KAKASHI'S POINT OF VIEW

I felt nervous, knees weak, wipe my forehead kind of nervous. Mina was a few months along now, going into her second trimester, a perfect time to begin to tell our friends that she was expecting. We wanted to keep it a secret for a little while, considering it is so easy to have a miscarriage in the first three months. Now that we passed by that stage, it was time to tell everyone. Naruto in particular was a challenging subject because we were now bringing a new baby into the house. At first he seemed excited...but I didn't know how he actually felt. I'm in a tight spot since I'm not his father, and I don't want him to feel left out.

How Naruto feels about the baby will establish our relationship for the next few years and whether or not Mina and I's marriage will be carried on with difficulty. After all, Naruto still believes he is Mina's son and knows I'm not his father. He may have accepted me as his mother's husband, but would he accept me as a father?

Mina was out and about all day with Mikoto, one of the few people who already knew she was pregnant, after all, Mina wanted to make sure she was taking precaution since day one. She might kill me for saying something to Naruto without her around but I wanted to establish something to Naruto...the fact that I love his mother more than anything in the entire world and that I wasn't 'leaving' anytime soon like his father. Naruto came home from the Academy while I was finishing up some left over dishes. He tossed his bag carelessly in the corner of the living room before darting to the kitchen for a snack. He greeted me with a lopsided grin and jumped into a chair.

"Hey Kakashi! What's for a snack today?! Beef, chicken, shrimp, miso?!" Naruto asked excitedly. We had this tradition of when I was home from a mission, I would always make Naruto something for a snack, mostly instant ramen. I quickly washed my hands before turning the faucet off and drying them, turning to the the blond. I gave him a closed eye smile while leaning against the counter, putting my book away that I had sitting out.

"I was thinking we could go out today, just you and me. What do you think?" Naruto hopped up excitedly before grinning and nodding. That kid definitely had Kushina's personality for sure.

"Ooh! Where, where, where!?" I placed my hands up in front of me defensively before sweatdropping.

"Um...how about Ichiraku's?"

~~

After Naruto and I ate a bowl of ramen and he ordered a second, I decided to begin talking to him. Mina and I already told Naruto about her pregnancy, something he took extremely well, so I wasn't going to say anything to him about that. This was an entirely different topic I wanted to say to him...something Mina had no idea that I was thinking about. If I'm her husband, I want to be with her in every way I can. Naruto was her adopted son and my future child's brother...it was about time I made things right.

"Naruto..." I started. I felt the pair of blue eyes peer up at me. The curious young man had a noodle hanging out of his mouth which he ate almost immediately.

"What's up Kakashi?" I ruffled my silver, gravity-defying hair before sighing.

"I wanted to talk to you about something. Feel free to stop me if I am making you feel too uncomfortable." Naruto looked at me confused before digging into the freshly made second bowl that the old man placed in front of him. His daughter was just a little bit younger than Mina and I.

"I know you grew up without a Dad, Naruto. It must have been tough for you, and I can understand the feeling of being different because you didn't have a father. I lost mine when I was around your age. I never really tried to parent you despite the fact your Mom and I are together because I didn't want to put that kind of pressure on you, after all, I am not your father." Naruto looked down at his hands, a dark look on his face. I placed a hand on his back, the softness of his green cotton t-shirt was warm from the sun behind us.

"But I want to be." Naruto looked up, surprised, his cerulean eyes widening.

"I want to be the man in your life that you can rely on to be there for you and your Mom. I want you to feel dependent on me and be comfortable with calling on me. You don't have to ever call me Dad or your father but...Naruto, would you allow me to adopt you? Can I be your adopted father and have us be family?" Naruto only stared at me for a second. His eyes were brimming with tears before he jumped on me and gave me a hug. I held him tightly before setting him down, the young boy bouncing up and down.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! I've always wanted a Dad!" I grinned at him before ruffling his blond locks.

I hope I've made you proud, Sensei.

~~

Naruto went off to play with Kiba after our little get together which was perfect timing for me to pay my respects to my fallen comrades. I walked to the KIA stone that Mina and I have grown so accustomed to these past few years. I stood in front of it and read off the names that burned me so badly.

