Author's Notes: Ugh I finally got down to writing. I was hoping to have this chapter and the next one up by Sunday but that didn't go as planned. So here is the latest installment of 'Family Ties' And just to let everyone know, the votes are in and by a massive landslide Kakashi will confess his feelings to Naruto! (cheers go around) I hope you enjoy the sweet moments I have put and I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Also, for those of you that are Sakura and/or Sasuke fans, please be warned that there is some bashing in here. I admit I do not like them but if you like them consider yourself warned. For the rest of you adoring fans you, please enjoy another chapter of this story written by a crazy fan :D
UPDATE: The poll in my profile is up and running. If you haven't voted yet please go and vote there. And tell your friends if you like. Much love to you all!!
Disclaimer/Warnings: From now on I will only post these on the first chapter. I don't want to fill up the chapters with these things and annoy you, the readers. Sound fair?
"Family Ties"
By: Beloved Shadow of Light
+ Mission Failure? +
Nurses ran back and forth down the halls, arms full of medical supplies, medics trying to balance their chakra through their numerous patients. Some would have though that the arrival of the failed rescue team wouldn't require so much drama but the conditions they had been brought in was like pouring water into an active ant hill. Everyone was scurrying in every direction, doing their best to help their patients.
Shikamaru had the least severe of injuries of his team, his broken pinkie set into a splint but he could not stop twirling his thumbs as he sat outside the emergency room that was trying to save the life of Chouji, his best friend. Across the hall the kuniochi from Suna, Temari, watched with an impassive face but that was merely a mask.
Things were going fine in Suna but it was in the middle of a council meeting the Kazekage immediately stood, a distant look in his eyes. It lasted only a few brief moments but he told the council in a clear voice that his family needed him and left the room. The elders tried to stop him but he refused to listen to reason, saying he would return when he knew they were safe. Of everyone in the entire village only his two siblings by blood came with him, saying that they would not leave him no matter what. Once they were close to the borders he felt a powerful surge of chakra and they split up, to assist the Konoha genins with their battles. Temari was able to take down Tayuya in her second released form, cutting her down with her powerful Fūton jutsus. Kankuro utilized both his old and new puppets, Karasu and Kuroari, to destroy Sakon and Ukon. Gaara had his hands full with battling Kimimaro with a slightly drunk-off-his-ass Lee, unsure how to defeat someone whose bones could not be crushed permanently. For a moment, he had thought he would die but whatever illness that had been plaguing the young man finally took his life.
She frowned as she remembered the state of Naruto when he was brought in, having paled when she saw the amount of blood on his jacket that had dyed it a sickening maroon. His injury seemed to be the worse with the massive blood loss, the gaping fist-shaped hole in his chest, and the barely beating and torn heart that could actually be seen with intense burns along the edges. The medics took one look and said it was a lost cause. Nearly the entire floor was full of whimpering fools that came a hair's breathe from pissing their pants from the combined killing intent of Kakashi, Hidama and Zabuza even after they barred themselves into an empty room.
Temari looked at locked room where they had disappeared into, watching as medics made sure to stay clear away, as though they were afraid the door would slam open and one of the shinobi inside would come out and kill whoever walked by. She looked back at the surgery light above the double doors, sighing softly under her breathe. 'I hope we're not too late,' she said to herself.
--
Kakashi said nothing as he gently brushed the damn bangs back from Naruto's face, watching as the mysterious woman and Momochi boy combine their chakra into the wound. He would look down time to time, watching as bits of flesh came together, barely leaving a scar. The jounin teacher had come so close to losing him, a price too great for playing to the whims of a selfish brat, for listening to those damn old fools, and for a close-minded village that held kekkai genkai above all else.
Haku could feel himself wavering, the glow fading but he couldn't stop. They were barely healing the muscles now and unfortunately Hidama wasn't a medic. Sure she could set broken bones, knew how to stop massive blood loss with pressure points, but she didn't know how to heal with chakra but she was able to keep his brother's heart beating. Shaking his head he pushed on, bringing torn muscle fibers together, carefully healing it but that was as far as he could go. Just as he was about to heal the skin tissue he faltered and nearly fell had Zabuza not had caught him.
