A/N: PLEASE READ THIS NOTE, WOULD YOU KINDLY?

I LIVE!

Well, hopefully folks see and review this. I'm sure most of you are shopping...T_T

And here's a Black Friday update for you. Had to cut this into halves, Also, my first day back since surgery, and I'm working for twelve hours.

Minor timeskip of another day or so here. Nothing major.

Surgery huuuuuurts, but I'm alive somehow. Spent a good bit working on this while I was laid up in bed, so there's that at least. Do ignore any errors, the site is being glitchy once more. I'm trying to fix them as they appear; frankly I just hope that everyone can see this chapter. Now, then! Question time! We'll keep it to a handful this time around:

Q: Willow best girl?

A: In this story? Very much so. Despite being absent for all of last chapter, she reappears once more in all her glory. Really, she's one of my favorite characters in RWBY, because like Summer and to a somewhat less extent Kali, most of her life is a blank canvas. Anything can be done with it, really.

And yes, before anyone asks, Kali's busy at the moment. We have a plan for her, don't you worry.

Q: Salem is...up to something, isn't she?

A: Yes. She is. That's all we can say at this time.

Q: Penny! Where is Penny?!

A: Going by the timeline, Pietro's still working on her at this point; clearly speaking, at this time she hasn't been "born" yet, or if she has, she would be in the rudimentary stages of development at best. Rest assured, you'll see her in upcoming chapters. Hell, if things keep progressing with Watts, she may well have a sister.

Q: Ironwood when?! I'm dying to see your take on him in this chapter. It would be fascinating to see the dynamics of a younger James working with Naruto. Who knows? He might be able to keep him from going down the dark path. Just don't let him drag Naruto into the military. Our boy ain't a soldier anymore!

A: We're not at all pleased with the way James went in the Volume 8. Again, that's all we can say at this time.

Q: Please save Little!Cinder. Don't let her go bad!

A: I'll not say anything to that effect, but you can expect Naruto and Willow to have an active hand in raising Cinder. This chapter outlines that quite nicely.

Q: Will we see more timeskips?

A: Of course! The floodgates have been opened now; they'll be coming hot and heavy. Nothing major yet, but...soon.

Q: I take it the pairing's been finalized? Can you tell us?

A: *zips lips*

Alright, then! I've kept you long enough.

SECOND EDIT: Begone, trolls! Don't make me bust out the flyswatter! Yar! Back! Back you go!

As ever, I own no references, memes, or themes. They're simply art for the canvass.

I'm sure you'll recognize a few of them.

"When in doubt, follow your heart."

~?

Before You Go

This couldn't go on much longer.

Willow knew it in her heart of hearts. She knew it. Accepted it. Loathed it all the same.

Try as she might, the Schnee heiress couldn't find a way to extricate herself from the trap she'd fallen into. For better or worse, she was locked onto this path now. There could be no turning back; no escape, no way to try and undo what she had done. The only way out was through and she knew it. Even if it hurt her. Even if it destroyed her.

And it was destroying her.

"Blast it, Naruto." Secure behind a second story window, she swore softly to herself as she watched him meditate in the garden below. "If you keep this up, I'm going to be very cross with you...

Was it her imagination, or did he twitch just now? No. Surely not. His senses weren't that good. There was a window between them after all. A scowl twisted her pale features as her left hand reached across her body and gripped her right wrist. Pale fingers squeezed until she felt aura crackle and bone creak. Once, the pain would have centered her. Now it only threw her thoughts into disarray. A small sigh escaped her lips as she watched her beloved -no point hiding it anymore!-, trying to marshal her thoughts. She failed spectacularly.

Because you see, Willow Schnee had fallen in love.

She wasn't quite sure when it happened, only that it had. She'd come undone. She adored Naruto, affable oaf that he was. But she couldn't admit it. To do so would break the terms of their agreement. Blast it. This should have been a simple arrangement. They were using one another. They'd both decided on that. He would act as a false fiance; a stern shield to ward off any potential suitors. And in return, she would give him her backing in all things. No messy feelings, no attachments, nothing. Yes. It should have been simple. Life seldom was.

Over time she had grown fond of him and he, her.

When he looked at other women, something in her heart ached. Like a thousand tiny hands squeezing her chest to pieces. It was even worse when others looked back. There could be no denying that he'd caught the eyes of other women. Summer, Raven, Kali, and now this mysterious woman he'd brought in for treatment just last night. It made Willow think...things. Treacherous thoughts, those. Dangerous thoughts.

And yet the thought of losing him to someone else, of not being first and foremost in his heart...it hurt. Something was bound to break at this rate.

Willow knew she could not afford to give ground to him in their argument; even if a small part of her wanted to simply leap into his arms and apologize. Doing so would be tantamount to admitting defeat and she refused to do such. Naruto wanted to save people. That was all well and good. It was his desire to save everyone in front of him that concerned her so. He'd saved her. Also a good thing. But he wasn't infallible. Sooner or later, he was going to put his faith in someone who couldn't be trust. And that...that was going to get him killed. She refused to stand idly by and watch such a tragedy take place. She couldn't countenance it. Still, someone would falter first.

They had to.

Something had to give.

Willow feared it would be her heart.

(.0.0.0.)

Against all odds, Fria -or was it Freya?- made it through the night.

Naruto wasn't sure why the news relieved him, only that it did. He barely knew the wintry woman, yet the knowledge that he'd managed to save her - to have successfully snatched a life from the jaws of death!- left him in a fine mood all the same this afternoon. It wasn't even the idea of being a hero or any such preconceived notion that warmed his heart so. Accolades? Didn't need 'em. Praise? That was nice and all, but it wasn't at all the reason he was so pleased. He'd done no small amount of good in rescuing an innocent, and she would live to see another day thanks to his deeds.

Because he had saved someone.

At the end of the day, was all that mattered. Even if he wasn't thanked for it. Even if someone cursed him for it. He wanted to save those he could, even if it was only those closest to him. To not do so...to live a life filled with regret and shame...he couldn't do that. In his world, he'd ignored someone once. Once. He couldn't do that again. Never again. His friends would want him to help people. Sasuke would want it, too.

By saving others, he felt like he was honoring their memory. Why couldn't Willow understand that? His fists clenched at the thought.

With that in mind, he'd left a vigil of three clones over Freya's bedside. Even when she woke, they'd continue to protect her and see to her every need. She'd stay in the manor until she recovered or chose to leave of her own volition. Nicholas had access to the best doctors money could buy and he'd been assured that she would make a full recovery in the coming days. Perhaps that was for the best. Hospitals couldn't be trusted right now. And if those men came back, if they tried to hurt her...well! They'd have a bad time.

