Chapter 3: Complications

Unknown

Breathe in. Breathe out. He was at the center of the storm. Breathe in. Breathe out. But even here in the calm, he could feel the intensity of the storm outside. He feels the raging winds lashing out at him. He feels the waters raging uncontrollably, sentencing all who dared to cross them to their end. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.

The storm was ancient older than him. Older than the forest that surrounds his home. Older than anything he could think of. There was another presence within the eye of the storm and at the same time within the storm. It was not as old as the storm but still older than anything the child knew of. Breathe in. Breathe out. Here in the calm, the child could exert his will over the endless storm. But the storm rebelled against him and lashed out against him. Even with the other presence holding it back, the child found it difficult not to be swept up into the storm, never to return.

He was within the storm, and at the same time, the storm was within him. To control it was to have power unlike any other to become a part of the unstoppable force of nature. He would become the storm itself. But first, he needed a will unlike any other, or else he would lose himself within the storm and be lost forever. Breathe in. Breathe out.

The other presence was watching him. This presence was the true master of the storm, and even it found it difficult not to be swept up in the chaos. To master the storm, he needed to work with the presence or overpower it. He chooses to work with it, for the child knew that the presence knew more about the storm than any other and greatly aided him. Its ancient knowledge, too, was a great boon for the child only needing to ask.

The presence spoke. "That is enough."

The child opened his eyes, and the storm disappeared.

Naruto looked at the Kyūbi. The most powerful of the Biju was giving the blond-haired boy a proud smile. "You are improving, kit. Faster than I had thought." He spoke.

Naruto stood up, putting his hand on the grassy ground to the left of himself up. Gazing around the place that was his mindscape, it was fully evident of the changes that had occurred in the last two years. Where it once was, a dark, cramped, and confined sewer system was now a vast and open meadow with the sun shining brightly in the blue skies above the two figures. The cage remained, though forever trapping the fox. It was something that Naruto could not change without releasing the Kyūbi. Still, he thought he could at least change the place to something they both could be comfortable in. They were stuck together after all might as well make the scenery nice.

"Thanks, Kurama," Naruto said. It was strange to know that he had formed a bond of friendship with the fox in the past two years. Something he had never imagined happening before he learned of his status as a Jinchūriki. In those two years, he had learned more about the fox than he thought possible or even what most people knew about. Like that he had a name, Kurama, outside of Naruto, only the Hokage and a select few others knew this fact. "Still, I can't help but feel as though I'm not making as much progress as I could." He continued his mind wandering back to how it felt to be submerged in the power of the Biju. Powerful, wild, and beyond anything he could imagine. The chakra of the Kyūbi was truly like a storm. Always raging, always ready to unleash untold destruction to all in its path. Naruto was expected to control that power one day, something he found to be difficult to comprehend. It was a good thing that Naruto was not the type to give up easily.

"Do not fraught, Kit," Kurama said, placing his hand on his paws. "No one expects you to master my power in a day. Even with Shukaku the weakest of the nine, it takes years for a Jinchūriki to master his power. With me, any normal person, it would likely take decades." The fox's smile widens into a mischievous one. "Lucky for you, you are both one stubborn gaki and an Uzumaki. Though one could fail to see the difference."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the slight against him, taking it more as a compliment. "I know." He said. "It just that your power feels so vast and uncontrollable. It's honestly difficult to imagine controlling it, let alone mastering it. I wonder how you're able to do it." Another surprise he came to learn more about after his first encounter with Kurama. The power he felt while mediating was much more in line with what he used to imagine the fox was like. Wild, uncontrollable, and without restraint, a being coursing with rage and hatred. Kurama wasn't anything of the like, granted he had a temper befitting his stature. But never anything that boarded on outright anger against Naruto.

"Believe me, kit, it's not easy. I have tens of thousands of years of experience to call upon. Even I find it difficult not to be reduced to a mindless animal bent on destroying everything in sight." Kurama was calmer, even introspective at times. When Naruto had asked him why he wasn't angrier about being imprisoned, he said that he was angry. At first, anyways but his anger had embedded after a short while (a short while being several decades), but he came to accept that he would be imprisoned for some time. He once had thought of the possibility of doing everything he could to escape or take the first opportunity he had. He decided against it instead of settling for the fact that all he needed to do was wait. He was an immortal being in the literal he had all the time in the world. "Even if I was to be imprisoned for ten thousand years, it would be, but a footnote compared to the endless life I would have. Eventually, something will give, and I will be free. All I need to do is wait. In the meantime, might as well use this time to gain a unique perspective on your short-lived kind."

"Still, you are doing well to control this power. Better than your mother did when she was your age." The fox said, an almost nostalgic look on his face.

Naruto perked up at the mention of his mother, his thoughts on the fox's personality shoved to the side. The fox had been the first to tell him about his mother and how she cared for him deeply. The fox had told him she and his father had been excited beyond words that they were going to be parents. The fox still hadn't told him anything about his father, saying that was the Hokage's job while shooting said old man a pointed look. "What was she like?" He asked it wasn't the first time he asked the question. He was always eager to learn more about his mother, and the fox always seemed happy to answer.

Kurama remained silent for a moment as he thought. "She was a good person." He said. "She was one of the few people who treated me like a person and not as the demon that most humans believe me to be. Not to say that Mito did not make an effect to know me in our final years together."

