"Ha ha ha ha haaa!" Sango laughed joyfully. "You have no idea..." she paused to leap into a tree, "... how good this feels!"

"A ha ha! Gaa ya!" Jitchi cried, giggling from Lee's arms and pulling his father's hair. Lee grinned and kissed his cheek, tickling him and making him giggle harder. Jitchi was now just over five weeks old, and he already resembled both of his parents. Sango had finally been allowed to resume full training ten days ago; she had wasted no time in taking full advantage of it. In only a week, she was already back to her strength before pregnancy, and then some. Her good (usually) eating habits had kept her figure from suffering, either.

"I just looove being a moth-"

"Sango!" a voice called out. "Permission to enter?"

"Permission granted!" she called back. A cloud of smoke appeared in her yard, clearing to reveal Ibiki Morino.

"Morino-sama!" She used the respectful term reserved for those of higher status, even though he was a lower rank of Jonin. He was the leader of the Anbu interrogations unit and highly respected. He nodded to her.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Hitarashi-san." He called her by her maiden name because it was what her name was when she had been offered an Anbu position. "Very sorry. But I have an urgent summons from Lord Hokage." Lee moved to join her. "Not you," Ibiki snapped more harshly than he intended. "Stay here with your son. Only Anbu or those nominated for it are needed." He gestured for Sango to come with him. She stepped forward.

"Be careful..." Lee whispered. She sighed and vanished with Ibiki. "Please... just be careful..."

"Is everyone here now?" Naruto asked impatiently as Sango entered. He paced back and forth in agitation.

"Yes, Lord Hokage," they answered. He nodded.

"Good. Good... Now, I have your orders. But Sango, first I must speak to you alone."

"Wh- me?" He nodded. The other Anbu bowed and exited the room. Naruto paced back and forth before speaking.

"Sango... I wanted..." He hesitated, becoming very grave. "I want to warn you... Don't do anything stupid today, alright?"

"Stupid? What do -"

"Today's my battle with Sasuke." Sango froze, her eyes icy. "But I have to fight with him alone, understand?"

"What about Sak-"

"No! Especially not Sakura! She'd be killed. He would show infinitely less mercy than her." Sango gulped.

"What about... you, Naruto?" He lifted his head skyward and closed his eyes. When he looked at her, tears streamed down his cheeks.

"I... have every intention of going into this ready to die."

"Die?!" He nodded.

"I may be powerful, but Sasuke is too, and merciless. But I need to settle this once and for all... It's all I really have yet to do in this world..."

"But isn't there a better way?!" Sango cried.

"You're caring, Sango, and strong. Promise me... you won't interfere... And keep Sakura away..." He sobbed quietly. "You're like a sister to me. Please, don't try to get involved. If you left Lee behind, I..."

"And if I refuse?" Naruto glared at her.

"Then I will have you arrested and jailed until the fight ends. You, your family, and Sakura too. If you try to escape, you'll be killed. I'm sorry, but these orders are to be followed." He slammed his fist into the doorframe, a Rasengan shattering it and sending splintered wood in all directions. "Will you defy me?"

"... No..." Naruto's tired face relaxed a little.

"Now, here are your real orders. You and four others are to accompany me to the battle site. They can be Anbu, Jonin, Genin, for all I care. Sakura will be there. I know it. I tried to tell her not to, but it's pointless. So you five will guard her. If I can't keep her away, I'll at least keep her safe. And one more thing..."

"What?"

"I'll probably end up using my full nine-tails form. I've finished the jutsu, but it's... Well, a little unpredictable, to say the least... If I lose control, I need you all to get Sakura out of there immediately. I have Yamato to seal it, but... If the seal fails... I need you all... to kill me."

"Kill you?! Are you crazy?!" Sango screamed. "You're the Hokage, a father, and one of my friends! What makes you think I could ever -"

"You will, if necessary," he said calmly. "You know as well as I do that Kyuubi risks the whole village's safety. You can't risk your friends and family." Sango looked at the floor. "So, do you have a team in mind?"

"Oh, yes," said Sango. "The best fearsome five in Konoha."