A/N: I guess I am back to writing! I may be sparse in updating, but hopefully, you will enjoy what you read!

Chapter 4

Remembering…

When Naruto came home from his graduation, Iris felt maternal pride that her boy had passed with the highest score. It was soon forgotten, however, when she remembered what her son held. Worry crowded her thoughts as she tried to stay happy, and proud of her, Naruto, but it lingered throughout the celebratory dinner of ramen, and the late night of laughing with her son. Once he fell asleep, however, the worry came rushing forth. How could she protect her son? The likelihood of him getting a sensei who would not discriminate against him for what he held was very slim, and because he had graduated with such high scores this likelihood had increased ten-fold. At least, if he had lower scores she knew he would have been placed with the Uchiha kid, and thus had to have passed. Now, however… Fretting silently Iris wondered what she could do. She knew, Naruto was cut out to be a ninja. It was his future—with some kids you just knew. And it was not maternal "instincts" or "pride", no, it was fact. This in mind, Iris did not want to do something which would force the sensei into passing her child. It would not help anyone. What she wanted, in reality, was someone who would train her son to be the best he could possibly be, and not look at him for what he held, but rather for who he was. Closing her eyes in frustration iris sat on her quilted bed, and slowly lay down with her feet hanging over the edge. What could she do?

That night Iris dreamed of her past, of who she used to be, and she dreamed of Naruto. Her precious angel who had to live through so much in his short life! Was it not enough that she had a hard life, only to find a child who lived worse than she thought capable in Konoha? Apparently not.

"Naruto, honey, we need to go outside to find some fresh herbs." The young women spoke softly to the hidden child.

"No!" he whimpered as he stared at her eyes filled with fear.
"Darling, you like the tea I made you did you not?" she tried enticing, but was met with an adamant no. Oh! How she whished he did not look at her with fear. If it were not necessary that she got those herbs she would have left well enough alone. And she could not, in good conscience leave the small boy alone in her cottage. Sighing she leaned back and looked at the boy, her son. "Darling, I know you do not want to go outside, and I really would not force you if it were not necessary." She spoke in soft tones, "It is not as if we are going into town, just through the woods." Seeing interest light up in the blue eyes she continued, "Don't you want to see the bunnies? Or the birdies, foxes, and deer? They like being quiet, and quite honestly, I wouldn't think that we would see any today. But, it would be fun if we did!" As she spoke Naruto slowly crawled out from the table and settled in her lap. Being careful not to react suddenly, Iris let her arms rest around him. "We could see the big trees, and if you wanted to you could climb them."

Eventually mother and son walked through the woods. It was on this day, Iris finally saw her son act like a four year old boy! It was also when she discovered the unnatural attraction foxes seemed to have towards him, and his desire to become a ninja.

Turning, Iris snuggled into her bed as her dream continued on a different path. One where she watched in fear.

It was not supposed to be this dark. Or was it? Day and night did not matter down in this hell. One could not even evaluate time by way of food delivery. For this happemd irregularly, and often far apart. They had already taken everything from her before she was thrown in this hell, and still they found more to take. It was a miracle that she was alive, but with each passing second she wanted to die. Oh, she longed to live, to feel the sun warm her face. To hear the birds chirping in the background as she gathered herbs to create medicines for her loved ones. The will was there, but every so slowly it dwindled until she thought of death almost constantly.

Why she was here, no one knew. If they could ask one another. After being beaten the first few times she had spoken she had learned her lesson. After forming an attachment with her first four cell mate—how many had she had now?—through shared hope, and whispered secrets, she had learned her lesson. This place took. And it never gave back. You don't form attachments. You don't speak. You sit in your cell, never seeing the sun, never knowing when your next meal would come, and wishing for death when you heard the descendant of boots down the stairs. Praying, to every damned thing she could think of, they were not here to fetch her. The miracle. Yes. She wished for death, yet feared dying.

She never told them who she was. Not because she did not want to, but because she could not. Who she was she did not know. Where she came from she knew, how her family had died, she knew. But what they wanted to know, what they tortured her for, she did not know.

That could not be why she was here could it? Who she was? No, there level of organization proved to her that if they wanted to know who beforehand, they would have been able to find out. Most likely, it was because she was the fucking miracle that they wanted to know.

A/N: Honestly, I have no idea where that came from. Oh, I knew that Iris had a back story, but I did not expect to write something like that! But, I am excited. It ties in perfectly! I hope you stayed tuned. Please R&R! Tnx. Crimsontear