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.

27. Ch 26: What Happens Now?

26. So, What Happens Now?

Mr. Aladdin, sir, have a wish or two or three. Come on whisper what it is you want; You ain't never had friend like me! – Robin Williams

Ah, Robin Williams. The world will never see the like of him again. If you want to watch something funny as hell, rent his comedy special "Live At The Met." It may be from the 1980's, but even after over thirty years it's still comedy gold.

So here we have chapter 26, which acts sort of as a precursor to the kickoff of the big stuff. I know, that's what everyone wants to see but most of this chapter is ideas I've had percolating in my head and frankly, they'll be important to the story in later chapters. I put quite a bit of humor in here as well along with drama and a bit of smut, so there's something for everyone.

Like I do every chapter, I'd like to give a huge round of thanks to fellow author Titokhan and my anonymous beta for all their help and support. I really appreciate the time you guys take to make sure my story keeps moving in the right direction. You guys are the best!

And now, let's get to the shout-outs and credit where credit is due:

Zafnak/Titokhan/MattWilson83: I honestly hadn't thought of putting in a reference to Naruto saving Hinata from the bullies, but I rewrote part of this chapter based on that idea. You'll know it when you see it, and I think the scene is better off because of it. Thanks so much for the idea!

Solvdrage: I finally get to use your idea about the Icha Icha novels. Fantastic idea!

Wacko12 : The idea you put forth finally made it into the chapter. That specific part was expanded significantly in order to make use of what you suggested. I hope you like how I wrote it!

Belnonm: I put a small reference to the range of the tattoos when Saladin got killed into the story, but I'll expand on it in future chapters. The idea was great, so thanks!

I would also like to give a shout-out to the following authors:

Hendrixson: His story For The Love Of The Hokage got updated about two weeks after I posted my little snippet at the end of the previous chapter. He has also been kind enough to mention my story, as well as leave me some large and glowing reviews. I'm very grateful, and I hope everyone who reads my story gets over and checks his out.

weirdismyname: I currently am helping her with some beta work on her latest NaruHina story, Sanctuary of the Wounded. Another chapter just got published and I urge everyone to go take a look. It's starting slow, just like her other story Beyond an Heiress' Purpose but I know for a fact that things are going to pick up steam very soon.

OGAFazer89AC: Just updated Path to the Future. Great story with a few OC, quite a bit of angst and drama. Check it out if you get the chance, I've recommended it before.

Arcana37210: I also do beta work on his story, Rise of Ryujin. The story as one small element of Skyrim incorporated into it – Naruto becomes a dragon, sort of. He did an update a few weeks ago so if you like stuff like that, I urge you to go over and check it out.

I would also like to say that there's one small idea I shamelessly borrowed from KingKakashi's story Naruto vs. Sasuke – The Aftermath. He gets full credit for the Moegi/Udon situation and I used it here, mainly because I wasn't really thinking of utilizing either of them as characters in my story to even a minor extent, and this seemed a convenient way to get them out of the picture. And if you haven't checked his story out, you should. But be warned, there's some really dark stuff in it (like rape) – it's rated M for a reason, everyone. But if you can get past that, the story is one of the best on this site.

And now, on to the disclaimer! I think more people will recognize the one for this chapter, and this has to be one of my favorite lines from the show…

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. And check out my new invention – the Smell-o-scope! Go ahead, try it. You'll find that every planet in the solar system has its own particular scent. Here, I'll point it at Jupiter.

Fry: Smells like strawberries.

Disclaimer: Exactly. And now, Saturn.

Fry: Pine needles. Oh, man, this is great! Just don't make me smell Uranus.

Dicslaimer: I'm sorry Fry, but astronomers renamed Uranus in the year 2620 to end that stupid joke once and for all.

Fry: Oh? What's it called now?

Disclaimer: Urrectum! (+1 if you get the reference.)

---

Chapter 26 – So, What Happens Now?

"So, what happens now?"

Naruto had called Kakashi, Freyja and Sasuke to his office early the next morning. His initial plan had been to keep the meeting confined to the original group of people, however after last night Hinata insisted on being included. She reasoned it was Saturday, she had no classes at the academy to teach and she already knew about the Mienai Segi. Plus she said, 'I refuse to let Naruto-kun face this danger alone. He's the man I love, the father of my children and for once, I'll stand next to him rather than behind him.' Naruto had protested, but then Hinata gave him a menacing look that would have scared even Orochimaru, daring him to make her leave.

So instead of arguing the point he agreed to let her stay, silently deciding that if anything ever happened he'd ignore her and face the threat alone. Even at the cost of his own life, he promised to protect his precious people and that now meant her, Hikaru and their unborn child. And as everyone knew, he never went back on his word.

Naruto sighed wearily, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "It's not like we have a lot of options. Freyja was right last night when she said that Gideon is going to hole up somewhere and lick his wounds, but once he recovers there's no telling what his next move might be."

"And we still don't know who else we're dealing with." Sasuke added. "There has to be at least one other person who survived the fight, since Saladin is dead. Otherwise, he'd still be alive and the pain overload we felt in our tattoos wouldn't have happened."

"At this point, do you think it might be wise to alert the other villages?" Kakashi inquired. "I know your organization has a strict code against talking about the Mienai Segi, but if ever there was a case to justify a special exception, this would be it."

"You got that right, Kakashi." Freyja stated irritably, fidgeting in her seat. Hinata and Naruto imagined that she was doing it because of the placement of her tattoos. That area would probably be tender and sore until she made it to the hospital and had someone heal her. "We really don't have any precedence for something like this, and it stands to reason that as of now, the Mienai Segi is finished. Normally this would fall to the second in command but that's Gideon, and he's the one behind all this. That brings us to third in line, which is a toss-up between Gabriel here and Gilgamesh."

"Who's Gilgamesh?" Hinata asked, voicing the question before Kakashi or Sasuke had a chance to.

"He used to be a mercenary until Saladin got ahold of him and tried to reform him as a pet project." Freyja snarled. "Gilgamesh was named after a demi-god in the western lands that possessed superhuman strength, and this guy fits the bill perfectly. He's almost seven feet tall and if you could think of the embodiment of brute force, he'd be it. Gilgamesh lives only for the fight. I'd be shocked if he was dead, and if I had to guess I'd say that he's working for Gideon, even though I don't have any proof of either one."

Upon hearing the description of Gilgamesh, Kakashi gave a low laugh while everyone else stared at him, thinking he'd gone crazy.

"What the hell is so funny, Kakashi?" Freyja demanded.

"Sorry." Kakashi said, shaking his head. "It's just that after hearing what he looked like, I was thinking Guy would jump at the chance to fight someone like that. Can you see him attacking someone seven feet tall head-on, screaming about the 'flames of youth' while flashing that goofy smile of his?"

Everyone in the room briefly shared a look before Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke and Freyja burst into laughter. Hinata merely gave a lopsided smile, trying not to laugh as she pictured Guy-sensei using his rather flamboyant fighting style.

After half a minute, they wiped the tears from their eyes and took a few calming breaths.

"Okay, I think we all needed that." Freyja said jokingly. "But let's get back to business. Even if Gabriel wasn't the Hokage, he's still the highest ranking member of the Mienai Segi here, even if that's probably not what we are anymore." She furrowed her brow and stared pointedly at Naruto. "So, what's your decision Gabriel? Do we start informing everyone else about Gideon and the Mienai Segi, or let them fend for themselves?"

Hinata, Kakashi and Sasuke already knew what he'd say. Naruto would never abandon someone in need, but they weren't going to answer Freyja for him.

"The alliance between the villages is still strong, but if we keep this a secret it'll destroy everything I worked so hard to build in the fourth shinobi war." Naruto said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "I really don't think we have a choice. We have to tell them about the Mienai Segi, and I'll start on Monday with Suna."

"Suna?" Hinata asked curiously. "Why Suna? Is it because of Gaara?"

"Partially." Naruto lifted a scroll that was sitting on the corner of his desk. "This came in late last night after I left the office. Matsuri had the baby. And since I know you're going to ask Hinata, it was a girl – twenty inches long, six pounds, nine ounces. But since it was a girl, I have to honor the agreement I signed to bring Temari here to Konoha."

"Yes, I heard that you signed an agreement to bring Temari here to Konoha, but I never knew any of the details." Kakashi said inquisitively. "What exactly do we have to give them in exchange?"

"Well, the agreement depended on what Matsuri had. If she had a boy, and Gaara could continue the family line, then everything was fine and we didn't have to give them anything in return. However, if she had a girl I had to provide either one jōnin or two high level chūnin in exchange."

"You're just going to send either a jōnin or two chūnin packing to Suna against their will?" Freyja asked bluntly. "That's really not your style, Gabriel."

"No, I wouldn't do something like that. If no one wanted to go, I'd have to find something else to give Gaara. But I've been making inquiries for the past couple of weeks, seeing if anyone would be interested in going and luckily enough, Moegi and Udon have volunteered. It's not like they're going empty handed, though. They're getting one hundred thousand Ryo as part of the agreement, so they'll be very well off."

"Huh. Money aside, I wonder why they'd just up and leave like that?"

Kakashi, Sasuke and Naruto shrugged their shoulders unknowingly at Freyja's question, but Hinata knew the answer. Moegi had been in love with Konohamaru for years, and when he finally married Hanabi – because of Naruto's intervention, no less – it had broken her heart. She was taking this opportunity to start over in a place where she didn't have to see Konohamaru every day, and Udon was following her because he loved Moegi, and always had.

