DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything from the Naruto universe.

Thinking (+ flashbacks, etc.)

Emphasis

Bijuu, etc. speaking

Bijuu, etc. thinking

Kakashi couldn't believe that he got a get out of jail free card just for being a councilman. But here he was, fresh from the place he quietly referred to as the nuthouse and in a room with the other shinobi clan heads, Sandaime, and his least favorite people in the village, the Elders. He was relieved that at least in this meeting, the civilians had been excluded.

He was sure that was one reason Danzo appeared to be so irritated.

The meeting was to discuss what to do about the rogue Orochimaru's battle in the Forest of Death with his team. The snake had sought his team out, and Kakashi had not even had a chance to speak with them since days after they first reached the Forest's Tower. He had been assured that Naru-chan was being treated, but he wanted to see her recovery for himself. The last time that he saw her, she didn't respond to him and had choked up blood.

The nasty but admittedly hot new Jonin medic had literally thrown him out on his ass even after Jiraiya told her that he had every right to be there as both her captain and her husband. Why would Jiraiya tell anyone that? If he didn't know better, he'd think that she was… No, Tsunade coming back to the village was next to impossible.

And surely Jiraiya wasn't so infatuated with another woman that he'd willingly give up information about his goddaughter. The Copy Nin's thoughts returned to the conversation and ass-kicking the Sage had given him a week or more ago.

Kakashi's attention had waned while his mind tracked the reports given and discussed, but now he was back. Damn that Inoichi and all of his supposedly helpful therapy! The man had asked questions that had kept him up all night the last two nights.

"...The exams must continue. My operative reported that Orochimaru stated that he will attack the village if they are canceled. Moreover, we will look weak to our enemies if we cancel the exams simply because of an attack by one of our own missing ninjas."

"A traitor to the village that we've failed to catch and put down," Asuma said as he played with his unlit cigarette. Asuma's father, the Sandaime Hokage, looked away, ashamed. Asuma was unrepentant: his father had totally fucked up by allowing his former (traitorous) student to escape.

"Continuing the exams is what Orochimaru wants. Who is to say that he won't attack after or during the Finals no matter what he's declared?" Kakashi asked, hoping that the Sandaime would overrule his advisors again. He wouldn't exactly bet on it, but if Asuma was going to speak up against what it seemed like the man's father was at least considering, so would he. Continuing the exams could also lead to disaster; the Snake was never to be trusted.

"I have to agree with my Jonin," Shikaku drawled, giving a nod down the table to Asuma and Kakashi before his gaze turned sharply to Danzo. "Sai and Uchiha Sasuke's testimony states that Orochimaru made attempts on both of their lives as well as their teammate's, Hatake Naruto."

"Orochimaru has killed many of our shinobi," Homura muttered, looking only slightly concerned. "He has maimed and attempted to kill many more."

"Are you saying that his attack on Team 7 was coincidental? That they just happened to be in the right place at the wrong time, or vice versa?" Ibiki asked, almost dumbfounded by the man's stupidity if that was true. Perhaps old Homura is finally getting too senile as well as too openly damn corrupt for his job. He'd long had evidence that the Sandaime's old teammates and rival were colluding against the Hokage, yet the Sandaime wouldn't allow him to arrest them.

"He's obviously the leader of Oto," Chouza said, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes. "We could lose the last Uchiha and the Kyuubi to him." Kakashi bristled at how he referred to his wife, despite the Akimichi's apologetic look toward him that followed his words. "They need to be guard-" He was cut off by an Elder.

"As we are on the subject, the jinchuuriki has been compromised. She can no longer be trusted," Danzo said as if it were a fact. "What have we learned about the other Uzumaki woman?" He wasn't at all phased when the majority of the clan heads scoffed at his initial words.

Inoichi spoke up after sighing and letting out a bitter chuckle following the Sandaime's nod that he should speak. "Uzumaki Karin had a personal vendetta against Uzumaki-Hatake Naruto." Noticing that the village leader gestured for him to continue, he went on. "Born in Kusa to an Uzushio survivor and unknown father, Uzumaki Karin and her mother were abused, her mother losing her life when… All of the woman's chakra was literally sucked out of her," Inoichi said with disgust. "Orochimaru 'rescued' Uzumaki Karin," he continued, using air quotes around the word he found so disgusting, "and thus she is extremely loyal to him."

