Chapter 3: The talk with Iruka

Almost three hours before midnight, Naruto was walking fastly in the center of Konoha. He was heading towards the back part of the village, where the academy and the Hokage tower were located. Iruka Umino lived in some apartment near his workplace. Unlike the Harunos, after the destruction caused by Pain, Iruka had decided to take his chance and move to another place, closer to the academy. The building was new, and consisted in two floors, duplex type, raised especially by Yamato in the first week of the reconstruction. Two days after the reunion with Inari and Tazuna, Iruka had invited Naruto to his new place, and asked him help to accommodate his belongings and adjust some furniture. It wasn't like he couldn't do it alone, but sometimes solitude takes its toll. Besides, in the last months Naruto had been really busy, so they couldn't spend time together.

Naruto hoped his meeting with the Harunos wouldn't make him late for dinner. Though he enjoyed talking with Sakura's parents, and being able to comfort her, when he saw the family hug he felt a mix of sadness and jealousy. That was the moment when he decided he had to see Iruka. Jiraiya was gone, and as for Kakashi, Naruto already knew what he thought about the latest events, besides, he was surely busy and exhausted now that he'd be appointed Hokage. The only person who could help him had to be Iruka. After Hiruzen's death, he was the only one alive who had been with Naruto since the beginning. He was his only "family". He just hoped it wouldn't be too late to share dinner with him.

Luckily for Naruto, Iruka had a long day as well. The chain command in Konoha has been a mess since Danzo died, or better said, since Tsunade fell into a coma, so things were pretty hectic at the academy. Iruka and the other chunins had to reorganize and reschedule the calendar for the students. But without Hokage, the directions were not clear. Iruka had returned home late in the afternoon, right after the sunset. He was resting on his couch when he heard a few knocks on the door. 'Who can be here at this hour?' he thought. He went to the front door, and when he opened it, he found his favorite student standing there.

"Naruto? What a surprise... I thought you were on a mission to the Kage Summit" Iruka said, startled.

"Hi Iruka-sensei! I just returned a few hours ago..." Naruto answered, before entering the apartment. Iruka closed the door, and his former student spoke again. "By the way, how did you know where I was?

"News fly in the village now that you're famous... Besides, part of the reconstruction process stopped when Yamato informed he had to go, and... considering you and Kakashi disappeared at the same time, it was easy to guess. The Kage Summit was the first one in decades, so everybody was talking about that". Iruka explained

"Hum... I guess I'm not used to people watching me like that" he sighed. "Before everyone ignored me... and now it's the opposite"

"Well... If you still want to be Hokage you'll just have to adapt" Iruka said, trying to comfort him.

"I know... I know" Naruto mumbled.

"Anyway, what brings you here so late in the evening? You must be tired from the trip" Iruka asked.

"I need to talk to you. A lot of stuff happened in the Land of Iron, and no one knows me like you do. I need advice" Naruto stated.

"I see... Well, if you want… have a seat, feel like home, I'll make dinner later then" his former sensei said, before walking to the couch.

"Actually, I'm already starving, so can we go to Ichiraku?" Naruto suggested.

"Ok... just let me grab my vest" Iruka answered. He went to his room, put back on his chunin vest, and returned. Then, after locking the door, they left the apartment, and headed to the center of Konoha.

On the road, Iruka informed Naruto about the daily chaos at the academy, and all the problems caused by the absence of a leader. Naruto learned that Iruka already knew about Danzo's death. Turns out that the council of Konoha, Koharu and Homura were the first to be informed, so the news spread all over the Hokage tower, hence, the academy as well. Iruka received the news before returning home. Naruto took the chance to inform him that Kakashi was likely to be appointed as the new Hokage, and also updated him on Danzo's performance in the Kage Summit, all given the talk with Gaara. He chose to keep quiet about Sasuke's actions, at least until dinner.

