Author's Note: Consider this story slightly AU. Please review with tips, comments, and ideas would be appreciated. Hope you like the story.

Crying in the Dark
By: drag-eart

Chapter 1: My Son Naruto

To my son Naruto,

I am known for many things as well as go by many of names. Respectfully, I am known as the Yondaime Hokage. To the enemies that fear me I am known as the Yellow Flash of Konoha. To my friends and family I am known as Namikaze Minato. To you I am simply known as your father. Yes, you are kin to me.

Regretfully, I cannot explain this to you any further. You will have to ask your mother about me. For one, do not blame her Naruto. I told her to promise me not to tell you until you were old enough to know. Forgive me. It was for your own protection.

With this letter you will receive my fortune and my estates as well as parcels that go with it. Some of them containing techniques I've developed over the course of my life. Administer these concepts and practice them they will help you in the long run. I hope that Jiraiya, my former mentor, is training you. Listen to him well.

At times he may not seem wise maybe even considered immature but underneath it all he really is a good man, a man I'd consider my own father, he will help guide you. You must learn from him. Follow under his tutelage and he will not lead you astray. To help further your training I've also placed in this parcel training regiments to build you up physically as well as mentally. Add all these concepts into your arsenal of techniques, adroit yourself into the art.

My son I have one last request to ask of you. I want you to visit a hidden temple where I trained once. This place and its people took me in when I was badly injured from a mission. The matriarch who lived there had impeccable power that rattled my very soul. I became his apprentice for a short time, yet, it was enough to help me to survive the Ninja War. Mention my name and he will train you he is waiting for you.

The place is located on the outskirts of the Earth nation border far in the north-west forest of its country. A map is drawn up on another parchment pinpointing the coordinates of the location. Enter with caution though and be wary of your surroundings. Not all will seem what they seem. Open your eyes and your mind they may end up saving you in the end. If you survive they will come. He will come. Be ready my son for you must face even more trials and tribulations after this, they await you.

If it's any consolation to you, I'm sorry for putting that demon in you. Please, forgive me. Understand, you were our only hope my son. I know in my heart you have the strength and power to overcome this demon, and control it, to harness its abilities to its fullest potential.

You will achieve where others before you could not.

You will make our clan powerful. It pains me to leave you my son, my blood, my flesh, my kin. We could have done extraordinary things you and I. It hurts knowing that I won't be the one to see your first steps, train you, to see you grow up, but always remember this.

Even though I wasn't there for you in your childhood up to your manhood, I was there watching you, I was there in spirit and in strength. I still am.

Become a great shinobi, my son; aim your goals and dreams high. Be greater than all the Hokage before you. Become greater than your old man. Make me proud my son.

I'll see you again someday.

Remember this as final word from your father;

Fight… keep fighting; don't ever give up even if the odds are stacked against you. Protect the things you love with all your being. Take my word for it you will never regret it.

Take care.

Your Father,

Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage

As Naruto slowly folded the letter from his father, unwilling tears fell freely from his deep cerulean eyes and down his whiskered cheek. His blond hair, which had not changed that much since his academy days, swayed with the wind. A light breeze wrapped itself like a soothing melody around his frame bringing a sense of comfort to the Jinchuuriki of Konoha.

The young man lifted his tear stained visage to look upon the village of his home. He sat upon the monument of his father feeling the faint sunlight kiss his cheeks warming his tanned skin. He relaxed watching the setting sun begin its descent for the night to arise. He exhaled a content breathe closing his mesmerizing cerulean eyes. Yet when he opened them again his eyes fell on the parchment still clutched by his fingertips.

He sighed once again lowering his head down he reached with his left hand and rubbed the back of his neck tiredly. His right hand voluntarily flexing, scrunching the letter letting it hang limply and slightly crumpled reminding him. Naruto snorted in frustration suddenly thinking of going home and forgetting this whole fiasco ever happened.