"My former student told her stories of a girl, her age, in our village who had lied about her Uzumaki heritage," the Sandaime said before picking up his pipe again.

"Hai," Ibiki said. "She believes that Naruto-hime has accumulated gains from falsely claiming to be an Uzumaki that she and her mother were denied until the traitor found her."

"Troublesome. And you know she doesn't like to be called princess, Ibiki-san. Just like Prince Asuma in a Can over there doesn't care for his title, either." Asuma lit his cigarette and used a wind jutsu to blow smoke directly at the Jonin Commander for that little comment.

"It is concerning, but we have her in custody. You will continue collecting information from her on my errant student?" The Sandaime Hokage then took a cue from his son and blew the smoke from his pipe down the table and directly into his "trusted advisor's" face. Sitting back in his chair, Hiruzen reigned in his temper and folded his hands over his robes, knowing that Danzo wasn't going to let this go... "And why is it you think that Naruto-chan's been compromised, Danzo?"

"My operatives followed her to the Dragon Lodge, where the shinobi for Sunagakure were being housed for the exams. Uzumaki Naruto…"

"Hatake," said the Hokage and Kakashi at the same time. Danzo looked at Kakashi with nothing but venom in his single eye.

"The jinchuuriki locked and sealed herself into a hotel room with a Suna shinobi. She also attacked Suna's leader," Danzo continued, believing he could better rile the Hatake up by leaving out that a third Genin was with them. The jinchuuriki's association with more than one Suna shinobi also looked more dubious.

The other Elders frowned at this, behaving as if they didn't know the information beforehand while Shikaku tried to speak up for his daughter. Keyword being tried. "Young people these days have no morals or respect," Koharu sniffed. "And when did the jinchuuriki learn sealing?

Shikaku cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention. "As I was saying, Naruto-chan wasn't only with a Suna shinobi, was she, Danzo?" He looked down toward Kakashi and was happy to see that his possessive son-in-law was keeping it together thus far. Considering the Elder's comments, he wanted to let out some steam himself: how dare they say that about his little girl? "And Genin are taught to use storage and silencing seals in the Academy," he continued dismissively.

"But why would she need to use this in the presence of foreign shinobi?" Danzo asked just as Homura was going to do the same. For all Danzo knew, the three Genin could have been intimate: considering Hatake's reading materials he may not mind, but only mentioning the Sand nin will support my goals more.

"Diplomacy," Yoshino and Kakashi said as one, Kakashi having remembered Shikamaru's words. He was pissed off at what the Elders were trying to imply, and also aggravated that Naruto would give them a reason for continuing to follow her.

She was his and his alone. Anyone else that wanted to have his way with her would be electrocuted in the most painful of ways: the Hatake seal was foolproof. The masked nin told himself that he needed to stop feeling so jealous, but being in love was new to him. Asuma tapped him on the leg and Kakashi realized that he'd been brooding again. He grimly raised his eyebrow at his friend who only sighed back at him.

Shikaku mumbled "Troublesome" about something, and the meeting broke for lunch.

Naruto had just escaped the hospital by jumping out of the window. Realizing that she wasn't wearing her henge, she ducked around the corner and came out "wearing" black clothes. Her most often used henge otherwise featured black hair but without whisker marks. She felt good, just blending into the crowd like this. It sucked that her shoulder was still hurting and her right arm was tingling and a little lazy, but she was so damn glad to get away from the hospital and "tender care" of Tsunade. It seemed that the woman would be sticking around for a while, but she was asking too many questions for Naruto to be comfortable.

"Is that you?" Lee asked, suddenly way too close.

"It's definitely her," Neji said confidently, a small smile on his admittedly handsome face.

It's still weird that he's smiling, Naruto thought. "Okay, ya got me," she said, smiling as she raised her good hand in surrender. "We gotta get out of here, though, because Baa- er, a monster med-nin could be on my ass any second." She waved with her good left arm. "Hey, Tenten!" The three Genin and one Chunin headed down the street to Ichirakus.

