Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

"So Hizashi-sensei, do we have a mission?" Hayate asked as he jogged to keep up with his sensei's longer stride. Hayate hadn't yet been cleared for physically demanding missions, but there were plenty of clerical duties that required shinobi clearance. Though not particularly fond of those duties, Hayate wouldn't complain as long as he was getting a paycheck.

"Not yet," stated Hizashi as he led his two genin students away from the Hokage tower.

"If we don't have a mission, where are we going?" asked Asayo from Hizashi's other side.

"The Hyuuga estate," Hizashi answered without embellishment.

"Can you tell us why?" Asayo probed with just a hint of irritation seeping into her tone.

"You have been requested to attend an announcement there by Sandaime-sama," Hizashi returned dryly, "and before you ask, I cannot tell you the reason. Be patient, you will find out soon enough."

The trio walked along in silence until the auxiliary entrance of the Hyuuga estate came into view. There waiting at the gate was Maito Gai doing handstand pushups. Hayate and Asayo shared a quick look both wondering what Gai had to do with the announcement. However, neither bothered asking since they knew Hizashi wouldn't answer. At team Hizashi's approach, Gai flipped back onto his feet and brushed off his hands on his vest. "Good Morning," Gai announced with one of his signature cornea searing smiles.

"Good Morning, Gai-san," Hizashi said with a small smile of his own. "Thank you for coming on such short notice."

"It was nothing, Hizashi-san. Although, I do admit to being curious as to the nature of this alacritous gathering," Gai hinted.

Hayate smirked and said, "Don't bother. He already said that he can't tell us."

"Ah, thank you for the youthful advice Hayate-san," Gai exclaimed with a friendly cuff to Hayate's back. Hayate was surprised that the blow hadn't knocked him down. It wasn't unusual that shinobi specializing in tiajutsu forgot their own strength when interacting with others. It had certainly shocked Iruka when his strength increased quicker than his control. Unfortunately, Hayate had been the recipient of Iruka's blows and he was not eager to get another. Hayate was impressed that Gai was in such control and aware of his strength.

"What were you doing?" Asayo asked with her head cocked to one side, as if that angle might better help her figure out the mystery that was Gai.

"I make it a habit to train whenever I find myself waiting. That way my time is never wasted in idleness and my flames of youthfulness are not dampened by impatience," said Gai as he followed Hizashi through the entry.

"That is very…dedicated," she finally remarked with a pensive look as she tugged at a loose thread on the sleeve of her mesh shirt.

"That's correct, Asayo-chan! Dedication, perseverance and guts give me the power to reshape my destiny!" exclaimed Gai. Asayo didn't respond but fixed Gai with a narrowed gaze as she contemplated his words. She finally realized he was being completely truthful, not teasing her, and looked away with embarrassment. Being so dramatic in his speech and mannerisms, Gai was difficult for Asayo to decipher. Her Uchiha upbringing valued the exact opposite of everything Gai was. Genius rather than diligence, and nobility rather than merit were what mattered in her clan. Not for the first time, Asayo wished she had been born to any family but the Uchiha.

Hizashi led them to the center of the estate where a sea of pale eyed Hyuuga milled about in front of the main house. The Hokage, Jiraiya, and Hiashi stood together on the raised porch of the main house. Hizashi's wife, Ishiko, spotted them as they approached and beckoned them over to where she stood near the front of the crowd. Neji rode on her hip and grinned and waved one of his chubby hands in greeting. Hizashi led his team and Gai to stand with his family to listen to the Hokage's message.

At a not from Hiashi, Sarutobi cleared his throat then spoke, "Genin shinobi, Umino Iruka was attacked by Hyuuga Hajime a few days ago for his suspected role in the unsealing of the Hyuuga branch family members. At great personal risk he did indeed participate in the removal of the 'caged bird seal' as Jiraiya's assistant. He was acting under my direct orders. I will not tolerate any attempt of violence against him for his part in the changes that have occurred in the Hyuuga clan. If you have any complaints about the decision to remove the seal, bring them to me, as I was the one who bears responsibility for rendering the seal illegal.

"It is shameful that a shinobi acting on his orders was attacked by someone who should have been a comrade in the middle of his own village. Such treasonous actions will be punished to the full extent of shinobi law. Your clansman, Hyuuga Hajime, has already confessed to his crimes and will be dealt with justly."

