Uzumaki Arashi sat at his desk, staring out the window with a heavy heart. A tear slid down his cheek. "Well...I guess that's it," he said softly to no one. He looked down at the numerous notes on the papers that were scattered over his desk and sighed. "I'm sorry, Natsuki-chan. It looks like Naruto will have to grow up without a father."

Uzumaki Natsuki looked up from her reading as her husband entered the room. "Hey, Love," she said brightly. Her smile faltered, when she noticed the redness in his eyes. "Arashi-kun, daijoubu?"

Arashi slipped on a mask of a smile. "I'm fine, why?"

Natsuki frowned. "You're a bad liar," she said as she got to her feet.

Arashi sighed. "Only around you. The research for the Fuuin isn't going well. I still haven't found a way to seal the Kyuubi," he lied again, hoping she'd buy it.

"You'll figure it out. I have faith in you."

"Time is running out. Our intelligence reports all say that Orochimaru will attempt to release it within the week. We can not let the power of such a powerful youma into his hands."

"You will find a way, my love." She kissed him gently. "You always find a way." She patted her belly proudly. "And Naruto-chan will be the son of the most famous Hokage in history."

Arashi smiled and hugged his wife. "Arigato, Na-chan."

"S'what I'm here for," Natsuki said with a grin.

"I'm gonna go take a walk. Maybe the fresh air will help me think."

"Okay. I'll see you later, sweetheart," Natsuki said. She kissed him and went back to her reading.

"Ja na," Arashi said with a wave. "Love you!"

"Love you too, Honey."

Arashi walked out of his house and into the forest. Once he was sure he was out of sight of any patrols, he masked his chakra, sat down, put his head in his hand, and cried.

He just couldn't stand it. He finally had everything he ever wanted; the position of Hokage, a beautiful, strong, and loving woman as his wife, and the start of a family. Now it was crumbling before his eyes, and for the first time...he was terrified of the future.

Uzumaki Natsuki knew her husband was lying about something, but until she at least had a clue as to what it was, she knew it would be very hard to call him on it. "Just another month, Naruto-chan," she said to her round tummy, "Then you can use your big, beautiful baby eyes to get all of Daddy's secrets." She chuckled and went back to her reading.

Arashi's hands slammed down on the front of his desk and he used the leverage to push himself to a standing position. "WHAT?-!" he yelled at the anbu in front of him.

"I just heard it from Fumi's team, they...they lost Tadashi when they were trying to escape from Orochimaru's forces," the anbu said softly as she looked downward.

Arashi squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. "I see."

Silence.

"Sir?"

"Alright...assemble the anbu and jounin. Have them meet me in the assignment room."

"Yes, Sir!" the anbu said as she vanished in a cloud of smoke.

"Orochimaru, you bastard, you couldn't even let me have my last week with my family," Arashi spat angrily. He clenched his fist so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "And for that, I will send you to hell."

The sun set to the west of Konohagakure, casting long shadows over the hundreds of ninja waiting for battle and, most likely, their deaths. Everyone tensed as an explosion rocked the woods that were a mere half mile away, leaving a cloud of red smoke that was just beginning to dissipate as they heard an earth-shattering roar. The anbu commander that had informed Arashi of the coming attack stood, and looked at her troops. "ATTACK!"

Jiraiya wished his protégé hadn't sent him on this mission. Uzumaki Natsuki was a formidable woman, even if she was eight months pregnant. He arrived at the Hokage estate just in time to see Natsuki about to leave the house. He landed right in front of her. "My apologies, Natsuki-san, but the Hokage has ordered that you stay here."

Natsuki cocked an eyebrow. "Oh he did, did he?"

"Please, he's only concerned for you and the baby," Jiraiya pleaded.

Natsuki seemed to consider this and sighed. "Alright, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya sighed in relief.

Natsuki put a hand on Jiraiya's shoulder. "And, Jiraiya....?"

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry," Natsuki whispered.

"What?"

There was no time to realize he'd been tricked before Natsuki threw Jiraiya backwards, into the wall. "I just can't stay here while my Konoha is in danger." Natsuki thought as she jumped away.

After a few moments, Jiraiya struggled to get to his feet, failing each time. "Dammit. Why does she have to be so stubborn?" He could see the Kyuubi in the distance, sending bodies flying in every direction and he suddenly had the strength to walk. As adrenaline pulsed through his veins his pain was forgotten and he picked up speed. "Please don't let me be too late."

Sweat beaded on Jiraiya's brow as he hunted for Natsuki. He was surveying the forest floor when he saw something that nearly made him fall out of the tree he was standing in. He jumped down and swallowed hard. Natsuki was lying on the ground, a huge gash on her right arm, and a hole where the left half of her chest should be. "NATSUKI!!"

As Jiraiya began to look for a way to save the life of the woman he thought of as a daughter he felt a hand grab his shirt. "Natsuki?"

"Please...don't worry about me. Save...Naruto," Natsuki pleaded in a choked voice.

"Natsuki...."

"Please?"

Jiraiya finally nodded. He knew he didn't have much time as the baby could be suffocating by that point, so he gritted his teeth and, using his kunai, preformed an emergency C-section.

As Arashi sped towards the battle ground with a special scroll under one arm, a jounin stopped him. His eyes widened in fear as the man told him that his wife was badly wounded. He commanded that he be taken to her and he and the jounin hurried away.

Jiraiya wiped his forehead again and prayed he was doing the operation correctly.

Arashi was in his own bubble of existence. It was if there was no Konoha, no Kyuubi, no battle raging around him, there was only the path to the woman who meant everything to him. And although he was moving faster than he every had before, he felt as though someone had tied anchors to his legs.

After closing the wound as best he could, Jiraiya handed the tiny, blonde infant over to his mother. She smiled. "He...he's so...perfect. I'm sorry, Naruto-chan...Mommy did something...very stupid. I didn't want you to grow up without....AHHH!" she yelled as pain wracked her body and her arms fell to her sides. As her consciousness slipped away she reached out towards her crying child with a shaking hand. "My baby...my...ba...."

Tears slid down Jiraiya's cheeks as he picked up the baby and wrapped him in his vest. "Natsuki...." Suddenly, Arashi's voice cut through the darkness.

"NATSUKI!!!" he slid into a kneeling position beside her. He lightly shook her. "Natsuki! Natsuki! Natsuki....?" he said, as a lump formed in his throat. "Natsuki?-!" Sobs came from him as the reality sunk in. "Na-chan?" He shook his head. "No...NO!!!" he screamed. "NATSUKI!!! You can't go! It's supposed to be my last night, not yours! PLEASE!!! Natsuki!" he fell onto her chest, tears coming in rivers. If someone's ultimate pain could be made into a sound, you would have heard it that night. "Natsuki, Natsuki, Natsuki, Natsukiiiiiiiiii!"

As Jiraiya watched his honorary son, he had never felt more useless in all his life. And even worse, he would have to be the one to tell him that there was still a battle to be fought. "Arashi...we have to go."

The Fourth Hokage drew in a shaky breath. "I know...." He stood and walked over to Jiraiya. A small smile crossed his face as he looked down at the tiny baby. "Give Naruto to me."

"What are you going to do?" Jiraiya asked as he handed Naruto over.

Arashi's face hardened. "Protect my son."

----END----

And, of course, things continue as described in Arashi's letter in book 1 of COLAD. I'm sorry for the sadness, but this is ancient history in COLAD so that's how it had to go. I hope you liked it. ~Songbird21