"You did it," he said in a low voice as he helped him sit down. "The rest is up to the fox." The young boy smiled and nodded, glad he had helped in his own small way.
Hidama carefully cleaned up as much blood as she could and, taking the sterile bandages, began to wrap her son's chest as Kakashi helped. She also went about cleaning his other wounds, but frowned at the pale tone of his skin. "Damnit."
Hatake didn't like that tone. "What is it?"
"He lost too much blood, at this rate he could go into shock. Gaara, see if there's any needles in the room." The young kage nodded and began searching even as Hidama began to roll up her sleeve.
"Wait, you're going to give him your blood?"
"He's B+, I'm O- which means I can donate to anyone," she quickly summed up as she tied a band around her son's arm and began to look for a vein. "I refuse to allow those bastards anywhere near him, not while he's vulnerable."
"... Then take mine." He ignored the icy glare even as he quickly removed his vest and shirt, sitting on the bed next to the blonde's. "I'm B+ and I want to do this."
"I don't remember asking for your help, Hatake." She didn't bother looking up at him as the needle was placed in her awaiting hand.
"He needs a blood relative but I'm the best choice you have," he argued.
"And if he rejects your blood? Are you trying to kill him?"
"I am not letting my student die if I can save him."
"When did you start caring? You've been at the beck and call of that Uchiha shit, and you chose the time that Naruto's on his death bed to start caring?" she snapped angrily, looking up at him with furious eyes.
"... That was low," he said in a strained tone but didn't stop him from taking one of the bands and wrapping it around his arm. "Onegai... trust me."
Just hearing him say that made her flinch badly she knew everyone noticed but she wordlessly ripped the needle from the packing and slowly began to push it in. "If my son dies... even in death you won't escape my wrath and this village will suffer."
"I understand." The Konoha shinobi laid back on the bed, bringing his hand into a tight fist as the former Kiri ninja moved to his side. Even in the tense situation he couldn't help crack a joke. "Never pegged you for a nurse."
"You know where I would stick the needle," he grunted, prodding for the vein before carefully positioning the needle. "Ready."
"Do it," she remarked. Zabuza carefully pushed the needle into the arm and watched as the blood began to flow. He stepped back and removed the gloves, tossing the used items away. Hidama slowly moved back and did the same, sighing deeply. "It shouldn't be more than a few hours at the most."
"I'll take Haku home so he can get some sleep; keep me updated." Nodding to her he gathered his charge who was on the verge of sleep and silently left the room.
"... I'll let Temari know," Gaara said as he quietly left them alone. Soon it was just the three of them and it was just how she wanted it.
The pale woman silently moved to the window, drawing the curtains close so only a little bit of the sun's light could enter the room and leaned against it quietly, crossing her arms under her breasts, piercing the jounin with her emotionless yet chilling eyes. "What's the real reason for doing this, Hatake?" she demanded. He sighed deeply, knowing that she wouldn't relent until she got a straight answer from him and decided to just let it go.
"Surely you know who his parents are, I mean his birth parents," he began slowly.
"Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina. This better not be because you're trying to see Minato in Naruto because they are two completely different people," she warned.
"At first it was but..." He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, opening them to stare up at the ceiling. "Naruto is an extraordinary boy and I knew given the chance, he would be the most powerful ninja around but unlike others before him he wouldn't let corruption get to him. Not as long as he has people to protect and a home to come back to."
"And if he has neither? Why would he want to protect a village that has done nothing to help him, stunting his growth, refusing even the most basic of needs, where even his own team abandons him?"
"... He would never harm them even if they did deserve it."
"Would you stake your life on it?"
"I would stake my soul on it. Naruto--is the most selfless and caring being I have known, and every insult he has thrown at me has been justified, I would take every punch he threw at me but not once did he try. I just wish... I wish... he knew how, I felt about him..."
"... What do you feel for him?"
"... I love him..." His lips pulled into a soft smile hidden beneath his mask, eye slowly closing. "... really... love him..."
Hidama remained quiet, watching as his chest silently rose and fell with an unreadable expression in her eyes. Her fingers tightened over her arms, almost drawing blood before she relaxed her grip and straightened. Pulling the curtains completely close she quietly covered both of them with the blanket folded at the foot of their beds and gently dragged her fingers through the blonde strands.
