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.

33. Ch 32: Sacrifices Must Be Made

32. Sacrifices Must Be Made

Debbie does Dallas. Debbie does De Moines. Debbie does Dusseldorf. Busy girl, that Debbie.

Hello, my faithful readers. It's been far too long since my last update and I could give you the usual excuses…life, work, etc. But the truth is that the delay in getting this chapter out came down to three things – beta work for other stories, collaborating on a new story AND the opening scene for this story.

As I always do, I'd like to thank Titokhan and my anonymous beta for their help and support. Thanks for sticking with me for over two years, guys. And a special thank you to Fate-117 who asked to look over this chapter and found several errors all of us missed.

For those of you who asked for a pregnant sex scene at the beginning of the chapter, I want to apologize. I tried, I really did… and I rewrote the thing probably six times trying to get it right but in the end, it just didn't seem to fit. So instead, I went with a funny, awkward scene instead. I hope it makes up for the lack of a lemon, and actually I'm quite proud of how it turned out in the end.

I did beta work on the following stories – and if you get a chance head on over, check them out and leave a review. The writers would really appreciate it:

For The Love of the Hokage – Hendrixson

Naruto: Path to the Future – OGAFazer89AC

Rise of Ryujin – Arcana37210

An Uzumaki Scorned – SilentSambo88

A Reluctant Return – gigiree123

Sanctuary of the Wounded – weirdismyname

I would like to point out that none of that is a misprint. I did beta work for all of those and yes, I can't believe it either. I must be insane.

And now, to the last piece – the new story collaboration.

MattWilson83, creator of NaruHina Chronicles (among other totally awesome things) on DeviantArt received a request from one of his readers, asking for some scenes of Tsunade and Mei Terumi with Naruto, and he wanted some accompanying words to go with the pictures.

He asked if I'd like to collaborate on the story with him and considering the fact that he always helps me at the drop of a hat, I was grateful to help, as well as a little bit flattered. Originally, it was only supposed to be two chapters but it's gotten so much reader interest we've decided to keep it going. And Matt will be doing a drawing for every chapter. Giggity.

Be warned: there will be lemons in almost every chapter. And not just your average slightly smutty lemons – the descriptions will get quite graphic in several areas. So if that's not your thing, or you get offended by anything over a romantic level of lovemaking, don't even bother looking!

Also, fair warning – even though I'm a big NaruHina fan, the story is about Naruto primarily. There are no pairings in the traditional sense and Naruto will be sleeping with LOTS of different women. Chapter one is with Tsunade. Chapter two is with Mei Terumi. And chapter 3 is right around the corner…

If you want to see the accompanying artwork for it, just google "MattWilson83 Blogspot" and then click on "One Shot". If you're a Jiraiya Super Pervert, you'll love it.

And now on to credit where credit is due:

NarutoFanGirl45: You gave me the idea for the Naruto/Hinata sex scene. Thanks!

Guedesbrawl: The shadow clone idea in sex scene was yours. Good one!

DevilHeart435: You had several ideas for Sakura that I integrated into the scenes. More are coming next chapter. Thanks!

And of course, the usual heartfelt thanks to MattWilson83 who took time to help me with ideas, flow, additions and subtractions to the chapter. Your input is always appreciated, dude.

Now, on to the disclaimer. This one is rather obscure, and I doubt anyone will get it so I'll give you a hint. It was a TV sitcom that aired for 2 years (the second year sucked, though) from 1996-1997. And yeah, I know I'm dating myself by saying that.

Disclaimer – I don't own Naruto. And I was hoping to take you out to dinner tonight.

Sarah – Out where?

Disclaimer – That new French restaurant in town.

Sarah – Really? Which one?

Disclamer – Umm… Le House.

Sarah – That's a Waffle House. The "Waff" part of the sign rusted and fell off. (+10 if you get the reference this time!)

---

Chapter 32 – Sacrifices Must Be Made

Naruto sweatdropped.

Hinata wanted to have pregnant sex with him. And if he used what happened earlier tonight at the Hyūga compound as a guide, he had very little chance of winning any argument against it.

But that didn't mean he wasn't going to try.

"Uh, Hinata?" he asked, eyeing her warily. "What gives?"

The fire in her eyes would have melted steel. "Aren't I being obvious enough, Naruto-kun?"

"Well, umm… yeah, kinda. It looks like you're expecting us to have sex tonight." His eyes never leaving his wife, he attempted to crawl away from her, backwards across the bed, but Hinata noticed this and pounced on him, using her baby weight to keep him constrained.

Maybe she'd gotten a few tips from Choji, or one of the other Akimichi on how to use that extra weight effectively. Not that he'd ever dare ask them that.

"Then I think I've done a good job, because that's exactly what's going to happen." She pressed him onto the bed and straddled his hips. "And don't even think about using the Hiraishin to get away from me, Naruto-kun. Because if you do, I promise that the last few weeks you slept on the couch will seem like a five-star vacation by comparison."

Son of a bitch. He hadn't even thought of doing that, and now Hinata had closed that particular loophole. Still…

"Hinata, be reasonable. We can't do this."

She frowned at his refusal to cooperate. "What's the matter?" she asked, idly caressing his chest with her finger, "Don't you find me attractive at all?"

"Well, sure I do!" he exclaimed, reaching around and squeezing her ass for good measure. He loved flattering his wife. "You're the sexiest woman in the whole world!"

She smiled appreciatively. "Then are you feeling ill? Did Kurama's appearance earlier cause an unexpected problem?"

He shook his head. "Er, no… stuff like that only happened when I was younger. Now that Kurama and I are on good terms, his chakra doesn't really hurt me anymore."

"Then I'd say you're officially out of excuses." Her smoldering look returned full force. "I have quite a bit of pent-up sexual tension to get rid of…" She leaned in, pressing her breasts lightly against his chest, "…and I plan on keeping you busy for several hours tonight."

Naruto's face flushed. Fuck! This was like when she was trying to get pregnant all over again! Normally he would have noticed the signs immediately, but right from the start she was pretty damn distracting in that sexy lingerie, and what's worse is that she knew it. And if that wasn't bad enough, now her tits were hovering only inches from his face and it was… magnifying the issue. Those perky, supple, luscious mounds…

Hinata followed his gaze and smiled happily, knowing her distraction was working. Even if he wasn't staring at her breasts, the growing pressure on the inside of her thighs gave him away. With a sudden movement she bent down and kissed him, shoving her tongue aggressively into his mouth. Their kisses over the past several months had been loving, but nothing that lingered like this one and the rock-hard erection she was rubbing against only proved her point.

Naruto strained against the sensations running through his body. It took every ounce of effort he could muster from acting on his desires.

Of course, Hinata noticed his lack of… participation. Her lips still pressed against his, her eyes snapped open and saw that Naruto was staring at her apprehensively, which concerned her a great deal. She figured he'd have ripped her lingerie to shreds and attacked her full force by now.

"Naruto-kun, what's wrong?"

He tried to ignore the fact that his resistance was slowly slipping away. "Like I said Hinata, we can't do this."

"I believe other parts of your body would disagree," she simpered, grinding her hips against him. Naruto groaned in pleasure as he felt her wetness soak through his pants while she did it. "Give me one good reason why we can't have sex."

"Because! What if… you know…" He fidgeted nervously, looking away in embarrassment, "…I accidentally hurt the babies?"

"Excuse me?" she asked, her voice going up an octave or two.

"Well, think about it, Hinata… you're carrying twins, right? I figure every square inch of space in there is taken up and that means they're like, right next to the opening. Plus, they're really fragile right now so if I stuck myself up in there, they might get hurt."

She sat back and frowned, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "That may be the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life, Naruto-kun. You're above average, but not THAT big. The babies will be fine."

"How can you be so sure?" he asked worriedly.

"Because they teach things like this in the prenatal classes I've been taking," she admonished him, "and it's also in the baby book you borrowed from Sasuke. Didn't you read it?"

"I skipped over that chapter. Purposely." He propped himself up on his elbows and leaned close to her ear. "Besides… what if they saw it?" he whispered.

Hinata eyed him skeptically. "Why are you whispering? Saw what?"

"Naruto Jr.!" he exclaimed, his voice rising several decibel levels. "I don't want that being the first image our children see! It's creepy and wrong! And it'll probably look like a five foot tall monster because they're so small!"

Hinata groaned. "Thank you for ruining that for me. I was planning on naming one of our children after you if it was a boy, but now I can't because of what you just said. When did you decide to name it?"

"Sorry about that, Hinata. It's always had a name – you just never asked what it was and I never told you. And all men name their private parts. It's a guy thing. But the point is still valid – no pun intended."

Hinata was sure that if she activated her Byakugan, she could actually see the intelligence leaking out of her husband's ears. This argument was getting more and more ridiculous by the second. "Naruto-kun, I'm only in my second trimester. The babies can't even open their eyes yet. How could they possibly see your penis?"