"Mito?" Naruto asked.

"She was my first Jinchūriki, the one that came before your mother. Your Shodai Hokage sealed me within her during his battle against Madara." The fox explained the last bit, coming out in a venomous tone. "Interesting enough, the two were married soon after, and like you and your mother, she was of the Uzumaki. Haha, I suppose that makes me something of a family heirloom. Uzumakis, they could never do one thing normally."

Naruto cracked a smile. "That because we're too awesome to do anything normally." He boasted.

The fox gave him a pointed look. "I don't think that's something that you should be proud of." He deadpanned. Naruto's smile widens, causing him to roll his eyes. But Naruto knew that the fox was repressing his amusement; at the corners of his lips, they were twitching. "Getting back on the topic, your mother was one of the few humans who tried to understand me. She did not think of me as a mindless beast like most of your kind do. Nor did she treat me as a weapon to be used against her enemies. She thought of me as a partner like you do now."

Naruto had a serene smile on his face at hearing more about his mother. It made him proud he had such an amazing woman as his mother and at the same time so sad that he would never get to meet her. "She sounds like she was an amazing woman." He said.

He heard the fox grunt. "Indeed, she was. In many ways, she was the textbook definition of an Uzumaki woman. Passionate, bold, and a fiery temper to boot. A great many men were captivated by her though few were brave enough to court her."

"But my dad was," Naruto commented, wondering what kind of man he was to have been able to capture his mother's heart.

"Indeed, he was and the only one to succeed. You are evidence of that." Kurama explained.

Naruto gazed up at the fox. "I don't suppose you're willing to tell me who my father is?" He asked, hoping to get something out of the fox.

The fox, in return, gave him a sympathetic look. He opened his mouth to speak, but before the words could be spoken, Naruto felt a tug, and his mind was receding from the mindscape. "It seems our time here is at an end." The meadow began to fade into darkness as the fox started to stand up. The fox had a sad smile on his face. "Do not worry, kit. When you become strong enough, I will tell you about your father should the Sandaime fail to do so himself."

The darkness claimed Naruto.

Hyūga Compound a few moments later

Naruto woke to total darkness. It took a moment for his sight to return to him. Or, more accurately, his sights returned to him. Several different images came to life within his mind. Several of them being the same sight but from different angles and distances. Even now, after two years of having the Futogan, Naruto still found it weird that he could see through several different eyes simultaneously. It was even disorientating at times.

For several seconds Naruto allowed his mind to readjust itself to the stream of information being sent to his brain. He had once described what his vision was like to Jiji. Only the Hyūga seemed to understand what he described; in that, it was like having an incredibly expanded peripheral vision. He could focus his attention on one single image to bring to crystal clarity while the rest would merge into an odd, misshapen background image generally to be ignored as one would normally do with things they saw in the corners of their eyes unless something was happening to catch their attention. But even that description failed to fully encompass what it was Like for Uzumaki Naruto to see. As even his expanded peripheral was clearer and more defined than the average person. The other images were just as clear as the one he would focus on. His attention was just on one image or a set of images at any one time. If something were to happen in the other images, his attention would shift to them. Suffice it to say, it was strange to have the sight of Uzumaki Naruto.

His attention went to three images, all of the same person but from three different angles. One from the front and two from the back on two different sides, giving him a full three-sixty view of the individual in question and of himself sitting down in a mutative position. He moved his head up to face the man, one set of eyes looking into his eyes.

"I assume you had a productive session?" Hizashi asked with a smile.

"You could say that," Naruto responded, slightly annoyed that his conversation with Kurama had been interrupted.

Hizashi offered his hand to Naruto. "That's good to hear. Though something tells me I interrupted something." He said, having picked on Naruto's annoyance.

Naruto took the older man's hand and lifted himself. "Don't worry about it." He said, shaking his head. "The old fox wasn't probably going to tell me anyway. So, nothing lost." A sad smile forming on his lips.

Hizashi gave him a critical look that was a mix of worry and understanding. "It was about your father, wasn't it?" He asked.

Naruto should have not been surprised by his question. The man did have a strange gift for seeing through people even by Hyūga standards. "Yea." Was all Naruto could say.

Hizashi's expression softens. "Naruto, you have to under-" He began to say to be interrupted by Naruto when he put his hand up.

"I know. My father was a great and powerful Ninja, and he had a lot of enemies even here in the village." Naruto recited the explanation he had always been given about his father. "Enemies that would not hesitate to get at me." He understood the need to hide his father's identity until he was strong enough to handle the consequences. But still, it hurt him a lot not knowing about his father. He knew about his mother, so why not his father? "I just wish it wasn't that way."

Hizashi gave Naruto a sad-looking expression. "I understand, Naruto. It pains me that I can't tell you about him." Then a smile formed his lips. "But what I can tell you is that he loved you and your mother very much." He said. "And that he was a good man, you would have been proud to have him as a father.

Naruto smiled. "Thanks, Hizashi." He said to the Hyūga man.

"Your welcome," Hizashi responded. "Now then, how did you do?"