"Watch over him, fox." Pulling her hand back she quietly left the room.
Deep within the recess of the blonde's soul lay the nine-tailed demon fox, trapped within the seal. The area still resembled a large underground tunnel with old pipes along the ceilings and walls but the water along the floor was very slowly receding. He had heard the conversations despite his host being unconscious yet smirked lightly. Cradled against his side, nearly hidden by his lush tails was the young blonde, sleeping deeply as the kitsune's chakra slowly healed his physical body. Crimson eyes blinked as he gave a large yawn, showing off the sharp rows of fangs that could strip flesh from bone, stretching elongated arms with razor claws then quietly folded them, laying his head down. He could feel sleep begin to pull at him and he didn't bother to fight it.
'Looks like that hound redeemed himself, kit; but you still have unsettled business. Birth mother or adoptive mother, she is still your family.' That was the last thought on his mind as he drifted to sleep, dreaming of deep forests and enjoying the freedom that came with it.
--
Hinata kept tapping her fingertips together, a habit she had formed when she was nervous but she had already bitten her nails down so low they were bleeding. It was all she could do to keep from crying at the state of her beloved cousin. At her side her younger sister, Hanabi, was looking at the doors leading into the room with a serious expression in her young eyes. Years of learning to be a proper Hyūga kept her from expressing how she truly felt but it didn't stop here from reaching out and clutch her sister's hand tightly. Fingers linked together as they waited anxiously for news on Neji.
Within the room were a team of several well-trained medics as well as Shizune, focusing their chakra into the seal etched onto the floor as well as the hair on their patient's chest. The seal was so large, covering most of the area of a four-pointed star with a large diamond encircling it. Each of the medics were sitting at each corner of the diamond with Shizune sitting at one of the star's points, leading the process. To one looking in from the outside, the process was similar to sealing Orochimaru's curses with the scriptures moving along his pale skin, surrounding the wound and infusing the lock of the boy's hair. Chikatsu Saisei was such a dangerous technique but with the young woman guiding them, the chances of the young Hyūga surviving his battle wounds was much higher.
One of the medics was sweating profusely, unable to keep up his part for much longer. "It's been three hours... I need you to switch with me," he told the medic standing as his back-up.
"Hai!" He got into position and took up where the other medic had left off.
"Remember, even though we're using his hair as a medium do not make a mistake in the cell ratio of the damaged area," Shizune reminded them, eyes focused solely on saving their patient. "Every strand must be affected by chakra control!" Everyone was in complete agreement, working furiously yet with the greatest care in saving his life.
Slowly the hair began to unravel, seamlessly infusing itself into the damaged skin that strand by strand it slowly began to come together. From the inside out the wound was carefully closing, connecting all the torn tissue together until finally, about countless hours the area was whole with barely a scar. It had been a great success.
Outside the Hyūga sisters looked up as the light turned off, quickly getting to their feet they waited as the doors opened and Neji was brought out on a stretched. Hanabi was torn but was gently pushed by her older sister to follow the medics as they took him to his room. She gave her a caring smile as she went with them, reaching out to hold his hand.
"Hinata-san?" Shizune smiled at the young lady and nodded. "He will be alright, the technique was a complete success. Now all he has to do is rest and soon he'll be back to training," she explained.
"I'm... I'm so happy," she said softly even though as tears began to built she quickly wiped them away. It was then she asked her something that would forever change her duties as a ninja. "Shizune-san... I would be honored if you would train me."
Train her? "What do you think you can learn from me?" she asked softly and a bit surprised.
"I want to be a medic, so that I can help those on, and off the battlefield."
--
Even though Nara Shikamaru was what one would call a lazy genius he was not a patient person. At least, not when it came to waiting on the end results of his team where more than one had come back to the village with critical injuries. It was this time where he was at his most vulnerable and it didn't help his psyche when Temari kept pointing out the obvious, such as "sacrifice is an inevitable part of missions". But he was a newly appointed chunin and this was his first real mission with him as the team leader. He was beginning to doubt himself and so he utterly the either most hurtful words he could think of.
"I'm not cut out to be a shinobi."
"........ Unexpected fragility... men are strange..."