"Kakashi-sensei, starting Monday I'll need you to mind the village for a few days. Sasuke, I want patrols on the outer walls stepped up until further notice. Even though I think we've got some time before Gideon makes his next move, I'm not taking any chances. Freyja, once I'm gone I want you to go see Shikamaru and fill him in on the Mienai Segi. He's smart enough to keep something like this a secret, and it'll be a perfect time to do it, since I'm taking Temari with me to Suna because I'm sure she'll want to see her niece."

"Does anybody have anything else to add?" Silence and shaking heads answered Naruto back. "Then let's get the day started." He said reluctantly. "I've got paperwork to do, and there's no sense in all of you wasting your time in here watching me sign stuff."

Kakashi, Sasuke and Freyja stood up and filed out of the office, however Hinata stayed in her seat, twisting her wedding ring on her finger. It had become her new nervous habit, since she'd decided not to poke her fingers together like a twelve year old schoolgirl anymore.

"Hinata?" Naruto asked worriedly. "Is something wrong?" He'd become attuned to her moods and quirks; even more so lately because she was pregnant, but this time he knew there was a problem because the seal on his hand was tingling.

Hinata continued to stare at him, her eyes a bit wider than normal and worry lines creasing her forehead. She stood up and walked around the desk, stopping in front of her confused husband. Her lower lip began to quiver and she hurriedly sat in his lap, hugging him tightly and burying her face in the crook of his neck.

When he felt tears against his skin, Naruto grew concerned. He wrapped his arms around her protectively, trying to bring her some sense of comfort. "Hinata? What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"I-I'm afraid, N-Naruto-kun." She said haltingly between sobs.

"Afraid of what, exactly?" He asked, rubbing her back. She'd been like a rock during the meeting, and now she was a quivering mess of emotions. Was this because of the pregnancy hormones? Or was it something else?

"O-Of losing you. I've loved you since I was s-six years old. I waited twenty y-years of my life to get you, we haven't even b-been married a year and now you're getting involved in a f-fight that's at least as big as the Akatsuki was. Why can't life j-just let us be happy and not have any problems for once? Why d-does it always have to be you?"

"Hey…" He cupped her cheek, forcing her to look at him. Tears were falling from her eyes, and he could feel the fear grasping her heart through the seal. "We're shinobi, remember? And I'm the Hokage now. Fights like this are bound to happen, and at our wedding I made the promise of a lifetime to protect you and Hikaru. That promise now extends to the baby you're carrying. I don't care how big the threat is, I'm not backing down from it."

"Then make me another promise." Hinata pleaded, trying to blink away another round of tears. "Promise me that we'll be together always. That no matter what happens, you'll always come back to me."

"As much as I'd like to, you know I can't do that, Hinata." Naruto said gently. "If I have a choice between my family's safety and saving my life, I'll choose my family every single time. It's who I am, and part of what you love about me – just like your constant worry over me is part of what I love about you."

It wasn't the answer she wanted to hear, and it didn't help matters that she knew he was right. Given the choice, she'd do exactly the same thing. But when Naruto said her constant worry over him was part of what he loved about her, it sent a small thrill through her body and she was suddenly eager to hear more. "What…What else do you love about me?" she asked between sniffles.

Unexpectedly, a flash of the mischievous prankster he used to be came to the fore and he grinned impishly, deciding that the situation called for some good old-fashioned pervy-sage humor. He wanted to see Hinata smiling and happy, not sad and depressed.

"Well, if I had to make a list of things I love about you, I'd have to say those beautiful eyes are first, followed by that smile of yours that lights up a room. After that, it's probably a tie between your legs and your butt."

The words were said so casually, that it took a few moments for Hinata to register them. She pulled her head back and gawked at him in bewilderment. "My…My butt?"

"Yeah. You know, it's got these really awesome curves that are sexy as hell, and each cheek is perfectly proportioned to fit in the palm of my hand." He said perversely, flexing his fingers. "I think that proves we were always meant to be together, doesn't it?"

He watched as she blushed slightly, and she smacked his chest playfully in embarrassment. "That's not funny, Naruto-kun!" she admonished him.

He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her. "Sure it is. It also happens to be true." He placed a hand behind her neck and drew her to him, giving her a kiss that made her entire body tingle. She hummed appreciatively into his mouth, reveling in the touch of his lips against hers before they broke apart, both of them breathless and Hinata flushed as well.

"I love you Naruto-kun," Hinata said fervently, staring into his eyes. "Freyja told me about the seal you placed on my hand, and what it really means. There will never be anyone else for me but you, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

He pressed their foreheads together; enjoying the sensation of absolute completeness he felt whenever she was around. "And I love you too Hinata-hime. I don't know what I would do without you in my life. You mean everything to me. Believe it."

"Now, let's not have any more depressing thoughts for the rest of the day, alright? Reira's surprise birthday party is at six o'clock tonight, and I think a happy event like that is just what this family needs right now."

---

Half a continent away, as the sun approached its zenith a man approached the village of Kumogakure. He stood about six feet tall and wore a helmet adorned with ram's horns. His clothing was simple and non-descript; an outfit of leather armor that hung from one shoulder leaving the other one, along with part of his well-muscled chest bare. On the exposed skin of his chest was a tattoo that appeared to be the kanji symbol for strength, the edges of which were colored an angry red. A wide belt with a buckle resembling a brass shield was clasped around his waist, with a small satchel attached to one side.

He calmly approached the guards at the gate, who eyed him warily. The stranger hadn't done anything to give them cause for alarm, but his manner of dress indicated he was a foreigner from the lands to the west. And the first rule of being a guard is that it's better to be safe than sorry.

"State your name and business, please."

"My name is Perun." He made sure his voice was firm, yet non-threatening. He was here to join these people, not fight them. "And as for my business, I'd like to speak with the Raikage."

The two men snickered, clearly amused at the audacity of their guest. "Unless you're a high-ranking political official, Ambassador, Diplomat or one of the other Kage, you're not getting anywhere near the Raikage. So how about you just turn around and leave?"

Perun hadn't expected a warm reception, but he didn't think they'd be this standoffish either. He took a calming breath and tried again. "You misunderstand. I'm actually a very accomplished fighter, and I'm here to join your shinobi force. I also have a message that concerns the safety of your village."

"Oh? You seem pretty confident that we'd take you in the first place." One of the men sneered, baring a mouthful of crooked teeth. "And what's this message about the safety of Kumo?"

"My instructions were to deliver the message only to the Raikage," Perun said calmly, "but after that it needs to be sent to Konoha. I was told to ask for the man who holds the fox."

Their arrogance vanished instantly as they narrowed their eyes and stared at the man in front of them with guarded skepticism. Why was he asking about Killer B's jinchuuriki brother Naruto Uzumaki, who also happened to be the Hokage of Konoha? A button press later, and the foreigner was surrounded by ten ANBU.

Perun sighed in disappointment. He wondered if all the people in this village were as abrasive as these two guards. It might make living here a bit tougher than he originally thought.

"You want to talk with the Raikage? Fine. You'll get your wish, but only if you behave. These men will escort you to his office, but make one wrong move and they'll separate your head from your body in the blink of an eye. Understand?"

Perun smiled disarmingly. "Perfectly."

---

The Raikage of Kumo was a tall, dark-skinned man with an extremely muscular build. This was obviously a source of great pride for the man, since he was curling weights with his one good arm – the other was missing at the elbow – wearing his Kage hat but no shirt, in order to show off his impressive physique. Perun noted absently that in many ways the Raikage reminded him of Gilgamesh – including his attitude, because after being in his office for only one minute, he knew where the guards at the front gate had developed their social interaction skills.

"Are you even listening to me?" the Raikage growled.

Broken out of his reflective thoughts, Perun snapped his eyes towards the Raikage and then bowed his head submissively. "My apologies, Raikage-sama. I was merely thinking that you remind me very much of a former associate of mine."

"Well, start paying attention and answer my question." He added, tossing the weight on the floor where it landed with a heavy crash. "What's this message you supposedly have for me regarding the safety of my village?"

"I'm sorry to ask Raikage-sama, but could you make this meeting private?" Perun looked pointedly at several ANBU, along with another man who'd identified himself as Darui, who were stationed throughout the office. "The information I'm about to give you is extremely sensitive and not for everyone's ears."

The Raikage narrowed his eyes at his guest, wondering if he might have an ulterior motive for wanting the ANBU to leave. Even though he was dressed strangely, the Raikage couldn't feel any sort of power emanating from the man, so in the end he reasoned that this Perun as he liked to call himself wasn't that much of a threat.

He waved his hand and the ANBU filed out if his office, but he motioned for Darui to remain where he was. When Perun raised a questioning eyebrow, the Raikage responded by saying, "He's my right-hand man who'll be Raikage after me. He's staying to hear what you have to say."

Perun nodded in understanding as the Raikage raised the privacy seals. "Thank you Raikage-sama, but before we begin I'd like to ask a question. Can you tell me who the man who holds the fox is?"

The Raikage and Darui were taken aback, both wondering why this man was asking or for that matter, didn't even know who Naruto Uzumaki was. The man was clearly the most famous individual in the elemental nations because of his exploits during the war.

"His name is Naruto Uzumaki. He's currently the Hokage of Konoha. Why do you ask?"