Excited chatter erupted at the Hokage's announcement. The cacophony grew louder as clan members talked over each other and struggled to be heard above the din. More than a few accusations were hurled between the former main and branch house members before Hiashi was able to restore some semblance of order. The Hokage and Jiraiya were peppered with questions from the assemblage and patiently answered as many as they could.

Hayate and Asayo looked shocked, but Gai looked every bit the consummate professional as he stood next to Hizashi with a stoic expression. When asked why Iruka agreed to revealing his identity now, the Hokage would only say that Iruka did not want anyone else to be put in danger through misinformation. Some of the civilian members of the clan were upset that a young genin would be put in such a dangerous position, but they were quickly reminded that all shinobi, regardless of rank or age, risk their lives every day for the village.

As the questions dwindled, the crowd of Hyuuga began to disperse and Hizashi invited his team and Gai to his home for tea. He knew they would have more questions and he felt he owed them any answers he could provide. By protecting Iruka, Hayate and Asayo had been injured as well. With so much attention focused on Iruka, Hizashi didn't want his other students to be forgotten.

Hizashi led his three guests into his dining room while Ishiko took Neji into the kitchen with her to fix tea. The tension of unanswered questions was palpable as they all took their seats. Hizashi could see his student's uncertainty in their slightly furrowed brows and distant looks. Gai didn't seem uneasy but appeared sensitive to the mood and stayed quiet.

Ishiko set down a steaming pot of tea at the table and set cups in front of each of her guests. Neji took a seat between his parents and watched the teens with his huge white eyes. The soothing, earthy scent of green tea suffused the small room and seemed to relax Hayate and Asayo. Hizashi took a sip of tea and watched his genin over the rim of his cup. He let them take a few sips before asking, "Do you have any questions?"

"Was the Hyuuga seal the reason Iruka wasn't able to take missions with us for so long?" Hayate finally asked.

"Yes, it took several months for Jiraiya and Iruka to break the seal," Hizashi confirmed.

Hayate appeared to mull the answer over for a moment before he asked, "Why was Iruka chosen as Jiraiya's assistant?"

"Iruka has a talent for fūinjutsu. He asked me about training in it right after graduation. Due to my own prejudices, I refused. Fortunately, the Hokage does not share my shortcomings and gave Iruka the training he deserved," Hizashi admitted. It was a hard confession for him to make to his team in light of what Iruka had accomplished with the very skills Hizashi had been so reluctant to teach. As if sensing his father's distress, Neji leaned over to lay his head against Hizashi's side. He ruffled Neji's silky hair in thanks.

"Why couldn't he tell us?" Asayo asked. The naïve question didn't shock Hizashi. In fact, he had been expecting it. Knowing the limitations on shinobi confidence didn't make the emotional aspect of not having someone's trust easier to deal with, especially for teenagers.

"It was an S-class mission, Asayo-chan. Even I didn't know about it until they were ready to test the seal removal and that was only because of my former position as the head of the branch family. He hated keeping secrets from all of you, but the danger was too great," Hizashi answered. "You all saw the way Hajime-san reacted after the seal was removed. Can you imagine if he had found out before the seal was removed? The entire branch family would have been in danger. It was a great burden for Iruka to carry such sensitive information and not be able to tell his closest friends."

"S-class missions are doubly difficult because of the inability to discuss troubling aspects with friends and peers. It is a testament to the bright flames of Iruka-kun's youth and bravery that he took on such a dangerous mission at his age!" Gai reasoned.

"Those of us who were unsealed owe a great debt to Iruka-kun and you three as well," Ishiko added.

"I can see why you would think that about Iruka, but why us?" Asayo asked with a confused look on her face.

Ishiko leaned across the table, laid her hand across Asayo's and said, "You three defended Iruka-kun, subdued Hajime-san, and provided testimony that helped the Hokage get a confession. Had you not been with Iruka-kun, he would probably be dead right now, and most of the Hyuuga would never know the young man that helped set them free." Ishiko spoke with quiet passion as she looked between the three teens, trying to convey her sincere appreciation.

