Butterflies

"Me? I'm nobody. I'm not skilled like Uchiha-san. I am not passionate like Haruno-san. I am not smart like Nara-san. I'm not as strong as Chouji-san. I'm not as collected as Aburame-san. Or as pretty as Yamanaka-san. I'm not as confident as Inuzuka-san. If anything, I'm like Hyuuga-san, socially awkward. Oh wait, no, she's just shy. The socially awkward one is me." OC! Team 7 remix!

Chapter 59 – Just another day

8-8

"I don't want to hear it, Minori." I warn, my tone severe. "I've got enough going on, so unless you plan on helping me, I don't plan on helping you right now."

"What are you working on then?" She asks, wondering at my foul mood. I have Asami, Naruto, Hitomi and Tsu surrounding my desk – the last two mostly out of habit. And we are trying to figure out how we're going to do this thing for Sasuke. We don't know who he wants out of Orochimaru's lair, but we know that he wants it done yesterday.

"This is a summoning contract of sorts. We're trying to figure out a way to summon someone through it that isn't currently on the roster." I explain, thinking about it some more. "This is based on blood seals though, and I simply don't know enough about that to be of any help."

"You see, that's just the thing." Sasa-nee says, rubbing her temples. "Unless their blood is registered along with their chakra signature, there's just no way."

"What if Sasuke marks this person with his blood?" Minori suggests.

"That would only work if their blood is similar enough. That means it'd have to be family." Naruto-nii offers. Then a thought hits him.

-Oi, Broody. This person you need extracted. It wouldn't happen to be a blood relative, would it?- Naru-nii asks.

-She has the Sharingan, so I assume so.- Sasuke says.

"Well, that certainly simplifies things. Now we just need to teach Aya how to manipulate the summoning enough to do it." Sasa-nee thinks about that. "Minori, it's a good thing you're here." Sasa-nee bites her thumbs and smears some of her blood on Minori.

"Okay, ew!" Minori complains.

"Hush, you. Aya, try to sense her through the seal. If you can't sense her, then you can't summon her." I'm explained.

I nod, placing my right index finger on Asami's marker. "Cool! I can tell that you're tired, Sasa-nee. You should try to get some rest."

"Thank you, professor." She drones, obviously not in the mood. At least now I know why. I focus harder, trying to follow her blood.

"Nothing." I admit, sorrow in my tone.

"What about if we for a simple tracking seal on Minori in blood? Sasuke isn't very good with seals, but if that's the only way?" Naruto-nii offers. He bites his thumb, painting a simple tracking seal on Minori's cheek.

"Next time I'll just stay out of your hair when you start planning!" Minori isn't enjoying her buddy time with us. It takes ten seconds before Naru-nii nods to me to try again.

I nod, focusing on his marker this time. "Oh yeah! I've got her!" I announce, feeling her instantly. "I'll trying summoning her."

Forming the needed –and modified– handsigns, I poke Naruto-nii's marker. Minori poofs from one position to right on top my desk.

Great… that means we'll have to teach Sasuke how to make a tracking seal using blood seals, when he can't even SEE what we're talking about. "Okay, now we just need to figure out how to get Sasuke to apply that seal."

They all groan. "He hasn't had any formal training in sealing, has he." Minori asks, sweating a little.

"Nope. Not even a little." Naruto-nii is just as worried.

"He has the Sharingan. So if he were to see someone making the seal?" I point out. But that's still easier said than done. "If I summon him here, would I be able to send him back?" I wonder.

"No. There'd be no marker for you to send him back." Asami shoots that thought down. "I might be able to break down the steps for creating it and write that on a scroll. But… you'd have to practice sending scrolls through the summoning. Which isn't going to be easy."

"If that's the only option we have?" I remind her. She and Naru-nii shrug. "Well, tell me what to do and I'll start training now."

"Alright…" Asami-nee nods, thinking about that for a second. "What you could do is start with a calligraphy brush, and work your way up to scrolls. What you need to focus on is…"

8-8

I obviously don't have enough going on. At all. So, at seven AM, Cat comes ringing on, saying how Wolf, Fox, Rabbit, Dog and 'Wolf's trainee', are to report to the Hokage's office, stat.

I groan, hating this situation. Still, duty calls. So I gather the troops –who were all training in the backyard when Cat came calling anyway– and we head out immediately.

In Senju-san's office –she still isn't sworn in as Hokage, so I'm not calling her that– we find Senju-san, Katou-san, Jiraiya and Dragon. "You rang?" Dog teases. He's the highest ranking Operative, so he has automatic spokesman rights.

"Yes." Senju-san begins. "I need to start switching things up. Immediately. Dog, I understand that you are not yet fully recovered. However, I will need you to take over Wolf's mission to guard the Sand Trio. Wolf will be given another duty effective immediately."

"I don't understand." Dog says, his shoulders tensing slightly.

"I will explain in a moment. Wolf, what codename has your trainee been given?"

"Koala." I say, hating where this is going.

