THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEW

"Kakashi..." Minako cried out in agony. The child she sacrificed so much for...the one she gave up a normal life for...just proclaimed his hatred for her. After every sleepless night to calm his fears, all of the times she had wiped his tears, every bandage she wrapped for him tightly and gave a kiss to make it better...suddenly were void to him. Minako felt helpless. She wanted to explain to Naruto his past and history but the reason she didn't just yet was to avoid the immature response he had in that moment. Kakashi wrapped his arms tightly around her and comforted his wife. 

"Shhh. Mina...take deep breaths...shhh. My love..." He spoke soothingly to her with love in every word. He was pissed off at Naruto for sure for making her feel that way. She sacrificed everything for that kid, including her childhood. She was broke for years in order to fund his healthcare and childish supplies. She worked endless nights and trained tirelessly so she could accept high paying missions in order to fund his education. She gave him nothing but hugs and kisses, had his back on every occasion and never turned him down for help. Kakashi didn't know if there was ever as good of a mother as Minako. She pretended her pain didn't exsist so her children's happiness could flourish. 

"Ka-kashi...am...am I a failure? Did I fail Kushina?" Minako weeped into his arms. Naruto's rejection cut her deep. Never before has her own child raised a hand to her or said spiteful things towards her. Normally an Uzumaki would have thrown a fit of rage or yelled with a furious temper...but Mina was just hurt. After all, her life only had meaning when it came to her family.

"Sweetheart no no...Kushina would be so proud of you. Naruto is confused right now and we will fix this okay? I will fix it. I will make it all better. Naruto loves you. He really does. He's blinded by his idiocy right now." Minako was hiccuping as the tears fell from her big round violet eyes. They were the same eyes as their daughter who woke up to the sound of her mother's cries. 

"Mommy?" Shinasui whispered while peaking outside her bedroom door. Her silky moonlight colored hair fell past her shoulders and blended in with her white nightgown. Her purple eyes went wide when she saw her mother's face red and swollen from crying and her silver haired father trying to console her. 

"Mommy is okay sweetheart, Daddy is taking care of her. Okay? Go back to sleep baby girl." Kakashi said in a sweet voice. Shina ignored him however and ran to her mother, Mina sweeping her up in her arms and giving her daughter kisses all over her face.

"I love you Mommy. Big brother loves you too. I dream it." Mina felt a little bit better when hearing her youngest's words. Kakashi hugged his two girls tightly, loving his family with everything he had. 

"Kakashi...what should I do?" Mina asked while her daughter played with her silky red strands. Her face was still puffy and her nose was running a bit. Kakashi knew Naruto was okay but just needed to let off some steam.

"Give him some time. Come lay down with Shinasui and I in bed. You need to relax." Mina nodded in agreement before giving Shinasui to her doting father. Kakashi carried her into her parent's bedroom and laid her in the middle of the mattress, Mina and Kakashi getting on either side of her. They held their daughter tightly, Kakashi looking into his wife's eyes. Shinasui fell asleep quickly, a talent of hers, giving the adults time to talk.

"What have I done Kakashi?" Mina whispered. Kakashi adjusted his arm so he could move his hand to caress his lover's cheek.

"Nothing Mina. You have done nothing wrong. He's a kid and kids say stupid things. I'll talk to him later after he cools off." Mina felt a few stray tears drift from her eyes, only to be wiped away by her husband's delicate hand.

"I love you more than the world Mina. It's gonna be okay." 

~~

Naruto escaped the Hatake household with saltwater flowing from his cerulean eyes. He felt his heart break in two, his trust in the person he loved most had shattered. After all, the twelve year old boy believed the only family he had from day one was her, and yet she wasn't even his mother. Naruto ran to the empty school yard where he often sat alone to think. He set himself down in front of a tree where he cried himself to sleep until the school day was about to begin.

He woke up with swollen eyes to Sasuke nudging him with his sandal clad foot.

"Wake up loser or you'll miss class." Naruto turned his nose in the air. 

"Why do you care." Sasuke huffed before putting his hands in his pockets and leaving. 

"Hn. No need to be a jerk Naruto." The blonde sat up and wiped his eyes before sighing and running towards his best friend.

"W-wait Sasuke...I wanna talk to you about something. Something important." Sasuke paused so Naruto could catch up before walking again. Despite his cold demeanor post Uchiha Massacre, Sasuke cared deeply for Naruto, his only friend. 

