Disclaimer: The only thing of Naruto that I own is the plot of this fanfic and that might not last very long either.

Live or Let Die

Darkness reigned over once the peaceful village of Konoha on the night of October 10. The usually quiet autumn nights were now filled with the screams and shouts of many leaf Shinobi as they yelled out their Jutsu or died in the attempt to keep the nine-tailed fox demon, the greatly feared Kyuubi, from destroying more of their home.

Hope was fading at alarming rates as the Shinobi of the proud village realized that they could not possibly hope to defeat such a monster. Their only hope was their young leader, the Yondaime Hokage, but he had yet to show up.

Out on the battle field where the Kyuubi claimed more and more lives, a young Jounin by the name of Kakashi Hatake tried to keep what was left of his squad together. His newly acquired Sharingan still felt awkward to him and he really didn't like using it in front of the family of the one who gave it to him. Now, though, he had no choice in the matter and it was one of the only things keeping them all alive.

One of the beast's many tails came swooping toward him and one of his wounded teammates and he had to move quickly in order to save both himself and his weary teammate.

Kakashi fell on top of the older boy with a slight grunt. The dark haired boy (was his name Gai?) grunted in pain when his already wounded back hit the rocky ground.

"I hope the Yondaime gets here soon. I don't think we can hold out for much longer."

Another boy came towards them; he was dragging his leg, which had a wide and deep gash going down its side. He sank to the ground next to them and asked, in a voice faint from pain, "Where's Rin?"

If you didn't know Kakashi very well, you wouldn't have seen the flinch that passed through his features at the mention of his female teammate.

"…Rin didn't make it through the first attack by the Kyuubi."

Yes, it was true. Kakashi was alone now. All his family was gone and all he had now was his sensei. Kakashi looked back toward the Hokage Tower.

'Where are you sensei? What's taking so long?'

Meanwhile in a midwife's home…

"PUSH KUSHINA PUSH!!!!"

" WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK I'M DOING??!!"

Kushina Uzumaki was NOT in a good mood. Not only was she having a baby but also the little thing apparently didn't want to come out! To make things worse, her usually calm and collected, though eccentric, husband, Yondaime Hokage, was alternately pacing around the room and holding her hand. She was just about to order him to calm down when she felt the mother of all contractions rip through her abdomen.

Her screams and the roar of the Kyuubi were soon joined by the wailing of her newborn son. Kushina felt faint but she still reached out to hold her son when he was handed to her. He was so beautiful and he looked just like his father.

She glanced up at Minato. Awe is the only word that she could think of that could describe the look on her husband's face. She watched as he hesitantly reached out his hand to touch his son. At his touch the once wailing baby stopped and looked at his father giving him a sort of gummy grin reminiscent to his own toothy grin.

"Like father like son." Minato turned to grin at his wife but the happy grin soon fell off his face as he saw how pale she was…paler than she should have been.

"Mizu! Come quickly!" He yelled to the midwife. She quickly came over and started to look Kushina over.

The Yondaime felt a cold touch on his cheek. It was Kushina. She gave him a small bittersweet smile.

"It's too late, my love." He could barley hear her words.

"No. No it's not, sweetheart. Mizu can help you. Just hold on."

Kushina gripped his hands with her own cold ones. She knew it was too late and she wanted one more thing from her beloved husband before she had to leave him. With tears in her eyes she said, "Naruto."

"What?"

"Naruto. I want his name to be Naruto."

Minato nodded his head and looked to the child who still lay nestled in his arms. "Then he will be called Naruto."

Kushina could feel the coldness that was death surround her and she struggled to hold on long enough to tell her husband how much she truly loved him and their son.

" My love. Please tell Naruto how much I love him. Please tell him how much I love you."

The 4th shook his head at her request and when he spoke his voice was choked with tears. "But I won't have to tell him because you'll be there to do it for me."

She smiled at him through her tears. He could be so stubborn sometimes.

" My love, I'm dying and you know it."

"Sweetheart don't do this. Don't make me live without you. Please."

She touched her lips to his one final time before she gathered the last remains of her strength to say, "Love him. That's all I ask of you. Just love him and don't blame him for my death."

The 4th swallowed. "I will."

Minato smiled. "I love you…so much."

Kushina Uzumaki breathed her last breath and fell limp in her husband's arms.

"She's gone, sir." It was the midwife.

Mizu watched the Yondaime rise with his son still cradled in his arms.

"I know." He gave a deep sigh that sounded like it came from the very depths of his soul. "I know."

Back on the Battlefield…

A cheer rose up from the battle weary ranks of Shinobi when they first caught sight of their Hokage riding the giant toad.

"Kakashi look! It's the 4th and…see what he's got under his arms. Is that a baby?"

Kakashi's head whipped up in alarm. 'No. He couldn't be doing what I think he is. Oh God, I can't stand to lose someone else.'

'It's a good thing I thought to do all those preparations a few days ago in case something like this happened. Kushina forgive me.'

"Are you ready, Hokage?" It was Gamabunta, the toad boss.

Yondaime nodded, "Yeah."

When the 4th summoned the Death God, instead of stealing his soul, he stole an unholy amount of his chakra meaning that he would probably die anyway but that he would still have his soul and just might live. This was what he had been hoping for.

When the Kyuubi had been successfully sealed into his son, he let his friend the toad boss leave knowing he'd probably never see him again. After he did the Jutsu that would enable his son to harness and control the Kyuubi's chakra, he brushed his fingers across Naruto's forehead. "Forgive me, Naruto, but I have failed you."

The Fourth Hokage was no coward by any account but he also knew that he could not stay in Konoha and be a father to Naruto. The people would never accept him especially if they knew whose son he was. So he let it be known in his will that the child's name was to be Naruto Uzumaki, after his mother, and that it was his fondest wish that his son be thought of as a hero.

As Minato Namikaze used his Body Flicker Technique to transport himself to his secret hideout that was located deep within the forests of Konoha, he knew that one day his son would learn the truth and come looking for him. When he flopped on the futon of his little cottage hideaway, the 4th swore he could still hear the wailing of his small son desperately calling him back.

Before he allowed sleep to take him his last thoughts were, ' I'm sorry Naruto. One day you'll come looking for me and when you do, I hope you understand.'

-

-

-

-

-- I hope this revised version was up to scratch?