❝𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑲𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒉𝒂❞

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 18: 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝑨𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓

It was an early morning much like the day he left all of those months ago. The morning that forced him to lead a mission that ended up causing him to miss the birth of his first child. The child that was named after his idol, Minato Namikaze. The very same child that was now crying out for something. Naruto opened his eyes to find the bed next to him empty. He got up and practically stumbled his way to the former guest room that now served as the nursery all the while still shaking off the effects of sleep on his awareness. He noticed the nursery door was open and went to enter the room he was greeted by a heart warming sight. Sakura was holding little Minato and was humming gently while swaying ever so softly. He leaned against the door frame and watched as Sakura calmed the infant to the point of sleep once again. During the whole thing Naruto smiled at Sakura's maternal side and how soft she could be. Sakura, arguably the toughest kunoichi in Konoha and maybe even Suna was humming a nursery for a child. The thought made him smile again.

"You're so beautiful you know that right Sakura." He didn't ask this. Instead he stated it with no room for arguments. She smiled and went on her tip toes to plant a gentle kiss on the blonde's lips. He still couldn't believe that he was a father at 17 years old. His birthday had been a month before his return. They were the youngest shinobi from Konoha to have a child. Maybe even the youngest couple in the history of Konoha to do so. Yet despite all of the nervousness and trepidition he felt they would do just fine. He came to that conclusion last night when he met his soon for the first time. He felt Sakura cup his now smooth cheek and kiss him one more time before she left the room.

'Thank god the baka shaved that goatee!' Her Inner shouted and Sakura found that she couldn't agree more. She made her way to the kitchen where she began to cook breakfast for the two of them when she found herself being carried down the hallway to their bedroom.

"Oh no you don't. After being gone for this long I'm not letting you leave my side for AT LEAST a week!" The blonde growled as he carried the giggling pinkette down the hall.

"What about missions? Or your team?" Sakura didn't want Naruto to skip out on his duties just for her no matter how kind of an action it was.

"Gaara assigned me a new mission." Naruto thought it was funny that Tsunade was only advising Gaara when he was more than ready to allow Tsunade lead the refugees from Konoha.

"And that is?" Naruto was about to kick open the bedroom door when Sakura smacked his back to remind him of the child in the house. He smiled and quietly opened the door to slide in with her. After shutting the door he picked her up and laid her down on the bed.

"That mission is, and I quote 'I'm assigning you to the mission of being a good father until further notice. You may resume command of your genin team for training only. That is only after a month of vacation. Until then and for their missions Yamato will be their secondary sensei.' So as you can see I'm not going anywhere." He pulled her up and captured her lips in a passionate kiss. Sakura deepened the kiss causing him to increase the intensity. Sakura, not to be outdone, flipped Naruto on his back before straddling his lap. She could feel him getting aroused and smirked.

"How bout we go for child number 2?" She asked and he grinned.

It was 1 in the afternoon before the sweating duo emerged from the room naked as the day they were born. Naruto had a satisfied smile spread across his face as he watched Sakura limp to the sink with a glass. He drank in the sight of her naked body for a few more minutes before his stomach practically roared its neglected needs to the world. Sakura was forced to spit her water into the sink or run the risk of choking as she laughed at the blonde who was now frantically searching for his life giving meal. He threw open a cupboard and was greeted by the sight of an entire cabinet dedicated to ramen. The sight almost brought a tear to his eye.

When the two were finally done with eating a knock at the door had them scrambling for clothes. They just finished covering themselves when Ino practically threw open the door although it wasn't with her usual happy vigor. Naruto took one look at her face and knew why. She looked like she was on the verge of tears and walked straight up to Naruto who had his head down waiting to hear the inevitable.

"Ino what's wrong?" Sakura was about to step forward but was shocked when Ino slapped Naruto. He openly welcomed the pain as she spoke quietly.

"Why?"

No answer.

"Why?" It was asked slightly louder. It was yet again met with silence.

"Why!"

"Because I couldn't do anything! Is that what you wanted to hear? Yes I, Naruto Uzumaki, was completely helpless. I was bound up by chakra absorbing rope with several chakra seals and they forced me to fucking watch!" Naruto had tears running down his face that only made Ino cry harder.

"Where were the others? Why were you alone?!" She held a somewhat accusing tone that cut deeper than any kunai ever could.

"We each had a seperate job. Mine turned into a trap." He tried to explain further but Sakura's embrace helped tue damn break the rest of the way. "I'm so sorry Ino! I tried! Oh god did I try but those bastards...they...they tortured him right in front of me! I wasn't able to do anything! Oh god I'm so sorry!" He had never cried this hard ever before but now he was almost a groveling mess as he feel back and sunk down against the wall with his hands on his face. Ino didn't say anything. Instead she left. Not a single word to the broken blonde.

"Hey hey Naruto calm down! Tell me what happened." She gently tried to coax an answer from him which eventually worked.

"They...they killed him!"

"Who?"

"Choji...those fucking bastards killed Choji!" His hands fell revealing the red eyes. Before Sakura could react a massive spike in killer intent made the air feel solid as the overwhelming feeling of death and despair paralyzed her. A red cloak of chakra began to envelope the now trembling Naruto as he stood up. The wall behind him was blown out when a shockwave shot through the house. Three fox like chakra tails extended from his back and Sakura watxhed him turn and leap out the window heading in the direction of Konoha.

He wanted blood and one way or another blood was going to be spilled.