Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Chapter 10: The Gift of a Surprise

Flashback

He grinned up at the sun. His muscles ached from the strain put on them. His chest moved up and down as he tried to regain his breath. Sweat poured off of him. He kept steady pressure applied.

"Is that all you got?" The voice from the mouth that belonged to the head he currently had in a headlock said. It was starting to wane in strength.

Minato looked at the red face of a fifteen-year-old Kakashi. Only three months older than him.

"Do you yield?" He asked jovially. He squeezed even tighter.

"I yield," Kakashi let out a sigh. Minato released his sparring partner's head. Kakashi landed on his back firmly on the grass.

"What's Ambe-san feeding you?"

"The same thing she feeds you," Minato rested the back of his head in his hands. A large smile donned his face.

Kakashi grunted. "I'm missing something." He looked at the blue sky through the leaves of the ginkgo tree.

"Hard work and discipline," a voice supplied.

Both Kakashi and Minato got onto a knee. They bowed their heads.

"Namikaze-sama," they greeted the general in unison.

"At ease," Naoto called out in his gravelly voice.

"Uzumaki-sama," they brought their curled fists to their hearts and bowed shallowly before getting up their feet.

The general with long red hair chuckled heartily at them. "My my, Minato-kun you've grown at least a head taller since I last saw you!" His eyes drifted to Kakashi. "You're catching up to your Otosan's height as well."

"They have a ways to go still," Naoto said with a scoff.

Kakashi saw Minato's shoulder dip a fraction at his father's words. It was barely noticeable.

"What brings you here today, Uzumaki-sama?" Minato looked into the purple eyes of Kushina's father.

"Your birthday of course!" He patted Minato on the back heartily. "Kushina-chan would never forgive me if I didn't deliver your present on time."

Kakashi kept his expression schooled. He took great pleasure in seeing the blush creep up on Minato's face. The blond had but one weakness.

"Sorry to trouble you." Minato averted his gaze. He settled for staring at the grass by his feet.

"No trouble at all." The Uzumaki general grinned openly.

"You're spoiling him." Naoto's lips tugged into a more severe frown.

"Boys," the redhead ignored his friend. "Why don't you go to the stables?" He winked at Minato.

Kakashi and Minato did not need to be told twice. They bowed before all but sprinting to the stables. Minato walked to the structure. He moved to the stall at the end. It was no longer empty.

Kakashi whistled. "Being engaged is the shit." He brought both his hands to the top of his head.

"Shut up," Minato unpinned the letter that was pinned to the stall door. He recognized her messy handwriting immediately. He hastily opened the letter but not before angling his body so that Kakshi could not catch a glimpse of the words across the page.

Minato!

Happy, happy, happy, birthday! I added a 'happy' for each year we haven't seen each other. So that makes three. I wish I could be there to give you fifteen arm punches. So you should consider yourself lucky that I am not.

Instead, I sent my tochan to give you this letter and a horse. That's right. I got you a freakin' horse. How lucky are you? How amazing am I? The answer to both questions is: very.

His name is Kaminari. He's fast. I've been raising him since the day he was born. So you better take good care of him. Otherwise, I'm going to end you. He's only one and a half. Don't try to ride him yet. He's still a baby. I fully expect to see him in peak health once I move into the house full-time. We can ride him together. How romantic would that be? Very. It would be very romantic.

Okay, enough with the sappy stuff. Enjoy the horse. Enjoy your birthday. Don't let your Otosama get you down. He's the worst. You better be taking good care of these letters. I don't want our engagement to be called off just because you were careless enough to leave a letter lying around.

Anyway, give Kakashi and Ambe-san my best. Take care. Happy Birthday, Softie!

Yours,

Kushina

Minato lowered the letter. He folded it and tucked it into the folds of his kimono. He looked at the white stallion.

"Kaminari." He held out his hand. The horse sniffed it. "I'm going to take really good care of you." The horse exhaled through his nose and flicked its tail.

End of Flashback

Sakura peered under the desk for the third time in as many minutes with a stubborn child-like hope that the very thing she sought would appear out of thin air. She was definitely not losing her mind.