Teuchi took one look at Naruto's henge and shook his head, making her pout. "Go sit in the back booth. I'm only feeding you if you look like you," he said disapprovingly. Naruto gawked and looked at Ayame who at least looked apologetic. Giving up, because his noodles were totally worth following The Ramen God's terse orders, Naruto followed Team 9 into the back booth and dropped her henge. Her back was to the front of the restaurant and Naru suddenly felt incredibly wary of leaving it open.

"Would you like to change places?" Neji asked thoughtfully from across the table.

"I'm that transparent, huh?" Naruto asked with a sad smile as she sunk down lower into her seat. "Nah. Thanks anyway, Neji-kun." She could've sworn he'd blushed, but the way that Tenten rolled her eyes was more interesting to her. She looked around to see what had caused that reaction but didn't let her face be seen by the other diners. "I trust you both with my life."

Neji nodded to her while Tenten agreed then reached up and behind their booth to temporarily steal a teapot and some cups. Lee, naturally, had begun to whimper and tear up about her Youth and Springtime.

"You were attacked in the Forest," Neji said quietly.

"Well weren't we all?" Naruto said, forcing herself to smile about it. Her clones had been everywhere, and some of the combat in the Forest of Death among the Genin had been brutal, including Team 9's close call with the Iwa team. "Do you have plans for your training? And what's up with that extra that dropped out? No offense to him," she chuckled awkwardly, then remembered how Gai-sensei's temporary ROOT subordinate had tried to get information on her from Kabuto.

Kabuto: had she made a mistake by informing Ibiki about him? Because she'd changed things, she had no idea of where he was now. It would be stupid to think that the bastard had been killed. If only, she thought, then frowned at how much she actually wanted to hurt or kill someone. It was wrong in theory - and in fact, she told herself - but Kabuto was responsible for the Edo Tensei during the Fourth Shinobi War. How she knew that she couldn't remember, but she was positive of it. And Kurama agreed with her.

They discussed what they were doing to train for the Finals of the Chunin Selection Exam; what they thought of their upcoming opponents, and Naruto was glad that she wouldn't be going up against any of them. She was also glad for the awesome extra-large bowl of ramen but was having a hard time using the chopsticks with her left hand. Neji was quick to offer to feed her, and Lee was way too eager, nearly stabbing her in the mouth.

She had just managed a jailbreak, so Naruto had no idea of what kind of training she'd be doing or who she'd be doing it with. The blonde assured Tenten that if it was at all possible, she'd work with her as soon as she could. Tenten was going up against Temari-hime, and Naruto hoped that Tenten would make a great showing in the finals this time.

...Although she probably wouldn't win; it was just a bad match for her! As Shino knew too well, Temari was a beast of an opponent. The only Genin in the Leaf that could probably take her on and win was Naruto - or maybe Shikamaru - but alas, those matches were not going to happen.

"Gai-sensei," Lee and Tenten greeted the man who had just appeared, the wind whipping up behind him. He grabbed and sunshinned his two male students away from his possessive rival's grasp. Kakashi's Killing Intent had washed over the entire restaurant when he saw one of his Genin and Chunin feeding his Eternal Rival's wife. He wasn't sure whether or not Kakashi's behavior was youthful, but it certainly was passionate!

Naruto pulled a Rasengan out of her ass in fear. She'd felt Kakashi's chakra nearing her, but why he'd chosen to sunshin behind her BACK with all that Killing Intent, she couldn't imagine. She let the jutsu go and nearly fell over. "Oops. Sorry, Kash." He sunshinned her away.

Kakashi held his little wife up by the waist before pulling her closer with his other arm as he dragged his hand through her hair. He scented her, noting the hospital smells that clung to her natural delicious palate, the ramen from Ichirakus, and finally, aggravatingly, Gai's minion, the other one, and that Hyuuga Chunin. She didn't smell like blood anymore, but he could smell some kind of tincture that sped up healing. He pulled her into their home's barrier, then held her in his arms again.

Gods, he didn't realize how desperate he was to see her. "Are you alright? Let me see your wound."

"I'm fine," Naruto insisted, "no need to worry. OI!" He'd just ripped her shirt again and turned her around to see where she was stabbed. "You are going shopping for me, mister, and let me tell you: finding things sized just right is a real pain in the butt!" She had covered her chest even though she had a sports bra and part of a top on. Her own bra and bandages had been damaged by Karin's poisoned kunai - that idiot. Tsunade had provided the garment she had on now. It was dark green with ryo signs on each cup and was completely embarrassing.

