Author notes : Hi everyone! As you might have noticed I'm not a native English speaker. So, if you happens to see mistakes, be them grammatical or linguistic don't hesitate to send me a PM, I'll fix them in time.

Chapter 13, Caught somewhere in time

The sedatives gave me the dreamless sleep that I craved. Not that it cancelled the massive headache that awaited me as soon as I woke up.

4 years had passed.

What happened during this time?
Did Minato survive?
Was Naruto even born?
How was I going to explain that I knew that Kyuubi was being controlled?

While I was anguishing (rightfully so if you asked me) how I was going to save my ass the door opened and my mother entered the hospital room.

"Good morning young pup. I hope you had a good night."

My mother seemed to be in good health. Now that I was paying attention, she looked a little bit older. Some wrinkles around her eyes were slowly starting to appear (not that I will tell her that, I rushed to meet a Bijuu but I'm not THAT stupid) but her smile was genuine. I could faintly hear the faster beating of her heart. She was happy for the present but worried.

"What did I miss?" My voice was still a bit strained but nothing like yesterday.
"A lot" She began, sitting herself on a chair beside my bed, her eyes on the ground.
"Let's start with the beginning. The fourth Hokage, Uzumaki Minato, is dead… the third took the mantle again."

Well, I tried. But a part of me was a little relieved. A living Minato would have been… too hard to handle. That man was a walking cheat-code.

"Some of the villages around, mostly Lightning, don't really believe it but that's not one of your concerns.
Since Sarutobi-sama took the mantle back, he focused on rebuilding the country and our standing as a Shinobi village. It's not easy but we're getting there. Maybe in a few years we'll get back on track, but the reconstruction of the village is finished. We have fewer mission request that we hoped but our fighting force. was… depleted"

Nice way to say 'killed', mom.

"But that doesn't really concern you either, so back to the present." Mom continued and I could touch the feeling of dread and fear that permeated her.
"There are some things I need to tell you that will be pleasant, some… that won't. Please my pup, I hope that you'll understand…"

Her hands were tightly gripped together, I could see her knuckles becoming white.

"Let's start with the good news." She turned toward the door on her left.
"Please enter."
"Yes, mom…"

The door started to open slowly. Veeeeery slowly. Like that the one behind it didn't really want it to be opened.

"You're taking too long. Opening a door is easy! Let me show you how it's done!"
"What? NO!"

A childish cry of surprise was heard. The door was almost thrown off its hinges when a white wolf just collided at full speed into it, sending a young child and a small pup into the room along with him.

"Damn it, Moon-moon. I almost missed you..." I said with the most deadpan voice I could manage. Not that he needs to hear it because, as an imprint, he instantly felt how happy I really was. Yeah, It felt good knowing that the fleabag was back with me.

"He was taking his time, I can understand why, but we have a huge backlog of things-that-need-to-be-get, so every second counts." My ninken said so matter-of-factly that I couldn't help but snicker.

I then watched the form of the young child on the ground he so-helpfully dragged to the room.

Black hair, check.
Ankle-bitter sized, check.
Clan tattoos on his cheeks, check.
A young Akamaru frantically jumping, yapping around him in panic? Check.

I couldn't help but to look at my mother, who was smiling at the cute display.

"Do I have to ask how many times my sister tease him?"
"Every time he makes a rash decision. Which is every day that ends with the letter Y. You might not guess at a glance but he's quite the troublemaker…"

Looking at a four-year-old Kiba, nursing his head with the cutest noises possible? Yeah, I could easily imagine.

"Shinji, please meet your younger brother. He was born one month after…"
Her smile wavered and she lost her drive.
"And that brings us to the unpleasant part."

Her smile finished loosing its shine.

"Shinji, please meet Inuzuka Kiba… Clan heir of the Inuzuka".
"Yeah, makes sense,'' I said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Huh?" my mother was taken aback. "I thought you'd be more surprised?"
"Why would I be? I was in a coma until yesterday. It's common sense to have another clan heir in case I… I never…"
"Don't say that!" Mom interrupted me with a hinge of despair in her voice. I could understand why.

You could hope as much as you want, the world doesn't run-on hope. Saying out loud that your child will stay a vegetable forever was not something you wanted to do.

