Genma sighed watching as Ran stood in her kitchen. After she'd gained better control of herself she'd gone in to make them tea. She was uncomfortable as anyone would be in this situation. He couldn't believe the truths she had laid before him. He sighed flicking the toothpick in his mouth. Now he had to lie to a bunch of people. He'd have to lie to the Hokage. He groaned rubbing his head staring at the ceiling. Ran stood in the doorway watching raising an eyebrow. She hadn't meant to quite give him the whole story but it just all come out.

"So explain to me what happened?" he'd asked.

"I was just a baby." She sighed sitting on the couch again. He sat beside her. "I was three. My brother was fifteen I think. He…he had been distancing himself from our parents for months. He wasn't performing well in school anymore. I knew things weren't right. I didn't know exactly what was wrong but things were off. Even as a kid I knew that." She looked at the table zoning out and continued.

(FLASHBACK)

Ran stood at the back door of the porch bouncing. She was waiting for her brother to come home. It had been weeks since his leaving to go to that other place; that other village. She was being impatient as her mother had told her. She didn't care. Her entire face broke out into a grin as she watched her brother cross the front yard. She was unable to control it. She laughed and literally ran off the front porch her little feet hitting the grass and hugged him. She wrapped her arms around his legs giggling. He ran his hand through her hair and smirked before scooping her up. She laughed harder.

"Put her down." Her father snapped standing on the porch.

"Yes. You're making her much too excited. You know her condition." Their mother added in a chiding tone. "Besides, she's too loud when she laughs." She frowned pouting really.

"Yes mother. Yes father." He said setting her down. Ran wanted to cry. Her little hands gripped his pant leg still as she stared up at him. What their parents didn't know was that every night he came in to see her. He'd read to her before she fell asleep and tell her stories about villages outside of here. But once the sun rose they weren't allowed to even so much as talk to each other. She didn't understand. She loved her brother.

Later that evening when their parents had gone to bed Ran sat up in hers waiting. She clutched the sheets up around her chest grinning. She wriggled her toes in the fabric giggling into the sheets. He'd be here any minute. She knew because the moon was just above the second line on her window. He came at this time every night. Any minute…someone screamed. There was running outside her bedroom door. Something was wrong. Ran heard more screaming, more yelling, and she felt her eyes grow wider. Where was her brother? Where was mother? Where was father? Thudding came down the hallway to her room. She scooted back against the wall wrapping the sheets around her chin. Her door slammed open. There were people running outside her window. She heard them. She didn't want to look. Her brother stood in the doorway breathing hard. There was blood on him. She felt tears in her eyes. Ran jumped out of bed and ran for him. He knelt down putting his arms out.

"I'm so glad you're alright little pint." He said wrapping his arms around her. He picked her up.

"Where's mom?" she asked in a tiny voice burying her face in his neck.

"We have to go." He whispered. "You just be quiet ok?" he slid a hand over her mouth. That wasn't right. She struggled trying to push away from him.

"I said be quiet!" he snapped holding her tighter. "Stop struggling. I need you to come with me." There was something not right about the look in his eyes. It scared her.

"LET ME GO!" She yelled finally breaking his hold on her mouth. She bit him. He cussed shaking his hand dropping her.

"RAN! COME BACK HERE!" he turned on her glaring and snatched for her arm.

"NO!" she yelled running down the hallway. He tore down it after her pulling the rug under her feet. Ran yelped hitting the ground hard. Her hand slapped against something warm. She looked to the side to see what it was and screamed again scattering back. Her back hit the wall. She was staring at her cousin lying motionless on the ground. Her breathing came out fast and hard.

"Gotcha!" her brother grabbed her arm and pulled hard. He yanked her tiny body up and wrapped her under his arm kicking.

"NO!"

"I need you kid. Without you the circle isn't complete and we can't take this village for everything. Don't worry. It won't hurt pint." She didn't understand.

"What won't hurt brother?"

"When they kill you." He sneered looking at her like she was stupid. Ran felt terror. She didn't understand anything that was going on. She started crying. Her sobs were loud and pathetic. As her brother stomped out of the house a man rushed him; another one of her cousins. He'd tried to grab her from him but her brother was too fast. He rammed him into the wall smacking her head against it at the same time. She yelled sniffling but did the only thing she could think. Her cousins hand went down past hers and in it she saw the kunai. Her tiny cherubic fingers gripped it. Her brother hadn't seen. She couldn't think. He said they'd kill her. He was taking her to them. She closed her eyes and panicked. What had her father always said? Her heart raced and pumped in her ears. She felt sick. Defend. He'd said defend yourself. He'd taught her how to hold on of these sharp things. She turned in her brother's arm and jammed the blade into his side. He gasped dropping her staring wide eyed down at her.

"How?" he said stumbling back. "How could you…pint?" his back slid down the wall holding his side. Ran dropped the weapon taking a step back. What had she done?

(END FLASHBACK)

Genma stared at her hard as if he couldn't really believe what he'd heard. How could anyone do that to a toddler? How could they do that to their family? To their baby sister? He saw how her hands shook in her lap when she'd finished the story. This is why Ran was the way she was. This is why she was such an excellent fighter and why she rarely killed anyone in battle. Even as a child she hadn't exhibited the want to fight hand to hand. She'd been against it for months. They had all wondered if she'd make it past the chunnin exams. She'd snapped one day in the exam and beaten the living crap out of this kid who'd attacked her. No wonder.

"What happened to you…it's not your fault." She looked at him her eyes searching his.

"I know that." She said bluntly. "But it doesn't change that it did happen." She shrugged.

"So…"

"Now what?" she asked chewing on her bottom lip.

"I guess…I'm your secret keeper now?" he laughed trying to lighten the mood. She gave him this bewildered look amazed that he could make a joke.

"You're crazy." She laughed finally giving in.

"Must be. So, are we like besties now?" he joked bumping her shoulder.

"As if." She snorted shoving him back.

"Well then we'll have to come up with a reason why I hang with you more often if we're not going to be friends." He grinned at her. Ran felt her cheeks grow hot and she moved away from him.

"No." she said quickly.

"Oh come on. Can you think of something better?" he rose an eyebrow. She groaned running a hand down her face.

"We're not dating. NO. No. and No." she waved a hand dismissively towards him.

"Just saying it would make sense." He shrugged. "Think it over."

Tsunade stood at Ran's bedside wide eyed. Kakashi stared her down. He'd made Naruto leave so that they could have this conversation in a room that would be secure. They had the ANBU they could trust watching this room avidly. The Hokage shook her head. She didn't believe it. She understood that this girl had a lot of power with her sealing technique now. Kakashi had explained all of this. What she didn't understand was why. Why would they attack her? They could have used her for so much more…turned her on the village. The Yamanaka could have made her do what they wanted, not Ino of course, but one of her relatives. Why would they just off her. Even with the information she knew it would be easier to use her for the greater evil, to blackmail her with hurting Naruto if she didn't comply; which is what Kakashi had said they'd originally done. So what had happened to change all of that up?

"Think it over Tsunade." Kakashi sighed. "We have to figure out a way to stop whatever they're really planning." She nodded.

"I know. This is all very delicate. Very dangerous…" she glanced at the girl laying there. "I need you to wake up kid. You can't let them win."