And what was she supposed to do with that crazy Uzumaki Karin?

Kakashi didn't say anything, making her uncomfortable. As much as she'd missed him, and as great as their sex life seemed to her, it still felt a little uncomfortable knowing that she'd confessed her love to the often silent man. "Do you want me to... I don't know. Make you something to eat?" He held her closer and kissed down her neck. "You look like you haven't eaten."

"Council meeting," he said, mesmerized by the way her body responded to his need to touch her. He ran his palm and fingers up and down her side, moving to her breast before softly biting at her neck. Why does she smell sad? He was just about to ask her as he unclasped her disgustingly suggestive bra when she realized what he'd said and took a step back. He didn't like that; he wasn't going to go to that fucking council meeting and deal with Danzo.

He shook his head and almost felt dizzy with need. Maybe Inoichi was right and he needed to talk about this... stuff? One thing was certain: he needed to go to the old Hatake compound and get the rest of his father's archives that his ninken couldn't get to or carry.

"You want me to go there like this?" Naruto asked, hiding her chest.

"Absolutely not!" He popped her on the ass then flung her over his shoulder. He heard her wince when he finished his sunshin to their front door and immediately apologized.

"I can't believe you did this out in the open! And I'm just sore is all."

"Your arm is damaged," Kakashi spoke as he watched the way his little wife move. He followed her up the stairs into her old room, feeling angry and disjointed while helping her bandage her buxom curves. The more he watched her move, the more he worried yet felt like the luckiest man in the world. Especially as he was immediately tackled back onto her nightmarishly neon orange comforter.

"What are you doing to me?" Naruto murmured while smiling gently and straddling her husband, pushing him down onto her beautiful old bed. She kissed him softly, her want and kisses becoming deeper as she tried not to dig her fingernails into his abs as she pushed against the rigid muscles under his shirt. Kakashi's chest rumbled, which only turned her on more. She needed to stop this. "Goddammit," she complained softly. Why couldn't she stop herself? "You are your fucking bedroom big dick energy," she said to herself - accidentally out loud.

Kakashi laughed into their heated kiss. "It's the bond," Kakashi half-admitted before he bounced her up and unwrapped the bandages that he'd just put on her. Hearing her hiss, he backed off for a moment before taking one of her luscious buds into his mouth. He groaned along with his wife as he pulled her ass closer to him. "Fuck, Naruto: I don't want to, but we've gotta make this quick!"

"Please," she whined. She was immediately gratified when Kakashi yanked down his pants and boxers, revealing his hot, long girth that was already hard. Minutes later, she didn't remember where her clothes went, but she was going to enjoy the ride. "You're going to fully... Oh god... explain this damn 'bond' to me," she breathed as she rubbed against and then worked at sinking down on him. She was embarrassingly wet already but he was just so big.

Kakashi quickly nodded his head, as he sat up to pull off the rest of his shirt along with the mask that had at some point fallen down to his neck. He intertwined their fingers. "I've missed you... I need you," he groaned as he forced himself to let her fiery little cunt slowly work its way down his cock. He so wanted to push her down forcefully and begin doing everything he could imagine with her right this second. It had been more than a week!

Knowing that was the best she'd probably ever hear from her husband, Naruto tried to savor his words. She grasped his shoulders and bit and sucked his chin as she finally made it all the way down. "Kakashi," she whimpered.

Her mouth and part of her face were absolutely devoured as they made love and/or screwed each other senseless.

Kakashi wasn't sure what to do.

They'd gone at it for hours and at this point; he'd given up on ever getting to the council meeting. Naruto was knocked out, her hair still wet from the shower they'd taken. He'd had to carry her back and forth to the bathroom because her legs had given out, and yet she still begged for him to take her while they'd been in there. And take her, he did.

But now she had a huge bite mark on the shoulder that had been wounded, and it wasn't healing right. How had he lost it so? Was she going to be okay? Another thought ran through his head, too:

If someone like Jiraiya or Shikaku sees this thing, am I going to be murdered? He probably deserved it.

