Dominick-chan: YAY! Another chapter! Isn't it jusht aweshome?! Yesh! X3

SUMMERY: Uchiha, Itachi and Uzumaki, Naruto have a child together. Her name is Aiden. Growing up without a father for the last five years of her life never bothered her, but she could tell when her mother was hurting because of it. Yet, he's never really left them alone. Always in the shadows, watching over and protecting them within the best of his abilities as a missing nin.

WARNING: THIS STORY DOES CONTAIN YAOI ALONG THE WAY! AVERT THINE EYES LEST THEY BE HARMED GAZING AT INAPPROPRIATE WORDS!

DISCLAIMER: NARUTO AND ANY CHARACTERS ASSOCIATED WITH NARUTO EXCEPT FOR AIDEN DO NOT BELONG TO ME! I WILL NOT CLAIM ANY RIGHTS TO THEM, AS MY FEEBLE MIND COULD NEVER COME UP WITH SUCH AWESOMENESS AS IS NARUTO!


FAMILY

CHAPTER II:

Cerulean eyes opened to the sound of birds chirping. Looking out the window, he found that it was only around 5-5:30 a.m. . Yawning, he stretched and stood carefully from the bed. Popping his joints, he went to the bathroom and dressed. Naruto donned a pair of black ninja pants which clung to his hip, a black ribbed tank, and his black cloth hitai-ate. Yawning again, he slipped the Sealing Scroll into one of the carrier pockets in his pants and went to the other side of the bed. "Wake up, baby. We have to get ready to leave." She made no move to get up, and her tail twitched behind her. Sighing, he pulled out a pair of clothes for her to wear. It was exactly like was she'd worn the previous day, only it was all black with venom green trim. Sitting her up, he dressed her and redid her french braid.

Laying her down, he grabbed her shoes and went back to her. Slipping them onto her feet, he hefted her onto his back and slipped his own shoes on. Grabbing his keys, he stuffed them into his pocket and locked the door behind them. Going quietly down the apartment stairs, he made his way to the Hokage Tower. "Amazing! You're up before the dawn!" His voice was but a whisper, so as not to wake Aiden, and Tsunade smiled, handing him the needed scroll. Pushing the fox-child up more, he was able to tuck it into a different pocket. "Be caureful, Naruto. I want you both back here in one piece!" Naruto smiled. "Don't worry Baa-chan! We'll be fine!"

Nodding to her, he turned on his heel and walked towards the Konoha gates. He smiled to the guards, Hayate and Asuma, and continued out of the fortress. Taking a deep breath, he smiled and looked back. "Keep a tight hold, love. Don't want you sliding around." After making sure she had a good grip, he took to the trees; finally out of his village for the first time in five years.

By midday, Naruto had to stop and rest his arms. He was getting a bit worried, for Aiden was still asleep, and she had never stayed like that for so long. Popping his shoulders, back and knuckles, he grabbed a suppliment bar and nibbled on it, trying to will away his headache. Rubbing his temples, he sighed and hefted her onto his back once more. Groaning, he continued on, trying to stay within the shade and out of the sun.

Aiden awoke on their second day of travel. She yawned and nuzzled into her mother's back. Naruto stopped beneath the shade of the last tree before they went, officially, into Wind Country, and let her slide from his back. He collapsed to his rump and leaned against the tree. "Mama? What's wrong?" He smiled. "Nothing, sweetie. I'm just tired." She sniffed him and her nose curled in disgust. "You're really sick, mama!" Naruto shook his head. "It'll pass, soon. I just have to - rest a minute." His voice was so low, Aiden was sure that, if she didn't have enhanced hearing, she wouldn't have been able to hear him. Pulling one of the canteens from his side, she tore a strip of his shirt away and wet it with the water.

Pressing it against his face and neck, she gently pushed him to the ground. Rewetting the cloth, she pressed it to his flushed skin once more, helping him as best she could. He smiled at her before his eyes slid closed and he passed out. Pressing the back of her hand to his forehead, she frowned. It was clear he had a high temperature, but with the heat, she couldn't gauge it. 'Okay! Don't panic! What do you do with heat stroke?' She began pulling on her hair and fell to her knees; tears spilling from her dark orbs. The only thing she could really do, was to try and keep him hydrated and cool. Sighing, she crawled to him and held his head up. Pushing the canteen to his lips, she tried to get him to swallow it, and growled with frustration when it only spilled to the sides of his face and onto the ground. Pounding her fist into said ground, she rewet her makeshift rag and tried to keep him cool.

A rustling in the bushes a few feet away caught her attention and she growled threateningly; her ears going back and her tail bristling. A tall, pale man with raven coloured hair and a black cloak emerged from the shrubbery, and stopped a few feet before them. "Don't be afraid, Aiden." Her growling ceased and she cocked her head to the side. "How do you know my name?" He stuck his hand before her nose slowly and the scent registered to her. "Daddy?" He nodded and allowed the child to cling to his legs. "Daddy! Mommy's sick!" Carefully, he removed her from his limbs and kneeled next to the sleeping blond. "I couldn't figure out what to do! Normally, you would treat a person with heat stroke with cold and keep them hydrated, but neither of the treatments are working!" He was amazed at how much his child knew, and gave her a smile.

