Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Chapter 9: Alliances

Flashback

The anger inside of her had reached such levels and intensity that she did not have room for anything else. It was all she felt. She had no capacity for the throbbing that originated from her knuckles and extended down to her elbows. She certainly did not feel the soreness or aching of her legs as she brought them down again through the branches of a tree. It was getting a trim of sorts. Only it was woefully uneven. She would get to the left side eventually.

No super strength. No chakra. Just her anger. She was still building. She was in peak form and she had no shortage of fuel to burn through as she recalled the assortment of conversations she was not meant to overhear from the past few weeks.

"Did you hear the news? Namikaze-sama is single again!"

"No way! I really thought he and Uzumaki-san would get married."

"Me too. They looked so good together."

"Hm, it's kind of sad. She can't have children. Who will want her?"

"It is sad. They made sense."

She clenched her teeth as she punched her fist through a branch that was wider than her shoulders.

"Well, it's her loss really. He's so handsome."

"And really nice too."

"He's a good person."

"He likes women with really long hair. Guess I'm canceling my hair salon appointment."

She shot up into the air. She curled a knee to her as she started to lose altitude, quickly. She brought her arms to cover her face as she braced for impact.

"He likes women that can cook too. I'm going to ask my grandmother to teach me all her best recipes. They're how she made my grandfather fall for her. Worked for my mom and dad too."

She grunted as her heel cut through the branches harshly. She paid no mind to the splinters and split-open skin lining her arms and legs.

"Have to be patient. You don't want to be the rebound girl."

"True. I didn't even think of that."

"It's best to wait. No one likes a pushy woman."

The tree exploded into ten of millions of little toothpick size splinters. She teleported some distance away. She eyed the giant sequoia in front of her. She could not even see the top of the tree. She felt bad for what she was about to do to it.

"I saw Suzuki-san a couple of days ago."

"He was always so happy and carefree before her."

"He used to be such a fun flirt. He has the prettiest eyes of anyone in Konoha."

"True! So warm and expressive."

"He's just not the same. She ruined him."

"Oh, he is so kind. She broke his heart. Crushed it."

"I don't know what she's thinking. She can't do better than him."

"She really can't. He's too good for her."

"He's a good man. He has garbage taste in women though. You should ask him out."

"Me?! Maybe…hey! That was so rude."

She punched a hole as far as the length of her arm would allow. She moved backward as she watched it groan loudly. The earth trembled underneath her feet. It was deafening as the massive tree - it had to be at least two hundred years old - came tumbling down. It took down a handful of others with it.

"Did you see Uzumaki-san with her? They had dinner together last week. They were laughing."

"No. So they are talking again?"

"Uzumaki-san forgave her."

"Why would she do that? She's tried to steal her man."

"It's embarrassing in all honesty."

"Uzumaki-san really is not smart keeping her around in her life."

"Uzumaki-san's heart is bigger than her brain. I hope she doesn't come to regret it. A person can only take so much, you know?"

She let out a growl. It was not enough. She needed more. Her eyes locked on a boulder sitting unassumingly amongst the giant trees. It was dwarfed by them just as she was dwarfed by it. She tilted her head back. It was at least seven Sakura's tall and ten Sakura's wide if they were all standing with their arms stretched out with fingers touching.

She wiped the sweat from her brow and she narrowed her eyes. It would have to do.

xXx

Minato picked up the glass of water from the table and held it with a nonplussed look on his face. The water was no longer shaking violently enough to spill over the edges. The meniscus rocked back and forth in the glass slightly. His blue eyes did not leave her face. Not since they had subtly darted over in Nara's direction communicating some wordless thought. The Nara - his would-be advisor - had excused himself from the room not even five minutes ago.

"Tread cautiously, potential Yondaime. The company one keeps is a reflection on one's self." Her lips pressed together for a brief moment. He did not get his hopes up that she was done. "Especially the company one chooses to align themselves with for life. It is not something to be taken lightly."

He smiled at her. It was a very convincing gesture. "Of course, Utatane-sama. I could not agree with you more."

Koharu worked to keep her face in its natural position, in other words, a slight scowl. "The woman," she stopped as another minor tremor caused the building to sway slightly. She cleared her throat. "The woman you will have standing behind you will set the tone for your tenure as the Hokage. You are well past the threshold age where it is deemed fit to take a wife. It is time."

"There is still plenty of time." He said with the appropriate amount of respect and decorum. "The war is ongoing." It was true that they had dealt losses to Iwa. But Iwa was still standing even if their legs were shaking.

"That is the thing about time, Namikaze. We all think we have plenty of it, only to be caught off guard when we run out of It." Koharu said off the cuff.

"I do not recall that a certain marital status is a requirement for the position," Minato added smoothly, not missing a beat.

"I cautiously remind you that the nomination is not a lock for you. The Uchiha has a leg up on you in this regard. His wife has the temperament suited to support the needs of the office." Koharu's lips frown grew for a fraction of a second.

"Then I can only hope I edge Uchiha-san out in other categories enough to secure the nomination." Minato ignored the way the dangling lights swayed slightly. "Either way, the village is in competent hands."

Considering the Uchiha was essentially a formality. Only the Elders had purview to that fact. Sarutobi did not feel that Fugaku was the right fit. Feel, he had used that actual word. It was laughable. Minato did not need to know that.

"If you were to get married between now and the end of the war, whenever that may be, the position is guaranteed to be yours." Koharu shared the tidbit of knowledge.

He said nothing. There was not much more to say on this topic specifically to Koharu of all people. He was not going to be pressured into getting married - or taking a wife as Koharu so eloquently put it. He was not going to pressure Sakura. They had just gotten together not too long ago. He could not let her know about any of this.

He knew that she was the one for him. That she would be the one he spends the rest of his life with. He knew for a while now. It was something he was going to keep to himself. For the time being at least. He knew it was going to happen but it would happen at their pace when they were both ready. Not a moment sooner and not a moment later, regardless of the circumstances or outside pressure.