Naruto allowed his eyes to gaze at the meditation room as he thought. It was a simple white room that, for the most part, was unremarkable. Except that all over the floor, walls, and ceiling were complex lines of seals that appeared to be incomprehensible to any normal person. The seals emerged from a circle in the center of the room, where he had sat. This room was meant to contain Kurama's power during his mediation sessions. The room itself was situated in a building in one of the more remote areas of the Hyūga grounds. "Kurama did say that I was making good progress in channeling his power." He said after a few seconds. "He says that I'm learning quicker than my mom did."

"Kurama?" The man asked before he made the mental connection. "Oh right, the Kyūbi's name." He said uncertainly.

"He's not as bad as everyone thinks he is." Naruto defended, realizing where the man's thoughts were going. "You even met him once." He pointed out.

"I know that Naruto-Kun. It's still hard to believe." Hizashi said, rubbing his chin. "You have to understand that before that, my only real face-to-face encounter with the Ky- Kurama had been on the field of battle. At that time, he devastated a large portion of Konoha, and thousands were killed." He explained.

That much Naruto could understand. Kurama had even admitted he felt guilty about the whole thing and had apologized to the Hokage, Hiashi, and Hizashi when they visited him in Naruto's mindscape (they had one Inoichi Yamanaka to think for that). "I know that, but you do remember that it wasn't his fault exactly." Naruto was quick to point out.

Keeping his hand to his chain Hizashi nodded. "I do." During their visit to Kurama, this being Naruto's second time talking to the Biju sealed in his gut, the group had learned of the true events behind the Kyūbi attack over seven years ago. Or rather, Naruto and the two Hyūga brothers did as the Hokage would confirm the validity of the fox's story by first vouching for his word. Later showing them the preserved corpse of the rogue Uchiha that had released and taken control of Kurama. The man himself had remained unidentified as his head been caved in by a well-placed Rasengan courtesy of the Yondaime Hokage. He was only identified as an Uchiha by a blood test and the dying testimony of the Yondaime. "For what it's worth, I don't hold him responsible for what happened that night. That dubious honor belongs to the man that controlled him, and I hope he suffers in hell for all eternity for his crimes. But still, it's hard to move on from the fact that he had been the instrument of destruction used to attack Konoha. I lost a fair few friends that day, and Hyūga took heavy losses that night."

"I understand," Naruto said soberly. He knew where the man was coming from. Even he found it difficult to forgive Kurama for all the lives lost during the attack. He knew that the fox wasn't in control of himself during that night, and it was another who had used him to attack his home. But it was hard to separate him from the fact that he had been the one to kill all those people. It was the swipe from one of his nine tails that reduced so much of Konoha to ruble. But he was trying. "But still at least try to." He said, hoping to drop the subject quickly.

"That is all we can sometimes," Hizashi said. "Now then, he said that you were making good progress. Did he make any indication on how far along you are?"

"I'm not sure. Let me ask him." Naruto replied. "Hey, Kurama."

"I heard what the Hyūga said." The voice of the fox rang in Naruto's head. "If I had to guess, you might be able to control one tails worth of power but wouldn't hold my breath."

"I'm not even at one tail yet?" Naruto exclaimed. "Aw man, I've been at this for two years now. Shouldn't I at least be doing one tail?" He mentally pouted.

In the back of his mind, he heard the fox chuckle. "Remember, kit, I am the strongest of the Nine Biju. It should be no surprise that it would take the longest to master my power, which we are aiming for mastery. Sure, you may be able to control one, maybe two tails, but you would not have mastery over it."

"And if I don't have total control over it, I risk losing myself," Naruto said mentally gritted teeth.

"That's right, kit, and I won't let you use any of my power until I say you're ready," Kurama said, emphasizing his point.

"So how long until I can defiantly do one tail?" Naruto asked.

"Hmm, if you keep this progress up, then very likely by the time you graduate from the academy. You may even be on your way to doing two tails. The good news is once you're pass the first tail or two, progress will be comparatively faster with the other tails. By my estimation, and don't quote me on this, by the time your body has reached full maturity, you may be close to fully mastering my power."

Naruto perked up at Kurama's assessment. Not even his mother had managed to fully master Kurama's power before she died, she was close. "That's great to hear, Kurama! I'm going to be awesome when I grow. Jiji, you best give me that hat." He mentally cheered and was almost jumping with excitement.

He heard a quiet cough that stopped him. He looked to Hizashi, who was giving him an odd look. "I take it that the fox said something good judging your rathercelebratory mood?" He said.

Naruto had the right mind to act a bit sheepish. "Sorry about that." He said. "But yes, he said that by the time I graduate from the academy, I'll have control over one tail's worth of power. He even thinks I'll be close to having full control over his power by the time I grow up. Isn't great, awesome even? I'm going to be a kick-ass Ninja in the future." He declared, raising his fist into the air.

"Now, now than kit." Kurama chided. "Don't go and get ahead of yourself. You still have a long way to go, and even if you do gain full control, you won't be invincible. A more experienced and skilled opponent will find a way to beat you. Power alone will not win a battle. You need the knowledge, experience, and creativity to fully use your powers to their fullest potential. And right now, you only one of those three."

Naruto visibly deflated at Kurama's explanation. "Spoilsport, why can't you let me have some fun." He pouted, not arguing the point.

He heard Kurama laugh lightly. "Because you make it easy."

Naruto rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the Hyūga man. "So, yea, that's about what he said."

