The Day Orochimaru Meet This Boy

Chapter 31: the Depth of my Plight

I was ecstatic to receive letters from Minato and Sakumo. I read them both numerous times before destroying them. And Sakumo had even shared about Kabuto. It was so heartwarming after so long in the dark. And to know Kakashi and Anko knew everything and understood the danger now. It had me feeling joy, but alas even more fear that we could be discovered.

The real informative piece for them came when Anko blatantly asked me if I was trying to rescue a child that I had created for Danzo.

I bent over screaming and clutching my middle. The pain felt worse than any injury I had ever received on a mission. I burned like my innards were on fire. I heaved my stomach empty as I screamed in between throwing up my food and what looked like blood. Anko and Kakashi didn't know how to help and Kakashi sent his pup, Pakkun, for Minato.

Within moments Minato arrived in (was that the Lord Second's famous jutsu?) a flash and helped me to bed. He questioned Anko and Kakashi and then went about trying to stop my pain. Nothing he did helped. He was about to send for Nade when it started subsiding. After an hour it was gone.

I lay in bed covered in sweat and aching from the pain I had felt.

"Mama, are you ok?"

Minato finally asked me. Worry written all over him. He held some water for me to drink as he wiped the sweat from my brow. I gave him a weak smile.

"I will be. Just...just no more, understand."

"Yes Mama. I do. I already spoke to Kakashi and Anko about that. It won't happen again. I promise."

"Oh my dear boy, I've missed you so much. I'm so sorry for all of this."

He hugged me. And it felt good to have him here.

"Don't apologize, Mama. We all made mistakes. But none of this is any of our fault. I missed you so much also. There is so much I want to tell you."

"Stay. At least tonight. And tell me everything."

"Of course. But first..."

He went and open the door and my babies stood there looking sad and hurt. I motioned them over.

"I'm sorry, mama!"

Anko wailed as she flung herself at me. And I cringed at the soreness, but hugged her just as tightly. And cautiously Kakashi crawled over and hugged me also. He whispered in my ear.

"Mommy, are you ok?"

I knew how concerned he was just from him calling me 'mommy'. I hadn't heard him call me that since before Danzo came into our lives.

"Its alright. I will be ok. Just no more. Now, enough of this. I want to hear what Minato has to tell us. I haven't spoke with your brother in two years."

And so we spent the rest of the night in my bed listening to Minato talk about what Sakumo had wrote him. He told me of Kushina. With Anko and Kakashi teasing him. And we discussed Anko's schooling. To which I completely agreed and said if he couldn't make it happen then I would. Kakashi and Anko were so happy they told me stories, things they had not shared before. And it was wonderful. It felt like I had my family back. Well most of them. And I silently prayed to all the Gods for this nightmare to end so we could be like this once again, with Sakumo and Kabuto also.

But the next day held even more terror for me as Danzo came into the lab.

"You will remove Kinoe from the tank and he shall be tested. If he holds no abilities of the First, I want him destroyed."

I held in my fear and kept myself composed.

"You do understand he may not exhibit any abilities for some time. And once he is removed from the tank, I will need to observe him for at least a week to make sure all is medically sound and he is healthy. I mean he could just start decomposing in front of us the moment he is taken out. Besides the fact I will have to explain chakra to him and see if he can even manifest it and then try to teach to use ninjutsu."