Naruto blinked. What happened? Oh yeah he thought I passed out. He brought his arm up to cover his eyes as he got his bearings. Okay who was there? Right Lee, TenTen, and….Sakura. He knew he had a lot of explaining to do. He didn't want to. They will have noticed now that the kyuubi wasn't healing him. Even with the saving grace of Koichi's parents the shuriken had sliced him. After that was a red blur, he had lost it again. It was the first time in four years about. He remembered hearing Koichi's cries and how no matter what the kyuubi couldn't heal him. Something was wrong with the seal he had realized. Tsunade is going to freak!
"Well we have to do something the kid hasn't stopped screaming!" Ino sounded tired. Cries finally reached Naruto's ears. Koichi was hungry.
"Yes but Naruto…" Sakura didn't know what to say. What was there really Naruto had a kid that wasn't his and a body that wouldn't heal. It was quite the little mess. Naruto smiled as he slowly sat up and swung his legs around to the side of the bed. He had metallic braces on them. Damn I broke them he thought.
"Oi! Sakura!" He yelled deciding it best just to have Koichi brought to him. Sakura and Ino stopped talking and opened the door. They both hurried in.
"Naruto! You're up!" Ino sounded relieved.
"You have a lot of exp…" Sakura crossed her arms in her older sisterly way.
"Can you just bring me my Koichi?" Naruto asked tiredly. Ino left in a flash coming back with a wailing red in the face baby boy.
"Wah! Wah!" He kicked his little legs. Ino handed him to Naruto. He cooed softly in Koichi's ear.
"Hey hey now. What happened to my strong little ninja huh? Come on now I'll get your formula." Naruto motioned toward his pack that sat in a chair of the hospital room. Sakura grabbed it and rummaged for the mentioned formula. Koichi was hiccupping finally coming down from his tantrum. He had big blue eyes and jet black hair. His nose was red from crying.
"There we go. That's my boy. Here now play with my necklace." Naruto pulled his necklace from under the hospital gown and Koichi immediately started to play with it giggling. Sakura made the bottle for Naruto and handed it to him.
"Wow he really calmed down just like that." Sakura sat next to Naruto as Ino went to go tell Tsunade that he had woken up.
"Hehe. He's a good kid, he just…" Naruto shrugged a goofy smile on his face.
"You know I'd really like to know how this all happened Naruto." Sakura looked into his eyes. Was she about to cry?
"Well what have you heard? I told Lee and TenTen a bit of it." He scratched his head as he steadily rocked Koichi.
"All I know is that he is isn't yours by blood and that the nine tails has quit reacting to your wounds in fact your healing slower than most would." She said. "Speaking of which if he's a deep enough sleeper can you put him down so I can inspect the wound to your stomach?" She stood grabbing some gauze. Naruto smiled and set Koichi down by his pillow so he wouldn't roll off the bed. He undid his hospital gown and let it pool in his lap. His body had filled out over the years. He had a strong lean body. Sakura smiled unwrapping the bandage on the wound.
"Why are you smiling?" She shook her head.
"Where'd you learn to set him by a pillow so he wouldn't roll?" She said gesturing toward the now sleeping bundle.
"Well I helped his mother out during my mission a lot. Which I guess was good since I'm what he's stuck with now."
"Whoever said being 'stuck' with you was such a bad thing Naruto?" Sakura frowned at the gash. It was still bleeding and very deep. Naruto hadn't noticed before but it was smack dab through the center of the seal which was barely visible.
"It's just that I'm not exactly home often, and what with getting Sasuke back…" Naruto drifted off watching the boy sleep.
"Looks like Sasuke will have to fight for his spot back." Sakura chuckled rewrapping Naruto's torso.
"What's that supposed to mean!" Naruto blushed.
"Oh like you could ever lie to me! I know you loved him but that little guy is slowly becoming your number one isn't he?" She smiled a sad smile at him.
"Yeah I suppose he is." Naruto chuckled and then winced.
"Oh be careful you knucklehead!" Sakura bopped him playfully on the head ruffling his blonde locks a bit. "You've got horrible bed head."
"It wasn't supposed to happen like this. I'm scared Sakura…I've never had parents…how do I know what to do?" tears ran down the blonde's cheeks.
"Naruto…" Sakura pulled him in for a hug, "you're not alone in this, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't help you out as much I can!"
"Really Sakura?" Sakura smiled.
"NARUTO!!!!!!!!" A yell was heard down the hall.
"But I can't help you with her." Sakura laughed. Naruto pouted.
"That's just cruel Sakura-chan. Baa-chan is going to kill me!" Sakura just laughed and opened the door right on cue for a very angry blonde Hokage to arrive. Sakura stood in the corner as a forehead pulsing busty blonde marched up to Naruto.
"You idiot!" She grabbed Naruto in a hug. "You scared the living daylights out of me Naruto!!!!"
"Living daylights?" He said chuckling hugging her back. "Missed you too." He smiled.
"Yes living daylights I picked up in a thriving little desert town but that's not the point! Naruto that was a C rank mission! What in Kami's name happened?" She stood in front of him. He looked down at his feet.
"Please Naruto we are all very concerned." Sakura stood next to her sensei. He smiled a small sad smile and reached for Koichi who moaned a bit at being moved. He rocked him.
"The woman I was sent to escort had her baby the afternoon I arrived. This is where I met Koichi. Overall the mission was turning out to be an easy success. I had to help Kaede, the woman, with Koichi a lot but I didn't mind. It was nice to be responsible for someone and trusted like that. Then we got to her husband's house. It was being attacked. I fought them but I was losing pretty badly. One guy even smashed my anbu mask to pieces. I was pinned to the tree by two giant shuriken and another was going to be my death when his parents jumped in front making me promise to take care of Koichi." Naruto paused tears rushing to his eyes.
"That explains your legs." Sakura murmured. He nodded.
"The shuriken slashed Kaede and her husband but still hit me. The rest…I don't know…I lost control again. The next thing I remember is waking up to Koichi crying and all the ninja incinerated." Naruto looked down at Koichi. The boy slept soundly unaware in his arms of his horrid fate.
"Now the kyuubi won't heal you and is even delaying your healing." Tsunade finished. Koichi woke with a yawn and reached up for Naruto's necklace giggling.
"Here you go." He dangled it in front of him.
"He…likes the necklace." Naruto nodded. Tears came to Tsunade's eyes.
"Oi Naruto." Shikamaru walked in.
"Shikamaru hello. What are you?" Naruto stood balancing Koichi in one arm and clasping his friend's arm.
"Naruto sit down!" Sakura reprimanded. "You still have at least a week in those braces before you'll be completely healed!" Naruto chuckled and sat.
"I just came in to see how you were fairing and I have news about Raven for lady Hokage." Shikamaru bowed and Tsunade stood.
"Okay I'll be in my office. Sakura fill out Koichi and Naruto's papers please."
"Hai!" Sakura went and sat by Naruto with a folder and rummaged for a pen in a drawer. The two left.
"Hey Sakura what is Raven?" Naruto angled his body at her.
"Hmm? Oh I don't know it's some project Lady Hokage has been working on lately. Only anbu and a few select know what it's really about." Naruto nodded bouncing Koichi on his knee a bit as he and Sakura talked.
