My Precious People

by xWinorLose

Many years have passed since the end of the Fourth Shinobi War. Now twenty-six, Naruto has returned to Konoha to help someone precious to him. He finds some unexpected changes, among them the son of Hinata whom no one knows who the father is, and a new danger looms on the horizon. Rated M for language and lemons.

20. Ch 19: Shichidaime Hokage

19. Shichidaime Hokage

Oh, my God! They killed Kenny! You bastards! Welcome to Chapter 19!

Chapter 19, where Naruto and Sasuke return to the village and the question is finally answered…how did Naruto get to be named Hokage? But before we get into that, POLL RESULTS!

With 78% of the vote, my readers gave an overwhelming victory to a LEMON scene, so I made good on my word and wrote one. However, in order to try and placate everyone else I wrote this one quite a bit different. I tried to make it more romantic and lustful, and a lot less vulgar than my last one. There's very little conversation that takes place during the whole thing, and I went more with a 'show me don't tell me' kind of approach. I've clearly marked where it is, and you don't need to read it to understand the rest of the story. But I've been told by the people who proofread it for me that it's pretty hot…

I originally was going to wait a few more days to release this, but since it's Valentine's Day I thought this would be a great present for my readers, with the lemon scene and all. Also, to compensate for the lack of many things happening in this chapter, I wrote quite a bit of information discovery at the beginning and at the end. I hope everyone likes the result.

As always, I'd like to give the standard thanks and shout-outs to various people for helping me with my story. As I mention every chapter, reader interaction is very important to me and although this is MY story, great ideas can come from anywhere.

Thank you to fellow author Titokhan for helping me out, as well as my anonymous beta for his continued efforts and support. They give me confidence and make my job more enjoyable by supporting me through thick and thin. Thanks a bunch, and I appreciate everything you guys do for me.

Raja-Ulat: Gets credit for the meeting between Sakura and Ino from last chapter, where Sakura tries to get Ino's support – as well as the depths of Sakura's obsession with Sasuke. I had planned on using another character but this idea was too juicy to pass up.

Arcana37210: There were several tweaks in the sex scene that he offered, and I made them based on his input. Thanks for your help and ideas!

Hektols: The idea of someone threatening to rip up the adoption agreement was his. Thank you!

Odinson91: Gets credit for the idea of some interaction between Hikaru and Reira going forward. You'll see some reference to it in this chapter. Appreciate it!

Kingkakashi: You made some good points in your review, so the bank teller thing is explained here for my readers. Thanks, man!

Aggammenonn: Offered some advice on how to write my story so that it would sound and flow much better. I'm trying, dude! Hope it shows some noticeable improvement!

Also for the purposes of my story, Naruto didn't master various aspects of his Second Stage Tailed Beast Transformation during the 4th shinobi war. There is a bit of justification for this, if you check out Chapter 616 of the manga. I just stretched things a bit.

And last but not least, let's clear something up before I get PM's about it…I know there's two ways to say 'Seventh Hokage', Shichidaime and Nanadaime. I like Shichidaime and I'm going to use that. 'Nuff said.

This chapter is dedicated to the following authors who made mention of my story in their own works. If you haven't checked their stories out, you have NO idea what you're missing! Thank you so much for your support and encouragement!

Weirdismyname – Beyond an Hieress' Purpose

Softwinds – The Ring That Binds

Gigiree123 – A Reluctant Return

OGAFazer89AC – Path To The Future

So without further ado, here's this month's disclaimer. Had to dig a bit to come up with one, but without a doubt it's one of my favorite movie lines of all time!

Disclaimer – I don't own Naruto. And I have to say, you're quite the skilled swordsman.

Swordsman – Thank you. I have been training since I was eleven years old, dedicating my life to the study of fencing.

Disclaimer – Why would you do such a thing?

Swordsman – My father was killed by a six-fingered man, and I will find him no matter how long it takes. When I do, I will look into his eyes and say, "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." (+1 if you get the reference.)

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Chapter 19 - Shichidaime Hokage

"Welcome back to the village…Hokage-sama."

Stone faced, Naruto stared at the two guards, irritated at their evasive answer to his question. "You guys think this is REAL funny, don't you? Well, I'm not laughing at your little joke. You both know something, so how about you spill…"

Sasuke clapped his hand down on Naruto's shoulder, interrupting him. "Dobe, I know you're upset but you need to keep it in check. There's no way these two had anything to do with your face being on the Hokage Monument, and they just said that any questions we had would be answered at our debriefing. So let's just get to Kakashi's office and find out what's going on."

Naruto glanced quickly at his brother, before continuing to glare coldly at the two guards. After a few seconds, he grunted in agreement. "All right. But let's use the shunshin to get there. I don't feel like dealing with any of the villagers until I get to the bottom of this."

Sasuke agreed, and after sparing the guards a withering look, the two men disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Kotetsu and Izumo stared at each other for a second, and then both men collapsed onto the ground, laughing uproariously and holding their sides. After a solid minute of this, their laughter died down and they stood back up, wiping the tears from their eyes as they composed themselves.

"Well, that was fun." Kotetsu said. "What do you think's going to happen when he finds out who's responsible for his face being up there?"

"I'm betting our new Hokage will change his tune rather quickly." Izumo replied. "I mean, let's face it – he's got no choice but to take the job and be happy about it. I wouldn't want to be him if he doesn't."

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"So based off of our current ANBU availability, patrols can't be maintained throughout the village as well as the outer perimeter. Shifts will have to be extended from eight hours to twelve if we can't find additional personnel to help out, and I'd recommend against that if at all possible. We're being stretched too thin as it is, and it's reducing the effectiveness of everyone under my command."

After listening to the ANBU captain give his report, Kakashi groaned. Another day of menial tasks and decisions lied before him, and for what seemed like the hundredth time in the past week he wondered when Naruto would return to the village, saving him from the endless hours of tedium this job produced.

"Reduce the patrols to the minimum required amount in the areas surrounding the Hyūga, Inuzuka and Aburame clans, and have an authorized representative from each one meet me here at eleven o'clock. I'm going to ask them to help out for the time being, since they have the personnel to spare and hold a vested interest in maintaining security around their compounds. I don't want…"

His voice trailed off, as he sensed two large chakra signatures appear suddenly outside the Hokage Tower. Kakashi didn't have to guess too hard at who it might be, since they WERE former students of his, after all.

Knowing that the ANBU captain felt it as well, he struck an assertive tone and said, "Naruto and Sasuke are back. Make yourself scarce, and tell the rest of the ANBU that I don't want to be interrupted unless there's an emergency, or you hear something explode. Trust me when I say that it's in your best interest to keep EVERYONE away from my office for the duration of this conversation."

The captain nodded, understanding exactly what the Hokage was hinting at. He disappeared in a cloud of smoke, planning to get the word out as fast as possible.

The timing couldn't have been more perfect, because about five seconds after that Naruto barged into the office, with what appeared to be a slightly amused Sasuke following behind him. Doing his best to keep from laughing at the sight, Kakashi remained impassive and said dryly, "Welcome back to the village, you two. I'm guessing the mission was a resounding success. Why don't you sit down and we can talk all about it?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes, clearly not amused with his former teacher and his laid-back attitude. "How about before I do, you tell me why I just saw MY FACE going up on the Hokage Monument?"

Kakashi raised his eyebrow. "I should think that's obvious. It's because you have been named Shichidaime Hokage. What other reason would there be?"

Naruto growled, "Now you sound EXACTLY like those two jokers at the front gate. They told me that any other questions I might have would be answered once I got to your office, so now that I'm here you need to start talking. I want to know just HOW I got elected to be the Seventh Hokage, despite the fact that I've been out of the village for over two months and never signed anything or agreed to it before I left."

Kakashi sighed, before gesturing to the chairs in front of him. "I'm more than happy to explain, but please close the door and sit down so that I can put up the privacy seals. Your mission WAS an S-ranked secret, and I'd really like to talk about that after I answer your question. Will that suffice?"

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a glance, then nodded to each other in agreement. Naruto sat down and after closing the door, Sasuke joined him. Kakashi put up the privacy seals, and then started rummaging around in his desk while he explained.

"Now, as to exactly HOW you were named as the Seventh Hokage is actually quite simple. About two weeks after you left, I approached Hinata during one of our daily training sessions, and pitched the idea of you becoming Hokage once you returned to the village. She thought it was a wonderful idea, and reasoned to herself that not only would you be thrilled at having finally achieved your childhood dream, but also with how hard she worked to actually make it happen."

Naruto grunted and said, "Using Hinata like that is pretty underhanded, Kakashi-sensei. But it doesn't make a difference, because I never signed anything agreeing to become Hokage in the first place."

Kakashi eye smiled at him. "Ah, but you see that's where you're wrong." Finally finding what he was looking for, he pulled out a scroll and held it up. "With everything you've had going on in your life lately, it probably slipped your mind that Konoha law stipulates that when the clan head is out of the village or unable to perform his or her duties, their spouse becomes their duly authorized representative. This includes, but is certainly not limited to things such as finances, the creation and signing of legal documents regarding clan matters, and voting on items that are presented at council meetings."