"I can send some candidates your way if you are too busy with the war effort to invest time into looking." She said casually. "All the women come from good families. Strong families, some even from prominent clans with very attractive genes." She was talking about Kekkei Genkai. He was not fooled by her politically correct sanitization.

"All of the women have the look, skill, and disposition to be the kind of wife you need. They have been groomed for such a role since birth. You will not want for anything. They will add to your life. Take from your stress. They will represent you with poise and class. They will not embarrass you, challenge you or hurt your sentiment amongst the clans and the people. These women will ensure you can keep your head held high. They will be exceptional wives and mothers." She paused to let the words sink in. "I can have the information to you by the end of the week." She could have it for him by the end of the day but she did not want to come across as over-eager.

"I appreciate the nugget of wisdom, Utatane-sama. Along with your generous offer of help. But I must decline, respectfully." He set the water back down on the table. The tremors had stopped. He smiled at her assuredly. He had not even pretended to consider it. That did not sit right with her.

"Am I wrong to assume that you're still unattached, Namikaze?" She knew the answer. She just wanted to see what he would do.

"You are not wrong, Utatane-sama." He held her gaze and his tone did not fluctuate.

The lines on Koharu's face became more pronounced as her expression grew more easily identifiable. She regarded his calm demeanor. He really did not betray anything. It would serve him well in office. He had her vote despite her reservations about who he was choosing to spend his time with. He was a head above the alternative, even if the alternative's clan was not being held against him. Maybe his status was not such a bad thing. There was still time to change both it and his mind.

"Very well," Koharu sighed. She stood and turned to face the door. Minato rose to his feet as well. "I do not like repeating myself." She took a couple of steps before she half-turned. She pinned him with a withering look. "Choose wisely."

"Thank you for your advice, Utatane-sama." He bowed his head.

She slowly turned and walked out of the meeting room that was one floor and one door from the office that he no doubt would one day occupy.

Minato let out a small sigh. His mask melted away. He walked over to the wall comprised of three panels of glass. His eyes were far away.

xXx

She felt an all too familiar pull. She was frozen in place and that agitated her. If she really wanted to, she supposed she could just rip herself free of his jutsu. She had the brute strength for it. But he was not the enemy. No, that would be her mind. Sakura dipped her head in a gesture of defeat. Slowly she regained the ability to move by her own volition.

She looked at the devastation she caused silently. She took in the leveled trees, the boulder reduced to dust. She had gotten carried away. She could see exactly the places where she had lost her composure and chakra had slipped through. It was so much worse than she had pictured. She was almost done assessing the damage.

"I'm sorry, Shikama -" she closed her eyes. She finished her slow turn. "I'm sorry, Shikaku-san." She looked into the familiar enough face of her friend's father. "I overdid it." She lowered her eyes to the ground between them.

"Do you feel better?" Shikaku asked her evenly, seemingly unbothered by her mix-up with his name.

"Not really," she admitted. She pulled twigs and leaves from her hair. They fell to her feet forming a very real pile of shame.

"Then why go through all this?" Shikaku's tone was suddenly very flippant. "Why do this?" He gestured to the destroyed grounds.

Her eyes snapped up to his. Her lips parted as her jaw hung loose. In her defense, she had picked a secluded, hardly used spot. It was more forest than a training ground. But she did not have it in her to point that out to him. Instead, she stood there uncharacteristically silent, completely at a loss.

"Don't make it a habit of making things harder for yourself, Sakura." He held something in his dark orbs that held wisdom beyond his twenty-odd years.

She regarded him with a solemn gaze. She dipped her head down slowly. If there was one thing Shikamaru's life taught her about his old man, it was to listen when he gave unsolicited advice.

It was worth considering.

End of Flashback

She made sure not to be too obvious. She lowered her gaze to the white and blue teacup in her hands. She scrubbed it with a soapy sponge. Her son was out spending the morning just like he did all the rest. For perhaps the first time she was thankful that he seemingly did not have a single ambitious bone in his body. He would not disturb her. She adjusted the water pressure so that the tap was barely on.

Her dark eyes focused on the trio that was gathered outside under the shade of the large elm tree. She could see the back of the Akimichi. Shikaku was leaning against the tree which she thought was so typical of him. The Yamanaka was standing directly in front of Shikaku. The faces of Shikaku and Inoichi were in view. They were too far to hear even if the water was turned off, besides the window was closed. She could not open it now without capturing their attention. That fact did not discourage her in the slightest. She may no longer officially be a kunoichi, but the training was all still there. As long as she could see their lips. She was as good as standing right next to them.

Shikaku sighed. He ran a hand across his face. Lately, it seemed like a new day brought ten new problems with it. He turned his head. He could barely make out the silhouette of his son lazing about a couple of miles away. He was on his back. Hands behind his head. One leg resting on a bent knee. He was without a care in the world. The deer grazed around him equally as unbothered. He was the reason why he put himself through what he did. He turned to face his teammates.

"Wolf came up empty on his follow-up investigation. All signs still point to Bat. The other ANBU were cleared." Shikaku summarized what had been going on the past week. "The first round of ANBU physicals have been completed. We are confident that no suspicions have been raised."

Inoichi scratched the side of his face. He crossed his arms. "So it looks like my number will be called soon enough."

Choza looked between the two men. "Are you ready?"

Inoichi rocked back on his heels. His expression was serious. "The situation is far from ideal. I have never had to perform that jutsu on a comrade before." He sighed. "But it won't be a problem. I'll do what needs to be done."

Shikaku addressed Choza. "Hear anything useful?"

Choza shrugged in a noncommittal manner. "Mostly the garden variety stuff. Although there are rumors floating around that the Hyugas aren't happy."