Even if that assassin returned, he would be ready. He swore it.

A shadow dove at him from the corner of his eyes, hauling the wayward warrior out of his meditation and back to the present moment.

"On your left." Kurama hummed.

In an instant his senses expanded; he became aware of everyone and everything in his immediate vicinity. From his own meditative position here in the garden legs crossed beneath him, each foot placed on the opposite thigh, to that of his would be attacker even now crashing down on his head with alarming speed, having leaped from a nearby tree. He even sensed Willow, watching the two of them from a second story window, her brow drawn down in a frown, her lips pressed together in a thin line as she scowled at them-ohdearbestnotnoticethat...

"Hiyah!"

Naruto smiled softly to himself as a pair of black and white blades flashed at the back of his skull. It was a good strike all things considered. They struck with the sun at their back, knowing that to look up would blind him and leave him vulnerable. A sound strategy, but not perfect. Not only did he sense their intent to attack long ago; but said assailant had given themselves away with that shout just now. Cinder's triumphant little cry was sweet, sweet icing on the proverbial cake. She really thought she got the drop on him.

Adorable.

The blond didn't even deign to open his eyes behind the blackened blindfold he wore, much less attempt to stand. Instead he ducked forwards and bowed his head, tucking his chin into his chest. Unable to change her trajectory, his ward flew over him at speed. She struck the ground at a bad angle, stumbled, and crashed into the dirt in an ungainly tangle of limbs. He heard the telltale crackle of Aura as her momentum dragged her across the grass, but it was soon eclipsed by the vicious tirade that followed.

"This is bullshit! I know I had you that time!" He heard her stamp against the ground. "How did you see me coming? You shouldn't have."

"I didn't." he tapped a finger against his blindfold and told a tactful lie. "I sensed you. Entirely different subject, that."

She swore.

"Language." Naruto chastised. "You're too young to be tossing around words like that."

Her cursing redoubled, causing a blond brow to arch behind the blindfold. Little Cinder really did have quite the tongue when she lost her temper. Perhaps, had he been a better parent, he might've washed her mouth out with soap for swearing like that. But he wasn't, and so he didn't, content to sit as she spat and swore. She'd be seething after this, which meant another attack would surely come-

"Raaargh!"

His ears twitched. Aha. Right on time.

Naruto heard rather than saw her fling one of her blades at him; felt the air brush his chin as the blazing bladed hurtled toward his face. He caught it easily, uncaring as the curved white edge bit into his palm. A flick of his wrist sent it hurtling back at her. She yelped and dove forward with the other, sweeping down at his unprotected face. Yet again, he made no move to evade. There wasn't any need.

Her blade stopped just short of splitting one of his white hairs.

"Why didn't you dodge it?" he heard the scowl in her voice, boiling anger at what she perceived as mockery.

"You weren't going to hit me. he admitted, pulling the cloth from his face to reveal beaming blue eyes. "I read your intent."

"W-Well!" his daughter sputtered and took a fresh stance, her cheeks rosy. "This time I'm not going to stop! You'd better fight back!"

...as you wish."

With his blindfold removed, Naruto had an ample view of what followed. Cinder pivoted on one heel and struck down at his prone form with both blades in a brutal crosscut. Rather than stand, a single finger rose to meet them, blazing with golden light. It intercepted them once. Twice. Thrice. His arm flickered and danced like aurelian shadow, ever quick to interpose itself between him and Cinder's weapons. Remarkably, this didn't break her spirit. If anything, it filled her with determination and made her fight like hell. She switched patterns, tossed her blades, used dirty tricks, all the while trying to make him stand; make him face her as an equal.

He stopped it with the tip of his finger, the digit glowing gold.

Finally, she wrinkled her nose and stepped back. "I can't do this. I'm no good at sneak attacks. You're too strong for me to take you in a fair fight."

"You will be, in time." Naruto climbed to his feet and began a slow stretch of his own. "Let's try something else for now."

Cinder's eyes lit up and a rare smile adorned her dirty face. "Really?"

Naruto felt his grin grow. "Yes, really."

His metal arm clicked ominously, ejecting a collapsible staff. With the other he reached down and touched his marked hand to Cinder's shoulder. She realized what he was doing at once -he'd done it before after all- and leaned into his open hand. A quick pulse of healing chakra pushed the worst of her exhaustion away, while allowing her muscles to keep what she'd clawed through today. Before his very eyes her posture straightened just so and she regarded him with something akin to anticipation.

"Take your stance." he instructed, adopting a guarded pose.

Rather than question him again Cinder obeyed quickly, readying her weapons once more.

Naruto felt a protective little flare of pride at the sight. Cinder trusted him now. He'd not abuse such trust.

"Of course not." Kurama stirred long enough to offer a sleepy yawn. "That's what makes you such a good parent."

His mouth curled in a lopsided grin. "Parent, huh? Y'know, I'll never get used to that.

Did this exercise count as father daughter bonding? In a sense this was training for him, too. His arm held a wide range of functions, many of which he'd yet to master. He knew more than a few -including the grappling hook!- but in a pinch he found himself relying heavily on his fists; a habit he needed to break. Sure, he could smash through just about anything, but sometimes a more delicate touch was required. Nicholas had said something similar. In a world where just about everyone and their mother wielded weapons, versatility was key. Arthur had installed a living armory into his new limb.

Time to test it.

"Alright, Cinder." without warning he abandoned his stance and began to circle her. "Lets make this interesting. If you land a clean hit on me, I'll take you to the park."

She pursed her lips.

"Not enough, eh?" Naruto swept his staff before him and began tapping the ground with every step. "Alright then, the park, and a super secret training method."

Her eyes flashed and he knew he had her. "What's the move?"

"Ah, ah, ah!" he wagged a finger at her as he stride grew narrow and the circle tightened. "You'll have to hit me first."

Still she dithered, just a bit. "I can use whatever tricks I want?"

"Yup." Naruto smacked his lips with a resounding pop.

...you won't get mad at me if I fight dirty?"

His grin took on a wistful edge. and he suddenly felt ancient beyond his years. Had he been this eager for training when he was her age? Probably. No one had tried to help him back then, and so he was forced to learn his fighting style through trial and error. Really it was a miracle he'd turned out half decent in combat, let alone as a person. He wouldn't be making the same mistake with Cinder. If the kiddo wanted to train? She would get the absolute best training he could possibly give. If she wanted love and affection? Well, he wasn't the best at that, but gosh darn it, it was going to try.

"Sweetie," he all but purred the word, 'We're ninja. Dirt is our bread and butter. Now...begin!"

