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.

31. Ch 30: Resolutions

30. Resolutions

Everything is awesome… Everything is cool when you're part of a team…

And now you have that song from The Lego Movie stuck in your heads. Yes I'm evil, but if I must suffer so shall my readers!

This chapter is dedicated to Leonard Nimoy. To a lifelong nerd like myself, he was always way cooler than Kirk – even though Kirk got all the hot, green-skinned women. You, more than most people, 'Lived Long and Prospered.'

So, here we are at Chapter 30. It's been far too long since my last release, but in compensation I'm pushing out an extra big chapter. I had some problems with the fight scene between Naruto and Tsunade at the beginning – my OCD kicked in and I rewrote the thing several times – but I would like to thank Fate-117 and MattWilson83 for helping me power through it, as well as giving me several ideas and tweaks to use.

As I always do, I'd like to thank Titokhan and my anonymous beta for their help and support.

So let's get to credit where credit is due:

TheMachine5499: Your request for the Guy/Hanari fight happens here. Thanks!

Firetemplar415: Your idea for the Naruto/Tsunade fight is incorporated here.

bennie403/dang3rday5: The bonding scene between Kakashi and Hanari in the hospital was created and tweaked based on your suggestions. Thank you!

zafnak: I can't believe you got The Young Ones! You my friend have a knack for getting even the most remote and obscure references in my disclaimers. Bravo!

MattWilson83: Well, as usual the man behind NaruHina Chronicles took time to give me a slew of ideas, sometimes staying up until the wee hours of the morning to keep me motivated. I can't list them all here, but there's a good portion of this chapter that was tweaked or expanded because of him. A very heartfelt thanks to you, dude.

There were many readers who questioned Naruto not talking to Hinata on a more regular basis, and not trusting her fully. I had planned to address this at some point, but there is a part in this chapter that I wrote specifically for you. I hope it meets with your approval.

I would also like to thank guest MDS777 for leaving me a ton of reviews. I would love to respond to you and answer all those questions you asked, but FanFiction doesn't allow me to do that – unless you actually create an account. If you have another way for me to respond, tell me in your next review and I'll be more than happy to do so.

And finally, a huge thanks to JustRetribution, author of Our Ninja Way who was kind enough to read my story and leave me a few glowing reviews. His story is awesome and everyone should check it out. You rock, dude!

Jumping right to the disclaimer this chapter… it's just a snippet, but let's see who guesses it correctly (I'm looking at you, zafnak):

Disclaimer – I don't own Naruto. Who are you? What are you doing here in prison?

Nick Rivers – My name is Nick Rivers. Who are you?

Dr. Flammond – I'm Dr. Paul Flammond. I'm a prisoner here, just like you.

Nick Rivers – What did they arrest you for?

Dr. Flammond – Well, a year ago I was close to perfecting the first magnetic desalinization process. Something so revolutionary, it was capable of removing the salt from over one million gallons of seawater a day. Do you realize what that could mean to the starving nations of the earth?

Nick Rivers – Yeah. They'd have enough salt to last forever! (+1 if you get the reference).

---

Chapter 30 – Resolutions

It was an assault on her senses. Tsunade's eyes stung with the pain of watching innocents die. Her mouth tasted bitter from the hypocrisy of life and love. Years of childhood loneliness and neglect pierced her heart.

Her skin crawled. Her stomach churned. Anger, hopelessness, rage, anguish, fury, heartbreak… They came down on Tsunade like an anvil. Her legs grew weak under the pressure of the emotions and if she hadn't been through two wars, or possessed the strength of a Sannin she would have collapsed underneath it within seconds.

As it was, it took a good amount of effort on her part to remain standing.

"Make your move," Naruto said, his tone of voice dangerously low.

"Naruto, I…" Tsunade hesitated. She always assumed she could somewhat understand and sympathize with how Naruto felt, whether it was from growing up as a pariah in the village, the trials and tribulations he endured once he became a ninja, or what happened with Sakura and the years afterwards, but this was beyond anything she could have imagined. She was dumbstruck with how far off her perception was of not only how powerful those emotions were, but also how much they obviously affected him.

"Don't want to take me up on my offer? Fine. Then I'll go first." His expression never changed as he dashed forward and drove a fist into Tsunade's stomach. She doubled over, gasping for breath.

Naruto casually strolled back to his original position and resumed his previous stance. "You need to understand something, Tsunade. What you're seeing right now is basically a… fragment of the monster I can be. It remembers your pathetic attempt to find me when I left the village… how much you hurt Hinata by giving in to Sakura's demands… and the life you took from me by keeping Hikaru a secret. It doesn't forget. It obsesses on every memory. It feeds on what you're feeling right now."

"You don't want to deal with the monster hovering in the background anymore? To feel like complete shit over what your… lack of effort did to me? Then show me what you're willing to give is stronger than he is. Use every trick you have. Don't hold back a thing – because if you do, I guarantee it won't be enough."

Still clutching her stomach, Tsunade raised her head and glared icily back at Naruto. He'd seen that look only one other time before, and it was right before she'd tried to attack Pain after he'd turned Konoha into a gigantic crater.

She could have frozen water instantly with that stare. And Naruto felt a rush of adrenaline, because it was absolutely perfect.

"Fine. If that's what you want, then that's what you're going to get!" She raised her fists over her head and slammed them down, sending a shockwave of shattered earth towards him. Naruto dashed to the side, only to have Tsunade appear in front of him. She threw a punch at his face and he quickly ducked underneath it, sweeping her legs out from underneath her. She countered, rotating as she fell and drove a chakra-enhanced fist into his stomach.

The crater she formed with the impact was easily ten yards in diameter. But rather than Naruto, Tsunade was surprised to find out that she'd shattered a log instead.

Substitution Jutsu, she thought angrily. Her eyes darted around the clearing as she scanned the surrounding area, trying to sense where he was but she came up empty. A glint in the treeline caught her eye and what looked like a hundred shuriken emerged from the shadows, heading towards her. She slammed her foot into the earth, kicking up a large slab of rock to protect her from the onslaught.

Shadow shuriken, she realized just before the rock exploded and Naruto came charging through. She avoided the attack, but not completely – he managed to land a glancing blow to the left side of her forehead, cutting the flesh. Blood ran into her eye, obscuring her vision but she could still see him grinning smugly.

"Smirk on your own damn time!" she yelled, grabbing his leg as he sailed past, swinging him overhead like a sledgehammer and slamming him face first into the dirt. He rolled over and lashed out, kicking her in the stomach and driving her back a dozen or so yards – enough so that he could actually stand up and get his bearings.

"Nice opening shot, Tsunade. I gotta admit, you still got some good moves – for someone older than dirt." He was actually bluffing a little – Tsunade had cracked two ribs and broken a third during the initial exchange. If he'd pulled off the Substitution Jutsu a second later he'd be the one in pieces at the bottom of that crater, and not the log.

Tsunade wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "You can shove that sarcastic attitude of yours, Naruto. I don't care what it takes – I'm winning this fight because the stakes are too high. That monster of yours is going down, even if I have to beat the shit out of you to do it!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself. You may be a former Hokage, but I'm the current one!" Naruto yelled, spiking his chakra pressure. "Bring it on, Tsunade! Let's see if you still have what it takes!"

Back at Training Ground Twenty Six…

Both competitors were breathing heavily, battered and bruised in over a dozen places. Hanari's clothing was in tatters, and could barely qualify as an outfit anymore. A more accurate description would be several rags that had been cobbled together to form a tacky two-piece swimsuit. Guy fared little better – the sleeves and legs of his spandex were gone, his eyebrows were singed, half of his hair was burnt off, and his left arm sported an ugly gash from his shoulder down to his wrist.

From the far end of the clearing, Kurenai could only shake her head incredulously at the two of them. Neither one was willing to concede. She was surprised that Hanari was still standing and if Guy hadn't been using the Eight Gates, he'd have collapsed from exhaustion by now. One way or another, the fight was ending soon.

"You… You just won't… won't quit, will you?" Hanari panted, sweat trickling down her forehead and into her eyes. It stung painfully and she quickly wiped it away. She couldn't afford to let Guy out of her sight, even for a moment.

"I… I will not, Hanari," Guy panted back. "Un… Until my flames of… of youth are extinguished, I… I will not yield."

How the fuck is he still standing? She thought angrily. I'm Freyja! I'm Mienai Segi! And I'm not gonna be beat by this spandex workout freak of nature!

"Fine! No more fucking around! I'm finishing this right now!" She pushed out every ounce of chakra she had left, spiking it tremendously. The intensity of the green and black aura surrounding both her and SuchīRushadou flared brightly, almost to the point where it was painful to look at. She tossed the sword straight up into the air, where it tumbled over and over while she quickly began to flash through hand signs.

Both Kurenai and Guy found it interesting that even though the sword left her hand, the aura around them both never dissipated, signaling there was a connection between them beyond mere physical touch.

The sword reached the apex of its flight and seemed to pause, before heading back down towards the earth. On the ground, Hanari was still furiously flashing through hand signs as Guy remained on guard against whatever she was planning to do.

"FORBIDDEN ART!" Hanari shouted, just as SuchīRushadou landed point first in front of her feet. She slammed the palms of her hands down on the pommel, driving it up to the hilt in the ground. "TECTONIC SHIFT!"

The ground seemed to shiver, and Guy became slightly unnerved as the sensation traveled up his spine. After that, a sound that could only be compared to a heavy groan emanated throughout the clearing before a large part of the ground fractured and imploded.

As he struggled for balance, Guy looked down in horror and saw that he was falling into a bottomless pit. Or at least that's what he assumed it was, since the only thing below him was darkness. He knew right away he wasn't getting out of this unless he took immediate action.

"GATE SIX, OPEN!" he shouted, flaring whatever chakra he had remaining. He jumped rapidly between the descending pieces of earth like a grasshopper, covering the space between him and Hanari within a matter of seconds. As soon as he landed in front of her, he launched a kick straight at her jaw.

Hanari brought up her arm to counterattack and the blows seemed to hit simultaneously. Her punch shattered his tibia, while his kick sent her flying high into the air. Guy hissed in pain as he jumped after her using his one good leg. As Hanari rose, Guy caught up to her in mid-air and the bandages from his arms wrapped around her, binding her tight.

"FRONT LOTUS!"

