The mist came attracted to Konoha within the morning near two months after his dareful confrontation with the council, rain readying itself for a showing the clouds already darkened grey and hung heavy above the rooftops. Naruto found himself astray by his garden's entrance in revealing the cooling mists of breaking dawn, his hands were gliding along his obvious protruding belly, tracing the curvature with a softened, glimmering, smile. The round of his fifth month- he had been delighted to feel her active movements in night and day, cherishing the few times he could see the bump of her fist or foot underneath his skin. Two days previous, at an appointment with Tsunade as his obstetrician, the Hokage had spoken up to him for his joviality at the motions; laughing that most Omega and Beta women began to resent the lack of sleep it provided, Naruto had laughed at her and said that it was the family he had never possessed 'how could I hate anything she does?'

There was little for him to do, for autumn's rain would come swiftly in the afternoon, and he had no missions to oversee while on his second trimester- being on leave. Thus, in so far, he was marvelling in the wonder for the fact that he was pregnant; to have a family, even if upon knowledge Jiraiya left -which he doubted of his knowledge of the man,- but even therein, he would still have his daughter. His palm twitched as she gave one of her big movements of action and he grinned in her direction. All smiles, that was when he heard a movement come from the inside of his house, a creek of one floorboard; his head snapped in that direction and he pulled down his black undershirt and orange jacket, his other went and extracted a kunai kept in his back pouch. Within a modern house, there was very little to use as cover, so he stood up, wobbling minorly for the weight change, his mind already running with thoughts of his current circumstances.

The council had already made their detest obvious, yet even they would not be so blatant in sending a ROOT member to dispose of his baby. Naruto knew he was not the most brilliant of his generation, but he could at least comprehend that the council would be responsible in such a situation. Neverminding the simplistic fact that a member of their highest rank would not make a floorboard creek, so he could deduce with what he did know that whoever was in his house was either one of the friends he had within the village or, a member of a mercenary company much as Jiraiya had warned. In readying, he placed his kunai in front of himself and moved further into his house. Mercenary companies were not often properly trained; at least not to kill a shinobi, although many of them could be extensively dangerous even to a chunin rank, and some even knew minor jutsu, the disparity in skill was a large one.

Observing the area he found nothing, save a wire trap which he nearly stepped on, a flicker in his right eye warned him only within a second the katana aiming straight for his head. Barely managing to clash against it with his poised kunai he had turned and stepped backwards onto the exact tripwire he had avoided, met by a set kunai flying at his leg, it hit its mark, unfortunately; and Naruto twitched for the sudden pain. Focus drawn however by the masked mercenary swiping skillfully at him with his sword, he was managing to counter, but his motions were sluggish, and Naruto knew he could not properly go on the offensive with his pregnancy being so fragile. He gets pushed to the wall, and sweat trickles down his brow as fear settles in at the bottom of his stomach for the near-death situation he is grasped within, the pain of his thigh barely registering in opposition. Then as he attempts to push back against his enemy, stretching into his chakra as he knows he should not- an explosive tag goes off upon his attacker; and he flinches for the sudden blood and gore sprung upon his body for the attack.

Watching as the 'body' of mainly grotesquely bleeding legs falls before him in a heap, intestines hanging out. His hand goes to his abdomen in protective avoidance of the sight, and his visage twists in discomfort for the gore he had never truly seen. To look forward, however, he is comforted by Kakashi's normal neutral expression -guarded of course by his mask. His relief showed to the man as he was given a tilted smile in return, even as ANBU began to clean up the mess he'd made in his execution. Looking to them, they actually gave him small nods of acknowledgement before shashining away as they always did, the remains of the body mysteriously gone. Hesitant for the newly clean, blank space of his wooden floor, he walked over to his teacher's position, grinning up to the man's lazed posture. "Thank you Kakashi-sensei, I didn't think I'd be attacked so early." Weakened though his farce remained after the shock of near death- he still played with his mask -though only slightly- when it was Kakashi he was around.

"You're in your second-term Naruto, these things are bound to happen, that's why Tsunade put me on guard duty." He pulled out a book from his pocket, eyes astraying from him to the pages, "not that I mind, its just been a while since I've been on actual guard duty. Actually, I think the last one was when Zabuza-san and Haku attacked." He shrugged to the recollection, Naruto found himself giving a demure smile at the memory, saddened eyes glistening at the shine the water provided as he made some tea. It had been a long time ago.

Kakashi did turn to confront him however, a stern express well guarded his black eye. "Do you have any idea who that man might've been, or his company?" Tan hands poured out the water to the cups, taking a sip while his head lightly shook. For although Jiraiya had mentioned the possibility, there had been no names other than the Akatsuki- but they had a different goal and were a group of shinobi he already knew of, a hum followed his answer, and the blond did not directly put his mug down as a thought obstructed him.