"Good. Wolf. You will be given the position of secretary, but with several intermingled duties. You would have Rabbit and Koala aiding you in this. Not only filtering out the crap paperwork, but also doubling as-"

"Senju-san. I think you are forgetting several important factors here." I remind her. Her eyebrow rises, but she doesn't ask. "First of all. It is within my rights to turn down any assignment. Second of all, I have repeatedly turned down this assignment. Third of all, you ignore my other duties. Even if you were to take me off of my current mission, that doesn't excuse me from my other duties. Let alone… situations you are as yet unaware of. Just because you are slated as the Fifth, does not mean I will bow down to your every whim."

"I understand. Which is why I am offering Rabbit and Koala the same, so that you can rotate duties between you." She tries.

"Then you do not understand our how we operate. Where I go, they go. Rotating duties counters this." I say, my tone just as crisp as ever.

"Then what would you suggest, Wolf? I need someone I can trust to not only deal with confidential paperwork, but also control the shinobi coming in and out of my office. Not to mention plausible assassination attempts that someone would also need to thwart. And that's not including possible aid in the hospital when there is need of it, and someone that has access to Anbu HQ should I ever need something or someone there. Can you name another that meets these requirements?"

"Salamander and Penguin of Anbu. Haruno Sakura, from the hospital, if you negate the Anbu bit, simply because you can call those Anbu to you." I answer evenly. "And that's ignoring the option of simply training someone to meet the unrealistic standards you set forth."

Senju-san thinks about that. "Let's try it this way then. I want you."

"What you want is irrelevant." I counter.

"Wolf. Explain your stance." Dragon demands.

"I do not bow to the demands of those I do not trust. You know that." I answer evenly.

"I understand." Senju-san thinks about that.

"You just don't care." I challenge.

"You're quite right about that. So tell me, what would it take to get you to accept the position?" Senju-san is honest, if nothing else. I think about that.

Well, when in a bargaining position, go for broke. "At least B-rank pay, access to the Hokage Library and permission to learn any jutsu I desire, the authority to kick anyone out of your office should I decide it's needed, permission to interrupt any meeting not of S-rank importance and/or secrecy, and leeway to still continue with my other duties should I be able to balance them – which includes but is not limited to: training Koala, rehabilitating my patients and tending to the Sand Trio and Fuu."

There's simply no way she'd agree to all of that.

"Done. You start tomorrow. Eight AM sharp. So don't be late." I groan. "And I'm coming over to your house tonight to discuss your new duties."

I growl this time.

"Wolf…" Dragon warns.

"Forget it, Dragon. No one invites themselves into my den." I warn, my tone dark. There's a reason everyone feels so at home there. And knowing that just anyone cannot come in is a HUGE part of that.

"Let me rephrase. Wolf, would it be acceptable if Shizune, Tonton, and I were to come over for dinner so that we may discuss matters of importance?" Senju-san tries.

"Sis, it's alright." Fox-nii says, rubbing my lower back. "I can vouch for them."

…

-Sis, really. Now you're just being difficult.-

-And I'm well within my rights to be.-

-Maybe, but that doesn't mean you have to be. She's trying to open a friendly channel of communication with her new secretary. Can you blame her for that?-

-This has nothing to do with that. If it was merely opening a channel, she'd invite me to dinner at a restaurant or a café or something. She only wants to come over to see with her own eyes what goes on in our den.- I counter.

-Maybe. But I don't blame her for that either. I mean, seriously. The work you do is totally awesome! And you tend to only talk about it when you're sucking on chocolate.-

-I agree with the idiot.- Sasuke adds his two Ryou. I growl through the seal. -I'm not saying to give in, Aya. I'm saying that you have a tendency to be too closed off, and that makes people want to see what you're hiding. I've suffered idiots like that for years.-

"Dinner is at six-thirty. Show up early, because we will skip introductions otherwise. And you don't get second chances." I intone, hating that I'm giving in. "And keep in mind that only the three requested individuals are being let in. If Jiraiya, the elders, or anyone not already given access to our den shows up, or sneaks in… I promise you, there will be hell to pay." I glare at Jiraiya, warning him that I'm deadly serious.

"Oi, what'd I do?" Jiraiya tries. "And besides, what if we need to hold a private meeting?"

"Then hold it at your house." I counter. "Will there be anything else?"

"Yes. I need updates on your patients. I need each of your takes on what you encountered during the third exam, and what happened during the invasion. I'll also need to hear what the current medical status is of Dog's rehabilitation and if you'd declare him fit for active duty."

This is just all going downhill from here, isn't it.

8-8

That only took forever.

We make it home in time for lunch, but everyone is noticing my foul mood. "Sorry, Yasu-nee. I think I'd better eat in my office. I'm not in a people mood right now." I excuse myself, taking my plate and my tea with me. Not surprisingly, Tsu and Hitomi join me.

While I'm eating, I go over the notes I've made about that new sound release jutsu I've been working on.

There's a knock on the door. Yasu-nee sees herself in without me having to say anything, dragging mom and Akari-san with her. I sigh, knowing that I'm going to hate whatever they want to talk about.

