A/N: Very sorry for the wait!

This is the last chapter that has Kushina alive in it, and thus, the final part of her life story. I orignally planned for this to be longer, like to the point where Naruto gets the letter from the Uzumaki clan, but that to me, is really long. That'd be another 5-6 pages in Word.

Since this is a benchmark chapter for this story, I would like to thank VFSNAKE for being my beta. His little edits and contributions made this story ALOT better.

Read and Review please!

Chapter 8- The End of the Beginning

The streets were empty. No one, not even a cat or dog, was out. Everyone felt the pain of losing the Yondaime, one woman more than them all.

She sat in a hospital bed, holding a baby she had just given birth to not twelve hours ago. It was his son. Her son. Their son. The last living piece of Namikaze Minato.

The boy had a blessing and a curse laid upon him by his father the night before. Inside of him, the Kyuubi was sealed, a fact that many of the people knew, but they did not know he was the child of their hero.

The woman was startled out of her thoughts when someone knocked on her door. "Kushina, its Sarutobi. If this is a bad time-"

"No." she interjected. "Now is fine."

He came in holding something behind his back. "We need to talk about this situation." He nodded at the boy. "What do you plan to do?"

"I don't know… It's just so bad, so messed up. I don't know which way to turn. I don't know what to do. All I know is that I don't want to lose him."

"You won't lose him, I can promise you that. Right now, you and he are now the village's highest priority. He'll help you through this and give you support, but you have to make the decision. In the meantime, we have arranged for Minato's funeral to be tomorrow at 9am on top of the Hokage tower. I hope you can come," said the Sandaime looking at both Mother and child with a firm gaze.

Kushina looked down at her son, hair veiling her face. She admired him as he slept, giving him a small smile. "We wouldn't miss that."

"I…think you should have this." Sarutobi brought the item out from behind his back. It was a forehead protector, scratched and scarred from numerous battles. She reached for it with her free hand and he gave it.

Kushina looked at the ends of it and saw in white thread the Namikaze clan symbol embroidered on one of them, signifying its former owner. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she started to shake her head, thrusting it back at him.

"I can't-"

"Keep it. It was his, now it is yours. When Naruto grows up and becomes a shinobi, give this to him and have him wear it. Have him continue his father's work."

"How could he? He won't be able to learn Hiarishin no Jutsu or Rasengan or anything else he created."

"Actually, in the Hokage library, he left a scroll, describing how to do both of those techniques and others he deemed useful, such as the Kage Bunshin. He will learn."

(Next Day)

It seemed that the sky was mocking them all. It was clear any sunny, not a cloud to be seen, ironically like his eyes and smile she noted. Bright and warm.

She sat at the beginning of the first row of Shinobi in a wheelchair, wearing a black dress, holding Naruto. Sarutobi stood in front of the casket, also dressed in black. The coffin was covered in red and white linens, the colors of the Hokage. His picture sat in front of it on a table, covered in a white cloth.

"Namikaze Minato, you will be remembered in our minds and in our hearts." He said loud enough for all on the top of the Tower to hear, facing away from the masses. "We thank you for saving our lives two nights ago from the wrath of the Kyuubi. You died honorably. May Kami grant you safe passage to the afterlife." He bowed deeply, showing his respect for the deceased man, the crowd following suit. Kushina closed her eyes, bowing her head.

Sarutobi placed a yellow rose in front of Minato's picture, and a Medic-Nin wheeled the widow over to the table. Kushina placed her rose down, but her hand lingered over it, even as she was moved away. Every Nin followed suit, placing a rose on the table then returning to their place in the rows of people. After everyone had done so, Sarutobi said, "Now bow your heads and pray for him, pray for our hero."

Kushina, discharged from the hospital the next day, went to Sarutobi and asked him to have Kakashi and Rin help her move out of the Hokage mansion and back into the Namikaze estate since they were the only ones of the younger generation who knew of Naruto. As she packed the boxes, she couldn't help but sit down with her favorite picture. It was of her and Minato kissing, his hand on her swollen belly. She remembered it was taken a mere few weeks before Naruto was born. And as she looked at it, the realization that her blonde lover would never be there came crashing down on her.