The two of them plummeted to earth, spinning rapidly. Barely rational at the moment, Hanari could only think of two things – one, that she couldn't focus enough right now to do even a basic Substitution Jutsu and two, that because she was at the edge of exhaustion and didn't have much chakra left, this attack was going to hurt in a horribly disfiguring way.

From the edge of the clearing, Kurenai had the exact same thought. Plus, she knew she'd need help carrying the two of them back to Konoha Hospital. In their condition, slinging them over her shoulders wouldn't be a good idea.

Guy and Hanari hit the ground with tremendous force, shattering it and kicking up a huge cloud of dust. Once it cleared, Kurenai saw Guy standing on one leg over Hanari, who was buried head first in the ground. One of her legs was bent awkwardly, signifying it was broken in numerous places.

As the chakra surrounding his body began to fade, he turned towards Kurenai and gave her the best 'nice guy' pose he could manage.

"Yosh! Today, the power of youth has guided me to victory!" he shouted triumphantly – and then his eyes rolled up into the back of his head. He pitched forward, passing out face first in the dirt.

Kurenai chuckled at the sight, before putting two fingers in her mouth and whistling for the ANBU stationed nearby. As she waited for them to show up, she looked off in the direction where the wave of emotions had come from earlier.

"Well, that was certainly an interesting way to spend the morning," she said out loud to herself. "They're going to be laid up in the hospital for a few weeks at least – and Naruto isn't going to be happy that Hanari redecorated most of his private training ground with a bottomless pit. I wonder how he's doing – and who he's actually fighting?"

---

With a chakra enhanced knife hand Tsunade was cutting down trees, grabbing them like spears and throwing them at high speeds towards Naruto, who was grinning maniacally while dodging them left and right.

"That's an amateur tactic, Tsunade! I expected better from you!"

"Call it whatever you want, Naruto," she said, chucking another tree at him. "You should know better than anyone that amateur tactics can still work!"

Naruto frowned. It was a blatant jab at how he farted in Kiba's face during the chūnin exams to win the match, and she knew it. As he dodged the tree, another shadow clone of Tsunade attacked him from behind. Before he had a chance to react, she drove her fist into his back…

…and he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"More shadow clones, Naruto?" she asked drolly. "That's the pot calling the kettle black about using amateur tactics. And don't think you'll be able to pull a sneak attack on me with those things. I can tell you've got four of them underneath me right now!"

No sooner had she finished than the four shadow clones exploded out of the ground, attacking her from all sides at the same time. She performed a lightning fast roundhouse kick, making them all disappear in a cloud of smoke.

None of them were the real one, she thought to herself as she looked around warily, so the only thing I can think of is that he was trying to use the smoke to conceal himself. But if that's true, he should be attacking right now and I can't sense him anywhere…

The smoke dissipated and Tsunade found herself alone, wondering where Naruto was – until she saw the shadow around her feet getting bigger.

That meant an attack from above. Her face shot skyward and she performed a cross-hand block, just as Naruto brought his leg down in an overhead axe kick. The force of the blow cratered the ground and buried her feet up to her ankles.

Naruto backflipped through the air and Tsunade brought her arms down. From her shoulder to the tips of her fingers every inch was numb and she shook them vigorously, trying to get the feeling back.

Damn, he's a lot stronger than when he left, Tsunade thought with a slight amount of bitterness, but why the hell couldn't I sense him? Is that something he learned while he was gone?

"You need to step it up, Tsunade," Naruto replied as he smirked at her. "Everything you're showing me is old school. Stuff like that doesn't have a chance in hell of beating me, and you know it!"

Cocky bastard. This fight is tough enough without him pointing out the obvious.

"You better pull something out of your little vault of secrets, because I'll have this fight won in fifteen minutes if you don't!"

He's right. Other than catching him off guard with my speed, there's nothing I can surprise him with. Except for…

"See, the problem is that I know all your moves, but you don't know all of mine. But I still have a feeling you're hiding something from me, Tsunade – and I have a sneaky suspicion as to what it might be. So, why don't we show each other some of our new moves? We can start things out with something small before we get into the big stuff. Someone as old as you would probably get tired anyway if we went all out from the get-go."

Tsunade remained on guard as Naruto ran through a few hand signs. Her apprehensive look quickly turned to shock when he said, "Earth Style: Quicksand Bog."

He kicked his foot forward, like he was scuffing it. Instantly, the ground turned to mud and raced like a river towards Tsunade. Her feet sunk up to her ankles and stuck like glue, immobilizing her. As she struggled to free herself, Naruto flashed through a second set of hand signs slammed his foot into the ground.

"Prison Dome."

A thick layer of stone rose up around Tsunade, encasing her in darkness. Now that she was trapped, Naruto began to flash through a few more hand signs, thinking he could use the dome to drain at least some of her chakra. He needed to be quick about it, since he wasn't dumb enough to believe the attack would hold her for long.

Before he could finish the dome exploded and Tsunade emerged, smudged with dirt in several places. The look she gave him would have withered a cactus. She flashed through a few hand signs and slammed her palms into the earth.

"Earth Style: Tearing Earth Spikes!"

The ground surrounding Naruto erupted into five foot long jagged spikes; each one aiming for a vital spot on his body. Moving quickly, Naruto threw his body into a spiraling somersault, dodging his way between some of the more dense patches with flexible side steps and jumps.

However, despite his rapid movement he was running out of room and it didn't take long before he was trapped in the center of the spikes. They continued to box him in, preventing his escape and within a matter of seconds he was surrounded. With a final surge from Tsunade, a jagged spike shot towards one of the few remaining openings, aiming for a non-vital area on his body. She figured if she could slow him down, even just a little bit she'd have a much better chance of winning this fight.

Just as the spike was about to pierce the opening, the entire structure exploded outward. Tsunade avoided most of the smaller chunks and used rapid fire punches to obliterate the bigger ones that were flying towards her. She suffered some minor cuts to her arms and legs from the few shards that made it through, but was otherwise unscathed.

To Kakashi, who was listening from his safe vantage point on a rock at the edge of the treeline, it sounded like a line of firecrackers going off as her fists made contact with the rocks hurtling towards her. He'd thought Tsunade was a bit past her prime, but it seemed he was premature in his assessment. The former Hokage was still pretty damn skilled and powerful.

In the middle of the clearing, Tsunade was marginally aware that Naruto was somewhere in the center of the explosion, no longer trapped by her technique. She knew she needed a follow-up jutsu to immobilize him, and fast. She quickly flashed through another set of hand signs and slammed her palms against the ground.

"Hands of Binding!"

Two large stone hands rose up from the earth and grabbed Naruto, pinning his arms to his sides and restraining any movement from the neck down. Panting slightly from exertion she walked slowly up to Naruto, who despite seeming to have just lost the fight, was grinning smugly from ear to ear.

The only thought running through her mind right now was how much she wanted to punch it off his face.

"Ha! I fucking knew it! I knew super strength and summoning Katsuyu weren't the only things you could do!" He shouted accusingly. "If you know earth jutsu, why the hell don't you ever use it?"

She paused a moment, knowing her next answer was going to sound ridiculous – but she said it anyway. "Because I'm not that good at it, that's why. You should've known that since you obviously suspected I could do it."

"Pfft." Naruto scoffed. "One of the Sannin – who also happens to be a Senju – saying they're not that good at earth jutsu still means upper chūnin or special jōnin at the very least."

Tsunade wasn't going to dignify that statement with a response. "Using my chakra for healing was…" She paused, wavering slightly on her feet, "…more important. Besides, Ōnoki was there anyway."

Naruto's grin weakened somewhat as he saw her sway the tiniest bit. Despite calling her old and constantly making fun of her age, it was easy to forget that she wasn't as young as she appeared.

"And just when did you learn earth jutsu?"

He tilted his head thoughtfully. "Oh, about two years after I left. I wanted to learn a second element, and the defensive stuff I could do with earth jutsu complimented my offensive wind attacks. I had some real good teachers, but it was still a bitch to learn."

"Well, whatever level you think my earth jutsu is at was good enough to catch your ass. Now give up or I'll have those hands squeeze you like a grape until you pass out." She cracked her knuckles menacingly. "Or maybe I'll knock you out the traditional way with my fists. It'll be much more satisfying that way."

Naruto laughed derisively. "Yeah, right. You don't think I'll give up that easily, do you? And where did you get the idea that I'm trapped?"

"Because you're encased in stone from the neck down, dumbass!"

Naruto cocked an eyebrow. "Then since you were so nice to show me one of your secrets, let me show you another one of mine."

Tsunade was shocked to see six shadow clones poof into existence around the stone hands. Each of them quickly formed a Rasengan and shattered the stone hands into hundreds of pieces. She shielded her eyes from the flying debris with her arms and when the cloud of dust settled Naruto standing in the center, casually brushing off his clothes.

"How did you create Kage Bunshin without hand signs?" Tsunade growled.

There was no way he was telling her about Saladin. "Oh, on my last trip out of the village someone taught me how to do it. It's just a simple mental adjustment, but it also takes twice as much chakra to do. You gotta be really proficient in whatever technique you try it with, though – otherwise all you'll do is give yourself a massive headache."

She pressed her lips into a thin line as she continued to scrutinize his attitude and demeanor. He was already a major force to be reckoned with before he left, and now he can make himself practically undetectable and spam shadow clones without using hand signs? A shiver ran down her spine as she realized something. He's still hiding something. He's way too confident right now for this to be all he can do. Maybe that monster comment of his wasn't too far off. She fell back into her defensive stance and prepared for his next attack.

Once Naruto finished brushing off his clothes he noticed how Tsunade was standing. It seemed she was instinctively reverting back to what she was most familiar with – probably because she had no idea what else he could do, or was going to do next.

"Taijutsu again, Tsunade? I was hoping to see something new, but…" He moved into an offensive stance. "Okay. I know I wasn't a match for you before, but let's see if I am now."

At the far edge of the clearing, Kakashi watched as Naruto and Tsunade blurred, rushing towards each other faster than the normal eye could follow. Luckily enough, he had his Sharingan activated and could see the whole thing. He wasn't trying to copy anything; it was simply so he could judge things properly.

However, that didn't mean he wasn't interested in the fight. So far, other than revealing Naruto could do earth jutsu now – and getting Tsunade to cough up that little secret as well – the only thing new he'd shown was that he could make clones without hand signs.