Placing a hand on her head, he spoke. "You did very well, Aiden. Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to mommy." She sniffed and nodded as he wiped away the tears under her eyes. Taking off his cloak, he draped it over the shivering blond. "If this works, his fever should break in a few hours. Then we'll just need to keep him hydrated and give him nothing but soda crackers for at least two hours, or he'll just throw it all up and we'll be right back to where we started from." As her father crawled beneath the cloak, settling next to her mother, she checked his temperature and nodded. "So far so good. Now, we wait." Aiden curled her legs up to her chest and laid her head on her knees; all was silent exvept for the blonds irregular breathing and the occasional shifting of the cloak. Aiden kept stealing glances of her father from the corner of her eye, turning her gaze away quickly when he turned to look at her.

'We have the same eyes and hair. . .' Crawling over to them, she checked his temperature and looked at the sky. The sun was almost down across the sandy plain and she sighed. "His fever's broken, which is good. Just another hour or so." He nodded and kept his eyes on her. Aiden began humming and drawing in the sand below her. They both jumped when the blond groaned and spoke. "Ita. . . chi. . ." The man beside him nodded and caressed his sweaty cheek. "I'm here." Naruto smiled. "Wh - ere's, Aiden?" She placed her hand on his stomach and gave a smile of relief. "Right here, mama." He nodded and searched for her hand, giving it a gently squeeze. The two of them got him to drink some water before he fell back to sleep, and all faded into silence once more. Another hour passed before Itachi stood and bundled the cloak around the blond. Dusting himself off, he popped his back and neck.

Aiden stood as well and stretched. Itachi picked her up and they embraced; her nose nuzzling into his neck. "I wish you didn't have to go!" He squeezed her tightly. "I'll be back soon though, you know that." She nodded and he sat her back down. Kissing her temple, he toussled her hair and took off towards the trees. "Bye, daddy. . ." A groan startled her and she tried to wipe away her tears. Naruto sat up and put a hand to his temple as Aiden crawled onto his lap and nuzzled into his chest. "Baby, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Her voice came out in stutters and hysteric sobs. "I - I'm just gl-glad you're - you're okay!" He stroked her hair and cradled her to him. "Shh. . . Yes, baby, I'm fine. . . Don't worry." Throwing her arms around his neck, she sobbed for all she could. Naruto was stunned. Never, in all five years he'd been raising her alone, had he ever heard her cry like this.

Rubbing small circles into the small of her back, he tried to soothe her. "What else happened, baby?" She shook her head, unable to speak, and it was then he noticed the black and red pattern bundled around his lower half. Picking it up, he growled. "Damn it, Itachi! I'll kill you!" Aiden clutched at him tighter. "No! Mommy, you can't kill daddy! You can't!" His nose caressed her neck lightly. "Is that why you're crying, love?" She nodded and sniffed. "I didn't know what to do! I was so scared! Then daddy came. . . He stayed by your side till a little while ago. . ." Naruto pulled her away from his neck and sat her further on his legs. She wouldn't meet his gaze and he sighed. "Hey. . ." Hooking a finger under her chin, he pulled her face to him. "Hey, are you upset that he left?" Sniffing, she gave a nod. He sighed again and let her chin go. "Well baby, you aren't the only one. . ." She sniffed again and stared up at him with glossy eyes.

"Why don't we live together like a normal family?" Naruto wiped away her flowing tears. "Sweetie, it's. . .complicated. Mommy and daddy don't really get along well." Aiden huffed. "Only when you're not fighting, right?" He raised a brow. "Where's this attitude coming from all of a sudden?" She sighed. "I know I'm only five, but I do know what I'm talking about. You and daddy love each other, even if neither of you can see it. Whatever happened between the two of you, he's trying to make up for it. If he hadn't come today. . .I don't want to think about what would have happened!" She wrapped her arms around herself and laid her head on his chest. Naruto sighed and wrapped his arms around her. "A lot of things caused a rift between us. . ." Closing his eyes, he gathered her and the cloak up and stood. "Are you okay to walk, mama?" He nodded and smiled back at her. "Yep! Besides, if we're not there by morning, Panda-chan'll wonder where we are!" She laughed and held Itachi's cloak to her nose, inhaling his scent as he mother quickly ran over the dunes.

Dominick-chan: So, sorry this chapter is like, mondo short! I did all I could, but chapter three was just screaming to be started and proceeded in hitting me in the face with its fists of doom until I succumbed! Don't hate me!

If pain is beauty, and beauty is only skin deep, do the blades only scratch against the surface of the never ending itch to beautify oneself, and leave not visible marks against thy flesh in hopes of scarring deeper? Or is it all a thing of want? A dream within a dream and an escape from the needle?

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Thanks!