"Naruto Uzumaki?" Perun asked, his eyes wide with surprise. "The man who saved everyone in the fourth shinobi war?"

"Yes, that's him." Darui stated flatly. "You're asking for him specifically. How is it that you don't know who he is?"

Or for that matter, how could Saladin know who he is and send me to ask for him, unless… "Do you happen to have a picture of him? Something recent, perhaps?"

Darui exchanged a glance with the Raikage who grunted, either not caring or seeing no harm in the request. He walked over to a bookcase and pulled a picture off the shelf – it was taken only hours after the final battle of the fourth shinobi war. The five Kage, along with Naruto flashing the victory sign, were posing in front of the remnants of the Shinju Tree.

Darui handed the picture over to Perun. "This picture is several years old, but it's the only one we have in this office." He tapped the image in the middle. "That's Naruto Uzumaki. He's the jinchuuriki for the nine tailed fox."

Perun gaped at the picture. Even though the man in the picture was younger and far happier, there was no mistaking that it was Gabriel. He wondered what could have happened to bring someone like that to the Mienai Segi in search of their death.

"Heh. I worked with him for seven years and never realized who he really was." He handed the picture back to Darui, chuckling softly. "But it certainly explains a lot."

"Explains what, exactly?" The Raikage demanded. He was not known to be a patient man, and this foreigner was testing his limits.

Perun waved his hand dismissively. "It's not important. What you should know is that my master…" He took a deep breath, looking briefly towards the ceiling. As much as the Mienai Segi had taught him to control his emotions, he was finding it to be rather difficult right now, considering the subject. "My master died yesterday. However, before he did he asked me to complete one final mission. I was to come to Kumogakure and serve this village by joining your shinobi force."

"You're assuming of course that we'd want you in the first place." Darui said dryly, unknowingly mimicking the words of the two guards at the gate. "But ignoring that, why would your master – whoever that is – want you to do something like that?"

"He was hoping I could live a normal life and not that of a mercenary, continuously looking over my shoulder for death. Living in constant fear is not a life worth living." Perun patted the satchel attached to his belt. "I was also told to ask for a trustworthy messenger to send to Konoha. I have two scrolls in here that need to be delivered to Gab…I mean, Naruto Uzumaki."

The Raikage was suddenly curious. "Oh? What's in them?"

"I honestly have no idea. My master sealed them, and he knew you'd ask that question. When you did, I was told to say that if you try and break the seals to find out what's in them, they'll explode…taking out a significant chunk of the surrounding area with them."

"Then how about you tell me who your master is, or where these scrolls came from?"

Perun shook his head. "I'm sorry, but that's information I still have to keep secret for the time being. Until Gab…wow, I really gotta work on that…until Naruto Uzumaki tells me otherwise, I'll have to politely refuse."

The Raikage grimaced, his blood pressure rising. Talking with this foreigner was worse than dealing with his brother, Killer B when he wrote a new rap song. And worse yet, Perun hadn't given him a straight answer on…well, anything.

"Okay. You haven't said one damn thing important, even though you made me put up the privacy seals," The Raikage said threateningly. He spiked his chakra significantly and a moment later, his body was wrapped in Lightning Armor. "I've had it with you evading my questions. I want answers and I want them now. Refuse and I'll kick your ass."

Perun groaned. It looked like his comparison to Gilgamesh was more accurate than he thought, because to some degree this man had the same personality and respect for power as his former associate. The only real difference between the two was that the Raikage seemed to care about other people, while Gilgamesh only cared about himself.

He spiked his chakra to match the Raikage, and encased himself in Lightning armor as well. From the look on his face this caught Darui by surprise, while the Raikage merely scowled in annoyance.

"You know, you're not the only one who can do that little trick of yours," Perun stated matter-of-factly. "You really should have asked this question at the outset, but my primary chakra affinity is lightning, and I have a secondary affinity of fire. And over the last nine years I've been party to things that would turn your stomach inside out, so what you're doing isn't intimidating me in the least."

The Raikage ground his teeth, every nerve raw with anger. The fact that he hadn't been able to sense any measureable amount of chakra from Perun gnawed at him and now, he was matching his level of power and even copying his signature jutsu. It was unacceptable and insulting. He spiked his chakra once again, pushing out even more power. The discharge from his Lightning Armor started to become erratic, causing Darui to back away as the air began to sizzle around him.

Upon seeing this, Perun realized that unless he did something large enough to impress the Raikage, this discussion would end with him being thrown in jail, or at the very least kicked out of the village – which at this point didn't seem like a bad idea. However, Saladin's final wish had been for him to make this his home, and he'd do whatever it took to honor that request. Whatever he did was going to have to be considerably out of the ordinary, though. An idea suddenly came to mind and he decided to run with it.

He raised his chakra again, not merely matching the Raikage but going beyond that level, reaching out to the sky above them. He began to gather clouds, forming them into an angry, black whirling mass that flickered brightly with restrained power, and a growl resonated throughout the air, like a tiger waiting to pounce on his afternoon meal. As a final touch he also increased his Lightning Armor, causing Darui to back into the farthest corner of the office.

Darui could only stare in shock and awe at the two men in front of him. Up until this point, he'd thought that the only person who could perform the Lightning Armor Jutsu to this level was the Raikage but this unknown foreigner, this…Perun was matching him bolt for bolt and the amount of chakra he was giving off was unreal. This man had Kage level reserves; just where the hell was he from and how did he get so damn skilled?

The Raikage was thinking the exact same thing. Who the fuck does this guy think he is, pushing out more chakra than me? And he's doing it so calmly! The Raikage remarked to himself. I can't feel one ounce of killing intent. How the hell can he keep his emotions under control like that? Deciding he wasn't going to be outdone, he pushed his chakra to the maximum, causing the Lightning Armor to become static while the bolts buzzed and hummed as they traveled between his body and the wall.

Perun slowly raised his hand, pointing his index finger skyward. "You may be able to generate lighting with your chakra, but unlike you I can also control the real thing." Sporting a sly grin, he slowly lowered his finger until it pointed at the outside wall and intoned, "Raiton: Shurrai."

The clouds above them growled one last time and a bolt of lightning launched forth, striking the wall Perun was pointing at, causing it to explode. Like a bomb going off, pieces of concrete both large and small flew everywhere and Darui covered his face to protect himself, noting that the Raikage and Perun never flinched – probably because they were both still wrapped in their Lightning Armor.

After the dust settled, Darui uncovered his face and saw the two men glaring at each other, their Lightning Armor still going full blast, while the ANBU that were previously in his office were now standing where the wall used to be, wondering what the hell just happened.

"Now can we please knock this off?" Perun asked, clearly agitated. "I'm not going to sit here and play the 'who's got a bigger chip on their shoulder' game. So unless you want to head over to one of the training grounds and beat the crap out of each other, why don't you stop being such an egotistical asshole and accept the fact that I'm not your enemy, and I'm here to help?"

The two men continued to glare at each other, while everyone else in the office froze. Other than his brother Killer B, nobody talked to the Raikage like that, unless they wanted an extended stay in the hospital. Even though it looked like he had the skills to back it up, this guy had to be either stupid, crazy or a little bit of both.

The tension in the air was so thick; you could cut it with a knife – until the Raikage unexpectedly cracked a smile and started laughing, startling Darui and the ANBU, who stared dumbfounded at their leader.

"You've got guts talking to me like that," the Raikage said, his Lightning Armor vanishing. "I still don't really know who the hell you are, and I've still got questions I want answers to, but for now I'll accept your offer to join us. Besides, I'd rather have someone with your skills here in Kumo, rather than have you run off to Konoha and see Uzumaki yourself. You might just decide to stay there instead."

Perun lowered his Lightning Armor as well and inclined his head appreciatively. "Thank you, Raikage-sama. And you have my word that once Naruto Uzumaki gives his permission, I'll be more than happy to tell you everything."

"Fine. Then let's make that happen." The Raikage turned to Darui, ignoring the ANBU still standing where his wall used to be. "Get to Konoha and deliver those messages. Tell Uzumaki that Perun is here, and get permission from him to talk about whatever the hell is referenced in those scrolls."

Darui raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Me? Why me? Why not Killer B?"

"Because he'll probably want to stay there for a month, hanging out with Uzumaki and rapping in every karaoke bar in Konoha. YOU won't." He said pointedly. "Get there, get back and don't make any side trips. Understood?"

Darui nodded. "Understood, Raikage-sama. I'll leave within the hour."

---

"Happy birthday, sweetie!"

Reira smiled, staring at the cake in front of her – it was chocolate with cream cheese frosting, her favorite. Her mother was seated at the table to her left and Kakashi was sitting next to her, then Naruto and Hinata came after that and finally…Hikaru-kun was sitting to her right.

She was surrounded by both her family, and the people she'd come to know as her family. And if you add in what happened yesterday at the park, this might be the happiest day of her life.

"Thanks, Mom. I gotta say, throwing me this surprise birthday party was a great idea, since I've never had one before."

Hinata stopped in the act of slicing the cake and looked up, her eyes darting between Reira and Freyja. "Never?" she asked in confusion.

Freyja shook her head. "It just wasn't a good idea, since I was trying to keep Reira hidden from…my former employer. Don't get the wrong idea – we celebrated her birthday, it just wasn't anything public or extravagant. This is the first time we've actually had other people around to celebrate with."