He'd had her turned around in the shower... She was bending over with her breasts, cheek, and one hand pressed against the shower wall, with the other clamped over the faucet - and he'd completely lost control. Even when she turned to him with something between a growl and a purr, her eyes red, the little marks on her cheeks darkening, he'd continued until he was sated.

Then as he kissed and hugged her afterward, she started crying.

She wouldn't say what was wrong even as he - as gently as he knew how - cleaned her up, dried, and carried her back to bed. Seeing her cry as she tried to hide from him on the shower floor had broken his heart. And why had she been repeatedly washing that hand after they made love? It brought back terrible memories of when he'd done the same thing following - he swallowed down a large lump that had developed in his throat - what he did to Rin.

Sai and Sasuke had given him details about the battle with Orochimaru but now he wondered if they'd left something out.

"Naruto."

Her only response was a deep sigh as she continued sleeping deeply.

He looked at the clock and wondered if the meeting had adjourned for the day before gazing back upon his wife. "I love you, Naruto," he said quietly to the sleeping woman. "I've never been in love before, and I swear that I'll love only you for the rest of my wretched life. No," he said, beginning to clench his fist in determination. "I will love you until the end of time." Kakashi closed his eyes, then opened his Sharingan to make sure his little wife was still asleep. "You make it better; you make me hopeful," he continued, both of his eyes feeling dry before almost welling up. This time he couldn't blame the tears he almost shed on crybaby Obito. "I'm sorry that I can't say the things you need to hear, but I'll get there. I promise, my sun." He moved under the covers and curled up next to her, being careful of what he'd done to her shoulder. "Sorry about the bite, by the way," he muttered, grimacing.

Naruto only sighed contentedly once his arms were wrapped around her small waist, and Kakashi soon fell asleep, too. There would probably be hell to pay tomorrow, but for this day, he wasn't answering the door for anyone or anything. He forgot to fear that realization as he fell asleep beside the woman he loves. Right now, he wasn't a tool for his village.

They were woken up by the front door nearly being broken down.

Kakashi sunshinned down in all of his nude muscular glory. Peeking out the window, he sighed and covered himself up to his nose with the bright orange throw that had been on his wide recliner. "Yes?" he asked as he opened the door despite his earlier promises to himself. The ebony-haired med-nin stared at him, wide-eyed, then looked at Jiraiya-sama before cackling with deep laughter.

"I told you, Pervert!"

"Shut up, Tsunade," Jiraiya pouted then turned his dark gaze on the little shit in front of him. "Let's go, Casanova."

"Maa, I want to stay with Naruto." It was true, but he often said things that were true out loud mostly to get comical reactions. He was successful with Jiraiya-sama, whose face was quickly turning red, his mouth agape, but the apparently even more henged than usual Tsunade-hime only rolled her eyes at him before dragging her teammate into his den.

"Fine. Let me go get dressed." He wrapped the throw around his lower half.

"Who's here, Kakashi?" came a sleepy voice from upstairs. Kakashi sunshinned upstairs to his partner, fearing that she was naked or in skimpy clothing, although Jiraiya didn't move to pound him this time. Naruto was rubbing her eyes which went wide at seeing the two interlopers that were making themselves comfortable in the living room; she was "dressed" in only a dark orange silk yukata. "What are you two doing here? Is something up?" the blonde asked them worriedly. When they only told her to go put some clothes on, she complied, returning to her old room to put on her uniform. She and Kakashi joined the Sannin minutes later.

"You're both needed by the council. Don't say anything about us and let's... see the fireworks," Jiraiya said as he patted Naruto's head and threw Kakashi a nasty look. Locking up the house, Naruto asked her godfather if he would be training her for the Finals.

"Don't you want to train with me?" Kakashi asked.

"Aren't you training Sasuke?" Naru asked. Kakashi just shrugged.

Tenzo was already training Sai and Sasuke, and the reclusive and deadly ANBU operative Zero had requested to train Sasuke when he was off-duty, which suited Kakashi just fine. "Maybe part-time... I'll work with you the remainder of the time."

"You probably just want to... further... court," Jiraiya spit with distaste, "and procreate with my goddaughter! That's why I'm taking her away!"

"She has to recover first," Tsunade said as they walked to the sealed border of the property. "And just deal with it, Jiraiya! You and I started having sex before her age."

Naruto sputtered and blushed bright red and tried to hide her face behind her hair.