He tossed the scroll to Naruto, who deftly caught it. "Hinata, being your duly authorized representative had the agreement drawn up, and presented it to the council the following week. She made a very impassioned plea for them to approve it, going into great detail about how much you've done for the village despite the horrible way you were treated during the first twelve years of your life. Surprisingly enough, the vote was unanimous – even the Hyūga and Uchiha clans voted in favor of it – and the agreement was passed, effective once you returned from your mission."

As Naruto read the scroll, he realized that for once the meticulous Hyūga nature had worked against him, as the agreement appeared ironclad. As his gaze rose from the page, he saw the look in Kakashi's eye and knew his former teacher was inwardly laughing at the situation.

"You can say no, of course." Kakashi continued, in an amused tone of voice. "But you should know that if you do, the council will NEVER approve of another request for you to become Hokage. Plus, you'd be diminishing all of the time and effort that Hinata put into making this happen, basically saying 'thanks but no thanks' and more than likely hurting her terribly in the process. But like I said…It's totally up to you."

The two men stared at each other in a contest of wills. Naruto knew he had no choice but to accept. Kakashi knew that Naruto knew he had no choice but to accept. And Sasuke knew that Kakashi had given Naruto no choice but to accept…and started to chuckle softly.

Naruto scowled at him. "It's not funny, teme!"

"Are you kidding? It's fucking hilarious!" He pointed at Kakashi. "Before we left, you threatened him with at least ten more years on the job, dangling that carrot over his head while thinking you had at least a couple more years of freedom before you took over. Then, he deviously turns the tables on you by exploiting a legal loophole you forgot about, making you Hokage as soon as you got back to the village rather than when you felt like it, nullifying your potential threat." He pointed at Naruto. "And YOU can't say no! You HAVE to take the job, because if you don't you'll NEVER get the chance again. And besides, if you say no you'll also hurt Hinata, and we all know there's no way you're going to do that – especially after everything she's been through over the last eight years."

Sasuke grinned wholeheartedly and exclaimed, "Don't you get it, dobe? He backed you into a corner and you're screwed! Kakashi-sensei OUT FOXED THE FOX!"

As soon as the statement left his mouth, Sasuke broke out into laughter. The sight was an odd thing for Kakashi to see, as he couldn't remember an instance – not even once – where he'd seen Sasuke like this. It was actually quite contagious, and coupled with the fact that it was at Naruto's expense, it sent Kakashi over the edge as well and he joined in, laughing at his former student.

Naruto had a biting retort planned, but before he could say anything another voice intruded on the conversation.

The statement by the Uchiha is slightly offensive, but he is right you know. The one-eyed pervert DID outfox you.

You're not helping, Kurama. He played me while I was away from the village and now he's forcing my hand.

You were going to take the job anyway, Naruto. The only difference is that the decision as to when you were going to accept has been made for you, rather than allowing you to make the choice on your own. We both know that you're not going to do anything to hurt your mate, and I think you're forgetting that it will be a source of pride for your kit as well.

Naruto knew that Kurama was right, but it didn't change how he felt about the situation. He face-palmed and said, "I hate you SO MUCH right now, Kakashi-sensei."

"That's okay, Naruto. You can hate me all you want while I'm in retirement."

He grunted in resignation, placing the scroll on the desk. "Fine, I'll take the job. But you'll fill in for me while I'm gone from the village for any reason. Agreed?"

Kakashi nodded. "Agreed. It's the least I can do for giving you the job in this way." He took a deep breath and let it out, trying to relax and dispel some of the tension in the room. "So, not that I'm purposely trying to change the subject but tell me – how did the mission go?"

Naruto smirked. "Surprisingly well, actually. Turns out Sasuke here is a natural fit for Mienai Segi training."

"Really? Why is that?"

"Well, a good portion of Mienai Segi training consists of learning how to control your emotions. Since he's pretty much done that for most of his life, it accelerated things tremendously. The rest was just coming to terms with certain…revelations regarding his clan, and learning a few forbidden jutsu."

Kakashi reminded himself of their conversation in his office several months ago, and understood why Naruto was being purposely vague at the moment. He knew that both men were not allowed to give him specific information when it came to the Mienai Segi, but he could probably still ask some general questions.

He looked at Sasuke and asked curiously, "What name did they give you?"

Sasuke said dryly, "Thanatos."

"And just who is that, exactly?"

"He's the demon personification of death in one of the lands in the west. Kind of like the shinigami is to us."

"That's…interesting." Kakashi said hesitantly. "Any particular reason why Saladin gave you that name?"

Sasuke shrugged. "There's two reasons, actually. First of all, when I showed him Susanoo he thought it looked like the embodiment of death. And second, apparently I've got a real knack for performing deadly forbidden jutsu."

He found the statement a bit disturbing. The fact that someone as powerful as Saladin recognized how good Sasuke was at killing people, and gave him a name to match that skill sent a shiver down Kakashi's spine.

"Just how many forbidden jutsu did you learn, Sasuke?"

He furrowed his brow in thought. "Four; maybe five total. The last one is kind of hit or miss at the moment."

Kakashi was silent for a moment as he absorbed that information. As much as he wanted to ask just what those forbidden jutsu were, he knew his efforts would be fruitless because they weren't going to tell him.

Without knowing why, an image of Freyja suddenly flashed into his mind and Kakashi was reminded of their meeting a little over a month ago. He remembered the last question he had asked her that day and decided to ask Sasuke the same thing, since it was probably the only other question he would get an answer to.

"Where are your tattoos?" He pointed at Sasuke's forearms, which were bare. "Since you completed the initial training, I'm assuming you have them somewhere."

Sasuke pulled the sleeve on his left arm up. There, tattooed on his shoulder in bright red ink was the kanji symbol for 'strength'. Kakashi assumed the other tattoo was on his right, although he wasn't sure what the symbol was, since he'd never really gotten a good look at the ones Naruto possessed.

He grunted in acknowledgement, before turning his gaze towards Naruto and asking, "How about you? What did you get out of your training?"

"Well, the most important thing was that I dealt with my anger issues as far as Sakura is concerned."

Kakashi eye grew wide at the statement. "That's a bit shocking. After everything that's happened, I'm surprised that you'd forgive her so easily."

The look on his face became stern, and Naruto quickly corrected him. "Don't misunderstand what I'm saying, Kakashi-sensei. I'll never forget what she did, and she's got a long way to go before she earns my forgiveness, but as of this moment my attitude towards her is that I simply don't care."

Kakashi pondered that statement, wondering if he should even discuss what's been going on between Sakura and the rest of the Konoha twelve. He decided to table that discussion for tomorrow, since it might be too much with Sasuke in the room.

Naruto offhandedly continued, "Saladin taught me two new skills, and I learned one more forbidden jutsu." Then the look on his face changed, as he remembered something important. "Oh, and one more thing – I finally mastered level two of the Tailed Beast Mode Transformation."

He raised his eyebrow inquisitively. "I'm confused, Naruto. I was under the assumption that you had already mastered the second stage transformation, since you did it several times during the fourth shinobi war."

Naruto said flippantly, "That's only because Kurama was helping me out. Every time after that when I tried to do something other than the basics, I'd have problems controlling it because of some deep-seated anger issues." His gaze suddenly became melancholy, as he thought about the last battle between Sasuke and himself. He remembered very little; some parts were a blur while most of it was a complete blank. However, he was pretty sure that at some point, he'd done a full transformation in order to take down Sasuke and his Susanoo manifestation. By the time Kakashi had found them afterwards, he'd returned to normal and Sasuke was reluctant to talk about what had happened, even after all these years and their recent bond as brothers.

He broke his line of thought and focused his gaze back on Kakashi. "Since we had that ceremony the day after my wedding where Kurama gave me full access to his power, I now have far better control than before. I just needed some specialized training from Saladin, along with letting go of my anger towards Sakura to make it happen."

Kakashi nodded in understanding. Naruto had quite a bit of things in his life to be angry about – especially the entire situation with Sakura – but it was nice to see that he was moving past that to a better place, and reaping some rewards because of it.

Naruto leaned casually back in his chair. "So Kakashi-sensei, we've been gone for over two months and before I left, I asked you to train Hinata to learn her new technique, and teach Hikaru the Rasengan. How'd that go?"

Both Naruto and Sasuke saw his manner change, noticing that Kakashi was now extremely pleased with himself. "Very well, actually. I…"

Kakashi was interrupted by a knock at the door. After giving permission to enter, an ANBU with an eagle mask walked in and said, "I apologize for the interrupting your meeting Lord Hokage, but my captain felt it best to let Sasuke-san know that Lady Sakura's water broke about fifteen minutes ago, and she's gone into the first stages of labor."

Sasuke glanced at Naruto and said, "She's about a week early." Concerned, he turned to the ANBU and asked, "Where is my wife now?"

Eagle bowed his head submissively. "We've already brought her to the hospital. However, she has no idea that you are back from your mission yet. She's been admitted and is currently in the maternity ward. I'm sure she'd be very happy to see you."

Sasuke gave Kakashi a look that was both anxious and inquisitive. "Do you need me here for the remainder of this conversation, Kakashi-sensei? I'd like to join Sakura in the hospital as soon as possible."

Kakashi shook his head. "No, the rest of this conversation concerns Naruto and his family, so you can go. However, I'm going to need you back here tomorrow morning to have another discussion about the Mienai Segi."