"There's something bothering you." Mom begins. I snort. Wasn't that obvious? "You need to talk about it before you explode on someone."

"I just don't like being manipulated." I say vaguely. I don't doubt that Kakashi, Naruto-nii and/or Asami-nee said something.

"I understand that, but this goes deeper." Mom presses. "What's the problem you have with Tsunade-sama?"

"I don't have anything against her. I just don't have anything for her. Add to that that she's trying to worm her way in?" I say, still eating and reading my notes.

"Baby, I know you. There's more to this than what you're telling me." Mom isn't going to give up until I tell her. And that she has so much backup doesn't help. I sigh.

"…Why…? Why did Jiraiya have to be sent out to find her? If she can be trusted enough to be the Fifth, why would she have to be found? She wasn't declared a rogue, but I haven't heard anything of note about the woman for as long as I can remember. Everything I know about her is via hearsay, textbooks and lectures on notable Konoha shinobi." I say, thinking about that. "I know she has reasons. But what reason could ever be good enough to turn her back on Konoha for what… twenty years?"

"… I don't know." Mom admits. "But isn't that something you'd need to ask her?"

I snort. "Yeah. Like she'd answer me." If I had reasons deep enough to do that, I'd never talk about them to someone I don't know. So why would she talk about them with me?

"You won't know if you don't try." Tsu points out. Well, there's that.

"Will you at least… try to talk to her?" Mom begs. "For me?"

I sigh. "Alright." I cave, but I still don't like it!

8-8

After lunch, I decide to focus on the kids. I haven't had a lot of time with them, and they're off from the academy today. So, I drag all of them into the dojo, telling them that I want one on one spars to see how they're progressing.

Udon, of course, is the most challenging to face. Whether in pure taijutsu or kenjutsu, he's by far the most advanced of this group – mostly because Konohamaru isn't here.

Moegi comes in second, and her kenjutsu is really coming along. Her movements are far more fluid than they have been, and she's surer of herself.

Then is Haruki. He's a true medic with how he fights – dodge/parry, counter attack. He isn't half bad. He's really not designed for the Uzumaki kenjutsu style though; he's too evasive for it. I'll have to talk to Naruto-nii about that, see what we can come up with.

Katsuo is… well, he hasn't been with us long. His stance is sloppy, his attacks are uncontrolled, and he doesn't understand that trading blows is a bad idea. I need to pay much more attention to him if we're going to turn him into a Namiki.

Then comes my little trooper. Sakiko. She's… Kami-sama, that girl amazes me sometimes. I've been teaching her Muay Thai, letting her toughen up her fists, elbows, knees and shins for the style. I've also been working on her kenjutsu and some simple E-rank genjutsus. She's so focused for a five year old. So determined. And I try to reward that when I can – though I try not to spoil her. During our spar, I have to constantly dispel genjutsus, while countering her attacks. Her chakra reserves are decent, for her age, but she isn't likely to ever be a powerhouse. So, instead I have her focus on her genjutsus and how to combine that with her taijutsu. And… she's…

"Good." I motion for Sakiko to stop. "You've been practising. Good."

"Of course I've been practising, ya know!" She beams, happy to make me proud of her.

"Saki." I call, getting her immediate attention. "I need you to start working in Katsuo properly. I think you're the best person to help him with this. Just Muay Thai for now. Have him toughen up, just like I showed you. And do not look down on him for having less experience." She's one of the few that can say they've had my undivided attention, and for months too. It's been getting busy around here, and everyone seems to need me for something.

"You can count on me, ya know!"

I walk up to her, petting her hair. "I know. That's why I need you to do this for me. Katsuo has the drive, he just needs someone that can offer him the time. Help him. For me?"

"Nn!" She beams, blushing proudly. "Come on, Togo! The sooner we start the better!"

'Togo'? I look to Katsuo, who's blushing furiously. Probably some nickname she came up with for him.

8-8

Five o'clock on the dot, the doorbell rings. I head out to the gate, smelling Senju-san, Katou-san and the pig. Not surprisingly, Hitomi and Tsu come with me to welcome them. "Good afternoon." I greet politely, but do not bow.

"Good afternoon, Aya." They smile a little, obviously unsure what to make of me. I take a deep sniff, wondering about that extra trace of chakra in the air.

"'Tomi?"

#Accomplice. Close enough to want to sneak in.# I get my confirmation, luckily Hitomi just outside of their view, so it's a private message.

"Is there something I should know about?" I ask, my tone neutral.

"If you mean the pervert? Nothing I have to say about it. He was here before we even arrived." Senju-san claims. I wonder about that, but she hasn't tried lying to me before.

"Oi! Tsuna, that hurts." I hear the familiar voice. "You know I'm not a pervert. I'm a SUPER pervert!" I groan, rubbing my forehead in annoyance.

"Jiraiya. I'd made my stance perfectly clear. What are you doing here?" I demand, not hiding the fire in my tone.

"Oi, oi, calm down. I'm just checking your security system, considering the crowd you intend for it to protect." He tries. I don't buy it.

