A Series of Usagi

Summary: she had loved her, but in the end her love could not save her

Crossover: Naruto

Characters: Usagi, mentions of others

Pairings: MinatoxKushina, onesided UsagixKushina

Warnings: one-sided yuri

Tears continued to fall as she held the now limp and cooling hand. Eyes that had always contained their own special fire were now dead and cold, making them nothing more than orbs of blue stone. The body that lay there before her, once so full of life, now would be still for the rest of eternity.

Usagi winced when she heard the whimpers coming from the bundle held securely in her arms. Looking down she gave the blue eyes staring back at her a watery smile and soothingly rocked the child to sleep. Once she was sure the child was sleeping she returned her gaze to the corpse of Namikaze-Uzumaki Kushina, a kunoichi who had successfully given birth at the cost of her life. It took all of her strength to simply look at the slack face of the woman who even in death held her heart.

Usagi never told the firey-woman her feelings, never dared breath a word or let a clue seep from her soul of how much the fellow kunoichi's smile made her feel happy, never letting her see how much a single cut received in battle made her want to cut down every person who stood before her. Usagi always made sure that any jealousy or depression she could not hide from Kushina would be believed to have been caused by a vauge matter, and not by Kushina's flirty nature.

She especially never allowed her friend to realize that the reason for her heartbreak was not because of Minato choosing Kushina, but of Kushina choosing Minato.

Usagi tensed when she heard the only door leading out of the room open but relaxed when she saw that it was the reinstated Sandaime followed closely by an ANBU. Ever since Minato had gone into his suicide battle the old shinobi had been asked to take his mantle back until the chaos left by the Kyuubi had been cleared. Bowing as best she could sitting and with both hands full she spoke with respect to one of the only people still remaining from her childhood. "Sandaime-sama, I take it that things are not well outside are they?"

The old man, that should by all rights be enjoying a well deserved retirement, sighed wearily in response. There was no point lying to the one kunoichi in all of Konoha that could read a person like a book. "Many lives and property from the outer districts are gone, our forces have been cut down to half of what they used to be, our Yondaime is dead, grief and chaos are going hand-in-hand. It will take years to rebuild. And there is the issue of young Naruto now."

'Naruto eh? Now what are the odds that name came from Jiraya's book?' Usagi thought with a miserable smile. However the issue of Naruto's fate made her smile drop like a rock when her experience of human nature came into play. Already theories of his future looked both positive and grim due to multiple factors. Her mouth becoming a frown, she set her steel-like gaze onto the kage and told him exactly what would happen.

"If you so much as mention how the Yondaime defeated the Kyuubi than you may as well take a kunai to his heart yourself Sandaime-sama. I do not care one bit about how much faith you both had and have in the villagers; if the truth ever gets out, grief-stricken mobs will form and lyche him without a second thought. Other villages will either target him for assassination or kidnapping to keep Konoha from obtaining such a possible weapon. The truth of what he contains can never be told to the public. EVER."

The old kage remained silent throughout her report and fiddled his pocketed pipe in silent comfort. He truly did not enjoy listening to anyone degrading the morality of his 'children' but this was one of the few kunoichi in the world that would tell the whole truth about the situation. You could walk up to her and ask her what the possible scenarios of a clan having parts of their traditional way of life threatened would react and she would usually ask "The best or the worst scenario?" before telling the person exactly what some of them would do. Even when the clan head was within earshot.

The Hyuuga still give her evil eyes whenever they see her in the street now.

With a tired sigh the kage seated himself in the only other chair in the room. "Then what do you suggest I do? There will be an upcoming Council meeting within the day and I need a base of action before appearing before those wolves." Usagi did not even hesitate.

"Give him to me." Sandaime shot her a sharp look. "Jiraya may be his godfather but I am his godmother. I would prefer him to take Naruto in but due to his spy network and his undesirable habits I doubt anyone with enough sanity would give a child to an old man with no clue how to take care of a baby as precious as Naruto. If I take him in than not only will he have a mother figure, but you can check up on him as much as you like you overprotective monkey." The ANBU visibly tensed at the disrespectful name. The Sandaime mearly chuckled.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that he is Kushina-san's only child would it?" The skin at the edge of her eyes tightened as her stare became cold. She mentally was overlooking every memory she had that would give her an explanation as to how the old man found out her secret. She prayed that no one else had figured it out.

Before she could reply though he stood up with another sigh, turning to the door leading outside he spoke one last time. "The child is yours Usagi. No one outside this room and those who knew of his origins or the seal will ever speak of the events surrounding this night. As far as the village will know, you adopted one of the many orphans left by the Kyuubi. You have my word." Walking to the door he grasped the handle but paused when Usagi's words pierced the air.

"I hope you keep it Sandaime-sama. You will never be able to find us again if you break it." The Sandaime lowered his head once than left with his ANBU escort.

Turning her attention one last time to the corpse lying next to her, Usagi leaned over. She paused for a moment before placing her lips onto Kushina's. She waited a few seconds before moving away from the kunoichi, "I hope you have a safe journey Kushina. Know that I will protect your son with all my being even if it kills me. I swear it." Usagi slowly opened the door and glanced back at the corpse one last time. Her eyes began to glisten once more before she wiped them dry. Without another sound she looked forward and walked into the future.

The door closed silently behind her.