"I see," Hizashi said, ignoring the exchange Naruto had with the fox. "It seems you are making remarkable progress. I do not doubt that you will become one of Konoha's greatest shinobi."

Naruto smiled and was about to reply when he suddenly frowned, causing a worried expression to form on Hizashi's lips. Over the two years since he gained the Futogan, Naruto had collected several more pairs of eyes, mostly from condemned criminals and enemy shinobi, a few times from Konoha Shinobi who had volunteered their bodies after they passed away. He kept several of them with his person and others he had throughout the compound. He even had a pair follow Jiji around on occasion. One pair of eyes had caught something that made his heart race with panic.

"Naruto is something the matter?" Hizashi said, an edge of concern in his voice.

Naruto looked up at the twin of the Hyūga clan head, an all too serious expression on his face. "It's Hinata's mom." He said if Hizashi's worry wasn't visible, then it was now. "She's collapsed in the garden and." Naruto stopped as something else caught his eye. He felt the muscles around his eyes used to be widened. "And there's water all over her."

Several hours later, outside of Konoha.

For the seventh time, that day and probably the hundredth time in the past two weeks, Tsunade wondered what the hell she was doing. The source of her trepidation?

"Konoha! There it is." Came the excited voice of her apprentice Shizune. In her arms, her pet pig Tonton oinked in equal excitement.

Tsunade looked to her apprentice, seeing the excitement rolling off her. A bit of her nervous energy ebbing away at seeing how happy the girl she thought of as her daughter. "Remember, Shizune, we're only here for a short while. We are not staying here." No, there were too many demons waiting for her there. Too much bad blood between her and her former home. She looked down the path they were walking at the end were the gates that lend into the hidden village. They were wide open for all to enter and likely guard by a dozen shinobi.

Why was she returning to the place that more than a decade ago she swore never to return to? Coming back to the place that caused her so much heart arch. The place that took her brother and lover away from her? The answer was simple and complicated.

Two Years ago, Hokage Tower

Tsunade closed the door behind her as she entered the last place, she thought she would go to, the Hokage's office.

"Your verdict?" Her former mentor said, cutting to the chase.

She looked to the man that at one time she had considered as her adoptive grandfather, still does. She shook her head, genuine pain stabbing at her as she saw the grief that flushed his face. "I'm afraid there's nothing I can about it. The nerves around his eyes suffered too much damage. Not even I would be able to fix them."

"I see." Was all the old man said.

"Sensei, you're getting too old for this. Just retire before this job kills you." Truthfully, she didn't know what she would do if something ever were to happen to her former mentor. She had already almost lost all the people she held dear to her. Only four such people remained alive today, and one of them had become a twisted perversion of his former self. "I tried my best even though of several new techniques that could work. But they were beyond my skill to work, beyond current medical technology or both. I'm sorry." At this, she wanted to turn and leave out the door and get of this village. Leave before the memories got to her. Her feet refused to move.

She saw the man give her a critical eye as though he had expected her to leave and was now trying to determine as to why she hadn't walked out. "I understand, Tsunade." He said after a moment. "How long will you be being staying here?" He asked.

"Not a moment longer than I need to be." She thought. "I don't know." She said uncertainly.

She saw the barest hint of a smile on the old man's face. "So, he's already had an effect on you?" He said as a statement more than as a question.

Tsunade brushed a stray strand of hair back into place. "I don't know what you're talking about." A lie. Flashes of her examination of the blonde-haired boy surfacing. His bright and yet weary smile when her former and still sane (debatable) teammate introduced them. His excited bubble as she looked over his empty eye sockets (an image that disturbed her and made her wish the worst pain upon the perpetrator) talking about how he heroically faced down an S-Rank Kumo Nin to save a beautiful princess. Ah, kids and their exaggerations. Except she knew it wasn't a complete exaggeration. He had faced done a Kumo shinobi to protect the heiress of the Hyūga clan. She wanted to strangle the Jinchūriki for his foolishness. Didn't the brat know that he could have been killed? Dear kami above! This tiny clone of Minato had inherited both of his parent's recklessness. She kept these thoughts buried in the back of her mind as she finished her examination. What she didn't know was that the smile she kept on her face had been a real one. Only truly faltering when he mentioned his dream of being Hokage.

Foolish, she wanted to say to the son of the girl that was the closest thing she had to a daughter. She wanted to tell him that only idiots strived for such a goal and that the job would only make him suffer.

She didn't say a word of it and replaced her smile. She told herself that she would not get attached to this ball of sunshine. She would be here for a few nights a best, long enough to rest up and stock up on supplies. They would never see each other again. She told herself that this boy would never achieve his dream that it would be best to forget about him.

At the same time, a small treacherous voice spoke in the back of her mind. "You will get attached. You already are. You know he will become Hokage because you want to believe he will."

"Why would I believe that?" She asked that voice.

"What's the alternative?" The voice shot back.

Tsunade didn't answer. Her silence was enough.

"Very well, Tsunade." Her former mentor said, dropping the subject. "Regardless, I'm glad that you're here. It's good to see you after so long." He said with a tired smile.

"Same to you." She said, surprised at how honest she was. She hadn't realized how much she had missed her former sensei. Hell, she had been surprised at how refreshing it had been when her pervert ex-teammate had suddenly shown up. She was about to turn around and open the door when she saw the old man reach into his desk.