"Gee, that's too bad." Naruto said sympathetically to Reira. "Well, I hope the gifts we got you make up for all those years you didn't get to have a proper birthday party."

Reira smiled brightly. "Thanks mister Naruto, but there's no way any of those gifts are better than the one Hikaru-kun gave me yesterday at the park."

Hikaru dropped his cake. He leaned away from Reira and his eyes started darting around the room nervously.

Hinata arched an eyebrow. "Oh, really? This is the first I've heard about it. Just when did Hikaru give you this present at the park?"

"He did it right after he saved me from some bullies."

A small smile graced Hinata's lips. "He saved you from some bullies? That sounds very much like what Naruto-kun did for me when I was younger. Why don't you tell us all about what happened?"

And then, Reira launched into the most animated explanation ever. To everyone else at the table besides Hikaru, it was like watching an actress give the most dramatic, over-the-top performance of their life.

"So I was on the swings, not bothering anyone and Hikaru-kun was sitting on the benches on the other side of the park with some papers doing some stuff. Then these three bullies show up and ewww…" she pinched her nose and held it in the air, "…their chakra reminded me of rotting fruit and sour milk. So then the sour milk boy tells me that all the swings are his and he doesn't want me using any of them. I said that wasn't very fair, and he tells me tough and pushes me off like this…" Reira dramatically mimicked the boy pushing her off the swing, "…and I landed hard on my butt, and I think I said 'ow!' or something like that."

"Then I started crying because it hurt, and then Hikaru-kun shows up standing like this…" she paused, striking a defiant pose with her hands crossed in front of her chest, "…and tells them that I can use any swing I want. Then they laughed at us and said if we didn't leave, they were gonna beat both me and Hikaru-kun up, then Hikaru-kun goes like this…" Reira smirked and crossed her fingers in front of her, "…and poof! Five of Hikaru-kun's shadow clone thingies pop up! They beat the snot out of the bullies and they ran away really fast!"

"Then Hikaru-kun…" Reira's face lit up thinking about her crush, and she beamed at everyone as she continued, "…apologized for not being there sooner and I said it's okay. Then I asked him if he knew that tomorrow was my birthday, and he said he didn't and asked if there was something special I wanted, and that's when I told him I wanted to call him my boyfriend."

The entire time, Hikaru had been slowly edging towards the door in an attempt to sneak out but Reira kept talking faster and faster and before he knew it, she dropped that 'boyfriend' bombshell on everyone. He turned reflexively, thinking he could make a mad dash the rest of the way but before he could, he was stopped dead in his tracks.

"Freeze!" Freyja exclaimed, glaring at Hikaru and pointing a finger accusingly at him. The boy had backed himself into a corner with his hands braced against the walls, a terrified look on his face as he watched Freyja stomp across the room and grab his shirt, bringing his nose to within inches of hers.

"You told Reira she could call you her boyfriend? She's only six years old!"

"Don't blame me!" he said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "It wasn't my fault! She guilted me into do it!"

Hinata scoffed at the idea. "I find that very hard to believe, Hikaru. You're almost nine years old, and she just turned six. How, pray tell did she 'guilt-trip' you into doing something like that?"

"That's easy, miss Hinata," Reira said matter-of-factly, "I did the same thing to him that you and miss Hanabi do to mister Naruto and mister Konohamaru. You know, where you give them the puppy dog eyes and then let your lower lip tremble a little bit before you start to cry. It was only when I started sobbing really loudly that Hikaru-kun finally gave in."

Realizing that Reira actually was the one responsible for the whole 'boyfriend' thing, Freyja released his shirt and sat back down at the table to eat her cake. She'd known for weeks that her daughter had a crush on Hikaru, but she figured playing dumb like she didn't know would be funny as hell.

"Reira, it's not very nice to do that to people." Hinata said disapprovingly.

Reira looked at her curiously. "Well, if it's not very nice then why do you do it to mister Naruto?"

Naruto and Freyja snorted, trying not to laugh. Reira was apparently a lot smarter than she let on, and she was using her innocence against Hinata and Hikaru in the worst way. It was both terrifying and hilarious to watch at the same time.

Unable to come up with a better answer she simply said, "Because it's different when grown-ups do it. And I don't think it's a good idea for you to be having a boyfriend at your age at all. You're only six years old."

Hikaru sighed and relaxed a bit. "Thanks for saying that, Mom."

Reira frowned, not liking either Hikaru or Hinata's response. "Miss Hinata, you just said that what Hikaru-kun did for me was just like what mister Naruto did for you when you were younger. How old were you when that happened?"

"I was six. Why?"

Reira pressed on. "And how old were you when you decided you liked mister Naruto?"

"Six."

"And how old were you when you decided you wanted to marry him?"

Hinata gave a defeated sigh. "I was six."

"So how was it okay for you but it's not okay for me?"

Hinata frowned at the girl, clearly not happy that Reira was using her own argument against her. She opened her mouth to say something but before she could she heard snickering. She looked over to see Naruto, Kakashi and Freyja with their heads down, purposely avoiding the conversation and doing a very poor job of trying to hide their laughter.

"I think this is one of the best cakes I've ever eaten – other than the one at my wedding, of course." Naruto said with barely suppressed mirth. "What do you think, Freyja? Do you like it?"

"I like it, but I would have gone with chocolate frosting on chocolate cake instead," Freyja replied, the same smirk present on her face. "How about you, Kakashi?"

"Mrf prefty gouf," Kakashi mumbled, his mouth stuffed full of cake behind his mask. "I coun go fur 'nuther peese."

Hinata shot them all a scathing look. "You're cowards, all of you." Her brows knit as she suddenly remembered something. "Wait a minute, Reira – those boys at the park…you said their chakra reminded you of rotting fruit and sour milk. What did you mean by that?"

"I can tell what people's chakra feels like. Those bullies reminded me of spoiled food. But Hikaru-kun's chakra is really warm – it reminds me of the summer sun. It's not the only reason why I like him – he's strong, and kind, and protective, and very, very sweet. But his chakra just feels so…special."

"That's…interesting." Hinata said hesitantly. "Tell me – what does my chakra remind you of?"

Reira thought about that for a moment. "I'd say flowers. Probably tulips if I had to guess."

Hinata found that to be a rather intriguing choice, since pressing flowers was one of her favorite hobbies. Purple tulips meant royalty, white meant forgiveness, pink meant caring, and yellow meant hopelessly in love. Naruto had used those words on more than one occasion to describe her, and she loved her husband beyond measure for subconsciously doing little things like that.

"How…How about Naruto-kun?"

Reira scrunched her face as she scrutinized him. "He's a bit tougher. I think his chakra is supposed to feel like the summer sun, just like Hikaru-kun, but instead it's more like a cloudy day. There's something he's waiting for to happen, something big…and when it does, it'll chase the clouds away and the sun will start shining again. Until then, he's just kind of…gray."

There was an uncomfortable silence as everyone around the table digested that information. Without trying to, Reira's description of Naruto was pretty spot-on. The only one who didn't have a serious look on their face was Hikaru, who was now staring at Reira with the same terrified look he wore before.

"Well Hikaru, it sounds like your fate is sealed." Naruto said offhandedly. "Your situation is almost exactly like me and your mother when we were kids, but the only difference is that Reira doesn't have a problem letting you know how she feels. I think she should still keep the whole 'boyfriend' thing to herself for now, but it's only a matter of when, and not if the two of you get together."

Hikaru started to tremble in abject fear, and it was only when Reira gave him a sickly-sweet smile in return that he finally snapped.

"GAAH!" He yelled, running out of the dining room, flailing his hands over his head. They heard him bound up the stairs and slam the door to his room, locking it noisily behind him.

"Oh yeah," Freyja said to Naruto, chuckling wickedly. "I have to agree with you, Gabriel. That kid of yours is totally screwed."

---

Later that same night, about an hour after the sun had completely set Kakashi and Freyja were seen walking side by side down a road in one of the less populated areas of Konoha. Kakashi had his ever present Icha Icha novel out and was reading it right in front of Freyja, who oddly enough didn't seem to mind.

Freyja hadn't been in the village for very long, but she was quickly making a name for herself. Her angular features and hairstyle made it clear that she wasn't born in fire country, while her gruff personality and piercing eyes told everyone that she was definitely someone to be taken seriously.

It was her skills as a kunoichi though, that were bringing her the most recognition. Just a few days ago, at Sasuke Uchiha's insistence she'd taken on a squad of elite ANBU jōnin as part of a training exercise. She suffered a fractured arm, two broken ribs and a punctured lung but everyone else ended up in Konoha hospital, wearing full body casts.

Rumor had been swirling around the village for the past few weeks that Kakashi and Freyja were seeing each other, which made perfect sense. Only a former Kage could hope to date a woman as powerful and deadly as Freyja without the risk of ending up in the hospital next to the ANBU.

"So where are we headed again?" Freyja asked curtly.

Kakashi snapped his book shut and put it away. "I thought I'd take you someplace special. Naruto used to go here a lot when he was a kid. You'll see why when we get there."

"And how long before we actually get to this place? We've been walking around for almost an hour, and haven't said ten words to each other."

Kakashi stopped suddenly. "We're almost there," he said, extending his hands towards her. "Just take my hands and close your eyes. I'll get us where we need to go."

Freyja eyed him suspiciously for a few seconds before placing her hands in his and closing her eyes. Kakashi smiled underneath his mask, and then used the shunshin to transport them both to the top of Hokage Mountain. Once there, he led her to the railing at the edge of the cliff and let her hands go, taking a step back.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now."