"It's not here!'

She looked around her living quarters. She had tossed the room. She was still empty-handed. Sakura brought her hands to the top of her head. She inhaled deeply, stretching her lungs to their capacity.

'Calm down. Think.'

She closed her eyes. She thought back to yesterday. Before everything turned upside down in her world.

'Where did you last have it?'

"The clearing!" She said with a gasp. Sakura tugged her bandana over her hairline. She felt the back of her head. Her palm encountered cloth. She straightened the folds of her faded olive green kimono and opened the door. She used the wall for balance as she slid into her well-worn sandals.

Sakura walked down the hall until she arrived at the last door. The first in the row. "Ambe-san?" She called out loud enough to be heard through the wood. Sakura waited for ten seconds. "Ambe-san?" She called out louder still. She did not hear any telltale signs of anyone being behind the partition.

'What do I do? What do I do?'

She paced back and forth. Her hand patted against her heart. She could feel the tiny portrait against her. It brought her comfort. Sakura kept her eyes away from the gate. She knew the guards were staring at her. Her fingers drummed against her bandages.

'Don't pick.'

She reminded herself to leave them alone. Sakura lifted her head at the sound of footsteps. Her face worked into a look of relief.

"Ambe-san!" She nearly sprinted to the woman.

Tomoha looked at Sakura up and down before she continued to move at a brisk pace. "What is it?"

"I was wondering if it would be possible -"

"Use less words." Tomoha cut off her rambling.

"Can I go outside the gates?" She said succinctly.

Tomoha turned to look at her. "Why?"

"I left something important at the clearing and I need to go get it. Please, Ambe-san." Sakura brought her hands together. "It's important."

"Sure," the woman's dark eyes picked up on the hope coloring the other woman's face. "Next Sunday."

"Ambe-san -"

"I don't want to hear it. If I make an exception for you, I have to make an exception for everyone else. Save us both the trouble and take no for an answer." Ambe's rough voice cut Sakura off before she could further plead her case.

'Damn it!'

Sakura bit the inside of her cheek. "Understood, Ambe-san."

"You should go back to resting. I didn't give you the day off for you to be aimlessly wandering around like an unmotivated spirit." Tomonha commented with ample judgment.

"I will, Ambe-san. I will finish up my walk and head back in." Sakura dipped her head and turned away from the woman, not wanting to be in her line of sight strictly longer than necessary. Her feet worked quickly to put distance between them as her head spun in circles.

"What now?" She asked herself moodily. She looked at the gate. It was everything it should be: a barrier. Sakura gnawed on her bottom lip, distractedly. What a difference three days made. Now she simply had too much time on her hands and not much to do. The fine pink hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Sakura turned around. She subconsciously brought her injured arm to her chest. She held it in place with her right hand.

'Where the hell did he come from?'

She saw him walking towards her in what seemed to be slow motion. He was coming from the direction opposite the gate. From a direction that only led to the main house. She took half a step back as he came within a stride of her.

"Patient-san," he dipped his head in greeting.

"Sensei," she returned the gesture.

Kabuto smiled. "Please call me Yakushi or if you do not find it too forward, Kabuto."

The corners of Sakura's lips twitched involuntarily. A question she had no right to ask danced at the tip of her tongue. She was curious about his whereabouts.

"How is your arm?" He asked her kindly. His dark eyes were fixated on the dry, clean bandages.

"Fine," Sakura answered in a volume slightly above a whisper.

"Mind if I take a look?" He pushed up his round glasses.

"Yakushi-sensei, it's really fine. I wouldn't want to trouble you." She began her protest.

"No trouble at all, Patient-san." His easy smile never left his face. "I had a couple of questions regarding the snake too if you don't mind me asking."

"I didn't get too good of a look," Sakura admitted. She licked her bottom lip to moisten it.

"Anything could help," Kabuto looked over his shoulder. He gestured to the unused stool chairs by the hand pump. "Shall we?"

'How convenient.'

Sakura walked over slowly. She sat down. She watched him do the same.