"Not with each other, you brat!"

Well, that was less of a disturbing thought. "I'm fine already. My shoulder's just a little sore," She rubbed it and winced. The blonde noticed that Kakashi's expression was similar to hers, but she could also smell the guilt rolling off of him, which she found confusing. "Here, let me have your palm, Baa-chan: I'll key ya into the system."

"Don't do that," Kakashi whined as Tsunade scolded her for calling her a granny. Naruto was already at it, though. "Fine," he said sulkily, "then I'm keying Gai in."

Naruto smiled brilliantly at him. "That's great," she said seriously, "we can also put Tenzo-sensei and Sai blood in here, too, 'ttebayo!" She wasn't too sure about Sasuke, which made her feel guilty after what she'd said about including the others.

But Sasuke joined the Akatsuki last time. I swear that hurt almost as much as that damn Chidori. She did not want any member of the Akatsuki getting into their lair.

"Absolutely not," Kakashi said firmly. The Sannin sent Kakashi ahead of her, making the couple pout. Jiraiya groaned when she kissed the masked Kakashi goodbye.

"Things are going to get weird in there, Naruto," Jiraiya said as Tsunade nodded. "I need you to stay calm and mind your manners. Especially if you want to get promoted." Naruto nodded her head worriedly and followed her husband to the Hokage Tower. She ended up sitting outside the council chambers for a good half hour.

Which she found HIGHLY aggravating.

"Hey, Hokage-sama," Naruto said with a nervous bow. It was almost weird bowing like that to her grandfather figure whom she normally loved to tease and harass in front of so many important people. And didn't Jiraiya and Tsunade say that it was only supposed to be the shinobi side of the council? Well, their info sucked, because the civilians on the council were here now. Two ANBU sunshinned forward, each grabbing her hands and placing seals on them.

She internally groaned, but tried - TRIED - to swallow down her anger.

Naruto could feel the hate radiating from most of the civilian council, which didn't help her any. The Elders weren't pleased with her either, but what she felt from them was mainly distaste: that normally was easier to handle. Sadly, Naruto's entire first effort at life sought out attention, hoping that anyone would like her - and she still had a difficult time with not being liked even now. Sakura's mother was glaring at her, unmistakably still believing that she had something to do with her daughter's disappearance, and whoever the neon pink-haired guy was quickly looked away from her, guilt underlying the gross cologne he had on.

She tried to calm herself. Sitting at the other end of the table, all bandaged up, was the scum who had taken Sakura away: Naruto was sure of it!

"Just kill the old buzzard, and get these fucking seals off."

The seals, she told herself, didn't matter - although they did even further piss her off. Naru wasn't sure what kind of seals they were but felt confident that she could override them with Kurama's chakra. The fox was obviously awake and paying attention now, but he didn't seem too worried, either. She swallowed down her anger and anxiety and looked up to Kakashi for comfort. Call her weak, but seeing him looking at her with his handsome, lazy, one-eyed blank gaze made her feel a little better and more in control. "Something you'd like to discuss?"

"Unfortunately, Naruto, it has come to our attention that you've been meeting with shinobi from other villages. We just had some questions."

"Right," Naruto said then sighed unevenly. Stopping the cycle of hatred was going to be difficult even in her own home village. Hell, it was difficult within her own heart. "I did. I met the Sabaku siblings many years ago..."

"We were told you have no memories of your early childhood," Homura interrupted in that low, accusing voice of his.

"Jiji, forgive me: Hokage-sama reminded me shortly of our previous meetings after they arrived." Naruto didn't appreciate the way his advisors glared at their leader as if he had done something wrong.

"That was after you attacked the Kazekage," Mitokado said curtly.

"We fought," Naruto admitted after taking a large breath then shrugged. "Had I not been sent out on an impossible and mislabeled mission - similar to my first mission outside of the village..."

"Whether or not a mission has been mis-sorted matters not," Danzo said haughtily. "What matters is completing the mission!"

"You sent me, a Genin, to kill a jinchuuriki," Naruto spat. "Even if I'd been successful, it would've destabilized the peace we are barely clinging to. It would have caused a war." Naruto's fists were clenched and she felt like she was going to blow.

"Attacking a Kage is reason for war!" Danzo stormed.