Naruto attempted to defend his line of reasoning – even though his position was becoming increasingly unstable beneath his wife's withering gaze. "Well, c'mon Hinata. These are OUR kids we're talking about, which means they're bound to be far more advanced than anyone else. You're talking Uzumaki, Namikaze and Hyūga all wrapped up in one package. That's a recipe for awesomeness right there! Which means even if they can't see it, they could still sense it. And that's not a risk I'm willing to take."

Hinata's eyes went wide as the realization suddenly hit her. "Is… Is that the reason why we haven't had sex in months? Because you're afraid you might hurt the babies or give them nightmares about your… genitalia?"

He blinked a few times in obviousness. "Well, yeah. What else would it be?"

"What else? I thought you didn't find me attractive anymore!" She railed. "That you were turned off because I was fat and bloated! That you were terrified of me and my mood swings!"

He shrugged his shoulders as best as he could. "I gotta admit, your mood swings are pretty scary – and some of the food you've been eating makes even my stomach turn. But to me, you're still the prettiest woman ever. I just didn't want to hurt or scare the babies."

Hinata narrowed her eyes dangerously and pushed him back onto the bed. "Naruto-kun, I've been horny for the last several months and you've been avoiding me for a reason that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever." She grabbed the neck of his shirt and ripped downward, exposing his muscular and well-toned chest. "And right now, there's nothing you can say or do that's going to keep me from getting what I want."

***Sidestep***

Hikaru jerked awake, sitting up in bed and breathing heavily, his body drenched in a cold sweat. The nightmare he'd been having was a rather terrifying one – Reira was chasing him around Konoha trying to kiss him. And no matter how fast he ran, or where tried to hide she was always waiting for him around every corner with that sickeningly sweet smile she always wore plastered across her face.

He reached over the side of his bed and grabbed the dirty shirt he'd worn today, which luckily enough was lying on his floor and not in the hamper. He wiped his forehead and tossed it unceremoniously in the corner of his room.

This was the fourth dream this month. He'd never get a good night's sleep again if this kept up, and this wasn't something he could talk to his parents about. Neither of them understood the horror… the sheer horror of a six-year old girl stalking you mercilessly, wanting to be around you all the time, pre-planning your life with her…

Then again, maybe his mom understood but there's no way he'd bring that subject up again. Even his dad looked terrified of her that day of the birthday party.

"Like I said Hinata, we can't do this."

His father's voice suddenly wafted into his room. Couldn't do what? It sounded like his parents were arguing. Well, arguing might be the wrong word – they weren't shouting at each other. Right now it sounded more like a heated discussion. Maybe the meeting at the Hyūga compound didn't go as well as they'd hoped and something happened afterwards.

"…I accidentally hurt the babies?"

Huh? Hurt what babies? The ones his mom was carrying? What the heck was going on down there? Were they having a sparring match in the house? He threw his covers off and silently padded across the carpet, trying to eavesdrop on the conversation. His mother's voice was too low to hear anything but his father, however didn't have that same problem. His voice was crystal clear.

"How can you be so sure?"

He moved further down the hall, coming to a stop at the top of the stairs so he could hear them. It was times like this when he was glad that Hokage-sensei – or should it be Kakashi-sensei now that he wasn't Hokage anymore? – had taught him some of the ANBU stealth techniques. He decided this was as far as he'd go, since his parents might be able to sense him if he got any closer.

"The babies can't even open their eyes yet. How could they possibly see your penis?"

Good. He could finally hear his mom's voice, and… Wait a minute. What did his mom just say?

He shook his head, chuckling silently to himself. Nah, that couldn't be right. There's no way his mom was talking about…

"…the reason why we haven't had sex in months?"

Hikaru froze, his skin paling several shades as he realized what was going on.

He didn't mishear what his mom just said. His parents were talking about sex. They… They were going to have sex while he was in the house and somehow, they'd forgotten to put up a silencing jutsu. He knew how to make a seal that could do the same thing, but at this point it wouldn't make a difference because whether he could hear it or not, he'd know what they were doing.

The way he saw it, right now he only had one option – escape. It didn't matter how late it was. He needed to get out of here, and fast – before what was going to happen permanently warped his fragile, nine-year old mind.

"…I've been horny for the last several months, and you've been avoiding me…"

He moved swiftly back into his room and searched frantically in the dark for a clean shirt and pair of pants, making absolutely sure he remained silent because the last thing he needed was for his parents to hear him moving around. The situation was traumatic enough and he didn't need to make it worse than it already was.

"Hinata, stop ripping my clothes off!"

Move faster, move faster… Shirt, pants, shoes… Gotta change clothes quickly…. This would be so much easier if things weren't pitch black. With all the ninja training he'd had, he should be better than this…

"Trying to get away by using shadow clones, Naruto-kun? Maybe you can have them join in instead."

Forget it. He'd change on the way. Some late night training far away from here, where his screams of horror wouldn't cause mass panic among the villagers or a visit from the ANBU. Yeah. That's just what he needed to get these horrifying images out of his mind and if it didn't work, maybe one of the Yamanaka could wipe his memory… a severe blow to the head might even work in a pinch…

"OOOOOHHHHHH…"

Clothes in hand, eyes wide in terror and only seconds away from a panic attack, Hikaru leapt out of the window and ran as fast as he could across the village rooftops for Training Ground twenty-six.

---

A chakra enhanced fist slammed into a tree, shattering it into hundreds of splinters. Before any of them had a chance to hit the ground she pivoted, pulverizing a nearby boulder with an overhead axe kick and then collapsed on all fours, panting heavily with exertion.

I find it interesting that you think this little exercise routine will help get rid of me.

Sakura ground her teeth. Conversations with her inner voice lately had become nothing more than an exercise in futility… no matter what argument she made, in the end it circled right back to the beginning and started at the same point all over again. In addition to that, the tone had turned more snippy and sarcastic, which had the desired effect of raising her ire.

Hence the reason why she was out here, blowing off some steam at Training Ground twenty-six. She was glad that Naruto gave her permission to use it whenever she needed.

I'm not that deluded. I know it won't, but I'm through using other people as a punching bag. I'll take out my frustrations with you on the local landscape instead.

You're referring to your current Hokage and former teammate, as usual.

Him and a few other people, but yes. I'm finally making some progress with everyone thanks to Ino. This entire thing started with Naruto, it'll end with him and I'll be damned if I take a step back with anyone – especially him – because of you.

I find the original way preferable… and much more satisfying. It's only a matter of time before you come back around to my way of thinking.

Sakura struggled to her feet and stood on her slightly shaking knees. Go fuck yourself. I swear, if someone told me I could get rid of you permanently by carving out a section of my brain with a rusty spoon, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Which only proves how delusional you truly are, considering that my presence within your consciousness hasn't convinced you of that already. A simple lobotomy won't be enough to remove me permanently – even if it something like that were possible in the first place.

Sakura had a nasty reply planned, but stopped short when she felt a presence at the edge of the forest.

Well, it looks like you'll get a chance to prove how much you've changed with another one of the villagers. It appears we have company.

"Who's there?" she demanded, glaring into the darkness. "Show yourself."

There was silence for several seconds. Sakura clenched her fist, ready to punch the ground and rip the treeline to shreds but then Hikaru walked out of the darkness.

"Hikaru?!" She drew back a bit, surprised that he was out here of all places at the exact same time she was.

"Sakura," he replied after a moment, his stone grey eyes boring into her.

She winced. He was still very angry with her – not that he didn't have good reason for it. Throughout her sessions with Lady Tsunade and a great deal of self-reflection, she realized how badly she'd treated Hikaru. During the entire time she'd carried him, her inner voice had subtly influenced her, making the argument that this was a mistake that had to be corrected before Sasuke came back to Konoha.

The word abortion had come up more than once, and each time Sakura promptly shot the idea down. It may have been a mistake, but she'd created a life inside her. The baby was innocent in all this, and shouldn't have to pay the ultimate price for her stupidity.

So once she delivered Hikaru, ridding her body of what her inner voice termed as 'nothing but a burden'. Then she took the coward's way out and discarded him like an unwanted gift, without care or consequence.

Maybe she was wrong earlier. This whole thing began with Naruto, but it would ultimately end with Hikaru.

"This is my dad's private training ground," he said impassively. "I wasn't expecting to see you here. What're you doing out here so late?"

"Naruto… your dad… gave me permission to use it," she explained, rubbing her upper arm nervously. "I can't get out here except late at night after… Sasuke gets home. Somebody has to be there to watch Mikomi."

She couldn't understand why she was acting like this; practically stuttering in front of a nine-year old boy. But he had a presence that was strange – almost fearless – and very determined. It was almost like staring at Naruto when he was younger… before she'd sucked the happiness and optimism out of him.

"What about you?" she asked. "Shouldn't you be home, in bed?"