Inoichi snorted. "What's new? Hyugas not being happy is a fixture in this village. Right up there with the Uchiha being snobby assholes."

Choza grunted. "Not like this. Hiashi wants to call for a Clan Council meeting. To get the details of the attack and to find out what Minato is planning on doing to prevent something like this in the future. He's out for blood."

The Hyuga head had been biding his time for an excuse to go after Minato. And now it looked like he was making his moves. He was methodical and patient. Shikaku was sure that he had his ducks in a row before calling for action. But he figured he would eliminate all doubt.

Shikaku tugged at his goatee. His mind worked quickly to process the information. "How credible are the rumors?"

"As credible as rumors can be." Choza frowned. "Hizashi all but confirmed them. I ran into him and Neji while I was out with Choji." His tone implied that he thought it was anything but coincidence. He had never seen Hizashi at his favorite BBQ place before and Choza was there a lot.

"Do we have to worry about the other clans? The Uchiha are a wildcard of course." Inoichi looked at Shikaku.

"The only other clans that might be a problem are the Kurama Clan and the Aburame. They both tend to keep to themselves."

"That's four out of the nine." Inoichi rubbed his forehead.

"We need at least two-thirds to keep the peace," Choza said solemnly. Two-thirds was enough to maintain control and prevent a vote. A vote to remove a sitting Hokage. "I can follow up with the Kurama Clan." They were on friendly enough terms with them. Murakumo, the leader, was a reasonable man. He was not too worried about how the conversation might go.

"Now I don't know how to feel about the Bat situation. On one hand, I want Minato to be able to go to the Clan Council and say that the threat is good and over. But on the other hand…." Inoichi trailed off. He rubbed the back of his neck.

"You don't want it to be true that a shinobi born and raised in Konoha would betray it," Choza said in a gruff tone. He understood the conflicting feelings. He felt them too. "I&T was a dead end?" He asked Inoichi.

"No one took the bait, well no one we did not account for anyway." A headache was beginning to form behind his eyes.

"Things would be so much easier if we didn't have to keep her busy." Choza shuffled on his feet. "This whole thing would be a lot less troublesome if we just worked with her instead of against her."

The silence that blanketed them was a form of agreement. Shikaku tilted his head up to take in the canopy of branches and leaves. "It can't be helped. He wants her out of it so we keep her out of it. I think we all know what our next steps are."

The blond and brunette nodded. Choza pressed his lips into a firm line. "Is it true, Shikaku?" He looked at the Nara. His eyes bore into his. He knew he did not have to specify. The events of yesterday would not be far from his mind. Inoichi's eyebrows shot up. He looked between his teammates for context clues.

Shikaku nodded his head slowly. "Itachi is staying with Minato. It is true."

Inoichi frowned. Before he could ask what they meant Choza looked at the blond. "Fugaku kicked Itachi out of the Uchiha Compound."

"Damn," Inoichi muttered. He had only been half-serious when he called the Uchiha a wildcard he fully expected them to support Minato. Now it became clear why neither of them had bothered to correct him. The recent event and its aftermath only made things worse for Minato.

He sighed. "I thought we already reached an agreement on this. The concern still remains."

Kushina shook her head. "No. You thought wrong. There could be kids out there that need my help and I'm going to help them, dattebane! I don't care who might be after me. Let them come. I'm not scared of anyone." She needed to make sure Kohana and her daughter were alright.

He felt his composure start to go. Between everything that had been happening and what happened last night, his fuse was much shorter this morning. He reminded himself to breathe so that he would not react in a way he would come to regret. "What changed between yesterday and today?"

Kushina crossed her arms and grinned. Her person radiated confidence. "I remembered who I was. I'm someone who does not go back on her promises. So do what you need to do to feel better about the situation but I'm going Minato. You can't stop me."

He believed her. The Kushina that was in front of him was completely different from the woman who walked in here yesterday. The day had just started and it was already shaping up to be a long one.

"You'll lead a team of four."

"Two." She countered. She had to keep up the ruse. "These kids are usually traumatized. The last thing they need to see is a whole gang of new faces coming at them. And the smaller the team the easier it is to infiltrate without raising suspicion. Give me a medic. Rin or Shizune. Either will do."

"Rin and Shizune are busy with an assignment that requires their uninterrupted focus. I can give you a different medic but you will have to take another combat nin with you."

"Forget the medic." She shot back without hesitation. "Sakura is on standby anyway. She'll be able to look at the kids when we get back first thing." Keeping the team as small as possible for a simple mission was what was important. The more people that came, meant there were more brains around to pick apart the lie. This was not a recon mission. It was a wellness visit. She hoped that Minato gave her some clueless genin who did not know their hand from their foot.

Minato contemplated her words. "Okay. I have just the person in mind. I'll send for them and provide the rundown. You'll leave the day after tomorrow, meet at the gates at eight sharp. I assume that gives you enough time to do preparations?" He looked at her waiting for her answer.

She nodded. She saw the brief flicker of confusion in his eyes. She had been dismissed. He was unsure of why she was still here.

"It's funny how things turned out, huh?" Her expression suddenly turned nostalgic.

"What do you mean?" He leaned back in his seat. His hands gripped the ends of the desk.

"There was a time I couldn't stand the sight of your face and I thought I never would be able to. But here we are forever linked by the people we love." She wanted to put it all out there. She had been carrying this around with her for too long. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

His eyes traveled from her face to the wood of his desk in front of him. She was right. Their lives were forever connected and they had been for a while now.

"I consider you a friend, Kushina." He looked at her. He had hurt her in the past. He was not proud of it. He would never forget the brokenness in her eyes when she came to the realization that he would never love her the way she wanted. Now when he looked into her eyes, he only saw fierce determination and resolve.

"I do too Minato. It took me a while to admit it because of the past, but I do too." It felt good for her to say that. It felt like the weight she had been carrying for so long was shed from her shoulders.

