Miho slammed into the ground with such force that the earth concaved around her, placing her at the bottom of a six-foot hole. She watched the sky overhead. Bright blue with large, fluffy white clouds. Shikamaru would have appreciated it. He was probably lamenting his mission to the boarder. Her whole body ached. For a moment, she wanted to just close her eyes and sleep there in the dirt. Then, a silhouette blocked out the sun.

Swallowing, Miho pushed herself upright, shaking the dirt from her hair and the fur of her vest. Her hands came to her hips as she looked up.

"You're a menace."

"WHAT A YOUTHFUL DISPLAY, MY FRIEND!" Lee's smile was almost as bright as the sun he was blocking. He leaned over the edge and offered a hand. Miho took it and allowed him to help her up. When she settled on the grass, her eyes flickered over the destroyed training field. Lee followed her eyes, smiling sheepishly. His hand scratched the back of his neck. "AH! WHAT A…YOUTHFUL…mess."

Craters littered the area. Four trees were downed. The grass was ruined. Training Ground 10 was destroyed.

"Full-tilt taijutsu…and I'm still convinced you were holding back." Miho shot him a look when his sheepish expression shifted to one of guilt. Her brows rose. "I knew it! You were holding back."

"So were you, Sweet Sunflower," Lee countered, "for you did not remove your final set of weights nor did you utilize Bear Style."

Shrugging Miho moved toward the shade of the trees where her water bottle lay with her pack. "And you didn't remove two of your weights, open the fifth gate, or use Reverse Lotus." Instead of pouring the water down her throat, she poured it over her face, flicking some of the water in Lee's direction. He laughed, batting her away. "Who held back more?"

Completely ignoring that question, Lee threw an arm across her shoulders as she mopped up the water with a rag. "My friend, as a sincere and well-earned reward for a YOUTHFUL spar, I would like to treat you to takoyaki. It has been some time since we have had such a delicious snack together! I shall relish in your company!" Miho was hardly one to refuse an offer of food. Pulling her pack up from the ground, she let her hair down and ran a hand through it. She tossed Lee a spare rag. "YOSH!"

"That Front Lotus was something. I think I lost consciousness for a moment."

"Your endurance is remarkable. I believe that you rival Gai-sensei."

Miho snorted, shaking her head. "I don't think anyone rival's Gai-sensei's endurance." When he went to argue, Miho pulled out a bag of cookies, throwing three into her mouth to drown out his enthusiastic counterpoints.

When his argument slowed, his expression became more serious. Miho could sense the shift in his demeanor. Rock Lee was always a mixture of reserved high energy. He was one of her oldest friends. No amount of time away from each other would change that. And their missions now kept them busy.

This was the first time she'd seen him alone in months.

They started toward the takoyaki stand. The very same one that they frequented back in the Academy. Now, she stood at his height. At least two times his weight now. He'd reached the Sixth Gate. It was easy to see how much he'd grown. She no longer felt as powerless as she did before.

"When you were gone, I made a promise to myself." Miho stopped, stunned. Her eyes turned to Rock Lee's determined expression. His big, expressive eyes focused on her face. Taking in every detail. "I promised myself that I would never let another friend be harmed the way you were. Then, you came back. And you got back up. In Suna…" Miho could sense that this was something he needed to get off his chest. "You got back up again. You always get back up."

Miho felt as if he was building up to something. Like this is what he'd wanted to say in the hospital room, just before Shikamaru and Ino arrived. He lifted a fist. She could just imagine a waterfall and a rainbow behind him somewhere.

"Akimichi Miho, you are one of my dearest friends. That day, you said that I am always teaching you. It's you that's always teaching me, too. You teach me what it means to protect others."

Her mouth opened to argue, but she snapped it shut again when his first became an open palm.

"I asked the inestimable Tetsuya what happened prior to our arrival in that battle. You took the hit, got back up, and took another hit. Though we have been friends since we were children, I felt the need to tell you… I believe in you… I respect you as a fellow ninja."

For Lee, that was as high a compliment as she could be given.

