DISCLAIMER: I own nothing from the Naruto universe but I do have an imagination of my own. The story is dedicated to Tsuruga Lia1412 who has been so supportive of my work and let me know that this fanfic by Britt-Ulquiorra was available for adoption. I've made a few changes to the latter's story, and hope you enjoy it!

Thinking (or flashbacks, etc.)

Emphasis

Biju, etc. speaking

Biju, etc. thinking

Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sandaime Hokage, sat behind the Shodai's desk that sat in the middle of his old office, feeling the pain of last night's fiasco. Forced to take back his position after the death of his successor, he dreaded all of the work that needed to be done. There was a reason he had chosen a successor two years ago. Turning his chair to face the large window that overlooked the village, he took a moment to view Konohagakure no Sato's beauty even after the catastrophe that had hit his beloved home.

The entire village was still on edge after the attack of the Kyuubi no Kitsune - the strongest of the nine Bijuu. The demon had nearly made it to the village gates but was prevented from getting any closer because of the brave shinobi who fought the beast tooth and nail, holding it back while the Yondaime Hokage finished what he needed to do in order to reseal the beast. Just when it looked like the Kyuubi would triumph over the Leaf, the Yellow Flash had arrived astride his summon, the Toad Chief, Gamabunta. As the shinobi force began to celebrate the joining of their savior to the battle, a brilliant light soon flashed: the Kyuubi was gone and the Yondaime was dead.

In sealing the beast away, the Yondaime used a sealing method called the Shiki Fuujin. The cost of the jutsu was massive, however, causing the caster to lose his life. There was only one clan that could handle the chakra of the demon fox: the Uzumaki. The previous container of the Kyuubi had been the Yondaime's beautiful wife, Kushina Uzumaki-Namikaze, who had been attacked during or after the birth of the couple's eagerly-awaited daughter.

It must have broken Minato's heart to have to leave her on her own as the jinchuuriki. Hiruzen knew his successor well. Minato Namikaze was a man that would never have allowed another person's child to be sacrificed instead of his own, even if there was another Uzumaki, or had the circumstances been different. October 10th: a day that will live in infamy. Hearing a noise behind him, he turned to the bassinet that his successor and now predecessor had placed in the office less than a month ago - his office that was then the Yondaime's.

"Maa, you can't work efficiently with a baby in here, sensei," Kakashi drawled as he led Kushina into the main office of the Tower. He disapproved of the new bassinet that his sensei asked them to come to see in his office.

"Shush Kakashi-kun! I'll be visiting Mina here, too, and I might want to lay the baby down sometimes so me and your sensei can have a quickie!" Kakashi groaned at the very pregnant Kushina's remark. She began to laugh at the sad teen before nearly squealing when she realized Hiruzen was in the room, too. "Just joking, Hiruzen-sama!" Her face had turned as red as her hair.

"None of that now, Kushina-chan." His lips twitched with mischief. "With appropriate silencing seals, this office can be a wonderful place for a quickie." He gave Minato a wink and was unable to hide the laughter he tried to hold back. The three young people had nearly turned green. "Young people these days: too easy. Minato-kun, you wanted to discuss something?"

"Hai. You're excused Kakashi." The three adults watched as Kakashi's shoulders slouched and he slowly slunk out the door before closing it behind him. "I swear that kid gets broodier every day," Minato sighed.

"Considering what a moody little brat he was as a chibi, that's saying something," Kushina snorted. She waved Minato off as he tried to put pillows behind her back to help her become more comfortable. "Gotta love him, though. And he's a teenager now: it's kinda expected." Her expression changed entirely as she looked at her husband as if daring him to dismiss her. "I'm staying for this conversation, too, Minato."

"I - actually, I want you here, Kushi." After sitting down on his desktop, he held his wife's hand. "Sandaime-sama, Kushina and I have developed a plan in case of a... well, a worst-case scenario." Reaching over to the back of his desk, the Yondaime pulled out a drawing of a seal from his top drawer. "Not that I'll allow that to happen, gods willing."

Oh, Hiruzen recognized that seal. "Minato," the elder's voice was like gravel. "You cannot be serious. There has to be another way! You can't possibly make..."

Kushina patted Hiruzen's hand before smoothing it over with her fingers, kindly. Offering her husband's predecessor a watery smile, she shrugged her shoulders. "We've put our heads together and this is the only way! Hopefully, it won't come to that, but if I completely lose control and..."

"I'll be holding the seal so that you don't," Minato finished. "Sensei's got a lead on Tsunade-hime, so we're hoping to have her here in time, too. If they make it back before the big day, maybe sensei can help me hold the seal."