The looks on their faces spoke volumes, though. Tsunade ground her teeth in anger and frustration as she threw blow after blow at Naruto, who in turn was grinning like a kid in a candy store as he blocked them all. Naruto loved a good fight, but even for someone like him the entire scene seemed a bit off. The grin, the posture, the way he was immersed in battle… Kakashi wondered what he was actually trying to accomplish…

He hasn't augmented his speed once with his chakra interlacing technique. He hasn't used one forbidden or wind jutsu, which right now without a doubt are his strongest assets. He hasn't released one ounce of killing intent. He's just letting his anger build up below the surface, but why? For Tsunade to give up because she's too exhausted to go on? For her to finally get pissed off enough and really try to kill him? Or is he waiting for her to slip up and give him an opening in order to…

No, that last part wasn't right. He'd seem plenty of openings that Naruto could have exploited with a small burst in speed…

"…Why?" Tsunade yelled, panting heavily as she threw a roundhouse kick at Naruto who, rather than duck underneath it blocked it with his shin.

"Why…" She threw several punches at his chest – which he blocked with his palms, very much like the Gentle Fist style.

"…can't I…" She launched a front leg kick at his stomach – which he deftly spun and avoided, before chopping his hand down on her ankle. Both of them heard a barely audible crack, signifying that the bone was either fractured or broken but Tsunade ignored it and kept attacking.

"…land one…" Hobbling on her good foot, she brought a knife hand down diagonally towards his shoulder which Naruto blocked with his forearm.

"…solid hit?" she finished in exasperation, throwing one last punch at his face to which he ducked and spun, driving an elbow into her stomach. Tsunade fell back a few steps as she rubbed the spot, trying to relieve the pain. "I should have broken at least a dozen bones in either your arms or legs by now!"

Naruto sighed in exasperation. "I told you that day in your office when you tried to punch me through a wall that I can make a pulse of chakra that disrupts your strength."

"That was in your hands!" She gingerly tested out her injured ankle, wincing a few times as she put her full weight on it. It didn't seem to be broken, but it still throbbed painfully. "You've been blocking me with your arms and legs – there's no way you can do that chakra disruption pulse on those parts of your body! Only the Hyūga are able to do that using their tenketsu and that kind of manipulation would be difficult, even for them!"

He snorted derisively. "I actually had no idea it was related to a person's tenketsu, but if the Hyūga can do it why not someone else? Who says after making the required seals, you have to focus your chakra at your hands? For example, you use your feet all the time for attacks, and Sasuke uses his mouth to make the Great Fireball Jutsu."

What Tsunade wasn't seeing right now was that despite his casual front, the spots where she hit him stung like hell. His chakra disruption pulse canceled out most of the damage, but it obviously still needed work because he was starting to bruise in several places. He also noticed that the area between the bruises was streaked with red, and it was starting to heat up rather painfully. It seemed that overuse of his chakra pulse created a backlash of energy – he'd never felt it before, probably because Kurama's chakra healed him so quickly but damn if it wasn't making a bad situation worse.

Between her attacks and the damage he'd inadvertently done to himself, he figured about ten to twenty percent of the damage she could have caused got through. But for a woman that could punch through solid stone like it was tissue paper, that amount was more than enough.

"That's still not every part in-between. And how can you not know about that? You're married to a Hyūga, for Kami's sake!"

"Give me some credit, Tsunade. Just because Hinata is my wife doesn't mean I'm just going to make her dish clan secrets left and right. I may not be what I once was, but I'm not that much of an asshole. Besides, you wouldn't believe how many weeks and hundreds of shadow clones it took me to finally get it down. Hanari is actually the one who taught it to me – she calls it 'Point of Origin', which is a much fancier name than I feel like using. Not only can she can focus it on any of the major parts of her body but also extensions of it, like weapons. Hell, she can even use the point of her sword if she wants to. I'm not nearly as good as she is, but I can still manage to do it in most of my arms and legs. Didn't you wonder why I was protecting my head and chest more than usual?"

Interesting, Kakashi thought as he read their lips from across the clearing with his Sharingan. I've never heard of such a skill, but that explains why Hanari can use her feet to perform her jutsu. I wonder if she uses it to enhance her defensive capabilities? Not that they need help in the first place. Hitting her was like punching a steel wall.

"With anybody else I'd say they're bluffing, but with you I'd have to believe it. Lying is beyond your brain capacity with that thick skull of yours."

"I'll take a thick skull over senility any day."

"Wise ass. So now what?" she asked scathingly, feeling every bit as frustrated and helpless as she did when Pain attacked the village. Other than the bruises she could see, it didn't look like she'd made a dent in anything else – especially his ego. "You think that just because you can stop my punches and kicks that I can't touch you? Think again!"

A small smile played across the corners of Naruto's mouth. "I doubt you can come up with anything that'll surprise me, but I'll take pity on you and let you catch your breath while you set it up. I even promise not to attack while you do…" He made an 'X' sign on his chest. "…cross my heart, Hokage's honor and all that."

Tsunade glared daggers at him while she partially activated her Hyakugou, healing her injured ankle along with several other minor injuries. Naruto watched as what appeared to be steam emanated from the wounds as she flew through a few hand signs and slammed her palms into the ground.

"Earth Style: Giant Earth Pillars!"

Six pillars of hardened stone shot up in a semicircle around her, each one roughly about three feet square. As Naruto wondered what she was up to, she pulled eight shuriken out of the pouch tied to her leg and tossed them lightly into the air. Her hands blurred as they darted towards each one.

She held up her hands when she finished, showing him that one shuriken was now on each finger. Naruto cocked an eyebrow in confusion – until she closed them into fists. The razor sharp edges bit into her flesh and Tsunade hissed through her teeth. She continued to clench them tightly, blood dripping through her fingers from her self-inflicted wounds…

…and then her chakra suddenly spiked – enough so that her body was giving off a visible aura…

…and Naruto suddenly realized what she'd done, and how far she was willing to go to win this fight.

Through an incredible amount of pain Tsunade, without any other resources available had created Shinobi Claws. So even though he could use his chakra disruption pulse to cancel out her strength, she'd still carve out a good portion of his flesh if she landed a hit. Literally.

He also realized his promise of allowing Tsunade time to catch her breath and set this up was a huge mistake.

The huge amount of chakra pumping through her system gave her a boost of both strength and speed. She vanished and reappeared right in front of him, swinging her fist at his chest.

FUCK! Naruto swore internally as he tried to dodge it, but he was too slow. Her homemade claws ripped four furrows horizontally across his chest, and Tsunade followed that with an uppercut which he barely managed to avoid. A fraction of a second slower and she'd have perforated the bottom of his chin.

The next two minutes were spent with Naruto trying his best to dodge Tsunade's lightning fast fists. Without Kurama's chakra flowing through his system to heal him instantly, blocking her with any part of his body would basically amount to painful mutilation on an immense scale.

The unfortunate part in all of this was that he hadn't had a chance to extend his chakra interlacing technique to help boost his speed, and Tsunade was pushing herself to the extreme. Right now, they were practically even but it wasn't stopping her from landing the occasional blow – his arms and legs were already cut in half a dozen places. He needed to put some space between them so that he could regroup, before she carved him up like a plate of sushi.

Naruto leaned back, dodging her next swing and kicked his feet into her stomach, launching her backwards. He flipped up, just in time to see her slam into a large tree at the edge of the clearing. He quickly flashed through six hand signs and buried his arms in the ground up to his elbows.

"Earth Style: Stone Cestus."

When he pulled them out, each forearm was encased in black stone. The knuckles and backs of his hands were studded with spikes but the fingers were surprisingly thin compared to the rest, signifying he could still do hand signs for jutsu if he wanted.

Tsunade got up and walked slowly back across the clearing, a bit winded and wincing in pain. "Didn't like the fact that I caught you off guard? Is that why you kicked me across the clearing like a soccer ball?"

"Oh, that's not it at all." Naruto said calmly, as he walked towards her. "I just needed a way to defend myself – and I don't feel like breaking out any of my bigger jutsu just yet. This way, I can keep you from filleting me with those homemade claws of yours," he said, flexing his fingers as he tested them out. He raised his chakra pressure, matching Tsunade's. "Ready to get started again?"

She didn't even bother to answer… deciding to attack him instead. Her form blurred as she ran towards him and Naruto met her in the middle. The force of their initial blow sounded like an explosion went off; the shockwave spreading outwards and causing the trees to bend and sway. Kakashi himself would have been thrown from his perch on the rock he was sitting on had he not been anchoring himself there with his chakra.

Tsunade was giving everything she had; throwing punches and kicks at various parts of his body. While Naruto was using his cestus to block most of them she did get lucky and land a few blows on his legs. Thinking that might be a weak spot in his defense, she focused a greater amount of her attacks there. Naruto noticed and adjusted his defensive pattern, but refused to leave the upper part of his body vulnerable because she was still mixing things up. When she feinted low and lashed out at his chest, hoping to catch him unaware he was somewhat gratified at his decision not to let his guard down.

Naruto also noticed that ironically enough, she was keeping away from the seal on his stomach – probably still thinking that if she cut it, Kurama might seep out. After that whole ceremony he went through the day after the wedding, he didn't know if that was true or not but he sure as hell wasn't eager to find out. He'd probably die from the experience and right now with Hinata, Hikaru and two children on the way, he had far too much to live for.

He almost laughed at that last part. It wasn't that long ago when he'd have given anything to just end it all. Now, in such a short amount of time his world had turned completely on its ear. He couldn't envision a life without his family.

Funny how things seemed to work out in his favor for once. And he was very happy it did.

The thought of his smiling wife and son caused him to lose focus and Tsunade pounced on the opening like a rabid dog. With a battle cry and a surge of adrenaline, she doubled the amount of chakra being sent to her legs and slammed her foot into the underside of his jaw, launching him into the air.

You never learn, do you Naruto? Kurama criticized him. The Mienai Segi taught you never to lose focus, even for a second…

Damn it Kurama, I know! I just need to get back on the ground so I can…

I don't think the female will afford you that option. Look down.

He did, noticing that Tsunade had flung the shuriken off her fingers. The myriad amount of deep cuts and slashes that littered her hands steamed and closed almost instantly thanks to her Hyakugou and once that was done, she turned and wrapped her arms around the nearest stone pillar.