"What?" Sasuke asked, not bothering to glance at the bumbling fool by his side.

"Sasuke please look at me." Sasuke looked over to suddenly notice how worn out Naruto looked. With an eyebrow raised, the Uchiha spoke.

"What crawled up your butt and died?" Naruto rolled his eyes before looking at his feet and clenching his fists.

"I found out my mom wasn't actually my mother." Sasuke looked at Naruto with subtle hints of worry in his eyes. Naruto seemed clearly upset.

"That's...rough." Sasuke replied. He wasn't too good at responding to hefty situations.

"I can't go home anymore. She's a liar and I can't stand her. I-I hate her!" Naruto exclaimed. Sasuke started to get annoyed with him. Anyone could do the math about Naruto's age and Minako's, clearly proving she was fourteen when he was born and obviously wasn't pregnant. Sasuke missed his mother more than anything in the world and here Naruto was saying he hated the woman that made sure he felt loved every single day.

"Haven't you considered there was a reason she adopted you? Have you forgotten about everything she's done for you?" Sasuke's temper started to reveal itself. He was never amazing at holding himself back. Naruto felt guilt creep up in his system but just refused to back down from his clouded point of view.

"She's nothing to me! Why would I think about her anymore?!!" Sasuke had enough and grabbed Naruto by the collar and pinned him up against a building. The Uchiha ground his teeth and furrowed his eyebrows in anger.

"Do you have any idea what I would sacrifice just to hear my mother's voice one more time?! What I would give to see her again?! You have a woman that spent your whole life caring for you and sacrificing for you!! She has loved you every single day of your pathetic life and here you are cursing her and saying you hate her because she wasn't the one that you came out of! My mother is DEAD and never coming back and here you are, telling the woman that gave you the world that you hate her. You are nothing but a lowlife Naruto." Sasuke spoke with fire in his eyes. Naruto's eyes went wide as he realized his horrible mistake. 

"Sasuke...you're right...I messed up so bad...what do I do?" Sasuke released him before clenching his jaw.

"Go to her. I'll explain to Iruka sensei." Naruto went to go in for a hug towards Sasuke when the Uchiha kept him back by tapping two fingers on his forehead.

"Thank me later dobe."

~~

Naruto hurried home only to see Kakashi and his sister playing in their front yard. She was throwing a ball to Kakashi and he was catching it and sending praise her way if her aim was perfect. Shinasui sensed her big brother first and turned his way with a smile on her face.

"Naruto!!" She called out. Naruto loved Shinasui with all his heart. She was his baby sister...although...maybe not anymore.

"Hi Shinasui. Kakashi, where is she?" Kakashi gave Naruto a cold hard glare before rolling his daughter the ball. He marched up to Naruto and crossed his arms, striking fear in the boy's heart.

"Are you going to be disrespectful and hurtful again?" Kakashi narrowed his eyes, causing Naruto to swallow.

"No...I wanted to apologize, believe it." Kakashi loosened up before placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Go to the KIA Stone." The blonde boy immediately ran towards the stone, hoping to find Minako. The red headed beauty was standing in front of the stone, praying silently. Naruto walked towards her cautiously, his chest hurting more about what he said to her.

"I'm glad I found you." Naruto said. Mina looked up with heavy lidded eyes. For the first time in a very long time, Naruto noticed she was wearing makeup. Her porcelain cheeks were pink, her lips a dark rose, her eyes were thickly lidded with charcoal...she looked beautiful. Her hair was piled upon her head with intricate braids throughout. She was wearing a black ceremonial kimono...one Naruto saw only once his whole life...at Shisui's funeral.

"You are a ninja now Naruto. It is time you learned about your history." Naruto stood quietly next to the woman that he called his mother since his very first word. 

"Naruto...this is the KIA stone. Thousands of names are inscribed here in remembrance of the greatest heroes this village ever had to offer. The names of my friends, my student, and my family are on here. It is the greatest honor this village has to offer." The boy's eyes were wide.

"Ohh! I wanna be on this stone!" Mina shook her head.

"KIA means killed in action Naruto, all of these people are dead." Naruto felt like an idiot after that and decided shutting up would be the best thing to do.