Freyja opened her eyes and saw the expanse of Konoha lit up below her; the streetlights and houses dotting the darkened landscape like stars, only they were on the ground rather than the sky. She'd seen this sight before in the capitals of Fire and Earth Country, but it had felt… overdone and congested. Somehow here in Konoha, it looked absolutely perfect.

Freyja stepped forward, gripping the rail in front of her. "Wow." she breathed, mesmerized by the view.

"Yeah. Wow." Kakashi replied, also mesmerized by the view. Only he was looking at her and not Konoha when he said it.

From his tone of voice, Freyja couldn't help but glance at him out of the corner of her eye. When she noticed that he'd been staring at her the whole time she frowned, before turning her gaze back towards the village. She gripped the rail so hard, her arms started to shake and her knuckles turned white.

Kakashi saw this and became alarmed. "Freyja? What's wrong?"

"Kakashi, do you know why I'm here?" she asked after a brief moment of silence.

"Umm, that's…a strange question," he answered, raising his eyebrow in confusion. "I asked you to take a walk with me after we finished with Reira's birthday party. I said I wanted to show you something special, remember?"

"That's not what I'm talking about. Do you know why I'm here with you?"

"I'm still going with the answer I just gave you," he said, shaking his head. "Could you be a bit more specific?"

Freyja glared at him. "Fine. Do you know the origin of my name? Why I have the rules that I do?"

"You said once they were a warrior race of women."

"That's right. The one thing they recognize and respect is strength. It's why I took the name that I did – because I knew that whoever had the strength to beat me could protect what was important and precious to me as well." She was suddenly angry about the emotions she felt bubbling up inside her, and she needed to confront Kakashi about them, since he was the cause of it all. "I'm not supposed to be here with you unless you beat me in a fight and that didn't happen, so why don't you use that big fucking brain of yours and tell me – what's the real reason why I'm here with you right now?"

Feeling more than a bit intimidated, Kakashi blinked his lone visible eye at her and said, "Well…if I had to give you an answer I'd say it's because of your daughter. For some reason, you abandoned your principles and let her make the ultimate decision on this."

Freyja grabbed his shirt aggressively and yanked his face down to within inches of hers. "That's right. My daughter is my life and my world. She means everything to me and I'll do anything – and I mean anything to guarantee that she'll be safe and happy. Even though I wasn't anywhere close to being pregnant with Reira at the time, Saladin knew exactly what he was doing when he gave me my name and the rules that go along with it. I wanted to make sure that if something ever happened to me, that the man in my life would not only want to take care of my daughter and make sure she's happy, but also have the strength to protect her from whatever got thrown their way."

"Okay, okay – I get that." Kakashi said fervently. "But if that's true, then why did you allow her to let me date you at all?"

She glared at him, debating on whether or not to answer his question. After about ten seconds, she shoved him away and replied, "Because…I want what Gabriel has."

"Okay, I'm right back to not understanding what you're talking about."

"Do…Do you remember what Reira said at the house about chakra?" Freyja asked hesitantly.

Kakashi nodded. "That she can actually feel what a person's chakra is like? Yes, I remember."

"The day Gabriel got back from his mission to see Saladin is when I found out Reira could do that. When I asked her what my chakra felt like do you know what she said? Rocks…she said my chakra reminded her of walking on sharp rocks. Do you know what it's like, having your own daughter sum up your life and personality so bluntly? To be told that she knows the reason why no one wants to be around you? Because my attitude sucks and my mannerisms are so… abrasive?"

Kakashi kept his mouth shut. Interrupting Freyja right now would be a bad idea, in more ways than one.

"But when Reira saw how depressed that made me, she told me not to worry because there's someone out there whose chakra feels like…comfortable shoes. And when I found this person, it wouldn't make a difference how sharp my chakra feels because this man would walk with me wherever I go."

The light came on over his head, as he remembered the time he'd come by the house to ask Freyja for another chance. "Ah. Now the whole thing that day where Reira pointed at me and said 'comfortable shoes' actually makes sense."

Freyja turned away from him, squeezing her eyes shut in embarrassment. "Gabriel…he and I both joined the Mienai Segi for different reasons, but the one thing we have in common is that we've both had shitty lives. I worked with him for several years, and I probably don't know him as well as you do but…but when I see him now, it's like he has it all. He's in charge of this whole village, he has a gorgeous house, and a wife who loves him despite how fucked up he is. He even has a son he didn't know about! The kid may not look like him, but he sure as hell acts like him."

She whipped back around, jabbing her index finger into his chest repeatedly in anger. "I sacrificed a large part of my life to find someone strong enough to protect Reira. Gideon is a megalomaniac who cares only for himself, but when he beat me in a fight I thought, hey – if he can protect what's precious to me, maybe it's worth it – except that during the entire relationship, he treated me like shit. Like I was some meaningless little piss-ant put there to wait on him hand and foot – as well as satisfy his every whim."

"Then…Then I screwed up and got pregnant with Reira. I thought maybe once Gideon got over his whole 'God' complex, I'd tell him he had a daughter because he might actually care about something like that, but it never happened. Actually, it got even worse as time went on, until the day came when I realized he was plotting against Saladin. That's when I decided I'd had enough and came here with Reira, hoping for something… better."

Kakashi could only stare in stunned silence as he saw tears of anger and frustration build in Freyja's eyes, mainly because it was such an odd sight to see on the tough as nails kunoichi.

For her part, Freyja was struggling with herself. Every thought, every emotion she'd kept bottled up over the years – even from before she joined the Mienai Segi – was coming to a head, and she was primed and ready to explode. And Kakashi was the one who was going to bear the brunt of it, whether he liked it or not.

"Now Reira is happy – she's got Gabriel, Sasuke and you to protect her, and even though he's creeped out by my daughter and her crush on him, I know Hikaru will die to protect her as well, because he's just like his father. We've got tons of money, so that isn't even an issue. But when Reira told me that you're the guy with chakra that feels like comfortable shoes, I thought – why does making sure Reira is happy mean that I can't be happy as well? Why can't I have what Gabriel has?"

"And you!" she snapped at him, baring her teeth, "You've been so gung-ho on dating me ever since I stepped foot in this village, and yet here we are – we've been 'together' for over a month, and you haven't held my hand once or even tried to kiss me! Why not? Decided you've had enough? Figured that you don't want the responsibility of taking care of a kid that isn't yours? That I'm so fucked up you think we're better off as friends? What is it? Tell me!"

Kakashi wasn't a genius, but it didn't take one to figure out what was going on here. Freyja pretty much admitted she'd been treated like shit for most of her life, and somehow through the course of it all she decided – why fight it anymore? Better to accept her lot in life and deal with it, rather than hope for something better. There's only so many times a person can watch their dreams break before they break themselves.

And now, in the space of a few months her entire world had turned on its edge. Both she and Reira had a new life in Konoha – no more running or hiding, because she was protected by several of the most powerful shinobi in the elemental nations. Naruto, Hinata and Hikaru considered them to be family, just as much as their own. They had friends who cared about them. Reira was happy and content, which is what she always wanted for her daughter.

Freyja however, was angry and afraid. She was angry at herself for feeling this vulnerable. She was angry at him for making her feel that way. And she was afraid of her dream being ripped away, like so many times before. She was afraid of being rejected, because for a brief moment she'd dared to feel something in her heart again – to feel hope – and she didn't know if she could take the pain of losing it one more time. She wanted someone to accept her, flaws and all.

Kakashi could only assume this was a common thread among the Mienai Segi, because her situation was so similar to Naruto's, it was almost frightening.

Not that any of that would deter him, of course. If he didn't want to be with her, he wouldn't have been so persistent in the first place. He realized how wrong he was in not making the first move because that's what Freyja had been waiting for all along and right now, she needed reassurance more than ever that despite what she just said and did, he wasn't scared…and wasn't going anywhere.

He stepped forward, reaching out with his hand but stopped halfway for a moment before continuing on. With his thumb, he gently wiped the tears from her cheeks and smiled at her underneath his mask.

"None of those are the reasons why I haven't done anything, Freyja." He said soothingly. "It's because even though you told Reira to make the decision for you, it doesn't necessarily mean you agree with it. Despite how strongly I feel about you, it still doesn't mean you feel the same way about me, and I may be a lot of things – including a pervert who publically reads erotic literature – but I'm not an egotist, and I won't force myself on anyone."

Freyja stared at him in disbelief. "That's it? That's the reason? You haven't made a move on me because you're afraid?"

Kakashi shook his head, not agreeing with her summary of the situation. "Not afraid – respectful of someone else's feelings. You've got enough burdens to bear right now, and I didn't want to add one more to your already large pile. I figured if and when you were interested, you'd let me know and if you weren't, well – you'd let me know that too. Until then, I'm happy to wait because my personal feeling is that you're worth it. I just…hope you give me the chance, but don't think you're obligated to by any means."

Freyja could hardly believe it. These past few weeks, she figured that after Kakashi had time to really think about it, he decided that she came with far too much baggage and was just looking for a way to let her down easy, when in truth it was the other way around – he was trying to be a nice guy and give HER the chance at backing out. He wasn't going to force her into a relationship because of some rule or what someone else said – he wanted the decision to be hers and hers alone.