"I guess it is funny how we both managed to stay in each other's lives." He mused. His eyes glazed over as he looked back.

Kushina snorted. "Don't flatter yourself. I was always going to be in her life, no matter what. You were the addon. I loved her first." She could not help the protective edge to her voice. "It would do you some good to remember that."

He chuckled. "Like either of you would let me forget it. Come back alive Kushina. For all of us."

She nodded her head. "That is the plan."

Mikoto pulled him into her arms as tight as she could. He did not protest the bone-crushing hug. He let her hold him for as long as she needed. "I'm so glad you're okay, Itachi-kun." She let him go but held onto his hand. She was scared that if she let him go he would disappear again. It was silly, she knew that but it was how she felt. She needed something to hold on to.

"I'm fine Okaasan." He looked over her shoulder. He was suddenly reminded that he was not back home. This was not his room. It was surreal. All of it. From waking up in a near-panicked state because nothing was familiar to remembering where he was and how he got there. It hit him all over again. The emotions nearly knocked the wind out of him. He was thankful that no one saw him curled up in a fetal position. He did not need to add to the anxiety of his hosts.

Mikoto's lips twitched but she said nothing. "Have you eaten?" She asked. Her dark eyes watching for any tells that Itachi was being dishonest. She always knew.

Itachi nodded. "Sakura-san made sure of it." It was strange to have two women fuss over him. They were very different in style but the reason behind it was the same. Even he understood that.

Mikoto kept her lips from pulling into a frown. She was relieved to hear it but she was also sad that it was not her cooking that he ate. "I brought you some bento I made this morning. Sakura put them in the fridge. Eat them when you get hungry." She brought a hand to his head. She had already put the bag with his clothes on the foot of the bed that they were sitting on.

Itachi nodded. He leaned slightly into her touch when she cupped his cheek. "I'm fine Okaasan." He repeated. He wanted to reassure her of that fact.

This time Mikoto did not fight the frown. "You may be fine but I'm not!" She snapped at him with more harshness than she intended. She winced at the sound of her own voice. She softened her expression. "I'm so worried about Itachi. Why did you do that? You knew it would upset your father."

She had not planned on pressing him, to demand that he explain himself. That was the plan. But being here in the room with him she needed to know. The sooner she did the sooner she could start to undo all of this.

"I think I can make a difference. Help both the Uchiha and Konoha." He knew his mother would not settle for non-answers. And while he could not fully articulate why he did what he did - because not even he fully understood it - he could at least try. Maybe it would give him some clarity as well.

Mikoto struggled to keep the frustration from her voice. "Your father does that, Itachi. He helps both the clan and the village. He knows better than most about both. If he thinks the police force will not be a good fit for you, listen to him. He only wants what is best for you."

Itachi felt his heart drop. His mother did not understand. He got his hopes up for no reason. He should have known better. "He wants what he thinks is best for me." Having two Uchiha close enough in age to compete for Hokage will only cause more conflict in the clan than there already is. He understood this. He was not sure why his mother did not.

"Itachi, please listen to me. Apologize to your father. Come back home. We will figure it out together, as a family." She held their clasped hands.

He had to look away from the pleading look on her face. He hated having to disappoint her. But she was not listening. "I'm not apologizing Okaasan." He said firmly. Mikoto let go of his hands as if he burned her.

"So you rather stay here? Away from your family indefinitely? Away from Sasuke?" Anger was starting to color his mother's words. He was not used to hearing this tone. "For what Itachi? Is doing this really worth losing your family?"

He said nothing. His insides shook. She did not see. She did not understand. He was not doing this to spite his family. He was doing it for his family. For Konoha. For Sasuke. For them all. Maybe she was not all that different from his father after all. "I'm sorry, Okaasan but my mind is made up." This was the only way.

Mikoto stood up quickly. Itachi rose to his feet. "I'm sorry to hear that." Her face betrayed no emotion. But he could see the hurt in her eyes. She took three steps towards the door and stopped.

"Please tell Sasuke that I miss him," Itachi said to her back. He held out a hand reaching for her.

Mikoto smacked her lips in displeasure and left without another sound.

There was a knock on the open door. A head with pink hair and green eyes poked through. "Itachi?" The voice was tentative. Like she was not sure what to do. "Are you alright?" She asked him gently.

The boy said nothing. He stared at the spot his mother had occupied mere seconds ago. It was the second time in as many days he was left staring at a parent's back. He never felt more alone.

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. The sweet mid-spring air brought her immense comfort. It was the month of May. The days were getting both warmer and longer. Her loose white tunic brushed against her midriff. Her iris purple, high-waisted pleated shirt fluttered around her as she moved. Her taupe wedge sandals finished off the look. They were comfortable enough to keep pace with her companion as they walked.

The twins were running up ahead. They stayed in view. They were eager to see all that they could. They seemed to understand that this was a privilege so they were on their best behavior. For now at least.

"Thanks for helping out today. Didn't think you would after I nearly bit your head off the last time you offered." She tried to ease the embarrassment of the memory with a joke. The day had been pleasant enough. She had been waiting to broach the topic for some time now.

He chuckled. "My pleasure. I'd imagine they are easier to wrangle when you're not outnumbered two to one."

"You can say that again." She stopped herself from snorting in agreement.

"Thanks for showing me the zoo. It is quite charming." He smiled his dimpled smile. It made her heart do some strange things in her chest. She turned her head to look at the red pandas sizing each other up. T1 and T2 were pressed up against the gate trying unsuccessfully to capture their attention.

She hummed in agreement. It was also not the only thing she found charming but she kept that to herself. "I just wanted to apologize for my behavior. I was frustrated for not being allowed to go out on a mission and I took it out on you and poor Mako."

Joben put his hands on the fence and leaned forward. Kushina came to stand next to him. Both looked at the pandas. "No apology necessary." He flashed her a smile. "So you'll be going on that mission after all."