He was silent as he slowly got to his feet, refusing to look at her. "I shouldn't have been team leader for this mission... I just trusted everyone else to watch each other's backs. I was laid-back... I didn't have enough strength... I wasn't ready... It's all my fault..."
"... Are you afraid of being hurt?" She wasn't trying to be mean but as he tuned and walked away she knew that he wasn't afraid of being hurt, but he was afraid of his friends being hurt--because of him.
Shikaku watched as he son walked right by him, not even noticing him standing there. "Shikamaru... You're being talked down to by a girl and running away?"
"I don't want to have a trouble argument; I'm not a girl," he said as he glanced at him over his shoulder.
"Hai... but you're also not a man. You're just a regular coward."
'What is he doing?' the kuniochi from Suna wondered but didn't dare speak up.
"Even if you quit being a shinobi, missions will still occur. Someone will carry them out. Your friends will just go out with a new team leader. So then, maybe your friends will die... But if you're their leader that time, your friends may not reach that end. If you look at this time as an experience and you learn from it, maybe you can carry out missions with less problems."
"........"
"If your friends, your comrades, are really important to you, before you think about running away, consider that you may become greater for the sake of your friends! That's what it means to be a real friend, yowamushi!!"
Both youths flinched from his harsh tone but they knew in his own way that he had spoke nothing but the truth. The light suddenly turned off and the door to the ER opened, allowing the godaime to step out.
"He'll be alright," she told them with a slight smile. "The continuous cell destruction effect of the pills were stopped by an antidote I mixed together. This time, he was saved," she explained as she walked over to the bench Shikamaru had abandoned not too long ago and sat down. She looked over at the head of the Nara clan as she finished her explanation. "I used some deer antler that the Nara Clan are famed for taking care of as well as some rather interesting studies in your manual."
He smirked and gave a brief nod. "Ariga-"
"Tsunade-sama!!" Everyone watched as Shizune came running down the hall, panting but smiling. "Hyūga Neji's condition has been stabilized!" she said proudly.
"Good. What about Uzumaki?" She grew worried when no one said anything until they heard footsteps coming down the hall. Even Shikaku seemed to stand straighter as Hidama came around the corner, holding a package in her hands.
"He'll live and before you ask Uchiha has defected to Orochimaru," she said coolly, refusing to look at anyone. "Call the mission a failure but the fact is they came back alive." Slowly she looked at Shikamaru and noticed that even with his head bowed he was crying silent tears. "That is more important than bringing back a spoiled traitor and losing everyone in the process."
He gave her a nod but made a promise on that day to everyone in the hall. "Next time, I swear... I'll show everyone that I can do this flawlessly!!"
--
When Sakura heard from Ino that the rescue team had come back and were at the hospital she was so happy she wanted to go right in and see her precious Sasuke. She didn't even bother to ask at the receptionist desk what room they were in, just racing down the hall she stopped when she heard talking and was ready to throw open the door but she froze when the words finally penetrated her fan-girl haze.
"The next time I see Uchiha Sasuke, he will die by my hand."
"Gaara, he ran away but Naruto and the rest of the team made it back. Now is not the time to be thinking about revenge," Kankuro tried to reason.
"He nearly killed my brother and he took my sister away from me. He deserves to die," he growled angrily.
"... But she's not dead. And you're wearing the proof."
His hand slowly reached up and gripped the cracked shuriken pendent tightly. When Naruto opened his eyes and looked at him, he pressed the necklace into his hand and said that their sister wanted him to hold onto it. "......"
"Uchiha will get what's coming to him, there is no doubt about it but you have to decide what is more important. Sunagakure needs a Kazekage, they need you."
The young man was silent, even as he tuned to look out the window, still clutching the pendent in his hand in an unrelenting grip. "It's that ama Haruno's fault that this happened."
The puppet master sighed and dragged his hand through his dirty brown hair, pushing the hood down to fall around his neck. "You're right. I heard, she begged Naruto to bring him back and he agreed. Kami... she's such a joke," he sighed bitterly. "I heard from Nara that she was the last person to see that emo-shit before he left yet she didn't do a damn thing, just let him walk out. Can you believe the council aren't going to press charges against her for doing nothing? This village is a joke."
