Kushina's eyes snapped open, the light above her blinding her momentarily. Her hands went to her eyes to shield them from the bright light. Abruptly, however, the lights switched off and she removed her hands to see that the room had become dim, the only light pouring in coming from a hallway through an open door in her room.

"Sorry, I didn't think to turn that off," said a voice beside her. She recognized it.

She turned to see Minato sitting in a chair beside her bed. His blue eyes almost shined at her in the dim light, and his smile was big enough to be clearly visible even in the dark.

"You've been asleep for awhile. So long in fact that the battle's almost over. We've won." Minato said, leaning forward, his smile growing even bigger.

"How long exactly?" Kushina asked.

"Two nights and a day, give or take a few hours. It's morning right now. Here, let me open your window and let some sunlight in." Minato said, getting up and throwing open the curtains to let fresh sunlight pour over Kushina's bed and the rest of the room.

Kushina looked around the room and was surprised at how nice it was. She had been in the hospital a few times back in the Whirlpool village, but it was never this nice. She already knew Konoha had some crazy funding, but now she was really convinced. She turned to Minato, who was looking out of the window and down on the village below.

"Minato....I wanted to thank you. For rescuing me during the fight. If it wasn't for you....I'd be dead now. Me and Saizo." Kushina said, watching him carefully. His grin came back and he looked at her again.

"Hey, no problem Kushina. You may technically be a Whirlpool shinobi, but you fought out there with your allies, the Leaf, and for a moment you were part of the Leaf yourself. I was glad to help you." Minato replied, walking over to the chair and taking a seat again.

His words made Kushina's cheeks burn, and she had to make an effort not to blush. She had not expected the Yellow Flash to be such a good person. She had heard stories of his vicious methods of battle and his merciless killing sprees, but now that she sort of knew him, he was really nothing like the rumors said. Their first few meetings, she had not realized that, but she did now.

"Thank you.....just.......thank you. I haven't had a village to call home for awhile now."

Minato turned to her in surprise. She turned to look out the window. She looked to the north, in the direction of the Whirlpool village, or where it used to be. It was almost all ruins now, and the last few holding on would soon be swept away. She thought about her old team, and the possible surviving Whirlpool squads.

"Kushina?" Minato asked beside her.

"Hm?"

"Remember how you asked me if I could help find the missing Whirlpool squads? In that alley?" Minato asked, watching her as she gazed out at the village.

"Yes, I remember. You refused." Kushina said, turning to him, her face expressionless.

"Yes....I did. I was just thinking....now that the battle is over.....maybe I don't have to say no. I think I'll have time to search for them now, and probably send out a few teams of ANBU as well." Minato said, smiling and searching her face for any expression.

".....You will? Are you serious?" Kushina asked incredulously.

"Yes, of course I am."

Kushina leapt forward as much as she could and threw her arms around Minato, who looked overwhelmed for a moment, before he returned the hug. Kushina tried to stop them, but tears leaked out anyway, just a few staining the exterior of Minato's jounin vest. She knew they were tears of happiness.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you." Kushina murmured into his vest, and she pulled back to lie back fully on the bed, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. She couldn't stop smiling, either. Minato smiled back, that big stupid grin that she had come to associate with him in their short time knowing each other was plastered on his face as well.

"Your smile is infectious." Minato said, scratching the back of his head as he looked at her.

Kushina laughed, having thought the same thing, and sat up in the bed. Doing so made her realize just how hungry she really was, and before she could do anything to stop it, her stomach growled out loud. Minato laughed and stood up.

"I can fix that." Minato said, standing up and leaving the room before coming back a plate decked out with fruits, vegetables, and a few slabs of meat.

"You really didn't have to...." Kushina said, looking at the food as he offered it to her.

"Eat.....please." Minato said, starting to get up and leave before he realized Kushina was giving him a puzzled look.

"What is it?" He asked, half turning to face her.

"Why are you here? Have I become more important to the village because of something I'm not aware of?" Kushina asked, suspicious.

"I...........since....you are technically a refugee here in Konoha, I was tasked by the Hokage to show you around." Minato explained, obviously wanting to leave quickly without trying to make it seem that way.

Kushina looked at him for a moment longer. Her food lay in her lap untouched, she just stared at him. Minato broke eye contact and left, closing the door gently behind him.