There were simply not enough people working in the care industry. The declining birth rate in Japan had not helped matters. The trust that owned Lavender Fields that decided that hiring robots and trained monsters were a solution to the problem. The trust had even gone as far as importing non-human staff from specialised health centres to cover shifts in the homes. For example, Matron Blissey had always worked in pokemon centres and hospitals in a career almost spanning twenty years. She was now employed to work at Lavender Fields.

Sakura Uchiha had no idea how the place was coping. Her eyelids struggled to stay open as she grabbed her notebook ready for handover. These handovers were very important meetings. One handover before her shift started and one before she goes home. Her colleague, fellow nurse Aki slipped on her glasses as she plaited her dark blonde hair.

Aki said, "Looks like you had a busy day."

Sakura lowered her head and leaned towards the table with her head resting on her arm. She looked as if she was going to sleep right there in the chair. "Things have been hectic. I can't believe we've actually put all the residents to bed."

"But Sakura, you have all these robots and pokemon here to help," Aki reminded her. Sakura slowly shook her head as Aki spoke. "There are not enough people to look after the elderly and without them this would be an awful place to work in. You should be more grateful for all the help you can get. Don't do it all on your own."

"I'm not being ungrateful," Sakura responded. "We cannot rely on technology like this. It just doesn't feel right. Yes they help out a lot and yes it has made our job more convenient."

"Then why are you moaning?" Aki asked with a smile on her face. "The facilities here are excellent. Honestly, you really do get wound up over petty stuff."

"I agree that they are good. But they don't matter. Even with the best facilities in the world it doesn't offer human compassion. And you really need that compassion to move forward in this kind of work."

"It's business," Aki sighed. "The patients don't even know where they are and what they're doing half the time. Enough chatter, do the handover."

Sakura shook her head. It was hopeless trying to get through to her. To her, this was not a business. She didn't choose to be a nurse to make money, she chose it because it was a vocation that she really enjoyed. Business didn't even come into the equation. Sakura's main duties were to make sure the patients in her ward had the correct medication and correct care.

"Right, Alba has had a nice day today. He's been in the garden and he's eaten well. I had a hard time giving him his medicine because he wanted me to sit with him and tell him about the Fourth Shinobi War. Manfred von Karma has been in a very foul mood. I asked Usagi to move him to his room because he kept banging the table and upsetting the other residents. Gant's spent all day in the jacuzzi; he's been fine. And everyone else has been okay. There's nothing really left to report other than the fact that we have a new man with us."

"It looks like we're full again." Aki bounced up on her chair. "Can you tell me more about the new man?"

"He's sixty-one, just come back from hospital after a stroke. He was the head of his clan, but since the stroke, I have a feeling that the title has gone to one of his daughters. But he's had a very tough life, lost his wife a long time ago, his twin brother and then his nephew in the war. His son-in-law is my friend, Naruto."

"Small world isn't it?" Aki said.

"Is he permanent?" Serena, one of the young care workers asked.

"Yeah he is," Sakura replied. "I think this is going to be a big blow for him and his family. They were very close. Naruto is paying all the nursing costs."

"Is Naruto the one who is The Hokage?" May the brunette care worker next to Serena asked.

"Yep, that's him. He looked round the home and as soon as he saw me he decided that this was the best nursing home in Japan."

"That's quite sweet," May giggled.

"Maybe he has a crush on you," Serena added.

Sakura quickly shook it off by laughing with them. "We're very good friends and I'm glad that I know him. I think I best go home now. I hope you ladies have a nice shift and I will see you tomorrow."

"Goodbye Nurse Sakura!" Serena and May said in unison whilst waving.

There was nothing like coming back home and finding that your child was waiting for you. Sarada yawned as she hugged her mother tight.

"You finished late tonight," Sarada said. "Boruto looked miserable today. His Grandfather has gone into a nursing home."

"He has?" Of course Sakura knew all this, but her work contract had stated that she had to keep information about her clients and most events at work confidential. Whatever happened at Lavender Fields had to stay there.

"He said that nursing homes were prisons for the elderly." Sarada grabbed Sakura's arm. "Mama, is it true?"

Sakura crouched down to Sarada and patted her shoulder. "Bolt's grandfather will be fine."

Hinata remembered the last time she saw her mother. She had her eyes closed as if she was sleeping and her skin was pale. Her mother was rushed to hospital whilst they were in the time she and her family had reached the hospital, her mother had already passed away. HimeHyuga had died alone. They never talked much about her mother after her death, and her dad never remarried.

Hinata hadn't slept last night. It had nothing to do with Naruto's snoring or the fact that Boruto and Himawari were making a lot of noise, she was just deep in thought. She spent the night looking through her window. She was determined to visit him and bring the family with her too.

"You didn't sleep did you?"

It could only have been Naruto's voice. The kids were fast asleep in the other room. Naruto held her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Hinata closed her eyes as her head tilted towards Naruto's ear.

"I hope Father is okay," Hinata whispered.

"He's in the best place he could be," Naruto told his wife. "Do you want to see him today?"

She nodded. "When Boruto and Himawari wake up, I'm going to take them to see their grandfather."

"You should get some sleep," Naruto insisted. "You don't need to worry about your father. He's going to be fine. It's going to take a while, but I'm sure he'll get better and love his new home."

Hinata wanted hope. Her eyes became drawn to the large suitcase in the corner of her side of the bed. It contained framed family photos and old items they had when Hinata was young. She wanted to make her father's new room personal.

Inside the case contained a lifetime of memories. Some were inviting and others were frightening. Hinata remembered the doctors giving Hiashi only three weeks to live. They said he would never be able to talk or walk again since the stroke.

Hiashi continued to survive each day, but when the doctors told her and her sister it was time for him to go into a nursing home, she wanted to cry. She wanted to bring him home, but Hiashi didn't want to become a burden to his clan. The last time Hinata brought her kids to see him in hospital, even Boruto invited him to stay at their family home.

But the elders of the clan advised Hinata to respect Hiashi's wishes as well as the doctor. Hinata wanted to burst into tears and cry in a corner, but her family made her strong. She couldn't afford to let them see her cry.

"I brought some photos for Father. They'd look nice in his new room. His room has a nice view of the city."

Naruto kissed her cheek. "Anyway, I have to get to work."

Hinata gasped. "But you haven't had breakfast!"

"It's okay," Naruto said with a grin. "I'm going to pick some ramen up on my way to work. Say hi to Hiashi for me."

"I will."

As Naruto left to go to work, Hinata picked up her mother's locket from her jewellery box. Inside the silver locket contained a picture of her parents at their wedding day. Hinata felt her heart tingle. It was the first time she had ever seen her mother's locket and she knew that it was special. With the locket, Hinata was able to remember the loving family she had when she was a child. The one she had forgotten after her mother passed away.

Even though the strict traditions of her clan still existed, Hinata never forgot the love she shared with her family. She had plenty of regrets in her lifetime. She had dreamed of being by Naruto's side ever since she first met him. He was a diamond in the rough and now her ultimate dream had come true, there were still other things she wished she could have done.

Hinata wished that her cousin, Neji was still alive. Towards the end of the Fourth Shinobi War, Hinata gave her all to make sure that Naruto was safe and they held each other's hands through to victory. Her cousin made the ultimate sacrifice in that war. She would go to his grave every week without fail. The more she visited and the more she told her children about him, the more she wanted him to still be alive.

Hinata only wanted to say thank you.