Chapter 1

“Ehhh… Sakura, are you sure about this?  I mean, he is my friend, but you know he’s never been good with people.”

Sakura Uzumaki merely gave her husband a sweet smile that didn’t fool the blond man for an instant.  “It’s just a party, Naruto.  And he’ll know everyone there.  We really should celebrate his tenth year as Kazekage, don’t you think?”

Naruto Uzumaki, sixth Hokage of the Hidden Village of Konoha and the Country of Fire, merely shook his head.  “I guess…” he admitted slowly.  “But if he’s uncomfortable with it, I’m not going to force him to come.”

Sakura went from sweet and innocent to irate female in 0.5 seconds.  “It’s a surprise party, baka!  Don’t you dare tell him about it!”

Eyes wide in panic, the poor man nodded vivaciously.  “D-don’t worry!” he promised her, trying to ignore the sweat trickling down his temples.  “I won’t breathe a word about it to him!”

Her temper disappeared so quickly it was if it had never happened and Sakura was her happy, cheerful self again.  “Thank you, sweetheart,” she cooed, walking over to kiss him on the cheek.  She waved slightly as she walked out of the Hokage’s study, off to prepare whatever it was she was plotting for his long-time friend.

Naruto sighed, his eyes half-open and a rather weary look on his face.  Ever since Sakura got pregnant, she’s been worse than usual…

Still… the fact that his rose-haired wife was carrying his child, their child- sometimes it made him want to shout his joy from the rooftops.  Ten years ago he never even dreamed that Sakura would ever be his.  But now she was- and he still had difficulty believing everything that had come to pass over the last ten years.

Gaara of the Desert had become Naruto’s closest friend following the events with the Akatsuki, playing a major role in helping to defeat the twisted members of Orochimaru’s band and eventually Orochimaru himself, thus releasing his hold on Sasuke.  But not before the last surviving member of the Uchiha clan had managed to destroy his traitorous brother, Itachi.  It had been a long, painful battle, one that Naruto was continually thankful was over.

Yet a few threats still remained.  Kabuto, Orochimaru’s trusted spy, was still at large, as were several members of Akatsuki.  So far, Naruto’s spies had few leads, but for the moment, all was peaceful.

And now some of his friends were settled down, raising families of their own, just like he and Sakura were.  Speaking of which, he needed to get changed and head over to Sasuke’s- he had promised his old friend that he and Sakura would join him for dinner.

Naruto smiled as he headed out of his study and off to his chambers.  Stranger things had happened in Konoha, but Sasuke returning home to start life over was definitely on the top of the list.  Especially since he had expected to die in the process of destroying his brother and getting revenge for his clan’s annihilation.  Sometimes it bothered Naruto that Sasuke hadn’t shown any interest in settling down, but he understood- after so long in the darkness, he needed to remember how to live in the light once again.

Sakura greeted him as he entered their bedroom.  She had already changed into a red maternity shirt trimmed with white and black capris. “I’m surprised,” she mused.  “It’s not like you to remember appointments.”

Naruto shrugged.  “If it’s for Sasuke,” he replied, “I’ll remember it.”

She smiled, somewhat sadly.  “He’s been through so much,” she said quietly.  “I only wish we could do more for him.”

Pulling out his favorite black t-shirt and orange vest-jacket, Naruto sighed.  “I don’t think there is anything else we can do.  Healing his mind is all up to him now.”

Sakura raised a pink eyebrow at him.  “Wow.  The great Sixth Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki, speaks with such wisdom…”

He gave her one of his toothy, mischievous grins that always made him look like he was 12 years old again.  “I’m not a complete baka.”

“I seriously doubt that.”

Both Naruto and Sakura turned to see their old sensei, Kakashi, standing nonchalantly in the doorway of their bedroom, ever-present book still in his hand.  The silver-haired man looked like he hadn’t aged a day in ten years.

“Don’t you know the meaning of the word privacy?” Naruto muttered.

Kakashi ignored his grumbling for the moment.  He was here on business.  “We’ve received word that the Five-tails has been found.”

Sakura and Naruto exchanged serious glances.  “The Five-tails?  Where?”