"I… needed to get out of the house." A look passed across his face and Hikaru shivered. "Mom and dad were having a… private discussion that I didn't need to hear."

Nothing was said – the awkward, tense silence stretched on as each of them wondered what the other was thinking – and why they stuck around instead of leaving.

Sakura finally decided to speak up. "Hikaru, I…"

"Why?" he interrupted tersely.

She blinked a few times in confusion. "I… don't understand what you're asking. Why what?"

"Why do you hate my dad so much?"

Sakura was shocked – not only by the question, but also by the sheer bluntness of it. The boy was definitely just like his father.

"Hikaru, I don't hate your dad. I never did."

"That's a load of crap," he shot back. "You were pretty specific that night at the hospital. Especially that part where my dad proposed and you ripped his heart out."

Sakura cringed. With everything going on in her life, she'd forgotten he was there that night with Neji and overheard everything.

The boy certainly is perceptive, isn't he? I'm sure he got his intelligence from you, and not that dunce of a Hokage. I know where this line of questioning is going – but even without me saying so, I believe you already have an idea.

And I thought I told you to go fuck yourself. "Alright – I admit there were times when I was angry and yes, even hated your dad. I said and did some things I shouldn't have and I… I hurt people because of that. Mostly your father, but he wasn't the only one." She took a breath, trying to get rid of the pit that was forming in her stomach. "I was stupid and I was wrong. But believe me when I say I never truly hated your dad. It's just… complicated."

He narrowed his eyes at her accusingly. He may not be the smartest kid around, but he was real good at spotting when someone was evading a question. Mainly because he did it all the time.

"Complicated how?" he pressed.

"It's… kind of hard to explain," she said hesitantly. "You might not know this, but every Team Seven since Konoha was founded has had a complicated and checkered past," she said sadly. "Ours wasn't any different."

"That's another lie. From what I remember, you were the most complicated part of the whole thing," he said matter-of-factly. "My dad was pretty clear with his feelings. And Uncle Sasuke didn't really care one way or the other."

"I know," she sighed heavily, feeling defeated. "I know almost everything that happened was because of me. But that doesn't mean it wasn't complicated."

Another evasion. "Okay. You don't wanna say anything about that? Fine. But what about me?"

"What about you?"

"Well, if you didn't hate my dad then you must've hated me, right?"

Her jaw dropped. She was dumbstruck that he could make a statement like that so casually, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Hikaru, why would you even think something like that?" she exclaimed, aghast. "Of course I didn't hate you!"

"Then what was it?" he yelled angrily. "That night at the hospital, you said you didn't want anything around that constantly reminded you of my dad. That's why you gave me up." He pointed an accusatory finger at her. "I don't know how I can believe you with all the lies you've told, but if you're not lying to me right now, then that means there's gotta be another reason – and I'm the only thing left!"

Well, this certainly is an interesting turn of events. However, I see two paths before you. If you're truly interested in being honest with the boy, then by all means tell him about me – the voice that convinced you to say those things to Naruto, crushing his heart like a grape in the hope that he would go after Sasuke and convince him to come back to Konoha for you. And let's not forget that I'm also the one who convinced you to get rid of the boy as well. I'm sure he'd love to hear about the alternate personality swimming around inside your head, influencing your every word and thought since before you joined the Academy.

No, she couldn't do that – telling Hikaru the truth right now would be a mistake, on a number of levels. She was disgusted that her Inner Voice knew it and rather sarcastically pointed it out.

"I'm… sorry, Hikaru. All I can say is that I wasn't lying before. I don't hate your dad, or you. And you didn't do anything wrong. You weren't responsible for anything that happened. It was entirely my fault."

"That's it? That's all I get?" he grated through clenched teeth. "Why can't you just give me a straight answer?"

"Because I just can't. Like I said before, it's… complicated."

Hikaru stared at her, anger coursing through his veins. Even if she wasn't lying, she still wasn't telling him everything – just like his mother did all those years when he repeatedly asked who his father was. He knew for sure this was another secret that'd hurt him just like that one did when he found out the entire truth. Rage burning in his eyes, he raised his right hand in front of him, palm up.

Sakura wondered what he was doing, and then her eyes widened momentarily in surprise as a Rasengan formed in his hand – not only from the fact that he could actually do it, but also because he was threatening her with it. And she could tell by the look on his face that he knew exactly how dangerous the technique was.

For someone trained by one of the legendary Sannin, stopping him would be child's play but in all honesty, she didn't know if she wanted to… or deserved to. Instead, she knelt down, bringing her head to his level and gazed sorrowfully into his eyes.

"Hikaru, what I did was wrong and there's nothing I can say or do to justify it. I can tell you a million times over how sorry I am, but I know that'll sound like a pathetic attempt at forgiveness," she said sadly. "But I promised your father that no matter what it took, I'd make things right. That I'd show everyone how sorry I was, rather than just say it."

"You have every right to hate me right now. If I was in your place I'd feel the same way. But believe me when I say carrying around hatred like that and feeding it constantly only makes it stronger. It influences your thoughts and actions until eventually, it takes on a life of its own…"

In the space of a heartbeat the expression on her face changed to one Hikaru had seen many times before. More often when his parents had first gotten married and less frequently now, but it still appeared from time to time when his father was having a particularly rough day.

It was someone who was weary of the world and the weight it put on your shoulders. Someone saddened by what their life had become due to the choices they'd made.

"…and then, you become someone like me." A tear rolled down her cheek as a look of dejection and hopelessness crossed her face. "Trapped in a reality woven from bad decisions and lies that you've made for yourself – and there's nothing you can about it except live with the consequences."

And in that moment, Hikaru felt a sliver of pity and sorrow for the woman.

"Your father… when we were younger, everyone hated him because of Kurama. The villagers did horrible things to him, but he never gave in to that hatred. He always smiled, never had a bad word to say about anybody, and then…" she swallowed heavily against the guilt building up inside her, "…and then I did what no one else had ever been able to do and turned him into what you see today." She closed her eyes and bowed her head submissively. "I won't let your hatred of me do the same thing to you that it did to your father. So if you feel that using the Rasengan on me is the only way you'll get rid of it, then fine… I won't try to stop you. Kami knows I deserve far worse for what I did."

Hikaru stared at her, kneeling on the ground several feet in front of him with her eyes closed, waiting for the final blow. The Rasengan swirled in his hand, ripping through the air faster and faster as his anger fueled the condensed ball of chakra. The high pitched whine it made caused the hairs on the back of their necks to stand on end.

All he could see was the face of this uncaring woman who gave him up. Who didn't love him. Who hurt his father. Who made his mother promise to keep the truth from him back then. Who was keeping the truth from him now.

She was the source. The cause of it all. Every bad thing that happened to his family. He hated her… hated her… hated…

Her life was in his hands. She wasn't making any move to defend herself, accepting any punishment he decided to give. He could end it if he wanted…

Or show her mercy…

No, he hated her... She threw him away. He hated her…

He'd overheard his parents talking about the old lady. She'd been in the hospital for the past few weeks. His dad had put her there and somehow, things were better after he beat her up. The same thing could happen here, right?

He didn't want it better. He wanted it worse. He wanted her to suffer. Like his mother did. Like his father did.

She hadn't moved an inch. Her head was still bowed; her hair wafting slightly in the breeze. She was waiting for the final judgment.

His judgment.

He took a step closer and raised his hand… then he froze as the image of the woman in front of him shimmered, like the heat coming off a hot street in the summertime and suddenly, there was a small girl in her place, not even a year old with pink hair and jet black eyes, smiling innocently at him.

The eyes of a child named Mikomi.

He snapped back to reality. He'd almost forgotten that Sakura was somebody else's mother. And if he took her away from that little girl, he'd be no better than the woman sitting in front of him.

He couldn't do it. He wasn't that kind of person.

He spun, plowing the Rasengan into a nearby boulder and causing it to explode. Sakura was pelted with debris and she coughed, waving her hand in front of her face to clear away the dust. Once she could breathe again and everything settled she saw Hikaru, standing over a small crater where the boulder had once been.

"Hikaru?" she muttered. She was surprised, but happy he hadn't done it.

"Don't," he said flatly, his body trembling with fear and shame over how close he'd just come to crossing the line. "Just don't say it. Don't thank me. Because hurting you would hurt other people. That's what you did to my dad. And I'm not gonna be like you."

The words pierced her heart, and she almost broke down right then and there. Even though she'd been reminded of what she did many times, this one seemed to hurt the most. "I…I didn't know you could do the Rasengan," she said, smiling ruefully. "That's very impressive, Hikaru. It looks like you got your talent for ninjutsu from your father… but unfortunately, you got your temper from me."

Everything was quiet as Hikaru thought about that. This woman could have been so much more to him, but up until his dad came back to Konoha, she'd barely even acknowledged his existence.

"You know," she said hesitantly, "I realize I'm not the best person in the world. And I do have some bad qualities. But somewhere deep down, maybe… just maybe you inherited one of your good qualities from me."