But with the recent revelation of the Yondaime, Naruto knew sleep would not come so easily, yet, it didn't deter the power this comforting place gave him, soothing the distraught young man at ease. It held such a reassuring aura it seemed to calm him on his worst days; particularly one such as today, it gave him a sense peace a place of belonging. To help Naruto evaluate on what his place and path in this world has become.

However, this was not one of those days.

His mind raced with thoughts of his so called father, the greatest of the Hokage. How was he supposed to feel knowing his father was the legendary Yondaime? The young man couldn't constrain his bitterness to the whole ordeal. Yet he couldn't quite stop his mind from wondering what kind of man he was. Was he humble man, a troublemaker? Was he anything like him?

"My father," Naruto said tasting a word he never had the chance to use before. The young man's mind was running a mile a minute trying to decide what to feel at the moment. He could feel the hatred in his blood boil feeling the alluring touch of the fox through his veins. Yet, his heart seemed to lighten with relief finally knowing he had something akin to a family, a father no less.

The same man he came to idolize since the time he first stepped into school, a person he admired and dreamt to surpass. Yet it was ironic that the Yondaime ended up being his own father. But he did not forget the he was also the same person that damned him.

Naruto couldn't push back the haunted memories when he was just a boy in the orphanage with a thin layered blanket wrapped around his small frame trying keep away the cold. Where he would look up at the sky and wonder if his parents were still alive or dead. Wondering why they would leave him behind with a village that saw him with such hatred and scorn. But through it all he still hoped.

He had nothing to hold on to that was theirs, no picture, no memento from their very existence. He didn't have clue who they were or how they lived.

Now here in this letter in just a few minutes time he gained a father. Life was really fucking with him today. On his way from the Hokage tower he never would have guessed that in just a short walk to the monument he would become the son of the Fourth Hokage, one of the most powerful shinobi that ever existed.

And a damn Bastard at that.

He bit his lip hard trying to refrain from an outburst bubbling from within. He felt the metallic liquid escape and run down his chin. The blond haired shinobi wiped his mouth spitting the hybrid liquid on the ground. He let out a frustrated sigh.

What ate at him now was that the Yondaime seemed to think this supposed woman who was his mother was still alive. Either the Fourth didn't expect his mother to have died in the battle against the fox or worse she actually left and abandoned him. Naruto massaged his temples. Today wasn't his day. He put the thought in the back of his mind, however.

He looked across the village of Kohona, letting a small smile rise from his lips watching the people racing through the streets, weaving into the shops trying to get their last minute shopping done. He saw kids playing on the streets, rooftops, and playgrounds with such vibrant smiles. While parents watched on with adoration he never received when he was a child. It wasn't fair. He thought lowering his head.

He felt the shadow of the night drawing near. Naruto felt the warmth of the sun leave him. The Young man looked up once again gazing at the tips of light disappearing over the mountains. 'It would soon be getting dark,' the simple notion occurred to the jinchuuriki's thoughts. He smirked at pointing out something so obvious.

The Jinchuuriki of Konoha looked on watching children becoming scooped up in their mother's arms their father patting them on the head with glowing pride. He looked longingly at such tender embrace. He felt the tight clench on his chest.

"I... still would have liked to have seen their faces and their smiles," Naruto told himself letting the cool night air caress his blond hair. "Even once would have been enough." The sun disappeared pass the mountain tops, the stars coming alive, as the moon began to rise.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A young woman stood outside the office of the Godaime wringing her hands in front of her in contemplation to enter the Hokage's quarters. Her pink shortened locks covered her visage like a blanket of silk hiding the beauty within.

She had a lovely physique, with full rounded hips, and small yet perfectly shaped breasts. She was toned to perfection, fit, and strong. Her milky white skin enhanced her beauty all the more paling to comparison to the alluring moonlight. The young woman was truly a beautiful sight to see.