Kushina nodded. "Yeah, I leave tomorrow." Her expression darkened.

"I thought that was what you wanted," Joben commented, noting her sudden change in demeanor.

"It is. But not really. Minato found a way to mess with me after all. I have a babysitter coming along." She grumbled.

He ran a hand through his hair. Kushina found herself unable to look away. "Sounds like a good compromise to me."

She furrowed her brow. "How do you figure?"

He wiggled his brow. "Neither side is truly happy."

She let out a short laugh. A smile stretched across her lips. "Yeah, I guess that's accurate. It still feels like I got the shorter end of the stick though."

"Your friends are worried. Don't be too hard on them. You'd probably feel the same way if you were in their shoes." He ducked to avoid being hit in the face by a tree branch from the exhibit.

"You know if I wanted to listen to logic and reason I would have asked Shikaku to the zoo." She teased. "I can handle myself. I don't need a babysitter."

"I don't doubt that. And I'm sure Hokage-sama doesn't either." She ignored the way the butterflies in her stomach kicked up a notch at his words. "Don't think of them as a babysitter and more of a companion. Maybe they'll be excellent company." He tilted his head to the side as he regarded her. She was mesmerizing. "Come back safe and come back soon from your mission."

She turned her head to hide the flush. They followed after the twins who had now settled on staring at the very large boa constrictor that was lazing in a tree. She felt his arm brush against hers as they walked. Their fingers touched when their arms gently swung as they walked.

"You know, I haven't been entirely honest." Kushina looked at the ground. She felt his gaze. Her skin pricked.

"Don't tell me you're married." He nudged her with his shoulder playfully.

Her eyes widened. Her face went red.

"What?! No! That's not what I was going to say at all, dattebane!" She elbowed him in the ribs, hard. She covered her mouth with horror when she realized what she had just done. She had put her hands on a foreign diplomat on Konoha soil. "Kami! I'm so sorry." She fussed over his hunched frame. "Are you okay?"

She waited in a panic. His shoulders moved up and down and he straightened. The sound of his laughter registered in her ears.

"You should have seen your face!" He said the words between laughs. He made a horrified face to illustrate just how she must have looked.

Kushina did not fight it. She was laughing right along with him. The twins looked at the laughing adults and then at each other before they shrugged. They turned their attention back to the snake. They were trying to get its head to follow along as they moved side to side.

"Stop! Stop it!" Kushina wiped the tears from her eyes. It was stupid. It was not even that funny. But she could not fight the giggles and the dumb smile on her face. Just looking at him was enough to send her into another fit.

"Stop what? I'm not even doing anything." His voice was jolly. The easy smile remained on his lips. Joben moved closer to her. She just had to take a half step to close the distance.

"Stop looking at me!" She covered her hands with her face. She could hear the smile in her words.

"If that's what you want. Stop making it so hard." The sudden seriousness in his voice caused her to swallow audibly. She let out a surprised squeak when she felt his hands on hers. She was too shocked to put up any resistance. Her skin was electrified where he made contact. She felt her arms being lowered from her face. They came to rest at her side. His hands were still in hers.

"Do you really want me to stop looking?" He asked again in a much lower tone. His voice was throatier. She had trouble trusting her ears. Her mind must be playing tricks on her.

"The longer you look," she began. She lowered her eyes. She did not trust herself to look into his. "The more you'll find wrong." His hands were moving up and down her arms.

"I doubt that very much." She was compelled to look into his dark eyes. She was surprised to find so much warmth in them. So much was being expressed and she never would have known if she had not looked.

She made a noncoherent sound. She licked her lips. He looked at her through his lashes. They were unfairly long. They curled up naturally.

Hikari shrieked. Kushina jumped. The adults turned to look at the toddler. Hikaru was pulling her hair.

"Hikaru! Stop doing that right now." Kushina moved to separate the two. She bounced Hikari on her hip trying to distract the girl in an effort to prevent tears. Joben grabbed Hikaru and put him on his shoulders. The boy flailed his hands in delight.

"You're just rewarding bad behavior," Kushina said as they fell in step again. Hikari played with her hair. Kushina sighed she had a long night of detangling ahead of her.

Joben shrugged. "Old habits die hard." He grinned as she rolled her eyes in response. "What were you trying to say earlier?" He asked her as they made a right to see the crocodile exhibit.

Kushina scratched the back of her head. Her nerve was lost. "I don't remember."

Joben looked up at Hikaru. "T1 is lying good or bad?"

"Bad." The toddler answered helpfully.

The spears of betrayal shredded her heart. "Okay, fine!" She exclaimed exasperated. "I was just saying that I wasn't completely honest with you." She winced as Hikari yanked on a fist full of her hair. She coaxed the girl to unclench her fist. Kushina swept her hair to the other side, out of reach of the girl's hands. "Yes I was mad at Minato that day but I was mad at you too."

His brow shot up. He was confused. She was expecting as much. "Well more at myself really. It's stupid but I thought we had a moment back when we had seen each other last when Naruto was there. And then I walked in on you and Mako talking and I realized that I read it all wrong, like usual."

She took his dumbfounded silence as an invitation to keep digging her grave. "You see I've done that before. Getting way ahead of myself. I was angry with myself so I lashed out even harder. I know you said that you don't need an apology but I feel like you deserve the whole story. Not an excuse but maybe content will help not completely destroy your opinion of me."

Joben blinked slowly. He was completely caught off guard by it all. Her words, her admission, her openness. He did not know what to say. Thankfully she did not appear to be looking for an answer. But he would try to give her one anyway. He cleared his throat. He felt her eyes.

"You didn't read it wrong. We did have a moment. Mako-san and I were only talking about you and the work you do with the orphanage." He saw her stiffen at his admission. "You're an amazing person, Kushina."