"It all happened so fast. The snake was purple. Maybe black. It had yellow eyes. About two feet long." She scratched the side of her neck. "That's all I remember."

'You should have told him it didn't have legs either. You know it would have been as useful as the rest of your description.'

"That's good. It helps. Konoha has at least ten different varieties of snakes."

'He's lying so you don't feel stupid.'

"I didn't realize snakes were active in the winter." She mumbled mostly to herself. There was no shortage of snakes in Tonkia. Near the orchards. But as long as she avoided them, they did not bother her.

"The weather has been warmer than usual. It probably disrupted the brumation." He answered easily. He reached over to the side. She noticed for the first time he had a black, leather bag with him. She also noticed a much smaller and simpler bag made of cloth. She tilted her head.

"Is that?" Sakura pointed to the bag.

Kabuto nodded his head. He held it out for her. "I also wanted to return this to you."

Sakura grabbed it from him. She took extra care not to touch any of his fingers. Given how small the sack was it was quite a feat of concentration.

"There's also this," he opened his bag. He pulled out a brown, faded leather book. No bigger than the size of a hand.

Sakura's eyes widened. "Where did you?" She took the diary with shaking fingers.

"I went back to the clearing this morning. I was hoping I could find the snake you ran into. Getting some of its venom could be beneficial for creating more antivenom or other medicine." He answered levelly. Studying the way the surprise changed into gratitude. "Thankfully it did not rain last night, otherwise it would have been drenched." He pointed to the diary.

'Thank you, Kami.'

"Thank you, Yakushi-sensei." Sakura tucked the book into her arm. "Did you find it?"

"No. No luck." He said with a sigh. "But with your description, I'm confident as to what it was."

"Hm," she lowered her gaze.

"You have incredible penmanship and your observations are very logical and innate. You seem to have an affinity for medicine and healing." He saw something close to unease flicker across her bright, jade-colored eyes.

"You read it?" She said in an unsure voice impacted by the feelings of violation. Her diary was for her eyes only. It was an extension of what was in her head - storage for what she could not afford to forget.

"Just a couple of pages. I had to be sure that I was returning it to the rightful owner. I hope I didn't offend you." He chuckled nervously.

"How did you come to the conclusion it was mine?" She asked with a frown. For all that was contained in the leather binding, there was one thing that it did not: her name.

"The second page has the recipe for the salve you used on Naruto-sama. I recognized it immediately."

She saw nothing but honesty on his face as she searched it.

"Are you self-taught?" He asked her with discernable interest. He gestured for her to show him her arm. Sakura held it out.

"Partially," she watched as he undid the bandages, carefully. He did not pull at the delicate skin that was attempting to heal.

"I have great material back at my shop. Feel free to stop by sometime. You can borrow anything you'd like. I have no doubts that you'll be able to gain something from the scrolls." He prodded the slightly less puffy skin.

'Is he for real?'

"That is very kind of you to offer." She muttered in a distracted manner.

"It's selfish," he grinned at her.

Sakura's heart stopped. She felt her whole body freeze not unlike its first reaction to finding him in the room with her, alone.

'Kami, he's so creepy. Why is he so creepy?'

"Despite a village of this size, there is only one of me. I have tried for years to find another capable assistant. The war has taken away all the men. Women are rarely given the same opportunities. Finding one that can read and write is a challenge. Finding one who can hold her own with the subject matter is rarer still." He rubbed a white substance around the fang marks.

Sakura watched wordlessly as he lowered his lips to her skin.

'Hey! Just what does he think he's doing?'

He blew out a long, slow breath. Sakura winced. The balm stung. Her skin where he touched her burned. He raised his eyes to hers. She had to look away. The intensity was making her stomach flip.

She cleared her throat which had gone bone dry. "I am happy with my job here, Yakushi-sensei." She muttered towards the ground.

"I wasn't suggesting otherwise. If you spend some time and become more capable, I would no longer be needed in this compound. You could handle everything. That is better for me, for Konoha, and for everyone living here."