With a grunt and a tremendous heave, she broke the pillar off at the base and swung it like a bat… directly at his head. It shattered as it made contact, and his skull exploded with pain as he rocketed downwards and slammed into the ground. Dizzy and disoriented, he struggled to get up but just as he did she grabbed another pillar, swinging it at his left side. Just like the first one, it shattered – along with half of the bones in his arm.

She continued her barrage with the four remaining pillars, and at the end of it all he was barely standing. The gauntlets covering his hands had shattered to pieces after the fourth blow. Blood was dripping down his face from a wound on his head. His left arm was broken in several places. His left hip and ribs were fractured. And to top it all off, Kurama was lecturing him about being an overconfident moron, which is why he got his ass kicked…

Tsunade tossed aside the remains of the last pillar and fixed him with an icy stare. "Give it up, Naruto. Even with that thick skull of yours, I know I hit you hard enough that you have a concussion and can't focus properly. I also know your left arm is broken, which means you can't do any jutsu. You're favoring your right side which means your left leg, rib, hip or a combination of them are either fractured or broken. You may have your healing factor but without Kurama's help, there's no way you can fix the damage before I punch your lights out. I'm in much better shape than you are. Admit it – I've won."

"Oh, Tsunade…" He closed his eyes and shook his head disapprovingly, "There's no way I'll say that. You'll have to kill me first. Besides…"

Tsunade watched him guardedly as he paused, wondering what he was up to to. He could barely stand with all the damage she'd given him.

"…I'm far from helpless," he growled, as his eyelids snapped back open. The look he gave her was cold and merciless. "I think it's about time you saw what I'm truly capable of."

…and then a shiver ran up her spine as Tsunade began to feel it.

In the past, when she'd wanted to scare the living shit out of whatever hopeless fool she was fighting against, she would simply increase her chakra pressure and killing intent to levels that could only be matched by a select group of people.

The other Kage… Several S-Rank shinobi… Hell, there were even some elite jōnin that could come close, like Darui and Kurotsuchi…

It wasn't so much the size of the technique as much as the sensation. Like you were buried underneath several tons of rubble in a small cave with a pack of rabid wolves. Like you were about to be torn apart but couldn't move because you were paralyzed by fear.

Depending on how much weaker her opponent was – along with the last time they had evacuated their bowels – that person either soiled themselves or simply passed out. Sometimes a combination of both. She'd even done it in a few gambling parlors she'd lost a massive amount of money in so that she could escape without making good on her debts.

…but this sensation was different. Not like you were struggling under a massive weight or ready to be mauled, but that the area around you seemed to be alive. Like the air was saturated with a conscious presence. And that nothing was beyond its reach.

It seeped into the ground… hovered in the space between the blades of grass and leaves on the trees… and extended into the sky.

And while nothing could be seen by either his regular or Sharingan eye, Kakashi stared in awe at his surroundings.

I… I can sense it! I can actually sense it! Not as a whole, but individually… I can actually feel his chakra extending out and weaving between the tendrils of natural energy. I guess all that training with Sasuke is starting to pay off, but Kami! The size of what he's doing is unbelievable! Hanari can't even come close to this!

"Well done, Tsunade. You gave me exactly what I was hoping for." Naruto said darkly, as he stared menacingly at her. His eyes had turned such a dark shade of blue as to almost appear black, and Tsunade took a half-step back, faltering slightly under the intensity of his gaze.

"I gave you a chance to prove your resolve… your desire to be forgiven by me. I wondered if you'd truly give me your all, or just some half-assed attempt, hoping that I'd have pity and go easy on you. But I gotta admit you surprised me – and I have the bruises to prove it."

He's pushing it outward… Kakashi said to himself as the wind around them started to pick up. It began to howl as it revolved around Naruto who was standing in the epicenter. Not only to the area surrounding him…

Tsunade used her forearms to protect her eyes and anchored her feet with her chakra, stubbornly refusing to concede even an inch of ground.

"Even though I had four decades of youth on my side, you didn't hesitate to fight me. That takes guts." Naruto continued, his voice taking on a heavier cadence as he started to flash through hand signs with his one good hand. "But I'm tired of feeling angry and frustrated towards you, and I'm tired of seeing the guilt and shame on your face whenever we're around each other. That's why we're here. I figured the best way to work our differences out is with a good old-fashioned brawl."

…but to the sky as well. Kakashi sensed Naruto's chakra as it wove into the very air. The sky growled as the technique pushed – or maybe knocked was a better term – against the area above them. The sparse amount of clouds increased in size and grew darker; like they were angry that someone was waking them up from a peaceful afternoon nap.

Of course he can do one-handed signs, Tsunade thought bitterly, as she struggled against the howling wind. Why would I think otherwise if he can do jutsu without any hand signs at all?

Another growl of anger… Another knock, stronger and heavier this time… The clouds grew bigger still, and took on a blackish-purple hue.

"And now, since I have no other options, I can finally let the monster loose…" Naruto spiked his chakra pressure, causing Tsunade to gasp and even making Kakashi flinch. It was strong enough that if he hadn't promised not to do so earlier, they'd swear he was accessing some of Kurama's chakra.

The wind surrounding them, which had been picking up speed was now just shy of hurricane status, and showed no signs of stopping. Rather than Tsunade fighting to stay in place the air was doing that for her, keeping her rooted to the spot and not allowing her the opportunity to move in any direction. Substitution Jutsu wasn't an option either, since she was using every ounce of concentration, along with her chakra enhanced strength to remain standing. And she'd be damned if she dropped to one knee in front of him, giving him even the slightest hint of victory.

A third knock, laced with power… The clouds filled the sky, blotting out the sun. They began to contort into the shape of a face; one that appeared to have demonic eyes and a mouth full of serrated teeth that stretched from ear to ear. The remainder of the clouds swirled around the face, making the entire scene five times more horrifying than before.

A final growl of anger, and a roar of thunder…

"…I can finally show you how strong I've become." He finished his last hand sign and pointed towards the sky…

"Forbidden Art: Wind Devastation."

The mouth on the face in the clouds opened wide and three tornadoes bore down on Tsunade, who was still pinned in place by the tremendous force of the gale winds. Once they touched down they began to grind against one another, like they were fighting for dominance. A good comparison would be three Hyūga performing the Kaiten against each other at the same time in a no holds barred sparring match.

Kakashi could only watch in both shock and horror as the cluster of tornadoes filled the clearing from edge to edge – three hundred yards of pure destructive power that uprooted trees and rocks, pulling them into the vortex and bombarding Tsunade, who was somewhere in the spinning mass of chaos. If her Hyakugou hadn't been activated, Tsunade wouldn't stand a chance against such a powerful and deadly technique.

Fortunately, Naruto didn't let the jutsu last that long. After about a minute he stopped pumping chakra into the jutsu and it expired quickly; reducing itself to nothing more than a light breeze within ten seconds. He also stopped using his killing intent, ending it at the same time the wind finally died down.

When everything finally settled, Kakashi covered his Sharingan back up and both he and Naruto walked towards the crater that had been formed in the wake of the destruction. Well, Naruto actually hobbled towards the center, since his left side was still severely injured. When they got there they found Tsunade lying in the center. The left side of her face was bruised and swollen. Her left arm was bent at awkward angles, signifying multiple broken bones. They could tell her right hip was dislocated, because her right ankle was propped next to her head. Her body was dotted with ugly yellow and purple bruises.

And the Hyakugou on her forehead wasn't a diamond anymore, but instead had been reduced to merely a small dot.

All in all, it wasn't a very pleasant sight.

Naruto sighed heavily. "Kakashi-sensei," he said in a voice laced with regret, "can you please check out Tsunade and make sure her vitals are reasonably stable? I… can't kneel down at the moment."

Numb to what he just witnessed, Kakashi could only nod in agreement as he began to work. "Naruto, that… that jutsu was… I just don't…"

"You don't need to say anything else. I know it was impressive, in addition to being scary as hell. That's not even the extent of what I can do, though. Chakra interlacing really pumps up the power on a jutsu like that. I'd probably max out around nine of those tornadoes before I started to suffer from chakra exhaustion. And I don't even know how big I could make it if I used Kurama's chakra because I've never really tried." He motioned his head towards Tsunade. "What's the verdict?"

"Her pulse is running high, but it's stable. Her breathing is labored – I'm guessing a few cracked ribs at least. With the way her face looks, I'm pretty sure she has a concussion but I don't know how bad it is. I don't think that's the reason why she's unconscious, though. It's probably from the large amount of pain and injuries she received."

"Then let's get her to the hospital," he said sadly. "If you wouldn't mind, pick her up but be careful of her leg. I have enough chakra to get us all there using the Hiraishin, and then after that I'm heading to my office so that Kurama can patch me up."

Kakashi gently moved Tsunade's leg into the proper position. He knew from personal experience that a dislocated hip hurt like hell. "You don't sound very happy," he said as he picked up the former Hokage bridal style. "I thought this is what you wanted."

Naruto shook his head. "No, it's not. I mean, yes it is – sort of. I wanted to stop feeling so… angry at her all the time, and I could tell the guilt and regret over what she did was eating her up inside. I wanted all that gone and like I said, I figured a fight would be pretty… um, what's the word you used once? Cathartic? But I also wanted her to see what all that pain and suffering turned me into. I may not have to worry about Kurama anymore, but there's still a different monster I have to control."

"I kept my emotions in check for most of the fight, but at the end I felt like I was drowning in battle lust and lost it. I went too far with one of my forbidden jutsu, even if I did keep the scale of it rather small." He hung his head in shame. "This is the reason why everyone in the Mienai Segi are taught control before anything else. If I'd done something like that in front of Saladin, he'd have made sure I was bedridden for a month, even with my healing factor."

"I think I understand now. Chakra interlacing enhances the attack power of practically any jutsu to some degree or another, and not only are the forbidden jutsu A-rank or above to begin with, but they're also fueled by emotions. Without control…" Kakashi shuddered as he realized that if left unchecked, Naruto probably could destroy a good portion, if not all of Konoha with them – especially if you threw the power of the Kyuubi into the mix. "You think you've gotten it all out of your system now? I'd hate to see anyone else try to fight you if this happens again."