"How sweet. And I'm sure you're about to tell me that you perfectly understand Uzumaki Script sealing too." I intone, obviously being sarcastic.

"Considering Uzumaki Kushina taught me? Yes, I can." I roll my eyes. More claims I cannot confirm or deny.

"Well, if you are quite satisfied? Leave." I don't need him checking the security. From what Asami told me, the Fourth himself designed it. No one's getting around that.

"Wow. No respect at all." He drones.

"We've been over this. Repeatedly." I remind him. "I have nothing to add." He nods, an odd emotion playing out in his eyes. He turns to leave, but it seems he has one last thing to say.

"Do me a favour? Tell Naruto I want to teach him a new jutsu sometime this week. I'll be leaving again soon, and I was hoping to spend some time with him."

-Naru-nii. The perv wants to spend time with you. He's dangling a new jutsu to tempt you. Oh, and he's 'been checking the security system' for Kami knows how long. If you do talk to him, curse him out for me.- I relay the message.

"Oi, sis! Invite him in?" I hear from in the family sitting room.

"How about no?" I counter. Then a head pops out from behind the paper screen, and a pair of begging blue eyes find mine – topped off with pouting, quivering lips. Kami-sama, I'm such a softie.

I open the gate, letting Senju-san and Katou-san in, along with their two pigs. One was born that way, the other was just raised wrong, or something. "Be on your best behaviour, Jiraiya. I will not tolerate perversion in my den."

8-8

"What's this? A who's-who in Anbu?" Jiraiya teases, finding almost nothing but familiar faces in the family sitting room. All of the patients, most of the regular faces, Tsume-san, Tenzo and Yuugao – who Kakashi invited over, after discussing it with the pack.

"If I cannot trust my colleagues, then there is no hope for this village." I (sort of) answer him. "Oi, Mitarashi-san, make sure these two don't get any sake until after dinner?"

She grins a little too brightly. "Sure thing, princess." She loves it when I give her little jobs like that – denying people sake when everyone else is allowed, I mean.

"For those who don't know yet, Senju-san is the Fifth candidate. Katou-san is her assistant. There's no need to be shy about who you are with them." I explain seriously. The patients all nod, but everyone else already knew that.

"So, Senju-san. My patients." I point them out as I go. "Sarutobi Chinatsu, codenamed Ferret. Akimichi Kanon, codenamed Crane. Kurama Hikaru, codenamed Eagle. Akiyama Rokurou, codenamed Newt. Mori Shouta, codenamed Skunk. Tachibana Akio, codenamed Chameleon. And last is Akimichi Chouji, non-Anbu. Before the invasion I only had Hatake Kakashi and Yamanaka Maki, both of which are… at least at eighty percent."

"I see. They all seem to be doing well enough. I'm guessing they gave you hell while still bedridden." I snort. "I thought so. Anbu tend to be… frustrating patients." Senju-san frowns, obviously speaking from experience.

"Maybe, but we've worked out an agreement. Isn't that right, guys?" I ask, giving them a teasing smile.

"Tch, doc, you've been dishing out one agreement after the next. Which one are you referring to?" Rokurou teases, but smiles a little anyway.

"I dunno. Pick one?" I tease right back. "The point is, after they healed enough to get into physical therapy, there's been almost no issues. We even set up a gym where they can work out, build up their muscles again. The works. And I'm not too stingy on their vices either. I guess that helps."

"You got that right! Doc is the best!" Hikaru boasts, toasting to 'the doc'. Everyone, of course, toasts right along with him.

"And they're not on any painkillers? Anesthetic jutsus? Nothing like that?" She asks, curious.

"I'll show you their charts later, but no. I'd dealt with the pain sources before they even woke up from their injuries. Between Hana, myself, and more recently the other Anbu medics, we've kept them pain free without relying on drugs of any kind. Haku did have to whip up some salves for some of the more… troubling situations, but even that was dealt with swiftly." I explain. "But, you don't have to believe me. You can ask them yourselves."

"On my mother's grave, the doc hasn't let me suffer more than thirty seconds. And that's including the time I hit my head against the wall." Chinatsu brags.

"Oi, you too!? I remember doc even having to catch me from falling down the stairs." Kanon says, smiling at the memory.

"And when I gave myself a concussion from walking before doc green lighted me." Hikaru smiles warmly at me. "Doc patched me up in no time at all. She didn't even seem to care about the blood on the wall."

"Hey, you remember the concert? When you and Anko had too much to drink? You got blood all over her kimono, and she didn't care." Rokurou points out.

"Concert?" Senju-san asks, turning to me with questions in her eyes.

"Sometimes you've got to entertain the idiots." I shrug. It wasn't a big deal.

"Tsunade-sama, you've got to hear her sing one of these days! Doc's got a voice like you wouldn't believe!" I roll my eyes. Sometimes I wonder if Hikaru has a thing for me.

"Oi! We're here to talk about you guys, not me!" I remind them, blushing.