"When I was born, my mother died while giving birth...my father dying with her of a broken heart. My sister instead took care of me...only ten years old at the time. Could you imagine? A ten year old child taking care of an infant? My sister was amazing...Her name was Kushina. She would go to school, train, and take care of me at the same time. Kushina ended up meeting a boy when she was fifteen and fell in love with him. He was a staple in my life as well. A blue eyed blonde with a warm heart and an amazing smile. He was kind of a knucklehead sometimes but was the best fighter I knew. His name was Minato. Minato and Kushina assumed the roll of the mother and father I never had. Minato took me places and wiped my tears...Kushina gave me love and affection and taught me forgiveness...they were my entire world. Something terrifying happened to Kushina however...she was made into a jinchuriki."

"A jen-char-raki?"

"A jinchuriki. A person that has a tailed beast sealed inside. Kushina was given the duty of holding the Nine-tailed fox. The same one that you and I possess, Naruto." Naruto placed a hand on his stomach at the same time as Minako, both feeling the seal that bonded them beyond blood.

"Kushina was devastated and it caused her to be a huge target in the village, the same ridicule you and I face. Eventually, I grew up and was placed on a ninja squad of four with two boys and a girl. Their names were Rin, Obito, and Kakashi."

"That's how-"

"Yes that's how Kakashi and I met. We techincally we met at the academy but anyway, Minato was our sensei. That's how I learned the move like the rasengan...he taught me it. When we got older, Kushina married Minato and they were the happiest, most loving couple I have ever seen. Everything was okay until war broke out and Kakashi and I lost our two team members. The war ended and Minato was named the Fourth Hokage, the hero you had admired so much growing up."

"No way, the Fourth Hokage?! Your sister married him?!" Minako laughed a little at the excitement in Naruto's voice.

"Yeah. It was an impressive time for him, despite the loss of our team members. Everything was perfect, and then I heard the most amazing news of my life since I found out I was pregnant with Shinasui."

"What did you hear?"

"Kushina was pregnant. I was so excited. The only thing I cared about was loving that baby and making sure that baby was happy. The pregnancy was fine until she gave birth...the day of the Nine-tails attack. Kushina gave birth and a rogue had broken her seal, unleashing the beast upon the village. I went out into the town against Minato's orders and tried to save my sister, ending up saving your teacher Iruka in the process. I found my sister and Minato in the midst of preparing to re-seal the beast. I volunteered so my sister could live on peacefully with her baby, the two people I loved most in the entire world. I ended up taking most of the tailed beast's chakra but it ended up breaking my spine. Minato sealed the rest of the beast inside of his newborn child. Kushina and Minato died that day because of the man that manipulated that fox, their lasts words were entrusting me with their newborn baby...their son, Naruto."

Naruto looked up at Minako with horror and respect in his eyes. He was so wrong, so horribly wrong about his judgement about her. She loved him even when he was still in the womb. She was still blood to him...she was still family...maybe she wasn't his birth mother but everyday she took care of him as if she was in honor of her sister.

"I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry about everything I said to you." Naruto started to cry, he ran towards Mina who quickly hugged him to her. 

"I love you Naruto. I never lied about loving you or feeling as if you were my son. Perhaps you didn't come from my womb, but my love for you will always be endless. And I forgive you." Naruto gripped her tighter.

"You may not be Kushina...but you will always be my mother to me." Minako grinned brightly at Naruto, finally feeling accepted by him. Minako pulled away from her crying baby and placed her hands on his shoulders. 

"There are two things I want to do." She reached into a bag she brought with her a pulled out a silver necklace with a small disk on it.

"This was a necklace your father entrusted me to give to you when you were old enough...I think it is time." Naruto's blue eyes were wide in astonishment before allowing Mina to clasp the chain around his neck.

"Minato and Kushina's chakra are in that necklace...when you are in trouble, they will come to help you." Naruto touched the necklace as if it was the most precious thing in the entire world. Minako reached into the bag again and brought out a ceremonial black kimono for Naruto and two candles.

"I want you to also to a prayer with me for Kushina and Minato...they've been waiting." Naruto quickly took off his jacket and orange pants despite being in public and wrapped the male kimono around himself. Mina tied it for him and fixed his hair a bit.

"Just copy what I do." Naruto nodded before watching Mina light the small jar candles and hand one to him. The two did their first official ceremony to honor Naruto's fallen parents. Now that he knows the truth, he can pray to his family whenever he pleased.

"Kushina...Minato...thank you for blessing me with Naruto."

"Mom...Dad...thank you for giving me to the best mother in the world."