He couldn't believe it. The young boy who he took under his wing so many years ago was now dead and buried, and there was nothing Jiraiya could do to change that. He wanted to leave as soon as the funeral was over, but he had to stay behind to help his old sensei move back into the Hokage mansion. The old man thought he was going to have the opportunity to live out the rest of his days in the comfort of his home, but had to return to his Hokage duties.

He had little to no time to mourn the death of his old student, so he felt worse than the dirt on the ground. How could he not be there for Minato when he needed him the most? He didn't even get the chance to say goodbye. Minato and Kushina just vanished from his life in an instant, and as much as he wanted the opportunity to hold on to them and bring them back, he couldn't.

Minato and Kushina left behind a son. The poor boy was orphaned and a jinchuriki. The horrors that the child would have to go through would be unreal. He pitied the boy for his misfortunes, but there wasn't anything he could say or do to make it better.

He prepared himself to leave the village once again. He felt suffocated in the village. It was never his intention to return there, but circumstances brought him there. It was time to leave once more, and continue on his path to find his destiny. However, he would never get over Minato's death, and he would never stop blaming himself for not being there when he was needed the most.

He walked out of his apartment building, but before he got the opportunity to leave behind the building for once and for all, he was approached by the village elders, Homura and Koharu, along with none other than Sarutobi himself. Koharu was holding a child who was swaddled in a green blanket. There was no doubt that the child within her arms, was the child that Minato and Kushina left behind while they entered the gates of Heaven.

"What's all this about?" Jiraiya asked, not in the mood to deal with his superiors, "I was just about to leave."

"You may leave, but first we need to speak to you Jiraiya." Sarutobi said, "Perhaps this is a conversation we should have indoors."

Jiraiya sighed, realizing that there was no way he would get out of whatever the elders wanted him for. He turned towards his closed door, opened it, and stepped inside with the elders following behind him.

"Wanna take a seat?" Jiraiya asked out of respect.

Homura shook his head, "No, this won't take long."

"Well say what you came here to say."

Koharu walked over to Jiraiya to reveal the child's face. The boy had bright blue eyes and spiky blonde hair. He was almost identical to Minato, and because of that, it hurt Jiraiya deeply to look at him, but also filled him with joy. It was like he was looking in the face of Minato himself.

"This is Naruto Uzumaki." She said, "The son of Minato and Kushina... And also the jinchuriki of the nine tailed fox."

"I know that." Jiraiya snapped, "What's all this about?"

"The villagers know about what he is." Sarutobi informed the sage, "He's not safe. Some people won't hesitate to hurt him, perhaps even kill him."

"Then keep the kid under constant security watch." Jiraiya said, "Look I gotta go."

He started to walk towards the door, but was immediately stopped by Homura, "Would you just listen to us? This is serious boy!"

"What do you want from me?!" Jiraiya said, "Why are you telling me all this?!"

"Obviously the child is without a parent or guardian, but on his birth certificate, it clearly states that you are the child's godfather." Koharu said.

"So what if I am?"

"There will come a time when people will come after a boy because of what he carries within him, and one day when he's older, he'll need to know how to control the demon. He's going to need someone to watch over him, teach him how to be a ninja." Sarutobi said while looking directly at Jiraiya, "Jiraiya, he has nobody else in the world. Just imagine growing up in a world where everybody blames you for the destruction of their homes, the death of their loved ones. You're the only one he has. He needs you."

"No he doesn't." Jiraiya disagreed, and started to feel panicked. Where they actually suggesting that Jiraiya take Naruto under his wing at such a young age?

"Yes he does." Sarutobi pressed, "I know that you're going to leave the village, but take the child with you, raise him, take care of him. Jiraiya, don't think about yourself now, think about Minato and how he would have wanted this."

"No!" He shouted, "I was never meant to be a father! I'm not capable of taking care of another human life! Hell, I can barely take care of myself!"

"Keep your voice down boy or you'll scare the baby!" Koharu scolded and tried to hush Naruto who was now making gurgling sounds out of fright.

Jiraiya looked over at the baby, and felt sorry for him. He knew very well that he would have a hard life full of sadness and hard times, but Jiraiya couldn't take him in. In his mind, he wasn't father material. Perhaps Naruto would be better off without him.

"I'm sorry." He said softly and walked out of the room, leaving behind the only family member he had left. Who knew what would become of the boy, and he felt like a terrible person for not taking in Minato's only son. But, he didn't turn back, he just kept walking until he was out of the village for good.

"I'm sorry Minato, Kushina." He said out loud to himself, "Watch over your son, keep him safe, because I'm not capable of stepping in your place."

"What are we going to do with the boy Hiruzen?" Koharu asked, "We can't put him in an orphanage. It's too dangerous."