"Aw, come on, doc. You can't expect us to not brag about you a little." Chouji teases, blushing and smiling brightly. I roll my eyes, refusing to comment on that. And for the record, I am NOT blushing! I have… an allergic reaction. To idiots!

"So anyway." Need to find a jutsu to counter that crap. "Hana, if you wouldn't mind showing Katou-san the charts? There's something I needed to talk to Senju-san about. Privately."

8-8

I lead the blonde into my office, motioning for her to take a seat on the couch. While she's making herself comfortable, I activate the privacy seal and seal the door.

"An odd collection of books. Medical textbooks, geographical theories, novels, and pretty much everything you'd ever want to know about wolves. You're an odd combination of both your parents." Senju-san says, still looking around.

I sit on the couch beside her, turning slightly so I can see her properly, while still being comfortable. "Senju-san, please forgive me for being so forward, but this is something I have to know if I'm ever going to trust you." Her face goes from curious to blank in the blink of an eye. "You abandoned Konoha, your teammate, your sensei, for longer than I've been alive. Why?"

There's a twinge of pain in her eyes, gone almost as soon as it's there. "We all have our reasons." She intones, trying to give nothing away. "The easiest answer… is that I had no one else."

"… Senju-san. Let me tell you something you probably haven't figured out. I didn't have anyone at one point. My parents were dead, my family was dead. I had no friends. I grew up alone." I explain. "I didn't leave."

"…" The twinge of pain flickers again.

"I haven't seen the horrors of war, but I found Chouji face down in the dirt, a sword sticking out of his back. I saw Kakashi with both his hands cut off, his leg so badly cut up that I compared him to chicken fillet fresh from the butcher's. I saw Maki almost to the point of bleeding out, nerve damage so bad that she had to relearn how to write and walk. The Anbu patients I have here? All of them suffered severe spine injuries. And that's ignoring that I rescued Yasu and Sakiko, who were sex slaves in a bandit camp when I found them."

She doesn't react. At all.

"So, tell me again how your pain weighs against those I love?" I verbally prod her. She thinks about it. I can tell just by the ever so slightly haunted look in her eyes.

"Hemophobia." She murmurs so softly I barely make out her words.

"Senju-san, I activated a privacy seal. I assure you, whatever you tell me, will go no further." I explain. "Would you mind telling me what caused a world renowned medic to develop a fear of blood?"

Her whole body tenses, her face scrunches up in pain, but her eyes remain dry. She's thinking about what happened, but she's refusing to cry about it. I get the feeling she's shed a lot of tears in the past and probably just got sick of crying.

"I'm not here to judge you, Senju-san. I'm not here to poke at your wounds. I'm just trying to understand. I'm sure you know how a Namiki thinks about loyalty to the pack. You disappearing the way you did… it confuses me. Will you help me to understand?" I explain seriously, trying to keep my tone as soothing as I can.

"My last patient in the Second Shinobi World War… he bled out… before I could… save him…" She explains hesitantly.

"…" For someone to bleed out on you is horrible. But… for it to have a deep enough impact on her, for it to traumatize her to the point of developing hemophobia? Thinking back to how I felt when I saw Chouji, lying there, unconscious and seemingly dead or dying… "I understand, I think." I say, tears welling up in the corners of my eyes. "I remember when I found Chouji. I nearly lost my mind…" I don't hide my emotions from her, knowing that she would understand better than anyone what that could do, mentally, emotionally.

She shakes off her mood, trying to regain her stoic composure. She isn't entirely successful.

"So anyway. Duties. What kind of hellish crap are you going to ask me to do?" I change the subject. I don't forgive her for abandoning Konoha, but… we all deal with our grief in our own way. Seeing how 'well' I dealt with mine, I have no right to judge her for hers. "And just so you know, I'm not showing up unarmed. There's no job that's worth feeling naked for."

8-8

Over the next half hour, we talk. About what she needs from me, about what makes more sense, about Katou-san's role, about the dreaded Council meetings – I tell her who I find more annoying and why. I'm also careful to warn her about the ghouls –she laughs when I call the Elders that– and Shimura Danzo. Her eyes harden when I mention his name, so I'm not telling her anything new.

We talk about some of her ideas for the hospital, about her old idea about getting a trained medic on each team –which I'm all for– and even introducing simplified seals and medic jutsu in the academy. I even suggest a few simple genjutsus, which I promise her I'll have a scroll describing them prepared for the next day.

"What about your academy time, though?" Yeah, we're just talking about anything now. "I mean, most people I know wish they could go back. Relieve the good ol' days." She's eyeing me curiously.

"I didn't care too much about it, really. Ino kind of stole into my life two weeks before graduation, before that… I avoided people. I tried avoiding Ino too, but she's as headstrong as her mother." I tease, smiling at the memory. "She kind of dragged me everywhere, introduced me to people, got me to talk… Kami-sama, it was so awkward talking to people."

"Hmm? Why's that?" She asks, curious.

"I was five when mom died." I say, but I'm quick to shake off the sadness. "I kind of refused to get close to anyone after that. So I didn't talk, practically at all, for almost seven years. The only time I would use my voice was when I would sing to myself. Or tell myself good morning in the mirror."