Yet what caught most men and women in wonder and fascination was her eyes. Such hypnotizing emerald eyes that expressed a tale of trials and hardships she'd faced over the years. From the naïve little girl in her genin days so enamored for a boy to the young woman she was today determined, confident, and powerful. Many knew who this woman was by just a glance at her pink hair it accentuated her whole being since she was just a child.

She was Haruno Sakura apprentice of the Godaime, team member of Team 7, and the woman that could punch you to next Sunday with her quick temper.

Yet the young woman radiated a different kind of aura at the moment not her usual confidence. She stood rigid with a slight apprehension in entering the large oak wooden doors leading to her sensei's chambers. The engraved symbol of fire gleamed vibrantly and mockingly against the hallway lights of the corridor.

Sakura knew the routine of a visit she'd frequented her mentor's office many times before for missions, deliberations, training, and so forth. But this was a different matter entirely. She collected herself and took a step forward extending her hand to knock on the massive doors, but instantly hesitated to step any closer.

She felt her heart tighten; and instantly held a hand over her heart. She felt the ebb of her mind being clouded with memories and feelings that'd been troubling her since her return home. Building until it came crashing down. Her heart sensing the dark and foreboding ambiance that drew nearer, yet, she felt it as though it was already there.

She knew it wasn't because of the aftermath of the war that had occurred recently.

No, it was something completely different; she was having these nightmares long before the war. It scared her to a large extent having her mind plagued with nightmares of her village burning and the life of her friends fading.

It was like a movie reel being spun endlessly, her most recent one the most horrifying. She couldn't help but relapse into the reaches of her mind;

The blood red sun waning in the distance, acrid smoke rising, fires burning the village and marring its scenic beauty. In a place she came to love so, once considered beautiful, with the florescent nature of the trees growing around them, now broken and torn asunder. Bodies lay strewn across streets, with cries of children, gurgling breathes of men and women being swept up in the inferno.

Yet she would walk along the path like a ghost unharmed and undeterred walking forth through the fire. She would see the lifeless bodies of her friends, gruesome and horrifying deaths they didn't deserve. Life taken. She continued on reaching her final destination.

She would hear a guttural sound, blade piercing flesh, a cry of a woman in the distance, and Sakura would finally turn and witness the picture of horror displayed to her. Naruto kneeled in front of a silhouetted form his cerulean eyes glazing over; his grip wavering on the blade that protruded his chest allowing it to sink deeper.

They seemed to be displayed like a pedestal for all to see, the dead their only witness to this charade. Her eyes scanned and found Kakashi's mangled body lying next to Naruto with a deep cavern for a chest blood pooling under him. She knew he was dead. Naruto ever the chivalrous hero he was protected him even knowing he was gone.

The blond haired shinobi bled from his lips and had let his arms fall to his sides. The black figure pulled the imbedded blade, and walked on forgetting Naruto completely. Naruto fell back, and in that moment everything dematerialized around them, like a weather worn watered out painting. The colors swirled, streaked, and combined until it became pitch black, no fire, bodies, and death surrounded them. Nothing existed.

He began his descent falling into darkness. Try as she might, she never reached her comrade in time to save him when he fell into the abyss slipping further away lifeless cerulean eyes of Naruto staring at her.

"Sakura-chan"

The pink haired kunoichi tried to cover these morbid thoughts, by telling herself it was just a dream. But it seemed to be making an appearance more frequently, often in different forms; they came eating away at her and growing with renewed vigor every day, making her wake up screaming late at night.

She wanted to tell someone of these ominous inclinations. She needed to find some assurance a peace of mind and have a better understanding of it all. The pink haired kunoichi believed her mentor was the only one who could help. Sakura knew the Godaime was the only person she could confide in hence the reason she stood before her teacher's door.

Sakura, with renewed courage, took a step forward and knocked.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A voluptuous buxom woman was hunched in her seat signing stacks of documents assembled atop of her desk. She brushed a darker shade of blond hair away from her face tucking it behind her ear. Usually tended and cared for her hair hung in disarray being held back loosely in a simple ponytail to keep it from cascading around her face while she worked.