Cinder flew at him and he spun his staff up to meet her blades, then began battering them down, drawing a flinch from her with each strike. Unable to brave either with both hands, she crossed them in an x-shape to defend her face. Unfortunately, that forced her on the back, made her stand her ground where she really shouldn't have. Naruto pounced on it and bore her down to one knee, utilizing his greater strength and leverage against her.

"Don't try to block when you can't afford to." he clicked his tongue at her, pinning her blades once more. "Many of your opponents will be stronger than you. Be clever." he bore down, drawing a scowl from her. "Fight like you want to kill me."

"But what if I hurt you?"

His grin took on a smug edge. "You can try."

She nodded and disengaged, leaving his staff, bereft of balance, to crash into the ground. Dirt and dust sprayed upward into his eyes, blinding him for the briefest of moments. He didn't need Kurama to warn him of what came next. Cinder flew through the haze with a stabbing lunge, Bakuya drilling toward his right eye.

It would never reach him.

In that moment, Naruto could have used substitution; could have circled around behind her and ended their little duel in a moment. Sage knew he had plenty of time to do so. He chose not to. Doing so in a fight like this felt cheap. Moreover, if he swapped himself with something eh knew Cinder would instantly claim that she'd managed to hit him. Nope. Not having that. She'd have to work for it.

Bending his spine at an angle impossible for anyone not of the shinobi persuasion, Naruto leaned back. All the way back.

Now nearly parallel with the ground, he had a fine view of Cinder's face as she hurtled past him. She wasn't angry at her near-miss. If anything she appeared downright euphoric. As if she'd planned for this. Pearly white teeth flashed in the sunlight and a burst of fire at her heels sent her shooting past. Realization dawned. Naruto whirled around as she rocketed into a nearby wall. She clung there vertically for a terrible tenuous moment, super-heating the stone surface until it became so much fiery glass beneath her feet.

Well, that was one way of sticking to a solid surface. Just how did that work? Cinder was clearly immune to the heat and flames she generated, but this was a novel use of her ability all the same. It opened doors for her in his mind. Could it be used to walk up walls? More, perhaps? Or maybe...?"

"Well done." He shook such thoughts aside and whistled softly. "But now what? You've only put some distance between us."

"Just you wait." her eyes gleamed like living fire as she dropped to the earth. "I'll make you proud."

He planted his staff and crossed both arms. "By all means, please do."

Cinder took a knee and stabbed both blades into the grass.

With a terrible hiss, the ground turned to molten glass around her, fracturing and cracking as she exerted the full weight of her Semblance upon it. She crouched at the center of it all, sweat beading down her brow as her Aura plummeted. But as it fell, so too did spires of volcanic glass arise. It took Naruto a moment to realize what she was doing, and the realizations stretched a genuine smile across his whiskered visage. She'd seen Freya perform such a feat with ice just the other day, and now she sought to do the same with glass and flame. Huh. Neat.

Such a clever little girl, this daughter of his.

If she was going to be serious about this, it was only fair that he do the same.

With a click of his fingers the staff compacted in his hands, losing its length, but gaining width and mass where none had been before. Even as the handle shortened its head became a bulky square thing meant for striking nails down, gleaming bright and silver toward the base. He hefted his new weapon for a moment, testing its weight. Hmm. A little bit top heavy for his liking, but he'd grow used to it given time. What had Watts called this attachment? Some fancy name...ah. Now he remembered. Bloody scientist and his bloody nicknames.

Mjolnir hummed in his grasp, crackling with lightning dust as he raised it high.

Just as well too, because Cinder had finished her preparations. As he looked on his student snarled and brought both arms forward, fingers clenched into claws. All at once, the towering spires she'd created burst into sharpened shards of glassy death. Rather than fall to the floor as they should have the shards hung in the air. Bound by her will, they coalesced, forming wicked spikes of molten death. A single thought turned them on him. Another launched them headlong at his still-standing form.

Gripping the leather cord, Naruto laughed, swung his new toy over his head, and...

"Hammer down!"

...dropped it.

His strike crashed into the earth like a meteorite, upturning a mighty stone between him and the barrage. Glass shattered harmlessly against it, unable to pierce his hasty barricade. Once again, he felt no frustration from Cinder. When he sensed her Semblance flare again -this time behind him!- he spun and brought the hammer up again, expecting a fresh hail of razor sharp glass. What he got was a scream, followed by a rush of heat and napalm right in his face.

Kurama squawked. "Did she just...?!"

Bright blue eyes bulged wide.

"Well, I'll be damned."

Naruto dismissed Mjolnir and laughed as the cobalt blue metal of arm flowed into a plated shield. Her fireball washed over him a moment later, rippling heat parting across the metal. Despite the sudden surge, he found himself grinning as he lowered his smoldering arm. His artificial limb wasn't attached to any nerve endings for now and thus wasn't able to feel pain; he was inclined to keep it that way. If his limb were, he suspected he'd be rather toasty right about now. His pride blazed all the same.

"That's my girl."

Cinder lunged at him from the smoke, blades whirling. Naruto changed weapons and met her halfway.

"Stop using the standard ambush attacks." He swept his shield into a staff to strike at her legs, and when she leaped over that, brought it cracking down on her head. "Use the unorthodox! You need to catch me off guard and keep me there, or this will never work."

She stumbled away and one of her blazing blades swept up through the dirt as she went, slashing a line of glass at his face. Once more, he intercepted her attack with his false arm. He could have taken hers for that. In a real fight someone might have. Instead he gave Cinder a gentle shove between the shoulder blades, causing her to stumble forward.

"How often must I tell you?" he chastised, tapping the back of her heat for good measure. "Be aggressive! Control my central line!"

His daughter didn't flinch under his command; on the contrary, she accepted with a nod and adjusted. When it came to her training, Cinder had asked him to be strict. She wanted to be beaten; if only to learn from her mistakes and correct them. Naruto was happy to oblige. Odd as it might sound, he wanted the best for her; if only because he knew he wouldn't be around forever. Any lessons he imparted upon her now would serve her long after he was gone.

"Strike harder!"

She cut out at his chest with Bakuya and simultaneously whipped Kanshou at his right knee, forcing him to step back or risk being hamstrung. As he retreated, the flung weapon flew free and slapped back into her waiting palm. Boomerang blades? Watts hadn't mentioned that. He was still backpedaling when she inhaled again, lambasting him with a fresh plume of flame. His shield came up again, splitting the fire like the red sea. This time when the flames cleared, he couldn't find her at all. She'd hidden herself completely.

"Good." A smile tugged at his lips. "You've hidden yourself well. However...

