"Anyone can give up. It's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone would expect you to fall apart, that is true strength."

- Chris Bradford

<>

The first thing Kushina heard when she woke up was the sound of nurses bustling by in the hallway. The casual swish-swish of their hospital uniforms and shoes invaded her senses. She stood up on weak legs, staggered to the bathroom, and heaved up the entire contents of her stomach, which amounted to an outstanding... nothing. She hadn't eaten anything in awhile, so there was nothing to throw up but water. The scratching in her throat was terrible. She washed it out with water before looking up in the mirror. She looked horrible. Pale, sickly, and still very drowsy.

She stumbled out of the bathroom and sat on the hospital bed, trying to make sense of what was going on. The last thing she remembered was passing out, tired, and only feeling the intense strain that came from completely depleting her chakra, losing something as massive as the Nine Tails, and giving birth in one night.

In fact, she was absolutely certain she would be dead right now if it weren't for the talented doctors and the fight within her.

She had never felt as empty as she did now, without the Nine Tails. Her chakra was still... nothing, and she knew it would take a while to get up to full capacity again. She might also be forever crippled by the immense chakra depletion and the physical strain put on her that night.

Actually, what day was it? She had no idea. Kushina had to get back to Minato! That man simply could not function without someone helping him. If he had it his way, he wouldn't eat or sleep, simply doing his paperwork.

Then, the door opened, breaking Kushina out of her thoughts.

"K-Kushina-sama!" A nurse exclaimed, walking in. She nearly dropped her clipboard. The badge on her hospital garb said her name was Sayuri. Her eyes were wide behind her brown bangs. "You aren't supposed to be awake this early!"

"Ah, sorry." Kushina sighed. "Could you fetch a doctor?" She asked, suddenly feeling very lightheaded. She put a hand on the back of a chair, swaying a little bit.

The nurse left, mumbling, "Yes, certainly, my lady! I will go right away!"

Kushina felt her head clear a little. The woman hadn't come back with a doctor yet. She then remembered that she had left Minato alone with their newborn son, and multiple reasons to panic ran through her mind. She spun around, eyes widened. I can't stay here... She slipped on her shoes, and ran to the window, figuring she'd be caught if she ran through the hospital. She spotted some pain medication on the desk, probably for Minato while he was here, and popped two of the pills into her mouth, plus a soldier pill right after them, and slid the window open.

She sat on the ledge and moved her legs over the sill, staring at the roof below it in defiance. She inhaled, then exhaled, then inhaled again, willing the pounding headache behind her temples to go away. Willing the medication to work quickly. She thought about Naruto.

Then, she jumped off.

<>

Obito had been having an good day. He helped another old lady on his way to the police station, saw his cousin Shisui, learned a new katon jutsu, and he had gotten to eat dango with his friends. He found Kakashi at the shop already. Surprisingly, Kakashi smiled and waved at him. Obito stopped dead in his tracks, staring at Kakashi in awe for a few seconds. He was still smiling at Obito.

It took Obito a few minutes to pick his brain up from the floor, but when he did, he waved back at Kakashi. He seemed to be getting better every day, hanging out with their friends, and not allowing guilt to consume him anymore. He actually had full conversations with Obito, though they still haven't had the important one they both were waiting for. He was becoming friendlier, more relaxed, and seemed to hate himself less. It made Obito happy.

Obito had forgiven him a long time ago. As much as he loved Rin, and he missed her every day, he could see that Kakashi had been absolutely ruining himself for it. He loved Rin, but he also loved and missed his best friend. Kakashi still blamed himself completely for Rin's untimely demise. He simply wouldn't get it into his head that it was an accident, and it made him depressed. He worked near insane hours with the ANBU to drown his sorrows. It didn't seem to be working well, only driving him away from his friends, and recovery.

Obito remembered exactly what happened the day Rin died. He himself was supposed to be dead, but a crazy old man that rambled about genjutsu had saved his life. Obito had escaped, and went to save Rin when the weird white things told him she and Kakashi were in trouble.

So he left the underground lair, determined to get there in time, and when he arrived at the scene, he witnessed Rin stabbing herself with Kakashi's chidori.

He saw Rin sprinting in front of Kakashi's Chidori.

Kakashi's eyes went completely wide. He'd had no idea this was coming. He hadn't meant to kill her. Obito watched Rin's last word leave her mouth. He stood there until his eye changed into a Mangekyo, and he watched Kakashi fall to the ground in horror, staring at the body. Obito's teammate hadn't passed out, miraculously, but he did look nearly delusional.

