MINAKO'S POINT OF VIEW

"You better not let me fall ya know or I'm gonna use your skull as a wine glass!" I gritted to Jiraiya who was helping me walk down the hospital stairs. I was a over eight months along, the baby was due practically any day now and I had to fill out pre-paperwork with the nurses on staff. I would have to have a private birth considering Kurama is sealed inside me and we don't want the seal to break. Kakashi was supposed to be at home today but when I woke up, only Naruto was there, getting ready for the Academy. I was annoyed that he missed out on taking me to the hospital and instead I had to ask Naruto to grab Jiraiya for me on his way to school. The poor sannin was terrified all day, not really used to the aggression of very pregnant women. Jiraiya held onto me as if I was a prized possession, making sure I didn't trip.

"Sheesh. I'm a world class ninja, have a little faith in me woman." I smiled a bit at that comment and began to wobble down the street with Jiraiya, heading home. I placed my hands over my large belly, rubbing it gently and feeling it move a little.

"I wonder if it's a girl or a boy..." I thought out loud. Kakashi and I wanted to have the gender be a surprise. I didn't really care, but I just wanted this baby to be healthy. That was all that mattered to me. Jiraiya sensei had his arm tucked in with mine, escorting me and guarding me from any self inflicted or external danger.

"Boy, definitely!" I turned to look at the sannin with an eyebrow raised.

"What makes you say that?" I asked. He returned the look before grinning.

"Because I need another godson named after one of my book characters." I rolled my eyes at him before growling.

"I am not naming my baby after a character in your perv books! Just because Kushina and Minato made that mistake, doesn't mean I will ya know!" I lectured. Jiraiya scoffed before acting like he was offended.

"Hey that novel wasn't even an Icha Icha book! And besides, those novels dedicated months of my time! I needed to conduct intensive research for those to be successful!" He defended. I rolled my eyes again before walking up towards my front door and opening it.

"Just because my husband is a perverted reader doesn't mean I want my baby to be named after it ya know." Jiraiya turned a bit as he helped me through the door.

"Hopefully the kid learned a few tips for the bedroom..." Jiraiya mumbled. I turned around and smacked his arm.

"Master Jiraiya!" I yelled. He grinned sheepishly before scratching the back of his head.

"Heheh sorry." I turned to look in the house to see it was empty besides Itachi sitting in the living room while drinking tea. Itachi practically lived here after the massacre, the idea of living back in the compound was too painful for him and Sasuke which was understandable. Luckily for him, we weren't too far from the empty compound and he inherited his family's fortune, allowing him to rent an apartment from the complex next door. Even though he didn't stay at my house anymore, he and Sasuke tended to 'accidently' fall asleep while 'visiting'. I didn't mind, the two boys were family to me.

"Speaking of my perverted husband, have you seen Kakashi at all, Itachi?" Itachi looked up at me with warm onyx eyes before shaking his head.

"No, I have not Minako sensei. Would you like for me to look for him for you?" I sighed softly with a small smile for my only pupil.

"No it's fine. Thanks though." I said to him. Itachi looked at me concerned before standing, watching me strain to catch my breath. He came to me quickly before looking at me in my violet eyes.

"Minako sensei, are you alright? You seem upset." Itachi asked concerned. No one was more caring than Itachi. I gave him my best smile, which he saw right through.

"Huh?! Oh yeah of course! Hah couldn't be any better ya know!" I strained. The teen was starting to become a lot taller, towering over me. His silky black hair was tamed into a low ponytail, a jonin vest adhering his figure. After the massacre, I made him pull out of the Anbu to make sure Danzo wouldn't have any influence on him. I wanted Kakashi to come out of the Anbu too for that reason and especially because our child will be here in a few weeks or so. I haven't talked to him about it yet but that was what I wanted to ask of him tonight. Itachi placed his hands on my shoulders before making sure to look me straight in the eyes.

"You have nothing to worry about Minako sensei. It is best not to stress, it isn't good for the baby." I smiled softly at Itachi before giving him a big hug. A fire-like blush broke out across his face as he hugged me back, careful not to jostle my belly.

"Yeah I guess you're right ya know." I sighed. Jiraiya raised his eyebrow at us before grabbing sake out of the pantry.

