(A Few Months Later)

"Great job Akira-chan!" the gentle voice praised the blue haired child standing in the middle of the training field. He had a pair of pure white angel wings on his back, bright green eyes that shone determinedly even when their owner panted tiredly.

"Really Naru-obaa?"

"Of course," the blonde woman praised the small boy.

"You've been doing better since you started your training with Sasu-jii."

"Ne, ne," the boy rubbed his cheek before asking,

"Obaa-chan should you really be here?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're tummy's so big now!" the six year-old gushed.

"And Hinata-obaa said that you're gonna have the baby soon!" he continued as he rushed toward her.

"Hinata-obaa is right," she patted the spot next to her so that Akira could sit.

"You'll meet your cousin soon." She rubbed her rounded belly as the boy snuggled close to her warm body.

"Kakashi-jii is excited and so am I." she relayed but Akira had already dosed off with his head leaning on her arm.

Smiling fondly at the small child, she laid his head on her lap and ran slender fingers through dark blue locks. She closed her eyes, let herself feel the sun on her tan face. At seven months, she was still mobile to the protest of all those who loved her but she wouldn't budge. The pregnancy had been good so far, no complications and such but she was still vigilant.

"I miss Kakashi." She sighed dreamily as she too dosed off, unaware of the danger lurking around.

XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX

"The kyuubi brat and the boy are asleep," hushed whispers assaulted her sensitive ears.

"We should attack now while they are defenceless." Another voice answered the voice so soft it was almost impossible to hear.

"Now's not the time," she muttered, her voice softer than theirs because she had heard them.

"Damn, Kashi where are you?" she could sense them move towards her and Akira; without showing them that she was awake, she shook him gently.

"Naru-obaa?" he rubbed his eyes sleepily from being woken up.

"What's going on?" he took in the worried expression and knew immediately something was up. He had been around experienced ninjas enough to know how to sense danger.

"Can you sense them Akira-chan?"

"Who are they?" he asked, his entire form freezing in fear.

"I don't know Akira-chan," she replied as she rubbed his arms comfortingly. They were close; they wouldn't be able to avoid a confrontation.

"But I need your help okay? Naru-obaa can't fight properly because I have to protect your baby cousin, do you think you could help me?"

"What do you want me to do?"

"I need you to open your wings and wrap them around us both as soon as they pass the tree you had been training on. Do you think you can do that Akira-chan?" the intruders moved faster, their leaps getting longer. They were so close but the nod she received from the boy was relieving.

"Time to die!" three men masked as ANBU flashed through handsigns simultaneously as they jumped from the tree line.

"Now Akira-chan!" Naru ordered as soon as they landed. Pure white angel wings opened outward just in time to catch the full brunt of the combined jutsu the ANBU had thrown at them.

"I'm sorry Akira-chan, can you bear with it just a little longer?" she forced him to look her in the eyes even as he grunted in pain.

"Obaa-chan, I can't hold it."

"It's okay Akira-chan; you tried to protect us both."

"No, I won't let my baby cousin get hurt!" his eyes flashed with determination as they were surrounded by a multi coloured flare of chakra.

XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX

"Hokage-sama, mission accomplished!" the silver haired team leader announced as he and his team stood in front of the hokage.

"Thank you for bringing back my student Kakashi," this was not an official mission, more like a paid errand.

"We had no trouble~" there was a flare of familiar chakra that had all occupants of the room turning toward the source.

"It's Akira!" the urgent voice of the only female genin broke through the shock.

"They're in trouble, he never uses that chakra unless it's an emergency!" she continued but before she could finish Kakashi had disappeared, no swirl of leaves, no flash of light, he simply faded into non-existence.

"I have a bad feeling about this." The aged leader said even as he rose from his seat. Without an order the group left in a collective shunshin.

XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX

"Naru!" Kakashi wrapped his arms around the pair struggling to withstand the assault of the combo.

He turned around as soon as he had them encased in his protective embrace and flared his chakra to stop the attack. Without a warning he flashed to the other side of the training ground, well away from the attackers and set the pair down.

"Kashi, how did you get here?"

"Our mark," was all he said as he turned his back on them and flashed through hand signs.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!"he announced as he slammed his hand on the ground. As the smoke cleared, it revealed his pack all ready to assist him.

"Kakashi, take Bull, Bisuke and Shiba with you," his brown pug told him.

"The rest of us will guard your mate."

"Take care of them Pakkun."

"Hai!" with that the silver haired nin with his three ninken rushed off to battle against those who were stupid enough to try and harm his mate.

"Naru-sama, are you alright?"

"I'm fine Pakkun," the blonde said dismissively.

"Although I am worried about Akira," She motioned to the boy who had passed out on her as soon as he was protected by her husband. Her hand glowed green and she began to heal the boy but she was stopped by her husband's personal summons.

"You will endanger your pup if you continue that," his tone left no room for arguments and she sighed wearily.

"The rest are on their way, I can already smell their scents." He relayed.

"But..."

"The pup is alright Naru-sama," the small dog assured her.

"He's just exhausted his chakra."