Sumiko visited often and tried to make her friend feel better about this whole ordeal, but it really was not helping. "Kushina," she would say, "come on, snap out of it! Why are you doing this to yourself?"

"He's gone Sumiko, he's gone. And it's so scary because I have Naruto here. I love him to death, but he's just like his father. He's barely a week old! He looks like him, he acts like him, he reminds me of him so much, hell, and it makes me want to go berserk I miss him so much. I have no idea what to do with myself now. I'm helpless and hopeless Sumiko." She buried her face in her hands. "Help me."

The pregnant woman put her hands on her friend's shoulders and looked her in the eye. "Girl, you have him. He is the reason you should keep going. You are his only family. If you go, the village might kill him because they all know he has the Kyuubi inside him. If you go, hewill die. That is what you have to do."

"But it's so much to take on. How can I-"

"You will be able Kushina. You are one of the toughest women I have ever met or known. You can do this."

She came over, day after day, saying the same thing over and over. All those nights, she lied awake in her childhood bed with Naruto on her chest, thinking about what Sumiko had said over and over. She replayed it like a movie, pausing it here, rewinding it there, and then skipping over to that part. She let the words sink in, words that had an undeniable truth.

'Without you, he will die… last of the Uzumaki and Namikaze… You are his family… He is the reason…'

Naruto was almost a month old when she arrived at her decision, but it was already too late. It had rooted itself in her.

May 1st was approaching, and fast. Kushina was extremely excited. She had dropped her son and 'Mr. Fox,' his inseparable stuffed plushie, off at 'Auntie Sumiko's House' to play with Hinata so she could talk to the reinstated Hokage about being out back into the Shinobi ranks. She knocked on his office door. "Can I come in Sarutobi-san?"

"Sure." He knew what she wanted so he went straight to the point. "Before you can regain your status as an active-duty ANBU, two things must be done since you were out of service for so long. One, a thorough medical examination to make sure you are healthy and two, a one week redemption course in the basic ninja arts to refresh your memory if you have forgotten. After that, the first available mission for you skill level you make take."

She bowed. "Thank you. When would those be?"

"The examination could be tomorrow, if you would like. Next week, you could start in the course so you could be back in service by May."

"I would like that very much."

He nodded. I will send you a messenger by tonight with the time."

(Two Days Later)

Kushina was once again speechless at what the doctor had told her in his report. She read it over and over, her stomach plummeting with each word. 'Oh my god…. This can't be right. This can't be happening.' Sumiko was her refuge ever since that fateful October night. She decided to keep its contents secret until they met next, brooding over them all the while.

"Is this…true?" said the dark blue haired Hyuuga woman asked after she read the paper. "Are you really…dying?" She was sitting on the floor with Hinata between her legs

"What does it say there?" Kushina, sitting on a couch, bounced Naruto up and down on her knee.

Sumiko read the lines again. 'We regret to inform you, but your blood work results from you exam show that you have contracted a lethal disease. This disease is only seen in people who have lost large amounts of blood in a short period of time, such as slicing a muscle in half in combat, losing a limb or childbirth. There are treatments for it, though only for the early stage. You have evidently had this for six and a half months and so now it is in its second stage of development.' She looked up at her friend. "Kushina-"

"I'm sorry," the widow whispered, holding her son close. "I'm sorry I can't be there to watch both of you grow up." A sob escaped her and Sumiko picked up Hinata, putting an arm around her best friend's shoulders.

"I am aware of the situation." Sarutobi said, leaning on the rail on top of the Hokage tower, facing the village. "What you do with your son is entirely up to you, in terms of who will take care of him." He turned around to face her. "I don't expect you to have made a decision yet, but do you have an idea of who will take care of him?"

"Yes. I will give him to the orphanage."