"EHH?! How come you're so sweet and innocent with Itachi but when it came to me, you wanted to drink wine from my skull!?!" Itachi and I laughed loudly before turning towards him.

"Hey I merely threatened! And besides, I trust Itachi with my life and more ya know." I stated proudly of my student. Jiraiya looked incredulous.

"And not me!? I'm a sannin!" Itachi's face was flushing before he quickly smiled awkwardly and looked at the clock.

"Oh it's time to pick up Sasuke from the Academy. Would you like me to grab Naruto too?" Itachi asked me. I smiled and quickly nodded before sitting.

"That would be awesome Itachi, thank you." He gave me a curt nod before heading out the door. I sighed again, looking at the clock. Where could Kakashi be?

~~

"Good night Mommy! Good night baby!" Naruto said while giving me a kiss on my cheek and a kiss on my rounded belly. Naruto was so excited to have a sibling. He was elated at the idea of having someone look up to him... to be the big brother he never had. It made me wonder if this was what Kushina felt when I was born, after all, she was only a few years older than Naruto is right now. I grinned at Naruto before ruffling his electric mop of hair.

"They will be out of my belly soon Naruto, then you'll get to meet them!" Naruto grinned before talking to my belly.

"I can't wait to meet you! We're gonna be best friends forever! I'll teach you the cool things that I will learn when I'm finally a ninja! And when I'm Hokage, you can be my advisor! Believe it!" I looked at Naruto with an eyebrow raised.

"You want to be Hokage?" Naruto quickly nodded his head.

"Yeah! After you're Hokage first though Mommy. I wanna be Hokage so that way people stop disrespecting me and treat me like I mean something! Like I'm somebody important!" I froze. Was Naruto being bullied?

"Naruto... What do you mean by disrespecting you?" I asked. He sighed before shrugging.

"I'm tired, can we talk about this later? Good night Mommy, I love you." He said before rubbing his tired ocean eyes.

"I love you too Naruto. Have sweet dreams." The little boy darted towards his room before leaving me alone to the silence. The dishes were finished, a meal that included only Naruto and I. Jiraiya went off after Itachi came back with the boys and the two Uchihas stayed in their own home tonight. Kakashi has yet to come home, making me a worried wreck. Did something happen? Was he okay? I was about to get up when I heard a shaky jingling of keys outside the front door. I heard him curse under his breath after he must have dropped the keys before he unlocked the door and came through. There he was, drunk out of his mind, was my husband Kakashi.

"Why...are ya up?~" He slurred. I narrowed my eyes at him before standing up with crossed arms, an angry look on my face.

"Waiting for my husband to come home. So that's what you've been doing all day!? While I'm sitting here, having to get someone else to go to the hospital with me for our baby, you decided to get drunk?! What the hell is wrong with you!? I had no idea where the hell you were all day!" I was furious. What if my water broke early and he was passed out drunk during the birth of our child? What if someone tried to take advantage of my weakened state to attack us? It wasn't a farfetched idea with the fact I'm not only a high profile shinobi but two jinchuriki stayed in this house.

Kakashi must have gotten pissed off that I was lecturing him and so he angrily strode over to me while pointing at my face. I hated when he drank like this when he was out with his work friends...he never acted like himself...like he was a different person or something. He usually was either an angry or a flirty drunk and it seemed the first was more like tonight.

"I am a grown ass man! Don't you..." He started to hiccup for a moment before finishing his sentence. "...talk to me like I'm a damn child!" I gritted my teeth in anger with red eyes and my hair flashing upwards.

"Then stop fucking acting like one! You have responsibilities Kakashi! We are about to have a CHILD. YOU HAVE A WIFE AND A CHILD IN THE HOUSE! You cannot keep acting like a damn teenager anymore!" I yelled. I regretted my loud voice the moment I spoke, thinking of my sleeping son. Hopefully, Naruto was still asleep and not able to hear this conversation. I wouldn't want him to get upset. Kakashi shrugged and crossed his arms, turning up his nose.

"Your problem, not mine. *Hiccup* That's your problem." A betrayed gasp left my lips as a fire that rivaled any forest blaze soon burned in my chest. I couldn't believe what I just heard. Was he serious? I was about to open my mouth when a little voice stopped me.

"Mommy... " Kakashi and I looked over to see a tired Naruto with streaks down his cheeks.