When they arrived at Ichiraku, Naruto saw more tables and space than usual. After Pain's defeat, the stand gained more clients, since many villagers and kids wished to visit the favorite place of the new hero. Teuchi was so grateful to Naruto, that he told him he'd let him have a free meal every day. After all, he was making a lot of money thanks to him. The savings increased, so Teuchi and Ayame had to place several tables around Ichiraku, particularly during lunch and dinner time.

This time, Teuchi was extremely happy to welcome his favorite customer, and went to prepare his usual bowl of ramen and pork. Ayame was smiling at Iruka, and took care of his order. While waiting, Naruto and Iruka talked about how much Ichiraku grew lately, and remembered how sometimes they were the only clients three years ago. When the bowls were ready, they congratulated and thanked the chefs, and then they went to sit on a distant table. Considering the current situation at the village, the night wasn't crowded, and this favored Naruto. He didn't want to have many people around during the talk with his former sensei.

They started slurping the noodles, and after a while, Iruka noticed Naruto's expression changed. He got used to his way of dealing with the loneliness of childhood, and realized how often he could drift from a grin to a serious face. Now, he noticed something was bothering him, like if he didn't know how to tell what happened in the mission.

"You found Sasuke, right?"

"How did you..." Naruto asked, stunned.

"I told you I heard about Danzo's death, but I also learned that Akatsuki was responsible for everything. If you show up at my door worried after returning from the Land of Iron, I guess you met with the remaining Akatsuki, and... Sasuke as well" Iruka explained.

"Oh..." Naruto said.

"So, what happened?" Iruka asked.

Naruto took a breath, and started to tell the events concerning Sasuke, from what Gaara said after the Kage Summit, until the meeting at the bridge. Just like with Sakura's parents, he hid what the Kazekage told him about the war, as back then, he didn't really understand it, after all, as far as he knew, Akatsuki had no army. He had decided to leave that issue to Kakashi, since he'd be more in contact with the other villages. He neither said much about Sakura, only that she and Kakashi were present at the bridge, and both had to save her twice from Sasuke. He did reveal though, that she tried to kill him but she couldn't, and how he saved her right in time from the poisoned kunai. He finished telling Sasuke's desire to destroy Konoha, and how he escaped with "Madara'.

Iruka was shocked to hear all this, but he didn't interrupt. He was listening carefully, and took the chance to finish his meal. When Naruto was done, he spoke.

"Looks like things got pretty bad... I'd have never thought Sasuke would be capable of doing those things... he turned the whole world against him..." Iruka said, finally.

"He's different... he is full of hatred, anger..He won't listen to anyone, and wishes to sever all the bonds to his past." Naruto muttered, while looking at the street.

"What I don't get is why he joined Akatsuki. Itachi and Orochimaru are dead, so why would he do all this? Why would he kill Danzo and intend to destroy the village?" Iruka pondered.

Naruto stayed silent, and didn't answer. He knew why, was thinking about it, but he couldn't say it. He decided to finish his bowl of ramen. Iruka noticed this. "You know the reason, right?"

"Yeah... but I cannot tell... it's complicated. Kakashi and Yamato know too, and made me stay quiet until it gets clearer." Naruto answered, uncomfortable.

"Well... there's no point to argue then. So... what are you going to do if Sasuke arrives to attack the village?" Iruka asked.

"I don't know... I have to protect everyone, I'm sure about that... but I don't know what to do about him. I thought I did... truth is... I don't think I can kill him... it doesn't feel right..." Naruto said, looking down. Then he glanced at his sensei. "What do you think I should do?"

"Well, to be honest, I don't know either... it's hard... but still, maybe we can figure it out. See, when I learned that Sasuke left the village to join Orochimaru, I felt somehow guilty... and every time his name came up, even now, it's the same." Iruka said, saddened.

"Why?"

"Because I was his teacher... I saw you two grow up from kids to genin... the only orphans of the class... but in the end, I only could help you. It's curious... I have something in common with Sasuke, that you don't... My parents died when I was young enough to understand, to suffer the loss, just like what happened to Sasuke. And despite that, I couldn't connect with him... And I think the reason has to do with you." Iruka explained.