Her brows were furrowed in concentration, the gem gleaming on her forehead, her rosy bottom lip being nibbled by her teeth. She focused her chocolate colored irises on the documents in front of her. A short time passed when she finally dropped the writing utensil and sat back on her seat.

The blond haired woman lifted her hand and rubbed her eye with her palm trying to keep sleep at bay. She reached out tiredly with her other hand and grasped a sake bottle next to her. She shook the bottle hearing the hollow drops from within and grimaced in response. The Godaime returned the drink back in its original place, allowing a frown to reform on her beautiful face.

The voluptuous buxom woman known as Tsunade looked irritably at the paperwork that lay in front of her. She pushed the tedious work from her and exhaled a tired but contented breathe. The Slug Sannin reclined in her seat even further letting her mind wander.

She thought of times when she was free to roam wherever she wanted, like a vagabond the world an open domain to be explored. Where she wasn't bound by duty, but lived by her own rules taking care of only Shizune and herself. She was an untamable woman who would drink to her heart's content and gamble until her money was wiped clean.

She couldn't help but smile at the old times.

She was willing to admit though giving up her old ways was worth it in the end by accepting her duties as Hokage she was able to protect new people close to her heart. She led her village into victory in the war and protected the village her grandfather created with his own hands. Under her reign she didn't intend to fail her predecessors. Plus, it didn't hurt that a few benefits were available to her.

When she opened her eyes the scowl returned seeing the bane of her existence stacked in front of her. Paperwork, after paperwork, a never ending spiral of reports, requests, and missions to decipher and categorized. She really hated this part of the job. But her whole day would lighten up some after having his smiling, sparkling blue eyes visit her.

His loud and obnoxious attitude seemed to put a smile on her face. Either willingly or unwillingly the young man she saw grow up had that unique gift. He was irritating to say the least hard to control, impulsive, and hardheaded. But she didn't mind, he reminded her of her little brother Nawaki.

Before the war started Naruto would visit her every now and then and discuss the daily activities of Akatsuki from reports given by Jiraiya. But lately due to the instability contributed by the war, she was only able to see him a few times out of the week, when he was not assigned on a mission.

The recent war was huge blow to the village with decrees now being passed, missions increasing, and alliances being made. Time was limited.

All for the well fare of Konohagakure no Sato.

Even with her time consumed with paperwork, politics, and Akatsuki she still indulged herself on occasion with well deserved naps from time to time to help compensate what the long day had in store. Sake was also another treat for her appetite to be fulfilled.

But today however she was feeling slightly oppressed. The reason she was so absorbed in her work was because not too long ago a report came in from ANBU explaining in detail of an ambush on a genin squad. It was a routine herbal retrieval order assigned for genin up and coming. A basic D-class mission for a client in friendly territories turned horribly wrong. Their whole squad was taken out.

Her body shivered against her own will. The detailed report left such an impact on her she didn't feel the tear that escaped her when her subordinates left. But, by being so engrossed in her work she didn't have to relapse into her mind. Thoughts were pushed back until she was ready to confront them again.

Such is the life of a Hokage.

She was interrupted out of her reverie however when she thought someone had knocked. She waited for a few moments, but dismissed the thought. She looked at her sake bottle once again shrugging in resignation she grasped it. However, as she was about to bring it to her lips, she was interrupted once again by an even louder knock.

She looked at the drink in her hand; she shrugged her shoulders and took the rest of the warm liquid in one swig. She hid the bottle in her drawer, tried organizing her paperwork, and wiped the alcohol trickling down her chin. She composed herself as best as possible.

"Come in," she replied, her voice firm and strong.