For some reason, his genuine concern for both her and her feelings touched a spot deep within her heart – a place that long ago, had turned cold and dark to escape the pain of an uncaring, unfeeling life. Now something was lighting the darkness, turning the cold areas warm and she was suddenly eager to take that first step Kakashi had been so adamantly talking about.

She slowly reached up and hooked her fingers in his mask, pulling it down gently and exposing his lips. Her eyes searched his face for a moment and then her tongue came out, licking her own lips to moisten them before leaning in and kissing him.

Once she did, the warmth she had felt in her chest ignited and became a raging furnace, the heat surging throughout her body at breakneck speed. Beads of sweat formed on her brow and hungry for more she threw herself into it wholeheartedly, shoving her tongue in his mouth and deepening the passion of the kiss, weaving her fingers into his hair. Every single part of her body was burning with desire, but none more so than the area between her legs – she had completely soaked through the black lace thong she was wearing almost instantly.

Initially, Kakashi had decided to remain still as Freyja moved closer to him, pulling down his mask and licking her lips. However, when she pressed them against his all those thoughts disappeared and his resolve crumbled. His body suddenly felt weak, like he'd starved himself for days on end and every nerve ending in his body tingled, as if the flow of blood had been restored after being deprived of it for so long. When she shoved her tongue into his mouth it almost pushed him over the edge but somehow he kept his lust in check. Anxious to feel the contours of her body, he wrapped his hands firmly around her waist and pulled her against him. As she responded back – rather enthusiastically – his only thought was that the two of them meshed perfectly, like interlocking puzzle pieces.

It was also hard not to notice the heat her core was giving off – mainly because she was pressing it against the growing erection in his pants. He knew Freyja couldn't help but feel it, and he felt somewhat relieved that she didn't pull away from him after 'bumping' into it…repeatedly.

After what seemed like an eternity, but in actuality was only a minute they broke apart, panting heavily – both of them feeling like they had just run a marathon…a very hot and sensual marathon. Their eyes met and the world seemed to fade away, their only focus being on each other.

"Wow." Freyja said breathlessly.

"Yeah. Wow." Kakashi had to agree with her. There was really nothing else he could say after a kiss like that.

The two of them stayed that way for several moments, their foreheads pressed together until Kakashi decided to break the silence.

"So…what happens now?"

Freyja smiled sensuously. "I think now, we go back to your place. I'm interested in finding out just how good you are at remembering stuff from those perverted books you're always reading."

---

It was Sunday morning, and it had been very busy for Naruto. Since he was going to Suna tomorrow, he figured he'd get as much paperwork done as he could before leaving. Shadow clones had been okay for the majority of the small, idle stuff – but for the last hour he'd been going over some of the revised curriculum ideas Mina and Iruka had come up with for the academy. He figured something like that was important enough to merit his full, undivided attention.

Of course, that didn't mean the subject wasn't boring as hell – because it was. He just wished something would come along and break the monotony.

Kami must have heard his thoughts, because no sooner had he finished then Kakashi walked into his office…no, scratch that – he limped into his office, practically dragging his right leg behind him. He closed the door behind him, made his way over to the couch and collapsed on it, the only visible part of his face wincing in pain as he did so. He pulled out his ever present book and absently flipped it open to one of the chapters.

"Well, good morning to you too, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said sarcastically, looking up at the clock. It said eleven thirty, so technically it still was morning, but just barely. "Care to tell me why you literally just dragged yourself into my office?"

Kakashi peeked at him over the top of his book for a moment, and then quickly lowered his eyes back onto the page.

"Does it have anything to do with the fact that Freyja didn't come home last night?" Naruto prodded further, sporting a goofy grin.

Kakashi placed his book on the end table next to the couch and sighed heavily. "My…My hip is dislocated."

"Why Kakashi-sensei, how on earth did something like that happen?" The corners of Naruto's mouth twitched upwards. "I'm pretty sure I know who did it and why, but I'd like to hear it from you directly – just to make sure I got it right. You know…in case someone asks."

"Freyja…We went for a walk, and I brought her to the top of the Hokage Monument. You know, that spot you always liked as a kid where the entire village is laid out perfectly in front of you? Well, one thing led to another and…she came back to my place after that. We had sex until four in the morning."

"Ha! I knew it!" Naruto exclaimed, slapping the desk while a full-blown grin appeared on his face. "But how did you dislocate your hip?"

"Because she's an animal!" Kakashi said in exasperation, pointing towards the end table. "She insisted that we re-enact every chapter from that book I've been reading, and when we got to chapter ten… there's a scene where the woman is on top, riding the man underneath her like a horse that hasn't been broken yet. Freyja was very… enthusiastic about it. In addition to my hip, I've got scratch marks all over my upper body and I think she cracked two of my ribs."

Naruto winced. "Ouch. Why haven't you gone to the hospital and gotten yourself taken care of yet?"

"What am I supposed to tell them, Naruto? That I'm like this because of a night of unbelievably passionate sex with a woman who demanded on taking the top role? Not a chance – they're going to want details and I'm not giving them any. And there's no way I can pawn my injuries off as a simple training accident – not with all the scratches on my chest."

"You know Kakashi-sensei, I'm curious about something. If she did that much damage to you, why didn't you stop her after the first injury? All that stuff couldn't have happened at the same time."

Kakashi closed his eyes and sighed contentedly. "Because it was fucking incredible, that's why. Angry sex is amazing. Last night was totally worth the pain I'm feeling right now."

Naruto filed that bit of information away for future reference – although he doubted it'd ever be useful. Even though their sex life was fantastic and beyond anything he could have imagined, Naruto knew that Hinata just wasn't that type of person.

"Well, you could have just gone to see Tsunade and she would have healed you. I'm sure she's seen much worse from patching up pervy-sage over the years. Hell, she probably even caused some of those injuries when she caught him peeking on the women's baths. But that still doesn't explain why you're here, of all places – and not home in bed recovering."

Kakashi cursed himself silently. Naruto was right about Tsunade – if there's one person who would keep his condition quiet it's her, and she's the best healer in the elemental nations. But as for the rest, there was a legitimate reason why he was sitting on Naruto's couch, and not home in bed.

"I needed a place to hide." Kakashi said dejectedly. "I…I can't keep up with her sex drive. Maybe she hasn't had it in a while. Maybe she let loose because she knows I really care about her. Whatever the reason, all I know is I'm exhausted, and I figured the last place she'd look for me is in the most obvious spot. If I'm careful and mask my chakra signature, the only thing she'll sense if she scans this office is your chakra, and not mine."

No sooner had Kakashi finished his statement then Naruto felt a familiar presence getting closer. He smirked as he thought to himself, You obviously don't know Freyja, or the training the Mienai Segi go through, because you're about to be found out in 3… 2… 1…

The door to Naruto's office flew open and there stood Freyja, with a wicked grin on her face. Kakashi was staring back at her, his eye wide with surprise. He was sure he'd kept his chakra low – how the hell did she find him?

"Hey there, sexy…" she drawled seductively. "What're you doing here? I left your place to get us some breakfast and by the time I got back, you were gone." She walked slowly towards him, grinning lasciviously. "That book of yours has twenty-nine chapters, and we only got up to number fifteen last night."

As Kakashi watched her getting closer, two things ran through his head. First, he hadn't had a chance for someone to heal him yet and second, what she was suggesting promised a whole new round of pain – never mind that the sex would probably be phenomenal.

He quickly made the decision to run for it, despite the fact that he couldn't move very fast, so he stood up and hobbled slowly towards the window. Freyja actually laughed at his pathetic excuse of an escape attempt and easily caught him, grabbing him by his one good leg and dragging him out the door, while Kakashi clawed at the floor in a futile effort to stop her.

Naruto saw the mixed look of both fear and anticipation in Kakashi's eyes and felt a little sympathetic towards his former sensei. Only a little, though – the rest of him was silently laughing his ass off at Kakashi's predicament. Reap what you sow, you one-eyed pervert!

"Umm, Freyja? Just a reminder, but I need Kakashi-sensei to watch the village for a few days, starting tomorrow. Please don't break him so badly that he's unable to do the job." Naruto perked up as he suddenly remembered something else – and now that Freyja and Kakashi were actually together, he didn't see the harm in finally asking. "Oh, and Might Guy has been bugging me about having a sparring match with you. Are you interested?"

"Yeah, yeah – no problem." Freyja said offhandedly, her face a mixture of determination and lust. "Just make sure it's not during this coming week. I've got a lot of catching up to do with lover-boy over here."

Naruto laughed silently to himself as he watched Freyja disappear out the door, still dragging Kakashi who was still clawing in vain at the carpet. Naruto chuckled wryly as he saw the petrified look on Kakashi's face before it disappeared as well.

Closing the door behind them, Naruto wondered how long before the next interruption walked into his office. As luck would have it, it was close to thirty minutes before Hinata walked into his office, a smile on her face and a handbag slung over her shoulder.

"Hey there, Hinata-hime." Naruto said brightly, smiling at his wife. "What brings you here today?"

"Hello, Naruto-kun." Hinata replied warmly, sitting down on the couch. "My father insisted on having breakfast with Tenten, Hanabi and myself this morning and we just finished up a little while ago. He's been making a serious effort lately to connect with the three of us, and it's actually been nice being around him and talking with him. All of us are still a bit shocked at the turnaround in his personality – we're not used to seeing him so concerned about us and interested in our lives. Anyway, Hikaru and Reira are at Kurenai-sensei's house hanging out with Asuma, so I thought it might be nice to come by and see what you're doing for lunch."