Asayo and Hayate both blushed at Ishiko's straightforward declaration. Hizashi allowed a small smile to stretch across his face at his wife's words. The enmity between the Uchiha and the Hyuuga was old and entrenched. Hizashi had hoped to dissuade Asayo from carrying on the tradition, but it seemed that his wife had done more to heal that rift with her simple words than he had in over a year as jonin-sensei.

"I am glad that I did not know the reason behind Hyuuga-san's assault. I am not sure I could have held back as I did if I had known why he was attempting to kill Iruka-kun," Gai mused.

"You held back?" Asayo asked, paling slightly as she remembered the state that Hajime was in after Gai's attack.

"Of course I did. Had I not, he would be dead," Gai stated simply. Asayo grinned at the older teen's casual certainty, and Hayate laughed outright. As the last of the tension slipped out of the room with his team's laughter, Hizashi breathed a sigh of relief.

Iruka breathed in a long, deep breath of the warm spring breeze that ruffled his ponytail. "Ah, it is good to be out of there," he sighed as he closed his eyes and turned his face into the sun. Exiting the hospital with his friends beside him, Iruka stopped to savor his first moment of freedom. Hayate, Asayo and Gai stepped out behind him, their arms filled with flowers. His friends had come by to help him home and carry the plethora of flowers that had Iruka had acquired courtesy of many grateful Hyuuga clan members. Gai insisted on carrying most of them, and looked like a giant, walking centerpiece.

"You'd think he'd been locked up a month instead of a week with the way he's acting," Hayate quipped to Asayo as he gestured to Iruka with the vase of flowers in his hands.

"It felt like a month!" Iruka asserted, "I can't wait to get back to training and eat a bowl or two of Ichiraku's finest."

"That is the spirit, Iruka-kun! Nothing will make you feel like your old self faster than a youthfully vigorous workout and a hearty meal!" Gai exclaimed over the armful of flowers that obscured most of his upper body.

"Well, I would be leaning more towards a proper bath myself. I hate those hand-held sprayers they make you use in there," Asayo added with a hand flick in the direction of the hospital.

"Me too, the water never gets hot enough either," Hayate agreed.

"Good point, I'll add a bath to my list as well," Iruka said with a grin.

"Remember not to overdo it with the workouts. The medic said you need another week of rest before getting back to strenuous activity," Asayo chided.

"Yes, mother," Iruka huffed with an air of the greatly harried. Asayo sighed and rolled her eyes at Iruka's teasing.

"Do not worry, Asayo-chan! I will personally oversee Iruka-kun's rehabilitation and make sure that he does not hinder his progress by stressing his body before it is ready," Gai offered.

"Thanks, Gai-senpai, but I don't want to interfere with your missions," Iruka said sincerely. Less than a year ago, Iruka hadn't even known who Maito Gai was. Now he was one of his closest friends. He knew Gai didn't have a lot of friends and as a result, was fiercely loyal to those he did have. Gai was unconventional, but Iruka couldn't think of a jōnin that wasn't, with the exception of Hizashi-sensei. While other shinobi were excused, even beloved, for their eccentricities, Gai was marginalized. The only other shinobi in his age group that appeared to tolerate Gai was Hatake Kakashi who was also known for his dubious activities. It shamed Iruka to think that at one time, he also would have judged Gai by his strange wardrobe and colorful speeches and never seen the real person beneath the odd exterior.

Gai shrugged his shoulders and said, "I am not taking missions at the moment. Every shinobi who graduated from the Academy before the age of eleven is on paid leave until they pass a psychological review. Many of my comrades are angry about the situation, but I think it is wonderful that the Hokage cares so much for the well being of his shinobi."

"How old were you when you graduated, Gai-san?" Hayate asked.

"I was seven," Gai answered.

"Seven!" Hayate goggled, "were you a taijutsu genius back then too?"

Gai chuckled and explained, "On the contrary, I was considered a loser in the Academy. However, we were in the middle of the war and needed genin."

"My cousin, Itachi, is seven. He's considered a genius and everyone in my clan was pushing him to graduate this year. His father is taking the Hokage's decree as a personal insult, but I can't picture Itachi as a shinobi yet. He's just so quiet and sweet," Asayo mentioned.

"Seven does seem too young to be an active shinobi," Hayate agreed, "No offense, Gai-san."

