New Family Addition?

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Nara Yoshino was loved and cherished by many. Her friends and her family were her home. But fate had a twisted sense of humor as it blew out the flame of Yoshino. She had been sent on a A-ranked mission that cost her, her life. A mission that was meant to be her last before retiring as a field ninja and becoming a stay at home mother and wife for her toddler son and husband.

The news traveled fast as Shikaku was the first to be informed of his spouses passing. The sky seemed to darken as a fellow Shinobi handed the man his wife's headband. Explaining in a saddened voice that even her body couldn't be recovered. All Shikaku was able to do was thank the Shinobi as numbness covered his whole being looking at the Hidden Leaf headband in his hand.

What was he going to tell Shikamaru? The 3-year-old was a natural born Nara and would understand that death meant he'd never see his mother again. Shikaku didn't feel ready to inform his son about death but knew the child would ask about his mother until he received an answer from his remaining parental figure.

Shikaku knew that word would travel fast between his friends once the Hokage was informed about the loss of Yoshino. The Nara made his way home, water droplets falling from the sky making the already morbid atmosphere grow in intensity. Shikamaru greeted his father with excitement once the door was opened but his excitement soon died down seeing the look on his face and the emotions swirling through his eyes. The woman tasked to watch after Shikamaru while both parents weren't home was asked to leave as father and son were left alone.

Shikaku couldn't find the words as he kneeled down to Shikamaru's level and handed the child his mother's headband. Shikamaru stared at it for what seemed like an eternity to Shikaku before the child looked up at his father. "Why do you have mamas headband?" The child asked in nothing but innocence. With the words leaving his child's mouth, Shikaku finally let his shoulders crumble as he spoke. "Your mother isn't coming back Shikamaru. Mama can't come back anymore."

Shikamaru stared at Shikaku with more confusion, the father's heart breaking even more as he watched the pieces click together behind his son's eyes. The toddler looking down at the headband again as his small body began to shake, fresh tears spilling from his eyes as he grew weak in his legs. His father there to hold him before he fell, the child hugging the item left behind by his mother as he sobbed into his father's chest.

"MAMA!!!"

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Naruto looked up as the rain fell on him, his Genin team resting before the long trek back to the village. His stomach churned and his chakra shuddered feeling a shift in the air. He didn't know why or what happened, but he knew something wasn't right. The rest of the night the blonde tossed and turned, not getting an ounce of sleep as the bad feeling consuming him kept him awake.

Once he saw the first signs of dawn starting to peek through the horizon he woke his team and they headed back in a hurry despite the protests of the younger 3 wishing for more sleep. Their teacher was too focused on returning back home as soon as possible that he couldn't give his students any guilt or pity for rushing them.

The hair on the back of his neck standing at alert the closer they got to the village. Once the team had made it to the gate they noticed how everyone was dressed in black formal wear, a funeral obviously just finished being held. Naruto looked around catching sight of his Hokage and friend, jogging up to the man with a concerned look. "Minato, what happened?" Minato looked at his blonde friend and sighed. "Nara Yoshino was killed in action 3 days ago, it was right after your team left for your mission."

Naruto's eyes widened feeling his blood run cold at the information of one of his closest friends no longer being part of the land of the living. He couldn't believe what he was hearing as he looked to Kushina as she nodded her head in confirmation. Naruto felt tears fill his eyes as he sent his students home, he stopped his tears as he remembered the husband and son of Yoshino. He looked to Minato. "Where are they?"

"At her grave, but Naru-" Minato tried to stop the blonde from running off but was too late. "He asked to be alone.." He sighs holding Kushina's hand. "It'll be okay Mina, Naruto wouldn't have left him alone either way. You know how he feels." Kushina gave a small reassuring look to her husband as he sighed. "I know, but he's just going to hurt himself again..." The Hokage and his wife walked home as the rain began to fall harder.

Naruto ran as fast as his legs could carry him, the beating of his own heart the only thing ringing in his ears as he saw a black umbrella blocking the view of Shikaku and Shikamaru. The blonde stopped just a few feet away from the duo, his blue eyes reading the tombstone of Yoshino. Her headband resting at the base and soaked with water.

"Shikaku?.." Naruto called out in a wavering voice, watching as the man turned around slowly. Their eyes locking as Naruto saw how broken Shikaku really was, the tears streaming down the mans face along with the defeated look in his eyes telling the blonde all he needed to know. What broke the silence was the toddler crying out to Naruto, the single cry urging the blonde to hold both of them to his person. "I'm here...I'm here..."

Shikaku and Naruto sank to their knees in the wet grass, Naruto holding the man as the rain covered the yelling and sobbing of the widowed father and motherless son. Naruto finally let his own tears slide down his scarred cheeks, closing his eyes as he held them both as close as he could.

So I've decided to rewrite this story. I wasn't satisfied with where it was going and how I was writing it the first time so I completely erased it and am starting fresh. I feel like this is way better as I've had the time to mature in my writing skills.

I apologize for the long wait as it took me almost 4 years, those of you that stuck around and those that are new I really truly hope you enjoy this version better.