"Itachi?" I called.

I continued to look around and I ended up falling into a ditch that was deep in the ground. Today just wasn't my day.

"How can I be so stupid?" I hissed in pain, rubbing my aching shoulder. This ditch was impossible to get out of, considering it was a dried up mudslide.

"Itachi? Naomi? Ebisu?"

"Looks like you've fallen in that ditch," Someone said.

I quickly looked around, thinking it was the person from earlier, but then I saw a boy with silver hair and round glasses.

"No, really?" I replied sarcastically and reached for a kunai.

"If I had some snakes on me, I think I'd be able to pull you out, but there is another way I can think of," He said.

"I'm assuming you're my enemy, so why are you trying to help me? What's the catch?"

"No catch, I just have nothing else to do while I wait on my leader to finish his business," He said as his shadow loomed over me. I could hear a hint of maliciousness in his voice.

"Who are you?"

"No one important that you need to know," He said. "But I have a vine here that can get you out. I'll hold it and you can climb,"

He lowered a vine in front of me and held it.

I hesitantly took the vine and tugged on it to see if it was safe.

"Well? Are you going to climb?" The boy asked.

"Yes, I was just making sure it was safe,"

I took a deep breath and grabbed onto it, starting to climb.

He noticed that I started hesitating and looking down. I didn't want the vine to break on me since this was a long fall.

"Don't look down or we'll be stuck here all day,"

"But what if it snaps and makes me fall?"

He sighed. "I doubt it. Just keep climbing,"

I did what he said and I was almost out of the ditch. I suddenly heard the snap and felt myself falling back.

"Damnit!" I shouted.

I felt my head smack against something and painfully groaned. I felt dazed and lied there, feeling like I was going to blackout.

I saw a black flash and felt myself being lifted up. I couldn't tell who it was since I was out of it and heard them mutter.

"Already making me worry."

That was all I could make out.

After that, I was gently placed on the ground and lied there for what felt like hours. I snapped out of my daze when I heard talking.

I looked around, feeling a horrible pounding feeling in my head.

"The hell just happened?"

Itachi was sitting next to me. "What happened?"

"I remember falling into a hole and some boy tried to help, but the vine snapped and I hit my head. Then I remember someone lifting me up and helping me. Was that you?" I ask.

Itachi shook his head. "No, I found you lying here and I immediately checked for any wounds. Are you okay?"

"I think so, just a headache," I replied.

Who helped me? What did they mean 'already making me worry'?

Now this was going to be on my mind all day.

I sat up and winced at the headache. "Did you find any rogue ninjas?"

"I did, but they left as soon as they realized I was there. I checked around and then looked for you," Itachi said.

I sighed. "Let's go find Naomi and Ebisu, then we can report this to Lord Hokage,"

Itachi nodded and we eventually found them, waiting for us by the border.

"Took you long enough," Naomi said. "We found nothing, so we've been waiting around for you for a while now,"

I rolled my eyes. "We ran into some complications,"

"Did you find anything?" Ebisu asked.

"Earlier, I found some rogue ninjas and tried to figure out what they were up to, but they left as soon as they saw me," Itachi explained.

"Anything else?" Naomi asked.

"Nothing else. I fell into a ditch and got a head injury," I added.

I decided to leave the silver-haired boy and the mystery person out.

Naomi nodded and we left to go report to Uncle Minato about our findings.

As we walked back, I couldn't get that mystery person out of my head. Their voice sounded familiar, yet unfamiliar at the same time. I don't get it.

I snapped out of my thoughts when I saw that we were at the village now.

"That was...interesting," Itachi remarked about the mission.

"Yeah, it was. Who do you think that guy was?" Naomi asked and suddenly looked over at Ebisu, eyes narrowed. "Who vanished,"

Ebisu rolled his eyes at her snarkiness and pushed his glasses up. "No idea."

Itachi was quiet as if he was lost in his thoughts.

We entered the Hokage's Tower and I walked in the office. Naomi suddenly scolded me about not knocking and I just ignored her.

"So I see you guys are back," Minato said. "What did you find?"

Naomi explained everything that happened at the border and then mentioned how the person vanished completely. Then Itachi mentioned the rogue ninjas who were lurking around and then I embarrassingly reported that I fell into a ditch and now my head feels weird.

"Okay, I see," Minato nodded. "I will have some ANBU investigate over there. You guys are dismissed,"

We all left and Minato stopped me.

"Wait, Hana,"

I turned around.

"What is it?"

"You said your head felt weird, right? You should go to the hospital to get your head checked just in case it's a concussion,"

"I will and then I'll head home. Will you be home for dinner?" I ask.

Minato nodded. "Yeah, I told Master Jiraiya about Kushina being pregnant, so he wants to come visit us tonight."

With that, I gave him one last glance and left the office. He looked completely different with that Hokage cloak on. It had me curious as to what I would look like if I had that on. It would probably look like a dress on me since I'm still short even though I'm not 4'11 anymore.

I went to the hospital to get my head checked like Minato asked and it was pretty boring. All they told me was that it was a minor concussion and that I was going to be okay as long as I rested up and didn't go on any missions for a while.

After that, I went home and greeted Kushina. I told her everything that happened and she insisted on making me homemade soup since I have a minor concussion.

"Also, did Minato already tell you that Jiraiya is coming over tonight?" She asked me as she made the soup, which smelled delicious.

"Yes,"

As if it was on cue, there was a knock on the door and I got up to answer it.

I saw Minato and bushy white hair next to him. I grinned excitedly.

"Perverted-Sensei!"

He grimaced and Minato sweat-dropped.

"How long are you going to keep calling me that nickname, you little squirt?" He asked.

"Hey! I'm not that little, I grew!"

He snorted jokingly. "Yeah, by an inch,"

"I'm 5'1!"

"Sure, whatever you say Squirt," He chuckled and they walked inside.

Kushina greeted him and poured us all some tea.

"So, what's this I hear about you being pregnant?" Jiraiya asked and suddenly gave a look to Minato. "Did you take my advice?"

Minato's cheeks turned pink and Kushina swatted him over the head.

He chuckled and got serious. "Do you guys have any names in mind already?"

"Not yet. We'll be finding the gender out in a few months, so we'll decide on one until that time comes," Kushina replied.

"I see," Jiraiya nodded. "And what about the other thing?"

I was confused now.

"We talked about that already. If it weakens, we'll figure out how to handle it," Minato answered.

"What are you guys talking about?" I ask.

They all looked at each other, as if they were trying to figure out how to tell me.

"Hana...remember when I told you I understood what was going on with you a few months ago?" Kushina asked.

I nod.

"Well, the reason for that is because I am the Nine-Tailed Fox's jinchuriki,"

I widened my eyes.

No wonder why she understood what was going on with the Eight-Tails and that would explain why her hair parted into nine sections whenever she lost her temper.

"So, what does that have to do with you being pregnant?" I ask.

"My seal is going to weaken as the pregnancy goes on," Kushina said.

"But don't worry too much," Minato cut in. "She'll just have to get it strengthened when it starts weakening. It'll be okay."

Kushina just nodded.

I nodded. As long as my cousin and Kushina wouldn't be harmed, I'd be fine.

Jiraiya looked thoughtful.

After we talked about the seal, we caught up some more and talked about getting together again when we found out the gender of the baby. Jiraiya eventually had to leave and I went to my room to go to bed.

As I lied down, I couldn't stop thinking about Obito.

When I remembered his smile, his voice, and his warmth, I felt my chest hurt. It felt as if my heart was physically ripping again.

I started to feel wetness on my cheeks and stared at the bracelet he bought me at the festival. Words couldn't describe how much I missed him.