Sakura entered the large room with hesitant steps; she turned abruptly and closed the door behind her slowly. She walked the rest of the way standing before her sensei. "Good evening Tsunade-sama." The pink haired kunochi said lowering her head and bowing in respect.

"Sakura," the Godaime responded in greeting. "What brings you here late at night?"

Sakura didn't answer immediately though she stood quiet for a moment and could only fidget in discomfort in front of the Hokage's stern gaze. Tsunade looked away momentarily and resumed in normalcy by stacking her papers. She was giving Sakura time to collect herself to open up when she was ready, but seeing her apprentices' stature the Hokage knew she'd have to be the one to goad her into talking.

"Sakura, what's wrong, did something happen?" The Godaime dropped the rearranged documents and set them aside. Her brows furrowed in concern. "Are you okay?" Sakura nodded her head slightly to answer.

"I'm fine Tsunade-sama," she smiled weakly, trying to hide the sorrow she was radiating in the room. "Really," Tsunade of course caught the hint in urgency in her tone to leave the matter alone for now. But she wasn't one to leave things unresolved for long, she wasn't Hokage for nothing after all. So she took a different approach in her questioning.

"Well then what's wrong Sakura? Shouldn't you be celebrating with your friends at the get together?" The Godaime questioned.

"Hai, but…" the room grew silent once again, Sakura looking away.

"I was planning on going in a bit after I finished with this." She said pointing at the small pile of paperwork that remained to be finished. "If you like you can accompany me." Sakura didn't answer she just let escape a pained smile in response but then let it disappear. She nodded her head allowing a silence to overcome them.

"You can wait here and have a seat I'll be done in just a moment," she pointed to a chair in front of her and quickly resumed to her task at hand. She pulled the small stack of documents towards her and began working once again. Sakura doing what she was told took a seat and waited hands nestled on her thighs.

A strained silence was met between the two occupants.

The pink haired kunoichi was a bit grieved with the situation. She was determined to tell her sensei about the dreams when she came face to face, but by hesitating she now had to wait for her of all things. Forgetting the boundary of teacher and apprentice she interrupted the Godaime from her work.

"Tsunade-sama"

"Yes, what's the matter Sakura?" the Godaime looked up from her work, gazing at her apprentice. She readjusted herself on her seat putting the writing utensil down slightly. She knew by waiting, she didn't have to wait long for her apprentice to start.

"Can I confide in you," Sakura began slowly, her voice a mere whispher. "Can you promise to keep this between you and me?"

With such an unexpected seriousness radiating off her apprentice the Godaime straightened in her seat. She gave her apprentice stern gaze and answered. "What is the meaning of th...?"

"Please, can you give me your word?" The Godaime was astonished by the urgency of her tone. The young woman seemed more grieved than she let on. Tsunade nodded her head in agreement afterward.

"I give you my word."

Sakura let out an exhaled unexpected breathe. "Thank you."

"Well? Do you plan on telling me?"

Sakura circled her arms around herself and lowered her head letting her pink locks cascade around her face. She closed her eyes as though trying to put the right words in order for her thoughts. When she finally looked up she began hesitantly, "I've… I've… I've been having dreams—or rather I should say horrible nightmares that keep showing…the fall of Konoha." An eerie silence came over the room. Tsunade unwillingly tensing as Sakura explained further.

"They all start differently, yet, all end the same, Sensei. The village is burning and I walk through it unharmed, until I reach a point where I find Kakashi-sensei dead, and Naruto about to be killed by the hands of a dark figure. I have no power to control it; I see it over and over again being played in my mind, and I'm afraid…so afraid, Tsunade-sama. It feels so vivid. I can feel the heat of the flames the stench of death." She involuntarily shivered on her seat trying to appease the frantic thoughts growing.

"How long have you been having these dreams," Tsunade said paying close attention to her apprentices' movements.

"Since before the war," Sakura replied.

"Why didn't you come to me with this sooner Sakura," The Godaime retorted. "Letting this weigh you down could have put you at risk in battle, it could have killed you."