"None taken, Hayate-kun. I agree with your assessment. Despite becoming a genin at a young age, I do not agree with the practice. Most of my Academy classmates did not survive the war and those who did are not in the best psychological health. That is why I agree with the Hokage's decision and will not allow being on leave to dampen my youthful spirit!" Gai declared.

"Here we are," Iruka said as he walked up to the front gate of Jiaiya's house. He unlatched the gate and held it open for his friends to walk through.

"Since when do you live here?" Hayate asked confused. Being friends since their Academy days, Hayate was the only one of the three who had spent any time in Iruka's old apartment.

"This is Jiraiya-sama's house, I just started living here a few weeks ago…" Iruka began.

"Oh my God! Jiraiya-sama adopted you, didn't he?" Asayo squealed.

Iruka gave her an incredulous look and responded, "I'm a little old for adoption, don't you think?"

She sent him a withering look and stated, "No, you're only thirteen."

Iruka refrained from pointing out that he would be fourteen next month and had been on his own for almost three years. "He didn't adopt me. Jiraiya-sama already has a ward, but since he's gone from the village so much, I help take care of the boy. He's like a little brother to me now, and I want you guys to meet him," Iruka explained as he led the way across the yard to the front door. Swallowing down a lump of nervousness, Iruka opened the door. He wanted to believe that his friends would accept Naruto like Hizashi and his wife had, but the possibility that they might look at Naruto with hatred turned Iruka's gut inside out.

Upon opening the door, Iruka was rammed in the legs by a yellow and blue blur shrieking, "Ruka-nii!"

With his thighs in Naruto's vice-like grip, Iruka waddled out of the entryway so the others could get in. He set the vase in his hand on the floor and picked Naruto up. "I missed you too, Naruto-chan," Iruka said as he gave the boy a squeeze. "Look, we have company." From the widening of Gai's eyes when he took in the bright blond hair and whiskered cheeks, Iruka knew that at least he knew the toddler's identity already. Iruka braced himself for the flash of distain on Gai's face, and was relieved when he only saw curiosity.

Naruto turned to look at the teens taking off their shoes in the threshold. "Hi!" the toddler chirped with a bright smile. The teens returned the greeting as they studied the whiskered boy clinging to Iruka's neck. Iruka picked his vase back up and carried it the short distance to the lounge room table. Gai followed suit and set down the half-dozen arrangements in his arms onto the low table. Naruto wiggled free of Iruka's hold and studied the colorful blooms. Asayo pulled a sunflower from the arrangement in her arms and handed it to Naruto. He hugged her around the knees in thanks, and earned a wide smile from Asayo that warmed her onyx eyes.

"Naruto-chan, this is Gai-san, Hayate-san, and Asayo-chan. Guys, this is Uzumaki Naruto," Iruka introduced, "You can take a seat, if you like." Iruka waved his hand in the direction of the plush sofa and chairs that surrounded the low table.

"Uzumaki Naruto…" Asayo repeated as she tried to remember where she had heard the name.

"Nice to meet you, Naruto-chan," Gai said with his biggest grin as he took a seat on the sofa.

Naruto beamed and babbled, "Nice meet you too," at Gai and sat next to him on the sofa. He offered Gai a sniff of the sunflower and ended up dusting Gai's face with pollen in his enthusiasm. Gai didn't seem to mind as he brushed the golden powder off his nose and cheeks.

"Is he…the one…ummm…" Asayo finally remembered where she had heard the name, but couldn't think of how to put it without breaking the Hokage's law. Her pale skin blushed under the black fringe of her bangs as she stammered.

"Yes, but he isn't what he contains. He's just a little boy," Iruka explained. Of his three friends, he was worried about Asayo's reaction the most. The novelty of their friendship combined with her family's influence could set them at odds when it came to Naruto.

"So he isn't dangerous?" she whispered low enough that Naruto couldn't hear what she said. He hated the rumors that had spread throughout the village in the wake of the Kyuubi attack, but Iruka realized that Asayo wasn't asking out of malice. It was clear by the way she looked at Naruto that she wanted to believe he was just as innocent as he looked.

"No more than any other two year old. He has a killer set of lungs though, so I might go deaf early," Iruka tried to joke as he watched Naruto abandon Gai for the table covered with flowers. Asayo chuckled at Iruka's attempt to ease the tension.

