A.N. I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto.

It was bound to happen. No Hokage sat in office without it happening at some point, but when the assassin came in the dead of night to try and weaken the village through its head, there was a lot of blowback. Some criticized the Hokage herself for not having better security, while others doubted her appointment in the first place.

Kagome listened to these very arguments by the clan heads and ANBU silently a beat before walking into the open so that she could be seen. "Really, I am absolutely fine. Not even a scratch on me, thank you for your overwhelming concern for me, not just as a person, but for your great regard as your leader. Really, it was nothing to deal with the attempt on my life by one who killed two Konoha shinobi on the gate before anyone realized that an enemy was present."

Hinata stiffened, looking at her father who had been the greatest detractor with nervousness in her stomach. "Hokage-sama, I apologize for the interruption to your rest. I assured them you would take meetings tomorrow-"

Scratching Kirara behind the ears and smiling sweetly at her attendant, Kagome waved her off. "No, tonight is a fine time. You see, when someone threatens me, I stay awake that night, ready to kill anyone who might have been a coconspirator. Of course, if any such person exists, Ibiki-san will be very adept at extracting that intelligence."

Hiashi stood to his full height, bearing down on the smaller woman with a bristling pride. "Do you accuse one who stands before you of such treason?" he demanded hotly.

"No, unless you have reason to suspect one of your fellows?" Kagome prompted, holding up a hand to halt the disgruntled murmurings of the others. "Well Hiashi? Who thought to undermine your weak, inexperienced Hokage? Who believed themselves superior?"

Sweat broke out on Hinata's face, the tension palpable. "Hokage-sama-"

"Please, Hinata-san, I do not need your defense." Kagome strode past Hiashi to her desk and sat, giving the man her back to do so. When she turned to face them once more, her eyes were calculating and cool. "As you are not forthcoming, I shall assume, Hiashi, that you trust all in this room as I do. Now, who else wishes to speak?"

The largest of those present, Akimichi Choza stepped forward. "The assassin, where was he from? Did he bear the hitai-ate of a hidden village?"

"No." Kagome shook her head, looking vaguely troubled. "He did not have any identifying paperwork either. I believe he was of the Sound though."

"May I ask how you came to that conclusion?" Yamanaka Inoichi asked, his voice calm and measuring. "May I assist Ibiki-san to further our intelligence?"

"You may," Kagome agreed easily. "And the attack was sound based genjutsu, close to what was noted on Nara Shikamaru's report on the Sound Four a few years ago. This was likely something done more to prod and figure out vulnerability rather than a true attempt. One does not send a pawn to capture a queen."

Nara Shikaku felt a twitch of his lips at her assessment. "So you believe Orochimaru still intends to bring Konoha to its knees?"

"A snake will never shed its nature, only its skin," the Hokage murmured in agreement. "I will ask for a heightened level of security on the gates and that all of you patrol your own lands carefully to insure no one tries to slip in at another location."

"Already ordered," Inuzuka Tsume declared proudly. "If you would like further guard, I could recommend my daughter, Hana."

"I will consider that, thank you very much," Kagome told her sincerely, though she did not plan to take on more guards in a reactionary gesture. Frankly, she would rather have none to insure if someone came for her, she did not have to worry about others.

An ANBU stepped forward. "We will insure all is secure."

"Please, go on then. All of you are dismissed. Should any of you want to speak further or privately, I will see you tomorrow. You as well, Hinata-san. Get some rest." Sapphire eyes watched them carefully as they left and once she was alone, she finally released the breath she had held in.

x~x~x

Kakashi was quiet as he slipped into Hokage tower with the morning light. "I hear you were attacked." His tone was deceptively light, though it was betrayed by the threadbare appearance of the shinobi.

"Indeed I was. How did you hear about it in the field, I wonder… What else could have gotten you to rush your mission and come back so quickly?" Unlike Kakashi, Kagome's voice was sharp.

"I have my ways," Kakashi murmured, not even an echo of regret to him.