"Me?" Naruto asked, clueless.

"Yes Naruto. There's a difference between you and Sasuke, and that is what we have in common. Our parents died the same day and for the same cause: to protect the village from the Kyuubi. That's why we didn't grow up with someone to hate. Even if at the beginning I blamed the Nine tailed Fox, the Sandaime helped me to realize that I couldn't... So I didn't blame you or the creature living inside you, if I did, we would have never been close." he sighed. "But Sasuke's case is different. He had to grow knowing he lost his entire family because of his brother. The only thing he could do was blame him, and live in hatred. He isolated himself, becoming cold and distant... I'm sure you and Sakura did your best with him, but still, you were just children. Maybe I could have done more for Sasuke, maybe not. I guess I never approached him for the same reason as you."

"But I did form a bond with Sasuke. Maybe not at the beginning, we have a long rivalry, but in team seven..." Naruto responded.

"Maybe... but I think deep down you knew you were different. You couldn't really understand him, no matter how hard you tried. He left everyone behind at the end... In any case, me and the older shinobis are more responsible for Sasuke's actions. I'm sure Kakashi feels the same. We were supposed to guide him, and pass the will of Fire, that way he would have stayed instead of desert. If Itachi did what he did, then the village failed him as well... That's what led to this. Now it's too late, and we cannot change the past, we can only look forward." Iruka said. He realized this would be hard to understand for Naruto, but he had to hear it. He shouldn't feel responsible for everything Sasuke did, or be the only one to make hard decisions.

"I know you have the power to stop Sasuke. But when the time comes, you won't be alone, and nobody knows what's going to happen. I doubt the members of Root will stay quiet after Danzo's death, so if things get out of control, you may not be able to save everyone... And if that happens, can you assure you won't lose your temper?" Iruka questioned.

Naruto doubted, and stayed silent for a minute. After a while, he answered "No... but then what can I do? The last thing I want is anybody interfering. If I couldn't stop Hinata from fighting Pain, I won't be able to stop anyone from fighting Sasuke. How can I protect them?" Naruto asked, growing in frustration.

Iruka sighed deeply. "Naruto, that's what I'm trying to tell you. If Sasuke comes, things will escape your control. So whatever his reasons are, you must talk to Kakashi, and think about what you can do for Sasuke. If you want him to live, you must find a way to prevent the attack on Konoha." Iruka said.

"What if I can't make it?" Naruto asked.

"Listen, at the end, if you stop Sasuke and let him live, he may be imprisoned for a long time, and probably he'll never regain the trust of the village. And if he dies..." Iruka pondered. He watched Naruto's expression of discomfort. Was obvious that he didn't want any of this. Reality was harsh on him since he was a child, and though some things became easier, there were others that still caused him pain. "I know how hard this must be for you. But please remember, you're not alone... Don't decide things for yourself. Try trusting Kakashi, Sakura, and all your friends. Whatever happens, they'll be there for you." Iruka said, and then he glanced over at Teuchi and Ayame. He turned back to Naruto. "and in the end, Sasuke may have something to say as well, you'll have to respect his decisions..." he sighed, and realized Naruto seemed dubious. "I wish I could be more helpful" he said.

"No... It's ok... you're helping me... maybe you're right... I haven't been a good friend lately. Neji, Shikamaru, Kiba, none of them seemed convinced when I said I'd deal with Sasuke alone... They were upset... I also hurted Sakura because of this" Naruto admitted.

"How is she doing? It must have been hard for her as well" Iruka asked.

"She's sad. I guess she has been shocked since what happened at the bridge... I took her home this evening and we had a talk with her parents. She seemed better when I left" Naruto explained, still with a serious expression.

"Well, at least you could help her. She's safe now. That's what matters" Iruka answered.

"She said she loves me" Naruto said, suddenly.