"She is nothing but a sad brat that should have stayed home with her parents. She will never be a ninja and she will never gain that Uchiha's heart when he never had one to begin with," the red-head said coldly. "The only thing she's good for is being used as the slut she makes herself to be."
"Hai... c'mon, let's go see how the kid is doing."
Sakura shook but forced herself to run down the hall and duck behind the corner as the door opened. She listened as they left, their footsteps fading farther and farther away until she was left all alone. It was only then did she silently slide down to the floor, allowing the tears to fall one by one until she was nothing more than a pitiful and sobbing mess.
'They're... They're right... its my fault... I almost got everyone killed... it's all my fault...!' she sobbed brokenly even as she wrapped her arms around her knees tightly. For once she didn't care how her face was turning tomato red, how blood-shot her eyes were becoming, or the amount of snot coming from her nose. But no amount of crying would lessen the guilt or the memories of how Sasuke went out of his way to ignore her and insulted her right in her face, how she destroyed her friendship with Ino, how unfairly she treated Naruto and Rock Lee. Despite calling herself a kuniochi, for being called the smartest girl in the academy and given the title of Kuniochi Rookie of the Year she was nothing; she didn't even come from a shinobi family! The two nins from Suna was right; she was nothing but a liability and had no right to be a ninja. But, now the question remained: what was she going to do?
--
When Naruto awoke he found himself laying in bed, and for a moment he was confused but slowly bits and pieces of chasing after Sasuke, fighting him at the falls, and hearing his sister's voice filled in the gap. He found his body wrapped in bandages, dressed in his favorite pair of baby blue pajamas. Looking around the room he noticed that the other bed was slightly unmade and the curtains were still close so he wasn't sure what time it was but at the side table was Sasuke's scratched hitachi.
'... He's really gone...' he thought to himself silently, feeling an empty void in his heart he didn't look up as the door silently opened.
Kakashi quietly entered the room, holding two take-out boxes from both the ramen and dango shops in town. He looked a bit pale but he was also holding a small box wrapped into a patterned kerchief. "You're awake," he smiled but the young blonde didn't respond. He didn't stop him as he carefully moved to the other bed and set the items on the table between them. "I figure once you woke up you might be hungry so I got you some ramen and something sweet."
"... I'm not hungry..." came the almost whisper reply.
"Maybe not but you need to eat something." He took the large bowl of ramen and set it on the tray, carefully rolling the tray until it was before his student with a plate of cookies. "Teuchi said this is your favorite and Ayame made you the cookies."
"........" Sure the food smelled good but he just didn't feel very hungry. If anything, he felt ill. He didn't notice the tray had been pushed away or that the jounin was sitting next to him until he felt a strange hand in his hair.
"Nothing you could have said or done would have brought him back. Sasuke left, because he felt that Orochimaru would give him the power he has been desperately been searching for," he explained in a soft tone.
"... Why would he abandon a village that has given him everything?" he asked quietly.
"Because he's so consumed with revenge he doesn't care who he hurts. And I..." he sighed and looked down for a moment before meeting his eyes again; "And I was a fool for not realizing how much I was hurting you..."
Naruto could only stare, even as he felt his hands tenderly cup his face, gently catching the tears as they managed to escape his tearing eyes. His hands clutched at the blankets tightly, his heart beating painfully in his chest. "I thought... you hated me..." he whispered.
"I never hated you but I was a fool for ignoring you. Naruto...if you never forgive me I understand but, will you give me another chance to make it up to you?" he asked softly. His eye never left those deep blue eyes, even as he felt bandaged hands slowly, almost hesitantly, reached out to touch the mask. He was surprised when he didn't flinch from the contact or try to stop him as he looked ready to pull the mask down but instead they pushed the headband out of the way and gently traced the scar that ran down the left side of his face. He didn't show his eye for the reason that people were unnerved at seeing the sharingan piercing them but the young boy didn't look away.
"... How do I know you won't leave me alone?" Gods, the feelings behind that question literally tore him apart even as he slowly pulled him into his arms, holding tightly to his chest as he closed his eyes against the sudden burst of tears. "Sensei?"
"I swear to never leave you alone, even if you tell me to leave I will always be watching you from the shadows. You. Are. Priceless. And I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you."
"... why... why do you care...?"