"I guess I have to hire a team of nurse maids to care for the child until he is old enough to go off on his own." Sarutobi shrugged his shoulders.

"No matter what we need to protect him. Remember he is the carrier of the nine tailed fox." Homura said.

"Not only that, but he is the child of the Fourth Hokage." Sarutobi reminded him, "Come now, let's get out of here. We have a lot of interviews to do. Only people we can trust will take care of young Naruto."

Jiraiya was like a nomad again, having no clear idea on where he was going, and having no permanent home. He could have returned to the dwelling he had for himself in that open field so far away from the village, but for some reason he didn't want to go back there. He yearned for a change of scenery, a new beginning perhaps, and if he returned to that cottage, he would never acquire all he that he wished to obtain.

He wasn't sure of anything that was going on in his life at that point, but he knew for sure that he would never return to the Village Hidden in the leaves. How could he actually have the gall to show his face there again when he so blatantly turned down the village elders when they suggested that he take in Naruto? Furthermore, how was he to face the child again? It couldn't be done, and as long as he could help it, it wouldn't be done.

Traveling seemed to be the only thing that was on his mind, for it has been days since he stepped out of the village. He wanted nothing more than to seek out shelter for the night, have a drink, and go to bed. Therefore, his heart leapt with sheer joy when he stumbled across a small town that he didn't know the name of. The town was surely unknown to many since not a lot of outsiders were there. He wasted no time before he checked himself into a motel for the night and headed down to the local bar.

He plopped himself down on one of the bar stools at helped himself to a handful of salty nuts until the bartender approached him.

"What can I get for ya tonight?" The bartender asked while wiping the interior of a glass with a thin cloth.

"A round of sake." Jiraiya replied before stuffing another handful of nuts in his mouth.

"It seems like rounds of sake are popular tonight." He said before walking off to fill Jiraiya's order.

Jiraiya didn't quite understand what the man meant by that since the bar was essentially empty, but it all made sense when he saw a blonde haired woman, a dark haired adolescent female, and a small pig sitting at a table in the back of the room through the corner of his eye. He felt his heart tighten within his chest at the sight of the woman he swore was wiped off the face of the planet and the little orphaned girl who was no longer a little girl. Fate brought him to the bar that night, but he wanted no part in it. He didn't wish to see Tsunade, and he didn't wish to speak to her. Why should he anyway? She abandoned him, not the other way round.

Suddenly, he saw Tsunade get up from the table and head to what he suspected to be the ladies' room. Shizune was now alone at the table. It surprised him when the girl looked up and made contact with his eyes. Shock was inevitable on her face as she recognized who she was looking at, but Jiraiya maintained a straight face. Although he wanted nothing to do with Tsunade, he had nothing against Shizune. Therefore, he turned his head in the direction of the exit door, silently telling her to meet him outside. She nodded her head, and waited on him to go outside.

"I'll be right back Ton Ton, stay here." She said to the pig and looked in the direction that Tsunade walked off in to ensure that her master wasn't coming back. She then got up and walked quickly outside where she met Jiraiya.

As soon as they were face to face, she embraced him with a hug full of longing. She missed him and wanted to tell him everything, but she had to limited her words for it wasn't in her place to inform him of the life they lived and what happened six years ago.

"Master Jiraiya, it's so good to see you." She smiled, "I missed you a lot."

"Great to see you too Shizune, but you are no longer the little girl I remember."

"I'm not." She shook her head, "I'm sixteen now."

"Sixteen already? Wow, time sure does fly."

Shizune didn't say anything else. She just looked at Jiraiya and smiled. He could have been a part of their family unit if only Tsunade allowed him to. They would have been so much happier, and perhaps with the help of Jiraiya, Tsunade would have been able to get over the death of her unborn child.

"What's wrong?" He said, noticing Shizune's smiles.

"Nothing." She shook her head and then suddenly remembered the tragedy that occurred in the Leaf Village, "I'm sorry about Minato."

"You knew about that?" He asked in shock. He didn't expect them to know, because if they did, he would have thought that they would show up in the village and help out.

"Yes."

"Then why didn't she come?!" He asked, feeling angry now.

"You mean Lady Tsunade?"

"Don't say her name!" He shouted, feeling disgusted by hearing her very name, "To think that she wouldn't even have the decency, the humanity to show her face in the village and lend a hand. Have you any idea how many people died due to serious injuries and could have been saved with some medical help? But nobody in the village possessed the skills that Tsunade has. She could have helped them, but instead she didn't come! She should have set aside her pride and run to the aid of her village. All she ever does is run away and I'm sick of it!"

"Don't say that!" Shizune shouted, "I agree that she should have come, but you have no idea what happened to her in these past years. Don't pass judgement on her like that, it's not fair!"

"I don't care what she has been through. My student died and she couldn't even show her face at the funeral."