Miho quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. They just seemed to keep coming. "Are you trying to make me cry?" Before he could answer, she swept forward to pull him into a hug. He returned it with a dramatic cry. "What brought this on all of a sudden? We just had a mission together last week! You were at my apartment two days ago!"

Lee nodded into her shoulder. "Our spar has made me emotional and nostalgic, my friend. There was once a time when the punches hurt my hands. There was once a time when you tired after fifty laps. Now, that is not so. It showed me how far we have come. How far you have come. What if I ran out of opportunities to tell you?"

Smiling, Miho gave him a bigger squeeze before letting him go and stepping back. "You've been sitting on that for a while, huh?"

"Indeed I have!" He turned on his heel, throwing his arm back around her shoulder. Miho rolled her eyes skyward, letting out a sigh. "And now that I have confessed my deepest thoughts of friendship and pride, I must ask: are you sure of your decision?"

"I'm sure."

Lee nodded, lips pursing in thought. "The Okuda stronghold is located on the edge of Lightning, correct?"

"Yes." She pulled in a breath and held it for a moment. "I leave tomorrow morning."

The Hokage had been receptive. Having another heavy hitter was to her advantage. Miho wasn't surprised when the Hokage approved the journey, especially since the Bears would be reverse summoning her into the fortress. It would have been different if the border crossing was with a team. The Bears had already scouted the Hall to make sure it was still secure and abandoned.

Miho didn't mention to Lee, or anyone else, that she would not be wearing any identification. No forehead protector. No Akimichi crests or armor. No bingo book. Nothing that could connect her to the village.

Just in case, the Hokage said.

"I am leaving this afternoon on a week-long mission." Lee turned and smiled, but she could see the worry etched between his brows. "Please be careful, my dear friend."

"I will be."

An hour later, she parted ways with Lee, sending him off to meet with Gai-sensei. As she watched him run off, Miho wondered if he would be happy or disappointed when he learned of the secret she'd kept from him. The fact that the girl he liked was being kept sedated in the Konoha Hospital bunker. The fact that she'd spoken with a Tailed Beast and kept that hidden from the Hokage.

Hidden from everyone.

Stuffing three takoyaki into her mouth, she turned toward the village center.

Her feet began moving without thought, taking her through the market and to the front doors of the hospital. When she arrived, Miho leaned against one of the two pillars that marked the entrance to the hospital grounds.

Would there ever be a time when Fū would be released?

Aoba-sensei, too, was still buried in its depths. Genma-sensei right beside him.

"Are you injured?"

Miho turned her head to see Neji exiting the front doors of the hospital. Her brows rose. "Were you injured?"

At his stare and lack of immediate answer, she pulled her eyes down from his face to see if he had any visible injuries. Nothing. Not a single beautiful hair was out of place. His clothes were pristine. Then, she realized how her assessment likely looked. She ignored the heat behind her ears. When her eyes met his again, another face was overlaid with his.

The world became a bit dimmer, muted with smoke and ash that blotted out the sun. There was a roar, something that make her shake to her very core.

Blood melting from his lips. The slightest smile.

The Caged Bird Seal fading away as his eyes closed.

His chin resting on Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto, who he died to protect.

Naruto, who was crying as a friend died in his arms.

Dirt and blood.

"Miho?"

She blinked and the Image was gone. Neji stood closer now, just a few feet away, a hand outstretched as if to touch her shoulder. When had he moved? Miho watched concern, confusion, and something else flicker over his features before his hand lowered.

"Are you alright?"

If things progressed the way they did originally, Neji was going to die.

He'd never see the destruction of the Caged Bird Seal. He'd never see the end of the war. He'd never rise in the ranks as he was meant to. He'd never serve Naruto. His life would end at seventeen, a casualty of war. Enormous potential, gone.

Miho drew a breath and lifted a hand to her forehead, trying to force the Images from her head. It'd been a while since she'd last had an attack. She couldn't let it get out of hand. "I'm okay. I'm fine. Just… I should eat something." That was bullshit and he seemed to know it, a brow lifting.

The only death in the original Konoha Twelve.