"I'm sorry but at the time Tsunade-sama we all had personal demons to face," The pink haired kunoichi answered truthfully. "Everyone needed the little time they had left to make peace with their life. We were…so" Sakura slowly became quiet once again not finishing. The blond haired woman looked at her apprentice for a moment and knew she was right.

Due to the recent war everyone became secluded trying to spend what little time with their loved ones before they headed off. Not many expecting to survive. She knew perfectly well what her apprentice meant, she had spent the little time she had planning strategies and reminiscing with Jiraiya and Naruto.

But, of course it didn't mean she wasn't open to talk to at the time either.

"It still would have been highly advised to have come forward and talk about it," The Godaime reprimanded. "Keeping everything bottled could have been met with dire results you know that Sakura? Haven't you learned anything from me?"

"Yes I know," The young woman nodded her head in consent. "I understand that, but I wanted to fight this by myself. I thought I could…"

"Face it and expect to win," the blond haired kunoichi interrupted shaking her head. "I was the same way once. By wanting to solve things on my own…I lost," Tsunade stopped speaking for a moment and looked away from her apprentice. "I've made some really bad mistakes in my life Sakura by keeping things in."

"Naruto helped me realize," the Godaime began locking her gaze with her apprentice. "That you don't have to keep everything in all the time. By confiding in people you trust will help lessen the burden."

Sakura looked way and stared at her clutched hands on her lap. Once again a companionable silence settled between them. It was welcomed.

"Naruto huh," Sakura questioned a small smile tugging at her lips. "In some way he always keeps coming up doesn't he?"

Tsunade couldn't hold a straight face and chuckled in response glad for the change in topic, "He has a way of worming his way in a conversation even when he isn't around."

"That baka," The pink haired kunoichi replied half heartily, a warm smile spreading on her face.

"He came by here a while ago," The Godaime continued with the same line of conversation. "To pick up some things that was rightfully his."

"Where is Naruto now, Tsunade-sama? I haven't seen him in awhile," Sakura asked in earnest concern. "He's been so busy lately, I rarely get to hang out with him as we use to before the war anymore."

"You know him," the blond haired woman answered a small smile tugging at her lips. "He wants to help the village any way he can."

"But that's not it either, he's been distant from all of us," she said. "That's not like Naruto at all."

The voluptuous Slug Sannin understood her apprentices' concern. She could even tell from the young man's posture that something was bothering him. The war cut something deep within him that was still fresh. He was more withdrawn and what she could tell too focused on his work for his own good. Naruto was experiencing something akin to what they were going through at the moment, but kept it to himself.

She shook her head to side to side and realized that he wasn't even following his own advice.

"I know what you mean," the Godaime her tone growing serious. "When I called him in he seemed to be so out of it... like he was there, but his mind seemed to be in another place." The slug sannin let her eyes wander to her hands. "I don't know what to do for him anymore; the war hit him hard."

"I know," Sakura replied solemnly. "It hit everyone pretty hard."

Tsunade nodded in response, "He was lucky Sakura," she said softly. "Very lucky."

"Yeah…."

Sakura closed her eyes and tried to get rid of the dark shadow beginning to loom over her frame. She couldn't shake the images of the war against Sound.

She didn't realize she'd fallen to her knees trying to wrap herself with her arms to provide warmth she desperately needed. Her vision being overshadowed in darkness, she felt her sensei's steps coming towards her…trying to comfort her, but nothing could make her forget the horror of that day.

Sakura was pulled into her teacher's arms and buried her face into her shoulder.

Everything the village was built up to was hanging by a thread. Loyalties were tested, spirits were broken, and shinobi were pushed beyond their own limits.

All for the well fare of Konohagakure no Sato.

-ooOoo-

A/N: There finished hoped you liked it. Truthfully, writing this was hell…sorry I half-assed it in the end. I might take a look at it again when I have time.