It had taken far more effort than she would have thought, almost a week and a half since they learned of Uzumaki Naruto's location for her to get the necessary votes to allow him the chance to return. Far longer than she would have thought given the points brought up on both sides of that thrice forsaken council.

"Ma'am. A member of the medical squad is here to speak with you."

"Oh course. Allow them in." Shizune tended to be more casual, mentioned it was one of the two who normally brought in the release paperwork, but Tsunade took no mind to it. Her musing was cut short when shoulder length pink hair slipped past the big wood doors.

It was here that after four long years she first laid eyes upon her wayward student again. Standing with purpose the young woman was a far cry different than the sobbing little girl who had caused so much harm to her family.

"Haruno." Old anger that had bottled up rose, and despite her best efforts chilled her tone.

"Hokage-sama." She returned the curt nod, keeping firm in the face of such an indifferent stare. Sakura bowed before holding out the medical charts to the Hokage. "The finished reports of the ninja's released yesterday." Tsunade didn't lift a finger towards the waiting folders and it was only then she saw a tremble in the other woman's arm. That show of weakness put a sizable dent in her rage and through the foggy emotions she saw the worn and tired shape of the younger female. With a frustrated sigh Tsunade swiped the charts from Sakura and turned back to the piles of paper work before her. After a minute or two with the door not opening she looked back up to find a almost... stricken figure. Clearly she seemed at odds with even herself before her head rose to look at the elder with a hesitant look.

"What is it Sakura?" She might have said the girl's name, but the warmth that use to accompany it was gone. Sakura wavered a moment as she realized that too.

"I would like to request a week off, if I may." Hazel eyes stared into jade with untold incredulity. The timing was just too much to be coincidental.

"And just where would you go?" A thin blonde eyebrow rose. "For four years you never once asked for a vacation, why now?" Sakura gave a sickly smile then glanced away a moment.

"I... I just felt it would be good to finally take some time off and get out of the village. See some old places I use to visit."

"Do you seriously take me for a fool, Sakura?"

"W-what? N-Never!" Tsunade slammed her fist into the desk with enough force to jostle some of the stacks over and onto the floor.

"Then why do you think that pathetic excuse is going to work. You cannot go see them. EVER. The team I sent is just to offer the chance for him to return." She felt a stab of pity as she saw the hope glimmer in the other woman's face. Damn, how had she not figured on Sakura and Naruto running into one another. Just the hundredth other thing lost in that exhausted fog her mind felt like lately. No matter. She had to cower this woman before it got out of hand. "However I seriously doubt it will work. And even if it does, do you really think you could just go and your relationship would become what it was before he was thrown out? Or even a chance get a word to him? From Sasuke's rather... through report, I don't think you'd be given the chance." Sakura's shoulders trembled with every point made until Tsunade wound down. Too long had both of these women held in their pain. Yet to her credit Sakura refused to cry, if only by the barest of margins.

"I understand, Hokage-sama. However my request stands. If only to go see my mother then." Compromise was in order. Tsunade was tired. Tired of fighting, tired of hating, just tired. Despite the youthful body her genjutsu cast she felt every bit of her near sixty years. Tsunade just wanted the world to return back to the time when the only enemies were on the outside of the walls and those around her were treasured loved ones. Sakura, in this move offered the first chance at a glimmer of that old life.

"I will authorize it. However if I learn you have gone elsewhere, I'll have your headband for this. Please don't force me to do that, Sakura." The younger woman's head rose and she gave a shaky smile and nod.

"I understand, Hokage-sama. I'll be leaving immediately."

"Very well. I'll see you in a week then." Sakura looked stunned a moment, before the first real smile she gave in years appeared on her face.

"Hai, Tsunade-sama!" Pink hair slide past the door again and moments afterward Tsunade finally slumped, hand rubbing at a dull ache upon her temple.

"I'm getting too old for this shit." She looked to a corner. "Get me Boar and Monkey, I want a watch on Haruno." The hidden ANBU nodded then disappeared in a gust of wind.

His and Her Daughter
Chapter Four: Return to Wave
By
Hibiki
All rights to Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

It was dusk when Monkey and Boar paused in their watch of Haruno. Boar left, giving the now bathing woman some privacy. Monkey, being female, remained and took the time to eat. Both ANBU were lax as Haruno Sakura had made no point in disguising herself or hiding her trail. She was on a dead straight path for her mother's and the two ANBU wondered why their Hokage had ordered them to do this. Monkey was adamant, her orders were as such and she would follow them, no questions asked. Boar on the other hand, found this just another meaningless task given to him from an old and senile woman, many believing, past her prime. Boar was one of them. Having become an ANBU shortly before the third's death, he often resented the Third for Boar's original team's death. To him, an old leader was an inept leader, and Tsunade in the last four years had proven that. Monkey distractedly argued him on that point and as they did so on their radio, Monkey never noticed Sakura vanishing under the water of the spring longer than a simple dive would allow, nor the additional rock that appeared moments after.