He watched as she took out a pack of cookies. His once-over, and she saw it clear as day, was more critical than her own. His eyes lingered a bit longer at her shoulders and her hands, which hung at her sides. In true Neji fashion, his arms crossed as his eyes met hers again.

"You're lying."

Miho almost choked on the cookie she'd been swallowing. "You don't know me well enough to know if I am or not." She hadn't expected a response to that. He didn't know her well enough to know she was lying. The cookie in her mouth tasted like cement and she put the pack away, pushing off the pillar. "You're—"

Something about the way Neji was holding himself made Miho stop, meeting his eyes again. He was only an inch or so taller than her, having grown significantly in the past two years. Still, he somehow seemed…even taller.

Maybe it was how he held himself. The kind of confidence he exuded.

"You never answered my question."

For a moment, Miho felt off-kilter.

She couldn't remember what he'd originally asked. That must have been obvious in her expression.

"Are you injured?"

"No, I—I'm not."

He held her eyes for a moment before he gave a single curt nod. Before Miho could say anything more, he stepped around her and walked away. She couldn't help but to watch his hair as he moved down the street. The way the sunlight hit it and the way it swung as he moved. Miho felt a strange fluttering in her chest that felt a bit like indigestion. It made her feel a bit breathless.

Coughing, Miho turned back to the hospital, forcing herself to move quickly through the doors and down to the bunker. The trek was so quick and her mind so distracted that she barely registered the journey until she found herself at the foot of Fū's bed. Why did that exchange with Neji have her so rattled?

Seeing him die again. That was the first Image in a while that shook her to her core. That had to be the reason she felt so out-of-sorts.

Moving to the chair at the side of the bed, Miho reached for Fū's hand. It was warm, reassuring. Something about the room's energy said that Chōmei was aware of the visit. The chakra buzzed, as it had before, thrumming as if a thousand wings were beating. Miho held tighter to Fū's hand, swallowing down the tightness in her throat. Red. Black. Red. Green.

It was familiar now.

The waterfall was just as pretty as it had been the first time. The rush of it almost comforting, drowning out the circling thoughts about Neji's death, Naruto, Sasuke's family, the upcoming war. Turning, Miho saw that Chōmei was calmly watching. She could almost sense a smile. Then, with a buzz of excitement, one of their wings lifted.

"MIHO!"

Fū darted across the space, flying at first, but then her feet fell into the water. Her footsteps splashed as she ran. She looked healthy here. Less pale and drawn. Miho braced herself for the impact, hugging Fū so tightly that she wondered if it hurt as she spun around with the momentum. Fū buried her face in Miho's shoulder and Miho could feel the tears dampening her yukata top.

Just like Lee.

"Chōmei told me everything! About you and the war and what was going to happen!" Fū's grip tightened.

Miho's eyes trailed up to the tailed beast, who was looking on with what could only be fondness. "Hi, Chōmei."

"Hello, Bear Cub." Chōmei's wings fluttered. "My dear Fū has been anxious to see you. I have relayed everything that you told me, given her the memories of your story. We have discussed this at length." Miho tried to smile, but it felt like more of a grimace as Fū drew away. Miho took the opportunity to look her over. Here, in the chakra of the seal, Fū looked lively. Her hair clip was in place. Her complexion was bright, healthy.

Fū's hand immediately took Miho's, holding it as if it were a lifeline. "You saved my life and Chōmei's life. I don't know how to thank you!"

Miho shook her head. "The Konoha team that went to help you. They saved your life. I just…I just…Had the right information." She almost told Fū about how one person died in the effort, but she choked down those words. Her eyes trailed to Chōmei again. "I— I haven't told anyone that we've spoken. Honestly, I didn't know what to do."

Chōmei's energy shifted a bit, wings easing their ceaseless fluttering. Miho felt Fū's free hand grip her forearm. It was reassuring. "I have confirmed that two of my siblings have been taken. Kokuō, the Five Tails, and Son Gokū, the Four Tails."

Miho let out a breath, letting her head fall forward. "I am so sorry, Chōmei."

