Yoshino still wasn't handling things well. Shikaku had been gone for four years now. Shikamaru was lying back on the bench, one hand behind his head, the other holding his cigarette. The rooftop of Tekio grocery was where all major decisions had been made in his life. Talks with Choji and his friends, talks with his father, talks with Asuma, even self contemplation had been done on this roof. So now he sat here trying to decide what to do about his mother. He had just returned from Suna. Yes, it had been on the behalf of the Hokage, but he had also gone to visit Temari as well. They were trying to figure out how to make their fucked up relationship work. He NEEDED to be in the Leaf. Naruto was completely useless without him. He was an idiot but a lovable idiot. He was also the best choice for Hokage and the blonde needed help understanding all forms the council demanded and to ensure he didn't mess up protocol, or piss of some diplomat unintentionally. People loved Naruto and Naruto loved the village. Temari understood that. He smiled, how could she not? After all she knew Naruto as well. It was just dealing with the councils on both sides. Neither wanted to lose such a high ranking Jonin to the other village. It didn't matter that the Hokage and the Kazikage were best friends. So for now the two of them had a long distance relationship and it sucked. Big time.
"I knew I'd find you up here."
Shikamaru barely turned his head at Choji's remarks.
"You still thinking about what Ino told you?" Choji was worried as he sat beside his best friend.
"How can I not be? And it's not just Ino. I talked to Sakura yesterday too. I guess she saw mom at the market buying fish for two. She told Sakura that she was making dad's favorite because he was due back from a mission shortly. What do I do Choji? The only answer I can come up with is institutionalizing her. The thing is aside from her belief that dad will be home any day now, she's still fully capable. Hell, she has the rest of the clan fully organized when it comes to the deer herd." He puffed harder on his cigarette. He needed help and advice and he wanted to talk to Temari about this. He wanted her help, her input, that's what partners did.
"Look, I don't know what the answer is, but I can tell you, if you put your mom in an institution she will wither and die. We need to do something to shock her out of this. I just don’t know what that is."
The pair sat in silence for a while, trying to come up with different ideas. Footsteps on the stairs let them know that they would soon be joined by someone else.
"Hey guys," Naruto's smile tried to break through the dark thoughts. "Shikamaru, I wanted to give you some time to deal with whatever it is that's been bothering you, but now I need to ask what it is and how I can help?"
Shikamaru sat up and lit another cigarette, his pack now empty. He really did need to cut back. "It's mom." He explained how his mother had regressed to thinking that Shikaku was due home at any minute. He was worried, about her health and well-being.
Naruto frowned, "The council in Suna and here are still dragging their heels about you and Temari getting married, right?"
The change of topics shouldn't have surprised him, but this time it did. "Y-y-yeah," the Nara stuttered.
"Hmmm," Naruto rubbed his chin and squinted his eyes, an overt sign to hard thinking on his part, "okay," he slammed one hand into the palm of his other, "I have an idea, I just need to check with someone or two someones first. Choji, I know this short notice, but can you arrange for small BBQ? Maybe thirty or so people? I want Yoshino, our group, Tsunade, Kakashi, Guy and Kurenai as well as Ino's mom Mei and Ibiki and your folks there. Can you do it?"
The Akimichi clan could throw a successful BBQ wth twenty minutes notice. Choji didn't know what Naruto had planned. Half of the blondes plans were completely hair-brained but they always managed to get the results needed In the end. Somehow. "Alright, let's say tonight at six pm at my place? I'll go let everyone know."
Naruto nodded before pinning his main advisor with a look. "We'll get this figured out Shikamaru, don't worry. You need to remember that you have people you can ask for help from too. Just because your a genius, doesn't mean the rest of us don't have good ideas."
The Nara watched wide eyed as his friend and leader walked away. A smile finally crossing his lips. "Man, that guy. Give him a little bit of power and all of a sudden he thinks he can come up with ideas. It's such a drag." The tone of his voice and the sudden lack of tension in his body belied his words. Laying back down, he rested his head in his hands and watched the clouds go by. "I guess if you and Naruto have it covered then all I can do is relax and wait."