"You know… it's not set in stone. If you ever wanted to, we could reinstate you…"
"Nope. I'm good, thanks."

The finality in my voice stopped her. No, it froze her completely.

"But why? It's what you always wanted! You never refused! You always knew! To abandon something like that is…"

Yeah, she was bewildered. I need to explain.

"That's because I…" I held one finger in her direction to cut her off.
"Cause he'll be a shitty clan head." Moon-moon oh so helpfully finished my sentence for me.
"Yeah, that. But with better language." My finger was now pointing to my ninken.
"He would lead the pack the way he is. To be smart and logical. The clan is not like that. The clan needs a Fierce and that's not what Friend is. A Fierce that thinks before he acts is the last thing the clan needs. He'll cause a rift because people will not adapt at first."
"Holy shit!?" I was genuinely at a loss. Since when was Moon-moon LOGICAL!?

Waiiiiit a second…

"You're only saying that because a clan head cannot go wherever he wants and you will not be able to 'go get all the things', right?" My mother said in a deadpan tone. You could provide Sunagakure with enough water to kick-start a new field of agriculture with the size of the metaphorical droplet of water that was at the side of her head.

Moon-moon didn't respond, but his eyes slooooowly turned to the side with an "I'm innocent I swear" expression that fooled no one. Maybe Kiba but I was more focused on my Friend.

"Damn it, Moon-moon. We'll talk about this later. But yeah, I do not wish to challenge Kiba for the position, he can have it. Now, I have a lot of catching up to do so I'll appreciate it if we can continue."
"Pfffffff". The weird sound came from my mother.
"AHAHAHAHA!" and now she was laughing her heart out.
"I always knew it, but you ARE your father's child! This is the reason I fell in love with him, you know?"

The use of the past tense just… triggered all the red flags that could exist in my brain.
That and the fact that the person who held me in his arms for the ceremony, the one who wanted to defend me with his life when Danzo went knocking, the one who trained me with the Inuzuka taijutsu…
Wasn't here.

"Mom? Where… Is dad?" I could only ask feebly.

In the corner of my eyes, I could see Kiba's own turning to hatred. Mom's eyes turned to wistfulness.

"…We divorced." Was the answer my mother gave me. And I felt every nerve in my body turn to ice.
"Kiba, please go train with Akamaru, your imprint is still feeble, and you need to train that. You'll enter school next week and I will NOT suffer a clan heir with that level of savagery."

Kiba, the poor kid, seemed lost. Like he was kept outside of an adult conversation, which was exactly what happened, but still obeyed our mother.
The young kid held up Akamaru and slowly walked toward the door. But right after he opened it, he turned around to look at me.

"Nii-san?"

His voice was so weak. He never had a brother. For all his short life, he only had a sister that had lost her brother. For a four-year-old that must have been tough.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Tell Hana I am, please, I won't have the opportunity to do it soon but she would like to hear it. So, I entrust you with this mission, Clan Head…"
My voice was weak, but I did my best to smile at the small Inuzuka child.
"Tell our big sister that I'm back, please."

The light of life returned to Kiba's eyes. With an overly loud 'YES!' he bolted out of the room. Akamaru followed behind him barking some cute and eager sounds.
And the silence came back again. I used it to recenter myself. That was a lot to take. My mother and Kuromaru didn't break it.

"So… I guess it's not the end of it. What is the bad news…?" I started. I thought I had a very good idea of what she was going to say.
"There… There is a lot of bad news, my child. I'm not sure where to even begin. What do you wish to know?"
"What really happened to dad?" I asked with the calmest voice I could muster, which, with my unused for 4 years vocal cords, wasn't much.

"He… he…" My mother's voice broke down.
"He… My love…" That was where I noticed that my mother was holding herself in her own arms. It was a defensive mechanism.
"Wait mom! If you don't want to speak about it, I can wait! I can... "

"He retired!"

This phrase cut me short. I mean, what's the problem? Shinobi retires all the time, right? When they are wounded, when they grow old, when they start a family? So why did mom have so much despair in her voice?

"Your father… Asked the Hokage… To be relieved of his duty… And got his permission…"
Yeah, nothing new here. It happens. I mean a crippling injury will do that. So why the depression?
I noticed my mother looking at me with much more pain in her eyes that I never saw.