He definitely did not expect that answer. "The orphanage? Why the orphanage? Why not Sumiko? You two are so close."

"It's because of Hiashi." She solemnly stated. "I'm afraid he's going to try to accept him too much and try to train him to be a Hyuuga when he's four when he is clearly not one. I know of this, as I have seen it when I visit her. Usually in the courtyard, there might be a young Hyuuga around the age of five or six and I have seen them faint a few times they were pushed so hard by their teachers. Then they grow up to be cold and harsh like some Hyuuga were in the academy classes above me. I don't want that. Plus, he has no living relatives besides me. You have your own kids that you have to take care of, so you are out of the picture. The only thing left is the orphanage. Then he'll have a chance at a normal life, since I won't be there for him."

He furrowed his brow. "I still don't understand."

"I want Naruto to grow up in a place that doesn't put heavy expectations on him at such a young age. That if anything, will destroy him. Besides, he's a Namikaze and an Uzumaki so it should be a cake walk for him."

Sarutobi turned back around. "Well, this is your decision. He will go to the orphanage."

"Yes. Can I make one more request?"

"What is it?"

"When I…go and he…goes there, can you make sure his fox goes with him?"

The Hokage shook his head. "The irony in it all…" he muttered.

She heard him. "I know."

"Also, since he's going there, we should change his last name to your maiden one."

Why, is Namikaze not good enough?"

"It's for his protection. Minato made that name infamous. When enemy ninja villages learn he bears that name, is the son of the one who made it so and has the Kyuubi sealed inside him, they will try to kidnap him and kill him or twist him to their own designs. The ultimate revenge against him," said Sarutobi knowing that with his children he had become extremely watchful due to his own enemies.

"Oh. Right."

"So his name will be changed to Uzumaki Naruto."

'How will he remember me?' Kushina thought while lying awake in bed that night. 'How could I tell him that I love him?' she looked down at the blonde baby sleeping on her chest. She loved the way he was so small, his head fit perfectly under her chin. Bringing a hand up to stroke his short golden hair, she thought about those few times that he and she had had together.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

(One Month Ago)

Kushina came in, too tired and lazy to cook anything. She went over to the cabinets and took out a container of instant miso ramen. She put Naruto in his high chair and proceeded to boil water and pour it in. the boy started to cry when he had smelled the food. Kushina paused in taking the first bite and put both her chopsticks and meal down on the counter.

"What's wrong?" she baby talked to him. Picking Naruto up she asked, "what's wrong my little Naruto-kun?" she walked around the kitchen, bouncing him. Normally he would stop immediately and start giggling, but tonight Naruto wanted something. When they passed the steaming cup of noodles on the counter, his cries lessened but went right back up when his mom started walking away.

"My god, you're so much like your father. You want my ramen." Kushina put her son back in his chair, much to his displeasure. Taking out the blender, she poured half her dinner into it and let it run for a minute. When the bowl of watery ramen mush was placed in front Naruto, is face went from one of sadness to joy. Kushina, grinning, took out his baby spoon and began to feed him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

That same grin was plastered on her face now. Then she remembered when Hinata was born.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sumiko came into her living room, holding a bundle of cream colored blankets. Her breath caught when she saw the huge Christmas tree covered in garland, lights and glittering ornaments. "Hiashi, it's… beautiful. When did you do this? You were beside me the entire time."

He leaned down and kissed his wife. "I'm glad you like it. It was a pain rushing around when you were asleep, I barely got any sleep myself." Hiashi looked down at his new daughter. "She was worth it though."

A sudden thought struck Sumiko. "Wait a second, the tree is almost a week late!" she pointed at Hinata. "She was born two days after Christmas!"

The Hyuuga clan head started to blubber. "I-um… well, erm, I-"

Just then Kushina saved Hiashi, huffing and puffing, towing three gargantuan baby bags her friend had, plus her own for Naruto, plus the said boy. "Where do you want these?" she said now clearly irritated.

Sumiko's eyes never left the pale ones of her husband. "Put them on the couch."