Naruto frowned at the question. It was pointed and direct, but necessary considering the circumstances. "Yeah. Yeah, I have." He could honestly say that this was one of the least proud moments he'd ever had in his life. "I'll have a talk with her when she wakes up. I think she deserves to know about the Mienai Segi. And a lot of other things."

He placed his hand on Kakashi's shoulder and in a flash of yellow light they found themselves at the entrance to the hospital. "Have them send for Sakura to treat Tsunade. She's the best we've got and I'm not putting Tsunade's life in anyone else's hands. If you need me, you know where I'll be."

Kakashi fully expected Naruto to use the Hiraishin once again but was a bit surprised when Naruto turned and limped down the street towards the Hokage Tower, wincing with every step.

For a brief second he took in the strange sight before turning and walking swiftly but carefully into the hospital. He'd think about it later. Right now, Tsunade needed medical attention and that was more important than his curiosity.

---

Hanari stirred as she cracked her eyelids open. The first thing she noticed was the light – it wasn't necessarily blinding, but it was brighter than she felt it needed to be. She blinked her eyes a few times and once they adjusted, her gaze wandered around the room she was in.

Fluorescent lights. Ceiling and walls painted white. Every surface disgustingly clean. Machines beeping incessantly.

She was in the hospital. Fuck. She hated hospitals. Especially when she was a patient.

Her head was held in place by a neck brace, so slight movement to the left or right was all she could manage. That meant she couldn't even see what condition she was in. Her arm movement seemed to be restricted too. She could tell there were three IV needles in her, and one of them had to be a morphine drip because she couldn't feel any pain right now.

She gingerly turned her head in the direction of the window to look at the sky. Dark grey… Shit. It's gotta be around six o'clock at night. I've been out of it all day.

The sound of a door opening caused her to turn her head back, which she did quicker than she should have. She squeezed her eyes shut and groaned in pain – apparently the morphine could only do so much. When she opened her eyes again she saw Kakashi standing at the foot of the bed with a cup of coffee in his hand.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself," Kakashi replied. "How long have you been up?"

"Only a few minutes." She groaned again in pain. "What's the damage? I'd look for myself, but…"

Kakashi chuckled knowingly. "No problem. You obviously know about the neck brace, but your arms and upper chest are in a cast. You have four fractured ribs. A minor concussion." He leered as he lifted her sheet. "A bruised pelvis. And your left leg is in a cast as well. The catheter is a real mood killer, though."

"Great. Just the way every girl dreams about spending her time," Hanari said petulantly. "Holed up in a hospital, unable to move and pissing through a tube. The food here might be the deciding factor in killing me."

"The concussion being only minor was the real surprise, apparently," he said as he lowered the sheet. "Kurenai said you've got the hardest head she's ever seen. Guy broke his leg when he kicked you in the air."

"Well, you should know firsthand about that. You punched me in the head, what… half a dozen times in our fight and I didn't pass out?

"Point taken."

Hanari shifted uncomfortably in her bed as she gave Kakashi a sideways glance. "I had a very interesting conversation with Kurenai and Guy earlier today. They both think you unintentionally threw our fight – mainly because you were afraid of screwing up your chances with me if you somehow got a lucky hit in and managed to hurt me."

Kakashi took a swig of coffee and nodded his head. "Yeah, pretty much," he said uncomfortably. "I kind of figured that out a few days later. I was going to tell you about it when I showed up that day at the house, but you weren't giving me a chance to explain myself, and then Reira kinda made it a moot point."

So they were right, Hanari thought as she fixed him with a steely gaze. "When I get out of here you owe me a rematch, Scarecrow," she huffed. "There's no way I'm accepting a tainted victory like that."

He eye-smiled at her. "You got it. Besides, that'll give me enough time to finish learning chakra interlacing, since you'll be in here for another month."

Hanari had another sharp retort planned but Kakashi's demeanor suddenly changed. He was a lot more somber than usual – even counting the day she'd almost rejected him. She watched as he walked listlessly over to the chair next to her bed and sat down, still eyeing his coffee cup.

This wasn't like him. His usual playful banter and jabs to her biting retorts and snide comments were nowhere to be seen. He looked like Konoha just banned the sale of those Icha Icha novels he loved to read.

"So… does this mean we're breaking up?"

"What?" she demanded as loud as she could manage. The cast around her chest didn't allow for very deep breaths. "Where the hell did you get that idea?"

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders dejectedly. "Well, you've got your rules, don't you? And unless Kurenai lied to me earlier, you just got beat by Guy and his flames of youth…"

"YYYOOOOOOOUUUUUUUTTTHHH!" Guy shouted from somewhere down the hall.

"Nurse, I thought I told you to sedate that patient!"

"I did, doctor! I gave him the standard dose of Midazolam. Twice! He should be unconscious right now!"

"Well, give him another shot and double the dosage. I don't need to hear him screaming the word 'youth' at the top of his lungs every five minutes."

"yyyooooouuuuutthh…"

Hanari stared at the door throughout the entire exchange with a stupefied expression on her face.

"Okay, that was… disturbing on a number of levels."

"Eh. You get used to it after a while. Why do you think I tune him out so often? It's the only option I have left."

That certainly explained his indifference, or why he always had his face buried in an Icha Icha novel whenever Guy was in the same room. Of course, that last one carried other fringe benefits with it that she enjoyed…

"You still haven't answered my question." Kakashi pressed her.

Despite the fact that her neck was starting to throb from moving so much, she turned her head to look him in the eye. Even though she'd known him less than a year – and they were intimate on a regular basis – she still hadn't memorized all his little quirks and mannerisms. But what she saw would be easy for anyone to spot.

He was scared. Not the 'facing death' kind of scared, but instead that something precious would be taken away from him… that he'd lose something that made his life bearable instead of a lonely existence.

He was afraid of losing her. And surprisingly enough, she felt the same way about him. Her look and tone softened as she realized exactly what that meant.

"Kakashi," she said gently, "I decided to push my rules aside that night on the Hokage Monument. I wasn't ready to give them up completely because they were such a big part of who and what I was but now, I... I don't think I have that problem anymore. If I had to choose between you and those rules, well then… I choose you."

"I know I can be obnoxious at times. Gruff. Abrasive. Vulgar. There's a whole list of words out there you can take your pick from. I'm definitely the product of a shitty life, but you… you put up with me. You treat me with respect, and not because you're scared of me or how good I am in a fight, but because you genuinely seem to care about me. I'm… actually pretty happy, and there's no way I'm giving something like that up. I waited too long to get it."

A look of relief washed over his features at her answer. He stood up and reached out with his hand, gently stroking her hair. "Thank you for saying that. However, I couldn't help but notice your answer was rather long and detailed. Is there any particular… emotion driving your reason for doing that?"

Hanari knew what he was hinting at. Other than the love for her daughter, caring for someone this deeply was something she had very little experience with. The few times she'd done so triggered painful memories of the people who'd used it against her. To manipulate her. To hurt her.

She didn't think for a moment Kakashi would do anything like that, but it was a huge mental block that she was having a hard time getting past. She stared back at him with pleading eyes – begging him to let this go, since she wasn't ready to confront this particular demon just yet.

Kakashi saw the panicked look on her face and eye-smiled. "Okay – I get it, I get it." He said soothingly, still stroking her hair. "You don't have to say anything. But just so you know, I might have something to say back when you're finally ready to speak up."

She smiled back at him. "Thanks. Listen – while I'm in here, can you… take care of Reira?"

"Umm… Sure." He said, puzzled. "But what about Naruto, Hinata and Hikaru? Any reason why you're asking me and not them? You guys live in their house, after all."

"I think it might be a good idea for the two of you to hang out together, since I plan on keeping you around for a good, long while."

"Then in that case, I'd be happy to," he said, pulling his mask down and kissing her.

"Ow."

"Sorry. I didn't know your lips hurt too."

"Apology accepted. Can you do two things for me?" Hanari asked.

"Name it."

"First, can you press the morphine button for me? I think I need another dose."

Kakashi chuckled. "Sure. No problem." He reached over to fetch the plunger from where it had fallen on the bed. He clicked it twice and placed it in one of her hands. "What's the second thing?"

"Can you kiss me again before the morphine kicks in? I'd like to be able to feel it before my lips go numb."

Kakashi gave another small laugh. "Absolutely," he said as he complied with her request.

"Ow."

"Sorry."

"That's okay. The pain was totally worth it."

---

It was seven o'clock at night and for the last ten minutes Naruto had been standing outside his house, trying to work up the courage to open the front door. He'd been toying with the idea of staying in a local hotel until he left for Kirigakure but he had to go home sooner or later, and postponing the inevitable would only make things worse.

The reason behind his hesitation was simple. He'd talked to Kurama earlier.

After telling Mina to divert anyone who came to see him to Shikamaru instead, and that he wasn't to be disturbed except for the most dire of emergencies, he trudged into his office and locked the door before sprawling out on the couch in order to heal and reflect on the unprecedented level of stupidity he pulled at the end of the fight with Tsunade.

He didn't think his day could get any worse… until Kurama irritatingly decided to add his two cents to his misery, saying that earlier he hadn't shut the amalgamation seal down in time and something had indeed made it through.

This doesn't look good for you, Naruto. You may be faster and more powerful than her, but there is not a place in the elemental nations you can go to escape her wrath. I doubt there is anyone who would trade places with you, no matter what amount of incentive was offered.

So on the other side of that door was Hinata who was probably worried sick about him, knew something had happened, had wild mood swings that came with being pregnant with twins, and possessed one of the more advanced Byakugan in the village. He couldn't think of a more volatile situation.

And he had no one to blame for his current predicament but himself. Sighing one last time in resignation, he opened the door and walked into his house. As expected, Hinata was sitting in the living room, waiting for him to return.

"Naruto-kun!" she exclaimed, getting up as fast as she could and running awkwardly over to her husband. She clasped her arms around his chest and hugged him tightly. "What happened today? A small spike of emotions came through the seal this morning, and I was worried about you. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine Hinata, I'm fine." He said in as upbeat a manner as he could manage. "I just got a little carried away during a spar this morning and forgot to shut the seal down. Sorry about that."

"A sparring match? With who?"