Iruka was startled. He saw that he wasn't joking, and answered. "Wow... That is good news, right? You always liked her"

"Yeah... I still do... but you know... the first time she said it, at the Land of Iron, I didn't believe her... I rejected her, thinking she was still in love with Sasuke. And because of that, she ended up at the bridge... and almost died" Naruto said, with a depressed tone.

"So you feel guilty... I guess that means you know it's true" Iruka deduced.

"Yes, it is. We talked today, before going to her house. Still, I'm confused. Why was it so hard to believe? She did a lot for me in the last months, and I didn't see it." Naruto pondered.

"I think I have an idea. Naruto... Do you remember how you felt when the whole village welcomed you after defeating Pain? I saw it. You were completely stunned. And just like you said before, you're not used to the way the people see you now. You spent so many years ignored by everyone, that when people acknowledge you, it feels hard to believe... I'm sure it's the same with Sakura. I know she was crazy for Sasuke, but people grow, and feelings can change. You just have to accept that" Iruka explained.

"I know... but I also have been wondering... does she love me just because Sasuke went away? What if he never left, and never tried to kill her? Would she prefer him then? That's one of the reasons why I wanted to get him back, so she could choose, in fair conditions" Naruto pondered.

"You're incredible, you know" Iruka sighed, exasperated. 'All this because he grew up without parents, rejected by the village' he thought. "Listen, I'm no expert in love issues, so far all my relationships have failed… but I know some things… See, I also was in love with a girl from my class when I was at the academy. She lost her father in the Kyuubi incident, so we had something to bond us when we were young... She liked me as well, but as we were not in the same team, eventually we grew apart. What do you think happened?" Iruka asked.

"Seems like you lost her" Naruto responded.

"No, actually, sometime after becoming chunin, we dated for almost two years. What happened was... that I became a permanent teacher at the academy, while she chose to be a combat chunin, always going away on missions. We reunited every time she was in town, but sooner or later, she'd always have to leave..." he sighed, deeply. "At some point, it became unbearable, so we decided to break up. I wasn't willing to stop teaching, and she wouldn't stay in the village regularly. She needed to feel the adrenaline, go on dangerous missions, it was her way to live... Our love for each other wasn't strong enough, and our careers came first." Iruka stated.

"I'm sorry... but where's the point of this? Sensei?"

"The point is that you can't know how things are going to turn out. But that's not a reason for not trying. You can't make excuses to avoid entering in a relationship... Let's say Sasuke stayed, maybe he and Sakura would have dated, maybe not. Probably it would have never worked. And to be honest, he never seemed interested in any girl. Still, the reality is that they wanted different things. I can tell Sakura already realized that. So there's no reason for you to stick up with something that never happened. If you love her, don't wait any longer... The life of a ninja can be short, and the more time passes, more damage will be caused, to you, and to her" Iruka explained.

"You seem to know a lot about this stuff..." Naruto was surprised.

"That's because I'm older than you. Never forget you're only 16, you have a long way to go, and not only in love... Besides, even I've been learning recently. After Pain's assault, I realized I couldn't keep avoiding dates just because my past relationships failed." Iruka said, while glancing over at Ayame.

"You mean you're seeing someone now?" Naruto asked, joyfully.

"Maybe some other time I'll tell you... now we should get going, it's getting late, and I have to get up early tomorrow" Iruka answered, brushing off the question. He stood up, and waved goodbye to Teuchi and Ayame. She smiled at him, and Iruka slightly flustered. When he turned around to leave, Naruto got up, greeted the cooks as well, and followed him, surrendered. He had to admit he needed to rest as well.

The streets of Konoha were pretty empty, an hour and half before midnight. The last days were long for everyone given the latest events. Naruto and Iruka were quiet during the first minutes of walk, they needed time to process all the talk. However, there was one thing left that Naruto wanted to discuss with his former sensei.

"Iruka-sensei... I know this may be a dumb question, but... do you still miss your parents?" Naruto asked, breaking the silence.