Kneeling down at the table next to the toddler, Asayo watched as Naruto examined, sniffed and touched the multicolored blooms, even crushing a few in his enthusiasm. She pointed to one bright orange flower and said to Naruto, "Lily."

"Lily," Naruto parroted and grinned when Asayo smiled and nodded. "Wha's this?" he asked as he held up the dinner plate sized flower she had given him earlier.

"Sunflower," Asayo informed him and then beamed as he repeated the word and waved the sunflower around like a sword.

"You seem comfortable with little kids, Asayo-chan," remarked Iruka.

Asayo shrugged and answered, "What's not to like. They don't care what you look like or how smart you are. You don't have to pretend to be something you aren't to get them to accept you. You just have to be nice." Naruto stopped swinging the flower around when he was distracted by Asayo's long ponytail. He wrapped his chubby hands in the dark length and rubbed it against his face. Grinning, Asayo took a lock and tickled his neck with it, sending Naruto into peals of giggles and cries of, "do again!"

Iruka smiled as his usually reserved teammate played on the floor like a child. His grin faded as he took in the look on Hayate's face. His normally placid face was drawn into serious lines as he watched Naruto and Asayo play. "Are you sure about this, Iruka-kun?" Hayate asked as he scratched his head through his bandana.

"More than I have ever been about anything else," Iruka pledged. The two brunette teens locked eyes for a long moment as Hayate seemed to be searching for something.

Apparently satisfied with what he saw in Iruka's serious face, Hayate sighed, "I think you're crazy to take on a kid at your age, but you lost more that night than anyone else I know. If you are ok with this, then I am too."

Hayate and Asayo stayed for a few minutes talking before they had to get back to 'shinobi gopher duty' as Hayate called it. Gai stayed for a little longer and took Asayo's place on the floor and played with Naruto. The two teens discussed Iruka's rehabilitation plan in between plastic dinosaur attacks. When Nagano Mei came into the room to get Naruto for lunch, Gai took his leave after promising to come by the next morning to help Iruka with his physical therapy.

Early the next morning, Gai arrived at Jiraiya's home as agreed. Since Iruka couldn't do anything strenuous, they stayed in the house and did some light stretching and meditation. Gai was leading Iruka through a series of holding stances when Naruto walked into the living room in blue, hippo pajamas. Naruto tried to match the poses along with the teens. His attempt was adorable but not very accurate, but much to Iruka's surprise, Gai stopped and made corrections to Naruto's stance. Naruto beamed at the praise he got from Iruka and Gai for holding the poses correctly and getting to participate in what his big brother was doing.

Gai showed up every morning for a week and slowly increased the intensity of Iruka's workouts. They were nowhere near the level of his previous regimen, but they tired him out as much as his first sessions with Gai. The next week Iruka started meeting with Gai at the usual time in the training grounds. Though he wasn't back to full strength, getting back into routine improved Iruka's state of mind.

The lingering weakness didn't last long with Gai's help and Iruka was elated as it began to abate. Since Gai didn't have missions, he began showing up at Team Hizashi's training sessions as well. Hizashi appreciated Gai's presence, since it gave each of his students more individual attention. Iruka seemed to be taking his taijutsu more seriously than ever and often asked Gai to spar with him. His spars with Gai took on an almost brutal edge as his mentor seemed determined to literally pound his lessons home.

Asayo and Hayate watched the two shinobi with a mixture of trepidation and awe. With his grim face and confident attacks, Iruka hardly seemed like their old teammate. As impressed by Iruka's progress as they were, nothing could prepare them for Gai's display of sheer speed and strength. Gai moved so fast they couldn't even see his punches; they could barely believe that Iruka was managing to dodge any of them.

Their unease only increased when Gai informed them that he would be helping with their training as well. Hizashi tried, and failed, to adopt and innocent expression when his two students turned accusing eyes in his direction. Asayo and Hayate glared at Hizashi and Iruka for a full week. Iruka just laughed when he glimpsed one of their scowls. They stopped glaring after the first week and by a month they began to notice changes in their performance. Along with physical conditioning, Gai had them practicing taijutsu, but much to Asayo and Hayate's relief, sparing with each other and not him. In addition, bokken training with Gai was a godsend for Hayate, as he finally had someone to help him with his katana skills.