Rin Nohara
Obito Uchiha
Kushina Uzumaki
Minato Namikaze

I stared long and hard at another name that wasn't on the stone, but was on a different grave. He has been plaguing my thoughts lately. Someone I never truly appreciated.

Sakumo Hatake

I wonder how hard it must have been for him to be a father after Mom died. I never really knew her and the fact Dad was able to give me as much time as he could while having a career as a shinobi... It was beyond amazing. He taught me some of the most valuable lessons in life that I have needed yet underappreciated. If it wasn't for him, I could never have truly understood what Obito had meant when he said comrades were worth more than the mission. A good man gone too soon. I'm terrified I won't be half the father he was.

"Hey guys." I said as I sat down in front of the KIA stone. I sat for a long time, feeling the world pass around me.

"So big news... My wife, Minako is going to have a baby. I'm pretty excited... Terrified, but excited. I hope everything will go smoothly." I took a pause, thinking back to Kushina's birth, knowing full well that it is a possibility that the same thing could happen again. I shivered at the thought. I needed to tell the Hokage that Mina was expecting so we could arrange Anbu body guards in secret. Only close friends and family can know about the baby. I will never allow someone to release the nine tails from Mina.

"I'm worried. I'm worried that because we are having this baby, that I might lose Minako. The beast that's inside her could break free... Or worse... Kill her. Dad... Please lend me your strength..." I placed a hand on the stone before looking at my best friend's name.

"Obito... I hope my child has the mentality you had. I'm sorry I stole your girl. I hope you can forgive me." I laughed dryly. I looked up at the rising moon before turning to stand.

"Well I guess I got to go. Thanks for everything Dad... I know it's too late but... I love you, thank you." I turned to walk away before hearing a whimper and distant scream. If it wasn't for my attuned skills as a tracking shinobi with a canine unit, I would never have picked it up. I turned towards the sound to see it led right near the Uchiha compound.

No.. Oh no.

Mina

~~
MINAKO'S POINT OF VIEW

After a bit of shopping with Mikoto, I had her tell Itachi and Shisui to meet me by our regular training spot so we could talk. Since I told Naruto and my closest friends already, it was about time I told my boys. I was just about four months along, a slight belly protruding from my abdomen but nothing too noticeable. I walked onto the training fields to see my two boys talking with stressful tones to each other. I sighed, alerting them of my presence to which Shisui offered me a pleasant smile and Itachi a faint blush and a nod. I grinned at my two boys, both of which were growing up so fast.

"Hey boys. Itachi, Shisui. I wanted to announce something to you guys today." The two Uchihas looked at me before following my lead and sitting down in the grass. I brushed stray strands of crimson behind my ear before smiling at the two concerned boys.

"Are you alright Minako Sensei? You look a little red. Do you have a fever?" Itachi asked with concern. I laughed slightly before taking Itachi and Shisui's hands, holding one in each of mine.

"I have been keeping a secret for a little while but I thought it was about time I told you boys...Kakashi and I are having a baby." I disclosed. Shisui's face broke out into a grin and Itachi froze with a glossed over look in his features. Without warning, Shisui pounced onto me, hugging me tightly before giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"Mina Sensei! I'm so happy for you! If it's a little boy you're going to name him Shisui right?!" I giggled before ruffling my black haired student's messy mop.

"I'll consider it." I grinned. Shisui helped stand me up before placing a hand on my slightly round belly. Itachi was still frozen on the ground.

"I can't believe there is a little Mina in there... Huh. " Shisui smiled softly. Shisui towered over me, reminding me that my students have finally grown to be men. I turned to Itachi who was staring off into space, his dark eyes in a world of their own. He looked in pain.

"Itachi... Are you alright?" He looked up and glanced into my violet eyes, immediately standing and towering over me as well. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly before smiling painfully.

"Um Yeah. I'm so happy for you Minako Sensei." I raised an eyebrow at his odd behavior before walking towards my younger student. I had to look up to meet his gaze, a small smile on my face.

