Yo kittens, what's up?

I know that I haven't been writing as much as I used too. But never fear, I haven't forgot you.

So, without further ado- here is the next chapter of Blackmail.

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"Baa-chan why don't you have a seat while Kakashi pulls himself together." Naru said politely as she grasped the older woman's wrist in her hand and pulled her over to the most comfortable chair in the room, ever mindful that the woman was pushing seventy eight and suffered from arthritis- though she would rather die than admit it to anyone.

Even if it meant someone fussing over her and making her more comfortable.

Tsunade might have protested if she hadn't known that resisting at this point was futile. Naru wouldn't leave her be until she was sitting in a comfortable place with her shoes off and her feet up.

Sighing in exasperation, Tsunade muttered affectionately, "It's nice to see you too Naru." She sat down in a comforter off to the side of the couch and quickly found her shoes tossed across the room by her gaki before Kakashi re joined them with a mask firmly in place over his face and a navy short sleeved shirt on.

"Lady Tsunade," He said politely before turning to Naru and tried to kiss his mate on the cheek, hoping that she had calmed down enough to allow the brief contact. However it would seem that though Tsunade was present to distract her, Naru was still quit upset with him. She elbowed him hard in the ribs nearly forcing the air from his lungs.

He grunted and doubled over and wrapped his arms around his middle as Naru asked in a pleasant tone, ignoring the wide eyed curious look that Tsunade gave her as Kakashi thought. Okay so she's still pissed at me.

He could take a hint. And...go sit in the corner and sulk a bit.

"So what's up?"

"Well I wanted to talk to the two of you about several things-" Tsunade said hesitantly before asking, "I didn't come at a bad time, did I?" She looked from Naru's smiling face to Kakashi, whom was sitting in a recliner across the room looking dejected.

Wow this is weird. Tsunade thought. Unsure if she should be amused by the situation she had stepped into. Or if she should just ask for her shoes and leave and submit everything to the couple in writing later on.

Naru shook her head slowly before replying, "No. You arrived at just the right time." The younger woman smiled even more but the look on Kakashi's face suggested that she had come at a bad time. A really bad time.

"Well if that's the case," God let it be the case. "I came here to discuss two things, 1) I'm stepping down as the Hokage and 2) My earlier visit to see Sauske. Which do you want to hear about first?"

"Either one is fine, Baa-chan."

"Very well," Tsunade said as she took a deep breath and picked a topic. She picked Sauske's topic first since she saw the anxious look that had flitted across Naru's face the moment his name had been mentioned. "I was examining Sauske earlier because he's been ill for the past few weeks and found something interesting..." Her golden brown eyes flickered to Kakashi who automatically looked away. Suddenly finding the wall the most fascinating thing in the room. "Something that should by all rights considered a miracle considering that Sauske is a male temporarily transformed into a girl."

Naru's eyes were wide, her face pale, her expression horrified as it dawned on her what Tsunade was talking about. "No. He isn't."

"Well actually yes. He is. And since he's insane and can't be trusted... I was going to ask the two of you if you would like to adopt the child once it's born. Providing of course that he carries to full term."

Kakashi looked back in Tsunade's direction, his body tense as his eyes went to Naru. A heartbeat passed. Then two. Neither of them said anything and Tsunade's patience was wearing thin. Why aren't they saying anything? She wondered curiously as she glanced at Naru.

She had paled to this peculiar shade of green and opened her mouth to say something only to clap a hand over her mouth and jump up and run from the room. Kakashi started to rise, concern etched into his face as a door (he assumed was the bathroom door) slammed closed down the hall and he sighed and looked at Tsunade before asking.

"So it's really true? You've actually confirmed it?"

"Yes."

"And you want us to raise the child. Is that really wise? Naru may hold a grudge and even if she doesn't, I do."

"That may be true but you wouldn't hurt a defenseless child, now, would you?"

Kakashi snorted. Damn women and their soft spots for those wailing little creatures. They weren't the least bit cute but he knew that Tsunade was right. Sauske was insane. If he was allowed to raise the child it might not survive the abuse. It would need a stable home with two loving and protective parents. People who could raise it to have honor and be the exact opposit of it's father/mother.

"I'll talk to her about it." He said in a gentle tone as he grabbed up her shoes and walked over to her and pressed them into her hands. A sure sign that he wanted her to leave for now. Tsunade took them and looked up at him.

"You do that. Now about the other issue-"

"I will either abide by your choice or back you up. Either way, a new Hokage will take his or her place."

"You're damn right you will-" Tsunade growled as she slipped her shoes on and with his help stood up. "Naru is next in line to the title of Hokage and no one else will ever be accepted."

Kakashi smiled at the elderly woman but didn't say anything. In his mind no one but Naru deserved the title and that's how it would always be.