He closed his eyes and stretched out his senses again. There. On his right. Hiding behind one of the bushes. Anyone else would have been hard pressed to notice her. Perhaps that was due to her time down in Mantle. She had grown used to hiding, to remaining unseen. He allowed her the illusion of it for a few moments more before he palmed a kunai in his off hand. He began to twirl it lazily on one finger as he pretended to look around, all the while wondering if she would break her cover and bolt. She didn't. Another point in her favor. Cinder was done running. She'd become more confident.

...I can see you!"

He flung it at her hiding place and a lance of glass slapped it out of the air. It kept going, opening a thin cut in his cheek as it shot past. Naruto touched a hand to it, surprised when it came away red.

Cinder burst from her cover and struck like lightning. She didn't even realize she'd cut him.

"Faster!" he snapped instead. "Destroy my focus."

She surged forward and the world dissolved into a whirl of steel. Naruto contented himself to stay on the defense for the time being. Ever parrying, always deflecting, never once taking the offensive. Cinder was nothing if not a quick learner. She adapted frightfully fast under pressure, which was precisely why he was pushing her so hard. Like a diamond in the rough, so too did she thrive when pressed. Only a few days in and she'd begun to show a marked improvement. By the time she reached his age?

This girl was going places.

But for now, she was only a child.

"You're holding your sabers too tightly." A quick twist of his wrist disarmed her, sending Kanshou spinning high into the air. Not a heartbeat later, Bakuya joined it. "Now too lightly."

He caught both and handed them back to her.

"These weapons are your life, Cinder. You need to take better care of them."

"Yes, papa." her head bobbed and she accepted them with reverence. "Sorry, papa."

"Don't be sorry." he knelt down and drew her in for a quick hug. "Just be better. You've got potential. I don't want you to waste it, you know?"

She nodded fitfully against his shoulder.

He didn't want her to go down a dark path. Not like Sasuke. No. He wouldn't allow such a tragedy to happen. Not again. Cinder had all the makings of a good fighter; she just needed someone to guide her. Vindictive or no she was just a kid. She had time to learn. Time to grow. Time to become a better person.

So when she stepped back and raised her chin, he knew at once that she was up to something.

"When I'm older, I want to be like you." Her golden eyes burned into him like a beacon. "I want to be a ninja."

"Not a huntress?"

"No." the little girl wrinkled her nose. "Ninja are better."

"Urk!" Kurama croaked. "I swear, I just took critical damage!"

Her words hit Naruto like a blow and he felt his heart skip a beat. Was this what pride felt like? Pride in someone else, at that! Unfortunately it was overshadowed by concern and caution. No matter how much she might yearn for it, Cinder couldn't be a proper ninja. Not by his definition of the word. Determination could only take her so far. He ought to tell her that.

Balls to it. He'd teach her what he could.

"You will be," he swore. "I'll teach you everything I know."

And he would. Chakra might be a lost cause for her, but Cinder's semblance made up for it in other ways. Moreover daughter had breathed fire. On her own. Without any instruction from him. Jiraiya had tried to teach him a few fire jutsu back in the day. He'd never been very good with them. But he remembered the basics. Enough to teach her that and a few others beside. How would she react to training weights, he wondered? She was a quick little thing already, but if she could improve on her speed, enhance her Semblance further...thoughts for another time he supposed.

"You did good, by the way." he touched a finger to his wounded cheek. "You actually got me."

Her eyes flashed with disbelief. "I did?!"

"Yup." he beamed. "I'll keep my promise first thing tomorrow. For now, lets get you cleaned up."

"Then lunch?" she blinked up at him.

Naruto laughed. "Alright, alright. Then lunch."

Still, he felt like he was forgetting something...or was it someone?

(.0.0.0.)

Bzzt!

Miles away from Atlas, a Scroll vibrated atop someone's dresser for what must've been the umpteenth time. It was a common enough notification; one meant to alert its owner of unread mail. As time passed it was meant to grow progressively louder, until the alert was either dismissed or silenced entirely. As much an alarm as anything else, it continued to bleat angrily, determined to be heard.

Bzzt! Bzzt!

Each tremor sent it scooting forward that much more, inching toward the corner. Toward oblivion.

Bzzt! Bzz! Bzzt!

"Go away," a huddled shape squirmed under the blankets. "Its a weekend for cryin' out loud...I wanna sleep in...

BZZT! BZZT! BZZT!

"Pick up the damn scroll!" Raven snarled through the bathroom door. "I can hear it from here!"

"Oh for cryin' out loud...!" A flailing hand thrashed out of the blankets and groped blindly in the air, pale digits stretching in vain toward the wailing device. They couldn't quite reach it. Its owner strained further, fingertips brushing cold metal. The scroll reached the very edge of the dresser. It tipped forward, plummeted...!

"Gotcha!"

Summer Rose finally poked her head out of the blankets and snatched the Scroll before it could strike the floor. She hung halfway out of her bed for a long moment before she managed to haul herself back to the warmth of her blankets. That gentle cocoon of warmth nearly lulled her back to sleep; it would have too, if her damn phone didn't vibrate once again. With a long suffering sigh, the huntress dragged herself upright in bed. Bleary silver eyes squinted against the afternoon light, framed by messy hair tangled from sleep.

Mercifully, Qrow and Tai weren't around to see her in such a sorry state. Bloody early birds were off sparring. Something about getting stronger, they'd said. Which was good, because Summer just knew Qrow would have teased her relentlessly if he saw her like this. Bad enough that Raven was going to needle her

She blinked three times, scowling at the caller ID. "No good blond bastard wakin' me up...

Her scowl faded when she saw the message. Six simple words lay before her. They would change everything.

"I need your help with Willow." it read.

Wakefulness hit her like a slap upside the head.

Summer had been called many things since she became a student of Beacon. Energetic, perhaps even a little bit erratic. Overeager. Relentless. But the truth was far less complicated than it might seem. She loved She was kind, and loyal to a fault. If you were her friend? She'd go to hell and back for you. If you were more than that? Well. Woe betide your enemies, for the reaper knew no mercy.

And at the end of the day, she couldn't refuse a call for help.

"Raven! Portal! Now!" she cried, thrashing upright. "We've got a relationship to save!"

Her partner poked her head out of the bathroom, a toothbrush wedged in her mouth. "Weren't you crushing on him earlier?"

"Eh, that was mostly his arm-erm, I mean, irrelevant!" the silver-eyed warrior sputtered and slashed a hand through the air to silence her. "You were doing the same thing! Hurry up and get your butt in gear! We're going to Atlas!"

A dark brow arched. "In our pajamas?"

"W-W-Well, its not that cold in Atlas...is it?"

The other brow rose. "Summer, its winter. We'll freeze."