"Ai shite'ru yo." Fingers dug into the thick material of the vest, and held on for dear life as he felt more and more tears escape, even as he buried his face into the shoulder and his shoulders silently shook. Kakashi just held on tighter, swearing to never leave this vulnerable young man alone ever again. Sadly the mood was broken when they both heard a knock on the door and the two hesitantly pulled apart. Smiling gently the jounin stood and opened the door but was surprised to find Hidama on the other side. "I take it you want me to leave," he said even as he stepped back to let her in.
"Do as you please," she said softly and quickly stepped up to the blonde. She kept her resolve strong even when her adoptive son refused to look at her yet that didn't stop her from placing a small wrapped parcel on his lap and step back. "Your parents told me to give this to you when you were ready to accept the truth. I lost count how many times I wanted to give this to you in the past but I hope this is what you were looking for," she said in a voice so quiet it made her seem like she was an entirely new person. "I never wanted to replace your mother, but you will still be my son." With that she turned and left even as the jounin quietly closed the door behind her.
Moving silently he went to the genin's side and looked down at the package but he had yet to touch it. "... You want me to leave?" A silent nod of his head was all he needed. Hatake said he would be outside if he needed anything and silently left the room to wait in the hall.
Naruto stared at the small box in her lap for a long time, unsure whether to open it or not but found himself tearing at the aged paper until it fell away to reveal a small flat box made of rich redwood, an elegant image of a gold uzumaki, or a spiral pattern, painted on the lid. He gently traced the pattern before slowly opening it, finding a short yet rather thick scroll, two letters addressed to him, a strange looking kunai with a note tied to the handle, and a photo tapped to the inside of the lid. It showed a rather handsome young man that looked like a grown-up version of the ninja himself but his hair was longer and his almond-shaped eyes were a lighter shade of blue, and he was giving the camera a broad grin. He was dressed as a typical jounin with the Konoha hitachi around his forehead but had his arm around a beautiful woman with dark blue eyes, a bright smile on her lips, and long red hair that nearly fell to her waist, her hitachi hanging around her neck with pride. She was also dressed as a jounin but she was flashing the victory sign into the camera with her other arm around the man. They both looked so happy he found himself smiling. Pulling out the thicker of the two letters he noted that the date was marked as the night he was born, the night that the kyūbi no kitsune was defeated; with shaking hands he opened it and began reading.
'Naruto, as I write this I cannot help but wonder if I am doing the right thing. I must confess that I don't want to sacrifice your freedom, I want to be with you, watch as you grow up but as the Yondaime Hokage of Konohagakure, the village comes first. Even before my own family. I am tempted to give the title to someone else, to take you and your mother, to run as far and as fast as I can but that would be taking the coward's way out. And I know I could never face my parents in the afterlife for that did not raise a yowamushi.
'What I am about to do is considered forbidden by many shinobi, a suicidal attempt, and possibly the stupidest thing ever but if its to protect my family then I see no other way. Forgive me, but I thought that by sealing the nine-tailed demon into you, my only son, that you would benefit from having a powerful being inside. With hard work and training you can use the fox's powers to better protect all your loved ones, regardless if you live in Konoha or any village outside Hi no Kuni's borders.
'By having the demon within you, I am hoping that the village will see you as a savior, the one person that stands between them and death. I have such high hopes for this village... yet I have a dark feeling in my heart, that the people will turn their back the one time I need them the most. All I can hope if Kushina, Sarutobi, and Hidama promise to look after you after I am gone.
'The fox is getting closer and I'm afraid I must go and defend the village. Even now I long to hold you in my arms one last time, to see you smile and to hear your laugh but for now I am content to watch you sleep, safe and sound with nary a worry in the world. I want you to remember one thing, you are not only a Uzumaki but you are also a Namikaze and no matter where you go, I will be watching you from above. Live well and stay strong. Your father, Namikaze Minato.' Scrawled beneath the name was the seal of the fourth leader of the village.
Naruto was finding it difficult to breathe, shocked at finding that his father--the one no one told him about, was none other than a former kage, was even known as Konoha no Kiiroi Senkō during one of the great wars. Despite his hands shaking tremedously Naruto folded the letter and place it back in the envelope before picking up the second one and opening it. It was thicker but as he began reading he found himself unable to hold back the tears anymore.