"Just think about it. I don't need or expect an answer now. It's an open invitation of sorts." He wrapped her arm with the ease of many years of practice. She brought her arm back to her lap the second he was no longer holding it.

She gripped her knees. She clung to silence as it was the best course of action given she did not know what to say or do. She had never been offered something quite like that before. It did not seem to bother him.

"How are you feeling? Any headaches? Nausea? Blurry vision?" His dark eyes regarded her kindly. "Has your fever come back?"

Sakura shook her head. "No." She answered. "I feel fine."

"What a relief. I do believe the worst of it is behind you. Keep it dry and clean. The salve you used for Naruto-sama should serve you well here. If any new symptoms crop up especially fever or nausea please have someone send for me without haste."

'Pretty standard stuff.'

Sakura nodded her head. Her right hand wrapped around the knot of her bandana. She was looking down so she missed the way his eyes followed her movements.

"I must get back. Please remember what I said. If there is any extra product in the shop, you are welcome to it. I hope to see you soon, Patient-san." He closed his black bag with a click. He stood up and bowed.

"Thank you for the offer and thank you for saving my life, Yakushi-sensei." Sakura got to her feet as well and bowed her head in return. She clasped her hands in front of her.

Kabuto smiled at her. Sakura's stomach flipped. She watched him leave. The snake bite itched the entire time.

Merry laughter filled the stuffy air of the large tent. Chatter along with the clicking of utensils against bowls and plates joined the symphony of voices. The tent was lit by rows of lanterns. The soft yellow glow painted everything in a kind, familiar light. Thirst was being quenched and bellies were full. No one was going to bed with anything less than a fully stuffed stomach.

'If they make it to their cots.' The humorless voice in his head noted.

His cobalt eyes clocked the slumped-over heads of the soldiers who drank past their limits. There seemed to be one amongst every group of five. His eyes darted to the entrance. It was being guarded by five soldiers but the curled hand that was rested on his thigh refused to be fully at ease.

He turned his head to his right when he felt a hefty hand clasp his shoulder. The action jolted his injury, reminding him he was very much not at a hundred percent.

"Cheer up, General Namikaze." The jovial face of Choza of the Akimichi Clan greeted him.

Minato's lips twitched upwards into a ghost of a smile. He held up his glass and drank a sip of the alcohol. He barely registered the burn down his throat. He set down his cup without a sound.

"You alright?" Kakashi said in a lower voice.

"I'm fine." His lips barely moved.

Kakashi sighed. "It's really hard to talk to you when you go full-on stone wall."

"You're one to talk," Inoichi said with a scoff. He was sitting directly across from Minato. Shikaku was sitting directly next to the blond.

"I can't help but wonder if it is wise to celebrate like this before anything has been officially decided," Minato said in a smooth voice before things simmered down to squabbles between the two men. Inoichi was nearly past his threshold limit. If it was crossed he would be picking a fight. And Kakashi was not one to back down.

"The soldiers worked hard. The last strategy, while successful, was a very, very big ask of them. They earned blowing off some steam. So have you." Shikaku spared him a pointed look.

Minato's face was impassive. He looked down at the food on his half-eaten plate. Despite having gone without for days, his appetite was not quite all back.

"Any word on Fugaku-san's garrison?" Minato's eyes locked onto Shikaku's.

The Nara let out a sigh. He lowered his sake cup from his lips. "No. All is quiet."

"You know what I always say, no news is good news," Choza said merrily. His cheeks flushed from the sake and the quantity of food he had not seen since being back at home. He leaned over to fill Minato's cup before filling Inoichi's. He set the bottle down in the middle.

Shikaku and Minato exchanged a look.

"No more shop talk!" Inoichi said with a scowl. He let out a long sigh. A soft smile graced his lips. "This war is all but over. Finally, the past five and a half years have been brutal. I am counting the days to see my wife and daughter again. I wonder if Ino-chan will spend the first week I'm back hiding from me again."

Choza clicked his tongue. "I doubt it will happen. It was not too long ago you were able to go back home for a couple of days. She will remember you."