Fū's hold tightened. "Miho, it is not your fault. Your actions saved me and they're going to save others! Tell her, Chōmei. Please tell her." Looking around to Fū's wide orange eyes, Miho truly wanted to have that kind of positivity and confidence. "It'll be alright, Miho. You'll see. We have more of a chance now than we ever did before."

"I have spoken with Saiken, the Six Tails. We were the closest in our younger years. I felt I could trust them with this information. They're intelligent and kind. Their mind is not warped by years of captivity like Shukaku. They're one of the least central of us to the plot. I thought it best to reach out to them first."

"Reach out? You can communicate with the others?"

Miho felt a thrill of fear. If that was the case, then it would be easy for Madara to learn about the Images through Isobu. The Eight Tails could tell Killer B. If Kurama learned about the Images, then—

"Did you—"

Naruto would know.

"Tailed Beasts can connect in a psychic plane. After all, we are chakra constructs. You need not worry, Bear Cub. I did not connect with Isobu, Gyūki, Matatabi, Shukaku, or Kurama. I have been around for quite some time, young one. I know something of strategy." The slight rebuke had Miho grimacing. "Saiken, however, does have a plan. A plan that I believe…" Chōmei trailed off, wings fluttering with anticipation. Miho felt Fū shift. "I believe it is best that this stay among us. The Tailed Beasts and their hosts. And you. The fewer that know of our knowledge and ability to communicate, the better."

Keep it from everyone.

The Hokage, her friends, her family.

Drawing in a breath, Miho closed her eyes and shifted her weight, trying to find a steadier way to stand with Fū leaning into her side. She looked back up to Chōmei. "What is Saiken's plan? Is his jinchūriki aware of it?"

"Utakata is aware."

One more aware of the Images.

"You only remembered sparse details regarding Saiken's capture. Namely, that it was carried out by the Six Paths of Pain. Further, that it was preceded by the death of Uchiha Itachi and followed by the destruction of Konohagakure. Sometime in the near future."

When she'd recounted that part of the story, she felt terrible for not remembering more about the individual jinchūriki.

Miho pulled her arm from Fū's grip, taking few steps toward the waterfall seal, focusing on the rushing water instead of the Images that made her entire body shake. All of the markers were in the air now. "Uchiha Sasuke is still in Konoha. He still wants to kill his brother, but he hasn't become a missing nin." The yet sat on the tip of her tongue. "I don't know what's changed."

"Saiken and I believe that the sequence of events is not set in stone."

"You mean that since my attack was stopped and two Akatsuki were killed, it could throw the entire timeline off?" Fū questioned, voice steady and serious. Miho turned to see Fū's brows knitted together in thought. "Then how can we predict anything?"

"We can't." Miho responded, looking up to Chōmei. "Can we?"

"No, children, we cannot. The ripple effects…" The gigantic moth fluttered her wings, sending out gust after gust of wind, pushing up waves that splashed against Miho's shins. "… have changed the story. Some aspects remain the same. Others have changed so dramatically that prediction is impossible. Unrecognizable. It is…chaos."

Chaos.

Turquoise eyes.

Swirling wind.

Never break—

Chaos was something Miho was familiar with. It coursed through her chakra system like a tempest, swirling and vibrating at frequencies she couldn't yet understand. Yes, Miho knew chaos. Tenpenchii. The very energy of it was keeping her alive... and it was tearing the original plot apart. Like a tornado through a town. Or on a highway.

"Utataka is currently on his way to meet Killer B."

Miho felt herself stop breathing. Her chest tingled and her arms felt numb.

That was a huge departure from the original story.

"He will go to Genbu, Turtle Island, where Naruto and Killer B trained. He will draw Gyuki with him. There, he will learn to control Saiken's chakra. Saiken is… quite enthusiastic about this plan. He believes it will secure both Killer B and Utataka until further plans can be made. If possible, they will draw in Matatabi and her jinchūriki there as well." Chōmei lifted their wings as if rolling their shoulders. "When the time comes, my Fū and I will go there as well, for the final stage of our training."

