It's been nearly a year since I've seen her but maybe it's better knowing she hasn't had a reason to use my kunai, he thought. He knew he was only lying to himself. Even as the months passed, filled to the brim with missions, he missed her. It was odd, though, to realize of all the battles with Iwa and Whirlpool not once had he seen her. The possible reasons why that was scared him.

Minato sat, frustrated, in a tree. It wasn't long before he was up and darting through the trees. What stopped him was a familiar chakra signature, faint but there. Then he felt something pulling him pulling him off his course. He stopped when he saw what was causing it. The kunai he had given Kushina was imbedded in the ground but neither her or her reason for using it was there. Leaf nin. There was no mistaking that they had been there. He trusted she'd be able to stay alive long enough for him to finish his mission and return to Konoha.

They threw her into a cell, sealing the exit after blocking her chakra points. She was in a white ANBU uniform. Kushina took off her mask and pulled down her hood. This was not how she had pictured coming back to Konoha. Even in her current situation, her mind wandered but to him. He had told her he would come anytime, anyplace but he hadn't. She pushed the thought out of her mind. They would come back eventually and after they were done with her that'd be it. She wasn't going to get a chance to go home.

Kushina heard the locks click open a few hours later. She had situated herself into a somewhat comfortable position sitting in a corner of the room with her back against the wall. What she didn't expect was who walked through the door.

Minato dismissed the guards and closed the door behind him. Turning, he saw her. Her hair was longer and a few shades darker than the red he remembered and she definitely didn't look like a tomboy anymore but it was his Kushina. It looked to him like she couldn't move. He knelt down in front of her.

"Kushina-chan?"

She couldn't believe it was actually him. A second later she had thrown her arms around him and buried her face in the crook of his neck.

He fell over backwards. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Missed you too."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, for lack of a better word, pounce on you." Kushina went to slide off him but soon found she couldn't.

"You think I mind? I'm more concerned about how you got yourself caught." He had locked his arms around her waist.

"Your fault."

Minato raised an eyebrow. "My fault? How?"

"I've already told you… You're distracting. Even when you're not around its just about impossible not to think about you."



"Not an excuse. I had the same problem about you but I didn't get caught."

She propped herself up and stuck her tongue out at him. Tucking her hair behind her ears, a simple, delicate kiss was placed on his lips.

"That's unusual for you. Since when are you so held back?"

"It'd be a little too cruel to do anymore than that."

Confusion set in. He had no clue what she was talking about then it hit him. She was still an enemy nin waiting interrogation then, what he feared most for her, death. "No. I won't allow that to happen."

"Even if you are the Hokage, I don't think it'll be that simple to convince the council to give me a pardon."

"I've already told you…" He was using her own words against her. "You're mine… So long as that's true they won't be able to touch you."

"You'd be risking your reputation…"

Minato kissed her forehead. "I'd rather do that than risk losing you again… Come on. I'm getting you out of here."

They both got up and Kushina took a hold of his hand. She wasn't quite sure about this. "Minato-kun? What if this doesn't work?"

"It will. Don't worry so much… Oh, I believe you dropped this." He held out his kunai to her.

Kushina took it from him and put it into her weapons pouch. "Before we go… Can I say something?"

"Sure, what is it?" He noticed she wasn't looking directly at him and her cheeks were tinted a rosy color.

She was fidgety and took a second or two to relax her nerves.

He put a finger under her chin and turned her head so she was facing him. "What is it, Kushina?"

"I-I… think I love you… Well, no. I do love you." Her cheeks were painted red with a blush. She looked at him to see his reaction.

Minato was caught off guard. It took a few seconds too long to gather his thoughts. He saw the hurt look she had when he hadn't responded quickly enough. He lowered his head and whispered into her ear, "Love you too, hun."