Chapter 18

Sunagakure no sato

Suna Stadium

The Finals of the thirty sixth annual chunin exams had finally come to a halt and all was now silent in the seemingly joyful and excited crowd that once resided in the stadiums. Almost all the civilians and dignitaries had left, with just some of them making their way out under the strict guard of the ANBU placed all around the village.

The proctor of the exams finally turned his gaze up, his baby blue eyes half shadowed by his flailing hair coming onto his hair while his cloak now sat atop, slung onto his shoulder to show his completely ripped and lean muscles through his cut sleeves shirt.

Baby blues met teal greens when he saw Temari jump up onto the railing, still staring intently into his eyes. Neither blinked, seemingly lost in each others when she opened her arms leaned forward to fall down freely, her lips adorning a mischievous smile.

Only a blur of dust lay awake where the blonde boy once stood, the viridian blur catching his princess mid air before falling down gracefully on his feet. His princess scooped up in his arms bridal style who let out a content sigh and snuggled in his arms.

"One of these days you're going to hurt yourself like that hime." the blonde scolded her half heartedly, doing nothing but nuzzling his nose in her own to get a giggle out of her.

"Mm-hmm you'll catch me, I know it…" she said with a small yawn making him sigh and kiss her nose. She crunched up her nose, and he laughed. She hated those butterfly kisses near her nose but he loved that adorable face she made each time.

"You sleepy?" he asked her in his tender tone getting another small yawn and nod from her. She was dead tired, the harsh works off the past week were catching onto her, now that the duties placed upon her were seemingly over.

"NARUTO!" the blonde turned his head around to the Kage box where Gaara was staring at him with his usual stoic green eyes.

"CAN I HAVE A MOMENT?" he asked him making him look down at the half asleep wife of his and then back at him in a confused manner. He didn't want to, but Gaara wouldn't call him unless it must be necessary.

But his princess came first.

"GIVE ME FIVE MINUTES" he called back before he vanished in a flash. Gaara pursed his lips, his eye twitching dangerously hearing the Kage's snicker behind him.

"He has his priorities sorted out, ne?" asked Darui, making Gaara sigh and nod. He couldn't help but smile for his friend and brother-in-law.

Namikaze estates

Naruto came to in front of the marker within his room, walking to the bed with soft footsteps. He placed the sleeping girl in his arms on the bed gently, who was now completely out like a light. His hands smoothly took off her sandals along with the senbon holding her hair in a bun and kept it aside so it wouldn't hurt her.

Instantly he saw her arms, sleepily searching for something and he smiled, placing a pillow that she clutched for dear life and nuzzled her face in it.

"Mm Naru…" she mumbled making him stifle his chuckles and kiss her head, his eyes looked at her adoringly. He brushed her head gently and placed a little peck on it.

"Not yet hime, but I'll be back soon 'kay?" he whispered not getting any answer from the asleep girl. He disappeared in a silent flash, taking one last longing glace at his sleeping wife before going back to some business that needed to be taken care of now.

Suna Stadium

Kage Box

"KYAAA…" Naruto heard a yelp and sweat dropped at the make up lad jounin on his butt, glaring at him heatedly.

"Will you stop doing that? I hate that jutsu…" he hissed angrily making Naruto raise a playful eyebrow. He crouched down on one knee and poked his nose, making the man's eye twitch dangerously.

"Kankuro, you're a jounin and have seen my flashes seemingly hundreds of times…" he told the man dryly making him snort but said nothing. It was true after all.

"Whatever, it is still annoying, all damn blondes are annoying…" he muttered making Naruto chuckle and nod at his childish pout. The man would never let anyone else have the last word, no matter how stupid he sounded himself. So he left it at that and looked up at the eyes of all the Kage's now completely fixated on him.

"Yo!" he said and got an immediate bonk on his head courtesy of Gaara. He rubbed his head only to feel a feminine arm drape around his shoulders and a pair of lips press on his head.

"It must have hurt you, let me see…" a soft seductive voice said making him look at the Mizukage looking at him innocently, but the hunger in those eyes wasn't lost to him.

"I am quite alright Mizukage-sama…" he said trying to get her off before she caught his hand in between her breasts.

"It's Mei, call me Mei…" she spoke in her same alluring voice making him pull his hand back hesitantly.

"Of course…" he said and turned his eyes around to look at the rest of them. But his eyes did hang onto a particular mop of blonde hair that was seemingly trying to hide herself behind everyone's shadows.