With a sigh, the poor Rose wilted. "Alright, after we get dressed...

(.0.0.0.)

They passed one another in the hall.

Naruto saw Willow and she saw him. Cinder saw her too, judging by the way she stiffened.

Kurama sighed and retreated with his mind. "Wake me when this is over. Blasted mortal drama...

Willow's reaction proved positively arctic by comparison. She startled half a pace, eyes widening. She'd clearly not expected to encounter them here. Her gaze narrowed almost immediately and though she spared Cinder a nod, those ice blue orbs frosted over him. She lifted her chin and all but rushed past them both with barely a sound.

"Wait." he called out to her. "Before you go. Can we talk?"

Willow didn't even look at him. She kept walking, glassy eyes fixed straight ahead. Naruto wanted to whirl around and grab her. Give her a shake until she saw sense again. He didn't; if only because he knew better by now. Giving into his temper was the worst thing he could possibly do. Shouting and swearing would only make Willow retreat further into her shell. The last time he'd tried, she'd pulled Sable on him. Something told him she would do far worse if he tried to touch her now. All because of a stupid argument.

He was sick of this. Something cracked in his heart.

"Willow." he croaked. "Please."

Her name escaped him before he could hold it back; bursting from his lips in a desperate plea. Remarkably, the sheer pain in his voice snared his partner better than any noose. She missed another step and caught herself on the wall. As he looked on she leaned against it and though she didn't look at him, she did tilt her head. Just a fraction. Just an inch. It was as much an admission to speak as he'd ever get from her from at the moment. His temper flared up at the reminder. Stubborn girl! He wanted to-no. Calm down. Breathe. Emotions were all well and good, but anger was no ally to him here.

"I miss you." the words tore themselves out of him. "So does Cinder."

Their daughter tucked herself against his side, not daring to speak for fear of ruining things.

"Its the not the same without you around, you know?" Naruto wanted to come closer, but he didn't dare. Instead he stood his ground, not daring to approach for fear of spooking her. "Look, I know its an apology you're after. I...don't really know how to apologize." he continued, bumbling along. "I've never done it before, and I'm not very good at it."

Willow's shoulders stiffened, shaking in a full body tremor.

"We're both stubborn, aren't we?" he forced a laugh he didn't quite feel. "I think that's why we get along so well. Why we argue. You have your way of doing things, and I have mine."

Willow's hands balled into fists at her sides. She inhaled deeply, slowly, apparently trusting herself to speak. He wasn't sure, but he had the distinct impression she was biting her lip. Was that a good sign? Truth be told, he had no idea. If she started shouting, he knew he'd respond in kind. Things would escalate. He wanted to avoid that at all costs. Moreover, he wanted to spared Cinder the sight of them arguing. Poor girl was stressed enough as it was; she didn't need to see this.

"Run along and get changed." he gave his girl's back a nudge. "I'll be by in a bit."

For once, she didn't challenge him. With one last longing look at Willow, she hastened past. Naruto held his tongue until he was certain she was out of sight, if not earshot. She could eavesdrop if she really wanted to; he had nothing to hide. One way or another, he was going to build this bridge or burn it down. There could be no half measures here.

"Look, I want to make things right between us." he continued to address Willow's stiff back, "I just don't know how."

Willow shivered in stoic silence.

"Neither do I...

Willow's whisper echoed in the hall to slap him in the face like a physical force. It silenced Naruto utterly. Pushed away all thoughts of retaliation. In that moment? She could have won once and for all. She had but to take the initiative. Alas, her reply seemed to startle her just as much as him; because she immediately too three steps away from him. Naruto made no move to advance. Right, then. All or nothing. Time to bring out the big guns...even if it meant shooting himself in the foot.

"That day," he swallowed, the words thick in his throat. "When you did that...thing with your hand and your lips...

She made a noise that sounded like a squeak. Ah. He'd been right on the money.

...you care about me, don't you?"

She nodded jerkily, the motion causing her hair to sway. For a moment, he thought he saw something in her face; glimpsed a hint of rosy red hiding behind pale cheeks. Impossible to tell from this angle. He hazarded a step forward. She didn't bolt. Another step. Her hand didn't fall to Sable at her side. A third step. Halfway there now. Her silence should have been damning, instead it gave him hope. Hope became strength and this time he dared to bridge the gap and lay a hand, his real hand, on her shoulder.

"I care about you too." he admitted, "I care a lot, cheesy as that sounds."

Her breath hitched in her throat and her hand snapped up up to clasp his. "You do?"

"Well, yeah." a small lopsided smile curved at his lips. "You might be stubborn, bossy, and a bit of a hothead-ow! Quit it! Let me finish, will you?!" he hissed when fingers tightened, nails biting painfully into his palm. "The point I'm trying to make here is this: I'm the same way." his thumb began to trace her palm, massaging slow circles against the calluses there as the tension bled from her. "We're the same, you know. But there's more to it than that." a strange heat rushed to his whiskered cheeks and he pushed it back down. "You're the first person I think about when I wake up, and you're the last one on my mind when I fall asleep. I think that means a lot, yeah?"

...and Kali?"

"What about her?" he laughed. "She's a friend. A colleague."

Willow huffed nad pursed her lips into a thin line. "She certainly wasn't acting like one."

A thunderclap shook his mind. By the sage he understood now. Willow wasn't simply angry with him, or worried for him, though that certainly played a factor here. She was jealous. Why? He'd kept in contact with Kali, but they hadn't made any moves toward one another. He doubted she would. He'd heard the way she talked about Ghira and while he had yet to meet the man, he suspected the feeling was reciprocated. Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn't. Regardless, she was welcome to him and he wished her all the luck. He didn't know Kali. He knew Willow. That was enough.

She tried to turn and face him but thought better of hit. An ice blue iris regarded him from the corner of her eye.

"And what of Summer?" she muttered. Yes! She was warming up to him again, he knew it. Just be honest. Honesty was key!

"Preeetty sure Summer just wants me for my body. And when I say body, I mean my arm." he held up his false limb and gave it a shake for good measure. "Honestly, I'd give her the damn thing if I could, but I've gotten rather...attached."

It was a horrible pun and they both knew it. Nevertheless, it drew a soft laugh from her.

"I'm sorry." the words tumbled from her lips as her free hand rose to cup her face. "I've been an absolute hag to you, haven't I?"

"Maybe, but I've been a bit of a bastard, too."

She sniffled and choked on her words.