Inoichi rubbed the back of his head, sheepishly. They all saw the relief hidden in his blue eyes.

"There's going to be a lot to get used to. After this bloody war." Choza said gruffly.

"Understatement," Kakashi deadpanned. "One thing I am looking forward to getting used to is not being on a horse all damn day."

Choza and Inoichi laughed openly.

"Right. We all know what you'd much rather be riding." Inoichi's face darkened shamelessly. "You do take more after Jiraiya-sama after all."

Kakashi ducked his head to hide his red cheeks. The tips of his ears gave him away though.

Minato felt the tension ease up somewhat in his shoulders. He found himself chuckling at Kakashi's expense. The glare his oldest friend shot him did not faze him in the slightest.

Shikaku worked through his third cup. "I need to get used to my wife's nagging all over again. These past five years have been the most peace I've had since getting married."

The air seemed to deflate. The smiles slipped off of Inoichi's and Choza's faces. Shikaku's eyes widened a fraction when he realized what he just said and as he remembered in what company.

Minato looked straight ahead. He knew they were avoiding his gaze, purposely. His hand moved to his injured side. He pushed up onto his feet. He felt their eyes and their surprise.

"I'm feeling tired. I am going to call it a night."

Kakashi clumsily tried to get onto his feet. "I'll walk with you." Minato's firm hand on his shoulder halted his rise.

"Stay. Enjoy yourself. You earned it as much as anyone else in this room." Minato's tone was light but there was no confusion. It was essentially an order at worst and a strong suggestion at best.

Kakashi watched him leave the tent with a sinking feeling.

"You know for a genius you can be a real dumbass." Inoichi shot Shikaku a less-than-impressed look before he drained the rest of his cup.

Shikaku let out a sigh. "You should have cut me off at two." He grumbled into his plate. He pushed it aside. His guilt took his appetite.

He pulled his fur-lined jacket closer to him. He shoved his hands into his armpits to keep them warm. If they were even twenty miles further north they would have had snow to deal with in addition to the biting cold. He let out a long breath. He could see it in front of him. Part of him was surprised it did not freeze and shatter on the ground into countless jagged pieces that could never be fit together.

His dark eyes took in the equally dark night of the sky. The moon was a sliver, a waning crescent. The new moon would be upon them soon.

'I wonder if peace will as well.'

Minato sighed. His mind was where it always wanted to go. Today he let it. It was a special occasion, after all, he had cheated death.

'What do you think of me? Of my choices. Of what I've done.' He inhaled. 'Of what I haven't.'

Her fiery red waterfall of hair fell well past her knees and her violet eyes filled his mind's eye. She was all he saw.

'Did you save me? Or did you condemn me?'

His hands curled into fists and he pondered both equally likely possibilities. His feet moved him further and further away from the sound of celebration that was powered by pure relief and hope.

'Naruto.'

Memories of what ended up being the worst day of his life flooded his mind. The bundle in Tomoha's arms, swaddled by a white blanket. The face was blurry. He did not even know what his son looked like.

'Some father I turned out to be.'

He pushed away the images of Naoto's disapproval from his mind. Even he knew when to draw the line when he was punishing himself.

His mind raced with the possibilities of what life would look like in the rapidly approaching future. The war had been almost a relief. He had been thankful for it. The day his wife died, he was grateful he had something to throw himself into. He had an objective. He has a mission.

He lost his love. He was no longer a lover. He only had one thing left to fall back on. He was a warrior. It was all he knew.

Minato swallowed thickly. But even that would be behind him soon. He was a man without direction, cause, and identity. He did not know who he was anymore. He was not a husband. He never was a father to his son. He would no longer be a soldier.

He nodded to the four guards stationed outside. He pulled apart the folds of the tent. He peeled off his boots and his jacket. He slid under the cover of his navy blanket. He closed his eyes and waited impatiently for sleep to greet him. He passed the time trying to picture what the face of his five-year-old might look like.

She crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks to their full capacity. Her face was giving her hair some real competition as to what was redder. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep the smile he felt from the bottom of his heart to physically manifest on his face. She was angry. He did not press his luck. He knew not to press his luck.