"Well, um, can I… hold her, maybe, while, you uh stand up?" he nervously asked, afraid that she might clobber him at any moment. She always did that when she was angry or pissed at him. She glared at Hiashi one last time before giving up Hinata and she stood up out of the wheelchair.

"God it feels so good to stretch my legs after sitting in that bed for four days." Sumiko took back her daughter and walked over to Kushina who was holding a 2 and a half month old Naruto. "Hey Naruto, meet your new friend." She brought Hinata right up next to him. The boy curious about this new arrival, made a grabbing motion at her. He managed to get a bit of the blanket she was wrapped in and tugged on it.

"I think he might want to get closer." Kushina whispered.

Later that night, since Naruto was inseparable from the new Hyuuga heiress, the Namikaze's stayed over. In fact, he was so attached to her that he cried when she went to bed with her mother and father.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kushina smirked. 'That was an awesome night." Her smile faded. 'Too bad we won't be able to do it again.' A quick glance at the clock told her it was a bit after 2 in the morning. 'I need to write this all down. It's the only way I'll remember.' She picked Naruto up off her chest and put him to the side of her. Pulling off the covers, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and turned around to put her son in the warn hollow of the bed where she had just been. She tucked the covers up to his small chest and turned away to her desk.

'I have a feeling...a feeling that I won't get any sleep tonight.' She sat down, pulling out pen and paper and began writing.

Hey Naruto…

"Sumiko, could you give this to Naruto when he becomes a Genin?" Kushina handed her friend a large, yellow, stuffed envelope.

"What is it?" she asked, taking it into her hands. "What did you put in here? It's so heavy!"

"Just give it to him when he becomes one. He'll know what to do."

The hot July night was oddly silent, although Kushina hadn't noticed. She was simply too tired to do anything. Lately, she noticed that her strength was slowly diminishing. She blamed 'that fucking disease' as she normally called it. Lying on her couch in a tank top shirt and shorts, she napped, forearm thrown across her face.

Naruto woke up and began to cry again. His mother stirred and grumbled something along the lines of "stop" and "weeks ago." Kushina got up and groggily made her way to the kitchen to get him his midnight snack, which was what he usually wanted. She got out the carton of baby formula and measured the normal amount. Just as she was filling up the tea kettle though, something felt like it was crawling up her throat, burning everything it touched.

Kushina fell to her knees, coughing up a large glob of tissue and blood. Her eyes widened, recognizing what was happening to her. She crawled over to the corner of the kitchen where the phone was, blood slowly issuing from the sides of her mouth. Hoisting her herself up with her arms so she could reach the life line, she punched the numbers as fast as she could.

Ring!

"I got it honey." Hiashi grumbled, rolling out of bed. He sleepily made his way down to the living room. He picked it up and put it to his ear. "Hello?" he said groggily.

"Hiashi…" Kushina's voice came from the other end. Her voice was wheezy and weak. She coughed and hacked. "Get both your asses down here… as well as… Sarutobi's…" the line went dead.

All the former drowsiness was now gone from Hiashi's head. "Kushina!?" he yelled into the phone. "Kushina!!" he slammed the phone on the receiver, eyes shifting from side to side as he realized what was going on. Quickly, he picked it up again and dialed the number of the Hokage. "Come on, come on…' he thought, tapping his foot impatiently.

Sumiko came down holding Hinata. "What's all the yelling for, Hiashi-kun?"

"It's Kushina." He said. "I think she's dy- Sarutobi? Oh thank god... I can't explain now but… yes, it's Kushina… I don't know, she just told me to tell you to get us and Sumiko over to her house ASAP!... Just go!" he slammed it down again and grabbed his wife's hand. "come on, we're taking a midnight trip."

'They better get here… soon.' As if on cue, the front door slammed open.

"Kushina!" came Sarutobi's deep voice. "Kushina, where are you?!"