A moment later, he flops a small stack of papers on his desk. "While you're here, there's another favor I would like to ask of you."

Present Time, Gates if Konoha

Since then, she had made infrequent visits to her old home. Usually, to check up on her aging ex-mentor (old man, you need to retire) and stock up on new supplies on her journeys. She would also check up at the hospital and help with implementing the new improvements as per her agreement with the Hokage. In return for paying off her debts, she would get to enact the plans she proposed several years ago to improve Konoha's medical care. Both in the shinobi and civilian fields. Progress was slowing going with her infrequent visits, but already the village was benefiting from the changes. Much to her chagrin, Naruto would find her and irritated her to no end. Because of the blond-haired brat, she would frequently visit the Hyūga compound. She had to admit it was good to see Hitomi again, and her daughter was too cute for words. No wonder that Kushina's spawn had fallen for her (even if he didn't know it yet). The last time she had been here was about four months ago.

They stopped at the gates and were greeted by the two Chunin manning customs. "Tsunade-Sama." One of them greeted the pair, triad if you counted the pig. "It's good to see you." He continued pulling out a sheet of paper and began to write on it. "I assume you're here to visit Hokage-Sama and check the progress at the hospital?"

Tsunade simply nodded, not bothered with having small talk. She signed the paper for her and her apprentice, plus Tonton, allowing them entry into the village. Once done, they entered the village.

"Finally, a place where we can sleep in real beds, and not dirt." Her apprentice said with a serene smile.

Tsunade rolled her eyes at the young woman's antics. "Honestly, Shizune yo…" Her comment was cut off when an ANBU with spiky grey hair and a dog mask appeared right in front of them.

The man kneeled in front of them. "Tsunade-Sama, I apologize for this intrusion. I know you only just got here." He said there was an urgency in his voice that caught the full attention of the two women.

"What is it?" Tsunade asked, already getting a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Taking a quick side glance at her apprentice, she saw that the young woman had a similarly worried expression.

"Tsunade-Sama, I ask that you come to the Hyūga compound right away. It's an emergency." The statement confused the Sanin what could be happening at the Hy-. Hyūga!

Tsunade's eyes widened as everything clicked in her mind. "This should be about the time that… Oh, Kami, please tell me she's okay." Her mind raced. Four months ago, when she had been in Konoha, she had checked on Hitomi and knew about her condition. At the time, she couldn't identify the cause. Her condition couldn't have deteriorated that much, could it?

"It is the Hyūga Matriarch Hitomi-Sama she's in labor, and I'm afraid that there has been compli…" Tsunade didn't give the man the chance to finish.

Faster than even she thought possible, she was racing towards the Hyūga compound, her apprentice close behind.

"Can't let another person die on my hands. Not again." Her subconscious thought.

A minute later, at the Hyūga Compound, outside the medical ward

"What do you mean you don't know what's wrong?" Hiashi all but shouted at the Hyūga doctor.

The man squirmed under the Clan Head's intense glare. "It is precisely as I said Hiashi-Sama." The doctor replied, doing his best to keep calm. "I cannot identify the cause of your wife's current condition. Whatever it is, it appears to be killing her."

Hiashi took a step back like he had been slapped. This can't be happening. His beloved Hitomi was dying, and there was nothing he or anyone else could do about it. He had been in a clan meeting when he heard about his wife going into sudden labor and almost immediately encountering complications. He had been well out of the chamber before the elders had a chance to respond.

Close to the pair sitting on a bench were Naruto and Hinata. Both children were looking every bit as distress as he was. Naruto was softly saying comforting words to Hinata, trying without success to calm the girl down. Next to them stood his twin Hizashi a grim expression on his face. Next to him was Neji, a cold expression, but Hiashi could see the small cracks in his mask, he too, was concerned about his aunt by marriage. He just didn't want to show it.

"Killing her?" He repeated after a short silence.

"I'm afraid so." The doctor said, nodding his head. "Hiashi-Sama, if we don't do something soon, I fear we may lose both the mother and child."

Again, Hiashi was stunned to silence. Not only could he lose his wife, but there was a chance that he could lose his second child. That was a loss he didn't know if he could bear and didn't even want to think about how it would affect Hinata. "Is there anything you can do to save her?" He asked, clinging to any hope he could.

The doctor gave an expression that told him everything he needed to know. "I'm afraid not Hiashi-Sama. At this point, lady, Hitomi is a lost cause." Hiashi almost choked. "Our only recourse at this point is to do what we can to save the baby."

Never in his life did Hiashi thought he would be faced with such a difficult decision. Save his second child and lose his wife or try to save them both and lose them both. His eyes turned to the children seeing that Hinata had buried her face in Naruto's shoulder, who had a blank expression on his face. Even the eyes that floated around him seemed to show no emotion. The grim expression of Hizashi's face had grown deeper. Finally, his eyes settled back on the doctor. "Are you certain that's there's nothing you can do?" He asked for clarification.

The Hyūga doctor shook his head. "Without a doubt. We either save the baby or lose them both. I beseech you Hiashi-Sama make your decision now. The more time we waste, the harder it will be to save the child."