"Does Kakashi not like me?" My heart completely shattered and I moved as fast as a very pregnant woman could. I swooped Naruto up in my arms before placing kisses all over his face. I turned to glare at Kakashi with vibrant red fox eyes. He had a guilty expression painted on his face.

"GET. OUT." I growled. Kakashi started to sober up a bit before walking towards me.

"Mina, I didn't mean-"

"I will not ask you again. Get the hell out of my house." My voice was deep with Kurama's, my eyes burning red. Kakashi sighed before wobbling towards the front door, leaving into the night. I held my teary-eyed son in my arms as I took him to my room and laid him on my bed, sitting down next to him.

"Naruto... Kakashi loves you. I know he does. Sometimes, adults say things they don't mean because they aren't thinking." Naruto sniffled before looking up at me, his bright blue eyes were reddened from his tears.

"Mommy... when the new baby comes... will you love that baby more than me because they have a daddy?" I was paralyzed by the question. No child should ever have to worry about whether their parent loves them. I pulled Naruto onto my lap, careful to make sure he wasn't pressing on my belly.

"Oh, no, no, no sweetheart. You're my baby and they will be my baby too. Whether or not your fathers are around will never change my love for you both. I love you both more than anything in the world. I will never stop loving you Naruto. I will never stop loving you and believing in you. I will always be your number one fan, your best friend, your mother. I will love you forever. And when you become a big brother I will love you even more. No matter what happens, you and this baby are my whole heart. Having another baby just grows our bonds stronger." Naruto laid on me before placing a hand on my belly, connecting to my little one.

"Mommy... Who's my daddy?" I gritted my teeth. Damn it Naruto, asking so many hard questions tonight! Mommy is tired! Ugh...

"He... He was an amazing man. He was a hero that saved hundreds of lives and was loved by the village... " Naruto had a small open mouth grin on his face, in awe of his father.

"What was he like? Did you loooveee~ him?" He asked with a teasing voice. I snorted, thinking of my child-like crush on my brother-in-law. It was hard not to fall for someone as kind and cool as he was.

"I loved him very much. He was...he was probably the greatest man I've ever met. He was brilliant and kind. He loved you with his whole heart Naruto, even before he met you. One time, I caught him cooking with this girly pink apron because he was trying to learn how to cook so he could feed you nutritious meals. It took him months to make something edible!" Naruto and I both laughed at the last story, memories flooding of the man that I viewed to be like my own big brother or a fatherly figure. He would know what to do right now...he would know what the right things to say would be.

He probably would have saved my students too from the cruelty of this world. He could have done it all. I looked down at Naruto's much more relaxed face, a small smile curling on his whiskered cheeks from hearing the stories about his dad.

"He had your bright yellow hair...your electric blue eyes...your heart of kindness. He was always someone I could place my faith and believe in. He saved me...and you. He was a great hero to this village..." I couldn't continue the sentence. The pain I felt in my heart... I missed Minato so much. I needed his guidance... I needed his comforting words. Most of all, I needed Kushina. I needed her to tell me if I'm doing this right...if I'm a good mom...if I fulfilled her promise. Naruto kissed my cheek, my tears flowing down my face.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I didn't mean to start crying." I looked to see my baby smiling before wiping my cheeks. I looked at him confused as he shook his head.

"I'm just happy my daddy was a hero to the village and that my mommy is my hero. When I grow up, I want to be the world's hero, someone everyone can look up to. Believe it!" I smiled a proud grin at my son before kissing his forehead.

"I can't wait Naruto. Time for bed though. It's late. You can sleep in my bed if you want." Naruto didn't need to be told twice as he quickly burrowed under my blankets and closed his eyes. I had to go to the bathroom so I went out of the room to go and do my business. Once I did, I felt a breeze in the house, causing me to look at the front door.

"I swear Kakashi closed it on his way out... I guess not..." I went to close the door and before I could, a hand wrapped around my mouth and a person took me out of the house and into the night. I tried to growl and move but was scared that if he dropped me, he could hurt the baby.

"Stupid jinchuriki, kicking out your only defense. Now I can keep you until you give birth and then can release the nine tails and take my revenge on the leaf!" I looked up at the man with fear in my eyes. I was too far in my pregnancy to do anything. My baby would be in danger. The man carried me to the outside of the village, tying my hands together and my feet. A bandana was placed around my eyes and tape over my mouth.