Obito, in a rage, came out and completely destroyed the enemy. He massacred them- they deserved no mercy for this injustice. When he finished, he looked around hopelessly, before his eyes once more landed on the broken body of the one girl he had fallen in love with. He sank to his knees, cradling Rin's body, crying tears of blood.

When his face finally turned to his friend, he found Kakashi pathetically worming his way over to them, doing something Obito never expected him to do. He was sobbing. Bawling. Louder than Obito. It was as if years and years and years of heartbreak and sadness was triggered by this. He was broken, in every way, shape, and form.

The kid's white hair was stained red, but didn't seem to care as he continued to army crawl over to Rin and Obito. Kakashi looked Obito dead in the eyes, repeating the same two words over and over again like a madman. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Tears were pouring out of his eyes, and he was a bloody mess. He had Rin's blood all over him.

Obito's heart broke again, his compassionate side overruling his rage. Kakashi was clearly so broken up. He kept crawling, repeating the two words over and over. He clearly meant them more than anything he had ever said. Obito's tears turned to real tears when his eye adjusted to the extra power. It was just him and Kakashi sitting in a pool of human blood, both crying, absolutely pathetic.

Obito was holding Rin's body in his lap, while he sat criss cross in a pool of Rin's blood. Kakashi, splashing blood all over half of his body, was still crawling towards his teammates. He finally reached them, laying his head on Obito's knee. Obito could feel the fabric on his knee becoming moist from Kakashi's tears and the blood mixed with them from the awakening of the Mangekyo. The white haired boy just couldn't stop crying. "I'm sorry, Obito, I'm so sorry... I failed you... I-" Kakashi hiccupped. "I failed you, and Rin, and sensei... I'm sorry..."

Obito was watching Kakashi shatter to pieces right in front of him. He was probably the only person in the world who had seen this. The normal Kakashi would've just sat there numbly, but this one... was absolutely broken. Obito didn't even know just how deep the hurt extended.

Obito looked down at Rin's body, her blood was leaking all over him and Kakashi. Obito felt fresh tears go down his face, but he reached out and put a hand in Kakashi's bloodstained white hair. Kakashi's whole body shuddered. Obito ran his fingers along Kakashi's scalp, unsure of what to do to comfort his friend. Kakashi winced at his touch, but he kept his face buried in Obito's knee. "I forgive you." Obito whispered hoarsely, feeling a rush of peace run through his body at the thought.

It felt like every single nerve of his body was breathing and quaking, and he had never felt more alive in his life. Something about saying those words- about releasing the hatred of Kakashi from his person and just accepting that Rin was gone- something about that made him know deep down that he was making the right decision. He was in pain, but his soul was at peace.

Kakashi only sobbed harder and louder at that, but Obito knew that he was mending. The gaping wound that had been torn into Kakashi's heart was being sewn shut by Obito's acceptance. Obito kept his hand in Kakashi's hair, closing his eyes and looking up at the blood moon. It perfectly matched the blood surrounding them right now. And it was everywhere- dripping, oozing into the earth where it came to rest. Obito vaguely registered that the blood was partly his fault, but he couldn't muster the strength to feel bad about it.

That was how the medics found them, Kakashi sprawled on the floor, passed out with his head resting on Obito's leg right next to Rin's legs. Obito was sitting criss crossed, Rin's ashen, dead body lying in his lap. He was cradling her head to his chest with one hand, and stroking Kakashi's hair with the other. Obito was the one that held the whole team together.

Minato was in the team that found them, and when he saw his team like that... Obito, alive, Rin, dead. Kakashi was asleep. Minato cried as well, that day, getting both of the boys up and hugging them, not caring about the blood that was all over him now. Obito was alive, they'd all thought he was dead, and Rin really was dead, when she'd been so alive when Minato had last seen her. Kushina cried, too, when she saw them. Rin was the only other girl in their little family, and Kushina had loved her. She wouldn't let the two boys go when they got home. Especially not Obito, who was supposed to be dead.

But after one chat with Minato-sensei Kakashi was slowly recovering? Huh. Minato-sensei must be a better therapist than he knew.

Speaking of Minato-sensei, his son was the cutest thing. Obito felt a strong connection to the kid. He was excited to watch baby Naruto grow up. He had a feeling that the kid would get into a bunch of crazy shenanigans, and he was totally there for it. He did normally love babies and children, but this one was a bit different, somehow. He seemed... kind of smart. Obito appreciated that.