'To my beloved son, even as I write this letter I feel my life rapidly slipping away but I would never regret a single moment. I know our moments were brief, but the day I found out I was pregnant I swore I would be the best mother I could and do anything to keep you safe. Minato was so happy to be a father, I knew he wished his parents were still around but I like to think they would have been proud of you no matter what.
'For months we were unsure what to call you but then Minato's sensei, a great sannin (though a bit of a hentai) came to us and let us read a book about his life as a ninja. We were both impressed and asked Jiraiya-san if we could name you after the character in the book. He told us that he thought of the name because he was eating ramen at the time and had been staring intently as at a spiral fishcake. Even now I cannot help but laugh for your father had always loved miso ramen and when I became pregnant, I found myself craving it as well. For his slightly perverse acts, he is a good man and I know he will be a great godfather to you, my little Naruto.
'I'm afraid I don't have time left but when you find out the truth, onegai, do not hold it against the village. People do terrible things when they are afraid but like Minato-kun, Jiraiya-san, and Sarutobi-sensei, I still have hope for this village. I will always love you and I know Hidama-san will raise you as though you were born from her. I love you, my beautiful baby boy... ~Uzumaki Kushina'
The genin was puzzled but he noted a small article that had been included with the letter and opened it. His eyes widen as he read how shortly about the defeat of the kitsune yōkai that Sarutobi took up the mantle as hokage once more and told the village what had truly happened. Needless to say the people were not happy and demanded the babe be put to death but he refused and said if anyone harmed the child they would pay with their lives. Sadly this did not help; an unknown assailant entered the hokage tower where Kushina and her baby were staying until she had recovered and attempted to murder the baby. Uzumaki Kushina sacrificed herself for the welfare of her only son, making sure every stab meant for him was inflicted on her own person. By the time the sandaime hokage found out the young jounin had lost too much blood but she continued to protect her terrified child. The assassin was brutally executed by the hand of the ANBU who called herself Kitsune Seirei. But for the blonde, all he knew was his birth mother had been murdered because she was protecting him from someone in the village who thought he was better off dead. With a cry he swung his arms to the sides and send the tray crashing into the bedside table, causing the plates of food to go crashing to the tiled floor.
Kakashi couldn't not focus on the pages of his Icha Icha book, wondering if he should see if the young blonde was alright but a sudden crash in the room and he was already at his side, book lying on the floor and ignoring the broken dishes with spilt food on the floor. "Naruto! What's wrong?! Are you alright?!" he asked with concern, checking him for any injuries.
He was panting heavily, clinging to his arms tightly, eyes lost as the tears continued to fall. The box and its content was scattered over his lap, the food that the jounin had brought making a mess on the floor, but he didn't care. All that was going through his mind was that he had to talk with his mother. "K-Kakashi, I need to talk with okaasan!"
"Naru-"
"Onegai!! I have to tell her I'm sorry before she leaves me!!"
"... Let me find you some clothes."
--
Jiraiya took another sip of his sake, barely glancing at the woman next to him. "So, you're leaving?"
"I'm not running away so stop thinking it," Hidama snapped coldly, pressing the heel of her hand against her forehead.
"No offense but you never struck me as the type to just give up." He jumped when he slammed her armored fist down and glared at him. He just poured himself some more of his drink but didn't look at her. "He's hurting right now and you have to know he didn't mean to hurt you."
"Try telling the pain in my heart that." Finishing the rest of her drink quickly she tossed some money next to her glass and left he bar. She heard the sannin get up and follow but didn't care. She wasn't sure where she was headed but right now she just allowed her feet to lead her.
"What will you do now?"
"Zabuza and Haku are going to Yuki no Kuni to further their training. Gaara is going back to Suna with Temari and Kankuro, and continue to be their Yondaime Kazekage. And like him, I won't stop searching until I have found my daughter."
"And Naruto?"
"... I want you to train him beyond his potential."
"How do you know I won't turn him into a mini-pervert?" he joked. She paused and looked at him with the promise of something far worth than death in her eyes.