He narrowed his eyes, suddenly on guard. "I believe Naruto and I have already given you as much information as we can, Kakashi-sensei. I fail to see what else there is to discuss."

"I'm not sure as to the exact content of the information, but trust me when I say there's still another conversation to be had about the Mienai Segi. And both of you are going to be very shocked when you find out what the source is."

Sasuke grunted, still skeptical about the statement. "Fine. Send someone for me in the morning when you're ready."

Naruto stood and extended his hand warmly. "Good luck, Sasuke. I hope all goes well, and that soon you'll be the proud father of a healthy baby Uchiha. And I know it's a bit early, but congratulations."

Sasuke shook his hand. "Thanks, Naruto. And congratulations to you as well. I know you'll be a great Hokage." And with that, he quickly turned and followed the ANBU out of the door, closing it behind him.

"Well, that was certainly unexpected." Naruto said, before turning his gaze back to Kakashi. "So you were saying that the training went well?"

Kakashi nodded. "Better than I expected, actually. In addition to completing their techniques, I made a few discoveries that I'm sure you'll be interested in hearing about."

Naruto raised his eyebrows, suddenly curious. "Really? Like what?"

"Well, it turns out the Hyūga clan screwed up a good portion of Hinata's training when she was younger, which really shouldn't be surprising with their inflexible stick-up-the-ass mentality. Did you know that their clan techniques are based on lightning chakra affinity? And that Hinata's primary affinity isn't lightning, but water?"

A bit shocked, his eyes widened a bit and Naruto shook his head. "I knew that Hinata was a water type, but I never knew the rest. But that actually explains a lot; since she's told me on multiple occasions how difficult her training was when she was growing up. I'd ask why no one ever thought to check but I think we both know the answer to that question."

"I have no doubt about that." Kakashi agreed. "I should tell you though, that I plan on having Hinata continue to be a student of mine for the foreseeable future."

"Care to explain why, exactly?"

Kakashi sighed. He knew this line of questioning would be coming from Naruto, but he didn't want to give away anything specific just yet. "Because for the last month, I've basically been retraining Hinata to use her primary affinity of water, and we're THIS close to a major breakthrough." He said, holding up his thumb and forefinger an inch from each other. "And with all the jutsu I've copied over the years, I'm probably the closest thing to a jōnin water type this village has."

"But to be perfectly honest with you, I also have a more selfish reason for doing this." Kakashi said abashedly. "I'm well aware that as a sensei, I failed miserably at it. As good as I was at being an ANBU, I was that bad at instructing genin fresh from the academy and there's no excuse I can give you for it."

"Right now, I'm doing a very good job teaching Hinata. I can't tell you everything we're working on, because she made me promise to keep it a secret so that she can surprise you with it later. But what I CAN tell you is that I'm beyond impressed with her progress. With the sole exception of you, I've never seen the Will of Fire burn so brightly in one of my students, as I have with Hinata."

His look became both pleading and remorseful. "I know she doesn't have to ask your permission, but I'm asking because of the respect I have for you, both as a person and a ninja of this village. Everyone else has been given an opportunity to make up for their mistakes, and this is my chance to do so. Allow me to continue instructing Hinata, and I swear that you won't be disappointed with the result."

Naruto carefully studied the man in front of him. There was a wide range of emotions not only in his gaze, but also within his voice. However, there were two that clearly stood out – sincerity and resolve. He truly believed that this was his last chance to instruct someone properly, and not only did he strongly believe in Hinata, but apparently Hinata also believed in him. If Kakashi had given her confidence that much of a boost, who was he to take that away from the woman he would do anything for? The woman who had given a tremendous amount of time and effort to make him Hokage?

Not that it mattered, of course. Kakashi was right when he said that Hinata could make her own decisions, regardless of his wishes.

Naruto briefly nodded his head in mock acceptance. "All right, you can continue to train Hinata until you believe there's nothing else you can teach her." A devilish smirk graced his face. "Besides, it'll give you something else to do in your retirement other than read Icha Icha books all day long."

The look in Kakashi's eye suddenly turned crestfallen. Apparently, he'd forgotten about that part and it gave Naruto a sense of satisfaction to see his former sensei would suffer just a teeny, tiny bit for being so dedicated and noble.

Naruto casually waved his hand and said, "Now before we got off on this little tangent, I believe you were also going to say something about Hikaru."

The words seemed to snap Kakashi out of his doldrums, and suddenly a mischievous glint appeared in his eye. "Yes, I did. Are you aware that your son is a true Uzumaki?"

Naruto furrowed his brow, somewhat baffled at the statement. "I'm not sure what you mean by that, Kakashi-sensei. Hikaru IS my son, so of course he'd be an Uzumaki."

Kakashi began rummaging around in his desk once again. "No, you're missing something significant, just like I almost did." He found what he was looking for and handed the folder to Naruto. "Take a look at this."

He opened the file and asked curiously, "What exactly am I looking at?"

"During our daily training sessions, I developed some suspicions about Hikaru and his abilities. So while you were away, I had several tests done in order to confirm my theories. What you hold in your hand are the results of those tests."

Naruto stared at the pages, not comprehending any of it. Clearly, analyzing scientific reports was not his strong suit. "I have no idea what this is, Kakashi-sensei. What are all these numbers on the page? And why are they in three different colors?"

Sighing in resignation, Kakashi pointed at the report and said, "The first report is a DNA Test. The three columns represent DNA from Sakura, Hikaru and you. Red indicates a low probability for a match, black is inconclusive and green indicates a high probability."

He pointed further down the page. "Now here, I've indicated several lines of data that have the most importance. While the test conclusively proves that both you and Sakura are his natural parents, it also shows that the only major trait Hikaru inherited from Sakura is her nearly perfect chakra control. Since neither of her parents were ninja - and we can't ask them any questions since they've both passed on - we're unable to use them as a point of reference for any skills that Hikaru would have developed."

He pointed to another section. "While both of your parents were ninja – and rather strong ones at that – the same pattern holds true for you, but in a different way because we have an actual point of reference. Hikaru inherited your wind chakra affinity, which you got from Minato – and yes, we had him tested for that as well. He also has very large chakra reserves for someone his age, but in all honestly that could be attributed either to you, Minato or Kushina."

He pointed at the last section. "However, the rest is entirely from your mother's bloodline. It's like the Uzumaki DNA overrode everything else. And before you ask, the answer is no – I've checked, and this isn't a common occurrence. It's actually quite rare."

Naruto stared at the report, absorbing every bit of information that Kakashi was throwing at him. He may not be a genius like Shikamaru, but he didn't need to be one to understand what Kakashi was implying about Hikaru.

"So…" The pride in his son was evident from his tone of voice, but his speech was still cautiously optimistic. "So, you just said that Hikaru has large chakra reserves. Tell me, just how large are they?"

Kakashi's eye lit up. "Well, I decided to have THAT little test done after Iruka told me about the stunt he pulled in class the day after you left. Apparently, after he announced you were his real father and no one believed him, he produced twenty shadow clones to prove his point."

"Twenty?" Naruto said, displeased. "I told him to make five shadow clones, not twenty. He's not getting it through his thick skull how dangerous that technique can be."

"Well, Iruka said that Hikaru got a bit strained after that and suffered a minor case of chakra exhaustion, so I think he's learned his limits. Besides, I wouldn't blame him too much Naruto. After all, he IS your son – I'm sure there's a line in the DNA report that proves he inherited that particular trait from you."

"Ha ha, Kakashi-sensei. You're so funny." Naruto said sarcastically. "So you were saying about Hikaru's chakra reserves?"

"Okay, so you know that your basic genin is around 200, chūnin are between 500 and 1000, tokubetsu jōnin start at 1500 and go up from there. Jōnin are around 3000, elite jōnin about 5000 and Kage level is 10,000 and above. Right?"

Naruto nodded and Kakashi prompted him to flip the page. He raised his eyebrows in surprise at the number. "812? Are you sure?"

"We ran the test three times, Naruto. I'm positive of the result. Your son currently has the chakra reserves of an above average chūnin, and he still has three years left before he graduates." Kakashi reached into his desk one last time. "And if that isn't enough to prove he's a true Uzumaki, there's this…"

He pulled out an explosive tag and handed it to Naruto, who stared at it with great interest. Curious, he brought it closer to his face, noticing there were subtle differences in this one compared to those he was familiar with. "I know for a fact that this is an explosive tag, but the symbology is more complex than anything I've ever seen before. Where did you get this?"

"Your son made it." Kakashi replied smugly.

Naruto's head snapped up, wondering if he'd actually heard him correctly. "Excuse me? Did you just say Hikaru made this?"

Kakashi nodded. "Yes, I did. The kid is a Fūinjutsu prodigy, and I can't say as I've ever seen anything like it. Over the last month, I've given him scrolls and textbooks from the village archives and he's been soaking up the information like a sponge." He gestured at the tag. "What you hold in your hand is the first thing he made on his own…simple, yet brilliant in design. A normal tag would just explode on the surface of whatever you attached it to, but this one 'seeps' highly volatile chakra into whatever is underneath, essentially exploding it from the inside out. The difference in damage is at least tenfold over the original, and I'm surprised no one ever thought of it before."