"Shinji… After the Kyuubi attack… When you were hurt… When you were… When we didn't know if… When the medic told us that you might never wake up… When we saw all those other children just… Stop living… Just wither away and die… It was too much for him…"

Yeah, mom was scared. Mom was terrified.

"I REFUSED to admit that you'll die! But your father… my love… my pillar of strength… couldn't... Because he thought he failed… He convinced himself he failed to protect his son when he was supposed to be the Sire! He believed he failed to protect an Alpha! He was supposed to die in your place… So he started to hate his own existence. I tried to find the best healers, tried to find the best genjutsu master to help him… Or to help you… But no one could bring either of you back…"

"Then Akamaru chose Kiba… And he finally broke down…He thought he not only failed his family but the whole clan… So one day he went to the third Hokage. He asked to be removed from the Konoha list of active Shinobi. And immediately after he… Just left…"

And it hit me, now that I think of it, shinobi didn't leave the village to live their golden years. They live their life for the village. So usually, they die IN the village.

"Dad… went missing nin?"

I refused the sound of my voice the second it leaves my throat. Dad would never do that. Then why!

"He didn't. He asked for something different. We told Kiba that we couldn't stand each other anymore and that he'll just... Go travel. That he just went for a long journey in the elemental nations… I've never... I've never seen Kiba be so sad before..."

Except I'm not that stupid to think that's the end of it. Dad was a Jonin that did confidential S-rank missions. A lot of other villages would attack him for his secret. He was the husband of the clan head and knew our rules. He was strong. He knew the village inside and out. He knew things about every other clans. You do NOT let someone like that wander aimlessly around… He would be recognized! Attacked! And…And…

"Killed… He left to die. Suicide by Shinobi…" I could only draw the conclusion and hatred every word that came out of my mouth.
"We don't know… He could still be alive… But… One year after… His page was removed from Rock's bingo book…"

That could be a lot, that could be nothing, that could be everything…

"I'm so sorry my pup… If he knew… If only he knew that you would wake up…"
"I… I get it mum… Don't…"
I was surprised how broken my voice was. Dad is dead. Dad, DAD! He thought that he failed everyone when he saw his son being chosen by a 'mere' ninken. When he couldn't protect the alpha that came before him.

That was…

THAT WAS FUCKING STUPID!

"I'll just…" my mother looked at me, her expression broken but no doubt 'feeling' the thoughts inside me.
"I'll just have to bonk his face for four people instead of just one the next time I meet him. Before sending what remains of him in your general direction."

Mom knew I was lying.
Kiba's father… My father… Was never mentioned in the story. Even after the war ended, even after Kiba became Jonin and became a trusted aide of the seventh Hokage.
I assumed he died before the story began… And I was right. Sometimes I hate being right.

"It's just that… That's a lot… I'm tired, mum. Can we continue this tomorrow? I just need to…" I stopped speaking at that moment. Sleep. The thing I've done this past four years. Should I be trying to sleep again?
"Don't worry, pup. I understand. You might not remember it but you have been sleeping regularly this past week. The doctors told me you will have trouble connecting the days together for some days due to your medications.
But you WILL wake up, my child. And if you don't then Moon-moon here will remind you of it."

"And I will gladly bite him where it hurts if he ever forgot to!" My ninken helpfully provided with… Way too much eagerness…
"Aaaaand that's it. Shinji out. I'll see you tomorrow mum?"
"I will, we still have a lot to talk about. Nothing so heavy but we need to talk about the future. When you will be going back to school for example…"

"Moon-moon, please let me sleep tomorrow. And the day after. Pretty please?"
"Denied !"
"Traitor !"

While mock-arguing with my ninken I watched my mother stand up and leave the room. Her mood clearly elevated from what should have been a day she expected and feared at the same time.

Dropping the faux fight (well, for me. Moon-moon was really trying to bite me) I laid on the bed, looking at the too-white ceiling above me. Trying to organize that much new information in my head.

Minato was dead. Kushina along with him, no doubt.
I should have died during the attack.
I should have died when I had my heart attack.
Kiba and Naruto were born.
Kiba was bonded with Akamaru.
And now he has a big brother.
Canon started with me in the middle of it.
I need to think. Sleeping can wait.

I don't know when I fell asleep, my eyes closing naturally. Probably ten seconds after I started trying to think.