"Lunch? You just said you met everyone for breakfast."

"I know, but that was over three hours ago and I'm starving." She reached into her bag and pulled out a sandwich, which she unwrapped and began eating ravenously.

I know I'm going to regret this, but… "Umm, Hinata? You just asked me to go to lunch, so why are you eating a sandwich?" Naruto wrinkled his nose as the smell finally reached him. "And what the heck is in that thing?"

Hinata swallowed what she was chewing and said, "This is just a little snack to tide me over until we actually have lunch. Its tuna fish with grape jelly, turnip slices and limburger cheese on rye bread." She extended it towards her husband, smiling innocently. "It's pretty good. Want to try a bite?"

For the last several weeks, Naruto had been watching Hinata eat one nightmare food concoction after another, but this sandwich was the last straw. When she extended it towards him, he felt the contents of his stomach start to rise. He slapped his hand over his mouth, sprinting out the door towards the bathroom, leaving Hinata all by herself in his office.

Hinata shrugged, taking another bite. She didn't understand what all the fuss was about; it was a perfectly good sandwich. As she sat in silence waiting for Naruto to return, her eyes wandered around the room and happened to settle on a book resting on the end table next to the couch. It was open to a specific section and the pages were face down, leaving the front and back covers in full view.

"What's this?" Hinata wondered, picking it up as she took another bite of her sandwich. Icha Icha Series – Mistresses and Strangers. This is one of those perverted books Kurenai-sensei is always going on about. What's Naruto-kun doing with it in his office?

Suddenly curious, she flipped it over and began to read… (A/N: Read at your own risk – the following two paragraphs are smut!)

---

Shinji's breathing deepened, and his manhood stood proudly before him, hard as steel. He pushed Kyoko against the wall, his hands sliding up under her skirt and roughly grabbing her ass, giving it a good squeeze. Kyoko inhaled sharply, her nails digging into his bare, muscular back as his right hand wandered back towards her front and found her weeping womanhood. His fingers danced over her pleasure point, sending waves of rapture throughout her body. She twitched and trembled with every flick of his digits, and then his fingers were replaced with the tip of his erection, poised at her flowing opening. She lifted her legs up and wrapped them around his waist, positioning herself so that he could enter her body and give her the release she sought.

Kyoko moaned as he entered her, filling her completely. Shinji pressed his lips against her pulse point, leaving a trail of wet kisses as he traveled down her shoulder. Just as Kyoyo was about to ask why he wasn't moving, Shinji drew his hips back and thrust into her with enough force to send her head reeling. He was being rough and hard, not painfully so but enough so that she gasped every time he bottomed out inside of her.

---

A light blush stained her cheeks as Hinata stared wide eyed at the page, shocked that something so…graphic was lying around in plain view in her husband's office.

Is this Naruto-kun's book? Why is he reading something like this? And this part he left it open to, I…I can't believe what I'm seeing! The things they're doing in here are so indecent, so offensive, so… hot…

Hinata checked her thoughts. Wait, did I just say hot? I meant disturbing… Hinata silently said, as her eyes continued to trail down the page. Yes, vulgar and disturbing… Especially this part right here… and here… and I didn't know you could use bananas for that...

"Hinata!" Naruto called to her from down the hall.

Startled, Hinata's head snapped up, thinking she had been caught red handed looking at something perverted. When she didn't hear any footsteps, she heaved a sigh of relief and responded, "Yes, Naruto-kun?"

"Are you done eating your sandwich?"

Hinata noticed she was still holding part of her sandwich. She'd been so engrossed with reading the book, she'd forgotten to finish eating it. "Almost. I only have a few bites left."

"Then can you finish up so that we can go to lunch?" Naruto's voice pleaded. "Although to be perfectly honest, I've kind of lost my appetite after seeing you eat that thing…"

Hinata quickly wolfed down the last two bites of her sandwich, then fixated her eyes on pages in front of her.

I can't leave this lying around, Hinata reasoned in her head. Naruto-kun will surely get in trouble if someone important, like a dignitary or ambassador saw this in his office. I should take it with me… and I'll tell him later that I have it. He'll thank me, I know it.

She glanced back down at the book, and then hurriedly placed it in her handbag before standing up and walking out the door, closing it behind her.

Yes, that's what I'll do. I'll tell Naruto-kun that I saved his reputation by taking the book with me. Hinata said to herself, smiling innocently. But not before I find out what happens between Shinji and Kyoko.

---

At midmorning on Monday, a group of shinobi wearing Konoha hitai-ate suddenly appeared at the front gates of Suna in a flash of yellow light. The guards were immediately on alert, since they hadn't seen anyone approaching the gates and furthermore, they hadn't been informed that anyone from Konoha would be arriving today.

They relaxed when they recognized it was Naruto, clad in golden flames standing at the forefront, with Temari and two unknown shinobi in tow. Although once they saw Temari, the unannounced visit made much more sense considering the Kazekage's wife, Matsuri had given birth within the last week or so.

"Welcome to Suna, Hokage-sama." One of the guards said, bowing in respect as Naruto powered down. "And it's good to see you as well, Princess Temari. We weren't informed you'd be visiting today, but I assume you're here for the obvious reason?"

"You got that right, pinhead." Temari growled. "Where's my brother right now? At home or the Kazekage tower?"

The guard blinked, slightly taken aback. Despite her blunt personality, Temari had always been courteous with people but what she'd just said was a bit harsh, even for someone like her.

"Umm...He's at the Kazekage Tower, in his office. Matsuri-sama is there, along with their baby as well. Kazekage-sama didn't want to take time off from running the village, but also didn't want to be apart from them either. As a compromise, he had one of the adjoining rooms redecorated for Matsuri-sama to use during the day."

"Fine. Then I'm going on ahead." She said flatly, staring at Naruto. "Once you get through signing in those two wet-behind-the-ears chūnin you brought with us, I'll see you at Gaara's office." And before Naruto could respond, she took off over the rooftops towards the Kazekage tower.

Naruto sighed wearily. "Sorry, guys." He said apologetically to everyone present. "You'll have to excuse Temari. It's the pregnancy hormones that are making her act this way."

"Temari-sama is pregnant?" the guards asked in unison.

Naruto quickly realized that once again, he let slip something he probably shouldn't have. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and said, "Yeah, but she doesn't know it yet. I kind of have this knack for telling things like this. Could you do me a favor and keep this a secret for the rest of the day? By then, I'll have told Temari and Gaara and the news will be all over Suna. Besides…" he finished drolly, "…can you imagine what would happen to the two of you if Temari found out you were the ones responsible for telling everyone she was pregnant before she even knew of it herself?"

The two guards blanched as a look passed between them. "We understand, Hokage-sama." The first guard replied nervously. "You have our word that we'll keep the information to ourselves."

"Thanks, guys." He turned to look at Moegi and Udon. "Now let's get you two signed in, so we can get to Gaara's office as soon as possible. I have to formally give you over to Suna, and then I have some important business to discuss with him."

It only took a minute to sign them in, but by the time they arrived at Gaara's office Temari was already there, fawning all over her niece.

"Hello Naruto," Gaara said, extending his hand in welcome. "I had a feeling you'd be stopping by sometime soon, after receiving the message from me. Although, I would have thought you'd have informed me that you were coming prior to your arrival in Suna. Was it my sister who forced you to come here sooner?"

"Nice to see you too, Gaara." Naruto replied warmly, shaking his fellow Kage's hand. "And no, Temari didn't have anything to do with my quick arrival in Suna. As a matter of fact, she didn't even know we were coming here until I told her yesterday."

"Ah." Gaara said dully. He looked at Moegi and Udon, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. "And these people accompanying you are…?"

"Oh I'm sorry, where are my manners? Gaara, this is Moegi and Udon. They're here to, umm…ahem…" Naruto cleared his throat, glancing nervously at Temari out of the corner of his eye, subtly hinting that this had to do with the agreement they signed to let her come to Konoha. Of course, she still didn't know the details and both Naruto and Gaara had decided the day they'd made the agreement that it would be safer for everyone concerned – including Shikamaru – if it stayed that way.

Gaara understood immediately what Naruto was getting at. "I see. I believe we can discuss that later, when there are fewer guests around. But for now, let's get them some accommodations." He pushed a button on his desk, and within moments an ANBU appeared in the center of the room.

"Yes, Kazekage-sama?"

Gaara gestured towards Moegi and Udon. "Please escort these two around town, and provide them with any assistance they might need. Rent them a room at the finest hotel in town, and let the manager know that my office will pay the bill. I'll meet with them both later on tonight to discuss matters pertaining to their situation."

The ANBU inclined his head. "Understood, Kazekage-sama."

Before Moegi and Udon had a chance to follow the ANBU out the door Naruto placed a hand on their shoulders, stopping them both.

"I'm going to be in Suna for the next few days, and I promise we'll hang out and talk before I leave. Okay?" There was so much more he wanted to say right now, but he didn't dare with Temari in the room. It would have to wait for another time and place.

Moegi stepped forward and hugged him briefly and then pulled back, a small smile appearing on her lips. She nodded in agreement and walked out the door.

Naruto watched her go and as he did, visions of his own childhood came to the front of his mind. She, Udon and Konohamaru had made themselves his 'unofficial' students when he was still a teenager, and they were among only a handful of people who hadn't treated him like a pariah from the outset. But as he looked at her now all he could see was a reflection of himself, pining over Sakura without knowing the pain and anguish it would cause him later.