"I will not allow that pervert to see me half-naked, 'ttebane!"

"You know that he won't look at... at that - you know! What we saw in those birth films!" Kushina rolled her eyes at her husband.

"Men. I can't believe you've never seen a live birth," she snarked. "You better not pass out on me again, 'ttebane!"

Hiruzen could barely pay attention to their rather forced and nearly painful banter. "You've always been a planner, Minato, but this - this is just too much," Hiruzen said, shaking his head.

"I will protect this village: it's my duty as Hokage." Minato offered Kushina a wink and a reassuring but grim smile. "And I'll protect my family, too." Kushina spoke up and Hiruzen was incredibly moved as they said their next words at the same time, meaning every word. He had definitely chosen the right man to succeed him.

"The village is our family," Minato and Kushina said together before then smiling so, so brightly.

"So you're awake now, Naruko-hime?" Hiruzen offered his finger to Minato and Kushina's orphaned daughter and chuckled as she drew it to her mouth to furiously gum at it. "Hungry, eh? My, my..." The newborn girl started to make distressed little sounds as he picked her up and began to feed her. "There, there now. What are we going to do about you, princess?" The little girl's blue eyes stared up at him as she impressively guzzled down her formula.

Namikaze Minato had earned the "Yellow Flash" moniker during the Third Shinobi War. The man had enemies from nearly every village, and Hiruzen knew that using Naruko's surname as her parents said they preferred could make her a target. On the other hand, Kushina had been kidnapped as a young teenager simply because she was an Uzumaki. Her status as a jinchuuriki hadn't even been known by Kumo, and thankfully they didn't find out as she was rescued by Minato. Iwa, though... There was no doubt in his mind that once word of Minato's demise reached Iwa, they would be celebrating for years to come.

Perhaps instead, it's time for me to reach out to old Onoki. Years ago, he and the Tsuchikage had been on speaking terms, and no matter how bloody the previous wars became, he felt that they shared respect for one another. It's time to put the past behind us.

His attention was brought to the door that had just been knocked on quietly, Hiruzen called out to the ANBU on the other side, "Come in."

"Hokage-sama," Namiashi Raido bowed his head in greetings and respect to his new Hokage, "the council is ready for you sir, as per your orders."

"Thank you, Raido-kun," Hiruzen stood up with the babe who looked so much like both of her parents. "I'll be along." Hiruzen sighed deeply. There was so much that needed to be done! The village had barely begun to begin dealing with the aftermath of the attack, people were grieving... He was grieving, having just lost his beloved wife, Biwako, in an unknown madman's attack. "What do you say, Naruko? Are you ready to enter the lion's den?" Seeing her shift uncomfortably, he placed a towel on his shoulder and repositioned her there. "Don't worry, though. I'll protect you, little princess." Picking up a diaper bag to sling over his shoulder for the first time in well over a decade, he carried the newborn to meet his council.

The Council doors were held open by ANBU guards and the councilmen and women stood as one to greet their Hokage... who was the Sandaime holding what looked like a very blonde newborn baby and a frog-covered diaper bag. Many in the room sucked in their breath. The Sandaime sat down in his successor's seat - the seat he had occupied for far too long - feeling the sudden knowledge of what had happened to his surrounding councilmen; their grief hit like a hammer.

Hiruzen cleared his throat before forcing himself to look these shinobi in the eyes. "As you have no doubt noticed, we are missing half of our Council this evening, and for very good reason. Our discussion tonight does not involve the civilians, it will not be discussed among civilians under penalty of death. Is that clear?" No one spoke - something which Hiruzen was grateful for. "The Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato, and his wife perished in the early morning hours, fighting against the demon fox, giving their lives for our great village. Tomorrow we will continue taking count of all that we have lost, and how we must proceed in order to fully rebuild. This child," he shifted the babe back against his elbow, "is Namikaze Naruko." He gave a nod to the Jonin Commander, Nara Shikaku, and continued. "She is the heiress to the Uzumaki Clan and the legacy of our Yondaime."

All in all, Hiruzen was pleased with the excited mutterings of those in the meeting, that is until Hyuuga Hiashi had sucked in a deep breath, "No..."

Hiruzen nodded at him, but in his exhaustion felt like smacking the Hyuuga Clan Head for activating his dojutsu. "Yes. She is also the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune." Indistinct murmurings and movement sounded around the room.

"What - what was Yondaime-sama thinking?!"

"Hiashi-dono," Hiruzen said politely, "you knew Minato-sama well. He wouldn't force this burden on a child other than his own." Feeling the sourness and doubts begin to escalate in the various shinobi's chakra, he continued. "There is also the fact that only an Uzumaki can hold the Kyuubi, the most powerful of the nine."