The silence with Hikaru stretched on, becoming more and more uncomfortable.

After a few more seconds, she gave him a hopeful smile. "Don't you think that's possible?"

Hikaru was still quiet and hadn't moved an inch – but Sakura didn't know what else to say.

"No," he said bitingly, as he turned around and walked away, "it's not. I got everything good from my mother. Because she's the one who raised me. And not you."

Hikaru disappeared into the darkness of the forest, leaving Sakura kneeling on the ground, squeezing her eyelids shut against the tears that stung at the corners of her eyes.

You stupid, ignorant girl, Inner Sakura seethed, the malice practically dripping from the voice of the darker personality. You should have known from the start he wouldn't accept your offer. You gained nothing from that little stunt you just attempted to pull – other than the boy harbors more hatred and resentment towards us than before. And yet you still refuse to take revenge on him, or anyone else in this village because of your foolish desire to… make amends.

You will come to regret the decision you've made here tonight. Mark my words… if the opportunity ever presents itself, I will definitely make you regret your decision.

---

Hiashi raised the teacup to his lips, inhaling the aroma of the sweet Jasmine tea. He closed his eyes and sipped, letting the hot liquid trickle down his throat and relishing the taste. He was fond of this particular blend, sold only in this specific teahouse, which unfortunately enough for him was located on the far side of the village near the Sarutobi clan.

He could feel something was off, so he opened his eyes and looked over the rim of his cup. The three women sitting with him at the table were staring expectantly back at him.

"I can't help but feel that there is some sort of hidden agenda present at our gathering here today. Are you three planning an intervention?" he asked, placing his cup back on the saucer. "Because based on your general demeanor and posture, it certainly seems like one. Although I have no idea what it might be for."

Hinata and Hanabi smiled slightly, but Tenten chuckled dryly. "Yes and no, Hiashi. It's an intervention, but not in the way you might think."

"Then should I be worried?" He folded his hands and remained calm, even though on the inside he was slightly more guarded. "It can't be a coincidence that you have me perfectly positioned with my back against the wall, cutting off any potential for escape." He let out a small, humorless laugh. "Besides, even if I had such an option I think it would be best to avoid it. I wouldn't want to be on the bad side of three pregnant women, especially those I'm related to."

Hinata laughed merrily. "Father, please… that may be true about Tenten, but Hanabi and I aren't nearly that scary."

Normally, Tenten and Hanabi thought. They remembered an incident years ago when one of the local vendors had gone too far, taunting Hikaru about being illegitimate, loudly and in full view of everyone else at the local market.

'Bastard' had been the word he'd actually used.

After Hikaru had come home crying, Hinata went to see him, hoping to have a rational conversation with the man… and ended up destroying his shop.

And part of the one next door.

And putting the man in the hospital with a concussion.

Although, to be fair he'd sustained the injury when one of the ceiling beams fell on his head, and not from Hinata hitting him.

"Ignoring for the moment that Hinata's lying through her teeth," Tenten said, rolling her eyes, "we actually do have a good reason for this meeting, Hiashi."

"Wait a minute," Hinata interrupted, "how am I lying?"

"Because you're the scariest one out of all of us!" Tenten exclaimed.

Hinata's eyes grew wide. "Tenten! That's a horrible thing to say! I'm probably the nicest…"

"And that!" Tenten exclaimed, "That right there is why you're so scary! Usually you're all nice and shy and sweet, but if anyone pisses you off, it's like being locked in a room with a rabid wolverine!"

"Ladies, please calm down." Hanabi stated calmly and yet terrifying at the same time, sending a chill down the spine of everyone within earshot, "This isn't the time or place for a discussion on this. The two of you can lay equal claim to that title – since in your own particular way, both of you can be pretty scary."

That's the pot calling the kettle black, the two of them thought sullenly. Tenten pouted while Hinata blushed, twisting her wedding ring nervously on her finger.

Hanabi turned her attention back to Hiashi. "We wanted to talk about your future with your grandchildren."

Hiashi suddenly had a sinking feeling in his stomach. This was standard procedure when delivering bad news – have the meeting in public, where causing a scene would be highly embarrassing and practically unthinkable for someone from the Hyūga clan.

These girls… no, these women knew exactly what they were doing and had played their cards well.

"I'd be happy to discuss that particular topic – as long as it's in a positive light." Hiashi remained stately, despite the hint of nervousness he was feeling. "It does come as a bit of a surprise, though. We usually restrict ourselves to lighthearted conversations when we meet for tea. Is there something I should be concerned about?"

The three women glanced nervously at each other, wondering what would be the best way to proceed since this was a delicate subject that should be treated with care.

"I wouldn't say concerned, Father." Hinata reassured him. "It's not the real reason we wanted to talk to you today – but it's definitely tied to it."

"I see." Hiashi rather firmly set his cup down on the saucer, making a very audible 'clink'. "Then perhaps you could enlighten me as to what the real reason is?"

"Naruto spilled the beans." Tenten said gruffly. "We know why you've been spending more time with us lately."

Hiashi frowned in disappointment. "I find that to be truly upsetting. While I never explicitly asked him to keep those conversations private, I assumed he would have done so. Next time I'll have to be more specific – and not quite so generous with my trust."

"You're jumping to conclusions, Father." Hanabi chided him. "You might find this hard to believe, but Naruto actually defended you – on several occasions."

"And just why would our Hokage defend me? He has no reason to."

"I think… it's because Naruto-kun understands that you've suffered – both at the hands of life, and from those in positions of power and influence within the clan," Hinata said sympathetically, her eyes softening. Tenten and Hanabi glanced sideways at her but remained quiet. "He's experienced similar pain in his own life. And just like what happened with him, he knows it wasn't entirely your fault."

Hiashi's façade faltered for a moment as he chuckled at the irony. The last thing he'd expected to hear was that anyone – especially Naruto – could relate to the mistakes he'd made.

When the average person on the street calls you a failure as a father, you tend to ignore them and continue on because they are either beneath your notice, or drunk. Sometimes both.

It was another thing entirely when someone with enough power to wipe you out in the space of a heartbeat says the same thing. You tend to pay attention to people like that.

After learning the truth about the sacrifice Hinata had made to care for Hikaru – as well as several candid meetings with Naruto – he found himself reflecting more and more on his life, and his role as a father.

And he was saddened by it all. Other people might say horrified. Or perhaps disgusted.

"Nee-san and I… we want you to know that we understand too," Hanabi said kindly, reaching out and grasping one of his hands. "When mother died it was very hard on you. And the council and the elders only made matters worse when they suggested Uncle Hizashi take your place to pacify Kumogakure."

"They used all that pain and anger you were holding inside to their advantage." Hinata continued, taking his other hand in her own. "They made you believe that a lack of control is what caused everything. That if you'd been stricter, things would have turned out differently, rather than be left to chance."

"You treated Nee-san and me harshly because they made you believe that was the correct thing to do." Hanabi squeezed his hand gently. "They pitted us against each other, making sure the needs of the clan came before the happiness of our own family."

"But neither of us hold a grudge against you because of that," Hinata said, smiling warmly at him. "Despite what you might think, we both still love you very much."

Hiashi stared back at his children in disbelief. He'd done nothing to earn their forgiveness and yet here they were, offering him their unconditional love. It was not only a powerful gesture, but also immensely humbling since he didn't deserve it in the least.

"Thank you, daughters." he said gratefully, his voice thick with emotion. "It means a great deal to know you don't hate me because of both what I did, and what I allowed others to do. But that leaves me to wonder, in what way does any of this deal with my future grandchildren? Are you concerned about my influence on them because of past experiences, and prefer that my interaction with them be limited due to that? Because I certainly wouldn't blame you if that's the case."

"That's not it at all, Hiashi." Tenten shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Even though she was technically family, that was a special moment between Hiashi and his daughters… and that's something she most definitely was not. "We're not looking to keep you from your family. It's just that now you've got plenty of time, seeing as you don't have to deal with running the clan anymore. And the three of us feel this is a prime opportunity for you to fix some additional parts of your life."

Hiashi reluctantly drew back his hands and stared warily at her. "Fix other parts of my life? Such as what?"

"Please don't be suspicious of us, father." Hinata leaned back in her chair and absently rubbed her belly. "It's just that… we believe you should be happy. You may not think so, but everyone deserves happiness, even you."

"And mother has been gone for a long time now," Hanabi added, "but I think she'd want you to be happy too."

"None of us want to be insensitive, but this whole downward spiral of your life started when your wife passed away." Tenten tried to say it as gently as she could, but wow she sucked at this. Even Hanabi was better than her. Probably. Maybe. "You can't just think that being a better father or grandfather will fix everything. You need the other half – you need to find someone to share your life with. That's the only way you're really going to heal."