This isn't good. I can't use Kurama's chakra or it could hurt the baby... And I can't fight or I could risk everything.

I was placed on the ground finally and could hear several men talking. I must be at an enemy camp.

"She looks like she's about to pop. Good call Moku." A voice laughed.

"We can finally take revenge on the leaf for stealing our land! We'll take what once was ours boys!" A crowd of cheers erupted around me. I stuck my tongue out of my mouth, licking the adhesive on the inside. The tape slowly became loose before it fell off. I laid myself on the ground and moved my head, rolling the bandana off of me until my sight was back. I noticed the men were drinking to celebrate my capture, not noticing me. I saw a stray kunai laying on the ground, my key to getting out of these ropes. Slowly inching over, I made sure I was careful to use only my back and not my stomach. I laid on the kunai and quickly ran my wrists over it and over again. Eventually, the rope was cut and I was freed.

I took the kunai and cut the ones on my ankles. I needed to get out of here but how? The men are faster than me in this state, I can't use chakra, and I'm too far from the village to simply run into a friend. What could I do? I looked down on the ground to see the ropes and the single kunai, an idea coming through my mind. Master Jiraiya always told me that a true ninja could make do with the tools they have around them in order to survive. I tied the parts of rope together before trying it to the end of the kunai in the loop. This way I won't have to chase the only kunai I have. I stood up wobbly before spinning the rope in my hand hitting two of the drunken men surrounded by the campfire.

"You bitch! Let's get her!" I quickly retracted the knife before hitting someone else, cutting into their side. I caught a knife thrown at me before throwing it right back, hitting the guy in the head. Suddenly, more guys came out of the scattered tents around the camp. I was overrun, surrounded and unable to use chakra. Completely panicked and thinking only about the baby, I knew I had to do something...I was terrified of using Kurama...of injuring the baby...of being another Kushina. The only thing I could do was scream and hope Kakashi or someone could hear me.

"KAKASHI! HELP ME!" Nothing. The men were closing in... my heart was pounding in my chest. I can't let them hurt my baby.

"KAKASHI! ITACHI!  ANYONE!" The men were coming in, knives in their hands.

I'll be here whenever you need me Mina. I'll always protect you.

"OBITO!" I screamed. A gust of wind swept through the camp, a cloaked man stood in front of me, protecting me.

"It seems I got here just in time." I smiled with tears in my eyes, relief filling me. My lungs expelled the breath I've been holding and I finally felt like I could breathe again.

"Thank you, Obito." He turned to the gangsters who looked at him.

"Hey! Get out our way!"

"Yeah! No one can stop us unleashing the nine tails!" Obito narrowed his eyes.

"Oh yeah? Let's test that." Within a few moments, all of the men were down. Obito cradled me in his arms, carrying me to a nearby cave.

"This should serve as a shelter for the night." I nodded into him before feeling my exhausted mind give in.

"Thank you for saving me." Obito nodded before smiling at me, his mask off after we settled in.

"I promised you I would." I laid on my back onto Obito after he sat down. He took off his cloak, draping it over me.

"Get some rest." I closed my eyes and let the exhaustion take over me. Kakashi didn't come to help me... He left me at home alone all day... He came back drunk out of his mind and yelled at me...Did he not love me anymore? I clung onto Obito a little tighter with tears brimming my eyes. Minato would have never done this to Kushina...Minato was there for her...he tried so hard to save her...

And my husband was probably passed out on Gai's couch, thinking that a bouquet would solve his problems tomorrow.

The night passed by rather quickly despite my dreamless sleep. I woke up while laying on a pile of soft leaves, Obito's cloak still draped over me. I looked up to see Obito jump up into the cave, holding two apples in his hands.

"Hey, I got breakfast." I nodded in thanks before standing to reach for the apple. I was about to take a bite when I felt a sharp pain in my womb, a splash of water soaking the bottom part of my maternity dress. I dropped the apple, my hands flying on to my belly. I winced and panted in pain, Obito rushing by my side.

"Mina! Are you okay!?" I panted and cringed in pain.

"Obito... I-I think I'm going in labor."