"It's not dumb... I always miss them. There are so many things I'd like to tell them, I wished they could have lived longer enough, at least to watch me grow and see the kind of man I became... there were times I needed them the most..." he sighed, looking at the sky. After a while, he gazed back at Naruto. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just... I've been thinking about them lately... I mean, my own parents..." Naruto answered.

"How come?" Iruka asked.

"I met my dad..." Naruto said, suddenly.

"Really? But how... " Iruka mumbled, stunned.

Naruto revealed what happened in his subconscious during the battle with Pain. He recalled pretty much all the things his dad said, from his identity to the faith he had in him.

"So now you know... wherever he's now, I'm sure he's proud of you" Iruka said.

"I hope so... wait, did you know who he was?" Naruto questioned.

Iruka was caught off guard. "Umm..." he figured he had to tell him the truth. "Yes Naruto... I knew. The Sandaime told me during your second year at the academy. Back then, I had already started to cherish you, but still, you were causing many troubles." Naruto scratched the back of his head, and smiled, intending to apologize. Iruka continued "I asked him about your parents because I wanted to understand you better, that way, I could be a better teacher for you..." Iruka explained.

"And what did you learn?" Naruto asked, getting more curious.

"Well... I started seeing you as the bratty son of the Yondaime" he joked, and ruffled the top of his head.

"Hey!" Naruto whined.

"I'm kidding... I'm kidding. Honestly, I felt prouder... suddenly, my job was more important. I was responsible for teaching the son of the 4th Hokage, I had to guide you correctly and honor his legacy... It was hard though, and sometimes I wondered if I was failing him. I got to look up to his face in the rocks more often. But at the same time, it made me feel better... knowing that your parents died the way they did... they saved you, just like my parents saved me..." a couple of tears showed in his eyes. "You became like a young brother I had to raise" Iruka finished.

Naruto was moved by his words, and struggled not to cry. After a while, he spoke. "What about my mother?"

"Well... The Sandaime didn't tell me much about her. He felt that the more I knew, the more I'd be tempted to tell you. I know she was a kunoichi from another village, a foreigner... which also explained how you were. He said that your personality was more like her, she tried to fit in the village... just like you." Iruka explained, now recovered from his almost breakdown.

"I guess it makes sense... I just wish I could know more about them" Naruto said.

"I know... I was just a kid when your father was appointed Hokage, so all I have is a memory of how he looked... you really resemble him, I can't believe I didn't figure it out sooner... Sadly, I have no memories about your mother. I was too young... I'm sorry." Iruka sighed. He looked at Naruto's expression of disappointment. He had already met his father, but now he was eager to meet his mother. It was a desperate natural need.

"Listen, I'm sure Tsunade-sama may know more about your mother... once she wakes up, you have to ask her..., in the meantime, there's no harm in waiting a little longer, right?" Iruka said, trying to comfort him.

"I know... I've been hoping for her to wake up every day... Maybe a little longer is no harm" Naruto said, sounding faithful. He got to think all the things he had to tell his "granny", and suddenly, he remembered. "Iruka-sensei, there's something else you need to know", his tone suddenly became serious.

"What is it?" Iruka asked, with concern in his voice.

"It's about the Kyuubi incident... " Iruka stopped his steps. Naruto did the same, and continued "When I talked to my father, he told me that what happened that night wasn't random. Someone was controlling the Kyuubi... and is the same man who now is leading Akatsuki"

"Hum..." Iruka baffled. "Looks like now we have someone to blame..." he said.

Naruto didn't answer. He remained there, quiet, unsure of what to say. Hatred wasn't in his nature, but he did blame the masked man for a lot of things, especially for his parents death, the whole incident, and for manipulating Sasuke. He had recently figured that his former teammate didn't know Tobi's role in the Kyuubi incident, because if he did, he wouldn't be allied with him. That man's actions were an indirect cause for the Uchiha massacre.