"Itachi, it's going to be okay." I placed my hands on his cheeks, one on each side. I saw in his eyes the fear... Fear of what happened the last time a jinchuriki gave birth.

"I'm going to survive. I have too much to live for. Besides I have the two strongest shinobis in the village by my side." I smiled at Itachi who took a deep breath before embracing me tightly, burrowing his face into the crook of my neck. I suddenly felt several chakra signatures, immediately causing my hand to fly to my stomach.

"Shisui! Itachi!" I called out but both were standing in front of me, protecting me. A shower of kunai rained down on us and I barely made it out of the way in time, I was unprepared. A small graze of a kunai went past my hip, causing me to bleed, the sting hurting worse. I gasped in pain, alerting the boys of the cut.

"Itachi! Get Mina Sensei out of here! I'll throw them off! Go!" Shisui yelled. Itachi turned to me, sweeping me off my feet before taking me and running God knows where. I wrapped an arm behind his neck and used my other to guard my belly. Itachi and I looked at each other silently, deep fear and grief filling us. It was time... time for the plan. I felt a few tears run down my cheeks as the true weight of our situation fell upon my shoulders. Itachi brought us to a cliff that hung over a rushing river. He immediately laid me down and leaned over me to observe my wound.

"I need to patch you up." I nodded and lifted up my shirt on the side so Itachi could access the wound. His cheeks lit up to a burning crimson before swallowing a lump in his throat and silently patched me up. We waited several minutes before hearing Shisui enter from the woods, an eye closed and bleeding. I immediately jumped up despite the sting and ran towards him, cradling his face. Tears poured down my face as I saw my elder student cringe in pain.

"It was him wasn't it Shisui? It was Danzo?! I will hunt that sick bastard until the end of the world. I'm going to kill him! I'm going to end him!" Red chakra ran through me and I felt my wound close up immediately. My hair rose and my eyes burned crimson. Shisui placed a hand on my shoulder before looking over at Itachi and I.

"They have my eye and it is a matter of time before they come for my next one. I won't be able to handle them all with only one eye. Soon they will act on a plan meaning now we must act on ours, Itachi. Mina Sensei... Thank you for all that you have done for us... But now, it is up to the Uchihas to make things right. Please, step aside and hold your family close, because Itachi and I...our time has come." I started to calm down slightly, my eyebrows furrowing.

"Shisui, what are you saying?" I asked. Itachi seemed to know and tears sped down his cheek. He nodded at his comrade and brother in arms before Shisui swiped his remaining eye with a painful grimace and gave it to Itachi.

"Take care of my eye, and may I watch over you all. You will have to walk a dark and lonely path from now on my friend. I am so sorry I won't be able to join you." Shisui said to Itachi who stared at his best friend with a broken heart. I felt like I knew what was happening and didn't want to admit it to myself. It was too much... Too much for me to handle. After months upon months of planning and training, this is what our legacy has come to? Will I lose my students because of a crazy man's antics? Will I lose those I hold closest to me? Shisui turned to me and held me in his arms as if I was a fragile little antique. Knowing this could be the very last time I held him, killed me. I wept into his arms as they held me tightly.

"Don't go...don't go...please, I'm begging you...don't go Shisui!" I sobbed into his chest.

"Mina Sensei... You gave me wisdom and strength beyond my years. I believe in you and your dream to be Hokage. Never lose faith, I will be by your side every step of the way. Please take care of Naruto and that future little Shisui. I could never thank you enough for always giving me love and showing me how to be a man. Goodbye." Shisui pulled away before nodding to Itachi who was about to lose his cool. I watched his stone exterior crack, the fragile boy inside peering out.

"Follow the path Itachi. Save the village......Goodbye...my friend." Shisui smiled at us both before stepping backwards over the edge of the cliff. I crumpled to my knees as I watched my student, a boy I practically raised since he was a child, fall to meet his end. Itachi held onto me tightly as I wept for the young man I just lost. His name rolling off my tongue was a constant, Itachi holding me close to him.

Rest peacefully Shisui, you will not die in vain.