Asayo had never been particularly good at taijutsu and thus shied away from it, choosing instead to focus on her ninjutsu. Her short stature and naturally thin build left her at a huge disadvantage to larger and stronger opponents. Since the Academy, she had managed to avoid all but the most necessary taijutsu training, but with Gai on the scene, that was no longer an option. To her surprise, he didn't go over any of the basic stances she was used to, and instead focused on teaching her joint locks and throws. Instead of focusing on her weaknesses, Gai pushed her to work around them.

After a month of nothing but missions followed by training, Hizashi invited his team and Gai to the Yakiniku Restaurant the following evening. Exhausted and hungry after a full day, Iruka asked, "What's the occasion, Hizashi-sensei?"

Hizashi gave Iruka a confused look and said, "It's the 26th." At Iruka's blank look, Hizashi added, "of May."

Understanding dawned on Iruka's face followed swiftly by a bright blush. Iruka couldn't believe he had forgotten his own birthday. Hayate and Asayo leaned against each other as they laughed so hard they almost collapsed. Their infectious laughter soon captured Iruka and he ended up howling right along with them. Hizashi rolled his pearlescent eyes and left them to their fatigue induced mania.

The next day was Team Hizashi's free day in the mission rotation, so after training with Gai in the morning, Iruka got a rare uninterrupted day with Naruto. It was a nice change of pace to play outside and read in the sun with Naruto. Iruka hoped that after the exams were over things would slow down so he could spend more time with the munchkin. He was growing and changing so fast, that at times Iruka could swear he grew during his naps.

The pleasant day came to an end as Naruto sat down to his own dinner and Iruka got ready for his. Jiraiya had insisted on Iruka buying some civilian clothes now that he was no longer spending every cent on rent and necessities. While he had not enjoyed the actual shopping, he was pleased with the results of the trip. He fastened the frog closures of his white shirt and took a second to admire the simple light green leaf pattern on the soft cotton. He kept his pants simple and bought a pair of formal shinobi pants for casual wear. With the legs left untapped and sans weapons pouch, they looked like normal slacks.

Sliding his feet into his sandals, Iruka was just getting ready to leave the house when someone knocked. Wondering who it could be, he opened the door to discover a very uncomfortable looking Mizuki standing on the stoop.

"Hi Iruka-k…san, I came to apoligize for telling Hyuuga Hajime you were helping Jiraiya, and for getting you and your team hurt. I'm also sorry for saying the things that I did at the hospital," Mizuki stated haltingly as he shifted from foot to foot. His hands worried at the loose cloth ends of a furoshiki wrapped parcel. As if suddenly remembering he held the package, Mizuki extended the bundle to Iruka and stammered, "I got this for you…for your birthday."

Iruka untied the ends and folded back the patterned cotton to find a book. Basic Summoning Theory crawled across the worn leather cover in faded gold leaf. Iruka's jaw dropped at the gift. He had seen a few copies of the book over the years on his frequent visits to the shinobi gear store but had never worked up the courage to plunk down his hard earned money on the costly book. Even used, it was out of his normal price range. The one time he had come close to purchasing it, Mizuki had convinced him it would be a careless waste of money.

"I remember talking you out of buying that book last year, and I shouldn't have. I was jealous, and I didn't want you to get ahead of me. I won't hold you back anymore," Mizuki explained, "I want you to know I'm serious about changing. I've been spending a lot of time with Yamanaka Inoichi and realize what a horrible friend I was. If not for you I wouldn't be getting help and I wanted to say 'thanks' for that. Even if you don't want to be friends again, that's ok. I just want you to know." Mizuki never took his eyes off Iruka's as if to show how sincere he was.

Mizuki looked the same physically but his demeanor had changed. Rather than fake smiles and false humility, there was vulnerability. It was not something Iruka could recall his white haired friend ever revealing. Iruka stared at Mizuki for a long moment before asking, "Do you want to come with me to the Yakiniku Restaurant? My team and some friends are meeting up there for my birthday."

"Umm, I haven't apologized to your team yet, I don't think they will want me to show up," Mizuki hedged as he looked at his toes.

"They don't know it was you," Iruka supplied.

"What?"

"I didn't tell my team that you were the one that let Hajime know about me," Iruka clarified.