At first Hiashi was taken aback – and a little bit offended. Hitomiko had been such an integral and important part of his life. Losing her had been heartbreaking, and the thought of replacing his beloved wife… pain lanced through him at the thought of it, along with a hint of anger at the absurdity of the idea.

But then he realized – maybe this is exactly the point they were trying to make.

He was tired of the pain. He didn't want to hurt anymore. Or be known as nothing but a cold hearted failure of a father. And he wasn't going to get better if he wasn't even interested in trying.

"It… sounds like you three have put a lot of thought into this, and your points are taken, albeit a bit reluctantly. I know you're not doing this out of spite, but rather out of concern and I'm grateful that you still care enough about me to broach such a delicate and sensitive subject. Although, against my better judgment I have to ask if you're bringing this up because you have someone in mind that you plan on suggesting."

Hanabi pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it over. "Actually, no… but we made a list of personal qualities that any woman you consider should have."

He quickly glossed over it. "There are twenty two items on this list."

"That's right. We know. " Tenten said.

"Isn't there any way you can shorten it?"

"That… That is the shortened list," Hinata said sheepishly. "The original one had forty seven items."

Hiashi eyed the three of them suspiciously. "And if I refuse? Will this keep me from seeing my grandchildren?"

"No." Tenten shook her head. "We're not so shallow and heartless that we'd do something like that. But we think it'll definitely make a difference in your life. Happiness tends to spread to other people you interact with… and that's something you don't have a lot of right now."

He hesitated for a moment as he thought about it. Despite his misgivings, he couldn't dismiss the fact that their argument held a lot of merit. And if he was truly interested in turning over a new leaf, he should make the effort. Not only for the sake of his children and grandchildren, but also for himself.

"Then I will consider it – but I'm making no promises. I won't choose someone just for the sake of pacifying any of you."

"And we wouldn't expect you to, Hiashi," Tenten replied. "We just want you to find happiness. And love. But we all feel you need a little kick in the pants to help you get started."

Hiashi's gaze remained placid, but on the inside he was chuckling, mostly at himself. In his entire life, he didn't think he'd ever agreed to so many demands at once, and he found it surprising and a little disconcerting as to how much influence these three women held over him.

But maybe he could surprise them as well and show them he could actually change, rather than just saying it. Not something small and self-serving, but something emotionally impactful and selfless.

"Then since you have made so many conditions – even going so far as to provide me with a list – I would like to make one of my own, Tenten."

She quirked an eyebrow. "And that is?"

"Since you have married Neji and are now part of this clan, technically you should refer to me as 'Uncle' rather than use my name," he said offhandedly, "However, seeing as how you've joined my daughters in this little coalition of yours, I would like you to refer to me as 'Father', the same as Hinata and Hanabi do. After all, I consider you as my daughter, the same as them."

Hinata covered her mouth, stifling a gasp of surprise. Hanabi bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling. And Tenten had tears brimming in her eyes.

It was a very pleasant and emotionally heartfelt offer. It showed that Hiashi considered her to be family as much as his own flesh and blood, and that he really was interested in changing his ways.

But moments like this – even when she was alone with Neji – always made Tenten feel uncomfortable. She was a kunoichi and a weapons mistress for Kami's sake – not some housewife wearing an apron, baking cookies all day and asking her husband to kill spiders for her because they were 'icky'.

She had a coping mechanism when this happened… either use her killing intent on the person responsible or inject humor into the situation. Option two was probably her best bet right now.

"Well, I think I'll call you 'Dad' instead. I like how that sounds better. But you got a deal."

Hiashi frowned disapprovingly. "If you must, I would appreciate you calling me Father."

"Ok, Dad."

"Father."

"No problem, Dad."

He stared at her and said nothing, while Hanabi and Hinata wisely held back their laughter.

---

***Two days later***

Naruto was seated behind his desk, surrounded by five shadow clones at various points throughout the room. Each had a portion of a stack of paperwork in front of them that somehow appeared in his office overnight.

It didn't take long for Naruto to figure out that paperwork was the bane of any Hokage's existence. He thought it would be troublemaking genin, like both he and Konohamaru were, but he was dead wrong.

A knock at the door interrupted his self-imposed suffering.

"Who is it?" a chorus of voices snapped.

Without any announcement the door opened and Shino stepped into the office. His eyes, hidden behind dark lenses took in the surroundings, and it immediately became apparent to the Aburame why there were multiple voices, and every one of them sounded irritated.

The insect user was temporarily filling in for Shikamaru while he and Temari were on a well-deserved vacation at Koyuki's castle in the Land of Snow. The timing was actually close to perfect, since he was close to being finished with cataloging the scrolls Saladin had sent him. But with the amount of responsibility and work he was taking on filling in for Shikamaru, Naruto decided to go over that pile of information at a later date.

And honestly, he was kind of enjoying having Shino around. He was quiet most of the time, punctual, didn't complain, and when he did speak he didn't mince words. He was direct and to the point.

"Morning, Shino. What's up?"

Shino deftly sidestepped the clones, as well as the stacks of paperwork strewn across the floor and handed Naruto a scroll, tied shut with a fancy green ribbon.

"We have a situation." he said calmly.

"Oh?" Naruto raised his eyebrows in mild surprise. "It must be pretty damn important for you to come see me, since I gave you permission to handle the smaller stuff yourself."

Shino pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "This arrived by messenger hawk less than an hour ago. Kusagakure is requesting Lady Tsunade's assistance. It seems that an enemy managed to poison a portion of the local water supply. Whatever it was is beyond the ability of their local medical staff to cure."

"Message verified?"

"Yes, by the code division."

Naruto unrolled the scroll and began to read it. "All they do is list symptoms, but not the disease or the poison that caused it," he stated, pointing at a section of the message. "Do you have any idea what they're talking about?"

Shino shook his head – which didn't amount to much, since most of his face was hidden by the high collar of his coat. "I'll admit, I was curious enough that I sought out Lady Shizune for further clarification before coming to see you. However, this is something even she is unfamiliar with and basically suggested we go straight to Lady Tsunade. But as you can see from the message, time is of the essence. Two dozen people have been infected – ten of them being children."

"Then I'd better get going," Naruto said, rolling back up the scroll before looking around at his clones. "Sorry guys, it looks like I'm taking a break while you keep working."

"Awww…"

But the groans fell on deaf ears, because Naruto had already used the Hiraishin and was gone.

---

Tsunade was on the second floor of the Hospital, standing next to a surgical table in one of the outpatient operating rooms. Her hands were glowing green and hovering over a large, almost dead fish.

The door flew open and Naruto barged in, breaking her concentration and startling her at the same time.

"Hey, Baa-chan!" he shouted loudly as he greeted her.

Of course, this also caused the fish she was working on to explode, spraying guts all over her – and the room.

She took a deep breath and sighed as she started picking chunks of fish out her hair. "Hey, gaki." At least he was boisterous and energetic again, like when he was younger. That was certainly encouraging. "So, what brings you out of your office and over here to bother… I mean, visit me today? Paperwork making you crazy? Decided you wanted to share your misery?"

Naruto chuckled and shook his head. "Actually, getting away from the paperwork is just a bonus. I left some clones behind to finish up. What I'm really here to see you about is this."

Tsunade looked quizzically at him as she took the scroll Naruto was extending toward her. As she unrolled it and read the contents, her expression darkened.

"Shit. This is bad."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Well, I figured as much because they asked for you personally."

"No no no, not that." She said, pointing to a specific part of the message. "Their bone marrow has been infected."

Naruto stared blankly at her for a few moments. "Umm… what's bone marrow?"

"It's this very soft tissue that runs through the center of every bone in your body."

He furrowed his brow in thought. "You mean like the jelly in the center of a donut?"

Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose. Naruto was a good Hokage, but hell… everything he knew about the human body could probably fit on a cocktail napkin.

"Yes," she said tonelessly, "like the jelly in the center of a donut. Now, watch this…"

She took her finger and flicked it against the top of the metal operating table. It slammed loudly against the floor and bent in half.

Naruto shrugged. "Okay, so you destroyed that table with your super strength. I've seen you do stuff like that a hundred times."

"But that's the problem. I wasn't trying to destroy it. I just wanted to put a small dent in the top." Tsunade shook her head. "There's a reason why I'm in here doing the fish exercise, gaki. My chakra control has been screwed up since our fight. Now, imagine me trying to do something as delicate as working on bone marrow…"

"I get it," he said mildly. "They'd explode just like that fish that's still in your hair. Right?"

"Right." Tsunade did a double take. "Wait – there's still fish in my hair?"

"Yeah. The fish head. It's staring right at me."

"Why didn't you say something before?!" Tsunade exclaimed, feeling around for it.

"I don't know. I kinda figured you were keeping it there as a reminder. Like…" He held up his hands defensively and stared at her in mock fright. "…please don't kill any more of us! We want to live! Fish are people, too!"

"QUIT BEING A SMARTASS AND GET IT OUT OF MY HAIR!"