Choji grinned, "Alright," he got up and headed down into the village. He had arrangements to make and people to find.
Naruto made his way from the rooftop home where he talked with Hinata before the pair went out to invite others to the BBQ.
******
"Shikamaru, I can't leave right now, your father is supposed to home any minute now and I want to have a hot meal ready for him when he walks in that door."
Shikamaru was getting frustrated, they were already late for the BBQ that Naruto had arranged. He couldn't get his mother to understand that dad wasn't coming home. Ever. Heaving a deep sigh, he finally decided to just go with the flow, "but mom, you know dad would never pass up a BBQ, after all Choza and.. well Choza will be there." He couldn't bring himself to pretend that Inoichi was alive too.
"Well then. Why didn't that man send word. Oh I am so going to have a talk with him when he comes home." She stomped off to change out of her house slippers. "Let's go I wouldn't want to keep the Akamichi's waiting."
"Yes mom." Shikamaru sighed, tears he refused to shed glistening in his eyes.
The BBQ was already going when they arrived. Shikamaru looked over the people, all of his friends and their dates were there. He did a quick double take, even Sasuke was home. Sakura was smiling as the brooding ninja stood be her side, holding her hand. Lee was trying to engage the Uhichia in conversation and Sasuke was trying to stare him down. Shikamaru wasn't sure which one would win. Kakashi, Yamato and Guy were talking away. Guy in he wheelchair as he was giving his leg a rest. Iruka was visiting with Hiashi Hyuga, Hanabi close by, her eyes wide as she took in the crowd of her sister’s friends. Tsunade was kneeling down listening to something Mirai was saying while Kurenai chatted with Ibiki and Ino's mom, Mei. It was sweet to see Ibiki courting her. Ino had been unsure about the head of T&I dating her mom, and had voiced her concern to both Shikamaru and Choji. They had both reminded their teammate that Mei was still young and her dad wouldn't have wanted her to sit and mourn forever. Shika watched as Kiba tried to steal food from Shino's plate only to have his hand slapped by his sister Hana, who had married the bug user last year. This was Shikamaru’s power base, his center. How had Naruto known he needed this? He helped his mother get a plate of food and sat beside her visiting with whoever happened to come over to say hello.
"Alright everyone." Naruto’s voice demanded attention. He stood just to the left of table Shikamaru and his mother sat at, Hinata at his side. "I want to thank Choji and his family for throwing this BBQ at the last minute, and for everyone for showing up. I know it was a bit of an inconvenience but it was the only way I could think of to do this. All of you are really important to Hinata and I and we wanted to make sure that you all heard the news from us. Sasuke thanks for sticking around man."
Shikamaru was confused, what the hell was the blonde talking about? Looking around, the same confusion was on everyone's face accept Sakura who looked a little smug.
"Hinata and I would like to announce that she is expecting." Naruto beamed and Hinata blushed while everyone tried to take in just what he meant. "We will be having our first child come spring."
"A baby?" Hanabi spoke up, "I'm going to be an aunt?"
Noise erupted in the yard as everyone tried to reach the couple to pass on congratulations. Hiashi was wiping tears from his eyes as he held Hinata's face in his hands.
Yoshino looked shell shocked. Naruto moved swiftly through the crowd to kneel at her feet, holding her hands in his. The group quieted, watching.
"Nara-san, I need you to be here for us. You and Shikaku were the only parents who accepted me when I was young. You both made sure I had food and was safe. When other villagers yelled at me or tossed me out of stores, you both stood by me, and encouraged me to continue trying, to never give up. You let Shikamaru play with me, and through that I gained a friend not only in him, but also with Choji and Ino as they were always together. I didn't have my parents, and after I learned of who they were, you were there to tell me stories of what they were like. Not their public personae but as people. I need your help in raising my child. We need someone who will help be a grandmother figure to them. We have a lot of male figures for them to look up to. Hiashi as their maternal grandfather and Iruka and Kakashi to act as older uncles, and all of our friends. While Granny Tsunade will be there, you are the closest to me who has raised a child. I need you to help be a grandmother to my children." Naruto's plea had brought a hush over the group. Tears were visible in many eyes as everyone realized that this was exactly what it would take to bring Yoshino back into the present. "Please, I am not the only one person who needs you in the present."