"Why not?" Mizuki asked with a puzzled expression.

"Because by the time I saw them after confronting you, I realized there was more going on than I thought at first. I didn't want to ruin your reputation if there was a chance you could be saved from the path you were headed down," Iruka reasoned.

Mizuki didn't know what to say. He was grateful for the chance to be able to salvage relationships with his peers, but he didn't know how to go about it. Because he was a shy introvert, fitting in had always been a struggle for Mizuki. The reason Iruka had become such a fixation for the green-eyed boy was his outgoing personality and warm nature. Mizuki admired the quality but his conditioning forced him to reject it as weakness. "Thank you, Iruka-san. You don't know how much I appreciate being given a second chance but I don't think I'm ready to face a lot of people yet. I'm still getting things sorted out in my head," Mizuki finally said with a small smile.

Iruka couldn't say he understood, so he nodded and offered, "Well, when you are ready, I'll be here."

Iruka and Mizuki exchanged farewells and went their respective ways for the evening, both feeling better for the exchange. Buoyed with hope for a friend he had thought lost, Iruka practically floated to the restaurant. Catching sight of his friends at a booth, he hurried over and slid in next to Hayate. Gai and Asayo greeted him warmly from the other side. Asayo had left her pin-straight hair down and worn a dress, which generated some good natured teasing from her teammates, until Hizashi showed up and made them behave.

Even after the food arrived, the conversation continued to flow and Iruka was surprised how fast the night went. Before he knew it, dinner was over and presents found their way out of hiding places and into his hands. Asayo and Hayate gave him a new leather gear pouch, and Gai gave him a set of training weights complete with orange leg warmers. Iruka was wondering how hard it was to dye leg warmers as he opened the gift Hizashi handed him. He was stunned to find it was a fūinjutsu kit. It was stocked with everything he would need to make his own tags and storage scrolls including tools for mixing his own ink.

"You have talent, you should have your own tools as well," Hizashi said as Iruka looked at him with shock. Iruka knew what a gift like this meant coming from Hizashi. It wasn't just a gift; it was a sign of his trust and faith that Iruka would use his skills ethically. Iruka did his best imitation of a fish out of water as he opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, unable to think of the words to express his gratitude.

"This is where you say, 'Thank you, Sensei'," Hayate joked with a jab to Iruka's ribs.

"Thank you, Sensei," Iruka finally said when he could trust his voice not to crack with emotion, "I won't let you down."

The morning of the Chūnin exams came more quickly than Iruka expected. Sleep was elusive the night before and he woke with a knot of anxiety tangling his stomach. Some light stretching and exercises helped wake his body up and loosen his tense muscles. The lead balloon that had replaced his stomach didn't ease though and the thought of food made him want to retch. He showered and took extra care in dressing and donning his gear. Meditating helped calm his nerves and stomach enough that he decided to attempt a light breakfast. Walking into the kitchen, he flipped on the light on his way to the stove. He set a kettle on for tea and pulled out some leftover onigiri from the refrigerator. He deposited the plate of rice balls on the table and ate one as he stood at the counter waiting for the water to boil. When the kettle began to scream he turned off the burner and poured the boiling water onto his tea leaves. Sitting in the quiet kitchen with a cup of hot tea helped him maintain his tentative calm.

Footsteps entering the kitchen, caught Iruka's attention and he was surprised to see Jiraiya walk into the kitchen with a drawn look on his face. Iruka hadn't even known that Jiraiya was in town. The Toad Sage had been travelling on and off for the past few months and Iruka never knew when he was going to be in the village. Iruka's friendly morning greeting was met with a mumbled reply and a yawn. Jiraiya slumped into a chair with his hair loose and sleeping yukata askew. Seeing Jiraiya in such a disheveled state was a novelty to the young genin.

"Would you like some tea, Jiraiya-sama? I have enough hot water left," Iruka offered. Jiraiya yawned again and nodded his acceptance. A few moments later, a steaming cup of tea sat steeping in front of Jiraiya.

"When did you get back? I didn't think you made it back last night," Iruka mentioned.

"I got in a few hours ago," Jiraiya answered.

"You look really tired. Maybe you should get some more sleep," the teen noted.