Hiashi remained silent for what seemed like hours, even days. In reality, it had been less than three seconds. In that brief window that had stretched out into eternity, he thought of all the consequences that come from his decision at this moment. His wife, his daughter's mother, would die no matter what choice he made. Would Hinata be able to handle the loss of her mother? Would she become like Neji, cold, resentful, and a deep hatred buried deep in her? Would she regress into her shell? How would it affect Naruto? Hitomi had become a mother figure to the orphaned boy, something he dearly needed and craved. Finally, how would it affect him? Aside from Hinata and his brother, he loved Hitomi more than anything in the world. Then there was the possibility that he could lose his second child alongside his wife. That was a far more deadly blow.

He opened his mouth. "Save…" Then fate took pity on him at this moment.

"Hold on." Came a frantic and familiar voice. But to him, it might as well as be the voice of kami. Tsunade, the so-called Slug-Sanin and world-renown medic, stopped in front of him. Her apprentice close behind. "I'm not too late, am I?"

An irritated expression appeared on the Hyūga doctor's face. "Now, hold on." He said, turning to face the Sanin. "You can't just barge in here and…" Then promptly shut his mouth and paled once he recognized the former student of the Sandaime. "Tsunade-Sama! Please forgive me; I meant no disrespect." The doctor began to apologize.

The Sanin held her hand up to stop the man. "Can it." She said sharply, silencing the man. "How is the patient?"

The man hesitated and looked to Hiashi, sending a silent question to the Clan Head. Hiashi nodded his approval, and the doctor returned his attention to Tsunade. "The Patient, Lady Hitomi, is not faring well." He said reluctantly.

The Sanin glared at the doctor. "That much I can gather." She said harshly. "What I want are details."

The Hyūga doctor flinched at the woman's tone of voice. "Of course, Tsunade-Sama, I was getting to that." He replied. "About an hour ago, Hitomi-Sama, while tending to the gardens, went into labor suddenly. The complications showed almost immediately after as she collapsed. If it had not been for our ward Uzumaki Naruto, then we may have never found out until it was too late." He gestured to the boy in question.

'So that's how we found out.' Hiashi thought to himself. It seemed now he owed the boy another debt. The adults looked tothe blond-haired child, who perks up at the mention of his name.

"I had a pair of my eyes watching her," Naruto explained nervously, his cheeks getting a slight tent of red. "I noticed that she wasn`t feeling well for a while I was worried. So, I decided to keep an eye on her, no pun intended. I'm sorry if I crossed a line," He raised his hands defensively. "I always tried to respect her privacy. I never watched her use the bathroom or bath or anything like if that's what you're worried about." Then he began to scratch his cheek a nervous tic. "I was just worried about her, ya know. She's almost like a mother to me."

Hiashi and Hitomi both had been aware of Naruto's spying. Both Hyūga had figured that the boy had been concerned for her and only wanted to make sure she was okay. Though Hiashi did intend on talking to the boy about the matter after the baby had come. Spying on others was unbecoming of a young man, at least when inside the walls of Konoha or when not actively carrying out his duties as a shinobi of the village. In those cases, it was all fair game. "We'll discuss this later, Naruto-San. But thank you, Hitomi may owe you, her life." Hiashi said. "Don't worry about what we think of it. In this case, you did the right thing." He tried to assure the boy that he did nothing inherently wrong.

Naruto brightens up. "Thanks." He said. "and uhh, your welcome.

Seeing this as a good time to cut in, Tsunade took a step towards the boy. "Tell me, Naruto, what you saw when she collapsed," Tsunade asked.

They saw the boy think over the question before he responded. "When she collapsed, I got concerned, so my full attention went to where she was. I noticed that her dress was soaked, and there was water all around her." He explained. "I think that might have been some blood mixed in."

It was a very subtle gesture, almost unnoticeable even for the eyes of a shinobi, but Hiashi caught it, Tsunade flinched. "You're still afraid, aren't you, Tsunade-Sama." Hiashi thought, remembering the Sanin's fear of the red substance.

The moment hardly lasted a moment before Tsunade got a hold of herself. "Was there anything else? Signs of fatigue? Shaking? Any kind of change in behavior?" She pressed the boy.

"Fat-tyged?"

"Did she seem tired?" Tsunade explained.

Naruto nodded. "Ya, she did, she was kind of moving slowly, and right before she collapsed, it looked like she got really dizzy," Naruto said. "It's what got my attention in the first place."

The Sanin placed her hand on her chin. "I see." She said in a tone that indicated she was thinking. "That was very helpful, Naruto, thank you." She turned back to the doctor.

Hiashi gave the blond a thankful inclination of his head. "Thank you, Naruto. You have been more than a help in this situation." He said. "Please continue to look after Hinata while I discuss things with Tsunade-Sama." Naruto nodded at him. Next to him, Hinata held onto his arm, a worried expression still on her face, but now her eyes had a glint of hope in them.

Turning back to face the doctor and Tsunade Hiashi listened to their conversation. "If you can't give me a cause, then at least give me the symptoms," Tsunade growled at the Hyūga man.

"O-of course Lady Tsunade." The man quivered. "As young Naruto stated, Lady Hitomi is experiencing extreme fatigue. She's barely managed to hold onto consciousness throughout her labor. Furthermore, she's been showing signs of disorientation and possible hallucination. She might not be fully aware of what's happening to her right now." He explains Hitomi's condition as he did with Hiashi. Hearing it a second time felt no better than the first.