Such a little thing to say. And yet her apology caused a pall to fall over them leaving Naruto to struggle with words yet again. He knew what she was waiting for, even as his pride prickled angrily. He'd never been the best with sappy crap like this. But if he left things as they were, they were going to break. And he was afraid. Terrified, really. He knew nothing about romance, courtship, or any such things. The only time he'd kissed someone had been an accident with-blech! Nope! Not going there! NOT!

"I'm sorry, too." he meant it. More than a month was enough. Time to let this go. "For everything. Next time we'll talk things through together."

"Together?" she dared to repeat.

"Well, yeah. Is there any other way?"

Without warning, Willow dropped his hand and rounded on him, nearly slapping him with her braid. She spun to face him completely and the fearful hope -relief!- burning in her eyes was enough to force a flinch from him all the same. Naruto felt the moment her negativity vanished and all her walls came crashing down, just as he felt her head slam into his chest like a battering ram. Naruto staggered back a pace as her arms circled round him and held on for dear life. When the tears came, they surprised him. He hadn't thought Willow the sort to cry more than once. She'd always seemed stronger than that, somehow.

"I'm sorry," she babbled the words into his chest. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I am so, so sorry..."

At a loss, Naruto couldn't bring himself do anything but hold onto Willow and murmur soft reassurances of his own. Had their argument truly hurt her this much? It didn't seem possible. Granted, he knew Winter was angry with him. That much had been painful clear for the better part of a month now. But to see her this exhausted, this weak, it changed something in him. He never wanted to see her weep like this again. Just hearing it ached like an open wound. The sound of her wailing seared its way into his mind and carved out a place for itself. Like it or not, he would remember the sound forever.

"C'mon, don't cry." he pleaded, rubbing the small of her back. It availed him nothing. She continued to sniffle against him like a lost child. "Its not your fault."

"But...but...I said such terrible things!"

"We both did." Heat crept up the back of his neck. That day...that argument...it hadn't been their best showing. "But we're past that now, right?"

Willow nodded fitfully against his chest as the tension slipped off her shoulders. She still didn't look at him. That was alright. He wasn't sure how he'd react if their eyes met. His self control was tenuous at best right about now. Things were...well, they weren't going to be the same. In acknowledging what they'd said to one another, so too were they forced to accept what they'd done. There was no going back from that.

"There we go." he smiled, and for the first time in months he felt some semblance of relief himself. "Still, we can't go back to the way we were before, can we?"

"No," she whispered into him. "We can't." A pause. "Do you...want to?"

"Hmm." Back to the fighting and bickering? Now it was Naruto's turn to shake his head. "Don't think I do."

She raised her gaze, and something in her eyes alarmed him. They were harder, sharper than he remembered. Determined.

...nor do I."

Trembling arms moved to link around his neck as she guided him to the nearest wall. Once there, one of her legs twined with his, preventing him from escaping. Blue eyes widened as he realized her intent. He could have moved. Could've shoved her back. Done something. Anything. He didn't. Rather he chose not to. Even when she angled her head and closed her eyes. His own drifted shut, leaving him with nothing but his own hammering heartbeat. Yes, he knew what was coming next. Maybe he'd always known.

"Please, don't move." she murmured, "If you do, I'm going to be very cross with you."

Her lips brushed against his for the merest of moments and then quite suddenly Willow was there; mouth warm and soft upon him, bringing with it the faint taste of warm honey over ice. When their teeth clicked together painfully she withdrew with an irritated noise and kissed him again; pushing him against the wall, crushing her breasts against his chest.

"Ouch!" he yelped when she accidentally bit his lip. "Be careful! I'm not going anywhere, you know...

"You'd best not!"

This time something uncoiled deep inside of Naruto, and his arms dipped low of their own accord, securing themselves against her waist. Willow hummed in kind and pulled him closer but made no overt move beyond that simple gesture. She seemed content with gentle kisses for the time being; gentle pecks against his lips, and little more. Nothing wild, nothing fierce. That suited him just fine. He wasn't sure he could control himself if she tried to rip his jacket off here and now.

"I was first." she didn't hiss the words when they parted, but they held unmistakable weight all the same. "No matter what happens next, no matter what anyone else says."

He didn't have a chance to answer that.

"Miss Schnee?" A maid called, causing them both to jump. "I have that correspondence you asked...for...well...oh my."

They turned and caught a coy smile spreading across the woman's homely face.

"My, my. Seems you've made up," she hummed, touching one hand to her cheek. "I'll just leave you to it, then."

"Eh? W-Wait! Wait just a minute!" Willow jerked back as if she'd been scalded. "Cynthia, no! Its not what it looks like!"

The maid rounded the corner with a smile.

"I...need time." Willow sputtered, disentangling herself from him just a little quickly. "To think. Yes. That's it. Think. We'll talk later."

He couldn't quite keep the dopey grin from his face. "I'd like that."

She turned and bolted back the way she'd come, rounded the corner after the maid and was lost to him once more.

"Congratulations." Kurama scoffed, words dripping with sarcasm. "One down, only a handful to go."

"Eh? What's that mean-

Not a moment later, Naruto heard the portal snarl into existence behind him. Really, it was impossible not to notice; Raven's gateways made a signature sound when they were created. Even a child could notice them. This one remained for all of an instant -enough for a streak of white and red to rocket out of it!- and then it was gone, its occupants rounded the corner at breakneck pace.

Wisely, he chose not to follow.

"You know," he called out over-loudly into the silence to make himself heard, "When I asked for help, this wasn't what I had in mind."

"Shh!" Summer's voice hissed as she dragged Raven with her. "He's bluffing! He didn't see us!"

Naruto quirked a blond brow in their direction. "I can hear you."

Rather than answer, they scampered away in the direction Willow had gone.

"Nope." He decided after. "Not dealing with it."

If those two wanted to chat her up, they were welcome to it. Willow was as stubborn as they came. For awhile there, he'd been worried that they wouldn't make up at all; that they'd be at odds forever. But her facade had fractured, and he'd glimpsed the girl he knew through the cracks. Time would tell if those two could widen it into an outright break. Things were looking up to be sure...was it wrong that worried him? Just a little.

Shaking his head, he continued onto his destination and eased the door to the study open.

Nicholas looked up from his desk and the papers sprawled atop it as he entered. "Was that Summer I heard just now?"

"Yup." Naruto sighed.

The elder Schnee mirrored it. "She's come for Willow, hasn't she."

"Yuuup." he drawled the word with an audible pop. "Keeping busy ,are we?"

"Quite." Nicholas hummed, glancing to his left. "Sienna and I were just going over some numbers."

"Is that what this is?" A frustrated groan greeted him. "I barely understand this, old man. Can't we just fudge them?"

Naruto bit his tongue to stifle a snicker as his gaze settled on the girl in question. The kid looked good in Atlas blue...though he'd never tell her that.