Jiraiya gave a humorless chuckle at the suggestion and said, "I need to report in first and then I'll get a few more hours." With the information gleaned from this most recent mission weighing on his mind, Jiraiya struggled to focus on the conversation.

"Is everything alright?" Iruka asked.

"It's nothing you need to worry about right now. Don't you have your exam soon?" Jiraiya asked smoothly turning the conversation away from his duties. Iruka had enough to deal with right now and didn't need to lose sleep over the Uchiha and Danzo.

"Yes, I have to meet my team in twenty minutes. Hizashi-sensei thinks we stand a good chance, but I'm still really nervous," Iruka confided.

"You're smart to be nervous. The Chūnin Exams are nothing to take lightly. If you do, you are liable to end up dead," Jiraiya stated. All trace of color washed out of Iruka's dusky face and he looked like he was going to throw up. Not having meant to make the teen more nervous, Jiraiya attempted to correct his blunder. "Now don't get all worked up. Just think like a chūnin and treat it like a mission not a test," Jiraiya added.

Iruka nodded and said, "I will. Thanks for the advice." Iruka swallowed the last of his tea and cleared his dishes from the table.

As Iruka was leaving the kitchen to see Naruto before he left, Jiraya's voice stopped him, "Good luck, Kid. Your team is your most important tool in the exam, remember that."

"Thanks, I won't forget. See ya," Iruka answered with a nod before turning and leaving the kitchen.

He walked into Naruto's room to see him before leaving the house. Curled up on his side and breathing deeply in sleep, Naruto looked angelic. Iruka couldn't help but smile at the sight. He ran one hand through Naruto's hair and down one plump cheek. Naruto sighed in his sleep and turned into the touch. Iruka felt something in his chest melt at the innocent gesture. Iruka wondered if this is what his parents felt when they used to tuck him in at night. Having Naruto in his life, made Iruka feel he understood his parents a little bit better. Though he had never admitted it to anyone, he had felt betrayed and abandoned when his parents made him leave for the protection of the evacuation shelters. A small, childish part of him had believed that he could have done something to save them. He knew it was a foolish thought, but couldn't seem to help himself. Now with Naruto, Iruka had someone he was willing to protect with his life, and he no longer felt the sting of abandonment from that night. The loss was still there and probably always would be, but he understood too well the choice his parents had made to ever feel resentment again.

Iruka placed a small kiss on Naruto's forehead and crept out of the room and to the front door. He reached his team's meeting spot first, and sat down to wait. A yawning Asayo showed up right after Iruka took his seat and plopped next to him wordlessly on the bench to wait for Hayate.

Hayate's lanky form came into view a few minutes later, running and out of breath. "I'm not late," Hayate gasped with relief as he checked his watch.

"Right on time," Asayo said with another yawn.

"Trouble sleeping?" Iruka questioned.

Asayo nodded before admitting, "I couldn't settle down. I was too nervous to sleep last night. Hayate-kun, is that a new outfit?"

"You can barely keep your eyes open and you still notice new clothes?" Iruka joked as they started walking toward the testing center.

"Of course, it's a talent," Asayo retorted with a smirk.

"Yeah, it's new. My parents were really excited and bought me a new set of gear and clothes for the exam. I told them it wasn't a big deal," Hayate said with a sight blush.

"It is a big deal! It's great that your parents are excited for you and wanted you to look special," Asayo asserted. Iruka couldn't help but notice that she was wearing the same worn mesh undershirt with a black tank and shorts that she always did.

"Asayo-chan's right. This is a big deal," Iruka said as he threw an arm around each of his teammate's necks and cheered, "Let's go kick some ass!"

Jiraiya waited until Iruka was out of the house before leaving himself. Knowing he was expected, Jiraiya didn't bother knocking or even using the door to his old sensei's office. He arrived with the pop of a shunshin directly in front of Sarutobi's desk.

The old Hokage didn't bat an eye at the abrupt and unorthodox entry, he simply stated, "I read the report your summon brought me. How much longer do you need?"

"One week and full cooperation of ANBU and I can take him down," Jiraiya asserted firmly.

"You'll have it. Prepare a mission brief for the ANBU teams and be ready to take out ROOT and Danzo on my order," Sarutobi ordered with a grim nod.

Sorry for the VERY long time between updates. The only thing I can say in my defense is, "work sucks!"

Thank you for all of the reviews.