"Tenfold? How is that possible?"

"Think of it this way…" Kakashi held his hand flat. "…if you set off a firecracker in the palm of your hand, what happens? You'd probably just burn your hand, right?" Then he made a fist. "Now, if you close your hand around the same firecracker and set it off…Well, you're going to need someone to help you eat ramen for the rest of your life, because you won't be able to hold chopsticks anymore."

Naruto sat in silence, still staring at the explosive tag in awe. He was proud – so proud of Hikaru right now that words couldn't express how he was feeling. His son was truly something special.

Kakashi watched as Naruto's eyes glazed over, and the corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly. He could almost see what thoughts were running through his head right now, but thought it best to end their conversation here.

Kakashi stood up and said, "I think that's enough for today. Why don't you head home? I know there's someone very important waiting for you there, and we can have that discussion about the Mienai Segi tomorrow morning."

"I have to agree with Sasuke about that, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said tersely. "We've already given you as much information as we can, so I don't think there's anything else we need to talk about."

"And I'll repeat what I said earlier, Naruto. There's another conversation to be had about the Mienai Segi. But for the moment, all I'm asking is that you come to my office tomorrow morning when I send for you. Can you at least agree to that?"

That seemed innocent enough, Naruto reasoned to himself. Besides, tomorrow was going to be his first full day as Hokage of Konoha, and there was no way he was going to miss out on that.

Naruto stood up and said, "Yeah, I can do that. Send someone to get me in the morning. I'll see you then." And he vanished in a flash of yellow light.

For a moment, Kakashi stared at the empty space where Naruto had been standing, and then a wicked chuckle escaped his lips as he said out loud to himself…

"He thinks he's done with surprises? I wish I could see the look on his face when he walks into his house and finds out what's waiting for him there."

---

Naruto appeared at the front door of his house, still reeling from his meeting with Kakashi.

So much had happened while he was gone. On a basic level, Hinata and Hikaru had finished their techniques due to their training with Kakashi, but that appeared to be only the tip of the iceberg. Somehow, through an incredible stroke of luck Hikaru was a true Uzumaki, right down to the core of his being. The fact that he was a Fūinjutsu prodigy was just the proverbial icing on the cake.

For once, Kakashi had done a good job with training someone. Naruto had been surprised to learn that the Hyūga clan techniques were based on lightning – that piece of information really wasn't common knowledge, and he didn't think to ask how Kakashi found that out – and had actually made a concerted effort to retrain Hinata using her water affinity. The shocker had been that he'd asked to continue training her, even though that hadn't been part of the original agreement. Perhaps he saw the strength in Hinata that Naruto always knew was there, and she'd finally get the opportunity to rub it in the face of everyone too narrow-minded to see her true potential.

Yet all of this paled in comparison to him being named Hokage. Hinata had obviously put in a tremendous amount of time, effort and thought into making this happen while he was away from the village, obviously thinking that it would be a wonderful surprise to come home to. Kurama had been right – while he wasn't happy about the fact that the decision to become Hokage had been taken away from him, he couldn't be angry with Hinata about it. She'd simply wanted to do something thoughtful to show how much she loved him, as well as allowing him to finally realize his dream.

It had been a lot to take in, and he actually felt a bit relieved when Kakashi decided to call it a day. He didn't think he could take any more surprises right now.

He entered the house, hoping that the first thing he saw would be Hinata – if she was home, of course. Hikaru would still be at the academy at this time of the day, and he wouldn't be home for several hours. It would be nice to spend some time with his most precious person, and tell her how much he loved her, and missed her while he was gone.

However, he was a bit surprised to find someone else there. Someone unexpected and unfamiliar. And he wondered who she was, and what she was doing in his home.

A young girl, maybe five years old was sitting at his dining room table, eating Yakisoba with vegetables. Her hair was blonde, perhaps a shade or two lighter than his and it had been cut short. He watched as she picked up the noodles with her chopsticks and slurped them down noisily; grinning the entire time she did it. It seemed that she was enjoying the experience immensely.

Carefully, so as not to scare her Naruto slowly walked up to the table and waited for her to notice him. She stopped eating and looked up at him, the excitement on her face vanishing, only to be replaced by a guarded expression. She didn't recognize him, and was probably wondering what he was doing in the house at all.

Naruto looked back at her, immediately noticing the piercing blue color of her eyes and the childhood innocence that was reflected in them. He marveled at the calming effect they had on him.

"Hello there. My name is Naruto. Are you a friend of Hikaru's?" His tone was soft and gentle, and he gave her an unassuming smile as he introduced himself.

She tilted her head to the side, clearly a little confused. "You know Hikaru-kun?"

Hikaru-kun? Naruto thought. That's an interesting development. "Yes, I do. He's my son, and this is my home. And you are…?"

They appeared to be the right words, because her face lit back up and the smile reappeared. "My name is Reira, mister Naruto sir."

"Reira, huh? That's a real pretty name. Tell me, do you happen to know where Hikaru's mother is?"

Reira raised her eyebrows in confusion. "You mean miss Hinata? I'm not sure, but my mom might know. You can ask her if you want."

"Umm, okay." None of this made any sense. Why was Reira in the house if Hinata wasn't? "Then can you show me where you live so I can talk to your mom?"

Reira blinked a few times, and then giggled happily before responding, "I live HERE, silly! And my mom's in the kitchen!"

A bucket of water dumped over his head would have had the same effect as the answer Reira just gave him. There were strange people living in his house with Hinata and Hikaru? Where did they come from? And why the hell were they staying here? Before he could say anything else, he heard a voice call out from the other room…

"Reira, we don't have any juice so I brought you some milk to go with…"

Freyja walked in the room and stopped, staring at Naruto. Naruto for his part was doing the same, wondering who this woman was and why she was even in his house. And then their eyes grew wide, as the sudden realization of their identities hit them both.

"Gabriel?"

"Freyja?" He said guardedly. "What…What are you doing here? Why are you in my home?" He pointed at Reira and asked, "Is…Is this your daughter?"

Freyja set down the glass of milk and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Your one-eyed leader asked your wife to set us up here, since she's the only one who knows about our organization. And yes, this is my daughter, Reira."

Reira smiled and waved at him. "Hello!"

"As to why I'm here, it's to see you. We need to talk. In private."

"Uh, sure. " Naruto remembered Freyja was never one to mince words, always being rather direct and brusque with her speech. "What about?"

Freyja narrowed her eyes accusingly. "I know where you've been for the last two months. And I know why you went. We need to talk about the snake in the garden."

It was then that Naruto remembered how adamant Kakashi had been, telling both him and Sasuke that there was another conversation to be had about the Mienai Segi. He also remembered his comment at the end, about someone important waiting for him at home. He'd just assumed that he was talking about Hinata, but it was obvious now that he meant more than that.

Before he could list in his head all the myriad ways he was going enact his revenge on Kakashi, he heard the front door open and a familiar voice called out, "Freyja! Reira! I'm back from the market. I bought juice and some…"

Hinata appeared in the entrance to the dining room, and Naruto felt his breath catch in his throat as he stared at his wife. He'd been right in what he'd said to himself the night before he left; two months away from her had felt like a lifetime, and a lump formed in his throat as he stared at the woman who held his heart. He drank in everything about her; the pale color of her skin, her lithe hourglass figure, her long indigo tresses and those eyes…those beautiful lavender eyes he had missed so much.

"Apples…" Hinata finished. She stood rigid, her eyes wide and frozen in shock as she stared at him, wondering if her mind was playing a cruel trick on her. She blinked a few times, unable to find her voice as she gave Naruto the same appraisal he was giving her, and praying to Kami that this wasn't a figment of her imagination, but actually WAS real.

His hair was now longer, and he wore it in the same style as his father, Minato Namikaze. He somehow seemed to have gained a bit more muscle, especially in his arms and chest – or perhaps it was a trick of the light, since she hadn't seen him in two months. The blue in his eyes seemed so much deeper, as if a great weight had been lifted from his soul, and she found herself becoming lost in their depths.

She dropped the bag she was carrying and the side split, allowing a few apples to roll across the floor. She took a half step towards him, hesitant and afraid that if she moved too fast this would all disappear, like every other dream she'd had since her husband left.

"Na…Naruto-kun? Is…Is that really you?" Hinata said timidly.

He smiled knowingly, realizing what she was asking without actually saying the words. He poured all the love he had for her through the seal, to let her know that he wasn't an illusion, and actually WAS here.

"Yes, Hinata-hime. It's really me and I'm really home. Did you miss…mrgfdhrdgph!"

He couldn't finish the sentence because Hinata had closed the gap between them in an instant, jumping on him and wrapping her legs around his waist. His hands caught her; grabbing her ass to support her as she fisted his long blond hair, as well as helping to maintain his balance and remain standing. Her lips crashed down upon his, aggressively forcing her tongue into his mouth to kiss him, making the last word he'd tried to say nothing more than a garbled mess.

I guess she DID miss me, Naruto thought as he returned the kiss with an equal amount of passion.

After a few seconds, Hinata broke the kiss and exclaimed, "Freyja! Go to the park with Reira! NOW!"

"I still need to talk to Gabriel. And we haven't finished lunch yet." Freyja responded apathetically.