Unable to talk louder than a whisper in her current condition, she groaned as if in pain. They heard her and came running but stopped dead in their tracks at the doorway. Sumiko gasped. "What the hell happened here?" said Hiashi. Sarutobi's eyes widened in horror and wonder.

Kushina was sitting on the floor, leaning on some cabinets, slumped over. A phone with a bloody handle hung over the edge of the counter next to her. On the other side of the kitchen, there was a spilled container of baby formula mingling with a small pool of blood. That blood continued to where Kushina was, and it also covered her tank top and shorts, coming from the corners of her mouth.

Hiashi ran to her side. "I'm no medical expert, but she's lost a hell of a lot of blood. Is there a medic team coming?" he asked the Hokage.

He nodded. "I sent for one just before I left." He turned to Kushina. "Can you speak?"

"A bit…" she croaked out. Then another coughing fit attacked her, and the lines of blood from her moth were renewed. "Don't try… to save me… guys. I'm past… that point."

Sumiko came over, holding both Naruto and Hinata. "Kushina!" she cried, tear rolling down her face. "Kushina…"

Despite the situation, the bleeding woman gave a small smile. "So this is how it ends… Minato dies a hero while I die quietly." She made a motion towards her son. "Come here you little rascal…" Sumiko gave him up, a pained look on her face while she watched her best friend. The dying mother held Naruto close to her, his head resting on her shoulder. "What did mommy always tell you? Straighten up little soldier. Don't cry when I'm gone. Believe in yourself 'cause remember that I love you." She bent her head and brushed her lips on his sun kissed hair. And, it remained there until it limply fell to the side, like it had lost the will to live.

(Many Years Later)

"Tsunade-baa-chan! I want a real mission so I can get better than Sasuke while he's still in the hospital, not this D-ranked stuff!" said Naruto as he was right up in her face, yelling his head off. The Hokage put a hand on his forehead and using her insane strength, pushed him across the room into the opposite wall.

"Naruto, you will do the mission you are assigned! No arguing!" said Tsunade slightly ticked off that he called her an old hag.

He got up from the flop and rubbed his head. 'I forgot how much she can hurt. Just wait until I take your place then we'll see if you can get a drink anywhere in Fire Country.' Dragging his feet, he went back up to the assignment desk. "Alright… just give me the mission details."

Tsunade tossed the Genin a small scroll. "You will go to the Hyuuga clan complex and help them with constructing their bath house after it was destroyed in the Sound Invasion. You will work with them until it is finished."

"When does it start?" Naruto grumbled feeling that Tsunade was doing this to him deliberately for his own "protection".

"Tomorrow," said Tsunade trying to ignore the hurt she saw in his eyes at always doing D-Ranked missions.

Hinata fell backwards onto her bed and sighed. 'Another long day.'

Today, she and the rest of team 8 had their first mission since she had fully recovered from her Chuunin exam match with her unforgiving cousin, Neji, and Tsunade the Sannin had been made the Godaime. He had almost killed her then, the fight had been so intense. Her thoughts brought her back to when she was well enough to go back home from the hospital. The first thing she did was go and pray at the Hyuuga shrine of her ancestors, thanking them and most prominently her mother for pulling her through her toughest trial by far.

'Mom,' Hinata thought, 'I miss you.' She got up from her bed and opened her closet. Reaching up to the top shelf, she took a small shoebox out but another, thinner, brown box fell down. She didn't know why she kept it because she didn't even know what was in it. It was just one of those mysterious boxes one would usually keep in their attic. Sitting down on the hardwood floor, Hinata opened the shoebox the reveal some photos, a necklace and a yellow ribbon. She took out her favorite photo, one of her, her mother and her father when she was one and a half years old. They were laughing at her father who was his daughter's "horse." He had a sheepish look on his face, embarrassed that he, the mighty Hyuuga clan head, was reduced to a mere child's play slave.

"That was before she died." She thought out loud.

"Before who died?" a familiar deep voice came from the other side of her bedroom door.