"There you are Shizune. What the hell are you doing out here?" Tsunade said as she walked outside next to Shizune. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw Jiraiya standing directly in front of her. What was he doing there? She wasn't ready for this.

He didn't say anything to her, but anger and disgust were evident in his eyes. All that anger and disgust were obviously directed at her, and she could more than understand why. She abandoned him after he was ready once again to love her, after he clearly asked her not to leave.

"You knew what happened in the village and yet you didn't come to help." He said with a stern voice.

She didn't say anything in her defense because she didn't have a good reason in the world not to have been in the village to lend a hand. The only reasons she had was that she wanted to avoid the man that would have been the father of her child and keep a secret from him that he deserved to know.

Without a single word, she walked away from him and headed in the direction of her motel. She wasn't about to stand in front of him and apologize for not being there, for her words would only land of deaf ears. He would never forgive her for all that she has done, and she didn't expect him to. In her mind, he hated her, and in a way, she hated herself too. She didn't deserve him, she didn't deserve Shizune, and she didn't deserve to be a mother. The only thing she deserved was solitude.

Shizune watched her mentor walk away from them with a heavy heart. She of all people knew exactly how Tsunade was feeling, so it broke her heart to see Tsunade walk away by her lonesome. She wished she could have told Jiraiya the secret that Tsunade was keeping from him, but she just couldn't. It wasn't in her place to reveal it. Tsunade was so damaged, and Shizune still felt within her heart, that Jiraiya could fix her, make her whole again. However, if that were to happen, it would take a lifetime, for they were further away from each other than one could ever be.

"Why didn't she answer me?" He asked.

"You don't get it Master Jiraiya."

"I don't get what? What are you talking about Shizune?"

"I have to go."

Shizune gathered Ton Ton that was now at her feet in her arms and tried to catch up to Tsunade. Regardless of her efforts, she couldn't meet up with her. Therefore, she just went back to the motel room and almost broke down in sobs when she saw Tsunade sitting by the window, crying her eyes out.

"He hates me now." She sobbed.

Shizune walked up to the only mother figure she had in her life and wrapped her arms around her shaky body, "He doesn't hate you."

"Yes he does." She shook her head, "I can see it in his eyes. I don't blame him though, I would hate me too."

"Don't say that." Shizune shushed her and took a small cloth to wipe away Tsunade's tears.

"What did he ask you?"

"Nothing."

"What did you tell him?"

"Nothing."

"Good."

The last thing Tsunade wanted was for him to find out about her miscarriage now. The timing was way off, and she still wasn't ready to tell him.

"When are you going to tell him?"

Tsunade thought about the answer to that question, but had no answers to give. Right now, they were like oil and water, and adding something else to the mix just wouldn't work, "I don't know."

Jiraiya walked back into the bar and was pleased when he saw his round of sake waiting for him on the counter of the bar. Without a thought, he chugged a glass and wiped his lips with his sleeve in satisfaction. He consumed another glass, and thought about how sad Tsunade looked when she saw him. He knew without a doubt that he looked at her as if he hated every bone in her body. Maybe he did in that moment, but overall, he didn't hate her at all. He just wanted nothing to do with her. He was trying to protect himself for once in his life.

Perhaps he hurt her by the way he looked at her, but he didn't really care. She should have come to help the village and she didn't. Therefore, she didn't deserve to be looked upon with a smile.

"You don't get it Master Jiraiya." Shizune's words ran through his head a million times. What exactly did the girl mean by that? What didn't he get? He couldn't understand for the life of him. He chugged back another drink. Perhaps there was something that Shizune knew that he didn't. But what could it be? He had no idea, and he wasn't about to ask. His personal mission now was to completely forget about Tsunade, and asking her what she has been through when she left the village would not be helping at all.

His drinks were gone and so was his money. He left the money he owed on the counter along with a small tip and headed back to his motel room. As he walked the streets he saw a blonde woman that he knew could only be Tsunade sitting on top of the roof of a building. She looked as if she was lost in her thoughts so she didn't notice him looking up at her. He rolled his eyes and continued to walk, but for some reason he was compelled to take another look at her. She looked absolutely radiant in the moonlight. She was so beautiful that Jiraiya almost abandoned his quest to forget about her. However, he remembered it just in time. If only she didn't leave him that night, things would be completely different.

His heart almost stopped when he saw her look down and make contact with his eyes. She quickly looked away and got up from where she was sitting and walked away. He felt somewhat sad to see her go, but remembered that he was extremely angry with her. He took a deep breath and continued his walk. He had to get out of that town, and as soon as the sun went up in the morning, he would leave and hope with all his heart that he would never encounter her again.

You guys wanted them to meet up so here you go!

Not what you expected right? No? I thought so.

Just trust me, everything will work out eventually.

Thanks for reading!

Xoxoxoxoxoxo