"Naru-obaa!" panicked and worried, the long haired female genin rushed towards the pair as soon as her feet touched the ground.

"What happened?" no handsigns were needed as she ran her hand across her younger brother's body, glowing green with healing energy.

"Naru-sensei/kaa-chan!" the other genin surrounded them, the ninken moving away with enough space to protect them still.

"We're fine," blue eyes shone serenely at her students and children as she assured them.

"Akira-chan did great; he protected us both."

"Who are they?" her eldest asked her, his dark brown eyes shining with malice as he glared at the masked ninja who were fighting their senseis.

"Root," was all she said and yet they all understood. At the age of ten to fourteen, they were already battle hardened shinobi who sought to protect those they cared about.

"What the hell do they want?" shaggy brown hair swished as the dog nin turned his attention to their blonde sensei.

"They want the Kyuubi dead." Natsu said knowing they needed to know and wouldn't stop asking her until they did.

"Kaa-chan," the small voice was contemplative and slightly hesitant.

"Didn't you already kill Danzou?" she turned her attention to her second son in shock.

"Shouldn't the Root ANBU be disbanded?" another voice, softer than their male counterpart's but similarly inquisitive.

"So who's leading them?" the puppeteer asked watching as his friend finished healing her younger brother.

"The civilian council," quiet as always, the glasses-wearing shinobi spoke for the first time since they arrived.

XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX

"Hinata!"

"Water style: water bullets!" three large bullets launched out of her outstretched palm directed at the other two masked shinobi.

"Chidori stream," her dark haired counterpart announced as his body crackled with lightning. He pushed his hands outward directing the stream of lightning toward the water bullets. They reached their target effectively electrocuting the two unknown shinobi leaving them shaking on the ground.

XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX

"What do you want from my wife?" two Sharingan eyes bore through the white porcelain mask his captive wore.

"The council wants her dead." The man replied calmly.

"Which council?" his hold on the man's neck tightened as he growled.

"She should've been killed." He was slammed against the wall, his mask cracking in a few places.

"Demon scum," his neck snapped in two easily under the rage-driven strength of the Copy Ninja.

"Never talk about my wife that way." Although it was too late for the man, he felt the need to say it anyway.

XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX

"I see my minions did not do their job," the sneering voice cut into their group's conversation. The genin stood around Naru and Akira protectively, the ninken growling their warning.

"Haruno," Naru hissed.

"Kyuubi whore."

"What the hell do you want?" the genin tensed for action as their sensei spoke to the woman and began to stand up.

"I want you dead."

"Why?"

"You took everything from me!" the woman shouted.

"My husband died trying to protect this damn village, my daughter as well."

"Daughter?" was the collective question of the group.

"Sakura's not mine," she snorted in disgust.

"Sayuri, my real daughter with my beloved husband died when our house collapsed on top of her during the Kyuubi attack." Unbeknownst to them, there was another person eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Itsushi did not father that spineless girl who calls herself my daughter."

"You know I'm not the Kyuubi, Haruno."

"I don't know that for sure," she sneered angrily, long pink hair swishing behind her as she shook her head.

"You may have been taken over by the beast for all we know." She shrugged her shoulders as she stared into cerulean.

"So you want to kill me because your husband and child were killed during the Kyuubi attack?"

"That's not all," she laughed mirthlessly.

"Killing you would be the ultimate revenge against Kushina."

"Haruno-san, why am I not surprised?" the aged leader who had stayed hidden revealed himself along with a blonde haired woman and a brunette holding a pig.

"H-h-hokage-sama!" the pink haired woman stared in shock.

"What do you think you're doing?" this time it was the student who asked, her chocolate orbs boring into deep green.

"I am simply doing what should've been done long ago." The former council member stated when she regained her composure.

"And what, pray tell, is that?"

"That demon bitch should've been killed while she was still a baby!" she pointed haughtily at the blonde woman cradling a blue haired child.

"Just because my son did not choose you as his wife, it doesn't mean you can take your anger on their daughter," chocolate brown darkened as she glared at the pink haired woman.

"They were in love."

"He could've taken me as his second wife!" she argued.

"He should've been under the CRA!"

"It was his choice not to take it because he loved Kushina."

"I should've been his wife!"

"So, all these years you've been trying to kill me because you couldn't get into my father's pants?" Naru asked in disbelief.

"It's not my fault he didn't like you."

"Shut up!" she rounded on the pregnant woman, green eyes blazing with anger.

"You have no idea what it feels like to lose the man you love to a woman from some Kami- forsaken village. Your bitch of a mother should have never been in this village, then maybe I could've been his wife!"

"Listen to yourself, Yakiko," the older blonde tried to reason.

"You've let the jealousy overcome you; you have a beautiful daughter you should be taking care of."

"That child is not mine!" she protested.

"She's Itsushi's twin brother's child. She and Sayuri should've grown together as cousins maybe closer but the Kyuubi took that from me as well. I took her in when her parents died protecting this village. She's not mine!"

"Yakiko, just stop this. You won't gain anything from this." Tsunade tried again.