Sapphire eyes bore into the shinobi with intensity. "I have accepted you following my movements as you protecting your Hokage, but if you ever rush a mission just to check up on me, you will not like the results. I am perfectly capable of keeping myself safe."

"What would happen if you were struck down… What would Naruto do?" Kakashi suddenly asked, his one visible eye narrowed on her.

"Survive," the Hokage bit back. "Now, file your report and go. I have matters of great importance to attend." Her stance remained composed, yet rigid until he disappeared.

x~x~x

"He refuses to speak on the one who ordered him to come after you," Ibiki informed the Hokage as she came to hear his report in person and observe the subject. "Yamanaka and I have been working on his for three days and he has not given up anything."

"Hm. Well, let me try my hand. Privately." Kagome walked to the door, her eyes on the battered man on the other side of the glass. "Do not observe my methods, Ibiki."

Expression like stone, Ibiki nodded and exited the observation room.

Once he was gone, Kagome sealed it off and walked in, approaching the enemy. "You tried to kill me. Of course, it would seem a frivolous move to send one of your skill level to assassinate a nin of my rank. But then your master does not know me."

The male was perfectly stoic, not responding to her bait.

Sighing, Kagome raised her hand and the area around it began to ripple with pink light. "My jonin did not find a cursed mark on you, but I am willing to bet that Orochimaru would have marked you in some way, if nothing else to inspire that fanatical loyalty I have seen in your eyes. And if I find it, I will burn it out of you." Smiling sweetly, the Hokage stepped in close. "Who are you working for?"

Eyes narrowed on the woman, the Sound-Nin stayed silent.

Sighing, a sick feeling settled in the blue eyed beauty's, stomach before she rested her hand on his neck. The skin bubbled and a curse mark was a revealed as it was seared out of his very chakra network, his screams echoing in her ear. When she finally pulled her hand back, she leaned in and her lips hovered over his ear. "I knew I was right… You could have just told me."

If not for his restraints, the shinobi would have collapsed. His eyes were glazed, his entire form sagging in his seat.

Walking out of the room, Kagome unsealed the observation area and waited for Ibiki. When he came, she nodded. "He was Orochimaru's for certain. He needs rest now, but given a little time, I am certain he will be very pliable to Yamanaka methods."

"Hokage-sama," the interrogator replied simply, bowing before going in to prepare the enemy for questioning later.

Kagome disappeared and reappeared in the privacy of her personal bathroom at the Hokage Tower. She vomited into the toilet and straightened, rinsing her mouth, eyes widening as she spun around to defend herself just in time to be crushed to a familiar blond man's chest.

"I just heard and I had to come and you're okay, I knew you would be, but-" Naruto just inhaled her scent and his nose wrinkled slightly at the smell of her sickness, but he continued to hold her tightly. "Are you okay?"

Gently pushing him away, Kagome nodded. "Please, wait for me in my office."

Flushing slightly, the kitsune stepped back and slipped from the bathroom.

Sighing, Kagome rinsed her mouth again and flushed the toilet before brushing her teeth thoroughly. Mouthwash came next and then a splash of water to her face. She looked at herself in the mirror and when she sensed Naruto hovering near the door, she smiled. "Patience is a virtue," she called and brushed her hair back before walking out to greet him.

"You were sick," Naruto pressed, invading her personal space to inspect her.

"A little nausea, nothing more. I really am fine, Naruto. You did not need to run here. How was your mission? Any more lapses in control?" She breezed past him to sit at her desk.

Following, Naruto shrugged. "It was pretty routine. I stayed away from the locals after-It's hard. I want… You know, like I just feel like I need to be around people."

"You do." Kagome pressed her fingertips together and held them in a steepled position. "Part of why I send you out on so many heavy missions is to allow you the ability to test and see your limits. You've found another component to yourself. You do need to be around people. Kitsune often draw on the energies or chakra in order to sustain themselves. A kitsune of your strength generally does not actually need this, however, the youth of your body compels you to search it out. Because you are not malicious, the chances of you harming someone in this way is very low, especially coupled with your practically limitless stores of your own chakra."