Minato looked up at her from her lap. He was quickly going to be edged out by her growing stomach. He did not mind sharing. For now.

"We are not naming our child after food." She said indignantly.

He reached out to touch the side of her face. He saw her anger melt off almost instantly. She leaned in.

"They are good names," he said with a smile.

"Like you would know anything about that," she rolled her eyes and finished off with a scoff. "That's why I named the damn horse! If it were up to you, you would have given him some god-awful name that would both be too long and too much of a mouthful to pronounce." She glared daggers at him. "I didn't trust you enough to name our horse, do you really think I'd let you name our child?"

"Keep an open mind," Minato said with an easy laugh. "Naruto would be a great name for a boy. Naruka would be a beautiful name for a girl."

"What did I ever see in you?" She asked with a blank face and a deadpan.

Minato chuckled. "I ask myself that every day."

Kushina looked at him suspiciously.

"I for one cannot fathom how someone as brave, kind-hearted, beautiful, vibrant, funny, loud, abrasive, stubborn, headstrong as you fell for someone like me." He punctuated each word with a kiss on her knuckles.

Kushina's anger and protests morphed completely. They evaporated into thin air. "Fine," she said with an exaggerated sigh. "We can keep those names on the list, for now."

Minato smiled. Kushina's face turned an appealing shade of pink. She looked away.

"I love you," his whole world was right in his line of sight.

Kushina's eyes took the long route around their bedroom before they landed back on her husband's face.

"I love you too." The blush deepened as she uttered the words. "You damn softie."

He thought he might legitimately float away. His heart dropped. He felt the edges start to warp and bleed together. He focused on her.

"Kushina, please." He cupped the sides of her face.

"Minato," she looked at him with seriousness in her violet orbs. "You need to wake up!"

He shook his head. "No, please. Just a couple more minutes." His voice pleaded. "Let me stay."

"Minato," her eyes were narrowed and face pulled into an expression of pure ferocity. "Wake up!"

His blue eyes snapped open. The hairs on his arms stood on end. He brought his forearm over his head. He intercepted the attack. A jagged dagger danced between his eyes. Minato grunted as he kept the distance between the tip and his person from getting smaller. He could just make out the carvings all due to the lantern he did not put out before going to bed.

"Iwa," he narrowed his eyes. He pushed back his forearm. Throwing the attacker off of him. Minato was on his feet just as the assailant charged him again. His hand darted under his pillow. He pulled out a three-pronged kunai. He held it firmly in his right hand.

He studied his opponent. They had size on him. But he had speed. Minato moved out of the way to avoid a strike. He kicked the assailant in the back of the knee. They fell forward. They spun on their hands. Minato avoided a sweeping kick designed to knock him onto his back. The attacker moved with light footfalls. Minato felt a sharp pain in his side. He let out a grunt.

The man clad in all black and a mask that covered his nose and mouth pressed Minato's momentary distraction. He came down with his weapon. Minato used his kunai to hold him off, parrying his blow. He winced as the man dug his fingers into his switches. Minato kicked him squarely in the chest.

The man stumbled back. The dagger clattered to the ground loudly. Minato tackled the man around the middle. They both landed on the ground with a thud. They rolled. They both grunted as they struggled for control. The attacker ended up on top. He pressed his knee into Minato's side. The blond grunted in pain. The attacker's hand was curled around Minato's wrist. The wrist that was holding the kunai. Minato's hand twitched before he ultimately let go of the kunai. He could feel blood rolling down to his waistband before being absorbed by his pants.

The attacker brought the kunai - his own weapon - down toward him. He pushed back with his right hand. Holding the kunai in place. The blond used his left hand to punch the assailant hard in the ribcage, twice in rapid succession. The pressure against his side was gone instantly. Minato punched the man again. He swayed from the direct blow to the head. The grip around the kunai loosened. Minato's teeth gnashed together. His arms pushed out. He held the man's head between his hands. He could feel the heat coming off his ears. He snapped it harshly to the side.