Flashes of Naruto's golden cloak and Killer B's full transformation on the battlefield made Miho lose focus for a moment. If Utataka could remain alive until the final battles, then that would… Miho saw Fū shift. Her friend was staring at the water around her legs, watching the ripples shimmer. Another image flickered over Fū's sad expression.

Naruto.

Standing in the dark shadow of the seal gate, black bleeding from his stomach and eyes vacant.

Pushed to his brink.

Miho moved without thinking, throwing her arms around Fū.

If anyone discovered that the Tailed Beasts could communicate over such distances, then what would be done with that information? Would it put Naruto, Fū, and Gaara in even more danger? This was an advantage that couldn't be risked. Over Fū's shoulder, Miho looked up and met Chōmei's many eyes. There was a kind of confidence and assurance in the way the gigantic moth held her stare. Fū was quiet— that quiet was enough to tell Miho that she was still working through all of this.

Chōmei raised their head as if in question.

Gritting her teeth, she nodded.

"Protecting Naruto, Fū, and Gaara— and my family and friends is my top priority. I'll do whatever I have to— to ensure their safety."

"Of that, Bear Cub Miho, I have no doubt."

Genma was fine, thank you very much. He was eating. He was sleeping. He was training and going on missions. He was washing behind his ears. His students were complete mother hens and, he knew, it was his own damn fault. Shin was perhaps the least fussy, funneling that energy into keeping Sai out of fights. Tetsuya and Miho were a different story. And after the Hokage gave Miho entry to the secure ward? His refuge from their worry was gone. He looked up as the door clicked and gave way to Miho's entry.

Something was off.

Immediately, Genma was alert, watching as she stepped inside. Her eyes lifted and met his. She looked away, toward the package of food on the counter.

"You haven't eaten yet?"

Diversion. It was so obvious that he crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair to watch her move to the other side of the bed. He may have been 'out of it' for the past few weeks, but he wasn't blind. He was still her teacher. And he counted himself among the few that could read her and her moods.

"Something up?"

Her eyes lifted from Aoba's face. Every now and then, her eyes would seem darker. Like that had after her captivity. In those months that followed, he would sometimes catch her staring into nothing. Reliving whatever that bastard had put her through. The eyes that stared at him now reminded him of those stares. His hands fisted and he pushed the senbon to the corner of his lips.

"I leave tomorrow morning for the Hall of the Okuda."

Eyes narrowing, Genma considered the way her weight shifted. "You're nervous?"

"It's in enemy territory." She waved a hand, moving to settle into the chair across the bed. Something crossed her face. Something that looked a lot like guilt or regret, not fear.

Genma lifted his brows, waiting for her to continue. Instead, she pulled out a bag of chips. Barbecue flavor. Now, Genma sat forward. She didn't eat potato chips unless she really needed comfort food. "You'll be safe with the Bears. The stronghold is sealed. No one outside of the Okuda can access it." Shifting, he watched as she let a chip sit on her tongue for a moment. She only did that when she was upset. "What's really going on?"

If he weren't a trained ANBU, one of the best in the village damn it, he might've missed the smallest flicker of conflict before she hid it. She instead leaned into another expression. Fear. "I ran into Neji on the way in today."

"You still got a thing for his hair?"

"Yeah, but that's beside the point." Genma opened his mouth then snapped it shut again, making the senbon click against his teeth. Since when did his little student own up to that particular ribbing? "I'm worried we won't be able to stop it."

What reassurance could Genma offer? Anything would've been empty. There were no assurances in the world of shinobi. If Neji didn't die in the war, then he may die on a mission. There was no way to guarantee any lives. Genma's eyes travelled to Aoba's face. "We're not promised anything, Miho."

"I know that. I just..." Her head shook and she drew a hand through her dark curls. That's when he noticed that her hair was loose from its usual ponytail. It fell down to her lower back. Long hair for most kunoichi was a sign of strength. They were strong enough for their hair not to be a detriment in battle.

For Akimichi, it was different. Long hair was worn by the Clan Heirs as an indication of status.

