Shanan and Kakashi were dating now. Everyone knew it would happen eventually, but now that it had, they felt as though their Senseis kept a really close eye on them.
What they didn't seem to realize was that Shanan had made a rule that she and Kakashi couldn't make-out at home. At home they pretty much had to pretend to not be dating.
The only kiss allowed was the one before bed when they hugged and said goodnight like they always had, except they added a kiss now. They were only fifteen, afterall, and it just didn't seem like a good idea to her.
For good measure, Minato assigned Shanan and Kakashi to watch over Kushina during her pregnancy. More specifically, he asked Shanan to act as a midwife/secret bodyguard while Kakashi stayed more in the shadows.
Shanan had only performed emergency healing type medical ninjutsu, so had to be trained in other types and was able to assist in the Yamanaka baby's birth in the month leading up to Kushina's delivery.
Kakashi stayed in the shadows and kept a close eye on Kushina and everyone that surrounded her.
Except when he and Shanan were able to get a break and have lunch and do some kissing. Which never seemed to last long enough since they were both so busy now.
The day had arrived when Kushina had gone into labor. Even though Shanan had been trained to help deliver the baby and was fully prepared to do so, and Kakashi was ready to stand guard in case anything happened, they were both told to standby at a second location instead. But were also warned that they most likely wouldn't be needed. Minato wasn't truly worried, but he still wanted to make sure precautions were in place.
Shanan and Kakashi waited patiently at a safe house deep in the woods for the entire day.
Shanan prepared everything she could for both Kushina and the baby. While Kakashi was in charge of checking the area and maintaining that it stayed secure.
It was well after dark when Minato teleported to them out of nowhere with just the baby.
"Take him. Kakashi, he has explosive seals that need to be removed, I'm going back for Kushina," he said as he handed the baby to Shanan and disappeared as fast as he had appeared.
Shanan and Kakashi got to work immediately. Kakashi removed his seals in almost no time while Shanan wrapped him up and tended to the scratches he'd somehow gotten on him.
They continued to wait, but not for long, as Minato and Kushina arrived.
Kushina was weakened, so Shanan helped her lay down and gave her the baby so that she could get started on healing her.
"Protect them," he told the pair as he disappeared again.
"What's happening, Kushina Sensei?" Shanan asked her shakily.
"The nine tailed beast is free. Be ready," she told her.
Shanan looked up at Kakashi.
"Don't leave me," she whispered.
She wasn't scared for herself. She was scared of losing Kakashi and couldn't protect him if he ran off to fight.
"I'm not going anywhere. I promise," he assured her.
Shanan continued to work on healing Kushina for what seemed like forever before Minato reappeared... along with the nine tailed beast.
Kushina immediately got up and put a barrier around it as Minato ran up to her and put his hand on her cheek.
"Are you ok?" he asked her.
She nodded. "Thanks to Shanan."
"We need to seal him away again," he said shakily through tears.
"Put him back inside of me. It'll be ok," she tried to assure him, unconvincingly.
"You're too weak, you'll die." Tears were streaming down both of their faces. "We should put him into Naruto in case that man comes back someday. Naruto is the Child of Prophecy. Not me," he said gently.
Shanan and Kakashi both cried as they watched them. They weren't sure exactly what was happening. But it was very emotional.
"Kurama's chakra is too powerful for Naruto," she cried.
"Then we'll seal the other half into me," he told her as he wiped her face.
"You can't. Your body isn't meant to be a Jinchuriki."
"Naruto needs his mother," he said as tears continued to run down his face.
Kushina put her face in her hands and cried as Minato wrapped his arms around her even tighter.
Shanan buried her face into Kakashi's chest and cried. She could never imagine the two of them being in this position and it broke her heart watching two people she loved making this decision.
Minato kissed Kushina's forehead and smiled at her gently before going up to Kurama to perform a seal on him to cut his chakra in half. As he sealed half of the chakra into himself, Kurama moved to kill Naruto and both Minato and Kushina moved to block him.
Without saying anything, Shanan and Kakashi pushed out a forceful water barrier that surrounded all of them and charged it with lightning, causing some resistance to Kurama's blow.
His claw went straight through Minato but only just entered Kushina's back.
Kushina turned around and put the barrier back over Kurama which caused Minato to fall to the ground.
Minato then used the rest of his strength to seal the other half of Kurama's chakra into Naruto and summoned one of his toads to give a seal to use on Naruto in the future, just as Kushina collapsed next to him.
Shanan ran to help Kushina as Kakashi ran to his Sensei.
Kakashi grabbed one of Minato's hands as Minato reached for Kushina to hold her hand as she cried for him.
"We'll see eachother again someday. I'll miss you and Naruto. I love you, Kushina," he said as he slowly closed his eyes and faded away.
Kakashi cried silent tears as he placed his Sensei's hand over the hole in his chest.
"Rest now, Sensei," he whispered shakily as he continued to cry over him.
Shanan continued to sob as she healed her own Sensei who was now unconscious, but still alive.
Naruto had been crying for some time and needed comfort.
Kakashi, still crying, went to pick up Naruto and brought him back to sit by his parents, which seemed to help settle him down. Shanan thought she might have even seen Kakashi cheer up just a little already as Naruto reached up and touched his face.
He looked just like Minato.