It was nearly twenty minutes after the Shadow Clone and the two ANBU following it left the spring when the rock transformed back into Sakura. The naked woman panted as she dragged her drained figure from the water and onto the rocky side of the pool.

Gasping for breath she pushed her body up to a small hidden pile of clothes and reached into the pocket of the shirt. Her last chakra pill, having given the rest to sustain the clone, was downed and with a shudder she stopped breathing hard. Once pulling on the clothes she quickly headed for wave. More guilt, for lying to her Hokage filled her, but she couldn't stop.

She had to see them. Even if that meant at a distance, and only once, she had to. She couldn't let the last grasp of hope slip away without seeing them.

Naruto has smelt them long before he heard or saw them. In fact Emi was well away with Naru when the six broke through the treeline and into line of sight. Their approach was slow, hesitant, and unsure as they made for the figure fishing off of the pier beside the small house that was his home. He made no move to react to them, further confusing the bunch as they stopped before the deck that connected the pier to the house.

"Oi Teme, I see you brought friends." He called out, holding out a fishing pole.

"Dobe. I wouldn't call them friends." Sasuke remarked, walking over and accepting the spare rod from him as the other four remained silent. After a few minutes of uneasy silence Naruto had enough.

"Okay you bunch stop sitting around all nervous like, your scaring the fish." He turned to take in the gaze of Chouji, Shikamaru, Ino, and Kiba with Akamaru.

"How have you been Naruto?" Kiba finally called out. "Been a while."

"Just fine Kiba, how are you and Hinata doing?" Kiba winced as Shino wasn't mentioned. Maybe Sasuke was right.

"I'm alright. Hinata and Shino are fine too I suppose. Though both miss you. Shino's been pretty beaten up after hearing his clans decision, just to let you know." Naruto nodded and returned to fishing, testing his line after feeling a tug.

"It's alright, I never held Shino or any other of his clan for their actions. It's easy to see why they did what they did, I guess." He paused a moment then at once began reeling in, his rod nearly bent in half. The ninja other than Sasuke watched as the man worked at the After a moment a big fish easily 20 pounds broke the surface and with some effort the blonde grabbed it. Holding up the fish he turned to the others.

"WOW, Naruto, that's a really nice fish!" Chouji remarked with hunger in his eyes.

"Heh, thanks Chouji, wanna help me catch some more? After all it seems I'll have quite a gathering tonight. Kiba, you too?" The two other nin looked to one another then nodded heading out to each take hold of one of the two rods sitting in cut groves on the wood planks. Shikamaru and Ino cautiously following. Despite everything that had happened to them and between them, even all the years that past since last they saw one another, soon all upon the pier were laughing and talking.

"So where are they, Dobe?" Sasuke called out after quirking an eyebrow at what had to be the same little throw back fish attached to his hook for the eight time. "I noticed one of your gull henge clones dispel a while back." His words made everyone pause as they realized for the first time they were literally surrounded by seagulls. On the water, in the air, even on the pier itself, all watching them. Shocked by their lack of awareness they turned to face the back of the blonde who paused and squinted his eyes at Sasuke with a pout.

"Anytime now." Naruto commented then turned back to the sea. "You know that's not fair Teme, I was having fun waiting to see how long it took them to realize the birds." The twenty or so birds disappeared with a poof leaving them alone on the dock.

"Naruto!" A female voice called out and the group turned to find a similar looking blonde waving with a bag of groceries in hand. "Come help me with the bags." Naruto was up at once, passing his rod to an unamused Shikamaru and padding silently up the dock to Naru.

"Where's Emi?" He asked once he got close enough for prying ears to be unable to listen. "Why isn't she here?" Naru angrily shoved a bag into his arms and opened the gate for herself.

"I wasn't certain if you wanted her here so when she asked to go visit Haku and Zabuza's grave I said she could. I didn't smell anyone over there so it should be fine."

"I really want her here where I can see her now that I know it's safe. I can't believe you let her run off like that, honestly."

"Well if you don't like it then go get her yourself. Hell, just stick around and take care of her full time, just stop making me and be done with it then." Naru growled tromping into the house and slamming the door shut behind her. Naruto shook his head in confusion, then turned to the others.

