Once back in Konoha, Michiko dragged Tsunade to the hospital and watched, worried, as Tsunade walked into Kakashi's hospital room and started healing him. When he sat up, awake, and Tsunade had finished chastising him, Michiko hugged him tight, nearly knocking him down. "Michi? Is something wrong? Did something happen?" her happy relief disappeared, and she made sure the others had left before saying, "It's a long story…" "I have time." She sighed, sitting on the bed and facing him as he sat Indian style, his back resting against the headboard. But the moment she mentioned Itachi and Kisame, he tensed, straightening up. The moment she said the three words 'he kissed me', she could see her father's protective rage taking over. When she reached the part about the day she met Itachi and Orochimaru, Kakashi couldn't help but see the fear flash in her eyes whenever she mentioned the Akatsuki member's name.
When she was done, she fell silent, looking at her father with sad, almost pleading, eyes. He motioned for her to come closer, and lifted her onto his lap. Her legs were pulled up to her chest as she hugged him tight, burying her face in his shirt. She would do this whenever she simply wanted to forget the world. He sighed, hugging her tight, and patting her head, trying to console her. "Michi…you know that if I'd known…I would've gone to help you…" she nodded, face still buried in his chest. "I won't let him come near you again…" she looked up at her father with unsure eyes, showing how she doubted he could really hold to the promise, when he said, "I have something to give you…you're mother wanted to give it to you on your thirteenth birthday, but…"
Michiko nodded, not needing to be reminded, when he reached into his Jounin vest, which was on the chair beside the bed, and pulled out a thin silver chain, with a clear spherical jewel hanging on it. "Whoa…it's beautiful!" her smile was radiant as she took the necklace, the jewel reacting to her chakra, making a small ball of electricity in the center. "It's not meant just to look good, Michi…there are three others just like it, and when it starts glowing, it sends the message to the others…and it gives off your location…it's so I can know where you are when you're in trouble…"
She nodded, putting it on. He took one as well, putting it on before saying, "You can give these two to people you think would really want to protect you…" she nodded, lost in thought for a moment before she smiled, saying, "I know just the people!!" She took the necklaces, kissing her father on the cheek before running down the hall. "Tsunade-shisou (?)!!!" Tsunade stopped, and Michiko stopped in front of her, saying, "I have something for you!" she held out one of the necklaces, which Tsunade took carefully. "When it glows, it sends a signal to three other necklaces that are just like it, and tells them where the signal is coming from…in case you or me need any help…" Michiko smiled softly, and Tsunade nodded, putting on the necklace. "I'll see you later, Tsunade-shisou (?)!! I need to find Naruto!" with that, she was off, finding Sakura and Naruto with a now awake Sasuke. She hugged Sakura in greeting before turning to Sasuke. 'He seems…colder…I feel like something's wrong…' she hugged him, saying, "I'm glad you're alright! I got worried!" she smiled warmly, but when she noticed he didn't even give her a reassuring gesture…for him…
She started wondering what was wrong. "Is something wrong, Sasu-kun?" she questioned, tilting her head to the side in a cute manner. "Nothing's wrong, Michiko…" she nodded, not completely convinced, and turned to Naruto. "Can I speak to you out in the hall? In private?" he nodded, and followed her outside. She took out the necklace, saying, "This is for you…Naru-kun…" he took it, looking at it closely before asking, "Why?" "It's supposed to send a signal when you're in danger…and it sends it to three other necklaces…I have one, and so does my dad and Tsunade…anyway, the signal also gives the location of the one that's in danger…and it works like that for all of them…" Naruto nodded, putting it on next to the First Hokage's necklace, and said, "I'll protect you, Michi-chan…I promise…" she smiled, kissing him softly before whispering, "I promise, too…"
After that, he went back in the room and she went to find Tsunade, wanting to help patients with her now advanced Medical jutsu. She spent quite a while healing patients before she was out in the hall again, walking up the stairs to the roof. When she got up there, she saw Sakura standing in between Sasuke and Naruto, one using Chidori and the other using Rasengan. "STOP!!!" Michiko was there in a flash, grabbing both boys by the wrists before throwing them into water tanks. She turned to a now crying Sakura, and tried to soothe her. "It's okay, Saku-chan…it's okay…"
Kakashi came up, and went after Sasuke, who ran off, while Michiko finally calmed down Sakura. She turned to see Naruto walking over, seeming…guilty? "Michi-chan…I didn't mean to…Sasuke started it…he wanted to fight…" Michiko sighed, saying, "As long as you two are okay, it's fine…" she led Sakura back in before turning to Naruto, saying, "Want some Ramen? Or are you too busy…?" "RAMEN!!!" The next thing she knew, Naruto had grabbed her hand and was dragging her through the hospital, out to the street, and to Ichiraku's. Once there, Naruto ordered at least five bowls of Ramen, and Michiko sweat dropped before ordering one bowl.
She sat down next to Naruto, and they started talking, her headband on her head, much like Sakura's, because she wanted to see the necklace around her neck. 'It's like having a piece of my mother close to my heart…' While they were having a good time, she had no idea the suffering that was soon to come…