"There are certain fates that many men consider worth than death, ero sannin," she replied coolly. Her lips twitched as his face turned an interesting shade of white and he subconsciously moved his hands to protect his "treasure". Looking up at the cloudless sky she sighed and reached up to grasp the two necklaces hanging around her neck, each holding a priceless stone of different shades of blue. "I love him as if he were my own, but unless he says otherwise I see no point in trying to force him to learn something he doesn't want to."
"Hidama-"
"Okaasan!!!!" A young boy dressed in black, the bandages wrapped around most of his body, ran at top speed towards the woman and nearly tackled her with a bone-jarring embrace from behind. His arms wrapping around her waist so tightly not even the godaime's strength could pry him away. "Gomen!!" he cried, hiding his tearing face into her back. "Hontō-ni gomennasai!!"
It only took her a few moments to realize who it was and another several to understand what he was trying to say. "Naruto." She paused when she realized he wasn't letting go. She smiled lightly, resting her hand atop his. "You've haven't held me this tight in a long time..."
"You... You were gonna leave me alone... why?" he asked in a whimpering voice.
"...You don't want me around. I don't stay where I'm not wanted, you know that."
"But I do want you, 'kaasan! Onegai, don't leave me! I'm tired of being alone..." He could feel hands pulling her arms off so he struggled but all she did was loosen them enough so she could face him and drop to her knees, hugging him tightly. He wordlessly clung to her even tighter, whispering how sorry he was for saying she wasn't his mother when she was the only mother he ever knew. Jiraiya just watched with a sad smile on his face, barely noticing the jounin as he silently walked up to him, holding a small box in his hands. Kakashi was just happy that his little love had made up with the pale mercenary and hoped that this would be the beginning of a fresh start. Kami only knew how much he deserved it.
Less than a week later Tsunade, the healed genins, and a few others bided farewell to their friends, wishing them well on their journeys. Haku promised Hinata he would return in which the young heiress gave him a simple apple blossom; he smiled at the meaning behind it. Gaara swore that he would make the Village Hidden in the Sand a great place but he wouldn't stop looking for Shiruba. Naruto would be traveling over the elemental nations with both Jiraiya and Hidama, promising to grow stronger but as he looked at the jounin he made a silent vow to return. Kakashi promised to be waiting for him. The group watched as the group left together but once they reached the crossroads they would part. Within three years they would return to the Village Hidden in the Leaves, stronger than before.
Author's Notes: Holy crap that took forever! I hate when I promise you guys a chapter and I don't deliver, it makes me feel like a lazy bum. :'( But in the end, I guess I'm satisfied with the way the chapter came out. Thanks to everyone who voted, so in gratitude I hope you enjoyed the sweet moments between Naruto and Kakashi. I bet some of you are asking "Where's the man sex?" Sorry to say but you won't be seeing that for quite a while. The good news is after one more chapter the first half of Family Ties will be complete and I will finally be able to work on my version of the Shippūden storyline. So be on the look-out for a new story (call it a sequel) to this one but I haven't come up with a title yet. I will be following some of the storyline but it was also be changing here and there just like here. BTW, the flower apple blossom means "promise" which I found to be really sweet :)
Before I let you all go I have yet another poll for you to please answer. I bet you're sick of them already. Well the ending results will actually determine how the plot of the sequel will follow so here is my question (which by the way will be linked in my profile).
In your opinion, who do you consider to be pure evil in the entire series?
A. Itachi
B. Tobi
C. Madara
D. All of the Above
And before you all start DO NOT tell me about "so-and-so said this" or "Tobi is really Madara" or anything like that. Chances are I have read those articles and forums myself and I don't shove my ideas down your throat so do me a favor and don't try to shove them down mind; just answer the poll. Hell, tell your friends and ask them to please vote in the poll as well. Honestly they don't have to read my story to vote (would be nice, but it's not required), I want to know what you all think. So, please remember to vote (and if you liked this chapter drop a review :). See you guys and gals later!
Chikatsu Saisei: Healing Resuscitation Regeneration
yowamushi: coward
Ai shite'ru yo: I love you (like we don't know what this means :)
Konoha no Kiiroi Senkō: Konoha's Yellow Flash
Kitsune Seirei: Spirit Fox
Yuki no Kuni: Snow Country
Hontō-ni gomennasai: I'm really sorry