"Seriously? Seeing you now, I'd never have guessed." She admits, obviously impressed. "So Ino changed your life?"

"Not just her. Ino, Naruto-nii, and mom. Well, before I started calling her mom. They… drew me out of my shell bit by bit. Mom gave me books to study so I wouldn't feel like a fool when I talk to people. Naruto-nii… well, he kind of gave me a lifeline whenever I needed one. When I thought some idiot was bothering me, he was the one that came to my rescue. During our first C-rank mission, he found out how much I hated coming home to an empty house… and… he suggested we move in together." I smile thinking back on my idiot's words. "He promised he'd be here, for me to come home to. That we'd watch it snow together."

Senju-san smiles warmly. "Yeah, the brat's got a way of growing on you. Whether you want him to or not."

I snort, laughing about that. "Yeah, he kind of does."

"Just like his mother. Kami-sama, Kushina had a way with people. Even though she was the scariest kunoichi I ever met, she could reach anyone, touch them in a way no one else could. It's what drew Minato to her, if I had to guess." She says, thinking back on her ghosts. "He was… always so quiet. To himself. It still amazes me that he became the Fourth."

"Have you talked to Naruto-nii about them? I'm sure he would love to hear about those stories." I say, smiling.

"Does he know?" She asks, curious.

"I made sure the Third told him the day I found out."

"You found out? How?"

"…" Do I trust her enough to tell her? No, but I trust her enough not to lie. "My mother was his father's personal Anbu. She left hints for me, in case something happened. And frankly, the Third had us living across the hall from each other for years. I sometimes wonder if everyone expected us to get married or something." I make a gagging sound, to show just what I think of that.

"And look how you two turned out. I can almost imagine him wearing the hat and you getting on his case about paperwork." She laughs, likely picturing it for real.

"Probably." I admit. "Hey, didn't Katou-san have a date tonight?"

"She does. She's leaving right after dinner." Ah, that makes sense. "Speaking of which, we should probably go join the others. They must think we're trying to kill each other."

"Nah, if they were worried, Naruto-nii would have warned me by now."

8-8

"There you are! See, Shizune-nee-chan! They're both in one piece." Naru-nii announces.

"Again. I'm sure Tsunade-sama could have put her back together in the last hour!" I snort, amused that Senju-san was right.

"We were talking. Nothing more." I say, rolling my eyes at Katou-san.

"Talking? About what?" Kakashi asks. He's yet to get a proper conversation out of me, so he obviously thinks I'm lying.

"The usual. Boys, clothes and makeup." I drone, fixing him with a dull glare. "She has a thing for perfumes too, but I'd sneeze myself into an early grave if I wore that."

"… Sorry I asked." Kakashi says, knowing that I'm telling him to mind his own business. "Oi, Yasu-chan, you need a hand?" He excuses himself, obviously trying to get away from me. I roll my eyes.

"So anyway, we miss anything?" I ask Tsu. Hitomi has been relaxing a bit while we're home, so she doesn't mind me not being in her field of vision, but Tsu's still kind of latching onto me like I'm her anchor to reality.

"Not really. They drank sake, Jiraiya's been bothering Naruto-san about some training and jutsu and whatnot. Oh, Asami-san arrived, but seeing as your office was off limits, she disappeared upstairs, probably stealing your bed so she can read in peace. Other than that… not really." Tsu updates me.

"Yeah, she's probably had enough of the old perv to last a lifetime." I say, smirking.

"I take offence to that! I'm the life of the party!" Uh huh. And pigs are the best fliers.

"What about daddy? Is he back from work?" I wonder. He's usually back by now.

"Oh, right. He came home not five minutes after you disappeared. He plans on kidnapping your mom though, saying that they haven't gone out in forever. They're upstairs getting ready."

"Good. They deserve a night out." I nod, liking the idea.

8-8

"Aya-nee… can I sit with you this time?" Sakiko asks, her eyes begging.

"Alright." She sits in my lap, just as Yasu-nee and Maki are sharing out food. Kakashi tries to help Yasu-nee, but she swats his hand every time. Eventually she gets tired of him and shoos him, but he isn't giving up that easy.

Ignoring their not so subtle flirting, I turn my attention back to my baby sister. She's already sneaking a few eggrolls from our shared plate, but I don't mind too much. Tsu and Hitomi sit to either side of me, and Senju-san and Katou-san sit opposite us – where mom and daddy would usually sit.

"Katsuo's bugging you about something isn't he." I whisper into Saki's ear. She nods, but there's a look in her eyes that tells me there's more to the story. "You want to tell me what about?"

She shakes her head no. She's blushing though. Hmm, interesting. "Did he say something about marrying you?" The blush intensifies, to the point that the back of her neck is turning pink. She nods though.

She cranes her neck, trying to whisper into my ear, so I lean forward to help her. "He told me that he's going to marry me when we grow up, but that he won't ask me until he's at least as strong as I am." I fight to keep myself from smiling, but I know my eyes are giving me away.