"Okay, okay! Hold still!" He reached out and took it. "There. Happy?"

Tsunade stared icily at him.

The corners of his mouth twitched as he offered her the fish head. "Want to use it to make soup later?"

She slapped it out of his hand.

"I guess that means no."

She growled at him, unamused. "Can we get back to the reason why you're here in the first place?"

"Fine," Naruto huffed, running his fingers through his hair, "but what difference does it make? If your chakra control is that screwed up, we can't send any help."

Tsunade wagged her finger at him. "I didn't say that. There's one other person who can cure something like this… and you know who it is."

"You mean… Sakura?" he asked tentatively.

"Yes."

"No," he said, even more firmly than usual. "I'm not sending her. She's a mother. She's got a baby that depends on her…"

"That's a bullshit reason Naruto, and you know it." She said candidly, interrupting him. "There are plenty of shinobi with families. If Mikomi only had one parent you might have an argument, but not in this case. This is a serious medical situation, and as Hokage you need to put your personal feelings for Sakura aside and make the tough decision. Otherwise, you're condemning those people in Kusa to death."

"But can't we just…" he pleaded.

"NO." She rolled the scroll back up and slammed it into his palm, causing him to wince from the pain. "I know what you're going to say. You can't send an antidote because there isn't one. It'd cure the poison but not how it affected the bone marrow – and every case will be different because every person is different. You need pinpoint control and accuracy for something like this which means right now, Sakura is your only choice."

---

Knock, knock.

It was two hours later and Naruto was once again seated behind his desk, with five shadow clones scattered around his office doing paperwork. They should have been done by the time he got back, but apparently when he decided to take a break and go see Tsunade, they ALL decided to take a break.

So now they were back to the beginning… Same spot, same clones, same paperwork and same knock on the door interrupting him.

Before he could answer, the door opened and Sasuke walked into his office. He smiled, glad to see his brother but before he could greet him Sakura walked in, carrying Mikomi in a small infant seat. A small teddy bear was clutched in the baby's tiny hands and she was drooling happily on one of the ears, which she had shoved into her mouth.

The surprising part however, was that being around Sakura didn't seem to sting as much as it did before. Maybe someday soon, he'd think of her as a friend once again. Maybe.

But seeing Mikomi just sat staring around without a care in the world made Naruto a little envious. There were plenty of times he wished he could "pull a Shikamaru" and just stare at the clouds all day.

"Okay guys, gather up what's left and take a break," he instructed the clones. "We can finish up after lunch."

One by one, the clones brought their paperwork to Naruto's desk and stacked it in a nice, neat pile before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. When the last one was gone, Naruto finally decided to greet his visitors.

"Hey, Sakura. How are you?"

Sakura blinked in surprise. Naruto had just spoken casually with her – like they were old friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time. There was still a lack of warmth in his tone, but at least it wasn't cold or indifferent anymore.

"I'm… good," she replied, hesitating a bit as she recalled her encounter with Hikaru the other night. "Doing good, thanks."

He nodded. "How about you, teme?"

"Hn," Sasuke snorted. "Same as always, dobe. Running the ANBU can be tiring sometimes. It's surprising how many childish and stupid people reside in this village."

Naruto laughed dryly at his brother's comments. "Don't I know it."

"So… you were pretty insistent on seeing us as quickly as possible. Why the rush?"

It was like a switch had been flipped – and the two Uchiha grew concerned because in the space of a few seconds, Naruto suddenly looked like he hadn't slept in a week. Whatever it was, it was weighing on him heavily.

"I have a mission… for Sakura."

Both of them eyed him skeptically. "What?"

"We got this by messenger hawk from Kusagakure this morning," he explained, tossing the scroll to Sakura who deftly caught it. "Someone poisoned part of their local water supply, and now a bunch of people are really sick. They have this disease that affects their bone marrow…"

"Neutropenia." Sakura commented absently as she continued to read.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, and Naruto raised two. "They didn't mention it by name. How do you know what it is?"

"From the explanation of the symptoms they gave in this scroll, it's the only thing it could be."

Both men stared at her in admiration and a little bit of awe. Sometimes they forgot just how good Sakura was at her job. There was a reason why she was one of the foremost medical ninja in the elemental nations.

"What exactly does it do?" Naruto wasn't extremely interested, but he was definitely a bit curious. "Tsunade only told me it affects a person's bone marrow, but she didn't say anything else." He held up a finger, forestalling her for a moment. "And keep in mind that my level of intelligence about medical stuff is close to zero."

She sighed. It wasn't just Naruto. Most people tended to zone out when she went into full blown medic-nin mode. Plus, she had a tendency to get overly detailed and analytical which made things even worse.

"It basically shuts down the body's ability to fight infections. Even getting something as small as a paper cut or catching a cold could kill you." She rubbed her forehead, as she thought about various effects and treatments she'd have to employ. "This is a really rare disease," she remarked. "Whoever did this must be incredibly skilled with poisons."

"That certainly narrows down your list of possible suspects to only a few hundred people," Sasuke commented, somewhat sardonically.

"I'm going to coordinate with Kusa about that later," Naruto said, waving his hand dismissively. "The bigger problem right now is there's two dozen people who've been infected, and about ten of them are children."

"Tsunade can't go," he grated. "Her chakra control is still fried from our fight, and she said this is very precise and delicate work." He folded his hands on the desk in front of him and stared solemnly at her. "So what I'm saying is, I'd like you to volunteer for this mission. And I'm sorry to sound like this, but if you don't…"

Sakura didn't even hesitate. "You don't even need to finish. I'll go."

"Hold on a minute," Sasuke interjected, "You said all this began because these people were poisoned. Isn't this as simple as sending an antidote? Why do you need to go?"

"Because it's not that simple," Sakura countered, staring at her husband. "The poison was merely a catalyst – the weakened bone marrow is the real problem. If someone administers the wrong treatment, or the wrong combination of treatments it could very well end up killing the patient. It has to be done on a case by case basis and if I don't go, those people are as good as dead."

Even if she wasn't driven by her Hippocratic Oath to give aid to those in need, she would have taken the mission anyway to prove herself to Naruto. He'd just spoken to her without any coldness in his voice for the first time in what seemed like forever. She honestly felt they were finally making progress and she'd be damned if she was going to let him, or anyone else down.

It was her chance to show him – show everyone – that she had changed.

"I volunteer for the mission."

They stared intently at each other for a few seconds. Sakura could tell that even though he'd been the one to call her here, and basically gave her an ultimatum to accept the mission, he was still struggling with the decision, but why? Did it have something to do with Sasuke, Mikomi or… her, specifically?

"Okay," he relented, breaking her train of thought. "Shizune will be coming along to assist you, but you're the one in charge. I'll get two more members to round out your team and debrief them. Everyone will meet at the front gate at exactly two P.M., which gives you one hour and seven minutes to pack your bag and make any arrangements you need to. Once you leave, I'll send a messenger hawk to let Kusa know you're on your way."

Sakura nodded, then picked up Mikomi and turned to leave but after a single step she stopped. Her shoulders shook as she drew a shaky breath and then slumped a bit, like she was struggling internally with something.

"Naruto, how… how is Hikaru?"

Sasuke and Naruto exchanged a glance, a little surprised at the unexpected question, as well as curious. Her back was still turned towards them, so they couldn't see her face. But they imagined it looked as sad as her voice sounded.

"He's… fine, Sakura. Why do you ask?"

She paused for a second, unsure if she should continue. "Well, I... I ran into him the other night."

Naruto glanced at her suspiciously. "You ran into him? When? Where?"

"Out at Training Ground twenty-six, around ten o'clock. It was that night we had the full moon."

"Ten o'clock? What the hell was Hikaru doing out there at that time of night?"

"He said he… needed to get out of the house. Something about you and Hinata having some sort of discussion that he didn't need to hear."

Naruto scrunched his face as he tried to remember. What night was that full moon? Monday? Yeah, Monday. He'd had that big meeting at the Hyūga compound and Neji asked him to stay behind for a little bit. And then when he got home later, Hinata… attacked him…

His face paled. Oh, Kami. Did Hinata forget to put up a silencing jutsu? Did… Did Hikaru hear… everything that went on that night? Had he scarred his son for life?

"Oh. Yeah. That… discussion me and Hinata had. I guess we were a little too loud and woke him up."

Sasuke however, wasn't paying attention to Naruto. His eyes were focused on Sakura and he reached out, turning her around to face him. "Wait a minute, Sakura. Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"Because I knew you'd overreact." She said accusingly.

"And why exactly would I overreact?"

For a brief second, Sakura thought about telling both Naruto and Sasuke that it was a private matter and she wouldn't discuss it, but she quickly realized how stupid that idea was. Both of them were inordinately stubborn and weren't going to take 'no' for an answer.

So she sighed and sat back down, placing Mikomi right beside her chair.

And she told them what happened.