He hadn't realized just how long Miho's hair had gotten since she'd started regrowing it after her imprisonment.

But that didn't answer why it was down.

"Your hair looks different."

Miho stopped fretting her hands, lifting her eyes to his once more. Finally, finally, she smiled. "I sparred with Lee today. Taijutsu only."

Genma lifted his brows, moving the senbon over to the other side of his mouth. "Yeah? Who won?"

"He did. Of course. We…kind of destroyed Training Ground #10. I'll stop by to hire a genin team to fix it." She shifted, eyes lighting up for the first time since she's arrived. Her hand went to her snack pack and she withdrew a package protein balls. "I got a letter from Naruto. He told me a story about Lord Jiraiya sneaking into a bathhouse. Naruto said that he'd laid a trap for that lech to teach him a lesson about spying on women. Apparently, he somehow got the frogs involved. He didn't go into details, but it's been a month since Lord Jiraiya's tried to look into a bathhouse."

Genma tried not to inhale his senbon. "You're never to go into a bathhouse when that man's in Konoha."

Despite the seriousness of his order, Miho laughed a bit. "I'm not foolish. If he ever tried, I am sure there are several that would flatten him for the offense." He didn't doubt that. He almost cringed imagining what the combined forces of Tetsuya, Shin, Ino, Shikamaru, and Chōji would look like. Naruto, too. Nevermind Rock Lee and Sakura added into that battering ram of a line up. That's if Genma didn't kill him. "Of course, I would destroy him first."

"That's my girl." Genma nodded. He sobered as he watched the smile slowly slide away as her amusement faded and her eyes fell back onto Aoba's face. "Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow."

Genma heaved in a breath. "Are you ready?"

"Going out of the village without a forehead protector. Without identification. Without armor. No Akimichi symbols. No…No one with me..." Her jaw worked as she slowly chewed her snack. When she finally looked at him, Genma felt a reckoning coming his way. She drew in a breath through her nose and slowly let it out. "I'm honestly scared."

"The Bears are reverse summoning into the citadel."

"That's not why I'm scared. I'm not worried about detection." She shifted, posture becoming more formal as her back straightened and her chin rose. Every bit the little lady he remembered. When did she get old enough to go out on a solo training mission? When she swallowed the last of the protein ball, she pursed her lips. "A massacre happened there. Lord Ki told me that… They could still be there. The bodies. It's been thirty years? They'd be… Lord Ki said that some parts of the hall are burned. No one can access without a blood seal now, so I'm not worried about detection. Just…"

"You're more comfortable dealing with the future. Not the past."

"I'm not comfortable dealing with either of them."

"You gotta deal with the past to deal with the future, Miho."

They settled into the quiet of the room. Quietly, Genma observed his student. She keeping her eyes trained on Aoba's face, gently holding his hand. There was a weary set to her shoulders that spoke of the weight she carried. The guilt and worry that had haunted her for a decade. However, every now and then, her eyes would sharpen. They'd grow hard and determined. Like she'd reached a decision that no one could shake her from. He'd seen that same expression on her father's face. Both fathers.

"You're going out with Asuma-sensei and Kurenai-sensei for dinner right? And Kakashi-sensei? I know Gai-sensei is on a mission."

"Is this you trying to tell me to get out more?"

She smiled, the earlier tension melting away. "This is me telling you to get out more."

When Miho left nearly twenty minutes later, Genma was left feeling older than he had in a long time. His little students— though they would always be little to him— were growing up. That much should have been obvious when they passed the chūnin exams, but…As he stayed in that hospital room more and more, each time he saw them, they grew. They matured. They were growing stronger and, eventually, they'd be stronger than him.

Tetsuya. Miho. Shin.

He shifted, reaching for Aoba's hand. He drew it up and pressed his cheek against it, focusing on the warmth. Soon, Aoba would wake up and distract him from his own aging. Then, Aoba could feel old with him and he could complain about his gray hairs.