"TALK LATER! EAT LUNCH AT ICHIRAKU'S! PUT IT ON OUR TAB! NOW GO!" Hinata shouted, all the while giving Naruto a look that made his knees weak. The tone of her voice made it clear that she would brook no argument from the member of the Mienai Segi, and deciding this was an argument she had no chance of winning, Freyja grunted in agreement and quickly lead her daughter out of the house, closing the door behind her.

As they walked side by side towards Ichiraku Ramen, Freyja hoped they would make it there in silence and avoid having to answer the obvious questions she knew were bubbling in the back of her daughter's mind. As her bad luck would have it, they made it all of about a minute before Reira decided to say something.

"Mom? Was that the man we came here to see?"

Freyja nodded. "Yes sweetie, it is."

"Miss Hinata seemed awfully glad to see him. She even hugged him with her legs." Curious, she looked at her mother and asked, "Why did she do that?"

Freyja let out a long breath. She was going to have to tell Reira a few white lies to get out of fully explaining what they just saw. "Well, when you like someone a whole lot, that's how you hug them."

"Really? I like Hikaru-kun a whole lot. I should I hug him like that next time I see him!"

"No you will not!" Freyja said firmly, horrified at the thought. Then she furrowed her brow in confusion and asked, "And since when do you refer to him as Hikaru-kun anyway?"

Reira grinned and started skipping down the road. "Since yesterday. I decided that when I grow up, I'm gonna marry him."

Freyja smirked dubiously. "Is that right? And pray tell, what makes Hikaru so special that you want to do that?"

Reira ticked off the items on her fingers. "Well, because he's real nice to me. And he tries to protect me whenever we go somewhere together, like the park. He's strong, and he's really cute. Oh, and I like how his chakra makes me feel."

Freyja had been nodding her head, humoring her daughter and her apparent infatuation with the boy until she made the last point. She brought the two of them to a halt in the middle of the street and gave Reira a piercing stare. "Wait a minute, what do you mean you like how his chakra makes you feel?"

"Hikaru-kun's chakra is really warm, Mom. It's like he has the sun inside him. It's nice."

Freyja was shocked. "You…You can feel other people's chakra? Not just how powerful they are, but what it actually feels like?"

Reira nodded enthusiastically. "I sure can, Mom."

Freyja knelt down in front of her daughter and searched her eyes in curiosity. She gently asked, "How…How long have you been able to do this?"

She shrugged. "As far back as I can remember. I've gotten better at it, though."

Her eyes still searching, she pursed her lips and asked the only other question she could think of at the moment. "Reira, what does my chakra feel like?"

She pondered that for a bit before saying, "Rocks. It's kinda like walking barefoot on sharp rocks."

The look on Freyja's face suddenly turned downtrodden, ashamed that her daughter had summed up her entire personality using one small analogy.

"Don't be sad, Mom." Reira said comfortingly. "There's someone out there who's chakra feels like a comfortable pair of shoes, I know it. You just need to find him, that's all. Then it won't matter how sharp your chakra feels, because he's gonna walk with you wherever you go."

---

Back inside the house, Naruto's mind was reeling. He was expecting Hinata to be glad to see him, but certainly NOTHING like this. After Freyja and her daughter left the house, Hinata had asked…no, scratch that – she DEMANDED he bring her to the bedroom, practically mouth raping him the entire time.

After he kicked the door shut, he walked over to the end of the bed, still grabbing her ass to support her. Not that he thought it mattered anyway – with her legs locked around his waist like they were, he doubted she would fall even if he moved his hands somewhere else.

Suddenly, she unlocked her legs and stood, allowing him to catch his breath for a minute. He looked down at her and smiled. "I guess you DID miss me, after all."

Hinata smirked and said, "You have NO idea, Naruto-kun." Then her smirk turned into an evil grin and she activated her Byakugan. Naruto barely had time to think as she quickly lashed out, hitting several tenketsu in his arms and legs, essentially rendering them useless. Before he could collapse, she finished with a slight chakra enhanced palm strike to his chest – certainly not enough to injure him, but more than enough to throw him backwards onto the bed.

Unable to move any of his limbs, he could only watch helplessly as Hinata slowly crawled over him on the bed, like a tiger stalking its prey. Her look smoldered like nothing he'd ever seen and a shiver ran down his spine, while Naruto gulped nervously at the sight before him.

"Hinata, what…"

"Shhh…" She said, placing a finger over his lips. "I've been dreaming of this for the past two months, and you're going to lay there and enjoy what I have planned." She intensified her look, causing beads of sweat to form on his forehead. "Understand?"

Naruto nodded vigorously, thinking that even if he COULD move he probably wouldn't. Two emotions were running through his mind right now; excitement of what she was going to do to him, and the fear of what she would do if he actually DID move. Either way, he realized he had nothing to say about what was going to happen next.

***Danger, Will Robinson! Lemon Scene Ahead!***

---

Hinata straddled his waist and adjusted his arms so that they were comfortable. Her hands roamed over his broad chest, feeling it quiver beneath his shirt in anticipation of what was to come. Her gaze suddenly became eager; she wanted to see his bronzed skin and drink in every curve, every muscle of his body knowing that it belonged to her, and only her. Suddenly deciding that the shirt had become a hindrance and was getting in the way of her desire, Hinata ripped it off of him and tossed the remnants in the corner.

Her fingers caressed his pectoral muscles, feeling the tension within them. Her thumbs dug into the knots, kneading them expertly away before her hands moved on to his arms, caressing his large biceps and then his forearms. At the end, she locked her fingers in his, bringing his left hand up and nuzzling her mouth lovingly into his palm.

Laying his arm back down, her hands returned to his chest and traced circular patterns with her fingertips. Then, using her nails she swept downward, lightly scratching his abdominal muscles causing Naruto to groan with pleasure. Her hands continued their work for a few seconds and then continued around to his sides, exploring the grooves of his ribcage and oblique muscles with her thumbs.

Naruto exhaled heavily; her touch was steady and relaxing, and lying on the bed, unable to move as Hinata assumed the dominant role for once brought about a wave of pleasure that he'd never experienced before. He found himself liking it immensely and wanting far more than she was giving, and soon. Remaining still was utter torture; he was pretty sure Hinata knew it and was relishing in that fact.

Wanting to continue her ministrations, she recognized that she now had the same issue with his pants as she'd just had with his shirt...they were in the way. Grasping his waistband, she tugged downwards with a bit of effort and removed them, tossing them aside into the same corner as the remnants of his shirt, leaving him clad in nothing but his boxer shorts. Pondering if they should go as well, Hinata decided to leave them in place for now, if only to sadistically tease her husband further.

Naruto watched as Hinata continued where she left off, moving her hands down his left leg. The look on her face spoke volumes; it was curious and grateful, happy and content, romantic yet lustful. It said that he was everything she ever wanted or needed, handsome beyond compare and she was staking her claim to his body and soul. He was her most precious person, and she wanted him to know that.

Hinata moved her hands to his right leg, grasping his inner and outer muscles while slowly traveling upwards towards his groin. The closer she got to his manhood, the harder it became and she saw it straining against the fabric of his underwear. To Naruto, the constriction actually started to feel a bit painful, and he wondered when Hinata would release his member from its confinement. He knew better than to ask, however – he could tell that she was enjoying this far too much, and would probably say no anyway.

The massage was erotic, tantalizing, relaxing and stimulating all at the same time. He'd been wondering not only where this decisive and confident part of her personality had blossomed from, but what the ultimate goal was for all of this – the obvious answer of sex notwithstanding. Yet, as he saw the expression on her face it became clear that there was so much more to this than a simple massage; she was exploring his body…every peak, curve and valley…all his perfections and imperfections…burning them into her memory, making sure she remembered forever what she had right in front of her, and how lucky she was to have it.

He wished he could do the same to her, but right now with his limbs paralyzed and Hinata still clothed, that dream remained out of reach. At least for now, he reminded himself.

For her part, Hinata had moved her hands back above his waistline, staring lustfully at his powerful chest and arms. Her heart began to beat a little faster, and the palms of her hands began to tingle as she became acutely aware of every arch and bend of her husband's manly form. Her breath became unsteady, and her eyes of their own free will roamed over his body, admiring what was currently beneath her hands. The more she drank in, the more her awareness seemed to become hazy and the only thing that was clear at that moment was the form of the one she loved lying underneath her. Everything about him drew her eye, and even though they had been man and wife almost six months, she realized that no matter how long they would be together there would always be more to see and discover about each other. Everything that happened within their lives changed the experience of being together intimately, and her heart skipped a beat as she suddenly understood that life itself would make every moment with her husband fresh and new.

She felt the pace of her breathing quicken as she looked at him, running the tip of her tongue along her lips seductively. At that point, she caught herself and bit her lower lip, trying to hold back not only the flush on her face, but also the heat that was rushing to her center. She took a deep breath, trying to remain calm as her heart thudded in her chest from excitement. For a brief moment, she thought if she concentrated on his face, it might help distract her from other…parts of her body that were threatening to overwhelm her.

That turned out to be a bad decision, as the look Naruto returned was one of warmth, love and caring, along with that same smile he'd been known to wear as a child – not the fake one, the real one when he'd experienced a truly happy moment. It became too much, and an ache developed in her heart and quickly moved south between her legs; an ache that could only be identified with emptiness and longing.