About how she'd been out training late at night, and Hikaru had shown up unannounced. He'd referred to her by name – using no honorific – and began demanding answers.

"He… asked why I hated you so much," Sakura said, sounding despondent and listless, "and why I hated him so much. When I told him that wasn't true, he… brought up what happened that night at the hospital."

Sakura raised her eyes to look at Naruto, and he flinched almost imperceptibly at the anguish and grief he saw reflected in them.

"Every word was burned into his memory." She buried her head in her hands. "He remembered every little detail of what I said."

At that point, she didn't know what to do or say, other than apologize and take the blame but apparently that wasn't enough. But when he raised his hand and formed a Rasengan, she knew exactly what he wanted.

And she gave it to him. She offered him her life, in exchange for his hatred.

Suddenly, her skin began to crawl. Her head shot up and she noticed Naruto and Sasuke were both leaking a corrupted aura into the room.

Their eyes were blazing and their faces were absolutely livid.

"Hikaru did WHAT?!" Naruto shouted.

"Look, he didn't hit me with it. I'm here. I'm fine."

"That's not the point, Sakura." Sasuke said coldly, glaring at her with a fully activated Mangekyō Sharingan. "Hikaru isn't as skilled with his control of the Rasengan as Naruto is."

"Yeah. What Sasuke said." Naruto threw up his hands in exasperation. "He could've killed you, Sakura! And you were just gonna let that happen!"

"I wasn't going to let him carry around that kind of hatred. Look what it did to you!" she said accusingly, pointing at Sasuke. "And you!" she said, pointing at Naruto. "So, please… the both of you. Please just let this go."

"Not a chance, Sakura." Naruto said adamantly. "There's no way I'll…"

"Please, Naruto. You don't have to worry about me anymore. This… This was something between Hikaru and me. I found out exactly where I stand in his life. He was very clear and specific. Things are settled between us and no one was hurt."

Then she stood up, facing them with a confidence she hadn't felt in several months. She cracked her knuckles threateningly and stared them down, causing two of the most powerful ninja in the world to falter a bit.

"But even if I'd been the one who was hurt, it would still be over. SO JUST LET IT GO!"

Finally, all of the shouting and corrupted aura leaking into the room caught up with them, and Mikomi started to cry. After one last glaring look at the two of them, Sakura picked up her daughter and walked out of the room, not even bothering to look back.

Naruto and Sasuke stared at the door for a good ten seconds, both of them still angry but neither of them saying a word. And then slowly, their anger receded and the corrupted aura surrounding their bodies vanished.

"Well, that was certainly a blast from the past," Sasuke commented wryly. "I'd almost forgotten how intimidating she can be sometimes."

"Yeah," Naruto agreed. "Y'know, it's funny… no matter how strong you and I are, or will ever get, Sakura can still scare us shitless."

Sasuke quirked his lips. "Maybe you were scared dobe, but I wasn't."

"Whatever," Naruto mocked, "but I'm not the one who has to go home to Sakura while she's like this. You do."

Sasuke glared at his brother, trying to think of a good comeback… but he couldn't.

"Fine." Sasuke conceded. "But you have to say something to Hikaru."

"I will. Believe it. I understand him being angry and all, but what he did was way out of line."

"He needs to let go of that hatred, dobe. You and I both know what it does to a person."

"I know, I know," Naruto huffed, "but can't just tell him to let it go. And screaming at him won't help either. You know how kids are – how we were. Anytime Kakashi-sensei did that to us, we ignored him out of spite and it got us into even more trouble. Hikaru needs to make the decision on his own. That's the only way it'll stick."

Sasuke grunted, reluctantly agreeing. He was surprised that with all the shit they'd put him through, Kakashi wasn't certifiably insane by now. And Hikaru was just like his father.

Then an idea struck him. "Hold on. What if…" He drifted off, staring absently at the wall.

"What if… what?" Naruto asked. He knew Sasuke was doing it to purposely irritate him. Couple that with what he just learned about Hikaru, and well… it was working better than expected. "WHAT?"

"What if… I talked with him?" Sasuke offered, the hard lines on his face vanishing. One corner of his mouth turned upwards as he smirked ruefully. "After all... anger, revenge... it's kinda my thing."

"Okay, you got me there." A grin split Naruto's face and he chuckled a little. "But your humor still sucks though." Then he tapped his chin thoughtfully. "How about we join forces instead? I think two heads might be better than one in this situation."

"Especially when it's your son we're talking about."

"Ha ha. You're so funny." Naruto deadpanned. "But let's at least wait until tomorrow, since Sakura will be out of the village by then. The last thing either of us want is to be within arm's length of Sakura if she found out we're doing this."

A cold shiver ran down Sasuke's spine and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end.

"Agreed."

.

.

"I don't like this."

"Sasuke-kun, what could happen?"

"What could happen? Anything!" he argued as Sakura calmly continued to pack her mission bag. The thing had been wadded up and shoved in the back of their closet since they moved into the rebuilt Uchiha compound. It smelled musty and was in need of a good cleaning, but she didn't care. In fact, she seemed almost eager to leave.

"You haven't been on a mission since we found out you were pregnant. Not to mention you just recently started training again…"

"It's a medical mission," she remarked, "I'm not going to fight Madara Uchiha. Besides, I'll have other people with me. "

"What about Mikomi?" Sasuke argued. "I'm the head of the ANBU, Sakura. I can't watch her full time."

"Ino's been helping me out." She stuffed four pairs of pants and three t-shirts into the bag. "She can watch Mikomi for a few hours during the day."

"What about breast feeding?"

Her lips twitched as she suppressed her laughter. "I wouldn't try that with Ino. She'd probably slap you."

Sasuke blinked owlishly; a bit shocked that she'd make such a tasteless joke at a time like this. "Can you be serious for a moment?" he snapped.

"Sasuke-kun. I'm going. I won't let those people die."

He heaved an exasperated sigh. "I know you can't. It's just that… I…"

Sakura stopped what she was doing and stared at him; a little bit surprised at the catch in his voice.

"Why Sasuke Uchiha, are you… worried about your wife? Are you actually going to miss me?"

The muscles along his jawline danced as he clenched his teeth. Moments like this still made him uncomfortable as hell.

"Yes. To both."

A smile lit up her face. She took a step forward and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him warmly and burying her face in his chest. "You know, I haven't heard you say something like that in a long time."

"I'm trying, Sakura. But you know I still have a hard time with emotions."

"Could you… do it?" she asked timidly, with hopeful eyes. "Just once for me?"

"Do what?"

"Just… tell me how you feel about me." She brushed a hand across his cheek, her fingertips lightly tracing the flexing muscles along his jawline. Her touch seemed to have a calming effect because the muscles unclenched and relaxed.

"Show me that you still care about me. That… That you still love me."

Sasuke hesitated for a moment, and then a ghost of smile played across his lips. He reached up and placed two fingers in the center of her forehead, right over her Hyakugou seal. "I will always care about you, Sakura. You are my wife. It's the words I have a hard time with."

Sakura blushed. The gesture, while very simple seemed much more intimate and personal than anything he usually did. And as she reveled in the feeling, she realized he was right. Yes, he cared about her… but it was the words 'I Love You' she wanted most. And for him, they were the hardest words to say. They always had been.

"Maybe you could work on that while I'm gone? I'd like to hear those three little words when I get back."

He nodded. "I… will try. For you Sakura… I will try."

---

Later that night, when Naruto returned home to his family he found Hinata in the kitchen, eating another one of her wretchedly awful pregnancy snacks – this one contained hot peppers, broccoli, peanut butter and shrimp over rocky road ice cream.

He greeted her and quickly moved on, pretending not to hear her when she asked him for a kiss.

Hikaru was in his room, doing his homework from school that day. Reira was still staying with Kakashi until tomorrow, when Hanari was due home from the hospital. The house was mostly quiet, and he decided it should stay that way.

So he relaxed for a bit, giving Hinata just enough time to finish off that… thing she was eating before he went back in the kitchen and told her he was going to bed early, since it had been a very exhausting day.

Luckily enough, Hinata didn't question him because he didn't have to fake how tired he looked. Plus, if he was asleep he didn't have to tell Hinata that Hikaru had more than likely heard them having sex the other day and then, after running out of the house almost used a Rasengan on Sakura at Training Ground twenty-six. The last thing his wife and the twins needed right now was stress.

When he'd arrived in his office the next morning, Mina informed him that a messenger from the Hyūga clan had shown up half an hour earlier. While the need wasn't immediate, they were requesting his presence at the compound at his earliest convenience. The clan leader, Neji Hyūga wished to speak with him privately.

Naruto smiled. Helping put Neji in charge of the Hyūga clan ranked as one of the greater accomplishments in his life. Marrying Hinata was still at the top, along with the creation of his children… Hikaru, and the twins Hinata was carrying.