"Are you looking forward to that?" I ask, whispering just as softly. I know every jounin and higher in this room can hear us clear as day, but it's puppy love. It's fine.

She blushes just as deeply, but she doesn't answer me this time. I think that blush is answer enough though.

8-8

After dinner, I retreat to my office once again. Back to my training. I focus on Naruto-nii's marker, trying to send calligraphy brushes to him via the summoning. It's not easy though.

Asami taught me the handsigns I need for it, but it's a sequence that's like… twenty handsigns long! It's annoying to have to go through this over and over again, but this is something Sasuke needs. I have to give it my all.

"What are you doing?" Senju-san asks, obviously noticing the over the top handsign usage and the rapidly disappearing brushes.

"Magic trick." I drone. Motioning her into my office. "Activate the seal, please?" She does, wondering what's going on. "I'm sure you've been told that Sasuke left? That he joined Orochimaru?"

"Yes. A few of the Council members have been bugging me about it. Some asking for him to be brought back at all costs, others demanding I mark him a rogue before he causes trouble for Konoha. Why?" She looks at the scroll, seeing his name written on it. "That's a summoning scroll. With Sasuke, Naruto and Asami. There's something going on I obviously don't know about."

"Yes. The Third gave Sasuke a mission to infiltrate Orochimaru's organization. He's to try to gain Orochimaru's trust, to locate every base he can, to try to turn every one of Orochumari's people he can. The only ones that know about the mission were the Third, Kakashi, Sasuke and myself. It's S-ranked for Sasuke, but seeing as he needs a handler, I got the long term A-rank mission."

"Okay, but why Naruto and Asami?" There's suspicion in her eyes.

"Two jinchuuriki? Why would the Third wish for someone to be able to get them back to Konoha instantly?" I wonder, leaving her to figure that out for herself.

"… Not a bad plan. And you obviously are someone they can trust with that." She admits, nodding approvingly. "So what are you trying to send brushes through for?"

"Well… Sasuke wants someone other than him extracted. The only option we have is for him to mark this person with a blood tracking seal, but he has no training in Sealing. So Asami made a detailed scroll for him. But… I'm the only one that can use this scroll, so that means I have to train to send it to him." I explain. "I've been sending Naruto-nii brushes trying to get used to this… weird jutsu."

"Hmm… let me have a look?" I shrug, motioning to the scroll. "… Not bad work. Not the best I've seen though. Hmm. Yeah, with this set up, no one but you can use the scroll. Smart. But why is the jutsu to send something through so intensive…?"

She turns the scroll to read it right side up. "Are you sure it's wise to let Ryuuzetsu know about your mission?"

"I trust her. So that isn't something I worry about. No one else knows. Not even the ghouls or Danzo, as far as I know."

"Hmm… I think I understand the problem. Asami doesn't have your chakra control, so she compensated by designing the jutsu with that many handsigns to mould the chakra properly." Senju-san turns the scroll back to me. "Try boar, dog, dragon, tiger." She tells me.

Seeing no reason not to, I do the sequence. The difference is immediately apparent. The entire box of brushes, box and all, poofs to Naruto-nii. I grin. "You know, Senju-san... I like having you around."

-Whoa! Sis, how'd you manage that!? There's no way you can't send that scroll to Sasuke now!-

-I was just about to ask him if he was alone, actually.- I smile at my words.

-Define alone.- Sasuke intones

-Only surrounded by people you'd trust enough to show that you have outside help and are likely a plant.- I say.

-Then yes.-

-Good. Hold up one of your hands like I'm about to give you a scroll. Palm flat, please, and as horizontal as you can manage.- I demand, unsealing the scroll Asami gave me and getting ready to send it to him.

I focus on his marker, feeling him do as I asked. -Sending it now.- I do the shorter sequence, grinning as the scroll poofs out of sight.

-Hnn. Give me five minutes.- No formal training whatsoever, and going to do a blood seal in five minutes. Kami-sama, are all Uchiha that conceited?

Whatever. "Senju-san, I can't thank you enough." I say, standing and bowing formally to her. She just saved me weeks of frustration, and now Sasuke has what he needs. To boot, we now have a way of getting things to him he'll need! This is just too awesome for words!

"It's nothing." She waves it off. "I like this idea though. To be able to send anyone on this roster something they need, no matter where they are. And the ability to summon them to your location." She thinks about that some more.

-Aya. Want to do a practice run. I marked that scroll you sent me. Try to summon it.-

WHAT!?

I shake my head, trying to get rid of the cobwebs. I focus on his marker, feeling his tracking seal, but not what it's attached to. Well, here goes nothing.

I do the normal sequence, summoning the scroll not a second later. -You scare me sometimes, you know that right?-

-I guess you rub off on people. Marking the girl now. She knows she's going somewhere, but not where, or to whom. She knows my name is Sasuke, and that I trust the people I'm sending her to. She's only seven, Aya. Take care of her until I get home.-

-You know I will. Let me know when you're ready.-

"Senju-san… you're about to get your very first headache. Sasuke's marking a seven year old Uchiha he found. That's the person he wants extracted." I explain seriously.