Willow's father had taken Sienna on as something of a reluctant secretary in the afternoons, much to the girl's ire. Still, it kept her out of Cinder's hair when she wasn't wanted. Moreover! It prevented those girls from butting heads. He was grateful for that. Cinder didn't hate Sienna, but she'd not quite forgiven her for her earlier remark and often rubbed her skills in her face. Kali had loaned the girl to them for a year and while the last month had whittled some of that arrogance away, Sienna's fire still burned bright.

"How's the new weapon?" he prodded.

"Good." Her eyes flicked down to the steel cord bound to her belt. "Its sturdy. Hasn't broken yet."

"You could stand to go a few rounds with Cinder." Naruto continued. "Test it, you know?"

"And let her burn me?" Sienna's ears flattened atop her head. "No, thank you!"

"You'll never improve if you don't spar-

"I said no!" She stormed out of the room with a huff. "Buzz off! You're not my pops!"

Naruto knew he could have chased after her, could've pressed the matter further; convinced her with words as much as deeds. He chose not to. Sienna wasn't skittish; she was simply set in her ways. It would take time to change. Baby steps. The fact that she deigned to carry her new weapon around at all was an encouraging sign.

"Bah, she'll come around eventually. Won't be long till she starts calling you daddy."

Naruto's face burned for a different reason. "Stop that!"

Kurama cackled. "Gotta adopt 'em all~!"

"I will END you."

"For what its worth, thank you again for saving Freya." Nicholas blew out a breath, drawing him back to the present. "I've been told that she'll make a full recovery in the coming days."

Naruto squinted at him. A strange suspicion gnawed at him. "Were the two of you...?"

"We were, once upon a time." His patron admitted frankly. Naruto made made a face and a wistful smile plucked at the man's bearded visage. "Is that that so hard to be believe? I may not look it now, but even I used to be a young man. Speaking of youth, have you and Willow managed to reconcile yet?"

A fresh pang of guilt flashed through him at the reminder. They'd been so close just now and yet she'd still gone and run off. Were they better off than before? Certainly. He already knew the answer to that question. Life wasn't perfect. Sometimes it was all sunshine and butterflies, but more often than there was pain and struggle. Just a part of being alive, that.

"We're getting better." he said at last. "Still not quite there yet."

"Hmm. Perhaps you simply need a push?" Old Man Nick granted him a grave look. "I've just the thing."

Naruto stiffened. "Eh?"

"We're hosting a charity ball downtown tomorrow evening." Nicholas continued, heedless of the alarm that went off in the back of Naruto's head. "Willow is set to sing there, but I'm unable to attend." Said alarm began to wail loudly now. "You will go and act in my stead." Defcon one! All men to their stations! "Any questions?"

"YES! ALL THE QUESTIONS! A ball?!" Naruto flailed his arms and made a choked sound, one that Kurama mirrored. "You can't be serious. No. Uh-uh." He slammed his arms in an X-shape. "Absolutely not!"

"On the contrary." Nicholas pitied him all the more for his reluctance. "I'm afraid I must insist, my boy."

"Willow's only just started talking to me." he argued in vain. "This'll make it worse."

"Can you dance?" Nicholas challenged instantly.

Naruto winced a bit. "Well, maybe a little-

"Will you guard her with your life?"

He bridled. "Of course!"

By the man's smile, Naruto knew he'd fallen right into his trap. Nicholas may play the jovial fool more often than not, but beneath his affable exterior lurked a keen mind. He was doing this to push the two of them closer together. He just knew it. Of course, he had no way of proving that; he sensed nothing but good intention from the man. That made it worse. For reasons he couldn't understand, Nicholas had taken it into his head to have the two of them succeed him. Bad idea! Very bad idea! He knew nearly nothing about business!

"One last question, then." As he looked on, said businessman leaned back in his chair and steeped his fingers. "Do you care for my daughter?"

The ninja stood his ground. "Didn't you ask me this ages ago?"

Frost blue eyes narrowed to hooded slits. "Is that your final answer?"

That absolutely tore it; the very tips of Naruto's ears burned ruby red. He found himself grateful Cinder and Sienna had run off; if either of them were around now, they'd never let him live this down. Nevermind the fact that they had Summer and Raven running about in the mansion. That was going to come back to bite him in the ass. He just knew it. Unfortunately for him, Nicholas was still waiting for an answer. Something told him he wouldn't appreciate

"Yeah," he muttered into a palm. "Yeah, I think I do."

"Capital!" Nicholas clapped his hands. "Then there's nothing to worry about."

"There's a lot to worry about!" Naruto shot back. "I don't even have a suit, for crying out loud!"

"Easily rectified. As for Willow...hmm. How do I put this?" The Schnee patriarch seemed to wrestled with the words for a moment. Eventually he lowered his arms to the desk and slumped in defeat. "She was raised in a very different environment than you...to say little of her poor constitution. She's not as strong as you, Naruto. She's not as fast as you. She doesn't have a storied career like yours to fall back on, nor experience and a partner to trust in when times get tough. She fears she'll lose you as she lost her mother and her sister, as she's lost everyone around her. As she might lose me, someday."

"You?" Naruto found himself grimacing at the reminder. "You've got plenty of time left."

"No." Nicholas shook his head. "I don't. Willow may not say it, but at the end of the day, she cares for you deeply. More than you could possibly know."

Naruto's right eye twitched just so.

Her lips on his, the glazed look in her eyes as she pulled away...

It took everything he had to school his face into an impassive mask. Nick saw right through it.

"Oho?" a hint of that goofy grin returned. "Finally cracked and had her way with you, did she? She always was forward. Just like her mother."

This wasn't happening. Not, not, not!

"Look, I care about her too, alright?" he cast a withering glower at the man he might well call father someday. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't. But this...I don't like it." But it wasn't Nicholas with whom he was angry, and so he turned away with a scowl, glaring a hole in the floor. "It feels like every aspect of our lives is out there in the limelight for everyone to see."

"Par for the course, I'm afraid." his remark earned him a pitying look. "The best we can do is use such spectacle for good. And you have, thus far."

Naruto scuffed one foot against the carpet. "Doesn't feel like it...

"For what its worth, I'm glad you care for my daughter. She's clearly sweet on you. Which is why the two of you will make up." his tone brooked no argument. "Whatever dregs remain of that argument? Burn them away. Because if you two don't, I shall personally lock you both in a closet and throw away the key until you do!"

"My mother had a saying." the elder Schnee chortled softly. "When in doubt, let your heart lead you out." he paused, a rueful smile tugging at this lips. "I've added another line to it myself. Barring that, lock two lovebirds in a closet until they give you grandchildren."