Life was full of regrets, but maybe he could keep one from happening in the first place. He placed his hand on Udon's shoulder and fixed him with a piercing stare.

"Udon," He said fiercely, "Don't you dare give up on her, understand?"

Udon knit his brow, wondering what Naruto was talking about until the realization suddenly hit him, and the look in his eyes changed from uncertainty and confusion, to one of confidence and determination. He hugged Naruto briefly as well, before pulling back and nodding wordlessly in agreement. He followed Moegi out of the office, and the ANBU trailing behind him closed the door as they left.

Naruto heaved a heavy sigh and then turned back to Gaara, a smile once again appearing on his face. "So, Gaara – why don't we get to the good stuff, and you show me the new addition to your family?"

"I'd be happy to, Naruto." Garra said, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly. They walked over to where Temari and Matsuri were sitting, and Naruto leaned over to see the baby Matsuri was cradling in her arms. She was sleeping, so he couldn't see what color her eyes were but the tuft of chestnut hair peeking at him from underneath the knit cap on top of her head told him she'd inherited more from Matsuri than from Gaara. She had one wrinkled fist curled up against her mouth, and she was trying to suck on it while she slept.

"She's beautiful, Gaara. What did you name her?"

"Matsuri and I had quite the discussion about that. We couldn't seem to come to an agreement on what to name her, but in the end we decided to call her Chiyo. The two of us couldn't think of a better way to honor the woman who gave her life for mine."

Naruto nodded, agreeing completely with the choice and not that either Gaara or Matsuri needed it, but he was sure the villagers approved as well. Chiyo might have been a crazy old crone at the end, but she had still been beloved by everyone.

But as much as he wanted to pester his jinchuuriki brother about how he was dealing with life as a new father, he'd have to postpone asking about that because there were more pressing matters to discuss.

"Listen, Gaara…I really don't mean to sound rude, but there's some private Kage matters I need to discuss with you that really can't wait. Do you think you could…?" He asked, trailing off as he motioned his head towards Temari, Matsuri and the baby.

The look on Gaara's face clearly showed that he's much prefer to be talking about his daughter, rather than business matters. "If we must. Matsuri, I apologize but could you please take Temari and Chiyo into your room for a bit?"

"Sure, Gaara." Matsuri replied, smiling affectionately at him. "Come on, Temari – let's give the boys some privacy and you can tell me when you're due."

"Due?" Temari asked, furrowing her brown in confusion as they walked towards Matsuri's private room. "Due for what?"

"Your pregnancy, of course. I assumed you knew."

"Matsuri, I think you lost some brain cells giving birth to my niece. I'm not pregnant."

"Trust me on this, Temari. Any mother knows when another woman is pregnant. But just to make it interesting, how about we bet dinner at your favorite restaurant in town that I'm right?"

As the door closed behind them, Gaara once again raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "After the unorthodox display at your wedding involving Matsuri, I have to ask…do you agree with my wife that Temari is pregnant?"

Naruto nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure. I didn't even know until yesterday when I stopped by the Nara estate to let her know we were coming to Suna today and the reasons why."

He chuckled, remembering how the conversation had gone. Shikamaru had been more than happy to let Temari visit Suna, so that he could finally have a few days of peace and quiet and knowing him he probably thought he'd finally get the opportunity to lie around, watching clouds all day since Temari hadn't let him do that once since she came to Konoha. Too bad he didn't know about the visit Freyja was planning on paying him later today to talk about the Mienai Segi. That'll keep him up for days.

"But that's not what I needed to talk privately with you about. And it's not about Moegi and Udon, either."

Gaara motioned him over to the chairs in front of his desk. "Then tell me, Naruto – what's so important that you needed me to ask my wife and daughter to leave my office, taking my temperamental, pregnant sister with them?"

Naruto held up his hand. "Wait just a second." He pulled two seals out of a hidden pocket in his Hokage coat and placed them on the desk. He covered the seals with his hands and pushed chakra into them, causing the symbols to spread out, overlapping each other until the entire room was covered.

Gaara pointed a finger at the symbols now covering his walls, floor and ceiling. "Would you care to explain what this is?"

"Sorry." Naruto said apologetically. "They're modified privacy seals. As far as I know, there's nothing that can get through these, including the Sharingan or the Byakugan."

"I didn't know such a thing was possible, but I have to say the symbology is rather interesting. It reminds me vaguely of the seal I once had that kept Shukaku at bay, as well as the one on your stomach. Is this something you worked on during the time you spent away from Konoha?"

"Nope. This is a bit more advanced than what I'm capable of." Naruto beamed with pride at the Kazekage. "Believe it or not, Hikaru made these."

Gaara's eyes widened almost imperceptibly. "Your son? You're correct in saying I find that hard to believe. I was unaware that he knew any fūinjutsu at all – and unless I've forgotten, he's only eight years old."

"Well, he's going to be nine in about a month but that's not the point. Apparently, he's a true Uzumaki – and no, not in the way you might be thinking. He's got pretty high chakra levels for someone his age, his control is exceptional and as far as fūinjutsu, the kid's a prodigy. He's still learning, and he's been soaking up everything we've been throwing at him like a sponge, but I'd say in about another year he'll be as good as Jiraiya was."

"That's a lofty comparison, yet one I believe you wouldn't make lightly, considering what Jiraiya meant to you. However, this is all incidental and brings us back around to the main topic of conversation, which I will now phrase differently in light of what just happened. What subject is so important that you had to use specially modified privacy seals on my office to talk with me about?"

Naruto heaved an exasperated sigh. This was a moment he'd been dreading, where he'd basically spill most of his guts about the time he spent away from the village. Gaara would know enough not to ask too many pointed questions, but there were details he'd want to know about…things Naruto had never revealed to anyone, even Hinata – mainly because it wasn't her burden to bear, it was his.

He removed his Hokage coat, and then began rolling up the sleeves on his shirt. The expression on his face became flat and impassive as he asked...

"Gaara – have you ever heard of the Mienai Segi?"

---

A/N: And that's a wrap! Naruto is letting all of the Kage know about the Mienai Segi, but Perun will take the lead in talking to the Raikage once Naruto gives him permission. What did everyone think about how Perun got the Raikage to believe what he had to say? Like I said at the beginning, full credit to Wacko12 on that one.

I think everyone can now see that the whole thing with Hikaru and Reira is one-sided…at least for the forseeable future. Everyone can pretty much see that Reira has a very intelligent, one track mind. And finally, Kakashi and Freyja get together. I'm gonna have fun writing about them in the future!

Thank you, Solvdrage for the idea about Hinata reading Icha Icha while she's pregnant. I already have several story plotlines developed around that. And now that Temari is pregnant, will her temper be better or worse than Sakura's was? Place your vote when you leave your review!

What's coming up? Darui shows up in Konoha and spills the beans about Perun. What's in the scrolls? Everyone should already know the answer to that, but it will also contain Saladin's final message to Naruto. A lot of information and secrets will be revealed when that happens.

Gilgamesh and whoever else survived the fight make it back to Gideon's hideout. Naruto, Kakashi, Freyja and Sasuke start to do some serious training. Naruto will start to help Ino with her 'problem'. And Hikaru gets a solution to the caged bird seal in a very unusual way…

Recommendation time! Okay, I gotta tell you guys that thinking of this recommendation was pretty tough. Not because of a lack of stories to recommend, but rather an overabundance of them. I still want to keep with my idea of giving a shout-out to stories that are really good but haven't gotten much traction. I could recommend popular authors and their stories (Hektols, KingKakashi, Third Fang, Brown Phantom) but you should already know about them and what they write.

So for the first time, I'm giving a shout out to an author for not one but TWO stories he's released. The author is tenneyshoes, and he has some spectacular NaruHina work that you should check out. The main story is called Sparks, but he recently wrote a spin-off of it called The Path We Walk which centers on Naruto getting a bout of amnesia after he's married to Hinata. Both are phenomenal pieces of work and if you love the emotional stuff between our favorite couple, please head over there and check them out. They're both some of my favorites and I urge you to leave a review and put the author, or perhaps his stories on your favorite/follow list. I'm sure he'd appreciate it.

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

www . fanfiction . ***/ s / 10554957

And here's the one to Sparks:

www . fanfiction . ***/ s / 10362969

REVIEWS! Okay, fifty seven reviews for last chapter which is a slight bit better than last time, but I think that's good what with all the problems FanFiction had with letting people know my story was released and then the reviews not posting. I always hope for more (I wish I had numbers like KingKakashi, Third Fang or Hektols) but I'm still hopeful that maybe someday, I'll reach the top of the mountain where they sit.

You guys came up with a few good ideas last chapter, and I put them in my vault for future use. Thanks so much for your creativity, because as you can tell a good portion of the ideas for this story come from you, my readers. I just take those ideas and run with it.

So let's do the same thing I did last chapter, and if you leave a review, also leave me an idea if you can. If I use it, you'll get full credit, you have my word. And I'll personally reply to each and every review and idea, whether I use it or not. And don't forget… reviews make the world go round, they help motivate me to write and they help every chapter get released faster. So even if it's something simple like "good job" or "loved it", it helps to see things like that. So please take ten seconds out of your life and leave me a review to tell me how I'm doing.

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

Serious Sam