Iruka was thinking as well, but he realized it was too late to hold anger. There wasn't room for hatred in his heart, not even now. A lot of years passed, and he got to accept reality. He broke the silence. "Anyway, it's not like I can do something about it... but you... Naruto... you may be the one who can take this guy down. I can tell your father trusted you to do so, and I'm sure Jiraiya had faith in you as well... And so do I." he stated, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Naruto nodded, thanking him. They resumed the walk, and before they knew, they were already back at Iruka's front door. He unlocked it, opened the door and got in, while Naruto stayed outside. Iruka turned around for the farewell. Naruto yawned.

"Time to get to sleep... you'll be ok?" Iruka asked.

"Yeah" Naruto answered.

"Good... I guess you'll see Sakura tomorrow. Please send her my regards, I hope she gets better... you will stick with her right?" Iruka pondered.

"Yes I will... I love her" Naruto assured.

"I know you do... I'm glad" Iruka said, still looking at his former student, proudly. Before Naruto could turn around, he added "Oh, remember what I told you about Sasuke, trust Kakashi, and the others... Maybe there's still a chance to solve this without fighting. Just have some faith"

"I hope so... thanks for everything, sensei" Naruto answered, before hugging him.

"It's ok Naruto" Iruka accepted the embrace, clutching his back. They broke the hug, and then Naruto turned around to leave. "Just promise me you'll visit more often... then I might tell you who I'm dating" Iruka added, in a louder tone as Naruto started to jump down the stairs.

"I will... I promise, dattebayo" Naruto said, before disappearing into the night.

When Iruka lost sight of him, he closed the door, and went calmly to his bedroom. His day hadn't been so bad after all.

Naruto rushed back home, thinking about his parents. It didn't take him long, and when he walked through his door, he found everything just like when he left. The building had been restored by Yamato and others (including Inari and Tazuna) during the last week, in the same place where it was before the destruction. Some villagers had asked him to move out closer to their residences, others even tried to convince him of relocating in the Hokage tower. But he declined every offer, and decided to remain in the place where he grew up. That apartment, despite all the lonely nights he spent there, was home to him. He wasn't ready to leave. Not yet.

He turned the lights on, and headed straight to the bathroom, to wash up his hands. Then, he went to prepare his pijamas, and decided to take a brief cold shower. After that, he got ready to sleep. Though he was alone again, he wasn't sad. He had a good feeling for his future.

AN: On this chapter, I tried to deal with Naruto's growing process. At this point of the story, he was pretty lost, and confused. Jiraiya was gone, and Kakashi wasn't really helpful, so the only one he could turn for advice was Iruka. The anime episode 275 of Shippuden was wonderful, and places Iruka on top once again. It bothered me when he was ignored during the storyline, so here, I tried to figure out his point of view. He was Sasuke's teacher, so he knew him. Why not show what he feels about it? Then, I also addressed some of his love life, and how he could help Naruto to finally take his chance with Sakura. I mean, Naruto had his reasons for fulfilling the promise, and for not really pushing Sakura to date him, even when she proved she cared deeply about him (especially during Shippuden). He needed someone, a sort of parental figure, an older brother to talk about this stuff. Who better than Iruka then.

Another plothole of the Kage Summit arc was how Naruto never asked anyone about his parents. He should have been pretty curious. So, I guessed Hiruzen would tell something to Iruka, so their bond could grow stronger. The 3rd Hokage did think about Naruto's well being after all, that's why he made Iruka his teacher.

Anyway, I'm sorry if the story becomes a little slow considering the first chapter, but as I advance, I rediscover how many things were forgotten. I remember how Naruto left to the Kumo island, and the way he left everyone was pretty lame. In the manga, he didn't even meet Tsunade to discuss anything. I'm just filling the gaps. So, if anyone wants to take a trip down memory lane on Shippuden, I hope you like this fanfic. Of course, this is not meant for NaruHina, SasuSaku, Sasunaru shippers. I'm trying to respect the essence of what I saw during all Naruto, and Shippuden (and with this I'm saying that I'll never watch Boruto). I think I'm being as objective as possible, but well, readers will judge this work. Thank you all for taking your time.