Hinata moved to stand beside her husband, her hand on his shoulder. Naruto used her presence to put the hand he had joined with Yoshino on Hinata's slightly rounded stomach. Yoshino blinked rapidly, her eye's finally clearing and seeing those in front of her. "A child," her whisper was hoarse, almost as if it had been a long time since she had used it. Reaching out, one hand cradled Naruto's cheek. "Shikaku wanted to adopt you, you know. At first I was against it. We knew what had been sealed inside you and the cost that brought to the village. It didn't take long for me to switch my tune. I just had to watch you and I wanted you in our lives. Shikamaru was just like his father, but you... you just craved attention and love. I think my heart broke when we were denied. We never did try for another child after that." Tears fell down her cheeks, "but now you are making a family of your own. Naruto, you will be a good father, and I would be honored to be part of your family."
"Mom," Shikamaru knelt beside his mother's chair, facing his friend. Proud that Naruto and Hinata would use this important announcement to help bring his mother back into herself.
"Shikamaru, I am proud of you." Realizing that they were drawing everyone's attention Yoshino redirected it back to where it needed to be. "Hinata, congratulations my dear, you will be a fantastic mother." She stood and gave Hinata a hug, guiding her to a nearby table where she was quickly joined by Kurenai, Tsunade, Sakura, Ino and her mother. Talk turned to center on Hinata and the announcement that was made.
It didn't take long for group to focus their attention back on to the expectant parents. Kakashi leaned against a tree in the far corner in order to just take a minute and take everything in. Naruto as a dad, imagine that. The silver haired ninja just shook his head in astonishment.
"I can't believe that this group is still as close as they are." Choza handed the former Hokage a drink.
"It is unusual isn't it? Not sure if it's because of Naruto, the war, or just who those kids are." Kakashi's reply contemplative. Naruto had his arm around Sasuke, preventing the quiet guy from escaping. They were surrounded by the rest of their friends, almost as if each of them were trying to find a place in the sun that was Naruto.
"It's gotta be Naruto," Yamato said as he walked up with the rest of the men. "Like you told me all those years ago, Naruto has a way of befriending everyone. The result is that while he may piss them off from time to time, they will gather around him and support him."
"He wasn't always like that," Iruka let his gaze rest on his former student, "during his academy days no one wanted to be near him. Sure he would hang out with Shikamaru, Choji and Kiba when they wanted to skip class or avoid work. But no one voluntarily searched him out to include him. That was something he learned from both of you and team seven."
"In that case it was Minato's teachings that I used and Jiraya that deserve any credit. Although to be truthful, it was likely his rivalry with Sasuke and dealing with the Kyuubi himself that had the most affect." He masked ninja tilted his head back to watch the sky, "I still feel that I failed them as a teacher."
Ibiki just listened in. He really had little to do with Naruto as he was growing up. Sure there were a couple of interactions, especially when it came to Sasuke and the pleas to have his rogue status revoked. He did however know Kakashi and Yamato. He held both of those men in high regard, and to listen to both of them talk about how much the hyperactive blonde had taught them. He took a bite of the dumpling in his hand, laughter coming from across the yard drew his eye to Ino. The daughter of the woman he was know seeing. The hell she and Sakura had gone through in the recent past and the way Naruto had made himself available and reliable to both women. "I think it's his nature." The rest of the men turned to hear what the master interrogator had to say. "It maybe result of all of your influence, but I think when you get right down to it, it's because Minato and Kushina and the type of people they were. No one could refuse either of them anything for long. Naruto may not have had the luxury of being raised by them, but I truly believe that it's their influence that had helped to make him the man he is."