Obito climbed onto the roof of the dango shop and stared out into the village, sighing. Rin would've loved Minato-sensei's baby. He thought, blinking to avoid tears. Thinking about Rin was still hard- he felt like a part of him had been torn out. But he felt better than he had a long time ago.

His eyes then trained on a streak of red that was flying across the roof across the street from the dango shop. It was headed east, and Obito could think of many important people who lived that way.

The young Uchiha immediately began chasing the red streaks. He noted how they began to slow, and eventually came to a complete stop.

He paused beside the red streak, (who now took the form of a person) and his eyes nearly bulged from his head. "Kushina!" He shouted worriedly, dropping to his knees next to the woman. He hadn't seen the redhead since the last time he'd stopped by to see her, two days ago, and she'd been in a coma. He'd been planning to go see her again today. She was awake now?

"Obito!" She sighed in relief. "It's you. Please, I'm about to pass out... please get me to... my home... get Mikoto, and call my husband..." Her eyes fluttered closed, and her breathing became soft. Obito lifted Kushina onto his back, heart pounding wildly. Kushina had just passed out on top of the roof. The same Kushina that refused to take naps because she was too energetic, and stayed up all night during camping trips. Obito was no medic, but he couldn't even feel Kushina's warm, welcoming chakra. She wasn't even supposed to be out of the hospital, he guessed. The stubborn woman probably escaped when someone wasn't looking.

He quickly took the woman to her house. Minato-sensei typically left the door either unlocked, or the key inside the green leaves of the potted plant that was on the porch. Kakashi and Obito knew this, because the two of them had always liked raiding and booby trapping Minato-sensei when they were younger. Obito shifted Kushina over a bit to free his hand, and unlocked the door. He walked in easily, laying her on the couch, which was closer than the bedroom. He took a rag from the sink and wet it with cold water, laying it on her forehead. It was burning up. He left the house, heading straight for Mikoto-sama's house, which wasn't far from here.

He sprinted to Mikoto's house, only slowing down once he could see the front door. Coincidentally, the young Jonin found the eldest son of Mikoto, Uchiha Itachi, walking outside of his house. He took the kid by the shoulders, holding him still. "Itachi-chan, are you busy?" The surprised younger boy shook his head. "Good. I need you to go to Kushina-sama's house, immediately. I'm going to get your mother. Kushina-sama needs help, she's in grave danger. Do you remember where her house is?"

"Yes, I do." Itachi said, then he was off and running in that direction.

Obito, however, ran into the building in front of him without even knocking, calling Mikoto-sama's name desperately. He finally found her in the kitchen with Baby Sasuke, cooking dinner. "Obito-kun! What brings you here?"

"Mikoto-sama, please come with me! Kushina-sama broke out of the hospital, and she just passed out from chakra exhaustion. I took her to her house, since the hospital was too far away, and she told me to go get you!"

Mikoto's face and eyes hardened. She wiped her hands on a rag, and hastily removed her apron. She slipped on her shoes, picked up Sasuke, and turned to Obito. "Lead the way."

When they arrived at her house, they saw Itachi already there, adjusting her pillows. Kushina was sweating hard, and seemed to be going into shock. Mikoto's face hardened in determination, and she set Sasuke down on the floor. "Itachi, Obito, I need you to get me some things." She said, turning her commanding eyes to them. Itachi nodded, and Obito saluted. "Itachi, hot water. After you're done with that, I need you and Obito to find me these herbs, and quick." She picked up a random book from the table, tore the cover off it, and picked up a pen that was on the table. She wrote down the names of four herbs. "And notify the Hokage of this situation immediately!"

"Yes ma'am!" They both said, disappearing quickly to perform their assigned jobs.

Mikoto turned back to her friend, her eyes softening. "Oh, Kushina... why are you out of the hospital?"

<>

"Hokage-sama, we have bad news." Two ANBU shunshinned into the room, kneeling before the Hokage's desk with their heads bowed. Minato recognized them as Hawk and Cat.

"It seems Kushina-sama has left the hospital." The second ANBU, Cat, spoke.

"Sir, she isn't in very good condition." The first said.

Minato's eyes widened. "Do we know where she is?" He stood up, eyes wild. He picked up baby Naruto, and put on his robe, walking out the door. The two ANBU followed obediently.

"Obito Uchiha sent a boy to tell us that she is at your house, my lord, and she appears to be somewhat stable. She collapsed, and Lady Mikoto Uchiha stabilized her, sending for the doctors immediately. She is okay now, and will be okay to leave by herself in two days. For now, they're keeping her at your house, and Uchiha-sama is staying with her." Hawk reported.