"Please, Tsunade, if there's anything you can do about this, then do it." The Hyūga clan head wished to himself.

"What about her physical condition?" Tsunade prompted the man. "Also, is it okay if my apprentice checks up on her?"

"If you think she can help, then please be my guest." The doctor indicated.

Tsunade motioned to her apprentice a young lady with black straight hair and eyes holding a pig. "Of course, Tsunade-Sama." She walked to the bench and placed the pig next to Naruto. "Could you please look after Tonton for me, Naruto-San?" She asked.

"Uhh, sure. Why not?" Naruto asked, giving the pig an awkward stare as it trotted up to him and sat in his lap.

"Thank you." She said and turned around to walk up to the sliding door. She opened it and walked in. "Excuse me. I'm here to…" Her voice was cut off as she slid the door shut behind her.

"Now, as for her physical condition." The Hyūga doctor began. "Simply put, she's getting weaker?"

"Getting weaker?" Tsunade pressed a slight edge of annoyance.

"Yes, there's no other way to describe it. I haven't found what's causing it, no signs of internal bleeding, trauma, poison, or anything else that could be a cause. I even checked to see if her pregnancy had any link, nothing. She is simply getting weaker dangerously so. As I was saying to Hiashi-Sama, I fear our only option is to do what we can to save the child."

Tsunade listened intently to the doctor's assessment; a deep frown appeared on her face. "What made you think it was poison." She asked.

"He didn't mention anything about poison." Hiashi thought, horrified at the possibility that someone would do that to Hitomi.

"It was a remote possibility that I decided to test. Since the other causes didn't seem to work out, I thought it a good idea to test and see if poison or venom was involved." The doctor explained. "No luck. Tsunade-Sama, I found no traces of any kind of poison in her body." Hiashi relaxed at hearing that. "Not surprising as if it were poison, it would be affecting the baby as well."

"The baby has been unaffected. I find that difficult to believe." Tsunade said, sounding a bit suspicious.

"As remarkable as it sounds, the baby, for the most part, appears to be unaffected by the mother's condition. Granted, there are signs of stress on the baby but nothing dangerous." The Hyūga man clarified. "It is why I believe the child can be saved while the mother cannot."

"Tsunade-Sama," Hiashi said, getting the Sanin's attention. "Is there anything you can do about Hitomi? Please, I don't want to lose her." Hiashi said desperately.

A sympathetic flashed across the woman's face. "I'm not sure Hiashi, from the sounds of it, her condition sounds bad." Tsunade tried to explain. "I'll have to take a look for myself. But if there is a chance, I will try to save her. That is if you don't mind if I take over from here, doctor." She said to the Hyūga doctor.

The man gave a respectful bow to the Sanin. "Of course, Tsunade-Sama, it would be an honor to see the greatest Medic-Nin in the elemental nations in action. If you do not mind that I aid and observe you."

Tsunade rolled her eyes at the man's flattery. "Then let's get to work." She said, gesturing for the man to move. He nodded and stepped towards the door, opening, and closing it behind him.

"Thank you, Tsunade. "Hiashi said with a bow. "Regardless of what happens here, the Hyūga clan will be in your debt today. Just please save my wife and child." His voice was uneven as he tried to keep his emotions from overwhelming him.

Tsunade turned her head to face the man seeing that he was open and genuine with his feelings, a rare sight with a Hyūga, not to mention the clan head. "Don't thank me just yet." She said just above a whisper oud enough for him to hear. "I still haven't seen Hitomi for myself yet." She said, turning to the door.

She stepped right in front of it and froze.

"No, not now." Tsunade thought herself. She had been about to step through the door when the reality of the situation had fully hit her.

She was about to go in a take care of a patient in need.

A patient who was giving birth and was in a critical state.

A patient who could die if she failed.

A patient who was bleeding.

There would be blood.

There would be blood!

There would be BLOOD!

Tsunade started to take a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She had to keep her Hemophobia from overwhelming her. She had to keep those memories of a dying boy and a dying lover both covered in their own blood from stopping her from doing her job. She had to.

In the back of her head, a small voice was mocking her. "Ladies and gentlemen, gaze upon the most pathetic thing you'll ever see. Tsunade Senju, the world's greatest medic, is afraid of a little blood. How can she expect herself to operate in a profession where it's guaranteed she'll encounter the stuff?" Tsunade wanted to rebut the voice but couldn't come up with an adequate answer. "Oh, that's right, she didn't." The voice almost laughed. "She all but abandoned her profession and ran like a coward."

The voice was right. She had, for the longest time, turned her back on being a medic. Her training of Shizune notwithstanding, she had not done much as a healer in the past decade. When she did, it was comparatively minor stuff, something any hometown doctor could do. Even when she was roped into doing something bigger, she usually trusted her apprentice to do the bulk of the work. Only in the last two years did she start to do anything resembling the work she used to do. When she and her former sensei made their deal about improving the medic practices of Konoha, again, nothing major. Like surgery or anything else that would involve her seeing and coming into contact with blood.

If she got Squamish around something as simple as a paper cut, then how was she expected to help a patient through childbirth? "No, I can't do this." She thought, taking a step back. "It's too much. Let Shizune handle it. She can do it." She tried to justify the mocking voice continuing its taunts.