“The Land of Grass.”

Sakura gasped.  Naruto narrowed his eyes.  “They aren’t the most friendly of people, are they,” he commented wryly.

“Can’t say that they are, based on those I’ve encountered,” Kakashi replied, still not looking up from his book.  “But this Five-tails- it has a Jinchuuriki.”

“A human host?” Sakura blinked.  “I thought Naruto was the only one left now, since Gaara had Shukaku removed ten years ago.”

“There’s more.”

Naruto crossed his arms as his wife started to get a little edgy.  “Will you just spit it out already?” she hollered at him, clenching a fist.

Kakashi turned his visible eye on Naruto.  “This is why I never married,” he commented.

“Out with it.  What’s the problem?”  Naruto actually looked serious.

The jounin sighed.  “The Jinchuuriki is a girl.”

“A girl?” came the dual reply.

“A young woman, in fact.  A year or two younger than you two.  She’s apparently been alone all this time, managing to survive on wits alone.  She doesn’t seem to have any sort of ninja training whatsoever, so it’s a strange situation.  We don’t know her abilities- or if the Five-tails is dormant within her.”

Sakura blinked in confusion.  “She… hasn’t had any training?  Not even the basics?”

“Nope.  Not that we’ve seen, and we’ve been watching her for quite some time, as we were unsure it was really her.  But we had both Neji and Hinata look into it, and they’re certain of it.  She has a similar dual chakra that you have, Naruto.”  Kakashi gave him a direct stare.

Naruto pondered this.  “You say she has the dual chakra that I have… but Gaara didn’t have that.  Why would she be different?”

Kakashi shrugged a shoulder.  “I can’t answer that, nor can you.  We will have to get to her before the remaining Akatsuki do.”

The blonde-haired man clenched a fist.  “I won’t let them do to this girl what they did to Gaara,” he growled.  He turned to Sakura.  “I have to do this.  I have to find her and protect her from those bastards.”

Sakura placed a hand on the gentle curve of her belly.  “I know, Naruto.  And I also know I cannot go with you this time.  I’m sorry.”

Naruto walked over to her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.  Kakashi blushed slightly and turned away- he still never got used to those two being together.  “I’ll take Kiba and Shikamaru with me, okay?”

“Shikamaru’s in Suna with Temari and their daughter, visiting her brothers,” Kakashi reminded him.

Naruto nodded.  “That’s why I’m taking him.  I’ll be asking Gaara to come too.”  He turned to Sakura again.  “He’ll understand.  He’ll want to help.”

Sakura looked worried.  “Are you sure it’ll be okay, just you and Kiba heading to Suna alone?”

Again came the toothy grin.  “We’ll have Akamaru, don’t forget.  There will be three of us, and then Hinata and Teiru can come and stay with you, okay?”

She nodded slowly.  “Okay.  If Kiba’s okay with that, then they’re more than welcome.”

Kakashi closed his book.  “Well, then.  I will leave you to your privacy.”

Sakura glared at him.  “About time.”  He simply gave her a mask-covered grin and vanished, like the stealthy Jounin he was.

She sighed.  “I don’t know if I like this, Naruto,” she whispered.  “You’re Hokage now.  You don’t need to go off on a mission of this level.  Why don’t you just send some of the others?  I’m sure they’ll be willing to help.”

Naruto shook his head.  “Not this time, Sakura.  This is something I have to do.  You must understand.”

Leaning against a nearby table, she lowered her head so that her pink bangs fell over her eyes.  “I understand,” she murmured, “but I still worry about you.”

“Hey,” he said quietly, walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her growing waistline.  “I’d be sad if you didn’t.”  He kissed her lips lightly.  “I still remember a time when you found me merely annoying.”

Sakura managed a feminine snort.  “I still do.”

“Ah, but you love me nonetheless.”

“I admit to nothing.”

The soft, irregular thumping against Naruto’s midsection had him chuckling.  “The proof is kicking me in the stomach, Sakura.”

Immediately her face went soft and her emerald eyes sparkled.  “He’s a strong one.  Just like his father.”

“And his mother.”