Naruto flinched inwardly. She wasn't going to let this go. Time for evasive maneuvers. "It's really not important. Hey, is there any dinner left? I know I'm late getting home, but I didn't stop anywhere to eat and I'm starving…"

Hinata held him in place, forcing him to face her. "Naruto-kun," she said firmly, "whatever came through the seal earlier made my arm go numb for a few minutes. There were many emotions, but it was the anger I felt that concerned me the most. It upsets me when you feel that way. Now tell me… who were you sparring with?"

And of course, the legendary Hyūga stubbornness was now out in full force. Wonderful.

"Tsunade," he said after a moment's hesitation. "I was sparring with Tsunade."

Hinata stared at him in shock. "You… You were sparring with Lady Tsunade? While you were that angry? Why?"

"We… just had some things to work out, that's all."

"That doesn't make any sense, Naruto-kun. After yesterday at Neji and Tenten's house, I thought you two were getting along better. What happened to change that?"

"Nothing, it's just… I couldn't think of… I mean, I wanted to…" he said haltingly as he rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Look Hinata, can we talk about something else? It's been a really bad day, and…"

That was clearly the wrong thing to say, because her disposition instantly changed from lukewarm to slightly above freezing. Hinata's look hardened and she fixed him with a withering gaze.

"Naruto. I refuse to be pushed aside. You're not doing this to me again."

Shit, he thought to himself, she didn't use 'kun' after my name. She must be really pissed at me. If she starts using my full name I'm totally screwed.

"I know that during your time in the Mienai Segi you were in charge of a squad. You were entrusted with their safety. You're the Hokage now, and you hold the lives of many more people in your hands. There are decisions you have to make solely on your own. I understand and accept this, but I am not just some shinobi under your command and protection. I am also your very pregnant wife, who is supposed to be your partner for life in all things that concern us both."

"But for some reason, more often than not you still have a problem trusting me with some things, no matter how great or small they may be. Do you remember saying to me once that you wanted me to walk beside you, and not behind you in our marriage? I have involved you in every aspect of my life and yet you refuse to do it yourself. Even though the seal on our hands links our souls, there are parts of you that still remain closed off and that's simply not fair."

"You never told me the true reason behind the meetings with my father. Never once did you tell me about how Hikaru is a fūinjutsu prodigy, or that he was working in secret on a way to break the caged bird seal. I had no idea there was a contract to make Neji the next head of the clan if Hikaru succeeded. Even something as trivial as offering one of our guest rooms to Sasuke all of those times he needed a place to stay overnight… Would it have hurt for you to ask me, even once? To trust me, like I trust you?"

Naruto kept his mouth shut as Hinata continued to chastise him. There was nothing he could say in his defense. Life in the Mienai Segi was very similar to the ANBU. Information was given only to a select few. Trust no one outside of your group. Be wary of those who were in it. Never let your guard down, whether it be emotionally or physically, even for a moment.

It was probably why other than Saladin, members of the Mienai Segi tended to be overbearing and antisocial with people in general. Some, like Gideon could add the terms maniacal and sadistic to the list.

Hinata was the one person on earth that he should trust implicitly for an untold number of reasons. And she deserved better than the half-hearted attempt he'd given her so far.

"So I will ask you one more time," she somehow managed to say in a voice that was calm, serene and terrifying all at the same time, "What did Lady Tsunade do to make you angry enough so that you decided to have a sparring match with her today?"

Naruto sweatdropped. "She didn't do anything, really. I mean, I've been pretty much mad at her since the day before I left for my mission and I just… I got tired of being angry with her, and seeing the guilt and shame on her face whenever we were near each other. I was frustrated because nothing was helping her understand how much it hurt – and what that did to me." He hung his head in shame. "I figured a… spirited fight between the two of us would be the best way to just get it out of our systems and be done with it, but in the end I… I almost lost control."

Hinata stared impassively at him for a few seconds. Naruto could tell by the look on her face that she clearly wasn't happy with his answer.

"And where is Lady Tsunade now?"

Naruto swallowed nervously. "She's in the hospital. Room 530. I made sure Sakura is her attending physician because she's the best healer we've got after Tsunade."

Hinata paused for a moment as she took that in. "So let me get this straight," she asked icily, "sometime between yesterday, when Hikaru removed the caged bird seal from Neji and this morning, you came up with the outlandish notion of having a sparring match with Lady Tsunade. You did this because you wanted a way to release all that pent up aggression you were harboring towards her. Both you and Lady Tsunade knew the fight would tilt heavily in your favor, but you made your ridiculous request anyway and for some unknown reason she agreed. However, I have no doubt you offered something extremely tempting to convince her to accept. You selfishly decided all of this on your own without even considering talking to me about it first because to you, my opinion wasn't important enough to have mattered in the slightest."

Naruto opened his mouth to say something and then quickly shut it. She was right about most of it except for that last part – he just hadn't thought of asking her, period. But giving her that answer would be just as dangerous, if not more so than her assumption.

"And then, you lost control of yourself during the fight and Lady Tsunade ended up in the hospital. Her injuries were bad enough that you specifically asked for Sakura, rather than let the physician on duty handle it. And you conveniently did all this two days before you're supposed to leave for Kirigakure to see that man-stealing slut, the Mizukage." She purposely crossed her hands in front of her chest – specifically, right below her breasts and right above her slightly noticeable baby bump, hoping the significance of it wasn't lost on her husband. "Was my summary correct, or did I miss anything?"

"Er, well…" he said, squirming uncomfortably beneath her gaze, "I don't think I'd call Mei Terumi a man-stealing…"

Hinata gave him a look that meant he should stop talking immediately, so he snapped his mouth shut. Referring to the Mizukage by her real name probably didn't help matters either. Sweat began to trickle down the back of his neck as she took a step forward, so that she was within inches of his face.

"Who will be your escort when you go to Kirigakure?"

He hesitated a second before answering. He'd never seen Hinata this angry before, and it was scaring the living shit out of him. Not to mention the fact that she was constantly switching between demanding answers and telling him to shut up. His only saving grace was that she couldn't do any jutsu for the next few months since she was pregnant.

"I'm… I'm just taking a few of the ANBU. Nothing special."

She cocked an eyebrow. "Are Lee or Kiba in the village?"

"Uh, Lee is. Kiba's on a mission in the Land of Iron. Why?"

"Because you're taking Lee with you to Kiri," Hinata said calmly before turning and walking into the bedroom.

"Huh? Why? C'mon, Hinata! He's our friend, but you know how he is! All he'll do for the week or so that we're gone is go on and on about the flames of youth!"

Her voice wafted from the bedroom. "Which is why he'll be going with you on your mission – as well as to keep an eye on things. Lee will have no problems being honest and telling me, or anyone else who asks about what happened during your… visit."

Translation: Lee is going as punishment. He will be keeping an eye on you. And you will keep the Mizukage at arm's length. Or else.

Hinata came out of the bedroom, carrying a pillow and some blankets. "Tomorrow, you will apologize to Lady Tsunade for what you have done. You will find a way to make it up to her. And you will never… ever… make the mistake of not talking to me again." She thrust the pillow and blankets into his hands. "For the next seven days you're sleeping on the couch." Then she turned and walked back into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

Naruto looked up the stairs. Well, I can...

"And don't think of using any of the guest rooms, either!"

Damn. Well, I can always...

"And you're not going to crash at one of our friend's houses!"

Okay, but I can still...

"And if I catch you renting a hotel room, your punishment will be doubled!"

Well, at least I'm going to Kirigakure in a few days. My punishment will be up by the time...

"And you will finish your punishment when you get back from Kiri!"

Naruto sighed and began to turn the couch into a makeshift bed. It was going to be a long, uncomfortable week.

---

Shikamaru had gotten into the office early to go over a fresh batch of intelligence reports that had come in overnight. Normally he would be in at his regular time, but these reports dealt with outside activities that were linked in one way or another to high profile individuals within the village. That made them important enough to get him out of bed before dawn broke over Konoha.

Temari hadn't been very happy about it and honestly, he wasn't either. He would have preferred to remain in bed with his wife. Mornings were when Temari tended to be at her most calm – as long as he continued to fund her weird cravings. Really, who in the world thinks watermelon dipped in honey mustard sauce is a good combination?

He moved from his desk over to his custom Shōgi board, contemplating several pieces and the individuals they represented. This particular analysis might take a bit longer than usual, since three of the pieces seemed to be working together in conjunction with a fourth, who was suspected of bartering information on Konoha to a source based near Kusagakure…

His thoughts were interrupted as Naruto entered his office, although his appearance reminded Shikamaru more of someone who just woke up after a night of binge drinking rather than the Hokage. His hair was ragged, there were large bags under his eyes, his clothes were wrinkled and he clearly had a kink in his lower back by the way he was favoring it.

"I'd say good morning Naruto, but that clearly isn't true in your case." His eyebrows rose skyward. "Dare I ask why you look like that? I have a theory, but if you'd rather not say I'll understand."

Naruto slowly sat down in the chair opposite Shikamaru and absently began to rub the spot on his back. "No, whatever you're thinking is probably right. Hinata's pissed at me, and for good reason."

"Hinata is mad at you? I didn't think that was even possible."

"Me either, but apparently I pushed her over an edge that I should have known existed. I'm sleeping on the couch for the next week because of it."

"Ouch," Shikamaru teased. "This doesn't have anything to do with you putting Tsunade in the hospital yesterday, does it?"

"How did you…?" Naruto shook his head. "Never mind. I did hire you to be an information specialist, after all. But I'm thinking something needs to be done to keep that brain of yours from giving you a swelled head."

"Naruto…" Shikamaru said impassively, "Don't tell me you've forgotten who my mother is. Or who I'm married to. Or what condition she's in."

"Oops. Yeah, good point. I'd have to agree that Temari's got that area covered."

"So just out of curiosity, what's wrong with your back?" Shikamaru motioned towards the spot Naruto was still rubbing. "With as fast as you heal, any problems should have been fixed within a few minutes of you waking up this morning."

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "Call it a self-imposed punishment. Hinata probably would have suggested it anyways. She said I need to apologize to Tsunade and find a way to make it up to her, and even before she gave me an ultimatum I was planning on doing that. Until then, I think a little pain might help give me a bit of perspective so I asked Kurama to keep his chakra from healing me until further notice."

"I can only imagine how eager he was to help you out with that particular request."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "You have no idea," He quipped before leaning over to scrutinize the board.