Sitting across from her, Naruto's frown deepened. "Can't you just teach me instead of making me experiment?" he asked, scratching the back of his head. "Wouldn't it be safer?"

"Theory and field knowledge are different, and you learn best on your feet, Naruto. Also, there's a reason you've been on Shizune's team." Kagome smiled gently at him.

Grinning a little, Naruto nodded. "Shizune-neechan gets upset at me sometimes, says I'm doing too much, too fast. But I'm strong, and I feel stronger every day… But weird too. I want sweets more and I feel sorta… Well, you know. I want to… all the time…"

Chuckling, Kagome nodded. "All very normal." Her eyes glinted with amusement when his cheeks flushed. "You're dealing with being something almost entirely different than you were before. There are adjustments that must be made. You'll get there though. For now, you can take a week off missions to train with Kirara and I."

Beaming, Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! You're gonna show me all sorts of cool stuff I bet! When do we start?"

"Tonight. You should go home and get some rest for now. We will have a long night ahead of us," Kagome warned him.

The look on Naruto's face was positively fox like.

x~x~x

"She wouldn't let you observe?" Inoichi asked, curious as he regarded the scarred male. "Whatever she did, she should be teaching, not hiding. All of his mental defenses were obliterated. Admittedly, unlikely he'll ever recover, but he tried to kill our Hokage."

"Hokage-sama had no desire for me to see it however. She seemed unsettled, as if she found her own methods unsavory," Ibiki murmured. "Whatever it was, it was effective."

"So effective you wonder how she came by it?" Inoichi guessed, looking at him through serious eyes.

"No record at all really… Tsunade's student, yet she looks younger than Shizune." Ibiki looked away, eyes thoughtful. "I am loyal to her, but I do want answers."

"I wish you luck in getting them. I doubt even you can interrogate them out of her." The blond man stood up and nodded to him before disappearing.

x~x~x

A solid week of training every night, and Naruto was actually feeling worn out. As the sun rose, ending the seventh night, he laid on the dew wet grass and panted. "How do you stay so in control? You're hardly tired…"

Laying on her side, Kagome faced him with a smile, scratching Kirara behind the ears as she curled up between them. "I have been alive longer than you know. I have had to learn to master my lack of humanity."

Reaching out, Naruto took her hand and examined the ring. "You have to wear this too, and you're not human either… What are you? I know you aren't like me. You feel so different than everyone else though."

"I used to be human. However, I became… both less and more." Kagome slipped her hand out of his. "Kirara is the only one to know me both ways."

The two tailed cat mewled softly in agreement. She bumped her head against her mistress's chest and stared at the blond male.

"Are you two the only ones that will live as long as you said I would?" Naruto asked softly, his eyes searching hers for answers.

Sighing, Kagome laid on her back to stare instead at the slowly lightening sky. "Perhaps… I don't know, Naruto. I've not encountered many demons here, fewer sentient ones with complex minds. I know that I am likely to live a very long time, until life is stolen from me. Kirara might live just as long. She's older than she looks too, and strong. You are just beginning your journey."

"But I am going to outlive all my friends by thousands of years," the kitsune remarked glumly. "Everyone but you."

Sensing his eyes on her again, the miko shifted uncomfortably. "Naruto, you will find your pathway to live in this world, sorrows and joys with it all. You won't be able to keep all of your friends, but I have already explained about you being able to take a mate if you find one you love."

"How am I supposed to know if she loves me though? I can make women want me-and no matter how hard I try not to, sometimes I do it by accident. You can train me in how to fight, but you have nothing to offer me in that department, do you?" he bit out harshly, suddenly bitter towards her and her easy composure.