Kyuubi made a sound inside Naruto’s mind that sounded almost like purring.  My mate… my kit… the Nine-tails thought, causing Naruto to mentally nod in agreement.  He and the kitsune had come to terms long ago and for the most part they worked and thought as a team, even though there still were times when Kyuubi lusted for blood.  Only with the strength of his training and sheer willpower was Naruto able to keep the Nine-tails under control during those times.

Naruto hugged her tightly.  “The sooner I leave, the sooner I return,” he told her.

She nodded against his chest.  “Please be careful, Naruto.  Take the medical kit with you, okay?”

“You know I will.”  One last, lingering kiss and he released her, preparing to leave.  He turned slightly and looked back at his wife.  “Apologize to Sasuke for me, won’t you?”

Sakura nodded agreement.  “If… it’s okay with you… I’ll still join him for dinner.  He needs his friends.”

“You know that’s fine.  I trust both of you.”  With another loving look and his traditional hand wave, he vanished like Kakashi had.

The rose-haired mother-to-be took a deep breath.  In truth, she really didn’t want to go see Sasuke, but she truly believed that his friends would help him to heal.  She was still embarrassed by her childish confession of love thirteen years ago, when he had left Konoha to join Orochimaru, even though he didn’t care at the time.

I’ll ask Lee to go with me.  I’m sure he’ll be willing.  Nodding in relief, she headed out, intent on finding the fuzzy-eyebrow-ed Chuunin.

------------------------

Several minutes later she found herself standing outside Lee’s door, hand poised to knock politely, when a familiar voice called out from down the street.  “If you’re looking for Lee,” Ino called cheerfully, “he’s training with Gui again.”

Sakura sighed.  “Doesn’t he ever stop?”

Ino giggled.  “Rarely.  I think he’s still trying to get you out of his system.”

Ah, the crux of the matter.  Lee was a wonderful friend and a genius of hard work, but his love for Sakura had been so genuine and deep-rooted that when she had fallen in love with Naruto and eventually married him, it shook the black-haired ninja hard.  He fought the sadness and remained good friends with Sakura and Naruto, of course, but his heart, apparently, still hurt.

Taking a quick glance around, Sakura smiled.  “Where’s Chouji?”

Ino rolled her eyes.  “He claims he’s out on a mission with his father, but personally, I think the two of them are at the BBQ place.”

“So he left you with Chouichi and went off to eat.”

Ino smiled at the cherubic, chubby infant in her arms.  “Can’t blame him.  Chouichi eats more than his father does.  I dread to think of our food bill when he starts eating solid foods.”  She glanced at Sakura’s round belly.  “How much longer do you have?”

Her rose-haired friend smile as she patted her abdomen.  “Two months.”  She winced, sticking out her tongue.  “Feels like forever.”

“Yup.”  Ino shifted her son to her shoulder.  “That it does.  And then when it’s over, it seems like the time just flew by.”

Sakura regarded her long-time friend and former rival.  “You busy?”

“No.  Why?”

She shifted her stance slightly to relieve some of the pressure on her feet.  “Naruto and I were supposed to go to Sasuke’s tonight for dinner, but something came up and Naruto can’t go.  I… really don’t want to go alone, so I thought I’d ask Lee to join me, but if he’s not here…”

Ino lifted a blonde eyebrow.  “You want me and this chub of a baby to join you and Sasuke for dinner?”

Sakura blushed slightly.  “Would you?”

“Pass up a chance to spend time with Sasuke?  Never.”  She winked at her friend.  “He’s still gorgeous.”

“Ino!  You’re married and you have a baby!  Behave yourself!”

“Ahh,” Ino giggled.  “I can still look.  And remember, back before all the chaos happened.”

“None of that,” Sakura warned.  “Don’t mention what happened with Itachi or Orochimaru, okay?  Sasuke has enough problems living out of the darkness now.  We are going to help him, not set him back.”

“Aye, aye, captain,” Ino replied cheerfully.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

A/N: Teiru- “tail” (because all of Kiba’s family members are named after some part of a dog)
Chouichi- “firstborn butterfly” or something like that