Growing wetter by the second, Hinata knew that right now, she was intensely aroused on both an emotional and physical level. As she took a moment to wonder why, she thought perhaps it was because in the time he was gone, she came to realize what he truly meant to her. There hadn't been much time to discuss the revelation of their love for one another before he left, and she had spent many long and sleepless nights coming to grips with how foolish she had been at one point, almost throwing away the best thing that could have ever happened to her when she tried to talk him out of marrying her that day in the park.

It was a moment she'd never forget. A moment she vowed never to repeat again. The moment she realized that she'd been wrong about a great many things, and had foolishly pushed away the second chance that Kami had given her. As luck would have it, Naruto had been stubborn enough to ignore her, and she was beyond grateful that he did.

Hinata blinked a few times, and Naruto laughed at her distracted look. He'd seen her like this many times since they were young, but he'd paid more attention to it since they had gotten married. He knew she got like this when she had particularly strong thoughts about something, and from the look on her face it was clear that those thoughts were about him. More than anything, he wanted to be able to move his arms, allowing his hands to roam free all over her body and do the same thing to her that she had done to him. It would be a simple matter to flare some of Kurama's chakra and unblock his tenketsu, but he thought it would be better manners to ask first.

"Hinata." He tentatively asked. "Would you mind releasing my tenketsu now? I'd like to return the favor…"

"No, Naruto-kun." She told him, shaking her head. "I'm not through yet. Until I say so, you need to lay there and enjoy this."

Doing as he was told, he watched Hinata leave the bed. She stood before him, her eyes shining in the dim light of the room as she allowed him to drink in her form, which he did so covetously. Seeing his look and smiling at the sight – knowing that it was reserved only for her and what they shared – she closed her eyes and remained still, feeling the desire of his gaze move all over her body. She blushed at the image her imagination created, fighting her body's natural reaction for it to spread to across her face, her neck and further parts south.

And then after a moment her body started to move as it followed a song that was playing within her mind. Her head moved gracefully like a pendulum from side to side, and her hips swayed to the silent beat while her hands moved upwards, clasping around her neck.

Naruto watched in awe as her body gyrated sensuously. Slowly, her hands went above her head and her upper body began to move completely opposite from the bottom as her hands began to roam freely over her body, dropping to the hollow between her breasts before continuing on, cupping each one and caressing it lovingly for his benefit. She turned away from him, and he watched as her perfectly formed buttocks sashayed to the tune only she could hear playing in her head.

A thin trail of blood trickled from his nose. The sight of all of this was starting to give Naruto a nosebleed, and even a blind man could see that Hinata was doing it on purpose. The effect on him was hypnotic; the sight of her body moving to and fro was enough to put him in some sort of trance and he gazed at her, mesmerized as she continued to move to the silent music.

Hinata hooked her hands on the waist of her pants and bent over, embellishing the action for his benefit. Slowly, as if every second seemed like an eternity the garment fell, exposing first her perfectly formed bottom, which Naruto absently noted was completely visible only because Hinata was wearing a lace lavender thong. Her legs were next, perfectly toned from her training with Kakashi and her skin – that wonderfully sensuous pale skin – was smooth and flawless, down to the tips of her toes which he watched, transfixed as Hinata kicked the pants over into the corner where Naruto's clothes had been thrown.

Still moving slowly so as to prolong the torture – or pleasure, depending on how you looked at it – of the moment, Hinata straightened back up, still continuing to face away from him. Her hips continued to move to the unknown beat, and she crossed her arms in front of her and grasped the edge of her shirt, lifting it up to remove it. Her long, indigo locks disappeared as she pulled her head through the neck of the garment, only to reappear as they flowed down her back, gracefully swaying to each side as she shook her head to fan out her hair.

Naruto swore that he'd never seen a more erotic sight in his entire life, and room in his boxers was becoming even more scarce as he felt his manhood become harder and larger at the same time, which he didn't think was even possible. He was barely hanging on by a thread; torn between continuing to obey Hinata's command to remain still and embolden this new confident side of her personality, and wanting to take her aggressively like the alpha-male that he was.

The shirt was added to the ever growing pile of clothes, and Hinata continued to dance as reached behind her body to fiddle with the clasp of her bra. After a moment, it was undone and the undergarment hung loosely on her shoulders. She uncovered her breasts slowly, hearing Naruto give a sharp intake of breath as it fell forward off of her body, only to be thrown in the corner with everything else.

Now topless, Hinata leisurely continued to dance to the pulsing beat within her head, her hands returning to their previous task of caressing her body lasciviously. She rotated, facing him as her fingertips traced random patterns along her upper body; starting at her well-toned stomach before casually moving north, lightly making circular patters over her perfectly formed breasts. They continued upward, sliding her hands into her indigo tresses and using her fingers to comb through her hair, fanning it out to her sides like the darkened wings of an angel.

Hinata opened her eyes and stared at Naruto, amused at his dazed and disoriented look. Her gaze became dark and hungry as she strutted over to the bed and proceeded to crawl over him so that her nipples brushed tantalizingly against his body. Reaching his waist, she grasped his boxer shorts and languidly pulled them off of his still partially paralyzed body, finally allowing his member the escape that he'd been aching for since Hinata seductively started to dance for his benefit. Hinata flung them haphazardly behind her, for once not caring where the piece of clothing landed in the room.

Once again, Hinata's points traced a path along Naruto's muscular form, teasing him salaciously as they traveled upwards along his legs, grazing over his swollen manhood and continuing along his chest, until finally she was face to face with the man she loved. Bracing her arms on either side, her mouth rapidly descended upon his and she kissed him eagerly, yet passionately as well. Naruto opened his mouth and their tongues moved in harmony with one another; not fighting for dominance but simply enjoying the dance itself and the emotions it produced.

Hinata was now straddling his hips, and her crotch was pressed down against his engorged shaft. She could feel the heat coming off of it, mainly because it was rubbing against her folds through her thong, while being pressed between their two bodies. She ground against it, causing Naruto to moan her name into her mouth in pleasure, which she returned by doing the same to him, all the while sliding her completely soaked underwear up and down his shaft.

Finally hitting her limit, Hinata reached down and grabbed his erect manhood. Pushing aside the thin strip of fabric from her thong, she guided the head into her opening and lowered herself onto him with a satisfied moan, banishing the emptiness as she felt it throb inside of her. She relished how full it made her feel, and began to rock back and forth, groaning in pleasure as she felt him move in and out of her. Wanting to hit every nerve, every point his member could reach, she ground her pelvis in circles against him, then changed to a back and forth motion, in order to achieve the extra sensation that came from rubbing her clit against his hardened stomach.

She pressed her hands against his shoulders and pushed herself up so that she was now vertical, still trying to exercise some measure of control as her labia stroked his length. Naruto watched the sight in front of him; from the sheen of her juices coating his arousal as it continuously disappeared into her luxurious folds, to her breasts as they bounced in front of him enticingly. Both motions caused him to become increasingly heated and Naruto growled, reveling in the sensations she brought out in his body.

Hinata rode her husband methodically and with purpose, using a measured pace. She had sworn to herself that when Naruto returned, they would have a sensuous lovemaking session with her being in control – where slowly but surely, she would build them both to orgasm, savoring every moment like a fine wine until they did so. However, that was quickly turning into a fantasy as the throbbing in her core became louder than the one in her chest, and she was having trouble maintaining her rhythm as she rode him, embracing every jolt of pleasure that he elicited within her.

Her elbows buckled and her chest pressed against his once more. Her mouth crashed against his, kissing him hungrily while trying to shove her tongue down the back of his throat. Moaning in lust, panting against the potent shocks that raced from her sensitive nub up to her stomach and out to her sides, she felt the buildup of pressure and knew that her release wasn't far behind.

Her body convulsed as the orgasm hit her full force, and her pelvic muscles quivered as she lost control of everything below her waist. She screamed in ecstasy into his mouth, each bone jarring spasm making her shudder in euphoric release as her toes curled in absolute bliss from the sensations that started at her core and ran throughout her body.

As Hinata heaved breathlessly into his shoulder, savoring the waning intensity of her orgasm Naruto decided at this point he'd had enough. Hinata had asked him to remain still, allowing her to control the pace and actions of their lovemaking but unlike her, he'd yet to reach his apex. Not that he was complaining about her efforts, but there was no way he was going to allow her to rest for several minutes when he was so close to a release of his own.

When it came to understanding tailed beasts, most people were ignorant. They only viewed them either as a weapon of mass destruction that was despised and feared (villagers), or a tool to be used by their village to attack others with or without provocation (Danzō). However, those that understood a bit more than that also knew that when a jinchuuriki accessed the power of the tailed beast they held, there were actually two stages of the transformation.

The first stage creates a chakra cloak, and causes a number of tails to appear. The chakra in this stage is extremely caustic, and if someone tried to absorb it or had it forced into their body, it would eat them alive from the inside out.

But stage two? Now that was a different story.

During this last trip while he was training with Saladin, one thing he DID remember from the fourth shinobi war was the ability to share Kurama's chakra with other shinobi on the battlefield. He hadn't been lying to Kakashi earlier when he'd said that Kurama had helped him with several techniques that day, and while he technically still could use Kurama's chakra, the only thing he'd been able to manage since then was enhanced speed and strength, using the chakra as an appendage of sorts and creating multiple occurrences of the Rasengan.