"Baa-chan?" he called out, the name slipping off his lips unconsciously. A moment later he was pulled in a bone crushing hug, his head now laying in between her large breasts. His arms flailed around, seemingly not getting any room to breathe in the air tight hug he was pulled into suddenly.

"Air…Breathe…" he rasped out, making her break her hug and cup his cheeks to look at that whiskered face she had missed so much. His eyes widened in shock, at seeing those honey orbs streaming with tears.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I'm so so sorry…I tried trust me I tried…but…" the seemingly unbreakable fire shadow's resolve crumbled down in front of him in a matter of seconds.

Tsunade felt guilt creep all over her, how powerless she was to help the boy she considered her son. She couldn't even look straight at him when he came, but the name he had called her with that only he could…

She had let her instincts take over, even if he hated her for everything, at least she had gotten a last hug…

Her thoughts trailed off when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her in a warm embrace. For the first time in years she felt like she had a family again when he tucked her head under his chin after kissing it softly.

"Shh. It's alright, I don't blame you for any of it Baa-chan. I still love you like my mother…" he whispered, only audible to her making her tears double over and clutch his shirt like a lifeline. She looked up a moment later, wiping her eyes off with a warm smile and a soft sniffle. Her hands cupped his cheeks again in an adoring manner.

"You've grown so tall gaki…" she said making him chuckle and giggled herself. A moment later her eyes narrowed dangerously making him gulp, remembering how angry she would get when he did something stupid and always glared at him like this.

"You got married…" she said, poking his chest pointedly with her finger. He gulped and chuckled nervously, rubbing his neck. That tick had still not gone from him and it made her smile.

"I'll forgive you for not telling me, only if you give me grand kids soon enough…" she said firmly making him smile. She was still the same old stubborn hag alright. But his cheeks did turn a bit pink in embarrassment at her words.

"Of course, I give you my word." he said and she smiled, clicking off the necklace from her neck and putting it over his head again, patting the jewel for reassurance while looking him straight in the eyes.

"It still belongs to you, you won it fair and square remember?" she asked him, making him smile in nostalgia at remembering their bet and nodded.

"Of course." he said, accepting the gift making her smile whole heartedly. All her fears lay forgotten at his small acceptance of her necklace and she now just had a lot of scolding, doting and pestering left for later.

"Come live with me at my house for the rest of the days you're here Baa-chan, we'll catch up there…" he asked her, making her consider his proposal.

"Ahh what the hell, I'm the Hokage. I can do whatever the hell I want…" she said to herself and nodded accepting his proposal happily. All repercussions or security arrangements to hell…

He turned to the others, getting to the Raikage who was still looking at him calculatingly, trying to decipher a seemingly large puzzle. He rose an eyebrow when Naruto stretched a hand for him to shake, he stood still with his arms crossed.

"You have some nerve trying to shake my hand…" he threatened him making all the others stiffen at his proclaim. He saw the blonde standing unflinchingly, as if not even bothered by his words. His eyes narrowed in before letting out a small smirk and shake his hand in a tight manly shake.

He liked men who wouldn't cower under his gaze, and the boy had the same aura as his father years ago. A man who loved his family and crept fears in his enemy's hearts.

He saw the Tsuchikage standing there with his ever present scowl, mirrored by the girl behind him. The large man though had a warm smile on his face.

"Tsuchikage-sama…" Naruto said politely in acknowledgment making the man's eyebrows to furrow in deep thought.

"Namikaze…" he said bitterly, as if the name was poison in itself. Naruto quite understood his venom laced voice and paid it no heed.

"Your priorities are sorted out straight unlike your father I see, the Sand headband looks better on you than the Leaf…" he commented, watching him closely to gauge a reaction out of him. But all he saw was a small smile and a nod, surprising him.

"I would agree with you on that Tsuchikage-sama, I hope we can move on from our past grudges. Scratching old wound would do us no good, let's look forward to a nice future…" he said extending a hand. Oonoki looked at the hand for a few seconds, as if hesitating on what to do before he begrudgingly accepted and shook it lightly.

"We'll see, but I tell you youngsters these days no respect for their elders…" he said getting laughs from everyone but the two standing behind Tsunade.

"Not going to shake a hand with me Naruto-san?" asked the seductive voice of the woman from before making him glance to the side. He hadn't even felt this nervous when he fought Sasori head on.