"Um Sorry about that, all! I'll be right back. Can you see if Naru needs help in the kitchen, Teme?"

"Hn. At least I know the fish will taste alright. At least better than that charcoal you tried to feed me last time."

"OI, TEME!" But Sasuke was already inside by then. "Why is everyone ganging up on me?" Naruto frowned a little at the thought while the others laughed.

"Hey everyone I'll be right back, I just have to go get someone." They waved him off, laughing further when the unready Shikamaru was dragged off the dock by a strong tug from Naruto's fishing rod. Laughing himself he turned and hurried down the path towards a pair of graves for two friends.

"He's still the same old Naruto to me." Chouji remarked as he reeled the fish that had taken Shikamaru by surprise. Shaking his now free hair from it's usual pineapple ponytail, the soaking Jounin replied with about as much enthusiasm as a wet cat after a bath.

"He's definitely more cautious of everyone now. He knew we were coming before we were in sight. He's gotten a lot more better at sensing people. We were right where he wanted us the moment we saw him."

"He's more closed in I sensed, not as trusting like the Uchiha said." Ino put in her two cents. "I don't know how he'd react to us asking for him to return. If he was faking about being glad to see us he's a better actor than I am, however."

"He's got a good life here. I'm not certain I can see him leaving it for Konoha after all we did to him. But I'm a little confused by the girl Naruto. Naru he called her. They act nothing alike, I've never seen anyone's clone do that." Kiba asked eying the two in the kitchen talking.

"Remember, he is different than all of us, maybe he can make clones act differently. Or she's some specialty clone." Shikamaru groused as he laid down to soak in the past noon sun in order to dry. Might as well watch some clouds while he thought. "It's too troublesome to think about right now."

His daughter was running down the path from the graves when he found her, snatching her up into a swinging hug that had the little pink haired girl giggling with laughter.

"Hey baby." He replied to her hug around his neck.

"Hi Daddy." As he held her close he noticed a hint of antiseptic in her scent and found a small bandage on her shin. He pointed to it.

"What happened here honey?" Emi covered her head against his shoulder. "I'm not angry honey I just was curious is all."

"I feel out of a tree." Naruto sighed, his little girl just couldn't keep bounding around in the trees like he had when he was a kid. "You said you're not gonna be angry!" She kept her head down, looking at him with just he right look to make him melt.

"I'm not. Did Aunty Naru do this?" Emi shook her head. "Then who?"

"A really nice lady I met by Uncle Haku and Grandpa Zabuza's graves. She was there when I fell and helped me. She smelled really nice." Naruto tried to gain a grasp of the scent of the woman from his daughter but the smell of the disinfectant was overpowering.

"She musta poured a whole bottle on you, I can't spell anything but you and that stinky hospital smell." He smirked then sniffed again exaggeratedly. "Oh wait, you're just stinky." His daughter made a noise then slapped his shoulder ineffectually.

"DADDY I'M NOT STINKY!"

"I know. Daddy's just teasing." He laughed again and she pouted, her little chubby arms crossed.

"I'M! NOT! STINKY!" She insisted.

Welcome home, Naruto." Ino called out, first to see him enter. The others also called out in greeting.

"Hey everyone. I have someone here I want you to meet, but may I ask, let's keep any questions until after her bedtime." From behind his legs a small face framed by pink hair appeared. The room went silent. "Everyone, this is Emi." He smiled proudly. "My daughter."

AN:

Man I had to rework the Tsunade/Sakura scene over and over and over again just to get it from being what I like to say 'believe the shit I throw at you no matter what' sort of arguments. Where I make you follow a path of bullshit that supposedly makes sense in order to progress the story line. I don't buy those and I hope you all aren't that way either.

This was the first thing after the fakers side story to really grab a hold of me, and it's actually shorter than I wanted it to be. After all, an important figure hasn't shown up yet who will. And I'll leave you all hanging on who. However he should shed some light on a VERY good question ABitterPill has mentioned time and again with each progressing chapter. I just don't have it in me to continue this at the moment and that's a good spot to end for the moment.

Please Read, Review, and tell me how I'm doing and how the story seems to be progressing. I love the support I'm getting along with the reviews both supportive and questioning. It's been helping me flesh out the story and I must say getting a review from EroSlackerMicha has actually surprised me as I have been reading his works for years. All in all I am very happy this little slipshod ramshackle story has such an interesting and interested following.

Next Chapter: The Question

Until next time: See ya!