Now that limitation was gone. Saladin had helped him master every facet, from a full-on Bijuu transformation to the ability to share that chakra with another person, simply by harmonizing it with theirs. He didn't really need Kurama's help anymore. There was nothing he couldn't do.

And right now, he wanted his tenketsu opened. He wanted control of his limbs again. And he wanted his release.

Her head still buried in the gap between his neck and shoulder, her eyes were half-lidded as she stared at his bronzed skin which, under normal circumstances would keep her libido at a low idle while she gathered her second wind. Today however, such a thing was not to be as her eyes were thrown wide open when she heard Naruto growl and say in a deep, lascivious voice…

"It's my turn now, Hime…"

He flared Kurama's chakra, opening his tenketsu and healing them instantly. Before she had a chance to react, Naruto wrapped his arms around her and skillfully rolled them both so that not only did he remain buried deep inside of her, he was now in the dominant top position, pressing their sweaty, lust filled bodies tightly together. As a finishing touch he took a piece of that chakra and harmonized it with Hinata's, essentially giving her a boost and magnifying every feeling, every sensation that she was experiencing to heights she had never experienced before.

Hinata shuddered at the sudden rush of power, and she trembled in anticipation as Naruto rose up and positioned himself aggressively above her. He grabbed her ankles and spread her legs wide, tilting her pelvis up so that every time he slammed into her, he achieved maximum penetration and hit her g-spot, sending shockwaves up her spine.

Hinata mewled in delight as Naruto pumped in and out of her using long, deep strokes. His pace was steady, but his thrusts were powerful and he grunted, savoring the feeling of his shaft rubbing her channel. Feeling greedy and wanting more, he let go of her legs and grabbed her waist, allowing him to increase the pace and force as he mercilessly drove into her, again and again.

Unwilling to relinquish the position and the unbridled fury it was bringing about in her, Hinata's hands came up and grabbed her ankles, ensuring she would lose nothing because of Naruto changing his position in order to bear down on her. She was drowning in ecstasy, and what she had initially intended to be a slow, romantic romp in the bedroom filled with caresses and gentle touches quickly faded as she awoke the beast within him. Right now she wanted that part; that primal element of her husband that was pummeling her with the considerable strength at his disposal and unleashing it on her in a lust filled rage.

Naruto was giving it to Hinata hard and fast, just like he wanted and if the look on her face was any indication, she was enjoying it as well. Her breath was coming in rapid, shallow gasps and her body was giving off an intense amount of heat. She was burning up and he knew it; from the flush on her chest to the sweat on her brow, he watched as her incredibly beautiful form writhed in uncontrolled passion beneath him.

Unable to maintain her grip any longer, she let go of her ankles and gripped the bed sheets instead. Her legs moved of their own accord, wrapping around his back and squeezing, trying to draw him further into her. Naruto responded, grabbing her wrists and pushing her arms up over her head, pinning them there with his hands. Grunting, he granted her wish and thrust harder into her, turning up the intensity as she bucked her hips upwards to meet his piledriving member.

Hinata's eyes had rolled into the back of her head, and her gasps became moans as Naruto continued his punishing pace. The bed creaked against the force of what was being done to it, and the headboard slammed repeatedly into the wall as her hands squeezed his tight enough to elicit a small amount of pain. That feeling however, was at the edge of her consciousness and did nothing to dampen her arousal; but surprisingly enough enhanced it instead. Cognitive thought was almost beyond her reach at this point, and it was all she could do not to scream too loudly in pleasure, because she knew that she would injure her vocal cords if she did so.

Naruto saw the flush bloom on her chest, along with other indicators that served to let him know that she was approaching her climax. His hands were slick as he grasped hers, and their union was soaked with her fluids and their sweat. He felt her inner walls tense around him in anticipation of her impending release and he drove into her with wanton abandon, bringing his face to within inches of each other as his eyes bored into hers. They stared at each other in carnal lust, their mouths refraining from crashing together because it would only serve to stop the desperate gasps for breath their bodies were demanding.

Then the moment hit, and the sensations came at them in waves. For Hinata, it was the most intense orgasm she'd ever experienced, and it made her cry out in blissful agony as the spasms hit her. Even though they ran throughout her entire body, they were strongest in her core which continued to squeeze Naruto's shaft, refusing to relinquish her hold on him as it remained buried deep inside of her. Her spine curled, the muscles in her legs clenched and her nails dug into his arms, drawing blood as they squeezed his biceps in a deathlike grip.

Naruto's back turned rigid, as he fought to keep Hinata from snapping his spine in half with her legs and flooded Hinata with his seed. His manhood twitched violently, expelling wave after wave of it inside of her as he screamed in release. His body shook and convulsed from the force of the orgasm that ran through him. Both of them continued to breathe heavily, basking in the afterglow of the moment as they came down from their adrenaline high. Naruto continued to lay on top of her for a few minutes, their bodies trembling against one another as Kurama's chakra faded slowly before finally relaxed and rolled to his left.

---

***You're Safe Now, Will Robinson. Lemon Scene Ends!***

After a minute, Hinata found her voice and said haltingly, "That…That was…"

"Amazing?" Naruto offered.

"I was going to say breathtaking, or…or perhaps mind-blowing, but I suppose…amazing works too." She said in between gasps for breath.

Naruto chuckled as Hinata rolled over and snuggled up against his side. He tenderly combed his fingers through her matted hair, reveling in the look and feel of it, and she sighed in contentment at his gentle touch.

"So, Naruto-kun…" Hinata asked inquisitively. "…did you enjoy the display I provided for you regarding my newfound confidence?"

"Mmm, it was unexpectedly delicious." He said devilishly. "But can you tell me what brought this about?"

"Well, I guess you could say it's a side effect from my afternoon sessions with Kakashi-sensei. He's been very supportive of me during our training."

"Then I'd have to say he wasn't lying when he told me he was doing a good job as a teacher for once."

Her head rose wearily. "You've already been to see him?"

He nodded. "Yeah, the front gate informed us that he was supposed to be our first stop once Sasuke and I got back to the village, so that everyone could be properly debriefed." His other arm came up and he hugged her lovingly. "He told me what you did. Thank you for making my dream finally come true."

She hugged him back with the arm that was draped across his chest. "You're welcome, Naruto-kun. It's the least I could do for everything you've done for me."

They continued to lay there for another minute, while Hinata began to trace random patterns all over his chest. It was a very loving action and Naruto was enjoying it immensely, however the feeling coming from her fingertips was rather strange. It was a cool, calming sensation that felt very good against his overheated skin, and he wondered if whatever she was doing was also a result of Kakashi's instruction.

Hinata broke the silence between them asked, "Naruto-kun, tell me…if you had to choose, which one would you prefer? The new, confident side of me or the shy, timid person I was before you left?"

That was a dangerous question for him to answer, and he knew it. As luck would have it, he quickly realized that the coward's way out of answering it was also the easy way out. "Well, if I had to choose I'd say that I prefer…both."

Her hand stopped caressing his chest and she looked at him skeptically. "Saying that you prefer both isn't really a choice, Naruto-kun."

He laughed again and said, "Sure it is. The shy, timid girl that I knew before I left the village is the one who watched me when I was young. The one who loved me for everything I was, and wasn't. The one who jumped in to save me from Pain. The one I fell in love with, even when I was too stupid to realize it." He grinned lecherously. "Now, the confident side? I like that too. A confident Hinata is a powerful Hinata, and I think those are two of the most important qualities the wife of the Hokage should have." He clicked his tongue. "Plus, it's sexy as hell. I don't think I've ever been more turned on in my life than I was just now."

Hinata giggled at what he said and then sighed, as her hand began to caress his chest once again. However, as the seconds wore on he noticed that the feeling became less of a cool, calming one and more like light, prickling sensation. He knew Hinata was the cause of it, but for the life of him he couldn't understand what was going on, and why she was doing it.

"Naruto-kun, can…can I ask you another question?"

The sensation from her fingertips was starting to become uncomfortable, like she was running an electric probe across his skin, and it didn't take a genius to figure out the two items were related somehow. "Umm, sure Hinata-hime. What's on your mind?"

"That girl you saw earlier…Reira. You know who she is, right?"

NOW the sensation was growing beyond uncomfortable, and was actually starting to sting a little bit. "Yes. Before you walked in the door, I asked Freyja about her. She told me Reira is her daughter. Why?"

She was silent for another moment, clearly hesitant about asking the next question. In the meantime, she kept turning up the juice on whatever she was doing with her fingertips, and it was now turning slightly painful.

"Is…Is she also your daughter?"

Okay, THAT question came out of left field. Suddenly given an opportunity to move out from underneath whatever technique Hinata was using to…interrogate him, he raised himself up on his elbows and stared into her eyes disbelievingly. The look he saw reflected in them wasn't one of anger, but from fear.

"Ah, no…no she's not." His eyebrows rose in bewilderment. "Where did you come up with that idea?"

The question caused Hinata to flinch a little bit before she said, "Well, she has blonde hair and blue eyes, just like you."