Hinata jumped in surprise and shoved the box and its contents under her bed. "N-No one Outou-san!" Her father opened the door, surveying her up and down. She was twiddling her fingers and looking at her feet as always, nervous about her father. Ever since his wife and her mother had died, Hiashi didn't like it when she came up in any conversation.

"Hn. Anyways, we have hired a ninja to help with construction on the bath house tomorrow. You are to serve him or her lunch and attend to their every need," said Hiashi his eyes as cold as ice.

"H-Hai Outou-san."

He began to leave, but paused at the door. "Dinner is in ten minutes." Without another notion, he left.

Hinata relaxed, sat down on her bed and sighed. 'Why do I always get like that?' She put her box of memories away, afraid that her father might almost catch her again. When it was safely stowed back in its hiding place, her attention turned to the thin brown box. It sparked her curiosity, wondering just why she kept it if it had no real use. She cut the tape with a kunai and shook it. A large yellow envelope and a folded piece of paper fell out. Ignoring the paper, she looked at the envelope. Two names, one very familiar and one she had never heard before were written on it. It read:

'To my Naruto-kun

From Kushina'

Hinata gasped, face going completely red at the thought of her crush and even more at the thought of another girl ruining her chances. She pushed both the thought and envelope away and snatched up the folded paper. This one was for her. This was a letter.

'Dear Hinata-chan,

If you are reading this, then I have passed away…'

"Hi. I'm the Genin you guys hired to help you build your bath house." Naruto stood on the doorstep of the Hyuuga's, dressed in his orange pants, black shirt, forehead protector tied on his head and the Shodaime's necklace around his neck.

"Oh yes. Come in." the Branch family member stood aside and the boy walked in. "Follow me." He said. They went down what seemed an endless maze of white walled, dark wood floored corridors. Once, Naruto heard an "eep" from a passing hallway but when he looked, no one was there. After a few minutes of seemingly endless wandering, they came to a door that led to the outside. To say that the area which was formerly gardens would be an understatement and the size of the baths that were going to be built were nothing short of that.

There was a mix of branch members, mostly teens and adults that were already working. Even Neji was there. Naruto turned to his guide. "So where do I begin?"

Hinata quickly retreated behind the corner. "Naruto-kun?" she whispered to herself, blushing furiously. 'Naruto-kun is the ninja? Oh my god, I'm going to have to face him. What if he talks to me? What do I say?' as similar thoughts flew through her head, something dawned on her. "I could give him it today." The more she considered it, the more Hinata agreed with herself. She set off for the build site.
"Right, so we have to dig out the pools and places for the pipelines before we even start building?" Naruto asked with a dreading tone.

"Yes. What's the point of having a bath house if you cant get water to it, much less use it?" replied the guide.

"I'm getting more work than I was told…" grumbled the boy. He hefted his shovel up onto his shoulder. "Where do I start digging?"

"Join the others. They'll tell you."

Naruto wandered over to Neji. Even if the guy was still a bit of an ass, he felt more comfortable talking to someone he knew rather than complete strangers. "Hey, Neji." The prodigy dumped his shovelful of dirt and looked up, sweat gathered on his brow. "Where do I dig?"

"Ah, so you're the ninja we hired."

A vein popped on Naruto's forehead. "Obviously."

Neji smirked. His hand made a wide sweeping motion. "You see all those small white signs stuck in the ground? Start digging between them."

"Thanks." He walked away, muttering something along the lines of "fight" and "hasn't changed." Beginning the backbreaking work, he didn't stop until the sun was high in the sky, bating down relentlessly on all who were under it.

Tired, thirsty and hungry, Naruto sat on the porch, took off his forehead protector and wiped his completely drenched brow. He stood up and went over to the Hyuuga in charge. "Hey." He tugged on the man's sleeve until he got his attention. "I'm going to Ichiraku ramen for lunch, okay?"

"No, stay here. My daughter, Hinata, will attend you."

Naruto wasn't expecting this. "H-Hinata? From team 8?" he raised his eyebrows. "Okay then…"

Hiashi went over and stood in front of a sliding door. "Hinata, go get our guest his lunch."