Then a new voice sounded in the back of her mind. "Yes, you can." It said. It had been barely above a whisper, but it had been enough to break her out of her panicked induced state. She didn't recognize the voice, but it had a strange familiarity to it that she couldn't place. Whatever it was, it had been enough to kick her mind into gear.

She looks to Hiashi, seeing a very concerned expression on his face. "Tsunade, are you alright?" He asked.

She wants to say that she wasn't that she was not ready for something like this. But she shoved that thought to the deepest recesses of her mind. "I'm fine." She said. "Just lost focus for a second." She admitted the partial truth. "Hiashi, I will save Hitomi and your child. You have my word on that."

For the first, since she got here, she saw a smile form on the man's lips. It wasn't forced one either showing signs of hope in it. "Thank you, Tsunade." He said.

For the first time in a long time, Tsunade found herself believing her own words. She turned her gaze back to the door and steeled her nerves for what was to come next. She opened the door, knowing that if she stepped through, there would be no turning back. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

Several hours later

Hinata didn't know how long she had passed when Naruto nudged her awake. Groggily she opened her eyes and gazed at the blond-haired boy. She lifted her head, too tired to have noticed that her head had been resting on his shoulder.

"Naruto?" She asked, almost yawning. She saw the boy motion towards something. She turned her head to face whatever he wanted her to see. It was her father waving for them to come in.

It took a few seconds for her tired mind to wake up and process the picture before her. When it did, a wave of apprehension came over her. Her mother had gone into labor, and as Hinata understood it, something had gone wrong. Something that could cause her mother to die. When she had realized that the girl couldn't control herself, and had ended up crying into Naruto's shoulder. She didn't care if what she was doing would be considered unhyūga like. She didn't care if Neji would mock her for her open display of weakness. Nor did she care that she had gotten into her crush's personal space; something that causes her face to turn beet red. All that she knew was that she was going to lose her mother and possibly her little brother/sister. What could she do without her mother? Her ever-loving mother who would gently stroke away her tears whenever she had a nightmare. Her mother, who cared for the central gardens, and passed on her love of nature to Hinata. Her mother who would encourage her to do her best in everything she did. How could she bear to lose her mother?

When the doctor had made his report to her father, she had lost all hope. Then that other lady showed up, Tsunade she believed her name was. The name did trigger a strange sense of familiarity in the back of her mind. She felt as though she should know who the lady was but couldn't place were. But she did recognize the woman. She had shown up two years ago to examine Naruto, something about seeing if she could restore his eyes, and would every few months make an appearance in the village. Naruto seemed to take a shine to her, even calling her Baa-Chan, a nickname that seemed to irk the woman to no end.

With her sudden appearance, hope had begun to well up in her again as the woman proclaimed that she would save her mother and soon-to-be a newborn sibling. For the next several hours, before Hinata had dozed off, Hinata waited with a mix of hope and despair, wishing that her mother would survive. She would often see the younger lady, Shizune, if she heard correctly, dashing out of the room along with the doctor and nurse. Sometimes disappearing down the hall and to later return with an assortment of items. Sometimes they would stop by to talk to her father and Uncle, speaking in hushed tones. Always they would look exhausted.

Now the moment of truth had come. "Tou-san?" She asked, hope and fear resonating in her voice.

Her father gave her a weary smile, an action that both made her hopeful and fearful. "Come." He said quietly.

Wordlessly Hinata nodded her head. She felt Naruto standing up. She looked up at him, seeing that he was now offering his hand to her. She took his hand, a small blush heating her cheeks as she realized that she would be holding her crush's hand. With his help, Hinata stood up, and still holding hands, the young pair followed her father past the door into a small hallway. They walked down the small hall. As they came to the door, Hinata felt her heart beat faster. She felt Naruto squeeze her hand. She looked at him, seeing a reassuring smile on his face. Hinata nodded at him, thankful he was here to support her no matter what happened.

The two went through the second set of doors. Hinata prepared herself for the worst. What she saw stopped her heart for a moment. For her, that had been an eternity. Sitting up in her bed, alive and well, was her mother. Her eyes were tired, but she had a content smile on her face as she gazed down at a precious bundle.

That bundle Hinata quickly realized was her newborn sibling. The mother noticed the newcomers, and her smile widened as she motioned them over. When they got to her bed, Hinata could make out some of the details of the baby. She noticed how small it was how vulnerable it was. The child had its eyes closed. She couldn't see the eyes, but she knew that underneath they were the same eyes as hers. Small bits of black hair could be seen poking out from the cover. The baby was beautiful, and Hinata felt a happiness she never thought possible well up inside of her.

Her mother smiled at her, her eyes looking tired, almost dead. Carefully she held the child to Hinata. "Say hello to Hanabi, your little sister." She said, voice calm and tired.

Hinata let go of Naruto's hand and gently took the baby Hanabi into her arms and held her close to her chest. The small caused the newborn to stir. Her eyelids opened, revealing the same set of pale eyes that all Hyūga had. She gazed up curiously at Hinata.

Hinata's smile brightened, and she knew that she loved her little sister. "Hello, Hanabi. Welcome to the family."

And done. Yes I did kill off Obito and Madara is not coming back from the dead, but his plans will still have their impact on the world.