"I'm not one for sitting around all day and wondering if someone likes me. I have things to do, Joben. So cards on the table: I'm a jinchuriki, I can't have children biologically, and I like you," Kushina could feel the heat on her cheeks. Thankfully the viewing area exhibit was dark. She hoped it was dark enough for him not to notice. She had bared it all. If he ran away, he ran away. She did not have the patience in her for kiddie gloves. She watched as the stunned expression on his face slowly, slowly disappeared.

Joben licked the corner of his lip. His mind raced through hundreds of thoughts. "Why do I feel that you're not going to leave it at that?"

"I need stability. Not easy words and false promises. I really thought I was going to marry the last man I was with. I don't date around for the fun of it." She looked into the eyes of a crocodile that was bathing in the sun. She felt surprisingly calm. It was strange. She had been petrified when she left the house this morning to go on the outing they talked about yesterday with the twins and herself. She had nearly thrown up when she first practiced the speech. But now, she felt good. At peace even. If he thought she was crazy, it would not be the end of the world.

"What happened?" Joben asked in a low voice. Her opening up to him was leaving him feeling slightly lightheaded.

Kushina shrugged. "He wasn't into me as much as I was into him. We didn't fit together. So I let him go." He felt the weight of her violet gaze. "I know what it is like to be led on. It's a horrible feeling. I wanted to be upfront with you. I'm too old and have too much going on to be playing games."

It felt like an eternity before he found the will to speak. "Thank you for telling me."

It was all he could manage. She nodded in response. Both seemed too engrossed in their own minds to notice the abundance of stares and whispers as they continued to make their way from exhibit to exhibit.

The kunai embedded itself in the wood. It was bullseye yet again. He turned his back and threw one over his shoulder. He did not even need to turn around to know it had found its target - the center.

"I thought I would find you here." He recognized the voice. It belonged to the last person he wanted to see right now. Maybe second to last.

"Is that how you're going to be Itachi?" Shisui asked him. He closed the distance between them. He stood a few inches taller than him. Itachi would catch up in as many years. His dark eyes roamed Itachi's face. It betrayed nothing. But even Itachi - with his careful mask - could do nothing to stop the stress lines from giving him away.

"There's nothing to talk about," Itachi stated simply. He spoke as if it was not a controversial take. His tone was the same that people used to discuss the weather.

Shisui scoffed. He crossed his arms over his chest. His body language was not great. But it was hard not to react to Itachi's standoffishness. It was feeding him. "The hell there isn't. I leave the village for a month and in the same amount of time, you've managed to completely lose sight of everything and become homeless. There's too much to talk about, Itachi. I don't even know where to begin."

"So don't." Itachi ran his finger along the edge of the kunai, barely applying any pressure.

"That doesn't work for me. I can't sit back while my best friend ruins his life." Shisui's eyes pinned Itachi with a withering look. This was not Itachi. He could not believe it. He just needed something, anything to pin his hopes on. That the Itachi he knew was not gone. He was just confused or momentarily lost. He could bring him back. He could help him find his way home. But if he followed through this path, he would be unable to do anything. The Curse of Hatred would only claim another.

Itachi felt that he was getting good at disappointing those he cared about. It was just another skill to add to his already impressive repertoire.

"No one is asking anything of you." Itachi inwardly grimaced. He did not want to have to do this. But the look in Shisui's eyes told him he would not back down otherwise. Itachi could not afford to lose sight of the mission. He was already in too deep. "I will not be your charity case. I will not be used to atone for your sins. I have my own ideals and my goals. You will not use me as a buffer for your own guilt and inner darkness. Go find someone else to save."

Shisui's whole body shook as he struggled to contain his anger. He clenched his teeth. The urge to strike Itachi was almost too great. His eyes flashed between black and red. It was only due to his iron-clad will that his bloodline did not take over. It would only escalate the situation to blows. He still had enough sense to recognize that was a line that could not be uncrossed. If he laid a hand on Itachi outside the context of a friendly spar, it was over. What remained of their relationship would dissolve. There would be nothing but resentment and anger on both sides.

Shisui took a few calming breaths. He willed himself to look for tells, clues, anything that could be explaining why Itachi was acting the way he was. Something had to give. His stomach dropped when Itachi's lips curled into a cruel smile. It was unnatural. It made his blood run cold.

"It wouldn't change anything. The Konoha shinobi would still be dead. The one you killed."

The air deflated in Shisui's lungs. His eyes widened. He was empty. The anger had seeped right out of him. He looked numbly at Itachi. His jaw went slack. His ears rang. For a horrifying few seconds, he thought he would throw up. An intense wave of nausea hit him. It almost overcame him. He held back the words floating in his head. The angry words. The hurtful words. But he stayed quiet. He looked one last time at the face of the stranger before he flickered out of the area.

Itachi looked down at his hands. They had a mind of their own. They were clenching and unclenching. If he were anyone else, maybe his mask would have come off. Maybe he would have donned a shell-shocked expression. In a span of less than five minutes, he burnt a bridge that took more than five years to build. His mind was in a hazy fog.

He did not react when a figure approached him. He did not react when he felt his hand on his head. Unlike the feeling he got when his mother or father did the same, he found his skin crawling from the action.

"That was cold, Itachi."

Itachi raised his eyes slowly. "Shun-oniisan." Itachi mumbled out his name.

"Your stunt at the police force yesterday did not have me convinced. But seeing how you kicked that bleeding heart while he was down." Shun whistled lowly. "You might just have it in you, boy."

Itachi's eyes flickered to the other presence that joined them. It was Uito. The older Uchiha regarded him with a presence that projected guardedness.

"It's a shame that your old man kept us apart all these years, Itachi. We could have had a lot of fun together." He slung his arm around Itachi's shoulders. "We may just have more in common than I thought. Sorry to hear about how your old man kicked you out. He's weak. He's scared of you. He sees you as a threat."