And that man had killed the Sandaime Kazekage for Kami's sake.

"Of course…" he said letting out a smile and shook her hand. Her thumb brushed his palm gently as if sending a small message through her amber green eyes.

"It's nice to meet you Naruto-san, quite nice indeed…" she whispered out the last part when she pulled her hand back and smiled at him. All the men looked on jealously at Naruto who seemingly looked a little peeved out at the moment at her odd actions.

"Umm Naruto…" A male voice called out from behind Tsunade. He turned around, his eyes turning cold as soon as he saw the white haired man who had called him out.

"Jiraiya…" he said, the word in itself leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. The man winced visibly at his little venom laced voice and complete drop of respect unlike the others before him. All the other Kage's looked intrigued at their conversation, knowing how he was related to the blonde yet his resenting voice wasn't lost to any of them. The Toad sage wanted to say something more when Naruto cut him off.

"I suggest we all rest for today now that we have all been introduced. My wife has made sure that all your arrangements are suited to everyone's needs personally so I think you all would be pleased. We can talk this out tomorrow at a small dinner if that is fine with everyone…" he asked and got instant nods from the Five Shadows, all happy with his words and let all the events of the day sink in.

Naruto put a hand forward to Tsunade with a smile who instantly got a hint and put her own in his, steeping forward when her shoulder was clasped tightly.

"Tsunade, do you think it wise? You are going to…" said the Toad sage when his hand was slapped away roughly.

"I have already accepted Namikaze-san's proposal Jiraiya, and it would be quite rude if I broke my word now…" she said coldly, making him wince yet again the sudden new iciness in her voice, even harsher than before.

"But what about the security measures we set up…" he tried to make her see reason and avoid her going to his house but her eyes narrowed in on the man dangerously.

"Are you saying I would be unsafe in the residence of the man who seemingly looks after the security measures of the whole Hidden Sand village? That is some accusation to our seemingly allies…" she asked him dangerously and he pulled his hand back, pursing his lips.

She was dead set on going and nothing would change her mind now. That much he knew.

"Alright I'll notify everyone of your new place for residence, but I should come with you…" he said before he was cut off by Naruto.

"I apologize Jiraiya, but I have no more room in my house other than the one I offered your Hokage." he said coldly making the Toad sage look at his one time apprentice with hurt filled eyes before begrudgingly vanishing in a smoke less Shunshin.

The rest of the Kage's did the same with Gaara staying a while longer than the others to look at Naruto with eyes holding a hint of concern for him. The blonde smiled at his brother and waved his hand dismissively.

"It's alright Gaara no need to worry, I'm with family…" he said making the man nod. Tsunade's heart warmed up at hearing him refer to her as family and she wanted to crush him to death in her arms but held herself back. Gaara stood silently for a moment before nodding.

"Very well then, I'll see you tomorrow." he said and disappeared in a wisp of sand. Naruto did the same and flashed away straight to his home.

Namikaze estates

Naruto flashed in front of the main gate of his house, purposefully to let her get used to it.

"This is your house?" Tsunade asked softly, making him nod. She looked at it affectionately, it was so much better than anything he ever lived at the run down apartment back in the Leaf. Naruto could see her wallowing in guilt, and took a hold of her hand to pull her in.

Tsunade saw the lush gardens in the house making her quite surprised at the greenery in a seemingly arid region. He even had a small koi fish pond to the side.

He walked her in, closing the door behind him. She put her sandals aside and followed him into the living room, where he motioned for her to the large and comfy couch. She sat and looked around in amazement, it was so luxurious…

Naruto rummaged through the shelves to look for something for her to drink.

"I'm sorry Baa-chan, I would have offered you some fine Sake, but my princess drank all our stock out a couple of days ago, in one go at that…" he whispered to himself with a smile making her shake her head. She wasn't in any mood for Sake anyways.

"Naruto no need for formalities…" she said, feeling like a guest herself but he would have none of it. She watched the new plate of the half ate out cake with a hungry gaze, it looked so alluring. Naruto chuckled seeing her hunger and she smiled sheepishly like a child caught stealing a cookie jar.

Naruto cut a generous slice of the Black velvet cake he had baked a couple of nights ago for his princess and Tsunade took it happily, moaning in delight when she put a bite in her mouth.

"Bakers in Suna are great I see…" she said pulling out another bite and he smiled in amusement at her words.