"Well, getting back to business I have to ask… Why are you in my office in particular so early in the morning? It certainly can't be for the stimulating conversation. We could have had this talk at any hour of the day."

"I'm leaving for Kiri tomorrow and there's a lot of stuff I need to take care of before I go. After I'm done here I need to go see Rock Lee, and then there's whatever I'm going to do for Tsunade. Since staying at home wasn't doing me any good, I figured I'd get a head start on things."

"Like staring at my custom Shōgi board?" Shikamaru asked as he watched Naruto's eyes flicker from piece to piece with keen interest. "Is there something in particular you're looking for?"

"Actually, I found it." Naruto said slyly. His mood brightened considerably as he reached over with keen interest and picked up one of the Gold Generals. There was a specific name written in black lettering beneath the Kanji symbol.

He held up the piece for Shikamaru to see. "What can you tell me about this one in particular?"

---

Tsunade stirred and tried to blink away the last dregs of unconsciousness. Turned out that was only half possible, since she couldn't open her left eye. Her right eye wandered lazily around the room, gathering her thoughts as she tried to get her bearings.

She was in the hospital; that much was certain. There was quite a bit of machinery huddled around the bed she was lying in. It looked like she was in the private wing on the fifth floor, since the room was far too big to be anywhere else. The view out the window showed a crescent moon on a darkened sky, with only a few stars littering it here and there.

It was nighttime. I've been out of it the entire day, she thought as she licked her lips dryly. A drink of water along with an explanation as to how she'd gotten here and what her condition was sounded really good right now.

Her left arm appeared to be in a cast but her right arm remained free, even if it ached terribly. She felt around and luckily enough, her hand bumped into the call button. She pressed it and much to her surprise, about a minute later the door opened and Sakura walked in, sporting a tepid smile.

"Good evening, Shishou. I was wondering when you'd finally regain consciousness."

Tsunade opened her mouth to ask a question, but all that came out was a croak. Seeing this, Sakura walked to the bedside and poured a small glass of water.

"You know the drill," she said, supporting Tsunade's head and bringing the glass to her lips. "Don't gulp. Small sips only."

Tsunade briefly gave her student a scathing look before calming down. She'd do the same thing if she was in Sakura's place. It's the mothering instinct that kicks in when someone is in your care. She nodded sullenly and took a few small sips, wetting her throat enough so that she could talk.

"What… What time is it?" she asked hoarsely.

"Almost nine thirty at night…"

"I've been unconscious for almost eleven hours?"

"…on Tuesday." Sakura finished. "It's nine thirty at night on Tuesday. You've been unconscious for a day and a half."

Tsunade blinked her one good eye a few times in disbelief, before sinking further into her pillow. "How did I get here?"

"Kakashi picked you up from the crater you were pounded into and Naruto used the Hiraishin to bring you both to the hospital."

"Oh." Tsunade glanced sideways at her student. "Why are you here? I thought you weren't taking shifts at the hospital for awhile."

"Naruto told Kakashi to have them specifically send for me. Apparently, he wanted to make sure you got the best care possible." She chuckled wryly. "It's nice to know I still have some use around here, and that he still has some faith in me."

Tsunade closed her eye and sighed heavily. "How bad is it?"

Sakura walked to the end of the bed and picked up her chart, flipping through the pages as she listed off the injuries. "Your left orbital bone is fractured. Although I couldn't confirm it, you probably have some blurred vision so I thought it best to keep it bandaged for now. And between that and the grade 2 concussion you suffered, I'm making sure the room remains dim because bright light will give you severe headaches and shooting pain. You have four broken ribs; three on the right and one on the left. Your left arm and leg are broken in three places each, so they're both in a cast. And last but not least, your right hip was dislocated badly enough that your right ankle was lying next to your head." She snapped the chart shut. "Then there's all the cuts and bruises you had. I took care of most of them, but you're still going to ache something fierce for a few days. Whatever attack Naruto used certainly did a number on your body."

Tsunade winced at the items on the list. "Well, I was doing fine until he hit me with that jutsu at the end. It felt like he dropped the entire sky on my head."

"Why were you even fighting him in the first place?"

"He…" Tsunade briefly considered telling Sakura about the incentive Naruto had offered her, then thought better of it. No sense in pouring salt on an open wound. "He was tired of holding all that anger towards me inside. Said it wasn't doing either of us any good. He wanted to show me what life outside the village did to him." She shuddered. "He wasn't kidding when he used the word monster. You're lucky, Sakura. It could just as easily have been you lying here with me, since both of us are most responsible for what I saw."

Sakura turned melancholy. "Trust me, I know. You bring it up without fail every week during our sessions."

"Speaking of which, you missed the last two. Why?"

Sakura stared vacantly stare out the window. Despite her pain and the fact that she only had one working eye, Tsunade could see her disciple was brooding heavily about something.

"I thought we talked about keeping things bottled up inside." Tsunade scolded her. "Now, why did you miss the last two sessions?"

The pinkette shrugged. "I just… I don't think they're helping anymore. I haven't made one lick of progress with the villagers, and after what happened with Ino…"

"Naruto would be very disappointed to hear that you're giving up. You just said you thought he still has some faith in you." Tsunade said, hoping the affirmation would stir something but it had the opposite effect.

"Faith in my skills, perhaps," she muttered despondently. "I honestly don't think I could disappoint Naruto any more than I already have. And it's not really him, it's… everyone else. I think I'm past the point of no return with the villagers. And I'm not asking Naruto to intervene on my behalf. I don't need people thinking I'm a whiny brat who can't fix her own problems without the Hokage's help."

Tsunade sighed. Even though Sakura had made tremendous progress regarding her skewed perception of Naruto always being the center of attention, she had to agree that asking him for help would only make things worse with the villagers. But that didn't mean giving up was the answer. She was worried because it seemed like Sakura was becoming more and more lost.

Tsunade stared absently at the ceiling. "I wonder if he'll come to see me."

"Who? Naruto?" Sakura pointed towards the nightstand on the far side of the bed. "He's already been by. Three times."

Three times? Tsunade turned her head and saw a bottle of saké with a note attached to it sitting on the nightstand. She recognized the brand and vintage… It was very expensive. It was worth about as much as an A-rank mission.

"He had to leave this morning for Kirigakure," Sakura further explained, "I wasn't happy with him leaving alcohol in the hospital, but he was insistent. Made it an 'order from the Hokage'. Said that it was extremely important for you to see it when you woke up."

He knows I gave up drinking, Tsunade wondered, so why would he spend a small fortune on a bottle of saké I'm not even going to use? Unless what's really important is…

"Sakura, can I have that note on the bottle?"

"Sure. Just remember, you're on some serious pain meds so don't overdo it." She placed the note in Tsunade's right hand. "I'll give you some privacy. I'll be back to check on you in an hour, but if you need a nurse before then just press the call button."

Once Tsunade was alone, she flipped the note open and began to read…

*:*:*

*:*:*

Tsunade,

If you're reading this then it means you're finally awake. You have no idea how grateful I am for that fact. Besides Sakura, I've had an ANBU stationed outside your window to alert me on the off chance you'd wake up while she was out of the room. I wanted to talk with you in person before I left for Kirigakure, but without knowing when you'd regain consciousness I couldn't delay my mission. And I wanted our first conversation to be face to face rather than just this handwritten note.

This wasn't what I intended at all when I suggested we have a fight. I just wanted a way for both of us to let out our frustrations and sorrows… to show how much each of us were hurting inside over what happened. I wanted you to see the pain; feel the anger that almost consumed me for eight years of my life but not to the extent that you did.

I was warned on multiple occasions what the dangers would be if I lost control and let my emotions fuel the forbidden jutsu I had learned – that eventually, I'd end up hurting those I love. And now, here I am – supposedly older and wiser, yet it appears I've learned nothing because once again, I've hurt the ones I love.

I'm not very good at expressing feelings like this openly, Tsunade. And my time away from the village only built that wall higher, causing me to further withdraw into myself. But you should know that you're the closest thing to a mother I've ever had, and that's why what you did hurt me so much. You're almost as much a part of my family as Hinata and Hikaru – in some ways, even more so because you and Pervy-sage were special to me long before I was aware of my feelings for Hinata.

And it's because of that fact that I'm ashamed at how our fight ended – not necessarily the fight itself. That last attack and the strength I put behind it is what I would use to face a true enemy, and not someone who is more important to me than just a casual acquaintance or friend.

I had a right to be angry, but no right to do what I did. I lost control – something I swore I would never do again – and you're in the hospital right now because of it. All I can do at this point is apologize, and tell you how sorry I am.

However, Hinata basically issued an ultimatum to me, saying that a simple apology isn't going to cut it and she's right – I need to do something meaningful as a way to make this up to you. The saké this note was attached to is a visible reminder of my promise to do so.

You've said that you refuse to have another drink until I've forgiven you. I was planning on doing so whether you won the fight or not, but I'm formally saying that you're forgiven, and I'm hoping you can do the same for me.

When I return from Kirigakure, I have a meeting scheduled with the Hyūga clan to discuss Neji taking over for Hiashi. Normally I wouldn't involve myself with something like this, but I've got a feeling that when the elders realize they've been outsmarted, things are going to get ugly very quickly. And since I'm the Hokage and technically a member of the clan, I think Neji would very much appreciate my support. I also plan on bringing Hinata just to piss them off.

After that, I'll come by the hospital to see you. I think its past time that I told you about what happened to me while I was gone. That way you can better understand what I've become and why – and maybe help me find a way to fix what's been broken. Perhaps we can also talk about something else I can do to make it up to you… me just saying 'I forgive you' seems like the cheap and easy way out.

So get some rest and do what Sakura says so that you'll get better quickly. I'd like it very much if you could join the rest of your family for dinner at my house as soon as possible. Oh, and one more thing…

That was a good fight… Baa-chan.

Naruto

*:*:*

*:*:*

Tsunade read the final words and her lower lip began to tremble. Naruto had always held a special place in her heart and sure, she'd formally adopted him to be her grandson but she honestly had no clue as to his true feelings. To be told that he considered her the closest thing to a mother he ever had – it was a wonderful affirmation, but it also brought along with it a fresh wave of anguish because now she knew she'd hurt him far worse than she originally thought, and the reasons why.

