Jiraiya shouted. "Minato loved her and only her. He kept the marriage a secret in order to try and protect her. Kushina was his wife, end of story!"

Hearing her two friends publicly defend her made her feel a bit happy. Seeing the look on Sobou's face and on the faces of others on the crowd also made her happy. "I have come here to place a flower down in memory of my husband," Kushina told him. "And not you or everyone here will keep me from doing so."

"Disgraceful," Sobou said. "I don't care what anyone says. You're being here is an insult to the good people who have come here to mourn. And so is your protecting that demon you…"

"Careful!" Tsunade jumped forward and put her nose an inch away from his. "Careful what you say or you may break the Hokage's new law. You also want to be careful talking about my godson or I may take offense."

Sobou for his part did not back down and did not seem intimidated even facing an angry Sanin. "How can you say that when you know what he is?"

"I can say it because I know what Naruto is, a helpless and innocent baby. It's you and these other idiots who don't know what he is." Tsunade said loudly.

"You people should have more faith in Minato's work," Jiraiya said. "He was the world's top seal master, he even surpassed me. Do you really think he would have made a seal for his son that could even possibly fail? If he put the seal on Naruto then there is no chance of what was trapped ever being let out."

"Is there a problem here?" A familiar voice spoke. Though dressed like the rest of them the people immediately recognized the Third Hokage. The crowd drew back and people gave him respectful bows.

Seeing him Sobou also bowed.

"Hey old man," Jiraiya greeted.

Sarutobi nodded to him. "I am glad to see you were able to attend this service Jiraiya." He looked at the rest of them. "This is a memorial," he said quietly. "It is a time for healing and remembrance. This is not the time for confrontations or arguments."

"Of course," Kushina replied and bowed. "That is the last thing I want."

Sobou nodded respectfully. "I apologize Hokage-sama. You are correct this is neither the time nor the place." He sent a last glance to Kushina and stepped back into the crowd.

"Come, let us pay our respects," Sarutobi invited.

XXXXXXXXXX

The picture was of him in his robes with a huge smile on his face. She was glad; she had always loved that smile. Before the portrait there was already a huge stack of white flowers. She simply placed hers down among them and brought her hands together in prayer and she shut her eyes. Please wait for me Minato-kun honey, please be patient. One day we will be together again.

One by one the others with her placed down their flowers and made their silent offerings. For the very first time she could remember Kushina saw tears from Kaede as she put her flower down.

When the offerings were complete they headed back just the way they had come.

XXXXXXXXXX

"He really does look just like his father," Jiraiya said as he saw Naruto for the very first time.

"Yeah he does," Kushina agreed happily.

Jiraiya smirked. "He's going to have to beat the girls off with a stick."

"Probably," Kushina said with a laugh.

He carefully looked at her as the child slept in his crib. "I never imagined it could be so bad… that crowd at the memorial. How could they be so unforgiving?"

"I don't know," Kushina said. "And to be honest I don't really care either. Until things calm down I intend to keep Naruto right here or with the Hyuuga when I can't be with him. That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

Jiraiya looked very unhappy. "I'm sorry Kushina, but I won't be able to stay and help you. Right now I'm still working on expanding my spy network and my top priority is trying to find Orochimaru. I'll make sure to visit Konoha as often as I can to check on you and the kid, but I can't stay. As a matter of fact I'll have to leave tomorrow."

"But you just got here!"

"I know, but it can't be avoided."

Kushina looked very unhappy. "But I need you to help me! Minato set seals over the mansion and the estates to help guard us from intruders. But now that Minato is gone I don't have any way to use them."

"I see," Jiraiya said. "Well, I could teach you how to manipulate them but that would take months."

"Isn't there anything you can do?"

He thought about it for a moment. "Well… if you don't mind having a tattoo I could make a master seal and connect it to the ones Minato placed." He looked apologetic. "It would have to remain visible at all times I'm afraid. It'll be a seal, but it will appear as a tattoo."