"Ibiki's right," Choza nodded, "Minato would do anything for a friend and Kushina, well her smile and laughter was so infectious." The group watched as Naruto stumbled under Kiba's back slap, stepping on Sasuke's foot and falling on his ass. "Of course seeing him like that you have to wonder what the hell we were thinking having him become Hokage. Then he does something like this. An announcement that should be a private affair is made semi public in order to help a friend. We thought that Yoshino was doing better after Shino had suggested those neighborhood parties. I admit that we haven't visited as often as we could have. I know that on one hand, Mei's getting together with Ibiki might have had a little something to do with this, but it should have also given her hope that there was happiness after the fact." Choza squeeze Ibiki's shoulder quickly. "Don't get me wrong, we're happy that Mei has found someone after Inoichi. He'd be the first to offer his congratulations. Yoshino, however had buried herself in the clan and closed herself off. I don't know if Shikamaru said anything or if Naruto just butted in, but I know Choji has been worried about her for a couple of days now and then all of a sudden today he comes home and says we're throwing a BBQ and could I help track people down."
"I didn't understand how both Neji and Hinata could look up him." Hiashi voice was cool and unemotional, "Neji was a prodigy, yes he was from the branch family but he was still a prodigy. Hinata is my first born, she should have looked higher. I tried to encourage her to look at Shikamaru if she refused to look at anyone in the clan. Both of them recognized before I did how important Naruto was to them and the village as a whole." He clasp his hands behind his back, "when Neji fought Naruto at the Chunin exams I couldn't believe that he couldn't beat the village loser. It was hearing Naruto talk to Neji about being free and choosing his own destiny that had me opening up to my nephew for the first time since my brother died. To let Neji know who his father was, why I had hoarded stories of my brother and not shared them. Neji told me once that Naruto was vital to leaf. I almost laughed. When Pein destroyed the village to get to Naruto and Hinata almost died, I blamed Naruto. At the same time I could see that nothing was going to change my daughter’s heart. She had given it to him years before and I was going to have to get used to it." Hiashi watched the sky as he spoke, and the men listened, "It was later, after the war when we were all healing when I changed my mind. Naruto came almost nightly to visit with Neji. At first I was worried, a man who focuses on the past and friend that are gone, has difficulty seeing the present." Hiashi didn't see Kakashi flinch or Yamato rub the small of the masked ninja’s back, "but I didn't stop him from coming and eventually I overheard him talking. His thought’s were not on the past, but on the future. He was telling his friend os his plans, and wishing for advice. Now seeing him take care of his comrades at the possible expense of his own happiness time and again showed me that I couldn't wish for a better mate for my daughter. There was a reason why she was never as strong as her sister. She was meant to lend her strength for something greater. If she had been named the next head of the clan, she would not be able to aid Naruto as Hokage, and that is a role she is far better suited for. It has taken me time but I now recognize my eldest daughters strength and welcome not only her chosen mate as a good choice as village Hokage, but as a member of my family." the sight of a sparrow circling the gathering over head brought joy to the elder Hyuga's heart and a smile to his face.
Iruka blinked, that had to have been the longest speech any of them had every heard from the Hyuga clan leader, but it was also very accurate.
Looking across the yard Naruto and Hinata were in the middle of their friends, surrounded by their support base. Off to one side were the other women, with Mei and Yoshino, heads together. The two women who had been so close separated by the loss of their husbands, together again. The other women close and chatting, ready to lean support when needed.
"Well as we are going to be called upon as role models for Naruto and Hinata's children as well as any other children that are born into this group, I can only say that the future looks bright." Iruka grinned, he had always wanted children of his own, but knew that he'd never biologically father any. It was one of the reasons he still loved teaching so much. Honorary uncle wasn't so bad, a trilling whistle had him smiling in the direction of the Hokage's security detail and his partner. Genma must have overheard him and wanted to remind him of what the two of them did have. He sent back an answering whistle, all the while ignoring Kakashi's knowing smirk.