She couldn't believe that he was willing to forgive her for any of it – that he considered eight years of his pain and suffering an equal trade for her being in the hospital. He was even remorseful about putting her there.

He was inviting her to be part of a family again… his family. And he'd called her Baa-chan – that sentence alone meant he'd truly forgiven her.

Tsunade pressed the note against her forehead as she began to cry, wetting it with tears. Even though she'd be in the hospital for a few weeks, she was overcome with joy because the reward she just received was far greater than anything she could have expected.

"You're forgiven, gaki…" she said in-between heartfelt sobs, "…and thank you. Thank you so much for forgiving me."

---

Sakura was walking down the stairs from the fifth floor, heading towards the second floor where the pediatric wing was located. Mikomi needed to be breast fed before she went back up to keep an eye on Tsunade, however her mind was occupied by more than just thoughts of her daughter at the moment.

So, it sounds like you're finally coming around to my way of thinking, Inner Sakura said smugly.

I thought I told you to go to hell, Sakura snapped back.

And I believe I've told you on more than one occasion that's impossible.

And I said I'm not listening to you anymore, which makes me wonder why you even bother sticking around.

Because I have infinite patience – along with the certainty that I will eventually be proven right. It's only a matter of time before you give in.

Let me tell you something, Sakura replied angrily, I may be on the verge of giving up, but even if I do there's no way I'll give in to you.

She forcefully pushed open the door to the second floor and turned right, heading towards the pediatric ward. This was not a conversation she wanted to have. Her inner voice had been relatively silent for the past few weeks – enough so that Sakura thought it might actually have vanished, but instead it had merely been skulking in the shadows of her subconscious.

She wanted it gone, but she had to do it herself. If she revealed to anyone, even Lady Tsunade that she had voices in her head, they'd lock her up in one minute and take Mikomi away from her the next. Not even Naruto could keep that from happening.

Still lost in thought, Sakura turned the last corner before the nursery and didn't notice Ino until she was within several feet of her. She came to a halt and stared at her classmate's back, wondering what she was doing there. They hadn't seen or talked to each other since that day on the Hokage Monument, and frankly Sakura didn't care to repeat the experience. She walked around Ino and continued on without saying a word.

When Ino noticed who had passed her, she quickly caught up to the pinkette and grabbed her arm. "Sakura! Hey Sakura, hold on a minute!"

Sakura sighed heavily. This wasn't the time or place for a confrontation, so she decided to keep things civil for the moment. "Ino. What are you doing here so late at night?"

"I… I was actually looking for you. I went by your house earlier and Sasuke said you'd been called to the hospital for something important for a few days."

"Lady Tsunade was admitted to the hospital," Sakura said after a brief pause, "I'm her attending physician while she's here."

"What the hell happened? Is she okay?"

"She's pretty beat up, but I'm sure with rest and treatment she'll be fine in a few weeks." Sakura shuddered as she remembered what Tsunade had said earlier…

He wasn't kidding when he used the word monster. You're lucky, Sakura. It could just as easily have been you lying here with me, since both of us are most responsible for what I saw.

"And I'm not saying a word about why she's here. If you're that desperate to find out, you can ask Lady Tsunade yourself when she's feeling up to it but I highly doubt she'll tell you anything." Sakura said curtly. The last thing she needed was Ino spreading gossip about Naruto and Tsunade all over the village. "Now you've said you were looking for me but you haven't said why. What do you want?"

Ino fidgeted nervously. "I, uh… I wanted to, um… apologize."

After the way things ended last time between them, Sakura found that statement to be highly unlikely. "I don't have time for this Ino. I'm very busy and…"

"No, I'm serious! Look, the last time we talked I acted like a real bitch. You saw how upset I was, then tried to help me and I… I basically screamed a whole bunch of horrible stuff in your face and I've been feeling like shit about it." Ino said contritely. "We've been kind of avoiding each other since then for different reasons, and I don't blame you at all for trying to keep me as far away from you as possible 'cause I would have done the same thing in your shoes."

"But I really wanted to talk with you and sort this out. I went to corner you at your house when I finally decided I'd had enough and got tired of waiting. When Sasuke said you were at the hospital, I figured this would work just as good." Ino looked sadly at her friend. "You've been busting your ass to try and make headway with the villagers. You haven't lashed out once, you've offered to help tons of people including me, and I just… didn't want this thing hanging between us anymore."

Ino remembered her conversation that day with Choji about the second chance she'd probably never have with him. Her heart still ached because she knew her own selfishness and stupidity were the reasons for that.

"So whether you accept it or not, I'm saying I'm sorry. Yes, I know how I screwed up with Choji isn't anywhere near the level of what happened with you, Hinata, Naruto and Hikaru but… everyone deserves a second chance. I'll never get mine with Choji, but I'm kinda hoping that maybe you could give me one. If you'd still like to be my friend, that is."

She actually believes we'd fall for that act?

Sakura ignored her inner voice as she eyed Ino skeptically. "Are you being serious?"

Ino nodded. "Dead serious. If you want, I'll even start a rumor that I'm an ungrateful bitch who slapped aside your hand when you offered me help."

"Well, actually you were."

"Then it'll be more believable since it's the truth, right?"

Sakura chuckled. Even if it was just casual banter back and forth, she sorely missed moments like this with her friends. Maybe she was finally making progress, after all.

"I think I'd like that very much, Ino. Besides, it'll be nice to have someone besides Sasuke and Mikomi to talk to. They both have about the same amount of conversational skill, but you're not nearly as intellectually stimulating as they are."

Ino chuckled as well. "Forehead."

"Pig."

The two of them started quietly at each other, the defining nicknames they'd used on each other since they were children still ringing in the air. Both of them realized this was the first small step towards renewing their friendship.

"Well," Ino began, shifting restlessly on her feet, "you said you were really busy so when you're not, let's get together and catch up, okay?"

Ino walked away, but Sakura had a nagging feeling as she watched her friend go – and it had nothing to do with her inner voice, who was grumbling in disdain in a corner of her mind. She suddenly felt that reconnecting with her friend would be better done sooner rather than later. And since she was already here…

"Ino, wait."

Ino stopped and turned around, wondering what Sakura wanted.

Sakura motioned towards the nursery. "Would you like to help me out with Mikomi? I didn't have time before I left the house to pump some breast milk for Sasuke to feed her, so I brought her to the hospital with me. Afterwards I'm going to be a bit tired and she falls asleep faster if someone walks around while holding her. We can talk while we're waiting to pass the time."

Ino smiled. "Yeah, sure. Why not? It sounds like fun."

This supposed victory of yours will be short lived. You and I both know it.

Feeling threatened? You should be, Sakura thought as she and Ino walked through the door into the nursery. Ino is the biggest gossip in town, and if I can prove to her I've changed she'll tell everyone else in Konoha. Your days are numbered.

I think not, Inner Sakura sneered. You may be feeling euphoric, but this is only a reprieve. You can try and fool yourself into thinking things will improve, but I know better. And when your world finally crumbles and you realize that you are nothing to this village anymore, I will be here to pick up the pieces of your shattered life.

But until that day comes… when we can return the pain they have given us tenfold… I am more than happy to wait.

---

A/N: Now, I know everyone was probably looking for the meeting with Neji and the Hyūga elders but this chapter ran WAY too long for me to put it in. Rest assured though that it will be a highlight of the next chapter.

So a major amount of this chapter was influenced by ideas and suggestions from my readers. And I have to say, I love that about this story. I love the fact that there's constant tweaks and changes, and that the plot can go in an entirely different direction. This story is so much different from the way I originally envisioned it, and I think it's only getting better.

To that end, if anyone has something you'd like to see or ideas that might help, throw them in your review when you leave one. You know I always personally answer and as I've mentioned on many occasions, if I use it you'll get the credit.

Now, will the next chapter take less time to write? And what's happening next? Well, I'm certainly going to try and get the chapter out sooner – this one would have been done way before this if I didn't keep rewriting big sections of it five times. As for the rest, we've got the meeting with the Hyūga elders. Kakashi spends time with Reira (love writing for that little girl!). Gideon and Gilgamesh make their next move, and it's a big one. Some other stuff happens too, but I won't mention it because I don't want to spoil things.

Poll! Okay, so the poll is closed and even after counting votes from reviews and PM's, by a margin of 12 percent my readers voted to have Choji stay with Karui. Now, I know some people will be unhappy with that but I will say that there's some MAJOR plot twists coming up because of how the vote turned out. And don't worry, Ino doesn't end up alone. I've already got something in store for her.

Recommendation time! Wow… I took a look through my stories list and there's far too many I'm keeping an eye on. By the same token, many of them haven't updated in quite some time and I'm really trying to make that a deciding factor with my recommendations going forward. There's nothing worse than reading a story and the next update comes out 6 months later, or not at all.

The story I'm recommending this time however, has some meat to it (43 chapters so far). It's updated regularly. It's NaruHina. Naruto is a badass. And the writing is very good.

The name of it is The Honoured Guest by Ziltoid. In this story, Naruto is kidnapped along with Hinata by Kumo. Naruto saves Hinata, and because of that Hiashi invites him to stay as his 'guest'. I'm actually enjoying how Hiashi is written in this story, and the interaction is even better because his wife (Hitomi) survives. It really pushes the envelope of some alternate theories as to how Naruto and the rest of his friends would have turned out if one little thing had gone differently (butterfly effect). Go on over and read it, and leave a review when you do – I'm sure the author would appreciate it!

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

www . fanfiction . *** / s / 10617730

REVIEWS! Wow! After breaking a record with chapter 28, you guys responded again and left me one hundred and twenty eight for chapter 29. That's unbelievable, and I can't thank everyone enough. I've said on more than one occasion I know of stories that have twice as many followers and favorites that don't have half as many reviews as mine does. It just shows that people are passionate and truly enjoy what I write. My success is all due to the support and ideas of my readers.

Let's see if we can keep that enthusiasm going. Like I said, I'm looking for reviews AND ideas to use. Leave me a review and tell me something you'd like to see happen in the story. I'm hoping to see a huge amount of creativity from everyone. Besides, those reviews help keep me moving, even when I hit the brick wall known as writer's block. So help me keep the engine running and leave me one, even if it's just something as simple as 'I loved it'. A few words are still powerful and I'd be very grateful.

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

Serious Sam