"Fine," she said immediately. "If it helps me protect my son I don't mind."

XXXXXXXXXX

That evening Jiraiya placed a master seal that covered all of Kushina's left forearm. Wanting to be a bit artistic he chose to render the seal in the form of a tree with one hundred and thirty two leaves, each one numbered and drawn in black ink. Whenever anyone entered a room that had been warded of crossed a section of the fence she would get a sensation nin her arm and the corresponding, 'leaf' would change from black over to red. She would now instantly be aware of any intruders who entered her property without permission.

Early the next morning Jiraiya left. He promised to return as often as he could.

"Take good care of my little godson, when he gets older I plan on making him my student." Jiraiya said with a grin.

"Who says you're going to be his sensei?" Tsunade asked. "I plan on instructing him."

"What are going to teach the kid? How to be a medic nin?" Jiraiya made a face that showed what he thought of that.

"What's wrong with being a medic nin?" She demanded angrily.

"I could tell you but I don't have all day."

"Why you annoying, perverted, monkey faced idiot!" Tsunade shouted.

"Hey!" Jiraiya snapped. "Take that back! I don't have a monkey face!"

"Enough you two!" Kushina said sharply. "He is still just a baby; he won't be ready for training for years yet. When he is you can both teach him."

That didn't rally satisfy either of them but hey left it at that for the time being.

XXXXXXXXXX

Later that day Kakashi approached her about something.

"Kushina, those men I captured were arrested while on your property. According to Konoha law you have the right to punish them in any way you see fit, up to and including execution." He looked at her curiously. "What do you want done with them?"

Kushina thought about it for a moment. "Please have the ANBU let them go."

"Just let them go? Don't you want them punished?"

"Yes I do," she said flatly. "I'd like to have them whipped and then have salt rubbed in their open wounds." She gave Kakashi an unhappy grimace. "But I think it's best if I just let this go. If I punish these men it will only stir up more anger in the village. I just want things to calm down and for people to stop hating my son."

Kakashi thought about it and slowly nodded. If it had been up to him they'd have spent the rest of their lives in prison. "That probably is the best answer. Hopefully it helps quiet things."

"Let's hope."

XXXXXXXXXX

At the end of the week Tsunade grudgingly admitted that Kushina was no longer in any danger and had recovered enough to use her ninja abilities again.

At the Namikaze gate she her apprentice and Kushina were saying their goodbyes.

"Now remember, you promised to visit me and Naruto at least once a year." Kushina said.

"I haven't forgotten," Tsunade said. "Though with everything I've seen over the last week I don't like this place any better." She looked at Kushina worriedly. "Are you sure you'll be all right?"

"I'll be fine," she promised. "I have Rin to check on my health and Naruto's. I have Sarutobi, Kakashi, Hiashi, Hannah, Hizashi and the rest of the Hyuuga. Plus I've sent a letter out to my family in Whirlpool. I expect my parents, my brother, and a bunch of my clan to be here some time in the next week. Naruto and I will both be fine."

"I'm still worried about you," Tsunade admitted. "Even after a week this whole place is like a stack of explosive notes near an open flame. The people here are still way too angry. I'm afraid of what might happen."

Kushina shrugged. "Fine, want to stay?"

Tsunade frowned. "No."

Kushina laughed. She reached out and gave the woman a hug. "Don't worry about me; I'll be fine and so will Naruto. I think the worst is over now. There haven't been any more incidents since the first night."

"You had a Sanin staying with you that whole time," she pointed out.

Kushina gave Shizune a hug as well. "Don't worry about me."

"All right, I guess I have to go. Goodbye for now."

"Bye Kushina!" Shizune said.

"Bye you two, come see me again soon."

XXXXXXXXXX

When Tsunade left a few people noticed it and the word whet through the village with surprising speed.

The fearsome Sanin was gone and no longer protecting the demon child.