"A lot of people have blond hair and blue eyes, Hinata."

She pressed forward with her explanation. "But you also worked with her, Naruto-kun. You've known her for a good number of years, and she's very beautiful as well. Also, you're one of only two people that have seen her Mienai Segi tattoos, which from what she's told me are in a very private and personal spot on her body."

He sighed in frustration; realizing the gist of what she was saying. She wasn't mad that he might potentially have a daughter that he didn't tell her about – that would have been extremely hypocritical on her part – but rather afraid of what this might mean for them and their relationship. This line of thinking needed to stop, and quick.

"Hinata, Reira is not my daughter – I'm quite sure of it. I'm guessing you've been around Freyja for a while now, right? You know what her personality is like. Do you honestly think if I had sex with her at some point, I'd forget something like that?"

Hinata chewed her lower lip for a moment and then shook her head no.

"Exactly." Reminding her of the obvious point that he wouldn't have kept something like this a secret like she had done would have been harsh, cruel and totally unnecessary. As far as he was concerned, it was all in the past and the bond between his family was stronger than ever because of it.

"I know our lives were…complicated before I came back to the village, and there are aspects of it that will resurface from time to time. But no matter what happens, no matter what misunderstandings might come between us in the future, don't ever forget what I'm about to say to you right now." His hand came up and lovingly brushed the hair away from her face. "There's only one person I love. Only one person who holds my heart in the palm of her hand and that's you, my beautiful lavender-eyed princess. And there will never be a day that I wish it would be otherwise. Okay?"

Captivated by his words, Hinata could only stare into the unfathomable depths of his sapphire blue eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her head into his shoulder, trying to give herself time to come up with a suitable response but nothing elaborate came to mind. In the end, she reasoned that the basics would be best.

"I love you, Naruto-kun. And thank you. Thank you so much." She said simply, while pushing the feeling of undying devotion at him through the seal.

He smiled and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead, reveling in the emotion she was sending him. "You're welcome, Hinata-hime. And I love you too. More than anything. Believe it."

He heard her sigh contentedly, obviously happy to hear the words after two months of being apart. And then suddenly, as if the sound triggered something deep within him, he was very eager to spend time with his family – not only Hinata, but Hikaru as well.

"Hinata, how about we spend the afternoon of my first day back together as a family – just you, me and Hikaru. Would you like that?"

The thought of spending the afternoon in bed making love with Naruto would have been her first choice; however she also knew that more than likely they would be interrupted at some point – either by Freyja and Reira when they got back from the park, or by Hikaru when his classes ended at the academy. Her head still buried in his shoulder, she wordlessly nodded in agreement with his wonderful idea.

"Great!" He said enthusiastically. "I'll take a quick shower and then head over to the academy to pick him up." He ran his fingertips erotically up her side, giving her goosebumps. "You can get in the shower after I'm done. I'm afraid if you join me, we'll never get out of the house."

Hinata giggled at that, giving him a quick kiss before he went into the bathroom and turned the water on. As she heard him step into the shower, her mind flashed back to various snippets of the conversation she had with Tsunade all those months ago…

***Flashback***

Hinata looked at Tsunade, her eyes pleading. "I told Sakura that it doesn't matter if I'm second place in his heart, but that's a lie because it does. I don't want part of him, I want all of him. Including the part that Sakura holds."

Tsunade look at her sympathetically. "Hinata, we both know that Naruto has been treated unfairly. Not just by Sakura, but by the people of this village as well. You know what his childhood was like. And if his heart was broken beyond repair, I sincerely doubt that he would have come back to help you. I think he's just…hurting. And he needs someone to help fix what's broken."

"But how can I do this? How can I help him find what he believes is gone forever?"

"Give him time, Hinata. There's an old saying, 'time heals all wounds'. Just be there for him, and love him no matter what happens. He needs to come to the realization all on his own that you mean more to him than Sakura ever did. And when he does, I guarantee that you will hold his heart in the palm of your hand."

***End Flashback***

A solitary tear fell from the corner of her eye as she brought her left hand up in front of her face to stare at it.

He finally said it. She thought to herself. He finally said those words I've been longing to hear since I was a little girl.

She closed her hand into a fist and smiled blissfully. I hold his heart in the palm of my hand.

---

A scream tore through the delivery room, as Sakura bore down and gave a final push, bringing both her and Sasuke's newborn child into the world. At least Sasuke hoped it was the final push, because Sakura had just broken three fingers of his hand she'd been holding for moral support.

The soft cries of their baby echoed in his ears, and Sasuke's heart swelled at the sound. Despite the amount of time they had been together…the amount of time they'd been trying to have a baby…and everything that had occurred before he left, both he and Sakura were now the parents of a baby Uchiha, as well as the next clan heir. He felt a sense of pride and completeness, and wondered if this was the same feeling Naruto had gotten when he found out Hikaru was his son.

After a minute, the doctor placed a clamp on the umbilical cord to stop the flow of blood. His hand holding a pair of scissors, he extended them towards Sasuke and asked, "Would you like to cut the cord?"

Sasuke stared at them for a second before saying ruefully, "At the present moment, I believe you're much more qualified than me to do so, considering my wife just broke three of my fingers. And if it's not too much trouble, I'd like someone to heal them once she relinquishes her hold on my hand."

The doctor hesitated for a moment and then nodded. He'd heard many stories about the Uchiha and his cold and hardened attitude, but the exchange he just had with the man hadn't been that bad. He wondered if the rumors had been blown out of proportion, or some outside force had changed his personality for the better.

Once the cord was cut, he placed the baby on a cart to be cleaned up and given several neo-natal tests. While this was going on, Sasuke asked Sakura to release his hand, so that someone could fix his broken fingers. She half opened her eyes and stared at him wearily; debating internally whether or not to actually do so since the feel of his hand was very comforting at the moment. In the end, Sakura relented and let go, so that someone could mend his broken bones.

It took a few minutes but once this was done, the head nurse presented Sasuke with their bundle of joy. He cradled it tenderly, and then walked over to sit in a chair next to the bed. A slight smile graced his face as he looked at his wife and said, "Congratulations, Sakura. We're the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl."

Despite how tired she was, Sakura experienced a rush of adrenaline at hearing the words. Eyes wide, she watched as Sasuke peeled back the blanket to reveal a shock of pink hair.

No, this can't be real. Sakura and her inner self said to each other. No, the doctor's told me it was a boy. No, he was going to be my redemption, my salvation. No, he was going to save me from this hell I've been experiencing the last two months. No. No. No nonononono!

---

A/N: Okay, not as big of a cliffhanger as the last chapter but I had to put something at the end that brought you back for the next installment. Hopefully it's enough.

And now everyone knows that Reira isn't Naruto's kid. Head faked everyone on that, didn't I? That'll teach you all not to assume things in my story...you have to look underneath the underneath!

I know that people were expecting more to happen in this chapter, and I'm sorry about that. It's just that when I started writing the lemon scene, it got bigger and bigger (there's no pun here, you perverts!) and before you know it the word count for that part was over four thousand. So I vow to make it up in the next chapter.

By the way, did anyone catch the small part of dialogue I put in this from a major motion picture? Extra points if you spot it, and I'll give you a shout-out in the next chapter.

What's coming next? Well, I'm finally going to put in a part with the toads for AP Samuels and bennie403. The conversation with Freyja/Sasuke/Naruto/Kakashi is going to happen. Naruto has his first full day as Hokage, and wait until you see what the first thing he does happens to be (once again, get your mind out of the gutter, you perverts! It's not sex on the Hokage's desk!). And Sakura comes to grips with the fact that the child she just had is a girl, not a boy like she was told by her doctors. Just more fodder for her inner self in the long run.

Recommendation time! Okay, I'm going to do something different for once. I've mentioned it a few times in my previous chapters, but I have OCD when it comes to grammar, spelling and style. I obsess over it, and that's why I proofread each chapter about ten times before I release it to the public. That's how important it is to me.

But there are stories on this site that while they may not have those qualities in spades, they more than make up for it with the content. I like stuff like this, where the emotion is palpable, and you get a good sense of the characters and what the author is trying to convey. And the most important thing is that the plot draws me in and keeps me there.

So I'm recommending Love's Never Easy by Ayrmed. This story deals quite a bit with the human element of our favorite couple, and while the word count isn't that high it's still great to read. There's some Sakura angst, drama galore and Hinata is pregnant! If you decide to check it and like what you see, put it on your favorite/follow list and leave a review. I'm sure she'll love it, and appreciate the continued support for her work.

Here's the link, as usual remove the spaces and you know what to replace the stars with:

www . fanfiction . *** / s / 9400626

REVIEWS! So I missed my goal for reviews last chapter, but that's all right – I always set the bar high. I would like to thank each and every person who left me a review, including the guests. I'm getting close to my goal of 1,000 reviews and I'm hoping to hit it soon but let's see how close I can get with this chapter. I can only do this with your continued support.

So take some time and leave me a review, because there's no better way to say 'thank you, I appreciate the time you take out of your life to write this interesting piece of work' like seeing those words of encouragement fill my email inbox. And the more reviews you leave, the faster the next chapter gets out. It's happened before and it'll happen again…It's in your hands, my fellow readers!

That's all for now. Take care and stay safe.

Serious Sam