A week passed since the events. Habitants had started to rebuild their houses. The material damages weren't too bad. There was also the funeral. About fifty people had perished. Minato felt so bad for the families involved, and tried helping them as much as he could in their grieving process.
Arashi was already doing a lot better. He had started eating more and gaining weight consequently. His lungs improved and he didn't need the oxygen support. Minato and Kushina were relieved. He was still in the hospital, but his life wasn't at risk.
Shikaku reminded Minato about another meeting with the clan heads and Danzo. The Nara man looked stressed.
"What's going on?" Minato asked.
"A dream I made the other night that Danzo was creating chaos and still blaming the Uchiha. Hopefully it doesn't go this way."
Minato hummed. They left his office to go to the meeting room. Uchiha Fugaku, Hyuga Hiashi, Akimichi Chouza and Inuzuka Tsume were already there.
Shikaku led the meeting. Civilians building and some compounds had been particularly damaged by the nine-tailed beast, and they needed to relocate them. Danzo proposed to change the whole map of Konoha and move most clans compound around.
"Why would we do that?" Minato asked. Maybe it was the sleep deprivation due to having newborns, but he really didn't see the point. Only few families were to move, why stress all the clans with packing their stuff and go into somewhere else completely? Besides, everyone was already under deep stress.
"Some clans always complain about their location. And I still think the Uchiha are not innocent, and I want them as far as they can get."
"Enough with this shit!" Minato said. "I know you hate all the Uchiha, and maybe you're scared of them or something, but half of them actively participated in controlling the kyubi back into calmness. The other half of the ninjas within their clan and members of their police forces helped to evacuate the civilians. I think they did their part to prove their innocence in the events and proved they cared about Konoha as much as I do. And actually, where were you during the attack?"
"Says the one we didn't see the whole night!"
All clan head shook their head at Danzo's accusation. Inoichi decided to add, "Danzo, Lord Hokage was fighting Obito himself while helping his wife giving birth. I don't think he could be in a third place at the same moment. But I must admit, I didn't see you either."
Most clan head seemed approving of Inoichi's saying, and started to make faces. Minato noticed someone frowning, then another. Soon enough, someone out of the Umino clan, who had seen their houses demolished and had the most losses in all clans, said, "Yeah, I haven't seen you at all, did you help fight it?"
Minato noticed Shikaku biting his lips. The Nara man was just next to him, and he could see his right leg moving underneath the table. Shikaku wanted to appear calm, but internally, he was probably near jumping at Danzo's throat.
"I insist. No compound movement," Minato said. He didn't know why, but his gut was telling him it was the right thing to do. His assistant relaxed a little, and Minato immediately understood he was on board as well. Shikaku might have been acting somewhat strange lately, Minato knew he had the wellbeing of the village hidden in the leaf in mind when taking decisions. Shikaku was the rational mind he needed, and Minato knew he could trust him.
The discussion was calmer, and Minato jumped to the other point of the meeting.
"How many of your men are physically ok to take missions? I don't want our village to look weak. Jonins will be sent on A and S-ranked mission. Chunin will have to take the B ones. And we might have to get the genins to rank C to cover what we usually do if there are still too many losses."
Shikaku took out a report on the numbers.
"Honestly, it's not ideal, but it could have been much worse. We'll need people to step up in higher ranked mission than what they are used to, but not that much. Also, I'd like you all to thank your people for the good battle they had the other day. Everyone gave their all for the village and it's what saved us."
Everyone was dismissed. Danzo tried talking to Minato in private, but the Hokage denied him. He was too tired to deal with the elder. The man only left saying they were doing their biggest mistake, and reiterated how weak of an Hokage he was. Minato shrugged. He was so exhausted that insults didn't even reach his head.
Minato went home early that night. And had the surprise of his life. Kushina was holding both Naruto and Arashi in her arms, comfortably sitting on the sofa.
"What? Since when…" Minato said, tears filling his eyes.
"I was able to take him out of the hospital a few hours ago."
He kissed his wife and both kids. Naruto's face was red, and he heard some fart sound.
"Mmm, diaper change soon, I suppose?" Minato said, trying to hold a laugh.
"I guess I'm lucky that you just got home, then," Kushina said, winking. Minato knew it was his turn.
There was a knock on the door. Kakashi, dressed as a civilian and not his usual Anbu uniform.
"Hi there, sensei. I was coming by to see how the babies were doing. And the meeting with the clan head?"
"It went well. Else than Danzo who wanted to change everything."
"Maah, not surprised. This man wants dangerously to control the village, I think. Don't let him have anything he wants. Honestly, he'd be better off the elder's council. But I don't know how you could kick him out."
"You too have a bad feeling? Shikaku doesn't have anything good to say about the man."
"Minato, I wish I could… look, Shikaku and I, we'll watch him closely, ok? When I'm done with my babysitting duties, I can investigate on him if you want? I have a feeling he is on sketchy things, I just don't know what."
Minato was confused. "We'll talk about that later. Now get me a damn diaper so I can change devil Naruto here. Unless you want to do it."
Kakashi complained, a hand over his nose. "Nope, I'll pass my turn. I can get you ramen or cook something to make myself useful instead."
With Kakashi who had been watching over his family for the past three weeks, it felt normal that he'd share a meal with them. Minato tended to forget that Kakashi was still a teen. Maybe Minato could become his second family. He suddenly surprised himself in hoping Kakashi would have a big brother role to Arashi and Naruto. And watching the grey-haired boy carefully rocking Naruto back and forth once his diaper was changed, it warmed Minato's heart.
Author Notes: Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed my take on time-traveling.
Part 3 of the series will be posted shortly after the publication of this chapter. This time, we follow Temari as she comes back to her three-year-old self. Can she Save Gaara and her mother?