"I baked it…" he said and laughed when she choked and patter her chest. He held out a glass of milk for her that she gulped down to make the choke go away. Well, he must have picked up a few skills along the way since she didn't ever remember him being this good at baking. Though he had always had a fine hand at cooking from what she remembered so it wasn't surprising.

"How's Shizune nee-chan?" he asked suddenly, making her look at her plate sadly.

"She misses you dearly Naruto, we both did until today that is…" she said making him sit by her side and put her head on his shoulder in a one armed hug.

"I missed you too, you were one of the only ones I missed…" he said, rubbing her arm in a soothing manner.

"How have you been Naruto?" she asked him with all the curiosity of the world making him fall silent for a moment, pondering on how to answer such a twisted question in a seemingly simple manner.

"Happier than ever before Baa-chan…" he said making her smile a happy sad smile. "…I have a girl that loves me, her brothers, that are brothers in all but blood to me. People her respect me and look at me as one of their own after years of seeing me around them. The shinobi too respect me, not for my position or my status. But for who I am. It was what I had wanted since I was but a child, acceptance…" he said making her nod shamefully.

He had gotten the things he had longed for in a new village instead his home born village had scorned and spitted on him day after day. And he looked so happy too, it made her quite happy herself.

"I'm glad." she said putting her hand on his lap and squeezing it for reassurance. The cake and the rest of the world all but lay forgotten, as they started exchanging their tales of what had been going on with the other in their lives straight through the night.

Next Morning

Temari walked downstairs, her hair done up in a pony tail after her shower. She was clad in her furry pyjamas and Naruto's over-sized black T-shirt and currently was quite annoyed right now.

Her 'husband' had apparently stayed the night out somewhere after putting her to bed. She was going to have a stern talking to when he came home…

Her rant trailed off at seeing the sight in front of her. Naruto and Tsunade were there on the couch, with Naruto's arm still safely around her shoulders and she had her face tucked on his shoulder. They had fallen asleep mid way through their 'catching' up exercise and currently Temari found it completely adorable.

The two looked like a lost mother-son duo meeting after years. Which could be called true in this case as cheesy as it sounded to anyone else. She tip toed her way towards the kitchen to prepare herself some coffee and didn't have the heart to wake the two up.

She was still surprised that Tsunade had come to their house, but she was fine with it after all she was one of the only ones she found pleasant from the Leaf these days.

Both Naruto and Tsunade's noses twitched in unison, making it quite comical to see when their eyes flickered open to see two mugs of steaming coffee and slices of meat pie's lying in front of them.

Naruto smiled seeing his princess sitting on the armchair with her own mug on her lips with closed eyes. Tsunade couldn't help but smile when she saw the two look at each other lovingly. She was glad he had found such a lovely girl for himself who had the heart to stand up to the world if it came down to it. They ate in silence, quite comfortable in fact and Tsunade didn't remember a time in all the past years in the Leaf the she had felt so much at…

Home.

It made her heart sore that she had finally fond him and her fears for his whereabouts now lay down to rest. She now knew most of what had happened after their talks last night but there were still some things he had to know.

"Naruto…" she said in her serious Hokage voice making him turn his eyes to her in focus and place the mug down on the table.

"The Leaf now knows you're alive and all your truths have now been revealed to the world too." she said and he nodded, not seeing her point.

"They would want you back…" she said firmly, already knowing how those leeches back in the council worked after all these years of them sucking the village dry of it's life. She saw disbelief stretched across their faces, Naruto for one didn't have any words at her proclamation. But Temari was as blunt as always.

"You seriously think after all they've done to my Naru, he'll even consider seeing the Leaf's walls let alone return? No offense…" she asked her incredulously and Tsunade shook her head, not shocked at all. Instead already expecting this.

"None taken. But I know how their minds work, now that they know you're alive, they would want you for what you now hold…" she said making realization dawn over his face. Temari was still confused, what more could they want from him?

Naruto had forgotten to tell her about all that his parents had left for him, seemingly having no monetary problems here in Suna to even think back to it.

"My parent's fortunes…" he said, rubbing his forehead tiredly seeing her point.

"What fortunes Naruto?" Temari asked, oblivious to the whole affair. Naruto couldn't help but think how stupid he was to forget a thing like this, but he had never kept money in his mind ever since he was a child anyways. Tsunade decided to clear up her obliviousness.