But that still ranked WAY above becoming Hokage, which he'd always thought would be the highest. He found it funny, and a bit ironic at how maturity changed his perspective on that particular item. Not that it wasn't a big accomplishment, it just paled in comparison to the others.

However, it did remind him that he was picking Hikaru up later today and meeting Sasuke at Training Ground three for a little... talk. Visiting Neji right before that would probably be the best use of his time – and it would ensure the conversation didn't last too long.

---

"I like what you've done with the place," Naruto remarked comically as they walked through the hallways of the compound. "The walls seem an almost lighter shade of grey and brown."

Neji shot him a scathing look. "It hasn't been that long since I became clan leader, and I didn't want to make any wholesale changes until we could safely deal with the caged bird seal."

"What do you mean?" Naruto followed Neji into his office, noticing that most of the ornate decorations Hiashi used had been removed, leaving the room surprisingly bare. The only thing distinctly belonging to Neji was the picture on his desk of Tenten… with a mace slung over her shoulder. Naruto wondered absently if she slept with a storage scroll full of weapons under her pillow. "The council voted to stop using the caged bird seal. I was there."

"But every member of the branch family still bears the mark," Neji explained, "and I'd rather not have any of them go through the same experience I did." He sat behind his desk activated the privacy seals before he continued. "It took Hikaru several hours to remove my own seal and it exhausted him in the process, even though Lady Tsunade helped. Even so, he needed a few days to completely recover his reserves."

He tapped his desk rhythmically, like he was emphasizing every point in his line of reasoning. "Even if we could eliminate the recovery time with no days off in-between, one clan member a day would still take Hikaru almost a year to complete – and that's including help from Lady Tsunade."

Which she can't give right now because I fucked up her chakra control, Naruto berated himself. Way to go, Hokage. Of course, this also served to remind him that Sakura was on her way to Kusagakure because of that, and then he remembered her story about running into Hikaru out at Training Ground twenty-six… and he scowled.

"Well, right now that's the only method we have – unless Hikaru comes up with a better one. But I can personally guarantee he'll be able to focus a lot more on that, since later today I'll be taking away my son's free time for the next six months."

Six months. Naruto wouldn't punish Hikaru without good reason, but six months? Whatever his nephew did must have been astronomically bad. Neji idly wondered if Hinata knew about it, but then common sense kicked in and he wisely decided to let his curiosity pass. He wasn't Ino and frankly, it was none of his business.

"Then I believe you will need this before you do so." He reached into his desk and took out an ornate wooden box, presenting it to Naruto. Inside, sitting in the middle of a pillow made of the finest silk, was a rather worn and yellowed scroll.

Naruto gingerly picked it up. "This looks pretty important. What is it?"

"The reason why I asked to see you here today," Neji said wearily, as he subconsciously rubbed his forehead. "It's the scroll given to the Hyūga clan over a century ago by the Uzumaki clan, detailing the use and inner workings of the caged bird seal."

"Are you serious?" Naruto exclaimed. He was tempted to open it up but suppressed the urge. "I thought this got lost a long time ago! Where the hell did you find it?"

"After Nezumi was arrested, I ordered a thorough search of her quarters by two branch members that I trust implicitly. A secret room was discovered, and we found that particular item…" Neji motioned his hand towards the scroll, "…along with several other Hyūga clan artifacts that were assumed lost or destroyed after Pain's attack on Konoha."

Naruto placed the scroll back in the box and closed the lid, securing the latch tightly. "So this explains how she could teach anyone who wasn't a Hyūga how to activate the caged bird seal."

"Yes," Neji nodded sedately, "I thought it should be given to the person who might benefit from it the most. Hikaru will put this to good use… and find a safe, viable solution much quicker than anyone else. Plus," he added wryly, "he'll have plenty of time to work on it, since you just told me for the next six months you're confining him to quarters, so to speak."

"Hn," Naruto responded, sounding very Sasuke-like. A knock on the door interrupted them both, prompting Neji to lower the privacy seals.

"Come in," Neji said.

The door opened and a man who appeared to be about forty years old or so entered the office, followed closely by an ANBU wearing a tiger mask.

"Lord Neji, this ANBU appeared a few minutes ago at the front gate of the compound. He requested to see the Hokage immediately."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Tiger walked a few steps into the office and dropped to one knee. "I apologize for intruding Lord Hokage, but Shino Aburame needs you back in your office, and he told us to have you use the Hiraishin jutsu to get there. He received a message that requires your immediate attention."

Naruto's somewhat casual demeanor vanished. He stood up and tucked the wooden box containing the scroll underneath his arm.

"Sorry to cut this conversation short Neji," he inclined his head in apology, "but duty calls. I'll make sure this gets to the proper place."

And in a flash of yellow light, Naruto was gone.

---

When he reappeared in his office, Shino was holding a scroll, waiting for him. Naruto couldn't see his face, but his posture definitely spoke volumes, which was unusual for an Aburame. They were normally a closed book.

"Okay Shino, what's so urgent that you needed me back in my office?"

Shino pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and extended the scroll. "We received this by messenger hawk from Kusagakure."

Naruto's eyebrows rose skyward. "So soon? There's no way Sakura and the others could have gotten there that quickly. They've only been gone twenty four hours."

Shino shook his head. "No… they received our message, but they're wondering what we're talking about. They don't have a pandemic going on in the village."

"What?"

"Take a look for yourself," Shino said with a hint of unease. "Nobody's been poisoned. The only medical issues they have in the village currently are a baby with colic, three seniors with gout and one chūnin who was injured on a recent mission."

"That can't be right!" Naruto exclaimed, unrolling the scroll and scanning the message. "Why would they lie about something like that? Did they question the council member who wrote the message? What's his name, Rinji?"

"According to them, Rinji has been missing for at least five days." Shino sweatdropped. Naruto's anxiety was turning him into a ticking time bomb, if the rising amount of chakra pressure in the room was anything to go by. "Nobody has thought to look for him, or been concerned since he's a known drunkard, who will disappear for several days at a time. He's also not very well liked, apparently."

"Then there's no way he could have written that message, since we just got it yesterday," Naruto said stiffly. "Which means the message was a fake."

"That's correct, Naruto." Shino nodded in agreement. "And it's the reason why I called you back here so quickly."

"But none of this makes any sense!" Naruto slammed his hand angrily down on the desk. It was a testament to Shino's self-control that he didn't flinch, even slightly. "Whoever's behind this, what could they possibly hope to gain by faking a message? I mean, all they asked for was medical…"

There was a pregnant pause. The two men stared at each other… Naruto grew wide-eyed as the endpoint of the argument finally dawned on him, while Shino braced himself for the shitstorm he knew was about to happen.

"Tsunade," Naruto breathed, "They asked us to send Tsunade. They wanted her out of the village."

His face paled. He'd sent Sakura on that mission instead.

Her entire team was walking straight into a trap.

---

A/N: And that's all, folks!

Now, once again I'd like to apologize for the lack of a lemon in the chapter. But I think it turned out pretty good besides. And there'll be plenty of lemons to go around in my other collaboration story, X-Rank Missions. Plus, like I said in the author's note at the start of this chapter, Matt and I have 3 more chapters pretty much done over there. So there'll be more than enough smut to go around.

Now this is normally the part where I tell you what's coming next but this time… I'm not telling! So there! Nyah!

Alright, Alright… I'll tell you that a lot of it has to do with Sakura. And it isn't pretty. But I'll be pulling a major plot twist on you guys that I guarantee you won't be expecting. You'll just have to wait and see what it is, though. Boo-yah!

Recommendation time! I'm finding it hard to recommend stories nowadays. Not because there aren't some great ones out there, but I always try and give some help to ones that aren't that well recognized and need a push. That's come back to bite me in the ass a few times, too. With Naruto manga ending, and Gaiden finished up it seems like most of the authors on this site just aren't interested in finishing their stories.

But I'm gonna try one more time.

The story is called Hinata: Sweetheart of the Allied Nations by xHinaLovex. Hinata leaves Konoha for two years to find her own strength, and sort through her feelings for a certain blond knucklehead. This also leaves Naruto to ponder where Hinata fits into his life. The story only has 7 chapters but the author has continued to update – even going so far as to promise me that she'll finish the story – and I'm eager to see how it plays out. The writing is super good and the plot, while simple is still great to read.

So get 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 / 10153531

REVIEWS! Once again you all stepped up and I couldn't be happier about it. I pulled another one hundred and twenty-nine reviews for chapter 31 and I'm ridiculously close to 2,000 reviews. Honestly, there are very few Naruto stories on this site that reach that level and I'm humbled that I'm so close.

You guys can make my day by pushing me over that magical number. Let's see those reviews! And as I always say the reviews help keep me moving, even when I hit the brick wall known as writer's block. So please, help keep my creative juices flowing and leave me one. Even if it's just something as simple as 'I loved it', words hold a lot of power when it comes to motivation.

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

Serious Sam