"She - Kushina!" Inuzuka Tsume suddenly realized it - her poor, departed friend had been a jinchuuriki and she never realized it.

"It was a secret, and so shall this be," Hiruzen said, nodding at Naruko.

Tsume nodded and reached down to pet her ninken partner as he whined, sensing her sorrow. "Little hime's a hero! Just like her mamma!" Voices of agreement surrounded her.

"I am glad you understand."

"As the last Uzumaki, she'll..." Uchiha Fugaku cleared his throat awkwardly. Really, he was only doing this on behalf of his wife who'd had to be sedated at home. The Uchiha couple along with a few others were the only ones that knew of Kushina's status. Once his wife had sensed the Kyuubi she had tried to run to get to her friend, even though from talking with the couple, they knew that by then it was too late. "As the last-known member of a once-allied, now great Konoha clan, she will be inducted into the CRA, correct?"

Hiruzen internally winced. How could he have forgotten about the damn CRA? Oh, that's right: I chose a successor because I was too old for this! Plus, he was so exhausted from the fight and onslaught of reports and paperwork ever since. Paperwork, he groaned before remembering something vital. Minato even left me with that... Dear gods: Shinigami or not, Minato would surely come back to drag him back with him for allowing his daughter's romantic future to be left up to old men.

"It's very unusual to enter a female into the CRA, Fugaku. Fugaku-dono," Yamanaka Inoichi corrected himself. He hadn't been attending these council meetings very long, and Fugaku was a friend from the Academy, anyway.

"Troublesome." Inoichi stepped on his teammate's foot for saying something about his blunder under the table. "Is that true, Hokage-sama?" Shikaku asked. He and Minato had been very close, and he didn't like the idea that his little girl would be forced to marry some old weirdo. No, I can't allow that, he thought, even as the Hokage grimaced before nodding his head in affirmation of the fact.

"I nominate my son, Uchiha Itachi, to marry hime-sama when she reaches the age of majority." Several eyebrows went up.

"I had not expected this turn of events, but I agree to the marriage, Fugaku-dono," Hiruzen replied after considering it for a few moments. He glared at Danzo, daring the man to start spewing his hatred of the Uchiha now that the Clan Head had made such a remarkable gesture. Itachi was nearly four years older than Naruko, and a gentle and incredibly talented child. They could make a good match...

"I… have a son," Shikaku began, moving his index finger around in a pattern on the conference table in front of him. Everyone there saw this as something the man did when evaluating how much his next move would piss off his wife. "I - I'd like to adopt her, Hokage-sama. I'm positive Yoshi-shan would be fine with it." Seeing the surprised look on the Hokage's face, he scowled. "What a drag. My son will probably want to marry her... Gomennasai, Hokage-sama." He wiped his face as he felt his eyes nearly tear. "Those two were always so troublesome. Please allow my son to be one of her betrothed as well."

"This - this is wonderful news," Hiruzen began, genuinely relieved that his shinobi council was being so rational after the events of the last 24 hours.

"If you were to adopt her, Namikaze-hime would only see your son as a sibling," Danzo began. "I agree with the union of Namikaze Naruko and Nara-kun. However, I believe it is only right to allow me to raise the girl as..."

"No," the Hokage said firmly. "Forget it, Danzo. Just," he took a deep breath, reminding himself not to jutsu his rival. "Just... forget it and let her be." He turned back to Shikaku. "I do agree, however, that little Naruko would see your son as a family figure rather than her future beau if she were to be adopted by you. I am sorry, Shikaku-dono. And Danzo, I have summoned Jiraiya to train her."

Danzo looked very unhappy but didn't say anything more.

"Although I respect the sacrifices made by the Namikaze family, my future heirs cannot be considered a partner to Naruko-hime. Why? Because as a jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, her chakra would not be amenable to our hives," Aburame Shibi said simply.

"Who the hell was askin' ya, Shibi? Damn," Tsume said sourly to her old Genin teammate whom she still worked with. "I guess for the CRA there's gotta be at least three, so if I have a boy in the future, then..."

"Actually," Hiruzen interrupted. "A third, or perhaps a first... suitor... is already known. He has not been notified or rather committed, so I will keep your offer in mind, Tsume-dono." Little Naruko, who had been making noises throughout the latter part of the meeting, began to cry out in tiny wails for a diaper change. "This concludes our meeting for tonight. You have your assigned tasks in the village; meet here at 1300 hours to reconvene. Remember the penalty for speaking of what we've discussed here. Dismissed."