"Then he shouldn't have fucked with his son - and you shouldn't have set me up, you old piece of..." She shook all over. "You and your 'roots of the great tree,'" Naruto rapidly continued, making fun of his voice, and really on a roll despite all of the cues she was getting to shut up. "Keep your fucking roots to yourself, stop following me, OH! And how about stop poisoning the roots of the great tree you eyeball steal-"

"NARUTO! That is enough!" Hiruzen shouted. May the gods help us all. Angering an Uzumaki and then forcing them to control themselves had always been joked to be an S-ranked poke directly at the Shinigami.

"It is as I said," Danzo stated with a - a really gross smile, in Naruto's estimation - "The jinchuuriki is unstable. We have another Uzumaki..."

Naruto's hair stood straight up from her head. "You're not touching my clansmen, ya sick bastard!"

*BOOM*

Naruto jumped away just in time for Tsunade to make her grand entrance. The Slug Sannin had just broken down the thick oak door, taking the door jam with it, and dragging Jiraiya behind her by his ear. "Did I miss something?" she asked dryly while many in the room paled at her entrance. She walked over to her empty council seat, the Toad Sage right behind her. "Where's my grandmother's seat? Where's the Uzumaki crest's banner?!"

"Hello, Tsunade-chan!" Hiruzen said, obviously happy to see her no matter what she did to his office.

"There are no Uzumaki in the village," Homura began, ignoring him and Naruto's little squawk of outrage before turning toward Naruto, a dark look on his nerdy face. "You are no longer an Uzumaki."

"That's funny," Jiraiya said. "I distinctly remember Kushina being forced to attend council meetings after she married Minato."

"Namikaze Minato-sama?" one of the civilians asked apprehensively.

"Yeah: my DAD!" Naruto yelled, not realizing that her hair was flying around just like her mother's used to.

"Stand down, Naru-chan," Kakashi said quietly. When she ignored him and still looked like she would mouth off and jump down the council table to kill Danzo, he sunshinned straight in front of her, startling nearly everyone in the room. He placed his hand on the shoulder he'd bitten and pushed his chakra into her. Her eyes dilated as they snapped to pay attention to him. He leaned in closer and whispered against her ear. "You will follow my lead, woman."

"Aaaaand there it is. I'd say slit their throats and leave me the entrails, but no. YOU were the one who had to mate with a hanyou - or hayou DESCENDANT: not like that makes it any better - and both of you were moronic enough to not understand that words have power, and that sex has an entirely different power over you filthy humans. Mix the two? Recklessness: thy name is Hatake Naruto!"

"Umm… Do what?" Naruto asked her husband with a small trembling voice. She heard Kurama being a figurative bastard, still yelling at her and going on about fairytales, but Kakashi was making her weak in the knees - and simply... weak.

"You're submissive to him, you dolt!"

"Oh, bullshit on that!"

Kurama wanted to smack them both. Maybe he should run his dumb blonde kit's head into a wall hard enough to knock her out and fully take over. Then when the Silver Pervert comes for another visit, I can bring them both into my prison and let myself out, free to live an idiot and flea-free life.

In the meantime, Inuzuka Tsume felt concerned as she observed the way the newly-formed couple interacted. She'd bet 500 ryo that Kakashi had little to no information on some of her clan's unique "habits" or "traits:" their clan in a way. What he'd just done was all Inuzuka, though, as far as she knew. Kakashi was normally much more reserved Hatake than Inuzuka, but those Inuzuka genes would still affect him, anyway. It's not that the Inuzukas were quiet about "those things:" hell, they were rarely quiet about anything.

It's just that ya don't discuss those things with outsiders, children, or young ladies until they're old enough to handle the information!

... That was one reason why her great uncle was so concerned about Hatake Sakumo marrying her estranged and now-deceased clansmen all those years ago. Her death, she believed, might have made the White Fang's depression even worse and hastened his suicide.

Mates can't live without each other.

"Troublesome," Shikaku sighed, running his hand down his face. He looked toward the young woman he thought of like a daughter to see that her face was turning bright red again. Hatake, though, had stood up straighter, tucking Naruto under his arm as he led her out. He couldn't help but groan as the ANBU followed them out, hoping that this bullshit meeting would end before nightfall.