"I did have a talk with the council two months ago. They wanted me to get an abortion, but that's pretty much what I expected- I told them, no, but I don't think they'd attack me like that do you?" Azure eyes shone with flickering anxiety, as they turned to his former teacher.

"I think its the council, they'll do whatever they think is necessary." It wasn't an answer, and instead of making a reply, Naruto looked away from the man, for want to deny the candour which he spoke in. Then the bright buzz of his doorbell rung clear throughout the house, he smiled a slight, knowing that it was in fact a wanted guest in Kamaji, who he had arranged a day out with a few days previous. He gripped at his bump in walking to the door, Kakashi at his heels as he opened the door with his usual grin. While the thoughtful Jounin saw himself out, hand in pocket and eyes trapped upon his book, Kamaji stared in confusion as he leisurely walked past. Turning her hazel eyes to Naruto in surprise for the unexpected guest.

"Bad time?" A sly smirk twisted up her lips a sparkle of intrigue in her iris as she gave a wink, ruined only by the titter she let loose afterward. Naruto laughed at her lacking discretion, while he rolled his eyes and grabbed his umbrella just in case the weather decided to play favouritism unto his tormentors. Before he stepped out himself and locked the door behind, taking his friend's elbow in his own as they walked they were made comfortable by each other's known presence. She shot him a curious smile. "So is he~?" The gasp that came to his lips was genuine, shock almost complete repulsion for the idea- then Naruto actually managed to recall himself and whom he was in fact bonded unto, it had a blush filter onto his cheeks and a nervous glint of apprehension come over to crest his face instead.

"No- that was my Jounin teacher, he's just acting as a guard in case something happens. Her father is... a long way away." In thinking upon the man, his hand caressed at his slightly protruding, belly, a look of tenderance obvious in his eyes for those who glanced. Certainly, he wanted her father to meet her before she was born, he had a private vision of the sanin holding his daughter with uncertain arms and grinning for the sight of her chubbed cheeks. His friend smiled beside him, but her express blackened with negatives just as swiftly.

"Naruto-kun, I happen to know a member of ANBU, nothing's for certain; but there was a mention of you within a council meeting, they said something about 'hiring a cheap company to handle the situation quietly.'" In a manner, it was predictable, still, he felt himself twitch for the apprehension that his own summery could be correct in any way. He had no want to understand the situation fully- the wracking emotions bore down upon him with such familiarity that the darkening of his expression was in no way seen. Did the colour of his eyes thin upon the knowledge, did a shadow cast ominous- the shape of a fox following him in augmentation of what he represented?: He smiled, the concept always so heavy within his brain for the possibility of his negativity showcasing as a bitter form of ratification onto the villagers and their perceived caution.

Naruto paused for the burn the knowledge garnished, still, he kept walking once it had settled within his mind as a trivial fact of the council's mentality. His shoulders dropped however for the knowledge, and how it would have been procured. Kamaji-san must have watched as his eyes drew their tears, for she manoeuvred them both to an expensive sweets store in response, as his tears reformed themselves into pitiful choked sobs. They were allowed onto the benches, and in spite of himself, the blond did not hear the oppressive insults surrounding by the customers already within. Apprehension was much more a bitter comprehension than any horrid choked-out insult by a citizen who knew nothing. His head fell down onto the wood, as emotions struck for all their purpose in understanding, Kamaji in her kindness placed a placid -strong- hand onto his shoulder for whatever soothing comfort she might provide.

It was brazen, against shinobi standard, but for the moment his own submission to emotion was desired, and he allowed it. "There were five people, only five who knew for certain of my- expecting." He propped his chin upon his hands, the tears they'd built streaming forth down his fingers and over his wrists, a showcase of his own detestment of the situation. "The Hokage, Suzanne, Kakashi, and Sakura." Kamaji-san pulled back marginally, already coming to understand of what he spoke. "Kakashi-sensei was under Tsuande's orders to protect me against any threat, not to mention he only likes catching gossip, not spreading it. Suzanne wouldn't dare try. But Sakura had known the entire time, she'd told me to stay away from her, but she must have been the one to spread the rumour I was pregnant, the one to tell the council." His fists clenched as his teeth grit together, his chest lost within the grasping clutches of betrayal. "I just wish I knew why!" He watched his tears drop onto the wooden table as their sweets were delivered, he sipped from the tea even though his hands still shook on the cup.

Sakura as a threat had never occurred to him, even so with the possibility frothing in his mind; he held onto the notion that perhaps more was involved than could be seen.