Genma let his eyes fall shut. The façade he'd put on in Miho's presence slowly melted away. It left him feeling older than he'd ever before. More weary. Tired. Something he wouldn't let his kids see. They knew he was tired, overdoing it, and worried. He refused to let them see the whole story. His hold on Aoba's hand grew tighter.

It was too bad that he couldn't see Koji grow, too.

Then, Aoba's hand tightened on his.

Miho stared at the bowl of ramen on the counter in front of her. Shin was on a mission. Tetsuya was with Yūgao, helping to assemble some kind of crib. Team Ten was off on a mission. Seeking out Lee and his team…didn't feel right. For the first time in a long while, she found herself alone. It felt like she was nearly always with someone. On missions. In the apartment. At the hospital. Training. Now, the village seemed quiet, insulated by the rainstorm that was sending cascades of rain into the streets. She could feel the mist of it on her back and in her hair.

It was that kind of isolated feeling that took her feet to Ramen Ichiraku.

She sat on the stool that was farthest to the left of the curtains, hunched over the gigantic bowl of high protein ramen. For some reason, though, she didn't feel hungry.

The Images seemed to be out of control. Each time she let her mind wander even a bit, the Images rose up. Neji. Sasuke. Gaara. The Tailed Beasts. Maybe it was her own uncertainty and anxiety playing out in the Images. Pulling in a deep breath, Miho tried to center, focusing on her stomach.

If she let the Images get too out of control, he would come back. She'd see his eyes again. Hear his voice. She couldn't let it get that far.

Her Master had trained her to overcome that trauma, those intrusive thoughts. Meditation, careful control of her thoughts. But… the vision of Neji's death…Sasuke's sure-to-come grief…Gaara's capture…

She should have felt something more in keeping knowledge of the Tailed Beasts from her Hokage. From her family and friends. She'd sworn to keep it to herself. Chōmei had entrusted her with that knowledge. The plan to protect the remaining jinchūriki…It hinged on her silence. She couldn't betray that trust. She couldn't. She wouldn't. Not when it could keep Naruto, Gaara, Fū, and the others safe.

"Miho?"

Jolting a bit, Miho jerked around to see Iruka-sensei stepping through the curtain flaps. His kind eyes were concerned, mouth set in a firm line. She watched as his attention flicked to the uneaten bowl of ramen. It'd been such a long time since she'd seen him. Nothing took her near the academy. If he visited the hospital, it had to be times when she was out on missions.

He smiled a bit, moving to sit on the stool one down from hers. This gave him a better view of her uneaten ramen. Miho carefully didn't flinch when his eyes fell on her again. "It's been quite a while since I've seen you. You've grown quite a bit. You're almost as tall as me now! I was very happy to see you were promoted to chūnin."

"Thank you, Iruka-sensei. How have you been?"

"The students keep me on my toes, of course." He laughed a bit. "I'll admit, I don't think anyone has kept me on my toes as much as your class."

"We were a handful." Miho agreed, smiling as Iruka-sensei ordered his usual ramen. She'd been here enough with him and Naruto. Her eyes went back to her ramen again. The steam was fading from it. If she didn't eat it soon, it'd get cold. "I think we're all still a handful."

He snorted a laugh, nodding. "Given what Genma, Asuma, and Kurenai have told me, that's very true." Miho didn't miss that Kakashi-taicho was not part of that list. She felt his attention fall on her again. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Miho hesitated before shaking her head. What could she say to him? I used to know the future? Orochimaru's going to come after me? Sasuke's going to avenge his clan by coming after the village? Neji's going to die? The Tailed Beasts can talk somehow via chakra connections and I'm keeping secrets from the Hokage? I'm going to see where my clan was massacred. Alone. Swallowing, Miho shook her head.

Iruka-sensei made a thoughtful noise. "You know, I was really hesitant about Genma taking on a team. I almost rejected the order… or found a way to subvert it." Miho sat upright, turning his direction on her stool, attention rapt to his guilty smile. He scratched the back of his head. "A few years ago, Shiranui Genma was the next to last worst person I could think of to be a teacher."

"Second to who?" Miho questioned, lifting her brows.