"Good. I'll go see her immediately." Minato dipped his head to the ANBU gratefully. "Thank you very much."

They bowed in unison, and disappeared.

Minato held up two fingers, closing his eyes. "Flying Thunder God jutsu." He recited, holding onto Naruto. He scared a poor brown haired woman who was walking down the hallway by disappearing so quickly.

Itachi opened the door for Minato when he saw Minato appear outside the house. Little Itachi bowed in respect. "Lord Hokage," he murmured, moving aside to allow him to come in.

"Itachi-kun!" Minato greeted the young boy, a smile on his face. "How many times must I tell you to call me Uncle Minato, like a normal friend of your parents'? Your father and I are good friends."

Itachi kept his head lowered. "Lord Uncle Minato?" he tried, looking up at Minato curiously.

Minato shrugged. "If that works for you. Now, where is my wife?"

Kushina sat up when she saw him coming, a big smile on her face. "Minato!" She said excitedly. Minato flashed over to her and gave her a hug, before handing their baby to her. "Naruto," she cooed, smiling widely. The baby gave her a toothless beam. She blinked rapidly, her violet eyes trained on Naruto's blue ones. Tears appeared behind her eyelids, and Naruto babbled some stuff, grabbing onto a stray lock of Kushina's red hair, staring at it like it was the most interesting thing he had ever seen. (Difficult, considering the fact that Naruto being a newborn couldn't really see anything right now).

Minato and Kushina sat on the couch and talked with Obito and Mikoto, the two babies lying on the floor quietly, studying everything. Sasuke fell asleep for a few moments, too. They didn't appear to notice each other, or if they did, they simply didn't care to interact.

Later, Fugaku walked in. Mikoto smiled and kissed him on the cheek. When she picked up Baby Sasuke for him to see Fugaku, she set him next to Naruto. Itachi came in from training with his friend Shisui, and sat down next to the two babies, watching them interact as his parents conversed with the Hokage and his wife.

Naruto's big blue eyes widened as he lay next to the black haired baby. He was a few months older than Naruto was, and he was a whole heck of a lot more hostile, too. The older baby narrowed his eyes at Naruto, and gave him his best pout. Naruto's eyes widened more, then he frowned. He glared right back at the other baby. Itachi sat on the sidelines, completely amused, watching them.

There's no way Naruto can even see Sasuke well enough to tell what's going on right now.

"You know, when I heard Mikoto was coming over here to take care of someone, I never expected it to be Kushina." Fugaku joked, sending the grinning red haired woman a smirk. Minato rolled his eyes at Fugaku and Kushina's banter. The two of them often ganged up on him. Mikoto was a spectator, sometimes supporting Minato. Otherwise, she wasn't involved, or was on Kushina's side in an argument against Minato and Fugaku.

"You're such a great friend, Fugaku." Minato sighed, rubbing his forehead to ease the ache behind it. "Man, I've had such a long day. Fending off Danzo takes a lot of energy."

"Danzo, that bastard." Fugaku fumed. Now that he was out of the waiting eyes of the Council, he could rant and be as upset as he wanted. Because he was upset. He was really upset. "Thinking it was the Uchiha that would sabotage this village? Hah, fat chance. Maybe it was that stupid organization of his."

"I know. The Uchiha clan are as loyal to Konoha as any clan out there. Suspecting them of treason is completely ridiculous." Minato huffed, sounding offended at the idea. "Besides, if it was an Uchiha, that's no reason to move the entire clan into the outskirts of the village!"

Mikoto and Kushina gasped at that. They hadn't heard that part of the story from them yet. Kushina hadn't heard any of this at all. That would be a true idiot move on Danzo's part. Itachi began listening more intently, and Obito growled in anger. "How could he even consider that? The Uchiha have been nothing but LOYAL to this village for YEARS!"

Fugaku growled, crossing his arms. "I simply will not stand for it. The council ought to have more trust in this clan."

"I know," Minato groaned, rubbing at his eyes. "I have no idea what to do with him, Fugaku. Hiruzen was the only council member that made any sense, I tell you. Now that he's gone, Danzo has set in and has been combating anything and everything I say. It's madness! I can't say anything to them without opposition! He simply will not listen to reason, and he can easily influence Koharu and Homura."

"I understand, Minato." Fugaku sighed. Truly, he did understand. He had to deal with Uchiha clan elders all the time- they were a pain in the ass. "Just... keep doing your best until we can find a way to get rid of the council."