"His mother Kushina Uzumaki, was the heiress to the Whirlpool Village and the Uzumaki clan…" she explained and Temari nodded, already knowing that much. "…so the entire sealed Island of the Land of Eddies and Whirlpools now belongs to Naruto along with all the fortunes left behind by the Uzumaki clan before it's destruction. It all lays sealed in the ruins of Uzushiogakure no sato, untouchable to anyone but of the blood of the royal family of the village whose last descendant is…" she trailed off, letting the girl fill in the blanks.

"Naruto…" she whispered looking at his apologetic face and looked at him with eyes that promised pain later on for not telling her all this. Tsunade enjoyed seeing his plight but she was far from finished.

"And Minato's fortunes too…" she said, this time surprise came from Naruto. He wasn't aware of this.

"What fortunes?" he asked obliviously making her smile and nod, already knowing off this.

"Minato was a great man with a seemingly much too sharp mind, a really sharp one when it came to businesses and ownership." she explained making him shocked.

"I know you don't know of this Naruto, but the Sandaime cleared up all traces that could be traced back to the Namikaze name as soon as he died and spread it all up into various accounts in the Fire Daimyo's personal vaults. All of them lay sealed there, untouched for years and collecting interests and all the rents of the lands he owned in his lifetime and left behind…" she explained, remembering finding the Sandaime's will in the Hokage vault with instructions to tell Naruto of this when he was of the age of 18 or became a jounin, whichever came first so that he may inherit it when the time came.

Naruto's face showed his shock making Tsunade smile sadly.

"Sarutobi-sensei loved you a lot Naruto. But his age finally caught up to him in his later years, he did all that he could for you but the council had wormed it's way into each of his department's sneakily and there was only so much he could do all alone all the while managing the after shocks of the Kyuubi attack and the crippled forces he had to deal with while maintaining all the secrets around himself. But in the end he did make sure to stash it all away under lock and key, so that no one but it's rightful owner can lay a finger on even a single penny apart from it's heir." she said making him smile and nod. He remembered all that the old man had done for him, from forcing the orphanage to take care of him by force and under his own personal eyes before all the hate became too much for him and he had begged the man to stay alone.

"How much is it?" Temari asked worriedly to gauge the political issues that would ensue now that everything was out and about. Tsunade herself rubbed her forehead of the oncoming migraine.

"No one knows the exact amounts or what he owned apart from the Sandaime, Yondaime and the Daimyo guarding it all himself. But I do know that the lands holding the main shopping districts in Konoha along with half it's resident lands pay their rents for the lands to accounts that lead to the Fire Capital…" Tsunade trailed off tiredly, making Temari turn shell shocked.

"B-But that means…" she whispered in shock realizing what he owned now.

"Yes Naruto, now own half the resident land in the village along with it's shopping nerve centers. The money that Minato made as a shinobi and a Hokage along with the rents to the lands and their interests combined give him enough power to rumble up the Fire capital quite a bit and effectively cripple Konoha's entire financial structure should he want to…" she said blankly, she had half a mind to tell him to do it and be done with it. But she knew he wouldn't, it would make him no different from those bastards back in the village.

Both women's eyes turned to the blonde boy who had fallen completely silent after hearing the things he had just now heard. But one thing lay on his mind above all else.

"So I would have to come back to the village to settle this all I presume?" he asked Tsunade and the venom in his voice wasn't lost to Tsunade who nodded sadly.

"Yes, the Fire Daimyo himself would come to meet the heir to the most powerful family in the village personally. An invitation from him isn't one to be ignored as much as you would think otherwise Naruto…" she answered him making him nod. He wrapped his arms around his wife who came straight onto his lap in a hug seeing him so trouble and pecked his lips softly.

"It'll be alight, I'll be with you 'kay?" she asked him softly making him smile and node with a sigh. No one saw the small puff of smoke behind them in the hallways of his home.

In a simple hotel room…

Sasuke lay on his bed, seemingly in deep thought at what he had learned. The hatred within his heart touched new heights, he promised himself he would take all that the blonde now held dear away from him by force.

Especially his wife, but for that he needed a person who would help hi achieve his goals and give him the needed power to take out the two people he wanted to remove in his life.

His hands brushed the nip of his neck and he let out a bloodthirsty smirk.

"Soon Naruto, I'll have Temari and all that you hold here in my palms and I will have achieved truly what I have desired for all these years." he whispered to seemingly nobody in his room.