"No, this has been long overdue." She snapped her fingers and in the same instant there were six Root ANBU behind her.

"I'll kill the Kyuubi and then I'll kill all of you!" she shouted dramatically.

"Dispose of them," was the order she gave to the squad waiting for her command.

"Kankuro," Naru whispered softly.

"Take the other genin and go, you're strong but you're no match for ANBU."

"Kaa-chan, we can't leave you here, not in your condition."

"Take her with you Kankuro," the commanding voice of their team leader said. They all turned back to see that the other three senseis where done with their battle and on their way to the group.

"Take your mother and the other genin and go." The silver haired jounin ordered once again. As Naru opened her mouth to protest, a single look from the dark red eyes of her husband cut her off.

"Go."

"Hai," the genin left in their signature shunshin leaving with Naru and the exhausted Akira.

"Now let's finish this because I have other things to take care of." Kakashi turned his attention to the Root ANBU who had been watching the proceedings silently.

"Hinata, take care of Haruno, Sasuke and I will deal with her squad. If you don't mind Hokage-sama, Tsunade-sama, Shizune-san, please leave this to us."

"Very well Kakashi," Sarutobi decided knowing not to interfere when the jounin was in his ANBU mode.

"I'll see you back in my office when you've taken everyone to Ibiki and Anko."

"No promises." He growled in reply as he and the two other Reapers charged at their opponents.

XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX

(2 Months Later)

"What's wrong with Kakashi-san?" clueless, the brown haired woman asked her superiors.

"He's been like that ever since it was confirmed that Naru is having twins." Sarutobi said as he sat on his chair rubbing his forehead.

"She's having twins?" his blonde student asked in surprise.

"You didn't know? I thought they met with you when they were on vacation?"

"They did but Naru and I got into an argument."

"About what?"

"I said something I shouldn't have and promptly made an ass of myself."

"You mentioned something about helping her didn't you?" before she could reply there was a puff of smoke revealing three angry ANBU level ninja.

"That's the third time Root has tried to kill Akira and Naru!" the usually gentle and quiet heiress exploded.

"Not to mention, that doesn't even include the count for the angry villager mobs since they found out she was pregnant." Sasuke embraced his wife.

"I am sorry Hokage-sama but I cannot let them endanger my family anymore," the silver haired man was sullen as he addressed his leader.

"As a ninja of Konoha my loyalty had always been yours but now I have a family to take care of. I would like to resign as an active ninja."

"Are you sure Kakashi?" shocked beyond words Sarutobi asked.

"What are you planning to do?"

"We'll move to Uzu," he said.

"It's been ready two months after the Wave mission but Naru chose to stay because she still thinks that the villagers can be redeemed but they have gone too far in attacking both her and Akira."

"Is there anything I say that will change your mind? I would just like to remind you that at this moment Konoha is even weaker than what it was after the Uchiha massacre."

"I am sorry Hokage-sama but again, I choose my family than this damned village that has done nothing for me and has only given my wife pain and grief."

"Very well," the decision was made and they all knew it.

"As of this moment Kakashi Hatake is no longer a ninja of Konoha, the same goes for Naru Hatake, Sasuke Uchiha and Hinata Hyuuga."

"Hokage-sama?" the couple asked.

"I cannot let them go if I do not have someone there that I trust." He sighed heavily.

"What about Konoha?"

"It's been a long time coming," Sarutobi sighed.

"This village cannot be redeemed anymore. They have resorted to attacking the innocent and it saddens me to think that this is what Minato had died for. I'm letting you go because this is what I think is right."

"Arigatou hokage-sama!" the three said in unison.

"I'll tell you when you can leave, for now check on Naru and the genin and make sure they're alright."

"Hai!" the three disappeared, one in a swirl of leaves, the other in a bolt of golden lightning and the only female in a whirlpool of water.

"Tsunade this is not what your grandfather and granduncle imagined the village will be like."

"I know sensei I can't help but think they all died in vain. The hatred runs too deep for the villagers to move on."

"I will call a council meeting tomorrow." He decided.

"I'm stepping down as hokage and resigning as a ninja."

"Sensei?"

"I've barely done anything for Naru, I think it's time I spend more time with my granddaughter."

"But who will take your place?"

"I think it's time Jiraiya comes back."

"Is he really the right person for that?"

"I don't care anymore but making him Hokage will be the ultimate punishment for him." Sarutobi said.

"He won't have any more time for 'research' as he calls it."

"What about the spy network?"

"It wasn't his spy network that kept the village afloat, it was Naru's," he informed his favourite student.

"His spies have begun to slack and they were almost always caught."

"And so now that Naru's leaving then they will obviously follow her lead."

"This village doesn't know just what they're choosing to do. They'll be losing a majority of their strongest ninja because they shunned the only one who brought them all together."

"As of this moment, Konoha is already dead." Outside the window rain started falling, softly at first and then it began to pour until it became a storm. It was as if the former hokages were taking their anger out on the village they founded and given their lives for.

"The Will of Fire has long since lost its luster and has now been extinguished."