Tsunade downed yet another shot of sake. She sighed, questioning her actions yet again. Had she done the right thing? What was she going to tell everyone? How would she explain herself to the council? At the time, she knew it was dangerous. That it was beyond dangerous, but she had done it anyway. It was drastic and reckless, but she really saw no other way to stop Orochimaru and protect Kohona from Akatsuki. And to protect Naruto. It hadn't really protected him. Not at all. So many times he almost died…twice nby the hand of the Uchiha. There was a big part of her that wanted to forget that he wasn't actually a traitor; part of her wanted to see him punished. But he had done what he was ordered to do…and then some. She regretted sending him the moment she had heard Neji and Choji might not survive. She had underestimated just how badly Orochimaru wanted Sasuke. The second she saw Naruto's limp motionless body carried into the hospital by a visibly shaken Kakashi, she regretted it. She remembered hearing him whispering to Naruto's unconscious form, saying "I'm sorry I was late…"
They had taken it too far, their little charade. There was no need for pretend. It went just as scripted…only Naruto really was injured. He really was in need of medical attention. She had never been fond of the Uchiha, but that had pushed her over the edge. She didn't trust him…but he was the only ninja for the job. And Naruto believed in him. So she did, too. If there was one thing that brat excelled at, it was making people believe in the impossible. She took another swig of sake, straight from the bottle this time, not bothering to pour it out into her cup.
There was a soft knock at the door of her office. The door opened before she responded, revealing Naruto. She looked over the blonde with worried eyes. And poured him a shot. He smiled at her and took it, downing it. "What's wrong, obaa-chan? What has you so worried?"
She returned the smile, hers much less convincing. "You've gotten so big…" she replied wistfully. For a moment, in her alcohol induced haze, she could almost see the boy he once was…
"That is not what's bothering you. Tell me."
"Was I right? Sending Sasuke off to that bastard? Sending you away?" Her eyes pleaded with the boy…no, man…in front of her. Pleaded for him to validate her choices and actions. To tell her he was fine.
"We would have gone anyway. Hell, it was our idea! Nothing would have kept us from this path. You just allowed us to come home again when it finally lead us back." He poured them both another shot.
"When did you become so calm?" She accepted the cup handed to her.
"I think it comes with experience. Besides, I'm dead tired. No energy to be rambunctious."
"You made it back ok?" Naruto knew what she meant and it had nothing to do with the physical scars he had acquired over the years.
"We are pretty much in tacked."
"I don't care how he is. I don't like him." She scowled, thinking of his teammate.
"I know. You should give him a chance. He's less of a bastard once you get to know him. He is still a bastard though…just not as much." She didn't respond. "For me? Give him a chance because he's my best friend and my brother?"
"Fine. But only one…he better not screw it up or he'll be doing D-ranked missions until you become Hokage." He laughed at her.