There was a deafening crunch.

The man landed limply on top of him. Minato pushed him off. He brought his hands to his neck. He rolled onto his knees. He coughed violently as he filled his lungs with air. He looked at the man.

'Iwa.'

His face was pulled into a mask of cold fury. A contained rage and aggression. Once Minato had caught his breath he rose to his feet. His right hand was pressed into his left side, holding the reopened wound. He bent down with a grunt. He grabbed the man by his ankle. His teeth clashed together from the strain as he pulled the body to the front of the tent.

The cold air greeted him first. It moved through his sweat-drenched hair. He took in the shocked faces of his guard. He threw the assailant at their feet.

"I need a medic and get me Shikaku and Kakashi." He said in a low voice that cut through the silence of the night. Minato walked back to the tent. He sat back heavily in his cot. His navy gaze trained on the door flap. His bloody hands shook slightly from the adrenaline as he waited.

Minato lowered his arm as the medic finished wrapping up his injury. Minato nodded to him, promptly dismissing him. The raven-haired man bowed and scurried out of the tent. Minato rubbed his face tiredly. He raked his hands through his hair before it ultimately fell to his side.

"How high up do you think this goes?" Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck. His dark eyes were alert.

Minato sat up straight. His whole body complained. "I don't think it was sanctioned by the Emperor of the Land of Earth if that is what you mean."

"We can't rule that out." Kakashi protested.

"I'm a lowly general of a battalion." He said with a sigh. "Not everything is a conspiracy."

"You are the general that embarrassed Iwa. You're the general who will be credited with ending the war." Shikaku pointed out. "We can't rule anything out."

"Could be the Shogun," Kakashi tossed the idea up almost casually. "Working with Iwa to get rid of a mutual enemy."

Shukaku sighed. "I don't even want to begin entertaining that thought."

"You need to spend less time with Ojisan," Minato said dryly. Jiraiya's conspiracy theories found receptive ears with Kakashi.

"Think about it," Kakashi held his stance adamantly. "The Shogun is losing favor with the Emperor given just how long this war is lasting. The Shogun's sons are nowhere near your level, Minato. You have a legitimate claim to the seat after the victory you pulled. Especially if Fire gains new territories out of this." Kakashi paused to let his words sink in. "If it came down to a duel - which you can request - you would slaughter them. No contest."

"When you put it like that," Shikaku tugged at his goatee. "It is plausible. The war has been profitable for a few very vocal high-ranking noblemen in Fire. Predominantly the ones who own land closer to the heartland. I assume the Shogun is motivated to keep it going. You are the biggest threat to Earth and to the current Shogun."

Minato spared Shikaku a sidelong glance.

"What? It's a theory. One that should be considered." Shikaku tugged at his goatee in growing unease as he pondered it further.

"Feel free to consider it." Minato rolled his shoulders. "Anywhere away from here."

"That's actually not a bad idea," Kakashi pointed at Minato. "You should go back to Konoha until you are back on your feet."

"No. If someone in Iwa wants me dead enough to send an assassin, going back to the compound puts everyone there at risk." Minato shook his head.

"No, it doesn't." Shikaku looked at him with slightly narrowed eyes. "You will have your guards. You'd be in the heart of Konoha. You'd be away from the border. You'd be safe as would everyone else in the Namikaze Compound." Shikaku looked at Kakashi. "It is a good idea."

"Go back home. Rest and you can come back when you are at one hundred percent if the war is not wrapped up officially by then." Shikaku said with an air of authority.

Minato felt their eyes. He sighed. He knew when he was outnumbered. "Fine."

The tension in Kakashi's shoulders visibly lessened. "We'll leave tomorrow. We won't tell anyone unless strictly needed." The Hatake looked at the Nara.

"Choza, Inoichi, and I will hold down the fort. I will request for Fugaku to send another general until you can get back, Kakashi." Shikaku tugged at his goatee. He was already thinking ten steps ahead.

"Looks like you are going home," Kakashi regarded the Namikaze.

Minato grunted.

'I wonder if I'm ready.' Not that it mattered.

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