"Hmm. We'll just have to come up with something." She shrugs. "But I agree, letting her stay with Orochimaru a second longer is a bad idea."

I nod, fully agreeing with her.

-Ready. She's a little scared.- He sounds worried. I focus on his marker again, feeling the girl. Yeah, scared is the understatement of the year. She's ready to go on herself.

I do the sequence, and a moment later there's a pale looking Sasuke mini-clone with long unruly hair, her one tomoe Sharingan studying me intently. Her lips are pursed, and slightly curled downwards.

"Hi there. I'm Aya. Sasuke hasn't told me too much about you, but he asked me to keep you safe for him until he gets home." I say, speaking as calmly and soothing as I can to set her at ease. "With me are Ryuuzetsu, but I call her Tsu, and Senju-san. She's our village leader. I know we might seem scary to you, but I promise you… we will help you in any way we can. Okay?"

"…o-o-kay…" She manages. Her voice shows just how scared she is.

I smile, as warm and as bright as I can, to chase away her fears. "Can you tell me your name?"

"…d-don't h-have… a n-n-name…" My heart shatters. To not only not have a sense of family, but to not have a sense of self?

-Sasuke. She says she doesn't have a name. She needs one. Stat.-

-I call her Yuzuki. Gentle moon.- He explains. Good, now I also know the kanji used to spell it.

"Sasuke says he calls you Yuzuki. Is that a name you like?" I ask. She smiles a little, unsure smile. Even her eyes look warmer now.

"N-nn." She nods a little.

"Alright. That's what we'll call you, okay? Uchiha Yuzuki." I smile again, glad that she at least had Sasuke to keep the poor girl sane. Heaven only knows what she's been through.

"I think it's a really cute name." Tsu says. "Don't you think so?"

Yuzuki nods, nervous and uncertain, but she's reacting at least. Oh, Kami-sama, this is the worst den for her to be introduced to the world in… every single person here is at least a little crazy. Then again… this is the den that lured Hinata out of her shell.

"You mind if I ask you something?" I wonder, hoping to get the girl to talk a little.

"I-i-i d-don't m-mind." She manages. I briefly wonder if her stuttering is from nerves, or if it's something deeper than that.

"I'm kind of tired, so I want to call it a night. But that means I need to wash up. Would you like to come wash up with me?" I try, hoping she'll trust me, even if only a little.

She nods, a little uncertain and more than a little fearful.

"Alright. Come on, then. I'll try to introduce you to some kids around your age. I know they can be a bit loud, but I promise, they're good kids. They wouldn't hurt you. Okay?" I offer my hand, waiting for her to take it. She studies my face, trying to figure something out, but I don't know what.

She blinks, and her Sharingan recedes. Her eyes are pitch black, just like Sasuke's – and Chouji's and Shika-nii's.

"N-nn." She noises, reaching out to take my hand. She hesitates, but I don't rush her. It's as if she's waiting for that moment when I turn into a monster. Sorry, I don't turn into a monster with cute little patients. Not my style.

She takes my hand, smiling that little uncertain smile of hers. I smile back, as warm and as bright as I can. She takes a step towards me.

"Do you want me to help you down, or does jumping down sound like more fun?" I ask, making sure to smile with my eyes as I speak.

She looks unsure. "C-can I j-jump?"

"Sure! If that's what you want. Just be careful though, I don't want you to hurt yourself okay?" She smiles a little again, nodding. "Do you want me to hold your hand while you're jumping? I don't have to if you think you can handle it."

She squeezes my hand, begging me with her eyes. I smile, squeezing her hand back gently. "You ready? On the count of three. One, two,-"

"Three!" We say at the same time, and she jumps down. She wobbles a little as she lands, but I help keep her on her feet. She didn't stutter that time.

"Alright, young lady. Let's see if we can get you something your size for you to sleep in. Did you want to sleep in my bed with me and two others?" I ask, as we walk towards the door.

"…" She's thinking about that, but seems unsure about the idea.

"I can always set up a futon for you, if you want that? Or I can arrange that you sleep in the room with my little sister. It really all depends on what you want." I offer.

"… N-no… c-can I s-sleep w-with y-y-you?"

"Of course. Come on, let's go wash up." Then a thought hits me. That means passing the family sitting room, when everyone's having sake. They'll be loud, brash, and probably way too much for her right now. "If you start feeling like any situation is too much for you, just grab onto my leg, okay? That way you don't have to say anything, but I'll know what you mean." I offer. "It'll be like a secret language only we understand. That sound okay to you?"

"N-nn." She nods, holding my hand a little tighter.

-Sasuke. She's opening up a little. She's still scared out of her mind, but she's coping. I'll keep you posted.-

-Thank you.-

8-8

End Chapter 59

8-8

A/N: Just one more chapter that's should be a bit longer, then it's back to some fun times. Just because Aya's a secretary, doesn't mean she won't be put in some interesting situations. Just you wait and see.