A meek "Hai" was heard from the other side, followed by the sound of someone running. A minute later, the door opened and Hinata, dressed in her navy blue pants and black shirt, came out with a platter of food. She wordlessly passed her father, head downcast to avoid the gaze of both people watching her.

To break this awkward silence, Naruto scratched the back of his head and grinned. "Well, Hyuuga-san, me and Hinata will just be down there." He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder to where he sitting before. Hiashi just turned back to his work and the two young teenagers walked down the porch in silence.

The heiress was going crazy. 'Naruto-kun is so close! And he's so sexy-looking all sweaty…' she mentally kicked her perverted side of her mind to keep that and other thoughts out of her head. 'Just keep walking, just keep walking…'

She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't notice when Naruto said "here is fine." And he sat down. She just kept on walking." Hinata? Where are you going?" he asked.

He saying her name broke her reverie. "Oh I'm sorry" Hinata set the tray on his left and quickly bowed. "I-If there's a-anyth-thing you n-need Naruto-k-kun, I'll b-be in the p-previous room." She began to walk away, blushing furiously.

Naruto looked at her oddly. 'I never noticed it, but it's kind of cute when she blushes.' "Hinata, wait."

She froze and slowly turned around. "Y-Yes?"

He gave her a small smile. "Stay and have lunch. It'd be great to talk to someone I actually know."

Hinata's face turned a shade of red that would shame an apple. "O-okay." She sat down on his right.

Naruto turned away and grabbed two rice balls off the tray. "Is your dad always that cold to you?" he took a big bite out of one, chewing it thoughtfully.

The girl relaxed a bit and her face lost some of its color, although still bright pink. "H-he wasn't a-always like t-that. Wh-When my mother died g-giving birth to my sister, he started to become what he is now. I-I miss the old one, but he won't come b-back." She twiddled her thumbs. "That's for sure."

Naruto swallowed his food and looked down at the ground. "You don't know how lucky you are. I never even had a chance to know my parents. I don't even know who the hell they are. When I asked the people at the orphanage, the just gave me a dirty look and turned away." They sat there in silence before Hinata spoke up.

"N-Naruto-kun, stay h-here please." She got up and left and Naruto resumed eating his lunch. Hinata came back with a large yellow envelope, sat down and handed it to the blonde boy.

"What's this?" he asked and read who it was to. Naruto turned to the girl, bewildered. "Who's Kushina? One of your cousins?"

Hinata shook her head. "No. K-Kushina is your mother, Naruto-kun."

Another bite stopped halfway to his mouth. "You're joking."

"N-No! I f-found that in my c-closet last night! Your mother gave that to m-mine before she died, as f-far as I know."

He turned all the way towards her, giving her his full attention. "And how do you know this?"

Hinata pulled her knees to her chest. "My mom told me that i-in a letter." Abandoning his lunch, Naruto began to open it but the girl stopped him. "Don't open it here!" she hissed, placing a hand on his. "Open it back at your house where no one can see! There might be some really important information in it!" then, she snapped back to herself, realizing what she had done.

She quickly retreated her hand back and her blushing level went back up to max. Too embarrassed to say another word, Hinata stood up and ran, and left Naruto staring at the yellow package in disbelief.

A/N: My my my, this was long. -ist. -er. -ing. Whatever.

If you have ever heard Vanessa Carlton's music, you WILL agree that she is a-m-a-z-i-n-g. My sister has one of her albums, Harmonium, and I copied the songs to my laptop, to which my sister got pissed, but it was worth it. On that album there's a song called "Annie." I don't know if you can listen to it on YouTube, I haven't checked, but during Kushina's death scene, play it low and read while you listen. The lyrics and story kinda match up, don't they? I might write a oneshot songfic I like it so much.

-Bangs head on keyboard- God damnit, why do write so slooow?

USD

Next chapter: The Uzumakis hear a rumor about a boy, at that rumor will change his future.