"You know who I'd have as my council if I didn't have to deal with those senile old people?" Minato ranted, sighing loudly. "Shikaku. Inoichi. You! Hizashi and Hiashi Hyuga! People that actually think straight!"

Kushina rubbed Minato's shoulders. She'd heard his venting about Danzo and the others more than once, and knew how much those old hags angered her husband with their utterly inconsiderate assumptions and attempts to be prejudiced against certain parts of the village. She was mad enough at the geezers for trying to kick the Uchiha out of the village. In all honesty, she would kill the old man Danzo herself if Minato let her. But as the Hokage's wife, she didn't really think he would allow it. So her job was to be patient and wait for Minato to handle the grandpa. Not that he couldn't, he was very smart.

He was just too nice.

"I feel so lost without Sarutobi-sama." Minato sighed, rubbing his temples to chase away the oncoming headache. "He was the only real reason why I even listened to the council."

Mikoto and Fugaku looked at their friend in pity, unsure of how to help. "It must be hard to be the Hokage without a mentor." Mikoto murmured, eyes softening in understanding.

"Very." Minato grit his teeth. Then he looked beside him, at Kushina. "But enough of me. Kushina, how are you feeling?"

Kushina still looked extremely tired, and Minato wasn't sure if she should be overexerting herself with them. She was still very sick and fragile, much to her annoyance. "I'm fine! What has been going on in Konoha?? I've been asleep for a long time, 'ttebane! Mikoto, you have to fill me in on the gossip."

"Okay, okay." Mikoto sighed exasperatedly. "We'll go to the kitchen to make food, but you're to remain seated at all times. You hear me?"

"Eh?? You're no fun, Mikoto!' Kushina stood up, wobbling a little bit, and smiled as Minato scooped her into his arms and carried her to the kitchen, where she found a chair.

"Uzumaki Kushina, you think you're indestructible! You can't just have a baby and lose your tailed beast in one night, and just be okay like nothing happened! While you're in this house, you will sit down, or I will tell Minato the truth out our truth or dare night that one time."

Kushina let out a strangled gasp. "Wait. You mean THAT night?? No way, 'ttebane, you wouldn't!"

"Oh, but I would." their arguing voices faded away into the kitchen, and Fugaku shook his head, letting out a small smile at them, and gestured for Minato to follow him out into the backyard. They sat there, talking about politics and smoking cigars.

Itachi and Obito stayed, hanging out with the babies. Naruto babbled angrily at Sasuke, and Sasuke took great care in ignoring the blonde baby. He'd occasionally stick his tongue out in what looked like a rather deliberate dismissal of Naruto's argument. Itachi watched the two interact in endless amusement, but something nagged at him- surely they didn't understand normal human interactions so soon after being born...

Sasuke had never shown any signs of being anything other than a normal baby before Kakashi started coming around. Itachi connected the dots in his brain. When Sasuke saw Kakashi, he began to behave more intentionally somehow. Now, with Naruto? It was like the two of them were somehow communicating with each other, even though they were barely twenty inches tall, and couldn't even sit up on their own. Mikoto had told Itachi that Sasuke's head was very vulnerable- even the smallest wrong movements could kill the small baby, so Itachi had always taken great care of the baby.

Itachi had never dropped Sasuke on his head, and to the best of his knowledge, neither had his parents. There was nothing wrong with Sasuke- the slobbering, friendly baby with huge black eyes was utterly normal.

So why then, did it seem like Itachi's otouto and their newborn friend Naruto were... different...? But, Itachi digressed, watching as Naruto waved his chubby little hands towards Sasuke, and Sasuke rolled his eyes-?

Sasuke-chan and Naruto-chan had immediately become Obito's favorite kids ever, even though Sasuke-chan hated his guts.

Kakashi eventually showed up to the little gathering as well, poofing into existence right next to Obito while the four of them were outside, scaring Obito so bad he fell over. Kakashi bent down and picked both Naruto and Sasuke up, smiling softly at the babies. Naruto gave him a toothless grin, and it seemed that Sasuke liked him too. "EEEEHH?? Sasuke-chan likes you better than me?" Obito gasped, horrified. That was the duo of death, right there- Obito knew that it was only his civic duty to keep his cousin and Kakashi from becoming friends and plotting to destroy the world. "So unfair!"

Kakashi rubbed his neck sheepishly, before a devilish smirk appeared. Not that Obito could see it under the mask. "It's probably because I've taken a bath in the last week."

"EH?!"

Naruto and Sasuke just looked at the two of them knowingly.