Turning narrowed eyes on the young kitsune, Kagome sat up and frowned. "I am teaching you about yourself and your control. You still have to make an effort however. I cannot give you control, only you can-"

Shifting forward, Naruto was suddenly pressing his lips to hers, hungry and full of want. When she pulled away and slapped him, he looked down. "You're the only one I can't charm, and the only one I really want."

Eyes softening, the older woman rested her hand on his shoulder. "You are young and these feelings are understandable, but misplaced. I am your teacher, your Hokage. You mistake our bond for romance, and I will not take advantage of you that way."

"How is it taking advantage of me? I want you!" Naruto countered, eyes not leaving hers when they met again. "And I can smell you want me too! I don't just see you as my teacher or my Hokage, I see you as-as a woman, a woman I like!"

"Learn to control your abilities, go on a few dates, take lovers, live your life. As much as you see me as a woman you want, I look upon you as my student, someone to guide." Sighing once more, Kagome got to her feet. "Rest up. I will have a mission for you by the afternoon."

"I won't be your student forever," the blond man promised. "One day, I am going to be your equal, and you'll acknowledge you want me too."

"Well, until that day comes, do as I ask. Please." With that, she disappeared.

x~x~x

Stamping and signing the paperwork before her, Kagome flopped her head down on the table after a moment. She had sent Naruto on a mission that would likely take a month, and after two weeks, she sort of missed him. Hell, she almost missed Kakashi's stalking. Things were getting back to monotony. Yes, she had deployed some of her nin to investigate leads obtained by the would-be assassin, but she had nothing but paperwork…. Suddenly, she smiled, feeling excitement walking right back in. "You can come out now, Jiraiya."

The big white haired man stepped through the open window, smirking. "Ah, I see I will not be able to call upon you for inspiration."

Eyebrow twitching slightly, Kagome threw her stamp at his head and watched him bat it away. "You're a lecherous old man."

"And you're a cold hearted woman-Spurning the affections of your admirers and sending them off on dangerous missions to keep them busy," Jiraiya countered, much of the jest slipping from his tone and eyes.

"Naruto is a ninja of this village and he is being sent on missions that are teaching him as well as lining his wallet," Kagome pointed out, voice cool.

"Yes, out where Akatsuki still seeks him. I know you did something to make him stronger, know you hope to leave him as your successor when you decide to slip out of the village. But he's a kid, a kid with bad men after him," the sannin reminded her, his eyes full of worry.

"Akatsuki can no more use him than they could use me at this point." Kagome opened a drawer and pulled out a small piece of chocolate, popping it into her mouth in a fashion reminiscent to the way her late mentor had swigged her sake when stressed. "If you're questioning me, what do they say in the village, I wonder…"

"They gossip about the Hokage they don't really know, the charming yet mysterious apprentice of Tsunade that no one knew about. I heard you interrogated an enemy nin unsupervised and left him hardly a shell of himself. People who worried about you being weak are now worrying you may be too strong." Jiraiya sat across from her, expression somber. "You need to be a little more human."

"Ha. Easier said than done," the blue eyed beauty snorted. She ruffled her paperwork, taking out her spare stamp rather than reclaiming the one across the room.

"You should consider embedding yourself in the village more fully. Be a part of the community-Visit the schools like the Third used to, go on a date or two to show you like people." Jiraiya shrugged.

"I suppose you think I should date Naruto then, since you're so concerned with his feelings," Kagome snapped, tone hinting at unkind.

"No. if you plan on leaving the village in his hands, I think you should avoid such a compromising relationship with him at all costs. Court someone you won't mind destroying when you leave them. I hear you had a dust up with Hyuuga Hiashi-Ruin his marriage, something like that." Jiraiya was grinning, teasing her a little by the end.

"Or I could make an arrangement with someone who realizes it will be temporary," Kagome offered as a more reasonable solution.

"Suppose you could. Now, I think you've gotten enough free advice. For anymore, I require some sort of inspiration for my-" Jiraiya rubbed his now inked nose, affronted. She hadn't given him time to dodge that time.