"Heh. I like this human. He understands!"

...that's ridiculous." Naruto guffawed despite himself. "You're ridiculous."

"It is, isn't it?" His host chuckled right back. "Still, that mantra hasn't led me astray yet. Perhaps they'll be of use to you in the future. You're welcome to bring little Cinder with you. Maybe even Sienna. I'm sure the girls would like a chance to see other people outside the manor."

"Yeah, no." Naruto's smile died an ugly death. "They'll probably stab me."

"That depends." Cinder's head poked around the corner. "Will there be good food?"

Naruto's heart leaped into his throat. "Gah! Sneaky little thing! How long have you been there?!"

"Long enough." she kicked one foot against the wall, refusing to meet his eyes. "Do I have to wear a dress?"

"That's a bit of requirement, my dear." True to form, Nick spoke before he could. "Such things are expected of you, now."

"Can mine at least be red, grandpa?" she turned pleading eyes on him. "Please?"

The mastermind folded like so much jello. "Why, of course you can~!"

Naruto winged a pen off the older man's skull. "Enabler!"

It skittered off Aura as the elder Schnee ignored him wholeheartedly.

"Still, this is perfect timing." Nicholas beamed, regaining a modicum of sense once more. "Run along and fetch Sienna, would you? Inform Willow and the other girls while you're at it. I suppose we'll have to fetch Summer and her friend a dress as well...

"Bwuh?" Naruto sputtered.

Cinder didn't look much pleased at being relegated to the pat of a messenger, but she obeyed all the same.

"There's something else." Nicholas hedged, drawing their attention back to him as Cinder scampered off. "A matter I'd like you to look into personally. I thought you might know what to do here, given your...career."

He withdrew a document from a nearby cabinet and pushed it towards him. Naruto flipped it open with a cursory glance.

"Someone who can steal Semblances?" He considered the dossier held before him with a bleak look. "And he's here? In Atlas? Isn't that a bit dangerous?"

"Which is why I'd like you to look into this when you have the chance." Nicholas prodded. "By all accounts, you lack such a semblance. He won't be able to steal anything from you."

"Its not the stealing I'm worried about. I've dealt with assassins before. They're a pain."

He considered the document anew. Paid it proper attention to them this time. Marcus Black, it read. An assassin wanted for murder, impersonating a council member, and a litany of other crimes. Wait. That name! That face! His gaze narrowed upon the grainy picture presented within; the sight there caused blue eyes to snap into scarlet slits of pure fury. Sure enough, it was the same man who attacked Freya. He even wore the same damnable smile, the smug little prick. Like he knew something the world didn't.

"Remember my name." those words came back to haunt him. "It'll be the last thing you hear."

One way or another, tonight promised to be a night to remember.

"I've got a bad feeling about this...

(.0.0.0.)

Relief was a heady feeling. Truth be told, it left Willow feeling giddy.

Willow sank back into her bed with a pleased sigh, content to just laze about for the rest of the day; to simply close her eyes and escape into pleasant dreams. A very small part of her wanted nothing more than that. Now that she'd begun to mend the rift between her and Naruto all the stress of last month had finally caught up with her. That was all well and good. Warm words and a chaste kiss weren't enough to bridge the gap completely, but it was a welcome start all the same.

"This is good, isn't it?" she wondered aloud. The ceiling didn't answer her.

She'd been wrong and right; Naruto had caved and spoken to her first, but she'd been the first to apologize. It was a compromise, and that should have angered her, but it didn't. They'd made peace, or they were making peace. Semantics. Eventually, her thoughts drifted toward a more pleasant topic as she lay sprawled amidst the blankets.

Willow touched a hand to her lips.

He hadn't been a very good kisser, but then again neither was she. They were the both of them, strangers to love. Still, it had felt more than pleasant. It felt good. Pure. Right. Like she'd been missing a piece of herself all this time and never known, only to find it in him. This was her moment. Nothing could take this away from her.

Someone knocked on her door. Willow bolted upright.

"I asked not to be disturbed." she sighed.

The knocking persisted.

An eye twitched.

"Go away!"

"DENIED!" Summer all but kicked it down, sending the frame flying from its hinges as she stormed inside.

Wide silver eyes regarded her for a moment, taking in her flushed face and rosy cheeks. Her grin was entirely too smug; like the cat who caught a canary and slaughtered its entire face. She knew. Willow wasn't sure how she'd cottoned onto the fact that they'd made up, only that she had. An impassive Raven looming behind her only left the heiress even more ill at ease. Had someone told them something?! When?! Where?! How?!

"You need a dress!"

Willow blinked. "I...beg your pardon?"

"For tomorrow!" Summer snatched her up by the hand. "We're going shopping!"

A/N: Aaaaand cut!

Reunited and it feels so good!

First off, I don't much like cutting chapters into parts, but this had to be done. Cramming everything in here would have been impossible, and I've got folks beating down my inbox demanding that I update now, now, now!

Alright, lets answer your questions here.

In other news, I've been watching Jujutsu Kaisen. Its given me...ideas.

So In The Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review, Would You Kindly? It keeps us all alive.

Without reviews, we wither and die. Sorry, but that's the truth.

Now then, we do hope you enjoy the previews. Read at your own risk, of course:

Why? Because next chapter, things start to get crazy. Once more! Read at your own risk! Big scenes ahead!

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

PLOT DETAILS AHOY!

YE BE WARNED!

(POTENTIAL Previews)

They were, all three of them, wearing dresses.

Naruto slapped a hand to his forehead. "For the love of...

"She was meant to be mine!"

The ride over was made in comparative silence.

Naruto grit his teeth until he felt a molar crack. He didn't like the idea of being gang pressed into a suit to begin with, much less being paraded around like some piece of meat. Cameras flashed and he tried not to scowl at them even as he ushered Cinder and Sienna out after them. They were not spared by the media. Damn vultures. Willow seemed to appreciate it even less, judging by her pinched expression. Nevertheless she stepped up beside him.

"Shall we?" she offered him her arm.

Things weren't right between them, not by a long shot, but this was a star. An olive branch; an overture of peace between the two of them.

He looped his limb in hers.

"We did good?" Cinder preened, silently satisfied with their victory.

Sienna regarded him as well, ears twitching.

Naruto sighed and patted their heads.

"Good girls."

"Where did you get that kind of power?"

"Curious, are we?" Freya smiled softly at Cinder. "Let me tell you a story...

"Never let me go."

"Can you hear me, my dear?" Arthur leaned back, eyes alert as the being before him -his creation!- began to move in her pod. "By all means, say something."

"Fa...ther...?"

R&R~!