Itachi ignored the way his stomach lurched. "Otosan has not been thinking about what is best for the family."

Shun nodded. "That is what I've been saying for years now." He seemed to recall something. "Say, Itachi?"

Itachi looked at him mutely.

"Is it true that you're staying with the Namikazes?" Shun and Uito exchanged a look before looking down at Itachi.

He nodded his head.

Shun's grin grew both in size and sinisterness. "We might have a place for you, after all, cousin."

She hummed to herself as she skipped the usual step of grabbing the file from the metal basket on the wall. It was the second day of ANBU physicals. She did not know who was coming. All she knew was that she had to set time aside and provide room numbers and the ANBU would do the rest. They would arrive with their files in hand. The details on the files were frustratingly sparse. Most medical conditions automatically disqualified shinobi from being considered for ANBU, even something like Type 1 Diabetes or allergies. The incredibly strict requirements were one of the few reasons the ANBU ranks were so sparse. If anything beyond the 'name', mask, birthdate, or special accolades was in the file the person was as good as gone. Even a history of breaking bones too often could be enough to put the ANBU's job at risk.

As a citizen, she could appreciate the strict physical requirements. As a doctor, it was beyond frustrating. The requirements and the stigma behind it was the number one reason why most ANBU did not bother with doctor visits. They simply pushed through the pain. It was reckless and it was dangerous. They could not in good conscience send sick or injured ANBU out into the field. So she had pushed for yearly physicals and more lax requirements. The council had pushed back on making the requirements less stringent but at least they agreed to the physicals. It was a step in the right direction.

She knew it was a long shot since the schedule was at the discretion of the Hokage, but every time she opened the door to the reserved rooms she had butterflies. She hoped that on the other side of the door would be a purple spider mask waiting for her. Every. Time. So far in the seven ANBU she had personally seen, and the eight that Tsunade had seen, Spider had not come up yet. She held out hope.

She knocked on the door and waited for a second before opening it. Her stomach fluttered. It dropped when she saw a familiar white and navy mask. "Wolf." She said flatly. He held out his file for her. She opened it with a frown.

"Your excitement is overwhelming." Wolf deadpanned.

Sakura put the file aside. It was sparse just like the rest of them. It was all for show anyways. She knew his medical history like the back of her hand.

"Sorry, Wolf. Was hoping you were someone else." She admitted.

"Spider?" He asked evenly. Her eyes focused on him as she brought a chakra-cloaked hand to his shoulder. He felt it move through his body. The rules were simple. The mask stayed on. No questions that may reveal identity were allowed.

Sakura focused on her task. "I just thought it would be good to meet the shadow division." She was quite proud of the nickname she gave the other two guards. "Spider and Ox. It would be pretty cool to meet the first ANBU in the inner guard that is a woman. Pretty inspiring stuff."

Wolf studied her closely. She was now listening to his lungs. Instructing him to breathe in and out. "That will be hard to do seeing how Spider already had her physical."

Sakura's hand faltered. Her medic mode mask melted away. He saw the genuine shock on her features. "How? Tsunade hasn't exclaimed her and neither have I. You're the last one for today."

Wolf was beginning to second guess volunteering this information. But he was committed to it now. Sakura would not let this go. "Hokage-sama wanted the inner guard to be done first. It just worked better for their schedules. They were one of the first ones."

She frowned. She was getting really sick and tired of Minato pulling fast ones on her. "Who did the exams?"

"Tanaka Ryo."

She wanted to pull her hair out. Instead, she settled for checking Wolf's reflexes. Admittedly she hit the bottom of his knee harder than strictly necessary. He said nothing. "Hokage-sama seems to have a new best friend and favorite medic." She muttered darkly to herself.

If he were Obito he probably would have asked Sakura one simple one-worded question: 'Jealous?' But he was not Obito and he liked having his head still attached to his shoulders. So he said nothing.

"Why are you here then? Why didn't Ryo see you too when he did the rest?" She eyed him suspiciously.

"Hokage-sama granted me an exception. Perks of being his favorite." He explained. Her eyes took on a look of understanding. "The fewer people that know my medical history the better. Besides I don't want to have to get used to yet another medic poking around." He answered honestly.

Sakura could not help but smile at his words. She found it oddly sweet in a way. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Wolf."

Wolf pushed down the guilt that was growing in him. She seemed to come to life at his words. Like a plant that has just been watered. Her eyes shone brighter and her smile was more genuine. He watched and listened to her fuss over him. He drew the line at taking the lollipop she pulled from her pocket.

"Why did it have to be you?" Kushina said through grit teeth. If the Akatsuki did not kill her before they reached Hacho Village, Obito definitely will.

"I'm not happy about this either, lady." Obito huffed. "Why are we dressed like this anyways? Why can't we take to the trees again? Why can't we even run at least?"

She clenched her head. "For the hundredth time, this is an inflation mission. We are not shinobi. We are civilians. If civilians catch wind that we are anything but, they will clam up. So to keep up with appearances we dress like civilians and we must act like civilians. So that means no running, and definitely no taking to the trees. Especially not when we're less than half a day out."

"And explaining all this loudly isn't a dead giveaway?" He asked as he picked a bug that he swatted from his skin.

"Enough with your questions already!" Kushina shot him an 'are-you-serious' look. "This is exactly why I prefer to go on these missions alone." She grumbled. She smoothed the hair on her head. She tightened her ponytail.

Obito crossed his arms in a huff. "I'm just doing my job, same as you. You don't have to be so mean about it."

She regarded him. Her eyes softened a little. "I take this very seriously and I know this isn't the type of mission you were hoping for. I just want you to know this is very important to me."

Obito nodded. "I get that. Having different kinds of missions is going to look good on my file so I'm taking this seriously too."