"Hatake Kakashi." He pressed his lips together, looking thoughtful. "When you serve in ANBU, you change. It shifts your perspectives. If you're in it too long, it can be difficult to think of yourself outside of the organization, how you relate to people, and how you see the world. Genma was teetering on the edge. Then, he got you three. I've since eaten my words. That night, when Mizuki tricked Naruto, I saw a glimpse of who Genma would become. And now, I believe that he's one of the best teachers we've had take on a team."

Miho felt herself straighten with pride. "Genma-sensei is awesome like that." Her hand fell to the wrap on her leg, just like Genma-sensei's. It started as a prank, but...

Iruka-sensei nodded, his smile fond. "Naruto begged me to put him on your team or put you on his team. Sometimes, I did wonder if I should have found a way to do that, given how bad Team Seven struggled."

"He did?"

"His best friend was being put on a different team with a boy that used to bully her. That used to bully him. Of course, he didn't want you on that team. He didn't want you anywhere near Utatane Tetsuya. I don't think even his excitement over Sakura could overtake him protecting a friend." Iruka-sensei's tone was matter-of-fact, as if she should have known that. Naruto had never said anything. She'd never known. "During that lunch period, he chased me down, shouted at me for putting you with Tetsuya. That I was cruel and hateful. That I was punishing you just like Mizuki used to do."

Miho felt how wide her eyes were. And how they felt itchy. And how her throat felt full.

"He saw your fist-bump with Tetsuya out of the window and stopped begging. He went quiet and thoughtful and then, he got this big smile. He saw it would all work out."

She didn't even realize she was crying until Iruka-sensei handed her a napkin with a small, sincere smile. "I had no idea."

"I miss him too."

Miho nodded, turning back to the ramen. "Now and then, I want to tell him something. I want to chase him down and talk, complain, cry. I wanna make him eat something healthy. Cook him some food. Give him a hug when he sounds sad in his letters, when he wants to come home and he tries to hide it. I want him to crash into the apartment and whine about Kakashi-taicho and Lord Jiraiya. I want to watch movies with him and train. I want—"

More than anything, she wanted to tell him the truth. The truth about everything. The future. Her knowledge. How she was standing back and watching as Sasuke's impending break approached. How she was really a coward, not the protector he always said she was. She wanted to be honest with him. For him to finally know everything.

"I just…I want Naruto to come home."

Iruka-sensei sat in thoughtful silence.

"He has a home to come back to."

Miho lifted her head to see Mr. Ichiraku's smile. It was so broad that his eyes were shut, face flush with happiness and the heat of the kitchen.

"That boy— has a home to come back to. Not just bowls of ramen from this shop. People waiting for him." Miho felt her heart stutter a bit in her chest, like a flash of indigestion.

Ramen, to Naruto, is home.

Mr. Ichiraku was a man of food. He knew how food could make you feel. How it could connect you to a place, to people. Miho watched him nod, as if confirming her thoughts. So, he'd seen how much Naruto relied on ramen.

"You're crying because you miss him. Well, not that Naruto would want you to cry, but… I think he'd be happy. To know that you're waiting for him. You, and me, and Iruka-sensei, others now, we're more than ramen."

Iruka-sensei smiled and nodded, turning back to Miho with a beam so bright that it reminded her a bit of Naruto. "He's right. Having a home to come back to and people waiting for you— that makes all the difference. And when he returns, you can do all those things you said." He reached out and settled a hand on her shoulder. She noticed then that he didn't have to reach down to do that anymore. "Back then, I think I realized it too. You two, you're very special to each other. No matter what, I believe that both of you will be 'home' for each other."

Miho bit back on the tears that welled-up, turning to the large bowl of ramen. Home. "You're right, Iruka-sensei, Mr. Ichiraku." She clapped her hands together, squeezing her eyes shut. Her chopsticks were at the ready and her stomach was growling. "Thank you for the meal!"

It was the best bowl of ramen she'd had in a while.

The next morning, Miho was reversed-summoned to Center Mountain.

A/N: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed! Thank you for the reviews, follows, and favorites!