Kushina's stomach dropped. She was working with a novice. She should have been more careful with her wish. Minato gave her a clueless jonin that did not know his hand from his foot.

"Have you seriously never done an infiltration mission before? How can anyone take your admissions of being Hokage seriously if you don't even know the basics?"

Obito bristled. "You're one to talk. Didn't you used to tell anyone that listened that you would be Hokage? I think I'll pass on taking advice from a washout."

Kushina was taken aback at his blatant rudeness. "Yeah well, the only way I see you becoming Hokage is through an act of nepotism. Or if Minato truly loses his mind."

Obito scoffed. He was visibly offended. "You're only saying that because you're not Hokage and the man you're in love with is."

Kushina narrowed her eyes. "I'm not in love with him, you idiot!" He was lucky he was out of swinging range, she would have knocked him out cold long ago if he was. She had no qualms about dragging him to Hacho by his ankle.

Obito side-eyed her. "Right."

"Maybe I love him, sure. But I haven't been in love with him for almost a decade now. So let it go kid. No one is holding a candle for him here." She crossed her arms.

"I don't see the difference." Obito picked at the dirt in between his nails.

Kushina sighed deeply and rolled her eyes heavenward. "Kami, you really are clueless."

He looked down at the two numbers on his hand: 321 and 11. He looked at the door. It read '321'. He was early. He did not sense her chakra signature on the other side. He would just have to wait. Wolf had said that his exam would be before Bat's was. He turned the doorknob and entered the room. He stood in place. Her back was to him. Her long braid coiled down her back. She was hunched over, writing something.

"I'll be just a second, Bat-san." Her voice called. "I'm just finishing the notes from Wolf's exam. Please have a seat." Her hand shot out to gesture to the seat behind her.

She was different. Colder, more distant than normal. But he sat down all the same. It was instantaneous. Black vines shot from the chair and pinned him to it. He struggled against the hold. He looked down. He recognized the jutsu of the Nara clan. His mouth was agape behind the mask as the Nara came into view. He was straining to keep him contained. The man was not alone. A blond with a long ponytail came to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him.

"Now Fugaku." The man ordered.

He furrowed his brow. Sakura - no it was not Sakura - the eyes, the eyes were wrong. Sakura did not have red eyes.

'No!'

He succumbed to the darkness as the genjutsu took control. His body went slack against the chair. Only Shikaku's jutsu was keeping him from collapsing on the floor in a heap.

Sakura's features melted away to reveal the face of a glowering Uchiha. "Were the theatrics necessary?" He asked in a gruff voice.

If Inoichi was not so focused on the task he was about to do, he would have had some fun at the Uchiha's expense. And judging from the look on Minato's face, he too did not particularly enjoy seeing the face of his wife melt into Fugaku's, so it would have been a tough crowd anyway.

"We could not risk him being alarmed," Shikaku said measuredly. They did not have time to waste. Being unconscious would make the whole process smoother.

They all looked at Inoichi. He squared his shoulders. He formed the string of seals. He stopped to look at Minato just before the last seal.

"If there are any reservations, speak now. If you don't have the stomach for it you can leave the room."

Minato's expression darkened a fraction. "Do it Inoichi." He watched as the other blond formed the final seal. He brought his hands to either side of the unconscious man's temple. Inoichi dipped his head.

He was floating in his stream of consciousness. In his memories. The sounds, flashes of lights, the movement. It was also incredibly overwhelming the first thirty seconds of being in someone's head. He kept his mind focused not on the moving pictures all around him, or the jumbled sound talking over each other, but on his breathing.

He did not know what he was looking for exactly but he knew what he was not looking for.

He moved past the image of a toddler Naruto holding out a half-eaten cookie to Bat. He did not linger on the sparring session that Bat had with Wolf. He also did not pay much heed to the various conversations Minato had with Bat or even the few he had with Sakura. He kept scanning. The pictures and sounds raced around him.

Fugaku's genjutsu was keeping Bat preoccupied. He was unable to resist Inoichi's interference. He sifted through the memories. His eyes narrowed. He found a memory that seemed promising. He walked it back some. He moved it forward and back at least three times before winding back the day. He sighed. He painstakingly moved through the rest of the memories that were recent in his mind. He built out a timeline.

Inoichi opened his eyes. Three pairs of eyes looked at him impatiently. "I saw him record the timings for the guards' schedule change. He did so for about a month leading up to the attack. There was also a memory of him breaking into the Intelligence Division and making a copy of the seal maps. He corresponded with the attackers. He came to learn of them through the Bingo Book bounty hunter channels. This group was responsible for taking down the S rank nin on page nine."

He paused and looked around the room. They all had varying expressions. Fugaku's was mainly disgusted but Inoichi was not sure if it had anything to do with Bat. He always kind of looked like he had just stepped in dog pop. Shikaku was already thinking of the next ten things this could mean. Minato was harder to read. He betrayed very little.

"He made copies of everything and sent it to an old messaging outpost in Oto."Inochi shared the last thing he had seen. He had seen it all with his own mind and yet he was having trouble believing it.

"Good work, Inoichi." Minato's voice cut through his brain fog. "I expect a report on my desk ASAP while it is all fresh." The Yamanaka nodded. Minato reached behind him and pulled out chakra nullifying cuffs from the bedside table. They would prevent Bat from using chakra. The seals on it would only allow a select handful in the village to take off. He brought Bat's hands together and placed them on his wrists. "Take him away."

Inoichi and Shikaku nodded. They phased from the room leaving just Minato and Fugaku.

The Uchiha looked at the Hokage. "I know Itachi is staying with you."

Minato's jaw tensed a fraction. "He would much rather be home."

Fugaku looked past the man. He could not bring himself to look him in the eye. He took an eternity to measure his words. "How is he?" He asked barely above a whisper.

"If you got past your pride like you did just now, you could ask him yourself," Minato answered.

Fugaku said nothing.